CHAP. II.
Of the Portico, Veſtibule, Court-yard, Hall, Stairs, Lobbies, Apertures, Back
doors, concealed Paſſages and private Apartments; and wherein the Houſes
of Princes differ from thoſe of private Men; as alſo of the ſeparate and
common Apartments for the Prince and his Spouſe.
doors, concealed Paſſages and private Apartments; and wherein the Houſes
of Princes differ from thoſe of private Men; as alſo of the ſeparate and
common Apartments for the Prince and his Spouſe.
I do not think the Portico and Veſtibule
were made only for the Conveniency of
Servants, as Diodorus ſays; but rather for the
common Uſe of the Citizens: But Places for
walking in within the Houſe, the inner Court
yard, the Hall (which I believe took its Name
from Dancing, becauſe Nuptials and Feaſts
are celebrated in it) do not belong at all to the
Publick, but entirely to the Inhabitants. Par
lours for eating in are of two Sorts, ſome for
the Maſter, and others for the Servants: Bed
chambers are for the Matrons, Virgins, Gueſts,
and are to be ſeparate for each. Of the uni
verſal Diviſion of theſe, we have already treat
ed in our firſt Book of Deſigns, as far as was
neceſſary under a general Title: We ſhall now
proceed to ſhew the Number of all theſe, their
Proportions, and proper Situations for the great
eſt Convenience of the Inhabitants. The Por
tico and Veſtibule are adorned by the Noble
neſs of Entrance; the Entrance is adorned by
the View which it has before it, and by the
Magnificence of its Workmanſhip. Then the
inner Rooms for eating, laying up all Manner
of Neceſſaries, and the like, ought to be ſo
contrived and ſituated, that the Things pre
ſerved in them may be well kept, that there be
no want of Sun or Air, and that they have all
Manner of proper Conveniencies, and be kept
diſtinct, ſo that too great Familarity may not
leſſen the Dignity, Conveniency or Pleaſure of
Gueſts, nor encourage the Impertinence of
Perſons that pay their Attendance to you.
And indeed Veſtibules, Halls, and the like
Places of publick Reception in Houſes, ought
to be like Squares and other open Places in
Cities; not in a remote private Corner, but in
the Center and the moſt publick Place, where all
the other Members may readily meet: For here
all Lobbies and Stair-caſes are to terminate;
here you meet and receive your Gueſts. More
over, the Houſe ſhould not have above one
Entrance, to the Intent that nobody may come
in, nor any thing be carried out, without the
Knowledge of the Porter. Take Care too,
that the Windows and Doors do not lie handy
for Thieves, nor be ſo open to the Neighbours
that they can interrupt, or ſee or hear what is
ſaid or done in the Houſe. The Ægyptians
built their private Houſes without any Win
dows outwards. Some perhaps may be for
having a Back-gate to which the Fruits of the
Harveſt may be brought home, either in Carts
or on Horſes, and not make a Naſtineſs before
the principal Entrance; as alſo a ſmaller pri
vate Door, at which the Maſter of the Houſe,
without the Knowledge of any of his Family,
may receive any private Meſſages or Advices,
and go out himſelf, as his Occaſions call him.
