THE Author of the Treatise of Magneticall Animaduersions deliuereth in his Epistle before his Booke to Sir Dudley Digges , that he had somewhat entred into the admirable and secret virtues of the Load-stone by the space of these forty yeares , by reading other mens Writings , by his owne industrie and practise : and what he hath collected and found , this little treatise will shew . Which , whether it bee any thing or nothing , hee referreth to the Iudicious Readers consideration ; but in speciall , to Sir Dudley Digges his fauourable construction and good acceptance .

This great allegation of his long and continuall paines for these fortie yeares , in searching out the properties of the Magnet , would draw any man into a wonderfull expectation of very rare , obstruse , laborious inuentions , such as the learned wits of the world neuer imagined or suspected would euer haue come to light : but now that they are set abroad in print , all may see what strange inuentions they are , most of them being before set out by doctor Gilbert , and there is almost no proposition or portrature in this Booke , which most Mariners Instrument-makers , Compasse-makers , Clocke-makers , Smiths , and Cutlers of the better and more vnderstanding sort about London and the Suburbs haue not knowne , practized , and made , long before the Coppy of this Treatise was deliuered to sir Thomas Challenor seauen yeares since , who by reason of their daily vse of Load-stones , may likewise prescribe in the virtues of them . For when the Smiths and Cutlers that cut and formed that excellent Load-stone in the time of Queene Elizabeth , before Doctour Gilberts death , which tooke vp an Anchore weighing about twenty foure pounds in weight , which my Lord Arundell then bought of them , with all their implements , and now possesseth : with what practises and experiments did these men driue the people into an admiration of the properties of the Load-stone ? and also with what great varietie of trickes and deuices did they wonderfully content the common people , being very subtill and obseruant to learne and increase their skill , not sparing their pains to visit all whom they thought knew any thing in that kinde of practise .

Many yeares since , his friends , some honourable personages before and since Doctor Gilbers Booke was printed , and the Doctor himselfe , vnto whom hee had shewed his obseruations , were desirous to haue him publish them , but aboue all , Sir Thomas Chalenor preuailed most , and hee deliuered him this Treatise finished as now it is , sauing some new Additions to print , seauen yeares since which was lost , so that three yeares after hee had another sent , and knoweth not what is become of that also : but it is said that manie portratures of his , and propositions , are in another mans Booke , who vsurpeth that hee vnderstandeth not .

In this Treatise of his there be not many , or scarse anie propositions or formes , which Doctor Gilbert hath not , and I finde by now borrowing your written Coppie , which I neuer sawe but one night before , that this Booke hath not halfe so many formes or tipes as your Booke hath , which are but very few , and very easie to be inuented ; so that if you had named , and noted the portratures and propositions you do claime as your owne , then the matter had sooner beene answered , then now it can be roued at . And I know verie well , that some noble personages , and others haue had some few formes , now by you set downe , made them by Smiths , and Instrument-makers , and many other fine formes and implements Magneticall : I gesse some long time before your late Coppies came forth , and such as none hath as yet set forth , being oppropriate vnto their owne cabbanet ; so that a man may wonder at this mans ouerweening of his owne Inuentions and witte , that hee would tie all vnder his conceit , not to deuise or know any thing that he thinketh that hee knoweth , where most of those propositions and deuices , that he vttereth in this booke , are most of thē in Doctor Gilberts Booke , as I said before , or else such ordinarie things that any ingenious workeman hath or may easily in uent and make ; vnlesse you hold al men Dulberts like your rare workman of Winchester , whom our master work men of London account a very bungler ; neither booteth it much who doth owne them , whereas in trueth , learning and ingenious deuices are subiect to al men , that shall study and labour curiously in the same : and what reason is there that you should take what you list out of Doctor Gilberts Booke , as you say in the Preface , and somwhat out of mine , and yet go about in bad terms to deny that libertie vnto others . If you had printed your deuices first , before Doctor Gilbert set forth his Booke , or presently vpon it : then had you beene Authour of these matters , but now you make claime too late , when all men possesse them , before you Printed this Treatise or gaue out your written Coppies ; and such as desired the same of you , peraduenture expected from fortie yeares practise , greater matters then these , which , no doubt , they knew for the most part before .

