< Esther 6 >

1 The same night the King slept not, and he comanded to bring ye booke of the records, and the chronicles: and they were read before ye King.
The kyng ledde that nyyt with out sleep, and he comaundide the stories and the bookis of yeeris `of formere tymes to be brouyt to hym. And whanne tho weren red in his presense,
2 Then it was found written that Mordecai had tolde of Bigtana, and Teresh two of the Kings eunuches, keepers of the dore, who sought to lay hands on the King Ahashuerosh.
me cam to the place, where it was writun, hou Mardochee hadde teld the tresouns of Gabathan and Thares, oneste seruauntis, couetynge to strangle kyng Assuerus.
3 Then the King sayde, What honour and dignitie hath bene giuen to Mordecai for this? And the Kings seruants that ministred vnto him, sayd, There is nothing done for him.
And whanne the kyng hadde herd this, he seide, What onour and meede gat Mardochee for this feithfulnesse? And hise seruauntis and mynystris seiden to hym, Outirli he took no meede.
4 And the King sayde, Who is in the court? (Now Haman was come into the inner court of the Kings house, that he might speake vnto the King to hang Mordecai on the tree that he had prepared for him.)
And anoon the kyng seide, Who is in the halle? Sotheli Aaman hadde entrid in to the ynnere halle of the kyngis hows, to make suggestioun to the kyng, that he schulde comaunde Mardochee to be hangid on the iebat, which was maad redi to him.
5 And the Kings seruants said vnto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the King sayd, Let him come in.
And the children answeriden, Aaman stondith in the halle.
6 And when Haman came in, the King saide vnto him, What shalbe done vnto ye man, whom the King will honour? Then Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the King do honour more then to me?
And the kyng seide, Entre he. And whanne he was comun yn, the kyng seide to hym, What owith to be don to the man, whom the kyng desirith onoure? Aaman thouyte in his herte, and gesside, that the kyng wolde onoure noon othere man no but hym silf;
7 And Haman answered the King, The man whome the King would honour,
and he answeride, The man, whom the kyng couetith to onoure,
8 Let them bring for him royall apparell, which the King vseth to weare, and the horse that the King rideth vpon, and that the crowne royall may be set vpon his head.
owith to be clothid with the kyngis clothis, and to be set on the hors which is of the kyngis sadel, and to take the kyngis diademe on his heed;
9 And let the raiment and the horse be deliuered by the hand of one of the Kings most noble princes, and let them apparel the man (whome the King will honour) and cause him to ride vpon the horse thorow the streete of the citie, and proclayme before him, Thus shall it be done vnto the man, whome the King will honour.
and the firste of the princes and stronge men of the kyng holde his hors, and go bi the stretis of the citee, and crie, and seie, Thus he schal be onourid, whom euer the kyng wole onoure.
10 Then the King said to Haman, Make haste, take the rayment and the horse as thou hast said, and doe so vnto Mordecai the Iewe, that sitteth at the Kings gate: let nothing fayle of all that thou hast spoken.
Therfor the kyng seide to hym, Haste thou, and whanne `a stoole and hors is takun, do thou, as thou hast spoke, to Mardochee the Jew, that sittith bifor the yatis of the paleis; be thou war, that thou leeue not out ony thing of these, whiche thou hast spoke.
11 So Haman tooke the rayment and the horse, and arayed Mordecai, and brought him on horse backe thorowe the streete of the citie, and proclaymed before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the King will honour.
Therfor Aaman took `a stoole and hors, and yede, and criede bifor Mardochee clothid in the strete of the citee, and set on `the hors, He is worthi this onour, whom euer the kyng wole onoure.
12 And Mordecai came againe to the Kings gate, but Haman hasted home mourning and his head couered.
And Mardochee turnede ayen to the yate of the paleis, and Aaman hastide to go in to his hows, morenynge, and with the heed hilid.
13 And Haman tolde Zeresh his wife, and all his friends all that had befallen him. Then sayd his wise men, and Zeresh his wife vnto him, If Mordecai be of the seede of the Iewes, before whom thou hast begunne to fall; thou shalt not preuaile against him, but shalt surely fall before him.
And he teld to Zares, his wijf, and to frendis alle thingis that hadden bifelde to hym. To whom the wise men, whiche he hadde in counsel, and his wijf, answeriden, If Mardochee, bifor whom thou hast bigunne to falle, is of the seed of Jewis, thou schalt not mowe ayenstonde hym, but thou schalt falle in his siyt.
14 And while they were yet talking with him, came the Kings eunuches and hasted to bring Haman vnto the banket that Ester had prepared.
Yit while thei spaken, the oneste seruauntis and chast of the kyng camen, and compelliden hym to go soone to the feeste, which the queen hadde maad redi.

< Esther 6 >