The fist Chapter

IN Vitruuius fourth Booke and seuenth Chapter, we find, that a man should make a Thuscan Columne of seuen parts high, with Capitall and Base, which measure should be taken from the thicknesse of the Columne below. The height of the Bases or Basement, should be the halfe of the thicknesse of the Columne, which shall bee deuided into two equall parts, whereof one shall be the Plinthus, the other deuided in three, two parts thereof shall bee the Thorus, the third the Circle, The Proiecture you shall make in this maner: First, make a Circle as great as the Columne is thicke below, placing it • a fouresquare: without the fouresquare drew another Circle, close about the corners of the fouresquare, which shall bee the Proiecture. And although all other Bases haue their Plinthus fouresquare, yet this of Thus, can must beround, as Vitruuius teacheth. The height of the Capitall must bee like the Base: that deuide into three parts: one part shall be the Abacus: the other shall bedeuided in foure parts, three for the Echino, the fourth for the Annulo or Cintho, which may be called a Girdle, Band, or List in English. The third part resting; shall bee for the Hypotrachalium, or Freese. The Astragal with the Cincta, is halfe the Freese; but that deuided in three, two shall be for the Round, the third his List, the hearing out must bee as the height: and although this List is there named with the Capitall, yet it is a part of the Columne, which Columne ought to be made thinner aboue a fourth part; also the Capitall in the vppermost part shall not be greater then the Columne below. The maner to lessen the Columne is thus: Let the body of the Columne be deuided in three parts: the third part below shall hang at the leade, and the other two third parts you shall deuide into as many equall parts as you will: then at the third part of the columne draw halfe a Circle, and from the liues that hang there, from the outtermost corners of the Capitall inwards, measure the eyght part, which in all shall be a fourth part: from vnder the corner (where the Columne is thinnest) you shall draw two lines by a leade, to the halfe circle, and those parts of the circle outwards, you shall set below, in as many euen parts as the two third parts of the Columne holdeth: which being done on both sides, then there shall be as many Paralels or crosse lines, drawen from the one poynt of the halfe circle to the other, each line being marked with number, from the top downewards, and the like vpon the lynes that deuide the Columnes; which numbers being orderly placed, then it is certayne, that the first line shall agree with the thinnest part of the Columne aboue: after, take the second line of the halfe circle, and set it vpon the second line of the Columne, then the third vpon the third, and the fourth vpon the fourth: when that is done, there must be a lyne drawne from the Base of the halfe circle, to the lyne 4. and from the lyne 4. to the lyne 3. and from the line 3. to the lyne 2. and from the line 2. to the lyne 1. also a lyne: and so from the second side of the columne: and although that the lynes in themselues are right, yet they make a crooked lyne, which the iudicious workeman knoweth how to regeire and moderate at his will on all sides in the gathering of the lynes. And although this rule is made for the Thuscan Columne, which is lessned aboue a fourth part, yet it may serue for all sorts of Columnes; and the more the deuiding of the Columnes and the halfe Circle are in number, so much the lessening will dimynish.

