restlesse minde, was now well reposed.
And when she had refreshed her selfe sufficiently with sleepe, she rose
with a more quiet and pacified minde, and fortuned to espy a pleasant
wood invironed with great and mighty trees. Shee espied likewise a
running river as cleare as crystall: in the midst of the wood well nigh
at the fall of the river was a princely Edifice, wrought and builded not
by the art or hand of man, but by the mighty power of God: and you would
judge at the first entry therin, that it were some pleasant and worthy
mansion for the powers of heaven. For the embowings above were of
Citron and Ivory, propped and undermined with pillars of gold, the walls
covered and seeled with silver, divers sorts of beasts were graven and
carved, that seemed to encounter with such as entered in. All things
were so curiously and finely wrought, that it seemed either to be the
worke of some Demy god, or of God himselfe. The pavement was all of
pretious stones, divided and cut one from another, whereon was carved
divers kindes of pictures, in such sort that blessed and thrice blessed
were they that might goe upon such a pavement: Every part and angle of
the house was so well adorned, that by reason of the pretious stones and
inestimable treasure there, it glittered and shone in such sort, that
the chambers, porches, and doores gave light as it had beene the Sunne.
Neither otherwise did the other treasure of the house disagree unto
so great a majesty, that verily it seemed in every point an heavenly
Palace, fabricate and built for Jupiter himselfe.
Then Psyches moved with delectation approched nigh and taking a bold
heart entred into the house, and beheld every thing there with great
affection, she saw storehouses wrought exceedingly fine, and replenished
with aboundance of riches. Finally, there could nothing be devised
which lacked there: but among such great store of treasure this was
most marvellous, that there was no closure, bolt, nor locke to keepe the
same. And when with great pleasure shee had viewed all these things, she
heard a voyce without any body, that sayd, Why doe you marvell Madame
at so great riches? behold, all that you see is at your commandement,
wherefore goe you into the chamber, and repose your selfe upon the bed,
and desire what bath you will have, and wee whose voyces you heare bee
your servants, and ready to minister unto you according to your desire.
In the meane season, royall meats and dainty di
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