William Gilbert invented The Versorium in 1600. In Latin, the word versorium means "turn around". What the invention did was exactly what it meant. It would turn toward or away the object held near it. A long rod of any solid material was suspended from a string. The rod would be rubbed and then the object would be held near the rod. Rubbing the rod formed friction. If something placed near his versorium was not attracted it was a "non-electric". If the object was attracted it was called "electric". (http.// Versorium) .
When people thought that the world was square, the versorium was placed on a magnetized sphere. It was put on different spots on the magnetized sphere and the point to which it turned was marked. Gilbert explains that after marking a number of points, you can discover the point at which all the points come together. The points, A and B, are the poles. A versorium placed near but not on the magnetized sphere as point D, would point directly at the pole. (http.// Elec. & Mag.) .
A versorium is an electroscope and it is an electrostatic measuring device. It was usually a medal needle. The metal would be attracted to charged bodies of water that were near or close to it. They can do two things. They can indicate the presence of a magnetic charge or electrical field or indicate its quantity. A versorium is basically a compass for electricity. (http.// ask) .
A compass is an instrument containing a freely suspended magnetic element that displays the direction of the horizontal component of the Earth's magnetic field at the point of observation. The magnetic compass is an old Chinese invention. It was probably first made in China during the Qin Dynasty. The Qin Dynasty was from 220 B.C to 206 B.C . Chinese fortune tellers used a mineral made up of an iron oxide that aligns itself in a north-south direction called Lodestones to construct their fortune telling boards. Eventually someone noticed that the lodestones were better at pointing out real directions, leading to the first compasses.