The grounde of artes teaching the perfect vvorke and practise of arithmetike, both in whole nu[m]bers and fractions, after a more easie ane exact sort, than hitherto hath bene set forth. Made by M. Robert Recorde, D. in Physick, and afterwards augmented by M. Iohn Dee. And now lately diligently corrected, [and] beautified with some new rules and necessarie additions: and further endowed with a thirde part, of rules of practize, abridged into a briefer methode than hitherto hath bene published: with diverse such necessary rules, as are incident to the trade of merchandize. Whereunto are also added diuers tables [and] instructions ... By Iohn Mellis of Southwark, scholemaster.

TO THE LOVING Reader. The Preface of Maister Ro: RECORD.

SORE oftetimes haue I la∣mented with my selfe the infortunate cōdition of En∣gland, seeing so many great Clerks to arise in sundrie o∣ther partes of the world, and so few to appeare in this our nation: whereas for preg∣nancie of naturall witte (I thinke) few nations doe ex∣cell English men: But I cannot impute the cause to any other thing than to the contēpt or misseregard of lear∣ning. For as Englishmen are inferior to no men in mo∣ther witte, so they passe all men in vaine pleasures, to which they may attaine with great paine or labour: and are as slacke to any, neuer so great commoditie, if there hang of it any paineful studie or trauelsome labour.

Howbeit, yet all men are not of that sort, though the most part be, the more pitie it is: but of them that are so glad, not onlie with paineful studie and studious paine to attaine learning, but also with as great studie & paine to communicate their learning to others, and make all England, if it might be, partakers of the same, the moste part are suche, that vnneth they can support their owne

necessarie charges, so that they are not able to beare any charges in doing of that good, that else they desire to do.

But a greater cause of lamentation is this: that when learned men haue taken paines to do things for the aide of the vnlearned, scarce they shall be allowed for their wel doing, but derided and scorned, and so vtterlye dis∣couraged to take in hand any like enterprice againe. So that if any be founde (as there are some) that do fauour learning and learned wittes, and can bee content to fur∣ther knowledge, yea only with their word, such persons, though they bee rare, yet shall they encourage learned men to enterprise some things, at the least, that Englād may reioice of. And I haue good hope that England wil (after she hath taken some sure taste of learning) not only bring forth more fauorers of it, but also such lear∣ned men, that she shall bee able to compare with anie realme in the world. But in the meane season, where so few regarders of learning are, how greatly they are to be esteemed that doe fauour and further it, my penne wyll not suffice at ful to declare.

Therefore, gentle reader, where as I doe vppon moste iust occasion iudge, yea and know assuredlie, that there be some men in this realme, which both loue, and also much desire to further good learning, and yet am not well able to write their condigne praise for the same, I thinke it better with silence to ouerpasse it, then eyther to say too little of it, or to prouoke againste them the malice of suche other, which do nothing themselues that is praise worthie, and therfore can not abide to heare the praise of any other mans good deede.

And considering their greate fauour vnto learning, though I my selfe be not worthie to be reckoned in the number of great learned men, yet am I bolde to put my selfe in preace with such abilitie, as God hath lent mee

thoughe not with so greate cunning as manye men, yet with as great affection as any man, to help my country∣men, and wil not cease dayly, (as much as my small abi∣litie wil suffer me) to endite some such thing, that shall be to the instruction, though not of learned men. yet at the least of the vulgare sort, whose argument alwayes shall be such, that it shall delight al learned wits, though they do not learne any great things out of it.

But to speake of this present Booke of Arithmetick, I dare not nor wil not set it foorth with any words, but remit it to the iudgement of all gentle readers, & name∣lie such as loue good learning, beseeching them so to e∣steeme it, as it doth seeme worthie. And so either to ac∣cept the thing for it selfe, either at the leaste to allowe my good endeauour. But I perceiue I neede not vse anye persuasions vnto them, whose gentle nature and fauou∣rable minde is readie to receiue thankefullye, and inter∣preate to the best, of al suche enterprices attempted for lo good an ende, though the thing do not alwayes satis∣fie mens expectation.

This considered, did bolden me to publish abroade this little Booke of the Arte of numbring, which if you shal receiue fauourablie, you shal encourage me to gra∣tifie you hereafter with some greater thing.

