Divine poems :: :: University of Virginia Library

When great Assuerus (under whose Command
The worlds most part did in subjectiō stand,
Whose Kingdome was to East and West confin'd,
And stretcht from Ethiopia unto Ind',)
Whē this brave Monarch had with two yeers pow'r
Confirmd himselfe the Persian Emperour;
The peoples patience nilling to sustaine
The hard oppression of a third yeares raigne,
Softly began to grumble, sore to vexe,
Feeling such Tribute on their servile necks;
Which when the King (as he did quickly) heares,
(For Kings have tender, and the nimblest eares)
Partly to blow the coales of old affection,
Which now are dying through a forc'd subiection;
Partly to make his Princely might appeare,
To make them feare for love, or love for feare,
He made a Feast: He made a Royall Feast,
Fit for himselfe, had he himselfe beene Guest;

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To which he calls the Princes of his Land,
Who (paying tribute) by his power stand;
To which he calls his servants of Estate,
His Captains, and his Rulers of the State,
That he may shew the glory of his store,
The like unseene by any Prince before;
That he may boast his Kingdomes beauty forth,
His servant Princes, and their Princely worth;
That he may shew the Type of Sov'raignty
Fulfill'd in th'honour of his Majesty:
He made a Feast, whose Date should not expire,
Vntill seven Moones had lost and gain'd their fire

When as this Royall tedious Feast was ended,
(For good more common 'tis, 'tis more cōmended)
For meaner sort he made a second Feast;
His Guests were from the greatest to the least
In Susa's place; Seven dayes they did resort
To Feast i'th' Palace Garden of the Court;
Where in the midst, the house of Bacchus stands
To entertaine when Bounty claps her hands;
The Tap'stry hangings, were of divers hue,
Pure white, and youthfull Greene, and joyful blue,
The maine supporting Pillars of the Place
Were perfect Marble of the purest race;
The Reds were rich right Princely to behold,
Of beaten Silver, and of burnish't Gold.
The pavement was discolour'd Porphyry,
And during Marble, colour'd diversly;
In lavish Cups of oft-refined gold,
Came Wine unwisht, drink what the people would
The Golden vessels did in number passe,
Great choyce of Cups, great choyce of wine was there
And since Abuse attends vpon Excesse,
Leading sweet Mirth to loathsome Drunkennesse

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A temp'rate Law was made, that no man might
Inforce an undisposed Appetite:
So that a sober mind may use his pleasure,
And measure drinking, though not drinke by measure.

Medit. 1.

No man is borne unto himselfe alone;
Who lives unto himselfe, he lives to none:
The World's a body', each man a member is,
To adde some measure to the publike blisse;
Where much is giv'n, there much shall be requir'd,
Where little, lesse; for riches are but hyr'd;
Wisedome is sold for sweat; Pleasures for paine;
Who lives unto himselfe, he lives in vaine;
To be a Monarch is a glorious thing;
Who lives not full of Care, he lives no King;
The boundlesse glory of a King is such,
To sweeten Care, because his Care is much;
The Sun (whose radiant beames reflect so bright)
Comforts and warmes, as well as it gives light,
By whose example Phœbe (though more dim)
Does counterfeit his beames, and shines from him:
So mighty Kings are not ordain'd alone
To pearch in glory on the Princely Throne,
But to direct in Peace, command in Warre
Those Subjects, for whose sakes they onely are;
So loyall Subjects must adapt them to
Such vertuous actions as their Princes doe:
So shall his people, even as well as He,
Princes (though in a lesser volume) be.

So often as I fixe my serious eye
Vpon Assuerus Feast, me thinkes, I spye

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The Temple dance, me thinkes my ravisht eare,
(Rapt with the secret musicke that I heare)
Attends the warble of an Angels tongue,
Resounding forth this sense-bereaving Song;
Vashti shall fall, and Ester rise,
Sion shall thrive, when Haman dyes.
Blest are the meetings, and the Banquets blest,
Where Angels caroll musicke to the Feast;

How doe our wretched times degenerate
From former ages! How intemperate
Hath lavish custome made our bedrid Age,
Acting obscœne Scenes on her drunken Stage!
Our times are guided by a lewder lot,
As if that world another world begot:
Their friendly feasts were fill'd with sweet sobriety
Ours, with uncleane delights, and base ebriety;
Theirs, the unvalued prise of Love intended;
Ours seeke the cause whereby our Love is ended;
How in so blind an Age could those men see!
And in a seeing Age, how blinde are we!

Sect. 2.

The Argvment.

The King sends for the Queene; the Queene
Denies to come; His hasty spleene
Inflames, unto the Persian Lawes
He leaves the censure of his cause.

To adde more honour to this royall Feast,
That Glory may with Glory be increast,
Vashti the Queene (the fairest Queene on earth)
She made a Feast, and put on jolly mirth,

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To bid sweet welcome with her Princely cheere
To all her Guests; Her Guests all, women were.

By this, the Royall bounty of the King
Hath well-nigh spent the seven dayes banquetting.
Sixe ioviall dayes have run their howers out,
And now the seventh revolves the Weeke about,
Vpon which day, (the Queenes unlucky Day)
The King, with jollity intic'd away,
And gently having slipt the stricter reynes
Of Temperance, (that over-mirth restraines)
Rose up, commanded that without delay,
(Howe're the Persian custome doe gain-say
That men and married Wives shold feast together)
That faire Queene Vashti, be conducted thither,
For him to shew the sweetnes of her face,
And peerelesse beauty mixt with Princely Grace;
To wound their wanton hearts, and to surprize
The Princes with th'Artill'ry of her eyes.

But fairest Vashti, (in whose scornfull Eyes
More haughty pride, then heav'nly beauty lies)
With bold deniall of a flinty brest,
Answer'd the longing of the Kings request;
And (fill'd with scorne) return'd this message home
Queene Vashti cannot, Vashti will not come,
Whereat, as Boreas with his blustering,
(When sturdy Aries ushers in the Spring)
Here fells an aged Oke, there cleaues a Tree,
Now holds his full-mouth'd blast, now lets it flee,
So stormes the King; now pale, now fiery red,
His colour comes and goes, his angry head
He sternly shakes, spits his inraged spleene,
Now on the messenger, now on the Queene:
One while he deeply weighs the foule contempt,
And then his passion bids his wrath attempt

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A quicke revenge; now creepe into his thought
Such things as aggravate the peevish fault;
The place, the persons present, and the time
Increase his wrath, increase his Ladies Crime.

But soone as Passion had restor'd the Reyne
To righteous Reason's goverment againe;
The King (unfit to judge his proper Cause)
Referr'd the triall to the Persian Lawes:
He call'd his learned Counsell, and display'd
The nature of his Grievance thus, and said:

By vertue of a Husband, and a King,
(To make compleat our Royall banquetting)
We gave command, we gave a strict command,
That by the office of our Eunuchs band,
Queene Vashti should in state attended be
Into the presence of our Majestie,
But in contempt she slacks our dread behest
Neglects performance of our deare Request,
And (through disdaine) disloyally deny'd,
Like a false subject, and a faithlesse bride:
Say then (my Lords) for you (being truely wise)
Have braines to judge, and judgements to advise;
Say, boldly (say) what doe the Lawes assigne?
What punishment? or what deserved Fine?
Assuerus bids, the mighty King commands;
Vashti denyes, the scornefull Queene withstands.

Medit. 2.

Evil manners breed good Lawes: & that's the best
That e're was made of bad: The Persian feast
(Finding the mischiefe that was growne so rife)
Admitted not with men a married wife.

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How carefull were they in preserving that,
Which we so watchfull are to violate!
O Chastity the Flower of the soule,
How is thy perfect fairenesse turn'd to foule!
How are thy Blossomes blasted all to dust,
By sudden Lightning of untamed Lust!
How hast thou thus defil'd thy Iv'ry feet!
Thy sweetnesse that was once, how far from sweet!
Where are thy maiden-smiles, thy blushing cheeke?
Thy Lamb-like countenance, so faire, so meeke?
Where is that spotlesse Flower, that while-ere
Within thy lilly bosome thou didst weare?
Has wanton Cupid snatcht it? Hath his Dart
Sent courtly tokens to thy simple heart?
Where dost thou bide? the Country halfe disclaimes thee;
The City wonders when a body names thee.
Or have the rurall woods engrost thee there,
And thus fore-stall'd our empty markets here?
Sure th'art not, or kept where no man showes thee;
Or chang'd so much, scarce man or woman knowes thee.

Our Grandame Eve, before it was forbid,
Desired not the fruit, she after did:
Had not the Custome of those times ordain'd
That women from mens feasts should be restrain'd,
Perhaps (Assuerus) Vashti might have dyed
Vnsent for, and thy selfe beene undenyed:
Such are the the fruits of mirth's and wine's abuse,
Customes must crack, & love must breake his truce,
Conjugall bands must loose, and sullen Hate
Ensues the Feast, where Wine's immoderate.

