360 by multiplication is produced hath exactly these parts 1.2.3.4.5.6.10.12.15.20.30 Likewise 360 hath exactly 1.2.3.4.5.6.8.9.10.12.15.18.20.24.30.36.40.46.60.72.90.120.180 Of all which parts there is so great vse in Astronomy and many times in Geography that without it there would be small exactnesse For as we see a yard measure would little steed the Mercer or Clothier except it were againe diuided into smaller parts so fals it out in the account of the Cosmographer 3 Of the Terrestriall Circles some are Absolute some Relatiue the Absolute are such as are assigned without any respect to our sight of which sort are the Meridians and Parallells 4. The Meridian is a circle drawne by the Poles of the world and the verticall point of the place The Meridian Circle is so called of Astronomers because when the Sun according to their suppositions by the motion of the first moueable comes into this Circle it makes mid-day and then hath been running his course from his rising to arriue there iust so long as he shall be mouing from thence to the place of his setting In this Meridian are placed the two Poles of the Equator which are the same with the Poles of the world in this also are the verticall point and the point opposite vnto it tearmed the Poles of the Horizon whereof we shall speake hereafter So that so many Meridians are imagined to be in the Earth as there are vertical points for howsoeuer we see not many Meridians painted on the face of the artificiall Globe yet must there be so many imagined in the reall Earth as Zenithes and Horizons so that it is impossible for a man to moue neuer so little from East to West without changing his Meridian yet for more order sake haue the Cosmographers reduced the number of Meridians to halfe the number of the degrees in a Circle to wit to 180 that euery Meridian cutting the Equator and other Parallels in two opposite places should answer to two degrees in the same Circle By which it appeares that euery Meridian diuides the Terrene Globe in two halfes whereof the one is respectiuely tearmed of the East the other of the West But to auoid all ambiguity of speech we ought to consider that a Meridian is twofold either the true Meridian or Magneticall Meridian The true Meridian ordinarily so called is that which directly passeth by the Poles of the World of which wee here treat which indeed as wee shall shew is the onely true magneticall Meridian But that which some haue falsly called the Magneticall Meridian is that which runneth by the Poles of the Magneticall Variation and much differs from the true because as we haue taught the variation is diuerse according to the diuersity of place therefore cannot answer in any certaine proportion to the Poles of the Terrene Globe The true Meridian Circle as it hath manifold vse in Astronomy namely to distinguish mid-day and midnight to measure the rising and setting of the Starres c. matters not to bee neglected of Geographers so hath it a more speciall vse in Geography to designe the longitudes and latitudes of the places with their distances with many other matters treated of hereafter 5 Concerning the Meridian circle wee are to know two things The Inuention of it and the Distinction The inuention is whereby wee are taught to find out the true Meridian in any place assigned 6 The Inuention of the Meridian is againe twofold the one more Accurate which is either Astronomicall or Magneticall the other Popular the Astronomicall way is performed by obseruing the celestiall motion The Meridian may bee found out the Astronomicall way in diuerse manners by Instruments deuised for this purpose by ingenious Artificers whereof some are described by Gemma Frisius in his Cosmographie But to auoid the cost of curious Instruments I will set downe our way depending on this Theoreme 1 If two seuerall Sunne-shadowes bee obserued the one in the fore-noone the other in the afternoone of the same day exactly to touch with their ends the Circumference of the same circle described in a Plaine Parallell to the plaine of the Horizon The line from the Center equally diuiding the Arch of that Circle betwixt the two shaddowes will bee the true Meridian circle for that place This Theoreme howsoeuer consisting of many parts is notwithstanding easie enough to bee vnderstood being explayned by an ocular demonstration Let there bee gotten a platforme of wood or metall and placed euenly that it may lye parallell with the plaine of the Horizon In this plaine let there bee described diuerse circles from the same Center E. In this Center let there bee raysed a Gnomon EF to right angles so that the top of this Gnomon F shall euery where bee equally distant from the circumference of each circle described in the plaine which may easily bee knowne because if it bee equally distant from any three points of any circles Circumference it will also bee equally distant from all the rest alike as Clauius hath taught in the 4 of his Gnomonicks This platforme being thus ordered let the shaddow of the Gnomon bee obserued sometimes before Noone vntill such time as it exactly shall touch the circumference of one of those circles as in EG Againe in the Afternoone let the shaddow bee obserued till with his end it meet the circumference of the same circle as in EH which will happen so many houres afternoone as the other before Noone These two points G and H being diligently obserued let the Arch of the Circle GH bee diuided into two halfes with a line drawne from the Center E which shall bee ED. This line ED will bee the true Meridian for that place on which when the shadow of the gnomon shall happen to fall wee may assure our selues that it is full Noone 7 The Magneticall Inuention is performed by the Magneticall Directory Needle This way is subiect to much errour and not so certaine as the former because as wee haue shewed before there are found very few places which admit not some of Variation yet because it may bee profitable to such who haue not the Command alwayes of the Sunne or sight of the Starres I will insert this Theoreme 1 The Line wherein the Directory needle is directed from North to South is the Meridian for the place This may bee shewed in any Marriners Compasse or 〈◊〉 Sunne-Dyall whose needle is magnetically touched For bâ—â—ing set euenly parallell to the playne of the Horizon it will shew by the needle the Miridian for that place in euery verticall point on the earth For example in the Sea-Compasse in the next page experience will witnesse in euery Region of the Earth that the one point signed out by the Lilly will alwayes turne to the North the other opposite part will turne it selfe to the South which two parts being ioyned together by a right Line will shew the Meridian foâ—â—â—at place The Meridian I say not alwayes the true for this Inuention taken from
receiued errour as we haue mentioned that there is a certaine Rocke or Pole of Load-stone some degrees distant from the true Pole of the world which the Magneticall needle in it's variation should respect This Pole they haue imagined to be in the same Meridian with that which passeth by the Azores whence they haue laboured to shew the reason why the Compasse should not vary in that place which they explaine by this Figure Let there be a circle describing the Spheare E AF the Horizon EF the Articke Pole A the Antarticke â— The Pole or Rocke of Loadstone placed out of the Pole of the Earth B. Let there bee placed a magneticall directory needle in H it will according to their assertion tend to the point B by the magneticall Meridian H B which because it concurres with the true Meridian B A or H A there will be no variation at all but a true direction to the North Pole of the Earth But let this magneticall needle be placed in the point D it is certaine according to this opinion that it will tend to the Pole of the Loadstone B by the magneticall Meridian D B. Wherefore it will not point out the Pole of the Earth A but rather the point C because these two Meridians come not into one and the selfe-same Hence they haue laboured with more hope then successe â—o find out the longitude of any part of the Earth without any obseruation of the Heauens which I confesse might easily be effected if this coniecture might stand with true obseruation But how farre this conceit swarues from the experience of Nauigatours one or two instances will serue to demonstrate For if the variation had any such certaine poles as they imagine then would the Arch of variation bee increased or diminished proportionally according to the distance of the places As for example If in the compasse of an hundred miles the Compasse were varied one degree then in the next hundred miles it would vary another degree which would make two degrees But this hath often been proued otherwise by diuerse experiments of Nauigations mentioned by Gilbert and F. Wright I will only produce one or two If a ship saile from the Sorlinges to New-found-land they haue obserued that when they come so farre as to finde the Compasse to point directly North without any variation at all then passing onward there will bee a variation toward the North-East but obscure and little then afterward will the Arch of this variation increase with like space in a greater proportion vntill they approach neere the â—ontinent where they shall find a very great variation Yet before they come a shoare this variation will decrease againe From which one instance if there were no other we might conclude That the Arch of variation is not alwaies proportionable to the distance which granted quite ouerthrowes that conceit of the Poles of variation Beside this if there were two such magneticall Poles there can be but one common Meridian passing by them and the Poles of the Earthly Globe But by many obseruations collected and obserued by Ed. Wright and others there should be many magneticall Meridians passing by the Poles of the world as in the Meridian about Trinidado and Barmudas the Meridian about the Westermost of the Azores lastly the Meridian running amongst the East Indian Ilands a little beyond Iaua Maior the magneticall and true Meridian must needs agree in one Now for as much as all these magneticall Meridians passe by the Poles of the earth there can no cause be assigned why the magneticall Poles should bee said to bee in one rather then another and if in any then in all Whence it must needes follow that as many magneticall Meridians as you haue to passe by the true Poles of the world so many paire of magneticall Poles must you haue which will be opposite to all reason and experience 1 The point of Variation as of Direction is only Respectiue not Attractiue It was supposed by the Ancients that the Direction and Variation of the Loadstone was caused by an Attractiue point which drew and enforced the lilly of the Compasse that way which errour tooke place from another common-receiued opinion that all the other motions of the magnet were reduced to the Attractiue operation but the errour was corrected by one Robert Norman an English-man who found this point to bee Respectiue and no way Attractiue Whose reason or demonstration is not disapproued by Dr Gilbert although in other matters hee sharply taxeth him His experiment is thus Let there be a round vessell as we haue described ful of water in the midle of this water-place an iron-wier in a conuenient round corke or boat that it may swimme vpon the water euen poyzed let this iron-wire be first touched with the load-stone that it may more strongly shew the point of variation let this point of variation be D let this iron-wire rest vpon the water in the corke for a certaine time It is certainly true that this iron-wire in the cork will not moue it selfe to the margent or brinke of the vessell D which certainly it would doe if the point D were an attractiue point 3 The variation of euery place is constant and not variable This hath beene ratified by the experience of Nauigatours which in the selfe-same Regions haue neuer missed the true variation which they haue assigned them before If any difference bee assigned in variation to the same Region wee may impute it to their errour which obserued it arising either from want of skill or conuenient instruments Neither can this euer be changed except some great deluge or dissolution happen of a great part of land as Plato records of his Atlanticke Ilands 4 The variation is greater in places neere the poles of the Earth This proportion is not to be taken vniuersally but commonly for the most part yet would it haue truth in all places if all other things were correspondent It is obserued that the variation is greater on the coasts of Norway and the Low-countries then at Morocco or Guinea For at Guinea the magneticall needle inclines to the East a third part of one Rumbe of the Compasse In the Ilands of Cape-Verde halfe in the coasts of Morocco two third parts In England at the mouth of Thames according to the obseruation of D. Gilbert and Ed. Wright though some deny it one whole Rumbe in London the chiefe city of it eleuen degrees and more which we also find or thereabout in Oxford The reason is because the magneticall motiue vertue is stronger in the greater latitude increasing towards the pole and the large Regions of land lying toward the Pole preuaile more then those which are situate farther off 12 Thus much for the Variation The Declination is a magneticall motion whereby the magneticall needle conuerts it selfe vnder the Horizontall plaine toward the Axis of the Earth What wee haue hitherto spoken of Direction and Variation magneticall was such as might be
