_The greater circles are those which devide this earthly globe
into equall halfes or Hæmispheres._

_The lesser are those which devide it into two vnequall parts,
one bigger, another lesse._

{ 1 Æquator.
Of the former sort there { 2 Meridian.
are foure, the { 3 Horizon.
{ 4 Zodiack, or Eclipticke.

1 _The Æquitor or Æquonoctiall line, is a line drawen iust in the
midst of the earth, from East to West, which compasseth it as a
girdle doth a mans body, and devidith it into two equall parts,
one on the North side, the other on the South_ The two points in
the earth that are every way farthest distant from it North, &
South are called the Poles of the earth which doe directly stand
vnder the two like points in the Heaven, so called because the
Heaven turnes about vpon them, as the Earth doth in a Globe
that's set in a frame. This circle is of the first & principall
note and vse in Geography, because all measurings for distances
of places and quarters of the Earth are reckoned in it, or from
it. It is called the Æquinoctiall, because when the Sunne in the
Heavens comes to be directly over that circle in the earth, the
daies & nights are of equall length in all parts of the world.
Marriners call it by a kind of excellency, _The line_. Vpon the
Globe it is easily discerned being drawen bigger then any other
circles from East to West, and with small divisions.

2 _The Meridian, if a line that is drawen quite crosse the