good with the good bad with the bad Hence the Authour of the Fragment after Censorinus de Die Natal Stella Mercurii fit similis illi quam videt Maia's Son Plac'd under these 'twixt g Venus in Hebrew is call'd Nogah i. e. Lux. The Name Venus coming from the Hebrew Word Benot by the change of the first and last Letters as Mr. Selden de Diis Syris Syntagm 2. c. 7. and Vossius Idololatr l. 2. c. 22. derive it By the Greeks call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Phosphorus seu Lucifer when she is the Morning Star as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Hesperus Vesper and Vesperugo when she is the Evening Star by Timaeus Locrus call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Iunonis Astrum The Aegyptians call her Suroth the Chaldeans Spharphara and Astaroth by the Arabs named Elzahareth and Chabar i. e. Magna Venus and the h This Planet or Luminary is in Hebrew call'd Lebanah or Laneah from its white Colour by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the renewing of its Light She is by them likewise honoured with the Title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Gaulmin notis in Psellum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the Latines Luna quasi Lucuna or Lucina the middle Syllable being cast away as Isidor Origin l. 8. and before him Cicero de Natur. Deorum l. 2. Luna à Lucendo eadem enim Lucina Or as Vâ—…ssius Idololatr l. 2. derives it from an Oriental Original Luna potius à Lon i. e. pernoctavit and Metaleptically quieâ—…it In regard as the Sun is President of the Days Labour so the Moon is Surintendent of the Nights Rest and Quiet By the Egyptian Copies call'd Isis Pcochos Actâ—…phcom i. e. Domina Maris humidorum by the Chaldeans Schaâ—…ro by the Persians Anaiâ—…is by the Arabs Alkamer and Abilat and Alitta by the Indians ador'd under the Name of Schendra Moon Others there are too of less usual kind For Suddain Flames streaming through Skies We find And Times more rare have Comets seen to blaze Comets and â—…iery Mâ—…teors i According to the Vulgar Belief who conceive Comets to be fore-runners of great Troubles and Commotions by which Manilius here signalizes their Exstinction And loose midst mighty stirs their threatning Rays Whither as k Alluding to the opinion of those who hold Comets to be generated of Elementary Matter that is of Exhalation and Vapour the first from the Earth hot and dry the other from the Water hot moist and unctuous carried by their Lightness above the Aiery Region where compacted they are by Motion of the superiour Orbs set on fire Of which Opinion is Aristotle and his followers and differing only as to place Galilaeo 〈◊〉 Guiduceius and some others See Gassendus Tom. 1. part 2. p. 702. and Ricciolus in Almagest Nov. Tom. 1. l. 8. and Fromond Meteorolog l. 3. Earth transpires its Native fumes Those humid Spirits the hot Air consumes Their Original When a long Drouth from Clouds hath clear'd the Sky And Heav'n by the Sun's scorching Beams grows dry Whence fitting Aliment is snatch'd by Fire And Matter like to Tinder flames acquire And since the Principles which Air compose Are not gross Bodies but like Smoke that flows The fiery Substance is not permanent But with the Comet l Touching the Duration of Comets Pliny l. 2. c. 25. makes the shortest to be Septem Dierum the longest Octâ—…ginta or rather as Muretus conceives the Text of Pliny ought to be read C. Octâ—…ginta a 180 Days which Emendation Tycho Brahe Progymn l. 1. p. 273 though Scaliger seem to disallow it approves of And so long Seneca Natural quaest l. 7. affirms the duration of one seen in the beginning of Nero's Reign Iosephus de Bello Iudaico l. 7. reports one to have continued a whâ—…le year a little before the Destruction of Ierusalem in the form of that which is called Xiphias or the Sword Comet But this Tycho conceives to have been supernatural and extraordinary so that the longest Duration of Comets their ordinary not extending to half that space seems not to be above six Moneths Of which coâ—…tinuance we find in History only three The first that of Nero's beforementioned in the year of Christ 64. the second in the year 603. not long before the appearrance of the Impostor Mahomet and the last in the year 1240. observed by Albertus Magnus soon as kindled spent Else if its Rise and Fall were not so nigh We should another Day in Night descry And the couch'd Sun when from the watery Deep Return'd would the whole World surprize in sleep Then since the arid Vapour is not us'd To be alike attracted or diffus'd Hence m The Word Comet though when strictly taken it signifies Stellam Crinitam and Sidus Cincinnatum yet in a larger sence it is us'd as a common and general Name for all sorts of fiery Meteors Of which Pliny l. 2. c. 25. reckons twelve several Specâ—…es Viz. Cometa Pogonias Acontias Xiphias Disceus Pithetes Ceratias Lampas Hippeus Argenticomus Hircus Longchites seu Hastâ—… Divers of which are by our Poet here enumerated whose Explanation we shall give in the following Notes and shall only add the Distinction which is made by a Reverend and Learned Authour upon this Subject who will have such Meteors to be peculiarly called Comets as are super-Lunary and have as he says proprium Aetherium Geometricum motum qualis esse solet Planetarum to the others he gives the Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as having some Resemblance with but differing as to their Motion Place and other Affections from Comets properly so called their Birth and existence being within the sublunary Sphere Vide D. Setb Wardi Praelect de Cometis several Shapes to Meteors are assign'd Their several kinds As in dark Nights their suddain Births they find For now like long hairs flowing from some head The Flame is in dishevell'd n These kind of Meteors are by the Greeks properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Stellae Crinitae seu Cincinnatae as is before noted whose blaze rises upward above the Head or Body of the Comet whence Pliny calls them 〈◊〉 modo in vertice Hispidas But when the Cheveleure is round about equally diffused then the Comet is called Rosa. Tresses spred Cometa or Stella Cincinnata Then what a fiery Peruke first appear'd Assumes the Figure of a blazing o Thence called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Barbata from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Barba which the Vulgar distinguish not from that which is called Caudata as Fromondus observes l. 3. c. 4. That difference being caused only by its Respect to the Sun for if it appear in the Morning before the Sun-rise it seems bearded the Blaze tending in Anteriora before the Sun
duo ad Astronomos the first touching a New Star in the Neck of the Whale appearing at some times at others disappearing the other touching a cloudy Star in the Northern part of Andromeda's Girdle not discovered by any of the Ancients sometimes appearing and sometimes not Which Phaenomena he recommends to the Observation of all curious Astronomers FRANCISCO GENERINI set forth in Italian the Design of a Moving Globe composed by him to demonstrate the diurnal and annual motion of the Moon together with the inequality of dayes to which is annexed a Discourse of Natural and Artificial Houres declaring the meaning of the said Author touching the said Invention and an account of many other Operations to be wrought by the said Globe besides those before mentioned Printed at Florence in 4 o. 1645. JOHANNES BAINBRIDGE sometime Savilian Professor of Astronomy in the University of Oxford writ a Treatise of the Dog-Star and of the Canicular dayes published by Mr. Graves together with a Demonstration of the Heliacal Rising of Sirius or the Dog-Star for the Parallel of the Lower Egypt Printed at Oxford in the year 1648. He writ likewise of the Comet in 1618. and published Procli Sphaera with Ptolemy's Chronological Canon ATHANASIUS KIRCHERUS a Iesuit Native of Buchon within the Territories of the Abbot of Fulda in Germany sometime Professor of the Oriental Languages in which by Ricciolus he is said to be ad stuporem usque peritus as also of Mathematicks at Wirtsberg and Avignon afterwards Ordinary Professor of Mathematicks in the Iesuits Colledge at Rome hath in most of his Works treated largely upon the Subject of Astronomy as in his Oedipus Aegyptiacus where he displayes Systematica Mundorum sive de Mundo Mundorúmque varietate ex mente Aegyptiorum De Astrologia Aegyptiorum Chaldaeorum Hieroglyphica and more particularly in his Musurgia where he treats De Coelorum Symphonismo De admiranda Mundanorum Corporum ad invicem proportione De particulari Symphonismo Planetarum De Choro Ioviali De Choro Solari Martio De Harmonia Stellarum Fixarum In his Book De Magnete where he fully handles the Subject of Magnetick Astronomy under the several Heads of Sphaera Magnetica Uranographia Sciotherico-Magnetica and Horologiographia Magnetica In his Book entituled Ars magna Lucis Umbrae wherein besides his various Horography he treats De Astrolabiographia Geographia Gnomonica Gnomonica Physico-Astrologica De Arte Anacamptica sive Astronomia Reflexa De Arte Anaclastica sive Astronomia Refracta De Cosmometria Gnomonica hoc est De Mundi Lucumbris Dimensione c. as also in his Itinerarium Ecstaticum Coeleste in which to express him in his own words Mundi Opificium i. e. Caelestis Expansi Siderúmque tà m errantium quà m fixorum natura vires proprietates singulorumque compositio structura ab infimo Telluris Globo usque ad ultima Mundi confinia perfecti Raptus Integumentum explorata novà Hypothesi exponitur ad veritatem Printed at Rome 1656. JOHANNES DE EPIERES Doctor of Divinity and Grand Prior of the Monastery of Aquicintinum put forth an Universal Calendar wherein he proposes an easie Method for finding out the Golden Number Epact Dominical Letter Moveable Feasts and Indictions for any year proposed and promises a larger Work under the Title of Astronomia Aquicinctina which whether ever published does not yet appear to me DIRK REMBRANTZ in his Netherlandish Astronomy treats of Planet-Wisers and gives the Reader an Eclipsigraphia shewing when an Eclipse of the Sun happens what and how great a part of the Earth will be obscured thereby ROBERTUS DUDLEY an English-man known abroad especially in Italy by the pretended Title of Duke of Northumberland published three Volumes in folio entituled Arcano del Mare in which are Sea-Charts Directions for the building of Galleys and a Description of many Planetary Instruments SAMUEL FOSTER a learned Professor of Astronomy in Gresham-Colledge contrived several ingenious Planetary Instruments published afterwards in his Posthumous Miscellanies SILVIO PHILOMANTIO an Italian under that feigned Name and in that Language put forth Ruota Planetaria which Ricciolus ascribes to Bonaventura Cavallerio PHILIPPUS LABBEE a learned French Iesuit Native of Bourges en Berry put forth in his own Language L'Abbregé de la Sphere being a compendious Treatise of the Sphere reduced by an easie and short Method into XII Chapters with some important Advertisements thereupon Printed in the year 1647. JACOBUS USSERIUS the late most learned and Reverend Archbishop of Armagh published a Dissertation of the Macedonian and Asiatick Solar year together with a Parapegma of Greek Astronomers accommodated to the Reasons of the Macedonian and Iulian years Vide Voss. L. De Scient Mathemat GOTHOFREDUS WENDELINUS Canon of the Collegiate Church of Conde in Flanders published Idaea Atlanticarum Tabularum grounded upon the Observations of divers Eclipses He set forth likewise Lampas Arcanorum Coelestium and wrote upon several other Astronomical Subjects as may appear by his Epistles to Gassendus and those of Gassendus to him published in his Works AEGIDIUS MATROPTUS composed something of the Sphere Machinationem conversionibus Secundorum Mobilium repraesentandis commended by Gassendus in his Epistles CLAUDIUS SALMASIUS having signalized his Name by divers learned Works hath also endeavoured to give honour thereto by his Diatribes De Annis Climactericis De Antiqua Astrologia Printed at Leiden 1648. He hath interspersed likewise in his Plinian Exercitations sundry Astronomical Arguments and some Critical Observations upon Manilius but such as are now and then severely met with by Petavius in Uranolog Mr. WILLIAM OUGHTRED a learned Divine and most eminent Mathematician famous for his Clavis Mathematicae at the End whereof is a Treatise of Dialling which is an Astronomical Subject He was likewise the Author of the Circles of Proportion where not to mention the Double Horizontal Dial there is a Treatise of Navigation besides divers Astronomical Propositions He likewise published a Treatise of Trigonometry being the first Author that demonstrated two Proportions for finding both the Angles at the Base of an oblique Spherical Triangle at two Operations when two Sides with the Angle are given PHILIPPUS FINELLA wrote in Italian Planetaria Physionomia Printed at Naples 1649. 4 o. SCIPIO CLARAMONTIUS of Caesena a Knight and formerly Professor of Philosophy in the University of Pisa a most expert Mathematician put forth many learned Pieces among which the chief are these Anti-Tycho in defence of the Sublunary Place of Comets with its Apology and Supplement but answered by Kepler in his Hyperaspistes Of three New Stars against the Opinion of Tycho Brahe which is yet defended by Galilaeo in his Mundane System And XVI Books De Universo Anno published in the year 1644 as also a particular Treatise De Phasibus Lunae Geometrically demonstrated and another entituled Anti-Philolaus He
the second place is that of Porphyrius and some other Platonists before mentioned agreeing in all but this That whereas Plato immediately above the Sun placed Mercury and then Venus they immediately above the Sun placed Venus and then Mercury above her Of which last Macrobius lib. 1. in Somn. Scip. c. 3. gives this accompt The late Platonists sayes he repudiated the Dintensions of Archimedes as not observing double and triple Intervals For they held that what was the Distance or Interval from the Earth to the Moon the same was double from the Earth to the Sun and the Distance from the Earth to Venus was triple to that from the Earth to the Sun and from the Earth to Mercury four times that from the Earth to Venus and how far the Distance was from the Earth to Mercury nine times that was the Distance from the Earth to Mars and the Distance from the Earth to Jupiter eight times that from the Earth to Mars and the Distance from the Earth to Saturn seven and twenty times that from the Earth to Jupiter The same Order is likewise asserted by the Author of the Book De Mundo These three foregoing Systems are composed all of Concentrick Orbs. The next which is the Egyptian followed by Vitruvius Martianus Capella Macrobius Beda and Argol is composed partly of Concentrick Orbs partly of Excentrick as may appear by the subsequent Scheme SYSTEMA AEGPTIVM 3 Wherein we may perceive the Earth seated in the midst of the World with the Elements and immediately above them the Moon then the Sun about whom as their Centre first Mercury then Venus are supposed to move in Epicycles above these Mars next Iupiter and then Saturn Of this System thus Macrobius in Somn. Scipion. l. 1. c. 19. The Egyptian subtlety is not without reason which is this the Circle wherein the Sun runs his course is surrounded with the Circle of Mercury as Interior and by that of Venus as Exteriour And hence it is that these two Stars when they are in the upper part of their Circles are understood to be above the Sun but when they are in the inferiour part of their Orbs or Circles the Sun is held to be above them Those therefore who affirm the Spheres of these Planets to be under the Sun are perswaded to believe it from this Appearance of their Course when they run in the Inferiour part of their Orbits which is more remarkable and more clearly discernible for when they are in the upper part of their Circles they are more concealed And therefore this perswasion of theirs hath prevailed and accordingly the Order of those Planets hath been received almost by all Persons but more perspicacious Observation discovered this better Order And justly does he stile it a perspicacious Observation which so many Ages since by the only Sagacity of Wit so clearly discovered what we find now really detected by the help of the Telescope And therefore Ricciolus sayes of this System that it is Pulcherrimum ac pro hac quidem parte Verissimum Systema We come now to the most celebrious and at this day most generally received Mundane System from it's Reviver called the Copernican but owing it's original to the Samian and Italick School as being proposed and asserted in the one by Philolaus of Crotona in the other by Aristarchus Samius both Pythagoreans whence it is called the second Pythagorick System as differing from the former before described That fixing the Earth immoveable in the midst of the World This on the contrary giving to the Earth not only a Diurnal Motion about its Axis but also an Annual about the Sun as the Centre of the Universe An Hypothesis not unknown to the Romans and therefore Seneca in his Natural Questions Lib. 7. proposes it as a thing necessary to be discussed To know whether the Earth standing still the Heavens be moved about it or the Heavens standing still the Earth be carried round And again It is a thing worthy contemplation to be assured sayes he in what condition We are whether in a Seat of all others most slow or the most swift Whether God turns all things about us or we our selves are turned about This System about two Ages since was resuscitated from Oblivion and the Grave by Cardinal Cusanus but imperfectly until Copernicus came and gave it a perfect consummation followed by the greatest Wits of this and the foregoing Age to wit Georgius Ioachimus Rheticus Moestlinus Rothmannus Stevinus Kepler Galilaeo Schickardus Iordanus Brunus Coelius Calcagninus Didacus Astunica Foscarinus Herigonus Renatus Des Cartes Lansbergius Bullialdus Antonius Laurentius Politianus Wendelinus and Gassendus Lansbergius and Bullialdus only differing in this from Copernicus that they allow to the Fixed Stars a proper Motion which Copernicus denies Take the same represented in the following Scheme SYSTEMA PHILOLAI ET COPERNICI 4 In this System we may perceive the Sun placed in the Centre of the World next above him Mercury finishing his Course in the space of eighty dayes or thereabouts then Venus making her Revolution in nine Moneths time above her the Earth with the Elementary Sphere in the Annual Orb which it runs through in 365. dayes and half by a Motion from West to East that is in the same Circle wherein the Egyptian and Ptolemaick System place the Sun Besides which Annual Motion Copernicus assigns to the Earth a Diurnal Revolution in which it turns about its own Centre and Axis inclined in the Plane of the Ecliptick in the space of 24. hours from West to East The Moon by a Menstrual Revolution being carryed about the Earth as in an Epicicle Mars running about the Sun as the Centre of the Universe in two years Iupiter above him in twelve and Saturn in thirty The Sphere of the Fixed Stars being distant by so vast an Interval from the Sphere of Saturn that the Annual Orb in which the Earth moves appears in respect to it no other than a Point This System though in appearance of all others the most rationally grounded could not yet give so general a satisfaction to the Curious but that some of them conceived it might admit of Alteration or Emendation And thence the illustrious Tycho took occasion to introduce the following System of his which is no other than a certain Transfiguration of the Copernican after this manner SYSTEMA TYCHONICVM 5 First the Earth is supposed fix'd without Motion in the Centre of the Universe Concentrick to which is first the Sphere or Circle of the Moon 's Motion next that of the Sun 's Annual Course then the Sphere of the Fixed Stars The Sun being placed as the Centre of the other Planets in whose Orb as it were two Epycicles are drawn the Circles of Mercury and Venus At a greater Distance is that of Mars intersecting when in Opposition to the Sun part of the Solar Sphere and therefore being Achronical is nearer to the Earth than the Sun Above Mars is the Sphere of Iupiter
Sun as this Earth of ours though their Dayes and Nights be answerable to our half Months in regard it is skreened with Hills and Mountains under which lie deep and shady Vallies with Hollow Caves and Recesses equally advantagious against the Extremities of Heat and Cold watered likewise with great Lakes and Rivers and consequently by Nature furnished with all things requisite for sustentation of life and therefore it cannot reasonably be thought that these Advantages and Benefits should be conferred by Nature for no Use or End or that the Moon should only be made to reflect the Sun's Light to us See the Learned Dr. Isaac Vossius in his Treatise De Natura Propriet Lucis c. 19. But what kind of Creatures these Lunary Inhabitants are is not agreed upon though Kepler be something Positive Concludendum videtur sayes he in Not. ad Appendic Selenograph in Luna Creaturas esse Viventes Rationis ad Ordinata facienda Capaces The like is affirmed by him as to the other Planets nay the Sun it self touching which last in the Epilogue to his Fifth Book De Mundi Harmonia he breaks out into this Expression Vel Sensus ipsi exclamant ignea hic habitare corpora Mentium Simplicâ—…um Capacia Veréque Solem esse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si non Regem at saltem Regiam This cannot perhaps seem more strange to some than the following Assertion to Others which maintains the Moon to be the Paradise wherein Our first Parents were created and from whence for their Transgression they were thrust down to this Earth of ours and yet this from Reason and the Authority of Fathers and Schoolmen is endeavoured to be proved by Hieronymus Vitalis in Lexic Mathemat in Voce Paradisus where he sayes fateor id novum Singulare hactenus inauditum at non per hoc temerarium atque intolerabile dixeris for as he urges modò partâ tantâ rerum Notitiâ Lunae facie Telescopio penitissimè observatâ Veterum dictis Expensis Locis super hanc Terram investigatis Paradisum in Lunae superficie collocare Ratio ipsa compellit To whose large Discourse upon that Subject we refer the Reader MERCURY The next Planet in order is Mercury of whose Place Figure Nature and Substance something according to our Method is briefly to be added It is carried in an Epicycle about the Sun as the Center of its Motion and Orb Now running above now beneath the Sun Sometimes higher than Venus sometimes lower For when these two Planets Venus and Mercury are in their Apogaea and above the Sun then Mercury is beneath Venus when in their Perigaea and beneath the Sun then Mercury is above Venus So when Venus is in her Apogaeum and Mercury in his Perigaeum then is he beneath Venus when Venus is in her Perigaeum and Mercury in his Apogaeum then is he above Venus as may appear by the Egyptian and Tychonick Systems It s Figure is orbicular or round not Mathematically but Physically such rising here and there with extuberating Hills and Mountains in the same manner as this Earthly Globe of ours being like that an opacous Body and receiving its Illumination from the Sun whence at several times it is seen under several Phases or Appearances for in it's greatest Digression from the Sun which is never above 28° it appears Dichotomous but when he is retrograde and approaching to an Opposition with the Sun he appears in a Figure like that of the New Moon when distant about 60° Degrees from the Sun though this Phasis be very rarely discerned by reason of his small Digression from the Sun and the quick Vibration of his Rayes whence by the Greeks he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Vivacity of his Light exceeding that of Venus and Iupiter and thence impeding the Sight from rightly beholding that Phaenomenon unless fortified by an excellent Telescope as likewise in regard of the great Refractions made by Vapours near the Horizon especially in Climates more obliquely posited as is noted by Regiomontanus and Copernicus who for that Reason could never be so happy as duly to observe these Mercurial Phases Riccciolus in Astr. Reform l. 10. reports that he together with Franciscus Maria Grimaldi in the year 1643. the fifth of March when Mercury was in the Upper Part of his Epicycle and Vespertine at 15° of Elongation from the Sun beheld him in a Gibbous Figure like the Moon when more than half full the like in the year 1656. December 16 th In the year 1643. August 25 th the same Persons beheld him being Matutine and 19° distant from the Sun in a Figure like that of a Sickle or Syâ—…he so likewise in the year 1644. August the 6 th being distant from the Sun 20° But in the year 1647. April 30 th being Vespertine and distant from the Sun 20° they beheld him in a like Sythe-like Figure but more approaching toward a Dichotomy in the same Figure likewise they beheld him in the year 1650. when Vespertine and distant 18° from the Sun There are observed in him likewise several Spots successively following one another some light some duskish which light Spots are by Kircherus in Itiner Exstatic Dial. 1. c. 4. conceived to be the said Terrestrial and Mountanous Parts of the Mercurial Globe illuminated by the Sun the dusky ones to be the liquid or watery Parts thereof which by their Successive Motion likewise evince that he hath a Vertiginous Rotation about its own Axis determined within the space of six Hours or thereabouts as Rheita affirms As to its Distance from the Earth the same is by Tycho computed to be in its greatest Distance 1660. Semidiameters of the Earth in its mean Distance 1150. in its least 630. but according to the Calculation of Ricciolus in its greatest Distance 10868. Semidiameters in its mean 8057. in its least 5246. It s Apparent Diameter in its mean Distance is by Tycho computed to be 2′ 10″ by Ricciolus in its greatest Distance to be only 9″ in its least Distance 25″ It s true Magnitude according to Ricciolus supposing its mean Distance to be as before exprest and its Diameter to contain ¼ part of the Earth's Diameter is concluded to be less than the Earth's Body by 1 256 part Which being reduced to the Measures of Kepler its Diameter may be reckoned to contain 377 Italian Miles the Solidity of its Body 21253933 Cubical Italian Miles or thereabout VENUS The most illustrious of all the lesser Planets hath been observed by the curious from all Antiquity The chief Remarks made by the Ancients are these First they observed her sometime to precede the Sun rising in the Morning before him sometime to follow the Sun setting in the Evening after him now to be in Conjunction with the Sun that is in the same right Line drawn from the Observers Eye to the Center of the Sun at other times receeding from him to the Distance of 48 Degrees and this was the first and most
