e ryuers of
water.

The which mysticall place was of a verie lustie mould and fruitfull,
replenished with all sorts of fruits, beautified with faire springs, and
greene hearbes and flowers, full of all solace and delight. Whereupon
she spake thus.

I doe imagine (_Poliphilus_) that you doe not vnderstande the
conditionate state of this maruellous feate, and therefore giue
attendance to my wordes.

Whosoeuer entereth in cannot come backe, but as you see yonder
mountaines heere and there distributed, seuen circuits and the about
goings distant one from another.

And the extreeme molestation and sorrowe of the enterers in, is this:
In the myddle mountayne within the center thereof, and open mouth of the
same, there lurketh inuisibly a deadly deuouring olde Dragon, hee is
vtter destruction to some, and others are not hurte to death by him. Hee
cannot bee seene nor shunned, neyther doth hee leaue any vnassaulted,
but eyther in the entrie, or in their iourney, hee destroyeth or
woundeth. And if hee killeth them not betwixt one mountayne and another,
they passe the seuen circuites to the next mount.

And they that enter in by the first tower or mount (wherevppon is this
tytle inscript +DOXA KOSMIKE:O:S POMPHOLYS+.) They sayle in a little
shippe with a prosperous winde, and securely at pleasure: the fruites
and flowers fall downe vppon theyr hatches, and with great solace and
pleasure they cut through by the seauen reuolutions with a merry winde,
vntill the second mount bee discouered and come vnto. And marke and
beholde (_Poliphilus_) howe cleare and bright the ayre is in the
entrance, ouer that it is in the center, about the which is thicke
darknesse.

In the first mount or tower there is alwayes resident a pittifull matron
and bountifull, before whome standeth an auncient appoynted vessell
called _Vrna_, in a readinesse, hauing vppon it seauen Greeke letters
as thus +THESPION+, full of appoynted honie, and to euerie one that
entereth in, verie curteously and with a good will shee giueth one of
them without respecte of state and condition, but according to theyr
enterance.

These beeing receyued, they came foorth, and begin to sayle in the
Laborynth, the water beeing enuyroned vpon either sides, with roses,
trees, and fruits.

And hauing sayled the first seuen reuolutions of _Aries_, and being come
to the second mount, there they meet with innumerable troopes of yong
women of diuerse conditions, which demaund of e