nature wherein the Starres moue in circles parallell to the Eclipticke But from the North to the South as by the necessary consequence of the position and obliquity of the Zodiacke because it cannot bee auoided but that it should either incline to or decline from the Pole If they should obiect as many doe that this progresse is not proportionall in respect of the time according to the calculation of the Astronomers Wee answer 1. That this difference is so small that it should rather seeme to bee imputed to the negligence or ignorance of such as tooke these obseruations then to any diuersity of motion For who knowes not in these dayes of ours wherein this art is arriued at a farre greater perfection diuerse Astronomers in obseruing the same Star at the same time to differ much the one from the other Whose knowledge notwithstanding is fortified with the experience of the Ancients and inuention of new Instruments What then shall wee thinke of those which distant so many ages in time and vsing diuerse vnlike Instruments in their obseruations haue differed in matters of so small moment chiefly in seeking out the period of this long and slow motion which by reason of his slownes since the time it was known to man hath not ranne the fifteenth part of his circle For my part I shall rather ascribe it to the errour of their obseruations then multiply Orbs without a greater cause First because as wee haue said the difference is so small and almost insensible 2. Because wee haue beene taught by our Astronomicall histories what kinde of Instruments were then in vse which to later Astronomers haue beene thought too rude and vnfit to make such subtile obseruations Lastly concerning the Site and Position no lesse reason may bee giuen out of our Hypothesis then the common way For by placing the fiue Planets to runne in their Epicycles about the Sunne may we giue a reason of the inequality of their distance from the Earth wherein an ingenious minde in our common grounds can hardly giue himselfe sufficient satisfaction 3 The stability is an affection whereby the Terrestriall Spheare is firmely setled in his proper place The Stability or firmenesse of the Earth which we here vnderstand 1. No way denyes or contradicts the motion of the parts of the Earth whereby being separated they returne to their proper place 2. Neither the circular Reuolution of it on her owne Poles and Axell whereof wee haue formerly spoken But either such a motion whereby the parts of it may bee seuered one from the other and so the whole Masse dissolued or whereby the Center of the Earth may be moued out of his proper place or at least such as might mooue the Poles of the earth from their true verticity whereby they should not respect alwayes in the Heauens the same points or poles Which kinde of stability from motion we will establish in this Theoreme 1 The Earth is firmely seated and setled in her proper place This Theoreme may bee proued as well by reason as authority of holy Scripture From reason it is demonstrated in this manner If the Earth should not be setled in her proper place this would of necessity happen either by dissolution and separation of the parts one from the other or by remouing the poles out of their fixt places or else by motion of the Center from one place to the other The first cannot be admitted because as we haue before taught in the second Chapter of this booke All Terrestriall Bodies are endowed with an inclination or ponderosity to approach as neere as they can to the center of the Earth so that by this coherency and conformity the whole earth is ransom'd from any such mutability Neither can the whole Spheare bee dissolued without an especiall miracle And if so it should happen the parts would returne againe and conforme themselues to compose the same Spheare Likewise the second way The earth cannot loose her stability because as wee haue shewne in our former Chapter the earth hath her two Poles magneticall made fast vnto the Poles of the world as if they were bound firmely to two great pillers neuer to bee shaken Finally The Center of the Earth cannot be moued out of his place any wise because as we haue demonstrated in the Chapter before without the disturbance and inuersion of the whole frame of Nature the Earth can haue no other place then the Center or middest of the whole world Some haue alleaged as an argument that principle of Aristotle That one simple Body can haue but one simple Motion and therefore the earth challenging to it selfe a right motion to the Center cannot also haue a circular or round motion and so of necessity must rest vnmoued in her proper place But this reason as I haue shewed is weake to proue this assertion First because this principle of Aristotle is not grounded on certainty but contradicts experience as I haue elsewhere shewed 2. This right motion to the Center is not to bee ascribed to the whole as the immediate subiect but to the parts of it separated from the whole so that nothing will hinder but that the whole Globe may haue a motion proper to it selfe on his owne Poles But to let this reason passe as weake all those arguments alleaged by the common Astronomers and Philosophers against the circular motion of the Earth proue indeed no other matter then this stability which we establish but if racked any farther come short to satisfie For authority of Scripture many places are vrged to proue this stability whereof wee haue a pregnant place in 104 Psalme wherein Dauid magnifying the Creator saith That hee laid the foundation of the Earth so sure that it should not be moued at any time To which may be added many other Texts but that I hold this one sufficient in a matter which few men call in question Wee are in the third place to treate of the proportion of the Earth with the heauenly bodies 4 The Proportion is that wherein the quantity of the Terrestriall Globe is compared with the quantity of the Heauens We must here remember a distinction before touched that the Globe of the Earth may bee considered two wayes either Absolutely in it selfe or Comparatiuely in respect of the heauenly Bodyes If we consider it absolutely in it selfe wee shall finde that the Earth hath a vast and huge magnitude and not any wayes to bee compared to a point because it is a body and therefore subiect to diuision whereas a point is conceaued as an indiuisible signeadmitting no parts at all Sâ—condly because the magnitude of the Earth many times taken will measure the greatnesse of the Heauens as wee may obserue by Astronomers who measure the magnitude of the greatest Stars by Diameters and Semidiameters of the Earth whereas a point of it being a thousand times multiplied will neuer beget a magnitude or measure of the quantity of any Body Thirdly the Starres are not
as meere points in respect of their Orbs because they sensibly are seene as parts of these Orbs. But the Earth is greater then some of the lower Starres as the Moone Whence we may with good grounds auerre that if a man were placed in the Moone hee might behold the Earth far greater then the Moone being obserued by vs in the Earth Wherefore no man can deny but the Earth in it selfe hath a great vastnesse But if wee consider this greatnesse in respect of the Heauens we shall find this vast greatnesse to shrinke almost into nothing and become as a meere point without sensible magnitude But this is not altogether generall without limitation because the heauenly bodies are distinguished into the higher and greater such as are the Firmament with the foure higher Planets such as are Saturne Iupiter Mars and the Sunne or the lower and lesser such as are Venus Mercurius and the Moone which difference in place and greatnesse admits a great diuersity in this proportion as wee shall shew in these two Theoremes 1. The Earthly Globe compared in quantity with the Firmament and superiour Orbes of the planets hath no sensible magnitude This Proposition is supported not only by the authority of many and graue Authors as Aristotle Ptolomy Pliny Alphragan and others but by diuers strong reasons drawne from experience and obseruation of Astronomers The first argument shall be this which is most popular The Sunne and many other Starres in the Firmament are found out by Astronomicall Instruments to bee manifold greater then the Globe of the Earth yet appeare they in respect of the heauens but as a little point or portion Then must the Earth being in comparison far lesser be deuoyd of all sensible magnitude or proportion Secondly if the Earth had any notable quantity in respect of the Heauen then must the Diameter of the earth haue as great a quantity in respect of the Diameter of the Sky for there is the same proportion of the Diameters which the circumferences haue one to the other as is demonstrated in Geometry Now if the Diameter of the Earth hath any notable magnitude in coÌ„parison of the Diameter of the Skye then the Starres which be ouer our heads be neerer vnto vs by a notable quantity then when they bee either in the East or West For it must needs follow that the Starres placed in the verticall point are neerer by the Semidiameter of the Earth then when they are either in the Easterne or Westerne point as we see in â—his figure here set downe ACDB wherein I make E to be the Center of the Earth AEB the true Horizon and EF the Semidiameter of the earth Now if the Semidiameter FE haue any sensible proportion then must G the verticall point be neerer to F. then either A or B. supposed to bee the East west points because EA or EB are the whole Semidiameter of the Celestiall circle whereof FG is only a part But contrarywise there is no such diuersity perceiued in the magnitude of the Starres but that they appeare still to bee of one and the same greatnesse except by accidentall interposition of vapours and grosse bodies wherefore it must of necessity follow that their distance is all one in all parts of the Skye and by consequence the Semidiameter of the earth hath no sensible diuersity in distance Thirdly hence would arise another reason no lesse forcible then this that if the Semidiameter of the Earth had any comparison or proportion to the Semidiameter of the Skye the Horizon that we haue on the vpper part of the earth should not diuide the Skye into two equall parts for as much as the part which is couched vnder the Horizon would alwayes be greater and the other lesser as in our former Diagramme if EF haue a notable quantity in compaâ—ison of EA then will the line CFD being the Horizon on the top of the earth differ notably from the line AEB being the Diameter of the World and the Horizon to the Center of the Earth and so shall not the Horizon CFD diuide the world into two equall parts but the vpper part shall alwayes be lesser then the lower which crosses ordinary experience for we may see in long winter nights that those Starres which are in the East Horizon in the beginning of the night will be in the West at the end of twelue houres and contrarywise those Stars which did set in the West when those others did rise in the East shall rise agayne when the other shall set Fourthly if the earth had any sensible greatnesse in respect of the Heauens then were it vnpossible for any Sunne Diall to bee regular and obserue due proportion For we see the shaddowes to moue as duely and orderly about the Center of Dials and such instruments as if their Center were the very Center of the world which could neuer happen if these two Centers should differ notably in respect of the Spheare of the Sunne to expresse it the better we will set this Figure which represents the three notable circles in a Diall which are described by the course of the Sunne in three notable places of the Zodiacke to wit the two Tropicks and the Equinoctiall Herein the vttermost arch BLC represents the Tropicke of Capricorne and is described no greater then the quarter of a circle because the Sun placed in the Signe shines vnto vs but six houres The Equinoctiall is set as halfe a circle because the Sun being in it appeares vnto vs 12 houres is here noted out by EIF The Tropicke of Cancer containes 3 quarters of a Circle because when the Sun is in it there are eighteen houres from Sun-rising to Sun-set and that circle is GHK The Center of the Diall is A and the Style which giues the shadow DA whose top being D doth describe those portions of circles with such exactnesse as if the Diall were set in the very Center of the Earth and the distinction of the houres shewes it selfe no otherwise then if the Center of the Diall were the same with the Center of the world To these arguments I may adde that if there should bee a sensible greatnesse of the earth in respect of these superiour Orbes either all or most of these absurdities would arise which follow their opinions who place the Earth out of the CeÌ„ter of the World which we haue before treated of 2 The Terrestriall Globe compared with the inferiour Orbs hath a sensible magnitude Although the whole Earth compared with the Firmament and superiour Orbs of the Planets seeme no otherwise then a point yet from this wee must except the Orbes of the lower Planets Venus Mercury but especially the Moone Who are found by obseruations of diuerse skilfull Astronomers to haue a sensible and notable greatnesse in respect of the earth whereof a manifest argument may bee drawne from the Parallax or variation of the sight wherein our obseruations of the same Starre at diuerse places are
carrying the name of the Master of the ship in his discouerie Neither is it much to be doubted but that in that large tract delineated out in the Globe for the South-Indies are coÌ„tained many Ilands diâ—ided one from the other by streites and narrow Seas which must subtract much from the quantity of the dry land so that of necessity it must be granted that the Northerne Hemispheare takes vp the greatest part of the dry land as the other of the Water Wherefore that place of Esdras where he saith That Almighty God allotted 〈◊〉 paris to the Eâ—â—th and the 〈…〉 Water must râ—ther seeme improbable or suffer anotâ—er interpretation then that of the anciâ—nts For out of credible coniecture drawne â—rom the view of the 〈◊〉 of the Terrestriâ—â—l Globe we shall hardly collect sucâ— a propâ—rtâ—on In this compâ—rison of the Nâ—rthâ—rne Hâ—mispheâ—â—â— with the Southerne we shall find â— kind of Harmony betwixt the Heauens and the Earth For as Trauailers report thâ— Northerne parts abound with more starres and of greater magnitude then the other toward the South so the Terrestriall Spheare discoâ—ers vnto vs more conâ—inent greater Ilâ—nds and of more noâ—â— in the North then â—n the South 2 The whole Globe of the Earth is inviâ—oned round from the East and the west with sea dividing â—he North from the South To proue this Theoreme we need goe no farther then the famous voyages of Magellane Drake Candish and Schoâ—ten Whereof the first attempted the first passage through Fretum Magelâ—anicum and gaue it the name though he could not out-â—iue his intended iourny The two next followed the same way and the last found out a new passage through Fretum de Mayre as we haue formerly mentioned Whence we may eaâ—â—ly deduce this Corollary that the Southerne continent not yet perfectly discouered is either One or which is most probable â—any Ilands forasmuch as by sailing round about â—t they haue found it euery where compassed round with Sea The like may be coniectured of the other parts of the world on the Northern side whereof we shal speak in this next TheoreÌ„ 3 It is probable that the Earth is compassed round with the water from North to South I know nothing which hath exercised the witts and induâ—trie of the Nauigatours of our age more then the finding out of a passage Northward to Cathay and so to the East-Indies which controuersie as yet remaines altogether vnanswered and awaites the happinesse of some new discouery In which difficult passage wherein many haue spent both their liues and hopes it may seeme enough for me to goe with their Relations suffering my coniecture to flye no farther then their sailes The reasons which I meet with in my sleÌ„der reading I will examine as I can without partiality and so leaue euery man to bee his owne Iudge First then wee must coÌ„sider that the voyage to the Indies must be effected by either of these two waies to wit Northward or Southward To beginne with the South it must be performed two waies either by some vnknowne passage through the South-Continent neare the Antartick Pole or neare the Magellane-straits The former is most vncertaine for want of discoueries in those vnknowne and remote parts and if any such passage were found out it were litle aduantage to our Countreymen who haue already a shorter and nearer way yet no instance can bee giuen to the contrary but that this part being clouen as it seemes most probable into many lesser lands may admit of such a passage But in such vncertainties it is as easy to deny as to affirme The second South-passage is found out by Nauigatours which is either by the strait of Magellane it selfe or else through the Straights of Mayre before-mentioned which this Age of ours hath put out of doubt The third passage is South-east by the â—ape of good hope knowne vnto our East-Indian Merchants and therefore as a matter vnquestioned needs no further examination The onely matter which troubles men in this Agâ— is the finding out of a passage Northward to Cathay either by the North-east or North-west wherein we will consider two things 1 Whether it be likely that any such passage should be at all 2 whether this passage should be performed by the North-East or North-West For the former many arguments are vrged which seeme to crosse this opinion of a way to the Indies toward the North-parts For The manifold attempts of the English and Hollanders both towards the North-East and North-West either altogether spent in paine or failing of their ends seemes to giue large testimonie if not of absolute impossibility yet at least of the vnlikely-hoâ—d of any such discouery as is hoped For what cost or dangers would not almost all the Marriners of our Northerne world vndergoe to find so neare a cut to their golden Indies and if by chance many of them mistooke the right way yet would it seeme improbable that latter Nauigatours corrected by the former errours should not after so many trialls and attempts at length hit the marke This reason sauours of some probability yet comparing this with diuerse matters of the same kinde would seeme to be of no great force For the truth and right being onely one and the same is oppoâ—ed by infinite errours so that it may seeme easier to commit a thousand errours then once to hit the truth Time and long triall beget many Inuentions which afterward seeme most easy insomuch that many men haue afterward laught at their owne mistakes Moreouer for ought I can find in the Relations of most mens discoueries the passage which they sought was too farre Northward towards the Pole where being infesâ—ed with cold Ice and other inconueniences they were enforced to returne thence againe hauing seldome had any oportunity to winter in those parts for want of victualls or extremity of cold A second reason against this North-passage may bee drawne from the innumerable sorts of beasts wherewith America is stored for admitting this passage we must needs grant America to bee an Iland Now it is â—ertaine that Noah's Arke was the store-house and Seminary not only of mankinde but of all other perfect liuing Creatures Againe it is euident out of the Holy Scriptures that the first Region whereon the Arke was deliuered of her burthen was Asia These grounds layed I would demaund how such a multitude of beasts of all sorts should be transported from Asia to America being supposed to bee an Iland and euery where diuided by the Sea from other parts of the Earth could these silly creatures of their owne accord swimme from one shore to another but alasse the Sea was too large and these beasts too fearefull to aduenture on such a voyage And admit some by Nature had bin fitted to such an action yet were it very strange to imagine the same effect of all being of many kinds What then were they transported in ships But Nauigation in those daies being an infant vnfurnished of the Chart
shall also be diminished of the North part 50 11 The Magneticall variation hath no certaine Poles in the terrestriall Globe 63 12 The point of Variation as of Direction is onely Respectiue not attractiue 65 13. The variation of euery place is constant not variable 66 14 The variation is greater in places neere the poles ibid. 15 The magneticall Declination is answereable to the Latitude not in equality of degrees but in proportion 69 16 The magneticall declination is caused not of the attractiue but of the Disponent and Conuersiue vertue of the Earth 70 17 The Magneticall Declination hath a variation 71 CHAP. IV. Of the totall Motions Magneticall 1 The spheare of the Earth by her magneticall vigour is most firmely seated on her Axell whose ends or poles respect alwayes the same points in the Heauens without alteration 72 2 It is probable that the terrestriall Globe hath a circular Motion 76 CHAP. V. Of the site Stability and Proportion of the Earth in respect of the Heauens 1 The terrestriall Globe is the center of the whole world 99 2 The position of the Earth in the center of the world may bee reconciled as well with the diurnall motion of the Earth as the Apparences of the Heauens 110 3 The Earth is firmely seated and setled in her proper place 115 4 The Earthly Globe compared in quantity with the Firmament supreme orbes of the Planets hath no sensible magnitude 118 5 The terrestriall Globe compared with the inferiour Orbes hath a sensible magnitude 121 CHAP. VI. Of the circles of the Terrestriall Spheare· 1 A circle though imaginary in it selfe hath his ground in the nature of the terrestriall spheare 123 2 The distinction of a circle into a certaine number of parts hath no certaine ground in the nature of the terrestriall spheare but onely in conueniency 124 3 By Astronomicall obseruation to find out the Meridian 127 4 To find out the Meridian magnetically 129 5 By the Incision of a tree the Meridian may be found out 131 6 The Meridian being found to find out the Equatour 137 7 Without the helpe of the Meridian to find out the Equatour 138 8 To find out the Equatour magnetically 138 9 The Equatour is an vnmoueable circle whose Poles neuer vary from the Fixt-Poles of the Earth 140 10 How to know the number of degrees in a lesser circle answerable to the greater 147 11 The sensible and Rationall Horizon in the Earth are much different in respect of the Firmament all one 151 12 The sensible Horizon may be greater or lesse according to the Nature and Disposition of the place 153 13 the Eye may be so placed on the Earth as it may behold the whole Hemispheare of the Heauens and yet no part of the terrestriall spheare 154 14 From the Horizontall circle is reckoned the Eleuation of the Pole in any place assigned 155 15 How to finde out the Horizon for any place assigned 156 16 How to finde out the Horizontall plaine 157 17 The distinction of Horizons ibid. CHAP. VII Of the Artificiall Representation of the Terrestriall spheare 1 Of the parts whereof the Globe is Geographically compounded 163 2 The vse of the Artificiall Globe is to expresse the parts of the Earth so farre forth as they haue a diuerse situation as well one in respect of the other as the Heauens 166 3 Of the direction of the artificiall Globe ibid. 4 Of the ground and fabricke of the Artificiall plaine Chart. 168 5 Of the ground and fabricke of the Geographicall Planispheares with their seuerall distinctions 175 6 Of the magneticall Terrella 182 CHAP. VIII Of the measure of the Earth 1 The common measures by which the quantity of the Earth is knowne are miles and furlongs 187 2 Of the inuention of the circumference of the Earth 188 3 By the eleuation of the Pole or obseruation of an Eclipse or some knowne starre the circuite of the Earth may be knowne 189 4 By obseruation of the noone-shadowes the measure of the earth may be found out 190 5 The opinions of Cosmographers concerning the measure of the Earth are diuerse which is chiefly to bee imputed to their errour in obseruing the distances of places experimentally according to Miles Furlongs and such like measures 192 6 How by the knowne height of some mountaine the diameter of the Earth may be found out 197 7 How to finde out the plaine and conuey superficies of the Earth 198 8 Of the number of square miles contained in the Earth 200 CHAP. IX Of the Zones Climates and Parallels 1 Of the temperate and vntemperate Zones 204 2 The tâ—rride Zone is the greatest of all next are the two temperate the cold Zones are the least of all 207 3 The Zone wherein any place is seated may be knowne either by the Globe or Geographicall table or else by the tables of Latitude 208 4 The Zones and Climates agree in forme but differ in greatnesse Number and Office 211 5 The Iâ—â—ention compared one with the other are not all of the same greatnes 212 6 The inclination of the Climates ibid. 7 The distinction of the Climates 213 8 Of the diuersity betwixt the Ancient and moderne Geographers concerning the placing and number of the Climates 214 9 How to find out the Parallell for each place 217 CHAP. X. Of the distinction of the Inhabitants of the Terrestriall spheare 1 Of the inhabiâ—antâ— of a right oblique and Parallell spheare with their properties and distinctions 220 2 Of the Amphiâ—cij Heteroâ—cij Periscij with their properperties 226 3 Of the Perioecj Antoeâ—j and Antipodes with their Accidents 228 4 How the Perioecj Antecj and Antipodes are distinguished in respect of the celestiall Apparences 231 CHAP. XI Of the Longitudes and Latitudes 1 Places enioying the same longitude are not alwayes equally distant from the first Meridian and contrariwise 235 2 The difference of Longitudes begetts the difference of times 235 3 Of the loosing or getting of a day in the whole yeere in a voyage about the earthly Globe 236 4 Of the Inuention of the Longitude by an Eclipse of the Moone 240 5 Of the Inuention of the Longitude by a Clocke watch or Houre-glasse 242 6 By the distance betwixt the Moone and some knowne starre to find out the Longitude 243 7 By the difference of the Sunnes and Moones motion to find out the Longitude of places 246 8 The expression of the longiâ—â—de by the Globe or Mappe 247 9 The Inuention of the Latitude 249 10 By the Meridian height of the Sunne to find out the Latitude 249 11 By the Meridian height of a knowne starre to know the Latitude 250 12 The expression of the Latitude on the Globe or Mappe 252 13 Of the Magneticall expression of the Latitude 252 CHAP. XII Of distances of places compared one with the other 1 Of the Inuention of the distances in longitude of two places vnder the Equatour in the same Hemispheare 254 2 Of the Inuention of
magnitude for as the Philosopher hath taught vs continuate and diuisible things cannot bee made out of such things as are meerely discontinuate and indiuisible but because it is the first Mathematicall principle or beginning of termination and figuration This point although it haue euery-where an vse in Geometrie yet no-where more remarkeable then when it becomes the center of a circle which center wee ought not to imagine a meere Geometricall conceit but such as findes ground in the Naturall constitution of the Terrestriall Spheare For seeing all terrene bodies are carried in a right line as by a Radius to one point from euery part of the circumference we may obserue a center as it were designed and pointed out by Nature it selfe in the Globe Some haue here distinguished betwixt a point Physicall and a point Mathematicall as allotting the former Latitude and sensible existence but making the other meerely Indiuisible But if the matter bee rightly vnderstood they are not two points but all one distinguished only by a diuers name of conceit or consideration For wee consider first a point as it is existent in a sensible particular body and so we call it Physicall Secondly wee abstract it from this or that body sensible but alwayes conceit it withall to bee in some body and in this sort wee terme it Mathematicall for the Mathematician abstracts not a Quantity or Quantitatiue signe from all subiects for so being an accident hee should conceiue it abstracted from its owne nature but from this or that sensible body as wood or stone Such a point ought we to imagine the center of the Earth to be not participating of any latitude or magnitude albeit existent in some magnitude I am not ignorant that some Writers haue taken a Physicall point for a small and insensible magnitude in which sense the Globe of the Earth is called the center of all heauenly motions But this sense is very improper and besides in this example is to bee vnderstood a point Opticall as such as carries no sensible or proportionable quantity in regard of the sight Taking then the center of the Earth to bee a point fixt in the middest of the Earthly Spheare as we haue described wee will further describe the nature of it in two Theoremes 1 The center of the Earth is not an Attractiue but a meere Respectiue point An Attractiue point I terme that which hath in it a vertue or power to draw and attract the Terrestriall parts or bodies in such sort as the Loadstone hath a power to draw iron or steele But a Respectiue point is that which the Bodies in their motions doe respect and conforme themselues vnto as the bound or center to which their course is directed Which may bee illustrated by the directiue operations of the Load-stone which wee shall hereafter handle by which the Magneticall Indix or needle pointeth directly Northward not that in the North is fixed any Attractiue vertue or operation whicâ— might cause that effect but because the Magneticall Instrument is directed towards such a point or center That the Center of the earth hath no Attractiue force may bee proued 1 Because it cannot in any probability bee thought that an Imaginary point hauing only a priuatiue Being and subsistence should challenge to it selfe any such operation For all positiue effects proceed out of positiue causes neither can it be imagined that this Attraction should grow out of a meere priuation Secondly should this be granted that the motion of Earthly parts should be from the Attractiue vertue of the Center it would follow necessarily that this motion should not bee Naturall but violent as proceeding from an externall cause which all ancient and moderne Philosophers deny 2 The same point is the center of Magnitude and waight in the Terrestriall Spheare That the same point in the Terrene Globe should make the center both of Magnitude and Waight may seeme very plaine 1 Because we are not to multiply things and Entities in our conceit without any necessary consequence drawne from Nature or Reason enforcing vs thereunto But what reason could euer perswade any man that the Earth had two Centers the one of Waight the other of Magnitude but only a bare Imagination without proofe or demonstration Secondly if this were granted that the Center of magnitude were remoued some distance from the other then consequently would one part of the Earth ouer-poize the other in ponderosity and so the whole Spheare would either be shaken out of its place or dissolue it selfe into its first principles Both of which being by experience contradicted our assertion will stand sure and vndoubted In the meane space we deny not but that some little difference may be admitted in regard of the vnequall parts of the Earth but this must needs be so small and insensible as cannot bee cacullated or cause any alteration 8 The Terrene parts conforming themselues to this center may bee considered two wayes either Absolutely or Comparatiuely Absolutely as euery part is considered in it selfe 9 A terrestriall part considered in it selfe vndergoes the respect either of a Point of Magnitude as a point when any signe or point in it selfe is considered in regard of his conformity to the center A Point albeit existing still in some magnitude as we haue shewed may notwithstanding bee abstracted from this or that body as seruing for the center of any body whose naturall inclination and conformity to the vniuersall center of the Earth we may in the first place handle as the Rule by which the motion and inclination of the whole magnitude ought to bee squared 1 Euery point or center of waighty body is moued toward the center of the Terrestriall Spheare by a right line A Right line is the measure and rule almost of all Naturall actions which albeit it be familiar in almost euery operation yet most of all in the motion of the Earthly bodies tending to the center of the Earth Why Nature in this kind should chiefly affect a Right line sundry reasons may bee alleaged 1 From the End which Nature doth propose it selfe which is to produce the worke which shee intends the readiest and shortest way as Aristotle testifies of her in the 5 of his Metaphisickes Now it is manifest that a Right line drawne betwixt the same points is alwayes shortest as Euclide shewes in his Elements where hee demonstrates that two sides of any triangle being counted together are longer then the third The better to vnderstand the working of Nature wee shall obserue in the motion of a heauy part to the center a double scope or end first that the said part of a terrestriall body should bee moued or separated from the place to which it is by violence transposed Secondly that this body should bee restored home and vnited to the Sphericall substance of the Earth in which it must chiefly seeke its preseruation That these two ends are best and soonest compassed by a right line is most manifest For
first a sepaparation from the place to which it is moued is more quicke expedient by a right line forasmuch as crooked and circular lines turne backe as it were into themselues againe Also the vnion and coniunction of a part with the Spheare of the Earth is most indebted to a right motion because as wee haue declared the way is shorter Secondly it may bee alleaged that Nature is an vniforme and necessary Agent restrained to one only bound or end and therefore can neither strengthen weaken remit or suspend the action but workes alwayes by the same meanes the same effects whence it is that she chuseth a right line being but one betwixt two points whereas crooked lines may bee drawne infinite and the motion directed by crooked lines would proue various and opposite to the prescript of Nature Moreouer should wee imagine that nature at any time wrought by a crooked or circular line it might be demanded from what Agent this obliquity should arise not from Nature it selfe because as wee said shee worketh alwayes to the vtmost of her strength hauing no power to remit or suspend her actioâ—s But a crooked motion ariseth from the remission or slacking of the Agents force and turning it away from the intended end which only findes place in Free and voluntary Agents Neither comes this Deflexion from the medium or Aire because it can haue no such power to resist Thirdly if the motion were not performed in a right line it could haue no opposite or contrary because as Aristotle teacheth To a circular or crooked motion no other motion can bee opposite or contrary in respect of the whole circle but only in regard of the Diameter which is alwayes a right line By this it is plaine that a waighty point considered in it selfe abstractly cannot but be carried to the center in a right line which right line really and Physically points out vnto vs a Radius or Beame drawne from the center to the circumference to shew that the God of Nature in composing the earthly globe both obserued and taught vs the vse of Geometrie 2 A point mouing toward the Center will moue swifter in the end then in the beginning This hath been plainely obserued by experience that a stone let fall from a towre or high place will in motion grow swifter and swifter till it approach the ground or place whereon it falls The reason may bee giuen from the Aire which resist so much the lesse by how much the body descendeth lower toward the Earth or center because when it is higher the distance being greater the parts of the Aire will make more Resistance The reason rendred by Aristotle of this Resistance is because in the beginning of the motion the stone or heauy body findes the Aire quiet and fixed but being once set on motion the higher parts of the Aire successiuely moue those which are vnder being driuen by the violence of the stone so falling and prepare as it were the way for his comming This reason may in some sort content an ingenious wit till a better bee found out 10 So much for the motion of a heauy point or center it remaines that we treate next of the motions and conformity of Magnitudes to the center of the Earth wherein we consider not only the Center or middle point but the whole masse of the magnitude whose motion and conformity shall bee expressed in this Theoreme 1 The motion of a magnitude toward the center is not meerely naturall but mixt with a violent motion This may easily bee demonstrated because no point of any magnitude is moued to the Center naturally but the middle point or center of the magnitude For although the Center bee moued in a perpendicular line which makes right angles with the Horizon yet the extreme parts are moued in lines parallell which cannot possibly make right angles with the Horizon or meet in the Center which may bee showne in this Figure Let there bee a Circle as ABL This done wee will imagine a certaine magnitude hanging in the Aire and tending to the Center C which is signified by the line PEN It is certaine that the Center of the magnitude E will moue and conforme it selfe downeward toward the center of the Earth by the line EC which motion will bee naturall as that which is deriued to a center from a circumference by the direct Radius which is the Rule of all naturall motions But the other parts without the center of this magnitude cannot moue but in so many lines which shall bee parallell the one to the other as for example the point N must needs moue in the line NG and the point P in the line PF which being of equall distance will neuer concurre in the Center and therefore cannot bee esteemed naturall rayes of the circle whence wee may collect that the motion of these parts is not naturall but violent for if any should imagine the motion of these parts to be naturall then should the point N moue to the center of the Earth by the line NC and the point P. by the line PC and so by how much the more any waighty body should approach the Center of the Earth by so much it should bee diminished and curtailed in his quantity so that in the Center it selfe all the parts should concurre in an Indiuisible point which is absurd contradicts all reason 11 Hitherto haue we spoken of the conformity of all Earthly and waighty bodies to the Terrene center as they are taken Absolutely It now remaines that we speake of these bodies as they are taken comparatiuely being compared one with the other This discourse properly belongs to an art which is called Staticke and Mathematicall whose office is to demonstrate the affections of Heauinesse and Lightnesse of all Bodies out of their causes The chiefe sensible Instrument whereon these properties are demonstrated and shewne is the Bilanz or Ballance But these specialties wee leaue to such as haue purposely written of this subiect amongst which the most ancient and chiefe is Archimedes whose heauenly wit ouertooke all such as went before him and out-went all such as followed Enough it will seeme in this Treatise to insert a proposition or two Staticall to shew the Conformity of two magnitudes and their proper Center mouing downeward toward the Globe of the Earth and it's Center 1 The lines wherein the centers of two heauy bodies are moued downeward being continued will meet in the Center of the Earth A heauy point or Center as wee haue demonstrated heretofore in this Chapter is moued toward the Center of the world in a right line which is imagined to bee a Ray of the whole Spheare deriued from the circumference to the Center therfore it is impossible they should bee parallell or Equidistant but concurrent lines But because the whole distance betwixt vs and the Center is very great it must needs happen that in a small space the concurse of
perpendicular lines is altogether insensible For if two perpendicular or heauy points moued in a line should be distant one from the other the space of 10 a 100 or more feet because this distance is very little in respect of the semidiameter of the Earth the angle of concurse must needs be very little and by consequence those two rayes or lines measuring the descent of two heauy Bodies will seeme altogether Equidistant Yet that there is such a concurrence Nature and Reason will easily consent Hence wee may detect a popular errour beleeued of the vulgar that the walls of houses standing vpright are parallell and of equall distance when contrariwise it is plaine that such walls are erected by a perpendicular and measured by perpendicular lines which being drawne out in length will meet in the Center of the Earth The like may we pronounce of a deep Well whose sides or wall are erected perpendicularly and therefore should it reach as farre as the Center it must needs follow that the sides growing neerer and neerer as they approach the Center would in the end close or shut vp into a Pyramide whose Base should bee the mouth of the Well Likewise if a Tower should bee erected to the Heauens it would be strange to imagine how great and broad the vpper part of it would bee in respect of the bottome Hence againe it may be inferred that any pâ—uement leuelled by a perpendicular is not an absolute plain but rather the portion or Arch of a sphericall superficies whose Center is the same with the Center of the whole Eâ—rth But this roundnesse in a small distance is no way sensible but in a great pauement of foure or fiue hundred paces leuelled perpendicularly it will make some shew of roundnesse whence it must needs follow that an extraordinary great pauement measured ouer by a right line cannot be called leuell or equally poized forasmuch as it is not euery where equally distant from the Center of the Earthly Globe 2 Two heauy bodies of the same figure and matter whether Equall or Vnequall will in equall time moue an equall space This proposition being inuented by one Iohannes Baptist de Benedictis is cited and confirmed by Iohn Dee in his Mathematicall Preface to Billing slie's Geometry Which corrects a common errour of those men which suppose the lighter bodies generally not to moue so fast downeward to the Center as the heauy The demonstration of this Theoreme being drawne from many Staticall principles which we cannot here conueniently insert wee are enforced to omit as intending not the search of these matters any farther than they direct vnto the knowledge of Geographie Yet were it no hard matter to giue â— more popular expression of this reason out of the proportion betwixt this weight of the heauy Body and the Resistance of the Medium Because the Greater Body as it is carryed down-ward by a greater force and violence so on the other side it meets a greater impediment being not able so soone to diuide the Aire as the Lesser Likewise the Lesser body falling with lesse force yet is more apt to diuide it then the other Whence both set the one against the other there will be no disparity in the time and motion 12 Of the primary conformity of the Terrestriall bodyes in the constitution of the Terrestriall Spheare wee haue treated It now seemes needfull that we descend to the secondary which is the inclination of all the parts to make a round Spheare or Globe 1 The Terrestriall Globe is round and Sphericall This Proposition is of great vse and one of the chiefâ—â—â— grounds in Geographie The ground of the Sphericall figure of the Earth is the right motion of heauy bodies to the center For this right motion as wee haue shewed doth expresse one Beame of the circle by whose circumuolution is proâ—uced the circumference of iâ— which we call Secundary conformity of the parts of the Earth in so much as it growes Mathematically as it were out of the first For this Sphericall figure of the Earth sundry sound reasons are vrged by Geographers First that the Earth is round according to its Latitude that is from North to South Secondly according to its Longitude that is from East to West and therefore must it needes bee absoâ—utely Sphericall The first part is shewed that it is round from Nâ—rth to South for if a man trauell from North to South or contrariwise from South to North hee shall perceiue nâ—w starres in the Heauens to appeare and shew themselues which before hâ—e could not see which can be referred to no other cause then the Sphericall conuexity or swelling of the Earth As for example The starre which is called Canopus which is a notable starre in the ship appeares not at Rhodes or at least from high places But if you trauell forth Southward from Italy into Egypt to Alexandria the same starre Proclus obserues will manifest it selfe to your sight the fourth part of a signe aboue the Horizon From whence wee may draw a sound proofe that there is a Sphericall and gibbous conuexitie which interposeth it selfe betwixt Rhodes and Egypt In which place the people who inhabite that part of Egypt which borders vpon Arabia which are called Trogloâ—ites of their dwelling in caues cannot see any Starre of the Great Beare Whence wee may concluâ—e that the Earth from the North to the South is round and Sphericall For if otherwise the Earth were plaine all the Northerne starres would appeare to the inhabitants of the Southerne Regions and on the other side all the other Southerne constellations would bee seene of the Northerne inhabitants which sense and reason altogether contradict Secondly that the Earth is round according to its Longitude betwixt East and West may bee proued by two reasons The first is taken from the rising and setting of the Sunne Moone and other Starres for as much as all they doe not arise or set with all Nations at the same houres For with the inhabitants of the East the Sun-rising is sooner with the Westerne inhabitants later and that in such proportion that euery 15 degrees measured out by the Sunnes diurnall motion adds or subtracts one whole houre in the length of the day This is found by experience and testimony of Cosmographers that the Sunne riseth with the Persian inhabiting toward the East foure houres sooner then to the Spaniard in the West Sundry other the like examples may bee alleaged all which we must needes impute to the Sphericall roundnesse of the Earth proportionally increasing betwixt East and West The other reason to confirme this last point is drawne from the Ecclipses of the Sunne and Moone which would not appeare in diuers places at diuers houres if the Earth were plaine or square We see plainly that Ecclipses of the Moone appeare sooner to the Westerne people but later to the Easterne As according to Ptolomie in Arbela a towne of Assyria where Alexander ouercame Darius the last King of
the Persians was there obserued an Ecclipse at the fifth houre of the night which selfe-same Ecclipse was seene in Carthage at the second which to any man appeares plainly in this figure here inserted In like manner an Ecclipse of the Sunne at Campania which was obserued betwixt 8 and 9. was as Pliny reports seene in Armenia betwixt 10 and 11 of the clocke Whence may be gathered that this difference of appearance arose from the roundnesse of the Earth interposing it selfe betwixt these two places Another reason to proue the Spericall figure of the Earth is drawne from the Ecclipse of the Moone wherein the obscured point is described by a Sphericall figure which must needs argue that the body which causeth the shadow is also round For as the Optickes teach vs the shadow is wont to follow and imitate the opacous body whence it proceedes and all men confesse that the Ecclipse of the Moone is made by the interposition of the Spheare of the Earth betwixt the Sun Moone intercepting the beames of the Sun which should illustrate lighten the Moone The third reason may be taken from the absurdities which would follow should we admit any other figure besides For granting it to be plaine as some of the Platonists haue imagined it would necessarily follow in reason 1 That the Eleuation of the Pole would bee the same in all the parts of the Earth 2 That there Would bee the same face and appearance of the Heauens in all places 3 That the Sunne and Moone with other starres would in all places arise alike at the same houres 4 That all Ecclipses would appeare to all places at the same houres 5 That the same quantity of dayes nights would bee at all places 6 That the shadowes would bee euery where alike and one Region would not bee hotter or colder then another all which would plainly stand opposite to reason and experience As many or more would proue the absurdities of those that ascribe to the Earth any other figure then Sphericall Which I willingly passe ouer as not willing to fight with shadowes and faigne an opposition where I scarce finde an aduersary These reasons are sufficient to proue that the whole masse of the Earth is Sphericall Diuers other popular arguments may be drawne from the finall cause to countenance this Assertion For no other figure can bee assigned to the Earth which can more vphold the order of Nature or speake the wisdome of the Omnipotent Creator 1 Because such a Figure would best beseeme the Earth the seate and dwelling-place of all liuing Creatures which is most capable because otherwise the God of Nature would seeme to doe something in vaine and without cause Forasmuch as the same capacity might bee confined within stricter bounds Now it is apparant to all Mathematicians that amongst all those figures which they call Isoperâ—â—etrall a Circle is the most capable and amongst the rest those which approâ—ch neerest vnto a circle And as wee esteeme of a circle described in a plaine surfâ—ce so must we iudge in solides of a Spheare Which profitable Geometry of Nature wee shall finde instilled into most liuing Creatures who by a certaine Naturall Instinct without the vse of Reason make their Nests and resting-places of a Sphericall Figure as most conuenient and of greatest capacity as experience shewes vs in the Nests of Birds and Bee-Hiues wherein the cells are fashioned round Sphericall 2 We shall find the holy Scriptures consonant to this opinion in diuers places but that it might seeme impiety to vse those sacred helpes in a matter out of controuersie and needing no such Demonstration 2 The rugged and vnequall parts of the Earth hinder not the Sphericall roundnesse of it It is thought by ignorant people that the Earth is not round because of the rugged and vneuen parts of the superficies of it For some-where it swells with great and high mountaines rocks and hills Other-where it seemes indented and as it were trenched into valleyes concauities all which seeme to detract from a true Sphericall superficies because in such a one euery line drawne from the Center to it should bee equall one to the other Indeed that the Globe of the Earth is not Absolutely and Geometrically round as an Artificiall Spheare is confessed by Eratosthenes cited by Strabo in his 1 booke of Geographie whence Pliny in his â— booke cap. 21. saith that the Earth Water make one Globe not so absolutely round as the Heauens but much different 〈◊〉 also Strabo confirmes This proposition depending on these 3 reasons which follow will shew that this Inequality how great soeuer it seeme to the sight is altogether insensible and bearing no proportion with the huge vastnesse of the whole Earth The first is taken from the perpendicular hight of the greatest and highest mountaine which is seldome or neuer found to exceed 10 miles although few Mathematicians will grant so much whereas the whole Diameter of the Earth containes no lesse thâ—n 7200 English miles so that these hils compared to the thicknes of the Earth are but â—s 10 to 7200 which indeed hath no sensible proportion The second is taken from the Ecclipse of the Moone which being caused by the shadow of the interposed Earth is described by a Sphericall figure without any vnequall or rugged parts which no doubt would appeare if these parts challenge any due proportion or sensible quantity in respect of the whole Earth Thirdly some haue illustrated this by a round bowle or ball whose externall surface although vnequall and indented here there with scotches other-where swelling with knobs will notwithstanding being interposed betwixt the Sun-beame and a wall or such place giue a round or Sphericall shadow in the same wall or plaine in regard of the little quantity of these small parts in respect of the whole Body In like sort must wee imagine the mountaines and vnequall parts in the face of the Earth to bee no otherwise then as so many warts or pimples in the face of man which cannot alter his duâ— proportion or symmetry of the parts 3 The Water concurring with the Earth in the Globe is also Sphericall It is a proposition agreed on by Archimedes and almost all the ancient Mathematicians of any note that the superficies of the Water or any other liquor standing and subsisting quietly of it seâ—fe is Sphericall whose center will bee the same with the center of the whole Earth which we are here to handle because it appertaines to the making vp of the Terrestriall Globe although wee shall haue occasion hereafter to speake specially concerning the Water in Hydrographie in the second part of this Treatise The reasons to confirme this assertion beside those that in generall proue the Sphericity of the Terrene globe are diuers 1 It is obserue that Passengers in a Ship lanching out into the deepe from some Hauen will first perceiue the Towers Buildings Castles Promontories and Trees standing
