The speed of the ball—thanks to opposition from the air—will not go on increasing forever. Rather, what will happen is seen in bodies of very little weight falling through no great distance; I mean, a reduction to equable motion, which will occur also in a lead or iron ball after the descent of some thousands of braccia. This bounded terminal speed will be called the maximum that such a heavy body can naturally attain through the air...

Salviati, Day Four, 278-279 Stillman Drake translation (1974) - Dialogues and Mathematical Demonstrations Concerning Two New Sciences (1638)