There having been much written concerning this Subject, which lies dispers'd in the pages of several Authors, and finding that none have as yet attempted to compile and amass those scattered Notions into one heap, I did believe it a task not unworthy the expence of Time, or my Labour, to contract those divided Discourses into some few sheets: And having brought them into shape and order, to offer them up to Publick View; which is the subject matter of this ensuing Treatise.

FIrst, it is indisputably true from the Au­thority of the Sacred Records, the stru­cture of the Arke ow'd, and entituled its original contexture to the industrious precaution of Noah, who by the im­mediate designation of God himself, brought that wooden Island into shape and order, to rescue some part of Mankind, from the angry Baptisme of a publique Deluge.

And it is probable, that the posterity of Noah, having plantations which were contiguous to Mount Ararat, where the Arke rested; and there viewing its skeleton, might according to that original, form and build such [Page 2] Ships and others Vessels, (the Art of Navigation being not yet arriv'd to its Solstice) as might make Rivers and more spacious waters obvious to a passage, and main­tain such a necessary intercourse, as might improve a commerce between Nation and Nation.

The Heathen Records, and Monuments of Pagan Antiquitie, which were ignorant of the structure of the Arke, according to the variety of Tradition, assign the Invention of Navigation to several persons. Diodorus Siculus attributes it to Neptune, who from thence con­tracted the Appellation of God of the Sea. Strabo, to Minos King of Crete. And lastly, Tibullus consecrates it to the Fame and Memory of the City of Tyre.

Thucid. p. 4, 5, 6. Minos indeed expelled Malefactors out of the Islands, and in most of them planted Colonies of his own, by which means, they who inhabited the Sea-coasts, be­coming more addicted to riches, grew more constant to their dwellings; of whom, some grown now rich, cir­cumscrib'd and incompass'd their Cities with Walls, and others by the influence of Minos built a Navy, and by an active and noble diligence so secur'd commerce, that they render'd Navigation free.

But it is most probable, that Tyre being in elder times, a City as eminent for its Wealth and Traffick, as it was for its strength, and magnificence, and enjoying with its bordering neighbours the Phaenicians, a large extensive Sea coast, and many capacious Havens, which had an aspect on the Mediterranean-sea, found out at first the institution of Shipping. From the Phaenicians and Tyrians, it was conducted down to the Egyptians, by whose industry and ingenuity much was annexed to the advantage and perfection of it: For whereas the first Vessels were fram'd out of the trunke of some large Tree, made hollow by Art, or else of divers Boards, compacted into the fashion of a Boat, and cover'd with the skins of Beasts, the Phaenicians moulded them into a more elegant and convenient form, and secur'd them with greater additions of strength, whilst the Egyptians [Page 3] added to the former structure the supplement of Decks. From the Egyptians this Art was transported to the Graecians; for when Danaus King of Egypt, to decline the fury of his Brother Rameses, made his approaches to Grece, he first instructed its Inhabitants to sail in co­ver'd Vessels, call'd Naves, who before perfected their Voyages over those narrow Seas, on Beams and Rafters fast'ned together, to whom they gave the Appellation of Rates. Amongst the Graecians, those of Crete had the highest repute for the manage of Navigation, which causeth Strabo to ascribe the Invention of Ships to Minos. In times subsequent to these, the Carthaginians ex­tracted from Tyre, grew most considerable in Shiping, by the supply of which, they often disorder'd and di­stressed the affairs of the Romans: But the fury of a Tempest having separated a Quinqueremis, or Gally of five Banks of Oares, from the residue of the Carthagi­nian Navy, cast it on the Coast of Italy; by a curious inspection into which, the Romans obtain'd the Art of Shiping, and not long after, atchiev'd the Do­minion of the Sea. That the Phaenicians and Greeks, transmitted the knowledge of Navigation to Spain and France, is without controversie, since Gades in the first was a Colony of the Phaenicians, and Marsilles in the last a plantation of the Phoceans. As for Belgium and Britain, they were in Ages of an elder inscription very barren and indigent in Shiping; for Caesar, when he made his eruption on the last, found the Circumambient Seas so ill furnish'd, that he was forc'd with the industrious assistance of his soldiery to build and equip a Navy of six hundred and two and thirty Vessels to transport his Army into Albion.

The Phaenicians having, as is above recited, invented open Vessels, and the Egyptians Ships with Decks, the last of these inforc'd the Art of Navigation, by adding to it the invention of Gallies, with two Banks of Oares upon a side; which sort of Vessels in procedure of time, did swell into that voluminous bulk, that Ptolomy Philo­pater [Page 4] is said to have fram'd a Gally of 50. Banks. Ships of burden styl'd Ciraera, entitle their invention to the Cypriots Cock boats or Skiffs, (Scaphae) owe their first structure to the Illirians or Liburnians, Brigantines (Celoces) confess theirs to have been the artifice of the Rhodians; Frigots or light Barks (Lembi) acknowledge their original unto the industry of the Cyrenians; the Phaselus and Pamphyli, ships instructed for war, were the invention of the Pamphilians, and the inhabitants of Phaselis a Town of Lycia in Asia minor. Vessels for transporting of Horse styl'd Hippagines, are indebted for their first institution to the Salaminians. Grapling-hooks, for theirs to Anacharsis. Anchors, confess their first knowledge to have been from the Tuscans. The Rudder-helme, and Art of Steering, is ascrib'd to Typhis, principal Pilot in Jason's eminent Ship, call'd the Argoe, who having observed that a Kite when she divided the Aire, steer'd her whole body and flight with her tail, per­fected that in the designs of Art, which he had disco­ver'd to have been effected by instinct in the works of Nature. If we please to trace out the first Inventors of Tackle, we shall discover that the primitive institu­tion of the Oare is attributed to the Boeotians, and the original discovery and use of Masts and Sails ennoble the memory of Daedalus, and his Son Icarus; the last of which confiding too much in the dexterity of this inven­tion, giving too large and spreading a Sail to the Bark he was ingaged in, over-set the Vessel, and perish'd, and adopted the Sea, in which he miscarried, into his own Name.

