Hypnerotomachia Part 3

A spindle ful of twind, an old vessel fas.h.i.+oned with the mouth stopped and tied fast.

A sole and an eye in the bale thereof and two branches trauersed one of Oliue, an other of Palme tree.

An Anchor and a Goose.

An olde lampe, and a hand holding of it.

An ore of ancient forme with a fruitefull Oliue branch fastned to the handle.

Two grapling yrons or hookes.

A Dolphin and an Arke close shut.

These hierogliphies were pa.s.sing well cut on this manner.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Which ancient maner of writing, as I take it, is thus to be vnderstoode.

_Ex labore Deo naturae sacrifica liberaliter paulatim reduces animum Deo subiectum. Firmam custodiam vitae tuae, misericorditer gubernando tenebit, incolumemque seruabit._

Letting pa.s.se this most excellent rare, strange, and secret deuise and worke: _L_et vs returne againe to the prodigious horse, whose head was leane and little, of a small proportion and yet fitting the body, which seemed continually staring, fieerce and impatient, the flesh in his muscles trembling and quaking, in such sort as that hee seemed rather aliue than a fained imitation, with this Greeke worde in his face G????.

There were also other great peeces and fragments of diuers and sundry lineaments among the broken and decayed ruines, which I looked not on, still running and sliding, time giuing me onely leaue to consider and peruse these foure rare wonders, the porch or gate, the horse, the Colose, and the Elephant.

Oh reuerend arthists of times past, what despite hath gotten the vpper hand of your cunning that the same is buried with you, and none left for vs to inherite in this age,

At length being come to this ancient porch, a worke woorthie the looking vpon maruellously composed by exquisite rules, and by art notably beautified, with diuers and sundry sorts of cuttings, which did inflame a desire in me to vnderstand and finde out the lineaments and practise of the architect. I beganne after this maner, making a square from the two collumnes on either side in a perfect sort, in the which I tooke the due proportion of the whole porch.

A tetragon figure A. B. C. D. diuided by three lines straight, and three ouerthwart equally distant one from an other will make sixeteene quadrats, then adde to the figure halfe as much more in like proportion, diuiding the adiunct you shall finde foure and twenty squares. This figure shall serue of credycels to make the inlepturgie and briefe demonstration that followeth.

Draw then in the first fygure A. B. C. D. two diagons, make also in the same two lines, and straight downe, and the other ouerthwart, which make foure quadrats mutually intersect,

Then in the voide ouer the Isopleures make foure mediane p.r.i.c.kes, drawing lines from one to another, and they wil make the Rhombas.

When I had drawne this figure after this manner I straightway mused with my selfe, what reason should mooue many of our woorkemen in these dayes eyther to thinke well of themselues, or take the art of building in hand, not knowing what it is? Making such grosse faults in churches and great mens houses, defaming arte, and so ignorant, that they seeme as though they could not consider what nature hir selfe dooth teach vs in behoulding of hir woorkes.

And what parte soeuer is not agreeable with his principle, is foule and naught. For take away order and rule, and what thing can any man make, eyther beautifull to the eye, or of commendable proportion and durable: then it must needes follow, that the cause of such inconuenient errors doth proceed from ignorance, and hath his beginning from illiterature.

And this notwithstanding, that although the perfection of this arte dooth not varie, & fall from his rect.i.tude, yet the discreet and cunning architect to grace the obiect, to the behoulders: may lawfullye eyther with adiection or deminution, beautifie his worke, keeping whole the sollid part, with his vniuersall composition.

I call that solid which is the bodye of the frame, which is the princ.i.p.all intent, inuention, fore setting downe, and symmetrie, or dew proportion of the building without any additions, rightlye examined, and perfectly composed, which will manifest the skill of the workeman, and the same afterwardes to adorne and beautifie, which adiuncts is an easie matter. Wherein is also to be considered, the dew ordering and placing of euery thing, and not to set a crowne vpon the feete, but vpon the head, and so oualing and denticulating, and other cuttings of sundrye sorts in their seuerall and best fitting places, the chiefe inuention and disposing whereof, resteth in the rare and cunning architect, but the labour and woorking therof to the vulgar and common sort of mannalistsand seruants to the architect, who if he will do well, he must in no wise be subiect to auarice.

And besides his skil he must be honest, no pratler full of words, but courteous, gentle, bening, tractable, patient, mery & pleasant, full of new deuises, a curious searcher into all artes, and well aduised in his proceeding, least with rashnes he comit a fault or absurditie in his worke, and heereof thus much shall suffice.

_After that _Poliphylus_ had at large made a demonstration of the dew proportion of the Gate, hee proceedeth to describe the ornaments thereof, and their excellencie._

I hauing beene somewhat prolix and tedious in my former purpose, it may be that it hath bred some offence, to such as dayly indeuour to occupie theyr sences in the pleasaunt discourses of loue. But it wyll also prooue no whit displeasant, if with a lyttle patience, they restraine to glutte themselues with the walowish sweetnes of deceyueable delightes, and trye the taste of a contrarye vyand.

