{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_18459/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_18459","id":"gutenberg_18459","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/18459","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Historical Novels","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Category: Romance","Dreams -- Fiction","Italian fiction -- 15th century -- Translations into English","Romances"],"text":"Produced by Louise Hope, Robert Cicconetti and the Online\nDistributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This\nfile was produced from images generously made available\nby The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries)\n\n\n\n\n\n  [Transcriber's Note:\n\n  This ASCII-7 file is meant for readers who cannot use the UTF-8 (best)\n  or Latin-1 versions of the text.\n\n  As in the Latin-1 text, Greek has been transliterated and placed\n  between +marks+. Hebrew text is similarly #marked#.\n  E: and O: (always capitalized) represent Eta and Omega.\n  e: at the end of some names represents dieresis (separate syllable).\n  [ae] or [Ae] represents the \"ae\" or \"AE\" ligature.\n  a or o with tilde has been silently unpacked to am, an, on, om.\n\n  Typographical errors are listed at the end of the text. Side/footnote\n  labels in lower-case ([a] [b]...) are original; labels supplied by\n  the transcriber are capitalized ([A] [B]...).]\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n           *       *       *       *\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n\n                   Number 87\n\n                  THE ENGLISH\n                  EXPERIENCE\n\n       Its Record in Early Printed Books\n             Published in Facsimile\n\n\n                 [Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n              (FRANCESCO COLONNA)\n\n                HYPNEROTOMACHIA\n\n                  London 1592\n\n\n\n\n                 Da Capo Press\n          Theatrum Orbis Terrarum Ltd.\n            Amsterdam 1969 New York\n\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n   The publishers acknowledge their gratitude\nto the Curators of the Bodleian Library, Oxford,\n       for their permission to reproduce\n              the Library's copy.\n\n\n                 S.T.C. No.5577\n       Collation: A-Z (4o.), Aa-Cc (4o.)\n\n\n             Published in 1969 by\n         Theatrum Orbis Terrarum Ltd.,\n        O. Z. Voorburgwal 85, Amsterdam\n                       &\n                 Da Capo Press\n : a division of Plenum Publishing Corporation :\n\n     227 West 17th Street, New York. 10011\n           Printed in The Netherlands\n\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                  HYPNEROTOMA-\n                    _CHIA_.\n\n                      The\n              Strife of Loue in a\n                   _Dreame_.\n\n\n                [Illustration]\n\n\n                   At London,\n      Printed for Simon Waterson, and are\n  to be sold at his shop, in S. Paules Church-\n            _yard, at Cheape-gate_.\n\n                    _1592._\n\n\n\n\n               TO THE THRISE HO-\n             NOVRABLE AND EVER LY-\n         VING VERTVES OF SYR _PHILLIP_\n          _SYDNEY_ KNIGHT; AND TO THE\n        RIGHT HONORABLE AND OTHERS WHAT-\n         SOEVER, WHO LIVING LOVED HIM,\n           _AND BEING DEAD GIVE HIM_\n                   _HIS DVE_.\n\n\n\n\n  To the Right Honourable Robert\n  Deuorax, Earle of Essex and Ewe, Viscount\n  Hereford, and Bourghchier, Lorde Ferrers of Chartley,\n  Bourghchier and Louaine, Maister of the Queenes Maie-\n  _sties Horse, and Knight of the most noble order of the Garter:_\n  Is wished, the perfection of all happinesse, and tryumphant\n  felicitie in this life, and in the worlde\n  to come.\n\nWhen I had determined (Right honorable) to dedicate this Booke, to the\neuerlyuing vertues of that matchlesse Knight Syr _Phillip Sydney_; me\nthought that I could not finde out a more Noble personage then your\nselfe, and more fit, to patronize, shield, and defende my dutie to the\ndeade, then your Honour, whose greatnes is such, and vertues of that\npower, as who so commendeth them, deserueth not to be accounted a\nflatterer, but he that doth not the same, may be thought an euill\nwiller. Hovv your Honor vvill accept hereof, I make no doubt, because\nthat curtesie attendeth vpon true nobilitie; but my humble request is,\nthat your Honor may not thinke of me (by the tytle of the Booke, and\nsome part of the discourse) as if I vvere amorous, and did speake\naccording to my ovvne passions, for I beeing restrained of my liberty,\nand helde in the graue of obliuion, where I still as yet remaine,\noppressed with Melancholie, and wearied vvith deeper studies, I vvas\nglad to beguile the time with these conceits, anothomising in them,\nthe vanitie of this life, and vncertaintie of the delights therof, in\nthe Dreame of _Poliphilus_; Which if it shall please your Honor at\nconuenient leysure to looke ouer, pardoning what you finde amisse,\nand weighing my good will, I shall thinke my selfe most happy.\n\nAnd thus I humbly take my leaue, vntill that I may present your Honour,\nwith a matter more fitting the same.\n\n    _Your Honors deuoted,_\n\n                     R. D.\n\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n             Anonymi elegia ad Lec-\n                    _torem_.\n\nCandide _Poliphilum_ narrantem somnia Lector\n    auscultes, summo somnia missa polo,\nNon operam perdes, non h[ae]c audisse pigebit,\n    tam varijs mirum rebus abundat opus.\nSi grauis & tetricus contemnis erotica, rerum\n    nosce precor seriem tam bene dispositam.\nAbnuis? ac saltem stylus & noua lingua novusq;\n    sermo grauis, sophia, se rogat aspicias.\nId quoq; sirenuis, geometrica cerne vetusta\n    plurima milliacis disce referta notis.\nHic sunt Pyramides, therm[ae], ingentesq; Colossi,\n    ac Obeliscorum forma vetusta patet.\nHic diuersa basis fulget, vari[ae]que column[ae]\n    illarumq; arcus, Zophora, epistilia,\nEt capita atq; trabes, et cum quadrante coron[ae]\n    symmetria, & quicquid tecta superba facit.\nHic regum cernes exculta palatia, cultus\n    Nympharum, fontes, egregiasque epulas.\nHinc bicolor chorea est latronum, expressaque tota\n    in Laberintheis vita hominum tenebris.\nHinc lege de triplici qu[ae] maiestate tonantis\n    dicat, & in portis egerit ipse tribus._\nPolia _qua fuerit forma, quam culta, tryumphos\n    inde Iouis specta quatuor [ae]thereos.\nH[ae]c pr[ae]ter varios affectus narrat amoris,\n    atque opera & quantum s[ae]uiat ille Deus._\n\n\n\n\nFaultes escaped in the printing.\n\n  [Transcriber's Note:\n  The corrections listed here have been made in the text. In many cases\n  the printed form is different from that shown under \"faults\"; these\n  original forms are given in [brackets].]\n\n  +------+-------+-------+--------------------+---------------------+\n  | Fol. | page. | line. | faults.            | correction.         |\n  |      |       |       |                    |                     |\n  |  1.  |   2   |  38   | I begin of the     | I began the         |\n  |  4.  |   2   |   8   | member.            | members.            |\n  |  6.  |   1   |  12   | troake,            | trunke,             |\n  |  6.  |   2   |   3   | assured,           | azur'd.             |\n  |  7.  |   1   |  33   | fiing, [fying]     | flying.             |\n  |  10  |   1   |  23   | Laborinth,         | Laborinths.         |\n  |      |       |       |   [laborinth]      |                     |\n  |  10  |   2   |  20   | Palia.             | Polia.              |\n  |  11  |   1   |   2   | foote,             | fowre.              |\n  |  11  |   1   |  29   | cariec, [carreic]  | carrier.            |\n  |      |       |       |   [carreic]        |                     |\n  |  11  |   2   |   3   | backs, [backes]    | backe.              |\n  |  12  |   1   |  11   | pecee, [peeee]     | peece.              |\n  |  13  |   1   |   3   | adolestency,       | adolescency.        |\n  |      |       |       |   [adolestencie]   |                     |\n  |  13  |   1   |   5   | soliature.         | foliature.          |\n  |  14  |   1   |  29   | stone,             | sonne.              |\n  |  19  |   2   |  12   | soliature,         | foliature.          |\n  |  19  |   2   |  25   | briganine,         | brigandine.         |\n  |      |       |       |   [bryganine]      |                     |\n  |  19  |   2   |  39   | all.               | off.                |\n  +------+-------+-------+--------------------+---------------------+\n\n  +------+-------+-------+--------------------+---------------------+\n  | Fol. | page. | line. | faultes.           | correction.         |\n  |      |       |       |                    |                     |\n  |  21  |   1   |  38   | subuaging,         | suruaighing         |\n  |      |       |       |   [sub-/vaging     |                     |\n  |      |       |       |   at line break]   |                     |\n  |  21  |   2   |   2   | sardins, [Sardins] | sardius.            |\n  |  22  |   1   |   7   | vanubraces,        | vaumbraces.         |\n  |      |       |       |   [Vanubraces]     |                     |\n  |  22  |   1   |  12   | coronie, [Coromie] | coronice.           |\n  |  22  |   2   |  18   | Daphus,            | Daphne.             |\n  |  22  |   1   |  28   | chanifered,        | chamfered.          |\n  |  22  |   1   |  30   | contract,          | contrast.           |\n  |  22  |   2   |  29   | Aehanthis.         | Achanthis.          |\n  |      |       |       |   [Aehanthus]      |                     |\n  |  23  |   1   |  12   | hapies, [Hapies]   | Harpies.            |\n  |  23  |   1   |  15   | fishen,            | fishie.             |\n  |  23  |   2   |   4   | did Anaglipts,     | did y^e Anaglipts   |\n  |  23  |   2   |   5   | Briapis,           | Briaxes.            |\n  |  24  |   2   |  22   | Andraene,          | Andracine.          |\n  |      |       |       |   [Andraeme]       |                     |\n  |  24  |   2   |  32   | bel flowred        | bell flowre.        |\n  |      |       |       |  fox gloue,        |                     |\n  |      |       |       |   [bell flowered   |                     |\n  |      |       |       |    Foxgloue]       |                     |\n  |  26  |   2   |   2   | menifis,           | memphis.            |\n  |      |       |       |   [Meniphis]       |                     |\n  |  26  |   2   |  34   | which my,          | which with my       |\n  |  28  |   2   |   8   | vastus, [vastues]  | vastnes.            |\n  +------+-------+-------+--------------------+---------------------+\n\n\n\n\n                      [Decoration]\n\n               Poliphili hypnerotomachia,\n        Wherein he sheweth, that all humaine and\nworldlie things are but a dreame, and but as vanitie it\n   _selfe. In the setting foorth whereof many things_\n          are figured worthie of remembrance.\n\n\n_The Author beginneth his _Hypnerotomachia_, to set downe the hower\n  and time when in his sleepe it seemed to him that hee was in a quiet\n  solitarie desart, and vninhabited plaine, and from thence afterward\n  how he entered vnaduisedly before he was aware, with great feare,\n  into a darke obscure and vnfrequented wood._\n\n\nThe discription of the morning.\n\nWhat houre as _Phoebus_[a] issuing foorth, did bewtifie with brightnesse\nthe forhead of _Leucothea_[b], and appearing out of the Occean waues,\nnot fully shewing his turning wheeles, that had beene hung vp, but\nspeedily with his swift horses _Pyrous_ & _Eous_[c], hastning his\ncourse, and giuing a tincture to the Spiders webbes, among the greene\nleaues and tender prickles of the Vermilion Roses, in the pursuite\nwhereof he shewed himselfe most swift & glistering, now vpon the neuer\nresting and still moouing waues, he crysped vp his irradient heyres.\n\n    [Sidenote a: Ph[ae]bus the Sunne.]\n\n    [Sidenote b: Leucothea the morning.]\n\n    [Sidenote c: Pyr & Eo, the horses of the Sunne.]\n\nVppon whose vprising, euen at that instant, the vnhorned Moone\ndismounted hir selfe, losing from hir Chariot hir two horses, the one\nwhite and the other browne, and drewe to the Horrison[d] different from\nthe Hemisphere[e] from whence she came.\n\n    [Sidenote d: Horison a circle deuiding the halfe speare of the\n    firmament from the other halfe which we doe not see.]\n\n    [Sidenote e: Hemispere is halfe the compasse of the visible heauen.]\n\nAnd when as the mountaines and hilles were beautifull, and the northeast\nwinds had left of to make barraine with the sharpnesse of their blasts,\nthe tender sprigs to disquiet the moouing reedes, the fenny Bulrush, and\nweake Cyprus, to torment the foulding Vines, to trouble the bending\nWillowe, and to breake downe the brittle Firre bowghes, vnder the hornes\nof the lasciuious Bull, as they do in winter.\n\nAt that very houre, as the diuers coulered flowers and greene meades, at\nthe comming of the sunne of _Hypperion_[f] feare not his burning heate,\nbeing bedued and sprinkled with the Christalline teares of the sweete\nmorning, when as the _Halcyons_[g] vpon the leuell waues of the stil,\ncalme, and quiet flowing seas, do build their nests in sight of the\nsandie shore, whereas the sorrowfull _Ero_, with scalding sighes did\nbehold the dolorous and vngrate departure of hir swimming _Leander_[h].\n\n    [Sidenote f: Hyperion the Sunne.]\n\n    [Sidenote g: Halcyons are certaine byrds which building near the\n    shore vpon the waues there will be no storme vntill the young be\n    hatched.]\n\n    [Sidenote h: Leander a young man of Abydos, who in swimming ouer\n    Hellespont (a narow sea) by Byzantium, which parteth Europ from\n    Asia) to Sestus, was in the sight of his louer Ero of Sestus\n    drowned, which she seeing, threw hir self down into the sea, and\n    died with him.]\n\nI lying vpon my bed, an oportune and meet freend to a wearie body, no\ncreature accompaning me in my chamber, besides the attender vppon my\nbody, and vsuall night lights, who after that she had vsed diuers\nspeeches, to the end shee might comfort me, hauing vnderstood before of\nme, the originall cause of my hollow and deepe sighes, she indeuored hir\nbest to moderate, if at least she might, that, my perturbed and\npittifull estate. But when she sawe that I was desirous of sleepe, she\ntooke leaue to depart.\n\nThen I being left alone to the high cogitations of loue, hauing passed\nouer a long and tedious night without sleepe, through my barren fortune,\nand aduerse constellation, altogether vncomforted and sorrowfull, by\nmeans of my vntimely and not prosperous loue, weeping, I recounted from\npoint to point, what a thing vnequall loue is: and how fitly one may\nloue that dooth not loue: and what defence there may bee made against\nthe vnaccustomed, yet dayly assaults of loue: for a naked soule\naltogether vnarmed, the seditious strife, especially being intestine:\na fresh still setting vpon with vnstable and new thoughts.\n\nIn this sort brought to so miserable an estate, and for a long while\nplunged in a deepe poole of bitter sorrowes, at length my wandring\nsences being wearie to feede still vpon vnsauorie and fayned pleasure,\nbut directly and without deceit, vppon the rare diuine obiect: whose\nreuerende _Idea_ is deeply imprinted within me, and liueth ingrauen in\nthe secret of my heart, from which proceedeth this so great and\nvncessant a strife, continually renuing my cruell torments without\nintermission. I began the conditions of those miserable louers, who for\ntheir mistresses pleasures desire their owne deaths, and in their best\ndelights do think themselues most vnhappie, feeding their framed\npassions not otherwise then with fithfull imaginations. And then as a\nweary bodye after a sore labour, so I, somewhat in outward shew\nqualified, in the payne of my sorrowfull thoughts, and hauing\nincloystered and shut vp the course of my distilling teares: whose drops\nhad watered my pale cheekes, thorow amorous griefe, desired some\nneedfull rest.\n\nAt length my moyst eyes being closed within their bloudshotten and\nreddish liddes, presently betwixt a bitter life and a sweet death, I was\nin them inuaded and ouercome, with a heauie sleepe, who with my minde\nand watchfull spirits, were no pertakers of so high an operation.\n\nMe thought that I was in a large, plaine, and champion place, all greene\nand diuersly spotted with many sorted flowerrs, wherby it seemed\npassingly adorned. In which by reason of the milde and gentle ayre,\nthere was a still quyet whisht: Inso much that my attentiue eares did\nheare no noyse, neither did any framed speech peirce into them, but with\nthe gratious beames of the sunne, the sliding time passed.\n\nIn which place with a fearefull admiration, looking about me, I sayd\nthus to my selfe. Heere appeareth no humaine creature to my sight, nor\nsyluan beast, flying bird, countrey house, field tent, or shepheards\ncote: neyther vpon the gras could I perceiue feeding eyther flock of\nsheep, or heard of cattell, or rustike herdman with Oten pipe making\npastorall melodie, but onely taking the benefit of the place, and\nquietnesse of the plaine, which assured mee to be without feare,\nI directed my course still forward, regarding on eyther side the tender\nleaues and thick grasse, which rested vnstirred, without the beholding\nof any motion.\n\nAt length my ignorant sleepes, brought me into a thick wood, whereinto\nbeing a pritty way entred, I could not tell how to get out of it.\nWherevpon, a soddaine feare inuaded my hart, and diffused it selfe into\neuery ioynt, so that my couler began to waxe pale, and the rather by\nreason that I was alone, and vnarmed, and could not finde any track or\npath, eyther to direct me forward, or lead me back againe. But a darke\nwood of thicke bushes, sharpe thornes, tall ashes haled of the Viper,\ntowgh Elmes beloued of the fruitfull vines, harde Ebony, strong Okes,\nsoft Beeche, and browne Hasils, who intertaining one anothers branches,\nwith a naturall goodwill opposed themselues, to resist the entrance of\nthe gratious sunne shine, with the greene couerture of their innumerable\nleaues. And in this sort I found my selfe in a fresh shadowe, a coole\nayre, and a solytarie thicket.\n\nVVherevpon my reason perswaded me to beleeue, that this vast wood, was\nonely a receptacle for sauage and hurtfull beasts, as the tusked\nBore, the furious and bloudthirstie Beare, the hissing serpent, and\ninuading VVoolfe, against which I was vnprouided to make resistance, but\nrayther as a praye sent amongst them, miserablie to haue my flesh and\nbones rent and gnawne in peeces.\n\nAnd thus forecasting the woorst that might follow, I was resolued not to\nabide there, but to seeke to get out, that I might the better eschew\nsuch suspected occurrents, and taking my selfe to my feete, I wandred\nnow this way, now that way, sometime to the right hand, sometime to the\nleft: nowe forwarde, then backe againe, not knowing how to goe among the\nthicke bowghes and tearing thornes, bearing vpon my face: rending my\nclothes, and houlding me sometimes hanging in them, whereby my hast in\ngetting foorth was much hyndered. In this vnaccustomed labour: and\nwithout any helpe but onely the keeping of the sunne still vpon one\nside, to direct mee streight forwarde: I grewe extreamely hoate and\nfaynte, not knowing what to doe, but onely in a wearye body, to conteine\na minde distraught through troublesome thoughts, breathing out hollow\nand deepe sighes, desiring helpe of the pittifull _Cretensian Ariadne_,\nwho for the destroying of hir monstrous brother the _Mynotaur_[A] gaue\nvnto the deceitfull _Theseus_ a clew of thred, to conduct him foorth of\nthe intricate laborinth, that I also by some such meanes might be\ndeliuered out of this obscure wood.\n\n    [Sidenote A: Minotaurus a monster in Creete, born of Pasiphae which\n    being inclosed in the laborinth fed on mans flesh, whome Theseus\n    slew and got out of the laborinth by a clew of thred giuen by\n    Ariadne king Minoes daughter, after wife to Theseus, who did forsake\n    hir, and left hir in a disinhabited Ile, notwithstanding that she\n    had saued his life.]\n\n\n\n\n  [Decoration]\n\n_Poliphilus being thus distempered in this daungerous and obscure wood,\n  at length getteth foorth, and being come to a faire Riuer, indeuoring\n  to rest himselfe and coole his heate, he heard a most delightful\n  harmonie, which made him forget to drinke, and followe after the\n  voice, which brought him to a woorse perplexitie._\n\n\nFeare and desire of freedome thus occupying my sences, my vnderstanding\nwas blinded, neyther did I knowe whether it were better for mee eyther\nto wishe for hated death, or in so dreadfull a place to hope for desired\nlife. Thus euery way discontent, I did indeuour, with all force and\ndiligence to get foorth, wherin the more I did striue the more I found\nmy selfe intangled, and so infeebled with wearinesse, that on euery side\nI feared, when some cruell beast should come and deuoure me, or els\nvnawares to tumble downe into some deepe pit or hollow place.\n\nWherefore more trembling then in mustulent _Autume_ be the yealow\ncoulored leaue, hauing left their moisture, being thorowlye searched\nwith the furious north winde, I lifted vp my hart to God, desiring as\n_Achemenides_ being afraide of the horrible _Cyclops_ rather to be\nslaine by the hands of _Aeneas_ his enemie, rather then to suffer so\nodious a death.\n\nAnd my deuoute prayer, sincerely vnited to a contrite heart, powring out\na fountaine of teares with a stedfast beliefe to be deliuered. I found\nmy selfe in a short space gotten at libertie, like a new day crept out\nof a darke and tempestuous night. My eyes before vsed to such obumbrated\ndarkenes, could scarse abide to behould the light, thorow watery sadnes.\nNeuerthelesse glad I was to see the light: as one set at libertie, that\nhad beene chayned vp in a deepe dungeon and obscure darkenesse. Verye\nthirstie I was, my clothes torne, my face and hands scratched and\nnetteled, and withall so extreamely set on heate, as the fresh ayre\nseemed to doe me more hurt then good, neither did it any waye ease my\nbody, desirous to keepe his new recouered scope and libertie.\n\nAnd after that I had a little rowsed vp my mynde, and sommoned together\nmy sences in some better sort: I sought a meanes to quench my inordinate\nthyrst, procured and increased through innumerable sighes, and extreame\nlabour of body. Thus casting my eyes with a diligent regarde about the\nplaine, to finde some Fountaine whereat I might refresh my selfe: a\npleasant spring or head of water, did offer it selfe vnto me, with a\ngreat vayne boyling vp, about the which did growe diuers sweet hearbes\nand water flowers, and from the same did flowe a cleare and chrystalline\ncurrent streame, which deuided into diuers branches, ran thorow the\ndesart wood, with a turning and winding body, receyuing into it other\nlittle channels, vnlading themselues.\n\nIn whose courses the stones lift vp by nature, and trunkes of trees\ndenyed any longer by their roots to be vpholden, did cause a stopping\nhinderance to their current and whuzing fall, which still augmented by\nother vndissonant torrents, from high and fertlesse mountaines in the\nplaine, shewed a beautifull brightnes and soft passing course, to the\nwhich short windedly comming, by meanes of my fearefull flight. I did\nsee a little obscure light, thorow the tops of the high trees, somewhat\ndeuiding themselues ouer the water, and with the rest of their bodyes\nand branches, as it were seperating the heauens from my lifted vp eyes.\nA horrible place to be in, vnaccompanyed of any creature.\n\nAnd suddainly hearing the fall of trees, through the force of a\nwhyrlewinde, & noise of the broken bowghes, with a redoubled and hoarse\nsound a farre of, and yet brought to the eccho of the water thorow the\nthick wood, I grew into a new astonishment.\n\nAnd at this instant thus terrified and afflycted, and yet without any\nreceiued hurt, being vpon my knees bowed downe, and inclosing the\nhollownesse of my hand, therewith determined to make me a necessary\ndrinking vessel: I had no sooner put the same into the water, offring to\nmy mouth the long desired moysture, thereby to refrygerate and coole the\nextreame heate of my burning heart, which at that time would haue beene\nmore acceptable vnto me, then eyther _Hypanis_ and _Ganges_ be to the\n_Indians_, _Tigris_ or _Euphrates_ to the _Armenians_, or _Xeylus_ to\nthe _Aethiopian_ nation, or to the _Egyptians_ his innundation, inbybing\ntheyr burnt and rosted mould, or yet the riuer _Po_ to the _Ligurians_.\n\nEuen then also it fell so out, that I had no sooner taken water into the\npalme of my hand, offering the same to my open mouth, ready to receiue\nit: I heard a doricall songe, wherewith I was as greatly delighted,\nas if I had heard the Thracian _Thamiras_, which thorough my eares\npresented it selfe to my vnquiet heart, with so sweete and delectable a\ndeliuerie, with a voyce not terrestriall, with so great a harmonie and\nincredible a fayning shrilnesse, and vnusuall proportion, as is possible\nto bee imagined by no tounge sufficiently to be commended. The sweetnes\nwhereof so greatly delighted me, as thereby I was rauished of my\nremembrance, and my vnderstanding so taken from me, as I let fall my\ndesired water thorough the loosned ioynts of my feeble hands.\n\nAnd then euen as a birde, which through the sweetnes of the call\nforgetteth to remember the Fowlers deceit, so I letting slip that which\nnature stood in need of, hastened my selfe back with all speed, towarde\nthat attractiue melodie, which the more I coasted, the further it seemed\nstill from me, sometime heere, sometimes there, and still as I shifted\nplaces, so the same also chaunged with a delectable voyce and heauenly\nconsent. Thus vainly running vp and downe, I knew not after what, I grew\nmore wearie, faint, and drye, and so feeble, that my legges could but\nwith great paine, vphould my distempered body. And my grieued spirits\nvnabled long to support the same, what with the feare that I had bin in,\nwhat with extreame thirst, what with long and wilesome trauell, and what\nwith doubting the worst that might insue. Thus hote, faint, and drye:\nI knew not what to do but euen to procure rest for my weary members.\nI marueled first at this straunge accedent, and was amazed at this\ninhumane harmonye, but most of all in that I was in a straunge contry,\nand vninhabited, being onelye fertill and beawtyfull to behould, besydes\nthat I greatly sorrowed for the losse of the fayer ryuer which I had so\ngreatly labored to finde out, and now so lightly and carelesly to haue\nlost the benefit thereof. In this sort I was houlden in an intrycate\nminde of doubts, at length ouercome withall kinde of greefes, my whole\nbodye trembling and languishinge vnder a broade and mightye Oke full of\nAcornes, standing in the middest of a spatious and large green meade,\nextending forth his thicke and leauie armes to make a coole shadowe,\nvnder whose bodye breathing I rested my selfe vppon the deawye hearbes,\nand lying vppon my left syde I drewe my breath in the freshe ayre more\nshortly betwixt my drye and wrinckled lips, then the weary running\nheart, pinched in the haunche and struck in the brest, not able any\nlonger to beare vp his weighty head, or sustaine his body vpon his\nbowing knees, but dying prostrates himselfe. And lying thus in such an\nagonie, I thought vpon the strifes of weake fortune, and the\ninchauntments of the malicious _Cyrces_, as if I had by hir charmes and\nquadranguled plaints, been bereaued of my sences. In these such so great\n& exceeding doubts: O _hi me_ where might I there among so many dyuerse\nand sundry sorts of hearbes, finde the _Mercurial Moli_[A] with his\nblacke roote, for my helpe and remedie. Againe me thought that it was\nnot so with me. What then? euen a hard appoyntment to delay my desired\ndeath. And thus remayning in these pernitious thoughts, my strength\ndebylitated: I looked for no other helpe, but to drawe and receiue fresh\nayre into that brest, which panted with a small remainder of vytall\nwarmnesse, taking into my hands halfe aliue, as my last refuge, the\nmoyst and bedewed leaues, preserued in the coole shadow of the greene\nOke: putting the same to my pale and drye lippes, with a greedy desire\nin licking of them to satisfie my distempred mouth with theyr moisture,\nwishing for such a wel as _Hypsipyle_[a] shewed the Grecians: Fearing\nleast that vnawares as I had russled in the wood I were bitten with the\nserpent _Dipsa_[b] my thirst was so vnsupportable. Then renuing my oulde\ncogitations: as _I_ lay vnder this mightie Oke: I was oppressed with\nemynent sleepe ouer all my members: where againe I dreamed in this\nsorte.\n\n    [Sidenote A: Moly an herb greatly commended of Homer, and thought to\n    be souereigne against inchauntments of moderne authors altogether\n    vnknowne.]\n\n    [Sidenote a: Hypsipile was daughter to Thaos king of Lemnos, who\n    alone when all women of that Iland had slaine their husbands &\n    kinsmen, saued hir father: she also shewed the Grecians the\n    fountaine Langia in the wood of Nemea in Achaia where Hercules slue\n    a lion.]\n\n    [Sidenote b: Dipsa a kind of snakes that Lucan mentioneth, whose\n    byting procureth extreame drynes or thirste.]\n\n\n\n\n_Poliphilus sheweth, that he thought he did sleep againe, and in his\n  dreame thas he was in a Vallie, inuironed with mountaines and hilles,\n  the end whereof was shut vp in a maruellous sort, with a mightie\n  pyramides worthie of admiration: vpon the top whereof was a high\n  obeliske, which with great pleasure hee beheld, and diligently\n  discribeth_.\n\n\nGotten foorth of this fearefull and thick wood, and forgetting the\nforementioned places by this sweete sleepe, occasioned by my wearie\nmembers nowe layde along: mee thought that I was in a new more\ndelectable place, far excelling the former, which consisted not of\nfertles mountaines and craggie winding rockes, contayning wide caues,\nbut being a delicate valley, in the which did rise a small mounting of\nno great height, sprinkled heare and there with young Okes, Ashes, Palme\ntrees broadleaued, _Aesculies_,[a] Holme, Chestnut, Sugerchist, Poplars,\nwilde Oliue, and Oppies disposed some hyer then other, according to the\nmounting or fall of the place, in the plaine whereof was an other kinde\nof thicket of medicinable simples like little young trees, as the\nflowering _Genista_[b] enuironed with diuers green hearbs, Tetrifolie,\nSheere grasse, hunnisuckle, the musked Angelica, Crowfoot Elapium and\nRugwoort, with other profitable and vnknowne hearbes and flowers heare\nand there diuerslie disposed. A little beyond in the same valley, I\nfounde a sandie or grauelly plaine, yet bespotted with greene tuffes, in\nwhich place grew a faire Palme tree with his leaues like the Culter of a\nplowe, and abounding with sweet and pleasant fruite, some set high, some\nlowe, some in a meane, some in the very top, an elect and chosen signe\nof victorie. Neither in this place was there any habitation or creature\nwhatsoeuer. Thus walking solitarily betwixt the trees, growing distantly\none from another, I perswaded my selfe, that to this no earthly\nsituation was comparable: in which thought I soddainely espied vpon my\nleft hand, an hungrie and carniuorous Woolfe, gaping vpon me with open\nmouthe.\n\n    [Sidenote a: Aesculus is a tree bearing both greater fruite and\n    broder leaues then the Oke.]\n\n    [Sidenote b: Gemista beareth a cod and yellowe flower, vines are\n    bound therewith. Elaphium is like to Angelica, but not in smell, the\n    hart thereon rubbeth his head when it is veluet.]\n\nAt the sight whereof immediatly, my hayre stood right vp, and I would\nhaue cryed out, but could not: and presently the Woolfe ranne away:\nwherevpon returning to my selfe, and casting my eyes towards the wooddie\nmountaines, which seemed to ioyne themselues together, beeing looked\nvnto a farre off, I sawe the forme of a tower of an incredible heygth,\nwith a spyre vnperfectlie appearing, all being of very auncient forme\nand workemanship.\n\nAnd drawing neare vnto this building, I beheld the gratious mountaines\nbefore a farre of seeming small, by comming neerer and neerer, by little\nand little, to lift vp themselues more and more, at the first seeming to\nmee that they had ioyned together with the building which was an\ninclosure or end of the valley betwixt mountaine and mountaine: which\nthing I thought worthy the noting, and without further delay I addressed\nmy selfe more neerer therevnto. And by how much the more I approximated\nthe same, by so much the more the excellencie of the woorke shewed it\nselfe, increasing my desire to behould the same. For there appeared no\nlonger a substance of vnknowne forme, but a rare Obelisk vpon a vast\nframe and stonie foundation, the heigth whereof without comparison did\nexceed the toppes of the sidelying mountaynes, although I thought that\nthey had beene the renowmed _Olympus_[a], the famous _Caucasus_[b], and\nnot inferior to _Cyllenus_[c].\n\n    [Sidenote a: Olimpus a hil in Greece between Macedonie and Thesalie,\n    so high, that of the Poets it is sometime taken for heauen.]\n\n    [Sidenote b: Caucasus a mightie hill in Asia which parteth India\n    from Scythia.]\n\n    [Sidenote c: Cillenus a hill of Arcadia, where Iupiter begat\n    Mercurie vpon Maia.]\n\nTo this sollitarie place thus desiredlye comming, with vnspeakeable\ndelight, at pleasure I behelde the straunge manner of the arte, the\nhugenesse of the frame, and the woonderfull excellencie of the\nwoorkmanship. Maruelling and considering the compasse and largenesse of\nthis broken and decayed obiect, made of the pure glistering marble of\n_Paros_[d]. The squared stones ioyned togither without anye cement, and\nthe pointed quadrangulate corner stones streightlye fitted and smoothlye\npullished, the edges whereof were of an exquisite vermellion coulour, as\nis possible to bee deuised: and so iust set, as betwixt the ioynts, euen\nthe enemie to the woorke (if euer there were anye) could not deuise to\nhide the point of the smallest spanish needle vsed of the best\nworkewomen. And there in this so noble a piece of worke, I found a\nproportioned substance to euery shape and likenesse that can be thought\nvpon and called to remembrance, partly decayed, and some still whole\nremaining, with pillers small vpon great, with their excellent heads of\nan exact and most perfect closing, crowned battelments, embost caruings,\nbearing forth like embroderie, arched beames, mightie mettaline images,\nouerthrowne and broken in sunder, the trunke of their exact and perfect\nmembers, appearing hollow of brasse. Skyffes, small boates and vessels\nof _Numidian_ stone and _Porphyr_, and diuers couloured marble. Great\nlauers condites, and other infinite fragments of notable woorkmanship,\nfar different and inferiour from that they were, in their perfection,\nbut now brought back as it were to their first vnshapelines, being\nfallen and cast downe, some heere, some there, vpon the earth from the\nwhich they were taken. Among the broken and decayed places, wherof great\nsundrie wall weeds and hearbes, especially the vnshaking Anagyre, the\nLentise of both kindes, beares foote, dogges head, Gladen greene,\nspotted Iuie, Centarie, and diuers suchlike. And in the myldered places\nof broken walles grew Howslike, and the hanging Cymbalaria bryers, and\npricking brambles, among the which crept Swifts and Lyzarts which I sawe\ncrawling among the ouergrowne stones, which at the first sight in this\nsilent and solitarie place, made me to be warily afraid of them. On\neuery side there lay fallen downe smoothe round pieces of serpent\nspotted Marble, purple and red diuerse couloured. Fragments of strange\nhistories, _Panglyphic_ and _Hemygliphic_[E] compendiously caracterized,\nshewing the excellencie thereof, vndoubtedly accusing our age, that the\nperfection of such an art is forgotten.\n\n    [Sidenote d: Paros is one of the 35. Isles called Cyclades and\n    Sporades, in the sea Aegeum which deuideth Europ from Asia.]\n\n    [Sidenote E: Panglyphic be wholy carued from the head to the foote\n    in all members. Hemigliphic apeare but halfe.]\n\nThen comming to the myddle fronture of the great and excellent woorke,\nI sawe one sole large and marueylous porche worthy of great estimation,\nproportioned according to the huge quantitie of the rest of the whole\nwork, which was placed betwixt and continued in building from the one\nand the other of the mountaines hare lipped, and aboue arched, whose\nspace betwixt as I doe coniecture was in measure sixe furlongs, and\ntwelue paces. The top of which mountaines were perpendicularly equall\neyther of them touching the azur'd skey. At the sight whereof I imagined\nwith my selfe and deuised to thinke with what yron instruments, with\nwhat labour of mens hands, and number of workmen, such a piece of woorke\ncould bee by great strength framed, with much paine layde together, and\na long time in finishing. There then this woonderfull frame willingly as\nit were ioyned hands and vnited it selfe with the one and the other\nmightie mountaines, by meanes whereof, the foresaid valley there had an\nend, that no man could go further forward or backe againe, but to enter\nin by this broade, large, and wide open porche.\n\nVpon this massie frame and mightie woorkmanship, which I take to be in\nheigth from the roofe or top to the foote, fiue parts of a furlong, was\nplaced a high and woonderfull Pyramides, after the fashion of a square\npoynted Diamond, and such incredible workemanship that could neuer be\ndeuised and erected, without inestimable charge, great helpe, and long\ntime. So that I thought the excellencie thereof vnthought vpon, to bee a\nmyrrour, the sight whereof was able to dasell any humaine eyes, and\nquaile the rest of the spirituall sences. VVhat shall I say more? for so\nfar as the reache of my capacitie will afoorde me leaue, in this sort I\nbriefely describe the same.\n\nEuery side or quarter of this foure squared frame, wherevpon the foote\nof the Pyramides did stand, did extend themselues in length six\nfurlongs[A], which in compasse about euery side [ae]quilatered of like\nbredth, dooth multiplie to 24 furlongs. Then lifting vp the lynes on\nhigh from the foure corners, so much as euerye corner is distant in\nlength from another, meeting in the top, so as the Perpendicular line\nmay fall iust vpon the center of the Dyagon, stretching from both\ncorners of the plynts or square foote, iust and conueniently ioyned\ntogether doe make a perfect pyramidall figure. VVhich immence and\nwoonderfull forme, with a maruelous and exquise Symmetrie and due\nproportion mounting vp laboursomly foote by foote, conteyned 1410.\ndegrees or steppes, taking away 10. degrees to make vp the head and\ngracilament of the Pyramides in whose place was set a huge Cube or foure\nsquare stone of forme like a dye, sound and firme of a monstrous\nthicknesse and incredible weight to bee carryed so high. And of the same\nstone of _Paros_ as were the steps: which cube and square stone was the\nBasis and foote set vnder the Obilisk, which I haue in hand to describe.\n\n    [Sidenote A: A furlong is 16. pole euery pole being 16 foote.]\n\nThis mightie big stone sharpe topt, sliding downe the extream part from\ncorner to corner, flat sided by the Diameter, was fower paces, at euery\nequall distant corner, whereof was the foote of a harpie of moulten\nmettall, their steales and clawes armed. Firmlye and stronglie set in\nwith led, in euery corner of the Cube, or foure square head of the\nPyramides, meeting together ouer the Diagonike line. Of proportioned\nthicknesse in heigth two paces. Which thus closing and mette together,\nmade the socket of the great Obelisk: which Socket was beautified with\nleaues, fruites and flowers, of shining cast mettall, and of conuenient\nbignesse. VVherevpon the weight of the Obelisk was borne. The breadth\nwhereof was two paces, and seauen in heigth, artificiously sharping of\nthe stone of _Thebais_ called _Pyrus_. Vpon the smooth plains whereof,\npure and bright shining as a looking glasse, were moste excellently cut\n_Aegiptian Hyerogliphs_.\n\nVpon the pointe of which Obelisk, with great arte and diligence, was\nfastned a copper base, in the which also there was a turning deuise\ninfixed: whervpon did stand the shape of a beautifull nimph framed of\nthe aforesayd matter, able to amaze the continuall diligent behoulder.\nOf such a proportion as the common stature might be considered and\nperfectly seene, notwithstanding the exceeding heigth thereof in the\nayre. Besides the greatnesse of the figure or image: it was a woonder to\nthinke how such a weight should bee carryed and set in such a place and\nso high. Couered with a habite blowne abroad with the winde, and shewing\nparte of the naked substance of the legges and thighes: with two wings\ngrowing out from the shoulder blades, and spred abroad as if shee were\nreadye to flye, turning hir fayre face and sweete regarding countenance\ntowardes hir wings. The tresses of hir haire flying abroade the vpper\npart or crowne naked and bare. In hir right hand she held from hir sight\na copie or horne stuft full of many good things, stopped vp, and the\nmouth downewarde, hir left hand fastned and harde holden to hir naked\nbrest. This Image and stature was with euery blast of wind turned, and\nmooued about with such a noyse and tinkling in the hollownes of the\nmetaline deuise: as if the mynte of the Queene of England had being\ngoing there. And when the foote of the phane or Image in turning about,\ndid rub and grinde vpon the copper base, fixed vpon the pointe of the\nObeliske, it gaue such a sound, as if the tower bell of Saint Iohns\nColledge in the famous Vniuersitie of Cambridge had beene rung: or that\nin the pompeous Batches of the mightie _Hadrian_: or that in the fift\nPyramides standing vpon foure. This Obeliske in my iudgement was such,\nas neyther that in the _Vaticane_ in _Alexandria_ or Babilon, may bee\nequally compared vnto it, but rather esteemed far inferiour. It\nconteined in it such a heape of woonders, as I could not without great\nastonishment looke vpon it. As also consider the hugenesse of the worke,\nthe excessiue sumptuousnesse, the straunge inuention, the rare\nperformance, and exquisite diligence of the woorkeman. With what art\ninuented? with what power, humaine force, and incredible meanes, enuying\n(if I may speake it) the workmanship of the heauens, such and so mightie\nweights should be transported and carryed into the skyes? with what\nCranes, winding beames, Trocles, round pullies, Capres bearing out\ndeuices, and Poliplasies, and drawing frames, and roped tryces, therein\nbeing vnskilfull, I slip it ouer with silence.\n\n_And heere on the other side followeth the figure._\n\n  [Illustration]\n\nLet vs returne then to the huge Pyramides, standing vpon a strong and\nsound plynth or foure square foote, fourteene paces in heigth, and in\nlength sixe furlongs, which was the foundation and bottom of the\nweightie pyramides, which I perswaded my selfe was not brought from any\nother place, but euen with plaine labour and workemanship hewen out of\nthe selfe same mountaines, and reduced to this figure and proportion in\nhis owne proper place.\n\nWhich great quadrant and square woorke, ioyned not fast to the\ncollaterate and sidelying rockes, but was betwixt spaced and seperated\non eyther sides tenne paces. Vpon the right hand as I went of the\naforesaid plynth or square sheame, there was most perfectly carued the\nvyperous head of the fearefull _Medusa_, in a most furious and rigorous\nforme to looke vpon, and as it were yelling out: with terrible eyes\ncauernate, and hollow skowling vnder ther ouerhanging browes with a\nwrympled and forrowed forehead and gaping wide open mouth, which being\nhollowed with a dyrect waye from the Catill, and vppon stone by a\nmediane lyne perpendicular to the center of the far shewing Pyramides,\nmade a large enterance and comming vnto it, at which opening mouth,\ncompassed with fowlded haires of vnrepartable curiousnes artificiall\ncunning and costly woorkmanshyppe the assending the turning stayers\nshewed them selues, and instead of tresses of haire platted with laces,\nI saw fearefull vypers and winding serpents growing out from the scalpe\nof the monstrous head confusedly twysting together and hissing, so\nliuely portrayed and set foorth, that they made me afrayde to behould\nthem. In their eyes were placed most shining stones, in such sort, as if\nI had not beene perswaded and knowne that they were stones indeed,\nI durst not haue drawne neere them.\n\nAnd the aforesayde entrie cut out of the firme stone, led to the scale\nand compassing passage in the center, with winding steps tending to the\nhighest parte of the stately Pyramides, and opening vpon the outside of\nthe catill or cube: vpon the which the shining obeliske was founded. And\namong the rest of such notable partes that I beheld, me thought that\nthis deuise was woorth the noting, because the artifitious and most\ncunning architect with an exquisite and perspicuous inuention, had made\nto the stayres certaine loopes or small windowes, imbracing the\nbountifull beames of the sunne correspondently on three parts, the\nlower, the middle, and supreame: The lower taking light from the higher,\nand the higher from the catabasse or lower with their opposite\nreflexions shewing a maruellous faire light, they were so fitly disposed\nby the calculate rule of the artificious Mathematrician, to the\nOrientall Meridionall and Occidentall partes of the ayre, that euery\nhoure of the day the sunne shined in, and gaue light to the whole scale,\nthe same loopes or windolets in diuerse places symmetrially and\ndefinitely dispersed and set.\n\nTo the aforesaid entrance thorow the open mouth of _Medusa_, I came by a\nlong gallorie to a salying scale or downe going staire opening at the\nfoot and pauement of the building vpon my right hand against one of the\ncollaterall and side-lying mountaines, betwixt which there was out of\nthe stone and open space cut out of tenne paces vp, into the which I\nascended boldely without resistance, and being come to the beginning of\nthe staire in the aforesaid mouth by innumerable steppes and degrees,\nnot without great wearines and disinesse of head, by often turning\nabout, I came to so incredible a height, that my eies would not suffer\nme to looke downe to the ground insomuch, that me thought that euery\nthing below vpon the plaine had lost his shape, and seemed vnperfect. In\nthe opening and comming out of this circulate and turning assence many\npillars of fused and molten mettall were aptly disposed and surely\nfixed: the inter-space betwixt euery one and other one foote, and in\nheight halfe a pase, railed and ioyned togither aboue with a battelled\ncoronet al along the said pillar, and of the same metall compassing\nabout the opening of the staire, lest that any comming foorth vnawares\nshould fall downe headlong, For the immesurable height thereof woulde\ncause a giddines in the head, and bring a staggering to the feete: vpon\nthe plaine of the obeliske there was infixed a table of brasse fastened\nand soldered in about the height of a man, with an ancient inscription\nin Latine, Greeke, and Arabike, by the which I plainely vnderstoode that\nthe same was dedicated to the Sunne, and the measure of the work wholy\nset downe and described, the name of the Architector noted on the\nobeliske in Greek letters.\n\n    +LICHA SOLIBIKOS LIOODOMOS O:RTHOSEN ME+\n      _Lichas Libiicus architectus me erexit_.\n      Lichas a Libian architector set me vp.\n\nLet vs returne and come backe to the consideration of the But and\ntessell or square, subiect and vphoulder of the Pyramides in the fronte\nand foreside whereof I beheld ingrauen a _Gigantomachie_ and combate\nbetwixt Giauntes, the onely enemie to vitall breath, surpassinglie well\ncut, with the quick motions and liuelie agilities of their large and\ntall bodyes, vnpossible to be rightlye described, the artificiall\nhandling thereof, as it were enuying the woorke of nature itselfe, as if\ntheyr eyes and feete had mooued together, and coasted from one part to\nan other, with an expedite passage and swift course. In such sorte\nseemed they vpon theyr strong and mightie horsses, some being cast\ndowne, other stumbling and falling: many wounded and hurt, yeelding vp\ntheir desired liues: some troden downe and mischieued vnder the feete of\nthe fierce and vnrestrained horsses. Other casting off their armour\nwrastling and togging one with another: some headlong with their heeles\nvpwarde, falling and not come to the ground from off their horsses.\nOther some lying vpon the earth, houlding vp their sheilds and Targets,\noffended with the one hand, and defended with the other. Many with their\nshimitaries and curtilaxes, some with long swordes two handed after the\nauncient Persian manner, others with diuers deadly and strange fashioned\nmortall weapons: some wearing habergions and helmets, with diuers\ndeuises vpon their crests: others naked and vnarmed, leaping and rushing\nin among the thickest, thereby shewing theyr haughtie, inuincible, and\nvndaunted courages, resolute for death. Some with fearefull countenances\ncrying out, other shewing obstinate and furious visages, although they\nwere assured to dye, strongly abiding the proofe of their paine, and the\ncutting in sunder of their fatall thread, others slaine before them,\nwith diuers vncothe and straunge warlike and deadly instruments. Shewing\ntheir strong members, their swelling muskels standing out, offering to\nthe sight and eyes of tbe behoulder, the dutie of theyr bones, and the\nhollownesse in the places, where theyr strong sinewes be strayned. Their\nconflict and combate seemed so fearefull, bloudie, deadly, cruell, and\nhorrible: as if _Mars_ himselfe had beene fighting with _Porphirion_ and\n_Alcion_ who made a noyse lyke the braying of Asses.\n\nThis catagliphic imagerie, did exceed a naturall and common\nstature and proportion of men, carued in priuie white marble, the ground\nthereof as black as iet, a perfect foile to beautifie and set forth with\npale Christaline and siluer crolley, of innumerable huge bodyes, their\nlast indeuours, their present actions, the fashion of their armor, the\ndiuersitie of their deaths, & vncertaine & doubtful victorie. The\ndischarge of my vndertaken discription whereof, prooueth maymed and\nlame, by reason that my vnderstanding is wearie, my memorie confused\nwith varietie, and my sight dimmed with continuall gasing, that my\nsenses will not aford me rightly, and as their dewe, fitly to manifest\npart, much lesse to describe at large the whole manner of their curious\n_Lythoglyphi_.\n\nAfter this I became to cast with my selfe, what should mooue and cause\nsuch a pride & burning desire in any man, to fetch from far, and gather\ntogether so mightie stones with so great trauell: With what carriage,\nwho were the conueyers and porters, with what manner of wheeles, and\nrowling deuises, and vpholding supporters, so great large and\ninnumerable a sort of stones should be brought thither, and of what\nmatter theyr cement that ioyned and held them together, was made the\nheygth of the Obelisk and statelinesse of the Pyramides, exceeding the\nimagined conceit of _Dimocrates_ proposed to _Alexander_ the great,\nabout a worke to be performed vpon the hill _Athos_. For the strangenes\nof the Egiptian building might giue place to this. The famous laborinths\nwere far inferior, _Lemnos_ is not to be rehearsed the Theaters of old\ntime were in comparison but warriners lodges, ney ther did the famous\n_Nausoley_ come any thing neere. Which certainly maketh me absolutely\nperswaded, that he which wrote the seauen woonders of the world, neuer\nheard of this: neyther in any age hath their been seene or imagined the\nlike, no not the sepulcher of _Ninus_.\n\nLastly I woondered what foundation and arches were able to vphold so\nmonstrous a weight, whether the pyllars were hexagons or tetragons, and\nwhat varietie of columnes, and what number might serue, and after what\nsorte proportionately disposed and set. For the better vnderstanding and\nmore perfect knowledge wherof, I conueyghed my selfe in at the open &\nspacious porche and enterance, within the which was an obscure and vast\nhollownes: which porche, together with the proud and stately buylding\n(things worthy of memorie) shall in some sorte be descrybed as\nfolloweth.