makes the objection, yea, it is totally overthrown by that which immediately after he addeth for a greater confirmation of his argument, as you shall hear. He re-inforceth his argument, I say, with another Axiome,A fourth Axiome against the motion of the Earth which is this; That natura in rebus necessariis nec deficiat, nec abundat: i. e. That nature in things necessary is neither defective, nor superfluous.Flexures necessary in animals for the diversity of their motions. This is obvious to the observers of natural things, and chiefly of animals, in which, because they are to move with many motions, Nature hath made many flexures, and hath thereunto commodiously knitted the parts for motion, as to the knees, to the hips, for the inabling of living creatures to go, and run at their pleasure. Moreover in man he hath framed many flexions, and joynts, in the elbow, and hand, to enable them to perform many motions.Another argument against the three fold motion of the Earth. From these things the argument is taken against the threefold motion of the Earth. [Either the Body, that is one, and continuate, without any manner of knittings or flexions, can exercise divers motions, or cannot: If it can without them, then in vain hath nature framed the flexures in animals; which is contrary to the Axiome: but if it cannot without them, then the Earth, one body, and continuate, and deprived of flexures, and joynts, cannot of its own nature move with plurality of motions.] You see now how craftily he falls upon your answer, as if he had foreseen it.
Salv.Are you serious, or do you jest?
Simpl.I speak it with the best judgment I have.
Salv.You must therefore see that you have as fortunate an hand in defending the reply of this Philosopher, against some other rejoynders made to him; therefore answer for him, I pray you, seeing we cannot have him here. You first admit it for true, that Nature hath made the joynts, flexures, and knuckles of living creatures, to the intent that they might move with sundry and divers motions; and I deny this proposition; and say, that these flexions are made, that the animal may move one, or more of its parts,The Flexures in animals are not made for the diversity of motions. the rest remaining immoved: and I say, that as to the species and differences of motions those are of one kind alone, to wit, all circular, and for this cause you see all the ends of the moveable bones to be convex or concave,The motions of animals are of one sort. and of these some are spherical, as are those that are to move every way, as in the shoulder-joynt, The ends of the bones are all rotund. the arme of the Ensigne doth, in displaying the Colours, and that of the Falconer in bringing his Hawk to the lure; and such is the flexure of the elbow, upon which the hand turns round, in boring with an augure: others are circular onely one way, and as it were cylindrical, which serve for the members that bend onely in one fashion,It is demonstrated, that the ends of the bones are of necessity to be rotund. as the joynts of the fingers one above another, &c. But without more particular inductions, one only general discourse may make this truth understood; and this is, that of a solidbody
