1miſcarriage of the unfortunate Mathias Berneggeius who firſt attempted to turn them into Latine for the benefit
of the Learned World.
of the Learned World.
I ſhall not preſume to Cenſure the Cenſure which the Church of Rome paſt upon this Doctrine and its Aſſectors.
But, on the contrary, my Author having bin indefinite in his diſcourſe, I ſhall forbear to exaſperate, and attempt
to reconcile ſuch perſons to this Hypotheſis as devout eſteem for Holy Scripture, and dutifull Reſpect to Canonical
Injunctions hath made to ſtand off from this Opinion: and therefore for their ſakes I have at the end of the Dia
logues by way of ſupplement added an Epiſtle of Galilco to Her Most Serene Highneſs Chriſtina Lotharinga the
Grand Dutcheſſe Mother of Tuſcany; as alſo certain Abſtracts of John Kepler, Mathematician to two Empe
rours, and Didacus à Stunica a famous Divine of Salamanca, with an Epiſtle of Paulo Antonio Foſcarini a learn
ed Carmelite of Naples, that ſhew the Authority of Sacred Scripture in determining of Philoſophical and Natu
ral Controverſies: hoping that the ingenious & impartial Reader will meet with full ſatisfaction in the ſame.
And leaſt what I have ſpoken of the prohibiting of theſe Pieces by the Inquiſition may deterre any ſcrupulous
perſon from reading of them, I have purpoſely inſerted the Imprimatur by which that Office licenced them. And
for a larger account of the Book or Author, I refer you to the Relation of his Life, which ſhall bring up the Reare
in the Second Tome.
But, on the contrary, my Author having bin indefinite in his diſcourſe, I ſhall forbear to exaſperate, and attempt
to reconcile ſuch perſons to this Hypotheſis as devout eſteem for Holy Scripture, and dutifull Reſpect to Canonical
Injunctions hath made to ſtand off from this Opinion: and therefore for their ſakes I have at the end of the Dia
logues by way of ſupplement added an Epiſtle of Galilco to Her Most Serene Highneſs Chriſtina Lotharinga the
Grand Dutcheſſe Mother of Tuſcany; as alſo certain Abſtracts of John Kepler, Mathematician to two Empe
rours, and Didacus à Stunica a famous Divine of Salamanca, with an Epiſtle of Paulo Antonio Foſcarini a learn
ed Carmelite of Naples, that ſhew the Authority of Sacred Scripture in determining of Philoſophical and Natu
ral Controverſies: hoping that the ingenious & impartial Reader will meet with full ſatisfaction in the ſame.
And leaſt what I have ſpoken of the prohibiting of theſe Pieces by the Inquiſition may deterre any ſcrupulous
perſon from reading of them, I have purpoſely inſerted the Imprimatur by which that Office licenced them. And
for a larger account of the Book or Author, I refer you to the Relation of his Life, which ſhall bring up the Reare
in the Second Tome.
What remains of this, is that Excellent Diſcourſe of D. Benedetto Caſtelli Abbate di San Benedetto Aloyſio,
concerning the Menſuration of Running waters, with other Treatiſes of that Learned Prelate, & of the Superin
tendent Corſini. Some may alledge, and I doe confeſs that I promiſed to publiſh the Life of Galilco in this place:
But the great miſcarriages of Letters from ſome Friends in Italy and elſe where, to whom I am a Debtor for ſe
veral Remarques, & from whom I daily expect yet greater Helps concerning the Hiſtory of that famous Perſonage:
theſe diſappointments, I ſay, joyned with the undeniable Requeſt of ſome Friends, who were impatient to ſee Caſtelli
in Engliſh, together with a conſideration of the diſproportionate Bulk that would otherwiſe have bin betwixt the
two Volumes, perſwaded me to this exchange. This deviation from my Promiſe I hope is Venial, and for the ex
plating of it I plead Supererrogation: having in each Tome made ſo large Aditions (though to my great ex
penſe) that they make neer a third part more than I ſtood by promiſe bound to Publiſh. That this is ſo will appearby
comparing the Contents I here prefix with the Advertiſment I formerly Printed. For not to mention thoſe Epitomes
of Kepler and à Stunica, the whole ſecond and following Books of Caſtclli, were not come to my hands at the time of
my penning that Paper; yet knowing how imperfect the Volume would be without them, they being partly a ſup
plement to the Theoremes and Problemes which the Abbot had formerly Printed, and partly experiments that
had procured him and his Doctrine a very great Reputation, knowing this I ſay, I apprehended a neceſſity of pu
bliſhing them with the reſt: and hope that if you think not the ſervice I have done therein worth your acknowledge
ment, you will yet at leaſt account the encreaſe of my expence a ſufficient extenuation of the Treſpaſs that thoſe
Additions have forced me to commit upon your Patience in point of Time.
