A newe enterlude
drawen oute of the holy scripture
of godly queene Hester, verye necessary
newly made and imprinted, this pre
sent yere. M.D.LXI.

 

Com nere vertuous matrons & womēwomen kind
Here may ye learne of Hesters duty,
In all comlines of vertue you shal finde
How to behaue your selues in humilitie.

The names of the players.

 
DIuers Philosophers auncient and sage,
Their clargy and cunnynge to put in practise
Oft haue disputed by learning and language
To whome greatest honour men ought to demise
Or for what cause, hie reuerence shoulde aryse,
And amonges manye, some were there doubtlesse,
That concluded honour due vnto ryches  
 Some also to noble bloude, and high parayge
Affirmed honour dewly to pertayne
And some to policie and wysedome sage
And some to power and superiall raigne,
Eche man his reason sayde in certayne
Ouer this some said, that vertuous demenoure
To bee excellent, and of moste honour.

Of these my lordes we woulde be glad to here,
Whiche is most worthy honoure to attayne
By your high reasons we thynke it maye appeare,
To speake therefore we praye you, your sentences plaine
And as ye determine, so shall wee certaine,
Aduaunce to honoure, and to promotion applye
Alwayes the best, and that bee most worthye.

Most drad soueraigne kinge Assuerus to your doughty (weyghty and sured,
The first
gētlemangentleman
Of riches power, wisdome, vertue or noble blondebloude
Which is most soueraigne, and of highest honour

Me seames as vertue none can be so good,
Not ryches nor power, wisdome nor gentill bludde.
For wher vertue fayleth, the other be not suer,
But full vnstable, and longe cannot indure.  
whoso wyll laboure storyes to peruse
And them with dylligence, often will rede
May see and perceue, how vice dyd confuse,
Many noble princes whiche were in dede,
Of such magnificence, that we not nede
To doubt of theyre riches, power and wisdome,
And yet for lacke of vertue, vice them ouer came.

 Nabuchodonozor, Senacherib, and Salmanasar,
Nero Dyoclisian Maxentius also,
All these prynces of hye honoure were,
Of ryches, power and wysdome allso
Of noble bloode, yet these and many mo,
For lacke of vertue, to vice dyd fall,
To theyre owne distruction & theyre subiectes all.

 But then as me semeth, yt were expedyent,
Amonge all vertues apperteyninge to a prince,
That same to knowe by sume reason vrgente,
which is so necessary to the prouince,
That wythout yt in no wyse he can conuince,
Neyther synne nor synners that vniustly deale,
Nor in good order kepe his common weale,

 In myne opynion that is Iustice
A vertu as exellent as may be.
For all thinges it orderith in such wyse,

That where it is, is peace and tranquillitie,
Good order, hygh honour, wealth and plentye,
And where it fayleth in the prince or kynge,
The common weale decayeth withoute tariynge

Besyde Iustice there muste bee diligence,
In hys owne personne that same to put in vre,
Or els some tyme suche coloured sentence
Under cloke of Iustice ye maye be sure
Craftely shall procede from them that haue the cure
Which in processe, may brynge to downfall,
The kynge, hys realme & hys subiectes all.
 The iudgement of Salamon, in his owne person,
Betwene two women of lyuinge vnchaste,
So feared Israell that vtterlye noone
Durste once rebell, but they thought it waste
In anye wyse to attempt eyther fyrst or laste
Any thynge of displeasure to hys maiestye royall
Fearyng hys wysedome and Iustice so equall.

If by hys lieutenante had been done the same,
Hys honoure shoulde neuer haue spronge so farre
Nor so much renowned by noble fame,
As it is now & that both here & there
Nor yet hys subiectes to such awe and feare,
He coulde haue dryuen by no meanes at all
As he dyd by hys iustice personall
 And ouer thys many a noble man,
At the prynces wyll and commaundymente,
To employe iustice, dyd the best they can
And yet the commons vnneth coulde be content
And why? for in their mynde they thyncke verament

That either for riches & honour Iustis will doe
And be onely, for the zeale that to Iustis he hath to
Wherfore noble prince, if in youre owne person will ye
Employe Iustis the more youre honour shallbe

 My lordes we thanke you for youre counsell
As ye haue sayed, so thinke we verely
That Iustis mainteneth yethe common weale,
And namely yethe prince muste nedes him selfe applye,
Unto the same, or els vtterly
Shall folowe decay by warre or els death,
QuoqꝫQuoque, si princeps malus populus coruet.  
 And ouer this if that his lieutenaunt,
Shal happen to square from trueth and iustice,
Albeit his faire wordes and good semblaunt,
The prince must nedes be circumspect and wise,
That no ambicion nor couetise
Through great welth and riches inordinat
Doe erect his corage, for to play checkmate
For through it be as well as it may neede,
It shall be thought nay, I assure you in dede.
Sir what is your name and progeny?

 I am Aman sonne of Amadathy,
Of the stocke of Agag borne lyniallye,

 your learnynge and reason pleaseth vs well
And ye seeme to be of discretion
we beare ye therfore our fauour and zeale
So that withoute meanes of intercession
we make you our chaunceloure, take hede to this lesson.

See ye doe iustice and trueth euer approue
Or to your destruction, we shall you soone remoue

 My duty is more nowe then euer it was,
Truly to serne youre moste noble grace,
Both nyghte & day, here and in euery place.

 My lordes as nowe, thus standes the case,
we are comfortles, for lacke of a Queene,
which shoulde be our ioye, & chefe solace,
And to say truth, it hath not been oft seene,
But the prince with a princes matched hath beene
Leaste defaulte of issue shoulde be, whiche God defende
therfore youre counsells firste had, to marry we do intēdintend

 Then let your officers peruse this realme,
And of fayre maidens that be virgins pure,
Of most goodly personages that may be sene
Gather a great number, that we may make reporte
Unto your grace, then may ye be sure
To chose the beste, when ye haue them seene
And that is fittest to be your quene.

Call to vs Aman our trusty chaunceler.

