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
Tropicke we account 23 degrees which added and resolued into miles will make the said summe within the compasse of this Zone is situate the greatest part of Africke especially that of the Abyssines which common opinion with little probability would haue to bee the Empire of Prester Iohn also many Ilands as Iaua Summatra Taprobana besides a great part of the South of America called Peruana It was imagined by the Ancients as Aristotle Pliny Ptolomy and many other Philosophers Poëts and Diuines that this Zone through extreame heat was altogether vnhabitable for which cause they called it Intemperate The reason of this coniecture was drawne from the situation of this part in regard of that of the heauens For lying in the middle part of the world the Sunne must of necessity cast his rayes perpendicular that is to say at Right Angles Now according to the grounds of Peripateticke Philosophy the Idol of this age the heat deriued from the Sunne ariseth from the reflexion of the Sunne-beames against the surface of the Earth Wherefore the heat was there coniectured to bee greatest where the reflexion was found to bee greatest But the greatest reflexion according to all Mathematicians must be in this Torrid Zone where the Sunne darts forth his Rayes at right Angles which reflect backe vpon themselues Which false coniecture was a long time continued by the exuberant descriptions of Poëts and defect of Nauigation hauing as yet scarce passed her infancy But how farre these surmises come short of truth wee shall declare in our second part to which wee haue reserued those Physicall and Historicall discourses concerning the qualities and properties of the Earth 7 The Intemperat cold Zones are those which are included betwixt the Polar circles and the Poles whereof the one is Northerne contained in the Arcticke circle the other Southerne in the Antarcticke These two Zones are not made out of the combination of two circles as the former but by one circle with relation to the Pole The greatnesse and extent of this Zone is about 23 degrees and a halfe which resolued into Italian-miles will produce 1380. The Northerne cold Zone containes in it Groenland Fineland and diuerse other Northerne Regions whereof some are partly discouered and set out in our ordinary Maps other some not yet detected For the other Zone vnder the Antarticke Pole it consists of the same greatnesse as wee know by the constitution of the Globe hauing other such accidents correspondent as the Northerne so farre forth as they respect the Heauens For other matters they lye hid in the vast Gulph of obscurity this port hauing neuer yet for ought I know exposed her selfe to the discouery of the Christian world Whether these two Zones be without habitation by reason of intemperate cold as the other hath been thought by reason of too much heat wee shall in due place examine 8 The Temperate Zone is the space contained betwixt the Tropicke the Polar circle whereof the one is Northerne contained betwixt the Tropicke of Cancer and the Articke circle the other Southerne comprehended betwixt the Tropicke of Capricorne and the Antarcticke circle Why these Zones are tearmed Temperate diuerse reasons are alleaged 1 Because the Sun-beames here are cast obliquely on the surface of the earth and by consequence cannot produce so much heat as in those places where they are darted perpendicularly if wee only consider the constitution and site of the heauens For as we shall hereafter proue this may sometimes be altered by the disposition of some particular place 2 It may be called the Temperate Zone because it seemes mixt of both extreames partaking in some measure the both qualities of heat and cold the one from the Torrid the other from the Frigid Zones 3 Because in these Zones the distances betwixt Summer and Winter are very remarkable hauing a middle difference of time betwixt them as compounded of both extreames These temperate Zones included betwixt the Tropicks and the Polar circles are twofold as the circles The northerne temperate Zone comprehended of the Tropicke of Cancer and the Articke circle containes in it the vpper and higher part of Africke stretching euen to the mountaine Atlas Moreouer in it is placed all Europe euen to the Northerne Ilands in the Articke Zone and a great part also of Asia the other temperate Zone lying towards the South is not so well knowne being farre distant from our habitation and awaiting as yet the farther industry of our English and Dutch Nauigators The bredth of this Zone as the other containes about 43 degrees which is the distance betwixt the Tropicke and the Polar circle which multiplied by 60 will be resolued into 2580 Italian-miles 1 The Torrid Zone is the greatest of all next are the two Temperate Zones the cold Zones the least of all The Torrid Zone is found to be greatest as well in regard of longitude as latitude and is diuided by the Equatour into two halfes the next are the Temperate but the two cold Zones howsoeuer equall in Diameter to the Torrid are notwithstanding least of all where is to bee noted that euery Zone is of the same latitude from North to South beginne where we will because it is contained betwixt two equidistant circles but all inioy not the same longitude from East to West For the parts of euery Zone by how much neerer they are to the Equatour so much greater longitude will they haue by how much neerer the Poles they are so much the lesse longitude for as much as the Parallels towards the Poles grow alwayes lesser and lesser The inuention of the quantity of the Zones before mentioned may briefly thus bee performed The latitude of the torrid Zone is so much as the distance betwixt the Tropickes which is Astronomically grounded on the greatest declination of the Sunne being doubled This declination being by Clauius and others found to be 23 degrees 30 scrup which being doubled will produce 47 which againe multiplied by 60 and resolued into miles will amount to 2820 though the odde scruples of many Authors are neglected The latitude of the cold Zones is also drawne from the greatest declination of the Sunne For the distance of the Pole circles from the Pole it selfe is iust so much as the declination of the Eclipticke from the Equatour to wit of 23 degrees 30 scrup to which answer according to the former Rule 1420 Italian-miles The inuention of the latitude of the temperate Zones depends from the subtraction of the distance of the Poles of the Eclipticke from the Equatour that is from the greatest declination of the Sunne being doubled from the whole quadrant in which subduction the residue will be 43 to which will answer 2580 Italian-miles 1 The Zone wherein any place is seated may bee knowne either by the Globe or Geographicall Table or else by the Tables of Latitude By the Globe or vniuersall Mappe wee may know it by the diligent obseruation of the foure equidistant circles For if wee
GEOGRAPHIE DELINEATED FORTH IN TWO BOOKES CONTAINING The Sphericall and Topicall parts thereof By NATHANAEL CARPENTER Fellow of Exceter Colledge in Oxford THE SECOND EDITION CORRECTED ECCLESIAST 1. One generation commeth and another goeth but the Earth remayneth for euer OXFORD Printed by Iohn Lichfield for Henry Cripps and are to be sold by Henry Curteyne Anno Domini M. DC XXXV TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE WILLIAM EARLE OF PEMBROKE LORD CHAMBERLAINE to the Kings most excellent Maiesty Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter and Chancellour of the Vniuersity of Oxford Right Honourable THis poore Infant of mine which I now offer to Your Honourable acceptance was consecrated Yours in the first conception If the hasty desire I had to present it makes it as an abortiue brat seeme vnworthy my first wishes and Your fauourable Patronage impute it I beseech You not to Selfe-will but Duty which would rather shew herselfe too officious then negligent What I now dedicate rather to Your Honour then mine owne Ambition I desire no farther to bee accompted Mine then Your generous approbation wishing it no other fate then either to dye with Your Dislike or liue with Your Name and Memory The generall Acclamation of the Learned of this Age acknowledging with all thankefull Duty as well Your Loue to Learning as Zeale to Religion hath long since stampt me Yours This arrogant Desire of mine grounded more on Your Heroicke vertues then my priuate ends promised mee more in Your Honourable Estimation then some others in Your Greatnesse The expression of my selfe in these faculties beside my profession indebted more to Loue then Ability setts my Ambition a pinch higher then my Nature But such is the Magnificent splendour of Your Countenance which may easily lend Your poore Seruant so much light as to lead him out of Darknesse and as the Sunne reflecting on the baser earth at once both view and guild his Imperfections My language and formality I owe not to the Court but Vniuersity whereof I cannot but expect Your Honour to be an impartiall Vmpier being a most vigorous Member of the one and the Head of the other Corporation If these fruites of my Labours purchase so much as Your Honours least Approbabation I shall hold my wishes euen accomplished in their ends and desire only to be thought so worthy in Your Honourable esteeme as to liue and dye Your Honours in all duty and seruice to bee commanded NATHANAEL CARPENTER The Analysis of the first Booke Geography whose obiect is the whole earth is either Sphericall which is two-fold either Primary which considers the Terrestriall Spheare either as it is Naturall wherein are to bee considered two things the Principles whereof it consists to wit Matter and Forme Chapter 1. Proprieties arising out of them which againe are either Reall such as are assigned in respect of the Earth it selfe which are either Elementary as the conformity of all the parts concurring to the constitution of the Spheare Chapter 2. Magneticall which are either Partiall as the Coition Direction Variation Declination Chap. 3. Totall as the Verticity and Reuolution Chap. 4. Heauens wherein we treate of the Site Stability and proportion of the Earth in respect of the Heauens Chap. 5. Imaginary such as are the Circles and Lineaments of the Globe of whose Inuention and Expression Chap. 6. Artificiall in the Artificiall Spheare representing the Naturall vnto vs which is either Common or Magneticall Chap. 7. Secondary which handles such matters in the Spheare as secondarily arise out of the first Such are Measure of the Earth with the diuerse manner of Inuention Chap. 8. Distinction which are either Spaces considered Simply in themselues in which sort they are diuided into Zones Climates and Parallels Chap. 9. In respect of the Inhabitants which suffer manifold Distinction Chap. 10. Distances which are either Simple wherein is considered the Longitude Latitude of places Chap. 11. Comparatiue wherein two places differing either in Longitude or Latitude or both are considered Chap. 12. Topicall Libro 2o. OF THE SPECIALL Contents of each Chapter of the first Booke according to the seuerall Theoremes CHAP. I. Of the Terrestriall Globe the Matter and Forme 1 IN the Terrestriall spheare is more Earth then Water pag. 8 2 The Earth and Water together make one Spheare pag. 10 CHAP. II. Of the Conformity of parts in the constitution of the Terrestriall Spheare 1 The parts of the terrestriall spheare doe naturally conforme and dispose themselues as well to the Production and Generation as to the continuance and preseruation of it pag. 14 2 All Earthly bodyes incline and approach to the center as neere as they can 16 3 Of two heauy Bodies striuing for the same place that alwayes preuaileth which is heauiest 22 4 Hence it comes to passe that the Earth enioyes the lowest place the next the Water and the last the Aire ibid. 5 The Center of the Earth is not an Attractiue but a meere Respectiue point 25. 6 The same point is the center of Magnitude and weight in the Terrestriall spheare 26 7 Euery point or center of a weighty body is moued towards the center of the terrestriall Globe by a right line 27 8 A heauy point mouing toward the center will moue faster in the end then in the beginning 28 9 The motion of a magnitude towards the center is not meerely naturall but mixt with a violent motion 29 10 The lines wherein the centers of two heauy bodyes are moued downewardly being continued will meete in the center of the Earth 31 11 Two heauy bodie of the same figure and matter whether equall or vnequall will in an equall time moue in an equall space 32 12 The Terrestriall Globe is round and sphericall 33 13 The Rugged and vnequall parts of the Earth hinder not the sphericall roundnesse of it 36 14 The Water concurring with the Earth in the Globe is also sphericall 38 CHAP. III. Of the Partiall Magneticall affections in the spheare of the Earth 1 The Terrestriall spheare is of a magneticall Nature and disposition pag. 46 2 The magneticall motion is excited in a small and vnperceiuable difference of time 49 3 The motiue quality is spread spherically through euery part of the magneticall body 49 4 The motiue quality of the magneticall body is strongest of all in the poles in other parts so much the stronger by how much they are situated neere the poles 50 5 Magneticall bodies moue not vncertainly but haue their motions directed and conformed to certaine bounds 52 6 The Magnet communicates his vertue to iron or steele if it be touched with it 55 7 The Magneticall Coition is strongest of all in the poles 56 8 The South part of the Loadstone turnes to the North and the North to the South 57 9 The contrary motion in magnets is the iust Confluxe and Conformity of such bodies to magneticall vnion 59 10 If any part southward of the magneticall body be torne away or diminished so much
shall also be diminished of the North part 50 11 The Magneticall variation hath no certaine Poles in the terrestriall Globe 63 12 The point of Variation as of Direction is onely Respectiue not attractiue 65 13. The variation of euery place is constant not variable 66 14 The variation is greater in places neere the poles ibid. 15 The magneticall Declination is answereable to the Latitude not in equality of degrees but in proportion 69 16 The magneticall declination is caused not of the attractiue but of the Disponent and Conuersiue vertue of the Earth 70 17 The Magneticall Declination hath a variation 71 CHAP. IV. Of the totall Motions Magneticall 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 72 2 It is probable that the terrestriall Globe hath a circular Motion 76 CHAP. V. Of the site Stability and Proportion of the Earth in respect of the Heauens 1 The terrestriall Globe is the center of the whole world 99 2 The position of the Earth in the center of the world may bee reconciled as well with the diurnall motion of the Earth as the Apparences of the Heauens 110 3 The Earth is firmely seated and setled in her proper place 115 4 The Earthly Globe compared in quantity with the Firmament supreme orbes of the Planets hath no sensible magnitude 118 5 The terrestriall Globe compared with the inferiour Orbes hath a sensible magnitude 121 CHAP. VI. Of the circles of the Terrestriall Spheare· 1 A circle though imaginary in it selfe hath his ground in the nature of the terrestriall spheare 123 2 The distinction of a circle into a certaine number of parts hath no certaine ground in the nature of the terrestriall spheare but onely in conueniency 124 3 By Astronomicall obseruation to find out the Meridian 127 4 To find out the Meridian magnetically 129 5 By the Incision of a tree the Meridian may be found out 131 6 The Meridian being found to find out the Equatour 137 7 Without the helpe of the Meridian to find out the Equatour 138 8 To find out the Equatour magnetically 138 9 The Equatour is an vnmoueable circle whose Poles neuer vary from the Fixt-Poles of the Earth 140 10 How to know the number of degrees in a lesser circle answerable to the greater 147 11 The sensible and Rationall Horizon in the Earth are much different in respect of the Firmament all one 151 12 The sensible Horizon may be greater or lesse according to the Nature and Disposition of the place 153 13 the Eye may be so placed on the Earth as it may behold the whole Hemispheare of the Heauens and yet no part of the terrestriall spheare 154 14 From the Horizontall circle is reckoned the Eleuation of the Pole in any place assigned 155 15 How to finde out the Horizon for any place assigned 156 16 How to finde out the Horizontall plaine 157 17 The distinction of Horizons ibid. CHAP. VII Of the Artificiall Representation of the Terrestriall spheare 1 Of the parts whereof the Globe is Geographically compounded 163 2 The vse of the Artificiall Globe is to expresse the parts of the Earth so farre forth as they haue a diuerse situation as well one in respect of the other as the Heauens 166 3 Of the direction of the artificiall Globe ibid. 4 Of the ground and fabricke of the Artificiall plaine Chart. 168 5 Of the ground and fabricke of the Geographicall Planispheares with their seuerall distinctions 175 6 Of the magneticall Terrella 182 CHAP. VIII Of the measure of the Earth 1 The common measures by which the quantity of the Earth is knowne are miles and furlongs 187 2 Of the inuention of the circumference of the Earth 188 3 By the eleuation of the Pole or obseruation of an Eclipse or some knowne starre the circuite of the Earth may be knowne 189 4 By obseruation of the noone-shadowes the measure of the earth may be found out 190 5 The opinions of Cosmographers concerning the measure of the Earth are diuerse which is chiefly to bee imputed to their errour in obseruing the distances of places experimentally according to Miles Furlongs and such like measures 192 6 How by the knowne height of some mountaine the diameter of the Earth may be found out 197 7 How to finde out the plaine and conuey superficies of the Earth 198 8 Of the number of square miles contained in the Earth 200 CHAP. IX Of the Zones Climates and Parallels 1 Of the temperate and vntemperate Zones 204 2 The tâ—rride Zone is the greatest of all next are the two temperate the cold Zones are the least of all 207 3 The Zone wherein any place is seated may be knowne either by the Globe or Geographicall table or else by the tables of Latitude 208 4 The Zones and Climates agree in forme but differ in greatnesse Number and Office 211 5 The Iâ—â—ention compared one with the other are not all of the same greatnes 212 6 The inclination of the Climates ibid. 7 The distinction of the Climates 213 8 Of the diuersity betwixt the Ancient and moderne Geographers concerning the placing and number of the Climates 214 9 How to find out the Parallell for each place 217 CHAP. X. Of the distinction of the Inhabitants of the Terrestriall spheare 1 Of the inhabiâ—antâ— of a right oblique and Parallell spheare with their properties and distinctions 220 2 Of the Amphiâ—cij Heteroâ—cij Periscij with their properperties 226 3 Of the Perioecj Antoeâ—j and Antipodes with their Accidents 228 4 How the Perioecj Antecj and Antipodes are distinguished in respect of the celestiall Apparences 231 CHAP. XI Of the Longitudes and Latitudes 1 Places enioying the same longitude are not alwayes equally distant from the first Meridian and contrariwise 235 2 The difference of Longitudes begetts the difference of times 235 3 Of the loosing or getting of a day in the whole yeere in a voyage about the earthly Globe 236 4 Of the Inuention of the Longitude by an Eclipse of the Moone 240 5 Of the Inuention of the Longitude by a Clocke watch or Houre-glasse 242 6 By the distance betwixt the Moone and some knowne starre to find out the Longitude 243 7 By the difference of the Sunnes and Moones motion to find out the Longitude of places 246 8 The expression of the longiâ—â—de by the Globe or Mappe 247 9 The Inuention of the Latitude 249 10 By the Meridian height of the Sunne to find out the Latitude 249 11 By the Meridian height of a knowne starre to know the Latitude 250 12 The expression of the Latitude on the Globe or Mappe 252 13 Of the Magneticall expression of the Latitude 252 CHAP. XII Of distances of places compared one with the other 1 Of the Inuention of the distances in longitude of two places vnder the Equatour in the same Hemispheare 254 2 Of the Inuention of
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
