She them saluting, there by them sate still, xlix Beholding how the thrids of life they span: And when at last she had beheld her fill, Trembling in heart, and looking pale and wan, Her cause of comming she to tell began. To whom fierce _Atropos_, Bold Fay, that durst Come see the secret of the life of man, Well worthie[43] thou to be of _Ioue_ accurst, And eke thy childrens thrids to be a sunder burst. Whereat she sore affrayd, yet her besought l To graunt her boone, and rigour to abate, That she might see her childrens thrids forth brought, And know the measure of their vtmost date, To them ordained by eternall fate. Which _Clotho_ graunting, shewed her the same: That when she saw, it did her much amate, To see their thrids so thin, as spiders frame, And eke so short, that seemd their ends out shortly came. She then began them humbly to intreate, li To draw them longer out, and better twine, That so their liues might be prolonged late. But _Lachesis_ thereat gan to repine, And sayd, Fond[44] dame that deem’st of things diuine As of humane, that they may altred bee, And chaung’d at pleasure for those impes of thine. Not so; for what the Fates do once decree, Not all the gods can chaunge, nor _Ioue_ him self can free. Then since[45] (quoth she) the terme of each mans life lii For nought may lessened nor enlarged bee, Graunt this, that when ye shred with fatall knife His line, which is the eldest of the three, Which is of them the shortest, as I see, Eftsoones his life may passe into the next; And when the next shall likewise ended bee, That both their liues may likewise be annext Vnto the third, that his may so be trebly wext. They graunted it; and then that carefull Fay liii Departed thence with full contented mynd; And comming home, in warlike fresh aray Them found all three according to their kynd: But vnto them what destinie was assynd, Or how their liues were eekt, she did not tell; But euermore, when she fit time could fynd, She warned them to tend their safeties well, And loue each other deare, what euer them befell. So did they surely during all their dayes, liv And neuer discord did amongst them fall; Which much augmented all their other praise. And now t’increase affection naturall, In loue of _Canacee_ they ioyned all: Vpon which ground this same great battell grew, Great matter growing of beginning small; The which for length I will not here pursew, But rather will reserue it for a Canto new. FOOTNOTES: [22] iii 5 As] And _1609_ [23] vi 8 torne _1596_ [24] x 4 draft, _1596_, _1609_