Eastwards or Westwards and according to discretion set your Flower de luce as may best fitte the way of your course And therefore if it be most South or North let the longer sides of your Table stand in steade of those partes if it be East or West then name the sides accordingly For example if it be Eastwards Northerly set downe a pricke betokening your Radicall place vpon the West end of the South side if it be any other way set downe your pricke as may be answerable thereunto and placing your Ruler square vpon equal diuisions in the sides East West with the edge thereof touching the said Pricke drawe a line representing the Parallele of the Ships Radicall place and hard by the point or pricke of your Radicall place note the Latitude there of in degrees and minutes Then set the Center corner of your Quadrant vnto the Radicall point eleuating the limbe of the Quadrant aboue the Parallele according to the quantitie of that Angle whereon the Ship made her first way and reckoning in the edge of the Quadrant the leagues of the Ships way at the ende thereof make a pricke as close vnto the edge as may be Lastly fastening your Ruler directly vpon the pricke and square with the sides of East and West drawe a line which shal serue for the Parallele that the Ship at that instant is in And this order of working must from time to time be iterated till at length opportunitie be offered by your Instruments Mathematicall to make an obseruation of Latitude But if it so fall out that the Shippes way doe conteyne moe leagues then there are diuisions in the side of the Quadrant then applying either side of the Ruler close vnto the edge of the Quadrant by that meanes you may pricke downe the number Hauing vpon shift of windes as it happeneth made diuerse Trauerses if you desire to knowe howe the place your Ship is in beareth from your Radicall place which is called the Angle of position and likewise the distance from it as also the Latitude together with the Difference of Longitude when you haue made as yet no obseruation doe after this sort Set the one end of your Ruler where the numbers doe beginne to the Radicall point and directing the other end towards the pricke of your Ships last place cause the edge to lie iust euen vpon it Then reckon howe many diuisions you do finde betweene the two points and so many leagues distance there is If it fall not full vpon a diuision but vpō one of those pricks betweene they signifie English miles Looke howe many diuisions are conteyned betweene the two Paralleles the one of the ships Radicall place and the other of her last place euery twentie of those doe make a degree euery seuerall diuision 3. minutes and euery pricke one minute Moreouer as occasion serueth you may accompt 4. or 5. diuisions for a league or more or lesse yea euery pricke for a league if you finde it requisite as experience in diuers shiftes of windes will shewe you to be most conuenient To knowe howe much the Ships last place doeth differ from his Radicall place in Longitude also the Angle of Position SEt the Ruler square North and South so that the Radicall place may touche the side thereof marking what diuisions the Ruler doeth cut in the North and Southsides Againe set the Ruler in like maner square touching the point of the Ships last place the number of partes conteyned betweene those two places of the Ruler in either of the two sides North or South is the difference of Longitude If the ships last place from the Radicall be Easterly the Longitude is so much encreased if Westerly it is lessened Alwayes haue you respect to the Meridian from whence Longitudes doe beginne to be reckoned that you may expresse the number answerable thereunto Moreouer place your Ruler where the numbers begin at the Radicall point and the side thereof vpon the point of the Ships last place Then apply the Center corner of the Quadrant vnto the Radicall point the Ruler still keeping his place in such sort that the side of the Quadrant doe lie euen with the Ruler Looke howe much of the eleuated limbe aboue the Parallele the Parallele it selfe cutteth off that is the Angle of Position vpon which the last place of the Ship doeth beare from the Radicall places But whenso euer you haue opportunitie to obserue the Latitude drawe your Parallele vpon the Trauerse boorde according thereunto and where the line of the Ships course doeth crosse the Parallele you must conclude that to be the place which your ship was in at the time of your obseruation correcting by that meanes the other Parallele and distāce taken by the dead reckoning so farre forth as it doth differ from this For of those three helpes before specified the Latitude is only certaine The Angle of the Ships way is reasonable good but the dead reckoning is an vncertaine ghesse And if you please to call it a probable coniecture you shal grace it with the vttermost notwithstanding it is admitted into Art for want of better helpes In considering the Angle of the Ships way by all meanes you must haue carefull regard both vnto the Set and the Variation of your Compasse Otherwise assure your selfe you shall make but wide reckonings I haue knowen a very expert Nauigator that making his reckoning without regard of the Variation which for all that he obserued though he did not reckon by it ouershot the way of his Ship 70. leagues in a voyage not of so farre distance as hence to Cape Verde Whereas casting ouer his reckoning with due respect of his Variation he made a perfect good accompt of of the very same voyage Hauing found the place of your Ship in the Trauerse-boorde howe to pricke it in your Carde FOr the conclusions to be performed vpon your Carde it is requisite that you haue a Ruler of some fine wood made very thinne of an inche a halfe broad and of sufficient length also a Quadrant like vnto the former sauing that his two sides must haue their diuisions agreeable to the Scale of leagues expressed in your Carde and finally 2. paire of Compasses Being furnished with these seeke out your Radicall place from whence you did proceede Apply the Cēter-corner of your Quadrant vnto it his limbe respecting the way answerable to the Angle of position in your Trauerse-boorde Set one foote of your Compasse vpon any Parallele of conuenient distance from it on which side it skilleth not reaching the other precisely vnto it in the nearest distance Then remoue one foote vpon that Parallele the other keeping his scantling vntill the diuision of the Angle of Position in the limbe the point of the other foote doe meete exactly together the Center-corner stil abiding in his place but mouing the limbe to or fro and likewise the Compas as before I specified til they meete Last of
