Exemplar Fragmentorum

John Dee, Preface to Euclid: 39 (d.iij.) — On the Architect

Architectura (sayth Vitruuius) est Scientia pluribus disciplinis & varijs eruditionibus ornata: cuius Iudicio probantur omnia, quæ ab cæteris Artificibus perficiuntur opera.

That is. Architecture, is a Science garnished with many doctrines & diuerse instructions: by whose Iudgement, all workes, by other workmen finished, are Iudged.

It followeth. Ea nascitur ex Fabrica, & Ratiocinatione. &c. Ratiocinatio autem est, quæ, res fabricatas, Solertia ac ratione proportionis, demonstrare atque explicare potest.

Architecture, groweth of Framing, and Reasoning. &c. Reasoning, is that, which of thinges framed, with forecast, and proportion: can make demonstration, and manifest declaration.

Againe. Cùm, in omnibus enim rebus, tùm maximè etiam in Architectura, hæc duo insunt: quod significatur, & quod significat. Significatur proposita res, de qua dicitur: hanc autem Significat Demonstratio, rationibus doctrinarum explicata.

Forasmuch as, in all thinges: therefore chiefly in Architecture, these two thinges are: the thing signified: and that which signifieth. The thing propounded, whereof we speake, is the thing Signified. But Demonstration, expressed with the reasons of diuerse doctrines, doth signifie the same thing.

After that. Vt literatus sit, peritus Graphidos, eruditus Geometriæ, & Optices non ignarus: instructus Arithmetica: historias complures nouerit, Philosophos diligenter audiuerit: Musicam sciuerit: Medicinæ non sit ignarus, responsa Iurisperitorũ nouerit: Astrologiam, Cælique rationes cognitas habeat.

An Architect (sayth he) ought to vnderstand Languages, to be skilfull of Painting, well instructed in Geometrie, not ignorant of Perspectiue, furnished with Arithmetike, haue knowledge of many histories, and diligently haue heard Philosophers, haue skill of Musike, not ignorant of Physike, know the aunsweres of Lawyers, and haue Astronomie, and the courses Celestiall, in good knowledge. He geueth reason, orderly, wherefore all these Artes, Doctrines, and Instructions, are requisite in an excellent Architect.