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“T am fully perswaded that our countrie is not inferiour to any for men knowledge, singular explication, and exquisite execution of the artes 1 ticke, for what strangers may be compared with M. The E countryman, the great master of archmastrie ? and for theoretical speculat
most cunning calculation, M. Dee and M. Thomas Heriotts are hardly dy ‘s ie.
ma‘ched.”—The Seaman’s Secrets, by John Davis, 1594. 7
Historical Society of Setence.
A
COLLECTION OF LETTERS
ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE PROGRESS
OF
SCIENCE IN ENGLAND
FROM THE REIGN OF
QUEEN ELIZABETH TO THAT OF CHARLES THE SECOND.
EDITED BY . Pel Ifpps
JAMES ORCHARD HALLIWELL, _Esa., F.R.S., F.S.A., F.R.A.S., &c. &c. &c.
LONDON: PRINTED FOR THE SOCIETY, BY R. AND J. E. TAYLOR, RED LION COURT, FLEET ‘STREET. M.DCCC.XLI.
THE
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SCIENCE.
1840-41.
PRESIDENT.
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF SUSSEX, K.G., K.T., G.C.H., D.C.L., F.R.S., &e., &e., &¢c., &e.
VICE-PRESIDENTS.
THE RIGHT HON. THE EARL OF MUNSTER, F.R.S. THE RIGHT HON. LORD HOLLAND, F.R:S.
THE RIGHT REV. THE LORD BISHOP OF DURHAM, F.R.S. SIR ROBERT HARRY INGLIS, BART., M.P., LL.D., F.R.S. SIR GEORGE T. STAUNTON, BART., M.P., D.C.L., F.R.S. THE RIGHT HON. SIR LANCELOT SHADWELL, V.C.
COUNCIL.
CHARLES PURTON COOPER, ESQ. Q.C., D.C.L., F.R.S., F.S.A.
THOMAS STEPHENS DAVIES, ESQ. F.R.S. L. & E., F.S.A. = Pro- fessor of Mathematics at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.
AUGUSTUS DE MORGAN, ESQ. V.P.R.A.S. Professor of Mathematics at University College, London.
JAMES ORCHARD HALLIWELL, ESQ. F.R.S., F.S.A. Sec. & Treas.
REV. JOSEPH HUNTER. F-.S.A., F.R.A.S.
SIR FRANCIS PALGRAVE, K.H., F.R.S.
THOMAS JOSEPH PETTIGREW, ESQ. F.R.S., F.S.A., F.L.S.
~REV. BADEN POWELL, M.A., F.R.S. Savilian Professor of Geometry, Oxford.
SIR J. GARDNER WILKINSON, F.R.S., M.R.S.L., F.G.S.
REV. ROBERT WILLIS, M.A., F.R.S. Jacksonian Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy, Cambridge.
THOMAS WRIGHT, ESQ. M.A., F.S.A.
JAMES YATES, ESQ. M.A., F.R.S., F.G.S.
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PREFACE.
‘T'ue contents of the present volume are so very miscellaneous, that it would be a difficult task to give a satisfactory analysis of them within the limits of a few pages. Perhaps it may be sufficient to state that the Editor has endeavoured to form such a collec- tion of early letters on scientific subjects as would be likely to assist any future author of a critical history of English science, and that from the very limited number of such letters which now remain he has at- tempted a selection which he thinks will be consi- dered a valuable addition to the few materials of this class already published. ‘The libraries of the British Museum, Sion College, Lambeth, and Oxford have been found to contain documents suitable for this purpose, and the reader will find that the following volume includes letters from all these depositaries. To the cursory reader any illustration of the pro- gress of science in this country during the reign of Elizabeth will be a novelty ; and even those who have paid more particular attention to the subject will, we think, be surprised to find scientific correspondence
Vill PREFACE.
of so early a date still preserved. Thanks to the venerable Lord Burghley, a few fragments are still preserved, which, though often individually of no great importance, are very curious illustrations of the state of English science at that period. For instance, the letter of Emery Molineux to Lord Burghley, printed at p. 37, is in itself of little in- terest or value; but. when joined with the fact that it is the only known memorial respecting one who was distinguished as the first mathematical instru- ment-maker* of his day, it becomes a document at once curious and valuable, and well worthy of pre- servation in an available form.
Before the publication of a very able and interest- ing paper on the early English mathematical and astronomical writers in the Companion to the British Almanac for 1837, written by Professor De Morgan, nothing had been attempted towards even a connected sketch of the scientific labours of our countrymen during the latter half of the sixteenth century. ‘‘ Far from having,” says Professor De Morgan, ‘‘ such a work as those of Montucla or Delambre in our lan- guage, we have not even a chronological compendium like that of Weidler, Heilbronner, or Gerard Vossius.”’ But necessarily imperfect in its details as Prof. de Mor- gan’s sketch is, yet it may fairly rank with its conti- nental companions, and gives, we may safely say, a
* Davis, in the Seaman’s Secrets, 4to. Lond. 1594, bestows the like praise upon him. According to Maunsel’s Catalogue he was the author of a treatise on the use of the globes, but I have never been fortunate enough to meet with a copy.
PREFACE. iX
correct and impartial account of almost every work that holds any importance either among the discove- ries or mere elementary assistances of science. If we add to this, three articles in the Magazine of Popular Science, by the Editor of this volume, we shall have enumerated, we believe, every published contribution to the subject. It may, however, be mentioned, that Mr. Hunter discovered that John Field and John Dee adopted the Copernican system as early as 1556 ; and Professor De Morgan has shown that Robert Recorde was-a convert to the heliocentric theory at nearly the same period. But these discoveries seem to have attracted little attention from scientific men, either on account of that lamentable apathy towards matters of history which is too frequently character- istic of the lover of demonstration, or perhaps, jet us hope, from a want of some general channel of com- munication, such as the Historical Society of Science now affords.
The letters of Sir Charles Cavendish, which are, with two or three exceptions, now published for the first time, will, we think, enable the reader to form a tolerably correct idea of the extent to which the study
IS of analytical science was then carried in England. If
we give a glance at the state of this branch of science a short time anterior to that period, we shall be rather at a loss to account for the number and success of its English cultivators, who seem to have arisen on a sudden and at the same time with efforts sufficient to produce works equalling, if not surpassing, those of their continental neighbours.
X PREFACE.
Robert Recorde may be considered as the founder of
analytical science in England. The author of the —
first English work on algebra (1557) has not, how- ever, as might have been expected, produced a mere elementary compilation, but a work that ranks, for originality and depth, with the ablest foreign contem- porary productions on the same subject. What is rather inexplicable, this book by Recorde appears an oasis in a century deficient in this science, and no Englishman is known to have pursued the study of algebra to an equal extent before the time of Harriot. With the exception of a trifling essay by Thomas ~ Digges in the Stratioticos, and a few memoranda in a MS. of Blagrave’s in Lambeth Palace*, we scarcely know of anything connected with this branch of science that is worthy of notice, and even these in- clude only the simplest elementary principles.
It is somewhat remarkable that this dearth of ana- lytical science was not the result of a prejudice in favour of the geometry of the ancients. We have, it is true, an elaborate edition of Euelid by Dee and Billingsley, but with this the taste for geometry ap- pears to have expired. We do not find that Harriot and the contemporary English analysts were fettered by a prejudice in favour of the old geometry, such as for a length of time pervaded the writers of the con- tinent ; although, indeed, it appears from Harriot’s
* This is No. 280, which is classed anonymously in the printed catalogue. Blagrave has given in this volume the well-known al- gebraic question relating to the cocks of a cistern, besides several
astronomical notes. It appears that Blagrave studied under John Field, whom we have mentioned above.
ne
PREFACE. xl
_ papers in the British Museum that he was well ac- quainted with Pappus and other geometrical works which had then been recently published abroad. There is a remarkable note of Sir Charles Cavendish at p. 84, who says, ‘‘ Dr. Jungius prefers the analitics of the ancients before Vieta’s by letters, which he saies is more subject to errors or mistakes, though more facile and quick of dispatch, but I conceive not yet whye.’’ This serves to show that the roro¢ avadvowevos of the Alexandrian school still held its sway in the minds of foreign mathematicians, notwithstanding the writings of Vieta and Descartes ; but we find no traces in this country of its influence over the new analysis before the time of Robert Simson, that is, nearly a century afterwards.
The science of the seventeenth century possessed one feature which is now obsolete, and which pro- bably contributed, in a great measure, to preserve and foster a taste for analytics. We allude to the practice of publicly proposing problems for solution —a kind of challenge from individuals to the science of all KEurope—and thus exciting an emulation which, perhaps, would otherwise not have been felt. The superiority of the new analysis over the ancient geo- metry was soon acknowledged, and although. some questions were required to be solved geometrically, yet mathematicians soon evinced their dislike to a system of attaining by a long and tedious method that which was often capable of speedy and easy re- solution by another analysis. Specimens of these challenges are preserved among Pell’s papers in the
Xi PREFACE.
British Museum, printed on narrow. slips of paper, and evidently intended to be pasted pro bono publico in conspicuous situations. We have little doubt that the celebrated problem, generally known as Colonel Titus’s problem, was originally proposed in this man- ner. We have already intimated that this problem is attributed to the wrong person*, and we have since discovered a note in MS. Birch, 4411, which ex- pressly states that it was ‘‘ put by Colonel Titus, who had received it from Dr. Pell.”” The problem in the most general form is as follows:
a? + be=a(l) b? + ac = B (2) > to find a, b, and c. + 0b =y GB)
Collins has given a solution which occupies four- teen closely written folio pages, and the more modern solutions have not been comprised in a much shorter compass. ' Wallis’s solution is in the same manu- script. Pell, however, criticises Collins’s solution very severely, and ridicules him for not observing that the roots will admit both of positive and nega- tive values.
The problem is generally given with numerical va- lues for «, 8, and y, and the only possible chance of a short solution is a case in which these numbers bear some definite relation to each other, so as to ob- tain an equation independent of the given quantities. For instance, Pell gives one wherein « = 15, 8 = 16,
* Life of Sir Samuel Morland, p. 28.— From No. 4413, fol. 24, it appears that the problem generally ascribed to Colonel Titus was
proposed to Pell in 1649 by William Brereton, who very probably had it from Harriot.”
PREFACE. Xiil
y = 17, in which case the problem remains in the same position as before with regard to a solution ; but it is singular that Pell’s ingenuity should not have suggested another method of solution in the case which he gives wherea=7,B=7, y=11. In this case we have
avt+be=+ac
a2? — b? =ac—bec=c(a— d)
or,a+b=c.
It is unnecessary to pursue this any further, for by substituting this value of ¢ in (3) and (2), and add- ing the two equations together, we obtain 2 (a+)? = 18,orc=3. The values of a and bd are | and 2 respectively, and this is, perhaps, the simplest case which could be selected.
To return to the contents of our volume. The notes of inventions of Ralph Rabbards at p. 7, may be noticed as somewhat similar to the far-famed “Century of Inventions” of the Marquis of Wor- cester. The number of such proposals is great, and several seem to include discoveries generally consi- dered as belonging to a more modern period*. The letter of Tycho Brahe, at p. 32, may be mentioned as a curious notice of the intercourse between the mathematicians of this and foreign countries. The letters of Thomas Lydyat are more valuable for bio-
* For instance, Sir Samuel Morland’s Tuba Stentorophonica may have been anticipated by Henry Reginald, who, in the year 1603, dedicated a book of inventions to King James, among which was one “‘to convey the voice for a thousand paces without showing any one near you were talking.” —MS. Birch, 4384.
XIV PREFACE.
graphy than the history of science ; and yet we think that they will be acceptable to the lover of familiar history. Similar remarks may be made of others*. ©
In the appendix to Dr. Vaughan’s ‘‘ Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell,” are printed several letters from Pell’s MS. collections, a few of which we have found it necessary to reprint in this work. Unfortunately no references whatever are given to the places whence these letters are taken, and amidst the very numerous volumes which compose Pell’s collections, it is no easy matter to find the deposit of any particular one. Owing to this arrangement, we have been quite un- able, although we have spared no exertions, to find the original of a very curious letter which Dr. Vaughan has printed at p. 347. It is written by Dr. Pell, and
dated Oct. 12th, 1642; and we are unwilling to
neglect the opportunity of extracting the following passage :—
“T can hear of nothing of Vieta’s in manuscript in England, but such pieces of his as are already printed, and were trans- cribed for the most part out of the printed books, because they could not be had for money. Here is also'a manuscript of his note priores ad logisticen speciosam, transcribed many years ago at Paris out of a written copy; but since that time, le Sieur de Beaugrand hath caused it to be printed in 24mo. at Paris, anno 1631, with a few notes of his own thereon. It
* We have neglected to say in the proper place (p. 31), that “a copie of the speache made by the mathematicall lecturer unto the worshipfull company present, at the house of the worshipfull Mr. Thomas Smith,” was published at London in 1588, small 4to. From the title-page to his treatise on the Cross-staf, it appears that Hood was mathematical lecturer in 1596; but in his work on the Sector, published in 1598, this title is omitted. We also omitted to remark, that from MS. Harl. 7523, fol. 206, it appears that Pell in 1650 had a design of publishing commentaries on the works of Descartes.
PREFACE. XV
_ is true I have in mine own hands an imperfect astronomical manuscript of six sheets of paper, entitled Hypothesis Fran- - celidinis, said to be a piece of a great work of Vieta’s, called
by him Harmonicum Celeste, which may, perhaps, be found
complete in France, whence mine came. I have been told here that the Englishman that, at the time of Vieta’s death, served him as a scribe, under the counterfeit name of John Poltrier, being kindly offered by Vieta’s heirs to take what he pleased to keep as a remembrance of him, took not a leaf of any of his writings. And Thuanus tells us that the heirs did ut all his papers in the hands of Peter Alelmus of Orleans. never enquired whether this Peter were the father to Jaco- bus Alelmus, the French king’s engineer; from whom, four- teen years after Vieta’s death, Alexander Anderson acknow- ledgeth that he had those two tracts, de equationum recogni- tione et emendatione, which he first published at Paris, anno 1615. And though it is likely that Monsieur Aleaume (for so I think the French call him) be now dead, yet I hope a diligent enquirer may learn who was his heir, and what is become of Vieta’s Adversaria.” We consider this a most important testimony in favour of Nathaniel Torporley, who, according to _ Anthony a Wood, attacked Vieta under the name _ of Poultry. We now see the truth through Wood’s mistake,—a mistake that has puzzled Professor Ri- gaud and other writers on the scientific history of this period. Perhaps Poltrier may be a mistake for Pol- troyer, and intended for an anagram of the name of Torporley. This letter is also curious for the men- tion of Vieta’s Harmonicon Celeste, which has been but recently discovered, and is now in the course of publication at Paris by M. Libri.
We cannot conclude these few memoranda without offering our respectful thanks to His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, who, with the greatest liberality, has afforded us every facility for consulting
the manuscripts in the library at Lambeth Palace.
XVl PREFACE.
silat
The Historical Society of Science is indebted to J. H. C. Wright, Esq., of St. John’s College, Cam- bridge, for the transcripts of several of the letters contained in this volume, which were most kindly presented to the Society by that gentleman, whose zeal and knowledge of science and its history are de- serving of the highest praise.
J. O. HALLIWELL.
sn ee ee
35, Alfred Place, Jan. 15, 1841.
No. — TF
4.
CONTENTS.
POPPA
Richard Eden to Lord Burghley, Aug. 1st, 1562
. Thomas Digges to Lord Burghley, May 14th, 1574 - Ralph Rabbards to Queen Elizabeth, 1574
Dr. John Dee to Lord Burghley, Oct. 3rd, 1574 Humphrey Cole to Lord Burghley, Dec. 4th, 1578 .
. Instructions by Dr. John Dee, May 15th, 1580 . . Stephen Powle to Mr. West >... « 2 + 2 ©
Lord Burghley’s memorial concerning Dr. John Dee’s opi- nion on the reformation of the calendar. . . .. .
. Thomas Hood to Lord Burghley. . .
. Tycho Brahe to Thomas Savelle, Dec. Ist, 1590
. John Bulkeley to Thomas Harriot, Feb. 28th, 1591.
. Edmund Jentill to Lord Burghley, Oct. Ist, 1594
- Inventions by Edmund Jentill . : ‘
- Henry Marshall to Lord Burghley, June 101 1595 .
. Emery Molineux to Lord Burghley, 1596. . . .. . . William Lower to Thomas Harriot, March 4th, 1611 .
. The same to the same, April 13th, 1611.
. The same to the same, July 19th, 1611 .
. Thomas Aylesburie to Thomas Harriot, April 15th, 1613. . John Rudston to Thomas Harriot, June 9th, 1615 .
. Thomas Aylesburie to Thomas Harriot, Jan. 19th, 1619 . - Thomas Harriot to the Duke of Northumberland, June 13th,
1619
- Samuel Turner to Thomas Harriot . ; ’ . Henry Briggs to Thomas Lydyat, July 11th, 1623 .
b
Page
XVill CONTENTS. No. Page 25. Thomas Lydyat to Henry Briggs, July 4th, 1623 . . . 47 26. Thomas Man to Thomas Lydyat, April 19th, 1625. . . 49 27. Thomas Lydyat to Thomas Man, May 12th, 1625 . . . 50 28. Thomas Lydyat to Sir Henry Martin, Oct. 17th, 1626 . 54 29. Henry Briggs to John Pell, Oct. 25th, 1628 . . . . . 55 30. Thomas Lydyat to Henry Briggs, Oct. 31st, 1628 . . . 58 31. A paper on the weight of water by the Duke of Northum-
bervland ©)... aes - 59 32. Christopher Potter to William Boswell, Mar. sth, 1632 . 26 33. Thomas Lydyat to William Boswell, April 4th, 1632 . . 61 34. Thomas Lydyat’s petition to Charles the First . . . . 63 35. Thomas Lydyat to the Archbishop of Canterbury . . . 64 36. Walter Warner to Robert Payne, Oct. 17th, 1634 . . . 65 37. Robert Payne to Walter Warner, June 2lst,1635 . . . 2. 38. Sir Charles Cavendish to Walter Warner, May 2nd, 1636. 66 39. The same to the same, Sept. 2nd, 1636. . . . . . - 67 40. Robert Payne to Walter Warner, Oct. 3d, 1636. . . . %@. 41. Thomas Lydyat to Mr. Rouse, Aug. 2nd, 1638 . . . . 70 42. Nathaniel Torporley to the Duke of Northumberland,
July 5th, 1632... . tence, ee 43. Sir Charles Cavendish to John | Pell, dia fie 1641.6) 446 TZ 44. The same to the same, Feb. 5th, 1641 . . . . . . . @. 45. The same to the same, June 26th, 1641. . . . . .- 73 46. The same to the same, July 24th, 1641... . . . . @. 47. The same to the same, Nov. 20th, 164]. . : EP rs at 48. The same to the same, Dec. 18th, 1660. (4 ,2%.. wie 49. Robert Pink to Thomas Lydyat, Nov. 13th, 1641 . . « 75 50. Sir Charles Cavendish to John Pell, Jan. 20th, 1644 . . 76 51. The same to the same, Jan. 31st, 1644... . « . + 0. 52. The same to the same, March 26th, 1644 . . . . .°s 77 53. The same to the same, July 26th, 1644... . «. . » 78 54. The same to the same, Aug. 18th, 1644 . .. .. - 79 55. John Pell to Sir Charles Cavendish, Aug. 7th, 1644 . . ib. 56. Sir William Petty to John Pell, Aug. 14th, 1644. . . . 81 - 57. Sir Charles Cavendish to John Pell, Aug. 26th, 1644 . . 83
| No. im 58. +59. 60. = 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. = 67. «68. | 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75.
CONTENTS. xix
Sir Charles Cavendish to John Pell . . . « «© « es 84, The same to the same, Oct. 20th, 1644... . . . . 85 The same to the same, Nov. 16th, 1644 . . .. . . 86 The same to the same, Dec. 20th, 1644 . . . «. «© « @&. The same to the same, Dec. 27th, 1644 . . . . . + 87 The same to the same, June 27th, 1645 RB = site rd John Pell to John Leake, Aug. 7th, 1645. . . . . «. 89 Sir William Petty to John Pell, Nov. 8th, 1645... . 90 . Henry Power to Sir Thomas Browne, June 13th, 1646 . QI » The same to the same, Feb. 10th, 1647... ... =. 9 William Oughtred to Mr. Greatorix, Dec. 19th, 1652 . . 93> H. Thorndike to John Pell, Dec. 23rd, 1652. . . . . 94 List of Mr. Warner’s papers . . . PRR ies | os Anthony Thompson to John Pell, Nov. oond, 1658. « . @. Pell’s relation of a meeting with Hobbes, March 31st, 1662 96 - Thomas Brancker to John Pell, May 9th, 1666 « . .°. 97 The same to the same, June 21st, 1666. . .... . 98 The same to the same, July 6th, 1666 . .. . ine oo
. Christopher Sawtell to William Lilly, Aug. 6th, 1666 . . 101° . Thomas Brancker to John Pell, Aug. 17th, 1666 . . . 102 . John Pell to Moses Pit, June 3rd, 1668 ... . « 103 . Henry Oldenburgh to Lord Brereton, Sept. 22nd, 1668 . 104 ~ . Michael Dary to John Collins, Feb. 8th, 1675 . . . . 105 - Note on solving equations by John Pell, May 20th, 1675. 76. . John Collins to Mr. Oldenburgh, May 25th, 1675 . . . 106 . Sir Samuel Morland to John Pell, May"13th, 1682. . . 107 SeeRICTGER BBs o's “eee nag. 6 <6) ee 6 be” © « 109
THE
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
OF
SCIENCE.
The object of the Historical Society of Science is to render mate- _ rials for the history of the Sciences accessible to the general reader, by _ the publication of manuscripts, or the reprinting of very rare works connected with their origin and progress in this country and abroad.
. The plan adopted for carrying this purpose into effect is by an an- nual subscription of One Pound from each Member, such Member being _ entitled to one copy of each of the works published by the Society.
The number of Members is limited to Six Hundred, and, until this . __ limit is attained, Members are admitted on the introduction of one of _ the Council, or by application to the Secretary.
All Communications relative to the Society to be addressed to the
+ ving wept Hise a bo ret \ . « ‘ “ - I
yma
THE
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
OF
SCIENCE.
PRESIDENT.
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF SUSSEX, K.G., K.T., G.C.H., D.C.L., F.R.S., &c., &c., &c., &e.
VICE-PRESIDENTS.
THE RIGHT HON. THE EARL OF MUNSTER, F.R.S. THE RIGHT HON. LORD HOLLAND, F.R.S.
THE RIGHT REV. THE LORD BISHOP OF DURHAM, F.R.S. SIR ROBERT HARRY INGLIS, BART., M.P., LL.D., F.R.S. SIR GEORGE T. STAUNTON, BART., M.P., D.C.L., F.R.S.
| THE RIGHT HON. SIR LANCELOT SHADWELL, V.C.
COUNCIL, 1840-41.
CHARLES PURTON COOPER, ESQ. Q.C., D.C.L., F.R.S., F.S.A.
THOMAS STEPHENS DAVIES, ESQ. F.R.S. L. & E., F.S.A. Pro- fessor of Mathematics at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.
AUGUSTUS DE MORGAN, ESQ. V.P.R.A.S. Professor of Mathematics at University College, London.
JAMES ORCHARD HALLIWELL, ESQ. F.R.S., F.S.A. Sec. & Treas.
REV. JOSEPH HUNTER, F.S.A., F.R.A.S.
SIR FRANCIS PALGRAVE, K.H., F.R.S.
THOMAS JOSEPH PETTIGREW, ESQ. F.R.S., F.S.A., F.L.S.
REV. BADEN POWELL, M.A., F.R.S. Savilian Professor of Geometry, Oxford.
SIR J. GARDNER WILKINSON, F.R.S., M.R.S.L., F.G.S.
REV. ROBERT WILLIS, M.A., F.R.S. Jacksonian Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy, Cambridge.
THOMAS WRIGHT, ESQ. M.A., F.S.A.
JAMES YATES, ESQ. M.A., F.R.S., F.G.S.
LAWS
OF THE
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SCIENCE.
1. That the Society shall be entitled the “‘ HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SCIENCE.”
2. That the object of the Society shall be the printing of early and other documents illustrative of the history of the sciences at home and abroad.
3. That the Society shall consist of six hundred Members, being subscribers of One Pound annually; such subscription to be paid in advance on or before the first Monday in June in every year.
4, Toat any Member of the Society may at any time compound for his future annual subscriptions, by the payment of £10 over and — above his subscription for the current year.
5. That the affairs of the Society shall be managed by a President, six Vice-Presidents, and a Council of twelve Members, (nine of whom shall be re-eligible) including a Treasurer and Secretary, which Council shall be elected at the General Meeting to be held on the first Monday in June.
6. That the accompts of the receipts and expenditure of the Society shall be audited annually by three Auditors, to be elected at the General Meeting.
7. That the funds of the Society shall be disbursed in payment of necessary expenses incident to the production of the Works of the Society, and that all other expenses shall be avoided as much as possible.
8. That every Member not in arrear of his annual subscription, shall be entitled to one copy of each work printed by the Society.
WORKS IN THE PRESS.
I. Popular treatises on science of the middle-ages :—1. The Anglo- _ Saxon manual of astronomy, 2. The Bestiary and Tractatus de Creaturis _ of Philip de Thaun, in Anglo-Norman verse. 3. The Ymage du My Monde, by Gautier de Metz, in French verse. 4. A cosmography in _ English verse of the 14th century. Edited with translations by Thomas Wright, Esq., M.A., F.S.A. :
II. A collection of letters written by Harriot, Brereton, Cavendish, Pell, Morland, and other eminent English mathematicians of the seven- teenth century, before the publication of Newton’s Principia. Edited _ by James Orchard Halliwell, Esq., F.R.S., F.S.A., F.R.A.S., &c.
WORKS SUGGESTED FOR PUBLICATION.
III. Treatises on Geometry written in England during the 13th and 14th centuries ; including an hitherto inedited treatise on that subject, by Roger Bacon.
IV. Treatises on the theory and practice of music, of the fifteenth _ century. From a MS. in the Lansdowne collection in the British ~ Museum.
V. An English treatise on Algorism, or Arithmetic, of the fourteenth century. From a MS. in the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford.
VI. The preface to the Seventh Book of the Mathematical Collec- tions of Pappus Alexandrinus, in the original language; with an English translation, and explanatory notes.
VII. An English tract on the making of oils and medicinal waters, from a MS. of the fourteenth century.
VIII. Proposals for mechanical inventions addressed to Queen Elizabeth by William Bourne, ‘“ Master of the Gravesend Barge.” From a MS. in the British Museum.
IX. A catalogue of the scientific manuscripts formerly in the library of Dr. John Dee of Mortlake. From Dee’s own catalogue in the British Museum.
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X. A collection of early tracts on the method of illuminating, and on the materials employed in that art.
XI. A collection of early tracts on the practice of lithotrity.
XII. Anglo-Saxon tracts of the tenth century on Botany and Natu- ral History, with an account in Anglo-Saxon of the wonders of the East ; together with some middle-age treatises on the same subjects, and a selection of figures of animals and plants from early manuscripts. To be edited with translations.
XIII. An original journal of Edward Fenton’s voyage to St. Helena in the year 1582, interspersed with scientific observations and notices
of English science.
XIV. A description of the Merva, a mechanical instrument invented by Simon Sturtevant of Christ’s College, Cambridge; from the auto- graph manuscript dedicated by the inventor to James I. To which — will be added biographical notices of Sturtevant, and several hitherto inedited letters and documents. a
XV. A collection of early tide tables, including a series made by John Marshall, temp. Elizabeth.
The following list of the names of English medited writers is taken from the Synopsis Veterum Mathematicorum of Dr. Bernard, as being that of the authors which it was his intention to publish. This list will receive the marked attention of the Council, as the suggestion of one of the ablest of mathematical antiquaries.
Athelard, Bede, Bredon, Suisset, Wallingford, Bradwardin, Peckham, Lynne, Swinshed, Monke, Grosteste, Rede, Wyrcestre, Evesham, Ashenden, Batecomb, Killingworth, Caerleon, Holywood, Bacon, Burroughs, Chylmead.
Gentlemen wishing to join the Society are requested to send their names received at the Society’s bankers.
to the Secretary, 35 Alfred Place, Bedford Square, London. Subscriptions
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Birmingham Public Library.
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Bosworth, Rev. Joseph, LL.D., F.R.S., F.S.A., M.R.S.L., English Chaplain at Rotterdam.
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6
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a ‘
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Johnson, Manuel, Esq., M.A., F.R.A.S., Radcliffe Observer, Oxford.
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Myers, Sir F. Waskett, K.C.S.
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Paris, Bibliothéque du Roi.
Peacock, The Very Rev. George, D.D., Dean of Ely, V.P.R.S., F.G.S., Lown. | ft dean Professor of Astronomy, Cambridge.
Petit, Louis Hayes, Esq., M.A., F.R.S., F.S.A., F.L.S., F.R.A.S., V.P.R.S.L.
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LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
RICHARD EDEN TO LORD BURGHLEY.
[MS. Lansd. No. 101. Art. 5. Orig.] August Ist, 1562.
THE only searcher of mens harts, the eternall God, I take to wytnesse (right honorable) that never the greefes of adverse fortune (wherof I have had my parte) dyd so muche prostrate my mynde and pearce my harte with sorowes, as the understondinge of your honours favour and goodnesse towarde me in your lately ernest travaile in my behalfe (as I was informed by the Mr? of Savie) hathe rejoised me and re- vived my discouragied spirites, heretofore no lesse languysshed for lacke of suche a patrone, then nowe encouraged by the fayoure of suche a Mecenas, as I have just cause to’ name ‘your honoure. Syth only the respecte of suche vertues as it hathe pleased yow to thinke commendable in me, hath moved a honour not only in maner to seeme carefull for me howe maye hereafter with quietnesse spende my tyme in studie, as is my most desire; but also to be more ernest in folow- ing the same, then I might without presumption demaunde, and muche lesse without desertes dequire. As touchinge the - which matter (right honourable) as it was no parte of my divise, _ but suche as the M* of Savoy had then in hande, as I sup- pose no lesse to pleasure hymselfe and his frende then for £20 therof to be lotted to me for an earnest penye to begyne _ the booke (as he saith). Even so am I right sorie that for so smaule a matter, and not so favorable a sute as I wolde have wysshed, not only your honour hathe taken suche _ paynes, but that also suche contention is rysen therof be- _ twene the M* of Savoy and Mr’ Baptist of the privie chamber, that by reason thereof the pardon being steyed be your Ho- nour, the younge gentleman his kynsman (as he hathe in- formed me) is in daungiour of his lyfe. But under your
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2 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
honours favour to speake playnelye as I thinke, I suppose that here aliquid latet quod non apparet. For as this sute, for dyvers consyderations, at the first dyd not greatly like me, yet perceavinge his ernestnesse therein, for the safe- garde of his kinsmans life and gratifying his frendes, I, no lesse willing therin to do hym pleasure, also was well con- tented to assent to his request, and to stande to his appoynt- ment; not suspecting his frendeshippe, but rather commend- ing his wysdome, so to doo for his frende as therwith not to forget hym selfe, guia nihil sapit qui sibi non sapit. But if at that tyme I might so boldelye have presumed uppon your honours favour, as by your ernestnesse in my behalfe I nowe perceave I might have doune, I wolde have moved your Honour of an honester sute (for a lease to be had at the Queenes hands) whereof I made hym privie, and was longe sense so mynded to have donne, but that he deterred me frome the same, alleaging certen commissionars to have the doinges therof, and that therfore no suche thing might be had at her Majesties handes: albeit, I have sythens harde of dyvers that have obteyned the like. Notwithstonding (as in my former letters I wrotte to your honour) my meaning is so to move your honour hereof, as neyther to be an impor- tunate suter, or otherwise to thinke the same to be folowed then shall seeme good unto your honour, unto whose will I submitte myselfe in all thinges; only putting your honour in remembruance of the commodious place and tyme that I nowe enjoye for that purpose: for the contynuance wherof, I was a suter unto your Honour for your letters unto the gen- tleman (my frende) in whose house I yet remayne, who also being one that favoureth learninge and my greate frende, and no lesse gladde to further so good a purpose, is well willing the rather to my use to departe frome a piece of his commo- ditie, in suche sorte as appeareth by the byll herein inclosed. Whereof further to advertyse your honour, if you shall so thinke it convenient, he will himselfe repayre unto your ho- nour to give you perfecte informacion of alle thinges as touching the same. And wheras the M* of Savoye tolde me that your honour sumwhat doubted that the booke coulde not be translated into the Englisshe toonge, I assure your honour that this I dare saye without arrogancie, that to translate the variable historie of Plinie into our toonge, I wolde be ashamed to borowe so muche of the Latine as he dothe of the Greke ; althowgh the Latine toonge be accompted ryche, and the Englysshe indigent and barbarous, as it hathe byn in tyme past muche more then it nowe is, before it was enriched and amplyfied by sundry bookes in maner of all
i. LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 3 artes translated owt of Latine and other toonges into En- _gilysshe. And it is not unknowen unto your Honour that the Latins receaving bothe the science of philosophie and _ phisike of the Grekes, do still for the most parte in all ther _ translacions use the Greke names, insomuche that, for the _ better understonding of them, one Otto Brumfelsius, a learned _ man, hathe writen a large booke intiteled, Onomasticon Medi- cine, where he hathe these woordes, Res ipsas atque artium
vocabula, scite, apposite, designateque efferre, atque ad Poly-
cleti regulam (quod aiunt) exprimere, res est non minus difficilis —
quam gloriosa. Quo, nullum studit genus majori constat mo-
lestia. Id quod in causa esse reor, quia hodie tam pauci in ea palestra sese exerceant, &c. Agen, it is not unknowen unto | +d honour that ons all toonges were barbarous and needie, | before the knowleage of things browght in plentie of woordes } and names; wherby it maye well appeare that men, in the first age of the worlde, had a shorte language consistinge of fewe woordes, which ever after increased by the knowleage and invention of thinges. Exercise also maketh suche woordes familier, which at the first were difficulte to be un- derstode ; for children at the first (as saithe Aristotle) caule all men fathers; but shortely after by exercise caule them by there names. AndIhave learned by experience that the mary- ners use manye Englysse woordes, which were as unknowen unto me as the Chaldean toonge before [ was conversant with them. It maye therefore suffice that the woordes and termes of artes and sciences be knowen to the professours therof. as partely by experience and partely by the helpe of dictionaries describing them per proprium genus et differentiam, as the logitians teache, and as Georgius Agricola useth to do in the Germayne toonge, which, as well in that parte of philosophie as in all other, was barbarous and indigent before it was by longe experience browght to perfection. But not to trouble your honour any longer with this matter, one thinge re- mayneth wherof I wolde gladlye have certified your honour at my last being at the courte at Grenewich, if I might have had convenient accesse unto yow; And this is, that, per- ceavinge your honour to take pleasure in the wonderfull woorkes of arte and nature (wherin doubtlesse shyneth the sparke of the divine spirite that God hathe gyven you) I was then mynded to have delyvered unto your honour this phi- losophicall booke, wherin is described (as appeareth in folio ij.) so excellent and precious an experiment, wrought by arte to the similitude of the universall frame of the worlde, made by the omnipotent and greate God of nature, that I beleve the like was never doonne synse the creacion of the worlde.