his Elementary constitution this reason would hardly admit of a solid answer For howsoeuer in the vast frame of the Earth the addition or subtraction of some parts would make but an insensible difference yet can it not bee denied but the least waight whatsoeuer added or subtracted would turne it from its Equall-poyze Neuerthelesse this I hold too absurd for a Christian to beleeue for as much as it contradicts the sense of holy Scriptures which auerre the earth to bee so setled on her foundation that shee should not at any time bee remoued or shaken which motion as shall bee proued in the second Theoreme I take to bee vnderstood of such a Trepidation of the Center and the Poles which by a metaphor are tearmed the foundation of the earth and not of the circular motion as some haue laboured to wrest it Wherefore nothing is here left vs to satisfie this doubt but to haue recourse to his magneticall verticity whereby the poles of the Earth endowed with a magneticall vigor and ouerswaying the elementary ponderosity of the earthly parts are as it were so fast bound to respect the same points or poles in the Heauens that the Center can no wayes bee shaken or moued out of his place 3 The Magneticall Reuolution is a motion by which the whole globe of the Earth is moued round Aristotle in his 1 booke de coelo makes 3 kindes of simple motions out of which hee labours to deduce the number of simple bodies The first is the motion from the center such as is of Fire and Ayre and all light bodies the second to the center such as is of Earth and Water the third is round about the center or middle which hee ascribes to the Heauens so that if this ground were true the Earth could challenge to it selfe no other then the right motion whereby the parts of it being separated from the whole returne to it againe But this opinion although popular and plausible hath beene contradicted as well by ancient Philosophers as moderne for by long experience and diligent obseruation they haue found the earth to bee endowed with a star-like vigour whereby shee may hauing all her parts vnited together by reason of her grauity vnto the Center and her place made sure by her magneticall poles moue naturally vpon her owne poles at least if so bee shee claime no other motion This opinion first blosomed as farre as I can gather in the Schoole of Pythagoras was cherished by Heraclides Ponticus and Ecphantus two famous Pythagoreans to which afterward ioyned themselues Nicetus Syracusanus and Aristarchus Samius all which haue vndertaken to defend that the Earth moues circularly and that this circumgyration of the Earth causeth the rising and setting of the Sunne as well as of other starres although in the manner they haue not expressed themselues alike hauing inioyed as yet scarce the first dawn of knowledge But all this while Philosophie contented her selfe with the acquaintance of a few choice friends not daring to prostitute her treasures to popularity But when it hapned in after times that shee was taught the language of the vulgar and spake to the vnderstanding of each mechanicke shee soone contracted some staines and squared her selfe rather to please the most then the best Thus the multitude as a vast torrent preuailed against the learned and cast into exile the inuentions of the Ancients which their ignorance was readier to censure then vnderstand Yet were not the seeds of this Philosophy quite extinct but as forgotten for a time vntill there arose Copernicus a man of incomparable wit who quickned and reuiued it to his euerlasting prayse and our profit I would not here be mistaken as though I strongly apprehend these grounds and reiect all the principles of our Peripateticke Philosophie I only inueigh against their preiudicate ignorance which ready to licke vp the dust vnder Aristotles feet with a supercilious looke contemne all other learning as though no flowers of science could grow in another garden I confesse this opinion of the Earths circular motion to bee subiect to many and great exceptions and opposed by strong and waighty arguments drawn probably from the booke of God the touch-stone of sincere verity yet I hold it too strongly fortified to be inuaded by popular arguments drawn from seeming sense and bolstered vp with names and authorities For mine owne part I confesse not absolute subscription to this opinion yet could I not conueniently leaue it out because hauing vndertaken to insert this Magneticall Tract I would not willingly mangle it in any part but shew it whole and intire to the view of the iudicious who herein may vse their Philosophicall liberty to imbrace or reiect what they please If these grounds seeme true they will finde acceptance if otherwise it cannot indamage Truth to know her aduersary Wherefore I thinke no man will take it amisse that I insert this following Theoreme 1 It is probable that the terrestriall Globe hath a circular motion Copernicus ascribes three motions to the spheare of the Earth whereof the first is in the space of 24 houres about her owne axell making the day and night and is therefore called the Diurnall The second is yeerely wherein the Center it selfe of the Earth is moued from West to East describing the circle of the Signes The third is a motion of Declination performed in an annuall reuolution reflecting against the motion of the Center for the Axis of the Earth is supposed to haue a conuertible nature whereas if it should remaine fixt there would appeare no inequality of day and night Spring Autumne Summer or Winter I will not here curiously distinguish the differences limits and periods of these three motions but leaue it to the skilfull Astronomer to whom properly it appertaines it is enough for mee to shew it probable that the Earth should challenge to it selfe a circular motion in prosecution of which I shall labour chiefly to establish that first motion which is of the Terrestriall globe about her owne axis which is the easiest both to beleeue and vnderstand That I may the better expresse the grounds of this opinion I will labour to proue these two points 1 That this opinion is consonant to reason 2 That it no way contradicts the sense of the Holy Scripture The former assertion wee will againe diuide into 3 articles 1 That the motion which wee seeke to establish in the Earth cannot without much absurdity bee granted to the heauens Secondly that it no way contradicts to nature of the Earth it selfe Thirdly that the arguments produced against this opinion are not so strong but may bee answered with probability First therefore finding the dayly rising and setting of the Sunne Moone and other Starres to arise from some motion wee are to seeke out the true subiect of this motion It is agreed vpon by all that this subiect must bee the Heauens which are carryed in 24 houres from East to West or the
Earth which must moue in the same time from West to East For the first wee must take aâ— granted of those which defend the opposite opinion these two grounds 1 That the subiect of this motion if it bee a heauenly body is the first moueable and supreame spheare of all the celestiall machine because all the rest haue assigned them their seuerall motions 2 That of two bodies circularly mouing vpon the same Center in the same space of time that which is greater in quantity must needs haue the swifter motion as wee see the spokes of a wheele to moue faster neere the circumference but slower in those parts which are ioyned to the Center This granted wee shall find the greatest of the first and supremest orbs to bee so incomparably vast in proportion to the Earth and the motion of it according to this magnitude to bee increased to such a swiftnesse as must needes transcend all fiction and imagination For besides the two Elements placed by the Peripaâ—etickes betwixt the Earth and the Celestiall bodies to wit Aire and Fire which challenge no meane distance betwixt their concaue and conuexe superficies who knowes not how many distinct and strange concamerations of Orbes and circles are placed and signed ouâ— betwixt the Moone and the first Moueable Aristotle hath reduced all the Orbes to eight whereof seuen were allotted to the seuen Planets but the eight to the fixt Starres which hee supposed to bee fastned as so many nailes in the same wheele But Ptolomie perceiuing this number to bee insufficient to satisfie his obseruations was inforced to adde a ninth to encrease the number Yet this contented not Alphonsus but hee must make vp tenne And although this opinion preuailed a long time in the Schooles of Philosophers as most exact and absolute yet came it farre short to satisfie the search of two latter Astronomers Clauius and Maginus who to adde something to Antiquity haue found out another orbe and so the whole tale is become eleuen and much it is to bee feared that the big-swolne belly of this learned Ignorance will beget more children to help the Mother because all the former haue proued lame and impotent God send her a safe deliuery To returne to my purpose all these orbs thus ranged and concamerated in order cannot but haue each of them a great and extraordinary thicknesse and profundity being to carry in them such huge and vast bodyes as the Sunne and Starres which are of themselues mighty Globes for the most part greater then the Earth as Philosophers haue found out by diuers Mathematicall instruments and expressed in Tables Also because amongst the Planetary Orbes wee shall finde them clouen into many partiall and lesser Orbes as Epicycles and Excentrickes the first of which must in reason surpasse the thicknesse of the Diameter of the Planet The profundity of all these Orbes is measured by their Diameters which wee shall find to surmount each other in extraordinary proportion For the Diameter of the Earth is 1718 German miles The greatest distance or elongation of the Moone being new 65 semi-diameters of the Earth the least is 55 semi-diameters The greater elongation of the Moone in the middle space is 68 the least 52 semi-diameters of the Earth Notwithstanding it is very probable that the Orbe of the Moone is yet of more thicknesse and profundity To passe ouer Venus and Mercurie and come to the Sunne wee shall find his distances from the Earth in his greatest Excentricity to bee 1142 semi-diameters of the Earth Mars Iupiter and Saturne are yet farther off from the Earth and their Orbes endowed with a greater treasure of thicknesse The distance of the Firmament wherein are placed the fixt Starres is by the best Mathematicians thought incomprehensible and not measurable by mans industrie in so much that Aristotle holds the Earth no other then as a point if it bee compared with the eighth Spheare which hee supposed to bee the highest and first Moueable To let passe the ninth Spheare the tenth which was vulgarly thought the first Moueable if it bee valued according to the proportion of the rest would haue his conuexe superficies moued so fast in one houre that it would ouercome so much space as 3000 greater circles of the Terrestriall Globe for as much as in the conuexe superficies of the starry Firmament it would containe more then 1800. And who can bee so sharpe sighted to see the profundity and thicknes of this orbe containing in it starres innumerable whereof some are apparent to each mans eyes others lying hid by reason of the distance whereof many haue lately beene discouered by reason of the Trunk-spectacle lately found out so that it may bee a probable coniecture that all these starres are not placed in the same Orbe or at least that this Orbe is farre greater and deeper then the ordinary current of Astronomers haue imagined it to bee To these eight Orbes here deciphered should wee adde the Caelum Chrystallinum the Primum Mobile the Idol of our common Astrologers and another which Clauius and Maginus haue inuented what bound should wee set to the greatneâ— of the Heauens or the swiftnesse of their motions how farre beyond all rouing imagination or Poeticall fictions should it transcend as thatwhich neither Nature could euer suffer or the wit of man vnderstand a motion a thousand-fold swifter then the flight of a bullet from a peece of ordinance I had almost said then thought it selfe For if a man cast his imagination on some marke or degree in the Sunnes parallell on theTerrestriall Globe and so instantly transferre it to another and so to a third passing ouer at each time the distance of 100 miles hee would find the Sunne to bee farre swifter in his motion and to haue ouer-passed him incomparably in his course were the Sunne placed in the superficies of the Earth and his course no greater then one of the greater circles of the Terrene Globe hee should by their owne computation finish his course in 24 houres and so runne 21600 miles in that time which maketh 900 miles in one houre And if this motion seeme so swift that it could hardly haue credit among ordinary capacities what should wee thinke of this motion which is imagined infinitely swifter If Ptolomie feared lest the Globe of the Earth should be dissolued and shattered in pieces by a far slower motion of what should wee imagine the heauens to be made which can suffer so portentous and incogitable a whirling Here the common Philosopher stands astonished and rather then hee will be thought to know nothing hee will say any thing why saith he should wee not beleeue it sith the Heauens in their motion find no Resistance whereas all other bodies are slacked by the medium or Aire by which they are to moue If in the Heauens were any such let or hinderance it would bee either in the Agent or Mouer or in the Patient or body moued Not in the mouer because as Aristotle
as a giant to runne his course 6 His going forth is from the end of the Heauens and his circuite vnto the ends of it and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof Out of which words the Heauens should seeme to challenge the motion which wee haue giuen vnto the Earth To this we answer two wayes First that although this may oppugne Copernicus his opinion that the Sunne standeth still in the middest as the center of the World yet may it well stand with our Assertion who allow the Sunne his seuerall motion in the Eclipticke whether those words of the Psalme bee to bee vnderstood of the Sunnes Diurnall or Periodicke Motion is not so soone decided the Scripture not specifying expressely either 2 we may answer with the Copernicâns That the Holy Ghost in these or the like places speakes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being willing to descend to the weakest of mens capacity and not to trouble mens conceits with such matters as to vulgar iudgements might seeme vnlikely or improbable The like Analogie of speech may wee finde in the first of Genesis where the Moone is called one of the greater lights in regard of her appearance being notwithstanding one of the least These may suffice to shew the opinion of the earths circular motion to bee probable I promised no more I hope I haue performed no lesse I neuer held it an article of my faith to defend the one or oppugne the other and therefore leaue euery man to his owne free iudgement to embrace or reiect what he please CHAP. V. Of the Site Stability and Proportion of the Earth 1 OF Terrestriall affections which agree in respect of the Earth it selfe wee haue hitherto spoken We are now to treate of such as agree to it in respect of the Heauens These are chiefly three 1 The Site 2 The Stability 3 The Proportion 2 The Site is the locall position of the Earth in respect of the Celestiall Bodyes It might seeme a hard and almost impossible taske for any man to reconcile that which hath beene spoken in the former Chapter concerning the Earths circular Reuolution with the grounds of common Geographers which hold the Terrestriall Globe to bee setled and fixed in the Center of the world The reason is because such as hold the circular motion of the Earth whereof the chiefe is Copernicus would haue the Sun to stand still as the fixt Center of the Vniuerse and the Earth to moue round about him betwixt Mars and Venus which seemes cleane opposite to the former opinion I must confesse that Copernicus his opinion entirely taken and vnderstood standeth altogether opposite to these our grounds yet may that motion of the Earth which we haue established in the former Chapter for ought I yet know bee well reconciled with their opinion which hold the Earth to bee the Center of the world For the circular Reuolution wee gaue to the Terrestriall Globe was not a motion of the Center of it from one place to another as that of the Starres which moue round about the Earth but rather a turning of it selfe in its owne place vpon her owne Poles and Axell-tree in such sort as the wheele of a mill or such a like engin fixt in one place is turned vpon his owne Axell So that the motion wee there vnderstood was only the Diurnall motion of 24 houres making the Day and Night The other two motions mentioned by Copernicus may be found out in the Heauens and left to Astronomers The reasons why I entirely embrace not Copernicus his opinion are chiefely two First because it seemes too harsh and dissonant in nature to make one and the selfe-same body subiect to so many motions especially such as by common Philosophers is denied all motion Secondly because the other motions granted to the Earth must needs suppose it to bee placed out of the Center of the world the contrary of which we shall in this Chapter God willing sufficiently demonstrate The motion therefore most called in question and most likely to bee found in the Earth rather then in the Heauen is the Diurnall Reuolution performed in 24 houres from the West to East which as we haue proued being giuen to the Heauens would be farre swifter then nature can well suffer wherefore with more probability may this motion bee taken from the heauens and giuen vnto the Earth The other without any absurdity at all may be granted in the Heauens Sith no repugnancy is found in nature but that euery heauenly body may be furnished with some motion and therefore Copernicus might haue granted the Sun and fixed Starres their seuerall motions as well as the rest which would haue seemed farre more probable then to haue endowed the Earth with a Triplicity of motion These things being thus opened I will set downe their Theoremes 1 The Terrestriall Globe is the Center of the whole world To vnderstand aright this proposition wee must consider that a Center may be taken two manner of wayes either Geometrically or Optically In Geometry it is taken for an imaginary point conceiued in a magnitude deuoyde of all quantity yet bounding and termining all Magnitudes Optically it is vsually taken for a small and insensible Magnitude because to the fight it may seeme no other then a Point In which last sense we may call the Earth the Center For although the Earthly Spheare is endowed with a great and massie substance yet as we shall hereafter demonstrate in respect of the Firmament this greatnesse would vanish into nothing For if a man standing in the Firmament should behold it it would seeme no other then as a small point This being declared wee will produce these reasons to proue the Earth to be the Center of the Vniuerse The Center I say not of all heauenly motions for some Starres are moued vpon their own Center but of the whole heauenly machine being collectiuely taken as one Body The first argument is of Aristotle taken from the grauity or naturall inclination of all heauy bodies to the Center The Earth saith he being a heauy massie body must needs seeke the lowest place which is farthest off from the Heauens But this can be no other then the Center or middest point of the whole world Which argument by others is more subtily vrged in this manner Suppose the whole masse of the Earth were cut and diuided into many parts equall the one to the other of the same waight and figure which parts so diuided were placed in diuers places vnder the concaue Superficies of the Moone that they might be freely left to themselues to moue according to their naturall inclinations It is most certaine that all their parts being of the same nature waight quantity and figure would descend with the same motion in the same equall time to the same place which could in no wise happen except they should concurre in the Center of the world But this reason for ought I vnderstand is only probable and
not backt with any necessary demonstration For it proues not thing else but the Earth to bee the Center of all earthie and heauy bodies and not to bee absolutely placed in the exact middle of the world Another reason not much vnlike the former is drawne by some from a finall cause and the naturall harmony of the parts of the world one with the other The Earth say they is of all other bodyes the most vile and sordid Therefore it is agreeable to nature that it should be placed in the middle equally distant from each part of the Heauens that one part might not seeme to complaine of this vnpleasing vicinity more then another But this reason takes as granted to matters as yet not decided First that the Earth amongst all other bodyes is most vile and sordid depending on the ground of Peripateticks that the heauenly bodies suffer no corruption a thing sooner spoken then proued Secondly that pure and impure bodies the most excellent and most vile in nature are alwayes most distant as in nature so in place which is a peremptory assertion without ground A third reason more probable then the former is drawne from the apparences of Starres aboue the Horizon It is manifest that the Starres aboue the Horizon appeare alwayes to bee of one and the selfe-same magnitude and quantity whether in the verticall point or in the East or the West or any other place whence we may collect that they differ equally in distance from the Earth and by consequence the Earth is seated in the middle of the world for if it were otherwise that the Starres in some place should bee neerer in other farther ofâ— they would some-where seeme greater otherwhere lesser according to the grounds of the Opticks This reason howsoeuer popular seemes to admit a two-fold exception First because it implies that a man standing on the superficies of the Earth is equally distant from all places and parts of the Heauens whereas the heauens in the Horizon are farther distant by reason of a whole semidiameter of the earth interposed Secondly all Starres arising in the East or setting in the West ordinarily seeme greater then in the Verticall point by reason of vapours ascending and interposed Whence wee cannot well gather the Earth to bee seated in the middest from the like apparence of the Starres when experience teacheth the coÌ„trary that they seeme not alwayes of the like magnitude Concerning the first we answer that the Semidiameter of the earth interposed betwixt the Superficies and Center is in it selfe greater But this as wee shall proue in respect of the Heauens is so little that the sense cannot gather any difference in obseruation of the Starres but that they should alwayes appeare of the like magnitude Concerning the second wee must needs acknowledge that vapours ascending about the Horizon by an Opticall Refraction make the Starres seeme greater then other wise they would doe But the reason may bee vnderstood in this sort that whether a â—an be placed in the same Horizon where the Sunne is when hee riseth or vnder that Horizon where the Sunne is now vnder his Meridian or vnder that horizon where hee is setting hee will appeare to bee of one and the selfe-same greatnesse without any sensible difference Whereas therefore they speake of the appearance of Starres they would haue them taken as abstracted from all impediments of sight or interposed vapours and so the reason may obtaine her force The fourth reason why the earth should bee seated in the midst alleaged by Ptolomie and others is this wheresoeuer any man stands on the Surface of the Earth six signes of the Zodiacke will shew themselues and the other six signes will lye hid and by consequence halfe the heauens will appeare the other halfe will bee vnder which is an euident reason that the Earth is in the midst for otherwise it could not so happen The former is confirmed by Ptolomie Alphraganus and the best Astronomers the consequence may bee inferred out of naturall reason This argument will sufficiently hold vpon this supposition mentioned before and to bee proued hereafter That the Earth hauing no sensible magnitude in respect of the Firmament no sensible difference can shew it selfe betwixt the Sensible and the Rationall Horizon Besides these reasons which make the matter more then probable others are produced by Ptolomie demonstratiue â—ot admitting any euident or probable exception or euasion The first is this If the Earth bee placed out of the Center of the world it must haue of necessity one of these three Sites or positions Either it must be in the plaine of the Equinoctiall or at least it must bee placed not onely without the plaine of the Equinoctiall but without the Axell-tree That is to expresse it plainer It must either bee placed beside the Axell-tree yet equally distant from both the Poles or else it must bee on the Axell-tree and so consequently neerer to one Pole then the other or thirdly it must needs be beside the Axell-tree yet neerer to one Pole then another If the first position were admitted these absurdities would of necessity follow First that in a right Spheare there would happen no Equinoctiall but onely in that Horizon which passeth by the Center of the world for example sake â—et there be imagined a Spheare BDCE whose Center is A let the Equator bee DE the Axel-tree of the world BC and let the Earth bee in F the right Horizon HG not passing by the Center of the world A which shall bee parallell to the Axis BC since the Equator cuts the Horizon in right angles It is most manifest that not only the equatour but other parallells of the same will bee vnequally diuided of the Horizon for as much as it passeth not by the Center or the Poles of the world wherefore it must needs follow that the dayes must continually be vnequall to the nights which contradicts all experience because in a right Spheare the dayes are alwayes found to bee equall to the nights Secondly out of this position it would follow that no man in a right Spheare should behold the halfe or hemispheare of the heauens but either a greater or lesser part as may be demonstrated out of the same Diagramme whereas sense can testifie that six signes of the Zodiacke are alwayes conspicuous aboue our Horizon and the other six alwayes hid only excepting that Horâ—zon which passeth by the Center of the Earth wherein the Mediety of Heauen is conspicuous Thirdly the same Starres in a cleere aire should not alwaies seeme of the same magnitude for if the earth be placed in the Equinoctiall plaine and beside the Axis of the world toward the Zenith or Meridian the Starres which are in the Meridian will appeare greater then in the East or West because they are neerer But if it bee placed neere the Nadir or midnight point they will appeare greater in the East or West then in the Meridian if it should bee placed towards
not the same though at the same time neither will such a Starre to both places seeme in the same point of the Heauens which could not possibly bee except we admit a sensible difference betwixt the Rationall and Sensible Horizon and so grant the Earth in respect of such Orbs some quantity and greatnesse This diuersity of Aspect which they call the Parallax may be seene in this Figure let A be the Center of the Earth L the Moone or other Starre to bee obserued EGD the Firmament or Orbe of the fixt Starres suppose then the eye to be in the fixt point M of the sensible Horizon XMY the said Planet will appeare in the point of the Firmament S according to Opticall principles whereby all things are sayd to be seene in the place directly opposite Supposing againe the Eye to be in the point P of another sensible Horizon RPQ the Starre L will no doubt appeare in the opposite point T. Neither of which meets with the Starre in the right place For imagining the Eye to bee placed in the Center A the place of the Starre would bee V which is his true place These differences of sight could finde no place if the Earth were as a meere point and challenged no sensible Magnitude in respect of these inferiour Planets and yet experience of Astronomers hath sufficiently confirmed it But this being a point very curious and appertaining to Astronomy I leaue it to their farther industrie whose profession it vndergoes CHAP. VI. Of the Circles of the Terrestriall Spheare 1 ALL the properties which agree by Nature to the Terrestriall Globe we haue handled Here wee are in the next place to treat of such as agree by vertue of our vnderstanding Of this sort are all the Circles conceaued to be in the Terrestriall Globe 2 A Terrestriall Circle is a round line conceiued in the face of the Terrestriall Globe diuiding it into two parts A Circle is considered two manner of wayes either abstracted from this or that sensible matter in which sort it is supposed to bee taught in Geometry to which properly appertaines the knowledge of the Fabricke and Measure of all Magnitudes especially of this being amongst all the most perfect and exact Or else a circle is considered so far forth as it hath some ground in the Nature of the Earth at least by application of the Celestiall Globe and so it comes into the consideration of Geography For conclusions demonstrated and proued in Geometry are here to be admitted as principles supposed not demonstrated a new which Logicke if Clauius Blancanus and other such writers had well learned they would not haue stuffed out their worke with such Heterogeneall mixtures but haue reduced euery thing to his proper seat and science A circle as well by the Geographer as Astronomer is diuided into foure quadrants each quadrant into 90 degrees all which make vp 360. So that a degree is the 360 part of a Circle which I only mention as being of chiefest vse with vs yet supposed to bee handled and taught in a higher science 1 A circle though imaginary in it selfe hath his ground in the Nature of the Earthly Spheare As in Logicke men haue inuented certaine Intentionall Notions seruing as so many instruments to direct and regulate our vnderstanding in the apprehension of things So in Cosmographie can there not be wanting such imaginary signes and circles to confirme and ayde our phantasie And as in Logicke such Notions in themselues are meerely imaginary and intentionall yet may be tearmed reall so farre forth as they are grounded in the things themselues so may we speake of these circles conceiued in the face of the Terrene Globe which wee are not to conceiue to bee fictious and imaginary as if they had no ground at all in nature For although there bee no such circles painted on the face of the Earth as wee finde in an artificiall Spheare yet must wee of necessity conceaue such reall respects to bee in the Earth it selfe as when a Ship sayles ouer the Ocean it cannot bee said to leaue behind any visible marke or Character in the surface of the water yet in regard it made a reall passage it will leaue a line conceiuable signing out vnto vs the true passage It is a matter which hath not a little troubled Cosmographers to finde out the immediate and true subiect or ground of these circles whether they should be immediatly taken from the earth or else in the Heauens The ancient Cosmographers haue acknowledged no other ground of these Circles then the congruity and application of the celestiall Globe and his parts with the parts of the Earth but our Magneticall Philosophers more neerely searching into the nature of the Earthly Spheare haue found these Circles all except the Horizon to wit the Meridians and Parallells to bee immediatly grounded in the Earth it selfe whose opinion we cannot reiect as being supported by experimentall demonstration as wee shall shew in particular 2 The distinction of a circle into any certaine Number of parts hath no certaine ground in the Nature of the earthly Spheare but only inconueniency leauing our iudgements free to take such a Number as may best serue our purpose Some Astronomers more curious then wise haue gone about to seeke a ground of this distinction of a circle into 360 parts out of the Sunnes course in the Zodiacke a Circle say they by the opening of the Compasse being described in a plaine is diuided into six equall parts Now because the Sunne being the rule and measure of all perfect motions passeth through one sixt part in 60 dayes the whole Circle was diuided into 360 for 60 multiplied by 6 will produce that number But this reason seemes to infer nothing concerning any naturall ground that this distinction shall finde in the Earth though it may serue as an argument of Conueniency the number 360 being fittest for that calculation Another reason very like the former is drawne from the coniunction of the Sunne with the Moone which happens 12 times in a yeere and because from each coniunction to that which followeth are spent 30 dayes Hence it is that the Zodiacke is first diuided into 12 parts which multiplied by 30 will produce 360. This reason likewise proues only thus much that it is the fittest number to calculate the Motion of the Sun in his Eclipticke Not that this diuision hath any ground in Nature more then other because being a continuate quantity according to Philosophy it may suffer infinite diuisions for it was in the beginning left free to Cosmographers to choose what number they pleased to expresse the parts or sections of a Circle which they tooke as it seemeth not meerely from the motion of the Sunne but from their conueniency and commodity finding this number most commodious for the distinction of euery Circle The reason was because no number could bee found which suffered more parts and diuisions then this For as much as in 60 whereof
Trauellers report or some small obseruation of heauenly bodies or sounding the bottome of the Sea settle our opinion and make a plaine distinction 2 The Declination of any place being knowne the Latitude may also bee found out although not without some errour The ground of this Assertion we haue formerly handled in the Treatise of the Magneticall Affections of the Earth where wee haue shewed that the Declination of the Magneticall needle is alwayes answerable in some proportion to the Latitude of the place whence it must needs follow that the declination any where being found out together with the proportion the Latititude must needs be knowne In this point I referre my Reader to D. Ridleye's late Treatise of Magneticall bodies and Motions wherein hee by the helpe of M. Briges hath calculated a certaine briefe table for this purpose But that this manner of Inuention of the Latitude of a place must needs admit of some errour cannot well be denied for as much as Gilbert Ridley and others which haue written of this subiect haue acknowledged this motion of Declination to bee in many places irregular and not answerable in due proportion to the Degrees of Latitude which diuerse friends of mine well experienced in magneticall experiments haue to their great wonder confessed 12 This much for the Internall Adiuncts The Externall I call such as are not imprest into the Earth but externally adjacent or adioyning vnto it Here ought wee to consider the Aire adioyning to any place with his Qualities and Proprieties 13 The Ayrie properties of a place consist in such matters wherewith the Ayre according to diuerse places is diuersly affected and disposed In the Ayre we ought to note a twofold temper and quality the one Inbred and Essentiall the other Externall and Accidentall â—he former whether it bee heat ioyned with moisture as Aristotle aâ—â—irmes or cold ioyned with moisture as some others I leaue it to the Naturall Philosopher to dispute The latter being that to which our purpose is chiefly ingaged and that no farther then may appertaine to the Topicall description of a speciall Countrey These accidents being so various and many we are inforced to reduce them to a few generall heads which we will couch in this our Theoreme 1 The disposition of the Ayre adjacent to a place depends chiefely on the Temperament of the Soyle Those things wherewith the Aëriâ—ll Region is affected are of two sorts to wit either the Temperament consisting in the mixture of the foure first Qualities or else the bodies themselues as Meteors drawne vp into the Aire whereof these accidentall dispositions arise That both these chiefly depend from the Tempâ—rament of the Earthly Soyle of a certaine place many reasons will demonstrate first that Meteors whatsoeuer they are take their originall from the Earth is plaine 1 Out of the name which signifies things lifted vp to shew that a Meteor is lifted and drawne out of the Earth 2 Out of the materiall composition which can no where else take this composition For either wee should deriue it from the Heauens or from the Ayre it selfe or from the Fire From the Heauens it cannot take originall because it is corruptible and therefore of no heauenly substance according to Peripateticke Philosophie Not from it selfe because the aire being supposed a simple and vncompounded body cannot admit of such mixture Not from the Fire first because all Meteors partake not of fierie nature Secondly because fire cannot well subsist but of some matter whereon it may worke and conserue it selfe which can bee no other then that which is of a glutinous substance which wee no where finde but in the earthly Globe consisting of Earth and Water out of whose store-houses the matter of all such pendulous substances in the aire is deriued These Meteors may bee deriued from the Earth into the Aire two manner of wayes First Directly and immediatly by an immediate ascent or rising of exhalations from some one particular place into the Ayrie space right ouer it Secondly Obliquely to wit when Vapours or other such exhalations are by some violence or other carried from one place into another as winde which being ingendred in one place continually bloweth into another Againe the former may happen two wayes for either this rising of Exhalations out of the Earth is Ordinary or Extraordinary Ordinary I call that whereby the thinne parts of the water or Earth are continually spread and diffused through the whole Region of the Ayre for wee cannot imagine otherwise then that at all times and places the Terrestriall Globe composed of Earth and Water continually sends and euaporates out some thinne or rarified parts wherewith the earth is affected Whether this Rarefaction or Euaporation of the water bee the true substance of the Aire it selfe as some haue probably coniectured or else sâ—me other body different from it I will not here dispute This much will necessarily follow that it proceeds originally from the Earth right vnder it This vapour being ingendred from the water or moister parts of the Earth is much varied and temper'd according to the place from which it ariseth For the matter of the Earth being various and diuerse in disposition as well in regard of various veines of minerall substances whereof it consists as of the first and second qualities thereof arising must of necessity cause the Aire about each Region to bee of the same quality Whence a probable reason may bee shewne why of two places although both like in respect of the Heauens and other circumstances one should bee hot the other cold one healthie another contagious the one of a sharpe and thinne aire the other of a foggy dull temper For no question but the minerall matter whereof the soile of the Earth consists being not euery where Solid and hard but euery where intermedled with a vaporous and fluide substance must needs challenge a great interest in the temperament of the Ayre aâ— that which is the first mother if not of the Aire it selfe yet at least of the accidentall dispositions thereof The Extraordinary euaporations I call such as arise out of the Earth by some extraordinary concurse of the Sunne with some other Starres These are many times subiect to sense which happen not at all times and places such as are clowdes windes and such like which arise not naturally by their owne accord by a perpetuall emanation but are by some greater strength of the Sunne or Starres ratifying the parts of the earth or water drawne vp to the Aire about it Now for the Meteors Indirectly and obliquely belonging to any place amongst many other instances we may bring the winde which bloweth from one Region to another which according to ordinary experience partaketh of a twofold quality the one deriued from the place whence it is ingendred the other from the Region through which it passeth Which may appeare by our foure Cardinall windes as they are with vs in England Belgia and higher Germany For first
GEOGRAPHIE DELINEATED FORTH IN TWO BOOKES CONTAINING The Sphericall and Topicall parts thereof By NATHANAEL CARPENTER Fellow of Exceter Colledge in Oxford THE SECOND EDITION CORRECTED ECCLESIAST 1. One generation commeth and another goeth but the Earth remayneth for euer OXFORD Printed by Iohn Lichfield for Henry Cripps and are to be sold by Henry Curteyne Anno Domini M. DC XXXV TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE WILLIAM EARLE OF PEMBROKE LORD CHAMBERLAINE to the Kings most excellent Maiesty Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter and Chancellour of the Vniuersity of Oxford Right Honourable THis poore Infant of mine which I now offer to Your Honourable acceptance was consecrated Yours in the first conception If the hasty desire I had to present it makes it as an abortiue brat seeme vnworthy my first wishes and Your fauourable Patronage impute it I beseech You not to Selfe-will but Duty which would rather shew herselfe too officious then negligent What I now dedicate rather to Your Honour then mine owne Ambition I desire no farther to bee accompted Mine then Your generous approbation wishing it no other fate then either to dye with Your Dislike or liue with Your Name and Memory The generall Acclamation of the Learned of this Age acknowledging with all thankefull Duty as well Your Loue to Learning as Zeale to Religion hath long since stampt me Yours This arrogant Desire of mine grounded more on Your Heroicke vertues then my priuate ends promised mee more in Your Honourable Estimation then some others in Your Greatnesse The expression of my selfe in these faculties beside my profession indebted more to Loue then Ability setts my Ambition a pinch higher then my Nature But such is the Magnificent splendour of Your Countenance which may easily lend Your poore Seruant so much light as to lead him out of Darknesse and as the Sunne reflecting on the baser earth at once both view and guild his Imperfections My language and formality I owe not to the Court but Vniuersity whereof I cannot but expect Your Honour to be an impartiall Vmpier being a most vigorous Member of the one and the Head of the other Corporation If these fruites of my Labours purchase so much as Your Honours least Approbabation I shall hold my wishes euen accomplished in their ends and desire only to be thought so worthy in Your Honourable esteeme as to liue and dye Your Honours in all duty and seruice to bee commanded NATHANAEL CARPENTER The Analysis of the first Booke Geography whose obiect is the whole earth is either Sphericall which is two-fold either Primary which considers the Terrestriall Spheare either as it is Naturall wherein are to bee considered two things the Principles whereof it consists to wit Matter and Forme Chapter 1. Proprieties arising out of them which againe are either Reall such as are assigned in respect of the Earth it selfe which are either Elementary as the conformity of all the parts concurring to the constitution of the Spheare Chapter 2. Magneticall which are either Partiall as the Coition Direction Variation Declination Chap. 3. Totall as the Verticity and Reuolution Chap. 4. Heauens wherein we treate of the Site Stability and proportion of the Earth in respect of the Heauens Chap. 5. Imaginary such as are the Circles and Lineaments of the Globe of whose Inuention and Expression Chap. 6. Artificiall in the Artificiall Spheare representing the Naturall vnto vs which is either Common or Magneticall Chap. 7. Secondary which handles such matters in the Spheare as secondarily arise out of the first Such are Measure of the Earth with the diuerse manner of Inuention Chap. 8. Distinction which are either Spaces considered Simply in themselues in which sort they are diuided into Zones Climates and Parallels Chap. 9. In respect of the Inhabitants which suffer manifold Distinction Chap. 10. Distances which are either Simple wherein is considered the Longitude Latitude of places Chap. 11. Comparatiue wherein two places differing either in Longitude or Latitude or both are considered Chap. 12. Topicall Libro 2o. OF THE SPECIALL Contents of each Chapter of the first Booke according to the seuerall Theoremes CHAP. I. Of the Terrestriall Globe the Matter and Forme 1 IN the Terrestriall spheare is more Earth then Water pag. 8 2 The Earth and Water together make one Spheare pag. 10 CHAP. II. Of the Conformity of parts in the constitution of the Terrestriall Spheare 1 The parts of the terrestriall spheare doe naturally conforme and dispose themselues as well to the Production and Generation as to the continuance and preseruation of it pag. 14 2 All Earthly bodyes incline and approach to the center as neere as they can 16 3 Of two heauy Bodies striuing for the same place that alwayes preuaileth which is heauiest 22 4 Hence it comes to passe that the Earth enioyes the lowest place the next the Water and the last the Aire ibid. 5 The Center of the Earth is not an Attractiue but a meere Respectiue point 25. 6 The same point is the center of Magnitude and weight in the Terrestriall spheare 26 7 Euery point or center of a weighty body is moued towards the center of the terrestriall Globe by a right line 27 8 A heauy point mouing toward the center will moue faster in the end then in the beginning 28 9 The motion of a magnitude towards the center is not meerely naturall but mixt with a violent motion 29 10 The lines wherein the centers of two heauy bodyes are moued downewardly being continued will meete in the center of the Earth 31 11 Two heauy bodie of the same figure and matter whether equall or vnequall will in an equall time moue in an equall space 32 12 The Terrestriall Globe is round and sphericall 33 13 The Rugged and vnequall parts of the Earth hinder not the sphericall roundnesse of it 36 14 The Water concurring with the Earth in the Globe is also sphericall 38 CHAP. III. Of the Partiall Magneticall affections in the spheare of the Earth 1 The Terrestriall spheare is of a magneticall Nature and disposition pag. 46 2 The magneticall motion is excited in a small and vnperceiuable difference of time 49 3 The motiue quality is spread spherically through euery part of the magneticall body 49 4 The motiue quality of the magneticall body is strongest of all in the poles in other parts so much the stronger by how much they are situated neere the poles 50 5 Magneticall bodies moue not vncertainly but haue their motions directed and conformed to certaine bounds 52 6 The Magnet communicates his vertue to iron or steele if it be touched with it 55 7 The Magneticall Coition is strongest of all in the poles 56 8 The South part of the Loadstone turnes to the North and the North to the South 57 9 The contrary motion in magnets is the iust Confluxe and Conformity of such bodies to magneticall vnion 59 10 If any part southward of the magneticall body be torne away or diminished so much
