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1.2. The deſcription of Britaine.¶Of the ſcituation and quantitie of the Iſle of Britayne. Cap. 1.

EEBO page image 1

The deſcription of Britaine.

¶Of the ſcituation and quantitie of the Iſle of Britayne. Cap. 1.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 How Bri|taine lyeth from the [...]ayne. _BRITANIA, or Britaine as we nowe terme it in our En|gliſhe tongue, is an Iſle lying in the Ocean ſea, directly a|gainſt that part of Fraunce, which conteyneth Picardie, Normandie, and therto the greateſt part of little Britaine, cal|led in time paſt Armorica of the ſcituation thereof vpon the ſea coaſt, and before ſuch time as a companie of Britons (eyther led o|uer by ſome of the Romayne Emperours, or flying thither from the tyrannie of ſuch as op|preſſed them here in this Iſlande) did ſettle themſelues there, & called it Britaine, after the name of their owne country, from whence they aduentured thither. It hath Irelande vp|on the Weſt ſide, on the North the mayne ſea, euen vnto Thule and the Hyperboreans, and on the Eaſt ſide alſo the Germaine Ocean, by which we paſſe daily thorowe by the trade of merchandiſe, not only into ye low countries of Belgie, but alſo into Germanie, Frizelande, Denmarke, and Norway, carying from hence thither, and bringing from thence hither, all ſuch neceſſarie commodities as the ſeuerall Countries doe yéelde: thorow which meanes, and beſides common amitie cõſerued, traffike is maintayned, and the neceſſitie of eche party abundantly relieued.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The lon|gitude and latitude of this Iſle.It contayneth in longitude taken by the middeſt of the Region 19. degrées exactly: and in latitude 53. degrées, and 30. min. after the o|pinions of thoſe that haue diligently obſerued the ſame in our dayes, and the faithfull report of ſuch writers as haue left notice therof vnto vs, in their learned treatiſes to be perpetually remembred. Howbeit wheras ſome in ſetting downe of theſe two lines, haue ſéemed to vary about the placing of the ſame, eche of them di|uerſly remembring the names of ſundrie Ci|ties and townes, wheerby they affirme thẽ to haue their ſeueral courſes: for my part I haue thought good to procéede ſomewhat after ano|ther ſort, that is, by deuiding the lateſt and beſt Cardes eche way into two equall partes, (ſo neare as I can poſſibly bring the ſame to paſſe) whereby for the middle of latitude, I product Caerloil and Newcaſtell vpon Tyne (whoſe lõgeſt day conſiſteth of 16. houres,Longeſt day. 48. minuts) & for the longitude, Newbery, War|wicke, Sheffeld, Skiptõ, &c. which dealing in mine opinion, is moſt eaſie & indifferent, and lykelieſt meane to come by the certayne ſtan|ding and ſcituation of our Iſlande.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Inlyke maner it hath in breadth from the Piere or poynt of Douer,The com|paſſe of Britaine. vnto the fartheſt part of Cornewall weſtwardes 320. myles: from thence agayne vnto the poynt of Cath|neſſe by the Iriſhe ſea, 800. Whereby Poli|dore and other doe gather that the circuite of the whole Iſlande of Britaine is 1720. myles, which is full 280. leſſe than Caeſar doth ſette downe, except there be ſome difference be|twéene the Romaine and Britiſhe myles, whereof heafter I maye make ſome farther conference.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The forme and facion of this Iſle is lyke vnto a Triangle, Baſtarde ſworde, Wedge,The forme or Parteſant, being broadeſt in the South part, and gathering ſtill narrower and nar|rower, till it come to the fartheſt poynt of Cathneſſe Northwarde where it is narroweſt of all, and there endeth in maner of a Promon|torie, which is not aboue 30. myles ouer, as dayly experience doth confirme.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The ſhorteſt & moſt vſuall [...]ut that we haue out of our Iſland to the maine,The di|ſtance frõ the mayne. is from Douer (the fartheſt part of Kent eaſtward) vnto Ca|lice in Picardie, where the breath of the ſea is not aboue 30. myles. Which courſe as it is now frequented and vſed for the moſt cõmon & ſafe paſſage of ſuch as come into our coũtrie out of Fraunce and diuers other Realmes, ſo it hath not bene vnknowne of olde time vnto the Romaynes, who for the moſt part vſed theſe two hauens for their paſſage and repaſ|ſage to and fro, although we finde that nowe and then, diuers of them came alſo from Bul|len and landed at Sandwiche, or ſome other places of the coaſt, as to anoyde the force of the wynde and weather, that often moleſted them in theſe narrowe ſeas, beſt liked for their ſafegardes. Betwéene the part of Hollande alſo, which lyeth nere the mouth of the Rhene, and this our Iſlande, are 900. furlonges, as Soſimus ſayeth, beſide diuers other writers,Lib. 4. which being conuerted into Engliſhe myles, doe yéelde one hundred and twelue, and foure odde furlongs, whereby the iuſt diſtaunce of Britayne from that part of the mayne alſo, doth certainly appeare to be much leſſe than the common Mappes of our Countrie haue hitherto ſet downe.