Spheare the Inclinatory Needle shall conforme it selfe in a Parallell-wise to the Axell of the Earth through that place passeth the Equinoctiall Line As to finde out the Meridian of any place wee are to vse the helpe of the Directory Needle so to the finding out of the Equatour and Parallels the Inclinatory Needle is most necessary because the former respects the Magneticall Motion of Direction the latter of Declination Now wheresoeuer wee shall see the Needle to conforme it selfe in such sort as it may lie Parallell with the Axell of the Earth we may assure our selues that such a place is vnder the Equinoctiall Circle The reason whereof wee haue giuen in our 3 Chapter out of the CoÌ„uertible nature of the Magnet and here needs no repetition only wee will insert this one figure wherein the line CD drawne through the Centers of two Inclinatory Needles lying Parallell to the Axell of the Earth A. B. will expresse this Equinoctiall line which wee here seeke For the Magneticall Inclinatory Needle being set in a Frame or Ring made for such a purpose will vnder the Equator respect one Pole no more then another but lie leuell with the Plaine of the Horizon as vnder the Poles it will make right Angles with the Plaine of the Horizon In the middle spaces betwitxt the Equatour and the Poles it will conforme it selfe in such sort as it makes certaine Angles with the Axell of the Earth though not equall yet proportionall to the Latitude out of which an ingenious Artificer may deduce the Parallels of any place without any obseruations of the Heauens as is taught by Instruments inuented by Gilbert Ridley and diuers others which haue vndertaken this subiect 16 Of the Inuention of the Equatour wee haue spoken In the site we ought to consider the placing of the Equator in respect of the world 1 The Equatour is an vnmoueable Circle whose Poles neuer vary from the â—ixt Poles of the world Whether the Poles of the Equator haue been any times varied from the Poles of the world is a controuersie which hath exercised the greatest wits Ioseph Scaliger trusting as it seemes more to ancient History then Moderne experiment seemes in two Epistles not only to make a doubt whether the Poles of the Equatour haue continued the same with the Poles of the world but superâ—iliously as the manner of most criticks is rather out of coniecture then Reason to taxe the common opinion of manifest errour and absurdity The ground and originall of this doubt growes out of the obseruation of the fixt Stars which haue since the Times of the Ancients beene found to bee moued out of their places or at least not to retaine the same points in the Period of the Sunnes Motion The chiefest Instances are taken from the stars in the Hornes of Aries which in Hyparchus time which liued aboue 60 yeeres before Ptolomy were obserued to bee not much distant from the Equinoxe and before him in the very point it selfe but in our time remoued about 28 Degrees off Also it is obserued in the Cynosure or Pole-star that in Hyparchus time it was distant from the Pole about 12 Degrees which wee finde in our time to bee scarce 3 Degrees distant To salue this Apparence Ptolomy inuented a slow motion of the Starry Heauen or Firmament whereby the Fixt stars might bee remoued farther off from the Equinoctiall points in the Eclipticke whence of a consequence the Pole-starre should not keep the same position in respect of the Pole it selfe but vary his site according to the Motion which opinion hath a long time passed without contradiction till Copernicus out of new grounds sought for this Motion in the Earth to which hee assigned no lesse then three Motions Since Copernicus arose Ioseph Scaliger who contradicting the common receiued grounds and yet for ought I see not trusting to the suppositions of Copernicus would bring in another opinion to wit that the Stars of the Firmâ—ment are not moued from the point of the Equinoxe but rather that the point is carryed away from the stars The decision of this point I dare not vndertake better becomming the learned and industrious endeauours of our worthy Professours M. Doctour Bainbrigge and M. Henry Brigges as best suiting with their Learning and Profession Ipse semipaganus ad sacra vatum carmen offero nostrum Neuerthelesse as a Learner for mine owne satisfaction I would willingly enter a little into conference with this great and admired Oracle Ioseph Scaliger to sound the certainty of his grounds That the Pole-starre saith hee was so far distant from the Pole as 12 Degrees was no true obseruation but the errour of Hyparchus who afterwards by his authority deceiued Ptolomy and He Posterity The Reasons hee alleadged are 1 Because Eudoxus which was more ancient then Hyparchus obserued the same star to bee in no other place then where now it is 2 Because that greater light of Astronomy Copernicus perceiuing the Equinoxes and Solstitiall points to be moued was enforced to inuent other grounds but because his demonstrations depended only on the Apparences hee sought out this effect in the motion of the Earth If it were manners to oppose so great a Scholler as Ioseph Scaliger I would aske a few questions why we should not credite the obseruations of Hyparchus Ptolomy and all posterity as well as of Eudoxus sith Antiquity without consent approbation is no great argument of truth Neuerthelesse if the matter be well examined we shall perhaps find Antiquity to be more firme on our side The same reason as I take it may be giuen for the stars in the Hornes of Aries as of the Pole-starre because all the fixt-starres by the consent of all are imagined to keep the same vniforme site among themselues in such sort as the varying of some would disorder all the rest at least argue the like variety or change of all Now to proue the stars of Aries to haue beene varyed many of the Ancients as Master Hues hath obserued liuing in diuers times haue confirmed The first star of Aries which in the time of Meto Atticus was obserued in the Vernall Intersection in the time of Thales Milesius was before it 2 Degrees in Tymocharis age it was after it 2 Degrees 24 Minutes In Hipparchus time 4 Degrees 40 Minutes in Abbumazars 17 Degrees 50 Minutes in Albarens 18 Degrees 10 Minutes in Arzachels 19 Deg. 37 Min. in Alphonsus his time 23 Deg. 48 Min In the time of Copernicus and Rheticus 27 Degrees 21. Min. In our time about 28. Against all these Testimonies if we should oppose the Testimony of Eudoxus and Scaâ—iger wee should bee thought very partiall to preferre them before the consent of Antiquity Eudoxus though very Antient being but one and the other one of the last If any should obiect that Eudoxus spake onely of the Pole-starre and not of the stars in the hornes of Aries I answere as before that the same reason is to bee
are imagined two circles on the earth which wee also call Polar and if wee beleeue Gilbert with other Magneticall Philosophers they are primarily in the Earth as that which is the true subiect of diurnall motion These circles thus described by the Pole of the Eclipticke must needs challenge the same distance from the Pole which the Pole of the Eclipticke hath to wit 23. Degrees and 30 Minutes The Greeks haue taken the Polar circles in another sense then the Latines for by these Polar circles as it appeares by Proclus and Cleomedes they vnderstand not such circles as are described by the Pole of the Zodiacke but two other circles whereof the one is greatest of all the Parallels which alwayes appeares aboue our Horizon the other is the greatest of all those Parallels which lie hid in our Horizon perpetually The reason why the Graecians tooke it in this sense was because by these circles they could know and distinguish those stars which alwayes are seene and neuer set as those which are comprehended of the Articke circle from those which alwayes lie hidde and neuer rise as such as the Antarticke containes Whence it manifestly appeares that the two Polar circles as they are taken of the Graecians in all Regions are not of the same quantity greatnesse but are greater in oblique Spheare then in a right but our Polar circles are at all places alike in their quantity Of these the one tearmed Articke in the Earth passeth by Islandia the top of Norway and Finland with many adioyning Ilands and the Southerne part of Green-land as may appeare by our ordinary Geographicall Mappes The other Polar circle called Antarticke passeth through the South part of the world as yet vndiscouered except for some few parcels as Terra del Feugo and Psiitacorum Regio with somewhat more lately discouered by the Spaniards The chiefest vse as well of these as other parallels is to distinguish the Zones and Climates in the Globe whereof wee shall haue occasion to treate hereafter 21 The Namelesse Parallels are such as are not knowne by speciall Names nor of so great vse in Geographie These namelesse parallels may bee well vnderstood by that which we haue aboue spoken for howsoeuer they bee not called by particular and speciall names yet are they all of the same nature All these parallels beside the Equatour though infinite in number may notwithstaÌ„ding in the spheare be reduced to the number of the Meridians because they are drawne through the opposite points of the Meridian semicircle so that wee might account 180 but yet there are not so many painted on the face of the Artificiall Globe wherefore Ptolomy with the ancients haue distinguished the parallels on both sides North and South beginning from the Equatour at such a distance that where the day should increase one quarter of an houre a new parallell should be placed so that the longest day of one parallell should exceed the longest day of another parallell by one quarter of an houre Euery one of these parallels is supposed to be diuided into 360 Degrees as all the rest of the other circles yet are we to note that the degrees and parts of a greater circle are greater of the lesser lesse according to the proportion of the said circle the same haue the proportion that a great circle hath to a lesse so that the same degrees and parts of a quarter circle to the degrees and parts of the lesser as may be gathered from the first proposition of the second booke of Theodosius now to know rightly this proportion we must first finde out the summary declination for euery region which being once found we may proceed in this manner by the doctrine of Triangles 1 Let the signe of the Complement of the Declination of the lesser Circle bee multiplied by the whole Circle and the product bee diuided by the totall signe there will arise the number of Degrees of the lesser Circle such as whereof the greater consists The reason hereof is shewed in Geometry and therefore need we not to insert a demonstration for there we learne that as the totall â—inge is to the signe of the CoÌ„plement of the Declination of any Parallell so is the Periphery of the greater circle to the Periphery of the Parallell As for example if we would know what proportion the Equatour hath to the Parallell which passeth by the Verticall point of Rome whose Declination is about 42 Degrees I multiply the signe of the Complement of this Declination that is the signe of 48 Degrees to wit 74314 by 360 the product whereof is 26753040 which I diuide agayne by 100000 and find 267 degrees and ½ whence I gather that the Equatour to the Parallell of Rome or a degree of the Equatour to a degree of the Parallell of Rome hath the same proportion that that 360 hath to 276 ½ which is the same that 4 hath to 3. 22 Hitherto haue we spoken of the Absolute Circles such as are the Meridians and Parallels wee are to treate in the last place of a Relatiue Circle which is conceiued in respect to our sight this Circle is called the Horizon 23 The Horizon is a Circle which diuides the vpper and visible parts of the Terrestriall Globe from the lower and inuisible The name of the Horizon is taken from the bounding or termination of the sight because it is a Circle comprehending all that space which is visible of vs distinguishing it from the rest which lurkes inuisible as if a man should bee placed in a high and eminent place of the Earth and should looke round about him euery way to the East West North and South Hee will seeme to see the heauens on euery side to concurre with the earth so that beyond it can be seene nor heauen nor earth which concurrence of the heauens with the earth will describe vnto vs the Horizontall Circle for that place assigned But here wee are to note that the Horizon is two fold either the Rationall or Sensible Horizon The Rationall precisely diuides the Globe into two equall parts But the sensible or apparent Horizon is no other then that Circle in the earth which is designed out by the sight from which the name seemes to bee deriued This sensible Horizon differs from the rationall diuers wayes first because the rationall diuides the whole spheare into two equall parts but the sensible into two vnequall parts Secondly because the rationall is alwayes certaine and the same in the same place and of alike greatnesse whereas the other is greater or lesser for the condition of the place or sight for the semidiameter of the rationall is the same with the semidiameter of the earth but the semidiameter of the other seldome or neuer exceeds 60 miles on the Earth Thirdly because the rationall Horizon passeth by the Center of the Earth whereas the sensible toucheth onely the surface of it in that point where the Inhabitant standeth all which differences may bee
