The palace on Monte Cavallo

AT Mount Cavallo within Rome, where now the stone horses Praritiles and Phidia stand, is the ruines of a most costly Pallace, whereof one part stood vpon the hill, but the part of the goings vp was made right against the descending of the third part whereof standeth hereunder. And first in the Niches or hollow places, marked T. and N. were found the figures of Tiberius and Nilus which are now set in Beldeuerie: the place marked A. is a stréete or way of 10 Elles broade: the part marked B. is 12. Elles foure square: the part marked C. is 36. Elles in length, and 18. Elles brood: the place D. is 36. Elles foure square: the walkes round about are 4. Elles each of them: the places E. are Courts, whereof each of them are 114. Elles long, and in bredth 62. Elles and a halfe. The Galleries F. are 13. Elles broad: the greatest Stayres, to goe vp to the playne of the Pal•ace, are 11. Elles wide: that part by the Corners marked K. is 12. Elles and a halfe broad, and long 16. Elles and a halfe: the parts H. are Cornterforts to hold vp the Stayres. The place G. is a Court, which gaue light to the place within: the two goings in marked l. were to goe vp the Stayres, and the building began where the Stayres stand. The great stately Frontispice in the middle of the building, was of such breadth, as the middlemost part held without the Courts or Gallerities. The two Figures, K. and ✚. which stand without the building, the one sheweth the Corner K. in greater and persiter forme, and the other is a Corner of the Court D.

THese 3. Figures are members of yᵉ aforesaid Pallace: the part vnderneath in suiall forme, signifieth the Profill of the first part of the Pallace, that is, the stayres whereby men went vp to the plaine of the Bailding, because it was vpon the hill: and they were magnificent and stately. That part vpon the hill, where the Columne F. is marked, is the side of the saw building. This great Pillar marked F. is yᵉ corner Pill•r of the frontispice, which is 4. square; but all the rest are round; for that round Pillars are not fit for corners: this Pillar is thrée Elles broad in the lowest part, and aboue, it is 2. Ells and 2. third parts: the height, with Base and Capitall, is 39. Elles, and is fluited from the top to the bottome. The height of the Architrauce, is two Elles and an halfe: as also the Fréese, which is sinely cut, and the height of the Cornice is thrée Elles and an eyght part, and all proportioned according to the greatnesse. The Fréese on the sides was an hundred Elles long: the Cornicement with the Frontispice, as much as thrée Mutiles containeth, is of one piece of Marble; and the Frontispice rose vp in the middle one sixt part.

AMong the ruines of Rome, there are many things found out, the which a man cannot marke nor imagine what they haue béene: a man also seeeth there many ruines, which are now cast downe and ouerthrowne; whereby a man may conceaue the high mindes of the Ancient Romanes: amongst which Antiquities, this hereafter following, is one, as you may perceaue by that which yet standeth. This Building is called the Basilica del foro transitorio: and a man may imagine the greatnesse thereof by the height of this Pillar, although you sée not the ending thereof vpwards; for the vppermost Cornice is not there in the worke, neither is there any pieces thereof among the ruines to be sound, whereby a man should conceaue what stood aboue such a Building. This ruine was measured with a common or moderne Ell, which is deuided into 60. minutes: the halfe whereof standeth betweene the Obelisces: this Columne stood 7. degrées eleuated from the earth, of indifferent height: the thicknesse of the Columne marked C. is 3. Elles in Diameter: beneath at the Base and in the vpper most part, vnder the Capitall, the Diameter is 2. Elles and 40. minutes: the height of the trunke or bare Columne, without Base or Capital, is 24. Elles and 55. minutes: the height of the Base below, is one Ell and an halfe: the height of the Capitall, is 3. Elles and 26. minutes: the height of the Architraue, is two Elles, and 23. minutes: the Cornice betwéene the Columne and the counter-pillar, which Cornice is marked D. is 1. Ell and 48. minutes: the Cornice aboue (as I haue sayd) is not found there: the counter-columne is flat, and is of the same proportion like the round Columne, and lesseneth also aboue, as the round doeth. The Capitall is formed like the Capitals of the Pantheon of the Rotund: the Base marked C. is placed there besides in better forme, and is proportioned in measure like the greater: likewise, there also you sée the Cornice D. in greater forme. I haue set downe the measure of the greatest Columne C. now will I speake of the lesser, marked B. which Columne vnder it, hath a very fayre Basement: the height whereof, is 6. Elles: the this kenesse of the sayd Columne in Diameter beneath, is one Ell and a third part; and it is lessened aboue accordingly, as the greatest is: the height thereof with the Base & Capitall is 13. Elles and 2. third parts: the height of the Base, is halfe the thicknes of the Columne beneath, and is fashioned like the greater: the height of the Capitall is one Ell & an halfe: which Capitall is very well made, and the forme thereof in great, is séen in my other 4. Booke, in the beg•ng of yᵉ Composita. This Columne is sluited, as the Figure thereof sheweth, and hath also a flat Columne of the same forme: the Architrane, Fréese and Cornice aboue this Columne, are about 4. Elles: which Cornice hath the Mutiles without Dentiles, and is very like the worke of the Pantheon; and by as much as I could perceaue, this lesse Columne ser•d for an ornament of a Gate or Doore of the sayd Ba•lica.