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
lines meet or ioyne together at the vpper end as the figure right against this declareth Triangle And when such a figure is closed together at the foote thereof with a long straight line it is then called a Triangle because it hath 〈◊〉 sharpe corners Triangle When a Triangle with two euen straight lines is closed together with a longer line then these two are it shall haue such a forme as here you see Triangle But a Triangle which is made of three vnlike lines it shall also haue three vnlike corners Quadrangle When two long and two direct downe right lines are ioyned together at the foure corners it is called Quadrangle with euen sides or corners but when the foure lines are all of vnlike or contrary lengths then it is a Quadrangle of vneuen sides as this figure sheweth You must note that although all foure cornerd figures may be called Quadrangles neuertheles for that the direct foure cornerd figures are called Quadratus for difference from them I will name all figures which are like vnto a table that is longer then broad Quadrangles Rombus WHen foure euen long straight lines are ioyned together at the corners they are called Quadratus which are foure cornerd when you make the two corners thereof sharpe and the other two corners somewhat blunter then it is called a Rombus Figures with diuers corners ALthough you may turne and make all the figures aforesaid right foure square Yet the workeman may finde other figures with diuers corners The which as I will hereafter shew hee may make foure square Superficitie of a crooked Line Circumferentie Centre Diameter The halfe Circle The plom line right corner perfect foure square A Triangle with euen points may be deuided thrice into two equall parts deuiding each side in two parts as in the figure P. Q. R. it is seene through the three lines which on either side make two great Triangles A Gaine you may easily change a Quadrate into a Quadrangle as long or as narrow as you desire to haue it doing thus Make your Quadrate A. B. C. D. and lengthen your line A. B. and the liue B. C. Which doâ—e then set the length of the Quadrangle which you desire to haue vpon the line A. G. Then from the poynt G. draw a line along by the corner of the Quadrate D. to the line C. F. and there you find the shortest line of the Quadrangle and so to the contrary you shall by the least side of the Quadrangle finde the longest also as you may also prooue by the foresayd Figure for when you take away the Triangles M. N. and O. P. which are both alike then the two parts which are K. L. are also alike LEt by example your many cornerd figures first bee marked with the great Quadrangle with these letters A. B. C. D. and then with a lesse Quadrangle as E. F. G. H. the rest are all Tryangles Now set the greatest Quadrangle L. in a place by it selfe and then the other marked with M. which set vpon it that the two corners or sides may be alike which done lengthen the line E. F. and the line E. G. and where they stay or touch vnder the great Quadrangle L. there set an I. from this I. a Diagonall line being drawen through the corners B. H. the same line shall be drawen to the point that by the shutting of the Caracters B. M. L. D. will shew you another Quadrangle of the like quantitie that the Quadrangle M. is so that the whole Quadrangle D. C. L. M. containeth the two aforesayd Quadrangles Touching the Triangles when you haue changed the same accorting to your former instruction in to Quadrangles as you may see by the Triangle N. so may you put that Quadrangle also in the greatest Quadrongles for lesse trouble The great Quadrangle A. L. M. C. is once againe placed aboue with the small Quadrangle O. P. Q. R. set vpon it and the Diagonall line is placed behind the greater which is L. M. T. S. both marked with N. so that the Quadrangle A. C. S. T. containeth three Quadrangles L. M. N. end as many more as there are you may in this sort bring them all in one Quadrangle if there falleth out any crocked lines the skilfull Architector or workeman may almost bring them into a square and those Quadrangles if need be may also be reduced into perfect foure squares as aforesayd WHen a man hath a line or other things of vnequall parts and there is also another longer line or some other thing which a man would also deuide into vnequall parts according to the proportion of the shorter line then let the shortest line be A. B. and the greâ—test 〈◊〉 A C. newâ—t is necessary that from the vppermost poynt A. you should make a corner as A. B. and A. A. Then taâ—e your longer line and set it with the end C. vpon B. and let the other â—nd rest at the hanging line A. A. then from euery poynt of the vppermost line A. B. let a hanging line fall vpon the line A. C. so that they may be equidistant with the line A. A. where yÌ„ said lines cut through each other