dispersed and not ioyntly directed to his due points The wyers before they bee touched ought to bee polished and made very cleane and fitted vnto the Flie and then touched after this maner With the North end of the Stone presse each wyer beginning at the middle and so along vnto that ende that you would haue turne Southerly And with the South end of the Stone doe the like from the middle of eache wyer vnto the ende that you would haue turne Northerly Then glewe them in such sort that the Flie may stand equally vpon his pinne hauing both the North and South endes of the wyers vncouered that their Touche may be refreshed as occasion shall require After all this is accomplished that the Instrument thus furnished may truely performe his office there must iust regard be had of the Variation as also of the diuerse Set of the Compasse And likewise that it be not placed neare any Loade-stone yron or steele By the Variation is vnderstood the difference in the Horizon betweene the true and the magneticall Meridian By the Set is meant the setting or placing of the wyers in the bottome of the Flie which sometimes you shal finde standing right vnder the Flower de luce representing the North point sometimes ½ ⅓ c. toward the East of the Flower de luce The Compasse being artificially made and fitted as he ought to be with al his iust regards we must cōceaue euery line drawen from the Center vnto each diuision to represent alwayes the semidiameter of an Azimuth bearing the same name with the diuision of the instrument The line of North South is euery where the intersection of the Meridian with the Horizon and the line that crosseth him at right angles is euery where the intersectiō of the East West Azimuth with the Horizon The like is to be vnderstood of euery one of the other according to their natures so that euery point of the Cōpas when the line thereof is by imagination produced in the Horizon vnto the Heauens is vnderstood to be the base of a Quadrant of some one Azimuth or other and the line falling from the Zenith to the Center of the Compas is as the Perpendicular cōmon to them all Wherefore which way soeuer in any situation a ship doth saile vpon any point of the Compas it must needes be that shee sayleth within the plaine of one Azimuth or other in as much as euery point is the Base of an Azimuth and so performeth alwayes her course vpon the Conuexe of the Sea in a portion or portions of one great Circle or other because all Azimuthes are great Circles Albeit therfore a voyage were to be made from any place in any Latitude more or lesse it skilleth not vnto any other of the same Latitude and that according to the common trade which should not be if great Circle-sayling were knowen brought to perfectiō keeping as neere as may be vnder one Parallele from the beginning to the ende of the voyage yet because in all this Ships motion the Compas is considered as equidistant alwayes vnto the Horizon it must needes followe that all the points of the Compasse his Variation remembred continue their mutuall respect to those of euery Horizon the line of South and North being still the Intersection of the Meridian with the Horizon the line of East and West being still the Intersection of the East and West Azimuth with the Horizon crossing one an other alwayes at right angles so that the situation of the shippe continually altering doeth neuer alter the properties of the Compas whose nature is to deriue those his diuisions vnto euery newe Horizon that hee approcheth vnto all the lines of his points euer remaining Semidiameters of Azimuthes and Bases of their quadrants the line falling from the Zenith through his Center being still the perpendicular common to them all Whereby it is manifest that in as much as the direction of the sayling Compasse is alwayes some one Semidiameter of an Azimuth and the shippe being the body mooued euer stemmeth in the plaine of the selfe same Azimuth also the winde being the efficient that moueth of his mutable propertie driueth foreright diametrally vpon the plaine of the Horizon which cannot be but according to the intersection of the foresaid Azimuth it is therefore impossible if the shippe be moued that is transferred or changed from place to place that the line or tracing of her course comprehended betweene those places should be any other but onely such as is composed of great Circular portions of which the length of the shippe it selfe is alwayes a segment And so describeth she by that meanes in her course before mentioned not a Parallele properly so called as common opinion doth wrongfully imagine consisting of one continual lesser Circular line or otherwise a Spirall line truely so named consisting of a continuall vniforme winding answerable to the nature of the said line but a course quibusdam diuerticulis as learned Nonius termeth it with certaine turnings in and out consisting of small segments of great Circles keeping alwayes as neere the precise parallele or Spirall line as arte can ayde them Wherefore it is confessed that those seuerall courses