Page:Halliwell Collection of Letters.djvu/49

Rh by the heavenly globe; for as by the one wee knowe the revolution of the moveable yeare, so by the other wee discerne the distinction of all motion, for the philosophers define tyme to be mensura motus. Before the heavens weare created there was no naturall motion, and, by that reason, there wold be no mensura motus. That estate of beinge which was before the creacion of the woorld was called therefore eternitie; because therefore the pellican is placed firste, out of which proceedeth the cause of the motion of the globe which representeth the woorld, therefore the pellican figureth forth eternitie, and the globe representeth the begininge of tyme. The globe is moved every daie by a circular and violent motion, and therein the soone in his naturall coorse kepeth the eclipticall line, whoe, although he be likewise whirled about by the violence of primum mobile everie daie from the east to the weast, yeat in his zodiake he finissheth his naturall coorce from the weast to the easte every yeare; which tyme is said to be his period, as that also of the moone in twentie eight dales and eight minutes; that of Saturne in thirtie yeare; Jubiter in five yeare and eight dayes, and so likwise of the reste; and that of the eighth spher (which is tearmed cœlum stellatum), where the fixed starres remayne in six and thirtie thowsand yeares, which is the period of the spher, and it is called magnus annus Platonis, because he held opinion that then all thinges should beginne anew. The third yallowe great compas (that resembleth after a sorte a wheele, by reason of the forme and read lines that be like spookes,) setteth forth a callander for one hundred yeares (in the 4 corners of which be described the 4 monarchies), which was called of the poetes the age of man, and therefore they fained that Nestor lived three men's lives, because he was three hundred yeares owld, and this callander doth morally signifie age, and particular describeth the daies of the moneth, the letter Dominicall, the Epact, and the goulden number, all which be shewed by the arrowe of Apollo, there painted in the left hand of the table, and by the finger of Diana on the right side thereof. The great circompherence of this circle that is coloured yalow finisheth his cours in a yeare, the inwarde part that is coloured blewe in a hundred yeares retourneth to his period. Over which be motions of the planetes, as they geave the denomination to the daies, as on sunday the sonne presenteth him self, drawen in a chariot with towe white horses, with his strength Leo. The moone of munday, drawen in chariot by twoe redd hartes, her strength Cancer. Mars on tewsdaie, drawen in his coach by twoe tigers, assisted with his strength Aries and Scorpio. Mercury on Wednesday, drawen by twoe