the middle of her forehead was a compasse in fashion
of a glasse, or resembling the light of the Moone,
in one of her hands she bare serpents, in the other,
blades of corne, her vestiment was of fine silke yeelding
divers colours, sometime yellow, sometime rosie, sometime
flamy, and sometime (which troubled my spirit sore)
darke and obscure, covered with a blacke robe in manner
of a shield, and pleated in most subtill fashion at
the skirts of her garments, the welts appeared comely,
whereas here and there the starres glimpsed, and in
the middle of them was placed the Moone, which shone
like a flame of fire, round about the robe was a coronet
or garland made with flowers and fruits. In her
right hand shee had a timbrell of brasse, which gave
a pleasant sound, in her left hand shee bare a cup
of gold, out of the mouth whereof the serpent Aspis
lifted up his head, with a swelling throat, her odoriferous
feete were covered with shoes interlaced and wrought
with victorious palme. Thus the divine shape
breathing out the pleasant spice of fertill Arabia,
disdained not with her divine voyce to utter these
words unto me: Behold Lucius I am come, thy weeping
and prayers hath mooved mee to succour thee. I
am she that is the naturall mother of all things,
mistresse and governesse of all the Elements, the
initiall progeny of worlds, chiefe of powers divine,
Queene of heaven! the principall of the Gods celestiall,
the light of the goddesses: at my will the planets
of the ayre, the wholesome winds of the Seas, and
the silences of hell be diposed; my name, my divinity
is adored throughout all the world in divers manners,
in variable customes and in many names, for the Phrygians
call me the mother of the Gods: the Athenians,
Minerva: the Cyprians, Venus: the Candians,
Diana: the Sicilians Proserpina: the Eleusians,
Ceres: some Juno, other Bellona, other Hecate:
and principally the Aethiopians which dwell in the
Orient, and the Aegyptians which are excellent in all
kind of ancient doctrine, and by their proper ceremonies
accustome to worship mee, doe call mee Queene Isis.
Behold I am come to take pitty of thy fortune and
tribulation, behold I am present to favour and ayd
thee, leave off thy weeping and lamentation, put away
all thy sorrow, for behold the healthfull day which
is ordained by my providence, therefore be ready to
attend to my commandement. This day which shall
come after this night, is dedicated to my service,
by an eternall religion, my Priests and Ministers
doe accustome after the tempests of the Sea, be ceased,
to offer in my name a new ship as a first fruit of
my Navigation. I command thee not to prophane
or despise the sacrifice in any wise, for the great
Priest shall carry this day following in procession
by my exhortation, a Garland of Roses, next the timbrell
of his right hand: follow thou my procession
amongst the people, and when thou commest to the Priest
make as though thou wouldest kisse his hand, but snatch
at the Roses, whereby I will put away the skin and