Esther — Chapter 7

After three dayes fast of al the Iewes with prayers and other works of penance, Esther asked & obtained the fasting of the whole people, more precious to her then halfe of the Kingdom.

fold for bondmen & bond. women : it were atolerable cuil , and mourning 1 would hold my peace : but now it is our enemie » whofe cruciae redounderh Vpon the King 5. And King Affuerus anfwering , faid: Who is this, and ot wnat (6) Ambiciouy ‘men are moft ‘blind in con- _ceite of their -owne deferts, and fortunes. (¢) Either they had read Gods; promife to the: lewes Gen. 136} 15, &c¢.or con- ieGtured this by humane Prudeuce, 4 (zw) After three! dayes faitof al the Lewes with prayers and penace, Ether asked & obrai. ned the faftie of the whole people,more precious to her then halfe of the Kingdom, other works of - { 1(5)Horrour of a cuiltie con f{c1ence is com- monly ‘the fift torment of a sinner, S. chriffscons,4. Ge Lagaro, (¢) What litle truft in falfe freindfhip, Ywhen bad men once Fal into difgrace, prawns 174) Such ho- nour is dueto tkings, yea jthough they ‘be Intidels, be- ‘raufe they jhaueterreftrial unaicitre and antreoritie rd “ God.Andthe * 4 contrarie opi 4 ‘aionand bena-4 autour of here! “tkes which 4 1 [pice Bommnion'™ n4 bialpieme wedi y's-con- mned by sate, in his freev,8. 4 932 ESTHER, of what might , that he dare doe thefe things? 6. And Efther faid : It is this Aman our aduerfarie and moft wicked enemie. Which he hearing (b) forthwith was aftonifhed , nor enduring co beare the countenance ofthe King and of the Queen, 7, But the King being wrath rofevp,and from the place of the banket went into the garden fet withtrees. Aman alfo rofe vp, to intreate Eftner the Queen for his life,for he vnderftood that there was euil prepared him of the King.8, Who when he was re- turned out of the garden fer with trees , and had entred into the place of the banker, he found Aman to haue fallen vpon the bed, wierin Eber lay, and he faid : The Queenalfo he wil force in my prefence , in my houfe. Neither was the word yet paffed fromthe Kings mouth,and immediately they coucred his face. 9. And Harbona, (¢) one of the eunuchs which {tood wayting onthe King , fayd : Behold the gibber, which hehad prepared tor Mardocheus , that {pake for the King ,ftan- deth in Amans houfe , hauing in height fiftie cubits, 10, To whom the King fayd : Hang him vpon iz. 11. Aman therfore was hanged on the gibbet, which he had prepared for Mardocheus: and the Kings wrath ceafed. CHAP VIIL 1 Efiber informeth the xing that Mardocheus is her vacle, he is aduancedin authorwtic 3. and contrarie letters are fent that the Lewes be faued, 11. and thesr enemies flayne, 15. Mardouheus is ix high beneur , and bu whole nation & cfleemed and feared by other people, HAT day King Affuerus gaue vato Efther the Queen the. houfe of Aman the tewes aduerfarie , and Mardccheus went in before theKings prefence. For Efthes confeffed , to him that he was her vncle. 2. And the King tooke the OF cing, which he had commandedtobde taken agayne from Aman, and deliuered itto Mardocheus, And Efther appointed Mardo- cheus alfo-euer her houfe.3, Neither conrent with thefe uh ng’, e(2)fel downe at the Kings fcetyand.{he wept and {peaking to.lim prayed him, that hesvouldcommand that the malice.of Amanthe Agagre, and hrs. ' mait wicked deuifes, which be had inuented agaynft the lewes, lhould be of nore effect, .4, But he after the manner put forth the golden {cep- ter wich his hand ,by the waich che igne of cicmencie wasthewed:and ine ryting vp ftood before him, 5, and faid:If4it pleafe the. hing, and if 4 hauc found gracein his eics,and my requeft{oeme not. contraric tohim, 1 bcfeech thee ,that the old letters of Aman the traytour and cnemic of the lewes, whereinhecommanded chat inal the kings prouticcs they (hould periih,may by new letters be corrected, 6, For how can] abide ‘ i \ 4 i the. ESTHER. 933 the murder and tlaughter of my peopie?7.And King Affuerus anfwered E {ther the Queen , and Mardocheus the lew : Amans houfe [ haue gi- uento Efther , and himfclf 1 haue commanded to be hanged on the gollowes,becaufe he duril lay haads on the Lewes. 8. Write ye thertore tothe Tewes as pleafeth you, inthe Kings name , ligsing the letters with my ring, For this was the cuftome , that no man durlt {peake againtt the leteera, which were fentin the Kings nine, and were figned. With his ring. 9. And the Kings feribes and fecretarics being cald tor (and ic was the time of the thied month, whicn 19 calied Siban)the three. and aventith day therot letters were written, as Mardocheus would, fo the fewes, andtothe Princes , & the licucenants avd iudges , which were rulers over the hundred and feuen and twentie Prout ces, from India euen to Athiopta: to Prouince and Prouirce, to people and peo- ple, according to their languages and characters , ard co the Tewcs, according as they could read,and heare. re. And the daid letters, which Were fent in the Kings name, were figned with his ting , and {ent by tyding pofts: which running through ak the Prouinecs , ihould preucne che old letters with the new meffages, 11. Ta whom the King gaue commandinent , that they thould fpeake to the lewes. in cuerie citie, and thould command them co be gathered together in one , that they. tnight fkand for their lines, and might kil and deftroy al their enemics. with their wiues and children and al their houfes , and to take the {poyle of here, 1a. And there was appointed through al the Prouinces one day of reuenge , thaz is, the vhirtinth of the twelfth month Adar,

Horrour of a guiltie conscience is commonly the first torment of a sinner.

What little trust in false freindship, when bad men once fall into disgrace.