haue some shew or resemblance of the two sorts of lines aforesaide but by no meanes are they the very lines themselues in deede Who was the first inuenter of this Instrument miraculous and endued as it were with life can hardly be found The lame tale of one Flauius at Amelphis in the kingdome of Naples for to haue deuised it is of very slender probabilitie Pandulphus Collenutius writing the Neapolitane historie telleth vs that they of Amelphis say it is a common opinion there that it was first found out among them But Polidore Virgil who searched most diligently for the Inuentors of things could neuer heare of this opinion yet himselfe being an Italian and as he confesseth in the later ende of his third booke de inuentoribus rerum could neuer vnderstand any thing concerning the first inuention of this instrument Most men suppose the finding thereof to bee very newe and hardly to be proued that it hath beene in any vse in these partes of the Worlde full 200. yeeres agone But whether this propertie of the Loadstone was first knowen in the West or East partes of the world it is very doubtfull The East Indian histories are pestered with such monstrous reports and Legendarie tales that as yet they are but of very small credite Their fabulous genealogies and Frierly discourses doe breede a lingering expectation of some halting Poste that making not so much haste as good speede may with more sinceritie enforme vs of the state of those Countreis and matters vnto them belonging Some fewe yeeres since it so fell out that I had seuerall conference with two East Indians which were brought into England by master Candish and had learned our language The one of them was of Mamillia in the Isle of Luzon the other
of the Ruler And toward eache end of equall distance therefrom fitte two Sights of three ynches or longer as your Compasis and about a quarter of an ynche broade at the toppe waxing broader toward the foote where they are to be ioynted in such sort that they may for handsomenesse sake be folded the one close vpon the other and stand erected at right angles In the one of these along the middle thereof cut out the mettall beginning a little beneath the top downe to the foote of conuenient breadth that a Lute string hauing a small pearle or bugle on it to slide vp and downe may be fastened precisely in the middle throughout from the toppe to the foote The other Sight being made after the same proportion and forme that the former was hath onely a fine small slit pearced from within very little off the toppe downe to the foote and must in his thickenesse be abated that he weigh no more then the other The Ruler thus furnished with his Sights in the space betweene the sights and the brimme of the Boxe ought to haue two loopes cut out in decent maner to looke downe through them vpon the Flie. And this Ruler must be diuided into many equall small partes as 20 to an ynche or such like the numbers beginning from the Lute string sight vnto the other and from the foote of that other to the toppe When the Ruler is finished as before I haue specified it must a little be let into the brimme of the Boxe that it may stand fast hauing the middle of it right ouer the line of North and South in the Boxe and the Sight with the Lute string ouer the South But let it in such sort be fastened that you may conueniently either take it off or set it on as occasion shall serue So that the Ruler being taken off it is a Sayling Compasse being set on it serueth for the Variation in maner following The Flie of the Compas hauing at opposite partes directly ouer the points of the wyers some markes on the vpper side easie to be discerned if it be a Meridionall Flie it needeth not in as much as the Flower de luce and the South point serue the purpose turne the Boxe toward the East in the foorenoone with the Ruler on it till the Lute string doe cast his shadowe right vpon the middle line of the Ruler or on the slit of the other Sight Then marke immediatly where the shadowe of the pearle doth light vpon what diuision if the lines be diuided otherwise marke it with a penne And also what part the Southend of the wyers or which is all one the Northend doth point vnto in the side of the Boxe In the afternoone doe the like toward the West with the pearle still vnremooued turning the Boxe till the shadowe of the pearle falleth full vpon the place that it did in the forenoone And note then also what part the endes of the wyers doe point vnto Then if the number of partes obserued in the forenoone be alone with those in the afternoone there is no Variation at all for the ends of the wyers doe shewe the true Meridian But if the one exceede the other subtrahe the lesser from the greater And halfe the remainder is the Variation of the Compasse toward that side which had the greater number in his obseruation This Compasse serueth farre better to set the land withall and to describe any Harbour Coaste Hauen Towne or Countrey then any before in common vse by looking through the slitte and bringing the thing that you would note and the Lute string both in one withall marking what partes the wyers doe shewe at that instant Likewise for taking of distances All this may also bee performed with a Circle of Latten about one quarter of an ynche broade hauing a stay going athwart perced through with loope holes that it be no hindrance to viewe the Flie and a Ruler mouing vpon it in forme like to the former Which Circle must be diuided as that within the Boxe was frō the Flower de luce which is to be placed a quarter of a Circle distant frō the line passing along the middle of the stay haue his numbers reckoned towards the endes of the same line And so must the other halfe of the Circle be diuided from the South point Being thus diuided it must be placed euen fast and very fitte close aboue the Glasse And when you will vse it turne the Boxe