But though the supplement and addition of Decks of Ships, intitles it self to the original Artifice of the Egyptians, as is before recited; yet had they other of a more narrow dimension, both for use and transportation; for the Egyptians anciently, (says Pliny, Lib. 13. Nat. Hist.) us'd to make Boats of Reeds and Bulrushes; which assertion he again justifies in another place, Pap'r aceis navibus (says he) armam [...]ntisque Nili navigamus; [Page 5] and to these Vessels Lucan alludes, Lib. 4. Phars.

Which fashion of Boat Moses was engag'd in, when Pharaoh's Daughter rescued him from the danger of the river. The Prophet Esay records such utensils in that periphrasis of Egypt, Wo to the land shadowing with wings, that sends Ambassadours by Sea in Bulrushes. Strabo sail'd to Egypt in a small Vessel made of Wicker, as his own relation discovers to us in the 17. of his Geography. Juvenal also makes mention of earthen Boats in Egypt us'd and employ'd also there to sail with, for recording the deadly feud and superstitious conflicts, commenc'd between Ombos and Tentyra, in relation to their gods, he speaks thus, Stat. 15.

The Britains had anciently their Naves vitiles in Pliny's style, the Natives of Ireland call them Corraghs, and some Corracles, they were little Vessels cover'd with Leather, in their dimension scarse exceeding the bulk of a Basket; and these kind of Boats or Baskets were used by Julius Caesar to transport his Army over the river Si­coris against Petreius, and other rivers elsewhere; and he had learn'd the making of them it seems from the Bri­tains, when he was in this Island, as himself attests in his first Book De Bello Civili. Cujus generis (says he) cum superioribus usus Britanniae docuerat: and in a subsequent discourse he discribes them thus; Carinae primem ac sta­tumina ex levi materià fiebantur, reliquum corpus Na­vium, viminibus contextum integebatur. They have the like Vessels on the river Euphrates, to transport Com­modities to Babylon, and their proportion so conforma­ble [Page 6] to these British ones, (according to the patern disco­ver'd to us by Herodotus) that a man would judge, that either the Britains extracted the description of these Vessels from the Babylonians, or the Babylonians from them. For Herodotus in Clio, that is, the first Book of his History, affirms, that they had Boats made of Osier or Willows, of an orbicular form, and in the fashion of a Buckler, without Prow or Poop, and cover'd over on the outside with the Hide of a Bullock tann'd. In these, besides their Native Commodities, they used to convey Palm-wines in Tons, to be sold or vended at Babylon, two men with an Oare a piece in their Hands conducting and managing the Vessel.

These Vessels were so portable, that the Owners were accustom'd to transport them on their Backs to and from the Water; the Master would carry his Boat by Land, and the Boat would waft the Master on the Water: As the Arabian Fisherman uses to do with his Tortoise­shell, which is his Shallop by Sea, and his House on the Land, under which he sleeps, and in which he sails.

Proportionate in their Dimension to these, are those which the Egyptians use at this day upon the Nile, which they take upon their Backs, when they approach the Ca­taracts and steeper falls of that river.

Boterius calls them Naves plicatiles, and which they employ in some places of the West Indies. For in the year 1509. we read that there were brought to Roan Seven Indians confin'd to one small Vessel or Boat, which was so portable that one man could raise it up with his Hand; as the same Boterus in his Relations seems to in­timate.

In some places of the West-Indies they Fish with Fa­gots compos'd of Bulrushes, in their Dialect styl'd Bal­sas, having sustain'd them upon their Shoulders to the Sea, they there cast them in, then leap upon them, and after Rowe into the Main with small Reeds on either side, themselves standing upright like Tritons or Nep­tunes; [Page 7] and on these Balsa's they are accustom'd to carry those Cords and Nets they employ in Fishing. The In­dians likewise have long Boats call'd Canoa's, made hol­low, and artificially fram'd out of one Tree. In Green­land the Fisher mens Boats are compos'd into the Shape of Weavers Shuttles, cover'd outwardly with Skins of Seals, and inwardly fashion'd and fortified with the Bones of the same Fishes; which being sewed together with many doubles and Sutures, are so secure, that in foul and stormy Weather, they will shut themselves up in the same, being rescued by the Aid of these, from the Fury and imminent prejudices of Rocks, Winds, and Tempests; These are about Twenty Foot in length, and two Foot and an half in their Breadth, and so swift that no Ship is able to outvie them in speed; and so light of Portage, that one Man may support many; and they are furnish'd but with one Oare.