More difficult it is, and greater skill
To beare a mischiefe, 'than prevent an ill:
Passion is naturall, but to bridle Passion,
Is more divine, and vertues operation:

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To doe amisse, is Natures act; to erre,
Is but a wretched mortalls Character;
But to prevent the danger of the ill,
Is more then Man, surpassing humane skill:
Who playes a happy game with crafty slight,
Confirmes himselfe but fortunes Favorite;
But he that husbands well an ill-dealt game,
Deserves the credit of a Gamesters name;

Lord, if my Cards be bad, yet lend me skill
To play them wisely and make the best of ill.

Sect. 3.

The Argvment.

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.

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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;

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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:

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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;

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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.

Sect. 5.

The Argvment.

Faire Virgins brought to Hege's hand,
The custome of the Persian Land;
Esters neglect of rich attire,
To whet the wanton Kings desire.

And when the lustfull Kings Decree was read
In ev'ry eare, and Shire proclam'd, & spread,
Forthwith unto the Eunuch Hege's hand
The Bevy came, the pride of beauties band,
Armed with joy, and warring with their eyes,
To gaine the conquest of a princely prize;
But none in peerlesse beauty shin'd so bright,
As lovely Ester did in Hege's sight:
In loyall service he observed her;
He sent for costly Oyles, and fragrant Myrrh,
To fit her for the presence of the King:
Rich Tyres, and change of vesture did he bring;

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Seven comely maids he gave to tend upon her,
To shew his service, and increase her honour:
But she was watchfull of her lips, and wise,
Disclosing not her kinred, or alyes:
For trusty Mardocheus tender care
Gave hopefull Ester Items to beware
To blaze her kin, or make her people knowne,
Lest for their sake, her hopes be overthrowne.
Before the Gates he to and fro did passe,
Wherein inclos'd the Courtly Ester was,
To understand how Ester did behave her,
And how she kept her in the Eunuchs favour.
Now when as Time had fitted ev'ry thing,
By course, these Virgins came before the King.

Such was the custome of the Persian soyle,
Sixe months the Virgins bath'd in Myrrh & Oyle,
Sixe months perfum'd in change of odours sweet,
That perfect lust, and great excesse may meet;
What costly Robes, rare Iewels, rich attire,
Or curious Fare, these Virgins did desire,
'Twas given, and freely granted, when they bring
Their bodies to be prostrate to the King:
Each Virgin keepes her turne, and all the night
They lewdly lavish in the Kings delight,
And soone as morning shall restore the day,
They in their bosomes beare blacke night away,
And (in their guilty breasts, as are their sinnes
Close prisoners) in the house of Concubines
Remaine, untill the satiate King shall please
To lend their pamper'd bodyes a release.

Now when the turne of Ester was at hand,
To satisfie the wanton Kings command,
Shee sought not (as the rest) with brave attire,
To lend a needlesse spurre t'unchast Desire,

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Nor yet endeavours with a whorish Grace,
T'adulterate the beautie of her face:
Nothing she sought to make her glory braver,
But simply tooke what gentle Hege gave her:
Her sober visage daily wan her honour:
Each wandring eye inflam'd, that look'd upon her.

Meditat. 5.

When God had with his Al-producing Blast;
Blown up the bubble of the World, & plac't
In order that, which he had made in measure,
As well for necessary use, as pleasure:
Then out of earthy mould he fram'd a creature
Farre more Divine, and of more glorious feature
Than earst he made, indu'd with understanding,
With strength, victorious, & with awe commanding,
With Reason, Wit, repleate with Majesty,
With heavenly knowledge, and Capacity,
True embleme of his Maker: Him he made
The sov'raigne Lord of all; Him all obay'd;
Yeelding their lives (as tribute) to their King;
Both Fish, and Bird, and Beast, and every thing:
His body's rear'd upright, and in his eye,
Stand radient beames of awfull sov'raignty;
All Creatures else pore downward to the ground,
Man looks to heaven, and all his thoughts rebound
Vpon the Earth (where tydes of pleasures meete)
He treads, and daily tramples with his feete;
Which reade sweet Lectures to his wandring eyes,
And teach his lustfull heart to moralize:
Naked he liv'd, nak'd to the world he came;
For he had then nor fault to hide, nor shame:

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His state was levell, and he had free will
To stand or fall, unforc't to good or ill;
Man had (such state he was created in)
Within his pow'r, a power not to sinne:
But Man was tempted, yeelded, sinn'd, and fell,
Abus'd his free-will, lost it, then befell
A worse succeeding state; who was created
Complete, is now become poore, blinde, and naked;
He's drawne with head-strong bias unto ill,
Bereft of active pow'r to will, or nill;
A bless'ed Saint's become a balefull Devill,
His free-will's onely stinted now to evill:
Pleasure's his Lord, and in his Ladies eyes
His Christall Temple of devotion lyes:
Pleasures the white, whereat he takes his levell,
Which (too much wronged with the name of evill)
With best of blessings takes her lofty seat,
Greatest of goods, and seeming best of great:
Whats good, (like Iron) rusts for want of use,
And what is bad is worsed with abuse;
Pleasure, whose apt, and right ordained end
Is but to sweeten labour, and attend
The frailty' of man is now preferr'd so hie,
To be his Lord, and beare the sov'raignty,
Ruling his slavish thoughts, ignoble actions,
And gaines the conquest of his best affections,
Sparing no cost to bolster up delight,
But force vaine pleasures to unwonted height:

Who addes excesse unto a lustfull heart,
Commits a costly sin, with greater Art.

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Sect. 6.

The Argvment.

Ester's belov'd, wedded, crown'd;
A Treason Mordecai betrai'd;
The Traitors are pursu'd, and found,
And for that treason well appaid.

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,

119

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.

Meditat. 6.

The hollow Concave of a humane brest
Is Gods Exchequer, and therein the best,
And summe of all his chiefest wealth consists,
Which he shuts up, and opens when he lists:
No power is of man: to love or hate,
Lyes not in mortals brest, or pow'r of Fate:
Mā wants the strength to sway his strong affections
What power is, is from Divine directions;
Which oft (unseene through dulnesse of the minde)
We nick name, Chance, because our selves are blind
And that's the cause, mans first beholding eye
Oft loves, or hates, and knowes no reason why.

'T was not the brightnesse of Rebecca's face,
Or servants skill that wan the virgins grace:
'T was not the wish, or wealth of Abraham,
Or Isacks fortune, or renowned name,
His comely personage, or his high desert,
Obtain'd the conquest of Rebecca's heart:

120

Old Abra'm wisht, in secret God directed;
'Twas Abra'm us'd the meanes; 'twas God effected:
Best marriages are made in heaven; In heaven,
The hearts are joyn'd; in earth the hands are given,
First God ordaines, then man confirmes the Love,
Proclaiming that on earth was done above.

'Twas not the sharpnesse of thy wandring eye,
(Great King Assuerus) to picke Majesty
From out the sadnesse of a Captives face;
'Twas not alone thy chusing, nor her grace;
Who mounts the meeke, and beates the lofty down,
Gave thee the heart to chuse, gave her the Crown:

Who blest thy fortunes with a second wife,
He blest thy fortunes with a second life;
That brest that entertain'd so sweet a Bride,
Stood faire to Treason, (by her meanes descride;)
With double fortunes, wer't thou doubly blest,
To finde so faire, and scape so foule a guest.

Thou aged father of our yeares and houres,
(For thou as well discoverst, as devoures)
Search still the entrails of thy just Records,
Wherein are entred the diurnall words
And deeds of mortall men; Bring (thou) to light
All trech'rous projects, mann'd by craft, or might;
With Towr's of Brasse, their faithful heart's imbosse
That beare the Christian colours of the Crosse.

And Thou Preserver of all mortall things,
Within whose hands are plac'd the hearts of Kings;
By whom all Kingdomes stand, and Princes raigne
Preserve thy Charles, and my dear Soveraigne;
Let Traitors plots, like wandring Atomes, fly,
And on their heads pay ten-fold usury;
His bosome tuter, and his safety tender:
O be thou his, as hee's thy Faiths Defender:

121

That thou in him, and hee in thee may rest,
And we of both may live and die possest.

Sect 7.

The Argvment.

The line of Haman, and his race;
His fortunes in the Princes grace:
His rage to Mordecai exprest,
Not bowing to him, as the rest.

