Part 10
Thirdly, in regard of the _Form_ of _Stoneheng_, which is _circular_. This figure was proper to the _Temples_ of _Cœlus_ and _Tellus_, whom the Ancients called _Vesta_, as _Valerianus_ (in his _Hieroglyphicks_) affirms. _Non solamente la palla, ma una simplice piegatura di ruota, appresso gli Egizziani demostrava il Cielo. Not only_ (saith he) _the circular form, but the meer segment of a circle amongst the Egyptians was an Hieroglyphick of Cœlus_. And to this purpose also, _Leo Baptista Albertus_ useth these words. _Ædem Vestæ, quam esse terram putarent, rotundam ad pilæ similitudinem, faciebant. Unto Vesta, whom they reputed to be the Earth, they built Temples of a round form globelike_. Besides, observe what _Philander_ commenting on _Vitruvius_ tels us. _Templorum quanquam alia fiant quadrata, alia multorum angulorum, Cœli naturam imitati veteres, imprimis rotundis sunt delectati: Although_ (saith he) _the Ancients made some Temples square, some of six sides, others of many angles, they were especially delighted with making of them round, as representing thereby the Form or Figure of_ Cœlum, _Heaven_.
[Sidenote: _An. Pal. li. 1._]
[Sidenote: _Vitr. lib. 1. cap. 2._]
[Sidenote: _Apollod. lib. 1._]
Fourthly, in respect of the _Order_ whereof _Stoneheng_ built. The severity of this _Tuscane_ work, retaining in it a shew (as it were) of that first face of _Antiquity_ (as _A. Palladio_ terms it) being most agreeable to the nature of this their God, reputed the ancientest of all their _Deities_, and Father of _Saturn_. For, it was the custome of the Ancients (as in part I remembred before) to appropriate the severall _Orders_ of _Architecture_, according to the particular qualifications of those they deified. _Minervæ, & Marti, & Herculi, ædes Doricæ fient: his enim diis propter virtutem, sine deliciis ædificia constitui decet. To Minerva, and Mars, and Hercules, Temples of the Dorick Order were made; for, to these Deities in respect of their valiant actions, it was requisite to build without delicacy. Veneri, Floræ, Proserpinæ, Fontium Nymphis, Corinthio genere constitutæ, aptas videbuntur habere proprietates, quòd his diis propter teneritatem, graciliora & florida, foliísque & volutis ornata opera facta augere videbuntur justum decorem. To Venus, Flora, Proserpina, the Fountain Nymphs, the Corinthian Order was thought most proper: because unto these in regard of their tender natures, the work seemed to advance a just decorum, when made delicate and flourishing, and adorned with leaves and volutes. Junoni, Dianæ, Libero Patri cæterísque diis qui eadem sunt similitudine, si ædes Ionicæ construerentur, habita erat ratio mediocritatis, quod & ab severo more Doricorum, & à teneritate Corinthiorum, temperabitur earum institutio proprietatis. To Juno, Diana, Bacchus, and to the other Deities of the same quality, building Temples of the Ionick Order, they had regard unto the mean, that from the severe manner of the Dorick, and delicacy of the Corinthian, the condition of their indowments might be duly moderated_, saith _Vitruvius_. To _Jupiter_, _Sol_, and _Luna_, though they made Temples _sub divo_ open to the air and without roofs like this _Antiquity_; yet were they not built of severe and humble but most delicate _Orders_, and accordingly were adorned with costly ornaments, and beautified with various enrichments in severall sorts of sculpture, as by the ruines of them in divers parts of _Italy_ remaining to this day, evidently appears. Respecting therefore, this _Decorum_ used by the _Ancients_ in building their _Temples_, and that this work _Stoneheng_ is principally composed of a most grave _Tuscane_ manner, by just proportions of an agreeable form; it is in mine opinion, as I said before, most agreeable to the quality and condition of that ancient _Cœlus_, whom Antiquity reputed the very stem whence all those Deities in the succeeding Ages proceeded. Cœlus _ex eadem conjuge (scilicet Tellure) procreavit_ Oceanum, Cœlum, Hyperionem _&c. & novissimum omnium_ Saturnum _suscepit_. Cœlus, _by the same wife_ (to wit _Tellus_) _had_ Oceanus, Cœlum, Hyperion _&c. and last of all begat_ Saturn. To which purpose also _Lactantius, I finde_ Uranius _by his wife_ Vesta _had_ Saturn _and_ Ops: Saturn _attaining the government, called his father_ Uranius, Cœlus, _and his mother_ Terra; _that by this change of names, he might the more magnifie the splendor of his originall &c._ Further, I conceive it will not be impertinent to our purpose in hand, to deliver what the _Ancients_ have reported of _Cœlus_; and wherefore they ascribed divine Honours unto Him.
