A copie of the speache: made by the mathematicall lecturer unto the worshipfull companye present. At the house of the worshipfull M. Thomas Smith, dwelling in Gracious Street: the 4. of Nouember, 1588. T. Hood.

Auspicante Deo , 4. Nouembris 1588.

I Knowe not Right woorshipfull , and Gentlemen of singuler expectation , whether this present exercise which now we haue in hand doth breed in me a greter cause of ioy , or feare . When I consider with my selfe the malicious mind of ill disposed men , who thinke no boate well rowed wherin they want an oare , I cannot be but toucht with feare . Againe , when as I call to minde the great commoditie that wil henceforth arise vnto our Realm in that this day there is a platforme laied for the better increace of the Mathematicall science , a science neuer worthely to be commended , then doo I begin to be somewhat glad , yea openly to confesse what secretly I doo : I triumph in deed and leape for ioy . But when I see the burthen of the thing to lye in my necke , and my selfe to sit in so enuied a place , then dooth my former feare returne , and euery ioynt well nigh begin to shake . Againe when sitting in this seate although enuied , I cast mine eye about to euerye corner of this Roome , and sée as yet none other here , but either such as doo desire to learne , and therfore cannot but wishe me well , whome they haue chosen their instructor , or such as are already learned , and therefore néedes must loue the thing whose woorthines they knowe , and also the professors of the same , I féele my ioy renued a freshe . The which my ioye , Right woorshipfull that it maye continue still , till you your selues héere present , shall minister occasion otherwise ( which your yéeres , discretion , constancie , and wisdome perswade me you will neuer doo ) I humbly request such fauourable attention and good will to the ende of my spéeche , as you haue giuen the beginning . The which because I will not haue it ouer long , I will set my selfe certain limmets and bounds which I will not passe , deuiding it into 2. seuerall parts . The one shall concearne the occasion of this exercise begun , the other the commoditie of the same : of these in as short a manner as I maye . It is no secret Right woorshipfull to any of you all , for we haue séene them on our coaste , and heard the thunder of their shot , in how cruell manner the proud disdaynfull insolent Spaniard of late daies hath threatned our Cuntrie , Quéene and Citie , with fire and swoord , and whatsoeuer outragious torment else their villanous mind could woorse inuent . The Citizens of London duetifull to their Prince , to their Cuntrie louing , and careful of the Citie : made ready presently for their defence a band of men , in number not great , yet for the time sufficient , til farther danger called for a fresh supplie . The men thus leuied required Captaines , for what is the bodie without an heade , or the Schollers without a Maister , or souldiers wanting such as might instruct them in feates of warre ? The Citizens , cheefly those , who both for their wisdom , and experience were best able to iudge , and for their fatherly care they haue most prouident to foresée what kinde of gouernement is best for this Citie , those Citizens I say did think it good to choose out Captaines among themselues , to whom they might commit this military care . Yet least they should presume too much vpon their owne deuise , or rashly seem to contemne the warlike pollicie of other men , they acquaint her Maiestie with the thing . Her Maiestie as she is alwaies glad to gratifie her subiects in their honest petitions , so in this she shewed her selfe willing to satisfie their mindes , being induced thereto by the graue aduise of her honourable Councell . Heervpon , these and diuers other woorshipfull Gentlemen , were chosen Captains , their Souldiers were trained , and trained in such sorte as fewe indéede or none were better , so the euent ensuing did declare . For this we sée , Right woorshipfull , that enuie neuer followeth the worser sorte . Summa petit liuor saith the Poet , Perflantquae altissima venti , and what néedeth disgrace where the thing is bad ? Our Captaines were soughte to be disgraced , I néede saye no more , iudge you your selues now what men they were , seeinge enuies blast dooth alwaies beate the highest hilles . But be it so to auoide contention , & because comparisons are alwaies odious , our Captains themselues are willing to deny their deserte . They acknowledge that , which their ill willers obiect , they haue not encamped in open feelde , nor besieged townes , nor raised sconses , nor battered walles , nor burnte and spoyled Cities as they haue doone , for why ? neither their yéeres , nor calling , nor trade of life hath so required : Yet haue they vertuous and valiant mindes , they loue their Cuntrie , they honor their Prince , they