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TO /HE 
 
 Lords & Commons 
 
 Aflembled in 
 
 PARLIAMENT. 
 
 The humble Remonftrance of Sir Balthazar Gerbier Knight, and his AlTociates. 
 
 Firftj Concerning the great Annoyance by the Dirt of the Streets of London, and the Suburbs. 
 
 TheCaufe, andKemedy. 
 
 maybeiMfedtevell >nd r ADd 
 
 
 As to tthr frft. 
 
 He populous City of Pans in France though called Lutetia ("and though Coaches and Carts be very numerous) 
 is n ot f 0 fubjedt to infedtion as London and its Suburbs, the Paris Dirt not being like that of L ondon, a per- 
 « petuall Mudd and Stink in wet weather, becaufe the London and Suburbs ftreets are laid fo (lie lvirw toward' 
 » the middle, that the Dirt thrown in the middle of the Streets cannot be otherwife than a Mudd all tlfe Winter 
 - long, and by the perpetuall concourfe of Coaches and Carts is fprtad all the Streets over, and therefore cannot 
 
 Pr$J be made clean, nor ever will, though there were treble the number of Carts then there is to carry awav the 
 Dirt. - 7 1 - 
 
 Secondly, Becaufe the Inhabitants throw their Sea-cole- Allies in the Streets, which renders the Dirt worfe then that of Paris 
 and other places * befides the faid Dull fpoils all good Furniture of the Houfes w herein the Duft doth get by the fifting of the Sea- 
 Cole- Athes in the Streets. 
 
 Thirdly, The Avenues and By-wayes of London are not Paved, as moft are in other Countries. 
 
 The Kemedte whereof is ; 
 
 Firft, By Paving all the Avenues and by-wayes. 
 
 Secondly, By laying the Streets in anew forme ; to wit, round in the middle, and changing all the Gutters! as alfo fomeofthe 
 Common-Shoares. 
 
 Thirdly, By ordering that no Sea-Cole-aflres (hall be thrown nor Sifted in the Streets, but kept apart to be carried into publick 
 Barnes, where the Poore may repaire to Sift, and live thereby, better than by their drudging in the dirty Streets. r 
 
 Fourthly, By budding receptacles of Bricks in convenient by-places, wherein the Inhabitants may caufe the Dirt to be thrown - 
 and!not in the Channels, nor in any place of the Streets. 
 
 Fifthly, By placing feverall Water-Pipes to ferve for the Wafhing of the Streets, and to have Water at hand on accident 
 of Fire. 
 
 Which is proferred to be performed on the Conditions, to be reprefented to filch as the Parliament may be 
 plcafed to appoint. 1 
 
 Concerning the fpoken of Levelling the Valley ^Fleet-Bridge, and the building a fumptuous 
 Gate at T emple-Barre. 
 
 Whereas the fpoken of Levelling the Valley at Fleet- Bridge can be done, and there is wanting but a remedy, to prevent da- 
 mage to the Inhabitants, (whereof many live by fanem quotidUnnm) it is humbly conceived, thac there may be a meanes found 
 to fecure that imum nectjjariim ( their livelyhood) and ;to contrive the railing of that Valley fo, as it may prove a publike good 
 for all pofterity, and fpare ten thoufand pounds fir annum to the Inhabitants of this City. r ° 
 
 For thewhich the Remonftrant hath thought on feme Legall expedient, fufficientto bear the charges 
 for the faid Levelling, which he proffers to reprefenrto fuch Perfons as the King and Parliament fhgll 
 think fit. . w 
 
/ 
 
 
 . . / 
 
TO THE 
 
 LORDS 
 
 COMMONS 
 
 Aflembledin 
 
 PARLIAMENT. 
 
 \ , • . r 
 
 May i t plcafe your Honours : 
 
 {I being lately re- 
 ported that your 
 Honours have 
 deliberated to" have the 
 
 Streets 
 
The Epiftle 
 
 Streets made cledn , to en- 
 large fome of them , and 
 to Build a Sumptuous 
 Gate at Temple-Barr . 1 
 thought it my Duty to Pre- 
 fent this fmallDifourfe of 
 the three Principles of 
 good Building, and with - 
 all a Printed Paper con- 
 cerningthe Cleaning of the 
 Streets, the Levelling the 
 Valley at Pleet-Bridge, 
 with Pleet-Street and 
 
Dedicatory. 
 
 Cbeapfide, addthemake- 
 ing of a Sumptuous Gate 
 at Temple-Barr, whereof 
 a Draught hath hen pre- 
 fented to his Sacred Ma- 
 jejly, and is ready alfo to 
 he produced to your Ho- 
 nours upon Command , with 
 all the Devotion of 
 
 Your Honours 
 
 Moft humble and moft 
 obedient Servant 
 B.Gtrbicr Dtmvtllj Knight. 
 
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in 
 
 A Brief Difcourie, 
 concerning the 
 three chief Prin- 
 ciples of Magni- 
 ficent Building, 
 vi^. Solidity , Conve- 
 nient) , and Orna- 
 ment. 
 
 '■ HereasBuilding is much 
 fBk minded in thefe times, 
 I thought fit to publifh 
 fome Principles there- 
 which may Band the lovers of 
 
 it 
 
C*] 
 
 it inftead. Yet without fpending 
 time and Paper to Note how a 
 Point, Line, Angle, Demi-eir- 
 de, Cube,plint, Baze, Pedeital, 
 Colombe, Head, Architrave, 
 Prize, Cornice, or Prontiipiece muft 
 be made; and what Dimenfions 
 all thofe feveral parts ( a Point 
 excepted) muft have, fince all 
 Mafter-Workmen ought to re- 
 member (as Schollars their Gram- 
 mer , and Atithmaticians their 
 Table ) how every Particle muft 
 have its juft proportion ; and that 
 the height of Windowes and 
 Doores muft be double their 
 breadth ; and alfo to be carefull 
 to maintain the due efteem of 
 their Art, fince its Dimenfions 
 and Rules came diredly from 
 Heaven, when the great Archi- 
 ted and Surveyor of Heaven 
 and Earth , prefcribed the Rules 
 and particular Orders for the 
 
 Building 
 
i , tn 
 Building of a floating-Pallace , 
 (Noahs Ark ) and the glorious 
 matchlefle Temple of Solomon, 
 the perfect Houle of Prayer. 
 
