ace where so many delightful sightes did
present themselues vnto mee. Neither was I aduised to my better safetie
and content which way to turne me.

Standing thus in such a suspence of minde, calling to remembraunce the
daunger that I had lastlye escaped, and the present place that I was
newlye entered into, and thinking vppon hieragliphes that I did see in
the left side of the bridge, I was in doubt, to hasten my selfe towards
any vnaduised aduers accident, And that such a monument and warning
woorthie of golden letters, should not be set in vaine to them that
passed by, which was _Semper festina tarde_. Behold of a sodaine behinde
me, I heard a rusling noyse, like the winde or beating of a Dragons
winges. Alas I knew not what it should bee. And sodeinly ispasurated and
turning my selfe about, I might perceiue vpon one side of me many
silique trees of _Aegypt_, with their ripe long coddes hanging and
beating one against an other with the winde, had felled downe
themselues, which when I perceiued, I was soone quieted, and beganne to
make sport at my owne folly.

I had not continued long thus, but I heard a singing company of gallant
damoselles comming towardes mee (by their voyces of young and tender
yeares) and faire (as I thought) solacing and sporting themselues among
the flowering hearbes and fresh coole shadow, free from the suspect of
any mans sight, and making in their Gate a great applause among the
pleasant flowers. The incredible sweetnesse of hir musicall and
consonant voyce, conueighed in the roriferous ayre, and spredding it
selfe abroade with the aunswerable sounde and delectable report of a
warbeling harpe (for the tryall of which noueltie, I couched downe vnder
the lowe bowghes of the next adioining bushes, and saw them come
towardes mee with gratious gestures) hir Maydenlie head attyred and
bound vp in fillets of glystering gould, and instrophiated redimited,
garnished ouer and beset with floured mirtle, and vpon hir snowye
foreheade, branched out hir trembling curled lockes, and about hir
fayrest showlders, flew her long tresses after a nymphish fashion
artyfitiallye handeled.

They were apparrelled in carpanticall habites of fine sylke of sondrye
coulers, and weauinges of three sorts, one shorter, and distinct from
the other. The nethermost of purple, the next of greene silke, & goulde
or tissew, and the vppermost of curled white sendall, gyrded about their
smale wastes with girdles of goulde vnder