not backt with any necessary demonstration For it proues not thing else but the Earth to bee the Center of all earthie and heauy bodies and not to bee absolutely placed in the exact middle of the world Another reason not much vnlike the former is drawne by some from a finall cause and the naturall harmony of the parts of the world one with the other The Earth say they is of all other bodyes the most vile and sordid Therefore it is agreeable to nature that it should be placed in the middle equally distant from each part of the Heauens that one part might not seeme to complaine of this vnpleasing vicinity more then another But this reason takes as granted to matters as yet not decided First that the Earth amongst all other bodyes is most vile and sordid depending on the ground of Peripateticks that the heauenly bodies suffer no corruption a thing sooner spoken then proued Secondly that pure and impure bodies the most excellent and most vile in nature are alwayes most distant as in nature so in place which is a peremptory assertion without ground A third reason more probable then the former is drawne from the apparences of Starres aboue the Horizon It is manifest that the Starres aboue the Horizon appeare alwayes to bee of one and the selfe-same magnitude and quantity whether in the verticall point or in the East or the West or any other place whence we may collect that they differ equally in distance from the Earth and by consequence the Earth is seated in the middle of the world for if it were otherwise that the Starres in some place should bee neerer in other farther ofâ— they would some-where seeme greater otherwhere lesser according to the grounds of the Opticks This reason howsoeuer popular seemes to admit a two-fold exception First because it implies that a man standing on the superficies of the Earth is equally distant from all places and parts of the Heauens whereas the heauens in the Horizon are farther distant by reason of a whole semidiameter of the earth interposed Secondly all Starres arising in the East or setting in the West ordinarily seeme greater then in the Verticall point by reason of vapours ascending and interposed Whence wee cannot well gather the Earth to bee seated in the middest from the like apparence of the Starres when experience teacheth the coÌ„trary that they seeme not alwayes of the like magnitude Concerning the first we answer that the Semidiameter of the earth interposed betwixt the Superficies and Center is in it selfe greater But this as wee shall proue in respect of the Heauens is so little that the sense cannot gather any difference in obseruation of the Starres but that they should alwayes appeare of the like magnitude Concerning the second wee must needs acknowledge that vapours ascending about the Horizon by an Opticall Refraction make the Starres seeme greater then other wise they would doe But the reason may bee vnderstood in this sort that whether a â—an be placed in the same Horizon where the Sunne is when hee riseth or vnder that Horizon where the Sunne is now vnder his Meridian or vnder that horizon where hee is setting hee will appeare to bee of one and the selfe-same greatnesse without any sensible difference Whereas therefore they speake of the appearance of Starres they would haue them taken as abstracted from all impediments of sight or interposed vapours and so the reason may obtaine her force The fourth reason why the earth should bee seated in the midst alleaged by Ptolomie and others is this wheresoeuer any man stands on the Surface of the Earth six signes of the Zodiacke will shew themselues and the other six signes will lye hid and by consequence halfe the heauens will appeare the other halfe will bee vnder which is an euident reason that the Earth is in the midst for otherwise it could not so happen The former is confirmed by Ptolomie Alphraganus and the best Astronomers the consequence may bee inferred out of naturall reason This argument will sufficiently hold vpon this supposition mentioned before and to bee proued hereafter That the Earth hauing no sensible magnitude in respect of the Firmament no sensible difference can shew it selfe betwixt the Sensible and the Rationall Horizon Besides these reasons which make the matter more then probable others are produced by Ptolomie demonstratiue â—ot admitting any euident or probable exception or euasion The first is this If the Earth bee placed out of the Center of the world it must haue of necessity one of these three Sites or positions Either it must be in the plaine of the Equinoctiall or at least it must bee placed not onely without the plaine of the Equinoctiall but without the Axell-tree That is to expresse it plainer It must either bee placed beside the Axell-tree yet equally distant from both the Poles or else it must bee on the Axell-tree and so consequently neerer to one Pole then the other or thirdly it must needs be beside the Axell-tree yet neerer to one Pole then another If the first position were admitted these absurdities would of necessity follow First that in a right Spheare there would happen no Equinoctiall but onely in that Horizon which passeth by the Center of the world for example sake â—et there be imagined a Spheare BDCE whose Center is A let the Equator bee DE the Axel-tree of the world BC and let the Earth bee in F the right Horizon HG not passing by the Center of the world A which shall bee parallell to the Axis BC since the Equator cuts the Horizon in right angles It is most manifest that not only the equatour but other parallells of the same will bee vnequally diuided of the Horizon for as much as it passeth not by the Center or the Poles of the world wherefore it must needs follow that the dayes must continually be vnequall to the nights which contradicts all experience because in a right Spheare the dayes are alwayes found to bee equall to the nights Secondly out of this position it would follow that no man in a right Spheare should behold the halfe or hemispheare of the heauens but either a greater or lesser part as may be demonstrated out of the same Diagramme whereas sense can testifie that six signes of the Zodiacke are alwayes conspicuous aboue our Horizon and the other six alwayes hid only excepting that Horâ—zon which passeth by the Center of the Earth wherein the Mediety of Heauen is conspicuous Thirdly the same Starres in a cleere aire should not alwaies seeme of the same magnitude for if the earth be placed in the Equinoctiall plaine and beside the Axis of the world toward the Zenith or Meridian the Starres which are in the Meridian will appeare greater then in the East or West because they are neerer But if it bee placed neere the Nadir or midnight point they will appeare greater in the East or West then in the Meridian if it should bee placed towards
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
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
find it betwixt the two Tropicks we may without doubt thinke it to be in the Torrid Zone If betwixt the Tropicke circle and the Polar it will be in the Temperate If betwixt the Polar circle and the Pole it selfe it must bee in the cold Zone By the Tables of Latitude it may be found this way Seeke the latitude of the places giuen in the Table which if it bee lesse then 23 degrees 30 scruples the place is in the Torrid Zone If precisely it bee so much in the Northerne Hemispheare the place assigned is vnder the Tropicke of Cancer which is the bound betwixt the Torrid and the beginning of the Northerne Temperate Zone But if it be in the Southerne Hemispheare it will be vnder the Tropicke of Capricorne which ends the Torrid Zone and beginnes the South Temperate Zone Euery place hauing more Latitude then 23 degrees 30 scruples yet lesse then 66 degrees 30 Minutes is seated in the Temperate Zone either Northerne or Southerne as the places are in the Hemispheare If the place be precisely of 66 Degrees 30 minutes it will be iustly found to be vnder the Polar circle either Arcticke or Antarcticke Finally euery place whose Latitude exceeds the number of 66 degrees 30 minutes is seated in the cold Zone either Southerne or Northerne If it reach iust to 90 degrees it will bee iust vnder the Pole it selfe 9 Of the distinction of the Terrestriall Spheare by Zones we haue spoken we must in the next place deliuer the Distinction of the earth according to Climates 10 A Climate is a space of the Earth contained betwixt two Parallels distant from the Equatour towards either Pole Climates are so called because of their Declaration from Equatour for as much as they are to bee accounted as so many scales of ascents to or from the Equatour Some haue defined it from the vse which is chiefly to distinguish the longest time of the Artificiall day because at the point of euery climate truely taken the longest day is varied halfe an houre although this account agree not altogether with Ptolomie and the ancient Geographers before him as wee shall shew hereafter This distinction of the Terrestriall Spheare into Climates is somewhat a more subtile distinction then the former by Zones for as much as that is made by the combination of such Parallels as are principally named and of chiefe note as the Tropicks and Polar circles But this indifferently respects all without difference This first beginning and measure as well of this as all other measures of the earth is the Equatour for that which is most perfect and absolute in euery kinde ought to be the measure of all other But yet wee must vnderstand that although wee beginne our account of the Climats from the Equatour yet the Equatour it selfe makes no Climate but only the Parallels which are thereunto correspondent For as it is before shewed vnder the Equatour it selfe the artificiall dayes are all equall in length containing only twelue houres wherefore beginning from the Equatour betwixt that and the third Parallell wee count the first climate from the third to the sixt the second Climate and so all the rest making the number of the Climates double to the number of the Parallels so that one and the selfe same Parallell which is the end and bound of one Climate is the beginning of the next whence wee see that to the constitution of euery Climate three Parallels concurre whereof two are extreame comprehending the bredth of the said Climate and one diuiding it iust in the midst A Parallell therefore differs from a Climate as a part from the whole being one circle correspondent to the Equatour whereas a Climate is a space contained in three Parallels Secondly as a Parallell is conceaued to adde to the artificiall day one quarter or fourth part of an houre so a Climate makes halfe an houre so that by how much any Climate is distant from the Equatour by so many halfe houres the longest day of that Climate goes beyond the longest day of the place vnder the Equatour These Climates therefore cannot bee all of one equall quantity because the Equatour is a greater circle and comprehends the greatest space in the Earth so that it must needs follow that these Climates neere the Equatour being made by the combination of greater circles are greater then those neerer the Poles But because all Climates are made by the combination of Parallels wee are to vnderstand that there are three sort of Parallels to bee knowne in Cosmographie The first are those which doe distinguish the latitude of places taking their beginning from the Equatour and are in an ordinary Globe of Mappe distinguished sometimes by 10 sometimes by 15 degrees The second kinde of Parallels are those that make the Zones which are indeed some speciall named Parallels as the Tropicks and the Polar circles The third sort are called Artificiall Parallels because they shew the distances of artificiall dayes and nights which are commonly noted in the margent of a Geographicall Mappe which last sort of Parallels are here chiefly to be vnderstood 1 The Zones and Climates agree in forme but differ in greatnesse number and office The Climates are so called as we haue said because they decline from the Equatour and are spaces of the Earth containing two Parallells in which the longest day is varied by halfe an houre These agree with the Zones in some sort for both of them are spread by the latitude of the Earth and by Parallell circles compasse it about as so many girdles Neuerthelesse they differ one from the other 1. In Greatnesse because the Zones are greater the Climates lesser spaces in the Earth 2. In Number because there are only fiue Zones but many more climates 3. In Office vse and effect because the Zones are to distinguish the mutation of the quality of the aire and shaddowes according to diuerse Regions of the Earth but the Climates are vsed to shew the greatest differences of houres in the day to shew the variation of the rising and setting of the starres for places vnder the same Climate haue the same quantity of dayes and nights the same rising and setting of the starres whereas places seated vnder diuerse climats haue a great variation in the dayes and nights and a diuerse rising and setting of the stars for as often as the longest or Solsticiall day of one place differs from the longest day of another by the space of halfe an houre a new Climate is placed wherefore vnder the Equatour or middle part of the earth the dayes are alwayes equall to wit of 12 houres which beginning from the Equatour if wee approach towards either Pole so far as the greatest artificiall day amounts to 12 ½ we may assure our selues that wee are come to the first Climate and so forward still the greatest day of our Climate will by so much exceed the greatest day of the other As the Climates differ one from the other
Trauellers report or some small obseruation of heauenly bodies or sounding the bottome of the Sea settle our opinion and make a plaine distinction 2 The Declination of any place being knowne the Latitude may also bee found out although not without some errour The ground of this Assertion we haue formerly handled in the Treatise of the Magneticall Affections of the Earth where wee haue shewed that the Declination of the Magneticall needle is alwayes answerable in some proportion to the Latitude of the place whence it must needs follow that the declination any where being found out together with the proportion the Latititude must needs be knowne In this point I referre my Reader to D. Ridleye's late Treatise of Magneticall bodies and Motions wherein hee by the helpe of M. Briges hath calculated a certaine briefe table for this purpose But that this manner of Inuention of the Latitude of a place must needs admit of some errour cannot well be denied for as much as Gilbert Ridley and others which haue written of this subiect haue acknowledged this motion of Declination to bee in many places irregular and not answerable in due proportion to the Degrees of Latitude which diuerse friends of mine well experienced in magneticall experiments haue to their great wonder confessed 12 This much for the Internall Adiuncts The Externall I call such as are not imprest into the Earth but externally adjacent or adioyning vnto it Here ought wee to consider the Aire adioyning to any place with his Qualities and Proprieties 13 The Ayrie properties of a place consist in such matters wherewith the Ayre according to diuerse places is diuersly affected and disposed In the Ayre we ought to note a twofold temper and quality the one Inbred and Essentiall the other Externall and Accidentall â—he former whether it bee heat ioyned with moisture as Aristotle aâ—â—irmes or cold ioyned with moisture as some others I leaue it to the Naturall Philosopher to dispute The latter being that to which our purpose is chiefly ingaged and that no farther then may appertaine to the Topicall description of a speciall Countrey These accidents being so various and many we are inforced to reduce them to a few generall heads which we will couch in this our Theoreme 1 The disposition of the Ayre adjacent to a place depends chiefely on the Temperament of the Soyle Those things wherewith the Aëriâ—ll Region is affected are of two sorts to wit either the Temperament consisting in the mixture of the foure first Qualities or else the bodies themselues as Meteors drawne vp into the Aire whereof these accidentall dispositions arise That both these chiefly depend from the Tempâ—rament of the Earthly Soyle of a certaine place many reasons will demonstrate first that Meteors whatsoeuer they are take their originall from the Earth is plaine 1 Out of the name which signifies things lifted vp to shew that a Meteor is lifted and drawne out of the Earth 2 Out of the materiall composition which can no where else take this composition For either wee should deriue it from the Heauens or from the Ayre it selfe or from the Fire From the Heauens it cannot take originall because it is corruptible and therefore of no heauenly substance according to Peripateticke Philosophie Not from it selfe because the aire being supposed a simple and vncompounded body cannot admit of such mixture Not from the Fire first because all Meteors partake not of fierie nature Secondly because fire cannot well subsist but of some matter whereon it may worke and conserue it selfe which can bee no other then that which is of a glutinous substance which wee no where finde but in the earthly Globe consisting of Earth and Water out of whose store-houses the matter of all such pendulous substances in the aire is deriued These Meteors may bee deriued from the Earth into the Aire two manner of wayes First Directly and immediatly by an immediate ascent or rising of exhalations from some one particular place into the Ayrie space right ouer it Secondly Obliquely to wit when Vapours or other such exhalations are by some violence or other carried from one place into another as winde which being ingendred in one place continually bloweth into another Againe the former may happen two wayes for either this rising of Exhalations out of the Earth is Ordinary or Extraordinary Ordinary I call that whereby the thinne parts of the water or Earth are continually spread and diffused through the whole Region of the Ayre for wee cannot imagine otherwise then that at all times and places the Terrestriall Globe composed of Earth and Water continually sends and euaporates out some thinne or rarified parts wherewith the earth is affected Whether this Rarefaction or Euaporation of the water bee the true substance of the Aire it selfe as some haue probably coniectured or else sâ—me other body different from it I will not here dispute This much will necessarily follow that it proceeds originally from the Earth right vnder it This vapour being ingendred from the water or moister parts of the Earth is much varied and temper'd according to the place from which it ariseth For the matter of the Earth being various and diuerse in disposition as well in regard of various veines of minerall substances whereof it consists as of the first and second qualities thereof arising must of necessity cause the Aire about each Region to bee of the same quality Whence a probable reason may bee shewne why of two places although both like in respect of the Heauens and other circumstances one should bee hot the other cold one healthie another contagious the one of a sharpe and thinne aire the other of a foggy dull temper For no question but the minerall matter whereof the soile of the Earth consists being not euery where Solid and hard but euery where intermedled with a vaporous and fluide substance must needs challenge a great interest in the temperament of the Ayre aâ— that which is the first mother if not of the Aire it selfe yet at least of the accidentall dispositions thereof The Extraordinary euaporations I call such as arise out of the Earth by some extraordinary concurse of the Sunne with some other Starres These are many times subiect to sense which happen not at all times and places such as are clowdes windes and such like which arise not naturally by their owne accord by a perpetuall emanation but are by some greater strength of the Sunne or Starres ratifying the parts of the earth or water drawne vp to the Aire about it Now for the Meteors Indirectly and obliquely belonging to any place amongst many other instances we may bring the winde which bloweth from one Region to another which according to ordinary experience partaketh of a twofold quality the one deriued from the place whence it is ingendred the other from the Region through which it passeth Which may appeare by our foure Cardinall windes as they are with vs in England Belgia and higher Germany For first
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-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
