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Martin Cortes The Art of Navigation

A very important book if you want to navigate the Avon on a gondola! What is this book doing here? Published in 1561 this became the standard book of navigation in English as used by Francis Drake among others. It contains many illustration of early instruments such as astrolabes and had three-dimensional working models made from moving sheets attached by a silk thread with a tiny knot called volvelles but they have been removed. The pin holes are still visible. The book has a C19th binding.

If the declination of the sun in Seville was known the declination at sea enabled the navigator to find the ship’s position at sea.