about till the flower de luce of the Circle stand right ouer the Northerly endes of the wyers And the Boxe so standing set the Ruler according to the forenoone and afternoones obseruation doing all things els as before And you shall finde the selfe same effect I haue tryed at land the Crosse-needle in steade of the Flie and do like it exceeding well Whether is the better at Sea I doe referre it vnto their iudgements that shall make due triall of both The Crosse-needle I call two needles the one of Steele and the other of Latten ioyned together in the Capitell where they crosse each other at right angles and so made that they be of one length very straight and equally standing vpon the pinne no end ouerweyghing the other This Needle well made and fitted as it ought to bee will besides his proper vse supply the vse also of a Perpendicle a matter of great importance to shewe the vpright standing of your Instrument which the single Needle cannot doe neither yet the Flie any whit comparable vnto this But you are diligently to note that in continuance of time as the force of the Touch of the Stone doeth decay so will the North ende of either Needle or Flie rise somewhat higher and the South end sincke lower For this is one of the wonderful properties that the touch of the Magnete hath that a needle as yet not touched standing equally vpō his pinne being once touched with whether ende of the Stone you list the one end thereof shalbe reared higher and the other fall lower The difference whereof as the goodnes of the Stone is greater will accordingly the more appeare And in processe of time as his force stil decaieth so returneth hee more and more to his euen standing againe By reason of which propertie the Artificer is constrained that he may make the Needle lie euen to abate somewhat of the falling end that the other by vertue of the touch raised vp may through this abatement be brought downe to an equalitie of situation with his fellowe When therefore you perceaue the rising of the North end as aforesaid assure your selfe the Flie or Needle is weakened in strength and hath neede to be refreshed with the Stone Otherwise if it were at the first well touched be not too busie with it but let it alone except you bee well assured of the goodnesse of the Stone and of the right maner of touching If the Northend riseth not any thing at all and
yet the Flie playeth not then is it to be remedied with sharpening of the pinne The commoditie of the vse of this Needle for a Perpendicle is that because it is within the Boxe the winde cannot hinder it as it will any other Perpendicle especially being small that is in the open ayre The Traueylors lewell THIS Instrument is a Circle about a quarter of an ynch broade hauing his diametrall staye Ruler Sights and all things else as is last before described sauing these additaments The Compasse Boxe of this Instrument must be of Latten of what depth or shallownes you please Only so prepare it that the Needle or Flie want not in any wise space ynough at libertie to play in Let the Circle haue a Quadrant firmely sowdered to his vttermost circumference making right angles with the superficies of the Circle whose semidiameter let be about the length of the semidiameter of the innermost circumference of the Circle or somewhat shorter Diuide the Quadrant into 90. degrees and the numbers of those parts placed in two seueral borders must be reckoned contrary wayes the one beginning where the other endeth Vpon the edge of the vtter Circumference of the Circle where it and the Quadrant meete there must be a strong and firme ioynt fastening the Circle and Quadrant in that place vnto the Boxe in such sort that as the Circle continually riseth so the Quadrant may still sinke in the Ioynt For this Ioynt must issue from the Boxe with a necke somewhat longer then the semidiameter of the Quadrant standing at right angles vpon the Boxe and Circle both hauing in the middle a slit of capacitie sufficient to receaue the Quadrant moued therein vp and downe according to the motion of the Circle itselfe with a little screwe pinne on the one side to stay the Quadrant therewith and so consequently the Circle wheresoeuer you will haue it And on the other side an Inlet must bee handsomely filed that the lower part thereof being of a conuenient quantitie to conteine within it both the borders of the Quadrant may precisely make one right line with the middle of the Axis of the Ioynt and the neither semidiameter of the Quadrant erected So shall it alwayes supply the vse of a fiduciall line and distinctly shewe the numbers that are cut in the borders aforesaid Thus much concerning the description The vse is briefely this When the Circle is not eleuated it is the aboue mentioned Compas of Variation The middle line of the diametrall Stay representing East and West and the Base of the Quadrant produced seruing for North and South c. But when it is eleuated according to the height of the Equator whose angle by the fiduciall line of the Inlet the Quadrant sheweth in one number and the height of the Pole in the other it performeth the vse of an Equinoctiall Dyall generally throughout the whole world For supposing the Circle raysed as apperteyneth let the Needle and a Crosse-needle seemeth the best keepe his due place agreeable to the Variation Then turne the Ruler with his Sights about till the shadowe of the Lute string being toward the Sunne doe fall vpon the middle line or slit of the opposite Sight being perpendicularly erected on the Ruler like vnto the other So shall the vppermost end of the Ruler directed toward the Sunne declare the true houre either in the vpper superficies of the Circle to be reckoned by 15. degrees continually from East to South in the Forenoone and from thence to West in the Afternoone or else for more expedition in a peculiar Border of houres drawen according