[Sidenote: _Boccace lib. 3._]
According to the _Poets_, _Cœlus_ was not that huge machine adorned with stars, which _Orpheus_ saith was composed for habitation of the _Planets_, and other _Deities_, and which we behold moving with continuall revolution: but a certain man so called, son to _Æther_ and _Dies_, that, is _della virtù ardente, & della luce famosa, of transcendent influence and resplendent brightness_, as _Boccace_ hath it.
[Sidenote: _Diodor. lib. 4._]
By Historians, especially _Diodorus Siculus_, it’s thus delivered. _Scribunt primùm regnasse apud Atlantides_ Cœlum: _Hominésque antea per agros dispersos, ad cœtum, condendásque urbes exhortatum, à fera eos agrestíque vita ad mitiorem cultum extitisse &c. They write, he which first reigned over the_ Atlantides _was_ Cœlus, _and that he invited men living dispersedly before throughout the fields, to convene, and dwell in companies together, exhorting them to build Towns, and reducing them from wild and savage to the conversation of civill life: Taught them also to sow corn and seeds, and divers other things belonging to the common use of mankind; Ruled likewise over a great part of the world from East to West; Was a diligent observer of the stars, and foretold men divers things to come: The year (before confus’d) bringing into Order, according to the course of the Sun, reducing it also into moneths after the Moons course, and appointing likewise the severall seasons of the year. Whereby many ignorant of the perpetuall course of the stars, and amazed at his future predictions, did verily believe he participated of Divine Nature, and therefore after his death, as well for benefits received from him, as great knowledge of the stars, they conferred on him immortall honours, and adored him as a God. And, as appears, called_ Cœlus _in regard of his skill in the celestiall bodies, as also, for divers other causes eternall King of all the world_. Thus _Diodorus_. It being an ordinary custome among the Heathens to deifie, and esteem for Gods, such excellent personages, as either had well ruled, or governed them, or done any notable thing among them to their especiall benefit, or good liking. Such, were they men, or women, remained with the name, reputation, and reverence of _Gods_ or _Goddesses_ after their deaths.
[Sidenote: _Plut. Phil. opin. lib. 1._]
Furthermore, according to the _Philosophers_; _Men_ (they knew not how) by nature soon wanting, and by instinct as soon seeking some God (in stead of apprehending better) deified the _best_ to sense. Whereupon, out of all _Entities_ as most glorious to the eye, they first made choice of _Heaven_, and _Heavenly_ bodies; considering again, as the most beneficiall objects, those living creatures, and fruits which the _Earth_ beneath brought forth, to make compleat generations, they coupled _Cœlus_ to _Tellus_, adoring _Heaven_ as Father, and _Earth_ as Mother to these; the pouring down of showers from _Heaven_ seeming in stead of naturall seeds, and the _Earth_ as a Mother to conceive, and bring forth the same.
[Sidenote: _Rosin. lib. 2. cap. 5._]
Fifthly, the Sacrifices in times of old offered to _Cœlus_ were Bulls or Oxen, their great God _Jupiter_ himself, as I find in _Rosinus_, offering such Victimes unto him. _Ante pugnam, que cum Gigantibus in_ Creta _habita est_, Jovem _sacrificasse dicunt_ Soli, Cœlo, _ac_ Terræ _bovem. Before the battell struck with the Giants in_ Crete, _they say_ Jupiter _sacrificed an Oxe to_ Sol, Cœlus, _and_ Terra. Now that there hath oftentimes been digged out of the ground at _Stoneheng_, the heads of such beasts, in all probability anciently in that place sacrificed; I need not again remember, being it is so well known.
