That Turrets frame most admirable was, xlv Like highest heauen compassed around, And lifted high aboue this earthly masse, Which it suruew’d, as hils doen lower ground; But not on ground mote like to this be found, Not that, which antique _Cadmus_ whylome built In _Thebes_, which _Alexander_ did confound; Nor that proud towre of _Troy_, though richly guilt, From which young _Hectors_ bloud by cruell _Greekes_ was spilt. The roofe hereof was arched ouer head, xlvi And deckt with flowers and herbars daintily; Two goodly Beacons, set in watches stead, Therein gaue light, and flam’d continually: For they of liuing fire most subtilly Were made, and set in siluer sockets bright, Couer’d with lids deuiz’d of substance sly, That readily they shut and open might. O who can tell the prayses of that makers might! Ne can I tell, ne can I stay to tell xlvii This parts great workmanship, and wondrous powre, That all this other worlds worke doth excell, And likest is vnto that heauenly towre, That God hath built for his owne blessed bowre. Therein were diuerse roomes, and diuerse stages, But three the chiefest, and of greatest powre, In which there dwelt three honorable sages, The wisest men, I weene, that liued in their ages. Not he, whom _Greece_, the Nourse of all good arts, xlviii By _Phœbus_ doome, the wisest thought aliue, Might be compar’d to these[754] by many parts: Nor that sage _Pylian_ syre, which did suruiue Three ages, such as mortall men contriue, By whose aduise old _Priams_ cittie fell, With these in praise of pollicies mote striue. These three in these three roomes did sundry dwell, And counselled faire _Alma_, how to gouerne well. The first of them could things to come foresee: xlix The next could of things present best aduize; The third things past could keepe in memoree, So that no time, nor reason[755] could arize, But that the same could one of these comprize. For thy the first did in the forepart sit, That nought mote hinder his quicke preiudize: He had a sharpe foresight, and working wit, That neuer idle was, ne once could[756] rest a whit. His chamber was dispainted all within, l With sundry colours, in the which were writ Infinite shapes of things dispersed thin; Some such as in the world were neuer yit, Ne can deuized be of mortall wit; Some daily seene, and knowen by their names, Such as in idle fantasies doe flit: Infernall Hags, _Centaurs_, feendes, _Hippodames_, Apes, Lions, Ægles, Owles, fooles, louers, children, Dames.