that it inclines no more on the one side then on the other but lies euen as wee see in the surface of the water when it rests quiet without motion for howsoeuer the water so resting as we haue formerly demonstrated is alwayes sphericall yet in a small distance in the sensible Horizon it may to sense be represented by a plaine 25 So much for the Inuention The Distinction of the Horizon is into three sorts for either it is a right Horizon or oblique or parallell 26 A right Horizon is that which with the Equator makes Right Angles This distinction growes naturally out of the Respect of the Horizon to the Equatour For sith the Equatour is one and the selfe-same immoueable circle and the Horizon is mutable and changed according to his diuerse verticall points they cannot alwayes keepe the same situation in regard one of the other This they haue reduced into three heads for either it is Right or Oblique or Parallell The Right is so called from the right Angles which the Horizon makes with the Equator wherein the two poles are alwayes couched in the Horizon and the Equator passing directly ouer their heads as is plaine to be seene in this figure here affixed such an Horizon haue these Inhabitants which dwell directly vnder the Equinoctiall line in the very middest of the Torrid Zone such an Horizon agrees to a great part of Africke to a part of Peru in America Also to most of the Molucco Ilands the Ilands of Taprobana and S. Thomas but no part of Europe is subiect to such a Right Horizon The cause of this variation of Horizons is the naturall roundnesse of the Earth For the earth being supposed to bee sphericall as we haue before demonstrated it must of necessity follow that the site of the poles should be changed according to the diuersity of the places Also because wheresoeuer we are placed on the Earth as wee haue shewed all impediments of the sight as mountaines and vallies put apart we can behold the Hemispheare of the Heauens which middle part being set downe is diuided from the part vnseene by the Horizon it must needs bee that either both the poles must be in the Horizon and so make a Right Spheare or at least one must bee aboue and seene and the other hid from the sight and so much as one is eleuated aboue the Horizon must the other bee couched vnder it For otherwise wee should see more or lesse then a precise moity or halfe of the Heauens sith the poles differ one from the other the halfe of the whole Heauens to wit by the Diameter of the world 27 An oblique Horizon is that which with the Equator makes oblique Angles Those Inhabitants are said to haue an oblique Horizon whose site and position declines somewhat from the Equator either to the North or South towards either pole yet so that the pole bee not eleuated so high as 90 Degrees for then it becomes a Parallell Horizon as wee shall shew in the next The representation of such an oblique Spheare may bee seene in this Diagram wherein the Horizon cuts the Equatour at oblique Angles whence it is called oblique Clauius seemes to adde another reason of this appellation to wit because in such an Horizon one pole is alwayes eleuated aboue and the other hid but this reason seemes too generall as that which agrees not onely to an Oblique but also to a Parallell Spheare From this Horizon by Iohannes de Sucrobosco the Spheare is called Artificiall because as Clauius coniectures it is variable and doth naturally diuide the Globe For whereas the Horizon of the Right Spheare passeth by either Pole it seemes by it selfe as it were Naturally and Directly to diuide the Spheare and this diuision is no way variable as that it should bee more or lesse Right but contrariwise in the oblique Spheare sith one Pole is placed aboue and the other beneath it seemes to be placed out of his naturall site and position Moreouer this Oblique Horizon is variable according to the diuersity of habitations so that it may be to some more to others lesse Oblique for so much the more Oblique must it be by how much the neerer it is placed to the Poles The Inhabitants of an Oblique Spheare are such as seated betwixt the Equator and either of the Tropicks of Cancer and Capricorne or such as dwell betwixt either Tropicke and the polar-Polar-circle 28 A Parallell Horizon is that which lies Parallell to the Equator making no angles at all with it Such a kinde of Horizon those Inhabitants are said to haue which are included betwixt the Poles of the world and the Polar circles whose Horizon cuts not the Equatour at any Angles at all either Right or Oblique but lies Parallell vnto it as we see in this Figure here set downe Some haue reduced this kinde of Spheare to an Oblique Horizon in regard that in this site our Pole is eleuated aboue the Horizon and the other depressed vnder in which opinion Clauius seemes to second Iohannes de Sacrobosco on whom hee comments But this is ridiculous because the Spheare is called Right or Oblique as wee haue taught from the Angles which the Horizon makes with the Equator wherefore that Horizon which makes no Angles at all cannot bee called either Right or Oblique but is necessarily distinguished from either On this distinction of Horizons is grounded the diuision of the Inhabitants of the Earth according to three kinds of Spheares of whose accidents and proprieties wee shall more fully treat hereafter in the dictinction of the parts and Inhabitants of the Terrestriall Spheare because such proprieties cannot so well be taught without the knowledge of the Artificiall Spheare whose Nature and Fabricke wee shall labour God willing in our next Chapter to vnfold CHAP. VII Of the Artificiall Representation of the Terrestriall Spheare 1 HAuing hitherto treated of the Terrestriall Spheare as it is Naturall or reall wee are in the next place to speake of the Artificiall Globe The Artificiall Globe is an expression or imitation of the Spheare of the Earth 2 The Artificiall imitation of the Earth is either Common or Magneticall The common is againe twofold either in the Globe or in the Geographicall Mappe or Table 3 The Geographicall Globe is a round solid Body adorned with Lineaments pictures seruing for the vse of Geographers Who was the first Inuentour of this Artificiall Globe it is not euident some thinke with Pliny that it was found out by Atlas and carried into Greece by Hercules Others haue ascribed it to Anaximander Milesius some to Musaeus as Diogenes Laërtius others to other Authors amongst whom Architas Tarentinus is not forgotten as one that was esteemed the rarest Mathematician of his time But all these were out-stripped by Archimedes the Syracusan Mathematician who is said to haue composed a Spheare of transparent glasse representing vnto the life the whole frame of the Heauens wherein the Sunne
South-part be diminished The reason is because the Magnet hauing eminently in it the circles which are in the Earth is separated or diuided by a middle line or Aequator from which middle space the vertues are conueyed toward either Pole as we haue before shewed Now any part being taken away from the North or South part this Aequator or middle line is remoued from his former place into the midst of the portion which is left and so consequently both parts are lesse then before For although these two ends seeme opposite yet is one comforted and increased by the other 9 Of the motions of Coition and Direction wee haue handled It followes that we speake of the motions of the second order to wit Variation and Declination 10 Variation is the deuiation or turning aside of the directory Magneticall needle from the true point of North or the true Meridian towards East or West In the discourse immediatly going before hauing treated of the magneticall body wee haue imagined it to bee true and pointing out the true North and South points of the Terrestriall Globe which certainely would bee so if the substance of the Earthly Globe were in all parts and places alike equally partaking the Magneticall vertue as some round Load-stone neither should wee find any variation or deuiation at all from the true Meridian of the Earth But because the Terrestriall Globe is found by Nauigatours to bee vnequally mixed with many materialls which differ from the magneticall substance as furnished with rockie hills or large valleyes continents Ilands some places adorned with store of iron Mimes rocks of Load-stone some altogether naked and destitute of these implements it must needs fall out that the magneticall needle and compasse directed and conformed by the Magneticall nature of the Eâ—rth cannot alwayes set themselues vpon the true Meridian that passeth right along to the Poles of the Terrestriall Globe but is forced and diuerted toward some eminent and vigorous magneticall part whereby the Meridian pointed out by the magnet must needes varie and decline from the true Meridian of the Earth certaine parts or degrees in the Horizontall circle which diuersion wee call the Variation of the compasse so thaâ— variation so far as it is obserued by the compasse is defined to bee an Arch of the Horizon intercepted betwixt the common intersection with the true Meridian and his deuiation This effect proceeding from the Inequality of magneticall vertue scattered in the Earth some haue ascribed to certaine Rockes or mountaines of Loadstone distant some degrees from the true Pole of the World which rockes they haue termed the Pole of the Loadstone as that whereunto the magnet should dispose and conforme it selfe which conceite long agoe inuented was afterward inlarged and trimmed ouer by Fracastorius But this opinion is a meere coniecture without ground for what Nauigatours could hee euer produce that were eye-witnesses of this mysterie or how can he induce any iudicious man to beleeue that which himselfe nor any to his knowledge euer saw The relation that the Frier of Noruegia makes of the Frier of Oxfords discouery recorded by Iames Cnoien in the booke of his Trauels where he speaks of these matters is commonly reiected as fabulous and ridiculous for had there beene any such matter it is likely he would haue left some monuments of it in the records of his owne Vniuersity rather then to haue communicated it to a friend as farre off as Noruegia Moreouer the disproportion in the degrees of variation in places of equall distance will easily correct this errour as we shall shew in due place More vaine and friuolous are all the opinions of others concerning this magneticall variation as that of Cortesius of a certaine motiue vertue or power without the Heauen that of Marsilius Ficiâ—us of a starre in the Beare that of Petrus Peregrinus of the Pole of the world that of Cardan of the rising of a starre in the taile of the Beare that of Bestardus Gallus of the Pole of the Zodiacke that of Liuius Sanutus of a certaine magneticall Meridian of Francis Maurolycus of a magneticall Iland of Scaliger of the heâ—uen and mountaines of Robert Norman of a respectiue point or place All which Writers seeking the cause of this variation haue found it no further off then their owne fancies More probable by farre and consonant to experience shall wee finde their opinion which would haue the cause of this variation be in the Inequality of the magneticall Eminencies scattered in the Earth This Inequality may bee perceiued to bee twofold 1 in that some parts of the Earth haue the magneticall minerals more then other parts for as much as the Superficies of some parts is solid Earth as in great Continents 2 Because although the whole Globe of the Earth is supposed to be magneticall especially in the Internall and profound parts yet the magneticall vertue belonging to those parts is not alwayes so vigorous and eminent as in some other parts as wee see one Load-stone to be stronger or weaker then another in vertue and power but of those two the former is more remarkable which may bee shewed by experience of such as haue sailed along many seacoa-stes for if a sea-iourney bee made from the shore of Guinea by Cape Verde by the Canarie Ilands the bounds of the Kingdome of Morocco from thence by the confines of Spaine France England Belgia Germany Denmarke Noruegia we shall find toward the East great and ample Continents but contrarywise in the West a huge vast Ocean which is a reason that the magneticall needle will vary from the true point of the North and inclines rather to the East because it is more probable that these Continents and Lands should partake more of this magneticall minerall then the parts couered with the Sea in which these magneticall bodies may bee scarcer or at the least deeper buried and not so forceable On the contrary part if wee saile by the American coasts we shall rather find the variation to be Westward as for example if a voyage be made from the confines of Terra Florida by Virginia Norumbega and so Northward because the land butteth on the West but in the middle spaces neere the Canary Ilands the directory needle respects the true Poles of the Terrestriall Globe or at least shewes very little variation Not for the agreement of the Magneticall Meridian of that place with the true by reason of the Rocke of Load-stone as some haue imagined because in the same Meridian passing by Brasile it fals out farre otherwise but rather because of the Terrestriall Continents on both sides which almost diuide the Magneticall vigour so that the Magneticall needle is not forced one way more then another the manner whereof wee shall finde in D. Gilbert expressed in an apt figure to whom for further satisfaction I referre the Reader 1 The Magneticall variation hath no certaine Poles in the Terrestriall Globe It is but a common
it will lift vp much greater and heauier waights which experiments are sufficient to confirme our assertion that this Declination is caused only by the disponent and conuersiue vertue of this Terrestriall Globe 3 The magneticall Declination hath a variation That in the magneticall Direction there is found an Irregularity or variation hath beene sufficiently warranted by Artificers Instruments The like Irregularity is in the motion of Declination which makes magneticall Instruments and experiments more subiect to errour and imperfection The variation of Declination is defined to bee an Arch of the Magneticall meridian betwixt the true and apparent Declination The cause hereof is onely to bee sought in the vnequall temper of magneticall parts in the Earth For as in the Direction magneticall bodies are drawne and wrested from the true meridian by the eminent and more vigorous force of the Earth one side ouer-ruling the other so the magneticall needle the conuersion somewhat increased declines sometimes beyond his naturall site and conformity This may cause an errour but not of any great moment sometimes when there is no variation or Direction at all in the Horizon there may bee a Variation or Declination to wit either when the more eminent and stronger parts of the Earth are placed iust vnder the Meridian or when these parts are more impotent then the generall nature requireth or els when the Magneticall vigour is too much increased on one side and diminished on the other as wee may behold in the vast Ocean CHAP. IIII. Of the Totall motions Magneticall 1 HAuing passed the Partiall motions magneticall wee are next to speake of the Totall motions which more neerely agree to the whole Earth such as are the Verticitie and Reuolution 2 The Verticity is that whereby the Poles of the earthly Spheare conforme and settle themselues vnto the Poles of the Heauen 1 The Spheare of the Earth by her Magneticall vigour is most firmely seated on her Axell whose Ends or Poles respect alwayes the same points in the Heauens without Alteration That which in a little Magnet or Load-stone is called Direction in the vast Globe of the Earth is called Verticity To vnderstand which wee must conceite that the Earth hath naturally two Poles vnto which the meridionall parts doe direct not only magneticall bodies neere the Earth but her owne massie situation and firmenesse and settles her selfe so strongly by her magneticall vertue passing through the Meridionall parts to the Poles as if shee were tied