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 ninth heauen, what motions and names it hath, and whether there be any waters aboue the firmament or not. Chap. 7.

THe ninth heauen is also cleare of substance, and with∣out starres, hauing two moouinges, the one from East to West vpon the poles of the world, according to the daily moouing of the first mooueable, and the

other from West to East vpon his owne poles, according to the succession of the signes of the Zodiaque, which is in the first moueable, turning so slowly about as it maketh but one degrée in 100. yeares, and accomplisheth his full reuolution in 36000. yeares, or as Alfonsus saith in 49000. yeares.

Is there then in the first moueable any Zodiaque, that is to say, a broad Circle carying the 12. signes and yet no starres?

Yea though there be no stars, yet many superstitious fooles doe imagine that there be diuerse Characters and liniaments not to be séene, but with a most sharpe and subtill sight (by vertue of which Characters & fained constellations) they imagine that they can worke wonders and strange effects, inough to deceiue them∣selues and others too.

What is the cause that the ninth heauen is so long in making his proper reuolution.

Because as I sayd euen now, this heauen is placed next to the first moueable, which carieth him about cōtrary to his owne course with such violence as he cannot make his owne proper reuolution so soone as the other heauens which are placed further off.

If the ninth heauen be so long in making his course, it will neuer be compleat whilst the world lasteth, for the whole age of the world according to some, is but 6000. yeares?

Ye Plato was of an other opinion, and therefore this reuolu∣tion was called, magnus annus Platonis, that is to say, the great yeare of Plato, because hee affirmed that when this reuolution was once complet, all things should be in the same estate wherein they were at the first, and that he should then stand reading to his Schollers in the selfe same chaire wherein he stood at that present, which fond opinion S. Augustine confuteth in his 12. Booke de Ciuitate Dei, speaking in this maner, God forbid (saith he) that we should credit these things, for Christ dyed once for our sinnes, and being risen againe from the dead, he is no more to die, neithet can death haue any more power ouer him, by vertue of whose re∣surrection, we also that beléeue shall rise againe, and dwell with God for euer.

With what names is this ninth heauen called?

Some do call it the Christalline heauen, because of the cleare∣ues thereof, and some the watrie heauen, because the Scripture

affirmeth that there be waters aboue the firmament as we reade in Gen. cap. 1. let the firmament be made, and deuide the waters from waters. Againe we read in the Psalmes, all ye waters that be aboue the firmament, blesse ye the Lord.

The naturall Philosophers allow no waters to dwell aboue the firmament.

That is true, yet notwithstanding if the holy Scriptures doe manifestly affirme that there be waters aboue the firmament, it behooueth a Christian to beléeue it, but question perhaps may bée mooued, what manner of waters they are that are aboue the firma∣ment, whether such as bréed raine, or whether they are onely to be referred to the Christalline heauen, because it is of a watrie substance, and therefore of some is called the watry heauen, affir∣ming it to be placed next to the primum mobile, or first moueable, to the intent that with the coldnesse thereof, it might asswage and represse the extreame heat of the same primum mobile, which o∣therwise (as some affirm) with his swift & violent moouing, would set all the heauens on fire, and yet no raine is bred therein, for the great raine that drowned the world in Noahes time, did not fall from aboue the firmament, but from the Aire, which in the holy Scripture is many times signified by this Latine world Coelum, that is to say, Heauen, as when the Scripture saith, the flood gates of heauen were opened, is as much to say as the flood-gates of the Aire were opened, &c. but leauing this question, let vs procéede to the eight heauen.