Hypnerotomachia: The Strife of Loue in a Dreame
inuentions and deuises, from the top to the bottome of the Anaglyph, as
if they had grown out of the foundation, making and diuiding in sunder
the spaces, their chapters were wrought of a fashion answerable to the
rest.
Ouer the whiche did extende a streight beame with grauen lineamentes
fitting the same. And ouer that a Zophor, conteining this woorke still
throughout, that is, the bonye scalpes of Oxen, with myroll bowghes full
of berries, tyed abowt theyr hornes by a towell of linnen.
Vpon either sides of them were Dolphines, with their gilles lyke leaues,
and their Finnes and their extreeme partes of a foliature, and vpon
theyr heades and backes certaine naked boyes, getting holde of theyr
lifted vp braunching tayles, with leaues and flowers, and bending them
downe.
The head of the Dolphine hauyng a Syme, whereof the one part turned
towardes the Boye, and the other bent against the vessell with an open
gaping, and endyng in the head of a Storke, with her beake against the
open mouth of a Monster, lying with his face vpwarde, and certaine
Whorelles or Beades rysing vp betwixt his mouth and her beake.
Whiche heades in stead of haire, were couered with leaues one ouer an
other, filling the Orifice of the vessell, and from one lyp to an other,
and vnder the bowle thereof towarde the foote, there compassed a fine
towell of linnen, the endes hanging downe from the knottes, in suche an
excellent sorte as was conuenient both for the place and matter. And in
the middle ouer the heades, was the face of a childe vppon a payre of
winges.
And with suche lyke lineamentes was the Zophor adorned and couered, with
a Coronice full of excellent workemanship. Vppon the plaine toppe
whereof, by a perpendicular lyne ouer the Pillars, in the ordeining of
the squadrangalles, there were placed and framed certaine olde fashioned
vesselles, by an appointed distribution, three foote high of Calcedonie,
some of Amethist, some of Agat, some of Iasper, with their bellies
furrowed and Channelled, and cut of a rare and maruellous cunning, and
with excellent eares.
In a perfect order ouer euerie Iewell aboue the Coronice, were aptlye
ioyned traunsomes, squared seuen foote high, and the middle space
betweene them of glistering Golde, with a superadiect extention, closing
ouer the streight extended transomes. And by a turnyng downe the
transomes, did ioyne decently one with the other, with a Topiarie[A]
woorke. Intending that out of the vesselles standing vpon the Coronice
as aforesaide, in the cornes the transome and the vyne should ryse vp
togither, but out of the other vesselles, either a vyne or some Woodbine
of Golde, by courses meeting ouer the transwerst traunsomes, with a
thicke stretching out of theyr spreadyng braunches, one ioyning with an
other, and twisting togither with a fine and pleasant congresse,
couering ouer all the whole court with a riche and inestimable suffite,
with diuers fashioned leaues of greene emeralde, gratefull to the sight,
more perfect then that wherein _Amenon_ was impressed, and the flowers
dispersed and distributed of Saphires and byrrals. And with an excellent
disposition and artificiall, betwixt the greene leaues and the grosse
vaynes, so precious hunge downe the clusters of grapes made of stones,
agreeable and fitting to the naturall coulers of Grapes.
[Sidenote A: Topiaria, the feate of making Images or Arbours in
Trees.]
All which most rare deuises, of pryse incomparable, incredible, and past
imagination, did shine all ouer most pretiouslie: not so much to be
marueyled at for the costlinesse of the matter, but for the large
greatnesse of the worke.
For nor without great cause, from place to place, with a diligent and
iealous examination I did carefully consider the large extention of the
inmost intricate braunches, and their proportionate strength and
thicknesse, so cunninglie doone, by such an arte, boulde attempt, and
continued intent, they were so aptly led out, whether by sowdering,
or by the Hammer, or by casting, or by all three, mee thought it an
vnpossible worke to make a couering of such a breadth, and so twysted
and twyned together.
In the middle prospect, oppossite against our going in vpon a degreed
regall throne, set full of glystering stones in a maruelous order, farre
more excellent then the seat in the temple of _Hercules_ at _Tyre_, of
the stone _Eusebes_. The Queene with an imperiall Maiestie sitting vppon
it, goddesse like, and of a woonderfull magnanimitie in countenance:
gorgiously apparrelled in clothe of goulde, with a sumptuous and curious
attyre, vpon hir head of a purple couler, with an edging of Orient
Pearle, shadowing ouer hir large forhead, aunciently and princelike,
euer pressing hir plemmirrulate trammels of hayre, as blacke as iet
descending downe hir snowie temples, and the rest of the aboundance of
hir long hayre, fastned rounde in the hinder parte of her head, and
deuided into two partes or tresses, lapt about this waye and that waye,
behind hir small eares, ouer hir streight proportioned head, and
finished in the crowne, with a flower of great Orient, and rownd
Pearles, such as be found in the Indian promontorie _Perimula_.
The rest of hir long spreding hayre was not seene, but couered ouer with
a thinne vayle, edged with gould, hanging downe from the said flower and
knot of pearle, to hir delicate shoulders, and flingering abroade with
the ayre.
In the middle of the edging of hir dressing, vpon the highest parte ouer
the middest of hir forhead hoong a rare iewell. And about hir round and
snowie neck, went an inestimable Carkenet with a pendent ouer the
diuision of hir rownde brests, of a table Dyamond, in fashion of an
Egge, sparkling, and of a monstrous largenes, set in gould with wyer
woorke.
