HOnourable , and much honoured Gentlemen , I was of late at my comming up to London , for the performance of mine ordinary service in the house of my most Honourable Lord the Earle of Arundell and Surrey , and Earle Marshall of England , by many of my loving friends presented with a most idle and scandalous Pamphlet written against me by Richard Delamaine , who professeth himselfe a Teacher of the Mathematickes about the City : Wherein I am brought before you upon the Scaffold , and with all the petulancies of a vexed mind and distempered passion , insimulated and charged with , I know not what , injuries he pretendeth I should have done unto him ( your noble selves also by him ingaged therein , and incensed against me ) and at last , as if quite cast , I am schooled by him with a long Lecture or Common place against Slaunder and Detraction . I did much wonder at it , to see my selfe so basely and impudently abused by one whom I never had wronged , but had done very many courtesies for , giving him accesse to my chamber in Arundell House day by day , teaching and instructing him in that facultie he professeth : not onely satisfying his scruples in those things he partly knew : but even laying the very foundation of diverse parts , whereof hee was utterly ignorant . And I did not so much marvell to see him so bold with me a poore man , but dust and ashes ; as I was amazed to see him so fearefully ( yet without feare ) to play with Almighty God , hypocritically and against his owne conscience in things apparantly false , invoking and challenging his all-knowing testimony : and in the middest of his most unmannerly raylings , in his booke ; and his slaunderous back-biting and depraving me , by audacious intruding himselfe upon my most honourable favours with false complaints , utterly to overthrow and discredite me ; in a personated admonition against such uncharitable calumniations , to pronounce judgement against him selfe . But of these things we shall , God willing , see more in good time . I borrowed and perused that worthlesle Pamphlet , and in reading it ( I beshrew him for making me cast away so much of that little time is remayning to my declined yeares ) I met with such a patchery and confusion of disjoynted stuffe , that I was striken with a new wonder , that any man should be so simple , as to shame himselfe to the world with such a hotch-potch .

In the two first pages , ( for so he afterward calleth them ) are two Schemes of his Instrument . In the fourth page is his Epistle to the Kings Majestie . In the 5 , 6 , 7 , are verses to his great commendation . In the 8 to the end of 21 , he hath an Epistle opprobrious against me , most plainely still pointing me out , that he needeth not to name me : and therein most learnedly disputeth with me his jealous opposite and the supposed , and assumed author , and divulg●r , and what not , in sixe whole leaves , a question about the asses shadow , I should have sayd , whether the ring , or the Index at the center , bee the better ? that word BETTER cruelly wrings him . What , such a comparison of BETTER ? such a comparative aspersion of BETTER ? Too great , and too loose an aspersion : An unsavory report indeed : which savours of too high a conceipt of the one , and too great a detraction from the other : Endeavouring , what in him lyeth , to annihilate and beate downe the way , which I write upon , and to glory in the raysing up of his supposed owne : thereby not onely possessing men with an untruth , but making ME also ignorant in MY choyce , that I should leave unto the world the weakest and imperfectest part of the projection of the Logarithmes , and leave the best for another to write upon . I never thought , when I first writ upon this my invention or my name so to come to the worlds rumour : which may teach ME and others carefulnesse hereafter ( yea and fit it should ) how and what WE publish to the world : seeing there are such carpers and maligners , such busy-bodies , who marre what others make : such who have stings like Bees , and arrowes to shoote : sharp-witted Critickes , Diogenes like snarling , who while they will needes have many callings , neglect their owne . Good Sir be pacifyed : who troubleth your patience ? I , whom you make your adversary ( a better friend then you deserve ) never , I assure you , delivered that comparative attribution : I disclaime it utterly : I never made comparisons with you : you must seeke you some other antagonist . And now what is become of your angry question of BETTER ? it had been much better , and more for your honesty , to have held your peace .

