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
in longitude 30 degrees 45 minutes in latitude 49 degrees 35 min Then wee will suppose Summatra as placed at C to haue in longitude 131 degrees but no latitude The difference of longitude will be EC of 100 degrees 15 minutes and the complement AE 79 degrees 45 minutes Then working according to the Rules of Trigonometry we shall find the signe of the Arch FC to be 6 degrees 37 ½ minutes which being added to FC being 90 degrees will produce 96 degrees 37 ½ minutes to which Arch there will answer 1449 German-miles 16 The second Case is when both places are situate without the Equatour This is againe twofold For either the two places are vnderstood to be situate towards the same Pole or else one place toward the Northerne the other towards the Southerne Pole Both which Cases shall be taught in these Rules 1 If both places whose distance is sought be situate towards the same Pole there will arise a Triangle whose sides and Angles will be knowne by the fourth Axiome of Pitiscus in Trigonometry the fourth Booke As for example in this present figure let the two places giuen bee FG the Triangle to bee knowne will be FBG whose acute Angle will be at B. Let the places giuen bee as FH the Triangle to bee resolued known will bee FBH hauing a right Angle at H. Finally if the places supposâ—ed to be giuen are as FI the Triangle to bee knowne will bee FBI with an obtuse Angle at I. 2 If the one place be situated towards the North-pole and the other towards the South-pole there will arise a Triangle whereof the one side about the Angle which is giuen will be greater then a quadrant As in the former figure let the places giuen be as G and K also H and K also I and K There will still fall out a Triangle whose one side containing the Angle giuen will be greater then a quadrant as BK wherefore for the side BK you must take his complement to the Semi-circle BF that is for the Triangle GBK you must worke by the Triangle GBF and insteed of the Triangle HBK you must take the Triangle HBF and for the Triangle IBK you must worke by the Triangle IBF according to the fourth Axiome of the fourth booke of Pitiscus to which I had rather referre my Reader then intermixe our Geographicall discourse with handling the Principles of Geometry which here are to be supposed so many precedent propositions which expressed as they ought would transcend the bounds of my intended journey 17 Of the Astractiue way of finding out the Distance of places we haue spoken The Mechanicall depends on the vse of Instruments and Mechanicall operation whereof wee will shew one way in this Theoreme 1 By the working with a Semi-circle the Distance of two places may be found out This inuention by Mr Blundeuill seemes to be ascribed to Edward Wright yet hath it beene taken vp of forreine Writers as their owne and vsed in their Charts and Mappes The manner of operation is thus First let there be drawne a semi-circle vpon a right Diameter signed out will be the letters ABCD whereof D shall be the center as you find it deciphered in this present figure The greater this Semi-circle be made so much the more easie will be the operation because the degrees will be larger Then this Semi-circle being drawne and accordingly diuided imagine that by the helpe of it you desire to find out the distance betwixt London and Ierusalem which cities are knowne to differ both in longitude and latitude Now that the true distance betwixt these two places may bee found out you must first subtract the lesser longitude out of the greater so shall you finde the Difference of their longitudes which is 47 degrees Then reckon that Difference vpon the Semi-circle beginning at A and so proceed to B and at the end of that Difference make a marke with the letter E into which point by your Ruler let a right line be drawne from D the center of the Semi-circle This being in this sort performed let the lesser latitude be sought out which is 32 degrees in the foresaid Semi-circle beginning your accompt from the point E and so proceeding towards B and at the end of the lesser latitude let another point bee marked out with the letter G from which point let there be drawne a perpendicular which may fall with right Angles vpon the former line drawne from D to E and where it chanceth to fall there marke out a point with the letter H This being performed let the greater latitude which is 51 degrees 32 minutes be sought out in the Semi-circle beginning to reckon from A towards B and at the end of that latitude set downe another point signed out by the letter I from whence let there bee drawne another perpendicular line that may fall with right Angles vpon the Diameter AC and here marke out a point with the letter K This done take with your Compasse the distance betwixt K and H which distance you must set downe vpon the Diameter AC placing the one foote of your compasse vpon K and the other towards the center D and there marke out a point with the letter L Then with your compasse take the shorter perpendicular line GH and apply that widenesse