The flowers were of three sortes, of Iessamine, tawny, yealow, and white. The Seruice was nine morsels of the flesh of a restoratiue Peacocke, moystened in his grauie. The sauce was most greene and tart, with Pistacke, Nuttes pownded, Sugar, Cypricum, Amylum, and Muske, Time, white Marioram, and Pepper. The vesselles of Saphyre, and the Princely Table.
At the seuenth chaunge, they brought in a sumpteous table of white Iuory, bordered, trayled, and finely wrought with many small pieces vpon the precious wood of Aloes, and ioyned & glued togither, and from one side to the other, wrought with knottes and foliature, flowers, vesselles, monsters, little Birdes, and the strikes and caruings filled vp with a black paste and mixture of Amber and Muske. This mee thought was a most excellent thing and sumpteous breathing out, a most delightful sweet smel. The cloth white and subtily wrought with drawne worke with Satten silke, the ground powdered and filled, and the worke white and plaine, with the representation of shapes, byrdes, beastes, and flowers, and in like sort the apparel of the wayters. The flowers Lady steale, Rape, Violet, and all sortes of sweete Gilliflowers. And thus there varied euerie where such diuersitie of smelles, seuerally brought in, and so delightfull to the sences, as I cannot sufficiently expresse.
Then there was giuen to euerie one a confection in three morsels of the shell, fish, Dactilus, with Pistacke, Nut kernels pownded and put into Rose water and Sugar, of the Ilandes, and Muske and leafe Golde, beaten and adulterated therwith, that euerie piece taken vp, seemed as if it had beene all Gold.
The vessels were of Iacynth, and the table circular. An apt and conuenient stone to so excellent disposition and royall board and straunge banquets, suche as before were neuer heard of.
After the taking away of these wonderfull Confections,
[v] and the flowers cast downe vpon the pauement in a princely magnificence, there was presently brought in, a great vessell of Gold full of kindled coales, into the which the table cloathes, napkins and towelles of silke were throwne, whiche presently burned light, and after that beeing taken out and cooled, they were whole, vnhurt and cleane, as at the first. And this yet was the wonderfull straungest of all the rest. And then the tables and frames were taken downe and carried away.
Which most excellent order and sightes, the more that I carefully indeuoured to consider of them, the more ignorant and amazed I founde my selfe.
But in all thinges assuredly I did take great pleasure with my intended admiration, in seeing of such, so great, plentifull, and tryumphant sumpteousnes, of so incredible costly a banket, that it is better to holde my peace then not to speake sufficiently in the report thereof. For that the bankets of Sicilia be in respect but beggerly, and so were the stately Ornaments of Attalus. The Corinthian vessels, the dainties of Ciprus, and Saliarie suppers.
Yet notwithstanding so supreame and excessiue alacritie, and cordiall delectation, and that onely and extreeme pleasure (occasioned by such and so vnexpected delightes) by one of those three which in the last chaunge attended, was quayled, ouerthrowne, interrupted, lamed, intercepted and made vaine. For shee did represent in her behauiour, the sweet iesture and resemblance of Polia, stirring vp by them in me stealing regardes.
This was no small hinderance vnto mee, in the takyng of those pleasant dainties and princely refection. Yet notwithstanding my eyes would now and then with much adoo, bee withdrawne to beholde the bewtie of the Iewels and precious stones, sparkeling and glistering in euerie place, in such diuersities of straunge and vnseene gloriousnes and conspicuous decoraments, as if they had all ought a duetie to her, which made mee with an immoderate desire, to behold the correspondency of her excellent bewtie.