Hiftorie of the fndict* lib.i. 



another place then where they pretended to go. Once 

 a very expert Pilot of Portugal told mee, that there 

 were foure poyntes in all the world,whereas the needle 

 looked diredly towards the North, the which hee na 

 med, but I do not well remember them. One is in the 

 height of the Hand of Corvo at the Ter ceres or Acorcs^ 

 which is very well knovvne to all men : but palling to a 

 greater altitude , it declines to the Weft : and contra- 

 ri wife , drawing to a lefTe altitude, towardes the Equi- 

 noctiall , it leancs to the Eaft. The matters of this 

 Arte can well tell how farre and how much . For 

 my part, I would gladly know, of fuch as prefume 

 to knowe all thinges , what fhould bee the caufe of 

 th'is eflfed , and for what reafon , a little yron ton- 

 ched with the Adamant ftone , rcceyves fuch ver- 

 tue, as to lookealwayes towards the North , and with 

 fuch dexteritie,thatitvnderftandcth thefundry Cly% 

 mates and fcituations of the world, and which way it 

 fliould turne and incline 5 as well as any Philofbpher or 

 Cofinographcr whatfbever. And feeing wee cannot 

 well difcovcr the caules and reafons of thefe thinges 

 which wee fee dayly , without doubt they were very 

 hard tobeleeve, if they were not apparent. Herein we 

 difcover our follie & vanitie, to make our felves iudges c 

 & to fubieft divine & high things to our reafon & di 

 courfe. Itis therefore better , as S. Gregork the divine 

 fayth, to fubieft reafon vnto faith, for that in her owne 

 manfionfliehathno governement. But this (hall fuf 

 fice. Let vs returne to our purpofe,and conclude, that 

 the vfe of the needle to {ayle by , was vnknowne to the 

 Ancients : whereby we may refblVc, that it was impo 

 fible to make a determined voyage, parting from the 

 other world, to come to this by the Ocean. 



Wkenm 



