l e m e . l i b r a r y . u t o r o n t o . c a s t c 3 4 2 2 v e r . 1 . 0 ( 2 0 1 9 ) ¶ An Introduction vnto the Regi­ ment for the Sea. The names of certaine things necessarie to be known of them that are Mariners or Seafaring men, meete to bee knowne of them that doe practise Nauigation, as this: the names of the circles of the Sphere, and what they are, and their vses: and also the names of other things belonging therevnto, and what they are, and their vses. First what the Horizon circle is. THe Horizon is the parting of the earthe or the Sea and the skye, that is to say, the halfe of the heauens beeing aboue ouer your heade, and the o­ ther halfe hidden with the earth or Sea vnder them: and this Horizon circle dothe moue as you doe moue: for as you doe by trauell chaunge your place, so doth the Ho­ rizon chaunge in all points. The vse of the Horizon circle. THe vse of the Horizon circle is this, to take the heigth of the Sunne or any starre, with the crosse staffe, setting the one ende with the Horizon, and the other ende with the Sunne or starre, so that you haue a true Horizon: and that must be doone vpon the Sea, or else it must be a very playne grounde vpon the toppe of a bill, else it is no true Horizon, And also if the Sunne or Moone, or any starre be to be seene, then they be aboue the Horizon: if they be not to be seene, then they be vnder the Horizon. 2. What the Meridian circle is. THe Meridian is a circle beginning due South, and so passing by youre Zenith that is right ouer the crowne of your head, and so by the two Poles of the worlde: and if you doe trauell due South and North, you doe not chaunge youre Meridian: but in the going or trauelling any other way, you do chaunge it. The vse of the Meridian circle. THe vse of the Meridian circle is, to knowe the iust tyme of noone by the Sunne: for as soone as the middle of the Sunne is vpon the Meridian, then it is noone, and when the Sunne, Moone, or any Star is vpon the Meridian, then they be farthest from the Horizon, and it is a meete time to take their heigth for to know the altitude or heigth of the Pole of the worlde, whereby you may perfitly knowe howe farre you bee too the Southwardes or Northwardes of any place. 3. What the Equinoctiall circle is, being a Paralell line or circle fixed. THe Equinoctiall is a fixed circle in the Heauens equally distant from both the Poles, and doth passe directly ouer the middle of the earth rounde about, and is called the Equi­ noctiall, for that if the Sunne be there, then thorowe all the whole world the Sunne is twelue houres aboue the Hori­ zon, and twelue houres vnder the Horizon sauing vnder the two Poles, and there the Equinoctiall is with the Horizon. So they shal see half the Sunne and no more, till the Sunne be departed from the Equinoctiall. And also to them that do inhabite or dwell in any place vnder the Equinoctiall, the Sunne, Moone, and all the Starres be twelue hours aboue the Horizon, and twelue houres vnder the Horizon. The vse of the Equinoctiall circle. THe vse of the Equinoctiall, is to knowe what declination the Sunne or any other Starre hath from it, and of whi­ che side, and by that is known the heigth of the Equinoctial, and by the heigth of that is known the heigth of either of the two Poles of the world. 4 WHat the circle of Tropicke of Cancer is, being a Paralell circle fixed. THe Tropicke of Cancer is the greatest declination that the Sunne doth come vnto the Northwards, and then is our longest Sommer dayes, and shortest nights. 5. What the circle or Tropick of Capricorne is, being a Paralell circle fixed. THe Tropicke of Capricorne, is the greatest declination that the sunne doth go vnto the Southwards, and then is our shortest Winter dayes, and longest nights. The vses of these two circles be but smal, but that the days beeing at the longest or shortest, the Sunne dothe returne backe againe. &c. 6. What the Articke circle is, beeing a Paralell circle. THe Articke circle doth touch the Horizon due North, and is according to the place that you are in, of any place vp­ on the face of the earth, and doth wyden and narrow accor­ ding vnto the altitude or heigth of the Pole: for as you doe goe vnto the South partes, then dothe your Articke circle growe narower and narower, vntill you come right vnder the Equinoctiall line, and then haue you no Articke circle: and if that you do goe vnto the North partes, then doth your Articke circle growe wider and wider: and where the North Pole is raysed .66. degrees and a half, there the Artick circle is iust with the Tropick of Cancer, and then vnder the north Pole, there your Artick circle is with the Equinoctial. The vse of the Articke circle. THe vse of the Articke circle, is to knowe what Starres doe neuer set vntoo you, for all those Starres or lyghtes that you doe see vnder the Pole, doe not set: and if that you bee vnto the North wardes, of the height of the Pole, more than. 66. degrees and a halfe: if that the Sunne or Moone be in the Tropick of Cancer, they shall not goe downe vnto you vnder the Horizon, but shall bée still in sighte vntoo you, so that they be not let by the cloudes and other acci­ dentes. 