the halfe circle by the middle pricke howe many degrees the Pole is raysed aboue the Horizon of that region or place where you are and then the shadow of the wyre or steele shal iustly shew in the Plate the houre and what a clock it is Heere foloweth the Figure of the Instrument The xv Chapter of certayne particuler Dyals Mural and Horizontall AMong sundry manner and fashions of perticuler Dyals there are two principall Whereof the one is Horizontall which is placed in the superficiall of the Horizon the other is verticiall and must be made or set on a wall perpendiculer and directly against the South or mydday from the true leuant or East to the true ponent or West the whiche the Mariners call East West To make any of these two Dials you must drawe a right lyne and call it the Axis of the poles of the world vpon the which you shall drawe an halfe circle and deuide it in 90. equall partes And where the halfe circle is cut with the lyne of the Axis must be accompted by the circumference the altitude of the pole for the citie or place for the whiche you intende to make the Dyall And in the poynt of the circumference where endeth the altitude of the pole you shall make a marke and write there The altitude of the pole And from that poynt draw a ryght lyne vnto the poynt where you began to accompt the altitude of the pole which lyne shal be called the Semidiameter or halfe Diameter of the verticall circle And from the same poynt of the altitude of the pole drawe another ryght lyne to the other extremitie or ende of the Axis and this shall be called the Semidiameter of the Horizon and likewyse from the same poynt of the altitude of the pole draw a ryght lyne perpendiculer vntyl it touche in the Axis and this shal be called the Semidiameter of the Equinoctial Hereby is consydered a Triangle which hath by the sydes thereof the Semidiameter of the vertical the Semidiameter of the Horizon and the Axis of the worlde which Triangle shal serue afterwarde These thrée Semidiameters of the vertical the Equinoctiall and the Horizon being founde you shall make the Dyall in this manner Drawe a ryght lyne somewhat long and call it the lyne of contingence This shâ—ll you cut with an other lyâ—e iâ— ryght anglesâ— after the maner of a crosse whiche shâ—lbe the Meridian lyne Then with your compasse â—ake â—rom the Triangle the Semidiameter of the Equinoctiall and of this bygnesse drawe a circle vpon the Meridian lyne so thâ—t the edge or brymme of the circle touche in the lyne of contingeâ—ce Then with a compasse take the Diameter of the verticall circle yf you wil make a muâ—all Dyall or the Semidiameter of the Horizon yf you wyll make a Horizontall Dyall on a playâ—e or flatte fourme Therefore with such Semidiameter as you desyre you shall drawe a circle vpon the other part of the Meridian lyne so that the circumference thereof touche in the lyne of contingence Then shall you deuide the Equinoctiall circle into foure equall partes and the quarter that is towarde the lyne of contingence shall you deuide into syxe equal partes And settyng the ende of the ruler in the center of the Equinoctial and vpon euery poynt of them that deuide â—he syxe equal partes from thence shall you drawe certayne ryght lynes vntyll they touche in the lyne of contingence And from these poyntes of the line of contingence you shal draw other ryght lynes to the center of the Horizontal circle which lynes shal be the determiners of the houres And neére vnto the Meridian lyne where it toucheth in the lyne of contingence you shal wryte twelue and consequently towarde the East you shal wryte one two threé foure fyue syxe and from the syxth houre you shal drawe a ryght lyne which shall passe by the center of the Hâ—rizontal circle equally distant from the lyne of contyngence The one quarter of the Horizontal beyng drawne by the selfe same and of the same measure and bygnesse shal you drawe the other in suche sorte that the same bygnesse that is from twelue to one the selfe same shall you geue from the twelfth to the eleuenth and the same bignesse and measure that is from one to two shal you geue from eleuen to twelue and so foorth of the other And note that the Horizontal Dyall after the syxth houre of tâ—e euenyng shall haue the houres of seuen and eyght and in climates farre North xi also and more if néede shall require and consequently must haue the houres of fiue and foure of the morning and in climates farre North threé also and these also must be so marked that from syxe to seuen may be the same that is from fyue to syxe and from seuen to eyght the same that is from foure to fyue also foure and fyue of the morning as seuen and eyght The Dyal being thus drawen in paper or on a table or any other thyng must be painted on a table or in stone or in what so euer you desyre to make the Dyall a circle of the same bignesse as is the circle horizontall and in that must be translated the lynes and numbers of the sayd circle horizontall Then must you make a triangle of metall of the selfe same bignesse and fourme that is made in the myddle circle and the syde of this triangle which is called the halfe diameter of â—he horizon must be fixed vppon the Meridian lyne of the horizon Dyall so that the syde of the tryangle which is the Axis of the worlde and extremitie or ende thereof may fall in the center of the horizontall Dyall and must stand so perpendiculer that it declyne neyther to the one part nor to the other The Dyall being thus made you shall set it vppon a Meridian lyne so that the Meridian lyne of the Dyall may stand or rest vpon it and so shall the shadowe of the triangle shewe the houre and yf for this place we desyre to knowe it we must fixe it there And if for any other place so setting it we shall haue a certayne houre So may we in any instant remooue it to another place and likewise set it there to make certaine true demonstration of the houre ¶ Heere foloweth the Figure of this Demonstration In like maner as is made the Horizontal Dyal must be made the verticall taking from the Triangle the Semidiameter of the Circle verticall And note that for the Circle verticall it shall not be néedefull of more then sixe houres before noone and other sixe after noone And the triangle must be fixt in the meridian lyne vppon the side that is called the Semidiameter of the Circle vertical And yf you will not make a triangle of metall but that a wyre of Iron may gyue the shadowe then must you make the sayd triangle of paste or paper And
distaunt froÌ„ the Equinoctial the complement of the Meridian altitude toward the Pole where the shadowes are By these rules beside the vse whereof we haue spoken may be knowen how much is the greatest declination of the Sunne thâ— altitude of the Equinoctial the day houre and minute when the Equinox was the which is knowen as foloweth Hauing taken the greater Meridian altitude of the Sommet which is in the beginning of Cancer and the lesse of Winter which is in the beginning of Capricorne taking away the lesse from the more the â—est is that that is from Tropike to Tropike consequently parâ—ed by the middest is the greatest declination As for example I suppose that being in the Citie of Cadiâ— to finde the great Meridian altitude of the Sunne being in the beginning of Cancer to be 77. degrées and the lesser Meridian altitude which is when the Sunne is in the beginning of Capricorne to be 30. degreés then taking 30. from 77. remayne 28. degrées and so much is froÌ„ Tropike to Tropike And the halfe which is 23. and a halfe is the greatest declination Consequently the greatest declination added to the lesse Meridian altitude taking it away from the greater Meridian altitude that riseth thereof is the altitude of the Equinoctiall Example 23. and a half of the greatest declination ioined with 30. of the least Meridian altitude or taken away from the 77. of the greatest Meridian altitude remayne 53. degreés and a halfe which is the altitude of the Equinoctiall in the Citie of Cadiz Hereof it foloweth that wâ—eÌ„ we shal â—ake the meridian altitude in 53. degreés and a halfe that day is the true Equinoctial