John Trapp on Esther 1:12

Verſe 12. But the Queen Vaſhti refuſed to come at the Kings commandment] She peremptorily and contumaciouſly refuſed, though ſent for again and again (as Joſephus hath it) by her Lord and husband, who had in his cups boaſted of his wives beauty, courteſie and obedience, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Septuag. whereof he would now make proof to the company, ſending for her by ſuch an honourable convoy: yet, ſhe would not, that ſhe would not, as the Hebrew word ſignifieth, but carried her ſelf, as if ſhe had been his Miſtreſſe, and not his wife, to his great grief, and the marring of all their mirth. What if the King were not ſo well adviſed? what if he were in his cups? what though ſhe had the Law on her ſide, and a pretence of modeſty, and leſt ſhe could by coming, occaſion the Kings jealouſie, &c? Yet Vaſhti was to have ſubmitted her ſelf unto her own husband (ſuch an husband eſpecially) as it was fit in the Lord, Col. 3.18. to yeeld obedience to all his lawful commands and reſtraints, ſeeme they never ſo unreaſonable. If woman were given to man for a comforter, and in ſome caſes for a Counſellor, yet in no caſe for a Controuler, as they are apt to be that are fair (faſtus ineſt formae) rich (argentum accepi, dote imperium vendidi, ſaith he in Plantus) better deſcended, &c. ſi vis nubere, nube pari: an inſolent wife is an unſufferable evil: and he hath loſt half the comfort of his life, who is married to ſuch an one.

Therefore was the King very wroth] He even foamed at mouth like a wild-bore, and froathed as the raging Sea, as the word importeth. The Perſian Kings were noted by ſome for uxorious; ſuch, as though they commanded the whole world,Captivarum ſuarum captivi. Plut. yet were commanded by their wives and concubines: But here it proved otherwiſe. This mighty Monarch could not bear ſuch a publike affront and ſcorne as he conſtrued it; but rageth beyond reaſon (whereof his wine for the time had bereft him) and reſolveth upon revenge. How much better our William the Conquerour, who though he knew that Maud his wife maintained her ſonne Robert Curtuoiſe in his quarrel for Normandy, and out of her own coffers paid the charge of that warre againſt his father, and her own husband, yet becauſe it proceeded but from a motherly indulgence for advancing her ſonne,Speed. 452.[illegible: 1 letter] he took for a cauſe rather of diſpleaſure then of hatred. He loved her whileſt alive, often lamented her death with tears, and moſt honourably interred her.

And his anger burned in him] As Nebuchadnezzar alſo did upon a like occaſion, hotter then his ſeven times-heated oven, or then the mountaine Aetna doth: Moſes his anger waxed hot in him, Exodus 32.19. ſo that he knew not well what he did in it; it raiſed ſuch a ſmoke. Jonah was ready to burſt with anger, Chapter 4.9. his blood boyled at his heart, as brimſtone doth at the match: therefore is the heart ſet ſo near the lungs, that when it is heated with anger, it may be allayed and cooled by the blaſt and moiſture thereof. Joſephus ſaith that he brake off the feaſt upon this occaſion.