obvious Phaenomenon They observed her likewise to differ in Magnitude appearing sometimes greater sometimes less sometime of a mean or middle Size whence they concluded her to approach sometime nearer to the Earth and to be in Perigaeo at other times to recede further from it and to be in Apogaeo and this was the second Phaenomenon but not commonly observed or obvious to All. As to her rising and setting they observed that she was never so remote from the Sun as that she ever set Cosmically or rose Acronychally that is that she the Sun rising in the Eastern Horizon never set at the same time in the West or the Sun setting in the West never rose at the same time in the East for Venus cannot be opposed Diametrically to the Sun in regard she never digresses from him above 48° or thereabout Whence Venus rising in the Morning Heliacally that is emerging out of the Sun's Beams under which she lay hid digresses more and more from him and he rising appears higher and higher above the Horizon until she comes to the Terms of her greatest Digression aforesaid thence reapproaching the Sun is hidden in the Morning Heliacally that is is obscured under the Sun's Beams until such time as emerging Heliacally in the Evening she rises the Sun setting higher and higher above the Horizon until she comes to the aforesaid Terms of her greatest Elongation which past she again approaches toward the Sun until such time as in the Evening she sets Heliacally And this is the third Phoenomenon observable by All but noted only by the curious sayes Schottus in Praelus in Vener in Itiner Exstat Kircheri Besides these Observations of the Ancients Modern Astronomers by the help of the Telescope have noted several other signal Phaenomena as that she is lyable to the same variety of Changes as the Moon sometimes almost full at other Times gibbous and now and then horned as well when she is Vespertine as Matutine manifested by the various Observations of Galilaeo Scheinerus Fontana Hortensius Keplerus Rheita Gassendus and Hevelius She is sometime likewise seen by Day at which time according to Galilaeus and Hevelius her true Figure is best to be discerned in regard she is despoyled of those Adventitious Rayes with which in the Night time she is invested Ricciolus and Grimaldus in the year 1649. on the first of April beheld her of a Gibbous Figure and on the twentieth of the same Moneth bisected or dichotomised and on the first of May and first of September the same year horned and so continued until the fourth Day two Hours after Noon and so to the eighth Day of the same Moneth from the Sun 's rising 'till Noon On the eighteenth she was exactly Bisected or Dichotomised on the twenty sixth growing toward a Gibbous Figure But the rarest and most Signal Phaenomenon of Venus sayes Ricciolus is when she hath greatest Latitude near her Lowest Conjunction with the Sun For being then seen by a good Telescope she appears horned as big as the New Moon to the bare Eye Of the Structure Nature and Substance of this Planet from the Phaenomena already recited it may be concluded that it is an opacous Body and hath its Light from the Sun that it is spherical because it is spherically illuminated that it is of a solid and consistent Substance in regard though carried in a rapid Course through the liquid Aether it is not dissolved or dissipated It is of a rough and uneven Superficies in regard it is represented to be such by the Telescope and otherwise could not in such abundance reflect the Sun's Light upon the Earth which it is observed sometimes to do to such an eminent Degree that Bodies objected to its Rayes are seen to cast a shadow it is made up of solid and liquid Matter as our Terraqueous Globe and is found to have a Vertiginous Motion about its own Axis and Center which it compleats within the space of fourteen Hours according to Rheita As to its Apparent and true Diameter its Solidity and Proportion to the Body of the Earth as likewise its Distance from thence Authours extreamly vary Ricciolus in the Seventh Book of his Almagest Sect. Sixth hath collected their several Opinions into one Table to which for Brevities sake We refer the Reader contenting our selves only to note that according to the said Ricciolus The Apparent Diameter of Venus in its greatest Distance from the Earth is 0′ 33″ 30‴ in its mean Distance 1′ 44″ 12‴ in its least 4′ 8″ 0‴ It s true Diameter contains of the Earth's Diameters 1. 15 1000. It s Circumference three Diameters of the Earth and ⅗ the Area of its greatest Circle square Diameters of the Earth 1. 4 1000. It s convex Superficies square Diameters 4. 15 1000. The Body of Venus that of the Earth 1. ½ It s Distance from the Earth he makes to be when greatest 12919 Semidiameters of the Earth It s mean Distance 7580 it s least 2241 of the same Semidiameters MARS Though of all the rest the most inobservable Planet as both Pliny and Kepler affirm hath not yet been able to lie hid from the subtle Discoveries of Astronomical Spies who have observed that he moves in a large Orbit about the Sun as the Center of its Motion in which Circle or Orbit he includes the Earth with the Moon Mercury and Venus and takes up a great Part of the Solar Region and when in his Perigaeum becomes nearer to the Earth than the Sun as may appear by his Parallax at that time greater than the Suns and the notable increase of his Light by reason of which he is sometimes taken for a Comet or New Star As to his Figure it is without doubt as the other Planets Spherical and is observed by Kepler l. 6. Epit. Astr. when in □ with the Sun to be almost bisected or Dichotomous at other times between □ and ☠to the Sun to be gibbous and rarely perfectly round as Rheita affirms Hevelius denies that it can ever be seen horned Fontana in his Observations represents it as by him viewed in the year 1636. in a round Figure with a black Spot in the Middle which he conceives to be a Cavity and not a rising or swelling Nicholaus Zucchius as Ricciolus in Astronom Reform reports beheld him in the year 1640. between △ and □ with the Sun to be gibbous or bossed without any such Spot perhaps by reason of his vertiginous Motion or Libration about his own Center changing its Position Daniel Bartolus in the year 1644. as he writes to Ricciolus affirms that Father Sirsalis the Jesuite at Naples beheld him with an excellent Telescope to be almost round with two Spots a little beneath the Middle of his Globe Ricciolus likewise together which Grimaldus in the year 1651. on the fourth fifth and sixth of April beheld that black spot in him which appeared to them as if composed of divers smaller ones the same Phoenomenon being by them
afterwards often observed in the years 1653 1655 and 1657. which black or ruddy Macula or Spot Kircherus in Itiner Exstat conceives to be a great Vorago or Gulf of no less Extent than all Africa the ingenuous Mounsieur Hugens in the year 1656. observed a broad obscure Zone or Belt to shadow or obfuscate half the Disque of the said Planet From the several Phases before mentioned of his Dichotomy and Gibbosity Astronomers argue his light to be derived from the Sun as that of the Moon and Ricciolus is of opinion that if he could be seen in ♂ with the Sun We might discern him to be horned As to the Structure and Nature of his Globe it is as the rest of the Planets composed ex Solido Liquido The Solid Parts by Kircherus in Itiner Exstatic supposed to consist of a fuliginous Substance like that of Sulphur Arsenick or Orpiment hard and incombustible evapourating malignant and destructive Qualities and sweating out in great plenty a kind of bituminous Matter not unlike to Naphtha It s liquid Parts he imagines to consist of a soft and clammy Substance like to our melted Pitch mixt with Sulphur He hath a Vertiginous Motion about its own Center which is compleated according to Rheita in the space of forty five Hours six Minutes It s apparent Diameter according to Ricciolus being in its greatest Distance from the Earth 10″ 6‴ in its mean Distance 22″ in its least 1′ 32″ It s true Diameter contains of the Earth's Diameter 0. 12 1000. Parts the solidity of his Body the Earth's Body 0. 14 1000. It s greatest Distance from the Center of the Earth being by the said Ricciolus computed to be 21005 Semidiameters of the Earth its Mean Distance 11000 and its least 2373 of the said Semidiameters JUPITER One of the most noted and Beneficent Planets is carried in an Orbit above Mars as is manifest in the mutual Conjunctions of those Planets at which time he is obscured and hidden from our Sight by the Interposition of Mars as the Sun is by that of the Moon 's Body Rheita affirms that he observed Iupiter to be invested round with a vapid Atmosphere And Leander Bandtius Abbot of Duisburgh as Ricciolus in Astron. Reform reports in the year 1643. observed the Edges or Margins of his Globe to be very rough and uneven rising with Tumours like Hills and Mountains and discovered in his Body by the help of an excellent Telescope two small Maculae or Spots and two great Ones like hollow Caverns one Round the other Oval equalling in Longitude the seaventh Part of his Diameter as the Scheme thereof transmitted by the said Bandtius from Flanders to Ricciolus is said to have represented the same Hevelius likewise in his Selenography p. 44 affirms that the Face of Iupiter is variegated with Spots in a manner like that of the Moon and rugged with uneven Swellings and Asperities as that is But leaving these to further Discovery We shall only take Notice of the more Ordinary Phaenomena manifested by frequent Observations And those are First Certain Fasciae or Belts girdling as it were the Disque of Iupiter whether eminent Parts of his Body like Ridges or rather hollow Furrows or Trenches is uncertain But they are said first to have been discovered at Naples by Io. Baptista Zuppus and Daniel Bartolus Jesuits since by Fontana Grimaldi Ricciolus and others frequently discerned and distinguished They appear sometimes three sometimes two at other times single and bordered with two other smaller Welts like a Bend Cottize as the Heralds term it sometimes only with one of those small Welts They are now and then beheld in the Middle of its Disque now above it at other Times below it not alwayes strait but sometimes crooked and bending their Convexities appearing turned sometimes upward sometimes downward Evident Marks of the Vertiginous Motion or Rotation of that Planet about its Center These sometimes cease to appear and therefore being at such times observed by Gassendus no marvail if in his Astronomical Institutions l. 3. he seems to suspect those Phaenomena as denying that they ever could be discerned by him though he made use of a very good Telescope and one of Galilaeo's making Secondly His Satellites being four Stars so called moving about the Body of Iupiter as his Guards discovered first in Italy by Galilaeo in the year 1610. In Germany by Simon Marius by means of the Telescope without which by Reason of Iupiter's Splendor and their small Distance from him None of them receding above twelve Degrees from the Body of Iupiter they are not to be discerned and therefore altogether unknown to the Ancients The Number of these have by some Astronomers been questioned Rheita maintaining them to be no less than nine Io. Baptista Zuppus affirming he observed in the year 1644. no less than twelve smaller Stars moving about Iupiter whereof he verily believed eight to be Jovial Guards But the Number of four only is by Gassendus Hevelius and Vincentius Reinerus who for ten years together most diligently observed them as also by Vendelinus Io. Phocylides Olwarda Ricciolus and Grimaldus upon surer Grounds defended and asserted These by Galilaeus their first discoverer were called Sidera Medicaea The first or inmost next to Iupiter he called Cosmus Minor the next or Penintimous Cosmus Major the third or Penextimus Maria Medicaea the fourth or outermost Katherina Medicaea Simon Marius giving yet to the Inmost the Name of Iovial Mercury to the next Venus to the Third Iupiter to the Fourth Saturn But Io. Baptista Hodierna who lately first of all published Ephemerides of the Motions of the said Stars names the first or inmost from the Young Prince of Tuscany Principharus the Second from Victoria Dutchess to the Grand Duke Victripharus the Third from Cosmus the first Duke of Florence Cosmipharus the Last from Ferdinand the late Duke Fernandipharus Of these the greatest Digressions from the Body of Jupiter computed in Semidiameters of the same are as followeth Satellties 1 2 3 4 Authours Sem. ′ Sem. ′ Sem. ′ Sem. ′ Galilaeus 3 0 5 0 8 0 12 0 Sim. Marius 3 0 5 0 8 0 13 0 Rheita 3 0 4 0 6 0 10 0 Vendelinus 3 0 5 0 8 0 14 0 Hodierna 3 30 5 30 9 0 14 30 Their Periodical Revolutions in their several Orbits Of the According to Dayes Hours ′ ″ 1 Galilaeus 1 18 30 fere Marius 1 18 28 30 Rheita 1 18 30 0 Hevelius 1 18 28 0 Hodierna 1 18 28 44 Vendelinus 1 769 1000  2 Galilaeus 3 13 20 circiter Marius 3 13 18 0 Rheita 3 13 20 0 Hevelius 3 13 18 0 Hodierna 3 13 18 15 Vendelinus 3 554 1000  3 Galilaeus 7 4 0 fere Marius 7 3 56 34 Rheita 7 4 0 0 Hevelius 7 3 57 0 Hodierna 7 4 1 26 Vendelinus 7 164 1000  4 Galilaeus 16 18 0 fere Marius 16 18 9 15 Rheita 16 18 0 0
Parts That is are generated of the most dilute Planetary Vapours and Exhalations and of certain smallest Particles and sometimes grow together from many into one and not seldome from one are divided into two or three or more 9. Comets as they seldom and very rarely consist of one single Nucleus so the greater of these Nuclei is seldom seen precisely placed in the middle of the Cometical Body but declines toward the sides drawing along with it the thinner Mass. 10. The Nuclei as their rarer Parts by a Flux of Matter and Condensation increase and become more splendid so by difflux of Matter and rarefaction they become more pale wan and dull 11. Every Comet as each Solar Macula is circumvested with an other kind of Body less obscure and more rare as it were a peculiar Atmosphere in which the Sun's Rayes are lodged whence its Tayl or Bush is produced 12. It seems likewise consonant to Reason that the rarer Parts are procreated before the Nuclei or Kernels and that in the Dissolution of a Comet the Nuclei sensibly first decay so that the solid and more Dense Parts are sooner dissolved than the more rare 13. The Nuclei of Comets as of the Solar Maculae have not their Generation or Corruption in one Part of the Heavens only but every where indifferently And of these some are more lasting than others by reason of their more Unctuous and Dense Matter some of them likewise are formed about the beginning or Birth of the Comet others about the middle and some toward the End Yet sometime the same Nucleus lasts from the beginning to the End of the Comet now increasing at other times decreasing But in this both Comets and their Nuclei altogether differ from the Solar Maculae for that Comets by reason of their Proper Motion in their Orbits never return again and a second time ascend above our Horizon that is to say rise again Astronomically except in their Diurnal Motion which is not here considered insomuch as a Comet being once extinguished cannot be again produced or continued 14. Oftentimes divers Comets which seem at the same time to begin and to be almost equal as to their Density and Magnitude have not yet the same Dissolution but differ both as to the Time and Place the same is to be understood of their Nuclei 15. Every Comet as each Solar Macula consists of an opacous dense and of it self obscure Matter drawing all its Light wholly from the Sun 16. Comets are alwayes greater than they seem to be be their Apparent Diameter greater or less than the Apparent Diameter of the Sun which is the Body that illuminates them 17. No Comet whatsoever either as to its Whole or Parts or Nuclei hath a Gyration about its Axis but alwayes turns the same face to the Earth and Sun unless happily it may be carried in an equal librating or reciprocal Motion according as it is more or less distant from the Earth 18. The Nuclei of Comets as of the Solar Maculae have a peculiar Motion but alwayes Irregular or Anomalous Hence those Corpuscula or Nuclei of which the Comet is composed have Motions among themselves as to their Accession Conjunction or separation quite different from that proper Motion of the Comet in its Orbit and thence proceed the suddain Coalitions Digressions and inordinate Deviations as also the various Transformations of the Figures of the said Nuclei 19. Comets although sometime as to their Diameter or Disque or the Area of their greater Circle they exceed in Magnitude the Moon and Earth yet do they not for all that exhaust the Planets nor do those Bodies suffer any Detriment or Diminution no more than the Sun does by Generation of his Maculae for every Celestial Body calls back unto it self that Matter which by Dissolution or Attenuation issues from it 20. Comets are never at one and the same equal Distance removed from the Earth or Sun but are sometimes higher sometimes lower as is evident in regard they are sometimes found to have a sensible Parallax at other times to have none at All. 21. As the Sun does not constantly but at certain times produce his Maculae So neither does the Aether at all times by reason of the defect of Matter produce Comets Since that tenuous Matter of which they are composed being diffused beyond the Atmosphere of the several Planetary Bodies whence it flows through the vast Aether and most distant Parts of the Heavens it is not likely that those thin Exspirations can find so easie a Congress but that they concurr and are aggregated as it were by chance whence it comes to pass that Comets are so seldom seen Of the Tayl Train or Bush of Comets and the Causes thereof something is likewise to be said touching which there are as many different Opinions produced by Ricciolus and Hevelius as those already mentioned touching Comets The first is that of Aristotle and his followers asserting the Bush or Train of a Comet to be an Exhalation set on fire in a more rare and less constipated Matter than that of its Head and diversified according to the divers Disposition of the Matter that feeds its Flame The second is that of Seneca who conceives the Cauda or Bush to be no part of the Comet nor a Flame but the Rayes or Light which the Comet by its Native Vigour sends forth The third is that of Gemma Frisius who will have it to be a Fire of a simple Celestial Body kindled by the Sun in the Head of the Comet and by the Violent Action thereof thrust forth and expelled into the Opposite Part. The fourth is that of Petrus Apianus who makes the Bush of a Comet to be nothing else but the Rayes of the Sun transmitted through the Semidiaphanous Head thereof as it were through a Globe of Glass The fifth is Tycho Brahe's who conceives it to be nothing else but the Beams of the Sun penetrating the Head of the Comet and terminated in some Matter not altogether Perspicuous and reflected towards us for he supposes the Substance of the Aether not to be thoroughly Diaphanous The sixth is that of Kepler who endeavours to give a double reason of this Phaenomenon for he supposes First that the Tayl or Bush may be enlightned by the Sun-Beams passing through the Body of the Comet which he imagines to be purely pellucid yet withall Dense in such manner as the Sun's Beams are thereby conduplicated and coloured In the second he makes the Comet to expire a certain Lucid Matter from its Head toward that Part where the Sun's Beams break forth With him in a manner Gassendus consents who conceives the Tayl or Bush to be of the same Matter with the Head only to differ in rarity which rare and tenuous matter is by the force of the Sun's Beams expelled into the Part directly turned from the Sun and this Opinion is likewise embraced by Camillus Gloriosus and Franciscus Reita The
away and rounded by the length of its passage through the Air. The cause of its congeal'd hardnes is the Ant peristasis of the lower Region of the Air which is the Reason likewise why it falls more frequently in Summer than in Winter and seldom in the Night unless the Night be warm Vide Fromond Meteorolog l. 5. c. 9. t Thales Democritus ascribe the Cause of Earth-quakes to Subterranean Waters breaking out and undermining the Bowels of the Earth The Stoicks to Moisture rarified into Air which seeking for room to break â—…orth when it meets as Anaxagoras likewise held with the thick and tough Body of the Earth by its strugling for vent it shakes it Others conceive it proceeds from inclosed Air or Spirits arising from combustible matter such as Sulphur Nitre Allom Sal Armoniack or Bitumen set on fire and consequently rarified causing the like effect as Gunpowder in Mines See Fromond Meteorolog l. 4. c. 1 2 3. and Kircher in his Mund. Subterran l. 4. c. 2. The several kinds of Earth-quakes are thus reckon'd up by Apuleius l. de Mundo The first is term'd Epiclintes seu Inclinator that is when it strikes at oblique Angles turning things sideward The second is called Brastes or â—…ffervescens from the similitude of boiling Water bearing up all above it in a direct Line The third is termed Chasmatias whose Violence makes a Breach or Hiatus in which the place forced is swallowed up The fourth is called Rhectes from forcing its way by a Rupture but not making such a Chasma as the former The fifth Ostes which at once shakes and overturns The sixth Palmatias which shakes but overturns not The last Mycematias from the bellowing Noise it makes Ammianus Marcellinus l. 16. and Coelius Rhodiginus from him reckon but four kinds u That there are Subterranean Fires and those great and many appears by the Vulcanian Islands by the Mountains Aetna Vesuvius Hecla and others ejecting Flames and by hot Baths and Fountains breaking out of the Earth which as Vitruâ—…iÌ„us l. 2. instances could not be Si non in imo haberent aut de Sulphure aut de Alumine aut Bitumine ardentes Maximos Ignes In which words he briefly declares their Causes To which as a further Proof to omit divers others may be added Earth-quakes deriving as but now alledged their Original from these Subterranean Fires and therefore by our Authour not unproperly joyn'd together in this Verse Who would be further satisfied touching this matter may consult Pliny l. 2. c. 106. Gassendus his Epicurean Animadversions and particularly Kircher in his Mund. Subterran l. 4. where the Natures of these Fires their Necessity Diffusiveness Foâ—…d and Prodigious Effects are exactly described See likewise Iâ—…tigius expresly upon this Subject in his Tract de Montium Incend and the Curious Disquisition of Alphonsus Borellus in Historia Meteorologia Incendiâ—… 〈◊〉 Anno 1669. x Rain is defin'd by Aristotle a Cloud converted into Water and distilling in drops Epicurus makes two ways or means of generating Rain One by Transmutation when the parts of a Cloud either by absence of Heat or accession of Cold are so transpos'd and varied as render them more apt to flow and fall as is exemplified by Vapoâ—… in a Limbeck gathering together and then falling in drops The other by Compression when by wind or cold the Cloud is comprest and the vaporous Corpuscula within the hollows thereof are crowded together and by accession get weight and fall Whence it appears that the drops of Rain are form'd by Coalition rather than Division And that Rain is not as vulgarly conceiv'd a watry Mass effus'd from a Cloud like water from a watring-Pot or as â—…repsiades jestingly in Aristophanes declar'd it to be caus'd when Iupiter urin'd through a sive For if there were any such stagnation of Water in a Cloud it would fall from thence like a Torrent or Spout rather than in Drops Of Rain there are reckon'd three kinds Sâ—…illicidium Imber and Nimbus The first is a small Misty Rain The second is more intense and composed of greater Drops The last is yet more violent and falls more thick and as Fromondus says Decumanis Guâ—…tis Apuleius de Mundo sums up the Matter when he saâ—…es Tot Diversitatibus pluviae cadunt quot modis Aer Nubium conditionibus cogitur y The Original of Wind is reckoned among the Abscondita of Nature But I find it reduc'd chiefly to three Heads or Causes Viz. the Earth the Water the Air. The first is maintain'd by Aristotle who makes it a dry Earthy Exhalation The second is maintain'd by Metrodorus and partly by Anaximander chiefly by Vitruvius l. 1. c. 6. Where he says Ventus est Aeris fluens unda cum incerta motus redundantia Nasciturque cum fervor offendit Humorem Impeâ—…us fervoris exprimit vim Spiritûs flantis Which he illustrates by your Aeolipilae or Wind-balls so demonstrated likewise by Descartes l. 4 Metear c. 4. and asserted by Salmasius l. de Ann. Climacter p. 811. in Vitruvius his own words The third seems to be most antient which makes Wind to be nothing else but Air moved Apuleius de Mundo is of the same Opinion Nec enim aliud est ventus nisi multum vehemens in unum coacti Aeris flumen But this not assigning the first Cause of that Motion leaves the matter undetermin'd The most probable Opinion is that Wind is an Earthy or Watry Exhalation mixed with saline Spirits and other Vapours drawn or forc'd out of the Earth or Sea by the power of the Sun or Subterranean Fires which being rarified by Heat or condensed by Cold and impelled for the most part by a transverse sometimes by a direct Motion exâ—…gitates the Earth Air and Sea But of this Subject see particularly the Lord Verulam in his Book de ventis Descartes loc cit Gassend Animadvers in Epicur Fromond Meteor Kircherus in Mund. Subterran and Mr. Isaac Vossius de Motu Marium ventorum z See Lucretius l. 6. arguing to this effect against the pretended and fabulous Power of Thundring Iupiter But far better and with more Analogy to Truth Seneca in Natural Quaest. l. 2. Interim hoc dico Fulmina non miâ—…i à Iove sed sic omnia disposita ut etiam ea quae ab illo non â—…ant sine ratione non fiunt quae illius est Vis eorum illius permissio est Nam etsi Iupiter illa nunc non facit fecit ut fierent singulis non adest sed signum Vim Causam dedit omnibus Thus far Seneca In which there only wants the true Name of the first Divine Cause Why Iupiter is said to be the Author of Thunder and Lightning Pliny l. 2. c. 20. gives this Physical reason That the Fires of the three uppermost Planets falling to the Earth carry the name of Lightning but that especially which is seated in the midst that is to say Jupiter because