And for as much as the affections of men are naturally variable and different one from an other: vpon this occasion I may bee excused. For although that bread sometime denyed and kept backe from the hungrie body, may cause a hard conceit, yet when it is eftsoones offered vnto him, the mallice is forgotten, and the gift very gratefully receyued.

Nowe hauing in some sorte spoken of the right vse of architecturie, and the direct waye and meanes by order and rule, to finde out, the set downe deuise, and solyde bodye or grounde of the woorke, with facilitie that beeing found out, the architector may vse sundrye deuisions in diuerse perfections, not vnlike vnto a cunning Musition, who hauing deuised his plaine grounde in right measure, with full strokes, afterwarde wyll proportion the same into deuisions, by cromatycall and delyghtfull minims crotchets, and quauers, curiously reporting vpon his plaine song. Euen so after inuention, the princ.i.p.all and speciall rule, for an Architector is a quadrature, the same deuided into smales the harmonie and sweete consent of the building, setteth foorth it selfe, and the conuenient adiunctes, agreeable to theyr princ.i.p.all.

In all which this porche was most excellent, both for the rare inuention and woonderfull composition thereof, and the strange additions to beautifie the same, in such sorte so exquysite, so fitly placed, and so curiouslie cut and ingrauen, as the smallest part thereof could not bee accused of anye fault, but the woorkman commended for the perfection of his skill.

First vpon my right hande belowe, I beheld a stilypode or square stone, like an aulter vnder the bases of the columnes, which hauing vpon the vpper parte a conuenient and meet coronice, and accordingly imbowed, the bottome and lowest part in like manner was fas.h.i.+oned, so as the quadrate and aforesayd stilypode, was no broder then long, but a right quadrangule. Which aulter (as I may tearme it) sidelong about, wrought with leaues, hollowed vnder with a gulaterie, and wrapt ouer wirh the same foliature and leafe worke, hemming in the smooth face or table of the Stilypode of s.h.i.+ning white alliblaster, polished and plaine, the outward part of the quadrangule, equilaterally compa.s.sing about the same, wherevpon with a woonderfull curiousnes was ingrauen a man neere his myddle-age, of a churlish and swarffie countenance, with an vnshaply beard, thick, and turning into his chyn, by the towghnesse of the hard skinne, and vneasie growing out of the hayre.

He sat vpon a stone with an ap.o.r.ne of a Goates skinne, the hinder parts compa.s.sing his waste, and tyed behynde with a knotte, and the neck part, with the hayrie side next him, hung downe betwixt his legges. Before him in the interstice of these grose and tumorus calfes, there was an anuill fastned vpon a knottie peece of a tree, wherevpon he was fashoning of a brigandine or habergion of burning mettall, houlding vp his Hammer, and as it were striking vpon his worke.

And there before him was a most n.o.ble woman, hauing two fethered wings set vpon hir delicate and tender shoulders, houlding hir sonne an infante naked, which sate with his little hyppes vpon the large and goodly proportioned thighes of the faire G.o.ddesse his mother, and playing with hir, as she held him vp, and putting his feete vpon a stone, as it had beene a little hill, with a fornace in a hollow hole, wherin was an extreame whote burning fire.

This Ladye had hir fayre tresses curiouslie dressed vpon hyr broad and highe forhead, and in like sorte compa.s.sing about with abundance, hir head in so rare and delicate a sort, that I marueyled why the Blacksmithes that were there busie at theyr worke, left not off to looke still vpon so beautifull an obiect. There was also fast by, of like excellent woorkemans.h.i.+p, a knight of fierce countenance,[A] hauing vpon hym an armour of bra.s.se, with the head of _Medusa_ vpon the curate or brest plate, and all the rest exquisitely wrought and beautified, with a bandilier ouerthwart his broad and strong brest, houlding with hys brawny arme a halfe Pike, and raysing vp the poynte thereof, and bearing vpon his head a high crested helmet, the other arme shadowed and not seene by reason of the former figure: There was also a young man in silke clothing, behynde the Smith, whome I could not perceiue but from the brest vpwarde, ouer the declyning head of the forenamed Smith. Thys rehea.r.s.ed hystorie, for the better and sweeter pleasing to the eye, the workeman had graced in this sort. The playne grounde that was hollowe and smoothe in euery cutting out of a limme or body, vpon the table of the stylipode, was like vnto red coroll and shyning, which made such a reflection vpon the naked bodyes, and theyr members betwixt them, and compa.s.sing them about, that they seemed lyke a Carnation Rose couler.

[Sidenote A: Mars.]

