And the Images, the Coppyes, and their bandes wherewith they were tyed in the midst and held by, were all shyning, and their hands inuiluped with the sundry stringes, flynging about the plaine smothe of the black stone.
Their habits were Nymphish, of most rare and most excellent working. The Sepulchre of Tarnia the Queene of the Scythians in Asia, was nothing comparable.
In the lowest Cubicall Figure, vpon the smoth plaine of euery square, were ingrauen Greeke Letters, three, one, two and three on thys sort. ΔΥΣ Α ΛΩ ΤΟΣ.
In the circular there were three Characters Hieragliphicall, perpendicularly vnder the feet of euerie Image. For the first, was impressed the forme of the Sonne. Next vnder another, the figure of an olde fashioned Ower.
Thirdly, a dyshe with a burning flame in it.
Vpon the heade of the trygonall blacke stone, towarde euerie corner, I did behold an Egiptian Monster of Gold, fower footed couchant. One of thẽ hauing a face lyke man altogether. The other like half a man, & halfe a beast. And the third like a beast. VVith a linnen vaile ouer euery of their heades, with two Labels hanging ouer theyr eares, & the rest descending downe and couering their necks & backes, with the bodies of Lyons. Theyr lookes directly forward.
[v] Vppon the backs of these three, dyd stande rysing vp a massiue Spyre of Gold, three square, sharpning vp to the toppe, fiue tymes as high as broade below. And vpon euery front or foreside, was grauen a circle, and ouer one circle a Greeke Letter, Ο. ouer another, a Letter Ω. and ouer the third, a Greeke Ν.
There Logistica beganne to speake vnto me, saying, by these Figures are discribed, so farre as mans reason can shewe, the celestiall harmony. And vnderstand Poliphilus, that these Figures, with a perpetuall affynitie and coniunction, are auncient Monuments, and Egiptian Hieragliphs, signifying this, Diuinæ infinitæque trinitati vnius essentiæ. Which is now by his holy word, in a most louing sort manifested to the whole world, according to his will: and yet it shall not be a misse to see antiquities, and consider what greater benefite is had by the precious Gospel.
The lower Figure was consecrated to the Deitie, because it is euerie way alike, and all one: and vpon euery side, and turned euery way, of like stablenes, vpon euery base, constant and permanent.