and that the Eye is at the Knot or Center of the Base of the Cone beholding two known Stars shining through their Proper Holes and at the same time it shall likewise behold the rest shining through their respective Holes The Rotation of this Figure about an Axis serving as a Nocturnal to give the Hours of the Night Other Astroscopes there are As one that being rectified and set to the Hour of the Night the Sight through two Pinnacides shall be directed to that Star to which the Instrument is rectified Of All which to treat is not our present Design and ' therefore shall refer the Reader to the Authors and Composers of such kind of Projections or Astroscopes THE SPHERE OF MARCUS MANILIUS DIvining Arts and Stars foreknowing Fate Varying the divers Turns of Humane State The Workâ—… of Heav'ns high Reason We bring down In Verse from Heaven and first move Helicon And it 's green Groves with unacquainted Rimes Offering strange Rites not known to former Times Caesar thy Countries Prince and Father Thou To whose Imperial Laws the World doth bow Who merit'st what was granted to thy Sire Heaven as a God! do'st this high Song inspire And now Heaven kinder to the Curious grows And courts in Verse it 's Treasure to disclose Fit Task alone for Peaceful Leisure Rise We then through yielding Aire and mount the Skies There live and range Learn all the Signs and prove How in their adverse Course the Planets move To know but which were little we will sound The hidden Entrails of this ample Round Enquire how Stars Creatures beget and sway Which whilst we sing Apollo's self shall play Two Altars bright with Flames we raise repair T' a double shrine prest with the double Care Of Verse and Matter on these certain Grounds Raising our Song concordant Heaven surrounds It's Poet with deep Harmony and Words Scarce fit for Latian Characters affords Who to inferiour Earth did first reveal These Gifts of Gods Who what they hid could steal All-ruling Heaven What Mortal dar'd so high As spite of Gods himself to Deifie Open the highest Path the lowest Deep Tell how the Stars their bounded Courses keep The Force and Motions of the Signs impart Cyllenius Thus first taught'st this sacred Art Thou th'inmost Heavens utmost Stars mad'st known That so to Natures Power not Face alone Might greater Awe and Reverence accrue And Nations learn what to that God was due Who did through Seasons to be known display The Heavens and this great Worlds Phaenomena Nature help'd too Her self Her self improv'd And Monarchs next to Heaven in power first mov'd T' affect these Arts who near Sol's rising Beams Fierce Nations tam'd whose Lands Euphrates Streams Divide and Nile inundates where the Sun Returning does o're Negro Cities run Next chosen Priests who serve from Age to Age At Publick Altars and with vows ingage Th'indulgent God whose awful Presence fires Their Zealous Minds with uncorrupt Desires He with himself possest them and made known His unveil'd Deity unto his own Such were the Men who first could apprehend That Humane Fates on wandring Stars depend They to each time apply'd its own Events And by long Toyl observ'd the Accidents Of many Ages Birth-days Lives what Power Of Fortune govern'd each successive Hour And what great Changes the least Motions cause Thus when Heavens various Face the Stars by Laws Of Fate returning in their ordered Course Was fully known and each Signs proper Force Experience fram'd thereof an Art the Way Shown by Example Which through long Essay And various Speculation learn'd from far The tacit Laws of eâ—…ery ruling Star Saw in alternate Course Heaven still move round And Fate to vary as it's Aspects found For before them rude Man no difference made 'Twixt Natures works nor things with Reason weigh'd Astonish'd at Heavens new disclosed Light Now mourn'd the Stars as lost now at their Sight As if new-born rejoyc'd th' uncertain Times Of Day and Night differing in different Climes Till then none knew nor could the Causes clear Of shades unlike the Sun far off and near Yet witty Cunning no learn'd Arts had found Under rude Swains waste lay the untill'd Ground Gold then in Desert Mountains lodg'd at Ease New Worlds lay hid in unattempted Seas To waves and winds to trust their Lives none dar'd To know themselves and theirs Men only car'd But when long Time and Toyl their Wits had whet And Want an Edge on Indusiry had set Then thousand Cares their working Heads possest Whilst to scape Need they Sacrifice their Rest Conclusions try'd and whatsoe're wise Use By oft-repeated Practice did produce Of sure Effect the new Experiment Unto the Common Good they gladly lent Then Barbarous Tongues receiv'd new Laws the Earth Manur'd to various Fruits gave timely Birth Bold Seamen the blind Ocean did invade And 'twixt strange Lands procur'd a mutual Trade Thence Arts of War and Peace in time arose For Art by Practice propagated growes What 's yet more strange they learnt the Tongues of Birds Entrails t'inspect burst Snakes with powerful words Call'd up pale Ghosts mov'd Hell it self the Light Turn'd into Darkness into Day the Night Ingenious Industry made All things bend Nor put they to their curious Search an End Till Reason had scal'd Heaven thence view'd this round And Nature latent in its Causes found Why Thunder does the suffering Clouds assail Why Winters Snow's more soft than Summers Hail Whence Earthquakes come and Subterranean fires Why show'rs descend what force the wind inspires From Error thus she wondring Minds uncharm'd Unsceptred Iove the Thunderer disarm'd Of Name and Power dispoyl'd him and assign'd Fire to the Labouring Clouds Noise to the Wind. These to their proper Causes having brought Next on the whole Worlds Mass she casts her Thought Of which the System in her self she frames Dispensing to the Signs both Forms and Names Their Aspects and their Order notes and saw Heavens changing Face gave fatal changes Law This is our Muses Theme as yet display'd In Verse by None Propitious Fortune aid The bold Attempt with Ease my Life befriend And to a long and chearful Age extend That so I sink not with my Subjects weight But with like care great Things and small relate Now since from Heaven it self our Verse descends And down to Earth Fates settled Order tends We first must Natures General State reherse And draw the Picture of the Universe Which whether it from Nothing were deriv'd Or of Beginning both and End depriv'd Hath ever been and ever shall endure Or Chaos severing from the Mass obscure The mixed Principles of things this bright World teem'd whilst Darkness
took to Hell its Flight Or that made up of Atoms Nature's Frame Exists and shall resolve into the same Some thousand Ages hence and almost brought From Nothing fall again to almost Nought Or that the Heavenly Spheres and Globe of Earth From Fire not such blind Matter drew their Birth Whose flames in all things dwell kindled Heav'ns Eys And form the glittering Lightning of the Skies Or sprung from Water which dry Matter soaks And ravenous Fire that would devour it choaks Or unbegot were Earth Air Water Fire And these four Limbs make up the God entire And form this World nor will that ought be found Beyond themselves since All things they compound Applying Hot to Cold to Humid Dry To Heavy Light which kind Discordancy The Matrimonial Bands of Nature knits And Principles for all Production fits We can but guess its Birth obscur'd it lies Beyond the reach of Men and Deities Yet though its Birth be hid its Form's disclos'd And in due Order all its Parts dispos'd Fire up to the Aethereal Confines flew And a round Wall of Flame 'bout Nature drew The subtle Air possest the second Place Diffus'd throughout the vast Globes middle space Whence its hot Neighbour draws cool Nourishment The third Lot level'd the wide Seas Extent And in a liquid Plain the Waters spread Whence hungry Air is by thin Vapours fed Prest down b' its Sediment Earth lowest fell Whilst sand-mixt slime contracting did expel The subtler moysture which to flight constrain'd Rose by degrees 'till it the surface gain'd And the more that into pure Water went The more the squeez'd out Seas the drain'd Earth pent Settling in hollow Vales whilst Hills thrust out Their Heads from Waves circling the Globe about This lowest in the midst is still confin'd On all parts equally from Heaven disjoyn'd Secur'd from further falling by its fall The Middle both and Bottom of this All In whose concentring Parts on every side Bodies Encountring are to sink deny'd And did not Earth by its self-Poize suspend Phoebus the Stars approaching could not bend His Course to set nor set e're rise again Nor Phoebe drive through the Aereal plain Her Wave-drench'd Steeds nor Phosphorus the Light E're usher more if Hesperus to Night Now in the Middle Earth suspending thus Not sunk to th Bottom All is Pervious For We nor can the rising Stars conceive A casual Production nor believe Of the chang'd Heavens the oft-renascent State Sol's frequent Births and his Quotidian Fate Since the Signs always shew the self-same Face Heav'n keeps one Course the Sun one constant Race The Moon in certain although various ways The changes of her Light and Orb displays Nature the Tract which first she made observes Nor e're like an unskilful Novice swerves Day with eternal Light is carried round This the times shew in several Regions found Successively the same and we may see Eastward its Rise its Setting West to be The further unto either as we run Continued with Heavens Motion and the Sun Nor need the Pendent Earth wonder beget Since the whole World suspends as well as it Whose Foot upon no certain Bottom rests As its swift Course and Circular attests The radiant Sun suspended runs its Rounds Never transgressing his Aethereal Bounds The Moon and Stars in Skies suspended stray And Earth by Imitation hangs as they Poiz'd in the middle of circumfluent Air Not flatly stretch'd but swell'd into a Sphere Rising alike and falling every where This is the Face of Nature thus th' Heav'ns roll'd Swiftly about into round Figures mould The Sun and Stars round is the Moon to sight And with a swelling Body barrs the Light Hence never wholly Lucid is her Ball When the Sun's Beams on it obliquely fall A Form eternal like the Gods alone In which Beginning there or End is none But like throughout and every where the same Such are the Stars such is the whole Worlds Frame Hence 't is We see not in all Lands all Signs Canopus not till you reach Aegypt shines And they lack Helice who see his Light Earth's Tumour hind'ring th'intercepted Sight The Truth of this Thou Cynthia mayst attest When dark'ning Shadows thy bright Looks invest At once thou dost not all the World amaze But first the Eastern Nations miss thy Rays Then those which under the Mid-Heaven are plac'd Next tow'rd Hesperia fly'st thou cloudy-fac'd Then those who yet more distant have their Seat Later to aid thee brazen Vessels beat If then the Earth were flat this sad Defect Of Light the whole World might at once detect But since 't is Round to These first then to Those Her Rising self or setting Delia shows For carried Circular she first attains Th' Ascending Parts then the Descending gains Now climbs this Arch anon leaves that behind Whence that the Earth is Round we clearly find This is by Men and Beasts and Birds possest The North Parts Eminent the South deprest Beneath our Feet whose surface seems to be It's Breadth deceiving its Declivitie Stretch'd to a lengthful Plain the large Extent Compos'd of equal Rising and Descent Hence when Sol's Beams i' th' West our Orient Face There rising Day does sleep from Mortals chace And when the Light to Labour summons Those 'T is Night with Us and Time for our Repose The watry Girdle of the Ambient Main Does either Hemisphere divide and chain This Worlds huge Mass fram'd into One Entire Of different Parts as Earth Air Water Fire A Power Divine whose sacred Influence glides Through all its Limbs with tacit Reason guides And mutual Leagues inclines them to contract That some may suffer what the Others act And the whole Frame although diversify'd By various Figures be throughout ally'd Now we the radiant Signs in Order sing First those which guirt Heaven with an Oblique Ring And Phoebus by alternate Courses bear Through the successive Seasons of the Year Then those whose Course to Heav'n is Opposite All which may numbred be in a clear Night The Laws of Fate depending on their Power First then of Heav'ns chief Part its Starry Tower The Princely Ram glittering in Golden Wool Wonders to see the backward-rising Bull With submiss Looks beckon the Twins next whom Cancer who after him sees Leo come Him Virgo follows then the Scales that weigh In even Ballance equal Night and Day Draw on the Scorpion with the fiery Sting At which the Centaur his Shaft levelling Seems ready to let fâ—…y To these comes on The Goats contracted Constellation Aquarius next pours from his Urn a Flood Whilst the glad Fish to the lov'd Waters scud By Aries touch'd and make the closing Sign Now
in the Skies near where the bright Bears shine Which from Heavens Top on all the Stars look down Nor know to seâ—… but plac'd on the World's Crown Though differently whirle round the Stars and Skies Stretch'd through thin Air the subtle Axis lies Whose distant Poles the Ballanc'd Fabrick hold Round this the Star-imbellish'd Orbs are rowl'd Whilst yet it self unmov'd through empty Air And the Earths Globe extends to either Bear Nor is 't a solid Substance or opprest With Weight though the Worlds weight upon it rest But as the Air mov'd in a Circle goes And on it self whence first it flow'd reflows What e're that is which still the midst doth hold 'Bout which it self unmov'd All else is rowl'd So subtle it can no way be inclin'd That by the Name of Axis is design'd Upon whose Top to Mariners distrest Well known their Guides through Seas two bright signs rest Great Helice moves in a greater Bend Mark'd with seven fair Stars the Greek Pilot's Friend Small Cynosure less both in Light and size A less Orb holds whom yet the Tyrians prize More than the Great by This the Poeni steer Through vast Seas to the Western Hemisphere These joyn not Fronts but eithers Head turns to The others Tayl pursu'd as they pursue Between both which his large unfolded Spires A Serpent stretches and with winding fires Embracing them one from the other parts And from their Stations sees that neither starts 'Twixt this and Heavens Mid-Circle where the Sun And six Lights more 'gainst the bright Zodiack run Rise Stars of different Magnitude and Power Some near the Pole some near Heav'ns radiant Tower Which temper'd by the disagreeing Air The fruitful Earth for humane use prepare Next the cold Bears the Cause t' himself best known Shines forth a kneeling Constellation Behind whose Back Arctophylax appears The same Boötes call'd because yoak'd Steers He seeming drives who through the rapid Skies Bearing Arcturus in his Bosome hies On th' other side see the rich Crown display Its Luminous Gems bright with a different Ray Whom the swift Courser strives t' oretake his Brest With a refulgent Signature imprest Which closes in the fair Andromeda Kind Perseus Shoulder lends her Feet a Stay And joyns t' himself but a large Space divides Deltoton brighter in its Base than sides So call'd from its Resemblance Cepheus And Cassiopea made conspicuous Ev'n to her Punishment seems to deplore Andromeda chain'd to the rocky shore Fearing the gaping Monster of the Deep But Perseus still does his old kindness keep Comes to her Aid and of the Gorgon slain Shows the fear'd Head his Spoyl the Seers Bane Close running by the kneeling Bull behold Heniochus who gain'd by skill of old Heav'n and his Name as first four Steeds he drove On flying Wheels seen and install'd by Iove The Kids next the Seas barring till the Spring Then the Goat Nurse to the Worlds Infant King Who from her Teats scal'd Heaven her Milk did grow To brandish Lightning and fear'd Thunder throw By her own Iove a Constellation made And for the Heav'n she gave with Heav'n repay'd Last view the Pleiad's and the Hyades Both Parts o' th' Bull The Northern Signs are These Now see the Stars which 'bove the scorcht Earth run Rising beneath the Path-way of the Sun And those which 'twixt the Tropick are confin'd Of Capricorn and Pole that is declin'd Near to the Twins behold Orion rise With stretch'd Arms almost fathoming the Skies Nor marching with a less extended Pace Bright shining Stars his either shoulder grace Three Lights his Pendant Sword obliquely sign In his advanced Head three others shine Deep in the Skies immerst nor yet less bright Though such they seem 'cause more remov'd from Sight Him as through Heaven he marches follow All The starry Legions as their General Next after whom with rapid Motion bent No Star than that 'gainst Earth more violent The fierce Dog runs not one for Heat does rise Not one for Cold more grievous quits the Skies The World afflicting with a different Fate Nor ever fails upon the Sun to waite Who this from Taurus Crown first rising see Ghess thence of Fruits what the Event may be What Health what Quiet may the Year befal Here War it makes there Peace does reinstal And as it variously returns doth awe Th' inferiour World It 's Aspect is their Law 'T is strongly credited this owns a Light And runs a Course not than the Sun 's less bright But that remov'd from Sight so great a Way It seems to cast a dim and weaker Ray All other Stars it foyls none in the Main Is drench'd or brighter thence ascends again Next with the nimble Hare see Procyon rise And then the noble Argo to the Skies From Seas translated which she first did plow Once tost with mighty storms in Heaven fixt now And deify'd for saving Deities Close boarding her a glittering Serpent lies And by so ordered Lights seems to present His speckled Bodies scaly Ornament Sols Bird the Cup dear to the God of Wine And Centaure next in a mix'd shape does shine Half Man half Horse then Heavens bright Temple see And Altar consecrate to Victorie What time th' inraged Earth a Giant Race 'Gainst Heaven produc'd then Gods besought the Grace Of the great Gods and Iove himself f So Claudian de Bello Getico Ipsumque Iovem turbante Typhoeo Sifas est timuisse ferunt fear'd too He wanted Power to do what he could do When he amaz'd the rising Earth beheld How ev'n 'gainst Natures self Nature rebell'd Saw Mountains heap'd on Mountains to aspire And Stars from the approaching Hills retire Charg'd with dire Arms by a g Applicable to this Place may seem this not common and not unelegant Description of Sidorius Apâ—…llinar in Carm. 9. ad Foeliâ—…em Nâ—…n hic Terrigenam loquor Cohortem Admixto magè â—…ividam veneno Cui praeter Speciem 〈◊〉 câ—…rentem Aâ—…gues Corporibus voluminosis Aâ—…te squammea Cruâ—…a porrigentes In a estigia fauce desinebant Sic â—…ormae triplicis Procax Iuventus 〈◊〉 Pedem proterens voraci Curs â—…at Capitum stupenda gressu Et cum Classica Numinum sonabant Mex câ—…ntrà Tonitrus resibilante And hâ—…t Superos ciere plantâ Nec Phâ—…egrae legis ampliata rura Missi dum â—…olitant per Astra Mâ—…ntes Pindus Pelion Ossa Olympus Othryâ—… Cumsilvis gregibus fâ—…ris Pruinis Sâ—…xis fontibus Oppidis levati Viâ—…rantium spatiâ—…siorum dextrâ Of th' Earth-born Race is not our Song Who by mix'd Poisons grew more strong Their Limbs immeasurably vast About whose legs wreath'd
straw to retard his pursuit whence the Original of that Name In Syriack it is called Shevil Tévno by the Persians Rah Kahkeshân i. e. Via Paleamtrahens the Turks call it Samân Ughrisi i. e. Palâ—…am rapiens In the Coptick Tongue it is called Pinóiten Tépitoc i. e. Via straminis others call it Viam Romae and Viam Sancti Iacobi The Turks Hâgjiler Yuli i. e. Via festum Agentium or the way of Pilgrims to Mecha by the Aegyptian Astrologers call'd Porta Mansionum Lunae It is a great Circle having for Center the Center of the World or rather an oblique Conspicuous Zone of a different Breadth or Latitude being no where broader than 10 Degrees and in some places not exceeding 6 or 7. in some stretching to 8 or 9. Where its Course is not divided From this Circle as Pliny l. 18. â—… 29. reports the Antients believ'd all Plants received their Milky Juice or Nourishment and hence perhaps is that Arabick Name of Um Al Sama i. e. Mater Coeli quasi ejus lactatrix Nor less famous for the strange Productions which Modern Eperience hath observed therein it being found the Store-house from whence have issued all the new Phaenomena's that have hapned either in this or the precedent Age. other carried tow'rd the opposed Bears Galaxia or the Milkie Way Its Course close by the Artick Circle steers And by inverted Cassiopea tends Thence by the Swan obliquely it descends The Summer Tropick and Iove's Bird divides Then cross th' Aequator and the Zodiack glides 'Twixt Scorpio's burning Tail and the left Part Of Sagittarius near the fiery Dart Then by the other Centaure's Legs and Feet Winding remounts the Skies again to meet By Argo's Topsail and Heaven's middle Sphere Passing the Twins t' o'retake the Charioteer Thence Cassiopea seeking Thee does run O're Perseus Head and ends where it begun Three middle Circles and the Zodiack too Twice passing and by that as oft past through Nor needs it to be sought its obvious Course It self illustrates and the sight doth force For in the azure skies its candid Way Shines like the dawning Morn or closing Day And as by often passing o're some Green An even Path parting the Mead is seen Or as a Ship plowing the Seas smooth Plain Of foaming Bubbles leaves a silver Train So shines its milky Path in the dark Night Parting the blew Skies with its numerous Light And as through Clouds the Rainbow does extend So on Olympus Height shows its white Bend And Mortals fills with Wonder whilst they spy New Lights unknown Flames darting through the sky The sacred Causes humane Breasts enquire Whether the Heavenly u The Opinion of Diodorus who conceiv'd the via lactea to be a Coelestial fire of a dense and compacted Nature shewing it self through the Clefts of the starting and dividing Hemispheres as Macrobius in Somn. Scip. l. 1. c. 15. expresses it Ignem densatae concretaeque naturae in unam curvi Limitis Semitam Discretione Mundanae fabricae coacervante concretum Hence says Gassendus we may observe Genium Stoicae Providentiae They calculating the Destruction of the World to commence from the Breach or loosening of the Commissures of the closed Globe To which doubtless Manilius here alludes Vide Gassend Tom. 1. l. 1. p. 506 507. Segments there retire Various Opinions concerning the Galaxie The whole Mass shrinking and the parting Frame Through cleaving Chinks admits the stranger flame Astonishment must sure their Senses reach To see the Worlds wounds and Heavens gaping breach Or meets Heaven here and this white cloud appears x The fancy of Theophrastus that great Philosopher who declar'd the Galaxie to be no other than the soldering and knitting together of the Hemispheres So Macrobius delivers it Lacteum dixit esse Compagem quâ de duobus Hemisphaeriis Coeli Sphaera solidata est ubi Oâ—…ae convenerint notabilem Claritatem videri Vide illum loco â—…oitat The Cement of the close-wedg'd Hemispheres Or seems that old Opinion of more sway That the Sun's y Oenâ—…pides Chius according to Achilles Tatius in Arat. Phaenomen affirmed that this Circle was antiently the Course of the Sun till frighted from that Tract by Thyestes his bloody Banquet he chose this he now holds in the Zodiack but left behind him the Impression of his former Course Of which ridiculous Opinion was likewise Metrodorus and some other Pythagoreans whereof Plutarch in Placit Philosoph l. 3. c. 1. Horses here once ran astray And a new Path mark'd in their straggling flight Of scorched Skies and Stars adusted Light Changing to paler white Heavens azure Face And with the burnt Worlds Ashes strew'd the Place Fame likewise from old Time to us succeeds How z See Ovid Metamorphos l. 2. and Plutarch loco citat Phaëton driving his Fathers Steeds Through radiant Signs and with a wounding Eye Viewing th' approached Beauties of the Sky Whilst in his Chariot proud he childlike plays And things yet greater than his Sire essays Left the known Path and a rough Tract imprest In the smooth Skies whilst wand'ring Flames infest Th' affrighted Signs not brooking the loose Course Of th' erring Chariot and ill-guided Horse Hence the whole World became a fiery spoyl And burning Cities made Earths funeral Pile When from the hurried Chariot Lightning fled And scattered Blazes all the Skies o'respred By whose approach new Stars enkindled were Which still as Marks of that sad Chance appear Nor must that gentler Rumour be supprest How a Eratosthenes as cited by Acâ—…iller Tatius in Arati Phaenomen is reputed the Father of this Fable in his Book entituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Partitio or rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Asterismi which is by Achilles Tatius thus related 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Hercules being an Infant sucking at Juno's breast and too hardly pressing the Nipple she suddainly withdrew it and spilt the milk which form'd this Circle in the Heavens The like says he is reported by the same Eratosthenes of Mercury's sucking Iuno Milk once flowing from fair Iuno's Breast Stain'd the Coelestial Pavement from whence came This Milky Path its Cause shown in its Name Or is 't a b This is the true Cause of the Gâ—…laxie which long since by Conjecture and probable Reason was asserted by Democritus as Plutarch in Placitis Philosoph attests But since the Invention of the Telescope clearly demonstrated by Galilaeo Kepler and others Crowd of Stars crowning the Night A candid Diadem of condens'd Light Or c The antient Ethnicks believed the condensed light of the Milky way to proceed from the Crowd and multitude of valiant wise and Pious Souls inhabiting that Circle Hence Macrobius in Somn. Scipionis Rursus filium Pater ut in Deos Piuâ—… nt in homines Iustus esset hortatus Praemium adjecit Ostendens Lacteum Circulum virtutibus debitum Beatorum Coetu râ—…fertum Believ'd no less even by Christians
