which by a mutuall section doe make an angle the complements of the latitudes be known by the degrées abated from 90. in the degrées of the latitudes Further by the suns meridian had and found you may easily conceiue the eleuation of the pole and habitude of the sphere For the whole quarter is of 90. degrées Séeing the suns meridian altitude in the equinoctiall must be subtracted from 90. degrées the rest shew the eleuation of the Pole As for example the suns meridian altitude of Viteberge in Germanie in the time of the equinoctiall is of 38. degrées and 10. minutes the rest of the degrées of the quarter shall appeare to bee 51. degrées and 50. minutes which eleuation of the pole neer agréeth to London So that by so many degrées is the Pole there eleuated aboue the Horizont And as the quadrant is from the pole vnto the equinoctial euen so is the quadrant from the Zenith vnto the Horizont If therefore in the time of the Equinoctiall the distance of the Horizont vnto the suns altitude be of 38. degrées and 10. minutes which is not the halfe part of the quarter the same yet being subtracted frō the whole quarter doeth shew that the rest shall bee more then halfe part of the quarter that is 51. degrées and 51. minutes For those spaces which are from the pole vnto the Equinoctiall and from the Zenith vnto the Horizont are alike what the distance of the Zenith is from the equinoctiall the same likewise is the Horizont vnto the Pole that is the latitude of the place is equall to the eleuation of the pole To declare that the latitude of a place is equall to the eleuation of the pole these foure propositions are to be conceiued First the quarters of one and the same cyrcle any where taken are equall one to the other Secondly the poles by the quarter that is 90. degrées bee distant from their cyrcle Thirdly the Zenith is the pole of the Horizont Fourthly and last the equals abated from the equals the equals still remaine So that two quarters of the meridian taken as that which is from the equinoctiall vnto the pole and that which is from the Zenith vnto the Horizont which séeing they are quarters of one and the same cyrcle therefore are they likewise equall one to the other that is either containeth 90. degrées when frō these two quarters the common arke is abated which is betwéene the Zenith and Pole of the worlde and the rest of the equals remaine as the arke which is from the equinoctiall vnto the Zenith and called the latitude of the place and the arke which is from the Pole of the world vnto the Horizont also called the eleuation of the Pole as may be vnderstanded of the former Viteberge that is of 51. degrées and 50. minutes Yet that you may easilier finde and knowe the eleuation of the Pole of your City or Towne you must first obtaine and haue the suns meridian altitude which workemanly may be had and obserued by the shadow As when the suns altitude in the time of the equinoctiall is precisely of 45. degrees the shadowe then is like to the Gnomone which is at Venice as Plinie writeth also of Milaine and Lions for the sun to them is in the time of the equinoctial in the middle of the quarter But when the suns altitude excéedeth 45. degrées then is the shadow caused lesser as of Rome where the sunnes meridian altitude in the equinoctiall is of 42. degrées and 10. minutes so that the shadowe is there shorter Also Plinie writeth of Rome that the ninth part of the Gnomon in the equinoctiall doth lack of the noone shadow But when the suns altitude is lesser then 45. degrées the shadow of the Gnomon is caused longer The like is with vs through all winter and the time of the equinoctiall for we sée the shadowes of mens bodies to be longer for that the suns altitude in that time is neuer 45. degrées For how much the shadow is longer then the halfe part of the quarter so much the lesser is the suns altitude then 45. degrées As of Viteberge in the 10. day of September the suns meridian altitude is then of 39. degrees and 21. minutes but when the sun is further distant by the 45 degrée of the quarter or by the halfe of the quarter then ensueth that the shadow is so much longer then the Gnomon or 45 degrées For the Noone shadow in the 10. day of September is the like vnto the Gnomon as the 50. degrées and 39. minutes are vnto 45. degrées Heere you sée how by the meridian shadowe you may finde the suns altitude which obtained you shall easily find the altitude or eleuation of the Pole especially in the time of the equinoctiall For the suns altitude then from the whole quarter that is from 90. degrées must be subtracted and the eleuation of the pole shall remaine and appeare to be as is aboue taught Seeing it is somewhat harde to finde the height of the Pole vnto any day prescribed that the same may more easily and surer be attained and founde you shall vse this table here following by the helpe of which you may without great labour finde and know the eleuation of the pole For to procéede and worke by this manner seeke first the suns meridian altitude at the day offered either by an astrolaby or quadrant but rather by the instrument named the quadrant in whose bordure are 90. degrées drown or written expressed by reason of the Gnomon and shadowe vpwarde After séeke the degrée of the Ecclipticke by the Ephemerides which the sun obtaineth at noone of the day offered next by the table folowing take the declination of the degrée founde by meane of the equinoctiall if the sun then shall bee in Northerly signes abate or subtract from the suns altitude afore found but if in Southerly signes then adde vnto the suns altitude The produce or rest is the eleuation of the equinoctiall which abstracted or abated from the whole quarter that is from 90. degrées leaueth sheweth the eleuation of the pole as in the 10. day of September the suns altitude in the twelfe houre or at noone is of 39. degrées and 21. minutes To finde this eleuation of the pole I enter the table following where I finde and sée the 27. degrée of Virgo to haue the declination of one degrée and 11. minutes which degrée and minutes séeing they are in the Northerly part of the worlde are to be subtracted frō the suns altitude that day and the degrées which remaine are 38. and 10. minutes The altitude of the equinoctial that day which subtracted or abated from the whole quarter that is from 90. degrées the eleuation of the pole which remaineth is 51. degrées and 50. minutes This Table of the Suns declinations containeth the number of the degrees of the Zodiacke increasing in descending on the left hand and increasing by ascending on the right
parts or degrées of the Equatour in his motion and rising aboue the Horizont doe make an houre and euery degrée foure minutes of an equall houre so that the quarters or fiftéene minutes of each degrée doe produce and cause one minute of an houre Also they obserued the ascentions and descentions of the signes in this cyrcle for that in any region or countrie a man may knowe the length of the artificiall day and night by hauing a sphericall instrument and the sun placed in the East Horizont let the note of the Equinoctiall be moued and after the sun being turned into the West Horizont let the note againe of the Equinoctiall be moued into the East Horizont So that the degrées of the Equinoctiall numbred marked with these notes do cause an artificiall day counting alwaies fiftéene degrées of the Equinoctiall for an equall houre To conclude the length of the artificial day known by subtracting the same from 24. houres the quantity of the night remayning shall appeare howe much it is Last the sun being entred into this cyrcle doth rise in the iust East point and setteth full West but in the highest of summer being come to Cancer he riseth Northeast and setteth Northwest at what time the noone-tide is highest But in the shortest time of winter when the sun is come to Capricorne hée contrariwise riseth Southeast and is in the noonetide lowest 4 It distinguisheth the Equinoctials and crosseth the Zodiacke thwartly wrethed and bended to it in two opposite points which when the sun commeth and is in it he causeth like spaces of the day and night and of the same those entraunces of the sunne are named the Equinoctiall points And there are two Equinoctials caused in euery yeare as the one the sun entring the beginning of Aries or the spring poynt of the crossing of the Zodiacke and Equinoctiall in the beginning of the spring which the Latines name the equinoctiall spring and the Gréekes Isemerian earinén And the celestiall point of the same equinoctial the Gréeks name the point of our equinoctiall spring The other equinoctiall is caused when the sun hath his beginning of Libra in the entrance of haruest called the equinoctiall haruest And the celestiall point in which the sun happeneth they name the pointe of our Equinoctiall haruest These points remaine not fixed in one place of heauen but in the going before doe procéede or moue forwarde vnder the eight Orbe and turne before the places of the fixed stars For the point of the equinoctiall spring that in the first yeare of Olimpias folowed the first star of Aries of the eight Sphere 4. degrées and 52. minutes And in the yeare of the death of Alexander one degrée and 58. minutes The same after the beginning of the yéeres of Iulius Cesar followed 4. degrées and 50 minutes And in the yeare of Christes byrth 5. degrées and 16. minutes In Ptholomies time 6. degrées and 40. minutes it went before the same star and in these yeares it went before that star 27. degrées and 35. minutes So that the yearely times of the Equinoctials are come backe from the auncient time and moue before the marked dayes by a long space For that the Equinoctial spring which about the beginning of the yeares of Olimpias hapned in the first or second of Aprill In the beginning of the yeares of Cesar in the 25. day of March. In the time of Christ our Sauiors byrth in the 23. or 24. day of March. In Ptholomies time in the 22. or 23. day of March But in our time it hapneth in the 11. or 12. day of March and in this yeare 1570. it happeneth in the 11. day of March and in the 11. howre before noone on Saturday The Autumnall or haruest Equinoctiall which hapned in Christ our Sauiours time in the 23. or 24. day of september is brought backe and come in this our time vnto the 13. or 14. day of September and in this yeare 1570. shall happen in the 13. day and in the 10. houre and 21. minutes after noone on Wednesday And through this variation of the fixed stars and Equinoctials is caused that the later practitioners haue found an other quantity of the yeare contrary to the auncients For Hipparchus and Ptholomie haue stablished in their time the quantity of the Tropicke yeare to bee of 365. dayes 5. houres 55. minutes and 12. seconds The Alphonsines of 365. dayes 5. houres 55. minutes and 12. seconds Albategnius 365. daies 5. houres 46. minutes and 56. seconds Cardanus of 365. daies 5. houres 48. minutes 41. seconds and 47. thirds And Thebitius hath stablished the starrie yeare to be of 365. dayes 6 houres 9. minutes and 32. seconds which is the space of time in which the sun returneth vnto the same fixed star But the Tropicke yeare is the suns returne after his measuring of the whole Zodiacke vnto the Equinoctiall or soisticiall point So that by the saide pointes changed either in the increasing or comming sooner as hitherto hath béene obserued is the quantity of the yeare found to be in diuerse and sundry wise of the practisioners By it also is learned and knowne which stars and images celestial are toward the North or South from it And by it is the starrieskie deuided into two equall halfes of which the one halfe is toward the North and the other towarde the South So that the denomination so well of the Planets as fixed stars are there by learned whether they bee Southerly or the Northerly An other authour writeth thus of it that it deuideth heauen into two parts of which the one is named Northerly of the seauen stars in the great Beare the other Southerly in that the sun about the South séemeth alwaies to abide with vs in that quarter And if the same may be knowne which stars are named Northerly and which Southerly and when the Planets are named Northerly and when Southerly So that by this reason all the stars and images from it tending toward the North to be Northerly and from it tending toward the South to be Southerly The Northerly images in respect of the Equinoctiall are these THe Bull named in latine Taurus is adorned with 33. stars although an other writer mentioneth but of 32. Of these 5. are in the face and about the eies and in the places where the hornes are described to be are one star a piece which make seauen in number named Hyades in Gréeke and Succullae in Latine in that they stand like to the letter Y. These in the 10. 11. and 12 degrées of Taurus hauing their latitude Southerly of which 4. are of the third bignesse and one brighter then the rest in the Southerly eie named properly Aldebaran of the first bignes and of the nature of Marse The seauen stars on the back of this signe named Pleiades and in Latine Virgiliae but in English the clustring stars in that they stande so neare togither that they can scarcely be numbred yet these more
the sixt is learned that in the same Cyrcle as by the subiect is both the length of the whole earth and perticular places standing in diuers parts of the earth considered and measured For according to the exact doctrine of the sphericall tryangles the longitude or length of places and the difference of longitudes is alwaies the Equinoctiall Arke and not any Parallell By it also the declination of any degrée of the Zodiacke is knowne which being had in any day at noone the sun then shining cleare forth the Northerly latitude or eleuation of the Pole of any Towne may artificially be knowne It is besides the measure of time in that a naturall day is perfourmed by one whole returne of the Equinoctiall with an adition or inerease to that parte of the Ecclipticke which the sun in the meane whiles accomplisheth by his proper motion against the motion of the first mouer 7 By the seuenth it much auaileth and helpeth the doctrine of astrology in that by the guide and leading of the same are the beginnings of the twelue houses of heauen found when astrologiall figures are erected and fashioned to prognosticate or iudge by which can neuer so perfectly be searched and found without the Equatoure and this through the vnlike motion and ascention of the parts or signes of the Zodiacke By it also are all Townes according to their longitude and latitude easily placed and found in the earthly Globe so that by it a man may readily know which Townes are Northerly and which Southerly It hath besides a most great vse in Geography vnto finding the distances of places and vnto placing of Cities in the earthly globe in hauing the true longitude and latitude of them 8 The eight instruction that by it a man may attaine the knowledge of all the celestiall Parallell cyrcles and the earthly Zones lying vnder them As by this example the Parallel streached along by Rodes cannot otherwise be knowne but by his distance from the Equinoctial as by his principall fore noted Parallell which a man may learne and know to bée from the Equatoure toward the North 36. degrées The same knowledge may aptly be had of all the other Parallell cyrcles rightly knowne so that none otherwise can bee prompt and saillfull in Geographicall matters Cleonedes affirmeth prima Meteor that it afterwards behoueth to know how to discribe each turning about of the fixed stars with the first mouer about his Center cyrcle as that all the Parallell cyrcles are knowne Séeing among those cyrcles the Equinoctiall is greatest and those Parallell cyrcles least which are drawne about the Poles of the worlde euen the like are those the greater cyrcles according to proportion from them which are described vnto the Equinoctiall 9 The niuth sheweth that no description of the earth although in platefourme can bee expressed neither by straight nor crooked lines without the knowledge of the Equatoure 10 By the tenth appeareth what commodity of the same hath and serueth in the iudging of genitures is here by silence ouerpassed séeing with breuity it cannot bée vttered The description names and offices of the Zodiacke and Ecclipticke line or way of the Sunne AFter the ancient Astronomers had deuided heauen into twoe equall halfes by the Equinoctiall and diligently obserued and noted the thwart drawing and standing of the Zodiacke and a like forme of a larger Zone the diuers courses motions and wandrings both of the sun moone and other Planets which being drawne about with the first moouer kept no equall spaces in them selues agréeing to the first moouer nor a like distaunt in their motions from