Esther · Chapter 5

[ edit] Forſoþe þe þridde dai Eſter was clad wiþ kingus cloþis, and ſtod in þe porche of þe kingus hous, þat was wiþinne forþ aȝen þe kingis hous; and he ſat vp on his ſee, in þe conſtorie of þe paleis, aȝen þe dore of þe hous. And whan he hadde ſeen Eſter, þe quen, ſtondende, ſhe pleſide to his eȝen, and he ſtraȝte out aȝen hir a goldene ȝerde, þat he heeld wiþ hond; þe whiche neȝhende kiſte þe ouermor of his ȝerde. And þe kyng ſeide to hir, What wilt þou, quen Eſter? what is þin aſking? Alſo if þe half part of þe reume þou aſke, it ſhal ben ȝiue to þee. And ſhe anſwerde, If to þe king it pleſe, I beſeche, þat þou come to me to dai, and Aman wiþ þee, to þe feſte, þat I haue greiþid.

And anoon þe king, Clepeþ, he ſeiþ, Aman anon, þat he obeſhe to þe wil of Eſter. And ſo þe king and Aman camen to þe feſte, þat þe quen hadde maad redi to hem. And þe king ſeide to hir, after þat he hadde drunke win plenteuouſly; What aſkiſt þou, þat be ȝiue to þee, and for what þing preȝiſt þou? Alſo if þe half part of my reume þou aſke, þou ſhalt gete. To whom anſwerde Eſter, Myn aſking and my preȝeeris ben þeſe. If I haue founde grace in þe ſiȝte of þe king, and if to þe king it pleſe, þat he ȝiue to me þat I preȝe fore, and fulfille myn aſking, come þe king and Aman to þe feſte, þat I haue maad redi to hem; and to morn I ſhal opene to þe king my wil.

And ſo Aman wente out þat dai glad and merie. And whan he hadde ſeen Mardoche ſittende at þe ȝatis of þe paleis, and not onli not to han riſe to hym, but ne moued forſoþe of þe place of his ſitting, he endeynede gretli; and þe wraþe feyned, turnede aȝeen in to his hous, clepide to gidere to hym frendis, and Sares, his wif, and expounede to hem þe mychilneſſe of his richeſſis, and þe cumpanye of ſones, and wiþ hou myche glorie vp on alle þe princis and his ſeruauns þe king hym hadde rerid. And after þeſe þingus he ſeiþ, Þe quen alſo Eſter noon oþer man clepeþ wiþ þe king to þe feſte, ſaue me, anent whom alſo to morn wiþ þe king I am to ete.

And whan alle þeſe þingus I haue, no þing I wene me to han, as longe as I ſee Mardoche, Jeu, ſittende at þe kingis ȝatis. And Sares, his wif, and oþere frendis anſwerden, Comaunde to ben maad redi an heiȝ bem, hauende of heiȝte fifti cubitis; and ſei erli to þe king, þat Mardoche be hangid vp on it; and ſo þou ſhalt go wiþ þe king glad to þe feſte. And þe counſeil pleſide, and he comaundide to be maad redi an heiȝ cros.