The Major Works (English Library) (35 page)

That the same was used in Latine plantations is plainly confirmed from the commending penne of
Varro, Quintilian
, and handsome Description of
Virgil
.
⁵⁰

That the first Plantations not long after the Floud were disposed after this manner, the generality and antiquity of this order observed in Vineyards, and Wine plantations, affordeth some conjecture. And since from judicious enquiry,
Saturn
who divided the world between his three sonnes, who beareth a Sickle in his hand, who taught the plantations of Vines, the setting, grafting of trees, and the best part of Agriculture, is discovered to be
Noah
,
⁵¹
whether this early dispersed Husbandry in Vineyards, had not its Originall in that Patriarch, is no such Paralogicall
⁵²
doubt.

And if it were clear that this was used by
Noah
after the Floud, I could easily beleeve it was in use before it; Not willing to fix [to] such ancient inventions no higher originall then
Noah
; Nor readily conceiving those aged
Heroes
, whose diet was vegetable, and only, or chiefly consisted in the fruits of the earth, were much deficient in their splendid cultivations; or after the experience of fifteen hundred years, left much for future discovery in Botanicall Agriculture. Nor fully perswaded that Wine was the invention of
Noah
, that fermented Liquors, which often make themselves, so long escaped their Luxury or experience; that the first sinne of the new world
⁵³
was no sin of the old. That
Cain
and
Abel
were the first that offered Sacrifice; or because the Scripture is silent that
Adam
or
Isaac
offered none at all.

Whether
Abraham
brought up in the first planting Countrey, observed not some rule hereof, when he planted a grove at
Beer-sheba
; or whether at least a like ordination were not in the
Garden of
Solomon
,
⁵⁴
probability may contest. Answerably unto the wisedom of that eminent Botanologer,
⁵⁵
and orderly disposer of all his other works. Especially since this was one peece of Gallantry, wherein he pursued the specious
⁵⁶
part of felicity, according to his own description.
⁵⁷
I made me Gardens and Orchards, and planted Trees in them of all kindes of fruit. I made me Pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth Trees, which was no ordinary plantation, if according to the
Targam
, or
Chaldee Paraphrase
, it contained all kindes of Plants, and some fetched as far as
India
; And the extent thereof were from the wall of
Jerusalem
unto the water of
Siloah
.
⁵⁸

And if
Jordan
were but
Jaar Eden
, that is, the River of
Eden, Genesar
but
Gansar
or the Prince of Gardens; and it could be made out, that the Plain of
Jordan
were watered not comparatively, but causally, and because it was the Paradise of God, as the Learned
Abramas
hinteth, he was not far from the Prototype and originall of Plantations. And since even in Paradise it self, the tree of knowledge was placed in the middle of the Garden, whatever was the ambient
⁵⁹
figure, there wanted not a centre and rule of decussation. Whether the groves and sacred Plantations of Antiquity, were not thus orderly placed, either by
quaternio’s
,
⁶⁰
or quintuple ordinations, may favourably be doubted. For since they were so methodicall in the constitutions of their temples, as to observe the due scituation, aspect, manner, form, and order in Architectonicall relations, whether they were not as distinct in their groves and Plantations about them, in form and
species
⁶¹
respectively unto their Deities, is not without probability of conjecture. And in their groves of the Sunne this was a fit number, by multiplication to denote the
dayes of the year; and might Hieroglyphically speak as much, as the mysticall
Statua
of
Janus
⁶²
in the Language of his fingers. And since they were so criticall in the number of his
⁶³
horses, the strings of his Harp, and rayes about his head, denoting the orbes of heaven, the Seasons and Moneths of the Yeare; witty Idolatry would hardly be flat in other appropriations.

CHAPTER II

Not was this only a form of practise in Plantations, but found imitation from high Antiquity, in sundry artificiall contrivances and manuall operations. For to omit the position of squared stones,
cuneatim
or
wedgwise
in the Walls of
Roman
and
Gothick
buildings; and the
lithostrata
or figured pavements of the ancients, which consisted not all of square stones, but were divided into triquetrous
¹
segments, honey-combs, and sexangular figures, according to
Vitruvius
;
²
The squared stones and bricks in ancient fabricks, were placed after this order. And two above or below conjoyned by a middle stone or
Plinthus
, observable in the ruines of
Forum Nervæ
, the
Mausoleum
of
Augustus
, the Pyramid of
Cestius
, and the sculpture draughts
³
of the larger Pyramids of Ægypt. And therefore in the draughts of eminent fabricks, Painters do commonly imitate this order in the lines of their description.