1.3. Of the auncient names of this Iſlande. Cap. 2.

Of the auncient names of this Iſlande. Cap. 2.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 IN the diligent peruſal of their treatiſes that haue written of the ſtate of this our Iſlande, I finde that at the firſt it ſéemed to be a percel of the Celtike kingdome,Dis, Samo|thes. whereof Dis other|wyſe called Samothes, one of the ſonnes of Ia|phet EEBO page image 10 was the Saturne or originall beginner, and of him thenceforth for a long time called Samothea. Afterwarde in proceſſe of tyme when as deſire of rule began to take holde in the myndes of men, & ech Prince endeuored to enlarge his owne dominiõs:Neptunus. Amphitrite Albion. Albion the ſonne of Neptune ſurnamed Mareoticus (whoſe mo|ther alſo was called Amphitrite) hearing of the commodities of the Countrie, and plenti|fulneſſe of ſoyle here, made a voyage ouer, & finding the thing not onely correſpondent vn|to,The firſt conqueſt of Britaine. but alſo farre ſurmounting the report that went of this Iſlande, it was not long after ere he inuaded ye ſame by force of armes, brought it to his ſubiection, and finally chaunged the name therof into Albion, whereby the former denomination after Samothes did fall into vtter forgetfulneſſe. And thus was this Iſland bereft at one time both of hir auncient name, and alſo of hir lawfull ſucceſſion of Princes deſcended of the lyne of Iaphet,Britaine vnder the Celts 341. yeares. vnder whome it had continued by the ſpace of 341. yeres and ix. Princes, as by the Hiſtorie folowing ſhall eaſily appeare.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 To ſpeake ſomewhat alſo of Neptune, (ſith I haue made mention of him in this place) it ſhall not be impertinent. You ſhal vnderſtand therefore that for his excellent knowledge in the Arte of Nauigation, he was reputed the moſt ſkilful Prince that liued in his time. Neptune God of the ſea. And therefore, and likewyſe for his courage and boldneſſe in aduenturing to and fro, he was after his deceaſe honoured as a god, and the protection of ſuch as trauayled by ſea commit|ted to his charge.The man|ner of dreſ|ſinge of ſhippes in olde time. So rude alſo was ye making of ſhippes wherewith to ſayle in his tyme, that for lacke of better experience to calke and trimme the ſame after they were builded, they vſed to nayle them ouer with rawe hydes, and with ſuch a kinde of Nauie: firſt Samothes, and then Albion arriued in this Iſlande.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 But to procéede, when the ſayde Albion had gouerned here in this Countrie by the ſpace of vij. yeares, it came to paſſe that both he and his brother Bergion were killed by Hercules at the mouth of Rhodanus, as the ſayd Hercu|les paſſed out of Spaine by the Celtes to go o|uer into Italy, and vpõ this occaſion (as I ga|ther amõg the writers) not vnworthy to be re|membred.Leſtrigo. It happened in tyme of Lucus king of the Celtes, that Leſtrigo and his iſſue (whõ Oſyris his grandfather had placed ouer the Ianigenes) dyd exerciſe great tyrannie, not onely ouer his owne kingdome, but alſo in mo|leſtation of ſuch Princes as inhabited rounde about him in moſt intollerable maner. Moreo|uer he was not a little incouraged in theſe his dooinges by Neptune his father,Neptune had xxxiij. ſonnes. who truſted greatly to leaue his xxxiij. ſonnes ſettled in the mightieſt kingdomes of the worlde, as men of whom he had already conceyued this opinion, that if they had once gotten foote into any Re|gion whatſoeuer, it woulde not be long ere they did by ſome meanes or other, Ianige [...] the po [...]