Westward but if it appear in the Evening the Sun being set then it seems Caudata the Train flowing from behind the Sun Eastward But it is more properly said to be Barbata when the Head or Body of the Comet is above and the Train or Stream underneath flowâ—…ng downward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 More Barbae in opposition to that which is called Crinita whose Hair or Bash is above the Head of the Comet See Stobaeus Eclog Physic. l. 1. And Suidas in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beard Pogonias or Stella Barbata Sometimes 'twixt equal-bounded Sides it flows And a square p This Comâ—… or Meteor is called in English a Beam or Post in Latine Trabs in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Igniâ—…a Trabs When extended to an extraordinary length it was by the Greeks likewise called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Via as Aâ—…istotle Meteorolog l. 1. c. 6. affiâ—…ms Pliny l. 2. c. 26 reports such a one to have appeared at what time the Lacedemonians vanquâ—…shed in Fight at Sea lost the Empire of Greece and Charimandâ—…r in his Book of Comets as cited by Seneca Natur. Quaest. l. 7. relaâ—…s the like Meteor of unusual Brightness and Greatness to have been observed by Anaxagoras for many days continuance Callisthenes likewise affirms such a one to have appeared a little before Buris and Helice were swallowed up in the Sea The difference between a Trabs and Columna is this The first is of an oblong Form in a down lying Posture the latter appears in an erected Figure Vide Fromond Meteor l. 2. c. 5. Post or a round Pillar shows Dokiâ—… or Trabs Like a big-bellied q Call'd therefore by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dolium and thence by the Latines Pithetes thus described by Pliny l. 2. c. 25. Pithetes Doliorum cernitur FiguraÌ„ in Câ—…ncavo fumidae Lucis i. e. Pithetes is seen in the form of a Barrel or Tun within the Concave of a fumid or smoaky Light which according to Seneca Natural Quaest. l. 7. vel fertur vel in uno loco flagrat And to this kind is to be reduced the Meteor called Tenaculum sub cinerâ—…o fumo Luridum says Ricciolus Almag Nov. Tom. 1. l. 8. Tun now its swoln Beams Pithetes Dilate and then contract to narrower Streams Like little r Known by the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Resemblance it bears to a small Lock or Curle of Hair which in Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Cincinnulus Locks which in small Curles are ti'd Bostruchias Now like fir'd s Manilius here describes these kind of Meteors by the Periphrasis of Hirta Mâ—…ssis They are commonly called Stipulae Ardentes resembling the firing of Straw or Stubble in the Fields Which appear as Aristotle says when the Exhalation that causes them is extended to a considerable breadth and length sheafs now like branch'd t Called therefore Lampadias imitating burning Lamps or Torches which Manilius here divides into â—…issus Ramâ—…sos branched sprayes and are not seen but in their Fall Of these kinds Pliny l. 2. c. 26. reports one to have appeared at Noon in sight of all the Roman People at what time Caesar Germanicus exhibited a Prize or Spectacle of Fencers He makes of them a double difference the first called Lampades Lamps or Torches which burn only at the Tops though they draw a long fuming Train after them The other called Bolides commonly englished Lances burning through the whole Extent or Length of their Train Of which last sort says he there were some seen in the Calamity oâ—… 〈◊〉 when that City was sack'd lamps descri'd Stipulae Ardentes Now falling u Anaxagoras would have these kind of Meteors to be sparkles falling from the fiery Region By Eunapius in Aeâ—…es they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Effluentiae seu Trajectiones quaedam Stellarum by Aristotle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discursus seu Stellae fluxus By the Arabs called Shihâb which as I find in the Commentator upon Ulugh â—…eight Tables is expounded Stella quae nocte incedit sicuâ—… Ignis and Stella Daemones pellens for the Antient Arabs and Eaâ—…ern People fancy'd falling Stars to be fiery Darts lanc'd from Heaven against the Devils or evil Spirits of the Aire as is likewise observed by the Learned Golius notis in Alferganum p. 65. But Fromondus Meteor l. 2. c. 3. according to the Doctrine of Aristotle describes them to be a fiery Exhalation expulsed out of a Cloud having the Resemblance of a true Star falling They are conceived to come from the same Cause and Origine as Lightning though they are not attended by Thunder at least as to us perceivable Bearing the same Proportion to Lightning as the firing of a Musquet does to that of a Canon For as at a great distance we may see the Fire of a Musquet but scarce hear its Noise but of a Canon within the same distance we may both see the Fire and hear the Noise So by reason of the Exility of the Exhalation we hear not the Noyse when these falling Stars break from a Cloud as we do Thunder when ushered by Lightning Fromondus compares these Meteors to ouâ—… kind of Fireworks called Rockets though their Motions be different the one being forced upward the other downward which run in a Train and fall in the manner of Stars And therefore Pliny calls them Scintillas Discursus Stellarum Ptolomy Trajectiones both which our Poet expresses when he says they shoot and sparkle Stars seem to shoot every where Lampadias Stella Cadens When wandring Lights do sparkle in the Aire And darted Flames swift x Call'd in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and from thence in the Latine Acontiae which as Pliny says Iaculi mâ—…do vibrantur 〈◊〉 significatu Of which the Emperour Titus or as some will Tiberius is said to have written an excellent Poem This Meteor when it appears in a shorter form is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Ensis Gladius seu Pugio the Head or Body of the Comet representing the Hilt the Ray or Iubar the Blade of a Sword and appears of all others the most Pale Arrows imitate Acontiae When the dry Train runs in a narrow Strait For every Thing does mixed Fire infold That dwells in pregnant Clouds which Thunder mold Pierces Earths Veins Heavens Terrors counterfeits From Aetna's Caves in Springs cold Water heats Lurks in hard Flints and in green Bark finds Room When Woods by their y To this Accident Vitruvius l 2. c. 1. ascribes the Original of our Culmary Fire where he says Ab Tempestâ—… ventis densae crebriâ—…ibus Aâ—…bores agitatae inter se 〈◊〉 Ramos Ignem exâ—…itaverunt Which being observ'd by the Antients they from thence
derived their 〈◊〉 by rubbing one stick against another until being heated they catched Fire which they fed by dry Leaves and such like combuâ—…ible Fuel This Part says Turnebus noâ—…is in Theophrast de Igne was by them called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Fâ—…cus or according to the Scholiast of Apollonius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Strator Which we may compare with our Tindar The other parts which were the sticks theâ—… called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Terebrum and served instead of our Flint and Steel The Trees most subject to this manner of taking Fire are reckoned the Fig-Tree Laurel Oake and Ilex the Tile-Tree Ivy and Vine but especially the Laurel Coneparius de Atramentis c. 13. reckons up these several ways of generating and kindling Fire Propagatione Putredine Coitione Antispasi Frictione Percussione Which he reduces to these three kinds Propagation Coition and Motion In which the rest are included for Putredo and Antispasis kindle fire by compelling the dispersed Heat to unite together and therefore fall under the head of Coition as Friction and Percussion under that of Motion Collision flames assume So fertile every Matter is in fire Nor suddain Flames breaking through Skies admire Nor frequent Coruscations by Earths hot Exhaling Vapours in the Aire begot Which the swift-feeding Flame pursues or flies Since trembling Lightning darted through the Skies Thou mayst behold in midst of falling Rain And Thunder through forc'd Clouds its way constrain Whether from z He resumes his former Arguments touching the Original of Comets and begins with that of the Peripateticks asserting as is before noted Comets to come from a sulphureous unctuous ignescent matter exhaling from the Earth and Sea c. Vide Aristotel Meteor l. 1. c. 7. and 10. fiery Seeds inclos'd in Earth Their Causes farther enquired into And thence emitted Comets draw their Birth Or Nature did those fading Lights design As a The Opinion of Anaxagoras and Democritus who held Comets to be the Coapparition of wandring Stars or Planets which when they approach near each other seem mutually to touch and to become as it were all one or as Plutarch expresses it A Conjunction of divers Stars meeting with their Lights together or according to Laertius a Concourse of Planets emitting Flames Oâ—… which Opinion likewise was Zeno in Seneca Natural Quaest. l. 7. c. 19. Our Zeno says he was of the Opinion of these who judged the Stars to concurr and intermingle their Rays and by that Society of Light to beget the Image of a long Star which Collâ—…cency from the Conjunction of the Rays of divers Stars or Planets Manilius here calls Subjuncta Sidera sub-united Stars in Heaven to shine Or the b The Chaldeans as Stobaeus Eclog. Physic. c. 3. delivers their Opinion held that there were other Planets besides those ordinarily observed which are sometimes inconspicuous in regard they move at a great distance above us But now and then appear when they come nearer to the Earth and run a lower Course at which time by those who know them not to be Stars they are called Comets Again they seem to disappear and vanish when they retire back into the Depth or Profundity of the Aetherial Region As Fishes cease to be discerned when they sink down into the Bottom of the Sea Of which Opinion likewise Seneca reckons Apollonius Mindius who held these to be aeterna Naturae Opera Or to use Pliâ—…y's Words esse Sydera Perpetua suoque ambitu ire sed non nisi relicta à sole cerni Whence by Manilius they are said sometimes to be involved sometimes dismissed by the Sun See Ricciolus in Almagest Nov. Tom. â—… l. 8. and Gassendus Tom. 1. l. 5. c. 1. Sun 's rapid Course these Meteors rears And draws t' himself his flames involving theirs And now dismisses Like c Mercury who because he makes aâ—… almost equal Course with the Sun and ascends not as Aristotle says to any great Height above the Horizon is therefore seldom seen Cyllenius Light Or fair d Venus so called from her Mother Dione Daughter of Tethys and Oceanus Whence that of Theocritus Eidyll 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dionaea Cypris And of Virgil. Aeneid 3. Sacra Dionaea Matri Dione's Star Usher to Night Which often shine as oft the sight delude Hiding themselves and then again are view'd Or God in Pity to our humane State Sends these as e The Belief of the Illiterate asserted likâ—…wise by the Learned of divers Ages Several of the Antient Fathers maintaining the Opinion That Comets are made by the immediate Act and Power of God and designed for the Terrour Dâ—…ruction or 〈◊〉 at â—…ast of the offending World especially of Princes 〈◊〉 of which Opinion are â—…koned Tertullian Nicephorus Dâ—…scen and Saint Aâ—… Vide â—…lum Aâ—…st Nâ—…v Tem. 2. l. 8. Petit Disserâ—…ac sur les Câ—…es where he discourses against that Opinion and L'escaloperius in Ciceron de Nâ—…tur Deorum moderating the Assertion of Damascen who 〈◊〉 Comets to be sent by God as the pâ—…culiar â—…orerunning Signs of the Death of Kings and Potentates Nuncio's of ensuing Fate Never did Heav'n with these fires vainly burn Deluded Swains their blasted Labours mourn Their Calaâ—… Effects And the tir'd Husband-man to fruitless Toyl Compels his Oxen in a barren Soyl Or the lethiferous Fire their Bodies kills Wasting their Marrows out with lingring Ills People consumes whole Towns depopulates Whilst flaming f By burning of the Dead which was customary with most Nations amongst the Antients especially with the Athenians and the Greeks in general for so says the Scholiast of Thucydides l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It was established by Law among the Athenians and all the Greeks The Ground 〈◊〉 Reason thereof proceeding from their Opinion that what was Divine and Immortal in Man was by that hery Vâ—…iculum carried up to Heaven and what ever was Terrestrial and Mortal subsided in the Ashes They did by that Means likewise as they conceived according to the Testimony of Psiny l. 7. c. 54. avoyd the 〈◊〉 of the Aire by the Putrefaction of buried Carkasses but especially the Injury or Ignominy which might be doâ—…e to the Bodies of the Dead by taking them out of the Grave ere consumed For which reason the Tyrant Sylla ordered his Corps to be burned lest he might be served in the same kind as he before had served his Enemy â—…ius Marius whose Body he caused to be digged up and thrown into the River Aniene now Teverone as Cacero in secundo de Legibus and Plutarch in his Life testifies This Custom of burning the Dead ceasing among the Romans about the Time of Maximinus the Tyrant or not long before It being hard to point out the Precise Time Seeming to be abolished by the contrary Custom of the Iews and Christians especially by the Prevalence of the latâ—…er Vide Kirkmanum de funere Rom. l. 1. c. 2.
according to whose opinion at the expiration of every ninth year the New Moon returned again at the same hour unto the same point of the Heavens in which it was nine years before But this Cycle proving erroneous was afterwards corrected by Meâ—…on PYTHAGORAS the Samian travelled into Egypt and Chaldaea to improve himself in the study of Philosophy and Astronomy He first discovered that Lucifer and Hesperus believed before to be two several Stars were but one and the same being the Planet Venus The invention of the Zodiack's Obliquity is likewise ascribed to him He first gave to the World the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the order and beauty of all things comprehended in it asserting the same to be made according to musical proportion and the seven Planets to have an harmonious motion and Intervals correspondent to musical Diastemes He held the Sun by him and his followers termed the fiery Globe of Unity to be seated in the midst of the Universe and the Earth to move about it ALCMAEON of Crotona son of Perithus Disciple to Pythagoras a Physician and Physiologist asserted that the Planets held an opposite course to that of the fixed Stars as Plutarch affirms Plac. Philosoph l. 2. c. 16. ANAXAGORAS CLAZOMENIUS Disciple to Anaximenes held the Moon to be a dark Body enlightned by the Sun and to be habitable having Plains Hills and Waters as the Earth hath DEMOCRITUS of Abdera Disciple to Anaxagoras Leucippus wrote of the Sun and the Moon and the other Planets of the Annus Magnus and Astronomical Prognosticks Of which Pliny Hist. Nat. lib. 18. cap. 35. and the Scholiast upon Apollonii Argon lib. 2. cites him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laertius mentions his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 EMPEDOCLES who studied under Parmenides Pythagoras Anaxagoras wrote besides his other Pieces of Philosophy of the Sphere in Verse yet extant though the same by some be ascribed not to him but to Demetrius Triclinius TIMAEUS LOCRUS a Pythagorean Philosopher wrote de Naturâ Munâ—… from which Piece Plato borrowed the greatest part of his Dialogue entituled 〈◊〉 in the beginning whereof he commends Timaeus as most knowing and 〈◊〉 Astronomy METON an Athenian Astronomer observed with Euctemon the Solstices and instead of Cleostratus's Octaeteris introduced a Novendecennial Cycle called Meton's Cycle or the Golden Number HIPPOCRATES wrote of judging of Diseases by the Rules of Astronomy which by Gesner is said to have been published by Ioannes Ganivettus at Lyons in the year 1508. an imperfect MS. Copy whereof is now extant in Gonvil and Caius College in Cambridge EUCTEMON observed at Athens the Solstices 108 years before the death of Alexander the Great see more of him in Pliny Hist. lib. 18. PHILOLAUS of Croton a Pythagorean Philosopher maintained the opinion of the Earth's motion about the Sun Of which sentiment was likewise Seleucus Cleanthes Samius Leucippus and Ecphantus as also HERACLIDES PONTICUS who wrote as we find it cited by Chalcidius in Timaeum of the Planetary Spheres or Circles conceived by Mâ—…ursius to be that Piece of his which bears the Title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he inscribed to Democritus as Laertius affirms in his Life There is also another 〈◊〉 mentioned by the same Laertius who writ De Astrologia PLATO the Divine Athenian Philosopher travelled into Egypt under prâ—…tence of selling Oyl but indeed to fetch from thence a far more noble Merchandise Astronomy informing himself by their Priests of the Celestial motions and hath in his Timaeus Epinomis and other his Dialogues left sufficient testimonies of his improved knowledge treating therein of several Parts of Astronomy and particularly of the Celestial System THEAETETUS ATHENIENSIS Disciple to Socrates and a familiar Friend of Plato's a Philosopher and Astrologer as Suidas affirms who yet gives us no account of any Writings of his in Astronomy HERMES AEGYPTIUS Disciple to Plato writ De Sole De Imaginibus Martis De Imaginibus Iovis De Imaginibus Saturni De Septem Annulis Planetarum De Medicinis Conjunctionibus Planetarum To him likewise is attributed the Book De duodecim Herbis duodecim Signis attributis aliis herâ—…is septem Stellis dicatis as Simler in Biblioth Gesner ARCHYTAS TARENTINUS a noble Pythagorean Philosopher Mathematician and Cosmographer whom Horace calls Maris ac Terrae numeróque carentis Arenae Mensorem He wrote several Works though none of them have been so happy as to escape the injury of Time both Physical Moral and Mathematical particularly to instance only what is pertinent to our subject a Tractate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Universo cited by Simplicius in Aristot. Categ as noted by Meursius in Hesych De viris illustribus HELICON CYZICENUS a familiar Friend of Plato's and an eminent Astronomer who having foretold to Dionysius the Tyrant an Eclipse of the Sun which hapned at Athens 3 0 Sept. feria 6 ta hora 9. ¼ post mediam Noctem was for that rewarded by him with a Talent of Silver PHILOSOPHUS one of Plato's Disciples so called by his proper name wrote of Eclipses of the distance and magnitude of the Sun Moon the Earth and the other Planets as also of Lightnings and several other Pieces mentioned by Suidas Gesner is of opinion his name might be corrupted and that it ought to be read Philippus Opuntius EUDOXUS CNIDIUS the Son of Aeschines instructed by Archytas in Geometry in Physick by Philistio the Sicilian in Philosophy by Plato travelled into Egypt and of the Priests there learned the proper motions of the Planets which he first communicated to his Countrymen the Greeks He wrote De Mundo De Coelestibus De Phaenomenis Astrological Fasti with Prognosticks He reformed the Octaâ—…teris of Harpalus and introduced a new one of his own of which yet others make Dositheus the Authour He wrote likewise an Astronomical Poem as Suidas affirms But his two most celebrated Pieces were his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu Speculum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive Apparentium as Hipparchus in Arataeis witnessess He is reported to have been so greatly enflamed with the love of Astronomy that he usually professed he would willingly as the Poets fable of Phaeton perish by the scorching beams of the Sun provided he might first approach so near it as clearly to discern its Figure and Magnitude G. Voss. XENOCRATES CHALCEDONIUS a Platonick Philosopher writ among divers other Works one Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Intervallis and six Books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De his quae circa Astrologiam versantur as Laertius in his Life There is likewise a Piece under h is Name De Influentia Planetarum in Corpora mentioned by Iac. Phil. Thomasinus among the MS. of Io. Rhodius in Bibliothec. Patavin DEMOPHILUS son
Bede was renouned for his knowledge and study of Astronomy amongst whose Works there is yet extant De Argumentis Lunae De Ephemeride De Embolismis De Circulo Decennovennuali De Cyclo Paschali De Circulis Sphaerae Polis De Planetis Signis Coelestibus De Astrolabio De Aequinoctio Vernali ADELMUS DUROTELLUS seu BLADUNIUS i. e. MALMESBURIENSIS Son of Kenred and Grandchild of Ina King of the West-Saxons Bishop of Sherburne now translated to Salisbury wrote De Cyclo Paschali contra Britannos and De Astrologia as Balaeus affirms FLACCUS ALBINUS sive ALCUINUS an English-man born in York shire Scholar to Venerable Bede and Tutour to Charlemaigne to whom he was sent upon an Embassie by Off a King of the Mercians and for his exquisite Learning invited by Charlemaigne to continue with him in France which he did perswading that Prince to erect the University of Paris He was excellently well skilled in all the Parts of the Mathematicks which he publickly taught and wrote De Septem Artibus Liberalibus and De Astrologia as Vossius De Scient Mathemat testifies CHARLEMAIGNE King of France and Emperour instructed by Alcuinus aforesaid became excellently well skilled in the Mathematicks particularly in Astronomy insomuch that he wrote Ephemerides and was extremely delighted in making observations of the Stars He gave names to the Moneths of the Year and to the Winds in High-Dutch which continue to this Day He was by a King of Persia his Contemporary upon the knowledge he had of his affection to Astronomical Studies presented with a Piece of Clock-work showing the motion of â—…he Planets which the Emperour being then at Paderborne in Westphalia received with no less admiration than pleasure Vid. Voss. De Scient Mathem c. 35. JOHANNES CAMATERUS Chamberlain to the Emperour Porphyrogeneta writ De Genethliis Syderum positione Astrologiam Chaldaicam in Verse now in the Possession of my Learned Friend Mr. Tho. Gale ALMAEON whom some call ALMAMON the deservedly renouned Califfe of Babylon as Mr. Graves stiles him in his Pyramidograph fifty years before the time of Albategnius observed the greatest Declination of the Sun to have been 23° according to Elancanus and Herigone or 23° and 35′ according to Ricciolus from the authority of Alfraganus He first commanded Ptolemy's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be translated into Arabick which Translation gave that Work the corrupt but now common name of Almagest He found by observation and measuring in the Plains of Singar that one Degree of a great Circle on the Earth is equal to 56. miles His Astronomical Designs were so acceptable to the Genius of that Nation that in the Times succeeding no less than Thirty Kings are said to have emulated his Example as is observed by Golius notis in Alfergan EGMUNDUS surnamed ASTROLOGUS is by Ricciolus put also into the Catalogue of Astronomers about this Time MESSHALA ARABS sive MESSAHULACH signalized his Name by his Book De Receptionibus De Conjunctionibus Planetarum De Revolutionibus Annorum Mundi He wrote likewise De Elementis Orbibus Coelestibus a third Book De Ratione Circuli Stellarum Operationibus and another De Compositione Utilitate Astrolabii The first Printed at Venice Anno 1493. with Pâ—…olemy's Quadripartitum The second at Norimberg by Montanus and Neuberus The third at Basil by Hervagius Anno 1533. And the fourth and last by Henricus Petri in Appendice Margaritae Philosophicae LEO PHILOSOPHUS writ something in Astrology yet extant in the French King's Library as Labbeé testifies in Catal. MS. ALBATEGNIUS or trulier ALBATTANIUS ARACENSIS called likewise MAHUMETES TINEU vel MAHUMETES ARACENSIS or but mistakenly ARACTENSIS from the City of Arrac commonly but corruptly called Aracta in Syria Son of Geber Auchan Son of Cruen Prince of Syria made diligent observations of the Stars both at Arrac and Antioch And finding that Ptolemy's Canons in his time dissented much from the course of the Heavens he made new Tables of his own He wrote a Book De Scientia Stellarum first translated out of Arabick into Latine by Plato Tiburtinus and illustrated with Annotations by Io. Regiomontanus He observed the Sun's greatest Declination to be 23° 35′ and the first Star of Aries to be 18° 2′ in Longitude from the Equinoctial Point His Observations were Printed at Norimberg His Book De Numeris Scientia Stellarum according to a Transcript thereof taken by Lucas Valerius Publick Professour of Mathematicks at Rome out of the Vatiâ—…an Library was reprinted more correctly in Latine at Bologna in the year 1645. and dedicated by Bernardinus Ugulottus to Ferdinand the second Grand Duke of Tuscany ACHILLES TATIUS wrote a Book De Sphaera as Suidas affirms part of which G. Vossius conceives to be his Commentary in Aratum Published in Greek and Latine by Petavius in Uranolog MOHAMMED IBN ZACHARIAE AL RAZI wrote many Books in several Sciences and among the rest a Particular Astronomical Treatise as I find it mentioned in the Catalogue of Golius his Manuscripts He died in the year of the Hegira 320. of Christ 932. ABDORRAHMAN AL-SUPHI commonly but corruptly called AZOPHI or ELZUPHI or EBENNOZOPHIM an Arabian Astronomer Authour of the Persian Tables in which sayes ricciolus Stellarum Schemata loca ordinata sunt The Work transcribed by his Son with the Delineation of the Celestial Signs in Miniature by the same hand is extant among the Manuscripts of Iacobus Golius ALFRAGANUS MAHUMEDES or AMETUS or AHEMED or MUHAMED the Son of Amet called Alfraganus or rather Alferganus from the City Fergana in the Province of Sogdiana He wrote Elementa Astronomica compiled chiefly out of Ptolemy which by Rabbi Iacob Antolius were turned into Hebrew and by Iohannes Hispalensis in the year 1142 translated out of Arabick into Latine but lately published in Arabick and Latine by the famous Iacobus Golius with learned Notes which yet he lived not to compleat He writ likewise de Astrolabii Descriptione Usu and a Book of Dialing as Golius in his Notes asserts G. Pastregicus mentions another Treatise of Alfraganus entitled De Aggregationibus Stellarum V. Simler Bibl. Gesner HALI BEN RAGEL is about this time by Ricciolus inserted into the number of Astronomers ARZAHEL ALA BEN writ Tables and Canons of the Motions of the Celestial Bodies preserved in MS. in the Library of Merton Colledge in Oxford and in that of Caius and Gonvil in Cambridge according to Iamesius Eclog. Oxon. Cant. Whether the same with Arzahel Hispanus of whom in the next Century we leave to be considered ALI IBNO'L HOZEIN a Persian wrote of the Theory of the Planets as Abul Pharagius in Hist. Dynast witnesses and De Demonstratione Planisphaerii as Hottinger in Smegm Orient ALFARABIUS Arabs stiled by Blancanus Astronomus celebris called likewise ABUNASR according to Abul Pharagius in Histor.