\n\n\n\n\n_Poliphilus, after the discription of the huge Pyramides and Obeliske,\n  discourseth of maruelous woorkes in this Chapter, namely of a horsse\n  of Colos.              of an Oliphant, but especially of a most rare\n  and straunge Porche._\n\n\nRightlye and lawfullye may I haue leaue to write, that in the whole\nworld there was neuer such an other, so pompeous, glorious, and\nmagnificent a peece of worke, by mans eyes seene or crediblie reported.\nThe woonderfull excellencie and rare straungenesse whereof, as I beheld\nwhat with delight, and what with admiration, my sences were so\ncaptiuated and tyed therevnto, that no other solace or pleasure, did\neyther occurre or take place in my swift flying thought.\n\nBut that when I applyed my sences to consider, and addressed my eyes\nwith diligent obseruation, curiouslie to ouerlooke euerie perticular\npart of this sweete composed obiect, and most rare and goodly imagerie\nand virgin like bodyes, without cracke or flawe, with a long drawne\nbreath, and somewhat opening my mouth, I set a deepe sighe. In so much\nas my amorous and sounding breathing, by reason of the thicknesse of the\nayre in this solytarie and lone place, gaue an eccho, and did put me in\nminde of my Angelike and extreame desired _Polia_.\n\nO hi me that so small or anye intermission should cause that hir louely\nand celestiall Idea and shape was not still imprinted in my minde, and\ncontinued a dayly companion, in whose brest my life is resolued to\nabide, and rest as vnder the protection of a most sure and approoued\nshield and safe defence.\n\nAnd by this way I was brought to a place where were diuers and sundrie\nexcellent sorts of auncient deuises and woorkemanships: first of all,\nI beheld a most fayre porche, past all sence to describe (for the\nincredible curiousnes thereof, as euer was built or deuised) and the\nrather for that our mother toung and vulgar speeche, may not afford apt\nand peculiar words, for such a piece of artificall worke.\n\nBefore this gorgeous and glorious porche, you shall vnderstand that in\nthe open ayre there was a fowre square court of thirtie paces by his\nDiameter, paued with pure fine marble, poynted fowre square, wrought\ncheckerwise of diuers fashions, and sundrie best fitting coulours: but\nin many places, by meanes of the ruine of the auncient walke, and olde\npillers, broken in peeces and ouergrowne.\n\nAnd in the vtmost partes of the aforesaide court, to the right hand, and\nthe left, towards the mountaines, there was two straight rowes of\npillars, with a space betwixt for the interiect _Areostile_,[A] as the\nquantities of both columnes required, the first course or order of\nsetting the pyllars, beginning on both sides equall to the Lymbus or\nextreame part of the fronte of the porche, the space betwixt pyllars\nand pillars XV. paces. Of which collumnes or great pillars, some\nand the greatest parte or number were whole. With their capitels or\nheads, wrought with a waued shell worke, and cyllerie or draperie, their\ncorners bearing out and inanulated or turned in like a curled locke of\nhayre, or the vpper head of a base Viall aboue the pinnes, which straine\nthe stringes of the instrument to a musicall concord; with their subiect\nAstragals, writhing and hanging heere and there, making the capitall\nthrise so big as the bottom thereof of the columne, wherevpon was placed\nthe Epistile or streight beame, the greatest part decayed, and many\ncolumnes widowed and depriued of their Capitels, buryed in ruine both\nAstragals and shafts of the columnes and their bases or feete.\n\n    [Sidenote A: A columne consisteth of his Capitell that is the head.\n    Astragalus that is the subiect of the capitell next the columne.\n    Hypotrachelie the shaft of the columne. And Hypothesis, that is the\n    foote whereon the Columne standeth, exceeding the bignes of the\n    columne.]\n\nFast ioyning to which order or set rowes of pillars, there grew ould\nplaine trees, wylde Oliues, Pine apple, and pricking brambles. I\nconiectured that it was made for to ride horses in, to trot and gallop,\nthe ring, to manage, carrier, and coruet in, or els some open gallerie,\ncouered close ouer head, vnder propt with pillers, and of a large\nwidenesse to walke drie in, and to take a temperate ayre in, not too\nsubtile.\n\nAboue in this great Court paued as aforesayd, in the passage towardes\nthe Porche, some tenne paces, I beheld a prodigious winged vaughting\nhorse, of moulten brasse, of an exceeding bignesse, his wings fanning\nout. His hooues standing vpon a smooth plaine base or frame, fiue foote\nbrode, and nine feete in length, in heigth proportionable to the bredth\nand length: with his head at libertie and vnbrideled: hauing his two\nsmall eares, the one standing forward, and the other drawne back, with a\nlong waued maine, falling from his crest on the contrarye side: vpon\nwhose backe diuers young youthes assayed to ride, but not one was able\nto sit stedfast, by reason of his swiftnesse and high bounding, from\nwhom some were fallen downe, lying wide open to the ayre, some\ngroueling, other falling headlong, betwixt the horsse and the earth, the\nrest in vaine houlding by the hayre of his maine, some forceing to get\nvp vpon him, and others indeuoring to recouer themselues from vnder his\nfeete.\n\n  [Illustration]\n\nVpon the vpper part of the frame and base, there was infixed and fastned\nwith lead, a footing or thick crust, of the same mettall that the horse\nwas, and vpon the which he stoode, and those that were ouerthrowne did\nlye, somewhat shorter and narrower then the base or subiect frame, the\nwhole masse or composition cast of a peece and of the same mettall,\nmaruelouslie founded. Lastlye you could not perceiue that any were\ncontented with his rowghnes, as appeared by their framed countenances,\nshewing a discontent which they could not vtter being sencelesse images,\nnot differing otherwayes thorough the excellent conning of the\ncraftisman from liuing creatures, and by his surpassing imitation of\nnature.\n\n_Peryllus_ there might go put vp his pypes, and blush with his deuised\nBull, and _Hiram_ the Iewe must heere giue place, or what founders els\nsoeuer.\n\nThe _P[ae]gma_ base or subiect for this metaline machine to stand vpon,\nwas of one solyde peece of marble (of fit and conuenient breadth,\nheighth, and length, for that purpose accordinglye proportioned) full\nof streaming vaines, sondry coulered, and diuerslye spotted, maruelous\npleasant to the eye, in infinite commixtures, confusedly disposed.\n\nVpon the brest or formost part, and end of the marble base, that was\nopposite against the porch, there was a garland of greene marble, like\nthe leaues of bitter _Alisander_, commixt with dead leaues of\nMaydenweede, of a hayre coulour, within the which there was a smoothe\nround, pure, white stone, wherein was ingrauen these capitall Romaine\nletters.\n\n  [Illustration:\n  : D :\n  AMBIG\n  : D : D : EQVVS\n  INFOELI/CI/TATIS]\n\nAt the hinder end in like sort was a garland of deadly Woolfwoort,\nwith this inscription, _Equus inf[ae]licitatis_. And vpon the right side\nthere was ingrauen certaine figures, shapes, and representments of men\nand women dauncing together, byformed or faced, the formost smiling,\nthe hynmost weeping:[A] and dauncing in a ring, with theyr armes spred\nabrode, and hanfasted man, with man and woman with woman. One arme of\nthe man vnder that of the woman, and the other aboue, and thus closing\ntogether, and houlding by the hands, they floung about one after another,\nthat alwayes still in one place, a smyling countenance incountered a\nforegoing sad. Their number was seauen and seauen, so perfectly and\nsweetely counterfeited with liuelie motions, their vestures whisking\nvp and flying abroad, that the workman could not be accused of any\nimperfection, but that one had not a liuely voyce to expresse their\nmirth, and the other brinish teares to manifest their sorrow: the said\ndaunce was in fashion of two Semicircles, with a seperating partition\nput betwixt.\n\n    [Sidenote A: None liue in this world in that pleasure, but they haue\n    also their sorowes in time.]\n\n  [Illustration]\n\nVnder which Hemiall figure, there was inscript this worde TEMPVS. On the\ncontrary side I beheld many of greene adolescency of like proportion to\nthe former, and in suchlike compasse or space, the grounds of both\nbeautified and set foorth with an exquisite foliature or woorke of\nleaues and flowers, this companie was plucking and gathering of the\nflowers of sundrye hearbes, and tender bushing stalkes and braunches;\nand with them diuers faire Nimphes pleasantly deuising, and sportinglie\nsnatching away their gathered flowers,[A] and in such sort as abouesaid\nvnder the figure were ingrauen certaine capitall letters, to shew this\none word AMISSIO, conteyning the ninth part to the Diameter or the\nquadrature.\n\n    [Sidenote A: Gift vainely bestowed, in time wantonlie spent, is a\n    great losse, & breedeth repentance.]\n\n  [Illustration]\n\nAt the first sight hereof I was amased and astonished, but with better\nregard & great delight curiously reouerlooking the huge founded Machine\nthe shape and forme of a horse made by humane industry and skill most\ncommendable, for that euery member without defect had his perfect\nharmonie, and euery limme his desired proportion, I straight called to\nremembrance the vnfortunate horse of _Scian_.\n\nAnd thus helde still to beholde the same artificiall mysterie, an other\nspectacle and obiect no lesse worthy to be looked vpon than the former,\noffered it selfe to my sight, which was a mighty Elephant, whereunto\nwith a desirous intent I speedely hyed me to approch and come neere.\n\nIn which meane while on an other side I heard a mournefull noise and\nhumane groaning, as proceeding from a sicke body euen vnto death:\nwhereat I stoode still at the first, my haires standing right vp, but\npresently without further stay, I addressed my steppes towards the place\nfrom whence I heard this wofull noyse and dolefull lament, forcing my\nselfe vp vppon a heape of ruinated, broken and downe-fallen marbles.\nThus willingly going forward, I came to a vast and wonderfull large\nColose, the feete thereof bare, and their soles hollowe, and the legges\nas if their flesh had beene wasted, consumed and fallen away. From\nthence with horror I came to looke vpon the head, where _I_ did\nconiecture and imagine, that the ayre and winde getting in and comming\nfoorth of his wide open mouth, and the hollow pipes of his throat, by a\ndiuine inuention did cause this moderated noise and timed groanes: it\nlay with the face vpward all of molten mettal, like a man of middle age,\nand his head lifted vp as with a pillowe, with a resemblance of one that\nwere sicke, breathing out at his mouth, sighes and groanes gaping, his\nlength was three score paces. By the haires of his beard you might mount\nvp to his breast, and by the rent and torne peeces of the same to his\nstil lamenting mouth, which groningly remained wide open and empty, by\nthe which, prouoked by the spurre of curious desire, I went downe by\ndiuers degrees into his throat, from thence to his stomacke, and so\nfoorth by secret wayes, and by little and little to all the seuerall\npartes of his inward bowelles, Oh wonderfull conceit. And euery part of\nmans body hauing vpon it written his proper appellation in three ideomes\nChaldee, Greeke and Latine, that you might know the intrailes, sinews,\nbones, veines, muscles and the inclosed flesh, and what disease is bred\nthere: the cause thereof, the cure and remedy, Vnto which inglomerated\nand winding heape of bowelles, there was a conuenient comming vnto and\nentrance in: with small loope-holes and wickets in sundry places\ndiuersly disposed, yeelding thorough them a sufficient light to beholde\nthe seuerall partes of the artificiall anothomie, not wanting any member\nthat is found in a naturall body.\n\nWhen I came to the heart, did see and reade how Loue at his first\nentrance begetteth sorow, and in continuaunce sendeth out sighes, and\nwhere Loue doth most greeuously offend: wherewithall _I_ was mooued to\nrenew my passion, sending out from the botome of my heart deepe set and\ngroaning sighs inuocating and calling out vpon _Polia_, in such sort as\nthat the whole Colose and Machine of brasse did resound, striking me\ninto a horrible feare: an exquisite Arte beyond all capacity, for a man\nto frame his like not being an Anotomy indeede.\n\nOh the excellency of passed wittes, and perfect golden age when Vertue\ndid striue with Fortune, leauing onely behind him for an heritage to\nthis our world, blinde, ignorant, and grudging desire of worldly pelfe.\n\nVpon the other side I perceiued of like bignes to the former Colose, the\nvpper part of a womans head some deale bare, and the rest buried with\nthe decayed ruines, as I thought, of such like workmanship as the other,\nand being forbidden by incomposite and disordered heapes of decayed and\nfallen downe stones, to view the same I returned to another former\nobiect, which was (and not farre distant from the horse straight\nforward) a huge Elephant of more blacke stone than the Obsidium,\npowdered ouer with small spottes of golde and glimces of siluer, as\nthicke as dust glistering in the sonne. The extreame hardnes whereof the\nbetter did shew his cleere shining brightnes, so as euery proper obiect\ntherein did represent it selfe, excepte in that parte where the mettall\ndid beare a contrary colour. Vpon his large backe was set a saddle or\nfurniture of brasse, with two gyrthes going vnder his large belly,\nbetwixt the which two being streight buckled vp with buckles of the same\nstone, there was inter-set a quadrangle correspondent to the breadth of\nthe Obeliske placed vpon the saddle, and so iustly set, as no\nperpendicular line would fall on either side the diameter. Vpon three\nparts or sides of the foure square Obelisk, were ingrauen Egiptian\ncaracters. The beast so exactly and cunningly proportioned, as inuention\ncould deuise, and art performe. The aforesaid saddle and furniture set\nfoorth and beautified with studdes hanging iewels, stories, and deuises,\nand houlding vp as it were a mightie Obeliske of greene couloured stone\nof Lacedemonia, vpon the euen square, two paces broad, and seauen in\nheight, to the sharpe pointe thereof, waxing smaller and smaller, vpon\nwhich pointe there was fixte a Trigon or rounde Ball of a shinyng and\nglystering substance.\n\nThis huge beast stood streight vpon all foure, of an exquisite\nwoorkmanship vpon the plaine leuell, and vpper part of the base, hewen\nand cunningly fashioned, beeing of _Porphyr_ stone. With two large and\nlong teeth, of puer white stone, and cleare appact, and fastned. And to\nthe fore gyrth on eyther side was buckled a riche and gorgeous\npoiterell, beautified with diuers ornaments and varietie of Iewels, the\nsubiect whereof was of the same substance of the saddle: vppon the\nmiddest whereof was grauen in Latine _Cerebrum est in capite_. And in\nlike manner brought about the out sides of his neck to the foretop of\nhis large and big head, it was there fastned together with an\nartificiall knot: from the which a curious ornament and verie notable,\nof Gouldsmithes worke, hung downe, ouer spredding his spacious face: the\nsame ornament being twise so long as broade, bordered about, in the\ntable whereof I beheld certaine letters, _Ionic_ and _Arabic_, in this\nsorte.\n\n  [Illustration:\n  +PONOS / KAI / EUPHUIA+\n  [Arabic: ....] ]\n\nHis deuouring trunke rested not vpon the leuel of the base, but some\ndeale hanging downe, turned vppe againe towardes his face. His rigged\nlarge ears like a Fox-hounde flappingly pendent, whose vast stature was\nlittle lesse, then a verye naturall Olyphant. And in the about compasse,\nand long sides of the base, were ingrauen certaine _Hierogliphs_, or\nEgiptian caracters. Being decently and orderlye pullished, with a\nrequisite rebatement, _Lataster gule thore orbicle, Astragals_ or\n_Neptrules_, with a turned down _Syme_ at the foote of the base, and\nturned vp aloft with writhin trachils and denticles, agreeable and fit\nto the due proportion of so large a substance, in length 12. paces, in\nbreadth fiue, and in heigth three, the superficiall and outward part,\nwhereof was hewen in forme of a hemicycle.\n\nIn the hynder parte of which base and stone, wherevpon this mightie\nbeast did stande, I founde an assending place of seauen steps, to mount\nvp to the plaine superficies of the base wherevpon the _O_lyphant did\nstand. And in the reserued quadrangle perpendicularly streight vnder the\naforesaid brasen saddle, there was cut out and made a little doore and\nhollowed entrance, a woonderfull woorke in so hard a substance, with\ncertaine steppes of brasse, in manner of stayres, by the which a\nconuenient going vp into the body of the Olephant was offered me.\n\n  [Illustration]\n\nAt the sight whereof I extreamely desired to see the whole deuise & so\ngoing in, I assended vp to the heigth of the base wherevppon the\ncauernate, hollow, vast, large and predigious monster did stand, except\nthat same part of the Obelisk, which was conteyned within the voyde body\nof the beast, and so passing to the base. Leauing towards both sides of\nthe Olyphant so much space as might serue for any man to passe, eyther\ntowarde the head or hynder haunches.\n\nAnd within from the bending downe of the chine or backe of the beast,\nthere hunge by chaynes of copper an euerlasting lampe and incalcerate\nlight, thorough the which in this hinder parte I sawe an auncient\nsepulcher of the same stone, with the perfect shape of a man naked, of\nall natural parts. Hauing vpon his head a crowne of black stone as iet:\nhis teeth eyes and nayles siluered and standing vpon a sepulcher couered\nlike an arke, of scale woorke, and other exquisite lyneaments, poynting\nwith a goulden scepter, and holding forward his arme to giue direction\nto the former part.\n\nOn his left side he held a shield in fashion like to the keele of a\nship, or the bone of a horse head, wherevppon was inscript in Hebrew,\nAttic, and Latine letters, this sentence that is placed on the other\nside with the figure.\n\n  [Illustration:\n\n  #Im lo ki habehema kista et besari\n  ani hayiti erom chapes vetimtza hanicheni#\n\n  +GUMNOS E:N. EI ME: AN THE:RI-\n  ON EMEKALUPSEN. ZE:TEI. HEU-\n  RE:SE:DE. EASON ME.+\n\n  NVDVSESSEM, BES-\n  TIA NIME TEXIS-\n  SET, QVAERE, ET\n  INVE NIES. MESI-\n  NITO.]\n\nAt which vncoth and straunge sight I stood not a little amased and\nsomewhat doubtfull what to imagine, turning my eyes to the contrarie\npart, I sawe in like sorte an other, as before burning light, and\npassing thorough betwixt the side of the beast, and the therein inclosed\npart of the Obelisk, I came towards the forepart of the Olyphant, where\nin like manner I found such an other fashioned sepulcher as the former,\nwith a stature or image standing therevpon as the other, sauing that it\nwas a Queene, who lyfting vp hir right arme with hir formost finger,\npoynted towards that part behinde hir shoulders, and with the other shee\nhelde a little table fast in hir hand, in which was written in three\nlanguages this epygram.\n\n  [Illustration:\n\n  #Heye me shetihiye kach min ha'otzar ze ka'avat nafshecha\n  aval azhir otcha haser harosh ve'al tiga begufo#\n\n  +HOSTIS EI. ALBEEK TOU DE TOU\n  THE:SAUROU, OSNON ANA RESKOI.\n  PARAINO: DE HO:S LABE:IS TE:N\n  KEPHALE:N, ME: HAPTOU EO:MATOS.+\n\n  QVISQVIS ES,\n  QVANTVNCVN-\n  QUE LIBVERIT\n  HVIVS THESAVRI\n  SVME AD MONEO.\n  AVFER CAPVT,\n  CORPVS NE TAN-\n  GITO.]\n\nThis noueltie worthie to be manifested, and secret riddle often to be\nread ouer, was not knowen to me, so as I rested doubtfull what the\ninterpretation of this sophisme should signify, not daring to trie the\nconclusion. But stricken with feare in this dark vnlightsome place,\nnotwithstanding the dimme burning lampe, I was more desirous to beholde\nand peruse that triumphant porch and gate as more lawfull to remaine\nthere than other-where. Whereupon without more adoe, I determined to\nleaue this place vntill another time, that I might more quietly at\nlesure looke vpon the same, and to prepare my selfe to beholde the\nwoonderfull worke of the gate: and thus descending downe I issued foorth\nof the vnbowelled monster, an inuention past imagination, and an\nexcessiue labour and bolde attempt to euacuate such a hard substance\nouer that other stones be, the workemanship within as curious as that\nwithout. Lastly, returned cleane downe, I beheld in the Porphire laste\nalong the sides notably insculpt and grauen these hierogliphies.\n\nFirst, the horned scalpe of an oxe, with two tooles of husbandry fastned\nto the hornes.\n\nAn altar standing vpon goates feete, with a burning fire aloft, on the\nforeside whereof there was also an eie, and a vulture.\n\nAfter that a bason and an ewre.\n\nA spindle ful of twind, an old vessel fashioned with the mouth stopped\nand tied fast.\n\nA sole and an eye in the bale thereof and two branches trauersed one of\nOliue, an other of Palme tree.\n\nAn Anchor and a Goose.\n\nAn olde lampe, and a hand holding of it.\n\nAn ore of ancient forme with a fruitefull Oliue branch fastned to the\nhandle.\n\nTwo grapling yrons or hookes.\n\nA Dolphin and an Arke close shut.\n\nThese hierogliphies were passing well cut on this manner.\n\n  [Illustration]\n\nWhich ancient maner of writing, as I take it, is thus to be vnderstoode.\n\n_Ex labore Deo natur[ae] sacrifica liberaliter paulatim reduces\nanimum Deo subiectum. Firmam custodiam vit[ae] tu[ae], misericorditer\ngubernando tenebit, incolumemque seruabit._\n\nLetting passe this most excellent rare, strange, and secret deuise and\nworke: _L_et vs returne againe to the prodigious horse, whose head was\nleane and little, of a small proportion and yet fitting the body, which\nseemed continually staring, fieerce and impatient, the flesh in his\nmuscles trembling and quaking, in such sort as that hee seemed rather\naliue than a fained imitation, with this Greeke worde in his face\n+GENEA+. There were also other great peeces and fragments of diuers and\nsundry lineaments among the broken and decayed ruines, which I looked\nnot on, still running and sliding, time giuing me onely leaue to\nconsider and peruse these foure rare wonders, the porch or gate, the\nhorse, the Colose, and the Elephant.\n\nOh reuerend arthists of times past, what despite hath gotten the vpper\nhand of your cunning that the same is buried with you, and none left for\nvs to inherite in this age,\n\nAt length being come to this ancient porch, a worke woorthie the looking\nvpon maruellously composed by exquisite rules, and by art notably\nbeautified, with diuers and sundry sorts of cuttings, which did inflame\na desire in me to vnderstand and finde out the lineaments and practise\nof the architect. I beganne after this maner, making a square from the\ntwo collumnes on either side in a perfect sort, in the which I tooke the\ndue proportion of the whole porch.\n\nA tetragon figure A. B. C. D. diuided by three lines straight, and three\nouerthwart equally distant one from an other will make sixeteene\nquadrats, then adde to the figure halfe as much more in like proportion,\ndiuiding the adiunct you shall finde foure and twenty squares. This\nfigure shall serue of credycels to make the inlepturgie and briefe\ndemonstration that followeth.\n\nDraw then in the first fygure A. B. C. D. two diagons, make also in the\nsame two lines, and straight downe, and the other ouerthwart, which make\nfoure quadrats mutually intersect,\n\nThen in the voide ouer the Isopleures make foure mediane prickes,\ndrawing lines from one to another, and they wil make the Rhombas.\n\nWhen I had drawne this figure after this manner I straightway mused with\nmy selfe, what reason should mooue many of our woorkemen in these dayes\neyther to thinke well of themselues, or take the art of building in\nhand, not knowing what it is? Making such grosse faults in churches and\ngreat mens houses, defaming arte, and so ignorant, that they seeme as\nthough they could not consider what nature hir selfe dooth teach vs in\nbehoulding of hir woorkes.\n\nAnd what parte soeuer is not agreeable with his principle, is foule and\nnaught. For take away order and rule, and what thing can any man make,\neyther beautifull to the eye, or of commendable proportion and durable:\nthen it must needes follow, that the cause of such inconuenient errors\ndoth proceed from ignorance, and hath his beginning from illiterature.\nAnd this notwithstanding, that although the perfection of this arte\ndooth not varie, & fall from his rectitude, yet the discreet and cunning\narchitect to grace the obiect, to the behoulders: may lawfullye eyther\nwith adiection or deminution, beautifie his worke, keeping whole the\nsollid part, with his vniuersall composition.\n\nI call that solid which is the bodye of the frame, which is the\nprincipall intent, inuention, fore setting downe, and symmetrie, or dew\nproportion of the building without any additions, rightlye examined, and\nperfectly composed, which will manifest the skill of the workeman, and\nthe same afterwardes to adorne and beautifie, which adiuncts is an easie\nmatter. Wherein is also to be considered, the dew ordering and placing\nof euery thing, and not to set a crowne vpon the feete, but vpon the\nhead, and so oualing and denticulating, and other cuttings of sundrye\nsorts in their seuerall and best fitting places, the chiefe inuention\nand disposing whereof, resteth in the rare and cunning architect, but\nthe labour and woorking therof to the vulgar and common sort of\nmannalistsand seruants to the architect, who if he will do well, he must\nin no wise be subiect to auarice.\n\nAnd besides his skil he must be honest, no pratler full of words, but\ncourteous, gentle, bening, tractable, patient, mery & pleasant, full of\nnew deuises, a curious searcher into all artes, and well aduised in his\nproceeding, least with rashnes he comit a fault or absurditie in his\nworke, and heereof thus much shall suffice.\n\n\n\n\n_After that _Poliphylus_ had at large made a demonstration of the dew\n  proportion of the Gate, hee proceedeth to describe the ornaments\n  thereof, and their excellencie._\n\n\nI hauing beene somewhat prolix and tedious in my former purpose, it may\nbe that it hath bred some offence, to such as dayly indeuour to occupie\ntheyr sences in the pleasaunt discourses of loue. But it wyll also\nprooue no whit displeasant, if with a lyttle patience, they restraine to\nglutte themselues with the walowish sweetnes of deceyueable delightes,\nand trye the taste of a contrarye vyand.\n\nAnd for as much as the affections of men are naturally variable and\ndifferent one from an other: vpon this occasion I may bee excused. For\nalthough that bread sometime denyed and kept backe from the hungrie\nbody, may cause a hard conceit, yet when it is eftsoones offered vnto\nhim, the mallice is forgotten, and the gift very gratefully receyued.\n\nNowe hauing in some sorte spoken of the right vse of architecturie, and\nthe direct waye and meanes by order and rule, to finde out, the set\ndowne deuise, and solyde bodye or grounde of the woorke, with facilitie\nthat beeing found out, the architector may vse sundrye deuisions in\ndiuerse perfections, not vnlike vnto a cunning Musition, who hauing\ndeuised his plaine grounde in right measure, with full strokes,\nafterwarde wyll proportion the same into deuisions, by cromatycall and\ndelyghtfull minims crotchets, and quauers, curiously reporting vpon his\nplaine song. Euen so after inuention, the principall and speciall rule,\nfor an Architector is a quadrature, the same deuided into smales the\nharmonie and sweete consent of the building, setteth foorth it selfe,\nand the conuenient adiunctes, agreeable to theyr principall.\n\nIn all which this porche was most excellent, both for the rare inuention\nand woonderfull composition thereof, and the strange additions to\nbeautifie the same, in such sorte so exquysite, so fitly placed, and so\ncuriouslie cut and ingrauen, as the smallest part thereof could not bee\naccused of anye fault, but the woorkman commended for the perfection of\nhis skill.\n\nFirst vpon my right hande belowe, I beheld a stilypode or square stone,\nlike an aulter vnder the bases of the columnes, which hauing vpon the\nvpper parte a conuenient and meet coronice, and accordingly imbowed, the\nbottome and lowest part in like manner was fashioned, so as the quadrate\nand aforesayd stilypode, was no broder then long, but a right\nquadrangule. Which aulter (as I may tearme it) sidelong about, wrought\nwith leaues, hollowed vnder with a gulaterie, and wrapt ouer wirh the\nsame foliature and leafe worke, hemming in the smooth face or table of\nthe Stilypode of shining white alliblaster, polished and plaine, the\noutward part of the quadrangule, equilaterally compassing about the\nsame, wherevpon with a woonderfull curiousnes was ingrauen a man neere\nhis myddle-age, of a churlish and swarffie countenance, with an vnshaply\nbeard, thick, and turning into his chyn, by the towghnesse of the hard\nskinne, and vneasie growing out of the hayre.\n\nHe sat vpon a stone with an aporne of a Goates skinne, the hinder parts\ncompassing his waste, and tyed behynde with a knotte, and the neck part,\nwith the hayrie side next him, hung downe betwixt his legges. Before him\nin the interstice of these grose and tumorus calfes, there was an anuill\nfastned vpon a knottie peece of a tree, wherevpon he was fashoning of a\nbrigandine or habergion of burning mettall, houlding vp his Hammer, and\nas it were striking vpon his worke.\n\nAnd there before him was a most noble woman, hauing two fethered wings\nset vpon hir delicate and tender shoulders, houlding hir sonne an\ninfante naked, which sate with his little hyppes vpon the large and\ngoodly proportioned thighes of the faire goddesse his mother, and\nplaying with hir, as she held him vp, and putting his feete vpon a\nstone, as it had beene a little hill, with a fornace in a hollow hole,\nwherin was an extreame whote burning fire.\n\nThis Ladye had hir fayre tresses curiouslie dressed vpon hyr broad and\nhighe forhead, and in like sorte compassing about with abundance, hir\nhead in so rare and delicate a sort, that I marueyled why the\nBlacksmithes that were there busie at theyr worke, left not off to looke\nstill vpon so beautifull an obiect. There was also fast by, of like\nexcellent woorkemanship, a knight of fierce countenance,[A] hauing vpon\nhym an armour of brasse, with the head of _Medusa_ vpon the curate or\nbrest plate, and all the rest exquisitely wrought and beautified, with a\nbandilier ouerthwart his broad and strong brest, houlding with hys\nbrawny arme a halfe Pike, and raysing vp the poynte thereof, and bearing\nvpon his head a high crested helmet, the other arme shadowed and not\nseene by reason of the former figure: There was also a young man in\nsilke clothing, behynde the Smith, whome I could not perceiue but from\nthe brest vpwarde, ouer the declyning head of the forenamed Smith. Thys\nrehearsed hystorie, for the better and sweeter pleasing to the eye, the\nworkeman had graced in this sort. The playne grounde that was hollowe\nand smoothe in euery cutting out of a limme or body, vpon the table of\nthe stylipode, was like vnto red coroll and shyning, which made such a\nreflection vpon the naked bodyes, and theyr members betwixt them, and\ncompassing them about, that they seemed lyke a Carnation Rose couler.\n\n    [Sidenote A: Mars.]\n\nVpon the left side of the doore in the like aulter or stylipode vpon the\ntable thereof, there was ingrauen a yoong man of seemly countenance,[A]\nwherein appeared great celerity: he sate vpon a square seate adorned\nwith an ancient manner of caruing, hauing vpon his legge a paire of half\nbuskens, open from the calfe of the legge to the ancle, from whence grew\nout on either ancle a wing, and to whome the aforesaide goddes with a\nheauenlye shape, her brests touching together and growne out round and\nfirme without shaking, with her large flankes conformable to the rest of\nhir proportion before mentioned with a sweet countenance offered yoong\nand tender sonne ready to be taught: the yong man bowing himselfe\ncurteously downe to the childe, who stoode before him vppon his pretty\nlittle feete, receiuing from his tutor three arrowes, which in such sort\nwere deliuered as one might easelye coniecture and gather after what\nmanner they were to be vsed: the goddesse his mother holding the empty\nquiuer and bowe vnbent, and at the feete of this instructor lay his\nvypered caduce.\n\n    [Sidenote A: Mercurie.]\n\nThere also I saw a squier or armour-bearer and a woman with a helmet\nvpon her head carying a troph[ae] or signe of victorie vpon a speare\nafter this manner.[A] An ancient coate-armor hung vp, and vpon the top\nthereof or creast, a spheare vpon two wings, and betwixt both wings this\nnote or saying, _Nihil firmum_, Nothing permanent: she was apparelled in\na thin garment carried abroad with the wind, and her breasts bare.\n\n    [Sidenote A: Amor mi troua di tutto disarmato.]\n\nThe two straight pillars of Porphyre of seuen diameters vpon either of\nthe aforenamed stilipodes and square aultars did stretch vpward of a\npumish or tawnie colour, the out sides shining cleere and smoothly\npollished, chamfered, and chanelled with foure and twenty rebaternents\nor channels in euery collumne betwixt the nextruls or cordels.\n\nOf these the third part was round, and the reason of their cutting in\nsuch sort (that is two parts chamfered, & the third round) as I thought\nwas this: the frame or temple was dedicated to both sexes, that is, to a\ngod and a goddesse, or to the mother and the son, or to the husband and\nthe wife, or the father and the daughter, and such like. And therefore\nthe expert and cunning workemen in elder time for the feminine sex, did\nvse more chamfering and channelling and double varietie then for the\nmasculine, because of their slippery and vnconstant nature.\n\nThe cause of so much rebating was to shew that this was the temple of a\ngoddesse, for chamfering dooth set foorth the plytes of feminine\napparell, vpon the which they placed a chapter with prependent folding,\nlike vnto plyted and curled haire, and feminine dressing, and sometimes\nin stead of a chapter a woman's head with crisped haire.\n\nThese notable and faire collumnes aforesaide did rise vp in length vpon\ntheir vnderset bases of brasse with their _Thores_ and _Cymbies_[A]\nwrought with a foliature of oke leaues and acornes winding about their\nchapters standing vpon their subiect _Plynths_.\n\n    [Sidenote A: Thores and Cymbies be the outward parts of a chapter or\n    head of a pillar sticking out further than the pillar wrything and\n    turning in, wrought with leaues, the worke is called of caruers &\n    painters draperie and celerie.]\n\nThe Chapters of the same substance of their bases, with requisite meete\nand conuenient proportion aunswerable to the harmonie of the whole\nworke. Such as _Callimachus_ the chiefe caruer to _Calathus_ the sonne\nof _Iupiter_ did neuer performe or come neere in the erected sepulcher\nof the _Corinthian_ Virgin, beautified with draperie of double\n_Achanthis_.\n\nThe Plynthes whereon the chapters did stand wrought with winding and\nturning workes, and in the middest, decorated with a Lillie, the bowle\ngarnished with two rowes of viii. leaues of Achanthus, after the Romaine\nand Corinthian maner, out of which leaues came little small stalkes,\nclosing together in the middest of the boule, shewing foorth a fayre and\nsweet composed Lyllie in the hollowing of the Abac or Plynth, from the\nwhich the tender stalkes did turne round together, vnder the compasse of\nthe square Abac, much after the woorke that _Agrippa_ caused to bee\nmade, in the porche of his woonderfull Pantheon.\n\nLet vs come now to the lymet and lowest parte of the doore, for\nentrance, which was of a great large and harde stone, powdered with\nsundry sorted spottes, white, black, and of a clay couler, and diuers\nother mixtures: vppon this stood the streight cheekes and sides of the\ndoore, with an interstitious aspect, inwardly carued with as great\ncunning as the rest. Without any signe of eyther hookes or hinges, below\nor aboue.\n\nThe arche of which doore compassing like a halfe cyrcle, was wrought\ncuriouslye and imbowed, and as it were bounde about with laces like\nbeads of brasse, some round, and some like Eglantine berries of a\nreddish couler, hanging downe after an auncient manner, and foulded and\nturned in among the tender stalkes.\n\nThe closing together and bracing of which hemicycle or arch, worthie of\nadmiration, of a rare and subtile deuise, and exquisite polyture, did\nthus obiect and present it selfe to my sight.\n\nThere I beheld in a hard and most black stone, an eagle displayed, and\nbearing out of the bignesse of a naturall eagle, which had louingly\nseazed and taken in hir foote a sweete babe in the swadling cloutes,[A]\nnicely, carefully, and gently houlding the same, least that hir strong,\nsharpe, and hooking pounces, should by anye meanes pierce thorough the\ntender skynne of the young infant.\n\n    [Sidenote A: The Eagle of Iupiter that carryed Ganimed.]\n\nHir feete were fixed about the rising vp chist of the childe, whome she\nhad made bare from the nauell vpwarde and downeward so as the naked\nhippes might be seene betwixt the fethered thighes of the Eagle. This\nlittle infant and most beautifull babe (worthie and meete for him that\nhe was seazed for) by his countenance shewed as if he had beene afraide\nof his fortune.\n\nAnd thus lying in the foote of the Eagle, he stretched both his armes\nabroade, and with his little fat hands tooke fast hould vpon the\nremigiall bones[A] of the Eagles pinions displayed, as aforesaid. And\nclasping his swelling prittie legges and feete, about hir suruaighing\nspreding traine, which laye behinde the rising vppe of the arche.\n\n    [Sidenote A: The bones next the qack in the wing, whiche in a hawke\n    excelleth all proportions of other birds.]\n\nThis little childe was cut of the white vayne of Achates[A] or Onix, and\nthe Eagle of the other vaine of the same stone called sardius which is\nof black couler of some called Cordeoll, ioyning both in one selfe same\nstone. Whereat I stood musing and commending to my selfe the ingenious\nand apt inuention of the Arthist, in the vse of such a stone, which of\nhis owne nature to contrarie proportions affoorded contrarie coulers,\nand in such sort as by the raysing vp of hir small plummage aboue hir\nseare, hir beack halfe open, and hir toung appearing in the middest\nthereof, as if she had beene resolutely intended, and eagerly bent to\nhaue gorged hir selfe vpon it.\n\n    [Sidenote A: Achates is a pretious stone wherein are represented\n    the figures of the nine Muses, of Venus and such like beautiful\n    personages.]\n\nThe hemicicle or arche rising rownd from the vpper part of the streight\ncheeke of the entrance, according to the thicknes thereof was disposed\ninto losenges or squares, wherein were carued Roses, theyr leaues and\nbranches hanging in a curious and delightfull order to behoulde, ouer\nthe entry of the Gate.\n\nIn the two Triangles occasioned by the bow of the arche there were two\nfayre Nymphes of excellent proportions and shapes, theyr clothes which\ncouered theyr Virgins bodyes, giuing place for theyr legges, brests, and\narmes to be bare, theyr hayre loose and flying abroad, and towardes the\nbrace, and knitting together of the arche aboue, they held a victorious\ntroph[ae].\n\nThe ground of which tryangle was of black stone, the better to shew\nthe perfection and truthe of the mettals in the troph[ae]s, and the\nbeautifull bodyes of the delycate virgins.\n\nAboue these mentioned partes, was the Zophor,[A] in the myddest whereof,\nI beheld a table of goulde, wherein was this Epigram in Cappitall Greeke\nLetters of Syluer. In thys sorte reporting.\n\n    +THEOIS APHRODITIKAI TO: O: EROTI DIONISOS YKAI\n        DE: ME:TRA EK TO:N IDIO:N MYTRI\n            SUMPATHESTATE:+\n\n    _Diis veneri filio amori, Bacchus, & Ceres de propriis,\n        S. substantiis matri pientissim[ae]._\n\n    [Sidenote A: Zophor is a border wherin diuers things are grauen.]\n\nEyther sides of which table was reteind and held vp with two babes or\nwynged spyrits of perfect and liuelye shapes, as if they had beene\ncelestiall bodyes, vppon a ground of Iasul or blew Saphyrs to grace the\nmettals and imagerie.\n\nVpon the face of the Zophor extending and stretching along ouer the\ncolumnes of porphir stone were ingrauen certain spoiles or curates,\ngorgets of mayle, vaumbraces, gauntlets, shields, Targets, head-peeces,\nmaces, battell Axes, spurres, quiuers, arrowes, dartes, broken launces,\ncurtilaxes, and other auncient instruments of warre. As well ayerie and\nmarine, as for the field singularly well cut, and manifesting to the\nbehoulder both victories, force, and triumphes, after a mortall effusion\nof bloud.\n\nVpon this in order stood the coronice, wrought with such lyneaments as\ndecently concurred, and were aunswerable to the excellencie of the rest\nof the worke: for other wise, as in a mans body one qualitie being\ncontrarie to another, sicknesse dooth follow, the humors oppressing one\nan other in abundance: so in building if the adiuncts be vnaptly\ndisposed, and vndecently distributed there will fall out a fowle\ndeformitie.\n\nFor a frame and building growes weake and vnseemely wherin cannot be\nfound a sweete harmonie and commodulate order and concent.\n\nWhich thing many moderne ideots doe confound, being ignorant in Locall\ndistribution. For a cunning crafts master will in his worke shewe an\nallusion or resemblance to a humaine shape and proportion beautifully\nadorned in apparrell.\n\nAboue ouer the coronice, by an inuers gradation there were fowre\nQuadratures or square Tables, two right ouer the chamfered columnes, and\nchannelled pyllars, and two within them. In an other deuision, betwixt\nthe said two contrast and inwarde tables, there stood a Nimph in hir\nAnagliph[A] most rare and excellent of Orichalke or yealow Latin,\nhoulding in eyther hand a Torche, one of them reuersed and turned\ndowneward, beieng extinct and put out, and the other burning towardes\nthe Sunne. The burning Torche in hyr righte hande, and the extincte in\nhyr left.\n\n    [Sidenote A: Anagliph smothly chased out with the hammer and not\n    carued.]\n\nIn the quadriture vppon the right side, I behelde the iealous\n_Climene_,[A] with her haire trans-formed into an hearbe called _Venus_\nmaid, or Lady hearbe, & _Phoebus_ in a cruell indignation & wrathfull\ndispleasure, she following of him weeping, from whom he fled hastening\non forward hys swift horses, as one that flyeth from hys mortall and\ndeadly enemie.\n\n    [Sidenote A: Clymene the mother of Phaeton.]\n\nVppon the Table ouer the Columnes on the left side in a curious and rare\nvnusuall caruing, there was the resemblance historyed of the\nvncomfortable and still mourning _Cyparissus_ holding vp hys handes and\narmes toward the Sunne, and making his mone to _Apollo_ for the wounded\n_Cerua_.\n\nIn the third Table nexte the last mencioned, in a worke answerable to\nthe presedent and former, I behelde _Leucothoe_, wickedly slayne of hyr\nown Father, chaunging and transforming her fayre yong and tender flesh\ninto smooth barke, shaking leaues and bending wandes.\n\nIn the fourth Table, was represented the discontented & displeasant\n_Daphne_, at the burning desires of the curled headed _Delius_, rendring\nvp by little and little her virgins body vndefiled, towards the hote\nheauens, beeing metamorphised most pyttifully into a greene Laurell.\n\nNowe successiuely in order ouer the afore-mencioned Tables and\nquadratures in the _Zophor_, wherein these Histories were represented in\nshapes, there was extended and laide ouer a Coronice denticuled & oualld\nwith interset stralets, betwixt the iates of the Oualls, and leafeworke\nand the Imbrices with the rest that appertayneth to the setting forth of\nthe same (past my skill to report) without any fault or defect: and\nlastly, the syme was adorned heere and there with the leaues of\n_Achanthis_.\n\nAnd to return to the view of the whole frame, in the disposing thereof\nas aforesaide,[A] the Coronices by a perpendycular lyne were\ncorrospondentand agreeing with the faling out of the whol worke, the\nStilliced or Perimeter, or vtterpart of the vppermost Coronice onely\nexcept.\n\n    [Sidenote A: A petiment in corrupt English.]\n\nIt followeth to shew and speake of the _T_able or inward part of the\n_T_rigonall: within the which, according as the extreames of the same\ntriangle would permit, there was presented to my view, a Crowne or\nGarland of diuers leaues, fruites, and stalkes, foulded vppe and wrapte\ntogether of a greene stone knitte in foure partes, the byndings of the\nselfe same stalkes, holden by two Mermaydes, the vpper parts of them of\na humayne shape, and that vnder the nauell like a Fyshe, their one hande\nvp, and the other belowe on the Garlande, their scalye tayles extending\nto the nethermost corners of the Triangle, vppon the top of the Coronice\nhauing at theyr extreeme partes theyr fishy winges or finnes. Theyr\nfaces like vyrgines, theyr tresses of haire, partly curling vppe vppon\ntheir forheades, some turned about their heads and rowled vp, some\ndepending downe vppon theyr temples, and crisping and inanulating by\ntheir eares. From betwixt their shoulders grewe their winges like\nHarpies, stretching downe and extending to the foulding and turnings of\ntheyr tayles, vpon their monstrous flankes grew out their fynnes to\nswimme withall, their beginning, their fishie and scalye substance, and\nfrom thenceso continuing theyr nether parts downewarde.\n\nWithin the saide Garland I beheld a rough Milche Gote,[A] which a little\nchild did suck, sitting vnder hir side vpon his fleshie young legges one\nstreight foorth, and the other retract and bowed vnder him. With his\nlittle armes houlding himselfe by the hearie and rough locks, his\ncountenance and eyes vpon the byg and full vdder thus sucking. And a\ncertaine Nimphe, as it were speaking woords, and giuing voyces of\ncontentment, to the Goat and bowing downe hir selfe with the left hand,\nheld vp one of the feete, and with the right hand putting the pappe to\nthe smacking kissings of the sucking infant, and vnder hir were these\nletters _Amalthea_.[B]\n\n    [Sidenote A: Iupiter.]\n\n    [Sidenote B: Iupiters nursse.]\n\nAnother Nimphe stood against the head of the Goate, with one arme\ncarefully compassing the neck, and with the other shee held hir by the\nhorne.\n\nIn the middest stood the third Nimphe with greene bowgh leaues in one\nhand, and in the other an oulde fashioned drinking bowle, more long then\nbroad, like a boate by a little handle. Vnder hir feete was written,\n_Melissa_.[A]\n\n    [Sidenote A: The daughter of Melissus and Iupiters nursse.]\n\nBetwixt one and other of the three fore specified Nymphes, there were\ntwo other hauing Cymbals in theyr handes, as it were playing and\ndauncing, euery one apparrelled according to the perfection of theyr\nbeauties, with an artificiall performance of workmanship in the\nvndertaken proportions, that they rather seemed the substances\nthemselues then a Lythoglyph an Imagerie, either by _Policletus_,\n_Phidias_ or _Lysippus_, neyther did y^e _Anaglipts_[A] to _Artemisia_\nthe Queene of _Caria_, _Scaphes_, _Briaxes_, _Timotheus_, _Leocaris_ and\n_Theon_, come any thing neare for the workemanship heereof seemed to\nexcell the cunning of any humaine Lapicidarie, caruer grauer, or cutter\nwhatsoeuer.\n\n    [Sidenote A: Anaglipts are cunning carues and grauers.]\n\nAboue this foresayde Triangle, and vnder the vpper coronice in a\nsmooth plaine were these two Attic wordes in capitall Letters, +DIOS\nAIGIOCHION+.\n\nThis conspitious porche and gate, most woorthye to be behelde, thus\nstoode of a maruelous composition, excellently disposed. If I had not\nexplaned the commodulation and harmonie heereof particularly, I might\nhaue beene blamed for my prolixitie and tediousnesse, and for wanting of\nfit words, in the discription. And thus for this time heereof so much.\n\n  [Illustration:\n  {Archway with words}\n  +DIOS AIGIOCHION+]\n\nIt must needes follow, that all the rest of the aforesaide court on\neuery side was beautifull to behold, and of stately workemanship by that\nwhich still remained standing: as in the inward parte the naues and\ncolumnes carrieng and bearing vp an immesurable and monstrous weight,\nand Corinthies of a lesser sort, a diuine and vnknowen work abounding in\nvariety of perfections as proportion required and needfullnes did desire\nto beare vp the burthen that was laide vppon them. Their ornature and\ndecking with woorkes, and deuises imitating the apparreling of princely\nbodies indewed as it were with an artificiall reason. For as to a large\nbig and corpulent body strong legges, and broad feete, are necessarie to\nbeare and carry the same: so in a modulate and well composed building,\nto sustaine great weights, Naues are appointed, and for beautie,\ncolumnes, Corinthies, and slender Ionices, are set vpon them. And this\nwhole woorke euen after such sorte as was requisite for the harmonie\nthereof, euen so it stood in an approoued excellencie.\n\nWith diuersitie of coulers, sweetlye set, and aptlye disposed, the\nreflexion of one beautifing another, and all together making a gratious\nobiect. Of _Porphyrit_, _Ophit_, _Numidian_, _Alabastrit_, _Pyropecil_,\n_Lacedemonian_ greene, and white marble, diuerslie watered, and of\n_Andracine_ with white spottes, and many others of strange sorts and\ndiuers commixtures.\n\nI found one rare forme of a base, in fashion like a cushion vpon the\nplynthe whereof stood two trochils or torrules, with an interposition of\nHypotracles or shaftes, and Astragals, with a supreame Thore.\n\nDiuers places were hidden and couered ouer with winding, felted and\nspreding Iuie, full of black berries, and greene soft leaues heare and\nthere growing vp, and hindering the inwarde obiect of the auncient\nworke, with other Murall and wall weeds comming out of the chinkes and\nclifts, as the bell flowre. Venus Nauill, & Erogennet, of some called\nLoue, to whome he is gratefull, bushing downe againe toward the ground,\nin other ryfts grew Mowse-eare, Polypodie, Adientus or Lady hayre, the\niagged and curled Cithracus the knotted Lunarie minor, Prickmaddam,\nPolytricon, or goulden lockes and such like, which vse to grow in\ndecayed buildings, and ould stone wales, so that many woorthie peeces\nwere inuested and hydden from me, with such like weedes and greene\nOlyues the garnishers of ruines.\n\nThere was in diuers places inestimable huge downe falles of many\ncolumnes or rather confused piles of broken stones, and vnshapely\nCulpins mounting vp from the earth.\n\nAmong which downefallen peeces I might see the remaynders of diuers\nshapes of men of sundrie sortes, many naked, other some hauing their\nmembers couered with folded and plited induments, fast sticking to their\nnaked proportions. Some standing vpon the left foote, others vpon the\nright in a streight sort, with their heads perpendicularly, euer the\ncenter betwixt their heeles, and some looking sidewaies in height, foure\nCubites of sixe foote.\n\nOthers standing vppon both feete, some deale distant one from an other,\nand each one in a maiestie sitting in their thrones, and the rest with a\nrare and modest grace in their best pleasing and appointed seates.\n\nThere also I beheld innumerable _troph[ae]s_, spoyles of armor, and\ninfinite ornaments, with the heades of Oxen and Horses of conuenient\nbignes, and about their hornes part of their garlands of leaues,\nfruites, twigges, braunches and floures, and some about part of their\nbodies, with little children riding vpon them and playing, in so perfect\na sort and wished order, as the most skilfull workemaister full of\nvarietie, labour, studie, and industrie, could deuise and performe. With\nwhat care and paine his abounding skill did plainly manifest, and with\nwhat pleasure the effect of his purpose did no whit obscure.