Whiche heades in stead of haire, were couered with leaues one ouer an other, filling the Orifice of the vessell, and from one lyp to an other, and vnder the bowle thereof towarde the foote, there compassed a fine towell of linnen, the endes hanging downe from the knottes, in suche an excellent sorte as was conuenient both for the place and matter. And in the middle ouer the heades, was the face of a childe vppon a payre of winges.
And with suche lyke lineamentes was the Zophor adorned and couered, with a Coronice full of excellent workemanship. Vppon the plaine toppe whereof, by a perpendicular lyne ouer the Pillars, in the ordeining of the squadrangalles, there were placed and framed certaine olde fashioned vesselles, by an appointed distribution, three foote high of Calcedonie, some of Amethist, some of Agat, some of Iasper, with their bellies furrowed and Channelled, and cut of a rare and maruellous cunning, and with excellent eares.
In a perfect order ouer euerie Iewell aboue the Coronice, were aptlye ioyned traunsomes, squared seuen foote high, and the middle space betweene them of glistering Golde, with a superadiect extention, closing ouer the streight extended transomes. And by a turnyng downe the transomes, did ioyne decently one with the other, with a Topiarie
Topiaria, the feate of making Images or Arbours in Trees.
woorke. Intending that out of the vesselles standing vpon the Coronice as aforesaide, in the cornes the transome and the vyne should ryse vp togither, but out of the other vesselles, either a vyne or some Woodbine of Golde, by courses meeting ouer the transwerst traunsomes, with a thicke stretching out of theyr spreadyng
[v] braunches, one ioyning with an other, and twisting togither with a fine and pleasant congresse, couering ouer all the whole court with a riche and inestimable suffite, with diuers fashioned leaues of greene emeralde, gratefull to the sight, more perfect then that wherein Amenon was impressed, and the flowers dispersed and distributed of Saphires and byrrals. And with an excellent disposition and artificiall, betwixt the greene leaues and the grosse vaynes, so precious hunge downe the clusters of grapes made of stones, agreeable and fitting to the naturall coulers of Grapes.
All which most rare deuises, of pryse incomparable, incredible, and past imagination, did shine all ouer most pretiouslie: not so much to be marueyled at for the costlinesse of the matter, but for the large greatnesse of the worke.
For nor without great cause, from place to place, with a diligent and iealous examination I did carefully consider the large extention of the inmost intricate braunches, and their proportionate strength and thicknesse, so cunninglie doone, by such an arte, boulde attempt, and continued intent, they were so aptly led out, whether by sowdering, or by the Hammer, or by casting, or by all three, mee thought it an vnpossible worke to make a couering of such a breadth, and so twysted and twyned together.
In the middle prospect, oppossite against our going in vpon a degreed regall throne, set full of glystering stones in a maruelous order, farre more excellent then the seat in the temple of Hercules at Tyre, of the stone Eusebes. The Queene with an imperiall Maiestie sitting vppon it, goddesse like, and of a woonderfull magnanimitie in countenance: gorgiously apparrelled in clothe of goulde, with a sumptuous and curious attyre, vpon hir head of a purple couler, with an edging of Orient Pearle, shadowing ouer hir large forhead, aunciently and princelike, euer pressing hir plemmirrulate trammels of hayre, as blacke as iet descending downe hir snowie temples, and the rest of the aboundance of hir long hayre, fastned rounde in the hinder parte of her head, and deuided into two partes or tresses, lapt about this waye and that waye, behind hir small eares, ouer hir streight proportioned head,
and finished in the crowne, with a flower of great Orient, and rownd Pearles, such as be found in the Indian promontorie Perimula.