vpon the longer perpendicular line IK placing the one foot of your compasse at I which is the bounds of the great latitude and extend the other towards K and there make a point at M. Then with your compasse take the distance betwixt L and M and apply the same to the semicircle placing the one foot of your compasse in A and the other towards B and there marke out a point with the letter N. Now the number of degrees comprehended betwixt A and N will expresse the true distance of the two places which will be found to be 39 degrees which being multiplyed by 60 and so conuerted into miles according to our former Rules will produce 2340 which is the distance of the said places 17 The expression of the Distance of two places may be performed either by the Globe or Map according to these Rules 1 The distance betwixt two places in the Globe being obserued by the quadrant of Altitude and applied to the degrees of the Equatour or any great circle will shew how many miles such places are distant The practise hereof is very easie as shall be taught in this example we wil for instance take Tolledo in the middest of Spaine and the Cape of Good Hope in the South Promontory of all Africa The space taken by a quadrant of Altitude or any threed applyed to the Equatour will be found to bee about 82 degrees which being multiplyed by 60 and so conuerted into miles will render 4920 the true distance betwixt these two places 2 The distance betwixt any two places in the Chart obserued by a compasse and applyed to the degrees of a greater Circle will shew how
beleeue no lesse and can speake no more except I should vrge the beating of the great Atlanticke Ocean vpon our Westerne shoares which may in some sort qualifie the excesse of heat incident to the Easterne tract which may produce some degrees of Temperature But here also wee shall perhaps meet with crosse instances which will stirre vp more doubt thâ—n satisfaction CHAP. IV. Of the manner of Expression and Description of Regions 1 HAuing treated of the generall Adiuncts of places wee are next to handle the manner of describing a Region which proposeth vnto vs two points â— the finding out the Position of two places one in regard of the other 2 The Translation of such places so found out into the Globe or Charte 2 The former depends on the inuention of the Angle of Position by some Dioptricke Instrument This manner of description of a particular Region seemes very necessary for a Geographer which euery Mechanician may soone learne and practice Many instruments haue beene deuised by curious Artificers for this purpose whose vse hath beene set out largely by later writers as by Gemma Frisius Diggs Hopton and others to whom my reader may haue recourse because I hold it not my taske in this subiect to describe the Instruments themselues but briefly to shew the ground and vse of them which these propositions shall expresse 1 Diuerse places obserued at two or more Stations by some Dioptricke Instrument the situation of two places one in regard of the other may bee found out and expressed in a Plaine This may sensibly bee shewed in the Figure following to expresse which the more plainely wee will set downe these Rules 1 Let there bee drawne in some Chart or plaine platforme a right line which wee must accompt to bee our Meridian because it shall afterward serue for that purpose This right line shall be AB whose two ends A and B shall bee taken for the North and South 2 You must choose out of some high place as a Towre or Mountaine from whence you may behold such cities townes castles and other such notable places whereof you desire to know the situation and bearing of the one to the other This High place is called the First Station where you must place the plaine before prepared in such sort as it may Astronomically and truely agree with the true Meridian of the place whose inuention we haue taught in the first Booke and so respect the foure Cardinall coasts to wit East West North and South Vpon this place seated in such a manner of situation fasten your Dioptricke instrument that it may bee turned about the point A on euery side at pleasure in such sort as the sight may be directed to euery one of the adiacent places First then remouing it from A direct your sight to F and draw the line AF of indefinite length likewise your Instrument being directed to G draw the line AG infinitely which by this meanes will also hit the place E Let B also bee imagined a certaine place as a City or Castle situate in the very Meridian it selfe which wee find already drawne to our hands In like sort ought wee to proceede with the other places C and D and as many as we please This performed you must remoue your selfe with your Instrument and Plaine to some one of these places thus fore-marked out as for example vnto D which is called the second station and there as in the former ascending vp some high place the Plaine being first fitted and placed Astronomically take the distance AD of any length whatsoeuer for to the greatnesse of this Distance shall all the rest bee proportionall Hence