The FIRST LECTURE TOUCHING NAVIGATION Read Publicly at Sr. Balthasar Gerbiers ACADEMY.  PSALM. 107. ver. 23.24. 
Qui descendunt Mare in Navibus facientes operationem in aquis multis, ipsi viderunt opera Domini & mirabilia ejus in profundo.  
Imprimatur,  
Hen: Scobell, Cleric: Parliamenti.  
Printed at London for Robert Ibbitson dwelling in Smithfield near Hosier Lane, 1649.   


HEUREUX QVIEN DIEV SEE CONFIE    

To the Right Honourable Sir Henry Vane junior One of the Members of the most Honourable Assembly of Parliament, Council of STATE: And Treasurer of the NAVY.  
Right Honourable,  
AS I have presented both to the Right honourable Speaker Lenthall, and to the Lord Precedent of the Council of State, the printed Lectures which have been read gratis on Cosmography, in the Academy which I have endeavoured to Erect, for the glory of God, the honour of this Nation, the general encouragement and improvement of all Lovers of Virtue. In the same way of humble respect and duty. I do also offer to your hands this Lecture touching Navigation; as most fit and pertinent, for that your hands and cares are fixed on this grand Vessel England; as your right pious, religious mind, is on him whose wonders you have most fully seen in the Deep.  
May those great and Indefatigable Endeavours be so prosperous and so blest by that great Pilot, Guider, and preservator of all things, as that the Government wherein so many Legions are comprehended, may be so well guided (even in the greatest storms) from perishing, and live to praise his great and glorious Name, which will ever be the prayers of him that by all acceptable services will endeavour to approve himself  
Right Honourable, Your most humble and obedient Servant, Balthazar Gerbier. White Friars, this 28 of Novemb. 1649.   

THE FIRST LECTURE TOUCHING NAVIGATION: Read Publicly at Sir Balthasar Gerbiers Academy:  

