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
directiue power more remarkable then in magneticall bodies especially in their Direction and Variation motions treated of hereafter in place conuenient to which for a further confirmation of the Theoreme wee referre the Reader 9 The Radicall facultie of the magneticall body being somewhat spoken of aswell in their motiue as disponent vertues Wee are in the next place to speake of the deriued motions which arise out of these faculties 6 These motions magneticall are either partiall or totall The partiall wee call that by which the parts of the Earth are magnetically moued and conformed as well one to the other as to the whole terrestriall globe 7 The magneticall partiall motions are Coition Direction Variation and Declination Magneticall Coition is that motion by which magneticall bodies are ioyned and apply themselues one to the other For the knowledge of this magneticall motion we need goe no farther then the Iron and Steele which wee shall obserue to moue unto the Load-stone and cleaue vnto it if so be it bee placed within the Spheare of his vertue This motion is commonly called Attraction but improperly as is obserued by D. Gilbert 1 Because Attraction seemes to suppose an externall force or violence by which one thing is carryed and moued vnto another but the Coition is meerely naturall as proceeding from the internall forme of both the bodies 2 Attraction supposeth the force of mouing to bee onely in the one party and the other to bee meerely passiue and not actiuely concurring to this motion whereas in the magneticall coition both parts are mutually inclined by nature to meet and ioyne themselues one to the other Not that the force of motion in both parts is alwayes equall because one magneticall body is greater and stronger then the other and then the one part seemes to stand still and draw the other vnto it although there bee in this part so resting an inclination to the other which mutuall inclination of coniunction in magnets we may easily see in two magnets of equall quantity and vertue which being set at a conuenient distance will so moue that they will meet in the mid-way Some haue gone about to parallel this Attractiue force of the Load-stone with the Attractiue force of Ieat or Amber which wee see by a naturall vertue to draw vnto it selfe little strawes and other such like matter But hee that truely vnderstands the nature of a magneticall body shall finde a great disparity First because the Ieat or Amber which are comprised vnder the name of Electricall bodies drawes vnto it by reason of his Matter whereas otherwise the cause of the Magneticall Coition is to bee sought in the forme as being too subtile a thing to spring from a materiall substance Secondly Electricall bodies draw and attract not without rubbing and stirring vp of the matter first and presently faile if any vapour or thicke body should be interposed But in a magneticall motion wee find no such matter because it requires no such preparation or rubbing of the stone nor is hindred by interposition of solid bodies as wee proue in this place Thirdly the Load-stone moues and prouokes to motion nothing els but other magneticall bodies but the Electricall will draw any little thing as straw haire dust and such like Fourthly the Magnet will lift a great waight according to his vertue and quantity but Ieat the smallest and lightest things Lastly the Electricall bodies as Gilbert well confirmes by experiments draw other bodies vnto them by reason of a moist effluence of vapours which hath a quality of ioyning bodies together as wee see by the example of two stickes in water at a certaine distance which will commonly moue till they meet together But the magneticall coition cannot bee other then an act of the magneticall forme Of the cause of it many Philosophers haue freely spent their vncertaine coniectures rather out of a feare to bee esteemed ignorant then of confidence to be accounted learned Most run vpon the forme of the mixt body which growes from the composition of the foure Elements but this opinion is very feeble and cannot goe without crouches for sith all mixt formes grow out of the temperament and disposition they adde nothing to the thing compounded but diuersly modificate what was before in the simple Elements it cannot bee imagined how such an affection as this should bee onely found in the magnet and no other mixt body Indeed we ascribe this affection to the forme as the immediate cause but by this forme we vnderstand not the forme of the mixture resulting out of the mixture and temperature of the foure qualities but the magneticall forme of all globous bodies such as are the Sunne Moone Starres and this Terrestriall Spheare whereon we liue whose natures receiued the stampe in the first creation for the preseruation of this integrity Hee that shall seeke for the originall of all formes of this kinde in the mixture and constitution of the foure Elements shall labour much and finde little and neither at last be able to content himselfe or instruct others except wee suppose a man