Betwixt the gracylament of the foote and the cuppe, it was knitte together with a handle of inestimable workemanship, and in lyke manner the foote and the bowle were of an excellent anaglyphie of foliature, monsters and byformed Scyllules, so exquisitely expressed, as could be imbossed, chased, or ingrauen by proportionate circulation.

And the mordycant couer of the same was thicke set with incomparable iewelles: and in lyke sorte all the base and handle whereas conueniencie requyred, and glystering about.

Hypnerotomachia — Part 87

Vppon the braunches of the coorrall, there were artificially sette certayne open flowers with fiue leaues, some of Saphyre, some of Iacynth and Berill, and in the middest of them a little round seede of golde, fastening the leaues to the stalke of corrall.

Hypnerotomachia — Part 87

Which yoong woman reuerently bowing to the earth with her right knee, reseruing the other still vp, whereuppon shee helde this couer of coorrall, which also besides the flowers, had vppon the pointes and toppes of other twigges or sprouts curiously infixed monstrous great pearle. An other of them had a cuppe full of pretious lyquor, better then that which the prowde _Cleopatra_ gaue vnto the Romane Captaine: The reste did execute their offices as aforesaid, and plucking off one after another, with a little instrument with two teeth of golde they offering the same fruits vnto vs, to me vnknowne, for that I had neuer seene the lyke, we did tast them.

Hypnerotomachia — Part 87

But the vnexpected pleasure of them, and sweetnes of their tast, was no otherwise to me than like a gratious substance wanting his desired forme.

And there were restored agayne the balles of golde before mentioned.

Vppon this appeared an other maruellous woorke, that was a perpetuall running fountaine artificially deuysed of the aforesaid matter, but of an other notable fashion and workemanshippe, founded vppon an immoueable axeltree, vppon the which two wheeles turned about.

Aboue the which stood an vnequal quadrature three foot long, two foot broad, and six foote high.

In euery angular part did sit a Harpie with both her winges extended and stretched vp to the breadth of a higher vessell, standing vp vppon the middest of the measured quadrangule, coronized at the extreme and vpper parts, and beautified with chanelling and foliature, circumuesting the lower part.