The art of fair building represented in the figures of several uprights of houses, with their ground-plots, fitting for persons of several qualities : wherein is divided each room and office according to their most convenient occasion, with their heights, depths, lengths, and breadths according to proportion : with rules and directions for the placing of the doors, vvindows, chimnies, beds, stairs, and other conveniencies ... : also a description of the names and proportions of the members belonging to the framing of the timber-work, with directions and examples for the placing of them / by Pierre Le Muet ... ; published in English by Robert Pricke ...

The manner of framing the Roofs which are made for the Covering, and first of those in which there is a Raising of the Boarding above the last Plancher or Floor, as when Chambers are made in Garrets.

HAving hitherto discoursed of the Order, Measure, and Framing of Buildings, of Masons work, Bricklayers, and Carpenters, from the Foundation unto the Board∣ing; it remaineth for us to speak of the Coverings or Roofs, which ought to sustain them. Now these Coverings must be either of Tiling or Slate; which are the most common and usual Materials. The Tiling, that it may be conveniently upheld, hath no need that the Triangle of its Roof have an equal elevation with that of the Slate; but it is sufficient that when its Basis (that is to say, the breadth of the whole Building) shall contain eight parts, the two sides, which meet at the top, may have seven apiece. The Roofs, which are made for Slate, must have more elevation, both in respect of the wind, which would carry away the said Slate, as for the return of the wa∣ter, which rots it. Some are content with the Equilateral Triangle for the shape of the Roof for slate; Others having the wood at Command do raise it yet more, to wit, in such manner, that when the Basis, which is always the bredth of the bulk of the Building containeth eight parts, the two sides which meet at the Top contain each of them nine. Now whether you make your Covering of Tyle or Slate, you may use indifferently the following fashions, there being no difference between the one and the other, but that which the framing of the Triangles of their Roofs doth cause, and such Coverings, as well of Tyles, as of Slate, are made either with raising of the Boarding above the last Plancher, or without the Raising: if it be with raising up, such work may be made yet in two manners, that is to say, between two small Pinacles, or with a Top, and each of these is varied still in two sorts, the first with the kneel∣ing Rafters, the second with the Platform. According to the first manner the kneeling Rafters are pla∣ced upon the bearings of the Beams, which are the ends of them which bear upon the body of the walls; and it sufficeth that there be between four and five inches from the end of the beam unto the outside of the wall, and the said kneeling Rafters meet within the beams with Tenons and Mortaises. And it must be observed, that the said kneeling Rafters must be kept as streight as can be made, to the end that the in∣side of that place be not hurt thereby, having also regard that we keep them not so streight that they may hinder the Covering. The kneeling Rafters do uphold the Choler-beams, to which these are joyned like∣wise with Tenons and Mortaises, and bound above also with Struts meeting together with Tenons and Mortaises, in such manner as for two parts taken within the Choler there be three taken in the kneeling Rafters; and upon this beam may be also made a later Plancher. Above this beam, and at the ends of it do meet also two kneeling Rafters by Tenons and Mortaises, as well within the Choler, as within the top of the King-post, of which the bottom beareth streight upon the middest of the Choler. This King-post shall be set out with Embosses both above and below, and at the ends of the Counter-fixt pieces and bands. These kneeling Rafters are also bound to the King-post with little Struts, bearing right upon it; and they meet as well with the Choler as with the kneeling rafters with Tenons and Mortaises. And within the King-post and the kneeling Rafters are also the Counter-fixt pieces meeting by Tenons and Mortaises: and the Counter-fixt pieces are joyned to the kneeling Rafters just even with the Gut∣ter-pieces, which Gutter-pieces are upheld with pieces pinned fast with pins of wood; and those pieces are also sustained by Brackets, indented about an inch, or three fourths of an inch below within the bo∣dy of the kneeling Rafters, coming to decay to nothing above or under the knob. And there shall be placed two other Gutter-pieces upon the heads of the said Chollers, and at the ends of the said kneeling Rafters, and upon the said Gutter-pieces, as well above as below the rafters shall be placed, which shall meet the one with the other, with Tenons and Mortaises above, and be indented within the outward ridge of the said top-piece within an inch, and shall be placed below upon the Boarding, within an inch or an inch and an half inward upon the thickness of the wall, to take without, except the Projector. And the said rafters shall be pierced, or otherwise fastened and pinned with pins of wood, over-thwart the bodies of the said Gutter-pieces; and upon the feet of the said rafters shall be set small Spars nailed upon the said rafters, and where the bottom shall bear unto the edges of the Projecture of the Boarding, to the end to cast back the water behind the walls. All that is above is for the description and ordering of the fer∣mers. There remaineth to discourse of the upper pieces, which are from quarter to quarter; for the framing of which the top doth meet within the end above of the King-post.