there is the right deuision proportioned according to the smaller This rule shal not only serue the Architector for many things as I will partly shewe but will also serue many Artificers to reduce their small workes into greater THE Architector must haue a well proportioned Cornice which if he would make greater keeping the same proportion hee may doe it as he is formerly taught as in this Figure following is shewed by the short line marked A. B. and the longer line marked A. C. THe further that any materiall thing standeth from our sight so much it seemeth to lâ—ssen and diminish by meanes of the ayre which consumeth our sight therefore when a man will make or place one thing aboue another against any place or wall would haue the same thing to shew aboue in the middle and beneath as great in one part as in the other it is conuenient for him to follow this rule which is for that our sight runneth in circumference therefore a man must first chuse the place from whence he will see the same there placing a Center and then draw a quarter of a Circle from your eye vpwards Which deuiding in euen parts you shall by the lines that goe out of the Center through the Circle against the wall find the vnequall parts the which although vpwards against the wal they shal seeme greater yet in your sight they will shew al of one greatnesse By this rule you may also measure heights ayding your selfe with the numbers MAny men are of opinion that straight lines in what maner soeuer they are closed contayne as many spaces one â—ay as another that is to say if a man had a cord of forty foote long and should lay it diuersly in a round long three cornerd foure square or fiue cornerd forme but the
vnder shalke for the foote the necke without doubt may be made two parts high and the rest according to the workemans pleasure or according to the figure herevnder set downe YOu may also make another forme of a Cup or vessell after the rule aforesayd But from the poyst A. which doeth shew the bredth of the foote and the widenesse of the mouth you must make your Circle vpwards from C. vnto the two Perpendiculars where the body shall be closed vp The necke standing aboue it shall â—e two parts high but the rest of the workemanship shall be made according to the will and deuice of the workeman By this meanes you may make other different kindes of Cups or vessels but these that follow you must make in this sort you must deuide your crosse line in twelue parts through the poynt A. making two Perpendiculars to shew the foote and the necke then setting one foote of the Compasse vpon B. and the other foote vpon I. drawing a piece of a Circle downe-wards towards the Perpendicular and the like being done on the other side to the Figure of 2. then place your Compasse vpon the poynt C. and teaching the sides 3. and 4. then the bottom of the vessell will be closed vp then place the Compasse vpon the poynt betweene I. and A. and it will bee the roundnesse of the vessell aboue the other foure parts serue for the necke of the vessell with the rest of the worke A Man may make a vessell onely by a Circuler forme making therein a Circuler crosse and deuiding euery line into sixe parts the halfe circle shall be the belly of the vessell and a sixt part vpward for a Fréese that there may bee more place to beautifie it an other part shall be the height of the necke and another part the couer and for the foote although it be but a halfe part high it may well goe a sixt part without the round and although I haue set downe but sixe maner of cups or vessels yet according to the rule aforesayd a man may make an infinite number of vessels and a man may alter them by their Ornaments whereof I say nothing that you may sée the line the better A Man may make Ouale formes in diuers fashions but I will onely set downe foure To make this first figure you must set two perfect Triangles one aboue the other like a Rombus and at the ioyning of them together you must draw the lines through to 1.2.3.4 and the corners A B. C. D. shall be the foure Centers then set one foote of the Compasse upon B. and the other vpon I. and draw a line from thence to the figure 2. After that from the poynt A. and 3. to 4. you must also draw a line which being done set the one ende of the Compasse in the poynt C. and then draw a piece of a Circle from 1. to 3. and againe the Compasse being in the Center D. draw a piece of a Circle from 2. to 4. and then the forme is made You must also vnderstand that the néerer that the figures come to their Centers so much the longer they are and to the contrary the further that they are from their Centers the rounder they are yet they are no perfect Circles because they haue more then one Center FOR the making of the second Ouale you must first make thrée Circles as you sée héere drawing where the foure straight lines stand the foure Centers shal be