the distance of two places in the same Hemispheare without the Equatour 255 3 Of the distance of places differing only in longitude in diuerse Hemispheares 260 4 Of the inuention of places differing onely in Latitude either in the same or diuerse kindes of Latitude 261 5 To find out the distance of places differing in Longitude and Latitude by the square roote 262 6 How to performe the same by the tables of Signes Tangents and Secants 264 7 To find out the distances of places by resolution of the sphericall Triangle 266 8 Of the Inuention of the distance by the Semicircle 271 9 Of the expression of the distance on the Globe or Mappe 273 To my Booke PArue nec inuideo sine me Liber ibis in Aulam Hei mihi quòd Domino non licetire tuo Goe forth thou haplesse Embrion of my Braine Vnfashion'd as thou art expresse the straine And language of thy discontented Sire Who hardly ransom'd his poore Babe from fire To offer to the world and carelesse men The timelesse fruits of his officious pen. Thou art no louely Darling stampt to please The lookes of Greatnesse no delight to ease Their melancholy temper who reiect As idle toyes but what themselues affect No lucky Planet darted forth his Rayes To promise loue vnto thy infant-dayes Thou maist perhaps be marchandize for slaues Who sell their Authors wits and buy their graues Thou maist be censur'd guilty of that blame Which is the Midwifes fault the Parent 's shame Thou maist be talke for Tables vs'd for sport At Tauerne-meetings pastime for the Court Thou maist be torne by their malicious phangs Who nere were taught to know a Parents pangs How eas'ly caâ—â—roud Ignorance out-stare The coâ—eliest weeds thy pouerty can weare When all the Sisters on our Isis side Are ofâ— sworne seruants to aspiring pride And our râ—â—owned Mother Athens groanes To see her garden set with Cadmus sonnes Whose birth is muâ—uall strife whose destiny Is onlâ— to be borne to fight and dy Prometheus is chain'd fast and cannot moue To steale a little fire from mighty Ioue To people new the world that we may see Our Mother teeme with a new progenie And therefore with thy haplesse Father proue To place thy duty where thou findest loue When thou arriu'st at Court thou long may'st stay Some Friends assistance to prepare thee way As in a clowdy morning I haue done When enuious Vapours shut me from the Sunne When all else enter see thou humbly stand To begge a kisse from thy Moecenas hand If he vouchsafe a looke to guild thy state Proclayme him Noble thy selfe fortunate GEOGRAPHIE THE FIRST BOOKE CHAP. I. Of the Terrestriall Globe the matter and forme 1 GEOGRAPHIE is a science which teacheth the description of the whole Earth The Nature of Geographie is well expressed in the name For Geographie resolued according to the Greeke Etymologie signifieth as much as a description of the Earth so that it differs froÌ„ Cosmographie â—s a part from the whole Forasmuch as Cosmographie according to the name is a description of the wholâ— world coÌ„prehending vnder it as well Geographie as Astronomie Howbeit I confesse that amongst the ancient Writers Cosmographie hath been taken for one the selfe-same science with Geographie as may appeare by sundry treatises meerely Geographicall yet intituled by the name of Cosmographie This Science according to our approued Ptolomie is distinguished from Chorographie foure wayes First because Geographie describeth the whole Spheare of the Earth according to its iust quantity proportion figure and dispositions which the principall parts of it haue as well in respect of one another as of the whole Terrestriall Globe so that it only vndertakes the chiefe and most noted parts such as are sines creekes nations cities promontories riuers and famous mountaines But the Chorographer separatly handleth the lesser parts and matters of smaller moment such as are hillocks brooks lakes townes villages and Parishes without any respect at all to the places adioyning as conferring them with the Sphaericall fabricke of the whole Earth Which by the same Author is well illustrated by an example drawne from the Painters Art For wee see that a Painter desirous to draw out and represent the head of any liuing creature will first draw out the lineaments of the first and greatest parts as the eyes eares nose mouth forehead and such like only caring that they may challenge a due and iust proportion and symmetrie one with the other not regarding the lesser particles and ornaments in each of these wanting perhaps space competent to accomplish it But if the same Painter would striue to expresse only an eye or an eare he might take space enough to designe out euery smaller lineament colour shadow or marke as if it were naturall for in this he cares not to make it correspondent to the whole head other parts of the body So happens it to the Geographer who willing to delineate out any part of the Earth as for example our Realme of England he would describe it as an Iland encompassed round with the sea figured in a triangular forme only expressing the principall and greater parts of it But the Chorographer vndertaking the description of some speciall and smaller part of England as for example the City of Oxford descends much more particularly to matters of small quantity and note such as are the Churches Colledges Halls Streets Springs giuing to each of them their due accidents colours lineaments and proportion as farre forth as Art can imitate Nature Neither in this kind of description needs there any consideration of the places adioyning or the generall draught of the whole Iland The second difference betweene Geographie and Chorographie assigned by Ptolomie consists in this that Chorographie is commonly conuersant in the accidentall qualities of each place particularly noting vnto vs which places are barren fruitfull sandy stony moist dry hot cold plain or mountainous and such like proprieties But Geographie lesse regarding their qualities inquires rather of the Quantities measures distances which places haue aswell in regard one of the other as of the whole Globe of the Earth assigning to each region its true longitude latitude clime parallell and Meridian 3ly Geographie and Chorographie are said to differ because Geographie stands in little need of the Art of Painting for as much as it is conuersant the most part about the Geometricall lineaments of the Terrestriall Globe clayming great affinity with the Art called of the Greekes Ichnographie whose office is to expresse the figure and proportion of bodies set forth in a plain superficies But contrariwise Corographie requires as a help necessary the Art of Painting forasmuch as no man can fully and perfectly expresse to the eye the true portraict of cities townes castels promontories and such other things in their true colours liuelyhood and proportion except they bee skilled in the Art of Painting So that this part is by some likened to that Art which the
Greekes call Sciographie or Sâ—enographie Fourthly and lastly Geographie is distinguished from Chorographie in that the former considering chiefly the quantity measure figure site proportion of places as well in respect one of the other as of the Heauens requires necessary helps of the Sciences Mathematicall chiefly of Arithmeticke Geometrie and Astronomie without which a Geographer would shew himselfe euery-where lame impotent being not able to wade thorough the least part of his profession whereas a man altogether vnpractised in those faculties might obtaine a competent knowledge in Chorography As we find by experience some altogether ignorant in the Mathematicks who can to some content of their hearers Topographically and Historically discourse of Countries as they haue read of in books or obserued in their trauaile Notwithstanding all these differences assigned by Ptolomie I see no great reason why Chorography should not bee referred to Geography as a part to the whole forasmuch as the obiects on which hee hath grounded his distinction differ only as a generall and a speciall which being not opposite but subordinate as the Logicians vse to speake cânnot make two distinct Sciences but are reduced to one and the selfe-same at least the differences thus assigned will not be Essentiall but Accidentall Wherfore my scope in this Treatise shall bee to ioyne them both together in the same so far forth as my Art and leisure shall be able to descend to particulars which being in Chorographie almost infinite wil not all seeme alike necessary in the description of the vniuersall Globe of the Earth The name of Geographie thus distinguished wee define it to be a Science which teacheth the Measure and Description of the whole Earth It is properly tearmed a Science because it proposeth to it selfe no other end but knowledge whereas those faculties are commonly tearmed Arts which are not contented with a bare knowledge or speculation but are directed to some farther worke or action But here a doubt seemes to arise whether this Science be to be esteemed Physicall or Mathematicall Wee answer that in a Science two things are to bee considered first the matter or obiect whereabout it is conuersant secondly the manner of handling and explication For the former no doubt can bee made but that the obiect in Geographie is for the most part Physicall consisting of the parts whereof the Spheare is composed but for the manner of Explication it is not pure but mixt as in the former part Mathematicall in the second rather Historicall whence the whole Science may be alike tearmed Mathematical Historicall not in respect of the Subiect which we haue said to be Physicall but in the manner of Explication For the obiect of Geographie as we haue intimated is the whole Globe of the Earth where we are to obserue that the Earth may bee considered 3 manner of wayes First as it is an Element out of which mixt Bodies are in part compounded In which sense it appertaines to Naturall Philosophie whose office is to treat of all naturall bodies their principles and proprieties Secondly as it is supposed to be the center of heauenly motions and so it is vndertaken by Astronomers Thirdly according to its Sphaericall superficies as it is proposed to bee measured or described in which manner it is the subiect of Geographie so far forth as the parts of it haue a diuerse situation as well in regard one of another as in respect of the Heauens Which restriction although agreeing well to some part of it will hardly square with all the rest because many things herein are handled besides the Earths naturall site or position as hereafter shall be taught For which cause wee haue rather defined the subiect of Geographie to bee the Earth so far as it is to bee measured and described as wanting one word to expresse the whole manner of consideration 2 Geographie consists of 2 parts the Sphericall and Topicall The Sphericall part is that which teacheth the naturall constitution of the Terrestriall Spheare The common and receiued diuision of this Science amongst Geographers is into the Generall or vniuersall part and the speciall Which diuision I dare not vtterly reiect being strengthened with the authority of ancient and approued Authors Yet seems it more aptly to be applyed to the Historicall part then to the whole Science as we shall after make apparant In the mean time the diuision of it into Sphericall Topicall parts seemes to be preferred in reason Forasmuch as the Terrestriall Globe which we suppose to be the subiect of the Science is proposed to vs vnder a twofold consideration first in regard of the Mathematicall lineaments and circles whereof the Spheare is imagined to consist out of which wee collect the figure quantity site and due proportion of the Earth and its parts Secondly of the places Historically noted and designed out vnto vs by certaine names markes and characters The former receiueth greatest light from Astronomie whence some haue called it the Astronomicall part The later from Philosophie and Historicall obseruation being as we haue said a mixt Science taking part of diuers faculties 3 The Terrestriall Spheare is a globous or round Body comprehended within the superficies of the Earth and Wateâ— Some haue nicely distinguished betwixt a Spheare an Orbe that a Spheare is a round massie body contained in one surface which is conuexe or outward as a Bowle The other concaue or hollow in manner of an Egge-shell emptyed But this distinction seemes too curious as sauouring to much of Scholasticall subtility because the name of Orbe and Spheare are many times promiscuously vsed without difference amongst good Writers This Spheare which wee make the subiect of our Science wee call Terrestriall not because it consists meerely of Earth the contrary of which wee shall hereafter shew but because the Earth is the chiefest in the composition whence by a tropicall kind of speech the whole Globe may bee called Terrestriall 4 The handling of the Terrestriall Spheare is is either Primary or Secundary The Primary consists in such affections as primarily agree to the Earth The Geographicall Affection may be considered two wayes either simply and absolutely in themselues or eomparatiuely as they are conferred and compared the one with the other As for example the circles of the Spheare such as are the Parallels and Meridians may be considered either absolutely in themselues or comparatiuely as they concurre to the longitude latitude distance or such like accidents which arise out of the comparison of one Circle with another 5 The Terrestriall Spheare primarily considered is either Naturall or Artificiall The Naturall is the true Globe in it selfe without image or representation 6 Herein againe are to be considered two things First the Principles and constitution of the Spheare Secondly the Accidents and proprieties The principles whereof the Spheare is composed are two viz Matter and Forme 7 The Matter is the substance whereof the Spheare is made viz Earth and Water My
meaning is not in this Treatise to handle the nature and propieties of these two Elements Water Earth farther then may seeme necessary for the Geographicall constitution of the Terrestriall Spheare leauing the rest to the Naturall Philosopher because it is supposed that few men vndertake the study of this Science without some insight in the other And to speake truth this begins where the Naturall Philosopher ends Yet because some light in each learning is necessarily required â—nd all men are not willing to seeke farther into the grounds of Naturall Philosophie it will not seeme altogether impertinent to lay the foundation farther off that the building thereon erected may stand surer and stronger Wherefore taking some beginning from the matter of the Earthly Globe wee haue distinguished it into Earth and Water as those parts whereof the whole Globe is not essentially compounded as one intire body in it selfe but rather coâ—ceruated and compacted together each part retaining its owne nature and proprieties without any proper mixture To expresse more fully the constitution of this Spheare we are here to distinguish betwixt the first and second matter The first matter was that vniuersall chaos or masse out of which all bodies both Celestiall and Elementary were made and formed as wee read in the first of Genesis Which whether it be the same with Aristotle's Materia prima as some haue imagined I leaue to others to dispute The second matter of the Globe is either Proper or Accidentall The proper we call that whereof the Globe of the Earth most properly consists such as are the two Elements of Earth and Water The Accidentall matter is vnderstood of all other bodies contained in the superficies of the said Spheare as Stones Mettals Minerals and such like materials made of a Terrestriall substance and engendred in the wombe of the Earth Concerning the Earth and Water which we make the most proper and essentiall parts of the Spheare we will set downe these two Theoremes 1 In the Terrestriall Spheare is more Earth then Water The Theoreme may bee proued by sundry reasons drawne from Nature and Experience Whereof the first may bee taken from the depth of the waters compared with the whole thicknes of the Earth For the ordinary depth of the Sea is seldome found to be aboue 2 or 3 miles and in few places 10 furlongs which make a mile and a quarter And albeit some late Writers haue imagined the obseruation to be vnderstood only of straight and narrow Seas and not of the maine Ocean yet granting it to amount 〈◊〉 10 20 or 30 miles it cannot reach to so great a quantity as to come neere the greatnes of the Earth For the whole circle of the Terrestriall Spheare being 21600 English miles allowing 60 English miles to a degree of a greater circle wee shall find the Diameter to bee about 7200 miles Whose semi-diameter measuring the distance betweene the center and the superficies of the Earth will be 3600 miles And if any man suppose some of the quantity to be abated because of the Sphericall swelling of the Water aboue the Earth whose Circle must be greater than that of the Earth We answer first that this may challenge some abatement but not come neere any equality of the Water with the Earth Secondly it is to bee imagined that the surface of the Sea howsoeuer as it is painted in Globes and Charts it seeme for a great part empty and vnfurnished of Ilands yet this for the greatest part seeme rather to bee ascribed to mans ignorance and want of true discouery because many quillets and parcels of land lye yet vnknowne to our Christian World and therefore omitted and not figured in ouâ— ordinary Mappes So wee find a great quantity of Earth which lay hid and vnknowne without discouery in the dayeâ— of Ptolomy which caused him to contract curtaile the Earth in his Geographicall descriptions Which defect hath been since that time supplyed by the industrious trauailes and Nauigations of later time such as were of Portugals English and Hollanders especially of Columbus the Italian who as one wittily alluding to his name like Noah's Doue plucking an oliue branch from this Land gaue testimony of a portion of Land as yet vnknowne and left naked vnto discouery And no question can be made but a great quantity of land not yet detected by our European Nauigators awaites the industry of this age To which alludes the Poët in these Verses Venient annis secula seris Quibus Oceanus vincula rerum Laxet ingens pateat tellus Typhiâ—que nouos detegat orbes Nec sit terris vltima Thule In after-yeeres shall Ages come When th'Oecean shall vnloose the bands Of things and shew vast ample lands New Worlds by Sea-men shall be found Nor Thule be the vtmost bound Another reason to proue the Earth to be greater in quantity may bee drawne from the mixture of Earth and Water for if these two Elements should meet in the same quantity challenge an equality questionlesse the whole Earth would proue ouer-moist â—lymie and vnapt for habitation Which any man may easily obserue by his owne experience For let a portion of Earth another of Water be mixt together in the same quantity the whole masse will seeme no other than a heap of mire or slime without any solid or consisting substance Moreouer the Water being no other than a thin and fluid body hardly containing it selfe within its own bounds or limits as Aristotle teacheth vs must needs require a hard and solid body whereon to support it selfe which body must of necessity bee greater in quantity 2 The Earth and Water together make one Spheare It may bee probably collected from sundry places of holy Scripture that in the first Creation the surface of the Earth being round and vniforme was ouerwhelmed and compassed round with Waters as yet vnfurnished of liuing Creatures Secondly it appeares that Almighty GOD afterwards made a separation betwixt the Waters and Dry-Land This separation aâ— farre as reason may bee admitted as Iudge seemes to bee effected one of these two wayes Either by giuing super-naturall bounds and limits vnto the Waters not suffering them to inuade the Dry-land or els by altering the superficies of the Earth casting it into inequall parts so that some-where some parts of it being taken away empty channels or concauities might be left to receiue the Waters other-where by heaping vp the parts so taken away whence were caused Mountaines and eminent places on the earth The former of these wayes seemes altogether improbable forasmuch as it is very vnlikely to imagine that God in the first institution of Nature should impose a perpetuall violence vpon Nature as hereafter in place more conuenient shall bee demonstrated Wherefore taking the later as more consonant to reason we shall find that the Water the Earth separated and diuided make not two separate and distinct 〈◊〉 Globes but one and the same Spheare forasmuch as
the concauities and hollowgapings of the Earth are euery-where choaked and filled vp with Water whose superficies is Sphaericall and therefore helpes together with the Earth to accomplish perfect this Terrestriall Spheare To confirme which opinion these reasons out of common experience may be alleadged The first is drawn-from the parts of Earth and Water For we may euery-where obserue that a portion of Earth and another of Water being let fall will descend in the same right line toward the same center whence we may euidently conclude that the Eearth Water haue one and the selfe-same center of their motion and by a consequence conspire to the composition of one and the selfe-same Spheare Secondly to a like Arch or space in the Heauens is found answerable alike Arch in the Terrestriall Globe whether it bee measured by the Earth or Water which could not happen were they not accounted parts of the same Spheare The third reason may bee drawne from the Ecclipse of the Moone wherein the part of the Moone shadowed obscured is obserued to be one Sphaericall or round-figure This shadow by the consent of all Astronomer's is caused by the Terrestriall Spheare interposed betwixt the Sun and the Moone intercepting the Sun-beames which should illuminate the Moone and the shadowes imitate the opacous bodies whence they arise But in the Ecclipse we find only the shadow of one body or Spheare and therefore according to the ground of the Opticks we may conclude the body whereof such a shadow proceedeth to be but one and the selfe-same Spheare 8 The Forme of the Terrestriall Spheare is the naturall Harmony or order arising from the parts working together We ought here to remember what we said before that the Earth and the Water concurre together to make one Terrestriall Spheare wherefore the whole being accounted one coacernated and collected Body made of two other we are not to expect an Internall Essentiall and Specificall Forme such as Aristotle recounts amongst the principles of a Naturall Body but only such a one as in it self is Externall and Accidentall yet concurring as it were Essentially to the constitution of the Terrestriall Spheare whose Fabricke and first composition cannot well be vnderstood without it Some haue imagined the whole Globe of the Earth to bee informed with one Internall and Essentiall Forme which opinion seemes to haue much affinity with that of Plato's concerning the Soule of the World Not that Plato and his followers were so absurd to defend that the World with all his parts was animated with a true vitall Soule in the nature of a liuing Creature but that all the members of it were vnited together quickned and disposed by a certaine Energeticall power or vertue which had great resemblance and representation of the Soule of man Which assertion seemes to be restored and embraced by our late Magneticall Philosophers whose opinion we shall discusse and examine hereafter in place conuenient In the meane time grounding our discourse on knowne principles we can admit no other Forme in the Spheare of the Earth then the mutuall Harmony order and concent of the parts concurring together and working the perfection perpetuation of the whole A fit resemblance whereof we may obserue in an artificiall Clock Mill or such like great Engine wherein euery part duly performing its owne office there will arise and result a naturall Harmony whch not vnaptly may bee termed the Forme of the whole Engine Why the World should not consist of an Internall and Essentiall Forme sundry reasons haue been alleadged by our common Philosophers First because Nature neuer attempteth any thing in vaine or without a determinate end But the particular Formes of speciall Bodies say these Philosophers are sufficient for the vnity and conformation of this Terrestriall Globe so that to grant an vniuersall Forme of the whole were to multiply causes without any necessity make Nature the Mother of superfluity which to all Philosophers seemes most absurd Secondly if this were admitted the whole Spheare of the Earth would bee as one continuate Body whose parts should as it were suffer a fellow-feeling one of the other Thirdly it were a difficult matter to assigne to what kind such a Forme might be reduced whether Animate or Inanimate If Inanimate whether it were simple or compound If Animate whether Vegetatiue Sensitiue or Rationall vnder the which are couched many great difficulties as yet vndisclosed Whether these reasons bee of any great force to ouerthrow the aduerse opinion I leaue it to further inquiry intending here a Geographicall not a Physicall Discourse CHAP. II. Of the conformity of parts in the constitution of the Terrestriall Spheare 1 IN the former we haue treated of the Naturall constitution of the Terrestriall Spheare aswell in Matter as Forme It is needfull in the next place to treat of such Affections and proprieties as neceâ—sarily arise out of such a Constitution 2. Those Affections or Proprieties are of two sorts Reall or Imaginarie Reall I call such as agree to the Terrestriall Globe by Nature Imaginary such as agree to it by vertue of our vnderstanding 3 Againe the Affections Really or Naturally agreeing to the Terrene Spheare are assigned either in respect of the Earth it selfe or in respect of the Heauens 4 These Affections are said to agree to the Earth in respect of it selfe which may be expressed and vnderstood without any comparing of it with the celestiall Bodies 5 These againe are twofold either Elementarie or Magneticall Elementary I terme such as haue commonly been knowne or obserued by ordinary Philosophers Here is chiefly to bee considered the conformity of the Terrestriall parts in the making and constitution of the whole Spheare In the former Chapter we haue shewed that the Forme of the Terrestriall Spheare is nothing els but the concinnity and apt conspiration of the parts whereof the whole is compounded This conformity being diuers and manifold as well in regard of the parts conforming themselues as the manner of the conformity we shall particularly and distinctly treat of so far as appertaines to a Cosmographer Here by the way I cannot but taxe some defect in most of our common Cosmographers who taking the Sphaericall roundnes of the Earth for a granted supposition are nothing curious to search into the first grounds and causes of this rotundity whereby it first became a globous Body and afterwards retaines in it selfe a Naturall vigour or power if any violence should be offered to restore her selfe to her former right and perfection All which are very pleasant profitable to giue an industrious Learner some satisfaction To explaine this before we descend to particulars we will lay this ground and Theoreme 1 The parts of the Terrestriall Spheare doe naturally conforme and dispose themselues aswell to the production and generation as to the continuance and preseruation of it The forme of the Terrestriall Spheare albeit as wee haue shewed it be Externall in respect of the whole Globe yet may
we call it naturall forasmuch as it issueth and ariseth from the naturall disposition and inclination of all the parts To vnderstand which clause the better wee are to consider that a thing may bee called Naturall two manner of wayes first in regard of the primary intent of Nature as the neerest and immediate end or scope to which shee is directed Secondly in respect of her secundary intent or purpose as that which must of necessity follow the former True it is that euery Terrene Body according to Natures first intention seeks and works it 's owne perfection and conseruation Neuerthelesse according to her secundary Intent it concurres to the perfection and good of the whole vniuerse which we shall plainely see in a stone or clodd of earth which separated and remoued from it's mother the Spheare of the Earth by his descent and falling downewards seeks first his owne conseruation by reuniting it selfe to the Earth whence it was taken Secondly of the whole Globe of the Earth which by this vnion and addition no doubt is made more compleat and perfect This conformity of the Terrestriall parts out of which ariseth the Earths Sphaericity I call the naturall inclination they haue to moue and settle themselues in such a site or position as may bring forth a Sphaericall consistency so that if it were possible as what cannot be to Gods Almighty power that the whole Globe of the earth were dissolued and rent into little peeces yet were that vigor and motiue inclination remaining in the parts whereby they might settle and conforme themselues to the same Sphaericall nature and composition which it formerly enioyed For all the parts thus supposed to be distracted would no question meet together conforme themselues to the same point or Center and so equally poising themselues would restore the same Spheare so dissolued So that wee here note a double inclination and motion of earthly bodies first by a Right line of the parts tending towards the Center the other Sphericall of the whole Spheare whereof the first in nature preceedes the composition of the Spheare the other followes But this latter motion I leaue doubtfull till place conuenient 6 The conformity of the Terrene parts is twofold Primarie or Secondary The former is that whereby all earthly bodies are by a right line carried and directed to the Center of the Terrestriall Globe As in an Artificiall Spheare or circle drawne by a Geometrician their principall parts are expressed to wit the Center Ray and circumference so in the Naturall Globe of the Earth these three as it were Naturally Really discouer themselues vnto vs. For first there is set a fixt point to which all heauy bodies moue and conforme themselues Secondly there is set the line or Radius in which such bodies are carryed and conueyed Thirdly the confluence of all these parts begets the roundnesse and Sphaericall forme To begin first with that which is first in nature we will take these grounds 1 All Earthly Bodies incline and approach to the Center as neere as they can This proposition so farre forth as it concernes the two Elements of Earth and Water is confirmed by common experience and therefore needs no long demonstration For we see plainly that not only these two doe incline as much as may be all obstacles being remoued to the Center of the Earth but also all mixt bodies compounded of them being ouerswayed with the most predominant element doe challenge to theÌ„selues the same motion I say not that all these Terrestriall bodies driue meeâ— in the Center for that were impossible that all this massy Spheare should bee contracted to one point but that all the parts haue a mutuall inclination to approach as neere the Center as the necessity of the place and the concurrence of them amongst themselues will suffer By these Terrestriall Bodies which inioye this motion and inclination wee vnderstand first the two Elements of Earth and Water with all other bodies arising out of their mixture To these I may adde the Ayre which by reason of his affinity with the Earth and Water and naturall coÌ„formity to the same Center we may well tearme an earthly body It is commonly reported that the Ayre is lâ—ght and therefore carried vpwards not inclining at all to the Center of the Terrestriall Globe as the parts of these two Elements are But this assertion although bolstred vp both with antiquity and authority I take either to bee false or misunderstood and that I speake no more herein than I can proue I will produce some reasons strong enough as I thinke to perswade that the Ayre is a heauy body hauing a due inclination and conformity to the Center of the Earth First therefore will I produce this experiment When a Well or deepe Trench is digged vp in the earth I would willingly demand whether the Aire descends to fill up this Trench or concauity or else a void space is left vnfurnished of any naturall body to fill it If they admit the latter they will consequently bring in againe that vacuum or void space which Arist. and all sound Philosophers haue long since proscribed the confines of nature If they affirme the former that the Ayre descends to fill vp this empty space I will aske againe whether this descent of the Ayre be violent or naturall If they say Naturall they admit our assertion that the Ayre naturally descends towards the Center and so by consequence that it is heauy and not light by nature Neither according to our Peripateticall-Philosophy can wee ascribe more than one motion to the Aire because it is a ground generally receaued among Aristoteleans that One simple body can claime but one simple motion much lesse one simple forme as that of the Aire can produce two opposite and contrary motions such as are Ascent and Descent of the same body If they chance to light on the other member of our distinction and say that the motion of the Aire in this sort is violent it must needs follow that it must haue some externall cause or principle whence it should proceed because all such motions proceed from externall causes But here no such cause can be assigned For the cause would bee either the Earth which is so made hollow or the emptinesse or vacuum or at least the other parts of the Aire That it is not the Earth may be proued first because no Philosopher hath euer shewed any such Attractiue power to reside in the Earth but rather the contrary because the Earth and Ayre by most haue beene thought opposite in nature and repugnant one to the other Secondly because Philosophy teacheth that no agent can worke vpon a separate and distinct patient except there be a meeting of the Agent and Patient in some meane But here in this supposition the Earth is imagined to drawe and attract the Aire which as yet it toucheth not That this externall cause is not the Vacuum or Emptinesse is plaine because it
grant a naturall motion and so consequently yeeld to our assertion A third reason may here bee drawne from the condensation of the Aire It is a receiued opinion amongst most Philosophers that the thinne and subtile parts of the Aire will naturally mount vpward but the thicker and condensated parts pitch and settle themselues downeward Which obseruation if it bee true will yeeld vs this conclusion That the Aire is by nature heauy and therefore moueth downeward toward the center of the Sphericall Globe of the Earth Which I will demonstrate out of these Principles 1 That that body which by addition of parts or condensation is made more heauy or ponderous must needs haue some weight in it selfe This may easily appeare because the mixture of lightnesse with heauinesse will not intend and encrease the ponderosity but slacke and diminish it For the chiefest thing which remits or diminisheth any quality is the mixture of his contrary as wee see the quality of cold to be abated and weakened if it entertaine any mixture of heat 2 The thickning or condensation of any body is made by addition and coaction of more parts into the same space or compasse As if the Aire or any such like body were thickned it would confine it selfe to a more narrow roome then before and so consequenly the narrow roome would containe more parts then before Out of which wee conclude that forasmuch as many parts pressed together in the same space make the whole masse more ponderous these parts so pressed together must needes haue some waight in themselues Which may further be illustrated because the intention of the quality commonly followes the condensation of the subiect Which may easily appeare in red-hot-iron which burnes and scorcheth more than flame or coales because euery part hath more degrees or heat Now where more parts are closely pressed together the heat must needs bee more feruent I haue dwelt longer on this subiect because I would not seeme to broach a new opinion without sufficient reason To conclude all and come as neere the receiued opinion as I can I will say that the Aire may bee considered two wayes first absolutely in it selfe secondly in comparison of heauier bodies to wit the Earth and Water In the first sense I grant no absolute lightnesse in the Aire because out of his naturall inclination it tends as neere as it can to the center as all other lower bodies But if we consider it comparatiuely in respect of other heauier bodies we may call it light that is lesse heauy or ponderous So that by lightnesse we vnderstand no absolute lightnesse but a priuation The summe of all wee haue hitherto proued is this That all terrene bodies as Earth Water Aire and other mixt bodies which concurre to the composition of the Earthly Spheare as neere as they can settle and conforme themselues to the center of the Earth which site or position of them to the center is their true and naturall place wherein they seeke their preseruation 2 Of two heauy Bodies striuing for the same place that alwaies preuaileth which is heauiest 3 Hence it comes to passe that the Earth enioyes the lowest place the next the Water and the last the Aire The increment or increase of any effect must necessarily arise from the greater vigour or efficacy of the efficient cause as both Reason and Philosophie well teach Now as wee haue shewed all heauy bodyes naturally do descend downeward out of a naturall inclination they haue to attaine the center but where there is a greater weight or constipation of ponderous parts in the same masse there must needs proceede a greater inclination Supposing then the Earth Water and Aire being three waighty bodies to incline and dispose themselues to their vttermost force to inclose and engirt the center of the Terrestriall Spheare it must needes bee that the Earth beeing the most compact and ponderous must obtaine the preheminence next to which succeedes the Water then the Aire being of all other the least ponderous Yet wee deny not but the Water and Aire being setled in this wise are in their naturall places which to vnderstand wee must repeate what we said before that Nature hath a twofold intention the one primary the other secondary Indeed if we consider Natures primary or speciall inclination in the bodies themselues we shall finde them as wee said immediatly directed to the center as neere as might bee but the secondary intent of Nature was that the bodies should so settle and conforme themselues as that each of them should obtaine a place according to his degree of massinesse and waight Out of this may bee answered a certaine obiection which some haue produced to proue the Aire to bee absolutely light in his owne nature Experience teacheth vs say these men that a bladder blowne vp with winde or an empty barrell being by force kept vnder water the force and obstacle omitted will suddenly ascend to the top and that a man ready to sinke in the Water will not so easily sinke downe while hee can hold his breath all which effects they ascribe to no other cause than to inclination of the Aire to moue vpwards from the center But indeed this motion howbeit agreeable to the vniuersall nature and consistency of the Spheare is notwithstanding in respect of the Aire it selfe vnnaturall and violent because this ascent of it is not caused by the forme of the Aire but the interposition of a heauier body striuing for the same place and so reuerberating it backe from the place whereunto it tended For here is to bee imagined that the bladder or empty barrell drowned in the water claimes and inioyes for the time that place or distance which otherwise so much water should occupie to wit so many inches of feete from one side to the other No maruell then that obstacles remoued the Water being most ponderous and waighty receiues his owne right and as it were shoulders out the Aire and violently driues it off to his owne habitation Whence many haue imagined that this motion is proper and naturall to the Aire when of it selfe it is meerely violent and enforced by the interiection of another body more waighty and ponderous than it selfe 7 this conformity of the Terrestriall parts two things are to bee obserued 1 The center it selfe 2 The parts which conforme themselues vnto it The Center is an imaginary point in the midst of the Terrestriall Globe to which all the parts are conformed The Fathers of the Mathematicall Sciences haue laboured to deriue all their doctrine from a point as the first and most simple principle whereon all the rest depend Not that they imagine a point to bee any positiue entity in it selfe but because it is the first bound of magnitude whence all terminated quantities take their originall The first princâ—â—le wee may call it not of naturall constitution because a thousand points collected could not be so compounded as out of it should arise the least
Philosophy and on the Loadstone erected a large Trophie to commend him to posterity This famous Doctor being as pregnanâ— in witty apprehension as diligent in curious search of naturall causes after many experiments and long inquiâ—y found the causes of most magneticall motions and proprieties hid in the magneticall temper and constitution of the Earth and that the Earth it selfe was a meere Magneticall body challenging all those proprieties and more then haue expressed themselues in the Load-stone Which opinion of his was no sooner broached then it was embraced and well-commed by many prime wits aswell English as Forraine In so much that iâ— hath of late taken large root and gotten much ground of our vulgar Philosophie Not that in the maine scope and drift of it it contradicts or crosses all Peripateticall principles or the most part of such grounds as haue hitherto borne the stampe aswell of Antiquity as of Authority But that it hath brought to light matters of no small moment which neuer found any ground or footsteps in our ordinary Philosophie This new Philosophie I dare not commend as euery-where perfect and absolute being but of late yeeres inuented and not yet brought to mature perfection yet would it sauour of little ingenuity or iudgement in any man peruersely to deny all such Magneticall affections in the Earth as are grounded on plaine experiments and obseruation sith no Philosophie was euery way so exact but required experience dayly to correct it I intend not here an absolute discourse of Magneticall Bobies and Motions but leaue it to their search whose experimentall industrie is more suteable to such a subiect Onely I will shew some generall grounds appertaining to the constitution of the Terrestriall Globe which I hold necessary for a Geographer Wherefore ere I curiously distinguish these Magneticall proprieties of the Earth into other seuerall kindes I will set downe this Theoreme as a ground or foundation of that which followes 1 The Terrestriall Spheare is of a Magneticall nature and disposition A Magneticall Body by some is defined to bee that which seated in the Aire doth place it selfe in one place naturall not alterable This situation is supposed to agree to all the Starres especially to the great Globes of Saturne Iupiter Mars and the Sunne as also to such as giue their attendance on them lately detected by the Trunk-spectacle to wit those two Starres which moue about Saturne the foure which moue about Iupiter the two which circle about the Sunne as Venus and Mercurie and lastly the Moone which encompasseth the Spheare of the Earth But to let passe those other Globes as farther off and therefore lesse subiect to our search our discourse shall only touch the Earth whereon wee liue which wee shall proue to partake of a certaine Magneticall vertue or inclination which to shew more openly we must vnderstand that all Magneticall Globes haue some parts of their bodies which bee also Magneticall which being diuorced from their proper Spheare meeting no obstacle will settle themselues to the naturall situation of their peculiar Orbes Which wee may plainly perceiue in the Spheare of the Earth wherein wee shall find two Magneticall minerals whereof the one is the Load-stone attracting iron or steele the other the Iron or steele it selfe either ofthese two artificially hanged in the Aire or placed in a little boat on the water all incombrances being remoued will conforme settle their parts and Poles correspondent to the poles and parts of the Terrestriall Spheare as North and South This hath been found in all parts of the Earth by such as haue trauelled round about her as Drake and Candish whose Compasses were alwayes directed Magnetically in all places which they passed which we cannot ascribe to any other cause then the disponent faculty of the Earth's Magneticall Spheare as shall appeare hereafter by demonstration Moreouer it hath been obserued by such as saile Northerly and Southerly that the Magneticall Inclinatory needle in euery eleuation of the Pole is conformed and disposed to the Axell of the Earth according to certaine angles answerable to the latitude of the Region as wee shall shew hereafter This diuersity of conformity must necessarily arise either from the Magneticall instrument in it selfe absolutely considered or els from the Harmony and correspondency it hath with the Terrene Globe It cannot be the first because it should bee the same in all places and Regions of the Earth which is contrary to experience and our supposition Then must wee needes deriue it from the Magneticall disponent vertue of the whole Globe of the Earth from which vertue the whole Earth may bee called Magneticall Nay if we truely consider these Magneticall affections primarily agree to the Earth as the mother of all Magneticall bodies but afterward secondarily are deriued into the parts because as Gilbert relates it the cause of magneticall motions and affections is the magneticall forme of a Sphericall Globe which forme first agrees to the whole Globe of the Earth and so is deriued to all his homogeneall parts These parts are called Homogeneall not in regard of their Matter and quantity but in respect of their Magneticall nature and communion which in euery part is conspicuous If any man should wonder why the Earth should bee called Magneticall in regard of this minerall which seemes one of the least and scarcest substances whereof it consisteth we may many wayes answer First that although the surface of the Earth seemes for the most part composed of other materials more conuenient for the vse of liuing Creatures which dwell therein yet may infinite rocky mines of Magnets be couched lower toward the center which strengthen and consolidate the Earthly Globe Secondly wee must not imagine the Magneticall substance of the Earth to bee all one kinde of stone but various for somewhere it is hard solide as the true magnet it selfe and the iron which is nothing els but a mettall decocted out of the Load-stone for iron Oâ—â—e differs little or nothing at all from the Load-stone it selfe somewhere againe this substance is more thinne and fuid being lesse concocted as some kinde of clay and certaine vapours arising out of the Earth which bee magneticall which being brought to a harder and more massie substance will haue the same affections and motions with the Loadstone it selfe This assertion of the Earth's magneticall nature wee shall confirme more euidently hereafter where we shall proue both the Poles the Meridian Parallels and other circles to bee not bare Imaginary lines as some haue thought but to bee Really grounded in the magneticall nature of the Earth and are to be shewed in any round Loadstone wrought and placed conueniently with instruments thereunto applied 2 The Magneticall affection of the Earth is twofold either Radicall or Deriued The Radicall disposition we call that which is the first root and ground of all other magneticall motions 3 The Radicall vertue or inclination is againe twofold either Motiue or Disponent
retaine in it selfe the vertue of the Load-stone yet by reason of the liquefaction is altogether languishing and as it were buried but vpon touch of a Load-stone is stirred vp to his former vigour for the magnet insinuats his Incorporeall influence into the iron and so rectifies and animates that force which was almost dead 2 The magneticall Coiton is strongest of all in the Poles This may easily bee demonstrated by an experiment for if the iron needle which is proposed to bee Attracted and the Poles and Center be placed in the same right line then this Coition will be to a perpendicular as in A and B to wit the Poles in the Diagramme but in the middle space they will obliquely respect and point and by how much farther off from the Pole it is by so much is this vertue weaker but in the Equator it selfe it becomes meerely parallell without any inclination at all To know in what proportion this force is increased or weakened we must put another ground That the force of this coition is increased proportionally as the chords of a circle for by how much the least chorde in a circle differs from the Diameter so much the forces Attractiue differ from themselues For sith the Attraction is a Coition of one body with another and magneticall bodies are carried by a conuertible nature it comes to passe that a line drawne from one Pole to another in the diameter directly meetes with the body but in other places lesse so that the lesse it is conuerted to the body the lesse and weaker will bee the coition 3 So much bee spoken of the magneticall Coition It followes that wee speake of Magneticall Direction which is a naturall conuersion and conformity of the magneticall bodies to the Poles of the Earth It is manifest that a magneticall body so seated that it can moue without any impediment will turne it selfe in such wise that the one Pole of it will respect the North Pole of the Earth the other the South which motion wee call Direction This we may plainely see in a Marriners compasse whose Lilly alwayes respects the North point If a compasse bee wanting the same may bee shewed in a little corken-boate which being put in the water with a load-stone in it will so turne and conuert it selfe that the Poles of the Load-stone will at length point out the Poles of the Terrestriall Globe The manner how shall be disclosed in these Theoremes 1 The South part of the Load-stone turnes to the North and the North part to the South To confirme this assertion some haue produced this experiment Let there bee cut out of a rocke of Load-stone a Magnet of reasonable quantity Let the two poles both North and South bee marked out in the Load-stone the manner of which wee shall perhaps teach hereafter then let it be put in a corken little boat on the water so that it may freely float hither thither It will be euident that that part which in the rocke or Mine pointed Northward will respect the South and contrarywise the South part will respect the North as wee may see in this figure Let the Magnet as it is continuated with the Mine or Globe of the Earth be AB so that A shall be in the North pole B the South-Pole Let this Load-stone be cut out of this rocke or Mine placed on the water in a little timber boat which shall be CD we shall find that this little dish or boat will turne it selfe so long vntill the Northpart A be turned to the Southpart B and on the other part the Southpart B be conuerted to the Northpart A and this coÌ„formity would the whole rock of Load-stone claime if it were diuided and separated from the Globe of the Earth The reason why the magnet in the boat on the water turneth windeth and seateth it selfe to a contrary motion to that it primarily receiued whiles it was ioyned to the bowels of the Earth and vnited to the body of the great Magnet is because euery part of a Load-stone being separated from the whole whereof it is a part becomes of it selfe a perfect compleat magneticall body as we may say a little Earth hauing all the properties of the great Globe as Poles Meridians Aequators c. And therefore according to the nature of magneticall vnion spoken of in our next Theoreme will in no wise endure to settle it selfe as it did before but deemes it a thing more naturall and of more perfection to turne his aspect a contrary way to that which he inioyed at his first constitution Here may we note a great errour of Gemma Frisius who in his corollary vpon the 15 Chap. of his Cosmographicall Comment on P. Appian affirmes that the Needle magnetically effected would on this side the Aequator respect the North-pole but being past the Line would straight-way turne about and point to the Southpole An errour as Mr Hues saith vnworthy so great a Mathematician But Gemma Frisius in some â—ort may be excused for as much as the grounds of magneticall Philosophy were in his time either not discouered or most vnperfectly knowne and the vncertaine relations of Nauigators were reputed the best Arguments and how easie a matter it is for a Trauailer in this sort to deceiue a Scholler who out of his reading and experience can shew nothing to the contrary let euery man iudge 2 This contrary motion here spoken of is the iust confluxe and conformity of such bodies to magneticall vnion This is demonstrated by Gilbert in this manner Let the whole magneticall body be CD then C will turne to the North of the Earth B and D vnto the South part A. Let this magnet bee cut in twaine by the middle line or Aequator and the point E will tend to A and the part F will direct it selfe to B for as in the whole so in the parts diuided nature desires the vnion of these bodies The end E willingly accords with F but E will not willingly ioyne it selfe with D nor F with C for then it would haue C against its nature to moue toward A the South or D in B which is the South Separate the stone in the place of diuision and turne C to D and they will conueniently agree and accord For D will turne it selfe to the South as before and C to the North and E and F ioynt parts in the minerall or rocke will now bee most sundred For these magneticall parts concurre and meet together not by any affinity of matter but receiue all their motion and inclination from the forme so that the limits whether ioynt or diuided are directed magnetically to the Poles of the Earth in the same manner as in the diuided body 3 If any part Southward of the magneticall body bee torne away or diminished so much shall bee also diminished of the North-part and contrariwise if any part bee taken away in the North-part so much shall the vertue of the