|ty of [...] lying in Italy. not onelye eſtabliſhe their ſeates, but alſo increaſe their limites to the better maintenance of themſel|ues and their poſteritie for euermore. To be ſhort therefore, after the Gyantes, and great Princes, or mightie men of the world had con|ſpired and ſlaine the aforeſayd Oſyris: Hercu|les his ſonne, ſurnamed Libius, in the reuenge of his fathers death, proclaymed open warres agaynſt them all, and going from place to place, he ceaſed not to ſpoyle their kingdomes, and therewithall to kill them that fell into his handes. Finally, hauing among other ouer|come the Lomnimi or Geriones in Spayne,Lomnimi Geriones and vnderſtanding that Leſtrigo & his ſonnes did yet remayne in Italie, he directed his voy|age into thoſe parts, and taking the kingdome of the Celtes in his waye, he remayned for a ſeaſon with Lucus the king of that Countrie, where he alſo maried his daughter Galathea, Galathea. and beg at a ſonne by hir, calling him after his moothers name Galates, Galates. of whome in my Chronologie I haue ſpoken more at large. In the meane time Albion vnderſtanding howe Hercules intended to make warres agaynſt his brother Leſtrigo, he thought it good to ſtop him that tyde, and therefore ſending for hys brother Bergion, Bergion. out of the Orchades (where he alſo reygned as ſupreme Lorde and gouer|nour) they ioyned their powers,Pomponi|us Laetus. & ſayled ouer into Fraunce. Being arriued there, it was not long ere they met with Hercules and his ar|mie, neare vnto the mouth of the riuer called Rhodanus, where happened a cruell conflicte betwéene them, in which Hercules and hys men were lyke to haue loſt the daye, for that they were in maner weryed with lõg warres, and their munition ſore waſted in the laſt voi|age that he had made for Spaine. Herevppon Hercules perceyuing the courages of his ſoul|diours ſomewhat to abate, & ſéeing the want of munition likely to be the cauſe of his fatall day and preſent ouerthrowe at hande, it came ſodenly into his mynde to will eche of them to defende himſelfe by throwing of ſtones at hys enimie, wherof there lay great ſtore then ſcat|tered in the place. The policie was no ſooner publiſhed than put in execution, whereby they ſo preuayled in thende, that Hercules wan the fielde, their enemies were put to flight, and Albion and his brother both ſlayne,Albion ſlayne. and buried in that plot. Thus was Britaine ridde of a ty|rant, Lucus king of the Celtes deliuered frõ an vſurper (that daily incroched vpon him alſo euen in his owne kingdome on that ſide) and EEBO page image 2 Leſtrigo greatly weakened by the ſlaughter of his brethren. Of this inuention of Hercu|les in lyke ſort it commeth, that Iupiter fa|ther vnto Hercules (who in déede was none other but Oſyris) is feygned to throw downe ſtones from heauen vpon Albion and Bergi|on,It rayned [...]ones. in the defence of Hercules his ſon: which came ſo thick vpon them as if great drops of raine or hayle ſhould haue deſcended from a+boue, no man well knowing which waye to turne him from their violence, they came ſo faſt and with ſo great a ſtrength.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 But to go forwarde, albeit that Albion and his power were thus diſcomfited and ſlayne, yet the name that he gaue vnto thys Iſlande dyed not, but ſtill remained vnto the time of Brute, who arriuing here in the 1127, before Chriſt, and 2840. after the creation, not onely chaunged it into Britayne (after it had bene called Albion, by the ſpace of 595. yeares) but to declare his ſouereigntie ouer the reaſt of the Iſlandes alſo that are about the ſame, he called them all after the ſame maner, ſo that Albion was ſayde in tyme to be Britanniarum inſula maxima, that is, the greateſt of thoſe Iſles that bare the name of Britayne.