A. Abacus or tailloer.

B. Echinus.

C. Annulus or Cincta.

D. Hipotrachelium or Fréese.

E. Astrogalos.

F. Annulus or Cincta.

G. The thickenesse of the Columnes aboue.

H. The thicknesse of the Columne below.

I. Cincta.

K. Torus.

L. Plinthus.

M. Proiecture or bearing ou• of the Base.

N. The thicknesse of the Columnes below.

O. The thicknesse of the Columnes aboue.

THe Columne being finished with the Capitall and Base, then the Architraue, Fréese and Cornice are to bee set thereon. That Episiolum or Architraue must be as high as the Capitals, and the Tenia or List, the sixt part thereof. That Sophorus or Fréese of the some height. The Cornice also, with her members, must bee the like: and the same being deuided in foure parts, one part shall be for the Cimatie, two parts for the Corona, and the last for the Facie vnder the same. The Proiecture or bearing out of them all, must be at least so much as their height. And vnder in the Corona you may cut channels or hollowings, great or small, as the worke is, at the pleasure of the workman. But, for that this worke is grosse, and plaine of members, a man (in my opinion) may take vpon him to adde some parts vnto it, which may séeme to belong vnto the same; which must be done when men desire to moke the worke shew batter, as you sée in this herevnder set downe. I commend also those crownes that haue most Proiecture or bearing out, without their fouresquares; especially, when the stones are fit to beare it: Which Proiectures are both commodious, and beautifie the worke: commodious in this, that the walking place vpon them will bee broader, and it will also kéepe the worke from water: beautifying in this, that when men behold the worke with conuenient distance from it, it will shew the greater; and where the stones bee scanted, by reason of their smalnesse, the Proiecture will supply that want, by shewing greater.

ALthough I said before, that the Thuscan Columne (according to Vitruuius rule) ought to be of seuen Diameters high, with Bases and Capitals, which proportion is approoued good; neuerthelesse, for that the first Columnes (as you haue heard in my small Booke) were made in sixe parts, taking the measure from mans féet, which is the sixt part of the same: And also, for that yᵉ Columnes called Dorica, are now of seuen parts, the ancient workmen hauing another part vnto them, to heighten them, therefore, in my opinion, by the same authoritie, for that the Thuscan Columne is stronger then the other, I iudge, it might be made lower then the Dorica; and, by my aduice, be made but of sixe parts, with Bases and Capitals, this you may hold for a common rule. And, for that neither Vitruuius, nor any other workeman that I haue séene, haue set downe no rule for the Stilobato or Pedestal, and in Antiquities, as far as I can sée, were by workemen made, as necessitie required; whether it were for raysing of Columnes, or to a going vp with stayres, to Galleries, or by any other occasions: Therefore, not being cōpelled thereunto, I am of opinion, that euery workeman should to each hind of Columne set a conuenient and séemely Pedestall, as reason requireth, and as hee séeeth cause. It is certaine and well knowne, that the Pedestall at least must bee fouresquare, that is, the body thereof, without Base or Cime, therfore the Thuscan Columne being the best of all, the Pedestall thereof ought to be a perfect fouresquare: the forepart thereof ought to be as broad as the Plinthus of the Base of the Columne: the height should bee deuided into foure parts, one part whereof shall be set vnder, for the Plinthus, and one for the Cime, which members shall be vncut: so then, if the Columne bee of sixe parts, the Stil•bato or Pedestall shall bee of sixe parts also in it selfe, according to the proportion of the Columne.

I Haue promised in this Booke, onely to intreat of the ornaments and different maner of Buildings: therefore I will not at this time, shew how men should place the Gates of Townes and Forts, with their sides, places to lay out Cannons, with other circumstances of defence, leauing such care to the workemen belonging to warres, according to the situation and accidents of time and place. But I will shew you, that when the Gates of the Citie, Towne or Fortresse are placed, how men, in my opinion, should set them forth, setting down some Figures thereof. You must vnderstand, that each Gate or Port is to bee after the Italian maner, and ought, of necessity, to haue a Posterne Gate, which are called Porten van Secourse, which are the small Ports on the sides. But to obserue the Semetry, that is, a due measure, they ought to be made in this manner. The measure of the Gate is thus, as much as the bredth of the light shall be, the halfe whereof shall serue for the height. The bredth of the light is deuided into sixe parts, whereof one part shall be for the bredth of the Pilasters on eyther side of the Gate: the flat of the Pillars thereof shall be as broad as the third part of the light, and the height, with Capitals and Bases. The height of the Bases shall be a third part of the bredth of the Pillars, and so much also the Capitals, obseruing the rule set downe in the first Columne. That Epistolum, Zophorus, and Corona shall be altogether of such height, as the bredth of the Pillars, by the rule aforesayd. Betweene the one Pillar and the other, the Posternes or small Gates shall bee, and the widenesse shall bee as broad as the flat Pillars. The height shall be twice as much as the bredth: the Pilasters shall be the third part of the sayd Posterne. The eleuation or raysing vp aboue the gate, shall bee at the workemans will. But the proportion of the Fastigies or Frontispicie (which is called with vs, the spanning, couer, or roofe) I will shew in two sorts in the order of Dorica.