I.K.L.M. Then placing one point of the Compasse in K. you must drawe a line with the other point from the figure of 1. to 2. Againe without altering the Compasse you shal set the one foote of the Compasse in I. and so drawe a piece of a Circle from the figure 3. to the figure 4. and that maketh the Compasse of the Circle This Figure is very like the forme of an Egge THE third forme is made by two foure cornerd squares drawing Diagonen lines in them which shal shew the two Centers G. H. and the other two the corners E. F. Then draw a piece of a Circle froÌ„ F. to the figure 1. and so to 2. Do the like from E. to 3. and 4. which done from the points G. and H. make the two sides from 1. to 3. and from 2. to 4. and so shut vp the Ouale IF you will make this fourth Ouale then make two Circles that may cut through each others Center the other two Centers for the closing of the Circle be N.O. after that whether you draw the right lines or not from the poynts O. N. you shall shut vp the sides from 1. and 2. and from 3. to 4. And although our Authour sayth there are foure formes of Ouales yet this last figure is of the same forme as the first onely this is easter to make TOuching the Circles there are many figures which are round and yet some haue 5.6.7.8.9 and 10. corners c. But at this time I will speake onely of these thrée principally because they are most common THis Octogonus or eight points is drawen out of a right foure cornerd square drawing the Diagonus which will shewe you the Center then set one foote of your Compas vpon the corners of the Quadrate and leading the other foote through the Center directing your Circle toward the side of the Quadrate there your right poynts shall stand to make it eyght cornerd and although a man might only doe it by the Circle making a crosse therein and deuiding each quarter in two yet it 〈◊〉 not be so well and therefore this is a surer and more perfect way THE Hexagonus that is the sixt cornerd Circle is easiest made in a Circle for when the Circle is made you may deuide the Circumference in sixe parts equally without stirring the Compasse and drawing the line from one poynt to another the sixe corners are made BUT the Pentagonus that is fiue cornerd is not so easily to be made as the others are because it is of an vneuen number of corners notwithstanding you may make it in this manner when the Circle is made then make a straight crosse therin then deuide the one halfe of the crosse line in two parts which is marked with the figure 3. then place the one foote of the Compasse vpon 3 and with the other placing it vnder the crosse drawe downe-ward to the crosse line marked 2. from thence also from vnder the crosse you shall finde the length of euery side of the Pentagonus In this figure also you shall finde the Decagonus that is ten corners for from the Center to the figure 2. that shall be one side thereof you may also make a sixtéene cornerd figure out of this widenesse 1.2 and place a Particular line vpon the poynt 3. And Albertus Durens saith that the same also will serue to make a seuen cornerd figure THis figure will serue such men as are to part a Circumference into vnequall parts how many
soeuer they be but not to bring the Reader into confusednesse with making of many formes I will onely set downe this deuided into nine corners which shall serue for an example of all the rest which is thus Take the quarter of the Circle and deuide it into nine parts and foure of these parts will bee the ninth part of the whole Circumference you must also vnderstand the same so if you deuide a Quadrate into eleuen twelue or thirtéene parts c. for that alwayes foure of these parts bee the iust wydenesse of your parts required THere are many Quadrangle proportions but I will here set down but seuen of the principallest of them which shal best serue for the vse of the workeman FIrst this forme is called a right foure cornerd Quadrate THe second forme or figure in Latine is called Sexquiquarta that is which is made of a foure cornerd Quadrate and an eyght part thereof ioyned vnto it THe third figure in Latine is called a Sexquitertia that is made of a foure squared Quadrate and a third part therof ioyned vnto it THe fourth is called Diagonea of the line Diagonus which line deuideth the foure square Quadrate crosse through the middle which Diagonall line being toucht from vnder to the end thereof vpwards with the Compasse and so drawen will shew you the length of the Diagonall Quadrangle but from this proportion there can bee no rule in number well set downe THE fift figure is called a Sexquialtera that is a foure square and halfe of one of the foure squares added vnto it THe sixt is called Superbitienstercias that is a foure square and two third parts of one of the foure squares added thereunto THE seuenth and last figure is called Dupla that is double for it is made of