by many strong cables to two Herculean pillars not subiect to alteration And if it should happen by any supernaturall power that the situation could bee changed shee would no doubt by her magneticall vigour and verticity returne and restore her selfe to her former position as all magneticall needles will doe to their proper site and conformity Of this Verticity needes no more to bee spoken then hath been already said in the point of Direction because the former is a representation of the latter and depends on the same demonstration Out of which ground wee may euidently conclude that the Axell of the Terrestriall Globe remaynes alwayes inuariable By which we may refute the opinion of Dominicus Maria who was Master to Copernicuâ— who out of certaine vnperfect obseruations was induced to beleeue that the Poles of the World were changed from their true and naturall situation I haue obserued saith hee looking on Ptolomies Geographie that the eleuation of the Pole Articke almost in all Regions as it is put downe in Ptolomie differs and failes in one degree and ten minutes from that which wee finde in our time which cannot bee ascribed to the errour of the table because it is not probable that the whole series should bee depraued according to this equality of number Wherefore it must follow of necessity that the North pole should bee moued toward the verticall circle which mystery not knowne of the Ancients for want of former obseruations hath shewed it selfe to our times being inriched not only with their but our owne experiments According to this opinion of Dominicus Maria the North pole should bee eleuated higher then it was and the Latitudes of Regions should bee greater then they were But to this opinion we will oppose the opinion of Stadius which holdeth that the latitudes of Regions haue beene decreased and diminished from that they haue had in Ptolomie without any such regular Increment or Decrement which hee labours to confirme by many obseruations as for example the latitude of Rome as it is set downe by Ptolomie is 41 degrees â…” parts but by newer obseruation it is found to be 41 degrees ½ parts out of which wee may well coniecture that Ptolomies obseruations were not alwayes exactly true being for a great part such as hee had receaued from Hipparchus and not examined himselfe as may bee seene in the latitude of many Citties in Europe where hee missed sometimes 2 sometimes 3 degrees Wherefore no iudicious Geographer would vpon such imperfect obseruations and vncertaine coniectures bring in a new motion of the earth to ouerthrow that magneticall Harmony and consistency corroborated with so many and sure demonâ—trations This may serue to answer a certaine Tenâ—nt of Vasquez the Iesuite and some others who imagine the Center and by consequence the Pole of the Earth to bee moued vp and downe by a certaine motion of Liberation The argument on which they would ground their assertion is taken from the Center of Grauity in this manner The whole masse of the earth say they is so setled about the Center that it is equally poized that is as much as to say that the parts are indowed with an equall waight Now such Bodies as are so equally poized by the addition or diminution of any part on either â—ide will bee straight-way tâ—rned from that â—iâ—e which they had before in Aequîlibrio as is dayly confirmed by experience of a Ballance and other such mechanicke instruments Wherefore in the Terrestriall spheare the Center and Poles should in this wise bee changed and altered and the whole suffer a kinde of starting or Libration For it is manifest by dayly obseruation that some things in the superficies of the earth are fallen off and carried into another place as Men Beasts and Birds which moue from one place vnto another Nothing is here of more moment then the motion of the Sea by which the parts of the water by continuall ebbing and flowing suffer such a sensible change of Addition and Diminution that no man can imagine how the parts of the Earth about the Center should alwayes bee equally counterpoyzed but the waight on one side should bee predominant vnto the other and so driue the Center from his former place This Argument Blancanus another late Iesuite leaues altogether vnanswered either imagining it too strong or out of a combined faction of their owne society vnwilling to contradict his fellow And indeed should wee consider the spheare of the earth no otherwise then according to
as a giant to runne his course 6 His going forth is from the end of the Heauens and his circuite vnto the ends of it and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof Out of which words the Heauens should seeme to challenge the motion which wee haue giuen vnto the Earth To this we answer two wayes First that although this may oppugne Copernicus his opinion that the Sunne standeth still in the middest as the center of the World yet may it well stand with our Assertion who allow the Sunne his seuerall motion in the Eclipticke whether those words of the Psalme bee to bee vnderstood of the Sunnes Diurnall or Periodicke Motion is not so soone decided the Scripture not specifying expressely either 2 we may answer with the Copernicâns That the Holy Ghost in these or the like places speakes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being willing to descend to the weakest of mens capacity and not to trouble mens conceits with such matters as to vulgar iudgements might seeme vnlikely or improbable The like Analogie of speech may wee finde in the first of Genesis where the Moone is called one of the greater lights in regard of her appearance being notwithstanding one of the least These may suffice to shew the opinion of the earths circular motion to bee probable I promised no more I hope I haue performed no lesse I neuer held it an article of my faith to defend the one or oppugne the other and therefore leaue euery man to his owne free iudgement to embrace or reiect what he please CHAP. V. Of the Site Stability and Proportion of the Earth 1 OF Terrestriall affections which agree in respect of the Earth it selfe wee haue hitherto spoken We are now to treate of such as agree to it in respect of the Heauens These are chiefly three 1 The Site 2 The Stability 3 The Proportion 2 The Site is the locall position of the Earth in respect of the Celestiall Bodyes It might seeme a hard and almost impossible taske for any man to reconcile that which hath beene spoken in the former Chapter concerning the Earths circular Reuolution with the grounds of common Geographers which hold the Terrestriall Globe to bee setled and fixed in the Center of the world The reason is because such as hold the circular motion of the Earth whereof the chiefe is Copernicus would haue the Sun to stand still as the fixt Center of the Vniuerse and the Earth to moue round about him betwixt Mars and Venus which seemes cleane opposite to the former opinion I must confesse that Copernicus his opinion entirely taken and vnderstood standeth altogether opposite to these our grounds yet may that motion of the Earth which we haue established in the former Chapter for ought I yet know bee well reconciled with their opinion which hold the Earth to bee the Center of the world For the circular Reuolution wee gaue to the Terrestriall Globe was not a motion of the Center of it from one place to another as that of the Starres which moue round about the Earth but rather a turning of it selfe in its owne place vpon her owne Poles and Axell-tree in such sort as the wheele of a mill or such a like engin fixt in one place is turned vpon his owne Axell So that the motion wee there vnderstood was only the Diurnall motion of 24 houres making the Day and Night The other two motions mentioned by Copernicus may be found out in the Heauens and left to Astronomers The reasons why I entirely embrace not Copernicus his opinion are chiefely two First because it seemes too harsh and dissonant in nature to make one and the selfe-same body subiect to so many motions especially such as by common Philosophers is denied all motion Secondly because the other motions granted to the Earth must needs suppose it to bee placed out of the Center of the world the contrary of which we shall in this Chapter God willing sufficiently demonstrate The motion therefore most called in question and most likely to bee found in the Earth rather then in the Heauen is the Diurnall Reuolution performed in 24 houres from the West to East which as we haue proued being giuen to the Heauens would be farre swifter then nature can well suffer wherefore with more probability may this motion bee taken from the heauens and giuen vnto the Earth The other without any absurdity at all may be granted in the Heauens Sith no repugnancy is found in nature but that euery heauenly body may be furnished with some motion and therefore Copernicus might haue granted the Sun and fixed Starres their seuerall motions as well as the rest which would haue seemed farre more probable then to haue endowed the Earth with a Triplicity of motion These things being thus opened I will set downe their Theoremes 1 The Terrestriall Globe is the Center of the whole world To vnderstand aright this proposition wee must consider that a Center may be taken two manner of wayes either Geometrically or Optically In Geometry it is taken for an imaginary point conceiued in a magnitude deuoyde of all quantity yet bounding and termining all Magnitudes Optically it is vsually taken for a small and insensible Magnitude because to the fight it may seeme no other then a Point In which last sense we may call the Earth the Center For although the Earthly Spheare is endowed with a great and massie substance yet as we shall hereafter demonstrate in respect of the Firmament this greatnesse would vanish into nothing For if a man standing in the Firmament should behold it it would seeme no other then as a small point This being declared wee will produce these reasons to proue the Earth to be the Center of the Vniuerse The Center I say not of all heauenly motions for some Starres are moued vpon their own Center but of the whole heauenly machine being collectiuely taken as one Body The first argument is of Aristotle taken from the grauity or naturall inclination of all heauy bodies to the Center The Earth saith he being a heauy massie body must needs seeke the lowest place which is farthest off from the Heauens But this can be no other then the Center or middest point of the whole world Which argument by others is more subtily vrged in this manner Suppose the whole masse of the Earth were cut and diuided into many parts equall the one to the other of the same waight and figure which parts so diuided were placed in diuers places vnder the concaue Superficies of the Moone that they might be freely left to themselues to moue according to their naturall inclinations It is most certaine that all their parts being of the same nature waight quantity and figure would descend with the same motion in the same equall time to the same place which could in no wise happen except they should concurre in the Center of the world But this reason for ought I vnderstand is only probable and
vnderstood wee are first to set downe in a Scheme or Diagram both the number and order of all the heauenly Orbs conceiued according to our grounds Secondly we must shew in particular how this ranging of the heauenly bodies is capable of all the motions and apt to satisfy the apparences In which parts I wil not too nicely descend to Astronomicall curiosities being too many and subtile for a Geographer to discusse Only I will giue a tast to satisfie such as suppose no middle way can bee troden out betwixt Ptolomies stability of the Earth and Copernicus his three Motions I might seeme perhaps presumptuous beyond my knowledge to reiect and passe by the draughts and delineations of Ptolomy Alphonsus and their followers which are commonly defended and in vse or that other of Copernicus supported with the authority and credit of so great an Astronomer or that of Tichobrahe more corrected then either and to preferre my own being an Embrion or halfe fashioned To this I answer First that I only expose this Scheme following to the view of the iudicious iustifying it no farther then will stand with Astronomicall obseruation Secondly I herein arrogate little or nothing to my selfe for as much as I haue digested and compounded it out of the obseruations and experiments of late Astronomers and only collected together what they scattered The Scheme it selfe is expressed in this manner wherein to beginne from the lowest The Center is the Globe of the Earth to which wee haue giuen a Diurnall motion from the West to the East vpon her owne Poles whose Reuolution is made in 24 houres About the Earth as the Center of the whole world the Moone is carried in her circle which amongst all the Planets is found more neerely to respect the Earth as well in place as nature Next succeeds the Sunne as the leader of all the Planets which carried round about the earth in an Annuall circuit describes the Ecliptick circle about the Sun as the proper Center are all the Planets moued except the Moon The two immediate coÌ„panions of the Sun are Venus Mercurie which so coÌ„passe him about that the Earth neuer comes betwixt them and the Sunne The other three Planets as Mars Iupiter and Saturne howsoeuer they enuiron the Sunne as their proper Center yet so as within their circles they comprehend the body of the Earth The Planet Mars because hee is found by Astronomers to moue sometimes aboue sometimes vnder the Sunne is vnderstood to moue in such a circle which on the opposite side shall cut the circle of the Sunne yet so as Mars and the Sunne can neuer meet in one point Forasmuch as Mars as well as the other Planets is supposed to be carryed in an Epicycle about the Sunne and to keepe an equall distance from him howsoeuer moued Neither is he euer found vnder the Sunne but about the time of the opposition as Astronomers obserue whence a cause hath beene giuen why Mars should appeare greatest at the time of Opposition These fiue Planets to wit Saturne Iupiter Mars Venus and Mercury may bee considered according to a double motion The one is proper and naturall wherein they are moued about the Sunne as their proper Center The other Accidentall and as it were by a consequence of Nature whereby in their circuit mouing about