care for this Citie , and they haue knowledge not to be contemned , till tract of time affoordeth experience . Now that these their vertues may increace , and also their learning be enlarged , and they more fit for experience to come , it pleased them ( diuers graue , wise and pollitick men , giuing encouragement therunto ) for their priuate instruction to erecte a lecture for the mathematicall science , a knowledge most conuenient for militarie men . But héer some men perhappes will say , what néedeth this cost ? what ? those famous Captaines of ours now in the low Cuntries , or those of ancient time before , whose notable prowese is left in writing , were they trained up in this kind of learning which you haue named , and highlye commende ? In trueth Right woorshipfull it is hard to auouch this of all them that are and haue beene intitled with this warlike name , yet am I not ignorant what to answere . I acknowledge , and confesse , that there haue beene many of noble vertue and excellent mindes , who without learning by their deuine & heauenlye nature alone haue shewed themselues worthy & valiant men yea also I condescend to this , the oftentimes nature without learning , is more auailable to vertue and renowne , then learning without nature , yet notwithstanding this I must needs affirm , that when to a notable and excellent inclination of nature there is ioyned the deuise and helpe which learning breedeth , then springeth vp that singuler and peerelesse man , whome you and I may better in minde concieue , then vtter in woords . Suche was Scipio Affrycanus the Romaine Captaine , a mortall God , suche was Cato that valiant and learned olde man , and many more , who questionlesse if they coulde haue receiued no helpe by learning , either in attaining to vertue , or enlarging their name : they woulde neuer haue followed the studie thereof . Thus haue you bréeflye heard the cause why this lecture was ordained and for whome , with the answere made to an obiection concerning the same . It followeth now Right woorshipfull and curteous auditors , to displaye the commodities of our profession namely of Astronomy , Arithmeticke , and Geometrie : conteined vnder the title of the mathematicall artes , which thing I presently would enter into , were it not that I had a few woordes to vtter concerning my self , for it may be peraduenture that some of you doo wonder with your selues considering your vniuersities abound and swarm with learned doctors , why I especially by degree but a Maister of arte , should occupie this place , who neither for yéeres , nor learning , nor experience , séeme any waye comparable vnto them . What then ? am I bolder then they all ? no forsooth . What am I more officious then the rest ? no neither , I am not so desirous of that praise , that I woulde withdrawe it from other men . But thus it is : other men though indéede better learned then I and of higher degrée , yet séeing the enuie of the place , and not being called therunto : withold themselues . I not like to be so much enuied , as being inferiour in degrée : haue ventured on the thing , moreouer those parties haue requested it at my handes who both for acquaintance and great good will , and woorshipfull countenance might haue commaunded a greater thing , whose pleasure for so much as I would not withstand it , nor neglect their request , nor refuse their good turne , I haue submitted my neck to the burthen . Which though it séeme too heauy for me to beare , yet shall you not see me shrinke thereat , whilste you your selues are willing to learne , which so long you ought to be willing to doo , vntill it repente you of the profit .

This proffit the better to vnderstand what it will be , I will now hasten to the last parte of my speache , requesting héerin also your attentiue eare , although I thinke it a néedlesse request , in that you haue so fauourably heard me hetherto . Wherin Right woorshipfull I will labour to be bréefe , I saye I will labour to be bréefe , for that I knowe the woorthinesse of these artes to be such , that it is an harder matter to finde an ende in commending the same , then a beginning to their praise . For what soeuer seuerall commendations there are in other things in this profession : they all concurre and méete togeather . If either antiquitie of any arte may magnifie the same , or the professors therof bring credit therto , or the wonderfull effects and strange deuises extoll the thing , or the subiect matter set foorthe the praise , then shall the mathematicks surpasse them all : they were inuented before all other , imbrased by Kinges and wisest men , strange in deuises and effects , and for the subiect matter they haue the world . Their antiquitie is fet from our creation .

Nam cum prona spectent animalia caetera terram Os homini sublime dedit , caelumque videre Iussit , et erectos ad sidera tolle re vultus .

