sayd of the other and also thereafter as the height is but of 16. foote downewards it shal be lessened aboue the sixt part by the rule aforesaid and if it bee striked or chaneled then you shall make it like the Ionica but from the third part netherwards the caruing or hollowing shall be full as you see it in the Figure on the sides The Corona is without Mutiles whereof the Architraue is halfe the Columnes thickenesse the Fréese for that it is cut is the fourth part more then the Architraue and the Cornice without the Cimatie of the Freese is as high as the Architraue the height of all together is somewhat lesse then the fift part of the Columne neuerthelesse if the Proiecture of the Corona bee well made then it will shew to bee higher then it is and shall bee lesse wayght vpon the building wherefore that the skilful workman may chuse out those parts that best serue his turne that he may not exceed Vitruuius doctrine and the good Antiquities which men by his writing acknowledge if by any accident this Columne had néed of a proportioned Pedestal being not let by any occasion then the proportion thereof shal be thus the bredth shal be deuided in 3. parts whereof 2. parts shall bee for the height that is one fourth parts and 2. third parts I meane the flat which height shall be deuided in 7. parts one for the Bases one for the Cornice aboue which shall in all be 9. parts proportioned according to the Columne but of the particular members of the Bases and Cornices I will hereafter shew more with some Antiquities whereof men may take such measure as shall best serue their turnes AMong other Antiquities of the Corinthia which are séene in Italy I thinke the Pantheon of Rome and the Arch tryumphant at the Hauen of Ancona are the fayrest and best to be séene of which Arch the Capitall hereunder marked A. is with great care proportioned after the great which height is contrary to the writing of Vitruuius neuerthelesse it had good correspondencie it may be that Vitruuius meant that the height of the Capitall should be one Columnes thickenesse without the Abacus but the text herein is falsified for that I haue not onely found this Capitall but others more of such proportion The Columnes hereof are chaneled as it is shewed here the Pedestall with the Base vpon it is a member of the same Arch also proportioned in the small the Cornice hereunto added was found at Al foro transitorio in Rome that marked with A. is very handsome for a Corinthian Cornice without Mogdilions that marked with B. is a little fayrer but that with C. is the vnhandsomest because of the double parts which haue no good grace from the Corona downewards and also for that the Corona vpon so much Cornice hath so small Proiecture The Base of the Pedestall marked D. in my opinion is very fayre and also the Basement with E. I thinke hath béene a thing that hath continued in some building which things altogether men may applie to the order of Corinthia and in the Ionica I haue séene the like The Architraue V. is in Verona in an Arch tryumphant which Facies standeth contrary to Vitruuius writing yet I haue set them here to shew such difference OF the doores of Corinthia worke Vitruuius speaketh nothing at all but I will speake of the Antiquities which are yet to be séene The Gate or doore marked S. Y. is at Tiuoh vpon the Riuer of Auiene in a round Temple made after the Counthia maner which doore is lessened aboue the eyghtéenth part The height is aboue 2.4 squares the rest of the members are proportioned after the great The window T. and X. is in the same Temple and lessened aboue like the doore the Pilasters or Antipagmentum are all proportioned which a man may find with the Compasse The doore following marked P. Z. is that of the Pantheon in Rome also Corinthia worke which is 20. ancient Palmes broad the height 40. And it is sayd that the Antipagmentum is all of one piece and I also haue séene no other The Antipagmentum of this doore is the bredth 〈◊〉 the 8. parts of the light thereof and in the sides it is of a good thickenes But for that you cannot sée the first without séeing a part of the sides therefore it seemeth to such as looke on it to be broader then in effect it is And this doore because it is so high comes in Perpendicular and is not lessened as the other aforesayd all the other members are proportioned according to the greatnesse The Base aboue the Gate is like that of flat Columnes aboue the first order which I haue set downe by the Corinthia THe doore hereunder set downe is at Palestina and is Corinthia the widenesse is 2. fouresquares the Antepagmentum or the Pilaster is broad the sixt part of the widenes deuided in maner aforesaid The Sophore or Fréese is the fourth part more then the Supercilie The Corona and the rest are like the Supercilie deuided as you sée in the Figure The Prothyrides or Ancones with that which is vpon them hang so slightly or loosely as you sée The Frontispicie is made as in the order of Dorica in the second Facie is sayd ALthough this Doore disscreth from all the other that euer I saw in any Antiquitie neuerthelesse it is very pleasâ—â—â— to the sight and sheweth well which Doore is without Spoleta about halfe a mile without