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4 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
And maye therfore in my judgement more woorthely be
a
cauled Michrocosmos, then eyther man or any other creature —
that ever was made of corporall substance. Angelus Poli- |
tianus in his epistells describeth an instrument cauled auto- maton made in his tyme in the citie of Florence, observing the exacte moving of Primum Mobile and Octava Sphera, with also the movinges of the 7 planetes in there spheres, in all poyntes agreable to there moving in the heaven. Of the like instrument also our Roger Bacon wrotte longe before in his booke de Mirabili potestate artis et nature*, where he
writeth in this maner, Afajus omnium figurationum et rerum —
figuratarum est, ut celestia describerentur secundum suas lon-
gitudines et latitudines in figura corporali, qua moventur cor- — poraliter motu diurno, et hec valere(n|t regnum |unum] ho- —
mini sapienti, &c. The which instrument doubtlesse, all- thowgh it be of a divine invention, yet dothe this Michrocos- mos so far surmount it, as nature passeth arte, and as motus animalis passeth motus violentus, for as the other is moved only by waight or wynde inclosed (as is seene in clockes and organs) so is this moved by the same spirite of life, wherby
not only the heaven, but also all nature, is moved: whose —
mover is God hymselfe, as saithe St. Paule, Ipsus est in quo
vivimus, movemur, et sumus; as also Aristotle, Plato, and — Philo, in there bookes De Mundo, do affirme; and especially — Marcus Manilius in Astronomicis ad Augustum Czesarem, |
writing thus: Hoc opus immensi constructum corpore mundi, Membraque nature diversa condita forma, Aéris atque ignis terre pelagique jacentis, Vis anime divina regit ; sacroque meatu Conspirat Deus, et tacita ratione gubernat,t &c.
Item Lucanus:
Aere libratum vacuo que sustinet orbem, Totius pars magna Jovis f.
And wheras the autoure that describeth the Michrocosmos — affirmeth that the Chaos therof is materia Lapidis Philoso-
phorum (which is also Chaos, vel omnium, vel prima materia
mundi majoris) it seemeth to agre with that Cornelius Agrippa ~ hathe written in his seconde booke De occulta philosophia, in — scala unitatis, where he wryteth thus: Lapis philosophorum — est unum subjectum et instrumentum omnium virtutum natura-_
lium et transnaturalium, &c. And that this greate and divine
secreate of this Michrocosmos maye not seeme incredible unto —
* Edit. 1542, fol. 43, v°. + Manilii Astronomicon, lib. i. 1. 247-251. ¢ Lucani Pharsalia, lib. v. 1. 94-95.
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 5
_ your honour, [ assure you that I, that am minimus philoso- _ phorum, dyd long sense (as I have to wytnesse Mr. Thomas Whalley, th’ elder soonne of Mr, Richard Whalley) woorke and secreate practise sumwhat like unto this, in maner as foloweth* :—I dissolved two substances in two waters; then I put the waters togyther in a glasse, suffering them so to remayne foratyme. Then I stilled of the water from the masse or chaos lefte of them bothe, and put it on agen, and so dyd dyvers tymes. In fine, the masse being dissolved in the water, I let it rest all night in a coulde place. In the © morning, | founde swymming on the water and in the myddest therof a little round iland, as brode as riall or sumwhat more, with at the least a hundreth sylver trees about an ynche high, so perfectly formed with trunkes, stalkes and leaves, all of most pure and glystering sylver, that I suppose no lymner or paynter is able to counterfecte the like. Then shaking the glasse, all fell in pieces into the water, and filled it with glystering sparkes, as the firmament shyneth with starres in a cleare wynter night. Then putting the glasse to a softe fyre uppon warme asshes, all turned agen into clear water, which, agen being put in a colde place all night, made an iland with the like trees as before. What this wolde have been in fine, God knoweth, and not I! But of this I am sure, that if the floure or learning of our tyme, and sumtyme tutor and bro- ther-in-lawe unto your honour, Mr. Cheeke, had seene any of these two secreates, he wolde greatly have rejoysed. As I knowe the divine sparke of knowleage that is in your honour, partely receaved of hym, will move yow to doo the like, sythe, to a philosophicall and vertuous man, there is nothing so de- lectable as to beholde the infinite poure and wisdome of God in his creatures, in the which his Deitie is not only visible, but in maner palpable, as sum philosophers have written. And as touching these matters, I have red a marvelous sen- tence in an olde written booke, where these woordes are written: Qui potest facere mediam naturam, potest creare mundos novos. But to discourse of this oracle, or to inter- prete the same, it were to muche to molest your honour therwith: and an argument muche meeter for a seconde So- crates then for me. And of these secreates, writeth Roger Bacon in his booke before alleaged, where he hathe these woordes; Multa sunt archana admiranda in operibus artis et nature: Que licet multam utilitatem non habeant (habent vero
* Cf. Morieni Romani de re metallica librum, 4to, Par. 1564, p. 30, et Chrysippi Faniani de arte metallic metamorphoseos librum, 4to, Par. 1560, p.17. See also Ripley’s ““ Compound of Alchemy,” where may be seen an account of a process very Similar to that mentioned by Eden.
6 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
maximum ut sapientibus cognitum est) tamen spectaculum in- effabile sapientie prebent et possunt applicari ad probationem omnium occultorum quibus vulgus inexpertum contradicit, et judicat fieri per opera demoniorum, &c.
And thus most humbly desyring your Honour to pardon my boldnesse in writing unto you; and, according unto your accustomed clemencie, to accept in good parte this my pre- sumptuous attempte, which only the love I beare to your vertues hathe moved me unto, my trust is that these thinges shall not be alltogyther unpleasaunt unto your honour, other- wyse occupied in greate affayres bothe in the courte and common wealthe, as was Plato with King Dyonisius, Ari- stotle with greate Alexander, and Cicero Senator and Consul of Rome.
The eternall God and immortall mover of the greate worlde and the lesse, preserve your Honour in healthe and prospe- ritie |
From the Folde bysyde Barnet, the first of August 1562.
Most bownde to your honour, RicHarRvDE Epen*.
THOMAS DIGGES TO LORD BURGHLEYf. [MS. Lansd. No. 19, Art. 30. Orig.]
14th May, 1574.
Right Honorable,—As in your Lordshippes fframe astro- nomicall, for ornament the figures of the most notable con- stellations in this our visible hemisphere are pourtrayd, adourned with ther due number of hevenly lights; so, in the tables adjoyninge, are impressed sutche numbers as de- — liver by methode not vulgare the situations and habite which —
* Richard Eden was a philosopher of good repute in his time. He translated into English, treatises on navigation by Cortes and Taisner, the former of which — was exceedingly popular and went through several editions. He is also the author of a very curious little book entitled, ‘‘ A Treatyse of the newe India,” 1553, 8vo. — At the end of this letter he adds the following sentences in Latin:—1. “‘ Tue D. addictus, alios non quero penates.” 2. ‘In secretis et occultis, secretus et occultus esto.” This lattter quotation is from Hippocrates.
+ Thomas Digges ranks among the first English mathematicians of the sixteenth | century. Although he made no great addition to science, yet his writings tended — more to its cultivation in this country, during the reign of Elizabeth, than, per- — haps, all those of other writers on the same subjects put together. The work he alludes to in this letter, if a printed one, is probably an edition of his father’s work, entitled “ Prognostication Everlasting,’”’ one of which was published in 1574 | and contains an addition by himself.
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 7
_ our moovable horizon and meridian, together with ther ma-
nifold configurations, with the twoo cheefe lights. Where- _ upon sundry conclusions, both pleasant for varietye of know-
ledge and necessary ffor common use, are grounded. Wherof I have in 50 conclusions digested the greater part, with ther historyes poeticall, and judgementes astronomicalle; the which, into a little treatize reduced, I am bould to offer unto your Lordship, hopinge, ere it bee longe, to ffinishe a columne sustayninge a regular body platonicall, garnished with solar dialls, sutche as I thinke hitherto in this land hath not beene: seene, to bee placed in soome of your Lordshipps gardeyns, as aptly serving for uses diurnall as that other frame for con-
clusions doon by night; whose archetype was longe sithens in mind conceyved, and have now at the last also attayned the hand of an hable woorkman to exsequute the same in ffoorme materiall. In the meane, I shall humbly desire your Lordshipp in good part to accept this triflinge testimony of a carefull mind desirouse soom waye to signifye the reverent affection I have and shall duringe life beare toward you, no lesse for private then publike respectes ; Always, as becoometh mee, restinge,
At your Lordshippes commandment, T. Dieces. To the right Honorable my Lord Burghley, the Lord highe tresurer of England, these.
RALPH RABBARDS TO QUEEN ELIZABETH.
[MS. Lansd. No. 121. Art. 14.]
A coppie of notes delivered to her Majestie by Raphe Rabbards*.
Speciall breife remembrances of such moste pleasante ser- viceable and rare inventions as I have, by longe studdie and chardgeable practice, founde out, the whiche I holde my- selfe bounde in dutie to offer with this learned worke unto your Majestie, as the firste fruites of my labor: the which, or any parte thereof, I shal be reddy to performe and put in execu- _ tion, at as smalle chardge and to as greate purpose as any other ingeniors or practitioners of Christendome, when it _ Shall please your sacred Majestie to commaunde me, not he- _ therto performed by any before my selfe.
* Ralph Rabbards is not a name that has much relation with the history of the
science or literature of this period. He edited Ripley’s ‘“‘ Compound of Alchemy,’’ Ato, Lond. 1591.
8 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
All kinde of waters of herbes and flowers are first distilled by : discensory.
Waters of purest substance from odors, flowers, fruites, _ and herbes, wholsomest, perfitest, and of greatest vertue, are first distiled by desensory, depured and rectified, clere as christall, with his owne onlie proper vertue; taste, and odor, contynuinge many yeares. One spoonefull is better then a gallon of other for any prynce, or noble person, or any that
love their healthe; for medicyne inward or outward where _
other doe much more hurte then good, beinge unaptly dis- | tilled, and invenomed by the evill quallitie of mettalyne stilles, and other defectes.
Simple and compound waters.
Water for odors, moste sweete and delicate, of many seve- rall kyndes, bothe simple and compounde.
Water of violetts and suche like.
Water of violetts, jilly flowers, and pinckes, &c., contynue not nor reteyne not their owne proper odors and vertues, ex- cepte they be distilled very cunningly and perfitly by desen- sory; or, their odors beinge holpen by other meanes, they are not medicinable.
A precious water for purifyinge and preservinge the teethe.
A moste precious and excellente water to purifie, preserve, and fasten the teethe, and with good order to keep them that they shall never decaye nor corrupte ; moste wholsome, plea- sant, and comfortable.
A principall water for moste outward diseases proceedinge of heate and colde.
A water that taketh awaye inflamations, rumes, swellinges, colde greifes, colde gowtes, aches, and other paynes; and healeth dangerous woundes, ulcers, sores, and the hardest diseases, with greate effecte and wonderfull speede, and in myne opinion farre exceedeth the farre fetched balmes.
Water for the eyes.
Waters for the eyes prooved of many as well for preser-
vse and comfortinge the sighte, as to restore that which is ost.
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 9
Water to make the skynne and fleshe fayre and brighte.
Waters to clense and keepe brighte the skynne and fleshe, and preserve it in his perfitt state.
SPECIALL OBSERVATIONS CONCERNINGE THE PREPARA- TIONS FOR FIREWORKES.
An excellente kinde of salt-peter of greate force.
Saltepeter mighte be so refyned that the powder made therof mighte be of double the force, so that one pounde maye serve as manye shotte and as stronge as two pounde of that that is comonly used, and lesse chardge in cariage ; and many other wayes apter and better for service.
A notable peece of service for your Majestie and the Realme.
That saltepeter, minerall sulphur, pitche, aspaltum, licqui- dion, and drye, and many other like drugges, mighte be founde in the domynions of your Majestie, which we wante and paye most extreamely for; and God knoweth what gayne and glorie mighte redownde to your Majestie and countrey, if skilfull and honest men were imployed therein.
Oyles for fireworkes.
Oyles bothe simple and composed to be distilled for fire- workes, there is none to be boughte or had; he that will have them must make them.
A strange kinde of flyinge fire many wayes serviceable.
A flyinge fire which shall, without ordynance, and farre of, wonderfully annoye any battayle, towne, or campe, and di- sperse even as if it did rayne fire; and the devydinge fires, being coted and made flyinge, maye touche many places, and leave them all burninge; very terrible both to men and horse.
A tridant or mace newly invented.
A tridant or mace for many notable effectes, bothe for shotte, and to sette any thinge on fire; a very apte instru- mente, and moste soldierlike bothe for horsemen and foote- men.
Balls of mettle serving to many purposes.
Balles of mettle to throwe into shippes, to enter in campes in the nightes, likewise in streightes or breaches, especially in battayles; and to have the said balles of all heightes, dia-
10 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
miters, and quantities, of a righte composition to devide in | as many partes, and of such thicknes as it should ; and to — delyver a thousand at once amonge the enemyes with small | chardge of ordynance, or other instrumentes, and to powre ©
as much fire as your Majestie will upon any place.
A shotte to fire in passinge.
A shotte for greate ordynance to pierce deeper then any ) other shotte, and sett on fire whatsoever it strike throughe | or sticketh in. A moste noble ingen, specially for sea service. }
A forcible chariott for service defenswe and offensyve.
be in, in the feilde or battayle. A firy chariott to be fore’d by engyne of greate service.
A firy chariott without horses to runne upon the battaile
and disorder it, that no man shal be able to abide or come
nighe the same, and wil be directed even as men will to — tourne, to staye, or come directly backe upon any presente — danger, or elles to followe and chase the enemye in their
flighte.
Mynes for fireworke to worke strange effectes.
Mynes of fire and fireworke, bothe for sea and lande, to — overthrowe or make havocke of all whatsoever a man will
destroye.
A meanes to better the use of small artillery, moste serviceable.
To make that smalle shotte shail doe greater execution — then the shotte that hath hetherto bynne knowne; yet where — 1000 are nowe shotte, and not 10 men fall, it will appeare, — by good demonstration and experience, that 10 shotte of 1000
shall hardly misse, good orders beinge observed.
A newe invented targett of proofe. A targett of proofe, with his rest and loope hole, whereby
men are notably defended and encouraged to the attemptinge —
of manye greate matters in service. Tenne of theis targettes
are sufficiente to defende an hundred shotte, as if they were —
behinde a walle.
i A firy chariott with horses, suche as never was knowne or © hearde of, for any prynce or man of greate valor or vertue to —
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 11
A rare invention.
A muskett or calyver, with dyvers strange and forcible shotte, which no armor will holde out, at three quarters of a mile or more; and will also become a most forcible weapon in the hande, as good as a pollox, and, with a teice, become a perfitt shotte agayne.
An armed pike moste forcible.
An arme pike which a weake man maye use or handle very reddily with such force as a man will not thincke, and the same pike will also become a very good shotte at all tymes. But when they come to the very pushe they be most terrible, bothe the shotte and the weapon.
An engyne of notable defence for the safegard of mens lyves.
A cariage in manner of a walle or curteyne to defende men from shotte in approchinge any sconse or other force, and wil be transformed into as many severall shapes of fortification as men will; and also be as tentes or lodginges drye above heade, and from the grounde, and also very offensyve, and of greate fury ; whereof I wishe your excellente Majestie were furnished, but as secrette as I could keepe them in myne owne harte for some greate daye of service.
A speciall peece of service.
A meanes whereby our plowe-horses, carte jades, and hackneys, maye be made to doe greater service in our owne countrey, then the launces, or argulaters, or any horsemen of other nations, can possibly be able to doe in their ordinary services.
The rarest engyne that ever was invented for sea service*.
A vessell in manner of a galley or galliotte to passe upon the seas and ryvers without oars or sayle, against wynde and tyde, swifter then any that ever hath bynne seene, of won- derfull effect bothe for intelligence, and many other admi- rable exploytes, almoste beyonde the expectation of man.
* See Rara Mathematica, p. 87. William Bourne mentions a similar invention of his in the Jnventions or Devises (Lond. 1578, 4to). How well does this meagre description suit the modern steam-boat! I may mention here that the invention of paddle-wheels is ascribed to him by some writers, and he appears to consider them as a new invention ; but there is a drawing of a boat with paddle-wheels, precisely similar to our modern steam-vessels, in MS. Harl. 3281, fol. 43, v°, written in Italy in the fifteenth century. See also the ff. 43, r°, 51, v°, and 57,r°, of the same MS.
12 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
Matters to be prepared and had in reddynes.
Calibashes, caces, hollowe tronckes, and other instrumentes, of smalle chardge and greate effecte for the services of your Majestie and countrey many wayes, which have bynne more chardgeable to me, then they would be to your Ma- jestie, if good order mighte be taken therein. For some workemen have taken my money, and have spoiled my mo- delles and devises, and I could never gette my money, the ingions, nor yet my modelles agayne, and the devises in some sorte made publique, which I woulde have kepte secrette. But if it pleased God to put into your royall harte, bothe for his owne glorie, the glorie of your excellent Majestie, and your valiant nation and subjectes, to erecte some academy, or place of studdy and practice, for ingenious, pollitique and learned men, aud apte artificers, as in a corporation or bodie pollitique, maintayned partly by your Majestie and partly by your nobillitie, your clergie, and your comons, for theis moste noble effectes. And whereas many corporations, societies of artes, faculties, and misteries, have bynne erected, founded, and franchised, with many honorable guiftes, liberties, and freedomes, by your Majesties moste worthy progenitors, but never any comparable to this, in glorie to your Majestie and the safetie and comforte of your countrey and people, which every vertuous and good mynded man would willingly further and maintayne for their owne good and safetie, and to the perpetuall glorie of your Majestie, and your feirce people, and valiante nation, that ingenious pollicies mighte throughly joyne with strength and valiant hartes of men. The which I referre to your Majesties moste deepe considera- tion, for the service of my countrey, holdinge myselfe here- by fully every waye dischardged in dutie bothe towardes your Majestie and my countrey.
Your Majesties moste loyall subjecte, and faithfull servant, Rapue RapBarps*.
* The writer has annexed the following note addressed to Lord Burghley :—
“‘ At your Honors pleasure and leisure I shall so satisfie your Lordship, that you shall not doubte of the performance of them, which none shall knowe but her Majestie and your Honor.”
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 13
DR. JOHN DEE TO LORD BURGHLEY*.
(MS. Lansd. No. 19. Art. 38. Orig.]
Right honorable and my singuler good Lord,—Whereas of late your honor very favorably used me, considering your mervailous skantnes of leysor from very waighty matters and publick: I am now, therefore, most humbly to render thanks to your honor. Sins which tyme I have som whole dayes attended at London, hoping for your lordship comming. thither. And on fryday last, perceyving your honor to be almost in a redines to ride toward the court, ere I could get to London (after I hard of your lordship certayn being there) I than thowght the season to be very unfeete for my purpose. Therfore finding your Lordship, at all tymes of usuall access for suters, so fraught with matters of more importance than any of myne can justly be deemed, I thowght good (with your lordships leave and favor) thus by writing to enjoye one howre of your lordships leisour (best known to your Lord- ship onely, whan that is) to vew the pattern of som part of my symple sute: which hertofore I wold gladly have opened unto your honor by word of mowth; and that is this. So much of my intent and studious doings is well known unto your honor, and the most part of all universities in Christen- dome (and farder); that for this xx. yeres last past, and longer, it may be very truely avowched that I have had a mervailous zeale, taken very greate care, endured great tra- vayle and toyle, both of mynde and body, and spent very many hundred powndes, onely for the attayning some good and certayn knowledg in the best and rarest matters mathe- maticall and philosophicall. How little or much therin the zternall God hath imparted to me (for my talent) He onely best knoweth. But certaynly by due conference with all that ever I yet met with in Europe, the pore English Bryttains (Il favorito, di vostra Excellentia) hath carried the bell away. God Almighty have the glory! The same zeale remayneth (yea, rather, greater is grown). But the hability, for chargis, is far lesser ; and that somwhat occasioned the sooner, throwgh my frank dealing for procuring and purchasing speady meanes of good knowledg. Which also I did uppon no small hope
* This letter has been partly printed by Strype, in his Annals of the Reformation, vol. ii. App. xlv. The conclusion of it is a striking example of the little attention that was paid to the preservation of ancient records; it is known, from Dr. Dee’s well- known memorial addressed to Elizabeth on the subject, that a MS. of Cicero “ De Republica” was even as late as the sixteenth century preserved in the library of Can- terbury cathedral.
14 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
that som nedefull supportail wolde be for me (in due tyme) devysed: eyther throwgh the meer and gracious good favour that I was perswaded the Q. most excellent Majesty did beare unto me, or els throwgh the procurement of some of the right honorable cownsaylours, which both right weli knew, by how hard dealing my father Roland Dee (servant to her Majesties father the most renowned and triumphant King of our age) was disabled for leaving unto me due mayn- tenance: and also sufficiently understode of sundry sutes in my behalf motioned, for some ayde toward the atcheving of some of my honest intents. Of which sutes no one (hither- to) hath taken the wished for success, for any my behofe. Nay, in the mean tyme of some my travayles beyond the seas, unleast your honor had put to your helping hand, I had byn defeated of that little exhibition, which I enjoye; being but borrowed a while, by speciall priviledge and favor extra- ordinary. And that unwillingly un my part, if I could other wayes have had the supply therof in like yerely value, which (as God knoweth) findeth not me, and my pore familie, ne- cessary meat, drink, and fewel, for a frugall and philosophi- call dyet. But if I may (with your Lordships favor) speak as I think, unfaynedly: unleast your honor had supposed that I had odly committed the care for my necessary mayntenance unto some other noble cownsaylour than yourself: veryly I judge, that, long ere this, your honor would have made me to have tasted of that mervaylously famous your honorable constant and lucky favour and benedicite of the Court Royall; whereby, may have bin and are made liable to dis- pend of their owne yerely, thre, fowre, five, &c. of hundred pownds. To compare with any of them in desert publik or lerning, I neyther dare, nor justly can. But in zeale to the best lerning and knowledg, and in incredible toyle of body and mynde, very many yeres therfore onely endured: I know most assuredly that this land never bred any man, whose ac- cownt therin can evidently be proved greater than myne. I trust that this my simple speche, uttered in the record of my conscience, and with a sincere estimate both of myne and my predecessors doings, will not seme to your wisdome arro- gantly vaunted; onely God can make the perswasion of the truth hereof to settle into the bottom of your lordships hart. And fearing to offend your honor any way, eyther with rude homelyness, or with superfluitie of wordes, I will cut of all such digressions ; and committing myself, and my honest purposes, wholy to your Lordships protection and direction henceforward, I beseche your honor to accept my faithfull good meaning toward your Lordship, which, dayly and
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 15
«
_howerly, will (by God’s grace) appeare unto your lordship more and more abundantly. Returning now, therefore, to the matter wherof I last (by mowth) spake unto your honor, _ and which, also, was the last principall point of my spedy letter than delivered to your Lordship,—As concerning thresor hid. First, it may pleas your lordship to consider this clause
truely by me noted out of Theseus Ambrosius, fol. 206, b. In copiosa illa Antonii de Fantis Tarvisini librorum multitu-
dine, magnum sane volumen repertum fuit, in quo abdita quam plurima, et satis abunde curiosa, tam ad philosophiam, medi- —
cinam, et herbarum notionem, quam etiam ad astrologiam, geo-
mantiam, et magiam, pertinentia continebantur. Et in ejus precipua quadam parte tractabatur de thesauris per totum Jere orbem reconditis atque latentibus, quorum admodum clara atque specifica notio haberi poterat, &c. Secondly out of Henricus Leicestrensis (I suppose) it is noted, in the sum- mary of English chronicles, anno 1344, of a Sarazin comming than to Erle Warren, as concerning a great threasor hid in his grownd, in the Marches of Wales, and of the good suc- cess therof. Thirdly (for this xx. yeres space) I have had sundry such matters detected unto me, in sundry lands. Fowrthly, of late, I have byn sued unto by diverse sorts of
eople, of which, some by vehement iterated dreames, some
y vision, as they have thowght, other, by speche forced to their imagination by night, have byn informed of certayn
laces where threasor doth lye hid; which all, for feare of Bt, as the phrase commonly nameth them, or for mistrust of truth in the places assigned, and some for some other causes, have forborn to deale farder, unleast I shold corrage them, or cownsaile them, how to procede. Wherein I have _ allways byn contented to heare the histories, fantasies, or il- ) lusions to me reported, but never entermeddled according to the desire of such. Hereof might grow many articles of question and controversie among the common lerned; and _ skruple among the theologians: which all I cut of from this } place, ready to answer onely your Lordship most largely, in termes of godly philosophie, whan opportunitie shall serve: making small accownt of vulgar opinions in matter of so rare _ knowledg: but making allways my chief reckening to do no- thing but that which may stand with the profession of a true Christian, and of a faithfull subject. But, if, (besides all bokes, dreames, visions, reports and virgula divina) by any other naturall meanes and likely demonstrations of sympathia and antipathia rerum, or by attraction and repulsion, the places ' may be discryed or discovered, where gold, silver, or better matter, doth lye hid, within a certayne distance: how great a
16 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
commodity shold it be for the Quenens Majestie, and the com- mon weale of this Kingdome, by such a secret, not onely threa- sor hid may be deciphered in precise place: but, also, it may be disclosed where, in this land, any mynes, vaynes, or owre | of gold or silver be naturally planted. And here (by the way) I must note unto your Lordship the name and argument of © one strange boke, which, in old tyme, was in this land,—Pan- — DULPHUS DE MEATIBUS TERR: qui cunctas venas, meatus, — atqueaditus subterraneos, conflexiones, specus,antra et interiora — latibula, cavernulasque terrarum, porositates, profunditates, concavitatesque totius seculi materialis, et ambitus subtus ter-— ram enumerat singillatim. So that by this and the former 4
;
= Sta a ee oe ee — - he Gal, aces ie ie oe ire ae Ae 2 Te oe oe ie
boke it may appeare what manner of philosophers and ma- — thematiciens have bin in tymes past. Conclusionally than, in respect of all the premisses, one part of my present sute © unto your honor is that, by your lordships wisdome, the — Queens Majestie may be induced to think somwhat favorably © (as very many other, noble and lerned, of forrayn lands do) of my great travailes, patience, constancy, costs, and credit, — in matters philosophicall and mathematicall: and thereuppon, in the ende of my carefull race, to let some token of her Ma- jesties royall good affection procede toward me, whome, your — lordship knoweth (or may know) that emperors, kings, princes, dukes, marchises, erles, barons, and other many men, of great powre and magnificent courrage, have sued — unto (in my tyme) to enjoye my simple talent, in their ser-— vice or company: to whome all, I ever have given answer ~ (as my duety was, and my stomach served me therto) for the — honor of my naturall and drad soveraigne (for that tyme) — here raigning. Your honor knoweth that thresor trouvé is — a very casuall thing: and of which, althowgh the prerogative — of the Q. Majestie do entitle to her a proprietie, yet how sel- dome her Grace hath hitherto receyved any commodity ther- — by,—it is to your honor better known, than unto me. But as for mines of gold and silver, to be in England or Ireland, many have written and reported both of old tyme, and latter: as I think, your honor hath, ere this, hard abundantly dis- coursed. The value of a myne is a matter for a King’s — threasor ; but a pot of two or three hundred pownds, &c., — hid in the grownd, wall, or tree, is but the price of a good — boke or instrument for perspective, astronomy, or som feat of importance. And truely vulgar, obscure persons, as ho- siers and tanners, can (by colour of seking assays of metalls, — for the say master) enjoye liberty to content their fantasies to dig after dremish demonstrations of places, &c. May not I, than (in respect of all the former allegations of my pains,
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 17
ost, and credit, in matters philosophicall and mathematicall) f no better or easyer way to serve my turn will fall to my from her Majesties hands; may not I than (I say) be thowght to meane and intend good service toward the Q. Majestie and this realme, if I will do the best I can at my own costis and chargis, to discover, and deliver true profe of a myne, vayn, or owre of gold, or silver, in some one place of her graces kingdoms and dominions, to her graces onely use; in respect, I mean, of any my demaund or part to be had therof. But uppon this comfortable consideration, that her Majesty do frely give unto me, by good warranty and assurance of her letters-patents, her right and propriety to all thresor trouvé, and such things commodious, as (under that name and meaning comprised) by digging or search any where, in her graces kingdomes and dominions, I, or my as- signes shall come to, or finde: and with all good warranty (for my indemnity) agayn all laws and persons, to make serch by digging, or otherwise. And this to dure the terme of my life. And in token of my hart fully bent to shew myself thankfull to your lordship for compasing eyther of these two wayes: (I mean eyther an easyer means of provision, for two hundred pownds, yerely, during my life: or this casual marts of paynfull search) ; before God, 1 promise unto your lord- ship (or will by oth uppon the Evangelists be bownde) of all thresor trouvé (commyng to my hands) to impart unto your lordship, or your assignes, the one half, during my life. Moreover your Lordship may be most assured that any no- table benefit (throwgh your L. meanes) bestowed uppon me now in the very pynch and opportunytie, shall not, ne yet ean, be hid under a bushell: but is like with your L. famous renown, very far immortally to be blazed. ‘The third and last principall point of this my present sute to your L., is for _your L. hand to a letter directed to Mr. Harly, keper of the records of Wigmor castell, or to whome, in this case, it doth appertayn. For that, at my late being there, I espied an heap of old papers and parchments, obligations, acquittances, accownts, &c. (in tyme past belonging to the abbay of Wig- mor) and there to lye rotting, spoyled, and tossed, in an old decayed chappell, not committed to any man’s speciall charge: but thre quarters of them I understand to have byn taken away by diverse (eyther taylors, or others, in tymes past). Now my fantasie is that, in som of them, will be some men- tion made of noblemen and gentlemen of those dayes, where- by (eyther for chronicle or pedigree) som good matter may be collected out of them by me (at my leysor) by the way of a recreation. And whatsoever I shall finde in them, eyther of c
18 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
your L. ancestors (in direct line, braunche, collaterall, or | match) wherin I am not utterly ignorant: eyther of any other matter worthy your lordships knowledg; I will make true — report, and deliver the same to your L. ordring; but els they | ar to unclenly (som of them) for your L. eyes to behold. | Thus, in the perswaded security of your L. favorable inter- | preting of all the premisses, I ende this long letter, beseech- | ing the blessed Trinity that this florishing kingdome may — long enjoye the great talent committed to your L. (from ~ above) and, on your L. behalf, moste wisely employed to the — welth and tranquilitye of this kingdome. | This 3 of October, 1574. Your L. most bownden, JOHN DEE, To the right honorable and my singular good lord and patron, the L. Burgh- ley, Lord High Threasorer of England.
HUMPHREY COLE TO LORD BURGHLEY.
[MS. Lansd. No. 26, Art. 22. Orig.] Ath December, 1578. Righte Honourable,—Whereas Mr. Edwarde Dyer pre- —
sented to your honour a peece of greene owre which he had ~ of me, yt was your honour’s pleasure that I should make © serche for it at my goinge into the northe, which I accom- — plished according to your honnour’s appointemente, and have ~ brought some of it with me from the place where it was got- — ten; the whiche I woulde have presented to your honnour longe before this tyme, but for that I dwell in London, I ~ durst not presume to come to the courte unto you. Where- | fore I have nowe sente the same unto your honnours by Mr. — Walter, one of your gentlemen, certefienge your honnour that it was founde in the digging of a quarry in the grounde ~ of Mr. Robert Bowes of Aske in the Countie of Richemonde, | soe neere unto his house there (upon the which he is nowe ~ bestowinge greate coste in buildinges) that in the digging ~ for the same owre his howse may be undermined. Howbeit there be other places thereaboute wherein the same owre, or | the like, in good plentie might be serched and founde; for — there was plentie of it in that place where I had this, but I — perceave the said gentleman dare not digge for it, for that he | feareth thereby to undermyne and hurte the foundacion of
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 19
_ his said house, and it appeareth that in old tyme there hathe _ bene within a quarter of a mile of the same place preate woorkinge, but noe man to this daye knoweth to what pur- oo Onelic this I heare, that there was an olde recorde _ found mencioninge that those hilles thereaboutes were called
riche mounts or divites montes, whereof the towne of Rich-
mont took the name and was called Richmounts. And thus _ 1am bolde to declare the reporte thereof to your honnour, as _ yt was tolde unto me; and I doubte not to discover manie _ ' profitable thinges bothe there and in other places in that countrey, if I had occasion to remaine thereaboute. And if it please your honnour to use my service in this or anie other thinges according to my skill, I am at youre honnors co- maundemente, havinge founde you my good lord at all times. For by your good meanes I was placed in the tower to serve the Quene in the mynte to doe the servyces perteyn- inge to the mill, that, when Eloy the ffrenchman shoulde be taken therefrom by death or otherwise, I should enjoye the same. And towarde my staie of livinge till that office shoulde fall, there was alowed unto me the ffee of the sincker of the stampes, being £20 by yere; and he that nowe exerciseth that place hath not other thing to live on but the half of my ffee. And nowe he refuseth to serve in it anie longer, where- fore I humblie besech your honour to continewe my good lorde, that I maye be established in that house, office and flee, which the said Eloy had, which I have staied for theis xxtie, yeres, and thereby spente the best of my tyme to my greate hindraunce, lackinge sufficiente maintenaunce for me and my family. Albeit that I hoped, by the service whiche I have donne and can doe, both in this respecte and in manie other thinges, if I were called thereto, to have obteigned some suche prefermente before this time, as that I should not nowe have bene destitute of livinge in this my olde age. And thus remayninge alwaies readie to serve the Quenes Majesty, and to die in hir service, I praie God that hir noble highnes maie have a longe lief, that I and manie other maie serve hir manie yeres, and that your honnours health and prosperous estate maye longe contynewe.
From London this iiij.th of December, 1578. Your honor’s moste humble suppliante,
: HUMFREY COLE*. To the right honnourable and his singuler good Lorde the L. Burghley, Lorde Highe Treasorer of England.
_* Humphrey Cole was the most distinguished mechanist in England at this pe- _ viod. Gabriel Harvey in a MS. note on the margin of a copy of Blagrave’s Ma-
c 2
a aa
20 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
DR. JOHN DEE TO CHARLES JACKMAN AND ~— ARTHUR PETT.
[MS. Lansd. No. 122, Art. 5, Orig.]
Instructions for the two masters, Charles Jackman and Arthur — Pett, geven and delyvered to them, at the Court day holden at the Moschovy house, the 17th of May, anno 1580, with — which instructions a new charte (made by hand) was geven — allso to eche of the sayd two Masters, expressing their Cathay — voyage more exactly then any other yet published. ‘i
In the name of Jesus! t
Yf we recken from Wardhouse to Colgoyeve Iland 400 © myles, for allmost 20 degrees difference, only of longitude, © very nere east and west, and abowt the latitude of 703. } And from Colgoyeve to Vaygatz 200 myles, for 10 degrees — difference (only in longitude) at 70 degrees of latitude allso. — And from Vaygatz to the promontory Tabin, being 60 de- ~ grees different in longitude; (the whole course or shortest — distance betwene which two is allso east and west, in the la- © titude likewise of 70) are 1200 myles.. Then is summa totalis — from Wardhouse to Tabin, 600 leages or 1800 myles Eng- — lish. : Therefore allowing in a discovery voyage, for one day with an other, but 50 myles English; yt is evident that from
Wardhouse to Tabin, the course may be sayled easily in 36 '
dayes. But by God’s help, it may be fynisshed in much —
shorter tyme: both by help of wynde prosperous, and lyght
continuall for the tyme requisite thereto. t When you are past Tabin, or come to the longitude of 142 '
(as your charte sheweth) or 2, 3, 4, or 5 degrees farder
easterly, it is probable that you shall fynde the lande on your :
right hand, running much sowtherly and eastward, in which — course you are like either to fall into the mowth of the famous ryver Oechardes, or some other: which (yet) I conjecture, to pas by the renowned City of Cambalu: and that mouth to be in the latitude abowt 50 or 52 degrees, and within 300 or 400 myles of Cambalu, ytself being in latitude abowt 45 de-
thematical Jewel in the British Museum, mentions “ old Humphrie Cole” as a _ “‘ mathematical mechanician”’ ; and he applies the same term to him in his work | entitled Pierces Supererogation, 4to. Lond. 1593, p. 190. William Bourne also, in his Jnventions or Devises, Lond. 1578, p. 17, makes honourable mention of him - as an inventor. <A mathematicalinstrausentanaker of the same name, living “neere unto the North dore” of St. Paul’s, is mentioned by Worsop in his work entitled Discoverie of sundrie errors and faults daily committed by Lande-meaters, 4to, Lond. 1582; but I am uncertain whether this latter notice refers to the same person.