essayed to make a true Selenography by Measure the World having nothing yet but Pictures rather than Surveys or Maps of the Moon He hath stated the Theory of the Moon 's Libration as far as Observations could carry him Hath composed a Lunar Globe representing not only the Spots and various degrees of Whiteness upon the Surface but the Hills Eminencies and Cavities moulded in solid Work the Globe thus fashioned into a true model of the Moon as you turn it to the Light represents all the menstrual Phases with the variety of Appearances that happen from the Shadows of the Mountains and Valleys Hath made Maps of the Pleiades and other Telescopical Stars and proposed Methods to determine the great Doubt of the Earth's motion or rest by the small Stars about the Pole to be seen in large Telescopes which few Instances may serve in part at present to shew his exquisite Skill and Indeavours in Astronomy until such Time as he shall please on that Score further to oblige the World by other excellent Productions of his great Industry and Learning Doctor ISAAC BARROW formerly Geometry Professor in Gresham Colledge afterwards Lucasian Professor of Mathematicks in the University of Cambridge and now Master of Trinity Colledge there hath lately published eighteen Optick Lectures Theodosius his Sphericks and hath other Lectures concerning the Projections of the Sphere ready for the Press All which conduce much to the Advancement of Astronomy as his Geometrical Lectures already published together with his Apollonius and Archimedes ready to come forth besides others which we hope may follow do to the Advancement of Geometry which not to mention though somewhat beside our Purpose were very Injurious to a Person that hath so much enriched the Commonwealth of Learning Mr. ROBERT HOOK the Learned and Ingenious Curator of the Royal Society and Professor of Geometry in Gresham Colledge exceedingly well versed as in all Mathematical and Mechanical so particularly in Astronomical Knowledge He was the first that discovered in the year 1664. May the ninth a permanent Spot in the biggest of the three obscurer Belts of Iupiter and by observing it for some Hours together found that within two hours after the said Spot hadmoved from East to West about half the length of the Diameter of Iupiter See Philosophical Transactions N o. 1. p. 3. and N o. 8. p. 143. which Discovery of a Permanent Spot in Iupiter was since confirmed by that famous Astronomer Cassini of which see Phil. Trans N o. 8. p. 143. and N o. 10. p. 171. The same Mr. Hook discovered in the Month of February and March Anno 1665 6 in the face of Mars several Maculae or spotted Parts changing their Place and not returning to the same Position 'till the next ensuing Night near about the same time See Ph. Transact N o. 11. p. 198. and N o. 14. p. 239. He also made divers considerable Observations concerning the Planet Iupiter his apparent Diameter the various Degrees of Light in the Parts of his Phasis his several Belts c. See Phil. Transact N o. 14. p. 245. 246. where also are to be found his Observations of the Body of Saturn his Shape Ring of a brighter Light than that of his Body and some black Lines crossing the Ring and others crossing the Body The same was the Proposer of that Method inserted in N o. 9. p. 151. of the Phil. Transactions directing how a Correspondency may be setled for the finding out the true Distance of the Sun and Moon from the Earth by the Parallaxes observed under or near the same Meridian Nor is to be passed by what contrivances he hath made of measuring the Diameters of the Planets to the exactness of a Second by the help of a Telescope as also of taking the Position and Distance of the small fixed Stars one from another or from any of the less bright Planets if the Distance be not above two or three Degrees See N o. 25. of the Phil. Transact p. 459. He published his Micrographia in the year 1664. wherein amongst other Astronomical Matters he hath explained the Reason of the Redness Oval Figure and Undulation of the Sun and and Moon and the twinckling of the Stars by a new Property of the Air called by him Inflection differing from Refraction and Reflection He hath mentioned several wayes of improving Telescopes he hath given two Specimina of the Discovery of a fifteen Foot Glass among the smaller Stars one by a Description of the Pleiades and the second by a Declination of one small spot in the Moon described by Hevelius and Ricciolus He hath made many Astronomical Instruments by which an Angle may be taken to the Exactness of 1 10 part of a Minute He in the year 1670. detected the Parallax of the Orb of the Earth amongst the fixed Stars by observing the Transits of several Stars near our Zenith and comparing the Measures so found He first observed the Stars with a Telescope at the the same time that the Sun shone above the Horizon and into the Room where the Observation was made of which see more in his Excellent Attempt to prove the Motion of the Earth lately published Doctor WALTER POPE Professor of Astronomy in Gresham Colledge the Successor of Sir Christopher Wrenn and Mr. Rook with whom he hath spent much Time in observing the Motions and Appearances of the Heavens the Result of which he hath delivered in his Astronomical Lectures there read which 't is hoped he may be prevailed with to make publick hereafter Mr. JOHN GOAD late of St. Iohn's in Oxford hath an Elaborate Treatise now in the Press entituled Astro-Meteorologica i. e. Aphorisms Physical and Astrological in two Parts The first whereof inquires into the Natures of the Planets Sun Moon c. The second observes the Nature also of the fixed Stars in their several Asterisms as they are clearly found to be joynt Producers of the Meteors below Storms Tempests c. The whole Discourse founded on sacred Authority Reason and the Experience of twenty years last past RICHARD TOWNLEY of Townley in Lancashire Esquire whom for Honours sake I here mention Nephew to the before named Christopher Townley hath among other his much commendable Indeavours in the Mathematicks perfected the Instrument of Mr. Gascoyns before-mentioned now called a Micrometer and fitted it that any small Angle may be taken by his Tube to a Second Having for some years past been a diligent Observer of the Satellites about Iupiter whose Motions he hath reduced to Exactness of Rule and Order He is an Excellent Arithmetician and Geometer and from whom great Things may justly be expected MONSIEUR ADRIAN AUZOUR a very ingenious and candid Philosopher and Astronomer of Paris Fellow of the Royal Society of London published his Ephemerides concerning the Motion of the two Comets which appeared Anno 1664 5 and of which he predicted the Places through which they should pass
above Iupiter that of Saturn above that the Fixed Stars So that in this System the Sun is the Centre of five Planets that is not only of Mercury and Venus according to the Egyptian System but also of Mars Iupiter and Saturn according to the Copernican which likewise it resembles as supposing fewer Conversions and rejecting the Solidity of the Ptolemaick or Purbachian Orbs. But the Copernican even in the Opinion of Ricciolus seems to carry with it a greater simplicity and concinnity Nicholaus Raimarus Ursus seemed to challenge this System as first introduced by him ascribing the Original of the Hypothesis to Apollonius Pergaeus But Tycho in his Epistles hath vindicated and asserted his own Right and hath gained for his Followers Longomontanus who yet gives to the Earth a Motion about its Axis Scheinerus Blancanus and generally the Astronomers of the Iesuitical School And the Reason of their adherence to this System rather than to the Ptolemaick or Copernican is given by Caramuel in his Interim-Astronomicum which is that Demonstration condemns the Ptolemaick shewing it to be impossible and inconsistent with Modern Observations and as for the Copernican that it stands condemned by a congregation of Cardinals who have if you will believe them defined the same to be repugnant to the Sacred Scriptures Among the several Systems either of the Ancients or Moderns which are grounded upon the Earth's Immobility there are two besides the Tychonick which seem to Ricciolus the most probable the One is Semi-Ptolemaick the other Semi-Tychonick The Form of the first admits the Centre of the Earth as the Term from whence the Excentricity of the several Orbs are measured supposing Venus and Mercury to be carried about the Sun in Epicycles and the Excentricities of the other five Planets as also their Epicycles not to be alwayes of the same Quantity which may be apprehended by the Figure of the Egyptian System already described supposing only that Mars in Opposition to the Sun be made to approach nearer to the Earth than the Sun does The Form of the second is represented in the following Scheme and ows its Invention to Ricciolus wherein the Sun is supposed to be the Centre of the Sphere of Mercury Venus and Mars And the Earth the Centre of the Circle of the Moon 's Motion and of the Fixed Stars as also of those of Saturn and Iupiter The Reasons impelling him to embrace this Hypothesis being these First he observed that Saturn and Iupiter had Secundary Planets moving about them but Mars Venus and Mercury none whence he conceived it probable that Saturn and Iupiter exercised as it were their proper Monarchies in the Heavens and were no Attendants or Satellites of the Sun but moving about the Earth as their Centre That Mars was one of the Sun 's greatest or utmost Satellites including within his Sphere that of the Earth but Venus and Mercury his nearer and more interiour Gaurds Secondly Because in the Variation of the Excentricities of the Planets he observed a greater Connexion of Mars Venus and Mercury with the Sun then of Saturn and Iupiter Thirdly Because he conceived Saturn and Iupiter being more slow and ponderous Planets to have a greater Affinity to the slow Sphere of the Fixed Stars and to respect as do the Fixed Stars the Earth rather than the Sun as the Centre of their Motions Fourthly Seeing that Mars Venus and Mercury in their Courses or Circumgyrations enter into the Solar Heaven he conceived it more probable that those Planets should have the Sun for the Centre of their Motions and not to have any Distinct Aethereal Regions assigned them but to move All in one common Region But Saturn and Iupiter to have their Distinct Dominions and Regions allotted them Fifthly Because it seems very probable that among the Planets there should be one as it were a Mean or Middle between the Superiour and the Inferiour and which in his Motions should have some things common with Saturn and Iupiter and some with Venus and Mercury to wit Mars But see the Scheme it self SYSTEMA SEMITYCHONICVÌ„ RICCIOLI 6 In which is to be noted that the Intervals of the several Orbs are so ordered that the lowest of the Concave Heaven of Saturn does not touch the upper part of the Convex of Iupiter or the lowest of Iupiters the uppermost of Mars as in the Pâ—…olemaick but there is a voyd Interval between the Fixed Stars and the uppermost Convex of Saturn's Orb of 9824 Semidiameters of the Earth and between the Concave of Saturn and the Convex of Iupiter an Interval of 10045 of the like Semidiameters and between the Concave of Iupiter and Convex of Mars an Interval of 5310 such Semidiameters and between the Concave of Venus and Convex of the Moon 's Orb 1850 Semidiameters Besides the Thickness of the whole Heaven of Saturn computed together with his Satellites is supposed 32454 Semidiameters and that of Iupiter with his Satellites 21361 Semidiameters That of the Sun Mars Venus and Mercury being but as one Heaven is supposed to contain 19091 of the Earth's Semidiameters These three last Systems suppose the Heavens or the Aetherial Region to be pervious fluid and of a thin liquid and transparent Substance like the Air but more pure and not consisting of Solid Orbs as the Peripateticks and those of the Ptolemaick School affirm This Fluidity of the Heavens being manifested by the Maculae Solares whether they be considered as Planets moving tumultuously about the Sun or as Clouds Vapours and Fumosities issuing from the Solar Body Likewise by the Librating Motion of the Firmament it self in which the Sun moves as also by the Libration of the Moon and by the Satellites of Iupiter not long since discovered to move about that Planet as also those about Saturn and the Extravagant Motion of Mars as also that of Venus and Mercury running now above now beneath the Sun No less evidenced by the Production of Comets and their divers Motions which beginning in One make their Progress through several Aetherial Regions which they could not do if the Celestial Orbs through which they pass were solid from which supposition several other Inconveniencies would likewise ensue by reason their Convexities and Concavities as also those of so many Epiâ—…ycles and Excentricks would necessarily produce a Multiplicity of various Refractions of the several Rayes of the Sun of the other Planets and of the Fixed Stars Lastly it seems as incongruous that the Stars and Planets should be carried about in such vast solid Orbs to which they bear no other proportion than a drop of Water to the Ocean as it is for the Earth to be imagined to move only to carry about a Fly or a Pissmire Neither do those Celestial Bodies gravitate or need any Support but move regularly within their several Sphericities as having no Appetency of Motion beyond those Bounds See Tycho Brahe Progymnasm Tom. 1. and Ricciolus repeating the several Arguments to this Purpose of Kepler
place of the Star as the Longitude of a Place on the Earth is reckoned in the Equator from the first Western Meridian unto the Meridian passing by the Place proposed XII From the Ecliptick to the Poles are reckoned the Latitudes of the Stars Which Latitude is an Arch of a great Circle passing by the Poles of the Ecliptick and Center of the Star intercepted between the Ecliptick and the Star Those Arches are called the Circles of Latitude The Points between the Equator and the Ecliptick in respect of the Equator are Northern in respect of the Ecliptick Southern or contrariwise XIII The Ecliptick contains the Place of all the Stars For a Star is said to be in that Degree of the Ecliptick through which the Circle of Latitude of the said Star passes So the Starâ—… being in the Solstitial Colures are said to be in the first Degree of Cancer or Capricorn By which reason all the Stars in the Firmament are referred to some one of the twelve Signs XIV The Colures passing by the Poles of the World and the four Cardinal Points of the Zodiack intersect each other at Spherical right Angles in the Poles of the World They are so called because in an oblique Sphere they seem mutilate and defective since one part of them is alwayes depressed beneath whilst the other is elevated above the Horizon One of thâ—…se is called the Equinoctial Colure which passing by the Points of the Intersection of the Equator and Ecliptick constitutes the Equinoctial Points of Aries and Libra The other being the Colurâ—… of the Solstices dividing the Equator at right Angles in the Points wherein the Sun commences Winter and Summer that is to say in the first Degrees of Cancer and Capricorn measures the Sun 's greatest Declinations hath in it the Poles of the Zodiack and shows the Distance of thâ—…se Poles from the Poles of the World There may be likewise infinite Colures supposed for the better demonstrating the particular Declinations of the Stars from the Equator XV. The Meridian in any Position of Sphere whatsoever makes Mid-day and Mid-night and hath in it the Zenith and Nadir Points directly opposite to one another The first Meridian is vulgarly placed in the Fortunate Islands or the Canaries by others in the Islands called the Azores There are reckoned 36. Meridians or rather 18. since the same Meridians of one Hemisphere may serve the other Hemisphere likewise each being distant ten Degrees from one another But Geometrically speaking there are as many Meridians as there are Vertical Points as there are on Earth so many Horizons as there are divers Points upon the Terrestrial Globe They who assign a Meridian to every Degree make of them 180. XVI The Meridian to those that travel directly North and South is still the same as to Latitude It shews likewise the greatest Altitude of the Sun and Stars their distance from the Equator the Elevation of the Pole and measures the Latitude of all Places upon Earth Of which in the two following Propositions XVII The Latitude of a Place is numbred in the Meridian from the Equator towards either of the Poles and shews how much every Point is distant from the Equator one Pole being elevated the other depressed The Latitude of any Place being the Arch of a Meridian intercepted between the Zenith of the said Place and the Equator equal to the Elevation of the Pole above the Horizon Which Elevation is an Arch of a Meridian drawn from the Horizon to the Pole of the World XVIII As the Latitude of the Earth is numbred in the prime Meridian or any other more oriental so the Declination of the Stars may be numbred in those Meridians which are therefore called the Circles of Declination because they shew how far the Fixed Stars or Planets are distant from the Equator or decline from it to either of the Poles They are likewise called Vertical inasmuch as passing by the Vertex of any Place and descending perpendicularly by each Point of the Horizon they measure the Altitude of the Stars above or their Depression beneath the same and in Arabick they are called Azimuths because they shew in what part of the World any Star rises or sets The beginning likewise of the Astronomical Day is computed from the Meridian Circle XIX The Astronomical or true Horizon divides the Sphere of the World into two equal Parts that is to say the upper or the visible and the lower or invisible Hemisphere whose Centre is the same with the Centre of the World and its Poles the Zenith and Nadir Points The Physical or sensible and visible Horizon equidistant from the Astronomical is that Part of the Earth as far as can be discerned by Sight whose Semidiameter in an even Plane the Eye being placed at six foot height above the Level is about a League but if the Eye be elevated a League high then the Semidiameter of the sensible Horizon will be 51. Leagues XX. The Horizon concurs to the stating of all the forenamed Spheres that is to say either Right Oblique or Parallel whence it is denominated and distinguished into Right Oblique and Parallel It determines the rising and setting of the Stars the Ortive and Occasive Amplitudes beginning from the Eastern and Western Equinoctial Points shews the Quantity of Day and Night and the four Cardinal Points East West North and South as likewise the Quantity of the two Circles parallel to the Equator and Tropicks described from the Poles of the World touching the Horizon in a Point of which that drawn from the Pole to us conspicuous is termed the greatest of the all-wayes-apparent the other opposite to it the greatest of the not-apparent that is to say the Artick and Antartick Circles XXI The Circles parallel to the Horizon which shew the Altitudes and Depressions of the Stars are in the Astrolabe called Almicantarah or Circles of Progression among which is numbred the Crepuscular Circle or Circle of Twilight which is Parallel to the Horizon and depressed beneath it eighteen Degrees Thus much of the Great Circles the Lesser follow XXII The Tropicks are lesser Circles Parallel to the Equator from whence they are in this present Age distant 23. Degrees and ½ which Distance according to the diversity of Times is diversly computed the variation hitherto being reckoned 24′ These two Tropicks shew the Sun 's or the Ecliptick's greatest Declination from the Equator the Tropick of Cancer it 's Northern the Tropick of Capricorn its Southern the former shewing the Sun's greatest the latter its least Meridional Altitude this the longest Day and shortest Night in the Summer Solstice the other the longest Night and shortest Day in the Winter Solstice Which said Quantities of Day and Night are not shewn by the Tropicks in a Right or an Oblique Sphere beyond 66° and ½ of the Pole's Elevation For in the first the Diurnal and Nocturnal Arches are alwayes equal in the latter the
the Stoicks and with them by our Manilius Plutarch yet De Placit Plilisoph l. 2. c. 14. gives us the different opinions of some of the Ancients for Cleanthes held them to be Pyramidal or pointed Anaximenes conceived them to be like Studs or Nails fixed in the Chrystalline Firmament others imagined them to be fiery or lucid Plates or Laminae like so many flat Pictures not of any thickness or Profundity Scheinerus and Antonius Maria de Reitha will have them to be of divers Figures or Faces of a Poly-angular shape and such the larger sort of Telescopes represent them or as Kepler in Epitom Astron. p. 498. describes them like so many Lucid Points or Sparks casting forth every way their Rayes of Light so that we are to apprehend their Figure to be only Physically Spherical not Mathematically such for in the first Acceptation they may be said to be round Bodies however according to the later their superficies may be found to be uneven and to consist of many Angles and Sides Their Magnitudes Before We undertake to say any thing as to the Magnitudes of the Stars it will not be amiss in the first place which Schickardus ingeniously to acknowledge that Veras illorum Magnitudines verè ignoramus But that we may in some measure satisfie the Readers Expectation We shall in the following Tables give some Accompt thereof according to the divers Calculations made by several Eminent Astronomers the first of which Tables shews how many Minutes or Seconds their Apparent Diameters contain the second how many Diameters of the Earth their true Diameters contain the third what is the Solidity of their Bodies to that of the Earth In which Tables may be observed a great Diversity arising partly from the various Distances assigned to them by several Authors from the Earth the supposed Mundane Center partly from the divers Estimate of their Apparent Diameters made by the bare Eye by Tycho and others more Ancient and by Telescopes by Modern Astronomers I. Table of the Apparent Diameters of the Fixed Stars Their several Magnitudes 1 2 3 4 5 6 According to Maginus 10′ 0″ 5′ 30″ 4′ 0″ 3′ 0″ 2′ 0″ 1′ 0″ Tycho Longom Blanc 2 0 1 30 1 5 0 45 0 30 0 20 Lansbergius 1 0 0 40 0 30 0 20 0 10 0 5 Hortensius 0 8 0 6 0 5 0 4 0 3 0 2 Kepler 3 0 2 0 II. Table of the true Diameters of the Fixed Stars and how many Diameters of the Earth each contains Their several Magnitudes 1 2 3 4 5 6 According to Maurolicus and Claviâ—…s 4 ¾ 4 20 90 4 1 â—… .3 â…˜ 3 11 3â—… 2 5 8 Fernelius 4 3 6 4 ½ 4 7 60 3 ¾ 3 ¼ 2 7 â—…2 Tycho 4 1â…“ 3 1 1â—… 2 â…• 1 19 30 1 1 49 0 â…– Lansbergius 40712 27132 20356 13580 6776 3388 III. Table of the Solidity of the Fixed Stars to that of the Earth Their several Magnitudes 1 2 3 4 5 6 According to As to As to As to As to As to As to Alfraganus 100 1 90 1 72 1 54 1 36 1 18 1 Fernel Maurolyc Clav. 107 1 90 1 72 1 55 1 36 1 18 1 Tycho Boyer Blancan 68 1 28½ 1 11 1 4½ 1 1 1 1â—… 1 0 1 â—… 1 To these we shall add IV. Table from the Observations of Ricciolus shewing as well their Apparent Magnitudes as their true Magnitudes deduced from their undermentioned supposed Distances from the Earth Degrees of Magnitude Names of the Stars of the several Degrees of Magnitude Apparent Diameter The greatest Distance according to Ricciolus of 210000 Semidiameters of the Earth The least Distance according to Ricciolus of 100000 Semidiameters of the Earth The greatest Distance according to the Ptolemaick 40000 Semidiameters of the Earth The greatest Distance according to Tycho 14000 Semi-Diameters    The true Diameter contains the Earths Diameter The Body contains the Earths Body The true Diameter contains the Earths Diameter The Body contains the Earths Body The true Diameter contains the Earths Diameter The Body contains the Earths Body The true Diameter contains the Earths Diameter The Body contains the Earths Body 1 Sirius 18″ 0‴ 17 45 100 5355 8 7 10 815 3 ½ 42  0 61 100 0 1 7 1 Arcturus 16 42 16 â…” 3932 8 0 512 3 â…• 32  0 46 100 0 1 9 1 Aldebaran 15 24 14 â…• 2810 7 â…— 402 3 0 27  0 57 100 0 â…› 1 Spica 15 5 13 9 10 2660 7 â…“ 374 2 7 10 18  0 47 100 0 1 10 1 Regulus 14 5 13 3 5 2202 6 â…˜ 249 2 6 10 16  0 43 100 0 1 1â—… 1 Rigil 13 40 13 0 2197 6 â…– 220 2 ½ 15 ½ 0 1 2 0 41 100 2 Procyon 12 20 12 0 1728 6 0 216 2 3 10 12  0 39 100 0 1 1â—… 2 Aquila 11 0 10 â…— 1120 5 7 25 137 2 1 10 8 â…– 0 37 100 0 1 20 2 Polaris 7 53 7 â…— 402 3 9 10 62 1 55 100 3 ¼ 0 27 100 0 1 50 3 Algol 7 3 6 â…— 260 3 2 5 34 1 35 100 2 â…• 0 24 100 0 7 500 4 Propus 6 10 6 0 216 2 9 10 26 1 15 100 1 ½ 0 20 100 0 4 500 5 Pleias 4 â…˜ 4 â…˜ 92 2 7 10 18 1 8 100 1 ¼ 0 18 100 0 3 500 6 Alcor 4 0 4 0 64 2 15 100 9 0 86 100 0 7 10 0 15 100 0 3 1000 But seeing the Astronomers of the Copernican Opinion maintain the Magnitudes of the Fixed Stars to be far greater than the former Tables show them to be It will not be amiss to annex the following One. V. Table shewing the true Magnitude of the Fixed Stars that is of One of the Greatest and One of the Least viz. Sirius and Alcor supposing the Apparent Diameter of Sirius to be 18″ of Alcor 4″ according to the Distance in the Copernican Hypothesis maintaining the Parallax of the Fixed Stars made by the Earths Motion not to exceed 10″ and imagining the Diameter of the Annual Orb to be such as upon those Principles it is stated to be According to The Distances to be asserted in The true Magnitude of Sirius The true Magnitude of Alcor  Semidiameters of the Earth The Diameters of Sirius contains Diameters of the Earth The Body of Sirius contains the Earths Body The Diameter of Alcor contains Diameters of the Earth Its Body contains the Earths Body Copernicus 47 439 800 4170 71 6771 713 000 1992 4 378 454 048 Herigonius 49 502 400 4350 82 312 875 000 2068 8 844 058 432 Galilaeus 49 832 416 4380 8 427 672 000 2092 9 155 362 688 Bulialdus 60 227 920 5300 148 877 000 000 2530 15 941 277 000 Lansbergius 61 616 122 5424 159 371 956 024 2588 17 333 761 472 Keplerus 142 746 428 12550 1 967 656 371 000 6000 216 000 000 000 Vendelinus 604 589 312 53200 15 056 882 800 000