If it please your grace I am here,

 Aman this is the councel of my lordes all,
That our officers in hast we shoulde sende
 To pervse this region vdiuersall
From the begynnynge vnto the ende
To seke faire maidens, where so thei may be kende

Here the
kynge en
tryth the
trauers &
aman go
eth out.
And of most goodly personages that maye be sene
To the intent among them we may chose a quene
This is our minde, more to speake it shal not nede,
In all that ye may, see it bee done in dede.

I am Mardocheus borne in Ierusalem,
The sonne of Iaire, and of the stocke of Beniamy
By Nabuchodonosor brought into this realme
when he did subdue our kyng Iechony
And translated the Iewes by conquest and victorye
Both I and other in number many one
were brought in captitiuitie, into the realme of Babilon  
I haue here a maiden of the same nacion
My brothers doughter named Edissa
But Hester is her common denomination
And by that well knowen, nam a deo missa
God graunt her grace, that perseuer she maye,
In wisedome and womanhead faythfull to bee
Her espouse to loue in perfecte amitie.  
So is it nowe oure kynge Assuerus,
Dyuers Purseuauntes in great haste hathe sente,
Ouer all hys realme in these parties nere vs,
To seeke faire maidens is his entent
To chose amonge theym one conuenyente,
To bee his quene and Lady Soueraigne,
In loue and honour with him for to raigne.  
And for as muche doughter Hester that you
Amonge other are appoynted for one,
I thyucke it accordynge therefore nowe,

To giue you mine aduise and instruction,
Attende ye therfore without interruption
And by faithfull mind, and stedfast memorye
That I shall saye, learne it diligentlye.

Noble Mardocheus my father moste kynde,
To that ye shall saye I wyll applye my mynde.

Than yf the kinge chose you to his queene
It is of hys goodnes, bountie and grace
And for none youre merites, the truthe to bee seene
Therefore to hym repaye muste you needes obedience
Trew loue and kyndnes, aboue personnes all
Not forged nor fayned, but with affection cordiall.
 Breake not the course that queenes haue hadde
In this noble region most part of all,
They haue aye bene good, and none of theym badde,
To their prince euer sure, iust and substanciall
And good to the commons when they dyd call
By mekenes for mercye, to temper the fyre
Of rigors iustice in fume or in yre

Thys counsell is perfecte and also so pure
I graunt it therfore, and promyse you sure
It is my whole mynde and hartye desyre
That same to fulfyll, as reason shall requyre.

I haue here of maydens a fayre companye
Of comlye stature and goodly visage
which to the king I thynke by and by
For to present, and to hys counsell sage,
For their promocion, wealth and marriage,

Saue before wyth Mardocheus the Iew,
I muste speake for Hester, that is so fayre of hew.

 She is here redy, and doth attende,
The kynges commaundiment to fullfyll,
And at youre pleasure forth shall she wende,
wyth out resystance, and by her good wyll.

 Then shall I brynge her the kynge vntyll.
Come on lady Hester, and followe me
To the kynge shall ye goe with youre cumpany.

Syr pursiuaunt haue ye these maydens broughte,
For the kynge lyke as ye had in commaundement.

 yea syr and for them, farre haue I soughte,
Both in vyllage towne and tenemente,
I truste I haue done trew seruice and dylligente.

 So are ye bounde by very dewty
Of youre allegeaunce and fydelytye,
Se that ye follow vs wyth youre hole cumpany.

As ye haue sayed so shall it be.

 Pleasyth it youre grace, accordynge your mynde
we haue made serche all youre regyon,
For goodly maydeus of nature fyne and kynde,
And of them haue founde in myne opynyon
A number ryght fayre and of complexion
So puer and of so fayre visage,
That they surmounte all other in personage.

Are they also of suche competent age
Of suche demeanour and grauitie,
That they be fytte for oure mariage.

Uppon a profe youre grace shall heare and see,
As well theyr wysedome as theyr beautye.

 Sertis they be fayre and goodly eche one,
And as it maye seme by theyr fyrst countenaunce
Both by looke and gesture, nature and complexion,
In theym shoulde be kyndnes, myrth, and dalyaunce
wysedome, sadnes, and in loue perseueraunce,
Constauncie knit wyth comlines, ioy to encrese
Vertue with good demenour, pleasure to put in presse,
 But ye fayre damsell of the highest stature,
And of most ripe age, as shoulde seame
Of all this companye of most fynest nature.
Tell vs your linage, for as yet we deame,
your lookes be so lusty, and in loue so breme
If that your demenour hereafter be sene
To that accordynge, ye shalbe our quene.

Moste noble Prince as for my linage,
Nor yet my countrey, sertis I can not saye
My parentes dicessed in myne none age,
So that I neuer harde yet vnto thys daye
what coste or countrey, what lande or laye,
I was bred in, broughte forth or borne,
It is to me vnknowen, as aye hath bene beforne,
 Notwithstandyng, I haue had foode and fostring
Of Mardocheus all my lyfe dayes,

whom I called father in my yonge age,
And so intend to do eftsons an alwaies,
whome for his frendshippe I haue good cause to prayse,
Besechinge youre grace and that moste mekely,
To my sayd foster father good lorde for to be

Call in Mardocheus, that we may see his face.

I am here to attende vpon youre grace.

Mardocheus what call you, youre daughter.

If it please youre grace her name is Hester
Assuringe you, she is a virgin puer,
A pearle vndefiled and of conscience cleare
Sober, sad, ientill, meke and demure,
In learninge and litterature, profoundely seene,
In wisdome, eke semblante to Saba the Quene
Fytt for any prince to haue in marriage,
If his pleasure agree to her personage,

 ye say ryghte well, then we thynke it expedient.
Some what to proue by communication
Her lernynge and her language eloquent
And by some probleme of hye dubitation,
To knowe her aunswere and consultation
Howe saye you Hester haue you ought reade or seene
Of vertues that be best, and fittest for a queene.