sufficiently taught when hee heares ordinary matters expressed in exoticke and artificiall tearmes For my owne part I content my selfe with a rule of Biel the Schooleman That when an immediate effect proceeds from an immediate cause wee ought not to search farther why such a cause should produce such an effect Euey man being demanded why the fire is hot is ready to flye to the forme of fire and alleage this as the cause but should hee inquire further why the forme of fire should bee the cause of heat hee might perhaps puzzell a whole Academie of Philosophers and neuer proue himselfe the wiser For the further illustration of this motion these Theoremes will seeme necessary 1 The Magnet communicates his vertue to iron or steele if it be touched with it Experience teacheth that any iron-instrument touched with the Load-stone receiues instantly the same vertue Attractiue But the manner how this vertue should bee communicated on so sleight a touch hath been controuerted The common Philosophers haue imagined that certaine little parts of the Loadstone are separated from it in the touch which cleauing to the iron or steele cause this Attraction But that this vertue cannot be communicated by any corporall processe or any such little parts cleauing to the iron is not so easie to imagine for first it seemes impossible that with a bare touch these parts should bee separated from the magnet or at least should bee so fast linked to the iron Secondly these parts being so little and insensible cannot haue so much vigour as wee see an Iron will haue at the touch of the Load-stone Thirdly the Loadstone can worke vpon the iron notwithstanding any body interposed which is an euident signe that the iron it selfe is of a magneticall temper Wherefore to shew a reason of this effect we say That Iron is a mettall excocted out of the Load-stone which albeit it
but after 10000 paces it was taken out of sight I would here aske the Geographers quoth Patricius whether in so short a distance wherein the bottome for the whole space surpassed not two foot in depth the water could ascend to 72 foot Had it beene my chance to haue gone with Patricius ouer the lake I might perhaps by obseruation of this experiment haue giuen a more probable coniecture of the cause Neuerthelesse being vnacquainted aswell with the place as the truth of his obseruation I may perhaps guesse somewhat at his errour First then whereas hee auerres that passing along for the space of a 1000 paces a Tower of 72 foot high seemed cut off by the midst which at 10000 vanished out of sight I confesse that in so short a space the swelling of the water inter-posed could not be so great as to hinder the sight and bee the cause of this effect wherefore some other Accidentall cause must bee sought out For the finding out of which to come as neere as I can I would make inquiry whether this passage of the Boat was directly forward from the Tower on the Water no land inter-posed or Indirectly side-wise in such sort as the shoare might be placed betwixt their sight and the Tower mentioned The former no wayes can be imagined foras much as it not only contradicts the grounds of our receiued Philosophie but also of Patricius himselfe for giuing the Earth a plaine surface or Angular or any other forme it were impossible that in so short a distance such an effect should happen out of the figurature of the water If the passage were oblique or indirect in such wise as the shoare might any way inter-pose it selfe betwixt the Boat and the Tower it were easie to imagine how such an experiment should happen for the land by which the Boat might bee carried might haue an ascent by such Degrees as the Tower at 1000 paces might bee for the halfe of it obscured and at last bee altogether taken out of sight This reason then of Patricius seemes rather to bee ascribed to the Land then the Water The third reason of Patricius is drawne from the Homogeneity of the Water If the water saith hee haue a round superficies the parts of it would challenge the like figure because in homogeneall bodies the same reason is to bee giuen of the whole and of the parts But the parts of the water are not Sphericall as may bee proued by diuers instances 1 Because water in the mouth of a pot seemes not to haue any such Sphericall roundnesse for although at the brinke it seeme to bee restrained aboue the pot yet no such swelling appeares in the middle 2ly That riuers are kept in by their bankes which otherwise would flow abroad 3ly That riuers when by the melting of snow they swell so great as they can hardly bee contayned within their bankes doe not seeme higher in the middle then in other places 4ly If any man from one side of the riuer to the other leuels at any marke he may surely hit it which hee should not doe if there were any Sphericall swelling in the midst which might hinder the sight 5ly and lastly it seemes so vnlikely that the water should rise in the midst that it is more probable it should be more hollow in that we plainly obserue that all filth and rubbish carried from the bankes into the riuer is wont to settle and