Inquiry being made of the best and fairest virgins, (5. Esther the unknown niece of Mardocheus a Jew) is preferred, 18. and made Queen in place of Vasthi; a marriage feast made, and presents given. 21) Mardocheus detecteth traitors, and his service is recorded in the register.Inquirie being made of the best and fairest virgines, (5. Esther the vnknowe neece of Mardocheus a Iew) is preferred, 18. and made Queene in place of Vasthi; a mariage feast made, and presentes geuen. 21) Mardocheus detecteth traitors, and his seruice is recorded in the regester.✦
These things so done, after the indignation of king Assuerus was assuaged, he remembered Vasthi, and what she had done, or what she had suffered:THESE thinges so done, after the indignation of king Assuerus was asswaged, he remembred Vasthi, and what she had done, or what she had suffered:✦His ita gestis, postquam regis Assueri indignatio deferbuerat, recordatus est Vasthi, et quæ fecisset, vel quæ passa esset :
2and the king's servants and his ministers said: Let there be maidens sought for the king, virgins and beautiful,and the kings seruantes and his ministers said: Let there be maydens sought for the king, virgins and beautiful,dixeruntque pueri regis ac ministri ejus : Quærantur regi puellæ virgines ac speciosæ,
3and let there be sent that may view through all provinces beautiful maidens and virgins: and let them bring them to the city of Susan, and deliver them into the house of women under the hand of Egeus the eunuch, who is overseer of the king's women: and let them receive women's ornaments, and other things necessary to be used.and let there be sent that may viewe through al prouinces beautiful maydens and virgins: and let them bring them to the citie of Susan, and deliuer them into the house of wemen vnder the hand of Egeus the eunuch, who is ouerseer of the kings wemen: and let them receiue wemens ornamentes, and other things necessarie to be vsed.✦et mittantur qui considerent per universas provincias puellas speciosas et virgines : et adducant eas ad civitatem Susan, et tradant eas in domum feminarum sub manu Egei eunuchi, qui est præpositus et custos mulierum regiarum : et accipiant mundum muliebrem, et cetera ad usus necessaria.
4And which so ever among all shall please the king's eyes, let her reign for Vasthi. The word pleased the king: and so as they had suggested, he commanded to be done.And which so euer among al shal please the kings eies, let her reigne for Vasthi. The word pleased the king: and so as they had suggested, he commanded to be done.Et quæcumque inter omnes oculis regis placuerit, ipsa regnet pro Vasthi. Placuit sermo regi : et ita, ut suggesserant, jussit fieri.
5There was a man in the city of Susan a Jew, named Mardocheus, the son of Jair, the son of Semei, the son of Cis, of the stock of Jemini,There was a man in the citie of Susan a Iew, named Mardocheus, the sonne of Iair, the sonne of Semei, the sonne of Cis, of the stocke of Iemini,✦Erat vir Judæus in Susan civitate, vocabulo Mardochæus filius Jair, filii Semei, filii Cis, de stirpe Jemini,
6who had been transported from Jerusalem the same time, that Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon transported Jechonias the king of Juda,who had beene transported from Ierusalem the same time, that Nabucodonosor the king of Babylon transported Iechonias the king of Iuda,✦qui translatus fuerat de Jerusalem eo tempore quo Jechoniam regem Juda Nabuchodonosor rex Babylonis transtulerat,
7who was the foster father of his brother's daughter Edissa, which by another name was called Esther: and she had lost both her parents: exceeding beautiful, and of comely face. And her father and mother being dead, Mardocheus adopted her for his daughter.who was the foster father of his brothers daughter Edissa, which by an other name was called Esther: and she had lost both her parentes: exceeding beautiful, and of comely face. And her father and mother being dead, Mardocheus adopted her for his daughter.✦qui fuit nutritius filiæ fratris sui Edissæ, quæ altero nomine vocabatur Esther, et utrumque parentem amiserat : pulchra nimis, et decora facie. Mortuisque patre ejus ac matre, Mardochæus sibi eam adoptavit in filiam.
8And when the king's commandment was percrebruisset: noised about, proclaimed abroad, and according to his commandment many fair virgins were brought to Susan, and were delivered to Egeus the eunuch: Esther also among the rest of the maidens was delivered to him, that she might be kept in the number of the women.And when the kings commandment was bruited abrode, and according to his commandement many fayre virgins were brought to Susan, and were deliuered to Egeus the eunuch: Esther also among the rest of the maydens was deliuered to him, that she might be kept in the number of the wemen.Cumque percrebruisset regis imperium, et juxta mandatum illius multæ pulchræ virgines adducerentur Susan, et Egeo traderentur eunucho, Esther quoque inter ceteras puellas ei tradita est, ut servaretur in numero feminarum.