To this intent were our eyes , and bodies framed as you see , that not looking groueling on the ground as sencelesse beastes , but lifting vp our face to heauen we might beholde , and in beholding learne the wonderfull misteries contained therein . For Right Woorshipfull : there is more required of vs men concerning heauen , them the only view of the outward frame : the beastes themselues can view the thing , they can beholde it as well as wee , but wee must treade the footsteppes of Adam and Seth his Sonne , whose study was continuall in these thinges , yea they had suche a care therof , that knowing the proffit exceeding greate and foreséeing both the flood to come , and also the consuming of the worlde by fier , they left the secrets of their artes engrauen curiously in two Pillers , one of Bricke , the other of brasse , that if the world were burnt the brick might last , if it were drowned , the brasse might continue the perpetuall memorye of that which they knew . It is too long to runne through all those men , whose affection was singuler to these kinde of studies

Abraham is renowned for his knowledge therein , and Iacob also , whose staffe we vse . The Egiptians learning these artes of Abraham , founde afterwarde suche singularitie therein , that it was a decree for euer with them , that none should gouerne among them as King , that had no insight in this learning , whose Lawe the Persians also followed . From Egipt : it flowed ouer Affricke like Nilus floud , and after went ouer sea into Greece , from Greece it was translated to Rome , from Rome to Germany , Fraunce , and Spaine , and now at length after many yéeres England dooth lend it a listening eare , and as I hope will yéelde it also a louing hart . At Rome Iulius Caesar made the Calender which we vse , in Greece Plato by that arte did stay the plague in doubling the aulter of Apollo . In Affricke King Atlas did so toyle therin . that the Poets laid the heauen in his necke , and made him as a piller to holde it vp . Archimedes plaied the Deuill therby in the Romain host , and kepte them all at such a baye , that they durst not come neere Syracusa , neither by Land nor yet by Sea , Dionysius the King he sent for Plato to be his Maister in this science , and made bonfiers for ioy of his comming , Alfonsus King of Aragon spent a mighty summe of money héerin , and maketh vs beholding to him still and shall be for euer . Ptolomiè tooke such paines heerein , that the whole worlde enioyes his trauell . If then Right woorshipfull , the studentes in this science were such famous men , imagine the excellency of the studie , which also they commended vnto vs by singuler works . I meane not your Cathedrall Churches , or place of Exchange , or other statelye buildinges whatsoeuer , whose stillest stone is the sounding Trumpet of this profession , but they left behinde them manifolde other rare deuises , to sight wonderfull , incredible to the eare , yet to eare and sight excéeding pleasant . Suppose , for what cannot the minde deuise ? suppose I say , that ouer your heade there flewe a Doue , not suche a feathered fowle as commonly we kéep , but a Doue of wood , such a one as Archytas made . Put case you saw héer Vulcanes treuets , which made of Iron could fight alone : and set them selues in battell raye , retiring and marching orderly . What if you saw Daedalus in the ayre ? or Archimedes Sphere turning alone ? would you not wonder at these things ? Yes no doubt , and wondring , thirst after the knowledge of that arte , which daylye affoordes such strange conceites .

