The rest mounted vp so much as the lower bignesse of the vessell was, beeing closed vp at the orifice with an inuerse foliature. Vppon the which there was placed an other vessell as it were a circular couer of a most curious leafe worke, with a smal coronice, and an artificiall orifice.
From the bottome of which there beganne a flourished tayle of a Dolphin fastened and sowldered to the gracylament of the vessell, descending downe with his heade finned with leaues, to the circulating brymme of the vessell where the
boyes heades were fixed. And with a moderate swelling out about the head, and streightning in towardes the tayle, they fitted for the eares in a beautiful manner. And all that inclining part with an exquisite polishing did make an expresse shewe of most curious lineaments.
The vpper vessell was so perfectly wrought, that when the wheele was mooued, the steale with the vessell vppon the toppe thereof, turned about and powred out water through the tree, and when the wheele stoode still, then that lefte turning.
The wheeles were halfe couered with two winges, the
typpes turning one one way, and the other an
other way, adorned with a chasing
of Mermaydes or Scillaes.
[v]
This excellent peece of woorke[20] thus running before euerie one, and weeting our handes and feete of an incredible sweetnesse, such as I neuer had felt before, we dryed our hands, and it was carryed away.
And beeing thus sprinckled with this rare and maiesticall water, the wayters with great reuerence presented vnto the Queene first a great cuppe of golde, and her highnesse affably saluting vs, drunke Nectar, and afterwardes euerie one of vs after other, with reuerent, mutual, and solemne honours done, did drinke a most pleasaunt farewell and shutting vp of all the pretious dainties that we had tasted and fed vpon.
Lastly, the redolent flowers beeing diligently taken away, and all thinges that had beene vsed borne from thence, the pauement remayned pure and shining as a most cleare steele glasse, and as it were emulating the pretious iewelles rownde about.