the Equatoure but that whiles they were dayly drawn by a contrary motion of the first moouer into the East they in the meane time wandered one whiles into the North and anotherwhiles into the South vnto a certaine elongation and distiance and so returned vnto that cyrcle They abserued also that the Planets kept alwaies one maner of iourney and way and that way cutting or cressing heauen and the Equinoctiall by a thwart manner the same of these they named the Zodiacke This cyrcle of the 12 signes commonly called the Zodiacke which also is a greater cyrcle and thwart lying hauing a latitude moueable vnto the motion of the sphere to which it fasteneth and euery where is a like vnder which the Planettes by a continuall motion are drawne and run This cyrcle also doe the Latines name thwart through the thwart standing of it for the Equatour doth compasse the sphere of the worlde by the iust middle space betwéen either Pole but the Zodiacke is thwartly drawn both to the sphere of the worlde and to the Equatoure so that in some partes it is nearer to the Poles of the same and in some parts further distance from it It is crossed also of the Equatoure into two eqnall halfe cyrcles of which the one is called the Boreall or Northerly halfe cyrcle and the other the Meridionall or Southerly halfe cyrcle therefore by the continuall turning of heauen drawne about vnto any right and thwart Horizont inclined according to the thwart Angles it doeth both chaunge and varie those Angles by the continuall motion and turning about For to certaine Arks it figureth and formeth righter and to certaine others thwarter Angels through that diuers inclination vnto the Horizont which ensueth after the standing of it And the diuersitie of the inclination of it vnto the Horizont doth also cause a varietie in the motion For those doe slower arise which make right Angles with the Horizont and those are sooner drawne vp and appeare which doe cause thwart Angles In the thwart Sphere with that thwartnesse of the Sphere and the Angles which the Horizont and Zodiack performe is the thwartnesse encreased What the names are of this Circle _1 THis Cyrcle is named the Zodiacke of this Gréeke worde zoes that is in English Life in that it is the path or the comming and going of the sun which is called the author of life causer of generations as Aristotle writeth Or of the Gréeke name zódion which in English is the figures of Beastes with the which this cyrcle is imagined to be formed by the concourse of stars 2 This Cyrcle is named thwart or bowing in that it crosseth thwartly the Equinoctiall and first moouer and doth appeare thwart in respect of the Poles of the worlde from which it is not equally distant Or for that it maketh not right but thwart Angles with the Equinoctiall and Colures or Tropickes Or for that it doeth not regularly ascend and discend according to his partes like as the Equinoctiall doth but that certaine parts or signes of the same doe righter and slower and certaine thwarter and swifter arise in either Sphere But the Zodiacke is not named thwart compared vnto the proper Poles séeing from them it is equidistant according to each parte as the Equinoctiall from the Poles of the world Yet compared vnto the Poles of the world in that the
the daies in the right Sphere and of the vnequalnesse in the thwart or bowing sphere and where the day spaces are encreased and lengthened there the night spaces be lessened and decreased and being otherwise they shew the contrary In the second the Parallels which the verticial points forme when they expresse the boundes of the latitudes of places then are they standing vnder by which their longitudes or distances from the West are accompted In the third the Parallels which either the Planets or the fixed stars describe referred vnto the Equatour do expresse the boundes of their drawings or motions from the equatour The others or rest which applied vnto the ecclipticke described doe shew the bounds of the latitudes and that for how long time they tarry aboue the earth or otherwise hid within the earth and vnder the Horizone doth either shew In the fourth the greatest and chiefest vtilities of the Parallels are that which on the habitable earth the practisioners seuer by such distances as by how much y e greatest artificiall daies are by a quarter of an houre longer increased and extended For they distinguish the habitable earth and that by obseruation into certain necessary spaces and doe iudicate the regular increasings of the daies and what is common to each dwelling vnder those parallels in asmuch as the quantities the increasings and deminishings of the dayes and nightes the risings and settings of the stars the Noonstéede shadowes and the nature of the Winter and Summer but those which are contrary as that there is a difference diuersity of the dwelling places being vnder diuers Parallelles they indéede bee necessary vnto the distribution and description of the clymate Although the number of these cyrcles bee so infinite as is the infinite variety of the stars and verticall points yet are there foure vsually rehearsed in these Elements or introduction that be especially noted and described by peculiar names and for the same cause as séemeth to mée in that they deuide the whole Globe of heauen and earth into fiue Zones and these applied vnto the plaine or flat of the equatour The tropicke of Cancer or summer tropicke The tropicke of Capricorne or winter tropicke The articke or Northerly Pole The antarticke or Southerly Pole Which Circles are called the Tropickes THe Sun according to the former words through the motion of the first mouer is in 24 houres drawn once about and for that hee is caried in the thwart Cyrcle and in the same by his proper motion chāgeth dayly vnto other places of the Zodiacke it must néeds ensue that he describeth in each day a new parallel And those doeth the sun repeat in the partes of the Zodiack which be equidistant from the solsticiall points in such wise that they be in the whole 182. cyrcles And these do they call the cyrcles of the natural daies of which the vttermost and furthest that include the suns way are named the Tropicks which is in English the sun boūds in that the sunne neuer passeth them neither toward the North nor toward the South but after his touching of each he returneth againe The one of these called the tropicke of Cancer and the other the tropicke of Capricorne Why these are called the Tropickes THey are named the Tropicks of the Gréeke word Tropikoi which is in English the turnings againe in that when the Sun is digressed from the Equatoure and come vnto those hee turneth backe againe Also the Tropicke cyrcles touch the Zodiack at the beginnings of Cancer and Capricorne of which the one is called the Tropicke of Cancer and the other of Capricorne the one being Northerly and the other Southerly And as to our dwelling the one is called the summer Circle and the other the Winter So that when the sun toucheth any of these he turneth againe and is carried toward the other As by this example further appeareth where all that season and time from the twelfth day of December vnto the eleuenth day of Iune a manne may perceiue the Sunne euery day arising higher and higher and when he is at the highest ouer our heades that day doth he by his course describe the summer Tropicke from which againe turning the sunne euery day after draweth lower and lower from our verticall pointe vntill he be come againe vnto the lowest In which twelfe day of December not going any further toward the South but being come vnto the beginning of Capricorne he describeth the winter Tropicke The Tropicke of Cancer is a lesser Circle which the sunne describeth at the entring into the beginning therof and is drawne by the daily motion whose plaine or flat passeth not by the center of the earth and it is one of the naturall Circles which is outermost described of the sun toward the North and drawne by the beginning of Cancer And it hath also his name of the standing in that the same is the bound of the sunnes iourney or course toward the North and the nighest comming vnto vs vnto which being brought he turneth backe and directeth his course into the South of which that place is called Trope It is continually distant from the Equatour by the quantity of the suns greatest declination which at this day is of 23. degrées 28. minutes and two fifts almost and it encloseth also the suns way and doth besides with the other 3. Parallels deuide the Zones of heauen and earth Further this is named the cyrcle of the summer solstice by the same reason in that it is drawne by the pointe of the summer solstice And the Northerly Tropicke in that it is the Northerly part of the world And the summer cyrcle for that the Sun in the summer falleth into this cyrcle Also this cyrcle in all the Northerly tract is on this wise that the greater part or portion is aboue the Horizone and the lesser part as to vs vnder the Horizon so that the sunne runing in that cyrcle causeth the longest day of summer And whiles the sun describeth these cyrcles the dayes bee longer then the nightes For the longest day increaseth from minute to minute from houre to houre and from the latitude of one degrée vnto the latitude of 66. degrées and 30. minutes In which the day artificial is of 24. houres and is thereof called a whole day For in the latitudes following and beyonde hee increaseth into many whole daies A like definition hath Proelus where hee writeth that the summer Tropicke is the furthest cyrcle Northwarde that the sun describeth into which when the sun is come he then maketh his summer turne and causeth also at that time the longest day and shortest night of the yeare from which turning backe he goeth againe toward the contrary coast of the world so that of the same Proclus it is called a Tropicke which is in English a returning cyrcle For it is euident to all men that after the sunne beginneth to turne he may in short time after or at the least within 5. dayes
are they caried and sooner performe their courses which are néerer to the earth and contrariwise mooue by a slower pace and in longer tâ—â—e compasse and wander aboute the signes of the Zodiacke which are further distant from the earth Also in the middle of their courses as it were each doe often stacke or bee slow and often times stay as vnmoueable and sometimes are retrograde after againe quicken their course and by their swiftnes recouer that lost of the former tariance So that they neuer kéepe one manner of way but one whiles from the middle iourney of the Zodiacke doe wander into the North and another whiles into the South To conclude they be ascended high from the earth when they are named Apogei and discended again vnto the earth when they are named Perigei That there are two kindes of Starres the fixed and the Planets ALL the fixed stars that hang to the firmament or as Ptholomie affirmeth to the eight Sphere are named fixed not for that they consist vnmoueable but that they moue so meruellous slow that by iudgement of the eie they cannot be perceiued to mooue yet the practitioners haue and do find both by reason and obseruations that they alwaies seperated by vnmoueable spaces one from the other and are caried in parallels as it were in their Orbe Ptholomie Aristillus Timochares with the obseruations of Hipparchus ioyned vnto those which he knew noted that the fixed stars in a hundreth yéeres moued one degrée But Copernicus being of later yeares as about the yeare of Christ 1525. that examined the obseruations of the auncient men and compared them vnto those noted of him founde that not so many as a hundreth yeares but in seauentie and two yeares that the fixed had gone one degrée and that in euery Egiptian yeare which containeth 360. dayes the fixed to haue moued 50. seconds and in a day 8. thirdes and tenne fourths And so performed their whole course in twentyfiue thousand eight hundreth and sixtéene yeares 25816. Of these knowne and numbred of the ancient men are 1022. which they haue deuided into sixe differences of magnitudes and to these haue added certaine obscure and certaine cloudy stars The fixed stars of the first bignesse of which are numbred to be fiftéene and that both in bignesse and brightnes excéede all the other starres and in body excéede the earth 107. that is a hundreth seauen times with a eleuen thréescore fourths The fixed stars of the second bignesse of which are accompted 45. do excéede the earth in greatnes almost eighty seauen times The fixed stars of the third bignesse of which are numbred to be 208. doe ouerpasse or excéede the earth seauenty two times with a third part almost The fixed stars of the fourth bignesse of which are reckoned to be 474. that are fifty foure times greater then the Earth with a halfe or a little more of the earth The fixed stars of the fift bignesse of which are noted to bee 216. that excéede by their greatnesse the earth 31. times The fixed starres of the sixt bignesse of which are noted to be 50. doe excéede the earth eightéene times and a little more The darke stars are accompted 3. in number and the clowdy stars are reckoned to be fiue The fixed stars do differ in brightnesse standing color twinckling and especially in the configuration Many of the fixed stars also with the effects both in the bignesse and brightnesse being notable and néere together the ancient men that deuided them by a certaine reason haue gathered digested and fashioned them into forty and eight images or similitudes And vnto them through the congruence and similitude of the noted formes or figures they gaue apt names and for the same cause especially that they might the easier and sooner be discerned knowne and noted by their peculiar names Also they deuided the stars by the standing into the North and South and the signes of the Zodiacke The Northerly stars that decline from the Ecclipticke into the North are twenty and one in number The Southerly that decline from the Ecclipticke into the South are fiftéene in number The images that are named the signes are twelue in number which consist in the Zodiacke Of the celestiall Images and of their diuers names being in number 48. Of the Northerly _1 THe litle Beare hath seuen stars and of those that star which is in the top of the tayle is named the Pole star 2 The great Beare hath 27 stars 8 without forme 3 The Draggon hath 31. stars 4 The image named Cephe us hath 12 stars 5 The image Bootes or Lauceator hath 22. stars 6 The Boreall or Northerly crowne hath 8. stars 7 The image kneeling or Hercules hath 28. stars 8 The Harpe or Griepe falling hath 10. among these the brightest is that named the Harpe 9 The wilde Swanne or Griepe flying hath 17. 10 The image Cassiopia hath 13. stars 11 The image Perseus carying the heade Algoll hath 26. stars of which those which are on the lefte hande doe make the head Algoll or Gorgons 3. without forme 12 The Cartare hath 14. starres among those that which standeth on the lefte shoulder is the Goate and the other two are named the Kids 13 The image Ophiulcus or Serpentarius hath 24. stars 14 The Serpent hath 11. stars 15 The figure named the Arrow hath 5. stars 16 The Egle hath 9. stars 6. without forme 17 The Dolphin hath 10. stars 18 The deuision of the Horse hath 4. stars 19 The winged Horse or Pegasus hath 20. stars 20 The image Andromeda hath 23. stars 21 The Tryangle hath 4. stars The Summe of all the Starres are 360 The 12. Signes of the Zodiacke _1 THe image named Aries hath 13. stars 2 The image Taurus hath 23. of these fiue in the fore-head of Taurus named Succulae or Hiades and the greatest star of Hiades in the Southerly eie named Pallilicium and Pleiades on the back of Taurus 11. without forme 3 The images named Gemini are 18. stars of which Castor or Appollo goeth before Pollux or Hercules followeth 4 The image Cancer hath 9. stars among these Presepe and the cloudie star in the Breast 5 The image Leo hath 27. stars of these that which is in the heart of the Lion named Regulus 8. without forme among which is that constellation named Berenices bush of haire betweene the tops or endes of the Lion and great Beare 6 The image Virgo hath 26. stars of these that which is in the right wing especially Northerly is named Vindenuator but in her left hand a bright star named the earâ— of corne 6. without forme 7 The image Libra and klées of the Scorpion haue 8. stars and 9. without forme 8 The image named the Scorpion hath 21. stars the midle star of the thrée stars placed on the Body is named the heart of the Scorpion and 3. without forme 9 The image named Sagitarius hath 31 stars 10 The image named Capricornus hath 28. stars 11 The
