A briefe introduction to geography containing a description of the grounds, and generall part thereof, very necessary for young students in that science. VVritten by that learned man, Mr William Pemble, Master of Arts, of Magdalen Hall in Oxford.

CAP. 5.

Of divers Distinctions, and Divisions of the earth.

NExt after the Circles of the Earth, wee may not vnfitly handle the seuerall Divisions and distinctions which geographers make of the parts, and inhabitants of the earth, These are many, but wee will briefely runne them ouer.

1 The first and most plaine is by the Coasts of the Hea∣uens, and rising, and Setting of the Sunne, so it is distinguish∣ed into the

• East where the Sunne ariseth. Oreins, Ortus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• West where the Sunne goeth downe. occidens.
• North: betweene both fromwards the Sunne at Noone. Septentrio.
• South: betweene both towards the Sun at Noone. Me∣ridies.

These foure are called the cheife or Cardinall quarters of the world. They with the others betweene them are easily knowne but are of more vse to Mariners then to vs, Wee may rather take notice of those other names which by Astrono mers Geographers Divines and Poets are giuen vnto them. Who somtime call the East the right hand part of the world, sometime the West, sometime the. North, & sometime South. the diuersity is noted in these verses,

Ad Boream terrae. Sed Coeli mensor ad Austrum. Praco Dei exortum, videt, occasum{que} Poeta. * 1.1

This serues for vnderstanding of Authors, where in any men∣tion is made of the right or left part of the World, if for ex∣ample ••e be a poet, he means the South by the right hand, the North by the left: because a poet turnes his face to the West, and so reckons the quarters of Heauen and Earth.

2 The second distinction is by the notable differences of heat and cold, that are observed on the earth, this is the the division of the Earth by Zones or Cirdles, which are parts of the Earth, wherin heat and cold doe remarkably increase or decrease. Those Zones are 5.

1 The hot or burning Zone (Zona torrida) which con∣taines all that space of earth, that lieth betweene the two Torpicks, supposed heretofore (but falsly as after experience hath shewed) to be inhabitable by reason of heat, the Sunne continually lying ouer some part of it.

2. 3 The temperate Zones wherein neither heat nor cold is extreame but moderate: these are two, one on the North side of the Aequator betweene the Articke circle, and the Torpicke of Cancer, another on the South side betweene the Torpicke of Capricorne, and the Antarcticke circle.

4. 5 The cold, or Frozen Zones, wherein cold for the most part is greater then the heat, these likewise are two, one in the North, betweene the Arcticke circle, and the North Pole, another on the South betweene the Antarctick circle and the South Pole. These of all parts of the earth are worst inhabited, according as extremity of cold is alwaies a greater enemy to mans body, then extremity of heat.

3 The third distinction is by the shadowes, which bo∣dies doe cast vpon the earth, iust at nooneday; for these doe not alwaies fall one way but diuersly according to their di∣vers scituation vpon the Earth. Now in respect of the sha∣dowes of mens bodies, the inhabitants of the earth are di∣vided into the

1 Amphiscij (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) whose shadow at noone day fall both waies, sc. to the North when the Sunne is South∣ward of them, & to the South when the Sunne is North∣ward,

and such are those people that doe dwell in the hot Zone. For the Sunne goes ouer their heads twice a yeare, once Northward another time Southward, when the Sunne is just ouer their heads they are called Ascij, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, without shadow.

2 Heteroscij (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) whose shadowes doe al∣waies fall one way, namely alwaies towards the North, as those that dwell in the Northerne temperate Zone, or al∣waies to the South, as those that dwell in the Southerne temperate Zone.

3 Periscij (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) whose shadowes goe round about them, as those people who dwell in the two cold Zones, for as the Sunne never goes downe to them after he is once vp, but alwaies round about, so doe their shadowes.

4 The fourth distinction is by the scituation of the In∣habitants of the Earth, compared on with another: who are called either.

• 1 Perioeci (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) such as dwell round about the Earth in one and the same paralell, as for example vnder the Tropicke of Cancer.
• 2 Antoeci (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) such as dwell opposite to the former in another Paralell of the same distance from the Aequator. As those vnder the Tropicke of Capricorne.
• 3 Antipodes (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) who dwell ••ust vnder vs theire feete opposite to ours.

5 The fifth distinction is of the Length and Breadth of the Earth and places vpon it: these may bee considered two wayes

• 1 Absolutely, and so the
  • Longitude or Length of the Earth is its Cir∣cuit, and Extension from East to west,
  • Latitude or breadth of it, is the whole Circuit and Compasse of it from North to South:
• 2 Comparatiuely comparinge one places scituation with another, and so the

• ...
  • Longitud of a place, is the distance of it from the first Meridian going through the Cana∣ry Ilands, Eastward. Whereby wee know how farre one place lies East or West from another.
  • Latitude of a place, is the distance of it from the Aequator towards the North or South. Whereby wee know how farre one Place lies Northward, or Southward of another.

The Longitude must be reckoned by the degrees of the Aequator, the Latitude by the degrees of the Meridian.

For example, in these two Haemisphaeres, the longitude of the whole earth is from (C) to (A) and (B) in the Aequator. The latitud is from (N) to (S), and from (Q) to (P) the North and South poles, and this reckoned in any meridian. The first meridian is (A N B S) which goes by the Canary Ilands, the Aequinoctiall is (A B C A). Now I haue a Citty giuen sc. (D) I would know in what longitude and latitude it is. For the longitude I consider what meridian passeth through it, which is the meridian (N D S) which crosseth the Aequinoctiall in (I) at 15 degrees, wherefore I say that (D) stands Eastward from the first Meridian 15 degrees. So I finde that the Citty (ε) is 150 degrees Eastward, (G) 195, and (F) 345.

