aments were the borders
wrought, both vnder and aboue. Vppon the border in the necke of the
couer, were two halfe rings, suppressed in the border by transuersion,
one of them iust against another, which were holden in the biting teeth
of two Lysarts, or byting Dragons of greene emerauld, bearing out from
the couer. They stoode with their serpentlike feete vpon the lower part
of the couer vnder the necke, betwixt the which and the lower vessell,
was one quantitie, and from his vpper gracilament descending, he ioyned
with the turned in sime of the circumferent lymbus or verdge, where they
did closely byte togither. This couer to the necke was made in skalie
work of _Hyacinth_, except the vaynes of smaragd, for the little
dragons, their bellies and feetes fastening to the skalie couer. These
little dragons one against an other, their brests and throtes hollowing
out from the border and the couer, and their tayles turning vpwards
againe, did serue for the eares of the couer, iust ouer them of the
lower vessell.

The lower turning about, where the couer did close with the vessell
being of two parts, ioyned togither with an excellent foliature, halfe a
foote broad, as if they had bin inseparable.

The bodie of this vessell was all run ouer with a Vine, the stringes and
vaines whereof, and small curling twists, were of Topas, farre better
then is founde in the Ilande Ophiadis, the leaues of fine smaragd, and
the braunches of Amethist, to the sight most beautifull, and to the
vnderstanding woonderfull contemplable. The subiect vessell appearing
thorough the same of Hiacinth so round and polished, as any wheele can
send foorth: except, vnder the leaues there was a substaunce left,
which helde the foliature to the vessell of Hiacinth, passing ouer and
separated from the subiect. The hollowed and bending leaues with all the
other lapicidariall lineaments, were performed with such an emulation of
nature as was woonderfull.

Let vs nowe returne to the circumferent brim of the pretious vessell.
In the smooth partes whereof, vppon eyther sides of the tayles of the
Lysarts, I behelde two hystorials woorthy of regard, ingrauen in this
sort. Vpon the foreside of the vessell, the representation of _Iupiter_,
holding in his right hande a glistering sword, of the vayne of the
[Ae]thiopian Chrysolits: and in the other hande a thunder bolt of shining
Rubie. His countenance sauour of the vaine of Gallatits, and crowned
with stars like light