\n\nAnd with such an _Eurithmie_ or apt proportioning of members, hee did\nshewe the subtiltie of the art of _Lapicidarie_, as if the substances\nhad not beene of the hardest marble howsoeuer, but of soft chaulke or\nPotters claie, and with what conclansture the stones were couched, and\nby what Artillerie, rule and measure they were composed and set, it was\nwoonderfull to imagine.\n\nThis was the true Art enucleating and discouering the ignorance that wee\nworke in, our detestable presumption, and publike condemned errors.\n\nThis is that cleare and perfect light, which sweetly and with our\nvnconstrained willes draweth our dimme sighted eies to contemplate and\nbehold the same. For none (vnles it be he which of set purpose refuseth\nto behold it) but his eyes would dasell with continuall desire to see\nit.\n\nThis is that which accuseth horrible couetousnes, the deuourer and\nconsumer of all vertue, a stil byting and euerlasting greedie worme in\nhis heart that is captiuated and subiect to the same, the accursed let\nand hinderance to well disposed wittes, the mortal enemy to good\nArchitecturie, and the execrable Idol of this present world, so\nvnworthily worshipped, and damnably adored. Thou deadly poison to him\nthat is infected with thee, what sumptuous workes are ouerthrowne, and\nby thee interdicted.\n\nHerewithall I beeing rauished and taken vp with vnspeakeable delight and\npleasure in the regarding of this rare and auncient venerable monument\nof such a grace and admiration, that I knew not to which part to turne\nme first, here and there willingly looking about, and thereat amazed,\nconsiderately perusing ouer what the ingrauen histories presented vnto\nme, as I remoued my selfe from place to place, with an vnknowne delight,\nand vnreportable pleasure to beholde the same, gaping at them with open\nmouth, forgetting my selfe like a young childe, neuer satisfying my\ngreedie eyes and vnsaciable desire to looke and ouerlooke the exquisite\nperfection of the auncient worke, I was spoiled and robbed of all\nthoughts whatsoeuer, the remembrance of my desired _Polia_, often\naccurring, onely excepted. But with an extreeme and deepe set sigh, let\nvs leaue her a litle, and returne again to our continued purpose.\n\n  [Decoration]\n\n\n\n\n_Poliphilus entring a little waye in at the described porch, with great\n  delight he there also beheld how it was garnished and adorned, and\n  after as he was comming out he met with a monstruous dragon whereat\n  he was extreemlie afraide, and compelled to runne backe into the\n  building, and at last getting foorth with much adoe hee came into a\n  fertile place._\n\n\nA great and commendable thing with out dout it shold be, trulie to\ndiscribe, & from point to point, to set down the incredible work, and\nvnimagined composition, of so vast a frame, and huge bignes, of so great\na buildinge with the excellencie of the entrance, in a conspicuous and\nsightly place, conueniently situated, where of my delight to behold\nthem, did exced the greatnes of my admiration breeding in me such a\nconceit so as I perswaded my self that _Iupiter_ durst not vndertake the\nlike to the rest of the gods, & certainly beleeuing that no workman, or\nhuman witt could compase so huge a frame, expresse so notable conceits,\nor imagine and inuent so rare deuises and so gorgiouslie to garnishe\nthem, in so singuler an order and simmetry, to dispose them, and without\nsupplement or correction perfictlye to finishe them. A rare and insolent\npride in a building. Vppon which occasion I was in some doubt and that\nnot a little that if the naturall historiographer had seene or heard of\nthis, hee woulde haue scorned that of Egipt, and the cunning and\nindustrie of the woorking thereof, for that heerein the sundrie and\ndiuers woorkes effected by many seuerall workmen seemed in the\nperfections, of their dewe proportions as if they had been performed by\none himselfe.\n\nHe would also as lightlie haue regarded the skillfull cunning of\n_Satirus_ the architect and other of fame, especially _Simandrus_, for\nthe woorke of _Memnon_, who cut the three statures of _Iupiter_ in one\nstone, the feet being aboue seauen cubits long.\n\nTo this the representation of the magnanimous _Semiramis_ carued out of\nthe mountaine _Bagistanus_ must geue place.\n\nAnd letting passe to speake of the insolent greatnes of the Piramides of\nmemphis, those writers at large would haue bente them selues to this\ndescription. And leauing vnreported, the famous Theaters, Amphitheaters,\nBathes, and building sacred and prophane, carriages, of waters, and\ncolosses, and that of Appolline translated by_Lioculus_. Or the temple\ndedicated to _Iupiter_ by _Claudius C[ae]ser_. Or that of _Lisippus_ at\n_Tarentum_, or the wonder of _Carelindius_ at the Rhodes, and of\n_Xenodorus_ in France, and in Roome. And the colosse of _Serapus_ nine\ncubits longe of Smarage or _Emerauldes_, or the famous Labyrinth of\n_Egypt_. Or the representacion of _Hercules_ at _Tyre_.\n\nThey woulde haue accommodated their sweete styles, to the commendation\nheard of as aboue all other most excellent, although the Obelisk of\nIupiter, compact of fower frustes, fortie Cubits high, fower Cubits\nbroade, and two Cubits thick, in his deluber within the temple dooth\nmanifest it selfe to be a wonderfull miracle.\n\nVnsaciable thus casting mine eyes, and turning vp my countenance now\nthis way & now that way, towards this huge & mighty frame, I thus\nthought with my selfe. If the fragments and remaynder of so sacred an\nantiquitie, and if the greet and dust of such a decayed monument, can\nbreed a stupifaction in the admiration thereof, and cause so great\ndelyght to behould the same, what would it haue done in chiefest pride.\n\nAfter this my discourseing, reason perswaded mee to suppose, that with\nin might bee the Aultar of _Venus_ for hir misticall Sacrifices and\nsacred flames, or the representation of hir Godhead, or the _Aphrodise_\nof hir selfe and hir little Archer, and therefore with a deuoute\nreuerence, my right foote beeing set vppon the halowed lymit of the\ndoore, there came towards me flying a white _Horix_.[A]\n\n    [Sidenote A: A bird of slow flight & long liuing, in old monuments\n    by Augurs dedicated to Saturne.]\n\nBut I sodainlye with out any further regard or curious forcaste which\nwith my searching eies went in as the spatious and lightsome entrie\ngaueme leaue, representing vnto me such sights as merit, and are\nCondigne of euerlastinge remembrannce, in ether sydes stilled with smoth\npoollishede Marble, in the middle parte where of there was impacte a\nrounde table, inclaustrede and compassede about with a greene Stonne\nverye pretious and accordinglie asosciated with curious workemanship.\nAnd the opposite of verie blacke stone, scorning and contemning the\nhardnes of iron, and cleare and shining as a mirror. By meanes whereof\nas I passed by (vnawares) I grew afrayd at my owne shadow, neuertheles I\nwas by an by comforted with vnexspected delight, for the place that\noccasioned my disquiet nowe offered vnto me the grounde of all sciences,\nhistoried in a visible manifest and experte painting.\n\nAnd on either sides vnder the same beautifull and most noble tables,\nthere were placed all a long seates of stone. The pauement neat and\ncleane from dust, being made of _Ostracus_.[A]\n\n    [Sidenote A: Ostracus be pounded shels mixed with lime, whereof a\n    plaster is made to floor withall.]\n\nAnd so in like manner the coloured vpper seeling was pure and voyd of\nSpiders and Cobwebs, by reason of the continuall fresh ayre both entring\nin and going out.\n\nThe seeling of the walles as aforesayde, mounted vp to the bendyng of\nthe Arche from the Chapters which stood vpon their strict and vpright\nAntes euen to the vttermost ende of the entrie, which was by my\nperspectiue iudgement twelue paces.\n\nFrom which perpolyte ligature and fastned ioyntes, the roofe of the\nentrie all the length thereof, did march with a hemicircubate flexure,\nanswerable to the Antes and streight sides of the afore described porche\nfull of varieties and exquisite representments, rarely ingrauen and of\nlittle water monsters, as in the water it selfe in their right and well\ndisposed plemmyrules, halfe men and women, with their fishie tailes:\nsome imbracing one an other with a mutuall consent, some playing vppon\nFlutes, and others vpon other fantasticall instruments.\n\nSome sitting in straunge fashioned Charriots, and drawne in them by\nswift Dolphines, crowned and adorned with water Lillies sutable to the\nfurniture of the garnished seates: some with diuers dishes and vessels\nreplenished with many sortes of fruites. Others with plentiful copies,\nsome coupled togither with bands, and others wrastling as they did,\nriding vppon _Hipposatamies_, and other sundrie and vncoth beastes, with\na Chiloneall defence.\n\nSome wantonly disposed, others to varietie of sportes and feastes, with\nliuely indeuours and quicke motions, most singularlye well set foorth,\nand filling all ouer the aforesayde arched suffite.\n\nAlong vnder the bending ryse of the entrie, I beheld a singular\nwoorkemanship of sundrie representments and counterfeits, in an\nexcellent Thessellature, bright shining lyke goalde: and of diuers other\ncoulers, with a border two foote broade, compassing about the turning\ncouer of the roofe, both vnder and aboue, and deuiding them from the\nwoorke, vpon the plaine sides, of so perfect and fresh coulers, as if\nthey had beene new set, with a naturall leafe woorke of an emerawld\ngreene, vppon a punice or tawnie grounde, with Flowers of _Ciantes_ and\n_Ph[ae]nicees_ adulterated with curious knottes and windings, and in the\nconteyned space of the aforesayde sides, I sawe this auncient Hystorye\npaynted.\n\n_Europa_ a young Ladye, swimming into _Creete_ vppon a prestigious Bull.\nAnd the edict of King _Agenor_ to his Sonnes _Cadus_, _Foenice_, and\n_Cilicia_, to finde out theyr defloured sister, which thing they could\nnot do, but after that they had valiauntly kylled the skalie fierce\nDragon that kepte the fayre Fountayne: and consulted with _Appollo_,\nthey determined with theyr followers, and agreed to builde a Cittie,\nwhere the bellowing Heyffer should appoynte, wherevppon that countrey,\neuen to this daye carryeth the name of the bellowing of a Cowe _Europe_.\n_Cadmus_ builte _Athens_. The other brother_Foenicia_. The third\n_Cilicia_.\n\nThys woorke and musaicall painting, was rightlye placed in order, as the\nbeginning and end of the historie required with fictions in theyr\nnaturall coulers, theyr actions and degrees tightlye expressed.\n\nOn the contrarie side, I beheld in the same manner the wanton and\nlasciuious _Pasiph[ae]_ burning in infamous lust, lying in a Machine or\nframe of wood, and the Bull leaping vpon that hee knew not.\n\nAfter that the monstrous mynotaure with hys vglye shape shut and\ninclosed in the intricate Labyrinth. And after that the imprysoned\n_Dedalus_, artificially making of winges for hymselfe, and his young\nsonne Icarus, who vnhappylye not obseruing hys Fathers rule, fell downe\nheadlong into the deepe see, leauing vnto the same seas his name, after\nhis drowning. And his discreete father, being safe according to his\nvowe, hanging vp his wings in the temple of _Appollo_.\n\nVppon the which I stoode with open mouth attentiuely gazing with my\neyes, and rauished in minde with the beautie of the hystorie, so well\ndisposed, so perfectly ordered, so artificiallye paynted and curiouslie\nexpressed, whole and sounde, without any signe of decaye, the strength\nof the glutinous substance, which ioyned and held the Thessalature or\ncheckers, together was such and so perfect. For therein the workeman had\ntaken great paine and shewed a rare cunning.\n\nAnd thus foote by foote I went forward bowldly, examining and behoulding\nwhat direction and arte of painting hee had obserued with a pensiled\ndistribution to make whole proportions in a smoothe and flat playne.\nSome lynes drawing neere to my obiect, and some seeming as they had\nbeene a farre of hardely to bee deserned, and yet both of a like\nneerenesse. And the same againe which was hardlie to bee seene, to offer\nit selfe more and more, to the iudgement of the eye, with exquisite\nparergie and shadowing Waters, Fountaines, Mountaines, Hilles, woodes,\nand beasts, in theyr naturall coulours, and distante one from an other,\nwith opposite light. And in apparrell the plyghts and fouldes so\ncunninglye perfected and shaddowed that as well in that, as in all the\nrest, the arte did seeme to enuye nature it selfe, and that not a little\nwhereat I greatly woondered.\n\nAfter this manner I came to the further ende, where the beautifull\nhystories finished, and beyond the same more inward the darknes was such\nas I durst not enter, & comming back againe I heard among the ruines a\ncontinuing noise like the cracking of bones or their ratling together,\nwhereat I stood still forgetting my fore conceiued delight being\ninterrupted therewith from the sweetnes of the obiects. At length I\nmight heare a rustling as if a dead Oxe had been dragged vpon the\nground, the noyse still approaching and comming neerer and neerer the\npoarch that I was to passe out at, where I heard a great hissing of a\nhuge Serpent: the sodaine feare I was in, made mee past crying out for\nhelpe, neither did I see how to escape, but by running into the darke\nand obscure vastnes whiche before I was afraide to enter into.\n\nOh vnhappie wretch oppressed with aduers and sad fortune, I saw in the\nentrie of the doore comming towardes mee, no hurtfull _L_yon crowching\nto _Androdus_, but a fearefull and horrible Dragon[A] shaking her\ntrisulked and three parted tongue against mee, grating her teeth, and\nmaking a skritching or critching noyse, her squamy and scaly hide\ntrailing vpon the flowerd pauement, clapping her winges vpon her\nwrimpled backe, with a long taile folding and crinckling like and Eele\nand neuer resting. _Ohi me_, the sight was sufficient to haue affrighted\n_Mars_ himselfe in the assurednes of warlike Armour, or to haue made\ntremble the strong and mightie Hercules, for all his molorchied and\nclubbed but. And to call _Theseus_ backe from his begunne imprese and\nbold attempt, and to terrifie the Gyant _Typhon_, and to make the\nproudest and stoutest heart whatsoeuer to quaile and stoope. I wished my\nselfe the swiftnes of _Atalanta_, beeing but young and vnarmed, no way\nable to encounter with such a poisonable force, and perceiuing his\nblacke infectious breath smoaking out at his mouth. Beeing past all hope\nto slip by him, I deuoutly cried for diuine helpe. And sodeinly turning\nmy backe, as fast as I could runne, I conueighed my fearefull bodie by\nthe helpe of my swift pacing feete, into the inward part of the darke\nplaces, penetrating through diuers crooked torments, ambagious passages\nand vnknowne waies.\n\n    [Sidenote A: The Dragon is that Abaddon and Apollion, the enemy to\n    mankinde.]\n\nSo that I thought to bee[A] in the inextricable frame of the prudent\n_Dedalus_, or of _Porsena_, so full of wayes and winding turnings, one\nentring into another, to deceiue the intent of the goer out, or in the\nromthie denne of the horrible _Cyclops_, or the hollow Caue of the\ntheeuish _Carus_. In such sort, that although my eyes were somewhat wel\nacquainted with the darkenes, yet I could see iust nothing. But was glad\nto stretche out my armes forme before my face, groping about mee (lyke\none that played blynde Sym) least I should runne my face against some\npyllers, and feeling with my feete softlye before I did rest vpon them\nfor feare I should tumble downe into some vaulte vnder thys mighty\nPyramides.\n\n    [Sidenote A: The darke places is ignorance, and the wisedome of this\n    word which is nothing els but meere folly.]\n\nAnd looking backe, whether this fearefull Dragon did still followe mee\nor no, the light was cleane gone. And I remayning in a darke place, full\nof sundrie turnings and crossing passages, in a greater terror and more\ndeadly heauinesse of minde then _Mercurie_. Making himselfe _Ibis_ and\n_Apollo_, _Threicia_, _Diana_, into the lyttle byrd _Cholomene_. And\n_Pan_ into two shapes. I and more afraide then euer was _Oedipus_,\n_Cyrus_, _Crasus_, and_Perseus_. And more trembling then the theefe\n_Thracilius_ in his beares skinne. In sorrowe more abounding then poore\n_Pscyphes_. And in more laboursome daungers then _Lucius Apuleus_, when\nhee heard the theeues consulting to knocke him on the head and kyll\nhim.[A]\n\n    [Sidenote A: Cosby for killing the L. Browgh.]\n\nOppressed and laden with all these aforenamed frightes and terrors, I\nbegan to imagine that the Dragon was flying about my head, and with the\nnoyse of hir scritching teeth and tearing clawes to take hould vpon me\nwith hir deuouring iawes: my heart giuing mee to vnderstand, that the\ncarniuorus Woolfe which I drempt of, was a presage of this my last\ndoubted end. And thus running vppe and downe like a little poore\nPismeere or Aunte, when the Partrich is scratching vpon their hillocks\nand picking of them vp. With my watchfull and attentiue eares, listning\nif the horrible monster with hir slimie and filthie poyson and stinking\nsauour were drawing towards mee. And fearing whatsoever came first into\nmy thought.\n\nFinding my selfe vnarmed, voyde of all helpe, in this mortall daunger,\nand miserable perplexitie, although that death is naturally bytter and\nhated, yet notwithstanding at that time, I did gratiouslie esteeme of\nit, which mee thought I could suffer willinglye, but that will was\ninsufficient: hope still looking, and perswading mee of an vncertaine,\nfearefull, and vnquyet lyfe.\n\nAlas howe my soule and bodye were lothe to leaue one an another, the\nsorrowe whereof made me vnwilling to intertaine so cruel an enemy as\ndeath: whereupon I plucking vp a good heart, thought thus.\n\nShall the greatnes of my loue so sweetly set on fire, now decaie,\nfrustrated of anie effect, for if at this present I had been but\npresented with a sight thereof, I could haue beene yet the better\nsatisfied.\n\nBut yet forthwith returning to the inward impression of my sweetest\nobiect, stil dwelling in the secret of my heart, I fell into blobering\nteares, for the losse of two so worthie iewels. That was _Polia_ and my\nprecious life. Continually calling vpon her with deepe sighes and\nsingultiue sobbings, sounding in the thicke ayre, incloystered vnder the\nhuge arches and secret darke couering, saying thus to my selfe.\n\nIf I die heere thus miserably, sorrowfully, and vncomfortably, all\nalone, who shal bee a woorthie successour of so precious a gemme? And\nwho shal be the possor of such a treasure of so inestimable valure? And\nwhat faire heauen shal shew so cleare a light? Oh most wretched\n_Poliphilus_, whether dost thou go vnfortunate? whether dost thou hasten\nthy steppes? hopest thou euer to behold againe any desired good? Behould\nall thy gratious conceits and pleasant highe delyghtes builded in thy\napprehensiue thoughtes, through the sweetenes of loue, are deadly\nshaken, and abruptlie precipitated and cast downe? Looke how thy loftie\n_Amorous_ cogitations are shaken in peeces and auchilated. Ah me what\niniurious lot & maleuolent constellations, haue so perniciously driuen,\nand deceitfully allured thee into this miserable obscure darknes? and\nnow haue despitefully ledde thee in a heape of mortal feares, and\ndrowning in a deepe sea of vnspeakeable sorrowes. To the vnmercifull\ndeuouring and sodaine gobbling vp of so filthie a monster, and to bee\nrotted and disgested in the stinking intrailes of so fowle a beast, and\nto bee cast out in so vile a place. Oh lamentable and vnaccustomed\ndeath. O miserable end of my desired life. Where are my eyes? what be\nthey barreine? Is their humor gone? Are there no more teares left to\nfall trickeling downe my blubbered cheekes? Well then I perceiue that\ndeath is at my backe, who did euer see such a change of fortune? Behold\nvnhappie and wayward death, and the last houre, and accursed minute\nthereof at hande, in this darkesome shade, where my bodie and flesh is\nappointed to bee a foode for so fowle a beast. What furie? what\ncrueltie? what miserie more monstrous can a mortall creature suffer.\nThat sweete and pleasant light should bee rest from them that bee aliue,\nand the earth denied to them that are dead. What hoggish calamitie, and\ndeformed mishap, so greeuously and vntimely shall abandon from mee my\nmost desired and florishing _Polia_, Farewell the merror of all vertue,\nand true perfection of beautie, farewell.\n\nAnd thus beyond all measure tost and tumbled in such and so great\nafflictions, my verie soule was vexed within me, striuing to be set at\nlibertie from my vnfortunate and feeble bodie, passing vp and downe I\nknew not where. My legges weake, feeble, and fowltering vnder mee, my\nspirites languishing, and my sences in a maner gone from mee. Sauing\nthat I called deuoutly vppon the omnipotent God to haue pittie vppon\nmee, and that some good Angell might bee appointed to conduct mee out.\nAnd with that beholde I discouered a little light. To the which, how\ngladly I hasted, let euerie one iudge what hee would doo in such a\nperplexitie.\n\nI saw an euerlasting Lampe, burning before an Aultar that was fiue foote\nhigh, and tenne foote broad, with the images of golde standing\nthereupon, which I could not verie perfectly behold, notwithstanding the\nburning Lampe, the grossenes of the ayre was such and so great an enemy\nto the light.\n\nAnd alwayes with attentiue eares I diligently harkened, as not yet ridde\nof feare, and somewhat I saw, the dimme images and the large\nfoundations, and feareful vaultes, and subterraneal buttresses or\nvpholders and strengthes, heare and there in infinite places\ndistributed, and many huge and mightie pillers, some fouresquare, some\nsixe square, some eight square, aptly set vnder and approportioned to\nsustaine the vast bignes of the waightie _Pyramides_.\n\nThere I hauing small delight to make anie long staie, I intended to take\nan vnknowne way further in, which my vndertaken course, I espied a light\nwhiche so long I had wished for, comming in at a litle wicket as small\nas I could see.\n\nOh with what ioy, and with what a glad heart, I beheld it, and with what\ncheare did I hasten my steppes towards it. Perchance faster then\n_Canistius_ or _Philonides_[A] my vnbrideled gladnesse and extreame\ndesire to come neere therevnto was such, that I reuoked and haled backe\nagaine the diuorse of my discontented and irkesome life, successiuely\ncomforting my perturbed minde and quailed hart. Somewhat refreshing and\nreassuring my selfe: filling vp againe my euacuated and emptie heart,\nand replenishing the same with his ould cogitations.\n\n    [Sidenote A: Two blockish lasie lubbers, one of Melite an other of\n    Athens, that thought it a great labour to eate their owne meate.]\n\nNowe I settled my selfe more towardes my louely _Polia_, and bound my\naffections more surely to hir. Being perswaded and firmely opinionated,\nthat this sight was a traunce in loue, for shewing that I should dye and\nlose my loue. Oh how extreamely did it vexe mee. Neyther did it refuse\nor make resistance to anye sharpe and newe assaulte of loue, which in my\nstroken and sore wounded heart woulde lye festering and feeding of\nhimselfe.\n\nAnd by this time, all lets and hynderances past ouer, a spatious and\nlarge going out was offered vnto me. Then by meanes of the cleere light\nI was somwhat comforted, and reassuming and gathering together againe my\nwandering thoughts, and restoring my prostrate force, my suspected and\nvnknowne voyage, made me to set out in running: so as the nearer I came\nto the doore, the bigger mee thought it grewe. To the which at last by\nGods wyll, _Polia_ in my amorous brest bearing a predominante vigor,\nI came, not ceasing to continue forward my fast course: my hands which\nbefore I groping helde foorth, to keepe me from running against pyllers,\nI nowe vsed like a payre of Ores to hasten mee awaye.\n\nThus traueling on safely, I came into a verie pleasaunt sighte and\ncounttie, in the which I was not yet without feare, and not daring to\nrest me downe, the impression of the horrible monster was so fresh in my\nminde, that mee thought I still heard him behinde me, and therefore I\ncould not so easily forget him. But was rayther perswaded to goe on\nfurther: first because the countrie was so fertile, pleasaunt and\nbeautifull. Secondly, that I might get farre enough off from the place\nwherein I was so lately affrighted. That then I sitting downe, might\nrest my selfe, and set my minde together againe, and forget this\nconceiued dread, at my entrance in of the gate, the apparation of the\nwhite Sorix gratiously comming againe into my reteyning memorie, an\nexhortatorie prouacation, and good occasion to animate and comforte me,\nbecause that to _Augures_ it was a gratefull and propitious signe of\ngood luck.\n\n    [Sidenote A: Capillata ministra.]\n\nAt last I was resolutely perswaded to commit my selfe to the benignitie\nof my good fortune, which some time might bee vnto me an officious and\nbountifull handmaide, of prosperous euents.[A] And therewithall pricked\nforward and prouoked to continue on my walke, whether my wearie and\nfeeble legges would conduct and bring mee. And yet I was (as in good\nsorte became mee) somewhat doubtfull to enter into such a place, (beeing\nvnknowne vnto mee) where perchaunce it was not lawfull for me to come.\nAlbeit that I was heerin more audacious and bould a great deale, then in\nthe enteraunce of the gorgeous Porche. And thus my brest fast beating,\nand my minde perplexed, I saide to my selfe.\n\nThere is no cause that should lead mee to turne back againe, all things\nconsidered: is not this a safer place, and more fit to flie from\ndaunger? Is it not better to hassard a mans lyfe in the light and cleere\nSunne, then to dye and sterue in a blinde darkenesse? and so resolued\nnot to turne backe anye more: with a deepe set sighe, I called into\nmemorie, the pleasure and delight that my sences had well neere lost:\nfor the woorke which I had seene was full of maruelous woonders, and\nthinking by what meane I was depriued of them, I called to remembrance\nthe brasen Lyons, in Salomons Temple, which were of such fierce\ncountenances, as that they would bring men to forgetfulnes.\n\nAnd into such an estate I was afrayde that the dragon had brought me,\nthat so excellent and maruellous woorkes, and rare inuentions, in a\nmanner vnpossible for any humaine creature to performe, worthie to be\nmanifested, and by my selfe diligentlye perused, should now be fled out\nof my sucking remembrance, so as I should not bee able to make a true\nreporte of them: but therein I contraried my selfe: neither did I finde\nthat I was in a Lithargie passion: But that I verrie well remembred and\nhelde without any defaulte in order and proportion whatsoeuer I had\nseene and beheld. And that the monstrous and cruell beast was a verrie\nliuelye substance, and no fiction, the like of any mortall man sildome\nseene, no not of _Regulus_. The verie remembrance whereof, made my hayre\nstand right vp, and foorthwith mooued me to mend my pace.\n\nAfterward returning to my selfe, I thought thus. Heere without all\ndoubte (for so I imagined by reason of the glorious bountie of the\nbeautiful soile) is no habitation but for ciuill people, or rather for\nAngles and noble personages, and a place for Nimphes to frequent vnto,\nor for the Goddes and Auncients, Monarches and princes, in so much as my\nperswasiue desire did prouoke forwarde my restrained pace, causing a\nperceuerance in my late begun iourney. And thus as one captiuated and\nsubiect to the sharpe spurre of vnsatiable desire, I purposed to houlde\non whether the fayrenesse of my fortune should conduct mee, as yet but\nindifferent and rather languishing.\n\nNowe come to behoulde a fayre and plentifull countrie, fruitefull\nfieldes, and fertill groundes, I did exceedinglye commend the desire\nthat mooued mee first to enter into them. But especially to giue thankes\nto him that had brought mee out from the fearefull place, which now I\nlittle regarded being far enough off from it.\n\n  [Decoration]\n\n\n\n\n_Poliphilus sheweth the commodiousnesse of the countrie where-into hee\n  was come, in his trauailing within the same, he came vnto a goodlie\n  Fountaine, and howe hee sawe fiue faire Damsels comming towardes him,\n  and their woondering at his comming hither, assuring him from hurte,\n  and inuiting him to bee a partaker of their solaces._\n\n\nThus gotten foorth of this fearefull hell, darke hollownesse, and\ndreadfull place (although it were a sacred Aphrodise and reuerend\nTemple:) and beeing come into a desired light, louelye ayre, and\npleasaunt countrie, full of contentment: I turned my selfe about to\nlooke backe at the place from whence I came out, and where my life, my\nlife that latelye I esteemed so lightlie, was so greatlye perplexed and\ndaungered, where I beheld a mountaine vnnaturall, with a moderate\nassention and steepe rising, ouer-growne and shaddowed with greene and\ntender leaues of mastie Okes, Beeches, Wainescot Okes, Holmes, _Cerries\nAesculies_, Corke trees, Yew trees, Holly or Huluer, or Acilon.\n\nAnd towardes the plaine, it was couered with Hamberries, Hasels,\nFylbirds, prune, print, or priuet, and whitened with the flowers\nthereof: by coulered Xeapie, beeing red towardes the north, and white\nagainst the Southe, Plane trees, Ashe trees, and such like, spredding\nand stretching out their braunches: fowlded and imbraced with the\nrunning of Hunnisuckles or woodbines, and Hoppes, which made a pleasaunt\nand coole shade. Vnder the which grewe Ladyes Seale or Rape Violet,\nhurtfull for the sight, iagged Polypodie, and the Trientall and foure\ninched Scolopendria, or Hartes toongue, Heleborous Niger, or Melampodi,\nTrayfles, and such other Vmbriphilous hearbes and Woodde Flowers, some\nadorned with them, and some without.\n\nSo that the mouth of the darke place, out of the which I had escaped,\nwas in a manner within the highe Mountaine, all ouergrone with trees.\n\nAnd as I could coniecture it was iust against the afore spoken of frame,\nand in my iudgement it had been some rare peice of woork, more auncient\nthen the other, and by time wasted and consumed, now bearing Iuie and\nother wall trees, and so was become an ouer growne wood, that I could\nscarce perceiue any comming out, or mouth for easie passage but euen for\na necessitie, for it was rownd about compassed and enuironed with bushie\nand spreeding trees, so as I was neuer determined to enter in there\nagaine.\n\nIn the streight passage of the valie betwixt the extensed and highe\nmounting rockes, the ayre was dim by reason of the retained vapores, and\nyet I was as well pleased therewith as _Apollo_ at his deuine birth.\n\nBut letting passe this hole, from the which I gat out by stooping, let\nvs come on forward to the sweet liberties which I next beheld and that\nwas a thicke wood of Chestnuts at the foote of the hill, which I\nsupposed to be a soile for _Pan_ or some Siluane God with their feeding\nheards and flockes, with a pleasant shade, vnder the which a I passed\non, I came to an auncient bridge of marble with a very great and highe\narche, vppon the which along winning to eyther sides of the walls, there\nwere conuenient seats to rest vppon, which although they were welcome to\nmy wearye bodie, yet I had more desire to go on forwarde, vppon which\nsides of the bridge, iust ouer the top of the arche, there was placed a\nporphirit table with a gorgeous border of curious workmanship, one table\non the one side and an other on the other side, but that one the left\nside was of _Ophite_.\n\nVppon the table on my right hand as I went I beheld _Egiplie\nhierogliphies_ on this sorte, An auncient Helmet crested with a\nDoggeshead.\n\nThe bony scalpe of an oxe with two green braunches of trees bound fast\nto the hornes. And an ould lampe. Which hierogliphis the braunches\nexcepted because I know not whether they were of Firre tree, Pineapple,\nLarix or _I_uniper, or such like: I thus interpret.\n\n    _PATIENTIA EST ORNAMENTVM,_\n      _CVSTODIA ET PROTECTIO_\n              _VIT[AE]._\n\n  [Illustration]\n\nOn the other side there was ingrauen a cyrcle, then an Anchor with a\nDolphin winding about the strangule thereof, which I coniectured should\nsignifie this, +AEI SPEU DE BRADEOS+, _Semper festina tarde_.\n\nVnder which auncient, sure, and faire bridge, did runne a most cleare\nswift water, deuiding it selfe into two seuerall currents, the one one\nway and the other an other, which ranne most colde, making a soft\ncontinuall still noyse, in their freesed, broken and nibbled Channels,\nby their eaten in and furrowed bancke, full of stones, couered ouer and\nshadowed with trees, their spredding rootes appearing in the same bare,\nand about them hanging _Tricomanes_, _Adiantus_ and _Cimbalaria_, and\nbearded also with diuers small hayres as vse to growe about the banckes\nof Ryuers.\n\nThe wood that I haue spoken of, was to looke vppon verye pleasant,\nneyther ouer thick or more large in compasse than a man would wish, but\nbuilding a delightfull shadowe, the trees full of small birdes and\nfoules.\n\nRight forwarde, the Bridge did extende it selfe, and leade towardes a\nlarge plaine, resounding all ouer with the sweete chirpings, melodious\nrecordings, and loude singing of them. Wherein were leaping and running\nlittle Sqirrels, and the drowsie Dormouse, and other harmeles beastes.\n\nAnd after this manner as aforesayd, this wooddie Countrie shewed it\nselfe, enuironed about with high mountaines as much as a man might looke\nvnto, and the plaine couered all ouer with a fine varietie of sundrie\nsweete hearbes, and the cleare channels of Charistaline streames,\nsliding downe a long the hilles with a murmuring noyse into the leauell\nvally.\n\nAdorned and beautified with the flowing bitter Oliue, Lawrell, white\nPoplar, and Lisimachia, blacke Pople, Alders, and wilde Ashe.\n\nVpon the hils grew high Firre trees vnarmed, and the weeping Larix,\nwhereon Turpentine is made, and such like.\n\nWhen I had well considered of this so fruitfull and so commodious a\nplace for cattel and beasts to be fedde in and kept, (for it looked as\nthough it would desire a shepheardes company and a pastorall song) I\nmused what should be the occasion, that so commodious a place should lye\nvninhabited. And casting my eyes further on forward into the plaine\nbefore mee, and leauing this fore discribed place, I might perceiue a\nbuilding of Marble, shewing the roofe thereof ouer the tender toppes of\nthe compassing trees. At the sight whereof, I grew wonderfully glad and\nin good hope, that there yet I should finde some habitation and refuge.\nTo the which without delaie I hastined my selfe. And being come\nthereunto, I found a building eight square, with a rare and wonderfull\nfountaine: which was not altogither amisse. For as yet I had not\nquenched and slaked my thirst.\n\nThis building was eight cornered, small towardes the top and leaded.\nVpon one side there was placed a faire stone of pure white Marble foure\ncornered, half as long again as it was broad, which latitude as I\nsupposed was some sixe foote.\n\nOf this goodly stone were exact two litle halfe pillers, chamfered with\ntheir bases, holding vp a streight Sime, with a gule and adiected\ndenticulature & cordicules, or worke of harts, with their chapters vnder\na Trabet, Zophor and Coronice, ouer the which was a trigonall conteined,\nin the fourth part of the stone smooth and plaine without any\nworkemanship in the table thereof sauing a litle garland, within the\nwhich were two Doues drinking in a smal vessel.\n\nAl the space vnspoken of inclusiue was cut in and euacuated, betwixt the\nPillers the Gulature and ouerthwart Trabet, did containe an elegant\nCigrued Nimph. And vnder the Syme was another quarter wrought with\nThors, Torques, Ballons and a Plinth.\n\nWhich faire Nymph laye sleeping vppon a folded cloth, lap, and wounde vp\nvnder her head. An other part conuenientlie brought ouer her, to hide\nthat bare which was womanly & meete to be kept secret. Lying vpon her\nright side with that subiected arme retract, and her open palme vnder\nher faire cheeke, wherevpon she rested her head.\n\nThe other arme at libertie, lying all along ouer her left loyne,\nstretching to the middle of her goodly thigh. By her smal teates (like a\nyong maids) in her round brests did sprowt out smal streamings of pure\nand cleare fresh water from the right brest as it had been a threed, but\nfrom the left brest most vehemently. The fall of both of them, receiued\nin a vessel of _Porphyrit_ stone, with two Receptories ioyning togither\nin the same vessel, seperated and distinct from the Nimph sixe foote,\nstanding vppon a conuenient frame of flint stone. Betwixt either of the\nreceptories, there was an other vessel placed, in the which the waters\ndid striue togither and meete, running out at the cut and appointed\nplaces, in the middle lymbus of their Receptories, which waters comixt\nout of that vessel, vnladed themselues into a little channel sliding\naway, and what with one and what with the other, al the hearbes and\nflowres adioyning, and about were bountifullye benifited.\n\nThat of the left brest did spin vp so high, that it did not weat or\nhinder any that would sucke or drinke of the water that streamed and\nsprung out of the right brest.\n\nAnd this excellent Image was so difinitelye expressed, that I feare mee\n_Prapitiles_ neuer perfourmed the lyke for _Venus_, to _Nichomides_ the\nKing of _Caria_ which Idoll he appointed to be adored of his subiects,\nalthough the beauty therof were such that it moued that filthie people\nto fleshly concupiscence.\n\nBut I was perswaded that the perfection of the image of _Venus_ was\nnothing to this, for it looked as if a most bewtifull Ladye in hir sleep\nhad beene chaunged into a stone, hir hart still panting and hir sweete\nlipps readie to open, as if she would not be so vsed.\n\nFrom hir head hir loose tresses laye wauing vppon the suppressed\ncouering, fowlded and plited and as it were scorning the haires of the\ninglomatede cloth, hir thighes of a conueniente bignes and hir fleshie\nknees somwhat bending vpp, and retract towardes hir.\n\nShowing hir streight toes as it were incereating hir fingers to handle\nand streine them, the rest of hir bodie aunswerable to the perfections\nof these seuerall proportions.\n\nAnd behind hir the shadowing of the leaffye _Memerill_ or _Arbut_ full\nof soft small Apples and fruite, and prettye byrdes as yf they had beene\nchirping and singing of hir a sleep.\n\nAt hir feet stood a satire in prurient lust vppon his gotishe feet, his\nmouth and his nose ioyning together like a gote with a beard growinge on\neither sides of his chin, with two peakes and shorte in the middeste\nlike Goates hayre, and in like manner about his flankes and his eares,\ngrewe hayre, with a visage adulterated betwixt a mans and a Goates,\nin so rare a sort as if the excellent woorkman in his caruinge had had\npresented vnto him by nature the Idea and shape of a _Satire_.\n\nThe same _Satire_, had forciblie with his lefte hand bent an arme of the\n_Arbut_ tree ouer the sleepie nimphe, as if he would make hir a\nfauorable shadowe therewith, and with the other hand howldinge vpp a\ncurtaine by one of the sides that was fastened to the body of the tree.\n\nBetwixt the comare _Meimerill_ or _Arbut_, and the _Satire_, were two\nlittle _Satires_, the one howlding a bottell in his hands and the other\nwith two snakes fowlding about his armes.\n\nThe excellencie, dilicatnes and perfection of this figment and\nwoorkmanshippe cannot be suffientlie expressed.\n\nThis also helping to adorne the sweetnes thereof that is the whitnes of\nthe stone, as if it had been pure iuorie.\n\nI wondered also at the woorking of the clothe coueringe as yf it had\nbeen wouen: and at the bowes, braunches, and leaues, and at the little\nbirdes, as if they had been singing and hopping vpp and downe vpon their\npretie feet in euerie ioynt single and pounce made perfect, and so the\nS_atire_ like wise. Vnder this rare and woonderfull carued woork betwixt\nthe gulatures and vnduls in the plaine smothe was grauen in _Atthic_\ncharacters this poesye +PANTA TO KADI+.\n\n  [Illustration:\n  +PANTO:N TO KADI+]\n\nThe thirst which I had gotten the daie before was so increased, that I\nwas prouoked now to slacken the same, or rather inticed with the faire\nbeautie of the instrument, the coolenes whereof was such, as betwixt my\nlippes me thought it stirred and trembled.\n\nAnd rounde about this pleasant place, and by the pipplyng channels, grew\n_Vaticinium_, _Lilly conuallie_, and the flowring _Lysimachia_ or willow\nhearbe, the sorrowfull Reedes, Myntes, water Parsley, Baume,\n_Hydrolapathos_, or water Sorrell, and other approued hearbes, and fine\nfloures, a little Channel comming by a sluce from the Bridge, entering\nin and vnlading it selfe, was the cause of a goodly faire Poole, broad\nand large, in a verie good order, trimmed about and beautified with a\nfence of sweete Roses and Gessamine. And from thence running ouer it,\ndispersed it selfe, nourishyng and visiting the nexte adioyning fieldes\nand grounde, abounding in all sortes of hearbes, floures, fruites, and\ntrees.\n\nThere grewe also great store of _Cynarie_ grateful to _Venus_, wylde\n_Tansie_, _Colocassia_, with leaues like a shielde, and garden hearbes.\n\nAnd from thence beholding the plaine fieldes, it was woonderfull to see\nthe greennes thereof, powdered with such varietie of sundrie sorted\ncolours, and diuers fashioned floures, as yealow Crowfoote, or golden\nKnop, Oxeye, _Satrion_ Dogges stone, the lesser Centorie, Mellilot,\nSaxifrage, Cowslops, Ladies fingers, wilde Cheruile, or shepheardes\nNeedle, _Nauens_ Gentil, Sinquifolie Eyebright, Strawberies, with\nfloures and fruites, wilde Columbindes Agnus Castus, Millfoyle, Yarrow,\nwherewith _Achilles_ did heale _Telephus_, and the rust of the same\nspeares head that hurt him. Withe the white Muscarioli, bee floures and\nPanenentes in so beautifull and pleasant manner, that they did greatly\ncomfort mee (hauing lost my selfe) but euen with the looking vppon them.\nAnd heere and there in a measurable and wel disposed distaunce and space\nbetweene. In a conuenient order and sweete disposed sort by a iust line,\ngrew the greene and sweete smelling Orenges, Lymons, Citrons,\nPomegranettes, their water boughes bendyng downe within one pace of the\nground, couered with leaues of a glassie greene colour, of a great\nheight and turning downe againe their toppes, laden with the aboundance\nof their floure and fruites, breathing forth a most sweet and delectable\nodoriferous smell. Wherwithall my appaled heart did not verie lightly\nreuiue himselfe (it might bee in a pestilent ayre and contagious and\ndeadly sauour.)\n\nFor which cause I stood amazed and in great doubt what to thinke or doo,\nand the rather because in that place I had seene such a marueilous\nfountaine, the varietie of hearbes, the colours of floures, the placing\norderly of the trees, the faire and commodious disposition of the seat,\nthe sweet chirpings and quiet singing of Birds, and the temperate and\nhealthful ayre. And which I could verie well haue been contented\nwithall, and the worst of them might wel haue contented me, if I had\nfound any inhabitant there. And somewhat I was grieued that I could no\nlonger abide in such a place where so many delightful sightes did\npresent themselues vnto mee. Neither was I aduised to my better safetie\nand content which way to turne me.\n\nStanding thus in such a suspence of minde, calling to remembraunce the\ndaunger that I had lastlye escaped, and the present place that I was\nnewlye entered into, and thinking vppon hieragliphes that I did see in\nthe left side of the bridge, I was in doubt, to hasten my selfe towards\nany vnaduised aduers accident, And that such a monument and warning\nwoorthie of golden letters, should not be set in vaine to them that\npassed by, which was _Semper festina tarde_. Behold of a sodaine behinde\nme, I heard a rusling noyse, like the winde or beating of a Dragons\nwinges. Alas I knew not what it should bee. And sodeinly ispasurated and\nturning my selfe about, I might perceiue vpon one side of me many\nsilique trees of _Aegypt_, with their ripe long coddes hanging and\nbeating one against an other with the winde, had felled downe\nthemselues, which when I perceiued, I was soone quieted, and beganne to\nmake sport at my owne folly.\n\nI had not continued long thus, but I heard a singing company of gallant\ndamoselles comming towardes mee (by their voyces of young and tender\nyeares) and faire (as I thought) solacing and sporting themselues among\nthe flowering hearbes and fresh coole shadow, free from the suspect of\nany mans sight, and making in their Gate a great applause among the\npleasant flowers. The incredible sweetnesse of hir musicall and\nconsonant voyce, conueighed in the roriferous ayre, and spredding it\nselfe abroade with the aunswerable sounde and delectable report of a\nwarbeling harpe (for the tryall of which noueltie, I couched downe vnder\nthe lowe bowghes of the next adioining bushes, and saw them come\ntowardes mee with gratious gestures) hir Maydenlie head attyred and\nbound vp in fillets of glystering gould, and instrophiated redimited,\ngarnished ouer and beset with floured mirtle, and vpon hir snowye\nforeheade, branched out hir trembling curled lockes, and about hir\nfayrest showlders, flew her long tresses after a nymphish fashion\nartyfitiallye handeled.\n\nThey were apparrelled in carpanticall habites of fine sylke of sondrye\ncoulers, and weauinges of three sorts, one shorter, and distinct from\nthe other. The nethermost of purple, the next of greene silke, & goulde\nor tissew, and the vppermost of curled white sendall, gyrded about their\nsmale wastes with girdles of goulde vnder the lower partes of their\nround breasts. Their sleeues of the same curled Sendall, often doubled,\nwhich bettered and graced the subiect couler. And tyed about their\nwrists with ribands of silke, tagged with Gouldsmithes woorke. And some\nof them with Pantophles vpon their shooes, the vpper part of the\nPantophle of gould and purple silke, leafe worke, shewing thorough\nbetwixt the voyde spaces of the leaues, the fine proportion of their\nprittie illaquiated and contayned feete. Their shooes comming straightly\nvnder their anckles, with two lappes meeting vpon their insteps, and\nclosed fast eyther with Buttons or claspes of gowld after a fine manner.\nAboue the hemmes of theyr nether garments, there compassed about insteed\nof gardes and imbrodered woorke of hearts, which now and then blowne vp\nwith the gentle ayre, made a discouerie of their fine legges.\n\nAnd assoone as they were aware of mee, they left of their song and\nstayed theyr nimphish gates, being amazed with the insighte, and of my\ncomming into this place, maruelling together, and whisperinglye\nenquiring of me, one of another, for I seemed vnto them a rare and\nvnusuall thing, because I was an aliant and stranger, and by chaunce\ncome in to so famous and renowmed a countrie. Thus they staide still,\nsometimes looking downe vpon me, & again muttering one to an other, I\nstood still like an image. Oh wo was me, for I felt all my ioynts quake\nlike the leaues of an Aspe, in a bitter winde. And I was affraide of the\npresaging poesie that I had read, otherwise aduising me, whereof I now\nthought to late to experience the effect thereof, and looking for no\nother euent, I remained as doubtfull of the deuine vision, therewith as\nmuch deceyued as _Semele_ with the fayned shape of the _Epidaurean\nBeroe_. Alas I trembled and shooke like the fearefull hinde calues at\nthe sight of the tawnie Lyons roring out for hunger.\n\nContending and striuing with my selfe, whether it were better for me\nsubmissiuely to kneele downe, or els to turne me about and flye from\nthem (for they seemed to mee by their behauiour, to courteous young\nwomen, and besides their humanitie of a deuine beningnitie) or to\nremaine still vnmoueable. At length I determined to make tryall, and put\nmy selfe forwarde to whatsoeuer would follow, being very well assured,\nthat by no means I should finde any inhumanitie or cruell dealing by any\nof them, and especially, because that innocencie carryeth alwayes his\nprotection with him. And thus somewhat comforting my fearefull minde,\nand yet restrained with shamefastnesse, knowing that I was vnwoorthily\ncome into this shadowie place, and solicious company of deuine and\ndelicate nimphes, my guiltie and troubled minde, telling mee that it was\nrashly and ouer-bouldly doone, and that they were it might be,\nprohibited places, and a forbidden countrie for a straining to frequent.\nAnd thinking thus and thus with my selfe: one amongst the rest of a more\nboulde and audatious spirite, very hardly spake vnto me, saying. Ho who\nart thou? at hir speeche I was halfe afraide, and of my selfe ashamed,\nboth ignorant what to say, or howe to aunswer: my voyce and spirit being\ninterdicted, I stoode stone still like a dead image. But the fayre\nDamsels and beautifull Nimphes well aduised, that in me was a reall and\nhumaine personage and shape, but distempered and afrayde, they drew all\nof them more neerer vnto me, saying.\n\nThou young man, whatsoeuer thou art, and from whencesoeuer thou art\ncome: Let not our present aspects any whit dismay thee, or occasion thy\ndiscouragement nor be no whit afrayde, for here thou shalt not finde any\ncruell customes, or cause of discontent, but free from displeasures, and\ntherefore be not afrayde to discouer thy selfe, and tell vs what thou\nart.\n\nBy this motion hauing called backe againe my forgotten and lost sences,\ncomforted with their faire, pleasant, and fauourable aspects, and\nrecouering my selfe with their sweet speeches, with a very good will I\nmade this aunswer vnto them.\n\nI am the most disgraced and vnhappiest louer that the whole world can\naforde. I loue, and she whom so greatly I esteeme, and so earnestly I\ndesire, I neyther know where eyther she or my selfe is.\n\nAnd by the greatest and most daungerous hap that can be imagined I am\ncome hither. And now with prouoked teares downe falling from my waterie\neyes along my pale cheekes, and bowed downe to the earth prostrating my\nselfe to your virginall feete I humblie craue and sue for your\nfauourable graces: whereat theyr soft and tender heartes mooued with\npittie towardes mee, and halfe weeping with mee for companie, and as it\nwere dutifullye striuing with theyr armes to lift mee vp from the\ngrounde, with sweete and comfortable speeches, they courteouslye spake\nvnto me.\n\nWee are certainly perswaded and know full well (poore wretch) that few\nor none can escape by that way which thou art come, and therefore bee\nnot vnthankfull to that diuine power, which hath thus preserued thee.\nAnd now be not doubtfull or afrayde of any aduers accident or greefe to\nassaile thee. Therefore quyet, comfort, and settle thy heart to rest.\nFor nowe thou art come as thou mayest euidently perceiue, and plainely\nsee, into a place of pleasure and delight, abandoning strife and\ndiscontent. For our vniformed ages: the seate vnchaungeable, the time\nnot stealing away, the good oportunitie, the gratious and sotiable\nfamiliaritie, inticingly dooth allure vs therevnto, and graunteth vnto\nvs a continuall leysure. And this also thou must vnderstand, that if one\nof vs be merrie and delightsome, the other sheweth her selfe the more\nglad and pleasaunt, and our delectable and perticipated friendship, is\nwith an attentiue consideration perpetually vnyted and knitte together.\nOne of vs increasing an others content, to the highest degree of\ndelight, and moste conuenyent solace.\n\nThou seest also that the ayre is healthfull, the lymittes and bounds of\nthis place verie large: of hearbes full of varietie. Of plants diuerslie\nabounding, and with fruites plentifully laden, inuironed and defended\nwith huge mountaines and rockes, well stored with harmelesse beasts, and\nfitte for all pastimes and pleasures, replenished with all kinde of\nfruites and graynes, vniuersally growing, and full of goodly fountaines.\n\nAn other said: vnderstand, vnknowne, (and yet assured guest,) good\nfriend, that this territorie is more fruitfull then the fertill\nmountaine _Taurus_ in the aquilonall asspect, whose frame dooth swell so\nmuch, that their clusters of grapes bee two cubits long, and that one\nFigtree will beare seauentie bushels.