Cosmography

FIRST PART

Before anyone undertakes the study of Cosmography itself, it is necessary that he first investigate the foundation, or the principles of Astronomy, which are the knowledge of the circles of the sphere, which all Cosmography employs. This will be shown most briefly in the following sections.

On the motion of the Spheres, and the division of the Heavens. Chapter II.

A large, ornate woodcut initial 'M' featuring floral patterns and a central figure or face within the letter's architecture.

The world is divided in two ways: into the Elemental region and the Ethereal. The Elemental region, being subject to constant alteration, contains the four elements: Earth, Water, Air, and Fire. Moreover, the Ethereal region (which the Philosophers call the fifth essence) surrounds the Elemental by its concavity, and remaining always an invariable substance, it encompasses ten Spheres. Of which the larger always surrounds the nearest smaller one spherically (in the order that follows). First, therefore, around the sphere of fire, God the architect of the world placed the little sphere of the Moon: then that of Mercury; afterwards that of Venus, then the Sun; then that of Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Each of these, however, has only a single star; these stars, measuring the Zodiac, always struggle against the motion of the primum mobile, or tenth sphere; otherwise, they are diaphanous bodies, that is, entirely transparent. Next follows the firmament, which is the starry sphere, and which trembles in two small circles around the beginnings of Aries and Libra of the ninth sphere: and this motion is called by astronomers the motion of the approach and retreat of the fixed stars. That [sphere] is surrounded by the ninth sphere?, which, since no star is discerned in it, is called the crystalline heaven. Finally, the primum mobile, which is called the tenth heaven, embraces these ethereal spheres in its circuit, and around? the poles of the world, with a revolution made once in an interval? of 24 hours. And it revolves all the lower spheres at the same time by its impetus, and no? star exists in it. Against this, the motions of the other spheres, running from the west through the south to the east, struggle. Beyond this, whatever exists is immobile, and the professors of our orthodox faith affirm that it is the Empyrean heaven (where God dwells with the elect).