One Right line may bee the common section of two plaines: yet all or the whole in the same plaine is one: And all the whole is in the same other: And so the whole is the same plaine. Two Right lines cutting one another, may bee in two plaines cutting one of another; But then a plaine may be drawne by them: Therefore both
of them shall be in the same plaine. And this plaine is geometrically to be conceived: Because the same plaine is not alwaies made the ground whereupon one oblique line, or two cutting one another are drawne, when a periphery is in a sphearicall: Neither may all peripheries cutting one another be possibly in one plaine.
And
9. With a right line given to describe a peripherie.
This fabricke or construction is taken out of the 3. Petition which is thus. Having a center and a distance given to describe, make, or draw a circle. But here the terme or end of a circle is onely sought, which is better drawne out of the definition of a periphery, at the [10. e ij]. And in a plaine onely may that conversion or turning about of a right line bee made: Not in a sphearicall, not in a Conicall, not in a Cylindraceall, except it be in top, where notwithstanding a periphery may bee described. Therefore before (to witt at the said [10. e ij].) was taught the generall fabricke or making of a Periphery: Here we are informed how to discribe a Plaine periphery, as here.
Now as the Rular was the instrument invented and used for the drawing of a right line: so also may the same Rular, used after another manner, be the instrument to describe or draw a periphery withall. And indeed such is that instrument used by the Coopers (and other like artists) for the rounding of their bottomes of their tubs, heads of barrells and otherlike vessells: But the Compasses, whether straight shanked or bow-legg'd, such as here thou seest, it skilleth not, are for al purposes and practises, in this case the best and readiest. And in deed the Compasses, of all
geometricall instruments, are the most excellent, and by whose help famous Geometers have taught: That all the problems of geometry may bee wrought and performed: And there is a booke extant, set out by John Baptist, an Italian, teaching, How by one opening of the Compasses all the problems of Euclide may be resolved: And Jeronymus Cardanus, a famous Mathematician, in the 15. booke of his Subtilties, writeth, that there was by the helpe of the Compasses a demonstration of all things demonstrated by Euclide, found out by him and one Ferrarius.
Talus, the nephew of Dædalus by his sister, is said in the viij. booke of Ovids Metamorphosis, to have beene the inventour of this instrument: For there he thus writeth of him and this matter:—Et ex uno duo ferrea brachia nodo: Iunxit, ut æquali spatio distantibus ipsis: Altera pars staret, pars altera duceret orbem.