Theater of Machines, Volume 4

Gardeners. Day-laborers. Farmers.

it for a hook or pump at the drawing-well, to pull the water up therewith: the porters and day-laborers use it to carry their burdens more easily: farmers use it for a yoke, with which they manage to make the oxen pull at the plow at the same time. Sailors. By sailors, however, the lever or lifting-bar is turned, and thereby made into an oar, so that this instrument also provides great utility in the water by driving the ship forward. In addition, it serves as a steering-rudder at the back of the ship, and it is to be wondered that with such a small tool one can often steer even the largest cargo ships and can guide and lead them wherever one wants. But what else is the mast in a ship but the lifting-bar, through which, along with the attachment, the wind is as if clamped and forced to drive the ship forward quickly, according to how the sail-yards are raised higher or lower. That the art of navigation brings so countless many benefits to human life is certainly something for which one must thank mechanics, and among other things, its Wood-chopping. Wine-pressing and pressing. lifting-bars. That one can divide and split large trees and marble stones with axes and wedges, item, that one can press grapes, olives, apples, pears, and other things, that comes likewise from the lever, just as the tongs, pincers, and scissors have their origin from the same, as they are almost nothing other than double-levers. Therefore, it is easily to be considered that there are few arts or crafts that can manage without this instrument. The most prominent mechanicians. Concerning now the highly experienced and far-renowned work-masters and mechanicos mechanicians, who not only have gradually invented, brought up, and increased this glorious and multifarious useful art with great diligence and high understanding, but also faithfully and willingly have [shared it] with their descendants...