But we will goe on in your Pamphlet . Next followeth a second Epistle to the Reader , Pag: 22 , 23 , Then the projecting and dividing the circles of the Ring , from pag: 24 , till the end of 43. Wherein you please your selfe much with a portentuous invention of your great Cylinder , for a study ( he that will be at the charge ( subaudi ) were a great foole ) of a yard diameter : which brave conceipt doth so elate , or rather esterate you , that in the very next leaf you must needs give me a lash : very wisely unveyling a great secret about the circle of equall parts . After this , twenty two whole leafes being already past , you beginne in pag: 1 , with your Pamphlet printed 1630 ; worthy indeed for the learnednesse of it to be enrolled in this disorderly band . And then in token of triumph , pag: 24 , you set up a banner of other encomiasticall verses .

Let me now see whither we are come : and we had need looke about us : for here is a vast hiatus , a huge Gulfe . And upon an instant from pag: 24 we are hurryed to pag: 53 : Where tenthly we have a third Epistle to the Reader , that promiseth him wonders in Astronomie , Horolography , in plaine triangles , applyed to dimensions , Navigation , Fortification , &c. marry this &c. was well put in : but it had done passing well two lines before . Yet you have provided well enough for all that : you have left a great lacuna , that what you have no skill in now , peradventure you may hereafter picke out of the labours of some other : and then challenge it as comming within your intentions : and thence supply your vacuum .

After all this he rambleth backe againe , by way of introduction : of the examination of the graduation of the circles of the ring : which may serve as an inducement and furtherance to the learner , to fit and acquaint him . What , are we no farther yet ? we have fairely rowled Sysiphus stone : but to make amends , we have a few scrambling uses in Astronomie , in Dyalling in plaine triangles , from pag: 56 to 67. And then the Flag of encomiastical verses , of p. 24 , is again gloriously displayed in pag: 68. Fy upon foolery ! Fy upon vaine-glory ! Fy upon such miserable penury of matter ! Now make roome : Here comes a new projection of circles enlarged , either by a moveable and fixed circle , or by a single projection with an Index at the peripheria , or center : for here is plenty and variety . A wondrous secret it is , that a man may divide either one circle , or else foure , or ten circles , or as many as one will , into 1000 equall parts . But here our Vnvayler hath a worse rub in his way . As spite would have it , this was first hit upon by one Thomas Browne a Ioyner : yet not one word of Browne : onely I am a beame in his eye . And herein lyeth a mystery of his skill : He holdeth it no mastery to joyne forces with a Ioyner : but by setting on a bold face , if with petulant insolencies hee shall dare mee ; hee thinketh the attempt will bee more glorious . Wherein I thanke him for putting a little difference in his estimation for matter of art betweene me and a Ioyner . And yet there is another matter in it too . Browne hath done it in a Serpentine line ; and he in just circles : the very names of circle and Serpentine ( though the things themselves are the same : the serpentine revolution being but two true semicircles described on severall centers ) may to the ignorant ( for such they are that Delamaine must perswade ) seeme to intimate things different in nature : and so make good his claime against Browne . This part he cuts off short in two leafes onely ; reserving all the rest , that ought to be spoken thereof ( which he will find harder then he conceiveth ) to his large intentions .

But now ( woe is me therfore ) my punishment is at hand . All the rest of this worthy Pamphlet , which is thirteene leafes ( except the last page onely , which is also an Epistle to the Reader , the very same promising one , which was before in pag: 22 , the former ) is a most vile , unmannerly , and barbarous invective against me : full of untruths , full of malice , full of scandall , full of hypocrisy . In pag: 73 I am argued of spreading unsavoury rumours : who ( God knowes ) have scarce so much as thought upon him , till this scandalous Pamphlet came to my hands : and of ignorance of his intentions ; whereas it partly hath , and shall better appeare , that I know his intentions well enough . Then followeth pag: 74 , a fourth Epistle to the Reader , short , but very quick : that the world hath bin abused , as well as himselfe , with a false rumour raysed by some rude & ignorant tongue : by their malicious phantasie : and that he ( good soule ) did not intend to take this course , but sought peace , and his right by a private and friendly way : but fayling of it , his good intentions scorned and slighted , maketh the ensuing discourse his plea.