But if it had one day lesse and the other day folowing it had more we must take the lesse from the more fourme the rule of threé vppon the rest saying If 24. minutes which is that that the Sunne declineth in one day doth yeéld 24. houres how much shall those minutes that lacketh of 53. degreés and a halfe of the altitude of the Equinoctial yeéld me Multiplying deuiding according to the foresayd rule then that which commeth thereof shall be the houres after the midday when it is Equinox Example of the experience that I made in the Citie of Cadiz the tenth day of March at midday or high noone I toke the altitude of the Sunne in 53â— degreés and 26. minutes they lacke to be the Equinoctial 4. minutes An other day the xi of Marche at noone I tooke the Sunne in 53. degrées and fiftie minutes which are more then the Equinoctiall by twenty minutes Then to knowe at what houre the Sunne was in the 53. degreés and thirtie minutes of the Equinoctiall I tooke away the Meridian altitude that I tooke at the tenth of March from that that I tooke at the eleuenth which is the difference 24. minutes and I formed the rule saying if 24. minutes the Sunne did rise to me in 24. houres then in how much time shall ryse vnto me the four minutes that failed me at the tenth of March I multiplyed deuided found that in four houres and so shall you say that the Equinoctiall was in the citie of Cadiz the tenth day of March at foure of the clocke at after noone which is vnderstoode according to the Astronomers at foure houres run at the eleuenth day of March at this present yeére 1545. The ix Chapter of the making of the crosse staffe wherewith the Marinerâ— take the altitude of the North Starre MAke a square sâ—affe or yarde of the thicknesse of a â—â—nger more or lesse according to the goodnesse of the wood and of length sixe spannes or more For the longer that it is the more precise shall it be and the degreés shall be the greater whereby followeth the certainetie of the altitude Then take a very plaine table of the length of the staâ—â—e and two spannes of breadth or at the least a spanne and a halfe and in the myddest of this Table make a ryght lyne by longitude and in the one end of this lyne make another lyne that may cut it in right angles And vppon the cutting of these two lynes put the foote of the compasse and make halfe a circle which may remayne on the parte of the long lyne so that the halfe circle may haue so much Diameter as you desire the height of the hammer head or crossepéece of the staffe to be This halfe circle being made you shall drawe two lynes equidistaunt to the lyne which you haue made by the middest of the Table These lines must touch in the extremities or ends of the half circle Then deuide euery halfe of y e halfe circle or quarter of the circle into two equal parts the two halfes that shal end in the first line deuide eche of them into 90. equall parts Then take a ruler and put the edge thereof vpon the center of the half circle and vpon euery of the marks which deuide the 90. parts and so proceéde making punctes in the lynes which you haue made equidistant to the fyrst lyne Then drawe certayne ryght lynes from the punctes of the one lyne to the opposite punctes of the other and so shal the draught be ended Then take y e staffe or yard put the one end therof in the center of the halfe circle and apply the edge of the yarde to the lyne that goeth by the middest of the Table and marke in the yarde the markes that are in the said lyne by meanes of the trauersing lynes and seé also that the markes which you make in the yard be trauersing lynes and make them their numbers beginning at the end or poynt of the yarde that shal be to the contrary part from that whiche you did in the punct of the halfe circle And to knowe with what degreés you shall beginne the yarde or staffe and what number you shal marke in the fyrst lyne of the punct looke how many degreés are from the circle whiche you deuided betweéne the lyne that goeth to the last marke and with so many degreés enter and so consequently shall you place the numbers from fyue to fyue or from tenne to tenne When you haue thus numbred the yard then to make the crosse peéce thereof take a table or planke of good wood which shal be so muche in lengthâ— as shal be the Diameter of the halfe circle so much in breadth as thrée tymes the thycknesse of the yarde and of thicknesse two fyngers or litle lesse On the one syde also it must bée very playne and on the other side in the myddest it must haue a square or quadrature of al the thicknes of the plancke and from the square to the ends it must be made thinner and thinner so that it hath in maner the fourme of suche pickars wherewith milstones are pycked And in the myddest by longitude and latitude it must haue a square hole by the whiche the yarde may enter iust
the other foure degrees and nine minutes vnder it And they are deuided by certaine lynes equidistant to the East and West In y e center of this circle is annexed a horne with his seuen stars moueable round about by all the windes And seeing them in heauen how in what wind they are euen so in this figure shal we seé the North starre in what part it is of the degrees high or lowe from the pole that the Pilot or Mariners shall not erre I say that he ought not to put the foreguard in the windes that passe through the center of the figure for it shal be North and South with the pole and not with the starre of the North as it ought to be and so of the other windes And in this maner the starre of the North shall shew in the lynes equidistant from the lesse circle the degreés partes of degreés that it is higher or lower then the pole of the world for the same course differences and variations it maketh in heauen ¶ This figure is after the Astronomers Which affirme that thâ— North starre is four degrees and nine minutes from the Pâ—lâ— Thus being knowen how muche the North starre is vnder or aâ—oue the pole let vs take the altitude thereof and that of if that is vnder the Pole let vs ioyne to his height and as muche of it as is aboue let vs take away and that shall rise thereof shall be the altitude of the Pole aboue our Horizon The xi Chapter of the composition and vse of an instrument by the which without obseruing the South Sunne or mid-day is knowen the altitude of the Pole and the houre that is WE haue geuen rules whereby the Pilotte may knowe in what paralel he findeth himselfe with his Shippe But hee may not knowe this at all houres for as muche as for the altitudes of the Sunne it is necessary to obserue the mid-day iustly and for the altitudes of the North it is necessâ—ry to obserue that the foremost guarde be placed iustly with the North in some of the foure lynes of the eight wyndes And ouer and besyde the rules aforesaide I haue thought good to describe an instrument by the which may be knowen the paralel where the Shippe is and what the houre is at any time of the day by the beames of the sunne Make a rounde plaâ—e of Laâ—on or other conuenient mettall of the Diameter of a spâ—â—ne or more For the greater that it is the more precisâ— shall it beé and make in it two Diameters that may cut themselues in ryght angles vpon the center In the foure extreames or endes of these Diameters leaue foure rounde puncâ—es or poyntes that may serue for axis The one of these Diameters shal be called the axis of the world and the other the lyne of East and West This doone make of the same laâ—on a semicircular peéce of the thicknes of the plate or litle lesse and of the breadth of halfe a â—inger this must stand vpon an edge so that the coâ—â—ex part may come iustly with the halfe of the circumference of the plate to the whiche it must be nayled or sothered in the neather part of the plate the semicircle being raysed that the endes thereof may come with the endes of the axis of the world And this semicircle shal you deuide into â—wo equal partes and euery halfe into 90. degreés beginning from the halfe poynt toward the ende of the Axis of the world which are the Poles In lyke maner shall you makeâ— two circuler peeces of the bignesse