; I '-! > ; / \ ", .-z • - ; ; -' :' 
 
 M.JiA ■:' *%r-y;^m/V; 
 
 f ,,.V 
 
 i" ' •■/■'» - ’’■■''■• ■ -S >- 'Jj 
 
 t .\ V i-V'- ' 7\"“ ' -. ^ N ' ' 
 
 ;,.r.>l "‘ ■ l‘-f » '- ' * . ' ,Tv 
 
T O 
 
 MADAM 
 
 THE 
 
 Madam, 
 
 A ll Europe looks 
 on Ver failles as 
 the Wonder of the 
 W orld , and as the 
 moft fplendid Mark 
 A 3 of 
 
To the ‘Dolphinefs. 
 
 of the Magnificence 
 of our Qreat Monarch-. 
 It is what has given 
 me the occafion of 
 corapofingthisWork, 
 in order to make 
 plain, as much as pof- 
 lible, the Difficulties 
 which have arifen be- 
 twixt fome perfons 
 of Note, concerning 
 t heExpl ica tion which 
 they made of the i 
 fubjedts of Painting, : 
 which make the Or- 
 nament of the Seil- 
 
 ing- 
 
To the IDolphineJi. 
 
 ing-pieces & others 
 and of thofe of Scul- 
 
 pture, which embel- 
 lifli the Edifice, the 
 Fountains, and the 
 Garden-knots of this 
 incomparable Houfe. 
 The Meric which all 
 Prante^ admires iu: 
 your Royal Perfon , 
 and which gives you 
 a lawful Ri^t of de- 
 ciding all that the 
 Sciences, Hiftor y, and 
 Fable have of molt 
 A 4 hid- 
 
 
T ) the Dolphinefs. 
 
 hidden in them, has 
 made me take the 
 freedom of putting 
 this Hiftorical Expli- 
 cation under your 
 protection ; being 
 withal perfwaded , 
 that a great Princefs, 
 as your felf, &5W adam, 
 always takes delight 
 to near fpeak of 
 Great Men, and of 
 llluftrious Women j 
 the Vertues and A- 
 ^ons of whom, are 
 
 but 
 
To the Dolfhthefs^ 
 
 but Shadows of thofe 
 which are feea with 
 more folidnefs in the 
 Perfons of our great 
 King, and our great 
 Queen. The Aix- 
 guft Rank which you 
 hold, iftSW adam^ in the 
 Royal Family , and 
 thole rare Qualities 
 which render you lb 
 dear to this Invinci- 
 “ble Monarch, and 
 " vvhich are at this day 
 the Admiration of 
 A 5 the 
 
To the Dol^hinefi. 
 
 the World, and the 
 Joy of France , make 
 ns believe that God 
 has given you to it, 
 in order to the con- ] 
 tinuance of its Hap- 
 pinefs : And as the i 
 Dolphins appearing 
 on the Sea, give there | 
 tidings of a Calm, 
 which makes the Pi- 
 lot hope for a hap- ; 
 py fnccefs after a i 
 long Storm j even i 
 fo the two D O L- ’ 
 
 PHiNS- 
 
To the^olfhinefi, 
 
 PH IN S which ap- 
 pear in F% A E, 
 nave brought there 
 Peace, and this hap- 
 py Tranquillity , 
 which it enjoys af- 
 ter fo many Agita-- 
 tions, and make me 
 hope that this little 
 W O R K will find a 
 favourable A ccefs to 
 you , adanu.* a nd 
 
 that you will do me 
 the favour to receive 
 it, as a Mvark, of the 
 
 Pro- 
 
To the ‘Dolphinefs. 
 
 Profound Refped , 
 wherewith I am. 
 
 Madam, 
 
 Tmr moji Humble 
 and 
 
 mofi Obedient Servant^ 
 
 COMBES. 
 
 IN- 
 
INSTRUCTIONS 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 Reader. 
 
 F O R A more clear 
 
 derjianding of the Ex- 
 plication of the Sub- 
 jeSls of P ainting^which 
 compofe this lVorh^\ yon muji 
 that as the Sun mal^^s the 
 body of the Kings Demccj and 
 that Apollo and the Sun are the 
 fame thing h this deity is repre- 
 I' fern 
 
r 
 
 To the Reader. 
 
 fented in many places of Ver- 
 iailles. 
 
 In the Garden near the Ca- 
 nal , at the Bafon of ApoHo» 
 its the Sun when he rifeth, and 
 feems to ijfue from the Sea. 
 
 At the Grotto* s of Apollo, , 
 which are oppoftte to it ^ is the : 
 fame Sun when he is fett ing in 
 the bo fom of Thetis, where he is 
 wafbt , and refrefljt by the ; 
 Nymphs, from the Labours 
 which he has undergone during 
 his courfe. In the Apartments ' 
 of the Houfe you will fee him ac- j ! 
 companied with all that hits af j 
 fnity with him. | 
 
 On the Front of the Houfe\ | 
 which looby into the Carden^ he i 
 di'vides the Tear with Diana 
 
 hk 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 his SiJieTy where they communi* 
 cate their mild Influences to the 
 Earthy that it may produce aU 
 forts of Plants, 
 
 'The SubjeSls of Painting 
 which compleat the Ornament of 
 the Seiling‘pieces j are Hero’s 
 and lUuflrioHs men^ tahgn from 
 \Hiflory and from Fable ^ who 
 ha^e merited the titles of Ge* 
 neroHS and Great men, ^ Fa^ 
 thers of the People, of Liberal, 
 J^fl, Align fi,and ViSlorio m Per- 
 fons, who ha^e pojfefs'd all^ ilje 
 Wertues which ha^e been feen fo 
 appear with admiration in the 
 Perfon of our Great Monarch, 
 fince the happy courfe of his 
 Kergn : So that all that is feen 
 of remarkable in the Honfe and 
 
 in 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 in the GardeUy has always a re* 
 lation to the great ABhns of his 
 Majefly. It's for this reafon 
 that I have been obliged to mah^ 
 thofe acquainted with it that do 
 ncth^ow it. 
 
 The SubjeSls of the Paintings \ 
 which are in the Queens Apart- \ 
 menty are taken from lUuftrious j 
 womeUy who have had heroic\ 
 VertueSy refembling thofe which 
 eminently jhine in our great 
 Queen. 1 could have been more 
 
 large than I am in the compoji- 
 tion of this Worh^y but this would 
 have too much imbroiVd the me- 
 mory. It feems to me that a' 
 man does enough y if he retains 
 that which is mo f remarkable in 
 fo great a number of fine things y 
 
 as 
 
• To the Reader. 
 
 Cis there is in this Royal Houfe, i 
 I tooh^ the pains to gwe this \ 
 Explication at the requefl of two 
 Ladies of the Court, whofe Qujt- 
 lity is ofthefrji Rank^, and to 
 i whom I had the honour to dif- 
 courfe, as I was conftdering with ■ 
 i them the SubjeSls of the F aiming 
 ^ of the Seiling-pieces. At frfi 
 the diffculty of fucceeding in it 
 i prefetited it felf to my under jian- 
 ding : neverthehfs I een refoh 
 
 I •ved to obey the Requeji of thefe 
 Ladies, which ought to have on 
 me the force of a Command, as 
 well by reafon of their great | 
 Quality, as through the power \ 
 which the beautiful See has on 
 the TJnderJianding and Will of 
 reafon able men. If I have done 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 illy my Excnfe if fu^ctent ; and 
 I hope that thofe rpho are the 
 Cenfors of Worh^ which appear 
 in publicity witt receive it as a 
 ^lark^of my Submijjiony the de~ 
 ftgneof it being otherwife than ta 
 maJ^ my felf an Author. He 
 who lets fie an Arrow y if he- 
 frikes the middle of the Butty 
 has gotten the Bri%e. 
 
W E fubfigned. Pain- 
 ters to the King, 
 do certihe to 
 have read and examin’d a Book 
 entituled, An Hiftorical Expli- 
 cation of Tphat there is moji re- 
 markakle in the Royal Houfe of 
 Verfailles \ in which we have 
 found nothing but what is 
 conformable to the Paintings. 
 Given under our Hands, this 
 30th of OSlober 1 d8 f . 
 
 COY PEL. 
 PAILLETTE. 
 
probations. 
 
 TIE fubfign’d, Carvers to 
 Wf the King, do certifie 
 to have read this prcient Book j 
 in which there is nothing but 
 what is conformable to the 
 
 Sub)e£l:s of Carving reprefen'* 
 ted at V ?rfajUes. Given under 
 our Hands, this fecond of No- 
 *vember i( 58 i. 
 
 REGNAVDIK 
 
 corzEvox. 
 
 THE 
 
THE 
 
 TABLE 
 
 OF 
 
 What is contained in this Book 
 
 
 He Hiflorical Explication 
 of the Royal Houfe of 
 Verlailles Pag. i 
 
 I’he Kings Apartments 
 The frjl Piece 
 The fecond Piece 
 The third Piece 
 The fourth Piece 
 The ffth Piece 
 The Owens Apartments 
 
 6 
 ibid. 
 
 20 
 
 25 
 
 25 
 
 ' 28 
 The 
 
The T A B L E. 
 
 The jirji Piece 
 The fecend Piece 
 The third Piece 
 The fourth Piece 
 The Entry of the Garden 
 The Grotto of Apollo 
 Fountains' 
 
 The Water-walk^ 
 
 The Fountain of Ceres 
 The Fountain Flora 
 The Fountain of Fame 
 The Fountain of Apollo 
 The Fountain of Saturn 
 The Water-gallery 
 The Fountain of Bacchus 
 The Fables of the Labyrinth 68 
 The Story of 72 
 
 The Explication of the Sphynx 
 
 74 
 
 The four Seafons yS 
 
 The 
 
 ibid. 
 
 3' 
 
 3^ 
 
 38 
 
 42 
 
 47 
 
 49 
 
 50 
 
 57 
 
 53 
 
 ibid. 
 
 61 
 
 62 
 
 ^5 
 
The 
 
 A B L E. 
 
 The foHr Parts of the World jp 
 The four Ages 8o 
 
 The four parts of the Day and 
 of the Night 82 
 
 The four Elements 8^ 
 
 An Hiftorkal Explication of 
 what is mofi remarkable in the 
 Houfe of St, Cloud 80 
 The Gallery of Apollo 
 The Spring 
 The Summer 
 Autumn 
 
 ^Winter ^ 
 
 The Explication of the Amours 
 of Mars and Venus painted 
 in the great Hall 105 
 
 the Inventory of .J^.Dcnis 1 1 ^ 
 Thefrji Prefi iby. 
 
 The 
 
 97 
 
 P8 
 
 100 
 
The Table. 
 
 The fecond frefs I 2 C 
 
 The third Prefs. 13 5 
 
 The foHrth Prefs 1 3 1 
 
 The fifth Prefs 1^6 
 
 The fixth Prdfs ibid 
 
 The feventh Prefs ibid 
 
 The eighth Prefs I 37 | 
 
 Other Preffes above y where tht 
 Figures of the Kings <5 
 Franck are drawn to^ the life 
 and vefted in their Koya 
 Robes ^ 35 . 
 
 B 
 
 it 
 
 i 
 
I A N 
 
 ' HISTORICAL EXPLICATION 
 Of what is moft Remarkable 
 IN THE 
 
 ROYAL HOUSE 
 
 I OF 
 
 ^trtattUs, 
 
 ' ‘ V 
 
 I 
 
 Tdy muft now yield to France 
 the Prize and Garland which 
 
 it has born away hitherto 
 
 from all the Nations of the Earth, 
 in what regards the excellency of 
 Archite^ure., the beauty oi Carvings 
 the Magnificence of tainting^ the 
 Art of Gardeningy the Strufture of 
 Fountainsy and the invention of A- 
 quedu^t, 
 
 B Fff- 
 
 B 
 
a An Hifiorical Explication 
 
 Verfdilles alone fuffices to lecure 
 for ever to France the glory it has 
 atprelent, in furpaffing all other 
 Kingdoms in the Science of Buil- 
 dings : and it is beholding for this 
 highefteemto the Grandeur and 
 Magnificence of Louis the Great ^ its 
 invincible Monarch. 
 
 This Magnanimous Prince has 
 cherilbt Arts even to lb high a 
 point, and, has known fo well to< 
 cultivate them among the noife of 
 Arms, that Peace, which is the Mo- 
 ther both of Sciences and Arts, to 
 teftifieits gratitude, has built him 
 themoft magnificent Palace of the 
 World 5 to the end it might there 
 receive him, as it were in its bo-, 
 fame, when he returns from his 
 Enemies loaded with Laurels and 
 Tropheys. 
 
 It’s into this Royal and Charm- 
 ing Houle that you are invited to 
 come , you people of the Earth, 
 who are curious and learned ; you 
 
 (hall 
 
of Verfailles. 5 
 
 ihall fee there the ancient and the 
 new Rome : you (hall (ce there ail 
 ‘hat the world has ever had of 
 beautiful and furprizing y admire 
 :here the Skill, the Knowledge, the 
 Defign, and the curioulaels of the 
 iVorkmen 3 admire there the Gran- 
 deur, the Sumptuoulhels, the Mag- 
 nificence and the Liberality of the 
 Prince, and own that Verfailles 
 ;;clipies all the inchanted Palaces of 
 diftory and of Fable. 
 
 When you are at Verfailles, and 
 ire come to the end of the great 
 Atalk of Elms, it cannot be but 
 | he beautiful Afpeft of the Houfe 
 will charm your Spirit, and feize 
 ill your Senfes , and convert the 
 brce of them all into the fight and 
 magination. 
 
 Paule you a little at the firft Iron 
 3 rate of the Fore- court , to fee 
 here the two ftoneii Pieces 3 the 
 me on the right of the houfe, re- 
 >refenting the Viftories of France 
 B 2 '' over 
 
4 An Wjtorical Explication 
 
 over Spain^ denoted by the Lyon 
 and the other on the Jeff, the Vido 
 lies over Germany^ denoted by the 
 Eagle, The Sieur Girardon made 
 the figure on the right , and the 
 Sieur de Mercy that on the left. 
 
 From this Grate you pals as fat 
 as the gilded Grate, where you 
 will lee at the entrance a Sun oP 
 Gold on a Trophey of Arms, with 
 two pieces of ftonen Figures or 
 the two tides : On the right it s A 
 liundance, and on the left Peace 
 who burns with a Torch a Trophj 
 of Arojs, and bolds in her left hanc 
 a Caduceum, which is the Symbo 
 of Prudence, Eloquence, and Com 
 mand. 
 
 When you have pals’d thus gil 
 ded Grate, turn on the left hand, 
 you will fee at the end of the righ 
 Wing of the houle, on fix Pillars 
 fix Deities, three of theFarth, ane 
 three of the Water. 
 
 The Deities of the Earth arc Ce 
 
 res. 
 
of Verfailles. 5 
 
 re/, who carries Ears of Corn 
 Flora ^ who carries Flovoers ^ and 
 Votnona Fruits. 
 
 The Deities of the Water , are 
 Thetk and Galatea^ with Neptune 
 in the mid ft. 
 
 When you have (een ihe(e fix 
 Statues , look afterward on your 
 right, at the end of the left VVing 
 of the houle, you will (ee on fix 
 Pillars fix other Deities-, three of 
 the Air, and three of the Fire. 
 
 The Deities of the Air are Ir//, 
 who reprefents the Rainbow with 
 her Vai], 5^/0 with a Peacock by 
 her fide, and Zephiru^. 
 
 The Deities of the Fire are P«/- 
 can in the midft of Cyclopfes, who 
 are Brontes And Steropes. 
 
 When thcfe twelve Pagan Dei« 
 ties were (et up, v.?ho reprefentthe 
 four Elements , regard was bad to 
 that place where are all the Offices 
 of his Majc-fty belonging to the 
 Mouth; the four Elements being 
 B 3 thole 
 
6 An Hijiorical Explecation 
 
 thole who by their mixture com- 
 pole all theFoo!;! proper for nou- 
 rilliment 5 the Earth gives Flowers, 
 Fruits, and Animals, the Water 
 gives Filh 5 the Air furailhes Birds 5 
 and the good Fire acts the good 
 Cook. 
 
 Advance your (elf now as far as 
 the Bafbn, which is in the middle 
 of the little Court of the houle, 
 and look on the Pediment of the 
 front of the houfe, you will fee two 
 Figures. 
 
 The one, v/hich is on the right, 
 reprefents Hircnles^ or France^SN\io 
 repofes after having overcome the 
 Bjelra 5 that is to fay , the great 
 number of Enemies which it has 
 defeated in thefe laft Wars. The 
 Hydra is denoted there by the Dra- 
 gon)^ Spain by the Lyon 5. and all 
 the other Forces by the which 
 iigniiies alfjthe Bjver Rhine, Her- 
 overcame the River Achelom 
 under the figure of a BhU , from 
 
 which 
 
ef V erfailles. 7 
 
 which he took away a Horn, 
 whence iiraed Abundance : and 
 our Vxmch Hercules having over- 
 come the Forces of the Rhine, and 
 the Rhine it (elf, there is come of 
 !C Peace and Abundance. This fi- 
 gure was made by the Sieur Girar^ 
 don. 
 
 And the other figure which is 
 on the left, repre(ents Mars or 
 France viSorious over Spain and 
 Germany. This figure, was made 
 by the Sieur de Aiercy. 
 
 Under the(e two figures, on the . 
 Ballirters of the little houfe which 
 faces the Court, you will (ee Eigh- 
 teen figures of (tone, each of eight 
 foot in height, reprefenting in ge- 
 neral the Vermes of the [iu>g. 
 
 The (if ft of the Nine which are 
 on your left on the right Wihg of 
 the houfe is Vtdory, who holds with, 
 one hand a Garland of Laurels. 
 Made by the Sieur Sepingala. 
 
 The two that follow repreftnt 
 B 4 Africa 
 
8 Aft Hijiorical Explication 
 
 Africa and America. Africa made 
 bytheSienrs hHongre^ and Ante’ 
 rica by the Sieur Regnaudin. 
 
 The fourth is Glory , who fiip- 
 ports on her left Knee a Pyramid, 
 and carries a Crown in her right 
 hand. Made by the Sieur Regnan- 
 din. 
 
 Authority or Soveraign Power 
 and Richer follow next , repreien- 
 ted by Eagles, the Globe, and the 
 Compafs. Made by the Sieur le 
 Htngre. 
 
 The feventh figure reprelents 
 Cenerojfty, which is denoted by the 
 Lyon, and Liberality by a Horn of 
 Abundance, full of Riches, which 
 it pours forth. Made by the Sieur 
 le Grot, 
 
 The eighth , which reprefents 
 Strength^ fupports on its knee the 
 Bads of a Column, which is the 
 Symbol of Strength , (he carries 
 the branch of an Oak, and is clad 
 with the (kin of a Lyon, as Her- 
 cules j 
 
of Ver/ail/es. 9 
 
 eules. Made by the Sieur Coyze^ 
 
 ' vox. 
 
