10. An ordinate figure, is a figure whose bounds are equall and angles equall.
In plaines the Equilater triangle is onely an ordinate figure, the rest are all inordinate: In quadrangles, the Quadrate is ordinate, all other of that sort are inordinate: In every sort of Multangles, or many cornered figures one may be an ordinate. In crooked lined figures the Circle is ordinate, because it is conteined with equall bounds, (one bound alwaies equall to it selfe being taken for infinite many,) because it is equiangled, seeing (although in deede there be in it no angle) the inclination notwithstanding is every where alike and equall, and as it were the angle of the perphery be alwaies alike unto it selfe: whereupon of Plato and Plutarch a circle is said to be Polygonia, a multangle; and of Aristotle Holegonia, a totangle, nothing else but one whole angle. In mingled-lined figures there is nothing that is ordinate: In
solid bodies, and pyramids the Tetrahedrum is ordinate: Of Prismas, the Cube: of Polyhedrum's, three onely are ordinate, the octahedrum, the Dodecahedrum, and the Icosahedrum. In oblique-lined bodies, the spheare is concluded to be ordinate, by the same argument that a circle was made to bee ordinate.
11. A prime or first figure, is a figure which cannot be divided into any other figures more simple then it selfe.
So in plaines the triangle is a prime figure, because it cannot be divided into any other more simple figure although it may be cut many waies: And in solids, the Pyramis is a first figure: Because it cannot be divided into a more simple solid figure, although it may be divided into an infinite sort of other figures: Of the Triangle all plaines are made; as of a Pyramis all bodies or solids are compounded; such are aei. and aeio.
12. A rationall figure is that which is comprehended of a base and height rationall betweene themselves.
So Euclide, at the 1. d. ij. saith, that a rightangled parallelogramme is comprehended of two right lines perpendicular one to another, videlicet one multiplied by the other. For Geometricall comprehension is sometimes as it were in numbers a multiplication: Therefore if yee shall grant the base and height to bee rationalls betweene themselves,
that their reason I meane may be expressed by a number of the assigned measure, then the numbers of their sides being multiplyed one by another, the bignesse of the figure shall be expressed. Therefore a Rationall figure is made by the multiplying of two rationall sides betweene themselves.
Therefore,