that grace hath safelye brought thee hither vnto vs, I will not
denye thee (any cause notwithstanding) a gratious and fauourable
intertaynement.

To whose liberall inuiting, royall woordes and intertaynement, better
then I could haue imagined to desire, with diuote and honourable
thankes, giuen aboundantly from pointe to pointe, I tould how I escaped
and fled from the Dragon, a fearefull monster. And consequently with
what trauell and payne I came to the desired place. And how the fiue
Nimphes did finde me wandering and afrayde. Which when I had at large
declared and ended my speeche, I began with great desire to frame my
selfe to bee a pertaker of their solacious and magnificent pleasures.

After that she said vnto me with a smiling and pleasant countenance.
It is a woorthie matter to consider, that an euill and discontented
beginning, often time falleth out to a happie and good successe in the
end: and before that anye thing bee committed vnto you to perfourme, as
touching your amorous and firme conceit, it is our pleasure, for the
asswagement and mitigation of thy commendable griefes, that in this
company thou especially shouldest associate thy selfe with _Philotesia_,
seeing that the faire heauens haue shewed thee of thy entertainment, and
brought thee into our triumphant mansion place. And therefore my
_Poliphilus_, without any more ceremonies take thy place there and sit
downe, for thou shalt see (with a verie good will) part of our sumptuous
and stately manner of seruice, the plentifull diuersitie and number of
my more then princely dainties, the honourable attendance of my
houshold, & excellent order thereof, the inestimable pretiousnes of my
great aboundance, and the large effects of my bounty.

At which imperious commaund, her eloquent and fauorable speech ended,
humbly, and with a little more audacitie than before, vppon one of the
benches of my right hande I did sit downe (lapping my torne gowne
together before me with certaine brymble leaues still sticking in it)
betwixt the fiue Nymphes that brought mee in, and amongst them next vnto
_Offresia_ and _Achoe_, placed behinde the Queene, and six other of the
chamber vppon the other hande, and in the middest on high vppon a throne
did the Queene sitte in an imperiall Maiestie.

The Couer ouer the Throne was of an inamelled couloring contayning in it
a beautifull image without any beard, the head bushing with yellow
haire, part of his brest couered with a thi