l e m e . l i b r a r y . u t o r o n t o . c a

s t c 3 4 3 2

v e r . 1 . 0  ( 2 0 1 9 )



A briefe note, taken out of M. Dees
Mathematical Preface that goeth before Euclides Ele­
mentes nowe extant in our Inglish tongue, as touching what
the Mathematical Sciences are, that is to say, all those Artes 
that order number, measure, or wayght, and tyme, without
the which, in respect, we can doo nothing. For what can bee
doone in any respect, but we must vse number, which is Arith­
meticke? or what can be doone, but we must vse measure or
wayght, which is Geometrie? or what can there be doone, but
that we must vse tyme, which dooth appertayne vnto Astro­
nomie? for by number we knowe howe many or fewe there are:
and by measure we knowe whether it be ynches, feete, yardes,
scores, myles, leagues, poundes, ounces, galloes, quartes, or
tunnes: and by tyme, we knowe whether it be minutes, howres,
dayes, weekes, monethes, yeeres, &c. Whereof two are prynci­
pal, Arithmeticke and Geometrie, wherof al these compoun­
ded sciences are spong of these two Simples.




Thinges done by hand Geometricall.

1 Mecometrie.  Is the measuring of the length
any thing whatsoeuer.

2 Embadometrie.  Is the measuring the con­
tentes of all flat things, as Land, Boorde,
Glasse.

3 Stereometrie.  Is the measuring of all solid bo­
dies, as Timber, Stone, Kaske, & such lyke.



Thinges measured that haue di­
staunce from you.

4 Apomecometrie.  Is how farre any thing is
from you, whether it be on lande or on water.

5 Hipomettie.  Is how high or deepe any thing
seene, is from the leuell, whether it bee on




Lande or water. &.
Not in OED.

6 Platometrie.  How broade any thing is. &c.

7 Geodesie.  Is the suruaying or measuring of
landes, woods, or water, hauing distaunce
from you by instrument or otherwise.

8 Geographie.  Is the description of Countries,
or Kingdomes.

9 Cherographie or Typographie.  Is the descrip­
tion of a part of a Country or kingdome. &c.
No OED entry for "cherography"; antedates earliest OED entry for "typography" (1641)

10 Hydrographie.  Is the discription of the Seas,
with the Ilandes and rockes, and dangers
and lynes, and Courses. &c.

11 Stratarithmetrie.  Is the view or measuring of
a battel of men, to know the number of them
not comming neare them. &c.

12 Perspectiue.  Demonstrateth the manner and
propertie of all radiations directe, broken, 
and reflected.

13 Astronomie.  Is the mouing of the lightes and
Planets. &c.

14 Musike.  Teacheth the diuersyty of sounds. &c.

15 Cosmographie.  Is the description of the whole
earth, and the Paralell of the heauens an­
swering thereunto. &c.

16 Astrologie.  Is to geue iudgment by the signes,
lights and planets. &c.

17 Statick.  Is an art that doth order and deale
with heuines and lightnesse. &c.
Antedates earliest OED citation (1646)

18 Anthropographie.  Is of thinges appertay­
nyng to the body of man, to shew them. &c.

19 Trochilike.   Doth appertaine vnto the turning
of wheels, this art is necessary for Clockma­




kers, & Crane makers, and Mylles, & al o­
ther sciences, that doo deale with wheeles.

20 Helicosophie.  Is an art to drawe hylical or
Spheral or winding lines, and is very ne­
cessary for Skrewe makers, & diuers other
things.

21 Pneumatithmie.  This art is necessary for all
them that doo make Pumpes or great
Bellows, for that it teacheth al those thinges
that goe by wynde and water. &c.
Not in OED

22 Menadrie.  Is an art, that teacheth the making
of al ingenes, as things to pull to, or thrust
fro, or lyfting vp, or pressing downe. &c.