In the Laureat draughts
⁴
of sculpture and picture, the leaves and foliate works are commonly thus contrived, which is but in imitation of the
Pulvinaria
,
⁵
and ancient pillow-work, observable in
Ionick
peeces, about columns, temples and altars. To omit many other analogies, in Architectonicall draughts, which art it self is founded upon fives,
⁶
as having its subject, and most gracefull peeces divided by this number.

The Triumphal Oval, and Civicall Crowns of Laurel, Oake, and Myrtle, when fully made, were pleated after this order. And to omit the crossed Crowns of Christian Princes; what figure that was which
Anastatius
described upon the head of
Leo
the third; or who first brought in the Arched Crown; That of Charles the great, (which seems the first remarkably closed Crown,) was framed after this manner;
⁷
with an intersection in the middle from the main crossing barres, and the interspaces, unto the frontal circle, continued
⁸
by handsome network-plates, much after this order. Whereon we shall not insist, because from greater Antiquity, and practice of consecration, we meet with the radiated, and starry Crown, upon the head of
Augustus
, and many succeeding Emperors. Since the Armenians and Parthians had a peculiar royall Capp; And the Grecians from
Alexander
another kinde of diadem. And even Diadems themselves were but fasciations,
⁹
and handsome ligatures, about the heads of Princes; nor wholly omitted in the mitrall Crown, which common picture seems to set too upright and forward upon the head of
Aaron
:
¹⁰
Worne sometimes singly, or doubly by Princes, according to their Kingdomes; and no more to be expected from two Crowns at once, upon the head of
Ptolemy
.
¹¹
And so easily made out when historians tell us, some bound up wounds, some hanged themselves with diadems.

The beds of the antients were corded somewhat after this fashion: That is not directly, as ours at present, but obliquely, from side to side, and after the manner of network; whereby they strengthened the spondæ or bedsides, and spent less cord in the work: as is demonstrated by
Blancanus
.

And as they lay in crossed beds, so they sat upon seeming crosselegg’d seats: in which form the noblest thereof were framed: Observable in the triumphall seats, the
sella curulis
, or
Ædyle Chayres
, in the coyns of
Cestius, Sylla
, and
Julius
. That they
sat also crossed legg’d many noble draughts declare; and in this figure the sitting gods and goddesses are drawn in medalls and medallions.
¹²
And beside this kinde of work in Retiarie
¹³
and hanging textures, in embroderies, and eminent needle-works; the like is obvious unto every eye in glass-windows. Nor only in Glassie contrivances, but also in Lattice and Stone-work, conceived in the Temple of
Solomon
; wherein the windows are termed
fenestræ reticulatæ
,
¹⁴
or lights framed like nets. And agreeable unto the Greek expression concerning Christ in the Canticles, looking through the nets, which ours hath rendered, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himselfe through the lattesse;
¹⁵
that is, partly seen and unseen, according to the visible and invisible side of his nature. To omit the noble reticulate work, in the chapiters of the pillars of
Solomon
, with Lillies, and Pomegranats upon a network ground; and the
Craticula
or grate through which the ashes fell in the altar of burnt offerings.
¹⁶

That the networks and nets of antiquity were little different in the form from ours at present, is confirmable from the nets in the hands of the Retiarie gladiators, the proper combatants with the secutores.
¹⁷
To omit the ancient Conopeion
¹⁸
orgnatnet, of the Ægyptians, the inventors of that Artifice: the rushey labyrinths of
Theocritus
;
¹⁹
the nosegaynets, which hung from the head under the nostrils of Princes; and that uneasie metaphor of
Reticulum Jecoris
, which some expound the lobe, we the caule above the liver.
²⁰
As for that famous network of
Vulcan
, which inclosed
Mars
and
Venus
, and caused that unextinguishable laugh in heaven;
²¹
since the gods themselves could not discern
it, we shall not prie into it; Although why
Vulcan
bound them,
Neptune
loosed them, and
Apollo
should first discover them, might afford no vulgar mythologie. Heralds have not omitted this order or imitation thereof, whiles they Symbollically adorn their Scuchions with Mascles Fusils and Saltyrs,
²²
and while they disposed the figures of Ermins, and vaired
²³
coats in this Quincuncial method.

The same is not forgot by Lapidaries
²⁴
while they cut their gemms pyramidally, or by æquicrural
²⁵
triangles. Perspective pictures, in their Base, Horison, and lines of distances, cannot escape these Rhomboidall decussations. Sculptors
²⁶
in their strongest shadows, after this order do draw their double Haches.
²⁷
And the very
Americans
do naturally fall upon it, in their neat and curious textures, which is also observed in the elegant artifices of
Europe
. But this is no law unto the woof of the neat
Retiarie
Spider, which seems to weave without transversion,
²⁸
and by the union of right lines to make out a continued surface, which is beyond the common art of Textury, and may still nettle
Minerva
²⁹
the Goddesse of that mystery. And he that shall hatch the little seeds, either found in small webs, or white round Egges, carried under the bellies of some Spiders, and behold how at their first production in boxes, they will presently fill the same with their webbs, may observe the early, and untaught finger of nature, and how they are natively provided with a stock, sufficient for such Texture.

