Vpon this table was laide a Carpet perfumed, of cloth of Hormisine of a greene colour, euenly distended large and long downe to the pauement: fringed vpon the sides with twisted threede of the selfe same, and mixed with Siluer and Golde, depending downe vnder a border of imbroyderie of Pearle and pretious stone, with a hand-breadth of the pauement on euerie side hanging downe. And of this sort were all the Carpets bordered and fringed.
Afterwards followed a faire yoong Damosell and quicke, with a great Bason of Gold filled with the flowers of Violets, tawny, blew & white, and sweet smelling, as in the prime spring time, and strewing of them vpon the tables, except that before the Queene.
Her sacred maiestie, hauing put off her robe so gorgeous as _Lolia_, wife to _Paulus Aemilius_ neuer saw in her husbandes tryumphes, and shee remayned in a gowne of purple Veluet, hauing wouen in it birdes, little beastes, leaues and flowers in knottes, the worke somewhat raysed vp with pearle and stone, with a thynne vayle couering it all ouer of silke syprusse, shewing through it the couered workes and cloath by reason of the cleare subtiltie and thinnesse thereof, and imperiall and gratious apparell.
After came in two beautifull Damosels bringing in an artificious fountaine continually running with water, and reassuming the same agayne, which was of fine golde, and in a vessell of a curious workmanshippe, which was brought before the Queene, and after the presenting of it vpon the table of golde they bowed their knees downe to the pauement, and like reuerence at the same instaunt made all the rest of the attendant Ladyes, both at the presenting of euery thing, and at the taking away. Three other faire Damosels followed neare after them, one carrying an Ewer of golde, the second a bason, and the other a towell of white silke.
[Illustration]
The Queen whilest shee did wash her handes, one that caried the golden bason, receyued therin the water, that it might not fall agayne into the reassuming fountaine: and the other with the Ewrie, powred in as much sweete water as was borne away, because that the fountaine shoulde not be emptie, and hyndered in hys course. The third did wipe and drie her hands.
The broad and large Receptorie of this fountaine was carryed vpon foure little wheeles, which they drew vppon euerie table to wash the handes of all that were sette.
The brim of the vessell wherein the rising vp fountaine did stande, was adorned with bubbles of pearle standing vp, and vnder the same was sette an other of an other sorte, and both ioyned together with two claspes of an exquisite dipoliture, fine worke, and pretiously garnished. For among other iewelles of inestimable price, vppon the verie toppe in a flower, there was sette a Diamond in fashion of a peare, glistering and sparkling of a huge and vnseene bignes.
And as neare as my smell could tell mee, I did iudge the water to bee of Roses, mixt with the iuice of Lymon pilles, and a little Amber artificially composed, which yeelded a sweet and pleasant smell.
[Illustration]
In the middest of this admirable and stupendious Court, there was set out a maruellous perfuming vessel, not so much for the excellent and perfecte substaunce thereof, which was pure and fine golde: but for the conspicuous, rare, and auncient fashion of the base, standing vpon three Harpyes feete, the which in a foliature made a trianguled illygament to the base, full of deuises, as the mettall required, ouer euerie Angle or corner whereof stoode three naked shapes of flying spirites orderly sette, of two cubites high, with their shoulders turned one towards an other, and somewhat neare together.
They stood vpon the base with the right foot towards the corner, and the lefte stretching towardes the fixed foot of the other boye. Their cubits bending vp, and holding the handle of the perfuming panne, verie slender in the steale, and vpward in fashion of a bowle, somewhat furrowed and broad lipped.
There were six in a round circuit, one towardes an other: And betwixt theyr shoulders in the Center point of the trianguled base, there rose vp a steale like an olde fashioned Candlesticke, holding on the toppe thereof suche a bowle or vessell as aforesaide, and so broade as did fill vp the voyde place in the middest betwixt the other six.
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 f[ae]minine 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[A], did take them downe, and deliuer them (as neede required) to the wayters.
[Sidenote A: Which did draw in the cupbord.]
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.