Moreouer , you say in the Preface , that you may truely affirme , that searching with diligence Doctor Gilberts first fiue Bookes , you found all things agreeable to the diligent obseruations of diuers men of experience , although in some matters of the Load-stone his experiments and yours did disagree , for which you haue his letters to shew : and concerning the sixt Booke entreating of the Motion of the Earth , you doe no whit beleeue it , by any perswasions out of the reasons he produceth out of other men , or by his owne inuentions from Magneticall force , to proue the Earths motion , which you thinke to bee vntrue .

Here you seeme to taxe Doctor Gilbert for hauing magneticall Experiments disagreeing from yours , whereof you admonished him in his life time , and he tooke it in good part , his bookes are in print for all men to read , your exceptions you doe not make knowen either in this Preface ; or in your booke following , therefore I hold this a needlesse imputation , making your selfe both a secret accuser and Iudge , But his sixt booke can no waies bee acceptable vnto you , being for fortie yeares a Student in Magniticall Philosophie , and daily conuersant in his Bookes , I wish you had set downe your reasons , why you persist in a contrary opinion vnto him . If I might bee so bold I desire to aske you this question ; it is written in the first Chapter of Genises the sixth verse , that God made the Firmament before hee cleered and made the earth , in the 10. verse ; I would demaund what this Firmament was ? is it not expausuum tennissimam vniuersi , in quo omnia ponuntur & mouentur . For wheresoeuer wee trauell , wee see the brightnesse and thinnesse of it , and most of the Globes and Starres placed and moouing in it : Then the next thing I would learne is , whether when God created the Earth , hee did not lay the foundation thereof in this Firmament as wee see other Globes to be , as the Psamist King Dauid recordeth , that God hath laied the foundation of the world , and all that therein is . Psalme 89 verse 11. where in the 12 verse hee saith that God created the North and the South , which in my opinion is as much as if hee should say that God created the Magneticall vertues , as we terme it of North and South in the earth , to hold him sure as vpon a foundation from altering his position , and placing North and South , in his iust eleuation , and therefore it is true that the earth is thus firmely seated by virtue tending from the whole body to the two Poles , as I haue demonstrated in my Booke of Magneticall bodies and Motions ; likewise in the 48 Chapter of Ieb the 4 and 5 verses , God telleth Iob , that he laied the foundation of the earth , with all the measures thereof , and the line ouer it . Whereby I conceiue , that God founded and seated the earth by Magneticall vertue in the North and South , and the measures thereof and lines be Meridians , Parralels , and aequinoctiall line , whereby Trauellers and Marriners measure the earth about , both by the degrees of Longitude , and also by the Degrees of Latitude , so that this is a true Maxime and Axiome that Deus & natura nihil fecerunt frustra . That wheras there is an aequator on the body of the earth and parralells thereunto , which haue no power Magneticall to retaine themselues in any place , but all such abilities of retention passe with the Meridians , to fortifie and make a sure stay at the Poles in the North & South , what natural thing can there be that should hinder the Globe of the earth thus firmly fixed on his Poles to keepe his seat in the North and South from mouing other parts , which can resist no vigorous power that is able to turne his whole body round about , as it were vpon an Axoltree from the West towards the East , and if the earthes weight and grauitie might peraduenture be an hinderance hereunto , then thereis an other Axiome that nihil in proprio loco graue , or rather that nil mobile insuoperfecto vigore graue , for let a man be in youth , health , and perfect strength , it is not a wearinesse but a pleasure to walke and mooue ; but in these great Globes and Starres , whose vigour and power is coeternall with the world , God hath set an ordinance that shall not passe , and as it is in the meeter ; To them he made , a Law and trade for aye to last , Psal . 148.6 . Now I would learne what Ordinance , Law and Trade these Globes and Starres haue , which are placed in this thin Firmanent , which are coaeternall with the world ; and which shall continue as long as the world shall last , if it be not there indefatigable motion to moue naturally , or erraticably like baly errants to turne about , to giue and receiue thee lightsomes beames and influences benefitiall one to an other , and to make other motions about their Center , according vnto the faculties giuen them at their creation . And who is there that can imagine that the Earth being mother of so many Infants , as shee is enioyned presently vpon the Creation , Gen. 1. vers . 11.12 . to bring forth should be such a lasie and vnkinde nourse , that shee should onely foster them with the naturall heat of her bosome , and to take no paines to moue and turne her selfe about , and carrie them all to receiue indifferently the liuely and warme beames and lights of the Sunne and Starres , which were created the day after , verses 16 , 17 , 18 , 19. These things I haue set downe , not hoping to perswade you any whit , or others who are to much adicted to that they sucked from their youth out of Philosophers , which all Schollers read after they haue beene two yeares in the Vniuersities , especially from their old friend Aristotle , whom you say you would forsake to embrace the truth , and though many things of great moment in him of Philosophie and Anotomy were confuted demonstratiuely by Galen long since , yet because all read the first , and very few the latter , but onely professors in Physicke , so that his opinions are almost imbraced by all , yet now in these daies , where dies Diemdocet , by the multitude of the writings and labours of late most learned Writers , it is come to bee an vsuall assertion in the Schooles that , in Anatomicis & Astronomies errauit Aristoteles ; and certainely if wee shall obserue and ponder what a thing the wonderfull vastnesse of expansion , the fine and thin Firmament hath , and what a great distance there is betweene the earth and the farthest limits ( for Spheres are but fained ) of the aduancement of Saturne from the earth , but especially of the fixed Starres , which are held to be remoued as farre againe and much mooue from Saturne , it might be said , that the earth firmed in her position might mooue her whole bodie many thousand miles from place to place , and yet there would bee found no excentritie of the fixed starres by the earth , and all those arguments which are vsed by Aristotle , Ptolomie , Regiomontamis , Iohannes de Sacrobosco and others to proue , that the earth is centrum vniuersi would bee no otherwise , then now they are , for the earth is not centrum vniuersi , but is as it were punctum insensibile respectu vniuersi & stellarum fixarum , and no doubt but that Copernicus and Tichobrahe most perfect and exact Astronomers , who make the Sunne to be centrum vniuersi & planetarum accompted the said arguments and proofes to be of force , and as truely verified of the Sunne , as of the earth if a man might passe thether to trie the same , and whereas you professe your selfe to be so diligent a reader of Doctor Gilberts bookes , most worthie of great commendations for his first inuentions , and great paines in the Magneticalls , that you would a little peruse Master Wrights Epistle vnto him prefixed before his booke ; hee was a verie skilfull and painefull man in the Mathematickes , a worthy reader of that lecture of Nauigation for the East-Indian Company , and it is a great defect to that art , that that Lecture should not bee continued and more liberally maintained , their gaines being so great , this man tooke great paines in correcting the printing of Doctor Gilberts booke , and was very conuersant with him ; I hauing often conferred with him , and considering of the sixt booke which you no way beleeue , I asked whether it was any way of his making or assistance , for that I knew him most perfect in Copernicus from his youth , and he denied that hee gaue any aide thereunto , I replied that the 12 Chapter of the 4 Booke must needs be his , because of the table of the fixed Starres , so he confessed that hee was the Author of that Chapter , and inquiring further whether he obserued the Author skilfull in Copernicus , he answered that hee did not , then it was found that one Doctor Gissope was much esteemed by him , and lodged in his house whom we knew alwaies to be a great Scholler in the Mathematick , who was a long time entertained by Sir Charles Chandish , hee was a great assistance in that matter as we iudged , and I haue seene whole sheetes of this mans owne hand writing of Demonstrations to this purpose out of Copernicus , in a booke of Philosophie copied out in an other hand , this man should haue succeeded me in Russia , had not God called him by death to a better place .