the way in an ancient Temple made of the Corinthia maner of the proportion and particular members I will say nothing for hee that seeketh néere may find it with a Compasse OF this Order of Corinthia which is pleasing vnto all men I will make more sorts of busidings setting downe some generall rules to satisfie those that take pleasure to read this worke and for that ancient workemen in times past that desired to make their things strong and euerlasting made Pillars wherein the Pilasters are closed which beare vp the Arches of a great thicknesse for that cause the Forefront or Facie ensuing hath the Pillar that is the whole body as broad before as the widenesse of the Arch is but the thicknesse is 1. fourth part lesse The thickenesse of the Columnes shall bee a sixt part of the Pillar The Niches betwéene the Columnes are 2. Columnes thickenesse in bredth their height is somewhat lesse then 2. fouresquares The height of the Pedestals of 3. Columnes thicknesse The height of the Arch shal be made of 2. fouresquares The height of the Columnes with Bases and Capitals shal be 9. parts and a halfe The bredth of the Arch with the Pilasters shal be of halfe a Columne The Impost which beareth the Arch shal be of the same height made in maner like that of the Theater of Marcellus in the Order of Ionica which Impost shall serue for a Cornice aboue the doore but the height of the doore shal
The first Booke of Architecture made by Sebastian Serly entreating of Geometrie Translated out of Jtalian into Dutch and out of Dutch into English LONDON Printed for Robert Peake and are to be sold at his shop neere Holborne conduit next to the Sunne Tauerne ANNO DOM. 1611. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE HENRY Prince of VVales SJR NO vaine ambition of mine owne Desire much lesse presumption of my none Desert incited me to present this Volume to your Princely view but rather the gracious Countenance which euen from your Childehood you haue euer daigned to all good endeauours invited Mee also after so many others to offer at the high-Altar of your Highnesse fauour this new-Naturalized VVorke of a learned Stranger Not with pretence of Profit to your Highnesse who want not more exquisite Tutors in all excellent Sciences but vnder the Patronage of your powerfull Name to benefite the Publicke and conuay vnto my Countrymen especially Architects and Artificers of all sorts these Necessary Certaine and most ready Helps of Geometrie The ignorance and want whereof in times past in most parts of this Kingdome hath left vs many lame VVorkes with shame of many VVorkemen which for the future the Knowledge and vse of these Instructions shall happily preuent if the euent but answere in any measure to that Hope of mine which alone both induced this Desire and produced this Designe VVherein I must confesse my part but small sauing my great aduenture in the Charge and my great Good-will to doe Good All which together with my best Seruices I humbly prostrate at your Princely feete as beseemes Your Highnesse most humble Seruant Robert Peake To the Louers of Architecture OVr learned Author Sebastian Serly hauing great foresight to shew and explaine the common rules of Architecture did first publish his Foâ—râ—h Booke entreating of Architecture and after his Third Booke declaring excellent Antiquities Fearing that if hee had begunne with Geometrie and Perspectiue common workmen would haue thought that the two sornter although small had not beene so needefull to studie and practise as the other Which friendly Reader considered hindered mee long either from Translating or Publishing the two former being perswaded by sundry friends and workemen to haue desisted my purpose both from translating or publishing The which J had surely effected if I had beene ouer-ruled by their requests and perswasions alleadging strong reasons that the common Workemen of our time little regarded or esteemed to Worke with right Simmetrie the which is confused and erronious in the iudgement of the Learned Architect if they will follow the Order of Antiquities hereafter ensuing Wherefore least my good meaning together with my Labour in Translating and Publishing should not be regarded and esteemed as worthie considering it not onely tendeth to the great profit of the Architect or Workeman but also generally to all other Artificers of our Nation I aduise all generally not to deceiue themselues nor to be selfe-conceited in their owne workes but well vnderstand this my labour tending to common good and be perswaded that who so shall follow these rules hereafter set downe shall not onely haue his Worke well esteemed of the common people but also generally commended and applauded of all workemen and men of iudgement Vale. ¶ The first Booke of Architecture made by Sebastian Serly entreating of Geometrie ¶ The first Chapter HOw needfull and necessary the most secret Art of Geometrie is for euery Artificer and Workeman as those that for a long time haue studied and wrought without the same can sufficiently witnesse who since that time haue attained vnto any knowledge of the said Arte doe not onely laugh and smile at their owne former simplicities but in trueth may very well