 Aad the ninth , which denotes 
 I AbunddPfce, fupports a Horn of A- 
 bundance , and holds in her hand 
 an Olive-branch , which fignifivS 
 Peace, and which is always follow- 
 ed with Abundance, Made by the 
 Sieur de Mercy. 
 
 When you have confidered all 
 thele.Statues, you muft return to- 
 wards the Front of the houfe 
 whence you parted , to lee the o- 
 ther Nine figures, which are on the 
 Ballifters on the left Wing of the 
 houfe, and anfwer to thofe which 
 you came from (eeing. 
 
 The firft is Fame , who holds 
 Trumpets. Made by the Sieur le 
 Comte. 
 
 The two that follow are Atta and 
 Europe. Made by the Sieurs Maf- 
 fou and le Gros. 
 
 The fourth is an Abundance and 
 Pe<rce.Made by the %\^\xx Kegnaudin. 
 
 B 5 The 
 
10 An H)jlorical Explication 
 
 The fifth is Diligence^ who holds 
 in her hand a branch of Th)ffle, 
 and one of the Mulberry -tree , a- 
 bout which flies a Bee, which is the 
 Symbol of Diligence 5 and the 
 Mulberry-tree fignifies the Silk- 
 worms, who are lb diligent, that 
 they never reft from the time of 
 their birth even to their death, nay 
 not even when they eat, their nou- 
 rilhraent (erving but to make the ; 
 matter of their work. Thefe Ani- i 
 mals have three different forts of 
 life ; The firft in Worms is creep- 
 ing, and employ’d in labour 3 the 
 fecond in flying Butterflies, which 
 is as it were Celeftial, the Silk- 
 worms living then altogether in ca- 
 refles and pleafures which they en- 
 joy with their Females, and the 
 third is in the beauty of t^ir 
 works of lilk : which reprefents 
 admirably well the three Ages of^ 
 the diligent mia, Made by the Sieur 
 
 The 
 
of Verlailles. 1 1 
 
 The fixth figure figoifies Vru- 
 de»ce, who holds an Arrow com- 
 par’d about with a Serpent , the 
 Hieroglyphick of Prudence. The 
 Arrow figniHe?, that ft rokes perfor- 
 med with prudence are the mofl; 
 fecure. Made by the Sieur 
 fou. 
 
 The feventh is VaUas^ who has 
 on the top of her Headpiece a 
 head of aHorle; (he is fupported 
 on a Shield where is foen a head 
 of Medftfa. Made by the Sieur 
 Girardon. 
 
 The eighth reprefents 'jujiice, 
 with a Sword in one hand, and a 
 pair of Scales in the other. Made 
 by the Sieur Coyzevox. 
 
 And the ninth figoifies the rich' 
 nefs of Builditigs ^ (he pours forth 
 with one hand all forts of Goods, 
 and with the other (he holds the 
 Ground- plot of a Building. Made 
 by the Sieur de Mercy. 
 
 When you have confidered all 
 
 theie 
 
XJ2 An Htjlorical Explication 
 
 the(e Figures , if you will enter 
 into the Appartment of the Baths, 
 you muft pals through the door 
 which is under the laft Statue you 
 faw. This apartment is dedicated 
 to Magnifcence, and makes one of 
 the /even IVonders <^V’er(aiIIes. 
 
 The firft piece of the low A- 
 partment of the Baths is remar- 
 kable for the Pifture in the midft 
 of the Ceiling , where there is re- 
 prelented z Flora : It will be chan * 
 ged, and in its place there will be 
 put a Mars, repofing himlclf from- 
 the toils of War, from whom Ve- 
 nus takes the Helmet from off the 
 head, fhewing him Peace, who 
 burns Arms, and about him many i 
 Cupids who mdreCs him. ThisPi- 
 ’fture was made by the Sieur Pail- i 
 lette. ( 
 
 The fecond Piece of the low i 
 partment of the Baths is alfb re- i 
 markable for the Pidure in the 
 midff of the Ceiling : There we 
 
 fee 
 
 ( 
 
of Verfaillcs, 15 
 
 (ee peace, who holds a Caduceum, 
 and leans on Ahuffda^ce j Vi&ory 
 who repoles herfelf, Archite&ure 
 I who prefents a Ground plot , to 
 fignifie that Peace is the time pro- 
 per for building. You may obferve 
 on the countenance of this Peace 
 the Beauty, the bonne Graces the 
 Sweetnels, the Vertue, and the Mo- 
 defty of it. There are afide by 
 Terapeftsand Storms, which Peace, 
 who brings with itSerenenels and 
 a Calm, drives away and makes to 
 fiy from it. This Picture was the 
 work of the Sieur Boulongne. 
 
 The third Piece of the low apart- 
 ment of the Baths is remarkable for 
 eight Pillars of grey Marble, of the 
 Dorick Order 5 and for four Sta- 
 tues of Marble, whereof the moft 
 conliderable is that of Ve»us,wh\c\\ 
 is a copy of the Venus of Medi- 
 ch. 
 
 The fifth Piece of the apartment 
 of the is confiderable for 
 
 eight 
 
1 4 An~Hijlorical Exilic Alton 
 
 eight Pillars of a whitifti grey Mar- 
 ble of the lonick Order , and for 
 four others ol black Marble Ipotted 
 with white: The Pidure ia the 
 mid ft of the Gieling is a Diaha 
 on a Chariot drawn by Hinds with 
 %ephyruss about it. 
 
 The fixth Piece of the apart- 
 ment of the Baths is alfo conftde- 
 rable for the Picture ia the midft of 
 the deling which reprelents an 
 Apollo driving away Tempefts and 
 Storms by (hooting Darts. By the 
 Darts of Apollo are underftood the 
 Rays of the Sun, which diffipate 
 Clouds and Mifts : This alludes to 
 the King, who by his Prudence, Ju- 
 ftice, and Power exterraiaates, from 
 his Kingdom the Errours, Crimes, 
 and Seditions which Malice and 
 Ignorance might there form. The 
 Pidure for the Chimney-piece is 
 a Daphne^ wfoo being purfued by 
 Apollo^ is. changed into a Laurel, 
 after having triumph’d aver this 
 Cod. The 
 
of Verfailles. 1 5 
 
 Thefeventh Piece of the apart- 
 ment of the Baths is admirable: 
 Thereis (een in the Pidture of the 
 midft of the Cieiing a who 
 
 is wallfd and perfum’d by the three 
 Graces. The Pifture which (erves 
 I for the Chimney-piece is Vrilcan^. 
 I who prefents to Venm the Arms of 
 f which he made, and Cupid 
 
 in the midft, who holds the Cutleas. 
 There are in this Apartment fix Pil- 
 lars of grey Marble of the Corin- 
 ! thian Order. Thefo two Pidtures 
 were made by the Sieur de Seve 
 \ Junior. 
 
 There are befides fome other A- 
 partments of the Baths which are 
 not compleated. There are alfo 
 the ^eens Baths which face the 
 Garden: all this makes the Firji 
 rpouder 
 
 When you have feen this lafl: 
 Apartment of thuBaths^ you muft 
 return back as you came, to make 
 an end of admiring the Magnifi- 
 cence 
 
1 6 An Hiftorical Explication 
 
 cence of thefe places , and afcend 
 afterwards into the Kingi Apart' I 
 ments^ which are over the Baths, ! 
 and which make the Second toon' 
 der of Verlailles. 
 
 The Kings Apartment. 
 
 T Hefirfl: Piece of thefe Apart- 
 ments is confiderable for a 
 great number of excellent Pictures 
 taken from Hiftory and from Fable, 
 The Pidure of the midft of the 
 • Cielingis a Venus crowned by the 
 three Graces, (ubjtcfing to her Em- 
 pire Deities and powerful perlbnS : 
 She is on a Chariot drawn by Doves 
 there are Cupids about it , and ihe 
 leans on a Swan. 
 
 The Deities which (he (ubjeds 
 to her Laws, are Mars who holds 
 St Standart, Vulcan who carries a 
 Hammer and a Helmet , Bacchus 
 
 who 
 
 VJf 
 
£j/ Verfailles. . 17^ 
 
 who holds his Javelin adorned 
 with Ivy, Jupiter with his Scepter 
 and an Eagle, and Neptune with his 
 Trident, 
 
 The powerful perlbns are four 
 Hero’s, two of Hiftory, and two of 
 Fable, reprelented in the four An- 
 gles of the Cieling- piece , in the 
 form of Captives bound with 
 Chains of Flowers. Thole of Hi- 
 ftory are Titus who married a Jew- 
 i(h Slave after the deftruftion of 
 I Jerufalent,znd Mar Anthony with 
 Cleopatra : and thole of F able, Ja- 
 fon and Medea, Thefeus and Ariad- 
 I ne- 
 
 The firft Pifture on the fides of 
 the Ceiling-piece oppofite to the 
 \ Windows, reprefents Nebuchodo~ 
 
 ! nozor, who cauled the Gardens of 
 Babylon to be railed after the re- 
 fetnblance of the Mountains of 
 Media , in complaifance to the 
 I Queen his wife who was of thtit 
 I Country. 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 The 
 
1 8 An WJtorkal Explication 
 
 The lecond Picture towards the 
 htair-caie is Auguftm , vcho fliews 
 Iports to the Romans^ by the cour- ; 
 fes of Chariots wichin the Circm \ 
 whichbecaofed to be buUt. ^ I 
 
 The third Pidure is Alexander^ 
 who efpouies Roxana., by giving 
 her a bit of bread after the fa&ioii 
 ofher Country. 
 
 The fourth is Cyrus, who gives a 
 Princeis the pleafure of ieeing a 
 Mufter of his Troops. This A« 
 partraent was painted by the Sieur 
 MouaJJe, 
 
 The fecond Piece. 
 
 The fecoud piece of the Kings 
 Apartment , called the Billiard- 
 cbamhcr, is very fine ; we fee there 
 in the Picture of the middle of the 
 deling the Moon under the figure 
 of Diana:, who prelides over Na- 
 vigation and Hunting : This God- 
 defs is there reprefented da her 
 
 Chariot 
 
of Verfailks. 19 
 
 Chariot , accompanied with the 
 hours of the Night, which are all 
 her Daughters, and are about her 
 Chariot, and have wings like But- 
 terflies; , Thole which go before 
 the Chariot reprelent the frefh 
 hours of the Morning, which di- 
 , ftil on the Earth the dew and the 
 Flowers. That which holds the 
 Clock marks the hour which calls 
 us to our Labour. Behind the Cha- 
 riot is the hour of reft which 
 fleeps , whilft a little Cupid blows 
 her the vapours of deep and the 
 lent of Poppies ; by the fide of 
 her is the hour of waking, which 
 ferves for Studies and Meditations ; 
 fne holds a Lamp , and leans on 
 Books. 
 
 Navigation is there reprelented 
 by a woman on a Veflel, who holds 
 the Helm and an Anchor 5 (lie is 
 accompanied with Children, who 
 holds what ferves for Navigati- 
 on. 
 
 Hun- 
 
2C An Hijioricdl Exphcation 
 
 Hunting is reprefented by a Wo- 
 man who holds a Net which lerves 
 for taking Birds , accompanied 
 with Children, whereof one holds 
 a Hunting- horn, and the others Lea- 
 flies for Dogs. 
 
 And in the four Pi< 3 :ures of the 
 four fides, there are (een Jafon.who 
 lands in Colchos , for the cooqueft 
 of the Golden Fleece Augujlus, 
 who fends a Colony to Carthage 5 
 Cpruf, who hunts Boars 5 and A- 
 lexander^ who hunts Lyons. The 
 Sieurs Blanchard , Auderan , and 
 de la Fojfe painted this Apart- 
 ment. 
 
 The third Piece. 
 
 The third piece of the Kings A- 
 partment is the Guard Hall, which 
 is one of the moft remarkable ; 
 There is feen in the Pifture I 
 of the middle of the Gieling j 
 Mars on a Chariot drawn by 
 Wolves, which are dedicated to 
 
 this I 
 
Verfailles. 21 
 
 this Pagan Deity by reafbn of their ' 
 voracity 5 the Chariot is compaQ: 
 
 ; about with Cttiim' s of War, who 
 load themfelves with Arms to fol- 
 low him ; there are three Cyclop- 
 fes who feero to furnifti them with 
 them. In the ground of the Fi- 
 gure is thrown on his back 
 
 by other Genius's of War , who 
 take from him his Sythe , thereby 
 to fignifie that time cannot deftroy 
 nor obliterate the great adiions of 
 Hero’s and Conquerours. Hijiory 
 is by the fide of Saturn^ who writes 
 v/hat is didated to her by Fame, 
 who goes before the Chariot of 
 Mars. 
 
 I In the (econd Pidnre of the 
 Cieling* piece is reprefented Ter- 
 rotir accompanied with Fury and 
 Anger, who pulh forward Fear and 
 Talenefs to fright the powers of 
 theEarrh. It was painted by the 
 %\t\xx Houajfe. 
 
 The third Pidture of the Cieling- 
 
 piece 
 
22 An Hijloricd Explication 
 
 piece reprelents ViUory fopportei 
 by ¥ or ce^ under the figure of Her' 
 cults accompanied with Prudence 
 and Liberality: There are aUb 
 (btne Genius's who difpute betwixt 
 them concerning Crowas. 
 
 In the fame Hall there are fix 
 bas Reliefs heightned with Gold. 
 
 In the firft oppofite to the win* 
 dow, on the Corniche, is repre- 
 fented Cafar, who lets his Army in 
 order before he begins a fight. 
 
 In the fecond over the windows 
 is reprefented Mark^ Anthony ^ who 
 makes Albinius Gonful. Thefe 
 two bas Reliefs were painted by the 
 Sieur Jouvenot. 
 
 In the third is reprefented the 
 degradation of an Officer in the 
 face of an Army, by Alexander Se- 
 verus. 
 
 In the fourth, which is Oval, on 
 the fide of the Kings Apartment, is 
 reprefented the Triumph of Con- 
 Jiantine. Thefe were painted by the 
 Sieur HouaJJe. In 
 
cf V'erfailles. 2^ 
 
 la the fifth, at the other end of 
 the Hall, is reprefeoted Cj/rm let- 
 ting his Army in order. 
 
 And in the fixth is reprelented 
 Toliorcettus, who forces a Town. 
 The Sieur Auderan painted theft 
 two lath 
 
 the fourth Piece. 
 
 The fourth piece of the Kings 
 Apartment is charming : the Pi- 
 dureof the middle of the Cieling 
 repreftnts Mercury on a Chariot 
 drawn by Cocks ; By the fide of 
 the Chariot is ften Vigilance^ who 
 holds a Cratie^ this bird is the Sym- 
 bol of it, becauft that when Cranes 
 fleep in companies in any place, 
 there is always one that kedps cen- 
 try W'ith one foot raifed, wherein 
 it hold a Stone, to the end that 
 when fleep ftizes him , the Stone 
 may awake him by falling. Vigi- 
 hnce carries fmall Wings on her 
 
 head, 
 
24 Hifiorical Explication 
 
 head, to (hew that a Wing is a 
 companion of diligence. The Mor* 
 ning-ftar goes before the Chariot, 
 it’s a Cupid who has a Star on his 
 head, with a Trumpet in his hand, 
 to mark that he proclaims the day: 
 This Chariot is encompaffed with 
 Cupids y who reprefent the Arts and 
 Sciences 5 it paffes through the 
 Zodiack, where are the Signs that 
 belong to this Planet. It’s the work 
 of the Sieur Champagne. 
 
 The Pidures of the (ides of the 
 Cieling- piece which have relation 
 to Mercury are of fubjeds of Lear- 
 ning and Eloquence. 
 
 That v/hich is over the Windows 
 reprefents Alexander the Greats 
 when he caufed many kinds of A- 
 nimals to be brought, to the end 
 that the Philofopher Arijiotle might 
 dilcourfe of their nature, and make 
 Anatomical Adminiftrations of 
 them. 
 
 The feconi is Augujius, who re- 
 ceives 
 
of Verlailles. 25 
 
 ceivcs an EmbaiEe of Indians^ 
 where a Philofopher called Cah- 
 nus , after that he had made him 
 his fpeech, put himlelf on a Fune- 
 .ral-pile and burnt himfelf, to fhew 
 his conftancy, and at the fame time 
 honour to this Emperour. Proba-^ 
 bly this Philofopherj in doing this 
 aftion, broke an earthen Veffel 
 which could not lerve much lon- 
 ger. 
 
 The third which is oppofite to 
 the Windows, is Ttolomy King of 
 Egypt^ who cauies a Library to be 
 built 5 he is accompanied with 
 Philolbphers and other learned per- 
 fons. 
 
 The ffth riece. 
 
 The fifth piece , which is the 
 Kings Chamber^ is one of the fair- 
 eft. 
 
 There is leen in the Fi&ure of 
 the middle of the Cieling ApoUo on 
 G a 
 
2 6 An Hijiorical Explication I 
 
 a Chariot, drawn by four Horfes^ 
 he is accompanied with the four 
 Seafons ; You may obferve among! 
 others the old man who reprefentsi 
 Winter, having Fire between his 
 legs. Near the Chariot appear 
 Magnanimity and Magnificence , 
 with France^ which relies on the 
 cares of the Sun, which is the Hie- 
 roglyphick of the King. 
 
 The four PiQiures which are o- 
 ver the great Gornich reprelent 
 Augufim^ who caulfes a Port to be 
 made at Mejjina near Naples, 
 
 Vefpafian^ who caules to be built 
 the Amphitheater of Rome. 
 
 CorioUnm, who railed the Siege 
 before Rome^ at the requeft of his 
 Mother. 
 
 And Form King of India, whc 
 is prelented full of Wounds to A' 
 lexander. 
 
 The Pidures of the four corned 
 of the Chamber reprefent thefoui 
 parts of theVVorld , where Fami 
 
 car- 
 
of Verfailles. 27 
 
 i carries the reputation of the Kings 
 • Arms. This Chamber was painted 
 ; by the Sieur de U 
 
 i , ' “ 
 
 i 2 he Third Wonder. 
 
 The third Wonder of Verfailles 
 i's the great Marble Stair-cafe^whXch 
 eciipfcs all that Greece and Italy 
 have ever had of wonderful : For 
 belides the Gold and the Azure 
 which fhiae there from all parts, 
 the work fur pafles in it the matter. 
 M. le 5r»»,whoni we may call the 
 moft excellent Painter of the age, 
 painted the Cieling- piece. 
 