Before I wind up this Discourse I shall winnowe and discusse that Question, whether or not Antiquity had any discovery or Notice of the Compasse which in this Latter Age hath contributed so much to the Improve­ment of Navigation, those who do assert that it had some imperfect Glimmering, or rather some gloomy Cognisance of it, do establish their opinion on the Au­thority of Plautus, where they find mention of the Versoria; and secondly, because the Loadstone, which sways and manages the compass, was anciently by the Greeks styl'd, Magnes, and Lapis Heraclius, both which Names remain instated upon it until this day. But to the first it is answered, that the Versoria of Plautus, is no other, then that piece of Tackle, which in the Modern Dialect of our Mariners, falls under the appellation of a Bolin, by which they us'd to turn their Sails, and por­portion them to the changable vicissitude of every wind. And so much is manifest from Plantus himself, in the Comedy which he styles Mercator, saying, Hinc ventus nunc s [...]cundus est, cape modo versoriam. So call'd from verso to turn often, or else it may borrow its extra­ction [Page 8] and Nativity from versum, the first supine of ver­to; whence velum vertere, is a customary term amongst the Latines, us'd to express the shifting of the Sail as the wind does vary. As for the Loadstone, it was indeed by the Greeks call'd Lapis Heraclius, not because Hercules Tyrius, to whom the seafaring Phaenicians in Storms and Tempests offer'd up their Orizons for protection, first trac'd out the vertue and energetical efflu [...]iums of it, as some contend, but because it was discover'd near Hera­clea a City of Lydia, call'd for the same reason, and upon the same account Lapis Lydius also, and by the Ancients known onely under the notion of a Touch­stone: Nor does the Name of Magnes, us'd under that Appellation promiscuously both by the Greeks and La­tines, owe its Original Etymologie to any other Root or Cradle, then that it was found near Magnesia a City of Lydia, of which Heraclea above mention'd, was like­wise a part from whence it hath ever since purchas'd the constant Denomination of Lapis Magnes; so Suidas as­serts for the Greeks, and old Lucretius affirms the same for the Latines. Having evinc'd from these demon­strations the ignorance of Antiquity, both in the notional knowledge and practical application of the Compass; It now remains my Task to unwind to whom in times of a more recent inscription, this excellent Instrument en­tituled its first discovery. And if we will traverse and peruse records of a Modern aspect, we shall find that the invention of the Pixis Nautica or Compass, is ge­nerally ascrib'd to John Goia, or Flavio Goia, as others style him, of Amalphi in Campania in the Kingdome of Naples; But all rare and curious Artifices are in their first productions like the designs of Chymistry, much in projection, but little in perfection; for his discovery reach'd but to eight Winds onely, which made up his Compass, that is, the four principal, and four collateral, and left the improvement of this invention to be at­tempted by posterity, which indeed did adde shape and just perfection to this ingenuous design: For in some few [Page 9] Ages subsequent to this, the people of Antwerpe and Bruges completed this invention, by annexing to the Compass 24. other subordinate Winds or Points. Be­fore this invention, Pilots were directed in their right Voiages, by certain Stars they took notice of, especially the Pleiades or Charles his Wain and the two Stars in the Tail of the Beare, call'd Helice and Cynosura, which are therefore call'd Load-stars, or Leading Stars; as Travailers in the Deserts of Arabia, and those of Tar­tary were always guided by some fixed Stars in the Night Time, to Steer their courses in those pathless, disorder'd, and inhospitable ways; so Seamen were directed by the like heavenly guides, in the untractable wilderness of waters, before this excellent Artifice was found out: But if the Skie happen'd to be sullied with Mists, and the Stars to be muffel'd with Clouds, then the most experi­enced Pilot was at a loss, and was oblig'd by dropping an Anchor, presently to take up his rest.

But the ingenious Amalphitan, hath secured posterity by a noble remedy, against this grand inconvenience, and discover'd a method, by which men might Steer a certain and infallible course, in the most gloomy Nights, and most tumultuous Seas, and this by the guide and conduct of a little stone, stil'd from its use and influence, the Load-stone. This Load-stone, is now our Load-star, and the Mariners directory.

This Stone treasures up two strange properties in its dusky entrails, the one of Attraction, the other of Dire­ction; this property of Direction (which chiefly hath an aspect on our present business) is, that being set in a Dish, and left to float freely upon the Water, it will with one end point directly to the North, and with the other to the South, and will dispense this faculty or property, to a Needle that is rubb'd or touched with it.

The Pixis Nautica, or Mariners Card, which carries a Needle touch'd with the Load-stone in the middle of it, with two and thirty Rumbs or Lines drawn round about it, according to the Number of the Cardinal and [Page 10] Collateral Winds, is no less useful by Land, then it is by Sea, so that they who are engaged to travail through De­serts, as the Caravans do to Mecha and Medina, and other places do now make good use of this Artifice, whereas in former Ages, a Star was their best Pilot by Night.