9Who pleased him, and found grace in his sight. And he commanded the eunuch, that he should hasten the women's ornaments, and should deliver her, her partes: her allotted portions, & seven the most beautiful maidens of the king's house, and should adorn and deck both her and her waiting maids.Who pleased him, and found grace in his sight. And he commanded the eunuch, that he should hasten the wemens ornamentes, and should deliuer her, her partes, & seuen the most beautiful maydens of the kings house, and should adorne and decke both her and her wayting maydes.✦Quæ placuit ei, et invenit gratiam in conspectu illius. Et præcepit eunucho, ut acceleraret mundum muliebrem, et traderet ei partes suas, et septem puellas speciosissimas de domo regis, et tam ipsam quam pedissequas ejus ornaret atque excoleret.
10Who would not tell him her people and country. For Mardocheus had commanded her, that of this thing she should altogether keep silence:Who would not tel him her people and countrie. For Mardocheus had commanded her, that of this thing she should altogether keepe silence:Quæ noluit indicare ei populum et patriam suam : Mardochæus enim præceperat ei, ut de hac re omnino reticeret :
11who walked daily before the entrance of the house, wherein the chosen virgins were kept, taking care of Esther's welfare, and desirous to know what should chance unto her.who walked daily before the entrance of the house, wherin the chosen virgins were kept, taking care of Esthers welfare, and desirous to know what should chance vnto her.qui deambulabat quotidie ante vestibulum domus, in qua electæ virgines servabantur, curam agens salutis Esther, et scire volens quid ei accideret.
12And when the time of every virgin in order was come, that they should go in to the king, all things accomplished that pertained to women's ornaments, it was the twelfth month: yet so, that for six months they were anointed with oil of myrtle, and other six months they used certain paintings and sweet spices.And when the time of euerie virgin in order was come, that they should goe in to the king, al things accomplished that perteyned to wemens ornamentes, it was the twelfth moneth: yet so, that for six monethes they were anoynted with oyle of myrtle, and other six monethes they vsed certayne payntings and sweete spices.✦Cum autem venisset tempus singularum per ordinem puellarum ut intrarent ad regem, expletis omnibus quæ ad cultum muliebrem pertinebant, mensis duodecimus vertebatur : ita dumtaxat, ut sex mensibus oleo ungerentur myrrhino, et aliis sex quibusdam pigmentis et aromatibus uterentur.
13And going in to the king, whatsoever they asked that pertained to adorning they received: and being compositae: dressed, adorned, as it pleased them, they passed from the chamber of the women to the king's chamber.And going in to the king, what soeuer they asked that perteyned to adorning they receiued: and being trimmed, as it pleased them, they passed from the chamber of the wemen to the kings chamber.Ingredientesque ad regem, quidquid postulassent ad ornatum pertinens, accipiebant : et ut eis placuerat, compositæ de triclinio feminarum ad regis cubiculum transibant.
14And she that went in at evening, came out in the morning, and from thence she was brought to the second house, that was under the hand of Susagazus the eunuch, who was chief over the king's concubines: neither had she power to return any more to the king, unless the king had willed, and had commanded her to come by name.And she that went in at euening, came out in the morning, and from thence she was brought to the second house, that was vnder the hand of Susagazus the eunuch, who was chiefe ouer the kings concubines: neither had she power to returne any more to the king, vnlesse the king had willed, and had commanded her to come by name.Et quæ intraverat vespere, egrediebatur mane, atque inde in secundas ædes deducebatur, quæ sub manu Susagazi eunuchi erant, qui concubinis regis præsidebat : nec habebat potestatem ad regem ultra redeundi, nisi voluisset rex, et eam venire jussisset ex nomine.
15And the time by order coming about, the day was at hand, that Esther the daughter of Abihail the brother of Mardocheus, whom he had adopted for his daughter, should go in to the king. Who sought not women's ornaments, but whatsoever Egeus the eunuch the keeper of the virgins would, those things he gave her to her adorning. For she was exceeding fair, and of incredible beauty, she seemed to all men's eyes gracious and amabilis: lovely, worthy of love.And the time by order coming about, the day was at hand, that Esther the daughter of Abihail the brother of Mardocheus, whom he had adopted for his daughter, should goe in to the king. Who sought not wemens ornamentes, but what soeuer Egeus the eunuch the keper of the virgins would, those things he gaue her to her adorning. For she was exceeding fayre, and of incredible beautie, she semed to al mens eies gratious and amiable.Evoluto autem tempore per ordinem, instabat dies quo Esther filia Abihail fratris Mardochæi, quam sibi adoptaverat in filiam, deberet intrare ad regem. Quæ non quæsivit muliebrem cultum, sed quæcumque voluit Egeus eunuchus custos virginum, hæc ei ad ornatum dedit. Erat enim formosa valde, et incredibili pulchritudine : omnium oculis gratiosa et amabilis videbatur.
