Dec.
23rd, I went to the new made citie Kaiser Radnef Stadt, by Budneis,
to ovirsee what Joachim Reimer had done abowt my coaches making.
Radulphus Sagiensis Gallus Normannus, venit Trebonam, chimi? et
naturalis magi? studiosus.
[Footnote dd: This refers to the earliest English translation of
Euclid by Billingsley, which was published in 1570, with a long
preface by Dr. Dee. Professor De Morgan is of opinion that the
translation also was by Dee, or that Billingsley may have been
only a pupil who worked immediately under his directions. The
passage to which Dee alludes is as follows:-- "a man to be
curstly affrayed of his owne shadow; yea, so much to feare, that
if you, being alone nere a certaine glasse, and proffer, with
dagger or sword, to foyne at the glasse, you shall suddenly be
moved to give backe (in maner) by reason of an image appearing
in the ayre betwene you and the glasse with like hand, sword,
or dagger, and with like quicknes, foyning at your very eye,
likewise as you do at the glasse. Straunge this is to heare of,
but more mervailous to behold then these my wordes cam signifie;
and neverthelesse by demonstration opticall the order and cause
therof is certified; even so, as the effect is consequent."
I refer the reader also to Mr. Barlow's History of Optics in the
Encyclopedia Metropolitana.]
1589. Jan. 3rd, Rudolphus Sagiensis Normannus recessit versus
Pragam.
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