conceive things the easier and especially he that will learne this Art he must not leave nor refuse to exercise any of the Figures before set down but must use all the diligence he can to be perfect in them all and be must also take a pleasure to doe them all otherwise he that will omit now one and then another because he can hardly understand or conceive them although I labour and strive at all times in setting down these Rules to shew all difficulties shall little profit himselfe in this Art The manner how to place this ground in Perspective forme is easily conceived without any other Demonstration for you must follow the manner or operation of the figure before set down with this Advertisement That the two Diagonall lines evermore direct the work together with the Horisontall lines and although a man may shew many formes of grounds that are to be placed in shortning yet these two shall suffice for this time because I have other things to entreat off for a skilfull workman by the help of these may forme others for his purpose and such as be shall have occasion to use And if he will erect any piece of work for a shew he must necessarily first measure the Orthography with the same measure that he measureth the ground withall and then place it in a shortning manner as when time serveth shall be shewed 15 Touching the grounds and other Superficies of divers forms I think I have sufficiently spoken Now I will speak of Bodies which are drawn up out of the ground And first you know that I have taught before how you should frame an eight-square forme plainly in it selfe and then I have shewed how you should compasse this Figure about with a border or edge but if a workman will shew an eight-square Figure in Perspective wise as a Well then he must first make the ground as he is taught before as high as he will that the said Well shall stand elevsted above the ground or foot thereof there he must make the same forme once againe drawing it to the same Horison then from all the uppermost corners or poynts to the lowest you must draw Perpendicular lines as well from the innermost figures as from the uttermost whereby the through cutting eight square bodies will be formed as you may see in the 15 Figure 16 I have spoken before of the open frame of a Well with eight poynts or corners which is necessary to be learned how to make it before you make the solid body thereof as this Figure 16 sheweth which is the same that is before shewed both forme and measure but all the lines which cannot outwardly be seen are hidden and there is as much difference between an open body and a solid as there is between the modell of a mans body that is nothing but bones without flesh and skin and a living body of a man covered over with flesh although it is hidden under it And as those Painters are much perfecter that have seen and perfectly beheld right Anatomies then others that onely content themselves with the outward bare shew of the Superficies so it is with Perspective works for they that well understand and perfectly bear in minde the bidden lines they shall better understand the Art then others that content themselves only with the shew of outward Superficies It is very true that when a man hath sufficiently experimented practised and beareth in his mind these inward hidden lines then helping himselfe with the principall he may make many perfect things without using all this labour But if any man that desireth to learn this Art will at the first understand these figures as some bluntly will take upon him to do it I believe certainely he will be put to an non plus and deceive himselfe but if by learning all the former things he proceedeth unto these as well in Geometry as in Perspective Art Then I say he is of a very grosse understanding if he cannot understand or conceive these figures or the figures that hereafter follow These three figures to speak truth are but Superficies neverthelesse if you draw Perpendicular lines from all the terminations as well within as without then you shall have a through cutting or open body and the innermost lines covered then they will be a Massy body And wonder not gentle Reader nor let it be strange unto you though I doe sometimes make a long discourse of some things for as I said before they are not onely learned by many words and great paines but it is also necessary that they were shewed unto some men plainly by drawing them before them that they may the better conceive them 18 The most part of great Rivers or water-falls that fall down from high Hills or Mountains by means of tempests with great force and power when they enter into a Valley then sometimes they run out of their Channell and so much ground as they then usurp upon the one side so much they loose againe one the other side and so doth Perspective work in cornerd things for that as much as a man loseth of the poynt or corner whereon he looketh so much greater the other poynt or comer sheweth that standeth out which is shewed in the figures 18 hereunto annexed The Reader must then mark that the square in the middle signifieth the thicknesse of a foure-square Columne or Pillar and the border that is without and goeth about it signifieth the thicknesse or bearing out of the Bases and the Capitall The figure under this platforme is the Base and the uppermost figure is the Capitall the manner how to shorten them I will shew you You must make the Pillar flat before without thicknesse and upon it you shall forme the Bases and Capitall making the projecture or bearing out thereof on either side alike but you must draw them lightly as the pricks herein set down doe shew you then draw the side of the Pillar which you will have seen towards the Horison and having found how thick the decreasing or shortning side must be by the rules that are shewed in the first part of Perspective work so you shall have the the shortning ground of the Pillar wherein you must lightly draw the two Diagonall lines long enough through and from the Bases below which is seen in the shortning you must draw a line towards the Horison which you shall also let goe down or sink so far till it reacheth beneath the Diagonall lines and there shall be the terminations of the shortning Bases and thus you see that the Perspectivenesse taketh somewhat off from them that is the space between the poynts and the full back line then from the terminations to the other uttermost poynt of the Bases you must draw a Paralell line under the ground of the Pillars so long that it may touch the Diagonall lines and there you shall find that which is taken of from the Bases on the one side and given to them
place on all sides containing 64 square stones and you must doe with this Gate as you did with the first onely when they are all of one widenesse as these are you need not devide the Arches againe for the Horisentall lines of the stones of the first Arch will shew you the terminations of all the other Arches and also how long the Gallery must be and how many Arches it must containe I have placed no Arches here in the sides because I would not cumber you too much at this time but I will speak thereof hereafter particularly The two Doors on each side are both partly covered with the Pillars but the widenesse of them is of four Quadrants besides that from the corner of the Doors to the Pillars on each side there is two Quadrants as you see the halfe thereof and the other halfe you must suppose to be behind the Pillars The beams above the Arches which bear up the Chamber above you may guesse although I write not particularly thereof I have not likewise set the Bases nor the Capitalls upon these Pillars because they should not darken them too much but in another place I will also entreat thereof These Diagonall lines will not onely shew you the thicknesse of the first or foremost Pillars when they shorten but also the thicknesse of the two other Pillars which stand inward which are all marked with pricks and as I have likewise said before that which is here said of the Bases of the Pillars the same also must be understood upward of the