Part 5

+HOSTIS EI. ALBEEK TOU DE TOU THE:SAUROU, OSNON ANA RESKOI. PARAINO: DE HO:S LABE:IS TE:N KEPHALE:N, ME: HAPTOU EO:MATOS.+

QVISQVIS ES, QVANTVNCVN- QUE LIBVERIT HVIVS THESAVRI SVME AD MONEO. AVFER CAPVT, CORPVS NE TAN- GITO.]

This noueltie worthie to be manifested, and secret riddle often to be read ouer, was not knowen to me, so as I rested doubtfull what the interpretation of this sophisme should signify, not daring to trie the conclusion. But stricken with feare in this dark vnlightsome place, notwithstanding the dimme burning lampe, I was more desirous to beholde and peruse that triumphant porch and gate as more lawfull to remaine there than other-where. Whereupon without more adoe, I determined to leaue this place vntill another time, that I might more quietly at lesure looke vpon the same, and to prepare my selfe to beholde the woonderfull worke of the gate: and thus descending downe I issued foorth of the vnbowelled monster, an inuention past imagination, and an excessiue labour and bolde attempt to euacuate such a hard substance ouer that other stones be, the workemanship within as curious as that without. Lastly, returned cleane downe, I beheld in the Porphire laste along the sides notably insculpt and grauen these hierogliphies.

First, the horned scalpe of an oxe, with two tooles of husbandry fastned to the hornes.

An altar standing vpon goates feete, with a burning fire aloft, on the foreside whereof there was also an eie, and a vulture.

After that a bason and an ewre.

A spindle ful of twind, an old vessel fashioned 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 passing well cut on this manner.

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

Ex labore Deo natur sacrifica liberaliter paulatim reduces animum Deo subiectum. Firmam custodiam vit tu, misericorditer gubernando tenebit, incolumemque seruabit.

Letting passe this most excellent rare, strange, and secret deuise and worke: Let 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 +GENEA+. 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 prickes, 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 rectitude, 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 principall 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.