Hypnerotomachia: The Strife of Loue in a Dreame
in such a sorte, as _Piseus Therrenus_ neuer came neare vnto, nor
_Maletus_ Trumpetor to the King of Hetruria.
And then they did wind their Cornettes, thus dooing euerie time that the
repositorie was drawne out, vntil that it came in againe, at what time
they ceased.
And when the Table was chaunged, they altered their musicall
instruments, which beeing ceased, the singers began so heauenly, that it
would haue caused the Syrens to sleepe, hauing mixed with their voyces
still winde instruments of wood, such as the _Troezein Dardanus_ neuer
inuented.
And by this appoynted order, there was continually heard melodious
soundes, and pleasaunt harmonies, sweete concords with delightfull
Musicke presented, odoriferous perfume smelt, and stately viandes
plentifully fedde of. And euerie thing whatsoeuer, without any defect of
grace or delight answerable, according to the dignitie of the place.
To this first princely table, all the vessels and instruments togither
with the table it selfe, were of pure fine Gold. Wherupon there was
appresented a Cordiall confection, and as I could coniecture, it was
made of the scraping of Vnicornes horne, Date stones and Pearle, often
hette, and quenched and pownded small, Manna, Pineapple kernels, Rose
water, Musk and Lyquid, Golde, in a precious composition by weight, and
made Losenges with fine Sugar and Amylum.
This was eaten without any drinking vpon it, and it was a Confection to
prohibite all Feuers, and to driue away Melancholy wearines.
This being done in a moment, all things were taken vp and remoued, the
Violets cast vpon the ground, and the table bare. And assoone as this
was done, the table was laide againe couered with cloth of Talasike, and
also the wayters, and as at the first, there was cast vpon them the
sweete flowers of Cedars, Orenges, and _L_ymons, and vpon that, they did
appresent in vessels of Beryl, and of that precious stone was the
Queenes table (except the skinking pottes which were all of pure fine
Gold) fiue Fritters of paste of a Saffron colour, and crusted ouer with
extreeme hotte Rose water, and fine pownded Sugar, and then againe cast
ouer with musked water, and with fine Sugar like frost vpon Ise. These
Seruices of a most pleasant taste, and of sundry fashions were laid in
thus. The first, in oyle of the flowers of Orenges. The second, in oyle
of Gilliflowers. The third, in oyle of the floures of Gessamin. The
fourth, in pure Oyle of Beniamin.
And the last, in the oyle of Muske and Amber. And when we had wel tasted
and eaten of the same delectable meat, there was deliuered to vs a
goodly cup of the aforenamed Beryl, with his couer, and couered ouer
that also with a thinne Veyle of silke and Gold curiously folded into
the fourme of a Canapie, the ends cast ouer the shoulders of the
bearers, and hanging down their backe.
And in this sort they did present all drinking vessels and others, with
meates and sawces couered. Within the drinkyng cup they had infused a
precious Wine, so as mee thought that the Gods of the _Elysian_ fieldes,
had transformed their power into the sweetnes of the lyquor: surpassing
the wine of _Thassus_.
Without delaie (after our drinking this table being taken away, and the
sweete flowers cast vpon the pauement), there was forthwith spred a
cloth of murry silke and carnation: with Roses white, redde, Damaske,
Muske, and yealow cast vppon the same. And presently new wayters brought
in (apparrelled in the same colours) sixe pieces of bread cut for euery
one, tossed and dressed with refined marrow, sprinckled ouer with Rose
water, Saffron, and the iuice of Orenges, tempering the taste and gilded
ouer, and with them sixe pieces of pure manchet were set downe. And next
vnto them a confection, of the iuice of Lymons tempered with fine Sugar,
the seedes of Pines, Rose water, Muske, Saffron, and choyce Synamon, and
thus were all the sawces made with conuenient gradation and deliuery.
The vessels were of Topas and the round table.
This third magnificent table being taken vp as before said, there was
presently an other innouated, with a cloth of silke smooth, and of a
yealow colour, (the wayters sutable) and strewed with Lilly Conually,
and Daffadil, immediately this course was presented, seuen morsels of
the flesh of a Partridge in a sharpe broth, and so many pieces of pure
white Manchet. The sauce Acceres, minced and dissolued in Sugar thrice
sodden, Amylum, Saunders, Muske and Rose water. The vessels and the
rounde table of _Chrysolite_. Lastly, they offered a precious drinking
cup, and so obserued in the rest.
The fourth table beeing taken away, the fift was reuested with a cloth
of silke, of a crimosen colour, and in like sort the Nimphish apparrel.
The flowers of purple, yealow, white, and tawny. The Seruis, eight
morsels of the flesh of a Pheasant rosted lying in the grauie, and
withall so many pieces of fine white manchet. The sauce was this, water
of Orenge flowers, the iuice of Pomegranets, Sugar, Cloues, and Cynamon.
The vesselles of Smaragde, and the table of the Souereigne Queene.
This beeing taken away verie solemnely, there was spred an other cloth
of silke of a purple colour, and so the apparrel of the wayters.
The flowers were of three sortes, of Iessamine, tawny, yealow, and
white. The Seruice was nine morsels of the flesh of a restoratiue
Peacocke, moystened in his grauie. The sauce was most greene and tart,
with Pistacke, Nuttes pownded, Sugar, Cypricum, Amylum, and Muske, Time,
white Marioram, and Pepper. The vesselles of Saphyre, and the Princely
Table.
