or Brass Pen, but with an excellent Art, by the help of Peter Gernefham, my Servant: Finished it was in the year 1466, the 4th of February. Of this Book there are divers Printed Copies feen, by feveral, for Pafquier faith he had one: Sadmuth faith, there is one in the Publick Library of Ausburg; another in Emanuel Celledge in Cambridge; another in the Publick Library at Oxford: And another of them is (or lately was) in the poffeffion of my worthy Friend, Dr. Francis Barnard in London.-Polider Virgil, from the Report of the Megamines themselves, attribute the Invention of this Art to John Gutenberg a Knight, dwelling at Mentz, Anno 1440, and with him agree divers Learned Men; But the forementioned Faus (from him) was the first that made proof thereof in Printing of Books, and by what is before faid, Tully's Offices was the first Book Printed that we have any Record of...It was first brought into England, and practifed in London by one William Caxto Mercer, in the year 1471. As concerning the Printing ufed in China above 1600 years before, it is quite different from what we ufe now in Europe: For whatfoever they Print, is firf cut out in Wood, and Inked over with a Ball of Cloath, upon which the Paper being laid, they rowl over with a wooden Rowler covered with a foft Woollen Cloath: which is no o. ther than as Card-Makers Print their Cards; and thofe that make Patterns for Women and Children to Work by do. : II. Guns, Sir Walter Raleigh will have them to be found out by the Indians Petrach and Vulturius will have it to be the Invention of Archimedes: But the Common (and most received) Opinion is, That it was first found out by a Monk of Germany; who, by chance, a fpark of Fire falling into a Pot of Nitre, which he had prepared for fome Chymical Experiment, it caused it to fly upwards: He thereupon made a Compofition, which he enclosed in an Inftrument of Brafs or Iron; and putting Fire to it, found his conclufion to take effect. The first Publick ufe of Guns (fays Magius) was about the year 1380, or 1400 (fays Ramus) at a Battel between the Genoways and the Venetians at Cledia Faffa where the Venetians fo galled their Enemies, that they faw themselves wounded and flain, and knew not by what means. III. The Mariners Compafs, an admirable Invention, of which the Time when, and the Author who, is uncertain. Dr. Gilbers of Oxford, who hath writ a Large and Learned Difcourfe of the Load-ftone, feems to be of Opinion, that Paulus Venetus brought the Invention from the Chineses.--Oforius refers it to Gama a Portugal.---Goropius Becanus attributes it to the Germans, becaufe the 32 Points of the Compafs receive their names from the Dutch in all Languages.----But Blondus, who is therein followed by Pancirollus, will not have Italy lose the praise thereof, telling us, that about the year 1300, it was found out at Melphis, a City in the Kingdom of Naples, but Blandus names him not; and the other, Poncirollus fays, he is not known: Yet Salmuth, out of Ciezus and Gomara, confidently attributes it to Flavius, and fo doth Du Bartus; whose Verses upon this matter (as they are Translated by Silvefter) are, We're not so much to Ceres bound for Bread, As As Siegnior Flavio to thy witty Trial, Whereby we're fteer'd with Trouchman, Guide and Lamp, IV. Sailing Coaches were the Invention of Simon Stevinius in the Netherlands. Of one of thefe Coaches Peireskius made tryal of its swiftness in the year 1606, (after his Victory at Newport) he put himfelf, together with Francis Mendoza his Prifoner, into one of them at Scheveling, and within two hours they arrived at Putten, which is above 40 Miles. V. Dice, Ball, Cards, Tables, Chefs, Draughts, and fuch like Games, were first invented by the Lydians. VI. The Phenicians are faid to be the firft Builders of Ships; They first invented open Veffels.--The Ægyptians, Ships with Decks; and Gallies with two Banks of Oars on a fide.-Great Ships of Burthen, were first made by the Cyprians.--Cock-Boats and Skiffs by the Illyr ans and Libinnians.-Brigantines by the Rhodians.