[v]
All which rare worke, by so sharpe and fine a wit composed, as this insolent and precious vessell was, the foure perfect harpies, the woonderfull and curious azule, wherevpon the three Images of pure gould stood, with what Arte, ordinance, and rule, digested and made perfect: as I am ignorant in them altogither, so much the lesse able am I to describe the whole as it did deserue, being a woorke past any humaine reache and capacitie to frame the like.
And I may bouldly say, that in our age there was neuer seene in stone and mettle such a peece of woorke embost, chased, and engrauen. For it was a woonder to see, that stones of such extreame hardnesse, as that which was the steale to hould vppe the Vessell, should be cut and wrought to that purpose, as if it had beene as soft as wax. A woorke raither to bee woondered at, then vndertaken.
The square base court, (in the middest whereof stood this notable woorke of the sumptuous Fountaine,,) was paued with fine Marble of diuers coulers and fashions. Amongst which were appact very beautifully, roundes of Diasper, equally distant, and disagreeing from the couler of the pauement, and the corners closed vp with leaues and Lyllies. Betwixt the square marble pauing stones, there was a space left like a list, which was filled vp with diuers coulered stones of a lesser cut, some proportioned into greene leaues, and tawnie flowers. Cyanei, Phænicei, and Sallendine, so well agreeing in theyr coulers, so glistering and seuerly set of a diligent Xesturgie. As full of coulers as a Christall glasse, repercust and beaten against with the beames of the sunne. Because the circumduct and compassing coulers, meeting together in the selfe same smoothe and cleane stones, did yeeld a reflection, no part being faultie, eyther of the square checkers or scutuls and Trigons. But with a smoothe and streight ordinance well ioyned together.
Whereat I remained woonderfully amased by my selfe, diligently considering vpon the noblenes of the woorke, such as I had not beene vsed to see, and verye willinglye I would haue beene content, to haue made more staye in the contemplating thereof, for so the dignitie of the worke required, but I could not because it was necessarie for me to follow after my leaders.
[v] Then the aspect of this sumptuous magnificient and statelye pallace, the approoued situation thereof, the dew proportion, and the maruelous composition in my first comming to it, did make me woonderfully contented to view the woorthines thereof, and in continuance I was prouoked to behould more, for which cause I perswaded my selfe, as I might very well, that the expert builder, excelled all other whatsoeuer. What kinde of rafters? what manner of roofe? after what sort the Parlors chambers, closets and lodgings, were disposed? with what kind of seeling they were enclosed and incrusted? wherewithall hanged? with what couler and kinde of painting ouerhead? What order of columination, and what space betwixt. No other building maye goe beyonde this whatsoeuer, but may giue place verye well, of what kinde of Marble, and what manner of engrauing.
There I beheld the laboures of Hercules grauen in stone with halfe the representation standing out or bearing foorth, in a woonderfull sort, the skinnes, statues, tytles, and trophes, What an entry, what a stately porche, what that of Titus Cesar with his stone of Phenicea with all the tinkering and pullishing about it, there is none whose wit is so grosse to commend it, in respect of this, but will rather scorne to speake of it. As for the woorthie and excellent manner of glasing the gallerie without the pallace, the conspitious porche, the manner of building, the arched seeling aboue head, beautified and adorned with foliature and other lineaments of pure gould and asuer couler and excellent painting that whatsoeuer I had seene before I made finall acount of, as not worthie of remembrance. And beeing now come to the doore within the porche, the going in was closed vp wth a hanging, drawne ouer before it of gould and silke, wrought together, and in the same two images. One of them hauing all kinde of instruments about hir, fitte and readie to goe to worke, and the other with a maidenly countenance, looking vp with hyr eyes into heauen.
The beautye of which two were such, and so fresh, as I looked about mee, whether Apelles had painted them with his Pensill.
And there my sportfull, faire, and pleasant companions, euerie one putting their right handes to mine, willing to haue me in, sayde, Poliphilus this is the vsuall waye, by the which you must come into the presence of our Gracious and moste excellent Queene.