Now at length wee come to your booke , where your needles discourse of electricall attraction interruptteth your Doctrin of your long piece of clay , burnt in the fire , and laied to coole , with his ends North and South .

You say in the fourth page that that end which cooled towards the South , will draw the true North end of the needle , and that end which cooled towards the North , wil draw the true South end of the needle .

This assertion might very well haue beene one of those differences you say , was betweene you and Doctor Gilbert , if you had printed it as it was in your written coppie without that word True , which I haue borrowed to read with your printed booke , and so it had beene contrary to all experience , but by inserting that word of equiuocation , you may make any thing of it either way , for you tell vs that the true North end , will draw the true South end of the directorie needle , as though there were a true and a false South-end , and a true and a false North-end ; why doe you not set downe that you teach certainely , for thus you may make chalke cheese , and cheese chalke ; either call that North , that keepeth the North ; and that South that aspecteth the South , or else you had better say nothing , and so you should not distract the Reader , for we call all that dwell on this side the riuer of Trent , Southeren men though some were borne in Yorkeshire , and all Northren men that dwell on the North-side of the riuer Trent . For these be two things to animate and to aspect ; needles are animated from the North-pole of the Load-stone , but aspecteth the South Prouince of the Earth , and is to be called a South-end , and so it is a rule in all Magneticall endowments at the first , that if you hang this burnt clay by a thread or rush fastened about the middest of it , then that end that cooled North , and was excited from the North Prouince of the Magneticall Globe of the Earth , will turne it selfe South , and so alwaies rest it selfe , and neuer will serue on the North-side , and if you had set downe this deuise for Marriners and others to practise it , that at such times as it shall please God that they should suffer ship-wracke , and escape by pieces of the shippe , or other happy meanes to any vnknowne or vnhabited land ; yet they might , hauing lost all but their liues , by this deuise haue vsed it as a Marriners compasse to direct them to the place where they first arriued , or some other neere conuenient shore to watch whether any shippes passed that way to carrie home vnto their natiue countrie againe .

