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Show e e ---t A e e L s ATHGAlNANSIVeS TKIRCHE T el I e T ett e e et e ..- nomy, and alfo the acutenefs of their ingenuity in that Art The Emperou when he had read the Petition, was very much rejoyced, and affente unto whatfoever they defired,and prefently by his Proclamation manifefted hisMajeft es hig pleafure for the carrying on of the work without delay: Our Father being exalte to an honour, they never. durft hope for, or ever could defire a mean mor commodious for the propagation of the Gofpel of Chrift, willing y applyed them{elves unto abufinefs of that great and weighty concernmen : thofe that were §f employed were Father Sabatinus de Urfis,and Father Facobu Panto ja, Anno 16 ¢ 1 Perfons excelling'in the knowledge of the Aftronomical Sciences ;5 Fa her Szbatinns immediately endeavoured to have the Theories o the Planets, very neceflary to the underflanding of the motion of the Conftellations Tranflate out of the Latine Tongue into the Chinefran , by th afliftance of two Mdovines , Paul and Leo, now become C hriftians who with great proficiency ha {fome while fince attained the Aftronomical Dilciplines by the infiru@ion of Father Matthew Riccins 5 then he applyed himfelf to fin out the longitude of th «City of Peking,by obfervations made by his Corref; ponden s both in China,Ind;a and Europe, without which the Calculation of Ecliplesi in vain undertaken Pantoja undertook to fearch out the latitude of th Cities of China, beginnin from Canion he moft exaltly mealured wich the Afir labe through the latitude o the whole Fmpire, in a dice& line from the South unt the limits of the'North o Peking, {porting himfelf night and day in the indagati n of the preparativ exerciles, concerning which there was not the leaft hint in th Chinefian Aflronomy 5 and alcthough the Chinefes vaunt fo much that the excel other Nations i {ubtlety o Wit, they knew not what the longitude or latitud o p a e w f The Erronrs BAE When the Fathers of our Society fir e n t r i C i a a fome Sunof til:lecfé';';;:dyals to be made they admired that the Cities of Cbzmz. fhould b under diver elevations of the Pole, fecing that they afligned but thirty fix degr es unto al China, relying upon the tradition of the Antients, wh foolithly perfwaded them{elves that the Earth was not Globular, but that it was extend d intaan infinit Superficies, and that the Sun and Moon about or unde the Welt entered into phy certain deep Cave, from which azain they arofe about the Eaft: mor over tha "Theignorant cee Sun and Moon were no bivger than what t e of the Chinefe them to be aboutth 7% that thofe lucid bodies are not above fix handful in magnitude: fro Globe of the. Earth, th \‘,:- WAENCE it 18 manifeft how maimed, lame, and unperf { fr cl ithe Chinefian Aflronom wnand - was Butto return to our purpofe, this happy beginning of the e o the Calender continued not long, by reafon that the Academy of th Mathematicai Colledge being enraged at our Fathers for the gre t honour granted unt them by the Emperour, they prefented an humble Petition in which with grea _eagernefsthey compliined of the {uppreflion of the Studies of their ountry Sciences, and of the fignal advance of Barbarians in the Royal Em loyment; by the Emp a rour having difcovered the deformity of th Computations made b the Adverfaries, and that the Calculations of our F thers alwaies agreed to th pomt of the Prediion; at length by a New Patent granted unto the Fathers Plenary Power, in reference unto the Aftronomica Arts, Father Tobn Terentin being more ef] pecially taken into this employment,at therequef of the Mandorine of the City of Conftance, who before he entered into our Socicty was in great favour nd requeft with Prince and Noble Perfonages, for his exa& knowledge o the Occult Secrets of Nature and happy skill in Phyfick ; but weary of his honour and ame, divulged far an near, and renouncing the world, refolved to employ his Tale i t fion of the Infidels; fo he undertook the Indiarn cxpedition which he obtaine wit e Pau!l and Leo This Father Fobn Terentins was a Germa |