[Sidenote: _Pier. Valer. Hier. lib. 60._]
Sixthly, all the upright stones in this _Antiquity_ are _Pyramidall_ like flames, in imitation of those _Ætheriall_ fires, wherewith the _Heaven_ is adorned. Now, that _Fire_ hath the form of a _Pyramis_ is evident, _percioche, essendo largo da basso, intorno alla materia & esca, da che si pasce, finisce in acuta fiammache riguardo al Cielo. Because, being large at the bottome, in respect of the matter and fewell, by which it is fed, it finishes in an acute flame tending upwards towards Heaven._ And, that the Heavens are adorned with fires, _Natalis Comes_ in his Mythology, out of _Orpheus_, makes apparent. _Nihil aliud esse Cœlum existimans, nisi hunc æthera qui constat ex altissimis illis ignibus. Supposing the Heaven to be no other thing, but this Air which consisteth of those transcendent Fires._
[Sidenote: _Vitr. lib. 5._]
[Sidenote: _Pier. Valer. Hier. lib. 39._]
Lastly, that _Stoneheng_ was anciently dedicated to _Cœlus_ I collect from the _Conformation_ of the work. For the _conformation_ of the _Cell_ and _Porticus_ in the Plant, was designed with four equilaterall _Triangles_, inscribed in a _Circle_, such as the _Astrologers_ use in describing the twelve _celestiall_ signs in musicall proportions. According to that of _Vitruvius_; _In ea conformatione quatuor scribantur trigona paribus lateribus & intervallis, quæ extremam lineam circinationis tangant; In the conformation thereof let four triangles be inscribed of equall sides and intervals, which may touch the extreme part of the circumference: quibus etiam in duodecim signorum cœlestium descriptione, Astrologi ex musica convenientia astrorum ratiocinantur; by which figures also, Astrologers from the musicall harmony of the stars ground their reasonings, as concerning the description of the twelve celestiall signs_. Besides the _Cell_ it self in the formation thereof, is cast into an _Exagon_, one of the three figures, likewise used by _Astrologers_ in their aforesaid arguments of the _sympathy_ of the stars. _Figuris tribus_ (saith _Philander_) _utuntur Astrologi, Trigono, Tetragono & Hexagono. The Astrologers make use of three sorts of figures; the Triangle, Tetragon, and Hexagon._ Furthermore, the three entrances leading into the Temple from the Plain, were comparted by an equilaterall _triangle_; which was the figure whereby the Ancients expressed what appertained to _Heaven_, and divine mysteries also. _Aggiungono i Magi_ (saith _Pierius Valerianus_) _che un triangolo semplice di lati uguali, è indizio di divinità, overo effigie di cose celesti. The_ Magi _adde that a triangle of equall sides is a symbole of Divinity, or sign of celestiall matters_. Now this _Antiquity_ consisting of severall stones, orderly disposed into one entire work, in imitation, as it were, of those severall stars which appearing to us in the Heavens in form of a circle, are called the _celestiall Crown_; and wholly designed by those _Scheams_ wherewith _Astrologers_ use to describe _celestiall_ bodies, which figures, usually applied by them to particular accidents onely, being all joyntly made use of by the _Architect_ for conformation of this sacred structure, it is not improbable _Stoneheng_ was so composed, because dedicated to _Cœlum_. Yea further, (if lawfull to compare an idolatrous place with so divine a work) was not the _Temple_ at _Hierusalem_ adorned with the figures of _Cherubims_; that thereby the Nations of the Earth might know it was the habitation of the living God? and, why not in like manner this _Temple_ composed by _Astrologicall_ figures, that after Ages might apprehend, it was anciently consecrated to _Cœlus_ or _Cœlum_ Heaven?
[Sidenote: _Dan. Barba. in lib. 4._]
[Sidenote: _Vitr. cap. 7. in Ven. 1584._]
But in this conjuncture; concerning such kinde of _Temples_ as this at _Stoneheng_, what saith the learned _Patriarch_ of _Aquileia_? _Io credo, che quel Tempio senza parete significava alcune cose del Cielo, gli effetti delle quali sono nelle scoperto. I beleeve that Temple without walls_ (speaking of the _Monopteros_ aforesaid) _had a relation to_ Cœlum (_Heaven_) _because the effects thereof are openly displaied to the full view of all men_.