To speake before a king, it is no childes playe,
Therfore I aske pardon, of that I shall saye

We pardone you what soeuer ye saye,

Then to bee bolde ryghte well I maye
No quene there is, but by marriage of a prince,
And vnder couert according to the lawe,
So that the iurisdiction of the whole prouince,
To the kinge perteineth this is the trewe sawe
Albeit, sometyme more for loue than for awe
The king is content to bee counselled by the queene,
In many sundrye causes, as ofte hath been seene,  
which sentence is sure and grounded with reason,
But yet not wythstandynge this is not all
But eftsons it may chaunce at sundrye season
The kynge wyth hys councell most parte of all
From this realme to be absente, when warre doth call.
Then the Quenes wysdome, sadly muste deale,
By her greate vertue, to rewle the common weale.  
 Wherfore as many vertues be there muste,
Euen in the Quene as in the prynce,
For feare lest in warre, sume treason vniust,
The realme shoulde subdewe, and falsely conuince.
The Quene muste sauegarde all the hole prouince,
And so as muche goodnes aye muste be seene,
As in the kynge to be in the Quene,
And how many vertues longe to a kynge,
Lyke vnto youre grace I cannot make recknynge.

 Then I doute not, but the wysdome of vs two
Knytte both to gether in parfytte charyte
All thynges in thys realme shall cumpas so,

By truth and Iustice, law and equitye,
That we shall quenche all vice and deformitie

Then at my beginning I beseche youre grace
That I may shew my mynd, whyle I haue time & space

Speake at your libertie, I wyll heare it gladlye.

Then I wyl be playne, for veritie hath no pere
And for a pryncipall of thys my tale,
And eke his subiectes both greate and smale,
In honoure and wealth: yea, all the prouince,
So riche and so stronge, that they maye conuince
All their enemyes where so euer they dwell,
That woulde inuade, resiste, or rebell,  
 And where goddes seruyce and hospitalitie
Doeth decaye, and almes to the poorall,
There maye be wealth in places two or three
But I assure you the most part in generall,
Neither haue meate nor money, nor streugth substancial
Fytte to doe you seruice, when ye haue nede
whiche is no good order, me thynkes in very dede  
 Let God alwaye therfore haue hys parte
And the poore fedde by hospitalitie
Eche man his measure, be it pynte or quarte,
And no man to muche, for that is great ieoberdie,
A meane to lose all, as I doe feare me,
For when all is gathered together on a heape
It may sone be conueyed cariage is good cheape,
Thys I speake with trew heart and mynde,

Besechyng your grace to take it in good kynde.

Of these matters another tyme moore at large,
We shall speake, and of dyuers other mo.
Aman, see our seruauntes doe accomplishe their charge,
To awayte vpon oure Queene, and that also
In haste vnto oure waredrobe see ye goe,
For riche apparell of golde and pall
As well for her selfe, as for her ladyes all,

Than if it please you to licence the Queene,
As to her pleasure awhyle shall beseeme

And we for a season thys busynesse wyll cease,
And oure selfe repose for our pleasure and ease.

To men that be heuy, & wold faine be mery
Though they feele smarte:
Oft chācechance such rekning, ytthat with their mouth thei sing,
Though thei wepe in their hart.
somtime thei daūcedaunce, with mery coūtenaūcecountenaunce,
when they had leuer slepe:
Eke thei laugh & grin, whēwhen by this sunne I wyn
In the heart they wepe.
who so will accord, with this double world
Muste vse suche artes:
Outwardly kinde, in his heart a fende,
A knaue of two partes.
Outward honestie, inward infidelitie,
Bothe rydes on a mule:
In peace he is bolde, but in war he is colde,

That soonest wyll recoyle.
 Manye bee that profers, but fewe that offers,
Deuoutelye in theyr hearte:
They saye they can doe all, but when neede doeth befall,
They begynne to starte.
 He that is double, loues alwaye trouble,
And at no tyme wyll cease:
And yet he wyll not fight, by daye nor yet by nyghte,
In warre nor in peace.
 But such men by battail, may get corne and cattell
Bullyon and plate:
And yf they once get it, let vs no moore craue it,
By GOD we comme to late.
Eyther to begge or borowe, except shame or sorowe,
Dyspleasure and hate.
 Syrs my name is pryde, but I haue layde asyde,
All my goodlye araye:
ye wynne I lye, there is a cause why,
That I goe not gaye.
 I tell you at a worde, Aman that newe lorde,
Hathe bought vp all goood clothe,
And hath as many gownes, as wonldwould serue ten townes
Be ye neuer so lothe:
And any manne in the towne, doe by him a good gowne
He is verye wrothe.
 And wyll hym strayte tell, the statntestatute of apparell,
Shall teache hym good:
wherefore by thys daye, I dare not goe gaye
Threde bare is my hoode.
 Pryde was wonte to be, a man of iolytye,
Of hye countenaunce and face:
And since Aman raygned, no man hym retayned,

Allmoste in any place.
 For Aman that elfe, woulde no man but hym selfe,
Shoulde be proude in dede.
 For as men say, all pryde he taketh away,
well, God sende him good spede.

And as for Adulation, must chaunge his occupation
It is not worth a pease.

why so?

For my lorde Aman, doeth al that he can
I assure you without doubt:
To take vp al flatteres, & al crafty clatterers
That dwell fourtye myle aboute.

yea but the lawe shal, by order substnacial,
Punyshe all those:

yea, I wil tel you one thing, law now & flatteryng
Aye together gose.

why so?

For al law est & west, & adulation in his chest
Aman hathe locked faste:
And by his crafti patterīgpattering, hath turned law into flatte⸗ (ring,
So that fyrst and laste,
The cliant must pay, or the lawyer assaye
The lawe for to clatter:
And whēwhen ye wene he saide right, I assure you by this (light
He doth not els but flatter.

 why so?

For yf Aman wynkes, the lawyers shrynckes,
And not dare saye yea nor naye.
And yf he speake the lawe, the other calles hym daw
No more then dare he say.
So that was law yisterday, is no lawe thys daye,
But flatterynge lasteth alway, ye may me beleue.

 Dyuines ytthat do preache, me thynkes they should teache
And flatterynge reproue.

Syr they haue lefte prechynge, & take them to flatterīgeflatteringe
Moste parte of them all.

I marueyle of that.