swimme in the midst Notwithstanding all these argumēts of Patricius our ground is yet vnshaken 1 Concerning small drops and water in the mouth of pots it is found to be round and Sphericall though not exactly the reason wherof wee shall declare hereafter This roundnesse I confesse serues not any way to the confirmation of this assertion because the Sphericity and roundnes which wee auerre to be in Water hath for its center the center of the whole Earth and therefore in so small an arch or section as the bredth of a pot or a drop of water cannot possibly haue any sensible appearance or existence And we must needs confesse that this experiment was very fondly vrged to this purpose by some of our Geographers and such as stands not with any demonstration Which granted sufficiently answers all the reasons last vrged by Patricius except the last For as much as he requires in the Water a sensible appearance of this roundnesse in euery riuer or little parcell of water which cannot bee admitted Touching the last thing which hee vrgeth that all the rubbish and filthy matter is from the bankes carryed into the middle whence he would inferre the middle to be hollow and lowest we can answer diuers wayes 1 That this experiment is not alwayes certaine because euery man may oftentimes see the contrary to wit that such filthy rubbish rather vseth to cleaue to the banks of the riuer then to float into the midst 2ly That if any such thing happen it is because of the torrents which run violently from the banks into the midst carrying with it such things as are light the steepnesse of the place being greater the current wider or swifter But nothing here can bee concluded to proue the water according to his naturall force to be either plaine or hollow in the midst which this Aduersary vndertooke to demonstrate CHAP. III. Of the Partiall magneticall affections in the Spheare of the Earth 1 HItherto haue we discoursed of such affections of the Terrestriall Spheare as are Elementary and knowne heretofore to ancient Philosophers It followes in the next place that we treat of Magneticall affections to wit such as follow the magneticall nature of the Earth Of the vertue and propriety of the Load-stone many haue written but few sought out the true nature The inuention of it is attributed to a certaine heards-man who hauing his shooes shod with iron and an iron-pike in his hand resting himselfe on a quarry of Load-stone could hardly remoue himselfe frō thence But this seemes rather a pleasant Poeticall inuention then a true History hauing no good Author to auouch it But to let passe the first Inuention being a matter rather indebted to chance then industrie no small difficulties haue discouered themselues in the inuention and finding out of the causes of Magneticall properties Somewhat I cōfesse hath been written of such magneticall affections as haue been most knowne such as is the vertue Attractiue by which it drawes to it selfe iron or steele as also the vertue Directiue by which a needle touched with the Magnet directs and conformes it selfe North and South The rest of Magneticall proprieties I find in ancient Writers as little knowne as their causes if any matter herein were broached it was merely coniecturall and depending on no certain demōstration neither had we any certaine or satisfactory knowledge of this thing vntill such time as it pleased God to raise vp one of our Countrymen D. Gilbert who to his euerlasting praise hath troden out a new path to
waues keeps his owne channell and renders the shipp-men fresh water betwixt the sea waters for the distance of eight huÌ„dred thousand paces Other great riuers are disburthened into the sea by diuers Ostia or Inletts as Rhene into the Germane Ocean by three Danubius into the Pontick sea by 6 Indus into the Iudâ—an sea by 7 Nilus into the Mediterranean by 7 great and famous passages Volga into the Caspian lake by 72 gates These are the most remarkeable others we shall supply in our historicall part 5 Diuerse fountaines are endowed with diuerse admirable vertues and operations There is nothing wherein Nature delighteth more in miraculous variety then in fountaines and springs of the earth Of these admirable workes of nature being infinite in these springs I will touch some Which the better to effect I will reduce all to these heads 1 Their qualities and operations 2 their motioÌ„s For the former we will produce some sew instaÌ„ces It is reported that neere the Garamantes there is a fountaine so cold in the dayes that no man can drinke thereof so hot in the nights that no man can abide to touch it There is another in India wherein a candle will burne There is also another called heretofore the well of Iupiter Hammon which in the morning is luke-warme at noone colâ— in the euening Hot at midnight boiling hot From whence againe it begins to asswage till the morning and so as it were by turne it growes hot and cold a matter of great admiration Some fountaines in Liguria Paphlagonia being drunke will make the head giddy as if he had drunke wine Another fountaine in Aranea a part of Arcadia being drunke