two foure square formes ioyned together and we finde not in any Antiquities any forme that passeth the two foure squares vnlesse it bee in Galleries Entries and other to walke in and some gates doores and windowes haue stood in their heights but such as are wise will not passe such lengths in Chambers or Halles MAny accidents like vnto this may fall into the workmans hand which is that a man should lay a steling of a house in a place which is fiftéene foote long and as many foote broad the rafters should be but fouretéene foote long and no more wood to be had then in such case the binding thereof must be made in such sort as you sée it héere set downe that the rafters may serue and this will also bee strong enough IT may also fall out shat a man should finde a Table of ten foote long and thrée foote broade with this Table a man would make a doore of seuen foote high and foure foote wyde Now to doe it a man would saw the Table long wise in two parts and setting them one vnder another and so they would be but sixe foote high and it should bee seuen and againe if they would cut it thrée foote shorter and so make it foure foote broade then the one side shall be too much péeced Therefore he must doe it in this sort Take the Table of ten foote long and thrée foot broad marke it with A. B. C. D. then sawe it Diagonall wise that is from the corner C. to B. with two equall parts then draw the one péece thereof thrée foote backwards towards the corner B. then the line A. F. shall be foure foote broad and so shall the line E. D. also hold foure foote broad by this meanes you shall haue your doore A. E. F. D. seuen foote long and foure foote broade and you shall yet haue the thrée cornerd pieces marked E. B. G. and C. F. and C. left for some other vse JT happeneth many times that a workman hath an eye or round window to make in a Church as in ancient times they vsed to make them and he doubted of the greatnesse thereof which if he will make after the rules of Geometry hee must first measure the bredth of the place where he will set it and therein he must make a halfe Circle which halfe Circle being inclosed in a Quadrangle then he shall finde the Center by two Diagonall lines then he must draw two lines more which shall reach from the two lowermost corners aboue the Center and touch the iust halfe of the Circle aboue and where the sayd lines cut through the Diagonall lines there you must make two Perpendicular lines which Perpendicular lines shall shew the widenesse of the desired window the list about it may bee made the sixt part of the Diameter being round in bredth IF a workeman will make a Gate or a Doore in a Temple or a Church which is to be proportioned according to the place then he must take the widenesse within the Church or else the bredth of the wall without if the Church bee small and haue Pilasters of Pillars within it then he may take the widenesse betwéene them set the same bredth in a foure square that is as high as broad in which foure square the Diagonall lines and the other two crosse cutting lines will not onely shew you the widenes of the doore but also the places and poynts of the ornaments of the same Doore as you sée here in this Figure And although it should fall out that you haue thrée doores to make in a Church and to that ende cut thrée holes yet you may obserue this proportion for the smallest of them And although gentle Reader the crosse cutting thorow or deuiding is innumerable yet for this time lest I should be too tedious I here end my Geometry Here endeth the first Booke of Architecture treating of Geometry translated out of Italian into Dutch And now out of Dutch into English for the benefit of our English Nation at the charges of Robert Peake 1611. The second Booke of Architecture made by Sebastian Serly entreating of Perspectiue which is Inspection or looking into by shortening of the sight 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. The second Booke A Treatise of Perspectiues touching the Superficies The second Chapter ALthough the subtill and ingenious Arte of Perspectiue is very difficult and troublesome to set downe in writing and specially the body or modell of things which are drawen out of the ground for it is an Arte which cannot be so well expressed by figures or writings as by an vndershewing which is done seuerally Notwithstanding seeing that in my first Booke I haue spoken of Geometry without the which Perspectiue Arte is nothing I will labour in the briefest manner that I can in this my second Booke to shewe the workeman so much thereof that hee shall bee able to aide and helpe himselfe therewith In this worke I will not trouble my selfe to dispute Philosophically what