 Do ye maeueyle? mary I wyll you tell,
A cause substantiall.
when they preached, and the truthe teached,
Sume of them caughte a knocke,
And they ytthat should assisted, I wote not how they were (brysted
But they dyd not hynge but mocke.
 And that sawe they, and gate them away,
As faste as myghte be.
They solde theyr woll, and purchased a bull,
wyth a pluralyte.
 And lefte predication, and toke adulation,
And what by mendation, and dyspensation,
They gat the nomynation, of euery good benefyce.
 So better by flatterynge, then by preachynge,
To wealthe they dyd aryse.

But yet ye muste beware.

where of?

 
 That they do not square, farre beyonde the marke
For yf yt be a good fee, Aman sayeth that longeth to me
Be yt benefyce or parke
 If he espy to ytthat prōotiōpromotion, he wyll streyt geue him a portiōportion
A lappe of a thowsande markes,
He shalbe purged cleane, he shall singe neither treble nor (meane,
Nor yet speake one worde.

 Is he well seene in adulation?

 He is wardēwarden of yethe occupatiōoccupation, without all iestīgeiestinge boorde
And no man so hardy, but by hys auctorite,
The same to vse.

 No for yf he doe, he were better no,
Hys braynes be wyll confewse.

Why who arte thow?

He that can tell how, Aman vseth to wurke.

Is not Ambytion thy name?

 yes for god yethe same, I was wonte to be a great clarke
But syn Aman bare rewle, neyther horse nor mule,
But ys as wyse as I

 How so?

 For all rewlers & lawes, were made by fooles & dawes
He sayeth verely.
 Ordynances & foundation, without consyderation,
He sayeth were deuysed.
Therfore hys imagination, bringes all out of fashion
And so all is dysguised.
 Sum tyme where was plenty, now yethe barnes be empti
And many men lackes bread.
And wher somtyme was meat, there now is none to get
But all be gone and dead.
 Beggers now do banne, and crye out of Aman,
That euer he was borne.
They swere by the roode, he eatyth vp all their foode,
So that they gett no good, neyther euen nor morne.
And many that be pore, though not from doore to doore
A begginge they dyd goe:
yet had they releefe, bothe of breade and beefe,
And dryncke also.
And nowe the dore standes shet, and no man can we get,
To worcke neither to fyghte.
wherefore yf warre should chaunce, eyther wyth Scot⸗ (land or Fraunce,
Thys geare woulde not goe ryght.

And where is all this become?

As for yethe domin⁹dominus vobiscūvobiscum, I dare say nothinge but mūmum,
Not tyll an other tyme.

All this is out of season, and nothing done by reason,

Nor yet by good ryme.

How say you ambition, haue ye not prouision, for to
get promotion, as ye were wonte to do?

 No by my holydame, for my lorde Aman
Handelles all thynge so,
That euery office and fee, what so euer it bee,
That maye bee sene and fonnde:
By his wit he wyl it featche, and or it fal he wil it catche
That neuer commeth to the grounde.
So that I repent, that euer I went,
Unto the scoles:
For his large commission, maketh me Ambition
To dwell amonge fooles.

And is there no remedye?

None that I can spye, whyle he doeth raygne.

Then lette vs make merye, euen tyll we dye,
And dryue pyne awaye:

I hearde once a Fryer, as trewe a lyer,
As anye in the countrey:
Hee preached veramente, that oure testamente,
Alwaye readye shoulde bee.

For at oure deathe, we shall lacke breathe,
And than fare well wee.

Then mayster Pryde, begynne thys tyde,

Let vs here youre fashion.

 and ye shall here nexte, euen the playne texte,
Of me adulation

Then by and by, ye shall heare playnely,.
wythout impedimente,
The tenour of my wyll, if ye take heede there vutyll
This is my testament.
Al my presumptuous pryde, whether he goe or ryde,
Nowe or elles than:
My heart and corage, for power and language
I geue it vnto Aman.
Let him kepe of my pryde what he wil, the reste deuide
amonge hys whole Garde:
and when they haue it all, what they wyll dooe withall
aduyce them afterwarde.
If pryde haue a fall, let them be content withall
as I am nowe:
For as for Pryde, lasteth but a tyde,
I assure you.
If to it longe shame, let them a goddes name,
Take them bothe:
For as I feare mee, so muste it needes bee,
Bee they neuer so lothe.

and I adulation, of the same fashion,
at thys tyme present,
To recorde euerye man, geue vnto aman,
By thys my testament.

All my subteltie, & forged fydelite,
To hym and hys espyes.
I wot they wyll it vse, trew men to confewse,
and that craftely.
And yf they do in dede, I pray god they may spede,
Euen as honestly,
As he that from steylyng, goth to sent thomas watrying
In his yong age.
So they from pytter pattour, may cume to tytter totur
Euen the same pylgrimage.

And I Ambytion, had a comission,
By force of a bull,
To gett what I could but not as I wolde,
Neyther of lambe nor woll.
 The bull nor the calfe, coulde please the one halfe,
Of my feruente desire.
But euer I thought by god, there was I woulde haue (had
when I was neuer the nere.
 Therfore all my ambition, to gether in a comission,
Under my seale,
I geue it to aman, to the intent that Sathau,
Maye loue hym well:
That whyle he is here, he maye styll desyre,
and yet neuer the nere: Sometyme to bee,
and when he goeth hence, he maye with him dispence,
By a large facultye.
 That for his sines seuen, or he come to heauen,
wyth out bourde or game.
Sumtyme or tyde, he may for his pryde,
Suffer some shame.

Nowe by wades myll, euerye mans wyll
Is wonderouslye well:

And by my holydome, I wene it be wysedome,
For folke often chat, howe men dye in estate,
But so shall not wee:

No by sainct An, but yet my Lorde Aman,
Neuer the better shalbe:

No forse so god me saue, yf we our wyll myght haue
we woulde he shoulde neuer thee.
Nowe made is our testament, I praye you be content
Some myrthe to deuyse.

Let vs beginne with singynge, and conclude with drin⸗ (kynge,
It is the newe gyse:

Then let vs beginne a songe, that wyl last euen as long
As hence to the tauerne dore.