I have nothing to ſay againſt theſe: And I am
entirely for having concealed Paſſages and pri
vate and hidden Apartments, barely known to
the Maſter himſelf; where, upon any Misfor
tune, he may hide his Plate and other Wealth,
or by which, if need be, he may eſcape him
ſelf. In David's Sepulchre there were ſeveral
private Places made for concealing the King's
Hereditary Treaſures; and they were contriv
ed ſo cunningly, that it was hardly poſſible to
find them out. Out of one of theſe Places,
Joſephus informs us, that Hircanus, the High
Prieſt, thirteen hundred Years afterwards. took
three thouſand Talents of Gold (which makes
eighteen hundred thouſand Italian Crowns) to
free the City from Antiochus's Siege: And out
of another of them, Herod, a long Time after
that, got a vaſt Quantity of Gold. In theſe
Things therefore the Houſes of Princes agree
with thoſe of private Perſons. The chief Dif
ference between private Houſes and Palaces is,
that there is a particular Air ſuitable to each:
In the Latter the Rooms deſigned for the Re
ception of Company ſhould be more numerous
and ſpacious; thoſe which are intended only
for the Uſe of a Few, or only of one Perſon,
ſhould be rather neat than large: But here
again a Palace ſhould differ from the Houſe
of a private Perſon, and even theſe private A
partments ſhould be made more ſpacious and
large, becauſe all Parts of a Prince's Palace are
were made only for the Conveniency of
Servants, as Diodorus ſays; but rather for the
common Uſe of the Citizens: But Places for
walking in within the Houſe, the inner Court
yard, the Hall (which I believe took its Name
from Dancing, becauſe Nuptials and Feaſts
are celebrated in it) do not belong at all to the
Publick, but entirely to the Inhabitants. Par
lours for eating in are of two Sorts, ſome for
the Maſter, and others for the Servants: Bed
chambers are for the Matrons, Virgins, Gueſts,
and are to be ſeparate for each. Of the uni
verſal Diviſion of theſe, we have already treat
ed in our firſt Book of Deſigns, as far as was
neceſſary under a general Title: We ſhall now
proceed to ſhew the Number of all theſe, their
Proportions, and proper Situations for the great
eſt Convenience of the Inhabitants. The Por
tico and Veſtibule are adorned by the Noble
neſs of Entrance; the Entrance is adorned by
the View which it has before it, and by the
Magnificence of its Workmanſhip. Then the
inner Rooms for eating, laying up all Manner
of Neceſſaries, and the like, ought to be ſo
contrived and ſituated, that the Things pre
ſerved in them may be well kept, that there be
no want of Sun or Air, and that they have all
Manner of proper Conveniencies, and be kept
diſtinct, ſo that too great Familarity may not
leſſen the Dignity, Conveniency or Pleaſure of
Gueſts, nor encourage the Impertinence of
Perſons that pay their Attendance to you.
And indeed Veſtibules, Halls, and the like
Places of publick Reception in Houſes, ought
to be like Squares and other open Places in
Cities; not in a remote private Corner, but in
the Center and the moſt publick Place, where all
the other Members may readily meet: For here
all Lobbies and Stair-caſes are to terminate;
here you meet and receive your Gueſts. More
over, the Houſe ſhould not have above one
Entrance, to the Intent that nobody may come
in, nor any thing be carried out, without the
Knowledge of the Porter. Take Care too,
that the Windows and Doors do not lie handy
for Thieves, nor be ſo open to the Neighbours
that they can interrupt, or ſee or hear what is
ſaid or done in the Houſe. The Ægyptians
built their private Houſes without any Win
dows outwards. Some perhaps may be for
having a Back-gate to which the Fruits of the
Harveſt may be brought home, either in Carts
or on Horſes, and not make a Naſtineſs before
the principal Entrance; as alſo a ſmaller pri
vate Door, at which the Maſter of the Houſe,
without the Knowledge of any of his Family,
may receive any private Meſſages or Advices,
and go out himſelf, as his Occaſions call him.
I have nothing to ſay againſt theſe: And I am
entirely for having concealed Paſſages and pri
vate and hidden Apartments, barely known to
the Maſter himſelf; where, upon any Misfor
tune, he may hide his Plate and other Wealth,
or by which, if need be, he may eſcape him
ſelf. In David's Sepulchre there were ſeveral
private Places made for concealing the King's
Hereditary Treaſures; and they were contriv
ed ſo cunningly, that it was hardly poſſible to
find them out. Out of one of theſe Places,
Joſephus informs us, that Hircanus, the High
Prieſt, thirteen hundred Years afterwards. took
three thouſand Talents of Gold (which makes
eighteen hundred thouſand Italian Crowns) to
free the City from Antiochus's Siege: And out
of another of them, Herod, a long Time after
that, got a vaſt Quantity of Gold. In theſe
Things therefore the Houſes of Princes agree
with thoſe of private Perſons. The chief Dif
ference between private Houſes and Palaces is,
that there is a particular Air ſuitable to each:
In the Latter the Rooms deſigned for the Re
ception of Company ſhould be more numerous
and ſpacious; thoſe which are intended only
for the Uſe of a Few, or only of one Perſon,
ſhould be rather neat than large: But here
again a Palace ſhould differ from the Houſe
of a private Perſon, and even theſe private A
partments ſhould be made more ſpacious and
large, becauſe all Parts of a Prince's Palace are