image named Aquarius hath 24. stars and 3. without forme 12 The images named Pisces haue 34. stars The Summe of all the Starres except Berenices bush are 364. Of the Southerly _1 THe image named Coetus hath 22. stars 2 The image named Orion hath 38. stars 3 The image named the riuer or Eridanus or Potamos hath 34. stars 4 The image named the Hare hath 12. stars 5 The image named the Dog hath 18. stars of which that in the mouth is named Alhabor 12. without forme 6 The image named the little Dog or Caniculare star hath 2. stars of which the brightest is that named Proion or the Dog-starre 7 The image named the Ship hath 45. stars of which a bright star going before in temone 8 The image named the Water Serpent hath 25. stars and 2. without forme 9 The image named the Bucket or great Cup hath 7. starres 10 The Rauen or Crow hath 7. stars 11 The image named Centaurus being one halfe like a man and the other halfe like a horse hath 37. stars 12 The Beast which the Centaure doth holde being a Wolfe hath 19. stars 13 The image named the Aulter hath 7. stars 14 The Southetly Crowne hath 13. stars 15 The Southerly fish hath 11. stars and 6. without forme The Summe of all the starres are 316. THe milkie way which Ptholomie nameth Galaxian of the white and milkie colour is a heape of most small stars and dimme to sight of which is a certaine confused gathering together and abundance as it were encreased that no seuerall light is decerned and the same in the maner of a girdle compasseth and encloseth heauen about The same also is vnequal and differeth in the standing latitude haunt of stars and in the colour very much It is somewhere decerned clefte but the parte going before is neither whole nor maketh a whole swathe or inclosure about but lacketh about the swan and Aulter And the part folowing whole being in no place broken off with a space and stretched thwartly in heauen and from the partes of the Zodiacke Northerly it passeth by Gemini and Sowtherly by Sagitarius and Capricornus Of the Planets THe Planets named otherwise the erring and wandering starres not for that they erre by a wandering and vncertaine motion but in that they are caried aboute by a diuers and vnlike motion For sometimes they goe foreward and sometimes retrograde sometimes are hidden and cleane out of sight after they appear and shew themselues Againe they goe before and follow the Sun They are caried swift and their motions againe so stayed that they are moued in a maner nothing at all but séeme as they were stayed for a time From the sunnes way one while caried into the South and another while caried into the North and then vnto the same way drawne backe againe so that their iourneies being passed and finished they steadyly repeate their old courses by the like order Of these are seauen and each caried in their proper Orbs and compasse about the Zodiacke in vnlike spaces of time SAturne highest of the Planets and most slow in course being cold and dry pale to a leady colour and perfourmeth his course in 30. yéeres being ninty times with an eight part greater then the earth And the highest ascention or pointe of Saturnus Orbe which at this day is in the 29. degrée of Sagitarius is from the earth 20072. semidiametres with a fourth part almost and 15. minutes But the lowest point of Saturns Orbe is distant from the earth 14378. with a third part and 20. minutes IVpiter being next vnto Saturne temperate and so cleare or bright that he giueth in a maner a shadow especially when he is Perigeus or lowest discended to the earthward and he compasseth about the Zodiacke in twelue yeares But Iupiter giueth this proper shadowe when neither the lights bée aboue the earth nor Venus néere to him Hée is greater then the earth by ninty fiue times and a half part almost And the highest ascention of Iupiters Orbe which possesseth the seauenth degrée of Libra is from the earth 14369. with a fourth parte almost and 15. minutes but the lowest point of Iupiters Orbe is from the earth distant 8853. semidiametres with a ninth part and 45. minutes MArs béeing hot and dry and shining with a fiery colour doeth goe about the Zodiacke in the space of two yéeres He is named the fiery Planet of his shining with a fiery colour or of the effect which foloweth by him in that he burneth and dryeth vp He is one time greater then the earth and a little more then a third parte The highest ascention of Marses Orbe that obtaineth the 28. degrée of Leo is now distant after Albategnius from the earth 8022. semidiametres but the lowest poynt from the earth is 1176. semidiametres THe Sunne obtaineth the middle place betwéene the Planets wholy and throughly bright being the fountaine and Author of light which by his motion expresseth and deuideth the spaces of the Zodiacke and by his going about haue the signes their names He is greater then the earth after Ptholomie a hundreth thréescore and sixe times with thrée eight parts But after Capernicus the sun excéedeth the earth a hundreth thréescore two times with eight parts lesse The highest ascention or poynte of the suns Sphere which nâ—w possesseth the seuenth degrée of Cancer is from the earth distant 1179. semidiametres but the lowest poynt of the sunnes Orbe is from the earth distant 1065. semidiametres VEnus next to the Sun being cold and moist white in colour clearer and brighter shining then Iupiter and is caried about like the Sun in a yeares space and both goeth before and foloweth the sun nor is further distant in the spring of the morning from him then 46. degrées and 47. minutes but in the euening she is seene digrssed from him vnto 47. degrées and 35 minutes When she goeth in the morning before the sun thée is named the day star but when she followeth the sun in the euening shée is then named the euening star Lesser shee is then the earth but her true quantity is yet vnknowne for that some affirme her quantity to be the 28. part and others the 37. part of the earth The highest ascention of Venus Sphere that obtaineth the 18. degrée 20. minutes of Taurus is from the earth after Albategnius 1070. semidiametres but the lowest poynt is 166. semidiametres distaÌ„t from the earth MErcurie beeing lower then Venus is variable and apte to bée changed bright but not white in colour and is caried about the sunne like to Venus as one whiles mouing before and an other whiles following the sunne Nor is hee further distant in the morning from him then 29. degrées and 37. minutes and at the euening westwarde 27. degrées and 37. minutes He perfourmeth his whole course in the space of a yéere as the sun doth Also he is iudged to be the seauenth part of 2â— or 22000. parte of
through the difficultie of measuring And this whole compasse is not onely ment of the earth but of the earth and water ioyntly togither both which are saide to make one Sphere Also Eratostenes gathereth the compasse of all the earthly Orbe by the proportion of the perticular or the degree of the celestiall Cyrcle vnto the like space on earth For he affirmeth that to one degrée of the celestiall Equatour answere 700. furlongs or 15. Germayne myles but Ptolomie attributeth to a degrée 500. furlongs Which is thus to be vnderstoode that a Cyrcle be imagined on earth directly vnder the Equinoctiall or Merydian lyne deuiding the earth into twoe halfes and that this Cyrcle be likewise deuided into 360. parts or degrées as the celestiall Cyrcles are And ech of these parts doth like vnto the celestial parts containe 700. furlonges or 15. Germaine myles This nowe being tryed and found what the whole Summe eyther of the furlongs or myles of the whole cyrcumference of the earth which contayneth 360. parts or degrées you shall easily finde and knowe the same by this maner Multiply the whole compasse of the earth that is the 368. degrées by the 700. furlongs or fiftéene Germayne myles and the whole compasse shal either appeare to be 252000. furlongs or 5400. Germayne myles This whole compasse of the earth deuide by 22. and the number comming thereof shall bee the 22. part of the compasse of it that is 11454 12 22. furlongs or 254 â—0 22. Germayne myles And abate this 22. part from the whole Summe of the circumference and the number in furlongs shall remaine and be 240545 10 22. and in GErmayne miles 5154 1â— 22. And if any of these sums be deuided a part by 3. it shal be found in furlongs to be 80181. a halfe and a third part or 3 2. 10 66. And in Germaine myles 1718 4 22. that is the dyameter of the earth aswell in the furlonges as Germayne miles And Archimedes by sundry labours and witty inuentions and by Geometrical practise hath found that the like proportion is of the Circumference of the whole Cyrcle vn to the diameter of the same as is 22. vnto 7. that is the diameter thrice with a seauenth part and a halfe But whensoeuer any man will by the cyrcumference of the Cyrcle gather and finde his diameter worke the numbers thus as this example teacheth First set down 22. at the left hand toward the right hand 7. and the cyrcumference betwéen those two numbers 22. 5400. 7. After multiply the first by the second that is 7. by 5400. the number increased which is 47800. deuide by the thirde that is 22. and you shall finde in the quotient 1718 4 22. Germayne myles Or thus in furlongs the number being set downe alike 22. 252000. 7. then multiplie the first by the second as 7. by 25200. and the increase shall be 1764000. after the increased number deuide by the third as by 22. and the diameter shall be 80181 18 22. If any couet to finde the vpper face of the earth by the dyameter and cyrcumference known worke one into the other and you shal haue that you séeke But if you desire to knowe the thicknesse of the earth then ioyne the superficiall solydenes of the Sphere vnto the sixt part of the diameter and you shall obtaine your desire THE SECOND PART OF THE SPHERICALL Elements of the Celestiall Circles with the vses of the same Circles What is the Summe of this Second Part. WHereas in the first part were only teh rudiments of the Sphere handeled and taught which are also written and contained in diuers Phyâ—â—â—e bookes as of the World and the many parts thereof that is of the Ethereall and Elementarie Region And also of the parts motion and formeâ— of â—he Etheriall Region as Heauen and the forâ—â—â—e 〈◊〉 and quantitie of the Earth Here in this second parte shall fully bee â—etâ—â—â— thâ— and largely handled the manifold vses of the Cyrcle of which the materiall Sphere is framed and made Further this second part is deuided into thrée partes the first teacheth the deuision of the Cyrcles in that the auncient Astronomers for a playner instruction deuided heauen into sundry Cyrcles and of these some in greater and other some in lesser Cyrcles In the second part are the definitions descriptions and vtilities of all the Cyrcles taught In the third and last part are the places of the Zones learnedly described and the vtilities of them So that this second part doeth especially intreate of the Cyrcles séeing the principall poynte of the Sphere is of the celestiall appearances which by reason of the celestiall Cyrcles or of the first moouer are caused as may appeare of the ascentions and descentions of the signes by which the whole knowledge aswell of the naturall as artificiall day is learned Wherefore in that this instruction of the ascentions of the signes consisteth in the Cyrcles which the auncient Astronomers imagined to bée in the first mouer therefore is this second part of the celestiall Cyrcles aptely placed and necessarily before taught That the Sphere of the worlde is either right or thwart THe roundnesse of the earth as is afore taught both altereth the standing of the Poles and the whole Sphere of the worlde in diuers partes of the earth For to them which dwell vnder the Equatour either Pole falleth to the playnesse of the HorizoÌ„t But to others dwelling without the Equatoure the one Pole is raysed and the other depressed hid through which diuersitie of the standinges of them are these differences caused that the risings and settings of the signes are altered the spaces betwéene the dayes and nights varied whose causes ought diligently to be sought Therefore is the right Sphere distinguished from the thwart Sphere of the worlde In this maner as here you may be holde by these figures following That is called the right Sphere in which either Pole resteth and standeth on the plaine of the Horizont and the Equatoure which there doeth exactly possesse the middle place betwéene the Poles and doeth with the Horrizont make a right sphericall angle of which it is so named a right Sphere For they haue such a standing vpon the Sphere of the worlde as that neyther of the Poles is eleuated aboue the Horizont to them which dwell vnder the Equatoure The thwart declined or bending Sphere is that in which either of the Poles of the world eleuated is séene aboue the Horizont and the other iust somuch set and hidde beneath the Horizont and also that the Equatoure frameth and maketh with the Horizont thwart and vnequall angles And that is called a blunte angle which séeth the Pole eleuated and that a sharpe angle declining vnto the contrary They which dwell on this side and beyonde the Equatoure haue such a Sphere But the same forme and condicion of the thwart Sphere is not euery where nor the positure of it the same reason but that the thwartnesse of the Sphere
Equinoctiall poynt is then imagined to be drawne aboute with the motion of the first moouer that hath the same Center with the earth at that time by which the playne of the Equatoure is then noted to passe So that this is the cause why Plinie giueth that name to it séeing a like day and night is caused the sun then running vnder the Equatoure throughout the earth as no man of skill maketh doubt of It is named the cyrcle of the high solstice but this commeth to passe by reason of those which dwell vnder the equinoctiall and haue foure solstices as two on hie two below hauing foure shadowes in the yeare and the sun passing twise a yeare by the Zenith right ouer their heads as when the sunne is in the beginning of Aries and Libra And to them also dwelling vnder the Equinoctial are two summers and two winters and the heat is mightiest and strongest when the sun draweth from them into the North or South yet doeth the sun alwaies burne the earth right vnder it causing a burning Zone and not parteth far from their heades So that their winters are not perfectly and simply named winters as with vs which are cold seasons in déede bnt rather with them is a continuall summer yet for that the causes of heate with them are not vnformally and in a like maner alwaies for that the sun doth not approch equally the Zenith of that parte as the same is known to many whereof the heat to them is not vnifourme and a like in burning But sometimes hotter and sometimes slacker and meaner of heate So that when the sun is in the Zenith as in the beginnings of Aries and Libra and that they are in their high solstices then is the heate most vehement with them yet not without the sun this heate can bee called mighty But when as the sun is gone from their Zenith which happeneth in the beginning of Cancer and Capricorne where their low solstices are the heate is then slacker that is lesser burning So that the weaker heate hapning in the lowe solstices may in a manner bée named colde in respecte of the most burning heate hapning in the high solstices yet it hath the nomination of winter although no cold may bée felt What the offices or vtilities of the Equinoctiall are THe causes whie the skilfull practisioners tooke and vsed the Equinoctiall with the offices which they attributed to it and the mani fold vses that it offereth is herein declared 1 It measureth the motion of the first and vppermost Orbe and sheweth the same to bée drawne about by a continuall and equall swiftnesse For that in euery equall houre doe fiftéene of the thrée hundereth and thrée score degrées of the same arise and so many degrées right against set and are hidden vnder the Horizont and that all the thrée hundreth and thrée score degrées in 24. houres are turned about in the appoynted times and in their periods continually agréeing And as the Equatour from the Poles of the worlde about which the first mouer is drawne and is of either side distant by equall spaces nor the Angle which is comprehended fashioneth with the Horizont doth neuer change euen so by the same order and like motion doeth the first heauen or moouer euidently shew it selfe to be caried about For the Equinoctiall measureth and determineth the motion of the first mouer in declaring his reuolution and yeare which yeare of the first moouer is the time of 24. houres equall But by what meanes the auncient astronomers first found that the Equinoctiall is drawne about in so many houres and it is supposed they came to the knowledge thereof by the office of some starre either in the Equinoctiall or placed neare it