to euery of those 15. degrees in the voide superficies vnderneath I had once purposed to haue written somewhat of an Instrument deuised by Robert Norman who although he was not learned yet was hee a very expert Mechanician of an honest and good mind and found that by his owne industrious practise concerning a strange propertie of the Magneticall Needle which no man I thinke before him did euer finde and which the more is the shamefull slouth of men very fewe Nauigators haue practised euer sithence Although the Instrument be very easie to be made and the propertie no doubt in Nauigation of great consequence But vnderstanding by conference with a man of rare learning both in Phisicke his owne profession and in diuers other laudable knowledges besides that he many yeeres hath laboured in the consideration of the properties of that Stone and mindeth nowe out of hand for the common benefite to publish those his labours I surceassed altogether from that purpose of mine assuring me that hee if any other will be able most exactly to handle that Argument For I found him excellently skilled farre beyond any thing that I either knewe or imagined in that matter Albeit I had read all that I could heare to haue written thereof and had practised as many of their Conclusions as I made any reckoning of But I found mine Authours euen of the best accompt in many things very friuolous and vaine and ignorant of the chiefest properties of importance He that seemeth to haue written most learnedly is a Neapolitane whose footesteps I followed and found his Assertions erroneous in sixe seuerall Conclusions The Pantometer The Authors purpose in this Treatise THis Instrument that in respect of the manifold and generall vses thereof I call the Pantometer I haue framed chiefly for the Variation And that principally to serue at land yet some partes of it shalbe employed on practise of good importance at Sea both by helping the Hemisphere wherewith hereafter you shall be further acquainted in some things by performing other some for it self And although the vniuersalitie of the Pantometer would haue ministred matter of very large discourse yet for as much as my maine purpose is as in the rest so in this Treatise likewise to be ayding and assisting the Nauigator by al good meanes possible To his principal and most necessarie vses I haue therefore directed and as it were contracted the diffused nature of this Instrument Notwithstanding whatsoeuer Master Thomas Digges hath written of Measurings with his Topographicall Instrument may bee done aswell and better with this Howe conuenient it is for obseruations Astronomical the expert wil soone perceaue Al which and many other Mathematicall Conclusions easie by this Instrument to be performed I must leaue to the diligent tryall of the studious delighted with those noble Sciences The Declaration of the partes of the Pantometer THe chiefe partes of this Instrument are two The Horizontall to be placed alwayes equidistant to the plaine of the Horizon which it representeth And the Verticall perpendicularly erected vpon the former and therefore in power any Azimuth or Verticall whereof also it is named In the Horizontall there are two Semicircles The one hath the ordinarie Points of the Compasse the other the common degrees of a Circle both of them meeting in one Diameter The round voide space in the middle
c. till you haue obteyned a most sufficient precisenesse The Obseruing of the Variation at Land by the Sunne SEt the Instrument vpon a Staffe prepared for this purpose his Horizontall being parallele to the Horizon of the World And placing the Verticall vpon the line of North and South in the Horizontall turne the Horizontall about till the Needle stand equidistant to the Verticall Then fasten the Horizontall to the staffe with the skrewe pinne of his Socket which in that sort remaining steaddy and immoueable turne the Verticall in the Forenoone towards the East mouing the Sight Ruler vp and downe till the Sunne beame doth pearce both Sights and immediatly note what partes the edge of the Verticall doth cut in the Horizontall Also what part the Sight-Ruler falleth on in the Verticall where if it light not on a iust part in the vtter Quadrant marke where it doth vpon one in any of the inner Quadrants Againe in the Afternoone the Horizontall continuing still in his former place and the Ruler likewise abiding vpon the foresaid part vnchangeable turne the Verticall towards the West till the Sunne entreth in at both the sights And note therewithall what part the edge of the Verticall cutteth in the Horizontall If then the partes cut by the edge of the Verticall in the Forenoone and those other in the Afternoone bee equally distant from the South point of the Horizontall then is there no Variation at all For the line of North and South in the Horizontall is one and the selfe same with the true Meridian But if the partes of the Forenoones obseruation be fewer then those of the Afternoone subtrahe the smaller number from the greater and halfe the remainder discouereth the Variation from the South Westwards to bee so many degrees and the Northerly end of the Needle to decline so many parts from the true North towards the East Wherefore the line of North and South in the Horizontall doeth not possesse the true Meridian but swarueth therefrom as the partes obserued doe shewe Lastly if the partes of the Forenoones obseruation be moe then those of the Afternoone subtrahe as before the smaller number from the greater and halfe the remainder sheweth the Variation of the South end of the Needle to be so many degrees Eastward and the Northerly end thereof to vary so many partes Westward Nowe for the more certeinetie in your working you must euer be mindfull to make 3. or 4. seuerall obseruations in the Forenoone that although a Cloude should hinder you of your first in the Afternoone