bee performed by many stronger and abler men as it hath beene tried sometimes that a Franticke man hath broken very strong chaines wherwith he hath been bound which many other men could not doe Neither on the other side can it seeme strange that many and great exhalations vapours and spirits should be ingendred vnder the Earth For as much as the Earth is heaâ—ed many wayes Many wayes may bee specified whence such fumes should arise as first from the Sunne and Starres Secondly from the subterranean fires hid in the bowels of the Earth Thirdly in the winter-time by an Antiperistasis the heat collecting it selfe downeward to the inner parts of the Earth which was before in the outward parts of it The argument by which Aristotle would confirme this opinion is drawne as well from the time as from the places wherein Earthquakes vsually happen from the time because then most Earthquakes are obserued to bee when most exhalations are inclosed in the bowels of the Earth to wit in the Spring-time and the Autumne From the places because for the most part spongie and hollow Regions which may drinke in a greater quantity of exhalations are commonly most subiect vnto it for although many exhalations are dayly inclosed in the wombe of the Earth yet Earthquakes fall but seldome because the matter is seldome so strong and violent as to shake the Earth Wherefore some Philosophers haue expressed three principall wayes which make this Earth-quake first when a great quantity of exhalations is suddenly ingendred which for the greatnesse of it cannot be contained in so little a space for then being almost choked it seekes a way to fly forth Secondly when the Earth is condensated by cold and driues the exhalation from one place to another which flying hither and thither shakes and strikes the Earth Thirdly when the exhalation the cold compassing it round by an Antiperistasis begets heat within it and so is rarified for so being vnable any longer to confine it selfe to its former place it breakes forth and so shakes the Earth We must here note by the way that not onely exhalations are cause of the distemperature in the Earth but also subterranean fires and windes all which by some are iudged to bee of equall force in this action for the diuision of Earthquakes so farre forth as it concernes the difference of places we must vnderstand that it may be either Vniuersall or particular An Vniuersall Earth-quake is that which shakes all the whole Earth in euery part at least in the vpper face whereof I suppose no naturall cause can be giuen but the immediate and miraculous power of God such an Earth-quake happened at the time of our Sauiours Passion whereof Dydimus a graue and ancient Writer left record But that which is said to haue happened in the time of Valentinian mentioned by Orosius in his 7 booke of Histories 32 Chapter is thought by graue Authours to be no vniuersall Earth-quake howsoeuer for the large extent of it it was thought to be generall A particular Earth-quake is that which is bounded in some one or more particular places which for the causes before-alleaged cannot be so far extended because the cauernes and conuexities of the Earth where such vapours and exhalations are contained cannot bee ordinarily so great as to extend to many Kingdomes and Regions 1 Regions extreame cold or extreame hot are not so subiect to Earth-quakes as places of a Middle temper The reason is because in places extreame cold exhalations are not so soone ingendred and in so great a quantity as in other parts on the other side in places which are extreame hot the exhalations which are bred are soone consumed with excesse of heat both which may be confirmed by Instances It is obserued that in the cold Northerne parts as Olaus Magnus writes in his 10 booke and 13 Chapter Earthquakes are very seldome or neuer so it is obserued by Pliny in his 2 booke and 18 Chapter and Albertus Magnus in his 3 booke of Mâ—teours tract 2 That places which are very hot as Egypt are seldome troubled with this shaking of the Earth whereas places betwixt both which are seated in a more temperat climate find it not so strange 1 Hollow and spongie places are more subiect to Earth-quakes then solide and compacted soyles We must here vnderstand that hollow places are either such as lye open to the Aire or are hollow onely vnder and close vpward The former sort are not at all subiect to the molestation of Earth-quakes because the exhalations fly out without impediment but the latter being more apt to ingender and retaine such matter must of necessity bee more troubled This is most plainely obserued in Phrygia Italia Caria Lydia wherein such motions are more frequent To confirme this a little farther wee obserue that hilly and mountainous places suffer this violence oftner then other parts because there most commonly cauernes and concaâ—ities are more frequent then in plaine countreyes But here by the way may bee obiected that sandy and slimy countryes are many times more free from Earth-quakes then other places an instance whereof was giuen before in Aegypt wherein neuer any Earth-quake as most Authours affirme or at least but one as Seneca hath beene obserued The reason may bee giuen that sandy places without any strife suffer the exhalatioÌ„s to disperse themselues that slimy places want sufficient receptacles to entertayne them 3 Ilands are more often troubled with Earth-quakes then the Continent This haue they found to be true in many Ilands of the Mediterranean Sea and others also chiefly in Cyprus Sicylia Euboea Tyrus Angria Lippora and the Molucco Ilands betwixt the East and West-Indies The cause some would haue to bee the Antiperistasis or circumstancy of the waters which is apt to engender greater store of exhalations in the Earth But neuerthelesse that Ilands are more subiect to Earth-quakes then Continents I dare affirme no otherwise then probable because some places in the Continent seeme very much affected especially in Europe aboue other places Constantinople and Basilaea if we credite authors which haue written of this matter in Asia China and other Regions adioyning thereunto CHAP. XIII 1 THe Naturall affections of the Land haue hitherto beene declared Wee are in the next place to treate of the Ciuill Those wee terme Ciuill which concerne the Inhabitants 2 An Inhabitant is a man dwelling in a certaine place The name of an Inhabitant as we haue before noted may be taken either generally for any liuing creature residing in a certaine place in which sense Brute beasts may be called Inhabitants which signification is only metaphoricall or else for a Reasonable liuing creature whose abode is setled in any place or Region in which sense we here take it The consideration of the Inhabitants we haue reserued for this last Treatise following as well the methode of the first creation as of Moses in the narration For God proceeding in the first Creation according to the
the concauities and hollowgapings of the Earth are euery-where choaked and filled vp with Water whose superficies is Sphaericall and therefore helpes together with the Earth to accomplish perfect this Terrestriall Spheare To confirme which opinion these reasons out of common experience may be alleadged The first is drawn-from the parts of Earth and Water For we may euery-where obserue that a portion of Earth and another of Water being let fall will descend in the same right line toward the same center whence we may euidently conclude that the Eearth Water haue one and the selfe-same center of their motion and by a consequence conspire to the composition of one and the selfe-same Spheare Secondly to a like Arch or space in the Heauens is found answerable alike Arch in the Terrestriall Globe whether it bee measured by the Earth or Water which could not happen were they not accounted parts of the same Spheare The third reason may bee drawne from the Ecclipse of the Moone wherein the part of the Moone shadowed obscured is obserued to be one Sphaericall or round-figure This shadow by the consent of all Astronomer's is caused by the Terrestriall Spheare interposed betwixt the Sun and the Moone intercepting the Sun-beames which should illuminate the Moone and the shadowes imitate the opacous bodies whence they arise But in the Ecclipse we find only the shadow of one body or Spheare and therefore according to the ground of the Opticks we may conclude the body whereof such a shadow proceedeth to be but one and the selfe-same Spheare 8 The Forme of the Terrestriall Spheare is the naturall Harmony or order arising from the parts working together We ought here to remember what we said before that the Earth and the Water concurre together to make one Terrestriall Spheare wherefore the whole being accounted one coacernated and collected Body made of two other we are not to expect an Internall Essentiall and Specificall Forme such as Aristotle recounts amongst the principles of a Naturall Body but only such a one as in it self is Externall and Accidentall yet concurring as it were Essentially to the constitution of the Terrestriall Spheare whose Fabricke and first composition cannot well be vnderstood without it Some haue imagined the whole Globe of the Earth to bee informed with one Internall and Essentiall Forme which opinion seemes to haue much affinity with that of Plato's concerning the Soule of the World Not that Plato and his followers were so absurd to defend that the World with all his parts was animated with a true vitall Soule in the nature of a liuing Creature but that all the members of it were vnited together quickned and disposed by a certaine Energeticall power or vertue which had great resemblance and representation of the Soule of man Which assertion seemes to be restored and embraced by our late Magneticall Philosophers whose opinion we shall discusse and examine hereafter in place conuenient In the meane time grounding our discourse on knowne principles we can admit no other Forme in the Spheare of the Earth then the mutuall Harmony order and concent of the parts concurring together and working the perfection perpetuation of the whole A fit resemblance whereof we may obserue in an artificiall Clock Mill or such like great Engine wherein euery part duly performing its owne office there will arise and result a naturall Harmony whch not vnaptly may bee termed the Forme of the whole Engine Why the World should not consist of an Internall and Essentiall Forme sundry reasons haue been alleadged by our common Philosophers First because Nature neuer attempteth any thing in vaine or without a determinate end But the particular Formes of speciall Bodies say these Philosophers are sufficient for the vnity and conformation of this Terrestriall Globe so that to grant an vniuersall Forme of the whole were to multiply causes without any necessity make Nature the Mother of superfluity which to all Philosophers seemes most absurd Secondly if this were admitted the whole Spheare of the Earth would bee as one continuate Body whose parts should as it were suffer a fellow-feeling one of the other Thirdly it were a difficult matter to assigne to what kind such a Forme might be reduced whether Animate or Inanimate If Inanimate whether it were simple or compound If Animate whether Vegetatiue Sensitiue or Rationall vnder the which are couched many great difficulties as yet vndisclosed Whether these reasons bee of any great force to ouerthrow the aduerse opinion I leaue it to further inquiry intending here a Geographicall not a Physicall Discourse CHAP. II. Of the conformity of parts in the constitution of the Terrestriall Spheare 1 IN the former we haue treated of the Naturall constitution of the Terrestriall Spheare aswell in Matter as Forme It is needfull in the next place to treat of such Affections and proprieties as neceâ—sarily arise out of such a Constitution 2. Those Affections or Proprieties are of two sorts Reall or Imaginarie Reall I call such as agree to the Terrestriall Globe by Nature Imaginary such as agree to it by vertue of our vnderstanding 3 Againe the Affections Really or Naturally agreeing to the Terrene Spheare are assigned either in respect of the Earth it selfe or in respect of the Heauens 4 These Affections are said to agree to the Earth in respect of it selfe which may be expressed and vnderstood without any comparing of it with the celestiall Bodies 5 These againe are twofold either Elementarie or Magneticall Elementary I terme such as haue commonly been knowne or obserued by ordinary Philosophers Here is chiefly to bee considered the conformity of the Terrestriall parts in the making and constitution of the whole Spheare In the former Chapter we haue shewed that the Forme of the Terrestriall Spheare is nothing els but the concinnity and apt conspiration of the parts whereof the whole is compounded This conformity being diuers and manifold as well in regard of the parts conforming themselues as the manner of the conformity we shall particularly and distinctly treat of so far as appertaines to a Cosmographer Here by the way I cannot but taxe some defect in most of our common Cosmographers who taking the Sphaericall roundnes of the Earth for a granted supposition are nothing curious to search into the first grounds and causes of this rotundity whereby it first became a globous Body and afterwards retaines in it selfe a Naturall vigour or power if any violence should be offered to restore her selfe to her former right and perfection All which are very pleasant profitable to giue an industrious Learner some satisfaction To explaine this before we descend to particulars we will lay this ground and Theoreme 1 The parts of the Terrestriall Spheare doe naturally conforme and dispose themselues aswell to the production and generation as to the continuance and preseruation of it The forme of the Terrestriall Spheare albeit as wee haue shewed it be Externall in respect of the whole Globe yet may
we call it naturall forasmuch as it issueth and ariseth from the naturall disposition and inclination of all the parts To vnderstand which clause the better wee are to consider that a thing may bee called Naturall two manner of wayes first in regard of the primary intent of Nature as the neerest and immediate end or scope to which shee is directed Secondly in respect of her secundary intent or purpose as that which must of necessity follow the former True it is that euery Terrene Body according to Natures first intention seeks and works it 's owne perfection and conseruation Neuerthelesse according to her secundary Intent it concurres to the perfection and good of the whole vniuerse which we shall plainely see in a stone or clodd of earth which separated and remoued from it's mother the Spheare of the Earth by his descent and falling downewards seeks first his owne conseruation by reuniting it selfe to the Earth whence it was taken Secondly of the whole Globe of the Earth which by this vnion and addition no doubt is made more compleat and perfect This conformity of the Terrestriall parts out of which ariseth the Earths Sphaericity I call the naturall inclination they haue to moue and settle themselues in such a site or position as may bring forth a Sphaericall consistency so that if it were possible as what cannot be to Gods Almighty power that the whole Globe of the earth were dissolued and rent into little peeces yet were that vigor and motiue inclination remaining in the parts whereby they might settle and conforme themselues to the same Sphaericall nature and composition which it formerly enioyed For all the parts thus supposed to be distracted would no question meet together conforme themselues to the same point or Center and so equally poising themselues would restore the same Spheare so dissolued So that wee here note a double inclination and motion of earthly bodies first by a Right line of the parts tending towards the Center the other Sphericall of the whole Spheare whereof the first in nature preceedes the composition of the Spheare the other followes But this latter motion I leaue doubtfull till place conuenient 6 The conformity of the Terrene parts is twofold Primarie or Secondary The former is that whereby all earthly bodies are by a right line carried and directed to the Center of the Terrestriall Globe As in an Artificiall Spheare or circle drawne by a Geometrician their principall parts are expressed to wit the Center Ray and circumference so in the Naturall Globe of the Earth these three as it were Naturally Really discouer themselues vnto vs. For first there is set a fixt point to which all heauy bodies moue and conforme themselues Secondly there is set the line or Radius in which such bodies are carryed and conueyed Thirdly the confluence of all these parts begets the roundnesse and Sphaericall forme To begin first with that which is first in nature we will take these grounds 1 All Earthly Bodies incline and approach to the Center as neere as they can This proposition so farre forth as it concernes the two Elements of Earth and Water is confirmed by common experience and therefore needs no long demonstration For we see plainly that not only these two doe incline as much as may be all obstacles being remoued to the Center of the Earth but also all mixt bodies compounded of them being ouerswayed with the most predominant element doe challenge to theÌ„selues the same motion I say not that all these Terrestriall bodies driue meeâ— in the Center for that were impossible that all this massy Spheare should bee contracted to one point but that all the parts haue a mutuall inclination to approach as neere the Center as the necessity of the place and the concurrence of them amongst themselues will suffer By these Terrestriall Bodies which inioye this motion and inclination wee vnderstand first the two Elements of Earth and Water with all other bodies arising out of their mixture To these I may adde the Ayre which by reason of his affinity with the Earth and Water and naturall coÌ„formity to the same Center we may well tearme an earthly body It is commonly reported that the Ayre is lâ—ght and therefore carried vpwards not inclining at all to the Center of the Terrestriall Globe as the parts of these two Elements are But this assertion although bolstred vp both with antiquity and authority I take either to bee false or misunderstood and that I speake no more herein than I can proue I will produce some reasons strong enough as I thinke to perswade that the Ayre is a heauy body hauing a due inclination and conformity to the Center of the Earth First therefore will I produce this experiment When a Well or deepe Trench is digged vp in the earth I would willingly demand whether the Aire descends to fill up this Trench or concauity or else a void space is left vnfurnished of any naturall body to fill it If they admit the latter they will consequently bring in againe that vacuum or void space which Arist. and all sound Philosophers haue long since proscribed the confines of nature If they affirme the former that the Ayre descends to fill vp this empty space I will aske againe whether this descent of the Ayre be violent or naturall If they say Naturall they admit our assertion that the Ayre naturally descends towards the Center and so by consequence that it is heauy and not light by nature Neither according to our Peripateticall-Philosophy can wee ascribe more than one motion to the Aire because it is a ground generally receaued among Aristoteleans that One simple body can claime but one simple motion much lesse one simple forme as that of the Aire can produce two opposite and contrary motions such as are Ascent and Descent of the same body If they chance to light on the other member of our distinction and say that the motion of the Aire in this sort is violent it must needs follow that it must haue some externall cause or principle whence it should proceed because all such motions proceed from externall causes But here no such cause can be assigned For the cause would bee either the Earth which is so made hollow or the emptinesse or vacuum or at least the other parts of the Aire That it is not the Earth may be proued first because no Philosopher hath euer shewed any such Attractiue power to reside in the Earth but rather the contrary because the Earth and Ayre by most haue beene thought opposite in nature and repugnant one to the other Secondly because Philosophy teacheth that no agent can worke vpon a separate and distinct patient except there be a meeting of the Agent and Patient in some meane But here in this supposition the Earth is imagined to drawe and attract the Aire which as yet it toucheth not That this externall cause is not the Vacuum or Emptinesse is plaine because it