The Introduction  
LIke as the Deep doth at all times declare the marvellous wonders of that great Author, Guider, and Preserver of all things; so it must needs be a marvellous occupation; neither can it be but most glorious to the mind of any creature, to exercise itself on that subject whereon the Spirit of God was pleased to move, before all things were.  
Certainly Navigation (whereof we shall now treat) cannot but afford a glorious delight to the minds of Lovers of Knowledge; as the Seas afford a world of Wealth unto those that make Navigation their Profession.  
Is it not as rare as wonderful, that with an Instrument so little as an Astralabo is, and that with a Sea compass.  
By the first you may measure the Circles of the Heavens, the height and distance of the Sun, and Stars.  
By the second, (which hath neither mouth, tongue, legs, nor hands) man is directed, guided, and shown where the East, West, North, and South are (not only in the steadiest case a vessel can be, but when the moved waves tosseth the same as it were towards the clouds, and thence lets it reel as into an Abyss) its no wonder then that Solomon the wisest of all men said, that the hardest thing to be found, was the way a Ship makes through the Seas. And is not the wonder so much the greater, that it finds its straight course through that vast perpetual moving, and removing body, so exactly, when the Firmament appears as black as Ink, and all the lights of Heaven are covered with the darkness of the night, (like as with an extinguisher) as well as in the clearest day.  
Is it not a wonder above all wonders, that after so many month's Navigations, and that after such varieties, changes of winds, intermixture of storms, the violence of Tides, so constantly changeable, that a vessel arrives to the mouth of an Harbour, as straight as if it were a Ferry Boat drawn by a cord, fastened from one shore to the other.  
With the royal Prophet David, let all men say; Qui descendunt mare in Navibus, facientes operationem in aquis multis, ipsi viderunt opera Domini, & mirabilia ejus in profundo dixit, & stetit spiritus procella: Et exaltati sunt fluctus ejus. Ascendunt usque ad Coelos, & descendunt usque ad abyssos, anima eorum in malis tabescebat: Turbati sunt, & motisunt sicut ebrius, & omnis sapientia e●rum devorata est. Et clamaverunt ad Dominum eum tribularentur, & de necessitatibus eorum eduxit eos. Et statuit procellam ejus in auram, & siluerunt fluctus ejus, & laetati sunt quia siluerunt, & deduxit eos in portum volantatis eorum, confiteantur Domino misericordiae ejus, & mirabilia ejus filiis hominam. That is They that go down to the Sea in ships, that do business in great waters, these see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep; for he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof; they mount up to the Heaven, they go down again to the depths, their soul is melted because of trouble, they reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end; then they cry unto the Lord in their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still; then are they glad because they be quiet, so he bringeth them unto their desired haven: O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men, Psal. 107.  
Let us then so profit by this present meditation, wherein we shall find the great benefit of the Art of Navigation, in that it doth not only serve for the transportation both of men and goods, from the remotest parts of the world, and towards the which God was not pleased to prescribe any high ways, for Carts, nor Forces; but to make men acquainted with all such parts, in which God doth manifest the varieties of his power, and of his bottomless treasures; even so doth he likewise with Nations, in some of which his divine fatherly mercy is glorified, and his Justice made more apparent, rendering man also more capable to participate of those innumerous riches; by all what the Indian precious shores are garnished with, by all the golden bowels of the earth, where Nature by the Sunbeams is made capable of such productions, by what the Mother-wombe of pearls is possessed with, by that wherewith Aaron's breast was made so shining glorious; men load their Vessels as freely as Carts on other grounds, with the most ordinary fruits, and productions of the earth.  
Navigation may therefore well be termed the most profitable of all Sciences, and Arts, for mankind; if he can make that use of it, as may justly draw blessings unto him; which is to be compassed by doing that, so earnestly wished for by the aforesaid King David; O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men.  
And by being as ready to labour in his cause (in which no Soul can suffer any shipwreck) as to hazard Life, Ship, and Goods, for transitory things.  
We shall begin with the Sea, and say first what it is, and why it is called Ocean.  
The Sea is all the vast extent of water which environs the earth.  
The waters were created by God, In principio creavit Deus coelum & Terram, & Spiritus Domini ferebatur super aquas. In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth, and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. This is confirmed by the writs of Moses, in his generation, or offspring of this world.  
The Water doth engender, and maintain itself in the Sea; the Rivers come from it, and return unto it.  
The Egyptians have supposed four Elements, of each one whereof they made two; the one Male, and the other Female: they believe that the Air which engenders the wind is the Male, and that which is loaden with clouds, and which doth not stir, to be the Female; they call the Water male, and all other Waters female; they say that the fire (the flame whereof burnes) is male, and that which shineth (without doing harm) is the female. They do believe that the hardest Earth, as the Stones, and Rocks are males, and give the name of female to that which is manuable.  
The Sea is called Ocean, by reason of its quick and continual motion; for Oris in Greek, is to hasten, or else it's called, Ocean quasi Cianeus, for it embraces the Rivers of the earth.  
The Sea receives several names from the diversity of places, by the which it passeth, as the Sea of China, India, Persia, etc.  
The Sea properly hath no colour, for our sight doth not remain on the superficies of the water, but descends lower, and at a great distance its colour is like that of Heaven, but being disturbed by the Winds it is susceptible, of divers colours.  
It's to be noted, that the Sea riseth, increasing seven days, which is called quick water, and seven other days it retires decreasing, which is called dead water. Aristotle treats of the causes of the increasing and decreasing in the second of the Meteors; as also Hypocrates in the Book of the Air, and Waters; where he says, that there is a proper cause of Astrology, viz. by the natural virtue which the Moon hath on the Waters; therefore we see all that's in the Sea increaseth, and decreaseth, as the Moon doth; for as the Moon happens to rise on the Horizon, and that she toucheth the Sea with her beams, so doth she raise a surging on the Sea, which causeth its increase, and decrease; the which shall be more largely discused in its proper time, and place.   