25380 1 767 384 872 000 These Magnitudes may to some happily seem Exorbitant but in the Judgment of the Intelligent Schikardus Eorum Speculationes qui Coelum Stellatum longissimè à Nobis removent consequenter Astra plurimum amplificant Veritati sunt propiores quoniam Minora neutiquam admittit concessa Orbis Annui Parallaxis Astrocop p. 14 Of their Place and Distance from the Earth or rather the Sun This seems a Question of that Difficulty that Pliny pronounced the Investigation thereof to be no less than a Piece of Madness And therefore Ricciolus Almagest Nov. l. 6. c. 7. treating upon this Subject thought fit in the Front of his Discourse to prefix this Theorem as a most certain Truth that Parallaxis Distantia fixarum non potest certâ evidenti Observatione humanitùs comprehendi For we know not whether the Stars are all in the same Spherical Superficies equally distant from the Centre of the World or whether they be placed at unequal Distances some higher some lower This latter yet was the Sentiment of the Ancient Stoical Philosophers who conceived the difference of their Lustre and Apparent Magnitudes to proceed from their diversity of Situation as more or less removed from our Sight And this Opinion our Manilius long since declared where speaking of some Stars in Orion appearing more obscure than the rest he gives the reason of that Phoenomenon to be Non quod clara minus sed quod magis alta recedunt An Hypothesis so seemingly rational that the Famous Tycho Galileo and Kepler have readily imbraced the same and therefore we may reasonably suppose that their Distances are as divers as those of the Planets how ever our weak sight unable to distinguish their divers Intervals judges them to be all inherent in the same Concave Spherical Superficies Ricciolus in Almagest Nov. l. 6. c. 7. reckons up five manner of wayes of attaining in some Probability to the Knowledge of their Immense and hitherto incomprehensible Distances which I shall only reckon up referring the Reader to be further satisfied from the more Ample Discourse of that Author The first is from the Supposition of their least sensible Parallax The second is from the Proportion of the Periodical Motion and Distance of some of the more certainly known Celestial Lights The third from the difference of Refractions of the Sun Moon or other of the Planets and that of the Fixed Stars The fourth from the Computation of the bare Distance of Saturn from the Earth without any regard to his shaddow The fifth from the Distance of Saturn joyned with the length of its shaddow which Method Ricciolus supposes the most probable As for example The shadow of Saturn is supposed according to Ricciolus to extend to 118680 Semidiameters of the Earth which joyned with the greatest Distance of Saturn being according to the said Author 90155 Semidiameters of the Earth The Distance of the Fixed Stars can be computed no less than 200000. of those Semidiameters or rather 208835. that they may be clearly exempt from the Reach of Saturns shadow and although there is no fear of their being obscured by the same in regard they are not illuminated by the Sun but shine by their own innate Light yet it is supposed they are seated beyond it by the wise and great Architect of Nature and if you will take the Opinion of Des Cartes for this Reason that there might be a convenient space between the Planetary Heaven and that of the Fixed Stars for the Production and Ascent of Comets and New Stars Wherefore according to the computation of Ricciolus the least Distance that may be assigned to the Fixed Stars to raise them beyond the shadow of Saturn and its Satellites will be found to amount to 210000. Semidiameters of the Earth The greatest being altogether uncertain by reason the Crassitude or Profundity of their Heaven is not to be determined and that they are as well by their Extreme Parts as by their Centers unequally removed from us But let the Reader for his more particular Satisfaction look upon the following Tables Table of the Distance of the Fixed Stars from the Earth or rather the Sun According to the several Authors following Semidiameters of the Earth Horizontal Parallax of the Fixed Stars  Least Distance Greatest Distance ″ ‴ Albategnius Iunctinus 19000 Uncertain 10 58 Alfraganus Barocius 20220 40440 10 14 Maurolycus 20077 20086 10 16 Fernelius Clavius 22612 45225 9 08 Maginus 20110 40220 10 15 Tycho 13000 14000 15 6 Marius Bettinus 2290  90 0 Ant. Mar. Rheita 20000000  00 1 Ricciolus according to the fourth Method 100000 Uncertain 2 0 To the fifth Method 210000  1 ferè The Parallaxes placed in the last Column answer to their least Distances for according to their greatest Distances assigned by Alfraganus Maginus Fernelius and Clavius 5″ or 6″ would be sufficient DISTANCE of the Fixed Stars asserted by the followers of Copernicus in  Semidiameters of the Earth The greatest Parallax of the Fixed Stars made from the Annual Motion of the Earth Authours  The Half from the Semidiameter The whole from the Diameter of the Annual Orb   ′ ″ ′ ″ Copernicus Indefinite * * * * Galilaeus 13,046,400 0 20 0 40 Kepler formerly 34,077,067 0 9 0 17 Kepler afterward 60,000,000 0 12 0 24 Lansbergius formerly 10,312,227 0 30 1 00 Lansbergius later dayes 41,958,000 0 07 0 15 Hortensius 10,312,227 0 30 1 00 Herigon 144,0000 3 0 6 00 Distance of the Fixed Stars supposing the Earth's Annual Motion about the Sun and the Copernican Distance of the Earth from the Sun According to the Calculation of Semidiameters of the Earth Total Parallax of the Fixed Stars    ′ ″  Tycho and Maginus 7850,000 1 00  Longomontanus 7906,818 1 00  Scheinerus 13,133,376 0 40   10,320,000 0 48  Distance of the Fixed Stars from the Earth supposing the Earths Motion and the greatest Parallax of the Fixed Stars to be 10″ and the Distances of the Sun and Earth as underwritten According to the several Authors following Distance of * and Earth in Semidiameters of the Earth Distance of the Fixed Stars in Semidiameters of the Earth  Copernicus 1150 47,439,800  Maestlinus Galilaeus 1208 49,832,416  Keplerus 3469 142,746,428  Lansbergius 1498½ 61,616,122  Bullialdus 1460 60,227,920  Herigonius 1200 49,502,400  Vendelinus 14656 604,589,312  It rests that something be said of the Proper Motion of the Fixed Stars which is double The first is their Circumrotation about their own Centers termed Motus Vertiginis in which they are carried about with extraordinary Celerity whence the Reason in part as already hinted of their Scintillation The second is their Motion of Revolution from West to East Secundum Ductum Eclipticae in which they are observed to move but very slowly Touching this it will not be amiss to insert the three following Conclusions of Ricciolus in
the Sun shewing themselves variously figured and of different Magnitudes by reason of the vertiginous Motion of the Sun about its own Axis representing them to our Sight diversly situated which diversity of their Appearance arises likewise from the Manner of the Sun's Circumgyration which is such that its Axis does not alwayes keep the same Inclination to the Plane of the Ecliptick They have a Motion from the Oriental Part of the Sun 's Disque to the Occidental which Course they ordinarily finish within the space of thirteen Dayes more or less according to their greater or lesser Latitude for they make by their Motion as it it were a Zodiack of about sixty Degrees broad that is about thirty Degrees on each side of the Sun 's Ecliptick The Faculae Solares Are conceived to be partly Massie fiery Globes bursting forth out of the Ignivomous Solar Mountains and by reason of their Brightness shining amidst the Fuliginous Cloudy Vapours or Maculae at sometimes suddenly disappearing at others making a long continuance or Duration Partly Effervencies of the exestuating Solar Ocean Which by reason of the excessive innate Fervour of the Sun's Globe boyls up into mighty Waves like Mountains of Light scattering and dispersing the darker Maculae and discovering as it were a fiery Ocean fluctuating and agitated with Flaming Billows and unusual Splendour or as Scheinerus in Disquisit Mathem defines them Faculae sunt Areolae in Sole Lucidiores reliquo ejusdem Corpore i. e. they are certain small Plats or Spaces in the Sun brighter than the rest of its Body thus described by Galilaeo in Letter 3. Delle Macchie Solar In the face of the Sun their appear certain Marks brighter than the rest in which is observed the same Motion as in the Maculae which that they are inherent in the very Body of the Sun cannot be doubted in regard it is not credible there can be any other Substance beside brighter than that of the Sun In which few Words he hath comprized much Of the Sun's Vertiginous Motion The Observation of the Motion of the Sun's Spots and Lights hath given Occasion to Astronomers to remark that the Sun hath a Motion about its own Axis from East to West which Conversion is finished in the space of twenty seven Dayes or thereabouts though there be some who will have it to move much faster making its Period of Circumrotation to be compleated in twenty four Hours Others assigning to it a much more wonderful Celerity and affirming its Vertiginous Schema corporis SOLARIS prout a P. P. Kirchero et Scheinero Romae Anno 1635 observatum fuit Course to be finished in a Moments space Of its Motion of Revolution Diurnal and Annual according to the Hypothesis of the Earth's Immobility We shall here say nothing Leaving likewise the Reader to be further satisfied as to what We have already briefly indicated touching this glorious Luminary from the larger Arguments of Galilaeo Scheinerus in Rosa. Ursina Kepler Gassendus Hevelius Bullialdus Kircherus in his Iter. Extatic and Schottus upon him Ricciol Almagest Nov. l. 3. Hodierna in Ponderation De Admirandis Phasibus in Sole Luna Visis c. Otto de Guerick in Experiment Magdeburg and Le Pere Cherubin in his Dioptricks Only adding something touching The Sun's Magnitude and Distance from the Earth The true Magnitude of the Sun sayes Ricciolus Almagest l. 3. c. 11. is to be had from its true Semidiameter for that being doubled gives its true Diameter whence it s other Species of Magnitudes are derived according to the Rule of Proportion Of which take the following Table The true Magnitude of the Sun compared with the Earth The Suns True Diameter contains Its Circumference contains The Area of its greatest Circle contains Its convex superficies contains Its solidity contains According to the following Authors Simple Diameters of the Earth Simple Diameters of the Earth Square Diameters of the Earth Square Diameters of the Earth The Solidity of the Earth Ptolemy Maurolycus Clavius and Barocius 5 ½ 17 2 7 24 0 134 0 166 3 2 Aristarchus more than 6 1 3 20 1 7 30 â…” 127 0 254 1 17 Aristarchus less than 7 â…™ 22 3 7 38 0 155 0 368 1 11 Albategnius 5 7 10 18 5 7 26 0 108 0 186 0 Copernicus 5 27 60 16 ½ 22 0 91 0 161 â—… Tycho and Blancanus 5 â—… 16 2 7 22 0 85 0 140 0 Longomontanus 5 807 1000 18 1 15 26 0 95 0 196 0 Keplerus 15 0 47 1 10 176 0 706 0 3375 0 Lansbergius 7 17 30 24 0 46 0 176 0 434 0 Bullialdus 7 0 22 2 7 39 0 156 0 343 0 Wendelinus 64 0 200 96 100 3216 0 12864 0 262144 0 Kircherus 5 â…• 16 0 21 0 83 0 140 0 Rheita 10 0 31 4 10 78 0 314 0 1000 0 Ricciolus 33 5 6 106 15 100 885 0 30056 0 38600 0 Times The Distance of the Sun from the Earth is such that if you will believe Pliny to search after it penè dementis otii est Ricciolus likewise acknowledging its Sublimity to exceed the Subtlety of all Astronomers hitherto Who yet proposes three several Methods or Wayes of finding it out The first by means of the Horizontal or any other Parallax of the Sun the second by the Eclipses of the Sun and Moon the third by the Moon 's Dichotomy and its Distance from the Earth But however the Investigation thereof be made this is to be considered that the Sun is sometimes in Apogaeo or its furthest Distance from the Earth sometimes in Perigaeo or its nearest Proximity to the Earth by the half of the Difference of which two Distances the mean Distance of the Sun is determined But it will be worth the while to represent to the Readers view in the following Table the several Opinions as well of the Ancient as Modern Astronomers touching this matter Table of the Sun's Distance from the Center of the Earth in Semidiameters of the same AUTHORS Greatest Distance of the Sun in Apogaeo Mean Distance Least Distance in Perigaeo According to Hipparchus his Data 1586 1472 1357 Or 1429 1379 1231 Posidonius 13141 ††Ptolemaeus and Maurolycus 1210 1168 1126 Clavius and Barocius 1216 1168 1126 Albategnius and Alphonsus 1146 1107 1068 From the Data of Albategnius as Lansberg 7936 ††Alfraganus 1220 1215 1210 Fernelius 1309 1256 1204 Copernicus and Maginus 1179 1142 1105 From the Data of Copernicus Lansberg 0942 ††Michael Neander 1197 1160 1122 Maestlinus in Max. Excentr 1208 ½ 1160 1111 ¾ Maestlinus in Min. Excentr 1197 ½ 1160 1122 ¾ Io. Offusius †1152 †Tycho and Blancanus 1182 1150 1117 Longomontanus 1334 1288 1242 Kepler in Ephemer 1800 1768 1736 Kepler in Coment Martis Kepler in Stella Nova 1432 Kepler in Epitome Astronom 3469 Kepler ex Parallax in Tabul Rudolphin 3438 3381 3327 Lansberg in Min. Excentr 1550 52 60 1498 3â—… 60 1446 1â—… 60 Ismael Bullialdus
1485 56 60 1460 1433 â—… 60 Athanas. Kircherus 1940 ¾ 1906 ¼ 1872 〈◊〉 Anton. Maria de Rheita 2073 2000 1927 Godefridus Vendelinus 14905 14656 14407 Galilaeus †1208 †Marius Bettinus †1145 †Langrenus †3420 †Ricciolus 7580 7327 7074 Or 7600 7300 7000 Of the MOON THE MOON the nearest Neighbour of all the Planets to this our Elementary Sphere comes next to be considered whose Nature Composition and Constitution may best be judged of by its Opacity Asperity and Heterogeneity of Parts The first shews it to be altogether deprived of any innate or proper Light evidenced in its Total Eclipses wherein She altogether looses her Lustre which contrarily if She had any of her own would rather in the greatest darkness become more conspicuous Hence it may be inferred the Light She hath is from the Sun and that the Moon as She is an opacous so She is a dense Body apt to receive and reflect the Sun's Light The second argues the Globe of the Moon to be full of Eminencies and Depressions like our Hills and Valleys estimated to be such by the Conjectures of the Ancients mentioned by Plutarch l. de facie in Orbe Lunae but at present manifest to sight by help of the Telescope and ascertained to reason by those lesser Spots which are called New ones varying their Scituation and Magnitude according to the divers Access and Recess of the Sun to which their Site is alwayes opposite thence evidencing them to be the Shadows of the more eminent Parts of the Moons Globe emulating our Alps Hills and Mountains and here and there surpassing them for Height The third viz. The Heterogeneity of its Parts was long since believed by the Ancients as may appear by Plutarch l. 2. De Placit Philosoph c. 25. but at this day certainly demonstrated by the various Reflections of its Light whence We may conclude the brighter and more splendid Parts of the Moon to be those which are more dense solid and opacous like our Earth in regard they reflect a greater Portion of Light but the obscurer Parts commonly called the Ancient Spots for as much as they reflect a less and absorbe a greater Quantity of Light to be therefore Pellucid and Diaphanous and Analogous to our Ocean Seas Lakes and Rivers From what hath been already said We may probably inferr that the Moon is composed of Solid and Liquid Parts as this our Terraqueous Globe which we inhabit above which it is placed in such a â—…itting Degree of Neighbourhood that thereby the Light and Influence of the Celestial Bodies especially of the Sun 's fervent Rayes might by the Celerity of its Motion be so tempered and by the Asperity and Inequality of its Superficies so received and thence reflected that they might be transmitted to us with less Incommodity than otherwise they would if they were directly projected without that temperating Medium We are not yet to imagine though most Astronomers as well Ancient as Modern conceive the Moon to be as it were another Earth that it is composed of the same Sand Clay Stones as this Terrestrial Globe or that the Lunary Seas Lakes Pools c. are of the same Water with our Seas Lakes or Pools but happily of a quite different Matter and to us incomprehensible And therefore as to its Nature and Substance We shall forbear with Anaximander to determine that its Concave Orb is full of Fire breathing out at one Part as out of a Tunnel or with Xenophanes that it is a Constipated Cloud or with Pythagoras that it is a stony Body or with the Stoicks that it is composed of Fire and Air or as Plato will of a terrene Composition or as Anaxagoras pretends of a mixture cold and earthly darkness being mixed with her fiery Nature whence She is called a Star of false Light or with Heraclitus that it is another Earth inveloped within a misty dim Cloud or with Pliny and some of the Moderns that it is of a Watery Substance or as Otto de Guerrick conjectures that it is a Globe of Ice But shall leave these Opinions as being dubious and uncertain to the further Disquisition of the learned and give the Reader a view of its Figure and several Phases in the Annexed Scheme according to the Observations of Ricciolus and Grimaldus And seeing mention hath been made of the Maculae or Spots appearing in the Face or Body of the Moon as well those obvious to the Bare Eye as the others discernable by help of the Telescope We hold it necessary to make a more particular Description of them They are distinguished into the ANCIENT and the NEW The Ancient Spots are those greater and larger Spots at all Times discernable without the Help of a Telescope resembling large Seas Lakes and Bayes Heretofore known and taken Notice of by the Ancients of which Plutarch hath written a Particular Treatise under the Title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. De facie in Orbe Lunae translated and commented upon by Kepler and annexed to his Somnium Lunare The New Ones are those Lesser Spots which are not discernable but by the help of a Telescope which are various differing in Magnitude Figure Scituation Colour c. observed and with exactness described by sundry eminent Modern Astronomers Some of whom have imposed as well upon the Old as New distinct Names and Appellations for the better Knowledge of them Among whom Langrenus in his Selenographia hath noted them by the Names of several Persons eminent either for their Skill in the Mathematicks or their Dignity and Honours or their Particular Friendship and Favour to him and his Studies Hevelius as if the Moon were another Earth hath described and distinguished them by Geographical Marks and Denominations transferring to them the Names proper to our Terrestrial Continents Promontories Mountains Islands Seas Lakes c. Grimaldus hath signalized them by the Names for the most Part of Persons peculiarly addicted to and eminent in the Study of Astronomy The Scheme and Tables of the two last that of Langrenus not yet come to my hand the Reader may here take notice of as being of great Use and Advantage to all Students in Astronomy and very Necessary not only for making their own but better Understanding others Observations The first Scheme is that of Hevelius whereof the Alphabetical Table follows The Names of HEVELIUS his Selenographical TABLE A. ABarim a Mountain called likewise Nebo and Phasga where Moses died Acabe a Mountain of Egypt near the Arabian Gulf. Aconitus a Hill where likewise is the Acherusian Cave Adriaticum Mare at this day called Golfo di Venetia by Vitruvius Gallicae Paludes the Inmost Recess of the Adriatick Sea where Venice is seated at this Day called Lagume di Venetia Aea an Island at this day called Satabella Aegyptus a famous Region of Africa heretofore known by the Names of Aeria Aetia Ogygia Hephaestia and Chemia according to Herodotus by the Iews called Chus by the
this day retaining its old Name Taygetus a Mountain of Laconia near Sparta now Portes Tancon Mons a Mountain so called near the Caspian Sea Tarantinus Sinus a Bay in the Mediterranean Sea at this day Golfo di Taranto Taurus Mons Mount Taurus the greatest of the whole Earth as this of the Moon Taurica Chersonesus the Taurick Chersonesus at this Day Chrimski Precopska and Gazaria Taraciniae Insulae Techisandum Mons a Mountain of Persia. Thambes Mons a Mountain of Africa FIGURA PRO NOMENCLATURA ET LIBRATIONE LUNARI Tenarium Promontorium the. Promontory of Taenarus in Peloponesus now Capo Matapan Thospitis Lacus a great Lake or Meer in Armenia on the Borders of Mesopotamia now Gabacu Tmolus Mons or Timolus a Mountain of Phrygia at this Day Tomalitze Trapezus Mons a Mountain in the Taurick Chersonesus at this Day called Lustra and Trebizonde by the Turks Tarabossan Trasimenus Lacus a famous Lake of Italy at this Day Lago di Perugia Troicus Mons a Mountain whence the Aegyptian Pyramids were hewen U. VUlcania Insula an Island in the Mediterranean Sea near Lipara on the right hand of Sicily not far from Italy now Vulcano Uxii Montes Mountains so called in Armenia Major whence Tygris hath its Source Z. ZAcynthus an Island near Peloponesus at this Day Zante And thus much as to the Explanation of the several Names of the Lunary Spots according to the Design of HEVELIUS in his Selenographick Scheme or Mapp To the Scheme of Hevelius We shall add that of Grimaldi as the same is represented by Ricciolus in his Almagest l. 4. p. 204. divided into Eight Parts or Octants and describing the several Parts or Spots of the Moon not according to the Geographical Design of Hevelius but by the Names of the most Eminent Philosophers and Astronomers as well Ancient as Modern as may appear by the following Nomenclature wherein the Synonyma of such Spots or Parts as are added from the Selenography of Langrenus and Hevelius are respectively marked with the first Letters of their Names L. and H. Nomenclature of the Parts of the Moon for the Selenography of P. Maria Grimaldi 1. OCTANS Anaximander Aristarchus L. Balthassar Cleostratus Ecphantus Eratosthenes L. Gassendus L. Haro Harpalus Helicon Cyzicenus Heraclides Ponticus Oenopides Pitheas Massil L. Pythagoras Timocharis Xenophanes 2. OCTANS Anaxagoras Aratus Archimedes L. Roma H. Corsica Archytas Aristillus Aristoteles L. Brahe Autolycus Calippus Conon Democritus Epigenes Euctemon Eudoxus L. Pozzo Meton L. Amalsi Philolaus Plato L. Panciroli Lacus H. Lacus Niger Thales L. Xenophanes Theaetetus Timaeus 3. OCTANS Atlas Berosus Cepheus Endymion Geminus Hercules Hermes Hyginus Manilius L. Isabella R. Hisp H. Insula Besbicus Menelaus L. Maria Imperatrix Mercurius Messala Arabs Osymandiez Posidonius L. Lafailli Sulpicius Gallus Zoroaster 4. OCTANS Agrippa Alcuinus Ariadaeus Beda Cleomedes Dionysius Exiguus Firmicus Goclenius Iul. Caesar Langrenus Macrobius Plinius Plutarchus Proclus L. Puteanus Seneca Sosigenes Taruntius Vitruvius 5. OCTANS Aben Ezra Abulfeda Alfraganus Almaeon Azophi S. Catharina L. Picolomini S. Cyrillus Alex. S. Dionysius Areop Fabricius Fracastorius Fournerius S. I. Geber Hypparchus Hypatia S. Isidorus Hisp. Rab. Levi Mart. Capella Metius Mulerius Neander Petavius S. I. Pontanus Picolomineus Reitha Riccius Sacroboscus Santbechius Snellius Stevinus Stiborius Tatius Achill Theon Sen. Theon Iun. S. Theophilus Alex. Vendelinus Zagutus 6. OCTANS Albategnius L. Ferdinandus Imp. Aliacensis Alpetragius Alfonsus Rex L. Ludovicus 14. Apianus Arzachel Arzet S. I. Barocius Bettinâ—…s S. I. Blancanus S. I. Blanchinus Cabaeus S. I. Clavius S. I. L. Maximilianus Curtius S. I. Cysatus S. I. Daniel Bartolus S. I. Fernelius Gauricus Gemma Frisius Griembergerus S. I. Gulielm Hassiae Princ. Hagecius Homelius Kircherus S. I. Licetus Lilii Fratres Longomontanus Maginus L. Visilii Manzinus Malapertius S. I. Maurolycus H. Estensis Dux Moretus S. I. Mutus Nonius Orontius Pitatus Pitiscus Ptolemaeus L. Innocentius X. H. Mons Sypilus Purbachius Regiomontanus Sasserides Scheinerus S. I. Schomberger S. I. Simpelius S. I. Stoeflerus Tannerus Waltherus Vernerus Zucchius S. I. 7. OCTANS Bayerus Bullialdus L. Medicaei Byrgius Campanus Capuanus Cichus Asculanus Crugerus Dersennis S. I. Eichstadius Fontana Gassendus L. Annullus Neptuni Hainzelius Herigonus Iunctinus Kristmannus Mersennus Morinus Munosius Origanus Phocylides Profacius Rothmannus Schikardus Schillerus Vieta Zupus S. I. 8. OCTANS Anton. Rocca Bessarion Billy S. I. Cardanus Cavallerius Copernicus L. Philippus 4. H. Mons Aetna Cusanus Dominicus Maria Egnatius Dante 's Eustachius Galilaeus Grimaldus S. I. L. Lacus Posidonii H. Lacus Maeotis Hortensius Hevelius Keplerus Lansbergius Linemannus Milichius Moletius Reinerus Reinholdus Rheticus Ricciolus S. I. Seleucus Simon Marius Sirsalis S. I. Stadius Nomenclature of the Lunary Regions whereto is added the Number of the respective Octants to which they appertain Insula Ventorum 8. Lacus Mortis 3. Lacus Somniorum 3. L. Lacus Scientiae H. Palus Hyperborea Littus Eclipticum 1 8. L. Littus Philippicum Mare Crisium 4. L. Mare Caspium H. Palus Maeotis Mare faeeunditatis 4 5. L. Mare Langreni Mare Frigoris 2. L. Mare Astronomicum Mare Humorum 7. L. Mare Venetum Mare Imbrium 1 2. L. Mare Austriacum Mare Nubium 7. L. Mare Borbonicum Mare Nectaris 5. L. Sinus Batavicus Mare Serenitatis 3 L. Mare Eugenianum H. Mare Euxinum Mare Tranquillitatis 4. L. Mare Belgicum H. Euxinus Mare Vaporum 3. Oceanus Procellarum 1 8. L. Oceanus Philippicus H. Mare Eoum Palus Nebularum 2. L. Terra Virtutis Palus Nimborum 7. Palus Putredinis 2. Palus Somni 4. L. Aestuaria Bamelr Peninsula Deliriorum 7. Peninsula Fulgurum 7. Peninsula fulminum 7. Sinus Aestuum 7. L. Sinus Medius H. Mare Hadriaticum Sinus Epidemiarum 7 L. Mare Populorum Sinus Iridum 1. L. Sinus Geometricus H. Sinus Apollinis Sinus Roris 1. L. Sinus Principis Stagnum Glaciei 2. Terra Caloris 7. Terra Iustitiae Terra Fertilitatis 5 6. L. Terra Dignitatis H. Asia Terra Grandinis 2. Terra Mannae 4 5. L. Terra Temperantiae H. Cholchis Terra Nivium 2. L. Montes Austriaci H. Ital. Apenninus Terra Pâ—…uinae 1. L. Terra Laboris H. Mauritania Terrra Sanitatis 5. L. Terra Dignitatis H. Asiae Pars Terra Siccitatis 1 2. L. Terra Honoris Terra Sterilitatis 7. Terra Vitae 3 4. L. Terra Sapientiae H. Sarmatia Terra Vigoris 4 5. L. Terra Pacis Of its motion either of Revolution or Libration We shall not here say any thing it being beside our present Design But as to its Distance Apparent Diameter and Magnitude We have thought fit to add the following Tables Table of the Moons Distance from the Center of the Earth in Semidiameters of the same and its Horizontal Parallax In Opposition or Conjunction Distance from the Center of the Earth Horizontal Parallax According to the following Authors Apog Med. Perig.  Apog Med. Perig.  Semid ′ Semid ′ Semid ′  ′ ″ ′ ″ ′ ″ Ptolemaeus 64 10