concerning the Menſuration of Running waters, with other Treatiſes of that Learned Prelate, & of the Superin
tendent Corſini. Some may alledge, and I doe confeſs that I promiſed to publiſh the Life of Galilco in this place:
But the great miſcarriages of Letters from ſome Friends in Italy and elſe where, to whom I am a Debtor for ſe
veral Remarques, & from whom I daily expect yet greater Helps concerning the Hiſtory of that famous Perſonage:
theſe diſappointments, I ſay, joyned with the undeniable Requeſt of ſome Friends, who were impatient to ſee Caſtelli
in Engliſh, together with a conſideration of the diſproportionate Bulk that would otherwiſe have bin betwixt the
two Volumes, perſwaded me to this exchange. This deviation from my Promiſe I hope is Venial, and for the ex
plating of it I plead Supererrogation: having in each Tome made ſo large Aditions (though to my great ex
penſe) that they make neer a third part more than I ſtood by promiſe bound to Publiſh. That this is ſo will appearby
comparing the Contents I here prefix with the Advertiſment I formerly Printed. For not to mention thoſe Epitomes
of Kepler and à Stunica, the whole ſecond and following Books of Caſtclli, were not come to my hands at the time of
my penning that Paper; yet knowing how imperfect the Volume would be without them, they being partly a ſup
plement to the Theoremes and Problemes which the Abbot had formerly Printed, and partly experiments that
had procured him and his Doctrine a very great Reputation, knowing this I ſay, I apprehended a neceſſity of pu
bliſhing them with the reſt: and hope that if you think not the ſervice I have done therein worth your acknowledge
ment, you will yet at leaſt account the encreaſe of my expence a ſufficient extenuation of the Treſpaſs that thoſe
Additions have forced me to commit upon your Patience in point of Time.
As for the ſecond Tome, I have only this to aſſure the Generous Readers; 1 that I am very confident I ſhall
be much more punctual in publiſhing that, than (for the reaſons above related.) I was able to be in ſetting forth
this: 2 that they ſhall not be abuſed in advancing of their moneys, (as hath bin uſed in the like caſe) by ſelling
the remaining Copyes at an under rate; and 2 that I have a very great care that no diſeſteem may by my means a
riſe unto this way of publiſhing Books, for that it is of excellent uſe in uſhering Great and Coſtly Volumes into
the World.
be much more punctual in publiſhing that, than (for the reaſons above related.) I was able to be in ſetting forth
this: 2 that they ſhall not be abuſed in advancing of their moneys, (as hath bin uſed in the like caſe) by ſelling
the remaining Copyes at an under rate; and 2 that I have a very great care that no diſeſteem may by my means a
riſe unto this way of publiſhing Books, for that it is of excellent uſe in uſhering Great and Coſtly Volumes into
the World.