the Persians was there obserued an Ecclipse at the fifth houre of the night which selfe-same Ecclipse was seene in Carthage at the second which to any man appeares plainly in this figure here inserted In like manner an Ecclipse of the Sunne at Campania which was obserued betwixt 8 and 9. was as Pliny reports seene in Armenia betwixt 10 and 11 of the clocke Whence may be gathered that this difference of appearance arose from the roundnesse of the Earth interposing it selfe betwixt these two places Another reason to proue the Spericall figure of the Earth is drawne from the Ecclipse of the Moone wherein the obscured point is described by a Sphericall figure which must needs argue that the body which causeth the shadow is also round For as the Optickes teach vs the shadow is wont to follow and imitate the opacous body whence it proceedes and all men confesse that the Ecclipse of the Moone is made by the interposition of the Spheare of the Earth betwixt the Sun Moone intercepting the beames of the Sun which should illustrate lighten the Moone The third reason may be taken from the absurdities which would follow should we admit any other figure besides For granting it to be plaine as some of the Platonists haue imagined it would necessarily follow in reason 1 That the Eleuation of the Pole would bee the same in all the parts of the Earth 2 That there Would bee the same face and appearance of the Heauens in all places 3 That the Sunne and Moone with other starres would in all places arise alike at the same houres 4 That all Ecclipses would appeare to all places at the same houres 5 That the same quantity of dayes nights would bee at all places 6 That the shadowes would bee euery where alike and one Region would not bee hotter or colder then another all which would plainly stand opposite to reason and experience As many or more would proue the absurdities of those that ascribe to the Earth any other figure then Sphericall Which I willingly passe ouer as not willing to fight with shadowes and faigne an opposition where I scarce finde an aduersary These reasons are sufficient to proue that the whole masse of the Earth is Sphericall Diuers other popular arguments may be drawne from the finall cause to countenance this Assertion For no other figure can bee assigned to the Earth which can more vphold the order of Nature or speake the wisdome of the Omnipotent Creator 1 Because such a Figure would best beseeme the Earth the seate and dwelling-place of all liuing Creatures which is most capable because otherwise the God of Nature would seeme to doe something in vaine and without cause Forasmuch as the same capacity might bee confined within stricter bounds Now it is apparant to all Mathematicians that amongst all those figures which they call Isoperâ—â—etrall a Circle is the most capable and amongst the rest those which approâ—ch neerest vnto a circle And as wee esteeme of a circle described in a plaine surfâ—ce so must we iudge in solides of a Spheare Which profitable Geometry of Nature wee shall finde instilled into most liuing Creatures who by a certaine Naturall Instinct without the vse of Reason make their Nests and resting-places of a Sphericall Figure as most conuenient and of greatest capacity as experience shewes vs in the Nests of Birds and Bee-Hiues wherein the cells are fashioned round Sphericall 2 We shall find the holy Scriptures consonant to this opinion in diuers places but that it might seeme impiety to vse those sacred helpes in a matter out of controuersie and needing no such Demonstration 2 The rugged and vnequall parts of the Earth hinder not the Sphericall roundnesse of it It is thought by ignorant people that the Earth is not round because of the rugged and vneuen parts of the superficies of it For some-where it swells with great and high mountaines rocks and hills Other-where it seemes indented and as it were trenched into valleyes concauities all which seeme to detract from a true Sphericall superficies because in such a one euery line drawne from the Center to it should bee equall one to the other Indeed that the Globe of the Earth is not Absolutely and Geometrically round as an Artificiall Spheare is confessed by Eratosthenes cited by Strabo in his 1 booke of Geographie whence Pliny in his â— booke cap. 21. saith that the Earth Water make one Globe not so absolutely round as the Heauens but much different 〈◊〉 also Strabo confirmes This proposition depending on these 3 reasons which follow will shew that this Inequality how great soeuer it seeme to the sight is altogether insensible and bearing no proportion with the huge vastnesse of the whole Earth The first is taken from the perpendicular hight of the greatest and highest mountaine which is seldome or neuer found to exceed 10 miles although few Mathematicians will grant so much whereas the whole Diameter of the Earth containes no lesse thâ—n 7200 English miles so that these hils compared to the thicknes of the Earth are but â—s 10 to 7200 which indeed hath no sensible proportion The second is taken from the Ecclipse of the Moone which being caused by the shadow of the interposed Earth is described by a Sphericall figure without any vnequall or rugged parts which no doubt would appeare if these parts challenge any due proportion or sensible quantity in respect of the whole Earth Thirdly some haue illustrated this by a round bowle or ball whose externall surface although vnequall and indented here there with scotches other-where swelling with knobs will notwithstanding being interposed betwixt the Sun-beame and a wall or such place giue a round or Sphericall shadow in the same wall or plaine in regard of the little quantity of these small parts in respect of the whole Body In like sort must wee imagine the mountaines and vnequall parts in the face of the Earth to bee no otherwise then as so many warts or pimples in the face of man which cannot alter his duâ— proportion or symmetry of the parts 3 The Water concurring with the Earth in the Globe is also Sphericall It is a proposition agreed on by Archimedes and almost all the ancient Mathematicians of any note that the superficies of the Water or any other liquor standing and subsisting quietly of it seâ—fe is Sphericall whose center will bee the same with the center of the whole Earth which we are here to handle because it appertaines to the making vp of the Terrestriall Globe although wee shall haue occasion hereafter to speake specially concerning the Water in Hydrographie in the second part of this Treatise The reasons to confirme this assertion beside those that in generall proue the Sphericity of the Terrene globe are diuers 1 It is obserue that Passengers in a Ship lanching out into the deepe from some Hauen will first perceiue the Towers Buildings Castles Promontories and Trees standing
Philosophy and on the Loadstone erected a large Trophie to commend him to posterity This famous Doctor being as pregnanâ— in witty apprehension as diligent in curious search of naturall causes after many experiments and long inquiâ—y found the causes of most magneticall motions and proprieties hid in the magneticall temper and constitution of the Earth and that the Earth it selfe was a meere Magneticall body challenging all those proprieties and more then haue expressed themselues in the Load-stone Which opinion of his was no sooner broached then it was embraced and well-commed by many prime wits aswell English as Forraine In so much that iâ— hath of late taken large root and gotten much ground of our vulgar Philosophie Not that in the maine scope and drift of it it contradicts or crosses all Peripateticall principles or the most part of such grounds as haue hitherto borne the stampe aswell of Antiquity as of Authority But that it hath brought to light matters of no small moment which neuer found any ground or footsteps in our ordinary Philosophie This new Philosophie I dare not commend as euery-where perfect and absolute being but of late yeeres inuented and not yet brought to mature perfection yet would it sauour of little ingenuity or iudgement in any man peruersely to deny all such Magneticall affections in the Earth as are grounded on plaine experiments and obseruation sith no Philosophie was euery way so exact but required experience dayly to correct it I intend not here an absolute discourse of Magneticall Bobies and Motions but leaue it to their search whose experimentall industrie is more suteable to such a subiect Onely I will shew some generall grounds appertaining to the constitution of the Terrestriall Globe which I hold necessary for a Geographer Wherefore ere I curiously distinguish these Magneticall proprieties of the Earth into other seuerall kindes I will set downe this Theoreme as a ground or foundation of that which followes 1 The Terrestriall Spheare is of a Magneticall nature and disposition A Magneticall Body by some is defined to bee that which seated in the Aire doth place it selfe in one place naturall not alterable This situation is supposed to agree to all the Starres especially to the great Globes of Saturne Iupiter Mars and the Sunne as also to such as giue their attendance on them lately detected by the Trunk-spectacle to wit those two Starres which moue about Saturne the foure which moue about Iupiter the two which circle about the Sunne as Venus and Mercurie and lastly the Moone which encompasseth the Spheare of the Earth But to let passe those other Globes as farther off and therefore lesse subiect to our search our discourse shall only touch the Earth whereon wee liue which wee shall proue to partake of a certaine Magneticall vertue or inclination which to shew more openly we must vnderstand that all Magneticall Globes haue some parts of their bodies which bee also Magneticall which being diuorced from their proper Spheare meeting no obstacle will settle themselues to the naturall situation of their peculiar Orbes Which wee may plainly perceiue in the Spheare of the Earth wherein wee shall find two Magneticall minerals whereof the one is the Load-stone attracting iron or steele the other the Iron or steele it selfe either ofthese two artificially hanged in the Aire or placed in a little boat on the water all incombrances being remoued will conforme settle their parts and Poles correspondent to the poles and parts of the Terrestriall Spheare as North and South This hath been found in all parts of the Earth by such as haue trauelled round about her as Drake and Candish whose Compasses were alwayes directed Magnetically in all places which they passed which we cannot ascribe to any other cause then the disponent faculty of the Earth's Magneticall Spheare as shall appeare hereafter by demonstration Moreouer it hath been obserued by such as saile Northerly and Southerly that the Magneticall Inclinatory needle in euery eleuation of the Pole is conformed and disposed to the Axell of the Earth according to certaine angles answerable to the latitude of the Region as wee shall shew hereafter This diuersity of conformity must necessarily arise either from the Magneticall instrument in it selfe absolutely considered or els from the Harmony and correspondency it hath with the Terrene Globe It cannot be the first because it should bee the same in all places and Regions of the Earth which is contrary to experience and our supposition Then must wee needes deriue it from the Magneticall disponent vertue of the whole Globe of the Earth from which vertue the whole Earth may bee called Magneticall Nay if we truely consider these Magneticall affections primarily agree to the Earth as the mother of all Magneticall bodies but afterward secondarily are deriued into the parts because as Gilbert relates it the cause of magneticall motions and affections is the magneticall forme of a Sphericall Globe which forme first agrees to the whole Globe of the Earth and so is deriued to all his homogeneall parts These parts are called Homogeneall not in regard of their Matter and quantity but in respect of their Magneticall nature and communion which in euery part is conspicuous If any man should wonder why the Earth should bee called Magneticall in regard of this minerall which seemes one of the least and scarcest substances whereof it consisteth we may many wayes answer First that although the surface of the Earth seemes for the most part composed of other materials more conuenient for the vse of liuing Creatures which dwell therein yet may infinite rocky mines of Magnets be couched lower toward the center which strengthen and consolidate the Earthly Globe Secondly wee must not imagine the Magneticall substance of the Earth to bee all one kinde of stone but various for somewhere it is hard solide as the true magnet it selfe and the iron which is nothing els but a mettall decocted out of the Load-stone for iron Oâ—â—e differs little or nothing at all from the Load-stone it selfe somewhere againe this substance is more thinne and fuid being lesse concocted as some kinde of clay and certaine vapours arising out of the Earth which bee magneticall which being brought to a harder and more massie substance will haue the same affections and motions with the Loadstone it selfe This assertion of the Earth's magneticall nature wee shall confirme more euidently hereafter where we shall proue both the Poles the Meridian Parallels and other circles to bee not bare Imaginary lines as some haue thought but to bee Really grounded in the magneticall nature of the Earth and are to be shewed in any round Loadstone wrought and placed conueniently with instruments thereunto applied 2 The Magneticall affection of the Earth is twofold either Radicall or Deriued The Radicall disposition we call that which is the first root and ground of all other magneticall motions 3 The Radicall vertue or inclination is againe twofold either Motiue or Disponent
directiue power more remarkable then in magneticall bodies especially in their Direction and Variation motions treated of hereafter in place conuenient to which for a further confirmation of the Theoreme wee referre the Reader 9 The Radicall facultie of the magneticall body being somewhat spoken of aswell in their motiue as disponent vertues Wee are in the next place to speake of the deriued motions which arise out of these faculties 6 These motions magneticall are either partiall or totall The partiall wee call that by which the parts of the Earth are magnetically moued and conformed as well one to the other as to the whole terrestriall globe 7 The magneticall partiall motions are Coition Direction Variation and Declination Magneticall Coition is that motion by which magneticall bodies are ioyned and apply themselues one to the other For the knowledge of this magneticall motion we need goe no farther then the Iron and Steele which wee shall obserue to moue unto the Load-stone and cleaue vnto it if so be it bee placed within the Spheare of his vertue This motion is commonly called Attraction but improperly as is obserued by D. Gilbert 1 Because Attraction seemes to suppose an externall force or violence by which one thing is carryed and moued vnto another but the Coition is meerely naturall as proceeding from the internall forme of both the bodies 2 Attraction supposeth the force of mouing to bee onely in the one party and the other to bee meerely passiue and not actiuely concurring to this motion whereas in the magneticall coition both parts are mutually inclined by nature to meet and ioyne themselues one to the other Not that the force of motion in both parts is alwayes equall because one magneticall body is greater and stronger then the other and then the one part seemes to stand still and draw the other vnto it although there bee in this part so resting an inclination to the other which mutuall inclination of coniunction in magnets we may easily see in two magnets of equall quantity and vertue which being set at a conuenient distance will so moue that they will meet in the mid-way Some haue gone about to parallel this Attractiue force of the Load-stone with the Attractiue force of Ieat or Amber which wee see by a naturall vertue to draw vnto it selfe little strawes and other such like matter But hee that truely vnderstands the nature of a magneticall body shall finde a great disparity First because the Ieat or Amber which are comprised vnder the name of Electricall bodies drawes vnto it by reason of his Matter whereas otherwise the cause of the Magneticall Coition is to bee sought in the forme as being too subtile a thing to spring from a materiall substance Secondly Electricall bodies draw and attract not without rubbing and stirring vp of the matter first and presently faile if any vapour or thicke body should be interposed But in a magneticall motion wee find no such matter because it requires no such preparation or rubbing of the stone nor is hindred by interposition of solid bodies as wee proue in this place Thirdly the Load-stone moues and prouokes to motion nothing els but other magneticall bodies but the Electricall will draw any little thing as straw haire dust and such like Fourthly the Magnet will lift a great waight according to his vertue and quantity but Ieat the smallest and lightest things Lastly the Electricall bodies as Gilbert well confirmes by experiments draw other bodies vnto them by reason of a moist effluence of vapours which hath a quality of ioyning bodies together as wee see by the example of two stickes in water at a certaine distance which will commonly moue till they meet together But the magneticall coition cannot bee other then an act of the magneticall forme Of the cause of it many Philosophers haue freely spent their vncertaine coniectures rather out of a feare to bee esteemed ignorant then of confidence to be accounted learned Most run vpon the forme of the mixt body which growes from the composition of the foure Elements but this opinion is very feeble and cannot goe without crouches for sith all mixt formes grow out of the temperament and disposition they adde nothing to the thing compounded but diuersly modificate what was before in the simple Elements it cannot bee imagined how such an affection as this should bee onely found in the magnet and no other mixt body Indeed we ascribe this affection to the forme as the immediate cause but by this forme we vnderstand not the forme of the mixture resulting out of the mixture and temperature of the foure qualities but the magneticall forme of all globous bodies such as are the Sunne Moone Starres and this Terrestriall Spheare whereon we liue whose natures receiued the stampe in the first creation for the preseruation of this integrity Hee that shall seeke for the originall of all formes of this kinde in the mixture and constitution of the foure Elements shall labour much and finde little and neither at last be able to content himselfe or instruct others except wee suppose a man sufficiently taught when hee heares ordinary matters expressed in exoticke and artificiall tearmes For my owne part I content my selfe with a rule of Biel the Schooleman That when an immediate effect proceeds from an immediate cause wee ought not to search farther why such a cause should produce such an effect Euey man being demanded why the fire is hot is ready to flye to the forme of fire and alleage this as the cause but should hee inquire further why the forme of fire should bee the cause of heat hee might perhaps puzzell a whole Academie of Philosophers and neuer proue himselfe the wiser For the further illustration of this motion these Theoremes will seeme necessary 1 The Magnet communicates his vertue to iron or steele if it be touched with it Experience teacheth that any iron-instrument touched with the Load-stone receiues instantly the same vertue Attractiue But the manner how this vertue should bee communicated on so sleight a touch hath been controuerted The common Philosophers haue imagined that certaine little parts of the Loadstone are separated from it in the touch which cleauing to the iron or steele cause this Attraction But that this vertue cannot be communicated by any corporall processe or any such little parts cleauing to the iron is not so easie to imagine for first it seemes impossible that with a bare touch these parts should bee separated from the magnet or at least should bee so fast linked to the iron Secondly these parts being so little and insensible cannot haue so much vigour as wee see an Iron will haue at the touch of the Load-stone Thirdly the Loadstone can worke vpon the iron notwithstanding any body interposed which is an euident signe that the iron it selfe is of a magneticall temper Wherefore to shew a reason of this effect we say That Iron is a mettall excocted out of the Load-stone which albeit it
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
industriously calculated as I haue here inserted to saue others a new labour of calculation The Meridians are more easily found by hanging any directory wier or needle ouer the Terrella one end of which pointing towards the North and the other towards the South will discouer the Meridian line CHAP. VIII Of the measure of the Terrestriall Globe 1 HItherto haue we handled the Terrestriall Globe primarily in such proprieties as absolutely agree vnto its nature In the second place we are to handle such as secondarily arise out of the former Here wee are to handle two chiefe points 1 The Measure 2 The Distinction 2 The measure is that by which we find out the quantity of the whole Earth Good reason haue we to cal this the Secondary part of Geography for as much as these accidents and proprieties we here consider arise altogether out of the former In the former Treatise wee haue diuided the Naturall Spheare of the Earth from the Artificiall But in this part for auoiding of tedious repetitions of the same things wee haue ioyned them together For howsoeuer the measuring and dictinctions of the Earth bee truely grounded on the nature of the earth it selfe yet can it not be well expressed and taught without the materiall Instrument we haue therefore thought good to consider the measure of the earth before wee come vnto the Distinction because it is more simple and vncompound depending on the lineaments and measure of one circle whereas the Distinction necessarily requires the coniunction and combination of diuerse circles as Meridians and Parallels compared one with the other as shall bee taught hereafter Whether the great masse of the earth can bee measured or no seemes a matter not agreed on by all Some haue held an opinion that it cannot bee measured in regard of the infinite magnitude wherewith they thought it endowed which opinion seemes deriued from some of the Platonicks who ascribing to the Earth another figure besides the Sphericall haue cast themselues vpon vncertainties and being notable to reduce the Quantity of the Earth according to their owne grounds to any certaine measure haue denied it to bee measurable But the ground of this opinion wee haue taken away before in prouing the earth to be of a true Sphericall nature and therefore circumscribed in certaine bounds apt to be measured Another conceit more absurd then the former is not only the common people whose condition might excuse their ignorance but of such as would bee esteemed learned who contend that the greatnesse of the earth cannot bee measured the onely reasons they can alleadge for themselues are 1 That a great part of the earth is vnaccessible by reason of steepe rocks high mountaines spacious and thicke woods moorish fogges and such like impediments 2 That the parts of it are for the most part vneuen and subiect to no regular figure without the which no measure can bee exact The first cauill is of no moment because whereas wee affirme that the Earth by man may be measured we hold it not necessary that it should be trauersed ouer by iourneyes or voyages For as much as to the finding out of the Quantity of the whole Terrestriall Spheare it may seeme sufficient to know the measure and proportion of any little part in respect of the Heauens As for