Page:KJV 1772 Oxford Edition, vol. 2.djvu/78

Apocrypha. And that thine handmaid hath not eaten at Aman's table, and that I have not greatly esteemed the king's feast, nor drunk the wine of the drink offerings.

Neither had thine handmaid any joy since the day that I was brought hither to this present, but in thee, O Lord God of Abraham.

O thou mighty God above all, hear the voice of the forlorn and deliver us out of the hands of the mischievous, and deliver me out of my fear.

And upon the third day, when she had ended her prayers, she laid away her mourning garments, and put on her glorious apparel.

And being gloriously adorned, after she had called upon God, who is the beholder and saviour of all things, she took two maids with her:

And upon the one she leaned, as carrying herself daintily;

And the other followed, bearing up her train.

And she was ruddy through the perfection of her beauty, and her countenance was cheerful and very amiable: but her heart was in anguish for fear.

Then having passed through all the doors, she stood before the king, who sat upon his royal throne, and was clothed with all his robes of majesty, all glittering with gold and precious stones; and he was very dreadful.

Then lifting up his countenance that shone with majesty, he looked very fiercely upon her: and the queen fell down, and was pale, and fainted, and bowed herself upon the head of the maid that went before her.

Then God changed the spirit of the king into mildness, who in a fear leaped from his throne, and took her in his arms, till she came to herself again, and comforted her with loving words and said unto her,

Esther, what is the matter? I am thy brother, be of good cheer:

Thou shalt not die, though our our commandment be general: come near.

And so he held up his golden sceptre, and laid it upon her neck,

And embraced her, and said, Speak unto me.

Then said she unto him, I saw thee, my lord, as an angel of God, and my heart was troubled for fear of thy majesty.

For wonderful art thou, lord, and thy countenance is full of grace.

And as she was speaking, she fell down for faintness.

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

The great king Artexerxes unto the princes and governors of an hundred and seven and twenty provinces from India unto Ethiopia, and unto all our faithful subjects, greeting.

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

And endeavour to hurt not our subjects only, but not being able to bear abundance, do take in hand to practise also against those that do them good:

And take not only thankfulness away from among men, but also lifted up with the glorious words of lewd persons, that were never good, they think to escape the justice of God, that seeth all things and hateth evil.

Oftentimes also fair speech of those, that are put in trust to manage their friends' affairs, hath caused many that are in authority to be partakers of innocent blood, and hath enwrapped them in remediless calamities:

Beguiling with the falsehood and deceit of their lewd disposition the innocency and goodness of princes.

Now ye may see this, as we have declared, not so much by ancient histories, as ye may, if ye search what hath been wickedly done of late through the pestilent behaviour of them that are unworthily placed in authority.

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

Both by changing our purposes, and always judging things that are evident with more equal proceeding.

For Aman, a Macedonian, the son of Amadatha, being indeed a stranger from the Persian blood, and far distant from our goodness, and as a stranger received of us,

Had so far forth obtained the favour that we shew toward every nation, as that he was called our father, and was conti-