----Frigats or Light Barks by the Cyrenians. Men of War,, by the Pamphilians. As for Tackle, The Beetians invented the Oar---Dedalus of Crete, Masts and Sails--- Anacharfis, Grapling Hooks---The Tufcans Anchors---Typhis, the Rudder, Helm, and Art of Steering. VII. The Sicilians (faith Pliny) were anciently famous for Invention, as Hour-Glaffes, called Clepfira: Military Engines, brought to great perfection by Archimedes---Palamedes first instituted Centinels in an Army, and the Watch-word.---Penthefilea, Queen of the Amazons, first invented the Battel-Axe. VIII. The Inhabitants of Sidon are faid to be the firft makers of Glafs; the Materials for the Work being firft brought over from the Sands of a River running not far from Ptolomais, and only made Fufible in this City. The Mystery of making of Glafs here in England was brought over by one Benault, a Foreign Bishop, in the year 662. IX. To the Flemings is attributed the making of Cloath; ArrasHangings; Dornix and Tapestry, Mufical Inftruments, Clocks, Watches, Coaches, Chariots, Painting in Oil; Nealing upon Glafs, &c. The first that brought Cloathing into England was K. Edward the 3d, by Transporting fome Families of Artificers from Gannt hither. X. Bra 15 X. Brachygraphy, or the Art of Writing Short by Characters, is faid, by Dion, to be invented by Mecenas, the great favorite of Augustus Cæjar, ad celeritatem fcribendi; for the fpeedy difpatch of Writing. XI. The Baking and Boyling of Sugar, as it is now used, is not above200 years old, and the Refining thereof more new. It was firft found out by the Venetians. XII. Of Paper; That which was firft in Ufe, was the Invention of the Ægyptians; for on the Banks of the River Nilus, grew thofe fedgy Weeds called Popyri, which have fince given the Name to Paper. By means of this Invention Ptolomy Philadelphus was inabled to make his excellent Library at Alexandria. After this (thefe fedgy leaves being prohibited to be tranfported out of Egypt) Attalus, King of Pergamus, invented the ufe of Parchment, made of the Skins of Sheep and Calves, from the Materials called Membrana and Pergamena, from the Place where it was invented. The convenience hereof was fuch, that in fhort time the Egyptian Paper was worn out of ufe, in place whereof fucceeded the Paper we now use made of Rags; The Author of which excellent Invention is not left by our Ancestors to Pofterity: But the Lord Bacon reckons it amongst the fingularities of Art, although it derives its Pedigree from the Dung-hill. XIII. Of all the Inventions and Productions of Humane Wit, that of Writing is the moft admirable and Useful: For by means thereof, a man may Copy out his very thoughts; utter his mind without opening his Mouth; and fignifie his pleasure at any distance howfoever remote; and all this by the help of 24. Letters, and in fome Alphabets fewer: By the Various joyning and combining of which, all words utterable or imaginable may be framed: For the feveral varieties or changes of thefe 24 Letters, as Clavius hath computed (and it is easie to do, though laborious) to amount to. 5852616738497664000. So that all things that are, or were, or can be imagined to be, may be expreffed and fignified by help of this marvelous Alpbabet. This Miracle of inventions hath loft its Mafter, for it is fet down by Thomas Read among the Inventa Adefpota, And thus fung by him. Quifquis erat, mervit fenii tranfcendere metas, XIV. Notwithstanding the Invention of Letters is attributed to the Phænicians, As Sandys in Chrifts Passion, A&t. 1. Phenicians, who did firft produce The The Phenicians inhabited between the Great Sea and Galle (fo called of Phenix their King, the fifth in defcent from Jupiter :) honoured for the invention of Letters: As Lucan, Lib. 3. Phenicians first expreft (if Fame be true,) The fix'd Voice in rude Figures. Memphis knew And thefe Letters Cadmus, the Son of Agenor, communicated to the Grecians. XV. The first Invention of the Artificial Sphere or Globe is not evidently know; fome think (with Pliny) that it was fouud out by Atlas, and carryed into Greece by Hercules: Others have afcribed it to Anaximander Milefius: Some to Mufæus, as Diogines Laertius: And some to other Authors, amongst whom Architas Tarentius is not forgotten. But all these were outftript by Archimedes the Syracufan Mathematician, who flourished Anno Mundi 3739, and before the Nativity of Chrift 209 years: It was he that compofed a Sphere of