Hevelius 16 18 9 0 Hodierna 16 18 14 33 Vendelinus 16 756 1000  Their Diurnal and Horary Motion in their respective Orbits each divided into 360° Of the According to Diurnal Horary 1  Gr. ′ ″ Gr. ′ ″ Galilaeus 8 29 circiter Marius 203 25 0 8 28 30 Hodierna 203 23 44 8 28 29½ 2 Galilaeus 4 13 fere Marius 101 17 22 4 13 0 Hodierna 101 17 21 4 13 13 3 Galilaeus 2 6 circiter Marius 50 14 57 2 6 30 Hodierna 50 13 32 2 5 34 4 Galilaeus 0 54 30 Marius 21 29 3½ 0 53 30 Hodierna 21 28 48 0 53 42 As to Iupiter's Distance from the Center of the Earth the same is computed by Ricciolus in its greatest Distance to be removed from thence 47552 Terrestrial Semidiameters in its Mean Distance 36500 and in its least 26441 of the said Semidiameters It s Apparent Diameter according to the said Ricciolus being when least in Apogaeo 0′ 38″ â—…8‴ when mean in its mean Distance from the Earth 0′ 49″ 46‴ when greatest in his Perigaeum 1′ 08″ 46‴ It s true Diameter contains of the Earth's Diameters Eight and 4 5. It s Circumference 27 63 100 of the said Diameters The Area of his greatest Circle 64 square Diameters of the Earth It s Convex Superficies 242 of the said square Diameters The Solidity of its Body contains that of the Earths 685 Times As to the structure of its Globe We may conclude it with the rest of the Planets to be composed of Solid and Liquid Parts and by what hath been already said that it is of a Body though Physically Round full of uneven Asperities invested with a vapid Atmosphere carried about its own Center by a Vertiginous Motion finished according to Rheita in 11 Dayes 20 Hours 1 Minute 15″ and that its Zones or Belts are solid Parts less capable of Light than the rest of its solid or liquid Parts are SATURN The Highest and of all the Primary Planets hitherto known the most remote from the Earth runs his Course above all the rest and beneath the Fixed Stars as is collected from his Parallax of all the Planets the least and in a manner none at all Nor are there any either of the Fixed or Erratick Stars that afford to the observing Eye by means of the Telescope such strange and admirable Phaenomena The chiefest and most worthy of Note are Three First That he appears girdled about with a certain Fascia or Zone or rather encompassed about with an Armilla or Ring of Light Second That he hath several Lunulae or lesser Planets like the Jovial Satellites moving about his Body Third That his Figure appears variously and incredibly diversified being sometimes beheld solitary in a round Form at other Times represented with two Rundles adhering to each side which again alter their Figure and appear like certain Ansae or Handles As to the first Phaenomenon the ingenious Mounsieur Hugens in his System Saturn p. 46. hath noted that the said Ring about the Body of Saturn is every way alike distant from it the Plane whereof alwayes keeps in a certain and constant Inclination to the Ecliptick appearing according to its diversity of Aspect now like a large Ellipsis now like a more contracted one at other times like a strait Line and now and then like two Brachia or Ansae as it were on each side the Body of the said Planet This Hypothesis of his he laid down in the following Proposition by him published in the year 1656. Annulo cingitur tenui plano nusquam cohaerente ad Eclipticam inclinato But Ricciolus conceives the said Saturnian Phaenomena may be as well salved if instead of Monsieur Hugens his Annulus or Ring distant from the Body of Saturn there were an Elliptical Armilla supposed coherent to it at the Extremities of the Lesser Diameter of the Ellipsis which his Hypothesis he delivers in this Proposition Armilla cingitur tenui plana Elliptica duobus locis cohaerente sive Parallela Aequatori sive in se circumvolubili aut Libratili Versus Mundi Polos But of this let the learned Judge As to the second Phaenomenon the forementioned Monsieur Hugens in the year 1655. on the 25 th of March discovered a small Star or Planet moving about the Body of Saturn which Star Hevelius likewise observed at Danzick and Sir Paul Neal together with Sir Christopher Wrenn here in England much about the same time but took it not to be a Planet 'till ascertained of its being such by the Information of the said Monsieur Hugens This Saturnian Companion after several Moneths Observation he found to finish his Periodical Revolution it its Orbit about the Body of Saturn in the space of sixteen dayes Since which the excellent Signiour Cassini hath lately made in the Royal Parisian Observatory a Discovery of two other Planets moving about Saturn the one nearer to the Body thereof than the Hugenian the other farther removed from him than that The Revolution of which interiour Planet he found to be compleated in four Dayes and an half or rather four Dayes thirteen Hours The Exteriour in something more than eighty Dayes Touching the last and various Phaenomenon Hevelius in a Particular Treatise De Nativâ Saturni facie hath endeavoured to give the Reason He conceiving that diversity of Appearance to proceed from the Diversity of Aspect as he is more directly or more obliquely bâ—…ld by Us For seeing according to the Rules of Opticks a Cylinder and an Ellipsis being beheld at a Distance or obliquely seem to be circular Hence he inferrs that Saturn as well when in the Apogaeum as Perigaeum of his Excentrick appears as he terms it Elliptico Ansatus but in his mean Distance either from the Earth or Sun he appears Monosphaericus solitary and round in other positions he appears Sphaerico-Ansatus but diversly figured according to his divers Latitude and Situation in his Epicycle And seeing at this Time Saturn's Apogaeum is in the 27 th Degree of â™ his Perigaeum in the 27 th of ♊ and his Mean Distance in 27 th Degrees of â™ and ♓ he hath accordingly distributed the various Phases and different Appearances of that Planet quite through his Excentrick Of which see the following Table taken from Ricciolus in Paralip Astronom Reformat something differing from that of Hevelius inserted in his forementioned Treatise Table of the divers Phases of Saturn according to the Opinion of HEVELIUS  Sign Gr. Denominations of the Figures Apog â™ 27 Elliptico-ansatus plenus Decreasing ♑ 12   ♑ 27   ♒ 12 Sphaerico-cuspidatus Major  ♒ 27 Sphaerico-cuspidatus Minor  ♓ 12 Trisphaericus Mean Distance ♓ 27 Mono-sphaericus Increasing ♈ 12 Trisphaericus  ♈ 27 Sphaerico-cuspidatus Minor  ♉ 12 Sphaerico-cuspidatus Major  ♉ 27 Sphaerico-ansatus  ♊ 12 Elliptico-ansatus Diminutus Perig. ♊ 27 Elliptico-ansatus Plenus Decreasing ♋ 12 Elliptico-ansatus Diminutus  ♋ 27 Sphaerico-ansatus  ♌ 12 Sphaerico-cuspidatus
Major  ♌ 27 Sphaerico-cuspidatus Minor  ♠12 Trisphaericus Mean Distance â™ 27 Mono-sphaericus Phases increasing ♎ 12 Trisphaericus  ♎ 27 Sphaerico-cuspidatus Minor  ♒ 12 Sphaerico-cuspidatus Major  ♒ 27 Sphaerico-ansatus  ♠12 Elliptico-ansatus Diminutus By the help of the foregoing Table and Ephemerides the true Place of Saturn being given it may be known sayes Hevelius what the Phases of Saturn will be for any Year to come of which for the greater Ease of such as would avoyd the trouble of Calculation he hath composed the following Ephemerid ending in the Year 1701. EPHEMERIS PHASIUM SATURNI Year Moneth Phases of Saturn 1674  Tricorpor 1677  Ansatus 1678   1679   1680   1682 From November to Iuly Tricorpor 1683   1684   1685 From September To October Rotundus perfecte 1686   1687  Tricorpor 1688   1690  Ansatus 1691   1692   1693   1694   1695   1696   1699  Tricorpor 1700   1701  Rotundus But whether these Phases may exactly answer the Hypothesis We leave to the Discovery of the Curious and shall only add what we find reported by Ricciolus in Paralipom ad Astronom Râ—…mat touching some Mechanical Trials made by Signior Campani for the better discovering the various Face of this Celestial Proteus being as follows He caused a round white Ball or Globe to be inserted within an Armilla of the same colour a Wire being made to pass through the Armilla and the said Globe as a Diameter so that the Armilla could be raised or deprest at Pleasure This being placed in a convenient Light and at a fitting Distance looked upon through a small Telescope gave to him according to the divers Elevation or Depression of the said Armilla all the Phases that were not only then viz. 1664. by him really observed in Saturn but what likewise for the future might hereafter be observable The same Tryal is also affirmed to have been made by Ricciolus by inserting a Globe as aforesaid within an Armilla of an Elliptical Form Touching the Structure Nature and Substance of this Planet it may be probably concluded First That it is composed ex solido liquido of a plumbeous or leaden temper and colour that it is Spherical but withall full of uneven Asperities Secondly That it is an Opacous Body and illuminated ab extra and although the Sun's Light may approach it yet it is not sufficient to give a requisite Lustre to so great and so distant a Body and therefore must needs receive its Light from some other Fountain Thirdly That his Companions or Satellites have their proper light and thereby administer Supplies to that of their Prince Fourthly that he hath a gyration about its own Center and Axis compleated according to Rheita in 29 Dayes 10 Hours 1′ 16″ His Distance from the Earth is by divers Astronomers diversly computed but according to Ricciolus in his greatest Distance he is found to be distant from the Center of the Earth 90155 Semidiameters thereof in his Mean Distance 73000 in his least 57743 of the said Semidiameters His apparent Diameter according to Ricciolus when least in his Apogaeo cum Comitib is reckoned to be 46″ when in his Mean Distance from the Earth 57″ when greatest in his Perigaeo 1′ 12″ His true Diameter cum Comitibus contains of the Earth's Diameters 20. 1 6. His Body that of the Earth 891 Times We are now come to the Conclusion of the Poem wherein Manilius for the more perfect Consummation of this Work by way of Corollary hath inserted a brief but not unelegant Description Of Fiery Meteors and Comets Touching the first of These it will be needless to say much We shall only reckon them up Those whose Place and Generation is in the Lower Region of the Aire are Draco volans Ignis Fatuus Ignis Lambens Sidus Helenae Castor Pollux Those whose Birth is in the middle Region are Stella cadens Lancea ardens Fulmen c. In the Upper Region of the Air are reckoned Fax Ignis Perpendicularis Bolis Capra Saltans Scintillae Volantes Trabs c. All which arise from Vapours and Exhalations which the Earth continually exspires and diffuses round about through its ambient Atmosphere Of the second Sort something more is to be said but with that Brevity as may suit with our Method it being not our Design to amass together what ever might be collected upon this Subject but only to hint so much as may serve either to explain what our Author hath written thereon or to supply in some measure what he hath omitted referring the more Inquisitive Reader to what among the Ancients Aristotle Seneca Pliny Plutarch and Ptolemy have written among the Modern to what Tycho Blancanus Cabaeus Fortunius Licetus Camillus Gloriosus Longomontanus Keplerus Galilaeo Fromondus and divers others have largely and learnedly discoursed of more especially to what the Learned and Reverend Prelate Seth Lord Bishop of Sarum hath published in his Dissertation De Cometis to what Monsieur Petit hath discoursed in his Piece of the Nature of Comets as likewise Lubieniecius in his Theatrum Cometicum Hevelius in his accurate Cometographia and Ricciolus in Almagest Nov. Tom. 2. de Cometis Touching the Matter Place and efficient Cause of Comets both the Ancient and Modern Philosophers and Astronomers differ much We shall here give the Reader their several Opinions collected from divers of the forementioned Authours which may be reduced to Twelve distinct Heads The first will have Comets not to be any thing real or distinct from other pre-existent Celestial Bodies but rather a meer Emphasis or Appearance made by the Reflexion or Refraction of the Sun's Beams or those of the Moon in the same manner almost as is the Halo Parelii Paraselene and Rainbow Of this Opinion was Panaetius and some others mentioned by Seneca Natural Quaest. and Plutarch De Plâ—…it Philosoph The second likewise denies Comets to be any thing De Novo existing in the Heavens but to be a 〈◊〉 Symphaâ—…s or Coappearance of divers Stars already known joyned together in corporal Conjunction as Astrologers use to speak and so making a kind of a long Star as if it were as Senâ—… expresses it duaruâ—… vel plurium Stellarum Ignis extensus which Opinion is by some ascribed to Democritus Anaxagoâ—…as and Zâ—…no this is touched at by Manilius where he sayes Nature did those fading Lights design As subunited Stars in Heaven to shine Which see already explained in our Notes The third Opinion makes Comets to be some New and extraordinary Planets differing from the seven commonly known being seldom seen by reason either of their nearness to the Sun or their too great Distance from the Earth which after some space of time emerging out of the Sun's Beams under which they lay hid or approaching nearer to the Earth become visible This was
seventh is that of Galilaeo viz. that the Tayl of a Comet is of its own Nature straight as being produced by the Sun-Beams but appears to us to be crooked when near the Horizon and inclined thereunto by reason of the Refraction of the Species or of the Visual Rayes made in the Spherical Superficies of the Aire which near the Earth is filled with gross Vapours This he illustrates by the Example of an Oar which though straight seems in the Water by the force of Refraction to be crooked The eighth is that of Io. Baptista Cysatus who conceives the Tayl of a Comet not to be a Flame but a radious Cone or Pyramid made by the Sun's Beams transmitted through the Head of the Comet in the same manner as the Sun 's Light passing through a Hole or Convex Glass illustrates a Room or Chamber which he sayes is done partly by Refraction partly by Reflexion from the Poly-angular Sides of the Corpuscula that forme the Head of the Comet The ninth is of Nichol. Cabaeus who makes the Tayl of the Comet to be the Sun-Beams shineing through the Head of the Comet and refracted but since all Beams however refracted are propagated by right Lines he affirms the Tayl of a Comet cannot possibly be really crooked but only apparently such and the Cause of this apparent Crookedness he refers to the divers Site or Plane of the Eye and of the Tayl or Bush of the Comet The tenth is that of Fromondus Meteor l. 3. c. 4. where he affirms the Tayl of a Comet to be the Sun-Beams transverberated per Cerebrum Capitis Cometae as he terms it and at the beginning not to be of any Length nor directly to tend toward the Part turned from the Sun in regard of the various Diversion it meets with by reason of the Profundity and Opacity of the Head of the Comet but after that Opacity is a little cleared and the Matter better digested then the Sun-Beams issue forth directly and stream into a long Bush or Train The eleventh is that of Fortunius Licetus who conceives that to the Body of the Comet there is a certain Matter that adheres by some Extrinsecal Appulse and hath its coagmentation and generation near the Body of the Comet from the same Cause that formed the Comet and either by the innate or proper Light of its Head or by the Sun Beams is illuminated and becomes visible in the shadow of the Comet that is in that part of it which is directly turned from the Sun The twelfth is that of Ricciolus who first conceives it not improbable that the Tayl or Train of a Comet is of the same Substance with the Comet and to shine by its own Light propagated from its Head The Face of which is alwayes converted to the Sun like a Heliotrope or as a Magnet to the Pole and by a slow Vertiginous Motion about the Center of its Head to be so moved that the more perfect part of the Comet alwayes respects the Sun the other part to be turned from the Sun and to have divers Shapes and Figures according to the several Species of Comets and the diversity of its Matter and Configuration Secondly he holds it very probable that the Train or Bush of a Comet is a Multitude of most subtle Corpuscula in the Air or Aether flying about the Head of the Comet not such as We see through a Chink dancing in the Sun-Beams nor like those Exhalations which make the Crepusculum or Twilight but much more subtle and higher nor apt by reason of their smallness their little opacity and great distance from the Sun to be discerned by us through the Reflexion of the Sun's Beams unless very strongly illuminated that that strong Illumination is made by the Collection of the Sun's Beams by the Power of Refraction into one though not precisely after the same Manner as they unite after their trajection through a Sphere of Glass He likewise conceives the Head of the Comet to consist of divers minute Bodies Homogenial partly Polyangular partly Spherical partly Spheroeidal Hence by the Benefit of these various Superficies the Sun Beams passing after a divers Manner through the Head of the Comet according to the Rules as well of Refraction as Reflexion come forth much more multiplyed and collected together than otherwise they would do if they passed not through the Head of the Comet or were not refracted To these We might add the different Opinions of the Excellent Des Cartes and the much knowing Doctor Isaac Vossius but that We are obliged to keep within the Bounds of our prescribed Brevity and therefore shall referr the curious Reader to receive further satisfaction in this particular from their own better Pens as delivered by the first in Princip Philosoph Part. 3. by the other in his Learned Treatise De Natura Propriet Lucis c. 32. and in his Appendix thereunto c. 8. From the divers Figures and Appearances of these Trains or Bushes Comets are distinguished into several Kinds or Species reducible to two chief Heads that is to say Criniti seu Comati and Barbati to the first Head or Classis relate these following viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu Hircus to the latter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Veru seu Pertica and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Disceus sive Disci-formis Cometa is a Comet resembling in Shape or Form a round Dish or Platter among these kind the chief is that which is called Rosa sive Chryseus bright shining and of a Silver Colour mixed with Gold or Amber Colour Those of this sort which are not absolutely round resemble the Figure of a Shield and are accordingly called Clypei-Formes 2. Pitheus sive Doli-formis resembles the Form or Shape of a Tun of which there are divers Kinds some of an Oval Figure some like a Tun or Barrel erect or set on End some like one inclining and cut short off others have a Bush or Train annexed 3. Hippeus seu Equinus resembles a Horses Main not alwayes of the same Shape or Figure for now it spreads its Syrma or Train from the Fore-part or Front now from the hinder Part now of an Oval Figure now like a Rhomboides and therefore it is distinguished into Equinus Barbatus Equinus Angularis sive Quadrangularis and Equinus Ellipticus Of this Pliny sayes it is very swift in Motion and turneth round about it self 4. Argyrocomus sive Argenticomus is not much different from that which is called Solaris sive Rosa but that it is of a whiter Colour and shines with such a dazling silver haired Light as it can scarce be looked upon 5. Hircus or the Goat is environed with a kind of Main seemingly rough and hairy by the slender Fibrae of its Beams or Rayes it is sometimes of a round Figure without any Train or Bush. 6. Lampadias sive Lampadi-formis is a Comet resembling burning Lamps or Torches and is of several
'till the ninth of August      1607 On the twenty fifth on twenty sixth of September Lasted 'till the fifth of November Seen in the Evening about seven of the Clock and from thence all Night Under the greater Bear a little higher than that Star which is toward the Square in the 30° of Leo and 36° of Northern Latitude its Parallax being found not to exceed 3′ and consequently its Place in the Highest Heaven or Aether It moved in direct Motion from the formost foot of the greater Bear under its Belly passing by the midst of Bootes and strook through the Serpent coming under the Hand of Ophiuchus arrived at his formost foot and stayed in his Leg. The Orbit in which it was carried seemed to be a greater Circle at last extreamly bent or bowed toward the Ecliptick On the thirtieth of September its Diurnal Motion was thirteen Degrees but both before anc after its Motion was slower at length Retrograd and Stationary a to longitude Its Head was not of â—…n even or equal roundness but here and there extuberating It s apparent Magnitude greater than any of the Fixed Stars oâ—… than that of Iupiter It s Light weak pâ—…le and waterish like that of the Moon when near the shadow of the Earth towards its End diminishing more and more Its Tayl was something long and thick projected with some little Deviation against that part of the Heavens opposite to the Sun Vendâ—…nus saw it like a flameing Lance oâ—… Sword seven Degrees in length 1618 The first Comet August the twenty fifth Lasted 'till the twenty fifth of September Appearing about three of the Clock before Sun-rising A little beneath the left fore-foot of Ursa Major inclining toward the Head of Leo in the tenth Degree of the said Sign and in the twenty second Degree of Northern Latitude The second of September it proceeded in Motion retrograde in Antecedence of the Signs one Degree afterwards in its Course more remiâ—…s It â—…ppeared as observed by a Telescope to be hairy Its Light not clear shining but cloudy and duskish Its Tayl short and broad spreading toward the West 1618 The second Comet On the tenth of November Lasted to the eighteenth or twenty third of the same Moneth Appearing two hours before Sun-rising Between the Autumnal Section and the eighteenth Degree of Libra Declining from the Ecliptick Southward 15° It s Motion retrograde Its Head was not distinctly observed by the Europaeans by reason of its vicinity to the Sun But in Persia its colour was found to be like the Vapour of Flower of Brimstone set on fire Its Tayl was like that of an Estridâ—…bowed In length forty five Degreeâ—… In Persia it was observed to be like Cymitâ—…r or ratheâ—… like a young Palm-tree whoâ—…e top Bowes bend but little 1618 The third Comet November the twenty second or twenty third Lasted to the thirteenth of December Seen in the Morning It took its Rise from the Equinoctial Eastern Point Its Motion waâ—… Northward Its Colour was like that of Veâ—…us whose Magnitude it equalled if not exceeded It had a long Maiâ—… or Tresses 1618 The 4th and last Comet On the twenty fourth of November Lasted sixty dayes viz. until the twenty fourth of Ianury next following Seen in the Morning before Sun-rising On the twenty ninth of November it was seen between the Scales of Libra more Eastward than a Line drawn directly between the said Scales and more approaching to the Northern Scale It s true place being in the Aether for at first it was distant from the Earth seventy one of its Semidiameters At last it was higher than the Sun it self for its Parallax was found to be less than that of the Sun Its Motion was to the North with some Inclination Westward for it passed by the middle of Libra and by Bootes and when it had advanced as far as his Head it shined all Night thence proceeded above his Wrist and over Ursa Major It s Motion becoming every day flower and flower As to its progress in the Ecliptick it ran from the End of Scorpio to the middle of Caeâ—…er above one third part of the Heavens At first Southern at last Northern Its colour was palish the lower part of its Head was perfectly round â—…e upper part whence the Tayl issued was uneven and as it were indented It s light languid whitish and cloudy yet sometimes a little twinkling In the midst of the Head at first was one single Kernel or Nucleus afterwards separated into three or more and at length parting into more lesser and lesser was dissolved It s apparent as well as true Magnitude being various and unconstant Its Tayl toward the Head was very narrow about the Middle and its Extremity prettâ—… large it was extended with some Incurvation now to the 〈◊〉 now to the 〈◊〉 but not precisely in oppoâ—…ion to the Sun through its middle according to Longitude ran a clear Line like the Pith of a Tree not seldom the whole Bush or Train seemed to have a kind of Scintillation anâ—… Fluctuation its Head likewise darting forth Raâ—…es and suddainly withdrawing them It length was sometimes extended to 45 60 75 nâ—…y to 104 Degrees its Breadth to 〈◊〉 Degrees It s Câ—…lour near the Head 〈◊〉 and fiery toward the End pale and whitith 1647 On the twenty ninth of November Lasted but two dayes Seen in the Evening at half an hour past Eight In the Constellation of Berenice's hair not so far as five Degrees from the left Leg of Bootes about 10° from Arcturus in the eighth degree of Libra and in the twenty sixth Degree of Northern Latitude Its Motion was contrary to the Series of the Signs viz. from the Head of Bootes towards the Ecliptick and Spica Virginis It was something less in Appearance than Arcturus but sufficiently bright and splendid Its Tayl was erected upwards toward the Zenith in length twelve Degrees like to a Broom conspicuous and splendid enough where it issued from the Head towards its Extremity more thin and dilute 1652 On the twentieth of December Lasted 'till Ianuary the tenth Appearing about six of the Clock in the Evening In 9° of Gemini and 31° of Southern Latitude not far from Rigel in the left foot of Orion So that by its Situation with the said Star and another above the foot of Orion in Eridanus it made in a manner an equilateral Triangle It s true place was in the Aether or highest Heaven for when it was nearest the Earth its Distance thence was 110 Semidiameters thereof It s Parallax at first being found to be 31′ 15″ but about the twelfth of Ianuary it was distant from the Earth 22509 of the Earths Semidiameters its Parallax not above 9″ and consequently it was as high as the Orb of Iupiter It s Motion was constantly retrograde from South to North by the Hare Foot of Orion Taurus to the Pleiades and from thence as far as Perseus not directly but obliquely from
