Again, after giving the proportion of the Architrave over the columnes of the Monopteros, he saith, Zophorus & reliqua quæ insuper imponuntur, ita uti in tertio volumine de symmetriis scripsit. The Freese and other ornaments laid upon them, are as in his third Book of symmetries made mention of. Now, in his third Book, he only treats of proportions, and not one word is so much as mentioned by him of any manner of roofs at all, only in the close of the said Book, he gives the proportion of frontispices belonging to quadrangular Temples: the same referment in like manner he makes for the ornaments of the Peripteros, and withall proceeds to a full description, in what manner the roof of its Cell was made, which questionlesse, he would likewise have done in the other form, if it had been covered. For, he saith, whatever is to be laid above the Freese of the Monopteros, is, as set down in his third Book: but, in his third Book, there is not One word mentioned of any roofs; the conclusion then follows the Monopteros was without a roof.
Lastly, he positively tels us it was sine Cella, without a Cell: now the Cell (and which for distinction sake I have so called in describing this Antiquity, because it was applied to the same use, to perform their sacred rites in) was indeed properly, the inner,Bern. Baldo. or chief part of the Temple, quam nos corpus Templi vulgò dicimus, we commonly call it the body of the Church, which enclosed with wals, was covered with a roof, as Vitruvius declares in the form Peripteros, tecti ratio ita habeatur &c. The manner of a roof (saith he) was thus &c. But, the Monopteros was without a Cell, and consequently without a roof also, as having no walls to bear it. For, in regard of the manner of the Architecture, the pillars standing in Island (as we say) the work could not securely bear a roof, if made of any great capacity: either therefore, they made Temples of this form very little (in which respect only, Palladio supposeth it might be vaulted) inconsistent with the Roman greatnesse, or else, like Stoneheng they were wholly uncovered and rooflesse. Howsoever, it is manifest, the Aspect was just the same. And if I should say, the ruines of one after the same form also, remains yet in Oxfordshire, which the common people usually call Rolle-rich-stones, take it but as my conjecture only, as likewise one or two built after the like manner in Scotland, no man unlesse Hector Boetius knowing by what Kings.
Moreover, the proportions appearing in this Antiquity Stoneheng, are much conformable to those, assigned by Vitruvius to the parts of the Monopteros: He tels us, Tribunal habent & ascensum ex suæ diametri tertia parte: they had the Tribunal, (by which is understood that levell upon which the Temple placed) and the ascent, consisting of one third part of the Diameter. So at Stoneheng, the work it self is one third part of the Diameter of the circumvallation: And, acording to the proportion allowed by him to the Ascent, it seems those Temples were sited more stately then others, (by consequence great also) and certain it is, whosoever views this Antiquity attentively with judgement, upon the place where remaining (for the Folio being too little I could not expresse it in Design) and doth allow a proportionate depth to the Trench surrounding it; considering also, together therewith, the levell of the plain lying without, he will then finde it standing upon such a rising ground, that the Ascent unto it, was not much lesse magnificent, then what Vitruvius hath declared.
Furthermore, besides the aforementioned round Temples, Vitruvius in the same Chapter tels us, that, generibus aliis constituuntur ædes, ex iisdem symmetriis ordinatæ, & alio genere dispositiones habentes. The Romans built them after other manner of inventions, following the same proportions, and having their disposures after another kinde. Of which, if vouchsafed to posterity the descriptions, some of them might have been found, not only agreeable in Aspect, but happily of the very self same form also, as this Temple Stoneheng doth appear.
Now considering this discourse may happen into the hands of those, who cannot by words so easily apprehend things of this Art, I have for their satisfaction brought into Design, the plants of both the aforesaid Temples mentioned by Vitruvius, whereby their conformity with Stoneheng, and the invention thereof taken from them, is more clearly manifested.
A
The Plant of the Monopteros.
B
The Order of Pillars which continued round about it, to which the outward circle (of Pillasters) in this Antiquity Stoneheng, directly corresponds, as will appear in the second Figure thereof, formerly described by the Letter I.
The Design follows.