the Sunne as their Center they must of necessity by a consequent site of the place be carryed about the Earth For the Sunne placed in his Eclipticke line so compasseth round the Earth that with him hee is supposed to carry the Epicyâ—les wherein these Planets are moued round a-about him Whence wee finde the motion of these Planets about the Sunne as their owne Center to bee regular but about the Earth irregular which proceeds from their Excentricity in respect of the Earth Aboue all the Planets wee place the Firmament or Starry Heauen hauing a very slow motion not to bee finished in many thousand yeeres and this motion is on other Poles then the Poles of the world to bee sought out in or neere the Poles of the Eclipticke This Heauen would Aristotle haue to bee the first moueable and therefore gaue it a very swift motion which is the same which wee call Diurnall and haue giuen to the Earth But it seemes more consonant to nature that the slower motions should agree to the higher bodies and the swifter to the lower that there might be a proportion betwixt the time and the space of motion It remaines that wee probably shew that out of their suppositions the Celestiall Apparences may bee as well or better salued then by the ordinary grounds The Apparences which are most called in question concerne either the Motion or the Places and Positions All the rest are either of lesse moment or at least are thereunto reduced Euery motion which is found or thought to bee found in the Heauens is either the Diurnall or Periodicke The Diurnall Motion as wee haue already shewed belongs to the Earth which according to our grounds is supposed to moue from the West vnto the East in 24 houres Which may answer to the Motion of the first moueable Spheare which according to Aristotle is the Starry Firmament and thought to moue from the East to the West The Periodicke Motion is either a slower Motion to be finished not vnder many thousand yeeres or else a swifter Reuolution of the Planets This slow motion the common Astronomers would haue towfold The one from the West to the East on the Poles of the Eclipticke the other a Motion as they call it of Trepidation from the South point to the North and backward againe but one slow Motion of the sixt Starres vpon the Poles of the Eclipticke granted to the Firmament will for ought I see satisfy both The reason why they put two distinct Motions is 1 Because they haue obserued the Starres of Aries Taurus and the rest of the Zodiacke not to be seated in the same place wherein they were anciently found but to be moued certaine degrees from the West towards the East Whence they would conclude a Motion to bee from the West vnto the East 2. It will stand with no lesse experience that the foresaid Starres of the Firmament haue moued themselues from the South towards the North. To passe ouer the râ—st the Pole-star which in Hipparchus time was distant from the Pole about 12 Degrees is now obserued to approach almost three degrees These two Motions should they bee esteemed in the account of Astronomers might seeme deficient Notwithstanding wee may probably coniecture this to bee no other then one and the selfe-same Motion vpon the Poles of the Eclipticke Whence it may come to passe that the fixt Starres are not only carryed from West to East but also by reason of the obliquity of the Eclipticke line encline more and more dayly to the Pole of the World whence they may againe returne For this motion from the West to the East is of the primary intent of
as meere points in respect of their Orbs because they sensibly are seene as parts of these Orbs. But the Earth is greater then some of the lower Starres as the Moone Whence we may with good grounds auerre that if a man were placed in the Moone hee might behold the Earth far greater then the Moone being obserued by vs in the Earth Wherefore no man can deny but the Earth in it selfe hath a great vastnesse But if wee consider this greatnesse in respect of the Heauens we shall find this vast greatnesse to shrinke almost into nothing and become as a meere point without sensible magnitude But this is not altogether generall without limitation because the heauenly bodies are distinguished into the higher and greater such as are the Firmament with the foure higher Planets such as are Saturne Iupiter Mars and the Sunne or the lower and lesser such as are Venus Mercurius and the Moone which difference in place and greatnesse admits a great diuersity in this proportion as wee shall shew in these two Theoremes 1. The Earthly Globe compared in quantity with the Firmament and superiour Orbes of the planets hath no sensible magnitude This Proposition is supported not only by the authority of many and graue Authors as Aristotle Ptolomy Pliny Alphragan and others but by diuers strong reasons drawne from experience and obseruation of Astronomers The first argument shall be this which is most popular The Sunne and many other Starres in the Firmament are found out by Astronomicall Instruments to bee manifold greater then the Globe of the Earth yet appeare they in respect of the heauens but as a little point or portion Then must the Earth being in comparison far lesser be deuoyd of all sensible magnitude or proportion Secondly if the Earth had any notable quantity in respect of the Heauen then must the Diameter of the earth haue as great a quantity in respect of the Diameter of the Sky for there is the same proportion of the Diameters which the circumferences haue one to the other as is demonstrated in Geometry Now if the Diameter of the Earth hath any notable magnitude in coÌ„parison of the Diameter of the Skye then the Starres which be ouer our heads be neerer vnto vs by a notable quantity then when they bee either in the East or West For it must needs follow that the Starres placed in the verticall point are neerer by the Semidiameter of the Earth then when they are either in the Easterne or Westerne point as we see in â—his figure here set downe ACDB wherein I make E to be the Center of the Earth AEB the true Horizon and EF the Semidiameter of the earth Now if the Semidiameter FE haue any sensible proportion then must G the verticall point be neerer to F. then either A or B. supposed to bee the East west points because EA or EB are the whole Semidiameter of the Celestiall circle whereof FG is only a part But contrarywise there is no such diuersity perceiued in the magnitude of the Starres but that they appeare still to bee of one and the same greatnesse except by accidentall interposition of vapours and grosse bodies wherefore it must of necessity follow that their distance is all one in all parts of the Skye and by consequence the Semidiameter of the earth hath no sensible diuersity in distance Thirdly hence would arise another reason no lesse forcible then this that if the Semidiameter of the Earth had any comparison or proportion to the Semidiameter of the Skye the Horizon that we haue on the vpper part of the earth should not diuide the Skye into two equall parts for as much as the part which is couched vnder the Horizon would alwayes be greater and the other lesser as in our former Diagramme if EF haue a notable quantity in compaâ—ison of EA then will the line CFD being the Horizon on the top of the earth differ notably from the line AEB being the Diameter of the World and the Horizon to the Center of the Earth and so shall not the Horizon CFD diuide the world into two equall parts but the vpper part shall alwayes be lesser then the lower which crosses ordinary experience for we may see in long winter nights that those Starres which are in the East Horizon in the beginning of the night will be in the West at the end of twelue houres and contrarywise those Stars which did set in the West when those others did rise in the East shall rise agayne when the other shall set Fourthly if the earth had any sensible greatnesse in respect of the Heauens then were it vnpossible for any Sunne Diall to bee regular and obserue due proportion For we see the shaddowes to moue as duely and orderly about the Center of Dials and such instruments as if their Center were the very Center of the world which could neuer happen if these two Centers should differ notably in respect of the Spheare of the Sunne to expresse it the better we will set this Figure which represents the three notable circles in a Diall which are described by the course of the Sunne in three notable places of the Zodiacke to wit the two Tropicks and the Equinoctiall Herein the vttermost arch BLC represents the Tropicke of Capricorne and is described no greater then the quarter of a circle because the Sun placed in the Signe shines vnto vs but six houres The Equinoctiall is set as halfe a circle because the Sun being in it appeares vnto vs 12 houres is here noted out by EIF The Tropicke of Cancer containes 3 quarters of a Circle because when the Sun is in it there are eighteen houres from Sun-rising to Sun-set and that circle is GHK The Center of the Diall is A and the Style which giues the shadow DA whose top being D doth describe those portions of circles with such exactnesse as if the Diall were set in the very Center of the Earth and the distinction of the houres shewes it selfe no otherwise then if the Center of the Diall were the same with the Center of the world To these arguments I may adde that if there should bee a sensible greatnesse of the earth in respect of these superiour Orbes either all or most of these absurdities would arise which follow their opinions who place the Earth out of the CeÌ„ter of the World which we haue before treated of 2 The Terrestriall Globe compared with the inferiour Orbs hath a sensible magnitude Although the whole Earth compared with the Firmament and superiour Orbs of the Planets seeme no otherwise then a point yet from this wee must except the Orbes of the lower Planets Venus Mercury but especially the Moone Who are found by obseruations of diuerse skilfull Astronomers to haue a sensible and notable greatnesse in respect of the earth whereof a manifest argument may bee drawne from the Parallax or variation of the sight wherein our obseruations of the same Starre at diuerse places are
yet may the rest compared amongst themselues be ranged in a certaine order as the Second Third Fourth Fifth and so along till we come againe to the First being in all reduced to the number of 180 answering to 360 Degrees as wee haue taught So much for the Meridians 11 The Parallels are equidistant Circles passing from the East to the West directly I haue defined the Parallell Circles in a larger sense then former Geographers vsually haue taken it in as willing vnder this generall name not onely to include the Parallels commonly so called but also the Equatour because I see no reason why the Equatour being euery where equidistant from each other Circle should not suffer this acception The common sort of Cosmographers vnder this name would onely comprize the minor Circles which are conceiued to bee equally distant and correspondent to the Equinoctiall Circle so that all should bee so called in respect of the Equatour to whom they are said to answer not in site and position for as much as they decline from the middle of the Earth to the North and South but in Comparison and Proportion for as the Equatour is drawne from East to West and diuides the whole Spheare of the Earth into the North and South Hemispheares So the other also diuide the Globe of the Earth though not into two equall parts as the Equatour but vnequall These Parallels many wayes are distingushed from the Meridians first because the Meridians are drawne directly from North to South but the Parallels from East to West Secondly the Meridians how many soeuer they are imagined to bee concurre and meete all in the Poles of the Earth whereas the Parallels howsoeuer drawne out at length will neuer concurre or meete in any point Whence it must needes follow that all Parallels and Meridians in the Globe must cut one the other and make right angles These Parallels although infinite in number may bee in the Spheare reduced to the number of the Meridians because they are drawne through the opposite points and degrees of the Meridian Semi-circle which would make vp the number of 180 but yet for Conueniency they haue not painted so many in the face of the Artificiall Spheare for as much as so many lines and circles might beget Confusion Wherefore Ptolomy and the Ancients haue distinguished the Parallels on both sides the Equator North and South with such a Distance that where the day should increase one quarter of an houre a new Parallel should be placed So that the longest day of one Parallell should surpasse the longest day of another for one quarter of an houre By which appeares that the Parallels are not of one greatnesse but by how much neerer the Pole they are placed so much lesse are they and so much greater by how much farther off from the Poles and neerest the Equatour These Circles are of great vse in Geographie as to distinguish the Zone Climats and Latitudes of Regions to shew the Eleuation of the Pole and to designe out the length and shortnesse of the day in any part of the Earth 12 A Parallell Circle is of two sorts either greater or lesser The greater is the Equatour or equinoctiall Circle 13 The Equatour is the greatest of the Parallels passing through the middest of the Earth and exactly diuiding them from the Poles into two equall halfes or Hemispheares whereof the one is North the other South This Circle is called the Equatour or Equinoctiall of Astronomers because that when the Sunne passeth vnder it as vpon the 11 of March and the 13 of September it makes the Day and Night equall This Circle of Astronomers is esteemed the most notable being the measure of the Diurnall and most regular Motions The Laâ—ines haue taken the name and appellation of this Circle from the Day as the Greeks from the Night Wherein the Sense is no way varyed because the equality of the Day argues the like equality of the Night The two Poles of the Circle are the same with the Poles of the Vniuersall Earth to wit the Articke or North-Pole and the Antarticke and Southerne Pole whereof the former is alwayes conspicuous in our Horizon the other lies couched and hidde from our Sight It is called the Articke-pole from the Constellation of the little Beare in the Heauens neere to the which it is situated in opposition to the