 And therefore inch Precedents 
 may ferve to convince thofe who 
 fay,T hat a wife-man never ought 
 to put his finger into Morter, 
 fince there is a neceffity for 
 Building, efpecially among Na- 
 tions who do not, Ar. cannot live 
 in Caves and hollow Trees, or 
 as the Wilde Indians, who have 
 no other Roofs but of Palmito* 
 Leaves, norWainfcot, butBam- 
 boufes, as they call the Poles to 
 which they tye a Woollen Ham- 
 mac to lye in. 
 
 There are three Capital Points 
 to be obferved by men, who in- 
 tend to Build well: 
 
 £ Solidity. 
 
 V 1 *LA Conveitiency, 
 
 ( Ornament. 
 
 Thofe 
 
C41 
 
 Thofe who have Marfhald the 
 Orders of Colombs(td make good 
 the jSrft Point) have Ranged the 
 Tofcan to be the Supporter of a 
 Building, but fuch an Atlas muft 
 Hand on a firm Ground, not as ill 
 Builders place Colombs ( either 
 of Brick, or Stone) like things 
 Patcht or glewed againft a Wall, 
 and for the meft part againft the 
 fecond Storyj^a Buildjng, (con- 
 trary, to the very GethiJhCuftome, 
 who at leaft did begin their But- 
 trifesfrom the Ground) as if their 
 intent were, that the weight of the 
 Colombs fhould draw down the 
 Wall, on the heads of thofe that 
 pafleby. 
 
 Such Builders confound the firft 
 and effential point of Building, (to 
 wit, Solidity, with Ornament and 
 Convenience ) 
 
 They will make a ihew offome 
 thing , but mifl'e thereby ( as ill 
 
 Bow- 
 
tn 
 
 Bow-nieh) the Mark: They may 
 perchance have heard of rare Buil- 
 dings , nay , feen the Books of 
 ithe Italian Architects, have the 
 Traditions of VigHola in their 
 Pockets; and have heard Lectures 
 on the Art of Architecture, which 
 have laid before them the moft 
 neceflary. Rules, as alfo the Ori- 
 gine of the feveral Orders of Co- 
 lbmbs,and Difcourfes made there- 
 on •, tbat the T ofcan is as the tttr~, 
 cults, fo of the tfonic and Ctrin- 
 thian 5 the firft of the two & 
 Refemble the Dreffing of the 
 Daughters of Jtmio , who had 
 Twifts of Hair on both fides of 
 their Cheeks. The Corinthian 
 Heads to reprefehta Basket with 
 Acante Leaves, and' the Guttered 
 Colombs, the Pleats of Daugh- 
 ter and Womens Cldathsa-, 
 .^Thatthe Grt$knS)£)ntetaem-i 
 trance of their’ Victories); did; 
 
 B Range 
 
C$3 
 
 Ranee the Colombs in their Built 
 
 dings, to reprefent the number of 
 Slaves which they had taken-, the 
 Grains, Beads, Drops, Pendants, 
 Garlands, Enterlaced-Knots, Frui- 
 tage , and an infinite number of 
 Ornaments, which are put on the 
 prize, to fignifie the Spoiles which 
 the Vigors had brought away 
 from their Enemies-; and to pre- 
 serve the Memory thereof, did 
 ' place, them on their Buildings, that 
 they might alfo ferve for a true 
 Hiftory. 
 
 But none of fuch Ornaments 
 were ever impediments to the 
 ftrength or convenience of a Buil- 
 ding, for they were fo handfom- 
 ly and well contrived, as once the 
 Dutcheffe of cheiverufe (a French 
 Lady) faid of the Englilh Females, 
 that they had a Angular grace to 
 fee their Ornaments right and 
 handfomly.x 
 
 The 
 
[73 
 
 The Barbarians and naked T a- 
 fojtrs, Caripomis, Alibis, (and fe- 
 veral char Mens) do place Pen- 
 dants in their Noftrils, which are 
 proper for the Eares ; and thefe 
 hinder not the ufe of the Lips, 
 which ought to be obferved by all 
 Builders. 
 
 And as for the infide of Fa- 
 bricks, Builders fhould in the firft 
 place fet the Doores, €him- 
 nies, and Windows, as may be 
 moft convenient for ufe. 
 
 Builders ought to be not onely 
 experimented in Houfe-keeping , 
 but alfogood Naturalifts, to know 
 (before they fpend time and Ma- 
 terials) the required Property to 
 every part of a Building. A Doore 
 to be fo fet as it may not convey 
 the Wind toward the Chimney or 
 Bedftead, though opened never fo 
 little. 
 
 The Windows to be fo placed, 
 
 B a as 
 
on 
 
 as that the Fire made in the Chim - 
 riey 3 may not attradi the Aire and 
 Moyfturc 3 and fo prove the uh- 
 wholefomeft part of the Room for 
 thofe that are near the Fire 5 
 Which was the main reafon why 
 the great lfabella Infanta of Spain 
 (King Philip the Seconds Daugh- 
 ter who Governed the Provin- 
 ces of Brabant^ Flanders y Arthois , 
 and Haynault, during heV many 
 years Refid ence at Bruxells,) b£- 
 ing prepofl’efled with a prejudice^ 
 never approached a Fire to 
 warm her felf 5 till at laft being 
 through wet ( going a Froceffion 
 in a great Rainf 3 and by a V ific 
 made by Mary oiMedicis, Queen 
 Mother to Lewis ij^ 5 juft as (he 
 returned to her Pallace ) had no 
 time to Shift her 5 fhe was con- 
 ft rained to approach the Fire to 
 dry her felf 3 and few dayes after fhe 
 fell ftck rnd dyed upon it: which' 
 
 Relation ' 
 
Relation being very true, and hap- 
 pening in the time that I refided 
 for the Kingofbleffed memory in 
 that Court, I thought fit to men- 
 tion, to perfwade all Noble (and 
 curious Builders, to place their 
 Doors, Windows, andChimnies 
 in their proper places. 
 
