Hypnerotomachia: The Strife of Loue in a Dreame
an other notable fashion and workemanshippe, founded vppon an immoueable
axeltree, vppon the which two wheeles turned about.
Aboue the which stood an vnequal quadrature three foot long, two foot
broad, and six foote high.
In euery angular part did sit a Harpie with both her winges extended and
stretched vp to the breadth of a higher vessell, standing vp vppon the
middest of the measured quadrangule, coronized at the extreme and vpper
parts, and beautified with chanelling and foliature, circumuesting the
lower part.
And vppon euerie side the same diuided into three, the middle parte
betwixt the fall of the waters intercepted, did contayne in halfe bodyes
carued, a tryumph of Satyres and Nymphes, with Trophees, and exquysite
actions, excepte the fore-part and hinder parte moderately sinuated and
bent in. The which in steade of squadred lyneament, did contayne a
roundnesse waued betweene, in the which was maruellously ingrauen a
little sacrifice with an olde Aultar on eyther sides, with manie figures
and actions, the rest that was voyde, the tayles of the foresayde
Harpyes ioyning togeather, and turning heere and there into leaues, did
excellently couer the same.
Out of the medyan center of the equature and quadrangule afore specified
and described out of an antyke folyature, did ryse vp an olde fashioned
vessell, and verie beautifull, the cyrcuite whereof did not exceede the
content of the quadrangulate playne, and this with all the rest of the
woorke, and euerie proportionate disquisition, tryall, and examination,
both in the highest breadth and thicknesse, with moste conuenient
vesseling lineamentes, diligently delymated and fyled, and then finished
with an absolute and depolyte deformation.
The which out of the suppressed orifice thereof did ascend vp an other
hollowe vessell, the compasse whereof did exceede the aforesaide subiect
vessell furrowed and channelled round about, of a great breadth and
large brymmes so wel fashioned, as is possible for any goldsmith to
beate out with his hammer.
In the center poynt whereof did rise and mount an other vessell of
incredible workemanship.
In the bottome of which thirde there were small ridges swelling
outwardes, the toppes of them compassed about with a row of diuerse
inestimable stones, bearing out and differing in colours, as best might
content the eye of a curious Lapidarie and skilfull vnderstanding.
Vppon the same on eyther sides was made a heade of a monster, from the
which on both handes did proceede the garnishing thereof in an exquysite
and most rare worke of leaues, inuesting the same about with the
congresse of the opposyte heade, and finely gracing that parte of the
vessell.
And in the bearing out of the lippe of the vessell ouer the
perpendicular poynt of the heade there was fastened a rynge, from the
which vppon eyther sides there hung downe a garland of braunches,
leaues, flowers, and fruites growing bigger towardes the middest, with a
perpolyte bynding to eyther ringes.
Ouer the middle bending of the garland, and vnder the proiecture of the
lyppe of the vessell, there was fixed and placed the head of an olde
man, with his beard and haire of his head transformed into nettle
leaues, and out of whose mouth gushed out the water of the fountayne by
art continually into the hollownes of the broad vessell vnder this.
Vppon the mouth of this last described vessell did mount vppe a pretyous
hyll maruellously congest, and framed of innumerable rounde pretious
rocke stones closing one with another vnequally, as if nature had ioyned
them growing, making a rounde composed hill, beautifully glistering of
dyuerse sortes and colours in a proportionate bignes.
And aloft vppon the toppe of this little hill, there grewe a fine
pomgranate tree, the body, boughes and fruite made all of golde, the
leaues of greene Smaragde. The fruit of theyr naturall bignesse heere
and there aptly placed, their sides cut open, and in place of kernelles
they were full of most perfecte Rubyes, as bigge as the kernels.
After that, the ingenious Artificer wanting no inuention, hee seperated
the graynes in steade of the fylme with siluer foyle.
And moreouer, in other apples, opened, but not rype, hee redoubled the
thicknesse of the foyle, making the kernelles of an oryentall colour, so
also hee made the flowers of perfect corrall, in the cuppes full of bees
of golde.
Besides this, out of the toppe of the hollowe steale, lyke a pype, there
came out a turning steale, the lowest part whereof rested in a heade,
framed from the middle trunke or pype iust ouer the axeltree.
Which steale or stypet beeing strongly fastened, it bare vp a vessell of
Topas of an auncient forme, the bowle whereof in the bottome was broad,
and swelling out with rigges in the opening, rarely bewtified with a
coronice, and put vnder with another.
In which closing and binding together in foure equall diuisions, there
were foure winged heades of a little childe, with foure pipes in their
mouthes.
The rest mounted vp so much as the lower bignesse of the vessell was,
beeing closed vp at the orifice with an inuerse foliature. Vppon the
which there was placed an other vessell as it were a circular couer of a
most curious leafe worke, with a smal coronice, and an artificiall
orifice.
From the bottome of which there beganne a flourished tayle of a Dolphin
fastened and sowldered to the gracylament of the vessell, descending
downe with his heade finned with leaues, to the circulating brymme of
the vessell where the boyes heades were fixed. And with a moderate
swelling out about the head, and streightning in towardes the tayle,
they fitted for the eares in a beautiful manner. And all that inclining
part with an exquisite polishing did make an expresse shewe of most
curious lineaments.