which the other is called Antarticke It hath manifold vse in Astronomy copiously by Astronomers And no lesse in Geography for without this Equinoctiall Circle no Description of the Earth can be absolute perfect neither any Citie or Place in the Terrestriall Globe or Mappe set in his due and proper place This Equinoctiall Circle in regard of the Earth passeth through the middle-most part almost of Africa by Ethiopia America and Taprobana So that it exactly diuideth the Globe of the Earth into two halfes the Northerne and Southerne Hemispheares so that these people which dwell vnder the Equatour are said to inhabite the middle of the world because they incline neither to the North nor to the South hauing so much distance from the Articke antarticke-Antarticke-Pole of the Earth Moreouer by this Circle as wee will declare hereafter are noted out vnto vs the East and West part of the Spheare no way to be neglected of Geographers 1 Concerning the Equatour two things are to be obserued either the Inuention or the Site and Position The Inuention is either Astronomicall or Magneticall The Astronomicall according to these Rules 1 The Meridian being found out to find the Equator This is easily performed by the helpe of the former Figure for therein the Meridian line being found out as we haue shewed let there bee drawne by the Center E of that Circle the line AC making right Angles with the said Meridian which line AC will bee the true Equatour and will point out vnto vs the true East and West as A the East and C the West Whence it appeares that the two lines to wit of the Equatour and the Meridian doe diuide and cut the whole Horizon into two equall Quadrants 2 Without the helpe of the Meridian to find out the Equatour In the time of either Equinoctiall in some Horizontall plaine in the Sunne-shine let there bee erected a Gnomon then in the day time let there bee noted all the points by which the end or top of the shadow hath passed for all those points in the time of Equinoctiall are in a right line because then the end of the shadow is carried in a line in the time of the Equinox in a Herizontall plaine This line will bee the true Equinoctiall-line the cause is giuen by Clauius in Gnomonicis lib. 1. prop. 1. Corollar 2. which depending on many Geometricall and Astronomicall principles as too far from my purpose I omit 15 The Magneticall inuention of the Equatour is wrought by the Magneticall Inclinatory Needle according to this Proposition 1 Wheresoeuer at any place of the Terrestriall
giuen of them both For as much as if the Pole-starre in Eudozus time moued in a Parallell Equidistant from the Pole of the Equatour which he seemes to contend then must also the stars of Aries which were found once to bee in the point of the vernall Equinoxe moue alwayes in the Equinoctiall circle and neuer vary from it which is contrary to all the Testimonies before alleadged Secondly where he saith that Copernicus perceiuing this error left a base discouery without any Demonstration except onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I would know how Ioseph Scaliger by any other meanes came to know it I alwayes supposed it a principle amongst Mathematicians that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had beene the surest ground of Mathematicall Demonstration for euery reason which can be alleadged must of necessity bee grounded on meere coniecture as forged in a mans braine without any obseruation of Nature or else suggested vnto vs from the things themselues How little dependency is on the Former let euery man iudge where it is as easie for euery man to deny as affirme and such fancies are better reserued in the braine wherein they were first hatched then bee suffered to proceed further If wee deriue our Argument as we ought to doe from the footsteppes of Nature wee must draw it either from the Forme it selfe or from some effect or propriety arising from it The former is vnpossible I may well say in any thing because the first forme and nature no wayes discouers it selfe to our vnderstanding but by the apparent Accidents much lesse can this bee hoped for in the Heauens being as far distant from vs in space as Nature If then we are left only to the later what other ground can we haue of our Argumentation then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Apparences which kind of way Scaliger in Copernicus striues to sleight or reiect as weake or deficient taking then this to bee the onely way to search as neere as wee can into the truth of their matters wee will in the third place shew how far it may oppose Scaliger and fauour our Assertion That the first Star of Aries is more distant from the Equinoctiall point is a matter which seemes to bee agreed on by all sides This Apparence must necessarily arise out of some Motion This Motion must bee sought either in the Earth as Copernicus would haue or in the Heauens That it cannot with any great probability bee in the Earth wee haue shewed in the third Chapter where wee haue proued it to haue a Magneticall verticity whereby it continually respects the same Poles The Arguments I confesse are only probable but this is an opinion which Scaliger defendeth not If wee seeke this effect in the Heauens it must of necessity which Scaliger confesseth happen one of these 2 wayes For either the stars standing vnmoueable the Equinoctiall Solstitiall points must bee moued or els the stars themselues should moue as Ptolomy defends Here I cannot but remember a merry answer of that great Atlas of Arts Sir Henry Sauile in the like question Being once inuited vnto his Table and hauing entred into some familiar discourses concerning Astronomicall suppositions I asked him what he thought of the Hypothesis of Copernicus who held the Sunne to stand fixt and the Earth to bee subiect to a Triple Motion His answer was hee cared not which were true so the Apparences were solued and the accompt exact sith each way either the old of Ptolomy or the new of Copernicus would indifferently serue an Astronomer Is it not all one saith he sitting at Dinner whether my Table be brought to mee or I goe to my Table so I eat my meat Such an answer would aswell befit this question whether the first star of Aries should bee moued from the Equinoctiall point or the point from it 't is a matter should little trouble a Cosmographer so either way might indifferently serue to salue the apparent obseruations But how Scaliger vpon this granted supposition would make all whole without disturbing the order and forme of Nature in the celestiall Machine what Regular motion he would giue the Sunne whose period describes the Equinoctiall points which he makes moueable what other Poles he would assigne to the world besides that of the Equator is a matter of a more curious search and besides the limits of my subiect The full discussion of which points as most of the rest Illis relinquo quorum imagines lambunt Hederae sequaces 17 The lesser Parallels are equidistant lines answering to the Equator which diuide the Globe of the Earth into two vnequall parts 18 These lesser Parallels are againe of two sorts either Named or Namelesse Named are such as are called by speciall names and haue more speciall vse in Geographie such as are the two Tropicks and the two Polar circles 19 The Tropicks are Parallels bounding the Suns greatest declination which is either to the North and is called the Tropicke of Cancer or towards the South and is called the Tropicke of Capricorne The Tropickes haue taken their names from the conuersion or turning backe of the Sunne because the Sunne declining from the Equinoctiall circle either North or South proceedeth in his course no further then this circle and so turneth backe so that in the heauens they are as limits and bounds comprehending within them that space without the which the Sunne neuer moues Consonant to these Celestiall Tropicks are there imagined in the earth the like immediately placed vnder them which are apparent not onely by Application of the Celestiall Globe and his parts to the Terrestriall but also out of the Magneticall disposition of the earth as wee haue already shewed The Tropicke bounding the Suns greatest declination towards the North is called the Tropicke of Cancer because the Sunne arriuing at that Tropicke is lodged in the signe of Cancer The other is termed the Tropicke of Capricorne because the Sunne touching that Tropicke is in that signe The distance of these Tropickes from the Equatour is ordinarily put 23 Degrees and 30 Minutes which is also the distance of the Poles of the Eclipticke from the Poles of the world The Tropick of Cancer as it is conceiued in the Earth passeth by the greater Asia by the Red-Sea or Sinus Arabicus and China and India But the Tropicke of Capricorne situate on the Southerne side runneth along by the most Southerne coast of Africke and that part of America which is called Brasilia Besides many Ilands in the Indian Sea 2 The Polar circles are Parallels answering to the Polar circles of the Heauens drawne by the Poles of the Eclipticke These are of two sorts either the Articke compassing round the North-Pole or the Antarticke compassing round the Antarticke or South Pole The Polar Circles as they are conceiued in the heauens by Astronomers are described by the Poles of the Eclipticke carried by the diurnall motion about the Poles of the world Correspondent to these circles in the heauens
of the inuention consists in finding out the proportion of any proportion as a degree halfe degree or the like to the number of miles or Furlongs answerable thereunto for which purpose many skilfull Mathematicians haue inuented many excellent wayes of great vse and delight 1 By the eleuation of the Pole or obseruation of an Eclipse or some knowne Starre the circuit of the Earth may be found out By the Eleuation of the Pole it is performed after this manner let there be obserued two Cities or other notable Land-marks placed iust North and South vnder the same Meridian In these two Citties or markes let the Eleuation of the Pole be exactly noted Then substract the Eleuation of the Southerne Cittie which is lesser out of the Northerne which is greater the residue containes the distance of these places in degrees which being experimentally knowne by Miles Halfe-miles Furlongs or such like measures will shew the true proportion betwixt a degree and his number of miles which being againe multiplied by 360 will shew the whole circumference of the Earth For example sake wee will take two famous Cities of England Oxford and Yorke which are situated if not exactly yet very neere the same Meridian The eleuation of the Pole here with vs at Oxford is 51 degrees and 30 minutes at Yorke it is 54 degrees 30 minutes or neere there about subtract the lesser from the greater the distance betwixt Oxford and Yorke will bee three degrees which distance experimentally knowne in miles will shew the proportion which wee shall finde to bee abating somewhat in regard of the crookednesse of the way about 180 answering to three degrees of the Meridian wherefore to one degree will answer 60 Miles which being multiplied by 360 the whole circle will produce 21600 the measure of the whole Earth The like may bee performed by an Eclipse in two Citties lying vnder the Equinoctiall circle two land-markes being once noted out lying vnder the Equinoctiall let there bee obserued in both the same Eclipse of the Moone especially in the beginning Now it being certainely found out how many houres the Eclipse beganne in the one place before the other wee must resolue their houres into degrees which is easily done for as much as to euery houre answeres 15 degrees in the Sunne Diurnall motion according to Astronomers Now the distance betweene these two Citties or markes being supposed first experimentally to be knowne will easily shew the correspondency betwixt the Degrees and miles which is here sought Another way is taught by Possidonius as easie as the former which is performed by some noted fixt Starre as Oculus Tauri Arcturus Spica Virginis or any other let there bee obserued vnder the same Meridian in the Earth two places whose distance is experimentally knowne in both these places let the Meridian altitude of the Starre be fully and perfectly obserued The difference of these two Altitudes will bee the number of degrees betwixt these two places whence we may obserue how many miles or other partsanswer to the number of these degrees betwixt these two places This way by Clauius is preferred before the former for as much as it requires not in any place the knowledge of the Eleuation of the Pole which in any place cannot be certainely knowne without long and diligent search and obseruation As for Geographicall Tables they are not alwayes at all times to be had at least worthy credit 2 By the obseruation of the Noone-shadowes the measure of the Earth may be found out This way was inuented by Eratosthenes a famous Mathematician who by obseruation of the Noone-shadowes obserued at the same time at two diuerse places situate vnder the same Meridian found out the circumference of the Earth The places which he chose for this purpose were Siene and Alexandria situated vnder the same Meridian the one inclining to the South the other to the North. The Distance betwixt these two places is supposed to be knowne whence hee proceeded in this manner First he erected a Gnomon at right Angles on the plaine of the Horizon when the Sunne was in the beginning of Cancer called the Solstice from which he imagined two Rayes or Beames to be cast at Noone the one passing by Siene the most Southerne part the other by Alexandria the most Northerne so that at Siene the Sun being then in the Solstice passed into the Center of the world the place being supposed to haue beene situate vnder the Tropicke The other passed by the Vertex of the said Gnomon whence by proportion of the shadow to the Gnomon by a Geometricall kinde of working he found out the place betweene Alexandria and Siene which demonstration formoreeuidence wee will here set downe Let there bee in the Earth described a circle passing by Alexandria and Siene in which let A bee the place where Alexandria stands B the place of Siene the Gnomon or Style erected at Alexandria AD The Sun-beame carried to the Center of the world at Siena FBC The Sunne-beame passing by the Vertex or toppe of the Gnomon seated at Alexandria EDG casting his shadow AG toward the North let the Gnomon be conceaued to bee prolonged vnto the Center C Now for as much as in the Triangle ADG the Arch AG without any sensible difference may bee taken for a Right line hauing an insensible magnitude in regard of the whole Earth and the Angle A is a right angle and the two sides AD and AG knowne the former by supposition being a Gnomon taken at our pleasure the latter by any measure or at least by the knowne proportion of the shadow to the Gnomon according to the Doctrine of Triangles the Angle ADG will bee knowne For whereas the sides AD and AG are supposed to be knowne their Quadrants also will be knowne which being equall to the square made of DG by the 47 proposition of the 1 of Euclide the right side DG will easily be knowne out of these grounds by the doctrine of the Sines and Tangents is easily found out the Angle ADG and by consequence the alternate Angle ACB which by the 27 of the first of Euclide is equall vnto it for as much as the two Radii FBC and FDG may be supposed to bee Parallels in so small a distance as Alexandria Siene compared with the Sun the Angle being knowne the Arch AB subtended to the Angle C will also be knowne which is the space intercepted betwixt Siene and Alexandria and for example sake if Eratosthenes as some write found out the Arch AB to containe in degrees 85 and experience had taught the length of the Iourney betwixt these Citties to haue contained 6183 ½ Furlongs It would appeare by the Golden Rule that 360 degrees containing the whole circuit of the Earth must proportionally answer to 252000 Furlongs 1 The opinions of Cosmographers concerning the measure of the Earth are diuerse which is chiefely to be imputed to their errour in obseruing the distances of places