 We fee there among other things, 
 the Nations of the Four parts of 
 the World, who admire the beau- 
 ty of Verfailles , and the heroick 
 Exploits of our Great Monarchy 
 aadon their part, they draw on 
 themlHves the admiration of all 
 that are carious and learned , to 
 beautiful and natural they are. 
 
 C 2 ' the 
 
28 An Hijtorical Explication 
 
 The Queens Apartments. 
 
 T He Queens Apartments make 
 the third vponderaf Verfail- 
 ics ; you may iee there all that 
 Painting has of moft (peciousj de- 
 licate, and magnificent. 
 
 7'he frfi Piece. 
 
 The firft piece of thele Apart- 
 ments, called the Billiard chamber, 
 is remarkable for the Pictures: In 
 that of the middle of the Cieling | 
 is reprefented Jupiter, having by 
 Ills fide Jujlice and Piety, with Sa^ 
 gittarius and Pifees, which ^re the 
 figns of the Zodiack that belong to j 
 Jupiter. This Pifture was made j 
 with much ftudy and care by the I 
 Sieur ' 
 
 fhe firft of' the Figures over 
 
 the 
 
; ef Verfailles. 29 
 
 |the Croii works reprefents Solon, 
 !who having given Laws to the A~ 
 Ithenians , tmiatains them againft 
 jtheir objedions. 
 
 In the (econd Pifture which is 
 oppofite to the Chimney is repre- 
 fented Trajan, who receives Ad- 
 drefles frora all the Nations of the 
 v/orld, whom we fee diftiogaifti’d 
 by the diverlitt^ of their Babits, 
 fa. the third by the fide of the 
 Chimney is reprefented Vtolofny 
 T.hiladelphuf, who in confideratioa 
 of the Laws of Mofes Lent him 
 |with Interpreters by the Soverain 
 Prelate of the Jerrr , gives liberty 
 to all the Jewifh flaves that are 
 within his Kingdom ; Kiftory com- 
 putes Six fcore thotiland. 
 
 And the fourth is the Emperour 
 SQDerrn , who caiifes Corn to be 
 difitributed to the people of Komo 
 during a great Famine. 
 
 Over the Chinmey is painted a 
 Piifiure reprefcnting a Sacrifice 
 G 3 made 
 
30 An Explecation 
 
 made to Jupiter on the Mountain ! 
 Lycaus , which was made for the j 
 fertilenefs of the earth 5 the Prieft I 
 is there ferved by Virgins, who 
 are there reprefeated. 
 
 Oppofite to the Chimney in the 
 Gieling, isa Pidture where is repre- 
 iented Jupiter, who after his birth 
 was brought up by the Curetes and 
 Coribantes, and carried into Can^ 
 dia:, he is carried by two Nurfts, 
 who with their Attendants with- 
 draw him from the fury of Saturn^ 
 who is in an other place, and de- 
 vours a (tone, 
 
 fn the four corners are painted 
 fubje<3:s, which relate to thoie of 
 the Pidures within the Frames. 
 
 In the firft is JuJiice reward- 
 ihg. 
 
 In the fecond is reprelented fu- j 
 (lice ponifliing. j 
 
 In the third are repreftoted fub-i 
 jeds of Piety ; in the firft they are ' 
 Slaves who receive marks of their ^ 
 liberty. And 
 
Verfailles. 91 
 
 ^ Aod 1 q the fourth are reprefen- 
 ted two Figures extenuated with 
 I hanger, to which are prefented 
 Fruits by fooie Ghiidrea, who may 
 betaken for the Children of Pie- 
 
 In the ground of thele Angles is 
 painted a fort of Gallery, where 
 many perfbas walk who admire 
 the Magnificence of this place. 
 
 Thefe principal (ubjefts are re- 
 prelented as it were in Sculpture. 
 
 The fecond Piece. > 
 
 The lecond piece is the C^ieens 
 j Aotkhamber, where is feen in the 
 ^ Pidiure of the middle of the Cie- 
 Jing Mars with Capricornus and 
 Scorpio, which are the figns of the 
 Zodiack that belong to him. Made 
 by the Sieur Vignon. 
 
 The Pidures of the (ides are 
 painted all of one colour, heightn’d 
 with Gold. 
 
 C 4 
 
 The 
 
32 An HijloricalExpiication 
 
 The firft, which is at the Front i 
 of the entrance of the Hal!, repre- | 
 feots the Oath of when j 
 
 (he was given to iinderltand, being 
 at her Toilette, of the deathofher | 
 Huiband, where ilie fworeihat (he i 
 would never make an end of put- | 
 tingon herHeaddothes till (he had ( 
 revenged it. Painted by theSieur | 
 Fignon. 
 
 The (econd, which is over the j 
 Windows 5> reprefeats Harpalice 
 -aughterof Harp d us ^ whom ihe t 
 ees from the hands of his Erie- ^ 
 nis 's, who lead him Prifoacr. Made ^ 
 by theSieur ^ 
 
 The third is a coloar’d Pidure £ 
 with a ground of Gold , where is j 
 reprtfented Bellona , who burns f 
 with a Torch the face of Cybele^ j 
 an I makes love fly into the Hea- ![, 
 vens, which flgnifles, that War,af« jf, 
 ter having trampled on and Ipoil'd Iq 
 the Earth, drives thence the God }; 
 of Love, who takes no delight » 
 
 there 
 
of V^rfailles. 33 
 
 there but when it is in peace and 
 pleafures. Made by the Sieur Vig- 
 von. 
 
 There are befides four Pidmes 
 drawn all of one colour, beightned 
 with a lively Gold-colour, and a 
 fifth in colours with a ground of 
 Gold. Painted by the Sieur Vail- 
 lette. 
 
 Over againft the Windows there 
 are three. 
 
 The firft, which is near the Cor- 
 ner, xepvtihnts Artemijia^ Wife of 
 Matifolus^y a raoft generous Queen, 
 who fought on the Veffels of Xer- 
 xes King of Per^a. againft the 
 Greeks i where Themijlocles com- 
 manded ; This Queen is ftie, who 
 fwallowed in her drink by little 
 and little the Alhes of her Huf- 
 band ; Her generofity led her to 
 fervein the Army of Xerxes with- 
 out being any way obliged to it: 
 Her Councel andt Prudence v/ere 
 greatly efteemed by this great King. 
 
 C 5 ' 1 hole 
 
34 An Hijlorical Explication 
 
 Thole who know how to love af* j 
 ter the manner that this grcaf | 
 Queen loved, cannot but be per- 
 Ions of a good Judgement and of a 
 great Courage 5 the excellency of 
 the Soul (hews it lelf by a difinte- 
 reffed love , which is always the 
 lame, though death has taken a- 
 way the objed. This is taken from 
 the Hiftory of Herodctm. 
 
 . The lecond is a round Pidure 
 in colours, with aground cff Gold, 
 which reprefents Eury and War^ by 
 a Woman armed, who holds with 
 one hand a Sword, and with the 
 other a Torch 5 and by a man, who 
 holds a little Javelin or Dart, which 
 burns at one of its ends 5 he is in 
 a poftnre of throwing it towards the 
 Enemies, cafting at them as it were 
 the fire of War. It was after that! 
 manner that the declared! 
 
 War to their Enemies, while the 
 Friefts made imprecations in the 
 Temple o^^anm. 
 
Verfailles. ' 35 
 
 The third which follows repre- 
 lents , who fights agatnft 
 
 the Emperour Aurelian. This is 
 takea from the Roman Biftc- 
 
 ry- 
 
 Over the door at eotrance is Hy- 
 fficrat'ea the Wife of Mtihridates^ 
 
 ! who follows him in his Wars, and 
 never forfook him in all his adver- 
 fitiss and dilgraces ,* where in de- 
 fpite of his valour, he, was forc’d 
 i any way to fall under the fortui^ 
 of the Romans : Her generous and 
 grateful love rendred her worthy 
 of being the Wife of Co great a 
 King as Mithridates Was. 
 
 The fifth following over the 
 Windows rear the corner is Chlia^ 
 who pafTes the Tyber with her 
 Companions, having made her d- 
 cape from the hands of King P<?r- 
 w.ho kept her in lioftage. 
 The vertue which this Girl ftiew’d 
 in this rencounter , and the firm- 
 nefs andcouraee of Mutius Scevo-- 
 
50 An Hijlorleal Explication 
 
 la^ werefueh aoiaziag aftioas, that 
 they obliged him to raife the Siege- 
 from before Rome. 
 
 I'he third Piecei; 
 
 The third piece of thefe Apart*^- 
 mems of the Queen is remarka- 
 ble: there is feen in the mid ft of 
 the Cieling* piece lAercury , wha 
 fends his Influences on the Arts and 
 Sciences , reprefented by Women 
 who are about him, carrying eacb- 
 their Attributes in their hands. 
 
 The firft Pifture of the fides, fa 
 witjthat which is betwixt the Crofl 
 lesofthe Windowsi, reprefents Ce- 
 famous iathe Art of Paint- 
 
 ing. 
 
 Thefecond Pidure, which isop- 
 pofite to the Croffes , reprefents 
 Penelope^ who works on a Tapiftry-. 
 work. 
 
 Penelope was the Wife of Vlyffes^ 
 wIjo continued ten years at the 
 
 Siege 
 
i?/' A^erfailles. 57 
 
 Siege of Troy 5 and when he was 
 Upon his return for feeing again his 
 dear Spoufe,- he was fo ftrangely 
 croft, and had fb many intricate 
 accidents to wade through, that in 
 defpite of him , he was ten years 
 more before he could fee again his 
 Country 5 fb that it was believed 
 he was caftaway at fea : Mean while 
 Love whifpered lecretly in the 
 heart Penelope^ and made her 
 hope for the return of her dear^i^j^ 
 fes.'kad to amufe thofe who pre^^’d 
 her to marry again , fhe promis’d 
 them, that a (Toon as (lie had made 
 an end oftheTapiftry-work which 
 fhe had begun, fhe would refolve 
 to take a Hufband in the place of 
 Vlyjfes 5 but in the night-time fhe 
 had Girls who unravelled what fne 
 had done the day before ; After 
 this manner her fidelity held out 
 to the twentieth year , at which 
 time her Soul was filled with joy, 
 on the return of her dear Vlyjjh 5 
 
 and 
 
3 8 Aft Hijioftcal ExpUcdtioft 
 
 and then (he tafted the pleafiires of 
 erne Lovers, when they come to 
 fee each other again after a long 
 abfeoce. 
 
 The third over the Chimney is^ 
 sapho playing on her Harp and 
 fioging. 
 
 The fourth is Afpafia cOnverfing 
 with Philoiophers. 
 
 The two Pidares which are o- 
 ver the doors reprefent VigiUncy 
 aftd Diligence'-) and thofe that are 
 oppofite to them are an Vniverfity^ 
 and Commerce. 
 
 The fourth Piece. 
 
 The fourth piece of thefe Apart- 
 ments, which is Queens Drejjtug- 
 room, painted by the Skm leSeve 
 Senior , is very curious. , There 
 h; (eea in the great Pidure in the 
 midft of the Cieliog, of an oftan- 
 gular figure, the Sun, which difFu- 
 fesits light on the Four parts , of 
 
of Verfailles, '29 
 
 the World , reprelented by Four 
 Women. 
 
 Europe, which is there painted 
 the molt beautiful , appears to be 
 charmed with the Graces which ac* 
 company this beautiful Planet. She 
 has on her fides two Loves, where- 
 of the one pours from an Horn 
 of abundance Flowers and Fruits 
 on the Earth 5 and the other holds 
 a Cadnceuns and B6oks, to fhew 
 that Arts and Sciences flourifti more 
 in Europe than in all the other parts 
 of the World. We fee there An~ 
 rora, under the figure of a beau- 
 tiful Nymph, whoftrews Flowers 
 on the Earth in the fight of the 
 Sun who colours them. There is 
 leen alfb the break of the Day,un- 
 der the figure of a Child , who 
 carries a Torch in its hand ; The 
 hours, to the number of Twelve, 
 are there reprefented by Twelve 
 beautiful Girls, whereof iome hold 
 each other by the hand following 
 
40 Htlidrical Explicalicn 
 
 the Sun , and the others put the 
 Horles in his Chariot 5 the whole 
 in an open and iutninous Sky. 
 
 ^ The firft ot the four Piftures of 
 the fides reprefeats the Feaft of 
 Cleopatra Queen Mgypt , who 
 looks on Mark^ Anthony as file is 
 difi'olving in a Cup a Pearl of an 
 ineftimable price: It being the 
 pleafure of this Priacels to furpals 
 thereby Alarh_ Anthony in fumptU’ 
 oufnels and magnificence. 
 
 The fecond Figure is Dido^voho 
 examines the Ground-plot of the 
 Town of Carthage, which file can- 
 fed to be built : There is by her 
 McPetrual, an excellent Archi- 
 tedf, vyho explains the defign to j 
 her. I 
 
 fhe third Piifiure repre.^nts 
 Rhodope, an Iliuftrious Woman of 
 aod of an cxquifite Beaur 
 ty, who to immortalize her felf, | 
 caufcd the faireft Pyramids of JE- ' 
 gypt to be raifed. i 
 
 The 
 
of Verfailles. 41 
 
 The fourth Picture is N'lQerix, 
 who was the fecond Woman that 
 governed the Empdre of the Ajfy 
 YiMs and Babyloninns^ about five 
 years after Semiramk 5 (he divi- 
 ded Euphrates into many Chan- 
 nels. 
 
 The fifth IVoMcler. 
 
 The fifth Wonder of Verfailles 
 js the Gallery of Monfieur le Brun^ 
 firft Painter to the King, and head 
 of the Royal Academy of Pain- 
 ters. This Gallery is not yet fioi- 
 filed, it will be in a little time 5 
 le Brttn has there furpaft himfeif 
 in the defign and projed which he 
 has made in it ; There is not any 
 Figure which is not a Mafter piece 
 ofartrthis admirable man, whom we 
 ought to place in the rank of Ra^ 
 phaelsznd Michael^ Angelo's^ takes 
 a grand care to reprelent there 
 the high Exploits and Heroick 
 
 Actions 
 
42 An Hijiorical Explication 
 Adions of our great Monarch. 
 
 'The entry of the Gar clem . 
 
 I N entring into the Garden by the 
 Entry, where you will obierve 
 twenty four Pillars ofa mof}: beau* 
 tiful Marble ; See afterward the 
 three Fronts of the Houfe, which 
 are adorned with moft excellent 
 Statues* 
 
 The chief Front which regards 
 the Canal , is adorned with three 
 ranks of Pillars, on which you will 
 foe the twelve Moaeths of the 
 year reprefented by twelve Figures 
 of ftone,. each having by its fide 
 one of the Signs of the Zodiack, 
 which divide the year into twelve 
 parts. Beginning with the month 
 of March according to the order 
 of the four Sealbns^ its on the rank 
 which prefonts it folf on your right 
 
 hand ; 
 
of Verfailks. 43 . 
 
 hmdi\?aUas\%i\iQ firft, accompanied 
 with the Nymphs Dryades and Ha- 
 vtadrjades^ who have care of the 
 Flowers, Fruits, and Meadows. 
 The Ram is by the fide of PaUas^ 
 whicn denotes the month of March^ 
 the BuU April, the twins May, and 
 the June. 
 
 On the middle rank there are dix 
 Figures, whereof the Iwo of the 
 middle reprelent two Planets, the 
 Sun and the Moon, under the fi- 
 gures of Apollo and Diana, The 
 Sun and the Moon are very proper- 
 ly plac’d there, in regard »that the 
 Sun makes the body of the Kings 
 devile , and Diana that of the 
 Queen, which are the two Planets 
 V?ho govern with the lame Juftice 
 and Equanimity, as the Sun and the 
 Moon oblerve in their courfes 5 
 with this difference, that Diana ia 
 the heavens fuffers fbmetimes E- 
 clipfes, but our Diana has never 
 any, her brightnels being always 
 equal. The 
 
44 ; ExpliCiitioft 
 
 The mcHiths of' "jul^ , Augult^ 
 September, aad OSober, are there 
 reprefeated by the the vir- 
 gin, the Scales, and the Scorpion, 
 which are oathefides of thefeSta- 
 tueSr 
 
 On the third rank follow the ; 
 months of November , December , . | 
 ‘January, and February, denoted by 
 Sagittarim, ‘Capri corn us, Aquarius, 
 Sind xht Fs fie s. 
 
 Afterwards you mnn: fee the-. 
 Front which. faces the l\efervers of 
 Waters, and all the Pumps which . 
 didrioute them , where there arc' 
 likevvifs three ranks of Pillars, with, 
 four Figures on each rank. The firfi:, 
 wnich are near the Corner of the 
 Hoa(e,repr€fent t wo Gods of Rivers^* 
 csC two Nymphs of FountaiosrThofe 
 or the middle rank; reprelent the 
 Genius who prelide over the ;op ' 
 and pleafures of good cheer. j 
 
 Comus, who is the God: of ^ 
 Titeats. 
 
 Bac- 
 
Verfailles. 45 
 
 Bicchns , who furnifties the 
 'Wine. 
 
 And the Goddefi Ceres the 
 Bread, 
 
 The/e four Statoes were let in 
 this place by reafon of the Hall for 
 FeaJUng^Wihxchhon that part. 
 
 On the third Tank are reprelen- 
 ted the Nymph Echo^ who was 
 changed into a Rock 5 Harcijfus 
 with whom fhe was in love : The- 
 and Galatea^ who has a Dol- 
 phin at her feet. 
 
 In the two Niches which are be- 
 neath are two Figures reprelenting 
 Ganimedes^ and the Nymph Hebe^ 
 who fill Liquors to the Gods. 
 
 At the Front, which looks 
 toward the Orange-grove^ there are 
 allb three ranks of Pillars with 
 twelve Figures ; la the defign, re- 
 gard was had to the Fruits and 
 Flowers which are on that fide, and 
 to the Hall for a£fiog Plays ; For 
 tha rsalbn on the firft rank are four 
 
 Fi- 
 
4 ^ Ah Hijlorical Explication | 
 
 Figures, who pre fide over Fruits: 
 Tomonay'Viho is the God deft of 
 Fruits 5 Vertumnm , who is -her 
 Lover 5 one of the Njmphs He- 
 fperider, having by her one of the 
 Orange-trees laden with golden 
 Oranges, which was guarded by a 
 Dragon j and the Nymph Antal- 
 thea. 
 
 On the middle Pillars is repre - 1 
 fented the Mule Thalia , who pre- 
 fides over fine Plays , Momu&, yfi\io 
 prefides over the art of Buffoon- 
 ing 5 Terpftcore the Mufe, who 
 leads the ferious Dance 5 and the 
 God Pan^ the Author of the Gro- 
 telque dance. 
 
