The Faerie Queene

by The Faerie Queen(Lit)

  My Trophee, and from all, the triumph beare?

  Now iudge then (O thou greatest goddesse trew!)

  According as thy selfe doest see and heare,

  And vnto me addoom that is my dew;

  That is the rule of all, all being rul'd by you.

  So hauing 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 soueraigne place:

  At length, she looking vp with chearefull view,

  The silence brake, and gaue her doome in speeches few.

  I well consider all that ye haue 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 themselues at length againe,

  Doe worke their owne perfection so by fate:

  Then ouer them Change doth not rule and raigne;

  But they raigne ouer 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,

  And from thenceforth, none no more change shall see.

  So was the Titaness put downe and whist,

  And Ioue confirm'd in his imperiall see.

  Then was that whole assembly quite dismist,

  And Natur's selfe did vanish, whither no man wist.

  The VIII. Canto, vnperfite.

  W Hen I bethinke me on that speech whyleare,

  Of Mutability, and well it way:

  Me seemes, that though she all vnworthy were

  Of the Heav'ns Rule ; yet very sooth to say,

  In all things else she beares the greatest sway.

  Which makes me loath this state of life so tickle,

  And loue 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,

  But stedfast rest of all things firmely stayd

  Vpon the pillours of Eternity,

  That is contrayr to Mutabilitie:

  For, all that moueth, doth in Change delight:

  But thence-forth all shall rest eternally

  With Him that is the God of Sabbaoth hight:

  O thou great Sabbaoth God, graunt me that Sabaoths sight.