Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 The Histories I haue gathered according to my skill, and conferred the greatest parte with Maiſter VVolfe in his life time, to his liking, who procured me ſo many helpes to the fur|therance thereof, that I was lothe to omit any thing that might encreace the Readers knowledge, whiche cauſeth the booke to grow ſo great. But receyuing them by partes, and at ſeuerall times (as I might get them) it may be, that hauing had more regard to the mater than to the apt penning, J haue not ſo or|derly diſpoſed them, as otherwiſe I ought, chooſing rather to EEBO page image 3 want order, than to defraude the Reader of that whiche for his further vnderstanding might ſeeme to ſatisfie his expe|ctation. I therefore moste humbly beſeeche your Honour to ac|cept theſe Chronicles of Englande vnder your protection, and according to your wiſedome and accuſtomed benignitie to beare with my faultes, the rather bicauſe you were euer ſo eſpeciall good Lord to Maiſter VVolfe, to whome I was ſingularly be|holden, and in whoſe name I humbly preſente this rude worke vnto you, beſeeching God, that as he hath made you an inſtru|ment to aduaunce his truth, ſo it may pleaſe him to increace his good giftes in you to his glorie, the furtheraunce of the Queenes Maiesties ſeruice, and comforte of all hir faithfull and louing ſubiectes.

Your honours moſt humble to commaunde, RAPHAEL HOLINSHED.

THE PREFACE to the Reader.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 _IT is dangerous (gẽtle Reader) to range in ſo large a fielde as I haue here vnderta|ken, vvhile ſo many ſundry men in diuers things may be able to controll mee, and ma|ny excellent vvittes of our countrey (as vvell or better occupied I hope) are able herein to ſurpaſſe me: but ſe|ing the beſte able do ſeeme to neglect it, let me (though leaſt able) craue pardon to put thẽ in minde not to forget their natiue coũtreis praiſe (vvhich is theyr dutie) the encourage|ment of theyr vvorthie coun|trie men, by elders aduaunce|ments and the dauntyng of the vicious, by foure penall examples, to vvhiche ende I take Chronicles and Hiſto|ries ought chiefly to be vvritten. My labour may ſhevv mine vttermoſt good vvill, of the more learned I require their further enlargement, and of faultfinders diſpenſatiõ till they be more fully enfourmed. It is too commõ that the leaſt able are readieſt to finde fault in maters of leaſt vveight, and therfore I eſteeme the leſſe of their carping, but humbly beſeech the skilfull to ſupplie my vvant, and to haue care of their dutie: and eyther to amend that vvherin I haue fayled, or be content vvith this mine ende|uour. For it may pleaſe them to conſider, that no one can be eye vvitneſſe to all that is vvritten vvithin our time, much leſſe to thoſe things vvhiche happened in former times, and therefore muſt be content vvith reportes of others. Therein I haue bene ſo careful, that I haue ſpared no paynes or helpe of frendes to ſearch out either vvrit|ten or printed auncient Authours, or to enquire of moderne eye vvitneſſes, for the true ſetting dovvne of that vvhiche I haue here deliuered: but I finde ſuch vvant in vvriters for the neceſſary knovvledge of things done in times paſt, and lacke of meane to obtayne ſufficient inſtructions by reporters of the time preſent, and herevvith the vvorthie exploytes of our countrey men ſo many, that it greeueth me I coulde not leaue the ſame to poſteritie (as I vviſhed) to their vvel deſerued praiſe. But I haue here imperted vvhat I could learne, and craue that it may be takẽ in good part. My ſpeech is playne, vvithout any Rethoricall ſhevve of Eloquence, hauing rather a regarde to ſimple truth, than to decking vvordes. I vviſhe I had bene furniſhed vvith ſo perfect inſtructions, and ſo many good gifts, that I might haue pleaſed all kindes of men, but that ſame being ſo rare a thing in any one of the beſt, I beſeech thee (gentle Rea|der) not to looke for it in me the meaneſt.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 But novv for thy further inſtruction to vnderſtand the courſe of theſe my labors. Firſt cõcerning the Hiſtorie of Englãd, as I haue collected the ſame out of many and ſundry Authours, in vvhome vvhat contrarietie, negligence, and raſhneſſe, ſomtime is founde in their reportes, I leaue to the diſcretion of thoſe that haue peruſed theyr EEBO page image 5 vvorkes: for my parte, I haue in things doubtfull rather choſen to ſhevve the diuer|ſitie of their vvritings, than by ouer ruling them, and vſing a peremptory cenſure, to frame them to agree to my liking: leauing it neuertheleſſe to eche mans iudgement, to controlle thẽ as he ſeeth cauſe. If ſome vvhere I ſhevv my fancie vvhat I thinke, and that the ſame diſlyke them, I craue pardon, ſpecially if by probable reaſons or playner matter to be produced, they can ſhevv mine errour, vpõ knovvledge vvher|of I ſhalbe ready to reforme it accordingly. VVhere I do beginne the Hiſtorie from the firſt inhabitation of this Iſle, I looke not to content eche mans opinion concer|ning the originall of them that firſt peopled it, and no maruell: for in matters ſo vn|certayne, if I can not ſufficiently content my ſelfe (as in deede I cannot) I knovve not hovv I ſhould ſatisfie others. That vvhiche ſeemeth to me moſt likely, I haue no|ted, beſeeching the learned (as I truſt they vvill) in ſuch pointes of doubtfull antiqui|ties to beare vvith my skill. Sith for ought I knovv, the matter is not yet decided a|mong the learned, but ſtill they are in controuerſie about it: Et adhuc ſub iudice lis est. VVell hovv ſoeuer it came firſt to be inhabited, likely it is that at the firſt the vvhole Iſle vvas vnder one Prince and Gouernour, though aftervvardes, and long perad|uenture before the Romaines ſet any foote vvithin it, the Monarchie thereof vvas broken, euen vvhen the multitude of the inhabitants grevv to bee great, and ambi|tion entred amongſt them, vvhich hath brought ſo many good policies and ſtates to ruyne and decay.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 I therefore most humblie beseech your Honour to accept these Chronicles of England vnder your protection, and according to your wisedome and accusto|med benignitie to beare with my faults; the rather, bicause you were euer so e|speciall good Lord to Maister Wolfe, to whom I was singularlie be|holden; and in whose name I humblie present this rude worke vn|to you; beseeching God, that as he hath made you an instru|ment to aduance his truth, so it may please him to in|crease his good gifts in you, to his glorie, the fur|therance of the Queenes Maiesties ser|uice, and the comfort of all hir faithfull and louing subiects.