 In the third rank is reprefented 
 the Goddeft Flora., Zephynrs who 
 is her Lover, whom you vvilt know 
 by his Wings like Butterflies, and i 
 by the Gloud which he has by his 
 fides. The other two Figures are 
 Hyacinthus the favourite of the 
 Sun^ and Clytiat\m Loverefi of the 
 
 Sun, 
 
cf Verfailles. 47 
 
 Sun, who was chang’d into the 
 Sun-flower, and Hyacinthm was 
 changed into a Flower of the (ame 
 name. 
 
 In the two which are be- 
 neath, there are two figures, where- 
 of the one reprefepts and 
 
 the other Daficing. 
 
 Grotto's. 
 
 You may go ftreight to the 
 Grotto's of Apollo^ which you will 
 find on your right hand beneath 
 the Houle. 
 
 In the Grotto in the middle A- 
 pollo is leen when he lets in the bo- 
 fbm of Thetis , with fix Nymphs, 
 who wafti themfelves. The Sieur 
 Girardon made Apollo^ with the 
 three Nymphs that are before him 3 
 and the others were made by the 
 Sieur Regnandin, 
 
 In the Grotto's of the two fides 
 are the Horfes of Apollo : In that 
 
 on 
 
An H/Jiorical Expli cation j 
 
 on the right hand there is A^k who 
 plays on the Flutes and in that 
 on the left Galathea. The Sieur 
 Baptijie Thnby made thele two Fi- 
 gures, the Horfes and the Tritons 
 were made by the Sieurs Mercy 
 and Guerin, 
 
 Galathea was the Daughter of 
 Nereus a Sea-god, and of the Nymph 
 Dork. 
 
 Ack was the Son of F annus , 
 God of the Forrefts, and of the i 
 Nymph Sim<cthk, 
 
 Galathea lov’d Ack with a great : 
 tendernefi, by reafbn of his great j 
 merit, and of the Sympathy which i 
 was betwixt them 5 and (he was 
 belov’d by the Cy dops Tolyphemus^ 
 the ugheft and moft difagreeable 
 oft he Cyclopfes, who being grown 
 Jealous,' dafht Ack to pieces with a 
 great R.ock, 
 
 On the Terrafs by the fide of 
 thefeGrotto s there is a Balbn, where ' 
 is feen a Triton and a Tritonefs with j 
 
 fbme I 
 
of V^er failles. 49 
 
 fome Children of gilt Metal. Made 
 ; by the Sieur (/e Mercy, 
 
 \ FoutJtaint. 
 
 Beneath in the Garden-knot 
 there are two Fountains , in each 
 of which are feenfour Tritons and 
 Tritonejfes , who (upport a Royal 
 Crown with Garlands. The whole 
 made by the Sieurs Baptijie Thuby 
 and le Hongre. 
 
 You may go afterward to the 
 Pyramidal Fountain , which was 
 made by the Sieur Girardon it has 
 four Water- works in the form of 
 a T able-cloath : The fir ft and grea- 
 teft is born up by four Lyons-paws, 
 and fiipported by four Tritons gilt 
 and crown’d with Ivy : The fecond 
 Table-cloath Water-work is fop- 
 ported by four young Tritons gilt, 
 having two Tails ; The third by 
 four Dolphins alfo gilt ; And the 
 fourth by four Crabs of caft Cof- 
 D pes . 
 
50 An Hjjiorical Explication 
 
 per. This Fountain will be your 
 guide as you walk in the Gar- 
 den. 
 
 % 
 
 The Water wall{. 
 
 7he Water-walkjsxhzt where you 
 will lee two ranks of Bsfons and 
 Fountains , born by Children of 
 caft Copper gilt. Made by thej 
 Sieurs le Remhert, Je Cros, and /e ) 
 Hongre. 
 
 At the head of this Water -walk ! 
 there is a great Iquare Balbn where 
 Women are leen bathing them- 
 ftlves under a great Water-workin 
 the form of a Table-cloath, which 
 fupplies them in abundance. Its 
 tht Sitm Girardon who made the 
 great bass Relief of the Women ba» 
 thing themlelves, ;The right fide 
 of the Bafon is the work of the , 
 Sieur le Cros: and the left fide 
 that of the Sieur le Hongre, 
 
 On each fide of the Water- 
 
 walk 
 
of Verfaillesi 51 
 
 walk there are levea diftiud pieces 
 of workcompoled of Children. 
 
 The two firft reprelent two 
 young Tritons , who carry great 
 Shells in the form of Bafons full of 
 Coral, and of divers forts of Shells. 
 
 The (econd are three young 
 Children who carry a Bafon fill’d 
 with divers Fruits. 
 
 The third are two Amo^rs^in the 
 , midft of them is a young Girl, who 
 lupport together a Balket full of 
 Flowers. 
 
 The fourth are three young Chil- 
 dren who carry a Balbn fill’d with 
 Fruits. 
 
 The fifth are three other Chil- 
 dren leaning againft a Pedeftal, on 
 which is a Balbn: They hold 
 Drums, Flutes, and Flageletts. 
 
 The fixth are three little Satjrs 
 who have on their heads Balkets 
 fall of Fruits. 
 
 The fevenih are young Armlels 
 Figures, which have but half the 
 D 2 body 
 
5 2 An Hijiorical Explication 
 
 body to the life, the reft termi- 
 nates it ftif below ia the foriH of a 
 little ftool. 
 
 At the bottom of the Water- 
 walk is the Fountain of the Dra- 
 gon. Made by the Sieur de Mir- 
 •O'* 
 
 The Jixih Wonder, 
 
 Below the Pyramidal Fountain 
 you will find the Triumphal Arch^ 
 which is in the middle ot a Wood : 
 Its the fixth Wonder oTVerfail-\ 
 les 5 it is al! of Iron er eaft Cop- i 
 per gilt, with leventeen Gaftades 
 which eocompafs it. There are 
 feen on the two fides of this Tri- ' 
 umphal Arch two 'fine Water- 
 works in the form of a Table- ! 
 cloathjon Pedeftalsj and before It ' 
 a large fpaee with four Obeliiks Or ' 
 Pyramids. There are on the tw-o i, 
 fidcs of this fpacious place two fair 
 Fountains, of a Pyramidal figure y i 
 
 and 
 
i5/ Verfailles. 53 
 
 and on each fide of thefe Foua- 
 taiasa Baiba or Table-cloath Wa- 
 ter-work 00 little Stools of white 
 Marble. At the farthermoft ends 
 of this wide fpace oppofite to the 
 Triumphal Arch^ there are more- 
 over on the two Tides two Balbos 
 on Pedeftals, which anfwer to the 
 two Baibns which are oa the two 
 fides of the Triumphal Arch, with 
 a fine Water fall : at the bottom is 
 Vi&ory^ who faces the Triumphal 
 Arch. 
 
 As yoQ come forth of the Wood, 
 where the Triumphal Arch is, you 
 will pais athwart- the Water-v>?alk, 
 and after having admired the Foun- 
 tains , you enter into the Wood, 
 which is oa the left hand, and you 
 will . finde the three Vomitains'-^ 
 its a place proper to pais melan-^ 
 choly thoughts in. 
 
 From the Wood of the three 
 Fountains, you will enter juft a- 
 gainft it into another little Wood, 
 D 3 where 
 
54 Hifiorical Explecation 
 
 where there is an Oak^ in the midfl: 
 of a Marfti full of Reeds , with I 
 Swans in it. This Oak cafts forth 
 Water from all the ends of its bran- 
 ches 5 the Reeds do the like, and 
 the Swans perform their office. 
 
 At she tv^o ends of the Wood 
 there are two great Tables of an 
 oval figure of white Marble, fup- 
 ported by four Pedeftals, being 
 four Corbels of green Marble : On 
 each Table there is a Baiket of caft 
 Copper gilt, fill’d with Flowers ac- 
 cording to she life, from which ififues * 
 a great fpoiit of Water, which falls I 
 back into it, and lofes it feif there, 
 without wetting the Table. 
 
 On the fides of the Walks are 
 (een ahb two great Tables of white 
 Marble, v/here is made a fort of i 
 Cup-board^ they are fupported 
 by four Corbels which terminate 
 in Lyons paws. On thefe Tables i 
 many Water-pipes are (een tofpout 
 up Water, the fall of which makes i 
 
 Table- . 
 
of V evCaWles. 55 
 
 Tabk-cloath Water- works, which 
 fall back again by Calkades as far 
 as the Table without wetting it : 
 the Water which iffues forth after 
 divers manners forms Veffels, 
 which feem to be of Rock-chryftal 
 
 garniftlt with gilt plate. 
 
 When you have (een the Oak, 
 you enter into the Wood which is 
 below it; you will finde'there a 
 Theatre , it is fo galled becaufe the 
 Water plays there in feveral man- 
 ners. It is called alfo theTriyrjtph 
 of Love, where there are very fine 
 Water- falls adorned with fmall 
 
 rocky pieces. ^ 
 
 At the head of the middle Wa- 
 ter-fall you will lee a Cttpid , who 
 perfonates the figure of Jupiter, 
 
 holding Thunder -bolts in his hand 
 
 he is feated on an Eagle, and plac d 
 on a terreftrial Globe-: under the 
 feet of the Eagle there is a Grown, 
 a Royal Scepter, and a divine Sce- 
 pter; the Thunder- bolts them- 
 
 ^ D 4 felves 
 
 o* 
 
5 S An Hifiorical Explication 
 
 (elves of Jnpiter make one part of 
 the Trophy of Love, whole Sove- 
 raign Empire extends it felf on the 
 Earth, within the Sea, and within 
 the Heavens. 
 
 On the right hand of Soveraign 
 Love there is a Martial or War fa- 
 ring Lovcy (eared on the neck of a 
 Lyon, ^hich bites and throws on 
 the ground a Wo!f> to (hew that 
 Love and Generciity (urraount ve- 
 ry often, and put a fudden flop to 
 the ravages of the Wolf, denoted 
 by War : the whole is on a Tro- 
 phy of Arms, where there is a Her^ 
 chIcs Club. 
 
 On the left hand is (een a Neptu- 
 nian Love\, who commands the 
 Sea , and gives us the riches of 
 Commerce , repre(en"ed by a Cu- 
 pid (eated on two great maftiff 
 Dogs , which he holds tied in 
 Chains on a Veflel full of Riches 
 turn’d upfide down. 
 
 After that you have (een what is 
 
 in 
 
^ Verfailles. ■ 57 
 
 [la thefe four little Woods, you 
 may continue your way along the 
 Walk , where there is at one of 
 its ends, whence you parted , the 
 Fountain of the Pyramid which 
 you have feen already , and you 
 will find in the chief Avenues four 
 Fountains , which reprefent the 
 four Seafbas of the year. 
 
 The Fountain of Geres. , 
 
 You will meet with in one of 
 the avenues the Fountain Ceres, 
 wno reprefents shimmer : this God- 
 dels is in the mi dll: of aBafbn^ (he 
 is accompanied with eight Amours, 
 and holds a Reaping-hook in her 
 hand : there are lecn round her 
 Bafbn sheaves of Corn ,- Flowers, 
 Tidgeons; Rats, and other Animals, 
 which ordinarily eat Corn. The 
 whole is very well gilt 5 and if 
 you are fo curious to look under 
 thefe .Sheaves , you will certainly 
 D 5 find 
 
58 Ah Hijiorlcal Explication 
 
 fiod there Ants. The whole made 
 by the Sieur Kegnaudin, 
 
 "The Fountain Flora, 
 
 In the middle of one of the a- 
 venues you will find the Fountain 
 i>/Flora,whorepreleats the spring 5 
 and juft by it a Hall for Treats \n 
 the midft of a little Grove. Made 
 by the Sieur Baptijle Thuby. 
 
 The feventh Wonder. 
 
 When you have feen the Foun- 
 tain of Flora^ you will enter in at 
 a Grate where is the Fountain of 
 Fame , which makes the feventh 
 Wonder of you are in- 
 
 vited to fee it before you go to the 
 two other Fountains. 
 
 The Fountain of Fame^ 
 
 The Fountain of Fame is in the 
 
 midft 
 
of Verfailles. 59 
 
 midft of a Wood 5 its a great Ba- 
 iba inclofed within two Balli- 
 ftrings 1 the firft of white Marble 
 W'ith ballifters of Iron gilt and gra- 
 ved, all adorned with leav’d Bran- 
 ches : And the lecond all . of caft 
 Copper, allb gilt and graved. In 
 the middle of the Bafon Fame is 
 ieeo, which is a great Statue of 
 Metal gilt on a terreftrial Globe 3 
 the whole on gilded Palm-trees. 
 
 On the two lides of this Foun- 
 tain there are two marble Summer - 
 houfes covered with caft Copper, 
 adorn’d with Garlands of Fruits 
 and Flowers in imboft work , and 
 \n\i\iCHpids gilt 5 and round about 
 the Fountain there are ten Ststues, 
 or, to rpeak mare properly, * lieir 
 Modils: We give not here the ex-* 
 plication, becaufe the Kings plea- 
 fure is not known thereon. The 
 Fountain was made by the Sieur de 
 2 Aerty. 
 
 The Sieur Cirardov, one of the 
 
 Kings 
 
6'0 An HiJIorical ExpUcatiom. 
 
 Kiogs Engravers , gave the defiga 
 and the Models of all the Tro- 
 phies of Arms which are about the 
 Fountain of Fan/£, as well of 
 thofe which are of caft Gopper 
 gilt, as of thole which are in 
 Relief on white Marble 3 and he 
 made the fourth part of them, the 
 reft were made by the Sieurs Jl^af- 
 feline^ Gavoh and Raon* 
 
 Thele Trophies are compoled 
 of all the Arms which every Na- 
 tion makes ufe of^ with ; Crowns 
 which are given for a recompence 
 to Martial valour : All thele IbrtSv 
 of Arms lerve as an ornament to 
 the Vidlories, Triumphs, and Glo- 
 ry of our great Monarch. 
 
 There is leen in this lame Wood 
 EnceUdim^ a Grant that threw 
 Rocks z%amdi ‘jHpiter, who buried 
 him under, the fame Rocks where- 
 with he had fought againft Hea- 
 ven. 
 
 As you come forth of the Wood, 
 
 where 
 
Verfailles. 6 t 
 
 where is the Fountain of Fam&i 
 I you will return to the Fountain of 
 FJera: if you are a w'eary, you 
 will find feats of* Marble which 
 will invite you to reft yout (elf. 
 
 I Look afterward along the Walk^ 
 you will fee the two other Foun- 
 tains : the fir ft you come to, repre- 
 fents mnter or Saturn. Made by 
 the Sieur Girardon. 
 
 But before you> come to this 
 Fountain oi Saturn, you will meet 
 the Royal Walk , and turning on 
 your right hand you will fee the 
 [ C^Wij/which reprc(entstheS?a. 
 
 ! The Fountain Apollo. 
 
 Near the Canal you will fee the 
 I Fountain of AfoUo^ which is ail of 
 i Metal. 
 
 Round about this Fountain near 
 I the Canal^ 2iXQ plac’d eight Statues 
 1 of Stone , made by the Sieur le 
 Remhert : they are Satyrs , artd 
 
 Bac- 
 
62 Afi Hijloncd Explication 
 
 Bacchants •• they are made for hu- 
 mour, and toferve as anornameac 
 to this great Bafon, 
 
 And on the Canal yon w\\\ fee 
 alfo a Veffel of a high Deck, with 
 three or four others of divers kinds, 
 two Venetian Gondola's, a Neapo- 
 litan Felucca, and many other Vef- 
 fels 5 fo that this place of the Ca- 
 nal reprefents a Sea port. There 
 are ften Sea horfes of metal which 
 feera to fwim. Apol^o_ fignifies here 
 the Sun rifing , and in the Grotto's 
 the Sun letting. 
 
 The Fountain of Saturn. 
 
 After you have leen the Canal, 
 you muft return as far as the Walk 
 whence you came, where by taking 
 on the right hand you will come to 
 the Fountain of Saturn ^ the Balbn 
 is adorn’d with all forts of Shell- 
 works: there is leen in the mid- ' 
 die Saturn accompanied with ma- 
 ny 
 
VerfailleSi * j 
 
 ny Cupids gilded, who are bufied 
 io making a good fire. 
 
 TheWater-GaUery, 
 
 By the fide of the Fountain of 
 Saturn we find the Water Gallery, 
 where there are one and twenty 
 Statues of ancient Marble, made 
 at Rome by moft Ikilful Artifts. 
 
 ihe Eleven Statues of the 
 Firji Rankj 
 
 The firft Rank begins by the fi- 
 gure which reprefents a Vefal 
 Itiun. 
 
 The lecood, a Bacchus. 
 
 The third, a Cybele. 
 
 The fourth, the Father Silenus, 
 
 The fifth, another Vefial. 
 
 The fixth, a Meleager the hun- 
 ter. 
 
 Theleventh, a Sylvanus, 
 
 The eighth, a Cleopatra. 
 
 The 
 
. idijtorical Explication 
 
 The niath , a little Goddefs of 
 Revenge. 
 
 The tenth, Ceres. 
 
 The eleventh. Pandora,, who p- 
 pen’d the box where were the Fe- 
 licities.v/h'xch returned to heaven, 
 there remaining in the, box nousht 
 
 but JSliferies. 
 
 The Ten Statues of the Se-^ 
 cond Ranh: 
 
 After having ended the fiift ^ 
 Rank, the fecond begins, whereof 
 the fir ft figure is Salmacjs the Her-; | 
 maphrodite. ^ 
 
 The fecond, Mercurp, who cm$ 
 off head, after having Iain 
 
 him aOeep with his Flute, that he 
 might carry away /<z, changed in. *, 
 to a Heifer, whereof was fi 
 the Guardian appointed by 
 who chang’d him into a Peacock 
 after his death. , . f 
 
 TtiQthudyBacch&s, ...ilj 
 
 The. f 
 
i. 
 
 - Ver failles. 65 
 
 r *' The fourth, rfyche. 
 
 ! The fifth is a figure reprefenting 
 a beautiful young man, 
 ; who was bdov’d of the Emperour 
 
 f&modus. 
 
 The fixth, a Famw in a dilguile 
 
 !of Bacchus. 
 
 The feventh, Vomona. 
 
