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caracters in obeliscis, did discerne the shadowes, and by that meanes distingwisshed the howers of the daie. Papirius Cursor did the use of horologis at Rome: and Scipio Nasica did firste devid the daie into twenty foure howers by the runninge of water. And Boetius Severinus the philosopher did first in-vente those clockes wee daily use, that move by waightes and tourne by wheeles^[1].

This catologge I alleadge to shew, that in all tymes and ages moste renounied princes have contended for the prise of glory, by inventinge rare woorkes for necessitie or pleasure, and also to shew that in all tymes and ages menn have been very curious, and have bestowed great cost in distinguisshinge of tymes, as a thinge that ought to be estemed moste pretious. To imitat whose example and to exceed whose excellencie, the Senate of Strasbourge have caused this wonderfull fabrike to be made in this forme as you see, by Doctor Dassipodius, publicke professor of the Mathematiches, Wolkenstenius his coadju-tor, and Stun the painter; the renoune of whose fame as it is reported in moste partes of Europe, so no doupt it will be perpetuated by continewauce of tyme to all ensewinge posterities. Thus hath, Right Worshipfull Sir, my desyre to declare the forwardnes of my good will carried me perhaps farr beyond the compas of my learninge, in indeavoringe to include sutch an exquisite peece of woorke in my rude letters, and to contayne the statlynes of the high tower within the basnes and lowwes of my creapinge style. But I hope you will easily pardon this presumption, consideringe it proceedeth from an obsequious mynde to procure your contentment by this my studious travaile. And although as it was greaven for advise to a temerarious weake person, that he should abridge some-what from his rasshenes or addsometbinge to his strength, if he ment to attaine any thinge by his labour, so I maie be admonished that I should have with houlden some parte of my good will, or encreassed somewhat to my knowledge, before I had undertaken the description of this fabricke, yf I did de-syre to make my letters acceptable to the willinge peruser thereof. Yet still I bwild the foundation of my comforte on the assured pillers of your favorable and gracious acceptaunce.

1. ↑ In the Archaeologia, vol. 5, is a very interesting article on the introduction of clocks by Daines Barrington. A manuscript at Trinity College, Cambridge, O. ii. 32, contains another account of the Straßburgh clock written in Latin in the year 1590. These two accounts seem to agree ve ry nearly with one another.