Vpon a time, to Persias Royall Court,
A forraigne Stranger used to resort,
He was the issue of a royall breed,
The off-cast off-spring of the cursed seed
Of Amelck, from him descended right,
That sold his birth-right for his Appetite:
Haman his name; His fortunes did improve,
Increast by favour of the Princes love:
Full great he grew, preferd to high command,
And plac'd before the Princes of the Land:
And since that honour, and due reverence
Belong where Princes give preeminence;
The King commands the servants of his State,
To suit respect to Hamans high estate,
And doe him honour, fitting his degree,
With vailed bonnet; and low bended knee:
They all observ'd; but aged Mordecai
(Whose stubborne joynts neglected to obey
The seed which Heaven with infamy had branded)
Stoutly refused what the King commanded;
Which when the servants of the King had seene,
Their fell disdaine mixtwith an envious spleene,

122

Inflam'd; They question'd how he durst withstand
The just performance of the Kings Command:
Daily they checkt him for his high disdaine,
And hee their checks did daily entertaine
With silent slight behaviour, which did prove
As full of care, as their rebukes of love.

Since then their hearts (not able to abide
A longer sufferance of his peevish pride)
(Whose scorching fires, passion did augment,)
Must either breake, or finde a speedy vent:
To Haman they th'unwelcome newes related,
And what they said, their malice aggravated.
Envie did ope her Snake-devouring Iawes,
Foam'd frothy blood, and bent her unked Pawes
Her hollow eyes did cast out sudden flame,
And pale as ashes look't this angry Dame,
And thus bespake! Art thou that man of might,
That Impe of Glory? Times great Favorite?
Hath thy deserved worth restor'd againe
The blemisht honour of thy Princely straine?
Art thou that Wonder, which the Persian State
Stands gazing at so much, and poynting at?
Filling all wondring eyes with Admiration,
And every loyall heart with Adoration?
Art thou that mighty He? How haps it then
That wretched Mordecai, the worst of men,
A captive slave, a superstitious Iew,
Slights thee, and robs thee of thy righfull due?
Nor was his sault disguis'd with Ignorance,
(The unfee'd Advocate of sinne) or Chance,
But backt with Arrogance and soule Despite:
Rise up, and doe thy suffring honour right.

Vp (like his deepe Revenge) rose Haman then,
And like a sleeping Lion from his Den,

123

Rouz'd his relentlesse Rage; But when his eye
Confirm'd the newes Report did testifie,
His Reason straight was heav'd from off his henge,
And Fury rounded in his eare, Revenge,
And (like a rash Adviser) thus began:

There's nothing (Haman) is more deare to man,
And cooles his boyling veines with sweeter pleasure,
Than quicke revenge; for to revenge by leisure,
Is but like feeding, when the stomacke's past,
Pleasing nor eager appetite, nor taste:
Yet when delay returnes Revenge the greater,
Like poynant sauce, it makes the meate the sweeter:
It fits not th'honour of thy personage,
Nor stands it with thy Greatnesse, to ingage
Thy noble thoughts, to make Revenge so poore,
To be reveng'd on one alone: thy sore
Needs many plaisters: make thy honour good,
Not with a drop, but with a world of blood:
Borrow the Sythe of Time, and let thy Passion
Mowe downe thy Iewish Foe, with all his Nation.

Medita. 7.

Fights God for cursed Amalek? That hand
That once did curse, doth now the curse withstand:
Is God unjust? Is Iustice fled from heaven;
Or are the righteous Ballances uneven?
Is this that Iust Iehova's sacred Word,
Firmely inroll'd within the Lawes Record,
Ile fight with Amalek, destroy his Nation,
And from remembrance blurre his Generation?
What, shall his curse to Amalek be void?
And with those plagues shall Isr'el be destroyd:

124

Ah, sooner shall the sprightfull flames of fire
Descend and moysten; and dull earth, aspire,
And with her drinesse quench faire Titans heate,
Then shall thy words, and just Decrees retreat:
The Day, (as wery of his burden) tyres;
The Yeare (full laden with her months) expires:
The heav'ns (growne great with age) must soon decay,
The pondrous earth in time shall passe away;
But yet thy sacred words shall alway flourish,
Though daies, & years, & heavē, & earth do perish:

How perkes proud Haman then? What prosp'rous fate
Exalts his Pagan head? How fortunate
Hath favour crown'd his times? Hath God decreed
No other Curse upon that cursed seed?

The mortall eye of man can but perceive
Things present; when his heart cannot conceive,
Hee's either by his outward senses guided,
Or, like a Quere, leaves it undecided:
The fleshly eye that lends a feeble sight,
Failes in extent, and hath no further might
Than to attaine the object: and there ends
His office; and of what it apprehends,
Acquaints the understanding, which conceives,
And descants on that thing the sight perceives,
Or good, or bad; unable to project
The just occasion, or the true effect:
Man sees like man, and can but comprehend,
Things as they present are, not as they end;
God sees a Kings heart in a shepheards brest,
And in a mighty King, he sees a Beast:
'Tis not the spring tyde of an high estate
Creates a man (though seeming) Fortunate:
The blaze of Honour, Fortunes sweet excesse,
Doe undeserve the name of Happinesse:

125

The frownes of indisposed Fortune makes
Man poore, but not unhappy. He that takes
Her checks with patience, leaves the name of poor,
And lets in Fortune at a backer doore.

Lord, let my fortunes be or rich, or poore:
If small, the lesse account; if great, the more.

Sect. 8.

The Argvment.

Vnto the King proud Haman sues,
For the destruction of the Iewes:
The King consents, and in his name
Decrees were sent t'effect the same.
Now when the year had turn'd his course about
And fully worne his weary howers out,
And left his circling travell to his heire,
That now sets onset to th'ensuing yeare,
Proud Haman (pain'd with travell in the birth,
Till after-time could bring his mischiefe forth)
Casts Lots, from month to month, from day to day,
To picke the choycest time, when Fortune may,
Be most propitious to his damned plot;
Till on the last month fell th'unwilling Lot:
So Haman guided by his Idoll Fate,
(Cloaking with publike good his private Hate)
In plaintiffe tearmes, where Reason forg'd a rellish
Vnto the King, his speech did thus imbellish:
Vpon the limits of this happy Nation,
There flotes a skumme, an off-cast Generation,
Disperst, despis'd, and noysome to the Land,
And Refractory to the Lawes, to thy Command.

126

Not stooping to thy Power, but despising
All Government, but of their owne devising,
Which stirs the glowing embers of division,
The hatefull mother of a States perdition,
The which (not soone redrest by Reformation)
Will ruine breed to thee, and to thy Nation,
Begetting Rebels, and seditious broyles,
And fill thy peacefull Land, with bloody spoyles:
Now therefore, if it please my gracious Lord,
To right this grievance with his Princely sword,
That Death, and equall Iustice may o'rewhelme
The secret Ruiners of thy sacred Realme,
Vnto the Royall Treasure of the King,
Ten thousand silver Talents will I bring.
Then gave the King, from off his heedlesse hand
His Ring to Haman, with that Ring command,
And said: Thy proffer'd wealth possesse,
Yet be thy just Petition ne'rthelesse
Entirely granted. Loe, before thy face
Thy vassals lye, with all their rebel race;
Thine be the people, and the power thine,
T'allot these Rebels their deserved Fine.
Forthwith the Scribes were summon'd to appeare,
Decrees were written, sent to every Shire;
To all Lieutenants, Captaines of the Band,
And all the Provinces throughout the Land,
Stil'd in the name and person of the King,
And made authentick with his Royall Ring;
By speedy Post men were the Letters sent;
And this the summe is of their sad content:

Assvervs Rex.

Let ev'ry Province in the Persian Land,
(Vpon the Day prefixt) prepare his hand,
To make the Channels flow with Rebels blood,

127

And from the earth to roote the Jewish brood:
And let the softnesse of no partiall heart,
Through melting pitie, love, or false desert,
Spare either young or old, or man, or woman,
But like their faults, so let their plagues be common.
Decreed, and signed by our Princely Grace,
And given at Sushan, from our Royall Place.

So Haman fill'd with joy (his fortunes blest
With faire successe of his so foule request)
Laid care aside to sleepe, and with the King,
Consum'd the time in jolly banquetting:
Meane while the Iewes, (the poore afflicted Iewes
Perplext, and startl'd with the new-bred newes)
With drooping heads, and selfe-imbracing armes,
Wept forth the Dirge of their ensuing harmes.

Medita. 8.

Of all diseases in a publike weale,
No one more dangerous, and hard to heale,
(Except a tyrant King) then when great might
Is trusted to the hands, that take delight
To bathe, and paddle in the blood of those,
Whon jealousies, and not just cause oppose:
For when as haughty power is conjoynd
Vnto the will of a distemper'd mind,
What ere it can, it will, and what it will,
It in itselfe, hath power to fulfill:
What mischiefe then can linger, unattemted?
What base attempts can happen, unprevented?
Statutes must breake, good Lawes must go to wrack
And (like a Bow that's overbent) must cracke:
Iustice (the life of Law) becomes so furious,
That (over-doing right) it proves injurious:

128

Mercy (the Steare of Iustice) flyes the City,
And falsly must be term'd a foolish Pity,
Meane while the gracious Princes tender brest
(Gently possest with nothing but the best
Of the disguis'd dissembler) is abus'd
And made the cloke, where with his fault's excus'd:
The radient beames that warme, & shine so bright,
Comfort this lower world with heat and light,
But drawne, and recollected in a glasse,
They burne, and their appointed limits passe:
Even so the power from the Princes hand,
Directs the subject with a sweet command,
But to perverse fantasticks if confer'd,
Whom wealth, or blinded Fortune hath prefer'd,
It spurres on wrong, and makes the right retire,
And sets the grumbling Common-wealth on fire:
Their foule intent, the Common good pretends,
And with that good they maske their private ends,
Their glorie's dimme, and cannot b'understood,
Vnlesse it shine in pride, or swimme in blood:
Their will's a Law, their mischiefe Policy,
Their frownes are Death, their power Tyranny:
Ill thrives the State that harbours such a man,
That can, what e're he wills; wills what he can.