 And though it be not my de- 
 figo in this (mail Difcourfe to 
 Treate of Dimenfions (which are 
 fit for a Primar to Apprentices, ) 
 Yet l cannot defift (by reafon of the 
 Wed- Indian Herican-like-windes 
 which happened February laft, to 
 perfwade all Builders to forbear 
 the Building any more thofe ex- 
 orbitant Chimney-Shafts , which 
 when they fall, break both Roofs 
 and Sealings of Roomes, and kill 
 good People in their Beds : fipce 
 a Chimney fome two Foote high- 
 er than the Ridges of the Roof 
 of a Building, (which is not o- 
 B 3 vertopt 
 
Ci°3 
 
 vertopt by a Church or Steeple, 
 or feme othef eminency,) is as 
 good a conveyance for the fmoak, 
 as any of a greater height. Nei- 
 ther are thofe high Shafts of 
 Chimnies real Ornaments to a 
 Building, much leife to the Pal- 
 lace of a Soveraign : nor do the 
 Germane Travellers of this Age 
 any more fill (as formerly) their 
 Table-Books with the number of 
 them, as they were very carefull 
 to note the Names of their Hoatts, 
 where the belt Wine was, and 
 when they tafted that caXed La- 
 grima-Chrifti , they moaned and 
 askt why he did not weep in their 
 Countrey. Its true, that the leaft 
 addicted to Bibbing,did put in their 
 Stam-books the Dimentions of 
 the Phanteon and of th e Amphithe- 
 aters •, as alfo of Caprazela fiefcati, 
 and fuch Magnificent Structures 
 above Ground in Italy, and under 
 
 Ground 
 
tM'D 
 
 •Ground La Pefin'a Admirabile , 
 .LaXSreta de la S ibila Cumana , Bag- 
 gi Me Cicertnc , cente Camere y ie 
 ie 'Sepulfare de k nobili Antichi. 
 But they are now taught 1 by Ta- 
 tars’ to obferve the Infide of Men, 
 and Buildings. Add as the beft 
 Orniiments of a Face appears at 
 firft fight by the Eyes, Mouth* 
 
 ! and Nofe fo doth the beft qua- 
 lities of a perfedt Building , by 
 Windowes, and Doores well pla- 
 ced, as alfo by a large, magnify- 
 cent, commodious, and well-fet 
 Staircafe. 
 
 Noble, madificent, and com 4 
 modious Staircafes, muff in the 
 . firft place participate of a Noble* 
 mans manner of Pace and Atten 1 
 dance. - ' 
 
 There is no man of found limbs 
 (and that hath a gallant Gate) but 
 lifts his Toes at leaft four Inches, 
 when he goeth an ordinary eafie 
 B4 Pace* 
 
pace 5 fo that if two fteps (each 
 four Inches high) be eighteen 
 Inches broad , or deep , which 
 makes fix and thirty Inches the 
 •wo ( the juft meafure of a mans 
 two fteps,)' they may be afcended 
 from the firft Floor, to the higher 
 Story ,as if a man walked on a level 
 ground. 
 
 2. Thofe Staires ought to be fo 
 long, that the Attendants on each 
 fide the Noble Perfon, Prince or 
 Soveraign, may not be ftreightned 
 for roome. 
 
 Such were the Monarchlike 
 Staires of the P allace of Darius 
 and Gyros the Great, at Cbelminer 
 in Fir fit near Saras, the Metro- 
 politan between Omus and Effa- 
 ha». I do fpeak indeed of a Pallace 
 without comparifonto any other, 
 the Walls of Circumvallation of 
 that Pallace, being four and twen- 
 ty foote thick, and the Staires (as 
 
D33 
 
 yet to effe) are fourty foot long,' 
 in number an hundred arid eight, 
 of Circular Form , and of foea- 
 fie an Acceffe, as that Travel- 
 
 lers do afcend them on Horfe- 
 back. ' ■ : ‘ ' 
 
 King tfames of bleffed memo- 
 ry could not have been To much 
 in danger of an Onfet in a Paire 
 of Stakes, large enough for a No- 
 ble Retinue to his Perfon,as he was 
 in a narrow Pair , which Hiftory 
 mentions. 
 
 Neither had William Prince of 
 
 Orange been fo eafily Shot at Delff 
 in Holland, descending a narrow 
 Pair of Stairs. 
 
 3. A Noble Paire of Stakes 
 Should have a Cupelo , and no 
 Windowes on the Sides, which 
 for the moft part ferve but foi! 
 Rude and Unadvifed Men to 
 break. 
 
 In feme Pallaces and Noble- 
 
 Mens 
 
C *4l 
 
 Mens Houfes, Toe many St Atm 
 And ba ch Hems (as the old Eng- 
 lish Proverb ) makes Thieves Mnd 
 Whore. it' Andrthe fetting the Front 
 of a Building towards the North- 
 Weft, and a Pallace,like Cardinal 
 Wolf ill-plaiced one (now called 
 Whitehall ) on a low ground by 
 the River fide ) makes work for 
 Phyfitians , Apothecaries , Sur- 
 geons, Coffin and Grave-ma- 
 kers.. 11 - V.l • . ■ 
 
 But as for a Seate on Moorilh 
 Grounds ( except the Builders 
 obferve the pra&ice of thofe of 
 Venice (in Italy) and Amjlerdam 
 ( in Holland ) who beftow more 
 Timber of Oake in the Founda- 
 tion of one , than in the Build- 
 ing of fix Houfes, in effedt ’tis to 
 Build perpetually, leaving to their 
 Pofterity to prop and redrefle their 
 ill grounded Buildings j and they 
 may well be rankt with the Duke 
 
1 ** 3 ' 
 
 of Arfc$t, who built muchin 
 fant , and ( in a merry humour) 
 defigned in his Will ten Thoufand 
 Gilders ftr annum, to fupport 
 and alter what he had Built a- 
 mifle. 
 