4 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS, 21 grees sowtherly of the said river mowth: or els, that you shall trend about the very northen and most easterly poynt of all Asia, passing by the province Ania, and then in the la- _titude of 46, keping still the land in vewe on your right hand (as nere as you may with safety) you may enter into Quinsay haven, being the chief city in the northen China, as I terme yt, for distinction sake, from the other better known.
And in, or about eyther, or both of these two warme places, you may (to great good purpose) be occupyed the whole wynter after your aryvall in those quarters: as, sometyme by sea, sometyme in notable fresh ryvers, sometymes in discrete vew, and noting down the situation of cities within land, &c.: and ever assaying to come by some chartes, or maps, of the cuntry, made and printed in Cathay or China; and by some of their bookes likewise, for language, &c.
- You may have opportunity allso to sayle over to Japan Iland, where you shall fynde Christen men, Jesuites of many euntries of Christendom, and perhaps some Englishemen ; at whose hands you may have great instruction and advise for our affayres in hand. God be favorable to these attempts, greatly tending to his glory, and the great honour of this kingdome! Amen*. Anno 1580. A. Maij. 15.
By me Joun Dre.
STEPHEN POWLE TO MR. WEST.
[MS. Lansd. No. 100. Art. 19.]
The coppie of my letter to Mr. West whearin is the tower and fabricke of the horologe in Strasbourg described.
_ Right worshipfull Sir, and my moste especiall good frend ; Whereas it pleased you in your letter dated the 8. of No- vember, moste courteously to request that of me which your manifowld desertes of right might have commaunded, I have endeavored, accordinge to the utmoste of my power, which doth shewe the smalnes of my skill, to satisfie your request therein, and have noted the particular poinctes of the tower and clocke of Strasbourge; wherein, because I finde many thinges farr to exceed the reporte, therefore I feare to under- take this bould enterprice, to send them put downe in wri- tinge. For as Allexander, which was the only monarch was
* Among the Harleian charters, EE. xix., is “the counterfet of Mr. Fernando - Simon his sea charte, whiche he lent unto my master at Mortlake, anno 1580,” In the same collection, EE. xvii., is Dr. Dee’s own chart.
22 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
never pourtracted in table but of Apelles, never graven in brasse but of Lisippus, nor at any tyme praised in assembles but of Ephestion, least by the unskilfulnes of any other the glory of his renoune might be empaired; so of right this tower, which is the only wonder I heare of, shoold never be described but of sutche exquisit men in paintinge, carvinge and speach, as weare those forenamed persons; and myself ought rather to be silent (beinge acquainted with mine owne simplicitie in that behalf), then by endeavoringe to describe the workmanshipp detract from the wonder and mervaile that all menn have so justly thereof conceaved. But as those that had the vewe of the pyramides in Egipt weare rather astonid with the sight, then able to decypher those hidden ~ misteries covered with the shoe of hieroglificall beastes, and therefore they presented the formes and models thereof only unto there frendes at there retoorne,toprocure therein also ther delight. In like sorte my self, in behouldinge theise German pyramides with an admiringe mynde, following there exam- ple, have sent you heer enclosed theise two sheetes of paper, which doe figure foorth, although obscurely, the shininge ex- cellencye of that they represent; wishinge there all that the painters cunninge had been aunswerable to ther curious rarnes, for then your pleasure should have been in every re- — spect equall with your desyre. But this want of his must — be supplied with your judgement, which like the skilful geo- metrician, cann by one smale part proportionably gather the whoale boddie, or by measuringe only the shadowe discerne the heyth of the tower; and like unto Pithagoras that find- inge in ludis Olympiacis but one stadium, which contayned three hundred feet, therbie conceive the huge monstrous stature of the geant Hercules the measurer thereof. But yeat least you, by behouldinge theis dumme, silent and mute pictures, finde more to amaze your minde, then to delight your eye, I present myself unto you as a bashfull trush- man to unfould there meaninge. Yf I interpret there wordes amis attribut that fault to my unskilfulnes of there speech, because they be Germans by nature, and myself am not per- fectly acquainted with there tounge, by reason of the smalnes of my continuaunce: I might also add this for a more juste excuse, that I am not a professour of there arte, and there- fore unfitt to be an expressour of there misteries. But that which embouldeneth me is this, that though I aunswere not there worthines, yet I shall after a sort observe decorum, in. beinge as farr of from presentinge the veary truth by my penn, as the painter is from describinge the lively vew thereof by the draught of his pensell.
The citie of Strasbourge is called in Latin Argentina, for
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS, 23
_ the nomber of silver mynes which be founde in the contry of _ Alsatia, wherein it is seated. The which, as it hath the walles fortified with moste artificiall bulwarkes for to defend them
without from the force of enemies, so the houses be adorned | with moste curious paintings to delight within the behoulders : _ for the excellencie of both which it is placed emongest the _ cheef cities in theise partes of Germany, and renounid through all Europe for the workmanshipp of the tower, and the artifi- _ciall mocions, morall figures and astronomicall instruments inclosed in the fabricke of a clocke. The tower is moste _ spoken of for the arte in rearinge up a heape of so many _ stones, almost contrary to nature, six hundred foote highe in _ the aire, so geometrically that it seameth rather to hange therein then lean on any sure fondation, and that it hath continewed almost this four hundred yeares. I assure you, sir, to behoulde the same, beinge in the topp thereof, it seam- eth to have threatned ruine ever since the first hower it was built, passadge lying open through every stone thereof to the _ winde and the weather in sutch sorte that I scarcely remem- ber my beinge on the heith thereof without a tremblinge ter- rour, consideringe that I might have fallen to the grownde every moment throwghe the same. There is added to this rare heith a mervelous sensible deceipt of the behoulder, for it seameth not to be by the half so high, to take the vewe thereof from the foundation. I attribute this to the smale hould the beames of the eyes can have on the stones of this } buildinge, beinge everie waie (as I before have mencioned) | perflatiles, and the force of the sight beinge divided into so } many and sundry partes (by the meanes of those chiones it lighteth on when any man looketh up to the tower,) is made more weake and feable, and, therefore, cannot by reflection bringe backe to the eyes the perfect forme of the object; for the sence of seinge beinge the servaunt of the mynde, dooth | represent by the eyes (which be, as Plato termeth them, ad | animam perforate fenestre,) the trew shape of that thinge it | was commaunded to behould, sendinge forthe his beames, as | bailifs, to arest the object to appeare before reason that keap- eth his coort in man’s mynde; which, beinge vearye switte, escapeth, and is not attayned to by pursute; and by that reason, lookinge on a whirlinge wheele, wee discerne not the spookes thereof, nor on birdes flyinge wee see no fethers ; or yf the object be veary farr of, as out of his bailiwike, he re- | toorneth non est inventus; and therefore we attaine not by sight the grasse that groweth on mountaines farr of, nor dis- cern branches though wee behould the trees; or if they be
24 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
but informed by others, then they reporte falsly ; and there- — fore men behouldinge the moone in the horizon, through and — by the meane of the moist and vaperous aier, the eles reporte _ to the minde the moone to be bigger then it is 2 howers | after: and an ower to be broken in the waves that is whole; a penny in a boule of water to be a grote for bignes: or, if — theise ballifes meet with an artificiall object, then as with a — suptill sophister, beinge deluded, they err in there arrant likewise ; and that is the reason why Zeuxis’ painted grapes | dasled the sighte of the birdes, and whye Parrhasius coort- | ine deceaved Zeuxis the painter; that Pigmalion’s handes, © in beinge in love with his owne picture, deceaved his eyes; — and to applie it to this present example, this seameth to me © the reason why this artificiall tower deceaveth the behoulder. |
In the fabricke of the clocke which standeth in the church, ~ nature for geavinge sutch an excellent subject to woork on, © the will of the devisor for his invention and disposition, and ~ the handes of the artificers for there exquisitenes in gravinge, — carvinge and paintinge, and all three for the consent they — had in the perfettinge this rare devise, are so much to be won- — dered at, that the behoulder remaineth douptfull to which he shoold geave the glory or praise, for it should seem they — all contended for the highest pomt of wonderfull admiration. Nature hath geaven a kinde of woode, called Zilly, which — hardly can be discerned from stone. The devisor hath placed — in this, besides divers incredible motions, the best instru-_ ments of astronomy; and the painters hath bestowed thereon ~ the summe of their cunninge and the perfection of there arte. ‘l'o retoorne to the devise, therein is to be seen a shoe of eter- ~ nitie ; the beginninge of ‘Tyme and a vewe of Age; the periods — of the planetes; the yearly and dailie motion of the soonne in the zodiake ; the convertion of the moone in her cycle, and a ~ more particular distinction of tyme by motions artificiall of | weakes, daies, howers, quarters and minutes: adorned also it is with beautifull pictures of holly and prophane stories, © and with admirable motions of men, beastes and birdes. To | entreat of theis partes in order doth cause me to be prepos-— terous, for first I must describe the heele and after, last of all, the heade. Eternitie is partly figured by the begininge, and partly also by the laste parte of the fabricke. The pellican that supporteth the globe dooth represent the poet’s Atlas, whome they fained to beare the woorld on his shouldiers ; but — Christians do resemble it to our Saviour, by whome all thinges | have there life, as the globe hath hir motion by the instru-_ mentes conveyed in the belly of the pellican. Tyme is figured
+ —_ fiellhe! -
a ‘ ui
?
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 25
by the heavenly globe; for as by the one wee knowe the re- ‘volution of the moveable yeare, so by the other wee discerne
_ the distinction of all motion, for the philosophers define tyme
to be mensura motus. Before the heavens weare created _ there was no naturall motion, and, by that reason, there
wold be no mensura motus. That estate of beinge which was before the creacion of the woorld was called therefore eter- nitie; because therefore the pellican is placed firste, out of which proceedeth the cause of the motion of the globe which representeth the woorld, therefore the pellican figureth forth eternitie, and the globe representeth the begininge of tyme. The globe is moved every daie by a circular and violent mo- tion, and therein the soone in his naturall coorse kepeth the eclipticall line, whoe, although he be likewise whirled about by the violence of primum mobile everie daie from the east to the weast, yeat in his zodiake he finissheth his naturall coorce from the weast to the easte every yeare; which tyme is said to be his period, as that also of the moone in twentie eight daies and eight minutes; that of Saturne in thirtie yeare ; Jubiter in five yeare and eight dayes, and so likwise of the reste; and that of the eighth spher (which is tearmed cwelum stellatum), where the fixed starres remayne in six and thirtie thowsand yeares, which is the period of the spher, and it is called magnus annus Platonis, because he held opinion that then all thinges should beginne anew. The third yallowe great compas (that resembleth after a sorte a wheele, by rea- son of the forme and read lines that be like spookes,) setteth forth a callander for one hundred yeares (in the 4 corners of which be described the 4 monarchies), which was called of the poetes the age of man, and therefore they fained that Nestor lived three men’s lives, because he was three hundred yeares owld, and this callander doth morally signifie age, and parti- cular describeth the daies of the moneth, the letter Domini- call, the Epact, and the goulden number, all which be shewed by the arrowe of Apollo, there painted in the left hand of the table, and by the finger of Diana on the right side thereof. The great circompherence of this circle that is coloured yalow finisheth his cours in a yeare, the inwarde part that is co- loured blewe in a hundred yeares retourneth to his period.
Over which be motions of the planetes, as they geave the de- nomination to the daies, as on sunday the sonne presenteth him self, drawen in a chariot with towe white horses, with his strength Leo, The moone of munday, drawen in chariot by twoe redd hartes, her strength Cancer. Mars on tewsdaie, drawen in his coach by twoe tigers, assisted with his strength Aries and Scorpio. Mercury on wednesday, drawen by twoe
26 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
redd cockes, with his strength Gemini and Virgo. Jupiter on thursdaie,in his chariot drawen by twoe pecockes, his coachman Sagitarius, his strength Pisces. Venus on fridaie, drawen in her chariot by twoe white doves, her coachman Cupid, her strength Libra and Taurus. Saturne on satterdaie, drawen in his coach by twoe greane dragons, his strength Capricornus and Aqua- rius; so that in the whoale weake they all showe themselves. This motion is mervelous beautifull and veary strange, and in my opinion adorneth more than any other parte in the whoale fabricke. Those rounde spotts in the twoe sides of the callender be the notable eclipses of the soone and moone, that shall happen within this thirtie twoe yeares. The rounde blewe, havinge the center thereof redd, is nothmge but the motion of an index that sheweth the minutes of the hower; on the sides whereof be twoe angelicall boyes, the one havinge an hower glasse which he toorneth every hower, the sande beinge emptied out in the lower parte thereof; the other ha- vinge a cepter in his hande whiche he liftinge up semeth as it weare to commaunde the clocke to stricke. The next great circumpherence distinguished by twenty foure howers, is an astronomicall instrument called the astrolabe, wherein be the howerly, dailie, weakly, monethly and yearly motions of the planets and starres; in the corners whereof be the foure ages of man, the foure seasons of the yeare: above this is the monethly course of the moone which doeth so wax and waine, is manifested shininge or shadowed, as the moone is in the fir- mament. Above this be those men which stricke the quar- ters, wheare the hower is resembled to the life of man, which hath his infancie like to the first quarter, which is strooken by the child ; his adolescencie resembled by the second quarter, which is strooke by a yooth; his manhood resembled by an armed souldier, whoe strikes the third quarter; and his owld age resembled by a graie-bearded man, whoe striketh the laste quarter. The hower glasse beinge nowe emptied (which the angelicall boye before spoken of that sitteth belowe by the circule of minutes held in his hand), the course of man’s age is by that figured to be ended, and therefore death ensueth and striketh the stroke on the little bell, as it weare to summon us to appeare before the tribunale seat of the heavenly judge, and sheweth that the lif is finisshed as the hower, whose droppes of sand be resembled to the daies, and protract our lif to our end, and that our period of abidinge heare is so shorte as the hower is in respect of eternitie. Opposite'to death is Christ which reviveth and raseth up to lif everlastinge; and in this second place is eternitie signified, whoe was before all tyme, figured in the pellican belowe, and shall continew after all
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 27
eis ended. The motion whereby the nature of our Sa- viour is manifested is every moment to come forth out of that e where he is pourtracted, to signifie that he carefull provideth for all ages, and lovingly presenteth him selfe at all | es. This is, Right Worshipfull Sir, in breef, the summe of t which is in the fabricke of the clocke contayned, wherein _ lie hidden more misteries then I have manifested unto you in theise fewe lines, and yet so mutch hath been uttered as de- serveth a duble and treble consideracion, for in this so many divers partes is a wonderfull consent and agreement ; for heer the foure men doe soe distinguishe the continewaunce of the whole woorld, as the foure seasons doe the yeare; the ages doe the life of man, and the foure quarters doe the moone and the hower; and yeat all theise have and _ figured by death, all theise have originall motion by Christ, | which is there lif, figured forth by the pellican, and all | theise have been garded and maintained by our Saviour, the _ laste parte of the worke. ‘There is also the creation of man, the fall of man, and the restoringe of man, and his resurrec- tion, painted in the lower parte of the table, over the eclipses of the soonne and the moone. The cocke on the left hand _ dothe croe at three of the clocke in the afternoone. This was | ___ not devised of late, but kept in the church as a monument of | _antiquitie ; forintymes pastthey used, when the passion of Christ '_ was celebrated, to make this cocke croe at sutch tyme as they _ reade in the Evangelist, Peter three tymes deniall of Christe, __ the which sayoreth nothinge of the invention of the rest of _ the woorke. The other side is only an artificiall steare _ whereby men maie behould the conveyances of the motions _ within. In the mindes of the magistrates that fournisshed the deviser with habilitie to make shewe of his skill by mag- __ nificent expenses, there is to be considered a desyre to conse- crat the memoriall of there names to perpetuall admiration of succeadinge ages, imitatinge therebie the examples of many F kinges and princes that emptied there treasures on such he- roicall woorkes. Some in buildinge of temples ; some by in- | ventinge of warlike engins; some by devisinge spatious and _ ample theatres; some by convayinge miraculously waters by _ aquzeductes; some by buildinge of bathes; by bridges; by ' gardens; some by piramides; some men by obeliscy, and _ some by measuringe of tyme by clepsydrz, clockes and hower- glasses and sutch like, that to recite all the other kindes of inventions weare to you troublesome and to me laborious. The great Temple of Diana in Ephesus did contayne in length foure hundred and thirtie twoe feet, in breadth one hundred and twenty, was supported by one hundred and twenty seaven
98 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
statly pillers, and was a buildinge twoe hundred and twenty yeares by the moste exquisite artizans in all Asia. The walles that inclosed the great citie of Babilon, built by Queen Sy- miramis, weare in circute sixtie miles; in heith, two hundred feet; in breadth fiftie; weare distinguished with twoe hun- dred and fiftie stately towers; in one yeares space weare finisshed, but by the hand of thirteen thowsand woorkmen. The children of Israell, that lived foure hundred and thirtie yeares under the slavishe servitude of the tirannicall Pharoes in Kgipt, weare busied cheefely in there latter tyme in work- inge of those stately Piramides; the commen people bakinge of bricke for the foundations, and the most learned amongest them in carvinge of stones for those hyerogliphicall misteries. Trajan the Emperure, as it weare in dispite of nature, made a stony bridge over the swifte river Ister of twenty arches, sea- vered by one hundred and twentie feet, in heith forty cubites, in breadth thirtie. The theaters at Rome weare capable of sixtie thowsand persons to behould, and of navis of shippes to present navale prelium for pleasure unto the people, Horti- pensiles weare no lesse admirable, that were so artificially sett on pillers, that they seamed to hange in the aire, and there- fore weare called hanginge gardens. The tombe that Arte- misia bwilt for the kinge of Caria is renouned through the whole woorld by the name of Mausole. The great Colossus (that was in the haven of the Ile of Rodes, was an immage of sutch a mervelous heith, that great shippes with all ther sailes, there toppes and topp gallantes, mought enter betwixt his legges,) is to be wondered at howe it stoode firme and im- movable of winde and tempest, without any shrowed, so many hundred yeares. Dionisius the tiran was the inventor of the warlicke engin called Catapulta; but first he, by pro- posinge infinite rewardes, assembled at Siracusa, in Sicily, the most rare persons for invention in all Africa and Europe. Archimedes did devise, by many yeares study and wonderfull expenses, a burninge glasse, wherewith he woold sett a fiar the Romaine shippes many leagues of, and handes of iron to lifte upp whole navies by force, and to make them as it weare flie in the aire. Nero did invent and caused to be bwilt a ban- quetinge howse in Rome, wherein the motions of the heavens, the conjunctions and opositions of the planettes, wear hourely presented unto him as he sported him self with musicall in- struments. Vitruvius for warlike engins is of admirable re- noune. And Berosus the Caldean did first devise to measure the tyme by an Hemicycle. Aristarchus of Samos, by a dishe havinge in the center thereof a strawe directed to the zenith, and Augustus the Emperewer in Campo Martio uppon the
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 29
earacters in obeliscis, did discerne the shadowes, and by that meanes distingwisshed the howers of the daie. Papirius Cursor did the use of horologis at Rome: and Scipio Nascica did firste devid the daie into twenty foure howers by the runninge of water. And Boetius Severinus the philosopher did first in- vente those clockes wee daily use, that move by waightes and tourne by wheeles*.
This catologge I alleadge to shew, that in all tymes and ages moste renounied princes have contended for the prise of glory, by inventinge rare woorkes for necessitie or pleasure, and also | to shewthat in all tymes andages menn have been very curious,
and have bestowed great cost in distinguisshinge of tymes, as athinge that ought to be estemed moste pretious.. T'o imitat whose example and to exceed whose excellencie, the Senate of Strasbourge have caused this wonderfull fabrike to be made in this forme as you see, by Doctor Dassipodius, publicke professor of the Mathematickes, Wolkenstenius his coadju- tor, and Stun the painter; the renoune of whose fame as it is reported in moste partes of Europe, so no doupt it wil be perpetuated by continewaunce of tyme to all ensewinge pos- terities. Thus hath, Right Worshipfull Sir, my desyre to de- clare the forwardnes of my good will carried me perhaps farr beyonde the compas of my learninge, in indeavoringe to in- clude sutch an exquisite peece of woorke in my rude letters, and to contayne the statlynes of the high tower within the basnes and lownes of my creapinge style. But I hope you will easily pardon this presumption, consideringe it proceadeth from an obsequious mynde to procure your contentment by this my studious travaile. And although as it was geaven for advise to a temerarious weake person, that he should abridge some what from his rasshenes or add somethinge tohisstrength, if he ment to attaine any tbinge by his labour, so I maie be admonished that I should have with houlden some parte of my good will, or encreassed somewhat to my knowledge, before I ad undertaken the description of this fabricke, yf I did de- syre to make my letters acceptable to the willinge peruser thereof. Yet still I bwild the foundation of my compforte on the assured pillers of your favorable and gracious acceptaunce.
* In the Archeologia, vol. 5, is a very interesting article on the introduction of clocks by Daines Barrington. A manuscript at Trinity College, Cambridge, 0. ii. ; 32, contains another account of the Strasburgh clock, written in Latin in the year 1590, These two accounts seem to agree very nearly with one another.
30 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
LORD BURGHLEY’S MEMORIAL CONCERNING | DR. JOHN DEEF’S OPINION ON THE REFOR- — MATION OF THE CALENDAR.
[MS. Lansd. No. 39, Art. 14, Orig.]
I have perused Mr. Dee’s booke concerning his opinion for the reformation of the old Romaine Calender, and I have conferred also by speche with him at good length thearein, and I find his judgment resolute for the error and inconve- nience to have yt continued ; but he differeth in the quantetie of the error, for he hath made manie proofes by demonstration astronomicall, that the superfluous nombre of daies to be abridged are xj. wheare the Gregorean judgment maketh them to be but x. I am not skilfull in the theoreekes to de- sernn the pointes and minutes, but yet I am inclined to thinke him in the right line, for I find he maketh his roote from the vearie point of the nativitie of Christ in the meridian of Beth- lem; and the Romaines have made theire roote from the time of the Counsell of Nice, and, according to that, theie maie mainteine theare opinion. But by Mr. Dee, yt appeareth the error in computation grewe betwixt the radix of Christes Nativity and the celebration of the Nicene Counsell, which he proveth by a great nombre of good authorities, such as I think the Romanistes cannot denie. It weare good in mine opinion (wheareunto he also consenteth), that by hir Majesties order sum skilfull men in this science, as Mr. Digges and others, to be called owt of the Universities, might peruse his worke, and conferr the thinges by spech ; and though he dis- covereth the x. daies to be insufficient, yet he yeldeth for con- formitye with the rest of the world to assent to the reforma- tion of our Engleshe calender, with the abridgment of x. daies onelie; so as the trewthe be denounced to the world that yt ought to be xj. dayes, hoping that the trewthe will drawe the Romanestes and other partes of Christendome to take owt of their Calender hereafter the said odd daie.
Theare appeareth great cawse to have this conference acce- lerated, for that it is requisite, for a secrett matter, to be re- formed before November; so as either everie moneth from Marche till November maie beare equall defalcation, or els sum one moneth maie bear the whole. Thus much have I thowght good briefuelie to deliver you mine opinion.
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 31
THOMAS HOOD TO LORD BURGHLEY,
[MS. Lansd, No, 101, Art. 12.)
To the righte honorable Sir William Cecill, Knighte; Lorde Burleighe, Lorde Treasurer of Englande.
Maie it please you, righte Honorable, to understande, That forsomuche as the maintenance of the mathematicall lecture, and other necessaries belonginge thereunto dependeth espe- ciallie upon the execution of certaine articles confirmed by the. right honorable the lords of her Majesties Privie Counsell con- cerninge the capitanes of the trained bandes in the citie of London, and the erectinge of a mathematicall lecture therein, I did therefore in humble manner request theire favorable letters to the Lord Maior and his bretheren for the speedie execution of the said articles. To my peticion I receaved this answeare: That it pleased the right honorable lords in my behalfe to directe theire letters to the Lord Maior and his bretheren, requestinge them to move those which had binne contributaries to my lecture to continew theire benevolence towarde the same as they had begonne. The which answere, Righte Honorable, as it seemed greatlie to favour my prefer- ment, so am I bownde to be thanckfull for the same. But _ consideringe that my wages dependeth not upon the contri- bution of anie certaine number of men, but upon the promise of the Lord Maior and the citie, I feared that their Honours _ letters so directed wolde be an hinderance to my purpose, I _ was bolde therefore to renew my peticion unto theire Lords, whereunto an answere was retorned in these wordes. That theire Honours were readie to grante the same, so farre forthe as your Honour wolde consent thereunto, wherefore my re- quest unto you, Right Honorable, is this, That consideringe my peticion containeth nothinge prejudiciall to the honour and profite of the commonwealth, or that hathe not by your Lordships hande binne adjudged convenient, and earnestlie requested by the whole citie, it wolde please your Lordship to further the same; and I doubte not but as IJ shall thincke myselfe bounde unto your Honour, and the rest for your greate and singuler favour, so you shall have just occasion to saie (in respecte of that good which by mine endevour shall arise to the common wealth) that your benefite was bestowed upon a painefull thanckfull and well deservinge man*.
Your Honours,
Most humble, Tuomas Hoop.
* Towards the end of Elizabeth’s reign, there was a mathematical lecture read
32 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
TYCHO BRAHE TO SIR THOMAS SAVELLE. [MS. Harl. No. 6995, Art. 40, Orig.]
Literas tuas circa initia Septembris ad me Hamburgo per- scriptas, vir prestantissime eruditissimeque, misit huc claris- simus vir D. Doctor Winshemius, easque dum peregre in Seelandia absum, die 22 Novembris recepi, que mihi admo- dum grate erant. Nec enim insolitum quid accidit, si viri eruditi, in variis Europe locis utut de facie mihi ignoti, ad me subinde dent literas. Quod et ego vicissim per occasio- nem facere non supersedeo. Non tamen ita mihi ipsi placeo, nec tanto me dignor honore quo tu candore et benevolentia singulari erga me potius allectus, quam quod ejuscemodi quid agnoscam, me afficis. Si preesens presentem aliquando allo- cutus fuisses, ex quo sic aliquoties animum induxeras, equi- dem tuus huc accessus mihi percharus evenisset. Solent preter alias nationes diversas tui quoque conterranei Angli me quotannis, zstatis presertim tempore crebro invisere, quos et, uti par est, in pretio habeo, et prout cujusque fert inge- nium atque desiderium, libenter cum illis de re qualibet pro- posita confero, quot et tuum non gravatim facerem, cum ex literis tuis perspiciam, tanquam ex ungue Leonem, te ingenii acumine judicio et eloquentia przpollere, modo Atdlus atque Neptunus tam averso animo mihi tuum huc adventum non invidissent. Reddentur forté alias placatiores, nam et eos qui ventis atque undis preesunt, instar eorum mutabiles esse con- decet. Nec fera tempestas toto perdurat in anno. Dabitur forsan aliquando occasio, qua his faventibus et benignius aspi- rantibus, id quod hactenus non successit, commodius expe- dies. Eris mihi, ubi id evenerit, hospes apprime acceptus. Interim quod licet et decet, quodque a me tam obnixe expetis, prestare non intermittam. Mitto siquidem bina exemplaria libri nostri secundi de recentioribus cali phenomenis. Licet. enim non libenter hc a ceteris tomis, nondum typis integre absolutis, avello, tamen tue sincere et amice petitioni morem gerere volui. Habebis et reliquos, sine quibus hic pené mu- tilus est, quando typis nostris ad colophonem fuerint deducti. Interea temporis per otium hunc, quo nunc te dono, evolve, disquire, dijudica. Et si quid in hoc dubii, aut minus apo- dictice prolatum adinveneris, ingenué admone, tuamque et aliorum prestantium in Anglia philosophorum de singulis eruditam censuram, sive pro sive contra nos faciat, conquire,
in Leadenhall Chapel; in 1631 this had been discontinued, but lectures on navi- gation were then read in the Blackfriars, at the house of Adrianus Marius. Stowe’s Chronicle by Howes, fol. Lond. 1631, p. 1080. Thomas Hood, the writer of this letter, was the author of a treatise on the sector, and several other scientific works.
Se el Pre,
ros verge
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 33
audacter profer, meque per literas, cum libera restituetur na- vigatio, de his certiorem redde. Vale et magnificum specta- tissimumque virum dominum Danielem Rogersium, reginez _ Majestatis consiliarium atque secretarium dignissimum, (qui etiam legationis huc in Daniam munere functus, me cum suo eomitatu aliquando invisere non est gravatus) meo nomine saluta, unaque illum de mihi promisso serenissime regina , privilegio librario, pro quo jam aliquoties frustra ad ipsum _ seripsi, admone ut mature stet promissis, quo diploma illud
_ obtineam, cum ceteris quibusdam, ab imperatore atque aliis _ regibus impetratis, operibus nostris preefigendum. Aut si pri- yilegium illud non est missurus, indicet saltem, quod et cur _ id non concedatur, sicque fidem datam apud me sufficienter redemerit, eritque excusatus. Saluta quoque meo nomine _officiosé nobilissimum et excellentissum dominum Johannem _ Dee, quem in patriam feliciter reversum audivi, ipsique hoc _ Nomine congratulor, omniaque prospera opto. Nobilissimum ia et pariter eruditissimum mathematicum Thomam _ Diggesseeum* ex meo ore non insalutatum relinque, cui etiam ex animo faveo et bene cupio. Utrique autem horum librum nostrum transmissum ostende, ut et illi in eum disquirant at- que suam de ejus contentis sententiam liberé pronuntient. Quod si literis ad me datis preestiterint, ego et respondere et amicitiam in posterum cum illis colere atque de rebus philo- _ sophicis et mathematicis jucunde conferre nequaquam detrec- } tabo. Iterum atque iterum diu et bene vale. Dabantur Vra- } niburgi, calendis Decembris, anno 1590. | | Tycuo Brane. Addidi quaterna exemplaria mez effigiel nuper Amstero- dami cupro insculpte. Si qui sunt apud vos excellentes poetze, quales in foecunda et facunda vestra, et terra et vena, plurimos inveniri non dubito; cuperem, ut argutum aliquod epigramma in icona hance atque operum meorum commenda- tionem delectationis ergo luderent. Qua in re eruditissimus dominus Daniel Rogersius, suam quoque erga me probare posset benevolentiam modo a Reipublice serioribus negotiis tantillulum vacaretf. Clarissimo inprimisque erudito viro Domino Thome Savillo, Anglo, amico suo dilecto.
ee
* This is the same person whose letter to Lord Burghley is printed at p. 6 of the present volume.
t Daniel Rogers was distinguished in the literature of his time. I have not been able to ascertain whether any other memorial of this application remains. A good portrait of Brahe’s is inserted in the Epist. Astronom. Francof. 1610, from a paint- ing taken when he was in his fortieth year.
D
primo vere, si antea ob hyemis asperitatem fieri nequeat, certo —
os,
at; ae
34 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
JOHN BULKELEY TO THOMAS HARRIOT. [MS. Orig. in Sion College. ]
Erudito viro Thome Harrioto amico suo Johannes Bulkeleus salutem dicit. |
Obtemperavi tibi tandem, mi Harriote, et felici auspicio id — factum sit, si tacuissem mea mihi non meruissent, aut nunc — fortasse suo judicio perivit sueto. Non eo animo aut con- — silio hee scripsi, quo laudem hine mihi aliquam acquirere — contenderem, si vituperim effugiam voti mei compos fiam. — Legimus in procemio quarti [libri] Conicorum Apollonii, Co- nonem Samium, quem Archimedes vir acerrimi judicii propter — ejus singularem prudentiam summis laudibus extulit, a Ni- — cotele Cyrenzo tanquam non recte in demonstrationibus ver- satum reprehensum fuisse. Scripsit quoque Eutocius Asca- lonita inventa initasse Erastosthenis Nicomedem ; atque So- cratem, Apollonio oraculo sapientissimum judicatum, nichi- lominus carpebat Aristophanes. Denique Archimedi ipsi -quandoquidem non defuit reprehensor. Quomodo ego spe- — rabo me posse carere calumnia? Verum si criticorum mor- — sibus dilaniare in te cudetur faba, qui tua culpa, tua, inquam, maxima culpa, preecipua causa fuisti cur hac mea, qualia-~ cumque sint, in lucem perclaram prodierunt, quze antea demi in tuto silentii moenibus defensa latebant. Quamobrem in — tuam tutelam protegenda suscipias velim, quoniam tibi tuo-— que nomini ea dicamus tanquam amicitize que inter nos mihi ob virtutem solam interessit. Hisce igitur laborantibus, — ubi opus sit suppetias ferre (uti confido) ex humanitate tua — et ingenii acumine non dedignabere. Vale. Ex aulula Mona, ~ pridie calend. Martii, anno 1591*.
* This letter forms a dedication to a large work by Bulkeley on the quadrature ~ of the circle, the original manuscript of which is in the library of Sion College, | and is, perhaps, the only remaining memorial of one who appears to have been an — ingenious mathematician, considering the time in which he lived. From this de- — dication it appears that Bulkeley, under the advice of Harriot, had intended to consign his work to the press; and the reason why the project was abandoned does not appear. This is also an early notice of Harriot as a mathematician; al- though Gabriel Harvey, in his “ Pierces Supererogation,” 4to Lond. 1593, p. 190, classes him as a “ profounde mathematician,” along with Digges and Dr. Dee.
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 35
EDMUND JENTILL TO LORD BURGHLEY.
[MS. Lansd. 77, Art. 59.) October Ist, 1594.
- In all humilitie (right honorable) have I presumed, upon the reportes by my poore wief of your most favorable and ‘gratious meaninge towardes my relief and release in this my
istressed estate, by letter to solicite your lordship and to ieinfesse my fault unto your honor, to lay before you suche rutes of my studdies as maye at least attenuate the offence, and move compassion in your honors mynd for my delivery. My cryme is counterfetinge of Forren coyne not currant in ‘this realme ; urged therunto, I doe protest, not through anye
tious or lascivious kind of lyvinge, but through meere and extreame want of mayntenance to susteyne my wief in her
g contynued child-birth sicknes, the relief of myself and children, buyinge of bookes, paying of debtes and triall of conclusions mathematicall and serviceable for my countryes good; the frutes and finall endes wherof, not suche as are common or triviall, but rare and to great use in anie state or comonwelth, not fytt for vulgar knowledge, I heere. moste
bly offer in redemption of my great amisse and fault comitted, to bee performed within some smale tyme after my helth. and some mayntenance with the recovery of my | helth _ First an instrument, wherby the distance to anything, to- gether with the height and breadth therof, at one stacion or i only, shal bee obteyned.
os second, a perpetuall motion of sufficient force to dryve aoty | The third a payer of compasses, which shall describe all |sortes of figures geometricall and spiral lynes, and maye, for | their excellencye, bee termed the Euclidean Compas.
Howe serviceable theis three are, and espetially the two | first, for all kynd of services as well at sea as land in warr : jand peace, it is needles to dilate, when half a wourd doth mie your honor knowe as muche. Only this I crave in re-
arde heerof your honorable and moste favorable meanes, either by warrant from your lordship and my honorable good |master Sir Thomas Henage, unto the Lord Maior for my | libertie (beinge as muche as he requireth), or otherwise to : quaynt her moste gratious Majestie with theis my offers to whome they are wholy dedicated, and of whose moste excel- jJent mercye and clemencye (in regarde of my soone deliverye) my soule is well confirmed through your honors mediacion, D 2
Ae ee et a ee
' t
.
36. LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
that untymely death through sicknes and ymprisonment_ growinge by grief of mynd in sorrowe of my faulte prevent — not these my good endevors ; besides the edition of my workes | of perspective and fortification, such as hetherto hath not— byn seene the like the attaynment unto the knowledge wher-— of, hath byn cause of my greatest wantes, and want the only — cause of my offence comitted. Thus, cravinge pardon for my — teadious boldnes proceedinge from a troubled contrite harte, prayinge for your lordship’s helth in all honor and happynes, I moste humblye ceace Your honor’s poore and distressed supliant, Kp. JENTILL.
To the right honorable his singuler good lord The lord high threasurer of England.
INVENTIONS BY EDMUND JENTILL. [MS. Lansd. 113. Art. 4.]
Invencions founde of late by Edmunde Jentill for the forte- Syinge of Her Majestie’s Navye and the benefitt of this: countrey. :
A device whereby twoe menne maye be sufficient to waye the waytiest anker in her Majestie’s navye with greater ex-: pedition then it is nowe done with the nomber nowe used. _
The like device is founde, for the hoystinge of the mayne yarde with the like expedition.
A perpetuall motion is allso founde out of sufficient force to drive a mill in any standinge water, or quike springe, which maie alsoe be converted to sundrie other uses comodious fo all estates, which have hetherto byn supposed to be unprac- tyzable.
A device wonderfull strange is alsoe founde out whereb a vessell of burden maie easilye and safely by guided bot against the winde and tide *.
* Nothing is more easy than to picture the results of supposititious inventions on paper; a remarkable instance may be seen in the “ Famous Historie of Fri Bacon,” edited by W. J. Thoms, p. 24-5:—‘“ Art oftentimes doth those thin that are impossible to armes, which I will make good in some few examples. will speak onely of things performed by art and nature, wherein shall be nothin magical: and first by the figuration of art, there may be made instruments navigation without men to rowe in them, as great ships to brooke the sea, onl with one man to steere them, and they shall sayle far more swiftly than if th were full of men: also chariots that shall move with an unspeakable force, wit
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 37
HENRY MARSHALL TO LORD BURGHLEY. (MS. Lansd. 101, Art. 16. Orig.]
Right Honorable,—Forasmuch as I have of late devised two rare inventions, the which may be profitable to my con- _trye, and damageable to the enemyes thereof; I thought it my dutie (having found your honour alwayes my especiall _ good lord) to offer the discoverie of the same to your lord- ship before anye other. The which if your honour shall _thinke worthie, maye be then imparted unto Her Majestie. ' The first is an engine, whereby the walle of anye towne or castle maye be defended from the force of anye canon: and _ the other is an engyne, which shall breake the araye of anye _ battell being readie to joyne: the which engynes are easilie _ made, and yett neither verie chargeable nor paynefull to trans- porte. And because I understand your honour to be de- lighted with such rare inventions, I thought it good to make _ modelles of the same, whereby your lordship may the easelier conceave my intention, and the better judge of the benefitt and sequell pretended. Thus fearing to be troublesome to our honour, and craving pardon for this my rashe boldnes, wish your honour good health and long life to God’s plea- sure. Your honour’s most humble in all duetifulnes, | Henry MarsHau.tu. To the right Honorable Sir William Cecill, Knight, | Lord Burghley, Lord High Treasurer of England, London, the 1st of June, 1595.
EMERY MOLINEUX TO LORD BURGHLEY. [MS. Lansd. 101, Art. 17. Orig.]
1596.
Right Honorable,—As I have ever receaved, so I ever acknowledge your honorable favors towardes me, and where I have longe endevored to be a helpinge member to my contry (as God enhableth me, by whome every good and profitable thinge is effected,) so havinge by Him, by appa-
out any living creature to stirre them. Likewise, an instrument may be made to
fly withall, if one sit in the midst of the instrument, and doe turne an engine, by
which the wings being artificially composed, may beat ayre after the manner of a flying bird.”
38 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
rent approbation, performed matter of service worthy to be imbraced, I cannot but in all duty not onely acquaynt your — honnour therewith, but yelde me redy to subject myselfe — and it to your honorable disposition. And althoughe I can | not so demonstrate the substance thereof as were fitt your — honnor should apprehend, I must yelde myselfe to your lordship’s good conceipt, assuringe your honnour that the ~ service shal be suche (might it please Her Majestie to make — use of it,) as former tymes have not attayned unto. The ~ effectes whereof I leave either to the judgment of some that — your honnour shall appoint to surviewe the same, or to the — information of the right honorable Sir William Knowles, Sir — Henry Knyvett, Sir John Stanhopp, Mr. Thomas Knyvett, | and others whoe have been alredy partakers of the same by | viewe, humbly prayinge your honnour to accept myne ende- vors, and to contynue your honorable favours no further then — I intend my desires to doe your lordship and your’s myne > uttermost service. | Your lordship’s ever at comaunde,
Emery MO.LINEvx.
To the Right Honorable the Lord Burleighe, Lord Highe Treasurer of England.
WILLIAM LOWER TO THOMAS HARRIOT.
[MS. Addit. 6789. Orig. ] Ira ’venti, March 4th, 1611.
Sir,—I never loved huntinge till you furnished mee with — dogs, I will henceforward prove another Nemrode ; indeed I sought both arkes and tangents in the tables by proportion — onlie ; so, in a worde, you have made me see my faulte; in two or three more you have taughte me to amende it; onlie your curre dog Petiscus will not come into my sighte: but after a weekes vaine anger and points in seekinge for him, I © found at last it was not the poore curres faulte, but Mr. Bills, — that, sendinge me the second edition of the Origonometria, — sente me onlie the tables; so as turninge the pages 75, 76, 78, 79, of the first edition (which is all I have) I found no such thinge as you sited, nor no such examples as you added. — This is not the first time that Bill hath sent me imperfect copies; I pray let him understand so much. So you see I am defeated of the curre dog, savinge what I pick out of
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 39
_ your letter, which indeed is not enough to give me satisfac- tion. Let Kitt, when he goes next to London, speeke to Bill, or att the Blackfriers, for a perfect copie of Petiscus; my brother the captaine will send it to me speedilie. The
touch that you give of your doctrine of differences or trian- gular nombers, .... me of them, wherin to understand - somethinge, I will one day bee a begger unto you. Your _ dog, that hunts by the sines onlie, and I am growen familiar, and he is an excellent dog; but your she bitch hath no fellow _ for. . . ., onlie she is slow; I had not lost hir, but knew hir | _ goodnesse wel enough: the reason why I did nott use her in the former workes, was because, beinge in way of calculation __ by the tables onlie in that practise, I endevored to cleare that _ way of all rubbs; also because I conceaved it to be the short- _ est, I hastned (so greedie was my desire) to see the issue of
) your triangular kinde. I need not bee so curious to send you my doubts in indi- | viduo, for howsoever you satisfie me in private as you have done now, nevertheless, because you require it, I have sente ‘them in two supplements, the one unto my letters that you have alreadie, the other unto thes, which, unlesse you had _ remembered me of, I should have omitted againe. __ My worke is crowned now you allow of it, and indeed ther } wanted in mee nether will nor industrie to accomplish it, nor in you will nor skill to instruct me in the sacred wayes of arte; be you therfore ever of me unconquerablie respected, or be I not att all. | You have recomforted mee much to intimate that anie | greate difference in my workes will discover a farther mis- terie ; for I was almost dismaied to find thes second observa- | tions give an Aphelie different for the former 3 or 4 degrees. Of this later worke I send you all the numbers given and } found, and had also of manie more by this time, if the impos- | sible issue of this last worke had not stayed my proceedinge till Ireceaved your censure of it. As you direct me I will proceede to doe them all, for I am growen verie experte in this calcu- lation. I did not mistake that « 6 in the diagramme I sent you was double the eccentricitie, and therfore, before the re- | cepte of your letter, in this second worke I had placed 6 att | the center, and att the centrorde, not onlie that « 8 mighte | still remaine with Kepler the single eccentricitie, but to make i) it also corresponde with your vice royall probleme beare with
\ of a af)
40 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
this imitation. Concerninge the Joveall starres I writte no- — thinge of them last, because I had nothinge to writte; for in- — deede, although both I and the yonge philosopher att Han- — besbrooke have often and in verie cleare nights (when Pre- — sepe was most plaine to bee seene without the cylinder) ; when wee, I say, have often diligentlie observed Jupiter, wee — could never see anie thinge; I impute it to'the dullnesse of © my lighte, for onlie with your greate glasse I could se them ~ in London.
That you have made so manie exellent observations of them — I am most glad of, for you have gotten the starte of all im li- © mitinge ther periods. .
Ther periods are verie merveilous, especiallie that of Jovi proximus, whos scituation also is no lesse merveilous, beinge — not one diameter of Jupiter of from him. Of thes thinges and thos other mirabilia que indies juvenis, I longe to bee — with you to discourse of them. My wiffe is well. Now you — know all my comfortes. I have lost my second boy also, and — wel neere eighty catle of the murraine, and the die still; now you know all my discomfortes and losses. Farewell, and lett — not the hugenesse of this missive discourage you from reed- inge of it; doe it at leisure and by peeces accordinge to your — best opportunities, and sometimes use the power you have in — me, which is to dispose of mee accordinge to the utmost of — all or anie of my abilities,
Your faithfull frind, Wiuiiam Lower.
By the helpe of your dogs, I will revew all thos workes of anie that exhibite the distance in the ellipses, equal or neer- — est to the same distance found before (for the workes uppon the former positions of ¢ in the eccentricke, which were onlie to find out this, I thinke you care not for); and when I have perfected them, I will send them unto you, with all the © numbers given and found, whether the quesite consent or no, since you so require ‘it.
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 41
WILLIAM LOWER TO THOMAS HARRIOT.
[MS. Addit. 6789. Orig.] Ira’ venti, April 13th, 1611.
| I so overwhelmed you the last time with a longe letter as it is just I should make you amends now with one as shorte. _ To send you none at all (which perchance had bene best, consideringe the use you have of all your time) I could not _ consent unto, out of the addiction and delight I have to bee still conversinge with you; therefore I will onlie signifie how it is with us,and so an end. My course of calculation I have _ stopte untill I heare from you; the two greate causes of my _ stay I declared in my last letters. I fell since into Vieta’s _ last probleme of his second apendicle, Apol. Gal.*, and com- _ pared his way with yours that you last gave me: but to con- } fesse a truth I can have my will of nether; and the probleme __appeares to me not universall, but requires determination ; for let the da given have the same sides ab, ac, that Vieta’s hath, and lett v' s’ be the same that Vieta gives; now I will | give a A that shall have thes sides, so as it shal bee impossi- ble to find anie pointe from whence lines drawen unto the corners be in the given rate, and that is by giving a A with the same sides ab, ac, but in such position as the < bac be > or <, then Vieta’s < bac, in such measure as Vieta’s two circles doe nether cut nor touch. This rubbe put me out of _ this course, wheruppon | betooke me to your problemes for _ the distinguishinge of the sides of A!*’, whether the summe } or difference of the sides and the angle adjacente or contained | with the other side were given in this. I proceed still with much pleasure and satisfaction. I have also putt in order all thos propositions which you also gave me, but I had copied in lose papers and with ill diagrammes, so that all the thinges stand well; and so I thanke God doe we also, excepte my | catle, which have al this winter bene persecuted with the | murraine; since Christmas verie neere I have lost 100 beastes, —Vieta’s sacrifices to the witch Melutina for the invention of one probleme. But I skarce keepe my promise with you.
Farewell. I am all yours.
Wixuiam Lower. To his especial good frind, Mr. Thomas Harriott, deliver thes.
* The Apollonius Gallus of Vieta was first published in 1600, and contains a restoration of the lost treatise on tangencies, which Pappus describes as forming part of the rozos avadvopevos. See the article Apollonius in the New General Biographical Dictionary, which was written by the editor of this volume. The problem which Lower refers to is one of the most general in the series.
| most, to wit, the squaringe of the circle, the dublinge of the a
a <
42 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
WILLIAM LOWER TO THOMAS HARRIOT.
[MS. Addit. 6789. Orig.] Ira’ venti, Friday, July 19th, 1611.
Since you incourage me so much I will proceede in thos © calculations of ¢, and as I finish anie I will send them unto | you; indeed to find the issueso..... and in the later so — impossible to be reconciled, had utterlie discouraged me, but | that now by your letter I perceave ther may bee good use | made even of ther discordance, therfore of this I will say no © more till I send you more. The leasure that the countrie life — affordeth us here, hath given me meanes to run over manie © things since I left the course of calculation, but amongst — others the 3 vexations of scientificall mortals hath held me
cube, and the philosopher’s stoone. From the first I am — come of handsomelie enough, and have made myselfe much — sporte in the discoverie of mine owne parallogismes, but in the later I sticke still, and am like to make you sporte here. — I come fairelie of, but indeed I have here much otiwm, and — therefore I may cast awaye some of it in vaine pursuites, chusinge alwayes rather to doe somethinge worth nothinge — then nothinge at all. How farre I had proceeded in this, I — ment now to have given you an account, but that the reporte — of the unfortunate Erle’s relapse into calamitie makes me be- — leive that you are enough troubled, both with his misfortunes and my lady’s troubles; and so a discourse of this nature would be unseasonable. Neverthelesse, give me leave to crave a worde or two in answere of thes doubts, which I will beesilie propound as followeth :— .
1. First whether © and « be bodies so difficulte to be | dissolved as alchemists affirme, I meane by dissolution (as I — thinke they doe), that they must bee petrifyed and distilled ?
2. If they may bee dissolved, whether with one simple alone — or with manie?
3. If they may be dissolved and petrifyed, whether ther — rectifyed partes, beinge conjoyned againe, will be multiplied — in virtue ?
4, And lastlie, that which should have bene asked first, an | sit elixir?
But at this time, this much is to much. I am sorrie to heare of the new troubles ther, and pray for a good issue of them, especiallie for my ladie’s sake and her fine litle ones. So for the presente I rest, as of old, Your true frind,
Wiuiiam Lower. To his especiall good frind, Mr. Thomas Harriott, att Sion.
4 x ie *
. ‘ : y a .
; 5,
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS, 43
_ THOMAS AYLESBURIE TO THOMAS HARRIOT.
[MS. Addit. 6789. Orig.] Margett, April 15th, 1613.
Good Mr. Harriotts,—Bycause I have no other newes to send you, you shall only receave the bare relacion of our
- voyage from Chatham to Margett att the North Forland,
which I can tell you in breiffe, though it was to us (new sea- men) very tedious. For wee went on board the sixt of April, . and are but now arrived att the Foreland the 15., which you will say is very longe, but that you know the danger of the sands, and contrarie winds too, if yours att Sion agree with ours att sea. I have learned here certaine strange words amonge our mariners, which to interpret will require some tyme. If we had bene at Vlushinge, I mought perhaps have told you more, but I could forbeare writinge to you noe longer, though to little purpose, savinge only to lett you un- derstand that wheresoever I am, I am bound to remember you, and soe rest Your very loyteringe, but lovinge skollar, Tuomas AYLESBURIE.
I must not forgett to tell you, your glasses have fitted my Lord excellentlie well; and soe, as I feare you will leese them © both, but not without your owne consent, I have noe aucto- © ritie to promise till you give leave*.
JOHN RUDSTON TO THOMAS HARRIOT,
[MS. Addit. 6789. Orig.] June 9th, 1615.
Sir,—As by experience I have found your singular hu- maintie by our late conferences, to make good the noble fame of your great learning, so hath itt emboldened me by this my letter, to request that you would send me word by this bearer what the variation of the needle is about Mosco. For at this present I have such an ympediment fallen into my toes, that I cannot walke abroade, otherwise I had beene the presenter
* Aylesburie is frequently mentioned as one of the scientific circle of Briggs, Harriot, Warner, and others. Some of his astronomical observations are preserved in MS. Birch, 4408, and are, as far as I know, the only remaining memorials of his attachment to science.
44 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
of this my request unto you myselfe, which, if it might have beene, I should then have moved some other questions, viz. whether it is probable that the variation can be in any place of the world 180 degrees, or the north point of the needle stand directly to the south. Allso whether a ‘shippe sailing right east or west by the compasse, keepes upon a parallell, as the common received opinion amongst maryners is, which I thinke not, because the east and west of the compasse is a tangent to the parallell, but how little soever it so continues in sailing, it is a portion or arch of the great circle of the east and west, and therefore (I conceive) cannot but decline from the parallell. But ceasing to trouble you with these manner of questions, I crave perdon for this my boldnes, resting Att your command, Joun Rupston*.
To his very good frend, Mr. Haryott in Black-fryars, be these delivered.
THOMAS AYLESBURIE TO THOMAS HARRIOT.
[MS. Addit. 6789. Orig.] Newmarkett, January 19th, 1618-9.
Sir,—Though I have bene yet soe little a while att New- markett, that I have not any thing of moment to ymport, yet I thinke it not amisse to write a bare salutations, and let you know, that in theise wearie journeys I am oftentimes com- forted with the remembrance of your kind love and paynes bestowed on your loytering scholar, whose little credit in the way of learning is allwaies underpropped with the name of soe worthie a maister. The comet being spent, the talke of it still runnes current here. The King’s Majesty before my comming spake with one of Cambridg called Olarentia (a name able to beget beleefe of some extraordinarie qualities), but what satisfaction he gave I cannot yet learne; here are papers out of Spayne about it, yea and from Roome, which I will endeavour to gett, and meane that you shall partake of the newes as tyme.
Cura ut valeas et me ames, who am ever trulie and unfayn- edly yours att command,
Tuomas AYLESBURIE.
To my right woorthie frend, Mr. Thomas Harriot, att Syon, theise.
_* An astronomical treatise by John Rudston on the “ great conjunction of Ju- piter and Saturn” in 1623, is preserved in MS. Harl. 5211.
he wy ot at | i 2 ‘4 i 4 4 Ny 4 ? . i
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 45
THOMAS HARRIOT TO THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND.
[MS. Harl. 6002.1 Syon, June 13th, 1619.
Sir,—When Mr. Warner and Mr. Hues were last at Sion, it happened that I was perfecting my auntient notes of the doctrine of reflections of bodies, unto whom I imparted the mysteries thereof, to the end to make your lordship ac- quainted with them as occasion served. And least that some particulars might be mistaken or forgotten, I thought best since to set them down in writing, whereby also nowe at times of leasure, when your minde is free from matters of greater waight, you may thinke and consider of them, if you please. It had been very convenient, I confess, to have written of this doctrine more at large, and particularly to have set downe the first principles, with such other of ele- mentall propositions, as all doubtes might have been pre- vented; but my infirmitie is yet so troublesome, that I am forced, as well that as other traits, to let alone till time of better abilitie. In the meane time I have made choyce of these propositions, in whose explication you shall find, I hope, the summe of all that of this argument is reasonable to be delivered. And if any doubtes doe arise either of the hypothesis therein used, or of the concomitants and conse- quences therein also intimated, although upon due considera- tion onely they may be resolved, yet because I am beforehand in consideration of these matters, I shall be ready when I have notice of them to give your lordship full satisfaction for your ease. And seeing that my purpose, God willing, is within a few days to see your lordship, I cease from more wordes, resting, &c.*
T. Harrior.
* The Harl. MSS., generally ascribed to Harriot, and even by the late Professor Rigaud, are in the handwriting of Sir Charles Cavendish. In MS. Harl. 6083 is a paper in the autograph of Harriot, “de numeris triangularibus,” which appears to have hitherto escaped the notice of his biographers. According to Aubrey, the Duke of Northumberland gave Harriot a pension of £400 per annum, and to Ro- bert Hues and Walter Warner he gave £40 (Lives, p. 368). Hues was the author of a popular little work, de usu globorum, which passed through several editions, and was also translated into English. I do not know whether a Mr. Hues, who is mentioned in MS. Harl. 4728, p.5, as having been a chaplain at the Bermudas, be the same person.
46 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
SAMUEL TURNER TO THOMAS HARRIOT.
[MS. Addit. 6789. Orig. ]
Sir,—These shall request you to forgive me my absence _
untill to morrowe; then I shall give you a more particular
accounte of my discourse with Mayerne. In the meane time,
I shall lett you knowe that he cannot possibly com to Lon-
don, thoughe he have manny occasions to invite him to it,
but he desiers much to see you there; but betweene this and
twesday he will send you, under his hand, the methode that
he wolde advise you in the cure*. Tomorrowe I shall see you myselfe. In the meane time, I remaine
Your assured frende, Sam. TuRNER.
To his very good frende, Mr. Hariot, give these.
HENRY BRIGGS TO THOMAS LYDYAT.
[MS. Bodl. 313. Orig.]
Good Mr. Lydiat,—My desire was to have seen you here this Act, and to have enjoyed your company and conference about our common business, the furthering of such as desire to understand the mathematics, and to have desired you to have holpen me to Origanus, whereof I should have some continual use. I pray you therefore send it me safe, and leave it for me, if I be not in town, with Mr. Crane of New College, my very good friend, or when you think good, that at my coming home I may not fail to have it. I am still at my logarithms, and can neither finish them to my mind nor let them alone. If your calling, being of so high a nature, would give you leave seriously to intend other business, I should intreat you to strive to get out your meditations and great pains, and to demonstrate every thing as you go, with- out which I think you cannot have that acceptance and ap- plause that your great pains have deserved. But we that have no such eminent business may be busied about these
* Harriot died on the 2nd of July, 1621, of a cancerous ulcer in the lip. 1 give this short letter as a biographical illustration. In the same volume are drafts of two letters from Harriot to his physicians, detailing the nature of his complaint, and dated in 1614 and 1615, which shows that he must have been harassed with this disease for some years. Theodore Mayerne, mentioned in this note, was a very eminent physician at the time; but it does not appear to be generally known that several volumes of medical collectanea in his autograph are preserved in the Cambridge Public Library.
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 47
trifles in respect, though in themselves they deserve to be of good account. Thus wishing you all happiness and success _ to your liking, I take my leave. : Your very assured loving friend, Henry Briaas. from Merton Coll: this 11 July, 1623.
THOMAS LYDYAT TO HENRY BRIGGS.
[MS. Bodl. 313.]
Mr. Briggs,—There was delivered to me yesterday, in the afternoon, at Banbury, by one of my neighbour ministers, a letter from you bearing date the 11 of July, i. e. Friday was -sennenet, which he said was delivered to him yesterday was _ sennenet, the morrow after the Act. And touching that you write therein about your Origanus, for which I thank you, and your Kepler: because you signified you were likely to be from home, I have written to Mr. Crane of New College, with whom you wished me to leave them in your absence, and sent money to buy others of the same for me, or rather for yourself, because, as I told you, yours were somewhat bruised and wronged by my carriage, and peradventure might be more in the recarriage. Now whereas you renew your motion of demonstrating, thereto I answer still, as before, bene mones. And whenso- ever you or any man else from generality shall proceed to } a specifying of any assertion of mine not sufficiently _ demonstrated and proved according to the nature thereof, | _ will, by God’s grace, do my best endeavour to demonstrate and prove it better. But I hold not a diagramme the only | way and means of demonstrating, nor so generally necessary | as you seem to urge. To give you an instance; I met the _ other day at London, with Lansbergius his Progymnasmata Astronomiz restituta, where in the 10 pag. applying the ) sun’s parallaxe to Hipparchus his A‘%quinoctial observations, _ to make them serve his turn, he sets down a diagramme to _ demonstrate that the true vernal equinox is sooner, and the _ true autumnal later than the apparent, in regard of the paral- _ laxe, which to me seems superfluous. For having granted that the parallaxe makes the sun seem lower than truth, he } that cannot thereupon conceive that, in his ascent, he attains | the vernal sooner than he seems to attain it, and contrarywise in his descent he seems to attain the autumnal sooner than
48 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
he doth attain it; and consequently the vernal true must needs be sooner, and the autumnal true later than the appear-— ing: say I, he that cannot conceive the necessity hereof” without a diagramme, is a verier dunce than myself, and not — far from that itching morbo demonstrandi that some have complained of before me. In a word, I hold it as absurd to ~ require diagrammes where they are needless, as not to put © them where is need. And if there be any that will not look — upon my writings for want of diagrammes, they may look ~ beside them, and they will for me.
Further to acquaint you with my studies, I have within — this twelvemonth, since my last being at Oxford, scribled out — three inchoate and imperfect treatises of astronomy : the first, — of the obliquity of the zodiak in our age, which repulsing — the insensible inobservable parallaxe, and the imaginary re- gular refraction obtruded by Tycho, I find with Regiomon-— tanus and the Landgrave, to be 234 degrees at the most: the second, of the sun’s apparent anomaly and eccentricity, which I have by many observations confirmed to be accord- ing as I before supposed, 183 days, and 3333, whereof the radius is 100,000; with the greatest prosthapheresis, igr. 54 str. 42 sec.: the third is of the place of the Sun’s Apogzeum 5 for the reversing whereof to the Adstine Solstice and begin- ning of Cancir, I have with much labour found out above fifty good observations of Waters, the Landgraves, Byrgius — his, and Tycho’s own last Bohemicks. But speed these as they may, with diagrammes or without, I am resolved against the bringing in of the Gregorian year and calendar into our country, to oppose my great Period or Annus Magnus; and, with God’s help, to maintain against whatsoever Jesuit or Papist ; and in regard of the contempt and disgrace that hath been offered my poor self and it, to stand for a reward of my pains in finding or restoring of it. But haste breaks off this” idle talk. I was even chiding ripe with my neighbour mi-_ nister for keeping your letter so long in his hand. I know not whether he doubted me to be the man to whom it was meant, because you endorsed it to Alkerton in Buckingham- shire. Indeed my direct way to Alkerton from London, whence I came upon Friday was sennenet, the 11th of July, which day your letter bears date, is to Ailesbury, and so all along through Buckinghamshire; but Alkerton, my native soil and dwelling-place, is in the utmost skirt of Oxfordshire northward, as I have heretofore, although not demonstrated, yet declared without a diagramme in mine Astronomical Epistle, a copy whereof I remember I gave you. And from thence at this time, I thank God, in health, I take leave of
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 49
_ you; the 23 of Julian July, and 4th of ours, on Wednesday Morning, 1623. Yours, Tuomas Lypyar.
THOMAS MAN TO THOMAS LYDYAT.
[MS. Bodl. 313, Orig.] April 19th, 1625.
_ Sir,—In your letter, written to Mr. Crane, and dated the 23rd of July, 1623, you made mention of a manuscript, which was a paraphrase of Ptolomie’s Almagest, and extant in our _Library*: out of which you desired to have copied out the beginning of the third book so far as to those words answer- ‘ing the Greek touvrwv & ovtws eyovtav, &c., together with the | marginal notes, and if there were ought else to be found either in the beginning, or end thereof, or any where else concerning e antiquity and author of it. To give you satisfaction herein, Mr. Warden hath taken great care and pains; for he hath employed one of our fellows in copying it out, and hath transcribed it himself. You shall receive both the copies by the bearer hereof, Mr. William Griffith; but I fear neither of them will answer your expectation. For first, whereas you ‘suppose this manuscript to be a paraphrase of Ptolomy, it “appears plainly by the same book being extant in the library otf All Souls’ College, that it is only a mere translation. In the preface of which book, after a strong commendation of this Ptolomy and his work, there is some mention made of
| this translation. ‘The words, because they are a sufficient ) proof hereof, and will satisfy your demand concerning the author and antiquity of it, 1 have sent you as I find them at ) the end of the preface; and they are these: Liber hic precepto ) Maimonis regis Arabum, qui regnavit in Baldath, a Alahazer 1 jilio Josephi filii Matte Arismetici, et Sergio filii Elbe Yplano, anno 12 et 2000 Secte Sarracenorum translatus est; qui | quidem liber est Magnus dictus Almagesti, quem Bartholomeus | Bheleudensis de scientia stellarum, et motuum, qui sunt in | ceelo, conscripsit. The same translation, but without this | preface, is extant in the same Library, excus. a Petro Liech- | tenstein, Colon. Venetiis, 1515. Again, that clause which you ) aim at especially, as I understood by Mr. Doctor Bainbridge,
. ee aT RR OEE mS Se oe = a — ° .
|. _* The manuscript here referred to is probably that mentioned in Bernard's | Catalogue (fol. Oxon. 1697, p. 37.) under the title of “‘ Ptolomai almagestum ex ) Arabica in Latinam linguam versum.” This forms No. 281 of the manuscripts in |) the library of New College. . E
50 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
and which in our manuscript is thus in the text, st in consi- derationibus decepti fuerimus in quarta diet, ut sit inter ipsam et suam differentiam quarta diet; this clause, I say, 1s not found in the manuscript or printed book of All Souls; in the printed book not at all; and in the MS. ’tis only in the mar- gin thus: wt sit inter ipsam et suam differentiam quarta diet. Other diversities of reading in All Souls’ MS. you shall find noted in the margin of one of these copies. As for the mar- ginal notes in our MS., Mr. Warden hath with great labour transcribed them ; they being written in a very small charac- ter, and full of abbreviations. This is all I thought good to acquaint you with concerning this matter. If you shall de- sire to be farther certified in any special point out of this MS., you shall find me (besides others) as willing to perform at any time, as now to promise my best furtherance therein; and so I leaving you to God’s protection, rest Your friend, Tuomas Man.
THOMAS LYDYAT TO THOMAS MAN.
[MS. Bodl. 313.] Alkerton, May 12th, 1625.
Sir,—Touching the letter I received from you, dated April the 19th, almost three weeks since, together with the tran- script out of the Latin paraphrase of Ptolemy, as 1 termed it in my letter, wherein I desired it to be sent me almost two years agone, then deeming it a matter of no greater moment or difficulty, but that I might easily have obtained it within two or three days; whereas you write, you fear neither of the copies will answer mine expectation: truly mine expectation thereof was no greater than I signified in my letter, and had before set forth in print, and given copies thereof into your ~ library, that you needed not to be ignorant of the matter. | But I must confess it fell out very greatly contrary to mine ~ expectation, that it was so long differred, which I imagined — might have been so soon obtamed; and that made me at — length the more earnestly to urge not only to others of your — fellows, my kind friends, according as I met with them, but in the end also to your worthy, and by me accordingly re-— spected, Mr. Warden himself; I say the more earnestly and — almost obstinately to urge that which in the beginning I did — not so much respect : because I began to suspect, that not the | difficulty of the matter, but some sinister surmise arising upon |
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 51
the impairing of my credit amongst you was the cause of the differring of it so long, contrary to, I will not say, your pro- mise, but my expectation. Wherein I accounted myself not a little wronged, yet not by you, but by some other, by whose means I had been so much discredited amongst you of that excellent society ; whose good opinion of me I have ever yet esteemed, and so shall esteem ever while I live, as one of my greatest worldly comforts.
Now for your reasons why you fear your transcripts will not answer mine expectation: first because it appears plainly to be only a mere translation which I wayponed) to be a para- phrase: I termed it so by reason of the clauses here and
| there inserted more than the text, and for illustration of the
text, which is the property of a paraphrase ; and I thought I might the boldlier so term it because Scaliger had likewise termed it before me, namely, in his Tract. de Emend. Temp., pag. 370, calling both the author Paraphrasten Arabem, aS the translation itself, Paraphrasin. As for the words
transcribed out of the end of the preface of All Souls’ MS. to satisfy my demand concerning the author and antiquity of it: the antiquity of the Arabique was no part of my demand or doubt: as having seen the same long since, not only in the forealleged place of Scaliger, but before in Christman’s Ap- pendix to Alfrugan, pag. 471, out of a MS. of the Palatine Library: neither yet the antiquity of the first Latin transla- tion out of the Arabique: which, out of the same place, and also otherwise, is sufficiently known to have been procured
_ by the Emperor Frederick the Second, sirnamed Siculus:
but my demand was concerning the antiquity of your own particular copy of that translation. Nevertheless you have done well that you have transcribed those words touching the Arabic, and thank you for it.
Concerning the second cause of your fear, namely the clause that Mr. Dr. Bainbridge gave you to understand I did especially aim at: neither did I ever tell him so much, nor any man else, neither is it true: neither doth that paraphras- tical insertion, being either wholly or partly omitted in other MSS. or printed copies, make much either for or against the goodness of your own. But the clause which I did indeed especially aim at, and in regard whereof chiefly I did and do term your old Latin translation of the Almagest a paraphrase, is that immediately following those words cited by me in the top of the 32nd page of my Astronomy epistle, a circulo ad circulum [antequam demonstraret|, have both your tran- scripts: but as I have read it heretofore, because I could
} make no sense of the other, and thereupon made an annota-
rR 2
an
52 LETTERS ON.SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
tion, which some of my learned friends have seen almost two years agone: ad quem, or juxta quem, or quod dirigent con- siderationes positas. Touching your two transcripts, I un- derstand the fairer of them to be Mr. Warden’s own hand- writing : for which I request you to return him from me many dutiful thanks ; withal signifying unto him that I had not so little wit or manners either, as to wish himself to be at such — pains: but used his name in my letter only because I supposed he knew best whom to employ about it. Concerning the ~ point in controversy about the confounding or dividing of two of Hipparchus his vernal observations, I pray you return my commendations to your mathematic reader, whose I under- stand the other transcript to be, with many thanks likewise for his pains. And whereas in the marginal notes of your manuscript there is one against the vernal observations, which either I had not before marked, or else have since forgotten, namely, pro prima est secunda vel transposita: I desire him to send me word whether that appear to be of the same hand and antiquity with the other. Again, whereas in his tran- script against those words, et post annum, transcribed in the text, but afterward blotted out again, there is moreover ad- joined this marginal note, ef post annum deleantur, whether that be the ancient censure of either of All Souls’ copies, the manuscript or the printed, or his own censure: because all those three words are quite left out of them both without any marginal note or censure at all. In a word, because the un- certainty which of the three copies he took for the ground of his transcript breeds some confusion to mine understanding of his diverse readings in the margin: I request him to be at so much the more pains as to transcribe all that concerns the same one or two vernal observations, being not half a score lines, from et post hoc, to fere per 5 horas, word for word, distinctly and severally out of all three copies, with such marginal notes as each of them have: and thereto to add the fourth, which I understand to be in Sir Henry Saville’s Ma- thematic Library, and which, I doubt not, he may easily ob- tain in regard of his acquaintance with Mr. Briggs. And to him I desire you both to have me heartily commended, thank- ing him for Vieta his Gregorian Calendar, which I received from him a se’nnight since: touching which I purpose, God willing (if my building hinder me not over much), to write — unto him ere long. Meanwhile it is not the least cause of my writing unto you at this time, to signify unto him that I have received it, and good content with and by it.
And thereupon I request you all three, namely Mr. Briggs, together with Mr. Miller (for that I have been given to un- —
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS, 53
derstand your mathematic lecturer’s name is) and yourself, to _ have me commended to Mr. Bainbridge, with whom it seems
you are familiarly acquainted; and tell him, whereas toward the end of his Vespers’ lecture, the last act, wherein he dis- coursed of the reformation of the year and calendar, he very sharply and bitterly inveighed against certain absurd periods, _ whereby some went about to restore the same: I desire to __ know (which I would further have asked himself, if I could __ have had any more speech with him, or with Mr. Briggs at. that time) whether he meant mine or no? And if mine (be- _ cause I know none other that hath insisted in the same course), _ what it is that mislikes him in them? whether they are not _ framed according to the right definition of a Period or Annus Magnus? or whether they be not sufficiently demonstrated, because without a diagramme, to whit, linear, and properly so _ termed? which then it will be his part to overthrow by in- _ stance, propounding some other briefer or better, of another manner and structure, than of Enneadecaéterides and Hen- decaéterides: not Vieta’s (consisting of 3400 Julian years), as great a mathematician as he was, and as well skilled in dia- gramms: which (if upon such a sudden, amidst the clutter- ing noise of my labourers about mine ears pulling down my house, and the hammering of my masons to build a new, I _ rightly conceive) to make a truly defined period, he must correct it by my rules, making it shorter by one whole month of 29 days than Vieta himself propounded: and so equalling it to eleven halfs of my great period together with my duode- 'narie period. Or whether he thinks not any period at all | profitable or needful for the restoring of the year and calen- dar? But, and if my form of calendar displease him; it may please him to understand, that the calendar is not of the essence, but an accident to the period: as whereunto any form of either lunar or solar calendar may be accommodated ; even the Julian itself: as I have well-nigh two years since declared in the preface of my three Diatribe, as some of my learned and worshipful friends can bear me witness: there being the same reason of the more ancient solar calendar of Dionysius Alexandrinus, and of the Augustan Alexandrinian, with twelve tricenary months, and five or six days appendices ; more commodiously to be placed immediately before either equinox, or the aestine solstice. Hereof I desire an answer with as much convenient speed as you can procure it: and so I commit you to God’s gracious protection.