they perceiued the same as that the Equinoctial from some note marked of them did returne to it in such a certaine space as afore shewed 2 The diuers motions of the Zodiack which hapneth to it through the twart standing or lying as a cannon or rule doth dyrect and point out the beginnings boundes and time with the which each parts or degrées of the Zodiacke arise or doe set and with which they touch these or those quarters of the worlde For all the arckes of the Equatoure are drawne by a certaine and agréeable motion continually The parts of the Zodiacke drawne thwartly the Equatoure doeth not varie or is distant by like spaces from the Poles of the world nor turned about his but the same Poles of the worlde which doe differ by a long space from his and drawn about by a most vnlike motion and nothing at all agréeing in it selfe For that some parts or degrées are caried vp sooner or quicker and others appeare slower and later So that these vseth a more space of time in the rising slower and those other passe vp by a shorter and quicker space But séeing that in the Zodiack the wandring stars or Planets doe wander continually hither and thither and from one side of it to another and that vnto the middle cyrcle of it or ecclipticke line the places of all the fixed stars are referred and applied therefore cannot the times of the rising or setting of the starres bée knowne and noted except they shoulde be guessed and attained by the next arks of the equinoctiall It also declareth the equinoctialles which are caused in those proper dayes in which the sun hapneth to come into the equinoctiall cyrcle For these are caused the sun being in the first degrées of Aries and Libra in that the Zodiacke and Equinoctiall doe crosse each other in those places whereof Manilius thus writeth That these signes Aries and Libra cause a right Throughout the earth a like day and night 3. It defineth and measureth the spaces both of the naturall and artificiall dayes And although the sun which drawne about with the motion of the first moouer and in the proper motion caried forth in the meane time by force into the contrary when as hee causeth the times of the daies and nightes so wel as the differences of the natural daies mooued and runneth in the Zodiacke yet of his motion the day and night spaces cannot bee gatherrd through the diuersity and vnlikenesse of the ascending or arising of diuers parts or degrées of the Zodiacke But seeing the same motion is of all the partes of the Equatoure therefore are the ascentions of the arcks of the Zodiacke caried vp with the ascending of the nighest parts of the Equatour like arising So that both the dayes and houres by the equall motion of these are not founde and distinguished by the vnlike and vnequall motion of them in that these ascentions can be of these two cyrcles The Greekes by no meanes like of the same in that by a stedfast order they do mark the day and night times therefore they parte and deuide them into equall houres which they named times that from the degrées of the Zodiacke they might distinguish them For euerie fiftéene
regarded then any of the others in that at the appearance of them Summer is signified and at the setting of them which is sixe moneths after winter is then in entrance like which is not shewed in the other signes And in our time they are in the 22. and 23. degrée of Taurus the sun ioyneth with them euery yeare in the thirde and fourth day of May. So that after those daies through the suns departing from them they are knowne to arise Heliace before the sun and then is summer entred which in our time hapneth about the 7. 8. 9. or 10. day of may And when the sun is come by his course vnto the 22. and 23. degrée of Scorpio which hapneth in our time in the 5. and 6. day of Nouember then is the sunne directly against Pleiades and the sun then arising in the morning they doe set and aboute these daies as in the 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. and 10. day of Nouember winter is entred These as Ptholomie writeth are of the nature of Mars and the Moone but all the others being some of the third and fourth and some of the fist bignesse are of the nature of Saturne and a litle of Mercurie THe signe Gemini is placed in heauen as that betwéen them and Taurus is that constellation Orion standing Their headed deuideb from the rest of the body yet imbracing one the other by bodies and doe dyrectly set with the féete and arise together bended as they were lying Of which those two be the notablest that stand in the heads and that clear star in the head which goeth before named Castor and of some Appollo hauing besides in eyther shoulder a cleare starre in the right elbowe one in either knée one and in either foote one star And the other which followeth beeing next to Cancer hath in the heade a star named Pollux of others Hercules on the left shoulder one in the right another and in the other partes sundry other stars to the number of 18. knowne in both There is an other star standing without the forme of Gemini going before the foote of Gemini and following after called Propus and is in our time in the 24. degrée of Gemini Of which two are of the second bignesse as those in the heads but the others are of the thirde fourth and fifte bignesse And are all of the nature of Saturne sauing the head going before is of the nature of Mercurie and that in the heade following of the nature of Mars THe signe Leo looking vnto the West is placed on the body of Hydra and not in the head by which Cancer is nigh vnto the halfe of it hauing the middle deuided by the summer cyrcle in such sort that vnder that Orbe hée hath the fore féet placed setting and rising with the head Also he hath in the head thrée stars in the nape of the neck two in the breast one in the space betwéene the shoulders vnder the necke or behiude the necke thrée in the middle of the taile one in the ende of the taile another and in the belly one cleare or bright star named the hart of the Lion which also is called aroyal star in that it is more about the Zodiack then the other great fixed stars and for this cause called a star of the first bignesse although in truth it is but a star of the second bignesse being of the nature of Iupiter and Mars All the stars which this signe hath as Ptolomie writeth are 27. Of which many are of a greate brightnesse as the two in the nape of the necke of the second bignesse that on the heart of the first bignesse another on the backe of the second bignesse another in the end of the taile of the first bignesse and all the rest of the third fourth and fift bignesse THe image named the Carter or driâ—â—â— of the Car Ptolomie doeth decke with 14. staires being all nowe in Gemini and of the 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. and 6. bignesse of the nature of Mars and Mercurie Also this image named the Carter hath a cleare starre named the Goate standing on his left shoulder being a starre of the first bignesse and in our time in the 15. degrée of Gemini borowing nature of Mars and Mercurie And that image or constellation named the Kiddes beeing two small stars standing on the left hand of the Carter are in our time in the 12. degrée of Gemini of the fourth bignesse and of the nature of Mars and Mercurie THe image named Perseus hath 26. stars which forme two perticuler images of which that which is séene on his left side is named Gorgon or the head Algoll And hereof it commeth that they are called the Gorgon stars The other séene on his right side the ancient astronomers name the Cyrcle oâ— sithe Also Ptholomie in the description of Perseus attributeth to the heade of Algoll that is Medusa as to a perticular image foure starres And the brighter stars of them being in the heade of Algoll is the 12. star is in our time in the â—9 degrée and twenty minutes of Taurus The following star being of the fourth bignesse is in our time in the 18. degrée of Taurus And Ptholomie writeth that the head of Algoll beeing of the second bignesse is of the nature of Saturne and Iupiter and that on the right side of Perscus of the second bignesse is of the nature of Saturne and Iupiter and is in our time in 24. and 28. minutes of Taurus ON the head of Aries not far from the féete of Andromedâ— standeth a figure which the Gréekes for the likenesse of the letter Delta â—aâ—e Deltoton and the Latines for the similitude of the fourme called a Tryangle This figurâ— hath 〈◊〉 equall sides but the third not so perfect fashioned yet easily to bee knowne for that it shineth brighter then many other starres about it To which the starres of Aries are a litle Southerly And to it Ptholomie attributeth foure stars although all other authors affirme onely thrée stars except Alphonsus which in our time are in Taurus being of the thirde and fourth bignesse and altogether of the nature of Mercurie THe image of Andromeda placed in heauen with the armes stretched abroad and each hand bound Ptholomie declareth it to haue 23. stars of the thirde fourth and fift bignesse and in our time are in Aries and Taurus whose nature resembleth Venus This Cassiopia is figured like to a woman sitting in a chayre with the handes lifted vp after a wayling maner and in the turning of the world about she is drawne with the head alwaies vpward Ptholomie doeth number 13. stars in that image of the 3. 4. 5. and sixe bignesse which in our time are in the signes Aries and Taurus and of the nature of Saturne and Venus Among the Astrologians onely Ptholomie and Alphonsus doe place twoe horses in heauen or as I may more rightly speake the two partes of horses of which the one is called the fore
one halfe of it declineth vnto the North and the other vnto the South and séeing vpon these it is thwartly drawne by the dayly motion vnto the mouing of the Orbe in which it is In this respect is the circle named thwart 3 This Cyrcle is also called Signifere of the 12. signes caried in it with the which the Zodiacke is described Or for that this Cyrcle is deuided into twelue equall partes which are called signes and each hauing a name of some proper beast or for the disposing of stars being in the signe or for some property commō to the beast and signe which Ptholomie nameth the Orbe of the signes Plinie Capella and sundry Poets doe name Signifere but Aristotle nameth a thwart cyrcle in that it doth thwartly crosse the Equatour as witnesseth Proclus What is the cause of the thwartnesse of the Zodiacke 1 THere are two causes why the Zodiacke is thwart the one is that the neather Spheres vpon the other Exe-trée and Poles may bee caried contrary to the motion of the first mouer 2 The other is that there may be diuersities of times and varieties of qualities and tempearances that the sun also may wander and goe about diuers partes of the earth running in the thwart cyrcle wherof Aristotle writeth that it is necessary that the proper motion in the Zodiacke is vnlike to the motion of the first mouer that it may therby cause the variety of cresent or growing things For if there were onely one motion there should no varietie of growing things be caused 3 A like reason to this that of the same one parte of it doeth drawe nigh to the top and highest ouer our heades and the other that it is remoued and distant from vs doth cause most commonly the diuersitie in effectes which vnto the life of things is requisite As for example when the sun is in the Northerly halfe of this cyrcle and neare the Zenith and highest ouer our heades hee doeth cause a strong and mighty heat on all things of the earth as by tryall we finde and sée in the summer If therefore the Zodiacke were not thwart but shoulde equally approach or drawe nigh according to all the parts of it then should the sun be alwaies a like neare vs. And when in a short time of summer he should cause such a heat that his heat vndoubtedly should be so mighty that nothing shoulde growe or bee increased but that those thinges already growne vp and dryed shoulde bee consumed and burnt vp wherefore the Zodiack is thwartly placed that the sun mouing into the further halfe his heat may thereby bee slaked and weakened in which he being caried departeth from our Zenith and cold then taken place as apeareth in the winter And if the sun should continually run in the South parte of the Zodiack then through extremity of cold should all things be destroyed in the North part And as neither heate nor cold is continuall but successiuely as those which bée engendred and caused by heate and consumed by colde So that the sun procureth by comming nigh and going from vs in the Zodiacke that it behoueth the Zodiacke to bée thwart Also a diuersity of the Planets in the Zodiacke To conclude we sée that by the comming of the sun to vs generation is caused by his departure from vs thinges wither and dry This cyrcle called the Zodiack acording to longitude is deuided into twelue parts or signes and neither more nor fewer And according to latitude or breadth into 12. degrées This cyrcle deuided into twelue signes in that of the auncients it hath béene noted that in euery reuolution of the sun the moon is twelue time changed and new and so many times hath hee full light And that so many changes and full moones doe happen within the compasse of one yeare by which it pleased them to deuide the Zodiacke into so many parts according to length But the diuision of the breadth hath another cause that is of the other Planets except the sun diuersly wandring from the same cyrcle To be briefe this whole cyrcle is deuided into 360. degrées for the commodity of this number in that the dayes of the yeare exceede this number by certayne partes for the common yeare hath 365. dayes and 6. houres There is a latitude atributed to the Zodiack by which it differeth from the other cyrcles in that they are descrybed with one simple compasse that it might by the larger space containe the wandring of the Planettes on either side the Ecclipticke line least they should excéed the bonds Yet the sun kéepeth one maner of way and iourney continually in the middle of the Zodiacke and neuer declineth from it neither vnto the right nor lefte side but still kéeping his proper places immoueable both in the rising and setting in either quarter and is all alike in the winter and summer seasons The declinations also of the sun do shew and appeare to be equal being on either side the Equator So these doe witnesse that the sun continually 〈◊〉 his yéerly motion describeth and kéepeth vnder that line named the Ecclipticke But the other Planets doe neither kéepe continually the suns way nor is drawne in a right path like him but digressing on either side the suns way doe wander the Zodiacke by a crooked or bending course as one whiles moued into the North and an otherwhiles into the South and from thence returning vnto the sunnes way as the like knowledge may be had and descerned by the eie For this cause the learned practisioners described the suns course in the middle place of the Zodiacke and imagined from it a latitude to bée attributed to the Zodiacke which the auncient astronomers determined to bee of eyther side 6. degrées But the late writers haue encreased the same by adding twoe degrées to either side through the digressions of Mars and Venus from the sunnes way which hath béene obserued and noted to digresse and decline litle lesse then eight degrées So that the latitude of the whole Zodiacke in our time is concluded and agréed to bee of 16. degrées and the latitude is reached on either side from the middle space of the suns cyrcle towarde the Poles of the Zodiacke eight degrées The beginning of the longitude of the Zodiacke although in the compasse of the circle neither the beginning nor end can be assigned which bendeth or is drawne perfectly round into it selfe and both closeth and containeth it selfe yet the practisioners haue assigned by the principall and most auncient doctrine of the godly fathers to bee in the poiut of the Equinoctiall spring which is by the suns comming vnto the Equinoctiall poynte or truer by the change of the moone that followeth nexte the Equinoctiall spring is not to be doubted that the yeare then begun So that they began to recken the Zodiacke from that pointe where the motions and workings of the sun the authour and shewer of the yearely space ensued which after the day and
