fight against myne owne shadowe. For, no man (I am sure) will open his mouth against this Enterprise. No mã (I say) who either hath Charitie toward his brother (and would be glad of his furtherance in vertuous knowledge): or that hath any care & zeale for the bettering of the Cõmon state of this Realme. Neither any, that make accompt, what the wiser sort of men (Sage and Stayed) do thinke of them. To none (therefore) will I make any Apologie, for a vertuous acte doing: and for cõmending, or setting forth, Profitable Artes to English men, in the English toung. “But, vnto God our Creator, let vs all be thankefull: for that, As he, of his Goodnes, by his Powre, and in his wisedome, hath Created all thynges, in Number, Waight, and Measure: So, to vs, of hys great Mercy, he hath reuealed Meanes, whereby, to atteyne the sufficient and necessary knowledge of the foresayd hys three principall Instrumentes: Which Meanes, I haue abundantly proued vnto you, to be the Sciences and Artes Mathematicall.”
And though I haue ben pinched with straightnes of tyme: that, no way, I could so pen downe the matter (in my Mynde) as I determined: hopyng of conuenient laysure: Yet. if vertuous zeale, and honest Intent prouoke and bryng you to the readyng and examinyng of this Compendious treatise, I do not doute, but, as the veritie therof (accordyng to our purpose) will be euident vnto you: So the pith and force therof, will persuade you: and the wonderfull frute therof, highly pleasure you. And that you may the easier perceiue, and better remember, the principall pointes, whereof my Preface treateth, The Ground platt of this Præface in a Table. I will giue you the Groundplatt of my whole discourse, in a Table annexed: from the first to the last, somewhat Methodically contriued.
If Hast, hath caused my poore pen, any where, to stumble: You will, (I am
sure) in part of recompence, (for my earnest and sincere good will to pleasure
you), Consider the rockish huge mountaines, and the perilous
vnbeaten wayes, which (both night and day, for the while) it
hath toyled and labored through, to bryng you this good
Newes, and Comfortable profe, of Vertues frute.
So, I Commit you vnto Gods Mercyfull direction, for the rest: hartely
besechyng hym, to prosper your Studyes, and honest Intentes:
to his Glory, & the Commodity of our Countrey. Amen.
Written at my poore House
At Mortlake.
Anno. 1570. February. 9.
J. DEE