These be no fables that I tell , our present age affirmeth them true . Who hath not heard of the brazen Cocke in Strasborowe towne , as I remember , which croweth alowd 3. times a day : wherin the heauenlye Orbes doo moue alone ? Who hath not séene our Clock in Paules , or such small péeces of woorke as this ? which being but small in regarde of the rest , bring great commendations to these artes . Héere againe me thinke , I heare one say , indéed these toyes delight mens eyes , but I desire to sée some vse , or some commoditie fit for a common weale : this question Right woorshipfull , I could answere with an other , altogether as foolishe as it . What profit hath the Diamond on your finger , for which you gaue an hundred pound ? you can not answer me at a blush , except you aleadge your pleasure alone . But I will not crosse this obiection thus , I will answere directly therunto , although the pleasure might suffise , as being a studye plesant in youth , delightfull to age , beautifull in prosperitie , reléeuing our aduersitie , and yéelding vs comfort , it pleasureth at home , it hindreth not abroad , it watcheth with vs , and trauelleth with vs vp and downe , and dooth vs seruice euery where . The minde is able Right woorshipfull , to conceiue that which the bodily eye cannot sée , the eye can beholde more then the tung can expresse , yet deuise with your minde , and cast your sight about , and trye if you can either spye with your eye , or thinke in your minde what thing is frée from the vse of these artes . Look vp if you please to the heauen aboue , or turne your eye downe to earth beneath , or round about to the wandering Sea , thinke on your warres , and traffique abroad , or other your priuate affaires at home , your busines at home , your wares abroad , your traffique beyond sea , the earth beneath you , the Sea about you , the heauen aboue you is fully fraught with the praise héerof . In heauen Astronomye dooth raigne as Queene , commaunding all the secrets thereof , and laying them open to our eyes . Yet Astronomye is but a parte of this science , whose proffit notwithstanding is wonderfull greate . What can be compared to the knowledge of God , which is the butte and end of our creation ? next to the ordenary meanes of our instruction , I meane his woord , the arte of astronomye dooth cheefely bréede the knowledge of him . First in considering the number of the heauens , which being 10. are so cunningly wrought and knit togeather , that the hand of man is not able to counterfeite the woorste of them all , without some blemish , either swelling outward , or dented in , their rowndnesse is such , so precize , so perfect , so correspondent to it selfe . If then the fashion be so strange , and broedeth this proffit , what maye we conceiue of the wonderfull course , which rolling about without any reste , is an higher steppe to the foresaide knowledge . Of these 10. Spheres or Orbes , there are not two whose naturall course precizelye bendeth one manner of way . Some runne from East to West , and others againe from West to East , an other in trembling manner from North to South , reuersed backe from South to North. The Nethermost 7. from west to East in such a sundrie and manifolde course , that neither the one is like the other , nor in many yéeres scarse like themselues , yet all so certaine in their race , that neither the time dooth bréed an error , nor yet their number a confusion . Which constancie of course being wel known to Dionysius Areopagita an heathen man , it made him crye out when our Sauiour Christe was nailed to the Crosse , ( though he him selfe were then in Egipt ) that then , either the God of nature did suffer , or the frame of this worlde did breake a sunder : because against the order and time of naturall course , he sawe the Moone eclipse the Sunne . Séeing then Astronomye leadeth vs to the knowledge of God , that were proffit enough if it had no more : but this commoditie is not alone , for as this is the welfare of the soule : so dooth it woork our bodies good : as phisick can witnes sufficiently , which taking care of this our bodye , can warrant vs nothing without this arte . For if it dooth not deligently obserue the face of heauen in ministring potions or opening vaines , it maye serue vs as Paris did Achilles at Troy , whose pricke in the héele did pearse his hart . What shall I say of Nauigation the chéefest piller of your gaine ? how much dooth Astronomy helpe therin ? whose launching foorth and haling in , and restlesse course both too and fro is surelye guided by this heauenly arte , though Sea dooth roare , and windes doo rage , and heauen and earth should méete together . As for the tilling of the ground or whatsoeuer else the Cuntrie dooth , it is as much for it to want this Arte , as Vulcanes forge to lack his fier , or Apelles shop his cullours and oyle : I would not haue you measure eche thing by the price , for commonlye schollers are not couetous men . There is among you a little booke , the Almanacke I mean vsually bought for a peny or two , if it were wanting but a time , I gesse it would be woorth a pound . Right woorshipfull I wil vse your patience a little longer , because I sée you giue such attentiue eare : You haue heard what great commodity Astronomy yeeldeth , being but a parte of the