Vpon the left side of the doore in the like aulter or stylipode vpon the table thereof, there was ingrauen a yoong man of seemly countenance,[A]

wherein appeared great celerity: he sate vpon a square seate adorned with an ancient manner of caruing, hauing vpon his legge a paire of half buskens, open from the calfe of the legge to the ancle, from whence grew out on either ancle a wing, and to whome the aforesaide G.o.ddes with a heauenlye shape, her brests touching together and growne out round and firme without shaking, with her large flankes conformable to the rest of hir proportion before mentioned with a sweet countenance offered yoong and tender sonne ready to be taught: the yong man bowing himselfe curteously downe to the childe, who stoode before him vppon his pretty little feete, receiuing from his tutor three arrowes, which in such sort were deliuered as one might easelye coniecture and gather after what manner they were to be vsed: the G.o.ddesse his mother holding the empty quiuer and bowe vnbent, and at the feete of this instructor lay his vypered caduce.

[Sidenote A: Mercurie.]

There also I saw a squier or armour-bearer and a woman with a helmet vpon her head carying a trophae or signe of victorie vpon a speare after this manner.[A] An ancient coate-armor hung vp, and vpon the top thereof or creast, a spheare vpon two wings, and betwixt both wings this note or saying, _Nihil firmum_, Nothing permanent: she was apparelled in a thin garment carried abroad with the wind, and her b.r.e.a.s.t.s bare.

[Sidenote A: Amor mi troua di tutto disarmato.]

The two straight pillars of Porphyre of seuen diameters vpon either of the aforenamed stilipodes and square aultars did stretch vpward of a pumish or tawnie colour, the out sides s.h.i.+ning cleere and smoothly pollished, chamfered, and chanelled with foure and twenty rebaternents or channels in euery collumne betwixt the nextruls or cordels.

Of these the third part was round, and the reason of their cutting in such sort (that is two parts chamfered, & the third round) as I thought was this: the frame or temple was dedicated to both s.e.xes, that is, to a G.o.d and a G.o.ddesse, or to the mother and the son, or to the husband and the wife, or the father and the daughter, and such like. And therefore the expert and cunning workemen in elder time for the feminine s.e.x, did vse more chamfering and channelling and double varietie then for the masculine, because of their slippery and vnconstant nature.

The cause of so much rebating was to shew that this was the temple of a G.o.ddesse, for chamfering dooth set foorth the plytes of feminine apparell, vpon the which they placed a chapter with prependent folding, like vnto plyted and curled haire, and feminine dressing, and sometimes in stead of a chapter a woman's head with crisped haire.

These notable and faire collumnes aforesaide did rise vp in length vpon their vnderset bases of bra.s.se with their _Th.o.r.es_ and _Cymbies_[A]

wrought with a foliature of oke leaues and acornes winding about their chapters standing vpon their subiect _Plynths_.

[Sidenote A: Th.o.r.es and Cymbies be the outward parts of a chapter or head of a pillar sticking out further than the pillar wrything and turning in, wrought with leaues, the worke is called of caruers & painters draperie and celerie.]

The Chapters of the same substance of their bases, with requisite meete and conuenient proportion aunswerable to the harmonie of the whole worke. Such as _Callimachus_ the chiefe caruer to _Calathus_ the sonne of _Iupiter_ did neuer performe or come neere in the erected sepulcher of the _Corinthian_ Virgin, beautified with draperie of double _Achanthis_.

The Plynthes whereon the chapters did stand wrought with winding and turning workes, and in the middest, decorated with a Lillie, the bowle garnished with two rowes of viii. leaues of Achanthus, after the Romaine and Corinthian maner, out of which leaues came little small stalkes, closing together in the middest of the boule, shewing foorth a fayre and sweet composed Lyllie in the hollowing of the Abac or Plynth, from the which the tender stalkes did turne round together, vnder the compa.s.se of the square Abac, much after the woorke that _Agrippa_ caused to bee made, in the porche of his woonderfull Pantheon.

Let vs come now to the lymet and lowest parte of the doore, for entrance, which was of a great large and harde stone, powdered with sundry sorted spottes, white, black, and of a clay couler, and diuers other mixtures: vppon this stood the streight cheekes and sides of the doore, with an interst.i.tious aspect, inwardly carued with as great cunning as the rest. Without any signe of eyther hookes or hinges, below or aboue.

The arche of which doore compa.s.sing like a halfe cyrcle, was wrought curiouslye and imbowed, and as it were bounde about with laces like beads of bra.s.se, some round, and some like Eglantine berries of a reddish couler, hanging downe after an auncient manner, and foulded and turned in among the tender stalkes.

The closing together and bracing of which hemicycle or arch, worthie of admiration, of a rare and subtile deuise, and exquisite polyture, did thus obiect and present it selfe to my sight.

There I beheld in a hard and most black stone, an eagle displayed, and bearing out of the bignesse of a naturall eagle, which had louingly seazed and taken in hir foote a sweete babe in the swadling cloutes,[A]

nicely, carefully, and gently houlding the same, least that hir strong, sharpe, and hooking pounces, should by anye meanes pierce thorough the tender skynne of the young infant.