John Trapp on Nehemiah 5:18

Verſe 18. Now that which was prepared for me daily] A very great table he kept (at his own charge all) yet nothing ſo great as Solomon, 1 Kings 4.22, 23. or as once Cardinal Wolſey here; who, beſides all ſtrangers that came, had four hundred of family, whereof one was an Earle, nine Barons, very many Knights and Eſquires. But then he had more yearly revenue then all the Biſhops and Deanes in the land had take them al together. Godw. Catal.

And once in ten dayes] Then he kept an extraordinary table inviting gueſſe, for whom he had ſtore of the beſt wines. The Turkiſh Baſhawes feaſt forreigne Embaſſadours with Rice and mutton, and fair water out of the river; wine is a forbidden ware with them: Mahomet their Prophet having told them, that in every grape there dwelt a Devil.

Yet for all this, I required not] This he did, and this he here recordeth: not for a name (as Crates the Philoſopher did, when he caſt his goods into the Sea meerly to be talked of, and is therefore worthily called by Hierome, gloriae animal, popularis aurae vile mancipium, Epiſt. ad Julian. conſ. a baſe ſlave to vain-glory) but for better and higher ends, ſee verſe 16.