this booke of Geometrye vnto
your Maiestye, not so muche bycause it is the firste that euer
was sette forthe in Englishe, and therefore for the noueltye a
straunge presente, but for that I was perswaded, that suche a
wyse prince doothe desire to haue a wise sorte of subiectes. For
it is a kynges chiefe reioysinge and glory, if his subiectes be
riche in substaunce, and wytty in knowledge: and contrarye waies
nothyng can bee more greuouse to a noble kyng, then that his
realme should be other beggerly or full of ignoraunce: But as
god hath geuen your grace a realme bothe riche in commodities
and also full of wyttie men, so I truste by the readyng of
wyttie artes (whiche be as the whette stones of witte) they
muste needes increase more and more in wysedome, and
peraduenture fynde some thynge towarde the ayde of their
substaunce, whereby your grace shall haue newe occasion to
reioyce, seyng your subiectes to increase in substance or
wisdom, or in both. And thei again shal haue new and new causes
to pray for your maiestie, perceiuyng so graciouse a mind
towarde their benefite. And I truste (as I desire) that a great
numbre of gentlemen, especially about the courte, whiche
vnderstand not the latin tong, or els for the hardnesse of the
mater could not away with other mens writyng, will fall in trade
with this easie forme of teachyng in their vulgar tong, and so
employe some of their tyme in honest studie, whiche were wont to
bestowe most part of their time in triflyng pastime: For
vndoubtedly if they mean other your maiesties seruice, other
their own wisdome, they will be content to employ some tyme
aboute this honest and wittie exercise. For whose encouragement
to the intent they maie perceiue what shall be the vse of this
science, I haue not onely written somewhat of the vse of
Geometrie, but also I haue annexed to this boke the names and
brefe argumentes of those other bokes whiche I will set forth
hereafter, and that as shortly as it shall appeare vnto your
maiestie by coniecture of their diligent vsyng of this first
boke, that they wyll vse well the other bokes also. In the meane
ceason, and at all times I wil be a continuall petitioner, that
god may work in all english hartes an ernest mynde to all honest
exercises, wherby thei may serue the better your maiestie and
the realm. And for your highnes I besech the most mercifull god,
as he hath most fauourably sent you vnto vs, as our chefe
comforter in earthe, so that he