To ſay nothing of the diſadvantages of Tranſlations in general, this of mine doubtleſs is not without it's Er
rours, and overſights: but thoſe of the Printer diſcounted, I hope the reſt may be allowed me upon the ſcore of Hu
man Imbecilitic. The truth is, I have aſſumed the Liberty to note the Miſtakes in the Florid Verſion of Bernegge
rus in the Margent, not ſo much to reproach him, as to convince thoſe who told me that they accounted my pains
needleſs, having his Latine Tranſlation by them. The like they ſaid of the whole two Tomes: but they thereby cauſed
me to question their Underſtanding or Veracity. For ſome of the Books were yet never extant: As for inſtance;
the Mcchanicks of Monſieur Des Cartes, a Manuſcript which I found amongſt the many other Rarities that en
rich the well-choſen Library of my Learned and Worthy Friend Dr. Charles Scarburgh; the Experiments of Gra
vity, and the Life of Galileo, both my own: Others were included in Volumes of great price, or ſo diſperſed that
they were not to be purchaſed for any money; as thoſe of Kepler, à Stunica, Archimedes, Tartaglia, and the Mecha
nicks of Galileo: And the remainder, though eaſyer to procure, were harder to be underſtood; as Tartaglia his notes
on Archimedes, Torricellio his Doctrine of Projects, Galileo his Epiſtle to the Dutcheſſe of Tuſcany, and above all
his Dialogues de Motu; (never till now done into any Language) which were ſo intermixt of Latine and Italian,
that the difficulty of the Stile, joyned with the intricatneſſe of the Subject rendered them Unpleaſant, if not wholly
Vnintelligible, to ſuch as were not abſolute Maſters of both the Tongues.
rours, and overſights: but thoſe of the Printer diſcounted, I hope the reſt may be allowed me upon the ſcore of Hu
man Imbecilitic. The truth is, I have aſſumed the Liberty to note the Miſtakes in the Florid Verſion of Bernegge
rus in the Margent, not ſo much to reproach him, as to convince thoſe who told me that they accounted my pains
needleſs, having his Latine Tranſlation by them. The like they ſaid of the whole two Tomes: but they thereby cauſed
me to question their Underſtanding or Veracity. For ſome of the Books were yet never extant: As for inſtance;
the Mcchanicks of Monſieur Des Cartes, a Manuſcript which I found amongſt the many other Rarities that en
rich the well-choſen Library of my Learned and Worthy Friend Dr. Charles Scarburgh; the Experiments of Gra
vity, and the Life of Galileo, both my own: Others were included in Volumes of great price, or ſo diſperſed that
they were not to be purchaſed for any money; as thoſe of Kepler, à Stunica, Archimedes, Tartaglia, and the Mecha
nicks of Galileo: And the remainder, though eaſyer to procure, were harder to be underſtood; as Tartaglia his notes
on Archimedes, Torricellio his Doctrine of Projects, Galileo his Epiſtle to the Dutcheſſe of Tuſcany, and above all
his Dialogues de Motu; (never till now done into any Language) which were ſo intermixt of Latine and Italian,
that the difficulty of the Stile, joyned with the intricatneſſe of the Subject rendered them Unpleaſant, if not wholly
Vnintelligible, to ſuch as were not abſolute Maſters of both the Tongues.
To conclude; according to the entertainment that you pleaſe to afford theſe Collections, I ſhall be encouraged to
proceed with the Publication of a large Body of Hydrography; declaring the Hiſtory, Art, Lawes, and Apendages
of that Princely Study of Navigation, wherein I have omitted nothing of note that can be found either in Dud
ley, Fournier, Aurigarius, Nonius, Snellus, Marſennus, Bayſius, Moriſetus, Blondus, Wagoner, abroad, or learnt
amongst our Mariners at home, touching the Office of an Admiral, Commander, Pilot, Modelliſt, Shipwright,
Gunner, &c.
proceed with the Publication of a large Body of Hydrography; declaring the Hiſtory, Art, Lawes, and Apendages
of that Princely Study of Navigation, wherein I have omitted nothing of note that can be found either in Dud
ley, Fournier, Aurigarius, Nonius, Snellus, Marſennus, Bayſius, Moriſetus, Blondus, Wagoner, abroad, or learnt
amongst our Mariners at home, touching the Office of an Admiral, Commander, Pilot, Modelliſt, Shipwright,
Gunner, &c.
But order requiring that I ſhould diſcharge my firſt Obligation before I contract a ſecond; I ſhall detein you no
longer in the Portall, but put you into poſſeſſion of the Premiſes,
longer in the Portall, but put you into poſſeſſion of the Premiſes,
Novemb. 20, 1661.