Thus faire Psyches being sweetly couched among the soft and tender
hearbs, as in a bed of sweet and fragrant floures, and having qualified
the thoughts and troubles of her 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 dishes
shall be prepared for you.
Then Psyches perceived the felicity of divine providence, and according
to the advertisement of the incorporeall voyces she first reposed her
selfe upon the bed, and then refreshed her body in the baines. This
done, shee saw the table garnished with meats, and a chaire to sit
downe.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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