Moreouer wheras you haue added in the 10 page , which is not in your written Copie , that if a weake Load-stone be excited from a strong Magnet at both the ends with one Pole , that the violence of it driueth the contrary virtue into the middest of it , where being deuided will presently shew the contrarie propertie vnto the other two ends .

As touching the trench hereof in weake Magnets I will stay a while to make experience of it , because it is not so easie a thing for to deuide and saw a sunder Magnets presently , but this I dare assure you that in a wyer excited at both ends from one pole , this assertion is not true , for deuide this wyer in the middest and the parts cut a sunder , wilbe of a countrary nature on to the other , and but one of the other two ends will hold his first endowment .

As concerning your second Chapter , where you insert a matter of ambiguitie , whether to iustifie that you set downe in the fourth page or no , wee may doubt , and that which you affirme out of Doctor Gilbert , to call that ende North which aspecteth the North , would ouerthrow the frame and foundation of Magneticall Philosophie , if it bee seriously defended , there can be no such cause of feare as you answere your selfe Loquendum vt vulgus , for as you say in the 12 page in my words ends of like denomination will flie the one the other , also you say in the 13 page , That it is the true South-end that pointeth to the North , and the true North end that looketh towards the South , you should rather and more truely haue said , that that end that pointeth towards the North was a part animated from the South Prouince of the Load-stone , so cut out of his mine , or from a great stone , and thus shall you leaue all equiuocating ambiguities .

In the latter end of the 14 page you vtter a contrarietie to that you taught in the 13 page , that parts cut off Meridionally will point as the entire did .

This being false and contrarie to that you set down in the 13 page before , and contrary also to Doctor Gilbert , fol. 100. deserueth no other confutation .

In the 15 page you teach this doctrine that dissagreeing of the ends is onely within the Orbe of their forces , but not in their generall disposition to the earth .

It seemeth , that that your iudgement is very vncertaine ; for in the 12. and 13 page you taught the cleane contrarie to this , and to your opinion afterwards in the 43 page at large deliuered , because a part cut off is totum integrale , and seuered , will disagree from the entire or great one , in the latter end of this page you make a needlesse repetition of that you spoake of in the 12 page afore .

In the 26. and 27 pages , you haue inserted , that which is not in the written coppie , but it is more new then true , whose tipe you haue set downe in the 22 page , the matter is thus , If that the Poles bee not in the ends of the long Oual Magnet , then this long stone will not point vnto the Magneticall North and South , but falsly , and by this experiment you may so order the Magnet , that you may make him stand to any point of the Compasse whatsoeuer . Also you may so touch the wiers of the Compasse , that the Flower-de-lice shall stand to any point , although the wyers bee iustly fastened vnder it .

This is somewhat a deformed proposition you adde here , but it is altogether vntrue if the Magnet be vigorous , for shift the threed so that the Poles may be set leuell with the Horizon , and the Loadstone hanging thus , will point out the Magneticall Meridian , or else place him in his boate on the water , and hee will seat himselfe North and South , for all round Magnets , formes of many corners , all rude formes though as rough and deformed as they were broken from the Rock , hauing their Poles placed leuell with the Horizon , being put into a boate loaden with sand for that purpose , all these will rest their Poles North and South , and not to euery point of the Compasse as you write , Also you tell vs of a new deuise to touch the wiers of Compasses to turne to any point , but I gesse your wiers must be of or nere a round forme , not straight , which forme you commend though vntruely in the 68 page , to bee the best forme for wiers , or of a steele plated ring for Compasses , which I hope you will not maintaine , because you teach more truely in the 60 page , that the Magneticall force must passe along in the true axis , and these round wiers or plates haue no axis , or a very short on , if not two , but if I would goe about to tell falshoods , and trouble the reader therewith , I can say , that if you touch a ring of steele or iron in twenty places with one pole , and after touch as many opposite places with the other pole , then bring the needle of your diall to the ring , and it will point and turne to all these contrarie touches you made , first by one point , and then by the other point , as the nature of the touches were , and therefore I may conclude that this proposition is vnperfect , vnprofitable and very dangerous to be followed , for my part I thinke you had done more aduisedly to haue left it out of your booke , being a new toy to lately hatched .