will so affect the tast that who drinke it shall neuer afterward endure the tast of wine which was very like the fountain Clitorius whereof Ouid in his Metamorphosis the last booke sings in this manner Clitorio quiounque sitim de fonte leuâ—â—is Vina fugit gaudetque meris abstemius vndis The ancients haue also recorded that in Boeotia neere the riuer Orchomenon are two fountaines whereof the one gets memory the other causeth obliâ—ioâ— There is in the Iland Cea a fountaine making the senses dull another in Aethiopia whereon the Water drunken will make a man mad Some water absolutely kils him which drinkes as the riuer Styx in Arcadia being a venemous fretting poison and therefore by the poets fained to be one of the riuers in Hell Diuers other riuers are profitable to cure diuers diseases of the body whereof I need not bring any instances because such new-found wells are sometimes discouered â—â—ongst vs here at home There are 2 riuers in Bâ—eotia of admirable vertue whereof the former if a sheep drinke of it he will become yellow but if a sheep of a dunne or yellow colour drinke of the other he wil become white Riuers which make sheep white coloured besides are Neleus in Euboea Aliacâ—â—on in Macedonia Crathris in Thurijs so Cerius in Euboea Auxius in Macedonia Peneas in Thessaly will make them blacke 〈◊〉 will cause whitenesse in oxen So the riuer Astaces in Pontiâ—â— waters the land whereby mares haue their milke blacke Amongst the regions of the Troglodites there is a well which thrice a day will become sweet and bitter and againe returne to his former sweetnesse and so often againe in the night This may suffice to shew the variety of operations in these wells in respect of other creatures No lesse admirable variety is discouered in obseruing of their diuerse motions For some riuers ouerflowe their bankes at some certaine times of the yeare 〈◊〉 Nilus in Egypt Euphrates in Mesopotania Indâ—â— in Indiâ— some fountaines are carried with such violence that they cast vp stones as Mâ—rsia in Phrygia and expell any weight as a certaine one in Arabia whereof the like was recorded to be in Portugall some will swallow vp any thing â—â—â—owne into them as one in Portugall if we beleeue Pliny some others although they are cold will seeth and seeme to boilâ— aâ— the water oâ— the fire yet neuer cast out their water beyond their bâ—nkâ—â— but straight-way swallow it vp againe as Acidula in Albâ—gâ—â—â— and â—nother fountaine in Cappidociâ— named Tiaâ—â— some there are which sometimes rise and swell and other times fall againe of their owne accord as Crater of 〈◊〉 and a fountaine in Italy called Phâ—iana some wells imitate the â—bbing and flowing of the sea in all encreases and dimiâ—utions as one in Caleâ— and the other neare Burdeaux in France some are contrariwise affected to the ebbing flowing of the sea flowing when the sea â—bbs and â—bbing when the sea flowes as certaine Pits in Spaine some encrease and diminish without any consent or agreement with the motion of the sea as a Well in Tenodus an Iland neere Troy In Cantabria are three fountaines distant 8 foot the one from the other and falling into one Channell in a vast riuer which euery day are dry twelue times and sometimes twenty times others of their own accord purge cleanse themselues casting out wood clay durt and other matters wherewith they are defiled as a Well in the Chersonesus of Rhodes These and many more remarkeable instances haue our naturall Historians gathered together whereof though some perhaps may bee thought to be forged of Poets for pleasure or mistaken for want of good discouery and obseruation yet must wee not wrong Antiquity so much as to reiect all hauing in this subiect enough to wonder at in ourowne Country 6 Places neare great Riuers and Lakes are most commodious for habitation It hath bin the custome of all times and nations almost in the world to choose out for a choice place for building of cities their habitation neere some great Lake Riuer or Arme of the Sea which sprang from the common obseruation of Men who found such places to be more conuenient This conueniency is shewed many wayes first because by meanes of such water they haue quick passage and trafficke with other Nations being able with more ease both to receiue to send forth wares and merchandize Whence we see that such cities as are seated vpon the water are commonly of all other the richest whereof we may giue an instance almost in euery countrey as of Seuill and Lisbone in Spaine Portugall of all the Cities almost of the Low-countries of Paris in France whence no doubt grew that English Prouerbe That the Sea is a good neighbour which may aswell be vnderstood of any nauigable Riuer Secondly such a site is most conuenient for the purging away of all filth and excrements which could not with the like conueniency bee so soone transported by land whence many men haue laboured to transport riuers far remote vnto Cities Thirdly because such riuers and waâ—ry lakes yeeld store of fish whereby the Inhabitants may be nourished and other creatures the better preserued Fourthly no small commodity would accrow to a Cyty by water neare adioyning If it should chance