Lud. Bartema relates, that they who travail over the Syrian and Arabian Deserts, which are fac'd and cover'd with a filme of light and shifting sand, so that no track can ever be discover'd, do frame certain Boxes of wood, which they place on Camels backs, and shutting themselves up in the said Boxes, to rescue themselves from the Sand, by the help of the Load-stone, like the Mariners Compass, they Steer their course over the vast, uncouth, and untractable Deserts. Some do entitle the Invention of the Compass, to the people of China. Doctor Gilbert in his Book de Magnete, asserts that Paulus Venetus transported it first into Italy, in the year 1260. having learn'd it from the Chinese, and Lud. Ver­tomannus affirms, that when he was in the East-Indies, about the years 1500. (above an Hundred and Sixty years since) he saw the Pilot of his Ship direct his course by a Compass, fashion'd and fram'd according to the Figure and proportion of those we use at this instant, when he was sailing towards Java. If you will consult Pliny, he will tell you, that the Inhabitants of Taprobana, (now call'd Sumatra) because they could not behold the Pole­star to sail by, carried with them certain Birds to Sea, which they did often let flie; and as these Birds by na­tural instinct applied their flight always to the Land, so the Mariners directed their course after them. The Mariners Compass is not arriv'd yet to that perfection, but that it requires some improvement and amendment; for the Magnetique Needle does not exactly point to the North in all Meridians, but varies and distorts it self (in some places more, in some less) from the direct posture, configuration, and aspect of the North and South, which multiplies and inforces the Sea-mans distractions, and [Page 11] enwraps him oftentimes in difficult and dangerous errors. Van Helmont, an eminent Paracelsian of Flanders, pro­fesses an expedite way to regulate this grand inconveni­ence, namely, how to make a Needle that should never vary or alter from the right point, which may be per­form'd by a vigorous imagination, as he affirms thus; If a man in framing the Needle, shall stand with his Back plac'd to the North, and place one point of the Needle (which he intends for the North) directly towards him­self, the Needle so made, shall always point regularly and infallibly toward the North without variation. I wish that some person of an exalted imagination, would compose some Needles for experiment after Helmont's direction, since it is an affair of noble and active con­cernment, to the publique interest of every Nation, to have this invention of the Compass, either improv'd or rectified.

But this Artifice of Helmont is infirme and crazy in the whole frame and contexture of it, if the variation of the Needle, from its Meridional Polarity, proceed from the attractive vigour and magnetical alliciency of the Earth, which by irrefragable demonstrations may be evinc'd to be one continued Magnet. Now a magneti­cal body is stil'd, not onely that which hath a power at­tractive, but that which being situated in a convenient medium, by an intrinsique natural propension, disposes it self to one invariable and fixed residence, so that if it were violently removed, yet would it not abandon its primitive points, nor fix in the East and West, but re­turn unto its polary situation again. And such a magne­tical virtue is diffus'd through the whole Body of the Earth, whereby as unto its natural Points, and proper Terms, it still makes its addresses unto the Poles, being so constituted in its whole frame, order and aspect, unto these Points, that those parts which are now at the Poles, would not naturally reside under the Equator, nor Nova Zemla continue in the place of Java or Borne [...]. Nor is the attractive vigour of this great Body the Earth, [Page 12] cloister'd up within its own inward cells and recesses, or circumscrib'd within the circumference of its own sur­face, but shed at indeterminate distances, through the Aire, Water, and all other circumjacent Bodies; exci­ting and transplanting its magnetical virtue into all bo­dies, either within its surface, or without it; and effect­ing that in an abstruse and indiscernable way, what we visibly behold perform'd by the Loadstone. For these effluviums penetrate all Bodies, and being ever ready in the medium, attaque all objects proportionate, or ca­pable of their vigorous and active excitation: And this is manifest from steel wires thrust thorough little Spheres, or Globes of Cork floating on the Water, or in naked Needles gently drop'd thereon; for so dispos'd they will not rest, untill they have trac'd out the Meridian, and as neer as possibly they may, lye parallel to the Axis of the Earth. Now this Direction does not originally result from themselves, but is derivative and contracted from the magnetical efflux of the Earth. And these de­monstrations may be improv'd by the observation of some subsequent experiments; as first, from a Needled Sphere of Cork, equally contiguous unto the surface of the Water; for if the Needle be not seated in an exact equilibration, that end which is too light, if touched, be­comes even; that Needle also, which will but just swim under Water, if forcibly touched, will sink deeper, and sometimes unto the bottome, which proceeds from an union of those magnetical effluxions which estreat from the Earth, with those magnetique Atomes which flow from the Body of the Loadstone, and make an im­pression on the Needle.

Now those, first being of a congenerous nature with the last, but more numerous and powerful, by this their mutual entwining and complication, drag away the Needle as their Captive, and sink it into the above recited position.

Secondly, from a Wire or Needle which being de­nuded and devested of that meridionall projection the [Page 13] magnetique impression of the Loadstone had formerly enstated and imprinted upon it, by its great adversary the Fire, by being sometime enter'd in the Earth, be­comes new impregnated with the virtue of that great and vigorous Magnet, and again contracts such a pola­rity, or meridional situation, as though it had never suf­fer'd under the persecution of its flaming enemy. Now whether these above mention'd effluviums of the Earth, do fly by estreated Atoms, or winding particles, as some assert, or glide by streams attracted from either Pole or Hemisphere of the Earth, unto the Equator, as others affirme; it signifies nothing to the Diminution of the Magnetique virtue of the Earth, but rather more dis­tinctly sets down the gests and progressive motion of its attractive alliciency, and excitation.