\n\nThe third: this famous and spatious countrey, exceedeth the fertilitie\nof the Hyperborean Island in the West India, or the portugalles of\n_Lucitania_, nowe vsurped and tyrannized by the insolent Spanyard.\n\nNor _Talga_ in the _Caspian_ mountaine. The fourth affirmed in hir\ncommendation of that countrie, that the plentifulnesse of Egypt was but\nto be accounted scarsitie, in respect of that although that it were\nthought to be the garden of the world.\n\nAnd the last, of a choyse countenance and sweete pronuntiation aboue the\nrest, added thus much, saying.\n\nIn this fayre countrie you shall not finde any large fennie groundes, or\noffensiue and sicklye ayres, or craggie and fertlesse mosses, but faire\nand pleasaunt hilles, inuironed and walled about with steip and\nvnpassageable rockes, and by meanes thereof, secure and free from all\ndaungers and feare, we want not any thing which may breed delight, and\ncause a sweete content. Besides all this wee are attendant vppon a\nrenowned and most excellent Queene of large bountie and exceeding\nliberalitie: called _Euterilyda_ of great pittie and meruelous\nclemencie, ruling with great wisdome, and with a kingly gouernement,\nwith great pompe, in an accumolated heape of all felicitie, and shee\nwyll bee greatly delighted, when we shall present thee vnto hir sacred\npresence, and maiesticall sight. And therefore cast away, shake of, and\nforget all afflicting sorrowe, and frame thy selfe and thy affrighted\nspyrits to intertaine of our comforts solace and pleasure.\n\n\n\n\n_Poliphilus feeling himselfe vnder the assurance of the five Nymphes,\n  went with them to the bathes where they had great laughter in the\n  deuise of the fountaine, and also by his vnction. Afterward being\n  brought to the Queene Eutherillida, he did see many thinges worthie\n  of regard, but chiefly the worke of a fountaine._\n\n\nI Being thus curteously intreated of these gracious and pitiful Nymphes,\nand hauing my safetie by them sufficiently warranted with sweet\ncomforts, reuiuing my decaied spirites. To whatsoeuer might seeme\ngrateful and pleasing vnto them, so much as was conuenient for mee,\nI framed my selfe to offer my seruice. And because that they had boxes\nof sweete perfumes, and casting bottels of golde and precious stone,\nlooking Glasses in their delicate and faire handes, and pure white\nVailes of silke plited and folded vp, and other necessaries to bee vsed\nin bathing, which I offering to helpe them to beare, they refusing say\nthus vnto mee: that their comming into this place was to bathe, and\ntherewith shewed mee that it was their pleasure that I should goe with\nthem, for (saide they) the fountaine is here hard by, haue you not seene\nit. And I reuerently made them this answere.\n\nMost faire Nimphes, if I had a thousande tongues and knew how to vse\nthem al, yet could I not render sufficient thankes for your gracious\ndesertes, and make requital of your great fauours, because you haue\nrestored vnto mee my life. And therefore if I should not consent and\nyeeld vnto you my seruice and company, I might wel bee accounted of a\nchurlish disposition. For which cause, amongst you I had rather be a\nseruant, then in an other place a Lord and commander, for that (so farre\nas I can coniecture) you are the tenantes and chamberfellowes of al\ndelight and true felicitie.\n\nYou shal vnderstand that I did see a maruerlous fountaine of a rare and\nwonderful workemanship, as neuer before my eyes did beholde, and so much\nmy minde was occupied in the regard of the straungenes thereof, and to\nquench my great thirst, that I did looke for no further benefit.\n\nOne pleasant Nymphe spake thus merrily vnto mee saying, giue mee thy\nhand, thou art verie welcome. Thou seest at this present here, that we\nare fiue companions,[A] and I am called _Aphea_, and she that carrieth\nthe boxes and white cloathes _Offressia_. This other with the shining\nGlasse (our delightes) her name is _Orassia_. Shee that carrieth the\nsounding Harpe is called _Achol_, and shee that beareth the casting\nbottle of precious Lyquor, is called _Genshra_. And we are al now going\ntogither to these temperate bathes, to refresh and delight our selues.\nTherefore you also (seeing that it is your good hap to bee amongst vs)\nshal bee willing to doo the like, and afterwardes with a verie good wil\nwee wil make our repaire to the great Pallais of our soueraigne.\n\n    [Sidenote A: These nimphs were his fiue sences.]\n\nWho is most merciful, bountiful, and liberal, and willing to helpe and\nfurther you, in your intended loues, burning desires, and high\nconceites. Plucke vp a good heart, man, come let vs goe on.\n\nWith pleasurable actions, maydenly iestures, swasiuious behauiours,\ngirlish sportes, wanton regardes, and with sweet vvords they ledde mee\non thither, beeing vvel content vvith euerie present action, but that my\n_Polia_ vvas not there to the suppliment of my felicitie, and to haue\nbeen the sixt person in the making vp of a perfect number.\n\nFurther, I found my selfe agrieued, that my apparel vvas not conformable\nto this delicious confort, but grovving into some houshold familiaritie,\nI disposed my self to be affable vvith them, and they with mee, til at\nlast wee came to the place.\n\nThere I behelde a marueilous buildyng of a bathe eight square, and at\neuerye Exterior corner, there were doubled together twoo Pyles, in\nfashion of a Pyke, from the leuell of the foundation, the subiect\nAreobates Circumcinct and ribbed about. And after them followed the\nvtmost of like bignes from the ground of the other, with their chapters\nset vnder the streight beame, with a border aboue, vnder a Coronice\ngoing round about. Which border was beautified with excellent carued\nworke, of litle naked children passing wel set forth, and equally\ndistant one from an other, with their handes intricately tyed and\nwrapped about, and in them holding little bundels of smal greene boughes\ninstrophiated togither. And aboue the said Coronice, did mount vp (by an\nelegant arching) an eight square Spyer, imitating the subiect. Which\nfrom corner to corner was cut through with a marueilous workemanship of\na thousand sundrie fashions, and closed againe with quarrels of\nChristal, which a farre of I did take to bee _L_eade. Vpon the top of\nwhich arched Spyer was placed a Trygon, and from the vpper center\nthereof, did ascend vp a strong steale, wherinto was ioyned an other\nsteale whiche was turned about, and to the same was fastened a wyng,\nwhich with euerie blast of winde tarried about, the piping steale which\nhad vpon the top thereof a ball, whereupon stood a naked Boy, streight\nvpon his right foote, and the left holden out. His head was hollow to\nhis mouth like a Tunnel, with the Orifice euacuated to his mouth, to the\nwhich was sowdered a Trompet, with his left hand holding the _L_anquet\nto his mouth, & his right hand extending towardes the middle ioynt, iust\nouer the pinyon of it the wing or fane. Al which was of thinne brasse,\nexcellently wel cast and guilt. Which wing, ball, and boye, with his\ncheekes and countenance as if hee were sounding, with the hinder part of\nhis head euacunated towardes the blustring winde, as that blew, so he\nsounded, and as the winde caused a strange noyse among the rods of\n_Siliques_ of _Egypt_, euen so did it heare in the Trumpet. Vppon which\ncause I merily thought to my selfe, that a man being alone in an\nvnknowne place and out of quiet, may easilie bee afrighted with such\nlike strange noyses.\n\n  [Illustration]\n\nIn that part of the building that was on the other side of the Nimph was\nthe enteraunce into the bathe perfourmed as mee thought by the same\nLithoglyphe, that couered the sleepyng Nimphe, vppon the phrise whereof,\nwere certaine Greeke Caracters, signifying +ASAMINTHOS+.\n\nWithin there were foure seates whiche went rounde about, and one vnder\nan other, and close knitte togither, wroght with Iasper and Calcedony\nstone, in all kinde of colours. Two of the compassing about seates were\ncouered ouer with water, and to the vpper margine of the third. In the\ncorners, & in euerry corner stoode a Chorinthian Collumne of diuers\ncolours, waued with so pure & beautiful Iacintes as nature could\naffoord, with conuenient bases and their chapters curiously made vnder\nthe beame, ouer the which was a _Zophor_, wherein were carued little\nnaked Boyes playing in the water, with water monsters, with wrastling\nand childish strifes, with cunning flights and agilities fit for their\nyeares, in liuely motions and sportes. Al which was beautiful ouer\ncompassed about with a Coronice. Ouer the which, according to the order\nof the little Collumies, from the perpendicular poynt in the toppe of\nthe Cupul or Suffite and couer of the Bathe, there went a Tore\nmoderator, increasing bigger and bigger of Oke leaues, one folding and\nlying ouer an other of greene Diasper hanging vppon their braunshing\nstalkes gilt, which ascending vp met togither, and ioyned rounde in the\naforesaide Cupul: where was placed a _L_yons head, with his haire\nstanding vp round about his face, and holding a Ring in his iawes, vnto\nthe whiche were fastened certaine chaines Orichalke or Copper, that held\na large goodly vessel, with a great braine or lyp, and furrowed of the\naforesaide shyning substance, and hangyng two Cubites aboue the water,\nthe bowle of the vessel which was of Christal onely except, the rest as\nthe ribbes thereof and lippings, was of Asure blew, with bubbles of gold\nand shining sprinkled here and there.\n\nNot farre of, there was a cleft in the earth, the which continually did\ncast foorth burning matter, and taking of this, and filling the bottome\nof the vessel, they did put certaine ginnes and sweet woods which made\nan inestimable suffumigation, as of the sweetest past, afterwardes\nclosing the same, and putting downe the couer, both partes being holow,\nand the lipping and ribbing perforated and pearced through the\ntransparent, Christal cleare and bright, they rendered a pleasant and\ndiuers coulered light, by the which through the smal holes the bathes\nwere lightened, and the heate stil incarcerated and interdicted.\n\nThe wal equally interposite betwixt Columne, and Columne was of most\nblacke stone, of an extreame hardnes and shining, incloystered about and\nbordered with a conuenient border of Diasper redde as Coral, adorned\nwith a Lyneament and worke of double Gurgules or Verticules. In the\nmiddle part of which table, betwixt the Collumnes, there sate an elegant\nNymph naked, as if she had been staying and attending of the stone\nGallatitis, of colour like Iuorie, the lower partes of euerie of the\nsaid borders, circulating iustly with the bases of the Collumnes.\n\nOh how exsquitely were the same Images cut, that oftentimes my eyes\nwould wander from the real and liuely shapes, to looke vpon those feyned\nrepresentations.\n\nThe paued ground vnder the water being of a diuers emblemature of hard\nstone, checkered where you might see marueilous graphics through the\ndiuersitie of the colours. For the cleare water and not sulphurous, but\nsweete and temperatelye hotte, not like a Hotte-house or Stew, but\nnaturally cleansing it selfe beyond all credet, there was no meanes to\nhinder the obiect from the sight of the eye. For diuers fishes in the\nsides of the seates, and in the bottom by a museacall cutting expressed,\nwhich did so imitate nature as if they had beene swimming aliue. As\nbarbles, lampreys, and many others, the curiousnes of whose woorke I\nmore regarded, then their names and natures.\n\nThe black stone of the walles was ingrauen with a leafe worke, as if it\nhad beene an illaqueated composition of leaues and flowers, and the\nlittle shelles of cytheriaces, so beautifull to the eye, as was possible\nto be deuised.\n\nVpon the doore, the interstice whereof was of stone called Gallactites,\nI beheld a Dolphin swimming in the calme waues, and carrying vpon his\nback a young man, playing vpon an harpe: And on the contrarie side vpon\nthe colde Fountaine, there was an other dolphin swimming, and\n_Posidonius_ riding vpon him with a sharpe elle speare in his hand.\n\nThese histories were perfected within the compasse of one selfe same\nstone, and set out in a most blacke ground. Then deseruedly I did\ncommend, both the archytect and the statuarie. On the other side, the\npleasant dignitie of the fayre and beautiful sporting nimphes did\nhighlye content mee, so as I could not compare to thinke whether the\nexcesse of my passed sorrow, or present solace should be greatest. And\nthere was so sweete a smell as Arabia neuer yeelded the like.\n\nVppon the seates of stone, in steed of an Apodyterie, they did\nimpouerish theyr apparrell, richely inuoluped, in the casting of it off,\nfrom their celestiall bodyes. Theyr fayre tresses bound vp in nettings\nof gould, wouen after a most curious sort. And without any respect at\nall, they gaue mee leaue to looke vpon theyr fayre and delicate\npersonages, theyr honestie and honour reserued. Flesh vndoubtedly like\nthe pure Roses and white Snowe. Ah woe is me, I found my heart to rise\nand open it selfe, and altogether to be adicted to a voluptuous delight.\nWherevpon I at that present thought my selfe most happie, onely in the\nbehoulding of such delights, because I was not able to resist the\nburning flames which did set vpon mee in the fornace of my heart. And\ntherefore sometime for a refuge and succour I durst not looke so\nnarrowly vppon theyr inticing beauties, heaped vp in their heauenly\nbodyes. And they perceiuing the same did smile at my bashful behauiour,\nmaking great sport at me: And thereat I was glad, and contented that I\nmight any way occasion their pastime. But I was greatly ashamed, in that\nI was an vnfit companion for such a company, but that they intreated mee\nto enter in with them where I stood like a Crowe among white Doues,\nwhich made me partly ashamed to behould, and ouerlooke such choyse\nobiects.\n\nThen _Offressia_ a very pleasant disposed piece, said vnto mee. Tel me\nyoung man what is your name? And I reuerently aunswered them,\n_Poliphilus_: it will please me well saith she, if the effect of your\nconditions be aunswerable to your name. And without deceit, said the\nrest. And how is your dearest loue called? Whereat I making some pause,\naunswered, _Polia_: then she replyed. A ha I thought that your name\nshould signifie that you were a great louer, but now I perceiue that you\nare a louer of _Polia_: and presently shee added more, saying: if shee\nwere heere present, what would you doo? I aunswered. That which were\nagreeable with hir honour, and fit for your companies. Tel me\n_Poliphilus_ doest thou loue hir wel indeed? Then I setting a deepe\nsigh, aunswered: beyond all the delights and cheefest substance of the\ngreatest and most pretious treasure in the whole world, and this opinion\nhath made an euerlasting impression in my still tormented heart. And\nshe: where haue you lost or abandoned so loued a iewel? I know not,\nneyther where I am my selfe I know. Then she smyling aunswered. If any\nshould finde hir out for you, what rewarde would you giue. But content\nthy selfe, be of good comfort, and frame thy selfe to delights, for thou\nshalt finde thy _Polia_ againe. And with these and such like pleasaunt\nand gratious questions, these fayre young Virgins, sporting and solacing\nthemselues, we washt and bathed together.\n\nAt the opposite interstice of the beautifull fountaine without, of the\nfaire sleeping Nymph before mentioned, within the Bathe there was\nanother of statues of fine mettal, and of a curious workemanship,\nglistering of a golden colour, that one might see himselfe therein.\nWhich were fastened in a Marble, cut into a squadrature, and euacuated\nfor the Images to stand in their proportions, with two halfe Collumnes\nthat is Hemiciles, one of either side, with a Trabet, a smal Zophor, and\na Coronice, all cut in one sollid Marble, and this peece of worke was\nnothing inferior to any of the rest, which before I had seene, but with\na rare art, and marueilous inuention, both deuised and performed. In the\nvoyd and plaine euacuated quadret, there stood two Nimphes, little lesse\nthen if they had been liuely creatures, apparelled, so as you might see\nsomewhat aboue their knees, vppon one of theyr legges, as if the winde\nhad blowne it vp, as they were doing theyr office, and their armes bare,\nfrom the elbow to the shoulder except. And vpon that arme, wherewith\nthey sustained the Boye, the habite that was lifted vp was reiect. The\nfeete of the Infant stood one in one of the handes of the Nymphes, and\nthe other, in the others hand. All their three countenances smiling: and\nwith their other handes, they held vp the Boyes shirt, aboue his nauil.\n\nThe Infant holding his little Instrument in both his hands, and\ncontinued pissing into the hotte water, fresh coole water. In this\ndelicious place of pleasure, I was verie iocund and full of content, but\nthe same was much apalled, in that I thought my selfe a contemptible\nbodie, among such beauties, and dewe coniealed into Snowe, and as it\nwere a Negro or tawnye Moore amongst them.\n\nOne of them called _Achoe_, verie affably and with a pleasant\ncountenance said vnto mee, _Poliphile_ take that Christal vessel and\nbring mee some of that fresh water. I without staie intending to do so,\nand thinking nothing, but to do her seruice in any sort that she would\ncommaund me, went to the place. And I had no sooner set my foote vpon\nthe steppe, to receiue the water, as it fell, but the pissing Boye lift\nvp his pricke, and cast sodeinlye so colde water vppon my face, that I\nhad lyke at that instant to haue fallen backward. Whereat they so\nlaughed, and it made such a sounde in the roundnes and closenes of the\nbathe, that I also beganne (when I was come to my selfe) to laugh that I\nwas almost dead. Afterward, I founde out the concauitie, and perceiued\nthat any heauy weight, being put vpon the moueable stepping, that it\nwould rise vp like the Keye and Iacke of a Virginall, and lift vp the\n  Boyes pricke, and finding out the deuise and curious workemanship\n        thereof, I was greatly contented. Vpon the Zophor was\n              written in _Atthic_ letters this title\n                          +GELOIASTOS+.\n\n  [Illustration]\n\nAfter our great laughter and bathing, and all hauing washed with a\nthousand sweete, amorous, and pleasant wordes, maydenly sportes, and\npastimes, wee went out of the water, and leapt vp vppon the accustomed\nseates, tripping on their toes, where they did annoynt themselues with\nsweete Odours, Diasdasmatic, and with a Myristic liquor, or water of\nNutmegges. And they offered a boxe vnto mee also, and I annoynted my\nselfe therewithall, and I founde great pleasure therein, for besides the\nexcellent smel and sweete sauour, it was verie good to comfort my bodie,\nlegges, and armes, that had been so wearied in my daungerous flight.\n\nAfterward when we had made ourselues redy, which was somwhat long after\nthe manner of other women, by reason of so many gewgawes and gimmerie\nwhatchets, they did open their vesselles of daintie confections, and\nrefreshed themselues, and I amongst them, and with precious drinke. When\nthey had eaten sufficiently, they returned againe to their looking\nGlasses, with a scrupulous examination, about their bodies, and the\nattire of their heades, and dressing of their yealow curling haires\ndepending, and hemicirculately instrophiated about their diuine faces.\nAnd when they had made an ende, they sayde vnto mee.\n\n_Poliphilus_, wee are now going vnto our gratious and most excellent\nSouereigne the Queene _Eutherillida_, where you shal finde and conceiue\ngreater delight, but the water is still in your face, whereat they\nbeganne to renew their laughter, without all measure at mee, glauncing\nand turning their eyes one to an other, with a louely regarde. At last\nthey set foorth, and as they went rounde togither, they beganne to sing\nverses in a Phrygial tune, of a pleasaunt metamorphosing of one, who\nwith an oyntment thought to haue transfourmed himselfe into a Byrd, and\nby mistakyng of the Boxe, was turned into a rude Asse.\n\nConcludyng, that manye tooke Oyntmentes to one purpose, and founde the\neffecte to contrarie their expectations.\n\nWhereat I beganne to be in a doubt, that they had sung that by mee,\nbecause that they still smiled as they turned towardes mee. But seeing\nthat I perceiued no alteration in my selfe, but wel I was contented to\nlet them laugh on. Vpon a sodaine I founde my selfe so lasciuiously\nbent, and in such a prurient lust, that which way so euer I turned, I\ncould not forbeare, and they as they sung laughed the more, knowing what\nhad happened vnto mee. And it did so increase in mee more and more, that\nI knew not wherewithal I might bridle and restraine my selfe from\ncatching of one of them, like an eager and hotte Falcon comming downe\nout of the ayre, vpon a couie of Partriges. I was with such a violent\ndesire prickt forwarde, which I felt more and more to increase in a\nsault burning. And the more I was to that venerious desire by the\nviolent offers of so oportune and sweete obiects. A foode for suche a\npernitious plague, and vnexperienced burning.\n\nThen one of these flamigerous Nymphes named _Aphea_, said vnto mee, How\nis it _Poliphilus_? Euen now I did see you verye merry, what hath\naltered your disposition? I answered. Pardon mee that I binde and vexe\nmy selfe more then a willow Garland. Giue mee leaue to destroy my selfe\nin a lasciuious fire. And thereat they burst out all in a laughter and\nsaid, Ah ha, and if your desired _Polia_, if shee were here, what would\nyou do, how? Alas my desire, euen by the deitie which you serue, I\nbeseech you put not Flaxe and Rosin to the fire, whiche burneth mee out\nof all measure. Put no Pitch to the fire in my heart, make me not to\nforget my selfe I beseech you.\n\nAt this my lamentable and sorrowing answere, they were prouoked to such\na loude laughter, wherin they did exceed so much, that neither they nor\nmy selfe with the wearines thereof could goe any further, but were\nconstrained to rest our selues for want of breath, vpon the odoriferous\nfloures & coole grasse, by meanes whereof, I became somewhat oportunely\nto bee eased, my heate aswaging and relenting by little and little.\n\nAnd as they thus contentedly rested themselues a while, vnder the coole\nvmbrage of the leafie Trees, I beganne to bee bolde with them saying.\nO you women, that are burners and destroyers, doo you vse mee thus? See\nwhat an offered occasion I haue, which wil holde mee excused, to breake\nfoorth and doo violence vnto you. And thereupon somewhat boldly moouing\nmy selfe and fayning as if I would haue done that which by no meanes I\ndurst, but then with a newe pastyme and laughter they called one for an\nothers helpe, leauing heere and there their golden Pantoffles and\nVailes, to bee carried about with the winde, and their vesselles\nneclected in the grasse, they ranne all awaye, and I after them, that I\nmight well perceiue that they had neither crampes nor stringhawldes or\nleaden heeles, and thus continuing our pastimes a pretie space, being\nsomewhat pleased that I had made them to runne. I returned backe to\ngather vp their Pantophles and such things as they had scattered behind\nthem. And comming neare to a fresh coole Riuer, they began to cease off\nfrom laughter, and to take pittie vppon mee, and _Geussia_ behinde all\nthe rest, bowed her selfe downe to the water, beautifully adorned with\nthe bendyng Bull Rushe, water Spyke, swimmyng Vitrix, and aboundaunce of\nwater Symples, shee dyd plucke vp the _Heraclea_ Nympha, of some called\nwater Lillye or _Nenuphar_, and the roote of Aron or wake Robyn, of,\nsome, _Pes vituli_ or _Serpentaria Minor_.\n\nAnd _Amella_ or Bawme Gentill, all whiche grew very neare togither and\nnot farre distant, whiche shee fauourably offered vnto mee saying, of\nthese whiche I haue made choyse of take, and for my freedome taste.\n\nFor whiche cause I refused the _Nenuphar_, and reiected the Dracuncle\nfor his heate, and accepted of the _Amella_, whiche shee had cleane\nwashed, by meanes whereof, within a verye short space, I founde my\nvenerious Lubric and incensing spurre of desire to leaue of, and my\nintemperate luste was cleane gone.\n\nAnd when my vnlawfull desires[A] of the fleshe were brideled, the\npleasant Nymphes came againe to mee, and as wee walked on, wee came into\na frequented place, and wonderfully fruitfull.\n\n    [Sidenote A: Vnlawfull concupiscence blindeth a man, and driueth his\n    sences from him.]\n\nAnd there in a fine order and appointed distance was a waye set on\neither sides with Cyprus Trees, with their corner clefted Apples, and as\nthicke with leaues as their nature will suffer them, the leauell grounde\nbeeyng couered all ouer, with greene Vinca Peruima, or Lawreoll and\nChamme, _Daphne_, and full of his asurine flowers. Which adorned way of\na meete and conuenient breadth, did lead directly on into a greene\nClosure, from the beginning of whiche walke, iust betwixt the Cyprus\nTrees, to the entrance and opening of the aforesaide enclosure, was some\nfoure furlonges. Vnto which enclosure when wee came, I founde it\nequilaterall, with three fences like a streight wall, as high as the\nCyprus Trees vpon either sides of the waye, that wee had passed along\nin: which was altogither of Cytrons, Orenges and Lymonds, bushing with\ntheir leaues one within an other, and artifitially knitte and twisted\ntogither, and the thicknes mee thought of sixe foote: with a Gate in the\nmiddest of the same Trees, so wel composed as is either possible to bee\nthought or done. And aboue in conuenient places were made windowes, by\nmeanes whereof, the bowghes in those places were to be seene bare, but\nfor their greene leaues which yeelded a most sweet and pleasant verdure.\nBetwixt the curious twistings of the braunches and their greene leaues,\nthe white flowers did aboundantly shewe themselues a singular Ornament,\nbreathing foorth a most delectable and sweete odour. And to please the\neye, the faire fruite was in no place wanting, where it should yeelde\ncontent. And afterwardes I might perceiue, that in the interstitious\nthicknes, the bowghes (not without a wonderful woorke) were so\nartificially twisted and growne togither, that you might assend vp by\nthem, and not bee seene in them, nor yet the way where you went vp.\n\nAt length comming into this greene and delightful grounde to the eye,\nand in a mans vnderstanding woorthie of estimation, I perceiued that it\nwas a great enclosure in the fore front of a marueilous Pallaice of a\nnoble simmetriated architecturie which of this frondiferous conclausure,\nwas the fourth part in longitude sixtie paces. And this was the\n_Hyp[ae]thri_ to walke in, for open ayre.\n\nIn the middest of this great base Court, I did behold a goodly Fountaine\nof cleare water, spinnyng from the verie toppe as it were to the\nfoundation, whiche stoode vpon a smoothe pauement through little\nstreight Pypes, falling into a hollowed vessel, whiche was of most pure\nAmethist, whose Diameter conteined three paces, the thicknes agreeing\ntherewithall, leauyng the twelfth part for the thicknesse of the brimme,\nrounde about the same were carued water monsters, after the best sort\nthat euer any auncient inuentor or woorkeman for the hardnes of the\nstone could deuise to woorke, it might bee the woorke of _D[ae]dalus_,\nfor the wonderful excellencie thereof. _Pausania_, if he had seene this,\nwould haue taken small pleasure to boast of the standing cup which he\nmade to _Hipparis_.\n\nWhich same was founded vpon a steale or final Pillar of Iasper of diuers\ncolours, beautifully adulterating one with an other being cut in the\nmiddest and closed vp with the cleare Calcidonie, of the colour of the\ntroubled Sea water, and brought into marueilous woorke, beeing lifted vp\nwith guttured hollowe vessels, one aboue an other, with a reserued\nseperation, by artificiall and woonderful ioyntes. It stood streight vp,\nfastened in the center of a Plynth, made of greene Ophite which was\nrounde, and somewhat lifted vp aboue, about compassing Porphyr, some\nfiue inches, whiche was curiously wrought with diuers lyneaments.\n\nRounde about the steale whiche helde vp the vessell, foure Harpies of\nGolde did stand, with their clawes and tallented feete vpon the smoothe\nTable of the Ophite.\n\nTheir hinder partes towardes the steale, one iust opposite against an\nother, with their winges displaied and spredde abroad, they rested vnder\nthe vessell with their feminine countenances, and hauing haire vpon\ntheir heades, from the same, it spredde downe to their showlders, their\nheades vnder, and not touching the vessell: with their tayles like\nEeles, and turning rounde. And vpon their nauels, an Antique leafe\nworke. These were verie necessarie for the strengthening of the Pype\nwithin the steale and smal Pillar.\n\nWithin the middest of the wombe and bellye, or nauel of the vessel, vpon\nthe Subiect steale, there was proportionately raised vp of the same\nvessel of _Amathyst_, a substance like a Challice, inward, or the\ninwarde moulde for a Bell, so high as the vessel was deepe the middle\nthereof, leuell with the brimme of the vessell.\n\nVppon the which was made an artificious foote set vnder the\nthree graces naked of fine Gold, of a common stature, one ioyning to an\nother.\n\nFrom the teates of their breastes the ascending water did spin out lyke\nsiluer twist. And euerie one of them in their right hand did holde a\ncopie full of all kinde of fruites, whiche did extend in length vp aboue\ntheir heades, and at the opening, all three of them ioyned rounde into\none, with diuers leaues and fruites hangyng ouer the brimmes or lippes\nof the wrythen Copies.\n\nBetwixt the fruite and the leaues, there came vp sixe small Pypes, out\nof the whiche the water did spring vp through a small hole.\n\nAnd the cunning Artificer, because that hee would not trouble one Cubit\nwith the tuch of another. With a signe of shamefastnes, the Images with\ntheir left handes did hide that part which modestie would not haue\nseene, but accounteth woorthie to bee couered.\n\nVppon the brimme of the hollow vessell, whose compasse was a foote\nmoreouer about, then the subiacent of it, with their heades lifted vp\nvpon their Vipers feete, with a conuenient and decent intercalation,\nthere were placed sixe little scaly Dragons, of pure shining Golde, with\nsuch a deuise, that the water comming from the teates of the Ladies, did\nfall directly vppon the euacuated and open crowne of the head of the\nDragons, afore spoken of, with their winges spredde abroad, and as if\nthey had been byting, they did cast vp and vomit the same water whiche\nfell beyonde the roundnes of the Ophict, into a receptorie of Porphyr,\nand rounde, whiche were both more higher then the flatnesse of the\npauement before spoken of: where there was a little Channell going\nrounde about betwyxt the Ophit and the Porphyrite, in breadth one foote\nand a halfe, and in depth two foote.\n\nWhiche Porphyrite was three foote from the playne ouermost parte to the\nPauement, with an excellent vndiculation. The reste of the partes of the\nDragonnes, for the moderate deepenesse of the vessell did grow on,\nvntill all met together, transforming the extreame partes of their\ntailes into an antique foliature making a beautifull illygament with the\narule or foote set vnder the three images without any deforming\nhinderance to the hollownesse of the precious vessell. And what with the\ngreene assayling of the compassing Orange trees, and the bright\nreflections of the shining matter, and the pure water, there was such a\ngratious couler, in that singular and most pretious vessell, as if the\nRainbowe and the clowdes had made theyr habitation there.\n\nThen in the corpulent bearing out of the belly of the vessell, betwixt\none, and the other Dragons, in an equall distance, and of a most\nexcellent melting or casting, there stood out _L_yons heads of an\nexquisite exaction, and driuing, casting foorth by a little pype, the\nwater that distilled from the six fistulets, placed in the copie aboue.\nWhich water, did so forciblie spring vpward, that in the turning downe\n  it fell among the Dragons in the large vessell, where by reason\n          of the high fall, and fashion of the vessel, it\n                  made a pleasant tinckling noyse.\n\n  [Illustration]\n\nAll which rare worke, by so sharpe and fine a wit composed, as this\ninsolent and precious vessell was, the foure perfect harpies, the\nwoonderfull and curious azule, wherevpon the three Images of pure gould\nstood, with what Arte, ordinance, and rule, digested and made perfect:\nas I am ignorant in them altogither, so much the lesse able am I to\ndescribe the whole as it did deserue, being a woorke past any humaine\nreache and capacitie to frame the like.\n\nAnd I may bouldly say, that in our age there was neuer seene in stone\nand mettle such a peece of woorke embost, chased, and engrauen. For it\nwas a woonder to see, that stones of such extreame hardnesse, as that\nwhich was the steale to hould vppe the Vessell, should be cut and\nwrought to that purpose, as if it had beene as soft as wax. A woorke\nraither to bee woondered at, then vndertaken.\n\nThe square base court, (in the middest whereof stood this notable woorke\nof the sumptuous Fountaine,) was paued with fine Marble of diuers\ncoulers and fashions. Amongst which were appact very beautifully,\nroundes of Diasper, equally distant, and disagreeing from the couler of\nthe pauement, and the corners closed vp with leaues and Lyllies. Betwixt\nthe square marble pauing stones, there was a space left like a list,\nwhich was filled vp with diuers coulered stones of a lesser cut, some\nproportioned into greene leaues, and tawnie flowers. Cyanei, Ph[ae]nicei,\nand Sallendine, so well agreeing in theyr coulers, so glistering and\nseuerly set of a diligent Xesturgie. As full of coulers as a Christall\nglasse, repercust and beaten against with the beames of the sunne.\nBecause the circumduct and compassing coulers, meeting together in the\nselfe same smoothe and cleane stones, did yeeld a reflection, no part\nbeing faultie, eyther of the square checkers or scutuls and Trigons. But\nwith a smoothe and streight ordinance well ioyned together.\n\nWhereat I remained woonderfully amased by my selfe, diligently\nconsidering vpon the noblenes of the woorke, such as I had not beene\nvsed to see, and verye willinglye I would haue beene content, to haue\nmade more staye in the contemplating thereof, for so the dignitie of the\nworke required, but I could not because it was necessarie for me to\nfollow after my leaders.\n\nThen the aspect of this sumptuous magnificient and statelye pallace, the\napprooued situation thereof, the dew proportion, and the maruelous\ncomposition in my first comming to it, did make me woonderfully\ncontented to view the woorthines thereof, and in continuance I was\nprouoked to behould more, for which cause I perswaded my selfe, as I\nmight very well, that the expert builder, excelled all other whatsoeuer.\nWhat kinde of rafters? what manner of roofe? after what sort the Parlors\nchambers, closets and lodgings, were disposed? with what kind of seeling\nthey were enclosed and incrusted? wherewithall hanged? with what couler\nand kinde of painting ouerhead? What order of columination, and what\nspace betwixt. No other building maye goe beyonde this whatsoeuer, but\nmay giue place verye well, of what kinde of Marble, and what manner of\nengrauing.\n\nThere I beheld the laboures of Hercules grauen in stone with halfe the\nrepresentation standing out or bearing foorth, in a woonderfull sort,\nthe skinnes, statues, tytles, and trophes, What an entry, what a stately\nporche, what that of Titus Cesar with his stone of Phenicea with all the\ntinkering and pullishing about it, there is none whose wit is so grosse\nto commend it, in respect of this, but will rather scorne to speake of\nit. As for the woorthie and excellent manner of glasing the gallerie\nwithout the pallace, the conspitious porche, the manner of building, the\narched seeling aboue head, beautified and adorned with foliature and\nother lineaments of pure gould and asuer couler and excellent painting\nthat whatsoeuer I had seene before I made finall acount of, as not\nworthie of remembrance. And beeing now come to the doore within the\nporche, the going in was closed vp wth a hanging, drawne ouer before it\nof gould and silke, wrought together, and in the same two images. One of\nthem hauing all kinde of instruments about hir, fitte and readie to goe\nto worke, and the other with a maidenly countenance, looking vp with hyr\neyes into heauen.\n\nThe beautye of which two were such, and so fresh, as I looked about mee,\nwhether _Apelles_ had painted them with his Pensill.\n\nAnd there my sportfull, faire, and pleasant companions, euerie one\nputting their right handes to mine, willing to haue me in, sayde,\n_Poliphilus_ this is the vsuall waye, by the which you must come into\nthe presence of our Gracious and moste excellent Queene.\n\nBut you cannot haue leaue to enter in here through this Curtain, before\nyou bee receiued of a vigilant and innocent Damosel that is the keeper\nof this doore, and she is called _Cinosia_. Who hearing vs comming, did\nforthwith present her selfe, and fauourably held vp the cloth, and wee\nentered in.\n\nThere was a roome hung about and diuided by an other Curtaine of\nexcellent Arras full of Imagerie, as signes, shapes, plants, and\nbeastes, singularly well done.\n\nIn this place at our comming, an other curious woman came towardes vs,\ncalled _Indalomena_, and she putting by the Curtaine, wee entered in.\nAnd there was an other suche like roome, from the second for quantitie,\nwith discourses and reason marueilously wouen, with infinite knottes,\nbucklinges, tyings, and old fashioned harping Irons, or Hookes, as if\nthey had been fastened and knit togither. In which place without any\nstaying, the third woman came and receiued vs very gratiously, her name\nwas _Mnemosina_, and shee calling vs, gaue vs free leaue to go in. Where\nlastly my companions did present mee before the sacred maiestie of the\nQueene _Eleutherillida_.\n\n\n\n\n_Poliphilus sheweth as well as hee may, how exceeding great the\n  Maiestie of the Queene was, the manner of her Residence and seruice.\n  His fauourable entertainment. Howe shee marueiled at him._\n\n\nWhen I came towardes the first doore-keeper, I was somewhat abashed, but\nyet I did salute her in good sorte as became mee to doo. And shee verie\ncurteously badde mee come neere. And in like manner the second.\n\nIn whose gard I did see a loftie Gallery as long the content of the\nPallaice, the roofe whereof, was all painted with a greene foliature,\nwith distinct flowers and folded leaues, and little flying Byrdes,\nexcellently imphrygiated of museacall paynting, as without in the first\nCourt, and the stone walls seeled with Chipworkes of diuers colours.\n\nAt the last doore, the Matrone _Mnemosina_ perswaded me verie\neffectually, not to doubt of any thing, but that I should stedfastly\nfollow the royall perswasion, and healthfull counsell of the Queene, and\nperseuere in the execution thereof, for that the ende without doubt\nwould be to my content.\n\nAnd thus hauing leaue to goe in, beholde such thinges presented\nthemselues to my eyes, as were lyker to be celestiall then humane.\n\nA most stately and sumpteous preparation, in a gorgeous and spacious\nCourt, beyond the Pallaice neere and opposite to the other, and foure\nsquare.\n\nThe bewtifull and precious Pauement within a checkered compasse going\nabout the same, there was a space of sixtie foure Squadrates of three\nfoote, the dyameter of euerye one: Of the which one was of Iasper, of\nthe colour of Corall, and the other greene, powdered with drops of blood\nnot to bee woorne away: and set togither in manner of a Chesse-boord.\nCompassed about with a border, the breadth of one pace of a rare\ninuention of woorke, with small pieces of stones, of diuers colours, and\nso compacte together, as if it had beene a straunge paynted woorke\neuenly cut and set by rule, that you could not perceiue the ioyning, but\nsmoothe and shyning, and so well framed by the Lybell and Squadrate,\nthat no circulating or sph[ae]ricall Instrument woulde mooue to either\nsides without forcing.\n\nAbout this, lastlye was an other marueylous kynde of Pauing of three\npaces broad, in knottes of Iasper, Praxin, Calcedonie, Agat, and other\nsortes of stones of price.\n\nAnd about by the sides of the walles, compassing the sayde Court paued\nas you haue heard, there were placed Settles, of the wood of Palme\nTrees, of colour betwixt a yealow and tawny, passing well turned and\nfashioned, couered ouer with greene Veluet, and bowlstered with some\nsoft stuffe or feathers easie to sit vpon, the Veluet brought downe to\nthe frame of the Settles or Benches, and fastened to the same with tatch\nNayles of Golde, with bossed heades vppon a plaine Siluer Nextrule or\nCordicell.\n\nThe alament of the claustering walles, were couered ouer with Plates of\nbeaten Golde, with a grauing agreeable to the pretiousnes of the metall.\n\nAnd in the co[ae]quated and smoothe plaine of the same walles of stone,\nby certaine Pilastrelles, Quadrangules, or _L_ossenges, of an equall\ndimension and distinct correspondencie in the middest of euerie one,\nthere were perspicuously appact rounde Iewels, bearing out and swelling\nbeyond the plaine leuell of the wall, after the manner of the tores of\nbases, and of thicknes according to the proportion of the Losenge\nwherein it stood, compassed about with greene iagged leaues, one bending\nouer an other, the tops turned toward the Iewell.\n\nAnd betwyxt the Foliature and the great Iewell, another border of\npretious stones curiouslie sorted and conspicuouslie set.\n\nAnd in the rest of the wall circumvallate of these bearing out rownde\nIewels, the seuen Plannets with their nature and properties, with an\nEncaustic woorke were sweetly painted, which I beheld with great\ndelight. The rest of the wall exclusiue from the rowndnes of the Iewels\nwithin the Pilastrels, were filled vp and bewtified with infinite\nvarietie of workes in siluer, and powdered with diuers inestimable\nstones, singularly well cut, and of diuers fashions.\n\nThe wall on the left side was in like sort, and opposite in tundels.\nAgainst the seuen Plannettes were there seuen Tryumphes ouer the\nsubiectes of the same predominent Plannettes, and in such lyke Art\nof Painting as the other side.\n\nAnd on the right part I behelde their seuen harmonies and friendly\naspectes, and the passage of the blood, with the qualitatiue receiuing\nand retiring & circulating entrance, with an incredible Historie of the\ncelestiall operation accedent.\n\nThe fourth alament made the Pallaice of suche like distribution as the\nother, the doore except, whiche did occupie an emptie voyde interstice.\nThe other sixe with a regulate correspondence, and harmonye of the rest,\nin the Iewelles to the opposite and symentriall congresse of the\nPlannettes, with their vertuous inclinations, were expressed in the\nshapes of elegant Nimphes, with the titles and signes of their natures.\n\nThe seuenth Mediane quarter, was the forefront directlye placed against\nthe seuenth Iewell, representing the Planet _Soll_, whiche was set vp\nmore higher then the rest, by reason of the Queenes Throne.\n\nEuerie part of matter, number, forme, and lyneament, in distribution\nequally correspondent to his Lybell, the right with the left, and here\nand there, with an exquisite loue, and congresse agreeing.\n\nOf whiche moste excellent Court, euerie side was eight and twentie\npaces. In this sort stood this synarie open Court, all compassed about\nwith fine golde, a worke rather to bee wondered at, then spoken off.\n\nThe Pilastrelles were discrepant fowre paces one from an other, with a\niust partition of seuen (a number gratefull to nature) of fine and\norient Azure, Lazull stone, passing well coloured according to his\nkinde, with a bewtifull bestowing of small glymces of gold. In the fore\npart of which, betwixt the seuen pilastrels, there were appointed little\nslender Pillers wrought about with leaues, copies, heades with haire\nlike leaues, boyes their hippes and legges proportioned into brawnches,\nBirdes and copies, and vesselles full of flowers, with other woonderfull\ninuentions and deuises, from the top to the bottome of the Anaglyph, as\nif they had grown out of the foundation, making and diuiding in sunder\nthe spaces, their chapters were wrought of a fashion answerable to the\nrest.\n\nOuer the whiche did extende a streight beame with grauen lineamentes\nfitting the same. And ouer that a Zophor, conteining this woorke still\nthroughout, that is, the bonye scalpes of Oxen, with myroll bowghes full\nof berries, tyed abowt theyr hornes by a towell of linnen.\n\nVpon either sides of them were Dolphines, with their gilles lyke leaues,\nand their Finnes and their extreeme partes of a foliature, and vpon\ntheyr heades and backes certaine naked boyes, getting holde of theyr\nlifted vp braunching tayles, with leaues and flowers, and bending them\ndowne.\n\nThe head of the Dolphine hauyng a Syme, whereof the one part turned\ntowardes the Boye, and the other bent against the vessell with an open\ngaping, and endyng in the head of a Storke, with her beake against the\nopen mouth of a Monster, lying with his face vpwarde, and certaine\nWhorelles or Beades rysing vp betwixt his mouth and her beake.\n\nWhiche heades in stead of haire, were couered with leaues one ouer an\nother, filling the Orifice of the vessell, and from one lyp to an other,\nand vnder the bowle thereof towarde the foote, there compassed a fine\ntowell of linnen, the endes hanging downe from the knottes, in suche an\nexcellent sorte as was conuenient both for the place and matter. And in\nthe middle ouer the heades, was the face of a childe vppon a payre of\nwinges.\n\nAnd with suche lyke lineamentes was the Zophor adorned and couered, with\na Coronice full of excellent workemanship. Vppon the plaine toppe\nwhereof, by a perpendicular lyne ouer the Pillars, in the ordeining of\nthe squadrangalles, there were placed and framed certaine olde fashioned\nvesselles, by an appointed distribution, three foote high of Calcedonie,\nsome of Amethist, some of Agat, some of Iasper, with their bellies\nfurrowed and Channelled, and cut of a rare and maruellous cunning, and\nwith excellent eares.\n\nIn a perfect order ouer euerie Iewell aboue the Coronice, were aptlye\nioyned traunsomes, squared seuen foote high, and the middle space\nbetweene them of glistering Golde, with a superadiect extention, closing\nouer the streight extended transomes. And by a turnyng downe the\ntransomes, did ioyne decently one with the other, with a Topiarie[A]\nwoorke. Intending that out of the vesselles standing vpon the Coronice\nas aforesaide, in the cornes the transome and the vyne should ryse vp\ntogither, but out of the other vesselles, either a vyne or some Woodbine\nof Golde, by courses meeting ouer the transwerst traunsomes, with a\nthicke stretching out of theyr spreadyng braunches, one ioyning with an\nother, and twisting togither with a fine and pleasant congresse,\ncouering ouer all the whole court with a riche and inestimable suffite,\nwith diuers fashioned leaues of greene emeralde, gratefull to the sight,\nmore perfect then that wherein _Amenon_ was impressed, and the flowers\ndispersed and distributed of Saphires and byrrals. And with an excellent\ndisposition and artificiall, betwixt the greene leaues and the grosse\nvaynes, so precious hunge downe the clusters of grapes made of stones,\nagreeable and fitting to the naturall coulers of Grapes.\n\n    [Sidenote A: Topiaria, the feate of making Images or Arbours in\n    Trees.]\n\nAll which most rare deuises, of pryse incomparable, incredible, and past\nimagination, did shine all ouer most pretiouslie: not so much to be\nmarueyled at for the costlinesse of the matter, but for the large\ngreatnesse of the worke.\n\nFor nor without great cause, from place to place, with a diligent and\niealous examination I did carefully consider the large extention of the\ninmost intricate braunches, and their proportionate strength and\nthicknesse, so cunninglie doone, by such an arte, boulde attempt, and\ncontinued intent, they were so aptly led out, whether by sowdering,\nor by the Hammer, or by casting, or by all three, mee thought it an\nvnpossible worke to make a couering of such a breadth, and so twysted\nand twyned together.\n\nIn the middle prospect, oppossite against our going in vpon a degreed\nregall throne, set full of glystering stones in a maruelous order, farre\nmore excellent then the seat in the temple of _Hercules_ at _Tyre_, of\nthe stone _Eusebes_. The Queene with an imperiall Maiestie sitting vppon\nit, goddesse like, and of a woonderfull magnanimitie in countenance:\ngorgiously apparrelled in clothe of goulde, with a sumptuous and curious\nattyre, vpon hir head of a purple couler, with an edging of Orient\nPearle, shadowing ouer hir large forhead, aunciently and princelike,\neuer pressing hir plemmirrulate trammels of hayre, as blacke as iet\ndescending downe hir snowie temples, and the rest of the aboundance of\nhir long hayre, fastned rounde in the hinder parte of her head, and\ndeuided into two partes or tresses, lapt about this waye and that waye,\nbehind hir small eares, ouer hir streight proportioned head, and\nfinished in the crowne, with a flower of great Orient, and rownd\nPearles, such as be found in the Indian promontorie _Perimula_.\n\nThe rest of hir long spreding hayre was not seene, but couered ouer with\na thinne vayle, edged with gould, hanging downe from the said flower and\nknot of pearle, to hir delicate shoulders, and flingering abroade with\nthe ayre.\n\nIn the middle of the edging of hir dressing, vpon the highest parte ouer\nthe middest of hir forhead hoong a rare iewell. And about hir round and\nsnowie neck, went an inestimable Carkenet with a pendent ouer the\ndiuision of hir rownde brests, of a table Dyamond, in fashion of an\nEgge, sparkling, and of a monstrous largenes, set in gould with wyer\nwoorke.\n\nAt hir eares moste richelye were hanged in the typpes two earinges, two\ngreat shynyng Carbunckles of an inestimable price.\n\nHir shooes were of greene silke, and hir pantofles of gould imbrodered\nin a leafe woorke. Vppon a foote stoole aboue the which, and vnder hir\nfeete, was layde a cushion of white Veluet, with a purseling of silke\nand Orient Pearles of_Arabia_, within the persick golph, with foure\nButtons wrought with pretious Stones, and tasseld with goulde twist, and\ncrimosen silke, depending.\n\nVppon eyther sides along vpon the aforesaid benches couered ouer with\ngreene veluet, sate hir Ladyes of honour, attendant in a goodly and\ncommendable order, according to their estates, apparrelled in clothe of\ngoulde in an incredible brauerie, as in the world may bee seene. And in\nthe middest of them this renowned and famous Queene in great pompe and\nvnspeakeable statelynes, and the hemmes of hir vestures so edged and set\nwith pearle and stone, as if nature had rayned and powred them down vpon\nhir.\n\nAt hir high and imperiall aspect, with great reuerence bowing their\nknees to the ground vnto hir, hir women did rise vppe from their seates,\noccasioned by the noueltie of the spectacle, & greatly marueiling that I\nshould come into such a place.\n\nBut I founde my selfe more amazed, my hearte quayling, and dilating both\nof the troubles that I passed, and the present estate that I was brought\ninto, which did enuiron and fill me with an extreame amasement, reuerend\nfeare, and honest shamefastnesse.\n\nAnd they asking the fiue Nimphes that brought me in, whysperinglie what\nI was, and the strangenesse of my hap, directing, bending and\nintentiuely fixing all their eyes vpon me. Where finding my selfe so\nbase a worme in such an excellent conspect, I was woonderfully\nastonished, and lyke one that had no spyrite.\n\nBut the successe and manner of my comming being demaunded of them, the\nNymphes plainly, open and manifest the same at large, whereat the\ngratious Queene beeing mooued to compassion, caused me to stand vp, and\nvnderstanding what my name was, began to say.