Yours, Tuomas Lypyat,
4
54 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
THOMAS LYDYAT TO SIR HENRY MARTIN.
[MS. Bodl. 313.]
To the right worshipful his ever honoured tutor, Sir Henry Martine, Judge of the Court of Admiraliy, &c., im our Lord and Saviour Christ, health and prosperity of sou!, body and whole estate.
Sir,—My request unto you is to move Sir John Wolsten- ham (and whomsoever else you know likely, after so many defeates and discouragements, to give yet another essay to- wards the finding of the Northern passage to the west of America and the East Indies, so long sought for by dur Eng- lish nation,) to give entertainment to a scholar, the son of a citizen of London, being sorted with a good and discreet — captain or master, a skilful pilot and well experienced in the northern icy seas, and some thirty or fourty other, honest, sober and industrious men, to give his best advice, and do his true and best endeavour, for the discovery of the coasts under the North pole, and within ten degrees round about, especially beyond it: and from those parts so discovered, with the trending of the land, and the channels and currents — of the sea diligently observed, and the stopping and clearmg — thereof with and from the ice duly noted and marked, to find out the passages, and fittest passage to the aforementioned places. For which his endeavour and enterprize of discovery — of those polar regions undertaken upon hope of good success ~ through Almighty God’s gracious guidance, assistance and blessing, he demands the loan of thirteen hundred pounds to be presently (within this fourtnight) laid down for the pay- ment of his debts, upon good security of lands and goods | pawned to the value therof, for four years. Within which ~ time, if the same Polar regions be discovered, then all those — lands and goods to be clearly released and resigned to him and his assigns for his recompense, without repay of any — money: or in case he die in the voyage, yet if by the occasion — and means thereof the aforesaid discovery be made, the same recompense to be made in like manner to his lawful heirs ac- _ cording to his last will. But, and if it please God of His in- — finite mercy, that by the same means the Northern passage _ be found out as far as to New Albion discovered from the south — by Sir Francis Drake on the west part of America, or Japan — on the east of Asia; then, upon the ascertaining of such dis- covery, there shall be added to the former sum seven hundred ~ pounds more, to be paid to him or his assigns by his will. ~
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS, 55
And in whatsoever plantations or colonies of the British na- tion hereafter propagated and established upon occasion of this discovery, that is to say, in those places, and by such passage ; there shall be duly and truely paid the tenth in ind of all manner commodities whatsoever accrueing by sea or land, to the maintenance of an able ministry of God’s word, and schools of all manner of good learning, in the same. Lastly, upon the acceptance of this offer, there shall be given to the maker thereof, in way and manner of earns, a pair of the argest, newest and best globes, and twenty nobles in money, © to the furnishing him with books of like argument, for the better performance thereof.
So desireth (the 17th of October, 1626.)
Your distressed old pupil, Tuomas Lypyart.
__ Concerning the motion that was made to me the other day _ by Sir D. D. about going to Constantinople with the new ambassador that is shortly to go thither; I do not desire it otherwise, than there to get a pass to travel to some of the principal cities in Greece, Natolia and Syria, and to Alex- -andria and Cairo: and thence by means of the patriarch of _ Alexandria and the Abasen pilgrims, that travel yearly that _ way to and from Jerusalem, to go in company with them into Ethiopia, unto mount Amara, to know the truth of what hath _ been reported touching the library there ; and thereabouts to study in divinity, history, and astronomy. If this may be effected, I shall think myself much beholden to them, by _ whose means it is effected. But in the meantime I want fourty marks to print mine almanacks: and (I should have ' _ first) to buy me a suit of apparel to defend me from the
rl
7 November 30th, 1626. it Tuomas LypyaAt.
HENRY BRIGGS TO JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch. 4395, Orig.]
56 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
who brought your letter or by whom to returne my answere,. were the occasions, as I now remember, that you have beene put to this second trouble. Now I shall indevoure to give you suche satisfaction as I can, and seinge I do not know who brought this letter, or by whom more conveniently to sende, I purpose to sende mine answere to London, from thence to be brought to Trinity College where I hope it will finde you.
1. For your first demande (seinge Ido not know whose
lines you use, my answer wil be somewhat more uncertaine, ~ and it may be the author whom you followe would satisfie —
you more fully,) ’tis well if I can satisfie for mine owne de- fectes. These artificiall numbers (injuriously named sines) are not made for degrees, minutes, &c., but for the true sinus
dati cujuscunque gradus et minuti: therefore if you first finde
the true sine of any arke, the Nothi may best be found by the — generall rule set downe in 14 cap. of my booke, Dato cwilibet — numero absoluto, Logarithmum congruum invenire et contra. — But if this seeme too tedious, you may use the parte pro- ©
portionall. If 60 minutes or secondes rather (for the minutes are expressed in the printed tables) give the whole ditference inter duos proximos; what shal be the difference to be added or subtracted for 27" or any other number; but in the parte proportionall we muste not expect suche exact precisenes as
in the former, especially if there be any notable inequalitie in — the differences next adjoyninge: where we may not safely © trust proportion, as namely in the artificiall sines of the be- — ginninge and ende of the quadrant. But if you be willinge © to inlarge some parte of your table to secondes, I have ex- i pressed the maner in my booke cap. 12, and more easily |
cap. 13, where first you may inlarge them to fiftes of minutes
or to 12"; and if you be at leisure afterwards to 24" or to |
the 25 parte of a minute; then (the differences beinge brought more nere to equalitie) you may somewhat more safely trust the parte proportionall.
2. Concerninge the logar. of all fractions proper or impro- per, see my 10 cap. and for a generall rule take this, Diffe- rentia logarithmorum numeratoris et denominatoris est loga- rithmus datarum partium. As of § 017609125905568 of 2 —017609 ete. of 12° 034678748622466 of +45, —034678 ete. And contra, to finde the absolute number of any logarithme, seeke the logarithme in the tables, and if it be there you shall have the absolute number in the margent; if it be not there,
then by the parte proportionall you may come nere it, so that if neede be, you change the characteristica as is prescribed in |
the 11 cap. de qua in 4 cap., for so there wil be lesse defect in
a - -) > -—o SCF Te ae ae UE ETL REST NC MED ee MU TW Ie
ee — SE ON EYEE A Ee A PUR TES TO
om
| a,
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 57
the parte proportionall, when the tabular differences are nerer _ to equalitie, by whiche meanes you shall come to the nume- _rator of your fraction whose denominator is alwaies 1000 ete. For example, the log. of 10 is 1.0000 etc. ; therefore the log. of the of 10 must be 050000 (for we must very warily regard the characteristica, otherwise the answer wil be false), alter the characteristic and it may be +50000 and in 32 chiliads _ you shall finde the absolute number next under that whiche _ you seeke is 31622; this must be augmented by the part pro- portionall, whiche is 7763, so that the number is 316227763 ; now seinge the characteristic is 0, till I did augment it, it is apparant that the roote of 10 is 346227755. or rather 3,16227763 as I usually write it. But this aggreethe not withe _ the roote sett downe in the 10th page of my booke. I must _ confesse it. The parte proportionall is alwaies in these cases somewhat defective: see my 16. cap.
3. Concerninge Mr. Wingate’s booke I hope well that all _ he saithe are true; but I have not so advisedly looked on it, that I may justly ether except or approve all; but if you please to mention in your next any particular, I shall tell you mine opinion.
4. My desire was to have those chiliades which are want- inge betwixt 20 and 90 calculated and printed, and I had done them all almost by myselfe and by some frendes whom my rules had sufficiently informed, and by agreement the busines was conveniently parted amongst us: but I am eased of that charge and care by one Adrian Vlacque an Hol- lander, who hathe done all the whole 100 chiliades, and printed them in Latin, Dutche and Frenche, 1000 bookes in these three languages, and hathe sould them almost all; but he hathe cutt of four of my figures throughout, and hathe left out my dedication, and to the reader, and two chapters the 12 and 13, in the rest he hathe not varied from me at all.
And thus I have desired to make an amendes for my an- sweringe no sooner. If yet there remaine any scruple, if you please to write the thirde time I shall be desirous to give you further satisfaction. And so commendinge you and your studies to the gratious blessinge of the Almightie, I take my leave, ever restinge,
Your very lovinge frende,
HenRIE BriGGs.
58 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
THOMAS LYDYAT TO HENRY BRIGGS.
[MS. Bodl. 313.] Bocardo, October 31st, 1628.
Mr. Briggs,—After a full year gone and past, from the time I delivered you the two little notes in August (was twelve months) which you say you lost: I did, though with much adoe, enforce myself to make them again. The cause of my then committing them unto you, had I not told you, you must easily conceive, was to have your judgment of them, to the end that afterwards I might shew them unto others of my worshipful friends to be motives to stir them to do some- what for me, either to the helping me out of prison, that was. and is my most desire and main suit: where, through the ex- ceeding care that I had the last year to discharge my debts as fast as I could, and indeed faster than I well could; I thank God for all! I was as near starving for hunger, about the time you were last with me, in February, as I think ever poor prisoner was that scaped it. I had sent you this copy as soon as I had new made it, but that I understood you were from home. In the meantime I sent it to New College, to Mr. Stringer, by him to be delivered to Mr. Warden: who, I thank him, the other day brought it to me again himself. As I wrote to Mr. Stringer, I dare not say it is to shew the probability of so great a refraction, for fear lest all the astro- nomers on this side the hither tropic have me by the ears for it: but only the possibility: leaving the full determining of the business, till I come either under the North pole, accord- ing to the letter I sent you. this time twelvemonths, or over the Cape of Good Hope; whither I say, to the one place or to the other, even to the world’s end, I pray God send me safe, so out of prison. I shewed it not long since to Mr. Pesor, at his kind visiting me, which, I thank him, he hath often done; at what time he told me, to my comfort, he was of my mind, that astronomy would never be perfited until there were some astronomical observations made under the zqui- noctial, and beyond the farther tropic, to be compared with. ours. Now I send you the same again, to the same ends that I committed them to you at the first. Good Mr. Briggs, do not lose these too: but unperfite as they be, let me have your judgment of them, within this sennenet or thereafter, as your leisure will permit. So with mine hearty commenda- tions, and thanks for all your kindnesses, I bid you farewell.
Your’s, Tuomas Lypyart.
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS, 59
A PAPER ON THE WEIGHT OF WATER, BY THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND.
De pondere aque, quo premuntur ¥., quibus altius incumbit. Questio ab illustrissimo domino Henrico Comite Northum- brie proposita, et ventilata. [From Addit. MS. 6789.]
Quam sit illud verum quod vulgi sermone tritum novimus ; errorem quantumvis exiguum in principio, mobilitate vigere, _ sed ad finem in immensum excrescere, et quotidiana experien- tia probat, et queestione hac proposita dilucide constat. Nam-
que cum initio libri, de iis, quae vehuntur in aqua, Archimedes
posuisset instar principii Postulatum quoddam, de motrice na- _tura Aque, et partes ejus minus presse cedant loco magis _pressis: ab hoc Axiomate vel non claré ab eodem enunciato, vel perperam ab aliis intellecto, quantum in errorem pre ce- _ teris prolapsus est Simon Stevinus, qui labi cum eo una no- _ lunt, mecum jam convenit, ut animadvertant. Itaque tria erunt
nobis seorsim, et breviter tractanda.
_ Primo statuendum est, quis sit genuinus sensus ejusdem
- Postulati Archimedei.
Secundo manifestandus est error Stevini.
Tertio asserendus est consensus Phenomenon, experimen- torumque ipsa cum veritate juxta intentionem ejus postulati _ idque maximé ad preesentis quzestionis solutionem.
; De Primo.
Proponit Archimedes Postulatum illud suum hujusmodi. Ponatur humidi naturam talem esse, ut partibus ejus ex aquo positis, et continuis, minus pressa a magis pressa extendatur. Omnis vero pars humidi urgetur ab humido existenti supra
_ illud in perpendiculo, si humidum ipsum sit descendens ali-
~ quo, aut ab aliquo pressum.
i CHRISTOPHER POTTER TO WILLIAM BOSWELL.
[MS. Bodl. 313.] March 28th, 1632. Sir,—I shall be most willing to help forward your cha-
_ ritable intention towards Mr. Lydyat (a man of great merit,
_ and who might be useful to the public if he were freed from
__ this miserable condition) and to serve you on this or any other
60 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
occasion with my uttermost forces. I have effectually treated _ with Mrs. Hare, and desired a worthy friend of mine, Dr. Pink — ot New College, and Dr. Iles of Hart Hall, who hath much power with her, to assist me in this treaty. The gentlewoman ~ much complains of the injustice of him and his brother, and — of their dealing with her, and says in effect that the sum now due to her is 200/.: that they are able enough but not willing to satisfy her, that they have received not long since 500/. for land sold, that they have defeated many other poor men in this kind, that Mr. Thomas Lydyat’s personal debt to her is 50/., that he threatened to feed his brother in prison with her money, that being here in Bocardo he was wont to flout and jeer her as she passed the streets, and to say he would make her jet it in one silk gown the less, that he is now building a new house upon his benefice and therefore is not so poor as he pretends, &c. All this and more she avows with great confidence, and seems more sensible of their scoffs than of any other injuries. Yet to gratify so many worthy friends as have moved her in this business, she is content to remit 120/., and to take for all 80/., as 50/. in land, and any honest man’s band (but she clearly refused to deal with either of them) for the 30/. in some reasonable time, two or three years. Here is the utmost point to which for aught I can guess, she will be drawn. She says, further, that she is aged, and a woman not able any way to improve her small store upon which she lives: that she maintains a great number of her necessitous kin- dred, and is forced with her great expence by law to right their injuries: that she is charitable, but doth not believe Mr. Lydyat’s fit objects of charity: that she yields all this to his friends and hers, nothing to him.
For my part I cannot believe that Mr. Lydyat, a wise man and a scholar, would forget himself so far as to taunt and flout her. Both he and she sure have been abused by some talebearer. Yet methinks it would not be amiss if Mr. Ly- dyat did clear himself to her for that contempt, which most deeply she apprehends, and by his letter give her fair satisfaction. Some soft words to that purpose may yet a little more mollify her. And for the main matter, you being so worthily pleased to help him so liberally, what if he laid on his benefice a pen- sion of 10/. for three years to pay her, or procure his brother to pay it, as in reason and conscience (if he have any; she thinks it very small) he ought. But she will have nothing to do with them. Here’s the best account I can give you of this negociation.
When you go into the Low Countries ; and when you are there, I shall ever attend you with mine hearty prayers that
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS, 61
you may do God and his church, and this whole state such
good service as all that know you do assuredly expect.
I shall be ever, Sir,
Your most affectionate friend to honour and serve you, CuHar.es Porter.
THOMAS LYDYAT TO WILLIAM BOSWELL.
[MS. Bodl. 313.]
| Mr. Boswell,—Although the course that you have taken in my business, to treat with Mrs. Hare for some remission, be diverse from the intent of my petition, (the preferment where- of to his Majesty and procuring a gracious answer, was my whole suit unto you,) yet have I that opinion both of your true well-meaning toward me, and of your wisdom, that you _ did it in sincere good-will unto me, and for the best. For by _ this means, to move the more commiseration of my case, is _ the extremity of mine adversary’s hard dealing with me, not _ only manifested and confirmed, but also aggravated, yea — doubled. It is manifested and confirmed, in that she hath _ partly concealed and smothered, and partly altered and falsi- fied, the true state of our controversy, and manner of my debt _ unto her; as you may perceive by my petition, whereunto, to _ avoid needless repetitions, I refer you: wherein that I have _ truly stated and declared the one and the other, both my bro- _ thers and nephews grants under their hands and seals, that I have to shew, will evict, and our whole country both can and ' will testify on my behalf. And this main wrong of her con- _ cealing and shifting and falsifying the state of the contro- _-versy, is aggravated, yea, at least doubled, by her heaping thereupon a sort of slanderous reports to my defamation, a _ greater wrong than my five years’ imprisonment, (yet I ac- count that so great, that although she were worth a brace of | thousand pounds more than she is worth, she could not make _ me amends for it,) whereby she would make the world believe _ she hath cause to deal so uncharitably and unconscionably _ with me, which otherwise she would not choose but be _ ashamed of. The unlikelyhood of my threatening to feed my __ brother in prison with her money (whereof I never received nor was surety for ——-——) you may easily conceive by my ' complaining in my petition of , wilfully defeating me of _ their grant made unto me, after I had so far engaged myself _ in their debts. Touching my being wont in Bocardo to flout
62 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
and jeer her as she passed the streets: in the whole time (a — year and three quarters) of my being there, I was never aware of her passing by, but only once, that she was shewed me, at which time the party I was then walking and talking with will testify I used no surly unseemly speeches or behaviour toward _ her. And as for her objecting in special, that 1 was wont tosay I would make her jet it in one silk gown the less; she therein bewrayed herself to be a weak woman, of less wisdom than she would be taken to be. I was never thrice in her company, nor did I ever to my remembrance take so much notice of her, as that she went in a silk gown. Alas! silly woman, as if I had nothing else to busy my wits about, but to mark what gowns she and her like went in. But indeed the de- fenture of a silk gown is a fit object for a haughty-spirited woman’s malice to work upon. That I am building a new house upon my benefice, and therefore not so poor as I pre- tend, is a senseless imputation: mine old house being so ruinous as that my predecessor was afraid to lie in it, I began to build a new, and raised it out of the ground girdle steed high, before my brother bewrayed his estate, or ever I had undertaken any part of his debts: at what time there was no staying of it, the old being for the most part already fallen or pulled down, and my workmen entertained for the building of the new; the building whereof nothing sumptuous, but suit- — able to the place and living, as every one that sees it acknow- ledgeth, cost and impoverished me an hundred pounds, which cost should have been at that time spared, and that business at leastwise defferred, if I had been acquainted with my bro- ther’s estate before I undertook it; and the finishing thereof, with the building of the outhouses all likewise ruined, for which I have been threatened to be sued for dilapidations, will cost me fifty pounds more; which conscience binds me to repair rather than pay another man’s debt to Mrs. Hare, un- dertaken upon a grant whereof I am defeated. Thus I find it a calamity common to me with other of my fellow-prisoners, that our adversaries are fain to catch after and blaze abroad slanderous reports against us, to blear the eyes of the world, that they have reason to deal extremely with us. But I hope, Sir, they shall not blear yours, and much less our gracious Sovereign’s; unto whose gracious answer to my petition (to be presented by your means, upon the preferment thereof to his Majesty, being my whole and only suit unto you, for which I shall endeavour to shew myself accordingly thankful,) I most humbly recommend me ;
Remaining yours to be commanded in all Christian duties,
Tuomas Lypyat. King’s Bench Prison, April 4, 1632.
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 63
THOMAS LYDYAT’S PETITION TO CHARLES I.
[MS. Bodl. 313.]
To my dread Sovereign Lord, the King’s most excellent Ma- jesty, Charles, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland ; Defender of the Faith, &c.
May it please your Majesty,—Mine humble petition to your Majesty is, that you would graciously vouchsafe to grant your Royal Privilege to me and mine assigns, for our sole _ printing of all such books, tables and writings, as 1 have made _ or hereafter shall make ready to be set forth and published in rint, and of all other such authors, not yet extant in print, or imperfectly extant, as wanting a good and proportionable part of their whole works, as I shall find and procure to be printed; as also of all such translations into Latin, English, or other languages, and commentaries and annotations, as I shall make thereupon, for their better explanation; with suf- ficient penalty upon the offenders within your Majesty’s domi- _nions. And moreover that your Majesty would vouchsafe me _ your gracious leave and license to travel into foreign parts, as I shall find fit opportunity, namely, into Turkey, and Ethiopia, or the Abysinian Emperor’s country, to search and find copies especially of civil and ecclesiastical histories, to be published in print; and whatsoever other copies may tend to the propagation and increase of good learning ;
Also, that your Majesty would graciously be pleased, that _ where you have leiger-ambassadors and agents, with your _ confederates, emperors, kings and princes of the countries, | they may in your Majesty’s name, in the behalf of myself and | mine assigns, and at our suites, move their highnesses to grant the like privileges as aforesaid to me and mine assigns, _ within each of their dominions. So desireth, that the whole world may worthily acknowledge your Majesty’s care for the advancement of the commonweal of good learning,
Your Royal Majesty’s loyal subject, Humble petitioner and daily oratour, Tuomas Lypyat.
The Books and Tables that I have heretofore set forth in print, and now ready to be reprinted.
Przlectio astronomica.
Disquisitio physiologica de origine fontium.
Tractatus de variis annorum formis.
Defensio de variis annorum formis contra Josephi Sca- ligeri obtrectationem.
64 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
Solis et lune periodus octodesexcentenaria.
Epistola astronomica.
Numerus aureus melioribus lapillis insignatus. ii ‘Dedicated to your Majesty’s —
Emendatio temporum. dearest brother, the Most No- — Recensio argumentorum. | ble Prince Henry of blessed — memory. rt
These that I have now to print, not before published. Procemium trium diatribarum astronomicarum. Diatriba; et animadversiones astronomice.
Problema astronomicum.
Circuli dimensio Lydyatea, Archimedea succenturiata.
Marmoreum chronicon Arundellianum, cum annota- tionibus. d
Divina sphera humanorum eventuum.—Observed during mine imprisonment, and dedicated to your Majesty.
THOMAS LYDYAT TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY.
[MS. Bodl. 662.]
May it please your Grace,—Being desirous to finish and publish, as I hope for the greater good of the church of God and of my country, and the commonweal of good learning, sundry books and treatises begun by me, partly before and partly during the time of my long imprisonment, to the finishing whereof I cannot be so convenient!y provided of books at my small benefice in the country as in London, Ox- ford, and other like places, furnished with libraries and shops of books of all sorts; and moreover whereas the pub- lishing of them will require my personal attendance for the correcting of the printer’s press; mine humble petition to your Grace is, to grant me to that end and purpose, a dispen- sation for absence from my small parsonage and rectory of the parish church of Alkerton in the county and diocese of Ox- ford, for three years; and for the drawing and sealing thereof by the master of your Court of Faculties, to subscribe this petition with your hand, which your gracious respect I shall thankfully acknowledge.
Your Grace’s humble petitioner, Tuomas Lypyat.
Tendered, July 2nd, 1634, and deferred till Michaelmas following.
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS, 65
WALTER WARNER TO ROBERT PAYNE,
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4279, fol. 290, Orig.] Westminster, October 17th, 1634.
Good Mr. Payne,—For the problem of refractions, which you write of, I pray you by any meanes send it to Mr. Hobbes, together with my most harty love and service, or whatsoever els you shall receve from me that may be thought worth the - communicating, yf it plese you to impart it to him, you shall do me a plesure. For | have found him free with me, and I will not be reserved with him, yf it plese God I may live to see him again. That analogy which you have, though it be but a particular passion of the subject it concerns, yet it is very conducible to the theory and investigation of the cause of refraction, the intention whereof ex principiis opticis is the grettest magistery in the optik science, and for the practise it is of that consequence, as without it the table of refractions for glasse and crystall, which is of grettest vse, can never be constructed, without which table the dioptrick part of that doc- trine, which begins not by reson of the glasses to be in grettest esteem, will still remayne imperfect, at best not in that degree of perfection by much, as by the help of a well constituted table of the angles of refraction the busines, as I conceve it, might be brought to. I would be very glad to see Mons". Mydorge’s way; yf he make a secret of it, I doubt not but _ Mr. Hobbes will know how to trafik with him. So I rest ; Your very loving and true friend, WavLTeR WARNER.
ROBERT PAYNE TO WALTER WARNER.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4279, fol. 171, Orig.] Welbeck, June 21, 1635. Worthy Sir,—I have here returned you back your papers, conteining the probleme of the mid-ship-mould. S* Charles and myself have perus’d them, but cannot understand more of them then is written in Latine; the rest we suppose are
it notes of remembrance, which serve well for your use, but give | us not light sufficient to understand your meaning. Only the
sixtene cases we apprehend well; but the demonstrations of
_ them we yet understand not, farther then that in the Latine
F
66 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
holds. We desire, therefore, you would at your leysure in- | struct us farther in the demonstrations of all the cases re- mayning, which I suppose you can easily and soone doe out of the severall figures in the English paper. We long to
heare fro you and to receive those things you promis’d. My —
Lord would gladly be a partaker of, and a student in your ‘
philosophicall discourses, if you would impart them to him.
He is much taken with the device of your perspective glasse — and desires you would calculate a line for it, at a good propor- tion, as 40 to one, that we might see whether it would hold ~ good in practise as well as it seems in speculation; and if it © doe, he will be ready to further you in any way you shall © desire. Both his Lordship and Sir Charles recommend their love to you and soe does : Your friend to serve you, RoBeRT PAYNE.
SIR CHARLES CAVENDISH TO WALTER WARNER.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4405, fol. 161, Orig.] Welbeck, May 2nd, 1636.
Worthie Sir,—Though I have had some diversions, yet I aske your pardon that I have bin so longe before I returned you thankes for the two tracts you were pleased to send me; I give you manie thankes for them, and esteem (as they justlie deserve) verie greatlie of them. I received latelie a letter from Mr. Hobbes, where amongst other things he sent me this paper heer inclosed, which is an experiment of the place of the image of a thing contrarie to the olde tenet ; a candle being put into a glasse of a cylindricall forme, the image hangs perpendicularlie over the candle itself, as is expressed in this figure, and not at the concourse of the perpendicular from the object with the visuall line which in this figure is at the point A. Mr. Hobbs conjectures that the approach of the image | proceeds from the strength of action from the object, which is greater heere than in a plaine, by reason of the concavitie © of the cylinder which gathers the beames, and by that meanes makes the motion or streame of the reflected beames stronger. I desire at your convenient leasure to have your opinion of it, — as also of this place of the image in convex glasses. I have
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS, 67
sent you by this bearer, Mr. Butler, twentie pounds as our ack suing ous of your fayoure. And so wishing you all hapiness, I remaine Your assured freind,
CHARLES CAVENDYSSHE.
SIR CHARLES CAVENDISH TO WALTER WARNER.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4444, fol. 91. Orig.] Wellbeck, September 2nd, 1636.
_ Worthie Sir,—I give you many thankes for the two tracts you sent me, one of the place of the image in concave and convex glasses, and the other of the making of prospective glasses. I will not trouble you with a repetition of some doutes which Mr. Payen and I have of some things in these tracts, but refer you to his letter, for he hath promised me to write to you of them. The greatest doute that I have in your tract of the place of the image is howe the eye can take notice of the laterall beames which are without the eye, for sight being made, as you write, upon the retiform tunicle, I con- ceive not howe we can take notice of the laterall beams which are refracted before they come thither, or, as I conceive, we take no notice of that refraction. Sir, you see the boldness ‘I take to trouble you, which your former favours have en- couraged me to doe. And so wisshing you all hapiness, I rest,
v ‘
Your assured freind, CuaARLES CAVENDYSSHE.
ROBERT PAYNE TO WALTER WARNER.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4458, fol. 26. Orig.) Welbeck, October 3rd, 1636.
' Good Mr. Warner,—Though the plague (thanks be to God) | hath not yet come nere us, yett we feele the ill effects of it. _ One whereof is, the interruption of intercourse of letters fro’ ' us to you, and you to us.
_ I had some time since written to you concerning the two tracts you sent last to Sir Charles Cavendysshe, but I was not certaine where you were, or how my letter should come at you. Now having notice of your continuance at Cran- F 2
68 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
borne lodge, and the conveniency of a passenger that way, F have advertised these lines to you, desiring to heare from you — agayne by the next opportunity you can finde. . In your tract De Loco Imaginis, &c.,the theoremes you take for principles, undemonstrated, require demonstration, as much as the conclusion you would proove by them, which ~ yourself having first given notice of, | suppose it worth your | paines to send their demonstrations: and so to cleere the — manner of vision, how it is made, demonstratively ; for as ye we take all upon probability. _@ But suppose these theoremes were demonstrated, there © is yet one maine doubt remaining ; and that is, how the sense ~ should take notice of the laterall beames, which only touch ~ on the superficies of the eye, and enter not into it directly, — but refracted. And if the sense follow the direction of the | refracted beame, that leads it not to the object. As suppose the lateral beame be * ~ B QO; the refracted beame in the eye OA; : the doubt is, how the sense can take no- tice of B O without the eye, soe as by that to be descried in the place of the image. Seo Tey Soe Whereas it seemes more probable the eye should be sensible only of the beame O A, which is within it; but then if it follow the direction of this beame AO, it will lead it to P, against all experience. But it may be, the cleare expression and good proofe of the manner how vision is made, will satisfye this inquisition and cleare the doubt ; I meane the manner how simple vision is made, and how in that the sense judges the object without it to be in such a © place, and not short or further on; for though this forme is a thing evident of itself, yet when I consider it more seriously, © I finde it not sufficiently demonstrated by any I have yett | read, Agayne, supposing the sight to be discovered on the lateral — beames, yet it is not thoroughly apparent why it should | judge the place of the object to be in the concurse of these — beames. You will say perhaps, else it would judge the ob- ject to be in two places. This I well conceive as an absurdity crossing under experience ; but the cause a priori is the thing I looke for and would have, if it may be had. And indeed — this lawe well cleered would necessaryly conclude the former, except single vision may be made on one line, and then the former doubt must be cleered by itself. Concerning your other tract of the Prospective. The short time I stayd with you permitted me not to take sufficient in-
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 69
‘structions from you to satisfye Sir Charles in the matter of that calculation ; nor the effects of the glass focus according to the measures of it. The doubts we conceive of its effects, supposing the calculations right, are these.
_ 1. How clere vision can be made, by beames tending to an angle in the eye: for this seemes contrary to one of the theo- yemes undemonstrated in your other tract: but your glass drawes the beames to an angle on the eye.
2. How one beame can be sufficient to cause cleare vision
of the point whence it comes; for soe your glass seemes to. be calculated, to refract ordinately but one beame from one point of the object. 3. But if you say the glass so form’d will convey all the beames falling on it from one poynt ordinately to the eye, this would be well demonstrated ; for else it would cause con- fusion, and so destroy, if not all, at least clere and distinct vision.
4. Lastly, supposing all before were made good; the ques- tion is whether the hand or toole of any artificer be able to worke the formes or moulds, and consequently the superficies of the glass soe true, as that to nature they shall be distin- _ guished from other convexe superficies, as the spheriques, coniques, &c.
— Sir, I know it is a difficult taske for you to treat by letters, but since we have yet no other way, and that the infectious ayre hinders both yours and my gooing to London, where we might meet to consider how to bring this to some good pass, I desire you to doe us the favour, in the meane while, to write to us as oft as you can. _ I heare Mr. Hobbes is expected, with his charge, very shortly. I doubt not but he will finde you out; and by him | you may send your letters to us, if you can finde no other, _ Or if you send your packett to one Mr. Boothe, steward to | the Countess of Devonshyre, at Byflett, nere Oatlands, to be | sent by him to me at Welbeck; in regard of messengers that | pass between them and us, your letters will come to us that lf way.
_ Sir, I beseech you present my humble service to the noble knight and lady, where you are, as also to Mr. Aylsbury and _ Mr. Hyde, with my hearty thanks to them for their favours. | Soe God keepe you and ba Your faythfull friend and servant,
RoBert Payne.
70. LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
THOMAS LYDYAT TO MR. ROUSE.
[MS. Bodl. 313.]
To his friend, Mr. Rouse, Fellow of Oriel College, and Keeper of the public Library in Oaford. i
Mr. Rouse,— Having occasion to send to Oxford, Ihave sent you a copy of my period for Dr. Morrison, not so fair a one as I would, (during mine imprisonment my papers of some — were many of them stained, and some quite marred with wet;) but indeed all that I have left, except only that with Dr. Bain- — bridge his censure, and mine answer to it; a transcript whereof, and of my postcript in the bottom of my table hung in the — library, being some part of it worn away, I have sent withal: | that you might the better understand what I said to you, of — hanging up a better in its place. I pray you remember my — service to Dr. Morrison: I would I were able to gratify him ~ or any of you all in a better matter. I pray you also, as you ~ have fit opportunity, remember me to Dr. Turner; I was in- — deed very desirous to have spoken with him, and tarried all | that afternoon, the night following, and the next day, till past nine oclock in Oxford, only for that cause: and when he sent — me word by his man, that [ could not speak with him till two — oclock .in the afternoon, the excuse that I made was true, that my horse was weak, and borrowed but for a day: whereunto ~ I might have added, that the poor man of whom I borrowed | him (my nephew, the bearer hereof, lately one of your college — tenant’s tenant in Kenington, whose errand to Oxford at this | time is to bring a child of his, one of my grand nephews, to ~ be a chorister in New College,) hath none other means to get | his living but by his teem, whereof that was one, and the ~ principal his fhiller: as all your college tenants and the whole | town of Kenington can witness: and therefore I was loth to — adventure the wronging of him in that kind; especially this busy time of harvest, and opportunest time of the year to cart — any whither. Otherwise I could have been content to have — further attended Dr. Turner’s leisure. So with remembrance | of my duty to my betters, and with my duty and my best — service to my good nurse the University of Oxford, I remain | Yours to be commanded in what I may, :
Tuomas Lypyat.
Allerton, Aug. 2, 1638.
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 71
NATHANIEL TORPORLEY TO THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND. (MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4409, fol. 87. Orig.] July 5th, 1632. May it please your Lordship,—I presumed heretofore to
move your Lordship on the behalf of Mr. W. for some con- sideration to be had of his extraordinary expense in attending _ the publication of Mr. H.’s book, after the copy was finished. The same humble request I am induced to renew by reson of his present wants, occasioned by that attendance. |
For his literary labour and paines taken in forming the _ work and fitting it for the publick view, he looks for no other _ reward then your Lordship’s acceptance thereof as an honest discharge of his duty. But his long attendance through un- _ expected difficulties in seeking to get the book freely printed;
_and after that was undertaken, the frivolous delaies of the _ printers and slow proceding of the presse, which no intreties of his or mine could remedy, drew him to a gretter expence _ then his meanes would bere, including both your Lordship’s pencion and the arbitrary help of his frends. It is this ex- traordinary expense, which he cannot recover, which makes both him and me for him appele to your Lordship’s goodness _ and bounty for some tollerable mitigation therof. I purpose, God willing, to set forth other peeces of Mr. H., wherein, by reson of my owne incumbrances, I must of ne- _ cessity desire the help of Mr. W., rather then of any other ; -whereunto I find him redy enough, because it tends to your _ Lordship’s service, and may the more freely trouble him, yf | he receive some little encouragement from your Lordship to- wards the repairing of the detriment that lies still upon him by his last imploiment. But for the future my intention is to have the impression at my own charge, and not depend on the curtesy of those mechaniks, making...... that which may seeme to be saved by the other way, will not counter- vaile the trouble and tedious prolongation of the busines. But the copies being made perfect and faire written for the presse, they shall be sufficiently bound to deliver the books | perfectly clen out of theire hands, and by this meanes the _ trouble and charge of attending the presse will be saved. _ Therefore, my Lord, what you do now will be but for this _ once; and in such proportion as shall best like you to favour _ the humble motion of him who is
Allway most redy at your Lordship’s commaund, T..Aat®
_ _ * This letter, although signed by the initials T. A., is in the handwriting of ¥ _ Torporley, and from that circumstance and the subject matter of the letter, there
72 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
SIR CHARLES CAVENDISH TO JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4278, fol. 143. Orig.] Wellingor, January 8th, 1641.