Thirdly, if a Loadstone be made red hot, it loseth the Magnetical Vigour it had before in it self, and ac­quires another from the Earth in its Refrigeration; for that part which cooleth towards the Earth, will obtain the Respect of the North, and attract the Southern point or Cuspis of the Needle: And the reason hereof is, that though the attractive virtue of the Loadstone, be in this fiery Agony much empair'd, ex­hausted and diminish'd, yet is it not totally extinguished, so that when its sickly and impoverish'd vigour is re-in­forc'd and recruited, by a supply or accession of Effluvi­ums from the Earth, by an union or combination with this newstock of Magnetical Atoms, it does not onely revive, but is improv'd to its former Attraction and Verticity.

Fourthly, it is observ'd, that both Bricks and Irons, contract a verticity, by long and continued position; that is, not onely being plac'd from North and South, and lying in the Meridian, but respecting the Zenith and Perpendicular, unto the Center of the Earth; as is evident in Bars of Windows, Casements, Hinges, and the like. The same condition also do Bricks contract, by being long time plac'd in one continued situation in a Wall; for if the Needle be presented unto their lower [Page 14] extreams, it wheeleth about, and turns its Southern point unto them. And the Reason of this is, that that Film or Scurse, in which they lay originally wrap'd up, and which did obstruct the Magnetical Impressions of the Earth, being worn off by Decursion of Time, and the perpetual Assaults of the Elements, the Magnetical Atoms of the Earth do with more vigour invade them, and by frequent onsets having implanted their virtue in them, engage them to that verticity.

Fiftly, Iron in a particular sympathy moves to the Loadstone, but yet, if it exceed a certain quantity, it abandons and quits those affections and interests; and like an affectionate Citizen, or faithful Patriot, moves to the Earth, which is the Region and Country of its Connaturals.

From what hath thus been remarkably discovered, it is easy to unfold, from a foundation not onely of proba­bility, but almost of necessity, whence proceeds the cause of the variation of the Compass, that is, an Arch of the Horizon, intercepted between the true and Magneti­cal Meridian. The true Meridian is a greater Circle, passing through the Poles of the World, and the Zenith or Vertex of any place, exactly dividing the East from the West. Now on this Line, the Needle exactly lyeth not, but diverts and varies its point, that is, the North point on this side the Equator, the South on the other, sometimes unto the East, sometimes unto the West, and in some places varies not at all. Now the cause of this variation, may be the inequality of the Earth, variously dispos'd, and differently mixed with the Sea; with all the different emission of its strength and Magnetical vigor, from the more eminent and Gibbous or Knobby parts thereof; for the Needle naturally endeavours to conform unto the Meridian, but being distracted, is driven and distorted that way, where the greater and more powerful parts of the Earth are situated.

Now whereas on this side the Meridian, or the Isles of Azores, where the first Meridian is placed, the Needle [Page 15] varies Eastward, it may be occasion'd by that vast Track of Earth, that is, of Europe, Asia, and Africa, seated towards the East, and disposing the Needle that way; on the other side, some parts of the Azores, or Islands of Saint Michael, which have a middle situation between these Continents, and that vast Tract of America, al­most proportionate and answerable to these in its spa­tious Bulk and Dimension, it seems equally distracted by both, and diverting unto neither, doth parallel and place it self upon the true Meridian. But sayling farther, it veers its Lilly towards the West, and regards that Quar­ter wherein the Land is nearer or greater; and in the same Latitude, as it approaches its Shore, augments its variation. Now because where the greater Continents are United and Combin'd, the action and efflux of Mag­neticall Atoms is also greater, therefore those Needles do suffer the greatest variation, which are in Countries which do most feel that Magnetique Impression. And therefore hath Rome far less variation then London. For on the West-side of Rome, are seated the great Con­tinents of France, Spain, and Germany, which seem to retrench the exuberant effluvium's, and poise the vigour of the Eastern parts. But unto England there is almost no Earth West, for the whole extent of Asia and Europe lyeth Eastward, and therefore at London it varies eleven Degrees, that is, almost one Rhomb. Thus also by rea­son of the great Continent of Brasile, Peru, and Chili, the Needle declines towards the Land twelve Degrees: But at the Straights of Magellan, where the Land is contracted into a narrow Volume, and the Sea on the other side of a vast diffusion and extent, it varies but five or six. And so likewise because the Cape de las Agullas hath Sea on both sides near it, and other Land remote, and as it were of an equal distance from it, therefore at that point the Needle conforms unto the true Meridian, being not distracted with the attraction resulting from the Vicinity of an adjacent Continent. To this may be added, that this variation proceedeth not onely from [Page 16] some eminent terrestrial knobs or excrescencies, which appear like so many wens upon the Face of the World; as also many Magnetical Veins of the Earth, collaterally respecting the Needle, but the different Accumulation of the Earth, disposed unto the Poles, lying under the Sea and Waters; which affect the Needle with greater or lesser variation, according to the vigour or impotency of these subterraneous Lines, or the intire or broken Body of the Magnetical Fabrick under it. As it is observa­ble, from several Loadstones, plac'd at the bottome of any Water; for a Loadstone or Needle, upon the sur­face, will variously conform it self, according to the vi­gour or imbecillity of the Loadstones under it.

