Divine poems :: :: University of Virginia Library

That very day, the King did freely adde
More bounty to his gift: What Haman had
Borrow'd of smiling Fortune, he repaid
To Esters hand, and to her use convaid:
And Mordecai found favour with the King;
Vpon his hand he put his Royall Ring,
Whose Princely pow'r proud Haman did abuse,
In late betraying of the guiltlesse Iewes;
For now had Ester to the King descry'd
Her Iewish kin, how neere she was ally'd
To Mardocheus, whom (her father dead)
His love did foster in her fathers' stead.

152

Once more the Queene prefers an earnest suit,
Her humble body lowly prostitute
Before his Royall feet, her cheekes o'reflowne
With marish teares, and thus her plain'full mone,
Commix't with bitter singults, she exprest:

If in the Cabin of thy Princely brest
Thy loyall servant (undeserv'd) hath found
A place wherein her wishes might be crown'd
With faire successe; If in thy gracious sight
J pleasing, or my cause seeme just, and right,
Be speedy letters written, to reverse
Those bloody Writs which Haman did disperse
Throughout thy Provinces, whose sad content
Was the subversion of my innocent
And faithfull people; Helpe, (my gracious Lord)
The time's prefixt, wherein th'impartiall Sword
Must make this massacre, the day's at hand,
Unlesse thy speedy Grace send countermand:
How can I brooke within my tender brest,
To breake the bonds of Natures high behest,
And see my people (for whose sake J breath)
Like stalled Oxen, bought and sould for death?
How can I see such mischiefe? how can I
Survive, to see my kin, and people dye?
Said then the King; Lo cursed Haman hath
The execution of our highest wrath,
The equall hire of his malicious pride;
His welth to thee I gave; (my fairest Bride)
His honour (better plac'd) I have bestow'd
On him, to whom my borrow'd life hath ow'd
Her five yeares breath, the trusty Mordecai,
Our loyall kinsman: Let his hand pourtray
Our pleasure, as best liketh him, and thee;
Let him set downe, and be it our Decree,

153

Let him confirme it with our Royall Ring,
And we shall signe it with the name of King:
For none may alter, or reverse the same
That's seal'd and written in our Princely name.

Medita. 15.

To breathe, 's a necessary gift of nature,
Whereby we may discerne a living Creature
From plants, or stones: 'Tis but a meere degree
From Vegetation; and this, hath shee
Like equally shar'd out to brutish beasts
With man, who lesse observes her due behests
(Sometimes) than they; and oft, by accident,
Doe lesse improve the gift in the event:
But man, whose organs are more fairely drest,
To entertaine a farre more noble Guest,
Hath, through the excellence of his Creation,
A Soule Divine; Divine by inspiration;
Divine through likenesse to that pow'r Divine,
That made and plac'd her in her fleshly shrine;
From hence we challenge lifes prerogative;
Beasts onely breath; 'Tis man alone doth live;
One end of mans Creation, was Societie,
Mutuall Communion, and friendly Piety:
The man that lives unto himselfe alone,
Subsists and breaths, but lives not; Never one
Deserv'd the moity of himselfe, for hee
That's borne, may challenge but one part of three;
Triparted thus; his Country clames the best;
The next his Parents; and himselfe the least.
He husbands best his life, that freely gives
It for the publike good; he rightly lives,

154

That nobly dyes: 'tis greatest mastery,
Not to be fond to live, nor feare to dye
On just occasion; He that (in case) despises
Life, earnes it best; but he that over-prizes
His dearest blood, when honour bids him die,
Steales but a life, and lives by Robbery.

O sweet Redeemer of the world, whose death
Deserv'd a world of lives! Had Thy deare breath
Be one deare to Thee; Oh had'st Thou but deny'd
Thy precious Blood, the world for e'r had dy'd:

O spoile my life, when I desire to save it,
By keeping it from Thee, that freely gave it.