How the Sea belongs to the Perfection of the world, that it would have perished without the same, and how the waters are engendered by the Sea.  
THe World could not have been perfect without the Sea, for that if there were no beginning of waters, there would be no simple water; and if there were no simple water, there would be no mixed water; and so there could not be any thing of that which is engendered by water. And if there were no water found, nothing consisting of a body could be continued, or conglutinated.  
If there were no beginning of Waters, generation would be destroyed, and consequently all the World. Neither without the beginning of Waters could all the assemblings of contraries be performed; though they are possible.  
Thus nature would be deficient in those things which are unavoidably necessary, and conducing to the same. And its property, and virtue failing, the waters would be hindered in their action, by which it would happen (there being no beginning of waters) that the workmanship of nature would perish, and consequently the whole World.  
Aristotle (in the second of the Meteors) says, that the Waters of the Seas engender in the North: He would say, that the greatest part of the waters of the Sea are engendered in the North. As Albert the great declares (in the second of the Meteors the sixth Chapter, where he says) that the Sea runs from the North to the South, and the cause is, that the Sea is higher in the North, then towards the South; and the reason why it is higher, is, because that the cold of the North engenders more water than the Sea can contain in the space, distance, and height, of its coast there. The water which is in the South is consumed and diminished by the heat of the Sun, therefore one part of the South water, drives the other back towards the lowermost side, yet nevertheless either moveth accidentally from the place of their generation, because that which is moist runs to be retained in the dry part.  
The reason why the water consumes itself so much in the South, is, because the Sun turns always in his excentrique circle: and that its centre is not the same with that of the Earth, so that if the Diameter, of the circle of the sun were passed between two Diameters, its centre and that of the Earth, the greatest part of the Diameter would be at one side, and the lesser at the other, in consideration of the Centre of the Earth.  
And thus it is Geometrically demonstrated, that the greatest length of the Diameter is near the twentieth degree of Gemini, and that the least length of it is at the twentieth degree of Sagitarius, its opposite sign. It appears then, that the Sun approaches nearer unto the Earth in the Southern parts then in the Northern; and thus by its approaching the South, heats it so violently, that it consumes the water, and scorches the Earth, which it doth not at the North.   

Wherefore the Water of the Sea is brinish and salt, and that such Water is best for Navigation.  
THe matter which causes the Sea to be brinish, and salt, is, because that there are two sorts of vapours in the Sea, viz. Hot, and Moist; and Hot, and Dry: The one whereof evaporates itself from the superficies of the Sea, and the other raiseth itself from its bottom, by force of the Sun, and Stars, which are the efficient causes of its vapours, and because that the vapour of the water is very subtle, between these two, therefore it elevates itself in the Air, and is consumed by the Sun, and there remaineth nothing else but the exhalations of the Earth, the which are dissipated, extended, and mingled among the water, as appears by the example of those who eat, for the digested meat, spreads and divides itself through the members, and all the gross and undigested substance remains: In the like manner also, the vapour of the Earth, having extended itself, remains mixed with the substance of the Sea water, and the coldness of the Water drives in so coldly, as it consumes itself by its own coldness, because of its mingling by Antyperistasis, which is to say, that two contrary things joined together, become stronger than before, for the heat of the exhalation (which issues from the bottom of the Sea) fortifies itself by the virtue of the Sun, with its contrary, to wit, the coldness, and thus the Heat happens to overcome, which is the necessary operation towards the begetting of the saltish water.  
It is also more convenient for Navigation, that the water be saltish then fresh, for the saltish water is heavier than the fresh: That it is so, is proved by many experiences, as for example, this one: Take Fresh water, and mingle it with a good quantity of salt, so that the Salt may melt, and be dissolved into water, then take a Fresh egg, and put it on the mixed water, the thickness of the water (which proceeds from the mixture of the Salt) will bearup the egg by its thickness, & will cause it to swim over it, the which in fresh water would descend to the bottom. By this same experience it may likewise be demonstrated that a vessel will sink sooner in Fresh water then in Salt water, for the fresh water divides itself both sooner, and closes with greater ease than the salt water doth. So as by the driving of the egg on the salt water, the argument may be likewise strengthened: That the saltishness in the Sea water is not divided, but that the whole Sea throughout, its water is as well salt at the bottom, and in the midst, as on the superficies; And therefore the opinion of some Philosophers, that the sea water should be fresh at the bottom, is frivolous, being that the Sea-Fish is no more salt than those of fresh water Rivers: And that the reason thereof should be, that the fish make their litter and feed in the bottom, which being but a slight argument, it will be necessary to say only this thereon.  
That though the body of the Sea moves in an entire mass, by its ebbing and flowing, yet since its a liquid body, it cannot choose (being so much agitated by the winds) but be generally salt: And the which cannot be contradicted by so weak a conceit as that the sea-fish are not salt, because they feed at the bottom of it. God hath given unto the Elements their due propriety, as well as unto all the creatures, and likewise to all the productions, both of the earth and sea: And there is no more contradiction of a possibility in Fish that live in salt water to have a fresh taste, then that the moisture which proceeds from the Muscadine Spanish grape, should be drawn from the same soil, whereon the bitter Almond, Olive, and the balmish Nuts oil doth grow, whose several productions are according to that property which God hath been pleased to bestow on them.  
The Earth itself is salt, which the Scripture notes, for if the earth loseth its Salt, wherewith shall it be seasoned; and yet the same earth produceth Sugar, though a Salt to preserve Fruits; and contrary to the Salt of the Sea, etc. And likewise several other things, out of which though Salt might be drawn, yet they have not the faltish taste, etc.   

