Hypnerotomachia: The Strife of Loue in a Dreame
stood, with what Arte, ordinance, and rule, digested and made perfect:
as I am ignorant in them altogither, so much the lesse able am I to
describe the whole as it did deserue, being a woorke past any humaine
reache and capacitie to frame the like.
And I may bouldly say, that in our age there was neuer seene in stone
and mettle such a peece of woorke embost, chased, and engrauen. For it
was a woonder to see, that stones of such extreame hardnesse, as that
which was the steale to hould vppe the Vessell, should be cut and
wrought to that purpose, as if it had beene as soft as wax. A woorke
raither to bee woondered at, then vndertaken.
The square base court, (in the middest whereof stood this notable woorke
of the sumptuous Fountaine,) was paued with fine Marble of diuers
coulers and fashions. Amongst which were appact very beautifully,
roundes of Diasper, equally distant, and disagreeing from the couler of
the pauement, and the corners closed vp with leaues and Lyllies. Betwixt
the square marble pauing stones, there was a space left like a list,
which was filled vp with diuers coulered stones of a lesser cut, some
proportioned into greene leaues, and tawnie flowers. Cyanei, Ph[ae]nicei,
and Sallendine, so well agreeing in theyr coulers, so glistering and
seuerly set of a diligent Xesturgie. As full of coulers as a Christall
glasse, repercust and beaten against with the beames of the sunne.
Because the circumduct and compassing coulers, meeting together in the
selfe same smoothe and cleane stones, did yeeld a reflection, no part
being faultie, eyther of the square checkers or scutuls and Trigons. But
with a smoothe and streight ordinance well ioyned together.
Whereat I remained woonderfully amased by my selfe, diligently
considering vpon the noblenes of the woorke, such as I had not beene
vsed to see, and verye willinglye I would haue beene content, to haue
made more staye in the contemplating thereof, for so the dignitie of the
worke required, but I could not because it was necessarie for me to
follow after my leaders.
Then the aspect of this sumptuous magnificient and statelye pallace, the
approoued situation thereof, the dew proportion, and the maruelous
composition in my first comming to it, did make me woonderfully
contented to view the woorthines thereof, and in continuance I was
prouoked to behould more, for which cause I perswaded my selfe, as I
might very well, that the expert builder, excelled all other whatsoeuer.
What kinde of rafters? what manner of roofe? after what sort the Parlors
chambers, closets and lodgings, were disposed? with what kind of seeling
they were enclosed and incrusted? wherewithall hanged? with what couler
and kinde of painting ouerhead? What order of columination, and what
space betwixt. No other building maye goe beyonde this whatsoeuer, but
may giue place verye well, of what kinde of Marble, and what manner of
engrauing.
There I beheld the laboures of Hercules grauen in stone with halfe the
representation standing out or bearing foorth, in a woonderfull sort,
the skinnes, statues, tytles, and trophes, What an entry, what a stately
porche, what that of Titus Cesar with his stone of Phenicea with all the
tinkering and pullishing about it, there is none whose wit is so grosse
to commend it, in respect of this, but will rather scorne to speake of
it. As for the woorthie and excellent manner of glasing the gallerie
without the pallace, the conspitious porche, the manner of building, the
arched seeling aboue head, beautified and adorned with foliature and
other lineaments of pure gould and asuer couler and excellent painting
that whatsoeuer I had seene before I made finall acount of, as not
worthie of remembrance. And beeing now come to the doore within the
porche, the going in was closed vp wth a hanging, drawne ouer before it
of gould and silke, wrought together, and in the same two images. One of
them hauing all kinde of instruments about hir, fitte and readie to goe
to worke, and the other with a maidenly countenance, looking vp with hyr
eyes into heauen.
The beautye of which two were such, and so fresh, as I looked about mee,
whether _Apelles_ had painted them with his Pensill.
And there my sportfull, faire, and pleasant companions, euerie one
putting their right handes to mine, willing to haue me in, sayde,
_Poliphilus_ this is the vsuall waye, by the which you must come into
the presence of our Gracious and moste excellent Queene.
But you cannot haue leaue to enter in here through this Curtain, before
you bee receiued of a vigilant and innocent Damosel that is the keeper
of this doore, and she is called _Cinosia_. Who hearing vs comming, did
forthwith present her selfe, and fauourably held vp the cloth, and wee
entered in.
There was a roome hung about and diuided by an other Curtaine of
excellent Arras full of Imagerie, as signes, shapes, plants, and
beastes, singularly well done.
In this place at our comming, an other curious woman came towardes vs,
called _Indalomena_, and she putting by the Curtaine, wee entered in.
And there was an other suche like roome, from the second for quantitie,
with discourses and reason marueilously wouen, with infinite knottes,
bucklinges, tyings, and old fashioned harping Irons, or Hookes, as if
they had been fastened and knit togither. In which place without any
staying, the third woman came and receiued vs very gratiously, her name
was _Mnemosina_, and shee calling vs, gaue vs free leaue to go in. Where
lastly my companions did present mee before the sacred maiestie of the
Queene _Eleutherillida_.
_Poliphilus sheweth as well as hee may, how exceeding great the
Maiestie of the Queene was, the manner of her Residence and seruice.
His fauourable entertainment. Howe shee marueiled at him._
When I came towardes the first doore-keeper, I was somewhat abashed, but
yet I did salute her in good sorte as became mee to doo. And shee verie
curteously badde mee come neere. And in like manner the second.