Lastly, from what hath been premis'd, a Reason may be alledged for the Variation of the Variation, and why according to observation, the variation of the Needle hath after some years been found to vary, either more, where it was discover'd to vary but little before, or but little, where formerly it had a greater deflection or va­riation. For this may proceed from the Mutation of the Earth, as it is dislocated or supplanted by Earth­quakes, wasted and empair'd by sulphurous, or other subterraneous fires; or else, as its Magnetique virtue is arrested in its emanation, by being astonish'd and stupe­fied by Mineral Spirits, or those Fumes and Exhalations that have any Mercurial or Arsenical Atoms implanted in them; all which by a reiterated impression may so alter the constitution of the Magnetical parts of the Earth, either by Substraction or Addition, that in decursion of time, they may vary the Variation over the place.

Having thus discover'd those, to whom not onely Ships, but likewise the Art of managing them did en­title its original invention, I shall adde something by way of supplement, touching the derivation of the Name of that eminent Officer, to whom both in elderand more modern Times, the care of publick Navies hath been committed, vulgarly stil'd the Admiral; and if we shall disjoynt or dissect the Name, we shall find it confess it [Page 17] self to be both of Arabian and Greek. Extraction, for Emir or Amir in Arabian imports as much as Lord, and [...] in Greek is of the Sea; so that both these words be­ing cimented together into the Appellation of Admiral, signifie a Lord of the Sea. Now the word Emir or Amir, for they are co-incident, was a denomination an­ciently us'd by the Arabian Caliphs, as a terme of dignity and eminence, so many of them had the additional ap­pellation of Amir Elmumunin, and Emir Omimelin; the first may be render'd Rex Orthodoxorum, or the King of Persons Orthodox; and the last may be translated Rex Credentium, Prince or King of Believers; and at this day, he that in Turkie, by the Command and Desig­nation of the Grand Signior, delivers the Banners to the Sanzacks and Beglerbegs, by which they receive their Investiture, is stil'd Emir Halem, Lord of the Banner; or if you will receive it in a more pompous Epithite, the Turks chief Standard-Bearer; and this accords with what Leunclavius delivers in his Turkish Pandects. Emir Halem (says he) significat Dominum Vexillorum & Flammeolorum, qui scilicet supremus est sultani Vexillifer, ac omnibus Beglerbegis ac Sauzacbegis, quum creantur vexilla sua porrigit. And hence we read in the History of the Holy War, that Robert Duke of Nor­mandy slew an eminent Saracenical Amir, whose Stand­ard had in summitate Argenteae Hastae Pomum Aureum, which he offer'd at the Sepulchre of our Saviour, having purchas'd it at 20. Marks, of one who had taken it by Right of War. Now this word Amir or Emir, is de­duc'd from the Arabick, Verbe Amara, which render'd into Latine, is Dixit or Edixit, or else extracted from the Hebrew Verbe, Amar, which melted into Latine, signifies praecepit seu imperavit, and it is possible the Spanish word Almirante, is contracted from El Ami­rante; and that again, by Moorish and Arabick Chanels from Alamir, which imports as much as the Chief Cap­tain. Now although vulgar use and custome, by apposi­tion of this word [...], have restrain'd this great Officer [Page 18] only to the Command of the Sea, yet in Times of an elder aspect, it was of a more confused, or promiscuous signification; and was not alone confin'd to Maritime Authority, but was likewise attributed to those eminent Saracenical Souldiers and Governours, who were en­gag'd in a Command by Land, which was proportionate, and answerab [...]e in its Latitude and Extent, to that which was exercis'd by the ancient Tribunes of the Roman Mi­litia; and this I can easily collect from the Authority and Testimony of very ancient Authors. And first, Si­gebert the Monk, in his Chronicle relates, that Mahomet or Muhammad, so he calls him, about the year 630. con­stituted four Governours in the Saracenical Kingdome, which were called Admirals. And Theophanes, in his Chronicle cited by Meursius, tells us, that Muhamed being about to die, design'd four Admirals, who were to subdue those who being of Arabick extraction, did yet assert the Christian Religion. And a nameless Author, quoted by Bedwell, seconds this Relation, by informing us, that a certain Caliph constituted four Tribunes of his Souldiery, vulgarly call'd Admirals, (Admirantes they are call'd in his stile, though in the phrase of Theo­phanes above cited, they are stil'd Amiraei) to every one of which, he gave the Command of many subordinate Officers and Captains, and which Commanders he call'd the sharp Swords of God. And Junius out of the Notes of Cedrenus upon Curopalates, discovers to us, that Ma­homet upon his Decease, appointed four Admirals, whom he enjoyn'd to crush and extirpate, all those Ara­bians who had embrac'd the Christian Religion. And farther relates, that they to perfect his Commands, ad­vanced against Theodorus, Chamberlain and General to the Greek Emperour, between whom and themselves, a fatal Field was commenc'd; in which, three of these Admirals, and a numerous heap of other Souldiers pe­rish'd.