Of the different Motions which are in the Ocean.  
GReat part of the Waters are engendered in the North, and runs from the North towards the South as aforesaid, (which is one of the Seas motions) When the Tide increaseth, we see the sea mounts at one side, and when it decreaseth, its motion is quite contrary, and it gins first to decrease where it had the first increase; and thus it appears that the sea hath contrary motions, and different the one from the other,  
Seneca says, that there is no other cause of the current of Waters from one place to another, than the height and lowness of places; that only motion excepted by the which the Sea increaseth, and decreaseth; for (as aforesaid) it follows the course of the Moon, for the waters of the Sea increase, and decrease in all the parts of the World, that is to say, in the East, West, North, and South; therefore the Sea hath no proper place from whence it gins its increasing, or decreasing, but moveth accidentally from one part to the other, unless it be downwards towards the bottom; for that such a motion doth not happen accidentally, but by the proper essence agreeing to its form.   

How it chanceth that the Sea doth neither overflow, augment, nor enlarge itself.  
THe cause why the Sea doth not overflow, augment, nor enlarge itself, though so much water is engendered in it, and that it doth continually receive so many Rivers and Fountains into it; is, that the Sea is the natural receptacle of all the Waters, and their proper retiring and resting place, and therefore it doth not overflow, nor enlarge itself; for that no place can drive back, nor hinder the entrance of that thing which by nature ought to be in her, since naturally the place ought to conform itself unto that which it encloseth; like as the Sea, which being capable to receive into her all the Rivers, and nevertheless for their entrance doth not overflow, nor augment. Also the Sea doth not overflow, because it is of such a vast extent, that the Rivers are as nothing in consideration to it. The third reason is, because that the heat of the Sun, and the breath of the Wind, consumes such a quantity of Water, that though the Sea continually engenders, and that the Rivers incessantly run into it; yea God hath ordained, that it should not lessen, nor augment, as it is written in Job, Lord, thou hast set a limit, the which it shall not pass. The holy Writ says in Genesis, that the water of the Deluge, did rise fifteen Cubits over the highest Hills under the Heavens, insomuch that all the Earth was covered with water. But though this increasing of water was so great, yet nevertheless the Sea did not overflow the Earth, by transgressing its limits or bounds.  
The increasing of those Waters proceeded from two causes; the one was, that the windows of Heaven were opened, as the Text says, and it reigned on the earth forty days, and forty night's exceedingly; the other was, that the Fountains, Rivers, and Currents did overflow, insomuch that the earth was by them covered, as aforesaid, and every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, except Noah, who only remained alive, and they that were with him in the Ark; and afterwards the same Text says, that God caused a wind to pass over the earth, which abated the waters; the rain from Heaven was also restrained, and the earth returned to its first being.   

