[NLEIDING. 9 



studie van zijn lievelings wetenschappen, de theologie en de mathe- 

 matiek, waarbij voornamelijk de vraag naar een duidelijke ver- 

 klaring van de Openbaring van Johannes en die naar hulpmiddelen 

 1er bekorting van de omslachtige becijferingen der spherische astro- 

 nomie zijn "'eest bezig li ielden. 



Met de meeste oudere en nieuwere werken over wiskunde was 

 Napier hekend; uitdrukkelijk vermeldt hij Ëuclides, ELegiomontanus, 

 Coppernicus, Eleinhold, Stevin, Van Lansberge, Pitiscus en Adriaen 

 Melius. Als wiskunstenaar had hij zich onder zijn landgenooten 

 reeds naam gemaakt lang vóór zijn uitvinding van de logarithmen, 

 zooals blijkt uit Skene's De Verborura Signification e, Edinburgh 1">!)7. 

 waai' men bij de verklaring van „particata vel perticata terrae" o. a. 

 vindt aangeteekend : „But it is uecessare, that the measurers of land, 

 culled landimers, m Latin agrimensores, obserue. and keep, ane 

 just relation, betwixt the length and the bredth of the measures 

 quhilk they vse in measuring- of landes, quhairanent 1 linde na mention 

 in the lawes and register of this realme, albeit ane ordinance the- 

 reanent be maid be king Edward the first, King of England, the 

 33. zeir of his reigne : and because the knawledge of this mater 

 is very neeessare, in measuring of lands, dayly vsed in this realme, 

 I thought gud to propone certaine questions, to Iohn Naper, fear 

 of Merchistoun, ane gentleman of singuler judgement and lear- 

 ning, specially in the Mathematicque sciences. The fcenour quhairof, 

 and his answeres maide thereto followis." ] ) 



& to make passage as allsoe in staving & abiding within the enemis battle, it serueth 

 to destroy the environed enemy by cötinuall charge & shott of harquebush through 



small hoalls. The Enemy in the meane time being abased >^ alltogether uncertaine 

 what defence or pursuit to use against a miming mouth of mettle. 



These inuentions beside deuises of sayling under the water with diners other deuises 

 & strategems for harming of tlie eneiuyes by the grace of God & worke of exsperl 

 craftesmen I hope to perform. 



Jo Nepar fear of Marcbistoun. 



') Napier's antwoorden luiden: 



„First, be quhat rule sail we vnderstande the length and bredth of the fall? 



It is answered: There is tun suites of talles, the ane lineall. the vtlier Supeificiall : 

 the lineall fall, is ane met-wand, rod, or raip, of sex eines lang, quhair he. length and 

 bredth, are seuerally met. Ane superficial! fall of lande, is sa meikle boundis of landes. 

 as squairly conteinis ane lineall fall of bredth, and ane lineall fall of length, quhairof 

 followis, that he the lineall fall, lande is measured, and be the superficial! fall, lande 

 is rekned NTowe quhair it is inquired be quhat rule the length and bredth of ane fall 

 sail hi' vnderstand. 



I answer, That quhen-so-euer the eines of bredth being multiplied be the el' 



length, do J line .'Ui. elnes: the number product, is ane superficial] fall: and the saiile 



bredth and length, are the just bredth and length that makis ane fall. 8wa 36, elnes 

 lang, of ane elne broad, are ane fa 1 of laud. limn, auchtene eins lang, twa elnes broad, 

 are the like: alswa, twelue eines lang, of three elnes broad, Or nine elnes langoffoure 



