Through which he three ambitious circles cast,

Round and refulgent; and without he placed

A silver handle; five-fold proof it was, And in it many things with special grace And passing artificial pomp were graven ; In it was earth's green globe, the sea and heaven,

Th' unwearied Sun; the Moon exactly round,

And all the stars with which the sky is crown'd,

The Pleiades, the Hyads, and the force
Of great Orion; and the Bear, whose

course

Turns her about his sphere observing him Surnamed the Chariot, and doth never swim Upon the unmeasured Ocean's marble face, Of all the flames that heaven's blue veil enchace.

In it two beauteous cities he did build Of divers-languaged men: the one was fill'd With sacred nuptials and with solemn feasts,

And through the streets the fair officious guests,

Lead from their bridal chambers their fair brides,

With golden torches burning by their sides. Hymen's sweet triumphs were abundant there,

Of youths and damsels dancing in a sphere; Amongst whom masking flutes and harps were heard,

And all the matrons in their doors appear'd,
Admiring their enamour'd braveries;
Amongst the rest busy Contention flies
About a slaughter; and to solemn Court
The Citizens were drawn in thick resort,
Where two contended for a penalty:
The one due satisfaction did deny
At th' other's hands for slaughter of his
friend,

The other did the contrary defend :
At last by arbitration both desired,

To have their long and costly suit expired, The friends cast sounds confused on either side

Whose tumult straight the heralds pacified. In holy circle and on polish'd stones, The reverend Judges made their Sessions, The voiceful heralds awful sceptres holding, And their grave dooms on either side unfolding.

In midst two golden talents were proposed

For his rich fee by whom should be disclosed

The most applausive sentence; th' other

town

Two hosts besieged, to have it overthrown,
Or in two parts to share the wealthy spoil,
And this must all the citizens assoil.
They yield to neither, but with close alarm,
To sallies and to ambuscadoes arm,
Their wives and children on their walls did
stand,

With whom and with the old men they were mann'd.

The other issued; Mars and Pallas went
Propitious captains to their brave intent.
Both golden did in golden garments shine
Ample and fair, and seem'd indeed divine.
The soldiers were in humbler habits deck'd.
When they had found a valley most select
To couch their ambush-at a river's brink
Where all their herds had mutual place to
drink,

These, clad in shining steel, they close did lie,
And sit far off two sentinels to spy,
When all their flocks and crook-haunch'd
herds came near,

Which soon succeeded, and they follow'd

were

By two poor herdsmen that on bagpipes play'd,

Doubtless of any ambuscadoes laid;
The sentinels gave word, and in they flew,
Took herds and flocks, and both their
keepers slew.

The enemy hearing such a strange uproar
About their cattle-being set before
In solemn council-instantly took horse,
Pursued, and at the flood, with mutual force,
The conflict join'd; betwixt them flew
debate,

Disorder'd tumult, and exitial fate;
Here was one taken with wounds bleeding
green,

And here, one pale and yielding, no wound

seen;

Another slain, drawn by the strengthless heels

From the red slaughter of the ruthless steels,

And he that slew him on his shoulders wearing

His bloody weeds as trophies of his daring. Like men alive they did converse in fight, And tired on death with mutual appetite.

He carved besides a soft and fruitful field Broad and thrice new-till'd in that heavenly shield,

Where many ploughmen turn'd up here and there

The earth in furrows, and their sovereign

near

A bowl of sweetest wine he still extended To him that first had done, then turn'd they hand,

Desirous to dispatch that piece of land, Deep and new-ear'd; black grew the plough with mould

Which look'd like blackish earth tho' forged of gold.

And this he did with miracle adorn.

Then made he grow a field of high-sprung corn,

In which did reapers sharpen'd sickles ply; Others, their handles fall'n confusedly, Laid on the ridge together; others bound Their gather'd handfuls to sheaves hard and round.

Their binders were appointed for the place, And at their heels did children glean apace,

Whole armfuls to the binders ministering. Amongst all these all silent stood their king,

Upon a balk, his sceptre in his hand,
Glad at his heart to see his yieldy land.
The heralds then the harvest feast prepare,
Beneath an oak far off, and for their fare,
A mighty ox was slain, and women dress'd
Store of white cakes, and mix'd the
labourers' feast.

In it besides a vine ye might behold Loaded with grapes, the leaves were all of gold,

The bunches black and thick did through it grow

And silver props sustain'd them from below :

About the vine an azure dyke was wrought And about it a hedge of tin he brought. One path went through it, through the which did pass

The vintagers, when ripe their vintage was. The virgins then, and youths, childishly wise,

For the sweet fruit did painted cups devise,

And in a circle bore them dancing round, In midst whereof a boy did sweetly sound His silver harp, and with a piercing voice, Sung a sweet song; when each youth with his choice Triumphing over earth, quick dances treads.

A herd of oxen thrusting out their heads And bellowing, from their stalls rushing to feed

Near a swift flood, raging and crown'd with reed,

Waiting on them; in head of all the herd, Two lions shook a bull, that bellowing, rear'd

In desperate horror, and was dragg'd

away:

The dogs and youths pursued; but their slain prey,

The lions rent out of his spacious hide, And in their entrails did his flesh divide, Lapping his sable blood; the men to fight

Set on their dogs in vain that durst not bite

But bark'd and backwards flew : he forged beside

In a fair vale, a pasture sweet and wide Of white-fleeced sheep, in which he did impress

Sheepcotes, sheepfolds, and cover'd cottages.

In this rare shield the famous Vulcan cast

A dancing mace; like that in ages past, Which in broad Gnossus Dedalus did dress For Ariadne with the golden tress.

There youths and maids with beauties

past compare

Danced with commixed palms: the maids did wear

Light silken robes; the youths in coats were deck'd

Embroider'd fair, whose colours did reflect Glosses like oil: the maids fair coronets vore,

The youths gilt swords in silver hangers bore,

And these sometimes would in a circle meet

Exceeding nimbly, and with skilful feet, Turning as round as doth a wheel new done,

The wheelwright sitting, trying how 'twill run.

Then would they break the ring, and take their places

As at the first: when troops pleased with their graces

Stood looking on, two youths then with a song

Danced in the midst to please th' admiring throng.

About this living shield's circumference,
He wrought the ocean's curled violence,
Arming his work as with a crystal wall.
The targe thus firm and huge, now finish'd
all;