The Nature of the Four Elements (Natura Naturata) · chunk 6 of 19
Rastell, John · published 1520 · first performed or written 1517 [c.1517-c.1518] (Annals) not in BritDrama unassigned nearest T24 Apollo, Phoebus and the Muses · 505 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T24: apollo, phoebus, midas, muses, ears, play, hedone, gods, siren, time.
¶Me thynkyth my selfe as to some of those poītꝭ I could give a sufficient solution For furst of all thou must needs grant this That the earth is so deep and bottom hath non Or else there is some gross thing it stondyth upon Or else that it hangeth thou must nedis consent Euyn in the myddis of the firmament what than go forth with thine argument Than mark well in y● day or in a winters night The soon and moon and sterris celestial In the est furst they do apere to thy sight after in the west they do down fall again in the morrow next of all xxiiij hours they be come Just To●● est pointis again where thou sawist them fur●● T●an if the earth should be of endless de●nes Or should stand upon any other gross th●●g● It should be an impediment doubtless To the son moan and sterris in their moving They should not so in the est again spring Therefore in reason it seemeth most convenient The earth to hang in the myddis of the firmament Thine argument in the point doth me confound That thou hast made but yet it ꝓuytht not right That the earth by reason should be round For though the firmament with his sterris bright Compass about the earth each day and night yet the earth may be plain ꝑaduentnre Quadrant triangle or some other figure That it can not be plain I shall well ꝓue the Be cause the sterris that a rise in the orient Appear more sooner to them that there be Than to the other dwelling in the occident The eclipse is thereof a plain experiment Of the son or moon which whane it doth f● Is never one time of the day in placies all yet the eclipse generally is alway In the hole world as one time being But when we that dwell here see it in the mydday They in the west partis see it in the morning And they in the est behold it in the evening And why that should so be no cause can be found But only by reason that the earth is round That reason proveth the earth at the least One ways to be round I cannot gain say As for to account from the est to the west But yet not withstanding all that it may Less his rowndenesse by some other way nam no doubt it is round every where which I could prove thou shoudest not say nay if I had thereto any time and leser But I know a man called experience Of diverse instruments is never without Cowde prove all these points & yet by his scyē● Can tell how many mile the earth is a bout many other strange conclusions no doubt ●●●ys instruments could show them so certain ●●at every rude carter should them ꝑsayve plain Now would to god I had that man now here For the contembtacyon of my mind
seed 43: T49 · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
¶Me thynkyth my selfe as to some of those poītꝭ I coude gyue a suffycyent solucyon For furst of all thou must nedys graunt this That the yerth is so depe and botom hath non Or els there is some grose thyng hit stōdyth vpon Or els that it hangyth thou must nedꝭ consent Euyn in the myddꝭ of the fyrmament ¶what than go forth with thyne argument ¶Thā marke well in y• day or in a wynters nyght The sone and mone and sterris celestyall In the est furst they do apere to thy syght after in the west they do downe fall agayne in the morowe next of all .xxiiij. houres they be come Iust To est poītꝭ again where thou sawist them fur ¶Tan yf the erthe shulde be of endles denes Or shulde stande vpon any other grose thg It shulde be an impedyment dowtles To the sone mone and sterris in theyr mouynge They shulde not so in the est agayne sprynge Therfore in reason it semyth moste conuenyent The yerth to hange in ye myddꝭ of the fyrmamēt ¶Thyne argument in ye poynt doth me cōfoūde That thou hast made but yet it ꝓuytht not ryght That the yerth by reason shulde be rounde For though ye fyrmament with his sterris bryght Compas aboute the yerth eche day and nyght yet the yerthe may be playne ꝑaduentnre Quadrant triangle or some other fygure ¶That it can not be playne I shall well ꝓue the Be cause the sterris that a ryse in the oryent Appere more soner to them that there be Than to the other dwellynge in the occident The eclypse is therof a playne experymente Of the sone or mone which whane it dothe f Is neuer one tyme of the day in placys all ¶yet the eclyps generally is alwaye In the hole worlde as one tyme beynge But whan we that dwell here see it in ye mydday They in the west partis see it in the mornynge And they in the est beholde it in the euenyng And why that sholde so be no cause can be found But onely by reason that the yerthe is rownde That reason proueth the yerth at the lest One wayes to be rownde I cannot gayne say As for to accompt frome the est to the west But yet not withstondynge all that it may Lese hys rowndenesse by some other waye Na no dowte yt is rownde euery where which I coulde proue thou shoudest not say nay yf I had therto any tyme and leser But I knowe a man callyd experyens Of dyuers instrumentys is neuer without Cowde proue all these poyntys & yet by his scyē Can tell how many myle the erthe is a bowte many other straūge cōclusiōs no dowte ys instrumentys cowde shew thē so certayn at euery rude carter shold them ꝑsayue playn Now wolde to god I had yt man now here For the contembtacyon of my mynde