vaulte vnder thys mighty Pyramides And looking backe whether this fearefull Dragon did still followe mee or no the light was cleane gone And I remayning in a darke place full of sundrie turnings and crossing passages in a greater terror and more deadly heauinesse of minde then Mercurie Making himselfe Ibis and Apollo Threicia Diana into the lyttle byrd Cholomene And Pan into two shapes I and more afraide then euer was Oedipus Cyrus Craesus and Perseus And more trembling then the theefe Thracilius in his beares skinne In sorrowe more abounding then poore Pscyphes And in more laboursome daungers then Lucius Apuleus when hee heard the theeues consulting to knocke him on the head and kyll him Oppressed and laden with all these aforenamed frightes and terrors I began to imagine that the Dragon was flying about my head and with the noyse of hir scritching teeth and tearing clawes to take hould vpon me with hir deuouring iawes my heart giuing mee to vnderstand that the carniuorus Woolfe which I drempt of was a presage of this my last doubted end And thus running vppe and downe like a little poore Pismeere or Aunte when the Partrich is scratching vpon their hillocks and picking of them vp With my watchfull and attentiue eares listning if the horrible monster with hir slimie and filthie poyson and stinking sauour were drawing towards mee And fearing whatsoeuer came first into my thought Finding my selfe vnarmed voyde of all helpe in this mortall daunger and miserable perplexitie although that death is naturally bytter and hated yet notwithstanding at that time I did gratiouslie esteeme of it which mee thought I could suffer willinglye but that will was insufficient hope still looking and perswading mee of an vncertaine fearefull and vnquyet lyfe Alas howe my soule and bodye were lothe to leaue one an another the sorrowe whereof made me vnwilling to intertaine so cruel an enemy as death whereupon I plucking vp a good heart thought thus Shall the greatnes of my loue so sweetly set on fire now decaie frustrated of anie effect for if at this present I had been but presented with a sight thereof I could haue beene yet the better satisfied But yet forthwith returning to the inward impression of my sweetest obiect stil dwelling in the secret of my heart I fell into blobering teares for the losse of two so worthie iewels That was Polia and my precious life Continually calling vpon her with deepe sighes and singultiue sobbings sounding in the thicke ayre incloystered vnder the huge arches and secret darke couering saying thus to my selfe If I die heere thus miserably sorrowfully and vncomfortably all alone who shal bee a woorthie successour of so precious a gemme ' who shal be the possesor of such a treasure of so inestimable valure And what faire heauen shal shew so cleare a light Oh most wretched Poliphilus whether dost thou go vnfortunate whether dost thou hasten thy steppes hopest thou euer to behold againe any desiâ—ed good Behould all thy grations conceits and pleasant highe delyghtes builded in thy apprehensiue thoughtes through the sweetenes of loue are deadly shaken and abruptlie precipitated and cast downe Looke how thy loftie Amorous cogitations are shaken in peeces and anihilated Ah me what iniurious lot maleuolent constellations haue so perniciously driuen and deceitfully allured thee into this miserable obscure darknes and now haue despitefully ledde thee in a heape of mortal feares and drowning in a deepe sea of vnspeakeable sorrowes To the vnmercifull deuouring and sodaine gobbling vp of so filthie a monster and to bee rotted and disgested in the stinking intrailes of so fowle a beast and to bee cast out in so vile a place Oh lamentable and vnaccustomed death O miserable end of my desired life Where are my eyes what be they barreine Is their humor gone Are there no more teares left to fall trickeling downe my blubbered cheekes Well then I perceiue that death is at my backe who did euer see such a change of fortune Behold vnhappie and wayward death and the last houre and accursed minute thereof at hâ—nde in this darke some shade where my bodie and flesh is appointed to bee a foode for so fowle a beast What furie what crueltie what miserie more monstrous can a mortall creature suffer That sweete and pleasant light should bee rest from them that bee aliue and the earth denied to them that are dead What hoggish calamitie and deformed mishap so greeuously and vntimely shall abandon from mee my most desired and florishing Polia Farewell the merror of all vertue and true perfection of beautie farewell And thus beyond all measure tost and tumbled in such and so great afflictions my verie soule was vexed within me striuing to be set at libertie from my vnfortunate and feeble bodie passing vp and downe I knew not where My legges weake feeble and fowltering vnder mee my spirites languishing and my sences in a maner gone from mee Sauing that I called deuoutly vppon the omnipotent God to haue pittie vppon mee and that some good Angell might bee appointed to conduct mee out And with that beholde I discouered a little light To the which how gladly I hasted let euerie one iudge what hee would doo in such a perplexitie I saw an euerlasting Lampe burning