The ypper vessell was so perfectly wrought, that when the wheele was
mooued, the steale with the vessell vppon the toppe thereof, turned
about and powred out water through the tree, and when the wheele stoode
still, then that lefte turning.
The wheeles were halfe couered with two winges, the
typpes turning one one way, and the other an
other way, adorned with a chasing
of Mermaydes or Scillaes.
This excellent peece of woorke thus running before euerie one, and
weeting our handes and feete of an incredible sweetnesse, such as I
neuer had felt before, we dryed our hands, and it was carryed away.
And beeing thus sprinckled with this rare and maiesticall water, the
wayters with great reuerence presented vnto the Queene first a great
cuppe of golde, and her highnesse affably saluting vs, drunke Nectar,
and afterwardes euerie one of vs after other, with reuerent, mutual, and
solemne honours done, did drinke a most pleasaunt farewell and shutting
vp of all the pretious dainties that we had tasted and fed vpon.
Lastly, the redolent flowers beeing diligently taken away, and all
thinges that had beene vsed borne from thence, the pauement remayned
pure and shining as a most cleare steele glasse, and as it were
emulating the pretious iewelles rownde about.
And euerie one beeing sette in his appoynted place, the
high and mightie Princesse did commaund a company to come
in, and stande vppon the diasper checkers, neuer the
like before seene or imagined of anie
mortall creature.
_Poliphilus followeth to shew besides this great banket of a most
excellent daunce or game, and how the Queene did commit him to two of
her Nymphes, the which did leade and conduct him to the sight of many
wonderfull things, and as they talked, shewed vnto him the secrecies
of such things as hee stood in doubt of. Finally, how they came to
the three gates, in the middlemost whereof, hee remained amongst the
amorous Nymphes._
Hauing spoken something of the exceeding & incomparable glorie, triumph,
vnknowne treasure, plentiful delights, solemne banket, and the most
honourable and sumptuous drinking of this most happie and rich Queene,
if I haue not distinctly and perfectly expressed her chiefest dignitie,
let not the curious company maruel thereat, for whatsoeuer rype, sharpe,
and readie wit, with a franke, eloquent and plentiful toong adorned,
is not able to performe the least part of his duetie.
And much lesse I, who continually suffer in euerie secret place of my
burning heart, an vncessant strife notwithstanding the absence of
_Polia_ my mistres, the owner of all my skil, and imprisoner of my
perfections.
Besides that, in truth the many maruels in excellency, and varietie
vnhard of, so vncoth, rare and straunge vnlikes inestimable, and not
humane, haue so oppressed, laden & born down my sences, with the greedie
and excessiue contemplation and beholding of their variable diuersities,
as that from point to point I am no whit able to describe them, and much
lesse worthie to publish them.
All and the most that I can do, is to thinke of the rich apparrel,
exquisite prouision, curious dressings, perfect ambitious and wounding
bewties without imperfections, their deepe iudgements, _Aemilian_
eloquence, & bountie more then princely, the notable disposition and
order of Architecture, the durable Symmetrie and proportion of the
building, perfect and absolute, the noblenes of the Art of Masonrie and
Lapycidarie, the directions and placing of Columnes, the perfection of
statues and representations, the adornment of the walles, the diuersitie
of the stones, the stately entrance & princely porch, large Gallery,
artificious pauements, no man will thinke with what cost and charge
bewtified and hanged with precious Arras and Verdure. The spacious and
loftie inner Court, goodly bedchambers, inner withdrawing chambers,
parlours, bathes, librarie and pinacloth, where coat Armors escuchions,
painted tables, and counterfeates of strangers were kept, & with a
maiestical comelines and order placed and solemnely distributed.
In which conceiuing capacitie, maruellous performance, incredible charge
and high commendation of the most excellent Artificer, woorthily allowed
in euerie partition and elegant conuention of exquisite Lineaments. I
also beheld a marueilous twisted conlignation or couering of gold-smiths
work, ouer a foure square plaine Court, growing vp alike, without
comparison like a heauen, with a disposite distance of many sorted
proportions, with sundry lybellated Dimensions, shadowing ouer the
Court, with an Arched Eminence, which was vnder, adorned with coronised
Lyneaments and grauings, thereunto conuenient, as Fasheols, Gululles,
and Oualling, and the leaues of _Achanthus_, licking vp as it were in
the corners of the quadranguled Court. With Roses and the growing order
of their leaues, the top leafe least, their iaggings about the leaues,
and space betweene leafe and leafe. All thinges couered with pure fine
gold and Azure colour, with diuers other proportions and counterfets of
substance, equal with their workemanship. The roofing of _Salances_ King
of _Colchis_, may not compare with this.
Then the delightful fruitfulnes of the set hedges, Orchards, watered
Gardens, springing Fountaines, current streames in Marble Channelles,
conteined, framed, and held in, with an incredible Art, greene Hearbes,
still freshe and flowering, a sweete ayre, warme and spring windes, with
a confused charme of singing and chirping birdes, a pure, faire and
bright aire, and stil continuing temperate and healthfull, country free
from danger and cleane, No craggy nor rockie places, nipt and blasted
with sharpe windes, nor burnt with an vntemperate hotte Sunne, but vnder
a sweet and pleasant temperature, in a moderate meane reioycing, betwixt
two extreemes, the fields fruitful and without tillage and manuring,