Capitalls touching the thicknesse of the Bowes or Arches underneath I have shewed in the Figure before how you must place the Center in the middle of the foure crossepoynt lines to draw the halfe Circumference The four-square or Quadrant above is as great as that below on the ground I need not shew how you shall make it for you see it plain enough in the Figure 23 This Figure is like the former onely that the members of the Bases and Capitalls are added thereunto thereby to make it more perfect unto you and to shew you how a thing will stand when it is full made and finished although I have shewed it before neverthelesse when a man is perfect therein then he may by practise help himselfe well enough without all this labour using discretion and bearing in memory that which he hath imprinted in his mind For in truth by this means I mean the ground a man may by practise make many things which if they be made with discretion and by a workman will alwayes beautifie the work as these bowes or Arches doe which under are devided with Quadrants as you may see them There are as you know first two Centers to forme the Arch underneath now a wise workman must not alwayes seek for the perfection of the edge of these Quadrants but for example Say that the Arch underneath is devided into eight parts whereof six shall be for the Quadrant and two parts for the edge or border that runneth about it now you must devide the space between the one Center and the other also in eight parts but they must shorten or lessen a little that is the neather part against the upper and then the Compasse being set somewhat lower and made narrower then you must draw the uppermost border and then the Compasse being set a little below the nethermost Center you must in like sort draw the other edge or border after you must square or devide the Quadrants leaving the space between both once so broad again as the other which must be drawn up towards the Horison and as much as you will mak the quadrant sink you must also draw out of the last Center with the Compasse And in this manner a man may make divers forms and compartments but as I have said you must make them all with judgement and therefore it is very convenient that a man should be well instructed therein for that using onely the princicall terminations you must make the rest by practise But I am of opinion that some rigorous Perspective men will take hold of these mywords to whom I answer that if they mean I have failed or done amisse let them prove what difference there is between saying and doing 24 The manner how to make a crosse roofe of a Gallery or House in Perspective work is alwayes very troublesome to shew it unto any man and therefore also it is much more troublesome to declare it in writing for men hereafter to understand it Neverthelesse because it is very necessary to be known I will doe the best I can to shew it First you must chuse the bredth and heigth of the greatest Arch or Bow that you desire to make and then by the distances you must make a perfect shortning quadrant and also a lesse Bow or Arch. The greatest Arch before shall be devided into eight equall parts and those parts must be drawn towards the Horison to the small Arch which being done then you must set those parts of the greatest Arch below upon the Base and with the help of the Horisentall and Diagonall lines you may make a shortning Circle within the quadrant as in the other places before you have been taught The terminations hereof shall be 1 2 3 4 5 which shall be set upwards beside the great Arch as you may see it there also marked with 1 2 3 4 5. Without this round below I have drawn the Paralells with pricks to the wall and where they end there you must set all your Perpendicular lines upright which are come out of the Paralell lines of this Circle Then you must draw the terminations aforesaid which are placed above along by the Perpendicular lines with lines to the Horison and where the said Horisentall lines cut through the Perpendicular lines which are drawn up from below there you must make halfe a shortning Circle and that which is marked on this side with Ciphers must also be understood to stand on the other as you see it in the Figure 25 Having shewed in crosse work on both sides how you should place the Arches on the sides in shortning manner and drawn them up out of the ground although that they be single now will I shew you a hollow Arch and the manner how to shorten it But before I proceed thereunto for it is very combersome and difficult first I will shew you the Pilaisters that should carry the said Arches which Pilaisters stand so plainly in the Figure that I shall not need to take much paines to write of them In this Figure I have not made the first Arch that I might not darken the sight of the Arches on the sides which Arches on the sides I have also but marked how they shall stand and are alwayes drawn out of the four-square quadrant as you see by the order of the four-square quadrant but the hindermost Arch which standeth not in the way I have drawn fully and and
placed it also in his four-square Above in the top or roofe I have made the round forme whereof you may make a Kettle or Tribunall and you may also make it thus when it is so me what sunk Touching the four Pilaisters they as I have taught before are found by the Diagonall lines coming from the poynt of the distances and also that each Pilaister is three cornerd standing like a three cornerd hook 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 four-square wherein you may make crosse work or other manner of Roofe work And if you will make other kindes of works by the same you must alwayes follow this Rule Item where you cannot well understand my writing you must help your selves with the Figures which Figure also standeth open so that with a little labour a man may easily conceive it altogether although there were nothing spoken of it 26 Now you see what way you must follow to place Arches on the sides in shortning manner And first you must think upon the third former manner Superficies wherein I have 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 four-square is made and shall serve for the two Bowes on the sides This Body then being made as I have shewed before and as you see it better now you must first set it where the Arches begin above the Horison And the same Perpendicular lines which stand corner-wise from the middle of the four cornerd body must be set like Paralell lines on the right and left sides upwards from the two Arches there as it is aforesaid to direct the Horisentall lines as you may see 't it plainly in the Figure But you must understand that the two crosses below in this Body are the two Centers to draw the stones of the Arches both above and below they also signifie the Centers of the Bowes upon the Horisentall lines within the Arches You must also understand that the black lines doe forme the Circumference without and the pricks or thin lin as betoken the forme within which is covered 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 divers Compartments underneath in the Arch. Now when a man can make this Arch well then he shall not need still to take all this labour but by two principall lines helping himselfe with pricks he may frame the Arch and especially because that the Arch which should come before covereth or bideth a great part of the Arches on both sides which Arch I have not made here that I might not darken or shadow the other shortning Arch. Neither need I write any thing of the Circumferences above in the top or Roofe nor the eight corners within for that in the next Figure you shall see them neither will I speak any thing of the Circumferences in the ground for they are made as I have taught you heretofore of all others and of the round body below of the which there hath been more said a man may make many other things which are not here to be spoken of 27 To place Pillars with their Arches upon grounds or platformes I think there is sufficient spoken before and whatsoever I have spoken of foure-square Pillars is also