night being alike the day encreaseth and hée ascending to vs ward doth after abate the cold on the earth and both slaketh and melteth the frostes and yce and the hidden vertues againe of the earth hee then beginneth to loose open chearish and stirre vp by his liuely heate and both looseth and sheadeth forth the dew moysture inclosed and draweth vppe and procureth young plants to spring through his comfortable warmth dayly shewed vpon the earth They deuided the whole Zodiacke according to length into twelue equall partes which they named signes through the moone as guide and ruler of the same which passing yearely by the Zodiack 13. times to the suns slower going twelue times conioyned with him in twelue places of heauen Those signes the ancient Gréeks name zòdia either by the figures of creatures which the fixed stars in their standing shewe and expresse or by some naturall agréement they so assigned names to them Or els they appointed the names of beasts to the signes through the congruent nature betwixt Starres and beastes Also through the effects which the sun hath in those places Besides these the auncient astronomers described the other starres without the Zodiacke by images that placed into images they might be the commodiouser taught and expressed in heauen to the vnderstanding of yong students and that their rising and setting might also bee the more readily demonstrated Ptholomie named those Dodekatemòria that is the twelue parts The Latines called them signes and constellations Also they named those partes signes for that in those twelue parts all the seasons of the yeare are noted Again they named the parts of the signes degrées of the dayly iourney of the sun in the Zodiack for that in iourneying by litle and litle he passeth through the whole Zodiacke They also deuided each signe into 30. parts or degrées through the suns dayly iourneys gained of the first mouer which in thirty dayes they declare by experience to haue measured and gone almost a twelfe part of the Zodiacke Or for that the space from one coniunction vnto an other is of 30. dayes which space of all writers is named a moneth Or else in that the sunne by the same number of daies hath measured almost this Arke or space of the Zodiacke Whereof they named the selfe same the thirty part of a signe through the suns motion euery 24. houres which the later Latines call degrées and the Gréeks Merè that the ancient call parts But the tenne partes or degrées of euery signe the Gréekes name Dekatas and the Latines Faces of which each signe doth conteyne thrée The names and characters of the signes of the Zodiacke are these ♈ Aries ♉ Taurus ♊ Gemini ♋ Cancer ♌ Leo ♠Virgo These in that they make the halfe cyrcle of the Zodiacke declining into the North from the Equatoure therefore doe they name them the Boreall and Northerly signes The names and Characters of the other signes of the Zodiacke are these Libra ♎ Scorpio ♠Sagitarius ♠Capricornus ♑ Aquarius ♒ Pisces ♓ These in that they possesse the opposite place and the halfe cyrcle reaching into the South of the Zodiacke therefore do they name them the Meridionall and Southerly signes The sunne also iourneyeth by these signes as from the West into the East by a contrary order to the first moouer as this figure plainly demonstrateth beginning neuerthelesse at Aries and from Aries passing into Taurus and from Taurus into Gemini and so to the ende of the signes They deuided each signe into 30. degrées of length in that the whole Zodiacke like as the other greater or lesser cyrcle containeth 363. parts or degrées And as the Zodiacke hath in length 12. signes euen so it is requisite the same should be so many degrées broad as Capella writeth And as a degrée is in the signe the thirtieth parte or length the compasse of the whole Zodiacke should be the like in breadth Although Mars and Venus do sometimes digresse from those bonds yet that excesse is litle and very seldome and there can bee no other reason of the same then that such a latitude is permitted or assigned to the Zodiacke To this demaund why there are onely twelue signes and no more doeth Albumaser answere affirming that the first obseruers of the stars noted 48. images in the 8. heauen placed and decked with the stars that represent sundry formes and called by them for the form standing or nature of the stars of which they appointed 12. for the sunnes way and therefore so many are the signes of the Zodiacke But here may bée demanded where the Circumference of the Zodiacke is to which is thus answered that all the circumferences of the cyrcles imagined are in that hollow of the first heauen and likewise the signes are conceiued there to bee And where the signes with the images of the eight sphere are moueable and the starres in them seperated after a time Yet the number and names both of the signes and images remaine So that it is not materiall if that the starrie Aries seperate from the first Aries of the zodiacke and the other signes the like from one another by a most slowe course are caried and seperated The auncient men deuided the partes or degrées of the signes into lesser portions for the better attaining the precise point in the suns place So that they appointed to ech degrée 60. minutes to each minute 60. seconds to each second 60. thirdes c. For the infinite commodity of the numbers in calculating by reason of multiplication and diuision They also deuided the signes after two condicions as in the standing and qualities In the standing they distinguished them into principall fixed and common signes The principall and moueable signes are those which nighest succeede the foure principal points of the zodiacke of which two possesse the Equinoctiall points of the whole cyrcle as Aries and Libra The other twoe nighest to the Solstitiall points are named the Tropickes as Cancer and Capricornus The firme or fixed signes next to the principall are Taurus Leo Virgo and Aquarius The cōmon or meane or of two bodies being the other foure which placed as in the middle betwéen the principall and fixed signes doe so obtaine a common nature of both as Gemini Virgo Sagitarius and Pisces In the qualities they assigned them into foure Trients which the Latines name Tryangles and thrée cornered the common writers nameth Triangularites or Tripli ' cities The first trient containeth Aries Leo and Sagitarius which are by the space of foure signes inclusiuely distant or of 120. degrées that are hot and dry fiery cholericke and masculine The second Tyient comprehended Taurus Virgo and Capricornus which beeing distaunt by the like space are colde and drie earthly melancholicke and feminine The third Trient hath Libra Gemini and Aquarius which beeing distaunt by the space of foure signes are hot and moyst sanguine aereall and masculine The fourth Trigon or Trient doeth containe
of the Zodiacke and the other by the sections of the Zodiacke and Equatoure That which passeth by the Poles of the equatour and Zodiack doth deuide in two parts each halfe cyrcle as well of the equatour as the Zodiacke Therefore the one condicion of the Colures goeth by the solsticiall pointes of the Zodiacke which are the beginnings of Cancer and Capricorn and the furthest pointes from the equatour whereof it is named the solsticiall Colure The other is named the equinoctiall Colure séeing it entreth by the saide equinoctiall sections which are the beginnings of Aries and Libra that is the equinoctiall points So that these Colures deuide aswell the equinoctiall as the Zodiacke into foure quarters in that they goe by the foure principall poyntes of them The Colures generally are called al the greater cyrcles drawne by the Poles of the world which take their name thereof insomuch as they neuer are descerned or séene whole in the turning about of the worlde as the other cyrcles but vnperfect and lacking For both the arks right against one another about the Poles in the thwart sphere are not séene both at once For they are either continually in sight to vs and neuer drawne away or hid like vnto those which be neare to the eleuated Pole Or else they neuer appeare in sight to vs but are continually hid from vs as those which be the opposites But the reaching of the Colures fastneth in the two circles extended and passing by the foure principall pointes of the ecclipticke as the equinoctials and solsticials which touching one another in the Poles of the world do in their cyrcumferences make right angles and part the Zodiack and equatoure into foure equall quarters The Colure of the equinoctials resting in the equinoctiall points The other containing the solstiticiall pointes is called the Colure of the solstices The Colure of the equinoctials is a greater cyrcle moueable and euery where alike drawne by the Poles of the worlde or equatour and the equinoctial points as the beginnings of Aries and Libra making with the equatour right sphericall angles with the Zodiack thwart angles For oftentimes the greatest cyrcles by a mutual touching togither doe make right angles in the sphere as they cut in two parts or into equall halfe cyrcles and by the Poles one another and contrariwaise when they cutte one another by the Poles then doe they forme and make right angles with their cyrcumferences and part one the other into equall parts as writeth Theodosius in his first Booke de Sphera and in propositi 18. 19. 20. and 21. Or thus the Colure of the equinoctials which is named the equinoctiall Colure is a greater Cyrcle passing by the poles of the world and the first pointes of Aries Libra where the two Equinoctiall points are said to be in that the sunne causeth a like day and night in euery place or for that these pointes are in the Equator wherof it is called the Colure distinguishing the equinoctials so that the two Colures crosse one another on the Poles of the world at right spericall Angles It is called the Colure of the equinoctials for that it passeth by the equinoctiall pointes as by the beginnings of Aries Libra which they call the Equinoctial pointes for that when the sunne hapneth into either of them the day and night is of equall length throughout the Earth which commeth to passe twise in the yeare as in the Spring and Haruest whereof the one is called the Equinoctiall spring and at this day is about the eleuenth of March which is the day before Gregory the other the Haruest Spring and hapneth in our time the 14. of September that is thrée daies afore Lambert whereof ariseth this auncient verse Lampert Gregori nox est aequata diei The Colure of the Solstices is a greater circle moueable and euery where alike drawn by the solsticiall points or the beginnings of Cancer Capricornus and the Poles of the Zodiacke and Equatoure making right sphericall angles with both for of both is the Poles comprehended And according to Theodosius propo lib. 2. de Spera that by any twoe cyrcles crossing one the other when a thirde deuideth the parts of both equally and in two partes the same is the greater cyrcle and passeth by the poles of both But that which passeth by the Poles of the other Cyrcle doth part it in two parts and at right angles Here may be demanded why the other twoe are called the solsticiall pointes séeing the Sunne stayeth no where Which is thus answered that the sun digressing from either equinoctiall poynt by his proper motion doeth dayly depart from the equinoctiall cyrcle till hée come vnto the solstitiall point where he is furthest distant from the equatoure But immediately after hee beginneth to returne and come againe vnto the equatour till he come vnto the other equinoctiall pointe So that the pointe of the suns furthest distance which is the beginning of Cancer or Capricornus and of the same called the solstice in that the sun stayeth there that is ceaseth from his further going or departure and beginneth againe to come to the Equatoure For the sun after his comming vnto that point departeth and commeth againe to the equatour so that the end the departure and beginning of his comming is the solstice Therefore not for that the sun stayeth there are they called the solstices although about those pointes of the going and comming of the sun it is so small that for foure sire or more daies after he séemeth in iudgement as it were to stay in one declination and therefore for that cause may be named the solstitials These of sundrie as of Campanus are also called Tropicke points through the suns returning And these may be called Uerticiall or Cardinal cyrcles séeing they goe by those tops of the world and expresse or shewe the foure quarters of the Zodiacke Moreouer séeing certaine parts of these cyrcles being neare the pole are hid and the other right against them nothing at all discerned at any time therefore is it that they are called in Greeke Kolouroi which is in English maimed and vnperfect as Proclus Diadochus Mocrobius and Capella write But this agréeth not in the right Horizont séeing there is no part of heauen which doeth alwaies remaine there hid But in the description of the astrolobie howe large soeuer the same bee yet onely these cyrcles appeare continually vnperfect Yet further the Colure of the solstices or the cyrcle distinguishing the solstices which also is called the solstitiall cyrcle is a greater cyrcle drawne and passing by the poles of the world and Zodiacke and the greatest declinations of the same and by the beginnings of Cancer and Capricornus It is called the Colure of the solstices in that it passeth by the solsticiall pointes as by the beginnings of Cancer and Capricornus which are named the solsticiall pointes for that in them the solstice is caused that is the suns comming vnto
those pointes departeth not further from the Equinoctiall but commeth againe vnto the Equinoctiall which is caused twice in the yeare as in summer and winter whereof the one is called the summer solstice which in our time hapneth the 12. of Iune or thereabout beeing the nexte day after S. Barnabe the Apostle where the longest day is holden to bée The other the winter solstice which in our time hapneth about the 11. or 12. day of December being a day or two before Lucie where the day is accompted shortest whereof is this auncient verse extant Vitus est Lucia dant tibi solstitia bina Of the former also ensueth that there is certaine fixed and moueable Colures For there is a fixed Colure of the equiâ—octiale which passeth by the poles of the world and section of the equatoure and Ecclipticke of the first mouer The fixed Colure of the solstices doth cut this at right angles in the poles of the world and passeth by the middle of the suns greatest declination Séeing neither the equinoctials nor solstices are caused according to the true meaning of the astronomers as afore may appeare both in these points aswell as in others Therefore a man must conceiue that the Colures be moueable of which the one goeth by the true equinoctiall that is by the section of the suns way and equatour and by the Poles of the worlde and the other of the solstices passeth by the suns greatest declination These hitherto written may more plainer appeare by this demonstration here following In this figure are the cyrcles and parts of the cyrcles noted with their names In which the letter F. expresseth the true and moueable equinoctiall The letter E. is a note of the fixed Equinoctiall The letter D. pointeth out the head of Aries of the eight sphere The letter C. the center of the eight Sphere The letter A. of the ninth and tenth sphere The letters K. N. represent the suns greatest declination truely The letters R. M. the suns middle declination greatest How much the Equinoctials are distant one from another the former large instruction of the equinoctials may easily shew at any time vnto which a man must alwaies resorte The suns greatest declination is the arke of the Colure of the solstices contained betwéene the equatoure and eyther Tropicke this of sundry practisioners is diuersly noted For Ptholomie founde the same in his time to bee of 23. degrées 51. minutes and 20. seconds of which the whole cyrcle is noted to bée 360. degrées but after Alnieon of 23. degrées and 33. minutes But the later practisioners haue founde the same to bee 23. degrées and 30. minutes Purbachius hath found the same to be of 23. and 21. minutes which variation of the suns greatest declination is through the comming and going of the eight Sphere which is named the trembling motion But this is demonstrated and taught more at large in the Theoricks If any desire to obserue the suns greatest declination let him take the altitude of the sunne about the winter solstice in the shortest day at Noone which altitude beeing kept a parte worke the like the sun being about the summer solstice and the suns greatest altitude at Noone found by the rule of the astrolobie looke that in the bordure of the same and take the middle of that arke which is betwéene the suns least and greatest eleuation at Noone which possesseth the myddle and shall bee the Suns greatest declination The knowledge of the suns declinations with the other stars is very profitable in that by the same and the perfection of the eleuation of the pole the true place of the sun if the same be vnknowne may bee knowne the suns greatest declination presupposed after this maner as followeth Marcke and