The second manner, which is made with the Elevation and Plat-form, is framed thus: upon the two ends of the walls are placed two Summers, in such manner that not any part of them bear amiss. They shall be joyned the one to the other by Mortis and Tenant upon their whole length, with a space between them from six to six feet. Upon these Summ••rs are Planks with blocks or pieces to hold fast, and a tail

of Iron fastned within them, about an inch or an inch and an half, so that the upper part of the said rai∣sing-peece come even: and above the ends of the raising-pieces shall be placed the chief rafters, and meet together by Tenons and Mortaises within the said raising-peeces, and above within the Body of the King Post: and upon the ends of the raising-peeces within, shall be born small legs or peers, meeting with Tenons and Mortaises, and at the height that you would allow to the story in the Garrets shall be drawn a Beam, from one rafter to another, meeting with Tenons and Mortaises, and bound below by Struts, having space between, even as we have said of the Braces, and above the small legs or peers, and in the midst of the Beam shall be the King-Post placed, whereof we have spoken heretofore, with Te∣nons and Mortaises, and pins of Iron under the Beam, if need be, and about the midst of the said long piece, shall meet another small Beam of two pieces by Tenons and Mortaises, joyned and upheld by Struts as the foregoing. That which above is the description of the chief rafter. Now the small raf∣ters which are between the chief rafters, are called the filling up Fermes, and have space between them from two to two feet, from midst to midst, and are set out with equal parts to the chief rafters, and like∣wise placed besides the King-Post, and that the Beams nor the rafters are not so thick. That which is said above in respect of the rafters or sides, as well the chief, as the fillers up. It remaineth to speak of the Top-pieces, which are framed by Tops meeting together above within the heads of the King-Post, and two Mortaises and tenant, the one below, the other above, carried upon the even Beams, and meet∣ing by the two ends, within the bodies of the said King-Post. And within the Top being between two King-posts, do meet together above two Bands, cut into two, the which below do meet with Tenons and Mortaises, as well at the Mortis and tenant, as at the body of the said King-post, and as concerning the ridges, there shall be made an half ferm, or side-post within the midst, in like manner as unto the foregoing chief rafters, except that it shall be a little more stiffe or strong, and of the one side and the other of the said half ferme, there shall be in spaces, other half-fermes, or fillers up, or pannels from two feet to two feet, or from sixteen to sixteen inches, from midst to midst, whereof the Branchings shall meet with Tenons and Mortaises within the body of the Struts, and within the pannels or small rafters; the which order shall also be kept on the side of the long pannel from the outward ridge unto the meeting of the chief rafters. And within the raising-peece, which is in the Angle athwart upon the Platform, is the outward ridge-meeting, whereof the Top is joyned to the opening within the ridg of the King-post a∣bove, and this ridge doth meet below with one small leg or piece, within the said raising-peece, and within the body of the said ridge, as also within the Bracers near to the King-Post, shall meet by Tenons and Mortaises two Struts, the one below, and the other above, and there shall meet two great Stays or Es∣seliers within the said girder and the outward ridg, so that the little Stays which shall reach thither, may meet together within. In like manner also shall meet the pannels, as well within the raising-piece, as within the out-ridge, as also the peers, the whole with Tenons and Mortaises, with space, as is said from two to two feet, or from sixteen to sixteen inches. Here is that, we judged needful to be said for the places, where there is elevation of the Boarding above the last Plancher. It remains to speak of those, where there is no elevation, which may also be framed by the second Manner, which we are about to set forth, and by the third and fourth following.