to be understood of round Columns for that a man must take all round things out of four-square things as well the Spira of the Base as the round of the Capitall He that can make all the Figures aforesaid perfectly and particularly this last body shall help himselfe well and not onely to doe the like things but also many more If I should in this small Treatise shew all that I could set down it would make a most great Volumn and peradventure I should want time to set forth the rest of my Book which I have already promised for there are many things that belong to Building which need not to be set down in Perspective work Let us now begin to-raise the Building here set down out of the ground which before and on the side is seen as I promised before to shew you The shortest and surest way is to make a ground with many quadrants and imagine that it is mere with the Foot with the Elle or other measure but let us now take every 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 upward in the length from one Pillar the other as you may see it altogether in the Figure The Pillars then being set of such height as you desire then the the Arches upon them must be made and the manner how to make them you may expresly see in the Figure And although you cannot see the Arches that are behind them yet I have made them here that you may see their terminations they are in some places drawn with full black lines and in some places with pricks I have here made no Bases nor Capitalls that the other things might not be confounded but you must understand that they must be placed in the work as is sufficiently before shewed And by this Rule you may draw divers Buildings out of the ground as in the Figure is shewed in divers formes The Centers of the Arches you see them marked standing all upon one Horisentall line 28 Now I have shewed the manner how to make a Gallery with Arches and Pillars with other things thereunto belonging now by an easier way I will shew some forme of Houses that are to be built out of the ground You must make a ground or foot work with quadrants reaching long enough upwards which quadrants must each of them be reckoned at two foot square And first at the entry of the House there shall be a door of five foot broad for that it containeth two quadrants and a halfe in the shortning and the height thereof shall be of ten foot because it is five quadrants high Her Pilaisters or Antipagmentum shall be a foot broad because they containe a halfe shortning quadrant the Frise shall also containe as much and the Cornice shall containe so much lesse as the under part thereof bearing over containeth and shall be made according to the Rule aforeshewed Touching the part jetting over the door the Mogdilions or Mutiles shall stand right above Pilaisters or Antipagmentum of the door And that little door upon the jetting shall stand right in the middle above the lowest door and shall be two foot broad In the other corner of of this first House there shall be another door the widenesse thereof shall be six foot you may make it round or square above as you will But why doe I spend my time
will now speak although it be contrary to those Rules which are shewed before because these aforesaid are imagined to be upon a flat wall and this other Rule because it is materiall and imbossed or raised outward therefore it is reason we observe another Rule therein according to common custome First you must make a Scaffold which must be as high as a mans eye will reach looking directly forward for the first part thereof which is marked C. But the other part behind it whereon the Houses stand you must raise up behind against the wall at least a ninth part thereof that is you must devide the plaine Stage or Scaffold into nine parts and then you must make the Scaffold higher by a ninth part behind then before at B which must be very even and strong because of the Morisco dancers This hanging downward of the Scaffold I have found by experience to be very pleasing for in Vincente which is as sumptuous and rich a Town as any in all Italy there I made a Theater and a Stage of wood then the which I think there was never a greater made in our time in regard of the wonderfull sights that there were seen as of Wagons Elephants and other Moriscoes There I ordained that before the hanging Scene there should be a Scaffold made by water compasse which Scaffold was 12 foot broad and 60 foot long according to the place wherein it stood which I found to be very pleasing and fit for shew This first Scaffold because it was right therefore the pavement thereof must not obey the Horison but the Quadrants whereof on every side were foure-square from whence at the beginning of the rising Scaffold B all the Quadrants went to the uttermost Horison O which with their due distances doe shorten very well And for that some men have placed the Horison of this Sciographies against the wall right above the Scaffold whereby it seemeth the Houses run all in one therefore I determined to place the Horison before the door which pleased me so well that I used the same kind of order in all these kind of works and so I counsell those that take pleasure in such Arts to use and esteem this way for the best as I will shew in this Figure following and have also declared in the profill of the Theater and Scene And because the preparation for Comedies are done in three sorts that is Comicall Tragicall and Satiricall I will first entreat of the Comicall whereof the Houses must be made as if they were for common or ordinary people which for the most part must be made under roofs in a Halls which at the end thereof hath a chamber for the pleasure or ease of the Personages and there it is that the ground of the Scaffold is made as I said and shewed before in the Profill Therefore C is the first part being the flat Scaffold and suppose that each Quadran containeth two foot on either side so shall they upon the hanging Scaffold before on the Base be also two foot broad which is marked B. And as I said before my meaning is not to place the Horison hereof against the back behind in the Scaffold but as far as it is from the beginning of the pavement B to the wall so far I would also that men shall passe behinde through the wall and so shall all the houses and other things shew better in the shortning and when by convenient distances you have drawn all the Quadrants towards the Horison and shortned them then you must shorten the Houses right with the four-square stones which houses are the great lines marked upon the ground as well for those that stand upright as those that shorten All such houses I alwayes made of spars or rafters or laths covered with linnen cloth making doors and windowes both before and in the shortning as occasion fell out I have also made somethings of halfe planks of wood which were great help to the Painters to set out things at life All the spaces from the back to the wall marked A shall be for the Personages to the which end the hindermost back in the middle shall stand at the least two foot from the wall that the Personages may goe from the one side to the other and not be seen Then you must raise a termination at the beginning of the pavement B which shall be the poynt L and from thence to the Horison there shall be a line drawn as it is marked in the profill with pricks which shall be of like height and where that toucheth the hindermost back of the Scene or Scaffold there the Horison of that back shall stand and that Horison shall serve onely for that back But if you stretch a cord or any other thing to the termination L then you may fasten a thred to it to thrust backward or forward to use it out of the stedfast Horison and all the Ortography of the houses before But the Horison which goeth through the wall shall serve for all the shortning sides of the houses and for that men should break the wall if they would use all this Horison in grosse which may not be done therefore I have alwayes made a small modell of wood and Paper just of the same bignesse and by the same modell set it down in grosse from