But Life was like a faire young lusty boy, Such as they faine Dan Cupid to have beene, Deckt all with flowres and wings of gold fit to employ. XLVII. When these were past, thus gan the Titanesse ; "Lo! mighty Mother, now be iudge, and say Whether in all thy creatures more or lesse CHANGE doth not raign and beare the greatest sway: For who sees not that Time on all doth pray? But times do change and move continually: So nothing here long standeth in one stay: Wherefore this lower world who can deny But to be subiect still to Mutabilitie?" XLVIII. Then thus gan love; "Right true it is, that these 2 Which poure that virtue from our heavenly cell That moves them all, and makes them changed be? So them We gods doe rule, and in them also Thee." XLIX. To whom thus Mutability; "The things, Which we see not how they are mov'd and swayd, Ye may attribute to yourselves as kings, And say, they by your secret power are made: But were they so, as ye them faine to be, Mov'd by your might, and ordered by your ayde, Yourselves are likewise chang'd, and subiect unto Mee? L. "And first, concerning her that is the first, Now hornd, now round, now bright, now brown and gray; So that as changefull as the moone men use to say. LI. "Next Mercury; who though he lesse appeare Though faire all night, yet is she darke all day: And fills the darkned world with terror and dismay. LII. "Now Mars, that valiant man, is changed most; His sterne aspect, and calme his crabbed lookes: So many turning cranks1 these have, so many crookes. LIII. "But you, Dan Iove, that only constant are, Are you not subject eeke to this misfare?? Where were ye borne? Some say in Crete by name, But, wheresoever they comment the same, And borne here in this world; ne other can appeare. LIV. "Then are ye mortall borne, and thrall to Me; Besides, that power and vertue, which ye spake, Is checkt and changed from his nature trew, LV. 4 "Besides, the sundry motions of your spheares, Onely the starrie skie doth still remaine: Yet do the starres and signes therein still move, 1 Cranks, windings. 2 Misfare, misfortune. 3 Comment, feign, pretend. 4 Obliquid, oblique. Clerkes, learned men. And even itself is mov'd, as wizards saine1: Therefore both you and them to Me I subiect prove. LVI. "Then since within this wide great Universe LVII. So having ended, silence long ensewed; Ne Nature to or fro spake for a space, 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: LVIII. "I well consider all that ye have sayd; 1 Saine, say. 2 Addoom, adjudge. Then over them Change doth not rule and raigne: But they raigne over Change, and doe their states maintaine. LIX. "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, And Natures selfe did vanish, whither no man wist.3 1 Whist, silenced. 2 See, dominion. 3 Wist, knew. |