ANd for that he workeman ought to be copious of inuentions, to please himselfe and others, the Gate of the City, Towne, or Fortresse, may be set out in this maner, obseruing this rule: that so broad as the going through of the Gate is, the height shall be as much, and halfe as much agayne, that is, 2. parts in bredth, and 3. parts in height. The Pilasters shall be the 8. part of the widenesse of the Gate: and the Columnes stand for the round Columnes and flat Pillars, bring the fourth part of the Gate. But for that the Columne is a third part set into the wall, and is bound fast with other stones, more for shew then bearing, it is to be made 7. parts high, and also of 8. at the workemans will, which will set foorth the Gate with more shew. The widenesse of the Posterne shalbe the halfe of the middle Gate, the Pilasters also (as the greater) that is the halfe. The height thereof shalbe such as the Facie that beareth the Arch, and it shalbe the Supercilie, or Architraue thereof, as we call it: and if you find not a stone all of one péece fit for it, then you shall make the Cunei or Pennants as you sée them heere in the Figure. And thus the proportion of the Posterne shall bee, that is, 3. parts in bredth, and 5. of the like parts in height. The Cunei or Pennants of the Arch, shall be 15. In the Bases, Capitals, Architraue, Fréese, and Cornice, you must obserue the rule aforesayd, and the eleuation in the middle shall be at the workemans will, as I sayd of the other: and all such workes, the groser they be made, and bost out, the stronger they are for fortification.

A Man may make Gates of Townes and Forts in another maner, both playner and stronger, following the order hereunder set downe: and the proportion or the widenesse of the Gate shall be as much as the height is vnder the Facie, which beareth vp the roofe: and from the Facie vpwards, as much higher as the halfe Circle; yet alwayes at the workemans will to be increased or diminished, and especially, as he is by accident restrayned. The two Posternes are to be made, as I haue before shewed: Their widenesse must be the halfe of the middle Gate, and so much of the wall shall be left betwéene the great Gate and the two small: which height shall be doubled with the bredth, and the Facie, which vpholdeth the Arch, shall also hold vp the Cunei of the small Gates. Yet must wee take such order, that the Facie shooting through, should bee the Supercilie, which, as I sayd, may bee altered at the will of the workeman, without altering them from the Figure.

DIuers kinds of ornaments, many times, put the workeman in mind of things which he peraduenture would not haue thought of: Therefore the Figure ensuing will serue the workeman to good end in building, as occasion shall serue: as in the wall of a fortresse, where the wall being of a good thicknesse, this worke within it would first serue for a place to stand drie in, making the walking place aboue broader; and easily for defence in time of warre: and for more securitie, it might within be filled vp with earth. It might also be the workemans chance, to build about an Hill: and to frée himselfe thereof from the waters, that alwayes with the rayne fall from it, & make the earth to •nke, it is therefore necessary for the workeman to set the like buildings against such an Hill, whereby he shall be assured from such suspicion, and it will also be a great strengthening to the worke. The like inuention Raphael Durbin vsed at Monte Mario, a little aboue Rome, in the Vineyard of Clement the seuenth, by him begun in the time of the Cardinall Ieronimi Genga: and without Pisera, for the defence of water against a Hill, was made the like.

