NOw end I, with Archemastrie. Which name, is not so new, as this Arte is rare. For an other Arte, vnder this, a degree (for skill and power) hath bene indued with this English name before. And yet, this, may serue for our purpose, sufficiently, at this present. This Arte, teacheth to bryng to actuall experience sensible, all worthy conclusions by all the Artes Mathematicall purposed, & by true Naturall Philosophie concluded: & both addeth to them a farder scope, in the termes of the same Artes, & also by hys propre Method, and in peculier termes, procedeth, with helpe of the foresayd Artes, to the performance of complet Experiẽces, which of no particular Art, are hable (Formally) to be challenged. If you remember, how we considered Architecture, in respect of all common handworkes: some light may you haue, therby, to vnderstand the Souerainty and propertie of this Science. Science I may call it, rather, then an Arte: for the excellency and Mastershyp it hath, ouer so many, and so mighty Artes and
Sciences. And bycause it procedeth by Experiences, and searcheth forth the causes of Conclusions, by Experiences: and also putteth the Conclusions them selues, in Experience, it is named of some, Scientia Experimentalis. The Experimentall Science. Nicolaus Cusanus termeth it so, in hys Experimentes Statikall, And an other Philosopher, R. B. of this land Natiue (the floure of whose worthy fame, can neuer dye nor wither) did write therof largely, at the request of Clement the sixt. The Arte carrieth with it, a wonderfull Credit: By reason, it certefieth, sensibly, fully, and completely to the vtmost power of Nature, and Arte. This Arte, certifieth by Experience complete and absolute: and other Artes, with their Argumentes, and Demonstrations, persuade: and in wordes, proue very well their Conclusions.* But wordes, and Argumentes, are no sensible certifying: nor the full and finall frute of Sciences practisable. And though some Artes, haue in them, Experiences, yet they are not complete, and brought to the vttermost, they may be stretched vnto, and applyed sensibly. As for example: the Naturall Philosopher disputeth and maketh goodly shew of reason: And the Astronomer, and the Opticall Mechanicien, put some thynges in Experience: but neither, all, that they may: nor yet sufficiently, and to the vtmost, those, which they do, There, then, the Archemaster steppeth in, and leadeth forth on, the Experiences, by order of his doctrine Experimentall, to the chief and finall power of Naturall and Mathematicall Artes. Of two or three men, in whom, this Description of Archemastry was Experimentally, verified, I haue read and hard: and good record, is of their such perfection. So that, this Art, is no fantasticall Imagination: as some Sophister, might, Cum suis Insolubilibus, make a florish: and dassell your Imagination: and dash your honest desire and Courage, from beleuing these thinges, so vnheard of, so meruaylous, & of such Importance. Well: as you will. I haue forewarned you. I haue done the part of a frende: I haue discharged my Duety toward God: for my small Talent, at hys most mercyfull handes receiued. To this Science, doth the Science Alnirangiat, great Seruice. Muse nothyng of this name. I chaunge not the name, so vsed, and in Print published by other: beyng a name, propre to the Science. Vnder this, commeth Ars Sintrillia, by Artephius, briefly written. But the chief Science, of the Archemaster, (in this world) as yet knowen, is an other (as it were) OPTICAL Science: wherof, the name shall be told (God willyng) when I shall haue some, (more iust) occasion, therof, to Discourse.
Here, I must end, thus abruptly (Gentle frende, and vnfayned louer of honest and necessary verities.) For, they, who haue (for your sake, and vertues cause) requested me, (an old forworne Mathematicien) to take pen in hand: (through the confidence they reposed in my long experience: and tryed sincerity) for the declaryng and reportyng somewhat, of the frute and commodity, by the Artes Mathematicall, to be atteyned vnto: euen they, Sore agaynst their willes, are forced, for sundry causes, to satisfie the workemans request, in endyng forthwith: He, so feareth this, so new an attempt, & so costly: And in matter so slenderly (hetherto) among the common Sorte of Studentes, considered or estemed.
