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 and as ſhe was ſpeaking, ‖ ſhe fell downe for faintneſſe.

Then the king was troubled, and all his ſeruants comforted her.

He great king Artaxerxes vnto the princes and gouernours of an hundreth and ſeuen and twenty prouinces, from India vnto Ethiopia, and vnto all ‖ our faithfull Subiects, greeting.

Many, the more often they are honoured with the great bountie of their † gracious princes, the more proud they are waxen,

And endeauour to hurt not our Subiects onely, but not being able to beare abundance, doe take in hand to practiſe alſo againſt thoſe that doe them good:

And take not only thankfulneſſe away from among men, but alſo lifted vp with the glorious words of ‖ lewde perſons ‖ that were neuer good, they thinke to eſcape the iustice of God, that ſeeth all things, and hateth euill.

Often times alſo faire ſpeech of ‖ thoſe that are put in truſt to manage their friends affaires, hath cauſed many that are in authority to be partakers of innocent blood, and hath enwrapped them in remedileſſe calamities:

Beguiling with the falſhood and deceit of their lewd diſpoſition, the innocencie and goodneſſe of princes.

Now yee may ſee this as we haue declared, not ſo much by ancient hiſtories, as yee may, if ye ſearch what hath beene wickedly done of late through the peſtilent behauiour of them that are vnworthily placed in authoritie.

And we muſt take care for the time to come, that our kingdome may bee quiet and peaceable for all men,

Both by changing our purpoſes, and alwayes iudging things that are euident, with more equall proceeding.

For Aman a Macedonian the ſon of Amadatha, being indeed a ſtranger from the Perſian blood, and far diſtant from our goodneſſe, and as a ſtranger receiued of vs:

Had ſo farre forth obtained the fauour that wee ſhew toward euery nation, as that he was called our father, and was continually honoured of all men, as the next perſon vnto the king.

But he not bearing his great dignitie, went about to depriue vs of our kingdome and life.

Hauing by mainfold and cunning deceits ſought of vs the deſtruction as well of Mardocheus, who ſaued our life, and continually procured our good, as alſo of blameleſſe Eſther partaker of our kingdome, with their whole nation.

For by theſe meanes he thought, finding vs deſtitute of friends, to haue tranſlated the kingdome of Perſians to the Macedonians.

But wee finde that the Iewes, whom this wicked wretch hath deliuered to vtter deſtruction, are no euill doers, but liue by moſt iuſt lawes:

And that they be children of the moſt high and moſt mighty liuing God, who hath ‖ ordered the kingdome both vnto vs, and to our progenitors in the moſt excellent maner.

Wherefore ye ſhall doe well not to put in execution the Letters ſent vnto you by Aman the ſonne of Amadatha.

For hee that was the worker of theſe things, is hanged at the gates of Suſa with all his family: God, who ruleth all things, ſpeedily rendring vengeance to him according to his deſerts.

Therefore ye ſhall publiſh the copy of this Letter in all places, that the Iewes may freely liue after their owne lawes.

And ye ſhall aide them, that euen the ſame day, being the thirteenth day of the twelfth moneth Adar, they may be auenged on them, who in the time of their affliction ſhall ſet vpon them.

For Almightie God hath turned to ioy vnto them the day, wherein the choſen people ſhould haue periſhed.

You ſhall therefore among your ſolemne feaſts keepe it in an high day with all feaſting.

That both now and hereafter there may be ſafetie to vs, and the well affected Perſians: but to thoſe which doe conſpire againſt vs, a memoriall of deſtruction. There-