 I muft alfo advife Builders on 
 high Grounds, to caule their Sur- 
 veyors to fearch for Springs, and 
 fliun them $ which ferve better to 
 fill up Glafies to allay the Vapours 
 Of Gafcany Wines, than to make a 
 Pond in a Sellar. 
 
 Builders ought alfo to be very 
 curious andcarefull in the choice 
 of the place to Build a Seat on, for 
 good Profpedt, well Garnilht with 
 Woods, and the Water at hand, 
 not too near, nor too far from a Ci- 
 ty or Town. 
 
 Item, I muft wifti all Princes and 
 Noble Perfons who are refolved 
 to Build Pallaces and Seats anfwe- 
 rable to their quality, to imitate 
 
 thofe 
 
thofc who in the Heathen age were 
 fo carefull in the ordering of the 
 Structure of their Stone Images, 
 cfpecially of their Saturn, Jupiter, 
 Apollo, Mars, Neptune, (and all their 
 Fry of wanton Godcffes ) as to 
 etnpannela Jury of Philosophers, 
 Naturalifts, Phyfiognomifts and 
 Anatoipifts, who were to dired 
 the Sculptors how to Reprefent 
 thofe Images. And fo I would 
 wifh Builders to proceed in the 
 contriving the Models of their in* 
 tended Fabtick, to wit, toconfulc 
 (as thofe of Amfterdam did in the 
 making the Model of their Town- 
 Houfe^divers experimented Archi- 
 tects, though they pitcht for the 
 Front on the worft of all. 
 
 Item, Before the Workmen, 
 make ufe of Materials , and not 
 to Build at Randome, as the Cu- 
 ftome of too many ill Builders is 5 
 Antfwhen once the Model is ap- 
 proved, 
 
l}11 
 
 proved, never to alter, nor to pull 
 down what hath been well begori, 
 lior to hearken 1 to the diverfity of , 
 opinions , which have been , and 
 are the caufes of many Deformi- 
 ties and Extravagancies in Build- 
 ings * and efpecially thofe who 
 feem to have had for Models Bird- 
 Cages, t© jump froth one Roome 
 into the other by Steps and T ref- 
 fels, to caufe Men and Women to 
 fturnble. 
 
 And the fides all of Glafs (like 
 Spectacles ) the glafs Windows 
 of fmall Payns, with great ftore 
 of Lead, to draw the more Wind 
 arid Moifture from the open 
 Aire within Doores. As alfo 
 Windowes with ftore of Iron 
 Cafements, which ruff, and ne- 
 ver Ihut clofe, notwithitending 
 all the various devices of Smiths, 
 
 to catch Money out of the 
 Builders Purfes, contrary to the 
 
tin 
 
 good cuftome in Italy, Spain, 
 France, Germany, and the Low- 
 Countreys, which certainly for 
 plurality of Voices Ihould be 
 believed, and followed. 
 
 Thofe Nations caufe their 
 glafs Windows to be fitted in 
 woodden Cafements treble rivet- 
 ed, to keep out Wind and 
 Rain-, they are lined with wood- 
 en Shutters, and have double 
 boarded Shutters without, to 
 refift all the violence of the 
 Weather and Theeves. 
 
 Let no man miftake thefe 
 Windows for wooden Cafe- 
 ments, for fuch are ufually feen 
 here in England in old wooden 
 Houfes, the Cafements fcarce 
 above one Foot and a half highj 
 tottering things- for thefe are 
 fubftantially, ftrongly* and curi- 
 oufly made Cafements* nor are 
 the wooden Shutters fuch Paft- 
 
 board- 
 
L ip3 
 
 board-like things, as are gene- 
 rally put on the outfide of the 
 Windows on the London and 
 Suburbs Houfes, but double- 
 Deal, well-riveted Windowes, 
 with fubftantiall Locks, Bolts, 
 and Hinges, and a dpuble Iron 
 Bar, with a Bolt fixt in the 
 middle of them both, 
 
 Nor do good Builders afFedt 
 ■ partitions of Lime and Hair 
 . in their Houfes, nor any of 
 their Bricks to be daubed over 
 with finilhing Morter. 
 
 The Romanes are very curi- 
 ous in the tempering their Mor- 
 ter, and in die laying it as thin 
 as poffibly they can, to prevent 
 the finking and bending of their 
 Walls, which the laying of the 
 Morter too thick doth caufe ; 
 and experience iheweth, that 
 when Lome Walls are taken 
 down in England, half of the 
 
 fubitance 
 
im 
 
 fubftance is Sand and Duff, v . 
 
 The Romanes ( as likewife 
 the Grecians before them ) did 
 not make ufe of their Lime at 
 the fame time it wasflakt, but 
 for fix Moneths time fuffered to 
 putrifie, and fo putrified com- 
 pofed a Seiment, which joyned 
 with Stone ( or Brick ) made 
 an iftfeparable union, and fitch 
 ftrdrtg work as I have feen, Iron- 
 Tools break on the old MOrter 
 of the Amphitheaters at Vertna 
 and Rome • 
 
 Their manner of preparing 
 Lime' is to lay it in Cifternes 
 the one higher thart the other, 
 that the Water (after ..it hath 
 been fo ftirred as that it is well 
 mixt and throughly, liquid ) 
 rpay drayn from one Cittern; 
 to. the other, and aftej fix ; 
 Moneths time (the Lime having- 
 evacuated its putrefaction ^.re 76 
 
 mains 
 
E ai 3 
 
 mains purified, and then they 
 mix two parts of Lime with 
 one part of Sand, and makes 
 that ftrong and pure Morter, 
 which if pra&ifed in England 
 would make a wondrous ftrong 
 Union, efpecially if the Clay- 
 makers did beat the Clay as it 
 ought to be, the Engliih Clay 
 being better than the Ital'an, 
 nay the beft in the world. 
 