_Camden_ tels us he had heard, that in the time of King _Henry_ the eighth, a table of metall was found, not far from this _Antiquity_, engraven with divers strange characters, which being not legible, was neglected and lost: had, indeed, that Table been found within the work it self it might happily have brought to light somwhat in relation to _Stoneheng_. And by all likelihood, in time some inscriptions may therein be found, it being the custome as well of _Greeks_ as _Romans_, in times of greatest _Antiquity_, to lay inscriptions (usually) under the first stones set in what works soever; especially, those of any great magnificence. Wherefore, I advise mine honoured Friend _Laurence Washington_ Esquire in whose demeasnes this _Antiquity_ stands, to whom I am much obliged, for his friendly notice of what things have been there of late years digged up, that he would be solicitous upon any search made there, to enquire after them, and if any found not to neglect, or curiously conceal them, but preserve and willingly produce the same.
I suppose, I have now proved from Authentick Authors, and the rules of Art, _Stoneheng_ anciently a _Temple_, dedicated to _Cœlus_, built by the _Romans_; either in, or not long after those times (by all likelihood) when the _Roman_ Eagles spreading their commanding wings over this _Island_, the more to civilize the Natives, introduc’d the _Art_ of Building amongst them, discovering their ambitious desire, by stupendious and prodigious works, to eternize the memory of their high minds to succeeding Ages. For, the magnificence of that stately _Empire_, is at this day clearly visible in nothing more, then in the ruines of their _Temples_, _Palaces_, _Arch’s Triumphals_, _Aquæducts_, _Thermæ_, _Theaters_, _Amphitheaters_, _Cirques_, and other secular, and sacred structures.
[Sidenote: _Camd. fo. 8._]
History affords only _Contemplation_, whereby their great Actions are made conceivable alone to reasoning: but the ruines of their buildings _Demonstration_, which obvious to sense, are even yet as so many eye-witnesses of their admir’d atchievements.
Roma _quanta fuit, ipsa ruina docet_, _How great_ Rome _was, her ruines yet declare_.
Opinions fancied to the contrary, I have rendred improbable, the Authors of them in respect of this _Antiquity_ being not only modern; but also, what said by them _Romance_-like hatched out of their own brains, even as other fables invented by them, touching the _Britains_ of old. Men possest neverthelesse, with a former conceit of things, endure not by any means new opinions, having not commonly patience to search long after the truth thereof. To them, ever the more generally received, the truer things seem, accounting all of their own time despicable; insomuch, as some are so far in love with vulgarly receiv’d reports, that it must be taken for truth, whatsoever related by them, though nor head, nor tail, nor foot, nor footstep in it oftentimes of reason or common sense. They that beleeve _Geffrey Monmouths ipse dixit_, may make themselves merry therewith; in pleasing their own fancy, they displease not mine. As I have delivered my own judgement freely, all reason they should enjoy theirs. But such as sail in the vast Ocean of time, amongst the craggy rocks of _Antiquity_, steering their course, betwixt anciently approved customs, and convincing arguments, guided by good Authority, and sound judgement, arrive much safer, and with better repute, in the secure Haven of undoubted _Truth_. For mine own part, I had rather erre happily with venerable _Antiquity_, then so much as trouble my thoughts with modern conceits. Whether, in this adventure, I have wasted my Barque into the wished _Port_ of _Truths_ discovery concerning _Stoneheng_, I leave to the judgement of skilfull _Pilots_. I have endevoured, at least, to give life to the attempt, trending perhaps, to such a degree, as either may invite others to undertake the Voyage anew, or prosecute the same in more ample manner, in which, I wish them their desired successe, and that with prosperous gales they may make a more full and certain discovery.
_FINIS._
Errata.
Folio 10. line 6. These words,
[_The_ Romans _overthrew not the Temples, or razed to the Foundations, any of the sacred structures of the_ Druid’s _and_ Britans _made of stone, or other materials, which he might as readily have done, if they had used any such: but positively_,] should have been printed in the ordinary letter.
Fo. | Line | Read | | 18 | 22 | was 28 | 4 | _Cappa_ 38 | 19 | _Mercians_ 49 | 37 | streit 50 | 1 | streit 80 | 23 | the roofe
Transcriber’s Notes:
- Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). - Text enclosed by equals is in blackletter (=blackletter=). - Blank pages have been removed.