of a peâ—ce of foure ryals of plate which thâ—y call rundels for the houres these must be made fast in the plate by the Poles of the worlde whiche may hold or beare them by their cenâ—ers And euery of these rundelles must be deuided into 24. equall parts and although not all yet the vppermost part of the plate And aboue in y e highest point of these diuisions you must write 12. because that there it shall shew the midday or noone And froÌ„ thence the afternoone houres must begin their numbers toward the West part and shall ende 6. houres in the halfe or middest of the ioynt of the circle with the plate In the other ioynt of the other part shall begin 6. of the houres before noone shal ende 12. in the â—ighest poynt You must also make another Semicircular peece of the breadth of a finger this must be playne or flat the concauitie or holownesse thereof equall to the Semicircle of the edge or syde of the plate and in the endes muste haue two holes wherein may iustly enter the poynts that come foorth of the circle for the houres which are the Poles of the world Also this Semicircle must haue two lynes one on the vppermost part and the other on the neathermost whiche may deuide the breadth into two equall parts This halfe circle likewise must be deuided into two equal parts by longitude with a â—â—auersed line which shal be called the Equinoctiall from this lyne to the inwarde part thereof must be counted 13. degreés and a halfe towarde the one part and as muche towarde the other parte of the 90. that euery halfe of the circle conteyneth And at euery part where ende the 13. degreés a halfe make a trauersed line so that from the one to the other may be 47. degreés And in this space shall you drawe certayne lynes equidistaunte with them of the middest that they and the middle lyne may deuide into 4. equall partes the breadth of the halfe circle Then looke in the table of the declinations of the sunne what declination haue the 5. degreés of Aries and that shall you accompt from the Equinoctiall towarde the one part and as much more toward the other making a lyne that may trauerse that of the myddest where that declination doth end and touch in the other two lynes And the same shall you doo at 10.15.20.25 and 30. wâ—ich is the end of Aries and beginning of Taurus and then the lyne shal trauerse al the breadth The like also shall yoâ— doo to Taurus and Gemini then in the spaces write the caractes of the xii signes beginning Aries from the Equinoctial toward the North Pole And then doo Taurus and Gemini end in the greatest declination beginning Cancer in the other part of it Then Leo and Uirgo do end in the Equinoctial where shal begin Libra Scorpio Sagittarius and in the other part Capricornus Aquarius and Pisces shall end in the Equinoctiall where Aries began This halfe circle must haue an opening or open place euen and iust in the middest from the Equinoctial vnto somewhat more then the greatest declinations and must be a litle broder on the inner part then without and not so brode as may come to the two lynes because it would then take away the graduation of the signes And in this open place
must be put a square grayne or stubbe which on the inner part may come playne with the halfe circle on the vtter part may câ—me forth a litle where shal be nâ—yld a square peéce of Laton of the breadth of the halfe circle This graine or stubbe being so nayled with the péece must haue in the middest a hole so small as may receiue a litle pinne and by the center of this hole must passe a line which shal trauerse all the grayne And this lyne shall serue to put the sunne which the hole representeth in the degrée of the signe where it is This halfe circle where it goeth in the circumferences of the rundels for the houres must â—e fyled on the one side vnto the line that is in the myddest to marke it and shew the number of it For the placyng or settyâ—g of this instrument you must cut a gyrdle or ryng of laton as thick as the plate and of the breadth of a fyâ—ger or litle lesse and so large that of it may be made a circle somewhat bigger then the plate so that the plate and the Meridian may easily be conteyâ—ed within it This circle shal be called the Horizon which must be deuided into foure quarters In lyke mâ—ner must be mâ—de two semicirculer péeces the ends of them must be nayled or sothered in the poynts that deuide the quarters of the circle and deuide the one from thâ—ther in two equal parts making right spherical angles And in this ioynt of these two peéces must be nayled or sothered a Mastâ—â— the which at the one end is deuided into two braunches or forks Then shal you make a base or foote for the same which in the vppermost part thereof shall haue a concauitie or holownesse where may be set a sayling compasse or a neédle touched with the Lode stone and couered ouer with a glasse And on the highest edges of this base the two braunches of the Mastel shal be made fast and this base with the Mastel the halfe circle and the circle shal be all one peéce which â—halbe called the seate or frame of the instrument The Horizontal circle in the ends of one halfe circle must haue two holes in the which may enter the Axis that are made in the ends of the lyne of East West Also you must take good heéde when you sother or make fast the Mustel in the base that the North and South of the plate or Horizon come with the North and South of the néedle that is beneath hauing euer respect how much the neédle doth vary from the Meridian by Northeasting or Northwesting In the ioynt of the two halfe circles vpon the Mastel must be a poynt called the index or shewer whâ—ch shal shew in the halfe circle sothered in the place on y e neâ—ther part the degrées that the Pole is raysed aboue the Horizon For the perfection of this instrument it shal be conuenient to set the Horizon very playâ—e and equal at the time of the operation or practising with the instrument and this may be done in two maners Whereof the one is hanging by a fine threéde at the center of the plate a plomet made somewhat poynted at the neather ende so that the Horizon standing playne leuel the poynt of the plomeâ— may â—al vpon the poynt of the index and this maner is good for the land But for the Sea you shall sother the Horâ—zon two Axâ—s little stubbes or endes comming foorth These shal be put in the two opposite holes of a circle of mettall made somewhat strong and this circle must haue other two stubbes lykewyse comming foorth and equally distant from the two holes These must be sothered or nayled in two holes of another circle in like maner and the other circle with other two stubbes inclosed in a boxe If then the boxe stand euen and leuel the poyse or waight shall cause the Horizon to stande leuell although the Ship sway or roule from side to side The vse of this instrument is in this maner When you desyre to knowe the paralel in whiche you are and the houre that is put the lyne that trauerseth the graine in the degree of the signe in the which the Sun is which you shal knowe by the â—able of the place of the Sunne in the seconde Chapter of the second parte and set the North and the South of the plate with the North and South of the néedle Then turne the moueable Meridian against the Sunne the foote of the instrument standing fast and rayse it or put it downe in the plate vntill the beame of the Sunne enter in at the hole of the graine and fall in the center of the plate and standing so behold the index and how many degreés it sheweth from the Meridian so much is the altitude of the Pole Then looke where the moueable Meridian sheweth in the rundel of the houres and there shall you sée the houre that is Heere foloâ—eth the demonstration ¶ The xii Chapter of the leagues that are runne for a degree according vnto diâ—ers courses IN the sixth Chapter I promised to geue a rule to knowe the distaunce from one paralel to another sayling by whatsoeuer lyne or wynde except the East and West for the whiche is to bée vnderstoode that the Nauigation or course from one place to another according to the Cosmographers ought to be by the arke of the greater