r.]

* * * * *
* * * *
* * * * *

THE ELEMENTS
OF GEOMETRIE

of the most auncient
Philosopher
_EVCLIDE_
of Megara.

_Faithfully (now first) translated
into the Englishe toung, by
_H. Billingsley_, Citizen of London_.

_Whereunto are annexed certaine
Scholies, Annotations, and Inuentions,
of the best Mathematiciens,
both of time past, and
in this our age._

_With a very fruitfull Praeface made by _M. I. Dee_,
specifying the chiefe Mathematicall Sciences, what they are,
and wherunto commodious: where, also, are disclosed
certaine new Secrets Mathematicall and Mechanicall,
vntill these our daies, greatly missed._

Imprinted at London by _Iohn Daye_.

[leaf] The Translator to the Reader.

_There is (gentle Reader) nothing (the word of God onely set
apart) which so much beautifieth and adorneth the soule and
minde of man, as doth the knowledge of good artes and sciences:
as the knowledge of naturall and morall Philosophie. The one
setteth before our eyes, the creatures of God, both in the
heauens aboue, and in the earth beneath: in which as in a
glasse, we beholde the exceding maiestie and wisedome of God,
in adorning and beautifying them as we see: in geuing vnto them
such wonderfull and manifolde proprieties, and naturall
workinges, and that so diuersly and in such varietie: farther in
maintaining and conseruing them continually, whereby to praise
and adore him, as by S. Paule we are taught. The other teacheth
vs rules and preceptes of vertue, how, in common life amongest
men, we ought to walke vprightly: what dueties pertaine to our
selues, what pertaine to the gouernment or good order both of an
housholde, and also of a citie or common wealth. The reading
likewise of histories, conduceth not a litle, to the adorning of
the soule & minde of man, a studie of all men commended: by it
are seene and knowen the artes and doinges of infinite wise men
gone before vs. In histories are contained infinite examples of
heroicall vertues to be of vs followed, and horrible examples of
vices to be of vs eschewed. Many other artes also there are
which beautifie the minde of man: but of all other none do more
garnishe & beautifie it, then those artes which are called
Mathematicall. Unto the knowledge of which no man can attaine,
without the perfecte knowledge and instruction