Navigation

The art of Navigation demonstrates how a sufficient ship, between any two places assigned (in navigable passage), may be conducted by the shortest good way, by the aptest direction, and in the shortest time; and in all storms and natural disturbances that may happen, how to use the best possible means to recover the place first assigned. What need the master pilot has of the other arts recited before is easy to know: of hydrography, astronomy, astrology, and horometry; always presupposing the common base and foundation of all, namely arithmetic and geometry. So that he is able to understand and judge his own necessary instruments and necessary equipment, whether they are perfectly made or not, and also can, if need be, make them himself: quadrants, the astronomer's ring, the astronomer's staff, the universal astrolabe, a hydrographical globe, true hydrographical charts (not with parallel meridians), the common sea compass, the compass of variation, the proportional and paradoxical compasses.

(Year 1559.)

(Invented by me for our two Moscouy master pilots, at the request of the Company) clocks with springs: hour, half-hour, and three-hour sand glasses, and sundry other instruments; and also to be able, on globe or plane, to describe the paradoxical compass, and duly to use the same to all manner of purposes for which it was invented; and also to be able to calculate the planets' places for all times.

Moreover, with sun, moon, or star (or without them) he is able to define the longitude and latitude of the place which he is in; so that the longitude and latitude of the place from which he sailed be given, or known to him. To which belong expert means of always being certain of the ship's course, and so on. And by foreseeing the rising, setting, culmination at noon, or culmination at midnight of certain tempestuous fixed stars, or their conjunctions and angles with the planets, and so on, he ought to have expert conjecture of storms, tempests, and waterspouts, and such like meteorological effects, dangerous at sea. For, as Plato says, To foresee the alterations and opportunities of times is fitting no less to the art of war than to husbandry and navigation. And besides such skillful means, more evident tokens in sun and moon ought to be known to him: such as the philosophical poet Virgilius teaches in his Georgics, where he says:

(Georgic. 1.)

The sun also, both at his rising and when he sinks into the waves, will give signs; the surest signs follow the sun, etc. … For often we see that on his very face various colors wander. Blue, he announces rain; fiery, the east winds. But if spots begin to mingle with the ruddy fire, then you will see everything alike seething with wind and storm clouds: on such a night let no one urge me to go out over the deep, or to pull up the cable from the land, etc. The sun will give you signs. Who would dare call the sun false? … etc.

And so of moon, stars, water, air, fire, wood, stones, birds, and beasts, and of many things else, a certain sympathetic forewarning may be had, sometimes to great pleasure and profit, both on sea and land. Enough for my present purpose it appears from the premises how mathematical the art of navigation is, and how it needs and also uses other mathematical arts. And now, if I should go about to speak of the many benefits coming to this land and others by ships and navigation, you might think that I catch at occasions to use many words where none are needed.

Yet this one thing may I justly say: in navigation, none ought to take greater care to be skillful than our English pilots. And perhaps some would attempt more, and others more willingly would help, if they knew for certain what privilege God had endowed this island with, by reason of a situation most convenient for navigation to places most famous and rich. And though,

(Year 1567 S. H. G.)

(Of late) a young gentleman, a courageous captain, was in great readiness, with good hope and strong grounds of confidence, to have ventured on a discovery (either westward, by Cape de Paramantia; or eastward, above Nova Zemla and the Cyremisses), and was, at the very near time of attempting it, called and employed otherwise, both then and since, in great good service to his country, as the Irish rebels have experienced:

(Year 1569)

Yet I say, though the same gentleman does not hereafter deal with the matter, someone or other should attend to it; and by good advice and careful discretion, little by little, gain sufficient knowledge of that trade and voyage; which now I would be sorry, through carelessness, lack of skill and courage, should remain unknown and unheard of. Seeing also that, in this matter, we are half challenged by the learned and half requested to publish. From this, truly, might grow benefit, to this land chiefly, and to the rest of the Christian commonwealth, far surpassing all riches and worldly treasure.