And as I iudge some menne of so louing a minde to their natiue countrey that they woulde much reioyce to see it to prosper in good learning and wittie Artes, so I hope well of all the rest of Englishmen, that they wyl not be vnmindeful of his due praise, by whose meanes they are helped and furthered in anye thing. Neither ought to esteeme this thing of so little value, as manye men of little discretion oftentimes do: For who so set∣teth small price by the wittie deuise and knowlege of numbring, he little considereth it to be the chiefe point (in manner) wherby men differ from all bruite beastes:

for as in al other things, (almost) beastes are partakers with vs, so in numbring we differ cleane from them, and in manner peculiarlie, fith that in manie things they ex∣cel vs againe.

The Fox in craftie witte exceedeth most men, A dogge in smelling hath no man his peere, To foresight of weather if you looke then, Many beastes excel man, this is cleere. The wittinesse of Elephants doth letters attaine, But what cunning doth there in the Beeremaine? The Emmet foreseeing the hardenesse of winter, Prouideth vitailer in the time of Sommer. The Nightingale, the Lines, the Thrush, the Larke, In Musical harmonie passe manie a Clarke. The Hedgehog of Astronomie seemeth to knowe And stoppeth his caue, where the wind doth blowe The Spider in weauing such are doth show, No man can him mende, nor follow I trow. When a house wil fall, the Mice right quicke, Flee thence before, can man do the like?

Many things else of the wittinesse of beasts & byrdes might I heere saye, saue that another time I entende to write wherein they excel in manner all men, as it is day∣lie seene: but in number was there neuer beast found so cunning, that coulde know or discerne one thing from manye, as by daylie experience you may well consider, when a Bitch hath manie whelpes, or a Hen many Chic∣kens: and likewise of other whatsoeuer they be, take frō them al their yong, sauing onlie one, and you shall per∣ceiue plainly, that they misse none, though they wil re∣sist you in taking them away, and wil seeke them again if they may know where they bee, but else they wil ne∣uer misse hem truelye, but take awaie that one that is

left, and then wil they crie and complaine: and restore to them that one, then are they pleased againe: so that of nūber this may I iustlie say, It is the only thing (almost) that separateth man from beastes. He therefore that shal contemne number, he declareth himselfe as brutish as a beast, and vnworthy to be counted in felowship of men. But I trust there is no man so foule ouerseene, thoughe manie right smallie do it regarde.

Therefore wil I now stay to write against suche, and returne againe to this booke, whiche I haue written in the forme of a Dialogue, bicause I iudge that to bee the easiest way of instruction, when the Scholer may aske e∣uerie doubt orderlie, and the maister may answer to his question plainelie.

Howbeit I thinke not the contrary, but as it is easier to blame an other mans worke than to make the lyke, so there wil be some that wil finde fault, bicause I write in a Dialogue: but as I coniecture, those shal be suche, as doe not, cannot, either will not perceiue the reason of right teaching and therefore are vnmeete to be aunswe∣red vnto, for such men with no reason wil be satisfied.

And if any man obiect that other bookes haue bene written of Arithmetike alreadie so sufficientlie, that I needed not now to put pen to the booke, except I will condemn other mens writings: to them I aunswer. That as I condemne no mans diligence, so I know that no one mā can satisfie euerie man, and therefore like as manye do esteme greatly other Bookes, so I doubt not but some wil like this my Booke aboue any other English Arith∣metike hitherto wrtiten, and namely such as shall lacke instructers, for whose sake I haue so plainely set foorthe the examples, as no Booke (that I haue seene) hath done hitherto: whyche thing shall bee greate ease to the rude readers.

Therefore gentle reader, though this booke can bee

small aide to the learned sorte, yet vnto the simple ig∣norant (which needeth most help) it may be a good fur∣therance and meane vnto knowledge. And though vnto the King his Maiestie priuatelye I doe it dedicate, yet I doubt not (suche is his clemencie) but that hee can bee content, yea and much desirous, that all his louing sub∣iects shal take the vse of it, and employ the same to their most profit: Which thing if I perceiue that they thanke∣fullie do, and receiue with as good will as it was written, then wil I shortly with no lesse kindnesse set forth suche introductions in to Geometry and Cosmography, as I haue at other times promised, and as hitherto in English hath not bene enterprised, wherwith I dare say al honest heartes wil be pleased, and all studious wittes greatlye delighted.

I wil say no more▪ but let euerie man iudge as he shal see cause. And thus for this time I will staye my penne, committing you all to that true fountaine of per∣fect number, which wrought the whole world by number and measure: he is Trinitie in Vnitie, and Vnitie in Trinitie: To whom be all praise, ho∣nor and glorie. AMEN.