JEROME CARDAN 87 



if you will make them known to me but that I will 

 promise and pledge my faith of a true Christian to set 

 them down for my own use in cypher, so that after my 

 death no one may be able to understand them. If you 

 will believe this promise, believe it ; if you will not, let 

 us have done with the matter." " If I were not disposed 

 to believe such oaths as these you now swear," said 

 Tartaglia, " I might as well be set down as a man with- 

 out any faith at all. I have determined to go forthwith 

 to Vigevano to visit the Signer Marchese, as I have now 

 been here for three days and am weary of the delay, 

 but I promise when I return that I will show you all 

 the rules." Cardan replied : " As you are bent on going 

 to Vigevano, I will give you a letter of introduction to 

 the Marchese, so that he may know who you are ; 

 but I would that, before you start, you show me the rule 

 as you have promised." " I am willing to do this," said 

 Tartaglia, " but I must tell you that, in order to be able 

 to recall at any time my system of working, I have ex- 

 pressed it in rhyme ; because, without this precaution, 

 I must often have forgotten it. I care naught that my 

 rhymes are clumsy, it has been enough for me that they 

 have served to remind me of my rules. These I will 

 write down with my own hand, so that you may be 

 assured that my discovery is given to you correctly." 

 Then follow Tartaglia's verses: 



" Quando chel cubo con le cose apresso 

 Se agualia a qualche numero discrete 

 Trouan dui altri different! in esso 

 Dapoi terrai questo per consueto 

 Ch'el lor' produtto sempre sia eguale 

 Al terzo cubo delle cose neto 

 El residue poi suo generale 

 Belli lor lati cubi ben sottratti 

 Varra la tua cosa principale. 

 In el secondo de cotesti atti 