7. What the Antarticke circle is, beeing a Paralell circle. THe Antarticke circle doth touch the Horizon due South, and is opposite or right agaynste the Articke circle, and bothe wyde and narrowe in all poyntes, and dothe not differ from the Articke circle, sauing the Articke circle is aboue the Horizon, and the Antarticke circle is vnderneath the Horizon. The vse of the Antarticke circle. THe vse of the Antarticke circle is as the Articke is in all poyntes, to knowe what starres will not appeare aboue your Horizon, and in like manner, to the Northwardes of 66. degrees and a halfe, (the Sunne or Moone being in the Tropicke of Capricorne) then they wyll not ryse aboue the Horizon. 8. What the Zodiacke is, beeing a circle. THe Zodiacke is the greatest circle in all the Heauens, wherein all the wandering lightes or Planets doe keepe theyr courses, that is to say, the Sunne and Moone, and the other fiue Planets or Starres, that is to say, Saturne, Iupi­ ter, Mars, Venus, and Mercury. &c whiche circle is deuided in­ to twelue equall partes, called the twelue signes, as Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagita­ rius, Capricornus, Aquarius, Pisces, the which circle standeth oblique equinoctiall or awrye, crossing in the middle at two places: the Northermost parte is the middle of the Zodi­ acke, and that is the Tropicke of Cancer: and the Souther­ most parte is the tropicke of Capricorne, the very midle of the zodiack: and that line in the midle of the zodiack, is cal­ led the ecliptick lyne, and the zodiack is .2. degrees broade, that is to say, sixe degrees from the eclipticke line vnto the north parts, and sixe degrees vnto the South parts. The vse of the Zodiack. THe vse of the Zodiacke is, through the mouing of the Sunne and Moone & the other planets, to know in what signe they be, and also to know the time of the chaunge of the Moone, with all the other respects: and in like manner to know the aspects of all the other planets vnto the Moone, and the .12. signes is gathered their effects, and in what countrey it may happen. 9. What the line Ecliptick is. THe line ecliptick, is a circle in the very middle of the Zo­ diack, the whiche the very midle or center of the Sunne doth go vpon. The vse of the line Ecliptick. THe vse of the line Ecliptick is this, if that the Moone or any other starre be vnto the North part therof, then it is sayd that they haue North latitude, and if vnto the Southe part, then they haue south latitude: and also by this circle cal­ led the line ecliptick, is knowne the eclipse of the Sunne and the Moone. 10. What the artick polare circle is, being a pa­ ralell circle fixed. THe artick polare circle is made by the pole of the Zodi­ ack, or pole of the circle ecliptick. 23. degrees and a halfe in the heauens from the poles of the world aboue the horizon. 11. What the antartick Polare circle is, being a Paralell circle fixed. THe antartick Polare circle is iust opposite vnto the artick polare, made by the antartick pole vnderneath our hori­ zon. The vse of them I will declare, when I speake of the poles of the Ecliptick or Zodiack. 12. What the two circles called Colures be. &c. THe .2. circles called Colures, be those that do deuide the Zodiack, and all other paralell circles into .4. equall parts, the one of the circles doth crosse the Zodiack in the first point of Aries and Libra, and so passeth by the .2. poles of the world, and is called the equinoctiall colure: and the other colure circle doth crosse the Zodiacke in the firste pointe of Cancer and Capricorne, and so passeth the .2. poles of the world, and there at the .2. poles the one circle doth crosse the other: and that is called the Solstitiall colure. The vse of these two circles. THe vse of the. 2. colure circles is this, the Sunne placing by them doth deuide the yeare into. 4. partes: as this, the Sunne in the first point of Aries, is Spring time. &c. 13. What