South-part be diminished The reason is because the Magnet hauing eminently in it the circles which are in the Earth is separated or diuided by a middle line or Aequator from which middle space the vertues are conueyed toward either Pole as we haue before shewed Now any part being taken away from the North or South part this Aequator or middle line is remoued from his former place into the midst of the portion which is left and so consequently both parts are lesse then before For although these two ends seeme opposite yet is one comforted and increased by the other 9 Of the motions of Coition and Direction wee haue handled It followes that we speake of the motions of the second order to wit Variation and Declination 10 Variation is the deuiation or turning aside of the directory Magneticall needle from the true point of North or the true Meridian towards East or West In the discourse immediatly going before hauing treated of the magneticall body wee haue imagined it to bee true and pointing out the true North and South points of the Terrestriall Globe which certainely would bee so if the substance of the Earthly Globe were in all parts and places alike equally partaking the Magneticall vertue as some round Load-stone neither should wee find any variation or deuiation at all from the true Meridian of the Earth But because the Terrestriall Globe is found by Nauigatours to bee vnequally mixed with many materialls which differ from the magneticall substance as furnished with rockie hills or large valleyes continents Ilands some places adorned with store of iron Mimes rocks of Load-stone some altogether naked and destitute of these implements it must needs fall out that the magneticall needle and compasse directed and conformed by the Magneticall nature of the Eâ—rth cannot alwayes set themselues vpon the true Meridian that passeth right along to the Poles of the Terrestriall Globe but is forced and diuerted toward some eminent and vigorous magneticall part whereby the Meridian pointed out by the magnet must needes varie and decline from the true Meridian of the Earth certaine parts or degrees in the Horizontall circle which diuersion wee call the Variation of the compasse so thaâ— variation so far as it is obserued by the compasse is defined to bee an Arch of the Horizon intercepted betwixt the common intersection with the true Meridian and his deuiation This effect proceeding from the Inequality of magneticall vertue scattered in the Earth some haue ascribed to certaine Rockes or mountaines of Loadstone distant some degrees from the true Pole of the World which rockes they haue termed the Pole of the Loadstone as that whereunto the magnet should dispose and conforme it selfe which conceite long agoe inuented was afterward inlarged and trimmed ouer by Fracastorius But this opinion is a meere coniecture without ground for what Nauigatours could hee euer produce that were eye-witnesses of this mysterie or how can he induce any iudicious man to beleeue that which himselfe nor any to his knowledge euer saw The relation that the Frier of Noruegia makes of the Frier of Oxfords discouery recorded by Iames Cnoien in the booke of his Trauels where he speaks of these matters is commonly reiected as fabulous and ridiculous for had there beene any such matter it is likely he would haue left some monuments of it in the records of his owne Vniuersity rather then to haue communicated it to a friend as farre off as Noruegia Moreouer the disproportion in the degrees of variation in places of equall distance will easily correct this errour as we shall shew in due place More vaine and friuolous are all the opinions of others concerning this magneticall variation as that of Cortesius of a certaine motiue vertue or power without the Heauen that of Marsilius Ficiâ—us of a starre in the Beare that of Petrus Peregrinus of the Pole of the world that of Cardan of the rising of a starre in the taile of the Beare that of Bestardus Gallus of the Pole of the Zodiacke that of Liuius Sanutus of a certaine magneticall Meridian of Francis Maurolycus of a magneticall Iland of Scaliger of the heâ—uen and mountaines of Robert Norman of a respectiue point or place All which Writers seeking the cause of this variation haue found it no further off then their owne fancies More probable by farre and consonant to experience shall wee finde their opinion which would haue the cause of this variation be in the Inequality of the magneticall Eminencies scattered in the Earth This Inequality may bee perceiued to bee twofold 1 in that some parts of the Earth haue the magneticall minerals more then other parts for as much as the Superficies of some parts is solid Earth as in great Continents 2 Because although the whole Globe of the Earth is supposed to be magneticall especially in the Internall and profound parts yet the magneticall vertue belonging to those parts is not alwayes so vigorous and eminent as in some other parts as wee see one Load-stone to be stronger or weaker then another in vertue and power but of those two the former is more remarkable which may bee shewed by experience of such as haue sailed along many seacoa-stes for if a sea-iourney bee made from the shore of Guinea by Cape Verde by the Canarie Ilands the bounds of the Kingdome of Morocco from thence by the confines of Spaine France England Belgia Germany Denmarke Noruegia we shall find toward the East great and ample Continents but contrarywise in the West a huge vast Ocean which is a reason that the magneticall needle will vary from the true point of the North and inclines rather to the East because it is more probable that these Continents and Lands should partake more of this magneticall minerall then the parts couered with the Sea in which these magneticall bodies may bee scarcer or at the least deeper buried and not so forceable On the contrary part if wee saile by the American coasts we shall rather find the variation to be Westward as for example if a voyage be made from the confines of Terra Florida by Virginia Norumbega and so Northward because the land butteth on the West but in the middle spaces neere the Canary Ilands the directory needle respects the true Poles of the Terrestriall Globe or at least shewes very little variation Not for the agreement of the Magneticall Meridian of that place with the true by reason of the Rocke of Load-stone as some haue imagined because in the same Meridian passing by Brasile it fals out farre otherwise but rather because of the Terrestriall Continents on both sides which almost diuide the Magneticall vigour so that the Magneticall needle is not forced one way more then another the manner whereof wee shall finde in D. Gilbert expressed in an apt figure to whom for further satisfaction I referre the Reader 1 The Magneticall variation hath no certaine Poles in the Terrestriall Globe It is but a common
it will lift vp much greater and heauier waights which experiments are sufficient to confirme our assertion that this Declination is caused only by the disponent and conuersiue vertue of this Terrestriall Globe 3 The magneticall Declination hath a variation That in the magneticall Direction there is found an Irregularity or variation hath beene sufficiently warranted by Artificers Instruments The like Irregularity is in the motion of Declination which makes magneticall Instruments and experiments more subiect to errour and imperfection The variation of Declination is defined to bee an Arch of the Magneticall meridian betwixt the true and apparent Declination The cause hereof is onely to bee sought in the vnequall temper of magneticall parts in the Earth For as in the Direction magneticall bodies are drawne and wrested from the true meridian by the eminent and more vigorous force of the Earth one side ouer-ruling the other so the magneticall needle the conuersion somewhat increased declines sometimes beyond his naturall site and conformity This may cause an errour but not of any great moment sometimes when there is no variation or Direction at all in the Horizon there may bee a Variation or Declination to wit either when the more eminent and stronger parts of the Earth are placed iust vnder the Meridian or when these parts are more impotent then the generall nature requireth or els when the Magneticall vigour is too much increased on one side and diminished on the other as wee may behold in the vast Ocean CHAP. IIII. Of the Totall motions Magneticall 1 HAuing passed the Partiall motions magneticall wee are next to speake of the Totall motions which more neerely agree to the whole Earth such as are the Verticitie and Reuolution 2 The Verticity is that whereby the Poles of the earthly Spheare conforme and settle themselues vnto the Poles of the Heauen 1 The Spheare of the Earth by her Magneticall vigour is most firmely seated on her Axell whose Ends or Poles respect alwayes the same points in the Heauens without Alteration That which in a little Magnet or Load-stone is called Direction in the vast Globe of the Earth is called Verticity To vnderstand which wee must conceite that the Earth hath naturally two Poles vnto which the meridionall parts doe direct not only magneticall bodies neere the Earth but her owne massie situation and firmenesse and settles her selfe so strongly by her magneticall vertue passing through the Meridionall parts to the Poles as if shee were tied by many strong cables to two Herculean pillars not subiect to alteration And if it should happen by any supernaturall power that the situation could bee changed shee would no doubt by her magneticall vigour and verticity returne and restore her selfe to her former position as all magneticall needles will doe to their proper site and conformity Of this Verticity needes no more to bee spoken then hath been already said in the point of Direction because the former is a representation of the latter and depends on the same demonstration Out of which ground wee may euidently conclude that the Axell of the Terrestriall Globe remaynes alwayes inuariable By which we may refute the opinion of Dominicus Maria who was Master to Copernicuâ— who out of certaine vnperfect obseruations was induced to beleeue that the Poles of the World were changed from their true and naturall situation I haue obserued saith hee looking on Ptolomies Geographie that the eleuation of the Pole Articke almost in all Regions as it is put downe in Ptolomie differs and failes in one degree and ten minutes from that which wee finde in our time which cannot bee ascribed to the errour of the table because it is not probable that the whole series should bee depraued according to this equality of number Wherefore it must follow of necessity that the North pole should bee moued toward the verticall circle which mystery not knowne of the Ancients for want of former obseruations hath shewed it selfe to our times being inriched not only with their but our owne experiments According to this opinion of Dominicus Maria the North pole should bee eleuated higher then it was and the Latitudes of Regions should bee greater then they were But to this opinion we will oppose the opinion of Stadius which holdeth that the latitudes of Regions haue beene decreased and diminished from that they haue had in Ptolomie without any such regular Increment or Decrement which hee labours to confirme by many obseruations as for example the latitude of Rome as it is set downe by Ptolomie is 41 degrees â…” parts but by newer obseruation it is found to be 41 degrees ½ parts out of which wee may well coniecture that Ptolomies obseruations were not alwayes exactly true being for a great part such as hee had receaued from Hipparchus and not examined himselfe as may bee seene in the latitude of many Citties in Europe where hee missed sometimes 2 sometimes 3 degrees Wherefore no iudicious Geographer would vpon such imperfect obseruations and vncertaine coniectures bring in a new motion of the earth to ouerthrow that magneticall Harmony and consistency corroborated with so many and sure demonâ—trations This may serue to answer a certaine Tenâ—nt of Vasquez the Iesuite and some others who imagine the Center and by consequence the Pole of the Earth to bee moued vp and downe by a certaine motion of Liberation The argument on which they would ground their assertion is taken from the Center of Grauity in this manner The whole masse of the earth say they is so setled about the Center that it is equally poized that is as much as to say that the parts are indowed with an equall waight Now such Bodies as are so equally poized by the addition or diminution of any part on either â—ide will bee straight-way tâ—rned from that â—iâ—e which they had before in Aequîlibrio as is dayly confirmed by experience of a Ballance and other such mechanicke instruments Wherefore in the Terrestriall spheare the Center and Poles should in this wise bee changed and altered and the whole suffer a kinde of starting or Libration For it is manifest by dayly obseruation that some things in the superficies of the earth are fallen off and carried into another place as Men Beasts and Birds which moue from one place vnto another Nothing is here of more moment then the motion of the Sea by which the parts of the water by continuall ebbing and flowing suffer such a sensible change of Addition and Diminution that no man can imagine how the parts of the Earth about the Center should alwayes bee equally counterpoyzed but the waight on one side should bee predominant vnto the other and so driue the Center from his former place This Argument Blancanus another late Iesuite leaues altogether vnanswered either imagining it too strong or out of a combined faction of their owne society vnwilling to contradict his fellow And indeed should wee consider the spheare of the earth no otherwise then according to
hath taught the Heauens are moued or turned round by an Angell or Intelligence fixed to his Orbe of a spirituall and immateriall substance which in a body meetes no opposition Not in the body moued because of it's owne Nature it is prone and inclinable to this motion But this reason is like a reed that hurts his hand that leanes on it for first what indigence or necessity in Nature is obserued so great to bee the father of such Intelligences What serious iudgment can euer imagine the Angels to bee like gally-slaues chained fast to their gallies or turne-spit-dogs labouring in their wheeles To what vse shall they serue not to stirre vp and beginne the motion for why should we debarre the Heauens from the priuiledge ofall other Bodies farre lesse excellent whose motions challenge no other cause or beginning then their owne forme and nature Not to Regulate and confine this motion for Nature which beginnes any action or motion is able of her selfe to set limits and bounds vnto it without the helpe of any externall agent Finally not to continue this motion for as wee are taught in our Philosophie Euery Naturall Agent if it bee not hindered still acts to the vttermost of his power and therefore needes no externall coadiutor to continue his action for otherwise we might suppose the Heauens to grow weary and faint in their intended course Secondly whereas they say there can bee no Resistence in the body moued they contradict their owne grounds for it is agreed by all that the higher Orbs doe turne and wrest about the lower I would willingly aske by what kinde of action either by a vertuall influence or emanation or els by a corporall touch and application The former is improbable and as farre as I can gather not auuouched by any and were it so it would seeme ridiculous for why should wee rather ascribe this effect to an vnknowne influence of an externall body then to the vigour of his owne forme and nature For if one orbe in this sort can moue another why could it not moue it selfe being more present to it selfe then any other If they say by a corporall application of bodies and their parts I see not how they can auoid this Renitencie and reaction which alwayes doth suppose some resistence for how can one solide and hard body bee imagined to heaue and push another forward without some reluctancy in the patient because the inferiour Orbe hauing of it selfe a proper motion this must needes be violent as supposing a forcing wresting of Nature from her proper course whereof it is not hard to shew a sensible demonstration because the Orbe naturally directed one way is turned and directed another way at the same time which both motions concurring in the same body must needes offer violence one to the other Moreouer the immunity from corruptible qualities granted to the Heauens which is the ground of this opinion hath beene muh talked of amongst the Aristoteleans but neuer warranted by any certaine demonstration wee see say these Philosophers the Heauens to haue remained since the beginning of the World without any sensible alteration and change and therefore must all the Elementary and corruptible qualities bee excluded To disproue this I need goe no farther then the last Comet which Mathematicians by the parallax found to bee in the heauens And whereas otherwise they seeke a sensible alteration in other parts they deceiue themselues for as in the earth whereon wee dwell howeuer the parts interchangeably corrupt and ingender dayly yet the whole Globe will apparantly remaine the same keeping it's integrity so may it happen to many of the superiour Globes whose parts dayly corrupted and renewed againe although for the great distance to vs insensible the whole Globe remaineth still perfect in his perfect Sphericity I cease any further to inuade anothers Prouince and therefore descend to a second argument to proue this extraordinary violent and swift motion in the heauens to bee improbable It is ordinarily obserued in other Orbes of the heauens that the higher the Orbe is placed the motion is slower as for example the Spheare of the Moone which is next the Earth is carried about in 27 dayes Mercury and Venus are slow enough in their course as the former in 80 dayes the latter in 9 moneths the Sunne in a yeere Mars in 2 yeeres Iupiter in 12 Saturne in 30. Also those Astronomers which giue the fixt starres a motion would haue them to finish their course according to Ptolomie in 36000 but if wee will beleeue Copernicus in 25816 yeeres so that the higher and greater the circles be so much slower will be the motion what iniury were it then to the concord and harmony of Nature to impose vpon the highest Orbe of all such an vnmeasurable strange motion which might strike the most Sâ—raphickâ— Angell into admiration To these may bee added other Arguments in Copernicus which albeit they be not demonstratiue will make the matter more probable First that Nature in all things is a compendious and short worker and vseth not many helpes for such thinges as may bee performed by fewer and therefore need wee not to vse the helpe of so many Orbes and concamerations to square our obseruations which will find more steady footing in this one ground once granted of the Earth's circular motion Secondly it will seeme more consonant and agreeable to Nature that the highest and vttermost Spheare of all which bounds and engirts in all the World besides should rest quiet and vnmoueable then to suffer such an intollerable motion as might endanger the whole Fabricke Lastly I may adde this one that this diurnall motion granted to the first Moueable can in my iudgement hardly stand with the regularity of heauenly Bodies if wee expresse it no otherwise then the ordinary sort of Astronomers For a regular motion is defined to bee that whereby in equall times a body is moued through equall places But this Diurnall motion receiued from the first Moueable concurring with the Sunnes annuall motion will exclude this equality For first it is granted that the Sunne in his motion from the Aequator to the Tropicke according to sense runnes â—uery day in a distinct parallell for although euery minute hee declines somewhat from the Aequator toward the Tropicke yet the difference is not sensible so that wee may well euery day assigne a parallelll-inâ— to the Sun's motion Secondly they must grant that these parallells are diminished and grow lesse and lesse toward the Tropicke from the Aequator Thirdly that as wee haue foreshewed of two bodies mouing in the same time on the same center that should moue faster which is greater so one body mouing in diuerse vnequall circles in equall time it must of necessity follow that it must needes moue faster in that which is greater here wee may conclude he moues faster in the Aequator then in the Tropicke because in the one hee is carryed in a greater parallell in the
other a lesse and yet in the same period of time as wee may see in this Figure following Let the Sunne bee in the point of the Eclipticke A it is manifest that he will sensibly moue for that day in the parallell AP. Then let him bee moued by his periodicke motion into the point of the Eclipticke B it will for that moment moue in the parallell IBO. Last of all let it bee in the point of the Aequator C. his parallell will bee HCL. It is manifest out of our former grounds that he will be moued slowest in AP. Faster in IO. Fastest of all in HCL. Which swiftnesse and slownesse in the Suns motion makes it irregular Some haue thought to salue this by saying that this motion is Regular because in equall time the Sunne goes proportionall not equall spaces which Aguillonius holds in his Optiâ—ks But this shift is friuolous because it takes not away the obiection why the Sunne should moue faster and slower For the Heauens being a naturall not a voluntary agent and according to these grounds finding no hinderance or impediment must alwayes worke to his vtmost power and so cannot slacke or increase his action or motion that it should moue faster or slower Hitherto haue wee shewed that this Diurnall motion cannot without some absurdity bee granted to the heauens in the next place we are to shew that it no way can crosse the Naturall disposition of the Earth it selfe which wee shall demonstrate in this manner If this circular motion should crosse the disposition of the Earthly Globe it would happen either immediatly in respect of the meere Nature which the Logicians call à priore or els in regard of certaine properties which follow necessarily the Nature of it which they terme à posteriori If they say it happens à priori in regard of the meere Nature they must necessarily haue recourse to the proprieties and accidents for a demonstration For the Internall formes of all things being in themselues insensible cannot be discouered vnto vs but by their externall proprieties But if probable coniecture may here find any place I see no reason why the earth being found to bee of a magneticall temper should not challenge the same which other magneticall Globes farre greater then the Earth possesse to wit a circular reuolution about her owne Poles which Kepler and Galileus haue obserued aswell in the Sunne as Iupiter and in like matters to iudge alike seemes more warrantable then to faigne a dispaâ—ity which Nature neuer grounded or obseruation found But this as a matter of small note I easily passe ouer following the foot-steps of our Aduersaries which seeke to demonstrate the Earth's stability out of the externall effects and proprieties If then this Reuolution contradict any proprietie it must bee of necessity either in regard of the Quantity and Magnitude or els in respect of the figure and quality or of some Motion or of the siâ—e and position for I find no other propriety of any moment which can enter into this consideration First that the Quantiâ—y can no way thwart this circular Reuolution is manifest because it would happen either in that it were too Great or too Little It cannot be by reason of the greatnes because the great globes of the Sunne and Iupiter manifold greater then the Globe of the Earth are by late experiments of the Trunk-spectacle found to moue about their owne Axell in a small portion of time the like haue others deliâ—ered of the Moâ—nâ— and Venus It is not then the Masse or quantity which can hinder it in the Earth neither on the other side can it bee the smalnesse for bodies smaller are found as apt or rather apter to receiue a circular motion which they will not deny mee and therefore cannot this be preiudiciall to the motion of the Earth In the next place the figure of the Earthly Globe cannot hinder this motion because by all sound Philosophers being acknowledged to bee Sphericall it cannot but bee deemed most apt to receiue Reuolution in so much as some haue hence laboured to draw an argument for the Earths circular motion as deeming this Figure to bee giuen to the Earth for no other end or vse Thirdly no Quality in the Earth can resist this circular motion for this quality by the consent of all would bee the naturall heauines or waight of the Earth But this heauines takes not away the naturall Reuolution 1 Because Grauity or heauinesse is nothing els but the inclination of the parts of the Earth returning to their naturall place hauing beene sequestred from it but these parts hauing once regained their proper places moue no farther nor are in those places esteemed heauy or waighty whence it is commonly said amongst the Peripatetickes Nihil grauitat in suo loco nothing is heauy in his owne place which may easily bee demonstrated out of Staticke principles whereby we finde heauinesse and lightnesse to bee giuen to the bodies according to the medium and their massinesse and solidity in respect of one to the other 2 If this heauinesse bee opposed to the circular motion then either immediatly by it selfe or secondarily by some concomitant accident It cannot bee the first because grauity is a quality but motion an action which for ought my Philosophy hath taught mee are not opposite If by reason of some accident then no question because it is contrary to lightnesse or leuity which seemes requisite to such a motion We willingly yeeld this naturall grauity of the parts of the Earth to stand opposite to the motion of Ascent or mouing vpward from the Center but neuerthelesse it is not any way contrary to the circular motion 1 Because contraries are alwayes supposed to be in eodem genere in the same kind but the motion of heauy bodies to the Center and of the Earth about the Center are not in the same kinde the one being a right motion the other circular neither can the waight of the Terrestriall masse adde or diminish any thing in regard of the circular motion because a Sphericall and a right motion cannot either directly concurre or directly oppose one the other 2 Wee may vrge out of the 4 Chap. of Aristotles 1 booke De Calo That no ciâ—cular motion can admit of contrariety which hee confirmes by a demonstration which wee forbeare here to insert being loath to roue too farre from our present matter At length wee will proue that this orbicular motion giuen vnto the Earth cannot ouerthrow or thwart any other motion of the Earth for if this were so it would happen for one of these two respects Either because the Earth hath some motion or other contrary to this or els because diuers motions cannot bee in the Earth The first cannot be true for that wee haue spoken before because the right motion they finde in the Earth cannot bee iudged contrary to the Sphericall neither can the later bee admitted as an vndoubted truth for howsoeuer Aristotle sets it
downe for an Axiome that one simple body hath but one simple motion yet being absolutely vnderstood without any limitation will bee found by experience false for it is manifest out of the experiment of the new Perspicils that the Bodies of the Sunne and Iupiter simple in nature if wee beleeue Aristoteleans haue at least a double motion the one vpon their owne Poles lesse then Diurnall the other of their Centers which are moued from the West vnto the East vpon other Poles familiarly knowne vnto Astronomers The Peripatetickes heere seeke an euasion by distinguishing the motions of the Planets into a proper or naturall and Accidentall or mutuaticious but this answer comes not home to this present question First because these two motions of the Sunne and Iupiter will easily bee proued to bee naturall and without violence or restraint Secondly because in this answer they suppose the Heauens to bee cut and diuided into diuerse Orbes Sections and Conâ—amerations which later Astronomers vpon better experience haue derided or at least omitted as Hypotheses or suppositions to settle Imagination rather then reall or true grounds If they would vnderstand this Principle of Aristotle to wit That one simple body should challenge one simple motion of a motion of the same kinde it might perhaps obtaine some credit But the right motion of the parts ioyning to the whole and the Circular motion also the Circular motion of a Planet about his owne Axell and the Circular motion it selfe about the Earth are found to bee diuerse kindes and therefore no way incompatible in the same subiect Moreouer what infallible argument can perswade vs that the Globe of the Earth is a meere simple Body such as Aristotle describes vnto vs in his Philosophie Either this imaginary simplicitie must bee sought in the Reall Existence of the Earth or els in our mentall Abstraction The former they cannot auerre because not only the Elements themselues by their owne confession are impure and corrupted But the whole Globe of the Earth seemes to consist of diuerse mixtures and Heterogeneall bodies which apparantly exclude such simplicity If they would haue it rather to consist in the Abstraction or separation of the minde which may diuide and distinguish betweene the true nature of the Earth and his Accidentall Natures I shall not contradict although it seeme â—ather grounded on imaginary coniecture then experience That the Earth of it selfe distinguished from the waters should haue any such simple Nature If wee follow reason and experience as our Guides wee shall obserue in the Terrestriall Globe a twofold constituâ—ion The one Elementary from the parts whereof it consists out of which it cannot challenge any motion but the right which is of the parts separated from the whole agreeing to the Earth Water and all other heauy bodies thereof consisting The other magneticall wherein all other bodies are vnited in one Magneticall forme of the Earth In which sort the whole Globe of the Earth may bee termed a Homogeneall substance for howsoeuer the matter and the Elements whereof it consists seeme Heterogeneall and diuerse one from the other yet since in this Magneticall Nature there is a Harmony and Communion well wee may call it a Homogenity of the Forme and Nature not of the Matter and Quantity as common Philosophers commonly vse the word So that euery part or Element whereof this Terrestriall Spheare is compounded may claime his owne motion and properly yet all conspiring in one vniuersall forme of a Sphericall Body may notwithstanding be turned round with a Sphericall motion In the last place wee are to proue that this Circular motion granted vnto the Earth can no way oppose or indanger the naturall site or position of the Earth If the situation or position were feared to bee changed it must needes happen one of these wayes either that the Center of the Earth should bee moued out of his place or that the parts should bee separated distracted one from the other or that the Poles should be changed and altered The first cannot touch our assertion because in this place wee affirme not that the center of the Globe is moued out of his place but that the whole Earth in the same place is turned round vpon her owne Center For the opinion of Copernicus which holdes the Center of the Earth to moue round about the earth wee shall censure in our next Chapter In the second place the parts of the Earth by this motion cannot bee separated or disunited one from the other first because all the parts are vnited to the whole by their naturall grauity that if by chance they should bee separated they would naturally returne backe vnto their owne place Secondly this motion is supposed Naturall not violent which in so great and massie a Body can make no sensible Alteration Lastly the Poles of the Earth by this meanes cannot bee moued out of their places because by a certaine Magneticall verticity as wee haue formerly shewed the same Poles of the Earth alwayes naturally respect the same points of the Heauens as if they were bound vnto two firme Pillars indissoluble Hitherto hauing proued the Circular motion of the Earth neither to bee giuen to the Heauens without some absurdity and yet no way to contradict or oppose the Nature of the Terrestriall Globe wee are in the third place to examine the reasons vsually vrged against this Assertion The first reason is drawne from sense If there were any such Sphericall motion say they how comes it to passe that it cannot of vs bee perceiued an Argument worthy such Philosophers as measure all rather by seeming sense then Demonstratiue reason who cannot obserue on the sea in a calme that the ship wherein hee is carried will seeme to rest or at least to moue slowly and the clifts and shores to moue vnto the opposite part What then should wee thinke of the motion of the whole Terrestriall Globe which hath lesse cause to bee perceiued then that of a ship The Bulke of a ship in respect of the Earth is small and of no quantity the other being huge and massie The motion of the ship meerely violent inforced by the windes of the Earth naturall and vniforme stirred vp of his proper and naturall inclination so that if any such motion be in the earth it were impossible to bee perceiued by sense Secondly they vrge against vs that in Homogeneall Bodies there is the same motion of the whole and all the parts But euery part of the Earth as experience teacheth is moued downeward toward the Center and therefore the whole can haue no other motion To this obiection wee haue partly answered before yet to giue further satisfaction wee will adde something more It is one thing to speake of the whole Terrestriall Globe and Spheare another of the seuerall parts and Elements whereof it consists If the whole Spheare bee vnderstood wee ascribe vnto it no other motion but the circular which wee here labor to establish
The parts whereof this Terrestriall Spheare consists may bee considered two wayes either as they are vnited in the whole by a Magneticall forme or disioyned and taken by themselues In the former the parts of the Earth are supposed to moue in the same motion by which the whole Spheare of the Earth is moued because the whole and all the parts taken together are the same and subiect to the same circular reuolution Notwithstanding this any part seuerall and disioyned from the whole hath a right motion downeward toward the Center by which it returnes to its true naturall vnion This inclination of the parts agrees not with the whole Earth neither vnto any part vnited and conglobated to the whole but onely to a part separated from his place so that the whole may notwithstanding in his place inioy a circular motion Now to come more neerely home vnto their Arguments drawne from the Homogeneity of the Earth wee answer as before that there is a twofold Homogeneity The one of the matter and quantity the other of the Magneticall forme and Nature of the former wee may conclude out of the right motion of all the parts the disposition of the whole so wee vnderstand it in a good sense first that euery part is here to bee vnderstood not in but out of his proper place Secondly that by the whole wee ought not to vnderstand the whole Globe with all his parts conformed in one Sphericall frame but all the parts indefinitely taken for if wee should vnderstand of the whole Globe their Argument will in no way hold true If according to the later wee might well grant them their Conclusion yet can it not oppugne our Assertion Because it will follow out of the Naturall inclination of euery part that all the parts seuerally taken haue such a disposition of returning to the Earth being separated there from Yet will not this by any necessary inference bee proued to agree to the whole Globe of the Earth but rather will it follow contrarywise that the whole Spheare of the Earth is moued circularly and therefore euery part with and in it is moued with the whole in the same motion A third argument which is thought greater then all the other is drawne from two experiments The first is that a stone or Bullet let fall from a higher place to the ground will perpendicularly descend to the point of the Earth right vnder Secondly that two Bullets imagined to bee of equall weight and matter being discharged from equall pieces of ordinance with the like quantity of powder the one towards the East the other towards the West will reach an equall distance in the Earth both which would seeme impossible if wee grant this supposition of the Earths circular reuolution For in the former case the Earth sliding away swiftly during the fall of the stone would change the point marked out for another And in the second for the like cause the Bullet shot towards the East being preuented by the swiftnesse of the Earth's motion carrying along with it the Ordinance out of which it proceeded should returne backe ouer the shooters-head and contrarywise that Bullet shot towards the West besides his owne motion by the motion of the Earth the other way should bee carryed so much farther as the Earth is remoued from the place where it was first discharged Both which experiments seeme to crosse this circumgyration of the Terrestriall Globe which our magneticall Cosmographers labour to confirme But with them to giue an answer to these and the like experiments wee must distinguish the parts of the Earth into three sorts some are hard and solide parts adioyned to the Globe as stones mineralls what else in the bowels of the Earth is vnited to it or at least necessarily adherent to the outward face of it Some other parts there are of a thinne and fluid substance as the Aire and other vapours in it deriued from the Earth A third sort there are of such parts as being in themselues solide are notwithstanding by some violence separated from the solide globe as stones cast into the Aire Arrowes Bullets and such like discharged from the hand or Engine For the two former wee may easily imagine them carried with the same circular motion which we assigne vnto the whole being no other then the parts of it depending from the whole masse For the third sort whereof consists the difficulty wee cannot imagine them so moued round as if they were wholly separated from the Communion of the Earthly Spheare for howsoeuer there seemes a separation according to matter and quantity yet retaine they the same magneticall inclination to the whole masse as if they were vnited to it and therefore such solide parts are moued with the same vniforme and naturall motion wherewith the Earth it selfe is turned so that in solide bodyes so separated from the superficies of the Earth of an Arrow or Bullets shot wee must imagine a twofold motion The one Naturall vniforme whereby they are moued as homogeneall parts according to the reuolution of the whole Spheare The other violent by force impressed from the Agent The right motion proceeding from the strength of the shooter cannot crosse or hinder the Naturall because the one being right and the other circular admit no such proportion as that one should hinder or further the other Neither can these motions well be tearmed contrary or opposite which are in diuers kindes To explaine this matter farther we will adde this Diagramme Lâ—t the whole orbe of the earth bee imagined to bee LQM whose center is A the thicknesse of the Aire ascending from the Earth O Q. Now as the orbe of this fluid substance of the aire asceÌ„ding vniformely is moued round with the Globe of the earth so must wee imagine the part of it marked out by the right line OQ to bee carried round with an vnalterable Reuolution Wherefore if any heauy body should bee placed in the Line OQ as for example P it will fall downe toward the center by the shortest way in the same line OQ which motion downewards towards the center can neither bee hindered by the circular motion of the Earth nor yet Mixt or compounded with it It cannot bee hindred because as wee haue shewed a Right motion and a circular being not in the same kind cannot properly bee reputed contrary Neither for the same cause can they bee mixt or compounded Wherefore this motion will be no other then one simple and Right motion neuer varying from the Line OQ which being once vnderstood it is no hard thing to imagine a Bullet or stone forced by equall strength from Q towards L and from Q. towards the point M to obserue alwayes a like distance notwithstanding the Earth's cirâ—ular Reuolution Hauing hitherto shewed this Sphericall motion of the Earth to bee possible and no way to contradict Nature wee are in the next place to shew it to bee no way opposite to the sense of
holy Scripture This opinion of the Earth's circular motion hath suffered much wrong by a certaine perswasion of some men that it contradicts the Text of Holy Scripture Some precise men morâ— ready to vrge then vnderstand what they alleage will condemne without examination and sticke to the plaine lâ—tter notwithstanding all absurdities denying the conclusion in despight of the premisses To these haue associated themselues another sort more to bee regarded as more learned the Critickes I meane of our Age who like Popes or Dictatours haue taken vpon them an Vniuersall authority to censure all which they neuer vnderstood Had these men contained theÌ„selues in their own bounds they might questionlesse haue done good seruice to the Commonwealth of Learning But when the seruant presumes to controle the Mistrisse the house seemes much out of order To seeke for a determination of a Cosmographicall doubt in the Grammaticall resolution of two or three Hebrew wordes which some haue gone about were to neglect the kernell and make a banquet on the shells But howsoeuer we hope to make it appeare that the Scripture vnderstood as it ought to bee is so farre from fauouring their opinion that the words themselues can hardly admit of such a sense as they would fasten on them But ere wee descend to the examination of particular places of holy Scriptures alleaged in their behalfe wee will shew this opinion to bee much different from that of Copernicus as somewhat more moderate and able to suffer an easier reconcilement with the holy Text. For the places alleaged of sacred Scripture which seeme to oppose our Assertion either seeme to proue the circular motion of the Heauens or the rest and stability of the Earth But this opinion holding a Mediocrity betwixt both neither takes away the motion from the Heauens neither oppugnes such a Rest or quietnesse in the Earth as the Scriptures vnderstand For first albeit wee take away from the Heauens the diurnall motion and giue it to the Earth yet we grant to the heauenly Orbes their seuerall motions allowing no part of it to bee absolutely voide of motion Secondly wee must vnderstand this in a fourefold sense as opposed to foure kindes of Motions First to the progressiue Motion of the Center of the Terrestriall globe from place to place Secondly to the separation or dissolution of the parts one from the other by which the Globe may loose his integrity Thirdly to the Translocation of the Poles whereby the Poles inclining to one side or another may bee imagined to change their position Fourthly to the Diurnall Motion In the first sense wee giue a Rest and stability to the Earth because the Earth howsoeuer moueable wee place in the Center of the world as wee shall proue in the next Chapter In the second sense we also grant it because all the parts of the Earth being of a heauy nature fall naturally downewards and vnite themselues vnto the whole to decline such a dissolution In the third acception wee likewise allow such a stability because the Poles of the Earth as wee haue shewed by their magneticall inclination alwayes respect the same points in the heauens and can from thence by no meanes remooue themselues Only in the fourth and last sense wee exclude a Rest allowing onely a diurnall Reuolution from West to East in twenty foure houres The first argument alleaged against vs is taken out of the 1 Chapter of Ecclesiastes Vna generatio saith Salomon abit altera aduenit quamuis Terna in saeculum permaneat Wherein by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some interpret Stat they would inferre a perpetuall stability of the Earth A childish consequence which a graue Diuine might well bee ashamed to vrge euery man of common vnderstanding may plainely perceiue that Salomons scope in this Chapter was to shew the vanity vncertainty of all things vnder the Sunne which as a speciall argument amongst others hee amplifies from the successâ—ie mutation and changes of men liuing on the Earth in that one generation goeth away and another commeth but the Earth keeps her integrity and remaines in the same state This Constancy then or remaining of the earth we can in no wise oppose to any circular motion but to the changes and vncertainty of men in their generations in which sense our most learned Linguists vnderstand it Would not this seeme to any man a ridiculous argumentation if any man should thus dispuâ—e One Miller comes and another goes but the Mill remaines still Ergo the Mill hath in it no motion Or in a Riuer one generation of Fishes is produced and another is decayed but the Riuer remaines the same Ergo the Riuer remaines still vnmoued Let any man goe no farther then the plaine wordes whereon these Grammarians stand hee will easily find out another interpretation For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deriued from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as much as to persist subsist or to endure being opposite to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies as much as to stagger or start aside from his place or position so that nothing from hence can bee inferred to contradict the Sphericall Reuolution of the Earth in her proper place vpon her owne Poles which we only maintaine A second reason they draw from the Psalme 104 out of these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein as one would perswade no lesse then three arguments are couched in three bare termes But these arguments will I feare proue as little as the former For first the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying as much naturally as to found or seat in a place or frame is not altogether without a Metaphor giuen to the Earth because Almighty God hath so placed it vpon her owne center Poles and Axell that shee cannot bee moued out of it Likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implyes no other then a seat or place being deriued from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies no more then to perfect establish or make ready The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which can signifie no other then to incline to nod slide fall or turne aside out of his place All which can suffer no other paraphrase or Interpretation then this That Almighty God hath set the Globe of the Earth so strongly fixed in her proper frame that no power can bee so strong to dissolue this Fabricke or turne her out of her appointed place which exposition of this place of Scripture Copernicus himselfe would easily grant as no way opposite to the triple motion hee labours to establish Here are these three arguments drawne from three words suddenly shrunke into nothing Another reason which I take to bee stronger then the former some haue taken out of the 19 Psalme where speaking of the Sunne hee vses these words In them hath hee set a Tabernacle for the Sunne 5 Which is as a bridegroome comming out of his chamber and reioyceth