The Tirant of Babylon, in the stile of Henry of Hun­tington, is nam'd the Admiral of Babilon; and the same [Page 19] Author in his Chronicle, asserts twelve Admirals of the Pagans, to have been slain at the Siege of Antioch. And Rupert the Monck, in the fourth Book of his Saraceni­cal History, affirms, that the Son of Cassian, the Great King of Antioch, and twelve Admirals, which the Caliph of Babylon (King he calls him) had employ'd with succours to the King above mention'd, all perish'd at the Seige of Antioch; and these twelve which had the Appellation of Admirals annex'd to them, he makes to be Rulers of twelve distinct Territories or Provinces: And the same Author, in the beginning of his fifth Book, relates, that the Embassadors of the Caliph of Babylon, in their Ad­dresses to the French Chieftains, stile that Monarch, the Admiral of Babylon. Dominus noster Admiraldus Ba­byloniae, mandat vobis Francorum Principibus salutem; so in his phrase runs their Application. Monstrelet, an Anthour of good estimate, mentions Arcubalistarum Admirallum, an Admiral of the Arcubalists, or of those persons who were arm'd with Crosse-bows; and lastly, Matthew Paris, in his life of William Rufus, tell us, of one Corbaran, who after he had Marshall'd his Army, and brought his squadrons into Form and Order, put those Troops under the Command of 29. Kings and Admirals.

But as this eminent Maritime Officer in these latter Times, hath by prescription constantly assum'd the Name of Admiral; so in the Times of an elder Inscri­ption, he was not always stil'd Admirallus, but very fre­quently Magnus Drungarius Classis, or the great Drun­gar of the Navy, an Office of eminency and high esti­mate under the Greek Emperours; yet this Title was not so confin'd to the Sea, but that it was attributed likewise to those noble persons, who manag'd the Command of the Land Militia; and therefore the learned Meursius notes, that there was Magnus Drungarius Biglae, that is, Vigiliae seu Excubiarum Praefectus, the chief Comman­der or Praefect, to whose inspection, the care of the Watch was solely entrusted; the Ensign or Monument [Page] of whose Authority, as the same Meursius intimates, was a Scepter, or Truncheon of a Purple Colour, richly guilded and adorn'd at the bottome. Now the Etymo­logy of this word Drungarius, as Leunclevius asserts, is deriv'd from the Modern Greek [...], and signifies the same with them, as Agla does with the Turks, and may be interpreted to be that Scepter or Truncheon, which is the symbol of their Office and Authority; hence the Drungarii amongst the Greeks, & the Aglarii amongst the Turks, are equivolent to our Colonels in Christen­dome. But the more proper and genuine Etymology of the word, as it is us'd by Vop'scus and Vegetius, is ex­tracted from Drungus or Druncus, which in their sense imports as much as Globus Militum, and may without distorting the Phrase, be interpre [...]ed a Squadron of Soul­diers. Vegetius in his discourse de Re Militari, Lib. 3. Cap. 16. observes, that scire Dux debet contrae quos Drungos, hoc est Globos Hostium quos equites oporteat po­ni; and Vopiscus, in the year 280. relating the Victories of Probus the Emperour, over the Blemii and the Ger­mans, tells us, that he to enhanse the Pompe and Mag­nificence of his Conquests, Omnium Gentium Drungos duxit, he carried Squadrons or Heaps, of all those Na­tions he had subdued before his triumphant Chariot.

I should now wind up this Discourse, but finding so many eminent persons of the English Nation, to have been invested and dignified with the Title of Admiral, I thought it a labour not unworthy consideration, to re­present to the publique view a just Scale or Series of those worthy Heroes, who have been in their several Ge­nerations, by the Favour of the Prince advanc'd to this Office, whose Catalogue is exactly Register'd in the learned and elaborate Pages of Sir Henry Spelman's Glossary.

Marthusius the Arch-pirate in old Latine Records, stil'd Archi-Pirata, and Nautarum Princeps, was Admi­ral under King Edgar, and had several subordinate Com­manders under his jurisdiction, (Praefecti they are call'd [Page] in the Record) who had the Command under this Mar­thusius of almost a Thousand Ships; a Report, if we consi­der the Bulk and Dimension of those Maritime Vessels which were employ'd in those Times not altogether improbable, where Note, that although in these Moderne Ages, the Name of Pirate is still applied to one who supports himself by Pillage and Depredation at Sea, yet in Times of an elder inscription, the word Pirata or Pirate, was sometimes attributed to those persons to whose care the Mole or Peer of any Haven (call'd in Latine Pyra) was entrusted, and by whose Inspection it was provided, that those places should receive no pre­judice, which were the occasion of so much advantage to the publique interest.

After the mention of Mathusius, there is a Gap or Interval in the Register of the Admirals, and none re­corded until the 8th. year of Henry the 3d. and then Richard de Lucy of Newington Lucies in Kent begins the Catalogue, from whom Ric. Lucy of Charlecot in Warwickshire, Esq is in a Collateral or younger Line originally descended. After whom, the ensuing Roll of Admirals is without any intermission or interruption, in an even clew or series conducted down to our Times.

