John Trapp on Esther 1:16

Verſe 16. And Memucan anſwered before the King] Heb. Mumchan, The Junior likely, and therefore ſpake firſt the reſt concurred, verſe 21. A bold man he was ſurely (whatever elſe he was) that durſt deliver his minde ſo freely of ſuch a buſineſſe, and in ſuch a preſence, &c. What if the King and Queen ſhould have grown friends again, where had Memucan been? If his cauſe and his conſcience had been as good as his courage was great, all had been as it ought to be.

And the Princes] Inter pocula de rebus arduis conſultabant, ſaith Herodotus concerning the Perſian Princes.Lib. 1. In the middeſt of their cups they uſe to conſult of the greateſt affairs. Here they accuſe and uncondemne the Queen heard, and unconvicted, which was againſt all Law divine and humane. King Henry the eighth, though a boyſterous man, dealt more civily with his firſt wife Katharine of Spaine, when he had a minde to rid his hands of her; Her cauſe was heard before the two Cardinals, Wolſey and Campaine, ere the Divorce was pronounced, and ſhe ſent out of the Kingdome.

Vaſthi the Queen hath not done wrong to the King only] That ſhe had done wrong or dealt perverſely againſt the King. He taketh for granted: becauſe the Kings commandment was not obeyed. But was that a ſufficient reaſon? Was the Kings bare word a Law, or rule of right? and is not a wife in caſe of ſin commanded by her husband, rather to obey God then men? Or ſay ſhe had done wrong, muſt it needs be out of perverſeneſſe? might it not be out of fear, modeſty, or for ſome other civil reaſon which ſhe might alledge for her ſelf, if called to her tryal? But here you may ſee (ſaith one) when flattery and malice gives information, ſhadows are made ſubſtances, and improbabilities neceſſities; ſo deceitful is flattery, malice ſo unreaſonable. And yet herein alſo the Lord is exceeding righteous, who meets hereby with other ſins of this inſolent Queen: that whereas (no doubt) ſhe was an example of pride and vanity more generally to other women then ſhe was likely to be in this point, therefore is ſhe hereby found out in her ſin, and by this unlikely accuſation, condemned of a true fault.

But alſo to all the Princes and to all the people] Againſt the King ſhe had offended by her diſobedience, againſt all others by her example. And indeed the ſins of great ones fly far upon thoſe two wing, Scandal and Example; they prove both patterns and privileges to their inferiours, for the like. Howbeit we muſt neceſſarily diſtinguiſh between ſcandal given, and ſcandal taken only: neither may we judge of a thing by the ill conſequences that biaſſed and diſaffected perſons can draw from it; there being nothing ſo well carried, but that it may be liable to ſome mens exceptions.