nne cloath ouer the displayed
winges of an Eagle, her head turning vp, and beholding of him. The head
of which image was redymited with an azure Diademe, adorned with seauen
beames, and at the foot of the Eagle two braunches of greene Lawrell,
one one way, the other contrary towards either side. And in euerie
garland I behelde the figment proper to his planet, and behind at my
backe was the iewell, containing the historie of the winged Mercury, and
howe the benignitie of his good disposition is depraued, when he is in
the malignant taile of the venemous Scorpion. And looking vpon my selfe,
I was ashamed to see my vile habite among suche sumpteous induments,
that me thought my selfe no otherwaies but euen lyke that vile and
mortiferous beast among the most noble signes of the Zodiac. The
bewtifull and honorable damosels sate in order vpon the Benches, compast
about all along by the sides of the walles vppon the right side, and the
best of the Court, with a rare and strange kinde of womanly dressing
vppon their heads, as is in the world, with the tresses of their haire
lapt and bowed vp in Caules of gold.

Some with their haires of Amber colour, curled and dressed vp with
flowers of the same vppon a wyer, with the endes turning downe and
wauing vppon their snowy foreheades and smooth temples, bewtified with
Rubies and Diamonds prickt in the haire.

Others of the colour of the Obsidium of _India_, blacke and shining,
adorned with floures of Orient Pearle, & Carkenets of the same. They
stood all waiting with such a venerate attention, that when the seruice
was brought to the table, they all at one instant time alike, made their
reuerent curtesies in bowing of their knees, and in like manner when
they did rise from of their seates, euerie one apparrelled in cloth of
Golde, but they did not sit and eate at the same table.

Streight before the triumphant Queene was the opening of the third
Curtaine, couering a great and goodly doore, not of Marble, but of rare
and hard Diasper of the East, of an artificiall and ancient worke,
wonderfully bewtifull to behold. Vpon either sides of this doore, their
yoong damosels Musitians, seuen vpon a side in a Nimpish apparrel,
notable for the fashion and verie rich: which at euery change of
seruice, did alter their Musicke and Instruments, and during the
banquetting, others with an Angelike and Syreneall consent, did tune the
same to their handes. Then in a sodaine was placed frames of Heb