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;

100

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

101

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

102

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!