before an Aultar that was fiue foote high and tenne foote broad with the images of golde standing thereupon which I could not verie perfectly behold notwithstanding the burning Lampe the grossenes of the ayre was such and so great an enemy to the light And alwayes with attentiue eares I diligently harkened as not yet ridde of feare and somewhat I saw the dimme images and the large foundations and feareful vaultes and subterraneal buttresses or vpholders and strengthes heare and there in infinite places distributed and many huge and mightie pillers some foure-square some sixe square some eight square aptly set vnder and approportioned to sustaine the vast bignes of the waightie Pyramides There I hauing small delight to make anie long staie I intended to take an vnknowne way further in which my vndertaken course I espied a light whiche so long I had wished for comming in at a litle wicket as small as I could see Oh with what ioy and with what a glad heart I beheld it and with what cheare did I hasten my steppes towards it Perchance faster then Canistius or Philonides my vnbrideled gladnesse and extreame desire to come neere therevnto was such that I reuoked and haled backe againe the diuorse of my discontented and irkesome life successiuely comforting my perturbed minde and quailed hart Somewhat refreshing and reassuring my selfe filling vp againe my euacuated and emptie heart and replenishing the same with his ould cogitations Nowe I settled my selfe more towardes my louely Polia and bound my affections more surely to hir Being perswaded and firmely opinionated that this sight was a trauÌ„ce in loue for shewing that I should dye and lose my loue Oh how extreamely did it vexe mee Neyther
aforesayde entrie cut out of the firme stone led to the scale and compassing passage in the center with winding steps tending to the highest parte of the stately Pyramides and opening vpon the out side of the catill or cube vpon the which the shining obeliske was founded And among the rest of such notable partes that I beheld me thought that this deuise was woorth the noting because the artifitious and most cunning architect with an exquisite and perspicuous inuention had made to the stayres certaine loopes or small windowes imbracing the bountifull beames of the sunne correspondently on three parts the lower the middle and supreame The lower taking light from the higher and the higher from the catabasse or lower with their opposite reflexions shewing a maruellous faire light they were so fitly disposed by the calculate rule of the artificious Mathematrician to the Orientall Meridionall and Occidentall partes of the ayre that euery houre of the day the sunne shined in and gaue light to the whole scale the same loopes or windolets in diuerse places symmetrially and definitely dispersed and set To the aforesaid entrance thorow the open mouth of Medusa I came by a long gallorie to a salying scale or downe going staire opening at the foot and pauement of the building vpon my right hand against one of the collaterall and side-lying mountaines betwixt which there was out of the stone and open space cut out of tenne paces vp into the which I ascended boldely without resistance and being come to the beginning of the staire in the aforesaid mouth by innumerable steppes and degrees not without great wearines and disinesse of head by often turning about I came to so incredible a height that my eies would not suffer me to looke downe to the ground insomuch that me thought that euery thing below vpon the plaine had lost his shape and seemed vnperfect In the opening and comming out of this circulate and turning assence many pillars of fused and molten mettall were aptly disposed and surely fixed the inter-space betwixt euery one and other one foote and in height halfe a pase railed and ioyned togither aboue with a battelled coronet al along the said pillar and of the same metall compassing about the opening of the staire lest that any comming foorth vnawares should fall downe headlong For the immesurable height thereof woulde cause a giddines in the head and bring a staggering to the feete vpon the plaine of the obeliske there was infixed a table of brasâ—e fastened and soldered in about the height of a man with an ancient inscription in Latine Greeke and Arabike by the which I plainely vnderstoode that the same was dedicated to the Sunne and the measure of the work wholy set downe and described the name of the Architector noted on the obeliske in Greek letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lichas Libiicus architectus me oroxâ—t Lichâ—s a Libian architector set me vp Let vs returne and come backe to the consideration of the But and tessell or square subiect and vphoulder of the Pyramides in the fronte and foreside whereof I beheld ingrauen a Gigantomachie and combate betwixt Giauntes the onely enemie to vitall breath surpassinglie well cut with the quick motions and liuelie agilities of their large and tall bodyes vnpossible to be rightlye described the artificiall handling thereof as it were enuying the woorke of nature it selfe as if theyr eyes and feete had mooued together and coasted from one part to an other with an expedite passage and swift