The maner of Dorica, and the Ornaments thereof. The sixt Chapter

THe Ancients (as we haue heard) considering the state of their gods, ordained Dorica worke, and dedicated the same to Iupiter, Mars, and Hercules: but we build Temples, and dedicate them to Christ, Paul, Gregory, and such holy personages, that were not onely professed Souldiers, but also valiantly and boldly lost their liues, and shed their bloud for the faith of CHRIST. All such belong to Dorica, and not to their gods onely, but to men of armes, and strong personages, being of qualitie more or lesse: for whom, if a workeman make or build houses or palaces, they must be Dorica: and the nobler the man is for whom such worke is done, the stronger and statelyer they ought to be; and the more effeminate that they are, the more slenderer and pleasanter the building shall be, as I will shew when time serueth. But now we will come to the maner of the worke. Vitruuius speaketh of this Dorica worke, in his fourth Booke and third Chapter: but touching Bases of Columnes, hee speaketh thereof in his third Booke; although some are of opinion, that he speaketh & meaneth of the Bases of Corinthia, for that they haue bene much vsed on the Corinthia Columnes, and Ionica. And some also thinke, that Dorica Columnes had no Bases, hauing respect to many ancient buildings; as the Theater of Marcellus, one of the fayrest workes in Italy, being the middle downewards Dorica: which Columnes had no Bases, the body of the Columnes resting vpon a step, without any other support. There is at Carcer Tulliano the signes of a Doricall Temple, the Columnes whereof are without Bases. You may also see in Verona an Arch tryumphant, of Dorica worke, where the Columnes are without Bases. Neuerthelesse, for that workemen haue in former times made the Corinthia Bases in another maner, as I will shew hereafter: Therefore I affirme, that the Bases Atticurga, which Vitruuius, in his third Booke, so nameth, are the Dorica Bases: and this wee see, Bramant hath obserued in his Buildings which he made in Rome: which Bramant, being the light and Inuentor of good and true Architecture, which from Antiquitie to his time (being vnder Pope Iulius the second) had beene hidden, we ought to beleeue. Then this Base of Dorica shall be the height of halfe the thicknesse of a Columne: the Plinthus the third part of his height: of the rest there shalbe foure parts made; one shall be for the Thorus aboue: the other three shall be set in 3. euen parts: the one for the Thorus aboue, the second for the Trochile or Scotia: but the same being deuided in seuen parts, one part shall be the vppermost list, and another the vndermost. The Proiecture or bearing out of the Base, shall be of halfe the height, and so shall the Plinthus of each Facie hold a thicknesse and a halfe of the Columne. And if the Base standeth below our sight, the corner vnder the vppermost Thorus, (being of it selfe darkened) ought to bee somewhat lower then the other. But if the Base standeth aboue our sight, the corner aboue the nethermost Thorus (also of it selfe darkened) shall be greater then the other. Thereto also the Scotia, darkened by the Thorus, in such case shalbe made more then the measure appoynted. And in such cases the workeman must be iudicious and wary, as Vitruuius would haue him to bee learned in the Mathematicall science, that doth study his Booke.

ANd for that Vitruuius hath deuided this order of Dorica by models, making the Columne of two models in thicknesse, and the height with Capitals and Bases of 14. Models; so then, the height of the Base is a Modell: the bodie of the Columne is 12. models: and the Capitall one modell, which is 14. models in all: The height of the Capitall shall be deuided in 3. parts, whereof one shall be for the Plinthus, or Abacus, wherein also the Cimatie is to be vnderstood: the second, the Echino with the Annulo: the third, the Hypotrachilo or Fréese, which Hypotrachilo shall bee in thickenesse the sixt part lesse then the Columne below. The bredth of the Capitall in the vppermost part shall be in each Facie 2. Models and a sixt part and this is according to Vitruuius wryting. Although I am of opinion, that this place is falsifyed touching the Proiecture, which, in effect, is very lame, in respect of that we sée in Antiquities; therefore, after this Capitall, I will make another after my fantasie, with the particular measures thereof, better described, for that Vitruuius doeth it too briefly.

The Capitall being deuided into 3. parts. as I sayd before, I say also, that the Plinthus or Abacus should also be deuided in 3. parts, one part for the Cimatie with her Rule, List, or Fillet: but the same thicknesse deuided in 3. shall bee the List, and the other two the Cimatie. The Echinus shall also be deuided in 3. parts, and 2. third parts being for the Echinus, and the rest for the Annulo, which shall also be deuided in 3. parts, giuing each of them one. The Fréese shall bee as the others. The Proiecture of each part shalbe like the height: and so doing, it shall bee made by more certaine rules, better, and more easily for shew.