Noble Gentlemen , excuse I pray you my most just indignation . While he was ridiculous and vaine in his opprobries , I dallyed with him : now this so deepe taxing me of want of charity , in refusing peace sought , and prosecuting contention and discord , contrary to my Christian duty , pierceth to the quicke : which only scandal-full calummation had it not been , I had scarce vouchsafed an answer to all the rest . Impudent and impure mouth , for ever be thou stopped , that delightest in slaunder , and with lyes cuttest like a sharpe razor ! When didst thou ever seeke peace of me , and I refused it ? when did I not but most mildly and modestly behave my selfe unto thee ? returning thee good words fo● ill : which my Christian humility thou hast , it seemeth in thy price interpreted abjectnesse , and growne thereby more importunate and unreasonable . What have I done ? what have I spoken at all , with which thou canst justly charge me of wrong ? how many wayes hast thou most intollerably provoked me ; by raylings to my face , and threatning thou wouldst overtop me , by letters into the countrey ; and all to urge me to impatient speeches , that thou mightest get occasion of a sute at law , as thy selfe acknowledgedst , to have a personall action at the Kings bench Barre against me ? When I was from London , thou madest enquiry after me and my comming up , in a distempered and threatning manner . When I came to London , thou soughtest me out , and openly in the audience of divers witnesses reviledst me about my book & instrument called The circles of proportion ( which yet I set not out , nor ever sought to make one penny benefit by ) while I onely stood silent and amazed to see thy audaciousnesse and desperate conscience : till at last extreamely provoked with thy braving reproaches I onely sayd , what strange impudence is this ? You know that I know what is in you , and that you have no skill in diverse arts , which in your table you professe : or if you have any , you may thanke me for it : and that you have and might have made better use and benefit of my friendship , then by these challenges you are ever like to get . And you answerd , then belike I haue all I shal have . And I said , unlesse you can better deserve it . Afterward when I was in the countrey above a quarter of a yeare together , in derision of my calling you sent some Porter dressed up like a wandring Minister , with a scandalous letter , full of injurious expostulations of wronging you in print , which I never did : of stealing your invention , which is as false : of traducing the dead : of intruding my selfe into your calling : and neglecting mine owne : and such like peaceable stuffe , which letter I would not keepe , lest by it I might hereafter be provoked against you : but closing it up againe , delivered it to the Porter , willing him to returne it backe into your hands , and bid you peruse it with a better mind . And when afterward I sent up to you a Canon of sines , tangents , and secants , which I had borrowed , you asked if I had not also sent some scornefull answer to your letter . After this ( dispairing to get any advantage out of my words ) you shamelessely exclaimed upon me to my Lord Marshall , and to my Lord of London , and to as many of the Nobility , Gentrie , and Clergie , as you thought I was known to ; that so by depriving me of my friends and hopes , you might procure my utter undoing . Is this your Christianity ? Is this a private and a friendly way ? is this to seeke peace ? are these your good intentions ? which because you had not your wicked purpose in , you hold as slighted and scorned : and God grant that they may be ever so slighted and scorned , that is frustrated of their divellish intentions and designes , as many as have evill will against the innocent . Thus have you seene in him ( honoured Gentlemen ) the lively character of a querulous , clamorous , injurious , ill natured man : that like an angry curre can together bite and whine : crying out upon wrong , when hee himselfe is the onely wrong-doer .

