Esther 15

¹And he commanded her ( no doubt but Mardocheus commanded Esther ) that she should go unto the king, & make petition for her people and for her country.

²Remember (quoth he,) the days of thy humility, how thou wast brought up in my hand, because Aman the second after the king hath spoken against us unto death:

³& do thou invocate our Lord, and speak to the king for us, and deliver us from death.

⁴And in the third day she laid away the garments which she wore, and was clothed in her glory.

⁵And when she glistered in royal apparel, and had invocated God the ruler and saviour of all, she took two waiting maids,

⁶and upon the one indeed she leaned, as it were for delicateness & very much tenderness not able to bear up her body:

⁷but the other of the maids followed her lady, bearing up her garments trailing on the ground.

⁸But herself in all her countenance of colour like the rose, also with gracious and shining eyes hid her mind full of sorrow, & exceeding fear.

⁹She therefore entering through all the doors in order, stood before the king, where he sat upon the throne of his kingdom, clothed with royal garments, & glittering in gold, and precious stones, and he was terrible to behold.

¹⁰And when he had lifted up his face, and with burning eyes had shewed the fury of his breast, the queen fell down, & her colour being changed into paleness, she rested her weary head upon her handmaid.

¹¹And God turned the king's spirit into mildness, & in haste & fearing he lept out of the throne, & holding her up in his arms, till she came to herself, spake her fair with these words:

¹²What aileth thee Esther? I am thy brother, fear not.

¹³Thou shalt not die: for this law is not made for thee, but for the common sort.

¹⁴Come near therefore, and touch the sceptre.

¹⁵And when she held her peace, he took the golden rod, & put it upon her neck, & kissed her, & said: Why speakest thou not to me?

¹⁶Who answered: I saw thee, my lord, as an angel of God, and my heart was troubled for the fear of thy glory.

¹⁷For thou, my lord, art exceeding marvelous, and thy face is full of graces.

¹⁸And when she spake, she fell down again, and was almost in a swoon.

¹⁹But the king was troubled, and all his servants did comfort her.