Perspectiue is or from whence it hath the originall for learned Euclides writeth darkely of the speculation thereof But to proceede to the matter touching that the workeman shall haue cause to vse you must vnderstand that Perspectiue is that which Vitruuius calleth Scenographie that is the vpright part and sides of any building or of any Superficies or bodies This Perspectiue then consisteth principally in three lines The first line is the Base below from whence all things haue their beginning The second line is that which goeth or reacheth to the point which some call sight others the horison But the horison is the right name thereof for the horison is in euery place wheresoeuer sight endeth The third line is the line of the distances which ought alwayes to stand so high as the horison is farre or neere according to the situation as when time serueth I will declare This Horison is to be vnderstood to stand at the corners of our sight as if the workeman would shew a piece of worke against a flat wall taking his beginning from the ground where the feete of the beholders should stand In such case it is requisite that the Horison should bee as high as our eye and the distance to see or behold that worke shall be set or placed in the fittest place thereabouts as if it were in a Hall or a Chamber then the distance shall be taken at the entry thereof but if it bee within or at the end of a Gallery or Court then the distance shall be set at the entry of the same place and if it bee in a Streete against a wall or an house then you must set your distance on the other side right ouer against it But if in such a case the streete is very narrow then it were good to imagine a broad distance lest the shortening fall out to be ouer-tedious or vnpleasant vnto you for the longer or the wyder the distance is the worke will shew so much the better and pleasanter But if you will begin a piece of worke of fiue or sixe foote high from the ground whereon you stand then it is requisite that the Horison should stand euen with your eyes as I sayd before but if a man should see no ground of the worke whereon the vppermost part doeth stand and a man would worke very high it would not be correspondent with the eyes In such a case a man must take vpon him to place the Horison somewhat higher by the aduice of some skilfull workman which maketh histories or other things vpon Houses thirtie or fortie foote high aboue a mans sight which is vnfittingly But cunning workmen fall into no such errors for where they haue made any thing aboue our sight there you could see no ground of the same worke for that the notable Perspectiue Art hath bridled them and therefore as I sayd before Perspectiue Art is very necessary for a workeman And no Perspectiue workeman can make any worke without Architecture nor the Architecture without Perspectiue To proue this it appeareth by the Architectures in our dayes wherein good Architecture hath begun to appeare and shew it selfe For was not Bramant an excellent Architector and was he not first a Painter and had great skill in Perspectiue Art before he applyed himselfe to the Art of Architecture and Raphael Durbin was not he a most cunning Paynter and an excellent Perspectiue Artist before he became an Architector And Balthazar Perruzzie of Sienna was also a Paynter and so well seene in Perspectiue Art that he seeking to place certaine Pillars and other Antike works perspectiuely tooke such a pleasure in the proportions and measures thereof that he also became an Architector wherein he so much exâ—elled that his like was almost not to be found Was not learned Ieronimus Genga also an excellent Paynter and most cunning in Perspectiue Arte as the faire works which he made for the pleasure of his Lord Francisco Maria Duke of Vrbin can testifie vnder whom he became a most excellent Architector Iulius Romanus a scholler of Raphael Durbin who by Perspectiue Arte and Paynting became an excellent Architector witnesseth the same Then to come to my purpose I say that a man must be diligent and vigilant in this Arte wherein I will begin with small things and then proceed to greater vntill I haue shewed you the full Arte and manner thereof as I desire TO the ende that men by small matters may attaine to greater therefore I will begin to shew how to shorten a foure cornerd thing from whence all the rest shall bee deriued Then the Base of this foure square thing shall be A. G. and the height of the Horison as I sayd before shall bee imagined according to the fight and that shall be P. whereunto all the lines doe runne as the lines of the sides A. P. and G. P. then at the one ende of the Quadrante you must set a Perpendicular line which is G.H. which done then drawe the Base A. G. K. long though and then out of the Horison draw a Paralell or an Equidistant sine from the Base as far as you will that the eye or sight shall stand from that which you will looke on for how much the more you will haue the foure square thing to seeme shorter so much further you must goe with yoin sight I. from