Esther 5

1 Forsothe in the thridde dai Hester was clothid in `the kyngis clothis, and stood in the porche of the kyngis hows, that was `the ynnere ayens the kyngis halle; and he sat on his trone, in the consistorie of the paleis, ayens the dore of the hows.

And on the third day Ester put on her royal apparel, and stood in the court of the Kings palace within, ouer against the Kings house: and the King sate vpon his royal throne in the Kings palace ouer against the gate of the house.

2 And whanne he hadde seyn Hester, the queen, stondynge, sche pleside hise iyen, and he helde forth ayens hir the goldun yerde, which he helde in the hond; and sche neiyide, and kisside the hiynesse of his yerde.

And when the King saw Ester the Queene standing in the court, shee founde fauour in his sight: and the King held out the golden scepter that was in his hand: so Ester drewe neere, and touched the toppe of the scepter.

3 And the king seide to hir, Hester, the queen, what `wolt thou? what is thin axyng? Yhe, thouy thou axist the half part of my rewme, it schal be youun to thee.

Then saide the King vnto her, What wilt thou, Queene Ester? and what is thy request? it shall be euen giuen thee to the halfe of ye kingdome.

4 And sche answeride, If it plesith the kyng, Y biseche, that thou come to me to dai, and Aaman with thee, to the feeste, which Y haue maad redi.

Then saide Ester, If it please the King, let the King and Haman come this day vnto the banket, that I haue prepared for him.

5 And anoon the king seide, Clepe ye Aaman soone, that he obeie to the wille of Hester. Therfor the kyng and Aaman camen to the feeste, which the queen hadde maad redi to hem.

And the King sayd, Cause Haman to make haste that he may doe as Ester hath sayde. So the King and Haman came to the banket that Ester had prepared.

6 And the king seide to hir, aftir that he hadde drunk wiyn plenteuousli, What axist thou, that it be youun to thee, and for what thing axist thou? Yhe, thouy thou axist the half part of my rewme, thou schalt gete.

And the King sayd vnto Ester at the banket of wine, What is thy petition, that it may be giuen thee? and what is thy request? it shall euen be performed vnto the halfe of the kingdome.

7 To whom Hester answeride, My axyng and preieris ben these.

Then answered Ester, and sayd, My petition and my request is,

8 If Y haue founde grace in the siyt of the kyng, and if it plesith the kyng, that he yyue to me that, that Y axe, and that he fille myn axyng, the kyng and Aaman come to the feeste, which Y haue maad redi to hem; and to morewe Y schal opene my wille to the kyng.

If I haue found fauour in the sight of the King, and if it please the King to giue me my petition, and to perfourme my request, let the King and Haman come to the banket that I shall prepare for them, and I will doe to morowe according to the Kings saying.

9 Therfor Aaman yede out glad and swift `in that dai. And whanne he hadde seyn Mardochee sittynge bifor the yatis of the paleys, and not oneli to haue not rise to hym, but sotheli nether moued fro the place of his sittyng, he was ful wrooth;

Then went Haman forth the same day ioyfull and with a glad heart. But when Haman sawe Mordecai in the Kings gate, that he stoode not vp, nor moued for him, then was Haman full of indignation at Mordecai.

10 and `whanne the ire was dissymelid, he turnede ayen in to his hows, and he clepide togidire `to him silf frendis, and Zares, his wijf;

Neuerthelesse Haman refrayned himselfe: and when he came home, he sent, and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife.

11 and he declaride to hem the greetnesse of his richessis, and the cumpeny of children, and with hou greet glorie the kyng hadde enhaunsid hym aboue alle hise princis and seruauntis.

And Haman tolde them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the King had promoted him, and how that he had set him aboue the princes and seruants of the King.

12 And he seide after these thinges, Also the queen Hester clepide noon other man with the kyng to the feeste, outakun me, anentis `which queen Y schal ete also to morewe with the kyng.

Haman sayde moreouer, Yea, Ester the Queene did let no man come in with the King to the banket that she had prepared, saue me: and to morowe am I bidden vnto her also with the King.

13 And whanne Y haue alle these thingis, Y gesse that Y haue no thing, as long as Y se Mardochee, Jew, sittynge bifor the `kyngis yatis.

But al this doth nothing auaile me, as long as I see Mordecai ye Iewe sitting at ye Kings gate.

14 And Zares, his wijf, and othere frendis answeriden to hym, Comaunde thou an hiy beem to be maad redi, hauynge fifti cubitis of heiythe; and seie thou eerly to the kyng, that Mardochee be hangid theronne; and so thou schalt go glad with the kyng to the feeste. And the counsel plesyde him, and he comaundide an hiy cros to be maad redi.

Then sayde Zeresh his wife and all his friends vnto him, Let them make a tree of fiftie cubites hie, and to morowe speake thou vnto the King, that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then shalt thou goe ioyfully with the King vnto the banket. And the thing pleased Haman, and he caused to make the tree.