Some wantonly disposed, others to varietie of sportes and feastes, with liuely indeuours and quicke motions, most singularlye well set foorth, and filling all ouer the aforesayde arched suffite.
Along vnder the bending ryse of the entrie, I beheld a singular woorkemanship of sundrie representments and counterfeits, in an excellent Thessellature, bright shining lyke goalde: and of diuers other coulers, with a border two foote broade, compassing about the turning couer of the roofe, both vnder and aboue, and deuiding them from the woorke, vpon the plaine sides, of so perfect and fresh coulers, as if they had beene new set, with a naturall leafe woorke of an emerawld greene, vppon a punice or tawnie grounde, with Flowers of _Ciantes_ and _Ph[ae]nicees_ adulterated with curious knottes and windings, and in the conteyned space of the aforesayde sides, I sawe this auncient Hystorye paynted.
_Europa_ a young Ladye, swimming into _Creete_ vppon a prestigious Bull. And the edict of King _Agenor_ to his Sonnes _Cadus_, _Foenice_, and _Cilicia_, to finde out theyr defloured sister, which thing they could not do, but after that they had valiauntly kylled the skalie fierce Dragon that kepte the fayre Fountayne: and consulted with _Appollo_, they determined with theyr followers, and agreed to builde a Cittie, where the bellowing Heyffer should appoynte, wherevppon that countrey, euen to this daye carryeth the name of the bellowing of a Cowe _Europe_. _Cadmus_ builte _Athens_. The other brother_Foenicia_. The third _Cilicia_.
Thys woorke and musaicall painting, was rightlye placed in order, as the beginning and end of the historie required with fictions in theyr naturall coulers, theyr actions and degrees tightlye expressed.
On the contrarie side, I beheld in the same manner the wanton and lasciuious _Pasiph[ae]_ burning in infamous lust, lying in a Machine or frame of wood, and the Bull leaping vpon that hee knew not.
After that the monstrous mynotaure with hys vglye shape shut and inclosed in the intricate Labyrinth. And after that the imprysoned _Dedalus_, artificially making of winges for hymselfe, and his young sonne Icarus, who vnhappylye not obseruing hys Fathers rule, fell downe headlong into the deepe see, leauing vnto the same seas his name, after his drowning. And his discreete father, being safe according to his vowe, hanging vp his wings in the temple of _Appollo_.
Vppon the which I stoode with open mouth attentiuely gazing with my eyes, and rauished in minde with the beautie of the hystorie, so well disposed, so perfectly ordered, so artificiallye paynted and curiouslie expressed, whole and sounde, without any signe of decaye, the strength of the glutinous substance, which ioyned and held the Thessalature or checkers, together was such and so perfect. For therein the workeman had taken great paine and shewed a rare cunning.
And thus foote by foote I went forward bowldly, examining and behoulding what direction and arte of painting hee had obserued with a pensiled distribution to make whole proportions in a smoothe and flat playne. Some lynes drawing neere to my obiect, and some seeming as they had beene a farre of hardely to bee deserned, and yet both of a like neerenesse. And the same againe which was hardlie to bee seene, to offer it selfe more and more, to the iudgement of the eye, with exquisite parergie and shadowing Waters, Fountaines, Mountaines, Hilles, woodes, and beasts, in theyr naturall coulours, and distante one from an other, with opposite light. And in apparrell the plyghts and fouldes so cunninglye perfected and shaddowed that as well in that, as in all the rest, the arte did seeme to enuye nature it selfe, and that not a little whereat I greatly woondered.
After this manner I came to the further ende, where the beautifull hystories finished, and beyond the same more inward the darknes was such as I durst not enter, & comming back againe I heard among the ruines a continuing noise like the cracking of bones or their ratling together, whereat I stood still forgetting my fore conceiued delight being interrupted therewith from the sweetnes of the obiects. At length I might heare a rustling as if a dead Oxe had been dragged vpon the ground, the noyse still approaching and comming neerer and neerer the poarch that I was to passe out at, where I heard a great hissing of a huge Serpent: the sodaine feare I was in, made mee past crying out for helpe, neither did I see how to escape, but by running into the darke and obscure vastnes whiche before I was afraide to enter into.