yet some one at the least of the other may be clearely obserued where otherwise if you misse of one all your labour for that whole day is lost The obseruing of the Variation at Land by the Starres THe Variation of the Compasse and so likewise the Latitude may bee taken as well by the Starres in the night as by the Sunne in the day And sithe the Almightie hath ordeyned but one Sunne and a great multitude of Starres Nauigators should offer themselues much wrong if they would not make their benefite of these as they do of that And so much the rather because the Sunne is South but once in foure and twentie houres The Starres come to the Meridian continually one after another all the night long The ordinarie instrument for the Variation is not of any vse at all in respect of the Starres no not though he haue his Astrolabe to helpe him whereas this instrument by it selfe without the ayde of any other performeth all things exquisitely by the Starres And by the Sunne so exactly with all aduantage that when many Instruments can doe nothing without a cleare Sunneshine this in a mystie or foggie weather through a Cloude if that you may but onely discerne the body of the Sunne craueth no more to accomplish your desire The maner of obseruing a Starre is this First prepare a little Notche or slit of equall deapth in the two sights of the sight-Ruler parallele to the leauell line thereof And the Instrument being placed as before is specified turne the Verticall towards the Starre being on the Eastside of the Meridian mouing the sight-Ruler vp or downe till you may perceaue the Starre euen with those two Notches Then note the partes that the sight Ruler doth cut in the Quadrant And those also that the edge of the Quadrant or Verticall cutteth in the Horizontall Afterward doe the like againe when the same starre is on the West side of the Meridian And for the rest following the same maner of Operation that aboue I deliuered you shall here obteine the selfe same trueth of Variation by any starre that there you found onely by the Sunne Touching the Latitude the like kinde of working is to be vsed for the taking thereof by a starre as is by the sunne I meane the obseruing of his Meridian height and subtrahing or adding as the nature thereof requireth And for this cause is the Verticall so placed that about an ynch of it more or lesse according to the proportion of the Instrument at that corner where the Ruler is fastened to the Center may alwayes in the turning about reache ouer the Horizontall that you may conueniently apply your eye by the sights to discerne any starre or espie the top of any body erected whose height you would measure which otherwise you could not doe if the Verticall were but euen with the Horizontall As for the other end of the Base of the Verticall it is no matter howe farre it be extended but onely according as the quantitie and comelines of the Instrument shall require so that the Border wherewith the Base of the Verticall is lengthened doe reache precisely streight and euen vnto the edge of the Horizontall for the cutting of the partes therof Moreouer if the halfe Circle of the Horizontall which is parted into degrees were diuided also into a payre of Proportionall Quadrants then both for the former vses and infinite others woulde this Instrument prooue most exact and persite But those that are willing to bestowe so much cost I wish they should doe it in mettall and not in wood If in wood then let the same especially be chosen whereof Cypers chests are made For that I take to be best as being most free from warping and receauing any worke very easily and fairely The imperfection of bricklenesse a little the more care must amend and strengthen And thus much for the vse of the Pantometer complete The maner of obseruing the Variation at Sea WHen the Verticall of the Pantometer together with his Compasse is fitted to the handle holde it directly toward the Sunne in the Forenoone in such sort that the Perpendicle keeping his due place the Sunne may pearce both the sights And noting the height of the sunne marke also at that instant what Point or Degree the Needle doth shew Againe when the Sunne commeth to the same height in the Afternoone obserue likewise what Point
themselues cannot denie but being ouerpestered with enuie Vouchsafe therefore mine Honourable good Lord of your noble disposition fauourably to accept this small Treatise such as it is which of duetie and good will is offered vnto you protecting it so farre foorth and no further then the trueth of demonstration and commodiousnesse of the conclusions shall deserue And thus beseeching the Almightie to blesse your Lordship to encrease his good giftes in you and to prosper all your Honourable affaires I commend your Lordship and al yours in my humble and heartie prayers vnto the protection of him from whom all good giftes doe descend and with whom there is no variablenesse nor any shadowe of change but yesterday to day and is the same for euer Your Honorable Lordships in all duetie to be commanded VVilliam Barlowe Lectori S. PRaesulis eximij gnatus multisque verendis Patribus affinis pastor ipse pius Hunc foetum peperit quem si tu candide lector Excipias gremio suauis amansque tuo Dentibus haud metuet Criticorum rodier atris Quos tamen vt tener est non metuisse nequit Perlege pertenta bis terque quaterque licebit Quô mage creber eris crescet ille magis At simul hoc vsu matura adoleuerit aetas Iam benè tutus erit viribus ipse suis. To the Reader THis booke was written by a Bishops sonne And by affinitie to many Bishops kinne Himselfe a godly Pastour prayse hath wonne In being diligent to conquer sinne If to thee Reader it may welcome bee The Critickes censure it will feare the lesse For being young from feare it is not free Which otherwise more courage might professe Reade way and try but reade and often trye The