tranfparent Glafs: Ofwhich you have a defcription in this Treatife. Sect. Par. 3. Of fuch like Spheres Peter Ramus fayes he faw two at Paris, yet not of Glass but of iron; the one of which Ruellius the Physician brought from the Spoyls of Sicily: The other Orontius the Mathematician recovered from the German Wars. XVI. Bells are imagined to have been invented in the year of our Redemption 400, by Paulinus Bishop of Nola, a Town in Campania, where Auguftus died: They were called by the Name of Campana, because they were invented in Campania; and the Leffer Bells Nola, from the Place where they were made--The Ufe of Bells is very great, for by the benefit of them the Hours of the time ofthe Day or Night are heard a far off, whether we lye in our Beds, be abroad in the Fields, or journying on the way, although the Sun be obfcured by Clouds. Moreover, Bells call us to Divine Service: They call for help in time of Fire or other dangers or Mutinics: They call Magiftrates of Cities to their Common Halls, Judges to the Bench, Scholars in Univerfities to Congregations and Difputations: And in a Word, they help us in all publick actions.--And indeed Paulinus that Holy and Religious Bishop, didrather reform the abuse of Bells than invent them; and taught them to call Chriftians to Church to ferve God, whereas in former times their chief ufe was (as they then imagined) to chafe away Devils and evil Spirits : they hindred also Magical Inchantments, as Tibullus notes, when he thus writes ; Cantus && curru Lunam deducere tentat, Et faceret fi non ara repulsa fonent. For they believed, that by the tingling of Brafs, that the found of Magical Verfes fhould be hindred from coming up to the Moon; and when she was moved with these Verfes, this Sound relieved her: in M which which fenfe may be taken that of Statius Papinius, Thebaid. 6. --Altenitis quoties avellitur aftris, Solis opaca foror, procul anxiliantia gentes Bells are rung many times in Thunder, to reverberate the infectious Air; the like doth Great Ordnance fhot off, as well in Thunder as in foultry and close hot Weather-The Laconians when their King dyed, used to beat upon Kettles, inftead of Ringing of Bells. The Africans (especially thofe that are Prefter Johns Subjects) have Bells made of Stone. The Jews at Funerals ufed playing upon Pipes, as it may be gathered out of Matthew 9. 18, 23. Which cuftom it feemed the Romans borrowed from the Jews, as appeareth by Ovid, 1 Trist. Tibia funeribus convenit ifta meis. The Little Bell, which we commonly call the Saints Bell, John Pierius ufeth for an Hierogliphick, Teaching Preachers of Gods Word, that to the found of their Voice, they should lead their Lives accordingly; else like the Bell, While they call upon others, themselves are deaf and ftupid; in allufion whereunto, Beza hath this excellent Epigram. Aera gravi cunctos, veluti Campana fonore, And fo much concerning the Invention and use of Bells. XVII. Lucius Papyrius was the first that fet up a Sun Dial in Rome, which being only of ufe when the Sun fhined--And the hourly meafure of Time was first found out by Scippio Maffala; whereas before his time the Romans knew no diftinction in the time of the Day, than the Morning Noon and Evening; But afterwards the faid Conful. M. Val. Maffala, beautified a Columb with a Dial neer the Roftra, as Varro relatech. XVIII. Doxius, the Son of Calius, is faid to be the first that built a houfe in Athens who taking his pattern from the Nefts of the Swallows, began the way of making of Houfes with Clay; whereas, before, men dwelt in Caves and Caverns of the Earth. XIX. The first that ever began to erect Obelifqs, and confecrated thew to the Sun, they having emboffed or ingraven upon them certain Characters and Figures, which were the Egyptians Hierogliphicks, wherein a great part of their best Learning was contained; was Mitres, once King of Egypt, who held his Court in the Royal City of Heliopolis, the City ofthe Sun: And it is faid he was admonished in a Vifion or Dream fo to do: Some of thefe Obelifqs were Stones cut out of the Solid Rock, and very large, fome of them have been on every fide 7 foot and a half fquare, at the end and in length 100 foot, as was that of RamiJer, once King of Egypt. XX. Con |