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Глава 1

1. It came to passe that in the dayes of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus whiche raigned from India vnto Ethiopia, ouer an hundred and twentie and seuen prouinces)
2. Euen in those dayes when the king Ahasuerus sate on his seate royall, which was in Susan the chiefe citie:
3. In the third yere of his raigne, he made a feast vnto all his princes & seruauntes: and the mightie men of Persia and Media, the captaynes also and rulers of his countreys were before hym.
4. And he shewed the richesse and glorie of his kingdome, and the glorious worship of his greatnesse many dayes long, [euen] an hundred and fourescore dayes.
5. And when these dayes were expired, the king made a feast vnto al the people that were in Susan the chiefe citie, both vnto great & small, seuen dayes long, in the court of the garden by the kinges palace.
6. Where there hanged white, greene, and yelowe clothes, fastened with cordes of fine silke and purple, in siluer ringes, vpon pillers of marble stones: The benches also were of golde and siluer made vpon a pauement of greene, white, yelowe, and blacke marble.
7. And they dranke in vessels of gold, and chaunged vessel after vessel, and royal wine in aboundaunce, according to the power of the king.
8. And the drinking was by an order, none might compell: for so the king had appoynted to all the officers of his house, that they shoulde do according to euery mans pleasure.
9. And the queene Uasthi made a feast also for the women in the palace of Ahasuerus.
10. And on the seuenth day when the king was mery after the wine, he commaunded Nehuma, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagthan, Zethar, and Charchas, the seuen chamberlayns that did seruice in the presence of king Ahasuerus,
11. To fetch the queene Uasthi with the crowne regall into the kinges presence, that he might shewe the people & princes her fairenesse: for she was beautifull.
12. But the queene Uasthi would not come at the kinges worde by his chamberlaynes: Then was the king very wroth, and his indignation kindled in hym.
13. And the king spake to the wyse men which knewe the times (for so was the kinges maner towardes all that knewe the lawe and the iudgementes:
14. And the next vnto hym were, Carsena, Sethar, Admata, Thersis, Mares, Marsena, and Memuchan, the seuen princes of Persia and Media, whiche sawe the kinges face, and sate the first in the kingdome.)
15. What, shall we do vnto the queene Uasthi according to the lawe, because she dyd not according to the worde of the king Ahasuerus whiche he commaunded by his chamberlaynes?
16. And Memuchan aunswered before the king & the princes: The queene Uasthi hath not onely done euyll against the king, but also against all the princes, and against all the people that are in all the prouinces of king Ahasuerus.
17. For this deede of the queene shall come abrode vnto all women, so that they shall despise their husbandes before their eyes, and shall say: The king Ahasuerus commaunded Uasthi the queene to be brought in before hym, but she woulde not come.
18. And so shal the princesses in Persia and Media say lykewise this day vnto al the kinges princes when they heare of this deede of the queene: thus shal there arise to much despitefulnesse and wrath.
19. If it please the king, let there go a commaundement from hym, and let it be written according to the lawes of the Persians and Medians, and not to be transgressed, that Uasthi come no more before king Ahasuerus, and let the king geue her royal estate vnto an other that is better then she.
20. And when this commaundement of the king which shalbe made, is published throughout all his empire whiche is great, all women shall holde their husbandes in honour both among great and small.
21. Thus saying pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the worde of Memucan.
22. For he sent letters foorth into all the kinges prouinces, into euery lande according to the wryting therof, and to euery people after their language, that euery man shoulde be lorde in his owne house: and this to be published after the language of his people.