32 



A GRIC UL TURAL WRITERS. 



SYR RICHARDE BENESE. 



1500 — 1546. 



SURVEVLN'G as it is known to-day may be defined as the art of 

 determining the boundaries or superficial contents of land and buildings 

 by a form of practical mathematics. In olden times the office of a 

 surveyor extended much beyond this, his occupation being similar to that 

 now called in England an agent, and in Scotland a factor. He was, 

 indeed, the medium between the landlord and tenant. 



From the earliest times Biblical references are made to the 

 measurement of land, whilst surveying was adopted in Egypt by King 

 Ptolemy. It is on record that when the river Nilus (Nile) overflowed its 

 banks the marks and bounds of all grounds were washed away, where- 

 upon they decided to plot out every man's land, so that when the waters 

 receded each could find his own plot. It was absolutely necessary in 

 the days of the great Roman Empire that surveyors should be scholars, 

 have a thorough knowledge of the Latin tongue, and a good memory, 

 and in this connection Pliny reporteth of Mithridates that having under 

 his government twenty-two kingdoms or nations, he could speak all their 

 languages, and understand any tongue without an interpreter. It is also 

 stated that some references are found in the records of the Tower of 

 London even before the Conquest, and since this period the book called 

 " Doomsday " lying in the Exchequer will confirm sufficiently ihat 

 surveying is no new invention. Besides, the same art has been in sum 

 and substance established by an important statute drawn up in the 

 fourth year of the reign of King Edward I., entitled Extenta Manerii, 

 wherein is contained many and divers chapters and articles the which, 

 at that time, was but instructions how and what they should do that 

 were commissioners or surveyors. 



What appears to be the next book published on the subject of laying 

 out and measuring land is that compiled by Richard Benese, a canon of 

 the Augustian Priory of Merton (which he surrendered to Henry VIII. in 

 1538), or, to quote the old-time description, " Canon of Martin Abbey, 

 neere Meecham, Surrey," the first edition of which appeared in the year 

 1537, ^'^^ entitled according to the illustration on page 31. 



A lengthy preface is by one Thomas Paynell, also a " Chanon of 

 Marton," who, after quoting manv of the sayings of the Roman writers, 

 adds : 



Considering then this liberal science called geometrye to be in every ihing much 

 convenient for the use and common profit of all men, a friend and lover of mine, Syr 

 Richarde Benese, not willing- to hide the treasure ... he hath compiled this 

 ingenious and profitable book for the common profit and use of every man. He hath 

 furthermore to express these intricate and hard points of geometry by figures rules and 

 such open examples that every man " plyinge his mynde " thereunto may without any 

 greate labour attaine unto the perfect knowledge thereof. 