 \ The eighth, alittle Sylvattus, 
 The ninth, a Minerva* 
 
 \ The tenth, a Bacchus* 
 
 I TheFoHntainof^&cchxts^orof 
 Autumn, 
 
 As you part from the Fountain 
 )f Saturn., turn on the left, you 
 tvill find the Fountain of Bacchus., 
 3r of Autumn, 
 
 This Fountain abounds with 
 »reat black Grapes , which make 
 he mouth water. You may ob- 
 erve there en pajjant, that in Ver- 
 there are two places where 
 we lick our lips without fwallow- 
 ing any thing 5 the one is at this 
 
 Foua- 
 
66 An Hijiorrcal Explicafhtt , 
 
 Fountain, and the other is within 
 the Apartments of the houfe, where, 
 the Goddejfes and NywpM,»re,^ whoi 
 difcover to you all their beauties 
 with great advantage* Made by 
 the Siear Mei"cy, 
 
 The Labyrinth* : 
 
 Near the Fountain o^.Bacchuf 
 we find t\xQ Labyr in th^ 'w here there 
 are all fatts of Animals, reprefeu-i 
 ting the oi.Mfope^ and ca-! 
 
 fting forth Water after divers man- 
 ners. Made by divers Carvers. 
 
 It is difBcult to get out of a La- 
 byrinth when a perloa is very 
 much ftrayed in it, that he has loft 
 the Idea of the ways , and above: 
 all, when we do not find an Ariad- 
 ne to give us a Clew of thred to 
 guide us forth. It rouft be owned 
 that this daughter of Minos was 
 very generous to help her Lover,, 
 not oaelyto the means of getting 
 
 out 
 
ef Verfailles. 6j 
 
 'out oF the Labyrinth^ but more' 
 Hover to follow him her lelF in his 
 'jflight, fo far, till this ungrateful 
 ' man left her all alone in a delart 
 Ifland. The ¥ahh is remarkable 
 ,in this, that the god Bacchus hap- 
 pily arriving in this Illand , and 
 finding there this unfortunate per- 
 (bn, he delivered her not onely 
 from the danger wherein fbe was, 
 but moreover married her , and 
 made her his lawful Wife, which 
 {hews us, that a good turn is never 
 lofl: j and that if it be not recom- 
 penfed by men, it never fails of be- 
 ing (b by God. ' 
 
 But that you may not go aftray 
 in Labyrinth ^ but may eafily 
 come forth, I give you in order the 
 names of the F4^/ei ; which are 
 reprefinted, that this may lerve 
 you as a guide and Clew of thread 
 to avoid pafiiqg twice by the fame 
 place. ” 
 
63. An Hi^pricdl Explication 
 
 The Fables which are within- 
 the Labyrinth, 
 
 The firft F4^/(?, is that of th^ 
 Horn-awl mdoithQ Birds. 
 
 Thefecond , the. Cpc^ and the. 
 Patridge. 
 
 The third , , the Coc^ and the? 
 Fox, 
 
 The fourth, the and the, 
 Diamond. 
 
 The fifth, the C4i hung and the 
 Ratsy 
 
 The fixth, the Eagle and the, j 
 Fox. 
 
 Tile feventb, the J aye and the . 
 Peacock^, 
 
 The eighth., the Cock^ 'tind the j 
 Turkey- cocl{. ' , 
 
 The ninth, thQfeaeock, and the ^ 
 Tye. . 
 
 The tenth, the Serpent^ the An- 
 and the Fi/^. . ji 
 
 “leventh , the Ape and its 
 
 The j 
 
<?/ Verfailles. <5^ 
 
 The twelfth, ih^combatof Ani- 
 
 Vials. 
 
 The thirteenth, the and Chic- 
 
 ken. 
 
 The fourteenth, the F.sx and the 
 Crane- 
 
 The fifteenth, the Crane and the 
 fox. 
 
 The fixteenth, the and 
 
 the Nightingale. 
 
 The feventeenth, the Parrot and 
 the Ape. 
 
 The eighteenth, the Ape Judge. 
 The ninteenth, the and the 
 Frog. 
 
 The twentieth, theH4reand the 
 
 Tortoife. 
 
 The twenty firft, the tFolfzad 
 the Crane. 
 
 The twenty fecond, the iC/7eand 
 Birds. 
 
 The twenty third, the Ape King. 
 The twenty fourth, the Fox and 
 the He-goat. 
 
 The twenty fifth, Conned of 
 f.ats. The 
 
70 Ah Hijiorkal Explication 
 
 The twenty fixth, the Jpe and 
 the Cat. 
 
 The twenty (eventh, the Fox 
 and the Grapes. 
 
 The twenty eighth , the Eagles 
 the Rabbeti and the Beetle. 
 
 The twenty ninth, the WolfairxQ\ 
 the Porcupine. 
 
 The thirtieth , the Serpent t»it&\ 
 many heads. 
 
 The thrty firft, the young IHouJe, 
 the Cat^ and the Wagoner. 
 
 The thirty (econd, the Kite and 
 the Pidgeons, 
 
 The thirty third , the Dolphin 
 znA the Ape. 
 
 The thirty fourth , the Fox and 
 the CroTP. 
 
 The thirty fifth , the Swan and 
 the Crvne. 
 
 The thirty fixth , the Wolf aad 
 the Head. 
 
 The thirty (eventh, the Serpent 
 and the Porcupine. 
 
 When you are come forth oi 
 
 the 
 
Verlailles. 71 
 
 ^the Lab^ritith , turn you on your 
 right hand till you are come in 
 * fight of the houle, you will lee the 
 Garden *plot called the green 
 »i Turfs, or the Horfe-lhoe ; there is 
 in the middle of it a great Balbn 
 iliwith a figure of white Marble, 
 which reprelents with A- 
 
 folio and Diana her two Children. 
 This Statue was made by the Sieur 
 de Mercy: I believe you will 
 
 judge it, with me, one of the beft 
 pieces of Verf aides ; there are in 
 the Balbn Peafants changing into 
 \Frogs, 
 
 It cannot be but you mull be 
 'weary at preleat 5 reft you a little 
 on the green Turfs, and in the mean 
 while I am going to relate to you 
 the ftory of Latona , which fome 
 lamongft you there may have 
 read. 
 
72 An Hijlorical Explication 
 
 The Story of Lotom. ^ J 
 
 Latona was a Miftreis of Jupi- ’ 
 /er 5 (he had by this god ApoUo \ 
 and Diana. This Goddels on a I 
 day flying from the jealous rage | 
 of Juno the Wife of Jupiter^ found ^ 
 her felf fo tir’d with the way, and ‘ 
 fo altered, that defiring to refrefti | 
 her (elf, (he was conftraioed in this: 
 devere neceifity to beg of (btne 
 Peafants to help her to (Qraewhatj 
 to drink water out of in the Mar- 1 
 (hes of Lycia'f but the(e Rufticksr 
 were not content barely to deny | 
 her, but they farther hindred her 
 from drinking with her Hands, 
 troubling the Water with Stones 
 and a great number of Clots of 
 earth, which they threw into it o- 
 ver a Hedge. This cruel dealiogi ^ 
 urged Latona to beg of Jupiter to 
 chaftife the infolence of thole raf- , 
 cally people: The incealed God ^ 
 
 heard 
 
of Verfailles. 75 
 
 heard the prayers of his abufed 
 Miftrefi, and at the very inftant 
 I changed thofe barbarous Peafants 
 I into Frogs. 
 
 j In truth a man muft be very 
 j ! muck a Boor, not to pay a refpeft 
 to Beauty, efpecially to that which 
 is carels’d and dearly bclov’d bfy a 
 Soveraign: and it’s to be in a 
 good way of becoming a Frog, to 
 forget a mans (elf to fuch a degree. 
 
 After that you have (ecn all that 
 there is in the Garden-plot of the 
 Hor(e-(hoe, you may ftethe Gar- 
 den-plot of Water, where will be 
 plac’d twenty eight Statues of white 
 Marble,which the K.ing has caus’d to 
 be made. 
 
 As you go to it you muft afcend by 
 the ftair cafe,where there is on each 
 fide a sphjnx of white marble, with 
 a Cupid of caft. Copper over it. 
 
 The explication of the Sphinx, 
 Seneca in his Oedipus, and in his 
 thehaids fays , that it was a Mon- 
 E fter 
 
74 An Hijiorical Explication 
 
 fter which appeard 3s far as the i 
 breaft like a Virgin, it h;^ the i 
 body of a Bird, thp foot and grafp i 
 of a Lyon 3 it liv’d in a Mountain 
 near Thebes in Thejfaly, He /ays 
 that this Monfter was the terrour 
 ot the Peafants, who/e cruelty was \ 
 to continue till fome perfon was : 
 found who could explain the fol- 1 
 lowing Riddle. i 
 
 The Riddle oft he Sphynx. ] 
 
 He aikt of all the Inhabitants, j| 
 and of all the Peafants, what Ani- | 
 nial it was which in the Morning ;l 
 went on four feet , at Noon on 1 
 two, and in the Evening on three ? j 
 This Riddle was at laft explained |1 
 by Oedipuff fon of lai^ King of | 
 Thebes^ who told him, That this 1 
 Animal was Man, who in his Infan- || 
 cy, that is to fay, the Morning of 1 
 his life, goes on four feet 3 at his 1 
 Noon, that is to fay, in his ftrengtb, 1 
 he goes with two feet 3 and in his i 
 
 old 
 
of Ver failles. 75 
 
 old age with three feet 5 the third 
 foot being the Staff with which he 
 fupports himffif. 
 
 The Hiftory which gave occa- 
 fion to this Fable, is that of Cad-^ 
 mm King of Thebes^ who had for 
 hisfirft W'xk zn Amaz,on^ that is to 
 fay, a Warlike woman 5 this Wo- 
 man was unfaithful to him ; and 
 this King had a (econd, w’hich af- 
 terward accompanied him in all 
 his adverfities , and was changed 
 ( as the Fable fays ) into a Serpent 
 with her Hufband 5 that is to fay, 
 fhe crept on the earth in the low- 
 nefs of her Hufbands fortune with 
 great prudence, and was faithful to 
 him even till death. 
 
 The firft Wife of Cadmus^ which 
 was called Sphynx , affoon as Ihe 
 knew that Cadmm had taken ano- 
 ther Wife, carried away the grea- 
 teft part of his trealures, and a Dog 
 which was very cruel to men 3 
 with this booty Ihe withdrew her- 
 E 2 flf 
 
7 ^ An Hijiorical Explication 
 
 lelf into this Mountain near ihebesy 
 where with the forces which (he had 
 gathered together, and with the 
 Dog, (lie prepared Ambufhes all 
 the hours of the night for Cadmus 
 or for bis people , and did him 
 great damages. Thole of thebes 
 called thele Ambufhes Riddles, be- 
 caufe they were hidden 5 lb that it 
 was laid, 
 
 Argiva Sphynx nos^ anigma quod- 
 dam froponens^ diripit. 
 
 That is to fay , the Sphynx in 
 propoling to us her Riddles , car- 
 ries away always a great many of 
 our people. This is what Palepha- 
 tus lays in his Traft, as giving 
 too light credit to fabulous Sto- 
 ries. 
 
 The two Sphynx's which are at 
 Verfaillet have half of the body of 
 a Woman, who wears a Royal 
 band, whereby the force of Arms 
 is denoted : t he other half is the 
 body of a Lyon who hides his 
 
 Paws, 
 
• of Verfailles. 77 
 
 Paws, on v/hich a Cupid is (er. All 
 this figoifies the force of Rings, 
 which being joyned with Pru- 
 dence and with Love, makes the 
 ; King invincible. By the Lyon who 
 hides his Paws is fignified , that 
 Kings muft hide their warlike De- 
 fignsand Enterprifej the nature oi 
 I the Lyon being to hide his Talons 
 when he goes abroad , that his 
 Trafts may not be known, which 
 he defaces with his Tail. • 
 
 Of thefe twenty eight Statues, 
 there will be four at the four cor- 
 ners of the Garden-piot, each ten 
 foot in height , reprelenting four 
 Rapes* 
 
 Thefirft is the Rape or carrying 
 away by force of Proferpiua by 
 i Pluto the God of Hell. The Sieur 
 I Girardon made this Statue. 
 
 The focond is the Rape of 0r/‘- 
 i thy a the Daughter of Eri&heus by 
 Boreas the God of the Winds. 
 Made by the Sieur de Mercy. 
 
 E s 
 
 The 
 
78 An Hiji&rtcal ExplivaHon 
 
 The third is the Rape of CjbeU 
 by S'aturn. Made by the Sieur 
 Regnaudin. 
 
 The fourth is the Rape of Coro- 
 nis by 'Neptune, Made by the Sieur 
 Baptifte Thuby. 
 
 In the walks of the fame Garden- 
 plot there wiilbe plac’t twenty four 
 figures of white Marble, each of 
 feven foot in height, reprelenting 
 by fix times four the four Seafons 
 •f the year 5 the four parts of the 
 World 5 the four Ages 5 the four 
 kinds of Poefic3 th? four parts of 
 the Day and Night 3 and the four 
 Elements. ^ The whole made by 
 the moft fkilful Carvers of the 
 Kingdom. 
 
 'ihe Four Seafons, 
 
 The Spring is reprefented by a 
 young Girl crowned with a Gar- 
 land, carrying in each hand a Nofe- 
 gay. 
 
 Soot- 
 
 J 
 
of V’erlailles. 79 
 
 is reprefented by Ceres, 
 crowned with Ears of Coro. 
 
 Autumn is reprefented by Bacchus 
 laden with. Grapes, and crowricd 
 with Ivy, holding a Cup in his 
 hand. 
 
 Arid Winter by an Old man, re- 
 prelenting Saturn, vvho has Eire at 
 his feet. 
 
 'The four parts of the Worlds 
 
 \ Europe is reprefented by a QaeeB 
 with a Horle, ^ • 
 
 I Ajta -carries a Cenler , to ftiew 
 that flie produces and fupplies us 
 ! with Perfumes ^ (he has a Camel by 
 * htr fide. 
 
 Africa is a Moor with a Ly- 
 on. 
 
 America is a Woman adorn’d 
 i with Oftrich-Feathers 5 having a 
 1 Crocodile by her fide. 
 
 E 4 The 
 
So Am Eifiorical ExplecatioM 
 
 { 
 
 The four Ages, { 
 
 The Golden Age is •reprefcnted ^ 
 by a beautiful Girl crown’d with a 
 Garland of flowers j (he holds a 3 
 Bee- hive in one hand, and with 
 she other an Olive-branch: Thefe 
 things flgnifie the union and peace 
 of the firft Age. j 
 
 The Silver Age y is a Girl lels ^ 
 beautiful than the former, ad van- 1 
 tageoufly habited, deckt withPre- ( 
 cious ftones«and ^arlsj with the 1 
 right hand fhe leans on a Plough- a 
 ftiare, and with her left (he carries | 
 a Sheaf or bundle of ears of Wheat 5 J 
 which intimates to us, that men in I 
 that Age began to labour and cul- ' 
 tivate the earth. I 
 
 The Bnafen Age is repreiented S 
 by a Woman armed , having a re- f 
 folute Countenance, and her Head- i 
 piece crefted with the head of a 
 Lyon. We fhall give it no other 
 
 ex- 
 
of Vcrlailles. Bi 
 
 ex^plication thaa that which Ovid 
 gives it in thefe two Verfes. 
 
 Hhis crutl agt through an inhumane 
 art^ 
 
 Toung Warrier.t arnid with Javelin^ 
 Sword^ and DarK 
 
 The Iron Age is reprefented by 
 a hideous Woman, vt%o has a 
 frightful afpe^t ; (he wears a Head- 
 piece which has for Crefk the head 
 of a Wolf. She has in her right 
 hand a Sword, and in the left hand 
 a Shield, in the midfl of which is 
 painted Fraud under the figurq^of 
 a Monfter which has.the head of a 
 Mao, and the body of a Mermaid, 
 who by her finging draws to her 
 Paflfengers to devour them : This 
 Statue has under its feet a Tro- 
 phy of Arms with fpoils taken in 
 War, 
 
§2 An Hijiorical Explication 
 
 T.hen Reafon^ Truths and JuJlice Jled 
 awajf. 
 
 And Lyings Fraud, and M.alice bore 
 the fd> ay, • 
 
 the four kinds of Voefie. 
 
 The Lyr'^kM reprefented under 
 the figure of Apollo, 
 
 The HemV^ under the figure of 
 a Hero. 
 
 The Faftoral is repreftuted by a 
 shepherd. 
 
 And the Satyrickjbiy a Satyr. 
 
 The four pc^rts of the Day and 
 Night. 
 
 The EaB, or the Day-break,, is 
 rcprefented under the figure of a 
 Woman, having a Star on her head, 
 and a Cock at her feet ; It is or- 
 dinarily reprefented by a beautiful 
 Boy, who carries ou his head Luci- 
 
of Verfailles. 
 
 fer^ or the Star which gives tidrogjs 
 of the day j which made Petrar^ 
 fay, 
 
 Shrt while before it's day tkk A- 
 morom Star * 
 
 Aypearr in th’Eaft more bright than 
 any are. 
 
 4 
 
 A ad the Prince of Poets Virgil: 
 
 Already on ihe tops of Rocks 'th 
 . plain, . . , 
 
 The Morning-far brings day light 
 in again. ' * 
 
 The SoHt^y 
 
 • i he South is reprefeated a 
 young modrdli- GirJ of a mean fta- 
 ture, having over her head a Sun, 
 which darts down its R.*js per- 
 pendicularly^ : She holds ‘in ‘her 
 right hand an Afrow , aad in her 
 Jeit aSlhrub. 
 
 7‘.he 
 
84 An Hifiorical Explication 
 
 The North, 
 
 The North is reprelented by a 
 Man armed. 
 
 The mil. 
 
 The lFe!i is* reprelented by an 
 Old man who (hews with bis right 
 hand the place where the Sun (ets : 
 He (ignifies a quiet and (till Seafon, 
 as may be feen by thefe Verles of 
 Ovid : 
 
 ’Ttpof in a time Tohen noife was calm 
 and jiiSi # 
 
 when reii and (Hence all the earth 
 did fU, . • 
 
 The four Elements. 
 
 The Earth is reprefented by a 
 Woman who holds a Hornof A- 
 buudaace 5 (he has a Lyon at her 
 feet, ihe 
 
I ef Verfailles*^ 85 
 
 j • The Water. 
 
 I 
 
 The Water b reprefented by a- 
 nother Woman crowned with 
 Reeds, and pouring Water out of 
 aVeffel. 
 
 j 7 he Air. 
 
 I 
 
 I The Air is reprefented by a wo- 
 ! man who carries a Rainbow , with 
 Zephjr^’s^ and a Champleon at her 
 feet^ 
 
 The Fire. 
 
 The Fire is reprefented alio by a 
 woman, who carries Fite, and has 
 a Salamander under her feet. 
 