The Rurall charm against
Dodder, Tetter
,
³⁰
and strangling weeks, was contrived after this order, while they placed a chalked Tile at the four corners, and one in the middle of their
fields, which though ridiculous in the intention, was rationall in the contrivance, and a good way to diffuse the magick through all parts of the
Area
.

Somewhat after this manner they ordered the little stones in the old game of
Pentalithismus
, or casting up five stones to catch them on the back of their hand. And with some resemblance hereof, the
Proci
or Prodigall Paramours disposed their men, when they played at
Penelope
.
³¹
For being themselves an hundred and eight, they set fifty four stones on either side, and one in the middle, which they called
Penelope
, which he that hit was master of the game.

In Chesse-boards and Tables
³²
we yet finde Pyramids and Squares, I wish we had their true and ancient description, farre different from ours, or the
Chet mat
³³
of the
Persians
, which might continue
³⁴
some elegant remarkables, as being an invention as High as
Hermes
the Secretary of
Osyris
, figuring the whole world, the motion of the Planets, with Eclipses of Sunne and Moon.
³⁵

Physicians are not without the use of this decussation in severall operations, in ligatures and union of dissolved continuities. Mechanicks make use hereof in forcipall
³⁶
Organs, and Instruments of Incision; wherein who can but magnifie the power of decussation, inservient
³⁷
to contrary ends, solution and consolidation, union, and division, illustrable from
Aristotle
in the old
Nucifragium
or Nutcracker, and the Instruments of Evulsion,
³⁸
compression or incision; which consisting of two
Vectes
or armes, converted towards each other, the innitency
³⁹
and stresse being made upon the
hypomachlion
or
fulciment
⁴⁰
in the decussation and greater compression is made by the union of two impulsors.
⁴¹

The
Roman Batalia
⁴²
was ordered after this manner, whereof as sufficiently known
Virgil
hath left but an hint, and obscure intimation.
⁴³
For thus were the maniples and cohorts of the
Hastati, Principes
and
Triarii
⁴⁴
placed in their bodies, wherein consisted the strength of the
Roman
battle. By this Ordination they readily fell into each other; the
Hastati
being pressed, handsomely retired into the intervalls of the
principes
, these into

that of the
Triarii
, which making as it were a new body, might joyntly renew the battle, wherein consisted the secret of their successes. And therefore it was remarkably singular in the battle of
Africa
,
⁴⁵
that
Scipio
fearing a rout from the Elephants of the Enemy, left not the
Principes
in their alternate distances, whereby the Elephants passing the vacuities of the
Hastati
, might have run upon them, but drew his battle into right order, and leaving the passages bare, defeated the mischief intended by the Elephants. Out of this figure were made too remarkable
forms of Battle, the
Cuneus
and
Forceps
, or the sheare and wedge battles, each made of half a
Rhombus
, and but differenced by position. The wedge invented to break or work into a body, the
forceps
to environ and defeat the power thereof, composed out of the selectest Souldiery and disposed into the form of an V, wherein receiving the wedge, it inclosed it on both sides. After this form the famous
Narses
ordered his battle against the
Franks
, and by this figure the
Almans
were enclosed, and cut in peeces.
⁴⁶

The
Rhombus
or Lozenge figure so visible in this order, was also a remarkable form of battle in the
Grecian
Cavalry,
⁴⁷
observed by the
Thessalians
, and
Philip
King of
Macedon
, and frequently by the
Parthians
, As being most ready to turn every way, and best to be commanded, as having its ductors, or Commanders at each Angle.

The
Macedonian Phalanx
(a long time thought invincible) consisted of a long square.
⁴⁸
For though they might be sixteen in Rank and file, yet when they shut close, so that the fixt pike advanced before the first ranck, though the number might be square, the figure was oblong, answerable unto the Quincunciall quadrate of
Curtius
. According to this square
Thucydides
delivers, the
Athenians
disposed their battle against the
Lacedemonians
brickwise,
⁴⁹
and by the same word the Learned
Guellius
⁵⁰
expoundeth the quadrate of
Virgil
, after the form of a brick or tile.

And as the first station and position of trees, so was the first habitation of men, not in round Cities, as of later foundation; For the form of
Babylon
the first City was square, and so shall also be the last, according to the description of the holy City in the Apocalyps.
⁵¹
The famous pillars of
Seth
before the floud, had also the like foundation, if they were but
antidiluvian
Obelisks,
⁵²
and such as
Cham
and his
Ægyptian
race, imitated after the Floud.