e hour by fire, water, air, and earth.

The second piece of the pyramid was also a round table somewhat less
than the first, with 4 iron supporters, and dials on the edge, showing
the different rising of remarkable stars; the style to each being a
little star painted upon the inside of the glass cover. From this piece
also branched 4 glass bowls to show the hour by a style without a
shadow, a shadow without a style, &c. Upon the upper part of the table
were 8 reclining planes, 4 covered with looking-glass, on which the
hour-lines, or style of a dial being painted, were reflected upon the
bottom inclining planes of the third piece, and there showed the hour.
The other 4 had also dials upon them, which were to be seen in a
looking-glass placed upon the bottom of the third piece.

The third piece was a large hollow globe, about 24 inches in diameter,
and cut into 26 planes, two of which served for top and bottom. The rest
were divided into 8 equal reclining planes, 8 equal inclining planes,
and 8 equal vertical or upright planes; all of which were hollow. The
incliners were not covered with glass, but left open, so as better to
receive and show the dials reflected from the second piece. Two of the
8 upright planes towards the north had no bottoms, but were covered only
with clear glass, or windows to look into the globe, and thus see the
dials as well within as without the same. The other 6 had not only each
a cover of clear polished glass, with a dial described on them, like
those of the first piece, but had a glass for their bottom; which glass
was thinly painted over white, so that the shade of the hour-lines drawn
upon the cover, might be seen as well within as without the globe. On
these bottom glasses were painted portraits, each holding a sceptre,
or truncheon, the end of which pointed to the hour. Two also of the
recliners towards the north, had only a glass cover, or window to look
into the globe: the other 6 had double glass like the former; their
dials being some upon the cover, others upon the bottom; but all so
contrived, that the hour could only be known by them, by looking within
the globe. From the top of this globe issued 4 iron branches with glass
bowls with dials showing the time according to the several ways of
counting the hours. These bowls were painted inside so as to keep out
the light, except a point left like a star, through which the sun-beams
showed the hour; and the place where the hour-lines w