consider diligently the sun being in the Noonestead cyrcle caried vp from the Horizont which founde if the sun run in the Northerly signes abate from the saide eleuation the complement of the eleuation of thâ— Pole If the sun bee caried in the Southerly signes then worke contrary for that which remaineth shall bee the suns particular declination As by a like example vse this The sun beeing imagined to bee eleuated aboue the Horizont 63. degrées 21. minutes and 4. seconds the eleuation of the Pole is 41. degrées and 30. minutes and the compleâ—â—nt of the same altitude of the Pole to bée 48. degrées and 30. minutes with the which subtract the suns altitude at Noone and the remaurer shall be the suns declination which is 14. degrées 51. minutes 4. seconds being the distance of the sun from the beginning of Aries abated for the suns running in the Northerly signes at the time of the obseruation before the summer solstice What the offices or vtilities of the Colures are _1 SHe common offices in generall of the Colures are to shewe the foure principall points of the zodiacke in which through the suns motion the greatest chaunges and alterations of time is caused 2 They serue to demonstrat the solstices and equinoctialles and to deuide the Zodiacke into foure equall partes to which the foure seasons of the yeare doe answere 3. The vse of the one is to expresse and make manifest the pointes of the equinoctials and the other to shewe the points of the solstices 4 They both cut the Zodiacke and equatour into two equall halfe Cyrcles and both deuide either Cyrcle into foure equall quarters 5 But the Colure of the solsticis offereth many other vses for in the same is the sunnes greatest declination or thwartnesse measured and numbred in that the sunnes greatest declination is the Arke of the Colure of the colsticis inclosed betwéene the beginning of Cancer and the Equatour which arcke is either increased or diminished according to the winding in and out of the eclipticke vnto the Equatour as is afore mentioned 6. They serue to distinguish the Equinectiall the Zodiacke and all heauen into foure equall partes the vse of which matter shall appeare in the place of the ascentions of the signes 7 Each Colure besides hath his priuate office or vtilities as the Colure of the solstices which hath foure offices The first demonstrateth the solsticiall pointes The second containeth and measureth the suns greatest declination The third that it stayeth vp the poles of the Zodiack and sheweth their distance from the poles of world The fourth that it deuideth the Zodiack into two halfes as into the ascending and descending Also the same in the thwart Sphere doeth seperate the signes rightly arising from the signes thwartly rising 8 The Colure of the equinoctials hath twoe offices The first that it demonstrateth the Equinoctiall pointes The second that it deuideth the Zodiacke into two halfs as into the Northerly and Southerly halfe 9 To conclude the Colure of the solstices doeth often supply and is vsed in the stead of the Meridiane when as in euery dayly reuolution of the first mouer it doth twice enter into the place of the meridiane or is twice ioyned in
the plaine of the same The descriptions names and offices of the Meridiane Circles and Horizont THe foure greater cyrcles which we haue already described that with the motion of the sphere are drawn about and euery where are alike which the other twoe Cyrcles are contrary as the meridiane and Horizont that are not turned in the drawing about of the Sphere but remaine as immoueable and fixed neither are they alike in all places but are continually changed standing or placed on the earth In that all places haue their proper meridians and Horizonts For both by a mutuall touching and ioyning together doe make right angles and they continually deuide the whole heauen into foure equall parts and make the foure angles and quarters of heauen vnto which by a continuall turning aboute of heauen both the one and the other stars as it were by an orderly succession drawne worke and send forth their vertues more effectuous and excercise their qualities in the Elements then in any other places especially the sun being drawne vnto those bonds for hée both beginneth and endeth the dayes and nightes and distinguisheth them equally as it were in the middle parcels of time The sun also come vnto the meridian doeth then more heat dry vp and consume vapors The Meridiane of any place is a greater cyrcle which goeth or reacheth by the poles of the worlde and height of any place and for that it passeth by the poles of the equatour Parallels and the Horizont through the same doth it make right angles with them And of this it deuideth all the arks of the Parallels as well in sight as not in sight into two equall halfes This circle hath sundry names for Varro nameth it the Meridian or midday cyrcle of the noonestéed in that when the sun is in the meridiaÌ„ or any other star aboue the earth then hath it performed halfe the day arke and is then at the bounde of the Noone time But the other halfe of the night is caused at the instant point of midnight the halfe then reaching from East and West So that of the same this cyrcle of all writers in this science named the meridiane but of Ptholomie the cyrcle of midday and middle heauen by the same reason The astrologians call this cyrcle the royall Cuspe the regall quarter the beginning of the tenth house and the middle of heauen in that this place is principall and of worthier dignity then the other quarters of which shall further be written in his proper place Further it behoueth by the addition 31. Primi Theodosij that the Equatâ—ure and Horizont in the contrary maner to passe by the poles of the meridian of the same that those poles is none otherwise placed than in the common sections of the equatour and Horizont By which sections by those poles of the Horizont is a certaine thirde cyrcle greater drawne which Iohannes a Regio monte nameth the verticial circle so that by the foresaid Corolary or addition ensueth that of these thrée cyrcles of each Exe-trée and Pole are they in that common section of the other two cyrcles Like as of the Equinoctiall and two colures by right may be concluded So that a triple deuision is caused by the thrée cyrcles which appeareth on this wise that as the meridian tendeth by our top and height from the South into the North euen so by the same top it behoueth the other cyrcle to be drawne and passe from the east into the west that both cutting one the other at right angle shoulde expresse the foure foresaide quarters of the world As the Horizont distinguisheth the vpper halfe sphere from the neather and the meridiane from the East to the West euen so it falleth out that the thirde cyrcle as that verticiall shoulde seperate the Northerly from the Southerly halfe sphere To these while any standeth vpright toward the Welt on such maner that y â— middle of his body is in the common Center of thrée cyrcles then doth the Horizont deuide his vpper halfe from the neather and the Meridiane the fore part from the hinder and the verticall cyrcle the right part from the left The thrée common sections of these cyrcles are their Exe-trées as is afore written doe indicate or shewe the foure principall points of heauen which are the fixe poles of the cyrcles placed in the sections of the cyrcumferences as the highest or lowest point which are the poles of the Horizont the point also most Easterly and Westerly which are the Poles of the Meridiane to conclude the pointe most Northerly and Southerly which are the Poles of the verticiall cyrcle Those people that séeme to haue their féete against ours in respect of the roundnesse of the earth that they dwell as it were vnder vs haue alike horizont agréeable to ours alike meridian and alike verticial circle But of these two the halfe cyrcles which be extant to vs are hid or as it were vnder them Contrariwise those which be hid to vs are to them extaunt The pointe also highest to vs is lowest to them contrariwise the lowest to vs is highest to them The figure afore placed doth plainer expresse that afore taught where the letters A. B. C. D. represent the Meridiane the letters B. E. D. F. the Horizont the letters F. A. E. C. the vertical cyrcle the letter G. the center of the cyrcles and world the letters A. C. the Exe-trée of the Horizont the letters B. D. the Exe-trée of the verticiall cyrcle the letters E. F. the Exe-trée of the Meridian To conclude the point that to vs is most Easterly is to them most Westerly et è contrario For the pointe most Northerly and Southerly doe not change the surname except you list to change or alter the names like as of the Poles of the worlde For that which is to vs apparant is to them hid and contrariwise to vs hidde to them manifest Here may be demaunded whether that point of heauen most Northerly be not the Northerly Pole of the world and that point most Southerly the Southerly Pole of the world To which is thus answered that if regard be had vnto the Equatoure and right Horizont which passeth by the Poles of the world and hath the equatour for the verticiall or in stéede of the verticiall cyrcle But wee which haue not the Poles of the world in the Horizont in whose cyrcumference these foure principall pointes of the East West North and South are accustomed to be noted are forced to call that Northerly section of the Meridiane and Horizont the most Northerly point and that section right against the most Southerly point For in euery place there are two sections which the meridiane and verticiall cyrcle doe make with the Horizont which are two right sections in the plaine of that Horizont cutting at right angles one an other in the Center that expresse and shew those foure quarters of the worlde from which the principall windes blowe as East West
and Orchades that be into the North and East which is distant from the furthest bound of Scotland but thrée dayes sayling if prosperous windes bée their helpe At this day men haue found beyond Thylen but somwhat into the East and most large bounds stretched and found beyond the articke or Northerly cyrcle these are whole without breaking of any sea betwéene and containe Suetia Norway Iseland Grunland and Lapeland The kingdome of Suetia appeareth most large and containeth sundry nations and people among which they are of most account the East and West Gutland people inhabiting neare to Norway And vnder the King of Suetia are the Lapeland people as the Finelapons and Dikilapons where are a wild and fierce people dwelling almost vnder the pole articke especially the Lapeland people to whome the sun neuer setteth in the summer for 40. dayes space Aboue these inhabit a people of a cubite long or high hauing small and crooked bodies named of some Pigmalions that liue vnder a very darke and bitter cold ayre or sky And aboue Scania néere to the West boundes of Suetia doeth Norway stretch into the North whose vttermost limit extendeth vnto the 71. degrée almost of the Northerly latitude Aboue this is the country named Iseland by reason of the frozen waters and sea where throughout the yeare it so bitterly fréezeth that through the ycie seas there thicke frozen it permitteth no ships to come vnto thē except in the thrée hottest months of the yeare It aboundeth with brimstone and burneth in many places through the sulphure brimstone veines Plinie writeth that the Occean sea in North is very large which in these our dayes is well knowne This also was learned of certaine skillfull sailers which inhabited and very much had traualed this coast that they knew not the limits or bounds of this sea toward the North but supposed that this sea did compasse the whole earth By this sea dwell many and mighty people as the Danes the Swedens Norwaies Gotelandes Finelands Russians and Pruchenians and vnder the pole artick the Laplands The reason why in these places such force of moysture aboundeth is for that a dayly and continuall cold of these places gathereth and thickneth the ayre and by a continual working resolueth into water For when the ayre is not throughly purged by the suns beames then the weaknes of them and far distance of the sun from these places must of necessity bee continually thicke and darke which afterwardes yéeldeth and giueth plentifull floodes by deawes and raines Albert mag in his booke de natura loci and 8. chapter assigneth a witty and laudable reason why the Northerly be inhabitable The cause he setteth downe in that sundry skillfull Mariners affirme that haue many times sailed into the Northerly partes of the Ocean sea that in those places is a continuall darknesse which when men sawe they returned for feare supposing nay rather doubting that none coulde saile any further in that quarter of the worlde through the darknesse and thicke mist which hindreth the direction of their iourney So that the nature of those places cannot bee sufficiently knowne to vs séeing no man as the learned report hath attempted thither through extremitie of colde their bearing sway And for that excéeding cold is a mortifying quality therefore a man may coniecture that few liuing creatures and beasts can there liue c. Yet the part of the Northerly Occean vnto the Easterly side is sufficiently knowne to many trauailers Although the vttermost boundes of the earth are not wholy knowne yet the nearest aprroaching to them shall here bee applied as the longitude of the earth distaunt betwéene Peru the Realme of America and Cathaya to expresse 315. degrées or if any minde to accompt the longitude from the fortunate Iles they may by a whole cyrcle containe them euen as the whole Orbe about in a maner doth partly giue place to the water and are partly dwellings for men beasts and other liuing creatures although some places of the earth bee more inhabited then others But as touching the latitude if towarde the North in the country of Lapous the south toward the vtmost coast of America shal end seing y ◠vtmost distance of the earth hath very litle béene noted of this shall small errour be caused If two places offered or giuen be placed vnder the Equatour of which the space is sought then the arke of the difference of latitude is the same with the arke of the distance neither doth the verticiall cyrcle differ from the Equatour For the equatour of either place doeth containe the verticiall points as may appeare in this tryangle noted with A. B. C. Of which if 15. germain miles be wrought into parts of the difference of longitude and any scruples after remaine deuide those by 4. For by so many minutes of a degrée doth a Germain mile answere that the distance shall make As Ptholomie writeth of the places vnder the Equatour The high lande or mountaine of the Satyres in the country of Syna whose longitude is of 175 degrées and no minutes nor hath any latitude Myrica an Ile of Ethiope vnder Aegipt whose longitude is of 85. degrées the angle of the difference of longitude betwéene the meridians of these places is straight or right and containeth a whole quarter or 60. degrées The like are these places standing vnder the equatour Colipolis a citty of India beyond the riuer Ganges which hath the longitude 194. degrées and 20. minutes Essina the greate Mart-towne of Aethiope vnder Aegipt whose longitude is of 70. degrées and 3. minutes The angle of the differēce of longitude which the meridians of these compasse is blunte and containeth 94. degrées and 17. minutes Againe the same or the like meridians containe and make a sharpe angle of 43 degrées as of the citty Nubarta of Taprobane which at this day is Sumatra and Colipolis of Inde beyond or aboue Ganges for it is distant from the west 122. degrées and 20. minutes and this containeth 164. degrées and 20. minutes If two places be giuen the one standing vnder the Equatour and the other distant toward any other quarter from it The first that the angle of the difference of longitude is straight to these here placed In that if two places giuen the one shall be vnder the equatoure but the other distant from the same toward some quarter thē must the angle of the difference of longitude bee considered If the same shal be right then shal the distance of either place be the quadrant of the greatest cyrcle As in this tryangle A. B. C. where the letter A. representeth the Pole of the equatour and the places giuen that the one be standing in the point B. vnder the equatour and the arke A. B. be the quadrant and that the other consisteth in the letter C. the angle then of the difference of longitude being C. A. B. is right By Regio a montano de trangulis appeareth