 They are very carefull in the 
 making large and deep Founda- 
 tions, and to let the Walls raid- 
 ed on the Foundations reft and 
 fettle a good while before they 
 proceed to the fecond Story. 
 
 Some of our Carpenters have 
 learned to lay Boards loofe for 
 a. time, the Italians and other 
 Nations are not fparing therein; 
 they nayl them as if for good 
 and all, but rip or take therii 
 up again, to fit them for thefe- 
 totid time. C As' 
 
As I faid before, no Build- 
 ing is begun before a mature 
 Refolve on a compleat finifht 
 Modell of the entire defign : 
 the Builder having made choice 
 of his Surveyor, and committed 
 to him all the care and guidance 
 of the work, never changeth on 
 the various opinions of other 
 men, for they are unlimited, 
 becaufe every mans conceits are 
 anfwerable to their profelfion, 
 and particular occalion. 
 
 A Sovereign or any other 
 Landlord, is then guided by na- 
 tural! Principles, as well as by 
 his own Refolve, taken on a 
 long confidered Model], be- 
 caufe they know ( by experience) 
 how fuddain changes are able 
 to caufe monftrous effe&s. 
 
 They know that a well-expe- 
 rienced Surveyor muft not be 
 diflurbed in his task, and un- 
 dertaking. 
 
C*3 3 
 
 cfertialting, but as the Silk Worm 
 and the Soul of Man, the firft 
 in his Husk, the fecond in the 
 Womb, wherein both the one 
 and the other ( by the powers 
 ot the great A refuted and Di- 
 rector of all things ) works out 
 his own eompleat Fabrick, if 
 not interrupted ; but if inter- 
 rupted by any outward acci- 
 dent, it happens that thofe paf- 
 fions become the originall caufes 
 of exorbitant Features and Forms. 
 An Item for all Builders to fuf- 
 fer a good Archited quietly to 
 purfue his task, if he under- 
 Hands if. 
 
 It hath been obferved a- 
 mong the French ( a Nation as 
 much addided to changes as 
 any ) that when the charge of 
 an undertaking hath been com- 
 mitted to many, it caufed but 
 confufion, and therefore its a 
 C i faying 
 
Cm3 
 
 faying among them, Trop deCut- 
 (tneirs gattent le pottage, Too 
 "many Cooks fpoils the Broth. 
 
 I {hall not fpend time, and 
 tranfgrefs on the Readers pati- 
 ence, concerning the making of 
 Clay, and burning of Bricks, 
 only fay, that it imports much 
 the Clay {hould be well wrought, 
 before it be put in the Mould: 
 experience hath alfo taught Brick- 
 makers to have them of fuch a 
 length, thicknefs and widcnefs, 
 that four of them ( together 
 with the Morter thereunto be- 
 longing ) may raife a Foot, 
 
 As for Free-flone, Portland 
 Stone works well , and makes a 
 good union with Bricks, yet can- 
 not be compared with Marble, nor 
 to the Blewifh Stone of the Quar- 
 ries of Liege and Namur. But ’tis 
 alfo certain, that this Climat makes 
 Marble it felf to Moulder very 
 
 much ; 
 
C*5] 
 
 much % as for example, the Cain 
 and Abel in To;!- Houle Garden, 
 which did not Moulder when it 
 flood in that of the Duke of Larma 
 at yaledolid in Spain, the cold- 
 nefie (together with the moiftnefle 
 of this Clime) being of a contrary 
 operation to the temper of the 
 Aire in Italy and Spain. And there- 
 fore when Builders fee their Co- 
 pings , Water-table , Cornifhes, 
 Railes, and Balifters to decay, they 
 muft have patience, fi nee there is 
 no Material but is fubjed there- 
 unto, and that Railes and Balifters 
 (either on the top of the Walls of 
 a Frontifpiece , or in Belconies) 
 though never lb well Painted in 
 Oyle , and of the belt feafoned 
 Timber,) but muft be renewed at 
 fourty or fifty years end. 
 
 Builders ought to calculate the 
 Charges of their defigned Build- 
 ing, and efpecially with what 
 C 3 Sumtne 
 
C 26 1 
 
 Summe of Money they are willing 
 to part, and yet remember to imi- 
 tate fome Philofophical Humorift, 
 who refolves to venture on a pret- 
 ty thing called a Handfome Lady, 
 without which their Fate feems to 
 tell them they cannot live , and 
 therefore makes an account before- 
 hand that all things will not pre- 
 cifely anfwer his expedition. But 
 on the contrary, the Lady inftead 
 of being a good Houfwife , ( and 
 an afliftantj proves expenfive, and 
 an impediment. And if it prove 
 otherwife, he will be a great gay- 
 ner by the bargain 5 for let Buil- 
 ders put their defign to Mafter- 
 Workmen by the Great, or have 
 it Wrought by the Day, either 
 the Workmen will over-reach 
 themfelves, or the Builder will be 
 over-reached.^ 
 
 Charity to the one, and refped 
 to the other , moves me to keep 
 
 the 
 
t* 71 
 
 die reft in my Pen, vet (hall ne- 
 ver be backward to inform either 
 of them in the ear what may be the 
 beftfor them tochoofe. 
 
