John Trapp on Esther 2:3

Verſe 3. And let the King appoint officers] Praeficiat praefectos. Coſtly counſel: this could not be done without much trouble and charge to the King. Two or three years are ſpent in gathering, purifying, and preparing theſe choice Virgins for the impure bed of this Heathen Prince, while he is following the chace of his ambition, in the warres of Greece.

In all the Provinces of his Kingdome] A large Commiſſion they muſt have, the whole Kingdome is their circuit: and note that they went not to forreiners: which thoſe Princes that do, while thereby they ſeek for greatneſſe, they many times miſſe of goodneſſe: while they labour to be ſtrong abroad (and ſo to have a ſtake in ſtore, as they ſay, however the dice chance to turne) they weaken themſelves at home; and while by forraine matcher they intend unity, it proves an occaſion both of inteſtine and forraine diſſentions. We of this Nation have had ſad experience of theſe miſchiefs.

That they may gather together] This could not be done without the great grief and general diſcontent of the Kings beſt ſubjects (nimiùm ſerviliter huic hirco ſubjectorum, as one hath it) thus bereft and deſpoyled of their deareſt daughters, the ſtaves of their age.

All the fair young Virgins] Beauty (the beſt pearle in a carnal eye) is all that's here looked after, que plerunqut virtute & pudicitiâ caret, which is oft without vertue, and common honeſty; as, where they meet, it is a rare mixture. The Heathen man ſaith, Non eſt formoſa mulier cujus crus laudatur aut brachium, ſed illa cujus univerſa facies admir ationem ſing ulis partibus abſtulit. Now if this be true, long enough might theſe commiſſionated officers look for fair young Virgins, truly ſo called; there being very few that are not peccant in ſome minnum, ſome tittle of beauty, or other. It is a praiſe peculiar to the Vingin daughter of Zion to be all fair, Cant. 4.7. to be [non-Latin text not transcribed] Epheſ. 5.26. ſuch as in whom even Momus himſelfe could ſinde no errour.

Ʋtno Shuſhan the palace] In which one place there might have been found choice enough, without ſpeaking further: but that luſt is unſatisfiable. The eye is not ſatisfied with ſeeing; and in ſuch a multitude, how could it be but that the Kings minde muſt needs be diſtracted, which one to make choice of?

To the houſe of the women] Such as is now the Turks Serag[illegible: 2 letters]. See the deſcription of the Grand Signiors Seraglio by Maſter John Grennes, chap 4.

Ʋnto the cuſtody of Hege] Who was their keeper, or rather their Gaoler. For what was this houſe of women, but a perpetual priſon to them, clapt under hatches, as it were, and, haply, held in as great ſervitude, as thoſe in Barbary are at this day;Heyl. Geog. where it is death for any man to ſee one of the Xeriffes concubines; and for them too, if when they ſee a man, though but through a caſement, they do not ſuddenly ſcreek out.

And let their things for purification] [non-Latin text not transcribed], Their Abſterſories, to dry up the filth of the fleſh, and to cleanſe natures infirmities, that they might be ſix moneths purified with oile of myrre, and ſix other moneths perfumed with ſweet odours, as verſe 12. Here the maids were firſt purified before the King choſe one. But Chriſt firſt chuſeth his Spouſe, and then purifieth her, Eph. 5.26.