The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1874-09-16
MISCELLANY.
THE GREAT CROCK At srRAsBUna

THE GREAT CLOCK At STRASBURG.
1.-THE great clock in the Cathedral at Stras-
burg lin Alsace) may be regarded as one of
the wonders of the modern world. The fol-
lowing particulars are abridged by an English
magazine from an old copy o. the Strasburg
Chronicle j
Herein nine things are to be considered,
whereof eight are in the wall the ninth
stands on the ground feet from the wall
This is great globe of the heavens, in which
are three motions one of the whole globe,
which displays the whole heavens, and moves
about from the east to the west in twenty
four hours the second is of the sun, which
runs through the signs once every year the
third is of the moon, which runs her course in
twenty-eight days. So that in this globe you
may view the motions of the whole heavens,
the motions of the sun and moon, every
minute of an hour, the rising and falling of
every star, described The instruments of
these motions are hid in the body of a pelican
under the globe. The pole is lifted up to the
elevation of Strasburg, and noted by a fair
star made of brass The zenith is declared
by an angel placed in the midst of the merid-
an. The second to be observed are two great
circles one within another, one eight feet, the
other nine feet broad the outermost moves
from the north to the south once in year,
and hath two angels,-o on the north side,
which points every day in the week the other
on the south side, which points what day shall
ha ba1f oft ~.
moves from south to north once in hundred
years, and hath many things described about
it: as the year of the world, the year of our
Lord, the circle of the sun, the professions of
the equinoctials, with the change of the ce-
lestial points, which things fall out by the
motions which are called trepidadations the
leap year, the movable feasts, and the domi-
nical letter, or golden number, as it turns
every year. There is an immovable index.
which encloses for every year all these things;
the lower part of which index is Joined to
another round circle, which is immovable.
of Strasburg are described. On both sides of
the circles, on the wall, the eclipses of the sun
and moon are told for many years,--from 1878
to 1924. The third thing is weekly motion
Of the planets on Sunday the sun is drawn
about in his chariot, as the day is spent and
before he be full in, you have Monday, that is
the moon clear forth, and the horses of Mars
chariot putting forth their heads; and so for ev-
cry day in the week. The fourth thing is a dial
for the minutes of the hour. On the other
side, a child, with sceptre in his hand, tells
every stroke of the clock another child on
the south side, has an hour-glass in his hand,
which runs just with the clock and when the
clock has struck he turns his glass. Above
the minnte-dial is dial for the hour. The
outermost circumference contains the hours,
but within it is perfect astrolabe, whereby
is shown the motion of every planet, it's as
pect, and in what sign, degree, and hour,
every one is in every hour of the day the op-
position likewise of the sun and moon, and
the head and tail of the dragon. The sixth
thing is circle, wherein are the two signs of
the moons rising and falling at two hollow
places it is seen at what state she is, and her
thing consists of four little bells, wherein the
quarters of the hour are struck. At the first
comes forth little boy, and strikes the first
with an apple. and goes and stays at the
fourth bell until the next quarter; then comes
a youth, and with dart, strikes two BELLS
and succeeds into the place of the child at
the third comes forth man-at-arms, with
halbert in his hand, and strikes three bells, he
succeeding into the place of the youth at the
fourth quarter comes an old man with staff
having crook at the end, and he strikes the
four bells, and stands at the fourth quarter
until the next quarter Immediately to strike
the clock comes Death in room above the
others, for this is the eight thing and at
each quarter he comes forth to catch each of
the former ages away with him but at a con-
trary side comes forth a figure intended to
represent our Saviour, which drives him in
but when the last quarter is heard, Death has
to go to the bell, which he strikes with his
bone, and stands at the bell, as the old man
does at his quarter-bell, till the next quarter,
and then they go in both together The
ninth, and last thing in this right line is the
tower at the top of the work, wherein is a
chime, which goes at three, seven, and eleven
o'clock, each time different tune and at
Christmas, Easter, and Whitsuntide, a thanks
giving and when this chime has done, the
cock (which stands on the top of the tower,
and the north side of the mainwork), having
stretched out his neck, shakes his comb, claps
his wings, and crows twice.
>~-a0s--~>---
TRIES are often the pivots of our lives.