M. Blundevile his exercises containing sixe treatises, the titles wherof are set down in the next printed page: which treatises are verie necessarie to be read and learned of all yoong gentlemen that haue not bene exercised in such disciplines, and yet are desirous to haue knowledge as well in cosmographie, astronomie, and geographie, as also in the arte of navigation ... To the furtherance of which arte of navigation, the said M. Blundevile speciallie wrote the said treatises and of meere good will doth dedicate the same to all the young gentlemen of this realme.

Of the Zodiaque why it is so called, and of the 12. signes therein contained: Also of the Latitude, Longitude, and de∣clination thereof. Chap. 11.

WHat is the Zodiaque?

It is a broad, oblique, or stope Circle, ha∣uing a circular line in the midst thereof, cal∣led the Ecliptique line, and deuideth the Spheare into two equall parts, by crossing the Equinoctiall with oblique Angles in two points, that is, in the beginning of Aries, and in the beginning of Libra, so as the one halfe of this broad Cir∣cle declineth towards the North, and the other halfe towards the South: in which Circle many thinges are to be considered, first the name, then what breadth it hath, and why it hath such breadth, and into what parts it is deuided aswelt touching the breadth or Latitude, as circuit or Longitude thereof, also into how many parts the firmament is deuided by the spaces described in the Zodiaque, and appointed to the 12. signes. Also how much it de∣clineth from the Equinoctiall towards the South or North, and vpon what poles it turneth about, and why the line in the midst is called the Ecliptique line, and many other necessary points, which I mind here briefely to touch.

Why is this Circle named the Zodiaque?

It is named the Zodiaque either of this Gréeke worde zoe, which is asmuch to say as life, because the sunne being mooued vnder this Circle, giueth life to the inferiour bodies, or else of this Gréeke word Zodion, which is as much to say as a beast, be∣cause that 12. Images of stars, otherwise called the 12. signes, named by the name of certaine beasts, are formed in this Circle: and therefore the Latines doe call this Circle Signifer because it beareth the 12. signes.

How are these signes called, and with what Characters are they marked.

Their names and Characters this table here following doth shew, and also which be opposite one to another, as Aries to Li∣bra, Taurus to Scorpio, and so foorth.

The sixe Northerne signes:	The sixe Southerne signes.
Aries	♈	Libra	♎
Taurus	♉	Scorpio	♏
Gemini	♊	Sagittarius	♐
Cancer	♋	Capricornus	♑
Leo	♌	Aquarius	♒
Virgo	♍	Pisces	♓

Of which signes the first sixe on the left hande are called the Northerne signes, because they are conteyned in that halfe of the Zodiaque, which declineth towardes the North. And the other sixe on the right hand being right opposite to the first 6. are called the Southerne signes, because they are conteyned in the other halfe of the Zodiaque, declyning towardes the South: And a∣gainst every signe is set his proper Character.

What diuisions doe Astronomers make of the 12. signes?

Diuerse, as followeth: for some are said to be ascendent, and some descendent.

Ascendent are those that rise from the South towards our Ze∣nith, tending Northward, which be these, Capricornus, Aqua∣rius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, and Gemini.

The descendent are these, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scor∣pius, and Sagittarius.

Againe some are saide to be vernall, as Aries, Taurus, and Gemini.

Some Estiuall as Cancer, Leo, Virgo.

Some Autumnall as, Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius.

And some Hiemall or Brumall, as Capricornus, Aquarius, and Pisces, signifying the foure seasons of the yeare, that is to say, the Spring, Sommer, Autumne, and Winter.

And some doe make diuerse other diuisions, which because they appertame to Astrologie rather then to the Treatise of a Spheare, I willingly omit them.

Now tell what breadth the Zodiaque hath, and why it is imagined to haue such breadth?

It hath (according to the ancient writers) 12. degrées in bredth, that is to say, 6. degrées on the one side of the Ecliptique line, & 6. degrées on the other side of the Ecliptique line, but according to

the moderne writers, it hath 16. degrées in breadth, that is, eight degrées on ech side of the Ecliptique line, which breadth was ne∣cessarily imagined, first to the intent that by the measures and degrées thereof it might be knowne, how much the Planets (o∣therwise called the wandring starres, whose course is to passe con∣tinually vnder this broad Circle) doe wander at any time on either side of the Ecliptique line, for they all wander, but some more, some lesse, the Sunne onely excepted, which neuer swar∣ueth from that line, but alwayes goeth right vnder the same, and therefore the saide line is called of some writers the way of the Sunne: And secondly it hath such breadth to the intent it may containe within the same, the 12. signes aforesaid, by meanes of which signes the whole circuit or longitude of the saide Circle is deuided into 12. equall parts, and euery such part is deuided in∣to 30. degrées, and euery degrée into 60. minutes, and euery mi∣nute into 60. seconds, &c. so as the whole Longitude thereof con∣tayneth 360. degrées, according vnto which diuision, all the rest of the Circles both greater and lesser described in the Spheare, are made to containe the like number of degrées, and euery halfe Circle to containe 180. degrées, and euery quarter of a Circle to containe 90. degrées, and by this diuision aswell of the breadth as of the length of the Zodiaque, it appeareth that euery one of the 12. Signes hath 30. degrées in length, and 12. degrées in bredth, and thereof the Planets, Starres, and all other Celestiall bodies are said to haue both Longitude and Latitude, the sunne onely excepted.

How is such Longitude and Latitude to be vnderstood?

The Longitude of any Planet or Starre is to be counted in the Ecliptique line containing in circuit 360. degrées, reckoning from the first point of Aries, and so to Taurus, Gemini, and Car∣cer, & so foorth according to the succession of the signes, vntill you come againe vnto the first point of Aries, at which point such Longitude both endeth & begimeth. The Latitude is counted frō the said Ecliptique line towards any of y^e Poles of the Zodiaque. And hereof looke how many degrées any fixed starre or Planet is distant from the Ecliptiqueline towards any of the said poles, so much Latitude it is said to haue either Northerne or Southerne: moreouer, by this diuision of the signes the whole firmament is

deuided into 12. parts by reason of 6. Circles imagined to passe through the poles of the Zodiaque, and also through the begin∣ning of euery signe, wher∣by we knowe vnder what signe euery star is situated though it be cleane out of the Zodiaque as this fi∣gure here plainely shew∣eth, marked with these letters A. B. C. D. A sig∣nifieth the North pole of the worlde, B. the North pole of the Zodiaque, C. the South pole of the world, D. the South pole of the Zodiaque.

[illustration]