circle the Diameter being the ground of the Quadrature of a circle is a matter which hath set a work the greatest wits of the world hauing notwithstanding as yet by no man been brought to discouery in so much as Pitiscus and other good Mathematicians might well doubt whether euer it would come to light Nâ—uerthelesse where exactnesse cannot bee found wee must come as neere as we can The neerest proportion in numbers which any could yet light on is as 22 to 7 which in so great and massie a body as the Earth may passe without any sensible or explicable errour Supposing then out of our precedent Suppositions the whole circuit of the earth to bee 21600 Italian-miles which is the common opinion now receaued I multiply according to the golden Rule 21600 by 7 whence will arise 151200 which being diuided by 22 the Quotient will render 6872 11 8 which is the Diameter or thicknesse of the Earth some lesse curious are content to take only the third part of the circumference for the Diameter which will be 7200 which account is lesse exact yet sufficient for an ordinary Cosmographer for as much as 328 miles which is the difference is of no great moment in the measure of the whole Earth 2 By the knowne height of some mountaine without the knowledge of the circumference of the Earth the Diameter may be found out This is a way inuented by Maurolycus which proceeds in a contrary manner to the former because the former by the circumference first supposed to be known shewes vs a way to find out a Diameter but this first seeks out the Diameter by which wee may finde out the circumference the practise is in this manner Let the circuit of the Earth be conceaued to be BCD as we see in this Figure in which let there be chosen an high Mountain whose Altitude AB may bee knowne by the rules of measuring altitudes then from the Mountaines top A by the rules of measuring longitudes must the whole space of Sea or Land bee measured so far as it can be seene so that the visuall Beame AC may touch the Superficies of the Earth in C let the space theÌ„ which is seene in the Earth be BC which although in it selfe it bee crooked and not plaine yet can it not sensibly differ from a Plaine for as much as the Arch BC is extraordinarily little if compared with the whole Earth These grounds thus laid we must proceed by a Geometricall manner of argumentation in this sort Here are to bee obserued foure right lines whereof the first is AB the heigth of the mountaine obserued the second is the visuall Ray AC the third AD consisting of the height of the mountaine and the Diameter of the Earth The fourth BC the distance which is seene for as wee haue shewed it may without sensible errour bee taken for a right line Now for as much as AB BC are knowne their Quadrates by the 47 proposition of the first of Euclide will also bee knowne which being equall to the square of AC the square of the right line AC will likewise bee knowne But the square of the right line AC sith it toucheth the circle will be equall to a Right Angle Figure contained vnder DA AB wherefore the right angle so conceaued will be knowne But AB is the knowne heigth of the mountaine wherefore the right line AD will easily be knowne if wee diuide the knowne right Angle contained vnder AB AD by the right line AB for the Quotient will giue the right line AD from which if wee subduct AB the knowne height of the mountaine then will remaine the Diameter of the Earth BD which was here to be performed from this inuention will arise this Corollary 1 The Diameter of the Earth first supposed to be knowne the circumference may be found out in this manner as 7 is in proportion to 22 so is the Diameter to the Circumference 2 Wherefore let the knowne number of the Diameter be multiplied by 22 and the Product be diuided by 7 the quotient will giue the Circumference As for example according to our former instance Let vs suppose the Diameter of the Earth to bee 6872 8 11 this number being multiplied by 22 will produce 15120 which product diuided by 7 wee shall finde in the Quotient 21600 which is the circumference of the Earth 7 The compound dimensions according to which the Spheare of the Earth is proposed to bee measured are either the Superficies or the Solidity 8 The Superficies is againe twofold either Plaine or Conuexe the Plaine is the space included in the Perimeter 9 The plaine Superficies may be found out two wayes either by the Circumference or the Diameter both which wayes taught in these Rules 1 If the whole circumference bee multiplied in it selfe and the product bee diuided by 12 4 7 the quotient will shew the Superficies included in the circle As in the former example wee will take the Circumference of the Earth to be 21600 Italian-miles let this number be multiplied in it selfe and the product thereof diuided by 12 4 7 the Quotient will amount vnto 9278180 which is the plaine superficies of the Earth 2 If the Semi-Diameter of a circle be multiplied by the halfe part of the Circumference there will arise the measure of the Plaine Superficies contained in the Circumference The reason hereof is shewed by Clauius in his Tract de Isoperimetris Proposit. 4. where is demonstrated that a Right Angle figure comprehended of the Semi-Diameter of any circle and the halfe of the Circumference will be equall to the Circle it selfe of whose parts it is comprehended 10 So much concerning the Plaine Superficies the knowledge and inuention of the Conuexe may bee performed two wayes either by the Diameter and Circumference or else by the Space contained within the Circumference according to these Propositions 1 If the Circumference and Diameter be multiplied the one into the other the product will shew the number of square miles in the face of the Terrestriall Globe As for example let the Diameter of the Earth containing according to the common account 80111 9 12 furlongs bee multiplied by the whole circumference which is 252000 there will arise the Conuexe Superficies of the whole earthly Spheare which is 20205818181 9 11. 2 If the space contained in the greatest circle in the Spheare bee multiplied by 4 there will bee produced the whole conuexe Superficies of the Spheare How to finde out the space or plaine Superficies is a matter taught before which being once found is easily multiplied by 4 and so will giue vs the number sought 11 The last and greatest compound Dimension according to which the Earth is measured is the Solidity consisting of Length Bredth and Height or Thicknesse This may bee found out two wayes either by the Diameter and Conuexe Superficies first supposed to be known or by the knowledge of a great circle without supposing
the Supperficies to be first knowne both wayes shall bee expressed in these Propositions 1 If the Semidiameter of the Spheare be multiplied into the third part of the Conuex Superficies of the said Spheare there will arise the whole Solidity of the Earth This is demonstrated by Geometricians For a solide Rectangle compreheÌ„ded of the Semidiameter of the Spheare and the third of the CoÌ„uex Superficies of it will be equall to the Spheare it selfe As for example if the Semidiameter of the earth containing 40090 10 11 Furlongs bee multiplied by the third part of the Conuex Superficies containing to wit 67352727 3 11 there will arise the solidity of the earth which will containe 27002-3 06611570 3 11 Cubicke Furlongs That is the solidity of the earth will comprehend so many Cubes cantaining euery side so many Furlongs as there are vnities in the said number For the Areae or spaces comprehended of Solide figures are measured by the Cubes of those lines by whose squares the Conuexe Superficies of those lines are measured 2 If the greatest circle bee multiplied by â…” of the whole Diameter the product will shew the solidity of the Spheare This way is also demonstrated by Clauius in the same tract of measuring Magnitudes It may Arithmetically bee deduced in this sort If any Spheare whatsoeuer hath a Diameter of 14 Palmes and should bee multiplied by 3 1 7 the circumference of the greatest circle containing it will be found to be 44 whose halfe being 22 if it be multiplied into the Semidiameter 7 there will arise the Superficies of the greatest circle 154 which number if wee multiply by two third parts of the Diameter that is by 9â…“ there will bee produced the solidity of the said Spheare to wit consisting of 1437 â…” Cubicke palmes In the like sort may wee worke by miles or furlongs in measuring the whole terrestriall Globe which is a more conuenient measure for the massie Globe of the Earth CHAP. IX Of the Zones Climates and Parallels 1 OF the Measure of the Earth we haue treated in our former Chapter In the next place wee must speake of the Distinction of the Terrestriall Spheare which is either in regard of Spaces or Distances 2 Spaces are portions in the Spheare bounded by the Parallell circles such as are the Zones Climats and Parallels 3 These are againe considered two wayes either in themselues or else in their Adiuncts or Inhabitants belonging to them 4 A Zone is a space included betwixt two lesser and named circles or else betwixt a lesser circle and the Pole of the world The spaces into which the Terrestriall Spheare is diuided are either Greater or Lesser The Greater is a Hemispheare which ariseth out of one only circle by it selfe without the Combination of more Such are chiefly of three sorts The first is made by the Equatour which diuides the whole Globe into the north and the South Hemispheare The second is of the Meridian whose office it is to part the Earth into the Easterne and Westerne Hemispheares The third of the Horizon which diuides the Spheare into the vpper and lower halfes But these parts arising as I said out of one only circle are handled before with the circles themselues In this place wee are to speake of such parts as arise out of the Combination and respect of circles one with another Such as are the Zones Climats and Parallels A Zone signifies as much as a girdle or band because by it the spaces in the Earth are as it were with larger bands compassed about The Grecians haue sometimes giuen this name Zone to the Orbs of the Planets as Theon Alexandrinus in his Comment on Aratus in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are saith he in the Heauens seauen Zones not contorminate with the Zodiacke whereof the first is possessed by Saturne the second by Iupiter c. But this acception of the name is far off from our purpose The name Zone as it is with vs in vse is by the Latine Poëts rendred sometimes Facia sometimes Plaga both signifying one and the selfe-same thing which is as much as a space comprehended within two Named and lesser Parallels or at least betwixt such a Parallell and the Pole it selfe because as wee shall shew hereafter Zones are of two sorts These Zones are in number fiue which diuision hath beene familiar with our Latine Poëts as may appeare by these verses of Virgil. Quinque tenent coelum Zonae quarum vna corusco Semper Sole rubens torrida semper ab Igne Quam circum extremae dextrâ laeuáque trahuntur Caerule â glacie concretae atque imbribus atris Has inter Mediamque duae Mortalibus aegris Munere concessae Diuûm c. Fiue Zones ingirt the Skies whereof one fries With fiery Sun-beames and all scorched lies 'Bout which the farthest off on either hand The blew-eyed Ice and brackish showres command 'Twixt these two and the midst the Gods doe giue A wholsome place for wretched man to liue Which description of Virgil little differs from that wee finde in Ouid in these Verses Duae dextrâ coelum totidemque sinistrâ Parte secant Zonae quinta est ardentior illis Sic onus inclusum numero distinxit eodem Cura Dei totidemque Plagae tellure premuntur Quarum quae Media est non est habitabilis aestu Nix â—egit alta duas totidem inter vtramque locauit Temperiemque dedit mista cum Frigore Flamma Two Girdles on the right hand on the left As many cut the Skies more hot's the fift So God diuiding with an equall hand Into so many parcels cuts the land The midst through heat affords no dwellers Ease The deepe snow wraps vp two but betwixt these And the other Regions are two places set Where frosts are mixt with fires and cold with heat But because this enumeration and description of the Zones set downe by the Poëts seemes too popular and generall wee will more specially diuide them according to the methode of our times in this manner 5 The Zones are either Vntemperate or Temperate the Vntemperate are againe twofold either cold or hot 6 The Intemperate hot Zone is the space contained betwixt the two Tropicke circles of Cancer and Capricorne How vnaptly these names of Temperate Vntemperate agree to the Zones considered in their owne nature wee shall speake in our second part yet because I thought it vnfit to vse other tearmes then the Ancients I will not coine new names This Zone or space included betwixt the two Tropicks circumscribes within it two great circles whereof the one is the Equatour running iust in the midst neither inclining to the North or South The other is the Eclipticke obliquely crossing it and meeting the two Tropicks twice in a yeere in the Spring and Autumne The extent or breadth of this Zone then is equall to the distance betwixt these two Tropicks to wit 47 degrees which make 2820 miles because from the Equatour to either