 Moste noble prynce, and of highest wysedome
I do not doubte of youre considartion,
But that you know what I haue bene, eke what I am,
Bothe in wyll and woorde, and occupation,
Of assured thoughte without adulation,
And as glad to doe seruice vnto your grace
As euer I was to liue anye tyme or space.
 And for the same great malice I do sustayne,
Both of your nobles and communaltie
To my greate greuaunce and merueylous payne,
And eke further, I feare the ieoperdye

Of my lyfe, goodes, credence and honestie,
To cease their malyce, vnlesse you put in vre
your power royall, I can not longe endure.
The sclaūderoussclaunderous reportes, the lyes ytthat be made
The fained dectractions and contumilious
The rimes the railinges, so farre sette abrode
Both payntyd and printyd in moste shamefull wyse
And god to recorde all is but leasinges and lyes.
was neuer made on man lyke as is on me
Only for aplyment of law and equite.
 In so much that of late now in dede
Before all the commins vpon myne and me,
Moste dānabledamnable reportes ware sett a brode,
To my dyshonour and shamefull villany,
And all that were there of that cūpanyecumpanye,
As I myghte see by theyre countenaunce and voice,
That same alowed and greatly dyd reioyce
wherfore noble prince I beseche youre grace,
Let me be remoued another to haue my place

 Aman we harde wyth deliberation,
Uttered and pronounsed by language cleane,
A very elygante and prudente oracion
Of you as euer to fore was seene
By whose tenour we knowe what ye meane,
And haue ye no doughte so shall we for you prouide
That youre enemies shall domage you on no syde.
 we knowe ryght well the wordes enuious to be
One agaynste an other for fee and office
But that to regarde in no wyse nede ye,
As longe as ye obserue trueth and iustyce,
From the which we woulde that in uo wyse

ye shoulde degresse for if ye do in dede,
youre owne distruction shortly ye shall brede,
 But for youre comforte harke what I shall tell,
And for more assistance in this that ye do feare,
we make you lieutenaunte to rewle Israell,
Take heare these robes see ye do them weare,
Eke this golden wande in youre hande to beare,
A token of honour and of estate ryall,
God sende you contynuaunce and well to do with all,

Noble prynce accordinge as I am bounde,
I will do you seruice tyll deathe me confounde,

For a season we wyll to our solace
Into our orcharde or some other place,

A prouerbe as men say a dogge hath a day,
when so euer that it chaunce
He that wyll drinke wine and hath neuer a vine,
Muste sende or goe to fraunce.
And yf he do not, endure he cannot,
He muste nedes shrynke,
Shrinke yea say that againe? for it is a greate paine,
To be with out drynke.
In such case am I, I swere by goddes pety,
I lacke both drynke and meate.
But as I say, a dogge hath a day,
For now I truste to get.
My tyme is come for to get some,
If I be not lett.
It is the common worde Aman is a lorde.
And Aman is of price,

And hath perdye all this cuntrie
At his rwele and deuice.
And I trust to be one of his yemanry,
To weare his bage and marke.
An office I wold beare and it noughte elles wheare,
But the keper of his parke.

Me seames ye are not fytte.

ye wene I lacke wytte it may well be so,
yet afole when it doth happe may somtyme chaunce to (stoppe a gappe
when wyse men wyll not mell.

Fooles largely will bourde and tell al theyr thought.

And wyse men well not speke one worde till all become (to nought

Fooles will tell all and that trobleth sore,

And wyse men will say nought at al till al be gone & more

Fooles to Idlenes all wayes be preste.

And wyse men vse such busines it were better they (were at rest

Fooles let the reformation of common wele.

And wyse men be so full of imagination,
they wot not how they deale.

whyse men wolde do ryght,
And foles say nay.

And fooles be fayne to fyght when wise men rūnerunne away

Fooles spend all tyll they haue nought

And wise men carry all tyll they dare no more craue.

ye are a foole ye do but clatter.

Many go to scole tyll they can flatter

Leaue youre clatter, leste ye cume tardy.

It makes no matter for my name is Hardydardy

Is youre name Hardydardy.

yea ytthat is it verily, I wold if it plese ye,
Be one of your yomanrie.

As for that let it passe we take you for our solace,
And mirthe sumtime to ken.

I wene by goddes grace one foole in a place,
Doth well amonge wise men
ye must nedes laughe amonge & if a foole singe a songe,
I holde you than a grote.
Some wise man muste be fayn sumtime to take yethe paine
To do on a fooles cote.
And than perchaunce it is not redie.

well ye can speake merely wherwith I am contente
Sirs tarrie you a seasone se that farre ye not walke,
I will to the kinge secretly to talke.
 Moste victorius prince & of higheste honour
Primate of the worlde and president chefe,
By whose wisedome and pollityke demeanoure,
All the worlde at this day takes relefe,
Both kynge page and lorde yea in sentence brefe,
No realme nor region able were to stande,
Onles your councell with them be at hande.
 who compelleth lordes to mainteine their nobilite,
who lerneth knyghtes theyr feates marciall.
Or who religion subdewith to humilite,
who haue craftes and laborers the worlde ouer all,
In ciuill cytie or village ryall.
Compelleth eche man to hys order and place,
But only the wisedome and polyte of your grace,
 your strength defendith your wisdome saueth all,
youre plentye releuithe almoste euery man
Such is your honour and order ryall
That none other councell at this day canne,
Reache nor attaine to know how or whan,
Lyke good order or honorable guise,
As you by wisdnme dayly do device,
 So is it your grace from very base parage,
And poore estate me to hye honour haue brought,
for uone my vertues nor wisdome sage,
But onely youre gooddes haue made me of nought,
God is mi iudge it is ther fore mi thoughte,
And dayly study aboue all worldly treasure
That thing to do, that is your wealth and plasure.
 And yf it please your grace therfore to here,

