284 THE PATTERNS
the land, and cast it ashore on the coast of Ephesus. Not farre from that place there dwelt a physition whose name was Cerimon, who by chaunce walking abroad vpon the shore that day with his schollers, found the chest which the sea had cast up, & willed his seruants to take it vp, & diligently to cary it to the next towne, where hee dwelt, and they did so. When Cerimon came home he opened the chest, rnarueling what shuld be therein, and found a lady arrayed in princely apparell and ornaments, very faire and beautifull to beholde. Whose excellencie in that respect as many as beheld, were strangely affectioned thereat, perceiuing such an incomparable gleame of beautie to be resident in her face, wherein nature had not committed the least errour that might be deuised, sauing that shee made her not immortall. The haire of her head was naturally as white as snowe, vnder which appeared her goodly forehead, faire and large, wherein was neither blemish nor wrinkle. Her eies were like two starres turning about in their naturall course, not wantonly roving here and there, but modestly moouing as gouerned by reason, representing the stabilitie of a setled mind. Her eie brows decently commending the residue of her countenance. Her nose straight, as in were drawen with a line, comely diuiding her cherry cheeks asunder, not reaching foorth too long, nor cut off too short, but of a commendable proportion. Hir necke was like the white alabaster shining like the bright sunne beames, woonderfully delighting the mindes of the beholders. Her bodie of comely stature, neither too high nor too lowe, not scregged with leanenesse, nor vndecently corpulent, but in such equality consisting that no man woulde wish it otherwise. From her shoulders sprang foorth her armes, representing two branches growing out of a tree, beautified with a white hand, and fingers long and slender, surpassing to behold. To be short,