Your Honours most humble to be commanded, RAPHAEL HOLINSHED.

THE PREFACE to the reader.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _IT is dangerous (gentle reader) to range in so large a field as I haue here vndertaken, while so manie sundrie men in diuers things may be able to controll me, and manie excellent wits of our countrie (as well or better occupied I hope) are able herein to surpasse me; but seeing the best able doo seeme to neglect it, let me (though least able) craue par|don to put them in mind not to forget their natiue countries praise (which is their dutie) the incouragement of their woorthie countriemen, by elders ad|uancements; and the daunting of the vi|cious, by foure penall examples, to which end (as I take it) chronicles and histories ought cheefelie to be written. My labour may shew mine vttermost good will, of the more learned I require their further enlargement, and of fault-finders dispensati|on till they be more fullie informed. It is too common that the least able are readiest to find fault in matters of least weight, and therefore I esteeme the lesse of their carping, but humblie beseech the skilfull to supplie my want, and to haue care of their dutie; and either to amend that wherein I haue failed, or be content with this mine endeuour. For it may please them to consider, that no one can be eie-witnesse to all that is written with|in our time; much lesse to those things which happened in former times, and therefore must be content with reports of others. Therein I haue beene so carefull, that I haue spared no paines or helpe of freends to search out either written or printed ancient authors, or to inquire of moderne eie-witnesses for the true setting downe of that which I haue here deliuered: but I find such want in writers for the necessarie knowledge of things doone in times past, and lacke of meanes to obteine sufficient instructions by re|porters of the time present; and herewith the worthie exploits of our countriemen so manie, that it greeueth me I could not leaue the same to posteritie (as I wished) to their well deserued praise. But I haue here imparted what I could learne, and craue that it may be taken in good part. My speech is plaine, without any rhetoricall shew of eloquence, hauing rather a regard to simple truth, than to decking words. I wish I had beene furni|shed with so perfect instructions, and so many good gifts, that I might haue pleased all kinds of men, but that same being so rare a thing in any one of the best, I beseech thee (gentle reader) not to looke for it in me the meanest.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 But now for thy further instruction, to vnderstand the course of these my labours. First concerning the historie of England, as I haue collected the same out of manie and sundrie authors, in whome what contrarietie, negligence, and rashnesse sometime is EEBO page image 5 found in their reports; I leaue to the discretion of those that haue perused their works: for my part, I haue in things doubtfull rather chosen to shew the diuersitie of their wri|tings, than by ouer-ruling them, and vsing a peremptorie censure, to frame them to a|gree to my liking: leauing it neuerthelesse to each mans iudgement, to controll them as he seeth cause. If some-where I shew my fansie what I thinke, and that the same dislike them; I craue pardon, speciallie if by probable reasons or plainer matter to be produ|ced, they can shew mine errour; vpon knowledge whereof I shall be readie to reforme it accordinglie. Where I doo begin the historie from the first inhabi [...]ation of this Ile, I looke not to content ech mans opinion concerning the originall of them that first peo|pled it, and no maruell: for in matters so vncerteine, if I cannot sufficientlie content my selfe (as in deed I cannot) I know not how I should satisfie others. That which seemeth to me most likelie, I haue noted, beseeching the learned (as I trust they will) in such points of doubtfull antiquities to beare with my skill: sith for ought I know, the mat|ter is not yet decided among the learned, but still they are in controuersie about it, and as yet Sub iudice lis est. Well, howsoeuer it came first to be inhabited, likelie it is, that at the first the whole Ile was vnder one prince and gouernour, though afterwards (and long peraduenture before the Romans set any foot within it) the monarchie thereof was broken, euen when the multitude of the inhabitants grew to be great, and ambiti|on entred amongst them: which hath brought so manie good policies and states to ruine and decaie.