The art of Navigation demonstrates how, by the shortest good way, by the aptest direction, and in the shortest time, a sufficient ship, between any two places (in navigable passage) assigned, may be conducted: and in all storms and natural disturbances happening, how to use the best possible means, by which to recover the place first assigned. What need the master pilot has of the other arts recited here before, it is easy to know: as of hydrography, astronomy, astrology, and horometry. Presupposing continually the common base and foundation of all: namely arithmetic and geometry. So that he be able to understand and judge his own necessary instruments, and necessary equipment: whether they are perfectly made or not: and also can (if need be) make them himself. As quadrants, the astronomer's ring, the astronomer's staff, the universal astrolabe. A hydrographic globe. Hydrographic charts, true (not with parallel meridians). The common sea compass: the compass of variation: the proportional and paradoxical compasses

Year 1559.

(invented by me, for our two Muscovy master pilots, at the request of the Company) clocks with springs: hour, half-hour, and three-hour sandglasses: and various other instruments: and also be able, on a globe or a plane, to describe the paradoxical compass, and duly to use the same, for all manner of purposes to which it was invented. And also be able to calculate the planets' places for all times.

Moreover, with sun, moon, or star (or without them) be able to define the longitude and latitude of the place which he is in: so that the longitude and latitude of the place from which he sailed be given, or known to him. To which belongs an expert means of always being certain of the ship's course. etc. And by foreseeing the rising, setting, non-setting, or midnighting of certain stormy fixed stars, or their conjunctions and angles with the planets, etc., he ought to have expert conjecture of storms, tempests, and waterspouts, and such meteorological effects, dangerous at sea.

For, as Plato says, To foresee the changes and opportunities of times is fitting no less to the art of war than to husbandry and navigation.

And besides such cunning means, more evident tokens in sun and moon ought to be known by him: such as (the philosophical poet) Virgilius teaches in his Georgics. Where he says,

Georgic 1.

The sun also, both at his rising and when he sinks into the waves, will give signs; the surest signs follow the sun, etc.—For often we see that on his very face various colors wander. Blue, he announces rain; fiery, the east winds. But if spots begin to mingle with the ruddy fire, then you will see everything alike seething with wind and storm clouds: on such a night let no one urge me to go out over the deep, or to pull up the cable from the land, etc. The sun will give you signs. Who would dare call the sun false?—etc.

And so of moon, stars, water, air, fire, wood, stones, birds, and beasts, and of many other things, a certain sympathetic forewarning may be had: sometimes to great pleasure and profit, both on sea and land. It appears sufficiently, for my present purpose, from what has gone before, how mathematical the art of navigation is: and how it needs and also uses other mathematical arts: And now, if I were to go about to speak of the many benefits coming to this land, and others, by ships and navigation, you might think that I was seizing chances to use many words where they are not needed.

Yet this one thing I may justly say. In navigation, none ought to take greater care to be skilled than our English pilots. And perhaps some would attempt more, and others would more willingly help, if they knew for certain what privilege God had given this island, by reason of its situation, most convenient for navigation, to places most famous and rich. And though,

Year 1567 S. H. G.

(of late) a young gentleman, a courageous captain, was in great readiness, with good hope and strong grounds of persuasion, to have ventured for a discovery (either westward, by Cape de Paramantia, or eastward, above Nova Zemla and the Cyremisses), and was, at the very near time of attempting, called and employed otherwise (both then and since) in great good service to his country, as the Irish rebels have tasted:

Year 1569

Yet I say, though the same gentleman does not deal with it hereafter, someone or other should attend to the matter: and by good advice and careful judgment, little by little, win sufficient knowledge of that trade and voyage: which now I would be sorry (through carelessness, lack of skill, and courage) should remain unknown and unheard of. Since also we are here half challenged by the learned, by a request half published. From it, truly, might grow benefit, to this land chiefly, and to the rest of the Christian commonwealth, far surpassing all riches and worldly treasure.