May my ungarnisht quill presume so much,
To glorifie it selfe, and give a touch
Vpon the Iland of my Soveraigne Lord?
What language shall I use, what new-found word,
T'abridge the mighty volume of of his worth,
And keepe me blamelesse, from th'untimely birth
Of (false reputed) flattery? He lends
No cursed Haman pow'r, to worke his Ends
Vpon our ruine, but transferres his grace
On just desert, which in the ugly face

129

Of foule detraction, (untouch't) can dare,
And smile, till black-mouth'd Envy blush, and tare
Her Snaky fleece. Thus, thus in happy peace
He rules, to make our happinesse increase,
Directs with love, commands with Princely awe,
And in his brest he beares a living Law:

Defend us thou, and heavens thee defend,
And let proud Haman have proud Hamans end.

Sect. 3.

The Argvment.

The Iewes and Mordecai lament,
And waile the height of their distresses:
But Mordecai the Queene possesses,
With cruell Hamans foule intent.

Now when as Faire (the daughter of the earth
Newly dis-burthen'd of her plumed birth)
From off her Turrets did her wings display,
And pearcht in the sad cares of Mordecai,
He rent his garments, wearing in their stead
Distressed sack-cloth: on his fainting head
He strowed Dust, and from his showring eyes
Ran floods of sorrow, and with bitter cryes
His griefe saluted heaven; his groanes did borrow
No Art to draw the true pourtraict of sorrow:
Nor yet within his troubled brest alone,
(Too small a stage for griefe to trample on)
Did Tyrant sorrow act her lively Sceane,
But did inlarge (such griefe admits no meane)
The lawlesse limits of her Theater
Ith' hearts of all the Iewish Nation, where

130

(With no dissembled Action) she exprest
The lively Passion of a pensive brest.
Forthwith he posteth to the Palace gate,
T'acquaint Queene Ester with his sad estate,
But found no entrance: for the Persian Court
Gave welcome to delights, and youthly sport,
To jolly mirth, and such delightfull things:
Soft rayment best befits the Courts of Kings:
There lyes no welcome for a whining face,
A mourning habit suits no Princely Place:
Which when the Maids, and Eunuchs or the Queen
(Vnable of themselves to helpe) had seene,
Their Royall Mistresse straight they did acquaint
With the dumb-shew of her sad Cousins plaint;
Whereat (till now a stranger to the cause)
Perplext, and forced by the tender Lawes
Of deare affection, her gentle heart
Did sympathize with his conceived smart:
She sent him change of rayment to put on,
To vaile his griefe; But he received none:
Then (sore dismai'd, impatient to forbeare
The knowledge of the thing she fear'd to heare)
She sent her servant to him, to importune,
What sudden Chance, or what disast'rous fortune
Had caus'd this strange and ill-apparell'd griefe,
That she (if in her lyes) may send reliefe:
To whom his sorrowes made this sad Relation,
And this, the tenor of his Declaration:

Hamans (that cursed Hamans) haughty pride
(Because my knee deservedly denyde
To make an Idoll of his greatnesse) hath
Incenst the fury of his jealous wrath,
And profer'd lavish bribes to buy the blood
Of me, and all the faithfull Iewish brood:

131

Let, here the copy, granted by the King,
Stil'd in his name, confirmed with his King,
By vertue of the which, into his hands,
Curst Haman hath ingrost our lives, our lands:
Goe tell the Queene, it refresh in her powers
To helpe; the case is hers as well as Ours:
Goe tell my cousin Queene, it is her charge,
To use the meanes, whereby she may inlarge
Her aged kinsmans life, and all her Nation;
Preferring to the King her supplication.

Meditat. 9.

Who hopes t'attain the sweet Elysian Layes,
To reap the harvest of his wel-spent daies,
Must passe the joy lesse streames of Acaron,
The scorching waves of burning Phlegeton,
And sable billowes of the Stygian Lake:
Thus sweet with sowre, each mortall must partake.
What joyfull Harvester did ere obtaine
The sweet fruition of his hopefull gaine,
Vntill his hardy labours first had past
The Summers heat, and stormy Winters blast?
A sable night returnes a shining morrow;
And dayes of joy ensue sad nights of sorrow:
The way to blisse lyes not on beds of Downe,
And he that had no Crosse, deserves no Crowne:
There's but one Heav'n, one place of perfect ease,
In man it lies, to take it where he please,
Above, or here below; And few men doe
Injoy the one; and tast the other too;
Sweating, and constant labour wins the Goale
Of Rest; Afflictions clarifie the soule,

132

And like hard Masters, give more hard directions,
Tut'ring the nonage of uncurb'd affections:
Wisedome (the Antidote of sad despayre)
Makes sharpe Afflictions seeme not as they are,
Through patient sufferance, and doth apprehend,
Not as they seeming are, but as they end:
To beare Affliction with a bended brow,
Or stubborne heart, is but to disallow
The speedy meanes to health; salve heales no sore,
If mis-apply'd, but makes the griefe the more:
Who sends Affliction, sends an end; and He
Best knows what's best for him, what's best for me:
'Tis not for me to carve me where I like;
Him pleases when he lift to stroke or strike:
Ile neither wish, nor yet avoid Tentation,
But still expect it, and make preparation:
If he thinke best, my Faith shall not be tryde,
(Lord) keep me spotless from presumptuous pride:
If otherwise; with tryall, give me care,
By thankfull patience, to prevent Despaire;
Fit me to beare what e're thou shalt assigne;
I kisse the Rod, because the Rod is thine.

How-ere, let me not boast, nor yet repine,
With tryall, or without (Lord) make me thine.

133

Sect. 10.

The Argvment.

Her ayd implor'd, the Queene refuses
To helpe them, and her selfe excuses:
But (urg'd by Mordecai) consents
To die, or crosse their foes intents.

Now when the servant had returrn'd the words
Of wretched Mordecai, like pointed swords
They neere impierc't Queene Esters tender heart,
That well could pity, but no helpe impart;
Ballac'd with griefe, and with the burthen foyld,
(Like Ordnance over-charg'd) she thus recoyl'd:

Goe, Hatach, tell my wretched kinsman thus,
The case concernes not you alone, but us:
We are the subject of proud Hamans hate,
As well as you; our life is pointed at
As well as yours, or as the meanest Iew,
Nor can I helpe my selfe, nor them, nor you:
You know the Custome of the Persian State,
No King may breake, no subject violate:
How may I then presume to make accesse
Before th'offended King? or rudely presse
(Vncall'd) into his presence? How can I
Expect my suit, and have deserv'd to dye?
May my desiers hope to find successe,
When to effect them, I the Law transgresse?
These thirty dayes uncall'd for have J bin
Vnto my Lord; How dare I now goe in?
Goe, Hatach, and returne this heavy newes
And shew the truth of my vnforc'd excuse.

134

Whereof when Mordecai was full possest,
His troubled Soule he boldly thus exprest:

Goe, tell the fearfull Queene; too great's her feare,
Too small her zeale; her life she rates too deare:
How poore's th'adventure, to ingage thy blood,
To save thy peoples life, and Churches good?
To what advantage canst thou more expose
Thy life than this? Th'ast but a life to lose;
Thinke not, thy Greatnesse can excuse our death,
Or save thy life, thy life is but a breath
As well as ours, (Great Queene) thou hop'st in vaine,
In saving of a life, a life to gaine:
Who knowes if God on purpose did intend
Thy high preferment for this happy end?
If at this needfull time thou spare to speake,
Our speedy helpe shall (like the morning) breake
From heaven, together with thy woes; and be
That succours us, shall heape his plagues on thee.

Which when Queen Ester had right well perus'd,
And on each wounding word had sadly mus'd,
Startled with zeale, not daring to deny,
She rouz'd her faith, and sent this meeke reply:

Since heaven it is endowes each enterprize
With good successe, and onely in us lies
To plant, and water; let us first obtaine
Heavens high assistance, lest the worke be vaine:
Let all the Iewes in Susa summon'd be,
And keepe a solemne three dayes Fast, and we,
With all our servants, and our maiden traine,
Shall fast as long, and from our thoughts abstaine:
Then to the King (uncall'd) will I repaire,
(Howe'r my boldnesse shall his Lawes contraire,)
And brauely welcome Death before mine eye,
And scorne her power: If I dye, I dye.

