And as I suspected, euery potte had seuerall water, as it were, one with Rose-water, another with water of Orange flowers, another of myrtle, tender greene Lawrell leaues, elder flowers, and diuers such lyke sociable symples. And these boyling together, they did yeelde a most pleasant and fragrant smell.
In the presence of the magnificent Queene there did alwayes wayte and attend three honourable Nymphes, their apparell beeing of golde and silke, maruelously wouen and adorned, and sette with pearle and stone. The lyninges of theyr gownes going about their snowie shoulders, and comming downe vppon theyr little round brestes to the lower parte of their wastes, of suche colour as the napkins, leauing to be seene the pleasaunt valleys betwixt their faire brestes, an extreame delight and desired nourishment vnto a narrowe looke and greedie eye, with a thousand small chaynes, pretie iewelles and flowers of golde in a fæminine sort, a sweet bayte to carrie a man headlong into forgetfulnes of hymselfe, beeing inchaunted with choyse and amorous regards, farre passing the desire of any other delycate vyands. Their shooes of golde cutte with halfe Moones, and closed vp at the ioyning of the hornes or corners with buttons and flowers of gold-smithes woorke in a curious sorte, and the
trammels of their faire and plentifull haire aboue their forheads and temples instrophiated with large and round oryent pearle.
They stoode thus on eyther hande and before the Queene with a singular and reuerent regarde, attending and readilie perfourming that charge whereunto they were appoynted. And these serued but an one Table: which beeing chaunged, they withdrewe themselues by, and stoode still vppon theyr feete arme in arme, other three hauing supplyed their places: And the three that wayted, shee in the middest was caruer.
The other vppon the right side helde vnder a plate if anie thing should fall by: and the thirde vppon the lefte hand held a most whyte and cleane towell of silke to drie her lippes, and in euery action a reuerence.
The towell was not vsed but once, and then cast by vpon the pauement, and carryed away by one that stoode neare. And so many morsels as shee did eate, so many sweete perfumed cleane towelles of silke plyted and finely wrought were vsed.
And the like was doone to euerie guest, for not one at that banquet did touch anie thinge sauing onelye the cuppe.
After that the Queene had washed, and had her first seruice, then all the rest did wash at the same fountaine, casting out water of it selfe, and reassuming the same in a wonderfull manner by two small pypes on eyther sides, and running vp straight in the middest from the bottome of the vessell, the deuyse whereof when I did vnderstand, I was much contented therewithall.
After the washing of the Queene first, and successiuely of all the rest, there was deliuered to euery one of the wayters a rounde ball of golde wyer-woorke full of small holes, and within stuft with Amber past of a most perfect composition, set with pretious stones, to the ende their hands, eyes, and sences should not be idle.
Then there at euerie chaunge of course, two Edeabriees that had the ordayning of the Queenes meate, did bring