Now Murs, that valiant man, is changed most; At sight thereof, and damne their lying bookes; His sterne aspect, and calme his crabbed lookes : "But you, Dan Jove, that only constant are, They all consent that ye begotten were And borne here in this world; ne other can appeare. "Then are ye mortall borne, and thrall to Me; Unlesse the Kingdome of the sky yee make Besides, that power and vertue, which ye spake, Is checkt and changed from his nature trew, "Besides, the sundry motions of your Spheares, So sundry waies and fashions as clerkes faine, Therefore both you and them to Me I subject prove. 52 53 54 55 "Then since within this wide great Universe So having ended, silence long ensewed; Ne Nature to or fro spake for a space, 56 57 But with firme eyes affixt the ground still viewed. Meane while all creatures, looking in her face, Expecting th' end of this so doubtfull case, Did hang in long suspence what would ensew, To whether side should fall the soveraigne place: At length she, looking up with chearefull view, The silence brake, and gave her doome in speeches few: "I well consider all that ye have sayd; And find that all things stedfastnes doe hate Then over them Change doth not rule and raigne; 58 But they raigne over Change, and doe their states maintaine. "Cease therefore, Daughter, further to aspire, And thee content thus to be rul'd by Me: For thy decay thou seekst by thy desire; But time shall come that all shall changed bee, 59 And from thenceforth none no more change shall see!" So was the Titaness put downe and whist, And Jove confirm'd in his imperiall see. Then was that whole assembly quite dismist, And Natures selfe did vanish, whither no man wist. THE VIIITH CANTO, UNPERFITE. WHEN I bethinke me on that speech whyleare 1 Me seemes, that though she all unworthy were Of the Heav'ns Rule; yet, very sooth to say, In all things else she bears the greatest sway: Which makes me loath this state of life so tickle, And love of things so vaine to cast away; Whose flowring pride, so fading and so fickle, Short Time shall soon cut down with his consuming sickle! Then gin I thinke on that which Nature sayd, Of that same time when no more Change shall be, Upon the pillours of Eternity, That is contrayr to Mutabilitie: For all that moveth doth in change delight: With Him that is the God of Sabaoth hight: 2 O! that great Sabaoth God, grant me that Sabbaths sight! * * |