VPon the Capitall you place the Epistilia or Architraue, the height whereof shall be one Modell, and deuided in 7. parts, one shall be the Tenia or List: the Guttes or small Lists vnder the Tenia (which Vitruuius nameth Sub tenia) are in all, the sixt part of a modell: which height being deuided into 4. parts, the 3. parts shall bee the Guttes, and the other the List. The Guttes shall bee sixe in number, hanging vnder the Trigliphes. The height of the Trigliphes or Trigliffe shall be one Modell and an halfe, and the bredth one Modell: which bredth deuided in 12. on eyther side there shall be one left for the halfe Channels or hollowings, and of the 10. parts resting, 6. shall bee for the flat of the Trigliphes, and 4. for the Channels or hollowing in the middle. And from the one Trigliph to the other, there shall be the space of a Modell and a halfe: which space shall be right 4. square (by Vitruuius named, Methopha.) In which spaces, us you please, you may set, cut, or graue, Oxe heads, with Dishes; and that, not without secret signification. For in ancient time, when the vnbeléeuing folke sacrificed Oxen, they also vsed Dishes, & Platters thereunto, placing such things round about their Temples for ornaments. Vpō the Trigliphs, you must place their Capitals: the height whereof shall be one sixt part of a Modell. Aboue the Trigliphs or their Capitals, the Corona must bee placed with 2. Cimaties, the one aboue, the other below: and they both together deuided into 5. parts, 3. for the Corona, and two for the Cimaties. But the height of them all, shalbe of halfe a Modell: vpon the Corona, you must place the Scima: the height whereof is halfe a Modell, and to it you must adde one eyght part for the List thereof aboue. The Protecture of the Corona shall bee of 3. parts: two be in one Modell: in the ground of the Corona, right aboue the Trigliphes, the Guttes were orderly set, as you sée them in the Figure hanging beside. Also, betwéene the Trigliphes are cut Fulmines, that is, winged lightning: or you may leaue the spacies bare. The Proiecture or bearing out of the Scuna must be like the height thereof: euen so, each part of the bearing out of the Corona shall haue their Proiecture like their height. But the more Proiecture the Corona hath, if the stone may beare it, the more statelyer it sheweth. This, we sée, that the ancient Romanes did obserue, as shall be shewed when time serueth, both in Figure and measure.

IF you will stricke or channell the Columnes, you must make 20. in number, in maner hollowed, and from the one side to the other: in the spaces of the strikes there must a strayght line bee drawne, which shall bee the side of one 4. square: which 4. square being made, placing the one foote of the Compas in the Center, and with the other touching both the one and the other end of the line, drawing it about, it will make the right hollowing, which shall be the fourth part of a Circle, as it is héereunder shewed. And if, for the raysing vp of Columnes, or for other occasions, it were necessary to haue the Stilobatum or Pedestall being not high enough, to be made higher, then the flat of the Stilobatum shall bee like the Plintho of the Base of the Columne: and the height, that is, the euen or flat shalbe thus: of the bredth shall be made a perfect 4. square; and from the one corner to the other, a line drawne for Diagonus, and the length of the Diagonus shall bee the height of the flat, as you may sée it here beneath, which being deuided into 5. parts, there shalbe one part set aboue for the Cimatie, with that belongeth therunto, and one other part shalbe giuen to the Base; and so this Pedestall shalbe of 7. parts, as the Columne is. And although this Proiecture of the Capital is contrary to Vitruuius rule, because it is Perpendicular with the Plintho of the Base: yet for that I haue séene the like in some Antiquities, and haue also placed some of the like sort in pieces of worke, I thought i• not amisse to set this héere, for the vse of •ose, that will make yᵉ like, although some of Vitruuius schollers, not hauing séene the like in any Antiquities, will contradict it: but if they marke the Abacus of the Corinthia, whose Proiecture also hangeth on the Plinthus of the Base, they will not so hastily reiect this Proiecture.

FOr that I find great difference betwéene the wrytings of Vitruuius, and the things of Rome, and other places of Italy; therefore I haue héere set downe some, which are yet extant in worke to be séene: which, although they bee of small forme, without numbers or measures, yet they are proportioned according to the great, and with great diligence reduced into small forme. The Capitall R. was found without Rome vpon a Bridge, standing ouer Tiber. That Capitall V. is in Verona, in an Arch tryumphant. That Capitall T. is in Rome, in a Dorical Temple, called Al career Tulliano. That Capitall P. was found in Pesaro, with diuers other commendable Antiquities: the bearing out whereof, although it be great, yet it sheweth well to the eye. The Basements, or Bases, and Capitall A. are at Rome, in Al foro Boario. The Cornice, Capitall, and Imposta of an Arch marked B. are in the Theater of Marcellus. The Cornice, Freese, and Architraue, are also in Rome, in Al foro Boario: which I haue shewed, that workemen may chuse that, which liketh them best. Hereafter I will set downe some particular measures necessary for the workeman.

