A scrued Ascent, instead of Stairs, with fit landing places to the best Chambers of each Story, with Back-stairs within the Noell[1] of it, convenient for Servants to pass up and down to the inward Rooms of them unseen and private.
Footnote
[1]Noell, in the MS.
[A scru’d ascent of Stairs.] This title does not strictly agree with the text, for there is a material difference between “a screwed ascent, instead of stairs,” and “a screwed ascent of stairs;” the former altogether dispenses with stairs, giving the idea of an inclined ascent without steps, such as is employed in the construction of the Observatory of Copenhagen; the width being sufficient and the ascent so gradual, that a carriage and four may easily be driven up to the top circular gallery.
According to this improvement there are “back-stairs within the noell,” that is, the Noel, Nowel, Noyau, or Newell, a term applied to the centre round which the stairs of a circular staircase wind, and which may be either a solid column, or an open space. Such stairs are said to be neweled.
The great labour and expense bestowed on some kinds of staircases is well exemplified by Evelyn in his tour of France, who describes going to Blois, in 1664, and seeing there a palace built by Francis the First, the staircase of which, consisting of 274 steps, is mentioned by Palladio; he notices it as a wonderful piece of work, from its construction having occupied 1800 workmen during twelve years. “The stayre-case (he says) is devised with four entries or ascents, which cross one another, so that though four persons meet, they never come in sight, but by small loopholes, till they land.”—Memoirs of John Evelyn, 2nd edit. 4to. vol. i. page 59.
49.
A portable Engine, in way of a Tobacco-tongs, whereby a man may get over a wall, or get up again being come down, finding the coast proving[2] [3] unsecure unto him.
Footnotes
[2]proveth insecure for him. P.