A METHOD USED IN ENGLAND IN THE 

 FIFTEENTH CENTURY FOR TAKING 

 THE ALTITUDE OF A STEEPLE OR 

 INACCESSIBLE OBJECT. 6 



MS. LANSD. MUS. BRIT. 762. Fol. 23. b. 



Here foloweth a rule howe a maim stondyng in 

 a playne by a steple or such another thynge of 

 height by lokyng vponn it shall knowe the 

 certentie of the height thereof. First, let a mann 

 consider by his estimacioun howe farre he stond- 

 eth from it be it xx, xxx, or xl fadam, And 

 thereaboute as he demeth the certentie let hym 

 stonde and there pitche a staffe the vpper poynte 

 thereof to be juste with his yie, he stondyng upp 

 righte therby. And thann let hym leye hym 



5 It is scarcely necessary to observe that this method of pro- 

 ceeding could only have been practised by the more ignorant 

 classes : the English mathematicians of that period were skilful 

 in the application of the quadrant, and all other then known 

 scientific instruments, as may be seen from their numerous 

 works which still remain in manuscript in the various public 

 and private collections of Great Britain. Fuller quaintly 

 remarks, " I never did spring such a covye of mathematicians 

 all at once, as I met with at this time." — History of the Worthies 

 of England. Edit. 1811. Vol. II. p. 4 1 3. 