H. to behold the foure square thing And then taking H. I. for the distance from the point I. to the corner A. draw a line and where the line cutteth through the Perpendicular line H. Gâ—th it is on B. there the termination of the shortening of the foure square thing shall bee as you may sée in the figure following But if you will make more foure squares one aboue the other vpon the same Horison or poynt then you must draw another line from the shortening poynt of the foure square or Quadrant to the letter I. and where it cutteth through the Perpendicular line aforesaid that is at C there the second Quadrant shal be rut off and in like sort you must draw another line to the poynt of the distance and where it toucheth the Lead or Perpendicular line that is on D. you shall make the third Quadrante the same may be done with E. and so you must goe vntill you come iust vnder the Horison THe rule aforesaid is the perfectest and you may prooue it by the line G. H. which is called the line of the Quadrante but because it is cumbred with a greater number of lines and so more tedious therefore the rule ensuing shall be shorter and easilyer to be done then the other for when the Base A. G. is drawne and the two side lines make a Triangle A. P. G. then you must draw the Paralels of the Base of the Horison long inough and as farre as you will stand from the worke to sée it so farre you must set the Perpendiculars I. K. from the poynt G. then you must draw
in the Figure These two halfe shortening Circles being made then you must draw a right blacke line aboue out of each of the middles which are marked 5. and where that cutteth through the middlemost line which goeth from the greatest Arch to the Horison there shal be the terminations also the middle of the crosse worke and then out of all the terminations of the two halfe Circles you must draw crosse lines on the sides and where euery one of them following an Horisentall toucheth the Arch marked with 2.3.4 there the terminations shal stand to forme the halfe Circles in the crosse through the which a man with a stedfast hand from termination to termination shall make a shortening halfe rounde crosse with prickes as both on the right and left hand you may plainely sée in the Figure In this manner the worke should goe although it stood somewhat out at the sides but it is better first to print it well in your memory before 〈◊〉 séeke an other forme where the Horison standeth on the one side that then you may the easilyer make that whiâ—◠〈◊〉 séene on that side HAuing shewed in crosseworke on both sides how you should place the Arches on the sides in shortening manner â—nd drawne them vp out of the ground although that they be single now will I shew you a hollow Arche and the maner how to shorten it But before I proceed thereunto for it is very combersome and difficult first I wil shew you the Pilaisters that should carrie the sayd Arches which Pilaisters stand so plainely in the Figure that I shall not need to take much paines to wryte of them In this Figure I haue not made the first Arch that I might not darken the sight of the Arches on the sides which Arches on the sides I haue also but marked how they shall stand and are alwayes drawne out of the fouresquare Quadrant as you sée by the order of the foure square Quadrant but the hindermost Arch which standeth not in the way I haue drawne fully and placed it also in his foure square Aboue in the top or roofe I haue made the round forme whereof you may make a Kettel or Tribunall and you may also make it thus when it is somewhat soncke Touching the foure Pilaisters they as I haue taught before are found by the Diagonall lines comming from the poynt of the distances and also that each Pilaister is thrée cornerd standing like a thrée cornerd hooke and on each end the Arch resteth whereof there shall be foure two Arches before and two on the sides so that the roofe will be right fouresquare wherein you may make crosse worke or other manner of Roose worke And if you will make other kindes of works by the same you must alwayes follow this rule Item where you can not well vnderstand my writing you must helpe your selfe with the figures which figure also standeth open so that with a little labour a man may easily conceaue it altogether although there were nothing spoken of it NOw you sée what way you must follow to place Arches on the sides in shortening manner And first you must thinke vpon the third former manner Superficies wherein I haue sufficiently shewed you the manner how to frame a round body but in this Figure I will shew it more perfectly Wherefore a man must imagine that the round Body lying below in his fouresquare is made and shall serue for the two Bowes on the sides This Body then being made as I haue shewed before and as you sée it better now you must first set it where the Arches begin about the