a grave and beautiful
woman crowned with a garland, with a cup in one hand and in the other a
sceptre wreathed in flowers, could be seen following these; and with
her, likewise, appeared as a companion Priapus, the God of orchards,
with the usual sickle and with the lap all full of fruits; and with
them, with a cube in the hand and another upon the head, Manturna, who
was always invoked most devoutly by brides on the first night that they
were joined with their husbands, believing that firmness and constancy
could be infused by her into inconstant minds. Extravagantly figured,
next, was Friendship, who came after these, for, although in the form of
a young woman, she was seen to have the bare head crowned with leaves of
pomegranate and myrtle, wearing a rough dress, upon which could be read,
MORS ET VITA; with the breast open, so that the heart could be
perceived, and there, likewise, were to be read these words written,
LONGE ET PROPE; and she carried in the hand a withered elm-trunk
entwined with a fresh and fertile vine. In her company was Pleasure,
both the seemly and the unseemly, likewise extravagantly figured in the
form of two young women that were shown attached to one another by the
back; one white, and, as Dante said, cross-eyed and with the feet
distorted, and the other, although black, yet of a seemly and gracious
form, girt with beautiful consideration by the jewelled and gilded
cestus, with a bit and a common braccio for measuring in the hands. And
she was followed by the Goddess Virginensis, who used also to be invoked
in ancient nuptials, that she might aid the husband to loose the virgin
zone; on which account, all robed in draperies of white linen, with a
crown of emeralds and a cock upon the head, she was seen walking with
the above-named zone and with a little branch of agnus-castus in the
hands. In her company was Beauty, desired so much and by so many, in the
form of a gracious virgin wreathed in flowers, and all crowned with
lilies; and with them was Hebe, the Goddess of Youth, likewise a virgin,
and likewise dressed with much richness and infinite grace, and crowned
with the ornament of a lovely gilded garland, and carrying in the hand a
beautiful little branch of flowering almond. Finally, that most lovely
company was concluded by Joy, likewise a virgin, gracious and crowned
with a garland, who in similar guise carried in the hand a thyrsus all
woven of garlands and various leaves and flowers.