ANcient workemen, in this kind of rusticall worke, haue vsed many and seuerall kinds of Buildings, as you may sée hereunder, wherewith a workeman may helpe himselfe in many things, as necessitie requireth: the measure shall be, that the light shall be a perfect fouresquare, and the wall betwéene both, shall be a fourth part lesse. That Supercilie or Architraue, shall haue the fourth part of the light, and shall be made of Pennants which run vpon the Center in vnequall numbers: and aboue the Supercilie shall be layd an halfe Circle, deuided in nine equall parts, the lines being also drawne vpon the Center. The Cunei or Arch-stone being formed, and the thrée pieces layd betwéene it, with the Facie aboue it, will in this sort be an euerlasting worke. But for that the Cunei of the Architraue must lye fast, it shall be needfull to fill the halfe Circle with Brickes. And for the more beautifying, you may vse Rootes, as the ancients vsed to doe, as you may, at this day, sée in Rome at S. Cosmians and Damian; which, although the stones be old, yet it is very strong.

AS in the beginning I said, the workeman may vse this Gate in diuers places, but not for Fortresses, for the passage through serues not for Artillerie, or other great preparation for wars; neuerthelesse, this part may well serue for the outtermost Port or Gate: The proportion shall be, that the light or opening shall be twice so high as the bredth. The Arch-stones of the halfe Circle shall be nine; drawing vpon the Center of the Circles. The Facie vnder the Arch shall be the seuenth part of the Gates; from the Facie downewards to the Pauement, shall bee deuided into seuen parts and an halfe, and shal be sixe stones broad: thrée whereof, shal be each a part and an halfe, the other thrée of one part: and thus the seuen parts and an halfe are deuided. The height of the middlemost Arch-stone, or the closing stone, which you will, shall be halfe as broad as the Gate. The Facie aboue the Arch-stone, must bee as broad as a foot, that is, the thinnest part of the sayd Stone: but the middlemost Arch-stone, and also the foote vnder, shall be a fourth part broad.

THe proportion of this Gate, viz. the opening is twise as high as broad: the Pilaster and the Arch are a fift part of the bredth of the light: the great Pillar shall be once so broad againe, and the height of sixe bredths. The height of the Base shall be a fourth part, and the Capitall a third part, and so great the Capitall or impost vnder the Arch shall bee. The Facie in the place of the Architraue shall be as high as the Capitals: the Fréese also as much, and also the Cornice, following the rule aforesayd: the rest may bee found with the Compasse.

ALthough the Gate hereunder set downe is much different from the fashion of the rest, yet, for that it is Thuscan worke, and ancient, I thought good to set it here, the which, in former time, was in Rome, En Capo de la militia Traiana, although by the decayes thereof, now not to bee séene: the two Niches or seates that stand by it on the sides, are out of their places, with which the ingenious workeman may serue his turne withall, if he place them where they should stand. The proportion of them (by the rule aforesayd), may easily be found: touching the gate it selfe, I will set downe no measure, for it is very easie to be found.

THis maner of Gate is couered by the sixt part of the Circle, and is very strong worke, yet the Peunants will not agrée with other Buildings of Stone: therefore it a man will make such worke, it would stand well in a wall of Bricke. Touching the proportion, I will not speake, for that it is easie with a Compasse to find the measure thereof. But the Niches or seates, placed by it to fill vp the place, the workeman may, at his pleasure, set where he thinketh best, and they may not onely serue for Niches, but also for windowes: if they should bee vsed for Niches to place Images therein, it is necessary, that the height should excéed the double proportion of the bredth or somewhat more, that they may be more fit and correspondent for Images to stand in, which is alwayes referred to the workeman.