Of the antiquity of Navigation.  
GOd the Creator of the universal World, did ordain the making of the first Vessel, as it is written in the sixth Chapter of Genesis, that God commanded Noah to make an Ark of Gopher wood, and to pitch it within, and without with pitch; the length of the Ark was of three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.  
The Lydians were the first inventors of Ships, but their skill only extended itself to join one beam to another well nailed, and well caulked, with which they ventured to Sea; afterwards Epaminondas did set forth Vessels in a greater perfection to sail withal, so that the famous Captain Bias was seen in the Peloponensian War, both with Ships, Charricks, and Galleys.  
Solomon King of Jerusalem, sent two Ships into Tharsis, which both went and returned each third year, and brought Gold, Silver, Ivory, and divers other things.  
Julius Solinus says, that all the Meridian Sea which embraces Africa, was sailed about from the Indies to Spain.  
Pliny writes in his second Book, the threescore and seventh Chapter, that in his time all the circuit of Spain and France was sailed about, and likewise all the West.  
Before Plato's time, there were Vessels that sailed from the Isle of Cadiz, which is at the entry of the Straits of Gibraltar, to the East Indies.  
When Tiberius Caesar did govern the Empire, there were seen in the Arabian Sea, ensigns of Vessels floating, which the Spaniards had lost.  
In the time of Augustus Caesar, the greatest part of the Ocean Sea was sailed through.  
When Seleucus and Antiochus did reign, all the coast of the Caspian Sea was sailed through, and known by the Macedonian Armies.  
The King of Switzerland gave to Metellus some Indians, which sailing with Merchandises, were driven by a Tempest from their Country to Germany.  
In the time of the Teutonicall Emperors, there were East Indian Ambassadors found on the German coast, which were driven thither by the violence of the wind.  
Some Authors writ of great numbers and multitude of Ships which were in ancient times, as those of the Assyrians, Persians, Grecians, etc.  
Homer writes, that the Grecian Navy which came to Troy, consisted of one thousand, one hundred, and fourscore Ships.  
Xerxes' King of Persia, came with five thousand, five hundred Ships, seven hundred thousand men, and three hundred thousand of his friends and allies, to the destruction of Greece, and being come to the Pontic Sea, he made a Bridge of Ships over it, on the which he passed with his Army.   

The use of Navigation  
IS chiefly to descry the dangers which are by the way, as Rocks, Sands, and such other like impediments, and to know how to avoid them: How far the places are distant, what wind or point of the Compass serves to fail unto them; and also when the winds fall out cross by the way, to consider how to direct the Vessel, and to take the most advantageous course to attain unto the intended Port in a convenient time. And if any storms happen by the way, to endeavour the preservation of both Ship and goods, and to bring her safe unto the Port assigned.   

How to foresee Storms by the Signs of the Sun and Moon.  
Several storms, both at high winds, and troubled raging Seas, often fall out, whereby both the loss of ships, and peril of the Sea men's lives are threatened, and other eminent dangers: We will declare by what signs they may be foreseen; and first by observations on the Sun.  
At the sun rising, if you perceive before it reddish Clouds, and that they drive, some towards the North, and some towards the South, signifies winds and great Rains.  
If before the sun rising, you see some round clouds hover about it, withdrawing towards the South after that the Sun is risen, it signifies great cold, but if they do withdraw towards the Sun setting, they signify fair weather.  
When the Sun spreads its beams far through the Air, and that there seems to be some hollowness in it, near the middle of the Sun, that signifies Raine.  
When ere the Sun rises, its beams are perceived, that signifies Raines, and Winds.  
When the Sun sets having its circle white, that signifies storms for the night ensuing.  
When the Sun is fair and clear, without casting any extraordinary heats at its rising, that signifies a fair and clear day, If it seems to be yellow, it than signifies rain and Hail.   