horizon that the sun in the equatoure placed by rising and setting passeth doe parte and deuide either halfe cyrcle into equall quarters And with these points do the Poles of the meridian ioyne And either quarters do the other two as the rising and setting deuide into two vnequall arks For of the twoe Northerly quarters the same which tendeth and looketh vnto the East is the solsticial rising and the other the solsticiall setting But of the twoe Southerly the Easterly doth the winter rising deuide and the Westerly doeth the winter setting part But by what space these risings and settings may differ and be distant from the former middle in euery horizon and in the largenesse of rising doth Ptholomie instruct in that eleuation of 40. degrées and fiftéene scruples Of the shadowes which the sun arising and setting in these points of the horizon causeth is worthie to bee considered and noted in that the Equinoctial shadowes which through the sunnes rising and setting in the Equinoctiall pointes are caused doe fall and extend in straight maner But the other shadowes not in the same condicion or not in straight line doe fall but that the solsticiall shadowes in the rising with the winter shadowes in the setting and contrariwise the winter shadowes in the rising with the Solsticiall in the setting doe fourme and make right shadowes The offices or vtilities of the Horizon _1 THis circle like as al the others so that nothing in heauen is friuolous and of a vaine imagination hath many vtilities First it deuideth the whole heauen into two equall halfe spheres 2 It declareth which starres be of continual appearance and which continually hid vnder the horizon which doe set and which doe arise aboue the horizon So that it appeareth that the stars consist in a triple defference as that certaine do arise and set certaine neuer appeare aboue the horizone and certaine continue and be alwaies aboue the horizon 3 The horizon therefore is caused of the habitude as well of the right as the thwart sphere 4 The rising and setting of the stars are applied vnto the horizon by which settings and risings the discriptions of times are chaunged and it also declareth the degrée of the Zodiacke with the which each starre riseth and setteth 5 The horizone sheweth the rising and setting of the signes of the Zodiacke the exaltations or eleuations of the pole and the equatoure the latitudes of places to the largenesse of rising which is the arke of the horizon to the stars or points of the ecclipticke and equatour arising togither included with the beginnings of the twelue houses of heauen 6 By the office of the horizone at any time wee may learne and knowe the quantity of the artificiall day and night and likewise procureth or sheweth the iust cause of the inequalitie of the artificiall daies it doeth also declare the rising and setting of the sun For as the horizons according to the eleuation or depression of the pole are varied euen so are the verticiall daies in themselues caused vnequall yea in those points of the Zodiacke 7 By the benifit of the horizon the sun shining we attaine and come each day vnto the knowledge of the vnequall houre of the day 8 It sheweth to vs the elongation of the stars from the rising and setting which the astronomers call the largenesse of the rising and setting or the Zenith of the rising and setting 9 By this cyrcle we learne how much the rising aswell of the stars as the other points of heauen is distant from the true and the Equinoctiall rising that is in the same are the latitudes of the stars accompted from the equinoctiall and also their risings and settings 10 It manifesteth the degrée of the Zodiack with the which the purposed star riseth and setteth 11 It iudicateth the stars or the celestial images that be continually in sight or alwaies hid 12 It maketh manifest the risings and settings of the signes of the Zodiacke It doth likewise make distinction betwéene the Sun and Moones Ecclipses séene as well aboue the horizon as not in sight 13 It helpeth and furthereth much vnto the finding of the latitude of a purposed place whereof through the benifite of this cyrcle and the meridian may the distaunces of places be certainly found Of the verticall Circles BEsides the former cyrcles at large mentioned are there other cyrcles which shall here bee vttered and taught as in an apte place agréeing to that aforesaide which beâ— these the verticall cyrcles the cyrcles of the positions and of the 12. houses Of these in order shal here bee written as the necessary matter offereth séeing a speciall part of astronomie dependeth of them and the whole composition of the celestial instruments séemeth likewise one of them First the verticals be cyrcles which from the top of any place giuen are drawne vnto each part of the horizon and deuide the vpper halfe Sphere in sight into so many partes as the Horizone is deuided and all concurre and méete aboue in each verticall pointe or Pole of the Horizon To the number of these is the meridian adioyned These cyrcles are likewise vnderstoode and noted immouable as the meridian and Horizone that is they are not drawne about with the first mouer as the Zodiacke the Equatoure the Colures and the other cyrcles inâ—ixed to the first mouer The Circles of the Altitude THe Cyrcles of the altitudes beâ— those which are equidistantly described about the toppe of places As the verticall cyrcles doe deuide each of these cyrcles into 360. degrées euen so doe these deuide a quarter of each verticall cyrcle into 90. degrées So that none of the altitude cyrcles is greater then the horizone nor lesser than that which is imagined and vnderstoode to be described about the verticiall pointe The especiall office of these cyrcles is that aswell the altitudes of the fixed stars as the Planets may bee measured and knowne as the fixed stars aboue the horizone by which altitude or eleuation the times that is the houres are knowne and the places of the starres as may appeare in tables made for that onely purpose Séeing then it cannot be and that through the roundnesse of heauen but that any star giuen or supposed vnto the motion of the whole is imagined by his altitude to be distinguished in some Parallel therefore is the altitude of the star or of any other celestiall point the arke of the verticiall cyrcle drawne by the Center of the star contained betwéene the horizon and the star giuen which as afore written is distinguished of the said parallell The méeting and ioyning togither of these cyrcles with the verticals is not moued but at the motion of the verticall point which is none other then the pole of the horizon from which all the parallels of the altitudes are imagined to be described by equall distaunces But this in mine opinion is not to bee ouerpassed that is that any star when it shall be equally distant from the
meridian either hath or may haue the same altitude from the horizon as to the eie is offered in this figure folowing Where a b d c. is the Meridian b e c. the greatest halfe of the Paralels of the horizon f g. the least b. the North and c. the South a. the point of the top o. or q. the place of the starre giuen by which a o k. or a q n the verticall Circle passeth and the like doth the Parallell p l k. The Arke k o. or n q. is affirmed to be the altitude or eleuation of the starre from the horizon that endeth at the parallell p o l r. and p o. is the distance of the starre from the noonestead a p d c. Now when the starre by the motion of the principall is drawne vnto the point q. in which when the same shal be it will be equally distant from the Meridian Circle wherefore through the equal distance of the parallels of which they be named shall the Arke o k. bee equall to the Arke n q. Of this procéedeth and is caused that in the howers equidistant from the noonestead as is the seauenth houre before noone and the fifte houre after noone likewise the eight and the fourth the ninth and the thirde the tenth and second and so of the rest The sunne obtaineth equal eleuations aboue the horizon This much auaileth in the composition or making of dials and giueth great light and breuity to the same practise as may appeare elsewhere but the verticall Circles in the solyde Spheres and Globes by one quarter of the Circle depending of the verticall point vnto the horizon diuided into 90. degrées is declared The houre Circles IN that the whole worke of dialles dependeth vpon the knowledge of the houre cyrcles it is therefore requisite and necessarie to entreate fully of the cyrcles distinguishers of the houres or at the least vtter a brief instruction of this First you shall vnderstande that the Equatoure onely which as afore taught the sunne beeing either in the beginning of Aries or Libra is regularly moued aswel in the right as thwart Horizone and thereof is alwaies the one halfe aboue the horizon the other halfe hid vnder the Horizon Through this his equall motion or regulare motions is it iudged worthy and laudable séeing by it the equall houres as well by day as night are attained and had And this conceaue that there are twelue greater cyrcles vnderstoode which crosse the Equatoure at right angles and passe by both the poles of the first mouer from which the said equatour is distinguished into 24. equall parts which are called the distances or spaces of the houres in that each be distant from other by 15. degrées For they deuide the verticall the Zodiacke and the horizone into 24. partes but vnequally at which Poles the nearer partes to them are narower then those which be and draw nearer to the equatour And that these may clearer and perfecter be vnderstoode imagine your selfe to bée vnder the equatoure that is in the right Sphere in such a standing shall the halfe meridian Cyrcle bee the line of the twelfe houre and the halfe horizontal circle the line of the sixt houre before noon and the other halfe of it the line of the sixt houre at after noone By which imagination firmely conceiued may a man imagine betwéen the halfe horizontall cyrcle and the halfe meridian cyrcle to be other fiue halfe cyrcles firme and immoueable which are not mooued but as the verticall point is moued being distant each from other by an equall distance as by 15. degrées of the equatour The first after the horizon is applied to the seuenth houre so forth of the rest And in like maner betwéen the meridian halfe cyrcle and the occidentall horizone are other fiue cyrcles vnderstoode according to the fourmer deuision and that which followeth the meridian shall be applied to the first houre that which next foloweth to the second houre and so forth of the others Besides imagine the sun to ascend from the horizon and when he shall be come vnto the first halfe cyrcle from the horizon then shall he shed a shadowe furthest westward and being drawne vp vnto the second shal make a shorter shadow and the shadow shal alwaies vntill the sun bee come vnto the halfe noonestéede cyrcle where he sheddeth or sendeth a shadow plum down right to the earth but descending from the Noonstéede vnto the West the Sunne causeth then the like shadowes contrarie Further conceiue that the Exe-trée of the worlde in whose poles as is afore taught all the houre cyrcles méet together in one doeth performe expresse the same which the foresaid cyrcles taught as by the sun dials the like is readily vnderstood and knowne The Circles deuiding the twelue houses of Heauen NOw resteth to entreate of the cyrcles distinguishers of the houses and the cyrcle of the positions but first I will write of the distinguishers of the houses As there are sixe cyrcles that are imagined of the astronomers by which heauen is deuided into twelue parts among which are the Horizone and meridian whereby the whole is deuided into foure equall parts and those twelue parts are of the astronomers called mansions or houses But as touching the constitution and forming of the celestial houses there are sundry old and late opinions but whether opinion is the worthier or to be the rather allowed is not here mente to bee stoode vpon nor aptely belongeth to the matter I entreat of so well as in the proper place is agréeing yet certaine and especially the auncient which were Campanus a singular mathematician and astronmer deuided the houses by the fiue cyrcles of heauen méeting an◠ioyning at the Poles of the world from which they deuided the whole heauen togither with the meridiane into twelue equal houses But for a better and readier instruction they formed and drewe them in this maner After the foure principall quarters or angles of heauen were drawne and that the right ascention of the middle of heauen was had then were the partes of the Zodiacke diligently considered that occupy as well the Easterly as the Westerly Horizone and then were the right ascentions sought of those partes which being done the constitution and making of the two houses in the Easterly part of heauen was the right ascention of the mid heauen deducted from the right ascention of the Horizone and the remayner was distributed into thrée equall parts In the bound of the first part in accompting from the Noonstéed toward the East was there imagined a cyrcle for the beginning of the eleuenth house but in the bound of the second parte from the Noonestéede was the beginning of the twelfe house placed After in the bounde of the third parte from the Noonstéed was the beginning of the first house drawn and the like was wrought and done in searching for the 2. Westerly houses as the ninth and the eight house For they deducted and
subtracted the right ascention of y e west part from the right ascention of the mid heauen or noonestead and the remainer or rest as afore taught was distributed into thrée equall parts After that in the ende of the first portion from the noonstead towardes the West the auncients constituted or placed the bound of the ninth house with the circle comming from the poles of y e world and in the bound of the second portion was the beginning of the eight house formed These attained the degrées and partes of the degrées of the Zodiack answering to ech arkes of the Equatoure were sought in the Tables of the right sphere but the houses standing vnder were defined and made like to their opposites And séeing this maner of forming the houses is vnperfect therefore shal here no further be taught of the same In which a e. is the verticall circle crossing a d e c. at right angles f g b. the equatour d g c. the horison d. and c. be the points in which the distinguishers of the houses concurre and méet which also do make equall distinctiōs in the verticall circle and thereby be the houses noted and diuided But the later Astronomers moued by the authority of the incomparable Mathematician Regiomontanus inur̄ted and deuised another order of the houses more agréeing to reason than the former For they deuided the quarters of the equatour comprehended betweene the horison and noonstead into thrée equall spaces and by each section they imagined great circles ioyning in the sections of the Meridian and horison as the former Although all these are plainer and more euidently taught and known in the materiall Sphere yet we thought good to speak somwhat as our possibility serueth in plaine forme Wherefore grant that a f c. is the Meridian a. the Top n. the Northerly pole k. the Southerly pole b. and c. the points of the sections of the horison and Meridian where the distinguishers of the houses concurre and méet which also are imagined by the equall distinctions of the equatour e i l. as to the eie sufficiently appeareth that b i c. is the horison circle d. the easterly point or rising of the equatour from which the first house taketh his beginning The Circle of position AL these Circles being set down the Astronomers notwithstanding do write of another Circle whose vse and office serueth to great purpose for the Art of directing searching other more secret matters in Astronomy and is thereof called the circle of Position which passeth at al times by the former sections of the meridian and Horizone and by the Center of the star or of any other purposed point in heauen like to the soresaid cyrcles whether that star be aboue the earth or vnder the earth That this may clearly appeare marke and consider this figure here expressed where the letter c. representeth the top pointe d. the Northerly Pole e. the opposite pole a g b f. the cyrcle of the position passing by the sections of the horizon and meridian b c d e. the meridian a b. the Horizone g f. the Centers of the stars of which the one is in g. aboue the earth and the other vnder the earth in the point f. And many other cyrcles besides all these which hetherto haue bene described may bee inuented and imagined in the sphere for the necessity of the workings The difinitions names and offices of the foure lesser Circles THe Parallels are lesser cyrcles which from either of the greater circles drawn thwartly on the sphere doe equally difand bee distant from the Equatoure or Zodiacke toward their poles so y ◠they