retaine in it selfe the vertue of the Load-stone yet by reason of the liquefaction is altogether languishing and as it were buried but vpon touch of a Load-stone is stirred vp to his former vigour for the magnet insinuats his Incorporeall influence into the iron and so rectifies and animates that force which was almost dead 2 The magneticall Coiton is strongest of all in the Poles This may easily bee demonstrated by an experiment for if the iron needle which is proposed to bee Attracted and the Poles and Center be placed in the same right line then this Coition will be to a perpendicular as in A and B to wit the Poles in the Diagramme but in the middle space they will obliquely respect and point and by how much farther off from the Pole it is by so much is this vertue weaker but in the Equator it selfe it becomes meerely parallell without any inclination at all To know in what proportion this force is increased or weakened we must put another ground That the force of this coition is increased proportionally as the chords of a circle for by how much the least chorde in a circle differs from the Diameter so much the forces Attractiue differ from themselues For sith the Attraction is a Coition of one body with another and magneticall bodies are carried by a conuertible nature it comes to passe that a line drawne from one Pole to another in the diameter directly meetes with the body but in other places lesse so that the lesse it is conuerted to the body the lesse and weaker will bee the coition 3 So much bee spoken of the magneticall Coition It followes that wee speake of Magneticall Direction which is a naturall conuersion and conformity of the magneticall bodies to the Poles of the Earth It is manifest that a magneticall body so seated that it can moue without any impediment will turne it selfe in such wise that the one Pole of it will respect the North Pole of the Earth the other the South which motion wee call Direction This we may plainely see in a Marriners compasse whose Lilly alwayes respects the North point If a compasse bee wanting the same may bee shewed in a little corken-boate which being put in the water with a load-stone in it will so turne and conuert it selfe that the Poles of the Load-stone will at length point out the Poles of the Terrestriall Globe The manner how shall be disclosed in these Theoremes 1 The South part of the Load-stone turnes to the North and the North part to the South To confirme this assertion some haue produced this experiment Let there bee cut out of a rocke of Load-stone a Magnet of reasonable quantity Let the two poles both North and South bee marked out in the Load-stone the manner of which wee shall perhaps teach hereafter then let it be put in a corken little boat on the water so that it may freely float hither thither It will be euident that that part which in the rocke or Mine pointed Northward will respect the South and contrarywise the South part will respect the North as wee may see in this figure Let the Magnet as it is continuated with the Mine or Globe of the Earth be AB so that A shall be in the North pole B the South-Pole Let this Load-stone be cut out of this rocke or Mine placed on the water in a little timber boat which shall be CD we shall find that this little dish or boat will turne it selfe so long vntill the Northpart A be turned to the Southpart B and on the other part the Southpart B be conuerted to the Northpart A and this coÌ„formity would the whole rock of Load-stone claime if it were diuided and separated from the Globe of the Earth The reason why the magnet in the boat on the water turneth windeth and seateth it selfe to a contrary motion to that it primarily receiued whiles it was ioyned to the bowels of the Earth and vnited to the body of the great Magnet is because euery part of a Load-stone being separated from the whole whereof it is a part becomes of it selfe a perfect compleat magneticall body as we may say a little Earth hauing all the properties of the great Globe as Poles Meridians Aequators c. And therefore according to the nature of magneticall vnion spoken of in our next Theoreme will in no wise endure to settle it selfe as it did before but deemes it a thing more naturall and of more perfection to turne his aspect a contrary way to that which he inioyed at his first constitution Here may we note a great errour of Gemma Frisius who in his corollary vpon the 15 Chap. of his Cosmographicall Comment on P. Appian affirmes that the Needle magnetically effected would on this side the Aequator respect the North-pole but being past the Line would straight-way turne about and point to the Southpole An errour as Mr Hues saith vnworthy so great a Mathematician But Gemma Frisius in some â—ort may be excused for as much as the grounds of magneticall Philosophy were in his time either not discouered or most vnperfectly knowne and the vncertaine relations of Nauigators were reputed the best Arguments and how easie a matter it is for a Trauailer in this sort to deceiue a Scholler