circle for that by this maner shal be the shortest course and this greater circle they deuide into 360. degreés and al the distances that are froÌ„ one place to another they accompt by the degreés minutes of this circle and so sayling from North to South to one degreé of the variation of the height of the Pole shal answeare another degreé of the greater circle in the superficiall part of the water and land And therefore sayling by whatsoeuer other line vntill the Pole doth vary one degreé of altitudes we shall haue gone more then one degrée of the greater circle and the degreés that aunsweare to euery lyne or winde you shall seé in the demonstration folowing which hath two paralel lynes whiche are East and West and the lyne that cutteth them in ryght angles which commeth foorth of the center from the quarter of the circle that is made is North and South and then shall you seé by this order all the other wyndes halfe wyndes and quarters of wyndes reduced to one quarter For the selfe same accompt serueth for Northeast and Southwest and Northwest and Southeast and so of the halfe windes quarters of winds that are equally distant from the line of the North and South and so this quarter shall serue for all the 32. wynds of the compasse Without this quarter harde by the lyne you shall finde two numbers wherof the first shal be of the degreés minuts of degrées of the great circle which is
ryght lyne from one poynt to another so that this be a lyne of 47. Degreés and as muâ—◠〈◊〉 at â—â—e other end of the sayde Equinoctiall Upon euery one of these right lines you shall make a haâ—â—e â—ircle and â—euide â—uâ—ry of them into syxe equall partes whiche may aunsweâ—re to sixâ— signes and euery signe into threâ— partes which may 〈◊〉 to the tenthes or tenth partâ—â—f dâ—gâ—â—és and if the 〈◊〉 be great you shall deuide euâ—ry signe into fiâ—â— or 〈◊〉 parâ—es so that you may make it perfect and precise This 〈◊〉 from the points or prickes of the one halfe circle to the pointes of the other draw certaine lynes whiche shal be equidiâ—â—nâ— to the Equinoctiall In the endes of these lynes betweéâ—e the lesse circle and the edge of the rundell drawe also certayne lynes whiche may reache vnto the beginninges and endes of the signes and in the â—oppe of the endes or ouer the endes of these lynes make an Arke so farre distaunt from the lesse circle as is the thicknesse of the edge of a peéce of foure ryals of plate And in the space that is left graduate the signes from tenne to tenne or as the diuision shal be The space that remayneth from thence to the edge of the rundel you shal deuide by the halfe and in it shal be made twelue spaces where you shall set the signes with their names or caractes orderly so that Aries be next vnto the Equinoctiall then Taurus towarde the part of the Index then Gemini and turning towarde the Equinoctiall Cancer Leo Uirgo Likewise on the other parte of the Equinoctiall Libra Scorpio Sagittarius And turnyng to the Equinoctiall Capricornus Aquarius Pisces And thus hauing signed the Zodiacke you shall also signe or marke the houres in manner as followeth Deuide the lesse circle of this rundel into foure equal parts so that euery quarter may haue sixe partes Reduce this diuision to the Diameter putting the ruler vpon the poynts equally distant from the Horizon And where it toucheth the Equinoctial make pricks or poynts so that the Equinoctial remayne deuided into twelue partes Then vpon one of the Tropykes giue a circle which may haue the same Tropike for his Diameter Deuide this circle into 24. equall partsâ— reduce these diuisions to the Tropike as is done in the Equinoctial from one Tropike to another then the Equinoctial and the Tropikes being thus deuided with this pricks or poynts you shall passe with a payre of compasses by euery poynt equally ordered from the Horizon to the one and the other part and these shal be called houres wryting in the ends of them theyr numbers beginning the one part in one and ending it in twelue On the other part begin the one in thopposite part and end in twelue This done these rundels shal be brought to their perfection Moreouer you shal make a triangle with a right angle hauing two equal sides that may make the right angle Euery of these sides must be as long as is the Semidiameter of the greatest rundel also vpon and about the ryght angle you shall make a litle circle whiche shall haue the same angle for his center on the one side of this tryangle set two raysed plates as in the Astrolabie on the contrary side of these raysed plates must be a hole so farre distant from the ceâ—ter or angle as is the Semidiameter of the circle of the lesse rundel In this hole you must put a threéd hanging thereat a little wayght or plommet only sufficient to hold the threéd straight so that it cause nothing of the rundels to turne or the instrument to decline Furthermore in a circle as bigge as the lesse of the lesse rundel you shal deuide into 32. parts the eyght wyndes and halfe wyndes and quarters of winds And being thus redused to their Diameters as is done in the Equinoctial you shal translate them in the sides of the triangle in the which by the center of his little circle and by the center of the rundels all the three peéces must be made fast with an axes or a nayle so that they may be turned about close and very iuste Then put a ring in the handle of the instrument wherby it may hang as in the Astrolabie and so shall the Instrument be â—ynished and brought to perfection This is the trace or draught of the Instrument To knowe at what hourâ— the Sunne ryseth and falleth by the Instrument folowyng you shall put the Pole of the lesse rundel which is the index to the left hand in the greatest rundell in so many degrees aboue the Horizon in how many degrees the Pole is raysed in that lande or place Then put the tryangle which is the Horizon in his place that is to say yf the Sunne shal be in the North signes put it to the left hand and if it shal be in the South signes to the ryght hand and then the triangle shal cut the paralel where the Sunne goeth in .10 or .20 or .30 degreés or proportionally where it is and there shall you see in the sydes of the Zodiacke the houres when the Sunne ryseth and falleth And lykewyse at what wind the Sunne ryseéth and falleth to vs you shall seé in the wynds of the tryangle To know by the eleuation of the Sunne the houre that is put the Pole or Index so farre distant from the Zenith or handle of the Instrument as it is in that place or paralel aboue the Horizon then turne the triangle towarde the Sunne vntill the beames thereof enter in at the raysed plates and then the threéd with the plomet shall cut the paralell of the Sunne by the houre that shal be and consequently the triangle shal be distant from the Zenith the degreés that the Sunne shall be raysed that houre about the Horizon This is the Demonstration FINIS ¶ Heere beginneth the Table of this Booke The contentes of the Chapters of the first part THe generall distinction of Creatures Folio iiii The definition of the World Fol. v. The definition of the Sphere Fol. eodem The diuision of the World Fol. eodem The number order and propertie of the Elementes and Heauens Fol. vi The immutabilitie or immobilitie of the Earth Fol. viii The roundnes of the Earth and Water Fol. viii The motion of the Heauens and Elements Fol. x. The diuision of the Sphere into formall partes Fol. eod The Equinoctiall circle Fol. xii The Zodiacke Fol. eodem The circle called Coluri Fol. xiii The Meridian circle Fol. xiiii The Horizontall circle Fol. eod The foure lesse circles Fol. xv The fiue Zones Fol. xvi The Longitude and Laâ—itude And of the proportion which the lesse circles haue to the great circle Fol. xviii The circuite or compasse of the earth and water according to the opinions of the auncient later auctours Fol. xix The vii Climates Fol. eod Certayne principles of this science Fol. xxi The Contentes
