ing downe ouer hir
shoulders, of a flaxen colour, and thus she sate participating of hir
husbands pleasure and quiet, and at hir feete laie a vessell called
Clepsydra[C]. In hir right hand she held a copie full of flowers,
fruits, and greene leaues, and in hir left hande a branch of flowers,
fruits and leaues.

[Sidenote A: _Hamadryades_ were nymphs of the wood and _Symenides_]

[Sidenote B: _Vertumnus_ the God of fruits.]

[Sidenote C: _Clepsydra_ is sometime taken for a diall measuring
time by the running of water, but here for a pot to water a garden
and yoong sectlings in a nourcery for an orchyard.]

Before the carre and the fower drawing satyrs, there marched two faire
Nymphs, the one of them bare a troph[ae] with a pr[ae]pendant table,
whereupon was written this title,

_Integerrimam corporis valetudinem & stabile robur castasque
mensarum delitias, & beatam animi securitatem cultoribus
me offero._

And the other bare a troph[ae] of certaine greene sprigges bound
togither, and among them diuers rurall instruments fastened. These
passed on thus after the ancient maner, with great ceremonies, and much
solemnitie, compassing about a great square stone like an aulter,
standing in the middest of this faire mead, sufficiently moystened with
current streames from beautifull fountaines.

This square stone or aulter was of pure white marble, curiouslie cut by
a cunning lapicidarie, vpon euery front wherof was a woonderfull goodly
expression, of an elegant image, so exact, as the like else-where is
hardly to be found.

The first was a faire goddesse, hir treces flieng abroad, girded with
roses and other flowers, vpon a thin vpper garment couering hir
beautifull and pleasant proportion. She helde hir right hand ouer an
ancient vessell, in maner of a chafing-dish, called Chytropodus, sending
foorth a flame of fire, into the which shee did cast roses and flowers,
and in the other hand she held a branch of sweete myrtle, full of
berries. By hir side stoode a little winged boy smiling, with his bowe
and arrowes. Ouer hir head were two pigeons. And vnder the foote of this
figure was written

_Florido veri S._

Vpon the other side I beheld in an excellent caruing, the representation
of a damosell of a maidenly countenaunce, whose stately maiestie gaue
great commendation to the curious deuise of the workeman. She was
crowned with a garland of wheat eares, hir haire flingering abroade,