Naturall philosophie reformed by divine light, or, A synopsis of physicks by J.A. Comenius ... ; with a briefe appendix touching the diseases of the body, mind, and soul, with their generall remedies, by the same author.

Now touching the sun these following Ax∣iomes are to be noted.

1 That it was made so great as might suf∣fice, both to illustrate the whole world, and to heat and vaporate the whole earth: that is 160 times greater than the earth.

2 That it is such a distance elevated from the earth, as might serve, so as neither to burn it, nor leave it destitute. Psal. 19. v. 7 for it is placed almost in the middle space betwixt the starry sphear and the earth.

3 That it is carried with a flower motion then the stars in their highest sphear. For whereas it seems to be turned about equally, as the starrie sphear is, yet it is every day

left behind almost a degree, (of which the whole circuit of the sphear hath 360) whence it comes to passe, that in 365 dayes, it compasseth the whole spear as it were go∣ing back, and after so many dayes returns to the same star again. And this we call the time of an year, or a solar year.

4 And that it may serve all sides of the earth with its light and heat, (to wit by turns) that retardation is not made simply though the middest of the world under the Aequator: But under the Zodiack, bending to the North on this side: to the South on that side Whence comes the division of the year into four parts; (Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter) and the inequality of dayes to those that inhabite without the equinoctiall. For when it declines to those on the North it makes summer with them, and the longest days, and so on the contra∣ry. And by how much it is the more verti∣call to any part of the earth, it heats it so much the more, by reason of the direct in∣cidence and repercussion of the rayes.

IX And because it was not convenient that the sunne and stars should always operate after one and the same manner (for variety is both pleasing and profitable to all nature) there

were six other wandring starres added over and besides, which running under the same Zodiaque and by certain turns entring into conjunction one with another, and with the sunne might variously temper his operation upon inferiour things.

These wandring starres are called Planets, of which there are seven, reckoning the sun for one.

X The Planets therefore are the suns coadju∣tors in governing the world: which differ in site, course, magnitude and light.

XI Three of the Planets Saturn (♄) Jupi∣ter (♃) Mars (♂) are above the sun: Venus (♀) Mercury (☿) and the Moon (☽) below: so in a most decent manner, as it were compassing about the sides of their King.

It is probable, that the stars are carried higher or lower in heavē, for the same reason as clouds in the air, or wood in water, that is, according to their different degrees of density or rarity. For as thick wood swims under the water either with all or with half of its body covered, but light wood swims on the top: and watry clouds ascend not far from the earth, but dry and barren clouds very high: so the globes of the stars

are carried some higher than others accor∣ding to the thicknesse of their matter and light.

XII The upper Plane••s are bigger then the earth, but the lower are lesser.

For it is found that	〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉	doth e∣quall	91	Globes of the earth.
♄	95
♃	2
♂	160
☉	doth cōtein the	28	part of the earth.
♀	105
☿	39

XIII By how much the higher any Planet is, and neerer to the highest sphear, so much the swifter it moveth; by how much the lower and neerer to the earth, so much the flower.

For Saturn, because he is next to the eighth sphear, is rolled about almost equally with it, yet he also fals back by little and little: so that he runs through the Zodiaque mo∣ving backward in the space of almost thirty years: Jupiter in twelve years: Mars in al∣most two: the Sun (as was said) in a year: Venus encompasseth the Sun in five hun∣dred eighty three dayes: Mercury in one hundred and fifteen dayes: the Moon be∣cause she is slowest of all, remaining behind

every day 13 deg. measures the Zodiaque in 27⅓ dayes.

XIV The higher Planets do so observe the sun, that approaching nigh unto him, they be∣take themselves into the highest place; going from the sunne, they sinke lower towards the earth.

And for this cause both their magnitude and their motion vary in our eyes. for when they are neerer to the earth, they seem grea∣ter; but more remote lesser. Again, the higher they are, the slower they move, and then they are called direct; the lower they descend the swifter, so that they seem either stationary, (keeping pace for some weeks with the same fixed stars) or else retrograde, sometimes outstripping them in their course.

XV Venus and Mercury depart not from the sun, unlesse it be to the sides both ways: Ve∣nus 47 degrees, Mercury 23 degrees. So that sometimes they go before the sun, sometimes they follow him, sometimes they lie hid under his rayes.

Note, Venus when she is the morning star and goes before the Sun is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or Lucifer: when she is the evening star she is called Hesperus.

XVI As for their light, Mars is very

fiery and calefactive: ♄ is pale and very frigi∣factive: ♃ and ♀ are of a benigne light: ☿ changeably sparckling: ☽ shines with a bor∣rowed light onely: of which more by and by.

Note. That the stars and planets do not sparkle by reason of their greater distance, (for then ♄ should sparkle more then Mer∣cury: vvhereas we find the contrary) but by reason of their flaming. For fire or light cannot rest, therefore the polar stars, be∣cause they are least stirred with the com∣mon motion, twinckle most.

XVII Because the Moon is near to the earth, and placed in a grosse air, she moves most slowly; and also her body is grosse and obscure, like a globous cloud.

For it is not distant from the earth above 60 semidiameters of the earth.

The Moon by reason of her opacity doth not shine of her selfe, or else very weakly: but on that side that she is illuminated by the Sun, on that side she shines like a loo∣king glasse, the other halfe being obscure.

Note. Because the Moon was to rule the night, a weak light, and that but borrowed was given her, and because she was appoin∣ted to shew lesser times (Months) a motion

different from the Sun was given her, that by her departure from the Sun, and by her returning, she might designe the progresse of the moneths: and that it might be done more evidently, she was placed below the sun, that she might appear to us with her face enlightned after divers manners. For vvhen she runs with the Sun in the same signe of the Zodiack, she doth not appear to us; be∣cause her enlightned face is turned toward the Sun, but her obscure face to us. But when she is opposite to the Sun, we behol∣ding her on the same side which looketh toward the Sun, see all her luminous face. Lastly, in the intermediate places we see her encreasing or decreasing in light; ac∣cording as she turns her enlightned face to us, or turns it from us, by reason of the diver∣sity of her position in respect of the Sun, and us.

XIX When the Moon, at the change, comes directly under the Sun, she obscures him as to us; when at the full, she is directly opposite to the Sun, she enters into the shadow of the earth, and is her selfe obscured: and this they call the Eclipses of the Luminaries.

Hence it appears that the Sun is not ob∣scured after the same manner that the Moon

is. For the Moon is really obscured, that is deprived of light, as being fallen into the shadow; but the Sun is not deprived of light, but is only covered from us, that it cannot as then enlighten the earth with his rayes; therefore the earth is then more truly eclipsed then the Sun.

Now God ordained Eclipses 1 That we might understand, that all our light is from the Sun. 2 That the magnitude of the Lu∣minaries, and of the earth might be found out. 3 To finde the true longitude of coun∣tries; but that belongs to Astronomers, this last to Geographers.