\n\n_Poliphilus_, be of good comfort, and pluck vp a good heart, and tell me\nhow thou commest hither, and by what meanes, and how thou diddest escape\nthat mortall and horrible Dragon? and how thou diddest finde away out of\nthat odious and blinde darkenes, I haue beene tould of it: But I maruell\nme not a little, because few or none dare aduenture that waye. But\nseeing that grace hath safelye brought thee hither vnto vs, I will not\ndenye thee (any cause notwithstanding) a gratious and fauourable\nintertaynement.\n\nTo whose liberall inuiting, royall woordes and intertaynement, better\nthen I could haue imagined to desire, with diuote and honourable\nthankes, giuen aboundantly from pointe to pointe, I tould how I escaped\nand fled from the Dragon, a fearefull monster. And consequently with\nwhat trauell and payne I came to the desired place. And how the fiue\nNimphes did finde me wandering and afrayde. Which when I had at large\ndeclared and ended my speeche, I began with great desire to frame my\nselfe to bee a pertaker of their solacious and magnificent pleasures.\n\nAfter that she said vnto me with a smiling and pleasant countenance.\nIt is a woorthie matter to consider, that an euill and discontented\nbeginning, often time falleth out to a happie and good successe in the\nend: and before that anye thing bee committed vnto you to perfourme, as\ntouching your amorous and firme conceit, it is our pleasure, for the\nasswagement and mitigation of thy commendable griefes, that in this\ncompany thou especially shouldest associate thy selfe with _Philotesia_,\nseeing that the faire heauens haue shewed thee of thy entertainment, and\nbrought thee into our triumphant mansion place. And therefore my\n_Poliphilus_, without any more ceremonies take thy place there and sit\ndowne, for thou shalt see (with a verie good will) part of our sumptuous\nand stately manner of seruice, the plentifull diuersitie and number of\nmy more then princely dainties, the honourable attendance of my\nhoushold, & excellent order thereof, the inestimable pretiousnes of my\ngreat aboundance, and the large effects of my bounty.\n\nAt which imperious commaund, her eloquent and fauorable speech ended,\nhumbly, and with a little more audacitie than before, vppon one of the\nbenches of my right hande I did sit downe (lapping my torne gowne\ntogether before me with certaine brymble leaues still sticking in it)\nbetwixt the fiue Nymphes that brought mee in, and amongst them next vnto\n_Offresia_ and _Achoe_, placed behinde the Queene, and six other of the\nchamber vppon the other hande, and in the middest on high vppon a throne\ndid the Queene sitte in an imperiall Maiestie.\n\nThe Couer ouer the Throne was of an inamelled couloring contayning in it\na beautifull image without any beard, the head bushing with yellow\nhaire, part of his brest couered with a thinne cloath ouer the displayed\nwinges of an Eagle, her head turning vp, and beholding of him. The head\nof which image was redymited with an azure Diademe, adorned with seauen\nbeames, and at the foot of the Eagle two braunches of greene Lawrell,\none one way, the other contrary towards either side. And in euerie\ngarland I behelde the figment proper to his planet, and behind at my\nbacke was the iewell, containing the historie of the winged Mercury, and\nhowe the benignitie of his good disposition is depraued, when he is in\nthe malignant taile of the venemous Scorpion. And looking vpon my selfe,\nI was ashamed to see my vile habite among suche sumpteous induments,\nthat me thought my selfe no otherwaies but euen lyke that vile and\nmortiferous beast among the most noble signes of the Zodiac. The\nbewtifull and honorable damosels sate in order vpon the Benches, compast\nabout all along by the sides of the walles vppon the right side, and the\nbest of the Court, with a rare and strange kinde of womanly dressing\nvppon their heads, as is in the world, with the tresses of their haire\nlapt and bowed vp in Caules of gold.\n\nSome with their haires of Amber colour, curled and dressed vp with\nflowers of the same vppon a wyer, with the endes turning downe and\nwauing vppon their snowy foreheades and smooth temples, bewtified with\nRubies and Diamonds prickt in the haire.\n\nOthers of the colour of the Obsidium of _India_, blacke and shining,\nadorned with floures of Orient Pearle, & Carkenets of the same. They\nstood all waiting with such a venerate attention, that when the seruice\nwas brought to the table, they all at one instant time alike, made their\nreuerent curtesies in bowing of their knees, and in like manner when\nthey did rise from of their seates, euerie one apparrelled in cloth of\nGolde, but they did not sit and eate at the same table.\n\nStreight before the triumphant Queene was the opening of the third\nCurtaine, couering a great and goodly doore, not of Marble, but of rare\nand hard Diasper of the East, of an artificiall and ancient worke,\nwonderfully bewtifull to behold. Vpon either sides of this doore, their\nyoong damosels Musitians, seuen vpon a side in a Nimpish apparrel,\nnotable for the fashion and verie rich: which at euery change of\nseruice, did alter their Musicke and Instruments, and during the\nbanquetting, others with an Angelike and Syreneall consent, did tune the\nsame to their handes. Then in a sodaine was placed frames of Hebony,\nwith three feete, and other temporary tables, without any noyse or\nbrustling. Euerie one readie to his appoynted Office, with a carefull,\ndiligent, and affecting indeuour, wholy to that seruice which was\nenioyned him.\n\nAnd first before the Queene, there was placed a frame of three feete of\nthis fourme, vpon a rounde of fine Dyasper, with curious Lineaments. To\nthe which were three stypits, the lower partes whereof, did finish in\nthe forme of the tearing claw of a Lyon, with an exsquisite foliature,\ncompassing about the steales of the stypets, hauing in the middest of\neuerie one, fastened the head of a childe betwixt two wings, from the\nwhich betwixt one and other of the stypets, there hung in maner of a\nGarland a bundle of leaues and fruites bounde togither, and biggest\ntowardes the midst, and vppon the top of the stypets or steales, was put\na proiection to beare vp the rounde table before the Queene.\n\nThis frame was vnmoueable, but the round table was to be quickly taken\nof and on, according to the substance of the vessels at euery changing\nof the table.\n\nAnd streight way as it were in the twinckling of an eye and turne of a\nhand, there was put vppon this three footed frame a rounde table of\nGolde, three foote by the Diameter, and of an indifferent thicknesse,\nand of this forme and bignes were all the rest.\n\nVpon this table was laide a Carpet perfumed, of cloth of Hormisine of a\ngreene colour, euenly distended large and long downe to the pauement:\nfringed vpon the sides with twisted threede of the selfe same, and mixed\nwith Siluer and Golde, depending downe vnder a border of imbroyderie of\nPearle and pretious stone, with a hand-breadth of the pauement on euerie\nside hanging downe. And of this sort were all the Carpets bordered and\nfringed.\n\nAfterwards followed a faire yoong Damosell and quicke, with a great\nBason of Gold filled with the flowers of Violets, tawny, blew & white,\nand sweet smelling, as in the prime spring time, and strewing of them\nvpon the tables, except that before the Queene.\n\nHer sacred maiestie, hauing put off her robe so gorgeous as _Lolia_,\nwife to _Paulus Aemilius_ neuer saw in her husbandes tryumphes, and shee\nremayned in a gowne of purple Veluet, hauing wouen in it birdes, little\nbeastes, leaues and flowers in knottes, the worke somewhat raysed vp\nwith pearle and stone, with a thynne vayle couering it all ouer of silke\nsyprusse, shewing through it the couered workes and cloath by reason of\nthe cleare subtiltie and thinnesse thereof, and imperiall and gratious\napparell.\n\nAfter came in two beautifull Damosels bringing in an artificious\nfountaine continually running with water, and reassuming the same\nagayne, which was of fine golde, and in a vessell of a curious\nworkmanshippe, which was brought before the Queene, and after the\npresenting of it vpon the table of golde they bowed their knees downe to\nthe pauement, and like reuerence at the same instaunt made all the rest\nof the attendant Ladyes, both at the presenting of euery thing, and at\nthe taking away. Three other faire Damosels followed neare after them,\none carrying an Ewer of golde, the second a bason, and the other a\ntowell of white silke.\n\n  [Illustration]\n\nThe Queen whilest shee did wash her handes, one that caried the golden\nbason, receyued therin the water, that it might not fall agayne into the\nreassuming fountaine: and the other with the Ewrie, powred in as much\nsweete water as was borne away, because that the fountaine shoulde not\nbe emptie, and hyndered in hys course. The third did wipe and drie her\nhands.\n\nThe broad and large Receptorie of this fountaine was carryed vpon foure\nlittle wheeles, which they drew vppon euerie table to wash the handes of\nall that were sette.\n\nThe brim of the vessell wherein the rising vp fountaine did stande, was\nadorned with bubbles of pearle standing vp, and vnder the same was sette\nan other of an other sorte, and both ioyned together with two claspes of\nan exquisite dipoliture, fine worke, and pretiously garnished. For among\nother iewelles of inestimable price, vppon the verie toppe in a flower,\nthere was sette a Diamond in fashion of a peare, glistering and\nsparkling of a huge and vnseene bignes.\n\nAnd as neare as my smell could tell mee, I did iudge the water to bee of\nRoses, mixt with the iuice of Lymon pilles, and a little Amber\nartificially composed, which yeelded a sweet and pleasant smell.\n\n  [Illustration]\n\nIn the middest of this admirable and stupendious Court, there was set\nout a maruellous perfuming vessel, not so much for the excellent and\nperfecte substaunce thereof, which was pure and fine golde: but for the\nconspicuous, rare, and auncient fashion of the base, standing vpon three\nHarpyes feete, the which in a foliature made a trianguled illygament to\nthe base, full of deuises, as the mettall required, ouer euerie Angle or\ncorner whereof stoode three naked shapes of flying spirites orderly\nsette, of two cubites high, with their shoulders turned one towards an\nother, and somewhat neare together.\n\nThey stood vpon the base with the right foot towards the corner, and the\nlefte stretching towardes the fixed foot of the other boye. Their cubits\nbending vp, and holding the handle of the perfuming panne, verie slender\nin the steale, and vpward in fashion of a bowle, somewhat furrowed and\nbroad lipped.\n\nThere were six in a round circuit, one towardes an other: And betwixt\ntheyr shoulders in the Center point of the trianguled base, there rose\nvp a steale like an olde fashioned Candlesticke, holding on the toppe\nthereof suche a bowle or vessell as aforesaide, and so broade as did\nfill vp the voyde place in the middest betwixt the other six.\n\nWhich bowles were filled with burning coles couered ouer with embers,\nand in euery vessell vppon the ashes did boyle a little pot of gold,\nwhich contrary liquors infused with sweet odours.\n\nAnd as I suspected, euery potte had seuerall water, as it were, one with\nRose-water, another with water of Orange flowers, another of myrtle,\ntender greene Lawrell leaues, elder flowers, and diuers such lyke\nsociable symples. And these boyling together, they did yeelde a most\npleasant and fragrant smell.\n\nIn the presence of the magnificent Queene there did alwayes wayte and\nattend three honourable Nymphes, their apparell beeing of golde and\nsilke, maruelously wouen and adorned, and sette with pearle and stone.\nThe lyninges of theyr gownes going about their snowie shoulders, and\ncomming downe vppon theyr little round brestes to the lower parte of\ntheir wastes, of suche colour as the napkins, leauing to be seene the\npleasaunt valleys betwixt their faire brestes, an extreame delight\nand desired nourishment vnto a narrowe looke and greedie eye, with\na thousand small chaynes, pretie iewelles and flowers of golde in\na f[ae]minine sort, a sweet bayte to carrie a man headlong into\nforgetfulnes of hymselfe, beeing inchaunted with choyse and amorous\nregards, farre passing the desire of any other delycate vyands. Their\nshooes of golde cutte with halfe Moones, and closed vp at the ioyning of\nthe hornes or corners with buttons and flowers of gold-smithes woorke in\na curious sorte, and the trammels of their faire and plentifull haire\naboue their forheads and temples instrophiated with large and round\noryent pearle.\n\nThey stoode thus on eyther hande and before the Queene with a singular\nand reuerent regarde, attending and readilie perfourming that charge\nwhereunto they were appoynted. And these serued but an one Table: which\nbeeing chaunged, they withdrewe themselues by, and stoode still vppon\ntheyr feete arme in arme, other three hauing supplyed their places: And\nthe three that wayted, shee in the middest was caruer.\n\nThe other vppon the right side helde vnder a plate if anie thing should\nfall by: and the thirde vppon the lefte hand held a most whyte and\ncleane towell of silke to drie her lippes, and in euery action a\nreuerence.\n\nThe towell was not vsed but once, and then cast by vpon the pauement,\nand carryed away by one that stoode neare. And so many morsels as shee\ndid eate, so many sweete perfumed cleane towelles of silke plyted and\nfinely wrought were vsed.\n\nAnd the like was doone to euerie guest, for not one at that banquet did\ntouch anie thinge sauing onelye the cuppe.\n\nAfter that the Queene had washed, and had her first seruice, then all\nthe rest did wash at the same fountaine, casting out water of it selfe,\nand reassuming the same in a wonderfull manner by two small pypes on\neyther sides, and running vp straight in the middest from the bottome of\nthe vessell, the deuyse whereof when I did vnderstand, I was much\ncontented therewithall.\n\nAfter the washing of the Queene first, and successiuely of all the rest,\nthere was deliuered to euery one of the wayters a rounde ball of golde\nwyer-woorke full of small holes, and within stuft with Amber past of a\nmost perfect composition, set with pretious stones, to the ende their\nhands, eyes, and sences should not be idle.\n\nThen there at euerie chaunge of course, two _Edeabriees_ that had the\nordayning of the Queenes meate, did bring into the middest of the royall\nCourt vppon foure turning wheeles a stately repositorie or cupbord, in\nfashion like vnto a shippe, and the rest like to a triumphant Chariot,\nof most fine golde, with many fishes and water monsters, and infinit\nother exquisite shapes maruelously wrought, and sette full of riche\nstones, the sparklings and glisterings whereof did shine rounde about\nthe sides of the Court, and reincounter vpon the roundelles of the other\nbefore spoken iewelles, on euery side fitly placed, as if Phoebus had\nbeen sette by a Nymph to grace hir eyes and countenance with his shining\nbrightnes.\n\nTo all which continuall glistering of ineffable workemanshippe, there\ncould no more bee deuised of equall comparison, although it were the\nTemple at Babylon with the three golden statues.\n\nWithin the which was put all such necessaries perfumed, as were meete\nand conuenient for the chaunging of the tables, as clothes, flowers,\ncuppes, towelles, and vesselles, to powre out of, to drinke in, and\nplates to eate vpon.\n\nAnd these two Nymphes plaustraries[A], did take them downe, and deliuer\nthem (as neede required) to the wayters.\n\n    [Sidenote A: Which did draw in the cupbord.]\n\nAnd the first Table beeing chaunged, euerie thing was brought backe\nagayne to the plaustraries, at whose going away the Trumpettes sounded\nin such a sorte, as _Piseus Therrenus_ neuer came neare vnto, nor\n_Maletus_ Trumpetor to the King of Hetruria.\n\nAnd then they did wind their Cornettes, thus dooing euerie time that the\nrepositorie was drawne out, vntil that it came in againe, at what time\nthey ceased.\n\nAnd when the Table was chaunged, they altered their musicall\ninstruments, which beeing ceased, the singers began so heauenly, that it\nwould haue caused the Syrens to sleepe, hauing mixed with their voyces\nstill winde instruments of wood, such as the _Troezein Dardanus_ neuer\ninuented.\n\nAnd by this appoynted order, there was continually heard melodious\nsoundes, and pleasaunt harmonies, sweete concords with delightfull\nMusicke presented, odoriferous perfume smelt, and stately viandes\nplentifully fedde of. And euerie thing whatsoeuer, without any defect of\ngrace or delight answerable, according to the dignitie of the place.\n\nTo this first princely table, all the vessels and instruments togither\nwith the table it selfe, were of pure fine Gold. Wherupon there was\nappresented a Cordiall confection, and as I could coniecture, it was\nmade of the scraping of Vnicornes horne, Date stones and Pearle, often\nhette, and quenched and pownded small, Manna, Pineapple kernels, Rose\nwater, Musk and Lyquid, Golde, in a precious composition by weight, and\nmade Losenges with fine Sugar and Amylum.\n\nThis was eaten without any drinking vpon it, and it was a Confection to\nprohibite all Feuers, and to driue away Melancholy wearines.\n\nThis being done in a moment, all things were taken vp and remoued, the\nViolets cast vpon the ground, and the table bare. And assoone as this\nwas done, the table was laide againe couered with cloth of Talasike, and\nalso the wayters, and as at the first, there was cast vpon them the\nsweete flowers of Cedars, Orenges, and _L_ymons, and vpon that, they did\nappresent in vessels of Beryl, and of that precious stone was the\nQueenes table (except the skinking pottes which were all of pure fine\nGold) fiue Fritters of paste of a Saffron colour, and crusted ouer with\nextreeme hotte Rose water, and fine pownded Sugar, and then againe cast\nouer with musked water, and with fine Sugar like frost vpon Ise. These\nSeruices of a most pleasant taste, and of sundry fashions were laid in\nthus. The first, in oyle of the flowers of Orenges. The second, in oyle\nof Gilliflowers. The third, in oyle of the floures of Gessamin. The\nfourth, in pure Oyle of Beniamin.\n\nAnd the last, in the oyle of Muske and Amber. And when we had wel tasted\nand eaten of the same delectable meat, there was deliuered to vs a\ngoodly cup of the aforenamed Beryl, with his couer, and couered ouer\nthat also with a thinne Veyle of silke and Gold curiously folded into\nthe fourme of a Canapie, the ends cast ouer the shoulders of the\nbearers, and hanging down their backe.\n\nAnd in this sort they did present all drinking vessels and others, with\nmeates and sawces couered. Within the drinkyng cup they had infused a\nprecious Wine, so as mee thought that the Gods of the _Elysian_ fieldes,\nhad transformed their power into the sweetnes of the lyquor: surpassing\nthe wine of _Thassus_.\n\nWithout delaie (after our drinking this table being taken away, and the\nsweete flowers cast vpon the pauement), there was forthwith spred a\ncloth of murry silke and carnation: with Roses white, redde, Damaske,\nMuske, and yealow cast vppon the same. And presently new wayters brought\nin (apparrelled in the same colours) sixe pieces of bread cut for euery\none, tossed and dressed with refined marrow, sprinckled ouer with Rose\nwater, Saffron, and the iuice of Orenges, tempering the taste and gilded\nouer, and with them sixe pieces of pure manchet were set downe. And next\nvnto them a confection, of the iuice of Lymons tempered with fine Sugar,\nthe seedes of Pines, Rose water, Muske, Saffron, and choyce Synamon, and\nthus were all the sawces made with conuenient gradation and deliuery.\nThe vessels were of Topas and the round table.\n\nThis third magnificent table being taken vp as before said, there was\npresently an other innouated, with a cloth of silke smooth, and of a\nyealow colour, (the wayters sutable) and strewed with Lilly Conually,\nand Daffadil, immediately this course was presented, seuen morsels of\nthe flesh of a Partridge in a sharpe broth, and so many pieces of pure\nwhite Manchet. The sauce Acceres, minced and dissolued in Sugar thrice\nsodden, Amylum, Saunders, Muske and Rose water. The vessels and the\nrounde table of _Chrysolite_. Lastly, they offered a precious drinking\ncup, and so obserued in the rest.\n\nThe fourth table beeing taken away, the fift was reuested with a cloth\nof silke, of a crimosen colour, and in like sort the Nimphish apparrel.\nThe flowers of purple, yealow, white, and tawny. The Seruis, eight\nmorsels of the flesh of a Pheasant rosted lying in the grauie, and\nwithall so many pieces of fine white manchet. The sauce was this, water\nof Orenge flowers, the iuice of Pomegranets, Sugar, Cloues, and Cynamon.\nThe vesselles of Smaragde, and the table of the Souereigne Queene.\n\nThis beeing taken away verie solemnely, there was spred an other cloth\nof silke of a purple colour, and so the apparrel of the wayters.\n\nThe flowers were of three sortes, of Iessamine, tawny, yealow, and\nwhite. The Seruice was nine morsels of the flesh of a restoratiue\nPeacocke, moystened in his grauie. The sauce was most greene and tart,\nwith Pistacke, Nuttes pownded, Sugar, Cypricum, Amylum, and Muske, Time,\nwhite Marioram, and Pepper. The vesselles of Saphyre, and the Princely\nTable.\n\nAt the seuenth chaunge, they brought in a sumpteous table of white\nIuory, bordered, trayled, and finely wrought with many small pieces vpon\nthe precious wood of Aloes, and ioyned & glued togither, and from one\nside to the other, wrought with knottes and foliature, flowers,\nvesselles, monsters, little Birdes, and the strikes and caruings filled\nvp with a black paste and mixture of Amber and Muske. This mee thought\nwas a most excellent thing and sumpteous breathing out, a most\ndelightful sweet smel. The cloth white and subtily wrought with drawne\nworke with Satten silke, the ground powdered and filled, and the worke\nwhite and plaine, with the representation of shapes, byrdes, beastes,\nand flowers, and in like sort the apparel of the wayters. The flowers\nLady steale, Rape, Violet, and all sortes of sweete Gilliflowers. And\nthus there varied euerie where such diuersitie of smelles, seuerally\nbrought in, and so delightfull to the sences, as I cannot sufficiently\nexpresse.\n\nThen there was giuen to euerie one a confection in three morsels of the\nshell, fish, Dactilus, with Pistacke, Nut kernels pownded and put into\nRose water and Sugar, of the Ilandes, and Muske and leafe Golde, beaten\nand adulterated therwith, that euerie piece taken vp, seemed as if it\nhad beene all Gold.\n\nThe vessels were of Iacynth, and the table circular. An apt and\nconuenient stone to so excellent disposition and royall board and\nstraunge banquets, suche as before were neuer heard of.\n\nAfter the taking away of these wonderfull Confections, and the flowers\ncast downe vpon the pauement in a princely magnificence, there was\npresently brought in, a great vessell of Gold full of kindled coales,\ninto the which the table cloathes, napkins and towelles of silke were\nthrowne, whiche presently burned light, and after that beeing taken out\nand cooled, they were whole, vnhurt and cleane, as at the first. And\nthis yet was the wonderfull straungest of all the rest. And then the\ntables and frames were taken downe and carried away.\n\nWhich most excellent order and sightes, the more that I carefully\nindeuoured to consider of them, the more ignorant and amazed I founde my\nselfe.\n\nBut in all thinges assuredly I did take great pleasure with my intended\nadmiration, in seeing of such, so great, plentifull, and tryumphant\nsumpteousnes, of so incredible costly a banket, that it is better to\nholde my peace then not to speake sufficiently in the report thereof.\nFor that the bankets of _Sicilia_ be in respect but beggerly, and so\nwere the stately Ornaments of _Attalus_. The Corinthian vessels, the\ndainties of _Ciprus_, and _Saliarie_ suppers.\n\nYet notwithstanding so supreame and excessiue alacritie, and cordiall\ndelectation, and that onely and extreeme pleasure (occasioned by such\nand so vnexpected delightes) by one of those three which in the last\nchaunge attended, was quayled, ouerthrowne, interrupted, lamed,\nintercepted and made vaine. For shee did represent in her behauiour, the\nsweet iesture and resemblance of _Polia_, stirring vp by them in me\nstealing regardes.\n\nThis was no small hinderance vnto mee, in the takyng of those pleasant\ndainties and princely refection. Yet notwithstanding my eyes would now\nand then with much adoo, bee withdrawne to beholde the bewtie of the\nIewels and precious stones, sparkeling and glistering in euerie place,\nin such diuersities of straunge and vnseene gloriousnes and conspicuous\ndecoraments, as if they had all ought a duetie to her, which made mee\nwith an immoderate desire, to behold the correspondency of her excellent\nbewtie.\n\nLastly, in suche order and sorte, as aforesaide, the tables beeing taken\naway, I hung downe my heade, because that I might not followe after the\nlast iunckates which I had lost by minding of her that ministred.\n\nThen first before the sacred Maiestie and royall person of the Queene,\nand afterwards to vs, fiue fayre Nymphes apparelled in blewe silke and\ngolde curiously wouen togeather in workes, did all together appresent\nthemselues.\n\nThe middlemost of them did beare a braunch of coorrall, lyke a tree,\nsuch as is not founde amongst the Ilandes Orchades, of one cubite high,\nwhich stoode as vppon a little mountayne, which was the couer of an old\nfashioned vessell of pure gold, in forme of a Challyce, as high agayne\nas the couer and the tree of coorrall, full of curious workmanshippe and\nleafe worke, neuer made in our age, nor the like seene.\n\nBetwixt the gracylament of the foote and the cuppe, it was knitte\ntogether with a handle of inestimable workemanship, and in lyke manner\nthe foote and the bowle were of an excellent anaglyphie of foliature,\nmonsters and byformed Scyllules, so exquisitely expressed, as could be\nimbossed, chased, or ingrauen by proportionate circulation.\n\nAnd the mordycant couer of the same was thicke set with incomparable\niewelles: and in lyke sorte all the base and handle whereas conueniencie\nrequyred, and glystering about.\n\nVppon the braunches of the coorrall, there were artificially sette\ncertayne open flowers with fiue leaues, some of Saphyre, some of Iacynth\nand Berill, and in the middest of them a little round seede of golde,\nfastening the leaues to the stalke of corrall.\n\nWhich yoong woman reuerently bowing to the earth with her right knee,\nreseruing the other still vp, whereuppon shee helde this couer of\ncoorrall, which also besides the flowers, had vppon the pointes and\ntoppes of other twigges or sprouts curiously infixed monstrous great\npearle. An other of them had a cuppe full of pretious lyquor, better\nthen that which the prowde _Cleopatra_ gaue vnto the Romane Captaine:\nThe reste did execute their offices as aforesaid, and plucking off one\nafter another, with a little instrument with two teeth of golde they\noffering the same fruits vnto vs, to me vnknowne, for that I had neuer\nseene the lyke, we did tast them.\n\nBut the vnexpected pleasure of them, and sweetnes of their tast, was no\notherwise to me than like a gratious substance wanting his desired\nforme.\n\nAnd there were restored agayne the balles of golde before mentioned.\n\nVppon this appeared an other maruellous woorke, that was a perpetuall\nrunning fountaine artificially deuysed of the aforesaid matter, but of\nan other notable fashion and workemanshippe, founded vppon an immoueable\naxeltree, vppon the which two wheeles turned about.\n\nAboue the which stood an vnequal quadrature three foot long, two foot\nbroad, and six foote high.\n\nIn euery angular part did sit a Harpie with both her winges extended and\nstretched vp to the breadth of a higher vessell, standing vp vppon the\nmiddest of the measured quadrangule, coronized at the extreme and vpper\nparts, and beautified with chanelling and foliature, circumuesting the\nlower part.\n\nAnd vppon euerie side the same diuided into three, the middle parte\nbetwixt the fall of the waters intercepted, did contayne in halfe bodyes\ncarued, a tryumph of Satyres and Nymphes, with Trophees, and exquysite\nactions, excepte the fore-part and hinder parte moderately sinuated and\nbent in. The which in steade of squadred lyneament, did contayne a\nroundnesse waued betweene, in the which was maruellously ingrauen a\nlittle sacrifice with an olde Aultar on eyther sides, with manie figures\nand actions, the rest that was voyde, the tayles of the foresayde\nHarpyes ioyning togeather, and turning heere and there into leaues, did\nexcellently couer the same.\n\nOut of the medyan center of the equature and quadrangule afore specified\nand described out of an antyke folyature, did ryse vp an olde fashioned\nvessell, and verie beautifull, the cyrcuite whereof did not exceede the\ncontent of the quadrangulate playne, and this with all the rest of the\nwoorke, and euerie proportionate disquisition, tryall, and examination,\nboth in the highest breadth and thicknesse, with moste conuenient\nvesseling lineamentes, diligently delymated and fyled, and then finished\nwith an absolute and depolyte deformation.\n\nThe which out of the suppressed orifice thereof did ascend vp an other\nhollowe vessell, the compasse whereof did exceede the aforesaide subiect\nvessell furrowed and channelled round about, of a great breadth and\nlarge brymmes so wel fashioned, as is possible for any goldsmith to\nbeate out with his hammer.\n\nIn the center poynt whereof did rise and mount an other vessell of\nincredible workemanship.\n\nIn the bottome of which thirde there were small ridges swelling\noutwardes, the toppes of them compassed about with a row of diuerse\ninestimable stones, bearing out and differing in colours, as best might\ncontent the eye of a curious Lapidarie and skilfull vnderstanding.\n\nVppon the same on eyther sides was made a heade of a monster, from the\nwhich on both handes did proceede the garnishing thereof in an exquysite\nand most rare worke of leaues, inuesting the same about with the\ncongresse of the opposyte heade, and finely gracing that parte of the\nvessell.\n\nAnd in the bearing out of the lippe of the vessell ouer the\nperpendicular poynt of the heade there was fastened a rynge, from the\nwhich vppon eyther sides there hung downe a garland of braunches,\nleaues, flowers, and fruites growing bigger towardes the middest, with a\nperpolyte bynding to eyther ringes.\n\nOuer the middle bending of the garland, and vnder the proiecture of the\nlyppe of the vessell, there was fixed and placed the head of an olde\nman, with his beard and haire of his head transformed into nettle\nleaues, and out of whose mouth gushed out the water of the fountayne by\nart continually into the hollownes of the broad vessell vnder this.\n\nVppon the mouth of this last described vessell did mount vppe a pretyous\nhyll maruellously congest, and framed of innumerable rounde pretious\nrocke stones closing one with another vnequally, as if nature had ioyned\nthem growing, making a rounde composed hill, beautifully glistering of\ndyuerse sortes and colours in a proportionate bignes.\n\nAnd aloft vppon the toppe of this little hill, there grewe a fine\npomgranate tree, the body, boughes and fruite made all of golde, the\nleaues of greene Smaragde. The fruit of theyr naturall bignesse heere\nand there aptly placed, their sides cut open, and in place of kernelles\nthey were full of most perfecte Rubyes, as bigge as the kernels.\n\nAfter that, the ingenious Artificer wanting no inuention, hee seperated\nthe graynes in steade of the fylme with siluer foyle.\n\nAnd moreouer, in other apples, opened, but not rype, hee redoubled the\nthicknesse of the foyle, making the kernelles of an oryentall colour, so\nalso hee made the flowers of perfect corrall, in the cuppes full of bees\nof golde.\n\nBesides this, out of the toppe of the hollowe steale, lyke a pype, there\ncame out a turning steale, the lowest part whereof rested in a heade,\nframed from the middle trunke or pype iust ouer the axeltree.\n\nWhich steale or stypet beeing strongly fastened, it bare vp a vessell of\nTopas of an auncient forme, the bowle whereof in the bottome was broad,\nand swelling out with rigges in the opening, rarely bewtified with a\ncoronice, and put vnder with another.\n\nIn which closing and binding together in foure equall diuisions, there\nwere foure winged heades of a little childe, with foure pipes in their\nmouthes.\n\nThe rest mounted vp so much as the lower bignesse of the vessell was,\nbeeing closed vp at the orifice with an inuerse foliature. Vppon the\nwhich there was placed an other vessell as it were a circular couer of a\nmost curious leafe worke, with a smal coronice, and an artificiall\norifice.\n\nFrom the bottome of which there beganne a flourished tayle of a Dolphin\nfastened and sowldered to the gracylament of the vessell, descending\ndowne with his heade finned with leaues, to the circulating brymme of\nthe vessell where the boyes heades were fixed. And with a moderate\nswelling out about the head, and streightning in towardes the tayle,\nthey fitted for the eares in a beautiful manner. And all that inclining\npart with an exquisite polishing did make an expresse shewe of most\ncurious lineaments.\n\nThe ypper vessell was so perfectly wrought, that when the wheele was\nmooued, the steale with the vessell vppon the toppe thereof, turned\nabout and powred out water through the tree, and when the wheele stoode\nstill, then that lefte turning.\n\n  The wheeles were halfe couered with two winges, the\n      typpes turning one one way, and the other an\n          other way, adorned with a chasing\n              of Mermaydes or Scillaes.\n\n  [Illustration]\n\nThis excellent peece of woorke thus running before euerie one, and\nweeting our handes and feete of an incredible sweetnesse, such as I\nneuer had felt before, we dryed our hands, and it was carryed away.\n\nAnd beeing thus sprinckled with this rare and maiesticall water, the\nwayters with great reuerence presented vnto the Queene first a great\ncuppe of golde, and her highnesse affably saluting vs, drunke Nectar,\nand afterwardes euerie one of vs after other, with reuerent, mutual, and\nsolemne honours done, did drinke a most pleasaunt farewell and shutting\nvp of all the pretious dainties that we had tasted and fed vpon.\n\nLastly, the redolent flowers beeing diligently taken away, and all\nthinges that had beene vsed borne from thence, the pauement remayned\npure and shining as a most cleare steele glasse, and as it were\nemulating the pretious iewelles rownde about.\n\n  And euerie one beeing sette in his appoynted place, the\n  high and mightie Princesse did commaund a company to come\n    in, and stande vppon the diasper checkers, neuer the\n            like before seene or imagined of anie\n                      mortall creature.\n\n\n\n\n_Poliphilus followeth to shew besides this great banket of a most\n  excellent daunce or game, and how the Queene did commit him to two of\n  her Nymphes, the which did leade and conduct him to the sight of many\n  wonderfull things, and as they talked, shewed vnto him the secrecies\n  of such things as hee stood in doubt of. Finally, how they came to\n  the three gates, in the middlemost whereof, hee remained amongst the\n  amorous Nymphes._\n\n\nHauing spoken something of the exceeding & incomparable glorie, triumph,\nvnknowne treasure, plentiful delights, solemne banket, and the most\nhonourable and sumptuous drinking of this most happie and rich Queene,\nif I haue not distinctly and perfectly expressed her chiefest dignitie,\nlet not the curious company maruel thereat, for whatsoeuer rype, sharpe,\nand readie wit, with a franke, eloquent and plentiful toong adorned,\nis not able to performe the least part of his duetie.\n\nAnd much lesse I, who continually suffer in euerie secret place of my\nburning heart, an vncessant strife notwithstanding the absence of\n_Polia_ my mistres, the owner of all my skil, and imprisoner of my\nperfections.\n\nBesides that, in truth the many maruels in excellency, and varietie\nvnhard of, so vncoth, rare and straunge vnlikes inestimable, and not\nhumane, haue so oppressed, laden & born down my sences, with the greedie\nand excessiue contemplation and beholding of their variable diuersities,\nas that from point to point I am no whit able to describe them, and much\nlesse worthie to publish them.\n\nAll and the most that I can do, is to thinke of the rich apparrel,\nexquisite prouision, curious dressings, perfect ambitious and wounding\nbewties without imperfections, their deepe iudgements, _Aemilian_\neloquence, & bountie more then princely, the notable disposition and\norder of Architecture, the durable Symmetrie and proportion of the\nbuilding, perfect and absolute, the noblenes of the Art of Masonrie and\nLapycidarie, the directions and placing of Columnes, the perfection of\nstatues and representations, the adornment of the walles, the diuersitie\nof the stones, the stately entrance & princely porch, large Gallery,\nartificious pauements, no man will thinke with what cost and charge\nbewtified and hanged with precious Arras and Verdure. The spacious and\nloftie inner Court, goodly bedchambers, inner withdrawing chambers,\nparlours, bathes, librarie and pinacloth, where coat Armors escuchions,\npainted tables, and counterfeates of strangers were kept, & with a\nmaiestical comelines and order placed and solemnely distributed.\n\nIn which conceiuing capacitie, maruellous performance, incredible charge\nand high commendation of the most excellent Artificer, woorthily allowed\nin euerie partition and elegant conuention of exquisite Lineaments. I\nalso beheld a marueilous twisted conlignation or couering of gold-smiths\nwork, ouer a foure square plaine Court, growing vp alike, without\ncomparison like a heauen, with a disposite distance of many sorted\nproportions, with sundry lybellated Dimensions, shadowing ouer the\nCourt, with an Arched Eminence, which was vnder, adorned with coronised\nLyneaments and grauings, thereunto conuenient, as Fasheols, Gululles,\nand Oualling, and the leaues of _Achanthus_, licking vp as it were in\nthe corners of the quadranguled Court. With Roses and the growing order\nof their leaues, the top leafe least, their iaggings about the leaues,\nand space betweene leafe and leafe. All thinges couered with pure fine\ngold and Azure colour, with diuers other proportions and counterfets of\nsubstance, equal with their workemanship. The roofing of _Salances_ King\nof _Colchis_, may not compare with this.\n\nThen the delightful fruitfulnes of the set hedges, Orchards, watered\nGardens, springing Fountaines, current streames in Marble Channelles,\nconteined, framed, and held in, with an incredible Art, greene Hearbes,\nstill freshe and flowering, a sweete ayre, warme and spring windes, with\na confused charme of singing and chirping birdes, a pure, faire and\nbright aire, and stil continuing temperate and healthfull, country free\nfrom danger and cleane, No craggy nor rockie places, nipt and blasted\nwith sharpe windes, nor burnt with an vntemperate hotte Sunne, but vnder\na sweet and pleasant temperature, in a moderate meane reioycing, betwixt\ntwo extreemes, the fields fruitful and without tillage and manuring,\nyeelding all commodities, warme hilles, greene woods and sweet coole\nshadowes.\n\nAlso the inestimable furniture, the attendant housholde and great\nnumber, their excellent seruice, the diuersitie of youthes, and all in\nthe prime of their yeares. The delightfull presence of the Nymphes, both\nattending abroad in the presence and chambers, her baser sort, their\nhonourable and gracious behauiours, their diuersitie of apparrel, attire\nand dressings set with Pearle and stone, in an allowed, pleasant &\nlouely sort, as any can imagine or expresse. With these infinite riches,\nsupreame delightes, and immeasurable treasure, neither _Darius_,\n_Cr[ae]sus_, or any other humane state, whatsoeuer might any way\ncompare.\n\nAnd thus to conclude, being ouercome with the glorie of them, I know not\nwhat more to say, but that I stood amazed, and as it were senceles, and\nyet in great delight and without wearines, beholding those present\nobiects, and casting with my selfe what fate and destinate should\nconduct and leade mee into such a place.\n\nBut afterwardes finding my selfe in such an accumulation of glorie,\npleasant seate, happie Country, great contentment and tryumphant\ncompany, such as _Clodius_ the Player in Tragedies neuer had seene. I\nwas but moderately conuerted, notwithstanding the promise of the Queene,\nto fauour my amorous desire, accounting all, but as eye pleasures that\nhitherto I had seene and had been presented vnto me, stil desiring a\ngreater happines.\n\nFor which cause, and for the greater setting out of the excesse and\nabounding excellency, beyond all the rest of her royall magnificence,\neuery one sitting in their place after the miraculous, wonderful, and\nsumpteous banket, without any delaie, she commanded a game to be playd\nby parsonages, not onelie woorthie the beholding, but of eternall\nremembrance, which was a game at Chesse, in this sort as followeth.\n\nBy the entraunce of the curtaine there came in thirty two Nymphes,\nwhereof sixteene were apparrelled in cloth of gold (eyght vniformally\nwithout difference of degrees) afterwards one of those sixteene was\napparrelled in princely robes lyke a King, and the other lyke a Queene,\nwith two tower-keepers or Rookes, as wee tearme them, two\ncounsell-keepers or Secretaries, wee tearme them Bishoppes, and two\nKnights. In like sort were eight other in cloth of siluer, vnder the\nlike gouernement and magistracie as aforesaid.\n\nEuerie one of these according to their duties, tooke theyr places vppon\nthe checkers of the pauement, that is, sixteene in golde of one side in\ntwo rowes, and sixteene in siluer of the contrarie side.\n\nThe Musicke beganne vppon a sodayne with a rare inuention to sound a\ncharge with a pleasaunt concord, participating togeather a sweete and\nthundering melodie, hauing in it a deuine furie.\n\nAt the measured sounde and time of the Musicke vppon their checkers,\nas it pleased the King to commaund, the pawns turning themselues with a\ndecent reuolution, honouring the King and the Queene, leapt vppon an\nother checker before them.\n\nThe King of the white men, his musicke sounding, commaunded her forward\nthat stoode before the Queene, and the same with lyke reuerent behauiour\nmarched forward her continent, and stoode still. And according to the\nmensuration of the musicall time in this order, so they chaunged their\nplaces, or continued vppon the checkers dauncing, vntill that they were\neyther taken or commaunded forward by the King.\n\nIf the musicke kepte still one time, those eyght vnyforme pawnes did\nspende the time in marching forwardes into an other checker, neuer\ncomming backe vntill that worthily without touch or appalement of\ncourage, they had leapt vppon the line of that square where was the\nresidence of the Queene, proceeding straight on, vnlesse she tooke a\nprisoner by a Diagonick line.\n\nThe Bishop went in a Diagonike line, still holding that coloured checker\nwherein he stood first.\n\nThe Knight ouer two checkers before him taketh the next of eyther\nhandes, and of a contrary colour to that hee stood in immediately\nbefore.\n\nThe Castle-keepers or Rookes might passe ouer manie checkers streight on\nas they pleased at commaundement, so that they might goe one, two,\nthree, foure, or fiue checkers, keeping a measure, and not staying in\ntheir march.\n\nThe King might goe vpon anie checker if none were in it, or backeward,\nand cause any other to remooue for him, and make him roome.\n\nThe Queene might goe any way, but it is best when shee is neare her\nhusband on euery side.\n\nAnd whensoeuer the officers of eyther of the Kings shall finde one\nwithout guarde of helpe, they take her prisoner, and both kissing one\nanother, she that is ouercome and taken, goeth foorth and standeth by.\n\nThus they continued playing and dauncing according to the time of the\nmusicke, with greate pleasure, solace, and applause, vntill the King of\nthe siluer Nymphes was victour and conquerour.\n\nThis solemne sport, what with resistance flying backe, and seconding of\none an other, with such a measured circulation, reuerence, pause, and\nmodest continencie, endured the space of an hower, whereat I tooke such\npleasure and delyght, that I imagyne (and not amysse) that I was rapt\nvpon the sodaine from the liking of the sportes of Olympus to a newe\nfelicitie.\n\nThis first game beeing ended, and conquest obtayned, all retourned into\ntheyr accustomed places, and in like manner as at the first, so the\nsecond time euerie one in theyr appoynted checkers, the Musicke\nchaunging theyr measure, so the moouings and gestures of the players\nwere altered.\n\nAnd obseruing the time of the musicke in a conuenient order, and\napprooued gesture and arte, that it was no neede to commaund or say any\nthing.\n\nBut the cunning and experte Nymphes, with theyr plentifull tresses\neffused ouer theyr delicate shoulders hung wauing, and in theyr motion\nforwardes would streame out at length, somewhat shewing their backes,\nabout their heades wearing Garlandes and Crownes of Violets. And when\nany one was taken, they lifted vp their armes and clapt handes. Thus\nplaying and coursing vp and downe, the first continued still conquerour.\n\nIn the last game and daunsing, they beeing all returned to their\ndistributed places, the Musicke againe sounded a measure phrygiall in as\nperfect and prouoking furie as euer _Marcias_ of _Phrygia_ inuented.\n\nThe King in robes of Golde, caused the yoong Damosell that stood before\nthe Queene, to marche forwarde to the third Checker, direct in the first\nremooue, whereupon immediately there was seene a battaile and Torney,\nwith so swift and sodaine forces, bending themselues to the grounde as\nit were lying close vpon their Garde, and presently vpon it capering vp\nwith a turne twise aboue ground, one iust opposite against an other, and\nvpon their downe come withall a turne vpon the toe thrise about.\n\nAll this Action they did at one time, with such a grace and agilitie, as\nnothing could be better, with their lowe inclinatitions, high Capers and\nTurnings, without affectation of strayning, as it should seeme with\nfacilitie and careles ease at pleasure and sweete iestures, as in such a\nthing may bee imagined, and not else where to bee seene. Neuer any one\ntroubling an other, but who so was taken prisoner, did presently kisse\ntheir Conquerour, and voyded the place. And the lesser number that there\nwas, the more pleasure it was to perceiue the pollicies of either sides\nto ouercome other.\n\nAnd such an order and motion was vsed of euerie one, in a commendable\nsort without fault, as the measure and time of the Musike appointed,\nstirryng euen them that looked on to haue a motion in their sinowes and\nmindes to doo the lyke, there was such a concord and agreement betwixt\nnature and the Musike especially, seeing the performance of the same in\nthe actions of others.\n\nVpon this occasion I was moued to call to remembrance the force of\n_Timotheus_, the most cunning musitian, who with his voice and measure\nvppon his Instrument would prouoke the great Macedonian _Alexander_,\nviolently to take Armes, and presently altering his voyce and tune, to\nforget the same, and sit downe contentedly. In this third game, they\napparrelled in gold did triumph in the victoritie.\n\nThus honourably with exceeding pleasure and great solace, this sumpteous\nfeast beeing ended, euerie one framed themselues to sit downe. And I\nrysing vp, made reuerence before the Royall seate of her sacred\nmaiestie, and kneelyng downe vpon my knee, she thus said vnto me.\n\n_Poliphilus_, forget now, and wype out of thy remembrance all forepassed\ngriefes, occursiue troubles, pensiue conceites, and ouergone daungers,\nbecause that I am assured of thy forthwith full contentment of desire.\n\nAnd seeing that thy determination is to perseuere resolutely in the\namorous flames and loue of _Polia_, I thinke it conuenient, that for the\nrecouerie thereof, thou repaire to the three Portes, which are the\nresident places of the high and mightie Queene _Telosia_, in which place\nvppon euerie of those Portes and Gates, thou shalt see her tytle and\nname inscrypt. Read it diligently, but for thy better direction and\nsafegarde, thou shalt haue to accompany thee, two of my handmaydes,\nwhich know verie well the way thither, and therefore go on vndoubtedly\nwith a happie successe.\n\nAnd thereupon with a princely bountie, she drew of from her finger a\nRing of gold, hauing set in it an Anchit, and deliuered it vnto me to\nremember her bountie by.\n\nAt this aduise and precious gift, I became amphasiatike, not knowing\nwhat to saie or doo, in requitall or giuing of thankes. Which her\nHighnes perceiuing, motherly and with a naturall promptnes in a\nmaiestical grauitie, turned her countenance to two noble and goodly\nNymphes, attending neere vnto her Royall and imperiall Throne, saying\nthus to one of them vpon her right side.\n\n_Logistica_, you shall bee one that shall accompanye our guest\n_Poliphilus_, and with a sacred and honourable grace, shee turned to the\nleft hande saying, _Thelemia_, you shall also go with him. And both of\nyou shewe and instruct him at what Gate hee must remayne, and then\n_Poliphilus_, they shall bring you to an other mightie and maiesticall\nQueene, who if shee shall bee bountifull vnto thee in entertainment thou\nart happie, if contrarie, then discontented.\n\nNotwithstandyng, none doth knowe her intent by her countenance, because\nthat sometime shee sheweth her selfe full of fauour, loue, and pleasant\ndispositions. An other time shee is malignant, frowarde, disdainefull,\nwith vnstable incursyue passions. And shee it is that determineth such\neuents as thou seekest after. And for her obscure condition, shee is\nrightly called _Thelosia_.\n\nHer residence is not in suche a stately Pallaice, as thou seest mee to\ndwell in.\n\nTherefore I would haue thee to vnderstande, that the chiefe woorkeman in\nthe creation of nature, did make no thyng comparable to mee, neyther can\nthe earth shew thee greater treasure then to come to my presence and\ntaste of my bountie, obtaine my fauour and participate of my qualitie.\n\nAnd therefore esteeme of it according to the value, for that thou\nfindest in me, is a heauenly Tallent aboue all earthly Iewels, for I\nhaue not had my residence in man since his fall.\n\nThey may imagine of mee, but they knowe mee not, neyther doo I beare any\nrule with them to the good of my selfe.\n\nNowe the Queene _Telosia_, shee dwelleth in a place of cloudie darkenes,\nher house is kept close and shut, for that shee will not shew her selfe\nvnto man, nor anothomise, discouer, and laye open her selfe vnto any as\nshee is, and for this cause the euent of her variable determination is\nkept secret.\n\nBut in a maruellous sort considerately, shee transformeth her selfe\nagainst the haire, into diuers fashions, not manifesting her selfe,\nalthough desired.\n\nAnd when the auncient Gates shall be opened vnto thee, in euerie one\nshall bee written what shall befall thee, but thou shalt not perceiue\nthe same, vnless that in some part thy vnderstandyng and wisedome\nenigmatically and with a right and sincere iudgement looke vnto it, and\nquickly consider of it, for because that shee ambyguously chaungeth her\nselfe in habite and countenance, and through this doubtfull\nanymaduersion, a man remaineth deceiued of his expectation without\nremedie.\n\nAnd therefore _Polphilus_, that which these my consigned trustie and\nappoynted handmaydes by suggestion shall perswade thee vnto, and at what\nGate thou oughtest to enter in and remayne, euen which of those two it\nshall best please thee to giue eare vnto, doo: for they haue some\nvnderstanding of her.\n\nAnd hauyng thus spoken, shee made a signe or becke with her head to the\ntwo Nymphes _Logistica_ and _Thelemia_, who presently without delaie,\nwere obedient to her commaund. And I beeing readie to speake, neyther\nknew what to say, or yet durst to so high a maiestie, and for so great\nbounties giue a word.