1 Feign, pretend.

But, wheresoever they comment1 the same,
They all consent that ye begotten were
And born here in this world; ne other can appear.

LIV.

'Then are ye mortal born, and thrall to me;
Unless the kingdom of the sky ye make
Immortal and unchangeable to be:

Besides, that power and virtue, which ye spake,
That ye here work, doth many changes take,
And your own natures change: for each of you,
That virtue have or this or that to make,

Is check'd and changed from his nature true,
Oblique. By others' opposition or obliquid2 view.

LV.

'Besides, the sundry motions of your spheres,
So sundry ways and fashions as clerks & feign,
Some in short space, and some in longer years;
What is the same but alteration plain?
Only the starry sky doth still remain:

Yet do the stars and signs therein still move,
And even itself is mov'd, as wizards sayn:"
But all that moveth doth mutation love:
Therefore both you and them to me I subject prove.

LVI.

"Then since within this wide great Universe
Nothing doth firm and permanent appear,
But all things toss'd and turned by transverse;
What then should let,5 but I aloft should rear
My trophy, and from all the triumph bear?
Now judge then, O thou greatest goddess true,
According as thyself dost see and hear,
And unto me addoom that is my due;
That is, the rule of all; all being rul'd by you.'

LVII.

So having ended, silence long ensued;
Ne Nature to or fro spake for a space,

But with firm eyes affix'd the ground still viewed.
Meanwhile all creatures, looking in her face,
Expecting th' end of this so doubtful case,
Did hang in long suspense what would ensue,
To whether side should fall the sovereign place:
At length she, looking up with cheerful view,
The silence brake, and gave her doom in speeches
few:

LVIII.

'I well consider all that ye have said;

And find that all things steadfastness do hate
And changed be; yet, being rightly weigh'd,
They are not changed from their first estate;
But by their change their being do dilate;
And, turning to themselves at length again,
Do work their own perfection so by fate:

Then over them Change doth not rule and reign: But they reign over Change, and do their states maintain.

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 be,

And from thenceforth, none no more change shall

see!'

So was the Titaness put down and whist,1
And Jove confirm'd in his imperial see.2
Then was that whole assembly quite dismist,

And Nature's self did vanish, whither no man wist.3

1 Silenced.

2 Seat.

3 Knew.

VOL. IV.

1 Formerly.

2 Uncertain.

THE VIIITH CANTO, (IMPERFECT.)

I.

WHEN I bethink me on that speech whilere1
Of Mutability, and well it weigh;

Me seems, that though she all unworthy were
Of the heavens' rule; yet, very sooth to say,
In all things else she bears the greatest sway:
Which makes me loathe this state of life so tickle,2
And love of things so vain to cast away;

Whose flow'ring pride, so fading and so fickle, Short Time shall soon cut down with his consuming sickle!

II.

Then gin I think on that which Nature said,
Of that same time when no more change shall be,
But steadfast rest of all things, firmly stay'd
Upon the pillars of Eternity,

That is contrair to Mutability:

For all that moveth doth in change delight:

But thenceforth all shall rest eternally

With Him that is the God of Sabaoth* hight:

O! that great Sabaoth God, grant me that Sabbath's

THE

SHEPHERD'S CALENDER:

CONTAINING

TWELVE ECLOGUES,

PROPORTIONABLE TO THE TWELVE MONTHS.

ENTITLED TO THE NOBLE AND VIRTUOUS GENTLEMAN, MOST WORTHY OF ALL TITLES BOTH OF LEARNING AND CHIVALRY,

MASTER PHILIP SIDNEY.

TO HIS BOOK.

Go, little Book! thyself present, As child whose parent is unkent,1 To him that is the President Of Nobleness and Chivalry: And if that Envy bark at thee, As sure it will, for succour flee Under the shadow of his wing. And, asked who thee forth did bring, A shepherd's swain, say, did thee sing, All as his straying flock he fed : And, when his Honour has thee read, Crave pardon for thy hardyhed. But, if that any ask thy name, Say, thou wert base-begot with blame; Forthy 2 thereof thou takest shame. And, when thou art past jeopardy, Come tell me what was said of me, And I will send more after thee.