 But I muft freely advife all Buil- 
 ders ia general, never to begin to 
 Build on a Ground before it be 
 Purchafed , as the late Duke of 
 Buckingham did at T'^^-Houfe, 
 where there hath been much daub- 
 ing and breaking through old rot* 
 ten decayed Walls * firfl to make 
 a Ladies Clofet on the corner of a 
 Wall where a Butteryfes flood, 
 and which was taken away for the 
 Clofet, intended only at firft for 
 a Clofet of eafe, and to ferve un- 
 till the Archbifhop of York could 
 be perfwaded to accept as good a 
 Seat as that was, in liew of the 
 fame, which could not be fo foon 
 compafl’ed, as the Duke oi Buck- 
 ingham had occafion to make ufe 
 of Rooms, to entertain (accord- 
 C4 ing 
 
ing to the Dignity of a prime Mi- 
 nifler of State ) forreign Princes 
 and Embafladors fo as on a fud- 
 dain, all the Butterifes that upheld 
 that rotten Wall were thrown 
 down, the Seelings of Roomes 
 fupported with Iron-bolts, Belco- 
 nies clapt up in the old Wall, daub- 
 ed over with finiihing Morter. and 
 all this (as a Toadeftoolegroweth 
 in a night ) to ferve untill a Model 
 for a Solid Building (to ftand even 
 with the Street) were made, and 
 to be Built of fuch Stone as the 
 Portico or Water-Gate at the 
 River fide is 5 and this was done 
 on a Mcoriflr Ground, whereon no 
 New Building could ftand any 
 time without Proppings, which 
 was contrary to the main Principle 
 of good Building. 
 
 I muft proceed and conclude 
 with my humble refpe&s concern- 
 ing Palaces of Sovereigne Princes, 
 
 which 
 
[291 
 
 which muft differ as much from 
 other Buildings , as their quality 
 and condition from that of their 
 Subjects. 
 
 And in the firft place, as Soli- 
 dity muft be the firft Principle in 
 all good Building ; fo much more 
 ought it to be obferved in that of 
 Sovereigns, unto whom the whole 
 world hath accefs. 
 
 And as there muft be fpacious 
 Ground before their Palaces, their 
 Inner-Court ample, the Offices 
 for their Retinue large and com- 
 modious,and fo placed as they may 
 neither be an annoyance nor of ill 
 afpedh 
 
 The firft Stories ought rather 
 to be vaulted than boarded , to 
 prevent fuch an accident as hap- 
 pened to Lewis 1 3 th French King, 
 (and his Queen at a Ball,) when 
 the Floore of the Roome (with all 
 the Company) fell down; the 
 
 King 
 
[ 3 ° 3 
 
 King and Queen only remaining 
 (by a fpecial Providence) on the 
 Hearth of the Chimney, fetting 
 under the Cloath of State. 
 
 And as there is a neceffary 
 Magnificence to be expreft on the 
 Front and infide of Princely Build- 
 ings, anfwmble to their great- 
 nefs 5 fo is it absolutely neceflary, 
 that the Archited be pofleft with 
 a Soul as great as the Player in the 
 French Play, called the Vt nona- 
 ries* where he perfwades himfelf 
 to be Alexander, and governs his 
 Motions accordingly. And the 
 Lines and Strokes of the Archi- 
 ted muft be Alexander-like : his 
 Figures and Statues Coloffes, his 
 Pyramid;* like thofe of *s£gypt, 
 and the Vaults like that Rock 
 wherein Alexander and Darius 
 wraftle for Maftery in a Valley in 
 Perfia, between Babylon and Ejfa- 
 han, at a place called Carmonjba - 
 
no 
 
 . hart, where formerly was a great 
 City fix Englifli Miles long 5 in 
 which Groto , the Alexander -like 
 mind of the Sculptor, hath Hewn 
 within the Rock, ( befides Alex- 
 ander on Horfeback, and a num- 
 ber of Huntfmen and Ladies ) the 
 aforefaid Alexander and Darius 
 wraftling to break a Ring between 
 them. 
 
 Such a like mind Prince 'Thomas 
 of Savoy, (Sonne to the Great E- 
 mamel of Savoy ) infufed into his 
 Architect, Sculptor, and Cafter 
 in Brafs, who he imployed in the 
 Defigning and Building a Stable 
 in Turin, within all of Marble, the 
 Racks, Manger, and , the upright 
 Pofts all of Copper , Richly 
 Wrought, Conveyances of Wa- 
 ter Pipes. The Manger fourteen 
 Inches wide at the bottom, to con- 
 tain a Pale for Water onallocca- 
 fions. The uppermoft edge of the 
 
 Manger 
 
t 3 2 1 
 
 Manger three foote eight Inches ‘ 
 high from the Ground , to ac- 
 cuftome the Neapolitan great Sad- ’ 
 dle-Horfe to raife their Neck. ' 
 The Rack Poles three Inches a- 
 funder and upright , that as the 
 Frenchman faith, (Lapetit vienten 
 mange ant ) the Horle may feed 
 morechearfully, the Hay and Dull 
 may not fall on their Heads, as it 
 doth out of a Rack which ftands 
 fhelving : the under part of the 
 Manger ought to be made up to 
 keep in their Litters, and no Boxes 
 made there for Dogs, as feme not 
 curious do, where no Harnefies, 
 Saddles, Comings of Horfes, or 
 any other Implements or Toolesj 
 are not to be feen about the Po- 
 ftern,fince thofe things do but im- 
 pede the Accefle of a Cavallier to 
 the Horfes. 
 
 The difpofing a Stable into a 
 double Range, hath been affe&ed 
 
 by 
 
usi 
 
 by fome, who would fee all their 
 Horfes at once. 
 
 Others love only a Angle Range, 
 with a broad Walk, and if they 
 have a great number of Horfes, 
 returne at the end into another 
 Range* if the Ground can afford 
 the fame, fo as a Wall makes the 
 Partition between the Horfes. 
 