Horison And the same Perpendicular lines which stand corner wise from the middle of the foure cornerd body must be set like Paralel lines on the right left sides vpwards from the two Arches there at it is aforesaid to direct the Horisentall lines as you may sée it plainely in the Figure But you must vnderstand that the two crosses below in this Body are the two Centers to draw the stones of the Arches both aboue and below they also signifie the Centers of the Bowes vpon the Horisentall lines within the Arches You must also vnderstand that the blacke lines doe forme the Circumference without and the prickes or this lines betoken the forme within which is couered in the Arches so that the Arches do shew through to be made of pieces of the which pieces a man may learne to make diuers Compartements vnderneath in the Arch. Now when a man can make this Arch well then hee shall not neede still to take all this labour but by two principall lines helping himselfe with pricks he may frame the Arch and specially because that the Arch which should come before couereth or hideth a great part of the Arches on both sides which Arch I haue not made here that I might not darken or shadow the other shortening Arch. Neither néed I wryte any thing of the Circumferences aboue in the top or Roofe nor the eyght corners within for that in the next Figure you shall sée them neither will I speake any thing of the Circumferences in the ground for they are made as I haue taught you heretofore of all others and of the round body below of the which there hath beene more sayd a man may make many other things which are not here to be spoken of TO place Pillars with their Arches vpon grounds or platformes I thinke there is sufficient spoken before and whatsoeuer I haue spoken of foure square Pillars is also to bee vnderstood of round Columnes for that a man must take all round things out of foure square things as well the Spira of the Base as the round of the Capital He that can make all the Figures aforesayd perfectly and particularly this last body shall helpe himselfe well and not onely to doe the like things but also to do many more If I should in this small Treatise shew all that I could set downe it would make a most great Volumne and peraduenture I should want time to set foorth the rest of my Booke which I haue already promised for there are many things that belong to Building which need not to bee set downe in Perspectiue worke Let vs now begin to rayse the Building here set downe out of the ground which before and at the one side is séene as I promised before to shew you The shortest and surest way is to mak a ground with many Quadrants and imagine that it is mete with the Foot with the Elle or other measure But â—et vs now take euery Quadrant for two foot and as before there are foure Quadrants from one Pillar to the other and the Pillar also containeth a Quadran there shall also be foure Quadrants vpward in the length from one Pillar to the other as you may see it altogether in the Figure The Pillars then being set of such height as you desire then the Arches vpon them most be made and
go vp downe so that in short time the Amphitheater was filled with a great number of men without hindrance one of another You may also sée in the outward part how the thicknes of the Pilasters and the walles vpwards lessened which on the inside are drawne in and being so drawne in giueth the building great strength and to shew it to be true you may sée there at this day some part of the Facies without yet whole from the top to the bottome and yet the inward parts are decayed and that hath the drawing inward of the Centrée dens which made the worke slighter taking as it were a forme of a Piramides But this is not obserued in the common building in Venice but rather the contrary because the walles without are in Perpendicular maner and lessen inwards and this they doe for want of ground to get the more space vpwards but that which helpeth such buildings is that there are no Arches in it nor Roofes of any maner that force the walles to giue out but the number of Beaâ—â— which are layd and fastned in the walles bind the walles and the roomes of the house together and so such buildings stand fast so long as the Beames indure which men from time to time renue neuerthelesse these kinds of buildings last not so long as the ancient buildings did made in such order as you sée in the Colisco whereof I will speake agayne And withall as I sayd the innermost part being so ruinous that men sée no part of the innermost worke which is cut off by the line that hath Shafts or Arrowheads at the ends and for that you sée no parts thereof at all whether that the vppermost parts of the highest steps vpwards to the top were all couered with double Galleries or that the Porticus was alone and the other left open therefore I haue made it in two maner of wayes