foure geuing vnto euery quarter part threé houres At the rysyng of the Sunne which was the fyrst houre of the fyrst quarter they called the fyrst houre and thrée houres passed they called the thyrd houre and syxe houres passed of the day they called the syxth houre which was the midday or noone tyde Also the nienth houre they named at niene houres past of the day And the Sunne set or goyng downe of the Sunne they called the Euening as sayth the Poet Uirgil in this verse Ante diem clausam componet vesper olimpo And according to this computation is to be vnderstoode that wryteth Saint Matthewe That the labourers came to the Uineyarde at the eleuenth houre whereby is meant the fyfth houre one houre before the Sunne was set And when we reade in S. Iohn The ague left hym the seuenth houre c. By this accompt it was one houre after noone when Christ healed the sonne of the Ruler that was diseased in Capernaum In lyke maner by these houres the auncients deuided the nyght into foure quarters geuing threé houres to euery quarter And in these foure partes of the nyght were Souldiers appointed to watche In the fyrst quarter whiche they call Canticinium and we the fyrst sleépe they watched all In the second which they called Intempestiuum being the turne of midnyght the young men watched In the thyrd which they called Gallicinium of the crowing of Cockes watched the Souldiers of middle age In the fourth and last quarter called Matutinum or Antilucanum that is the spring of the day the old Souldiers watched And thus is vnderstood the fyrst the seconde and thyrde watch of the nyght in lyke maner ought the Mariners to keépe watch and warde to auoyde aswell the peryll of the sea as also the daungers of Rouers and to deuide the nyght by quarters after the maner of Souldiers as dyd also the Mariners in olde tyme. The xv Chapter of the making and vse of an vniuersall Dyal for the day WHereas in the Chapter before we haue intreated of houres and theyr differences we entend héere to describe the making of an Instrument general to know the houres of the day by the beames of the Sunne which is done in this maner Take a round plate of Laton and let it be called the Equinoctiall circle the circumference whereof you shall deuide into 24. equall partes by both the sydes and from the center to euery of these partes you shall drawe a right lyne one of the which shal be a Meridian And in the one part of that write twelue whiche shall be the houre of the mydday or Noone And in the other part write other twelue which shall be for Mydnyght In the highest part turnyng vpon the center towarde the ryght hande write one two three foureâ— c. In the lower or neather part you shall count towarde the left hande turnyng it vppon the center so that the one houre of the one parte come vppon the lyne of the one houre of the other parte in lyke maner two vppon two threé vppon threé and so foorth of the other And note that in the lyne of syxe at after Noone and at the lyne of syxe in the Morning there remayne certayne rounde péeces corners or endes after the maner of Axis of the thicknesse of the selfe same plate Then make a halfe circle of the same mettall as bygge as the halfe circumference of the plate and of the thicknesse of a peéce of foure ryalles of Plate or somewhat more euen as the plate it selfe and of the breadth of halfe a fynger if the instrument shal be great or lesse if the instrument shal be lesse This halfe circle shall you graduate or diuide into 180. degrées beginning at the one ende one two threé and so foorth vnto 90. in the myddest and the lyke shall you doo from the other ende vnto the same 90. Also you must number them in the breadth of the same halfe circle and this halfe circle shall you make fast on the neather part of the instrument so that the endes thereof may be fixed in the endes of the Meridian line Then through the center of the plate or Equinoctiall circle shal passe a rounde steéle or wyre of the same mettall made fast or sodered in it so that it rise and come foorth equally from euery side of the plaâ—e the fourth part of the Diameter of the same and this shal be called the Axis or exiltrée of the world The instrument being thus made you shall place it or set it in a frame hauing two armes standards or arches so that it change betweéne the sayd arches borne vp by the ronnde peéces or endes of the plate left therof at the endes of the line of the syxe houres aforesayd in such sort that being thus stayed it may be directly turned And in the middest betweéne these two armes beneath in the foote of them or where they are placed you shal rayse a prick or poynt so that the plate which signifieth the Equinoctial being perpendiculer the brimme or edge thereof may fall vpon the poynt or pricke and consequently the plate standing playne or flatte the nientie degreés of the halfe circle must shew or touche the sayde prick as shal also the end or extremitie of the Axis of the world and the other ende shall shewe the Zenith or vertical poynt This instrument must be so placed that the Meridian line be North and South which you shall finde in this maner In an open and playne place where the Sunne shyneth for the most part of the day you shall make a circle with a payre of compasses in the middes whereof you shall set a steéle or wyre so vpright that it declyne not or bend not eyther one way or other and the same no longer then the fourth part of the Diameter of the circle Then in the morning when the Sunne ryseth the shadowe shall be very long and as it ryseth hygher and hygher so the shadowe waxeth shorter and shorter Then must you obserue the tyme when the extremitie or ende of the shadowe toucheth in the circumference of the Circle and where it toucheth you shall make a pricke Then goeth the shadowe shortnyng vnto the mydday or noone tyde and as from thence the Sunne declineth so doeth the shadowe encrease and wheÌ„ it shall come aâ—aine to the circumference of the Circle you shal make another prycke Then shall you part in the myddest the arke that is betweéne the one pricke and the other and from the middle prickeâ— draw a ryght lyne to the center of the Circle And that shall be the Meridian line whereupon you shal set the instrument Furthermore in the foote of the frame of the instrument you shall set a compasse or Dyal which shall shewe the Meridian lyne This done vpon the arches of the frame and corners of the sixe houres you shall turne the Equinoctiall so far that it passe so much of
vse in Gâ—sconie and had in his hand a staffe wyth a pyke or hooke of iron and resting him selfe vpon a quantitie of this stone could â—ot remooue his féete neyther lyft vp hys staffe Then staying a whyle astoâ—yshed as ignoraunt of the cause at the length began to perceyue the propertie of the stone and to vnderstande the attractiue vertue thereof the colour of it differeth not from iron and was therefore called quicke iron or lyuing iron The best kinde of these stones is of Auzurine or blew colour as the sea sometimes appeareth Of these are found fyue kyndes or differences The first is of Ethiope The seconde of Maâ—edonie The thyrde of Lechio in Boetia The fourth of Troâ—da neére to Alexandria And the fyfth of Asia but at this day it is founde in dyuers other places It is founde also in many places in Spayne as in the hyll Morâ—na neére vnto the village of Calera beéyng of the order of saint Iames in the prouince of Leon. Lykewise in a hyll of Moron in the territorie of the Erle of Vrenia is great quantitie thâ—reof and in diuers other places The stone that we most commonly vse is of the Ilande of Elua of the Lord of Pomblina which I iudge to be better then that of Denmarke This and the other haue vertue to draw iron vnto â—â—eÌ„ And true it is that Teanxedes wryteth that in Ethiope is founde an other kynde of thys stone that putteth iron from it Auerroes the commentator of Aristotle denyeth â—hat Magnes draweth iron vnto it but sayth that iron by his naturall inclination doth mooue to the stone as to his naturall place by a câ—rtayne qualitie which the stone impresseth in iron And beside this verâ—ue and propertie that it hath to drawe iron vnto it it hath also another and that is that it geueth vnto iron verâ—ue and power to shewe the two poyntes of the Horizon where it cutteth