But reason is wee should heare his plea : in which hee still playeth his owne part , that is of scurrility , calumniation , out-facing , and hypocrisy . A pittifull case it was indeede that the world should spie out his vanity in assuming to himselfe the first discovery of the Horizontall projection and circles of proportion : It was a malevolous disposition of envious detractours : famousing some , and infaming others : which did not a little disturbe the quiet and peace , which formerly hee enjoyed : when in his greedy hopes hee had swallowed downe the golden baite of vaine-glory , and of a large fee out of every Instrument the workeman should sell . But also slacked his intentions : or else there had beene yet greater helpe for such as affect Mathematicall ( he would have said Manuall or Instrumentall ) practices : Not out of mercenary respect , nor interlaced ( O stay there : tell the very plaine truth : and say , Not without mercenary respect : interlaced ) with delusions & humbast stuff by way of illustration , if not confusion : Had he not bin prevented by some others , whose callings might have invited them to spend their houres better : and which have work enough at home : whose ambition to bee somebody hath incited him forward to deliver some supposed new stuffe , or scrambling pieces , if not confused fragments of his owne , or some others to a publicke view , in obscure and various phrases : a thing supposed to be forged of sundry heads , rather then one alone : seeing there is such roving from the text : onely so farre to be trusted , as is agreeable to the text and doctrinall methode : amongst whom to blow some smoke thereto , there was some grosse one , seeing the matter is so common ; for to a finer element perhaps his capacity could not assent , or ascend : Yet there was some honesty showne not to take the crop , but the gleanings , holding it easyer to follow a beaten path , then to hazard a discovery . A blind guide , and a Parats speech are not much different : the one walkes he knowes not whither , and the other speakes he knoweth not what : and such are all precepts in arts , which leade , and make men speake without demonstration : which doe not onely protract the studious , and frustrate the affectionate , but maketh an ingenious spirit ( who is ever more rationall then practicall ) to contemne such circumlocutions , and laugh in private , if not in publicke , at the learned stile of some Authours making themselves by their obscure kind of writing seemingly famous , sticke not to calumniate othe●s to make them infamous : It is an ancient Proverbe among us , Good wine needeth no bush : But the wine must not be fast lockt up then , that none can come by it , if so it wants both bush and key . Excellently scolded : even so I have sometimes at a publicke Conduit heard a Tankard-woman in her furious and rayling fit ; till she hath runne her selfe quite out of breath , and sense . But Richard Delamain , are you so mad upon the frustrated prey of your vain-glory and lucre , that neither the sacrednesse of my function , nor the reverence of mine age , nor my many good deserts , nor my innocencie of any ill demerite , nor your knowledge of som● skill I have in those sciences , can escape the derision of your sardonicall laughter , nor the wound of your virulent tongue ? You are not in this fell passion to be reasoned with . Onely I will soberly tell you that William Forster , whom you call a Parrat speaking he cannot tell what , is a farre more grounded Artist in all parts of the Mathematicks then is R. D : and better knoweth what belongeth to demonstration then R. D. doth : as may soone bee tryed And as for my Clavis Mathematica , at which you make your selfe so merry , though I doate not , as you doe , upon mine owne ( for I suppose you will not lay claime to that too ) yet I confesse I like it the better , because it pleaseth not your palate , to which nothing can savour , that is learned and Analyticall : but onely the superficiall scumme and froth of Instrumentall trickes and practices . It is you say hard and short : Did any man , I pray you , ever make a key , but of hard matter , and portable for the smallnesse ? and yet it openeth an entrance into the most magnificent structures . I see you , and such as you are , looked for an Epitome : you were deceived : It is the way of rationall Scientiallists , not of ground-creeping Methodicks . Hee that desireth therein any resolution , to him I have in the Epistle , for the honour of my most illustrious Lord , in whose service and family I penned it , most freely profered my selfe gentle and curteous . He that liketh it not , may let it alone . But to him that can rightly use that key , it will unlocke the hardest mysteries of those Sciences , and of the writers thereof ; as is not unknowne to many , who to their great contentment have beene and are versed therein .

My calling ministreth to R. D. a diverse and contrary matter , both of mirth and scandall . His mirth I willingly leave unto him , as not unbefitting the rest of his good manners : for hypocrisy and prophanenesse may well symbolize together . His scandall , being taken at the good gifts of God , cannot also but bee most unjust . For it is not without impiety to be affirmed , that any part of good literature is alien and abhorrent from the calling of a Divine : but that in all ages many of the most eminent in the sublimity of Theologie , have beene also conversant in the study of the Mathematicks ; most profitably making them to serve and ancillate to their highest contemplations : and they that have wanted such helpe , have heartily wished for it , and found in themselves the defect . And that in no other thing , after his sacred word , Almighty God ( who creating all things in number , weight , and measure , doth most exactly Geometrize ) hath left more expresse p●ints of his heavenly & infallible truth , then in these Sciences : in which onely the mind and understanding of a man can find secure rest and sure footing ; all other knowledges being involved with a thicke mist of ignorance and obscurity . Besides , that the exercise of these Arts accustomed to the certainty of demonstration , quickeneth the understanding , rousing it up from a lasie and drowsie indormition and servile assent to dialecticall and conjecturall probabilities and spurring it forward , and supplying it with meanes , unto the accurate investigation of true and undeceivable principles . Now tell me R. D. are these studies worthy of a Divine , or no ? Indeed to know no more thereof then you know , that is to play with Instruments as a child doth with babies , or a Juggler ( though the word trouble you ) with his trinkets , is unworthy of a Divine , yea of a rationall man : worthy onely of some rude and reasonlesse dulman .