IN times past, the Romanes vsed to mingle Dorica, Ionica, and sometime Corinthia, among their rustical buildings; but it is no errour, if a man mixe one of them in a piece of rude worke, shewing in the same, nature and Arte, for that the Columnes mixed with rough stones, as also the Architraue and Fréese, being corrupted by the Pennants, shew the worke of nature: but the Capitals, and part of the Columnes, as also the Cornice, with the Frontispicie or Geuell, shew works of Art. Which mixture, in my conceyt, is a good sight, and in it selfe sheweth good strength, therefore sitter for a Fortresse then for any other Building: neuerthelesse, in what place soeuer the rusticall worke is placed, it will not doe amisse. In such mixtures Iulius Romanus tooke more delight, then any other man, as Rome witnesseth the same in sundry places, as also Mantua, and without Rome, the fayre Palace called vulgariter El. Te. Which, in trueth, is an example in these dayes, both of good Architecture and paynting. The proportion of this Gat• is to bée made thus: the widenesse must be of double proportion, that is, twice so broad as high, iust vnder the Arch. The Pilaster shall be the seuenth part of the widenesse, and the Columnes twice as thicke as the Pilasters: the height with the Capitall shall be eyght par•s. The Capitall, Freese, Achitraue and Cornice, shall bee made as i• sayd before: also, the Fastigium, Frontispicium or the Geuell shall also bee shewed in Dorica order. The halfe Circle of the Arch, shall bee deuided in eleuen parts, for the stones of the Arch; but the closing-stone shall bee greater: the which stone the workeman may, at his will, hang somewhat out. The Facie which do•th vphold the Arch, shall bee halfe the thicknesse of the Columnes: from thence downewards, you shall deuide it into nine parts, whereof two parts shall bee for the nether part of the Columnes, the other seuen deuided in•o equall parts, shall be the stones which bind the Columnes, drawing crosse ouer them. And the rudelyer this work• is bosse• out (yet artificially) it would, in that case, shew more workemanlike, especially the stones that bind the Columnes and also the Pennants.

IT is not sufficient that the worke should be strong, but it must also be made artificially, to please mens sight. Wherefore this building of stone is not onely very strong, but also ingenious and pleasing: with which inuention, the workman may serue his turne in many things. The proportion shall be, that the opennesse in the bredth, shall be once, and halfe as much as in height: the halfe Circle is deuided into 9. parts and an halfe, because the middlemost stone is one fourth part broader then the rest. The height of the closing stone, is halfe the opennesse of the light. The flat Facie vpholding the Arch, is the sixt part of the light: from the Facie downewards are 7. parts made: the Facie aboue the Pennants, shalbe as broad as the closing stone vnder it is, which may be made hanging out vnderneath the eyght part of his bredth. Touching the binding of the other stones with the Pennants, you sée it playnely in the Figure.

FOr that pleasure is sometimes turned into beautifying, and sometimes to ornaments surpassing necessitie, to shew •rt, according to the wealth of the builder: This inuention is made for pleasure, strength and beautie: for pleasure, in regard of the opennesse thereof: strength, for that betwixt both, there is good store of wall, well bound together: and for beautie, because it is rich of ornaments; with which inuention a workeman may helpe himselfe much, in diuers things, as I haue sayd. The proportion thereof shall bee, that the closed or massie worke shall bee as broad as the opening: which opening shalbe of twice so much height. The Pilasters shall be the eyght part of the widenesse, and the Columnes the fourth part. The inter-Columnes, that is, the widenes betwéene the two Columnes, shall be the thickenesse of one Columne. The height of the Columnes, with Bases and Capitals, shall be of eyght parts. In the Architraue, Fréese, Cornice, Base and Capitall, the rule aforesayd shalbe obserued. The Pennants and other bindings are seene in the Figure: and although the Columnes surpasse the rule two parts; yet, because they stand néere together, and are made fast in the worke, more for beautie then strength, it may passe well inough, by the authoritie of ancient workemen.

IT is an excellent thing in a workeman to be full of inuention, in regard of the diuersitie of accidents which belong vnto building: for sometimes a man shall find store of Columnes, but so low or short, that they serue not for that purpose, for which men would vse them vnto, vnlesse the workeman deuise some meanes to helpe them. Therefore, if the Columne be not so high as it will reach to the Facie, that lyeth like yᵉ roofe of this Gallery, then with those maner of Pennants a man may rayse it higher, if on both sides it hath good strong shoulders: touching the wayght aboue, it will be very chargeable, therefore to make it without binding of iron barres, it would not be sure: but it is lesse to be feared, if the Gallery were not so broad, but that it might be couered with stones that were all of one piece, or else to make strong beames therein. The proportion hereof shall be, that the widenesse of the Arches shalbe the thicknesse of 4. Columnes, and the height twise as much. The least space betwéene the Columnes, shall be of the thicknesse of 3. Columnes, and the height, of the thicknesse of 6. Columnes, and each widenesse shall be once agayne as high as broad. The Columnes, if they be ouer-burdened with wayght, should be of the measure before set downe; the rest are clearely to be séene in the Figure: but touching Bases and Capitals, I haue sayd sufficient at the first, in the treaty of the first Columne.