course In such sorte seemed they vpon theyr strong and mightie horsses some being cast downe other stumbling and falling many wounded and hurt yeelding vp their desired liues some troden downe and mischieued vnder the feete of the fierce and vnrestrained horsses Other casting off their armour wrastling and tâ—gging one with an other some headlong with their heeles vpwarde falling and not come to the ground from off their horsses Other some lying vpon the earth houlding vp their sheilds and Targets offended with the one hand and defended with the other Many with their shimitaries and curtilaxes some with long swordes two handed after the auncient Persian manner others with diuers deadly and strange fashioned mortall weapons some wearing habergions and helmets with diuers deuises vpon their crests others naked and vnarmed leaping and rushing in among the thickest thereby shewing theyr haughtie inuincible and vndaunted courages resolute for death Some with fearefull countenances crying out other shewing obstinate and furious visages although they were assured to dye strongly abiding the proofe of their paine and the cutting in sunder of their fatall thread others slaine before them with diuers vneothe and straunge warlike and deadly instruments Shewing their strong members their swelling muskels standing out offering to the sight and eyes of the behoulder the dutie of theyr bones and the hollownesse in the places where theyr strong sinewes be strayned Their conflict and combate seemed so fearefull bloudie deadly cruell and horrible as if Mars himselfe had beene fighting with Porphirion and Alcion who made a noyse lyke the braying of Asses This catagliphic imagerie did exceed a naturall and common stature and proportion of men carued in priuie white marble the ground thereof as black as iet a perfect foile to beautifie and set foorth with pale Christaline and siluer crolley of innumerable huge bodyes their last indeuours their present actions the fashion of their armor the diuersitie of their deaths vncertaine doubtful victorie The discharge of my vndertaken discription whereof prooueth maymed and lame by reason that my vnderstanding is wearie my memorie confused with varietie and my sight dimmed with continuall gasing that my senses will not aford me rightly and as their dewe fitly to manifest part much lesse to describe at large the whole manner of their curious Lythoglyphi After this I became to cast with my selfe what should mooue and cause such a pride burning desire in any man to fetch from far and gather together so mightie stones with so great trauell With what carriage who were the conueyers and porters with what manner of wheeles and rowling deuises and vpholding supporters so great large and innumerable a sort of stones should be brought thither and of what matter theyr cement that ioyned and held them together was made the heygth of the Obelisk and statelinesse of the Pyramides exceeding the imagined conceit of Dimocrates proposed to Alexander the great about a worke to be performed vpon the hill Athos For the strangenes of the Egiptian building might giue place to this The famous laborinth were far inferior Lemnos is not to be rehearsed the Theaters of old time were in comparison but warriners lodges neyther did the famous Nausoley come any thing neere Which certainly maketh me absolutely perswaded that he which wrote the seauen woonders of the world neuer hard of this neyther in any age hath their been seene or imagined the like no not the sepulcher of Ninus Lastly I
with this inscription Equus infaelicitatis And vpon the right side there was ingrauen certaine figures shapes and representments of men and women dauncing together byformed or faced the formost smiling the hynmost weeping and dauncing in a ring with theyr armes spred abrode and hanfasted man with man and woman with woman One arme of the man vnder that of the woman and the other aboue and thus closing together and houlding by the hands they floung about one after another that alwayes still in one place a smyling countenance incountered a foregoing sad Their number was seauen and seauen so perfectly and sweetely counterfeited with liuelie motions their vestures whisking vp and flying abroad that the workman could not be accused of any imperfection but that one had not a liuely voyce to expresse their mirth and the other brinish teares to manifest their sorrow the said daunce was in fashion of two Semicircles with a seperating partition put betwixt Vnder which Hemiall figure there was inscript this worde TEMPVS On the contrary side I beheld many of greene adolestencie of like proportion to the former and in such like compasse or space the grounds of both beautified and set foorth with an exquisite foliature or woorke of leaues and flowers this companie was plucking and gathering of the flowers of sundrye hearbes and tender bushing stalkes and braunches and with them diuers faire Nimphes pleasantly deuising and sportinglie snatching away their gathered flowers and in such sort as abouesaid vnder the figure were ingrauen certaine capitall letters to shew this one worde AMISSIO conteyning the ninth part to the Diameter of the quadrature At the first sight hereof I was