46 And after all came Life; and lastly Death: Deckt all with flowres and wings of gold fit to em ploy. 17 When these were past, thus gan the Titanesse : 48 Then thus gan Iove: "Right true it is, that these That Time himselfe doth move and still compell To keepe his course? Is not that namely wee, 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." 1 Disseuse, dispossess. 49 To whom thus Mutability: "The things, Which we see not how they are mov'd and swayd, And say, they by your secret powre are made: But were they so, as ye them faine to be, Yourselves are likewise chang'd, and subiect unto mee? 50 "And first, concerning her that is the first, loves dearest darling; she was bred and nurst gray; So that as changefull as the moone men use to say. 61 "Next Mercury; who though he lesse appeare So Venus eeke, that goodly paragone, Though faire all night, yet is she darke all day 1 Crake, boast. Yet is he oft eclipsed by the way, And fills the darkned world with terror and dismay. 52 "Now Mars, that valiant man, is changed most; For he sometimes so far runs out of square, That he his way doth seem quite to have lost, At sight thereof, and damne their lying bookes: His sterne aspect, and calme his crabbed lookes: So many turning cranks1 these have, so many crookes. 53 "But Are you not subiect eeke to this misfare 2? Then let me aske you this withouten blame: Where were ye borne? Some say in Crete by name, Others in Thebes, and others otherwhere; 3 But, wheresoever they comment the same, They all consent that ye begotten were And borne here in this world; ne other can ap peare. 54 "Then are ye mortall borne, and thrall to me; Unlesse the kingdome of the sky yee make Immortall and unchangeable to be: Besides, that power and vertue, which ye spake 1 Cranks, bends, devious courses. 2 Misfare, going astray: or, misfortune. That ye here worke, doth many changes take, And your owne natures change: for each of you, That vertue have or this or that to make, Is checkt and changed from his nature trew, By others opposition or obliquid1 view. 2 55 "Besides, the sundry motions of your spheares, So sundry waies and fashions as clerkes 2 faine, Some in short space, and some in longer yeares; What is the same but Alteration plaine? Onely the starrie skie doth still remaine : Yet do the starres and signes therein still move, And even itself is mov'd, as wizards saine3: But all that moveth doth Mutation love: Therefore both you and them to me I subiect prove. 56 "Then since within this wide great universe 57 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, 1 Obliquid, oblique. 2 Clerkes, learned men. 8 Wizards saine, wise ones say. 4 Addoom, adjudge. 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: 58 "I well consider all that ye have sayd; And find that all things stedfastnes doe hate And changed be; yet, being rightly wayd, They are not changed from their first estate; But by their change their being doe dilate; And, turning to themselves at length againe, Doe worke their owne perfection so by fate: Then over them Change doth not rule and raigne : But they raigne over Change, and doe their states maintaine. 69" Cease therefore, Daughter, further to aspire, And thee content thus to be rul❜d by me: For thy decay1 thou seekst by thy desire: But time shall come that all shall changed bee, And from thenceforth none no more change shall see!" So was the Titaness put downe and whist,2 And love confirm'd in his imperiall see. Then was that whole assembly quite dismist, And Natur's selfe did vanish, whither no man wist. 1 Decay, destruction. 2 Whist, silenced. |