GEORGE BESTS DISCOURSE a.b. 



1578. 

 from our upper hemisphere at the 18 parallel under the 

 horizon maketh an end of twilight, so that at length 

 the darke night insueth, and that afterward in the morn- 

 ing the Sun approching againe within as many parallels, 

 doth drive away the night by accesse of the twilight. 

 Againe, by the position of the sphere under the pole, 

 the horizon, and the equinoctiall are all one. These 

 revolutions therefore that are parallel to the equinoctiall 

 are also parallel to the horizon, so that the Sunne de- 

 scending under that horizon, and there describing certaine 

 parallels not farre distant, doth not bring darke nights to 

 those regions untill it come to the parallels distant 18 [III. 57.] 

 degrees from the equinoctiall, that is, about the 21 degree 

 of Scorpio, which will be about the 4 day of our 

 November, and after the Winter solstitium, the Sunne 

 returning backe againe to the 9 degree of Aquarius, 

 which will be about the 19 of January; during which 

 time onely, that is, from the 4 day of November untill 

 the 19 day of January, which is about six weeks space, 

 those regions do want the commodity of twilights : 

 therefore, during the time of these sayd six moneths of 

 darknesse under the poles, the night is destitute of the 

 benefit of the Sunne and the sayd twilights onely for the The regions 

 space of six weeks or thereabout. And yet neither this under the poles 

 time of six weeks is without remedy from heaven; for ™* * s ixe % wfeh 

 the Moone with her increased light hath accesse at that 

 time, and illuminateth the moneths lacking light every 

 one of themselves severally halfe the course of that 

 moneth, by whose benefit it commeth to passe that the 

 night named extreame darke possesseth those regions no 

 longer then one moneth, neither that continually, or all 

 at one time, but this also divided into two sorts of shorter 

 nights, of the which either of them indureth for the space 

 of 1 5 dayes, and are illuminate of the Moone accordingly. 

 And this reason is gathered out of the sphere, whereby 

 we may testifie that the Summers are warme and fruitfull, 

 and the Winters nights under the pole are tolerable to 

 living creatures. And if it be so that the Winter and 



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