Hypnerotomachia: The Strife of Loue in a Dreame
Some with their haires of Amber colour, curled and dressed vp with
flowers of the same vppon a wyer, with the endes turning downe and
wauing vppon their snowy foreheades and smooth temples, bewtified with
Rubies and Diamonds prickt in the haire.
Others of the colour of the Obsidium of _India_, blacke and shining,
adorned with floures of Orient Pearle, & Carkenets of the same. They
stood all waiting with such a venerate attention, that when the seruice
was brought to the table, they all at one instant time alike, made their
reuerent curtesies in bowing of their knees, and in like manner when
they did rise from of their seates, euerie one apparrelled in cloth of
Golde, but they did not sit and eate at the same table.
Streight before the triumphant Queene was the opening of the third
Curtaine, couering a great and goodly doore, not of Marble, but of rare
and hard Diasper of the East, of an artificiall and ancient worke,
wonderfully bewtifull to behold. Vpon either sides of this doore, their
yoong damosels Musitians, seuen vpon a side in a Nimpish apparrel,
notable for the fashion and verie rich: which at euery change of
seruice, did alter their Musicke and Instruments, and during the
banquetting, others with an Angelike and Syreneall consent, did tune the
same to their handes. Then in a sodaine was placed frames of Hebony,
with three feete, and other temporary tables, without any noyse or
brustling. Euerie one readie to his appoynted Office, with a carefull,
diligent, and affecting indeuour, wholy to that seruice which was
enioyned him.
And first before the Queene, there was placed a frame of three feete of
this fourme, vpon a rounde of fine Dyasper, with curious Lineaments. To
the which were three stypits, the lower partes whereof, did finish in
the forme of the tearing claw of a Lyon, with an exsquisite foliature,
compassing about the steales of the stypets, hauing in the middest of
euerie one, fastened the head of a childe betwixt two wings, from the
which betwixt one and other of the stypets, there hung in maner of a
Garland a bundle of leaues and fruites bounde togither, and biggest
towardes the midst, and vppon the top of the stypets or steales, was put
a proiection to beare vp the rounde table before the Queene.
This frame was vnmoueable, but the round table was to be quickly taken
of and on, according to the substance of the vessels at euery changing
of the table.
And streight way as it were in the twinckling of an eye and turne of a
hand, there was put vppon this three footed frame a rounde table of
Golde, three foote by the Diameter, and of an indifferent thicknesse,
and of this forme and bignes were all the rest.
Vpon this table was laide a Carpet perfumed, of cloth of Hormisine of a
greene colour, euenly distended large and long downe to the pauement:
fringed vpon the sides with twisted threede of the selfe same, and mixed
with Siluer and Golde, depending downe vnder a border of imbroyderie of
Pearle and pretious stone, with a hand-breadth of the pauement on euerie
side hanging downe. And of this sort were all the Carpets bordered and
fringed.
Afterwards followed a faire yoong Damosell and quicke, with a great
Bason of Gold filled with the flowers of Violets, tawny, blew & white,
and sweet smelling, as in the prime spring time, and strewing of them
vpon the tables, except that before the Queene.
Her sacred maiestie, hauing put off her robe so gorgeous as _Lolia_,
wife to _Paulus Aemilius_ neuer saw in her husbandes tryumphes, and shee
remayned in a gowne of purple Veluet, hauing wouen in it birdes, little
beastes, leaues and flowers in knottes, the worke somewhat raysed vp
with pearle and stone, with a thynne vayle couering it all ouer of silke
syprusse, shewing through it the couered workes and cloath by reason of
the cleare subtiltie and thinnesse thereof, and imperiall and gratious
apparell.
After came in two beautifull Damosels bringing in an artificious
fountaine continually running with water, and reassuming the same
agayne, which was of fine golde, and in a vessell of a curious
workmanshippe, which was brought before the Queene, and after the
presenting of it vpon the table of golde they bowed their knees downe to
the pauement, and like reuerence at the same instaunt made all the rest
of the attendant Ladyes, both at the presenting of euery thing, and at
the taking away. Three other faire Damosels followed neare after them,
one carrying an Ewer of golde, the second a bason, and the other a
towell of white silke.
The Queen whilest shee did wash her handes, one that caried the golden
bason, receyued therin the water, that it might not fall agayne into the
reassuming fountaine: and the other with the Ewrie, powred in as much
sweete water as was borne away, because that the fountaine shoulde not
be emptie, and hyndered in hys course. The third did wipe and drie her
hands.
The broad and large Receptorie of this fountaine was carryed vpon foure
little wheeles, which they drew vppon euerie table to wash the handes of
all that were sette.
The brim of the vessell wherein the rising vp fountaine did stande, was
adorned with bubbles of pearle standing vp, and vnder the same was sette
an other of an other sorte, and both ioyned together with two claspes of
an exquisite dipoliture, fine worke, and pretiously garnished. For among
other iewelles of inestimable price, vppon the verie toppe in a flower,
there was sette a Diamond in fashion of a peare, glistering and
sparkling of a huge and vnseene bignes.
And as neare as my smell could tell mee, I did iudge the water to bee of
Roses, mixt with the iuice of Lymon pilles, and a little Amber
artificially composed, which yeelded a sweet and pleasant smell.