example what number of Miles Leagues or Furlongs answer to any degree or degrees in the Heauens wherfore we suppose the Earth to be measured ouer not with our feet but with our wits which may by Mathematicall rules be taught to march forward where our legges fayle vs The second obiection only proues thus much that the Earth partaking of so many vnequall parts and irregular formes cannot in the measuring admit of so much exactnesse as if it were endowed with one vniforme face yet it is exact enough to contenta Cosmographer who measureth not by feet and inches but by leagues and miles in which wee little regard such a needlesse curiosity 1 The common measure by which the quantity of the Earth is knowne are Miles and Furlongs Here is to be noted that such instruments as serue for measuring are of two sorts either greater or lesser the smaller are of diuerse sorts as a Graine Inch Foot Pearch Pole and such like Some of these howsoeuer sometime vsefull in Topographie can haue little or no vse at all in the vast greatnesse of the whole Earth Wherefore the Geographer seldome descends so low but takes notice of greater measures such as are Miles Furlongs where we may obserue by the way that the vsuall measuring amongst the Grecians was by Stadia or furlongs amongst many of the Latines by miles vnder which we also cōprehend Leagues these miles are diuersly varied according to the diuersity of Countries so that in some places they are esteemed longer in other shorter which differences may be learned out of this ensuing Table The instruments of measuring the Earth are 1 Furlong containing 125 Geometicall paces or 625 feet 2 Mile which is either 1 Proper containing 8 Furlongs or 1000 paces 2 Improper which is either 1 League which is either 2 German mile which is either the 1 Old containing 12 Furlongs 2 Newer containing 16 Furlongs 3 Common of 24 Furlongs 1 Common which is 32 Furlongs or foure Italian miles 2 Greatest containing 5000 paces which is called the Suenian or Heluetian mile Howsoeuer this Distinction of miles may be many wayes profitable especially in the Topographicall part yet shall wee seldome make vse of any other then the common Germane mile or the common Italian mile To which as the most knowne the rest may easily be reduced 3 The obiect here proposed to bee measured is the Spheare of the Earth The Dimensions according to which it is measured are either Simple or Compound 4 The simple is twofold either the Perimeter or the Diameter The Perimeter otherwise called the circumference is a great circle measuring the Earth round about 5 The Inuention of the Perimeter of the Earth depends on these following Propositions 1 If two or more circles bee drawne about the same Center and from the Center to the Circumference be drawne two right lines The Arches of all the Circles comprehended within the said right lines will bee like and proportionall one to the other This Proposition being meerely Geometricall is taken here as a ground without farther demonstration whereof if any man doubt hee may haue recourse to Clauius Commentaries vpon Iohannes de Sacrobosco This principle granted will beget these two Consectaries 1 As one degree is to the number of correspondent miles or furlongs so all degrees of the circles to the number of miles or Furlongs measuring the quantity of the Perimeter of the Earth 2 Wherefore one degree or portion of the Circle being knowne by his number of miles or furlongs the whole Circumference may be found out The reason of this consequence euery Arithmetician can easily shew out of the Golden Rule The chiefe point then
experimentally according to Miles Furlongs or such like measures How many Authors of great name and estimation haue differed amongst themselues euery man may enforme himselfe out of this Table here inserted These differences wee finde diuersly related but of all others which Authors haue set forth  Authors Furlongs Miles  Strabo and Hipparchus 252000 31500  Eratosthenes 250000 31250 The circuit of the whole earth containes according to Possidonius the ancieÌ„t Arabians 240000 30000 Ptolomie 180000 22500  The later Arabians 204000 25500  Italians and Germans 172800 21600 I preferre the iudgements of Mr Robert Hues For as much as it is not grounded on common tradition but industriously by himselfe deriued out of the Ancients by diligent search and examination as by one whose iudgement being armed as well with skill in the language as the knowledge of antiquity scornes to be iniured by translation What should bee the cause of these differences is a matter which hath staggered curious searchers into Antiquities more then the former Euery opinion being supported with the names and authorities of such renowned Authors might challenge a pitch aboue the measure of my Decision only I may not bee thought ouer presumptuous to coniecture where I cannot define especially hauing so good a guide as my forenamed Author to tread out the way before mee Wherefore supposing as a ground these Authors so much differing about the measure of the earth to haue beene in some sort led by reason The differences must needs arise out of one of these causes either the errour or negligence of the obseruers in trusting too much to others relations without any farther search or else the defect in the Mathematicall grounds out of which they deriued their demonstration or the diuersity of measures vsed in this worke or finally from the misapplication of these measures to the distances whence may arise some errour out of the experimentall measuring of places in the earth In the first place it may perhaps be doubted whether Aristotle defining the measure of the Earth to bee 400000 furlongs were not deceaued by relations for as much as hee auoucheth it from the Mathematicians of his times whose authority and credit for ought wee know deserues as well to bee forgotten as their names But this answer might seeme too sharp in the other for as much as wee find them registred for Masters in their science and such as could not easily bee cosened by others impostures Neither can wee imagine the second to bee any cause of their errour for the same reason because the wayes these Mathematicians vsed in finding out the circuit of the earth are by writers of good credit commended to posterity as warrantably grounded on certaine demonstrations being no other then what wee haue shewed before which admit of no Parallogisme In the third place wee ought to examin whether the diuersity of opinion concerning this matter proceeded from diuersity of the measures which were vsed in this worke Nonnius and Pâ—â—ceruâ— would needs perswade that the Furlongs whereby they measured the earth were not the same Maurolycus and Xilander talke of diuerse kindes of paces Maurolycus labours to reconcile both but without effect First whereas they would haue diuerse kâ—nde of paces it cannot be denied but in the meane time we cannot learne that the Grecians euer measured their Furlongs by Paces but either by Feet or Faddomes A Faddome which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the measure of the extension of the hands together with the breast betwixt containing six feet which is a kinde of measuring well knowne vnto our Mariners in sounding the depth of the Sea This measure notwithstanding is by many translated a Pace by what reason let any man iudge Xilander in translating Strabo renders it an Ell Secondly for a Furlong it containes according to Herodoiuâ— an ancient Grecian writer 600 Feet which is also testified by Suidas being much later A Furlong containes 100 Faddomes euery Faddome foure Cubits A Cubit according to Heron a Foot and halfe or 24 Digits Now for the variety of Furlongs it is true that Censorinus makes three kindes For either it is called the Italian consisting of 625 Feet which is of most regard in measuring the Earth or the Olympian of 600 Feet or the Pythian containing 1000 Feet But to let passe this latter we shall finde by serious consideration that the Italian and Olympian Furlongs differ only in name and are indeed the same For the Italian containing 625 Roman Feet according to Pliny in his second booke is â—quall to the Olympian hauing 600 Grecian Feet For a Foot with the Grecians exceeds the Roman Foot by a twenty fourth part as much as is the difference betwixt 600 and 625. Hence wee see how little certainty can bee expected of such as goe about to reconcile these opinions out of the various vse and acception of the measures The most probable assertion then is that the errour was grounded on this that the distances of places mentioned by the foresaid Authors were not by themselues exactly measured but taken vp vpon trust on the relation of trauellers wherein they might easily bee mistaken For instance wee will take Eratosthenes and Possidonius as of greatest credit who are notwithstanding taxed for many errours in their experimentall obseruations whereas it is cleere that Ptolomy grounded his opinion on the distances of the places exactly measured as is witnessed by his designation of the Latitude of the earth so farre as it was discouered and knowne Eratosthenes for mistaking in the measure of distances is much taxed by Hyparchus as we find in Strabo For betwixt Alexandria and Carthage hee reckons aboue 13 thousand furlongs whereas by a more diligent enquiry there are found to bee but 9 thousand Likewise Possidoniuâ— is knowne to bee mistaken in that hee made the Distance betwixt Rhodes and Alexandria to bee 5000 Furlongs whereas out of the relation of Marriners some haue made it 4000 some 5000 as it is witnessed by Eratosthenes in Strabo who notwithstanding sayes that hee found by Instruments that it was not aboue 3750 and Strabo wouâ—d haue it somewhat lesse as 2640. Maurolycus going about to defend Possidonius against Ptolomy brings nothing but friuoâ—ous reasons vnworthy so good an author Out of all which hath beene spoken our former Corollary will bee manifest that the diuersity of opinions concerning the circumference of the Earth arose from the experimentall mistake in the distances of places where they trusted to other mens relations rather then their owne knowledge 6 The Diameter is a right line passing by the Center of the Earth from one side to the other and measuring the thicknesse of it the inuention of which depends on these Rules 1 As 22 is to 7 so is the circumference of a circle to the Diameter wherefore the circumference of the Earth multiplied by 7 and diuided by 22 will produce the Diameter The exact proportion betwixt the Circumferences of a
part of the Earth because such as dwell directly vnder the Equatour or either of the Poles although they may bee Antipodes agree not to that definition by reason the former are Antipodes only in opposite points of the Equatour the other of the Meridian Whether there were any Antipodes or no was made a question amongst the Ancients in so much that Saint Augustine in his booke de ciuitate Dei and Lactantius in his third booke of Institutions seemes stiffely to defend the contrary which opinion is supposed to grow out of their contempt or neglect of Mathematicall studies in those ages wherein the zeale to religion was most vnnecessarily opposed to Philosophie and the mistresse forsaken of her best hand-maides which ignorance of the Ancients was so farre deriued to posterity that in the yeere of our Sauiour 745 one Boniface Bishop of Mens was accused before the Pope Zachary Virgilius Bishop of Salisburg for heresy in that hee auerred there were Antipodes The matter being first preferred to the King of Bohemia and an appeale made vnto the Pope it happened that the honest Bishop for this assertion was flatly condemned for hereticall doctrine and inforced to recant his opinion yet is it wonderfull how such matters were thus decided for granting these two easie grounds First that the earth is Sphericall a proposition proued in their time 2 That euery place or at least two opposite places in the Terrestriall Spheare may bee habitable it must of necessity follow that such Antipodes must bee granted which makes me to imagine that Saint Augustine absolutely and grossely denied not the Antipodes because in setting downe the premises and grounds of our opinion hee seemed to vnderstand them too well to deny a necessary induction being a man of so great a wit and apprehension but questionlesse he thought that the Torrid Zone which by most of the Ancients in his time was reputed vnhabitable and vnpassable no man had yet set his foot in those remote parts beyond the line so that it seemed in him not to arise out of ignorance of the constitution of the earthly Globe but out of the receaued opinion of the Torrid Zone and the vast Ocean the one of which hee held vnhabitable the other vnpassable from whence also sprang vp an argument or rather an idle fancie that the Antipodes could not be admitted without granting another Sauiour and another kinde of men besides Adams posterity for if this coniecture had not taken place the Pope I suppose would neuer haue proued himselfe so ridiculous a Iudge as to haue condemned Virgilius for heresie As for Lactantius howsoeuer otherwise a pious eloquent Father the weakenesse and childishnesse of his arguments will to any indifferent reader discouer his ignorance in the very first rudiments of Cosmographie Here we may learne how farre religion it selfe is wronged by such who set her opposite to all her seruants But whatsoeuer the Ancients out of their glimring reason haue coniectured our times haue sufficiently decided this controuersie wherin such Antipodes are established both by reason and experience which matâ—er wee shall reserue to our second booke wherein we shall declare how farre and in what sense the Earth may bee tearmed habitable 1 Those which are to vs Perioeci are the Antoeci to our Antipodes our Antoeci the Periaeci to our Antipodes likewise our Perioeci are the Antipodes to our Antaeci This Proposition as a Corollary may by necessary consequence be deduced out of the precedent definition and be well expressed out of the constitution of the artificiall Globe and needs no farther demonstration 2 The Perioeci Antoeci and Antipodes are diuersly distinguished in respect of the celestiall apparences The proprieties of the Perioeci are chiefly foure 1 They haue the same eleuation of the Pole and therefore the same temper of the yeere and the same length of dayes and nights 2 They dwell East and West in regard one of the other 3 They haue contrary times of dayes and nights for when the one hath his Noone the other inioyes his mid-night likewise when the Sun with the one riseth it setteth with the other 4 They haue the same Zone Climate and Parallell but differ by a semicircle to wit 180 degrees To the Antoeci they haue likewise assigned 5 proprieties viz. 1 They inhabite the like Zones but in diuerse Hemispheares 2 They haue the same eleuation of the pole but not of the same pole because the one sees the pole Arcticke the other the pole Antarcticke equally raised aboue his Horizon 3 They haue Noone and Mid-night iust at the same times 4 They inioy the same temper of the Heauens 5 They haue the seasons of the yeere contrary For when the Southerne Antoeci haue their Summer the Northerne haue their Winter and contrariwise when the Northerne haue their spring these haue their Autumne To the Antipodes they haue allotted 3 Proprieties 1 That they haue the same eleuation of the pole though not of the same pole 2 They haue the same temper of the yeere and the same quantity of dayes and nights 3 They haue all the other accidents contrary For when the one hath Night the other hath Day when one Winter the other Summer when the one the Spring the other Autumne and contrariwise These accidents and proprieties here mentioned must be vnderstood in respect of the Heauens only The qualities arising from diuerse other Accidentall and particular causes in diuerse places of the Earth we shall differre vnto our second part CHAP. XI Of the Longitudes and Latitudes 1 THe distinction of the Terrestriall Globe according to certaine Spaces being formerly explaned we are now to treat of the Distinction of the said Spheare according to certaine Distances 2 A Distance here we vnderstand to be a direct line drawne betwixt two points in the Earth such a Distance is twofold either Simple or Comparatiue 3 The Simple Distance is taken from the two great circles to wit the Meridian or the Equatour which is either the Longitude or Latitude The diuision of Distances into the Simple or Comparatiue is most necessary for it is one thing for a place absolutely taken in it selfe to be distant from some fixt point or other in the Globe Another for two places to be compared betwixt themselues in regard of such a fixt point for as much as the former implies only the distance betwixt two points the other the distance of two such points or places in respect of the third These points from which such points are said to be distant are either found in the Meridian Circle from which the Distance is called Longitude or else in the Equatour whence we call it Latitude 4 The Longitude is the distance of any place Eastward from the first Meridian To vnderstand the better the Longitude we must consider that it may be taken two wayes either Generally or Specially In the former sense it is taken for the Distance of the whole Earth stretched from the West vnto the East
Expression and Manner of Description of Regions aswell in the finding out the Angle of position as Translation of places formerly found out into the Globe or Chart. Chap. 4. Speciall which contains the distinctioâ— of a place into Sea whose description is called Hydrography in which we are to consider the Adiuncts of the Sea which are either Internall which are inbred in the Nature of the Sea which againe are either Absolute such as agree to the Sea without any comparison of it with the Land Here we obserue in the water of the Sea 1 The Figure and Quality Chap. 5. 2 The Motion Naturall and Violent Chap. 6. Comparatiue which concerne the Depth Situation and Termination of the Sea Chap. 7. Externall which concerne Sea-Trafficke and Marchandize Chap. 8. Land which we terme Pedography whose Accidents are either Naturall which are againe diuided into Perpetuall such as ordinarily agree to the earth these againe are either Absolute wherein we haue no respect vnto the Sea Here we consider the Nature 1 Of riuers fountaines and lakeâ— Chap. 9. 2 Of mountaines vallieâ— and plaine-Regions woody and champion Countreyes Chap. 10. Comparatiue wherein we consider the Termination of the Sea with the Land Chap. 11. Casuall which seldome fall out such as are Inundations and Earth-quakes Chap. 12. Ciuill which concernes the Inhabitants of any place in whom we consider the Originall or off-spring Chap. 13. Disposition which is varied either accorâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 1 Site in respect of the Heauens Chap. 14. 2 Soyle Chap. 15. GEOGRAPHIE THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. I. Of Topographie and the nature of a place IN the former Treatise by Gods assistance wee haue treated of the Sphericall part of Geographie It will in the second place seeme conuenient to speake of the Topicall part of it 2 The Topicall part teacheth the description of the Terrestriall Globe so farre forth as it is diuided into places The nature of Topographie whereof we are to treat in this second part is discouered vnto vs not only in the name which promiseth a description of places but also in the differences set downe by Ptolomy himselfe betwixt the Sphericall and Topicall part the former of which hee cals Geographie and latter Topographie whereof wee haue spoken at large in the first Chapter of our former booke Here onely wee will note this one distinction that Tâ—â—ograhie may bee tâ—ken either more generally or specially Generally we may take it so farre foorth as it discouers vnto vs either the whole world and all his parts or at least some great and principall parts such as is an Empire Region Kingdome or such like More specially and particularly it hath vsually beene taken for the description of a very small place whose situation in respect of the heauens is not noted but of the parts one to the other such as are Cities Burrowes Townes Castles Lakes and Riuers The former whereat wee chiefly aime cannot well bee performed without the vse of the Sphericall part That latter we will more sparingly touch being an infinite taske in the whole earth to descend to all particulars which come in our way yet shall wee not altogether omit or neglect such circumstances in their due places so farre foorth as wee can leauing the rest to such Topographers who spend their stocke in the description of some particular place or Region whereof this our Age hath produced many deseruing high commendations This Science was anciently adorned by Homer Anâ—â—imander Milesius Haecataeus Democritus Eudoxius Dicaearchus Euphorus as wee finde in Straboes first booke to which afterward succeede Eratosthenes Polybius Possidonius and diuers others Which part requires little or small knowledge in the Sciences Mathematicall but challengeth more affinity with the Physicall and Politicall part of Philosophie and therefore is more subiect to popular vnderstanding then the former and may without it affoord some profit to the Reader 3 The Topicall part is either generall or speciall The generall is that which handles the generall Adiuncts of a place 4 A place is a superficiall space of the Terrestriall Globe fitted for habitation To the constitution of a place as it is here Topographically taken there ought to be a concurrence of two things which we may call Matter and Forme The Matter is the space contained or superficiall platforme of the earth whereon wee dwell The forme is the capability or aptnesse of it for habitation both which concurring together are conceiued to make a place such as wee here Topographically vnderstand for here wee vnderstand not a place Physically for the receptacle of a naturall body in which sense the Heauens and all the elements are said to haue their naturall places Neither yet Geometrically for a plaine whereon a line or figure may bee drawne but Topographically for the vpper face of the earth whereon people or other liuing creatures may inhabite This place as appeares by reason and holy Scriptures was more ancient then habitation For whereas in the first Masse the earth was inueloped with waters on euery side affording no place for dwelling Almighty God is said afterwards to haue separated and parted the waters from the dry land making the one a Receptacle for Fishes and such creatures of the deepe the other for a dwelling place for mankind and such creatures as breath vpon the land yet hath hee so prouided in his diuine wisdome that neither the Inhabitants of the land can well want the Sea nor the liuing creatures in the Sea want the land The one appeares in that wee are inforced to make vse of the sea not onely for â—ood and nourishment whereof a great part consisteth of fish but also for our Traffique and commerce with forraine Nations which is better effected by Sea then Land-voyages The latter is as easily shewed in that the fishes of the Sea deriue not onely their composition but also their proper nourishment from the land whereof wee shall haue more occasion to speake hereafter Now wee are moreouer to consider that a place may bee taken in a double sense first more largely for any place wherein a creature may liue for longer or shorter time Secondly more strictly for such a space of earth whereon mankinde may conueniently reside or dwell The former comprehends not onely the land but also the water for experience shewes that men in ships may for a time reside and dwell on the backe of the maine Ocean But the latter betokening a continuance of habitation is onely agreeable to the land Which sense howbeit it be more consonant to the common vse of speech yet for methode sake wee are inforced to vse the former vnderstanding by habitation not onely a place of conuenient residence but any other whereon a creature for a time may breathe and liue 1 The Terrestriall Spheare is euerywhere habitable It was an ancient opinion as we haue formerly touched that the earth was not euerywhere habitable namely in the Intemperate Zones whereof the one was placed in the middle of the earth
