1untie it, I ſhall hold you for more than an Alexander.
* Bandola that
end of a skeen
where with
wives faſten their
hankes of yarn,
thread or ſilk.
end of a skeen
where with
wives faſten their
hankes of yarn,
thread or ſilk.
The grand
ficulty in
nicus his Doctrine,
is that which
cerns the
mena of the Sun
and fixed ſtars.
ficulty in
nicus his Doctrine,
is that which
cerns the
mena of the Sun
and fixed ſtars.
* Pettine, it is
the ſtay in a
vets Loom, that
permitteth no knot
or ſnarle to paſſe
it, called by them
the Combe of the
Loom.
the ſtay in a
vets Loom, that
permitteth no knot
or ſnarle to paſſe
it, called by them
the Combe of the
Loom.
SALV. Theſe are ſcruples worthy of the ingenuity of
dus, and this doubt is ſo intricate, that even Copernicus himſelf
almoſt deſpaired of being able to explain the ſame, ſo as to
render it intelligible, which we ſee as well by his own confeſſion
of its obſcurity, as alſo by his, at two ſeveral times, taking two
different wayes to make it out. And, I ingenuouſly confeſſe that
I underſtood not his explanation, till ſuch time as another
thod more plain and manifeſt, had rendred it intelligible; and
yet neither was that done without a long and laborious
tion of my thoughts to the ſame.
dus, and this doubt is ſo intricate, that even Copernicus himſelf
almoſt deſpaired of being able to explain the ſame, ſo as to
render it intelligible, which we ſee as well by his own confeſſion
of its obſcurity, as alſo by his, at two ſeveral times, taking two
different wayes to make it out. And, I ingenuouſly confeſſe that
I underſtood not his explanation, till ſuch time as another
thod more plain and manifeſt, had rendred it intelligible; and
yet neither was that done without a long and laborious
tion of my thoughts to the ſame.
SIMP. Ariſtotle ſaw the ſame ſcruple, and makes uſe
of to oppoſe certain of the Ancients, who held that the Earth
was a Planet; againſt whom he argueth, that if it were ſo, it
would follow that it alſo, as the reſt of the Planets, ſhould have a
plurality of motions, from whence would follow theſe
ons in the riſings and ſettings of the fixed ſtars, and likewiſe in
the Meridian Altitudes. And in regard that he propoundeth the
difficulty, and doth not anſwer it, it muſt needs be, if not
poſſible, at leaſt very difficult to be reſolved.
of to oppoſe certain of the Ancients, who held that the Earth
was a Planet; againſt whom he argueth, that if it were ſo, it
would follow that it alſo, as the reſt of the Planets, ſhould have a
plurality of motions, from whence would follow theſe
ons in the riſings and ſettings of the fixed ſtars, and likewiſe in
the Meridian Altitudes. And in regard that he propoundeth the
difficulty, and doth not anſwer it, it muſt needs be, if not
poſſible, at leaſt very difficult to be reſolved.
Ariſtotles
ment againſt the
Ancients, who held
that the Earth
was a Planet.
ment againſt the
Ancients, who held
that the Earth
was a Planet.
SALV. The ſtreſſe and ſtrength of the knot rendereth the
ſolution thereof more commendable and admirable; but I do
not promiſe you the ſame at this time, and pray you to diſpenſe
with me therein till too morrow, and for the preſent we will go
conſidering and explaining thoſe mutations and differences that
by means of the annual motion ought to be diſcerned in the
ed ſtars, like as even now we ſaid, for the explication whereof
certain preparatory points offer themſelves, which may
tate the anſwer to the grand objection. Now reaſſuming the
two motions aſcribed to the Earth (two I ſay, for the third is
no motion, as in its place I will declare) that is the annual and
diurnal, the firſt is to be underſtood to be made by the centre of
the Earth in or about the circumference of the grand Orb, that
is of a very great circle deſcribed in the plain of the fixed and
immutable Ecliptick; the other, namely the diurnal, is made
by the Globe of the Earth in it ſelf about its own centre, and
own Axis, not erect, but inclined to the Plane of the Ecliptick,
with the inclination of 23. degrees and an half, or thereabouts,
the which inclination is maintained all the year about, and that
which ought eſpecially to be obſerved, is alwayes ſituate
wards the ſame point of Heaven: in ſo much that the Axis of the
diurnal motion doth alwayes remain parallel to it ſelf; ſo that
if we imagine that ſame Axis to be continued out until it reach
the fixed ſtars, whilſt the centre of the Earth is encircling the
whole Ecliptick in a year, the ſaid Axis deſcribeth the
ſolution thereof more commendable and admirable; but I do
not promiſe you the ſame at this time, and pray you to diſpenſe
with me therein till too morrow, and for the preſent we will go
conſidering and explaining thoſe mutations and differences that
by means of the annual motion ought to be diſcerned in the
ed ſtars, like as even now we ſaid, for the explication whereof
certain preparatory points offer themſelves, which may
tate the anſwer to the grand objection. Now reaſſuming the
two motions aſcribed to the Earth (two I ſay, for the third is
no motion, as in its place I will declare) that is the annual and
diurnal, the firſt is to be underſtood to be made by the centre of
the Earth in or about the circumference of the grand Orb, that
is of a very great circle deſcribed in the plain of the fixed and
immutable Ecliptick; the other, namely the diurnal, is made
by the Globe of the Earth in it ſelf about its own centre, and
own Axis, not erect, but inclined to the Plane of the Ecliptick,
with the inclination of 23. degrees and an half, or thereabouts,
the which inclination is maintained all the year about, and that
which ought eſpecially to be obſerved, is alwayes ſituate
wards the ſame point of Heaven: in ſo much that the Axis of the
diurnal motion doth alwayes remain parallel to it ſelf; ſo that
if we imagine that ſame Axis to be continued out until it reach
the fixed ſtars, whilſt the centre of the Earth is encircling the
whole Ecliptick in a year, the ſaid Axis deſcribeth the