Introduction

To the Reader.

ALthough diuers Authors write many strange things touching Architecture, as the Egyptians, the people of Asia and Grecia, with diuers other nations, and haue left them for our example, so that reading them, we may sufficiently satisfie our cares, and fill them with the greatnesse thereof, that is, touching the length, bredth and depth, that certaine places haue contained; yet we can not satisfie our eyes, nor the desire we haue to see such incredible works, vnlesse it had beene our hap to haue the contemplation thereof, for that the reliques of such works are almost, or for the most part vtterly defaced; or vnlesse we might haue seene them drawne in propertion vnto our eyes, as in this Booke we may not onely read, what the Romanes at the last, after other nations had built, but also the same Authors haue set downe vnto vs in Figure (as you may see them here) piece by piece not only how many rods, ells feet & palmes, but also the minutes thereof, and what compas they contained, all perfectly described. And although it was no part of my intent, to translate this Booke of Antiquities of Rome into our mother tongue, regarding the barrennesse of our language; or peraduenture such as studie or fauour the same, are all too few to defray my charges therein: yet I haue not refrained to doe it, being thereunto compelled by the great works of the forification of the City of Andwerp, and other great places; and for this cause specially, that euery man that wondreth at the greatnes thereof, which was made with most great cost & charges, may hereby see and consider, yea how much greater, & needles charges (to be compared vnto this) the Romanes (not speaking of other nation) haue in time past bestowed, in making of Obelisces, Piramides, Thermes, Theaters, Amphitheaters, tryumphant Arches, and many more such like things, which serued only for pleasure & tryumph: whereby it is to be presumed, that they would haue made the fortifications of such Cities or Townes, made for the safety of the Land, far better then they now are. Now it is to be noted, that all, whatsoeuer the Romanes haue made, doth not wholly agree with Vitruuius rules, so that many which haue counterfeyted these, and such like peeces of worke, haue thereby beene abused and deceiued: for some would hardly beleeue, that in those dayes (as well as at this time) all maner of workemen were one better then another, which many, vnawares and vnskilfully do many things, which good Antiquities would willingly not suffer, hereof they shall find good instructions in this Booke (and they may learne, if they will read it) how to discerne good from bad; whereunto the former printed fourth Booke is specially made: for in it the whole quantity of the measures is contayned, as in the Epistle of the sayd Booke it is promised. So in this third Booke, you shall not onely find, first the Ichnographia, and then after the Orthographyes, with part of the Sciographies of the most famous Antiquityes of Rome, Italy, and some of other places, but also of the most excellent buyldings in our dayes, specially those that are made by Bramant. So that the Reader being well instructed in the aforesayd fourth Booke, where all the Orders are well set foorth and declared, he may of himselfe iudge what is well or ill made, that at one time a man may, without any further labour, make a good and incorrigible peece of worke.