These were the Nymphs Hamadryades, pleasantly compassing vppon either sides the flowered Vertumnus, hauing vppon his heade a garlande of roses, and his gowne lap full of faire flowers, louing the station of the woollie ramme. He sate in an ancient fashioned carre, drawne by fower horned fauns or satyrs, with his louing and faire wife Pomona, crowned with delicate fruits, hir haire hanging downe ouer hir shoulders, of a flaxen colour, and thus she sate participating of hir husbands pleasure and quiet, and at hir feete laie
a vessell called Clepsydra. In hir right hand she held a copie full of flowers, fruits, and greene leaues, and in hir left hande a branch of flowers, fruits and leaues.
Before the carre and the fower drawing satyrs, there marched two faire Nymphs, the one of them bare a trophæ with a præpendant table, whereupon was written this title,
Integerrimam corporis valetudinem & stabile robur castasque mensarum delitias, & beatam animi securitatem cultoribus me offero.
And the other bare a trophæ of certaine greene sprigges bound togither, and among them diuers rurall instruments fastened. These passed on thus after the ancient maner, with great ceremonies, and much solemnitie, compassing about a great square stone like an aulter, standing in the middest of this faire mead, sufficiently moystened with current streames from beautifull fountaines.
This square stone or aulter was of pure white marble, curiouslie cut by a cunning lapicidarie, vpon euery front wherof was a woonderfull goodly expression, of an elegant image, so exact, as the like else-where is hardly to be found.
The first was a faire goddesse, hir treces flieng abroad, girded with roses and other flowers, vpon a thin vpper garment couering hir beautifull and pleasant proportion. She helde hir right hand ouer an ancient vessell, in maner of a chafing-dish, called Chytropodus, sending foorth a flame of fire, into the which shee did cast roses and flowers, and in the other hand she held a branch of sweete myrtle, full of berries. By hir side stoode a little winged boy smiling, with his bowe and arrowes. Ouer hir head were two pigeons. And vnder the foote of this figure was written
Florido veri S.
Vpon the other side I beheld in an excellent caruing, the representation of a damosell of a maidenly countenaunce, whose stately maiestie gaue great commendation to the curious deuise of the workeman. She was crowned with a garland
[v] of wheat eares, hir haire flingering abroade, and hir habyte Nymphish. In hir right hand she held a copie full of rype graine, and in the other hand three eares of corne, vpon their strawie stalks. At hir feete lay a wheat sheaue bound vp, and a little boy with gleanings of corne in either hands. The subscription was this.