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THE PREFACE to the Reader.
_WHereas (gentle Reader) it was meant that the three Chronicles of Englande, Scot|lande, and Irelande, with their deſcriptions ſhold haue come forth al in one volume, and that the deſcriptions and abridge|ments of the Hiſtories of other countreys ſhould haue bene ſet forth in an other: So it fell out, that the Chronicles of Englande grew ſo large, as they whiche were to beſtow the coſte aboute the Impreſsion, were not onely driuen to ſtay the Impreſsion of the ſame deſcripti|ons and abridgements of the Hiſtories of other countreys, till God might graunt better abilitie and meane to publiſh the ſame, but alſo to deuide the Chronicles of theſe three regions into two volumes. And bicauſe that the one parte of the Chronicles of England before the Conqueſt, and the entire Chronicles of Scotland, and Irelande, with their deſcriptions, would make but a like volume, vnto the con|tinuance of the Engliſh Chronicles after the conqueſt, it hath bene thought good thus to deuide them as yee may ſee, wherin I haue to aduertiſe thee, Firſt that the table an|nexed to this booke, doth ſerue to bothe the partes of the Engliſh Chronicles, aſwell before the Conqueſt, as after: and alſo that for the yeares of the Lord, as in the Preface is conteyned, I do begin the ſame at Chriſtmas, and for the yeares of the Kings, I haue as neare as I coulde placed, where the ſame beginne. Although it may be that I haue ſome where fayled, through the contrarietie of Authours, as to the skilfull in Hiſtories it may appeare, of whome I doubt not but to purchas pardon, ſith I haue done therin my vttermoſt good will.