The first of the foure marueilous tryumphant Chariots, had foure rounde wheeles, of Perfect greene Emeralds of Scythia; the rest of the Chariot did amase mee to beholde, beeing made all of table Dyamonds: not of Arabia or Cyprus, of the newe Myne, as our Lapidaries call them: but of India, resisting the harde stroakes of yron and steele, abyding the hote fire & striuing therwith, mollified onely with the warme bloode of Goates, gratefull in the Magicall arte; which stones, were wonderfully cut of a Cataglyphic explicature, and set very curiously in fine golde.
Vppon the right side of the Chariot, I sawe expressed, the representation of a noble Nymph, with many accompanying her in a Meddowe, crowning of victorious Bulles with garlands of flowers, and one abyding by her very tamely.
The same Nymph, vppon the other side was also represented, who hauing mounted vp vppon the backe of the Bull, which was gentle and white, he carryed her ouer the sea.
Vppon the fore-ende I behelde Cupid, with a great number of wounded people and Nations, marueiling to see him shoote into the ayre. And in the hinder part, Mars standing before Iupiter, mourning because the boy had shotte through his impenetrable Brest-plate, and shewing the wounde, and with the other hande, holding out his arme, he helde this worde Nemo.
The fashion of this Chariot was quadrangulat, of two perfect squares, longe wayes, of sixe foote in length and three foote in height, with a bearing out coronice aboue and vnder the plynth: and about the same a plaine, in breadth two foote and a halfe, and in length fiue foot and a halfe, bearing towards the Coronice, all ouer scally, with precious stones, with an altered congresse and order of collours, variably disposed. And vppon the foure corners, were fastned foure coppies, inuersed, and the mouth lying vpward
vpon the proiect corner of the Coronice, full of fruites and flowers cut of precious stones, as it were growing out of a foliature of golde. The hornes were chased neere their mouth, with the leaues of Poppy, and wrythen in the belly: the gracylament & outward bending, ioyning fast to the ende of the plaine, and breaking of in an olde fashioned iagged leaf-worke, lying a long vnder the backe of the Coppisse, and of the same mettall. Vpon euery corner of the Plynth, from the Coronice downeward, there was a foote lyke a Harpies, with an excellent conuersion and turning vppon eyther sides of the leaues of Acanthus.
The wheeles, aboue the naues and axeltrees, were closed within the Chariot, and the sides thereof vnder the Harpies feete, bent somewhat vpward and growing lesser, turned rounde downward, wherevnto the furniture or trace to drawe it by, were fastned: and where the axeltree was, there vpon the side of the bottom of the Charriot, ouer the naue of the wheele, there came downe a prepention ioyning to the Plynth, twise so long as deepe, of two foliatures, one extending one way and the other an other way: and vpon the middle thereof and lowest part, was a Rose of fiue leaues, in the seede whereof, the ende of the axeltree did lye.
Vppon the aforesaide Playne, I behelde the ymage of a fayre white and tame Bull, trymmed and dressed with flowers, in manner like an Oxe for a Sacrifice. And vppon his large and broade backe, did sit a princely virgine, with long and slender armes, halfe naked; with her handes she helde by his hornes. Her apparell was exquesite of greene silke and golde, marueilously wouen, and of a Nymphish fashion, couering her body and girded about her wast, edged about with Pearle and stone, and a crowne of glittering golde vpon her fayre heade.
This Triumph, was drawne by sixe lasciuious Centaures, which came of the fallen seede of the sausy and presumpteous Ixion: with a furniture of gold vpon them, and a long their strong sides, like horses, excellently framed and illaqueated in manner of a flagon chayne, whereby they drewe the Tryumph; such as Ericthonius neuer inuented, for swiftnesse.