St. _Peter_’s Church so astonished me, that I cannot pass it by in Silence. To tell you in few Words what I think of it; I believe, that though there were no other Building in ROME but this Church, it would be worth while to make a Journey hither on Purpose to see it. The Area which lies before this superb Pile, can’t but be admired by all that see it. Pope _Alexander_ VII. caused it to be laid out after the Model of my Hero in Architecture, Signior _Lorenzo Bernini_. The Form of this Area is round, and encompassed by a Peristyle of two hundred eighty-six Pillars, which leads all the way under Covert to the Church. These Columns support an Architrave adorned with a great Number of Statues, representing divers holy Martyrs. The Area is adorned with two magnificent Fountains, which continually throw out vast Sheets of Water, into three Basons, the lowermost whereof, being the largest, serves to let out the Water, which runs under Ground. An Obelisk of seventy-two Feet in Height, besides the Basis, stands up in the Middle of the two Fountains. Pope _Sixtus_ V. who may justly be reckoned the Restorer of ROME, on account of the Ornaments with which he embellished every Part of it, caused it to be set up, after ’twas dug out of the Earth, near the Place where now stands St. _Peter_’s Sacristy. He ordered it to be erected on a very high Pedestal; and Signior _Fontana_, the famous Architect, was the Man by whose Direction so immense a Weight was raised to that Height. ’Tis said, that Pope _Sixtus_ V. commanded that every Man who assisted in raising this Obelisk should keep Silence on Pain of Death, for fear lest Talking should distract the Workmens’ Thoughts, and take them off from a due Attention to the Orders of the Architect; and as they knew that _Sixtus_ would be obeyed, not a Man spoke a Word. The Work went on very well, till when the Spire was almost raised, the Ropes happened to be too short. This Accident so confounded _Fontana_, that he knew not what to do, when one of the Spectators took it in his Head to call out to him to throw Water upon the Ropes. _Fontana_ followed his Advice with such good Success, that the Pope promised a Reward for the Person who would own that he gave it: But no body cared to trust _Sixtus_; the Adviser concealed himself in the Crowd, and it could never be known who he was. The whole Height of the Obelisk, including the Base and Cross, is one hundred and eight Feet. _Sixtus_ V. caus’d some Timber of the real Cross to be set in the Cross of gilt Brass at the Top of the Spire, and granted ten Years Indulgences to any Person that shou’d salute it, and at the same Time repeat three _Pater-nosters_, and as many _Ave Maries_.