[_Ashmole MS. 396, fol. 48._] +Boys seying in the begynnyng of his Arsemetrik{e}:--All{e} [*Fol. 48.] thynges that ben{e} fro the first begynnyng of thynges have p{ro}ceded{e}, and come forth{e}, And by reso{u}n of nombre ben formed{e}; And in wise as they ben{e}, So oweth{e} they to be knowen{e}; wherfor in vniu{er}sall{e} knowlechyng of thynges the Art of nombrynge is best, and most operatyf{e}.+ [Sidenote: The name of the art. Derivation of Algorism. Another. Another. Kinds of numbers. The 9 rules of the Art.] Therfore sithen the science of the whiche at this tyme we intenden{e} to write of standith{e} all{e} and about nombre: ffirst we most se, what is the p{ro}pre name therof{e}, and fro whens the name come: Afterward{e} what is nombre, And how manye spices of nombre ther ben. The name is cleped{e} Algorisme, had{e} out of Algor{e}, other of Algos, in grewe, That is clepid{e} in englissh{e} art other craft, And of Rithm{us} that is called{e} nombre. So algorisme is cleped{e} the art of nombryng, other it is had of{e} en or in, and gogos that is introduccio{u}n, and Rithm{us} nombre, that is to say Interduccio{u}n of nombre. And thirdly it is had{e} of the name of a kyng that is cleped{e} Algo and Rythm{us}; So called{e} Algorism{us}. Sothely .2. maner{e} of nombres ben notified{e}; Formall{e},[{1}] as nombr{e} i{s} vnitees gadred{e} to-gedres; Materiall{e},[{2}] as nombr{e} is a colleccio{u}n of vnitees. Other nombr{e} is a multitude had{e} out of vnitees, vnitee is that thynge wher-by eu{er}y thynge is called{e} oone, other o thynge. Of nombres, that one is cleped{e} digitall{e}, that other{e} Article, Another a nombre componed{e} oþ{er} myxt. Another digitall{e} is a nombre w{i}t{h}-in .10.; Article is þ{a}t nombre that may be dyvyded{e} in .10. p{ar}ties egally, And that there leve no residue; Componed{e} or medled{e} is that nombre that is come of a digite and of an article. And vndrestand{e} wele that all{e} nombres betwix .2. articles next is a nombr{e} componed{e}. Of this art ben{e} .9. spices, that is forto sey, num{er}acio{u}n, addicio{u}n, Subtraccio{u}n, Mediac{i}o{u}n, Duplacio{u}n, Multipliacio{u}n, Dyvysio{u}n, Progressio{u}n, And of Rootes the extraccio{u}n, and that may be had{e} in .2. maners, that is to sey in nombres quadrat, and in cubic{es}: Amonge the which{e}, ffirst of Num{er}acio{u}n, and aft{er}ward{e} of þe oþ{er}s by ordure, y entende to write. [Headnote: Chapter I. Numeration.] [*Fol. 48b] +For-soth{e} num{er}acio{u}n is of eu{er}y numbre by competent figures an artificiall{e} rep{re}sentacio{u}n.+ [Sidenote: Figures, differences, places, and limits. The 9 figures. The cipher. The numeration of digits, of articles, of composites. The value due to position. Numbers are written from right to left.]