But he upb●●ideth me for taking libertie enough to the lesse of time : and neglecting my calling . I must confesse this scandall cutteth deepe : and hath w●th the● , to whom I am not knowne , wrought me much prejudice and dis●dvant●ge in answering whereof I must crave your patience in all humble modesty , to make a briefe recitall of the course of my poore laborious and painfull life .

Next after E●ton schoole , I was bred up in Cambridge in Kings Colledge : of which society I was a member about eleven or twelve ye●res : wherein how I behaved my selfe , going hand in hand with the rest of my r●nke in the ordinary Academicall studies and exercises , and with what approbation , is well knowne and remembred by many : the time which over and above those usuall studies I employed upon the Mathematicall sciences , I redeemed night by night from my naturall sleep , defrauding my body , and inuring it to watching , cold , and labour , while most others tooke their rest . Neither did I therein seek only my private content , but the benefit of many : and by inciting , assisting , and instructing others , brought many into the love and study of those Arts , not only in our own , but in some other Colledges also : which some at this time ( men far better then my selfe in learning , degree , and preferment ) will most lovingly acknowledge . Ever since my departure from the Vniversity , which is about thirty yeares , I have lived neere to the Towne of Guildford in Surrey : where , whether I have taken so much liberty to the l●sse of time , and the neglect of my calling , the whole Countrey thereabout , both Gentry and others , to whom I am full well knowne , will quickely informe him ; my house being not past three and twenty miles from London : and yet I so hid my selfe at home , that I seldomly travelled so farre as London once in a yeare . Indeed the life and mind of man cannot endure without some interchangeablenesse of recreation , and pawses from the intensive actions of our severall callings : and every man is drawne with his owne delight . My recreations have been diversity of studies : and as oft as I was toyled with the labour of my owne profession , I have allayed that tediousnesse by walking in the pleasant and more then Elysian fields of the diverse and various parts of humane learning , and not of the Mathematics onely . In all which knowledges if I have attained to no more ripenesse and perfection , then to be reputed , and dared out by Richard Delamain with such contemptuous challenges , as a match scarce equall for him , it is surely a great meanenesse and defect of naturall gifts in mee ( wherein I have just cause to be , and indeed am , humbled ) and not altogether so much my losse of time .

About five yeares since , the Earle of Arundell my most honourable Lord in a time of his private retiring to his house in the countrey , then at West Horsley , foure small miles from me ( though since he hath a house in Aldebury the paris● where I live ) hearing of me ( by what meanes I know not ) was pleased to send for me : and afterward at London to appoint mee a Chamber in his owne house : where , at such times , and in such manner as it seemed him good to imploy me , and when I might not inconveniently be spared from my charge , I have been most ready to present my selfe in all humble and affectionate service : I hope also without the offence of God , the transgression of the good Lawes of this Land , neglect of my calling , or the deserved scandall of any good man . And R. D. too , ( if hee had so much grace or wit ) may taxe himselfe of malapert sawsinesse to call in question the priviledges and wills of Noblemen , the dispensations of the Lawes , and the consciences of others , by such uncharitable and scandalous censures . But hee and his like must be suffered to prescribe lawes for others , and not so much as keepe good manners themselves .

