52 History of Nature. [Boon. ii. 



be certain and several to every one, but because the Lines 

 which are drawn from the Top of the Absis must needs 

 approach each other about the Centre, as the Spokes in 

 Wheels : and the same Motion, by Reason of the Nearness 

 of the Centre, seemeth in one Place greater, in another less. 

 The other Cause of their Sublimities is, for that in other 

 Signs they have the Absides elevated highest from the 

 Centre of their own eccentric Circles. Thus Saturn is in the 

 greatest Height in the 20th Degree of Libra, Jupiter in the 

 15th of Cancer, Mars in the 28th of Capricorn, the Sun in 

 the 29th of Aries, Venus in the 1 6th of Pisces, Mercury in 

 the 15th of Virgo, and the Moon in the 4th of Taurus. The 

 third Reason of their Altitude is not taken from their Circles, 

 but understood by the Convexity of the Sky, for that these 

 Planets seem to the Eye, as they rise and fall, to mount up 

 or settle downward through the air. To this is united an- 

 other Cause also, which is, the Zodiac Obliquity and Latitude 

 of the Planets, in Regard of the Ecliptic : for through it the 

 Stars which we called wandering do take their Course. 

 Neither is there any Place inhabited upon Earth, but that 

 which lieth under it. For all the Rest without the Poles are 

 desert. Only the Planet Venus goeth beyond the Circle of 

 the Zodiac, two Degrees : which is supposed to be the effi- 

 cient Cause, that certain living Creatures are bred even in 

 the desert Parts of the World. The Moon likewise rangeth 

 throughout all the Breadth of it, but never goeth out of it. 

 Next after these the Star Mercury hath the largest Scope 

 in the Zodiac, but yet so, as of twelve Degrees (for that is the 

 Breadth thereof) he wandereth but eight, and those not 

 equally, but two in the midst, four above, and two beneath. 

 Then the Sun in the midst, goeth always between the two 

 Extremities of the Zodiac ; but in his declining Course he 

 seemeth to wind unequally, after the Manner of Serpents. 

 Mars leaveth the ecliptic Line four half Degrees, Jupiter 

 two Degrees and a half, Saturn two, like as the Sun. Thus 

 you see the Manner of the Latitudes, as they descend south- 

 ward, or ascend northward. And upon this is the Reason 

 grounded of the third Opinion of them, who imagine that 