acknowledge that all whatsoeuer had bene formerly done by them was not worth the looking on Seeing then the learning of Architecture comprehendeth in it many notable Artes it is necessary that the Architector or workeman should first or at the least if he cannot attaine vnto any more know so much thereof as that hee may vnderstand the principles of Geometrie that he may not be accompted amongst the number of stone-spoilers who beare the name of workmen and scarce know how to make an answere what a Point Line Plaine or Body is and much lesse can tell what harmonie or correspondencie meaneth but following after their owne minde or other blinde conductors that haue vsed to worke without rule or reason they make bad worke which is the cause of much vncut or vneuen workemanship which is found in many places Therfore seeing that Geometrie is the first degree of all good Art to the end I may shew the Architector so much thereof as that he may thereby be able with good skill to giue some reason of his worke Touching the speculations of Euclides and other Authors that haue written of Geometrie I will leaue them and onely take some flowers out of their Garden that therewith by the shortest way that I can I may entreat of diuers cutting through of Lines with some demonstrations meaning so plainely and openly to set downe and declare the same both in writing and in figures that euery man may both conceiue and vnderstand them aduertizing the Reader not to proceed to know the second figure before he hath well vnderstood and found out the first and so still proceeding hee shall at last attaine vnto his desire A Poynt FIRST you must vnderstand that a poynt is a priche made with a Pen or Compasse which can not bee deuided into any parts because it conteineth neither length nor bredth in it A Line A Line is a right consecutiue imagination in length beginning at a poynt and endeth also at a point but it hath no bredth Parable When two Lines are set or placed of a little wydenesse one from the other those two lines according to the Latine phrase are called Parable and by some men they are named Equidistances Superficies When those two Equidistances aforesayd are at each end closed together by another Line it is then called a Superficies and in like sort all spaces in what manner soeuer they are closed and shut vp are called Superficies or plainnes Perpendicular Straight corners When there is a straight vpright Line placed in the middle of a crosse straight line then it is called a Perpendicular or Catheta Line and the ends of the crosse or straight Line on both sides of the Perpendicular are called Straight corners Obtusus Acutus When a leaning or straight Line is placed vpon a straight Line without Compasse or equalitie as much as the same Line bendeth so much shall the corner of the straight Line be narrower below and the other so much broader then a right or euen corner and the straight corner in Latine is called Acutus which signifieth sharpe and the wider corner Obtusus which signifieth dull Piramidal A corner or point called Piramidal and also Acutus in Latine is when two euen long straight
the Profill or cutting of the outermost part of the Amphitheater shall stand And thirdly there followeth the Orthographie of a péece of the sayd Amphitheater without which is all wrought after the rusticall manner with stones of Verona being very hard but the Cornices are somewhat better made which Cornices haue diuers and seuerall Formes of the Romanes and are very like vnto the Cornices of the Amphitheater of Pola Touching the playnenesse of this Amphitheater which by the Common people is called La arena taken from arena which is sand which was therein strowed for certayne Playes or sports which were there presented or Acted and therefore I could not sée the ground thereof but as it was told me by some old men of Verona when the Playes were there made vpon the sand then presently there came water in the sight of all the beholders which past through some Conduits and in short space filled all the place full so that there they might make battailes and thrust one at another with Scutes and Boates in the water and the place dryed vp agayne as at the first This and many other things men may beléeue if we consider the great magnificence of the Romanes in the Antiquities of Verona There are yet vpon the great Riuer of Adixe two fayre ancient Bridges betwéene the which two Bridges there was a most fayre and notable Spectaele whereon there might stand a great number of people to behold the Playes and sports there made in Boates vpon the water which Spectacle was made along by the water side against a hill and higher vpwards aboue this Spectacle there was a Theater the Scene whereof and the Spectacle ioyned together and for that as I sayd before the Theater was made very artificially in the hill so is it aboue the Theater in the height of the hill there was a great building which surpassed all the other but the ruines of these buildings are so many and so cast downe in processe of time that it would be great charges and losse of tune to find them out but for that in many places of the hill I haue séne some parts thereof therefore it makes me wonder