the last of the parallells there will be one only equinoxe that in the Solstice in an oblique spheare in all other parts of the yeere the dayes would either be longer or else shorter then the nights But if the Globe of the Earth bee seated within the parallells in the point N there would be two Equinoxes in a yeere wherein the spaces of dayes and nights should increase and decrease Neuerthelesse these increments decrements should neither in number nor in greatnesse be equal to the increments and decrements of the nights as may be gathered very easily by sense comparing the two Triangles DNG and QNK because that more and greater segments of parallels are comprehended in the Triangle LNK then in the Triangle PNG. Fourthly if the Earth should vnequally respect the Poles and were not placed in the Center the shadowes of Gnomons erected which make right angles with the Horizon should not bee cast directly forward in one right line in the time of the Equinoxes the Sunne exactly placed in the East or West as for example let the earth be A seated in the plaine of the Equinoctiall circle BC and let there bee a Gnomon erected on the plaine of the Horizon which is represented by the circle BC It is manifest to sense that the sun setting in C the shaddowes will be cast in the opposite part towards B. Likewise the Sunne rising in B will cast his shadow towards C. But AC and AB concurre in one right line which plainely demonstrats vnto vs that the earth is seated in the plaine of the Equinoctiall But if it were placed out of it towards either side as in E if a Gnomon be set vp on the Horizon as EF wee shall see that the Sunne rising in B in the time of the Equinoctiall the shaddow will bee directed by the line EG likewise the Sun setting in C the shaddow will make the right line EH But these two right lines being produced will cut one the other in the point E and therefore cannot concurre in the same right line whereof ordinary experience witnesseth the contrary Fifthly if the Earth were thus placed it would follow by necessary consequence that two signes of the Zodiacke diametrally opposite should not be seene by a Dioptricke instrument which is against experience which witnesseth that the rising and setting of the Sunne may be seene by one right line also the rising in the Summer Solstice and the setting in the Winter Solstice to answer to each other in one right line in euery Horizon which could not bee performed vnlesse the Earth were in the Equinoctiall plaine and the Center Let there bee aâ— Horizon BDCE the Equator BC the Axel-tree of the world DE the Tropicke of Cancer FG of Capricorne HI Let the Earth first bee placed in the Center A here may plainely bee perceaued that the Equinoctiall East B and the Equinoctiall West C answer and concurre in the right line BC also that the East point of the Summer Solstice F and the West of the Winter Solstice I to concurre in the same right line FI also the Winter East point H and the Summer Westerne point G to answer mutually one to the other by the same line GH Which Apparence is confirmed of all Astronomers Now let the Earth be set in the Axis out of the Equatour in K It is manifest to sense that the contrary will alwayes happen For the Winter point of the Sunne setting I by a right line drawn from the Earth will not directly answer to the Summer point of rising F but to the point L. Likewise the Winter point of Sunne-setting G will answer to the point M and not to the Winter rising H. Whence wee haue sufficiently demonstrated this second position of the Earth beside the Center of the World to be inconuenient and no wayes to bee defended For the third position that the earth should be so remoued out of the Center as that it should neither be in the Equinoctiall plaine nor yet in the Axell-tree Wee need produce no other confutation then what wee haue said before of the other two positions Because out of this the same or greater absurdities would follow then of the other as any man may easily vnderstand out of these demonstrations wee haue before recited The second demonstratiue reason wherewith Ptolomy would confirme the Earth to be in the Center is drawne from the Ecclipse of the Moone in this manner If the Earth were not in the Center of the World there would not alwayes happen Eclipses of the Moone when the two greater lights are diametrally opposed but sometime they would happen when these great lights are not residing in opposite places of the Zodiack which is false and against experience for all Astronomers haue witnessed that eclipses of the Moone then only are seene when the Sunne the Moone stand directly opposite the one to the other because then is the earth directly interposed Now let the Center of the world be A in which if the Earth bee placed it is manifest that it then happens when the Sunne and the Moone are exactly opposed and the earth interposed directly which in this case cannot otherwise happen But if the Earth bee placed beside the Center of the world as in B. These things may fall out that the two Luminaries may reside in two opposite points of the Zodiack and yet cause no eclipse because the Earth is not in the same Diameter by the which they â—â—e opposed Also the Moone will sometimes suffer an Eclipse when shee is lesse distant from the Sunne then a semicircle In a word this eclypse is in places opposite A semicircle will then only be seene when the Diameter of opposition shall passe by the Center of the Earth and the world all which are manifestly repugnant to experience and obseruation Out of this demonstration of Ptolomy Clauius a later Astronomer in this sort drawes the like conclusion Let there be obserued two diuers eclipses of the Moon in diuerse places of the Zodiack Now because each Eclipse hapened when the Sun and the Moone were opposed the one to the other in one Diameter as Experience Astronomicall supputations warrant it must necessarily bee concluded that the earth should bee in each of those Diameters and so by consequence in the common section of them both Sith then all the Diameters of the world concurre and cut one the other in the Center it must needs follow that the Earth should bee in the Center and midst of the World Diuerse reasons there may bee drawne to proue this assertion But these demonstrations of Ptolomy as I haue set them downe enlarged and explained by our later writers may seeme sufficient especially in a matter of few called in question 2 The Position of the Earth in the Center of the World may be reconciled as well with the Diurnall motion of the Earth forementioned as the Apparences of the Heauens That this proposition may the better bee
vnderstood wee are first to set downe in a Scheme or Diagram both the number and order of all the heauenly Orbs conceiued according to our grounds Secondly we must shew in particular how this ranging of the heauenly bodies is capable of all the motions and apt to satisfy the apparences In which parts I wil not too nicely descend to Astronomicall curiosities being too many and subtile for a Geographer to discusse Only I will giue a tast to satisfie such as suppose no middle way can bee troden out betwixt Ptolomies stability of the Earth and Copernicus his three Motions I might seeme perhaps presumptuous beyond my knowledge to reiect and passe by the draughts and delineations of Ptolomy Alphonsus and their followers which are commonly defended and in vse or that other of Copernicus supported with the authority and credit of so great an Astronomer or that of Tichobrahe more corrected then either and to preferre my own being an Embrion or halfe fashioned To this I answer First that I only expose this Scheme following to the view of the iudicious iustifying it no farther then will stand with Astronomicall obseruation Secondly I herein arrogate little or nothing to my selfe for as much as I haue digested and compounded it out of the obseruations and experiments of late Astronomers and only collected together what they scattered The Scheme it selfe is expressed in this manner wherein to beginne from the lowest The Center is the Globe of the Earth to which wee haue giuen a Diurnall motion from the West to the East vpon her owne Poles whose Reuolution is made in 24 houres About the Earth as the Center of the whole world the Moone is carried in her circle which amongst all the Planets is found more neerely to respect the Earth as well in place as nature Next succeeds the Sunne as the leader of all the Planets which carried round about the earth in an Annuall circuit describes the Ecliptick circle about the Sun as the proper Center are all the Planets moued except the Moon The two immediate coÌ„panions of the Sun are Venus Mercurie which so coÌ„passe him about that the Earth neuer comes betwixt them and the Sunne The other three Planets as Mars Iupiter and Saturne howsoeuer they enuiron the Sunne as their proper Center yet so as within their circles they comprehend the body of the Earth The Planet Mars because hee is found by Astronomers to moue sometimes aboue sometimes vnder the Sunne is vnderstood to moue in such a circle which on the opposite side shall cut the circle of the Sunne yet so as Mars and the Sunne can neuer meet in one point Forasmuch as Mars as well as the other Planets is supposed to be carryed in an Epicycle about the Sunne and to keepe an equall distance from him howsoeuer moued Neither is he euer found vnder the Sunne but about the time of the opposition as Astronomers obserue whence a cause hath beene giuen why Mars should appeare greatest at the time of Opposition These fiue Planets to wit Saturne Iupiter Mars Venus and Mercury may bee considered according to a double motion The one is proper and naturall wherein they are moued about the Sunne as their proper Center The other Accidentall and as it were by a consequence of Nature whereby in their circuit mouing about the Sunne as their Center they must of necessity by a consequent site of the place be carryed about the Earth For the Sunne placed in his Eclipticke line so compasseth round the Earth that with him hee is supposed to carry the Epicyâ—les wherein these Planets are moued round a-about him Whence wee finde the motion of these Planets about the Sunne as their owne Center to bee regular but about the Earth irregular which proceeds from their Excentricity in respect of the Earth Aboue all the Planets wee place the Firmament or Starry Heauen hauing a very slow motion not to bee finished in many thousand yeeres and this motion is on other Poles then the Poles of the world to bee sought out in or neere the Poles of the Eclipticke This Heauen would Aristotle haue to bee the first moueable and therefore gaue it a very swift motion which is the same which wee call Diurnall and haue giuen to the Earth But it seemes more consonant to nature that the slower motions should agree to the higher bodies and the swifter to the lower that there might be a proportion betwixt the time and the space of motion It remaines that wee probably shew that out of their suppositions the Celestiall Apparences may bee as well or better salued then by the ordinary grounds The Apparences which are most called in question concerne either the Motion or the Places and Positions All the rest are either of lesse moment or at least are thereunto reduced Euery motion which is found or thought to bee found in the Heauens is either the Diurnall or Periodicke The Diurnall Motion as wee haue already shewed belongs to the Earth which according to our grounds is supposed to moue from the West vnto the East in 24 houres Which may answer to the Motion of the first moueable Spheare which according to Aristotle is the Starry Firmament and thought to moue from the East to the West The Periodicke Motion is either a slower Motion to be finished not vnder many thousand yeeres or else a swifter Reuolution of the Planets This slow motion the common Astronomers would haue towfold The one from the West to the East on the Poles of the Eclipticke the other a Motion as they call it of Trepidation from the South point to the North and backward againe but one slow Motion of the sixt Starres vpon the Poles of the Eclipticke granted to the Firmament will for ought I see satisfy both The reason why they put two distinct Motions is 1 Because they haue obserued the Starres of Aries Taurus and the rest of the Zodiacke not to be seated in the same place wherein they were anciently found but to be moued certaine degrees from the West towards the East Whence they would conclude a Motion to bee from the West vnto the East 2. It will stand with no lesse experience that the foresaid Starres of the Firmament haue moued themselues from the South towards the North. To passe ouer the râ—st the Pole-star which in Hipparchus time was distant from the Pole about 12 Degrees is now obserued to approach almost three degrees These two Motions should they bee esteemed in the account of Astronomers might seeme deficient Notwithstanding wee may probably coniecture this to bee no other then one and the selfe-same Motion vpon the Poles of the Eclipticke Whence it may come to passe that the fixt Starres are not only carryed from West to East but also by reason of the obliquity of the Eclipticke line encline more and more dayly to the Pole of the World whence they may againe returne For this motion from the West to the East is of the primary intent of
360 by multiplication is produced hath exactly these parts 1.2.3.4.5.6.10.12.15.20.30 Likewise 360 hath exactly 1.2.3.4.5.6.8.9.10.12.15.18.20.24.30.36.40.46.60.72.90.120.180 Of all which parts there is so great vse in Astronomy and many times in Geography that without it there would be small exactnesse For as we see a yard measure would little steed the Mercer or Clothier except it were againe diuided into smaller parts so fals it out in the account of the Cosmographer 3 Of the Terrestriall Circles some are Absolute some Relatiue the Absolute are such as are assigned without any respect to our sight of which sort are the Meridians and Parallells 4. The Meridian is a circle drawne by the Poles of the world and the verticall point of the place The Meridian Circle is so called of Astronomers because when the Sun according to their suppositions by the motion of the first moueable comes into this Circle it makes mid-day and then hath been running his course from his rising to arriue there iust so long as he shall be mouing from thence to the place of his setting In this Meridian are placed the two Poles of the Equator which are the same with the Poles of the world in this also are the verticall point and the point opposite vnto it tearmed the Poles of the Horizon whereof we shall speake hereafter So that so many Meridians are imagined to be in the Earth as there are vertical points for howsoeuer we see not many Meridians painted on the face of the artificiall Globe yet must there be so many imagined in the reall Earth as Zenithes and Horizons so that it is impossible for a man to moue neuer so little from East to West without changing his Meridian yet for more order sake haue the Cosmographers reduced the number of Meridians to halfe the number of the degrees in a Circle to wit to 180 that euery Meridian cutting the Equator and other Parallels in two opposite places should answer to two degrees in the same Circle By which it appeares that euery Meridian diuides the Terrene Globe in two halfes whereof the one is respectiuely tearmed of the East the other of the West But to auoid all ambiguity of speech we ought to consider that a Meridian is twofold either the true Meridian or Magneticall Meridian The true Meridian ordinarily so called is that which directly passeth by the Poles of the World of which wee here treat which indeed as wee shall shew is the onely true magneticall Meridian But that which some haue falsly called the Magneticall Meridian is that which runneth by the Poles of the Magneticall Variation and much differs from the true because as we haue taught the variation is diuerse according to the diuersity of place therefore cannot answer in any certaine proportion to the Poles of the Terrene Globe The true Meridian Circle as it hath manifold vse in Astronomy namely to distinguish mid-day and midnight to measure the rising and setting of the Starres c. matters not to bee neglected of Geographers so hath it a more speciall vse in Geography to designe the longitudes and latitudes of the places with their distances with many other matters treated of hereafter 5 Concerning the Meridian circle wee are to know two things The Inuention of it and the Distinction The inuention is whereby wee are taught to find out the true Meridian in any place assigned 6 The Inuention of the Meridian is againe twofold the one more Accurate which is either Astronomicall or Magneticall the other Popular the Astronomicall way is performed by obseruing the celestiall motion The Meridian may bee found out the Astronomicall way in diuerse manners by Instruments deuised for this purpose by ingenious Artificers whereof some are described by Gemma Frisius in his Cosmographie But to auoid the cost of curious Instruments I will set downe our way depending on this Theoreme 1 If two seuerall Sunne-shadowes bee obserued the one in the fore-noone the other in the afternoone of the same day exactly to touch with their ends the Circumference of the same circle described in a Plaine Parallell to the plaine of the Horizon The line from the Center equally diuiding the Arch of that Circle betwixt the two shaddowes will bee the true Meridian circle for that place This Theoreme howsoeuer consisting of many parts is notwithstanding easie enough to bee vnderstood being explayned by an ocular demonstration Let there bee gotten a platforme of wood or metall and placed euenly that it may lye parallell with the plaine of the Horizon In this plaine let there bee described diuerse circles from the same Center E. In this Center let there bee raysed a Gnomon EF to right angles so that the top of this Gnomon F shall euery where bee equally distant from the circumference of each circle described in the plaine which may easily bee knowne because if it bee equally distant from any three points of any circles Circumference it will also bee equally distant from all the rest alike as Clauius hath taught in the 4 of his Gnomonicks This platforme being thus ordered let the shaddow of the Gnomon bee obserued sometimes before Noone vntill such time as it exactly shall touch the circumference of one of those circles as in EG Againe in the Afternoone let the shaddow bee obserued till with his end it meet the circumference of the same circle as in EH which will happen so many houres afternoone as the other before Noone These two points G and H being diligently obserued let the Arch of the Circle GH bee diuided into two halfes with a line drawne from the Center E which shall bee ED. This line ED will bee the true Meridian for that place on which when the shadow of the gnomon shall happen to fall wee may assure our selues that it is full Noone 7 The Magneticall Inuention is performed by the Magneticall Directory Needle This way is subiect to much errour and not so certaine as the former because as wee haue shewed before there are found very few places which admit not some of Variation yet because it may bee profitable to such who haue not the Command alwayes of the Sunne or sight of the Starres I will insert this Theoreme 1 The Line wherein the Directory needle is directed from North to South is the Meridian for the place This may bee shewed in any Marriners Compasse or 〈◊〉 Sunne-Dyall whose needle is magnetically touched For bâ—â—ing set euenly parallell to the playne of the Horizon it will shew by the needle the Miridian for that place in euery verticall point on the earth For example in the Sea-Compasse in the next page experience will witnesse in euery Region of the Earth that the one point signed out by the Lilly will alwayes turne to the North the other opposite part will turne it selfe to the South which two parts being ioyned together by a right Line will shew the Meridian foâ—â—â—at place The Meridian I say not alwayes the true for this Inuention taken from
yet may the rest compared amongst themselues be ranged in a certaine order as the Second Third Fourth Fifth and so along till we come againe to the First being in all reduced to the number of 180 answering to 360 Degrees as wee haue taught So much for the Meridians 11 The Parallels are equidistant Circles passing from the East to the West directly I haue defined the Parallell Circles in a larger sense then former Geographers vsually haue taken it in as willing vnder this generall name not onely to include the Parallels commonly so called but also the Equatour because I see no reason why the Equatour being euery where equidistant from each other Circle should not suffer this acception The common sort of Cosmographers vnder this name would onely comprize the minor Circles which are conceiued to bee equally distant and correspondent to the Equinoctiall Circle so that all should bee so called in respect of the Equatour to whom they are said to answer not in site and position for as much as they decline from the middle of the Earth to the North and South but in Comparison and Proportion for as the Equatour is drawne from East to West and diuides the whole Spheare of the Earth into the North and South Hemispheares So the other also diuide the Globe of the Earth though not into two equall parts as the Equatour but vnequall These Parallels many wayes are distingushed from the Meridians first because the Meridians are drawne directly from North to South but the Parallels from East to West Secondly the Meridians how many soeuer they are imagined to bee concurre and meete all in the Poles of the Earth whereas the Parallels howsoeuer drawne out at length will neuer concurre or meete in any point Whence it must needes follow that all Parallels and Meridians in the Globe must cut one the other and make right angles These Parallels although infinite in number may bee in the Spheare reduced to the number of the Meridians because they are drawne through the opposite points and degrees of the Meridian Semi-circle which would make vp the number of 180 but yet for Conueniency they haue not painted so many in the face of the Artificiall Spheare for as much as so many lines and circles might beget Confusion Wherefore Ptolomy and the Ancients haue distinguished the Parallels on both sides the Equator North and South with such a Distance that where the day should increase one quarter of an houre a new Parallel should be placed So that the longest day of one Parallell should surpasse the longest day of another for one quarter of an houre By which appeares that the Parallels are not of one greatnesse but by how much neerer the Pole they are placed so much lesse are they and so much greater by how much farther off from the Poles and neerest the Equatour These Circles are of great vse in Geographie as to distinguish the Zone Climats and Latitudes of Regions to shew the Eleuation of the Pole and to designe out the length and shortnesse of the day in any part of the Earth 12 A Parallell Circle is of two sorts either greater or lesser The greater is the Equatour or equinoctiall Circle 13 The Equatour is the greatest of the Parallels passing through the middest of the Earth and exactly diuiding them from the Poles into two equall halfes or Hemispheares whereof the one is North the other South This Circle is called the Equatour or Equinoctiall of Astronomers because that when the Sunne passeth vnder it as vpon the 11 of March and the 13 of September it makes the Day and Night equall This Circle of Astronomers is esteemed the most notable being the measure of the Diurnall and most regular Motions The Laâ—ines haue taken the name and appellation of this Circle from the Day as the Greeks from the Night Wherein the Sense is no way varyed because the equality of the Day argues the like equality of the Night The two Poles of the Circle are the same with the Poles of the Vniuersall Earth to wit the Articke or North-Pole and the Antarticke and Southerne Pole whereof the former is alwayes conspicuous in our Horizon the other lies couched and hidde from our Sight It is called the Articke-pole from the Constellation of the little Beare in the Heauens neere to the which it is situated in opposition to the which the other is called Antarticke It hath manifold vse in Astronomy copiously by Astronomers And no lesse in Geography for without this Equinoctiall Circle no Description of the Earth can be absolute perfect neither any Citie or Place in the Terrestriall Globe or Mappe set in his due and proper place This Equinoctiall Circle in regard of the Earth passeth through the middle-most part almost of Africa by Ethiopia America and Taprobana So that it exactly diuideth the Globe of the Earth into two halfes the Northerne and Southerne Hemispheares so that these people which dwell vnder the Equatour are said to inhabite the middle of the world because they incline neither to the North nor to the South hauing so much distance from the Articke Antarticke-Pole of the Earth Moreouer by this Circle as wee will declare hereafter are noted out vnto vs the East and West part of the Spheare no way to be neglected of Geographers 1 Concerning the Equatour two things are to be obserued either the Inuention or the Site and Position The Inuention is either Astronomicall or Magneticall The Astronomicall according to these Rules 1 The Meridian being found out to find the Equator This is easily performed by the helpe of the former Figure for therein the Meridian line being found out as we haue shewed let there bee drawne by the Center E of that Circle the line AC making right Angles with the said Meridian which line AC will bee the true Equatour and will point out vnto vs the true East and West as A the East and C the West Whence it appeares that the two lines to wit of the Equatour and the Meridian doe diuide and cut the whole Horizon into two equall Quadrants 2 Without the helpe of the Meridian to find out the Equatour In the time of either Equinoctiall in some Horizontall plaine in the Sunne-shine let there bee erected a Gnomon then in the day time let there bee noted all the points by which the end or top of the shadow hath passed for all those points in the time of Equinoctiall are in a right line because then the end of the shadow is carried in a line in the time of the Equinox in a Herizontall plaine This line will bee the true Equinoctiall-line the cause is giuen by Clauius in Gnomonicis lib. 1. prop. 1. Corollar 2. which depending on many Geometricall and Astronomicall principles as too far from my purpose I omit 15 The Magneticall inuention of the Equatour is wrought by the Magneticall Inclinatory Needle according to this Proposition 1 Wheresoeuer at any place of the Terrestriall
Spheare the Inclinatory Needle shall conforme it selfe in a Parallell-wise to the Axell of the Earth through that place passeth the Equinoctiall Line As to finde out the Meridian of any place wee are to vse the helpe of the Directory Needle so to the finding out of the Equatour and Parallels the Inclinatory Needle is most necessary because the former respects the Magneticall Motion of Direction the latter of Declination Now wheresoeuer wee shall see the Needle to conforme it selfe in such sort as it may lie Parallell with the Axell of the Earth we may assure our selues that such a place is vnder the Equinoctiall Circle The reason whereof wee haue giuen in our 3 Chapter out of the CoÌ„uertible nature of the Magnet and here needs no repetition only wee will insert this one figure wherein the line CD drawne through the Centers of two Inclinatory Needles lying Parallell to the Axell of the Earth A. B. will expresse this Equinoctiall line which wee here seeke For the Magneticall Inclinatory Needle being set in a Frame or Ring made for such a purpose will vnder the Equator respect one Pole no more then another but lie leuell with the Plaine of the Horizon as vnder the Poles it will make right Angles with the Plaine of the Horizon In the middle spaces betwitxt the Equatour and the Poles it will conforme it selfe in such sort as it makes certaine Angles with the Axell of the Earth though not equall yet proportionall to the Latitude out of which an ingenious Artificer may deduce the Parallels of any place without any obseruations of the Heauens as is taught by Instruments inuented by Gilbert Ridley and diuers others which haue vndertaken this subiect 16 Of the Inuention of the Equatour wee haue spoken In the site we ought to consider the placing of the Equator in respect of the world 1 The Equatour is an vnmoueable Circle whose Poles neuer vary from the â—ixt Poles of the world Whether the Poles of the Equator haue been any times varied from the Poles of the world is a controuersie which hath exercised the greatest wits Ioseph Scaliger trusting as it seemes more to ancient History then Moderne experiment seemes in two Epistles not only to make a doubt whether the Poles of the Equatour haue continued the same with the Poles of the world but superâ—iliously as the manner of most criticks is rather out of coniecture then Reason to taxe the common opinion of manifest errour and absurdity The ground and originall of this doubt growes out of the obseruation of the fixt Stars which haue since the Times of the Ancients beene found to bee moued out of their places or at least not to retaine the same points in the Period of the Sunnes Motion The chiefest Instances are taken from the stars in the Hornes of Aries which in Hyparchus time which liued aboue 60 yeeres before Ptolomy were obserued to bee not much distant from the Equinoxe and before him in the very point it selfe but in our time remoued about 28 Degrees off Also it is obserued in the Cynosure or Pole-star that in Hyparchus time it was distant from the Pole about 12 Degrees which wee finde in our time to bee scarce 3 Degrees distant To salue this Apparence Ptolomy inuented a slow motion of the Starry Heauen or Firmament whereby the Fixt stars might bee remoued farther off from the Equinoctiall points in the Eclipticke whence of a consequence the Pole-starre should not keep the same position in respect of the Pole it selfe but vary his site according to the Motion which opinion hath a long time passed without contradiction till Copernicus out of new grounds sought for this Motion in the Earth to which hee assigned no lesse then three Motions Since Copernicus arose Ioseph Scaliger who contradicting the common receiued grounds and yet for ought I see not trusting to the suppositions of Copernicus would bring in another opinion to wit that the Stars of the Firmâ—ment are not moued from the point of the Equinoxe but rather that the point is carryed away from the stars The decision of this point I dare not vndertake better becomming the learned and industrious endeauours of our worthy Professours M. Doctour Bainbrigge and M. Henry Brigges as best suiting with their Learning and Profession Ipse semipaganus ad sacra vatum carmen offero nostrum Neuerthelesse as a Learner for mine owne satisfaction I would willingly enter a little into conference with this great and admired Oracle Ioseph Scaliger to sound the certainty of his grounds That the Pole-starre saith hee was so far distant from the Pole as 12 Degrees was no true obseruation but the errour of Hyparchus who afterwards by his authority deceiued Ptolomy and He Posterity The Reasons hee alleadged are 1 Because Eudoxus which was more ancient then Hyparchus obserued the same star to bee in no other place then where now it is 2 Because that greater light of Astronomy Copernicus perceiuing the Equinoxes and Solstitiall points to be moued was enforced to inuent other grounds but because his demonstrations depended only on the Apparences hee sought out this effect in the motion of the Earth If it were manners to oppose so great a Scholler as Ioseph Scaliger I would aske a few questions why we should not credite the obseruations of Hyparchus Ptolomy and all posterity as well as of Eudoxus sith Antiquity without consent approbation is no great argument of truth Neuerthelesse if the matter be well examined we shall perhaps find Antiquity to be more firme on our side The same reason as I take it may be giuen for the stars in the Hornes of Aries as of the Pole-starre because all the fixt-starres by the consent of all are imagined to keep the same vniforme site among themselues in such sort as the varying of some would disorder all the rest at least argue the like variety or change of all Now to proue the stars of Aries to haue beene varyed many of the Ancients as Master Hues hath obserued liuing in diuers times haue confirmed The first star of Aries which in the time of Meto Atticus was obserued in the Vernall Intersection in the time of Thales Milesius was before it 2 Degrees in Tymocharis age it was after it 2 Degrees 24 Minutes In Hipparchus time 4 Degrees 40 Minutes in Abbumazars 17 Degrees 50 Minutes in Albarens 18 Degrees 10 Minutes in Arzachels 19 Deg. 37 Min. in Alphonsus his time 23 Deg. 48 Min In the time of Copernicus and Rheticus 27 Degrees 21. Min. In our time about 28. Against all these Testimonies if we should oppose the Testimony of Eudoxus and Scaâ—iger wee should bee thought very partiall to preferre them before the consent of Antiquity Eudoxus though very Antient being but one and the other one of the last If any should obiect that Eudoxus spake onely of the Pole-starre and not of the stars in the hornes of Aries I answere as before that the same reason is to bee
giuen of them both For as much as if the Pole-starre in Eudozus time moued in a Parallell Equidistant from the Pole of the Equatour which he seemes to contend then must also the stars of Aries which were found once to bee in the point of the vernall Equinoxe moue alwayes in the Equinoctiall circle and neuer vary from it which is contrary to all the Testimonies before alleadged Secondly where he saith that Copernicus perceiuing this error left a base discouery without any Demonstration except onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I would know how Ioseph Scaliger by any other meanes came to know it I alwayes supposed it a principle amongst Mathematicians that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had beene the surest ground of Mathematicall Demonstration for euery reason which can be alleadged must of necessity bee grounded on meere coniecture as forged in a mans braine without any obseruation of Nature or else suggested vnto vs from the things themselues How little dependency is on the Former let euery man iudge where it is as easie for euery man to deny as affirme and such fancies are better reserued in the braine wherein they were first hatched then bee suffered to proceed further If wee deriue our Argument as we ought to doe from the footsteppes of Nature wee must draw it either from the Forme it selfe or from some effect or propriety arising from it The former is vnpossible I may well say in any thing because the first forme and nature no wayes discouers it selfe to our vnderstanding but by the apparent Accidents much lesse can this bee hoped for in the Heauens being as far distant from vs in space as Nature If then we are left only to the later what other ground can we haue of our Argumentation then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Apparences which kind of way Scaliger in Copernicus striues to sleight or reiect as weake or deficient taking then this to bee the onely way to search as neere as wee can into the truth of their matters wee will in the third place shew how far it may oppose Scaliger and fauour our Assertion That the first Star of Aries is more distant from the Equinoctiall point is a matter which seemes to bee agreed on by all sides This Apparence must necessarily arise out of some Motion This Motion must bee sought either in the Earth as Copernicus would haue or in the Heauens That it cannot with any great probability bee in the Earth wee haue shewed in the third Chapter where wee haue proued it to haue a Magneticall verticity whereby it continually respects the same Poles The Arguments I confesse are only probable but this is an opinion which Scaliger defendeth not If wee seeke this effect in the Heauens it must of necessity which Scaliger confesseth happen one of these 2 wayes For either the stars standing vnmoueable the Equinoctiall Solstitiall points must bee moued or els the stars themselues should moue as Ptolomy defends Here I cannot but remember a merry answer of that great Atlas of Arts Sir Henry Sauile in the like question Being once inuited vnto his Table and hauing entred into some familiar discourses concerning Astronomicall suppositions I asked him what he thought of the Hypothesis of Copernicus who held the Sunne to stand fixt and the Earth to bee subiect to a Triple Motion His answer was hee cared not which were true so the Apparences were solued and the accompt exact sith each way either the old of Ptolomy or the new of Copernicus would indifferently serue an Astronomer Is it not all one saith he sitting at Dinner whether my Table be brought to mee or I goe to my Table so I eat my meat Such an answer would aswell befit this question whether the first star of Aries should bee moued from the Equinoctiall point or the point from it 't is a matter should little trouble a Cosmographer so either way might indifferently serue to salue the apparent obseruations But how Scaliger vpon this granted supposition would make all whole without disturbing the order and forme of Nature in the celestiall Machine what Regular motion he would giue the Sunne whose period describes the Equinoctiall points which he makes moueable what other Poles he would assigne to the world besides that of the Equator is a matter of a more curious search and besides the limits of my subiect The full discussion of which points as most of the rest Illis relinquo quorum imagines lambunt Hederae sequaces 17 The lesser Parallels are equidistant lines answering to the Equator which diuide the Globe of the Earth into two vnequall parts 18 These lesser Parallels are againe of two sorts either Named or Namelesse Named are such as are called by speciall names and haue more speciall vse in Geographie such as are the two Tropicks and the two Polar circles 19 The Tropicks are Parallels bounding the Suns greatest declination which is either to the North and is called the Tropicke of Cancer or towards the South and is called the Tropicke of Capricorne The Tropickes haue taken their names from the conuersion or turning backe of the Sunne because the Sunne declining from the Equinoctiall circle either North or South proceedeth in his course no further then this circle and so turneth backe so that in the heauens they are as limits and bounds comprehending within them that space without the which the Sunne neuer moues Consonant to these Celestiall Tropicks are there imagined in the earth the like immediately placed vnder them which are apparent not onely by Application of the Celestiall Globe and his parts to the Terrestriall but also out of the Magneticall disposition of the earth as wee haue already shewed The Tropicke bounding the Suns greatest declination towards the North is called the Tropicke of Cancer because the Sunne arriuing at that Tropicke is lodged in the signe of Cancer The other is termed the Tropicke of Capricorne because the Sunne touching that Tropicke is in that signe The distance of these Tropickes from the Equatour is ordinarily put 23 Degrees and 30 Minutes which is also the distance of the Poles of the Eclipticke from the Poles of the world The Tropick of Cancer as it is conceiued in the Earth passeth by the greater Asia by the Red-Sea or Sinus Arabicus and China and India But the Tropicke of Capricorne situate on the Southerne side runneth along by the most Southerne coast of Africke and that part of America which is called Brasilia Besides many Ilands in the Indian Sea 2 The Polar circles are Parallels answering to the Polar circles of the Heauens drawne by the Poles of the Eclipticke These are of two sorts either the Articke compassing round the North-Pole or the Antarticke compassing round the Antarticke or South Pole The Polar Circles as they are conceiued in the heauens by Astronomers are described by the Poles of the Eclipticke carried by the diurnall motion about the Poles of the world Correspondent to these circles in the heauens
are imagined two circles on the earth which wee also call Polar and if wee beleeue Gilbert with other Magneticall Philosophers they are primarily in the Earth as that which is the true subiect of diurnall motion These circles thus described by the Pole of the Eclipticke must needs challenge the same distance from the Pole which the Pole of the Eclipticke hath to wit 23. Degrees and 30 Minutes The Greeks haue taken the Polar circles in another sense then the Latines for by these Polar circles as it appeares by Proclus and Cleomedes they vnderstand not such circles as are described by the Pole of the Zodiacke but two other circles whereof the one is greatest of all the Parallels which alwayes appeares aboue our Horizon the other is the greatest of all those Parallels which lie hid in our Horizon perpetually The reason why the Graecians tooke it in this sense was because by these circles they could know and distinguish those stars which alwayes are seene and neuer set as those which are comprehended of the Articke circle from those which alwayes lie hidde and neuer rise as such as the Antarticke containes Whence it manifestly appeares that the two Polar circles as they are taken of the Graecians in all Regions are not of the same quantity greatnesse but are greater in oblique Spheare then in a right but our Polar circles are at all places alike in their quantity Of these the one tearmed Articke in the Earth passeth by Islandia the top of Norway and Finland with many adioyning Ilands and the Southerne part of Green-land as may appeare by our ordinary Geographicall Mappes The other Polar circle called Antarticke passeth through the South part of the world as yet vndiscouered except for some few parcels as Terra del Feugo and Psiitacorum Regio with somewhat more lately discouered by the Spaniards The chiefest vse as well of these as other parallels is to distinguish the Zones and Climates in the Globe whereof wee shall haue occasion to treate hereafter 21 The Namelesse Parallels are such as are not knowne by speciall Names nor of so great vse in Geographie These namelesse parallels may bee well vnderstood by that which we haue aboue spoken for howsoeuer they bee not called by particular and speciall names yet are they all of the same nature All these parallels beside the Equatour though infinite in number may notwithstaÌ„ding in the spheare be reduced to the number of the Meridians because they are drawne through the opposite points of the Meridian semicircle so that wee might account 180 but yet there are not so many painted on the face of the Artificiall Globe wherefore Ptolomy with the ancients haue distinguished the parallels on both sides North and South beginning from the Equatour at such a distance that where the day should increase one quarter of an houre a new parallell should be placed so that the longest day of one parallell should exceed the longest day of another parallell by one quarter of an houre Euery one of these parallels is supposed to be diuided into 360 Degrees as all the rest of the other circles yet are we to note that the degrees and parts of a greater circle are greater of the lesser lesse according to the proportion of the said circle the same haue the proportion that a great circle hath to a lesse so that the same degrees and parts of a quarter circle to the degrees and parts of the lesser as may be gathered from the first proposition of the second booke of Theodosius now to know rightly this proportion we must first finde out the summary declination for euery region which being once found we may proceed in this manner by the doctrine of Triangles 1 Let the signe of the Complement of the Declination of the lesser Circle bee multiplied by the whole Circle and the product bee diuided by the totall signe there will arise the number of Degrees of the lesser Circle such as whereof the greater consists The reason hereof is shewed in Geometry and therefore need we not to insert a demonstration for there we learne that as the totall â—inge is to the signe of the CoÌ„plement of the Declination of any Parallell so is the Periphery of the greater circle to the Periphery of the Parallell As for example if we would know what proportion the Equatour hath to the Parallell which passeth by the Verticall point of Rome whose Declination is about 42 Degrees I multiply the signe of the Complement of this Declination that is the signe of 48 Degrees to wit 74314 by 360 the product whereof is 26753040 which I diuide agayne by 100000 and find 267 degrees and ½ whence I gather that the Equatour to the Parallell of Rome or a degree of the Equatour to a degree of the Parallell of Rome hath the same proportion that that 360 hath to 276 ½ which is the same that 4 hath to 3. 22 Hitherto haue we spoken of the Absolute Circles such as are the Meridians and Parallels wee are to treate in the last place of a Relatiue Circle which is conceiued in respect to our sight this Circle is called the Horizon 23 The Horizon is a Circle which diuides the vpper and visible parts of the Terrestriall Globe from the lower and inuisible The name of the Horizon is taken from the bounding or termination of the sight because it is a Circle comprehending all that space which is visible of vs distinguishing it from the rest which lurkes inuisible as if a man should bee placed in a high and eminent place of the Earth and should looke round about him euery way to the East West North and South Hee will seeme to see the heauens on euery side to concurre with the earth so that beyond it can be seene nor heauen nor earth which concurrence of the heauens with the earth will describe vnto vs the Horizontall Circle for that place assigned But here wee are to note that the Horizon is two fold either the Rationall or Sensible Horizon The Rationall precisely diuides the Globe into two equall parts But the sensible or apparent Horizon is no other then that Circle in the earth which is designed out by the sight from which the name seemes to bee deriued This sensible Horizon differs from the rationall diuers wayes first because the rationall diuides the whole spheare into two equall parts but the sensible into two vnequall parts Secondly because the rationall is alwayes certaine and the same in the same place and of alike greatnesse whereas the other is greater or lesser for the condition of the place or sight for the semidiameter of the rationall is the same with the semidiameter of the earth but the semidiameter of the other seldome or neuer exceeds 60 miles on the Earth Thirdly because the rationall Horizon passeth by the Center of the Earth whereas the sensible toucheth onely the surface of it in that point where the Inhabitant standeth all which differences may bee
that it inclines no more on the one side then on the other but lies euen as wee see in the surface of the water when it rests quiet without motion for howsoeuer the water so resting as we haue formerly demonstrated is alwayes sphericall yet in a small distance in the sensible Horizon it may to sense be represented by a plaine 25 So much for the Inuention The Distinction of the Horizon is into three sorts for either it is a right Horizon or oblique or parallell 26 A right Horizon is that which with the Equator makes Right Angles This distinction growes naturally out of the Respect of the Horizon to the Equatour For sith the Equatour is one and the selfe-same immoueable circle and the Horizon is mutable and changed according to his diuerse verticall points they cannot alwayes keepe the same situation in regard one of the other This they haue reduced into three heads for either it is Right or Oblique or Parallell The Right is so called from the right Angles which the Horizon makes with the Equator wherein the two poles are alwayes couched in the Horizon and the Equator passing directly ouer their heads as is plaine to be seene in this figure here affixed such an Horizon haue these Inhabitants which dwell directly vnder the Equinoctiall line in the very middest of the Torrid Zone such an Horizon agrees to a great part of Africke to a part of Peru in America Also to most of the Molucco Ilands the Ilands of Taprobana and S. Thomas but no part of Europe is subiect to such a Right Horizon The cause of this variation of Horizons is the naturall roundnesse of the Earth For the earth being supposed to bee sphericall as we haue before demonstrated it must of necessity follow that the site of the poles should be changed according to the diuersity of the places Also because wheresoeuer we are placed on the Earth as wee haue shewed all impediments of the sight as mountaines and vallies put apart we can behold the Hemispheare of the Heauens which middle part being set downe is diuided from the part vnseene by the Horizon it must needs bee that either both the poles must be in the Horizon and so make a Right Spheare or at least one must bee aboue and seene and the other hid from the sight and so much as one is eleuated aboue the Horizon must the other bee couched vnder it For otherwise wee should see more or lesse then a precise moity or halfe of the Heauens sith the poles differ one from the other the halfe of the whole Heauens to wit by the Diameter of the world 27 An oblique Horizon is that which with the Equator makes oblique Angles Those Inhabitants are said to haue an oblique Horizon whose site and position declines somewhat from the Equator either to the North or South towards either pole yet so that the pole bee not eleuated so high as 90 Degrees for then it becomes a Parallell Horizon as wee shall shew in the next The representation of such an oblique Spheare may bee seene in this Diagram wherein the Horizon cuts the Equatour at oblique Angles whence it is called oblique Clauius seemes to adde another reason of this appellation to wit because in such an Horizon one pole is alwayes eleuated aboue and the other hid but this reason seemes too generall as that which agrees not onely to an Oblique but also to a Parallell Spheare From this Horizon by Iohannes de Sucrobosco the Spheare is called Artificiall because as Clauius coniectures it is variable and doth naturally diuide the Globe For whereas the Horizon of the Right Spheare passeth by either Pole it seemes by it selfe as it were Naturally and Directly to diuide the Spheare and this diuision is no way variable as that it should bee more or lesse Right but contrariwise in the oblique Spheare sith one Pole is placed aboue and the other beneath it seemes to be placed out of his naturall site and position Moreouer this Oblique Horizon is variable according to the diuersity of habitations so that it may be to some more to others lesse Oblique for so much the more Oblique must it be by how much the neerer it is placed to the Poles The Inhabitants of an Oblique Spheare are such as seated betwixt the Equator and either of the Tropicks of Cancer and Capricorne or such as dwell betwixt either Tropicke and the Polar-circle 28 A Parallell Horizon is that which lies Parallell to the Equator making no angles at all with it Such a kinde of Horizon those Inhabitants are said to haue which are included betwixt the Poles of the world and the Polar circles whose Horizon cuts not the Equatour at any Angles at all either Right or Oblique but lies Parallell vnto it as we see in this Figure here set downe Some haue reduced this kinde of Spheare to an Oblique Horizon in regard that in this site our Pole is eleuated aboue the Horizon and the other depressed vnder in which opinion Clauius seemes to second Iohannes de Sacrobosco on whom hee comments But this is ridiculous because the Spheare is called Right or Oblique as wee haue taught from the Angles which the Horizon makes with the Equator wherefore that Horizon which makes no Angles at all cannot bee called either Right or Oblique but is necessarily distinguished from either On this distinction of Horizons is grounded the diuision of the Inhabitants of the Earth according to three kinds of Spheares of whose accidents and proprieties wee shall more fully treat hereafter in the dictinction of the parts and Inhabitants of the Terrestriall Spheare because such proprieties cannot so well be taught without the knowledge of the Artificiall Spheare whose Nature and Fabricke wee shall labour God willing in our next Chapter to vnfold CHAP. VII Of the Artificiall Representation of the Terrestriall Spheare 1 HAuing hitherto treated of the Terrestriall Spheare as it is Naturall or reall wee are in the next place to speake of the Artificiall Globe The Artificiall Globe is an expression or imitation of the Spheare of the Earth 2 The Artificiall imitation of the Earth is either Common or Magneticall The common is againe twofold either in the Globe or in the Geographicall Mappe or Table 3 The Geographicall Globe is a round solid Body adorned with Lineaments pictures seruing for the vse of Geographers Who was the first Inuentour of this Artificiall Globe it is not euident some thinke with Pliny that it was found out by Atlas and carried into Greece by Hercules Others haue ascribed it to Anaximander Milesius some to Musaeus as Diogenes Laërtius others to other Authors amongst whom Architas Tarentinus is not forgotten as one that was esteemed the rarest Mathematician of his time But all these were out-stripped by Archimedes the Syracusan Mathematician who is said to haue composed a Spheare of transparent glasse representing vnto the life the whole frame of the Heauens wherein the Sunne