One thynge as I shall make rehersall,
whan I haue saide I thinke it shall apeare,
To your pleasure and proffitte substanciall,
And to be playne this is it fyrste of all.
A greate number of Iewes with in this realm do dwell
A people not goode, nor for youre common weale,
 They be dispersed ouer all youre prouince,
with in them selfe dwellyng, deseuered from our nation,
By theyr new lawes they think to conuince,
And eke draw vnto theyr conuersation,
And vnto theyr ceremonyes and faction
Of our people as many as may be,
Intendyng to subdew all gentilite,
 More ouer the preceptes of your law,
They refuse and haue in great contempte
They wyll in no wise liue vnder awe,
Of any prince but they wil be exempte,
wherby good order may sone be interempte,
And occasion is as I do feare me
your subiectes to rebell in hope of lyke liberte.
 And youre grace knoweth it is expediente,
Theyre mallyce to increace thus by sufferannce,
For by that may chaunce greate inconuenience,
And to all your realme importune perturbaunce,
For theyre possessions be of substaunce
So greate and so large that I feare at the length,
They wyll attempte to subdewe you by strengthe.
 My councell therfore to auoide ieoperdy,
If that your grace by your power ryall,
Shall geue sentence and plainly decree,
To slea these Iewes in your realme ouer all,
None to escape let your sentence be generall,

ye shall by that wynne to say I dare be bolde,
To your treasure.x.thousande pound of golde,

 My lorde Aman we haue harde ryght well,
All your oration which is so elegante,
And so well towched that nedes we muste fele,
And perceyue your minde your wordes be so pregnante,
And as touchinge the Iewes which be so valiaunte,
Both of goodes and greate pocession,
we do agree vnto theyre suppression.
 we ryghte well perceiue that vnto them drawe,
Much of our people and ientile nation,
which to our honour and also to our lawe
Muste nedes be a greate derogation,
A meane to bringe all out of facion
To quenche them therefore we be contented well,
In token wherof holde here a ringe and seale.

Of your sentence there shall not lacke one clause,
But all shall be done and that without pause,
The Pursiuauntes call to vs shortely.

If it lyke you we are here.

 These letters deuised we wolde ye shoulde aplye,
To bere furth and that dylligently,
with as much haste as may be,
To the rewlers of euery towne and citie,
Streightly commaunding theim all that they maye
The same to execute at their prefixed day.

To his hye pleasure we shall make vs preste,

And tyll it bee done, we wyll take no reste,

We be glad we haue attained our purpose,
I trust it shall abate the hie corage
Of Mardocheus, and eke all those
That be hys clyantes brynge to repentaunce:

Mary syr they be lyke to take penaunce,
It woulde greue any man yonge or olde of age
without his head to goe on pylgrimage

Thei haue deserued it, and they shall haue it,
It is for theym accordyinge:

If I shoulde bewray, that some men doe saye,
It were a mad bourdynge.

Say what ye lyfte.

So woulde I, yf wiste ye wolude not angrye

ye haue libertie, as ye pleased be,
To stande or tumble:

Men say in dede, ye shall lose your head,
And that woulde make you stumble.

why so?

Thei say it is conuenient, should be fulfilled yethe testament
Of Ambition, Adulation and Pride:
They gaue you all their pryde and flatterynge,

And after that saint thomas watring there to rest a tide
 And men thynke at hoste, with them was the holy (ghoste,
Theyre testament was made so holily,
wherfore all that they sayed cannot be take or sayed,
But as a prophesie.

 well ye are verely, disposed merely,
Now for to talke.
And I am suerly minded secretely,
For my solace to walke. Et exeat.

 O lorde what a thinge is crudelite,
whan to it is annexed couetous and Pride,
It distroyeth both towne and contrey
Eke all regions on euery syde,
All is for him to lyttell his mouthe is so wide,
His rigour rauenous spares not to spill,
Both man and chylde to haue his owne will:
 This rauenous wolfe Aman I do meane,
That hath perswaded the kynge to kill and slea,
And from all this prouince to auoid cleane,
All men and women and children that be,
Iewes borne and of the Iewes consanguinite,
The precept is set vp men to remember
And it shalbe executed the xiii. day of December,
Alas that euer shoulde fortune suche rage,
From so cankered a caytyfe to procede,
It is his mynde my head I ley to gage,
All those to sley, I assure your in deede
That wyll not by flattery hys presumptions fede,
He woulde be glorified aboue creatures all,
And yet I trust as Lucifer depe he shal fal.

 The Mantuans thought it a greate punishmente,
To be proscribed from theyre goodes and lande,
As reciteth Virgill that Poet eloquente,
Much more is our payne ye may vnderstande,
That shall lose our lyues vnles god take in hande,
Vs to delyuer or els we not canne,
Auoide the murder of this carnifex Aman:

 He shall by this murder our goodes wynne,
And himselfe enlarge his pride to auaunce,
And when he hath all he shall be new to begynne,
Euer more to gett by some other chaunce.

 yet at the laste all shall cume to mischaunce,
For both him and his god shall make tame,
And for theyre pride and pyllage, sende them worldly (shame:

 Mardocheus wyth youre cumpanye,
we haue harde youre lamentation,
To our griefe and displeasure verely,
yet we truste by meke supplication,
Fyrste vnto god by humble oration
Aud than to the king by desyre cordyall
A meane to fynde, for to sauegarde ye all
Call in the chapell to the intent they maye
Syng some holy himpne to spede vs this day
than the
chappell
do singe.
 After this prayer and our former abstynens
To the good Lorde I call for cumforte
To inspyre the prynce, & his mynd incence
That I may optayne now at my resorte
To redeme the Iewes, all the hole sorte
Eke to dysclose the falsed fauell and fraude.

Of this cruell Aman to thy prayse & laude

 O goodly Hester our most noble Quene,
Of personage pearles and in wisdome alone,
In corage and countenaunce none lyke is seene,
So discrete in dallyance was neuer none,
where is your comfort, care can bee none,
Loe here our wand, approch nere to this place,
That we may kisse you, and in our armes embrace,
here thei
kysse.
what aske you ladye, and what do you demaunde
Halfe our realme is yours, yf ye commaunde,

Noble prince and our espouse most deare,
Since that to aske ye haue geuen me libertie,
I besech your grace, with heart most entier
That it may please you this day to dine with me
Eke my lord Aman I woulde be glad to see
At the same banket for to take repaste

Call vs in Aman that we may go in haste,

I am here ready to atende vpon your grace.

