Castelli, Benedetto, Of the mensuration of running waters, 1661

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            <p type="main">
              <s>
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              Geometrically in my Treatiſe of the Menſuration of Running
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              Waters; ſo that talking with ſeveral perſons, I adventured to
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              affirm, in diſcoures, that this improvement might poſſibly be
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              brought into a good eſtate.</s>
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            <p type="main">
              <s>Now I have reſolved to ſet down my thoughts in writing, and
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              to honour this my Paper with the Noble Name of your Lordſhip,
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              to render it the more credible and conſpicuous at the firſt view,
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              if it ſhould chance that the Subject I treat of, were not of ſuch
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              moment, as that it did deſerve to be valued for any other reaſon.
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              </s>
              <s>Pardon me, Sir, if I have been too bold, and continue me in the
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              number of your Servants.</s>
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              <s>The enterprize of Draining a great part of the Territories of
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              the
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              Pontine Fenns,
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              hath been undertaken both in the time of
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              the antient
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              Romans,
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              and laſt of all, in our days; yea in the late
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              times by
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              Sixtus
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              V. </s>
              <s>I do not doubt in the leaſt, but that it will
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              be poſſible yet to reduce things to a very good paſs; and if I be not
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              miſtaken, with a very ſmall charge in compariſon of the profit that
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              would be received from thoſe rich Grounds. </s>
              <s>This improvement
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              was of great expence in the time of
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              Sixtus Quintus,
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              but by rea­
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              ſon the thing was not rightly underſtood, there were made many
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              Drains; a great part of which were unprofitable and vain: and
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              amongſt ſo many operations, there hapned ſome to be made that
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              ſucceeded, as was deſired; but not being underſtood, they were
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              held in no account; and thus the buſineſs being neglected, the
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              waters are returned into the ſame ſtate as they were at firſt, be­
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              fore the improvement. </s>
              <s>Here I have by familiar diſcourſes
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              with my friends, explained this enterprize undertaken by
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              Six­
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              tus
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              V. and haply alſo by ſome more antient, with the example of
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              the Fable of
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              Orilo,
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              in
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              Arioſto.
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              This Monſter was made up with
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              ſuch enchantment, that men fought with him alwayes in vain;
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              for though in the Combate he were cut in pieces, thoſe divided
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              Members preſently re-united, and returned to the fight more
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              fierce then ever. </s>
              <s>But the
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              Paladine Aſtolfo
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              coming to undertake
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              him, after a long diſpute, at the end he cut his head ſheer off
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              from the ſhoulders at one blow; and nimbly alighting from his
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              Horſe, took the Monſtrous head, and mounting again, as he rid
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              away he fell to ſhave the Pole of that Monſter, and ſo he loſt
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              the Lock of Hair, in which alone the enchantment lay; and then
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              the horrible Head in an inſtant manifeſted ſigns of death, and the
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              trunk which ran, ſeeking to reunite to it anew, gave the laſt gaſp,
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              and in this manner the enchantment ended. </s>
              <s>The Book of Fate
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              ſerved admirably to the
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              Paladine,
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              whereby he came to under­
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              ſtand that Charm; for by ſhaving his whole head, the enchanted
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              hairs came to be cut off amongſt the reſt: In the ſame manner, I
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              ſay, that it hath ſometimes happened in Draining thoſe Fields; </s>
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          </chap>
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