\n\nThe two appoynted companyons of my iourney, verie fauourablye, and with\na familiar readines and virginlike iestures, tooke holde of mee, one by\nthe right hande, and the other by the left, and reuerently obteyning\nlicence, first of the Queene, and takyng theyr leaue of the rest, went\nout the same way that I came in.\n\nAnd I beeyng desirous and not satisfied, turned mee about towardes the\nconspicuous Poarch, to beholde diligently the artificious Pallaice,\nwonderfull and perfinite of the Art of building.\n\nThe subtiltie of which, no humane excogitation is able to imitate.\n\nAnd therefore I thought that nature had made that for a maruell of all\nher woorkes for commoditie, vse, grace, bewtie, ayre, and continuall\ndurablenes.\n\nFor which cause, I was excessiuely desirous to staie and looke vppon it,\nbut my leaders and guides would not suffer mee, and yet by the theft of\nmy eye in the Zopher, ouer the gate I noted this inscription, +HO TE:S\nPHUSEO:S OLBOS+.\n\nAnd as muche as with my quicke sences I could carrie, I tooke in my\ngoing foorth, with as greate pleasure and delight as is possible to\nexpresse. O happie were hee that myght bee but a drudge or kitchin slaue\nin suche a Paradice.\n\nNowe beeing come into the base Court, compassed and sette about with\nOrenge trees, _Thelemia_ in great curtesie saide thus vnto mee, besides\nand aboue all the maruellous and woonderfull thinges which thou hast yet\nseene and behelde, there bee fower yet remayning behynde whiche thou\nshalt see.\n\nAnd vppon the lefte side of the incomparable pallace, they brought mee\ninto a fayre Orchyard of excogitable expence, tyme, and subtletie of\nwoorke-manshippe, the contynent and cyrcuite whereof was as muche as the\nplot of the Pallace, wherein was the resydence and abiding of the\nQueene.\n\nRound about fast by the walles of the Orchyard there were set conuenyent\ngarden pots in the which in stead of growing plantes, euerie one was of\npure glasse, exceeding a mans imagination or beleefe, intorpiaried[A]\nboxe the rootes and stalkes of golde, whereout the other proceeded.\n\n    [Sidenote A: Ars toparia is the way of cutting of trees in gardens\n    or other places to proportions or shapes.]\n\nBetwixt one and other of the which was placed a Cyprusse tree, not aboue\ntwo paces high, and the boxe one pace full of manyfolde maruellous\nsymples, with a moste excellent imitation of nature, and pleasaunt\ndiuersitie in the fashions of flowers in distinct colours verie\ndelyghtfull.\n\nThe playne labiall compassing about the quadrant Orchyard comming out\nfrom the walles as a seate for these aforesayde garden pottes and trees\nto stande vppon, was subcoronized with golde by excellent lyneamentes\nwrought and adorned. The vpper face whereof, and whereuppon those pottes\nand trees did stande, was couered with a playster of glasse gilte, and a\ncurious historographie to be seene in the same, and compassed about and\nholden in with wyering and netting of golde.\n\nThe wall that compassed about the Orchyard with a conuenient distance,\nwas bellyed out with columnes of the same matter, and inuested with\nflowring bindings naturally proportioned, and heere and there were\nquadrangulate columnes of golde chamfered, arching from one to an other,\nwith a requisite beame Zophor and coronice, with a meete and conuenient\nproiecture ouer the chapter of glasse vppon the round.\n\nThe substance of which subiect proiecture of the bryttle matter, was of\ncounterfayte diasper diuersly coloured and shining. Which bryttle\nsubstance had some void space betwixt that and the other.\n\nThe mouth of the arches were stopped with rombyes of cleare glasse in\nforme of a tryangle, and the pypes beautified all ouer with an\nEncaustick painting, verie gratious to the sight of the beholder.\n\nThe ground was here and there couered with great round balles of\nglasselyke gunne stones, and other fine proportions much pleasing, with\na mutuall consent vnmooueable lyke pearles shining without any\nadulteration by folyature. From the flowers did breath a sweet\nfragrancie by some cleare washing with oyle for that purpose.\n\nThere most cunningly did _Logistica_ lyke an Orator make a discourse in\ncommendation physically of that excellent confection of the noblenes of\nthe substaunce, secrecie of the art, and straungenes of the inuention.\nThe like is not to bee found.\n\nAnd after shee sayde, _Poliphilus_ lette vs goe and ascende vp this\nmount nexte the Garden, and _Thelemia_ remayning at the stayre foote,\nwee ascended vp to the playne toppe. Where shee shewed vnto mee, with a\nheauenly eloquence, a Garden of a large compasse, made in the forme of\nan intricate Laborynth allyes and wayes, not to bee troden, but sayled\nabout, for insteade of allyes to treade vppon, there were ryuers of\nwater.\n\nThe which mysticall place was of a verie lustie mould and fruitfull,\nreplenished with all sorts of fruits, beautified with faire springs, and\ngreene hearbes and flowers, full of all solace and delight. Whereupon\nshe spake thus.\n\nI doe imagine (_Poliphilus_) that you doe not vnderstande the\nconditionate state of this maruellous feate, and therefore giue\nattendance to my wordes.\n\nWhosoeuer entereth in cannot come backe, but as you see yonder\nmountaines heere and there distributed, seuen circuits and the about\ngoings distant one from another.\n\nAnd the extreeme molestation and sorrowe of the enterers in, is this:\nIn the myddle mountayne within the center thereof, and open mouth of the\nsame, there lurketh inuisibly a deadly deuouring olde Dragon, hee is\nvtter destruction to some, and others are not hurte to death by him. Hee\ncannot bee seene nor shunned, neyther doth hee leaue any vnassaulted,\nbut eyther in the entrie, or in their iourney, hee destroyeth or\nwoundeth. And if hee killeth them not betwixt one mountayne and another,\nthey passe the seuen circuites to the next mount.\n\nAnd they that enter in by the first tower or mount (wherevppon is this\ntytle inscript +DOXA KOSMIKE:O:S POMPHOLYS+.) They sayle in a little\nshippe with a prosperous winde, and securely at pleasure: the fruites\nand flowers fall downe vppon theyr hatches, and with great solace and\npleasure they cut through by the seauen reuolutions with a merry winde,\nvntill the second mount bee discouered and come vnto. And marke and\nbeholde (_Poliphilus_) howe cleare and bright the ayre is in the\nentrance, ouer that it is in the center, about the which is thicke\ndarknesse.\n\nIn the first mount or tower there is alwayes resident a pittifull matron\nand bountifull, before whome standeth an auncient appoynted vessell\ncalled _Vrna_, in a readinesse, hauing vppon it seauen Greeke letters\nas thus +THESPION+, full of appoynted honie, and to euerie one that\nentereth in, verie curteously and with a good will shee giueth one of\nthem without respecte of state and condition, but according to theyr\nenterance.\n\nThese beeing receyued, they came foorth, and begin to sayle in the\nLaborynth, the water beeing enuyroned vpon either sides, with roses,\ntrees, and fruits.\n\nAnd hauing sayled the first seuen reuolutions of _Aries_, and being come\nto the second mount, there they meet with innumerable troopes of yong\nwomen of diuerse conditions, which demaund of euerie one the sight of\ntheyr honye, which beeing shewed vnto them, they straightwayes knowe the\npropertie of the hony, and the goodnesse thereof, and embracing him as\ntheyr guest, they inuyte him with them to passe through the next seuen\nreuolutions, and with diuerse exercises according to her inclyned\npromptnes, they accompany them to the third mount.\n\nIn this place hee that will goe on forwards with his companion, shee\nwill neuer abandon or leaue him: for there bee farre more pleasaunt\nvoluptuous women. And many refuse the first and make choyse of them.\n\nIn the putting off from the second mount, to come to the third, they\nfinde the current of the water somewhat agaynst them, and stand in neede\nof oares, but beeing fallen off from the thirde mount, making theyr\ncourse towardes the fourth, they finde the tide and streame more against\nthem, and in these seauen oblique courses their pleasure is variable and\nvnconstant.\n\nBeeing come to the fourth mount, they finde other yoong women combatting\nand fighting, and those examining theyr pottes of honie, they intice\nthem to theyr exercise, but those that refuse to leaue theyr first\ncompanions, they let passe together, and in this cyrcuite the water is\nyet more contrary and troublesome, where there is neede of great studie\nand labour to passe on.\n\nAnd beeing come to the fift mount, they finde it speculable, lyke a\nmirrour wherein they see theyr representations, and in that they take\ngreat delyght, and with a feruent desire they passe on their laboursome\ncourse. In that mount they see this sentence and golden saying\nmanyfested, _Medium tenuere beati_: not lyneall, nor locall, but\ntemporall, where by a sincere and perfect examination hee discerneth\nthat meane wherewith he hath ioyned his felicitie, wisdome and riches:\nwhich if not well, in the rest of his course he faynteth the more.\n\nAnd losing off from thence, the Waters by reason of the broken circles,\nbeginne to be verie slyding towards the Center, so that with small or no\nrowing they are brought to the sixt Mount. And there they finde elegant\nWomen, with a shew of heauenly modestie and diuine worship, with whose\namiable aspects and countenaunces, the Trauailers are taken in their\nloue, condemning their former with despite and hatefull abhorrence. And\nwith these they fall acquainted, and passe the seauen reuolucions.\n\nThese beeing come ouer with an obscure and foggy close ayre, with many\nlosses and a grieuous voyage, they beginne to remember what they haue\npast and lost: for the more that the compasse of the reuolucion, draweth\nneere to the discouerie of the Figure of the Center, the sooner they are\npassed ouer, styll shorter and shorter, and the more swyfter the course\nof the streame is into the deuouring swallow of the Center.\n\nAnd then with extreame affliction and bitter anguish remembring the\nabuse of their pleasures, and companions that they haue forsaken, and\nsweete places, which so much the more augmenteth their sorrowes, for\nthat they can not returne or goe backe with theyr Shyppe, such a\ncompanie still follow them vppon the stearne with their fore-castles.\nAnd most of all dysmayeth them the heauie sentence ouer the median\nCenter, _Theonlykos Dys Algetos_.\n\nAnd there, considering the displeasant tytle, they curse the time of\ntheir entrance into the Labirinth, which hath in it so manie sundry\ndelights, and the end of them subiect to such myserable and ineuitable\nnecessity.\n\nAnd then she smyling, said: _Poliphilus_, ouer the deuouring throat of\nthys Center, there sitteth a seuere Iudge, balancing euery ones actions,\nand helping whom hee will helpe. And because that it will be tedious to\ntell thee all, let thus much heereof suffise. Let vs goe downe to our\ncompanion _Thelemia_, who demanding the cause why they staid so long\naboue, _Logistica_ made aunswer, it doth not content our _Poliphilus_,\nonely to behold, but also to vnderstand by me the secrecie of those\nthings, which he could not goe to knowe, wherein I haue satis-fied him.\nAnd when she had ended, _Thelemia_ said.\n\nLet vs goe a little while to an other garden no lesse pleasant ioyning\nto the glasse garden, vppon the right side of the Pallas: and when wee\nwere come in thither, I was amazed with excessiue wondering, to see the\ncuriousnesse of the worke; as vneasie to report as vncredible to\nbeleeue: [ae]quiuolent with that of glasse, wyth lyke disposition of\nbenches or bankes; theyr lyppes set out with coronising and golden\nground worke, and such trees, but that the boxes and Cyprus trees, were\nall silke, sauing the bodies and greater branches, or the strength of\nthe armes: the rest, as the leaues, flowers, and outermost rynde, was of\nfine silke, wanting no store of Pearles to beautifie the same: and the\nperfect fine collour, smelling as the glasse flowers beforementioned,\nand alike, but that they about compassing walles, of meruailous and\nincredible sumpteousnesse, were all couered ouer with a crusting of\nPearle, close ioyned and set together: and towardes the toppe, there\nsprouted out greene yuie, the leaues thickning and bushing out from the\nPearles, vvith the stringes and veines of golde, running vppe in diuers\nplaces betwixt the Pearles, in a most rare and curious sort, as if it\nhad beene very growing yuie, with berries of precious stones sette in\nthe stalkes in little bunches: and in the bushes were Ringe-doues of\nsilke, as if they had beene feeding of the berries, all along the sides\nof the square plotted garden walles: ouer the which, in master-like and\nrequisite order, stretched out the beame and Zophor of golde.\n\nThe plaine smoth of the settles, where-vpon the boxe trees stoode,\ncouered ouer with Histories of loue and venerie, in a worke of silke and\nthreddes of golde and siluer, in suche a perfect proportioned ymaginarie\nand counterfaiting as none may goe beyonde. The ground of the leuell\ngarden, was of leaues, grasse, and flowers of silke, like a faire sweete\nmeddowe: in the midst whereof, there was a large and goodly round\nArbour, made with golde wyer, and ouerspread with roses of the lyke\nworke, more beautifull to the eye, then if they had been growing roses,\nvnder which couering, and within which Arbour about the sides, were\nseates of red Diaspre, & all the round pauement of a yellow Diaspre,\naccording to the largenes of the place, with dyuers colloured spottings,\nconfusedly agreeing together in pleasant adulterated vniting, and so\ncleere and shining, that to euery obiect was it selfe gaine represented.\nVnder the which Arbour, the fayre and pleasant _Thelemia_, solaciously\nsitting downe, tooke her Lute which she carryed with her, and with a\nheauenly melodie and vn-hearde sweetenesse, she began to sing in the\ncommendation and delightes of her Queene. And seeing what a grace vnto\nher, the company of her fellowe _Logistica_ was, I maruailed why\n_Apollo_ came not to harken the Harmonie made by them: it was so\nmelodious, that for the present tyme a man woulde haue thought that\nthere had beene no greater f[ae]licitie. And after that shee ended her\ndiuine Poems, _Logistica_ tooke me by the hande and led me foorth of the\nArbour, saying vnto me.\n\n_Poliphilus_, thou shalt vnderstande that the deuise of these obiects,\nare more pleasant to bee vnderstoode then behelde, and therefore lette\nvs enter in heere, to bee satisfied in both.\n\nAnd from thence, shee and her companion brought mee from thys garden to\nan other, where I behelde an arching _Areostile_, from the ground bent\nto the toppe, fyue paces in height and three ouer, and thus continued\nrounde about the compasse of the garden, in an orderly and requisite\nproportioning, all inuested and couered ouer with greene yuie, so that\nno part of the wall was to be seene. And there were a hundred Arches to\nthe compassing of this garden.\n\nBy euery of the Arches, was an Aulter of red Porphirite, curiously\nproportioned with exquisite lyneaments; and vppon euery one of them was\nplaced, an image of golde, like a Nymph, of rare and beautifull\nsemblances, diuersly apparelled, and varying in theyr attyre and heade\ndressing, euery one bending their eyes towards the Center of the garden.\n\nIn which middle Centricke place, there was founded a Base, of a cleere\nChristal-like Calcedonie stone, in a Cubic forme: that is, euery way a\nlike square. And vppon that was set a round stone, but flatte vppon both\nsides, two foote high, and by the Diameter, one pace and a halfe ouer,\nof most pure red Diaspre. Vppon the which, stoode a most blacke stone,\nin forme three square, and in quantitie for breadth, fitting the rounde,\nand in height one pace and a halfe. The corners of which triangle did\niumpe with the sides, and lymbus of the subiacent plynth or round stone.\n\nIn the smooth polished fronts of which triangle, there was appact a\nbeautifull Image, of a heauenly aspect, graue and modest, with their\nfeete not touching the stone, but standing out from the same iust ouer\nthe suppressed and vnder put rounde stone. Theyr statures as tall as the\ntrygonall would beare, vnto the which they did stick fast by their backe\nparts. Theyr armes were stretched abroade, both the right and left to\nthe corners of the triangle, where they held a Coppy, filled and fastned\nto the corners of the Trigonall, the length of euery one of which\nCoppies of fine gold, was seauen foote.\n\nAnd the Images, the Coppyes, and their bandes wherewith they were tyed\nin the midst and held by, were all shyning, and their hands inuiluped\nwith the sundry stringes, flynging about the plaine smothe of the black\nstone.\n\nTheir habits were Nymphish, of most rare and most excellent working. The\nSepulchre of _Tarnia_ the Queene of the _Scythians_ in _Asia_, was\nnothing comparable.\n\nIn the lowest Cubicall Figure, vpon the smoth plaine of euery square,\nwere ingrauen Greeke Letters, three, one, two and three on thys sort.\n+DYS A LO: TOS+.\n\n  [Illustration]\n\nIn the circular there were three Characters Hieragliphicall,\nperpendicularly vnder the feet of euerie Image. For the first, was\nimpressed the forme of the Sonne. Next vnder another, the figure of an\nolde fashioned Ower.\n\nThirdly, a dyshe with a burning flame in it.\n\nVpon the heade of the trygonall blacke stone, towarde euerie corner,\nI did behold an Egiptian Monster of Gold, fower footed couchant. One of\nthen hauing a face lyke man altogether. The other like half a man, &\nhalfe a beast. And the third like a beast. VVith a linnen vaile ouer\neuery of their heades, with two Labels hanging ouer theyr eares, & the\nrest descending downe and couering their necks & backes, with the bodies\nof Lyons. Theyr lookes directly forward.\n\nVppon the backs of these three, dyd stande rysing vp a massiue Spyre of\nGold, three square, sharpning vp to the toppe, fiue tymes as high as\nbroade below. And vpon euery front or foreside, was grauen a circle, and\nouer one circle a Greeke Letter, +O+. ouer another, a Letter +O:+. and\nouer the third, a Greeke +N+.\n\nThere _Logistica_ beganne to speake vnto me, saying, by these Figures\nare discribed, so farre as mans reason can shewe, the celestiall\nharmony. And vnderstand _Poliphilus_, that these Figures, with a\nperpetuall affynitie and coniunction, are auncient Monuments, and\nEgiptian Hieragliphs, signifying this, _Diuin[ae] infinit[ae]que\ntrinitati vnius essenti[ae]_. Which is now by his holy word, in a most\nlouing sort manifested to the whole world, according to his will: and\nyet it shall not be a misse to see antiquities, and consider what\ngreater benefite is had by the precious Gospel.\n\nThe lower Figure was consecrated to the Deitie, because it is euerie way\nalike, and all one: and vpon euery side, and turned euery way, of like\nstablenes, vpon euery base, constant and permanent.\n\nThe round Circular standing vppon that, is without beginning or ende.\nVppon the circumferent sides whereof, these three lyneaments are\ncontained, directly vnder euerie Image, according to the property\nattributed.\n\nThe Sunne with his comfortable light, giueth life to euerie thing, and\nhis nature is attributed to GOD.\n\nThe second is the Ower, which is prouident direction, and gouernment of\nall with an infinite wisedome.\n\nThe third is a Fyerie Vessell, whereby is vnderstoode a partycipation of\nLoue.\n\nAnd although that they be three distinct things, yet they are contained\n& vnited in one sempeternallie, with great loue communicating their\nblessings, as you may see by the coppies at euery corner of the\ntrygonall stone.\n\nAnd continuing her delectable speech, shee sayd, vnder the forme of the\nSunne, note this Greeke worde, _Adiegetos_. By the Ower looke vpon this,\n_Adiachoristos_. And by the Vessel of fier, was engrauen, _Adiereynes_.\n\nAnd to this ende are the three Monsters placed vnder the golden\nObelisque, because that there be three great opinions like those\nMonsters: & as that with the humane countenaunce is best, so the other\nbe beastly and monstrous.\n\nIn the Spyre there be three plaine sides, lyneated with three circles,\nsignifying one for euery time. The past, the present, and to come; and\nno other figure can holde these three circles, but in that inuariable.\nAnd no mortall man can at one instant perfectlie discerne and see\ntogether two sides of the same figure, sauing one integrally, which is\nthe Present: and therefore vppon great knowledge were these three\nCharacters engrauen, +O. O:. N+.\n\nFor which cause _Poliphilus_, not that I excuse my selfe for beeing ouer\nprolix and tedious, but briefely to teach thee, and sette thee right vp.\nIn the knowledge heereof, thou shalt vnderstand, that the first basiall\nFigure is onely knowne to hymselfe, and to one Sonne of man, which hath\na humane bodie glorifyed and without sinne: and the brightnes thereof\nwee see but as in a glasse, and not cleerely as it is, for that it is\nincomprehensible for a fynite substance.\n\nBut he that is indued with wisedome, let him consider of the glorious\nbrightnes thereof. But to the thirde Figure, which is of a darke and\nblacke collour, wherein be the three golden Images: _The Blacke stone is\nthe Lawe: the Coppies foode: the three Women the preseruation of\nMan-kind._\n\nNowe they which will looke higher, they see a Figure in a tryne aspect,\nand the higher that they goe towardes the toppe, where the vnion of the\nthree is, be they neuer so wise, their vnderstanding is vnperfect: and\nalthough that they see it, yet they knowe not what they see, but that\nthere is such a thing, in comparison whereof, they are fooles, theyr\npower weake, and themselues nothing.\n\nAnd there _Logistica_ hauing ended her allowed talke, proceeding from an\nabsolute knowledge, deepe iudgement, and sharpnesse of wit in Diuine\nmatters, and vnknowne to weake capacities, I began heereat to take\ngreater delight, then in any other meruailous worke what soeuer, that I\nhad graciously beholden with my greedy eyes. Considering with my selfe\nof the mysticall Obelisque, the ineffable equality statarie, for\ndurablenesse and perpetuitie vnmoueable, and enduring vncorruptible.\n\nWhere there breathed a sweet ayre from heauen, with vnuariable windes,\nin this Garden round about full of flowers, of a large and circular\npermanent plot: compassed about with all sorts of fruites, pleasant in\ntaste and full of health; with a perpetuall greenesse, disposed and set\nby a regular order, both beautifull, pleasant, and conuenient; with the\nperfect labour and indeuour of Nature to bring it to that passe, and\nbeautified with precious gold.\n\nAnd _Logistica_ holding her peace, they tooke mee both by the hands, and\nwe went out at the mouth of one of the Arches from the precyncts of the\nIuied inclosure. And beeing gone from thence, very contentedly passing\non betwixt them both, saith _Thelemia_, let vs now hasten on to our\nthree Gates whether we are sent.\n\nWhere-vpon, we passing through a plentiful seate and pleasant Countrey,\nwith a reasonable conuenient pace, I beheld the heauens very cleere &\nbright, & beguiled the tyme with merry, sweet, and delightfull\ndiscourses. And I desirous to vnderstand euery particular of the\ninestimable riches, vnspeakeable delights and incomparable treasure of\nthe sacred Queene, (to the which _Osyris_ the builder of the two Temples\nof Golde, one to _Iupiter_, and the other to the kingdome, must giue\nplace,) I mooued this question.\n\nTell me I beseech you fayre Nymphes, (if my curiosity bee not to your\ndiscontentment) amongst all the precious stones that I could perfectly\nbehold of great estimation and pryce, one I deemed inestimable, and\nwithout comparison most precious; The Iasper which had the effigies of\n_Nero_ cut, it was not much bigger. Neither was the Coruscant to passe\nin the statue of _Arsinoe_ the _Arabian_ Queene equall with it. Next\nher, of such value was the Iewell, wherein was the representation of\n_Nonius_ the Senator, as this sparkling and shyning Dyamond, of a rare\nand vnseene beautie and bignes, which did hang vpon a rich Carkenet\nabout the snowie necke of the sacred Queene, what cutting was in the\nsame, which I could not perceiue by meanes of the brightnesse and my\nbeeing some-what farre of. And therefore I beeing therein ignoraunt,\ndesyre to knowe the same.\n\n_Logistica_ considering of my honest demaund, aunswered me\nincontinently. Know this _Poliphilus_, in the Iewell was ingrauen an\nimperiall throne, and in the throne the mighty name of _Iehouah_ in\nHebrew Letters, and before that throne, are cast downe and troden vnder\nfoote, the Gyants which proudly haue lift vp themselues against his\nworde, and resisted hys will: vppon the left side of the throne is a\nflame of fire, vppon the right hande a horne of saluation, or Copie full\nof all good blessednes, and this is all that is contained in the Iewell.\n\nThen I presumed further to knowe, what should these two things vpon\neyther sides of the throne signifie, that were holden out in two handes.\n_Thelemia_ quickly aunswered me, God of his infinite goodnesse,\nproposeth to mankind his mercie and his iudgement, chuse which they\nwill.\n\nFor thys beeing satis-fied, I sayd moreouer. Seeing that most gracious\nNymphs, my speeches be not displeasant vnto you, and that I am not yet\nsatis-fied in all that I haue seene, I pray you let me vnderstand this.\n\nBefore the horrible feare that I was driuen into by the Dragon, I beheld\na mighty huge Elephant of stone, with an entrance into his bellie, where\nwere two Sepulchres, with a wryting, the meaning wherof is too mysticall\nfor me, that was, that I shoulde not touch the bodie, but take away the\nhead.\n\n_Logistica_ forthwith made me aunswer. _Poliphilus_, I doe vnderstande\nvery well your doubt, and therefore you shall vnderstande, that this\nmonstrous shape and machine was not made without great and wonderfull\nhumane wisedome, much labour, and incredible diligence, with a\nperplexibility of vnderstanding to knowe the mysticall conceite. Thou\nremembrest that vpon the face there hung an ornament, with certaine\n_Ideonix ionic_ and _Arabic_, which in our Mother-tongue, is as much to\nsay, as labour, and industrie. Signifying thereby, that in thys world,\nwhosoeuer will haue any blessing that shall do him good, he must leaue\nthe body, which is ease and idlenes, and betake himselfe to trauaile and\nindustry, which is the head.\n\nShee had no sooner ended her words both pleasant & piercing, but I\nvnderstoode it very well and gaue her great thankes. And yet desirous to\nbe resolued in whatsoeuer I stood in doubt, and seeing that I might\nspeake boldly, I made this third question. Most wise Nymph, in my\ncomming out of the subterraneall vast darksome place, as I passed on,\nI came to a goodlie bridge, and vppon the same, in a Porphyrite stone\nvppon the one side, and an Ophite vpon the other, I beheld engrauen\ncertaine Hieragliphs, both which I did interprete, but I stoode\ndoubtfull of certaine branches, that were tyed to the hornes of the\nscalpe of the Oxe, and the rather because they were in the Porphyrite\nstone, and not in the Ophit vpon the other side.\n\nShe aunswered me straight way. The braunches, one is of the Thistle or\nthorne of Iudea[A], and the other of the Turbentine. The nature of which\nWoodes bee, that the one will not easily take fire, and the other will\nneither bend, rotte, consume, nor be eaten with wormes. And so that\npatience is commended, which with anger is not kindled, nor by aduersity\nwill bee subdued.\n\n    [Sidenote A: The crown of thorne vpon Christes head.]\n\nThe nature of the Porphyrit stone is of this secrecie, that in the\nfornace it will neither burne it selfe, but also causeth other stones\nneere adioyning that they shall not burne. And of that nature is\npatience, that it will neither be altered itselfe, nor suffer any other\nwherein it beareth rule to fall into a furie. And the Ophite stone is of\nsuch nature also.\n\nNowe _Poliphilus_, I doe greatly commende you, in that you are desirous\nto vnderstand such secrets: for to behold, consider, and measure the\nsame, is a commendable vertue, and the way to knowledge: whereuppon I\nhad occasion giuen to render innumerable thanks, for her great and\nfauourable curtesies.\n\nAnd thus with allowed and delightfull discoursing speeches, we came to a\nfayre Riuer, vpon the banck whereof, besides other fayre greene and\nflorishing Trees, and water hearbes, I beheld a fine Groue of Plane\nTrees, in the which was an excellent fayre bridge ouer the Riuer made of\nstone, with three Arches, with pyles bearing foorth against the two\nfronts, to preserue the worke of the bridge, the sides thereof beeing of\nexcellent workmanship.\n\nAnd in the middle bending of the same, vpon eyther sides, there was a\nsquare stone of Porphyrite set, hauing in it a Catagliphic, engrauing of\nHieragliphies.\n\nVpon the right hand as I went ouer, I beheld a woman, casting abroade\nher armes, sitting onely vppon one buttocke, putting foorth one of her\nlegges as if shee woulde rise; In her right hand, vpon that side which\nshee did sitte, shee helde a payre of winges, and in the other hand,\nvppon that side whereon she was arysing, a Tortice.\n\nRight against her, there was a Circle, the center wherof two little\nSpyrits did hold, with their backs turned towards the circumference of\nthe Circle.\n\nAnd then _Logistica_ saide vnto me, _Poliphilus_, I am sure that thou\ndoost not vnderstand these Hieragliphs, but they make much for thy\npurpose: and therfore they are placed for a Monument and thing to be\nconsidered, of such as passe by.\n\nThe Circle _Medium tenuere beati_.\n\nThe other, temper thy hast by staying, and thy slownesse by rysing,\nconsider heereof as thou seest cause.\n\nThis bridge was built with a moderate bending, shewing the cunning\ndisquisition, tryall, examination, arte, and discretion of the excellent\nworkman and inuenter, commended in the continuaunce and durablenesse\nthereof, which manie of our Bayard-like moderne Idiots, without\nknowledge, measure and arte buzzing on, neither obserue proportion nor\nlyneaments, but all out of order.\n\nThis bridge was all of pure Marble.\n\nWhen wee had passed ouer the bridge, wee walked in the coole shadow,\ndelighted with the variable notes and chirpings of small byrds, to a\nrocky and stony place, where high & craggie Mountaines lifted vp\nthemselues, afterwarde continuing to abrupt and wilesome hilly places,\nfull of broken and nybled stones, mounting vppe into the ayre, as high\nas a man might looke to, and without any greene grasse or hearbe, and\nthere were hewen out the three gates, in the verie rocke it selfe, euen\nas plaine as might be. A worke verie auncient and past record, in a very\ndispleasant seate.\n\n  [Illustration:\n\n  [Arabic: ....]\n\n  #Tif'eret Ha'el#\n  #Gidul Ha'a'hava#\n  #Tif'eret Ha'olam#\n\n  +THEODOXIA+\n  +ERO:TOTROPHOS+\n  +KOSMODOXIA+\n\n  GLORI DEI\n  MATER AMORIS\n  GLORIA MVNDI]\n\nOuer euery one of the which, I beheld in Letters Ionic, Romaine, Hebrew\nand Arabic, the tytle that the sacred Queene _Eleutherillida_ fore-told\nme that I should find. The Gate vppon my right hand, had vpon it this\nword, _Theodoxia_. That vppon my left hand, _Cosmodoxia_. And the\nthirde, _Erototrophos_. Vnto the which as soone as we were come, the\nDamosels beganne to instruct me in the tytles, and knocking in the\nresounding leaues of the Gates, vppon the right hande couered ouer with\ngreene mosse, they were presently opened.\n\nAnd ther dyd an olde woman present herselfe vnto vs, of an honourable\ncountenaunce, out of an olde dawbed and smoakie house, hauing a poore\nbase little doore, ouer the which was painted _Pilurania_. Shee came\nwith a modest and honest shamefastnesse, and her dwelling place was in a\nsolitarie site and shadie Rocke, decayed and crumbly, her clothes were\ntattered, her face leane, pale & poore. Her eyes looking towards the\nground, her name was _Thende_. Shee had attending vpon her sixe\nHandmaydes, basely and slenderly apparrelled. One was named _Parthenia_,\nthe second _Edosia_, an other _Hypocolinia_, the fourth _Pinotidia_, the\nnext _Tapinosa_, the last _Prochina_. Which reuerent Matron, with her\nright arme naked poynted to the heauens.\n\nShe dwelt in a place very hard to come vnto, and ful of troubles to\npasse on the way, beeing hyndered with thorne and bryers, very rough and\ndispleasant, a mistie clowde cast ouer it, and very hard to clymbe vp\ninto.\n\n_Logistica_ perceiuing by my looke that I had no great lyking in this\nplace, some-what greeued therewith, said, this Rocke is knowne neuer but\nat the end. And then _Thelemia_ sayde, _Poliphilus_, I see you make\nsmall regarde of such a painefull woman. Whereat I assenting to her with\nmy countenaunce, wee departed, and the gate being shut we came to the\nnext.\n\nWhere knocking, it was presently opened, and wee entering in, there met\nvs a browne woman, with fierce eyes rowling, and of a quicke\ncountenaunce, lyfting vp a naked glittering sworde, vpon the middle\nwherof was a Crowne of golde, and a branche of Palme tree intrauersed.\n\nHer armes brawnie like _Hercules_, in labour and acts magnanimious and\nnobly minded. Her belly small. A little mouth, strong and stooping\nshoulders, by her countenaunce seeming to bee of an vndaunted minde, not\nfearing to vndertake any enterprise how hard soeuer.\n\nHer name was _Euclelia_, verie honourablie attended vppon with sixe\nyoung Women. The first was called _Merimnasia_, the second, _Epitide_,\nanother, _Ergasilea_, the fourth, _Anectea_, the fift was named\n_Statia_, the last was called _Olistea_.\n\nThe situation and place me thought was painefull, and _Logistica_\nperceiuing my inclynation, presentlie tooke into her hand _Thelemias_\nLute, and beganne to strike a doricall tune, and sung to the same verie\nsweetly, saying. O _Poliphilus_ be not wearie to take paynes in thys\nplace, for when labour and trauell is ouer-come, there will be a tyme of\nrest. And her songe was of such force, that I was euen consenting to\nremaine there, notwithstanding that, the habitation seemed laboursome.\nWherevppon, _Thelemia_ inticingly said vnto me, I think that it standeth\nwith verie great reason my _Poliphilus_, that before you set downe your\nrest heere in this place, you ought in any case to see the third Gate.\n\nWhereunto I consented with a very good will, and therefore going out\nfrom hence, we came to the other Gate, where _Thelemia_ knocking at a\nring of Brasse, it was forth-with sette open, and when wee were come in,\nthere came towardes vs a notable goodly woman, and her name was\n_Philtronia_.\n\nHer regards were wanton, lasciuious, and vnconstant, her grace\nwonderfull pleasant, so as at the verie first sight shee violently drew\nme into her loue.\n\nThis place was the Mansion-house of Voluptuousnes. The grounde decked\nwith small hearbes, and adorned with all sorts of sundrie flowers,\nabounding with solace and quiet ease. Issuing and sending foorth in\ndiuers places small streames of water, pyppling and slyding downe vpon\nthe Amber grauell in theyr crooking Channels heere and there, by some\nsuddaine fall making a still continued noyse, to great pleasure\nmoystning the open fieldes, and making the shadowed places vnder the\nleaffye Trees, coole and fresh.\n\nShee had with her also sixe young women of like statures, passing fayre,\nof pleasant countenaunces, amorously adorned, and dressed as may bee\ndesired of an ambitious beautie and gesture.\n\nThe first was called _Rastonelia_. The second, _Cortasina_. The thirde,\n_Idonesa_. The fourth, _Triphelia_. The fift, _Epiania_. And the last\nwas named _Adia_.\n\nThese and their companie, were very delightfull to my gasing and\nsearching eyes. VVhere-vppon _Logistica_ presentlie with a sad and\ngrieued countenaunce, seeing mee disposing my selfe abruptlie to the\nseruile loue of them, shee said vnto mee, O _Poliphilus_, the alluring\nand inticing beauties of these, are vaine, deceiueable, and\ncounterfeited, vnsauorie and displeasant, and therefore if thou wouldest\nwith aduisement looke vppon their backes, thou wouldest then hate,\ncontemne, and abhorre theyr lothsome filthinesse and shame, abounding in\nstinke and noysome sauoure aboue any dunghill, which no stomacke can\nabide.\n\nAnd therefore what is slypperie and transitorie flye and eschewe,\ndespise that pleasure which bringeth shame and repentance, vaine hopes,\na short and small ioy, with perpetuall complaynts, doubtfull sighes, and\na sorrowful life neuer ending.\n\nOh adulterated and vnkindly pleasure, fraught with miserie, contayning\nsuch bitternesse, like honnie, and yet gall dropping from greene leaues.\n\nO lyfe worse then death, and yet deadly, delighted in sweete poyson,\nwith what care, sorrow, pensiue thoughts, mortall and desperate\nattempts, art thou sought for to bee obtained by blind Louers, who\nwithout regarde or aduise cast themselues headlong into a gulfe of\nsorrowes.\n\nThey be present before thine eyes, and yet thou seest them not. Oh what\nand howe great sorrowes, bitter and sharpe paine and vexation doost thou\nbeare, wicked, execrable and accursed appetite.\n\nO detestable madnesse, oh beguiled senses, by your faulte with the selfe\nsame beastlie pleasure, myserable mortall men are ouerthrowne.\n\nOh filthy lust, absurd furie, disordinate and vaine desire, building\nnests with errours, and torments for vvounded harts, the vtter\ndestroyer, and idle letting goe by of all good blessings.\n\nOh blinde Monster, how doost thou blinde, and with what deceipt doost\nthou couer the eyes, and deceiue the vnderstanding sences of vnhappie\nand miserable Louers with vailes and mystes.\n\nO monstrous and slauish, which compassed with so manie euils, hastenest\nto so small pleasure poysoned and fayned.\n\n_Logistica_ speaking with vehemencie these and such lyke words, her\nfore-head frowning, wrympling with sorrowes, and veines, rysing vp in a\ngreat rage, shee cast her Lute vppon the ground and brake it.\n\nVVhere-vppon _Thelemia_, with a smyling countenaunce, nodded towards\nmee, as if shee shoulde say, let _Logistica_ speake her pleasure, but\ndoe as you see good your selfe.\n\nAnd _Logistica_ seeing my wicked intent and resolute determination,\nbeeing kindled with disdaine, turned her backe, and with a great sigh\nhastened away.\n\nAnd I remained still with my companion _Thelemia_, vvho with a\nflattering and smyling grace said vnto me, _Poliphilus_, this is the\nplace where thou shalt not continue long, but thou shalt finde the\ndeerest thing which thou louest in the world, & which thou hast in thy\nhart, without intermission determined to seeke and desire.\n\nAnd doubtfully then discoursing with my selfe, I was resolued that\nnothing coulde breede quiet, or bring content to my poore grieued hart,\nbut my best desired _Polia_. The promise and warrantise of _Thelemia_\nfor my obtayning the same, bred in mee some comfort.\n\nAnd shee perceiuing that the Mistris of thys place, and the seate it\nselfe, and her Women dyd bothe please mee vvell, and entertained mee\ncourteously, shee kissing mee, tooke her leaue and gaue me a fare-well.\n\nThe metallyne gates beeing shut, I remayned incloystered among these\nfayre and beautifull Nymphes, who began very pleasantly and wantonly to\ndeuise with mee: and beeing hemmed in with their lasciuious company,\nI found my selfe prouoked by their perswasiue alluring intisements, to\nvnlawfull concupiscence, feeling in my selfe a burning desire, kyndled\nwith their wanton aspects, an increasing prouocation of a lusting fier.\nI doubt me that if _Phrine_ had beene of that fauour, and force in\ngesture of speech, colde _Xenocrates_ would haue consented to her\nalluring, and not haue beene accused by her, to be an image of stone.\nTheir countenances were so lasciuious, their breastes naked and\nintycing, theyr eyes flattering, in their roseall forheads, glystering\nand rowling, their shapes most excellent, their apparell rich, their\nmotions girlish, theyr regards byting, theyr ornaments, sweete and\nprecious, no part counterfeited, but all perfected by nature in an\nexcellent sort, nothing deformed, but all partes aunswerable one to an\nother.\n\nTheir heades yellowe, their tresses fayre, and the hayre soft and fine,\nin such a sort dressed vp and rouled into trammels, with laces of silke\nand golde, passing any ioye that a man may beholde, turned about their\nheads in an excellent manner, inuiluxed, and bound vppe together, their\nforheades compassed about and shaddowed with wauering curles, mouably\npr[ae]pending in a wonderfull manner, marueilous delightfull, perfumed &\nsweet, yeelding an vnknown fragrancie. Their speeches so perswasorie and\npleasing, as might robbe the fauour of an indesposed hart, and violently\ndrawe vnto them any mind, though Satyr-like or churlish howsoeuer, to\ndepraue Religion, to binde euery loose conceit, to make any rusty\nPeasant amorous, and to mollifie any froward disposition. Vppon which\noccasion, my minde, altogether set on fier with a new desire, and in the\nextreame heate of concupiscence, prouoked to fall headlong into a\nlasciuious appetite, & drowned in lustfull loue vnbridled: in the\nextreame inuasion and infectious contage thereof, the Damoselles\nforsooke mee and left me all alone in a fruitfull playne.\n\n\n\n\n_In this place Poliphilus being left alone, a most fayre Nymphe (when\n  hee was forsaken of the lasciuious company) came vnto him, whose\n  beautie and apparell Poliphilus dooth amourously describe._\n\n\nMy tender heart thus excessiuely wounded with amorous prouocation,\nI think I was mad, I stood so amazed, or blinde at the least, because\nthat I coulde not perceiue in what sort or how this desired and\ndelightfull company gaue mee the slip: and at last not knowing what I\ndid, but casting mine eyes right forward, I behelde before mee, a fine\nArbour of sweete Gessamine, somewhat high, lifting vppe and bending\nouer, all to bee painted and decked with the pleasant and odoriferous\nflowers of three sortes commixt, and entring in vnder the same.\nWonderfully perplexed for the losse of my company, I knewe not howe\nor in what sort, and calling to remembraunce the diuers, rare and\nwonderfull thinges past, and aboue al the great hope and trust which\nI had conceiued vpon the Queenes promise, that I should finde my loue\n_Polia_.\n\nAlas said I, with a deepe sigh, my _Polia_, that the greene Arbour\nresounded againe therewithall, my amourous breathings were such, framed\nwithin and sent out from my burning hart. And I was no sooner entered\ninto this agony, and ouerwhelmed in this passion, but as I passed on to\nthe other ende of the Arbor, I might perceiue a farre off, a great\nnumber of youthes, solacing and sporting themselues very loude with\ndiuers melodious soundes, with pleasant sports and sundry pastimes, in\ngreat ioye, and passing delight assembled together, in a large playne.\nVppon this gratefull and desired noueltie, I set me down marueiling at\nit, before I would step any further on.\n\nAnd beholde, a most noble and faire Nymph, with a burning torch in her\nhand, departing from the company, tended her course towardes mee, so as\nI might well perceiue that shee was a reall mayde indeede and no\nspirite, whervpon I mooued not one whit, but gladly expected her\ncomming, who with a maidenly hast, modest accesse, star-like\ncountenance, and smiling grace, drewe neere vnto mee with such a\nMaiestie, and yet friendly, so as I doubt me, the amorous _Idalea_ neuer\nshewed her selfe to _Mars_, nor to her the fayre Pastor _Adonis_. Nor\nthe delicate _Ganimed_ to _Iupiter_, or the fayre _Psyches_, to her\nspouse _Cupid_.\n\nFor which cause, if shee had beene the fourth among the three contending\nGoddesses, if _Joue_ had beene Iudge, as in the shady Wooddes of\n_Mensunlone_ was the Phrigian Sheepheard, without all doubt she had\nbeene iudged of farre more excellent beautie, and without equiuolence,\nmore worthy of the golden apple, then all or any one of the rest. At the\nfirst sight I was perswaded that shee had beene _Polia_, but the place\nvnaccustomed & her apparell made mee thinke the contrarie, and therefore\nmy doubtfull iudgement remained in suspence, hauing onely a reuerent\nsuspition therof.\n\nThis honourable Nymph, had her virgineall diuine and small body couered\nwith a thinne subtill stuffe of greene silke, powdered with golde, vppon\na smocke of pure white coorled Lawne, couering her most delicate and\ntender body, and snowye skinne, as fine and good as euer _Pamphila_ the\ndaughter to _Platis_ in the Iland of Coo, did inuent to weaue. Which\nwhite smocke seemed as if it had couered damaske Roses.\n\nThe coate which she wore ouer that, was not like our fashioned\npetticoates with French wastes, for that her sweete proporcioned body\nneeded no such pinching in, & vnholsome weare, hyndering procreation and\nan enemie to health: but rather like a wastcoate, with little plightes\nand gathers vnder her rounde and pretty bearing out breasts, vpon her\nslender and small waste, ouer her large proportioned flanckes and little\nround belly, fast girded about with a girdle of golde: and ouer the\nsame, a gowne or garment side to the ground, and welted belowe.\n\nThis garment beeing very side, was taken vp round about the pitch of her\nhippes, and before vpon her belly, & tyed about with the studded\nmarriage girdle of _Citherea_, the plucking vp of y^e garment, bearing\nouer the girdle about her like a french vardingale, & the nethermost\npart falling down about her feet in plightes and fouldes, vnstable and\nblowne about with the sweete ayre & coole winde, causing sometime, by\nthe thinnesse thereof, her shape to be seene in it, which shee seemed\nwith a prompt readinesse to resist and hynder. Her beautie and grace was\nsuch, as I stoode in doubt whether shee were begotten by any humaine\ngeneration: her armes stretching downe, her handes long and slender, her\nfingers small and fayre, and her nayles thinne and ruddy, and shining,\nas if she had beene _Minerua_ her selfe. Her armes to be seene through\nthe cleere thinnesse of the Lawne, the winges about the size of her\ngarment where her armes came out, were of golde, in an excellent sort\nand fashion welted, and set with Pearle and stone: and in like sort, all\nthe hemming about of her vesture, with golde ooes, and Pearle, and\nspangles of golde in diuers places, distantly disposed in a curious and\npleasant sort to beholde.\n\nVppon either side, vnder the armes to her waste, her vpper garment was\nvnsowed and open, but fastened with three buttons of great Orient Pearle\n(such as _Cleopatra_ neuer had to dissolue in a Potion) in loopes of\nblewe silke, so that you might see her smocke betweene the distance of\none Pearle from an other, couering her daintie soft snowye thinne\nskinne: except her small necke and the vpper halfe of her spatious and\ndelitious breast, more desired and contenting mine eyes, then the water\nbrookes and coole Ryuers to the emboste and chased Hart, more pleasing\nthen the fisher boate of _Endimion_ to _Cynthia_, and more pleasant then\n_Cithera_ to _Orpheus_.\n\nThe sleeues of her smocke of a conuenient largenesse, and about her\nwristes plighted and tyed with Bracelets of Golde, double and vnited\nwith Orient Pearle. And besides all her ornaments and gracious gestures,\nshe indeuoured nowe and then with stolen and affected regards, in a\nsweet & pleasant sort, to cast down her eyes vpon her little round\nswelling breastes, impatient at the suppressing of her soft and fine\napparell: so as I iudged vppon good consideration, and thought that in\nthe dignitie and honourable frame of her personage, the Creator had\nframed and vnited together, all the violence of Loue. The foure Nourses\nof the royall Kingdome of Babilon, called _The tongue of the Gods_, had\nnot that powre to winne fauour and loue of the King, which this most\nsweet Nymph had.\n\nAbout her fayre Necke, more white then the Scithian snowe, shee wore a\nCarkenet of Oryent Pearle: _Cerna_ the wife of _C[ae]sar_ neuer had the\nlike, and I doubt me that that of _Eriphile_, which she tooke to\n_Amphiaraus_, was nothing comparable vnto it. And in the bending downe\nouer the deuision of her breastes, betwixt two great Pearles, there was\nlaced a corruscant rounde Rubie, and vppon the collaterate sides of the\nsayde Pearles, two glistering Saphires, and two Pearles, next them two\nEmeraldes, & two Pearles, and after them two fayre Iacinthes: all these\nPearles and Stones were laced in a worke in losenges, in a rare and\nbeautifull manner.\n\nHer fayre heade, sending downe and vnfolding a loose spreading abroade\nof plentifull hayre, like the smallest threds of golde, wauing with the\nwinde, and vpon her crowne, a garland of tawny vyolets sweetly smelling,\nand couering the same almost to her forheade: from the middle vpper\npoint whereof, in forme of two Hemycycles to the halfe of her eares, it\nmounted vppe in curled trammelles, falling downe againe vppon her fayre\nTemples, moueably wauing and shaddowing the same, and hyding the vpper\nhalfe of her small eares, more fayre then euer was reported of\n_Mimoria_.\n\nThe rest of her yellowe haire, descended downe ouer her fayre necke,\nwell disposed shoulders, and straight backe, to the calues of her\nslender legges, moderatly wauing and blowne abroad, in greater beautie\nthan the proude eyed feathers of _Iunoes_ Birde. Such hayre as\n_Berenice_ did neuer vow in the venereous Temple for her _Tholomaus_,\nnor _Conus_ the Mathematrician did euer beholde the like placed in the\nTriangule.\n\nIn her forehead, vnder two subtile blacke Hemycicles and distinct eye\nbrees, such as _Abacsine_ in [Ae]thiopia had not to boast of, or compare\nwith, nor _Juno_ her selfe, did looke out and present themselues two\npleasant radious and glistering eyes, which would enforce _Jupiter_ to\nrayne golde, of a cleere sight, quicke and pearcing, with a browne\ncircle betwixt the Apple and the milchie white: neere to the which, were\nher purple and Cherry cheekes, beautified with two round smyling\ndimples, gracing the pleasure of her countenaunce, of the collour of the\nfresh Roses gathered at the rysing of the Sunne, and layde in a vessell\nof the Christall of Cyprus, and shewing through the same, as me thought.\n\nVnder her nose to her lyppes, passed a little valley to her small mouth\nof a most sweete forme, her lyppes not blabbered or swelling, but\nindifferent, & of a rubye collour, couering two vniforme sets of teeth,\nlike yuory, and small, not one longer and sharper than an other, but in\norder euenly disposed and set: from betwixt the which, Loue had composed\nan euerlasting sweet breathing, so as I presumed to thinke, that the\nsnow white teeth betwixt her gracious lyppes, were no other but Oryent\nPearles, & her sweet breath hot Muske, and by her delightfull voyce that\nshe was _Thespis_ with her nine daughters.\n\nBy all which sight I was greatly mooued and my sences rauished with a\nkindled appetite, causing among them great strife and bitter contention,\nsuch as I neuer felt before, by any other presence or excellent sightes\nwhatsoeuer. My searching eyes commended one part aboue another, to bee\nmore beautifull: but my appetite rapt into an other part of her heauenly\nbody, esteeming that aboue the other. And thus my insatiable and wanton\neyes, were the euill beginning of all thys perturbing and contentious\ncommotion, whome I founde the seminaries and moouers of all so great\nstrife and trouble, in my wounded and festering heart. Through theyr\ncontumacy, I was now brought from my selfe, and neuerthelesse, I could\nnot be satisfied by them. My greedy appetyte extolled her delicate\nbreast aboue any comparison, my eyes delightfully consenting thervnto,\nsayd, at least by that we may discouer what y^e rest is; And they,\nglauncing from that to the regarde of her grace and gesture, set all\ntheir delight therein: and my appetite strengthened and not easilie\nremooued from thence, I perswaded my selfe, that the plentie and\nfayrenesse of her head and hayre, and the dressing thereof, and the\nbeautie of her forheade, coulde neuer bee compared with of any one or\nother, like the scrapings of golde alwaies turning into little roundels.