John Trapp on Esther 9:4

Verſe 4. For Mordecai was great in the Kings houſe] So great a Favourite, as that it was dangerous to diſpleaſe him: and moſt men coveted his favour. It was now in the Court and Kingdome of Perſia, as it was once at Rome when Sejanus ruled the roſt under Tiberius. Ʋt qniſque Sejano intimus, ita ad Caeſaris amicitiam validus. Contra quibus infenſus eſſet me[illegible: 2 letters], & ſordibus conflictabantur. His friends were Caeſars friends,Tacit. and his enemies were in a very low and lamentable condition.

And his fame went throughout all the Provinces] Auditio ejus, the report of him went farre and near. Per ora hominum volitabat, ſo the Vulgar Latine. He was Claros inter habens nomina clara viros. It was every where diſcourſed, that Mordecai was the Kings Darling, Kinſman, Counſellour, that he had ſaved the Kings life, and was therefore promoted to the higheſt dignity: that it were good getting in with him, who both could and would reciprocate and remunerate any that ſhould well deſerve of him and his people. How thankful the Lord Cromwell was to thoſe that had done him any courteſie. See Act. and Mon. fol. 1083. How ungrateful Biſhop Bonner was to the ſame Lord Cromwell, who had been his great Patron, railing at him as the rankeſt heretick that ever lived, &c. See in fol. 1087. but this was after his death. Leoni mortuo vel mus inſultat.

For this man Mordecai] Vir ille inſignis, though he were but novus homo & peregrinis, a new-raiſed man, a ſtranger, and one that had brought in a ſtrange alteration of things in the Court and Common-wealth: and therefore could not but be much envied and maligned, as far as men durſt ſhew themſelves againſt him; yet

He waxed greater and greater] Heb he was going (that is, growing) and greatening. See the like Hebraiſme. Prov. 4.18. Gen. 8.5. For why?Difficilimum inter mortales. he did gloria invidiam vincere, overtop, envie, and dazzle her eyes with his luſtre; which, ſaith Salluſt, is the hardeſt thing that can be. For as the talleſt trees are weakeſt at the tops: ſo doth envy always aim at the higheſt. But maugre malice it ſelf, Mordecai was in the number of thoſe few that lived and died with glory, gotten by his piety, zeal, and other vertues: neither had his adverſaries any thing to complain of him more then his greatneſſe,Camd. Eliz. fol. 532. as Camden ſaith of the old Earle of Eſſex.