thereat It was also with good reason that the Romanes made such things at Verona for that in my opinion it is the best scitâ—ated place of all Italy as well for playnes as hilles and also for waters and specially the men of that Towne are very familiar and friendly people GReat things and in diuers formes were made by the famous Romanes but by the â—uines thereof men can not iudge whereunto they serued principally this Building which was named Lesette Zone di Seuero of which Building you sée a corner of the House yet standing which is of 3. roofes all Corinthia worke But it may be séene that from the roofe it was made of another manner of Buildings because some Pillars were hollowed and crefted and some smooth besides the Capitals and other formes are not all of one worke I haue not measured the height of this Building but onely the ground and thicknesse of things and for as much as I can conceaue the roofes aboue lessen one more then another the fourth part as Vitruuius writes in his description of Theaters This Figure hereunder sheweth the ground of the Building also the skie or roofe of the Lacunary aboue the Columnes it was measured with the foote that measured the Theater of Pola â—â—rst the thickenesse of the Wall is 3. foot and an halfe betwéene the one Wall the other it to 4. foot and an halfe betwéene the Wall and the Columnes is 5. foot and 3. quarters and so is the space betwéene the Columnes the thicknesse of a Columne is 2. foot and 4. quarters In this Building you sée no Chambers at all nor any shew or signes of Stayres or goings vp into the lodgings but men may conceaue that it was much greater and that in other places both Stayres and Chambers might haue stood and to speake trueth this Building when it was whole was a notable piece of worke in regard of the great number of Columnes and Pillars that were in it together with the costly worke thereof The ground of the Amphitheater in Pola AT Pola a town in Dalmatia this Amphitheater is in the middle of the Town yet very whole which building hath nothing but the first wings without with the 4. counterforts ache made of 3. Pilasters which I beléeue were made for the strengthning thereof because this wall stood thus alone so that nothing at all was made of the Building within but the outtermost wall with the Arches marked A. But by the shew of some holes which are within the wall men may iudge that there they made the stayres and seats of wood when they made their sports and held their feasts neuerthelesse for a beautifying of the Figures I haue set down the part within as in my opinion it should bee made This Amphitheater was measured with a moderne foote which is shewed here vnder the ground the widenes of the Arches is 9. foot 2. ounces but he 4. principal Arches are 15. foot wide the forefront of the Pilasters is 4. foote 2. ounces the flat Pillar is 2. foote and 2. ounces broad so the Pilasters on each side are one foote broad the Pilasters in the sides are 5. foote and 3. ounces betwéene the Pilasters of the counterforts and the other Pilasters it is 3. foote and 4. ounces TOuching the Orthographie or the ground of the Amphitheater of Pola I haue sufficiently spoken but now I must shew the Orthographie of the part standing vp beginning at the nâ—ther part as touching the Basement it hath no terminations of measures the cause why is for that the Hill is not euen for in the Hill the Pedestall is not onely lost but also the whole first order of the Arches with all their Cornices vpon them and the Hill is the height of the plaine of the second Story therefore I will set downe no height of the measure of the Basements but will brain from thence vpwards The height of the Pedestall vnder the Pillar is 2. foot and an halfe the height of the Pillar of flat Columne with the Capitall is about 16. foot the height of the Arch is 17. foot and an halfe the Architraue is a foot and 9. ounces high the height of the Freese is 9. ounces the height the Cornice is one foot 10. ounces the height of the borst-wering or place brest-high if there bee any other aboue the Cornice is ae high as the Cornice the height of the Pillar is 21. foot 9. ounces with the Capitall the height of the Arch is 18. foot and one ounce the thicknesse of the Arch is 1. foot and 9. ounces the Architraue Freese and Cornice are of the same height that the vndermost is the Basement marked X. is 4. foot and 4 ounces From the Basement to vnder the Cornice is 19 foot
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 VpoÌ„ 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 shal be 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 Cinatius Cinatius Scimd Corona Capitellum feuia Gurte Episfilus 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 shal be 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 shal be one part set aboue for the Cimatie with that belongeth therunto and one other part shal be giuen to the Base and so this Pedestall shal be 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 iâ— not amisse to set this héere for the vse of â—â—ose that will make the 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 shal be 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.