135

Meditat. 10.

As in the winged Common-wealth of Bees,
(Whose carefull Summer-providence foresees
Th'approching fruitlesse Winter, which denies
The crowne of labour) some with laden thighs
Take charge to beare their waxy burthens home;
Others receive the welcome load; and some
Dispose the waxe; others, the plot contrive;
Some build the curious Comb, some guard the Hive
Like armed Centinels; others distreine
The purer honey from the waxe; some traine,
And discipline the young, while others drive
The sluggish Drones from their deserved Hive:
Thus in this Common-wealth (untaught by Art)
Each winged Burger acts his busie part;
So man (whose first creation did intend,
And chiefly pointed at no other end,
Then (as a faithfull Steward) to receive
The Fine and quit-rent of the lives we live)
Must suit his deare indeavour to his might;
Each one must lift, to make the burthen light,
Proving the power, that his gifts afford,
To raise the best advantage for his Lord,
Whose substitute he is, and for whose sake
We live and breath; each his account must make,
Or more, or lesse; and he whose power lacks
The meanes to gather honey, must bring waxe:
Five Talents double five; two render foure;
Wher's little, little's crav'd, where much, there's more:
Kings by their Royall priviledge may do,
What unbefits a mind to search into,

136

But by the force of their prerogatives,
They cannot free the custome of their lives:
The silly Widow (from whose wrinkled browes
Faint drops distill, through labour that she owes
Her needy life, must make her Audite too,
As well as Kings, and mighty Monarks doe:
The world's a Stage, each mortall Acts thereon,
As well the King that glitters on the throne,
As needy beggers: Heav'n Spectator is,
And markers who acteth well, and who amisse.

What part befits me best, I cannot tell:
It matters not how meane, so acted well.

Sect. 11.

The Argvment.

Unto the King Queene Ester goes,
He unexpected favour showes,
Demands her suit, she doth request
The King and Haman to a Feast.

When as Queen Esters solemne 3. daies Fast
Had feasted heaven with a sweet repast,
Her lowly bended body she unbow'd,
And (like faire Titan breaking from a cloud)
She rose, and with her Royall Robe she clad
Her livelesse limmes, and with a face as sad
As griefe could paint, (wanting no Art to borrow
A needlesse helpe to counterfeit a sorrow,)
Softly she did direct her feeble pace
Vnto the inner Court, where for a space,
She boldly stood before the Royall Throne,
Like one that would, but durst not make her mone:

137

Which when her princely husband did behold,
His heart relented, (Fortune helpes the bold)
And to expresse a welcome unexpected,
Forth to the Queene his Scepter he directed;
Whom (now imboldned to approch secur'd)
In gracious termes, he gently thus conjur'd:
What is't Queene Ester would? What sad request
Hangs on her lips, dwells in her doubtfull brest?
Say, say, (my lifes preserver) what's the thing,
That lyes in the performance of a King,
Shall be deny'd? Faire Queene, what e're is mine
Vnto the moity of my Kingdome's thine:

So Ester thus: If in thy Princely eyes
Thy loyall Servant hath obtain'd the prize
Of undeserved favor, let the King
And Haman grace my this dayes-banquetting,
To crowne the dainties of his handmaids Feast,
Humbly devoted to so great a Guest.

The motion pleas'd, and fairly well succeeded:
(To willing minds, no twice intreaty needed)
They came; but in Queene Esters troubled face,
(Robd of the sweetnesse of her wonted grace)
The King read discontent; her face divin'd
The greatnesse of some further suit behind.

Say, say, (thou bounteous harvest of my joyes)
(Said then the King) what dumpish griefe annoyes
Thy troubled soule? Speake, Lady, what's the thing
Thy heart desires? By th'onour of a King,
My Kingdomes halfe, requested, I'le divide
To faire Queene Ester, to my fairest Bride.

Lo then the tenour of my deare request,
(Repli'd the Queene,) unto a second Feast,
Thy humble Suitor doth presume to bid
The King, and Haman, as before she did:

138

Now therefore if it please my gracious Lord,
To daigne his Royall presence, and afford
The peerlesse treasure of his Princely Grace,
To dry the sorrowes of his Handmaids face,
Then to my Kingly, and thrice-welcome Guest
His servant shall unbosome her Request.

Medita. 11.

He that invites his Maker to a Feast,
(Advising well the greatnesse of his Guest)
Must purge his dining chamber from infections,
And sweepe the Cobwebs of his lewd affections,
And then provide such Cates, as most delight
His Palate, and best please his Appetite:
And such are holy workes and pious deeds,
These are the dainties whereon heaven feeds:
Faith plaies the Cook, seasons, directs, and guides;
So man findes meate, so God the Cooke provides:
His drinke are teares, sprung from a midnight cry,
Heaven sips out Nectar from a sinners eye;
The dining chamber is the soule opprest;
God keepes his revells in a Sinners brest:
The musicke that attends the Feast, are grones,
Deep-sounding sighes, and loud lamenting mones:
Heav'n heares no sweeter musick, than complaints;
The Fasts of sinners, are the Feasts of Saints,
To which heav'n dains to stoop, & heav'ns hie King
Descends, whilst all the quire of Angels sing,
And with such sense-bereaving Sonets fill
The hearts of wretched men, that my rude quill
(Dazeld with too much light) it selfe addressing
To blaze them forth, obscures thē in th'expressing:

139

Thrice happy man, and thrice-thrice happy Feast,
Grac'd with the presence of so great a Guest;
To him are freely giv'n the privy keyes
Of heav'n and earth, to open when he please,
And locke when e're he list; In him it lyes
To ope the showring flood-gates of the skies,
Or shut them at his pleasure; in his hand
The Host of heaven is put; if he command,
The Sunne (not daring to withstand) obeyes,
Out-runnes his equall howres, flies back, or stayes,
To him theres nought uneasie to atchieve;
Heele rouze the graves, and make the dead alive.

Lord, I'me unfit t'invite thee to my home,
My Cates are all too coorse, too meane my Roome:

Yet come and welcome: by thy pow'r Divine,
Thy Grace may turne my Water into Wine.

Sect. 12.

The Argvment.

Good Mordecai's unreverence
Great Hamans haughty pride offends:
H'acquaints his wife with the offence;
The counsell of his wife and friends.

That day went Haman forth; for his swolne brest
Was fill'd with joyes, and heart was full possest
Of all the height Ambition could require,
To satisfie her prodigall Desire.

But when he passed through the Palace Gate,
(His eye-sore) aged Mardocheus sate,
With head unbar'd, and stubborne knee unbear,
Vnapt to fawne, with slavish blandishment:

140

Which when great Human saw, his boyling brest
(So great disdaine unable to digest)
Ran o're; his blood grew hot, and new desires
Incenst, and kindled his avenging fires:
Surcharg'd with griefe, and sick with male-content
Through his distemper'd passion, home he went;
Where (to asswage the swelling of his sorrow
With words, the poorest helps distress can borrow)
His wife, and friends he summon'd to partake
His cause of discontent, and thus bespake:

See, see, how Fortune with a lib'rall hand,
Hath with the best, and sweetest of the Land,
Crown'd my desiers, and hath timely blowne
My budded hopes, whose ripenesse hath out-growne
The limits, and the height of expectation,
Scarce to be had, but in a Contemplation:

See, see, how Fortune (to inlarge his breath,
And make me living in despight of Death)
Hath multiply'd my loynes, that after-Fame
May in my flocke preserve my blood, my Name.

To make my honour with my fortunes euen,
Behold, my gracious Lord the King hath given
And trusted to my hand the sword of Pow'r;
Or life, or death lies where I laugh or lowre:
Who stands more gracious in my Princes eye?
How frownes the King, if Haman be not by?

Ester the Queene hath made the King her Guest,
And (wisely weighing how to grace the Feast
With most advantage) hath (in policy)
Jnvited me: And no man else but I
(Onely a fit Companion for a King)
May taste the secrets of the banquetting.

Yet what availes my wealth, my place, my might?
How can I relish them? with what delight?

141

What pleasure it in dainties, if the taste
Be in it selfe distemper'd? Better fast:
In many sweets, one sowre offends the pallate,
One loathsome weed annoyes the choycest Sallat:
What are my riches, what my honourd Place?
What are my Children? or my Princes Grace,
So long as cursed Mordecai survives?
Whose very breath infects, whose life deprives
My life of blisse, and visage sternely strikes
Worse venome to mine eyes then Basiliskes.

When Haman then had launc'd his ripned griefe,
In bloody termes, they thus apply'd reliefe:

Erect a Gibbet, fifty Cubits hie,
Then urge the King (what will the King deny
When Haman sues?) that slavish Mordecai
Be hang'd thereon; his blood will soone allay
The heat of thine; his cursed death shall fame
The highnesse of thy power, and his shame;
So when thy suit shall find a faire event,
Goe banquet with the King, and live content.