Moone and Starres with their true motions periods and limits were shewed to the sight in such sort as if it were naturall whereof Claudian the Poët elegantly wrote in these Verses Claudian in Epigrammat Iupiter in paruo cùm cerneret aethera vitro Risit ad Superos talia dicta dedit Huccine mortalis progressa potentia curae Iam meus infragili â—uditur orbe labor Iura poli rerumque fidem legésque Deorum Ecce Syracusius transtulit arte Senex Inclusus varijs famulatur spiritus astris Et viuum certis motibus vrget opus Percurrit proprium mentitus signifer annum Et simulata nouo Cynthia mense redit Iamque suum voluens audax industria mundum Gaudet humana sidera mente regi Quid falso insontem tonitru Salmonea miror Aemula naturae parua reperta manus In a small glasse when Ioue beheld the Skies He smil'd and thus vnto the gods replies Could man so far extend his studious care To mocke my labours in a brittle Spheare Heauens lawes mans wayes and Natures soueraigne right This Stage of Syracuse translates to sight A soule within on various stars attends And moues the quicke-worke vnto certaine ends A faigning Zodiacke runnes his proper yeere And a false Cynthia makes new monethes appeare And now bold Art takes on her to command And rule the Heauenly Starres with humane hand Who can admire Salmonean harmlesse Thunder When a flight hand stirres Nature vp to wonder But this Spheare of Archimedes I take to be more then an ordinary Globe commonly vsed amongst vs as may appeare by the Poëts description so that it may rather be likened to the Spheare lately composed by Cornelius Trebelius and presented vnto King Iames. The like whereof Peter Ramus sayes he saw two at Paris yet not of glasse but of Iron the one of which Ruellius the Physician brought from the spoiles of Sicily the other of which Orontius the Mathematician recouered likewise from the Germane warres But of such kind of Globes hauing neuer yet had the happines to see any I intend no description In the meane time our common Geographicall Globes may well serue our turnes 4 In the Terrestriall Globe two things are to be considered 1 The Fabrick or Structure 2 The Vse 3 The Direction In the former is taught the composition of the Globe by resoluing of it into it's parts 1 The parts whereof the Globe is Geographically compounded are circles and pictures To explaine the true composition of the Artificiall Globe not Physically as it consists of timber and mettall but Geographically as it represents the Earth we are to consider that the parts of it are either Externall or Internall Externall I call those parts which are without the Spheare it selfe yet necessarily concurre to the constitution of it These parts are such as concurre to the making of the Stocke or Frame whereunto our Spheare is set where to let passe the footing or lower board wherein in the old Globes was engraffed a Marriners Compasse with a Needle magnetically touched very profitable for the direction of the Spheare I will onely speake of the great Timber Circle encompassing round the whole Globe because it more immediatly concernes our purpose This Circle represents the Horizon of the Naturall Spheare In the Globe it is made but one not that there is but one Horizon in the whole Earth because as we haue taught the Horizon is varyed according to the places but because it is impossible to point and marke out the Horizons for all places being infinite as the Verticall points yet may this one serue for all places because the Globe being moueable may apply all his parts to this circle This Circle representing the Horizon is diuided into three borders or Limbes whereof the first which is towards the Spheare containes all the signes with the Planets thereunto belonging euery of which is diuided into 30 Degrees which in the Timber Circle are described by set numbers and markes The second which is the middle-most and largest contaynes the Calendar with the Golden number and seuerall names of all the Feasts throughout the yeare The third and last is of the 22 Windes seruing chiefly for the vse of Marriners and may serue many wayes for a Geographer to distinguish the Coasts and points of the Earth But of these three borders distinguished in the Horizon only the last hath vse in Geography the other two are in themselues Astronomicall and placed in the Geographicall Globe rather for ornament then vse The Internall parts of the Globe are either annexed or inscribed in the face of the Spheare The Annexed part is that which represents the Meridian which is a Brasen circle For as the Externall Frame of the Globe contained the Horizon as one circle so this Meridian is set but one although it bee in it selfe various according to the places to which it serue Neither without good reason is this Circle made of brasse because it should serue for diuerse vses which require that it should bee often changed and turned to and fro which being of Timber would miscarry This Brasen Meridian meetes with the Horizon at two opposite places cutting it at right angles that the Spheare included might bee raysed and set lower as occasion requireth The Meridian circle is agayne diuided into 4 Quadrants each of which is againe diuided into 90 Degrees so that on the one side the 90th Degree must touch the Pole on the other side the first degree so that in all there will arise 360 degrees described in the Brasen Meridian Through this Brasen Meridian by the two Poles doth passe a line or wier which is called the Axell-tree of the Globe about the which the Spheare is turned the ends of which are commonly called the Poles whereof the one representing the North point is called the Pole Articke the other shewing the South is termed Antarticke To this Meridian Circle in the Globe is commonly fastned a little Brasen Circle named Cyclus horarius or the houre-circle but this rather appertaines to Astronomy then Geography and therefore wee will forbeare to describe it somewhat more vse haue wee of another Instrument fastned to the Meridian called the Quadrant of Latitude foras much as it may serue to measure the Distance betwixt any two places signed in the Globe but in so grosse an Instrument little exactnesse can bee expected Now for such matters as are inscribed in the Spheare it selfe to let passe ridiculous idle pictures vsed of Painters for ornament they are either Lines Circles drawne on the face of the Globe or else the pictures delineations of Countreyes and places marked out in visible proportions whereof the former properly appertaines to the Sphericall part of Geography the latter to the Topicall The Circular Lineaments are againe twofold either Circles necessarily appertaining to the constitution of the Globe or else Lines thereon drawne to bee considered of Marriners which we haue before called the Rhumbes But these Lines
also as wee haue taught appertaine to the Geographer being as many sections of the Horizontall Circle because they are alwayes imagined to proceed from a Verticall point wherein they meet The Circles painted on the Globe are either the Parallels or Meridians whose description we haue set downe in the chapter before Amongst the Parallels the most remarkable is the Equatour which is made greater then all the rest in forme of a bracelet distinguished into degrees and marked at euery 10. degrees Next to this are the Tropicks and Polar Circles represented only by blacke Lines yet framed in such sort that they may easily bee discerned from other Parallels Amongst the Meridians the most notable is the first Meridian passing by the Canaries and painted much like the Equatour cut into diuers sections and degrees in such sort as wee haue described For the Zodiacke which is vsually pictured in the Terrestriall Globe I hold it altogether needlesse in Geography and made rather for ornament then vse for as much as the periodicke course of the Sun deciphered by the Eclipticke appertaines rather to the Theory of the planets which is the hardest part of Astronomy The proportion of these Circles Site and Distance is taught before and needs no repetition sith it is the very same in representation on the face of the Globe which is really in the Earth it selfe For the pictures and Topicall description of the Earth wee referre it to the second and third part of this Treatise where we shall haue occasion to speake of Countreyes and Regions with their seuerall qualities accidents and dispositions 2 The vse of the Artificiall Globe is to expresse the parts of the Earth so farre forth as they haue a diuerse situation as well one n respect of another as of the Heauens The vse of the Artificiall Globe is two-fold either generall or speciall the Generall is expressed in this Theoreme the Speciall shall be shewne in diuerse speciall propositions hereafter as occasion shall serue 5 This Direction is taught in the Rule 1 The Meridian for the place being found by the Sunne or Compasse 1 Let the Globe bee so set that the North Pole respect the North the oppoposite the South 2 Let the Pole in the Meridian of the Globe be set according to the eleuation of the Pole at the place assigned 6 A Geographicall Mappe is a plaine Table wherein the Lineaments of the Terrestriall Spheare are expressed and described in due site and proportion Some would haue the name of a Mappe to be drawne from the linnen furniture wherewith it is endorsed which is not vnlikely in regard of the affinity of the words in Latine But more significantly by others it is termed a Geographicall Table or Chart A Mappe differs from a Globe in that the Globe is a round solide body more neerely representing the true figure of the Earth whereas contrarywise the Charts of themselues are plaine though representing a Spheare inuented to supply the wants of a Globe For whereas a Globe is more costly to be procured of poore Students and more troublesome to be carried to and fro a Mappe is more cheape to be bought and far more portable And howsoeuer it be not so apt an expression as the Globe yet are there few matters represented in the other which may not in some sort find place in this And certainly such is the vse and necessity of these Tables that I hardly deeme him worth the name of a Scholler which desires not his Chamber furnished with such ornaments It is written of that learned man Erasmus Roterodamus that hauing seene 50 yeares he was delighted so much with these Geographicall Mappes that vndertaking to write Comments on the Acts of the Apostles he had alwayes in his eye those Tables where hee made no small vse for the finding out of the site of such places whereof he had occasion to treate And it were to bee wished in these dayes that yong Students insteed of many apish and ridiculous pictures tending many times rather to ribaldry then any learning would store their studies with such furniture These Geographicall Mappes are of two sorts either Vniuersall or Particular The Vniuersall are such as represent the picture of the whole Earth The particular are such as shew only some particular Place or Region These particular Tables are againe of two sorts some are such as describe a place in respect of the Heauens whereon are drawne the Geographicall lineaments by vs described at least the chiefest some againe are such as haue no respect at all to the Heauens such as are the Topographicall Mappes of Cities and Shires wherein none of the Circles are described For the Vniuersall and first sort of particular Maps there is no question but they properly appertaine to Geography But the later deserue much lesse consideration as being too speciall for this generall Treatise 7 The Geographicall Mappe is twofold eithre the Plaine Chart or the Planispheare The Plaine Chart we call that which consistes of one face and Right lines Such a Chart wee find commonly set foorth vnder the name of the Marriners Sea-Chart for howsoeuer it seemes to haue chiefest vse in Nauigation yet is the Nature and vse of it more generall as that which not onely expresseth the Sea but the whole Terrestriall Globe For as much as the Parallels Meridians and Rhumbes whereof primarily it consists are circles common to the whole and not appropriated to either part 8 In the Plaine-Chart we are to consider two things First the Ground Secondly the Inscription The Ground is the space or Platforme wherein the Lines are to be inscribed the Inscription teacheth the manner how to proiect the Lines In the Chart two things are remarkable to wit the plaine whereunto the Lines are inscribed Secondly the Lines or Inscription it selfe so wee are here to handle two points First how this Plaine-Chart should bee conceiued to bee produced out of the Globe whereof it is a representation Secondly what rule or method wee ought to vse for the inscription of the Meridians parallels Rhumbes and other Lineaments thereunto annexed Both which depend on these propositions 1 The Geographicall Chart is a Parallellogramme conceiued to be made out of a Spheare inscribed in a Cylinder euery part thereof swelling in Longitude and Latitude till it apply it selfe to the hollow superficies of the said Cylinder This Theoreme seeming at the first obscure consists of many parts which being once opened will soone take light First then to know the Ground-worke of this Parallellogramme thus defined wee must suppose a Sphericall superficies Geographicall or Hydrographicall with Meridians and parallels to bee inscribed into a concaue Cylinder their Axes agreeing in one Secondly wee must imagine the superficies thus inscribed to swell like a bladder blowing equally in euery part as well in Longitude as Latitude till it apply it selfe round about and all along towards either pole vnto the concaue superficies of the Cylinder so that each parallell
as Meridians Parallels Rhumbes on the Chart in such sort as these errours might be preuented and the due proportion and symmetry of places well obserued But our industrious Countryman hath waded through all these difficulties and found out the true demonstration of a proiection of these Lines to be inscribed in the Chart in such sort as no sensible errour can shew it selfe from whose copious industry wee will extract so much as may serue our purpose onely contracting his inuention into a shorter method hauing many matters to passe through in this Treatise 2 The Distances of the Parallels in the Chart must encrease proportionably as the Secantes of the latitude It hath been a conceiued errour as we haue shewed that all the parallels in the Chart here mentioned should euery-where keep the same Distances one from the other from the Equator to the poles yet because no man for ought I know hath out of Geometricall grounds discouered the true proportion beside my fore-named Author I must herein also follow his direrection as neere as I can in his owne footsteps because I would not any way preiudice his Inuention First therefore wee must consider in that Chart because the parallels are equall one to the other for euery one is set equall to the Equinoctiall the Meridians also must bee parallell and straight Lines and by consequence the Rhumbes making equall angles with euery Meridian must bee also straight lines Secondly because the sphericall superficies whereof the Chart is imagined to be produced is conceiued to swell and enlarge it selfe euery-where equally that is as well in Longitude as Latitude till it accommodate it selfe to the hollownesse of the Cylinder round about therefore at euery point of Latitude in this Cylinder so dilated a part of the Meridian obtaines the same proportion to the like part of the Parallell that the like parts of the Meridian and Parallell haue to each other in the Globe without sensible errour Now for as much as like parts of the wholes haue the same proportion that these wholes haue therefore the like parts of any Parallell or Meridian of the Spheare haue the same proportion that the same Parallels and Meridians haue For example sake as the Meridian is double to the Parallell of 60 Degrees so a Degree Minute or other part is also double to a Degree Minute or other part of the Parallell and what proportion the Parallell hath to the Meridian the same must their Diameters and Semidiameters haue one to the other as is taught by Geometricians Now the Signe of the Complement of the Parallels latiude or distance from the Equinoctiall is the semi-diameter of the said Parallell as in this Diagramme here inserted may easily appeare for AE the signe of AH the complement of AF the latitude of the Parallell ABCD from the Equinoctiall is the semi-diameter of the Parallell ABCD and as the semi-diameter of the Meridian or whole signe is to the semi-diameter of the Parallell so is the secant or Hypotenuse of the Parallells latitude to the semi-diameter of the Meridian or to the whole signe as FK that is AK to AE as is GK so is IK to FK therefore in this Geographicall Chart the semi-diameter of each Parallell being equall to the semidiameter of the Equinoctiall or whole signe the parts of the Meridian at euery point of latitude must of necessity encrease with the same proportion wherewith the Secants of the Arch contained betweene these points of latitude and the Equinoctiall encrease out of which Geometricall grounds thus explained will arise a certaine and easie methode for the making of a table by the helpe of Trigonometry whereby the Meridian in any Geographicall or Hydrographicall table may truly and in due proportion diuide it selfe into parts from the Equinoctiall towards either Pole for taking for granted each distance of each point of latitude or of each Parallell one from the other to comprehend so many points as the secants of the latitude of each point or Parallell containes wee may draw out a table by continuall addition of the secants answerable vnto the latitude of each Parallell vnto the summe compounded of all the former Secants beginning with the secants of the first Parallels latitude and thereunto adding the second Parallels latitude and to the summe of both these adding the third Parallels latitude and so forth in all the rest and this Table will shew the sections and points of latitude in the Meridian of the Geographicall Mappe through which sections the Parallels ought to bee drawne which Table wee haue lately set out by Edward Wright in his Correction of Nauticall Errours to whom for further satisfaction in this kind I referre the diligent Reader Out of the same grounds we may also deduce the Rumbes for sith that the Chart as wee haue shewed is nothing else but a plaine Parallellogramme conceiued to be made of the extension of a Sphericall superficies inscribed in a concaue Cylinder it must needs be that the Rumbes make equall Angles with all the Meridians Therefore if in the Chart a circle be drawne diuided into 32 equall parts beginning with the Meridian passing by the Center of that Circle the lines drawne from the center of these sections will be the Rumbes for that place 9 Of the Geographicall Plaine-Chart wee haue spoken It behoues vs next to treate of the Geographicall Planispheare The Planispheare is a table or mappe of two faces whereon the lines are proiected circularly Betwixt the Planispheare and the Plaine-Chart a double difference may be obserued 1 That the former consists altogether of right lines aswell in regard of the Parallells as Meridians whereas the later is composed of circular or crooked lines as well as right 2 The former may well bee expressed in one forme or front as we may see not only in the Nauticall and common Chart which wee haue shewne to be all one with the other in respect of these Lines but in many other common Maps as namely those of Hondius whereas the Planispheare cannot be expressed without two faces or Hemispheares whereof the one represents the Easterne the other the Westerne part of the Terrene Globe For herein wee must imagine a Globe to be cut into two equall Hemispheares which are at once represented to our sight of this Description of the Earth by crooked Lines Ptolomy in his 24 Chapt. of his Geography hath taught vs two wayes whereof the first depends from the aspect of a Spheare turned and moued round in which all the Meridians are described as right Lines but the Parallels as circumferences or crooked Lines The other Delineation takes his ground from a Spheare represented to the sight not moued but resting still in his place in which both Meridians and Parallels are drawne circular These two wayes of Ptolomy howsoeuer iudiciously inuented in those times wherein a small part of the Earth was discouered and Geography very vnperfect haue beene by later Geographers much reformed and corrected
Yet amongst the later haue not all expressed themselues alike some haue pourtrayed out of the Earth in fashion of a Heart some according to other figures but in this perhaps as Painters they haue beene more iudulgent to fancy then common vse others haue gone about to expresse the Globe of the Earth in Elipticke Lines which the Machanicians call ouall But wee as well in this as other matters preferring choice before abundance will content our selues with one or two which vse hath stampt more current and experience hath found most vsefull to which as a ground we will premise this Theoreme 1 The Planispheare is grounded on a certaine aspect of the Terrestriall Spheare wherein the Eye of the beholder is so conceiued to bee fixed in some point of the Globe that it may see the one halfe or Hemispheare Concerning the position of the Eye two things are here remarkable 1 Where the Eye is supposed to bee placed either aboue the conuexe superficies or in the concaue some seeme to place it aboue the conuexe superficies of which opinion Gemma Frisius seemes to be who would haue the Eye to be set at an infinite distance others although not admitting of such an infinite distance deny not the Eye to bee aboue the conuexe superficies but neither way can be warranted Not the former because of the impossibility of the supposition For to imagine the Eye to bee set at an infinite distance were to deny a sight or aspect which they would haue to bee the ground of this projection For no object can bee perceiued but such as is bounded and determined in a certaine and proportionate space Neither can the later way passe cleere without exception because to such a projection such a sight is required which can see the whole Hemispheare for otherwise would it be vnperfect and want of the perfection of the Globe which containes two absolute and entire Hemispheares But now no place can be imagined without the Globe wherein the Eye can be so placed as to see the one halfe or Hemispheare for as much as it is impossible from the opposite points of any Diameter to draw two tangent lines which may meet together or cut one the other in the same point but will bee Parallell the one to the other wherefore wee may conclude that the Eye in this projection cannot be imagined without the conuexe surface of the Spheare but rather in the concaue How the Eye should bee imagined to be in the concaue superficies may be in this sort explayned wee must suppose a great Spheare of the Glasse or other such Diaphanous matter inscribed with all his Parallels and Meridians in such sort as they are represented vnto vs in the Globe the Eye according to opticall Principles may bee so placed neere the Center of it as it shall bee able to see precisely the one Hemispheare described with al his circles as we find it in the spheare I say neere not in the Center because the Angle of vision as we finde it taught in the Perspectiues doth not extend to a right Angle but is somewhat lesse 2 we must inquire in what point in the superficies the eye is placed To which wee answer that the place of the eye is of it selfe indifferent because it may bee imagined any where in what point soeuer Neuerthelesse wee will only fasten on two especiall wayes which are of most vse wherein the propositions following shall informe vs. 9 This Planispheare is twofold the first we tearme equinoctiall which supposeth the eye to be fixed on some point of the equinoctiall circle the other Polar wherein the sight is conceiued to bee fixed on the Pole of the Terrestiall Globe The ground and fabricke of the former is taught in these Propositions 1 The eye conceiued to be fixed on any point of the equatour will designe out vnto vs a Planispheare wherein all the circles are proiected circularly except the Equator and that Meridian which passeth by the said point This may easily bee shewne out of the Opticke principles we will suppose for example sake the eye to bee placed in some point of the Equatour which shall bee 90 degrees of longitude from the Equinoctiall point which kinde of proiection wee haue in many of our common Geographicall Maps of the earth In this manner of sight if the terrestriall Hemispheare which may only be comprehended by it be distinguished by this Parallells and Meridians ordered and ranged by distances of equall Arches in such number as we please It is most certaine that the Eye seeing distinctly and separatly euery one of these Meridians and Parallels will forme to it selfe so many visuall Pyramides called by Geometricians Cones which cones by this meanes will be Scalenes and will haue for their Bases those Meridians and Parallels the tops whereof will meet together in the same point and eye of the beholder which according to this supposition is the Pole of the Meridian which passeth by the Canaries called the first Meridian and representing vnto vs the Equinoctiall colure Now because these lines are â—ut by the plaine of the Meridian passing by the Canaries it followes out of the same grounds that their common sections and that of the Meridian are the proportions of circumferences which represent vnto vs in this Plaine the Meridians and Parallels seene in this manner of sight Notwithstanding that which is vnder the 90 degree of longitude as likewise the Equatour cannot according to Opticke demonstration be seene but as right lines cutting one the other at Right Angles in the Center of the same Meridian of the Canaries The Theory being expressed we will in the next proposition shew the manner of proiection 2 How to describe the Meridians and Parallels in the Equinoctiall Planispheare To shew the practise of this Theoreme let there be drawne a circle ACBD as you see in this figure diuided by two Diameters cutting on the other at right Angles in the Center into foure Quadrants or equall parts whereof each one is againe to bee diuided into 90 degrees In this the line AB is imagined to expresse the halfe of the Equatour as the line CD of the Meridian in which the two points C and D designe out the two Poles Let a rule bee drawne from the Pole C by euery tenth or fift degrees of the halfe circle ADB and let euery section of the Equatour and the rule be precisely noted In like sort from the point B let the Rule bee moued by euery fift and tenth Degree of the semicircle CAD and let euery seuerall Interfection of the rule and the Meridian CD bee precisely noted Then placing one foot of the compasse in the line CD which must bee drawne out longer because in it the Centers of the Parallels must be found out let the other be moued in order to euery intersection of the Meridian noted out and let so many circles be drawne as intersections which circles will bee so many Parallels The finding out
of the Centers where the stedfast foot of the compasse ought to bee fixed in drawing of each circle is a matter appertaining to Geometricians who haue taught a way to bring any three points giuen into a circle and to finde the Center from which it is described Hauing thus described the Parallels wee must proceed on to draw the Meridians in this manuer let the one foot of the compasse bee placed in the line AB from which as the Center by euery Intersection of the rule and the Equatour forenoted let there bee drawne so many circles as intersections which circles so drawne will be the Meridians If any man desire more curiously to bee informed in the Geometricall Demonstrations whereon this Fabricke of the Planispheare is grounded let him read Gemma Frisius de Astrolabio Stifelius but especially Guido Vbaldus who hath copiously and accuratly handled this subiect Enough it may seeme for a Cosmographer to shew the vse of it as wee shall hereafter in Geographicall conclusions supposing the Fabricke sufficiently demonstrated by Geometricians to whom it of right belongs 10 The ground and Fabricke of the Polar Planispheare is taught in these Propositions 1 The Eye conceiued to be fixed on the Pole will expresse in the plaine of the Equinoctiall a Planispheare wherein all the Parallels are described by circles and Meridians by right lines This may likewise be optically demonstrated For the Eye being supposed to bee fixed on the Pole the sight will forme to it selfe so many visuall Cones as there are Parallels described in the Spheare These cones being supposed equally to be cut by the plaine of the Equatour will haue for their Bases the said Parallell circles represented in the plaine of the Equatour as so many absolute circles whereof the Equatour will be the greatest and comprehending within it all the rest Likewise the Meridians in this kinde of sight are supposed to terminate the sides of these Cones and therefore according to the Opticks ought to be right lines 2 How to describe the Parallels and Meridians in the Polar Planispheare This proiection is easiest of all as shall appeare by this Diagram Let there be described a circle from the Center E which shall be ACBD Let the circle be by two Diameters AB and BC diuided into foure quadrants each of which may againe bee diuided into 90 parts euery fift or tenth of these 90 parts being first marked out so many Diameters may bee drawne from either side to the opposite part by the Center E which Diameters so drawne will serue for the Meridians Then let any one of these lines bee diuided into 9 parts and diligently marked out as the Semidiameter ED by FGHIKLMN by all which marks from the Center E let there be drawne so many circles These circles so described will be the true Parallels This kinde of proiection though more vnusuall yet wants not his speciall vse in describing the parts of the earth neere the Pole which in our ordinary kinde of Tables proiected after the other manner cannot suffer so large and proportionall a Description 11 Hauing hitherto treated of the Common representation of the Terrestriall Globe we are in the next place to speake something of the Magneticall The Magneticall is a round Magnet called a Terrella This kind of spheare hath been by Gilbert aptly termed a Terrella or little Earth being the modell and representation of the great and massie Spheare of the earth whereon wee dwell Betwixt this kind of representation the former great difference may bee obserued First because the former is grounded merely on Artificiall Imitation implying nothing else but a Respect or application whereas this magneticall Terrella not only represents externally the Earth but Internally out of its owne Magneticall nature and vigour eminently containes and expresses all those motions and magneticall vertues which we haue formerly shewed to bee in the Earth 2 It skills not in the former of what Materiall substance the Spheare consists so the parts of it answer in due symmetry and proportion to the parts of the Earth but this represents the whole as a Homogeneall part communicating the same nature substance with the whole spheare of the earth In the Fabricke of this instrument wee must consider 1 the Matter 2 the Forme The matter as wee haue already intimated is a Magneticall substance which ought to be chosen out of a most eminent Mine hauing all his parts pure and vnmixt as possible wee can finde in any Magnet For though all Loadstones haue the same inclination yet in many the vigour is so weake or at least so hindered by the mixture of some Heterogeneall matter that they will not so well and sensibly performe their office The forme of it is the roundnesse politure wherin Art should shew as much exactnesse as shee can such a Spheare may well be expressed in this Figure whereof we had formerly occasion to make vse wherein the footsteps of this Magneticall vigour are sensibly expressed no otherwise then in the great Body of the Earth 12 In this Magneticall Terrella two things are chiefly to bee noted 1 the inuention of the Poles 2 of the Parallels Meridians both which shall be taught in these Propositions 1 To finde out the Poles in the Magneticall Terrella To performe this conclusion many artificiall wayes haue been inuented 1 By the Inclinatory Needle for being euenly hung in such sort vpon the Terrella as may be seene in the former figure it will according to diuers points diuersly respect the Terrella in his site wheresoeuer then wee shall finde it to fall perpendicularly as right angles wee may assure our selues that that very point is the Pole which being once knowne it will be easie to finde the opposite Pole either the same way or by measuring 2 By the Veyne or Mine of the Loadstone for as wee haue shewed in our fourth Chapter of this Treatise that part which was situated towards the North will afterwards direct it selfe Southward and contrariwise the South point will respect the North whence the Poles may be discouered 3 By a little boat wherein the Loadstone being placed on the water will moue round till such time as with one Pole hee may point out the North with the other the South Many other wayes may be inuented by Mechanicians perhaps more curious to whose industry I referre my ingenious Reader 2 The circles in the Terrella are found out by the Magneticall Needle This needs no other ocular demonstration then we haue taught in the fourth Chapter and may be conceaued in the former Diagramme First wee see the magneticall needle according to diuerse points diuersly to conforme it selfe which hath giuen way to ingenious artificers to finde out the Parallels and Meridians The Parallels are found out by obseruing the Angles of declination of the Needle hung ouer the Terrella which are found in proportion to answer to the degrees of Latitude which Dr Ridley in his Magneticall Treatise hath
of the inuention consists in finding out the proportion of any proportion as a degree halfe degree or the like to the number of miles or Furlongs answerable thereunto for which purpose many skilfull Mathematicians haue inuented many excellent wayes of great vse and delight 1 By the eleuation of the Pole or obseruation of an Eclipse or some knowne Starre the circuit of the Earth may be found out By the Eleuation of the Pole it is performed after this manner let there be obserued two Cities or other notable Land-marks placed iust North and South vnder the same Meridian In these two Citties or markes let the Eleuation of the Pole be exactly noted Then substract the Eleuation of the Southerne Cittie which is lesser out of the Northerne which is greater the residue containes the distance of these places in degrees which being experimentally knowne by Miles Halfe-miles Furlongs or such like measures will shew the true proportion betwixt a degree and his number of miles which being againe multiplied by 360 will shew the whole circumference of the Earth For example sake wee will take two famous Cities of England Oxford and Yorke which are situated if not exactly yet very neere the same Meridian The eleuation of the Pole here with vs at Oxford is 51 degrees and 30 minutes at Yorke it is 54 degrees 30 minutes or neere there about subtract the lesser from the greater the distance betwixt Oxford and Yorke will bee three degrees which distance experimentally knowne in miles will shew the proportion which wee shall finde to bee abating somewhat in regard of the crookednesse of the way about 180 answering to three degrees of the Meridian wherefore to one degree will answer 60 Miles which being multiplied by 360 the whole circle will produce 21600 the measure of the whole Earth The like may bee performed by an Eclipse in two Citties lying vnder the Equinoctiall circle two land-markes being once noted out lying vnder the Equinoctiall let there bee obserued in both the same Eclipse of the Moone especially in the beginning Now it being certainely found out how many houres the Eclipse beganne in the one place before the other wee must resolue their houres into degrees which is easily done for as much as to euery houre answeres 15 degrees in the Sunne Diurnall motion according to Astronomers Now the distance betweene these two Citties or markes being supposed first experimentally to be knowne will easily shew the correspondency betwixt the Degrees and miles which is here sought Another way is taught by Possidonius as easie as the former which is performed by some noted fixt Starre as Oculus Tauri Arcturus Spica Virginis or any other let there bee obserued vnder the same Meridian in the Earth two places whose distance is experimentally knowne in both these places let the Meridian altitude of the Starre be fully and perfectly obserued The difference of these two Altitudes will bee the number of degrees betwixt these two places whence we may obserue how many miles or other partsanswer to the number of these degrees betwixt these two places This way by Clauius is preferred before the former for as much as it requires not in any place the knowledge of the Eleuation of the Pole which in any place cannot be certainely knowne without long and diligent search and obseruation As for Geographicall Tables they are not alwayes at all times to be had at least worthy credit 2 By the obseruation of the Noone-shadowes the measure of the Earth may be found out This way was inuented by Eratosthenes a famous Mathematician who by obseruation of the Noone-shadowes obserued at the same time at two diuerse places situate vnder the same Meridian found out the circumference of the Earth The places which he chose for this purpose were Siene and Alexandria situated vnder the same Meridian the one inclining to the South the other to the North. The Distance betwixt these two places is supposed to be knowne whence hee proceeded in this manner First he erected a Gnomon at right Angles on the plaine of the Horizon when the Sunne was in the beginning of Cancer called the Solstice from which he imagined two Rayes or Beames to be cast at Noone the one passing by Siene the most Southerne part the other by Alexandria the most Northerne so that at Siene the Sun being then in the Solstice passed into the Center of the world the place being supposed to haue beene situate vnder the Tropicke The other passed by the Vertex of the said Gnomon whence by proportion of the shadow to the Gnomon by a Geometricall kinde of working he found out the place betweene Alexandria and Siene which demonstration formoreeuidence wee will here set downe Let there bee in the Earth described a circle passing by Alexandria and Siene in which let A bee the place where Alexandria stands B the place of Siene the Gnomon or Style erected at Alexandria AD The Sun-beame carried to the Center of the world at Siena FBC The Sunne-beame passing by the Vertex or toppe of the Gnomon seated at Alexandria EDG casting his shadow AG toward the North let the Gnomon be conceaued to bee prolonged vnto the Center C Now for as much as in the Triangle ADG the Arch AG without any sensible difference may bee taken for a Right line hauing an insensible magnitude in regard of the whole Earth and the Angle A is a right angle and the two sides AD and AG knowne the former by supposition being a Gnomon taken at our pleasure the latter by any measure or at least by the knowne proportion of the shadow to the Gnomon according to the Doctrine of Triangles the Angle ADG will bee knowne For whereas the sides AD and AG are supposed to be knowne their Quadrants also will be knowne which being equall to the square made of DG by the 47 proposition of the 1 of Euclide the right side DG will easily be knowne out of these grounds by the doctrine of the Sines and Tangents is easily found out the Angle ADG and by consequence the alternate Angle ACB which by the 27 of the first of Euclide is equall vnto it for as much as the two Radii FBC and FDG may be supposed to bee Parallels in so small a distance as Alexandria Siene compared with the Sun the Angle being knowne the Arch AB subtended to the Angle C will also be knowne which is the space intercepted betwixt Siene and Alexandria and for example sake if Eratosthenes as some write found out the Arch AB to containe in degrees 85 and experience had taught the length of the Iourney betwixt these Citties to haue contained 6183 ½ Furlongs It would appeare by the Golden Rule that 360 degrees containing the whole circuit of the Earth must proportionally answer to 252000 Furlongs 1 The opinions of Cosmographers concerning the measure of the Earth are diuerse which is chiefely to be imputed to their errour in obseruing the distances of places
circle the Diameter being the ground of the Quadrature of a circle is a matter which hath set a work the greatest wits of the world hauing notwithstanding as yet by no man been brought to discouery in so much as Pitiscus and other good Mathematicians might well doubt whether euer it would come to light Nâ—uerthelesse where exactnesse cannot bee found wee must come as neere as we can The neerest proportion in numbers which any could yet light on is as 22 to 7 which in so great and massie a body as the Earth may passe without any sensible or explicable errour Supposing then out of our precedent Suppositions the whole circuit of the earth to bee 21600 Italian-miles which is the common opinion now receaued I multiply according to the golden Rule 21600 by 7 whence will arise 151200 which being diuided by 22 the Quotient will render 6872 11 8 which is the Diameter or thicknesse of the Earth some lesse curious are content to take only the third part of the circumference for the Diameter which will be 7200 which account is lesse exact yet sufficient for an ordinary Cosmographer for as much as 328 miles which is the difference is of no great moment in the measure of the whole Earth 2 By the knowne height of some mountaine without the knowledge of the circumference of the Earth the Diameter may be found out This is a way inuented by Maurolycus which proceeds in a contrary manner to the former because the former by the circumference first supposed to be known shewes vs a way to find out a Diameter but this first seeks out the Diameter by which wee may finde out the circumference the practise is in this manner Let the circuit of the Earth be conceaued to be BCD as we see in this Figure in which let there be chosen an high Mountain whose Altitude AB may bee knowne by the rules of measuring altitudes then from the Mountaines top A by the rules of measuring longitudes must the whole space of Sea or Land bee measured so far as it can be seene so that the visuall Beame AC may touch the Superficies of the Earth in C let the space theÌ„ which is seene in the Earth be BC which although in it selfe it bee crooked and not plaine yet can it not sensibly differ from a Plaine for as much as the Arch BC is extraordinarily little if compared with the whole Earth These grounds thus laid we must proceed by a Geometricall manner of argumentation in this sort Here are to bee obserued foure right lines whereof the first is AB the heigth of the mountaine obserued the second is the visuall Ray AC the third AD consisting of the height of the mountaine and the Diameter of the Earth The fourth BC the distance which is seene for as wee haue shewed it may without sensible errour bee taken for a right line Now for as much as AB BC are knowne their Quadrates by the 47 proposition of the first of Euclide will also bee knowne which being equall to the square of AC the square of the right line AC will likewise bee knowne But the square of the right line AC sith it toucheth the circle will be equall to a Right Angle Figure contained vnder DA AB wherefore the right angle so conceaued will be knowne But AB is the knowne heigth of the mountaine wherefore the right line AD will easily be knowne if wee diuide the knowne right Angle contained vnder AB AD by the right line AB for the Quotient will giue the right line AD from which if wee subduct AB the knowne height of the mountaine then will remaine the Diameter of the Earth BD which was here to be performed from this inuention will arise this Corollary 1 The Diameter of the Earth first supposed to be knowne the circumference may be found out in this manner as 7 is in proportion to 22 so is the Diameter to the Circumference 2 Wherefore let the knowne number of the Diameter be multiplied by 22 and the Product be diuided by 7 the quotient will giue the Circumference As for example according to our former instance Let vs suppose the Diameter of the Earth to bee 6872 8 11 this number being multiplied by 22 will produce 15120 which product diuided by 7 wee shall finde in the Quotient 21600 which is the circumference of the Earth 7 The compound dimensions according to which the Spheare of the Earth is proposed to bee measured are either the Superficies or the Solidity 8 The Superficies is againe twofold either Plaine or Conuexe the Plaine is the space included in the Perimeter 9 The plaine Superficies may be found out two wayes either by the Circumference or the Diameter both which wayes taught in these Rules 1 If the whole circumference bee multiplied in it selfe and the product bee diuided by 12 4 7 the quotient will shew the Superficies included in the circle As in the former example wee will take the Circumference of the Earth to be 21600 Italian-miles let this number be multiplied in it selfe and the product thereof diuided by 12 4 7 the Quotient will amount vnto 9278180 which is the plaine superficies of the Earth 2 If the Semi-Diameter of a circle be multiplied by the halfe part of the Circumference there will arise the measure of the Plaine Superficies contained in the Circumference The reason hereof is shewed by Clauius in his Tract de Isoperimetris Proposit. 4. where is demonstrated that a Right Angle figure comprehended of the Semi-Diameter of any circle and the halfe of the Circumference will be equall to the Circle it selfe of whose parts it is comprehended 10 So much concerning the Plaine Superficies the knowledge and inuention of the Conuexe may bee performed two wayes either by the Diameter and Circumference or else by the Space contained within the Circumference according to these Propositions 1 If the Circumference and Diameter be multiplied the one into the other the product will shew the number of square miles in the face of the Terrestriall Globe As for example let the Diameter of the Earth containing according to the common account 80111 9 12 furlongs bee multiplied by the whole circumference which is 252000 there will arise the Conuexe Superficies of the whole earthly Spheare which is 20205818181 9 11. 2 If the space contained in the greatest circle in the Spheare bee multiplied by 4 there will bee produced the whole conuexe Superficies of the Spheare How to finde out the space or plaine Superficies is a matter taught before which being once found is easily multiplied by 4 and so will giue vs the number sought 11 The last and greatest compound Dimension according to which the Earth is measured is the Solidity consisting of Length Bredth and Height or Thicknesse This may bee found out two wayes either by the Diameter and Conuexe Superficies first supposed to be known or by the knowledge of a great circle without supposing
