Hypnerotomachia Part 12

Also the inestimable furniture, the attendant housholde and great number, their excellent seruice, the diuersitie of youthes, and all in the prime of their yeares. The delightfull presence of the Nymphes, both attending abroad in the presence and chambers, her baser sort, their honourable and gracious behauiours, their diuersitie of apparrel, attire and dressings set with Pearle and stone, in an allowed, pleasant & louely sort, as any can imagine or expresse. With these infinite riches, supreame delightes, and immeasurable treasure, neither _Darius_, _Craesus_, or any other humane state, whatsoeuer might any way compare.

And thus to conclude, being ouercome with the glorie of them, I know not what more to say, but that I stood amazed, and as it were senceles, and yet in great delight and without wearines, beholding those present obiects, and casting with my selfe what fate and destinate should conduct and leade mee into such a place.

But afterwardes finding my selfe in such an acc.u.mulation of glorie, pleasant seate, happie Country, great contentment and tryumphant company, such as _Clodius_ the Player in Tragedies neuer had seene. I was but moderately conuerted, notwithstanding the promise of the Queene, to fauour my amorous desire, accounting all, but as eye pleasures that hitherto I had seene and had been presented vnto me, stil desiring a greater happines.

For which cause, and for the greater setting out of the excesse and abounding excellency, beyond all the rest of her royall magnificence, euery one sitting in their place after the miraculous, wonderful, and sumpteous banket, without any delaie, she commanded a game to be playd by parsonages, not onelie woorthie the beholding, but of eternall remembrance, which was a game at Chesse, in this sort as followeth.

By the entraunce of the curtaine there came in thirty two Nymphes, whereof sixteene were apparrelled in cloth of gold (eyght vniformally without difference of degrees) afterwards one of those sixteene was apparrelled in princely robes lyke a King, and the other lyke a Queene, with two tower-keepers or Rookes, as wee tearme them, two counsell-keepers or Secretaries, wee tearme them Bishoppes, and two Knights. In like sort were eight other in cloth of siluer, vnder the like gouernement and magistracie as aforesaid.

Euerie one of these according to their duties, tooke theyr places vppon the checkers of the pauement, that is, sixteene in golde of one side in two rowes, and sixteene in siluer of the contrarie side.

The Musicke beganne vppon a sodayne with a rare inuention to sound a charge with a pleasaunt concord, partic.i.p.ating togeather a sweete and thundering melodie, hauing in it a deuine furie.

At the measured sounde and time of the Musicke vppon their checkers, as it pleased the King to commaund, the p.a.w.ns turning themselues with a decent reuolution, honouring the King and the Queene, leapt vppon an other checker before them.

The King of the white men, his musicke sounding, commaunded her forward that stoode before the Queene, and the same with lyke reuerent behauiour marched forward her continent, and stoode still. And according to the mensuration of the musicall time in this order, so they chaunged their places, or continued vppon the checkers dauncing, vntill that they were eyther taken or commaunded forward by the King.

If the musicke kepte still one time, those eyght vnyforme p.a.w.nes did spende the time in marching forwardes into an other checker, neuer comming backe vntill that worthily without touch or appalement of courage, they had leapt vppon the line of that square where was the residence of the Queene, proceeding straight on, vnlesse she tooke a prisoner by a Diagonick line.

The Bishop went in a Diagonike line, still holding that coloured checker wherein he stood first.

The Knight ouer two checkers before him taketh the next of eyther handes, and of a contrary colour to that hee stood in immediately before.

The Castle-keepers or Rookes might pa.s.se ouer manie checkers streight on as they pleased at commaundement, so that they might goe one, two, three, foure, or fiue checkers, keeping a measure, and not staying in their march.

The King might goe vpon anie checker if none were in it, or backeward, and cause any other to remooue for him, and make him roome.

The Queene might goe any way, but it is best when shee is neare her husband on euery side.

And whensoeuer the officers of eyther of the Kings shall finde one without guarde of helpe, they take her prisoner, and both kissing one another, she that is ouercome and taken, goeth foorth and standeth by.

Thus they continued playing and dauncing according to the time of the musicke, with greate pleasure, solace, and applause, vntill the King of the siluer Nymphes was victour and conquerour.

This solemne sport, what with resistance flying backe, and seconding of one an other, with such a measured circulation, reuerence, pause, and modest continencie, endured the s.p.a.ce of an hower, whereat I tooke such pleasure and delyght, that I imagyne (and not amysse) that I was rapt vpon the sodaine from the liking of the sportes of Olympus to a newe felicitie.

This first game beeing ended, and conquest obtayned, all retourned into theyr accustomed places, and in like manner as at the first, so the second time euerie one in theyr appoynted checkers, the Musicke chaunging theyr measure, so the moouings and gestures of the players were altered.

And obseruing the time of the musicke in a conuenient order, and approoued gesture and arte, that it was no neede to commaund or say any thing.

