Divine poems :: :: University of Virginia Library

Now, now the time is come, faire Ester must
Expose her beauty to the Letchers lust;
Now, now must Ester stake her honour downe,
And hazzard Chastity to gaine a Crowne;
Gone, gone she is, attended to the Court,
And spends the evening in the Princes sport:
As when a Lady, (walking Flora's Bowre)
Picks here a Pincke, and there a Gilly-flowre,
Now plucks a Vi'let from her purple bed,
And then a Primerose, (the yeares maiden-head)
There, nips the Bryar; here, the Lovers Pauncy,
Shifting her dainty pleasures, with her Fancy,
This, on her arme; and that, she lifts to weare
Vpon the borders of her curious haire,
At length, a Rose-bud (passing all the rest)
She plucks, and bosomes in her Lilly brest:
So when Assuerus (tickled with delight)
Perceiv'd the beauties of those virgins bright,
He lik't them all, but when with strict revye,
He viewed Esters face, his wounded eye
Sparkl'd, whilst Cupid with his youthfull Dart,
Transfixt the Center of his feeble heart;
Ester is now his joy, and in her eyes,
The sweetest flower of his Garland lyes:

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Who now but Ester? Ester crownes his blisse,
And hee's become her prisoner, that was his:
Ester obtaines the prize, her high desert
Like Di'mond's richly mounted in his heart;
Iô, now Jô Hymen sings; for shee
That crownes his joy, must likewise crowned bee:
The Crowne is set on Princely Esters head,
Ester sits Queene, in scornefull Uashties stead.

To consecrate this Day to more delights,
In due solemnizing the nuptiall rites,
In Esters name, Assuerus made a Feast,
Invited all his Princes, and releast,
The hard taxation, that his heavy hand
Laid on the subjects of his groning Land;
No rights were wanting to augment his joyes,
Great gifts confirm'd the bounty of his choyce:
Yet had not Esters lavish tongue descri'd
Her Iewish kin, or where she was aly'd;
For still the words of Mordecai did rest
Within the Cabbin of her Royall breast,
Who was as pliant (being now a Queene)
To sage advice, as ere before sh'ad beene.

It came to passe, as Mardochæus sate
Within the Portall of the Princes gate,
He over-heard two servants of the King,
Closely combin'd in hollow whispering:
(Like whistling Notus that foretels a raine)
To breathe out treason 'gainst their Soveraigne:
Which, soone as loyall Mardochæus heard,
Forthwith to Esters presence he repair'd;
Disclos'd to her, and to her care commended
The Traitors, and the treason they intended:
Whereat, the Queene (impatient of delay)
Betraid the Traitors, that would her betray,

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And to the King unbosom'd all her heart,
And who her Newes-man was, and his desert.

Now all on hurly-burly was the Court,
All tongues were fill'd with wonder and report:
The watch was set, pursuit was made about,
To guard the King, and finde the Traitors out,
Who found, and guilty found, by speedy tryall,
(Where witnesse speaks, what boots a bare deniall)
Were both hang'd up upon the shamefull tree:
(To beare such fruit let trees ne're barren be:)
And what successe this happy Day afforded,
Was in the Persian Chronicles recorded.