the Supperficies to be first knowne both wayes shall bee expressed in these Propositions 1 If the Semidiameter of the Spheare be multiplied into the third part of the Conuex Superficies of the said Spheare there will arise the whole Solidity of the Earth This is demonstrated by Geometricians For a solide Rectangle compreheÌ„ded of the Semidiameter of the Spheare and the third of the CoÌ„uex Superficies of it will be equall to the Spheare it selfe As for example if the Semidiameter of the earth containing 40090 10 11 Furlongs bee multiplied by the third part of the Conuex Superficies containing to wit 67352727 3 11 there will arise the solidity of the earth which will containe 27002-3 06611570 3 11 Cubicke Furlongs That is the solidity of the earth will comprehend so many Cubes cantaining euery side so many Furlongs as there are vnities in the said number For the Areae or spaces comprehended of Solide figures are measured by the Cubes of those lines by whose squares the Conuexe Superficies of those lines are measured 2 If the greatest circle bee multiplied by â…” of the whole Diameter the product will shew the solidity of the Spheare This way is also demonstrated by Clauius in the same tract of measuring Magnitudes It may Arithmetically bee deduced in this sort If any Spheare whatsoeuer hath a Diameter of 14 Palmes and should bee multiplied by 3 1 7 the circumference of the greatest circle containing it will be found to be 44 whose halfe being 22 if it be multiplied into the Semidiameter 7 there will arise the Superficies of the greatest circle 154 which number if wee multiply by two third parts of the Diameter that is by 9â…“ there will bee produced the solidity of the said Spheare to wit consisting of 1437 â…” Cubicke palmes In the like sort may wee worke by miles or furlongs in measuring the whole terrestriall Globe which is a more conuenient measure for the massie Globe of the Earth CHAP. IX Of the Zones Climates and Parallels 1 OF the Measure of the Earth we haue treated in our former Chapter In the next place wee must speake of the Distinction of the Terrestriall Spheare which is either in regard of Spaces or Distances 2 Spaces are portions in the Spheare bounded by the Parallell circles such as are the Zones Climats and Parallels 3 These are againe considered two wayes either in themselues or else in their Adiuncts or Inhabitants belonging to them 4 A Zone is a space included betwixt two lesser and named circles or else betwixt a lesser circle and the Pole of the world The spaces into which the Terrestriall Spheare is diuided are either Greater or Lesser The Greater is a Hemispheare which ariseth out of one only circle by it selfe without the Combination of more Such are chiefly of three sorts The first is made by the Equatour which diuides the whole Globe into the north and the South Hemispheare The second is of the Meridian whose office it is to part the Earth into the Easterne and Westerne Hemispheares The third of the Horizon which diuides the Spheare into the vpper and lower halfes But these parts arising as I said out of one only circle are handled before with the circles themselues In this place wee are to speake of such parts as arise out of the Combination and respect of circles one with another Such as are the Zones Climats and Parallels A Zone signifies as much as a girdle or band because by it the spaces in the Earth are as it were with larger bands compassed about The Grecians haue sometimes giuen this name Zone to the Orbs of the Planets as Theon Alexandrinus in his Comment on Aratus in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are saith he in the Heauens seauen Zones not contorminate with the Zodiacke whereof the first is possessed by Saturne the second by Iupiter c. But this acception of the name is far off from our purpose The name Zone as it is with vs in vse is by the Latine Poëts rendred sometimes Facia sometimes Plaga both signifying one and the selfe-same thing which is as much as a space comprehended within two Named and lesser Parallels or at least betwixt such a Parallell and the Pole it selfe because as wee shall shew hereafter Zones are of two sorts These Zones are in number fiue which diuision hath beene familiar with our Latine Poëts as may appeare by these verses of Virgil. Quinque tenent coelum Zonae quarum vna corusco Semper Sole rubens torrida semper ab Igne Quam circum extremae dextrâ laeuáque trahuntur Caerule â glacie concretae atque imbribus atris Has inter Mediamque duae Mortalibus aegris Munere concessae Diuûm c. Fiue Zones ingirt the Skies whereof one fries With fiery Sun-beames and all scorched lies 'Bout which the farthest off on either hand The blew-eyed Ice and brackish showres command 'Twixt these two and the midst the Gods doe giue A wholsome place for wretched man to liue Which description of Virgil little differs from that wee finde in Ouid in these Verses Duae dextrâ coelum totidemque sinistrâ Parte secant Zonae quinta est ardentior illis Sic onus inclusum numero distinxit eodem Cura Dei totidemque Plagae tellure premuntur Quarum quae Media est non est habitabilis aestu Nix â—egit alta duas totidem inter vtramque locauit Temperiemque dedit mista cum Frigore Flamma Two Girdles on the right hand on the left As many cut the Skies more hot's the fift So God diuiding with an equall hand Into so many parcels cuts the land The midst through heat affords no dwellers Ease The deepe snow wraps vp two but betwixt these And the other Regions are two places set Where frosts are mixt with fires and cold with heat But because this enumeration and description of the Zones set downe by the Poëts seemes too popular and generall wee will more specially diuide them according to the methode of our times in this manner 5 The Zones are either Vntemperate or Temperate the Vntemperate are againe twofold either cold or hot 6 The Intemperate hot Zone is the space contained betwixt the two Tropicke circles of Cancer and Capricorne How vnaptly these names of Temperate Vntemperate agree to the Zones considered in their owne nature wee shall speake in our second part yet because I thought it vnfit to vse other tearmes then the Ancients I will not coine new names This Zone or space included betwixt the two Tropicks circumscribes within it two great circles whereof the one is the Equatour running iust in the midst neither inclining to the North or South The other is the Eclipticke obliquely crossing it and meeting the two Tropicks twice in a yeere in the Spring and Autumne The extent or breadth of this Zone then is equall to the distance betwixt these two Tropicks to wit 47 degrees which make 2820 miles because from the Equatour to either
find it betwixt the two Tropicks we may without doubt thinke it to be in the Torrid Zone If betwixt the Tropicke circle and the Polar it will be in the Temperate If betwixt the Polar circle and the Pole it selfe it must bee in the cold Zone By the Tables of Latitude it may be found this way Seeke the latitude of the places giuen in the Table which if it bee lesse then 23 degrees 30 scruples the place is in the Torrid Zone If precisely it bee so much in the Northerne Hemispheare the place assigned is vnder the Tropicke of Cancer which is the bound betwixt the Torrid and the beginning of the Northerne Temperate Zone But if it be in the Southerne Hemispheare it will be vnder the Tropicke of Capricorne which ends the Torrid Zone and beginnes the South Temperate Zone Euery place hauing more Latitude then 23 degrees 30 scruples yet lesse then 66 degrees 30 Minutes is seated in the Temperate Zone either Northerne or Southerne as the places are in the Hemispheare If the place be precisely of 66 Degrees 30 minutes it will be iustly found to be vnder the Polar circle either Arcticke or Antarcticke Finally euery place whose Latitude exceeds the number of 66 degrees 30 minutes is seated in the cold Zone either Southerne or Northerne If it reach iust to 90 degrees it will bee iust vnder the Pole it selfe 9 Of the distinction of the Terrestriall Spheare by Zones we haue spoken we must in the next place deliuer the Distinction of the earth according to Climates 10 A Climate is a space of the Earth contained betwixt two Parallels distant from the Equatour towards either Pole Climates are so called because of their Declaration from Equatour for as much as they are to bee accounted as so many scales of ascents to or from the Equatour Some haue defined it from the vse which is chiefly to distinguish the longest time of the Artificiall day because at the point of euery climate truely taken the longest day is varied halfe an houre although this account agree not altogether with Ptolomie and the ancient Geographers before him as wee shall shew hereafter This distinction of the Terrestriall Spheare into Climates is somewhat a more subtile distinction then the former by Zones for as much as that is made by the combination of such Parallels as are principally named and of chiefe note as the Tropicks and Polar circles But this indifferently respects all without difference This first beginning and measure as well of this as all other measures of the earth is the Equatour for that which is most perfect and absolute in euery kinde ought to be the measure of all other But yet wee must vnderstand that although wee beginne our account of the Climats from the Equatour yet the Equatour it selfe makes no Climate but only the Parallels which are thereunto correspondent For as it is before shewed vnder the Equatour it selfe the artificiall dayes are all equall in length containing only twelue houres wherefore beginning from the Equatour betwixt that and the third Parallell wee count the first climate from the third to the sixt the second Climate and so all the rest making the number of the Climates double to the number of the Parallels so that one and the selfe same Parallell which is the end and bound of one Climate is the beginning of the next whence wee see that to the constitution of euery Climate three Parallels concurre whereof two are extreame comprehending the bredth of the said Climate and one diuiding it iust in the midst A Parallell therefore differs from a Climate as a part from the whole being one circle correspondent to the Equatour whereas a Climate is a space contained in three Parallels Secondly as a Parallell is conceaued to adde to the artificiall day one quarter or fourth part of an houre so a Climate makes halfe an houre so that by how much any Climate is distant from the Equatour by so many halfe houres the longest day of that Climate goes beyond the longest day of the place vnder the Equatour These Climates therefore cannot bee all of one equall quantity because the Equatour is a greater circle and comprehends the greatest space in the Earth so that it must needs follow that these Climates neere the Equatour being made by the combination of greater circles are greater then those neerer the Poles But because all Climates are made by the combination of Parallels wee are to vnderstand that there are three sort of Parallels to bee knowne in Cosmographie The first are those which doe distinguish the latitude of places taking their beginning from the Equatour and are in an ordinary Globe of Mappe distinguished sometimes by 10 sometimes by 15 degrees The second kinde of Parallels are those that make the Zones which are indeed some speciall named Parallels as the Tropicks and the Polar circles The third sort are called Artificiall Parallels because they shew the distances of artificiall dayes and nights which are commonly noted in the margent of a Geographicall Mappe which last sort of Parallels are here chiefly to be vnderstood 1 The Zones and Climates agree in forme but differ in greatnesse number and office The Climates are so called as we haue said because they decline from the Equatour and are spaces of the Earth containing two Parallells in which the longest day is varied by halfe an houre These agree with the Zones in some sort for both of them are spread by the latitude of the Earth and by Parallell circles compasse it about as so many girdles Neuerthelesse they differ one from the other 1. In Greatnesse because the Zones are greater the Climates lesser spaces in the Earth 2. In Number because there are only fiue Zones but many more climates 3. In Office vse and effect because the Zones are to distinguish the mutation of the quality of the aire and shaddowes according to diuerse Regions of the Earth but the Climates are vsed to shew the greatest differences of houres in the day to shew the variation of the rising and setting of the starres for places vnder the same Climate haue the same quantity of dayes and nights the same rising and setting of the starres whereas places seated vnder diuerse climats haue a great variation in the dayes and nights and a diuerse rising and setting of the stars for as often as the longest or Solsticiall day of one place differs from the longest day of another by the space of halfe an houre a new Climate is placed wherefore vnder the Equatour or middle part of the earth the dayes are alwayes equall to wit of 12 houres which beginning from the Equatour if wee approach towards either Pole so far as the greatest artificiall day amounts to 12 ½ we may assure our selues that wee are come to the first Climate and so forward still the greatest day of our Climate will by so much exceed the greatest day of the other As the Climates differ one from the other
part of the Earth because such as dwell directly vnder the Equatour or either of the Poles although they may bee Antipodes agree not to that definition by reason the former are Antipodes only in opposite points of the Equatour the other of the Meridian Whether there were any Antipodes or no was made a question amongst the Ancients in so much that Saint Augustine in his booke de ciuitate Dei and Lactantius in his third booke of Institutions seemes stiffely to defend the contrary which opinion is supposed to grow out of their contempt or neglect of Mathematicall studies in those ages wherein the zeale to religion was most vnnecessarily opposed to Philosophie and the mistresse forsaken of her best hand-maides which ignorance of the Ancients was so farre deriued to posterity that in the yeere of our Sauiour 745 one Boniface Bishop of Mens was accused before the Pope Zachary Virgilius Bishop of Salisburg for heresy in that hee auerred there were Antipodes The matter being first preferred to the King of Bohemia and an appeale made vnto the Pope it happened that the honest Bishop for this assertion was flatly condemned for hereticall doctrine and inforced to recant his opinion yet is it wonderfull how such matters were thus decided for granting these two easie grounds First that the earth is Sphericall a proposition proued in their time 2 That euery place or at least two opposite places in the Terrestriall Spheare may bee habitable it must of necessity follow that such Antipodes must bee granted which makes me to imagine that Saint Augustine absolutely and grossely denied not the Antipodes because in setting downe the premises and grounds of our opinion hee seemed to vnderstand them too well to deny a necessary induction being a man of so great a wit and apprehension but questionlesse he thought that the Torrid Zone which by most of the Ancients in his time was reputed vnhabitable and vnpassable no man had yet set his foot in those remote parts beyond the line so that it seemed in him not to arise out of ignorance of the constitution of the earthly Globe but out of the receaued opinion of the Torrid Zone and the vast Ocean the one of which hee held vnhabitable the other vnpassable from whence also sprang vp an argument or rather an idle fancie that the Antipodes could not be admitted without granting another Sauiour and another kinde of men besides Adams posterity for if this coniecture had not taken place the Pope I suppose would neuer haue proued himselfe so ridiculous a Iudge as to haue condemned Virgilius for heresie As for Lactantius howsoeuer otherwise a pious eloquent Father the weakenesse and childishnesse of his arguments will to any indifferent reader discouer his ignorance in the very first rudiments of Cosmographie Here we may learne how farre religion it selfe is wronged by such who set her opposite to all her seruants But whatsoeuer the Ancients out of their glimring reason haue coniectured our times haue sufficiently decided this controuersie wherin such Antipodes are established both by reason and experience which matâ—er wee shall reserue to our second booke wherein we shall declare how farre and in what sense the Earth may bee tearmed habitable 1 Those which are to vs Perioeci are the Antoeci to our Antipodes our Antoeci the Periaeci to our Antipodes likewise our Perioeci are the Antipodes to our Antaeci This Proposition as a Corollary may by necessary consequence be deduced out of the precedent definition and be well expressed out of the constitution of the artificiall Globe and needs no farther demonstration 2 The Perioeci Antoeci and Antipodes are diuersly distinguished in respect of the celestiall apparences The proprieties of the Perioeci are chiefly foure 1 They haue the same eleuation of the Pole and therefore the same temper of the yeere and the same length of dayes and nights 2 They dwell East and West in regard one of the other 3 They haue contrary times of dayes and nights for when the one hath his Noone the other inioyes his mid-night likewise when the Sun with the one riseth it setteth with the other 4 They haue the same Zone Climate and Parallell but differ by a semicircle to wit 180 degrees To the Antoeci they haue likewise assigned 5 proprieties viz. 1 They inhabite the like Zones but in diuerse Hemispheares 2 They haue the same eleuation of the pole but not of the same pole because the one sees the pole Arcticke the other the pole Antarcticke equally raised aboue his Horizon 3 They haue Noone and Mid-night iust at the same times 4 They inioy the same temper of the Heauens 5 They haue the seasons of the yeere contrary For when the Southerne Antoeci haue their Summer the Northerne haue their Winter and contrariwise when the Northerne haue their spring these haue their Autumne To the Antipodes they haue allotted 3 Proprieties 1 That they haue the same eleuation of the pole though not of the same pole 2 They haue the same temper of the yeere and the same quantity of dayes and nights 3 They haue all the other accidents contrary For when the one hath Night the other hath Day when one Winter the other Summer when the one the Spring the other Autumne and contrariwise These accidents and proprieties here mentioned must be vnderstood in respect of the Heauens only The qualities arising from diuerse other Accidentall and particular causes in diuerse places of the Earth we shall differre vnto our second part CHAP. XI Of the Longitudes and Latitudes 1 THe distinction of the Terrestriall Globe according to certaine Spaces being formerly explaned we are now to treat of the Distinction of the said Spheare according to certaine Distances 2 A Distance here we vnderstand to be a direct line drawne betwixt two points in the Earth such a Distance is twofold either Simple or Comparatiue 3 The Simple Distance is taken from the two great circles to wit the Meridian or the Equatour which is either the Longitude or Latitude The diuision of Distances into the Simple or Comparatiue is most necessary for it is one thing for a place absolutely taken in it selfe to be distant from some fixt point or other in the Globe Another for two places to be compared betwixt themselues in regard of such a fixt point for as much as the former implies only the distance betwixt two points the other the distance of two such points or places in respect of the third These points from which such points are said to be distant are either found in the Meridian Circle from which the Distance is called Longitude or else in the Equatour whence we call it Latitude 4 The Longitude is the distance of any place Eastward from the first Meridian To vnderstand the better the Longitude we must consider that it may be taken two wayes either Generally or Specially In the former sense it is taken for the Distance of the whole Earth stretched from the West vnto the East
and contrariwise from East to West The bounds or limits of this Longitude were by Ptolomie and the ancient Cosmographers set no farther distant then the halfe circle containing 180 degrees because the rest of the Earth lay at that time vndiscouered The end of this space towards the East was the Kingdome of China at the farthest part of all India distant as wee said from the Fortunate Ilands where Ptolomie placed the first Meridian 180 degrees which being taken in the Meridian and resolued into Miles according to our former rules will giue 10800 Italian miles but this space delineated out by the Ancients was very scant and narrow in respect of the other parts since found out being added to the former For beyond the bound set by Ptolomie in the East it is manifest that 60 degrees are found out and made knowne An example whereof wee haue in Scythia withouâ— the mountaine Emaus which is knowne to extend it selfe 60 degrees Eastward towards the Kingdome of Cathay discouered by the Portugals so that the breadth of the Earth Eastward is fully knowne so farre as 240 degrees which being measured in the Equatour will amount vnto 14000 miles Moreouer towards the West beyond the Fortunate Ilands it is knowne to stretch to the farthest border of America so that 340 degrees of the earth is fully detected if not all the rest being only 20 degrees which are only deficient to make vp the whole circle Which wee may the sooner credit because our times haue brought forth for ought any Authors haue related the most excellent Nauigators of all ages which haue sayled the vast Globe of the Earth round about and left behinde them a foundation whereon others might easily build But to let passe the Generall Longitude of the Earth betwixt the East and the West Wee must vnderstand that the Longitude here mentioned is to bee taken in a more speciall sense for the Distance of any place from the first Meridian being placed either in the Canaries as the Ancients would haue it or in one of the Azores according to the latter Geographers This then must be the bound from whence wee must beginne our account The subiect wherein the number of degrees may bee taken may bee the Equatour or Parallell Whence by some the Longitude of a place is defined to bee an Arch of the Equatour or Parallell intercepted betwixt the first Meridian and the verticall point of the place proposed so that by necessary consequence such places as are subiect to the same Meridian in the same Hemispheare Easterne or Westerne haue the same Longitude which is the distance from the point of the West but places declining more towards the East haue the greater Longitude but neerer to the West lesâ—e 1 Places inioying the same Longitude are not alwayes equally distant from the first Meridian and contrarywise places equidistant from the first Meridian haue not alwayes the same Longitude The reason is euident out of that which hath beene often spoken before because the degrees of a greater circle are greater of a lesser lesse according to the greatnesse of the circle Now the Longitude of a place measured in the Equatour will answer to 60 Italian miles but in other Parallels lesse 2 The difference of Longitudes begets the difference of Times Those therefore which exactly are subiect to the same Longitude haue their Noone at the same moment but where the Longitudes are different the Noonetides are also different That the difference of time is varied according to the difference of Longitude in diuerse parts of the Earth is a matter obuious to euery mans vnderstanding out of two premised grounds 1 That the Earth is Sphaericall 2 That the Sunne in his Diurnall course once in 24 houres compasseth it round whence it comes to passe that places situate Eastward see the Sunnes sooner then those which are placed in the West and that with a proportionall difference of time that to euery houre in the Sunne motion is assigned a certaine number of correspondent miles which is in some sort expressed in a Geographicall Globe or Map wherein we shall finde described 12 Meridians which diuide the whole compasse of the earthly Spheare into 24 equall parts in such sort that betwixt each of the two neerest Meridians are reckned 15 degrees which make one houre by which wee may more easily vnderstand how soone the Noone-time happens in one Citty before another for if one Citty stands Eastward from another the space of three of those foresaid Meridians it is euident that it will inioy noone three houres before the other The reason of this difference of times is the difference of Longitudes wherein to euery houre the Cosmographers haue allotted 15 degrees in the Sunnes Diurnall motion so that 15 degrees multiplied by 24 houres which is the whole naturall day there will bee produced 360 which is the number of degrees in the whole circle 3 If two men from the same place trauell the one Eastward the other Westward round about the Earth and meet in the same place againe they shall finde that he which hath gone Eastward hath gotten and the other going Westward hath lost a day in their account This is without difficulty to be vnderstood out of the change of Longitudes seconded by their trauell varying perpetually the quantity of the day for it is manifest that hee who from any place assigned saileth Eastward mouing continually against the motion of the Sunne will shorten somewhat of his day taking away so much from it as his iourney in proportion of distance hath opposed and anticipated in the time the Diurnall course of the Sunne so that daily gaining something from the length of the day which must bee elsewhere recompenced It must needs be that in the whole circuite of the earth it will amount to 24. houres correspondent to the whole circuite of the Sunne and the compasse of the earth which will make another day Likewise if we suppose another in compassing about the earth to goe Westward it cannot bee otherwise imagined but that seconding the course of the Sunne by his owne iourney hee will daily adde somewhat to the length of his day answerable to his distance from the place wherein hee began to follow the Sunne in his course from East to West The daily addition to the length of the day proportionall to the longitudes which he changeth the Sunne running a like course must daily diminish somewhat of the Diurnall course of the Sunne and so at his iourneyes end which was supposed to be the whole circuite of the earth answerable to 24. houres in the Sunnes course it will loose a whole day To demonstrate both these cases wee will imagine in supposition that of these two trauaillers going the one Eastward the other Westward the former should take away from the length of the day or the latter adde to it for euery 15. miles one minute Then by the golden Rule if 15. miles either subtract or adde one
an Eclipse shall happen at some knowne place whereof you are well informed of the longitude Then must bee obserued by an Astrolable or other Astronomicall instrument at what houre this Eclipse begins at that place whereof you would willingly know the longitude If the Eclipse doe beginne in both places the selfe-same time you may assure your selfe that these two places differ not in longitude But if there be a difference in the time then must there be a difference in the longitude which to finde out you may in this sort proceed Take the lesser summe of houres out of the greater and there will be remaining either houres or minutes or both If there remaine houres then multiply the same by 15 if minutes diuide the same by 4 for in this account as wee haue taught 15. Degrees make an houre and adde the difference so found vnto the longitude if the Ecclipse appeare there sooner but if later subtract it from the longitude formerly knowne If there remaine any minutes after the diuision you must multiply those minutes by 15 and so shall yee haue the Minutes of Degrees To explaine this the better wee will take this familiar example from some of our later writers The longitude of Paris was set downe by Ptolomy to be 23 degrees now we may be informed by an Ephemerides that a certaine Eclipse of the Moone beginnes there 3 houres after midnight out of this I would willingly learne the longitude of Tubing a towne in Sueuia In this towne I obserue by some Astronomicall instrument at what houre the Eclipse there beginnes which I finde to bee at three of the clocke and 24 minutes after midnight Then by the subraction of the lesser number of time out of the greater I finde the remainder to be 24 minutes which diuided by 4. which makes one degree the quotient will bee 6. degrees and that is the difference which if you adde to the knowne longitude of Paris because the Eclipse begins there sooner then at Paris it will amount to 29 degrees wherby we may collect that the Longitude of Tubing is â—9 degrees To this rule for the most part are squared all Cosmographicall Tables of longitude but yet in this happen diuers errours 1. Because oftentimes in the Artificer there wants diligence in obseruing the right houre moment of the Eclipse 2. The diuers Epacts latitudes of the Moone are commonly neglected wherfore some haue thought it the best way if it were to be hoped that diuers exact Astronomers should at diuers places obserue the same Eclipse and so by conferring together according to the former Rule finde out the longitudes of those places But exact Astronomers cannot be so easily found in euery citie wherof we desire to know the longitudes or if there were such they keepe not alwaies such correspondency in friendship neither is an Eclipse of the Moone alwayes at command Neuerthelesse this way is not to bee despised because where better wayes are wanting wee must content our selues with what we finde 2 By a Clocke Watch or Houre glasse to finde out the longitude of a place This conclusion is to be performed in this manner You must get you a watch or clocke apt to runne if you can 24 houres this watch must you by the helpe of an Astrolabe rectifie and set iust at such time as you depart from the place where you are as bound to any other place whereof you desire to inquire the longitude during which time your diligent care must be to preserue your watch in motion without intermission being at last arriued at the place whereof you inquire the longitude you were best to stay till such time as the Index shall precisely point out some perfect houre At the same instant it must bee knowne by an Astrolabe what houre it is at the place where you are arriued for if your Astrolabe and Watch should both agree in one you might assure your selfe that there is no difference of longitude betwixt the place whence you came and the place whereto you are arriued For it is euident that in this sort your iourney hath beene either directly North or directly South vnder the same Meridian But if this differ either in houres or minutes they must be reduced vnto degrees in such sorâ— as we haue shewed in the former way Through which you may finde out the Longitude which you desire to know This inuention is by our Countryman Blundeuill ascribed to Gemma Frisius although I should take it to bee more ancient but whose inuention soeuer it was certainly it cannot but commend the Authour Peter Martyr in his Decades seemes to preferre this way before all the rest neuerthelesse in this I cannot assent to his opinion being one I had rather trust as an Historian then as a iudicious Cosmographer because the way cannot but admit of great vncertainty in so much as a Watch or Clocke will moue inequally being corrupted with rust especially on the Sea which alwayes abounds with moist vapours wherefore on the Sea some haue thought an Houre-glasse more conuenient which is true in comparison of the Watch but neither will the sands of an houre-glasse keepe alwaies the like motion If any certainty may bee this way it must bee by the helpe of the Automaton or perpetuall moueable of whose inuention we may sooner despaire then of finding out this conclusion 3 By the distance betwixt the Moone and some knowne Starre which is situate neere the Eclipticke the Longitude may be found out This way was taught by Appian illustrated by Gemma Frisius and Blundeuill to whose manner of explication wee haue for farther illustration added a figure of the Parallax whereon this inuention is grounded First then to shew this conclusion wee must first lay this ground that the Distances betwixt the Moone and other starres in the firmament are varied according to the difference of places In so much as two men liuing farre distant in diuers places of the earth beholding at one time the Moone and some other knowne fixt starre will not finde the like distance betwixt them whereof if any man doubt he may be informed by this figure Wee will imagine O to be the place of the Moone as seated in the lower Orbe G to bee the place of the fixt starre whose distance from the Moone is inquired E and F two stations and habitations of men dwelling on the earth whereof wee may imagine the one to bee in Europe the other in America It will be manifest that the inhabitant situate in F will behold the Moone in the point B and the said fixt starre in G because as the Optickes teach vs all things are seene in the places opposite to the eye so that the distance betwixt the Moone and the said starre will bee the Arch of the greatest Circle BG of the other side the inhabitants situate in E will behold the Moone by the ray EC in C. as likewise the said fixt starre G in the point G
for any place assigned and for this vse hath calculated Tables which wee hope will bee inlarged by our famous Professor Mr Brigges for my part hauing neuer seene this instrument such time as I shall haue occasion to acquaint my selfe with it 19 The Expression is the imitation of it on the artificiall Spheare which is againe either Astronomicall or Magneticall The former is performed by the ordinary Globe according to this rule 1 The point of any place or Citty first found in the Globe being brought to the brasen Meridian will shew in the Degrees of the same Meridian the true Latitude of the same place This may easily be shewed in this manner by an example If I would willingly finde out the Latitude of Oxford in the Globe I first finde out the place in the Globe which hauing found I turne the Globe till I haue brought the place iust vnder the brasen Meridian then I note what degree it designes and that shewes mee the true Latitude of the place which I finde to bee 52 or thereabouts but if you would finde it in a Mappe or Chart in which there is no such brasen Meridian you must take the Parallell of the place or at least the next vnto it pointed in the same Mappe Then note what degree the said Parallell cuts in the first Meridian for that will shew the true Latitude of it by the right Parallell of the place if not the next so that by addition or subtraction you may easily guesse at it 20 The Magneticall Expression depends from the Application of the Inclinatory Needle to the Terrella The Magneticall inclinatory needle is said to conforme it selfe in the same manner to the Terrella or Loadstone being artificially thereunto applied as it doth to the great Globe of the Earth so that no doubt is but an imitation of the Latitude ¶ A Table expressing the proportion of the Magneticall Inclination to the degrees of Latitude and Eleuation of the Pole Eleuat Poli. Inclination to the Horizon 1.11 Eleuat Poli. Inclination to the Horizon 1.11 Eleuat Poli. Inclination to the Horizon 0.1.11 1 2 11 15 31 52 26 38 61 79 28 51 2 4 10 13 32 53 46 55 62 80 31 36 3 6 26 55 33 54 53 51 63 80 37 54 4 8 31 23 34 56 3 56 64 81 10 47 5 10 33 41 35 57 13 25 65 81 42 36 6 12 23 50 36 58 21 19 66 82 13 23 7 14 37 53 37 59 27 50 67 82 43 9 8 16 27 52 38 60 32 59 68 83 11 56 9 18 21 50 39 61 36 46 69 83 39 45 10 20 13 47 40 62 39 0 70 84 6 37 11 22 3 45 41 63 39 56 71 84 32 30 12 23 51 46 42 64 39 29 72 84 57 24 13 25 37 52 43 65 37 41 73 85 21 22 14 27 22 4 44 66 34 31 74 85 44 24 15 29 4 23 45 67 30 0 75 86 6 31 16 40 44 53 46 68 24 10 76 86 27 44 17 32 23 34 47 69 17 2 77 86 48 5 18 34 0 27 48 70 8 38 78 87 7 36 19 35 35 35 49 70 58 59 79 87 26 18 20 37 9 0 50 71 48 7 80 87 44 9 21 38 40 42 51 72 36 0 81 88 1 10 22 40 10 41 52 73 22 38 82 88 17 23 23 41 38 58 53 74 8 2 83 88 32 49 24 43 5 37 54 74 52 11 84 88 47 29 25 44 30 26 55 75 35 6 85 89 1 22 26 45 53 43 56 76 16 51 86 89 14 30 27 47 15 25 57 76 57 28 87 89 36 54 â—â— â—â— â—â— â—â— â—8 77 â—6 â—â— 88 88 â—8 â—â— may bee expressed on the little earth or loadstone for which vse diuers curious instruments haue beene deuised by magneticall Philosophers to whom I referre my Readers because I as I said haue little acquainted my selfe with the vse of such instruments CHAP. XII Of the distances of places compared one with another 1 OF the simple and absolute distinction of distances wee haue treated in the former Chapter wee must in the last place handle it comparatiuely that is to say one place compared with another whereof wee are to consider the Inuention and Expression 2 The distance is the measured space betwixt two places which is either vniforme or various vniforme is in places different either in Longitude onely or in Latitude onely 3 Those places differ in Longitude onely which are situate vnder the same or like Parallels but diuers Meridians or at least vnder opposite points of the same Meridian Of placeâ— differing onely in Longitude there may bee three cases For 1. they may be vnder the same Parallell as the Iland of â—â—int Thomas and Summatra which lie directly vnder the Equatour or Noremberg and Hamberg which hauing very neere the same Latitude differ in Longitude and lie in the same Parallell without the Equatour 2. They may be vnder the like Parallels that is in points equidistant from the Equatour As Siene in Egypt vnder the Tropicke of Cancer and Beach in the South continent vnder the Tropicke of Capricorne 3. They may be vnder the same Parallell and Meridian but in opposite points of the said Parallell such as are the Perioeci spoken of in the 10. Chapter 4 Places differing onely in Longitude whose distance is here proposed to bee sought out are seated in the same or diuers Hemispheares 5 In the same Hemispheare when both places haue either Easterne or Westerne Longitude This againe may haue two cases for either the places are vnder the Equatour or without it in both which the finding out of the distance shall bee opened in these Rules 1 If two places vnder the Equatour in the same Hemispheare differ in longitude let the lesser longitude be subtracted from the greater and the difference conuerted into Miles and the distance will be knowne As for example wee will suppose of two places whose distance is to bee sought out the former to be the Iland of Saint Thomas in Africa the other the Iland Summatra in the East Indies both situate directly vnder the Equatour and therefore differing onely in Longitude To expresse which in this figure let the first Meridian from which the Longitude is to be measured be ABCD the place where Saint Thomas Iland is seated K and the place of Summatra F. TheÌ„ subtracting AK the Longitude of Saint Thomas Iland being lesser out of the Longitude of Summatra AE the residue KE will shew the distance in degreâ—s which being multiplied by 60 and so conuerted into Italian-miles will shew how many miles the said places are distant the one from the other As in this present example wee finde the Longitude of Saint Thomas Iland to bee 32 degrees 20 minutes of Summatra to bee 131 degrees The lesser summe subducted from the greater to wit 32 degrees 20 minutes out of 131 there will remaine 98 degrees 40 minutes which being againe multiplied by 60 will
into miles The reason may bee explained in this Figure wee will imagine EF to bee the lesser EG the greater latitude There will remaine an Arch of the Meridian FG which being multiplied by 60 being part of a great circle will make the nuÌ„ber of miles answerable to that distance For an example we will take two Citties of England Oxford and Yorke The latitude Oxford we take to be 31 degrees 30 minutes of Yorke 54 degrees 30 minutes The lesser latitude subtracted from the greater there will remaine three degrees which being multiplied by 60 will render 180 Italian-miles the Distance of thse two places 2 If two places in latitude only distant be situate in diuerse kindes of latitude adde the latitude of the one to the other and the whole summe shall be the distance As for example in the former Diagram imagining as in the former case BD to be the Meridian of those distant places and AC the Equatour we will suppose the one place to bee situate towards the North Pole as G the other towards the South as in H then as appeares by sense will the distance bee the Arch of the Meridian GH whereof GE and EH are parts whereof it is compounded wherefore it must needs follow that those parts added together make the whole distance for example we will take Bellograde in Europe and the Cape of good hope in Africa which haue neere the same longitude to wit 48 degrees 30 minutes but they differ in latitude in such sort as the former hath of the Northerne latitude 44 degrees 30 Minutes the other of Southerne latitude about 35 degrees 30 minutes These two numbers added together will make 80 degrees which being multiplied by 60 will produce 4800 miles the distance of those places 9 Hitherto of the distances of places which are Vniforme that is to say of such as differ either only in longitude or onely in latitude wee are next to consider of such distances as are various wherein the places differ both in longitude and latitude 10 The Inuention of such a distance may bee performed two wayes either Abstractiuely by the resolution of Triangles or else Mechanically by instruments The former againe may bee two wayes either by the Right-line Triangle or by the Sphericall The inuention of the distance by the Rigt-line Triangle depends on these following Propositions declaring two wayes of inuention 11 The first is by a Rectangle Triangle barely considered by it selfe according to this Theoreme 1 The square Root of the number made of the differences of longitude and latitude of two places distant will shew the distance of those places The ground of this Proposition is taken from the 27 Proposition of the first booke of Euclide where it is demonstrated that the square of the Hypotenusa or greatest side of a Rectangle Triangle is equall to the two squares made of the two other sides which being well vndersâ—ood will lend an easie light to this proposition To performe which we must first take the difference of longitude which is imagined to make one side of this Triangle Then wee must obserue also the difference of latitude which is supposed to make another side Then are we sure by the former Proposition of Euclide that the squares of these two sides are equall to the square of the Hypotenusâ— or third side which is to be sought out and expresses the distance betwixt those places wherfore we must first multiply these two sides in themselues whence they will become squares 2. We must adde them together 3 We must out of the totall extract the quadrat root which will shew the distance as suppose according to this Figure two Cities dâ—stant and differing both in longitude and latitude wherof the one shall haue in longitude 21 degrees in latitude 58 the other is supposed to haue in longitude 26 degrees in latitude 52. Here first I subtract the lesse longitude out of the greater to wit 21 out of 26 and the residue will bee 5 which I suppose to be one side of the Rectangle Triangle Then likewise I subtract the lesse latitude as 52 out of 58 the residue will be 6 which I make the other side of my Triangle which done I multiplie 6 in it selfe and it makes 36 which is the square of one side Then I multiply 5 in it selfe and the product will be 25 the square on the other side These two squares added together by the foresaid Proposition must be equall to the square of the Hypoteneus orthird side 61 whereof the square root being extracted will shew the side it selfe which will be 7 7 25 which is the distance If any man desire to know this distance according to miles he must reduce the degrees of longitude and latitude into miles according to our former rules before he begin to worke because as wee haue shewed the degrees of longitude being measured in the Parallells are not alwayes equall the Parallels being somewhere greatâ—r somewhere lesser This way must needs bee more exact in that a Mile is a smaller part then a Degree and as Pitiscus notes the Fractions which fall out in extraction of roots can hardly bee reduced to any proportion Neuerthelesse this way of finding out the distance by a Right-line Triangle howsoeuer common and receaued is very vnperfect and subiect to great errour especially in places far distant for as much as it supposeth the Meridians with the Parallels on the Globe to make true squares whereas indeed all the Meridians meet in the pole and so by consequence cannot make true squares But yet this errour is far lesse in a lesser distance because in a small space of earth the roundnesse and conuexity of the Earth is insensible or at least of very small importance so that this way cannot be altogether vnusefull 12 Another is found out more exact then the former by the tables of Signes Tangents and Secants This is performed by finding out the numbers whereof the former is called Inuentum primum or the first found number The second Inuentum secundum or the second found number The working of which Probleme depends on these rules 1 Multiply the Right Signe of the difference of the longitude into the summe of the complement of the lesser latitude and diuide the product of that multiplication by the totall summe then by the rules of Signes and Tangents the Arch of that Quotient found out will giue the first found number 2 Multiply the right signe of the lesser latitude by the totall signe and hauing diuided the product thereof by the signe of the complement of the first number subtract the Arch of that quotient out of the greater latitude which giues the second found number 3 Then multiply the signe of the complement of the first found number into the signe of the complement of the second found number and hauing diuided the product by the Totall Signe Let the Arch of the quotient be sought out by the Tables which Arch subtracted
92 3 It is probable that the sea is carried some-where from East to West and some-where from North to South contrariwise 98 4 Of the violent motion of the sea caused by windes 101 5 To some certaine places at certaine times belong certaine winds 102 6 The violence of the winds makes the sea sometimes in some places transcend his ordinary bounds 103 CHAP. VII Of the Depth Situation and Termination of the sea 1 The ordinary depth of the sea is commonly answerable to the ordinary height of the maine land aboue the water and the Whirlepooles extraordinary depths answer to the height of the mountaines aboue the ordinary height of the Earth 104 2 The superficies of the sea is some-where higher then the superficies of the Earth some-where lower 109 3 The sea in respect of the Earth is higher in one place then another 111 4 The Water is so diuided from the dry-land that the quantity of water is greater in the Southerne Hemispheare of land in the Northerne 115 5 The whole Globe of the Earth is enuironed round with sea betwixt East and West 116 6 It is probable that the Earth is enuirnoed round with water from North to South Of the North-west passage 117 CHAP. VIII OfSea Trafficke and Merchandice 1 Nauigation first taught by Almighty God was afterwards seconded by the industrie of famous men in all ages 132 2 Nauigation is very necessary as well for the increase of knowledge as riches 135 CHAP. IX Of Pedography Riuers Lakes and Fountaines in the Earth 1 All Riuers haue their originall from the sea the mother of riuers 142 2 All Riuers and Fountaines were not from the beginning 155 3 Many riuers are for a great space of land swallowed vp of the Earth whereof some after a certaine distance rise againe 156 4 Riuers for the most part rise out of great mountaines and at last by diuerse or one Inlet are disburthened into the sea 157 5 Diuerse Fountaines are endowed with diuerse admirable vertues and operations 159 6 Places neere great Riuers and Lakes are most commodious for Habitation 162 7 Of Lakes and their causes 162 8 It is probable that some Lakes haue some secret intercourse with the sea vnder ground 163 CHAP. X. Of Mountaines Vallyes plaine-Regions woody and champion Countreyes 1 Mountaines Vallyes and Plaines were created in the beginning and few made by the violence of the Deluge 165 2 The perpendicular height of the highest mountaines seldome exceeds 10 furlongs 169 3 The ordinary height of the land aboue the sea in diuerse places is more then the hight of the highest mountaines aboue the ordinary face of the Earth 171 4 Mountaines Countreyes are commonly colder then plaine 172 5 Mountaines since the beginning of the world haue still decreased in their quantity and so will vnto the end 174 6 Of Woods and their nature 178 7 Woods are not so frequent or great as in ancient times 179 8 Places moderately situate towards the North or South-pole abound more in woods then neere the Equatour 180 CHAP. XI Of Ilands and Continents 1 It is probable that Ilands were not from the first beginning but were afterwards made by violence of the water 184 2 Peninsula's by violence of the sea fretting through the Istmus haue oftentimes turned into Ilands and contrariwise Peninsalas by diminution of the sea made of Ilands 189 CHAP. XII Of Inundations and Earth-quakes 1 No vniuersall Inundation of the Earth can be naturall the other may depend from naturall causes 193 2 Particular alterations haue happened to the bonds of Countries by particular Inundations 195 3 Certaine Regions by reason of great Riuers are subiect to certaine anniuersary Inundations 197 4 Regions extreame cold or extreame hot are not so subiect to Earth-quakes as places of a middle temper 201 5 Hollow and spongie places are more subiect to Earthquakes then solide and compacted Soiles 202 6 Ilands are more often troubled with earth-quakes then the continent 203 CHAP. XIII Of the Originall of Inhabitants 1 All Nations had their first originall from one stocke whence afterwards they became diuided 206 2 The first inhabitants of the Earth were planted in Paradise and thence translated to the places adioyning 208 3 The first plantation of Inhabitants immediately after the Deluge beganne in the East 213 CHAP. XIV Of the disposition of Inhabitants in respect of the site 1 The people of the Northerne Hemispheare as well in Riches and Magnificence as valour science and ciuill gouernment far surpasse the people of the south Hemispheare 221 2 The extreame Inhabitants toward the pole are in complexion hot and moist Those towards the Equatour cold and drye those of the middle partaking of a middle temper 226 3 The extreame Inhabitants towards the poles are naturally enclined to Mechanicall works and martiall endeuours the extreame towards the Equatour to workes of Religion and Contemplation The middle to lawes and ciuility 232 4 The people of the extreame Regions towards the poles in Martiall prowesse haue commonly proued stronger then those neerer the Equatour but the middle people more prouident then either in the establishment and preseruation of commonwealths 236 5 The extreame Regions in Manners Actions and Customes are cleane opposite the one to the other The middle partake a mixture of both 239 6 The people of the Easterne Hemispheare in science Religion Ciuility and Magnificence and almost in euery thing els are farre superiour to the Inhabitants of the Westerne 250 7 The Westerne people haue beene obserued to be more happy and able in Martiall discipline the Easterne in witty contemplation and contemplatiue sciences 252 8 The Easterne part of the Westerne Hemispheare was peopled before the Westerne 255 CHAP. XV. Of the Diuersity of dispositions in regard of the Soile 1 Mountaine-people are for the most part more stout warlike and generous then those of plaine Countries yet lesse tractable to gouernment 256 2 Windy Regions produce men of wild and instable dispositions But quiet Regions more constant and curteous 273 CHAP. XVI Of the dispositions of Inhabitants according to their originall and education 1 Colonies translated from one Region into another farre remote retaine a long time their first disposition though by little little they decline and suffer alteration 278 2 The mixture of Colonies begets the same Nation a greater disparity and variety of the Nations amongst themselues 278 3 Education hath a great force in the alteration of Naturall dispositions yet so as by accident remitted they soone returne to their proper Temper  4 By Discipline Nations become more Wise and Politicke in the preseruation of states yet lesse stout and couragious 283 The Analysis of the second Booke Generall which of a place generally taken without any speciall diuision handles the Adiuncts and proprieties these agree to a place in respect of the Earth it selfe which are Internall or Externall Common or Magneticall whereof Chapter 2. Heauens which are Generall or Speciall Chapt. 3.