But the cunning and experte Nymphes, with theyr plentifull tresses effused ouer theyr delicate shoulders hung wauing, and in theyr motion forwardes would streame out at length, somewhat shewing their backes, about their heades wearing Garlandes and Crownes of Violets. And when any one was taken, they lifted vp their armes and clapt handes. Thus playing and coursing vp and downe, the first continued still conquerour.

In the last game and daunsing, they beeing all returned to their distributed places, the Musicke againe sounded a measure phrygiall in as perfect and prouoking furie as euer _Marcias_ of _Phrygia_ inuented.

The King in robes of Golde, caused the yoong Damosell that stood before the Queene, to marche forwarde to the third Checker, direct in the first remooue, whereupon immediately there was seene a battaile and Torney, with so swift and sodaine forces, bending themselues to the grounde as it were lying close vpon their Garde, and presently vpon it capering vp with a turne twise aboue ground, one iust opposite against an other, and vpon their downe come withall a turne vpon the toe thrise about.

All this Action they did at one time, with such a grace and agilitie, as nothing could be better, with their lowe inclinat.i.tions, high Capers and Turnings, without affectation of strayning, as it should seeme with facilitie and careles ease at pleasure and sweete iestures, as in such a thing may bee imagined, and not else where to bee seene. Neuer any one troubling an other, but who so was taken prisoner, did presently kisse their Conquerour, and voyded the place. And the lesser number that there was, the more pleasure it was to perceiue the pollicies of either sides to ouercome other.

And such an order and motion was vsed of euerie one, in a commendable sort without fault, as the measure and time of the Musike appointed, stirryng euen them that looked on to haue a motion in their sinowes and mindes to doo the lyke, there was such a concord and agreement betwixt nature and the Musike especially, seeing the performance of the same in the actions of others.

Vpon this occasion I was moued to call to remembrance the force of _Timotheus_, the most cunning musitian, who with his voice and measure vppon his Instrument would prouoke the great Macedonian _Alexander_, violently to take Armes, and presently altering his voyce and tune, to forget the same, and sit downe contentedly. In this third game, they apparrelled in gold did triumph in the victoritie.

Thus honourably with exceeding pleasure and great solace, this sumpteous feast beeing ended, euerie one framed themselues to sit downe. And I rysing vp, made reuerence before the Royall seate of her sacred maiestie, and kneelyng downe vpon my knee, she thus said vnto me.

_Poliphilus_, forget now, and wype out of thy remembrance all forepa.s.sed griefes, occursiue troubles, pensiue conceites, and ouergone daungers, because that I am a.s.sured of thy forthwith full contentment of desire.

And seeing that thy determination is to perseuere resolutely in the amorous flames and loue of _Polia_, I thinke it conuenient, that for the recouerie thereof, thou repaire to the three Portes, which are the resident places of the high and mightie Queene _Telosia_, in which place vppon euerie of those Portes and Gates, thou shalt see her tytle and name inscrypt. Read it diligently, but for thy better direction and safegarde, thou shalt haue to accompany thee, two of my handmaydes, which know verie well the way thither, and therefore go on vndoubtedly with a happie successe.

And thereupon with a princely bountie, she drew of from her finger a Ring of gold, hauing set in it an Anchit, and deliuered it vnto me to remember her bountie by.

At this aduise and precious gift, I became amphasiatike, not knowing what to saie or doo, in requitall or giuing of thankes. Which her Highnes perceiuing, motherly and with a naturall promptnes in a maiestical grauitie, turned her countenance to two n.o.ble and goodly Nymphes, attending neere vnto her Royall and imperiall Throne, saying thus to one of them vpon her right side.

_Logistica_, you shall bee one that shall accompanye our guest _Poliphilus_, and with a sacred and honourable grace, shee turned to the left hande saying, _Thelemia_, you shall also go with him. And both of you shewe and instruct him at what Gate hee must remayne, and then _Poliphilus_, they shall bring you to an other mightie and maiesticall Queene, who if shee shall bee bountifull vnto thee in entertainment thou art happie, if contrarie, then discontented.

Notwithstandyng, none doth knowe her intent by her countenance, because that sometime shee sheweth her selfe full of fauour, loue, and pleasant dispositions. An other time shee is malignant, frowarde, disdainefull, with vnstable incursyue pa.s.sions. And shee it is that determineth such euents as thou seekest after. And for her obscure condition, shee is rightly called _Thelosia_.

Her residence is not in suche a stately Pallaice, as thou seest mee to dwell in.

Therefore I would haue thee to vnderstande, that the chiefe woorkeman in the creation of nature, did make no thyng comparable to mee, neyther can the earth shew thee greater treasure then to come to my presence and taste of my bountie, obtaine my fauour and partic.i.p.ate of my qualitie.

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, ? ??S F?S?OS ????S.

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, compa.s.sed 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.