piece to piece But this way will fall out hard for some men to understand neverthelesse it will be necessary to work by modells and experiments and by study a man shall finde the way and for that a man can hardly find any Halls how great soever wherein he can place a Theater without imperfection and impediment therefore to follow Antiquities according to my power and ability I have made all such parts of these Theaters as may stand in a hall Therefore the part marked D shall be the post scene and the circular place marked E shall be the Orchestra round about this Orchestra shall be the places for the noblest personages to sit marked F. The first steps marked G for the noblest women to sit upon The place H is a way so is the part marked I. In the middle between these degrees are steps the easier to goe up The places marked K must be made so great backward as the Hall will afford which is made somewhat flooping that the people may see one over the others head 47 Touching the disposition of Theaters and other Scenes concerning the grounds thereof I have spoken sufficiently now I will speak of the Scene in Perspective work and for that Scenes are made of three sorts that is Comicall to play Comedies on Tragicall for Tragedies and Satiricall for Satirs This first shall be Comicall whereas the houses must be slight for Citizens but especially there must not want a brawthell or bawdy house and a great Inne and a Church such things are of necessity to be therein How to raise these houses from the ground is sufficiently expressed and how you shall place
A BOOK OF Perspective Geometry BEING The ABC and first degree of all good ART THE Learning of which comprehendeth in it many Notable Arts needfull and necessary for every Artificer and Workman For as no Perspective Workman can make any Work without Architecture so neither can the Architecture without Perspective WHICH PERSPECTIVE IS Inspection or looking into by shortning of the sight making it to shew further then in effect it is Which Subtill and Ingenious Art being difficult and troublesome to be set down in writing and especially the body or modell of things which are drawn out of the ground For it is an Art which cannot be so well expressed by figures or writings as by undershewing which is done severally beginning with small things and so proceeding to greater till the full Art be perfectly shewed In which is shewed in figures and by reason as much of Perspective Art that if the Workman will be may declare his conceit or purpose by Reasons and Figures And seing Perspective Art is nothing without Geometry they are both bound together that the Workman may be able to aide and help himselfe therewith AND Forasmuch as the hand cannot effect the understanding of the mind I shall not please thereby such as are curious yet at least I shall help yong beginners that know little or nothing thereof This Second Book of Architecture made by SEBASTIAN SERLY entreating of Perspective touching the Superficies Translated out of Itallian into Dutch and out of Dutch into English for the benifit of our English Nation Infelix qui pauca sapit spernitque doceri LONDON Printed by M. S. for Thomas Jenner at the South-entrance of the Royall Exchange 1657. THE SECOND BOOK Treating of PERSPECTIVE IN Which is shewed in Figures and by reason as much of Perspective Art that if the Workeman will he may declare is conceit or purpose by Reasons and Figures FIRST To the end that men by small mattere may attaine to greater therefore I will begin to shew how to shorten a four-corner'd thing from whence all the rest shall be derived Then the Base of this four-square thing shall be A G and the height of the Horison as I said before shall be imagined according to the sight and that shall be P whereunto all the lines do run as the lines of the sides A P and G P then at the one end of the Quadrant you must set a Perpendicular line which is G H which done then draw the Base A G K long enough and then out of the Horison draw a Paralell or an Equidistant line from the Base as far as you will that the eye or sight shall stand from that which you will look on for how much the more you will have the four square thing to seem shorter so much further you must goe with your sight I from H to behold the four-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 G that is on B there the termination of the shortning of the four square thing shall be as you may see in the figure ◠But if you will make more four squares one above the other upon the same Horison or poynt then you must draw another lien from the shortning point of the four-square or Quadrant to the letter I and where it cutteth through the Perpedicular line aforesaid that is at C there the second Quadrant shall be cut off and in like sort you must draw another line to the point of the distance and where it toucheth the Lead or Perpendicular line that is on D you shall make the third Quadrant the same may be done witn E and so you must go untill you come just under the Horison 2 The Rule aforesaid is the perfectest and you may prove it by the line G H which is called the line of the Quadrant but because it is cumbred with a great number of lines and so more tedious therefore the ensuing Rule shall be shorter and easier to be done then the other for when the Base A G is drawn and the two side lines make a Triangle A P G then you must draw the paralells of the Base and of the Horison long enough and as far as you will stand from the work to see it so far you must set the Perpendiculars I K from the poynt G then you must draw a line from the point I to the point A and where it cutteth through the line G P there shall be the termination of the first shortned Quadrant and if you will place more Quadrants upwards from that Quadrant you must doe as I said before and although there are other ways to shorten a Quadrant yet will I follow this Order as being the shortest and easiest to be set down in writing 3 A Man must also use himselfe unto divers distances and grounds and therefore you must make the ground following which is of three Quadrants high in this manner First you must draw the line A B as long as the bredth of the work shall be which line or base must be devided into so many equall parts as are needfull which being all drawn to the Horison or point then you must place the distances as far as you defire according to the Rule aforesaid for here is no place to set it in although it is a length and a halfe from the Base as you see it marked with 1 ½ which Base because it is of four parts therefore the first quadrant containeth sixteen small quadrants which are found by the line B D for where that line cutteth through the four lines which goe to the poynt there you must draw the paralell over that thereby the sixteen quadrants may be formed But if you will set other quadrants upon it then as aforesaid you must draw another line to the distance D and where that cutteth through the other lines that reach to the poynt that shall be the termination of the second quadrant containing in it also four times four quadrants The like must be understood of the third quadrant and more besides if need be But you must also understand that the lines marked D run all the distances as is taught befor◠5 This figure is a quadrant containing in it a Root or an other quadrant which with the poynts thereof toucheth the sides of the uttermost quadrant whereby it is but halfe so great as the uttermost quadrant as I have taught you in the first Book of Geometry and the manner to make this is thus First you must make a quadrant as you are taught before with his distances and in this quadrant you must draw two Diagonall lines and also the right crosse lines whereby you may easily find the Root as you see it in the 5 figure In this sort you may make the Roots in the other quadrants before set down that is to draw Diagonall and crosse lines in
