Part 16

Which bowles were filled with burning coles couered ouer with embers, and in euery vessell vppon the ashes did boyle a little pot of gold, which contrary liquors infused with sweet odours.

And as I suspected, euery potte had seuerall water, as it were, one with Rose-water, another with water of Orange flowers, another of myrtle, tender greene Lawrell leaues, elder flowers, and diuers such lyke sociable symples. And these boyling together, they did yeelde a most pleasant and fragrant smell.

In the presence of the magnificent Queene there did alwayes wayte and attend three honourable Nymphes, their apparell beeing of golde and silke, maruelously wouen and adorned, and sette with pearle and stone. The lyninges of theyr gownes going about their snowie shoulders, and comming downe vppon theyr little round brestes to the lower parte of their wastes, of suche colour as the napkins, leauing to be seene the pleasaunt valleys betwixt their faire brestes, an extreame delight and desired nourishment vnto a narrowe looke and greedie eye, with a thousand small chaynes, pretie iewelles and flowers of golde in a fminine sort, a sweet bayte to carrie a man headlong into forgetfulnes of hymselfe, beeing inchaunted with choyse and amorous regards, farre passing the desire of any other delycate vyands. Their shooes of golde cutte with halfe Moones, and closed vp at the ioyning of the hornes or corners with buttons and flowers of gold-smithes woorke in a curious sorte, and the trammels of their faire and plentifull haire aboue their forheads and temples instrophiated with large and round oryent pearle.

They stoode thus on eyther hande and before the Queene with a singular and reuerent regarde, attending and readilie perfourming that charge whereunto they were appoynted. And these serued but an one Table: which beeing chaunged, they withdrewe themselues by, and stoode still vppon theyr feete arme in arme, other three hauing supplyed their places: And the three that wayted, shee in the middest was caruer.

The other vppon the right side helde vnder a plate if anie thing should fall by: and the thirde vppon the lefte hand held a most whyte and cleane towell of silke to drie her lippes, and in euery action a reuerence.

The towell was not vsed but once, and then cast by vpon the pauement, and carryed away by one that stoode neare. And so many morsels as shee did eate, so many sweete perfumed cleane towelles of silke plyted and finely wrought were vsed.

And the like was doone to euerie guest, for not one at that banquet did touch anie thinge sauing onelye the cuppe.

After that the Queene had washed, and had her first seruice, then all the rest did wash at the same fountaine, casting out water of it selfe, and reassuming the same in a wonderfull manner by two small pypes on eyther sides, and running vp straight in the middest from the bottome of the vessell, the deuyse whereof when I did vnderstand, I was much contented therewithall.

After the washing of the Queene first, and successiuely of all the rest, there was deliuered to euery one of the wayters a rounde ball of golde wyer-woorke full of small holes, and within stuft with Amber past of a most perfect composition, set with pretious stones, to the ende their hands, eyes, and sences should not be idle.

Then there at euerie chaunge of course, two Edeabriees that had the ordayning of the Queenes meate, did bring into the middest of the royall Court vppon foure turning wheeles a stately repositorie or cupbord, in fashion like vnto a shippe, and the rest like to a triumphant Chariot, of most fine golde, with many fishes and water monsters, and infinit other exquisite shapes maruelously wrought, and sette full of riche stones, the sparklings and glisterings whereof did shine rounde about the sides of the Court, and reincounter vpon the roundelles of the other before spoken iewelles, on euery side fitly placed, as if Phoebus had been sette by a Nymph to grace hir eyes and countenance with his shining brightnes.

To all which continuall glistering of ineffable workemanshippe, there could no more bee deuised of equall comparison, although it were the Temple at Babylon with the three golden statues.

Within the which was put all such necessaries perfumed, as were meete and conuenient for the chaunging of the tables, as clothes, flowers, cuppes, towelles, and vesselles, to powre out of, to drinke in, and plates to eate vpon.

And these two Nymphes plaustraries, did take them downe, and deliuer them (as neede required) to the wayters.

And the first Table beeing chaunged, euerie thing was brought backe agayne to the plaustraries, at whose going away the Trumpettes sounded in such a sorte, as Piseus Therrenus neuer came neare vnto, nor Maletus Trumpetor to the King of Hetruria.

And then they did wind their Cornettes, thus dooing euerie time that the repositorie was drawne out, vntil that it came in againe, at what time they ceased.

And when the Table was chaunged, they altered their musicall instruments, which beeing ceased, the singers began so heauenly, that it would haue caused the Syrens to sleepe, hauing mixed with their voyces still winde instruments of wood, such as the Troezein Dardanus neuer inuented.

And by this appoynted order, there was continually heard melodious soundes, and pleasaunt harmonies, sweete concords with delightfull Musicke presented, odoriferous perfume smelt, and stately viandes plentifully fedde of. And euerie thing whatsoeuer, without any defect of grace or delight answerable, according to the dignitie of the place.

