Sect 2. Of the Heavens.
That the higher parts of the world are full office, the power that is there he called aether, and that properly, saith Aristotle,* 1.1 for the body, which is continually in quick motion, is conceived to be divine by nature, for that reason called aether, none of those that are here below being of that kind.
That
* 1.2 the ambient aether being of a fiery nature by the swiftnesse of its motion, snatcheth up stones from the earth, which being set on fire, become starres,* 1.3 all carried from East to West.
That* 1.4
the Startes are impelled by the condensation of the aire about the Poles, which the Sun makes more strong by compressing.
That
the starres are earthly, and that after the first secreti∣on of the Elements, the fire separating it selfe, drew some parts of the earth to its own nature, and made them like fire: Whereupon he farther affirmed
* 1.5 The Sun is a burning plate or stone,* 1.6 many times bigger
then Peloponnesus, whose conversionn is made by the repulse of the Northern aire, which he, by compressing, makes more strong.
the Moon is a dark body, enlightned by the Sun, habitable, having plaines, hills and waters; that* 1.8 the ine∣quality in her face proceeds from a mixture, cold and earth∣ly, for there is darknesse mixt with her fiery nature, whence she is called a star of false light.* 1.9 Plato saith, that the Moon was occasion of dishonour to him, because he assumed the ori∣ginall of this opinion of her borrowing light to himselfe, where∣as it was much moreantient.
That
* 1.10 the milky way is the shadow of the earth upon that part of heaven, when the Sun, being underneath, enlightens not all:* 1.11 Or as Aristotle, that
the Milkie way is the light of some starres, for the Sun being under the earth, looks not upon some starres, the light of those on whom he looks is not seen, being swallowed up in his; the proper light of those