92 3 It is probable that the sea is carried some-where from East to West and some-where from North to South contrariwise 98 4 Of the violent motion of the sea caused by windes 101 5 To some certaine places at certaine times belong certaine winds 102 6 The violence of the winds makes the sea sometimes in some places transcend his ordinary bounds 103 CHAP. VII Of the Depth Situation and Termination of the sea 1 The ordinary depth of the sea is commonly answerable to the ordinary height of the maine land aboue the water and the Whirlepooles extraordinary depths answer to the height of the mountaines aboue the ordinary height of the Earth 104 2 The superficies of the sea is some-where higher then the superficies of the Earth some-where lower 109 3 The sea in respect of the Earth is higher in one place then another 111 4 The Water is so diuided from the dry-land that the quantity of water is greater in the Southerne Hemispheare of land in the Northerne 115 5 The whole Globe of the Earth is enuironed round with sea betwixt East and West 116 6 It is probable that the Earth is enuirnoed round with water from North to South Of the North-west passage 117 CHAP. VIII OfSea Trafficke and Merchandice 1 Nauigation first taught by Almighty God was afterwards seconded by the industrie of famous men in all ages 132 2 Nauigation is very necessary as well for the increase of knowledge as riches 135 CHAP. IX Of Pedography Riuers Lakes and Fountaines in the Earth 1 All Riuers haue their originall from the sea the mother of riuers 142 2 All Riuers and Fountaines were not from the beginning 155 3 Many riuers are for a great space of land swallowed vp of the Earth whereof some after a certaine distance rise againe 156 4 Riuers for the most part rise out of great mountaines and at last by diuerse or one Inlet are disburthened into the sea 157 5 Diuerse Fountaines are endowed with diuerse admirable vertues and operations 159 6 Places neere great Riuers and Lakes are most commodious for Habitation 162 7 Of Lakes and their causes 162 8 It is probable that some Lakes haue some secret intercourse with the sea vnder ground 163 CHAP. X. Of Mountaines Vallyes plaine-Regions woody and champion Countreyes 1 Mountaines Vallyes and Plaines were created in the beginning and few made by the violence of the Deluge 165 2 The perpendicular height of the highest mountaines seldome exceeds 10 furlongs 169 3 The ordinary height of the land aboue the sea in diuerse places is more then the hight of the highest mountaines aboue the ordinary face of the Earth 171 4 Mountaines Countreyes are commonly colder then plaine 172 5 Mountaines since the beginning of the world haue still decreased in their quantity and so will vnto the end 174 6 Of Woods and their nature 178 7 Woods are not so frequent or great as in ancient times 179 8 Places moderately situate towards the North or south-South-pole abound more in woods then neere the Equatour 180 CHAP. XI Of Ilands and Continents 1 It is probable that Ilands were not from the first beginning but were afterwards made by violence of the water 184 2 Peninsula's by violence of the sea fretting through the Istmus haue oftentimes turned into Ilands and contrariwise Peninsalas by diminution of the sea made of Ilands 189 CHAP. XII Of Inundations and Earth-quakes 1 No vniuersall Inundation of the Earth can be naturall the other may depend from naturall causes 193 2 Particular alterations haue happened to the bonds of Countries by particular Inundations 195 3 Certaine Regions by reason of great Riuers are subiect to certaine anniuersary Inundations 197 4 Regions extreame cold or extreame hot are not so subiect to Earth-quakes as places of a middle temper 201 5 Hollow and spongie places are more subiect to Earthquakes then solide and compacted Soiles 202 6 Ilands are more often troubled with earth-quakes then the continent 203 CHAP. XIII Of the Originall of Inhabitants 1 All Nations had their first originall from one stocke whence afterwards they became diuided 206 2 The first inhabitants of the Earth were planted in Paradise and thence translated to the places adioyning 208 3 The first plantation of Inhabitants immediately after the Deluge beganne in the East 213 CHAP. XIV Of the disposition of Inhabitants in respect of the site 1 The people of the Northerne Hemispheare as well in Riches and Magnificence as valour science and ciuill gouernment far surpasse the people of the south Hemispheare 221 2 The extreame Inhabitants toward the pole are in complexion hot and moist Those towards the Equatour cold and drye those of the middle partaking of a middle temper 226 3 The extreame Inhabitants towards the poles are naturally enclined to Mechanicall works and martiall endeuours the extreame towards the Equatour to workes of Religion and Contemplation The middle to lawes and ciuility 232 4 The people of the extreame Regions towards the poles in Martiall prowesse haue commonly proued stronger then those neerer the Equatour but the middle people more prouident then either in the establishment and preseruation of commonwealths 236 5 The extreame Regions in Manners Actions and Customes are cleane opposite the one to the other The middle partake a mixture of both 239 6 The people of the Easterne Hemispheare in science Religion Ciuility and Magnificence and almost in euery thing els are farre superiour to the Inhabitants of the Westerne 250 7 The Westerne people haue beene obserued to be more happy and able in Martiall discipline the Easterne in witty contemplation and contemplatiue sciences 252 8 The Easterne part of the Westerne Hemispheare was peopled before the Westerne 255 CHAP. XV. Of the Diuersity of dispositions in regard of the Soile 1 Mountaine-people are for the most part more stout warlike and generous then those of plaine Countries yet lesse tractable to gouernment 256 2 Windy Regions produce men of wild and instable dispositions But quiet Regions more constant and curteous 273 CHAP. XVI Of the dispositions of Inhabitants according to their originall and education 1 Colonies translated from one Region into another farre remote retaine a long time their first disposition though by little little they decline and suffer alteration 278 2 The mixture of Colonies begets the same Nation a greater disparity and variety of the Nations amongst themselues 278 3 Education hath a great force in the alteration of Naturall dispositions yet so as by accident remitted they soone returne to their proper Temper  4 By Discipline Nations become more Wise and Politicke in the preseruation of states yet lesse stout and couragious 283 The Analysis of the second Booke Generall which of a place generally taken without any speciall diuision handles the Adiuncts and proprieties these agree to a place in respect of the Earth it selfe which are Internall or Externall Common or Magneticall whereof Chapter 2. Heauens which are Generall or Speciall Chapt. 3.
the Scripture especially in the 8 of the Prouerbs and the 103 Psalme where God is said to haue set a bound vpon the seas which they should not passe But this reason seemes not warrantable That the great Creator of all things should in the first institution of Nature impose a perpetuall violence vpon Nature Moreouer all miracles are temporary and not perpetuall for then were it ordinary and so scarce a miracle others vpon lesse ground haue imagined that there are certaine Northerne starres in Vrsa maior and Draco of so great vertue that they can draw the Ocean from this habitable part of the earth toward the North and so constraine the waters that they cannot ouerwhelme the earth but this opinion is ridiculous and deserues no solide refutation being a meere coniecture without ground or probability others vpon the like reason haue dreamed that there is more Water then Earth in the Globe and that the water by his extraordinary masse occupying the center of the world turnes the earth on one side making it to swimme as a ship vpon the sea But this assertion wee haue refuted in our first Chapter of the first booke All these Authors suppose that the earth is vncouered toward the north-North-Pole but ouerflowne with waters towards the South which the experience of Nauigatours at this day hath sufficiently disanulled Others againe affirming out of a Peripateticall dreame that the water is ten times greater then the earth suppose the earth to bee like a sponge to drinke vp the water to proue which assertion they produce an experiment that the earth being digged any thing deepe in most places there will appeare water whence they collect that the water is mixt with the whole earth and receiued into it'â— concauities But howsoeuer wee may graunt that there are many and vast concauities in the Earth capable of Waters yet it is impossible that the Water should bee ten times as great as the Earth for by this reason although all the Terrestriall Globe were Water it could not bee but that a greater portion of Water then that in the Earth should arise aboue the Earth because according to their owne Supposition 9 partes should bee aboue the Earth Neither can Aristotles words bee well wrested to this interpretation For as much as hee vnderstood this ten-fold proportion of the Water to the Earth not of the spaces which they replenished measured by their Circles and Diameters but of the proportion they beare one to the other in their transmutation as that one measure of Earth turned into Water should bee as much as 10. All these opinions seeming so absurd it seemeth more probable to imagine that either the Waters are condensated and thickned which were in the beginning created thinne whence will follow that they should occupy a lesse place and by consequence leaue the dry-land in many places habitable or which is more probable that God in the first Creation made certaine hollow concauities and channels in the Earth which was before plaine and vniforme into which the waters were receiued and bounded in so much that they could not flow abroad This seemes enough to satisfy the search of such as are not too curious to search into his secrets whose power and omnipotence transcends the capacity of the wisest In this diuision of a place into Water and Land wee will first treat of the Sea and the accidents belonging thereunto Not that the water is worthier or greater then the Earth The contrary whereof wee haue proued heretofore but because the consideration of it is more simple as that wherein fewer matters are to bee handled then in the land For Riuers and Lakes although consisting of this watery element wee thought fit to handle apart as adiuncts belonging to the land 4 In the Sea are considered two things 1 The Adiuncts 2 The Diuision The Accidents of the sea whereof we are to treat are either Internall or Eâ—ternall 5 The Internall are such as are inbâ—ed in the Sea These againe are either Absolute or Relatiue 6 The Absolute are such as agree to the Sea without any comparison with the land such are either Figure Quality or Motion 7 The figure is the conformity of the externall superficies of the Sea whereof obserue this Theoremâ— 1 Although the whole body of the water be Sphericall yet it is probable that the parts of it incline to a Conicall figure That the whole Water according to it's outward superficies iâ— Sphericall and round is sufficiently demonstrated before in the first booke But notwithstanding this roundnesse of the whole the parts of it may for ought I see admit of a Conicall figure for as much as this hath little or no proportion to the vast Spheracity of the Water no more then little hils to the greatnesse of the Earth For the prosecution of which point I will first shew the reason of this my coniecture grounded on experience and afterwards out of the ground and demonstration of the principles of Mathematicall Philosophie endeauour to make it more manifest First therefore by a Conicall line wee vnderstand a crooked line which differs from a Periphery or circle in as much as it keeps not alwayes an equall distance from the center but is higher in the midst then on either side Now if the parts of the water standing still were in their higher superficies exactly sphericall they should by the same grounds bee concentricall or haue the same center with the whole Earth But that it hath not the same center will appeare by little dropps of Water falling on the ground which incline as wee see to a round figure yet were it more then ridiculous to say that this round conuexity of a droppe could bee concentricall with the whole Earth sith in so great a masse it is hardly sensible But here our ordinary Philosophers are ready to answer that this conformity of the water dropps in a round figure is rather Violent then Naturall because the Water being by nature moist is ready to fly and auoid the touch or drouth or any dry thing And because the Water thus auoiding the drouth cannot of necessity but some way touch it it is imagined to conforme it selfe to that figure whereit it may least of all touch This is the round or Sphericall figure wherein any body contained cannot touch a plaine otherwise then in one onely point But against this coniecture of moisture flying drouth strong enough is the experiment of Scaliger in his 105 exercitation that quick-siluer a moist substance being cast either into Water or Iron-Oare will gather it selfe to a round body notwithstanding it is manifest that quick-siluer naturally neither auoides the touch of Water or Iron for as much as the one is very mâ—â—st the other of great affinity as our Chimicks teach with quick-siluer the parent of all Mettals Moreouer it is manifest that this conformity to roundnesse is in dropps of raine falling to the Earth through the Aire yet will not our