John Trapp on Esther 1:15

Verſe 15. What ſhall we do] Saith the King; who changeth the ſcene ſuddenly, the banquetting-houſe into a Councel-chamber, the merry-meeting into a moſt difficult conſultation, what to do with the Queene, and how to repair the Kings honour ſo much impaired by her.Eſay 23.9. How eaſily can the Lord ſtaine the pride of all glory, croſſe the worlds greateſt darlings, give an unſavoury verdure to their ſweeteſt morſels, and make their very felicity miſerable!

Ʋnto the Queene Vaſhti] You ſhould determine nothing raſhly againſt her, but accept of her lawful excuſe, hear her plea, remember that ſhe is your companion, and the wife of your Covenant, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. A then. lib. 13. Mal. 2.14. your fellow, and not your footſtoole; a yoke-fellow ſtanding on even ground with you, though drawing on the left ſide, &c. This you ſhould do to the Queene Vaſhti. But Plutarch noteth of the Perſians, that they were none of the kindeſt husbands, but harſh, and jealous. And Athenaeus ſaith, that the Kings of Perſia lord it over their wives, as if they were their handmaids.

According to Law] This you ſhould do; retaine the decency and gravity of the Law which is never angry with any man (Lex non iraſcitur, ſed conſtituit, ſaith Seneca) no more muſt thoſe that adminiſter it. The angry man cannot eaſily keep a meane. This Archytas the Tarentine knew, and therefore being diſpleaſed with his ſervants for their ſloth, he flang from them, ſaying, Farewell, I have nothing to ſay to you, becauſe I am angry at you.

Becauſe ſhe hath not performed the Commandment, &c.] This was a fault no doubt: but not ſo hainous as was made of it. The faults of his wife a man muſt either tollere or tolerare, cure or cover, and not go about to kill a fly upon her forehead with a beetle, as they ſay. But God had a provident hand in it for the good of his Church.