who out of his reading and experience can shew nothing to the contrary let euery man iudge 2 This contrary motion here spoken of is the iust confluxe and conformity of such bodies to magneticall vnion This is demonstrated by Gilbert in this manner Let the whole magneticall body be CD then C will turne to the North of the Earth B and D vnto the South part A. Let this magnet bee cut in twaine by the middle line or Aequator and the point E will tend to A and the part F will direct it selfe to B for as in the whole so in the parts diuided nature desires the vnion of these bodies The end E willingly accords with F but E will not willingly ioyne it selfe with D nor F with C for then it would haue C against its nature to moue toward A the South or D in B which is the South Separate the stone in the place of diuision and turne C to D and they will conueniently agree and accord For D will turne it selfe to the South as before and C to the North and E and F ioynt parts in the minerall or rocke will now bee most sundred For these magneticall parts concurre and meet together not by any affinity of matter but receiue all their motion and inclination from the forme so that the limits whether ioynt or diuided are directed magnetically to the Poles of the Earth in the same manner as in the diuided body 3 If any part Southward of the magneticall body bee torne away or diminished so much shall bee also diminished of the North-part and contrariwise if any part bee taken away in the North-part so much shall the vertue of the
expressed and shewed in the plaine of the Horizon by the Directory needle equally poyzed when it is set in any point of the Horizon But this Declination whereof wee are now to speake is the motion of an iron-wire or needle first equilibrated and then stirred vp by the loadstone vpon his owne Axis from that point of the Horizon the other end of it tending toward the center of the Earth where wee may for the better expressing of the motion note two things 1 That the magneticall wier set in a conuenient instrument if it bee carried from the Aequator to the Pole or from one Pole to another will by little and little turne it selfe round and make a circumuolution about his owne Axell 2 That by this conuersion and circumuolution about his axell it will according to diuers places and latitudes make diuers Angles in diuers places both which are included in this motion of Declination and are warranted by experience made by an Inclinatory needle applyed to a Terrella or round Loadstone as also by the experience of Nauigations on the great Spheare of the Earth To explaine which motion there are curious instruments formed and inuented by Dr Gilbert and Dr Ridley which the curious in this kinde to their greater satisfaction may peruse In the meane time wee will here content our selues with one figure following borrowed from their more copious inuention wherein we shall find enough to expresse the manner of this motion In this Figure let ABCD be the Terrella or round magnet representing the Spheare of the Earth A the North-pole B the South Aâ—B the Axell CED the Aequator AKB and ALB the Meridian circles meeting in the Pole AC and BD the Meridian or right Horizon hauing in it the two Poles FG and HI two parallels The Loadstone being thus designed in his outward Poles as it is according to his naturall eminency stored inwardly Let the Needles bee placed being before touched on the Limbe ouer-against the Poles AB and we shall obserue them to respect them directly coÌ„curring in one straight line with the Axell of the Earth Then set the same Needles in the Limbe ouer against the Aequator CD and they will dispose settle themselues in a parallell site to the Axell of the Earth and incline neither to one Pole or other Hence may bee collected by plaine consequence that there is a semi-circle betwixt each of these foure needles Now to finde the quadrants of these apply Needles in the Limbeat 33 degrees distant from the Aequator on each side of him and they will make right angles with the axell of the same where these eight needles haue 8 quadrants between them that is foure semi-circles which will make two whole circles one on each side of the Aequator But if you place the needles in the midst betweene the Aequator and the Poles they will respect the axell but obliquely as in all other parts except in the eight places before-mentioned From hence may we learne what we proposed first that the Declination is a conuersion of the magneticall wire or needle vpon its owne axell secondly that this wire by this motion so excited if it bee moued on any Meridian North or South will apply and conforme it selfe according to certaine angles to the Axell of the Earth Thirdly there will arise this corollary that the magneticall needle about the round Magnet maketh two circles Concerning this declination wee will insert two especiall Theoremes 1 The Declination is answerable to the latitude not in Equality of degrees but in proportion It is manifest out of that which wee haue spoken that this motion of Declination supposeth two motions The one of Conuersion