For, For The Greatness Of The Earth
And Of The Sea, Men May Go By A Thousand And A Thousand
Other ways,
that no man could ready him perfectly toward the parts that he came
from, but if it were
By adventure and hap, or by the grace of God.
For the earth is full large and full great, and holds in roundness
and about environ, by above and by beneath, 20425 miles, after the
opinion of old wise astronomers; and their sayings I reprove
nought. But, after my little wit, it seemeth me, saving their
reverence, that it is more.
And for to have better understanding I say thus. Be there imagined
a figure that hath a great compass. And, about the point of the
great compass that is clept the centre, be made another little
compass. Then after, be the great compass devised by lines in many
parts, and that all the lines meet at the centre. So, that in as
many parts as the great compass shall be departed, in as many shall
be departed the little, that is about the centre, albeit that the
spaces be less. Now then, be the great compass represented for the
firmament, and the little compass represented for the earth. Now
then, the firmament is devised by astronomers in twelve signs, and
every sign is devised in thirty degrees; that is, 360 degrees that
the firmament hath above. Also, be the earth devised in as many
parts as the firmament, and let every part answer to a degree of
the firmament. And wit it well, that, after the authors of
astronomy, 700 furlongs of earth answer to a degree of the
firmament, and those be eighty-seven miles and four furlongs. Now
be that here multiplied by 360 sithes, and then they be 31,500
miles every of eight furlongs, after miles of our country. So much
hath the earth in roundness and of height environ, after mine
opinion and mine understanding.
And ye shall understand, that after the opinion of old wise
philosophers and astronomers, our country ne Ireland ne Wales ne
Scotland ne Norway ne the other isles coasting to them ne be not in
the superficiality counted above the earth, as it sheweth by all
the books of astronomy. For the superficiality of the earth is
parted in seven parts for the seven planets, and those parts be
clept climates. And our parts be not of the seven climates, for
they be descending toward the west [drawing] towards the roundness
of the world. And also these isles of Ind which be even against us
be not reckoned in the climates. For they be against us that be in
the low country. And the seven climates stretch them environing
the world.
CHAPTER XXI
OF THE PALACE OF THE KING OF THE ISLE OF JAVA. OF THE TREES THAT
BEAR MEAL, HONEY, WINE, AND VENOM; AND OF OTHER MARVELS AND CUSTOMS
USED IN THE ISLES MARCHING THEREABOUT
BESIDE that isle that I have spoken of, there is another isle that
is clept Sumobor.
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