hed 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, c