THE LORETTO CHAPEL ARCHITECTURAL PLANS DESCRIPTION OF PLAN A. I. _a_, Drawing of a gable with "stepped" coping, probably meant for the west gable. I. _b_, Plan of the Chapel, showing four bays in length, with buttresses having a pointed profile, labelled "Cappella Loretta." I. _c_, Elevation of a circular-headed recess, with ornament in head, labelled "Cava." I. _d_, Plan (enlarged) of the Chapel, showing an entrance ("portus") apparently in the south-west bay. DESCRIPTION OF PLAN B. I. _e_, Plan of the east end of Chapel, showing the convex "Cava Virginis," and the door ("portus") leading to the church. I. _f_, Another and clearer plan of the Chapel, confirming the four-bay division. I. _g_, Elevation of the east wall of Chapel, as seen internally, the "Cava Virginis," or semicircular recess, being in the centre and the door to the transept on the right or south side. [Illustration: PLAN A.] [Illustration: PLAN B.] DESCRIPTION OF PLAN C. I. _h_, This appears to be another effort to show the east wall, but the "Cava" is so small that the alternative suggests itself of an elevation of the west wall, with a central doorway. I. _j_, _k_, Head of the "Cava," with attempt to represent a shell ornament filling the hollow of same. II. _a_, Elevation, probably of exterior of west wall, with round-headed door, and "Virgo" over--_i.e._, a statue of the Virgin here. There is a suggestion of undulating parapets, with a sitting lion at the corner. II. _b_, _c_, Divisions of the copings, with lions at intervals. [Illustration: PLAN C.] DESCRIPTION OF PLAN D. II. _d_, Another drawing of the east end of the plan, with the position of the east door, written "portus ad ecclesiam et voltus quadripartus." Note "portus" for "porta," and "voltus" for" volta," always occurring in these writings. II. _e_, _f_, Repetition of the undulating contours of the parapet, labelled "parapetus." The lions at intervals as before. [Illustration: PLAN D.] DESCRIPTION OF PLAN E. II. _g_, Undulating outline of a parapet, with foliage ornament applied, and the word "leo." II. _h_, Sketch of a small pier or baluster form. This is labelled "patella and pillar." The word "patella" has the same intention as the word "patera," well known as an architectural term and implying a plate or panel, often of rectangular form. This may be let into the surface of a pilaster. The plan clearly indicates a flat pier or pilaster; or it may imply an abacus for the support of the lion. [Illustration: PLAN E.] DESCRIPTION OF PLAN F. III. _a_, Two sketches of the lions. They are sitting lions, holding shields, as we see them in many Tudor buildings, but the ornament is more customary in domestic work than in ecclesiastical.