23 Hypogeiodie.  Is that arte that dooth apper­
tayne vnto myners in the grounde. &c.
Not in OED

24 Hydrogogie.  Is that art to bring water vnto
any place assigned. &c.

25 Horometrie, or Horologiographie.  Is the ma­
king of Dyals of al sortes. &c.

26 Zographie.  Is the art of a cunning Painter. &c.

27 Althalmasat.  The art of Grauing.
Not in OED

28 Archetectur.  Is a cunning Mason or Car­
penter. &c.

29 Nauigation.  Is sayling on the Sea. &c.

30 Thaurunaturaike.  Is that which dooth make
strange workes, as those that made the bra­
sen head seeme to speake, the brasen Serpent
to hisse, the Doue of wood to flye, the Eagle
made by art to flye. &c.
Not in OED

31 Archemastrie.  This art teacheth to bryng 
to actual experience sensible, al worthy con­
clusions, by al the artes Mathematical. &c.



FINIS.








To the Reader of the fyrst booke.




Pricke " lexeme=" lyne " lexeme=" Plat " lexeme=" Superficial " lexeme=" Angles " lexeme=" sholded bodie " lexeme=" Circle " lexeme=" Centre " lexeme=" Circumference " lexeme=" Diametre
FOr that it is sufficiently decla­
red in diuers bookes nowe ex­
tant in our Englishe tongue,
wherefore I doo thinke it su­
perfluous for to shewe what a
Pricke is, or what a lyne is, or
what a Plat or Superficial is, or
what Angles be, and what a
sholded bodie is, as it is suffici­
ently declared in all these bookes: as in Euclides Ele­
mentes, and in M. Thomas Dygges booke called Pan­
tometay, and also in M. Leonarde Dygges booke cal­
led Tectonicon. &c. A Circle is that whiche is dra­
wen rounde with a payre of Compasses, a Centre is 
the myddle pricke, Circumference is the compasse,
Diameter is the breadth of a Circle. &c. 
A Circle.
A Centre.
A Circumfe­
rence.
A Diametre.



A Foote.
A Yarde.
A pase Geome­
trical.
A simple stop or
 yarde.
A pase is two
steppes.
foote " lexeme=" yarde " lexeme=" pase Geometricall " lexeme=" pase " lexeme=" steppe " lexeme="  score " lexeme=" myle " lexeme=" Rod of lande measure " lexeme=" Rod of woode measure " lexeme=" fadome
And furthermore, for that in this first part there is
the conclusions of the Scall, and the Crosse staffe, she­
wyng by them howe for to knowe the distance vnto
any place assigned: Therefore it is very necessarie
for to knowe the partes of measure, as it is not vnkno­
wen vnto all men, what a foote is, and that. 12. yn­
ches maketh a foote, so. 3. foote is a yarde, and. 5.
foote is a pase Geometricall: but some persons haue
been of that opinion, that. 3. foote is a pase, which is
a yarde, but it is but a simple steppe, and fewe men are
able to endure to pase a yarde any long tyme togea­
ther: but any person may endure to steppe two foote
and a halfe, all a day long togeather. Therefore a pase
Geometrical, is two reasonable steppes, and that is fiue
foote: and so any man may endure all a day together,




and twelue pases maketh a score, and that is twentye
yardes, and that maketh. 60. foote: and a myle con&
teyneth. 1000. Geometrical pases, and that is. 5000.
foote, and that maketh 1666. yardes. 2/3. and that is. 2.
foote, and that conteyneth 83. score. 1/3. and that is. 20.
foote. &c. and a Rod is. 16. foote and a halfe, of lande
measure, and. 18. foote is a Rod of woode measure,
according to our Englishe account: and. 303. Rodde
and 1/33. that is halfe a foote, is a myle of lande mea­
sure, and. 277. Rodde, and. 7/9. that is. 14. foote of
woode measure, is a myle, and a fadome is. 6. foote,
and that is. 2. yardes: and. 10. fadome is a score and
a myle conteyneth. 833. fadome, and. 1/3 part, that is 
2. foote. &c. 
12. pases is a
score, that is,
20. yardes.
A myle is a 
1000. pases,
that is. 5000.
foote, or. 1666.
yardes, and 3.
A Rod is. 16.
foote. 2. of land
measure, and
18.foote is a 
Rod of woode
measure.
6.foote is a fa­
dome, and.833
fadome is a 
myle.


And thus muche haue I saide as touching our En­
glishe account, as concernyng the measuryng of the
length, or the distances vnto any place assigned. &c.