Several signs by the Moon.  
THe Egyptians observe the fourth day of the Moon, and if then she is resplendent with a clear light, they infer then, that it signifies fair weather.  
That when the Moon is red, it than signifies winds.  
That when she is brown, and darkened; it then signifies rain.  
When at the Full Moon it is clear and bright in the middle; they say then that it signifies Fair weather.  
When at the Full Moon it hath a Circle about it, It's then a sign, that the wind will proceed from that part where she is most resplendent.  
At the New Moon, and that her Horns are thick and dusky, that signifies a storm.  
If at the eleventh day of the Moon's age, she appears with a flamy colour, it than signifies storms.   

Certiane other signs by which storms at Sea are usually forefeene.  
WHen from the top of woods or forests, a noise of wind is heard, and that those who are out of the wood feel no wind, it signifies infallibly, a great ensuing storm.  
When the sea being calm, is heard to murmur within itself, it signifies that great winds are towards.  
When the Dolphins show themselves, and play above the waves, it is the sign of an ensuing storm, which you must expect from that part whence the Dolphin first appeared.  
When the Sea Meews fly landward, and abandon the Sea, it is the sign of a storm.  
When the Rainbow appears in the South, it signifies great showers: Appearing towards the West, it's only a sign of Dew or Mists.  
But being seen in the East, it is a sign of fair and clear weather.   

What the wind is, its qualities, and how it's engendered.  
THe wind is an evaporation of the Earth, which asscends above the Air, whose vapour is hot and dry, and the which pierces the Air by its subtlety, for as the wind in its species is of a subtle vapour, and that the Nature of subtle things is to ascend, therefore its ascents are made by the subtle vapours of the Earth, from whence it is driven back again about the Earth, by the coldness of the middlemost Regions air.  
So that the offspring and motion of the wind, proceeds from above, and its matter from beneath.  
At the beginning the winds have no great force, but the farther they blow, the more they increase in strength, because of the new exhalations which are mingled with them: As it happens in Floods, which though but little in their births, yet do augment and continually increase by the reception of new additional waters.  
When two contrary winds meet, the weakest always yields unto the strongest, and this makes a whirlwind, which causes the loss of Ships, when they chance to be under the power of such a Whirlwind.  
The exhalations of which the winds are made, do not on the sudden yield to the Clouds which they meet with in the Air; but strive to overcome them, and so to force their passage for their ascent: and so it happens that ere they blow here beneath; we see the Clouds above move, by the agitation of the winds.  
And because the winds are composed of different matters, and qualities, to those which form the Rain, they cannot last long together, but always struggle and strive until they have overcome each other. And Rain most commonly gets the better, unless the wind be provided with a great quantity of matter and substance.  
Nor can the winds maintain itself against the vehemency of extreme heats, nor against the rigour of extreme cold: because the vehemency of heat disperses, and dissipates it, and the rigour of the cold congeals and closes it up with the Clouds, and afterwards reduceth it into Rain.  
The Divine providence of God, in the creation and disposition of the winds, is worthy to be admired; not because the ambition of men have made thereof an Instrument, and scourge to ruin themselves, by abusing thereof, as most men do, most imprudently, and vainly: As Xerxes' King of Persia did; who though he passed the Seas to go to Greece; yet could he not vanquish it, though he had in a manner covered it with Soldiers.  
So Alexander: who having passed the Indies, yet would have searched for something more, even beyond the great Sea, and it grieved him to hear that he was at the world's ends  
But as for the incomprehensible bounty of God, who hath disposed of the winds into so many parts, for the preservation of the Earth, and Air in a sweet temperance, for the bringing in of Rains, and afterwards the driving of them back, both for the nourishing of Fruits, Seeds, and all fruit Trees, which by the agitation of the winds, and other causes, are ripened, giving likewise nourishment to the Corn, which it ripens, and preserves from drying and withering. Useful likewise to Man, towards the discovery of Foreign parts, and remote Countries, unto which unless a man should travel, he should be fare more ignorant than many bruit beasts, wanting the experience of divers things, which conduce towards the bettering of his understanding, etc.  
The End of the first Lecture, concerning NAVIGATION.