 This is the end of what there is 
 moft remarkable at VerfaiUes 5 for 
 he that would defcribe all the par- 
 ticularities of this inchanted houfe, 
 muft make a great Volume. There 
 
86 An Hi [lor i cal Explication 
 
 is nothing (eeri there which is not 
 worthy oFadmiratioo. Therhiogs 
 which appear there even the moit 
 common , would (erve for Orna- 
 ments of themoft beautiful Palaces 
 fjf the world. The Fountains and 
 VVaicr - fpouts are there in lb i 
 great a number, and of different 
 forts 5 the Garden-plots foexacHyji 
 regular 3* the Paintings fo beauti- 
 ful 5 and the Statues fo natural, I 
 and fo excellently wrought , that i 
 unieft they arefeen, and fome ftay ' 
 be made at Ver failles to coafider i 
 them, it is impoffible to be able i 
 to conceive w'ell their fineiiefs and ( 
 excellency. I hope neverthelels ( 
 that the explication which I have a 
 now made* will contribute not a .,1 
 little to the latisfaftion of your I 
 curiolity, fiace that by forving you 
 as a Guide, it will pleafaatly in- 
 ftrud: you in the hiftory of the 
 greatert part of the figures which 
 you will fee 5 and withal in the 
 
 names 
 
of Verfailles. 87 
 
 names of the excellent Artifts who 
 made them. 
 
 When all has been leen that 
 there is in the Garden, a man may 
 go and fee the'Vwarium which is 
 on the left fide of the and 
 
 the beautiful houfe of the Trinnon, 
 which is on the right fide of the 
 Canal. 
 
 In the Vivarium are leen many 
 kinds of Animals v.'hich have been 
 cauled to be brought from Forein 
 Countries, and a great number of 
 divers kinds of Bird^s that are ve- 
 ry rare: among which you may 
 3 blerve the DemoifeU.es., Oftriches, 
 Cormorants, a white Crow, Ducks 
 ind Geele of divers kinds, which 
 :)y the noife they make, verifie the 
 Halidn Proverb, which fays, 
 
 D'oue e donne e ocche 
 Non ve parole pocche> 
 
 The Water-lpouts which are 
 
 made 
 
88 An Hijiorteal Explication 
 
 made there to fpring ap on all 
 (ides , make one beauty of the , 
 walk of the Vivarium. 
 
 The Trianon^ which may be cal^ 
 led the chief Ornament .of V txiiiiX- 
 les, is a houfe made after the man- 
 ner of a Sea-fnail, where there is 
 a great number of very fineLook- 
 ing-glaffes , a plea(ant Garden, a 
 fine Orange- grove, dreading no- 
 thing but the Winter, which obli-: 
 ges it to keep in all its Perfumes for 
 the Summer, the which it then free- 
 ly diffules round, about. It’s in, 
 this place where’the per- 
 
 fume themfel ves, to glide afterwards , 
 pleafantly along the walks of l^er- 
 failles to rejoyce by their pleafant. j 
 odours thofe that walk there. I 
 
St. Cloud. 
 
 An Hijioricat Ex frit cat ion of 
 what there is mo ji remarkable 
 in the houfe of Monfieur at 
 Saint Cloud. 
 
 \ 
 
 • ' 
 
 « 
 
 1 F , Gentlemen , you have had 
 I much pieafurein Verfailles., you 
 (hall have ftsll even < o rark'.^ox in re- 
 mraiog hither, b* uut s the walks of 
 Trees which guard you from the 
 rays of the Sun, you will meet on 
 your way the houfe of Monfieur 
 at Saint Cloud : The Prcfpe^ is fo 
 beautiful, that you- cannot but de- 
 fire to go into itj you will lee 
 there very excellent Paintings, of 
 the work of the Sieur Mlgnard, a 
 very (kilful Painter and one of 
 the beft Geniui s which we have. 
 When therefore you are gotten 
 
 with- 
 
po An Wfioricd Explication 
 
 within the Court of the houfe, you 
 will lee in the Pediment of the 
 chief Front a Dy al unveifd by 
 l ime , with Ibme Amours which 
 reprefent the four parts of the 
 day. 
 
 On the Cornich' whic’ h born 
 up by four Columns of Corinthi- 
 an Ordefjthere isStrength^Prudence^ 
 Riches^ md War. 
 
 On the rigfit wing of th^ houle 
 there are m Niches four hgures, 
 which reprefent Eloquence, Mujic^, 
 Feajiing aijd Tenth. 
 
 At the head of th^ right wing 
 there are four figures, which repre- 
 font , the Sprit g^ Policy, ^ 
 
 zud Abundance. ' 
 
 At the left wing of the houfo i 
 Playing is reprefented by the God i 
 Memm, Dancing by a Bacchant: i 
 there are alfo Peace and Riches. 1 
 At the head of the left wing i 
 there is Hunting reprefonted by | 
 Meleager 5 C onji an cy by a woman ( 
 
 who ' 
 
of St. Cloud. 91 
 
 who holds a Heart in her hand 5 
 Recompence by Apollo 5 and Sci- 
 ence by a Woman who holds a 
 Book. 
 
 7‘he Gallery of Apollo. 
 
 Yoa Vvill afcend next into the 
 Gallery Apollo. As you enter, 
 the firft Pifture that is over the 
 door reprefents the birth of Apol- 
 lo and Diana : Wearied Lalona 
 begs of Jupiter vengeance on the 
 bale Peafants of Lycia j there is 
 one ftooping who difturbs the wa- 
 ter, to hinder her from drinking, 
 and another crouching behind her, 
 whoT makes mops and mout^is at 
 this Goddels, threatning her. 
 
 At the other end of the Pifture 
 on the left hand, behind a figure 
 lying down and Oeepiog, there are 
 two little figiircs^pf a little male 
 Peafant, and of a Tittle femal Pea» 
 rant 5 the firft holds a Flute, and 
 
 the 
 
92 An Hijlorjcai Explication 
 
 the fecotKl a Neft of Ducks. 
 
 Jupiter is there reprefented oq- a ' 
 Cloudv 1 
 
 And the ground of the Picture i 
 reprefents the lOe of Delos, mth the i 
 Sea and a great Foreh*. 
 
 It’s in that lOand where tatona \ 
 was delivered of Apolio and Diana \ 
 on a- Palm tree : The.Palm tree fi. I 
 gni lies the viftory which (he gain- 
 ed over the hardlhips which the I 
 Jealoulie of had forct hen 
 upon. I 
 
 By Latona the Fable under- 1 
 flands 5 which in defpite ofl 
 the Jealoufie of Riches (ignified I 
 by Juno, brings forth the beautiful i 
 light^bf the Day , and that of the I 
 Night : This Nymph is made by ( 
 the Miftrefs of Jupiter^ becaufe 
 God loves Vertue, and puts light 1 
 in. its heart and underftanding, t 
 which it does not bring forth but i 
 by pain and labour ,^and after ha- f 
 vdng gain’d a glorious victory. \ 
 
 By 
 
of St. Cloud. 
 
 By the Peafants of Ljeia who 
 difturbed ter water, ought to be 
 underftood the rafcally fort of Peo- 
 ple, who ordinarily infultover and 
 defpi'e unfortunate Venue. If 
 Jkpfter changed them into Frogs, 
 It means that God leaves (iich peo- 
 ple to wallow io the dirt like 
 F rogs. 
 
 In the great Cieling- piece of this 
 Gallery, the rifi^gSun is reprefen' 
 ted iffuing from tes Palace, accom- 
 panied with the hours of the Day, 
 driving away and refolving the 
 Vapour which forms the obfcuri* 
 ty 5 he has a child goes before him, 
 who carries a little Horn full of 
 Fruits, which reprefents Abun- 
 dance. 
 
 Lower, beneath, there are two 
 little Zephyrus who pour down 
 the morning Dew upon the com- 
 ing of the rays of the Sun. Auro- 
 ra appears in her Chariot, before 
 whom a flying Cupid ftrews FIowa 
 
94 Hijlotical Explicatioft 
 
 ers. A hove,' a little before Aurora, 
 the Morniog-ftar is repreiented by 
 a beautiful young man who carries 
 it on his head, a Rod in his hand, 
 driving away the night and all the 
 ConftellatioBS before him : the 
 Swallow,- which is the bird that 
 fings before day-break, flies a little 
 before, 
 
 . At the end of the Pidure* ap- 
 pears Nig^t in a rapid and violent 
 pofture , drawing with her two 
 hands her Veils , and accompanied 
 with her two Children, whereof! 
 one reprefents the fleep of life, and 
 the other that of death. 
 
 . The four Seaibns of the year are 
 there reprelented. 'tl 
 
 The Spring, 
 
 III 
 
 III 
 
 ThQ Spring is reprefented by the ill 
 Feafts or the Marriage of Flora ^ 
 and Zephyrm : that Goddels ap- lit 
 pears on a bed, Zephyrm by her, 
 
 who 
 
of St. Cloud. 
 
 who careffes her with one hand, 
 and (hews with the other an ex- 
 treatn earne(tne(s to pour on her 
 Flowers, which one of the hours 
 of the day brings in a little Horn 
 of Abundance. Three Cupids are 
 ibout her ; there is one who holds 
 I balket of Flowers, another who 
 :akesofF them to throw confuledly 
 3 n Flora 5 and a third fitting by 
 mother little bafket of Flowers, 
 therewith he makes Garlands. * 
 
 On the left fide of the Goddefs 
 n the fide of the Pifture, three 
 imours moxQ are’leen ; the firft fif- 
 ing on the (kin of a He- goat, 
 vhich he pierces to draw Wine, 
 hence 5 the (econd who receives 
 t itj.a Cupof Gold 5 and the third 
 bated lower , holding a VefTel be- 
 wixt his leg? , who receives allb 
 he wine which iffues from this 
 le-goat arch-wife , and with vio- 
 ence. 
 
 On her right fide behind Zephj- 
 
 rus^i 
 
9 6 An Hijiortcal Explication 
 
 ruf, there are two other Cupids^ 
 whereof oae reprefents IVinter^Who 
 bolds a lighted Torch ^ and the 
 other plays with a lirtle bird, which 
 he has let fly. 
 
 In the forepart of the Pidure is 
 a figure which kneels, and gathers 
 Flowers to carry them to Flora i 
 and on the other fide before the 
 Pifture of Flora, in the forepart ol 
 the Piftare, is a figure (cen by the 
 back, which takes with one hand 
 Flowers in a baiket, and with the 
 other takes Flowers from on the 
 bed of Flora 5 and near her there 
 are Veflels reprefented with a Ta- 
 ble (et with a (mall Treat. There is 
 the ancient figure of the Salt which 
 was ufed in all her meals, being in 
 the form of a fmall Pyramid, with 
 Cakes and other Fruits. 
 
 In the ground of the Pifturc 
 the little figures appearing at a di 
 ftance, reprelent Bacchants^ wfith 
 Catjtr/y who come torejoycethem 
 fcl ves at the F eafts of Flora. Thi 
 
97 
 
 of St, Cloud. 
 
 ) • T/jc Summer. 
 
 The Summer is reprelented by the 
 F eafts of Ceres. 
 
 The Virgins who carry the Sta- 
 tue of this Goddefs in devotion a- 
 imong Corn for the Fertility of the 
 iEarth, make a ftop, having ftt down 
 their Trivet and brought their offe- 
 irings, which are a Sow and a Sheep, 
 to (acrifice them, about which they 
 are employ’d. 
 
 The foremoft Figure feen by the 
 back, is reprelented by the Sacrificer 
 holding a Knife in the right hand, 
 and in a pofture of cutting the 
 throat of the Sacrifice , at the in- 
 ftant that the Prieftefs pronoun- 
 ces the cfifential words of the Sa- 
 crifice, and at the iame time that a- 
 □other Virgin pours Milk and Wine 
 on the fire of the Trivet, which 
 ficoaks; the Virgins are followed 
 by Bacchants with ancient Inftru- 
 menfs 5 and whilft the Sacrifice is 
 
^8 An Hijiorical Explication 
 
 making , the Harveft-People put 
 themfelm on their knees with Tor- 
 ches in their hands, in a pofture 
 of adoring the Goddefs Cent ., 
 which the Virgins carry on their 
 ihoulders 5 and others preient her 
 (heafs of Corn. The Painter, to 
 (hew the extream heat of the Sum- 
 mer, has reprefented the Dog-Star 
 with a Cloud : This Dog-Star is a 
 thirfty Dog regarding the Sun. 
 
 Autumn. 
 
 It is reprefented by the Feafts ol 
 ‘Bacchus^ ciiWd Bacchanalia. 
 
 At his return from the In diet ht 
 found Ariadne all bedewed with 
 Tears, whom wicked Thefeus had-i 
 left alone in a defart I Hand. '' 
 
 The Painter reprefents in theji 
 midft of his Pidure, Thefeut md 
 riadne in a Chariot drawn by Pa^P 
 thers, which are driven by two', 
 Cupids^ (eeming to comfort her by 
 the joy which (he ought to hav< i 
 
cf St, Cloud. 
 
 t for being near a God. There is re- 
 . prefented an orderly march of 
 Founts and Bacchants^ with the Ja- 
 velin wrapt with Ivy in their hands, 
 of whom one dances before the 
 Chariot, beating a Drum 5 and ano- 
 ther carries a Pannier of Grapes, 
 leeming to be pleas’d by his foiling 
 air, to (ee two little Children, one 
 fallen afleep by the Vintage, and the 
 other laughing at him. 
 
 This Company is followed by the 
 good Father Silenm, carried by 
 Faunes '^ and all this Troop is deckt 
 and crown’d with Vine and Ivy- 
 leaves. 
 
 The ground of the Pifture re- 
 prefents a Sea, and a little Veflel 
 appearing at a diftance, which 
 riadne (hews to Bacchus^ as an in- 
 conftant perlbn, who has lEbrlakea 
 her ; this is on the left. 
 
 On the right are reprefented the 
 Trees of Autumn with Fruits. The 
 perrons marching in order, have Ti- 
 - F 2 gers 
 
i®0 An Hijierical Explication 
 
 gers feins about thero, The Vi- 
 zards and Drums which are there, 
 denote the rejoy cings atthe Fealis 
 of Bdcchtfs, 
 
 The Winter. 
 
 The chief Figure of the Piaure 
 is reprefented by the Wind Boreai^ 
 with his two (bnsj Boreas on a great 
 Cloud, his Cloak ■ wrapt about hi{. 
 left afru, flying and blowing in s, 
 rage the Hail and Snow with his i 
 two Children, driving away the ^ 
 Sun, who goes to hide hiruftlf inthc; 
 corner of the Picture. The Sun ii, 
 almoft ofFufeated by a thick anc, 
 dark Cloud which purfues him. j 
 Behind Boreas the feven Vleiades^ 
 are reprefented, 'as well in humans | 
 T'igurcs as in Stars, which refo!vt,| 
 theaifelves into Water, and poui 
 down Water from ancient Veflels. | 
 la the forepart ofthe Pifture ths | 
 Earth is reprefented begging relie 
 
 o 
 
 1 
 
(?/<?#. Cloud. Id: 
 
 of the Sua : Vulcan comes behind, 
 
 oltering her the Fire of the Earthy 
 there being now none but him who 
 can give her faccour. 
 
 A fUver is there reprefcntec!' 
 (bait what- at a diQauce under a 
 Grotto with its Wine in it 5 tho 
 water whieh iffues from it being all 
 congeal’d into ICe. 
 
 The Ground of the Pidure is a- 
 Sea agitated, full oi Storm«, where- 
 are fonis Vefiels in danger 3 the 
 Sea-coaft is frozen, and there are 
 on the Banks Water-fowl. • 
 
 We' fee Parnajfm and Apoi/a.^ 
 who invite to them poi si- 
 
 ring at a Nightingale fitting on the 
 branch ofa Laurel-tree (asthe fym- 
 bol of Mufick ) of which he pre- 
 tends that men hearken to all the 
 iioteSjto caufe them to be obferv’d. 
 
 The twoGhildren which arena the 
 forepart of the Pifture, one whith 
 [trikes with a Hammer on an An- 
 vil, and the other which is taking, 
 F- 3, a 
 
102 An HifioridalExplicatieH 
 
 a Hammer out of a pair of Scales ta 
 ftrike with him, denote Meafure \ 
 and the , Scales which are beneath- 
 the Anvil on the ground, denote 
 JuJiice. 
 
 The Swans which are on the leff 
 fide reprelent the voice of the 
 Poets. ! 
 
 As to the four little Piftures of i 
 tjie Vault, of the two on the. two ' 
 fidesof the great Seiling.piece, that 
 which is oa the right regarding the i' 
 great Seiliag- piece, is Clyntcne^ who 
 prefents her Son fhaetcn to ApoUo 
 for him to own him. ^ 
 
 That which is on the left repre- , 
 feats ApoUq vj'i'ih flying in ' 
 
 the Air, (hewing Vertue, who is j 
 (eated beneath on Clouds, his Seat 
 all full of light, which is the place ij 
 where he will have her to fit : Tb€ 
 Amour of Vertue is by , fiated on ® 
 Clouds, holding great branches of H 
 Laurels, which (erve but as an Or- ' 
 nament to the Pidure. 
 
 Thofe I 
 
6 f 5 *#. Clond. 105 
 
 Thofe of the ends, that on the 
 right regarding the great Seiling- 
 piece, reprefents Circe the Daugh- 
 ter of the Sun, feated on Clouds 5 
 a Cupid near her, who prefents her 
 a great number of Herbs. 
 
 And on the right at the other 
 end, bold Icarus is reprefented, with 
 his Wings melting, in the poflruie 
 of a man frighted, who finds hini* 
 felf falling from the courfe cf the 
 Sun on the Earth. 
 
 The eight bas Reliefs this 
 beautiful Gallery are (ec in great 
 round gilded Frames. 
 
 The firft, which is as you enter 
 into the Gallery on the right, re- 
 prefents Apollo before the Porch of 
 his Temple, his Tripod before him, 
 the.yi^^/ on her knees (hewing bsm 
 a handful of Sea fands in her band, 
 and begging him to make her live 
 as many years as file carries grains 
 of Sand. * 
 
 The (econd on the left, repre- 
 F 4 ftnta 
 
104 Hrjiorjcal Explication 
 
 lents Apollo feated on aTerrafi, the 
 God Efcklapim his Son on his knees 
 near him, leaning on a great Book 
 v?hich is on the knees oi Apollo, a ' 
 great number of Plants before them 
 which iflue from the Earth, and 
 which Apollo (hews him to teach 
 him Phyiick. 
 