so place your Dioptricke Instrument at the place D that it may bee turned round and directed to all those places formerly obserued In this sort leuelling your sight to the place or castle F draw the line DF so directing your sight to the rest you may draw the lines DCG DEDB c. Now by the points of Intersections of these lines as in F G E C B c. are to bee described and delineated out the said notable land-markes as Townes Castles Promontories and such like Betwixt these places if any man desire to know the distance in miles hee may know it by finding out any one of these Distances for one being knowne the rest will also bee exactly knowne as for example wee will imagine the Distance AD to containe 10 miles wherefore let the line AD bee diuided into 10 equall parts then with your compasse examine how many such parts are contained in the Distance AF for so many miles will bee likewise in it contained as for example according to this supposition wee shall find it 5 parts wherefore the castle or city F will be 5 miles distant from the city A. Hee that desires more particularly to acquaint himselfe with the vse and diuerse manners of descriptions of Regions deriued from this one ground Let him haue recourse to diuerse Authors who haue particularly laboured in this subiect amongst which our two Englishmen Digges and Hopton deserue not the least praise whereof the later out of these principles hath framed a curious instrument which hee calls his Topographicall-Glasse whose vse hee hath perspicuously and exactly taught in diuerse pleasant conclusions too large for the scope of my methode to insert 2 At one Station by opticall obseruation the situation of one place in respect of the other may bee found out This may bee shewed out of an opticall experiment both pleasant and admirable The ground is expressed in this proposition The light traiected by a narrow hole into a darke place will represent in any Table or white paper within whatsoeuer is without directly opposed vnto it For demonstration of which proposition wee must take as granted of the perspectiâ—e Authours That the visuall Image or species will passe by a right line through any little hole and will bee terminated in any point of the Medium Now that it should more perspicuously bee seene in a darke place then in the light The cause is assigned to bee because the light of the Sunne is taken away or much diminished which otherwise would hide and shadow the species of the thing which is presented to the sight as wee see by experience the greater light of the Sun to obscure the Starres which neuerthelesse from the darke bottome of a deepe Well or Mine will shew themselues at mid-day Neuerthelesse wee must obserue by the way that this representation of any thing to the sight by this Image impressed in this sort in a wall or paper will shew it selfe so as the parts will bee seene inuersed or as wee may say turned on the contrary side as the higher lower the lower higher the right-side to the left and the left to the right which we may declare by an ocular demonstration in this figure heere inserted Let vs imagine a Triangular platforme of land whereof we desire to know the situation
to bee ABC from the extreame Angles of this Triangle we will suppose certaine Rayes to bee drawne through the hole D into a darke place wherein shall bee opposed to the hole D a white Table or paper which shall be NM Here will a Ray from the point designing out the Angle at A bee carried through the hole that it will point out in the Table K because all such beames according to the Opticks are right lines Likewise the Angle B will in the Table designe out the Point I also C will fall into the point H Let KH IK HI be ioyned together by right lines there will appeare the Triangle IKH wherein the top of the Triangle A will bee seene in the lowest place K Likewise the Angles of the Basis B and C will appeare in the points of the highest place HI and the right side A C will shew it selfe in the left HK as the left side will be the right in IH wherefore the side of the whole Triangle ABC will shew it selfe in the Table NM although inuersely placed according to the sides and Angles and of a various greatnesse in respect of the distance of the Table from the hole The inuention hath great vse in Astronomy in obseruing Eclipses the beginning and continuance without any hurt at all to the sight No lesse vse may it challenge in Topography in describing of Territories Citties Borrowes Castles and such like in their due symmetry and proportion To practise which the better Reusner would haue a little house built of light Timber with a Muliangle Basis in euery one of whose sides a hole should be made looking inwardly at the vertex or top but outwardly at the Basis through which the species or Image of all such things a◠are visible may haue free passage 2 The manner of translation of a Region into the chart depends from the knowledge of the Longitude and Latitude 3 The parts to bee described whereof the chart consists are either Essentiall or Accidentall The Essentiall are either the