In the middest of this admirable and stupendious Court, there was set
out a maruellous perfuming vessel, not so much for the excellent and
perfecte substaunce thereof, which was pure and fine golde: but for the
conspicuous, rare, and auncient fashion of the base, standing vpon three
Harpyes feete, the which in a foliature made a trianguled illygament to
the base, full of deuises, as the mettall required, ouer euerie Angle or
corner whereof stoode three naked shapes of flying spirites orderly
sette, of two cubites high, with their shoulders turned one towards an
other, and somewhat neare together.
They stood vpon the base with the right foot towards the corner, and the
lefte stretching towardes the fixed foot of the other boye. Their cubits
bending vp, and holding the handle of the perfuming panne, verie slender
in the steale, and vpward in fashion of a bowle, somewhat furrowed and
broad lipped.
There were six in a round circuit, one towardes an other: And betwixt
theyr shoulders in the Center point of the trianguled base, there rose
vp a steale like an olde fashioned Candlesticke, holding on the toppe
thereof suche a bowle or vessell as aforesaide, and so broade as did
fill vp the voyde place in the middest betwixt the other six.
Which bowles were filled with burning coles couered ouer with embers,
and in euery vessell vppon the ashes did boyle a little pot of gold,
which contrary liquors infused with sweet odours.
And as I suspected, euery potte had seuerall water, as it were, one with
Rose-water, another with water of Orange flowers, another of myrtle,
tender greene Lawrell leaues, elder flowers, and diuers such lyke
sociable symples. And these boyling together, they did yeelde a most
pleasant and fragrant smell.
In the presence of the magnificent Queene there did alwayes wayte and
attend three honourable Nymphes, their apparell beeing of golde and
silke, maruelously wouen and adorned, and sette with pearle and stone.
The lyninges of theyr gownes going about their snowie shoulders, and
comming downe vppon theyr little round brestes to the lower parte of
their wastes, of suche colour as the napkins, leauing to be seene the
pleasaunt valleys betwixt their faire brestes, an extreame delight
and desired nourishment vnto a narrowe looke and greedie eye, with
a thousand small chaynes, pretie iewelles and flowers of golde in
a f[ae]minine sort, a sweet bayte to carrie a man headlong into
forgetfulnes of hymselfe, beeing inchaunted with choyse and amorous
regards, farre passing the desire of any other delycate vyands. Their
shooes of golde cutte with halfe Moones, and closed vp at the ioyning of
the hornes or corners with buttons and flowers of gold-smithes woorke in
a curious sorte, and the trammels of their faire and plentifull haire
aboue their forheads and temples instrophiated with large and round
oryent pearle.
They stoode thus on eyther hande and before the Queene with a singular
and reuerent regarde, attending and readilie perfourming that charge
whereunto they were appoynted. And these serued but an one Table: which
beeing chaunged, they withdrewe themselues by, and stoode still vppon
theyr feete arme in arme, other three hauing supplyed their places: And
the three that wayted, shee in the middest was caruer.
The other vppon the right side helde vnder a plate if anie thing should
fall by: and the thirde vppon the lefte hand held a most whyte and
cleane towell of silke to drie her lippes, and in euery action a
reuerence.
The towell was not vsed but once, and then cast by vpon the pauement,
and carryed away by one that stoode neare. And so many morsels as shee
did eate, so many sweete perfumed cleane towelles of silke plyted and
finely wrought were vsed.
And the like was doone to euerie guest, for not one at that banquet did
touch anie thinge sauing onelye the cuppe.
After that the Queene had washed, and had her first seruice, then all
the rest did wash at the same fountaine, casting out water of it selfe,
and reassuming the same in a wonderfull manner by two small pypes on
eyther sides, and running vp straight in the middest from the bottome of
the vessell, the deuyse whereof when I did vnderstand, I was much
contented therewithall.
After the washing of the Queene first, and successiuely of all the rest,
there was deliuered to euery one of the wayters a rounde ball of golde
wyer-woorke full of small holes, and within stuft with Amber past of a
most perfect composition, set with pretious stones, to the ende their
hands, eyes, and sences should not be idle.
Then there at euerie chaunge of course, two _Edeabriees_ that had the
ordayning of the Queenes meate, did bring into the middest of the royall
Court vppon foure turning wheeles a stately repositorie or cupbord, in
fashion like vnto a shippe, and the rest like to a triumphant Chariot,
of most fine golde, with many fishes and water monsters, and infinit
other exquisite shapes maruelously wrought, and sette full of riche
stones, the sparklings and glisterings whereof did shine rounde about
the sides of the Court, and reincounter vpon the roundelles of the other
before spoken iewelles, on euery side fitly placed, as if Phoebus had
been sette by a Nymph to grace hir eyes and countenance with his shining
brightnes.
To all which continuall glistering of ineffable workemanshippe, there
could no more bee deuised of equall comparison, although it were the
Temple at Babylon with the three golden statues.
Within the which was put all such necessaries perfumed, as were meete
and conuenient for the chaunging of the tables, as clothes, flowers,
cuppes, towelles, and vesselles, to powre out of, to drinke in, and
plates to eate vpon.
And these two Nymphes plaustraries[A], did take them downe, and deliuer
them (as neede required) to the wayters.
[Sidenote A: Which did draw in the cupbord.]
And the first Table beeing chaunged, euerie thing was brought backe
agayne to the plaustraries, at whose going away the Trumpettes sounded