doe not deuide the Sphere into equall halfe Spheres but into vnequall portions For séeing the sphere from the middle streacheth or draweth by litle and litle straighter and narower toward the furthest aud highest toppes euen so must the parallels which are distant from the middle and greatest and that by equall spaces on each side agréeing drawe of necessity narrower and so much the narower as they nearer approach vnto the poles As writeth Theodosius in the sixte proposition of his first Booke of the sphere And the same Author in the 14. proposition of his first Book of the sphere and in the sixt of his second Booke writeth that all the parallels haue the same poles agréeing with the greater cyrcles vnto which the parallels are And certaine of the Paralels are applied vnto the plain of the Equatoure others vnto the plaine of the eccliptick These doe as well the fixed starres as the planets placed without the ecclipticke and drawne about the Exe-trée stretched b◠the poles of the ecclipticke and Center of the worlde discribe yet do all their centers consist in the Exe-trée of the Zodiack and the middle cyrcle of them and the greatest is the ecclipticke These also doe the same stars and the verticiall or toppe points of each places or any other applied vnto the plaine of the equatour drawne as it were by the first mouer about the Exetrée and poles of the world define And the Centers of these be in the Exe-trée of the worlde or equatoure but the middle and greatest of these is the equatour It is manifest by that afore taught that the sun in euery day doth gaine toward the East against the dayly motion one degrée of the Zodiack and of this hapneth that he in each day through the thwartnesse of the Zodiack describeth a certaine newe cyrcle in heauen and in the nexte day another and so forth by order as the like may be compared by a small corde winded close about a Nun or top beginning from the foote vpward euen so the sun beginning to turne againe at the first degrée of Capricorne doth euery day after change a new Parallel vntill hée become backe vnto the first degrée of Cancer and by and by after returned from Cancer he in the like order goeth vnto the Capricorne so that in the next day following the Sun riseth not with the same Parallel aboue the Horizone that hee did in the morning before nor shall not run the nexte morrow in that Parallel that he did in this day And each of these Parallelles euen as the greater cyrcles containe 360. degrées which bée so much lesser then the degrées of the greater cyrcles and occupy or comprehend somuch the lesser space in heauen as answereth to the vpper face of the earth as by how much the more frō the compasse and largenesse of the greatest cyrcle they lacke by reason of the distance And although they yéeld and be lesse in the quantity yet vnto the degrées of the greatest cyrcles be they agréeable and like as writeth Theodosius in the 14. proposition of his second booke of the sphere These lesser cyrcles do offer and teach sundry vtilities First the Parallels of which on this side and beyond the Equatour are 182 that the sun yearly by his dayly motion describeth and doe expresse the causes of the continuall equallity of
from the furthest point of the ecclipticke vnto the equatour By which it appeareth that so much is the distance of the poles of the Ecclipticke from the poles of the worlde as is the suns greatest declination being 23. degrées and 28. minutes and two fiftes almost Or thus that the pole of the Zodiacke is far distant from the pole of the world as is the greatest declination af the sun from the Equinoctiall cyrcle and by the equidistance also on each side of the arctick cyrcle from the Pole of the world that that part of the Colure comprehended betwéene the first point of Cancer and the articke cyrcle is almost double so much vnto the greatest declination of the sun And if cyrcumspectly you consider the maner of the motions you shall readily perceiue that those cyrcles which euer more be of like largenesse increase and decrease togither with the twoe Tropicke cyrcles according to the increase or decrease of the suns declination As appeareth by the letter n. in the foresaid figure that representeth the Northerly pole of the ecclipticke or Zodiack moued from the letter n. into o. by the motion of the first moouer and returning againe into the point n shall be moued the cyrcle describing n o. being distant from the Northerly pole a. asmuch as is the suns greatest declination h g. as hereafter by demonstration shall plainer appeare And this cyrcle named the arcticke in that it is described by the arcticke of the Zodiacke The like is described from the point r. being the pole antarcticke by the motion from r. vnto s. and returning againe vnto r. so that the antarcticke cyrcle r s. is equall to his opposite and equidistaunt to the Equatoure This probation that the distaunce of the Poles of the worlde and Zodiacke is equall to the suns greatest declination doth require before hand these thrée propositions The first that the quarters of each cyrcle any where taken be in themselues or betwéene one another equall The second that the poles by a quarter that is by 90. degrées be distant from their proper cyrcle The third that the equals deducted from their equalles then doe the equalles rest As for example if you borowe two fourthes in one and the same Colure cyrcle that is the Solsticiall of the same parte where it passeth by the beginning of Capricorne and is the like from the pole of the worlde vnto the Equinoctiall and that other is that which is from the Pole of the Zodiack vnto the Zodiacke or ecclipticke and of this I thus reason that when the equals be deducted or abated from the equals the remainer shall be equall Therefore are the foresaid quarters equal in that they be in the same cyrcle and that from either is the equall or common arke deducted that is the same which is contained betweene the Equinoctiall and the pole of the Zodiacke which arke doeth containe 66. degrées and 31. minutes almost So that the arks resting or remaining of these quarters be equall that is the distance of the poles of the Zodiack and the Equinoctiall is equal to the suns greatest declination For if 66. degrées and 31. minutes bee deducted from either quarter the remainer then shalbe 23 degrées and 31 minutes which is the distance betwéen the foresaid poles and the greatest declination of the sun This other example demonstrateth that the suns greatest declination and the distance of the poles of the zodiack or ecclipticke from the poles of the world is equall and of like largenes and that what soeuer hapneth to the distances of the said Poles For as this increaseth or decreaseth the like doth that decrease or increase Of this it is manifest that the two foresaide articke cyrcles is nowe in our time lesser through the decreasing of the suns greatest declination and that the Tropickes are greater then they were in Ptholomies time The offices or vtilities of the foure lesser Cyrcles 1 THe office of the Solsticiall Tropicke after the Gréekes is to define the longest summer day and the winter Tropicke to determine the shortest winter day and longest night For Proclus to finde the longest day did deuide the summer solstice into 8. equall partes of which so deuided he affirmed thrée parts to be continually hidde vnder the horizon and fiue aboue The truth of which is known if the Sphere bee rectified for the latitude of 41. degrées where by this diuisiō the longest day containeth 15 hours and the night but 9. houres 2 Many and notable offices doe the Tropicke cyrcles offer as well vnto the composition of dialles as vnto the preparing many other Instruments in Astronomie 3 They declare the places of the Ecclipticke in which the suns solstices are caused whereof the longest or shortest daies by them are knowne Or thus they declare in euery standing of the sphere the longest and shortest day with their quantity 4 They include the Suns way in that they bee as the bounds including the Region in heauen in which the sun is continually moued 5 They declare the suns greatest declination as afore hath bene often taught 6 They seperate in heauen the burning Zone from the two temperate Zones But of the Polare cyrcles these be the chiefest and especialest vtilities 1 They iudicate or shewe the Poles of the Zodiacke and howe farre they bee distaunt from the Poles of the world 2 They inclose those stars which euer appeare aboue our Horizone and those in like maner right against being alwaies hid vnto vs. But for that euery seueral Climate hath disagréeing from other Climates these cyrcles their distance therefore cannot bee certaine from the other Parallel cyrcles sauing for one Region certaine as neither their quantities nor their order For in that place where the altitude of the pole is lesser then 66. degrées and a half these cyrcles there are lesser then the Tropicks and in order are betwéene them and the poles and is from the pole continually distant by so many degrées as the pole in that country is raised aboue the Horizon So that in the same place the Pole raised more then 66. degrées and a halfe The Tropicke then is aboue the horizone as the like may be vnderstoode by that place called Wardehouse So that in the same Climate the arcticke cyrcle is greater then the Tropicke of Cancer as witnesseth the learned Stoeflerus Iustingensis 3 They distinguish after the mind of the Gréeks the cold Zones from the temperate Which Ferio denieth affirming that the arctick and antarcticke cyrcles kéeping no vniformitie to all countries and béeing vncertaine and variable boundes can limit any certaine place For the temperate Zones are places certaine the arcticke and antarcticke cyrcles bee changeable limits therefore cannot they be as bounds of the temperate Zones yet dooth hee better allowe and agrée vnto that that the Tropickes bee bounds of the temperate zones So that changeable limits by this argument cannot be appointed as bounds to vnchangeable places 4 They deuide togither with the
shadowe For with them the Nooneshadowes continually run or goe toward one quarter onely So that to them dwelling Northward the Noon shadow streacheth towarth the arcticke or Northerly quarter By which it appeareth that the sun neuer ascendeth ouer their heades but continually casteth or streacheth his beames thwartly into those contries which alwaies forme their thwart angles with the plaine of the earth or els fall a-slope vpon the earth Those people which possesse and dwel vnder either vntemperate or cold zones are named of the Gréeke writers Periskioi Periscij for that their shadowes in one artificiall day are caried and run rounde as it were about them on the plaine of the earth so that the sun vnto those places casteth or sendeth not straight thwart or sloape but long beames running on the horizone which as they streach along infinitly euen so the shadowes going and lying on the flat of the earth and extended along doe increase infinitly And these zones also vnder the poles extend to that proper place where the Tropicke cyrcles and the Arctick cyrcles be all one Strabo likewise writeth that the colde zone reacheth to that place where the Tropick is the arcticke cyrcle that is where this first Zone endeth and the temperate beginneth the Pole beeing 66. degrées and a halfe aboue the horizon so that this pole must be from the toppe of their heads in that place 23. degrées and a halfe Further these people that haue their shadowes running rounde about them dwell within the Polare cyrcles In that all people whose Zenith is within 23. degrees and a halfe of any of both the Poles haue their shadowes compassing aboute them but those people as afore written dwelling nearer vnder the Pole the longer is their day and by that reason doe the shadowes run the oftner about them For where the day is of 24. houres long the shadow doth run but once about yet where the day is of halfe a yeare long the shadowes doe run 183. times about Here conceiue that there be fiue zones on earth answering to the fiue celestiall zones both in the heat temperatnesse and cold which for a plainer vnderstanding vse this figure here following demonstrated Where the Orb or cyrcle described on the plaine of the earth is distributed by the two vnknown diameters into foure equall partes as to the outward points of the one diameter note the letters a b. To the points of the other diameter adde the letters c d. The letter c. the Northerly Pole and the letter d. representing the Southerly pole The arke of the Orbe a c. deuide after the common maner into 90. parts or degrées the number as the vse is noted by 5. 10. 15. 20. 25. c. And beginning to recken at the letter a. in ascending by the number 5. vnto the letter c. beeing the Northerly pole Againe set one foote of the compasse vnchaunged on the letter c. representing the Northerly Pole and with the other opened make a point of the one side and after on the other side in drawing a line besides from point to pointe and the ends of that line note with the letters â— k. that declare the arcticke cyrcle And likewise set one foote of the compasse on the note d. iudicating the Southerly pole and after the marking with points on either side draw a right line at the endes of which note these letters l m. that represent the antarcticke cyrcle These so finished you shall then sée on that plaine or flat the fiue earthly zones rightly described For the space here represented of the earth by the Tropicke lines e f. and g h. included doth demonstrate the burning zone In that the suns heat by his direct beams ouer it doth continually strongly heat and burne that space of the earth wherefore you may rightly draw a straight line from the letter g. vnto f. representing the suns iourney And the space of the earth included of the line i k. the articke cyrcle and the arke answering to the Northerly line i k doth iudiacate the cold and frozen zone Northerly And that other Region or space contained right against representing the antarcticke cyrcle doth demonstrate the colde Southerly zone And the tract or space of the earth included within the lines i k. and E F. doth iudicate our temperate zone Northward and that reasonably habitable and the other portion of the earth contained within the lines g h. and l m. doth manifestly shew the temperate southerly zone Where Ptholomie and other auncient Cosmographers write that the burning zone is vnhabited or as a desart Aristotle Plinie and Iohn de sacro bosco in his treatise of the Sphere write the contrary Besides these it is well knowne at this day yea by experience vnderstood of those that haue yearely gone and come from the countries lying vnder that zone that is betwéene the two Tropicks to be inhabited Further this burnt zone is inhabited and well replenished with people that there dwell as the same is throughly known to many that haue passed to and frothe Indies so that it may euidently appeare that the heate there is not extreame nor so distemperate séeing the time of the heate that they suffer continueth not long nor the heat sharply worketh or causeth his vttermost effect For the sun but a small time tarieth aboue the Horizone in the burnt Region or Zone as certain astronomers write as the space of twelue houres onely so that the heat there is much qualified and suppressed through the colde rising in the night time whereof it is manifest that he causeth not his extreame hotnesse there although hee streacheth his beames perpendicularly on the earth Therefore may many maruaile that sundry ancient men affirme these parts to be vnhabitable séeing they knew of Arabia Foelix Aethiopia Taprobana and diuers other contries lying vnder the burnt zone yea besides these are Guinea Calicute Muluca and Gatigara well knowne to lie or bee vnder the burning Zone and many of the people in those countries liue long and the same Region also is inhabited and replenished well with people A like affirmation hath Albertus and Auicen as afore written that the middle zone is habitable for they agrée coÌ„â—rary to the old writers that in the same Region of the world which the auncient Cosmographers named to bee the burnt Zone that it is a far temperater dwelling than vnder the Tropicks it can bee in any wise And that people dwell vnder the Tropickes the ancient neuer doubted Wherfore if so resonable dwelling be vnder the Tropicks it cannot be otherwise as affirmeth Petrus de apono that vnder the Equatoure notwithstanding the sunnes sharpe heate but that men may dwell there for all the vntemperatnesse of heate To bee briefe al the writers of later yeares agrée that the middle zone is not onely habitable but found and known by many reasons and by experience that the same is most temperate and the earth vnder it rich both of golde and rich drugges