The third Manner hath very much resemblance with the first, except that in stead of the Ashlins and of the Rafters applied above them, there are none but single Rafters, continuing from the bottom to the Top, and which bear upon the Beams, and upon the body of the walls below, and within the King-post a∣bove. The which King-post descends even unto the midst of the Beam, to the which it is joined with Tenons and Mortaises, and in case that the Beam hath a great Bearing, one may also binde the King-post with the same, with plates and pins of iron, so that the rafters be well joined together within the body of the King-post, with the ends. But if the Beam hath not a great bearing, one may make the Beam of one piece, and cut the King-post above the same, which shall meet with the said Beam, with Tenons and Mortaises, and by this means the Garrets shall be freed from the inconveniency of the King-post.

The fourth manner is not much unlike to the second, except that the King-post descendeth upon the midst of the Beam, and that the Boarding hath not any elevation upon the last Plancher or Floor: and besides this, that there are Enterlaces over the bredth of the sides, upon the ends of the great Beams, the King-post is joined with the Beam by Tenons and Mortaises. And if it chance that the Beam hath a long bearing, one may support it with the King-post, with plates and pins of iron: but if the Beam hath no great Bearing, they may make it of one piece, and within it the King-post shall meet, without any need to continue it lower.

There remaineth yet two other manner of small roofs, for to cover the passages, stairs, gal∣leries, and other conveniences, whereof the first is made with small fermes, and single fermes, The small fermes or rafters joined are composed of two spars or rafters, a King-post in the midst, and a Beam or small piece indented within another, the two rafters meeting together above within the head of the King-post, by Tenons and Mortaises, and born below upon the Summers, if they be of Board, or upon the Platform of it if it be Masons work. The

Beam meeteth in the rafters, and in the King-post by Tenons and Mortaises. The single Roofs are composed of two Rafters coupled above with Tenon and Mortaise, and with a Beam made of two pieces, meeting within the rafters, and within the bodie of the cross-quarter, which goeth from one quarter to the other, and shall bear up the rafters be∣low, upon the Summers or upon the Platforms, as hath bin said.

The single fermes or quarters, must have space between from two feet to two feet, or from sixteen inches to sixteen inches. The top-piece, or cross-bar on high between the two small quarters, must be upheld by two bands meeting together, as well within the piece of the top or upper part, as within the Bodie of the King-post by Tenons and Mortaises, unto the which we may joine an overthwart rafter, or cross-brace through the midst, if the bearing be o∣ver-long. The Top must be composed of a Beam on the top, meeting within the great beam of the ferme, and within the rafter of the top, and with two braces likewise meeting within the said wedges, within the which braces must meet two rafters, the which likewise shall go to meet within the outside ridges. And within the rafters must meet also small wedges, ha∣ving space between them from sixteen to sixteen inches, or from two to two feet, as hath bin said, and they must come again to meet within the pannels, and the said pannels shall meet below within the Summers or Platforms, and above within the out-side ridges.

The other Manner of small roof is that which they call a Pent-house, the which is com∣posed of an half ferme, which consisteth in a Closer or Tirant, born within the two bodges of the wall, upon the which Tirant or Closer is made to meet the great King-post, upon the length of the great wall, and within the Tirant or Closer, there meets a Strut, or bearer upheld by its middle with a Counter-fixt piece, likewise meeting as well in the said Strut as in the body of the King-post. At the end of the Counter-fixt piece, and above the strut must be placed a pannel or piece sustaining a gutter, upheld by Tasseau and a bracket, and between the two half fermes shall be the top or upper-piece, composed of a piece of wood; meeting, and born upon the heads of the King-Post by tenons and mortaises, and upheld be∣low by bands. And upon the upper-piece the pannel, summer or platform, the rafters shall be placed, having spaced between each, from two to two feet, or from sixteen to sixteen inches, and the said rafters shall be pierced and fastned with pins of wood, as well upon the gutter-props as the upper-piece, and below the said rafters shall be applied rafters feet, nailed upon the said rafters.