them without taking other distances 6 In this figure there is a crosse shewed to make it you must devide the lowest line or Base of the quadrant in five parts of the which five parts one part is the bredth of the crosse which bredâ—h being drawn to the poynts the Diagonall will shew you the Paralell lines of the crosse to use where need is 7 The eight poynted figure you may see in Perspective works in divers formes which formes are all difficult enough but that I may seek the easiest way so near as I can in this my writing therefore I have set down the manner thereof hereunto annexed which is very easie and that is thus The quadrant being made in shortning you must devide the Base into ten-equall parts and on either side you shall leave three parts and in the middle four parts then the two lines being drawn to the Horison you shall find the terminations of the Paralell lines by the Diagonall lines whereby you may close up the eight corners as you may see in the 7 figure 8 The shortest way to place this six cornerd quadrant in Perspective works is thus When the quadrant according to the Rule aforesaid is placed in shortning then you must make four equall parts of the Basis whereof two shall be in the middle and on each side you must leave one and then draw the lines upwards to the Horison or poynts then you must draw the Diagonall lines and in the middle where they meet together you must draw a Paralell line clean through by the which you shall sinde all the poynts to make this six cornerd figure 9 Now I have shewed you how you shall make simple or plaine Perspective works of four corners of six corners and eight square corners Now I will shew now you shall make them double that is that every simple figure shall have his band When you have made a plaine Superficies of six poynts according to the Rule aforesaid then as much as you will have the band or fase to be in bredth that you must draw upon the Base and draw that also up to the Horison and where the Diagonall lines cut through it there you must draw Paralell lines both under and above and then draw two Diagonall lines more out of the four innermost poynts or corners of the six cornerd Superficies and so you shall find your terminations to shut or close up your smallest six poynts or cornerd Superficies Which second Diagonall Paralell and Horisontall lines are all drawn with pricks for a difference from the first lines that you may know them one from another 10 The like must be done with the eight cornerd Superficies or Perspective work for when the same is made within a foursquare making the Compasse of what bredth you will according to the rule aforesaid then out of every poynt or corner of the eight square a small line being drawn to the Center you shall find the termination to shut up the innermost eight-square and then when from poynt to poynt the lines are drawn then one square or Compasse is full made This eight square forme may be changed into a round touching the middle on either side or else without over the poynts for corners a good workman may easily draw a Circular shortning round line with his hand 11 Although I have said before that a man may make a round Circle about an eight-square yet for more security you may by this way attaine to a more perfection therein for that the more poynts or sides the Circular forme hath the round Compasse or Circle will be the fuller But to make this Figure it is necessary to make halfe a Circle under the Bases and to devide the Circumference into as many parts as you will so that they be even in this forme the halfe Circle is divided into eight parts so that the whole Circle must be sixteen parts which being done you must set Perpendicular lines in all the parts of the Circumference as far as to the Bases of the shortned quadrant these parts being elevated to the Horison and two Diagonall lines drawn in the quadrant they by cutting through the Horisontall or Radicall lines will shew you the Paralell lines Then if you will draw a little Diagonall line beginning at the middle poynt of the Base from the one side unto the other and so from the one poynt unto the other upwards going over the poynts then the formes will be closed as you see them here whereby it will be easie for you to draw a round forme with your hand for it is impossible to be done with a Compasse to make it shorten well This 11 figure you must be expert in and you must also understand it well and so you must those that I have before set down before you proceed further for they will serve you for many pieces of work hereafter ensuing as you shall both see and find to be true But friendly Reader you must not be weary to be long in learning this Figure or in making it oftentimes untill you can doe it perfectly and understand it well for I am sure and certaine that it will be very hard unto many men yet without this you cannot doe much and he that can do it well shall easily understand and make all the the things hereafter ensuing 13 It falleth out many times that a workman will shew a House both without and within which to doe he must place the ground in Perspective forme that he may the surer and better draw that up which he will have seen and to leave the rest on the ground if then you will place a foundation in Perspective manner to make it well you must first set it on a flat forme that out of that you may draw it into a Perspective forme To doe this I have set down a kind of open Building that a man may the easier conceive it for a beginning for when a man can doe this well he may after that place many other and harder things in Perspective forme I need not to take any great paines to write or shew how this shortning should be done because it is so easily and so openly placed in the figure that a man may presently conceive it for that leading all the lines that goe from the corners and outsides of the flat ground to the Base which you will make in the shortning and the same being drawn up to the Horison together with the imagination of the distances then you may shut or close up the shortning four square Then you must draw the Diagonall lines therein through drawing the Paralell lines presently you shall find the way how to forme the Columns and Pilasters so that it is impossible to faile therein and especially for those that doe well conceive and understand that which I have set down before 14 This figure following is somewhat harder then that before but when you goe from the smallest to the greatest you
on the other side and the projecture of the Bases sheweth that the one poynt is draw inwards and the other cometh further out then the uppermost line of the Bases being also to the Horison then upon the shortning side by a line you shall find the third part of the Bases below and that which is here spoken of the Bases you must understand the same also of the Capitalls 19 These other three Figures are the same which are shewed before the first were hollow but these are perfect and solid with all their members and although that in the figures before I have not shewed how you should forme and frame these members which in truth would be a very confused and troublesome thing to set down in writing therefore I have onely shewed the first terminations that a man may keep them well in his memory and in these present Figures I have shewed how they shew in a mans sight that you may see the effect that they work but from henceforward because as I said before it is a troublesome thing I will make another forme of them with all their members by dark lines and then according to my ability I will set down the manner how to find the terminations of the members one after another for all of them grow a little one over or more then the other But you must consider that these Bases and Capitalls on the one side give in ward and on the other side beareth out which you must well remember that you may first be well instructed herein touching that which you will make For it is true that the Theorick consisteth in the understanding but experience is gotten by practise and right use or handling Therefore the most notable Painter Leonardus Vinci was never pleased nor satisfied with any thing that he made bringing but little work to perfection saying the cause thereof was that his hand could