the. 2. Poles of the world is, imagined to be as an axiltree. THe. 2. poles of the world, imagined to be as an axiltrée, (that is to say, the North pole called the pole artick, and the South pole called the pole antartick) the one is directly a­ gainst the other: the North pole alwayes aboue our horizon, and the South pole antartick always vnder our horizon, be­ ing fixed fast in the heauens, and the equinoctiall iust and equally betwéene them: and the cause why that it is imagi­ ned to bee an axiltree is thys, for that the whole hea­ uens and all the lyghtes of the Firmamente be caried rounde aboute from the East vnto the West in. 24. houres: so that no light nor place remayneth vnremoued, but onely the. 2. poles of the world. The vse of the Poles of the world. THe vse of the. 2. Poles, is this, to knowe how farre we do transporte our selues, and to know what climate, and temperatnesse we be in as touching heate and colde. 14. What the. 2. Poles of the Zodiack is, imagined to be an axiltree in the heauens. THe. 2. Poles of the Zodiack, or Ecliptick, imagined to bée as an axiltree, (the artick pole of the Zodiack, or rather the Ecliptick, and the Antartick pole of the Zodiack) the one being directly againste the other, and the Zodiack or rather the middle thereof, called the ecliptick, to be iust or equall betwéene them, are called the Poles of the Zodiacke: for that the Sunne and the Moone, and the other planets and fixed starres do moue vnto the eastward, according to the standing of the Zodiack .&c. The vse of the Poles of the Zodiack. THe vse of the two Poles of the Zodiack is this, (as it is before declared) that the Zodiack is deuided into 12. equall partes, called the. 12. signes, and those diuisions by imagination do passe vnto the poles of the Zodiack, in suche forme as the meridian lynes do all méete at the poles of the world, and so do all those diuisions meete at the two poles of the Zodiack, and then any starre, that is out of the Zodiack, eyther vnto the southwards, or north­ wardes, (according vnto those diuisions) they be called in the signes. 15. What the Zenith or verticall point is, imagi­ ned to be as an axiltree. THe Zenith or vertical point, is imagined to be a pricke in the heauens right ouer the crowne of your head, and is moueable as we our selues be, and is as an axiltrée vnto the horizon circle: and as you do transport your selfe from one place vnto another, so doth your Zenith or verticall poynte, and your horizon circle also. The vse of the Zenith or verticall poynt. &c. THe vse of the Zenith or verticall point is this, to knowe howe néere or farre off any starre is from your ze­ nith, by taking the true heigth of any starre with an instru­ mente, for that from your zenith is always. 90. degrees down vnto the horizon on euery side round about you, as it shall more plainely appeare hereafter where I speake of degrees. 16. What a Degree is. A Degrée is the part or diuision of a whole circle, into. 360. equall parts, how bigge or smal soeuer the circle be. The vse of the Degrees is manyfold. THe vse of the degrees is to knowe by the Sunne and Moones course in the zodiack, or any other of the planets or mouable starres, how many degrees they be asunder: whereby is knowne at what time they haue any aspecte the one with the other. And also by the degrees it is knowne, what latitude and what declination any light or starre hath from the ecliptick or equinoctial: and also the degrees wil shewe vnto you, howe many myles that you do transporte your selfe vpon the earth to the South or North partes, for that euery degree doth aunswer vnto. 60. english miles, in the going South and North: which is knowne by the altitude of the North pole or the numbre of degrees betwene the equi­ noctiall and your zenith or verticall point, for from your ze­ nith vnto the horizon, is. 90. degrees to the southwards, and 90. degrees vnto the Northwards, whiche is halfe the com­ passe of the heauens for twice. 90. is. 180. and then the earthe doth hide the other halfe of the heauens: and twice. 180. ma­ keth. 360. the whole contents of the compasse of euery greate circle in the heauens. 