Worthie Sir,—I have not much to write to you of, onelie I have heard nothing of those bookes you writ to me of. I have sent you hereinclosed what Mersennus latelie sent me. I desire you will doe me the favoure to write it oute and send it me, for I confess his hande is an Arabicke character to me ; I praye you keepe his paper till it please God wee meete. I doute heer hath bin ill weather for Mr. Reeves to worcke in. And so wisshing you all hapiness, I rest
Your assured freind to serve you, CHARLES CAVENDYSSHE.
SIR CHARLES CAVENDISH TO JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4278, fol. 146. Orig. ] Wellingor, Feb. 5, 1641.
Worthie Sir,—I thanke you for your letter and the tran- script of Mersennus problem ; if he hath read Mr. Brigs or Mr. Oughtred I wonder he would send it, but it maye be he hath found it the analyticall waye himself. I am glad Mr. Reaves was in such forwardness when you writ; but I doute— the glass (which I hope is nowe finished) is not of the same which you tried your refraction in, because Mr. Reaves hath broken in his triall so much glass, that I doute there is none left of that which you tried your refraction in; but I hope fine glass differs so little in refraction that it will not doe us much harme. I hope you goe on with your owne analytical worcke as your occasions will permit you. I have no more at this time to trouble you with, but remaine
Your assured freind to serve you, Cuar_Les CAVENDYSSHE.
can be little doubt but that it was written and composed by him. There is no direction to this letter, but the allusion to Warner’s pension shows to whom it was addressed. It is scarcely necessary to observe that the initials W. and H. are intended for Warner and Harriot. This letter will serve to show the reason why Torporley afterwards attacked the work of Harriot: he doubtless failed in some application to the Duke of Northumberland, and his well-known irascible temper converted his previous respect for Harriot’s memory into hatred. See my Life of Sir Samuel Morland, p. 28.
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 73
SIR CHARLES CAVENDISH TO JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4278, fol. 134.] Wellingor, June 26, 1641. Sir,—I perceive oure business of making the perspective glass proceeds not, and I knowe not well howe to help it, unless there be some as good matter to make glass in some other place to be bought, for it seemes that at Broadstreet will not be had; I am not willing to trouble Sir Robert -Mansfeild about it, though I thinke he would not denie me. Therefore, if you or Mr. Reaves can finde fitting matter for us somewhere els, ye should doe me a greate favoure ; Broad- street I suppose will be the best place to make the glass, when _ye have bought the stuff to make it of. I shall write to Mr. Reyes to give us his help herein. I must againe thanke you _ for your waie of ordering equations, and doe desire that you will proceed in your intended analyticall worcke, as your oc- casions will give you leave. I desire to knowe if Mr. War- ners analogicall worck goe on or not. And so wisshing you all hapiness I remaine Your assured freind to serve you, CuarRuEes CAVENDYSSHE,
If you knowe an easie and readie waie to measure the re- _ fraction in water, you should doe me a favoure to let me knowe it; for I confess I knowe none.
SIR CHARLES CAVENDISH TO JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4278, fol. 136. Orig.] Wellingor, Julie 24, 1641.
Worthie Sir,—I am glad to heare you have got some glass ;
ie I hope it is good and fit for oure purpose, for I should be _ unwilling that you and Mr. Reaves should bestowe your | paines upon course glass. When you have tried what the refraction is in that glass I desire to knowe it, and allso howe . you like the glass. I have latelie received some propositions
out of France, some demonstrated and some not, but I will not divert you from the business you have in hand. I am glad you have begun the analogiques, and hope allso that you
_ proceed in your owne analiticall worcke. And so wisshing ' you all hapiness, I remaine
Your assured freind to serve you, CHARLES CAVENDYSSHE.
74 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
SIR CHARLES CAVENDISH TO JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4278, fol. 139. Orig. ] Wellingor, November 20th, 1641.
Worthie Sir,—I hope Mr. Reaves is in a good forwardness _ with the convex glass; I dout not but you will trie all con- clusions with it, which may conduce to informe you whether it be an hyperbole or no; as allso what proportion the dia- — meter of the glass hath to the line of the contracted beames — of the sun at the pointes of concourse; as allso to observe what aparances are made, the eye being placed in, before, or — behinde, the pointe of concourse; and in the mean time, be- — fore the concave glass be made, to trie whether my concave ~ glass which you have, will in anie sort fit it. Sir, 1] leavethe — further scrutinie of this to your better consideration, and ~ wisshing you all hapiness, remaine |
Your assured freind to serve you, CHARLES CAVENDYSSHE.
I praye you comend me to Mr. Reaves when you see him.
SIR CHARLES CAVENDISH TO JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4278, fol. 141. Orig.] Wellingor, December 18, 1641.
Worthie Sir,—I thanke you for your letter of December 13. I am glad Mr. Reeves is so well fitted for oure worcke ; when he hath done it, I dout not but you will make all such trialls as maye give you satisfaction whether it be a true hyperbole or not, and then proceed to the making of the concave glass ; if this fit it not, I shall still be in hope that a concave on both sides will. I have not (to my remembrance) seene Henis- — chius arithmetick, nor should desire, for his mislike of de- monstration by letters ; yet if you thinke there be anie thinge in him considerable, which is not in Vieta or de Cartes, I de- sire you will send it me, and Mr. Moselei will paye for it, as allso for Scheiner’s Ars Nova Delineandi. I confess I expect not an exact booke of analiticks till you perfect yours. And so wisshing you all hapiness I rest
Your assured freind to serve you, Cuar_Les CAvENDYSSHE.
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 75
ROBERT PINK TO THOMAS LYDYAT.
[MS. Bodl. 313.]
Mr. Lydyat,—I cannot so well give you account of your _ tractate which you have sent me, as if you yourself come over hither to me. Which that you may do without your charge or trouble, I have of purpose sent over this my servant Henry _ Davis with a horse for you. He hath friends to visit some _ few miles beyond you, which he may do and be back with you at Alkerton upon Monday or Tuesday, as you shall appoint, _ to attend you hither. A chamber and fire and diet you shall _ have with me at New College, and the longer you please to _ stay, the better welcome shall you be. Is this all, will you say? No! but there is that more in it, which will, I am sure, - compell you to come over. And that is a great desire my _ Lord Primate of Ireland hath to see you, and to joy your company for awhile. I need not tell you, for you know him better than I do, that he is a man of that esteem, as no man now living, that I can hear of, is, for his exquisite knowledge and solid judgment in (almost) all points of learnmg. You cannot any way grace yourself more in the eye and opinion of the University than to have it known that he loves you and approves your learning. I, perceiving his good affection to _ you, told him of your “ Apparatus ;” and at his earnest re- _ quest, delivered him a good part of it, viz. all from the 88th page to the end, to read over: the former part he told me he had read over long since; his meaning was, I thought, in English. Dr. Bainbridge was then in company with us, and
: therefore I mentioned your Mesolabe to His Grace, and Dr.
Bainbridge his non satis Geometrice, telling them both that I looked to having defects punctually discovered, and not so in the general. And my Lord, if any man will be able to
ress him to that, and disclose either your mistake, or (which i rather believe) his. So not doubting but that you will have that respect to His Grace’s loving expressions of the desire he hath to see you here, as to come over to him, and make me your host while you please, I heartily wish you a speedy and safe journey hither, so remaining always
Your assured loving friend, RoBert PINK. New College, Oxon. November 13th, 1641.
76 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
SIR CHARLES CAVENDISH TO JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4278, fol. 168. Orig.]
Hamburg, January $0) 1644. Worthie Sir,—It is so longe since I hearde from you that I doute my letters which I last writ to you, came not to your handes. I sent you inclosed in one of them the answeare which I receaved from Auspurge concerning Reyeta’s glass, and allso my desire that you would be pleased to enquire of Reyeta, who I heare is at Antwerp, of what conditions one of his glasses may be had. I suppose some merchant of your acquaintance will doe so much for your sake. I have latelie had some discourse with Doctor Jungius and Mr. Tassius ; douteless they are both verie learned men. I was at Doctor Jungius his house, where he shewed me manie treatises of his owne in manuscript, videlicet, De Locis Planis, De Motu Locali, staticks, hydrostaticks, and some observations of insects. I have as greate an opinion of his abilities as of anie mans. I finde he is not yet minded to print anie thinge, but I hope hereafter he will, and I despaire not in the meane time but he will imparte somewhat to me. I asked Mr. Tassius (as you desired me) his opinion of your refutation of the Dane, who aproves of it, and that you doe it without helpe of the Table of Tangents. I writ im some of my last letters to knowe if Cavalieros worckes and Sethus Calvisius of musick were to be had. Sir, I have no more at this time, but wissh-
ing you all happiness remaine Your assured friend to serve you, CHARLES CAVENDYSSHE.
SIR CHARLES CAVENDISH TO JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4278, fol. 175. Orig.] Hamburg, January gt, 1644.
Worthie Sir,—I give you manie thankes for your letter of the 39 of this month. Iam glad to heare you meane not to trouble your self with Longomon. more than as an appendix to some of your intended worckes, which I confess I longe much to see, whatsoever it be, especiallie if it be of analytycks. I give you also manie thankes for your inquirie of Reieta, and hope shortelie to heare from you whether there be anie hopes to procure one of his best glasses. Iam glad he will print
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 47
somewhat howe to make them. Who that is that makes those excellent glasses in England, I know not. I should have guessed him to have bin Hammilton, who was generall of the artillerie to Leslei, but you write him Haman, whom I have not heard of, but I hope heereafter wee may procure one of them. I am sorie Calvusius cannot be had, I shall not yet trouble you for the other, but returne you manie thankes for your inquirie of them. I am now growne into some aquaintance with Doctor Jungius, who is pleased to visit me commonlie twice a weeke, and to imparte to me some of his conceptions de motu locali; wee are yet but in the definitions, _ which are verie well expressed ; he hath allso imparted to me divers theorems on the same subject, but not demonstrated them, but I doute not but he can and will, after he hath laied foundation enough in definitions and axiomes to builde upon. I am sorie | lost so much time before I was aquainted with him, but I shall endevoure to redeeme it during my staie heere. And so hoping to heare shortelie from you, and wissh- ing you all happiness, I rest Your assured friend to serve you, Cuarues CAVENDYSSHE.
SIR CHARLES CAVENDISH TO JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4278, fol. 177, Orig.] Antwerp, March 26, olde style.
Worthie Sir,---Not to trouble you with more particulares of oure journei than that at Rotterdam Sir William Boswell came to us, whom I found to be that which I supposed him formerlie to be, a discreete, civill gentleman. I perceive he thinkes Monsieur de Cartes his last booke to be full of fancie, though he esteemes much of him. Heere I mett with Sir Kenelm Digbie’s booke, but had no time to reade it all; but it apeares to me to have some things in it extraordinarie. Wee met heere with the famous Cappuchin Rieta, his booke is nowe in the press heere allmost finished. Hee solves the aparences of the planetes by excentricks, without aquants or epicicles, and yet not according to Copernicus system of the worlde. He teaches allso in this booke the making of his newe tellescope ; his tube for his best glass was spoiled so that wee could not see it, but wee sawe another made by his di- rections, but had not the oportunitie of looking at a conve- nient object far distant, but as I guess it is not better than
78 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
myne, it represents objects even. I had not discourse enough with him alone to aske him manie queres, but douteless he is an excellent man and verie courteous, and I found him free and open in his discourse to me. He saies he can easilie and infalliblie finde the longitude, but he discovers not that in this booke. He saies the satellites of Jupiter are little sunns, and divers other novelties he hath,observed, manie of which
he will not discover in this booke. I have no more nowe to — | trouble you with, but to desire that you will thinke of pub- —
lishing some of your rarities, especiallie in the analitickes, And so wisshing you all happiness, I remaine Your assured friend and servant, Cuarues CAVENDYSSHE. Wee are nowe going towardes Bruxells.
SIR CHARLES CAVENDISH TO JOHN PELL. [MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4278, fol. 149, Orig.] Hamburg, Julie 26, 1644.
Worthie Sir,—I give you manie thankes for your letter, which I received yesterdaie, and since things goe not so well in England, I am glad you are so well placed for the present, for I suppose it a place of good means as well as of honor; yet I hope by the grace of God wee shall one daie meet in England, and live more happilie there than ever wee did. I thinke wee shall remaine a whyle in this towne, and so be deprived of the happiness of your conversation but by letter, which I desire you will be pleased sometimes to afford me at your best leasure. I desire you will doe me the favoure to send me one of De Cartes his new bookes, De Principiis Phi- losophie, without anie addition of his olde worckes, except he hath either added or altered something in the matter; I de- sire you will let me knowe the price of it, and howe I maye with most convenience returne monie to you, for I am likelie to trouble you for more bookes. I praye you let me knowe whether Mr. Warner’s Analogicks be printed. I hope you proceed in your intended worcke of Analiticks, which if you doe not, I beseech you doe, and finish it with all convenient speed; for I confess I expect not anie absolute worcke in that kinde, but from yourself. I praye let me knowe what new inventions are extant in the mathematicks latelie, if anie. And so wisshing you all happiness, I rest
Your assured freind to serve you, CHARLES CAVENDYSSHE.
Rise
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LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 79
SIR CHARLES CAVENDISH TO JOHN PELL. [MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4278, fol. 151, Orig.] Hamburg, Aug +4, 1644. Worthie Sir,---Douting that my letter of last week came
not to your handes, makes me nowe trouble you with this. I give you manie thankes for your letter, and am most glad that you are well and in so good a condition; I doute not
but you have hearde the occasion of oure comming over, I. take no pleasure to write it, nor I suppose you to reade it; Gods will be done, and to that I humblie submit. I desire
_ you will be pleased to send me De Cartes De Principiis Philo-
sophie, and none of his olde bookes, except there be some addition or alteration. I desire your opinion of the late dis-
-coverie of newe stars; I see Gassendus doutes of it. I desire |
to knowe if Mr. Warner’s Analogicks be printed, and if there
_ be any newe bookes of Analiticks, but I expect no greate
advancement of Analitickes but by yourself, therefore I be-
_ seech you proceede in your intended worcke. I am likelie
sometimes to trouble you for bookes, therefore I desire you
_ will let me knowe howe I maye returne monie to you. I
~E
— oO
"+
6 Se geen ar
_ longe to see you. In the meantime I hope to converse by let-
ters. I remaine Your assured freind to serve you, CHARLES CAVENDYSSHE.
JOHN PELL TO SIR CHARLES CAVENDISH. [MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4280, fol. 101.]
Amsterdam, August 7, 1644.
Right Honourable,—Nine days agoe was your answere to mine left at my lodging by a man that would have nothing
_ for postage. Had I seene him, perhaps I might have learned
some conveniency of sending backe to you againe, so that my
letters might be lesse chargeable than if they come thus single
to you by the ordinary poste. Mata I had sent you Des Cartes his new booke forthwith, if
_ your letter had given me direction how to convey it to you;
which, seeing you have not done, I resolve to send it to Ham- burg by the next ship, to be left for you either at Berthold
'Offermans, a booksellers ; or else, at some other friends house
_ which I shall signify by letter. Though the title-page of the
80 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
other part tell us that it is ab auctore perlecta variisque in locis | emendata, yet I have given orders to leave it out, and to binde his Principia Philosophie apart for you; whereby halfe the price is abated. I suppose I shall have it to-morrowe, and then I shall soone finde some ship to send it by: for such opportunittes betweene this towne and Hamburg are very fre- uent.
i Des Cartes himself is gone into France. Monsieur Hardy tells us, in a letter lately written, that Des Cartes met him — in Paris, and blamed him for offering so much mony to our — Arabicke professor at Utrecht, for his Arabicke manuscript of Apollonius. Which Mr. Hardy interprets as a signe of envy in Des Cartes, as being unwilling that we should esteeme the ~~ ancients, or admire any man but himselfe for the doctrine of lignes courbes. .
But I think France alone will afford me argument for a large letter, and therefore I leave it till the next time. , |
Come we therefore to England. And first for Mr. War- — ner’s Analogickes, of which you desire to know whether they — be printed. You remember that his papers were given to his kinsman, a merchant in London, who sent his partner to bury the old man: himselfe being hindred by a politicke gout, which made him keepe out of their sight that urged him to contribute to the parliament’s assistance, from which he was exceedingly averse. So he was looked upon as one that ab- sented himselfe out of malignancy, and his partner managed the whole trade. Since my comming over, the English mer- chants heere tell me that both he and his partner are broken, and now they both keepe out of sight, not as malignants, but as bankrupts. But this you may better inquire among our Hamburg merchants. In the meane time I am not a little afraid that all Mr. Warner’s papers, and no small share of — my labours therein, are seazed upon, and most unmathe- — matically divided between the sequestrators and creditors, who (being not able to ballance the account where there ap- — peare so many numbers, and much troubled at the sight of — so many crosses and circles in the superstitious Algebra and that blacke art of Geometry) will, no doubt, determine once in their lives to become figure-casters, and so vote them all to be throwen into the fire, if some good body doe not re- prieve them for pye-bottoms, for which purposes you know analogicall numbers are incomparably apt, if they be accu- rately calculated.
I cannot tell you much better news of my analyticall spe- culations, of the finishing of which you desire to heare. I came over hither in December last, not bringing any of my
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 81
‘bookes or papers with me: nor hardly clothes, for the worst
Thad seemed good enough to weare o’ shipboard. I then thought not to stay heere above a fortnight ; nor did I imagine ‘that before I gat out of this towne againe, I should be per- ‘suaded to clime the cathedra, and make inaugurale orations and prelusions, and afterward reade publikely 5 dayes in a weeke, an houre every day in Latine. Which had I foreseene, I thinke that all the bookes and papers that I had, both yours and mine, should have come along with me to enable me to doe those things the more easily. And yet I have no great minde to goe fetch them, nor to send for them; so long as they are there unstirred, they seeme to be safe. But the disasters of the whole kingdome put me in minde of what Melancthon used so often to say, non est tutum quieta movere. What may happen to them in the remoovall, by searchers, pirats, &c., I am not willing to try. Yet so long as they are there we cannot count them out of danger. But should that _ befall Mr. Warner’s papers and mine which we feare, it would _ put me into an humour quite contrary to that in which I have _ hitherto beene. I have thought nothing elaborate enough to be printed, till it were so complete that no man could better it, and did therefore so long keepe my name out of the presse : but now I begin to count nothing safe enough till it be _ printed, and therefore I have almost resolved to secure my thoughts, not by burying my papers in England, nor by _ fetching them hither, but by publishing the same notions _heere that I have committed to paper there.
I had thought heere to have given you account of what I have now in hand; but being desirous by this poste to let _ you know that your letter came safe to my hands, I am con- strained to breake off heere, deferring the rest till my next. In the meane time I remaine, Sir,
Your humble servant, Joun PE.u.
SIR WILLIAM PETTY TO JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4279, fol. 173, Orig.] Leyden, August 14, 1644.
Sir,—On Sunday noone I received youre lettre of Friday, together with nine copies of youre refutation of Longomon- | anus, the whiche, according to your desire, I have distributed | as followeth, viz: to Golius, who, upon perusall of it, said it was a most solid refutation, thanking you very much that you G
82 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
remembred him with a copie, and said withall, that heeathis last beeing at Amsterdam much endeavored to have wayted ~ on you there. But he told mee that it is well thirty yeares ~ since Longomontanus his doctrine first saw light, since which —
tyme hee hath by many letters beene advertised of his error, but being strangely enamoured of his invention, could not bee made to retract it; and hee hath growne extreme old in his dotage thereon, “ wherefore,” said Golius, “ t?were scarce re- ligion to trouble the obstinat old man any more, since other _ thoughts would better become his yeares than the mathema- ticks.” I then went to Salmatius, professor honorarius, who ~ likewise shew’d many tokens of his kind acceptance, and told ~ mee (among other discourse, whereof I had much with him) ~ that the age of the author of this false opinion would sett an authority on it, and therefore it had the more need of refuta- tion. Walzus thankes you very much, expressing no faint — desires to have the honor (as hee said) of youre acquaintance. ~ I have presented one to Mons". de Laet but this morning, for — at a many other tymes that I had formerly been to wayte on ~ him, I was not so happy as to find him. Van Schooten also ~ thanckes you, but hee being very old and indisposed I had | not much talke with him as I had with the others. To Dr. © Kyper, being a man reasonably vers’d in those studies, and ~ not of low esteeme here, I presented one; I have given 2 ~ to Toncher Hooghland, a chymist and physician, Des Cartes | his most intimate fred and correspondent, who hath pro- ~ mised at his next writing to send one to Des Cartes. And ~ so, having retayned only one to show my friends up and © downe where I goe, I hope they are all disposed of to your © mind. If you please to send twelve more I can dispose them to some other professors; 3 or 4 I would send for England to Mr. Oughtred, Mr. Barlow, and others, if you doe not youreselfe. I judge, by the leaves, that these coppies |
4 are part of some booke which you will shortly blesse the — world with, and hope that my expectation shall not bee in — vaine. Now, sir, 1 must thanke you for the honoure you i have done mee by using mee as an instrument in this youre © busines; truly I doe so well like the employment, and so — ressent this your favoure, that I confesse myselfe obliged to — bee,
Youre most affectionate friend and humble servant,
W. Perry. PS.—There are some in whom (as in him qui ex pede ~ Herculem, &c.) this your magnum opusculum hath begotten — such an opinion of your meritt that they resolve to live at — Amsterdam to receyve your instructions. j
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 83
SIR CHARLES CAVENDISH TO JOHN PELL. [MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4278, fol. 153, Orig.]
Hamburg, Aug. 3%, 1644.
_ Worthie Sir,— Yesterdaye I received yours of the 4° of August, for the which I give you manie thankes. I heare nothing yet of our removing from hence, if we should remove: into Hollande I should be in hope to see you, and intended _ to see De Cartes, but you write he is gone to Paris. I desire your judgment of De Cartes his new booke. Doutelesse he is an excellent man. I hope Mr. Hobbes and he will be ac- - quainted, and by that meanes highlie esteeme one of another. Iam sorie Mr. Warner’s analogicks are not printed, but I yet _hope they maye, as also other worckes of that excellent olde man. I am glad you intend to secure your thoughts by pub- lishing them, and that you are printing Diophantus with _newe illustrations after your manner, which I am exceeding _ greedie to see, but I doute you will not in this worcke teache _ us the whole science of analiticks with all that pertaines to it, which if you doe not nowe, I beseech you doe heereafter, _ for I suppose you intended such a woorck, and if you finish _ it not, I doute wee shall have no better analiticks than wee have. I have not yet received your refutation of C.S. Longo- -montanus his quadrature of a circle, but I shall inquire dilli- _ gentlie for it, for I longe to see where he goes out of the waye. 1am well acquainted with Mr. Gascoine, whoe was providore to oure armie: he is an ingenious man and hath shewed me howe perspectives maye be much improved; I onelie mislike his glass next the eye which he makes convex on both sides ; I tolde him it woulde make confused sight, if De Cartes his _ doctrine be true, but upon triall it proved more distinct than IT expected, yet I thinke a concave on that side next the eye would doe better; his perspective did not multiplie more than _ myne as I thinke, but his speculation is most true, and this was one of his first trialls and not made to the manner of his _ best inventions. Wee lodge neere St. John’s Church. And so wisshing you all happiness, I remaine . Your assured freind to serve you, CHARLES CAVENDYSSHE.
Ep ne a
— ——
84 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
SIR CHARLES CAVENDISH TO JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4278, fol. 155, Orig.]
Worthie Sir,—Manie thankes for yours of the 3% of Sep- | 2
tember. I am sorie for Beaugrand and Herrisons deathes,
but I hope it will make you nowe seriouslie thinke of pol-_ |
lishing and publishing your former thoughts of analiticks. I
never sawe Harrison’s 6th tome, nor I thinke his 5th, yet © somewhat of algebra in those tomes I have, but nothingnewe | as I remember, or verie little. From Robervall and Fermat ~ I expect much. Nicerons perspective I thinke I have at Lon- 4 don, and as I remember one hath manifestlie convinced his — booke of error; but if I mistake, and that you aprove of Ni- — cerons perspective, I desire you will send it me. Ifthere be — anie more than is in that little booke allreadie extant, con- — cerning the newe jomales, you shall doe me a favoure to send it me. I am extreamelie taken with Des Cartes his newe © booke, yet I thinke Kercher the jesuit of the loadestone | hath prevented Des Cartes, for they differ little as | remem- —
ber; I confess I conceive not howe the particule striate by
theyr motion can reduce a loadestone, or touched needle (for- — merly moved from theire meridian), to their meridian againe; or if they doe, the situation of the poles would be contrarie to —
Des Cartes his description. I beleeve Mr. Hobbes will not * like so much of Des Cartes newe booke as is the same with his metaphisickes, but most of the rest I thinke he will. Doctor Jungius hath bin once with me, I like him extreamelie well, but I cannot speake Latin well nor readilie, which hin-
dered me of divers queres, and besides I would not trouble —
him too much at the first visit. I finde him verie free, and
intend, God willing, to be better acquainted with him. He — approves of your confutation of Longomontanus, though he ~ seemed to thinke Long. would take exceptions that you use — tangents, which he refuses to be tried by. If Gassendes Phi- —
losophie be extant I praye you send it me. I have not yet
seen Mr. Tassius, but he sends me word he will come to me.
They are commonlie full of business or els I would often visit
them. I mervaile you have not received £5, which I paied
to Mr. John D’Orvill longe since, who promised to doe it
with all convenient expedition; but I hope you have received it before nowe. I have troubled you enough for once. I remaine your assured friend to serve you,
CHARLES CAVENDYSSHE. Doctor Jungius preferrs the analiticks of the ancients be-
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 85
fore Vietaes by letters, which he saies is more subject to errors or mistakes, though more facile and quick of dispatch, but I conceive not yet whye.
SIR CHARLES CAVENDISH TO JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4278, fol. 157, Orig. Hamburg, Oct. 38, 1644.
Worthie Sir,—Manie thankes for yours of October ¥4,._ I conceive there might easilie be a mistake in the waie of re- turning that £5 to you, but I am glad you nowe have it. _ What difference there is between banck dollers and rixdollers I knowe not, but I intended you should receive to the value of £5 sterling ; if it want anie considerable sum I praye let me _ knowe it, for though the whole sum be not much considerable, yet the cosenage is. I received yesterdaie a letter from Mr. Hobbes, who had not seen De Cartes his newe booke printed, but had reade some sheets of it in manuscript, and seems to receive little satisfaction from it, and saies a friend of his hath reade it through, and is of the same minde; but by their leaves I esteeme it an excellent booke, though I thinke Monsieur Des Cartes is not infallible. Mersennus is gone towardes Roome. ‘Those bookes I desired might, I
suppose, have nowe bin in print, for Mersennus mentioning them so manie months since, as worckes either printed or _readie for the press, made me upon that supposall desire them if extant. Mr. Hobbes writes Gassendes his philosophie is not yet printed, but that he hath reade it, and that it is as
. big as Aristotle’s philosophie, but much truer and excellent
Latin. Though you discommend Niceron for a vainglorious man, yet your naming of his booke commended it to me, yet not knowing certainelie whether I have it or not, and expect- ing a second edition, for the present I desire it not. I desire Gassendes his refutation of Des Cartes his Metaphisicks, printed in 4to.; and if there be anie other booke of philosophie or
| mathematicks latelie printed, I desire it allso, especiallie your
_ Diophantus, if extant, or anie thinge els of yours. I desire you will dispose of the remainder of that smalle sum I returned to _ your owne use. Manie thankes for the copie of Reitas letter. I admire his glass, and would gladlie buye such a glass, and t acquaintance with the frier and his workman by letter if could.
Your assured friend to serve you, CHARLES CAVENDYSSHE.
86 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
SIR CHARLES CAVENDISH TO JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4278, fol. 159, Orig.] Hamburg, November 33, 1644.
Worthie Sir,—Manye thankes for your letter, wherein you write that you have Apollonius 3 bookes of conicks in Arabick, more than wee had in the Greeck, and 36 authors more. I hope some of those are of the mathemathicks. Howsoever I dout not but they are worthie the press. I like extreamelie both the proposition and demonstration of Apol- lonius in your letter; and to my aprehension the expression of the same proposition in Mersennus his book is perplexed and no demonstration translated. 1 wonder Goleas hath not published it all this whyle; yet being nowe in your handes, I am not sorie he did not ; for I assure myself wee shall nowe have it with more advantage than the loss of so much time. Though I doute not but your explication of Diophantus will put us in to amore sure waye of analiticks than formerlie, yet { suppose there is so much to be added and explained concerning analiticks that it will require a large volume, and I hope you continue your intention of publishing such a worke, which I beseech you thinke seriouslie of to publish with all convenient speede; for it is a worcke worthie of you. I have sent to inquire at Auspurge of the famouse Reieta, to procure me one of his best sorte of glasses, but I have yet no answeare. If your occasions will permit you, I shall take it as a favoure if you will visite my Lord Widdrington, nowe in his passage towardes France. And so wisshing you all happiness I remaine
Your assured friend to serve you, CHARLES CAVENDYSSHE.
SIR CHARLES CAVENDISH TO JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4278, fol. 161, Orig.] Hamburg, December 4 a, 1644.
Worthie Sir,—Manie thankes for your letter and Gassendes his booke, which I received by Sir William Carnabye. I am of your opinion that Gassandes and De Cartes are of different dispositions, and I perceive Mr. Hobbes joines with Gas- sendes in his dislike of De Cartes his writings, for he utterlie mislikes De Cartes his last newe booke of philosophie, which
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 87
by his leave I highlie esteem of. Iam sorie the peevish Dane Severin diverts you from your better studies, for to my _aprehension Ml refutation is full and plaine, and the pro- position you builde on so obvious, that I thinke I could demon- _ strate it in } of an hour. I have not yet received answeare _ from Auspurge concerning Reita’s glass, but I perceive Mr. Hobbes esteemes neither of his glass nor beleevs his dis- _ coveries, for he is joined in a greate friendship with Gassendes. I writ to him Gassendes might be deceived as he was about the varieing of the perpendiculars ; he excuses him what he can. Mr. Tassius is sick, but I perceive hee is verie courteous. _ I have not latelie seen Doctor Jungius, but I have a greate _ opinion of his abilities. I desire to knowe if all Bonaventura avallieros worckes be to be had, as allso Sethus Calvisius _ worckes of musick, for I sawe heere but some fragments _ which Mr. Tassius lent me. You will excuse me that i _ requite not your favoures for the present, as I desire I can _ onelie yet acknowledge them, but shall heereafter by the _ grace of God endevoure to requite them to my power. And so wisshing you all happiness I remaine Your assured friend to serve you, CHARLES CAVENDYSSHE.
SIR CHARLES CAVENDISH TO JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4278, fol. 163, Orig.] Hamburg, December $4, 1644,
Worthie Sir,—I hope you have received my letter which I sent last weeke by my brother’s servant. I have little to adde, but this inclosed concerning Reieta’s glass. I desire
ou will be pleased to inquire if he be at Antwerp, and if he * to inquire of him if one of those glasses maye be had both sooner and at an easier rate. I desire by your next to knowe if Bonaventura Cavelliero and Sethus Calvisius of musick be to be had. I hope you have done with the waiewarde Dane, that you maye returne to Apollonius and Diophantes, but especiallie to your owne analiticall worcke, which I ex- treamelie desire to see. Mr. Hobbes puts me in hope of his
hilosophie which he writes he is nowe putting in order, but Picare that will take a longe time. I confess I regret much from him and yourself; Mr. Doctor Jungius and Mr. De Cartes I hope hath not yet done. I expect allso some rarities in
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analiticks and geometrie from Fermat and Robervall, so that — I hope oure age will be famous in that kinde. And so wissh- ing you all happiness I remaine Your assured friend to serve you, CHARLES CAVENDYSSHE.
SIR CHARLES CAVENDISH TO JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4278, fol. 170, Orig.] Paris, June 27, olde style, 1645.
Worthie Sir,—I give you manie thankes for your letter of May ;3,, which I received not longe since. I writ to youa letter from hence a greate whyle since, in which was one inclosed to Doctor Jungius, and a proposition demonstrated by Mr. Hobbes, all which I hope you have received. I have as you desire procured not onelie the approbation but demon- stration of your fundamentall proposition by Mr. Hobbes his meanes. Fermat is not in this towne, and Mersennus is on his waye hither, so that I knowe not whither to write to him. But I doute not but more handes with demonstrations might be procured if you desire it; I heare some of them wonder you would not publish a demonstration of it your- self. I tolde Mr. Hobbes I assured myself you coulde demonstrate it, and thought it more obvious than I perceive they thincke it. 1am glad you are publishing of Appolonius and Diophantus, though if Goleas meane to publish his Appolonius, I could be content you forbore yours, his being the perfecter copie, and he having bin at some cost about it, though I doute we shall be loosers by it, for I beleeve your notes would abundantlie recompence the defect of your coppie. I have not yet seen Bullialdes Astronomie, but Mr. Hobbes thinckes he hath not much advanced oure knowe- ledge. Mydorgius hath publisshed nothing of late, nor anie » of the rest more that I heare of. I hope you proceed with your analytickes, and that er longe you will publish it, for I expect not so much from anie man in that kinde as from your- self. I suppose you will one daye advance allso the doctrine of conickes and of other difficulties in geometrie. I knowe not when wee remove, nor whither; but when and where- soever I remaine
Your assured friend to serve you, CuARLES CAVENDYSSHE.
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 89
JOHN PELL TO JOHN LEAKE,
[MS. Birch, 4280, fol. 94, Original draft.]
Amsterdam, August 7th, 1645.
Mr. Leake,—It is a yeare agoe since these inclosed papears were printed, and then upon this occasion. I found a booke of Longomontanus of 9 or 10 sheetes De Mensura Circuli, printed heere at Amsterdam since I came hither, but without my knowledge. I therefore thought good to give notice that it was done without my approbation, as knowing the measure to be false, as also to show a new way of refuting all those that make the circle’s area and periphery too great. And such another way have I of refuting all those that make the circle’s area and periphery oo little, if there be any such, for I doe not remember one example amongst all the foolish cyclometers that ever I saw. He that printed Longomon- tanus his booke, printed also my refutation, and that they might allwayes be joined, he added those numbers 73, 74; for Longomontanus ends in 72. I caused these my papers to be dispersed among the mathematicians all over Europe. I hoped that of those which I sent so long since to London, one might have come to your hands, but I perceived yesterday _by Mr. Sugar that you had not heard of it. I sent also one to Longomontanus, who answered ignorantly and scurvily ; and upon occasion of a letter written by me to a friend in Denmarke, he has lately published a second reply not altogether so monstrous as the former. Mr. Sadler hath a coppy of his first reply and of the Paris professor’s judgement of my refutation. I have received other mathematicians’ verdicts, onely I have as yet none out of England. My intent ‘is to appeale the judgements of all those that by demonstrating 2r*t r—t? selves able to judge of such a controversy. Therefore by your meanes I shall hope to obtaine a line or two subscribed by your Gresham professors, and as many other students as will take | the paines to demonstrate the first theoreme. Such I take | to be Mr. Gunton, Mr. Fiske, Mr. Leake, Mr. Bond, and _ some others better knowen to you than to me; which appro- bation and demonstrations I desire to have as soone as may be, because I would print them with my owne and those _which I have allready of other men’s, that so those ignorant dames may be so much the more confounded to set a thing demonstrated so severall wayes, which Longomontanus sayd
my fundamental theoreme = a) can shew them-
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was indemonstrabile. And though now they begin to feare that it may be demonstrated, yet all the mathematicians in the University of Copenhagen cannot doe it, such shallow artists have I to doe withall. If any of our London ma- thematicians be unwilling or unable to write Latine, let them write English, or the catholicke language [a, b, c, + — &c.], and let me alone with the rest. Ifyou want more coppies of my paper, and Mr. Hartlib of Duke’s Place cannot furnish _ you, I shall send you as many as you desire; or if there be anything else wherein I may serve you, you shall allwayes find me
Your assured friend and servant,
Joun PELL.
