Wallis to Leibniz, 1/11 December 1696:
I (with the Author) would rather attribute the invention of the Cycloid to Galileo than to Mersenne: although here too you could, on your own account, have thought of the same thing. But I find this figure much more ancient, in the works of Cardinal Cusani which we have in Manuscripts (circa 1454), beautifully outlined: the same form which is in Dettonville: with the parent circle placed at one or both ends of the same. In the Manuscript, I say: for in the published Codices it is described incorrectly. And it is said that Bovillum existed around the year 1510.
Leibniz to Wallis, 19/29 March 1697:
It was a pleasure to read and to enrich the History of Science and it seems worthy to note that you indicated that some description of the Cycloid exists with the Cardinal of Cusa. You mention that you have a manuscript of his works, a codex, with you. If I am not mistaken, you indicated that it exists. In order to give some context (for Cusa was a German by nationality), I will remind you that in the review of those who used to calculate, whom your Algebra mentions, I omitted your Johannes Suisse, the self-styled calculator, who subjected the degrees of qualities or forms to calculation. I remember seeing some of his works in my travels which, even because of the time, seemed worthy of being published by the author.
