And there sitting thus togither among the sweete flowers and redolent roses, I fastened mine eies vpon this heauenly shape of so faire and rare a proportion, whereunto my sences were so applied, drawen and addicted, that my hart was ouerwhelmed with extreeme delights, so as I remained senceles, and yet cast into a curious desire to vnderstand and knowe what should be the reason and cause that the purple humiditie in the touch of hir bodie, in the smoothnes of hir hand should be as white as pure milke: and by what meanes that nature had bestowed in hir faire bodie the fragrant sweetnes of Arabia. And by what industrie in hir starrie forehead pampynulated with threds of gold aptly disposed, she had infixed the fairest part of the heauens, or the splendycant Heraclea[A].
[Sidenote A: _Heraclea_, is the name of diuers faire cities, one in the confines of Europe, another in Italie & in Pontus by the riuer Licus, also in Narbon by Rodanus, also in Caria, Crete & Lydia, whereof the Lodestone taketh his name.]
Afterward letting fall mine eies towards hir prety feete, I beheld them inclosed in red leather cut vpon white, fastened vpon the instep with buttons of gold in loopes of blew silke. And from thence I returned vpward my wanton regard to hir straight necke compassed about with a carkenet of orient pearle, striuing but not able to match with the whitenes of the sweet skin. From thence descending down to hir shining breast and delitious bosome, from whence grew two round apples, such as _Hercules_ neuer stole out of the garden of _Hesperides_[A]. Neither did euer _Pomona_ behold the like to these two standing vnmooueable in hir roseall breast, more white than hils of snowe in the going downe of the sunne. Betwixt the which there passed downe a delicious vallie, wherein was the delicate sepulcher of my wounded hart exceeding the famous _Mausolea_[B].
[Sidenote A: _Hesperides_, were the 3. daughters of Atlas, Ægle, Aretusa and Hesperetusa, who had an orchard of goldẽ apples, kept by a dragon whõ Hercules slew & tooke away the apples.]
[Sidenote B: A sepulcher built by Artemisia in the honor of hir husbande Mausolus king of Cania.]
I then being content with a wounded hart full well vnderstanding that mine eies had drawen it dying into all these elegant parts. Yet neuertheles I could not so bridle and suppresse my amorous inflamed sighes, or so closely couer them, but that they would needs expresse my inward desire.