Page 101

xlii

PUis que la terre est tant
petite comme chi dessus vous
a este devise petit povons
prisier ses biens au regart
de ceulx du ciel. Nes que len
fait fiens enviers fin or ne
envers pierres pretieuses combien quen la fin et
lun et laultre sont de nulle valeur Mais pour ce
que nous estans en che siecle il nous soit adviz que
la terre est moult grande. Nous la vous declaire
rons tant en reondesse comme en espoisseur a nostre
povir voire en brief. Puis que vous avey entendu
comment la terre est reonde de toutes pars comme
une pomme. Touteffoiz nest elle pas habitee des
quatres parties lune que len sache de nulle gens
du monde. Et nest habitee que en ung quartier tant
seulement sicomme les philosophes le enquirent
qui y misrent grant traveil et estude. Et pour ce
la deviserons nous tout a lenviron en quatre
parties dont prendre povez example par une pom
me qui par le milieu seroit partie en quatre quar

xlii

Since the earth is so
small, as has been explained to
you above, we should assess
its properties as being small
in comparison with those of the sky. It is like
comparing dung to fine gold
or precious stones: in the end, the
all of them are worthless.
But because we are in this world, it seems to us
that the earth is very big. I will tell you about
both its roundness and its thickness, as I can,
though briefly. Although you have heard
that the earth is completely round, like an apple,
nevertheless it is not inhabited by people in all four
quarters, as is well known. Only one quarter of
it is inhabited, as the philosophers found out through
their research, putting great work and study into the matter.
And for that reason we will divide it in its entirety into
four parts, using an apple as an example,
which from the middle is divided into four quarters

xlii

PUis que la terre est tant
petite comme chi dessus vous
a este devise petit povons
prisier ses biens au regart
de ceulx du ciel. Nes que len
fait fiens enviers fin or ne
envers pierres pretieuses combien quen la fin et
lun et laultre sont de nulle valeur Mais pour ce
que nous estans en che siecle il nous soit adviz que
la terre est moult grande. Nous la vous declaire
rons tant en reondesse comme en espoisseur a nostre
povir voire en brief. Puis que vous avey entendu
comment la terre est reonde de toutes pars comme
une pomme. Touteffoiz nest elle pas habitee des
quatres parties lune que len sache de nulle gens
du monde. Et nest habitee que en ung quartier tant
seulement sicomme les philosophes le enquirent
qui y misrent grant traveil et estude. Et pour ce
la deviserons nous tout a lenviron en quatre
parties dont prendre povez example par une pom
me qui par le milieu seroit partie en quatre quar

xlii

Since the earth is so
small, as has been explained to
you above, we should assess
its properties as being small
in comparison with heaven. It is like
comparing dung to fine gold
or precious stones: in the end, the
latter are valuable and the former are worthless.
But because we are in this world, we are of the view
that the earth is very large. I will tell you about
both its roundness and its thickness, as I can,
which is to say briefly. Since you have heard
that the earth is completely round, like an apple,
nevertheless it is not inhabited by people in all four
quarters, as is well known. Only one quarter of
it is inhabited, as the philosophers found out through
their research, putting great work and study into the matter.
And for that reason we will consider it divided into
four parts, using an apple as an example,
which from the middle is divided into four quarters