The Councell pleas'd: The Gibbet fairly stands,
Soone done, as said: Revenge finds nimble hands.

Meditat. 12

Some Ev'ls I must approve, al Goods, I dare not,
Some are, & seem not good; some seem & are not:
In choosing goods my heart will make the choyce,
My flattring eye shall have no casting voyce;
No outward sense may choose an inward blisse,
For seeming Happinesse least happy is:
The eye (the chiefest Cinque-port of the Heart)
Keepes open doores, and playes the Traytors part,

142

Lets painted pleasures in, to bribe th'Affections,
Which masks foule faces under false complexions;
It hath no pow'r to judge, nor can it see
Things as they are, but as they seeme to be.

There's but one happinesse, one perfect blisse;
But how obtain'd, or where, or what it is,
The world of nature ne're could apprehend,
Grounding their labours on no other end
Than bare opinion, diversly affecting
Some one thing, some another, still projecting
Prodigious fancies, till their learned Schooles
Lent so much knowledge as to make them fooles:
One builds his blisse upon the blaze of glory:
Can perfect happinesse be transitory?
In strength, another summes Felicity:
What horse is not more happy farre than he?
Some pile their happinesse on heapes of wealth:
Which (sicke) they'd loath, if gold could purchase health:
Some, in the use of beautie place their end;
Some, in th'enjoyment of a Courtly friend:
Like wasted Lampes, such happinesses smother;
Age puffeth out the one; and wants, the other.
The happinesse, whose worth deserves the name
Of chiefe, with such a fier doth inflame
The brests of mortalls, that heav'n thinkes it fit
That men should rather thinke than taste of it;
All earthly joyes some other aime intend,
This, for it selfe's desir'd, no other end:
Those, (if enjoy'd) are crost with discontent,
If not in the pursuit, in the event:
This (truly good) admits no contrarietie,
Without defect, or yet a loath'd saciety.

The least is more than my desert can claime,
(Thankfull for both) at this alone I aime.

143

Sect. 13.

The Argvment.

The King askes Haman, what respects
Befits the man that he affects;
And with that honour doth appay
The good deserts of Mordecai.

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.

147

Sect. 14.

The Argvment.

The Quene brings Hamans accusation;
The King's displeas'd, and growes in passion:
Proud Hamans trechery descry'd;
The shamefull end of shamelesse pride.

Forthwith to satisfie the Queenes request,
The King and Haman came unto her Feast,
Whereat the King (what then can hap amisse?)
Became her suitor, that was humbly his,
And fairely thus intreating, this bespake:

What is't Queene Ester would? and for her sake,
What is't the King would not? preferre thy suit,
Faire Queene: Those that despaire, let them be mute;
Cleare up those clouded beames (my fairest Bride)
My Kingdomes halfe (requested) I'le divide.

Whereat the Queene, halfe hoping, halfe afraid,
Disclos'd her trembling lips, and thus she said:

If in the bounty of thy Princely Grace,
Thy sad Petitioner may finde a place
To shrowd her most unutterable griefe,
Which (if not there) may hope for no reliefe;
Jf in the treasure of thy gracious eyes,
(Where mercy and relenting pity lies)
Thy hand-maid hath found favour; let my Lord
Grant me my life (my life so much abhord,
To doe him service) and my peoples life,
Which now lye open to a Tyrants knife:
Our lives are sold, 'tis I, tis guiltlesse I,
Thy loyall Spouse, thy Queene and hers must dye:

148

The spotlesse blood of me, thy faithfull Bride,
Must swage the swelling of a Tyrants pride:
Had we beene sold for drudges, to attend
The busie Spindle; or for slaves, to spend
Our weary howers, to deserve our bread,
So as the gaine stood but my Lord in stead,
I had beene silent, and ne're spent my breath:
But neither he that seekes it, nor my death,
Can to himselfe the least advantage bring,
(Except revenge) nor to my Lord the King.

Like to a Lyon rouzed from his rest,
Rag'd then the King; and thus his rage exprest:

Who is the man that dares attempt this thing?
Where is the Traitor? What? am J a King?
May not our subjects serve, but must our Queene
Be made the subject of a villaines spleene?
Is not Queene Ester bosom'd in our heart?
What Traitor then dares be so bold, to part
Our heart and us? Who dares attempt this thing?
Can Ester then be slaine, and not the King?
Reply'd the Queene, The man that hath done this,
That cursed Haman, wicked Haman is.

Like as a Felon shakes before the Bench,
Whose troubled silence proves the Evidence,
So Haman trembled when Queene Ester spake,
Nor answer, nor excuse his guilt could make:

The King, no longer able to digest
So foule a trechery, forsooke the Feast,
Walk'd in the Garden, where consuming rage
Boil'd in his heart, with fire (unapt t'asswage.)
So Haman pleading guilty to the fault,
Besought his life of her, whose life he sought.
When as the King had walk'd a little space,
(So rage and choller often shift their place)

149

In he return'd, where Haman fallen flat
Was on the bed whereon Queene Ester sate;
Whereat the King new cause of rage debates,
(Apt to suppose the worst, of whom he hates)
New passion addes new fuell to his fire,
And faines a cause, to make it blaze the higher:
Is't not enough for him to seeke her death,
(Said hee) but with a Letchers tainted breath,
Will be inforce my Queene before my face?
And make his Brothell in our Royall Place?

So said, they veiled Hamans face, as he
Vnfit were to be seene, or yet to see:
Then said an Eunuch sadly standing by
In Hamans Garden, fifty Cubits high,
There stands a Gibbet, built but yesterday,
Made for thy loyall servant Mordecai,
Whose faithfull lips thy life from danger freed,
And merit leads him to a fairer meed.

Said then the King, It seemeth just and good,
To shed his blood, that thirsted after blood;
Who plants the tree, deserves the fruit; 'tis fit
That he that bought the purchase, hansell it:
Hang Haman there; It is his proper good;
So let the Horseleach burst himselfe with blood:
They straight obeyd: Lo here the end of Pride:
Now rests the King appeas'd, and satisfi'd.

Meditat. 14.

Cheere up, and caroll forth your silver ditie,
(Heavens winged quiristers) and fil your City
(The new Ierusalem) with jolly mirth:
The Church hath peace in heaven, hath peace on earth:

150

Spread forth your golden pinions, and cleave
The flitting skies; dismount, and quite bereave
Our stupid senses with your heavenly mirth,
For loe, there's peace in heav'n, there's peace on earth:
Let Hallelujah fill your warbling tongues,
And let the ayre, compos'd of saintly songs,
Breathe such celestiall Sonnets in our eares;
That whosoe're this heav'nly musicke heares,
May stand amaz'd, & (ravisht at the mirth)
Chāt forth, there's peace in heav'n, there's peace on earth;
Let mountaines clap their joyfull, joyfull hands,
And let the lesser hils trace o're the lands
In equall measure; and resounding woods
Bow downe your heads, and kisse your neighb'ring floods:
Let peace and love exalt your key of mirth;
For now there's peace in heav'n, there's peace on earth:
You holy Temples of the highest King.
Triumph with joy; Your sacred Anthemes sing;
Chant forth your Hymns, & heav'nly roundelaies,
And touch your Organs on their louder keyes:
For Haman's dead, that dāted al your myrth,
And now there's peace in heav'n, there's peace on earth:
Proud Haman's dead, whose life disturb'd thy rest,
Who sought to cut, and seare thy Lilly brest;
The rav'nous Fox, that did annoyance bring
Vnto the Vineyard,'s taken in a Spring.

Seem'd not thy Spouse unkind, to hear thee weep
And not redresse thee? Seem'd he not asleepe?
No, (Sion) no, he heard thy bitter pray'r,
But let thee weepe, for weeping makes thee faire.
The morning Sun reflects, and shines most bright,
When Pilgrims grope in darknesse all the night:
The Church must conquer, e're she gets the prize,
But there's no conquest, where's no enemies:

151

The day is thine; In triumph make thy mirth,
For now there's peace in heav'n, there's peace on earth:
What man's so dull, or in his brains undone,
To say, (because he sees not) There's no Sun?
Weake is the faith, upon a sudden griefe,
That sayes, (because not now) There's no reliefe:
God's bound to helpe, but loves to see men sue:
Though datelesse, yet the bond's not present due.

Like to the sorrowes of our child-bed wives,
Is the sad pilgrimage of humane lives:

But when by throes God sends a joyfull birth,
Then find we peace in heav'n, & peace on earth.

Sect. 15.

The Argvment.

Vpon the Queene and Mordecai
Dead Hamans wealth and dignity
The King bestowes: to their discretion
Referres the Iewes decreed oppression.

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.

Sect. 16.

The Argvment.

Letters are sent by Mordecai,
That all the Iewes, upon the day
Appointed for their death, withstand
The fury of their foe-mens hand.