whereby the needle is turned round on his owne Axis The other a Progressiue motion whereby the center it selfe of the Inclinatory Needle is carryed forward vpon a Meridian from North to South or contrarywise These two motions supposed to proceed and beginne together cannot possibly meet in such Equality as that the degrees of Declination directly answer in Equality to the degrees of latitude which is demonstrated by this Figure here inserted Let the magneticall body bee A this body while it shall bee moued aboue the Earth from GD the Equinoctiall toward the Pole B will bee turned vpon his owne Center and in the middle of the progresse of the center from the Equator to the Pole B it will be directed to the Equator D in the middle betweene the two Poles Therefore the middle must needes turne faster on his owne center then the center it selfe turned forward that by this conuersion it should directly respect the point D wherefore this motion will bee swifter in the first degrees to wit from A to L but in the latter it will be slower from L to B in respect of the Aequator from D to C. Now if the Declination were equall to the latitude then the magneticall wier should obserue and follow the facultie and peculiar vertue of the center of an operatiue and attractiue point But reason experience teacheth that it obserueth the whole body and masse with all the externall limits of the Earth and Load-stone the whole vertues and forces of both concurring aswell of the conuertible wier as of the whole Earth Neuerthelesse from this experiment the skilfull in Magneticall Philosophie haue found out a proportion whereby the latitude of places may instrumentally bee found out by the degrees of Declination 2 The Magneticall Declination is caused not of the Attractiue but of the Disponent and Conuersiue vertue of the Earth There is nothing more admirable in Nature then the order and situation of all bodies in their places most conuenient for each ones conseruation For the obtaining of which harmony as wee haue taught in our second Chapter it is endowed with a proper motion conuenient to place and seat it selfe both for the preseruation of it selfe and the whole Vniuerse This naturall Inclination is no-where more eminent and cospicuous then in the harmony of magneticall bodies which are as it were the sinewes of the Terrestriall Globe These motions some haue imputed to the Attractiue force but very erroneously as wee haue proued already of Direction and Variation and shall here demonstrate concerning the Magneticall Declination for first if it were caused by any Attractiue force approching it would follow of necessity that a Terrella or round Spheare made of a solide or perfect loadstone would more turne and wrest the magneticall needle then if it were made of a weaker and more imperfect substance also that a needle touched with a stronger stone should shew a greater Declination then that touched with a weaker But experience hath found the contrary because the Declination will bee all one bee the stone stronger or weaker Moreouer a Loadstone armed with an Iron-Nose as they tearme it put vpon the Meridian in any latitude will not lift vp a piece of iron more perpendicularly then if it were naked and vncouered although
it will lift vp much greater and heauier waights which experiments are sufficient to confirme our assertion that this Declination is caused only by the disponent and conuersiue vertue of this Terrestriall Globe 3 The magneticall Declination hath a variation That in the magneticall Direction there is found an Irregularity or variation hath beene sufficiently warranted by Artificers Instruments The like Irregularity is in the motion of Declination which makes magneticall Instruments and experiments more subiect to errour and imperfection The variation of Declination is defined to bee an Arch of the Magneticall meridian betwixt the true and apparent Declination The cause hereof is onely to bee sought in the vnequall temper of magneticall parts in the Earth For as in the Direction magneticall bodies are drawne and wrested from the true meridian by the eminent and more vigorous force of the Earth one side ouer-ruling the other so the magneticall needle the conuersion somewhat increased declines sometimes beyond his naturall site and conformity This may cause an errour but not of any great moment sometimes when there is no variation or Direction at all in the Horizon there may bee a Variation or Declination to wit either when the more eminent and stronger parts of the Earth are placed iust vnder the Meridian or when these parts are more impotent then the generall nature requireth or els when the Magneticall vigour is too much increased on one side and diminished on the other as wee may behold in the vast Ocean CHAP. IIII. Of the Totall motions Magneticall 1 HAuing passed the Partiall motions magneticall wee are next to speake of the Totall motions which more neerely agree to the whole Earth such as are the Verticitie and Reuolution 2 The Verticity is that whereby the Poles of the earthly Spheare conforme and settle themselues vnto