At hir eares moste richelye were hanged in the typpes two earinges, two
great shynyng Carbunckles of an inestimable price.
Hir shooes were of greene silke, and hir pantofles of gould imbrodered
in a leafe woorke. Vppon a foote stoole aboue the which, and vnder hir
feete, was layde a cushion of white Veluet, with a purseling of silke
and Orient Pearles of_Arabia_, within the persick golph, with foure
Buttons wrought with pretious Stones, and tasseld with goulde twist, and
crimosen silke, depending.
Vppon eyther sides along vpon the aforesaid benches couered ouer with
greene veluet, sate hir Ladyes of honour, attendant in a goodly and
commendable order, according to their estates, apparrelled in clothe of
goulde in an incredible brauerie, as in the world may bee seene. And in
the middest of them this renowned and famous Queene in great pompe and
vnspeakeable statelynes, and the hemmes of hir vestures so edged and set
with pearle and stone, as if nature had rayned and powred them down vpon
hir.
At hir high and imperiall aspect, with great reuerence bowing their
knees to the ground vnto hir, hir women did rise vppe from their seates,
occasioned by the noueltie of the spectacle, & greatly marueiling that I
should come into such a place.
But I founde my selfe more amazed, my hearte quayling, and dilating both
of the troubles that I passed, and the present estate that I was brought
into, which did enuiron and fill me with an extreame amasement, reuerend
feare, and honest shamefastnesse.
And they asking the fiue Nimphes that brought me in, whysperinglie what
I was, and the strangenesse of my hap, directing, bending and
intentiuely fixing all their eyes vpon me. Where finding my selfe so
base a worme in such an excellent conspect, I was woonderfully
astonished, and lyke one that had no spyrite.
But the successe and manner of my comming being demaunded of them, the
Nymphes plainly, open and manifest the same at large, whereat the
gratious Queene beeing mooued to compassion, caused me to stand vp, and
vnderstanding what my name was, began to say.
_Poliphilus_, be of good comfort, and pluck vp a good heart, and tell me
how thou commest hither, and by what meanes, and how thou diddest escape
that mortall and horrible Dragon? and how thou diddest finde away out of
that odious and blinde darkenes, I haue beene tould of it: But I maruell
me not a little, because few or none dare aduenture that waye. But
seeing that grace hath safelye brought thee hither vnto vs, I will not
denye thee (any cause notwithstanding) a gratious and fauourable
intertaynement.
To whose liberall inuiting, royall woordes and intertaynement, better
then I could haue imagined to desire, with diuote and honourable
thankes, giuen aboundantly from pointe to pointe, I tould how I escaped
and fled from the Dragon, a fearefull monster. And consequently with
what trauell and payne I came to the desired place. And how the fiue
Nimphes did finde me wandering and afrayde. Which when I had at large
declared and ended my speeche, I began with great desire to frame my
selfe to bee a pertaker of their solacious and magnificent pleasures.
After that she said vnto me with a smiling and pleasant countenance.
It is a woorthie matter to consider, that an euill and discontented
beginning, often time falleth out to a happie and good successe in the
end: and before that anye thing bee committed vnto you to perfourme, as
touching your amorous and firme conceit, it is our pleasure, for the
asswagement and mitigation of thy commendable griefes, that in this
company thou especially shouldest associate thy selfe with _Philotesia_,
seeing that the faire heauens haue shewed thee of thy entertainment, and
brought thee into our triumphant mansion place. And therefore my
_Poliphilus_, without any more ceremonies take thy place there and sit
downe, for thou shalt see (with a verie good will) part of our sumptuous
and stately manner of seruice, the plentifull diuersitie and number of
my more then princely dainties, the honourable attendance of my
houshold, & excellent order thereof, the inestimable pretiousnes of my
great aboundance, and the large effects of my bounty.
At which imperious commaund, her eloquent and fauorable speech ended,
humbly, and with a little more audacitie than before, vppon one of the
benches of my right hande I did sit downe (lapping my torne gowne
together before me with certaine brymble leaues still sticking in it)
betwixt the fiue Nymphes that brought mee in, and amongst them next vnto
_Offresia_ and _Achoe_, placed behinde the Queene, and six other of the
chamber vppon the other hande, and in the middest on high vppon a throne
did the Queene sitte in an imperiall Maiestie.
The Couer ouer the Throne was of an inamelled couloring contayning in it
a beautifull image without any beard, the head bushing with yellow
haire, part of his brest couered with a thinne cloath ouer the displayed
winges of an Eagle, her head turning vp, and beholding of him. The head
of which image was redymited with an azure Diademe, adorned with seauen
beames, and at the foot of the Eagle two braunches of greene Lawrell,
one one way, the other contrary towards either side. And in euerie
garland I behelde the figment proper to his planet, and behind at my
backe was the iewell, containing the historie of the winged Mercury, and
howe the benignitie of his good disposition is depraued, when he is in
the malignant taile of the venemous Scorpion. And looking vpon my selfe,
I was ashamed to see my vile habite among suche sumpteous induments,
that me thought my selfe no otherwaies but euen lyke that vile and
mortiferous beast among the most noble signes of the Zodiac. The
bewtifull and honorable damosels sate in order vpon the Benches, compast
about all along by the sides of the walles vppon the right side, and the
best of the Court, with a rare and strange kinde of womanly dressing
vppon their heads, as is in the world, with the tresses of their haire
lapt and bowed vp in Caules of gold.