Tho. de Moleton had the custody of the norrow Seas (Custos Maris the Record stiles him) in the 48th. year of Henry the 3d.

Will. de Leybourne of Leybourne Castle, was in a con­vention held at Bruges, in the 15th. year of Edward the first stil'd Admiral. After his Exit, the Office of Ad­miral being held of too vast concernment to be managed and weilded by one person, there were three Admirals created, in the 22th. of Edw. the 2d. One had the care of the parts towards the North, which was committed to John de Botetort; A second, had the charge of the Sea­coast South-ward, which was entrusted to William de Ley­bourne; And a third, had the custody of the Western shore, which was delegated to the inspection of an Irish Knight. Afterwards this Office was invested in two; [Page 22] The first whereof, had the custody of the English shore, from the Thames Mouth Northwards: The second of whom, had the charge of the Western shore, from the Mouth of the Thames South-west; a Register of which here follows.

But I know not upon what exigency, or emergent oc­casion, this Office in the year 1325. that is in the 19th. year of Edward the second, was again entrusted to the custody of three, which were, John Otervin, Nicholas Crioll, and John de Felton, which are stil'd in the Record Admirals of Yarmouth, Portsmouth, and of the West. But about the latter part of this very year, this Office was again reduc'd to the Care and Charge of, a Cata­logue of whom, offers it self up to our present conside­ration.

[Page 23]

These three manag'd the Office of Admiral alone. But in the 43d. year of Edw. the 3d. the Custody of the Narrow Seas, extending North and West, was again en­trusted to two, whose Names are thus Register'd.

[Page 25]

After these two were dislodg'd, I find the Office of Admiral no more assign'd to two, but for the future cir­cumscrib'd and concenter'd in one; a Roll of whom ensues.

• 8 Henry 4. John Beaufort, Marquiss Dorsett abovesaid, Brother to Henry the fourth, was sole Admiral of England.
• 8 Henry 4. [Page 26] Edmond Holland, Earl of Kent, was sole Admiral.
• 9 Henry 4. Tho. Beaufort, Brother to the Marquiss aforesaid, was sole Admiral of England.

• 4 Henry 6. John of Lancaster, Duke of Bedford, and Earl of Rich­mond, was Lord High Admiral of England.
• 14 Henry 6. John Holland, Duke of Exeter, and Earl of Huntington, was constituted Admiral of England, Ireland, and Aqui­tain, and his Son Henry had the Grant of this Office in Reversion.
• 25 Henry 6. William de la Pole, Marquiss and Earl of Suffolk, was constituted Admiral of England, Ireland, and Aquitain, during the Nonage of Henry Duke of Exeter.
• 28 Henry 6. Henry Holland, abovesaid Duke of Exeter, was Admi­ral of England, Ireland, and Aquitain.

• 1 Edward 4. Richard Nevill, Earl of Warwick and Salisbury, was Admiral of England.
• 2 Edward 4. William Nevill, Earl of Kent, and Baron Falconbridge.
• [...] Edward 4. Richard Duke of Gloucester.
• 49 Henry 6. Richard Nevill, Earl of Warwick.
• 11 Edward 4. Richard Duke of Gloucester Admiral again.

• 1 Richard 3. John Howard Duke of Norfolke.

• 1 Henry 7. John Vere, Earl of Oxford, Lord high Chamberlain of England.

• [Page 27]4 Henry 8. Sir Edward Howard Knight.
• 5 Henry 8. Thomas Howard, Lord High Admiral of England, Ire­land, Aquitain.
• 17 Henry 8. Henry Fitz-Roy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset.
• 28 Henry 8. William Fitz-William, Earl of South Hampton.
• 32 Henry 8. John Lord Russell Knight.
• 34 Henry 8. John Dudley Knight, Viscount Lisle, and Baron Malpas.

• 1 Edward 6. Thomas Seymour Knight, Baron Sudeley, Lord High Ad­miral of England, Ireland, Wales, Calais, and Boloigne.
• 3 Edward 6. John Dudley, Knight of the Garter, Earl of Warwick, Viscount Lisle, Master of the Kings Houshould, Ad­miral of England, Ireland, Wales, Calais, Boloigne, and their Marches, as also of Normandy, Gascoign, and Aquitain.
• 4 Edward 6. Edward Clinton Knight, Baron Say and Seal.

• 1 Mariae William Howard Knight, Baron of Effingham.
• 3 Mariae Edward Clinton Knight, Baron Say and Seal.

• 27 Elizabeth. Charles Howard, Baron of Effingham, after created Earl of Nottingham, and Knight of the Garter, Lord High Admiral of England, Ireland, Wales, Calais, and the adjacent Marches, as likewise of Normandy, Gas­coign, and Aquitain.

• 16 Jacob. George Villiers, then onely Marquiss of Buckingham, [Page 28] Viscount Villers, and Baron of Whaddon, was constituted Lord High Admiral of England.

• 4 Carol. 1. Robert Bartue, Earl of Lindsey, Lord High Chamberlain of England.
• Algernon Percy, Earl of Northumberland, Knight of the Garter.

• James Duke of York, and Albany, at this instant, Lord High Admiral of England.