Latitude. Yet the three Stars TaUUcium or the Bulls 
Eye, Sirius and ArEfurus do contradid this Rule di- 
rc(9:ly: for by it, ? alilicium hting in the days of Hip‘ 
parchus in about lo gr. of Taurus ought to be about 
Min. more Southerly than at prefent, and Sirius being 
then in about of Gemini ought to be xo Min. more 
Southerly than now ; yet e contra Ftolomy places the fird 
^o Min. and the other xx more Northerly in Latitude 
than we now find them. Nor are thefe errors of Tran* 
fcription, but arc proved to be right by the dedinarions 
of them fet down by Ptolemy, as obferved by Timocharis, 
Hipparchus and himfeh, which (hew that thofe Latitudes 
are the fame as thoie Authors intended. As to ArEiurus, 
he is too near the Equinodial Colure, to argue from 
him concerning the change of the Obliquity of the 
Ecliptick, h\xi ^Ptolomy gives him 33' rooit North Lati- 
tude than he now^ has ; and that greater Latitude is like- 
Wife confirmed by the Declination^ delivered by the a- 
bovefaid Obfervers. So then all thefe three Stars are 
found to be above half a degree more Southerly at this 
time than the Antients reckoned them. When on the 
contrary at the fame time the bright Shoulder of Orion 
has in Ptolemy almoft a degree more Southerly Latitude 
than at prelent. What fliall vve fay then? ftisfcarce 
• credible chat the Antients could be deceived info plain 
a matter, three OblCrvers confirming each other. Again 
thefe Stars being the mofl confpicuous in Heaven, are in 
all probability the neareff to the Earth, and if they have 
any particular Morion of their owmi, it is mofl likely 
to be perceived in them, which in fo long a time as s 800 
Years may fliew it felf by the alteration of their places, 
though it be utterly imperceptible in thefpace of a fin* 
gle emuvy of Years. Yet as to Sirius it may be obfer- 
ved that Tycho Brahe makes him x Min more Northerly 
than we now find him, whereas he ought to be above as 
much 
