Divine poems :: :: University of Virginia Library

Now when as Morpheus (Serjeant of the night)
Had laid his mace upon the dawning light,
And with his lustlesse limbes had closly spred
The sable Curtaines of his drouzy Bed,
The King slept not, but (indispos'd to rest)
Disguised thoughts within his troubled brest
Kept midnight Revells.
Wherefore (to recollect his randome thought)
He gave command the Chronicles be brought,
And read before him; where, with good attention,
He mark'd how Mordecai (with faire prevention)
Of a foule treason 'gainst his blood intended)
His life, and state had loyally defended;
Whereat the King (impatient to repay
Such faithfull service with the least delay)
Gently demands what thankfull recompence,
What worship or deserved reverence,
Equivalent to such great service, hath
Iustly repaid this loyall Liege-mans faith?
They answer'd, None: Now Haman (fully bent
To give the vessell of his poison, vent)
Stood ready charg'd with full Revenge, prepar'd
To beg his life, whom highly to reward
The King intends: Say (Haman) quoth the King,
What worship, or what honourable thing

144

Best fits the person, whom the King shall place
Within the bounty of his highest Grace?

So Haman thus bethought, Whom more than J
Deserves the Sun-shine of my Princes eye?
Whom seekes the King to honour more than me?
From Hamans mouth, shall Haman honour'd be?
Speake freely then, And let thy tongue proclaime
An honour suting to thy worth, thy name:
So Haman thus: This honour, this respect
Be done to him the King shall most affect,
In Robes Jmperiall be his body drest,
And bravely mounted on that very Beast
The King bestrides; then be the Crowne of State
Plac'd on his lofty browes; let Princes waite
Vpon his Stirrop, and in triumph leade
This Impe of Honour, in Assuerus flead;
And to expresse the glory of his name.
Like Heralds, let the Princes thus proclame;
“This peerlesse honour, and these Princely rites
“Be done to him in whom the King delights.
Said then the King, (O sudden change of Fate)
Within the Portall of our Palace Gate
There sits a Iew whose name is Mordecai,
Be he the man; Let no perverse delay
Protract; But what thy lavish tongue hath said,
Doe thou to him: So Haman sore dismaid;
His tongue (ty'd to his Roofe) made no reply,
But (neither daring answer, nor deny)
Perforce obey'd, and so his Page became,
Whose life he sought to have bereav'd with shame;
The Rites solemniz'd, Mordecai return'd
Vnto the Gate; Haman went home and mourn'd,
(His visage muffled in a mournfull vale)
And told his wife this melancholy Tale;

145

Whereat amaz'd, and startled at the newes,
Despairing, thus she spake: If from the Iewes
This Mordecai derive his happy line,
His be the palme of victory, not thine;
The highest heavens have still conspir'd to blesse
That faithfull seed, and with a faire successe
Have crown'd their just designes: If Mordecai
Descend from thence, thy hopes shall soone decay,
And melt like waxe before the mid-day Sun.
So said, her broken speech not fully done,
Haman was hasted to Queene Esters Feast;
To mirth and joy, an indisposed Guest.

Medita. 13.

There's nothing under heaven more glorifies
The name of King, or in a subjects eyes
Winnes more observance, or true loyalty,
Than sacred Iustice, shared equally:
No greater glory can belong to Might,
Than to defend the feeble in their right;
To helpe the helplesse and their wrongs redresse;
To curbe the haughty-hearted, and suppresse
The proud; requiting ev'ry speciall deed
With punishment, or honourable meed:
Herein Kings aptly may deserve the name
Of gods, enshrined in an earthly frame;
Nor can they any way approach more nye
The full perfection of a Deity,
Than by true Iustice, imitating heaven
In nothing more, than in the poizing eaven
Their righteous ballance: Iustice is not blinde,
As Poets feigne; but, with a sight refin'd,

146

Her Lyncian eyes are clear'd, and shine as bright
As doe their errours, that denie her sight;
The soule of Iustice resteth in her eye,
Her contemplation's chiefly to descry
True worth, from painted showes; and loyalty,
From false, and deepe-dissembled trechery;
A noble Statesman, from a Parasite;
And good, from what is meerely good in sight:
Such hidden things her piercing eye can see:
If Iustice then be blinde, how blinde are we!

Right fondly have the Poets pleas'd to say,
From earth the faire Astræa's fled away,
And in the shining Baudrike takes her seat,
To make the number of the Signes compleat:

For why? Astræa doth repose and rest
Within the Zodiake of my Sov'raignes brest,
And from the Cradle of his infancy
Hath train'd his Royall heart with industry,
In depth of righteous lore, and sacred thewes
Of Iustice Schoole; that this my Haggard Muse
Cannot containe the freenesse of her spright,
But make a Mounty at so faire a flight,
(Perchance) though (like a bastard Eagle daz'd
With too great light) she winke, and fall amaz'd:

Heav'n make my heart more thankfull, in confessing
So high a blisse, than skilfull, in expressing.