1 And `he sente to hir, no doute that ne Mardochee sente to Hester, that sche schulde entre to the kyng, and preie for hir puple, and for hir cuntrei.
2 He seide, Be thou myndeful of the daies of thi mekenesse, hou thou were nurschid in myn hond; for Aaman, ordeyned the secounde fro the kyng, spak ayens vs in to deth;
3 and thou inwardli clepe the Lord, and speke to the kyng for vs, and delyuere vs fro deeth.
4 Forsothe in the thridde dai sche `puttide of the clothis of hir ournyng, and was cumpassid with hir glorie.
5 And whanne sche `schinede in the kyngis clothing, and hadde inwardli clepid the Gouernour of alle thingis and the sauyour God, sche took twei seruauntis,
6 and sotheli sche leenyde on oon, as not susteynynge to bere hir body, for delices and ful greet tendirnesse;
7 but the tother `of the seruauntessis suede the ladi, and bar vp the clothis fletinge doun `in to the erthe.
8 `Sotheli sche was bisched with `colour of roosis `in the cheer, and with pleasaunt and schynynge iyen sche hilide the soreuful soule, and drawun togidere with ful myche drede.
9 Therfor sche entride thorouy alle the doris bi ordre, and stood ayens the kyng, where he sat on the seete of his rewme, and was clothid in the kyngis clothis, and schynyde in gold and preciouse stoonys, and was dredeful in siyt.
10 And whanne he hadde reisid the face, and hadde schewid the woodnesse of herte with brennynge iyen, the queen felde doun; and whanne the colour was chaungid in to palenesse, sche restide the heed slidun on the handmaide.
11 And God turnede the spirit of the kyng in to myldenesse, and he hastide, and dredde, `and skippyde out of the seete; and he `susteynede hir with hise armes, til sche cam ayen to hir self; and he spak faire bi these wordis,
12 Hester, what hast thou? Y am thi brother; nyle thou drede, thou schalt not die;
13 for this lawe is not maad for thee, but for alle men.
14 Therfor neiye thou, and touche the ceptre, `that is, the kyngis yerde.
15 And whanne sche was stille, he took the goldun yerde, and `puttide on hir necke; and he kisside hir, and seide, Why spekist thou not to me?
16 And sche answeride, Lord, Y siy thee as an aungel of God, and myn herte was troblid for the drede of thi glorye;
17 for, lord, thou art ful wondurful, and thi face is ful of graces.
18 And whanne sche spak, eft sche felde doun, and was almest deed.
19 Sotheli the kyng was troblid, and alle hise mynystris coumfortiden hir.