rules of skill whereto it doth direct Triall may bring as much authoritie As newnesse hinder it of due respect But yet when time shall to it ripenesse giue It will haue credite of it selfe to liue Uotum Authoris SVmme Deus Coeli terraeque marisque tremende Conditor atque idem rector tersancte patenti Aure fauens facilis mea percipe vota precantis Ex vno veluti gens est humana Noacho Orta vnáque habitans linguâ celebrauit eâdem Te solum verumque Deum Babylonica turris Quum nondum aethereas caput attollebat in auras Sic iterum ô vtinam miseros miseratus in vnum Mortales redigas laceros vt corporis artus Quosfuror ille tuus dispersit ad vltima mundi Coniunctique ineant sancta vt commercia rursus Veliuolis iungas ratibus ceu pontibus ipsos Mobilibus quamuis disiunctos aequore vasto Foelici celeres vento impellente carinas Mirandaque agiles moderanti Pyxide clauos Inprimis tuus ille tuus qui cuncta gubernat Spiritus aspiret placidus Sic lampade diâ Verbo Euangelij toto noscaris in orbe F. N. O God whose power heauen earth sea declare Which being by thy word thy word obey And in their workes which Natures called are Worke but that will of thine which all doth sway Hearken O hearken for thy Christ his sake Vnto the prayer which in heart I make Looke downe with mercie from thy mercie-seate Vpon man-kinde dispersed here and there From Noahs familie which grewe so greate For at the first all but one people were Which but one law which but one language knew One God alone to serue God onely true As yet mans heart did seeke no name of prayse In stately towers which threaten might the skie When pride began great Babel for to rayse Speach was confounded with varietie Since then deuided tongues deuided heartes By sea and land into a thousand partes Yet since thy Spirit of true vnitie In clouen tongues did on Apostles sitte That so thy cursing might a blessing be And clouen tongues deuided people knitte Let that thy Spirit breathe in euery place That all may know the Gospel of thy grace And since the Sea doth some so farre deuide That they may seeme an other world to bee Teach vs our Ships like horses so to ride That we may meete in one and all in thee And as the Needle doth the North repect So all in Christ may onely thee affect A briefe discourse of the Sayling Compasse in generall THE merueilous and diuine Instrument called the Sayling Compasse being one of the greatest wonders that this World hath is a Circle diuided commonly into 32. partes tearmed by our Seamen Windes Rumbes or Points of Compasse which Circle by the touch of the Loadestone sheweth the aforesaid diuisions in all Horisons betweene the Poles according to one and the selfe same perpetuall position in respect of the true points of North and South in euery Horison This Circle is commonly described vpon Pastbord of 5. 6. 7. or 8. inches diameter And hath sometimes subdiuisions with the relation to the 32. and sometimes hath the ordinarie diuision of Circles namely 360. In the Center of this Circle is fastened a little Diamond as it were or a Capitall as some call it of Latten being cinquebored the point thereof appearing a conuenient space aboue the Circle and the hollowed part downeward to be placed vpon the pinne In the bottome of this Circle are glewed two wyars about ¼ longer then the Diameter bended proportionally the one toward the other in the forme of a loope so that the endes ioyne close and euen together in the circumference and the Circle in this maner finished is named the Flie of the Compasse The boxe wherein this Flie is placed must bee couered with cleare glasse made close round about with waxe mingled with Rosen or some other kind of Simmond The bottome of this boxe is to be taken off and on as occasion shall serue in the Center whereof standeth the pinne of Latten of a reasonable height for the Flie to haue sufficient scope This boxe is to be hanged in two Circles of Latten within an other greater Boxe that the Flie which way soeuer the Ship swayeth may alwayes stand vpon his pinne parallele to the Horizon to which end they fasten a piece of Lead to the bottome of the lesser boxe As for the touching of the wyars of the Flie with the Loade-stone I would wish it to be perfourmed after this sort First of all haue a great care of the goodnesse the quantitie and the forme of the Stone for if he be neuer so good and very small therewith he can giue but small force vnto the Compasse And againe though he be neuer so great yet if he be of base qualitie his Touche can be but faint An ouall forme or somewhat longer reteining a like proportion from the middle to each end is very good Alwayes prouided that the length of the Stone lie according to his owne line of North and South for a stone of this forme giueth foorth his vertue in the Touche a great deale more forcibly then it can if by reason of the euil shape thereof his force in himselfe be confusedly
the Horizon of the World and on what side of the Meridian it is whether East or West Set then the Equator in the Hemisphere according to the Latitude giuen And hauing marked in the Moueable Meridian the Declination of the starre whose height you found moue that Semicircle with the point of the stars Declination till in a correspondent Quarter of the Hemisphere to that which it possesseth in the Heauens the starre obteine his precise equall height from the Horizon which is soone measured as before we declared by turning the Moueable Meridian and the Semicircle of Altitudes to and fro til both cut eache other in the point of Declination That portion of the Semicircle of Altitudes comprehended betweene their Intersection and the Horizon is the starres height And immediatly therewithal appeares vpon what point of the Compasse the starre is Also in the Semi-equator the moueable Meridian shewes you the starres houre Howbeit because all distinction of time proceedeth originally