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“ A good surveyour,” says Sir Balthazer Gerbier,* “ contrives freeaccess to the roomes, wherunto the well placing of the stares contri-butes; the composing of a fit and easy staires being a master-piece, fitin respect of the place, convenient if the steps be deep [broad], and lowrise, for a straight ascending or descending, (without bending of thesinewes), gives most ease to the body, which doth rest better on hisbones then on sinewes.” The rise of stairs ought not to be less thanfour inches and a half, nor ever exceed six inches.

Plate XXVI.—Cl )t CatC-^OUSC, Or ^at*it (Entrance*—Designedrather to produce an agreeable and picturesque effect, than to accord withany fixed rules or customs of art: such indeed was the practice towardsthe latter end of the sixteenth century, when it would appear that—likethe fashion of the present day—every man wished to display his tasteand learning in architecture. Harrison records the feats of these experi-mentalists, as well as the penalties consequent on such indulgences. “ Itis a world to see, moreouer, how diuerse men being bent to building, andhaving a delectable veine in spending of their gold by that trade, doodailie imagine new deuises of their owne to guide their workemen withall,and those more curious and excellent alwaies than the former. In theproceeding, also, of their works, how they set vp, how they pull downe,how they inlarge, how they restreine, how they ad to, how they takefrom, whereby their heads are neuer idle, their purses ncuer shut, nor theirbookes of account neuer made perfect!”

This entrance is formed by a simple wooden gate, within an archedaperture, strengthened by buttresses; which, as they are obviously

Counsel to all Builders.