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by
BERNARD
COUNT OF TREVISO

translated into English

BY

MIKE DICKMAN

All that is in this reverie appeareth sublime; the apparent meaning is not unworthy of that which it hides; Truth shineth forth there of herself with such brilliance, that one be not hard put to it to find her through the veil, claimed to be utilised in disguising her to our eyes.

I was drowned in slumber most deep, when it me seemed I saw a Statue, fifteen feet in height or thereabouts, portraying a venerable Old Man, goodly and of perfect proportion in all members of his Body. He had abundant ringlets of Silver hair; this being of fine Turquoise chased with Carbuncles, whose brilliance was such that I could not suffer their light. His lips were of Gold, his teeth of Pearls of the Orient, and the remainder of his body was fashioned of a Ruby most brilliant. With his left foot he touched the Terrestrial Globe, the which seemed to be to him support. With his right arm raised and extended, he appeared to hold above his head, upon the tip of his finger, a Celestial Globe, and his left hand grasped a Key, wrought of a great raw Diamond.

This Man approaching me, said: I am the Genius of the Wise, fear not to follow me. Then grasping me by the hair, with the right hand in which the Key was held, he carried me off and caused me to traverse three Regions, those of Air, Fire, and the Heavens of the divers Planets. He carried me still well beyond; and then having wrapped me in a whirlwind, disappeared, and I found myself upon an Isle, floating upon a Sea of Blood. Surprised to find myself in so distant a Land, I walked along the Beach; considering that Sea with great attention, I recognised that the Blood, of which it was composed, was vital and quite warm. I noticed as well that a gentle breeze, the which stirred it without cease, maintained this heat, and excited in that sea a simmering, which lent to the Isle in its entirety a movement barely perceptible.

Rapt with admiration to see these things so extraordinary, I was reflecting upon such marvels, when I espied a number of persons approaching. Imagining at first that they might wish to mistreat me, I slipped beneath a Jasmine bush for to hide myself; but their odour having brought on slumber, they found and seized me. The largest of the band, who seemed to me to command the others, demanded of me with prideful air, what had rendered me so rash as to have come from the Netherlands to this Empire on high. I explained how I had been brought hence. Immediately this Man, changing of a sudden his tone, manner and air, addressed me as follows: Welcome, you who have been led hither by our most high and most puissant Genie. And then he rendered me salutation, and all the others after, in the manner of their Land, the which is to lie down flat upon the back, then to turn upon the stomach, and then to rise. I returned them the salute, but following the custom of mine own Country. He undertook to present me unto Hagacestaur, he who is their Emperor. He beg me excuse in that he had no car for to carry me unto the Town, from the which we were a league's distance. Along the way he regaled me only with tales of the power and grandeur of their Hagacestaur, whom he told me possessed seven Realms, having chosen that in the midst of the six others, for there to make his common residence.

As he noticed that I walked with difficulty upon the Lilies, Roses, Jasmine, Carnations, Tuberoses, and on the prodigious number of the most curios and lovely Flowers, which were growing in the pathways themselves as well; smiling he asked me, if I feared I might do these Plants harm. I answered him, that I knew well that there was not in them a sensitive soul; but that as they were right rare in my Country, it little liked me to spurn them underfoot.

Finding in that whole Countryside but Flowers and Fruits, I asked of him where it was that they sowed their Corn. He gave me answer, that they sowed not at all; but that since it was found in quantity in the sterile lands, the Hagacestaur caused the greater part of it to be cast into our Netherlands for to bring us pleasure, and that the Beasts ate that which remained. That for themselves, they made Bread of the most beautiful Flowers; that they kneaded them with the Dew, and cooked them in the Sun. Seeing about me the finest of Fruit in prodigious quantity, I was curious to take of the Pears for to taste of them; but he would prevent me from so doing, saying that only the Beasts ate thereof. I found them notwithstanding of admirable savour. He presented me with Peaches, Melons, and Figs; and never were there seen in Provence, in all Italy, nor in Greece Fruits of such fine flavour. He swore unto me by the Hagacestaur that these Fruits grew of themselves, and were in no wise cultivated, assuring me that they ate no other thing with their bread.

I enquired of him how these Flowers and these Fruit were preserved during the Winter. He gave me answer that there were no Winters in that Land; that their Year had but three Seasons, to wit the Spring, and the Summer, and that of these two was formed the third Season, which is to say the Autumn, which enclosed in the Bodies of the Fruits the Spirit of the Springtide, and Soul of the Summer: That it was in this Season were gathered the Grape and Grenadine, the which were the finest fruits in that Land.