the Meridian that is in the two wyndes of Norâ—h and South These vertues are founde more intent in oâ—ely two partes of the stone and these are euer opposite or conâ—rary the one to the other and so are they contrary in operation For iron touched with the one part and placed where it may mooue freély will shewe the North and an other iron touched with the other parte wyll shewe the South Fyndyng this experience may be knowne what parte of the stone answeareth to the North which the Mariners call the face of the stone and lykewyse of the South This stone is so necessary that without it Nauigation shoulde bée imperfecte and vncertayne because it geueth lyfe to the Neédle and Compasse which leadeth and guydeth the Pilote that he maye goe certaynely in the daye and not erre or wander in the nyght Also it sheweth and directeth to compasse the worlde and to knowe the wyndes And therefore for as muche as the compasse is so necessarie weé intende to shewe the order and manner howe it ought to be made for it may chaunce to fayle or be lost in the viage ¶ The iiii Chapter of tâ—e making of the Mariners compasse for Nauigation TAke such paste or paper whereof Cardes are made and make in it a Circle of the quantitie of a spanne or litle more or lesse In the whiche you shall paynte the 31. wyndes with theyr colours in suche order as we gaue in the firste and seconde Chapter of the wyndes and of the Carde not forgetting to marke the North with a Floure deluce aâ—d the East with a crosse And more then this may euery man garnishe and beautifie the same as seémeth best to his phantasie Then on the lower or neather parte of this paste you must drawe a lyne whiche shall be directly vnder that of the North and South which shall be the marke for the setting of the Irons and Steéles Then shall you take wyre of iron or steéle of the bygnesse of a great pynne or accordyng to the bygnesse or the roundnâ—â—se of â—he paste floure rose or flye as it may be called This wyre must be bowed double so that euery of the partes may be equally as long as the Diameter of the flye and a quarter part more The endes or poyntes of these iroâ—s or stéeles must be pynched togeather and made close and open in the myddest the one from the other vntyll the endes come to beé equall with the extremities of the Diameter of the flye and so shall the â—â—eéles remayne in maner in fourme of an edge These wyres or irons must be made fast in the neather parte of the flye so that theyr extrâ—mities â—nds or points come precisely by the lyne of North and South And to fixe or fasten them so they must be couered with a thinne paper glued leauyng the poyntes and endes vncouered And these endes must be â—ouched with the Lode stone in this maner The part that is vnder the floure deluce must be rubbed on that part of the stone that answereth to the North as is sayd in the Chapter before And thys shall suffice for the perfection of the compasse Yet some there beé that for superaboundaunce doâ— touche the other part of the Iron with that part of the stone that answereth to the South although it may suffice to touche it only with the other parte This touchyng of the Iron with the stone that the demonstratiue or woorking vertue may shewe it selfe foorth must be done with geuyng certayne strokes with a hammer on that parte of the stone wherewith the Iron must be touched that is to say in the North part or the South And from these wyll come forth of the stone certayne beardes lyke small ysicles whereon you shall rubbe the point of the Iron as you would wheâ— a knyfe and so shall certayne of those beardes of the stone cleaue and sticke fasâ— to the Iron And the Irons thus touched with the beardes cleauing to them you must take a prick or poynt of laton of Peramidal sharp or steple fourme which is brode below sharde aboue toward the point this is made round or eyght square as semeth best and in the neather parte or breadth it must be bored but not through with a borer which must also be of Piramidall fourme and center into the myddest of the sayde Pâ—ramidall pricke or poynt of laton vnto the middest or somewhat more This Piramidall poynt which the mariners call the Capitell must be of height halfe a fynger breadth or according as the compasse shall be and must be put through the center of the flye so that the poynt come foorth on the hygher part thereof and must there be made fast and well â—ixte Then shall you take a round boxe of wood within the which the néedle may be not touching the sydes of the same And this must be of the heyght of the halfe Diameter of the compasse And the ground or bottome thereof must be set to it
sense as Beastes other vnderstanding as Man who in holy Scripture is called all Creatures according to the sayiâ—g of Christ to his Disciples where he sayth Goe and preache the Gospell to all Creatures And therefore not without good cause was Man called of the Greeke Philosophers Microcosmos that is the lesse World In the which we contemplate things of no lesse admiration then in the great World The similitude betweene them both is that euen as the great world and the whole Globe or Sphere thereof is mooued by the voluntarie motion of an intellectiue substaunce or an Angell euen so is this For as Aristotle wryteth What so euer is mooued is mooued by vertue of an other As Man is mooued by the internall or inward fourme that is within him that is to say by the intellectiue soule that is proper vnto him In lyke maner in the great worlde are found dyuers mooueable thyngs All which are reduced to one immoueable moouer So in man are found many thyngs mooued by diuers motions which are all referred to his intellectiue soule The great worlde conteyneth the creatures within it selfe and consequently is all really as hauing nothing without it Euen so man by knowledge is all and knoweth all things and nothing naturally is â—id from him or vnknowen to him Agayne in this lesse humane world are two motions Intellectiue and Sensuâ—â—◠〈…〉 the great world hath two locall motâ—ons the one wherewith the fyrst mooueable is mooued and draweth with it all the other Spheres from the East to the West and is called Rationall moouing The second is the moouing of the other Spheres from the Weast into the East and is called Irrationall moouing But now leauing to speake of the lesse world we will proceede to speake further of the great ¶ The seconde Chapter of the definition of the worlde THE world as sayth Isodorus is Heauen and Earth and the other woorks of God that are conteyned therein It is compounded of things visible and yet vnsearchable Moses and Saint Iohn the Euangelist witnesse that it was made by God The Philosophers called it Mâ—ndus a mouendo because it is in continuall moouing and neuer in rest The Greekes called it Cosmos which signifieth Fayre or Beautifull and so named it because of the marueilous ornament thereof and diuersitie of Elements with the resplendence or shining of the Sunne Moone and Starres And doubtlesse nothing may be seene with the corporall eyes of man more beautâ—full then it is In so much that the diuine Philosopher Plato affyrmed that eyes were geuen to men to beholde the beautie thereof and to take pleasure in the contemplation of the heauenly bodyes and roundnesse of the world which also for the roundnesse thereof is called Spheriâ—all because that Sphera in the Greeke tongue signifieth a round body The thyrd Chapter of the definition of the Sphere THeodosius sayth that the Sphere is a whole and corporall figure vnder one superficial in the middest whereof is a poynt or pricke from the which all right lines drawne directly to the circumference are equall This poyut or pricke is called the center of the Sphere according to Euclide it is the passage of the circumference of hâ—lfe a circle which is turned round about his Diameter that is fixed vntill it returne to his owne proper place againe as where it was at the fyrst By the center of the Sphere passeth a right lyne and thextremities or endes thereof touch in the circumference And this lyne imagined is called the Axis or Exeltree of the Sphere and the