 There are two other has Reliefs 
 greater than the former, which ex- 
 tend themfelves even to half the 
 Gallery j The one reprelents the 
 tiefiance of Marfias to Apollo, Mi- 
 das near them, who is the judge- 
 The other on the right oppoiue to 
 jt , reprefhnts Apollo, who caufts 
 Marftas to he Aea’d. ; 
 
 There are four other has Reliefs j 
 which make the other half of the | 
 Gallery : The firft on the right re- 
 prelents the change of Coronis , and , 
 the lecond on the left, that of , 
 Daphne into a Laorel-tree : And !j 
 at the end of the Gallery a't the two , 
 (ides of the Piftare of Parnaffut, on | 
 
 the 
 
GJoudi 105 
 
 the right, is the change of Cj/pa- 
 rjjfus into a Gypreis-tree 5 and oa 
 the lelTr, that of C7j///4 into the Sun’ 
 flower. 
 
 From the Gallery you go to the 
 great Hall, where are reprefented 
 the of Venus and of Mars.j 
 
 which is a great ftory, whereof the 
 Painting is very excellentr 
 
 ihe Explication of the Amours of 
 Mars and Venus, which are in 
 the great Hall. : 
 
 It isgood to know,for the better 
 UQderftanding of this Explication, 
 iha^tCoelus was the fir ft Deity which 
 the Pagans knew : The fccond was 
 Saturn his Son, who reprefented 
 Time. It’s for this realbn that he is 
 painted as an old man, with Wings' 
 on his backhand a Sithe ia his hand .* 
 he has Wings- to 'fignifie that Time 
 runs on fvvifr, that it feems to- 
 flle 5 he- IS painted as an old man, 
 F 5 
 
to6 An HifioHcal Explication 
 
 becaufe he was created the firft 5 
 and they give him a Sithe, to (hew 
 that like a Mower he cuts all down, 
 and deftroys all that Nature pro- 
 duces. He was reprefented alfb 
 devouring one of his Children, to 
 (hew that he deftroys that which e- 
 ven himfelf has engendred : and 
 that his Father C(clt 0 fliould not 
 engender other Gods more than 
 hirafclf, he took from him with his 
 Sithe the power of engendring | 
 The Bloud falling into the Sea, arid 
 being mtxt with the froth which is 
 made of its Waves againft the 
 Rocks of the Ifland of Cyprm^ eri- 
 gendred who liv d in this 
 
 flLnd 5 which gave her the name 
 of CyprffS^ and Cyprian Venus. 
 
 This Goddels was the Wife of 
 Vulcan^ who was the God of Smiths.' 
 They had Cupid, who has been ta- 
 ken for the God of Love, or for 
 Love it felf. 
 
 was the God of War, Son 
 
 of 
 
St, Cloud. 10^7 
 
 of the Goddeft Wifeof 
 ter, who through the Jealoufie 
 which (he couceiv’d, for that 
 ter her Hufband had all alone en<» 
 geadred the Goddels Mi»erv4 in 
 his brain : She would likewile en- 
 gender alone, which fhe did by 
 touching a Flower by the counftl 
 of the Goddels Flora. 
 
 Minerva is the Goddefi of Arts 
 and Sciences •• (he preficfes over de- 
 fenfive Arms, and then (he is called 
 Sellona : Sheiffued from the brain 
 of Jupiter. 
 
 The true fence of this Fable is, 
 that by Jupiter mart be underftood 
 the fuprenie Deity, who by his wif* 
 dom has letled the conditions of 
 things, and has given to men Sci- 
 ence and the invention of Arts, and 
 the means to defend themfelves a- 
 gainft thofe who would difturb 
 them , in whatfbever manner it 
 be. 
 
 The Goddefs Juno in this place is 
 
 taken 
 
iq| An Hijlorical Explication 
 
 taken for Riches 5 v/hich joyo’d 
 with Jealoufie , have engendred 
 Mars^ who fignifies War, which di- 
 fturbsthe quiet of States, which are 
 reprefented by the Goddefs Miner- 
 va. War is made very often by the 
 counfel of Youth, fighified by Ffo- 
 ra, who is the Goddefi of it. 
 
 Aiars became amorous of the 
 Goddefs Fenua 5 the Sun, who was 
 the Nephew of Vulcan, difcover'd 
 to him the wanton Loves of Venffs 
 his Wife with Mars ^ whereupon 
 Vulcan being toucht with Jealou- 
 lie, made a Net fb fubtle and deli- 
 cate, with lb much ikill and artifice, 
 at the places where Mars had mee- 
 tings with his'Wife, that they were 
 there both taken, and expos’d to the 
 derifion and laughter of all the 
 Gods. 
 
 The roeanina' of the Fable is, 
 that by Mars we muft underhand 
 Men of War, and by Venus Plea- 
 fiaiej which the Poets have feign’d to 
 
 in- 
 
<7/5/. Cloud. 109 
 
 inhabit the Ille of C9j7r»/, becaufe it 
 was at that time the mod fertile and 
 moft voluptuous of all the Levant, 
 It’s alfo on this occafion that the 
 Poets have faid, that when Soul- 
 diers yield themfelves to be over- 
 come with Pleafures, they come to 
 a relaxation of that warlike vertue 
 which they had acquired in Mili- 
 tary Difcipline , and as effeminacy 
 over-rules them, the friends of the 
 contrary party , fignified by the 
 Snf7^ who difcovers the Amours of 
 Venus to Vulcan^ feeing their dilor- 
 der , give notice to their Enemies 5 
 who finding them in the arms of 
 Pleafure, defeat them, and cut them 
 in pieces. Thus they find them- 
 felves taken in the^,Ner, where the 
 fire of Lafcivioafnefs, which is the 
 Hulbind of Pleafure , has caught 
 them, and where afterward thole 
 who haveelcap’d death, are expos'd 
 to the laughter of the great men of 
 the World, fignified by the Gods, 
 
 who 
 
1 10 An Hiftoricai Explication 
 
 who derided Afar/ and Venm taken 
 in the Ne^ made by Vulcan : and 
 Hiftory is fiird with an infinite 
 number of the like Examples. 
 
 Vulcan is made the Hufband of 
 Venus^ to fhew that Fire is infepai 
 rable from Pleafure, which has al-, 
 ways fomewhat that is deform’d^ 
 and is the caufe that Arms are of- 
 ten made on her occafion. It’s for 
 this reafbn that Vulcan made the 
 Arms of Mneas^ of whom Venus 
 laid her (elf the Mother. And the 
 Fable (hews in this place, that An- 
 chife/ t\it Father of ^neas^ was 
 very rich and powerful, and that he 
 lived in a Country very much a- 
 bounding in all that might fervefor 
 pleafure, and his Wife was doubt- 
 left oneofthefairefiof hertime. 
 
 Xhe Arms of the Grecian/ and 
 Trojans^ were they not forg’d by 
 Vulcan^ is to lay, by the Fire of 
 Pleafure, by reafbn of Paris’s carry- 
 ing away of Helena by force } If 
 
 Vulcan 
 
Cloud. Ill 
 
 VklcaH be painted lame, holding a 
 woodden leg in his hand, its be- 
 caufe the Fire cannot fupport it felf 
 and fubfift, without Wood : and 
 if he be made the God of Smiths, 
 it’s becaufe he lerves to forge Arms, 
 and to make the points of the Ar- 
 rows of Ckpidf or of Love y there 
 being nothing (b certain, as that it 
 is the Fire of Pleafure which whets 
 and makes the firft points of Love. 
 
 We fee moreover in thefe A- 
 mours of Alars and Venus^ this God 
 ofWar, who is difarm’d by many 
 little Ckpnls, at the time that he 
 comes to pay a Vifit to his Miftrifs; 
 which (hews that Pleafure difarms 
 and renders effeminate the mod ge- 
 nerous hearts. 
 
 Thus you have the true explica- 
 tion of the Amours of Feum and of 
 /Jars 5 and if any one afKs whence 
 I have taken it, I aofwer him, that 
 it was from the brain of the God- 
 defs Minerva^ who of late threw 
 
112 ' An Hijiorieal Explication 
 
 on the Earth this produftion of her 
 underftanding, for the firft who 
 could find it ; and Chance has bap 
 pily made me light upon it to put' 
 it in this place. 
 
 Afterward as you enter into the 
 Garden by the great Stair- cafe, you 
 (ee there a Cleopatra and a Bacchus 5 
 at the fide of k four little Water- 
 fpouts ; and at the bottom of this 
 Stair-cafe a great Baibn, where there 
 are two great Water-fpouts. 
 
 There are feen round about this 
 great Baiba the four Elements re* 
 preiented by twelve Deities. 
 
 The firft Figure is Vulcan^ who 
 has at his feet a Head- piece made 
 by himielf, and Iron-bars, a Ham- 
 mer, and the Net with which he 
 took Venus ^ uni Mars lying toge- 
 ther 5 which the Sun, who fees all 
 things, had difcoverd to him i lie 
 leans -with his left hand on an Anvil, 
 and with his right he ftrokes his 
 Beard, and looks on Venus^ reproa- 
 ching 
 
cf Sf. Cloud. 1 13 
 : chiog her as it were for her Infideli- 
 
 The (econd Figure is Vemts^ who 
 looks on Vulcaft^ and prefents him 
 Necklaces of Pearl as it were to ap- 
 pealc him. 
 
 The third Figure is ; thofe 
 are the three Deities v^hich repre- 
 fent the Fire. 
 
 The fourth and the fifth repre- 
 fcnting the one the R.iver <S#/x, the 
 other Galathea : And the lixth 
 
 which reprelents llvpune, are the 
 Deifies of the Water, 
 
 Thefe^enth, theeighth, and the 
 ninth , which reprefent , the- 4 iift 
 C/,res with ears of Corn^ the lecood 
 the third Flora: Theie 
 ate the Deities of the Earth. 
 
 The Knth Figure is who has 
 little wings at her heels and on her 
 head : She is the Meffenger of Ja- 
 no^ as Mercury is of Jupiter. 
 
 The eleventh and the twelfth Fi- 
 . gures are Zephyrus and Juno: Thefe 
 
 laft 
 
1 14 Hijloric/tl Explicatioa^^c. 
 
 laft are the Deities of the Air. 
 
 So that the partition of the foar 
 Elements is made by thefe twelve 
 Statues. 
 
 The fix which are on the fide of 
 the Houle, reprefent the Air and the 
 Fire. 
 
 The other fix oppofite reprefent 
 the Earth and the Water 5 made by 
 the Sieur de Cadewfie. 
 
 Finally, there is leen in this beau- 
 tiful Garden very fine Cafcades^ and 
 an infinite ftore of other excellent 
 things, which are not here difco* 
 ver’d , I having propos’d to my 
 felf onely v;hat there is mofi: confi- 
 derable to be ^en in this charming 
 and delightful Seat. 
 
 A 
 
A coiT)pendious Inventory of 
 the Treafury of St. Demf, 
 where the Pieces are plac d 
 in the following order , 
 which are fliewn in each 
 Prefs for the fatisfa£Hoil ot 
 Curious Perfons. 
 
 Firil, 
 
 i>/ the jiyii Prefs near tht entrance 
 of the Treajurj. 
 
 :% Great , very beautiful , and 
 pretious Croft of maffie Gold, 
 alicover’d before with Rubies, Sa- 
 phirs, Emeralds, and Oriental Pearl. 
 T here is (hewn under the rich little 
 Croft which is in the midft of it, 
 the length of a foot and a half oi: 
 
TT6 The Treafurj^ | 
 
 the wood of the true Crofs. Tt i 
 was feat in the year 1205-. to Phi- 
 lip Augufie King of France, by Ban- 
 douin Emperour of the -Eaff, and 
 fince given to the Church of St. 
 Denis by the fa me Philip Augujle. 
 
 A little Crucifix inchaff in Gold, 
 very dellcardy made of the wood of 
 the true Croft, by Pope Clement 
 the Third’^ own hands, who gave it 
 to the laid Philip Attgujie, and his 
 Mijefty to the glorious Martyr St. 
 Denis. ^ 
 
 ^The Reliquary of the fame King 
 all deck’d with Stones Et in Gold : 
 There is fnewn under the Cryffa!' a 
 little Vial in which there is of the ! 
 Bloud and Water which ran from 
 the fide of our Saviour , when, it was 
 pierc'd with the Lance ; There in I 
 moreover fome of tfieMilk, and of i 
 the Gown of our Ladj : A Finger ! 
 of the Apoftle St. Thomas 3 another 
 Finger of St. Medard 5 and the 
 Myrrh which the Kings offered to 
 
of St. Dettis. 1 17 
 
 mr Saviour i and twenty eight o* 
 ther different forts of Relicks. 
 
 One of the Nails w’ herewith our 
 Saviour was faften’d to the Croft, 
 Tent to Charlemagne by Confiantim 
 the Fifths Emperour of Conjiantino- 
 ple, and fince given to the Church 
 of St. Denis by Charles the bald, the. 
 Grand-fbn of the laid Charlemagne : 
 It is iachaft in a great filver Taber- 
 nacle gilt and garnifh’d with pre- 
 tious Stones, made by the Monks. 
 
 An Image of the holy Virgin of 
 Silver gilt, which holds with one 
 hand a little Reliquary, in which is 
 leea a piece of the Swadling cloalhs 
 wherewith (he v*?rapt our Saviour 
 in the Manger of Bethleem : given 
 by Guy de Monceaux Abbot of St. 
 Denis. 
 
 One of the Pitchers in which cur 
 Saviour chang’d Water into W’ine 
 at the Marriage of Cana in Cali’ 
 lee. 
 
 A great Image of our Lacy, cf 
 
 Silver 
 
Sl8 ^ Thetre^fury 
 
 Silver gilt, holding in the right hand ■ 
 a Flower-de-luce of Gold, in which i 
 there are of her Hairs and Gloaths ; 
 given by Jane D'Enreux Queen of 
 France. 
 
 Another great Image of St. John 
 the Evangelift, of Silver gilt, hol- 
 ding with one hand a Cryftal Ttibe 
 let in Gold, in which is feen a Tooth 
 of thefaid holy Apoftle 5 caus’d to 
 be made and put in the Treafury 
 by the Monks of St. Denis. 
 
 A fine Reliquary, in which is pre- 
 ferv’d under a piece of Rock-cry- 
 ftal, fome of the Bones of St. rUci- 
 dms the Disciple of St. Bennet^ and I 
 of his Sifter St. Ftavia a Roman 
 Lady, who were martyr’d together 
 above eieveu hundred years fince * ^ 
 caus’d to be made and put in the 
 Treafury by the Monks. 
 
 The Bones of an Arm of the 
 great Captain and Martyr St. Enfla- 
 chim^ frt in fii ver gilt, enrich’d with 
 precious Stones t caus’d to be made 
 
 and 
 
Denis. 119 
 
 and put in the Treafury by the 
 Monks. '■ 
 
 A little Reliquary, under the 
 Cryfta! of Vv'hichis ieen a Bone of 
 St. Gi/e/, Abbot ; put in the Trea- 
 fury by the Monks, 
 
 A fine Reliquary of Silver gilt, 
 in the form of a Chappel, in which 
 are (eea parcels of all the Relicks 
 vvhich are in the holy Chappel of 
 Park, let in Gold : given by Ja&e 
 D’F^i'eaArQueen of Franee. 
 
 The Arm- bone of the good old 
 man St. Simeon^ who receiv’d our 
 Saviour at the Temple 5 his Reli- 
 quary is all of GoId> and enrich’d 
 with precious Stones : made and 
 put in the Treafury by the Monks. 
 
 A Fvdiquary of Silver gilt, re- 
 preientiog the martyrdom of Sr, 
 Hippoliitis, of whom there is a Bone 
 in ir : made and put in the Trea- 
 fu^yisy rbo Monks. 
 
 • The two Crowns which Hemp 
 the Fourth caus’d to be made for 
 
120 the Trei^ury j 
 
 his Coronation, whereof one is of f 
 Silver gilt, and the other of Gold I 
 enameird. j 
 
 The Scepter and the Hand of Ju- I 
 ftice of the fame Henry the Fmrth. 
 
 The two Miters which the Ab- 
 bots of S. made ufe of when 
 they were Regulars 5 whereof the i 
 one is of Embroidery, and the o- i 
 ther has a ground of Pearls, enricht | 
 with a great number of pretious I 
 Stones fet in Gold ; made by the i 
 Abbots. I 
 
 The Silver gilt Crofier which the i 
 fame Abbots uled ; made by them, i 
 The Chanterr Staff, the upper end I 
 of which is adorn’d with many pre- 
 tious Stones ; by the Monks. 
 
 In the fecond PreJ?, 
 
 A great Image reprefentiog half 
 the body of St. Hillary^ Biihop of I 
 Poitiers, and Do(3-or of the Church, 
 whole Mitre and the welt of his I 
 
 Cops 
 
St. Denis i2i 
 
 Cope about his neck, are all co> 
 ver’d with very pretious Stones and 
 Oriental Pearl, (et in Gold; the 
 Head of the laid Saint is within that 
 of the Image, and the Bones of one 
 of his Arms in a Gryftal, which the 
 fame Image holds betwixt one of its 
 hands. This Work comes from the 
 Abbots and the Monks. 
 
 A great Grofs all of Gold and 
 pretious Stones, called the Grofs of 
 St. Laurence^ bccaufe in it there, is 
 a Bar of the Iron-gate on which this 
 holy Martyr was roafted. It is the 
 Prefent of Charles the bald. 
 
 A filver Reliquary gilt, at the 
 upper part of which is fcen a Fin» 
 ger, both flefh and bone, of the A- 
 poftle St, Bartholomew fet in a 
 Gryftal garnifht with Gold. ?hi~ 
 lip Augujie gave it. 
 
 A very fine Reliquary of filver 
 gilt, in which is feen, under a Gry- 
 ftal, one of the Shoulder-bones of 
 St. John Baptiji^ feat by the Em- 
 G perour 
 
12 2 Tht Treafnry of 
 
 Her acliux io Dagohert^ Fouo- 
 der of the Abbey and Churdi of ;i 
 St. Denis : inchaft by the Monks. i 
 A great Image of St. Nicolas of i 
 (liver gilt, whole Mitre is enrich'd 1 
 with pretious Stones, and at the 
 foot of it there are Relicks of the i 
 Saint : given by the Reverend Ab- ] 
 bot of St. Denis ^ Guy de Monceaux, | 
 , A Crols of (liver gilt, adorn’d j 
 with Emeralds, in which there is of ( 
 the wood of the true Gro(s ; It j 
 comes from the Monks. * 
 
 An Eye of the glorious Martyr & 
 Bi(hop of Authun^ St. Leger^ (et un- f 
 der a Cryflal, held by an Image of f 
 the faid Saint, the whole of (ilver p 
 gilt : This Work comes from the ,j 
 Monks. 5 
 
 An Image of Denis the Area- p 
 pagite of (liver gilt, at the bottom 
 of which there are of his Relicks : j 
 The Abbot and the Monks caus’d \ 
 it to be made and put in the Trea- i 
 fury. 
 
