Divine poems :: :: University of Virginia Library

The learned Counsell plead the case;
The Queene degraded from her place?
Decrees are sent throughout the Land,
That Wives obey, and men command.

The righteous Counsel (having heard the cause)
Adviz'd a while, with respite of a pause,
Till Memucan (the first that silence brake)
Vnseal'd his serious lips, and thus bespake:

The Great Assuerus Sov'raigne Lord and King,
(To grace the period of his banquetting)
Hath sent for Vashti; Vashti would not come,
And now it rests in us to give the doome.
But left that too much rashnesse violate
The sacred Iustice of our happy state,
We first propound the height of her offence,
Next, the succeeding inconvenience,
Which through the circumstances does augment,
And so discend to th'equall punishment;

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Th'offence propounded, now we must relate
Such circumstances that might aggravate,
And first the Place, (the Palace of the King,)
And next the Time, (the Time of Banquetting)
Lastly, the Persons, (Princes of the Land)
Which witnesse the contempt of the command;
The Place, the Persons present, and the Time,
Make foule the fault, make foule the Ladies crime;
Nor was her fault unto the King alone,
But to the Princes, and to every one,
For when this speech divulg'd about shall be,
Vashti the Queene withstood the Kings Decree,
Woemen (that soone can an advantage take
Of things, which for their private ends doe make)
Shall scorne their coward husbands, and despise
Their deare requests within their scornfull eyes,
And say, if we deny your bests, then blame not,
Assuerus sent for Vashti, but she came not;
By Vashties patterne others will be taught;
Thus her example's fouler then her fault:
Now therefore if it like our gracious King,
(Since he refers to us the censuring)
Let him proclaime (which untransgressed be)
His royall Edict, and his just Decree,
That Vashti come no more before his face,
But leave the titles of her Princely place:
Let firme divorce unloose the Nuptiall knot,
And let the name of Queene be quite forgot,
Let her estate and Princely dignity,
Her Royall Crowne, and seat assigned be
To one whose sacred Vertue shall attaine
As high perfection, as her bold disdaine;
So when this Royall Edict shall be fam'd,
And through the severall Provinces proclaim'd,

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Disdainfull wives will learne, by Vashties fall,
To answer gently to their Husbands call.
Thus ended Memucan; the King was pleas'd;
(His blustring passion now at length appeas'd)
And soone apply'd himselfe to undertake,
To put in practice what his Counsell spake:

So, into every Province of the Land,
He sent his speedy Letters, with command,
That Husbands rule their wives, & beare the sway,
And by subjection teach their Wives t'obey.

Meditat. 3.

VVhen God with sacred breath did first inspire
The new-made earth with quick, & holy fire,
He (well advising, what a goodly creature
He builded had, so like himselfe in feature)
Forth-with concluded by his preservation
T'eternize that great worke of Mans creation;
Into a sleepe he cast this living clay,
Lockt up his sense with drouzy Morpheus key,
Opened his fruitfull flanke, and from his side,
He drew the substance of his helpfull Bride,
Flesh of his flesh, and bone made of his bone
He framed Woman, making two of one;
Thus broke in two, he did anew ordaine
That these same two should be made One againe:
Till singling Death this sacred knot undoe,
And part this new-made One, once more in two.

Since of a Rib first framed was a Wife,
Let Ribs be Hi'roglyphicks of their life:
Ribs coast the Heart, and guard it round about,
And like a trusty Watch keepe danger out;

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So tender wives should loyally impart
Their watchfull care to fence their Spouses heart:
All members else from out their places rove,
But Ribs are firmely fixt, and seldome move:
Women (like Ribs) must keepe their wonted home,
And not (like Dinah that was ravisht) rome:
If Ribs be over-bent, or handled rough,
They breake, If let alone, they bend enough:
Women must (unconstrain'd) be plyant still,
And gently bending to their Husbands will,
The sacred Academy of mans life
Is holy wedlocke in a happy Wife.

It was a wise mans speech, Could never they
Know to command, that knew not first t'obey:
Where's then that high command? that ample fame
Your sexe, to glorifie for their honour'd name,
Your noble sexe in former dayes atchiev'd?
Whose sounding praise no after-times out-liv'd.
What brave exploits, what well deserving glory;
The subject of an everlasting story,
Their hands atchiev'd? they thrust their Scepters then
As well in Kingdomes, as in hearts of men;
And sweet obedience was the lowly staire,
Mounted their steps to that commanding chaire.

A Womans rule should be in such a fashion,
Onely to guide her houshold, and her passion:
And her obedience never's out of season,
So long as either Husband lasts, or Reason:
Ill thrives the haplesse Family, that showes
A Cocke that's silent, and a Hen that crowes.
I know not which live more unnaturall lives,
Obeying Husbands, or commanding Wives.