Lastly, in suche order and sorte, as aforesaide, the tables beeing taken away, I hung downe my heade, because that I might not followe after the last iunckates which I had lost by minding of her that ministred.
Then first before the sacred Maiestie and royall person of the Queene, and afterwards to vs, fiue fayre Nymphes apparelled in blewe silke and golde curiously wouen togeather in workes, did all together appresent themselues.
The middlemost of them did beare a braunch of coorrall, lyke a tree, such as is not founde amongst the Ilandes Orchades, of one cubite high, which stoode as vppon a little mountayne, which was the couer of an old fashioned vessell of pure gold, in forme of a Challyce, as high agayne as the couer and the tree of coorrall, full of curious workmanshippe and leafe worke, neuer made in our age, nor the like seene.
Betwixt the gracylament of the foote and the cuppe, it was knitte together with a handle of inestimable workemanship, and in lyke manner the foote and the bowle were of an excellent anaglyphie of foliature, monsters and byformed Scyllules, so exquisitely expressed, as could be imbossed, chased, or ingrauen by proportionate circulation.
And the mordycant couer of the same was thicke set with incomparable iewelles: and in lyke sorte all the base and handle whereas conueniencie requyred, and glystering about.
Vppon the braunches of the coorrall, there were artificially sette certayne open flowers with fiue leaues, some of Saphyre, some of Iacynth and Berill, and in the middest of them a little round seede of golde, fastening the leaues to the stalke of corrall.
Which yoong woman reuerently bowing to the earth with her right knee, reseruing the other still vp, whereuppon shee helde this couer of coorrall, which also besides the flowers, had vppon the pointes and toppes of other twigges or sprouts curiously infixed monstrous great pearle. An other of them had a cuppe full of pretious lyquor, better then that which the prowde Cleopatra gaue vnto the Romane Captaine: The reste did execute their offices as aforesaid, and plucking off one after
[v] another, with a little instrument with two teeth of golde they offering the same fruits vnto vs, to me vnknowne, for that I had neuer seene the lyke, we did tast them.
But the vnexpected pleasure of them, and sweetnes of their tast, was no otherwise to me than like a gratious substance wanting his desired forme.
And there were restored agayne the balles of golde before mentioned.