In whose gard I did see a loftie Gallery as long the content of the
Pallaice, the roofe whereof, was all painted with a greene foliature,
with distinct flowers and folded leaues, and little flying Byrdes,
excellently imphrygiated of museacall paynting, as without in the first
Court, and the stone walls seeled with Chipworkes of diuers colours.
At the last doore, the Matrone _Mnemosina_ perswaded me verie
effectually, not to doubt of any thing, but that I should stedfastly
follow the royall perswasion, and healthfull counsell of the Queene, and
perseuere in the execution thereof, for that the ende without doubt
would be to my content.
And thus hauing leaue to goe in, beholde such thinges presented
themselues to my eyes, as were lyker to be celestiall then humane.
A most stately and sumpteous preparation, in a gorgeous and spacious
Court, beyond the Pallaice neere and opposite to the other, and foure
square.
The bewtifull and precious Pauement within a checkered compasse going
about the same, there was a space of sixtie foure Squadrates of three
foote, the dyameter of euerye one: Of the which one was of Iasper, of
the colour of Corall, and the other greene, powdered with drops of blood
not to bee woorne away: and set togither in manner of a Chesse-boord.
Compassed about with a border, the breadth of one pace of a rare
inuention of woorke, with small pieces of stones, of diuers colours, and
so compacte together, as if it had beene a straunge paynted woorke
euenly cut and set by rule, that you could not perceiue the ioyning, but
smoothe and shyning, and so well framed by the Lybell and Squadrate,
that no circulating or sph[ae]ricall Instrument woulde mooue to either
sides without forcing.
About this, lastlye was an other marueylous kynde of Pauing of three
paces broad, in knottes of Iasper, Praxin, Calcedonie, Agat, and other
sortes of stones of price.
And about by the sides of the walles, compassing the sayde Court paued
as you haue heard, there were placed Settles, of the wood of Palme
Trees, of colour betwixt a yealow and tawny, passing well turned and
fashioned, couered ouer with greene Veluet, and bowlstered with some
soft stuffe or feathers easie to sit vpon, the Veluet brought downe to
the frame of the Settles or Benches, and fastened to the same with tatch
Nayles of Golde, with bossed heades vppon a plaine Siluer Nextrule or
Cordicell.
The alament of the claustering walles, were couered ouer with Plates of
beaten Golde, with a grauing agreeable to the pretiousnes of the metall.
And in the co[ae]quated and smoothe plaine of the same walles of stone,
by certaine Pilastrelles, Quadrangules, or _L_ossenges, of an equall
dimension and distinct correspondencie in the middest of euerie one,
there were perspicuously appact rounde Iewels, bearing out and swelling
beyond the plaine leuell of the wall, after the manner of the tores of
bases, and of thicknes according to the proportion of the Losenge
wherein it stood, compassed about with greene iagged leaues, one bending
ouer an other, the tops turned toward the Iewell.
And betwyxt the Foliature and the great Iewell, another border of
pretious stones curiouslie sorted and conspicuouslie set.
And in the rest of the wall circumvallate of these bearing out rownde
Iewels, the seuen Plannets with their nature and properties, with an
Encaustic woorke were sweetly painted, which I beheld with great
delight. The rest of the wall exclusiue from the rowndnes of the Iewels
within the Pilastrels, were filled vp and bewtified with infinite
varietie of workes in siluer, and powdered with diuers inestimable
stones, singularly well cut, and of diuers fashions.
The wall on the left side was in like sort, and opposite in tundels.
Against the seuen Plannettes were there seuen Tryumphes ouer the
subiectes of the same predominent Plannettes, and in such lyke Art
of Painting as the other side.
And on the right part I behelde their seuen harmonies and friendly
aspectes, and the passage of the blood, with the qualitatiue receiuing
and retiring & circulating entrance, with an incredible Historie of the
celestiall operation accedent.
The fourth alament made the Pallaice of suche like distribution as the
other, the doore except, whiche did occupie an emptie voyde interstice.
The other sixe with a regulate correspondence, and harmonye of the rest,
in the Iewelles to the opposite and symentriall congresse of the
Plannettes, with their vertuous inclinations, were expressed in the
shapes of elegant Nimphes, with the titles and signes of their natures.
The seuenth Mediane quarter, was the forefront directlye placed against
the seuenth Iewell, representing the Planet _Soll_, whiche was set vp
more higher then the rest, by reason of the Queenes Throne.
Euerie part of matter, number, forme, and lyneament, in distribution
equally correspondent to his Lybell, the right with the left, and here
and there, with an exquisite loue, and congresse agreeing.
Of whiche moste excellent Court, euerie side was eight and twentie
paces. In this sort stood this synarie open Court, all compassed about
with fine golde, a worke rather to bee wondered at, then spoken off.
The Pilastrelles were discrepant fowre paces one from an other, with a
iust partition of seuen (a number gratefull to nature) of fine and
orient Azure, Lazull stone, passing well coloured according to his
kinde, with a bewtifull bestowing of small glymces of gold. In the fore
part of which, betwixt the seuen pilastrels, there were appointed little
slender Pillers wrought about with leaues, copies, heades with haire
like leaues, boyes their hippes and legges proportioned into brawnches,
Birdes and copies, and vesselles full of flowers, with other woonderfull