17. What a Minute is. OF Minuts there be two sortes, minuts of time, and mi­ nuts of measure, and is no other thing but the lesser parte of tyme or measure, whiche is the. 60. parte of a de­ gree, or the. 60. parte of an houre: and all the diuisions in these matters, is by. 60. For as. 60. Minuts is a degree or an hour, so. 60. seconds is a Minute, and. 60. thirds is a seconde, and 60. fourths is a third. &c. 18. Altitude is heigthe: the vse thereof. ALtitude is the heigthe of any thing taken, as the heigthe of the Sunne, or any Starre, or the heigth of the Pole, aboue the horizon: or any heigth of a steeple, or a tower, or such other lyke. 19. Latitude is widenesse: the vse thereof. LAtitude is in the heauens: if the Moone, or any other Starre be vnto the South parts or the North partes of the ecliptick, that then it is sayde, to be so manye degrees in latitude or widenesse, from the line ecliptick to the South or North part: and also latitude is counted vpon the earthe in like maner, if that you be in any place betweene, from vnder the equinoctiall, either to the South or North part, betwéene any of the. 2. Poles, that you are so many degrees in latitude from the equinoctiall. &c. 20. Longitude is length: the vse thereof. LOngitude in the heauens is, if the Sunne or Moone or any other Starre, be in such a signe, & so many degrees: that then it is said: that they haue longitude, in such a signe and so many degrees. And also longitude vpon the earth, is counted from the Canarie Ilands vnto the Eastward, as this, if that any towne or cittie be vnto the Eastwards so many degrees from the Canarie Ilands, then it is sayde, that the cittie or towne is so many degrees in Longitude, whereby is knowne the time of the chaunges of the Moone, or any other aspecte, or anye Eclipse of the Sunne or Moone, at the cittie or towne. 21. Declination is leaning: the vse thereof. DEclination is counted in the heauens, if that the Sunne or any other Starre be vnto the North part, or South part of the equinoctiall, then it is saide, that the Sunne or Starre hath so many degrees of declination to the South, or to the North parts, as it happeneth. &c. 22. Circumference is the compasse of a cir­ cle by the outer edge. DIameter is the bredth of a circle, passing right ouer the center or midle thereof, from outside vnto outside. 23. Center is the middle pricke in any circle, equally distant from the edge of the circle in euery place. A Paralell line or circle is, if two lines or more (how ma­ ny soeuer there be) be equally distaunt in euery place a­ like, being right lines. 24. Auge what it is. AUge is a point in the heauens, when the Sunne or Moone is excentrick, going néerer vnto the heauens, and further from the earth than hir common order is: and the opposition thereof is, when that the Sunne and Moone do come nea­ rer vnto the earth than they do at any other time. The vse thereof. THe vse thereof is, to knowe when that they be in theyr swift motion, or in their slwo motion in the point of Auge, they be in their slow motion, in the opposition thereof in their swift motion. 25. What the head or tayle of the Dragon is. THe head of the Dragon, is the place where that the Moone dothe come ouer the line Ecliptick, from the South part, vnto the North part: and the tayle of the Dragon is, where the Moone passeth ouer the line ecliptick, from the Northe part, vnto the South part. The vse of the head and tayle of the Dragon. THe vse of the head and tayle of the Dragon, is to know, when that there is any eclipse of the Sunne or Mone: and of what quantitie or greatnesse the eclipse is. 26. What Nauigation is. NAuigation is this, how to direct his course in the Sea to any place assigned, and to consider in that direction what things may stande with him, & what things may stand against him, hauing consideration how to preserue the ship in all stormes and chaunges of weather that may happen by the way, to bring the ship safe vnto the port assigned, and in the shortest time. The vse of Nauigation. THe vse thereof is this, fyrste too knowe howe that the place dothe beare from him, by what winde or poynte of the compasse, and also how farre that the place is from hym, and also to consider the streame, or tide gates, Cur­ rents, which way that they do set or driue the ship, and al­ so to consider what daungers is by the waye, as rockes and sandes, and suche other lyke impedimentes, and also if that the wynde chaunge or shifte by the waye, to consider which way to stand, and direct his course vnto the most aduantage to attayne vnto the port in shortest time: and also if anye stormes doe happen by the way, to con­ sider how for to preserue the shippe and the goodes, and too bring hir safe vnto the porte assygned. And also it is moste principally to be considered and foreséene, that if they haue hadde by occasion of a contrarye tempest, for too­ goe very muche out of the course or way, too knowe then howe