the one is as you see in the same Profill ioyned with all the worke and the other maner is which standeth without the degrées or steps which order also agréeth with the other if you set it so that the two Lists in the Pedestals méete each with the other but for that you sée some remaynders of the crossed Roofes which yet hang within on the walles as the fourth ground sheweth the which I iudge was onely a Porticus and that the other part was vncouered to receiue the people and being so must receiue them better then if the Galleries had béene double Now to turne to the beginning of the degrées or steps that I leaue nothing vntouched as néere as I can I say by meanes of the ruines and filling vp with matter fallen the playne or the place in the middle is so filled vp that a man cannot marke how high the first degrées of the playne were eleuated but by the instructions of those that haue séene the end the first degrée was so high that the wild and vntamed Beasts could not hurt the beholders and there was also a Borstwering and other stréetes of a reasonable bredth to go round about as it is shewed where it is marked with C. The two open places the least and the greatest Arch were to bring in light The places standing vp about the degrées or steps which are couered and marked A. are Dâ—â—res whereby men went without vp the Stayres to the Theater The Profill of the Amphitheater of Rome THE outward part that is the Orthographie of the Romish Coliscco is made of foure stories and the first story next aboue the ground is made after the manner of Dorica and although there are in the Freese neither Trâ—gliphes nor Metophes nor yet guts in the Epistolie or Architraue neither Fulmines and guts vnder the crowne yet it may be called Dorica The second Order is after the manner of Ionica and although the Columnes be not fluited yet in effect they may be called Ionica The third Story is after the manner of Corinthia but firme worke without cutting vnlesse it be the Capitals the which with their height are not exquisitely made The fourth Story is Composita other call it Latina because it was inuented by the Romanes some others call it Italica But it may well be called Composita were it but for the mutiles which stand in the Fréese for that no other Story haue their mutiles in the Fréese but that Many men aske why the Romanes made this Building of foure Orders and made it not all of one forme or order as many others are as that of Verona which is all of rusticall worke and that of Pola also A man may answere thereunto that the old Romanes as rulers ouer al especially of those people from whence the thrée former Orders had their beginning would set those 3. generations one aboue another aboue all those orders the Composita as found by themselues thereby signifying that they as tryumphers ouer those people would also tryumph with their workes placing and mingling them at their pleasures But omitting these reasons we will procéed to the measures of the outtermost parts and Orthographie This Building was eleuated from the earth two degrées the second degrée was fiue Palmes broad and the first two Palms the height was little lesse then a Palme the Base of the Columne was not two Palmes no more is the Dorica the Columne is foure Palmes thicke and two minutes the height is 38. Palms and 5. minutes with Base and Capitall the height of the Capitall is about two Palmes the Pilasters on eyther side of the Columnes are thrée Palmes and thrée minutes the widenesse of the Arch is twenty Palmes and the height is 33. Palmes from vnder the Arch to the Architraue is fiue Palmes and sixe minutes the height of the Architraue is two Palmes and eyght minutes the height of the Fréese is thrée Palmes and two minutes the Cornice as much The Pedestall of the second Order is eyght Palmes and ten minutes high the height of the Columnes with Bases and Capitals is fiue and thirty Palmes the thicknesse is foure Palmes the Pilasters and Arches are like those beneath but the height of the Arch is thirty Palmes from vnder the Arch to vnder the Architraue is fiue Palmes and sixe minutes the height of the Architraue is thrée Palmes the height of the Fréese is two Palmes and nine minutes the height of the Cornice is thrée Palmes and nine minutes The Pedestall of the fourth Order called Composita héere our Author hath forgotten the third Order but howsoeuer it differeth not much from the Ionica the Pedestall of the Composita is twelue Palmes high the vnder-Base thereof is foure Palmes the height of the Pillars with Bases and Capitals is thirty eyght Palmes and sixe minutes the height of the Architraue Fréese and Cornice is about ten Palmes deuided in thrée one part for the Cornice the second for the Fréese wherein the Mutiles stand and the third for the Architraue But for what cause or reason
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.