But Men
See Another Star, The Contrary To Him, That Is Toward The South,
That Is Clept Antartic.
And right as the ship-men take their
advice here and govern them by the Lode-star, right so do ship-men
beyond those parts by the star of the south, the which star
appeareth not to us.
And this star that is toward the north, that
we clepe the Lode-star, ne appeareth not to them. For which cause
men may well perceive, that the land and the sea be of round shape
and form; for the part of the firmament sheweth in one country that
sheweth not in another country. And men may well prove by
experience and subtle compassment of wit, that if a man found
passages by ships that would go to search the world, men might go
by ship all about the world and above and beneath.
The which thing I prove thus after that I have seen. For I have
been toward the parts of Brabant, and beholden the Astrolabe that
the star that is clept the Transmontane is fifty-three degrees
high; and more further in Almayne and Bohemia it hath fifty-eight
degrees; and more further toward the parts septentrional it is
sixty-two degrees of height and certain minutes; for I myself have
measured it by the Astrolabe. Now shall ye know, that against the
Transmontane is the tother star that is clept Antarctic, as I have
said before. And those two stars ne move never, and by them
turneth all the firmament right as doth a wheel that turneth by his
axle-tree.
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