At the seuenth chaunge, they brought in a sumpteous table of white
Iuory, bordered, trayled, and finely wrought with many small pieces vpon
the precious wood of Aloes, and ioyned & glued togither, and from one
side to the other, wrought with knottes and foliature, flowers,
vesselles, monsters, little Birdes, and the strikes and caruings filled
vp with a black paste and mixture of Amber and Muske. This mee thought
was a most excellent thing and sumpteous breathing out, a most
delightful sweet smel. The cloth white and subtily wrought with drawne
worke with Satten silke, the ground powdered and filled, and the worke
white and plaine, with the representation of shapes, byrdes, beastes,
and flowers, and in like sort the apparel of the wayters. The flowers
Lady steale, Rape, Violet, and all sortes of sweete Gilliflowers. And
thus there varied euerie where such diuersitie of smelles, seuerally
brought in, and so delightfull to the sences, as I cannot sufficiently
expresse.
Then there was giuen to euerie one a confection in three morsels of the
shell, fish, Dactilus, with Pistacke, Nut kernels pownded and put into
Rose water and Sugar, of the Ilandes, and Muske and leafe Golde, beaten
and adulterated therwith, that euerie piece taken vp, seemed as if it
had beene all Gold.
The vessels were of Iacynth, and the table circular. An apt and
conuenient stone to so excellent disposition and royall board and
straunge banquets, suche as before were neuer heard of.
After the taking away of these wonderfull Confections, and the flowers
cast downe vpon the pauement in a princely magnificence, there was
presently brought in, a great vessell of Gold full of kindled coales,
into the which the table cloathes, napkins and towelles of silke were
throwne, whiche presently burned light, and after that beeing taken out
and cooled, they were whole, vnhurt and cleane, as at the first. And
this yet was the wonderfull straungest of all the rest. And then the
tables and frames were taken downe and carried away.
Which most excellent order and sightes, the more that I carefully
indeuoured to consider of them, the more ignorant and amazed I founde my
selfe.
But in all thinges assuredly I did take great pleasure with my intended
admiration, in seeing of such, so great, plentifull, and tryumphant
sumpteousnes, of so incredible costly a banket, that it is better to
holde my peace then not to speake sufficiently in the report thereof.
For that the bankets of _Sicilia_ be in respect but beggerly, and so
were the stately Ornaments of _Attalus_. The Corinthian vessels, the
dainties of _Ciprus_, and _Saliarie_ suppers.
Yet notwithstanding so supreame and excessiue alacritie, and cordiall
delectation, and that onely and extreeme pleasure (occasioned by such
and so vnexpected delightes) by one of those three which in the last
chaunge attended, was quayled, ouerthrowne, interrupted, lamed,
intercepted and made vaine. For shee did represent in her behauiour, the
sweet iesture and resemblance of _Polia_, stirring vp by them in me
stealing regardes.
This was no small hinderance vnto mee, in the takyng of those pleasant
dainties and princely refection. Yet notwithstanding my eyes would now
and then with much adoo, bee withdrawne to beholde the bewtie of the
Iewels and precious stones, sparkeling and glistering in euerie place,
in such diuersities of straunge and vnseene gloriousnes and conspicuous
decoraments, as if they had all ought a duetie to her, which made mee
with an immoderate desire, to behold the correspondency of her excellent
bewtie.
Lastly, in suche order and sorte, as aforesaide, the tables beeing taken
away, I hung downe my heade, because that I might not followe after the
last iunckates which I had lost by minding of her that ministred.
Then first before the sacred Maiestie and royall person of the Queene,
and afterwards to vs, fiue fayre Nymphes apparelled in blewe silke and
golde curiously wouen togeather in workes, did all together appresent
themselues.
The middlemost of them did beare a braunch of coorrall, lyke a tree,
such as is not founde amongst the Ilandes Orchades, of one cubite high,
which stoode as vppon a little mountayne, which was the couer of an old
fashioned vessell of pure gold, in forme of a Challyce, as high agayne
as the couer and the tree of coorrall, full of curious workmanshippe and
leafe worke, neuer made in our age, nor the like seene.
Betwixt the gracylament of the foote and the cuppe, it was knitte
together with a handle of inestimable workemanship, and in lyke manner
the foote and the bowle were of an excellent anaglyphie of foliature,
monsters and byformed Scyllules, so exquisitely expressed, as could be
imbossed, chased, or ingrauen by proportionate circulation.
And the mordycant couer of the same was thicke set with incomparable
iewelles: and in lyke sorte all the base and handle whereas conueniencie
requyred, and glystering about.
Vppon the braunches of the coorrall, there were artificially sette
certayne open flowers with fiue leaues, some of Saphyre, some of Iacynth
and Berill, and in the middest of them a little round seede of golde,
fastening the leaues to the stalke of corrall.
Which yoong woman reuerently bowing to the earth with her right knee,
reseruing the other still vp, whereuppon shee helde this couer of
coorrall, which also besides the flowers, had vppon the pointes and
toppes of other twigges or sprouts curiously infixed monstrous great
pearle. An other of them had a cuppe full of pretious lyquor, better
then that which the prowde _Cleopatra_ gaue vnto the Romane Captaine:
The reste did execute their offices as aforesaid, and plucking off one
after another, with a little instrument with two teeth of golde they
offering the same fruits vnto vs, to me vnknowne, for that I had neuer
seene the lyke, we did tast them.
But the vnexpected pleasure of them, and sweetnes of their tast, was no
otherwise to me than like a gratious substance wanting his desired
forme.
And there were restored agayne the balles of golde before mentioned.
Vppon this appeared an other maruellous woorke, that was a perpetuall
running fountaine artificially deuysed of the aforesaid matter, but of