The first book of architecture, by Andrea Palladio. Translated out of Italian: with an appendix touching doors and windows, by Dr Le Muet architect to the French King: translated out of French by G.R. Also rules and demonstrations, with several designs for the framing of any manner of roofs either above pitch or under pitch, whether square or bevel, never published before. With designes of floors of variety of small pieces of wood, lately made in the pallace of the Queen Mother, at Sommerset-House; a curiosity never practiced in England before.

CHAP. XVIII. Of the Composita Order.

THe Composita Order, which is also called Roman, because it was an Invention of the Ancient Romans, and is so called because it partakes of two of the aforesaid Orders; And the most Regular and Beautiful is that which is compounded of the Ionick and Corinthian; It is more slender then the Corinthian, and may be made like it in all parts, except in the Capitel.

These Columns ought to be in length ten Models; In the designe of Columns alone, the Inter-columns are one Diametre and a half, and this manner is called by Vitruvius Picnostilos. In those of Arches the Pillasters are half the light of the Arch, and the Arches are in height under the Vault two squares and half, that is to say, two Diametres and half of the light of the Arch.

[illustration] diagram of column

[illustration] diagram of column

The height Models 12 parts 20

From the Middle of one column to the middle of the other there is 7 Models part 15

And because (as I have said) this Order ought to be made more neat and slender then the Corinthian, Its Pedestal is to be the third part of the height of the Column, and is divided into eight parts and half; of one part is made the Cimatium of the Base, and five and half remaines to the Dodo or Plinth of the Pedestal; The Base of the Pedestal is divided into three parts, two is given to the Zocco or Plinth, and one to its Terus with its Cimatium.

The Base of the Column may be made Attick as in the Co∣rinthian, and it may also be compounded of the Attick and the Ionick, as appears in the design. The Profile of the Impost of the Arches, is by the side of the plaine of the Pedestal, and its height is as much as the thickness of the Membretto.

[illustration] diagram of column

[illustration] diagram of column

The Capitel of the Composita Order hath the same measures as the Corinthian, but it differs from it in the Voluta, Ouolo, Fusarolo, or Fuse, which are members attributed to the Ionick; and the way of making it, is thus: from the Abacus downwards, the Capitel is divided into three parts, as in the Corinthian: The first is given to the first leaves, the second to the second, and the third to the Voluta, which is made in the same manner, and with the same points with the which the Ionick is said to be made, and takes up so much of the Abacus, that it seemes to grow out of the Ouolo neere the flowers which are put in the middle of the Curvatures of the said Abacus, and is as thick in the front, as the breadth of the hornes thereof and a little more: The Ouolo is as big as three parts of five of the Abacus, and its lower part begins right against the lower part of the eye of the Voluta; It hath in Projecture ¾. parts of its height, and is with its Projecture perpendicular to the hollow of the Abacus, or a little more:

The Fuse is a third part of the height of the Ouolo, and hath in Projecture something more then the half of its thicknesse, and turnes about the Capitel under the Voluta, and is alwayes seen. The Gradetten, or Moulding, which goes under the Fuse, and makes the Orlo of the bell of the Capitel, is the half the Fuse: The body of the bell answers direct with the bottom of the flutes of the Column; of this sort I have seen one at Rome, from which sort I have drawn the said Measures, because it appeared to me very beautiful, and well ordered.

There are Capitels made after another manner, which may be called Composita, of which shall be discoursed, and the figures thereof shall be put in my Books of Antiquities.

The Archetrave, Frise and Cornice, are the fifth part of the height of the Column, and their Compartiments may be well known by that which hath been said before in the other Orders, and by the numbers placed in the designe.

[illustration] diagram of frieze

[illustration] diagram of column

[illustration] diagram of column