Contemplations. L I !!.XXI. W1tb fuch like thoughts Haman cncares up himfclfe ; and addretlerh himfdfC: ro A the royal! banquet, wirh a countenance that would faine feeme to forget his morningsuske: Ejlhrrworks her face to an unwilling fmile upon that hatefull gudl,and the Kmg (as not mgu:lry of any dtgmty that he bath put upon h1s favourite) frames himfdfe to as much cheereful9e!fc, as his want ofrdl would permit. The table is royally furnilbed with •11 ddicateconfcdions, with allpleafing liqnors; King Ah•- fom« fo eares,as one that both knew he was·, and meant to make himfclf wclcornc: H amm·fo pomes in, as one that meant to drowne his cares;And now,in this fulncffe of checre, the King hungers for that long-delayed foit ofQuoenc Ejlher 1 Thrice hath he graciou!ly call'd for it;and (as a m•n conflanr ro his ownc f;1vours) thrice bath he in the fame words, vowed the performance of ir, though ro the halfe of his King<loff!e : It falls our ofreorimes, that :vhen large promifes fJI! fuddenly from B grcaq>crlons,theyabatc bl" lelfurc,and lhnnke up~n c?ld rhoug~rs;here King Aha- [!Krm ts not more hberallm hts offer, then firme mhts rcfolunons ; as ifhis fidl word had bcrn, like his law, unalr<rable. I am alhamed ro miffe that lleddinelfe in Chrillians,which I find ina Pagan.It was agrear word tbar he had fayd,yet berates it not, as ovcr-lavilhly fpoken:but doubles and trebles ir,wirhhearty alfurances ofa reall prokcution 1 whiles thofe tongues which profelfe the name of the true God, fay, and unfay at pleafure ; recanting 'their good purpofes, contradiding thdrowne jull ingagements upon no caufc, but thdr owne chan~ablenc!fc. It is not forQ!cene Ejlher to drive offany longer, the fame wifdome rhat taught her to defer her fuit,now ceoches herto propound ir;A wel chofcn feafon is the grca. rdl advantage ofany adions;which as iris feldome found in hal!,fo is coo often loll c in dday:Now therefore with an humble and graceful! obeyfance, and with a countenance full ofmodel! feare,& fad gravity, 01e fo delivers her petition,that tbeKing miohr fee itwas necdlity that both forc' t it upon her,&wrung it from her .IfI havt f•u';.d fa<mr In thy fight 0 King,•nd if lt pltaft tkti(i~g,~e~ my lift kegive11meat my pe. titi1n, •ndmy peopl• At my rtq.elq : li.xpci:tatton rs euner a fnend or an enemy, according to the_occafion : v.thafoerm lookt for lome high and difficult boon; now rhar he hearcshis<l!!_eene beg for her life, it couldnot be, but that the furplufage of his love to her mull be turned into fury againll her adverfary; and his zeale mufl be fo much more to her, as her fuit was more meek and humble. Fir ,., .re fold, 11111d my ptDple 11 he dejlr~yea,to heflain,•nd to perijb; hut if,., hadhemfold for bondmm,and bondwomen,I h•dheld my IDPg~te,althongh the tntmy could mt cormurvailthe Ir ings da- D mage. Craftymen are fomerimeschoaked wirh' rheir own plots. It was the profer of ten tboufand talents wherwith H •m•n hoped both to purchafe his intended revenge, on the reputation ofa \Vonhy parriot1 that fum is now laid in his dilh , for a jufl argument ofmalicious corruption;for,well might Ejlher plead;lfwc Jews dcferved death,what needed our !laughter to be bought our~ and ifwe deferved ir not, wbat horrible crueltywas it ro fet a price upon.innocent blood~ Iris not any offence ofours,it is only the defpighr ofan enemy that bath wrought our dellrudion. Befides,now it appears rheKing was abufed by mif-information; rhe adverfary fuogelled that the lifeofthe Iews could not !land with the Kings profit; whereas th~irvery bondage !hould be moredamage ro rhe~are,thCI_lall Hamansw':nh caul~ counrervail. Truth may be fmorhered,hutir cannot dye; 1t may be dtf_gu1fed,but tt ,E will be known;itmay be fupprclfed, bur it will triumph. But what lh2ll we fay tofo harlh an aggravation? Could Ejlher have been ~lent in a cafe ofdecreed bondage;who is now fo vehement in a cafe of death~ Cerratoly, ro ag<nero11s nature, death is far more eafie then bondage; why would lhe have endured the greater, and yerfo abhorres thelelfe? was ir for that the Iewes w~re already roo wdl inured to captivity ; and rhofe evils arc more tolerablewh,..cwuh we areacquaiorcd:Or,was ir,for rhat tlj<:re may be hotxs inbondage, none 10 death! Surely,either of them were lamentable, and fuch as might deferve her bumbkll deprecation. T he Q!een was going o~,f<> h1ve faid, But,alas, "'?thingwill fatis~c ou~ bloody enemy, f.we the umer exttrpation ofmc,and mynauon; when rbe 1mpauenr ra~f
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