endes thereof are called the Pales Uppon this Axis is the Sphere of the world mooued The fourth Chapter of the diuision of the world IT is to be presupposed that there is â— difference betweene Element and Elementate and the fyfte being calâ—ed Quinta Essentia The Quint essence or fyfte substance is a body of it selfe differing from all Elements and things Elemental aswell in matter as in fourme and no lesse in nature and vertue and hauing in it selfe no contrarietie is certaynly without corruption And hereof comâ—eth it that the Philosophers called the heauens and heauenly bodyes the fyfth substaunce or fyfth essence by reason of the incoâ—ruptibilitie thereof Element is that whereof any thing is coâ—â—ounded It is the fyrst of compositions and of it selfâ— is not compounded Wâ—ereby it foloweth that neyther the earth the ayre the water nor the fyre that are neare vnto vs or about â—s are pure and simple Elements For these Elements do sometimes mingle themselues one with another and especially where they are neare togeather and touche one another Of these elements euery part is named by the name of the whole As euery part of fyre is called fyre and euery part of earth is called earth and so of the other They are called simple bodyes in respecte of other compound and mixt bodyes They are diuisible into partes of diuers fourmes and of the commixtion of them are made and engendred diuers things of sundry kyndes These foure that is to meane Earth Ayre Water and Fyre although they are named simple but in respecte as aforesayde yet are they the Elements that is to say beginnings and principles of all other compoundes and mixtes A pure Element can not be seene forasmuch as that that is pure lacketh colour and that that hath no colour is not visible The Elements as sayth Isodorus were diuided by the hand of God The imperiall Heauen was replenished with Angelles the ayre with byrdes the sea with fyshes and the land with men and other beastes Elementate is euery body compounded of the foure Elements Not that they are Elements formally but vertually in myxt bodies This knowen we wyll shewe how the world is diuided into two regions Celestiall and Elementall The region Elementall which is continually subiect to alterations is diuided into foure Elements which are Earth Water Ayre and Fyre These Elâ—ments the Greekes call Yctogia for the communion and concord that they haue beâ—weene themselues The heauenly or etheriall region called Quinta Essentia compasseth and conteineth the Elementall worlde within it The fyfth Chapter of the number order and propertie of the Elements and Heauens THE Earth after the Philosopher is a pricke or poynt in the middest called the center to the which they assigne the lowest place Next vnto the earth and about it the Water occupyeth the second place and the Ayre the thyrd The Fyre is higher then any of the other elements And it is to vnderstand that the water hath two superficials One which is called concaue or halowâ— the other conuex or embowing You may compare the inward part of the concaue to a dyshe or a bolle whose outward part is called conuex As touching the concaue the water compasseth about the earth leauing discouered that part that serueth for the
Lucan maketh mention in Farsalia where he sayth Vmbras nusquam flectentes That is to say Shadowes no where reflecting The thyrd is Dia Alexandros Alexandria is a famous Citie in Aphrike buylded by great Alexander and is the cheefe Citie or Metropolis of Egypt The fourth is Dia Rhodos Rodes is an Iland of Asia the lesse where were sometyme the Knyghtes of the Rhodes called the Knyghtes of the order of Saint Iohn or Knyghtes of Hierusalem who were dryuen from thence when the Ilande and Citie was taken by Solton Suliman the greate Turke in the yeere 1522. Philippe Vrlerio Frencheman beyng then graund Maister of the Rhodes Within this fourth Climate is the Citie of Hierusalem within the holy land called Palestina and also a great part of Spayne with many other Prouinces The fyfth is Dia Romes Rome is the most famous Citie of Italie and most notorious of all Europe sometyme the head of the worlde dommatrix of Nations and now the See of the Byshop of Rome The syxth is Dia Boristhenes Boristhenes is a great Riuer of Scithia the fourth arme of the riuer Istro It falleth into the sea Euxinum and where as all other riuers of Scithia are troubled this is cleere and fayre also â—olesome to be drunke and full of Fyshes The seuenth and last Climate is called Dia Rifeos The Mountaynes called Rifei are famous in the part of Europe called Parmatia and are contâ—â—â—lly couered with Snow Out of these spryngeth the riuer Tanais well knowen in the worlde by fame When it is written with ph it is the name of certayne Mountaynes of Archadia And heere ought we not to be ignoraunt that whereas the aucthours assigned onely seuen Climates they might haue made many more And for that they iudged the part of the Pole Antartike not to be inhabited they assigned no Climates thereto Stoflerine added the eyght Climate counting from the ende of the seuenth Climate vnto 57. degrees and other added more In like maner describing Meridionall or South Climates we call them by the selfe same names as we dyd the aforesayd Septentrionall or North Climates sauing that it is necessarie to put before euery of them thys Greeke proposition Anti which in the Latin tongue signifieth Contra or Contrarium that is contrary or against So that as we named the fyrst North Climate Dia Meroes we must to the fyrst of the South adde this word Anti and so shall the fyrst South Climate be named Anti Dia Meroes The seconde Anti Dia Sienes and so foorth of the other as is seene in the Figure heere folowyng The xx Chapter of certayne principles that ought to be knowen for this science INtreating of the Sphere wee haue spoken of Circles Circumferences Centers Diameters Lynes with such other words appropriat to this science The which what they are it is conuenient further to declare A ryght lyne is a short extention from poynt to poynt An angle is the touchyng of lynes in one superficiall whose touch shall not be direct for if it be it shaâ—l be a lyne and not an angle Solide is a body which by deuisions hath length breadth and depth A circle is a playne figure conteyned vnder a lyne drawne in compasse in whose middest is a poynt or pricke from the which all right lynes comming foorth to the circular lyne that compasseth it about are equall The circumference of a circle is a lyne that conteyneth the circle that is to meaâ—e that lyne to the which all ryght lynes that proceed from the center of the circle vnto it are equall and this is called the roundnesse of the circle The center of a circle is that poynt or pricke from the which all ryght lynes proceeding vnto the circumference are equall The Diameter of a circle is a ryght lyne which passing by the center of the circle and extending his endes to the circumference diuideth it in two halfes The halfe circle is a playne figure conteyned betweene the Diameter of the circle and the halfe circumference Zenith is a poynt or pricke imagined in the heauen directly ouer the â—oppe of any thyng as if we should imagine a ryght lyne to passe by the center of the earth extended from thence directly to heauen and passing through the feete and head of a man standyng vpryght so that the extremities or ends of this lyne should reach vnto and touch the circumference of heauen then the imagined poynt or pricke of heauen where the ende of the lyne toucheth is called Zenith oâ— poynt of the head or verticall point The same is to be vnderstoode of a Cittie or any other thyng when we speake of the Zenith thereof Eccentricke is a circle which hath his center distant or diuided from the center of the worlde and is described in the heauen of the Suâ—ne imagining a lyne from the center of the Eccentricke to the center of the Sunne making a complete reuolution at the proper motion of the Sunne in the other heauens imagining a lyne from the center of his Eccentricke to the center of his Epicicle and beyng mooued a whole reuolution at the proper