The construction of the wonderful canon of logarithms

Introduction.
xiii
Elizabeth on 24th March 1603, and the accession of
King James to the throne of England.
The threatened invasion of the Spanish Armada led
Napier to take an active part in Church politics. In
1588 he was chosen by the Presbytery of Edinburgh
one of its commissioners to the General Assembly. In
October 1593 he was appointed one of a deputation of
six to interview the king regarding the punishment of
the " Popish rebels," prominent among whom was his own
father-in-law. On the 29th January following, 1594,*
the letter which forms the dedication to his first publication,
' A
plaine discovery,' was written to the king.
Not long after this, in July 1594, we find Napier entering
into that mysterious contract with Logan of Restalrig
for the discovery of hidden treasure at Fast Castle.
Another interesting document written by Napier bears
date 7th June 1596, with the title, 'Secrett inuentionis,
proffitable & necessary in theis
dayes for defence of this
Hand & withstanding of strangers enemies of Gods truth
and relegion.'
The versatility and practical bent of Napier's mind are
further evidenced by his attention to agriculture, which
was in a very depressed state, owing to the unsettled condition
of the country. The Merchiston system of tillage
by manuring the land with salt is described in a very rare
tract by his eldest son, Archibald, to whom a mono-
* 1593 °W style, 1594 new style. Under the old style the year commenced on
2Sth March.
c
poly