1moreover confirmed with a moſt manifeſt experiment, may not
onely make this my conjecture to be eſteemed far from true,
but alſo to diſcredit with the World the reſt of this my Treatiſe:
Nevertheleſſe I have at laſt reſolved not to be wanting to my
ſelf, and to truth in a matter of it ſelf, and for other conſe
quences moſt important; nor doth it ſeem to me requiſite in
difficult matters, ſuch as theſe we have in hand, to refigne our
ſelves to the common opinion, ſince it would be very ſtrange if
the multitude in ſuch matters ſhould hit on the truth, nor ought
that to be held difficult, in which even the vulgar do know the
truth and right; beſides that I hope morever to prove all in ſuch
ſort, that perſons of ſolid judgment, ſhall reſt fully perſwaded,
ſo that they but keep in mind the principal ground and foundation
of all this Treatiſe; and though that which I will propoſe, be a par
ticular, as I have ſaid, pertaining onely to the intereſts of Ferara;
yet nevertheleſſe from this particular Doctrine well underſtood,
good judgement may be made of other the like caſes in general.
onely make this my conjecture to be eſteemed far from true,
but alſo to diſcredit with the World the reſt of this my Treatiſe:
Nevertheleſſe I have at laſt reſolved not to be wanting to my
ſelf, and to truth in a matter of it ſelf, and for other conſe
quences moſt important; nor doth it ſeem to me requiſite in
difficult matters, ſuch as theſe we have in hand, to refigne our
ſelves to the common opinion, ſince it would be very ſtrange if
the multitude in ſuch matters ſhould hit on the truth, nor ought
that to be held difficult, in which even the vulgar do know the
truth and right; beſides that I hope morever to prove all in ſuch
ſort, that perſons of ſolid judgment, ſhall reſt fully perſwaded,
ſo that they but keep in mind the principal ground and foundation
of all this Treatiſe; and though that which I will propoſe, be a par
ticular, as I have ſaid, pertaining onely to the intereſts of Ferara;
yet nevertheleſſe from this particular Doctrine well underſtood,
good judgement may be made of other the like caſes in general.
I ſay then, for greater perſpecuity, and better underſtanding
of the whole, That about thirteen miles above Ferara, near to
Stellata, the main of Po, branching it ſelf into two parts, with one
of its Arms it cometh cloſe to Ferara, retaining the name of the
Po of Ferara; and here again it divideth it ſelf into two other
branches, and that which continueth on the right hand, is called
the Po of Argenta, and of Primaro; and that on the left the Po
of Volana. But for that the bed of the Po of Ferara being here
tofore augmented and raiſed, it followeth that it reſteth wholly
deprived of the Water of the great Po, except in the time of its
greater ſwelling; for in that caſe, this Po of Ferara being re
ſtrained with a Bank near to Bondeno, would come alſo in the
overflowings of the main Po, to be free from its Waters: But the
Lords of Ferara are wont at ſuch time as the Po threateneth to
break out, to cut the bank; by which cutting, there diſ
gorgeth ſuch a Torrent of Water, that it is obſerved, that the
main Po in the ſpace of ſome few hours abateth near a foot, and
all perſons that I have ſpoken with hitherto, moved by this ex
periment, think that it is of great profit and benefit to keep ready
this Vent, and to make uſe of it in the time of its fullneſſe. And
indeed, the thing conſidered ſimply, and at the firſt appearance,
it ſeemeth that none can think otherwiſe; the rather, for that
many examining the matter narrowly, meaſure that body of
Water which runneth by the Channel, or Bed of the Po of Fera
ra, and make account, that the body of the Water of the great
Po, is diminiſhed the quantity of the body of the Water which
runneth by the Po of Ferara. But if we well remember what
hath been ſaid in the beginning of the Treatiſe, and how much
of the whole, That about thirteen miles above Ferara, near to
Stellata, the main of Po, branching it ſelf into two parts, with one
of its Arms it cometh cloſe to Ferara, retaining the name of the
Po of Ferara; and here again it divideth it ſelf into two other
branches, and that which continueth on the right hand, is called
the Po of Argenta, and of Primaro; and that on the left the Po
of Volana. But for that the bed of the Po of Ferara being here
tofore augmented and raiſed, it followeth that it reſteth wholly
deprived of the Water of the great Po, except in the time of its
greater ſwelling; for in that caſe, this Po of Ferara being re
ſtrained with a Bank near to Bondeno, would come alſo in the
overflowings of the main Po, to be free from its Waters: But the
Lords of Ferara are wont at ſuch time as the Po threateneth to
break out, to cut the bank; by which cutting, there diſ
gorgeth ſuch a Torrent of Water, that it is obſerved, that the
main Po in the ſpace of ſome few hours abateth near a foot, and
all perſons that I have ſpoken with hitherto, moved by this ex
periment, think that it is of great profit and benefit to keep ready
this Vent, and to make uſe of it in the time of its fullneſſe. And
indeed, the thing conſidered ſimply, and at the firſt appearance,
it ſeemeth that none can think otherwiſe; the rather, for that
many examining the matter narrowly, meaſure that body of
Water which runneth by the Channel, or Bed of the Po of Fera
ra, and make account, that the body of the Water of the great
Po, is diminiſhed the quantity of the body of the Water which
runneth by the Po of Ferara. But if we well remember what
hath been ſaid in the beginning of the Treatiſe, and how much