The grounde of artes

*The Grounde of Artes* is that unusual thing, a mathematical text book with both poetry and humour. It is written in the form of a dialogue between a master and a somewhat precocious scholar. The lively exchange between the two gives an interesting insight into the English language as it was spoken in the sixteenth century. Recorde is fond of poetical phrasing and examples abound in his text. An instance is when the scholar, showing his eagerness to learn, says to the master, 'And I to your auctorite my wyttes do subdewe : what so ever you say, I take it for trewe'. To which the master replies, 'Though I myght of my Scoler some credence requyre, yet except I shewe reason, I do not it desyre'.