a cover of clear polished glass, with a dial described on them, like
those of the first piece, but had a glass for their bottom; which glass
was thinly painted over white, so that the shade of the hour-lines drawn
upon the cover, might be seen as well within as without the globe. On
these bottom glasses were painted portraits, each holding a sceptre,
or truncheon, the end of which pointed to the hour. Two also of the
recliners towards the north, had only a glass cover, or window to look
into the globe: the other 6 had double glass like the former; their
dials being some upon the cover, others upon the bottom; but all so
contrived, that the hour could only be known by them, by looking within
the globe. From the top of this globe issued 4 iron branches with glass
bowls with dials showing the time according to the several ways of
counting the hours. These bowls were painted inside so as to keep out
the light, except a point left like a star, through which the sun-beams
showed the hour; and the place where the hour-lines were drawn, was only
painted on the outside thinly with white colour, so that the sun-light
passing through the star might be seen, and show the hour.

The fourth piece stood on the globe, had 4 iron supporters, and was a
table about 20 inches in diameter, and 6 in thickness! The edge was cut
into 12 concave superficies like so many half-cylinders; on each of
which was a dial showing the hour by the shade of a fleur-de-lis fixed
at the top of each half-cylinder. From the top of this table issued
4 iron branches, with glass bowls, like those of the first, second,
and third pieces, though proportionally less. The dials on these bowls
showed only the usual hour, and otherwise differed from the third piece;
here the hour-lines being left clear for the sunbeams to pass through,
that by so passing, they might exhibit the same dial on the opposite
side of the bowl, which was thinly painted white, that the said hours
might be seen, and show the hour by their passing over a little star