Selected quad for the lemma: life_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
life_n	believe_v	know_v	word_n	4,525	5	4.2540	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45668	Idea longitudinis being a brief definition of the best known axioms for finding the longitude, or a more rational discovery thereof, than hath been heretofore published / by Edward Harrison ...	Harrison, Edward.	1696 (1696)	Wing H888; ESTC R40549	32,770	99

probable that these Magnetick Poles have a Motion from North to South but whether they move altogether with one Motion or with several whether equally or unequally whether Circular or Libratory if Circular about what Center If Libratory after what manner are Secrets as yet unknown to Mankind That which I call the more proper North Magnetick Pole Predominates at London and the Period of its motion as some say is about 370 Years and others write that the Period of the Motion of the American Pole is about 700 Years some think the Magnetical Inclinatory Needle always points directly to one of these Poles which I dare affirm to be an untruth and can prove it by Practice Experience and Infallible Demonstrations The mean Motion of the Variation here at London is about eight Minutes or somewhat more in one Year it is my Opinion that most places in the World have not altogether so swift an Alteration of the Variation as at London but in many other places it is a little slower especially near the Equinoctial for the nearer one of these Poles is to any place there encrease or decrease of the Variation may be swiftest As the Sun in the Tropicks differs his declination but slowly so the Horrizontal Needle is in its slowest Motion when it hath the greatest Variation East or West at London and whereas some places have above 22 or 30 Degrees Variation North-Westerly I doubt those places will not have above 22 Deg. Variation North-Easterly in one Revolution of the said Poles That all Magnetical Needles well toucht have the same direction exactly as Mr. Sellers hath proved by many Experiments see Ph. tr N. 26. p. 478. but if badly toucht they may vary sometimes one or two Degrees from the true Magnetical Meridian as often happens at Sea as our Marriners say that the Compass in the upper or lower beetackle sometimes varies near half a point from each other I have often taken notice of their expressions and tryed to find the cause and when I found no Iron near them or the like Obstructions that might draw me off the Compasses I have found that one and sometimes both had a a weak touch or Old and Rusty and good for nothing except to throw over-board c. Five Hundred such Compasses I believe at this present writing may be found belonging to the Navy c. A true Knowledge of the Variation is very requisite in keeping a Sea reckoning it troubles me to think what Ignorant Persons are Masters of Ships it is scarce two Years since in my company some Masters of Ships complained of a wrong Course steered by their Comodores who in the Night by a fair Wind were carryed too near the Borlings even so near that some of them were oblig'd as I was inform'd to go between the Borlings and the Main This Error happened for want of good understanding Masters in the Comodores Ships they knew not the Variation else forgot to allow for it for though the true Course from the Lizard to Cape Finister be S. S. W. the Course to be Steered by Marriners Compass at present is S. S. W. ½ W. and S. W. by S. It is scarce one Year ago to this present writing since a Master of a Rate Ship told his Captain that he observ'd 14 or 15 Deg. Variation about 6 Leagues off of Malhago by the Stars there is about 6 Deg. If I may compare a Man to a block that same Man knew little more how to find the Variation by the North Star or any other Star than a Buggilug or Bracket on that Ships Quarter I doubt whether or no he ever saw an Azimuth Compass When you would observe the North Star to find the Variation in the Night consider its distance East or West from the Pole a Nocturnal may be of good use in this Case England does not know how many losses hath happened for want of a better Knowledge in the Variation of the Compass through only a Pilot of a Ship suppoie between the Bunt-Head and the K. K. or Gunfleet if he understands not the Variation he may in my Opinion as well deserve a Rope as a Branch But the Extra -Pilots will blame me for mentioning Variation or Course in Pilot Water where the Strength and Course of Tides and depths of Water is of much more Consequence My Lord's Commissioners of the Admiralty c. You have been pleased to give us a Form to keep our Journals at Sea there is in my Opinion two Columns wanting in that Form that Column for Longitude If you please my Lords let it be accounted from our first Meridian may there be added one Column called Meridian Distance by plain Chart and accounted from the last Land seen and another for the Variation of the Compass I have belong'd this War to Six several Rates in the Navy and never saw an Azimuth Compass Aboard any of them my Judgment tells me that every Ship of War requires at least three such like Instruments to observe the Variation though they ride only at an Anchor at the Nore or in the Downs the Commissioners of the Navy have taken Care to provide such Instruments and I believe the Masters of Men of War may have them for asking for for the Boatswains Indent for them I believe they are ashamed or ought to be for some of them knows not what to do with them the Instruments if well used may be a means to help to save a Ship and Ships Companies lives they are good to be used for the Instruction of Ships Company and Youth there is Education in the Navy little enough that is good Navigation seems to decay or decline I wish it be not a Crime for some Gentlemen in the Navy to understand it Now I will say something to my Honourable Company Masters little do they know how many Ships have been lost for want of a better Knowledge of the Variation I believe I could name some and several in great danger by report but dare not fear of the Law Captain William Wildey understood the Variation very well in my Opinion I believe it was almost as good to him as the Longitude between St. Hellena and any part of the East-Indies When I was in East-India I understood what Variation there was in most Adjacent Parts so well that I have offered in Discourse in Company to go in a Ship that set Sail from any part of the Coast of India bound any way two three or four Hundred Leagues I would keep no Account of her way for a Week or ten Days time and any fair Day when I could have Reasonable Observations I would a told them the place where the Ship was as well as they that kept the most exact Reckoning almost as well if you please provided they had not seen the Land since I saw it and this I must have done by the Lattitude and Variation observ'd October the 30th 1688. in the Offing at Cape Bona Esperance the Cape