THe parts of the Trigliphes and Methophes being in this order vnprepared, and yet very necessary, I will take paynes to declare so well as I can. First, although Vitruuius affirmeth, that the Models of the worke Herastilos, viz. of sixe Columnes, may be distributed and deuided into 35. parts: yet I find not, that the parts may stand so, for this cause, that giuing the middlemost inter-Columne 4. Methophes, and the other spaces 3. the sayd number will not make the whole: but, as I conceaue, if you set 42. as you may sée and reckon in this Figure following, as also in the worke Thetrustilos, that is, of 4. Columnes: the Booke saith, that the Forefront of the whole worke should be deuided into 23. parts, which, I assure you, cannot stand so, if you will giue the middle space 4. Methophes, and the other two eche of them 3. But, by my aduice, there should be 27. as you may sée in the Figure following. Then, if the principall of the Temples be deuided into 27. parts, the Columnes shall bee 2. Models thicke, the middlemost inter, Columnes shall be of 8. Models, that is, the thicknesse of 4. Columnes, and the inter-Columnes besides, shalbe each of 5. Models and an halfe, that is, two and a quarter, and a quarter and halfe: and so shall the 27. bee distributed. And aboue each Columne his Trigliph being set, & the Trigliphes deuided with Methophes, according to the rule aforesayd: then the middlemost space shall haue 4. Methophes, and those on the sides shall haue 3. The height of the Columne, Capitall and Architraue, &c. shall be also made according to the rule: but the height of the Fastigium or Geuell shall bee the ninth part of the length of the Cimatie, that is aboue the Corona, setting the measures vnder the A. vpwards to the vndermost Cimatie of the Corona B. The Acroteria or Pedestall marked A. vpon the Fastigium shalbe halfe the height of the Fastigium or Geuell, that is, of the euen or flat, which Vitruuius calleth Timpanum, and they shall be as broad as the Columne is aboue, and the middlemost must be an 8. part higher then the other. And for that this Doore or Gate is of Dorica, and is hard to be vnderstood, therefore I will shew in the best sort I can, both in writing and Figure. Vitruuius saith, that from the Pauement to the Lacunary, that is, from the ground of the Gallery, to the roofe of the same vnder A. must be deuided into thrée parts and an halfe, and two parts shall be for the height of the lights: so sayth my Author, in my opinion. But for that a man cannot so well in a small Figure explaine the particular measures, I will make it more greater and perfecter in the next leafe.

HAuing made (as is before sayd) thrée parts and an halfe from below vpwards, 2. parts shall bee for the height of the light, which height being deuided in 12. one part shall be the bredth of the Antipagmentum or Pilaster, and the light shall be 5. parts and an halfe broad: but if the light vnder be of 16. foot, the Pilaster shalbe lessened a 3. part in the vppermost part: and the same Pilaster shall also be made thinner a 14. part aboue. That Supercilie or Architraue shall be of the same height, in the which the Cimatium Lesbium with the Astragall is to bee made: which Cimatie shall be the 16. part of the Supercilie, I meane the Astralogus Lesbium, as it is shewed in the Figure A. It séemeth, that the Author meaneth onely the Cimatie aboue the Supercilium: but as it is séene in some Antiquities, therefore it is so made, in regard of the Antipagmentum. Vpon the Supercilium, in stead of a Fréese, you shall set the Hyperthyrium ac high; in the which, the text sayth, men cut the Cimatium Doricum, and that Astragalum Lesbium in the Scima Sculptura, which is confused. But here I let my selfe to vnderstand, that the meaning of the Author is broken, where he sayth, Sima Sculptura: he would haue sayd, Sine Sculptura, that is, without cutting or grauing; and that is, Cimatium Doricum, together, with the Astragalum Lesbium: the proportion whereof standeth in the Figure marked A. D. Now, for that the text saith, that the Cimatie of the Corona shalbe of like height of the vppermost of the Capitals, which being so, then the Corona will be very great: to which (according to the Authors meaning) I haue giuen as much Proiecture as the height of the Supercilie is. Although such Crownes will neuer be handsome or séemely in worke, neuerthelesse, to intreat of the Ornaments, I thought good to set downe my opinion herein, and to shew it in Figure.