Xerxes’ Royal Feast

1In the tyme of Ahasuerus, which reigned from India vnto Ethiopia, ouer an hundreth and seuen and twentye londes, 2what tyme as he sat on his seate roiall in the castell of Susan 3in the thirde yeare of his reigne, he made a feast vnto all his prynces and seruauntes, namely vnto the mightie men of Persia and Media, to the Debities and rulers of his countrees, 4that he mighte shewe the noble riches of his kingdome, and the glorious worshippe of his greatnesse, many dayes longe, euen an hundreth and foure score dayes.

5And whan these dayes were expyred, the kynge made a feast vnto all the people that were in the castell of Susan, both vnto greate and small, seuen dayes longe in the courte of the garden by the kynges palace: 6where there hanged whyte, reed & yalow clothes, fastened with coardes of lynnen and scarlet in siluer rynges, vpon pylers of Marble stone. The benches were of golde and siluer made vpon a pauement of grene, white, yalowe and black Marble. 7And ye drinke was caried in vessels of golde, and there was euer chaunge of vessell. And the kinges wine was moch acordynge to the power of the kynge. 8And no man was appoynted what he shulde drinke: for the kynge had commaunded all the officers of his house, that euery one shulde do as it lyked him.

Queen Vashti’s Refusal

9And the quene Vasthi made a feast also for the wemen in the palace of Ahasuerus.

10And on the seuenth daye whan the kynge was mery of the wine, he comaunded Mehuman, Bistha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Sethar and Charcas, the seuen chamberlaynes (that dyd seruyce in the presence of kynge Ahasuerus) 11to fetch the quene Vasthi with the crowne regall, that he might shewe ye people and prynces hir fairnesse: for she was bewtifull. 12But the quene Vasthi wolde not come at the kynges worde by his chamberlaynes. Then was the kynge very wroth, and his indignacio kyndled in him.

Queen Vashti Deposed

13And the kynge spake to ye wyse men that had vnderstondinge in the ordinaunces of the londe (for the kinges matters must be hadled before all soch as haue knowlege of the lawe and iudgment: 14And the nexte vnto him were, Charsena, Sethar, Admatha, Tharsis, Meres, Marsena and Memuchan, the seuen prynces of the Persias, and Meedes, which sawe the kynges face, and satt aboue in the kyngdome) 15What lawe shulde be execute vpon the quene Vasthi, because she dyd not acordynge to the worde of the kynge by his chamberlaines. 16The saide Memucha before the kynge & the prynces: The quene Vasthi hath not onely done euell agaynst the kinge but also agaynst all the prynces and all the people in all the londes of kynge Ahasuerus 17for this dede of the quene shall come abrode vnto all wemen, so that they shall despyse their husbandes before their eyes, and shall saye: The kynge Ahasuers comaunded Vasthi ye quene to come before him, but she wolde not. 18And so shall the pryncesses in Persia and Media saye lykewyse vnto all the kynges prynces, whan they heare of this dede of the quene, thus shall there aryse despytefulnes and wrath ynough. 19Yf it please the kynge, let there go a kyngly commaundemet from him, and let it be wrytten acordynge to the lawe of the Persians and Medians (and not to be transgressed) that Vasthi come nomore before kynge Ahasuerus, and let the kynge geue the kyngdome vnto another that is better then she. 20And yt this wrytinge of the kynge which shalbe made, be published thorow out all his empyre (which is greate) that all wyues maye holde their husbandes in honoure, both amonge greate and smal.

21This pleased the kynge and the prynces, and the kynge dyd acordynge to the worde of Memuchan. 22Then were there letters sent forth in to all the kynges londes, in to euery londe acordinge to the wrytinge ther of, and to euery people after their laguage, yt euery man shulde be lorde in his awne house. And this caused he be spoken after the language of his people.