Lines as are the Meridians and Parallels or the Places to bee delineated out by Pictures The declination of both which shall be taught in these rules 1 To set downe the Meridians and Parallels in a particular chart To shew the practise hereof wee will take for instance the Region of France an example familiar with our later Topographers and therefore can better warrant the description France is supposed to haue in latitude 10. degrees in longitude 16 This knowne you must proceede in this manner First through the middle of your table from head to foote let there bee drawne a perpendicular line expressing the Meridian of the world which shall bee marked with the letters EF let this line bee diuided into 10. equall parts then draw two Parallell lines whereof the one must crosse the said line about the point E with right Angles and the other Parallell must crosse it againe beneath in the point F with like Angles let the vppermost Parallell bee expressed by AB The neathermost with CD Then with your compasse take one of the 10 parts of the line EF which is one degree and set that downe apart by it selfe diuiding the same into 60 Minutes as the short line GH in the table here inserted will shew on the right hand Now you may learne by some Table or Mappe that the farthest part of France toward the North through which is drawne the Parallell AB is 52. degrees distant from the Equatour And that the South Parallell CD is distant 42 degrees Also certaine Tables in our former booke will informe you that to euery degree of the Parallell 42. delineated by AB doe answer 37 miles and that to euery degree of the Parallell CD answer 45 miles wherefore with your compasse take from the short line GH 37 partes or Minutes and with your compasse kept at the same largenesse let the Parallell AB bee diuided into 16 equall spaces correspondent to that widenesse that is to say on each side of the Meridian 8 parts at which Meridian EF you must begine your measure towards either hand both right and left marking the end of euery such space with a certaine point Moreouer for the South Parallell CD let 45 parts likewise bee taken from the short line GH and let that Parallell bee diuided into 16 spaces correspondent to that widenesse of the compasse eight spaces being set downe on each side of the Meridian EF So that wee must beginne from the Meridian EF and marke the end of euery such space with a point Then from those points wherewith each of those two Parallells AB and CD is marked Let there bee drawne a right line from point to point and those shall serue for Meridians expressing as well the longitude of the whole Region as of euery particular place therein seated In like sort as you haue diuided the Meridian EF into 10 equall parts so againe into the like number of equall parts must bee diuided each of the two vttermost Meridians on the left hand and the right marking with a point the end of euery such space and so from point to point let there bee drawne right lines cutting all the Meridians and those shall serue for Parallells and in the vttermost spaces let there bee written the numbers of Longîtude and Latitude The Longitude is supposed to beginne at the vttermost Meridian at the left hand which in both Parallells is the farthest Meridian Westward Now for as much as the most Westerly Meridian is foureteene degrees distant from the Meridian passing by the Canary Ilands from which as the first Meridian the auncients beganne their accompts you must set downe in the first place on the left hand as well ouer as vnder in the first space 15 in the second 16 in the third 17 and so orderly proceed through all the spaces till you come to 30 For the difference betwixt 14 and 30 is 16 So you haue the whole Longitude of France expressed in your Table which is 16 degrees In the like sort to expresse the Latitude hauing the degrees of Latitude marked out you must beginne at each end of the South Parallell CD and so proceed vpward in the two vttermost Meridians writing downe in the first space at the foot of the Table 43 degrees on the right hand and the left in the second space 44 in the third 45 and so vpwards along to 52 so haue you expressed the whole Latitude of France from North to South for betwixt 42 and 52 are comprehended iust 10 degrees These degrees may againe be diuided at pleasure into lesser parts as minutes according to the largenesse of your chart 2 To set downe Citties Castles Mountaines Riuers and such like speciall places in the chart The platforme of your chart being once drawne out as wee haue formerly taught in the precedent rule you may very easily set downe speciall places by obseruation of the Longitudes or Latitudes of such places either by
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
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
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