at the Azores and will be more in time If the Magnetick Needle were very high up in the Air it would have no respect to the Earth or to any Poles but its own or Center this is my Opinion The cause of the quick Alteration and great Variation at New-found-land and some other places I would also tell you my Opinion but I am afraid of seeming tedious with Tautologies In using Azimut Compasses take care the Chart Librate well in the Box and that the point of the Brass Needle on which the Chart Librates be as exact as may be in its proper place or Center of the Box trust not to one Observation when you can have the Medium of 5 or 6 or more nor to one Amplitude when you may have the mean of 3 or 4 Azimuths mind to substract the Suns Refraction c. Suffer no great Guns or other Iron too near your Compasses those are best that have the quickest Motion you may try the points of the Needle by seeing what Iron they will take up but be very careful and use it not often for you may spoil the Needle With a Needle and round Loadstone may be perfom'd many Natural and pleasant Conclusions but to think that such a Terrula as they call it hath or represents the like Magnetick Force or Power in all Species as the Earth is a weak and ridiculous Opinion whereas it may be thought in these parts of Europe there is no occasion for carrying Azimuth Compasses to Sea because it may be supposed most Masters knows what Variation there is in most Adjacent places it is a mistake for the Major part nay â…” of them I believe knows little or nothing concerning it as I could prove by manifest Examples If I were to declare what I know and sometimes been an Eye witness to but Truth ought not to be spoke at all times besides I am not willing to disoblidge some Persons that might think I reflect too much on them those Masters that have understood something of the Variation often forget it for want of Azimuth Compasses or for not being obliged to give an Account thereof I have known some Masters of Ships that knew by hear say from others that in such places there was about half a Point West Variation I have asked them how they accounted it from what point of the Compass pretending my self Ignorant they have answered I might Account it from N. or S. E. or W. or from any point it was always Westerly neither do they know how to estimate the Variation in their Reckonings but it may be objected how can the Masters be so Ignorant that go and come well from Port to Port I answer Thickie West-Country-Man lock zure Life and Soul Man can carry a Ship to New-found-land zure and near a word a Book zure this is by long Experience and Custom not by Art I have seen the Blind lead the Blind a Begging I knew two Blind Men in Cochin that would go very readily to any House in that Town and I have sent one of them an Errand two Miles into the Country but they were both born Blind therefore by long Experience and Custom they naturally know most Adjacent places As to Masters or Pilots their carrying Ships in and out of Harbours and for the Coasting part when they can see the Land I have nothing to say against them And if a mischance happens you will rarely find any of them without a lying Excuse to salve their Ignorance But it may be said the Masters make Observations and keep a Reckoning yes so they do and a very bad one oftentimes I will acquaint you how they do that knows not how to allow for the Variation as they ought it is likely they can tell whether they have Sailed between the South and the East or S. and W. or N. and E. or N. or W. having wrought their Days Work by Log and difference Lattitude and Departure they find what dist the Ship hath run by Log. so having that dist and diff Lattitude by Observation they can find as they think the Departure without allowing for Variation and this kind of Reckoning is the cause of so many great Mistakes in their Easting and Westing for the Log. is but a false supposition to find the distance run as hath been Experienc'd in one Fleet where some have had 70 Miles on the board some 80 and others about 90 the same 24 Hours and all the while not above a League asunder Now I will acquaint you with the best known Common Method for keeping an Account of a Ships way on the Sea Be as curious as possibly you can in observing the Suns Meridian Altitude or for want thereof some known Stars to find the Lattitude by if you observe with Davis's Quadrant see your Vanes very carefully and exactly placed especially the Shade Vane when the Horizon is very clear observe somewhat close when hazy a little more open these cautions I give that you may observe every Day alike and thereby the better to Judge of your true difference of Latitude by Observation then work your Days work and find what Course the Ship hath made as near as possibly you can find it by allowing for Lee-way Variation c. or lying by or any other Impediments as Tides or Currents or a great Sea and having the true diff Latitude by Observation and the Course given you may easily find the distance run and departure by the common Method and difference of Longitude by Mercator c. It is my Opinion that the use of the Log. is good to help to find the Ships Course though there are some able Artists that use no Log. but now to our purpose again as for Mr. Bond 's Longitude found as he called it he limits his Hypothesis to the City of London affirming himself as he had a great deal of Reason that the same Calculus is not sufficient for other places whereby it appears that his Rule is far short of the so much desired general one The following digression may please some Capacities Famianus Strada in the Vein of Lucretius writes viz. Magnesi genus est lapidis mirabile cui si Corpora ferri plura Stylosve admoveris inde Non modo vim motumque trahent quo semper ad Ursam Quae lucet vicina Polo severtere tentent Verum etiam c. Outinam haec ratio scribendi prodeat usu Cautior citior properaret Epistola nullas Latronum verita Insidias fluviosque morantes Ipse suis princeps manibus sibi conficeret rem Nos soboles Scribarum emersi ex aequare nigro Cousecraremus Calamum Magnetis ad Oras But this Invention is altogether Imaginary having no foundation on any real Experiment The Royal Society in London have a great Load-stone found in Devonshire that will move a Needle at 9 Foot distance Some Persons may happen to Read this Chapter that understand not Navigation and think that most Ships are lost for