Forthwith the scribes were summon'd to appear;
To ev'ry Province, and to ev'ry Shire
Letters they wrote (as Mordecai directed)
To all the Iewes, (the Iewes so much dejected)
To all Liev-tenants, Captains of the Band,
To all the States, and Princes of the Land,
According to the phrase, and divers fashion
Of Dialect, and speech of ev'ry Nation;
All which was stiled in the name of King,
Sign'd with his hand, seal'd with his Royall Ring;
Loe here the tenour of the Kings Commission;

Whereas of late, (at Hamans urg'd petition,)

155

Decrees were sent, and spred throughout the Land,
To spoile the Iewes, and with impartiall hand,
(Vpon a day prefixt) to kill and slay;
We likewise grant upon that very day,
Full power to the Jewes, to make defence,
And quit their lives, and for a Recompence,
To take the spoiles of those they shall suppresse,
Shewing like mercy to the mercilesse.
By posts, as swift as Time, was this Decree
Commanded forth; As fast as Day they flee,
Spurr'd on, and hast'ned with the Kings Command
Which straight was noys'd, & publisht through the Land
As warning to the Iewes, to make provision
To entertaine so great an opposition.

So Mordecai (disburthned of his griefe,
Which now found hopefull tokens of reliefe)
Departs the presence of the King, addrest
In royall Robes, and on his lofty Crest
He bore a Crowne of Gold, his body spred
With Lawne, and Purple deepely coloured:
Fill'd were the Iewes with triumphs, & with noise,
(The common Heralds to proclaime true joyes:)
Like as a prisner muffled at the tree,
Whose life's remov'd from death scarce one degree
His last pray'r said, and hearts confession made,
(His eyes possessing deaths eternall shade)
At last unlook'd for comes a slow Reprieve,
And makes him (even as dead) once more alive:
Amaz'd, he rends deaths muffler from his eyes,
And (over-joy'd) knowes not he lives, or dyes;
So joy'd the Iewes, whose lives, this new Decree
Had quit from death and danger, and set free
Their gasping soules, and (like a blazing light)
Disperst the darknesse of the approaching night;

156

So joy'd the Iewes: and with their solemne Feasts
They chas'd dull sorrow from their pensive brests:
Meane while the people (startled at the newes)
Some griev'd, some envi'd, some (for feare) turn'd Iewes.

Meditat. 16.

Among the noble Greekes, it was no shame
To lose a Sword; It but deserv'd the name
Of warres disastrous fortune; but to yeeld
The right and safe possession of the Shield,
Was foule reproach, and manlesse cowardize,
Farre worse than death to him that scorn'd to prize
His life before his Honour; Honour's wonne
Most in a just defence; Defence is gone,
The Shield once lost, the wounded Theban cry'd,
How fares my Shield? which safe, he smil'd, & dy'd:
True honour bides at home, and takes delight
In keeping, not in gaining of a Right;
Scornes usurpation, nor seekes she blood,
And thirsts to make her name not great, as good:
God gives a Right to man; To man, defence
To guard it giv'n; but when a false pretence
Shall ground her title on a greater Might,
What doth he else but warre with heav'n, and fight
With Providence? God sets the Princely Crowne
On heads of Kings, Who then may take it downe?
No juster quarrell, or more noble Fight,
Than to maintaine, where God hath giv'n a Right;
There's no despaire of Conquest in that warre,
Where God's the Leader; Policy's no barre
To his designes; no Power can withstand
His high exploits; within whose mighty Hand

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Are all the corners of the earth; the hills
His fensive bulwarks are, which when he wills,
His lesser breath can bandy up and downe,
And crush the world, and with a winke, can drowne
The spacious Vniverse in suds of Clay;
Where heav'n is Leader, heav'n must win the day:
God reapes his honour hence; That combat's safe,
Where hee's a Combatant, and ventures halfe:
Right's not impair'd with weaknesse, but prevailes
In spight of strength, whē strength & power failes:
Fraile is the trust repos'd on Troops of Horse;
Truth in a handfull, findes a greater force.

Lord maile my heart with faith, and be my shield,
And if a world confront me I'le not yeeld.

Sect. 17.

The Argvment.

The bloody Massacre: The Iewes
Prevaile: their fatall sword subdues
A world of men, and in that fray,
Hamans ten cursed sonnes they slay.
Now when as Time had rip'ned the Decree,
(Whose Winter fruit unshaken from the tree
Full ready was to fall) and brought that Day,
Wherein pretended mischiefe was to play
Her tragicke Sceane upon the Iewish Stage,
And spit the venome of her bloody rage
Vpon the face of that dispersed Nation,
And in a minute breathe their desolation;
Vpon that day (as patients in the fight)
Their scatter'd force the Iewes did reunite,

158

And to a head their straggling strength reduc'd,
And with their fatall hand (their hand disus'd
To bathe in blood) they made so long recoyle,
That with a purple streame, the thirsty soyle
O'rflowd: & on the pavement (drown'd with blood)
Where never was before, they rais'd a flood:
There lies a headlesse body, there a limme
Newly dis-joynted from the trunke of him
That there lies groaning; here, a gasping head
Cropt frō his neighbors shoulders; there, halfe dead
Full heapes of bodies, whereof some curse Fate,
Others blaspheme the name of Heav'n, and rate
Their undisposed Starres; with bitter cries,
One pities his poore widow-wife, and dies;
Another bannes the night his sonnes were borne,
That he must dye, and they must live forlorne;
Here (all besmeard in blood congeald) there lyes
A throng of carcases, whose livelesse eyes
Are clos'd with dust, & death: there, lies the Syre
Whose death the greedy heire did long desire;
And here the sonne, whose hopes were all the pleasure
His aged father had, and his lifes treasure:
Thus fell their foes, some dying, and some dead,
And onely they that scap'd the slaughter, fled;
But with such strange amazement were affrighted,
(As if themselves in their owne deaths delighted)
That each his force against his friend addrest,
And sheath'd his sword within his neighbours brest;
For all the Rulers (being sore afraid
Of Mardocheus name) with strength, and ayde
Supply'd the Iewes: For Mardecheus name
Grew great with honour, and his honour'd Fame
Was blaz'd through ev'ry Province of the Land,
And spred as farre, as did the Kings Command:

159

In favour he increast; and ev'ry how'r
Did adde a greater greatnesse to his pow'r:
Thus did the Iewes triumph in victory,
And on that day themselves were doom'd to dye,
They slew th'appointed actors of their death,
And on their heads they wore that noble wreath,
That crownes a Victor with a Victors prize;
So fled their foes, so dyde their enemies:
And on that day at Susan were imbru'd
In blood, five hundred men whom they subdu'd;
The cursed fruit of the accursed Tree
That impious Decad, Hamans progeny,
Vpon that fatall day, they overthrew,
But tooke no spoile, nor substance, where they slew.

Medit. 17.

I lately mus'd; and musing stood amaz'd,
My heart was bound, my sight was overdaz'd
To view a miracle: could Pharo fall
Before the face of Isr'el? Could her small
And ill-appointed handfull then prevaile,
When Pharo's men of warre, and Charr'ots faile?
These stood like Gyants; those like Pigmy brats:
These soar'd like Eagles; those like swarms of gnats:
On foote these marcht; those rod on troops of horse
These never better arm'd; they, never worse;
Strong backt with vengeāce & revenge were they;
These, with despaire, themselves, thēselves betray;
They close pursu'd; these (fearefull) fled the field;
How could they chuse, but win? or these, but yeeld?
Sure 'tis, nor man, nor horse, nor sword availes,
When Isr'el conquers, and great Pharo failes:

160

Poore Isr'el had no man of warre, but One;
And Pharo having all the rest, had none;
Heav'n fought for Isr'el, weakned Pharo's heart,
Who had no Counter-god to take his part:
What meant that cloudy Pillar, that by day
Did usher Isr'el in an unknowne way?
What meant that fi'ry Pillar, that by night
Appear'd to Isr'el, and gave Isr'el light?
'Twas not the secret power of Moses Rod,
That charm'd the Seas in twaine; 'twas Moses God
That fought for Isr'el, and made Pharo fall;
Well thrives the Fray where God's the Generall:
'Tis neither strength, nor undermining sleight
Prevailes, where heav'ns ingaged in the fight.

Me lift not ramble into antique dayes,
To manne his theame, lest while Vlysses strayes,
His heart forget his home Penelope:
Our prosp'rous Brittaine makes sufficient Plea
To prove her blisse, and heav'ns protecting power,
Which had she mist, her glory in an hower
Had falne to Cinders, and had past away
Like smoke before the winde; Which happy Day,
Let none but base-bred Rebels ever faile
To consecrate; and let this Age entaile
Vpon succeeding times Eternity,
Heav'ns highest love, in that dayes memory.

161

Sect. 18.

The Argvment.

The sonnes of Haman (that were slaine)
Are all hang'd up: The Iewes obtaine
Freedome to fight the morrow after;
They put three hundred more to slaughter.