the Poles of the Heauen 1 The Spheare of the Earth by her Magneticall vigour is most firmely seated on her Axell whose Ends or Poles respect alwayes the same points in the Heauens without Alteration That which in a little Magnet or Load-stone is called Direction in the vast Globe of the Earth is called Verticity To vnderstand which wee must conceite that the Earth hath naturally two Poles vnto which the meridionall parts doe direct not only magneticall bodies neere the Earth but her owne massie situation and firmenesse and settles her selfe so strongly by her magneticall vertue passing through the Meridionall parts to the Poles as if shee were tied by many strong cables to two Herculean pillars not subiect to alteration And if it should happen by any supernaturall power that the situation could bee changed shee would no doubt by her magneticall vigour and verticity returne and restore her selfe to her former position as all magneticall needles will doe to their proper site and conformity Of this Verticity needes no more to bee spoken then hath been already said in the point of Direction because the former is a representation of the latter and depends on the same demonstration Out of which ground wee may euidently conclude that the Axell of the Terrestriall Globe remaynes alwayes inuariable By which we may refute the opinion of Dominicus Maria who was Master to Copernicuâ— who out of certaine vnperfect obseruations was induced to beleeue that the Poles of the World were changed from their true and naturall situation I haue obserued saith hee looking on Ptolomies Geographie that the eleuation of the Pole Articke almost in all Regions as it is put downe in Ptolomie differs and failes in one degree and ten minutes from that which wee finde in our time which cannot bee ascribed to the errour of the table because it is not probable that the whole series should bee depraued according to this equality of number Wherefore it must follow of necessity that the North pole should bee moued toward the verticall circle which mystery not knowne of the Ancients for want of former obseruations hath shewed it selfe to our times being inriched not only with their but our owne experiments According to this opinion of Dominicus Maria the North pole should bee eleuated higher then it was and the Latitudes of Regions should bee greater then they were But to this opinion we will oppose the opinion of Stadius which holdeth that the latitudes of Regions haue beene decreased and diminished from that they haue had in Ptolomie without any such regular Increment or Decrement which hee labours to confirme by many obseruations as for example the latitude of Rome as it is set downe by Ptolomie is 41 degrees â…” parts but by newer obseruation it is found to be 41 degrees ½ parts out of which wee may well coniecture that Ptolomies obseruations were not alwayes exactly true being for a great part such as hee had receaued from Hipparchus and not examined himselfe as may bee seene in the latitude of many Citties in Europe where hee missed sometimes 2 sometimes 3 degrees Wherefore no iudicious Geographer would vpon such imperfect obseruations and vncertaine coniectures bring in a new motion of the earth to ouerthrow that magneticall Harmony and consistency corroborated with so many and sure demonâ—trations This may serue to answer a certaine Tenâ—nt of Vasquez the Iesuite and some others who imagine the Center and by consequence the Pole of the Earth to bee moued vp and downe by a certaine motion of Liberation The argument on which they would ground their assertion is taken from the Center of Grauity in this manner The whole masse of the earth say they is so setled about the Center that it is equally poized that is as much as to say that the parts are indowed with an equall waight Now such Bodies as are so equally poized by the addition or diminution of any part on either â—ide will bee straight-way tâ—rned from that â—iâ—e which they had before in Aequîlibrio as is dayly confirmed by experience of a Ballance and other such mechanicke instruments Wherefore in the Terrestriall spheare the Center and Poles should in this wise bee changed and altered and the whole suffer a kinde of starting or Libration For it is manifest by dayly obseruation that some things in the superficies of the earth are fallen off and carried into another place as Men Beasts and Birds which moue from one place vnto another Nothing is here of more moment then the motion of the Sea by which the parts of the water by continuall ebbing and flowing suffer such a sensible change of Addition and Diminution that no man can imagine how the parts of the Earth about the Center should alwayes bee equally counterpoyzed but the waight on one side should bee predominant vnto the other and so driue the Center from his former place This Argument Blancanus another late Iesuite leaues altogether vnanswered either imagining it too strong or out of a combined faction of their owne society vnwilling to contradict his fellow And indeed should wee consider the spheare of the earth no otherwise then according to