The Motiue is that by which all magneticall bodies are inclined and stirred vp to the motion In the Reasonable soule of a man wee haue two faculties which shew themselues a motiue and a directiue or disponent power whereof the one stirres vp the motion the other regulates conformes and directs it The former is the Will the later the Discourse and Iudgement This distinction of faculties howsoeuer more euident in the soule findes place in all Naturall agents in which a Philosopher ought to distinguish betwixt that which giues them a power to moue and that which limits determines and as the Schoolemen are wont to speake modificates the action Amongst others the magnet-stone seemes most to partake of these two powers as that which amongst all naturall agents in Gilberts opinion seemes most to haue resemblance with the soule of a man so that by an apt Trope it hath been called of many the Magneticall soule of the Earth for hence wee may well perceiue one vertue or inclination which â—â—useth the magneticall needle to moue out of its place another by which it is apt to conforme it selfe North and South as also to obserue certaine angles correspondent to the latitude of the place as shall bee demonstrated in due place Of the motiue power we will produce these Theoremes 1 The Magneticall motion is excited in a small vnperceiuable difference of time This proposition may be shewed out of euident experiment wherein euery mans sight may be a witnes For if an Iron-needle touched with the Loadstone be placed within the Spheare of the magneticall vertue of the stone it will presently moue it selfe notwithstanding the interposition of solide bodies which made Gilbert to imagine this motion to bee effected by a meere spirituall and immateriall effluxe which may well be compared to the light which neuerthelesse it surpasseth in subtility for the light is moued from East to West so quickly that many haue thought this motion to haue been in a moment or instant of time But this quicknes of motion may much more be imagined in the Magneticall vertue being of a more subtile and piercing nature as may bee gathered from this reason to wit That the light is alwayes hindered by the interposition of a thicke and opacous body but the vertue Magneticall findes a passage through all solide bodies whatsoeuer and meets with no impediment 2 This Motiue quality is Spherically spread through euery part of the Magneticall body Here againe may wee finde a great resemblance betwixt the magneticall vertue and the light for as all light Bodies as the Sunne Moone and Starres cast their beames euery way into an orbicular forme so this Magneticall vigour casts it selfe abroad not only from the center toward the superficies but from the superficies outward into the Aire or Water where this magneticall body is placed and so makes vp a Spheare but yet with this difference that if the body bee meere and perfectly Sphericall the Orbe of the magneticall vertue will end in a perfect Spheare as wee see the magnet G to confine his vertue within the Circle BF But if it be a square or any other figure not Sphericall it imitates a Spheare as neere as the body will suffer in that it spreades it selfe euery-where from the center by right lines yet will it be confined in a square figure correspondent to the body whence it proceeds as we see the vertue of the square magnet A to cast his beames into the square figure LD 3 The motiue quality of the Magneticall body is strongest of all in the Poles in other parts by so much the stronger by how much these parts are situated neere the Poles Wee suppose out of the principles of Magneticall Philosophie that a Magnet hath two Poles whose vse wee shall shew hereafter These Poles are found by experiment to haue more force and vigour in them then other parts and all other parts to enioy more or lesse force by how much neerer or farther off they are situated to their Poles The reason is ascribed by these Writers to the disposition of the Magneticall vigour in the body of the Load stone as shall appeare by this figure following in Gilbert expressing the great Magneticall Body of the earth Let the Sphericall superficies of it bee HQE the Pole E the Center M HQ the plaine of the Equinoctiall from euery point of this Equinoctiall plaine the vigour Magneticall is conueyed and extended to CFNE and to euery point from C to E the Pole but not towards the point B so neither from G towardâ— C. The vigour is not strengthned in the part FHG from that which is GMFE but FGH doth increase the vertue in H so that there can arise no vigor so far from the parallels to the Axel tree aboue the said parallels but internally from the parallels to the Pole So wee see that from euery point of the Equinoctiall plaine the force is deriued to the Pole E. But the point F hath only the vigour from GH and the point N from OH but the Pole E is corroborated and strengthened from the whole plaine of the Equinoctiall HQ Wherefore the vigour magneticall in this Pole is most eminent and remarkable but in the middle spaces as for example in F the magneticall quality is so far strengthened as the portion of the Equinoctiall plaine H can giue But Dr Ridley in his late Magneticall Treatise in the 6. Chapt. seemes to oppose this Demonstration For although