Esther 6
1 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,
In that night sleep fled from the king, and he ordered to bring in the book of the memorable events of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.
2 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.
And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Theresh, two chamberlains of the king, of those who kept the door, who had sought to lay [their] hand on king Achashverosh.
3 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.
And the king said, What honor and distinction have been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's young men, his servants, There hath nothing been done with him.
4 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.
And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outer court of the king's house, to say unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows which he had prepared for him.
5 And the children answeriden, Aaman stondith in the halle.
And the king's young men said unto him, Behold, Haman is standing in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.
6 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;
So Haman came in; and the king said unto him, What shall be done with the man whom the king desireth to honor? And Haman said in his heart, To whom would the king desire to do honor more than to myself?
7 and he answeride, The man, whom the kyng couetith to onoure,
Haman therefore said to the king, [For] the man whom the king desireth to honor,
8 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;
Let them bring a royal apparel which the king hath worn, and a horse on which the king hath ridden, and let there be placed a royal crown on his head.
9 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.
And let the apparel and the horse be given into the hand of one of the king's princes, of the most noble, that they may array the man whom the king desireth to honor, and let them cause him to ride on the horse through the streets of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall be done to the man whom the king desireth to honor.
10 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.
Then said the king to Haman, Make haste, take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast spoken, and do thus to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: leave out nothing of all that thou hast spoken.
11 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.
And Haman then took the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and caused him to ride through the streets of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall be done unto the man whom the king desireth to honor.
12 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.
And Mordecai thereupon returned to the king's gate; but Haman hastened to his house, mourning, and having his head covered.
13 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.
And Haman related to Zeresh his wife and to all his friends all that had befallen him: then said unto him his wise men and Zeresh his wife, If Mordecai, before whom thou hast begun to fall, be of the seed of the Jews, thou wilt not prevail against him, but thou wilt surely fall before him.
14 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.
They were yet speaking with him, when the king's chamberlains arrived, and they hastened to bring Haman unto the banquet which Esther had prepared.
