Flauæ Messi S.
Vpon the third side was the likenes in a deuine aspect naked of a yoong boy, crowned with vine leaues, and of a wanton countenance, holding in his left hand certaine clusters of ripe grapes, and in the other, a copie full of grapes which did hang ouer the mouth thereof. At his feete laie a hayrie goate and this writing vnder.
Mustulento Autumno S.
The last square did beare vpon it a kingly image passing well cut, his countenance displeasant and austere, in his left hand he held a scepter vp into the heauens, the aire cloudie, troublesome and stormie, and with the other hand reaching into the clouds full of haile. Behinde him also the aire was rainie and tempestuous. He was couered with beasts skins, and vpon his feete he ware sandals, where vnder was written,
Hiemi Æoliæ S.
From thence the most faire and pleasant Nymph brought me towards the sea side and sandie shore, where we came to an olde decaied temple, before the which vpon the fresh and coole hearbs, vnder sweete shadie trees we sate downe and rested ourselues, my eies very narrowly beholding, with an vnsatiable desire, in one sole perfection and virgineall bodie, the accumulation and assembly of all beauties; an obiect interdicting my eies to behold any gracious, that except, or of so great content.
Where refreshing in a secret ioy with new budding conceits my burning hart, and leauing off vulgar and common
follies, I began to consider of the intelligible effect of honest loue, and withall of the cleerenes of the skies, the sweete and milde aire, the delightfull site, the pleasant countrie, the green grasse decked with diuersity of flowers, the faire hils adorned with thicke woods, the quiet time, fresh windes, and fruitfull place, beautifully enriched with diffluent streames, sliding downe the moist vallies betwixt the crooked hils in their grauelled channels, and into the next seas with a continued course softly vnlading themselues.
Thessalie is a region of Greece, hauing vpon the one side Macedonia, and on the other Bœotia, reaching betweene Thermopylæ, and the riuer Pineus, euen to the sea side, it is the gardẽ of Grecia. A ground most healthfull, the grasse coole and sweet: and from the trees resounded the sweete consents of small chirping birds. The flouds and fields of Thessalie must giue place to this.
And there sitting thus togither among the sweete flowers and redolent roses, I fastened mine eies vpon this heauenly shape of so faire and rare a proportion, whereunto my sences were so applied, drawen and addicted, that my hart was ouerwhelmed with extreeme delights, so as I remained senceles, and yet cast into a curious desire to vnderstand and knowe what should be the reason and cause that the purple humiditie in the touch of hir bodie, in the smoothnes of hir hand should be as white as pure milke: and by what meanes that nature had bestowed in hir faire bodie the fragrant sweetnes of Arabia.