 The Paving of fuch a Stable is 
 very neat, being of white or yel- 
 low (twice burnt) Flanders Bricks, 
 in Dutch called Clink art, farre be- 
 yond Planking of Stables, for di- 
 vers Reafons. The Paviors (af- 
 ter the Bricks are laid) throw fharp 
 Sand over them, and twice a day 
 they are Watered with a Garden- 
 ers Watering-Pot , and Swept 
 with a Broom, which the Grooms 
 are to continue fometimes, be- 
 caufe the Sand gets between the 
 Joynts , and makes the Paving 
 very clofe and firm. The Pave- 
 ment 
 
£ 34 □ 
 
 nrent at the Foot of the Manger, 
 muft be railed at the leaf! fix 
 Inches higher, than at the Gutter 
 where the Pofls are placed, which, 
 ought to be five Foot and an half 
 diftant one from the other, which 
 Ground fo Paved is of double ufej j 
 firft, that the higher a Hoitfe Hands j 
 towards the Manger , the better I 
 fight it is, and efpecially when the 
 Lights of the Stable ftrikes on the 
 Horfe their backs, which is the bet- 
 ter Light. 
 
 Secondly, That a Horfe its ufu- 
 al Handing place being fo much 
 {helving accuflomes the Horfe (re- 
 pofing more on his hinder Feet 
 than on the foremofi) to be more 
 light and nimble in his Gate arid 
 Pace. 
 
 Thirdly, That his Stall doth not 
 remain under him, and efpecially 
 when its Handing hath eight foot 
 in length' from the Manger to the 
 
 Channel, 
 
C 35 3 
 
 Chaanel, which for neatnefs ought 
 to be above Ground , the eight 
 Foote in length, Tieing at full the 
 fpace which the Horfe doth poffefs 
 when in the night time he lyeth 
 ftretcht on his Litter. 
 
 I mull not omit by way of Que- 
 ries, to Write fomewhat concern- 
 ing the Kitchin of a Princely Pal- 
 lace, viz. whether there fhould 
 not be as much curiofity , if not 
 more in the Kitchin than in the 
 Stable j fince the Meat prepared 
 in a Kitchin, ought to be Dreft 
 with all Neatnefs , and preferred 
 before a fine Lace about the Ma- 
 tter Cooks Towel : Neither are 
 the Vcflels of Silver but in refe- 
 rence to the Neatnefs which ought 
 to be obferved in all Cookery. 
 The French-Mans Glafle is 
 wrenched as often as he Drinks, 
 and why fhould not Cooks be 
 more Curious and Neat in their 
 
 Kitchins, 
 
t3*i 
 
 Kitchins,than Grooms in their Sta- 
 bles? And as a Stable can have con- 
 veyances for the Horfes W ater, fo 
 may Kitchins for Slabbering, for 
 Guts of Fowls and Deer, Coles, 
 Afhes , and whatfoever elfe can 
 caufe Djrt and Naftinefs, and be 
 freed from the annoyance ofSmoak, 
 which manyill- placed Doors caufe 5 
 nor ought the Kitchin or other Offi- 
 ces and Selleridge, ( as in fome 
 Palaces in France) to be fo placed 
 as they may prove prejudiciall to 
 the Court, and if they are under- 
 neath a Palace they ought to be 
 vaulted. 
 
 I mull not forget that the Roof 
 ofa Palace ffiould be covered either 
 with Lead or blew Slates. 
 
 The Pantheon at Rome was co- 
 vered with Brafs, which a Pope mel- 
 ted to call Canons, no fuch as on- 
 ly eat, drink and ling. 
 
 No curious eye can well induce 
 
 thofe 
 
jf 
 
 [373 
 
 thofe Barn-like Roofs of many 
 Noble Perfons Palaces , covered 
 with red Tiles, which break and rot 
 away, and then theRoof being men- 
 ded and patcht, feems to be a Beg* 
 gars Mantel, which I would not 
 have the Nobles and Courtiers to 
 be. See the Roofs of Lejler, New- 
 port, Southampton, and fuch like 
 their Palaces, whether they do not 
 look as Barns for Hay, and not Py- 
 bald, by their patched Tiles < 
 
 As for the main bulk of Pala- 
 ces, its true fome have a greatnefs. 
 in plainnefs, as that of F arners in 
 Rome , whereof Michael Angelo 
 made the Architrave, Frize and Cor- 
 
 mjh. 
 
 And as’ for Bignefs and Solidity, 
 that of S' JerammofiadB [cnria/l in 
 Spain ; for Ornament, Munikch in 
 Bavaria •, the Louver at Paris fot 
 Vaftnefs, Situation and Ointment, 
 by the imboifed Imagery on the 
 D Fron- 
 
D*3 
 
 Frontifpiece, varkty of Orders of 
 Colorabs, with the delight of the 
 annexed Tuilleries,. wherein as ef- 
 pecklly in that of the Palace of the 
 Duke of Orleancc, but above all in 
 the Cardinals their Vignas InRojne, 
 is obferved the form of a true 
 Princely Garden, confining not 
 only in much Air, great plots of 
 Grafs, low Borders, large Gravell- 
 Walks,but for clofc Walks,Foun- 
 tains. Groves, and Statuses, to 
 makegood the Italian faying,. Per 
 variar natura e hctU • And as for 
 the imboffed carved Imagery on 
 the Frontifpiece of a Palace, their 
 Dimenfions muft be according un- 
 to their diftancefrom the Ground * 
 which is a main point requifite to 
 be obferved alio in Scheaines, 
 wherein divers undertakers com- 
 mit very great faults, not only by 
 the not reducing whatfoever is re- 
 prefcnted to the true Lines of Per- 
 
 fpettive. 
 
C 3P] 
 
 fpeftivt, but alfoby omitting the 
 giving fuch Proportions to things, 
 asmayfatisfie the fight of all the 
 Spectators at their feverall diftan- 
 ces •, for Excellency doth not con- 
 fift in vaftnefs, nor in the quantity 
 of Objects, nor Shapes, nor Co- 
 lours. 
 
