£0 6 Natural Magick. 2>oo^7

Chap. XXXII.

That the iron rubbed with the northern point of the Loadstone,will turn to the southytnd withthe south point to the north.

I Come to the third part, that is, to the iron touched with the Loadstone, and theyare all wonderful. I lay then, that when we know the north point of the stone,and we have rubbed one end of the iron with it, if it be equally balanced , or hungby a thread, or lie freely in a boat, it will turn of it self to the south. And that standswith reason: for the Load lone imparts its force to the iron. For it is the naturalforce of the Loadstone , that being balanced equally, it should turn its north pointto the north, and his south point to the south. But when it is rubbed on the iron,the upper part of the Loadstone is fastned to the iron. but the lower part that is ncerto it, is free d: wherefore, if you rub the iron with the north part, which fastnethto the iron, and toucheth its external superficies, it will be northern that stems toto be southern , and this south part will turn freely to the north. But contrarily, ifyou rub the south point against the iron, the south point is . fastned to the iron , andthe north point is let loose that turns to the north. Wherefore (sardanut speaksfalse, that the iron touched by the north point, will turn to the north , and thatwhich was touched by the south point, will turn south; for we see the contrary.Yet the iron must be touched with one point, either the north or south point: forif one part bend northward, the other will tend southward; by the use whereof,so large seas are sail’d over, that being the conductor. Our Ancestors sailed, byseeing the sun by day, and the stars by night. For in the middle of the sea, as theywandred, they could no otherwise see the coasts of the world. But we cannot one-ly discover what coast we are in, but we can avoid the rocks under the waters; andin cloudy days and dark nights » we can at all times know the poles of the world.flavitafilih , an Italian found it out first , whose name was Amalphm , born in ourCampania. But he knew not the Mariners Card , but stuck the needle in a reed,or a pitfee of wood, cross over ; and he put the needles into a vessel full of wa-ter, that they might store freely : then carrying about the Loadstone, the needleswould follow it; which being taken away, as by a certain natural motion, the pointsof the needles would tnrn to the north pole . and having found that, stand still-Wherefore, knowing the place before they steer’d their course thither. Now theMariners Compass is made, and a needle touched with the Loadstone, is so fittedto it, that by discovering the pole by it, all other parts of the heavens are known.There is made a rundle, with a Latin-navel upon a point of the fame metal, that itmay run roundly freely. Whereupon, by the touching onely of one end, the nee-dle not alone partakes of thevertuesof it, but of the other end also , whether itwill or not: For if you rub the needle with the north point of the stone presentlythat part will turn to the south , and the opposite part to the north ; and one venuecannot be imparted without the other. So the needle touched by the south pointof the stone, will turn to the north, and the other part to the south; so that thepart of the needle that is touch’d, receives a contrary force, from that the stonehath.

Chap. XXXIII.

That iron touched by the Loadstone-, will impart that force to other iron .

1 Ron touched by the Loadstone, by that touch receiver h the vertueof theLoad-A stone, that it will do almost as much by attracting, and effecting , and turning itself co the pole. So the iron hanging freely, touched with the south point of theLoadstone, will turn freely to the north : if vou apply the south part of the stone tothe fame, it will turn to the south presently. But if you touch another iren with theiron that was touched , that will turn to the south; and do but point at it with the