not effect the understanding of his mind And for my part if I should doe as he did I should not neither would I suffer any of my works to come forth for to say the truth whatsoever I make or write it pleaseth me not but as I said in the beginning of my work that I had rather exercise in work that small talent which it hath pleased God to bestow upon me then suffer it to lie and rot under the earth without any fruit and although I shall not please thereby such as are curious to set down the ground and perfection of all things yet at least I shall help yong beginners that know little or nothing thereof which hath always been my intent And first You must frame this Base with all the members and with the right Projecture thereof to be without any shortning before yet you must draw it lightly with a piece of Lead or some other thing as it is shewed unto you in the Figure with pricks then in the ground or foot of the Pillar you must draw the two Diagonall lines long enough out and thereby as I said before you shall find the diminishing and the increasing of the particuler parts of the crests of the said Base whereas the undermost line or foot of the crests of the Base bear much more broader and longer then those that are marked with the pricks then at each corner of the Creast of the Base you must draw an upright line almost as high as the first creast of the Base although I have done it but upon the uttermost poynt not to comber the work within then you must draw the uppermost corners of the first Creast with pricks also toward the Horison which downwards will touch against the two upright lines and there shall be the terminations to close or shut up the second great Creast with a full black line then draw another black line from the innermost point of the Creast upwards to the Horison and there the shortning Creast shall be closed And as this Creast or Plinthus is closed and drawn on all sides with black lines so you must doe with all the other lines of the Base for when from the uppermost corner of the first marked Base you draw a helding line to the innermost corner of the greatest Creast with the black lines by it you shall lightly find the terminations of all the parts or members drawing the corners of the first Base towards the Horison And when you have formed all the innermost corners of the Bases by the Horisentall line you may easily doe the second and by the Paralell lines the uttermost of all although by the lines of the distances you may bring the said corners somewhat nearer as you may see by the Diagonall lines But at this time I will not speak of that difficult or hard work for he that hath any understanding may herewith help himselfe That which is here said of the Bases you must also understand of the Cornices onely that every thing is contrary and where you set Perpendicular lines below which cut through the Horisentall or Radiall lines so you must also fall above the Lead lines or Catheten upon the Horisentall lines as you may better see it and learne it in the Figure then it can be expressed by words and you must not be afraid or abashed although at first you cannot conceive it for that by practising you shall in time find it for it is not said that a man shall or can learne all things at once in one day by this Cornice you may make all Cornices be they higher or lower harder or easier always drawing every member and part towards the Horison as it should be done 21 Although there are divers manners and wayes to place Columns one behind the other standing upon one ground in Perspective wise thereby to make Portals Galleries and other things yet this hereunto annexed is the easiest First You must make a Pavement with a quantity of four cornerd Quadrants as it is also shewed in the beginning of this Book which may be made of such bredth as you will Say that these foure-square stones are two foot broad which shall be the thickness of a Pillar between the two first Pillars beneath in the bredth there shall be eight sequare stones and the height of the Pillars made of what quantity you will and they being raised toward the Horison then you must draw two severall lines over both the Pillars and then out of the middle of the first line you must make two halfe Circles above upon the flat side before and devide them in as many parts as you will which parts shall be drawn to the Center of the halfe Circle standing in the uppermost line then out of the middle of the two severall lines you must draw the lesse halfe Circle and all terminations of the flat Arch being drawn to the Horison then the first Arch or Gate is made the other two Pillars upwards shall also stand eight Quadrants distant from the first Pillars which will make a foure cornerd
the uppermost also because it is raised up from the ground as well as the other and is six foot broad as you may see and tell it on the ground upon the plaine stones The two Arches under the two goings up are each a foot in thicknesse whereby a going down is four foot within and is also drawn out of the ground as the rest are The other goings up which you see through the Arches you may sufficiently perceive by them how they are made and so it is with the two of paire Staires on the left hand for from the first steps at the resting door you may easily see how they are raised up out of the ground and above at the end of them they have a piece of plaine ground to come to the other Stayres which also is drawn up out of the pavement as the rest are that is each step halfe a foot high and a foot broad But it is hard to measure in so small things but it sufficeth that hereby you may see the manner thereof and when you make them great you shall find that they will come well enough to passe Under the Stayres last named there standeth also a round door which is five foot wide upon this ground and on these Stayres a cunning Painter might place divers Figures in severall formes either standing or sitting upon the Stayres and lying upon the ground in shortning manner and that in this wise You may place the Figures where you will with feet and then take six feet or squares where on they stand and that shall be their height for that it is the height of a common or ordinary man this you must observe both before and behinde and in every place If the Figure be upon a step then take the measure of that step whereon it standeth and make it twelve steps high which shall be six foot And is the Figure lying doe the like but if it lyeth in shortning manner upon the ground then you must take the length by the shortning quadrant 33 I have shewed many kinds of goings up but there are other kinds and he that is not well instructed in the former will hardly understand these two which I have here set down The first shall be winding stayres in four square and he that can make these foure-square Stayres may well make the round Stayres for it is all one thing specially if he useth the Rule before set down of the round bodies 34 That I may not forget to set down all kinds of Stayres and especially such as often times fall out to be made therefore I have made these Stayres whereon a man may goe up on all sides whereof the ground standeth above on the right hand but yet very small These Stayres must be thus made First you must make a foure-square shortning body of halfe a foot high upon this you must draw two Diagonall lines and from the corner inwards there shall be a foot broad left on either side and the terminations thereof drawn to the Horison and so from the Diagonall lines you shall see the corners of the second step Now I need not set down unto you how you shall find the lesning corner of the second step the which is round about shut up with Paralell and Horisentall lines then upon the second plaine you must draw two Diagonall lines which doing as I said before will shew you the third step which also being closed up with lines you shall also find the fourth and fifth with the like Rules This Piramides is fantastically framed upon them to fill up the place Also I need not set down to what uses these Stayres may serve for that the halfe