th life, can hardly be found. The lame tale of one _Flauius_ at
_Amelphis_, in the kingdome of _Naples_, for to haue deuised it, is of very
slender probabilitie. _Pandulph Collenutius_ writing the Neapolitane
historie telleth vs, that they of _Amelphis_ say, it is a common opinion
there, that it was first found out among them. But _Polidore Virgil_, who
searched most diligently for the Inuentors of things, could neuer heare of
this opinion (yet himselfe being an Italian) and as he confesseth in the
later ende of his third booke _de inventoribus rerum_, could neuer
vnderstand anything concerning the first inuention of this instrument."

According to Park Benjamin (_Intellectual Rise in Electricity_, p. 146) the
use of the pivotted compass arose and spread not from Amalfi at the hands
of Italians in the fourteenth century, but from Wisbuy, at the hands of the
Finns, in the middle of the twelfth century. {10}

Hakewill (_An Apologie or Declaration of the Power and Providence of God_,
London, 1673, pp. 284-285) says:

"But _Blondus_, who is therein followed by _Pancirollus_, both _Italians_,
will not haue _Italy_ loose the praise thereof, telling vs that about 300
yeares agoe it was found out at Malphis or Melphis, a Citty in the Kingdome
of _Naples_ in the _Province_ of _Campania_, now called _Terra di
Lovorador_. But for the Author of it, the one names him not, and the other
assures vs, he is not knowne: yet _Salmuth_ out of _Ciezus & Gomara_
confidently christens him with the name of _Flavius_, and so doth _Du
Bartas_ in those excellent verses of his touching this subject.

"'W' are not to _Ceres_ so much bound for bread,
Neither to _Bacchus_ for his clusters red,
As Signior _Flavio_ to thy witty tryall,
For first inventing of the Sea-mans dyall,
Th' vse of the needle turning in the same,
Divine device, O admirable frame!'

"It may well be then that _Flavius_ the _Melvitan_ was the first inventor
of guiding the ship by the turning of the needle to the _North_: but some
_German_ afterwards added to the _Compasse_ the 32 points of the winde in
his owne language, whence other Nations haue since borrowed it."

[15] PAGE 4, LINE 14. Page 4, line 14. _Paulum Venetum_.--The reference is
to Marco Polo. He returned in 1295 from his famous voyage to Cathay. But
the oft-repeated tale that he first introduced the knowledge of the compass
into Europe on his return is disposed of by several well-established facts.
Kl