hee acknowledgeth that the vigour is strongest of all in the Poles yet saith hee if tryall bee made what the Pole will take perpendicularly and also what the parts aboue 34 degrees will lift vp it will appeare to bee halfe asmuch perpendicularly so that the Pole doth not take vp as much as this and the other part doth on the other side But the decision of these differences I leaue to such as are more experimentall then my selfe being destitute of those helpes and instruments which they enioy 4 It behoues vs in the second place to speake of the Disponent vigour of Magneticall bodies The Disponent force we call that facultie by which magneticall Bodies are disposed or directed to a certaine site or position 1 Magneticall bodies moue not vncertainly but haue their motions directed and conformed to certaine bounds This Proposition is confirmed by manifold experiments For magneticall bodies are neuer found to moue vncertainly and at all adventures but conforme themselues to certaine Poles and make certaine angles proportionall to the latitude as we shall shew hereafter in particular The reason of which experiment wee can draw from no other cause then the first institution of Nature in all Naturall agents which wee would haue directed to certaine ends that nothing in her Common-wealth might seeme idle or vnnecessary wherefore shee giues all agents not only a power to worke their ends but also shewes them the way squares and regulates the meanes which direct vnto the end No-where is this
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
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
industriously calculated as I haue here inserted to saue others a new labour of calculation The Meridians are more easily found by hanging any directory wier or needle ouer the Terrella one end of which pointing towards the North and the other towards the South will discouer the Meridian line CHAP. VIII Of the measure of the Terrestriall Globe 1 HItherto haue we handled the Terrestriall Globe primarily in such proprieties as absolutely agree vnto its nature In the second place we are to handle such as secondarily arise out of the former Here wee are to handle two chiefe points 1 The Measure 2 The Distinction 2 The measure is that by which we find out the quantity of the whole Earth Good reason haue we to cal this the Secondary part of Geography for as much as these accidents and proprieties we here consider arise altogether out of the former In the former Treatise wee haue diuided the Naturall Spheare of the Earth from the Artificiall But in this part for auoiding of tedious repetitions of the same things wee haue ioyned them together For howsoeuer the measuring and dictinctions of the Earth bee truely grounded on the nature of the earth it selfe yet can it not be well expressed and taught without the materiall Instrument we haue therefore thought good to consider the measure of the earth before wee come vnto the Distinction because it is more simple and vncompound depending on the lineaments and measure of one circle whereas the Distinction necessarily requires the coniunction and combination of diuerse circles as Meridians and Parallels compared one with the other as shall bee taught hereafter Whether the great masse of the earth can bee measured or no seemes a matter not agreed on by all Some haue held an opinion that it cannot bee measured in regard of the infinite magnitude wherewith they thought it endowed which opinion seemes deriued from some of the Platonicks who ascribing to the Earth another figure besides the Sphericall haue cast themselues vpon vncertainties and being notable to reduce the Quantity of the Earth according to their owne grounds to any certaine measure haue denied it to bee measurable But the ground of this opinion wee haue taken away before in prouing the earth to be of a true Sphericall nature and therefore circumscribed in certaine bounds apt to be measured Another conceit more absurd then the former is not only the common people whose condition might excuse their ignorance but of such as would bee esteemed learned who contend that the greatnesse of the earth cannot bee measured the onely reasons they can alleadge for themselues are 1 That a great part of the earth is vnaccessible by reason of steepe rocks high mountaines spacious and thicke woods moorish fogges and such like impediments 2 That the parts of it are for the most part vneuen and subiect to no regular figure without the which no measure can bee exact The first cauill is of no moment because whereas wee affirme that the Earth by man may be measured we hold it not necessary that it should be trauersed ouer by iourneyes or voyages For as much as to the finding out of the Quantity of the whole Terrestriall Spheare it may seeme sufficient to know the measure and proportion of any little part in respect of the Heauens As for example what number of Miles Leagues or Furlongs answer to any degree or degrees in the Heauens wherfore we suppose the Earth to be measured ouer not with our feet but with our wits which may by