AS this Arch is very strong, considering the concordence of the binding, so also it is ingenious and pleasing to view. Which inuention shall not onely serue for Galleries of such worke, but for Bridges ouer Riuets; Conduits to carry water from one Hill vp to another, and so to a Conduit. The proportion is, that the widenesse from one Pilaster to another, and also the height, shall be to the Facie that beareth the Arch. The Facie shall be the seuenth part of that widenesse or height: from the Facie downewards is deuided into sixe parts: the halfe Circle into nine parts and a quarter; for the closing stone is the fourth part more then the other: the rest may be found with the Compasse.

IT may sometimes fall out, that a workeman should néed many holes in great walles, for the building of his House, whereunto this worke belongeth, to carry the wayght for strengthening thereof: and were there not so much need of light, some of them might be filled vp with Bricke. The proportion shall bee this; that the space of the lights and the massie wall, shall be both of like bredth, and twice so high as broad, although all such things are to bee increased and diminished at the workemans pleasure. The like worke is yet to be séene in Rome, being not very old made, but such as are in these dayes made, and stronger. The example whereof is at S. Cosmas and Damianus.

IT is said, that sight preserues memory, whereby oftentimes that is made, which workemen would not haue made, it it had not beene made before in some other place, and so, at some times, you shall sée in a Court or elsewhere a side of a Wall, that shall haue neyther Doore nor Windowes in it, and yet it is well set out in this rude maner and boo•ish kind of worke: by which inuention, a workeman may helpe himselfe: In which places a workeman may set Images, or other reliques of Antiquitie. Touching the measures and proportion thereof, I will not set it downe, for I leaue it to the workeman for to heighten or make broad, as occasion serueth.

FOr that the most part of the Supercilies or Architraues, as we call them, that are set ouer Gates or other things, by reason of the widenes (if yᵉ stones be not of a good bignesse) may yéeld to the waight, whereby in time, they breake and decay, as you may sée in many places: Therefore you shall, although it bee in great distance (so that the shoulders on the sides be strong) make such worke of péeces, as hereunder are in diuers wayes set downe: which, without doubt, will be very strong: and the heauier the waight is aboue, the longer it will last.

ALthough that in Vitruuius writings there is no mention made in what maner men in ancient times made places in Palaces and common houses to make fire in, yet men find in olde buildings some shew of Chimneyes, to giue a way to voyd smoke, neyther can I find by any workeman the truth of any such matters: neuerthelesse, for that men many yeeres since haue vsed, not onely to make fires in Halles and Chambers, for their ease, but are also wont to make diuers ornaments in, and ouer such places; and for that I intend in this Booke to speake of all the Ornaments that a workeman may haue cause to vse in building, therefore I will shew some formes of Chimneyes or fire places, after the Thuscan maner, as shalbe néedfull in such buildings: the one delicately made without the wall, the other rusticall worke, made within the wall.

The first • wor•es were made in this manner, that is, péeces of stone roughly hewen out, but the • were •it • m•de.

After, they deuided the stones in more proportion and shew, with flat lists, and for more beautie, and for ornaments sake made •se crosses in them.

Other workemen brought in wrought Diamonds, and made them decently in this manner.

And in processe of time, things altered: workemen for slat Diamonds, set slat •ables, and r•sed them somewhat h•r, as in this Figure is to be séene.

Some other workemen vsed more differences and séemelyer worke, neuerthelesse, all such workes haue their originall from r•s•i•ll worke, which is yet commonly called, Works with poynts of Diamonds.

Héere endeth the maner of Thuscan worke, and now followeth the order of Dorica.