Expression and Manner of Description of Regions aswell in the finding out the Angle of position as Translation of places formerly found out into the Globe or Chart. Chap. 4. Speciall which contains the distinctioâ— of a place into Sea whose description is called Hydrography in which we are to consider the Adiuncts of the Sea which are either Internall which are inbred in the Nature of the Sea which againe are either Absolute such as agree to the Sea without any comparison of it with the Land Here we obserue in the water of the Sea 1 The Figure and Quality Chap. 5. 2 The Motion Naturall and Violent Chap. 6. Comparatiue which concerne the Depth Situation and Termination of the Sea Chap. 7. Externall which concerne Sea-Trafficke and Marchandize Chap. 8. Land which we terme Pedography whose Accidents are either Naturall which are againe diuided into Perpetuall such as ordinarily agree to the earth these againe are either Absolute wherein we haue no respect vnto the Sea Here we consider the Nature 1 Of riuers fountaines and lakeâ— Chap. 9. 2 Of mountaines vallieâ— and plaine-Regions woody and champion Countreyes Chap. 10. Comparatiue wherein we consider the Termination of the Sea with the Land Chap. 11. Casuall which seldome fall out such as are Inundations and Earth-quakes Chap. 12. Ciuill which concernes the Inhabitants of any place in whom we consider the Originall or off-spring Chap. 13. Disposition which is varied either accorâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 1 Site in respect of the Heauens Chap. 14. 2 Soyle Chap. 15. GEOGRAPHIE THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. I. Of Topographie and the nature of a place IN the former Treatise by Gods assistance wee haue treated of the Sphericall part of Geographie It will in the second place seeme conuenient to speake of the Topicall part of it 2 The Topicall part teacheth the description of the Terrestriall Globe so farre forth as it is diuided into places The nature of Topographie whereof we are to treat in this second part is discouered vnto vs not only in the name which promiseth a description of places but also in the differences set downe by Ptolomy himselfe betwixt the Sphericall and Topicall part the former of which hee cals Geographie and latter Topographie whereof wee haue spoken at large in the first Chapter of our former booke Here onely wee will note this one distinction that Tâ—â—ograhie may bee tâ—ken either more generally or specially Generally we may take it so farre foorth as it discouers vnto vs either the whole world and all his parts or at least some great and principall parts such as is an Empire Region Kingdome or such like More specially and particularly it hath vsually beene taken for the description of a very small place whose situation in respect of the heauens is not noted but of the parts one to the other such as are Cities Burrowes Townes Castles Lakes and Riuers The former whereat wee chiefly aime cannot well bee performed without the vse of the Sphericall part That latter we will more sparingly touch being an infinite taske in the whole earth to descend to all particulars which come in our way yet shall wee not altogether omit or neglect such circumstances in their due places so farre foorth as wee can leauing the rest to such Topographers who spend their stocke in the description of some particular place or Region whereof this our Age hath produced many deseruing high commendations This Science was anciently adorned by Homer Anâ—â—imander Milesius Haecataeus Democritus Eudoxius Dicaearchus Euphorus as wee finde in Straboes first booke to which afterward succeede Eratosthenes Polybius Possidonius and diuers others Which part requires little or small knowledge in the Sciences Mathematicall but challengeth more affinity with the Physicall and Politicall part of Philosophie and therefore is more subiect to popular vnderstanding then the former and may without it affoord some profit to the Reader 3 The Topicall part is either generall or speciall The generall is that which handles the generall Adiuncts of a place 4 A place is a superficiall space of the Terrestriall Globe fitted for habitation To the constitution of a place as it is here Topographically taken there ought to be a concurrence of two things which we may call Matter and Forme The Matter is the space contained or superficiall platforme of the earth whereon wee dwell The forme is the capability or aptnesse of it for habitation both which concurring together are conceiued to make a place such as wee here Topographically vnderstand for here wee vnderstand not a place Physically for the receptacle of a naturall body in which sense the Heauens and all the elements are said to haue their naturall places Neither yet Geometrically for a plaine whereon a line or figure may bee drawne but Topographically for the vpper face of the earth whereon people or other liuing creatures may inhabite This place as appeares by reason and holy Scriptures was more ancient then habitation For whereas in the first Masse the earth was inueloped with waters on euery side affording no place for dwelling Almighty God is said afterwards to haue separated and parted the waters from the dry land making the one a Receptacle for Fishes and such creatures of the deepe the other for a dwelling place for mankind and such creatures as breath vpon the land yet hath hee so prouided in his diuine wisdome that neither the Inhabitants of the land can well want the Sea nor the liuing creatures in the Sea want the land The one appeares in that wee are inforced to make vse of the sea not onely for â—ood and nourishment whereof a great part consisteth of fish but also for our Traffique and commerce with forraine Nations which is better effected by Sea then Land-voyages The latter is as easily shewed in that the fishes of the Sea deriue not onely their composition but also their proper nourishment from the land whereof wee shall haue more occasion to speake hereafter Now wee are moreouer to consider that a place may bee taken in a double sense first more largely for any place wherein a creature may liue for longer or shorter time Secondly more strictly for such a space of earth whereon mankinde may conueniently reside or dwell The former comprehends not onely the land but also the water for experience shewes that men in ships may for a time reside and dwell on the backe of the maine Ocean But the latter betokening a continuance of habitation is onely agreeable to the land Which sense howbeit it be more consonant to the common vse of speech yet for methode sake wee are inforced to vse the former vnderstanding by habitation not onely a place of conuenient residence but any other whereon a creature for a time may breathe and liue 1 The Terrestriall Spheare is euerywhere habitable It was an ancient opinion as we haue formerly touched that the earth was not euerywhere habitable namely in the Intemperate Zones whereof the one was placed in the middle of the earth
other in greatnesse as for example let there be imagined two Parallelogrammes the one an exact square of six foot the other a long square of 10 foot in Length and two in Breadth The one comprehends 36 square feet the other 20 as will appeare by multiplication of their sides the one into the other in which numbers there is a great inequality Yet notwithstanding if we measure the circuit or circumference of each Figure we shall finde them equall to wit of 24 foot as will appeare by their figures here prefixed For amongst those Figures called Isoperimetrall or of equall Perimeter that is alwayes to bee esteemed the greatest which is the more Ordinate figure which is that which commeth neerest to an equality of Sides and Angles But in Inordinate Figures of which nature for the most part are all Regions infinite errour may be committed if we measure them by circumnauigation wherefore to measure a Countrey more exactly it behooueth vs not only to know the Circumference but also the Diameter 2 Those Countreyes are more exactly measured which partake of a plaine surface The reason of this Proposition is easily shewed because a plaine Superficies consists of right lines But a right line as Euclide witnesseth is the shortest betwixt his owne bounds whereas betweene two points infinite crooked lines may bee drawne whence it must needs follow that more certainty and exactnesse is to bee expected in the measure of a Plaine Countrey whose Diameter is a Right line then from a Crooked and hilly trey Region where the Corde is crooked and gibbous Whence some Mathematicians haue demonstrated that more men may stand on a Sphericall Superficies as a Hill or mountaine then on a Plaine although both are found to be of the same Diameter It may bee here objected that the earth is euery where crooked and orbicular and therefore no part thereof can bee measured by a Right line I answer that the Earth is indeed Sphericall as wee haue formerly proued yet may some little part or portion thereof bee counted as a Plaine because such parts haue little or no proportion to the whole masse of the Earth This conuexity therefore being so little may passe for a plaine without any sensible errour Hence wee may gather that the Land cannot so exactly bee measured as the Sea For as much as the land for the most part is vneuen varied with hills Daleâ— and other inequalities But the Sea euery where plaine and like it selfe except the rising of the waues and surges which in so great a distance will make no difference at all Secondly we may hence collect that of two Countreyes of the same bounds and figure that must bee the greatest whose soyle and superficies is most varyed and crooked because as wee haue said crooked lines betwixt the same points are longer then right and therefore measure the greater Magnitude 9 Thus much of the Magnitude The Bound of a Countrey is a line compassing it round This definition is very euident in that euery Region is Topographically considered as a Plaine or Superficies whose bound is a line compassing it round for as a Line is bounded by a Point so a Superficies by a Line as wee are taught in Geometry Now wee must consider that the bounds of Countreyes may bee taken two manner of wayes First Geometrically for the meere line which is imagined to goe round about it Seconly Geographically for the visible markes and Characters whereby the line is traced out vnto vs such as are Riuers Cities Hills Castles and such like These markes whereby a Topographer noteth out vnto vs the bounds and limits of Countreyes are of two sorts either Naturall or Artificiall The naturall are such as are deriued from nature without mans appointment such as are Riuers Creekes Mountaines Woods and such like other matters which bound the extents of Countreyes The Artificiall bounds are such as depend vpon some constitution or decree of a man which so diuide one Countrey from another the partition being often made where no notable marke or bound is set by nature 1 Naturall bounds are more certaine then Artificiall The reason is because naturall signes or markes which are set for bounds of Countreyes are alwayes the same and as it were continued from the first creation and cannot bee changed without some great Earthquake Inundatâ—on or such like alteration in nature which very seldome happeneth and in very few places whereas on the contrary part such bounds and limits as depend vpon mans appointment may bee altered and changed according to the wills and dispositions of men as wee daily see amongst vs that ancient lands and inheritances are much questioned concerning their bounds and limits as also great controuersie is made amongst Geographers concerning the bounding of Countreyes and Territories anciently knowne and defined by old writers For names and particular contracts betwixt men in a few ages may easily slip out of memory especially when the possessours themselues as it often happens striue to extinguish and raze out the memory of former ages leauing behind them no marke or signe to tell the world their wronged neighbours right or the limited fortunes of their owne possessions 2 Equall bounds doe not alwayes containe equall Regions This Proposition is plainely demonstrated before in this very Chapter wherein wee haue proued of two figures supposed equall in the circumference that to bee the greatest which more neerely approacheth an Ordinate figure which wee define to bee that which commeth neerest to an equality of Sides and Angles So that two Regions the one round the other square may haue an equall compasse about and yet the former will bee a great deale greater in respect of the space therein contained 10 In the next place we are to consider the Quality By the quality I vnderstand the naturall temper and disposition of a certaine place 1 Speciall places are endowed with speciall tempers and dispositions That Almighty God who created the whole world hath not granted the same gifts and indowments to all Countreyes but hath diuided diuerse commodities to diuerse Regions seemeth a matter out of all controuersie For who findes not by experience one Countrey hot another cold a third temperate one fruitfull another barren a third indifferent one healthie another vnwholsome The like diuersity is also found in the inhabitants themselues according to that common prouerbe Valentes Thebani Acutiores Attici whence this diuersity should arise it is a hard matter to vnfold for as much as many causes herein concurre sometimes to helpe sometimes to crosse one the other yet will I striue as neere as I can to reduce them to certaine Heads by which a generall guesse may bee giuen to the particulars The first reason may bee drawne from the situation of the Earth in respect of the heauen and Starres therein fixed This may cause a diuersity of disposition two wayes 1 By reason of the Sun and his generall light and influxe whence in the Earth are ingendred
it will euer prosper 4 Why our Mastiffes a seruiceable kinde of creature against the molestation of Wolues and such hurtfull beasts transported into France should after a litter or two degenerate into Curres and proue altogether vnseruiceable 5 Why with vs in England some places produce Sheep of great stature but course wooll other places small Sheep but of very fine wooll which being naturally transplanted will in a generation or two so degenerate the one into the others nature that the greater sheep loose somewhat of their greatnesse yet improue their fleeces as the other increase their stature but loose much in the finenesse of their wooll 6 Why many places at the ridge of the mountaines Andi in America cannot bee passed ouer without extreame vomitting and griping euen vnto death 7 Why a Riuer in the Indies should haue such a nature to breed a great long worme in a mans leg which oftentimes proues mortall vnto the patient with infinite the like examples found in Geographers concerning the nature and accidents of Fountaines Hearbs Trees Beasts and Men themselues as wee shall shew hereafter so much varied according to the disposition of the soyle what wiser answer can an ingenious man expect then silence or admiration for to make recourse to Sympathies Antipathies and such hidden qualities with the current of our Philosophers is no other then in such sort to confesse our owne ignorance as if notwithstanding wee desired to bee accounted learned for beside the difference of the termes wherein euery Mountebanke may talke downe a iudicious Scholler I see no aduantage betwixt a Clowne which sayes he is ignorant of the cause of such an effect or of a iuggling Scholler which assignes the cause to bee a sympathie antipathie or some occult quality I speake not this to countenance supine blockishnesse or to cast a blocke in the way of curious industrie The former disposition I haue alwayes hated and the latter still wished in my selfe and admitted in others All which I can in this matter propose to a curious wit to bee sought must bee reduced to one of these two heads for either such admirable effects as we haue mentioned must arise from some Formall and Specificall vertue in the soyle or from some extraordinary Temperament made of a rare combination of the Elements and their secondary mixtures as of Hearbs Stones Mineralls and vapours arising from such and affecting the Aire of both which wee shall haue some occasion to treat in the particular Adiuncts of places yet so as I feare I shall neither giue my selfe content or my Reader any sufficient satisfaction But In magnis voluisse sat est 11 Hitherto of the common imbred Adiuncts of the Earth Topographically taken Next we will speake somewhat of the Magneticall Affections of a place These are in number two viz Variation and Declination We haue in our former Treatise of the Magneticall nature of the Earth handled diuerse other affections growing from the Magneticall Temper and disposition of the terrestriall Globe whence some man might here collect this repetition to bee altogether needlesse or at the least imperfect omitting many other of the Magneticall Affections To this I answer that it is one thing to speake of these Affections as they agree to the whole Spheare of the Earth Another thing to consider them as they are particular proprieties and markes of particular places and Regions In the former sort haue we besides the Variation and Declination handled many other affections of the Earth magnetically considered Wee here onely speake of these two as they are speciall markes and proprieties of sqeciall places which it behooues a Topographer to obserue as a matter worthy of obseruation in the description of any place The vse shall be commended vnto vs in these two Theoremes 1. The Magneticall Variation is of no vse for the first finding out of the Longitude yet may it serue to good purpose for the Recognition of a place heretofore discouered The reason of this wee haue shewne in our former booke because the variation seldome or neuer answeres proportionally to the Longitude as some of the ancients on false grounds haue surmised whence no true consequence can bee drawne from the variation of a place to the finding out of the Longitude yet may it bee of speciall vse for the new finding out of such places as haue formerly by others beene first discouered so the variation were first by them diligently and faithfully noted and obserued first because few places in the Earth can exactly and precisely agree in the selfe-same variation but in some Degree or minute will bee found to varie Secondly if any two places should bee found to accord in the same Degree of Variation yet comparing the variation with the degree of Declination wee shall commonly finde a difference for as much as places agreeing in variation may notwithstanding varie in the Declination Thirdly if two places should be equalized in both as wee cannot deny it to bee possible yet the comparing of these two Magneticall motions with other affections as well in respect of the Earth it selfe as of the Heauens will giue at least a probable distinction of which cases it is not hard out of the obseruations of our new writers and Nauigatours to giue particular instances Concerning the first we finde the variation of the compasse at Cape Verde to bee iust 7 Degrees about the Ilands neere to Cape Verde to amount only to 4 Degrees whence a Sea-man if other helpes failed may hereafter as he passeth distinguish the one from the other and if occasion serue correct this errour In the like sort might a man otherwise altogether ignorant of the place out of former obseruations in the same Iland of Cuba distinguish betwixt Cape Corientes and Cape S. Anthony In that the one hath only 3 degrees of variatiō wheras the other hath 13 for an instance of the second case we will take the coasts of Brasill 100 leagues distant from the shoare Cape Corientes beyond Cape bonae spei which agree in the same variation to wit amounting to 7 Degrees 30 minutes which notwithstanding are distinguisht by their seuerall declination for howsoeuer the magneticall motion of variation being of late inuented hath not so particularly beene traced out in all or most places yet must the declination of each place needs be different for as much as the former hath 23 degrees of South Latitude the other none at all lying iust vnder the Equinoctiall since the Latitude as wee haue formerly taught is in some measure proportionall to the Declination For the third if any two places bee found agreeing both in Variation and Declination as may bee probably guessed of Cape Rosse in S. Iohns Iland and the west end of S. Iohn de Porto Rico the Latitude being all one as of 17 degrees 44 minutes and the variation admitting perhaps insensible difference to wit of a little more then one degree yet might this helpe conioyned with former
it greater at the time of the Soâ—stice the reflection being greater approaching neerer to right Angles If wee consider the Earth wee shall finde no reason at all why the heat should be more predominant at this time then another Then must wee of necessity ascribe it to a speciall Influence of the Dog-starre being in coniunction with the Sunne Many other Instances might bee here produced but I hold it needlesse being a matter consented to amongst most Philosophers The second point concernes the Extent and limitation of this operation in inferiour bodyes for vnfolding of which point wee must know that this operation may haue respect either to the Elements of Earth and Aire or else to the Inhabitants residing on the Earth For the operation of the Heauens vpon the Elementary masse experience it selfe will warrant yet with this limitation that this operation is measured and squared according to the matter whereinto it is receaued as for example wee shall finde the Moone more operatiue and predominant in moist Bodyes then in others partaking lesse of this quality Likewise the heat caused by the Sunne more feruent where it meets with a subiect which is more capable Whence it comes to passe that one Countrey is found hotter then another although subiect to the same Latitude in respect of the Heauens for howsoeuer the action of the Heauens bee alwayes the same and vniforme in respect of the Heauen it selfe yet must the same bee measured and limited according to the subiect into which it is imprest For the Inhabitants wee are to distinguish in them a twofold nature the one Materiall as partaking of the Elements whereof euery mixt body is compounded The other spirituall as that of the Soule The former wee cannot exempt from the operation of the Heauens for as much as euery Physician can tell how much the humours and parts of our body are stirred by celestiall influence especially by the Moone according to whose changes our bodies dayly vndergoe an alteration For the humane soule how farre it is gouerned by the stars is a matter of great consequence yet may wee in some sort cleere the doubt by this one distinction The Heauens may bee said to haue an operation vpon the soule two manner of wayes First Immediatly by it selfe Secondly Mediately by the humours and corporeall organes whereof the Soules operation depends The first wee absolutely deny for the soule being an immateriall substance cannot bee wrought vpon by a materiall agent as Philosophers affirme for the second it may bee granted without any absurdity For the operation of the soule depends meerely on materiall and corporeall organes The Elementary matter whereof these organes consist are subiect to the operation of the Heauens as any other Elementary matter So that wee may affirme the Heauens in some sort to gouerne mens mindes and dispositions so farre forth as they depend vpon the bodily instruments But here wee must note by the way that it is one thing to inferre a Necessity another thing to giue an Inclination The former we cannot absolutely auerre for as much as mans will which is the commandresse of his actions is absolutely free not subiect to any naturall necessity or externall coaction Yet can wee not deny a certaine inclination for as much as the soule of a man is too much indulgent vnto the body by whose motion it is rather perswaded then commanded The third point we haue in hand is to shew how many wayes the Heauens by their operation can affect and dispose a place on the Earth Here wee must note that the operation of the Heauens in the Earth is twofold either ordinary or extraordinary The ordinary is againe twofold either variable or Inuariable The variable I call that which is varyed according to the season as when the Sunne by his increase or decrease of heat produceth Summer or Winter Spring or Autumne which operation depends from the motion of the Sunne in his Eclipticke line wherein hee comes sometimes neerer vnto vs sometimes goeth fâ—rther from our verticall point The Inuariable I call that whereby the same places are supposed to inioy the same temperament of heat or cold without any sensible difference in respect of the Heauens putting aside other causes and circumstances for how soeuer euery Region is subiect to these foure changes to wit Summer Winter Spring and Autumne yet may the same place inioy the same temperament of Summer and Winter one yeere as it doth another without any great alteration and this depends from the situation of any place neerer or farther of in respect of the Equinoctiall circle The Extraordinary operation of the Heauens depends from some extraordinary combination or concurse of Planets particularly affecting some speciall place whence the cause may bee probably shewed why some place should some â—eeres proue extraordinary fruitfull other times degenerate againe to barrennesse or why it should sometimes bee molested with too much drouth and other times with too much moisture To let passe the other considerations as more appertaining to an Astrologer then a Geographer wee will here onely fasten on the Inuariable operation of the Heauens on earthly places and search how farre forth the places of the Earth are varied in their Temper Quality according to their diuerse situations and respect to the Equinoctiall circle taking onely notice of the Diurnall and ordinary motion of the Sunne in his course Herein shall wee finde no small variety not onely in the temper of the Ayre but also in the disposition and complection of the Inhabitants both which we shall more specially declare the former in this Chapter the other in due place wherein we shall haue occasion to treat of the materiall constitution and manners of diuerse Nations 2 In respect of the Heauens a place may be diuided two wayes First into the North and South Secondly into the East and West 3 Any place is said to be Northerne which lyeth betwixt the Equatour and Arcticke Pole Southerne betwixt the Equatour and the Antarcticke-Pole The whole Globe of the Earth as we haue formerly taught is diuided by the Equatour into two Hemispheares whereof the one is called Northerne lying towards the Northerne or Arcticke Pole the other towards the other Pole is called the Southerne But here to cleere all doubt wee must vnderstand that a place may be said to be Northerne or Southerne two manner of wayes either Absolutely or Respectiuely Absolutely Northerne and Southerne places are tearmed when they are situated in the Northerne or Southerne Hemispheares as wee haue taught in this Definition But such as are Respectiuely Northerne may be vnderstood of such Regions whereof the one is situate neerer the Pole the other neerer the Equatour In the first place here wee are to consider a place as it is absolutely taken to be either North or South Concerning which we will particularly note these two Theorâ—mes 1 Northerne and Southerne places alike situate generally inioy a like disposition Wee haue formerly granted to
holy Scripture and it is not vnlikely â—hat many of those 〈◊〉 people fetcht their first originall from them The second cause may bee drawne from the Industrie and labour of the inhabitants in tillage and manuring of the ground wherein the Soâ—â—herne inhabitant hath beene more deficiâ—nt Foâ— it is certaine out of the holy Scripture that Noahs Arke wherâ—in was thâ— Seminary of mankinde and almost all other liuâ—â—g 〈◊〉 rested in â—he Northerne part of the world whence both man and beasts beganne to be propagated toward the Southâ—punc no farther then necessity enforced the Regions inhabited gâ—â—wing daily more and more populous and as iâ— were groaning to bee deliuered oâ— some of her children Hence may bee inferred â—wo consecâ—aries First that the Northerne Hemispheare was 〈◊〉 sooner and is now therefore â—ore populous then the Southerne Secondly that the chiefest and principall men which were best seated rathâ—r chose to keepe their ancient habitation sending such abroad who could either bee best spared or had the smallest possessions at home Yet notwithstanding it cannot be imagined but they retained with them a sufficient company and more then went away Out of which it must needs be granted that the Northerne halfe of the Earth being best inhabited should be best manured and cultured from whence the ground must in time proue more fruitfull and commodious for habitation for as a fruitfull Countrey for want of the due manuring and tillage doth degenerate and waxe barren so diuerse barren and sterill Countreyes haue by the industrie of the Inhabitants beene brought to fertilitie and made capable of many good commodities necessary for mans life If I were curious to draw arguments from the nature of the Heauens I could alleage the Greatnesse and Multitude of Starres of the greater magnitude in our Northerne Hemispheare wherein the Southerne is deficient as also the longer soiourning of the Sun in our Northerne Hemispheare but these as vncertaine causes I passe ouer Other reasons may perchance bee found out by those who are inquisitiue into the secrets of nature to whom I leaue the more exact search of these matters 4 Either Hemispheare consisting of 90 Degrees may be diuided into three parts each of them containing 30 Degrees 5 Of these parts 30 we allot for Heat 30 for Cold and 30 for Temperature whereof the former lyeth towards the Equatour the second towards the Pole the third betwixt both The ancient Cosmographers as wee haue shewed in our former Treatise diuided the whole Globe of the Earth into fiue Zones which they supposed had also proportionally diuided the Temper and disposition of the Earth In such sort that according to the Degrees of Latitude the Heat and Cold should in rease or diminish Which rule of theirs had beene very certaine were there no other causes concurrent in the disposition of the Earth and Ayre but onely the Heauens But sithence that many other concurrent causes as we haue shewed mixe themselues with these celestiall operations and the experiment of Nauigatours haue found out a disproportion in the quality in respect of the Distance some later writers haue sought out a new pertition more consonant to naturall experience The whole Latitude of the Hemispheare consisting of 90 Degrees from the Equatour to the Pole they haue diuided into three parts allowing 30 Degrees toward the Equatour to Heat 30 Degrees towards the Pole to Cold and the other 30 Degrees lying betwixt both to Temperature These 30 Degrees for Imagination sake they haue subdiuided againe each of them into two parts contayning 15 Degrees a peece more particularly to designe out the speciall disposition of each Region lying either Northward or Southward from the Equatour which is the bound betwixt both Hemispheares In the first section of 30 Degrees lying Northward from the Equatour wee comprehend in Africke Numidia Nigritarum Regio Lybia Guinia Nubia Egypt Ethiopia superior In Asia Arabia India Insulae Philippinae In America Noua Hispania Hispaniola Cuba with other parts of America Mexicana In the other extreame section from 60 Degrees of Latitude to the Pole wee comprehend in Europe Groenland Island Friesland Norwey Suethland for the most part Noua Zembla In Asia a great part of Scythia Orientalis In America Anian Quivira with diuerse other parts of the North of America Mexicana In the middle betwixt both betwixt 30 and 60 Degrees of Latitude wee comprehend in Africa Barbarie in Europe all the kingdomes except those North Prouinces before named and almost all Asia except some places toward the South as Arabia India and the Philippinae Insulae formerly placed in the first Section In like manner may we diuide the Southerne Hemispheare into three Sections In the first from the Equatour 30 Degrees we place in Africke Congo Monomotapa Madagascar In the Southerne Tract Beach and Noua Guinia with many Ilands thereunto adioyning as many of the Philippinae Insulae with Insulae Solomonis In America Peru Tisnada Brasilia with the most part of that Region which they call America Peruana In the other extreame Section from 60 Degrees to the Antarctike Pole is couched the most part of that great land scarce yet discouered called Terra Australis Incognita In the middle Region betwixt both from 30 to 60 Degrees shall wee finde placed in America the Region of the Pantagones in the Southerne Continent Maletur Iauaminor with many others In discouering the qualities of these seuerall Sections or partitions of the earth our chiefest discourse must be addressed to the Northerne Hemispheare as that is more discouered and knowne amongst old and new writers by which according to the former Proposition one may parallell the other concerning which wee will inferre these Propositions 1 In the first Section of the Hemispheare the first 15 Degrees from the Equatour are found somewhat Temperate the other 15 about the Tropicks exceeding Hot. That the Region lying vnder the Equatour is Temperately hot contrary to the opinion almost of all the Ancients hath beene in part proued heretofore as well by reason as experiment for that all places by how much the neerer they approach the Equatour by so much more should bee hotter as some imagine diuerse instances will contradict It is reported by Aluarez that the Abyssine Embassadour arriuing at Lisbone in Portugall was there almost choaked with extreame heat Also Pâ—rguer the Germane relates that hee hath felt the weather more hot about Dantzicke and the Balticke Sea then at Tholouse in a â—eruent Summer The causes which wee haue before touched are chiefly two The first is that the Sun is higher in this orbe in respect of those vnder the Equatour and moueth more swiftly from them spending on them onely twelue houres whence so great an impression of heat cannot bee made as in other places for heat being a materiall quality must necessarily require some Latitude of time to bee imprest into the ayre or any other subiect From the Diminution of heat in the Region must the ayre needs receaue into
the Scripture especially in the 8 of the Prouerbs and the 103 Psalme where God is said to haue set a bound vpon the seas which they should not passe But this reason seemes not warrantable That the great Creator of all things should in the first institution of Nature impose a perpetuall violence vpon Nature Moreouer all miracles are temporary and not perpetuall for then were it ordinary and so scarce a miracle others vpon lesse ground haue imagined that there are certaine Northerne starres in Vrsa maior and Draco of so great vertue that they can draw the Ocean from this habitable part of the earth toward the North and so constraine the waters that they cannot ouerwhelme the earth but this opinion is ridiculous and deserues no solide refutation being a meere coniecture without ground or probability others vpon the like reason haue dreamed that there is more Water then Earth in the Globe and that the water by his extraordinary masse occupying the center of the world turnes the earth on one side making it to swimme as a ship vpon the sea But this assertion wee haue refuted in our first Chapter of the first booke All these Authors suppose that the earth is vncouered toward the North-Pole but ouerflowne with waters towards the South which the experience of Nauigatours at this day hath sufficiently disanulled Others againe affirming out of a Peripateticall dreame that the water is ten times greater then the earth suppose the earth to bee like a sponge to drinke vp the water to proue which assertion they produce an experiment that the earth being digged any thing deepe in most places there will appeare water whence they collect that the water is mixt with the whole earth and receiued into it'â— concauities But howsoeuer wee may graunt that there are many and vast concauities in the Earth capable of Waters yet it is impossible that the Water should bee ten times as great as the Earth for by this reason although all the Terrestriall Globe were Water it could not bee but that a greater portion of Water then that in the Earth should arise aboue the Earth because according to their owne Supposition 9 partes should bee aboue the Earth Neither can Aristotles words bee well wrested to this interpretation For as much as hee vnderstood this ten-fold proportion of the Water to the Earth not of the spaces which they replenished measured by their Circles and Diameters but of the proportion they beare one to the other in their transmutation as that one measure of Earth turned into Water should bee as much as 10. All these opinions seeming so absurd it seemeth more probable to imagine that either the Waters are condensated and thickned which were in the beginning created thinne whence will follow that they should occupy a lesse place and by consequence leaue the dry-land in many places habitable or which is more probable that God in the first Creation made certaine hollow concauities and channels in the Earth which was before plaine and vniforme into which the waters were receiued and bounded in so much that they could not flow abroad This seemes enough to satisfy the search of such as are not too curious to search into his secrets whose power and omnipotence transcends the capacity of the wisest In this diuision of a place into Water and Land wee will first treat of the Sea and the accidents belonging thereunto Not that the water is worthier or greater then the Earth The contrary whereof wee haue proued heretofore but because the consideration of it is more simple as that wherein fewer matters are to bee handled then in the land For Riuers and Lakes although consisting of this watery element wee thought fit to handle apart as adiuncts belonging to the land 4 In the Sea are considered two things 1 The Adiuncts 2 The Diuision The Accidents of the sea whereof we are to treat are either Internall or Eâ—ternall 5 The Internall are such as are inbâ—ed in the Sea These againe are either Absolute or Relatiue 6 The Absolute are such as agree to the Sea without any comparison with the land such are either Figure Quality or Motion 7 The figure is the conformity of the externall superficies of the Sea whereof obserue this Theoremâ— 1 Although the whole body of the water be Sphericall yet it is probable that the parts of it incline to a Conicall figure That the whole Water according to it's outward superficies iâ— Sphericall and round is sufficiently demonstrated before in the first booke But notwithstanding this roundnesse of the whole the parts of it may for ought I see admit of a Conicall figure for as much as this hath little or no proportion to the vast Spheracity of the Water no more then little hils to the greatnesse of the Earth For the prosecution of which point I will first shew the reason of this my coniecture grounded on experience and afterwards out of the ground and demonstration of the principles of Mathematicall Philosophie endeauour to make it more manifest First therefore by a Conicall line wee vnderstand a crooked line which differs from a Periphery or circle in as much as it keeps not alwayes an equall distance from the center but is higher in the midst then on either side Now if the parts of the water standing still were in their higher superficies exactly sphericall they should by the same grounds bee concentricall or haue the same center with the whole Earth But that it hath not the same center will appeare by little dropps of Water falling on the ground which incline as wee see to a round figure yet were it more then ridiculous to say that this round conuexity of a droppe could bee concentricall with the whole Earth sith in so great a masse it is hardly sensible But here our ordinary Philosophers are ready to answer that this conformity of the water dropps in a round figure is rather Violent then Naturall because the Water being by nature moist is ready to fly and auoid the touch or drouth or any dry thing And because the Water thus auoiding the drouth cannot of necessity but some way touch it it is imagined to conforme it selfe to that figure whereit it may least of all touch This is the round or Sphericall figure wherein any body contained cannot touch a plaine otherwise then in one onely point But against this coniecture of moisture flying drouth strong enough is the experiment of Scaliger in his 105 exercitation that quick-siluer a moist substance being cast either into Water or Iron-Oare will gather it selfe to a round body notwithstanding it is manifest that quick-siluer naturally neither auoides the touch of Water or Iron for as much as the one is very mâ—â—st the other of great affinity as our Chimicks teach with quick-siluer the parent of all Mettals Moreouer it is manifest that this conformity to roundnesse is in dropps of raine falling to the Earth through the Aire yet will not our
Scaliger who would not haue a ship to passe it under three moneths out of which he laboured to proue this motion of the sea because the shippe was longer a going then returning The second experiment hee takes from the obseruation of one Iohn Eupolius who willing to passe from the port of S. Blasiâ—â— which is beyond the Cape of good hope in Africke to Melinde towards the Indies could not goe forward by reason that the currents as they call them droue them backe from Melinde to Pate a towne by this side of the Indyes whence hee would conclude that the Water should in this place rather runne from West to East towards the Indies The third experiment is drawne from the testimony of Thomas Lope who when he was to passe from the Cape of good hope towards the Indies testifies that the current of the Water was so violent that it oftentimes leapt into the forepart of the shippe The fourth is from the testimony of Iohannes Guietanus who putting forth from Tidor came into Spaine before the sixteenth moneth This iourney from Tidor to the Cape of good hope containes 55 leagues which makes 1650 miles from this to the Iland of S. Helena by the relation of another pilot are 1400 miles from whence to the Equinoctiall circle are 1600 miles from hence to Spaine by the computation of degrees are not aboue 1520 miles of all which the summe is 7114. Now if wee take out of sixteene moneths 49 dayes wherein the ship against Cape of good hope was carried hither and thither which the marriners call Voltegiairâ— and 70 other dayes wherein it stood still in the coasts of Guinea in Melacia there will remaine a whole yeere spent in this iourney which dayes if we diuide by those 7114 miles there will be allotted to euery day no more then 19 miles which euidently shewes that this iourney was most short in respect of the swiftnesse of the Nauigations For if the Ocean should driue his currents to St Hâ—lâ—na euen to the west they had ended their iourney in a farre lesser time because those currents as they say carry the ship But this iourney was accomplished very slowly wherefore the currents were not carried from East to West aâ— Sâ—aliger relates Likewise from sundry other experiments hee goes about to proue that it constantly cannot bee obserued to flow from North to South as the said Scaliger affirmes but that it is various according to diuers places Neuerthelesse that the Sea should haue a perpetuall current from the Poles towards the Equatouâ— seemes to stand as well with Reason as Experience For all men must needs confesse that the motion of the Heauens vnder the Equatour must bee much swifter then neerer the Poles because the circles of it are greater neere the Equatour Now by how much swifter the motion of the Heauen is by so much more is the Rarefaction of the Aire or other Elementary bodies right vnder it whether it be Aire as it is most probable or Fire as Peripatetickâ— imagine But howsoeuer we determine that controuersie it must needs be that the Aire must suffer Rarefaction answerable to the swiftnesse of the motion if not immediatly by the swift motion of the Heauens yet by a consequent by the greater feruour of the Fire which vnder the Equatour must needs be greater and of more force then about the Poles whence the parts of the Aire vnder it must partake more degrees of Heat and by necessary consequence suffer a greater Attenuation 2 The Sun-beames being darted perpendicularly cannot choose but attenuate and rarifie the Aire more vnder the Line then in places more declining to the Poles This ground thus laide these two consectaries will follow 1 That the Aire thus attenuated must needes take vp a largeâ— place then it before possessed which cannot be but by inlarging it selfe towards either Pole either North or South whence the parts of the Aire in those places must bee more thickned and condensated 2 That these parts of the Aire carried towards the Poles and meeting with the cold Regions of the North and South must by condensation turne into water and so fall downe in Raine or Snowes whence the Water encreasing neere the Poles perpetually must haue a perpetuall current towards the Equatour where they are againe exhausted in vapours by the Heat of the Sunne in such sort that as well the parts of the Sea betwixt themselues as the waters in regard of the Aire may proportionally maintaine themselues by the mutuall transmutation To this reason some haue added another that the Sunne soiourning in the Southerne Signes is neerer to the Earth then when hee is in the North by the whole Latitude of his excentrice and therefore of greater force to draw the water toward the South But whether this Reason be of any great force I will not spent time to dispute let euery man vse his own iudgment It seemes to me a coniecture not improbable that these currents may bee also varied according to diuers reasons of the yeere as also according to diuers channels by diuers crossings and doublings of the Tides as wee find in diuers places but I will not be too bold in this opinion because I loue not to walke without a guide in these vncertainties 4 Of the Naturall motion of the Sea we haue spoken It remaines we speake somewhat of the Violent The Violent motion is that which is stirred vp by windes The consideration of windes is either absolute or respectiue Absolute I call that wherein the Naturall effects and properties of the winds are handled which properties belong to the naturall Philosopher they being according to Aristotle a Naturall body vnperfectly mixt The Respeâ—tiue consideration is that wherein the windes are considered in respect to the â—errestriall Globe This Respect againe twofold either in regard of the whole Spheare of the Earth whereof they designe out the points of the Horizon by certaine lines called Rhumbas or else in respect of the Sea to which they giue a motion The former respect we haue handled in our first booke of Geography The later is more proper to this place howsoeuer the wind is an exhalation common as well to the Earth as to the Sea affecting both with some alteration yet because it more neerely affecteth the Sea as his proper Prouince and Dominion and hath for the most part beene most obserued of Sea men and Marriners Wee thought fit to treat of it in this place Of windes some are vncertaine and various which in all places interchangeably supply their turnes keeping no certainty or regularity in times or places others are called set or standing windes because they are obserued to blow at certaine time and places of both which as much as concernes our purpose we shall speake in these two Theoremeâ— 1 To some certaine places at certaine times belong certaine windes These windes are by some called Anniuersary because they blow at a certaine season euery yeere of these there
sort as they imagine For the only withdrawing of that hand and letting goe of that bridle which gaue the water that restraint would haue beene â—ufficient to haue ouerwhelmed the whole Earth The second reason is taken from Ilands in the sea which are nothing else but parts of the land raised vp aboue the water Thirdly we find by experience that a ship carried with the like wind is driuen so swiftly from the port into the open sea as from the sea into the port which could not be done if the sea were higher then the land for it must needs be that a ship if it were to be carried to a higher place should be moued slower then if it came from an higher to a lower Fourthly all Riuers runne into the sea from the inner parts of the land which is a most euident signe that the land is higher then the sea for it is agreeable to the nature of the water to flow alwaies to the lower place whence we gather that the sea shore to which the Water is brought froÌ„ the land must needs be lower otherwise the water in ruÌ„ning thither should not descend but ascend This opinion I hold farr more probable as being backt by reason and the Authority of our best Philosophers yet not altogether exactly true as we shall shew hereafter But Bartholomew KeckermaÌ„ in a late German writer holding these 2 former opposite opinioÌ„s as it were in one equall Ballance labours a reconciliation In a diuerse respect saith he it is true that the sea is higher and that it is lower then the Earth It is higher in respect of the shores and borders to which it so comes that sensibly it swells to a Globe or a circumference and so at length in the middle raiseth vp it selfe and obtaines a greater hight then in those parts where in the middle of the sea it declines towards the shore Of which parts the hight sufferâ— such a decrease that by how much neerer the shore they shall approach by so much the lower they are in respect of the shore in somuch that touching the shore it selfe it is much lower then the Earth For this opinion our Author pretends a demonstration which hee grounds on the 4 chapter of Aristotle de Caelo in his second booke where hee puts downe these two positions which he calls Hypotheses or suppositions First that the Water no lesse concurrs to the making of a Globe or circle then the Earth for it so descends naturally that it doth sensibly gather it selfe together and makes a swelling as wee see in small dropps cast on the ground Secondly the Water makes a circle which hath the same center with the center of the Earth Out of these grounds would our Keckerman conclude the water in some places to bee higher in other places to bee lower then the Earth And hence proceeds he to giue an answer to their reasons who haue affirmed the Earth to bee higher then the sea What to thinke of the proposition or conclusion we will shew hereafter but in the meane space I hold this conclusion not rightly inferred out of these premises For first whereas he sayth that the water by nature is apt to gaher it selfe round into an orbe or spheare I would demaund whether such a roud body hath the same center with the world or a diuerse center he cannot say that it hath a diuerse center from the center of the Earth First because as we haue demonstrated in our first part the Earth and the Water haue but one center and that the Water is concentricall with the Earth Secondly from the second proposition or ground of his out of Aristotle if he meanes such a sphaericity as hath the same center with the center of the Earth I answer first that he contradicts himselfe because he giues an instance in small dropps cast on the ground whose quantity being so small and conuexity sensible can in no mans iudgment be concentrick to the Earth Secondly out of this ground that the Spheare of the water is concentrick to the Earth hee confutes himselfe for according to the principles of Geometry in a Spheare or circle all the lines drawne from the center to the circumference must be equall Then must all places in the circumference or superficies of a sphericall body be of equall hight from the center and by consequence the sea being such a Sphericall body cannot haue that inequality which Keckerman imagines it to haue wherefore some other demonstation must be sought for this conclusion I will goe no further then that I haue spoken in the former chapter concerning the figure of the Water Where I haue probably shewed it to be conicall and out of this may be easily gathered how it may be higher then the land in some places as of the middle of greater seas where the head of the Cone is lifted higher in other lower as in the narrow streits where the increase of the eminencie is also lesse The grounds and principles of which we haue laied before 1 The sea in respect of the Earth is higher in one place then another Besides the naturall conformity of the Water to a conicall figure as we haue fore-shewed whence one part of the superficies must be graunted to be higher then another wee must needs in the sea acknowledge other accidentall causes which produce an inequality in the parts of the sea The chiefest whereoâ— are the Equality of inclination in all parts of the water to motion And the inequality of the channells and shores whence it commeth to passe that the Water of the sea being euery whereof it selfe equally inclined to motion is notwithstanding vnequally receiued into channels so that in some place hauing as it were a large dominion to inuade as in the maine Ocean it falls lower and euener In some other places as streites or narrow seas the water hauing a large entrance from the Ocean but litle or no passage through it must needes swell higher and so one place by accident becomes higher or lower then another Which farther to confirme diuerse instances may be alleaged out of moderne and ancient obseruations For diuerse histories giue testimony that sundry Kings of Aegipt by cutting the Isthmus or narrow neck of land lying betwixt the red sea the Mediterranean laboured to make Africk an Iland open passage from one sea to the other but afterwards they were perswaded to desisâ— from their enterprise Some say because they saw the red sea to bee higher then many parts of Aegipt and hereupon feared a generall inundation of all Aegipt if the pâ—ssage were broken open Others haue deliuered that they feared that if the passage from one vnto another were broke open and the red sea hauing a vent that way the red sea would become so shallow that men might wade ouer it and so insteed of making Africk an Iland it would haue been more ioyned to the Continent then before Both opinions consent in this that the waters
to wit that it might water aswell the mettalls in the bowells of the earth as giue moisture and nourishment to Plants and liuing creatures dwelling thereon And this motion saith he although it be against the particular nature of the water is not altogether violent because elementary bodyes are bound by a certaine law to obey and subiect themselues to the heauenly so that motions impressed by them are not enforced on them by violence For albeit in some sort it thwart the phisicall disposition yet haue all creatures an obâ—dientiall aptnesse as they terme it to submit themselues to the superiour But this opinion of Thomas Aquinas in my conceit seemes lesse sound then the former For first Thomas had no need at all of these shifts holding some of his other grounds For in another place comparing the hight of the sâ—a and land one with the other he firmely maintaines that the sea is aboue the land and that it is bounded and restrayned from ouerflowing the dry land by the immediate power of the Creator If this be graunted what need there any ascent or drawing vp of the water by any externall power of the heauenly bodyes sith the remitting of this restraint of waterâ— in some places were sufficient to cause such springs and riuers in the earth Secondly his opinion cannot stand without manifest contradiction of himselfe for how can the water being of his owne nature heauy be drawne vpward without violence and thwarting of nature And whereas he alleadges for himselfe an obedientiall aptnesse in the elementary bodies to obey the superiour he shall find very little helpe to maintaine his part For this obedientiall inclination must be either according to the nature of the water or opposite vnto it or at least the one must be sudordinate vnto the other That it is according to the nature of the water he himselfe disclaimes and experience refutes because it naturally descends not ascends if it be opposite as indeed it must needes be he contradicts himselfe If the Physicall and obedientiall inclination be subordinate the one to the other I vrge that subordinate causes can produce no other then subordinate effects for asmuch as the causes and the effects are measured and proportioned the one by the other But wee plainly see that the motions of ascent or descent are diametrally opposed and contrary the one to the other so that they cannot otherwise proceed then from opposite and contrary causes Secondly this obedientiall aptnesse is commonly vnderstood of a creature in respect of his Creator in whose hand it is as to create all things of nothing so to reduce all things againe into nothing But this although it be aboue nature yet no way contradicts nature and easier it is to be imagined that the Creator should annihilate any Creature then letting it remaine in his own Nature giue it a motion against nature Moreouer 〈◊〉 we duly coÌ„sider nature in her course we shall find that the lower elementall Bodies onely concurre to the conseruation of the whole and of one another by following their own priuate inclination for the whole is nothing else then an orderly concent and harmony of all the parts from whose mutuall cooperation it receiues his perfection so that where any part failes in his owne office the whole must needs sustain dammage Thirdly it will hardly be resolued by any of this opinion by what meanes or instruments the heauenly or superiour Bodies can haue such an operatiue power ouer the water as to lift it vpward from his owne Center for neither can this thing be performed by motion hight or any InflueÌ„ce which are the three meanes of operation of celestiall Bodies on elementary I will not stand to proue every particular in this matter But onely would haue my aduersary to answere and giue an instance and speciality Another opinion there is of Aristotle followed by all Peripaâ—eticks who in his first booke of Meteors and 13 Chapter goes about to proue and maintaine that all Springs and Wells in the land are produced and generated in the bowells of the Earth by any vapours resolued into water which opinion he labours â—o strengthen in this manner It is certain saith he that the Earth hath within it much aire because Nature will no-where admit a vacuity But the Earth hath not onely many open but a great many secret holes and conâ—auities which cannot otherwise be filled then with aire Moreouer a great part of the Earth and other vapours therein contained and stirred vp by the force of the Starres are conuerted into Aire and that aswell the Aire included in the bowells of the Earth as vapours there also bred are perpetually conuerted into water This reason may seeme to perswade because it followes of necessity that the coldnesse of the Earth expelling their heat they should harden condensate be disposed at last to the generation of water whence also the cause 〈◊〉 giuen of the generation of water in the middle Region of the Aire although it be not alwaies thence bred aswell for other causes as for that the Aire by the heat of the Sunne is sometimes too hot and the vapours are too much attenuated and ratified so that the matter of Raine cannot be alwaies supplyed This would Aristotle haue to bee the originall of all Springs and Fountaines So that the water should first distill as it were drop by drop out of this vapourous matter and this moist matter so collected and drawne together should afterwardâ— breake forth out of the ground and so cause such fountaines Some reasons are also produced to proue this assertion for say the Authors of this opinion If the Springs and Riuerâ— should proceed from any other cause then they should take their beginning from Raine-water which is before refuted or from the Sea by certain secreâ— passages which opinion seemes too weake to endure examination First this seemes an argument that the Sea-water is commonly Salt but the water of Springs and Riuers is for the most sweet and fresh and therefore such Springs are not deriued from the Sea Secondly because we neuer find the Sea to be emptied which must needes be if it should giue beginnings to all such currents of water in the Earth Thirdly we haue already shewed that the superficies of the Earth is higher then the Water so that it cannot be conceiued how riuers should be deriued from the Sea To this opinion howsoeuer seeming probable and supported with the name and authority of so great a Philosopher I dare not wholly assent forasmuch as it thwarts the Testimony of holy Scripture and cannot otherwise stand with reason because it cannot well be imagined how so many vapours and so continually should be ingendred in the bowels of the earth to nourish so many and so great currents as we see springing out of the Earth for a very great quantity or portion of Aire being condensated and made Water will become but as a little drop The Aire according
bee performed by many stronger and abler men as it hath beene tried sometimes that a Franticke man hath broken very strong chaines wherwith he hath been bound which many other men could not doe Neither on the other side can it seeme strange that many and great exhalations vapours and spirits should be ingendred vnder the Earth For as much as the Earth is heaâ—ed many wayes Many wayes may bee specified whence such fumes should arise as first from the Sunne and Starres Secondly from the subterranean fires hid in the bowels of the Earth Thirdly in the winter-time by an Antiperistasis the heat collecting it selfe downeward to the inner parts of the Earth which was before in the outward parts of it The argument by which Aristotle would confirme this opinion is drawne as well from the time as from the places wherein Earthquakes vsually happen from the time because then most Earthquakes are obserued to bee when most exhalations are inclosed in the bowels of the Earth to wit in the Spring-time and the Autumne From the places because for the most part spongie and hollow Regions which may drinke in a greater quantity of exhalations are commonly most subiect vnto it for although many exhalations are dayly inclosed in the wombe of the Earth yet Earthquakes fall but seldome because the matter is seldome so strong and violent as to shake the Earth Wherefore some Philosophers haue expressed three principall wayes which make this Earth-quake first when a great quantity of exhalations is suddenly ingendred which for the greatnesse of it cannot be contained in so little a space for then being almost choked it seekes a way to fly forth Secondly when the Earth is condensated by cold and driues the exhalation from one place to another which flying hither and thither shakes and strikes the Earth Thirdly when the exhalation the cold compassing it round by an Antiperistasis begets heat within it and so is rarified for so being vnable any longer to confine it selfe to its former place it breakes forth and so shakes the Earth We must here note by the way that not onely exhalations are cause of the distemperature in the Earth but also subterranean fires and windes all which by some are iudged to bee of equall force in this action for the diuision of Earthquakes so farre forth as it concernes the difference of places we must vnderstand that it may be either Vniuersall or particular An Vniuersall Earth-quake is that which shakes all the whole Earth in euery part at least in the vpper face whereof I suppose no naturall cause can be giuen but the immediate and miraculous power of God such an Earth-quake happened at the time of our Sauiours Passion whereof Dydimus a graue and ancient Writer left record But that which is said to haue happened in the time of Valentinian mentioned by Orosius in his 7 booke of Histories 32 Chapter is thought by graue Authours to be no vniuersall Earth-quake howsoeuer for the large extent of it it was thought to be generall A particular Earth-quake is that which is bounded in some one or more particular places which for the causes before-alleaged cannot be so far extended because the cauernes and conuexities of the Earth where such vapours and exhalations are contained cannot bee ordinarily so great as to extend to many Kingdomes and Regions 1 Regions extreame cold or extreame hot are not so subiect to Earth-quakes as places of a Middle temper The reason is because in places extreame cold exhalations are not so soone ingendred and in so great a quantity as in other parts on the other side in places which are extreame hot the exhalations which are bred are soone consumed with excesse of heat both which may be confirmed by Instances It is obserued that in the cold Northerne parts as Olaus Magnus writes in his 10 booke and 13 Chapter Earthquakes are very seldome or neuer so it is obserued by Pliny in his 2 booke and 18 Chapter and Albertus Magnus in his 3 booke of Mâ—teours tract 2 That places which are very hot as Egypt are seldome troubled with this shaking of the Earth whereas places betwixt both which are seated in a more temperat climate find it not so strange 1 Hollow and spongie places are more subiect to Earth-quakes then solide and compacted soyles We must here vnderstand that hollow places are either such as lye open to the Aire or are hollow onely vnder and close vpward The former sort are not at all subiect to the molestation of Earth-quakes because the exhalations fly out without impediment but the latter being more apt to ingender and retaine such matter must of necessity bee more troubled This is most plainely obserued in Phrygia Italia Caria Lydia wherein such motions are more frequent To confirme this a little farther wee obserue that hilly and mountainous places suffer this violence oftner then other parts because there most commonly cauernes and concaâ—ities are more frequent then in plaine countreyes But here by the way may bee obiected that sandy and slimy countryes are many times more free from Earth-quakes then other places an instance whereof was giuen before in Aegypt wherein neuer any Earth-quake as most Authours affirme or at least but one as Seneca hath beene obserued The reason may bee giuen that sandy places without any strife suffer the exhalatioÌ„s to disperse themselues that slimy places want sufficient receptacles to entertayne them 3 Ilands are more often troubled with Earth-quakes then the Continent This haue they found to be true in many Ilands of the Mediterranean Sea and others also chiefly in Cyprus Sicylia Euboea Tyrus Angria Lippora and the Molucco Ilands betwixt the East and West-Indies The cause some would haue to bee the Antiperistasis or circumstancy of the waters which is apt to engender greater store of exhalations in the Earth But neuerthelesse that Ilands are more subiect to Earth-quakes then Continents I dare affirme no otherwise then probable because some places in the Continent seeme very much affected especially in Europe aboue other places Constantinople and Basilaea if we credite authors which haue written of this matter in Asia China and other Regions adioyning thereunto CHAP. XIII 1 THe Naturall affections of the Land haue hitherto beene declared Wee are in the next place to treate of the Ciuill Those wee terme Ciuill which concerne the Inhabitants 2 An Inhabitant is a man dwelling in a certaine place The name of an Inhabitant as we haue before noted may be taken either generally for any liuing creature residing in a certaine place in which sense Brute beasts may be called Inhabitants which signification is only metaphoricall or else for a Reasonable liuing creature whose abode is setled in any place or Region in which sense we here take it The consideration of the Inhabitants we haue reserued for this last Treatise following as well the methode of the first creation as of Moses in the narration For God proceeding in the first Creation according to the