The works of the famous Mr. Francis Rabelais, doctor in physick treating of the lives, heroick deeds, and sayings of Gargantua and his son Pantagruel : to which is newly added the life of the author / written originally in French, and translated into English by Sr. Thomas Urchard.

CHAP. LV. (Book 55)

What manner of dwelling the Thele∣mites had. (Book 55)

IN the middle of the lower Court there was a stately fountain of faire Alabaster; upon the top thereof stood the three Graces, with their cornucopias, or hornes of abun∣dance, and did jert out the water at their breasts, mouth, eares, eyes, and other open passages of the body; the inside of the build∣ings in this lower Court stood upon great pillars of Cassydonie stone, and Porphyrie marble, made arch-wayes after a goodly an∣tick fashion. Within those were spacious galleries, long and large, adorned with cu∣rious pictures, the hornes of Bucks and Uni∣corns:

with Rhinoceroses, water-horses cal∣led Hippopotames, the teeth and tusks of Ele∣phants, and other things well worth the be∣holding. The lodging of the Ladies (for so we may call those gallant women) took up all from the tower Arctick unto the gate Me∣sembrine: the men possessed the rest, be∣fore the said lodging of the Ladies, that they might have their recreation between the two first towers. On the out-side were placed the tilt-yard, the barriers or lists for turnements, the hippodrome or riding Court, the theater or publike play-house, and Na∣tatorie or place to swim in, with most ad∣mirable bathes in three stages, situated above one another, well furnished with all neces∣sary accommodation, and store of myrtle-water. By the river-side was the faire garden of pleasure: and in the midst of that the glorious labyrinth. Between the two other towers were the Courts for the tennis and the baloon. Towards the tower Criere stood the Orchard full of all fruit-trees, set and ranged in a quincuncial order. At the end of that was the great Park, abounding with all sort of Venison. Betwixt the third couple of towers were the buts and marks for shooting with a snap work-gun, an ordi∣nary bowe for common archery, or with a Crosse-bowe. The office-houses were with∣out the tower Hesperie, of one story high.

The stables were beyond the offices, and be∣fore them stood the falconrie, managed by Ostridge-keepers and Falconers, very ex∣pert in the Art, and it was yearly supplied and furnished by the Candians, Venetians, Sarmates (now called Moscoviters) with all sorts of most excellent hawks, eagles, gerfal∣cons, gosehawkes, sacres, lanners, falcons, sparrowhawks, Marlins, and other kindes of them, so gentle and perfectly well manned, that flying of themselves sometimes from the Castle for their own disport, they would not faile to catch whatever they encountred. The Venerie where the Beagles and Hounds were kept, was a little farther off drawing towards the Park.

All the halls, chambers, and closets or ca∣binets, were richly hung with tapestrie, and hangings of divers sorts, according to the va∣riety of the seasons of the year. All the pavements and floors were covered with green cloth: the beds were all embroi∣dered: in every back-chamber or with∣drawing room there was a looking-glasse of pure crystal set in a frame of fine gold, garnished all about with pearles, and was of such greatnesse, that it would represent to the full the whole lineaments and propor∣tion of the person that stood before it. At the going out of the halls, which belong to the Ladies lodgings, were the perfumers and

trimmers, through whose hands the gallants past when they were to visit the Ladies; those sweet Artificers did every morning furnish the Ladies chambers with the spirit of roses, orange-flower-water and Angelica; and to each of them gave a little precious casket vapouring forth the most odorife∣rous exhalations of the choicest aromatical sents.