the foure first qualities of Heate Cold Drouth and Moisture whereon depends a great part of the disposition not only of the soyle but also of mans body for as much as the one ordinarily borrowes his fruitfulnesse or barrennesse of these first qualities and the other hath his vitall Organes which are the ministers of the Soule much affected with them in so much as some Philosophers haue vndertaken to define all the differences of mens wits and intellectuall faculties out of the Temperament of the braine according to these foure accidents And what Physitian will not acknowledge all these Qualities and their mixture to challenge an extraordinary preheminence in the disposition and constitution of mans body whose mixture is the first ground of health or sicknesse The second meanes whereby the Heauens may cause a diuersity of temper in diuerse places is from the speciall Influences of some particular Starres and constellations incident to particular places for it were blockish to imagine that so many various Starres of diuerse colours and magnitudes should bee set in the Firmament to no other vse then to giue light to the world and distinguish the times sith the ordinary Physitian can easily discouer the Moones influence by the increase of humours in mans body and the experience of Astrologers will warrant much more by their obseruation as assigning to each particular aspect of the Heauens a particular and speciall influence and operation Now it is euident that all aspects of the Heauens cannot point out and designe all places alike for as much as the beames wherein it is conueyed are somewhere perpendicularly other where obliquely darted and that more or lesse according to the place whence it commeth to passe that neither all places can enioy the same Temperament nor the same measure and proportion Yet wee say not that the heauenly bodyes haue any power to impose a Necessitie vpon the wills and dispositions of men but onely an inclination For the Starres worke not Immediatly on the intellectuall part or minde of man but Mediatly so farre forth as it depends on the Temperament and materiall organes of the body But of this wee shall especially speake hereafter Where God willing shall bee opened the manner of this celestiall operation By this wee may vnderstand how farre the Heauens haue power to cause a diuersity in Places and Nations The second reason may bee the Imbred Quality Figure and Site of the Places themselues For that there is another cause of diuersity besides the situation of places in respect of the Heauens may easily bee proued out of experience for wee finde that places situate vnder the same Latitude partake of a diuerse and opposite Temper and disposition as the middle of Spayne about Toledo which is very hot and the Southermost bound of Virginia which is found to bee Temperate betwixt both All which notwithstanding are vnder the selfe-same Latitude or very neere without any sensible degree of difference also we sometimes finde places more Southward toward the Equatour to partake more of cold then such as are more Notherne as the Toppes of the Alps being perpetually couered with Snow are without question colder then England although they lye neerer to the equinoctiall Likewise Aluares reporteth that hee saw Ice vpon the water in the Abyssines Countrey in the month of Iuly which notwithstanding is neere or vnder the Line And Martin Frobisher relates that he found the ayre about Friezland more cold stormy about 61 degrees then in other places neere 70 degrees Wherefore we must needs ascribe some effect and operation to the soyle it selfe first in respect of the Superficies which is diuersly varied with Woods Riuers Marishes Rockes Mountaines Valleyes Plaines whence a double variety ariseth first of the foure first Qualities which is caused by the Sunne-beames being diuersly proiected according to the conformity of the place Secondly of Meteors and Exhalations drawne vp from the Earth into the Aire both which concurring must needs cause a great variety in mans disposition according to that prouerbe Athenis tenâ—e coelum Thebis crassum or that bitter taunt of the Poet on Boeotians Boeotum in crasso iurares aëre natum For ordinary experience will often shew that a thinne and sharp ayre vsually produceth the best witts as contrariwise grosse and thicke vapours drawne from muddie and marish grounds thicken and stupifie the spirits and produce men commonly of blockish and hoggish dispositions and natures vnapt for learning and vnfit for ciuill conuersation Secondly there must needs be granted to speciall Countreyes certaine Specificall qualities which produce a certaine Sympathie or Antipathie in respect of some things or others whence it commeth to passe that some plants and hearbs which of their owne accord spring out of the Earth in some Countreyes are found to pine wither in others some Beasts and Serpents are in some places seldome knowne to breed or liue wherewith notwithstanding other Regions swarme in abundance as for example Ireland wherein no Serpent or venomous worme hath beene knowne to liue whereby Africa and many other Countreyes finde no small molestation Neither is this variety onely shewne in the diuersity of the kindes but also in the variation of things in the same kinde whereof we might produce infinite examples For who knowes not which is a Physition that many simples apt for medicine growing in our land come farre short in vertue of those which are gathered in other countreyes I need amongst many ordinary instances giue no other then in our Rubarb and Tobacco whereof the former growing in our Countrey except in case of extremity is of no vse with our Physitians the other as much scorned of our ordinary Tobacconists yet both generally deriued from the true mother the Indies in great vse and request But of this last Instances are most common and yet for their ignorance of the true cause most admirable The causes of the former might in some sort bee found out either in the Heauens or in the Elementary nâ—ture of the Earth But some speciall proprieties haue discouered themselues which cannot be imagined to owe their cause to either but to some third originall which the Physicians in their Simples more properly tearme virtus specifica If any man should demand why countreyes farther from the course of the Sunne should be found hotter then some which are neerer Why the Rhenish wine Grape transported from Germany into Spaine should yeeld vs the Sherry Sacke Euery ordinary Phylosopher which hath trauelled little beyond Aristotles Materia Prima will bee ready to hammer out a cause as ascribing the former to the Heigth or Depression of the soyle the latter to the excesse of heat in Spaine aboue that of Germany But should wee farther demand 1 why Ireland with some other Regions indure no venemous thing 2 Why Wheat in S. Thomas Iland should shut vp all into the Blade and neuer beare graine 3 Why in the same Iland no fruit which hath any stone in
holy Scripture and it is not vnlikely â—hat many of those 〈◊〉 people fetcht their first originall from them The second cause may bee drawne from the Industrie and labour of the inhabitants in tillage and manuring of the ground wherein the Soâ—â—herne inhabitant hath beene more deficiâ—nt Foâ— it is certaine out of the holy Scripture that Noahs Arke wherâ—in was thâ— Seminary of mankinde and almost all other liuâ—â—g 〈◊〉 rested in â—he Northerne part of the world whence both man and beasts beganne to be propagated toward the Southâ—punc no farther then necessity enforced the Regions inhabited gâ—â—wing daily more and more populous and as iâ— were groaning to bee deliuered oâ— some of her children Hence may bee inferred â—wo consecâ—aries First that the Northerne Hemispheare was 〈◊〉 sooner and is now therefore â—ore populous then the Southerne Secondly that the chiefest and principall men which were best seated rathâ—r chose to keepe their ancient habitation sending such abroad who could either bee best spared or had the smallest possessions at home Yet notwithstanding it cannot be imagined but they retained with them a sufficient company and more then went away Out of which it must needs be granted that the Northerne halfe of the Earth being best inhabited should be best manured and cultured from whence the ground must in time proue more fruitfull and commodious for habitation for as a fruitfull Countrey for want of the due manuring and tillage doth degenerate and waxe barren so diuerse barren and sterill Countreyes haue by the industrie of the Inhabitants beene brought to fertilitie and made capable of many good commodities necessary for mans life If I were curious to draw arguments from the nature of the Heauens I could alleage the Greatnesse and Multitude of Starres of the greater magnitude in our Northerne Hemispheare wherein the Southerne is deficient as also the longer soiourning of the Sun in our Northerne Hemispheare but these as vncertaine causes I passe ouer Other reasons may perchance bee found out by those who are inquisitiue into the secrets of nature to whom I leaue the more exact search of these matters 4 Either Hemispheare consisting of 90 Degrees may be diuided into three parts each of them containing 30 Degrees 5 Of these parts 30 we allot for Heat 30 for Cold and 30 for Temperature whereof the former lyeth towards the Equatour the second towards the Pole the third betwixt both The ancient Cosmographers as wee haue shewed in our former Treatise diuided the whole Globe of the Earth into fiue Zones which they supposed had also proportionally diuided the Temper and disposition of the Earth In such sort that according to the Degrees of Latitude the Heat and Cold should in rease or diminish Which rule of theirs had beene very certaine were there no other causes concurrent in the disposition of the Earth and Ayre but onely the Heauens But sithence that many other concurrent causes as we haue shewed mixe themselues with these celestiall operations and the experiment of Nauigatours haue found out a disproportion in the quality in respect of the Distance some later writers haue sought out a new pertition more consonant to naturall experience The whole Latitude of the Hemispheare consisting of 90 Degrees from the Equatour to the Pole they haue diuided into three parts allowing 30 Degrees toward the Equatour to Heat 30 Degrees towards the Pole to Cold and the other 30 Degrees lying betwixt both to Temperature These 30 Degrees for Imagination sake they haue subdiuided againe each of them into two parts contayning 15 Degrees a peece more particularly to designe out the speciall disposition of each Region lying either Northward or Southward from the Equatour which is the bound betwixt both Hemispheares In the first section of 30 Degrees lying Northward from the Equatour wee comprehend in Africke Numidia Nigritarum Regio Lybia Guinia Nubia Egypt Ethiopia superior In Asia Arabia India Insulae Philippinae In America Noua Hispania Hispaniola Cuba with other parts of America Mexicana In the other extreame section from 60 Degrees of Latitude to the Pole wee comprehend in Europe Groenland Island Friesland Norwey Suethland for the most part Noua Zembla In Asia a great part of Scythia Orientalis In America Anian Quivira with diuerse other parts of the North of America Mexicana In the middle betwixt both betwixt 30 and 60 Degrees of Latitude wee comprehend in Africa Barbarie in Europe all the kingdomes except those North Prouinces before named and almost all Asia except some places toward the South as Arabia India and the Philippinae Insulae formerly placed in the first Section In like manner may we diuide the Southerne Hemispheare into three Sections In the first from the Equatour 30 Degrees we place in Africke Congo Monomotapa Madagascar In the Southerne Tract Beach and Noua Guinia with many Ilands thereunto adioyning as many of the Philippinae Insulae with Insulae Solomonis In America Peru Tisnada Brasilia with the most part of that Region which they call America Peruana In the other extreame Section from 60 Degrees to the Antarctike Pole is couched the most part of that great land scarce yet discouered called Terra Australis Incognita In the middle Region betwixt both from 30 to 60 Degrees shall wee finde placed in America the Region of the Pantagones in the Southerne Continent Maletur Iauaminor with many others In discouering the qualities of these seuerall Sections or partitions of the earth our chiefest discourse must be addressed to the Northerne Hemispheare as that is more discouered and knowne amongst old and new writers by which according to the former Proposition one may parallell the other concerning which wee will inferre these Propositions 1 In the first Section of the Hemispheare the first 15 Degrees from the Equatour are found somewhat Temperate the other 15 about the Tropicks exceeding Hot. That the Region lying vnder the Equatour is Temperately hot contrary to the opinion almost of all the Ancients hath beene in part proued heretofore as well by reason as experiment for that all places by how much the neerer they approach the Equatour by so much more should bee hotter as some imagine diuerse instances will contradict It is reported by Aluarez that the Abyssine Embassadour arriuing at Lisbone in Portugall was there almost choaked with extreame heat Also Pâ—rguer the Germane relates that hee hath felt the weather more hot about Dantzicke and the Balticke Sea then at Tholouse in a â—eruent Summer The causes which wee haue before touched are chiefly two The first is that the Sun is higher in this orbe in respect of those vnder the Equatour and moueth more swiftly from them spending on them onely twelue houres whence so great an impression of heat cannot bee made as in other places for heat being a materiall quality must necessarily require some Latitude of time to bee imprest into the ayre or any other subiect From the Diminution of heat in the Region must the ayre needs receaue into
wherein euery Body seekes it's owne safety the other Generall wherein all Bodies concurre to the preseruation of the whole The former proceeds from the speciall Forme and Nature of euery Body which is performed by the vnion of all his parts to it selfe this vnion is greatest of all in a Sphericall figure wherein all the extreme parts are equally distant from the Center admitting no Equality of dimension The Generall depends from the Resultancy and Harmony of all the parts whereby is caused an vnion of all the parts with the whole to whose preseruation they are secondarily directed whence ariseth a double figurature of the water the one of a Spheare excentricall with the Earth the other also of a Spheare but concentricke with the Earth whereof this Conicall figure is compounded Why this figure should be more sensible in a small drop or quantity then in the Ocean may bee declared from the same ground well vnderstood because the conuexity of the lesser Spheare excentricke with the Earth is more and the greater is lesse for by how much the lesser is the Spheare the greater will be the conuexity and by how much greater the Spheare the lesser will the bee conuexity or crookednesse Wherefore this crookednesse being in a small measure of water very sensible in a maine Ocean will by sense be hardly distinguished from a right line 8 Of the Figure of the Water wee haue spoken Wee must now speake of the Quality which is two-fold Saltnesse and Thicknesse 1 The Water of the Sea is salt not by Nature but by Accident That the Sea is of a saltish Quality no man hath euer doubted at least in most parts But whether this saltish Quality essentially agrees to the center of the Sea as therein created or else Accidentally brought in I finde no small difference among Philosophers Those which defend the saltishnesse to bee Accidentall are diuided into diuers sorts for some of the old Philosophers imagined that the Earth chased and Heat with the Sunne continually sweats out water whence is made the Sea and therefore should haue a saltish taste because all sweat is of this Quality But this opinion I take to bee no other then a pleasant Allegory of the old Greeke writers who wrote their Philosophy in verse and therefore vsed such allusions as wee shall perhaps find in many other matters poëtically deuised of them yet refuted of Aristotle in good earnest others haue more probably coniectur'd that this saltishnesse was first deriued from the Earth through whose parts the Water being strained is apt to receiue this Quality being primarily in the Earth it selfe as wee see water being wrung through ashes to grow salt but this opinion seemeth of no great soundnesse because the first Riuers and Lakes being drawne out of the Earth altogether and in regard of their small quantity more apt to yeeld and receiue this tincture are notwithstanding deuoide of all such Quality Besides this wee rather find the contrary by experiment That Sea-Water strained through clay will turne fresh as likewise powdred flesh being layed to soake â—n salt water will soone turne sweet The former is verified by Baptista Porta of the other euery kitchin-maide on the Sea-side will informe vs. The third opinion is of Aristotle who referres the saltish quality of the Sea-water to the Sunne as the chiefe cause drawing and lifting vp out of the Sea store of exhalations which afterwards mixt with vapours fall downe againe by drops for the Sunne drawes vp the thinner and fresher parts of the water leauing the thicker and lower water to suffer adustion of the Sunne-beames and so consequently to become salt so that the matter of this saltishnesse in the Sea is by an exhalation the Sunne drawing vp to the middle Region of the Aire the fresher parts where thickned they descend in raine leauing the residue of the Sea salt The forme is the straining and concoction which is made by the Sun for the saltishnes is said to arise out of the commixtion of Terrestriall drynesse concurring with moisture ioin'd with adustion of Heat so that two things are chiefly concurring to the Generation of saltishnesse to wit Drouth and Adustion This seemes to bee prooued by instance of Fresh-waters in the kitchin which turne salt being much boyled because the thinner and sweeter vapours of it are drawne vp and dissipated leauing that behind which is thicker and saltish The same would some haue in the Sea seethed as it were and burnt with the Heate which we experimentally find in hot water on the fire But this is excepted against by some because wee find by experience that many salt wells and fountaines arise in diuers places of the Earth which are ingendred in the bowels of the Earth farre remote and separate from this extreame heate and adustion of the Sunne-beames But to this wee may easily answer that such salt springs are either by some violence enforced from the sea by certaine secret cauernes and hollow places of the Earth or else that they receiue their tincture of saltnesse from some salt minerals of the Earth through which they passe Wherefore this opinion of Aristotle I see not yet sufficiently refuted The other opinion concerning this quality of such which would haue it essentiall to the sea water and inbred in the first creation is grounded on two small causes First they say that the sea is salt for the preseruation of the Fishes who would otherwise rot because experience shewes that Fish will soone putrifie without salt but this is thwarted by three reasons First because if fish were in this sort salted in the sea Water the cooke might saue himselfe a labour in salting them againe in his kitchin Also Fishes caught in the sea are oftentimes preserued longer and sweeter lesse needing salt then those which are found in fresh Ponds and Riuers Secondly if this reason should hold currant why should not the Fishes also rot and putâ—ify in fresh Water Thirdly why should fishes couet the fresh Water as wee see by experience in many fishes if in it they should suffer putrefaction which is a great enemy to nature Aboue all what need wee feare this putrefaction of fishes while they are endowed with a liuing soule which is a greater preseruatiue then all the salt in the world or why should wee not doubt the same calamity in all liuing creatures in the land which are as subiect to rottenesse in the Aire as the other on the land The second cause say they Why the sea should bee created salt is Because the sea it selfe should not putrify for as much as wee find by experience that salt is the only thing to resist Putrefaction But here wee may demaund why these Authors should feare Putrefaction in the vast body of the sea rather then in other Waters and Riuers which are neither salt nor come neere the greatnesse of the Ocean whereas Aristotle affirmes in the fift chapter of the 4 booke of his Meteors that if