\n\nWith two eyes lyke morning starres in a cleere heauen, more beautifully\nadorning her heade, than any that euer the warlike _Neco_ behelde among\nthe _Acitanians_, wounding my heart like one of the arrowes of the\nangrie _Cupid_. And thus to conclude, I dare be bolde to say, that no\nmortall man hath seene, so gracious, so shyning, so cleere and pleasant\nlightes as these were placed in the forhead of this heauenly creature;\nso that by them my hart was taken prisoner, & was filled with such\ncontinuall controuersies of desire, as if a leafe of the Laurell of the\nTombe of the king of _Bibria_ had bin placed betwixt, & that strife\nshould neuer cease whilst it was there: so as I thought that this strife\nwould neuer cease, vntill the pleasure were taken away, by reason\nwherof, I could not perceiue howe I shoulde obtaine the fulnes of my\ndesire, or howe it coulde agree with either one or other. Like one\nextreamely hungry among a number of prepared meates being desirous of\nall, feedes of none, his burning appetite remayning satisfied with none,\nbut still hungry.\n\n\n\n\n_The most fayre Nymph beeing come to Poliphilus, bearing a Torch in her\n  left hand, with the other tooke him and inuited him to walke with her,\n  and there Poliphilus by her loue was more inflamed._\n\n\nThus seing before me, a reall and visible obiect of a most excellent\nrepresentation, louely presence and heauenly aspect, of a plentifull\nstore and vniuersall gathering of vnseene beautie, and inhumaine\ncomelinesse, I made light and slender account, in respect heereof, of\nall the inestimable delights, riches, and great pompe which before I had\nbehelde and seene, thinking their worthinesse nothing to speake of, in\ncomparison of this. Oh happie hee that may enioy such and so great a\ntreasure of loue; and not onely a happie possessor I account him, but\nmost happie that shall possesse and obtaine her obedience, to hys desire\nand rule. But if _Zenes_ had behelde this substance, hee would haue\ncommended the same aboue all the _Agrigentine_ maides, euery proprotion\nwould haue made vnto him an oportune shewe of the absolutest perfection\nin the whole world.\n\nWhich fayre and heauenly Nymph nowe comming neere vnto me, with a\ncheerefull countenance, incontinently her most rare beautie, before\nsomewhat a farre of looked vppon with mine eyes, but nowe, by them more\nneere and narrowly behelde, I was rauished and amased.\n\nAnd her amorous aspect and louely presence, was no sooner brought by the\nmessage of mine eyes to my inward partes, but my recording and watchfull\nremembrance, stirring and waking vppe my heart, presenting and offering\nher vnto the same: it is become her shoppe; the quiuer for her piercing\narrowes and wounding regardes, and the dwelling place and conseruable\nmansion house, of her sweete picture. Knowing that this was shee which\nhad t[ae]diously consumed my tender yeeres, in her hotte and prime loue,\nnot to be resisted. For I felt the same leaping and beating against my\nbreast, without ceasing, like as one that striketh vpon a hoarse Taber.\nAnd still me thought by her louely and delightfull countenance, by her\nfayre tresses, and the curling and wauing haire, playing vp and downe\nvppon her forheade, that it should be _Polia_, whome so greatly I had\nloued and desired, and for whom I had sustained so many & sundry\ngriefes, without intermission, sending out scalding sighes, the outward\nreporters of my inwarde flames. But her rich and Nymphish habite,\nvnaccustomed, and the place vnknowne and strange, made mee still\ndoubtfull and suspicious.\n\nShee (as beforesaide) carried in her snowe white left arme, close to her\nbody, a kindled and burning Torch, somewhat higher then her heade a good\ndeale, and the lower ende growing smaller and smaller, shee helde in her\nhande: and stretching foorth that which was at libertie, more white then\neuer had _Pelopea_, wherein appeared the thinne smoothnes of the skynne,\nand the blewnesse of the veynes lyke Azure streames, vppon the faire and\nwhitest paper. Shee tooke me by the left hande with a sweete and louing\ncountenance and smiling grace, and with an eloquent speech, shee\npleasantly saide in this manner.\n\n_Poliphilus_, I thinke my selfe to come in saftie, but it seemeth that\nyou stand doubtfull. Heereat I was more amazed, and my sences in a\nmanner gone to imagine howe she should knowe my name; and al my inward\nparts vanquished, and hemmed in with burning amorous flames, my speech\nwas taken from mee with feare and reuerent bashfulnesse.\n\nIn this sort remayning, I knewe not vppon the suddaine what good\naunswere I might make, or otherwise doe her reuerence, but to offer her\nmy vnworthy and vnfit hande; Which when it was streined in hers, me\nthought that it was in hot snowe and curded milke, and me thought\nindeede, that I touched and handled something which was more then\nhumaine; which when I had so done, I remained moued in minde, troubled\nand doubtfull, vnaccustomed to such a companion, not knowing what to\nsay, or whether to followe her, in my simple apparell and homely\nbringing vp, not agreeable with hers: and as a foole, vnworthy and vnfit\nfor her fellowship, perswading my selfe, that it was not lawfull for a\nmortall and earthly creature to enioy such pleasures. For which cause,\nmy collour red and blushing, with reuerent admiration, being grieued at\nmy basenesse, I setled my selfe to followe her.\n\nAt length, and yet not with a perfect recalled minde, I beganne to\nreduce and sommon together, my fearefull and distempered spirites:\nperswading my selfe, that I must needes haue good successe, being neere\nso faire and diuine an obiect, and in such a place; And so followed her\non with a panting heart, more shaking than the birde _Sisura_, or a\nLambe carryed in the mouth of a Wolfe.\n\nAnd thus touched most feruently with pleasant heates, growing &\nencreasing more & more, they began to boyle & kindle my colde feare, and\ndispositiuely to adopt my altered heate to sincere loue. Which being\nthus brought to thys passe, by a prouoked inward desire, yet inwardly as\nI reasoned with my selfe, it was wonderfully variable and doubtfull. Oh\nmost happye Louer of all Louers, that in requitall of hys, might bee\nsure to participate of hers.\n\nOn the other side, I perswaded my selfe, that if I shoulde offer vnto\nher my amorous heart and loue, hauing no better thing to bestow vpon\nher, or present vnto her, it might be that she would not refuse it: like\n_Artaxerxes_, the King of the Percians; who hauing water presented to\nhys handes, accepted of it bowing downe himselfe. Heerewithall, me\nthought yet that a fearefull and chill trembling inuaded mee, infusing\nit selfe ouer all my body and breast, renewing the force of the extreame\nfire, euen like dry reede: which being once kindled, is enflamed and\nnourished with the fresh ayre, vntill at length it is increased so\nmightily, that it consumeth all to ashes.\n\nAnd in like sorte, I fully founde in my selfe, an increase and flashing\nabroade of my inwarde flames, in their prepared subject, so effectually,\nthat her amorous regardes gaue me mortall and deadly woundes: euen as\nlightning and thunder, among the stronge and mightie oakes, suddainely\nwith a great force, scorching & tearing them. And therefore I durst not\nlooke vpon her bright eyes, because that dooing so, (being ouercome with\nthe incredible beauty of her gracious aspect) if peraduenture her\nradious beames did reincounter mutually with myne, for a little while\neuery thinge seemed two vnto mee, vntill I had closed the lyddes\ntogether, and restored them to theyr former light.\n\nWherevpon, and by reason of these thinges captiuated, spoyled, and\nouercome, I determined at that instant to plucke vp some fresh flowers,\nand in all humble sort to offer them vnto her, and it came to passe,\nthat whilst my secret thoughts consented thervnto, consygning a free\nmeane and large entrance, for the discouery of my desire. But my burning\nheart humbly hauing opened the same, euen as a rype Apple being eyther\nbytten or shaken, so it fell and fayled me. And receiuing into his\nwounded and familiar estuation, in some interposition of time,\nimmediatly his accustomed heat and feruor increased, piercing the inward\nparts with her virgineall aspects, exceedingly beautified with a comely\ngrace and vnexcogitable elegancie; Because, that into this sweete\nintroduction into my minde, of these first amorous flames, (lyke the\nTroian horse, full of weapons and deceite) the enterance was made for an\neuerlasting, vnknown, and vncessant plague, deeply festering in my\ntender and poore heart, perpetually remayning: which easily ouercome\nwith one sweete looke, inconsiderately without delay, hasteneth his owne\nhurt, and wholly layeth it selfe open to amorous incursions, and burneth\nit selfe with sweet conceits, going into the flames of his owne accord.\n\nTo all which burning desires her present company did greatly inforce\nmee, which I esteemed to yeelde mee more comfort, then the North starre\nin a tempestuous night to the troubled Marriner: more acceptable then\nthat of _Melicta_ to _Adonis_, or to _Phrodites_, the obsequious Nymph\n_Peristera_: and more delightfull then _Dittander_ to the daughter of\n_Dydo_, with the Purple flowre for the wounde of _Pius [Ae]neas_: And\nfinding my heart strooken and inwardly pricking, secretly filled and\ncompressiuely stuft; recording and gathering together into it, varyable\nthoughts and working of Loue, my immedicable wounde grewe greater and\ngreater. But gathering vp the remaynder of my sences, as one that durst,\nI assured my selfe to manifest and lay open before her, my intended\ndesires and amorous conceites. And thus loosing my selfe in a blinde\nfolly. I could not choose but giue place to my inuading desires,\nferuently boyling and inforcing me to say thus.\n\nOh delycate and heauenly Damosell, whatsoeuer thou art, thy forcyble\nloue hath set me on fire, and consumeth my grieued heart; I finde my\nselfe all ouer, burning in an vncessant flame, and a sharpe dart cast\ninto the middest of my breast, where it sticketh fast, hauing made a\nmortall wounde vncurable. And hauing spoken thus, to the ende I might\ndiscouer vnto her my hidden desire, and moderate by that meanes the\nextreamitie of my bitter passions: vvhich I felt, the more they were\nconcealed, the more to augment and increase, I patiently helde my peace:\nand by this meanes all those feruent and greeuous agitations, doubtfull\nthoughtes, wanton and vyolent desires, were somewhat supprest; with my\nill fauoured Gowne, that had still some of the Bramble leaues and\nprickes in the Wood hanging vpon it, and euen as a Peacocke in the pride\nof his feathers, beholding the fowlenesse of his feete, pulleth downe\nhys traine: so I considering the inequallitie of my selfe, with such a\nheauenly obiect, appaled the prouocations of my contumacious and high\ndesires, looking into the vanities of my thoughtes.\n\nAnd then I earnestly endeuoured by all the meanes that I might, to\nsubdue, encloyster, and keepe in, my vnbridled gadding appetite,\nwandring minde, and immodest desire, intending nowe that it should neuer\nbe vttered againe.\n\nAt length I beganne to thinke in the secret depth of my wounded heart,\nthat vndoubtedly this my present continued griefe, was equall with that\nof wicked _Tantalus_, to whose hotte and thirsting lyppes, the coole and\ncleere water did offer it selfe, and to his hungry appetite, the sweete\nfruites honge ouer hys gaping mouth appresenting, but he neuer tasted\nany of either.\n\nAh woe is mee euen in like sort, a most fayre Nymph of an excellent\nshape, of a florishing age, of Angel-like behauiour vnspeakable, and of\nrare honour and exceeding curtesie as mine eies coulde beholde, whose\ncompany exceeded any exquesite humaine content; and I, iust by her, full\nof all whatsoeuer prouocation, forcing sollaciously loue and desire,\nheaping vppe in her selfe the whole perfections of delight, and yet my\nyauning and voluptuous desire, neuer the more thereby satisfied.\n\nWell, on this sorte my burning concupiscence nothing allayed, as much as\nI might, I comforted my languishing hart, vnmeasurably tormented, in\nputting of it in minde, of solacious and amorous hope: and with that,\nthere was neuer a coale so neere put out, but it was presently renued\nand set on fire, with the company of the next. And my vnbridled eyes,\nthe more they were vnarmed to resist her power, the more they were\ninflamed with the insolent desire and liking of her wonderfull and\nheauenly beautie; Still seeming more faire, more excellent, more louely,\nmore to be desired, extreamly apt and pr[ae]pared for loue: euedently\nshewing foorth in her selfe, a wonderfull increase of sweete pleasure.\n\nAfterwards I thought with my selfe, it may be that she is some creature\nwhich I may not desire, and it may bee the place is not fitte for such\nthoughtes, and then it may bee I haue made a wise worke, and spunne a\nfayre thred, if I should bee punished for my impudencie, like _Ixion_.\nIn like sort, the Thracian had neuer founde the deepe seate of\n_Neptune_, if he had not medled with _Tethis_; and _Gallantide_, the\nmayde of _Lucina_, shoulde not haue brought foorth in her mouth, if hee\nhad not deceiued. It may that thys Nymph is spowsed to some high and\nmightie Prince, and I to offer her this dishonour, what am I worthy of?\n\nAnd thus resoning with my selfe, I thought that those thinges which had\nbut slender assurance, woulde lightly slyppe away, and that it would not\nbe hard to deceiue, where was no watchfull regarde: and to bolde\nspirites, Fortune was not altogether fayling: and besides, that it was\nharde to knowe a mans thought. Where-vpon, euen as _Calistone_, being\nashamed at her swelling belley, shronke aside from the presence of\n_Diana_; so I withdrewe my selfe, blushing at my attempt, and bridling\nmy inconuenient desires. Yet with a lincious eye, I neuer left to\nexamine, with great delight, the extreame beautie of the excellent\nNymph, disposing my selfe to her sweete loue, with an vnfallyble,\nobstinate, and firme resolution.\n\n\n\n\n_Polia, as yet vnknowne to her Louer Poliphilus, shee gratiously\n  assureth him: who for her extreame beautie, hee indeuoreth his minde\n  to loue. And both of them going to the triumphes, they see innumerable\n  youths and Damosels, sporting with great delight._\n\n\nThe Archer _Cupid_, in my wounding heart hauing his residence, like a\nLord and king, holding me tyed in the bands of Loue, I found my selfe\npricked and grieuously tormented, in his tyrannous and yet pleasant\nregiment. And abounding in doubtfull delight, vnmeasurably sighing,\nI watered my plaints; and then the surmounting Nymph, with a pleasing\ngrace, incontinently gaue me comfort, and with her ruddy and fayre\nspoken lyppes, framing violent and attractiue wordes, she gaue me\nassurance: abandoning and remouing from my heart, all fearefull\nthoughts, with her Olymphicall aspects, and cooling with her eloquent\nspeeches, my burning heart; and with an amorous and friendly regarde,\nand cast of her eyes, and smiling grace, she saide thus vnto mee.\n\n_Poliphilus_, I woulde thou shouldest vnderstand and know thys, that\ntrue and vertuous loue hath no respect of outward things, and therefore\nlet not the basenes of thy apparell, diminish or lessen thy minde,\nif perhaps noble and gentle, and worthy of these places, and fitte to\nbeholde these maruellous tryumphes; Therefore let not thy minde be\ndismayed with feare, but dilligently behold what Kingdomes they\npossesse, that are crowned by _Venus_. I meane, such as bee strongly\nagonished and yet perseuere still, seruing and attending vpon her\namorous Aultars and sacred flames, vntill they obtaine her lawfull\nfauour. And then making an ende of her short and sweet speech, both of\nvs making forward, our pace neither too fast nor too slowe, but in a\nmeasure; I thought thus, and thus discoursing with my selfe.\n\nOh most valiant _Perseus_, thou wouldest more feirsly haue fought with\nthe cruell Dragon, for the fauour of this, then for the loue of thy\nfayre _Andromada_. And after.\n\nOh _Iason_, if the marriage of this had beene offered vnto thee, with a\nmore greater and more daungerous aduenture, then the obtayning of the\ngolden fleece, thou wouldest haue let goe that, and vndertaken this,\nwith a greater courage, esteeming it aboue al the iewelles and precious\ntreasures of the whole worlde; I, more then those of the ritch and\nmightie Queene _Eleutherillida_. Continually seeming more fayre, more\nbeautifull, and more louely. _Hippodamia_, and all the greedy scraping\nand doubtfull Vsurers, neuer tooke such delight in getting of gold.\nA quyet Harbour was neuer so welcome to a destressed Marryner, in a\nstormy, darke, and tempesteous winter night: nor the wished and oportune\nfall of rayne, at the prayer of _Cr[ae]sus_, as the louing consent of\nthis daintie Nymph: more welcome to mee, then bloody broyles to warlike\n_Mars_, or the first fruites of _Creta_ to _Dionisius_: or the warbling\nHarpe to _Apollo_: and yet more gratefull, then fertill grounde, full\neares, and plentifull yeelding, to the labouring Husbandman.\n\nAnd thus in most contented sort, passing on and pressing down the\nthicke, greene, and coole grasse: sometime my searching and busie eyes,\nwoulde haue a cast with her pretty & small feete, passing well fitted\nwith shooes of Red leather, growing broader from the instept, narrowe at\nthe toe, and close about the heele; and sometimes her fine and moueable\nlegges, (her vesture of silke beeing blowne about with the winde, vppon\nher virgineall partes) discouered themselues. If I might haue seene\nthem, I do imagine that they did looke like the finest flower of\n_Peloponesus_, or like the purest milke, coagulated with Muske.\n\nBy all which most delectable thinges, tyed and bounde in the harde and\ninextricable knots of vehement loue, more vneasie to vndoe then that of\n_Hercules_, or that which _Alexander_ the great did cut in sunder with\nhys sworde: and amorously masked in rowled nettes, and my subdued heart,\nhelde downe withe grieued cogitations and burning desires, leading mee\nwhether they would, I founde in it more pricking torments then faythfull\n_Regulus_ in Aphrica. So that my sorrowing spirites exasperated with an\namorous desire and extreame vexation, continually burning in my panting\nbreast, coulde by no meanes bee asswaged, but with supping vp of\ncontinuall sobbings, and breathing out of their flying losse. And thus\ndrowned in a mist of doubts, and seeing me vyolently taken in her loue,\nI saide thus to my selfe.\n\nO _Poliphilus_, howe canst thou leaue at any tyme thy inseperable loue,\nkindled towardes thy sweete _Polia_, for any other? And therewithall,\nfrom this Nymph, thus close and fast bounde, more strongly then in the\nclawes of a Creuise or Lobstar, endeuouring to vntie my selfe, I found\nit no easie peece of worke, so that I coulde not choose but greeuously\nbinde my troubled hart, to the loue and affecting of this by all\nlikelihoodes, hauing the true shape, sweete resemblance, and gratious\nbehauiour of my most beloued _Polia_. But aboue all thinges, this came\nmore neere vnto mee and grieued me worst, howe I should bee assured that\nshee was _Polia_. Wherevppon, from my watry eyes, the salt teares\nimmediatly tryckling downe, it seemed vnto me a hard & contemptuous\nmatter, to banish from my forlorne and poore heart, his olde soueraigne\nLady and Mistresse, and to entertaine a newe, strange, and vnknowne\nTyrannyzer.\n\nAfterwards, I comforted my selfe again, with thinking that peraduenture\nthis was shee, according to the sacred Oracle and true speech, of the\nmighty Queene _Eleutherillida_: and therefore, that I should not shrinke\nor stoope vnder my burthen; for if I were not greatly deceiued, this was\nshee indeede. And hauing made thys amorous and discoursiue thought and\nswasiue pr[ae]suppose, abandoning all other desires whatsoeuer, I onely\ndetermined with my heart and minde, to come backe againe to this noble\nand excellent Nymph; in whose great loue I beeing thus taken, with\nextreame compulsion, I was bolde with an vnaccustomed admyration,\ndilligently to looke vpon her rare shape, and louely features, my eyes\nmaking themselues the swallowing whirlpooles of her incomparable\nbeautie: and they were no sooner opened, hotly to take in the sweete\npleasure of her so benigne and conspicuous presence, but they were\nstrengthened for euer, to hold with them solaciously agreeing, the\nassembly of all my other captiued sences, that from her and no other,\nI did seeke the mittegation and quenching of my amorous flames. And in\nthis sort we came, whilst I was thus cruelly wounded by exasperating\nLoue, somewhat vppon the right side of the spacious fielde.\n\nIn which place, were set greene trees, thicke with leaues, and full of\nflowers, bearing fruite, rounde about the place and seate of such\nvariable and diuers sorts, neuer fading but still greene, giuing great\ncontent to the delightfull beholder.\n\nThe gallant and pleasant Nymphe there stayed; and I also stood still:\nWhere looking about, by the benignitie of the fruitfull playne, with\nhalfe my sight, because I coulde not altogether withdrawe the same from\nthe amorous obiect; I behelde very neere vnto vs, a certaine shewe of an\ninuyroning company, tryumphing and dauncing about vs, of most braue and\nfine youthes, without beardes and vnshorne heares, but that of their\nheads bushing, curling, and wrything, without any art or eff[ae]minate\ncrysping: crowned and dressed, with garlands and wreathes of diuers\nflowers, and red Roses, with leauye Myrtle, with purple Amaranth or\nflower gentle, and Melliot: and with them a great company of yonge\nmaydes, more fayre and delicate then bee to bee founde in Sparta; Both\nkindes apparelled very richly, in silkes of changable collours, hyding\nthe perfect collour; some in Purple & Murry, and some in white curled\nSendall, such as [Ae]gipt neuer affoorded, and of dyuers other collours:\nsome Tawney, some Crymosen, others in Greene, some in Vyolet, some in\nBlewe, Peach collour, Peacocke collour, perfectly engrayned, as euer\nCorica coulde yeelde: and powdered and wouen with golde, and edged and\nhemmed about With orient Pearle and stones set in pure golde; some in\ngownes, and others in hunting sutes.\n\nAnd the most of the beautifull Nymphes, had their fayre haire smoothly\nbounde vppe together, and thrise rowled about, with an excellent\nfinishing knot; Others had their vnstable & wauing tresses, spreading\ndowne ouer their fayre neckes. Some, with aboundance of haire, cast vp\nouer their forheades, and the endes turning into curles, & shaddowing\nouer the fayrenes of the same: so as Nature and not Arte, shewed her\nselfe therein a beautifull mistresse; With fillets and laces of golde,\nedged with orient Pearle, and others in Caules of golde, wearing about\ntheyr slender neckes, rich and precious Carkenets and, necklaces, of\nPearles and stone, and depending iewelles. And vppon theyr small eares,\ndid hange dyuers precious stones, and ouer the variable dressings of\ntheyr heades, before in two Hemycicles, were set shoddowes of oryent\nPearle and stone, in flowers of hayre.\n\nAll which excellent ornaments, together with theyr most elegant\npersonages, were easily able to alter, any churlish, vile or obstinate\nheart.\n\nTheyr fayre breastes, in a voluptuous and wanton sort, were bare to the\nmiddest of them: And vppon their prettie feete, some wore sandalles,\nafter the auncient manner, beeing soles, and the foote bare fastened to\nthe same, with a small chaine of golde, comming vp betwixt the great toe\nand the middle, and the little toe and the next, about the heele ouer\nthe instep, and fastening vppon the vpper part, betwixt the toes and the\ninstep, in a flower. Others hauing straight shooes, claspt vppon the\ninstep with flowers of golde. Their stockings of silke; some of Purple,\nsome of Carnation, some of parted collours: such as _Caius Galicola_\nneuer first brought vp. Others wearing Buskins, vppon the white swelling\ncalfes of their legges, and laced with silke; some butned wyth golde and\nprecious stone.\n\nTheir fore-heades most fayre, and beautified with the moueable wauinges\nof theyr crysping hayre couered ouer with a thinne vayle, lyke a Spiders\nvvebbe. Theyr eyes byting and alluring, more bright, than the twinkling\nstarres in a cleere ayre, vnder theyr circulate brees: vvith a small\nnose, betwixt their rounde and cherry cheekes: their teeth orderly\ndisposed, small and euen set, of the collour of refyned siluer: vppon\nthe rest, betwixt their sweet and soft lyppes: of the collour of\nCorrall.\n\nMany of them carrying instruments of Musique, such as neuer were seene\nin _Ausonia_, nor in the handes of _Orpheus_: yeelding in the flowring\nMeadowe & smoth playne, most delightfull sounds, with sweete voyces and\nnoyces of ioye and tryumphing: and to increase the glory, amorously\nstryuing and contending one with an other, vvith solacious and pleasant\nacts, accompanied with faire speeches and friendly aspects. And in this\nplace, with a most delectable applause, I behelde foure Tryumphes, so\nprecious and sumptuously set foorth, as neuer any mortall eye hath\nseene.\n\n\n\n\n_Poliphilus in this prescribed place, did beholde foure tryumphing\n  Chariots, all set with precious stones and iewelles, by a great number\n  of youthes, in the honour of Iupiter._\n\n\nThe first of the foure marueilous tryumphant Chariots, had foure rounde\nwheeles, of Perfect greene Emeralds of Scythia; the rest of the Chariot\ndid amase mee to beholde, beeing made all of table Dyamonds: not of\nArabia or Cyprus, of the newe Myne, as our Lapidaries call them: but of\nIndia, resisting the harde stroakes of yron and steele, abyding the hote\nfire & striuing therwith, mollified onely with the warme bloode of\nGoates, gratefull in the Magicall arte; which stones, were wonderfully\ncut of a Cataglyphic explicature, and set very curiously in fine golde.\n\nVppon the right side of the Chariot, I sawe expressed, the\nrepresentation of a noble Nymph, with many accompanying her in a\nMeddowe, crowning of victorious Bulles with garlands of flowers, and one\nabyding by her very tamely.\n\nThe same Nymph, vppon the other side was also represented, who hauing\nmounted vp vppon the backe of the Bull, which was gentle and white, he\ncarryed her ouer the sea.\n\nVppon the fore-ende I behelde _Cupid_, with a great number of wounded\npeople and Nations, marueiling to see him shoote into the ayre. And in\nthe hinder part, _Mars_ standing before _Iupiter_, mourning because the\nboy had shotte through his impenetrable Brest-plate, and shewing the\nwounde, and with the other hande, holding out his arme, he helde this\nworde _Nemo_.\n\nThe fashion of this Chariot was quadrangulat, of two perfect squares,\nlonge wayes, of sixe foote in length and three foote in height, with a\nbearing out coronice aboue and vnder the plynth: and about the same a\nplaine, in breadth two foote and a halfe, and in length fiue foot and a\nhalfe, bearing towards the Coronice, all ouer scally, with precious\nstones, with an altered congresse and order of collours, variably\ndisposed. And vppon the foure corners, were fastned foure coppies,\ninuersed, and the mouth lying vpward vpon the proiect corner of the\nCoronice, full of fruites and flowers cut of precious stones, as it were\ngrowing out of a foliature of golde. The hornes were chased neere their\nmouth, with the leaues of Poppy, and wrythen in the belly: the\ngracylament & outward bending, ioyning fast to the ende of the plaine,\nand breaking of in an olde fashioned iagged leaf-worke, lying a long\nvnder the backe of the Coppisse, and of the same mettall. Vpon euery\ncorner of the Plynth, from the Coronice downeward, there was a foote\nlyke a Harpies, with an excellent conuersion and turning vppon eyther\nsides of the leaues of Acanthus.\n\nThe wheeles, aboue the naues and axeltrees, were closed within the\nChariot, and the sides thereof vnder the Harpies feete, bent somewhat\nvpward and growing lesser, turned rounde downward, wherevnto the\nfurniture or trace to drawe it by, were fastned: and where the axeltree\nwas, there vpon the side of the bottom of the Charriot, ouer the naue of\nthe wheele, there came downe a prepention ioyning to the Plynth, twise\nso long as deepe, of two foliatures, one extending one way and the other\nan other way: and vpon the middle thereof and lowest part, was a Rose of\nfiue leaues, in the seede whereof, the ende of the axeltree did lye.\n\nVppon the aforesaide Playne, I behelde the ymage of a fayre white and\ntame Bull, trymmed and dressed with flowers, in manner like an Oxe for a\nSacrifice. And vppon his large and broade backe, did sit a princely\nvirgine, with long and slender armes, halfe naked; with her handes she\nhelde by his hornes. Her apparell was exquesite of greene silke and\ngolde, marueilously wouen, and of a Nymphish fashion, couering her body\nand girded about her wast, edged about with Pearle and stone, and a\ncrowne of glittering golde vpon her fayre heade.\n\nThis Triumph, was drawne by sixe lasciuious Centaures, which came of the\nfallen seede of the sausy and presumpteous _Ixion_: with a furniture of\ngold vpon them, and a long their strong sides, like horses, excellently\nframed and illaqueated in manner of a flagon chayne, whereby they drewe\nthe Tryumph; such as _Ericthonius_ neuer inuented, for swiftnesse.\n\nVpon euery one of them did ride a goodly Nymph, with theyr shoulders one\ntowards an other: three, with their beautifull faces towards the right\nside of the Tryumphes, and three to the left, with Instruments of\nMusique, making together a heauenly harmonie and consort. Their hayres\nyellowe, and falling ouer their fayre neckes, with Pancarpiall garlands\nof all manner of flowers, vpon their heades. The two next the Tryumph,\nwere apparelled in blewe silke, like the collour of a Peacockes necke.\n\nThe middlemost in bright Crymosen: and the two formost in an Emerald\ngreene, not wanting any ornamentes to sette them foorth, singing so\nsweetly with little rounde mouthes, and playing vppon their instruments,\nwithin so celestiall a manner, as woulde keepe a man from euer dying.\n\nThe Centaures were crowned with yuie, that is called _Dendrocyssos_. The\ntwo next the tryumph did beare in their handes, two vesselles of an olde\nfashion, of the Topas of Arabia, of a bright golden collour, gratefull\nto _Lucina_, and to the which, the waues will be calme: slender at the\nbottom, bigge swelling in the belly, and lessening small vp towardes the\nOrifice; In height two foote, without eares: out of the which, did\nascend a thicke smoake or fume, of an inestimable fragrancie. The\nmiddlemost, did sounde Trumpets of golde, with banners of silke and\ngolde, fastned to the Trumpets in three places.\n\nThe other two formost, with olde fashioned Cornets, agreeing in consort\nwith the Instruments of the Nymph.\n\nVnder the which triumphant Chariot, were the Axeltrees conuently placed,\nwherevppon the wheeles turned, and of a balustic lyneament, waxing small\ntowarde the ende and rounde: Which Axeltrees, were of fine pure golde\nand massiue, neuer cankering or fretting; which is the deadly poyson and\ndestroyer of vertue and peaceable quyet.\n\nThis tryumph was solemnly celebrated, with moderate leaping and dauncing\nabout, and great applause: their habites were girded with skarfes, the\nendes flying abroade.\n\nAnd in like sort, those which did sit vpon the Centaures, commending in\ntheir song, the occasion and mistery of the Tryumph, in voyces consonant\nand cantionell verse; more pleasant than I am able to expresse, but let\nthis suffice.\n\n\n    _The second Tryumph._\n\nThe next Tryumph, was not lesse worthy to be beholden then the first.\nThe foure wheeles, the spokes, and naues, were all of Fulkish Agate, and\nin dyuers places white veines: such as King _Pyrrhus_ could not shewe,\nwith the representation of the nine Muses, and _Apollo_ playing in the\nmiddest of them vppon his Lute.\n\nThe Axeltrees and fashion of the same like the other: but the Tables\nwere of orient blewe Saphire, hauing in them, as small as motes in the\nSunne, certaine glinces of golde, gratefull to the Magicke Arte, and of\n_Cupid_ beloued in the left hande.\n\nVpon the Table on the right side, I behelde engrauen, a goodly Matron\nlying in a princely bed, beeing deliuered of two egges in a stately\nPallace: her Midwyues and other Matrons and yonge women, beeing greatly\nastonished at the sight. Out of one of the which, spronge a flame of\nfire: and out of the other egge two bright starres.\n\nVppon the other side were engrauen, the curious Parents, ignorant of\nthys strange byrth, in the Temple of _Apollo_, before hys image, asking\nby Oracle the cause and ende heereof, hauing this darke aunswere. _Vni\ngratum Mare. Alterum gratum Mari._ And for thys ambiguous aunswere they\nwere reserued by their Parents.\n\nVppon the fore-ende of the Charyot, there was represented most liuely\nthe figure of _Cupid_, aloft in the skyes, with the sharpe heades of his\ngolden arrowes, wounding and making bleede the bodyes of dyuers foure\nfooted beastes, creeping Serpents, and flying Foules. And vppon the\nearth, stoode dvuers persons, wondering at the force of such a little\nslaue, and the effect of suche a vveake and slender Arrowe.\n\nIn the hynder ende, _Iupiter_ appoynting in hys steade, a prudent and\nsubtill Sheepehearde as a Iudge, awakened by hym, as hee lay sleeping\nneere a most fayre Fountaine, whether of the three most fayre Goddesses,\nhee esteemed best worthie. And hee beeing seduced by deuising _Cupid_,\ngaue the Apple to the pleasant working _Venus_.\n\nThis tryumphant Charyot, was drawen by sixe white Elephants, coupled two\nand two together, such as will hardly be found in Agesinua, nor among\nthe Gandars of India. _Pompei_ neuer had the like in his Tryumphes in\nAffricke: neither were the like seene in the Tryumphes of the conquest\nof India; their tronckes armed with deadly teeth of yuory, passing on\ntheyr way and drawing together, making a pleasant braying or noyse.\nTheir furniture & traces of pure blewe silke, twisted with threds of\ngolde and siluer: the fastnings in the furniture, all made vp with\nsquare or true loue knots, lyke square eares of corne of the Mountaine\nGarganus. Their Poyterelles of golde, set with Pearle and stone\ndifferent in collours; the beautie of the one striuing to excell the\nbeautie of the other. And thus was all their furniture or armings to the\ntraces, of silke as aforesayde.\n\nVppon them also, did ride (as before) sixe younge and tender Nymphes, in\nlike sort, but theyr Instruments different from the former, but agreeing\nin consort: and what soeuer the first did, the same did these.\n\nThe first two were apparelled in Crymosen: the middle most two in fine\nhayre collour: and the foremost in vyolet. The Caparisons of the\nEliphants were of cloth of golde, edged with great Pearles and precious\nstones: And about their neckes were ornaments of great round iewelles,\nand vpon their faces, great balles of Pearles, tasled with silke and\ngolde, vnstable and turning.\n\nOuer this stately Chariot tryumphant, I behelde a most white Swanne, in\nthe amorous imbracing of a noble Nymph, the daughter of _Theseus_, of an\nincredible beautie: and vpon her lappe, sitting the same Swanne, ouer\nher white thighes. She sate vppon two cushines of cloth of golde, finely\nand softely wouen, with all the ornaments necessary for them.\n\nHer selfe apparelled in a Nimphish sort, in cloth of siluer, heere and\nthere powdered with golde, ouer one and vnder three, without defect or\nwant of any thing, requisite to the adorning of so honorable a\nrepresentation, which to the beholder, may occasion a pleasurable\ndelight. In euery sort performed with as great applause as the first.\n\n\n    _The third Tryumph._\n\nThen followed the thyrd Tryumph, with foure wheles of [Ae]thyopian\nChrysolite, sparkling out golde: that which hath beene helde in the\nsame, in olde time hath beene thought good to dryue away malignant\nspirits. The wheeles vpwardly couered, as aforesaide, and the naues and\nspokes of the same fashion, of greene Helitropia of Cyprus: whose vertue\nis, to keepe secret in the day light, to diuine giftes, full of drops of\nblood.\n\nThis Historie was engrauen vppon the right side of the Table thereof,\nas followeth. _A man of great Maiestie, requesting to knowe what should\nhappen to his fayre daughter: her Father vnderstanding, that by her\nmeanes he should be dispossessed of his Crowne and dignitie; and to the\nende she shoulde not be carried away or stollen of any, he built a\nmightie stronge Tower, and there, with a watchfull garde caused her to\nbee kept: and shee remayning there in this sort with great content, had\nfalling into her virgineall lap, drops of Golde._\n\nVppon the other side was chased out a valiant youth, who with great\nreuerence did receiue a protection of a Christall shielde, and with his\nsworde afterward cutting off the heade of a terryble woman, and\nafterwardes proudly bearing her heade in signe of victorie; Out of the\nhotte blood of whome, did rise vp a flying horse: who striking vppon a\nMountaine with one of hys houes, made a strange springe of water to gush\nout.\n\nVpon the fore ende I behelde the mightie _Cupid_, drawing hys golden\nArrowe, and shooting the same vp into the heauens, causing them to raine\nbloode: whereat a number stoode wonderfully amazed, of all fortes of\npeople. Vpon the other ende, I did see _Venus_ in a wonderfull\ndispleasure, hauing taken her son by a Knight in a Net, and getting him\nby the winges, she was about to plucke of his fethers: hauing plucked of\none handfull, that flewe about, the little elph crying out pitteously;\nand an other sent from _Jupiter_, tooke him away and saued him from his\nmother, and presented him to _Jupiter_: against whose diuine mouth, were\nin Attic Letter these wordes written, +SUMOIPL UKUSTEKAIPKROS+ and hee\ncouered him in the lap of his celestiall gowne.\n\nThis tryumphant Charriot, was pompously drawne with sixe fierce\nVnicornes: their heades like Harts, reuerencing the chaste _Diana_. The\npoyterelles and furniture about their stronge breasts, was of golde, set\nwith precious stone, and fringed with siluer and hayre colloured silke,\ntyed into knots, in manner of a net worke, and tasseled at euery\nprependent point, their caparisons like the other before spoken of.\n\nVpon these did sit, six fayre virgines, in such pompe and manner as\nbefore, apparelled in cloth of golde, wouen with blewe silke into diuers\nleaues & flowers; these had a consort of liuncyers winde Instruments,\nfull of spirite. And vppon the toppe of the Chariot, was placed a stoole\nof green Iasper, set in siluer: needfull in byrth, and medicinable for\nchastitie; at the foote it was sixe square, and growing smaller towarde\nthe seate, and from the middle to the foote, champhered and furrowed,\nand vpward wrought with nextrulles: the seate whereof was somewhat\nhallowed, for the more easily sitting vppon it. The Lyneaments thereof\nmost excellent.\n\nA loft vppon the same did sit a most singuler fayre Nymph, richly\napparelled in cloth of golde and blewe silke, dressed lyke a virgine,\nand adorned with innumerable sortes of Pearles and stone; she shewed an\naffectious delight, to beholde droppes of golde fall from heauen into\nher lappe. She sate in solemne pompe like the other, and with great\napplause, with her fayre and plentifull haire spreading downe ouer her\nbacke, crowned with a Dyademe of golde, set with sundry precious stones.\n\n\n    _The fourth Tryumph._\n\nThe fourth Tryumph was borne vppon foure wheeles, with Iron strakes,\nforcibly beaten out without fire; All the rest of the Charyot, in\nfashion like the former, was of burning Carbuncle, shewing light in the\ndarkest places, of an expolite cutting: past any reason, to thinke howe\nor where it was possible to be made, or by what workeman.\n\nThe right side whereof, helde this History. _An honourable woman with\nchilde, vnto whome Jupiter shewed himselfe (as he was wont With Iuno) in\nthunder and lightning: insomuch, as shee fell all to ashes, out of the\nwhich was taken vp a younge infant._\n\nVpon the other side, I behelde _Iupiter_, hauing the saide Infant in his\nhands, & delyuering him to a yonge man, with winged buskyns, and a\nstaffe, with two serpents winding about it: who deliuered the Infant to\ncertaine Nymphes in a Caue, to be fostered.\n\nIn the fore-ende, I might see howe _Cupid_ hauing shot vp into heauen\nwith hys mischeeuous Arrowe, had caused _Iupiter_ to beholde a mortall\nNymph: and a great number of wounded people woondering at it.\n\nIn the hinder end was _Iupiter_ sitting in a tribunall seate as iudge,\nand _Cupide_ appeering limping before him, and making grieuous\ncomplaints against his louing mother, bicause that by hir means he had\nwounded himselfe extreemly with the loue of a faire damsell, and that\nhis leg was burnt with a drop of a lampe, presenting also the yoong\nNymph and the lampe in hir hand. And _Iupiter_ with a smiling\ncountenance speaking to _Cupid_,\n\n  _Perfer scintillam qui coelum accendis & omnes._\n\nThis _Monosticon_ was grauen in Latine letters in a square table before\nthe faces of their supreame maiesties, the rest as is described.\n\nThis mysticall triumph was drawen by sixe spotted beasts of yealow\nshining colour, and swift as the tygers of _Hyrcania_ called Leopards,\ncoupled togither with withes of twined vines, full of tender greene\nleaues, and stalkes full of greene clusters. This chariot was drawen\nvery leisurely.\n\nVpon the middle of which plaine there was placed a base of golde by the\nlowest diameter, one foote and three handfuls high, the lataster or\nlowest verdge round and hollowed, in the middle vnder the vpper sime or\nbrimme in forme of a pallie with nextrubs, rules and cordicels: the\nvpper plaine of this base was euacuated, wherein rested the traines of\nthe fower eagles standing vpon the plaine, smooth superficies of the\nbase, which were of precious [Ae]tite of Persia, of the colour of a\nsakers plume. And these stood with their shoulders one opposite against\nanother, and their pounces of gold fastened and sticking in the said\nbase, euery one surueying with their wings, and the flowering tips of\ntheir sarcellets touching one another. Ouer these as vpon a nest, was\nplaced this maruellous vessell of [Ae]thiopian Hyacints cleere and\nbright, _Celso inimicus, Comiti gratiosus_. This vessell was crusted with\nemeralds and vaines of diuers other pretious stones, a worke incredible.\nThe height thereof two foote and a halfe, the fashion in maner round,\nthe breadth by diameter one foote and a halfe, and the circumference\nconsisted of three diameters. From the heads of the eagles the bottome\nor foote of the vessell did ascend vp one triens, and a border going\nabout the thicknes of a hand, from which border to the beginning of the\nbelly of the vessel, and to the bottome of the foote with this hand\nbreadth, was a foote and a halfe. Vpon this stood the forme of the\nvessell aforesaid one handfull and a halfe broader, which halfe handfull\nwas distributed to the border, about the brimme of foulding leaues and\nflowers standing out from the hyacinth. The diameter two quarters & a\nhalfe. Vnder this border there did stick out round about certaine\nproportions like walnut shels, or the keele of a ship, somwhat thicke\nand broade at the vpper end, and lessing themselues to nothing belowe.\nFrom thence to the orifice it did rise vp two quarters and a halfe,\nfurrowed with turning champhers, and an excellent sime: and in steed of\neares to take vp the vessell by, it had two lips standing out and\nturning in round like the head of a base viall.\n\nVnder and aboue the borders, the vessel was wrought with turned gululs,\nvnduls, and imbossings, and with such lineaments were the borders\nwrought, both vnder and aboue. Vppon the border in the necke of the\ncouer, were two halfe rings, suppressed in the border by transuersion,\none of them iust against another, which were holden in the biting teeth\nof two Lysarts, or byting Dragons of greene emerauld, bearing out from\nthe couer. They stoode with their serpentlike feete vpon the lower part\nof the couer vnder the necke, betwixt the which and the lower vessell,\nwas one quantitie, and from his vpper gracilament descending, he ioyned\nwith the turned in sime of the circumferent lymbus or verdge, where they\ndid closely byte togither. This couer to the necke was made in skalie\nwork of _Hyacinth_, except the vaynes of smaragd, for the little\ndragons, their bellies and feetes fastening to the skalie couer. These\nlittle dragons one against an other, their brests and throtes hollowing\nout from the border and the couer, and their tayles turning vpwards\nagaine, did serue for the eares of the couer, iust ouer them of the\nlower vessell.\n\nThe lower turning about, where the couer did close with the vessell\nbeing of two parts, ioyned togither with an excellent foliature, halfe a\nfoote broad, as if they had bin inseparable.\n\nThe bodie of this vessell was all run ouer with a Vine, the stringes and\nvaines whereof, and small curling twists, were of Topas, farre better\nthen is founde in the Ilande Ophiadis, the leaues of fine smaragd, and\nthe braunches of Amethist, to the sight most beautifull, and to the\nvnderstanding woonderfull contemplable. The subiect vessell appearing\nthorough the same of Hiacinth so round and polished, as any wheele can\nsend foorth: except, vnder the leaues there was a substaunce left,\nwhich helde the foliature to the vessell of Hiacinth, passing ouer and\nseparated from the subiect. The hollowed and bending leaues with all the\nother lapicidariall lineaments, were performed with such an emulation of\nnature as was woonderfull.\n\nLet vs nowe returne to the circumferent brim of the pretious vessell.\nIn the smooth partes whereof, vppon eyther sides of the tayles of the\nLysarts, I behelde two hystorials woorthy of regard, ingrauen in this\nsort. Vpon the foreside of the vessell, the representation of _Iupiter_,\nholding in his right hande a glistering sword, of the vayne of the\n[Ae]thiopian Chrysolits: and in the other hande a thunder bolt of shining\nRubie. His countenance sauour of the vaine of Gallatits, and crowned\nwith stars like lightening, he stoode vpon an aultar of Saphyre. Before\nhis fearefull maiestie, were a beuie of Nymphs, seauen in number,\napparrelled in white, proffering with their sweete voices to sing, and\nafter transforming themselues into greene trees like emeralds full of\nazure flowers, and bowing themselues downe with deuotion to his power:\nNot that they were all transformed into leaues, but the first into a\ntree, hir feete to rootes, their armes and heads into braunches, some\nmore then other, but in a shewe that they must followe all alike, as\nappeared by their heads.\n\nVpon the other Anaglyph, I did behold a merrie and pleasant maiesticall\npersonage, like a yoong fat boye, crowned with two folding serpents, one\nwhite, and the other blacke, tied into a knot. Hee rested delightfullie\nvnder a plentifull vine tree full of ripe grapes, and vpon the top of\nthe frame there were little naked boies, climing vp and sitting aloft\ngathering the ripe clusters: others offering them in a basket to the\nGod, who pleasantly receiued them: other some lay fast a sleepe vpon the\nground, being drunke with the sweet iuice of the grape. Others applying\nthemselues to the worke of mustulent autumne: others singing and piping:\nall which expression was perfected by the workman in pretious stones, of\nsuch colour as the naturall liuelinesse of euery vaine, leafe, flower,\nberrie, body, proportion, shape, and representation required. And in\nthis imagerie, although it was very small, yet there was no defect to be\nfound in the least part belonging thereunto, but perfectly to be\ndiscerned.\n\nOut of this former described vessell did spring vp a greene flourishing\nvine, the twisting branches thereof full set with clusters of grapes,\nthe tawny berries of Indian Amethyst, and the leaues of greene Silenitis\nof Persia: Not subiect to the change of the moone, delighted of _Cupid_.\nThis tree shadowed the chariot: At euery corner of this triumphant\nchariot vpon the plaine where the vessell stood, was placed a\ncandlesticke, of excellent workmanship, vpon three feet of red corrall,\nwell liked of the ruder sort, resisting lightening and tempests,\nfauourable and preseruatiue to the bearer: The like were not found vnder\nthe head of _Gorgon_ of Persia, nor in the Ocean _Erythreum_. The steale\nof one of the candlesticks was of white corrall, beloued of _Diana_, of\na conuenient length, with round knobs and ioints, in height two foote.\nAnother was of most fine stone _Dionisias_, hauing spots growing from a\nblackish to a pure red, the same pounded smelleth sweetly. The third was\nof perfect _Medea_ of the colour of darke gold, and hauing the smell of\nNectar. The fourth of pretious _Nebritis_ from a blacke growing to a\nwhite and greene. Out of the hollowed steales whereof, there ascended vp\na pyramidall flame of euerlasting fire, continually burning. The\nbrightnes of the works expressed through the reflexion of the lights,\nand the sparkling of the pretious stones were such, as my eies dazeled\nto behold them.\n\nAbout which heauenly triumph, with a maruellous and solemne pompe,\ninfinite troups of Nymphs, their faire and plentifull tresses falling\nloose ouer their shoulders, some naked with aprons of goates skins and\nkids, others with tymbrels and flutes, making a most pleasaunt noise, as\nin the daunce called Thiasus, in the trieterie of _Bacchus_, with green\nleaffie sprigs and vine branches, instrophyated about their heads and\nwasts, leaping and dauncing before the triumphs: immediately after the\ntriumphs followed an olde man vpon an asse, and after him was led a\ngoate adorned for a sacrifice: And one that followed after carrieng vpon\nhir head a fanne, making an vnmeasurable laughter, and vsing furious and\noutragious gestures. This was the order of these _Mimallons_, _Satirs_,\nand seruants to Bacchus, bawds, _Tyades_, _Naiades_ and such as followed\nafter.\n\n\n\n\n    _The Nymph doth shew to Poliphilus the multitude of yoong\n             Louers, and their Loues, what they were,\n                    and in what sort beloued_\n\n\nIt is verie hard for a man to accommodate his speech to apte termes,\nwhereby he may expreslie declare the great pompe, indesinent triumph,\nvncessaunt ioie and delightful iettings aboute these rare and vnseene\nchariots, and being once vndertaken, it is as vneasie to leaue off:\nbesides the notable companie of yoong youths, and the increasing troups\nof innumerable faire and pleasant Nymphs, more sharpe witted, wise,\nmodest, and discreet, then is ordinarily seene in so tender yeeres, with\ntheir beardles Louers, scarce hauing downy cheekes, pleasantly deuising\nwith them matters of Loue. Manie of them hauing their torches burning,\nothers pastophorall, some with ancient spoiles vppon the endes of\nstreight staues, and others with diuers sorts of Trophes vpon launces,\ncuriouslie hanging, caried before the mystical triumphs, with shouting\nresounds aboue in the aire. Some with winde-instruments of diuers\nfashions and maner of windings, sagbuts and flutes. Others with heauenly\nvoices singing with ineffable delights, and exceeding solace, past mans\nreason to imagine: within them passed about the glorious triumphs,\nturning vpon the florulent ground, and green swoord, a place dedicated\nto the happie, without anie stub or tree, but the fielde was as a plaine\ncoequate medowe of sweete hearbes and pleasaunt flowers, of all sorts of\ncolours, and sundry varieng fashions, yeelding so fragrant a smell as is\npossible to speake of, not burnt with the extreeme heat of the sunne,\nbut moderate, the ground moystened with sweete ryuers, the aire pure and\ncleane, the daies all alike, the earth continually greene, the spring\nneuer decaieng but renuing, the coole grasse with variable flowers like\na painting, remaining alwaies vnhurt, with their deawie freshnesse,\nreseruing and holding their colours without interdict of time. There\ngrewe the fower sortes of Violets, Cowslops, Melilots, Rose Parsley or\nPasseflower, Blew bottles, Gyth, Ladies seale, Vatrachium, Aquilegia,\nLillie conually, Amaranth, Flower gentle, Ideosmus, all sorts of sweete\npinks, and small flowring hearbs of odoriferous fragrancie and smell,\nRoses of Persia, hauing the smel of muske and Amber, and innumerable\nsorts of others without setting, but naturally growing in a woonderfull\ndistribution, peeping out from their greene leaues, and barbs very\ndelightfull to behold.