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 moneths with ſweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women.)

Then thus came euery maiden vnto the king, whatſoeuer ſhe deſired, was giuen her, to goe with her out of the houſe of the women, vnto the kings houſe.

In the euening ſhe went, and on the morrowe ſhe returned into the ſecond houſe of the women, to the cuſtodie of Shaaſhgaz the kings chamberlen, which kept the concubines: ſhee came in vnto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that ſhee were called by name.

¶ Now when the turne of Eſther, the daughter of Abihail, the vncle of Mordecai (who had taken her for his daughter) was come, to goe in vnto the king: ſhe required nothing, but what Hegai the kings chamberlen the keeper of the women, appointed: And Eſther obtained fauour in the ſight of all them that looked vpon her.

So Eſther was taken vnto king Ahaſuerus, into his houſe royall, in the tenth moneth (which is the moneth Tebeth) in the ſeuenth yeere of his reigne.

And the king loued Eſther aboue all the women, and ſhe obtained grace and ‖ fauour † in his ſight, more then all the virgins; ſo that hee ſet the royall crowne vpon her head, and made her queene, in ſtead of Vaſthi.

Then the king made a great feaſt vnto all his princes and his ſeruants, euen Eſthers feaſt, and hee made a † releaſe to the prouinces, and gaue gifts, according to the ſtate of the king.

And when the virgins were gathered together the ſecond time, then Mordecai ſate in the kings gate.

Eſther had not yet ſhewed her kindred, nor her people, as Mordecai had charged her: For Eſther did the commandement of Mordecai, like as when ſhe was brought vp with him.

¶ In thoſe dayes, (while Mordecai ſate in the kings gate) two of the kings chamberlens, ‖ Bigthan and Tereſh, of thoſe which kept † the doore, were wroth, and ſought to lay hand on the king Ahaſuerus.

And the thing was knowen to Mordecai, who told it vnto Eſther the Queene, and Eſther certified the king thereof, in Mordecais name.

And when inquiſition was made of the matter, it was found out; therfore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the booke of the chronicles before the king.

Fter theſe things did king Ahaſuerus promote Haman, the ſonne of Amedatha the Agagite, and aduanced him, and ſet his ſeate aboue all the princes that were with him.

And all the kings ſeruants, that were in the kings gate, bowed, and reuerenced Haman, for the king had ſo commanded concerning him: but Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reuerence.

Then the kings ſeruants, which were in the kings gate, ſayd vnto Mordecai, Why tranſgreſſeſt thou the kings commandement?

Now it came to paſſe, when they ſpake daily vnto him, and he hearkened not vnto them; that they told Haman, to ſee whether Mordecai his matters would ſtand, for he had told them that he was a Iewe.

And when Haman ſaw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reuerence, then was Haman full of wrath.

And hee thought ſcorne to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had ſhewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman ſought to deſtroy all the Iewes, that were throughout the whole kingdome of Ahaſuerus, euen the people of Mordecai.

¶ In the firſt moneth (that is, the moneth Niſan) in the twelfth yeere of king Ahaſuerus, they caſt Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman, from the day to day, and from moneth to moneth, to the twelfth moneth, that is the moneth Adar.

¶ And Haman ſaide vnto king Ahaſuerus: There is a certaine people ſcattered abroad, and diſperſed among the people, in all the prouinces of thy kingdome, and their lawes are diuerſe from all people, neither keepe they the kings lawes; therefore it is not † for the kings profit to ſuffer them. By 3If