To his much esteemed freend, Mr. John | Leake, at his house by the Old Swan in Thames Streete, London, these I
pray.
SIR WILLIAM PETTY TO JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4279, fol. 172, Orig.] Paris, November 8th, 1645.
Sir,—Father Mersen his desire to convey this inclosed to you, serves me for an happie occasion, to expresse my thank- fulnes for the good of that acquaintance with Mr. Hobs, which your letters procured me for by his meanes, My Lord of Newcastle and your good friend Sir Charles Candish have beene pleased to take notice of mee; and by his meanes also I became acquainted with Father Mersen, aman who seemes to me not in any meane degree to esteeme you and your works, and who wishes your studies may ever succeede happily, hoping (as others also doe) that the world shall receyve light and benefitt by them. Sir, I desire you not to conceive that any neglect or forgetfulnes hath caused my long silence, for the often speech I have of you either with Sir Charles, Mr. Hobs, & Father Mersen (besides the courtesy I receyved from you) makes me sufficiently to remember you. But, to speake the truth, it was want of buisines worthy to make the subject of a letter of 16P postage, especially since Mr. Hobbs served you in procuring the demonstrations of other french mathematicians. 1 could wish with Sir Charles that wee could see your way of analyticks abroad, or if a systeme of the whole art were too much to hope for, for my owne part
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I could wish wee had youre Diophantus which was ready for _ the oar before my departure from you. Those rules of algebra (though few) which you gave mee and exercise have made mee able to doe many pretty questions. I entend to _reade no authour of that subject untill I may be so happie to _ reade something of yours. Sir, if there bee anything wherein _I might serve you, I desire you to use Your thankfull friend & humble servant, WivuiaM Perry,
HENRY POWER TO SIR THOMAS BROWNE. [MS. Sloan. Brit. Mus. No. 3418, fol. 94.]
Hallifax, June 13th, 1646.
| Right Worshipfull,—I could not overslippe those kind _ respects, and faire expressions you pleas’d to shew towards me in Mr. Smith’s letter, without the returne of a few gratu- _ latory lines. The presentment whereof I cannot count a _ piece of presumption, since you layd me the foundation to _ worke upon. I cannott but really thanke you for the com- - munication of your opinion; I shall trace your directions, by which meanes I question not but I shall attaine to the utmost _ of my desires. My yeers in the University are whole up to a _ midle bachelaur-shippe, which height of a graduate I am _ sure ought to speake. him indefective in any part of philo- _ sophy. Our second yeere of sophistry is always taken up in _ physicall contemplation (without perfect knowledge whereof no cleere passage is granted to any in the commencement house), and I hope no materiall piece then passed my eie, an extract whereof is not remanent in my present selfe. Yet I shall (submitting to your maturer judgment) review the whole body of philosophy, especially naturall. The pleasant- nesse of which science (had not your desires concurred) might have re-invited me to that study. I intended to have seene Cambridge a moneth since: but some intervening accidents still quas’d my jorney: and now you know that supernaturall cause which prolongs my stay here. I hope the heavynesse of that hand will shortly be removed, and our colledge re- pupill’d, and then (God willing) I will increase the number. I shall waite there of your instructions: what physicall in- stitutions you please to appoint, I question not but the University affords; and I shall be ready to make use of them, and of each opportunity the weeke affords, wherin I may
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visit you by a paper-mercury. If (after I have finished the theoreticall part of physick) you will be pleased to induct me into some practicall knowledge, your commands shall fetch me up any time to Norwich; where I shall be very glad to weare the livery of, Sir, your obliged friend and servant, Henry Power.
Our towne can furnish you with very small news, only the death of some of your acquaintance, viz. Mr. Waterhouse and Mr. Sam. Mitchell. This enclosed is from my father-in-law to your selfe: if your occasions will permitt the returne of a few lines to either of us by this bearer, wee shall be very glad to accept them.
HENRY POWER TO SIR THOMAS BROWNE. [MS. Sloan. Brit. Mus. 3418, fol. 92.]
Right Worshipfull,—The subject of my last letter being so high and noble a piece of chymistry, viz. the reindividualling of an incinerated plant, invites mee once more to request an experimental. oe s6% of it from yourselfe, and I hope you will not chide my importunity in this petition, or be angry at my so frequent knockings at youre doore to obtaine a grant of so great and admirable a mystery. *Tis not only an ocular demonstration of our resurrection, but a notable illustration of that psychopanuchy which antiquity so generally received, how these formes of ours may be lulled and ly asleepe after the separation (closed up in their Ubis by a surer than Hermes his seale,) untill that great and generall day when by the helpe of that gentle heat, which in six dayes hatched the world, by a higher chymistry it shall be resuscitated into its former selfe ; suamque arborem inversam in continuo esse, et operari, iterata preservabit.
The secret is so noble and admirable, that it has envited my enquirys into divers authors and chymicall tractates, amongst which Quercita and Angelus Sale give some little hint thereof, but so obscurely and imperfectly that I have no more hopes to be ocularly convinced, through their preescrip- tions, then to be experimentally confirm’d, that the species of an incinerated animal may be encask’d in a piece of winter chrystall, as some other mineralists confidently affirme. Alsted, I confesse, in his Pyrotechnia, more cleerely describes the matter, but the manner of experimenting it hee utterly
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 93
leaves unmentioned. ‘Therefore my only addresse is to you, hoping to find as much willingnesse to communicate, as ability to evince the certainty of this secret to
The most engaged of your friends,
Henry Power.
R. Coll. Cambridge,
Feb. 10, 1647.
PS.—Sir, this enclosed is from a worthy friend of myne who hath made bold upon my incitement to enwrappe a few lines to you, if you please to repay us both but with one single answer, it will not only evince us of your faire accept- ance of them, but shall also challenge a double gratulatory as a due debt, in counterpoise and recompence thereof.
WILLIAM OUGHTRED TO MR. GREATORIX.
(MS. Ashm. 394.] Aldbury, Dec. 19th, 1652.
Good Mr. Greatorix,—Give leave to intreate you to re- member my service to my good friend Mr. Lilly, and to enquire of him and other astronomers about London, what they have observed concerning a comet, stella crinita non caudata, now and for 11 nightes together as often as the skie was cleere, in manner as | shall describe. Upon Thursday, Dec: 9th, I first saw it, neere the East, about 7 of the clock at night, a round dim light, about 4 degrees of estimacioun from the head of the staire under the foote of Orion westward ; the diameter of it seemed to be 16 inches; upon Saturday at 11 at night it was ascended nere the shild of Orion, almost as a right line through both the shoulders, so that the comet and they were about an equall distance asunder ; then it went upward through the nose of the bull, till upon Tuesday night it was close, but a very small deale westward to the lowest star of the Pleiades. Upon Wednesday night it was come almost as high as the foote of Perseus, and upon Thursday night it was seene above the wing of that foote of Perseus westward higher then in a right line, through the star in that foote and the wing, and almost at their distance. The present Sunday, while I am writing, it is come within lesse than a degree of Gorgon’s eye, and } a degree to the east side. The motoun decresethe nightly, and so doth the diameter, especially for these latter dayes, being now become but in shew not past halfe so big as at the first appearance.
94 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
You shall doe me a favour to write or procure to be written to me what hath byne observed by the astronomers about this celestiall appearance, and what judgement they give of it. Your very loving friend, WILLIAM OUGHTRED.
H. THORNDIKE TO JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4279, fol. 261.] December 23rd, 1652.
Sir,—Mr. Tovey is gone out of towne and hath left mee to dispose of Mr. Warner’s papers, which I would have had done himselfe. I have therefore sent you whatsoever I can conceive to concerne the canon: beeing, (1) The canon itselfe from 1 to 100,000. (2) Acollection of papers sowed together, concerning (I suppose) the construction and use of it, in- titled on the front Tabularia. (3) Papers of Interest and the questions of it, sowed together. (4) A peece by itselfe of about halfe a quire, beginning with, “ Any ratio being given.” (5) The canon from 1 to 10,000. (6) A foule copy of the same, in which are bound up other loose papers concerning the subject. (7) Foule papers in nine bundles, which seeme to be the first copy of the large canon. And my request to you is, first that you will take your own time to peruse them, in order to a resolution of publishmg them, which, upon perusing them, I hope you will declare: and then in con- sideration of common casualties, and the uncertainty of my continuing where you are, that you will certify mee of the receit of the particulares. Which will bee very briefly done, if you think fit to sende mee this backe, with your name subscribed to a line signifying the receite of them. And here, Sir, my best love and service recommended, I take leave, and remaine, Sir,
Your very loving freind to serve you, H. Tuornpikxe*.
Lg From a note by Pell, at the back of this letter, it appears that the project of printing Warner’s works was relinquished on account of the incompleteness of his papers.
if \ ‘ i} , : ? wal * Vall o; ih ny * k ] i ini in; i E
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 95
LIST OF MR. WARNER’S PAPERS. (MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4394, fol. 106.]
An inventorie of the papers of Mr. Warner.
1. A tract of exchanges in folio, containing eleven leaves, _ Anglice.
2. Varronis sententia de tympanis illustrata, tribus foliis. 3. A treatise of coines.
4. Another of the same.
5. A tract about ingotts.
6. Another of the same.
7. Opus Saturninum.
8. A bundle containing thirty papers intituled “ Opus Joviale.”
9. A small bundle intituled “ Observationes Westmonas- terienses.”
10. A bundle intituled “ Monetary.”
11. A bundle intituled “Generall rules of Warre and Fortification observed by the experience of Prichard Han- sard.”
12. Six tracts sewed together intituled “ Tabularia.” 13. The faire copy of a canon of 100,000 logarithmes. 14. Canones analogici originalis.
15. Schedz miscellanez.
16. A bundle intituled “ Analogicks.”
17. De monetarum homonimicarum zequivalentia. 18. De resectione spatii.
19. A treatise sic incipiens “ Any ratio being given.” 20. A treatise thus beginning “ Of that columne.” 21. A bundle “ de refractione definitiones.”
22. A bundle intituled “ Mr. Protheroe.”
23. A bundle intituled “Sir William Beccher.”
December 14th, 1667. Received the abovesaid papers from Dr. Thorndyke, which I promise to restore upon de- mand—Joun Couuins.
ANTHONY THOMPSON TO JOHN PELL. [MS. Birch. Brit. Mus. 4279, fol. 259, Orig.] November 22nd, 1658.
Mr. Pell,—There is this day a meeting to bee in the Moore Feilds of some mathematicall freinds (as you know the custome hath beene) there will bee Mr. Rook and Mr. Wrenn,
96 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
my Lord Brunkerd, Sir Pauel Neale, Dr. Goddard, Dr. Scarburow, &c. I had notice the last night of your being in towne from some of the gentellmen now named, and of there desire to injoy your company ; their will bee no such number as you usually have seene at such meetinges; 12 is the number invited. Sir, I hope you will excuse the short warning, for it was shorte to mee *. Yours to serve you, ANTHONY THOMPSON.
PELL’S RELATION OF A MEETING WITH HOBBES.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4425, fol. 204, Orig.]
Easter Munday, March 31, 1662.
This morning Mr. Thomas Hobbes} met me in the Strand, and led me back to Salisbury house, where he brought me into his chamber, and there shewed me his construction of that Probleme, which he said he had solved, namely the Doubling of a Cube. Hethen told me, that Vicount Brounker
* JT insert this letter because it is a curious memorial of the Royal Society in embryo. It is generally stated, that Dr. Goddard’s society terminated on the foundation of the one at Oxford, but this letter proves the contrary. As it may be interesting to the present members of the Royal Society, I insert here a copy of the original regulations of the Society at Oxford, from MS. No. 1810 in the Ashmolean Museum :—
October 23rd, 1651, Order’d—
1 That no man be admitted but with the consent of the major part of the company.
2. That the votes for admission (to the intent they may be free and without prejudice) be given in secret; affirmations by blanks,—negatives by printed papers put into the box.
3. That every man’s admission be concluded the next day after it is proposed ; so as at the passing of it, there be at the least eleven present.
4, That every one pay for his admission an equal share to the money in stock, and two-third parts of it for the instruments in stock, answerable to the number of the company.
5. If any of the company (being resident in the University) do willingly absent himself from the weekly meeting, without speciall occasion, by the space of six weeks together, he shall be reputed to have left the company, his name from thenceforth to be left out of the catalogue.
6. That if any man doe not duly upon the day appoynted performe such exer- cise or bring in such experiment as shall be appoynted for that day, or in case of necessity provide that the course be supplyed by another, he shall forfeit to the use of the company for his default 2s. 6d., and shall performe his task notwith- standing within such reasonable time as the company shall appoynt.
7. That one man’s fault shall not (as formerly) be any excuse for him that was to succeed the next day, but the course shall goe on.
8. That the time of meeting be every Thursday before two of the clock.
[t This Mr. Hobbes says he was born April 5, 1588.]
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 97
_ was writing against him. “ But,” said he, “I have written a confirmation and illustration of my demonstration, and to-morrow I intend to send it to the presse, that with the next opportunity I may send printed coppies to transmarine _ mathematicians, craving their censure of it. On this side of _ the sea,” said he, “TI shall hope to have your approbation of it.” I answered that I was then busy, and could not per- suade myself to pronounce of any such question before I had very thoroughly considered it at leysure in my owne chamber.
Whereupon he gave me these two papers, bidding me take _ as much time as I pleased. Well, said I, if your work seeme true to mee, IT shall not be afraid to tell the world so: but if I find it false, you will be content that I tell you so; but privately, seeing you have onely thus privately desired my opinion of it. ‘“ Yes,” said he, “I shall be content, and thanke you too. But, 1 pray you, do not dispute against my construction, but shew me the fault of my demonstration, if you finde any.” Thus we then parted, I leaving him at Salisbury house, and returning home.
THOMAS BRANCKER TO JOHN PELL. (MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4278, fol. 36, Orig.] Tottenham, May 9th, 1666.
Revered Sir,—I understand by Mr. Collins that you had my last, but are, as you had reason, offended at Mr. Pittes presumption. Little souls have little designs ; what his was, I know not, but I thought it not at present convenient to do any more than I did, viz: take notice that the letters were open’d and enquire by whom. However, I durst not con-
_ ceal it. The man is I hope very fair; as to all other matters
_ wherein I have dealt with him I have found him so. Possibly _he was hasty to see what assistance you were pleased to afford us. I am thus tedious about him, because I would _ fain entreat for him to procure his pardon. What I wrote in my last concerning the book, I again refer to your consider- ation, for as much as my design herein I hope is not sordid or mean; but the truest advantage that may be gained to the _ argument. I have now only to acquaint you that they have
t in hand thetable. They omitte the first leafe, according to | what I hinted in my last to yourselfe about it. Only whereas
_ Rhonius ordered the incomposits to be printed in a larger _ character when they first appear in the table, viz: where they H
98 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
were roots; I have altered it thus, to put a rule either over or under the number, and let it be of the same body with the rest. For I presume the end of that different character was only to make it visible, and I conceive this makes it more visible and distinct, and besides it avoides that unhandsome intrenchment upon the page which you will find in the Dutch edition. But these things you will better observe when the first sheet comes to your hands, which I hope you will find well done. They goe on slowly, because the short rules between the descending parallels are very chargeable, and therefore they have no more than will compose 3 a sheet at once; so that they do but one whole sheet in a fortnight. I should be very glad to wait on you at London, could the health of that place invite you thither. In the mean time, I beg your candid interpretation of anything that comes from me in word or deed as to this matter, for as much as, if 1 know my own inclination, of all vices I am not disposed to deceit or impudence, and in this particular I have very cogent obligations to the contrary. I had written sooner but that I — was confined to my chamber by an ague, which, by God’s
goodnes, is now removed, not without some small relishes of
it, which I hope will passe away. It’s scarce pertinent to tell you that there was a report about town that you had left — this world for a better. Your own lines to Mr. Collins are a solid refutation. God Almighty continue your health and opportunityes to serve his glory, ’tis the prayer of, Sir, Your ever obliged to honour and serve you, Tuo: BRANCKER.
THOMAS BRANCKER TO JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4278, fol. 38, Orig.]
Tottenham, June 21st, 1666. ‘S
Honoured Sir,—By the hands of Mr. Collins I received your last on Friday, viz: 4 leaves of copy for the sheet P; _ but without any note for direction for printing therof, or by way of answere to anything of my last. This I only advertise you of that, if any such letter were intended, you may under-
stand it was casually excluded the covert. I humbly thank — |
you for the pains and accuracy in those papers, and I hope ¥
further directions for printing them are not altogether neces- — ; sary. I have transcribed them without any alteration, unlesse
so far as was needfull to conform it to the marks wherein the
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 99
_ presse differs from your Magen They will this day or to morrow have done with the table (as I suppose) and will be wholly imployed in the body of the book again as the med- _ dling with the table. Although readers and printers are all very willing to see it out ; yet, whenever you please, the presse shall be perfectly stop’t to attend you. I shall from time to time acquaint you where they be, and when they want further help, but no such addresses are intended to streighten you in your conveniencyes. If you please to put a title to the table, they may print that and the first leafe of the table, which I _ shall presently fall on proving once more, unles you have any body that can and will ease me and shew me the errata, which I hope will not be very many. My last tedious letter gave you an account of what I then thought necessary, nor have I now any thing else to adde thereabout. I beg your pardon for having been an occasion of so great a divertisement to you, wherein if I did not fear I had allready intrenched on your other occasions, I should have adventured to beg your assistance for generall direction in these studyes, and I have fancyed that 2 or 3 generall fundamental! notions would lend me no small light, untill God shall please to grant me the happinesse of further attendance on you. And | wish I might be as meet for future as I am thankfull for past communica- tions. In the mean time I must wait for an opportunity to serve you to my power. I commit you to God’s protection. Yours ever obliged to honour and serve you, Too: BRANCKER.
THOMAS BRANCKER TO JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4278, fol. 40, Orig. ] Tottenham, July 6th, 1666.
Honoured Sir,—Your last of July 2 came to me July 5. I _ return humble thanks for the sheet therein enclosed. I have copyed it and purpose tomorrow morning to send to the press. The labour and time which the processe and copyes therof required must needs have been great, and much aggravates _ your bounty in the communication. And I cannot but, upon ' occasion herof, adventure to expresse what hath been much _ in my thoughts before. I am very sensible what an occasion of trouble to you this my imperfect undertaking hath proved. ' Which yet I can not say I repent of, because I can not ques- tion a considerable advantage to be reaped thereby by all in- rm H 2
ae,
Laisa ec ee pee mm gC cape ee a ee - oh
100 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
telligent readers, and particularly because you have conde- scended not only to permission but favourable assistance : for which I dayly look on myselfe (as well as thousands others) as obliged to all gratefull acknowledgement as far as my pre- sent or future capacity may reach. My desire and serious study shal be to serve your interest, as far as I may understand it, and be accepted in my endeavours. I know the notions you bestow upon the treatise are not valuable even by jewells, but yet I see nothing litle or sordid in it for you to accept of some gratuity, although incomparably beneath the obligation you have laid upon us. If I might be so bold my request would be to have from you a hint of your thoughts concern- ing it. *Tis true Mr, Collins and I have discoursed hereabout, but he is not nor shal be in the least acquainted with the open proposall which my confidence of your pardon makes. Whe- ther he hath in his letters anything that looks this way I know not, but the full satisfaction I have of my own integrity to endeavour your truest service puts me on the adventure. And methinks it is much more respectfull to your goodnesse to be open and sincere, than either to expresse myselfe tenderly and obscurely, or, which is worse, to be altogether ignorant of what behaviour may become us in this present case. My bookseller I know will not be very unmannerly herin: and I would deal with him as from my own motion did I know what were proper, but he shall never know from me directly or indirectly that I ever scribbled a syllable about the affair. You need not fear any inconveniency in being free to me in this matter even as to your son. I am not so great a stranger to morality or conscience as to use such forward expressions, had I not uprightnesse to support them. And, although I may not despair of being an incomparable gainer by any service I can undertake for you, yet I conceive I am not herin selfish beyond what reverence and gratitude allow me. But if any thing in the premises be any way peccant and offensive, I submit to your correction and it shall be, if you please, as if it were unwritten. As for the book, the com- positor hath made your last papers fill a great deal of room, something of the paper of March 5 running into R, which loose print they ever told me their letters would needs require. I have written out the primes to above 30000, in the first 1OM I find 1227 (counting 1 for a prime, which possibly Guld: omitted, and so made 1226), in the 2d xM 1031, in the 3rd xM 983, in the 30000, 3241. But my purpose is to prove the whole table of incomposits again before I finish this ca- talogue. Mr. Collins hath lent me Kinckhuysen’s Conicks (in Low Dutch) and Mydorgius, on which I spend some time ~
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 101
_ about parabolicall draughts. If you please you may now keep a week or more before the press, but I shall undertake that it shall attend your leisure. I do not find I have order in your last to proceed to the xx1x. probl : and therefore ho to see your directions. I fear you give yourselfe the trouble to copy verbatim what you send me. I conceiv you might adventure to send me your only accurate draughts, and ease ourselfe of that labour, keeping the notions by you possibly in some other method. Begging your pardon and continu- _ ance of undeserved favours, | commit you to God’s care and protection. Yours ever to honour and serve you, Tuo: BRANCKER.
_ CHRISTOPHER SAWTELL TO WILLIAM LILLY.
[MS. Ashm. Oxon. 423, Orig. ] Waymouth, August 6th, 1666.
Mr. Lilly,—I wrote to you the 18th of the former month concerning the wonderfull motion of the tide as it was care- ‘fully here observed for 4 hours time, viz. July 17th, from about 10 in the morning untill 2 in the afternoone. I also wrote the same to the Post-office in London; notwithstand- ing which, it was put into the printed intelligence in one manner, and in the Gazette in another manner, and neyther _ of them aneere the truth, and for what eyther reason or po- licie I cannot imagine, but made me to be derided here, until I shewed a coppy to many of what I wrote them to London ; since which they reply if they print one false that is so won- derfull, how many us believe the rest, &c. Sir, I intreated _ you by my letter to have given me a few lines in answer that _ you had received mine, but to this morning I have not re- ceived any, which makes me doubt that you have not received mine, or else that you doubted the truth, or that it was not | of any worth. If it came not to your hand, pray be pleased | by a few lines to give me notice and I shall give you (if you | desire it) a very true, sure, and punctuall account of it, or in | any particular thing or accident that you shall require of it.
_ If you doubted the truth [’ll assure you that to what I wrote _ you ther is not a title false, I am very confident, viz. that the
sea did ebb and flow seven times in four hours time; with the rest of particulars writen you, to which a clowde, as it were, of witnesses will appeare; that there were many more
102 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
ebbings and flowings it is probable to be true by the report of many ; which say that the sea did soe all the morning, and that it did soe likewise againe in the evening, but they say that this was not so violent; but this 4 houres time that. I gave you account off was as I have said, carefully observed by so many and that of the chiefest mariners, merchants, and other gentlemen, as well as other sorts of people, both men and weomen, one friend calling and sending for another, that to me it seemes an absurdity in the least to doubt the truth; the chiefe occation of observation being the extreame violence of it, one wherof I heard being in house, being talking with one, we had much pitty for a ketch there riding in the road, _ we thinking of a very great and suddent storme of wind, but _ looking out of doores found noe wind att alle, but saw the sea at a distance full of ravelling waves with much noyes. If not of worth to you, pray take the will for the deed. I aymed at the best. The thing to all persons of this town was and still — is wonderfull, and I thought it worthy of publique note, to which end I sent it to London preferring you before Mr. Gadbury, who otherwise had had the account. However, Sir, if you will not afford me no other account of it, you let me begg you to give me a few lines that you have received mine, that I may know that it came to your hand; and if by writing so presumptuously to you, strangers to each other, I have offended you, pray pardon me; it is but the second of- fence ; I hope I then shall not committ the third: yet in the meane while shall remaine, Sir, Your friend in what I may, CHRISTOPHER SAWTELL.
For Mr. William Lilly, Astrologer, at the corner-house, over against Strand-bridge, these, in London. Post paid, 3d.
THOMAS BRANCKER TO JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4278, fol. 41, Orig.]
Tottenham, August 17th, 1666. Much honoured Sir,—I conceived it unnecessary to trouble _ you with any line from me since the reciept of your last: sheet, — untill I could return it or part of it in print. This is now done, and you may please to send to Badiley for a sheet which —
I presume my bookseller will send on Munday. In it the | fractions are very much amended. Mr. Collins tells me that —
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 103
now they say if I had blamed them, they might have been corrected before. But as I have formerly written, I found fault at the first fraction that ever they printed and afterwards too. I conceiv they were not then so possessed with suffi- cient hopes of advantage so as to put them on the charge of _ new stamps, the procuring of which hath made this delay. I _ am now most taken up with making a catalogue of the errata in the table of incomp. which is necessary to be done before the catalogue of the incomposits themselves can be truly made. Sir, I return you my humble thanks for your candid acceptance of any part of my behaviour towards you in this businesse, of which my Lord Brereton hath been pleased to give me an hint. May there be anything of another nature, I shall thankfully accept of your admonitions, and, in a word, truly serve all your interest. We now hope for further di- rections from you at your next conveniency. At present you are no further interrupted by Yours, ever obliged to honour and serve you, Tuo: BRANCKER.
JOHN PELL TO MOSES PIT.
[MS. Birch, 4279, fol. 183, Original draft.] Brereton, June 3rd, 1668.
Sir,— Yours of May 28 came to my hands May 30. Mun- day June 1, I sent a messenger to Newcastle, who brought me from you Mr. Brancker’s new book, more costly bound than I desired. I have turned it over, and finde it no way imperfect ; no sheet deficient, missfolded or missplaced. But the great number of press faults keepes me from writing to you for coppies for my friends, because I suppose they had rather tarry till they may have coppies corrected by my hand throughout.
Your superscription, both of your letter and of the book, would have startled me, if I had been farr from this place. For in both you say John Lord Brereton, as if William Lord Brereton were dead and the title were fallen to his eldest sonne, whose name is John. But since yours, we have heere received letters from the father, by which we are assured that he is in health, and intends to begin his journey hitherward upon Friday June 5, about the time that this may come to your hands. I hope his Lordship will bring one of Deane Wilkins his bookes with him; or at least will be able to de-
104 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
scribe it so to me, that I may guess of what bulk it is, and whether it be fit to binde blank leaves in part of it. And therefore I doe not now call for the coppy which you say the Deane hath left in sheets in your hands for me. Your care will preserve it entire, cleane and safe for
Your assured freind,
JOHN PELL. For Mr. Moses Pit, a stationer at the White Hart in Little Britaine.
HENRY OLDENBURGH TO LORD BRERETON.
[MS. Birch, 4280, fol. 42, Orig.] London, Sept. 22nd, 1668.
My Lord,—1 pray your Lordship to accept of the enclosed print, which contains a tacit confutacion of the late French pretended miracle, said to be done in a village near Saumur ; the narrative of which was sent hither in French, and here translated and printed in English. I suppose your lordship hath heard of it, how that Our Saviour appear’d, by way of a picture on the altar, at the time of the masse, for a quarter of an houre, many people seeing it with astonishment, which afterwards was examined by the Bishop of Angiers, and de- clared for a miracle in print. I have sent a copy of these transactions to my correspondent at Paris, a true Huguenot, with a desire to render the first head of this book French, and to send it to the place where that appearance of Our Saviour was made, to undeceive, if possible, the poor people, and to discover the cheat of those clergymen, that would father a lye upon their God.
I saw yesternight a cart leaden with at least 600 bricks, whereof each by weight weighed above four pounds, drawn by one horse in an uneven and ascending way, by a new con- trivance, which avoydeth rubbing much more than ordinary carts. It has been devised, as I mentioned formerly, by the concurrence of persons of several nations; and the patent of them is given in divers contry’s ; here, to the Duke of Mon- mouth, and to Sir Ellis Leyton (as hemself told me), and at Paris to some great persons; as also in Flanders. In the
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 105
_ mean time, our mathematicall mechanicians doe not want ex- ceptions against the extraordinarines of the contrivance. ihe ie Oe ae ce Your Lordship’s very humble and faithful servant, H. O. For the Right Honourable the Lord Brereton at Brereton in Cheshire. Stonebagg.
P.S. Mr. Hook presents his humble service to your Lord- ship, and begs the favor to send him some account of the causeway found so deep under ground, and of what shels are
found in stones, or ligna fossilia &c. Whereby you will ~ much oblige him.
MICHAEL DARY TO JOHN COLLINS. [MS. Birch, 4425, fol. 54, r°. Orig.] The equation is this :— + yt + 8 y? — 24 y? + 104 y —676 =0
Mr. Collins,—I have beene lately trying to break biqua- dratique equations into two quadratique ones, and I have effected my purpose in a great many, some by the aliquote parts, and some by the cubicall mant, but this soure crabb I cannot deale with by no method, &c.
3 Your servant, Micu: Dary. Tower, the 8th Febr: 1674-5.
NOTE ON THE SOLVING EQUATIONS, BY JOHN PELL.
[MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4432, fol. 26, Orig.] May 20, 1675.
Mr. Dary only solved cubick equations by ayd of a qua- - dratick equation in a particular case, not knowing the use of both the rootes of his quadratick equation; but Collins knowing how to take away two tearmes in any equation hath a different generall method of solving these and higher
f
106 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
equations by ayd of logmes, or by his little table of continuall proportionalls for interest, whereby he finds two rootes at a time, and depresseth the equation two degrees. Whereas Deschartes cubick equation only serveth to breake a biqua- dratick equation into two quadratick ones, whereof the rootes are afterwards to be found, and a paire of rootes being by Collins method alwaies found, or two impossible ones re- mooved (by ayd of the rootes of pure powers and adfected equations) one degree lower than that proposed, it follows that solid problems are effected by plaine geometry, et pro- blema Deliacum tandem feliciter expugnatum. Deo gloria!
JOHN COLLINS TO MR. OLDENBURGH. [MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4432, fol. 25.] May 25, 1675. Sir,---Be pleased to intreate the learned and worthy Mr. Tschirnhaus, to make a construction by a circle for finding a roote of either of these equations, which have the conditions
he requires aaa—3aa+3a—1=N
In which if a roote be 1 O 2 1 Which are the cubes 3 Nis 8 _ of numbers less than 4 27 the roote by unit. 5 64
Or to this equation aaa+3aa+3a+1=N
In which if a roote be 1 8 7 2 27 Which are the cubes 3 Nis 64 of numbers greater 4 125 than the roote by unit. 5 216
And when he hathe demonstrated the same and illustrated the worke by examples in numbers he hath solved the Del- phick probleme with great renowne, and intreate him to make the same publick in the Transactions, the consequence of it will be that he hathe taken away the two first or highest tearmes in these equations, which renders it probable that the like may be done in other and higher equations, and consequently the difficulty that hath hitherto been crux in- genii will be removed ; this is the thing most wanting in ma- thematicks, and if he doth this, ’tis that I so much aspire after,
LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 107
and have methinks a prospect of methods that I hope will not faile in the attainment, consisting of two branches. The one to make such habitudes or co-efficients relating to two tearmes in an equation, that taking away one of them, the other shall vanish with it. The other to reduce such tearmes to those habitudes that want them, though something hath been done in this kind and not in vaine, yet there still is re- quired more still labour and time, than can be affoarded by his and Your most humble servitor, Joun Couuins.
SIR SAMUEL MORLAND TO JOHN PELL. [MS. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4279, fol. 143, Orig.]
Saturday, 13th May, 1682.
Sir,—Not being able to wayt on you as yet (as I intended) I take the boldness to send you my first request in writing, which is to beg you to answer the following queres :—
1. Supposing a foot to be divided into 12 inches, what is the number (and decimal parts) of cubick inches which are equal to the content of a cylinder, the diameter of whose base is 1 inch, and the height 12 inches?
2. What is the number of cubick inches that equal the content of a cylinder, the diameter of whose base is 2 inches, and the height 12 inches ?
3. What is the number of cubick inches answering to a cylinder, the diameter of the base being three inches, and the height 12 inches ?
And if your leisure will permitt you, I would beg a table giving the number of square inches conteyned in the areas of all circles from 1 inch diameter, to a 100 inches diameter.
And what trouble this shall give you, shall be acknow- ledged by
Your most humble and faithful servant, S. Morianp.
APPENDIX.
I. Corrector Analyticus, or strictures on the Artis Analytice Praxis of Thomas Harriot, by Nathaniel Torporley. From the original manuscript preserved in the library of Sion College.
Tractatum analyticum illum posthumum proximis diebus hisce promulgatum retracturo, triplex mihi incumbit negotium pro triplici rerum retractandarum differentia. Quedam enim ejusdem dictata (quis hoc credat? in mathematicis presertim quibus inservit de- monstratio, ut lapis Lydius ad segreganda a falsis vera, a tali vero presertim Coripheo mathematicorum credito, a talibus presertim recognitoribus summa fide et diligentia omnia describentibus) non solum controversa et dubia, sed etiam a veritate aliena, pseudola et falsaria. Que idcirco sunt accuratius discutienda, redarguenda et resecanda, ne vel decipiatur inter legendum artista, vel pre indicio damnetur assertor. Quzdam etiam sunt imperfecta et mutila, ne dum non ab ipso authore consummata, sed ne etiam, que ab ipso bene excogitata et scitu necessaria sunt tradita, ab ejus administris eadem promissa fide et industria posteritati transmissa. Neque vero est ut sese excusatos haberi preesumant a testata intentione sua illam precipue partem artis ornandi, que spectet ad resolutionem nume- rosam, accitis reliquis tantum obiter ejus ut puta introductionis. Collatis enim iis que erant propriz Harrioti ipsius inventiones, cum reliquis quas aliunde mutuum assumpsit: tam quidem in pusillo compingeretur sua ipsius inventa, quas proprias queesivit opes, ni- hil ut fuerit reliqui, si universa ejus inventionum farrago congera- tur, ad justi voluminis quantumvis exigui comprehendendam dimen- sionem. Itaque tertius ordo animadvertendorum talium esto pre- ceptorum que prius ab aliis tradita, facta levi aliqua mutatione in possessionem hujus authoris pervenerunt. Etsi illius modi aliena occupandi consuetudo adeo evasit usitata et familiaris, ut non solum licitum sed et laudabile videatur esse quod fuerit publicum. Prorsus ut mihi videantur scriptorum hodiernorum plurimi non tam authoris agere ad lectores docendos, quam scholares in ludis literariis, quando
110 APPENDIX.
dictata preceptore didicissent, memoriter eodem coram condiscipulis repetentis. Sed ut non dignum vituperio indico in alienam messem immittere falcem aliquam vel methodicam, vel expositoriam vel dic- taminis, dummodo debitus primevo servetur honos: ita nego plau- sum optime meriti de re literaria mereri cramben bis positam nedum, sed neque ullam inventionem, nisi illum que illecebris jubet et grata novitate moretur discentem. Atque hujus generis commissa, quando maximam partem occupent totius editi opusculi, otiosum fuerit sin- gula percensere. Suffecerit ergo eadem generalius et carptim per- strinxisse. Neque preterea erit opus has ita notatas tripartitas discussiones sigillatim et suo ordine sub quodam methodo reductas percurrere : quando quedam ex observatis pluribus ex his tribus censuris obnoxia sint, adeo ut que falsa sint, illa oriantur ex omis- sione jam latorum preceptorum; et que aliunde ascititia sunt, illa ex non recte intellectis antea traditis in falsa degenerent. Si ergo non servetur ordo in his recensendis, sed queris utrumque primo obvia examinentur, nihil retulerit, ordo enim et methodus ad fabri- cam non ad demolitionem inservit. Nam de excusanda stili ruditate non est ut laborem, decrepitus jam senex et jam moriturus. Altero demonstrationes satis illas ornatas, si ex omnibus rhetorum phaleris, uti que ornantur cibi puritate licet diminuta exprimautur. De reli- quis contendant aucupatores fame. Ego si dedecoris pristini labem abstersero, pulchre discedo et probe et preter spem. His ita brevi- ter prefatis deinde videamus quod Harriotus instauratus apportet bonive malive. Primo itaque de Harrioti methodo dicamus, cujus seepius mentio facienda est in sequentibus, ut constet et de prolatis et de pretermissis, ubi non possum non conqueri, illud ne male ha- bere quod ejus glossarii ita penitus transformarunt eandem, ut non solum non ordinem sed vix verbum ejus retineant. Id quod forte laude dignum esset, si alicujus illiterati fortuito inventa distribuis- sent. Sed cum hominis per eos in ccelum sublati et cui encyclope- diam summam ascripserunt, opera ita transmutarunt ut vix vestigium ab eo pressum appareret: quod non erat aliud quam confessio tacita alicujus deprehensz imperfectionis cul suppetias ita esse percuperent, aut saltem se illi fore preepositos crederent. Atque illius methodus illa erat.