of them is commonly found in divers pieces of work as the Gates of Pallaces Churches and other dwelling Houses and the ascending up to Altars By this way also you may make round Stayres and also Stayres of six or eight corners as by their formes I have shewed 35 I have promised the studious Reader by this my labour to shew as much of Perspective work as I can that he might shew his conceit touching Houses or Buildings in Perspective wise meaning to set down some simple manners thereof as if he should forme a single or double ground thereupon to raise a body and therewith mean to make an end But falling from one work to another I am entred into a Laborinth which peradventure is to far above my reach which cometh to passe by means of some men that have entreated me thereunto And therefore as I thought at this time to make an end of my second Book I begin to handle a harder matter which Rule is onely called an outward foure-square neverthelesse it is as well drawn by the Horison as by the distances as you may see in the Figure which sheweth a right shortning foure-square containing in it another four-square the which also may be formed by the distances without Horison some men place the sides of the fouresquare upon the Base once so wide againe as before And as you see two like sides of the four-square over the corner so are the distances alike marked D. And as much more as you will have this foure-square to shorten so much you must draw the distances from the Horison and as much as you will that the edges of the foure-square shall be broad so many bredths must you draw upon the Base between A C twice drawn All the terminations of this four-square standing above the corners goe all to the distances and none to the Horison but onely the four-square that is set therein 36 Now I have shewed how you should shorten a Superficies overpoynt or outward four-square here I will shew you how to imbosse or bear out the body thereof with the same Horison and distances also which body within is hollow and you may heave it up as high as you will but I have purposely left it somewhat low that you might see the ground thereof And by this Figure you may conceive to how many things this may serve and also how you may increase or diminish it according to skill and judgement This shall suffice for these foure-square modells or hollow things but I will shew you how you shall make them with Creasts or Cornices 37 This Figure is also formed by the aforesaid Horison and the like distances as the other before onely they stand a little nearer Now to creast this body both above and beneath you must imagine the greatnesse of the Creast and draw the same greatness both above and beneath the body then give the Crests above their due Projecture and from those poynts you must let Perpendicular lines fall to the poynts or corners below whereby you shall have the Projectives of the Base and top thereof which must be drawn towards the Distances and not towards the Horison Now you see how the Cornices stand without the foure-square body but this is onely for Cornices that are made without members not to
comber you with the shadowing of them for I will speak of them hereafter particularly 38 I spake before of Cornices without members which might serve this hollow Quadran and how you shall make the terminations thereof Now in this Figure I shew you the said Cornices with their members which you may also make in other manner as it pleaseth the workman that is to make them bigger or lesser as I have spoken of other Cornices alwayes using good discretion and judgement to chuse and make such members therein as may shew well in mens sight There are some Cornices which reach so far over that men cannot see the members thereof under them therefore in that case the members are so to be made that they may be seemly and pleasant in mens sight 40 This body hereafter following is raised out of the former Figure before set down and is made with the same Horison which body containeth two quadrants in length and one quadrant in height for the line CD is set in Perpendicular manner upon the nethermost corner whereon the other Superficies are set thus then this body is of two four-squares I mean two four-squares in length and one four-square broad and high And this body as I said before shall serve for many things But if you will have more cubits in the length then lengthen the Base in so many parts more and you shall alwayes finde the truth hereof And if you will make a border or Creast about this body then you must follow this Rule aforesaid 41 But will you make divers things upon on ground then it is convenient that first you make a pavement as you see it here set down and thereupon frame what you think good upon the quadrans and the lesse the Quadrans are and the more in number you may the easier frame things upon them The crosse made upon this ground is onely to shew you the way and entry thereunto but for such a forme you may make a forme of a Christian Church as they are now built The other forme by it sheweth a piece of a foundation of a House but all these things you may make in a greater forme and set them forth as you will sometimes placing the Horisetall lines in such manner that you may see more of the out sides but yet the Horisons must stand all of one height 42 Out of this Superficiall Figure aforesaid I have raised these bodies to shew how the Horisons of them doe stand in the work as well above as below as you shall find by experience and in truth these works which you see over the poynts or corners containe a Book alone by themselves but as I said before my meaning was to shew but three or foure Figures of them yet I will shew ten of them intending to leave the Student some works whereof I am well assured For that he hath more eyes and more patience then my selfe he shall find many things which I write not of nor yet set down 43 Upon this Pavement as I said you may forme or frame what you will but in this Pavement here ensuing you see a column lying being eight square which is three Quadrants in thicknesse and fourteen in length This eight square column may be made out of a column of foure-square as before in another place is shewed which foure-square you may see drawn in the Figure with pricks and the terminations of the eight-square with black lines But because that this eight-square column is too much seen on the sides the readier to make it out of the foure-square I have therefore have made an other piece by it the which because it draweth nearer to this Horison is seen more before then the other although not so long for it is but halfe so long as the other as you may see and tell it in the ground or foot thereof And if it were so that this eight square Figure reached nearer to the Horison it would then be better seen yet it would not wholly be seen before because it standeth without the four-square and corner 44 These Columns are the same which are before set down but the other were hollow and these massie whereby an expert workman may find out many things exercising this way although there are other means to be used as Albert Durer hath shewed to look through holes with a thread There is also another way which is drawn out of flat formes which is the surest way but very troublesome and hard to describe in writing wherefore I have chosen this as the easiest way to be shewed And if I had not undertaken to shew other things of more importance I would have drawn divers bodies and houses after this manner But for that I mean to entreat of Scenes and the preparing of places for to shew Comedies and Tragedies which is now used in this age and especially in Italy therefore I will make an end of these foure-cornerd things leaving it to another as I said before to set forth more thereof A Treatise of scenes or places to Play in 46 Among all the things that may be made by mens hands thereby to yield admiration pleasure to sight and to content the fantasies of men I think it is placing of a Scene as it is shewed to your sight where a man in a small place may see built by Carpenters or Masons