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leur art et par leurs sens jusques aux estoilles tout en
hault dont ilz vouldrent savoir la mesure pour mieulx
congnoistre leur nature. Mais premierement voldrent
mesurer la terre et prouver sa granduer Et lors quilz
eulrent la terre mesure alentour par ung art quilz sceu
rent et prouve par droitte raison ilz la trouverent tout
environ aussi comme len feist dune chainture une
tour et puis fust la chainture estendue par le long et
qui lors yroit du long de la chainture il trouveroit sa
longueur grande. xx . M iiii . C et xxvii . miles. Dont la mile
contient. mil pas. le pas . v . pies. et le pie . xiiii . pouches
Tant a la terre de longueur entour par che trouverent
ilz apres combien elle a despez par my et trouverent son
espoisseur comme selle fust partie parmy. Laquelle a
de longueur par dedens . vi . M et . v . C miles. Par ceste figu
re daraine qui est selon nature droitte ilz mesurerent
justement tout le hault du firmament. Car ilz ne sceu
rent prendre ailleurs plusgrant mesure pour esten
dre la grandeur de toutes choses qui sont encloses dedens
le ciel:- Combien la lune et le soleil ont chascuN
de leur propre haulteuR :-

their skill and their sense, as far as the stars on high.
They wanted to know the measurements in order to
better understand their nature. But first of all they wanted
to measure the earth and prove its size. And once they
had measured the earth's circumference by a skill that
they knew, and proved it by correct reason, they encircled
it round about as they would put a chain around a tower,
and then the chain was extended along its length and
When they went along the length of the chain they found
its length to be 20,427 miles, each mile containing one
thousand steps, each step containing five feet, and each
foot containing fourteen inches [sic, see note]. Such was the length
of the earth in its circumference, by which they afterwards
found how thick it is and found its thickness as if it
were divided in half. This thickness is 6,500 miles in
length. By this last figure, which is correct according to
nature, they accurately measured the whole height of the
firmament. For they did not know where to get a larger
measure by which to extend the size of all things that
are included under the sky. [rubric:] How the moon and
the sun each has its own height. [/rubric]

leur art et par leurs sens jusques aux estoilles tout en
hault dont ilz vouldrent savoir la mesure pour mieulx
congnoistre leur nature. Mais premierement voldrent
mesurer la terre et prouver sa granduer Et lors quilz
eulrent la terre mesure alentour par ung art quilz sceu
rent et prouve par droitte raison ilz la trouverent tout
environ aussi comme len feist dune chainture une
tour et puis fust la chainture estendue par le long et
qui lors yroit du long de la chainture il trouveroit sa
longueur grande. xx . M iiii . C et xxvii . miles. Dont la mile
contient. mil pas. le pas . v . pies. et le pie . xiiii . pouches
Tant a la terre de longueur entour par che trouverent
ilz apres combien elle a despez par my et trouverent son
espoisseur comme selle fust partie parmy. Laquelle a
de longueur par dedens . vi . M et . v . C miles. Par ceste figu
re daraine qui est selon nature droitte ilz mesurerent
justement tout le hault du firmament. Car ilz ne sceu
rent prendre ailleurs plusgrant mesure pour esten
dre la grandeur de toutes choses qui sont encloses dedens
le ciel:- Combien la lune et le soleil ont chascuN
de leur propre haulteuR :-

their skill and their sense, as far as the stars on high.
They wanted to know the measurements in order to
better understand their nature. But first of all they wanted
to measure the earth and prove its size. And once they
had measured the earth's circumference by a skill that
they knew, and proved it by correct reason, they encircled
it round about as they would put a chain around a tower,
and then the chain was extended along its length and
When they went along the length of the chain they found
its length to be 20,427 miles, each mile containing one
thousand steps, each step containing five feet, and each
foot containing fourteen inches [sic, see note]. Such was the length
of the earth in its circumference, by which they afterwards
found how thick it is and found its thickness as if it
were divided in half. This thickness is 6,500 miles in
length. By this last figure, which is correct according to
nature, they accurately measured the whole height of the
firmament. For they did not know where to get a larger
measure by which to extend the size of all things that
are included under the sky. [rubric:] How the moon and
the sun each has its own height. [/rubric]