COSMOGRAPHIAE.

Two are the parts of Cosmography. The one is Geography, that is, the description and representation of the entire globe constituted of land and sea, by which it is demonstrated how widely the orb of the lands extends. I judge the knowledge of this matter to be necessary for people of other ranks and most especially for Princes themselves.

The other is Astrology, or Astronomy, that is, the science of the stars, which treats the entire system of the celestial orbs and teaches by what laws the stars are held.

But truly, unless the knowledge of the celestial orbs comes first, Geography cannot be understood with any profit. For without this, it is necessarily unknown which region leans more toward which part of the world, whether toward the east, west, south, or north. Furthermore, what causes have force regarding heat and cold in each climate. Why days are shorter or longer in some places and not others: likewise, in certain places, they are always equal to the nights: and, what causes greater wonder, at fixed times they are equal everywhere on earth. Finally, for what reason winds blowing from one direction are hotter, colder, more moist, or drier than from another. Since these things are so, we shall begin our explanation from Heaven.

Experience itself sufficiently testifies that the celestial orbs

Vocabulary: Cosmography, Geography, Astrology, Astronomy, climate, celestial orbs