When as the fame of that dayes bloody newes
Came to the King, he said; Behold, the Iewes
Have wonne the day, and in their just defence,
Have made their wrong, a rightfull recompence;
Five hundred men in Susan they have staine,
And that remainder of proud Hamans straine,
Their hands have rooted out; Queene Ester, say,
What further suit (wherein Assuerus may
Expresse the bounty of his Royall hand)
Rests in thy bosome: What is thy demand?

Said then the Queene: If in thy Princely sight
My boone be pleasing, or thou take delight
To grant thy servants suit, Let that Commission
(Which gave the Iewes this happy dayes permission
To save their lives) to morrow stand in force,
For their behalfes that onely make recourse
To God, and thee, and let that cursed brood
(The sonnes of Haman, that in guilty blood
Lye all ingoar'd, unfit to taint a Grave)
Be hang'd on Gibbets, and (like co-heires) have
Like equall shares of that deserved shame,
Their wretched father purchas'd in his name:

The King was pleas'd, and the Decree was giv'n
From Susan, where betwixt the earth and Heaven,

162

(Most undeserving to be own'd by either)
These cursed ten (like twins) were borne together.

When Titan (ready for his journall chase)
Had rouz'd his dewy locks, and Rosie face
Inricht with morning beauty, up arose
The Iewes in Susan, and their bloody blowes
So roughly dealt, that in that dismall day
A lease of hundreds fell, but on the prey
No hand was laid: so, sweet and jolly rest
The Iewes enjoy'd, and with a solemne Feast,
(Like joyfull Victors dispossest of sorrow)
They consecrated the ensuing morrow;
And in the Provinces throughout the Land,
Before their mighty and victorious hand,
Fell more than seventy thousand, but the prey
They seiz'd not; and in mem'ry of that day,
They solemnized their victorious Guests,
With gifts, and triumphs, and with holy Feasts.

Medit. 18.

The Doctrine of the Schoole of Grace dissents
From Natures (more uncertaine) rudiments,
And are as much contrayr, and opposite
As Yea, and Nay, or blacke, and purest white:
For nature teaches, first to understand,
And then beleeve; but Grace doth first command
Man to beleeve, and then to comprehend;
Faith is of things unknowne, and must intend,
And soare above conceit; What we conceive,
We stand possest of, and already have:
But faith beholds such things, as yet we have not,
Which eye sees not, eare heares not, heart conceives not.

163

Hereon, as on her ground-worke, our salvation
Erects her pillars; From this firme foundation,
Our soules mount up the new Ierusalem,
To take possession of her Diademe;
God loves no sophistry; Who argues least
In graces Schoole, concludes, and argues best;
A womans Logicke passes there; For 'tis
Good proofe to say, 'Tis so, because it is;
Had Abraham adviz'd with flesh and blood,
Bad had his faith beene, though his reasons good:
If God bid doe, for man to urge a Why?
Is, but in better language, a deny:
The fleshly ballances of our conceits
Have neither equall poysure, nor just weights.
To weigh, without impeachment, Gods designe;
There's no proportion betwixt things Divine,
And mortall: Lively faith may not depend,
Either upon th'occasion, or the end.

The glorious Suns reflected beames suffice
To lend a luster to the feeblest eyes,
But if the Eye too covetous of the light,
Boldly out-face the Sun, (whose beames so bright
And undispers'd, are too-too much refin'd
For view) is it not justly strucken blind?
I dare not taske stout Samson for his death;
Nor wandring Ionah, that bequeath'd his breath
To raging Seas, when God commanded so;
Nor thee (great Queene) whose lips did overflow
With streames of blood; nor thee (O cruell kind)
To quench the fier of a womans mind,
With flowing rivers of thy subjects blood;
From bad beginnings, God creates a good,
And happy end: What I cannot conceive,
Lord, let my soule admier, and beleeve.

164

Sect. 19.

The Argvment.

The Feast of Purim consecrated:
Th'occasion why 'twas celebrated;
Letters were writ by Mordecai,
To keepe the mem'ry of that Day.

So Mardocheus throughout all the Land
Dispers'd his Letters, with a strickt command
To celebrate these two dayes memory
With Feasts, and gifts, and yeerely jollity,
That after ages may record that day,
And keepe it from the rust of time, that they
Which shall succeed, may ground their holy mirth
Vpon the joyes, those happy dayes brought forth,
Which chang'd their sadnes, and black nights of sorrow,
Into the brightnesse of a gladsome morrow;
Whereto the Iews (to whom these letters came)
Gave due observance, and did soone proclame
Their sacred Festivalls, in memory
Of that dayes joy, and joyfull victory:
And since the Lots, (that Haman did abuse,
To know the dismall day, which to the Iewes
Might fall most fatall, and, to his intent,
Least unpropitious) were in th'event
Crost with a higher Fate, than blinded Chance,
To worke his ruine, their deliverance:
They therefore in remembrance of the Lot
(Whose hop'd-for sad event succeeded not)
The solemne feasts of Purim did invest,
And by the name of Purim call'd their Feast;

165

Which to observe with sacred Complement,
And ceremoniall rites, their soules indent,
And firmly' inroll the happy memory
Ith' hearts of their succeeding Progeny,
That time (the enemy of mortall things)
May not with hov'ring of his nimble wings,
Beat downe the deare memoriall of that time,
But keepe it flowring in perpetuall prime.

Now, lest this shining day in times progresse
Perchance be clouded with forgetfulnesse,
Or lest the gauled Persians should debate
The bloody slaughter, and re-ulcerate
In after-dayes, their former misery,
And blurre the glory of this dayes memory,
The Queene and Mordecai sent Letters out
Into the Land, dispersed round about
To re-confirme, and fully ratifie
This feast of Purim, to eternity;
That it to after-ages may appeare,
When sinners bend their hearts, heav'n bowes his eare.

Medit. 19.

And are the Lawes of God defective then?
Or was the Paper scant, or dull the Pen
That wrote those sacred lines? Could imperfection
Lurk closly there, where heav'n hath giv'n direction
How comes it then new feasts are celebrated,
Vnmention'd in the Law, and uncreated
By him that made the Law compleat, and just,
Not to be chang'd as brain-sicke mortalls lust?
Is not heavens deepest curse with death to boot,
Denounc'd to him that takes from, or ads too't?

166

True 'tis; the Law of God's the rule and squire,
Whereby to limit Mans uncurb'd desire,
And with a gentle hand doth justly paize
The ballances of his unbevell'd wayes,

True 'tis accurs'd, and thrice accurs'd be he
That shall detract, or change such Lawes, as be
Directive for his Worship, or concerne
His holy Service, these we strictly learne
Within our constant brest to keepe inshrin'd,
These in all seasons, and for all times binde:
But Lawes (although Divine) that doe respect
The publike rest, and properly direct,
As Statutes politike, doe make relation
To times and persons, places, and occasion:
The brazen Serpent, which, by Gods command,
Was builded up, was by the Prophets hand
Beat downe againe, as impious, and impure,
When it became an Idoll, not a Cure.

A morall Law needs no more warranty,
Then lawfull givers, and conveniency,
(Not crossing the Divine:) It lies in Kings,
To act, and to inhibit all such things
As in his Princely wisedome shall seeme best,
And most vantagious to the publike rest,
And what before was an indifferent thing,
His law makes good or bad: A lawfull King
Is Gods Liev-tenant; in his sacred eare
God whispers oft, and keepes his presence there.

To breake a lawfull Princes just Command,
Is brokage of a sinne, at second hand.

167

Sect. 20.

The Argvment.

Assuerus Acts upon Record:
The just mans vertue, and reward.
And Assuerus stretcht his heavy hand,
Laying a Tribute both on Sea, and Land;
What else he did, what Trophies of his fame,
He left for time to glorifie his Name,
With what renowne and grace, he did appay,
The faithfull heart of loyall Mordecai;
Are they not kept in endlesse memory,
Recorded in the Persian History?
For Mordecai possest the second seat
In all the Kingdome, and his name is great;
Of God and man his vertues were approv'd,
Of God and man, much honour'd and belov'd;
Seeking his peoples good, and sweet prosperity,
And speaking joyfull peace to his posterity.

Meditat. 20.

Thus thrives the man, thus prosper his endevors
That builds on faith, & in that faith persevers:

It is no losse, to lose; no gaine, to get,
If he that loses all, shall win the Set:
God helpes the weakest, takes the losers chayre,
And setting on the King, doth soone repayre

168

His losse with vengeance; Hee's not alway best
That takes the highest place, nor he the least
That sits beneath: for outward fortunes can
Expresse (how great, but) not how good's the man;
Whom God will raise, he humbles first a while;
And where he raises, oft he meanes to spoyle.

It matters not (Lord) what my fortunes be,
May they but lead or whip me home to thee.

Here the Canonicall History of Queene Ester ends.