amased and astonished but with better regard great delight curiously reouerlooking the huge founded Machine the shape and forme of a horse made by humane industry and skill most commendable for that euery member without defect had his perfect harmonie and euery limme his desired proportion I straight called to remembrance the vnfortunate horse of Scian And thus helde still to beholde the same artificiall mysterie an other spectacle and obiect no lesse worthy to be looked vpon than the former offered it selfe to my sight which was a mighty Elephant whereunto with a desirous intent I speedely hyed me to approch and come neere In which meane while on an other side I heard a mournefull noise and humane groaning as proceeding from a sicke body euen vnto death whereat I stoode still at the first my haires standing right vp but presently without further stay I addressed my steppes towards the place from whence I heard this wofull noyse and dolefull lament forcing my selfe vp vppon a heape of ruinated broken and downe-fallen marbles Thus willingly going forward I came to a vast and wonderfull large Colose the feete thereof bare and their soles hollowe and the legges as if their flesh had beene wasted consumed and fallen away From thence with horror I came to looke vpon the head where I did coniecture and imagine that the ayre and winde getting in and comming foorth of his wide open mouth and the hollow pipes of his throat by a diuine inuention did cause this moderated noise and timed groanes it lay with the face vpward all of molten mettal like a man of middle age and his head lifted vp as with a pillowe with a resemblance of one that were sicke breathing out at his mouth sighes and groanes gaping his length was three score paces By the haires of his beard you might mount vp to his breast and by the rent and torne peeces of the same to his stil lamenting mouth which groningly remained wide open and empty by the which prouoked by the spurre of curious desire I went downe by diuers degrees into his throat from thence to his stomacke and so foorth by secret wayes and by little and little to all the seuerall partes of his inward bowelles Oh wonderfull conceit And euery part of mans body hauing vpon it written his proper appellation in three ideomes Chaldee Greeke and Latine that you might know the intrailes â—inews bones veines muscles and the inclosed flesh and what disease is bred there â— the cause thereof the cure and remedy Vnto which inglomerated and winding heape of bowelles there was a conuenient comming vnto and entrance in with small loope-holes and wickets in sundry places diuersly disposed yeelding thorough them a sufficient light to beholde the seuerall partes of the artificiall anothomie not wanting any member that is found in a naturall body When I came to the heart I did see and reade how Loue at his first entrance begetteth sorow and in continuaunce sendeth out sighes and where Loue doth most greeuously offend wherewithall I was mooued to renew my passion sending out from the botome of my heart deepe fet and groaning sighs inuocating and calling out vpon Polia in such sort as that the whole Colose and Machine of brasse did resound striking me into a horrible feare an exquisite Arte beyond all capacity for a man to frame his like not being an Anotomy indeede Oh the excellency of passed wittes and perfect golden age when Vertue did striue with Fortune leauing onely behind him for an heritage to this our world blinde ignorant and grudging desire of worldly pelfe Vpon the other side I perceiued of like bignes to the former Colose the vpper part of a womans head some deale bare and the rest buried with the decayed ruines as I thought of such like workmanship as the other and being forbidden by incompolite and disordered heapes of decayed and fallen downe stones to view the same I returned to another former obiect which was and not farre distant from the horse straight forward a huge Elephant of more blacke stone than the Obsidium powdered ouer with small spottes of golde and glimces of siluer as thicke as dust glistering in the stone The extreame hardnes whereof the better did shew his cleere shining brightnes so as euery proper obiect therein did represent it selfe excepte in that parte where the mettall did beare a contrary colour Vpon his large backe was set a saddle or furniture of brasse with two gyrthes going vnder his large belly betwixt the which two being streight buckled vp with buckles of the same stone there was inter-set a quadrangle correspondent to the breadth of the Obeliske placed vpon the saddle and so iustly set as no perpendicular line would fall on either side the diameter Vpon three parts or sides of the foure square Obelisk were ingrauen Egiptian caracters The beast so exactly and cunningly proportioned as inuention could deuise and art performe The aforesaid saddle and furniture set foorth and beautified with studdes hanging iewels stories and deuises and houlding vp as it were a mightie Obeliske of greene couloured stone of Lacedemonia vpon the euen square two paces broad and seauen in height to the sharpe pointe thereof waxing smaller and smaller vpon which pointe there was fixte a Trigon or rounde Ball oâ— a