\n\nIn this place I might see goodly braue women as the Archadian _Calisto_\nthe daughter of _Lycaon_, with the vnknowen _Diana_. The Lesbian\n_Antiopa_ daughter to _Nycteus_, and mother to _Amphion_ and _Zeteus_\nthat built Thebes, with hir satyre. _Issa_ the daughter of _Machareus_\nwith hir shepheard. _Antichia_ the daughter of _Aecus_ and yoong\n_Danae:_. _Asterie_ the daughter to _C[ae]us_, and _Alchmena_ with hir\nfained husband. Afterward I beheld the pleasant _[Ae]gina_ solacing hir\nselfe with the cleere flood and diuine fire. The daughter of _Fullus_\nand that of _Menemphus_, with hir counterfeit father, and that other of\n_Diodes_ with hir lap full of flowers and a writhing serpent, and the\nfaire yoong gyrle no more sorrowing for the growing of hir hornes.\n_Astiochia_ and _Antigone_ the daughter of _Laomedon_ solaciously\ndelighting hir selfe in hir storkish plumes, and _Lurisile_ the first\ninuentrix of wheeles. _Garamantide_ the dauncing Nymph holding by hir\nlittle finger, and washing hir delicate pretie feete from sweate in the\nriuer Bagrada. After that I beheld a quaile flying, and a faulcon\npursuing hir: _Erigone_ hauing hir faire shining brest stickt full of\nsweete grapes, and the daughter of king _Chollus_ with hir bull,\n_Eriphile_ and hir changed husband: The daughter of _Alpes_ and the\nvirgin _Melantho_ with hir dolphin, _Phyllira_ the daughter of old\n_Oceanus_ with the father of _Chiron_. Next hir _Ceres_ with hir head\ninstrophyated with ripe eares of corne imbracing the scalie _Hydra_: And\nthe faire Nymph _Lara_ sorting with _Argiphon_: and the sweete _Futurna_\nof the riuer _Numicus_.\n\nAnd whilest I stood with excessiue delight beholding onely as an\nignorant this rare companie and mysticall triumphes, circumsept with\nthese and such like sorts, and so also the delicious fields, but that me\nthought it was a louely sight to behold, and so I should haue continued:\nthen the gratious Nymph associating and leading me, seeing my\nsimplicitie and carelesnes, with a ready countenance and sweete and\npleasant words, without asking, she said thus vnto me: My _Poliphilus_,\ndoest thou see these? (shewing me those of the olde world) these were\nbeloued of _Iupiter_, and this, and this was such a one, and these were\nin loue with him, by this meanes shewing vnto me their high and mighty\nlinage, and not knowing their names, she in great curtesie told me.\nAfterward she shewed me a great number of little virgins, vnder the\ngouernment of three sober and discreete matrones the leaders to so great\ndelight: Adding thereunto very pleasantly (changing hir angellike\ncountenance) My _Poliphilus_, thou shalt vnderstand, that no earthly\ncreature can enter in heere without a burning torch as thou seest me,\neither with extreeme loue and great paines, or for the fauour and\ncompany of those three matrones. And from hir hart setting a deepe sigh,\nshe said: This torch haue I brought hither for thy sake, minding to put\nit out in yonder temple.\n\nThese speeches pearced my hart, they were so delightfull and desired,\nand so much the more, bicause she called me hir _Poliphilus_. Whereupon\nI assured my selfe, that she was _Polia_, and from top to the toe I\nfound an extreeme alteration into a supreame delight, my hart flying\nonely to hir. Which thoughts were bewraied by my countenance, and\nwhispering small sighes.\n\nWhich she cunningly perceiuing, brake on this new accident with these\nwords: Oh how many be there which would most gladly behold these\ntriumphes, and therefore _Poliphilus_, addresse thy thoughts to other\nmatters, and behold what noble and woorthy Nymphs shew themselues\ndeseruedly consorted with their amorous louers, curteous and affable:\nwho with sweete and pleasant notes in measured verse, praise and commend\none another without wearines, incessantly celebrating their turnes with\nexcessiue delight, and extolling the triumphs, the aire also full of the\nchirpings of diuers pretie birds, yeelding a diffused charme.\n\nAbout the first triumph among the reioising companie, the nine Muses did\nsing, with their leader the diuine Luter _Apollo_.[A]\n\n    [Sidenote A: This verse consisted of _Strophe_, _Aristophe_, and\n    _Epodus_.]\n\nAfter the triumph followed the faire Parthenopeian _Leria_, with a\nlawrell crowne, accompanied with _Melanthia_, whose habites and voices\nrepresented the pride of Greece,[A] whereupon the great Macedon rested\nhis head: She bare a splendent lampe, communicating the light thereof\nwith hir companion, then the rest more excellent both in voice and song.\n\n    [Sidenote A: _Homer._]\n\nThere the faire Nymph shewed me the auncient _Iphianassa_, and after the\nold father _Himerinus_ his daughters and their drinke, and one betwixt\nthe two Theban brothers: These with pleasant noises, sweete musicke and\nfine agilities, paste on about the first triumph.\n\nAbout the second triumph was the noble _Nemesis_ with the _Lesbian\nCorina_, _Delia_ and _Ne[ae]ra_, with diuers others amorous Nymphs,\nmaking pleasaunt soundes vppon stringed instruments of yealow wood.\n\nAbout the thirde triumph, the glorious Nymphs shewed me _Quintilia_ and\n_Cynthea Nauta_, with others, in great solace, making sweete harmonies,\nand singing pleasant verses: there also I behelde the virgin\n_Violantilla_ with hir Doue, and the other sorrowing for hir Sparrow.\n\nAbout the fourth triumph, before it went the _Lidian Cloe_, _Lide_,\n_Neobole_, sweete _Phillis_, and the faire _Lyce_ _Tyburts_ & _Pyra_,\nwith their harps singing and making a most pleasant noyse. After this\nfourth triumph among the M[ae]nades and sacrificers to _Bacchus_, there\nfolowed an amorous damosell singing in the commendation of the head of\nhir louer _Plaon_, she desired hornes. And after them all she shewed me\ntwo women, one of them apparelled in white, and the other in greene,\nwhich came hindermost singing togither.\n\nAnd thus they marched about in a most pleasant and delightfull maner\nvpon the fresh greene and flourishing plaine: Some instrophiated with\nlaurel, some with myrtle, and others with other sorts of flowers and\ngarlands, incessantly without any wearines or intermission in a\nperfection of the felicitie of this world, mutually enioying one\nanothers aspect and companie.\n\n\n\n\n_The Nymph hauing at large declared vnto Poliphilus the mysticall\n  triumphs and extreeme loue, afterwards she desired him to go on\n  further, where also with great delight he beheld innumerable other\n  Nymphs, with their desired louers, in a thousand sorts of pleasures\n  solacing themselues vpon the greene grasse, fresh shadowes, and by\n  the coole riuers and cleere fountaines. And how Poliphilus there had\n  with madnes almost forgotten himselfe in the passions of desire, but\n  hope did asswage his furie, quieting himselfe in the beholding of the\n  sweete sauour of the faire Nymph._\n\n\nNot onely happie but aboue all other most happie were he, to whom it\nshould be granted continually by speciall fauour to beholde the glorious\npompe, high triumphs, beautiful places, sweet scituations, togither with\nthe goddesses, halfe goddesses, faire Nymphes of incredible delight and\npleasure, but especially to be seconded and accompanied with so\nhonorable a Nymph of so rare and excellent beautie. And this I thought\nnot to be the least and smallest point of my felicitie. Now hauing\nlooked vpon these sights, I remained a great space recording of the\nsame, being therewith beyonde measure abundantly contented.\n\nAfterwards, the faire and sweet damsell my guide said thus vnto me:\n_Poliphilus_, let vs now go on a little further. And then immediately we\ntended our walke toward the fresh fountains and shady riuers, compassing\nabout the flourshing fields with chrystalline currents and gratious\nstreames.\n\nIn which cleare water, grew the purple flowering sonne of the Nymph\n_Liriope_, looking vp from his tender stringes and leaues. And al the\nfaire riuers were ful of other flowers sweetlie growing among their\ngreene and fresh leaues. This delightfull place was of a spatious and\nlarge circuit, compassed about and inuironed with wooddie mountaines, of\na moderate height of greene lawrell, fruitefull memerels, hearie & high\npine trees, and within the cleere channels, with graueled banks, and in\nsome places the bottom was faire soft yealow sande, where the water ran\nswifte, and the three leaued driope grew.\n\nThere were a great companie of delicate faire Nymphs of tender age, with\na redolent flower of bashfulnes, and beyond all credite beautifull, with\ntheir beardles louers continuallie accompanied. Among which Nymphs, some\nverie pleasantly with wanton countenaunces in the cleere streams shewed\nthemselues sportefull and gamesome, hauing taken vppe finelie their thin\ngarments of silke of diuers colours, and holding them in the bouts of\ntheir white armes, the forme of their rounde thighs were seene vnder the\nplytes, and their faire legges were reuealed to the naked knees, the\ncurrent streames comming vp so high: it was a sight which woulde haue\nprepared one to that which were vnfit, and if himselfe had been vnable\nthereunto. And there where the water was most still, turning downe their\nfaire faces of exceeding beautie, and bending their bodies of rare\nproportion, as in a large goodly glasse they might behould their\nheauenly shapes, breaking off the same with the motion of their pretie\nfeete, making a noyse with the contrast of the circulating water. Some\nsolaciouslie striuing to go by the tame swimming swans, and sportingly\ncasting water one at another, with the hollownes of their palms: others\nstanding without the water vpon the soft coole grasse, making vp of\nnosegaies and garlands of sundrie sweete flowers, & giuing the same to\ntheir louers as tokens of their fauorable remembraunce, not denieng\ntheir sweet kisses, & louing imbracings, with the amorous regardes of\ntheir star-like eyes.\n\nAnd some were set vpon the greene banks not ouergrown with reed and\nsegs, but finely beautified with sweete hearbs and flowers, among the\nwhich the tender Nymphs comming wet out of the water more cleere then\n_Axius_ in _Mygdonia_, vnder the vmbragious trees, did sit sporting and\ndeuising one with another in delightfull imbracings, with their\nreuerencing louers, not cruelly scorning & reiecting them, but with a\nsociable loue and benigne affablenesse, disposing themselues to the like\nshew of true affection, their sweete gestures and pleasant behauiours\nfar more gratious to the eie, then flowing teares be to the frowarde and\nvnmercifull _Cupid_, the sweete fountaines and moist dewes to the green\nfieldes, and desired forme to vnfashioned matter.\n\nSome did sing amorous sonnets, and verses of loue, breathing out in the\nsame from their inflamed breasts, scalding sighs ful of sweete accents,\nable to enamorate harts of stone: And to make smooth the ruggednesse of\nthe vnpassageable mountaine _Caucasus_, to staie whatsoeuer furie the\nharpe of _Orpheus_ woulde prouoke, and the fowle and euill fauoured face\nof _Medusa_, to make any horrible monster tame and tractable, and to\nstop the continuall prouocation of the deuouring _Scylla_. Some rested\ntheir heads in the chaste laps of their faire loues, recounting the\npleasaunt deuises of _Iupiter_, and they instrophyating their curled\nlocks with sweete smelling flowers.\n\nOthers of them fained that they were forsaken, and seemed to flie and go\nawaie from them, whom dearely they did affect, and then was there\nrunning one after another with loud laughters, and effeminate criengs\nout, their faire tresses spredding downe ouer their snowie shoulders\nlike threeds of gold, bound in laces of greene silke: Some loose after a\nNymphish maner, others bounde vp in attyres of golde set with pearle.\nAfterwards comming neere togither, they would stowpe downe, and twiching\nvp the sweete flowers with their faire and tender fingers, fling the\nsame in the faces of their pursuing louers with great pleasure and\nsolace, maintaining their fained disgracings.\n\nOthers with great curtesie were putting of Rose leaues one after another\ninto their laced brests, adding after them sweete kisses, some giuing\ntheir louers (if ouer-bold) vpon the cheekes with their harmles palmes\npretie ticks, making them red like the wheeles of _Phoebus_ in a faire\nand cleere morning: with other new and vnthought contentions, such as\nloue could deuise. They all being pleasant, merrie, and disposed to\ndelight: Their gestures and motions girlish, and of a virgineall\nsimplicitie, putting on sincere loue without the offence of honorable\nvertue: Free and exempt from the occursion of griefe or emulation of\naduers fortune: Sitting vnder the shade of the weeping sister of the\nwhited _Phaeton_, and of the immortall _Daphne_ and hairie pineapple\nwith small and sharpe leaues, streight Cyprus, greene Orenge trees, and\ntall Cedars, and others most excellent, abounding with greene leaues,\nsweete flowers, and pleasant fruits still flourishing in such sort as is\ninestimable, euenly disposed vpon the gratious banks, & orderly growing\nin a moderat distance vpon thee grassie ground, inuested with green\nVinca peruince or laurel. What hart is so cold and chilling, that would\nnot be stirred vp to heate, manifestly beholding the delightfull duties\nof reciprocall loue, such as I was perswaded would haue kindled _Diana_\nhir selfe?\n\nWhereupon I was bold to shew that folly which tormented my inward\nspirits, enuying to see what others possessed, that was a continuall\ndelight in pleasure and solace without any wearines in full cloying, and\nthus diuers times my hart being set on fire by my eies, and extreemely\nburning, my minde still fixed vpon delightfull pleasures and their\nsmacking kisses, and regarding with a curious eie the abounding guerdons\nof the fethered god, me thought at that instant, that I did behold the\nextreeme perfection of pleasure. And by this meanes I stood wauering and\nout of measure amazed, and as one which had droonke an amorous potion,\ncalling into remembrance the ointments of the mischeeuous _Circes_, the\nforcible hearbs of _Medea_, the hurtfull songs of _Byrrena_, and the\ndeadly verses of _Pamphile_, I stood doubtfull that my eies had seene\nsomthing more than humane, and that a base, dishonorable, and frail\nbodie should not be where immortall creatures did abide.\n\nAfter that I was brought from these long and doubtfull thoughts and\nphantasticall imaginations, and remembring all those maruellous diuine\nshapes and bodies which I had personally seene with mine eies, I then\nknew that they were not deceitfull shadowes, nor magicall illusions, but\nthat I had not rightly conceiued of them.\n\nAnd now with earnest consideration among these beholding the most\nexcellent Nymph fast by me, my eies filled with amorous darts ceased not\nto wound my passionate hart, by means wherof incontinently all my\nwandering thoughts were stirred vp, compact, and fixed vpon hir their\ndesired obiect, recalling my mortified soule afresh to be tormented in\nhis first flames, which most cruelly I suffered, in that I durst not be\nbold to aske if she were my desired _Polia_, for she had put me in some\ndoubt thereof before, and now fearing to offend hir with my being ouer\nbolde, and ore troublesome with my rude and vntilled toong, diuers times\nwhen my voice was breaking out betwixt my lips, vpon that occasion I\nsuppressed the same. But what she should be, it was beyond my compasse\nto imagine, and I stood as suspicious thereof, as the deceiued _Socia_\nwith the fained _Atlantiades_. Thus with diligent regards and cordiall\nsearches examining hir heauenly features inuaded with a burning desire\nbeyond measure, I said to my self: Oh that I might be, if it were\npossible, a free man in such a place, for no sorrow shoulde greeue me,\nnor imminent danger should make me afraid: although that frowarde\nfortune shoulde oppose hir selfe against me, I woulde spende my life\nwithout any regard therof, not refusing to vndertake the laborsome and\ngreat enterprise of the two gates shewed to the sonne of _Amphitrio_.\n\nTo spend the prime of my youth and pleasure of my yeers in the mortall\ndaungers of the merciles seas, and in the fearfull places of\n_Trinacria_, with the excessiue trauels and terrors of _Ulysses_, in the\ndarke caue of the horrible _Polyphem_, the son of _Neptune_, to be\ntransformed in the companie of _Calypso_, although I lost my life, or\nindured the most hard & long seruitude of _Androdus_, for all wearines\nis forgotten where loue is vehement. To vndertake with the amorous\n_Minalion_ and _Ileus_ to runne with _Atalanta_, or to com but in such\nsort as the strong and mightie _Hercules_ for his loue _Deianira_, did\nwith the huge _Achelous_, so as I might atchieue so gratious a fauor,\nand attaine to so high delight, as the remaining in these solacious\nplaces, and aboue all to enioy the precious loue and inestimable good\nwil of hir, more faire without comparison, then _Cassiopeia_, of better\nfauour then _Castiamira_. Ah me, my life and death is in hir power! And\nif so be that I seeme vnwoorthie of hir fellowshippe and amorous\ncommers, yet would God it might be granted me as a speciall rewarde and\npriuiledge to looke vpon hir: and then I saide to my selfe, oh\n_Poliphilus_, if these heauie and burthenous weights of amarous conceits\ndo oppresse thee; the sweetenes of the fruite doth allure thee\nthereunto: and if the peremptorie dangers strike thee into a terror, the\nhope of the supportation and helpe of so faire a Nymph will animate thee\nto be resolute. Thus my thought being diuers, I said, Oh God, if this be\nthat desired _Polia_ which I see at this present, and whose precious\nimpression without intermission, I haue stil born in my burning and\nwounded hart, fro the first yeers of my loue vntil this present, I am\ncontented with all sorrows, & besides hir, I desire no other request but\nonly this, that she may be drawne to my feruent loue, that it may be\nwith vs alike, or that I may be at liberty, for I am no longer able to\ndissemble my griefe, or hide the extremity of my smart, I die liuing, &\nliuing am as dead: I delight in that which is my griefe: I go mourning:\nI consume my self in the flame, & yet the flame doth norish me, &\nburning like gold in the strong cement, yet I find my self like cold\nyce. Ah wo is me, that loue should be more greeuous vnto me then the\nweight of _Iuarime_ to _Typhon_. It disperseth me more, then the\nrauenous vulturs the glomerated bowels of _Tityus_: It holdeth me in\nmore, then the labirinth crooking: It tosseth me more, then the\nnortheast winds the calme seas: It teareth me woorse then _Acteons_\ndogges their flieng master: It troubleth my spirits more then horrible\ndeath doth them who desire to liue: It is more direfull to my vexed\nhart, then the crocodils bowels to _Ichneumon_. And so much the more is\nmy greefe, that with all the wit I haue, I knowe not to thinke in what\npart of the worlde I shoulde be, but streight before the sweete fire of\nthis halfe goddesse, which without any corporall substance consumeth me:\nhir aboundant and faire yealow haire, a snare and net for my hart to be\nmasked in: hir large and phlegmatique forehead, like white lillies, bynd\nme in as with a withe: hir pearcing regards take away my life as sweete\nprouocations to afflict me: hir roseall cheekes do exasperate my desire,\nhir ruddie lips continue the same, and hir delicious breasts like the\nwinter snow vpon the hyperboreall mountaines, are the sharp spurs and\nbyting whip to my amorous passions: hir louely gestures and pleasant\ncountenance do draw my desire to an imaginatiue delight, heaping vp my\nsorrow. And to all these insulting martyrdoms and greeuous vexations of\nthat impious and deceitfull _Cupid_ I laie open, mightilie striuing to\nbeare them, and no waie able to resist them, but to suffer my selfe to\nbe ouercome: neither coulde I shun the same, but remained still as one\nvnawares lost in the Babylonian fen.\n\nOh _Titius_, thou canst not perswade me that thy paine is equall with\nmine, although that the vultures teare open thy breast, and taking out\nthy smoking warm hart, do pluck it in peeces with their crooked beaks,\nand pinch the same in their sharpe tallents, eating vp also the rest of\nthy flesh, vntill they haue ingorged thenselues, & within a while after\nthou renewed againe, they begin afresh to pray vpon thee. Thou hast a\ntime to be reuiued againe, and made sound as euer thou wert: but two\neies without all pitie or intermission haue wounded me, deuour and\nconsume me, leauing me no time of rest, or space to be comforted.\n\nAnd hauing had these discourses with my selfe, I began secretly to\nmourne and weepe, and desire a way that I might die, fetching deepe\nsighes as if my hart had torne in sunder with euery one of them. And\ndiuers times I had purposed with a lamentable voice to desire hir helpe,\nfor that I was at the point of death: but as one drowned and\nouerwhelmed, I deemed that way to be vaine, and to no purpose, and\ntherfore furiously, and as one of a raging spirit I thought thus: Why\ndoest thou doubt, _Poliphilus_? Death for loue is laudable, and\ntherefore my greeuous and malignant fortune, my sorrowful accident and\nhard hap in the loue of so beautifuil a Nymph, will be writ and reported\nwhen I shall lie interred. The same will be sung in doleful tunes vpon\nsweete instruments of musicke, manifesting the force of hurtfull loue.\n\nAnd thus continuing the follie of my thoughts, I said: It may be that\nthis Nymph, by al likelihoods, is some reuerend goddesse, and therefore\nmy speeches will be but as the crackling reedes of Archadia in the moist\nand fennie sides of the riuer Labdone, shaken with the sharpe east wind,\nwith the boisterous north, cloudy south & rainie south west wind.\nBesides this, the gods will be seuere reuengers of such an insolencie,\nfor the companions of _Vlysses_ had been preserued from drowning and\nshipwracke, if they had not stolne _Apollos_ cattell kept by _Phaetusa_\nand hir sister _Lampetia_. _Orion_ had not beene slaine by a scorpion,\nif he had not attempted the cold & chast _Diana_, and therefore if I\nshould vse any indecencie against the honor of this Nymph in any sort,\nsuch like reuenge or woorse woulde be vsed vpon me. At last getting\nfoorth of these changeable thoughts, I did greatly comfort my selfe in\nbeholding and contemplating the excellent proportion and sweete sauour\nof this ingenuous and most rare Nymph, containing in hir al whatsoeuer\nthat may prouoke amorous conceits and sweete loue, giuing from hir faire\neies so gratious and fauorable regards, as thereby I somewhat tempered\nmy troublesome and vnbrideled thoughts. And my resounding sighes\nreflexed with a flattering hope (oh the amorous foode of louers and\nsauce of salt teares) by these and no other rains I did manage my\nvehement thoughts, and made them stop in a conceiued hope, fixing mine\neies with excessiue delight vpon hir faire bodie and well disposed\nmembers, by all which, my discontented desires were gently mitigated and\nredeemed from that furie and amorous fire, which so neere had bred the\nextremitie of my passions.\n\n\n\n\n_The Nymph leadeth the inamored Poliphilus to other pleasant places,\n  where he beheld innumerable Nymphs solacing them, and also the triumph\n  of Vertumnus and Pomona._\n\n\nBy no meanes I was able to resist the violent force of _Cupids_\nartillerie, and therefore the elegant Nymph hauing amorously gotten an\nirrevocable dominion ouer me a miserable louer, I was inforced to follow\nstill after hir moderate steps, which led me into a spatious and large\nplaine, the conterminate bound of the flowered greene & sweet smelling\nvallie, where also ended the adorned mountaines and fruitfull hils,\nshutting vp the entrance into this golden countrie, full of incredible\ndelight with their ioining togither: couered ouer with green trees of a\nconspicuous thicknes & distance, as if they had been set by hand, as Yew\ntrees, wild Pynes, vnfruitfull but dropping Resin, tall pineapple,\nstraight Firre, burning Pitch trees, the spungie Larix[A], the aierie\nTeda[B] beloued of the mountains, celebrated and preserued for the\nfestiuall Oreades[C]. There both of vs walked in the greene and\nflowering plaine, shee being my guide through the high cypres trees, the\nbroad leaued beech, coole shadie okes full of maste, and other\nhornebeames, pricking iuniper, weake hasell, spalt ash, greene lawrell,\nand humbryferous esculies, knottie plane trees & lyndens[D] moouing by\nthe sweet breath of the pleasant Zephirus, whistling through their\ntender branches, with a benigne and fauorable impulsion.\n\n    [Sidenote A: _Larix_, is a tree hauing leaues like a pine, & good\n    for building, it will neither rot, woormeate, nor burne to coales.]\n\n    [Sidenote B: _Teda_, is a tree out of the which issueth a liquor\n    more thinne than pitch.]\n\n    [Sidenote C: _Oreades_, be countrie Nymphs.]\n\n    [Sidenote D: _Lyndens_ or teile trees, in Latin _Tili[ae]_, they\n    beare a fruit as big as a bean, hauing within seedes like anyse\n    seeds.]\n\nAll which greene trees were not thickly twisted togither, but of a\nconuenient distaunce one from another, and all of them so aptly\ndistributed as to the eie the sight thereof bred great delight.\n\nThis place was frequented with countrie Nymphs and _Dryades_[A], their\nsmall and slender wastes being girded with a brayding of tender corules\nof sprigs, leaues, and flowers and vpon their heads their rising vp\nhaires, were compassed about as with garlands. Amongst them were the\nhorned faunes, and lasciuious satyres, solemnising their faunall feasts,\nbeing assembled togither out of diuers places, within this fertile &\npleasant cuntrie: bearing in their hands so tender green and strange\nboughs, as are not to be found in the wood of the goddes _Feronia_,[B]\nwhen the inhabitants carrie hir image to the fire.\n\n    [Sidenote A: _Dryades_, be Nymphs of the woods.]\n\n    [Sidenote B: _Feronia_ a goddesse of the woods.]\n\nFrom thence we entered into a large square inclosure compassed about\nwith broade walkes, straight from one corner to another, with a quick-set\nvpon either sides, in height one pace, of pricking iuniper thicke set\ntogither, and mixt with box, compassing about the square greene mead.\nIn the rowes of which quick-set there were symmetrially planted the\nvictorious palme trees, whose branches were laden with fruite, appearing\nout of their husks, some blacke, some crymosen, and many yealow, the\nlike are not to be found in the land of [Ae]gypt, nor in Dabulam[A]\namong the Arabian Sc[ae]nits,[B] or in Hieraconta beyond the\nSauromatans.[C] All which were intermedled with greene Cytrons, Orenges,\nHippomelides, Pistack trees, Pomegranats, Meligotons, Dendromirts,\nMespils, and Sorbis, with diuers other fruitfull trees.\n\n    [Sidenote A: _Dabulam_, a fertile place in Arabia.]\n\n    [Sidenote B: _Sc[ae]nits_, be a people in Arabia, that dwell\n    altogither in tents.]\n\n    [Sidenote C: _Sauromatans_, be people of Sarmatia, which is a large\n    cuntry, reaching from Germany & the riuer Vistula to Hyc[ae]nia, and\n    is deuided into two parts Europea and Asiatica.]\n\nIn this place vppon the greene swoord of the flowering mead, and vnder\nthe fresh and coole shadowes, I might behold a great assemblie met\ntogither of strange people, & such as I had neuer before seene, full of\nioyes and pastimes, but basely apparrelled, some in fauns skins, painted\nwith white spots, some in lynx[A] skins, others in leopards: and manie\nhad fastened togither diuers broad leaues, instrophiating them with\nsundrie flowers, therewithall couering their nakednes, singing, leaping,\nand dauncing with great applause.\n\n    [Sidenote A: _Lynx_ is a beast spotted, but in shape like a wolph,\n    being quicke of sight.]\n\nThese were the Nymphs Hamadryades,[A] pleasantly compassing vppon either\nsides the flowered _Vertumnus_,[B] hauing vppon his heade a garlande of\nroses, and his gowne lap full of faire flowers, louing the station of\nthe woollie ramme. He sate in an ancient fashioned carre, drawne by\nfower horned fauns or satyrs, with his louing and faire wife _Pomona_,\ncrowned with delicate fruits, hir haire hanging downe ouer hir\nshoulders, of a flaxen colour, and thus she sate participating of hir\nhusbands pleasure and quiet, and at hir feete laie a vessell called\nClepsydra[C]. In hir right hand she held a copie full of flowers,\nfruits, and greene leaues, and in hir left hande a branch of flowers,\nfruits and leaues.\n\n    [Sidenote A: _Hamadryades_ were nymphs of the wood and _Symenides_]\n\n    [Sidenote B: _Vertumnus_ the God of fruits.]\n\n    [Sidenote C: _Clepsydra_ is sometime taken for a diall measuring\n    time by the running of water, but here for a pot to water a garden\n    and yoong sectlings in a nourcery for an orchyard.]\n\nBefore the carre and the fower drawing satyrs, there marched two faire\nNymphs, the one of them bare a troph[ae] with a pr[ae]pendant table,\nwhereupon was written this title,\n\n  _Integerrimam corporis valetudinem & stabile robur castasque\n    mensarum delitias, & beatam animi securitatem cultoribus\n    me offero._\n\nAnd the other bare a troph[ae] of certaine greene sprigges bound\ntogither, and among them diuers rurall instruments fastened. These\npassed on thus after the ancient maner, with great ceremonies, and much\nsolemnitie, compassing about a great square stone like an aulter,\nstanding in the middest of this faire mead, sufficiently moystened with\ncurrent streames from beautifull fountaines.\n\nThis square stone or aulter was of pure white marble, curiouslie cut by\na cunning lapicidarie, vpon euery front wherof was a woonderfull goodly\nexpression, of an elegant image, so exact, as the like else-where is\nhardly to be found.\n\nThe first was a faire goddesse, hir treces flieng abroad, girded with\nroses and other flowers, vpon a thin vpper garment couering hir\nbeautifull and pleasant proportion. She helde hir right hand ouer an\nancient vessell, in maner of a chafing-dish, called Chytropodus, sending\nfoorth a flame of fire, into the which shee did cast roses and flowers,\nand in the other hand she held a branch of sweete myrtle, full of\nberries. By hir side stoode a little winged boy smiling, with his bowe\nand arrowes. Ouer hir head were two pigeons. And vnder the foote of this\nfigure was written\n\n    _Florido veri S._\n\nVpon the other side I beheld in an excellent caruing, the representation\nof a damosell of a maidenly countenaunce, whose stately maiestie gaue\ngreat commendation to the curious deuise of the workeman. She was\ncrowned with a garland of wheat eares, hir haire flingering abroade, and\nhir habyte Nymphish. In hir right hand she held a copie full of rype\ngraine, and in the other hand three eares of corne, vpon their strawie\nstalks. At hir feete lay a wheat sheaue bound vp, and a little boy with\ngleanings of corne in either hands. The subscription was this.\n\n    _Flau[ae] Messi S._\n\nVpon the third side was the likenes in a deuine aspect naked of a yoong\nboy, crowned with vine leaues, and of a wanton countenance, holding in\nhis left hand certaine clusters of ripe grapes, and in the other, a\ncopie full of grapes which did hang ouer the mouth thereof. At his feete\nlaie a hayrie goate and this writing vnder.\n\n    _Mustulento Autumno S._\n\nThe last square did beare vpon it a kingly image passing well cut, his\ncountenance displeasant and austere, in his left hand he held a scepter\nvp into the heauens, the aire cloudie, troublesome and stormie, and with\nthe other hand reaching into the clouds full of haile. Behinde him also\nthe aire was rainie and tempestuous. He was couered with beasts skins,\nand vpon his feete he ware sandals, where vnder was written,\n\n    _Hiemi [Ae]oli[ae] S._\n\nFrom thence the most faire and pleasant Nymph brought me towards the sea\nside and sandie shore, where we came to an olde decaied temple, before\nthe which vpon the fresh and coole hearbs, vnder sweete shadie trees we\nsate downe and rested ourselues, my eies very narrowly beholding, with\nan vnsatiable desire, in one sole perfection and virgineall bodie, the\naccumulation and assembly of all beauties; an obiect interdicting my\neies to behold any gracious, that except, or of so great content.\n\nWhere refreshing in a secret ioy with new budding conceits my burning\nhart, and leauing off vulgar and common follies, I began to consider of\nthe intelligible effect of honest loue, and withall of the cleerenes of\nthe skies, the sweete and milde aire, the delightfull site, the pleasant\ncountrie, the green grasse decked with diuersity of flowers, the faire\nhils adorned with thicke woods, the quiet time, fresh windes, and\nfruitfull place, beautifully enriched with diffluent streames, sliding\ndowne the moist vallies betwixt the crooked hils in their grauelled\nchannels, and into the next seas with a continued course softly vnlading\nthemselues.\n\nA ground most healthfull, the grasse coole and sweet: and from the trees\nresounded the sweete consents of small chirping birds. The flouds and\nfields of Thessalie[A] must giue place to this.\n\n    [Sidenote A: _Thessalie_ is a region of Greece, hauing vpon the\n    one side Macedonia, and on the other Boeotia, reaching betweene\n    Thermopyl[ae], and the riuer Pineus, euen to the sea side, it is the\n    garden of Grecia.]\n\nAnd there sitting thus togither among the sweete flowers and redolent\nroses, I fastened mine eies vpon this heauenly shape of so faire and\nrare a proportion, whereunto my sences were so applied, drawen and\naddicted, that my hart was ouerwhelmed with extreeme delights, so as I\nremained senceles, and yet cast into a curious desire to vnderstand and\nknowe what should be the reason and cause that the purple humiditie in\nthe touch of hir bodie, in the smoothnes of hir hand should be as white\nas pure milke: and by what meanes that nature had bestowed in hir faire\nbodie the fragrant sweetnes of Arabia. And by what industrie in hir\nstarrie forehead pampynulated with threds of gold aptly disposed, she\nhad infixed the fairest part of the heauens, or the splendycant\nHeraclea[A].\n\n    [Sidenote A: _Heraclea_, is the name of diuers faire cities, one in\n    the confines of Europe, another in Italie & in Pontus by the riuer\n    Licus, also in Narbon by Rodanus, also in Caria, Crete & Lydia,\n    whereof the Lodestone taketh his name.]\n\nAfterward letting fall mine eies towards hir prety feete, I beheld them\ninclosed in red leather cut vpon white, fastened vpon the instep with\nbuttons of gold in loopes of blew silke. And from thence I returned\nvpward my wanton regard to hir straight necke compassed about with a\ncarkenet of orient pearle, striuing but not able to match with the\nwhitenes of the sweet skin. From thence descending down to hir shining\nbreast and delitious bosome, from whence grew two round apples, such as\n_Hercules_ neuer stole out of the garden of _Hesperides_[A]. Neither did\neuer _Pomona_ behold the like to these two standing vnmooueable in hir\nroseall breast, more white than hils of snowe in the going downe of the\nsunne. Betwixt the which there passed downe a delicious vallie, wherein\nwas the delicate sepulcher of my wounded hart exceeding the famous\n_Mausolea_[B].\n\n    [Sidenote A: _Hesperides_, were the 3. daughters of Atlas, [Ae]gle,\n    Aretusa and Hesperetusa, who had an orchard of golden apples, kept\n    by a dragon whom Hercules slew & tooke away the apples.]\n\n    [Sidenote B: A sepulcher built by Artemisia in the honor of hir\n    husbande Mausolus king of Cania.]\n\nI then being content with a wounded hart full well vnderstanding that\nmine eies had drawen it dying into all these elegant parts. Yet\nneuertheles I could not so bridle and suppresse my amorous inflamed\nsighes, or so closely couer them, but that they would needs expresse my\ninward desire.\n\nBy means whereof she was changed from contagious loue, and striking with\nhir stolen regards (enuying the same) she turned it vpon me, so as I\nperceiued an incensing fire pruriently diffusing it selfe through my\ninward parts and hollow veines: and during the contemplate beholding of\nhir most rare and excellent beautie, a mellifluous delight and sweete\nsolace constrained me thereunto. Thus disordinately beaten with the\nimportune spur of vnsatiable desire, I found my selfe to be set vpon\nwith the mother of loue, inuironed round about with hir flamigerous\nsonne, and inuaded with so faire a shape, that I was with these and\nothers so excellent circumstances brought into such an agonie of minde\nand sicknes of bodie, and in such sort infeebled, that the least haire\nof hir head was a band forcible ynough to hold me fast, and euery rowled\ntramell a chaine and shackle to fetter me, being fed with the sweetnes\nof hir beautie, and hooked with the pleasant baits of hir amorous\ndelights, that I was not able with whatsoeuer cunning deuise to resist\nthe inuading heates and prouoking desires still comming vpon me, that I\ndetermined rather to die than longer to endure the same, or in this\nsolitarie place to offer hir any dishonor.\n\nThen againe I was determined with humble requests and submissiue\nintreaties to say thus:\n\nAlas most delighted _Polia_, at this present to die by thee is a thing\nthat I desire, and my death if it were effected by these thy small,\nslender and faire hands, the ende thereof should be more tolerable,\nsweete and glorious vnto me, bicause my hart is compassed about with\nsuch tormenting flames, still more and more cruelly increasing, and\nburning the same without pitie or intermission, so as by meanes thereof\nI am bereft of all rest.\n\nAnd heerewithall intending to put in execution another determinate\npurpose, behold my hart was tormented with more sharpe flames, that me\nthought I was all of a light fire. Ah wo is me what wert thou aduised to\ndo _Poliphilus_? Remember the violence done to _Deianira_ and the chaste\nRoman lady. Consider what followed them for a reward, and diuers others.\n\nCall to minde that mighty princes haue beene reiected of their\ninferiors, how much more then a base and abiect person, but tract of\ntime giueth place to them which expect the bountie thereof. Time causeth\nthe fierce lions to be tame, and whatsoeuer furious beast: the small ant\nby long trauell laieth vp hir winter foode in the hard tree, and shall\nnot a diuine shape lying hid in a humane bodie take the impression of\nferuent loue, and then holding the same, shake off all annoyous and\nvexing passions, hoping to enioy amorous fruits, desired effects, and\ntriumphing agonismes.\n\nThe Nymph _Polia_ perceiuing well the change of my colour and blood\ncomming in more stranger sort than _Tripolion_ or _Teucrion_, thrise a\nday changing the colour of his flowers, and my indeuoring to sende out\nscalding sighes deeply set from the bottome of my hart, she did temper\nand mitigate the same with hir sweete and friendly regards, pacifieng\nthe rage of my oppressing passions, so as notwithstanding my burning\nminde in these continuall flames and sharpe prouocations of loue, I was\naduised patiently to hope euen with the bird of Arabia in hir sweet nest\nof small sprigs, kindled by the heate of the sunne to be renewed.\n\n\n                     FINIS.\n\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n           *       *       *       *\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n_Errors and anomalies noted by transcriber:_\n\nThis e-text is based on a facsimile edition made from a single copy of\nthe 1592 original. In some places, text is illegible or missing.\n\n\"The Italian version\" refers to the 1499 text. At time of preparation,\npage images of this book were available at\n  http://mitpress.mit.edu/e-books/HP/hyp000.htm\nand linked pages. Note that the 1592 English translation covers just\nunder half the Italian text. The Italian was consulted in some cases\nof uncertain readings in the English. The sidenotes have no Italian\nequivalent.\n\nOddities of punctuation are as in the original, but missing full stops\nat paragraph-end have been supplied.\n\nThe text often prints [ae] in place of [oe], especially when italicized:\n  Ph[ae]bus; Cr[ae]sus (twice); C[ae]us\nThe spellings _Pasiph[ae]_ (for Pasiphae or Pasiphae:) and _Androdus_\n(for Androclus or Androcles) were also left unchanged.\n\nu for n, n for u (inverted letter shown with asterisk):\n  draperie of double _Achan*this_\n  I behelde _Leu*cothoe_\n  inclau*strede and compassede about\n  and lose my lou*e\n  courteou*s young women\n  haue you* not seene it\n  circulatin*g iustly\n  most pretiou*s vessell\n  The squ*are base court\n  skinnes, statu*es, tytles, and trophes\n  her name was _Mn*emosina_\n  vppon eu*erie of those Portes and Gates\n  the first tower or moun*t\n  discouered and come vn*to\n\nhalfe speare; Hemispere\n  _spellings from Sidenotes in original_\nSidenote h: (a narow sea by Byzantium...\n  _text reads \"(a narow sea)\" with extra )_\nSidenote b: Caucasus a mightie hill\n  _text reads \"d\" for \"b\"_\nthe assending the turning stayers\n  _so in original: \"then assending\"?_\nneuer heard of this:\n  _text reads \"hard\"_\n...a horsse of Colos. [__________] of an Oliphant, but especially of a\n  most rare and straunge Porche._\n  _gap in printed text is about 12 letters wide. Italian text:_\n    ...uno caballo, de uno iacente colosso, de uno elephanto, ma\n    praecipuamente de una elegantissima porta.\nseene or crediblie reported\n  _text reads \"crebiblie\"_\nwith a long waued maine\n  _text reads \"maime\"_\nSidenote: None liue in this world\n  _text reads \"in in\"_\nstuddes hanging iewels, stories, and deuises,\n  _not an error for \"stones\". Italian text:_\n    di molti sigilli, & bulle, & historiette & fictione\nthe vulgar and common sort of mannalists\n  _so in original: \"manualists\"?_\ncourteous, gentle, bening, tractable\n  _so in original: \"benign\"?_\nand wrapt ouer with the same foliature and leafe worke\n  _text reads \"wirh\"_\nan aporne of a Goates skinne\n  _so in original: \"aprone\"?_\noffered yoong and tender sonne\n  _so in original: \"offered hir\"?_\nSidenote: The bones next the qack in the wing\n  _so in original: \"back\"?_\nthis Epigram in Cappitall Greeke Letters\n  _text reads \"Creeke\"_\nvppon a ground of Iasul or blew Saphyrs\n  _so in original: \"lasul\"?_\nwith her haire trans-formed\n  _text reads \"heare\"_\nin the disposing thereof as aforesaide\n  _text reads \"aforesaidel\"_\ncorrospondent and agreeing with\n  _spelling as in original_\nSidenote: A petiment in corrupt English.\n  _reading \"petiment\" conjectural_\nSidenote: Anaglipts are cunning carues and grauers.\n  _reading conjectural: beginning of each line is missing_\n    _naglipts / _e cunning / _arues and / _rauers\neffected by many seuerall workmen\n  _text reads \"wookmen\"_\n_Bagistanus_ must giue place\n  _text reads \"geue\"_\nalthough the Obelisk of Iupiter\n  _text reads \"Obelist\"_\nasosciated with curious workemanship\n  _text has \"aso/scociated\" at page break, but catchword is \"sciated\"_\nbright shining lyke goalde\n  _reading unclear, checked against Italian_\nhis Sonnes _Cadus_, _Foenice_, and _Cilicia_\n  _all forms as in original_\ntheyr actions and degrees tightlye expressed\n  _so in original: \"rightlye\"?_\nwith exquisite / parergie and shadowing Waters, Fountaines, Mountaines,\nHilles, woodes, / and beasts, in theyr naturall coulours, and distante\none from an other, / with opposite light.\n  _layout of original ambiguous, with possible paragraph break after\n  \"shadowing\". Italian reads:_\n    Cum gli exquisiti parergi. Aque. fonti. monti. colli. boscheti.\n    animali. di prauato il coloramento cum la distantia, & cum il lume\n    opposito...\nshaking her trisulked and three parted tongue\n  _so in original: \"trifulked\"?_\nlike and Eele\n  _so in original: \"an\"_\nsorrowe more abounding then poore _Pscyphes_\n  _so in original: \"Psyches\"?_\nAnd who shal be the possor\n  _so in original: \"possessor\"?_\nreassuming and gatheringtogether\n  _\"a\" in \"gathering\" printed upside-down_\na verie pleasaunt sighte and counttie\n  _so in original: \"countrie\"?_\nfor Angles and noble personages\n  _spelling as in original_\nfor it was rownd about compassed\n  _text reads \"it it\"_\na I passed on\n  _reading unclear: may be \"as I\"_\nI beheld _Egiplie hierogliphies_\n  _so in original: \"Egiptie\"?_\ndid containe an elegant Cigrued Nimph\n  _reading unclear_\nvppon a conuenient frame\n  _text reads \"conenient\"_\nthe waters did striue togither and meete\n  _text reads \"meetes\"_\n_Prapitiles_ neuer perfourmed the lyke\n  _so in original: \"Praxiteles\"?_\na most bewtifull Ladye in hir sleep\n  _text reads \"in in\"_\nand retract towardes hir\n  _text reads \"towares\"_\nI heard a singing company\n  _text reads \"hard\"_\na great applause among the pleasant flowers\n  _text unclear; \"among\" conjectural_\nthe vppermost of curled white sendall\n  _text reads \"vppermst\"_\nstayed theyr nimphish gates\n  _text reads \"nimpish\"_\n(for they seemed to mee...\n  _text reads \")for they\"_\nnowe vsurped and tyrannized by the insolent Spanyard\n  _phrase not present in Italian text_\nsweete pronuntiation\n  _text reads \"pronuntiaon\"_\nAchol ... Genshra\n  _names elsewhere spelled \"Achoe\" and \"Geussia\" as in Italian_\ncompassed about with a Coronice.\n  _full stop invisible, but implied by spacing_\nstatues of fine mettal\n  _text reads \"scatnes\" with inverted \"u\"_\na goodly Fountaine of cleare water, spinnyng from the verie toppe as it\nwere to the foundation, whiche\n  _commas invisible, but implied by spacing_\nand turning rounde.\n  _full stop invisible, but implied by spacing_\nhad made theyr habitation there\n  _text reads \"habitaon\"_\nembost, chased, and engrauen\n  _text reads \"chafed\"_\nof the sumptuous Fountaine,\n  _closing ) invisible in original_\ncheckers or scutuls and Trigons.\n  _full stop invisible, but implied by spacing_\nand in the same two images\n  _text reads \"and and\"_\nthe roofe whereof\n  _text reads \"roote\"_\nthe Matrone _Muemosnia_\n  _text reads \"Muemosnia\"_\nagreeable and fitting\n  _text reads \"agreebale\"_\ntheir solacious and magnificent pleasures\n  _text reads \"magnicifient\"_\nAfter that she said .... bee committed\n  _first four lines of paragraph, at page-end, repeated at beginning\n  of following page_\nwhen he is in the malignant taile\n  _reading unclear: Italian has \"cauda\"_\nStreight before the triumphant Queene\n  _text reads \"Sreight\"_\nseuen vpon a side in a Nimphish apparrel\n  _text reads \"Nimpish\"_\nThen there at euerie chaunge of course, two _Edeabriees_\n  _reading unclear: Italian has \"domicelle edeatrice\"_\nAnd by this appoynted order, there was continually heard melodious\nsoundes, and pleasaunt harmonies, sweete concords with delightfull\nMusicke presented, odoriferous perfume smelt, and stately viandes\nplentifully fedde of.\n  _reading conjectural: beginning of last three lines missing_\n  And by this appoynted order, there was continually heard\n  _____dious soundes, and pleasaunt harmonies, sweete con\n  _____with delightfull Musicke presented, odoriferous per\n  _____smelt, and stately viandes plentifully fedde of.\n  _Italian reads:_\n    continuamente si udiuano gratissimi soni, si auscultaua lepidissimi\n    concenti, si persentiua delectabile melodia, iocundissimo\n    odoramento, se exhauriua, & lautissima satietate suauissimamente\n    gustando si receueua.\nManna, Pineapple kernels, Rose water\n  _so in original: Italian has \"nuclei pinei\". On page 57v, \"seme de\n  pine\" is translated \"seedes of Pines\"._\nthe floures of Gessamin\n  _text reads \"flloures\"_\nvpon the pauement),\n  _closing ) missing in original_\nand so delightfull to the sences\n  _text reads \"delighfull\"_\nshell, fish, Dactilus, with Pistacke, Nut kernels\n  _all commas in original_\nThe vpper vessell\n  _text reads \"ypper\"_\na most excellent daunce or game\n  _text reads \"excel/cellent\" at line break_\nThe delightfull presence of the Nymphes\n  _text reads \"delighfull\"_\nSecretaries, wee tearme them Bishoppes, and two Knights\n  _\"wee tearme them Bishoppes\" added by translator_\nthey apparrelled in gold\n  _text reads \"thy\"_\nshee is rightly called _Thelosia_.\n  _spelling as in original: elsewhere \"Telosia\"_\nI would haue thee to vnderstande\n  _text reads \"vnderhande\"_\nshee transformeth her selfe against the haire\n  _so in original: Italian has \"uersipelle\"_\nwoorke-manshippe\n  _hyphen in original at mid-line_\nthe conditionate state of this maruellous feate\n  _reading unclear: text looks like \"seate\" but Italian has \"fito\"_\nwherein I haue satis-fied him\n  _hyphen in original at mid-line_\n_Tarnia_ the Queene of the _Scythians_\n  _so in original: Italian has \"Tarina\"_\nBy the Ower looke vpon this\n  _text reads \"Owe\"_\nFor thys beeing satis-fied\nand that I am not yet / satis-fied\n  _both hyphens in original_\nSignifying thereby\n  _text reads \"Sgnifying\"_\nThe Gate vppon my right hand\n  _so in original: Italian has same wording with same illustration_\nher name was _Thende_\n  _so in original: Italian has \"Theude\"_\nThe fift, _Epiania_.\n  _so in original: Italian has \"Etiania\"_\nor the fayre _Psyches_\n  _text reads \"the the\"_\nthe shady Wooddes of _Mensunlone_\n  _so in original: Italian has \"Mesanlone\"_\nShee tooke me by the left hande\n  _text reads \"toooke\"_\nbridling my inconuenient desires\n  _text reads \"incouenient\"_\nand my subdued heart\n  _text reads \"haert\"_\nthese had a consort of liuncyers winde Instruments, full of spirite.\n  _reading unclear: possibly \"liuncyets\". Italian text:_\n    ... cum mirabili & ueterrimi istrumenti da flato concordi, & cum\n    incredibili spiriti expressi\nViolets, Cowslops, Melilots\n  _so in original_\nthe faire Nymph _Lara_ sorting with _Argiphon_\n  _so in original: \"sporting\"?_\n[Sidenote A: This verse consisted of _Strophe_, _Aristophe_, and\n_Epodus_.]\n  _so in original: Antistrophe?_\n_Lyndens_ or teile trees, in Latin _Tili[ae]_\n  _reading unclear_\nreaching from Germany\n  _reading conjectural: \"r\" in \"from\" invisible_\n[Sidenote A: _Hamadryades_ were nymphs of the wood and _Symenides_]\n[Sidenote B: _Vertumnus_ the God of fruits.]\n  _unlabeled sidenotes with no space at line end: may be one or two_\na great square stone like an aulter\n  _text reads \"and aulter\"_\nthe clouds full of haile.\n  _full stop invisible, but implied by spacing_\n[Sidenote B: ... Mausolus king of Cania.]\n  _so in original_\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nInscriptions and Greek:\nThe Greek text uses an asymmetrical form of Pi that is easily confused\nwith Gamma, and an Upsilon that resembles Tau. The Arabic text could not\nbe transcribed.\n\n+LICHA SOLIBIKOS LITHODOMOS O:RTHOSEN ME+\n  _The first Lambda is upside-down. Probable correct reading:_\n    +LICHAS HO LIBIKOS LITHODOMOS O:RTHO:SEN ME.+\n\n+GUMNOS E:N. EI ME: AN THE:RI-\nON EMEKALUPSEN. ZE:TEI. HEU-\nRE:SE:DE. EASON ME.+\n  _Probable correct reading:_\n    +GUMNOS E:N, EI ME: AN THE:RI-/ON EME KALUPSEN. ZE:TEI. HEU-\n    RE:SE: DE. EASON ME.+\n\nNVDVSESSEM, BES-\nTIA NIME TEXIS-\nSET, QVAERE, ET\nINVE NIES. MESI-\nNITO.\n  _Reading with corrected spacing and punctuation:_\n    NVDVS ESSEM, BES-/TIA NI ME TEXIS-/SET. QVAERE, ET\n    INVENIES. ME SI-/NITO\n\n+HOSTIS EI. ALBEEK TOU DE TOU\nTHE:SAUROU, OSNON ANA RESKOI.\nPARAINO: DE HO:S LABE:IS TE:N\nKEPHALE:N, ME: HAPTOU EO:MATOS.+\n  _Probable correct reading:_\n    +HOSTIS EI, LABE EK TOUDE TOU / THE:SAUROU, HOSON ANARESKOI.\n    PARAINO: DE HO:S LABE:IS TE:N / KEPHALE:N, ME: HAPTOU SO:MATOS.+\n\n...QVANTVNCVN-\nQUE LIBVERIT\nHVIVS THESAVRI\nSVME AD MONEO...\n  _Correct spacing: ADMONEO._\n\n+THEOIS APHRODITIKAI TO: O: EROTI DIONISOS YKAI\nDE: ME:TRA EK TO:N IDIO:N MYTRI\nSUMPATHESTATE:+\n  _Probable correct reading:_\n    +THEOIS APHRODITE:I KAI TO:I HUIO:I ERO:TI DIONUSOS KAI\n    DE:ME:TRA EK TO:N IDIO:N ME:TRI / SUMPATHESTATE:\n\n+AEI SPEU DE BRADEOS+\n  _Probable correct reading:_\n    +AEI SPEUDE BRADEO:S+\n\n+PANTA TO KADI+\n  _Probable correct reading:_\n    +PANTA TOKADI+\n\n+PANTO:N TO KADI+\n  _Probable correct reading:_\n    +PANTO:N TOKADI+\n\n+SUMOIPL UKUSTEKAIPKROS+\n  _Probable correct reading:_\n    +SUMOI GLUKUS TE KAI PIKROS+","title":"Hypnerotomachia: The Strife of Loue in a Dreame","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":69208}