You propound in the 32 page , this conceit of your long Ouall Load-stone with two teeth , taking vp more with them , or rather twise as much , as either end taketh vp seuerally ; because the virtue of both ends of the stone is infused into both the ends of the capitell of iron , and the violence of both these virtues in the ends doe striue to repell his contrarie vnto his proper end , hereby either end becommeth the stronger .

This conceit is your owne , but it is contrary to other your propositions in this booke , but how doe the ends of a wier or a capitell receiue their virtue ? but by touching and exciting from the Load-stone ; for if you touch any wier at one end , the virtue of that Pole goeth but to the middest of it , and the contrary virtue vnto the other end , and all Magneticall force is strongest in the ends as you set downe in the 63 page , and the middest is weakest ; therefore the force of touching is not repelled into the ends , by the North or South propertie but is there naturally , as in his poles , and this square piece of iron , is as it were a thicke wyer excited at once at both ends from the two teeth of the Load-stone ; so that this thing is no violent driuing to be stronger then otherwise it would bee 31 page but naturall as being vnited vnto the Magnet , I pray you to obserue your proofe and demonstration , how all the virtue is in the ends of the long piece of iron : A. and this you endeauor to prooue by three other square Capitells that haue brasse in the middest , as B. more . C. lesse and D. least brasse of them all . A. being all of iron is held fast , B. hauing most brasse and least iron applied to the two teeth of the Magnet is held weakely , C. hauing more iron then B. being applied is held more strongly , D. with least brasse and most iron is retained most strongly in comparison of the other two B. and C. if the virtue were most in the ends and teeth , why should not B. bee strongly held by his short pieces of iron in the ends of the Capitell , that fitteth the ends rather then the midst space , C. is held better ; and D. better then both the other B. and C. but clappe B.C.D. and A. altogether one aboue the other , but A. must bee lowest , as it is in the 32 page , then the two teeth of the Load-stone will lift them all vp together verie easily , the iron parts being like an halfe-moone : he had need haue his wits together to obserue what this demonstration and businesse proueth , in my conceit it proueth not that the virtue is most in the ends of A. but that the teeth will rather take vp a great whole piece of iron , then two little pieces , or that that pieces with most iron is held alongest the middest better then at both ends , or that wee may make a Capitell of iron like an halfe-moone as well as a straight one , therefore all this is vnprofitable to proue this position that the strength is violently driuen into the ends of A.

Also in the 33 page you haue another conceit , that the Capitell being ioyned to both the teeth will extend his virtue downeward scarse halfe an inch at his ends , by reason of the striuing of the virtue to make the Capitell strong at both the ends .

By this I gather that the ends are strong to hold , but vnfit to send virtue downeward , but I hold them no way fortified by any striffe of virtue , as you haue imagined which no way by these deuises is demonstrated , But contrary hereunto in the 34 page , you proue rather that the force of taking vp is in the middle of the Capitell , rather then in the ends .

In the 36 page you would haue two prominent pieces of iron fitted for , and to the image of Arsinoe or such like made of anie light stuffe for to take hold of the two teeth of a long Ouall Load-stone , placed in the roofe of some building , and no doubt but this deuise of yours would proue as conuenient , as your Capitell of B. with much intermediat brasse , which is the worst Capitell for retention , that you propounded page 31.

In the 40 page in conioyning and piecing Load-stones together , you ioyne North to North , and South to South , but in the 42 page , if your egge forme bee sawen a sunder in the middest , then if you attempt to ioyne the two halfes together , againe in length you doe ioyne them at like ends , a thing directly repugnant to the principles of Magneticall Philosophie , yet in the 43 page if you place these precisely as they were at first , they will agree together as one and the same Magnet .

