The construction of the wonderful canon of logarithms

xii
Introduction.
the University previous to 1566 in order to complete his
studies on the Continent,
He was at home in 1571 when the preliminaries were
arranged for his marriage with Elizabeth, daughter of Sir
James Stirling of Keir. The marriage took place towards
the close of 1572.
In 1579 his wife died, leaving him one
son, Archibald, who, in 1627, was raised to the peerage
by the title of Lord Napier, and also one daughter, Jane.
A few years after the death of his first wife he married
Agnes, daughter of Sir James Chisholm of Cromlix, who
survived him. The offspring of this marriage were five
sons and five daughters, the best known of whom is the
second son,
Robert, his father's literary executor.
Leaving for a moment the purely personal incidents of
Napier's life, we may here note the dates of a few of the
many exciting public events which occurred during the
course of it. In 1560 a Presbyterian form of Church
government was established by the Scottish Parliament.
On 14th August 1 561, Queen Mary, the young widow of
Francis II., sailed from Calais, receiving an enthusiastic
welcome on her arrival in Edinburgh.
Within six years,
on 24th July 1567, she was compelled to sign her abdication.
The year 1572 was signalised by the Massacre of
St Bartholomew, which began on
24th August; exactly
three months later, John Knox died. On 8th February
1587 Mary was beheaded at Fotheringay, and in May of
the year following the Spanish Armada set sail. The
last event we need mention was the death of Queen
Elizabeth