to Aristotles grounds being by a Tenne-fold proportion thinner then the Water Moreouer the Aire in these places seated in the superficies of the Earth and higher then other places and by consequent neerer the Sun should rather be rarified and thickned because heat is the greatest cause of rarefaction as we shall shew hereafter for the reasons alleaged for these opinions they are drawne only from the weaknes of their assertion which hold that Fountaines are deriued either from Raine water or from the Sea both which wee haue examined briefly and whereof wee shall speake hereafter The Schoole of Conimbra not vtterly reiecting all the former opinions haue vndertakeÌ„ to forgoe an opinion as it were partaking of all pretending to say something more when indeed they produce nothing besides the former Their assertion they haue set downe in eight propositions which I will faithfully set downe and then censure The first is that in subterranean places vnder the superficies of the earth is hid a great quantity of water distinguished into Riuers Ponds and Lakes This they proue from the daily experiment of such as diggs diuerse wells and deâ—pe trenches in the Earth Who many times vnder the Earth find not only many riuers and ponds but many times happen vpon so great abundance of Water that they can neither find the bottome or bounds thereof To this they add an experiment of Philip and Macedon recorded by Asclepiadorâ—â— who caused many men expert in digging of mettalls to be let downe into an old and forsaken mine to search out the veines of mettalls to see whether the couetousnesse of antiquity had left any thing to posterity These men vsing great lights are said to haue found nothing there but great and vast riuers and great receptacles of waters This they also labour to confirme by many and suddaine eruptions and breaking out of waters out of the earth whereof we shall haue occasion to speake more hereafter This first position howsoeuer in it selfe true enough seemes litle to the purpose but we will proceed to the second which is this That when God in the third day of the Creation seperated the waters into one place and hid it in the cauerns and secret receptacles of the earth at the same time dispersed into diuerse parts of the earth a great quantity of water by diuerse occult passages and channels whence comes that great masse of waters vnder the earth which is before mentioned This they seeme to perswade by reason for say they as the wise Architect of all for mans sake and the rest of liuing creatures for the vse of man hath discouered the dry land by restrayning all the waters into one place so it was most necessary that he should inwardly water the earth by which stones mettalls mineralls other such things in the bowells of the Earth should in time grow and increase Also that some water should from hence breake vp out of the Earth for diuerse causes hereafter specified Finally as Philo-Iudaeus affirmes for the continuation of the parts of the earth which otherwise might by drouth be seperated and diuided The third proposition grounded on the two former is this That many riuers and fountaines in diuerse places by Gods decree arise out of the earth by quantities of waters hid in the cauernes of the earth which they proue by reasons drawne from the vtility of such fountaines and riuers springing out of the earth Fourthly they defend that all fountaines and currents were not so made and appointed in the first Creation because Histories experience teach vs that many haue broken out of the ground afterwards whereof we shall haue occasion to speake hereafter Fiâ—tly they affirme that if the opinion of Aristotle be vnderstood of all fountaines and flouds it cannot be approued for asmuch as it seemes sufficiently declared in the third opinion how such riuers might be generated without such vapours as also because many arguments and places of holy Scriptures seeme to proue the contrary As also the foure Riuers of Paradice created in the beginning of the world cannot bee guessed to draw their originall from such vapours as Aristotle imagines to which accord many ancient Fathers vpon these places recited in that opinion whereas all riuers are thought to fetch their originall from the sea Sixtly for the credit of their master Aristotle they are constrained to auerre that although his opinion cannot be verified of all riuers and fountaines of the earth yet if it be restrayned to some such perpetuall currents it may haue probability For asmuch aswe are to beleeue that many such large cauerns and holes are hid vnder the earth in which no small quantity of vapours may be ingeÌ„dred This probability is greater in those riuers which are lesser in quantity then the greater for the reasons before shewed Seuenthly they affirme that it is absolutely to be beleeued that not only great riuers and currents are deriued from subterranean waters which haue originall from the sea but also lesse fountaines and springs for the most part challenge the same beginning whence they labour to proue by this reason that in very few places of the earth there is found so perpetuall and apt disposition of vapours vnder the ground as to nourish so many and so great currents of water Eightly say they it cannot be denied but that Waters aswell proceeding from raine as that which is generated of vapours in the cauerns of the earth sometimes may flow into fountaines and riuers What concernes Torrents bred of raine they haue recourse to the reasons of the first opinion for others they make it also probable because we see by experience that Vapours and Aire compassed about with earth are by reason of the cold enuironing it turned into water This is indeed the opinion of those subtill Iesuits of Conimbra wherein although they giue a flourish as if they would defend their master Aristotle on whom they comment yet meane they nothing lesse but indeed warily sticke to the other of the Diuines and ancient Fathers of the Church touching the deriuation of all 〈◊〉 from the sea Which opinion howsoeuer in it selfe most probable they know not how to manage and defend against opposition For whereas they suppose that in the first sepâ—â—tion of the sea from the dry-land a great quantity of water was dispersed into diuerse hollow places cauerns of the earth from whence Riuers are deriued and made they haue not in any probable manner expressed how this water should perpetually flow and feed so many great currents For first I would aske of these learned fathers whether the water inclosed in the bowells of the earth whence these springs are fed be higher or lower then the fountaines arising out of them If it be higher whether the Riuers are continually nourished on the old store or a new supply be daily made That so great riuers should bee maintained so many thousand yeares out of the old prouision is most improbable because the
mountaines out of which such springs arise cannot be capable of so great a concauity neither can it otherwise be imagined but that many great riuers since the beginning had either bin absolutely dried vp or at least diminished in their quantity their Cisterns being daily more and more emptied out into their channells If they graunt that of this water a fresh supply be made it must be either from the sea or from vapours in the earth It cannot bee from the sea because as wee haue proued before the sea is lower then the fountaines where springs breake out of the Earth forasmuch as we see them runne to the sea from their fountaines as from a higher to a lower place That this supply of water in the depth of the earth should bee made by vapours it is also improbable in their opinion who cannot imagine so many ingendred in one place as to feed so great currents as also because many riuers were apparant in the first creation as the foure great currents of Paradice This obiection hath so farre driuen the Iesuits to their shifts as that they haue bin enforced to haue recourse to the opinion of Thomas Aquinas who dreames that the waters are enforced vpwardâ— by the influence of the heauens which they a litle before â—ast by and we haue before sufficiently refuted And whereas in the subsequent clause they labour to salue this place of Ecclesiastes That all Riuers come from the sea and returne thither againe They are constrained to leaue their old grounds and â—unne backe to Aristotle who holds that all riuers had their originall from vapours drawne vp by the sunne whereof the sea is the chiefe mother It will bee expected at least that we should disclose our owne opinion hauing censured the former which we will briefly doe as neere as probability can lead vs submitting also to those which are more iudicious First therefore we will suppose as probable that the earth is in a manner compassed round about with water for howsoeuer the places more eminent and separated for our habitation be dry land yet not farre vnder the superficies of the earth whereon we tread is the earth sprinkled round with water for which we may draw an argument aswell froÌ„ the Porous and spongy nature of the Earth which is apt to drinke in the water of the sea in the same hight because it is the nature of the water to diffuse it selfe abroad as also from experience of Minors and such as digg deepe into the earth who in most parts find water 2ly this water so enuironing the earth were it left to it's own naturall situation without an externall Agent would lift his superficies no higher then the superficies of the sea because being as one with the sea it will challenge the same Sphericall superficies Now to know how the water thus naturally settled is notwihtstanding lifted vp higher to become the source of Springs we must vnderstand that it comes to passe not onely by the heat of the sunne and starres piercing farte vnder the superficies of the earth according to the circle we haue allotted to the water But also to subterranean fires hid in the bowells of the earth in many places which are caused by sulphurous matter set on fire by the sunne or some other accident whether this sulphurous matter be pure Brimstone or Bitumen or a mine of sea-coale as some haue thought of our Baâ—hâ—s in England I will not curiously here dispute being of it selfe too large a subiect for me in this place to handle This heat may be conceiued to concur to the production of fountaines 2 manner of waies First by drawing vp diuerse moist vapours which by reason of the thicknesse and solidity of the earth being not presently euaporated out of the superficies of the earth are enforced to disperse themselues through diuerse crooked passages where condensated by cold distilling againe into drops of water they breake out through some places of the earth and so become a fountaine A second way which may also seeme probable is that the Heat peircing the Subterranean Water though not able to dissolue much of it into vapours for the solidity of the earth may notwithstanding through his heat Rarifie and attenuate these waters These waters then rarified must needs seeke a greater place wherein they may be contained sith Rarefaction is nothing else but the extension of a body to a greater place then before it occupied Hence is the Water enforced to enlarge his limits This enlargement or the place cannot be downeward towards the Center because all that place was supposed to be filled vp as farre as the Earth could drinke it Wherefore it must needs extend it's limits sidewise or vpwards By the former of which it may find a passage to breake forth on the superficies of the ground By the latter it may be lifted high enough to runne from the side of a higher mountaine towards the Sea-shore If any man should aske why this Rarefaction swelling of the Water is not so sensible in the open Ocean I answere that the sea is also much rarified lifted vp by reason of the sunnes heate which whether it be the cause of ebbing and flowing of the sea in part we haue before disputed Secondly that the sea-water should not rise so high as other water vnder the ground these reasons may be giuen First that the Ocean hath a larger channell to runne abroad on either side and so this swelling must of necessity become more insensible whereas the Waters in cauerns concauities of the Earth being oftentimes straightly bounded on either side by the narrownesse of the channell must of necessity take vp the more in hight and eminency 2 the Sunne heauenly bodies and subterranean fires worke more strongly and effectually on the open nakednes of the sea then on the waters hid vnder the ground which are more shrowded from such an extreame heat Whence it comes to passe that many parts of the sea are dissolued into vapours and so consumed and dispelled by the same Whereas this heat in the Subterranean waters being more moderatly impressed doeth not dissolue into vapours and consume so great a quantity of water but being of a middle temper rather rarifies it to the vse forenamed This seemes the more probable because spring water rising commonly in the sides of mountaines is for the most part thinner then the Sea-water as experience dayly warrants Thirdly the subterranean vapours are sooner dissolued into dropps of water by reason of the cold they must necessarily meete within their passage through the Earth whereas the other from the Sea meet with no such encounter till they arriue at the Middle-Region of the Aire whence they returne againe in showres of Raine 2 All riuers and Fountaines were not from the beginning For the confirmation of this assertion many histories may be produced It is reported that in Caria neere about the city Lorus there arose out of the Earth
suddenly a great floud of Water bringing out with it a great quantity of creatures and fishes of which being fatted vnder the Earth whosoeuer chanced to eat dyed presently The like is reported that at the time of the Mithridatick warre at a certaine city of Phrygia named Apamea there sprang vp out of the ground many new Lakes Fountaines Brookes and that one riuer sprang vp very salt which brought vp with it a great quantity of Oisters and other Sea-fishes although the city Apamea bee very farre off from the Sea This is reported by Nicolaus Damascene Also Cardinall Contarenus testifies in the second booke of Elements that in a cleare day being in Valentia in Spaine there happened a very great inundation of water breaking out of the Earth which being carried towards the City had well neere turned it into the Sea had not the gates bin shut and dammes well ordered Why this sudden change should sometimes happen many reasons may be produced The first reason may be because of some sudaine ruine or falling downe of some parts of the Earth whereby the courses of the riuers being one way stopped must needs seeke out a passage some other way This sometimes happens in great Earth-quakes as we may reade in Theophrastus that in the mountaine Coricus after an Earth-quake many new springs and fountaines discouered themselues Another reason not much vnlike the former is giuen from the Hardnes of the Earth which oftentimes stopping and hindering the naturall course of the water enforceth it to seek a new passage Hence the foresaid Theophrastus was induced to belieue that in a City of Crete the fountaines were stopped vp because the Inhabitants betoke themselues to another place so that the soile was not so much shooke and moued as before A third reason may be the wasting or cutting downe of great woods on the Earth for it is the nature of the Trees and plants to suck to themselues the Moisture of the ground into one place But these trees cut downe or remoued the waters course must needes be altered 3 Many Riuers are for a great space of land swallowed vp of the Earth whereof some after a certaine distance rise againe This is confirmed by many Historicall instances as of the riuer Timanus in the prouince of Aquilia of Erasenus in Argolica Padus in the Alpes more remarkeable is that of the river Guadiaua in Spaine which runneth vnder the ground for the space of 13 leagues and neere to a towne called Villa Horta breakes vp againe the like is recorded of Eurotaâ— in Arcadia which is said to breake forth of the ground in the Prouince of Lacedamon So Cadmus Asia is swallowed vp in a hole of the ground not farre from Laodicea So Piraâ—â—s in Catonia Licus in Libanon Orontes in Syria Other riuers are thought to haue found a secret passage vnder the sea from one Region to another As a riuer hauing his fountaine in the mountaine Meiaâ—es which being conuayed in a blind Channell vnder the middle of the sea comes forth againe at the port of Pâ—normus so others report of Alpheus which being drowned vnderground nere the Peloponnesian shore takes a large iourny vnder the Sea till it arriue at Syracuse where it ends in Arethuse which brings forth they say such things as are cast into Alpheus which is much like that which is spoken of the Well of Aesculapius in Athens wherein if any thing were cast they were rendred againe in Phalericus But this last I rather hold as a poeticall fiction then a true History Some riuers there are which are not wholly drowned in the earth but for some part aâ— a part of the Rhâ—nâ— which is hid about foure thousand paces from the city Cauba and shewes it selfe again before it come to Bonna in like manner a part of Danuâ—ius which hides it selfe about Greina a Towne of Panonia superiâ—r some riuers there are againe which are not drunke vp immediatly of the earth but of certaine great Lakes into which they fall as Iordan of the Lake Asphaltites some lakes againe hauing swallowed vp riuers as it were vomit them forth againe as Rubresius casts out Araâ—e in the Prouince of Narbon and so Lemanus the riuer Rhodanus in the same Prouince also in Italy Lorus cast out Abdua Eupilus Lambre Fucinus Marcia 4 Riuers for the most part rise out of great Mountaines and at last by diuerse or one Inlet are disburthened into the sea The first part of this proposition is manifest enough out of diuerse instances of the greatest riuers in the world for all Geographers will giue you to vnderstand that the riuer Indus in Iâ—dia is deriued from the mountaine Caâ—casus Tanais from the Riphaean mountaines in Sarmaâ—ia Araxis from Panardes in Armenia Po from the Vesusian Hills in Liguria Danubius from Arnobia in Germany Exesus in Norico from the mountaines Elachia Isara from the ridge of the Alpes toward France and Durias toward Italy from thence So from the Herminian mountâ—ines in Portugall are deriued three great Riuers So Nilus in Africk from the mountaines of the Moone These riuers thus rising are of diuerse kinds for some haue visible apparant springs and fountaines others are deriued from Lakes out of which they runne As Alba in Prusia out of Elbinga Medoarus Oxus out of two lakes of the same names neere the Alpes Rindacus from Artinia a poole besides Melitopolis The reason why riuers should be ingendred in mountaines and such high places may be giuen because they are made as we shewed before by the heat of the sunne starres and subterranean fires rarifying and attenuating the Waters And this operation of the sunne in higher places must needes be more effectuall then in lower Now for the second part it is plaine to proue that all riuers runne into the sea either making a passage from their fountaines on the land toward the sea shore as Nilus and Danubius with other riuers or by disburthening themselues into greater riuers wherein they are conuaied into the sea as the 60 great Nauigable riuers which empty themselues into Danubius or at least are swallowed vp of the Earth and so reduced againe to their first mother which we may imagin of the riuers forespoken of drunk vp of the Earth Although all riuers as we shewed fall into the sea yet not all in one the selfesame fashion if we respect their passage on the laÌ„d For some are caried into the sea by one oâ—tiuÌ„ or mouth whereof we haue two notable examples the first of a great riuer in Brasill called Rio de La Plate which is caried into the sea by a mouth of 40 leagues with such violence that the Marriners may â—hence draw fresh water before they come within sight of land The other not much vnlike is that which runnes by the kingdome of Congo Angolo which is six and thirty thousand paces broad where it enters into the sea and is caried with such a force that it seuers the