Here is a mingle mangle of contrarieties , they will conioyne being of like name , if you doe conioyne the like ends together , it is directly repugnant to this arte , and yet they will agree as one Magnet , so that heere you say and vnsay , and yet say and affirme againe the same thing , so that here you play fast and loose with Magneticall principles at your pleasure .

In teaching to finde the variation of the Magneticall Meridian , from the true Meridian in the 46 page , you doe define it rightly , to the sweruing of the Magneticall needle in the Horizon from the true Meridian ; but in the latter end of this same page , you vse the helpe of an other Circle called an Almicanther , which is a circle of Allitude , so called of all that wright of the Sphere , first in the definition of the variation you thought the Horizontall circle sufficient to shew it , and to get the quantitie of it which way it lieth Easterly or Westerly , so that for this purpose there is no need of any other as of an Almicanther circle , which is a little circle .

Presently after in the 47 page , you tell vs of a Magneticall respectiue Pole , which you say is the Pole of the Magneticall Meridian , which is so much distant from the true Pole , as the variation is ; and it is as farre off the verticall point , as the true Pole is , & is of the same height aboue the Horizon .

It is strange to obserue how hee runneth on with this respectiue pole in a Magnetiall Meridian , as thought it were very true , and a thing confessed by all , but indeed it is a new matter neuer heard of before , or at least neuer allowed by any that was skilfull in Magneticall Philosophie , or by your selfe in an other , as shall appeare presently , I had thought that Doctor Gilbert had so refuted these respectiue Poles , fained by diuers , whom hee nameth with the Magneticall Mountaines on the earth , so as the world would neuer haue beene deceiued with them againe , or that any man should imagine that euer there was any such matter in truth .

And you your selfe in your written copie , whereof you had another copie vnder this mans hand , deliuered you by the partie that lent me now this copie , professe in your Epistle vnto Sir Thomas Challenor , that the reason why you write this Treatise was , because you had seene a discourse called Niecometria Magnetica , written by a French man , that vnderstood not the Magneticall Doctrine , and therefore missed far on the marke he aimed at , which man also calculated laborious tables from a wrong & erroneus foundation , namely from his supposed fixednes of the Magneticall Poles of the Earth , in the two polar circles , or neare the same within some few minutes , because you would be loath , that many or any of our nation should bee carried away with this or the like vaine position ; you haue made somewhat the more hast to publish this booke , therefore what a great noueltie or rather forgetfulnesse is it , that you should discourse of Magneticall Poles in the same Almicanter and hight with the Pole , disliking the same matter , but a little different so highly in an other : but it may be that you will answere , that you speake here of respectiue Poles and not of fixed poles as other haue done , I pray you in examining the variation , doth the Flower-de-lice or the needle respect any poles , I hope you will not affirme it although you talke here of respectiue poles , what way then shall we fish out your meaning ? In the 21 page , you bid vs make a respectiue or declinatorie needle , and by his axis to put him on a forked sticke , I iudge that now wee haue catched what you doe meane ; belike this respetiue needle , will aspect your respectiue poles , and here I am afraide that by ignorance of the Magneticals and true vse of this needle , you will runne your shippe on ground , where these new Load-starres or poles will no way aduantage you , doe you thinke that this respectiue needle will point at your respectiue poles ; it is certaine that it mounteth vp with the one point , being placed in his ring or boxe , and descendeth with the other end vnder the Horizon , but whether in this scituation he respecteth and pointeteth to the true Altitude of the respectiue poles is a matter which hereafter shal be decided ; and first I will proue that by your assertion there is not onely two , but many respectiue poles , and that shal be thus , respectiue poles are many almost infinite , and therefore not onely two ; moreouer all respectiue poles are in number proportioned to the vanitie of variations , but there bee many and almost infinit sorts of variations as you instruct vs in the 53 and 54 pages ; therefore therebe many , and almost an infinit number of respectiue poles , which if you shall grant , into what a multitulde of absudities will you fall ? for though that variations should be infinit , yet it is not necessarie that they should haue any poles or whole Meridians at all , being wholy measured and reconed vpon the Horizon from the true Meridian to the needles point , which needeth not to be called a Magneticall Meridian , being but a line of position called so for distinction sake , and not in truth , and then if there bee no whole continued Magneticall Meridians , how can there then bee any respectiue poles ?