Mathematicall science , there are other two as good as it , harken also what profit they bring , Arithmeticke namely teaching the art of number , and Geometrie the knowledge of measuring wel . Beleeue me , for why I speake the thing I knowe , being daylye conuersant in those parts , and hauing conference with many men , there is no calling whatsoeuer that can want the aide of one of these . Perhaps you will except Astronomie , because the heauen séemeth very high beyond the reach of rule and compasse . Our Globes and Spheres and celestiall draughts , which héere we haue , will witnes the falsehood of that exception , wherein eche seuerall starre is so truelye prickt that they misse not an haire of their naturall place . Then if Geometrie reache so high that it can iustly measure the Cope of heauen : no doubt on earth it performeth most excellent thinges . Let Geographie witnesse in vniuersall Mappes , let Topographie witnesse in seuerall Cardes , let Hydrographie witnesse in the Mariners plat , you your selues may witnesse in Martiall affaires , let the Gunner witnesse in planting his shot , witnesse the Surveior in measuring land , witnesse all those , that labor in mines , and those that practise conueying of water , whose skill being tolde vs , we would scarsely beleeue it , were it not lying at our doores . The Lawyer thinketh him selfe cunning enough to handle his case , and therfore would laugh , if he should héere , that he standeth in néed of our profession , yet haue I knowne his sentence reclaimed by one of my coate . Diuinitie containeth matter of saluation , and nothing is superfluous in the woord of God , yet can it not be expounded without these artes , else let them describe the feaste of Easter , or iustefie the historye of the three wise men . If you your selues were not Merchant men , I would tel you what proffit you reape héerby , but your dayly experince saueth me that labour . The Scholler in reading of his Poet must haue this helpe , or els perhaps he may quickly be posed . The Historiographer must not want these artes , nor he that readeth the historie penned , or else their labour and light maye be lost . 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 It was the sentence Right woorshipfull auditors of Plato the wise set ouer his Schoole , wherby he forbad them the entrance in , that were not capable of this learning , for as it is pretely , so it is truely saide by one Vt ignis aurum , ita Mathemataeca ingenium , The Mathematickes are vnto the wit , as fire is to the golde , and he that in some measure is not capable therof , is fitter for a stie , then for a studie . Perswade your selues Captains of excellent hope , for now I turne my spéeche to you , for whose commoditie this thing is intended , perswade your selues I saye , that there is some notable thing in this kinde of studie , that is not common to other artes , els could it not breed such exceeding ioy in the louers therof , as we see it dooth . Thales the Philosopher offred vp an Oxe for ioy , and Plato an hundred hauing found out certaine Geometricall conclusions . Archimedes sifting out the Goldesmithes deceipte in making of King Hiero his Crown , could not contain him self for ioy , but ran as he was stark naked through the stréet Aristippus suffering shipwracke on the coast of Rhodes found described in the sande Geometricall figures , wherin he took such singuler comforte , that forgetting his losse , and cause of sorrow : he cryed out thus vnto his fellowes , be of good cheere my mates quoth he , for loe I sée the footesteppes of men . If then noble Captaines and louing Schollers , ( for now I am bolde to vse that name ) If the commodities of our profession be so great as nothing more , if the pleasure be without comparison , if these be the footsteppes of men wherin you must treade , whose very sight may counteruaile your sorrow , if you haue a care of your honorable name , if you thinke it a fowle disgrace for want of knowledge to be circumuented , as Haniball was by Fabivs Maximus , or as Cyrus the King by Tomiris the Quéene : If it be the hazarde of your life and name in skaling a forte to bring a Ladder too shorte by the halfe , as King Phillip did , wherby he cast away all his men : if you loathe to haue your inferiour Souldiers triumph ouer you for want of arte , as Palamedes did ouer Agamemnon the King , begin better séen in marshalling his men : to be shorte , If you thinke it a blessed thing , to compasse the worlde , and returne again enriched with golde , or if you tender your credit in any respect which ought to be more deer then gold , now haue an especiall care vnto the same . Let not the thing begun to your honor be intermitted to your disgrace , so many woorshipfull men bearing witnesse therof , but buckle your selues to purchase knowledge , that by your endeuour out of this place , as out of the Gréekish Horse at Troy , many woorthy , wise , and learned Captaines may procéede . Your cost is small , your paines as little , for all the labour shall be mine , your profit greate : your comfort more , there wantes but will , which if you bring , vpon my credit , God going before whom I beséeche to blesse our studies , you shall not thinke your time 〈…〉 but be beholding as to this Gentlem●● 〈…〉 place , so vnto me for taking paines .

Dixi.