 Then let vs go while we haue tyme and space.
Lady Hester our moste beloued Quene,
So pewer and so exauisite is thys repaste,
Both of wine and meate that no better may beene,
youre mirth eke and manners so pleasaunte to attaste,
That for to departe we make no maner haste,
Eke our presence we knowe is to youre pleasure,
Farre better than golde or any worldly treasure.
 wherfore as we sayde we wolde ye shoulde demande

And at your pleasure, your petition make
The one halfe of our reame, yf ye it cummaund
we shall with departe, only for your sake
and if it to you, a playne surender make
and the more ye aske, wyth louinge intente
the more we shall geue, and the better be contente

Noble prynce your hye magnyficens
your bounte, and espieciall grace
So ofte and so kyndlye doeth incense,
To make request som profite to purchase,
So yethe lenger delay were in me great trespase,
and by ytthat also your grace right wel may it thinke
That finally your loue vnto my heart did sinke.
Wherfore this fauoure sence I haue obtayned
Of your grace to haue any my requeste
This I do aske with true harte vnfayned
and wyth charitie, of all vertues best,
That throw all your reame both east and west
As manye as bee of the Iewyshe nation,
your grace wil them pardon at my supplication
 Assurynge you I am of that nacion,
Borne and eke brede in Iersalem,
yet I and all they by one condempnation,
To deathe are determined throughe all this realme,
No remedy: lesse your pardon vs redeme,
we woulde rather we myght be solde to bondage,
Than thus to peryshe, by fury and outrage

what is he, or what is hys authoritie,
That is so bolde thys acte to attempt?

It is Aman that by cruell enuy
Is oure mortall enymye and wold vs enterrupt
That our lyfe and godes from vs were adempte
Then wold he rule all and if he myght to all get
And all shoulde not suffice, so hie his heart is set.
 Hys pompe and his pryde, so muche is in dede,
That yf he had all, it coulde him not suffice,
At thys tyme hys treasure youres doeth execede,
And yet content is he in no wyse,
But to gette moore daylye he doeth deuise,
The commons he extorteth tyll they bee lame
He takes the profyt and ye beare the name.
But better it were that he shulde suffer payne
Than thus by crafte, your honour to dystaine
By his false leasinges, he putteth other in blame
Deludinge youre grace, when he lyst to fayne
And no man so worthy for to suffer payne,
As he him selfe that by hys poyson and gall,
Hath deceyued you, and eke youre commons all.

 He signified vnto me that the Iewes did
Not feede the poore by hospitalitie
Their possessions he sayde, were all but hydde,
Amonge them selues lyuyng voluptuouslye,
Thinkyng the same might be verely,
Much better employed for the common weale,
where now it litle profitteth or neuer a deale.

Noble prince as for hospitalitye,
Of the Iewes dwellinge in your regyon
It is with them as alwayes hath bene
Sins the beginning of their possession

which god to them gaue, of his mere mocion,
Eke great knowledge both of cattell and of grayne
That none to them like houshold coulde maintayne,
Is not of Abraham the hospytallyte,
In scripture noted and of noble fame,
But one honoringe when he receiued three,
The trenite fygured in the same,
Both Isaake and Iacob had a lyke name,
Of whom the twelue tribes descended be,
which euer dyd maintaine hospitallyte.
 Sinse god therfore hath begunne theyre housholde,
And ay hath preserued theyre hospitallite,
I aduise no man to be so bolde,
The same to dissolue what so euer he be,
Let God alone for he shall orderly,
A fine ad finem, both here and there
Omnia disponere suauiter.

 O kaytiffe moste crafty o false dissembler,
with thy flatteringe tonge thou haste deceyued me,
All noble princes by me may be ware,
whom they shall truste and put in auctorite,
Eke whom they shall promote to ryches and dignite.
But we shall teache the good for thine ingratitude,
And by the all other theyre prince to delude.

 O lady Hester moste noble princesse,
Of thine honour and goodnes soueraine,
Extende to me that pitie or els doutles,
To deathe I am dressed and mortall payne,
I wotte I haue deserued it for certaine,
And againste the my offence is great,

wherefore vneth I dare thy goodnesse entreate,
But trueth is, the merite of thys is better
And God it more accepteth a thousande fold
Agaynst whome the offence is greater
And of them that of iniurie coulde not tell me
wherefore to speake somewhat it makes me bolde
To encrease thy merite and rewarde heauenlye
Saue my life and I thy seruaunte shall be.

Aman this matter so heinous is in dede
That of our honour we wyll nother speake nor speede

Alas then am I vtterlye marred
I must streighte die it can not be deferred.

 O thou kaytyffe canste thou not be contente,
with the mischeffe by the done before,
But the quene wylt oppresse, we beinge presente
what nede we call for euidence moore
Make him sure and fast and therto bind him sore
we will that oure counsell shortlye deuice,
Now we shalbe bestow him accordynge to iustice

There is in the house of thys traitour Aman
A paire of galowes of fiftie cubites hie
UpōUpon them he had thought either now or than
To haue caused Mardocheus to die.

Leade him hence, and vpon them by and by
See that ye hange him, and so stoppe his breathe
without fauoure see he snffer deathe.

Other folkes be tardye, as wel as hardy dardy
By this reckeninge
A syr besyde belles, bacon and somewhat els,
Must nedes haue hanginge.

Hanginge doe serue, when they that deserue,
Are false feytoures

And it commes to lottes, of heringes and sprottes
which be no traytours
To hange in the smoke, til they chaunge their cloke
From white to redde.

But such do no wronge, wherfore they do not honge
Tyl they be ded.

ye speake somwhat like, for it toucheth the quicke
To be hanged in good heale

yet none nede to care, that is wyse and ware
And truly wyll deale

Haue ye not rede, of Naso Ouide,
That eloquent Poet,
Nor Valery, which telles merely,
The proper feates,
How the smith Perillus, like a tuta vilus
Made a bull of bras
He had thought iwis, to haue pleased king Phalaris
But yet he did much wurse,

Why so?