that the place dothe then beare, that is to say, by what poynte of the compasse the place dothe stande from you: and also how farre it may be from you. Whyche way to bee knowne is this: firste to consider by what poynte that the shippe hath made hir way by, and how fast and swiftly that the shippe hathe gone, and to consider how of­ ten that the shippe hathe altered hir course, and how muche that she hathe gone at euery tyme, and then to consider all thys in youre platte or carde, and so you may gyue an néere gesse, by what poynte or wynde it beareth from you, and also howe farre it is hither. And also you may haue a greate helpe by the Sunne or Starres, to take the heigthe of the Pole aboue the horizon, and also in some place you may gesse by the sounding, bothe by the depth, and also by the grounde. And also it is verye meete and necessarye to knowe any place, when that hée dothe sée it. 27. Of instrumentes to vse at the Sea for to take the heigthe of the Sunne or any Starres. ALl instrumentes too take the heighte of the Sunne or anye Starre, the originall of the making thereof, it is eyther a circle or the parte of a circle, whose diuisi­ on is the. 360. parte of a circle, what forme soeuer that it hathe, as your crosse staffe, it is marked accor­ ding vnto the proportion of a circle, and euery one of the degrees, is the equall parte of a circle, the thrée hundred and sixtie part. &c. The vse of the Instruments. THe vse of the Instrumentes, as Astrolobes or common Rings, or the crosse staffe, is to take the heigth of the sunne or other stars, whose vses doe folow héere after in the boke. 28. What maner of persons be meetest to take charge of Shippes in Nauigation. AS touching those persons that are méete to take charge, that is to say, to be as maister of ships in Nauigation, he ought to be sober and wise, and not to be light or rash headed, nor to be to fumish or hasty, but such a one as can wel gouern himselfe, for else it is not possible for him to gouerne his com­ pany well: he ought not to be to simple, but he must be suche a one as must kéepe his companie in awe of him (by discre­ tion,) doing his companie no iniurie or wrong, but to let them haue that whiche men ought to haue, and then to see vnto them that they doe their laboure as men ought to doe in all points. And the principall point in gouernment is, to cause himself both to be feared & loued, & that groweth principal­ ly by this meanes, to cherishe men in well doing, and those men that be honestly addicted, to let them haue reasonable preheminence, so that it be not hurtfull vnto the Marchaunt nor to himselfe, and to punishe those that be malefactors and disturbers of their company, and for smal faults, to giue them gentle admonition to amende them: and principally these two pointes are to be foreseene by the maisters, (that is) to serue God himselfe, and to see that all the whole companie do so in like maner, at suche conuenient time as it is méete to be done: the second point is, that the master vse no play at the dise or cards, neither (as near as he can to suffer any, for the sufferance therof may do very much hurt in diuers respects: And furthermore, the maister ought to be suche a one, as dothe knowe the Moones course, whereby he doth knowe at what time it is a full Sea, or a lowe water, knowing in what quarter or part of the skye, that the Moone doth make a full Sea at that place, and also the master ought to bée ac­ quainted, or knowe that place well, that he doth take charge to goe vnto (except that he haue a Pilot) and also he that ta­ keth charge vpon him, ought to be expert, how the tydegates or currentes doe set from place vnto place: and also not to bée ignorant of such daungers as lyeth by the way, as rocks, sandes, or bankes, and also most principally he ought to bée suche a one, as can very well directe his courses vnto any place assigned, and to haue capacitie howe for to handle or shift himselfe in foule weather or stormes. And also it beho­ ueth him too be a good coaster, that is to say, to knowe euery place by the sight thereof. And also he that taketh charge for long voyages, ought to haue knowledge in plats or cardes, and also in such instruments as be meet to take the heigth of the Sunne or any Starre, and to haue capacitie to correcte those instrumentes, and also he ought to be suche a one, that can calculate the Sunnes declination, or else to haue some true regiment, and also he ought to knowe howe to handle the Sunnes declination, when that he hath taken the heigth of the Sunne.