This mysticall triumph was drawen by sixe spotted beasts of yealow shining colour, and swift as the tygers of Hyrcania called Leopards, coupled togither with withes of twined vines, full of tender greene leaues, and stalkes full of greene clusters. This chariot was drawen very leisurely.
Vpon the middle of which plaine there was placed a base of golde by the lowest diameter, one foote and three handfuls high, the lataster or lowest verdge round and hollowed, in the middle vnder the vpper sime or brimme in forme of a pallie with nextrubs, rules and cordicels: the vpper plaine of this base was euacuated, wherein rested the traines of the fower eagles standing vpon the plaine, smooth superficies of the base, which were of precious Ætite of Persia, of the colour of a sakers plume. And these stood with their shoulders one opposite against another, and their pounces of gold fastened and sticking in the said base, euery one surueying with their wings, and the flowering tips of their sarcellets touching one another. Ouer these as vpon a nest, was placed this maruellous vessell of Æthiopian Hyacints cleere and bright, Celso inimicus, Comiti gratiosus. This vessell was crusted with emeralds and vaines of diuers other pretious stones, a worke incredible. The height thereof two foote and a halfe, the fashion in maner round, the breadth by diameter one foote and a halfe, and the circumference consisted of three diameters. From the heads of the eagles the bottome or foote of the vessell did ascend vp one triens, and a border going about the thicknes of a hand, from which border
[v] to the beginning of the belly of the vessel, and to the bottome of the foote with this hand breadth, was a foote and a halfe. Vpon this stood the forme of the vessell aforesaid one handfull and a halfe broader, which halfe handfull was distributed to the border, about the brimme of foulding leaues and flowers standing out from the hyacinth. The diameter two quarters & a halfe. Vnder this border there did stick out round about certaine proportions like walnut shels, or the keele of a ship, somwhat thicke and broade at the vpper end, and lessing themselues to nothing belowe. From thence to the orifice it did rise vp two quarters and a halfe, furrowed with turning champhers, and an excellent sime: and in steed of eares to take vp the vessell by, it had two lips standing out and turning in round like the head of a base viall.
Vnder and aboue the borders, the vessel was wrought with turned gululs, vnduls, and imbossings, and with such lineaments were the borders wrought, both vnder and aboue. Vppon the border in the necke of the couer, were two halfe rings, suppressed in the border by transuersion, one of them iust against another, which were holden in the biting teeth of two Lysarts, or byting Dragons of greene emerauld, bearing out from the couer. They stoode with their serpentlike feete vpon the lower part of the couer vnder the necke, betwixt the which and the lower vessell, was one quantitie, and from his vpper gracilament descending, he ioyned with the turned in sime of the circumferent lymbus or verdge, where they did closely byte togither. This couer to the necke was made in skalie work of Hyacinth, except the vaynes of smaragd, for the little dragons, their bellies and feetes fastening to the skalie couer. These little dragons one against an other, their brests and throtes hollowing out from the border and the couer, and their tayles turning vpwards againe, did serue for the eares of the couer, iust ouer them of the lower vessell.
The lower turning about, where the couer did close with the vessell being of two parts, ioyned togither with an excellent foliature, halfe a foote broad, as if they had bin inseparable.
The bodie of this vessell was all run ouer with a Vine, the
stringes and vaines whereof, and small curling twists, were of Topas, farre better then is founde in the Ilande Ophiadis, the leaues of fine smaragd, and the braunches of Amethist, to the sight most beautifull, and to the vnderstanding woonderfull contemplable. The subiect vessell appearing thorough the same of Hiacinth so round and polished, as any wheele can send foorth: except, vnder the leaues there was a substaunce left, which helde the foliature to the vessell of Hiacinth, passing ouer and separated from the subiect. The hollowed and bending leaues with all the other lapicidariall lineaments, were performed with such an emulation of nature as was woonderfull.
Let vs nowe returne to the circumferent brim of the pretious vessell. In the smooth partes whereof, vppon eyther sides of the tayles of the Lysarts, I behelde two hystorials woorthy of regard, ingrauen in this sort. Vpon the foreside of the vessell, the representation of Iupiter, holding in his right hande a glistering sword, of the vayne of the Æthiopian Chrysolits: and in the other hande a thunder bolt of shining Rubie. His countenance sauour of the vaine of Gallatits, and crowned with stars like lightening, he stoode vpon an aultar of Saphyre. Before his fearefull maiestie, were a beuie of Nymphs, seauen in number, apparrelled in white, proffering with their sweete voices to sing, and after transforming themselues into greene trees like emeralds full of azure flowers, and bowing themselues downe with deuotion to his power: Not that they were all transformed into leaues, but the first into a tree, hir feete to rootes, their armes and heads into braunches, some more then other, but in a shewe that they must followe all alike, as appeared by their heads.
Vpon the other Anaglyph, I did behold a merrie and pleasant maiesticall personage, like a yoong fat boye, crowned with two folding serpents, one white, and the other blacke, tied into a knot. Hee rested delightfullie vnder a plentifull vine tree full of ripe grapes, and vpon the top of the frame there were little naked boies, climing vp and sitting aloft gathering the ripe clusters: others offering them in a basket to the God, who pleasantly receiued them: other some lay fast a sleepe vpon the ground, being drunke with the sweet iuice
[v] of the grape. Others applying themselues to the worke of mustulent autumne: others singing and piping: all which expression was perfected by the workman in pretious stones, of such colour as the naturall liuelinesse of euery vaine, leafe, flower, berrie, body, proportion, shape, and representation required. And in this imagerie, although it was very small, yet there was no defect to be found in the least part belonging thereunto, but perfectly to be discerned.