"I am having difficulty locating articles in English dealing
with the development of the Germanic algebras of the 16th
century, in general the Cossist art. Virtually all references
to the subject are in German. Outside of the Dictionary of
Scientific Biography, does anyone know of books or articles
in English which contain more than a general summary of the
Cossist art? Any help would certainly be greatly appreciated."
As a first reaction I would suggest an impressive article by James Whitbread
Lee Glaisher (1848-1928) entitled "On the Early History of the Signs '+'
and '-' and on the Early German Arithmeticians", published in _Messenger of
Mathematics_ vol 51 (1921/22), pp 1-148.
Julio Gonzalez Cabillon