from the Sunne that is not the true houre of the Night sought for but an other must be found by the distance of the starre from the Sunne And for this purpose serueth the Zodiake or Circle of right Ascensions described in the Deferent Seeke therefore therein the place of your starre if it be of the number of those that are there set downe otherwise the degree of your starres Coeli-mediation which by the helpe of the Ruler make perfectly to agree with the houre of the starre now to be reckoned in the Circle of houres in the fixed Meridian Finally keeping the said Circle of right Ascensions in this sort immoueable looke therein for the place or degree of the Sunne for that Day and thither mooue the Ruler till it lie directly thereon Then shall the end of the Ruler in the Circle of houres vpon the fixed Meridian shewe you the true houre of the Night required The Latitude being giuen and the Declination of eyther Sunne or Starre to finde howe long they appeare aboue the Horizon and at what Point they rise or set also the Amplitude Orientall SEt the Equator of the Hemisphere according to the Latitude giuen and apply the degree of Declination to the Horizon Afterwards the Instrument thus standing note vpon what houre or part of time the Moueable Meridian falleth in the Equinoctiall For that shalbe the precise time of rising to be nūbred in the houres aboue or of setting in those vnderneath And the Arke of the Equator conteyned betweene the Moueable and fixed Meridian being doubled declareth howe long either sunne or starre continueth aboue the Horizon Now touching the Point of the Compasse it doth presently offer it selfe to be seene in the vtter margen of the Horizon ouer-right against the point of Rising or setting aforesaid From which point to the Pinne being in steade of the true East or West the degrees conteyned in the Horizon represent vnto you the Amplitude Orientall or Occidentall By the Sunne-beame to drawe redily the Meridian line and to finde the Variation of the Compasse FOr more speedie and certaine operation herein if the Sunne be in the East halfe of the world turne the face of the Hemisphere Eastward if in the West halfe then Westward altering a little the situation of the Pole and consequently of the Equinoctiall that the Pole and semicircles of the Instrument may agree and be equidistant vnto those of like denomination in the Heauens Then hold it perpendicularly vpon or ouer any flatte and smooth superficies lying parallele or euen with the Horizon of the world and that directly toward the Sunne that the beame thereof passing through both the sights may shewe the exact minute of time Nowe sith the fixed Meridian of the Hemisphere is in the Meridian of the world the foote of the Hemispheres said Meridian must needes be so likewise Drawe therefore either by direction of the foote it selfe or of the shadowe of it a straight line and produce it in length as you thinke expedient This shall be the Meridian line required with his two extreames pointing out the true South and North whereunto if you drawe a perpendicular crossing it that shall be the Line of the true East and West The variation is thus knowen when the houre is found as immediatly before you haue heard at that instant turne your eye aside toward the Backe of the Instrument and marke what Angle the Needle of the Compas maketh with the line of North South vnderneath it For this Line being by the structure of the Instrument equidistant to the fixed Meridian of it is vnderstood to be in the great Meridian of the world as the fixed Meridian is And therefore looke howe much the Needle swarueth from the same Line so much it declineth from the true Meridian The quantitie of which declining being nothing else but the Variation is foorthwith made manifest by the degrees of the Circles circumference vnderneath conteyned betweene that Line and the end of the Needle To finde when the Twylight begin neth and howe long it continueth THE Sunnes depression vnder the Horizon may soone be knowen by the manner of finding the height thereof aboue And thereunto belongeth this obseruation of the Twylight The beginning whereof in the Morning and ende in the Euening is commonly supposed to be when the Sunne in a Verticall Circle is by the space of 〈◊〉 vnder our Horizon Moue therefore the Moueable Meridian and the Semicircle of Altitudes both together towarde the North part of the Horizon the Pole before being raysed accordingly till the point of the Sunnes declination and the end of 18. degrees being reckoned from the Horison downeward in the Semicircle of Altitudes doe meete ioyntly in one And straightway note what houre the Moueable Meridian lighteth on in the Equator for that is the time when the Twylight beginneth in the Morning if you looke on the vpper side of the Equator and endeth at night if on the nether side Againe turne the Moueable Meridian with the declination or place of the Sunne in it till it be iust in the Horizon and foorthwith see what houre it sheweth in the Equator That segment of the Equator which is comprehended betweene this point of time and the former declares the quantitie or continuance of the Twylight The true measuring of any distance vpon the Globe of the Earth THe Geographicall measuring of mightie Distances vpon the Globe of the Earth is a thing not onely of marueilous pleasure for knowledge but of singuler commoditie for practise seruing to many excellent purposes both bysea and land And although the Computation Arithmeticall vsed herein by the learned grounded vpon the doctrine of Sphericall Triangles is absolute and exquisite yet is the deducing thereof especially when Places differ in Longitude and Latitude not voide of great obscuritie and the operation both by reason of so many multiplications diuisions yea and extractions of rootes exceeding tedious and for the slipperie mistaking or