motion of the Epicicle The Epicicle is a circle or litle rundell fyxt in the deapth of the Eccentricke in which the Planet fyxed and neare to his center is mooued circularly The Auge is a poynt in the circumference of the Eccentricke nearest vnto the firmament or it may be sayde that the Auge is a poynt fardest distant from the earth Aux in the Greeke tongue is as muche to say as the greatest longitude or greatest eleuation from the earth The Opposite of Auge is an other poynt in the circumference of the Eccentricke nearest vnto the earth and fardest distant from the firmament ¶ Here endeth the first part ¶ The seconde part intreating of the motions of the Sunne and the Moone and of the effectes caused thereby ¶ The fyrst Chapter of the course of the Sunne in the Zodiacke and the effectes caused by the same WE haue briefly spoken of the Sunne and of the other heauens But for as muche as the Sunne must bee our marke guide and gouernour in Nauigation whereof we intend to geue perfect instructions it shal be necessarie especially and preciâ—ely to declare the course and motions thereof Therefore as we haue sayd the Sunne is mooued vnder the Zodiacke and vpon his poles in the lyne Eclipticke passing by the xii signes beginning in the fyrst degree of Aries where he maketh Equinox that is to say he maketh the day equall vnto the nyght in all places Then from Aries he entreth and mooueth into Taurus approching nearer and nearer vnto vs on the North part whereby the length of the dayes are increased with vs and the nyghtes are shortened Then entreth he into Gemini and from Gemini into Cancer where in the beginning of the first degree he
by some of the other lynes But there are more degreés that correspond the way that the Ship maketh then the degreés that vary the altitudes of the Equinoctial and the pole And this difference shal be greater in how much the lyne shal draw neare to the East and West And how muche it shall draw néere to North and South it shal be lesse Of the degreés or leagues that aunswere to euery degreé of the variation of the altitude we will entreate héereaâ—ter in the xii Chapter These altitudes are knowen many wayes but especially by two as by the Meridian altitude declination of the Sunne as we haue sayd is knowen the altitude of the Equinoctiall and by it the altitude of the Pole The second way they are knowen by the altitude of some fixt Starre of those that are not hid And among many other the North Starre is taken because it is nearest to the Pole To know the altitudes by the Sun threé things are necessarie that is to say an instrument the declination of the Sun and rules The instrument to know the Meridian altitude shal be the Astrolabie â—ecause it is most commodious for this purpose whereof we wyll entreate in the Chapter folowing The declination of the Sunne which is to take it away or to ioyne it with the Meridian altitude we haue alredy described in the third Chapter of the second part The rule to knowe when the declinations must be ioyned with the Meridian altitude or taken from it we will geue in the viii Chapter To knowe the altitudes of the Pole by the altitudes of the North Starre two things are necessarie that is an instrument and rules The instrument wherewith the Mariners are accustomed to take the altitudes of the North they call Balestilia which is a crosse staffe whereof we will write heéreafter in the nienâ—h Chapter And the rules of the Turne or compasse which the North Starre maketh about the Pole we wil declare in the tenth Chapter ¶ The vii Chapter of the making and vse of the Astrolabieâ— with the which the maryners take the altitude of the Sunne TAke a plate of copper or latton which for this purpose is better then any other mettall of the biggenesse â—hat you desire to make the Astrolabiâ— and is commonly of the biggenesse of a spanne of the Diameter and let it be of the thicknesse of halfe a finger at the least for the waightier that it shal be so much shall it be more steadie to make the altitude This place must be made round by a circle leauing comming foorth of the circle or corner in the which you shall put a ring or handel with a hole whereby you may hang the Astrolabie by a threéd or liâ—e to take the altitude After it is thus made with y â— ring or handle annexed thereto make it bryght and smoothe publlyshed on both the sydes and all of one equall thicknesse that one syde be not heauier then another which yâ—u shall try in this maner hang the plate by the ryng or hole that you haue made and from the same hole hang a plomet of leade fasted to a heere or fyne threéde of silke The Astrolabie thus hanging frée and at libertie with the plomet if then the threéd fal vpon the center of the Astrolabie it is wel but yf the thréede doo leane or swarâ—e to the one side or to the other from the center then is that side thicker and heauier then the other and must therefore be made thynner vntyll the thréed fall iustly vpon the center This doone make a circle vpon the sayde centerâ— a litle within the circumference of the Astrolabie Then draw a Diameter froÌ„ the center of the hole in the which the ring or handle is vnto y e center of the Astrolabie trauersing or ouerthwarting the whole Circle And this shal be called the line of the Zenith or Uertial poynt which also shal be cut with an other Diameter vpon the center making right angles with it And this Diameter shal be called the Horizontall line These two Diameters shal deuide the circle into foure equall partes After this you shall make another circle so much more within the second that betwene the circumferences of both the circles may bée conteyned the numbers of the degrées Then the Astrolabie hanging before you you shall deuide the one part being the superiour and leaft part fyrst into thrée equall partes and euery part shall conteyne 30. degrées Then shall you deuide euery part of these into threé other equall partes and they shall conteyne 10. degreés and euery of these deuide into two partes and they shall conteyne 5. degrâ—és This doone put a ruler vpon the center of the Astrolabie applying it to euery of the poyntes that deuide the sayde partes and drawe certayne lynes that passe from the circumference of the first circle vnto the lesse circumference and in the spaces of the lesse circle write the numbers of the degreés beginning in the Horizontall lyne and in that space put fiue and in the second tâ—n and so foorth of the other vntyll the 90. degrées ende in the lyne of the Zenith then shal you deuide the spaces that are betweéne the fyrst circle and the second euery space into fyne which shall make the 90. degreés The Astrolabie thus made you shall make the Alhidada or Label For the whiche you shall take a plaâ—e of laton of the breadth of scarcely two fingers and as thicke as the Astrolabie also as long as the Diameter of the Astrolabie and make a lyne in the myddest thereof by the longitude in the middest of this lyne make a circle so great that it may touch in the sides of the plate then cut off this plate on the onâ— side that which it hath from the lyne to the ryght hande and on the other syde that it hath from the lyne to the leaft hand leauyng the circle whole This lyne that shall passe by the center of the circle is called Linea fiduciae that is the lyne of confidence which is that that sheweth in the degreés the altitude that is taken Then shall you take away the endes or corners of the Alhidada that are without the lyne so that you touche not the lyne This doone you shal make two litle rysing or raised tables or plates of the same metal whereof the Astrolabie is made and of the self same thicknesse that is the Alhidada or lytle lesse and of the breadth of the Diameter of the circle of the Alhidada and let them be a thumbe in heyght or breadth In the myddest of these two places by the heigth you shal make a lyne When these are made equal and al thâ—yr angles right in euery lyne of these that you haue made you shal also make two holes â—qually distaunt from the sydes or edges of the sayd plates or tablettes And of the two holes of euery of these little plates