And although I am no mercenary man , nor make profession to teach any one in these arts for gaine and recompence , but as I serve at the Altar , so I live onely of the Altar : yet in those interims that I am at London in my Lords service , I have been still much freque●ted both by Natives and Strangers , for my resolution and instruction in many difficult poynts of Art ; and have most freely and lovingly imparted my selfe and my skill , such as I had , to their contentments , and much honourable acknowledgement of their obligation to my Lord for bringing mee to London , hath beene testifyed by many . Of which my liberallity and unwearyed readinesse to doe good to all , scarce any one can give more ample testimony then R D. himselfe can : would he be but pleased to allay the flame of this his hot and eager contention , blowne up onely with the full bellowes of intended glory and gaine ; and to speake the truth . Yea neither is hee so unkind : but some furtherance from mee in triviall matters hee doth and shall acknowledge freely . This were an honest profession if it were with gratitude , and for love of the truth , and not to assert a greater untruth : See his cunning : thus he argues : I had not in the Horizontall Instrument the least touch of furtherance from him or any man breathing , either by transcript or verball direction : for if I had , it may be presumed , I should as ingenuously have confessed it , as I doe freely acknowledge his furtherance in some other things . A fine piece of Sophistry that Aristotle never taught ; by confessing a truth to aver●e a lye . And marke how caut●lous and subterfugious ( though he jest at the words ) his acknowledgement is : other triviall matters . What doe you here acknowledge , when you reserve power to deny every particular thing ? Well , wee will take what you please to bestow . they were triviall matters . Such a learned Authour as you are , to be furthered in triviall matters ? If you need such furtherance in triviall , we shall suspect you in greater . Because you scorne to mention such triviall things , I will helpe you out with them : they were the first elements of Astronomie concerning the second motions of the fixed starres , and of the Sunne and Moone : they were the first elements of Conics , to delineate those sections : they were the first elements of Optics , Catoptrics , and Dioptrics : of all which you knew nothing at all . And diverse things also which you professe , whereof you knew very little . I recite not these things for exprobration : but that you may a little remember your selfe .

I have , I hope , even now cleared my calling , and claime that I may make to these arts of Mathematics , so far forth as I use them I may therefore with better manners aske you , how you obtayned that calling and profession : for you challenge both names to your selfe . What Vniversity , what degree , what court of faculties , what other lawfull way , conferred it upon you ? I beleeve you can answer me never a word : but will be horribly to seeke in your plea. Well , I will stand your friend once more , and helpe you out , and derive you a faire title to the inheritance of a vulgar Teacher . When you had learned to reade , you went to the Writing schoole : and can in deed if you list write a faire hand . Then you learned over your accidence : Afterwards , I heard you say , you went into France ( it may be to the Isle Iernsey ) where your name got the French garbe : but little or nothing of the tongue brought you home with you . Next you tooke the degree of a Iustices Clearke , or a Doctours of Physick , or both : to make Warrants or Mittimus , or it may be Recipe's , provided they were not in Latine , or in French . From thence you were advanced to keepe a Writing schoole in Drury lane : and so had opportunity to heare the Lectures at Gresham Colledge : and to have the benefit of conference with learned men . When you now thought you could cant in the Instrumentary idiome , you requested Iohn Thomson the maker of Mathematic Instruments in Hosier lane , to helpe you to some Schollers . And is not this a faire pretence to the Mathematics : which you doubt not to call Our noble profession , and our profession of so noble a Science ?

But lest I may seem to make good that crime of Detraction wherewith he doth charge me , by detracting from him both French and Latine , contrary to the fashion of his name , and the many shreds and thrummes of Latine he doth so artificially weave into the web of his Pamphlet , I will without any slander tell you a true story . Betweene foure and five yeares agoe , a young Dutch Gentleman whose name was Dunheft comming into this Land , so journed in a friends house of mine in London : and because the Gentleman addicted himselfe to the warres , hee was desirous to have the helpe of some learned Teacher of the Mathematics . My friend thinking Richard Delamain to be such an one , sent for him ; to whom the Gentleman spake ( I cannot say signifyed ) his desire in Latine : but our learned Professor stared him in the face as if he wondred , but answered him not : which the Gentleman perceiving spake in French : but that was more strange : the Gentleman therefore making use of such little English as he had gotten , asked him , cannot you speak Latine ? No. Can you not speake French ? No. How shall I then that understand not English learne of you ? And so our grand Master went away as wise as he came without his Scholler . which great misfortune of that poore young man to lose such learned fundamentall Mathematicall Doctrine may be a faire warning for all Gentlemen strangers to get them an English tongue in their heads , and that quickly : or else they are not like to have their sight holpen by this our great oculist and unvayler of the subject Richard Delamain . But here by the way some malevolous Detractor may spightfully collect , that if our Professors Latine , and French , and Greeke be but meere contrefaict , which yet he doth so ventilate for his glory : his Mathematics may well be suspected to be of the same stuffe .