I wene by god he made a rodde,
For his owne ars,
Phalaris coulde not get with in the bull to shett,
Lo here beginnes the game,
wherefore in dede he toke for nede,
Perillus maker of the same.
 In he did him turne and made the fier to burne
And greatly to increace,
He cait him in such heate and eke in such sweate,
He fried him in his greace,

 what meane you by this.

I wyll tell you by gis my hole intencion.
I meane my master is the fyrste taster,
Of his owne inuencion.
 The gallhouse he made both hye and brode,
For Mardocheus he them mente,
And now he is faine him selfe for certaine,
To play the fyrste pagente.

 He that deserues payne is worthy certaine,
Euen for to haue it.

 Therfore god sende all those, that will steale mens (clothes,
That once they may goe naked.

 If it please your grace this traitoure Aman,
we haue put to deathe as was youre cummaundyment.

 Then shall we streighte as well as we canne,
Bestowe his goodes for he made no testamente.

Lady hester this is our intent
The house of Aman with all his treasure,
we geue it you, do with all youre pleasure.

I thanke your grace with harte entyre,
Nowe dare I be bolde to shewe you the playnesse,
Of my minde, since Mardocheus is heare
If it please your grace the truth is doutles,
All be it or now I dyd it not confesse,
This Mardocheus is for certayne,
My fathers brother, no longer I wyll it leyne
A gentyll man he is, for lynyallye
He is borne of the stocke of Beniaminy,

 we be ryghte gladde we know his linage,
Hys truth to vs before was knowen well,
we wyll him aduaunce accordynge hys parage,
Holde Mardocheus here is our rynge and seale,
It is our truste ye wyll with iustice deale,
we commytte therfore vnto youre wyse discrescion,
Of all thys prouince iudgemente and corection.

I thanke youre grace trustinge ye shall not heare,
In all thynges but as iustice doth requyre,

 Noble prince and our espouse moste deare,
I beseche youre grace at my supplycation,
The precepte youre grace sente at Amans desyre,
Againste me and all the Iewishe nation,
May be reuoked and vpon conuocation
A new deuised by them that can do best,
And that sente forthe to set the Iewes at reste.

More ouer lett the realme be perused
By them that be of your hye councell
And if any haue the lawe abused
Of all the Iewes with in youre comon weale
Let them not spare correction to deale
And strayghtly constrayne them selfe to addresse
To obserue that law god gaue them by Moses  
The Iewes be the people of god elected
And weare his badge of cyrcumsicion
The dayly prayer of that hole secte
As the psalmes of Dauid by gostly inspiracion
Eke holy ceremonies of gods prouision
To god is vaileable, that nothing greater,
And al the whole realme for thēthen fares yethe better.

Stande ye vp Lady, and approche ye neare
your petition we graunte it gladlye,

Than if it please your grace to heare,
This epistle is made to the sealyng readye.

Let it be red that it maye by and by
Be sealed and configned, and so furthe sent
and than I truste ye shall be content.

 Vve Assuerus kynge, and highe regent
From India to Ethiopia plaine
Send gretinge and straighte commaundement,
To all the heades and rulers sertaine,
wyllyng they should vpon a great payne,
In a hundreth prouinces and seuen and twentye

All men compell to this our decre  
All though it be so our preceptes that be sente
Be of dyuerse nature, and playne repugnant
when ye know our mynd ye shalbe contente
To thinke it no lyghtnes, nor wytte in constante
But the necessytie of tymes varyant
And as cause requereth for the vtyllyte
Of our hole reame heedes and comynalte  
And to the entent ye may know our playne mynde
The sonne of Amadathy called Aman
A Macedone borne and lyke to theyr owne kynde
Not of our nacion, as all men tell can
whiche by his sutteltye, both now and than
Our gentelnes so in fecteth for certayne
That neare we were lyke all Iewes to haue slayne  
we fauored hym that he was called
Our father, and all men dyd to hym honoure
But his harte wyth pryde, so strongly was walled
That by his flyght and crafty demeanoure
Had we not espyed his subtile behauoure
He wolde haue dystroyd quene Hester our wyfe
And from vs at the lengthe haue taken our lyfe  
But as for the Iewes, we found them innocente
And without all blame though to death they were dyth
wherfore Aman we thought it conuenient
To hang hym tyll the death accordyng to ryght
within Susis our noble cetye of myghte
Not only our dede nor yet theyr chans nor fate

But goddes owne Iustice what so euer they prate,  
 This our precepte and hye cummaundimente,
we wolde to all cities ye shoulde declare.
This is our purpose and veri entente,
The Iewes to theyre lawes them selfe shoulde prepare
Duely to kepe them and not from them square,
And no man to hurt them see ye remember,
As it was mente the .xiii. day of december,
Dated at Susis this is certayne,
The .iiii. day of december the .iii. yeare of our raine.

 This is well se it be sealed anon,
And that euery citie of them may haue one,
Now madam I truste ye be conteute.

 yea and that veramente,
May it now please you your selfe to repose?

Very well saue fyrst we wol dislose,
Parte of our mynde which we thinke necessary,
If it be well hard we truste it shall edifye,
My Lordes by this fygure ye may well se,
The multitude hurte by the heades necligence,
If to his pleasure so geuen is he,
That he will no paine take nor dilligence,
who careth not for his cure ofte loseth credence,
A prouerbe of olde sume time in vsage,
Few men that serue but for theyre owne aduauntage.

 And yet the sernantes that bee vntrue,

A whyle in the world theyr lyfe may they leade,
yea theyr welth and worshippe dayly renewe,
But at the length I asswre you in dede,
Theyr fauell and falsehed wyll come abrede,
whiche shall be to them more bytter than gall,
They hygher they clyme and deper they fall,

 Let vs then cesse thys conuocatione,
And this tyme dyssolue this congregation.

 That lyke as here they haue lyued deuoutly,
So god graunt them in heauen to lyue eternally,

 To the which we committe all this company.