florish within this realm. And al be
it the chief learning be the diuine scriptures, which instruct
the mind principally, & nexte therto the lawes politike, which
most specially defend the right of goodes, yet is it not possible
that those two can long be wel vsed, if that ayde want that
gouerneth health and expelleth sicknes, which thing is done by
Physik, & these require the help of the vij. liberall sciences,
but of none more then of Arithmetik and Geometry, by which not
only great thinges ar wrought touching accomptes in al kinds, & in
suruaiyng & measuring of landes, but also al arts depend partly
of them, & building which is most necessary can not be w^{t}out
them, which thing considering, moued me to help to serue your
maiesty in this point as wel as other wais, & to do what mai be
in me, y^t not only thei which studi principalli for lerning, mai
haue furderance bi mi poore help, but also those whiche haue no
tyme to trauaile for exacter knowlege, may haue some helpe to
vnderstand in those Mathematicall artes, in whiche as I haue all
readye set forth sumwhat of Arithmetike, so god willing I intend
shortly to setforth a more exacter worke therof. And in the
meane ceason for a taste of Geometry, I haue sette forthe this
small introduction, desiring your grace not so muche to beholde
the simplenes of the woorke, in comparison to your Maiesties
excellencye, as to fauour the edition thereof, for the ayde of
your humble subiectes, which shal thinke them selues more and
more dayly bounden to your highnes, if when they shall perceaue
your graces desyre to haue theym profited in all knowledge and
vertue. And I for my poore ability considering your Maiesties
studye for the increase of learning generally through all your
highenes dominions, and namely in the vniuersities of Oxforde
and Camebridge, as I haue an earnest good will as far as my
simple seruice and small knowledg will suffice, to helpe toward
the satisfiyng of your graces desire, so if I shall perceaue
that my seruice may be to your maiesties contentacion, I wil not
only put forth the other two books, whiche shoulde haue beene
sette forth with these two, yf misfortune had not hindered it,
but also I wil set forth other bookes of more exacter arte,
bothe in the Latine tongue and also in the Englyshe, whereof
parte bee all readye written, and newe instrumentes to theym
deuised, and the residue shall bee eanded with all possible
speede. I was boldened to dedicate