For the Latitude I consider what paralell runnes through (D E G) or (F) and I finde the 30 to passe by (D) 45 by (E) the 15 by (F) the 45 Southward by (G) and those numbers are the latitude of the place that are distant from the Aequa∣tor, (C A B).

Concerning the means whereby the longitude of places is found out, there is scarce any thing that hath troubled Ma∣thematicians so much as the observation of it. For because no standing marke can be taken (the Heavens alwaies run∣ning about) it must needs be difficult. To measure vpon the earth, going alwaies vnder the same paralell, is a way certain in regard of some few places, but so troublesome in it selfe,

[illustration]

[illustration]

and vnprofitable in regard of other places that ly out of that paralell, that it may be accounted a fruitlesse labour. The voyages & accounts of Marriners at Sea, are so full of casual∣ty & vncertainty by reason of the doubtfull variation of the compasse, the vnequall violence of windes and tides, the false making of their sea cards, by which they faile, and the ignorance of the Masters for the greatest part, as there can hardly be any assured, reckoning made by them. The best means of observation is by Eclipses of the Sunne & Moone, which in severall Countries are sooner or later seene, accord∣ing as one place lies farther East or farther West from ano∣ther. But this also falls out so seldome, and when it happens, is ••o seldome obserued, and when it is observed, hath so ma∣ny difficulties in the precise and exact observation of it; that wee may Well account this inquiry after the longitude of places, to be one of those things whereof wee must be con∣tent to be ignorant, & rather to gesse at it in Grosse, then in∣vaine to striue for exactnesse, which is the cause why the ta∣bles of the longitude and latitude of Citties, though they many times agree in the latitude, doe yet for the most part very much differ in the Longitude.

6 The sixth Distinction is by the Length or shortnesse of the Day in Summer time in seuerall Quarters of the earth. And this diuision is by Climates (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) which are seuerall spaces of the earth contained betweene two Paralells, in the which the longest day in Summer exc••edes that in another Paralell, by halfe an Houre. There is a greate deale of Confu∣sion and difference betweene the late and and ancient Geo∣graphers about the distinction and diuers reckonings of the Climats. It is not worth the labour to recount theire opini∣ons and Calculations: thus much is plaine, and easie to bee knowne. There are 24. Climats in which the Day encreaseth by halfe houres, from 12. houres to 24. There are likewise 6. Climats in which the day encreaseth by moneths, from one moneth to sixe, that is halfe a yeare. Vnder the Aequator the day is alwayes twelue houres longe, but as you goe from it

towards the Pole, the Day lengthen•• still till it comes to a * 1.2 day halfe a yeare long. Now in what degrees of latitude eue∣ry on of these Climats beginne and end, shall appeare by this table following.

7 The seaventh and lost distinction of the earth is taken from the scituation of it in respect of the Heavens, and espe∣cially the Sunnes motion. In regard whereof Some parts or inhabitants of the Earth are said to be or dwell in a Right Spheare, some in a paralell Spheare, and others in an oblique or crooked Spheare.

They dwell (in Sphaerarecta) in a right or streight Spheare who dwell iust vnder the Aequinoctiall, whose Horizon is paralell to the Meridians, but cutts the Aequator at right Angles. They dwell in paralell Spheares, who dwell iust vn∣der either of the Poles, whose Horizon is parallell to the Aequator, but cuts all the Meridians at right Angles: and the latter is sometime called a Paralell Spheare.

They dwell (in Sphaera obliqua) in a crooked Spheare, who inhabite any place betweene the Aequinoctiall and the Pole, whose Horizon cuts the Aequator, the Paralells, and the Meridians at oblique or vnequall angles.

1 The vse of this table is easie. In the first Columne are contained the names and number of the Climats. In the second the Paralells which enclose it on each side, and deuide it in the middest. For the paralells here are drawne by euery∣halfe houres encrease.

The third Columne is the length of the Day in Summer, in euery Climate, which from 12. houres encreaseth by halfe houres to 24. houres after by moneths, from one moneth to sixe.

The fourth containes the degrees of latitude, how farre euery climate lies from the Aequinoctiall.

The fist contaynes the space or breadth of euery Climate, how many degrees or minutes it takes vp vpon the Earth.

The sixt containes so••e notable places by which the Cli∣mats passe.

2 Hereby it is easie to know what the longest Day is in any Place of the worlde whose latitude is knowne. Or contra∣rily the longest Day being knowne to know the latitude For example Oxford hath latitude 52. 0. degrees longitude 24. 0. In the table I finde that 52. degrees of Latitude lie in the 9^th Climate wherein the day is 16. houres and a halfe longe, so much I say the Day is at Oxford in Summer. The place of Oxford in the Haemisphaere is at (U.)

3 Vpon Globes the Climats are not vsually described, but are noted out vpon the brazen Meridian. So also in vni∣versall mappes they are seldome drawne, to avoide confusion of many lines together but they are many times marked out on the limbe or edge of the mappe,

Notes

• * 1.1

  That is Geographers looke to the North, Astronomers to the South. Priests turne them to the East, & Poets to the West.
• * 1.2

  Those th•••• dwell vnder the Pole haue not past 3. or 4 moneths pro∣fund as ••ene∣••ras darke night, for when the Sun is in Libra & Pisces being then nigh, the Horizon it sends forth to them a glim∣mering light not vnli••e to the twilig•••• or d••wning of the day in a morning a lit∣tle before the Suns rising Muns••er lib. 1. cap.