To this first princely table, all the vessels and instruments togither with the table it selfe, were of pure fine Gold. Wherupon there was appresented a Cordiall confection, and as I could coniecture, it was made of the scraping of Vnicornes horne, Date stones and Pearle, often hette, and quenched and pownded small, Manna, Pineapple kernels, Rose water, Musk and Lyquid, Golde, in a precious composition by weight, and made Losenges with fine Sugar and Amylum.

This was eaten without any drinking vpon it, and it was a Confection to prohibite all Feuers, and to driue away Melancholy wearines.

This being done in a moment, all things were taken vp and remoued, the Violets cast vpon the ground, and the table bare. And assoone as this was done, the table was laide againe couered with cloth of Talasike, and also the wayters, and as at the first, there was cast vpon them the sweete flowers of Cedars, Orenges, and Lymons, and vpon that, they did appresent in vessels of Beryl, and of that precious stone was the Queenes table (except the skinking pottes which were all of pure fine Gold) fiue Fritters of paste of a Saffron colour, and crusted ouer with extreeme hotte Rose water, and fine pownded Sugar, and then againe cast ouer with musked water, and with fine Sugar like frost vpon Ise. These Seruices of a most pleasant taste, and of sundry fashions were laid in thus. The first, in oyle of the flowers of Orenges. The second, in oyle of Gilliflowers. The third, in oyle of the floures of Gessamin. The fourth, in pure Oyle of Beniamin.

And the last, in the oyle of Muske and Amber. And when we had wel tasted and eaten of the same delectable meat, there was deliuered to vs a goodly cup of the aforenamed Beryl, with his couer, and couered ouer that also with a thinne Veyle of silke and Gold curiously folded into the fourme of a Canapie, the ends cast ouer the shoulders of the bearers, and hanging down their backe.

And in this sort they did present all drinking vessels and others, with meates and sawces couered. Within the drinkyng cup they had infused a precious Wine, so as mee thought that the Gods of the Elysian fieldes, had transformed their power into the sweetnes of the lyquor: surpassing the wine of Thassus.

Without delaie (after our drinking this table being taken away, and the sweete flowers cast vpon the pauement), there was forthwith spred a cloth of murry silke and carnation: with Roses white, redde, Damaske, Muske, and yealow cast vppon the same. And presently new wayters brought in (apparrelled in the same colours) sixe pieces of bread cut for euery one, tossed and dressed with refined marrow, sprinckled ouer with Rose water, Saffron, and the iuice of Orenges, tempering the taste and gilded ouer, and with them sixe pieces of pure manchet were set downe. And next vnto them a confection, of the iuice of Lymons tempered with fine Sugar, the seedes of Pines, Rose water, Muske, Saffron, and choyce Synamon, and thus were all the sawces made with conuenient gradation and deliuery. The vessels were of Topas and the round table.

This third magnificent table being taken vp as before said, there was presently an other innouated, with a cloth of silke smooth, and of a yealow colour, (the wayters sutable) and strewed with Lilly Conually, and Daffadil, immediately this course was presented, seuen morsels of the flesh of a Partridge in a sharpe broth, and so many pieces of pure white Manchet. The sauce Acceres, minced and dissolued in Sugar thrice sodden, Amylum, Saunders, Muske and Rose water. The vessels and the rounde table of Chrysolite. Lastly, they offered a precious drinking cup, and so obserued in the rest.

The fourth table beeing taken away, the fift was reuested with a cloth of silke, of a crimosen colour, and in like sort the Nimphish apparrel. The flowers of purple, yealow, white, and tawny. The Seruis, eight morsels of the flesh of a Pheasant rosted lying in the grauie, and withall so many pieces of fine white manchet. The sauce was this, water of Orenge flowers, the iuice of Pomegranets, Sugar, Cloues, and Cynamon. The vesselles of Smaragde, and the table of the Souereigne Queene.

This beeing taken away verie solemnely, there was spred an other cloth of silke of a purple colour, and so the apparrel of the wayters.

The flowers were of three sortes, of Iessamine, tawny, yealow, and white. The Seruice was nine morsels of the flesh of a restoratiue Peacocke, moystened in his grauie. The sauce was most greene and tart, with Pistacke, Nuttes pownded, Sugar, Cypricum, Amylum, and Muske, Time, white Marioram, and Pepper. The vesselles of Saphyre, and the Princely Table.

At the seuenth chaunge, they brought in a sumpteous table of white Iuory, bordered, trayled, and finely wrought with many small pieces vpon the precious wood of Aloes, and ioyned & glued togither, and from one side to the other, wrought with knottes and foliature, flowers, vesselles, monsters, little Birdes, and the strikes and caruings filled vp with a black paste and mixture of Amber and Muske. This mee thought was a most excellent thing and sumpteous breathing out, a most delightful sweet smel. The cloth white and subtily wrought with drawne worke with Satten silke, the ground powdered and filled, and the worke white and plaine, with the representation of shapes, byrdes, beastes, and flowers, and in like sort the apparel of the wayters. The flowers Lady steale, Rape, Violet, and all sortes of sweete Gilliflowers. And thus there varied euerie where such diuersitie of smelles, seuerally brought in, and so delightfull to the sences, as I cannot sufficiently expresse.