God knowes how unwillingly and with how grieved a mind I write these things , or so much as put pen to paper against him : But most indignous and insufferable are the abuses offered by him to me , his scandalls , calumniations , bravings , and outfacings , and all mixed with more then Thrasonicall arrogancy , throughout his whole Pamphlet : which that hee may bee sure to scatter every where , he sendeth up and downe to his acquaintance by halfe dosens : and therewith all a letter , wherein he both requesteth to have them dispersed , and nameth to whom : and also bitterly inveigheth against me , and threatneth me . some of which letters have bin shewed to me : and it may be I shall prevaile to have them produced . Besides in his daily talke to every man he basely traduceth me , and gloryeth in reading unto them his Pamphlet , and his letter which he sent me into the Countrey , marveilously pleasing himselfe at the sport he maketh with his scoffes and jests , acting them with his hands and the gesture of his body , and saying here I come over him finely , here I give him a lash , here I scourge him , with other such like contemptuous speeches . And also sendeth to me sometimes threatning , sometimes scornefull messages : challenging , and even daring me to make him an answer . What should I , what can I doe in this case ? If I let him alone in all these his despightfull and in humane injuries ; all men may scorne me , and the very boyes in the street point at me ; and he ( as hitherto he hath done ) by my patience and meekenesse grow into a higher degree of pride and insolencie , and be more obfirmed . I speake unfeignedly , that in my heart I pitty him : and wish him not the least hurt : for he needeth it not : but this he needeth , to repent , and be humbled , that he may know himselfe , and his friends . I could have written much more , and more sharpely : but lesse then I have done , and with greater mildnesse ( considering the haynousnesse of his injuries , not only in print reviling and disgracing me publikely , but also by secret slanders and malicious clamourings labouring utterly to discredite and undoe me ) I could not write .

The Instruments I doe not value or weigh one single penny . If I had been ambitious of praise , or had thought them ( or better then they ) worthy , at which to have taken my rise , out of my secure and quiet obscuritie , to mount up into glory , and the knowledge of men : I could have done it many yeares before this pretender knew any thing at all in these faculties . And when at William Forsters request I was contented to give way that he might publish them , I had not the least thought to be seene or acknowleded by them : but only to gratify and doe some good to Elias Allen , whom he very spitefully , yet more foolishly ( contrary to the generall repute had of him in this and other lands ) termeth an unexpert Workeman . Now judge , I beseech you , had it not beene extreame simplenesse in me , to stand by , and hold the candle ; while a vaineglorious braggard , who had by mine , and Elias Allens meanes gotten the overture of those Instruments , should so perk up himselfe in stolne feathers , and audaciously out face me in mine owne : and make Elias Allen his farmer for my free gift , not to worke , but at his devotion , and for his profit ? Might not I then justly have beene laughed at , and stiled the Bawde and Pandar of the vaine-glory , and shamefull lucre of Delamain ?

But he pleadeth hard for them , you will say : and I have not yet answered his allegations . Neither indeed will I at all : there is in them no shew of argument ; but onely presumptions , braggings , bravings , outfacings , beggings of credit , scoffings at me , and reproachings . Will any Reader but an affectionate one ( and affectionate he had need to be and partiall ) be perswaded with such pittifull stuffe ? Honoured , and most worthy Gentlemen , I will lay downe those two Instruments , the Horizontall , and the circles of proportion at your feet : and onely in the plaine word of an honest Christian man , without any one braving lye , open to you the very truth of both , which I doubt not but you will acknowledge together with me : and when I have spoken , if you shall be pleased to adjudge , and bestow them upon him ; let him take them with all my heart , and make his best of them .