it happened that Haman was found there, for he was
come sooner than ordinary to petition the king to have Mordecai put to
death; and when the servants said that Haman was before the court, he
bid them call him in; and when he was come in, he said, "Because I know
that thou art my only fast friend, I desire thee to give me advice how
I may honor one that I greatly love, and that after a manner suitable to
my magnificence." Now Haman reasoned with himself, that what opinion
he should give it would be for himself, since it was he alone who was
beloved by the king: so he gave that advice which he thought of all
other the best; for he said, "If thou wouldst truly honor a man whom
thou sayest thou dost love, give order that he may ride on horseback,
with the same garment on which thou wearest, and with a gold chain
about his neck, and let one of thy intimate friends go before him,
and proclaim through the whole city, that whosoever the king honoreth
obtaineth this mark of his honor." This was the advice which Haman gave,
out of a supposal that such a reward would come to himself. Hereupon the
king was pleased with the advice, and said, "Go thou therefore, for thou
hast the horse, the garment, and the chain, ask for Mordecai the
Jew, and give him those things, and go before his horse and proclaim
accordingly; for thou art," said he, "my intimate friend, and hast given
me good advice; be thou then the minister of what thou hast advised me
to. This shall be his reward from us, for preserving my life." When he
heard this order, which was entirely unexpected, he was confounded in
his mind, and knew not what to do. However, he went out and led the
horse, and took the purple garment, and the golden chain for the neck,
and finding Mordecai before the court, clothed in sackcloth, he bid him
put that garment off, and put the purple garment on. But Mordecai,
not knowing the truth of the matter, but thinking that it was done in
mockery, said, "O thou wretch, the vilest of all mankind, dost thou
thus laugh at our calamities?" But when he was satisfied that the king
bestowed this honor upon him, for the deliverance he had procured him
when he convicted the eunuchs who had conspired against him, he put on
that purple garment which the king always wore, and put the chain about
his neck, and got on horseback, and went round the city, while Haman
went before and proclaimed, "This shall be the reward which the king
will bestow on every one whom h