Part 20

And therefore esteeme of it according to the value, for that thou findest in me, is a heauenly Tallent aboue all earthly Iewels, for I haue not had my residence in man since his fall.

They may imagine of mee, but they knowe mee not, neyther doo I beare any rule with them to the good of my selfe.

Nowe the Queene Telosia, shee dwelleth in a place of cloudie darkenes, her house is kept close and shut, for that shee will not shew her selfe vnto man, nor anothomise, discouer, and laye open her selfe vnto any as shee is, and for this cause the euent of her variable determination is kept secret.

But in a maruellous sort considerately, shee transformeth her selfe against the haire, into diuers fashions, not manifesting her selfe, although desired.

And when the auncient Gates shall be opened vnto thee, in euerie one shall bee written what shall befall thee, but thou shalt not perceiue the same, vnless that in some part thy vnderstandyng and wisedome enigmatically and with a right and sincere iudgement looke vnto it, and quickly consider of it, for because that shee ambyguously chaungeth her selfe in habite and countenance, and through this doubtfull anymaduersion, a man remaineth deceiued of his expectation without remedie.

And therefore Polphilus, that which these my consigned trustie and appoynted handmaydes by suggestion shall perswade thee vnto, and at what Gate thou oughtest to enter in and remayne, euen which of those two it shall best please thee to giue eare vnto, doo: for they haue some vnderstanding of her.

And hauyng thus spoken, shee made a signe or becke with her head to the two Nymphes Logistica and Thelemia, who presently without delaie, were obedient to her commaund. And I beeing readie to speake, neyther knew what to say, or yet durst to so high a maiestie, and for so great bounties giue a word.

The two appoynted companyons of my iourney, verie fauourablye, and with a familiar readines and virginlike iestures, tooke holde of mee, one by the right hande, and the other by the left, and reuerently obteyning licence, first of the Queene, and takyng theyr leaue of the rest, went out the same way that I came in.

And I beeyng desirous and not satisfied, turned mee about towardes the conspicuous Poarch, to beholde diligently the artificious Pallaice, wonderfull and perfinite of the Art of building.

The subtiltie of which, no humane excogitation is able to imitate.

And therefore I thought that nature had made that for a maruell of all her woorkes for commoditie, vse, grace, bewtie, ayre, and continuall durablenes.

For which cause, I was excessiuely desirous to staie and looke vppon it, but my leaders and guides would not suffer mee, and yet by the theft of my eye in the Zopher, ouer the gate I noted this inscription, +HO TE:S PHUSEO:S OLBOS+.

And as muche as with my quicke sences I could carrie, I tooke in my going foorth, with as greate pleasure and delight as is possible to expresse. O happie were hee that myght bee but a drudge or kitchin slaue in suche a Paradice.

Nowe beeing come into the base Court, compassed and sette about with Orenge trees, Thelemia in great curtesie saide thus vnto mee, besides and aboue all the maruellous and woonderfull thinges which thou hast yet seene and behelde, there bee fower yet remayning behynde whiche thou shalt see.

And vppon the lefte side of the incomparable pallace, they brought mee into a fayre Orchyard of excogitable expence, tyme, and subtletie of woorke-manshippe, the contynent and cyrcuite whereof was as muche as the plot of the Pallace, wherein was the resydence and abiding of the Queene.

Round about fast by the walles of the Orchyard there were set conuenyent garden pots in the which in stead of growing plantes, euerie one was of pure glasse, exceeding a mans imagination or beleefe, intorpiaried boxe the rootes and stalkes of golde, whereout the other proceeded.

Betwixt one and other of the which was placed a Cyprusse tree, not aboue two paces high, and the boxe one pace full of manyfolde maruellous symples, with a moste excellent imitation of nature, and pleasaunt diuersitie in the fashions of flowers in distinct colours verie delyghtfull.

The playne labiall compassing about the quadrant Orchyard comming out from the walles as a seate for these aforesayde garden pottes and trees to stande vppon, was subcoronized with golde by excellent lyneamentes wrought and adorned. The vpper face whereof, and whereuppon those pottes and trees did stande, was couered with a playster of glasse gilte, and a curious historographie to be seene in the same, and compassed about and holden in with wyering and netting of golde.

The wall that compassed about the Orchyard with a conuenient distance, was bellyed out with columnes of the same matter, and inuested with flowring bindings naturally proportioned, and heere and there were quadrangulate columnes of golde chamfered, arching from one to an other, with a requisite beame Zophor and coronice, with a meete and conuenient proiecture ouer the chapter of glasse vppon the round.

The substance of which subiect proiecture of the bryttle matter, was of counterfayte diasper diuersly coloured and shining. Which bryttle substance had some void space betwixt that and the other.

The mouth of the arches were stopped with rombyes of cleare glasse in forme of a tryangle, and the pypes beautified all ouer with an Encaustick painting, verie gratious to the sight of the beholder.

The ground was here and there couered with great round balles of glasselyke gunne stones, and other fine proportions much pleasing, with a mutuall consent vnmooueable lyke pearles shining without any adulteration by folyature. From the flowers did breath a sweet fragrancie by some cleare washing with oyle for that purpose.

There most cunningly did Logistica lyke an Orator make a discourse in commendation physically of that excellent confection of the noblenes of the substaunce, secrecie of the art, and straungenes of the inuention. The like is not to bee found.

And after shee sayde, Poliphilus lette vs goe and ascende vp this mount nexte the Garden, and Thelemia remayning at the stayre foote, wee ascended vp to the playne toppe. Where shee shewed vnto mee, with a heauenly eloquence, a Garden of a large compasse, made in the forme of an intricate Laborynth allyes and wayes, not to bee troden, but sayled about, for insteade of allyes to treade vppon, there were ryuers of water.

The which mysticall place was of a verie lustie mould and fruitfull, replenished with all sorts of fruits, beautified with faire springs, and greene hearbes and flowers, full of all solace and delight. Whereupon she spake thus.

I doe imagine (Poliphilus) that you doe not vnderstande the conditionate state of this maruellous feate, and therefore giue attendance to my wordes.

Whosoeuer entereth in cannot come backe, but as you see yonder mountaines heere and there distributed, seuen circuits and the about goings distant one from another.

And the extreeme molestation and sorrowe of the enterers in, is this: In the myddle mountayne within the center thereof, and open mouth of the same, there lurketh inuisibly a deadly deuouring olde Dragon, hee is vtter destruction to some, and others are not hurte to death by him. Hee cannot bee seene nor shunned, neyther doth hee leaue any vnassaulted, but eyther in the entrie, or in their iourney, hee destroyeth or woundeth. And if hee killeth them not betwixt one mountayne and another, they passe the seuen circuites to the next mount.