Primo accurata tractatio irrationalius surdorum sive, ut ille vocat eos, radicalium numerorum, non illa quidem aliena ab analytica arte confitentibus ejus interpretibus in sectione, sed totam artem omit- tentibus mixum. Nam si inutilis ad Exegesin, cur ejus ibi fecerunt mentionem? Si mentionem fecerunt, certe ut non inutilis, cur igitur non descripserunt ?
His insuper addidit, veluti etiam preludia ad ipsam analyticam ; speculationem de numeris et binomialum speciebus, de extractione radicis quadratz e binomio plano, et quo plurimum sudavit (et illud forte necquidquam) de extractione radicis cubice e solido binomio, usque ad exhaustionem viginti septem aut octo chartarum. Nam solebat ad imitationem juris peritorum per chartas ab una parte exa- ratas, et per articulas simul colligatas, distribuere seorsim diversa documentorum suorum membra, ut ita homogenea unum in locum
APPENDIX. lll
reponerentur, prepositis quibusdam paragraphis plerumque literarum cum chartarum ascripto numero, ad satis methodicam inventionem cujuscunque particularis subjecti, quando ad illud relatio quomodo- cumque esset facienda.
Quibus accesserunt, vel processerunt potius. Operationes logis- ticee in notis ita dicte ab Harrioto, ubi incipiunt ejus glossatores sub titulo. Logistices speciose quatuor operationum forme exemplifi- cate non ita scilicet magistraliter distanti illo. In ipso analytices artificio contentus trimembri divisione inscribit primam ejus partem ita. De generatione equationum canonicarum sub paragrapho d) compaginatis ad illud argumentum chartis 21 cum appendiculis duo- bus de multiplicatione radicum.
Secunda pars autem sub titulo ‘ De resolutione «equationum per reductionem,”’ habet paragraphum e) chartas 29. item f a) chartas 7 : J 2) chartas quoque 7: et succedens illis in chartarum numeratione, Ff y) ad chartam f 18 y) cum appendicula sub lemmate duplici non illa contemnenda licet a suis omissa: Deinde f 6) charte 8. f e) charte 4. f £) item 4: Postremo seorsim sub signo gg charte no- vem continentes reductiones veterum ad Harrioti methodum revo- catas.
Sed tertiam partem (non ita studio dissentiendi) cum Vieta in suo libro. De numerosa potestatum resolutione, et recte merito. Non totus fere est Vietzeus per exempla singula, et supposito paragrapho, et in chartis 13 sunt exempla tria quadratica quorum primum est suum, duo reliqua sunt Vietz, quinque cubice omnia Viete preter primum. Et quinque quadrato quadratica quorum quartum est suum, reliqua Viete. Et sunt ista secundum Viete methodum equatio- num omnino affirmantium. Altera ejus pars sub paragrapho 8) in chartis 12 habet cum Vieta habet analyticam potestatum affectarum negate quadratica 6 1) 62) 63) cubica 6 4) ad b 10) quadrato-qua- dratica 6 10) 611) 612).
Tertia ejus pars sub paragrapho c) habet 18 chartas, tractat ana- lysin potestatum avulsurum cum Vieta, ubi radices sunt multiplices et singularum limites demonstrantur. Exempla hujus sunt quadra- tica duo, cubico-cubica 4, quadrato-quadratica duo. Sunt alia que- dam particularia hunc spectantia, de quibus suo loco.
Hec est generalis ; et quantum poscit nostram propositam perbrevis ejusce methodi synopsis tam illa facilis et perspicua quam est septi- membris illorum distributio. Unde partem liquet e tribus illis par- tibus eam de numerosa resolutione totam esse usurarium et ipsum Vietam a capite ad calcem redolere, paucis, ut dixit Harriotus, mu- tatis. Illa autem pauca cujusmodi sunt? que certe non nihil com- pendii precepto afferunt, sed et que nihil negotii adimunt operatione. Ex sequentibus etiam patebit secundam partem reductionum Vietam agnoscere parentem ex parte maxima, alioqui alios precedentes ha- bere authoris: ut nihil ex toto volumine in genere reliqui supersit Harrioti proprium preter primam generationis partem, quam certe non numerito dixerit quis fabricam vel officinam nihili; non quod nihil exinde boni oriatur, sed quod ex nihili ingeniosa tractatione, totum illud quodcunque sit (quod sane non est contemnendum in-
1] 2 APPENDIX.
ventum) derivetur. Nam ex hypothesi primo quidem si negetur idem de eodem sese nihil reliqui superesse, ut posito a < 6, tum a—b < 0, deinde si vel in se nihilum duratur vel in quantitatem quamcunque positivam produci quoque nihilum (veluti si posita quantitas c, duratur in a—6, quod ob primum hypothesin valet ni- hil, tum erit ac—bec nullius amplius valoris) universam canonem omnium administrationem subtili certe prosecutione deducit. Et hoc (namque confidentius illud attestor) non sine divine providentize manuductione accidisse credendum est. Ut qui toties illud genti- lium axioma inculcasset (ex nihilo nihil fieri) ipse sese erroris dam- nerat; ex nihilo tot et tam speciosa artis depromerat miracula. Ut quum ipse tam ens mortale entia tot, et illa immortalia quo dum- modo ex nihilo generet; rogatur nolens volensve confiteri imrorta- lem Deum, potentissimum, optimum, maximum, non tam sapientis- simum, quam ipsam sapientiam summam, omnipotentie suze prero- gativa posse ex eodem nihilo ipsam entium visibilium et ad interitum festinantium compagem creare. Sed ne declamatoris partes potius quam demonstratoris agere videar, opportunum est ad examinandum veniamus, ecquid habemus in illo tractatu posthumo quod contem- namus, idque apodietica censura castigemus. Qua in re, missa cunctatione ad ipsum singulum rescindendum protinus accedemus ; ut accuratius ventilata absurditatem una et ex probatis cognito posse tales aretis antesignamus cellabi; de cetero sine preejudicio authori- tate quantumcunque famosorum posthabita, in hoc ipso imitemur Aristotelem, ut sit nobis charissima veritas, ne excepto ipso Platone. Sic igitur accipe, et crimine ab uno, disce omnes horum infirmi- tates.
Sunt in dicto opere et in sectione ejus tertia, problemata tria im- mediate sequentia, scilicet decimum nonum, vicesimum, et vicesimum primum, que paraphrastes fatetur non bene sese intelligere, et ideo referre reductiones zquationum illarum ad meliorem inquisitionem : nihilominus describit eas tanquam reducibiles sub hac forma.
ProsieMa 19.
/Equationem quadrimoniam aaaa—baaa+bcaa+bcda —caaa—bdaa+befa=bcedf +daaa—cdaa—bdfa + faaa—bfaa—cdfa —cfaa +dfaa
posito 6 + c=d + fad binomiam aaaa—bbba—bbbe
—bbca=bbce —beca—bdbccec —ccca
reducere, sublatis scilicet gradibus aa et aaa.
Pa SE ee, PS RP sre ie
APPENDIX. 113
| Prosiema 20. ARquationem quadrimoniam aaaa—baac+becaa+beda —caaa—bdca+bcfa=—bedf +daaa—cdaa—bdfa +faaa—bfaa—cdfa —cfaa +dfaa posito be+ df=bd+cd+bf+ef ad binomiam aaaa— bbbaaa —bbcaaa bbbcece
—becaaa~ bh 4 bc4+ ce —cecaaa
bb+be+ce sublatis reducere scilicet gradibus a et aa.
Propiema 21. A®quationem quadrimoniam
aaaa— baaa + bcaa+ beda — caaa— bdaa+ becfa= — bedf + daaa— cdaa — bdfa + faaa— bfaa—cdfa —cfaa + dfaa positod+ f=b+e
ad binomiam aaaa — bbaa = bbhee — ccaa
_ reducere, sublatis scilicet gradibus a et aaa.
Istze sunt tres ille reductiones preclare zequationis ejus quadrimo- niz ad tres binomias, seu mavis generationes binomiarum, que ad - resolutionem numerosam magis sunt accommodz, utpote que sint minus affectionibus oppresse. Quz quidem glossariis Harrioti forte viderentur sufficere ad praxin suam exigeticam excercendum. Sed non iste similiter mihi sufficiunt ad facultatis specimen ut consultet ne etiam pauld penitus rimasse Harriotica. Nam restat in adversariis ejus omissus modus secundus generandi binomiam equationem pro- blematis decimi noni ubi tolluntur gradus aa et aaa, idque ab illa zequatione quadrimonia qua describitur in propositione undecima sectionis secunde inter originales, nec locum sortita est inter reduc- titias.
Ut igitur accuratius de Harrioti dormitatione statuamus et simul - constet in mathematicis zqué atque philosophicis zquivocam gene- rationem posse reperiri. Sic igitur se habet apud Harriotum in I
114 APPENDIX,
d 72°) sed quia sordent illis locutiones Harriotice eminemus potita phrasi paraphrastarum. aaaa — baaa + bcaa — beda — caaa+ bdaa + befa= + bedf
— daaa+cdaa-+ bdfa + faaa —bfaa+ecdfa
—cfaa — dfaa ad binomiam aaaa— bbba _ <bbs—0 ee
— beca — bbece — ceca — bece
vel per conversionem signorum ut vult Harriotus bbbe = bhba bhec + bbca bece + beca + ceca—aaaa
reducere, sublatis scilicet gradibus aa et aaa.
Et ignoscant, uti spero, si sequendo authorem, non adeo cum illis fuero sollicitus, ut signa intervertam cum illis, quo ponatur summa potestas affirmativa, etsi ab eltera equationis parte sint homogenea negativa, quod aliquid in se saltem habet indecori, sed nobis minutia non sunt animadvertenda.
Et ad correctionem horum problematum accedens, utar tali argu- mentatione nam sunt et nobis syllogismi, me licet hostis inter alia convitia et hoc criminaretur domino Petworthie quod essem dialec- ticus ignarus.
Si sit possibile ut ex equatione quadrimonia generetur binomia necesse est ut in gradibus ablatis coefficientes utrumque negativa sint zequalibus coefficientibus affirmativis sed in hisce problematis impossibile ut coefficientes utrinque (hoc est in utroque gradu ablato) negativa sint zquales coefficientibus affirmativas.
Ergo,
In hisce problematis non est possibile ut ex zquatione quadrimonia — generetur binomia. | Contra majorem propositionem peccant paraphraste puerilius, con-
tra minorem peccat Harriotus inconsideratius.
Sed ad primum errorem castigandum paraphrastarum scilicet qui — ex posita unica zqualitate, puta +c = d+/ in problemate 19 et 21 etbe+df=bd+cd+bf+cin problemate 20, non est ut multum la- boremus. Ipsi enim suo indicio sibi ipsis opponuntur in locis plurimis — reductionum suarum, ubi inferunt hec verba in equatione proposita per particularium contradictionem eliditur gradus primus, secundus, vel tertius, et tollantur contradictoria redundantia, item rejecto re-
—— ~ = —— 7
: gradus .
_ merito illud quidem. Nam si imequalitate existenti inter partes
ejus affirmantes et megantes: si excessus fuerit penes aflirmantes aufertur ex illa parte equationis tanto plus justo quantum est diffe- rentiz partium coefficientes in gradum ablatum ducta. Sin autem exuperent negantes tantumdem excedet illa pars equationis ipsum est, ut ad unicam positam zqualitatem coefficientis partium inferatur ablatio plurium quam unius gradus parodici. Quod ipsum satis erat notum Harrioto. Nam in singulis illis ejus paralogysmis assumit ut m confesso duplicem partium duplicium coefficientium xqualitatem ad binos quosque tollendos gradus. Et hoc facilius admisit incom- modum quia in precedentibus ad tollendos gradus tantum singulos, eadem zqualitates partium coefficientis unius cujusvis qualiter in- serviebant quo facilius introducta est hypothesis equationis gemine partium, quz contra minorem argumenti esse nostri propositionem militat et jam nunc nobis sed majori conamine et mactimis validio- ribus oppugnanda est, sequentibus premissis lematiis.
Lemma primum.
Si quantitas aliqua semel atque iterum bisecetur inzqualiter : factum a partibus minoris inequalitatis, et differentie quadratorum dimidiarum differentiarum inter partes inzequales.
Esto quantitas a 4 divisa primo in ¢ puncto in duas partes ine- quales ac, cb, deinde in duas alias ad, d5, ubi inequalitas prima inter @ ¢,¢4 minor est | a 5 Snare * 5 me- qualitate secunda inter a d et d, et sequitur propositum.
Nam tertio divisa eadem in partes equales ac, eb, per52 est
factum ex ac, cb, cum quadrato ce xquale quadrato semissis scilicet e6: atque etiam factum ex ad, 6d, cum quadrato ad equatur eidem semissi ergo et equantur invicem. At ec et ed sunt dimidi diffe- rentiz partium ac, cb et partium ad, db, ergo facta a partibus cum quadratis dimidiarum differentiarum, sunt invicem zqualia, et ablato ab wzqualibus quadrato minoris differenti e ¢ erunt residua qualia, nimirum factum ex ac, c5 equale facto ex ad, d6 cum differentia quadratorum ec, ed, dimidiarum puta differentiarum, ut erat propo- situm. Jordanus in 20 primi ex hypothesi hujus propositionis infert aliam conclusionem, licet aliis verbis factum scilicet e partibus differentie minoris @ c,¢6 zquari et facto e partibus reliquis et facto ex diffe- rentiis alicujus unius partis prime divisionis et partium singularum divisionis relique ; ut sit factum ex ae, ¢b equale facto ex ad, db, et facto ex differentia inter ae, ad, et differentia inter ac, d 5, quod instar corollarii poni potest.
12
116 APPENDIX.
Lemma.
Si quelibet due quantitates bisecentur ineequaliter ; que fiunt ex quatuor producta e singulis partibus unius in singulas partes alte- rius, equantur producto quod fit a totis in se ductis.
Hujus lemmatis non est e longinquo accersenda demonstratio cum sit proposito idem cum primo secundi Euclidis quamvis gene- ralius enunciata, ad omnes species quantitatis comprehendas, et quasi reciproca ejusdem repetitio... ..ared.
II. The Autobiography of Sir Samuel Morland, in a letter addressed to Archbishop Tenison. From the original manuscript preserved in the library at Lambeth Palace.
[ MSS. Lambeth, 931, Orig. ]
Srr,—I am not ignorant of the various reports of the excessive prodigalities and other sins of my youthful daies, that have now for a long time been spread abroad by the credulous and censorious world ; especially since it has pleased Almighty God of late years, to visit mee with manifold crosses and afflictions which have kept al- most as exact time and measure as formerly did Job’s messengers. And farr be it from mee to act the pharise’s part, or plead my inno- cence, in any other terms, | :
However I have thought it necessary, (being sensible of my mortality, and knowing well that I address myself to a true Natha- niel, in whom there is no guile!) to make you my confessor, and to give you an abbreviat of the history of some part and passages of my life, being willing to carry the rest into the grave with mee, by reason of the circumstances of the age wee live in, there to bee buried in oblivion.
Having received my education in Winchester Colledg,I was re- moved to the University of Cambridg, where having spent nine or ten years, I was sollicited by some freinds to take upon mee the ministry, for which, fearing I was not fitly qualified, I betook myself to the study of the mathematicks. Soon after, an occasion present- ing itself, I accompanied an ambassador, (among several other gen- tlemen) sent by the protector to the queen of Sweden. At my re- turn, I was recommended to Secretary Thurlo for an assistant, and in a few months time after, sent by Cromwell as an envoy to the duke of Savoy in behalf of the protestants of the valleys of Pied- mont, And from thence to Geneva, as his resident, to manage the affayrs of those poor people together with other forraign ministers, as likewise to transmitt the moneys collected in England for their
APPENDIX. 117
releif, and to prepare minutes, and procure records, vouchers, and _ attestations, for the compiling of an exact history of the Waldenses.
That negociation being ended, and having exposed an account at my return of the whole transaction to a select committee of gentle- _ men who were appoynted by Cromwell to examine particulars and
make their report, as appears by their certificat marked (A)*, regis- tered in the council books, of which I have the original, I was ad- mitted into the most intimat affayrs of state; where I had frequent opportunities of taking a clear view of all proceedings from 41 to 56, and so forwards for severall years.
Amongst other intrigues, I was an ey and ear witnes of Dr. He- wet’s being inhumanely trepann’d to death (together with several other persons of quality) by Thurlo and his agents. For instance, one Dr. Corkor was sent by Thurlo to Dr. Hewet to advise him and desire him on the behalf of the royalists, to send to Bruxels for blank commissions from Charles 2nd. And when those commissioners were come, was ordered to desire to bee employed by him to di- sperse part of them into several counties and to keep the rest by him, which done he was seized on, together with those commissions, and condemned by a High Court of Justice, and at last cruelly executed.
I was likewise privy to a design which was carried on by Sir Richard Willis (whom Charles II. trusted with all his affayrs in England) from a year before Cromwell’s death to the rising of Sir George Booth (afterwards L. Delamar) for giving up the person of his majesty. At which time, the said Sir Richard Willis, by the appointment of Secretary Scott, and one person more (‘Thurlo being now out of employment) hired a great house called Weston Hanger, in Kent, moated about, and situated for the purpose, and then ad- vised and pressed Charles II. with all diligence to come for England, and reside in that house for the better encouragement of those who should rise in arms for his restauration.
To this proposition the king readily consented, and the day of his setting out from Bruxels (as I remember) was appoynted, and notice thereof being given to Scott by Sir R. Willis, there were several thousands of chosen men arm’d cap-a-pé, who had instructions to place themselves round about in woods and as privately as was pos- sible, and upon the watchword given that the king was enter’d into the said house, to rush in and murder him and all his followers in a hurry, so as it might never be known by whose hand he fell, which was thought by the contrivers a much better method than formally to bring him to a tryal before a High Court of Justice, as they had don his father.
Now the horror of this and such like designs to support an usurped government, and fearing to have the king’s blood layd another day in foro divino to my charge, (there being no person but myself, and the contrivers, and the cheif of those who were to act it, privy to it); and calling to remembrance Hushai’s behaviour towards
* This paper marked (A) and entitled “Certificate of the committee for Piemont concerning Mr. Morland’s negociations for the protestants of the valleys,” is pre- served in the same volume, and is apparently the only one now remaining.
118 APPENDIX.
Absolom, which I found not at all blamed in Holy Writt, (and yet his was a larger step than mine, I having never taken any kind of oath or made any formal promise that I ever remember to any of those governments); as likewise seriously reflecting upon those oaths of supremacy and allegiance which I had taken during the reign of Charles I. at Winchester Colledg, I took at last a firm re- solution to do my native prince, and the rightfull heir to the crown, all the service that should lay in my power. And here I cannot cmitt to observe,
1. That this juncture of time was the darkest moon of all that king's reign, atime when hee was in a manner abandoned by almost all his neighbouring princes and states, and miserably betrayed by many of his domestic servants, and some of those in whose hands were all his secrets and principal affayres. A time when he was in great distress for moneys, that being prest by Sir Richard Willis to send him fifty or sixty pound, as oft as hee sent him over new instructions, which was usually once a month (though at the same time hee had much greater sums conveyed to him by my hands in dark nights and obscure places such as the Vine Tavern in Holborn, hackney coaches, and the like!) His Majesty was frequently forced to pawn his plate or jewels, and as I remember, once to sell his coach horses to supply him. All which misfortunes Sir Richard Willis having enumerated and illustrated in a letter of his to mee about the same time to encourage the king’s enemies here, pin’d the basket, and closed his letter with this paragraph, verbatim, viz., And now I know not what power that little king has left him, unless it bee to command his followers to run madd as they please.
2. This was a time when I lived in greater plenty then ever I did since the king’s Restauration, having a house well furnish’t, a suffi- cient number of servants and attendants, a very good coach and horses in my stables, a revenue of above a thousand pound per annum to mainteyn it, and several hundreds of pounds of ready money by mee; and a beautiful young woman to my wife for a companion. Now the giving myself up to serve the king was not onely to hazard all this, but to live in dayly expectation of bemg taken out of my bed or house, and drag’d to the torments, and there had my flesh pull’d off my bones with red hot pincers; these were Thurloe’s own expressions how they had dealt with mee had they in the least suspected mee.
3. Had ambition been and titles of honor been what I aym’d at, whenever the king should be restored; so little appearance was there at that time of any such change, and such characters were then given of the king’s person, that to rely upon a promised honor,
would have seemed no other then building castles in the ayr, and a
hundred pound for the purchase of a Gartar would have been thought a desperate adventure.
4. Had gold been the god I then worship’t, I had fayr opportuni- ties, as its well known whilst I resided at Geneva, to have gone away with above twenty thousand pounds into some remote corner of the world, where the power then in being could never have
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APPENDIX. 119
reacht mee. Or I might have accepted at my return of a much greater sum to have timely discovered the whole design of Crom- well’s expedition into the Indies for the Spanish gold; all those eo and instruments being either in my view or in my cus- tody.
Whoever shall seriously consider the foregoing observations will hardly believe that any self ends, (though possibly they might, by the pravity of man’s nature, and the subtilty of the Divel, bee in- jected into the fancy) could possibly outwey the considerations of duty and conscience in such an undertaking as this of mine was, in the blackest and worst of times.
Having now resolved upon the end, the next thing was to con- trive the means of effecting it. And having made choice of one Ma- jor Henshaw, (whose life I had some time before saved, he bein ’ one of the forty men who had sworn neither to eat or drink till they
had killed Cromwell) I gott him to send a letter to Charles 2nd. by one of his confidents, to acquaint him that there was death in the pott, if ever hee entered within the doors of Weston Hanger. This letter happened to bee put into his hands, as hee had one of his boots already on, and was drawing on the other, to ride post towards the water side, in order to his coming over, as Sir Richard Willis had advised him, for the encouragement of his party. This letter putt a stop to his journey, but with much difficulty, the king being made almost believe, by the lord of Ormond and others, that this was onely a stratagem of the protector, to throw dirt upon his beloved favourite, and so to spoyl his best design.
However, the king sent mee an answer marked (B), whereupon I dispatch’t Major Henshaw himself, with a second letter, and ac- companied it with several long letters, all written with Sir Richard Willis his own hand, discovering from time to time all the king’s secrets, and whatever His Majesty had entrusted him with.
To this the king sent mee a second letter marked (C).
With one of these letters came a privat paper, as from the king (but in truth from the chancellor himself), ordering mee to send him in another privat paper an account of his chancellor Hyde, and what I knew of him, for hee was then accused of corresponding with Thurlo, and receiving moneys from Cromwell. I believing it came really from the king, sent such an account as it seems did not very well please his lordship. And Hinc ille lachrime! From that time hee became a mortal enemy.
» When I went over to Buda, upon the king’s Restauration, the chancellor charged mee not to ask any thing of the King, till he came into England, His Majesty being resolved to give mee more than in modesty I could petition for. But when I had wayted in England till all things of moment were given away, and at last de- sired to know what the king designed for mee, his answer was, zounds ! what the Divel would you have ?
Before the king’s coming over, by Major Henshaw’s and his confidents privat agreement, as I believe with the chancellor, my wife was made believe that there was a patent brought over and hid
120 APPENDIX.
under ground to give mee the Gartar, and make her a dutchess, as being descended from a noble family in Normandy, which was a truth, and they had so far possest her with this vain imagination, that shee, desiring mee to walk with her privatly into the garden of my countrey house, a little beyond Bow, she conjured mee upon her knees in the face of Heaven to promise and swear to grant her @ certain request, which was never to ask any thing of the king but let him do as hee pleased. And when I pleaded with her, and foretold her what really fell out afterwards, her answer was this— The misfortune fall upon mee and my children.
The king being restored, all his promises ended in a patent for a baronetcy and a gentleman’s place of the privy chamber, which was onely a place of great expence, and cost mee at the coronation 450 pounds in two days. And after I had, by the chancellor’s order as from the king delivered up the first letter into His Majesty’s own hand, where hee had promised mee the Gartar, &c., I had given mee a pension of 500 pounds per annum out of the post office. But be- ing forced to live at a great expence, and lay out great sums in taking out patents and riding at the coronation, &c., and so run myself in debt, there was one sent to mee to give mee an alarm, that the Duke of York would have the post office settled on him, and my pension would bee lost, and,I should do prudently to sell it, and there was a chapman for it, which was Sir Arthur Slingsby, who had it for a summ much beneath its value, and as I[ heard after- wards, hee bought it for the Lady Green, with the king’s money.
Now finding myself disappoynted of all preferment and of any real estate, I betook myself to the mathematicks, and experiments such as I found pleased the king’s fancy. And when I had spent 500/. or 1000/., gott sometimes one half, sometimes 2 thirds of what I had expended. Sometimes I had pensions, sometimes none. And care was taken by the ministers of state (under whom I was forced to truckle, wayting oft at their doors among the footmen) that one thing should bee spent before I gott another. One while I was made a commissioner of excise, paying part of it to one who had procured it. But in a few years being run in debt by chargeable experiments I was forced to part with it. At last, with much ado, I gott those pensions that I have of late years enjoyed, but they being very often stopt, I was at great loss and expence, borrowing money at 50 in the hundred and so anticipating my pension.
About two years before the king’s death, hee sent mee into France about that king’s water-works, and I borrowed near a thousand pound upon my pension (to repay the dowble to those who lent it) to prepare models and engines of all kinds for that expedition. But I was no sooner arrived there but the lord treasurer by his Majestyes permission stopt all my pensions for three years.
King James did indeed at my return (which was with the loss of above 1300 pistoles, as may appear by the French king’s answer to my last petition marked D) take oft the stop off my pension, and ordered the payment of the arrears, but permitted the lord treasurer Rochester to cutt off above 1300/. to pay the workmen for the en-
APPENDIX. 121
gin that serves Windsor Castle with water upon the account of some boons, and some reimbursments I had gott of King Charles in about a year and a half’s time before my going over into France. And one of the boons was 150/. which payd for the jewel hee gave mee for pleasing him with the engine, and in remembrance of old services, which jewel I was forced to pawn and part with at Paris to furnish myself with money to bring mee back to England.
As an addition to all these misfortunes, having charitably redeemed a certain woman (whose moralls I then knew not at all) from perish- ing in a prison, was inhumanely betrayed by her, under a pretence of gratitude, into a vain expectation of marrying an heiress of 20 thousand pound. And swallowing too greedily the gilded bait, it proved my utter ruin.
I know it is objected against mee, that I have been extravagant in expences with several wines. And I must confess, that was the only content I had in the world, all other things proving cross and full of trouble and bitterness. Besides that, I never frequented either tavern, or kept in pension women of pleasure. And what money ever came to my hands, excepting about 6 or 700/. per annum, in my family or relating therein, went amongst workmen of all sorts, for engins and chargeable experiments to please and divert His Ma- jesty; or else for secret service, which were often very considerable sums. Somewhat may bee judg’d by the paper (E). I am sure | have now hardly left ten shillings in the world.
After all I would fain retire and spend my life in a Christian so- litude, and heartily beg you to lend me your helping hand, to have my condition truly represented to His Majesty, whereby you will highly and for ever oblige
Your most affectionate, humble and faithfull servant, S. Mortanp,
May 3rd. 1689.
P.S. There is one thing that I omitted in the abbreviat of my own history, which is, that when I did engage to serve the late King Charles 2nd, and did reveal some conspiracy against his life, yet at the same time I plainly sent him word that it was upon con- dition, that I might never be call’d to bear witness against any of the conspirators, if upon his restauration, they should happen to bee ar- raigned at the barr of justice. And when Sir H. Vane was ordered to bee brought to his tryall, the Attorney-Generall did indeed send for mee, and did very much press mee in privat (and that in the King’s name) that I would appear as a witness against him, foras- much as His Majesty had been informed that I was privy to many transactions, where the said Sir Henry Vane was principally con- cerned, that would by the law of England bee adjudged high treason. But my answer to him was this, that I hoped His Majesty would remember his promise, that not a hair of their heads should ever be toucht upon any account. Besides that I would rather be prest to death than come in judgment against either him or any other, whose designs I had formerly discovered. And thereupon went home to
122 APPENDIX.
my house, and burnt a certain sheet of paper all written with Sir H. Vane’s own hand (which was a draught of a model of a new government with severe reflections on monarchy), as also several other papers, which would have been great evidence against him.
Extract from another letter of Sir Samuel Morland to Archbishop Tenison, dated July 20th, 1688.
...... In the interim I began to consider that perhaps I might do the public some kind of service, during this my retired life, by explayning ina new manner and method, the first six books of Euclid, and reducing them to common use and practice, and making all things plain and easy to the meanest capacity ; which is a thing that in my opinion would bee of excellent and singular use, as well for all publick schools as for all young students in the uni- versities; but as yet has not been performed to purpose by any author that I have seen whatever.
The following paper is taken from the same manuscript.
The proposalls Sir Samuel Morland gave unto Major Wildman for the King’s secret service were as followes.
1. To open any letter though written and seald up with all the care and nicety that is practicable; and having coppied out the contents, to seal the same up again, with as many as shall be desired ; provided he have the same paper, wax and ink, that the party that wrot and seald it shall be so far from discerning his letter to be opend or disfigured, that he shall not know his own letter from the other counterfeits.
2. To wash a written paper as white as before it was written.
3. To counterfeit all handwriting so dexterously, that, upon oc- casion of state, the king may send the coppies and keep the ori- ginalls of any letters, dispatches or other papers, till any designes be ripe for conviction.
4. To coppy any number of whole sheets of paper close written on both sides in as many minutes time, with this advantage, that it will be impossible for the coppies to be erronious (a).
Ill. A Magnetical Problem by Thomas Lydyat, from the Bodleian MS. No. 313. ~
First, —Considering the declination of the needle touched with the
(a) This document has been copied “ in a minute ” on the paper immediately following it, and can be distinctly read by holding it to the light. Next follows “An old writing pale, and almost worn out, copyed in a minute from both sides,” which is, however, rather indistinct.
» ‘ 4%
Rep betibec siar inert:
—
APPENDIX. 123
magnes or loadstone, from the plain of the horizon, for shewing of latitudes, I demand whether the loadstone, as it lyeth in its natural place and mine in the earth, hath not the two points of north and south directly respecting the north and south poles of the earth. If _ so, then, whether a straight steel wire, hung by the middles with a small thread in equal balance, and touched on either end with the north or south point of the stone, will not likewise directly respect the nurth and south pales. I say, touched hard with the very end of the wire : not as the usual manner is, drawn or pressed with the north or south end of the stone, along from the middle to the end of the ae which, as it may seem, makes the needle decline more than ue.
Secondly,—Considering thevariation of the magnetical needle from the plain of the meridian for shewing of longitudes, I demand whether the same magnes or loadstone, lying in his natural place and mine in the earth, hath not as those two principal points directly respect- ing the north and south poles of the earth, so also every other two opposite points of itself in the like natural force (although not in the same degree of force) respecting those points of the earth whereunto it hath like situation. So that, for example, to speak only of three other being the chiefest, a wire touched in manner aforesaid, with the vertical or opposite, that is to say, uppermost or nethermost point of the stone lying in or newly taken out of his mine, by his free motion, will, in the same horizon, turn that end directly up or down-right, and take wholly to itself the situation and place of so much of the axis of that horizon: and, moreover, there being a line drawn round about the stone, equidistant from his poles of north and south, a wire touched in that point thereof that in the stone’s natural situation re- specteth the east or west, will likewise turn itself and lie level in the plain of the same horizon directly east and west: and finally, a wire likewise touched at a quarter of the said circle’s distance, will duly assume to itself that situation and place where the plains of the meridian of the same horizon and equinoctial meet with and cross and cut each other. I say still, the same horizon : because loadstones of divers countries must consequently have and shew divers horizons and meridians with points correspondent; there being no natural horizon or meridian, or east and west, in the world, as there is wqui- noctial, and north and south.
This have I conceived in my mind many years since, upon com- paring of our countryman Norman his New Attractive, concerning the declination of the magnetical needle by himself first observed, and variation of the same, with Baptista Porta his book de miradili- bus magnetis ; but hitherto partly I have not had fit opportunity to make trial thereof, and partly I have neglected it, by reason I found it flatly contradicted by D. Gilbert in divers places of his books de magnete, and also by some of my learned friends; who, being asked by me, whether a needle touched in any other place of the loadstone besides the poles, would respect the poles in like manner as if it were touched in either pole, answered that it would in like manner, tho’ not in like force, but by so much the weaklier by
124 APPENDIX.
how much it was touched the farther from the poles; and that being touched in the circle drawn equidistant from the poles, answering the zquinoctial of the world, it would have no respect at all. All which notwithstanding, many times musing with myself and think- ing on-it, and finding as yet no other sufficient reason of the decli- nation and variation both, I suppose it possible and likely that the loadstone generally and totally both may have such a respective force in it, as I have said, lying in his natural mine or newly taken out of it; and also may retain the same, and impart it forcibly enough, a goodwhile after: if so be it be laid and kept still in the like situ- ation. But the cause why few loadstoues of many, do retain the same, [which made Severtius, in his first book Orbis Catoptrici, think there were divers kinds of them, some, whereof hereports himself and others to have made sufficient trial, having more points of respect (namely, east and west) than others, ] may be for that, for the most part with- out regard they are laid, or else by reason of their shape they fall and lie long in a diverse or contrary situation from that which was their natural ; now, that side upward which was downward, now that side eastward which was westward, now that side northward which was southward; whereby it comes to pass that within awhile, as they are much impaired in their two principal respective points of north and south, so they become, as it were, giddy and mopish, suai at length almost quite defective in the other.
Now, if this prove true, I dare avouch, that thereby is given a most certain and ready means of measuring the longitudes, or east and west distances; and withal a most easy way of sailing by a great circle, that is to say, the shortest cut, toward what position or situ- ation soever ; the vertical touch for the most part being fittest for this use, and an equinoctial for the other; whereas the polar touch can demonstrate only the latitudes, although them of all other the most firmly. But touching these corollaries there needs not any further discourse, until experimental proof be made of the former problem.
Th. L.
THE END.
Printed by Richard and John E. Taylor, Red Lion Court, Fleet Street.
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UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARY
Q Halliwell-Phillipps, James 127 Orchard G4HHA A collection of letters
illustrative of the progress of science in England
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