his Elementary constitution this reason would hardly admit of a solid answer For howsoeuer in the vast frame of the Earth the addition or subtraction of some parts would make but an insensible difference yet can it not bee denied but the least waight whatsoeuer added or subtracted would turne it from its Equall-poyze Neuerthelesse this I hold too absurd for a Christian to beleeue for as much as it contradicts the sense of holy Scriptures which auerre the earth to bee so setled on her foundation that shee should not at any time bee remoued or shaken which motion as shall bee proued in the second Theoreme I take to bee vnderstood of such a Trepidation of the Center and the Poles which by a metaphor are tearmed the foundation of the earth and not of the circular motion as some haue laboured to wrest it Wherefore nothing is here left vs to satisfie this doubt but to haue recourse to his magneticall verticity whereby the poles of the Earth endowed with a magneticall vigor and ouerswaying the elementary ponderosity of the earthly parts are as it were so fast bound to respect the same points or poles in the Heauens that the Center can no wayes bee shaken or moued out of his place 3 The Magneticall Reuolution is a motion by which the whole globe of the Earth is moued round Aristotle in his 1 booke de coelo makes 3 kindes of simple motions out of which hee labours to deduce the number of simple bodies The first is the motion from the center such as is of Fire and Ayre and all light bodies the second to the center such as is of Earth and Water the third is round about the center or middle which hee ascribes to the Heauens so that if this ground were true the Earth could challenge to it selfe no other then the right motion whereby the parts of it being separated from the whole returne to it againe But this opinion although popular and plausible hath beene contradicted as well by ancient Philosophers as moderne for by long experience and diligent obseruation they haue found the earth to bee endowed with a star-like vigour whereby shee may hauing all her parts vnited together by reason of her grauity vnto the Center and her place made sure by her magneticall poles moue naturally vpon her owne poles at least if so bee shee claime no other motion This opinion first blosomed as farre as I can gather in the Schoole of Pythagoras was cherished by Heraclides Ponticus and Ecphantus two famous Pythagoreans to which afterward ioyned themselues Nicetus Syracusanus and Aristarchus Samius all which haue vndertaken to defend that the Earth moues circularly and that this circumgyration of the Earth causeth the rising and setting of the Sunne as well as of other starres although in the manner they haue not expressed themselues alike hauing inioyed as yet scarce the first dawn of knowledge But all this while Philosophie contented her selfe with the acquaintance of a few choice friends not daring to prostitute her treasures to popularity But when it hapned in after times that shee was taught the language of the vulgar and spake to the vnderstanding of each mechanicke shee soone contracted some staines and squared her selfe rather to please the most then the best Thus the multitude as a vast torrent preuailed against the learned and cast into exile the inuentions of the Ancients which their ignorance was readier to censure then vnderstand Yet were not the seeds of this Philosophy quite extinct but as forgotten for a time vntill there arose Copernicus a man of incomparable wit who quickned and reuiued it to his euerlasting prayse and our profit I would not here be mistaken as though I strongly apprehend these grounds and reiect all the principles of our Peripateticke Philosophie I only inueigh against their preiudicate ignorance which ready to licke vp the dust vnder Aristotles feet with a supercilious looke contemne all other learning as though no flowers of science could grow in another garden I confesse this opinion of the Earths circular motion to bee subiect to many and great exceptions and opposed by strong and waighty arguments drawn probably from the booke of God the touch-stone of sincere verity yet I hold it too strongly fortified to be inuaded by popular arguments drawn from seeming sense and bolstered vp with names and authorities For mine owne part I confesse not absolute subscription to this opinion yet could I not conueniently leaue it out because hauing vndertaken to insert this Magneticall Tract I would not willingly mangle it in any part but shew it whole and intire to the view of the iudicious who herein may vse their Philosophicall liberty to imbrace or reiect what they please If these grounds seeme true they will finde acceptance if otherwise it cannot indamage Truth to know her aduersary Wherefore I thinke no man will take it amisse that I insert this following Theoreme 1 It is probable that the terrestriall Globe hath a circular motion Copernicus ascribes three motions to the spheare of the Earth whereof the first is in the space of 24 houres about her owne axell making the day and night and is therefore called the Diurnall The second is yeerely wherein the Center it selfe of the Earth is moued from West to East describing the circle of the Signes The third is a motion of Declination performed in an annuall reuolution reflecting against the motion of the Center for the Axis of the Earth is supposed to haue a conuertible nature whereas if it should remaine fixt there would appeare no inequality of day and night Spring Autumne Summer or Winter I will not here curiously distinguish the differences limits and periods of these three motions but leaue it to the skilfull Astronomer to whom properly it appertaines it is enough for mee to shew it probable that the Earth should challenge to it selfe a circular motion in prosecution of which I shall labour chiefly to establish that first motion which is of the Terrestriall globe about her owne axis which is the easiest both to beleeue and vnderstand That I may the better expresse the grounds of this opinion I will labour to proue these two points 1 That this opinion is consonant to reason 2 That it no way contradicts the sense of the Holy Scripture The former assertion wee will againe diuide into 3 articles 1 That the motion which wee seeke to establish in the Earth cannot without much absurdity bee granted to the heauens Secondly that it no way contradicts to nature of the Earth it selfe Thirdly that the arguments produced against this opinion are not so strong but may bee answered with probability First therefore finding the dayly rising and setting of the Sunne Moone and other Starres to arise from some motion wee are to seeke out the true subiect of this motion It is agreed vpon by all that this subiect must bee the Heauens which are carryed in 24 houres from East to West or the
Earth which must moue in the same time from West to East For the first wee must take aâ— granted of those which defend the opposite opinion these two grounds 1 That the subiect of this motion if it bee a heauenly body is the first moueable and supreame spheare of all the celestiall machine because all the rest haue assigned them their seuerall motions 2 That of two bodies circularly mouing vpon the same Center in the same space of time that which is greater in quantity must needs haue the swifter motion as wee see the spokes of a wheele to moue faster neere the circumference but slower in those parts which are ioyned to the Center This granted wee shall find the greatest of the first and supremest orbs to bee so incomparably vast in proportion to the Earth and the motion of it according to this magnitude to bee increased to such a swiftnesse as must needes transcend all fiction and imagination For besides the two Elements placed by the Peripaâ—etickes betwixt the Earth and the Celestiall bodies to wit Aire and Fire which challenge no meane distance betwixt their concaue and conuexe superficies who knowes not how many distinct and strange concamerations of Orbes and circles are placed and signed ouâ— betwixt the Moone and the first Moueable Aristotle hath reduced all the Orbes to eight whereof seuen were allotted to the seuen Planets but the eight to the fixt Starres which hee supposed to bee fastned as so many nailes in the same wheele But Ptolomie perceiuing this number to bee insufficient to satisfie his obseruations was inforced to adde a ninth to encrease the number Yet this contented not Alphonsus but hee must make vp tenne And although this opinion preuailed a long time in the Schooles of Philosophers as most exact and absolute yet came it farre short to satisfie the search of two latter Astronomers Clauius and Maginus who to adde something to Antiquity haue found out another orbe and so the whole tale is become eleuen and much it is to bee feared that the big-swolne belly of this learned Ignorance will beget more children to help the Mother because all the former haue proued lame and impotent God send her a safe deliuery To returne to my purpose all these orbs thus ranged and concamerated in order cannot but haue each of them a great and extraordinary thicknesse and profundity being to carry in them such huge and vast bodyes as the Sunne and Starres which are of themselues mighty Globes for the most part greater then the Earth as Philosophers haue found out by diuers Mathematicall instruments and expressed in Tables Also because amongst the Planetary Orbes wee shall finde them clouen into many partiall and lesser Orbes as Epicycles and Excentrickes the first of which must in reason surpasse the thicknesse of the Diameter of the Planet The profundity of all these Orbes is measured by their Diameters which wee shall find to surmount each other in extraordinary proportion For the Diameter of the Earth is 1718 German miles The greatest distance or elongation of the Moone being new 65 semi-diameters of the Earth the least is 55 semi-diameters The greater elongation of the Moone in the middle space is 68 the least 52 semi-diameters of the Earth Notwithstanding it is very probable that the Orbe of the Moone is yet of more thicknesse and profundity To passe ouer Venus and Mercurie and come to the Sunne wee shall find his distances from the Earth in his greatest Excentricity to bee 1142 semi-diameters of the Earth Mars Iupiter and Saturne are yet farther off from the Earth and their Orbes endowed with a greater treasure of thicknesse The distance of the Firmament wherein are placed the fixt Starres is by the best Mathematicians thought incomprehensible and not measurable by mans industrie in so much that Aristotle holds the Earth no other then as a point if it bee compared with the eighth Spheare which hee supposed to bee the highest and first Moueable To let passe the ninth Spheare the tenth which was vulgarly thought the first Moueable if it bee valued according to the proportion of the rest would haue his conuexe superficies moued so fast in one houre that it would ouercome so much space as 3000 greater circles of the Terrestriall Globe for as much as in the conuexe superficies of the starry Firmament it would containe more then 1800. And who can bee so sharpe sighted to see the profundity and thicknes of this orbe containing in it starres innumerable whereof some are apparent to each mans eyes others lying hid by reason of the distance whereof many haue lately beene discouered by reason of the Trunk-spectacle lately found out so that it may bee a probable coniecture that all these starres are not placed in the same Orbe or at least that this Orbe is farre greater and deeper then the ordinary current of Astronomers haue imagined it to bee To these eight Orbes here deciphered should wee adde the Caelum Chrystallinum the Primum Mobile the Idol of our common Astrologers and another which Clauius and Maginus haue inuented what bound should wee set to the greatneâ— of the Heauens or the swiftnesse of their motions how farre beyond all rouing imagination or Poeticall fictions should it transcend as thatwhich neither Nature could euer suffer or the wit of man vnderstand a motion a thousand-fold swifter then the flight of a bullet from a peece of ordinance I had almost said then thought it selfe For if a man cast his imagination on some marke or degree in the Sunnes parallell on theTerrestriall Globe and so instantly transferre it to another and so to a third passing ouer at each time the distance of 100 miles hee would find the Sunne to bee farre swifter in his motion and to haue ouer-passed him incomparably in his course were the Sunne placed in the superficies of the Earth and his course no greater then one of the greater circles of the Terrene Globe hee should by their owne computation finish his course in 24 houres and so runne 21600 miles in that time which maketh 900 miles in one houre And if this motion seeme so swift that it could hardly haue credit among ordinary capacities what should wee thinke of this motion which is imagined infinitely swifter If Ptolomie feared lest the Globe of the Earth should be dissolued and shattered in pieces by a far slower motion of what should wee imagine the heauens to be made which can suffer so portentous and incogitable a whirling Here the common Philosopher stands astonished and rather then hee will be thought to know nothing hee will say any thing why saith he should wee not beleeue it sith the Heauens in their motion find no Resistance whereas all other bodies are slacked by the medium or Aire by which they are to moue If in the Heauens were any such let or hinderance it would bee either in the Agent or Mouer or in the Patient or body moued Not in the mouer because as Aristotle
the other at the endes the former was thought not habitable by reason of the extremity of heat because the Sunne-beames there fall perpendicularly and so make a greater reflection The other for extremity of cold by reason of the obliquity of the Sunne-beames causing little or no reflection whence a second cause seemes to be drawne from the extreame drought of those places which seemes most opposite to mans temper requiring a reasonable degree of moisture But notwithstanding these reasons of the ancients it must needes bee confessed as an vndoubted truth confirmed by experience of many Nâ—uigatours that those Regions by them imagined vnfit for habitation are not onely habitable but in many places very populous Neither want there many reasons found out by latter writers to mitigate the rigour of this opinion some whereof wee haue already touched in our former treatise First whereas they vrge the places vnder the Equinoctiall to bee vnhabitable by reason of intemperate heat wee may easily answer that the dayes and nights are then alwayes equall containing not aboue 12 houres so that the space of either being shorter the cold of the night may well asswage the extreame heat of the day Another reason is ordinarily taken from the extraordinarily high mountaines commonly placed vnder the Equinoctiall which approaching neerer the middle Region of the aire must of necessity partake some what more of cold which dayly experience can witnesse in that their top â— are couered with snow euen in the depth of Summer Thirdly the neerenesse of the maine Ocean to a great part of this Region is a great cause of this cold temper because water is found to bee by nature cold Fourthly the set and certaine windes by nature ordained to blow in the hottest times of the yeere may adde much to temperature Fiftly the extraordinary Raines and showers which those places suffer which are vnder the Line especially when the Sunne is verticall are a great cause of the asswaging of the heat of the Sunne Lastly the custome of the Inhabitants being from their cradles inured to no other quality or disposition of the ayre will take away much from our admiration On the other side no small reasons may bee shewed why the Regions lying neere or vnder the Pole should not bee so extreamely cold but that they may admit of habitation First because the Sunne being for six moneths together aboue their Horizon must needs impresse into the Ayre more heat then otherwise it would doe Besides the thicknesse incorporated as it were with heat must needs receaue into it more degrees of it then a thinner and more refined ayre because the intention of the quality most commonly supposeth the condensation or thickning of the subiect wherein it is But no greater reason can bee shewed in this point then the custome of the Northerne inhabitants exposed from their infancy to no other temperament If wee should aske a reason why wee vnmaske our faces against the encounter of the greatest cold being a soft and tender part not daring to vncouer our other parts what reason can a man inuent but custome If any should aske why barbarous people liuing in farre colder climates then this of ours goe altogether naked whereas the cold is mother of many diseases amongst vs who goe alwayes clothed onely vse and custome can yeeld an answer These reasons make it probable enough that no place of the whole world is by nature made not habitable Now that it is not only inhabitable by nature but also for the most part truly inhabited will appeare as easily if wee trust the testimony of Nauigatours which haue discouered few or no Regions wanting some â—nhabitants But that this proposition may bee more distinctly vnderstood wee must know that the whole world is diuided into Sea and Land for the Sea we may call it habitable in that large sense before mentioned to wit that on it euery where men in ships may breath and liue which is plaine out of experience of Nauigatours who haue sailed round about the Earth from East to West and haue entred farre towards the North and South where at least some times of the yeere or other they might finde the way passable For the land which is here principally vnderstood wee must note that it may bee considered two wayes either for euery little quillet or parcell of land contaned in the superficies of the Earth or else for a certaine Region of some indifferent greatnesse In the former sense it were too much to affirme euery part of the Earth to bee habitable for as much as many places as the toppes of the Alpes or the sands of Africa properly admit of no habitation yet in an improper and large sense they may be called habitable because on them a man may liue and breath for a certaine space of time But if by the parts of the land wee vnderstand some reasonable greatnesse no great doubt can bee made but that it is either already inhabited by mankinde or can at least admit of habitation as that which not only for a time affords a man life and breath but also some conuenient meanes of sustenance for no countrey hath euer beene found so indigent and barren of all vitall aides which is neither capeable of liuing creatures in the land fit for mans nourishment or that cannot draw Fishes from the Sea or if this should faile cannot afford Fruits or Herbage from the ground or in case all the rest were deficient cannot haue passage by Water to other Countries whence to relieue their necessities And no question but nature hath stored euery Countrey with some commodity or other which by trafficke may draw riches from other Regions as by instances may more particularly appeare hereafter when wee shall speake of particular Regions and their seuerall accidents 2 All places of the Earth haue suffered manifold alteration and change as well in Name as Nature I need not spend time to demonstrate this Assertion for that euery place of the Earth hath beene subiect to much mutation in the processe of time as well in Nature of the Soyle as of the Inhabitants a few obuious instances in each Countrey will easily certifie yet will it not seeme amisse I hope to shew the progresse manner and causes of this alteration which would giue no small satisfaction To discourse of all changes according to all times were a matter infinite Wee may referre all to two heads to wit the change of Names and the change of Nature Concerning the former that most Countreyes haue changed their first and originall names is most euident to such as consult the Maps and writings of our common Geographers for few or none will discouer vnto vs any Region by that name by which it was knowne in former times in so much as great controuersie and dispute hath growne about diuerse countreyes mentioned by ancient writers whereof the name should take its first originall but of this change we shall speake hereafter But if we