16She therefore was brought to the chamber of king Assuerus the tenth month, which is called Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.She therfore was brought to the chamber of king Assuerus the tenth moneth, which is called Tebeth, in the seuenth yeare of his reigne.✦Ducta est itaque ad cubiculum regis Assueri mense decimo, qui vocatur Tebeth, septimo anno regni ejus.
17And the king loved her more than all the women, and she had grace and mercy before him above all the women, and he put the crown of the kingdom on her head, and made her reign in stead of Vasthi.And the king loued her more then al the wemen, and she had grace and mercie before him aboue al the wemen, and he put the crowne of the kingdom on her head, and made her reigne in steede of Vasthi.✦Et adamavit eam rex plus quam omnes mulieres, habuitque gratiam et misericordiam coram eo super omnes mulieres : et posuit diadema regni in capite ejus, fecitque eam regnare in loco Vasthi.
18And he commanded a very permagnificum: magnificent, splendid feast to be prepared to all the princes, and to his servants, for the conjunction, and marriage of Esther. And he gave rest to all the provinces, and bestowed gifts according to princely magnificence.And he commanded a verie magnifical feast to be prepared to al the princes, and to his seruantes, for the coniunction, and mariage of Esther. And he gaue rest to al the prouinces, and bestowed giftes according to princely magnificence.✦Et jussit convivium præparari permagnificum cunctis principibus et servis suis pro conjunctione et nuptiis Esther. Et dedit requiem universis provinciis, ac dona largitus est juxta magnificentiam principalem.
19And when virgins were sought the second time and gathered together, Mardocheus tarried at the king's gate,And when virgins were sought the second time and gathered together, Mardocheus taried at the kings gate,✦Cumque secundo quærerentur virgines et congregarentur, Mardochæus manebat ad januam regis :
20neither had Esther as yet uttered her country, & people, according to his commandment. For whatsoever he commanded, Esther observed: and she did all things so as she was solita erat: accustomed, in the habit at that time, when he nourished her a little one.neither had Esther as yet vttered her countrie, & people, according to his commandment. For what soeuer he commanded, Esther obserued: and she did al thinges so as she was wont at that time, when he nourished her a litle one.✦necdum prodiderat Esther patriam et populum suum, juxta mandatum ejus. Quidquid enim ille præcipiebat, observabat Esther : et ita cuncta faciebat ut eo tempore solita erat, quo eam parvulam nutriebat.
21At that time therefore, when Mardocheus abode at the king's gate, Bagathan, and Thares were angry, two of the king's eunuchs, that were porters, and were chief in the first entry of the palace: and they would make insurrection against the king, and kill him.At that time therfore, when Mardocheus abode at the kings gate, Bagathan, and Thares were angrie, two of the kings eunuches, that were porters, and were chiefe in the first entrie of the palace: and they would make insurrection against the king, and kil him.✦Eo igitur tempore, quo Mardochæus ad regis januam morabatur, irati sunt Bagathan et Thares duo eunuchi regis, qui janitores erant, et in primo palatii limine præsidebant : volueruntque insurgere in regem, et occidere eum.
22Whereof Mardocheus got notice, and immediately he told it to queen Esther: and she to the king in the name of Mardocheus, who had reported the thing unto her.Wherof Mardocheus gotte notice, and immediatly he told it to queene Esther: and she to the king in the name of Mardocheus, who had reported the thing vnto her.Quod Mardochæum non latuit, statimque nuntiavit reginæ Esther : et illa regi ex nomine Mardochæi, qui ad se rem detulerat.
23It was examined, and found: and they were both hanged on a patibulo: gallows. And it was put in the histories, and registered in the chronicles before the king.It was examined, and found: and they were both hanged on a gibbet. And it was put in the histories, and registred in the cronicles before the king. *Quæsitum est, et inventum : et appensus est uterque eorum in patibulo. Mandatumque est historiis, et annalibus traditum coram rege.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.