... Prognostication[EB] everlasting, 4to, <Lond.> 15<64>.
(A 4to) 'Tectonicon, briefly shewing the exact measuring and speedy reckoning all manner of land, squares, timber, stone, steeples, pillars, globes, etc., for declaring the perfect making and large use of the carpenter's ruler, containing a quadrant geometricall, comprehending also the rare use of the square, and in the end a little treatise opening the composition and appliancie of an instrument called The Profitable Staffe, with other things pleasant and necessarie, most condusible for surveyors, landmeaters, joyners, carpenters, and masons: published by Leonard Digges, gentleman, 1556.'
'L. D. to the Reader—Although many have put forth sufficient and certain rules to measure all manner of superficies, etc., yet in that the art of numbring hath been required, yea, chiefly those rules hid and as it were locked up in strange tongues, they doe profit or have furthered very little, for the most part, yea, nothing at all, the landmeater, carpenter, mason, wanting the aforesayd. For their sakes I am here provoked not to hide but to open the talent I have recieved, yea, to publish in this our tongue very shortly if God give life a volumne containing the flowers of the sciences mathematicall largely applied to our outward practise profitably pleasant to all manner men. Here mine advice shall be to those artificers, that will profit in this or any of my bookes ☞ now published, or that hereafter shall be, first confusedly to read them through, then with more judgement, read at the third reading wittily to practise. So, few things shall be unknowne. Note, oft diligent reading joyned with ingenious practise causeth profitable labour. Thus most hartely farewell, loving reader, to whom I wish myselfe present to further thy desire and practise in these.'
The method that carpenters etc. used before this booke was published was very erronious, as he declares.
[877]☞ See in the beginning of <Thomas> Digges' Stratio<ti>cos, and also towards the later end, concerning him and his father. I remember the sonne sayes there that he was muster-master to the States of Holland: and see more concerning his father (who was an esquire of Chilham Castle in Kent) in the preface to his Pantometria.—It is an ancient family in Kent. Vide his Ala seu scala Mathematices etc.
[878]A prognostication everlasting, once again published by Leonard Digges, gentleman, in the yeare of our Lord 1564;—
in 4to, dedicated to Sir Edward Fines, knight of the garter, lord Clinton and Saye, etc. His first impression was in 1553—'not onely your lordship's tasck move<d> of a prognostication seemed then to make that argument fittest, but also the manifest imperfections and manifold errors yearly committed did crave the ayd of some that were both willing and able to performe the truthe in like matters.'
Notes.
[DZ] In MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 73v, Aubrey gives in trick the coat:—'gules, on a cross argent five eagles displayed sable [Digges]'; on fol. 72v, 75v, he gives the same coat, with the motto
IN ARDUA VIRTUS;