And where I was willed, somewhat to alledge, why, in our vulgare Speche, this part of the Principall Science of Geometrie, called Euclides Geometricall Elementes, is published, to your handlyng: being vnlatined people, and not Vniuersitie Scholers: Verily, I thinke it nedelesse.
1. For, the Honour, and Estimation of the Vniuersities, and Graduates, is, hereby, nothing diminished. Seing, from, and by their Nurse Children, you receaue all this Benefite: how great soeuer it be.
2. Neither are their Studies, hereby, any whit hindred. No more, then the Italian Vniuersities, as Academia Bononiensis, Ferrariensis, Florentina, Mediolanensis, Patauina, Papiensis, Perusina, Pisana, Romana, Senensis, or any one of them, finde them selues, any deale, disgraced, or their Studies any thing hindred, by Frater Lucas de Burgo, or by Nicolaus Tartalea, who in vulgar Italian language, haue published, not onely Euclides Geometrie, but of Archimedes somewhat: and in Arithmetike and Practicall Geometrie, very large volumes, all in their vulgar speche. Nor in Germany haue the famous Vniuersities, any thing bene discontent with Albertus Durerus, his Geometricall Institutions in Dutch: or with Gulielmus Xylander, his learned translation of the first sixe bookes of Euclide, out of the Greke into the high Dutch. Nor with Gualterus H. Riffius, his Geometricall Volume: very diligently translated into the high Dutch tounge, and published. Nor yet the Vniuersities of Spaine, or Portugall, thinke their reputation to be decayed: or suppose any their Studies to be hindred by the Excellent P. Nonnius, his Mathematicall workes, in vulgare speche by him put forth. Haue you not, likewise, in the French tounge, the whole Mathematicall Quadriuie? and yet neither Paris, Orleance, or any of the other Vniuersities of Fraunce, at any time, with the Translaters, or Publishers offended: or any mans Studie thereby hindred?
3. And surely, the Common and Vulgar Scholer (much more, the Gramarian) before his comming to the Vniuersitie, shall (or may) be, now (according to Plato his Counsell) sufficiently instructed in Arithmetike and Geometrie, for the better and easier learning of all maner of Philosophie, Academicall, or Peripateticall. And by that meanes, goe more cherefully, more skilfully, and spedily forwarde, in his Studies, there to be learned. And, so, in lesse time, profite more, then (otherwise) he should, or could do.
4. Also many good and pregnant Englishe wittes, of young Gentlemen, and of other, who neuer intend to meddle with the profound search and Studie of Philosophie (in the Vniuersities to be learned) may neuerthelesse, now, with more ease and libertie, haue good occasion, vertuously to occupie the sharpnesse of their wittes: where, els (perchance) otherwise, they would in fond exercises, spend (or rather leese) their time: neither seruing God: nor furdering the Weale, common or priuate.
5. And great Comfort, with good hope, may the Vniuersities haue, by reason of this Englishe Geometrie, and Mathematicall Præface, that they (hereafter) shall be the more regarded, esteemed, and resorted vnto. For, when it shall be knowen and reported, that of the Mathematicall Sciences onely, such great Commodities are ensuing (as I haue specified): and that in dede, some of you vnlatined Studentes, can be good witnesse, of such rare fruite by you enioyed (thereby): as either, before this, was not heard of: or els, not so fully credited: “Well, may all men coniecture, that farre greater ayde, and better furniture, to winne to the Perfection of all Philosophie, Vniuersities. may in the Vniuersities be had: being the Storehouses & Threasory of all Sciences, and all Artes, necessary for the best, and most noble State of Common Wealthes.”
6. Besides this, how many a Common Artificer, is there, in these Realmes of England and Ireland, that dealeth with Numbers, Rule, & Cumpasse: Who, with their owne Skill and experience, already had, will be hable (by these good helpes and informations) to finde out, and deuise, new workes, straunge Engines, and Instrumentes: for sundry purposes in the Common Wealth? or for priuate pleasure? and for the better maintayning of their owne estate? I will not (therefore)