CCXIX. Esther, Chap. I, II.
Ahashuerus's Feast: Vashti dethron'd:
Esther crown'd in her room.
While
Israel's Sons in Babel's Chains remain'd,
And there the Great Ahashuerus reign'd,
(How wide his Empire, and how vast his sway!
More than an hundred Nations him obey.)
As he, adorn'd in all his barb'rous State,
High mounted on his Throne at Shushan sate;
Amidst his Court he there in Publick eats,
Persia's and Media's haughty Princes treats.
His God had half his annual Circuit run,
Before he saw the Royal Banquet done,
And where the First expir'd, a New begun:
Sev'n Days for all Degrees the Feast did hold,
The Royal Wine goes round, and shines in Gold:
To all a free and Princely Welcom shown,
As yet th'accurs'd Civility unknown,
By pledging others Healths to lose their own.
The Feast and Mirth grew high, the Monarch sends
For beauteous Vashti, who regales her Friends:
Deep in Discourse engag'd, with luckless Pride,
Her Company the haughty Fair deny'd:
Nor only was the heated King enrag'd,
His Nobles in the common Cause engag'd:
Their Ladies wou'd her Disobedience hear,
Their Husbands slight, nor their Commands revere:
The rest wou'd follow soon the courtly Train,
And Nature's stedfast Laws wou'd prove in vain;
These dire domestic Mischiefs to prevent,
The King his Royal Proclamation sent;
No Woman thro' his Empire shou'd presume,
To seize the Reins and fill her Husbands room:
The Men, as Nature wou'd, the House shou'd sway,
In silence, Women shou'd their Lords obey:
Unhappy Vashti must at once remove,
(A double Death!) from Empire and from Love;
For ever banish'd from his Bed and Throne,
And doom'd to wear her widow'd Hours alone;
A worthier Consort in her Seat is plac'd,
Fair Hester with the Royal Favour grac'd;
An Orphan from Judea, captive led,
With nicest Care by Mardochæus bred:
Nor she her Kindred to the Court reveal'd,
By her wise Foster-Father's Charge conceal'd:
See where she's in Imperial Robes attir'd,
Whil'st all the Lords their Monarch's Choice admir'd!
See where he does the Consort-Crown impart,
Tho' more he gave before, the Monarch gave his Heart.
