Part 23

Vpon the right hand as I went ouer, I beheld a woman, casting abroade her armes, sitting onely vppon one buttocke, putting foorth one of her legges as if shee woulde rise; In her right hand, vpon that side which shee did sitte, shee helde a payre of winges, and in the other hand, vppon that side whereon she was arysing, a Tortice.

Right against her, there was a Circle, the center wherof two little Spyrits did hold, with their backs turned towards the circumference of the Circle.

And then Logistica saide vnto me, Poliphilus, I am sure that thou doost not vnderstand these Hieragliphs, but they make much for thy purpose: and therfore they are placed for a Monument and thing to be considered, of such as passe by.

The Circle Medium tenuere beati.

The other, temper thy hast by staying, and thy slownesse by rysing, consider heereof as thou seest cause.

This bridge was built with a moderate bending, shewing the cunning disquisition, tryall, examination, arte, and discretion of the excellent workman and inuenter, commended in the continuaunce and durablenesse thereof, which manie of our Bayard-like moderne Idiots, without knowledge, measure and arte buzzing on, neither obserue proportion nor lyneaments, but all out of order.

This bridge was all of pure Marble.

When wee had passed ouer the bridge, wee walked in the coole shadow, delighted with the variable notes and chirpings of small byrds, to a rocky and stony place, where high & craggie Mountaines lifted vp themselues, afterwarde continuing to abrupt and wilesome hilly places, full of broken and nybled stones, mounting vppe into the ayre, as high as a man might looke to, and without any greene grasse or hearbe, and there were hewen out the three gates, in the verie rocke it selfe, euen as plaine as might be. A worke verie auncient and past record, in a very displeasant seate.

#Tif'eret Ha'el# #Gidul Ha'a'hava# #Tif'eret Ha'olam#

+THEODOXIA+ +ERO:TOTROPHOS+ +KOSMODOXIA+

GLORI DEI MATER AMORIS GLORIA MVNDI]

Ouer euery one of the which, I beheld in Letters Ionic, Romaine, Hebrew and Arabic, the tytle that the sacred Queene Eleutherillida fore-told me that I should find. The Gate vppon my right hand, had vpon it this word, Theodoxia. That vppon my left hand, Cosmodoxia. And the thirde, Erototrophos. Vnto the which as soone as we were come, the Damosels beganne to instruct me in the tytles, and knocking in the resounding leaues of the Gates, vppon the right hande couered ouer with greene mosse, they were presently opened.

And ther dyd an olde woman present herselfe vnto vs, of an honourable countenaunce, out of an olde dawbed and smoakie house, hauing a poore base little doore, ouer the which was painted Pilurania. Shee came with a modest and honest shamefastnesse, and her dwelling place was in a solitarie site and shadie Rocke, decayed and crumbly, her clothes were tattered, her face leane, pale & poore. Her eyes looking towards the ground, her name was Thende. Shee had attending vpon her sixe Handmaydes, basely and slenderly apparrelled. One was named Parthenia, the second Edosia, an other Hypocolinia, the fourth Pinotidia, the next Tapinosa, the last Prochina. Which reuerent Matron, with her right arme naked poynted to the heauens.

She dwelt in a place very hard to come vnto, and ful of troubles to passe on the way, beeing hyndered with thorne and bryers, very rough and displeasant, a mistie clowde cast ouer it, and very hard to clymbe vp into.

Logistica perceiuing by my looke that I had no great lyking in this place, some-what greeued therewith, said, this Rocke is knowne neuer but at the end. And then Thelemia sayde, Poliphilus, I see you make small regarde of such a painefull woman. Whereat I assenting to her with my countenaunce, wee departed, and the gate being shut we came to the next.

Where knocking, it was presently opened, and wee entering in, there met vs a browne woman, with fierce eyes rowling, and of a quicke countenaunce, lyfting vp a naked glittering sworde, vpon the middle wherof was a Crowne of golde, and a branche of Palme tree intrauersed.

Her armes brawnie like Hercules, in labour and acts magnanimious and nobly minded. Her belly small. A little mouth, strong and stooping shoulders, by her countenaunce seeming to bee of an vndaunted minde, not fearing to vndertake any enterprise how hard soeuer.

Her name was Euclelia, verie honourablie attended vppon with sixe young Women. The first was called Merimnasia, the second, Epitide, another, Ergasilea, the fourth, Anectea, the fift was named Statia, the last was called Olistea.

The situation and place me thought was painefull, and Logistica perceiuing my inclynation, presentlie tooke into her hand Thelemias Lute, and beganne to strike a doricall tune, and sung to the same verie sweetly, saying. O Poliphilus be not wearie to take paynes in thys place, for when labour and trauell is ouer-come, there will be a tyme of rest. And her songe was of such force, that I was euen consenting to remaine there, notwithstanding that, the habitation seemed laboursome. Wherevppon, Thelemia inticingly said vnto me, I think that it standeth with verie great reason my Poliphilus, that before you set downe your rest heere in this place, you ought in any case to see the third Gate.

Whereunto I consented with a very good will, and therefore going out from hence, we came to the other Gate, where Thelemia knocking at a ring of Brasse, it was forth-with sette open, and when wee were come in, there came towardes vs a notable goodly woman, and her name was Philtronia.

Her regards were wanton, lasciuious, and vnconstant, her grace wonderfull pleasant, so as at the verie first sight shee violently drew me into her loue.

This place was the Mansion-house of Voluptuousnes. The grounde decked with small hearbes, and adorned with all sorts of sundrie flowers, abounding with solace and quiet ease. Issuing and sending foorth in diuers places small streames of water, pyppling and slyding downe vpon the Amber grauell in theyr crooking Channels heere and there, by some suddaine fall making a still continued noyse, to great pleasure moystning the open fieldes, and making the shadowed places vnder the leaffye Trees, coole and fresh.

Shee had with her also sixe young women of like statures, passing fayre, of pleasant countenaunces, amorously adorned, and dressed as may bee desired of an ambitious beautie and gesture.

The first was called Rastonelia. The second, Cortasina. The thirde, Idonesa. The fourth, Triphelia. The fift, Epiania. And the last was named Adia.

These and their companie, were very delightfull to my gasing and searching eyes. VVhere-vppon Logistica presentlie with a sad and grieued countenaunce, seeing mee disposing my selfe abruptlie to the seruile loue of them, shee said vnto mee, O Poliphilus, the alluring and inticing beauties of these, are vaine, deceiueable, and counterfeited, vnsauorie and displeasant, and therefore if thou wouldest with aduisement looke vppon their backes, thou wouldest then hate, contemne, and abhorre theyr lothsome filthinesse and shame, abounding in stinke and noysome sauoure aboue any dunghill, which no stomacke can abide.

And therefore what is slypperie and transitorie flye and eschewe, despise that pleasure which bringeth shame and repentance, vaine hopes, a short and small ioy, with perpetuall complaynts, doubtfull sighes, and a sorrowful life neuer ending.

Oh adulterated and vnkindly pleasure, fraught with miserie, contayning such bitternesse, like honnie, and yet gall dropping from greene leaues.

O lyfe worse then death, and yet deadly, delighted in sweete poyson, with what care, sorrow, pensiue thoughts, mortall and desperate attempts, art thou sought for to bee obtained by blind Louers, who without regarde or aduise cast themselues headlong into a gulfe of sorrowes.