He seemed right stunned as I apprised him of the fact that we ate of Beef, Mutton, Game, Fish and other such Animals. And he said our understanding must be right dull from the partaking of such material aliments. It in no wise upset me to hear things so sweet and curious, and I listened unto them with rapt attention. But being warned to consider now the aspect of the City, from which we were now at a distance of no more than two hundred paces, I had no sooner raised my eyes for to gaze upon it, but was blinded and saw no more; at the which occurrence my Guide burst out laughing, and his Companions also.

The pique at seeing that these Gentlemen were diverting themselves on account of my accident, caused me more chagrin than the mishap itself. But perceiving that their manners little pleased me, he who had ever taken care to be of succour unto me, consoled me, praying me have but a little patience, and saying I should see clear again in a moment. He then fetched an Herb, with which he rubbed mine eyes,, and I saw at once the light, and brilliance of this superb City, the Buildings of which were of Crystal most pure, lit continually by the Sun; for on that Isle it was never night. They were not of a will to permit me entry into any of these Houses, but wished me to see what took place within through the walls which were transparent. I examined the first House; all are built upon the same model. I noted that their lodging consisted of but a single storey made up of three Apartments, each Apartment comprising several Chambers or Cabinets in grand style.

In the first Apartment stood a Hall, decorated with wall–hangings of Damask, brocaded through with Braid of Gold, and bordered with a fine fringe of the same. The ground hue of this stuff modulated from red to green, highlighted with very fine Silver; the ensemble covered o'er with a white Gauze; there followed divers Cabinets, adorned with different coloured Jewels; then came a Chamber furnished entire in a bonny Black Velvet, woven through with several bands of very black and shiny Satin; the whole salted with a working of Jet, the blackness of which sparkled and glistered right strong.

In the second Apartment could be descried a Chamber, hung with a Watered Stuff of white, enriched and ornamented with Seed Pearls of Orient of the finest. There followed several Cabinets, equipped with furnishings of divers colours, such as blue Satin, violet Damask, watered stuff of Citrine, and scarlet Taffetas.
In the third Apartment was a Chamber, decked out with a Cloth most brilliant, of Purple on a ground of Gold, more beautiful and richer by far than all other fabrics I had thus far seen.

Enquiring as to the whereabouts of the Master and Mistress of the Dwelling, I was informed that they were hidden in the depths of that Chamber, and that they were to pass unto another yet further off, separated from this by but a few Cabinets of communication, that the furnishings of the said Cabinets was of different divers colours, some being of Beige Silk, others of Watered Citrine Silk, and others again of a Brocade of finest purest Gold.

In that it was outside the work, I was unable to see the fourth Apartment; but I was told it consisted of but a single Chamber, whose furnishings were of only the purest rays of the Sun concentrated in that cloth of Purple I had just seen.

Having regarded all these curiosities, I was informed of the manner in which Marriages were contracted between Inhabitants of that Isle. The Hagacestaur being endowed with a perfect knowledge of the humours and temperament of all his Subjects, from the oldest to the youngest, assembles the closest Families, and pairs a pure and unspoiled young Maiden, with a goodly Old Man, healthy and vigorous: Furthermore he purges and purifies the Maid, and washes and cleans the Old Man, who presents his hand to the Girl, and the Girl takes the hand of the Old Man: They are then conducted unto these Dwellings, whose doors are then sealed with the same material as that from which they are made: and there must they stay thus locked away nine full months, during which period they make the rich Furnishings I had been caused to see. This time being passed, they come forth united both into one sole Body, and having but one Soul, they are now but one, with great might over the Earth. The Hagacestaur then puts them to use in the conversion of all Wicked Persons, in the compass of his seven Realms.

I had been promised that I should enter the Palace of the Hagacestaur; that I might there view the Apartments, and a Hall amongst other such, wherein were four Statues old as the World itself, of which the one in the centre is the mighty Séganiségéde, who had brought me to that Isle. The three others, who formed about him a triangle, were three Women, to wit, Ellugaté, Linémalore, and Tripsarécopsem. I had been promised also that I should be taken to see the Temple wherein is the Image of their Deity, who is called Elésel Vassergusine; but the Cocks beginning to crow, the Pastors to lead their Herds out into the fields, and the Farmhands to harness their Ploughs, made such a din, they awakened me, and my dream fled quite away.

All that I had seen to this point was as nothing compared to that which they had promised to show me. Nonetheless it pains me not to console myself, when I reflect upon that Celestial Empire, wherein seated upon his Throne appears the Almighty in all His Glory and accompanied by Angles, Archangels, Cherubim, Seraphim, Thrones and Dominations. It is there we shall see what eye has ne'er perceived, hear that which ear ne'er heard, for it is There we are to taste of eternal felicity, the which hath God promised unto all who strive to render themselves worthy of it, having created all things that they might participate in that Glory. Let us therefore strive to be worthy of it. Praise be to God

Thus endeth the Green Dream.
 

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