And therefore in the latter end of the 53 page , you propound a truth of this matter , from a round vnperfect Load-stone , that hath weake matter of a Load-stone or other corrupt stuffe in it , then take a little needle of a Diall , and set it vpon the sound part of the Load-stone , and it will point on that Meridian towards the true Pole of the Magnet , after set this needle where the part is weake and corrupt , then it will point and respect an other Pole , againe set it to another false part , and the needle will respect neither of these former Poles , thus in a multiude of impefections you shall finde the needle to point according to euery particular defect , and if you should goe about to ioyne the places of resting the needle , you shall trace out a wonderfull crooked line or circle , for rectum est vnicum , obliquum infinitum , therefore these kinde of circles cannot be called Magneticall Meridinns , but rather falshoods , imperfections and deuiations from the truth , now we shall prooue that your respectiue needle so tearmed of you , doth not respect the Altitude of the respectiue Pole , for although hee hath an ascension aboue the Horizon , yet it is alwaies a great deale more then the eleuation of the pole of the world is , and therefore cannot any waies behold and aspect the respectiue Pole as you write being in the same Almicanter and Altitude with the Pole of the world , but must needs ouershoot him farre , vnlesse the obseruation should be made iust vnder the Pole , and the truth is for ought that I can finde in this Booke , you haue vttered almost nothing to informe vs that you doe vnderstand Doctor Gilberts fift booke , or the nature of the conuersion of this needle partly set out in other his former bookes ; now to tell you the truth ; the inclinatory needle maketh alwaies one kinde of angle in one and the same eleuation of the pole , and in one parralell , but the variation in one parralell is diuers and most vncertaine , for it may be 10.20 . or 30. degrees and so infinitly , then accordingly you must find out such like respectiue poles in your Almicanter remoued accordingly from the true pole , both in the foresaid places and in infinit others , therefore these respectiue poles being vncertaine infinit and vnprofitable , are therefore to bee reiected as things fained , and in themselues meerely false , so that it is a thing absolutely vnnecessary , that when you teach to finde the variation from the true Meridian vpon the Horizon , you must needes enter into a discourse of describing the same Magneticall Meridian , which you would haue passe by the respectiue Pole in that same Almicanter with the Pole of the world , for if the quantitie of variation be plainely found vpon the Horizon , by sinding out the true Meridian , you hauing but one point of a Magneticall Meridian , as I may truely affirme , which if you should follow but one mile or lesse , you shall leese your Meridian quite , and enter in an other , for if you could sinde it much further to hold out , yet it will not cause the variations thereof to bee all one and of the same quantitie ; and this was the thing that deceiued Gulielmus Nantonerius , that he set downe his Magneticall poles as you say about the polar Circle , and Antony Linton our countriman , whose laborious workes likewise neuer came to the presse , being deciued with the like matter , wherefore I hope that hereafter all fixed and respectiue poles with their Meridians wil be vtterly exploded from all mens bookes , and vtterly obliterated and blotted out as though they had neuer beene sained .

Further in the 48 page , you affirme that an Axis is the line of variation .

Here is taught a Doctrine much differing from the vnderstanding of the Sphere , or of the proiection thereof in Plano , for variation being a declination of the point of the needle or Compasse from the true Meridian , is obserued and found by lines of position or azaemuthes , and need not any axis or Meridian Diamiter to shew it other , then the said lines from the Center of the Horizon . I am very forgetfull if you doe not deliuer vnto vs in some place of this booke it may be about the 74 page , That a needle well and artificially excited and touched : will keepe the saide touch a mans life time and longer . Yet I thought good to set downe what I larely herd that Sir Thomas Rowe , who was 〈…〉 from the Kings Maiestie vnto 〈…〉 Mogoll in India , being verie skilfull in Nauigation , and very painefull in obseruing the variations of his voyage , found the variation to be but one degree about the Cape of good hope , and so coasting along the East-side of Affricke , euen vnto the Islands without the mouth of the Red-sea to the riuer Indus , found the variation of the needle to increase by degrees till it varied about twenty degrees , but that which is most memorable , is this , that in comparing his variations with other mens , hee found this difference , that hee touching his owne Compasse , and some others euery ten daies , these variations for the most part , obserued from a quicker and more liuely touch , did alwaies exceed the obseruations of other Compasses , onely touched at home in England about some three degrees , which sheweth that the Magenitall vigour will spend and proue weake and exhausted in these hot voyages in Torrida Zana .

You affirme in the 50 page , that a continent in the vast Ocean will not cause a variation of declination , in the Inclinatory instrument , which was Doctor Gilberts feare , because his hanging is but in length and breadth , and not in depth .