skilfull in Perspective work great Palaces large Temples and divers Houses both near and far off broad places filled with Houses long streets crost with other ways triumphant Arches high Pillars or Columns Piramides Obeliscens and a thousand faire things and Buildings adorned with innumerable lights great middle sort and small as you may see it placed in the Figure which are so cunningly set out that they shew forth and represent a number of the brightest stones as Diamonds Rubies Saphirs Smaragdes Jacinths and such like There you may see the bright shining Moon ascending onely with her hornes and already risen up before the Spectators are aware of or once saw it ascend In some other Scenes you may see the rising of the Sun with his course about the world and at the ending of the Comedy you may see it goe down most artificially whereat many beholders have been abasht And when occasion serveth you shall by Art fee a God descending down from Heaven you also see some Comets and Stars shoot in the skies then you see divers personages come upon the Stage richly adorned with divers strange formes and manners of Apparell both to dance Moriscoes and play Musick Sometimes you see strange Beasts wherein are men and children leaping running and Tumbling as those kind of Beasts use to doe not without admiration of the beholders which things as occasion serveth are so pleasant to mens eyes that a man could not see fairer made with mens hands But for that we are entred into another manner of Perspective work therefore I will speak more at large thereof This Perspective work whereof I
to set down all these measures which you may so plainly see in the Figure onely it is necessary to warn such as are studious herein that what work soever a man raiseth out of the ground consisteth in three principall things that is in length bredth and height The length is of certaine Houses or Rooms containing a certaine number of feet The bredth consisteth of Windows Doors Gates Shops and such like things The height consisteth of Ports Windows Jettings Cornices Columns Roofs and such like things But there is yet another that is of the thicknesse of the Walls Pillars Columns and Pilaisters The length is taken from the shortning quadrants and from thence also you take the bredth But the height is taken out of the bredth in the quadrants which bredth must be taken from the quadran or halfe quadran which toucheth it on the hithermost side as it standeth as also from the hithermost door which is ten foot high there you must take the measure from the quadrans which come to the Paralells on the nethermost corner or poynt of the door for if there you take five quadrans in bredth it shall be the height within the Antipagementum And that which I have said of these doors you must also understand of all the other things The thicknesse of the Wall is two foot for you see it containeth a quadrant The bearing over of the second House is of six foot measured upon the ground the like also the bearing over or jetting of the first House containeth To conclude all things as I have said rising out of the ground on all sides I have set no Cornices nor any other ornaments in this Figure that you may the easier understand it but a man of ripe judgement and understanding knowing the terminations can by by his own invention help himselfe to make faire Buildings And for that I may not spend to much time herein I will make others to give you more light therein 29 The Stayres degrees or goings up are very necessary in Buildings and therefore I will shew divers kinds thereof and first I will begin with the easiest According to common custome a stayre or step is about half a foot high and about a foot broad upon the step then let the square stones of this ground be a foot square therewith we will make a paire of stayres of five foot high and three foot broad at the foot of the ground we will take the measure of the bredth which on the right and left sides shall be set in Perpendicular lines on the Corners of the Stayres which shall be devided into ten as the lines A B shew you Then all the parts of A B shall be raised to the Horison and then you shall take nine quadrants upwards in length and whereas two lines are set up cutting through the Horisentall lines of A B there the Corners D C of the uppermost steps shall be containing a four-square of the three quadrants on each side From the hithermost poynts of the same upper steps you shall draw two helding lines to the lowest steps against the which the Horisentall and the Perpendicular lines of the quadrant shall come together and shut up the Stayres These Stayres are shortned on the one side and the other is plain or profill and containeth a step lesse in the heigth which maketh four foot and a halfe it is also three foot broad as it is marked under it on the ground By this Rule you may make Stayres or degrees as high as you will and make some resting places in the way alwayes taking the measure from the foot of the ground as well of the shortning as those that are upright 30 The going up being plaine or profill maketh a great shew and yet are very easie to set in all places I mean in the turning and may serve for many things specially in Buildings where a man going up softly and with ease giveth the beholders a kind of pleasure to view them principally in common places for that there is a going up on either side so that upon the one side men may goe up and one the other side they may goe down and although there are onely but two goings up yet by this a man by his own invention may devise others How these Stayres are made and with what reason you may by this Figure perceive them although I should say nothing thereof for as it is said before the quadrants are of a foot broad and the steps halfe a foot high and so the bredth of the step is one foot The bredth of the Stayres is five foot both the first and second The resting gate containeth in widenesse three foot and is six foot high which although it seemeth to be shut and a small door opening in it yet it may be made whole open and otherwise closed The two sides above the three steps are five foot broad although here it is but one foot because of the narrownesse of the Paper The Perpendicular lines on the sides signifie leaning places and they should serve well also to the steps but least they should comber the work I have left them out 31 Amongst other things which shew well in Perspective work I find that goings up or Stayres are very seemly and that the oftner that they turne the better they doe shew therefore I have made these two goings up turning which stand in profill yet you see the ground and the steps This first going up is six foot high and three foot broad as you may see it marked in the grounds with pricks the resting place between the first and secound going up is two foure squares long which is necessary because of the turning At the end thereof you find a Portall the door thereof is two foot wide the Antipagmentum is halfe a foot on either side so that the place is three foot full The Perpendicular lines on the right side of the plaine signifie certain leanings which may be made of Iron Wood or Stone the like may be made along the Stayres both upward and downward setting a Baluster upon every Stayre The height of this raile or leaning shall be two foot and a halfe for so it is easie to lay a mans hand upon How these Stayres are made upwards out of the ground although it may well be seen by the Figure without declaring it yet I will say something thereof to ease them that are short of memory The resting gate or round door under the plainesse between the second and the third going up is no deeper then to the wall Above the same door there standeth another going up of four steps which to make I have sufficiently shewed otherwise a man should continue the ground at the resting door to draw them up from it 32 Touching the severall kinds of Stayres I am assured that they may partly be understood without describing them in writing and specially the middlemost which goeth up on both fides and so shall