Strabo l. 16. from the Authority of Pâ—…sidonius affirms was the first Authour or Introducer of these Indivisible Principles and liv'd before the time of the Trojan War By Atoms is to be understood what the Latines call Insectile that is a Body incapable of Division both by reason of its solidity ob vacui careâ—…iam and the Minuteness of its Body whence it is properly said to be quid minimum or as our Authour terms it penè Nihilum But see these explain'd in Lucretius de Rerum Naturâ and the Ingenious Interpreter of his first Book Mr. Evelyn more especially Gassendus in his incomparable Epicurean Animadversions h This was asserted by Hyppasus the Metapontine and from him by Heraclitus the Ephesian The Opinion thus delivered by Laertius All things consist of Fire and into that are resolv'd for since all things are made by Condensation and Rarâ—…faction and flow for the most part in manner of a River Fire when it is condens'd bumectates and becomes Air Air when comprest becomes Water Water contracting and growing concrete becomes Earth this is the way down On the contrary the Earth being diffus'd thereof Water is made of Water the rest after like manner this is the way up To this effect likewise Plutarch de Placit Philosoph l. 1. Stobaeus Eclog. Physic. l. 1. i Meaning the Stars according to the Stoicks who make the World to be a Corporeal Deity and the Stars its Eys See Plutarch de facie in Orbe Lunae and Lips Physiol Stoic l. 2. Dissert 10. k Of this Opinion was Thales the Milesian and Pherecydes of Scyrus who held Water to be the first principle of all natural Bodies whereof they consist and into which they resolve The Reasons or Grounds for which Opinion are these First because the Seminal and generating principle of all living Creatures is humid Secondly because all kinds of Plants are nourished by moisture wanting which they wither and decay Thirdly because Fire even the Sun it self and the Stars are maintained by Vapours proceeding from Water and consequently the whole World consists thereof See Plutarch de Placit Philosoph and particularly to omit divers others my learned Dear Friend Mr. Stanley in his History of Philosophy Part. I. l Not improperly is that Epithet given to Fire it being by some of the Antients believed to be a devouring Animal And for that reason the Aegyptians refused to burn their dead imagining fire to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Animata Bellua as Herodot l. 3. informs us m Asserted by Empedocles who held the Principles of all things to be the four Elements to which he added two Powers Amity and Discord the one Unitive the other Discretive See Plutarch de Placit Philosoph Laertius in Vit. Empedocl Achilles Tatius in Arat. Phaenâ—…men and Lactantius lib. 2. Which last conceives he deriv'd this Opinion from Hermes Trismegistus These Elements he called after this manner Fire he termed Iupiter the Air Iuno or as Laertius saies but not with so good reason Pluto The Water Nestis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. fluere The Earth Pluto or according to Laertius Iuno i. e. Vesta Consonant to this Opinion of Empedocles thus Ovid Metam l. 1. Quatuor aeternus genitalia Corpora Mundus Continet and again l. 15. Omnia fiunt Ex ipsis in ipsa Cadunt Lipsius Philosoph Stoic lib. 1. conceives our Authour in these Verses to touch at the Opinion of Strato the Peripatetick who hâ—…ld this Mundane Deity to be formed of these four Elemental Limbs Sine Mente gubernante Of which thus Sâ—…neca in a fragment of his cited by St. Augustine l. 6. de Civitat dei Egone feram Platonem aut Peripateticum Stratonem quorum alter scil Plato Deum sine Corpore fecit alter sine Anima n To this purpose Lactantius l. 2. Philosophi quidam Pâ—…e taedisâ—…ordi Concordia Mundum constare dixerunt i. e. some Philosophers and lâ—…oets report the World to consist â—…f discording Concord So likewâ—…se Cassiodorus lib. 2. Variarum Merito dicunt Philosophi Elementa sibi Mutuis complexiâ—…us illigari mirabili conjungi foederatione quae inter se contrariâ intelliguntur varietate pugnare This disâ—…onant Harmony of Nature being represented by Orpheus in his Tetrachord In which as there were four strings from the mixture of whose different Tones resulted a sweet Harmony so by concourse and mixture of the four Elements all things are generated And as in the Tetrachord the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred the gravest sound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most acute and the nearest in gravity of sound to the first came the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the second in acuteness the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So among the Elements there is one the heaviest Earth and one the lightest Fire answering to the two first Notes Water and Air answering to the two intermediate Tones This admirable Consent of the contrary Elements is here not unaptly called The Matrimonial Band of Nature And for this reason saies Lactantius loco citato The Marriages of the Antients were confirmed and plighted by the Sacrament of two contrary Elements Fire and Water In regard that Heat and Moisture are the Parents of all Generation as Ovid l. 1. Metam hath likewise exprest it Quippe ubi Temperiem sumpsere Humorque Calorque Concipiunt ab his oriuntur â—…unctá duobus Cumque sit Ignis Aquae Pugnax vapor humidus omnes Res Creat Discors Concordia foetibus apta est Disposition and Order of its Parts o Our Authour here Confines not the Element of Fire within the Convex of the Lunary Sphere as Aristotle and his followers but with the Stoicks transmits it to the Aethereal Region which they will have so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. ab Ardore as consisting of Fire and to be Heaven it self imbracing all things as Cleanthes in Cicero i. e. de Natura Deorum describes it Ultimum altissimum atque undique circumfusum extremum omnia cingentem atque complexum Ardorem qui Aeaher nominatur To this purpose likewise Macrobius in Somnio Scipionis Quicquid ex omni Materiâ de quâ facta sunt omnia purissimum ac liquidissimum fuit id tenuit summitatem Aether vocatus est Fire Air. Water p So Ovid Tellus Elementaque grandia traxit Et pressa est gravitate suâ Upon which Words Iacobus Cruceus Per Elementa grandia nos materialem intelligimus Allâ—…vionem c. By the heavy Elements we understand that Material Conflux which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the settling and Dregs of all the Elements To the same sence likewise Lucretius Terrae concreto corpore pondus Constitit atque omnis Mundi quasi Limus in Imum Confluxit gravis subsedit funditus ut faex So the Scholiast of Apollonius Rhodius in l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Zeno affirm'd The Chaos whereof all things according to Hesiod were made was
water which settling became slime the slime condens'd into solid Earth Earth q Virgil Eclog. 6. Tum durare solum atque excludere Nerea Ponto Coeperit Our Authour perhaps in this place hints at Anaximander who said of the Sea that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The remainder of Primitive Moisture after this Exclusion and Separation Plutarch l. 1. c. 4. de placit Philosoph thus expresses the sence of our Authour Of those Bodies which settled below was made the Earth and that part thereof which was mâ—…re subtile and of a thinner form and consistence gathered round together and engendred the Element of Water which being of a liquid and flâ—…wing nature ran downward to hollow placeâ—… lying low which were able to receive and hold it The Earth in the midst of the World r To this purpose Cicero l. 2. de Naturá Deorum Si Mundus Globâ—…sus est Omnesque ejus partes undique aequabiles c. If the World be round and of a Globose Figure and all its Parts contained in like proportion by and among themselves It must happen to the Earth by necessary Conseâ—…uence seeing all its parts press and tend to the middle now the middle in a Sphere is that which is lowest that nothing can pâ—…ssibly interpose which may be able to weaken or hinder so great a Convention of Gravity s Homer and Oâ—…id make the Moon to be drawn in a Chariot by two Horses whereof the one is said to be white the other black in regard as Bassus in Germanicum gives the reason she is sometimes apparent by Day as well as by Night Others will have her to be drawn by Oxen and therefore by Nâ—…nus in Dionys. l. 12. she is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Boum Agitatrix Luna Of both which we have express representations in the Roman Coyns and particularly in those of the Empress Iulia Domna touching which see Tristan in his Historic Commentar Tom. 2. p. 129 130. She is said likewise to be drawn by Mules in regard as Festus in vâ—…ce Mulus observes that as Mules are not generated ex suo genere sed Equi So the Moon is said to shine not by her own but as Catullus expresses it Notho Lumine which she derives from the Sun Claudian l. 3. de laudibus Stiliconis makes her to be drawn by Stags in regard of the swiftness of her Motion c. and so we have her likewise represented in divers Consular and Imperial Coyns in Ursinus Golzius and Gorlaeus t The Star or Planet Venus called likewise Lucifer as Cicero in 2. de Naturâ Deorum and Pliny l. 2. c. 8. when it precedes the rising Sun as being the Harbinger of Light and not as Iulius Scaliger Exercit. 75. conceives for being the brightest of all the Stars and from its splendour so nam'd It is likewise call'd Hesperus Vesper Vesperugo when it rises in the Evening and ushers the Night Of this thus Seneca in Hypolit Qualis est Primas râ—…ferens Tenebras Nuncius noctis modo lotus undis Hesperus pulsis Iterum Tenebris Lucifer idem Such the bright Usher of dark Night Rises from Seas with new-bath'd Light Hesper The same Night chac'd away Phosphor the Herald of the Day We shall only add as a further Illustration to this and the foregoing Note what Cassiodorus hath l. Variarum 3. in Explanation of the Circensian Games Big a quasâ—… Lunae quadriga Solis Imitatione reperâ—…a est Equi Desultorii per quos Circensium Ministri missâ—…s denuntianâ—… Exituâ—…os Luciferi Praecursoriâ—…s velocitâ—…tes imitantur u He points at the ridiculous Opinion of Xenophanes the Colopâ—…onian who held that the Moon and Stars were certain Clouds set on Fire extinguish'd every Day and re-kindled at Night as on the contrary the Sun extinguish'd every Night and re-kindled every Morning or to express it in Minucius Foelix his Words Congregatis ignium Seminibus Soles alios atque alios semper splendere For the Rising and Setting of the Sun Moon and Stars according to this Tenet is nothing else but their kindling and extinguishing Of the same Opinion like wise was Heraclitus whence the Proverb in Plato Heracliteo Sole ci ius extingui From them Epicurus receiv'd by Succession Haereditatem â—…tultitiae as Lactantius terms it This Inheritance of Folly which he left improv'd by himself and Lucretius who thus asserts it l. 5. conveniuâ—… Ignes semina multa Câ—…fluere Ardoris consuerunt tempore certo Quae faciunt Solis nâ—… semper Lumina gigni Quod genus Idaeis famâ—… est è montibus alâ—…is Dispersos ignes oriâ—…i Lumine cerni Inde câ—…ire Globum quasi in uâ—…um conficere Orbem By which instance of Lucretius iâ—… may appear that Epicurus did not hold so much the Quotidian Creation of a new Sun as the dayly Renovation of the Old To which Horace in Carmine Saecular seems to allude Alme Sol Currâ—… nitidâ—… diâ—…m Qui promis celas aliusque Et idem nasceris And to this purpose I find his Opinion expressed by Gassendus Seeing the Ocean compasses the Earth the Sun may be extinguished by it in the West and return all along it by the North into the East and thence rise re-kindled which yet little mends the matter x To this may be applied that of Plato in Timaeo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thus interpreted by Cicero in his Fragment of Timaeus seu de universe Nec Maenus ei Deus affixit quia nec capiendum quicquam erat nec repellendum necpedes nec alia membra quibus Ingressu corpus sustineret c. i. e. God affixed to the World no hands because it was neither to take nor repel any thing nor Feet nor other Members whereby it might sustain its body by walking or going But gave it a Motion which is most sutable to its Figure wherefore by one and the same Conversion it is whirl'd and turn'd about it self y Aristotle Anaximander and their followers at this day hold the Heavens to be solid and the Stars fixed therein as Nails in a Wheel or Jewels in a Ring the contrary to which Opinion is here asserted by our Authour with whom concur among the Antients Homer Virgil Cicero Lucretius Seneca Ptolemy Pliny Metrodorus and others And of the Moderns the most Eminent Astronomers from Tycho to this present who all maintain the Heavens to be fluid and the Stars to move therein as Fishes in the Water or Birds in the Air. Between these there is a middle Opinion which maintains the Heaven of the fixed Stars to be solid but that of the Planets to be fluid The first Authour of which distinction is conceiv'd to be Empedocles Of which see Plutarch l. 2. de Placit Philosoph c. 13. and upon the whole subject matter Ricciolus in Almagest Nov. l. 9. c. 7. z This Libration or Suspension of the Earth Achilles Tatius in Arat. Phaenomen thus illustrates If any one should put a Millet-Seed or other small
Grain into a Bladder and by blowing into it fill it with Air the Seed or Grain will be carried up and remain in the middle of the Bladder After the same manner the Earth being on all sides forced by the Air suspends poiz'd in she midst thereof To which Aristophanes in Nubibus alludes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Great Lord and King Thou Immense Air Which dost the Earth suspended bear See Turnebus l. Adversar 4. c. 17 explaining these Verses of Ovid l. 1. Metam Et circumfuso pendebat in Aere Tellus Ponderibus Librata suis The Earth of a Spherical Form a He alludes perhaps to the Opinion of Leucippus 〈◊〉 which see more particularly exprest in Hesych 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b This is a Noted Star of the first Magnitude in the Southern Rudder of the Ship Argo so called from Canopus Pilot to Osyris according to the Aegyptians or to Menelaus according to the Greeks who landing in Aegypt was by the biting of a Serpent slain and buried near one of the Out-lets of Nilus from him called Ostium Canopicum the place of his burial receiving likewise his Name and growing to a City in which he had his Temple being honoured with Divine Rites and worshipped in the form of a Pitcher or Watring-Pot with a large round Belly as the Deity presiding over Nilus and the watry Element Of whose Contest with the God of the Chaldeans Fire and Victory thereupon see the Story in Suidas in verb. Canop and from him in Kircher in Oedip. Aegypt Tom. 1. p. 209. c To this purpose Vitruvius l. 9. c 7. Uâ—…i Septentriones circum Axis Cardinem versantes non occidunt neque sub Terrâ subeunt Sic circa Meridianum Cardinem qui est propter inclinationem Mundi subjectus terrae Sydera versabunda laâ—…entiaque non habent egressus orientes c. i. e. As the seven Stars or the Bears turning about the Northern Axis of the World never set so the Stars near the Southern Pole which by reason of the Worlds Inclination being deprest under the Earth make occult and hidden Revolutions never rise nor can be observed or known by us in regard of the Earths Interposition Of which the Star Canopus is proof which in these Regions is unknown as those Merchants which travail to the uttermost Parts of Aegypt inform us d To the same effect Pliny Septentriones non cernit Trogloditice Confinis Aegyptus nec Canopum Italia i. e. The Land of the Troglodites and its Neighbouring Aegypt sees not Helice nor Italy Canopus Scaliger yet condemns both Pliny and our Authour as mistaken in the first particular for at Alexandria the Sun being about five Degrees of Pisces under the Horizon both Helice and Canopus are in the Evening seen to rise in the East and were so to be seen in the time of Manilius the Sun setting in the twenty third Degree of Aquarius What is said of Canopus as not appearing in Italy is true e Gassendus in Append. Animadvers in Epicur noting upon this place thus advises Cautè esse interpretandum quod ad haâ—…c rem Manilius habet For those Words Pariter prius post saies he are not to be taken as to divers Moments of time for the Moon at one and the same instant is beheld to be Eclipsed by all those to whom she appears above the Horizon but to be meant of the diversity of Hours by reason of the several Meridians by which means it happens that at the same instant of time that the Moon is seen to be Eclipsed above our Horizon They Eastward of us may reckon the Eclipse at one two or three in the Morning They Westward at nine ten or eleven at Night after the preceding Noon Vide etiam Baltoreum in l. 1. Cleomedis Meteor f So Ovid l. 4. Metamorph resonant aera auxiliaria Lunae And Statius l. 6. Theb. Procul auxiliaria Gentes Aera crepant That Custom springing from the foolish belief of the Antients that the Moon at the time of her Eclipse was endeavoured by the Charms of Witches to be drawn from her Sphere And therefore they made that Noise that she might not hear their Incantations Practised by the Ignorant People even in St. Ambrose his time as we find by his reprehension of that Piece of Paganism cited by Turnebus in Adversar And what is more affirm'd by Bâ—…nincontrius who first within less than two Centuries of Years Commented upon our Authour to have by himself been seen acted upon the like Occasion by his own Countrey-men the Italians The Turks continue it to this Day as Scaliger affirms Plutarch in Ae-milio reports that the Romans besides their beating of Brazen Vessels and sounding of Trumpets us'd to reach up flaming Links and Torches towards Heaven to re-supply the Light of the Moon which they believed by Charms to be extinguish'd Delrius in Senec Tragoed says he hath read that the Indians us'd with Tears and Lamentations to prosecute this defect or Deliquium of the Moon as believing she was then by the Sun whip'd till she bled to which they attributed her dark and sanguine colour Vide Delrium in Commentar ad Hippolyt p. 195. See likewise Turnebus in Adversar l. 22. c. 23 24. And Pincierus in Parerg. Otii Marpurg l. 2. c. 37. g Whether Birds which are generally call'd Genus Aereum and by the sacred Text it self volatilia Coeli may be properly reckoned among Terrestial Animals is by some questioned Ovid Metam l. 1. seems not to allow thereof in his Distribution of Animals Astra tenent Coeleste solum Formaeque Deorum Cesserunt nitidis habitandae Piscibus undae Terra feras cepit Volâ—…cres agitabilis Aer The like Division is made by Cicero l. 2. de Nat. Deor. and in Timaeo and by Aristotle as he is cited by Plutarch in 5. de Placit Philos. To which may be added that belief of the Antient Greeks derived to them from the Aegyptians that Birds were produc'd before ever the Earth was form'd whereunto Aristophanes in Avibus alludes But Apuleius sides with our Authour and ends the Controversie in these words Si sedulo animadvertas ipsae quoque Aves Terrestre Animal non Aereum rectiùs perhibeantur Semper enim illis victus omnis in Terra ibidem Pabulum ibidem Cubile tantúmque Aera proximum Terrae volando verberant Iterum cum illis fessa sunt Remigia Alarum Terra seu Portus est i. e. If you seriously consider Birds may be more truly reckon'd a Terrestrial Animal than Aereal For all their living is upon the Earth there is their Food there their Nests They only in their flight beat the Air But when their Oars and Sails their Wings begin to fail them the Earth is their Harbour But as to this Question not much unlike that which troubled the heads of Aristotle Theophrastus and most of the Antient Peripateticks as Censorinus de die Natal c. 14. delivers
as every other Circle greater or lesser by reason of the facile Division of this Number into a Moyety a third fourth fifth sixth or eighth its sixth part being sixty which admits of many more Divisions without any Fractions II. The Equinoctial when the Sun is therein posited makes the Dayes and Nights eaven and divides the Sphere into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres whose Poles are the Poles of the World fifteen Degrees of this Circle hourly rise on one part and as many on the other hourly set so that one Degree thereof rises every four minutes of an Hour Wherefore the Equinoctial is said to be the measure of the Primum Mobile III. This Circle shows the Equinoctial Points which happen twice in a year at the Sun's entrance into Aries and Libra It divides the Zodiack into two Moyeties the Southern and the Northern and thence the Signs are distinguished into Southern and Northern It is the Measure of Time and shows what Declination the Stars or the Parts of the Ecliptick have either Northern or Southern Moreover in this Circle are observed the Ascensions and Descensions of the Zodiacal Signs IV. A Line perpendicular to the Meridian Line represents the Equator and so on the contrary Which yet may be described without the Meridian Line if a Right Line be drawn from a Stile or Gnomon by the Points of the Shadows Extremity on the Day of the Vernal or Autumnal Equinox For the Altitude of the Pole being given the Altitude of the Equinox is likewise given as being the Complement of the Quadrant of a Circle As for example The Altitude of the Pole at London is 51° 32′ Therefore the Altitude of the Equinoctial and consequently of the Sun in the first degree of Aries or Libra is 38° 28′ And contrary wise the Altitude of the Equinoctial being given the Elevation of the Pole is likewise given Moreover the State of the whole Heaven and Earth from the given Elevation of any one of these Circles may be known provided the Longitude of the Place be known V. The Equator in a right Sphere passes by the Zenith or Pole of the Horizon in a Parallel Sphere it is coincident with the Horizon and is the Horizon it self In an oblique Sphere it makes acute Angles with the Horizon and in a right Sphere it makes Rectangles in which Position of the Sphere all the Points of the Heaven dayly rise and set excepting the Poles of the World Wherefore to the Inhabitants in a right Sphere there is perpetual Equinox a double Summer and double Winter and different Meridian Shadows to wit sometimes Northern sometimes Southern Hence they are called Amphiscii or Amphiumbrae which happens likewise to those in an oblique Sphere whose Vertex is between the Equator and one of the Tropicks VI. In an oblique Sphere whose Vertex is in one of the Tropicks the Equator is raised 66° and â—… and consequently the Pole 23° and ½ and the Polar Circles constitutes the greatest Circle of the alwayes-apparent and the alwayes-latent The Inhabitants of this Sphere have one Summer and one Winter and one and the same Meridian Shadow that is to say alwayes to the North under the Northern alwayes to the South under the Southern Tropick thence called Heteroscii or Alteriumbrae These three Spheres that is to say the Right and the two last Oblique are in the torrid Zone which is terminated by either Tropick and which the Equator cuts in the middle as the Ecliptick does the Zodiack VII In an Oblique Sphere whose Vertex is in the midst between the Tropick and the Polar Circle the Equator and the Pole have both equal Elevations of 45° Hence the heat of the Summer is as great as is the cold of the Winter the higher the Equator is the greater being the heat and the cold more intense by how much the Pole is more elevated But in an Oblique Sphere whose Vertex is in the Polar Circle the Equator is elevated 23° and ½ and the Pole 66° and ½ and the length of the greatest Day there is 24 hours by which the temperate Zone is terminated towards the Pole as it is towards the Equator by the Tropick VIII The frigid Zone begins from the Polar Circle in which the greatest Nights and Dayes are made so much greater by how much the Vertex of the several Habitations therein approaches nearer to the Pole until such time as it becomes a Parallel-Sphere In which they in the Northern Parts have this privilege that their longest day is seven dayes and more longer than the greatest day which they in the South enjoy by reason of the Sun 's longer stay in the Septentrional Signs wherein he moves more slowly to the place of his Apogaeum in Cancer To which if we add the Twilight which is made by the Sun eighteen Degrees depressed beneath the Horizon as also the Refractions the Artificial Day with the Inhabitants of such a Parallel-Sphere will be nine Months and twelve Dayes But on the contrary they in the South have their Night seven dayes longer than they in the North. These are called Periscii or Circumumbrae IX The Zodiack cuts the Equator in two opposite Points at 〈◊〉 Angles whose Latitude extends to near 20° through the midst whereof runs the Ecliptick so called because the two great Luminaries the Sun and Moon when in Conjunction diametrically opposed to one another directly under the said Line are then eclipsed X. The Ecliptick indivisible as to Latitude obliquely intersects the Aequator in two Points which two Points of Intersection are called the Equinoctial Points Of which that in the first Degree of Aries which gives beginning to the Northern Semi-Circle of the Ecliptick is called the Vernal The other in the first Degree of Libra whence the Southern Semi-Circle of the Ecliptick begins is called the Autumnal Equinoctial Point The two Points of its greatest Declination from the Equator are called the Solstitial Points whereof the Northern in the first Degree of Cancer is called the Summer Solstice the Southern in the first Degree of Capricorn is called the Winter Solstice In regard of which the Signs in the Zodiack are said to be Descendant from Cancer to Capricorn and Ascendant from Capricorn to Cancer because the Sun ascends in these and descends in those Signs XI The twelve Natural Signs into which the Zodiack is divided begin from the common Section of the Equator the Equinoctial Colure and the Ecliptick proceeding Eastward the first of which is Aries the second Taurus c. which order they call the Succession or Sequence of the Signs as the contrary Order the Precedence of the Signs The Zodiack and the Ecliptick measure the Secondary Motions of the Planets as the Equator does the First The Longitude of the Stars is numbred in the Ecliptick from the beginning of Aries according to the sequence of the Signs unto a greater Circle passing by the Poles of the Ecliptick and