 The Sphear in an Angle of a 
 greatChatnber in S 'Pedro e Vatic a- 
 no in Rome confirms thistruth,and 
 every judicious Eye will be fatisfi- 
 ed therewith.Seas mu ft not only be 
 feen to have a naturall motion, but 
 heard to make a noile of breaking 
 of their Waves on the (hoar, and 
 againft the Rocks. Clouds muft 
 not only drive,but be tranfparent. 
 Wiods, Thunder,Lightning,Rain , 
 Snow, and Hail, muft be fo heard, 
 feen, and felt, as that Spectators 
 may think thofe fights to be natu- 
 rall operations. T he Sun, Moon, 
 and Stars, no Paft-board devices, 
 D 2 but 
 
but fo repreCented, as that they 
 may dazle the Eyes of Spectators. 
 Aiidall the Motions of Sceanes 
 and Mutations as infenfible,and no 
 more to be difcovered, than that 
 bf the Hand of a Diall. 
 
 Neither ean all great Rooms of 
 Princely Palaces Serve for this ufe, 
 except they be after the Moddell 
 bffuchasthe Italians have builr, 
 as there is a good one at Florence 
 in Italy, with conveyances for 
 Smoak,and capacities for Ecchoes, 
 which Inigo if ones ( the late Sur- 
 veyor ) experimentally found at 
 Whitehall, and by his builtBanquet- 
 ting Houfe, fo as having found his 
 own fault, he was conftrained to 
 Build a Woodden Houfe over- 
 thwart the Court bf Whitehall. 
 
 The greatnefs of aSovereign con- 
 fifts not in the quantity of Stone 
 and Timber heapt together, The 
 Quarries polfefs more Stone, and 
 ■ - * the 
 
C4«1 
 
 the Woods ihore Timber than a 
 Banquet Room. Let any good eye 
 judge, whether it be not true, that 
 the extream height ofaRoom takes 
 not away the greatnefs ©f the com* 
 pany that is in the fame, and that all 
 Hangings of Tapiftery make no 
 fhewatall, unlelsthey reach to a 
 proportionable height of a Room. 
 
 Since the greatnefs of a Nation 
 con lift* not in a Husk, but in it felf, 
 and in its Sovereign, nothing fliould 
 be fuffered to diminilb the appear- 
 ance of that greatnefs within or 
 without Doores. A Sovereign and 
 his Retinue, in a too vaft Roome in 
 height, width and length, doth ap- 
 pear like a company in aValley near 
 high Mountains. Whenas a body 
 {landing on the brow of a Hill, and 
 feen from below,feems to be a kind 
 of Coleffe, which argueth that there 
 rnuft be a great difcretion ufed in 
 the making them fit and pRafing. 
 
C 4* 1 
 
 All which I do not Write to un- 
 dervalue any Modem Works, nor 
 any of the CavalKer-like Ofcratyz- 
 vefy good Talent being commen- 
 dable. As I am confident there are 
 fome that live, who will not deny 
 that they have beard the King of 
 bleflfed Memory, gracioufly plea* 
 fed to avouch he had feen in Amo 
 1628, (clofe to the Gate of Tork- 
 Houfe, in a Roome not above 55. 
 Foot fquare,) as much as could be 
 reprefented (as to Sceans) in the 
 great Banquetting Room of white- 
 holly and that divers judicious per- 
 fons will not deny, that the excel- 
 lency of the feveral Tnumphall 
 Arches Ere&edin the City ot Lon- 
 don, confifts not in their Bulk. 
 
 Thv Grecians and Romans (who 
 have town their Mafter-lhip in 
 them) did conform them to the 
 jrefpe&ive places. 
 
 Things can be too great, as well 
 
 as 
 
C 43 3 
 
 as too little, too maffie^nd too flea- 
 der, too gaudy, and toopjain; and 
 Colours“placed together, which a- 
 greeno I one with the other,as blew 
 and green. God ia his Rainbow hay- 
 ing fliewed usthebeftway of or- 
 dering Colours.Nor is it the quan- 
 tity of Timber orStqse,tbat fpeaks 
 love in an Arch*, but rather when it 
 is compofed of the hearts of Loyal 
 , Subjects, which furpafieth all that 
 can be made. 
 
 May therefore the oideft and 
 moft tottering Houle in the Land, 
 breath forth of its Windows what 
 may anfwer that true love, and in 
 point of good Building, wherewith 
 this Difcourfe is begun, (next ro 
 the giving fuch a new Form to the 
 Streets oiLwdon and the Suburbs, 
 as may in a manner equalize thole 
 in tfatfWin neatnels, if the Inha- 
 bitants will but take the right and 
 onely courfe tttejein J May his 
 
 Sac; ed 
 
C 44 3 
 
 Sacred IVlajefty during his long 
 prayed for and wilhed Raign, fed 
 St. Pauls Church in that magnifi- 
 cency, as the Metropolitan of the 
 Houfes of God, in the chief City 
 of Albion juftly require?. And his 
 Royal Palace Built, fo as to anfwer 
 the matchleffe greatnefle of him, 
 who all tongiies of Loyal Subje&s 
 fpeaks to beCarolttm,Magnum,Se- 
 cundum Dei gratia, Anglia:, Scotias, 
 Francice & Hiberni xRegem,Eccle‘ 
 pa, Legum,& Libertatis Populi Re- 
 ft aur at ore m ; Which ihall ever be 
 the dutiful! Willies of ' 
 
 Balthazar Gerbier 
 Douvily Knight. 
 
 Printed by A. M. and are to be fold by Ri- 
 thard Lowns at the White Lion in S' Tauh 
 ei\urch«yard,7/;ow/» Heath at the Globe 
 . within Ludgate, and Matthew Collins 
 • at .the three Blackbirds in Canon - 
 
 fkcec at St NichPlas-Une$ end i 
 Stationers* 1662 . 
 
SPECIAL, &\ B 
 
 'WE J. PAUL GF r 'V CEKrr* 
 L^f\Rv /