Sect. 4.
The Argvment.
Assuerus pleas'd; his servants motion
Propounded, gaine his approbation.
Esters descent, her Iewish race:
Her beauties, and her perfect grace.
When Time (that endeth all things) did asswage
The burning Fever of Assuerus rage,
And quiet satisfaction had assign'd
Delightfull lu'lips to his troubled minde,
He call'd his old remembrance to account
Of Vashti, and her Crimes that did amount
To th'summe of her divorcement: In his thought
He weigh'd the censure of her heedlesse fault:
His fawning servants willing to prevent him,
Lest too much thought should make his love repent him,
Said thus: (If it shall please our gracious Lord
To crowne with audience his servants word)
Let strict inquest, and carefull Inquisition
Jn all the Realme be made, and quicke provision
Throughout the Medes and Persians all along
For comely Virgins, beautifull and young,
Which (curiously selected) let them bring
Into the Royall Palace of the King;
And let the Eunuchs of the King take care
For Princely Robes, and Vesture, and prepare
Sweet Odors, choyce Perfumes, and all things meet,
To adde a greater sweetnesse to their sweet;
And she, whose perfect beames shall best delight,
And seeme most gracious in his Princely sight;
To her be given the conquest of her face,
And be enthron'd in scornfull Vashties place.
The project pleas'd the King, who straight requires
That strict performance second their desires:
Within the walls of Shusa dwelt there one,
By breeding and by birth a Iew, and knowne
By th'name of Mordecai, of mighty kin,
Descended from the Tribe of Benjamin,
(Whose necke was subject to the slavish yoke,
When Ieconiah was surpriz'd and tooke,
And caried captive into Babels Land,
With strength of mighty Neb'chadnezzars hand;)
Within his house abode a Virgin bright,
Whose name was Ester or Hadassa hight,
His brothers daughter, whom (her parents dead)
This Iew did foster, in her fathers stead;
She wanted none, though father she had none,
Her Vncles love assum'd her for his owne?
Bright beames of beauty streamed from her eye,
And in her cheeke sate maiden modesty;
Which peerelesse beauty lent so kind a rellish
To modest Vertue, that they did imbellish
Each others ex'lence, with a full assent,
In her to boast their perfect complement.
Medita. 4.
The strongest Atteries that knit and tye
The members of a mixed Monarchy,
Are learned Counsels, timely Consultations,
Rip'ned Advice, and sage Deliberations;
And if those Kingdomes be but ill be-blest,
Whose Rule's committed to a young mans brest:
Then such Estates are more unhappy farre,
Whose choicest Counsellors but Children are:
How many Kingdomes blest with high renowne,
(In all things happy else) have plac'd their crowne
Vpon the Temples of a childish head,
Vntill with ruine, King, or State be sped!
What Massacres (begun by factious jarres,
And ended by the spoile of civill warres)
Have made brave Monarchies unfortunate,
And raz'd the glory' of many' a mighty State?
How many hopefull Princes (ill advis'd
By young, & smooth-fac'd Counsell) have despis'd
The sacred Oracles of riper yeares,
Till deare Repentance wash the Land with teares?
Witnesse thou lucklesse, and succeeding Son
Of (Wisdomes Favourite) great Salomon;
How did thy rash, and beardlesse Counsell bring
Thy fortunes subject to a stranger King?
And laying burthens on thy peoples necke,
The weight hung sadly on thy bended backe.
Thou second Richard, (once our Britaine King,
Whose Syr's, and Grandsyr's fame the world did ring)
How was thy gentle nature led aside,
By greene advisements, which thy State did guide,
Vntill the title of thy Crowne did cracke,
And fortunes (as thy Fathers name) were blacke?
Now glorious Britaine, clap thy hands, and blesse
Thy sacred fortunes; for thy happinesse
(As doth thy Iland) does it selfe divide,
And sequester from all the world beside;
Blest are thy open Gates with joyfull peace,
Blest are thy fruitfull Barnes with sweet increase,
Blest in thy Counsell, whose industrious skill,
Is but to make thy fortunes happy still;
In all things blest, that to a State pertaine;
Thrice happy in my dreaded Soveraigne,
My sacred Sov'raigne, in whose onely brest,
A wise Assembl' of Privy Counsels rest,
Who conquers with his Princely heart as farre
By peace, as Alexander did by Warre,
And with his Olive branch more hearts did boord,
Than daring Cesar did, with Cesars sword:
Long maist thou hold within thy Royall hand,
The peacefull Scepter of our happy Land:
Great Iudah's Lyon, and the Flow'r of Iesse.
Preserve thy Lyons, and thy Flowers blesse.