Mathematicall rules be taught to march forward where our legges fayle vs The second obiection only proues thus much that the Earth partaking of so many vnequall parts and irregular formes cannot in the measuring admit of so much exactnesse as if it were endowed with one vniforme face yet it is exact enough to contenta Cosmographer who measureth not by feet and inches but by leagues and miles in which wee little regard such a needlesse curiosity 1 The common measure by which the quantity of the Earth is knowne are Miles and Furlongs Here is to be noted that such instruments as serue for measuring are of two sorts either greater or lesser the smaller are of diuerse sorts as a Graine Inch Foot Pearch Pole and such like Some of these howsoeuer sometime vsefull in Topographie can haue little or no vse at all in the vast greatnesse of the whole Earth Wherefore the Geographer seldome descends so low but takes notice of greater measures such as are Miles Furlongs where we may obserue by the way that the vsuall measuring amongst the Grecians was by Stadia or furlongs amongst many of the Latines by miles vnder which we also cōprehend Leagues these miles are diuersly varied according to the diuersity of Countries so that in some places they are esteemed longer in other shorter which differences may be learned out of this ensuing Table The instruments of measuring the Earth are 1 Furlong containing 125 Geometicall paces or 625 feet 2 Mile which is either 1 Proper containing 8 Furlongs or 1000 paces 2 Improper which is either 1 League which is either 2 German mile which is either the 1 Old containing 12 Furlongs 2 Newer containing 16 Furlongs 3 Common of 24 Furlongs 1 Common which is 32 Furlongs or foure Italian miles 2 Greatest containing 5000 paces which is called the Suenian or Heluetian mile Howsoeuer this Distinction of miles may be many wayes profitable especially in the Topographicall part yet shall wee seldome make vse of any other then the common Germane mile or the common Italian mile To which as the most knowne the rest may easily be reduced 3 The obiect here proposed to bee measured is the Spheare of the Earth The Dimensions according to which it is measured are either Simple or Compound 4 The simple is twofold either the Perimeter or the Diameter The Perimeter otherwise called the circumference is a great circle measuring the Earth round about 5 The Inuention of the Perimeter of the Earth depends on these following Propositions 1 If two or more circles bee drawne about the same Center and from the Center to the Circumference be drawne two right lines The Arches of all the Circles comprehended within the said right lines will bee like and proportionall one to the other This Proposition being meerely Geometricall is taken here as a ground without farther demonstration whereof if any man doubt hee may haue recourse to Clauius Commentaries vpon Iohannes de Sacrobosco This principle granted will beget these two Consectaries 1 As one degree is to the number of correspondent miles or furlongs so all degrees of the circles to the number of miles or Furlongs measuring the quantity of the Perimeter of the Earth 2 Wherefore one degree or portion of the Circle being knowne by his number of miles or furlongs the whole Circumference may be found out The reason of this consequence euery Arithmetician can easily shew out of the Golden Rule The chiefe point then
and Compasse durst not aduenture into the Ocean so farre out of sight of land But to giue the opposite part all reasonable aduantage admit the Straites diuiding Asia and America were very narrow and within kenne was it likely that from hence thâ—y could by shipps transport so many kndes of creatures Could we beleeue any man to be so mad as to carry ouer with him Lions Beares Tigers Foxes and other innumerable sorts of rauenous and vnprofitable beasts as pernicious to mankind as other creatures seruing for his vse If any were found so foolish or malicious yet were it very vnlikely hee should transporte so many kinds This argument seemes no more to concerne America then most Ilands of the World wherein we find diuers creatures not only seruing for the vse of man but many vnprofitable hatefull to the Inhabitants The meanes of this transportation is very difficult to finde St Augustine with some other Diuines haue bin driuen to a supernaturall cause as if Almighty God should performe this matter by the ministry of Angels which answer we dare not vtterly reiect being supported by the authority of so great a Pillar of the church yet I cannot so easily imagine that God who vsed naturall meanes for the preseruation of all liuing creatures in the Arke should haue recourse to a supernaturall power in the propagation of these creatures on the face of the Earth wherefore to me the reason would seeme better answered out of our ground which we shall proue hereafter That Ilands were not from the first Creation but afterward broken from the maine Continent by the violence of the Water Hence it might come to passe that such beasts as were in the parts of the Earth so broken