 Another 
 
St. Denis. 12^ 
 
 Another Image of St. CAtherine 
 of filvcr gilt, at the bottom of which 
 there are likewise of her Relicks : 
 Given by Guy de Mouceaux, Ab- 
 bot Regular of St. Deu^, 
 
 A fine Shrine for Rdicks, made 
 on the Model of the Ghurch of 
 Nojire- dameoi Parif^ all full of ho- 
 ly Relicks 5 and among others there 
 are* of (even Apoftles : It is a Gift 
 of Louif the Eleventh , King of 
 France^ to the Church of St. De- 
 nh, 
 
 A filver gilt Reliquary made in 
 the form of a Trunk, in which are 
 feen Ibme of the bones of the Pro- 
 phet Ifaias., who liv’d about fix hun- 
 dred years before the birth of our 
 Saviour ; Caus’d to be made and 
 put in the Treafury by the Monks. 
 
 Another Reliquary of the l^me 
 matter and faftiion as the former, 
 where there is a bone of the blefled 
 Martyr St. Pantaleon .* Made by the 
 Monks. 
 
 G 2 
 
 A 
 
124 Treafury 
 
 A little Gryftal Reliquary . in 
 filver, in which there are of the 
 Hairs of St. Marguerite : Made hy 
 the Monks. 
 
 The Leprous Scurf which our 
 Saviour took from the face of the 
 Leper , whom he cur’d in proof of 
 the miraculous Dedication made by 
 himielf of the Church of St. Deui^ .* 
 The (aid Leprous Scurf is under a 
 Crylialinchaft in filver. 
 
 AManufcript Miflal written a- 
 bove^eight hundred years fince, co- 
 ver’d with filver, and on one fide 
 are feen the Images of a Crucifijf^ 
 of the Virgin, and of St. Johu^ in I- 
 vory, fet round with Pearls and pre- 
 tious Stones, 
 
 A very ancient Book cover’d 
 with Ivory, bordered with filver, 
 containing the Gofpels written in 
 letters of gold and (liver on feins of 
 a Purple- colour. 
 
 An Image of our Lady, which is 
 of Ivory, crown’d with Gold en- 
 rich’d 
 
Denis. 1^5 
 
 rich’d with previous Stones, and ex- 
 cellently well made. 
 
 Two little Veflels very pretious, 
 call’d Sugcrs Potf^ becaule they 
 were given him by Louif the Se^- 
 venth'-i whereof one is of Rock- 
 Gryftal, the other of a Beril,cut with 
 the point of a Diamond. 
 
 - The two Crowns of Loiik the 
 Thirteenth '^ whereof one is of 
 Gold, the other of Silver; They 
 ferv’d at his Coronation. 
 
 In the third Prefs. 
 
 \ 
 
 A golden Head of the great St. 
 Denk the Areopagite, Apoftle of 
 France^ and Patron of the places 
 whole Mitre alfo of Gold is all co- 
 ver’d with very pretious Stones, 
 and Oriental Pearls ; the whole 
 born up by two great Angels of 
 filver gilt. This very pretious 
 Work was caus’d to be made by 
 Matthevp de Vandofms, Abbot Re- 
 gular of St. G3 The- 
 
126 TheTreaJury 
 
 The Chaliceaod the little Vcffels 
 for holding Wine and Water, which 
 the fame St. Denif made ule of at 
 the Sacrifice of the Mali, about fif- 
 teen hundred and fifty years fince ^ 
 the whole of Rock-Gryftal enchas’d 
 in Giver, and the Chalice enrich’d 
 with pretious Stones. 
 
 The upper end of the Crols of the 
 ^me Saint, which was but of wood 5 
 it has fince been caus’d to be co- 
 ver d with Cold and pretious 
 Stones. 
 
 His Pontifical Ring of Gold, ha- 
 ving in the midft of it a beautiful 
 Saphyr let round with many other 
 Stones. 
 
 The Clafp of his Cope. 
 
 The Staff which he carried with 
 him in his Travels, it is of wood ; 
 but fince it has been caus’d to be co- 
 ver’d with filver, and the upper 
 part of it to be adorn’d with Cry- 
 ftals and other pretious Stones : His 
 Ink-horn, Cheft, and Cornet, made 
 after the Grecian falhion. A 
 
Deais. 12 f 
 
 A Book of Vellanj, cover’d with 
 Ivory and edg’d with filver and Pre- 
 tious Bones, containing the Works 
 of the ft me St. Denis ^ commented 
 and written by Maximush own 
 hand ^fent to St. Denk by Manuel 
 FaJeologue the fecond of the name, 
 Emperour of the Eaft. 
 
 The right Hand of the Apoftle 
 
 Thomas f both flefhand bone, ve- 
 ry richly inchas’d in Gold , befet 
 with Diamonds, Rabies, Emeralds, 
 and Oriental Pearls : fent to St, De* 
 nk by "^ohn Duke of Berry ^ by way 
 of acknowledgment for Ibme Re- 
 licks which the Abbot and the 
 Monks had given him to put in a 
 Church which he had caus’d to be 
 built, bearing the name of the faid 
 Saint. 
 
 The Chin of St, King of 
 
 France, in a Reliquary of filver gilt, 
 fupported by his fon Vhilip the 
 Thirds and his grandchild vhilip the 
 Fourthf call’d the Fair^ whole 
 G 4 Crowns 
 
12<J 7he Ireafury 
 
 Crowns are of Gold enrich’d with 
 Pretiousftones: Caus’d to be made 
 and put in theTreafury by the Ab- 
 bot Giles o^Pontoife and the Monks, 
 At the foot of the (aid Reliquary 
 is /een another allb of filver gilt, 
 containing a Bone of St. Louis 
 Archbiftiop of ’tholoz^e grand Ne- 
 phew of the King St. Louis, fup- 
 ported by a Figure of Giles o( 
 Tontoife , Abbot of St. Detiis, vefted 
 with his Pontifical Habits, with a 
 Miter cover’d with Pretious ftones: 
 given by the lame Abbot. 
 
 The Hand of Juftice of the lame 
 King St. Louis, of filver gilt. 
 
 A little Reliquary in the form of 
 a Hand, of filver gilt, in which 
 there is a Bone of St. Denis the A- 
 recpagite. This Piece belong’d to 
 the Oratory of St. Loilis. 
 
 The Cup out of which the lame 
 St. Loiiis drank, made of Tamarilk- 
 wood garniftit, with a foot of filver 
 gilt, enamell’d and deckt with 
 
 Flower- 
 
of 5“/. Denis. 
 
 Flower-de-luces of Cold, with an- 
 L. crown’d. 
 
 The Sword which the fame St.. 
 Lou^ made ule of againft the 7urJ^s 
 in his Voyage of the Holy Land. 
 
 The Crown of the fame Saint all 
 of Cold, and very rich Jewels, there 
 being in it, among others, a Ruby 
 aodaSaphyr of extraordinary big- 
 nefs,aad of aninefiimable value. 
 
 The Gold-Ring of the fame St. 
 Louis ^ all deckt with Flower-de- 
 luces, garnifht with a great fquare 
 Saphyr, on which is grav’d an Image 
 with an .S’, and an L. which (ignifia 
 Sigilium Ludovici^ bccaule the Saint 
 made ufe of it to fealhis Letters, 
 
 A very fine Stone of Azure let in 
 Gold, on one fide of which is the 
 Image of our Saviour , and on the 
 other that of our Lady, in Relief. 
 
 The Ciafp of a Cope given by‘ 
 de Bretagne Queen of Francey 
 earilht and adorn’d with a very fair 
 Jacinth fit in a Beazil of Cold, fup- 
 G 5 ported 
 
1^0 T'he treafury 
 
 ported by two Hermines of Gold 
 enameird. This Piece is of great 
 value. 
 
 A rich Vial of an Onix, garniftit 
 with (liver gilt. 
 
 A great and very beautiful piece 
 of Rock-cry(ial enchalt in a great 
 circle of gold,enricht with Pretious 
 (tones, through which are (een the 
 Images of the Crucifix, of the holy 
 Virgin, and of St. John^ very in- 
 duftrioufly ingrav’d in the back- 
 part of the faid Cryftal. 
 
 A Chalice of a very ancient make, 
 the bowl of which is of an Orien- 
 tal Agate, very beautiful, and well 
 cut ; The (aid Bowl is garni(ht a- 
 bove and beneath with filver gilt, 
 and enricht with many other Jew- 
 els. 
 
 The Ratine of the fsid Chalice is 
 o' a beautiful green Porphyre,markt 
 with little ff ots, feir^ with little 
 Filhes of gold , edg’d with gold, 
 and enricht udth Pretious ftoncs. 
 
 A 
 
in 
 
 A beautiful Gamahieu of a white 
 Agate, on which is feen the Effigies 
 of the Queen of Saba^ who came to 
 fee Solomon at Jerufalem. 
 
 A Drinking cup made of a beau- 
 tiful Oriental Agate, perfedly well 
 cut, and enchaft in filver with many 
 Pretious ftones. 
 
 The two Crowns of Louis the 
 Fourteenth^ which were made ufe 
 of at his Coronation 5 the one is of 
 filver gilt, and the other of gold. 
 
 In the fourth Trefs. 
 
 A great Image of St.Fennet to 
 half his body, of filver gilt, whole 
 Miter and embroider’d Border a- 
 bout his neck, are all cover’d with 
 Jewels (et in gold : betwixt his 
 hands there is a Cryftal, in which is 
 feen the bone of one of the arms of 
 the (aid Saint ^ given with the hand 
 of St. Thomas before-mentioned, by 
 John Duke of Berry ^ and on the 
 lame occafion. A 
 
iga The treafury 
 
 A great Grols of maffie Gold, 
 made by St. Efay : it is earicht 
 with a great number of Oriental 
 Pearls , and other very Pretious 
 (tones , and among others with a 
 very great and very fine Oriental 
 Amethifl: ; it belong’d to ckarh- 
 ntagtie^ and was given to St. Detiif 
 by his Grandchild Charles the 
 bald. 
 
 The Skreen or Reliquary of Char- 
 lemagne all of Gold , and with a 
 great number of very Pretious Jew- 
 els, and great Oriental Pearls 5 at 
 th ;foot of which are leen, under a 
 Cryftal, three bones of the arms of 
 the Saints George.^ Theodor ^ and A- 
 fodinarius. 
 
 The Crown of the fame Charle- 
 Ktagne all of Gold , and very fine 
 Jewels 5 it is carried to to 
 
 be ufed at the Coronations of our 
 Kings, with the other Royal Orna- 
 ments followings to wit, 
 
 The Scepter, the Hand of Juftice, 
 
 and 
 
Denis. 
 
 and the Spurs of the faid Charle- 
 magne^ all of Gold 5 his Sword, 
 whereof the hilt and gard are of 
 gold , and the upper^ part of the 
 fcabbard enricht with Pretious 
 (tones 5 the Clafp of his Royal Man- 
 tle all of Gold, Diamonds, Rubies, 
 and Oriental Pearls 5 and the Book 
 containing the Ceremonies which 
 are oblerv’d at the (aid Corona- 
 tions. 
 
 The Grov/n of Jane ttEureux 
 Queen of France^ VVife of Charles 
 the Fourth^ all of Gold and fine Pre- 
 tious (tones : it is made u(e of at the 
 Coronation of the Fl^eens^ which is 
 perform’d in the Church of Saint 
 Denis. 
 
 A beautiful Vellel of Rock-cry- 
 (tal very well cut, enchatt in filver 
 gilt, and enricht with Jewels. Gi- 
 ven by Suger Abbot of St. Denis. 
 
 A beautiful little Image of the ho- 
 ly Virgin, of fine Amber. 
 
 An excellent Vcffel of Porphyre, 
 
 adorn’d 
 
134 
 
 sdorn d with 2 hcsd 2nd two wings 
 of an Eagle, of filver gilt. Given 
 by the fame Abbot S'»^er. 
 
 A Chalice with its cover, offil. 
 ver enameird. Given by King 
 Charles the Fifth. 
 
 A Veffel inclining to the faOiion 
 
 of a great Drinking- cup, made of a 
 
 Chryfolite, and enchaft in Gold by 
 St. Eloj. Given by the fame Abbot 
 
 OHger. 
 
 A very fine Book containing the 
 Cofpels of the Feafts of the year 
 which is made ule of at great So- 
 lemnities ; it is cover’d with golden 
 Plates, and enricht with a great 
 many jewels, and great Oriental 
 Pearls. Caus’d to be made bv the 
 Monks. 
 
 Another beautiful Veffel of an 
 Oriental ^ Agate, efteem’d beyond 
 
 all value, for its antiquity, itslarge- 
 neft, and the beauty of its work. 
 
 Ft oh my Philadelphus Cdm'd it to be 
 niade about eighteen hundred years 
 
 fince. 
 
Denis. 135 
 
 fince. It’s a Prefent of Charles the 
 Thirds fiirnam’d the Simple. 
 
 Another very beautiful VcfTel of 
 the Chalcedony- ftone,garniflit with 
 filver, and enricht with Jewels and 
 Oriental Pearls. Given by Abbot 
 Snger. 
 
 A beautiful, great, very ancient, 
 and curious Veffel of rich Cryftal, 
 which was us’d in the Temple of 
 Solomon, Given by Charles the 
 Said. 
 
 A great Cup of Gold and Pre- 
 tious (tones, which belong’d to the 
 iismt Solomon. 
 
 The Picture of Nera in a Cama- 
 hieu of an Agate, marveloufly rare 
 for its different colours, all natu- 
 ral. 
 
 A tawny Chalcedony, reprelen- 
 ting the head of Cafar. 
 
 Another Chalcedony , which 
 Jewellers call Claireite.hy reafba of 
 Its colour, reprefenting the head of 
 a Child. 
 
 A 
 
TheTreaJnry 
 
 A little Idol of grav’d on 
 an Arnethift, fet in Gold, enricht 
 with Pretious ftones. 
 
 IH the ffth Frefs. 
 
 A Shrine for Relicks , of filver 
 gilt, adorn’d with Cryftals, in which 
 are the Relicks of St. Denis Bifhop 
 of Cxtrinth^ which were brought to 
 St. Denis by the Cardinal Peter of 
 Capm, Legit of the holy See, Anno 
 1215, in the time, and by the order 
 of Pope Innocent the third. 
 
 In the fxth Frefs. 
 
 A fine Shrine for Rtlicks, of filver 
 gilt, enricht with Pretious ftones, 
 iq which repofe the Relicks of St. 
 Louis King of France. 
 
 In the f event h Frefs. 
 
 la this Prefs are kept ordinarily 
 
 during 
 
I 
 
 of St. Dems, 157 
 
 during the life of each King, his 
 Royal Habits which ferv’d at his 
 Coronation; as at prefent thole of 
 our Invincible Adeodatus Loiiis 
 the Fourteenth, crown’d at Rheimi 
 An, 1654, are there kept. 
 
 In the eighth Prefs. 
 
 A Unicorn’s Horn fix foot and a 
 half iff length. 
 
 The Talon ofa GrifFen of lb pro- 
 digious a bigncfs, that in its cavity 
 I it holds a pint of the meafure of St. 
 Denis, which is very great. This 
 Piece and the precedent were lent 
 to Charlemagne, An, 807, by Aaron 
 King of Perfta, and fince given to St. 
 Denis by Charles the Bald. 
 
 Two Teeth of a Sea-Horle of a 
 prodigious bignels, lent to St. Denis 
 by David King of Scotland. 
 
 The Lanthornof Malchus which 
 lerv’d for the taking of our Saviour 
 in the Garden of Olives 5 which the 
 
 Vul- 
 
1^8 TheTreitfury 
 
 Vulgar call Judas's Lanthorny be- 
 caule he made himlelf in that Ad* 
 venture the Guide of the compa* 
 oy. 
 
 A Play of Chefts of Ivory, which 
 formerly the EmperourC^<^r/e«i4!^»e 
 made ufe of. 
 
 One of the Hunting-horns of 
 Rowlmdy Nephew of the faid Char~ 
 hmagne. 
 
 The Sword of Turpin^ who from 
 being a Monk of St. Denis, having 
 been made Archbifhop of Rheims, 
 bore Arms afterward with his Uncle 
 Charlemagne againft the Infidels. 
 
 The Sword of Jane D' Arc, VuceVe 
 sf Orleans. 
 
 The Effigies of Francis Dolphin, 
 eldeft Son of Francis the Firli. 
 
 The Effigies of the Duky of Alen- 
 fon. Son of Henry the Second, and 
 Brother of Charles the ninth, and of 
 Henry the Thirds 
 
cf su Denis. 
 
 ig(^ 
 
 In the other Prejfes above are thefot- 
 lowing Figures of the Kings of 
 France drawn to the life, and ©s- 
 Jied in their Royal Robes. 
 
 In the firft, that of Charles the 
 Eighth, Son of Louis the Eleventh, 
 and that of Loms the Twelfth call’d 
 the Father of the People. 
 
 Intheftcond, that of Franeirthe 
 FirSi, and of Henry the Second his 
 Son. 
 
 in the third, that of Charles the 
 ninth, and of Henry the Third. 
 
 In the fourth, that of Henry the 
 Fourth, and of Louis the Thirteenth, 
 with the Gantlets, Spurs, and Headj^ 
 piece which ferv’d for their F une- 
 ral-Pomp. 
 
 In the Hall of theTreafury is feen 
 ftill the Looking-glafs of the Poet 
 Virgil. 
 
 And 
 
 I 
 
1 40 The TrcAfury of St. Denis. 
 
 And a Chair of Copper gilt, 
 which was us’d by King Dagobert, 
 Founder of the Abbey of St. Denis^ 
 who liv’d above a thouland years 
 fince. 
 
 the end. 
 
A 
 
 CATALOGUE 
 
 OF 
 
 Some Books printed for and 
 fold by Matthew Turner , 
 Bookfeller near Tnrnflile in 
 Holborn. 
 
 A Narrative of the PopiJI) Vlot^ 
 to the Tune of Packington s 
 Pound. 
 
 Edgar and Alfred: , a Tragi come- 
 
 The Royal Game <?/Onibre, 8 ° 
 Counfeh of Wifdom : or, the Ma- 
 ximes Solomon. Tanjlated 
 
 out of the French, 120 
 
 ■ ' • • ‘ ' Tie 
 
Books (bid by Matth, Tnrmr, 
 
 The Royal Peuitent .* <?r, the Pfalms 
 ofDovk Antonio King of Pqrtn- 
 gal, 1 2® 
 
 the Imitation or Following of Chrijlf 
 by Thomas a Keropis, 24° 
 
I 
 
if) -Q> 
 
 THE GETTY CENTER 
 LIBRARY