Oh vnhappie wretch oppressed with aduers and sad fortune, I saw in the entrie of the doore comming towardes mee, no hurtfull _L_yon crowching to _Androdus_, but a fearefull and horrible Dragon[A] shaking her trisulked and three parted tongue against mee, grating her teeth, and making a skritching or critching noyse, her squamy and scaly hide trailing vpon the flowerd pauement, clapping her winges vpon her wrimpled backe, with a long taile folding and crinckling like and Eele and neuer resting. _Ohi me_, the sight was sufficient to haue affrighted _Mars_ himselfe in the assurednes of warlike Armour, or to haue made tremble the strong and mightie Hercules, for all his molorchied and clubbed but. And to call _Theseus_ backe from his begunne imprese and bold attempt, and to terrifie the Gyant _Typhon_, and to make the proudest and stoutest heart whatsoeuer to quaile and stoope. I wished my selfe the swiftnes of _Atalanta_, beeing but young and vnarmed, no way able to encounter with such a poisonable force, and perceiuing his blacke infectious breath smoaking out at his mouth. Beeing past all hope to slip by him, I deuoutly cried for diuine helpe. And sodeinly turning my backe, as fast as I could runne, I conueighed my fearefull bodie by the helpe of my swift pacing feete, into the inward part of the darke places, penetrating through diuers crooked torments, ambagious passages and vnknowne waies.
[Sidenote A: The Dragon is that Abaddon and Apollion, the enemy to mankinde.]
So that I thought to bee[A] in the inextricable frame of the prudent _Dedalus_, or of _Porsena_, so full of wayes and winding turnings, one entring into another, to deceiue the intent of the goer out, or in the romthie denne of the horrible _Cyclops_, or the hollow Caue of the theeuish _Carus_. In such sort, that although my eyes were somewhat wel acquainted with the darkenes, yet I could see iust nothing. But was glad to stretche out my armes forme before my face, groping about mee (lyke one that played blynde Sym) least I should runne my face against some pyllers, and feeling with my feete softlye before I did rest vpon them for feare I should tumble downe into some vaulte vnder thys mighty Pyramides.
[Sidenote A: The darke places is ignorance, and the wisedome of this word which is nothing els but meere folly.]
And looking backe, whether this fearefull Dragon did still followe mee or no, the light was cleane gone. And I remayning in a darke place, full of sundrie turnings and crossing passages, in a greater terror and more deadly heauinesse of minde then _Mercurie_. Making himselfe _Ibis_ and _Apollo_, _Threicia_, _Diana_, into the lyttle byrd _Cholomene_. And _Pan_ into two shapes. I and more afraide then euer was _Oedipus_, _Cyrus_, _Crasus_, and_Perseus_. And more trembling then the theefe _Thracilius_ in his beares skinne. In sorrowe more abounding then poore _Pscyphes_. And in more laboursome daungers then _Lucius Apuleus_, when hee heard the theeues consulting to knocke him on the head and kyll him.[A]
[Sidenote A: Cosby for killing the L. Browgh.]
Oppressed and laden with all these aforenamed frightes and terrors, I began to imagine that the Dragon was flying about my head, and with the noyse of hir scritching teeth and tearing clawes to take hould vpon me with hir deuouring iawes: my heart giuing mee to vnderstand, that the carniuorus Woolfe which I drempt of, was a presage of this my last doubted end. And thus running vppe and downe like a little poore Pismeere or Aunte, when the Partrich is scratching vpon their hillocks and picking of them vp. With my watchfull and attentiue eares, listning if the horrible monster with hir slimie and filthie poyson and stinking sauour were drawing towards mee. And fearing whatsoever came first into my thought.
Finding my selfe vnarmed, voyde of all helpe, in this mortall daunger, and miserable perplexitie, although that death is naturally bytter and hated, yet notwithstanding at that time, I did gratiouslie esteeme of it, which mee thought I could suffer willinglye, but that will was insufficient: hope still looking, and perswading mee of an vncertaine, fearefull, and vnquyet lyfe.
Alas howe my soule and bodye were lothe to leaue one an another, the sorrowe whereof made me vnwilling to intertaine so cruel an enemy as death: whereupon I plucking vp a good heart, thought thus.
Shall the greatnes of my loue so sweetly set on fire, now decaie, frustrated of anie effect, for if at this present I had been but presented with a sight thereof, I could haue beene yet the better satisfied.