off haue since there continued by continuall propagation vntill this day I meane of ravenous and hurtfull beasts because of the others lesse doubt can be made but that they might be convayed from one Country into another by shipping to serue the necessity of mankind Here we see that no argument as yet hath bin vrged so strong against the North-passage but may with reasonable probability be answered It remaines in the second place that we descend somewhat to particulars to inquire whether this be to be effected either towards the North-east or the North-west The North-east passage hath heretofore bin attempted by many of our English Nauigatours but with vnhappy successe yet were not these voyages altogether fruitlesse forasmuch as by this meanes a way was found out to Russia whence began the first trade betweene ours and the Russian Merchants But that litle hope can hence arise sundry reasons may be alleaged the chiefe whereof are these 1 The dangerous rending of the Scythick Cape set by Ortelius vnder 80 degrees Northward together with the perillous sailing in those Northerne Seas alwayes pestred with Ice and Snow seconded by diuerse Bayes or shelues mists fogges long and darksome nights most aduerse to any happy Nauigation 2 The obseruation of the Water which is more shallow towards the East which giues small hope of a through passage because all Seas are fed with waters and for the most part are obserued to be more shallow towards the shore then in the middle But where in sailing forward any Sea is found to decrease in depth it is a likely argument that it is rather a Creeke Bay or Riuer then a Straite Notwithstanding these reasons some haue heretofore gone about to proue a passage by the North-east to Cathay of which opinion was Antony Ienkinson whose reasons be well answered by Sr Humphrey Gilbert which I briefly touch adding some things of mine own as I find occasion The first reason was drawne from a Relation of Tartarian who reported that in hunting the Morse he sailed very far towards the South-east wherein he found no end which might giue a likely coniecture that it was a passage throughout But to this we may easily answere that the Tartarians are a barbarous Nation altogether ignorant of Nauigation which neither know the vse of the Charte Compasse or Celestiall Obseruations therefore in a wide Sea know not how to distinguish the North-east from the South-east Besides the curious search of this long passage must depend on better Discoueries then a poore Fisher-man who seldome dares aduenture himselfe out of sight of land besides the Fisher-man iudging by sight could not see about a kenne at sea which will proue nothing in regard of so long a distance The second Reason vrged by Mr Ienkinson was this that there was an Vnicorne's horne found vpon the coasts of Tartaria which could not come saith he by any other meanes then with the tide in some streight in the North-east in the frozen Sea there being no Vnicorne in all Asia sauing in Iâ—dia and Cataia To this reason I may answer with Sr Humphrey Gilbert many waies 1 We may well doubt whether Tartarians knowe a true Vnicornes horne or no 2 It is credible that it could bee driuen so farre by the Tide being of such a Nature that it cannot swimme 3 The Tides running to and fro would haue driuen it as farre backe with the Ebbe as it brought it forward with the Floud 4 the Horne which was cast on this coast might be the Horne of an Asinus Indicuâ— which hath but one Horne like an Vnicorne in his fore-head whereof there is great plenty in all the North parts as in Lappia Norvegia Finmarke as Zeigler testifies in his History of Scandia 5 Lastly there is a fish which hath a Horne in his â—ore-head câ—lled the Sea Vnicorne whereof Martin Frobisher foâ—nd one on the coast of Newfound-land and gaue it to Queene Elizabeth which was said to be put into her wardrope But whether it be the same which is at this day to be seene at Winsor Castle I cannot tell The third and strongest reason which was vrged for the North-east passage was this That there was a continuall current through the Frozen Sea of such swiftnesse that if any thing were throwne into the water it would presently be caried out of sight To this we may easily answer that this strong current is not maintained by any Tide coÌ„ming from another Sea but by diuerse great Riuers falling into this streight In like sort we find a strong current from Maeotis Palus by Pontus Euxinus Sinus Bosphorus and along all the coast of Greci as Contarenus and diuerse other affirme out of their own experience and yet the Sea lyeth not open to any other Sea but is maintained by Tanais and diuerse other riuers so in this North-east part may this current of water be maintained by the Riuers Duâ—â—a Ob and many others which continually fall into it Hitherto haue we treated of other passages either effected or attempted to Cathay and the East Indies The last and most desired and sought in our time is that by the North West This way hath bin often attempted as by Cabot Dauis Frobisher Hudson Sr Thomas Button and