The Transportation of the Vatican Obelisk

Dell'Obel. Vatic. & fabriche di N.S.

even if broken, promising however to repair them and return them whole, and paying the due wage or rent: and that likewise he may make use of all the instruments and things of the fabric of Saint Peter, and command the Agents, Ministers, and Officials of said fabric that, within a due space of time, they render free and clear the Square next to the Spire so as to be able to conduct and accommodate there what will be needed for this work.

That he may (if it shall be so necessary) throw down or have thrown down the houses near said Spire, treating however first of the manner of repairing the damage to whom it shall be due.

In sum, power is given to the said Domenico Fontana to do, command, execute, and exercise every other thing necessary for this effect; and furthermore, that together with his agents, servants, and household persons, in every place and at every time, he may carry every sort of weapon except those prohibited; and it is commanded to all Magistrates and Officials of the entire Ecclesiastical state that in all the aforementioned things they help and favor the said Domenico Fontana: and to the others, then, in any way whatsoever subject to the Apostolic See of every grade and condition, that under penalty of our displeasure, and of five hundred ducats of the Chamber, and other penalties at our discretion, they dare not impede or in any way whatsoever molest the aforementioned work, or him, Domenico, or his agents or workers; rather, that without delay or any excuse, they help, obey, favor, and assist him, any contrary things notwithstanding. Given at Rome at Saint Mark's, the 5th of October, 1585.

Therefore, in execution of the desire of Our Lord, with the aforementioned authority, men were sent by me on purpose to various places roundabout so that they might take care to procure the provisions ordered to each of them, and send them to Rome, and first:

To Foligno, a city very abundant in hemp, to collect the yarn to make the ropes in Rome.

In Rome, all the necessary very thick ropes were made, in the number of forty-four, each one hundred canne a standard unit of measure, approx. 2 meters long, almost all of them near one-third of a palmo a palm, approx. 22-25 cm in diameter; among which three were made two hundred canne long each. These longer ones had to serve for the double pulleys, wound at twelve ends, of which each corresponded to two winches, as will be shown in its place; and also a great quantity of small ropes were newly made for ties, rigging, and other uses. Furthermore, an order was given to many blacksmiths that they should make brackets to surround the antennas of the "Castle," other brackets to embrace the pulleys and the blocks, long bolts to tighten the beams together by passing them from one side to the other; small iron rings to put at the head of the capstans; others larger to bind the spindles of the winches so that they would not split; pins for the pulleys, which larger and smaller ones of metal were cast for many sorts of pulleys; in addition, many nails and heavy bolts, hatchets, axes, hammers, sledgehammers, and iron stakes of all sorts, as a great quantity of them was needed. Besides this, all the chestnut, oak, and elm beams that were found in the warehouses were bought to make the armature of the "Castle."

At Ronciglione, it was commissioned that very thick and long iron rods should be made to arm the Spire, and other irons for the cases of the pulleys.

At Subiaco, a fortress thirty miles from Rome above Tivoli, part of the similar ironwork was also being made for pulley cases and blocks.

At Campomorto, a forest of the Most Reverend Canons of Saint Peter, toward the Port of Nettuno, twenty-eight miles from Rome, many men were sent to make a very great quantity of very long and very thick oak beams,