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 It is altogither impertinent to diſcuſſe whether Hercules came into thys Iſlande after the death of Albion,Hercules [...]n Bri|tayne. or not, althoughe that by an auncient monument ſéene of late, and the Cape of Hartland in the Weſt coun|trie,Promonto|rium Her|culis. called Promontorium Herculis in olde tyme, diuers of our Brytiſhe wryters doe gather great likelyhoode that he ſhoulde alſo be here. But ſyth hys preſence or abſence maketh nothing wyth the alteration of the name of this our Region and Countrie, I paſſe it ouer as not incident to my purpoſe. Neyther will I ſpend any time in the deter|mination, [...]o. Marius Niger, cõ|ment. de Britannia. Cap. 2. whether Brittayne hath bene ſometyme a percell of the mayne, althoughe it ſhoulde well ſéeme ſo to haue bene, by|cauſe that before the generall floudde of Noah, we doe [...]t [...]eade of Iſlandes. As for the ſpéedie and timely inhabitation thereof, this is myne opinion, that it was inhabited ſhortly after the diuiſion of the earth: For I reade that when ech Captayne and his com|pany had their portions aſſigned vnto them by Noah in the partition that he made of the whole earth among hys poſteritie,Theophi|lus Antio|thenus ad Antolicum. they neuer ceaſed to trauayle and ſearch out the vtter moſt boundes of the ſame, vntill they founde out their parts allotted, and had ſéene and vewed the limites thereof, euen vnto the very pooles. It ſhall ſuffice therefore only to haue touched theſe things in this manner a farre of, and in returning to our purpoſe, to procéede with the reaſt concerning the deno|mination of our Iſland, which was knowen vnto moſt of the Gréekes for a long time, by none other name than Albion, and to ſay the truth, euen vnto Alexanders daies: notwith|ſtanding that Brute, as I haue ſayde, had chaunged the ſame into Britayne, manye hundred yeares before.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 After Brutus I doe not find that any man attempted to chaunge it agayne, vntill the tyme that one Valentinus a rebell,Valentia. in the dayes of Valentinianus and Valens endeuo|red to reygne there,In ſupple|mento, Euſebij. lib 28. and therevppon as Ie|rome ſayth, procured it to be called Valen|tia. The lyke alſo dyd Theodoſius in the re|membraunce of the two aforeſayde Empe|rours, as Marcellinus ſaith, but as neyther of theſe tooke anye holde among the common ſort, ſo it retayned ſtil the name of Britaine, vntill the reygne of Echert, who about the 800. yeare of grace, gaue forth an eſpeciall Edict, dated at Wyncheſter, that it ſhoulde be called Angles land, or Angellandt,Angellãdt or Angles land. for which in our time we doe pronounce it Eng|land. And this is all, right Honourable, that I haue to ſay, touching the ſeuerall names of this Iſlande, vtterly miſlyking in the meane ſeaſon their deuiſes, which make Hengiſt the only parent of the later denomination, wher|as Echert, bicauſe his aunceſtours deſcended from the Angles (one of the ſeauen Nations that came wyth the Saxons into Britayne, for they were not all of one, but of diuers countries, as Angles, Saxons, Germaynes,Only Sa|xons arri|ued here at the firſt with Hen|giſt. Switchers, Norwegiens, &c. and all com|prehended vnder ye name of Saxons, bicauſe of Hengiſt the Saxon & his cõpany that firſt aryued here before any of the other) and ther|to hauing now the monarchie & preheminẽce in manner of this whole Iſlande, called the ſame after the name of his Countrie from whence his originall came, neyther Hengiſt, neyther any Quéene named Angla, neyther whatſoeuer deriuation ab angulo, as from a corner of the worlde bearing ſwaye, or ha|uing ought to doe at all in that behalfe.

1.4. What ſundry Nations haue inhabited in this Iſlande. Cap. 3.

What ſundry Nations haue inhabited in this Iſlande. Cap. 3.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 AS fewe or no Nations can iuſtly boaſte themſelues to haue continued ſithence their countrie was firſt repleniſhed;No Nati|on voide of myxture, more or leſſe. wythout any myxture, more or leſſe, wyth other peo|ple, no more can this our Iſlande, whoſe ma|nifolde commodities haue oft allured ſundry Princes and famous captaynes of the world to conquere and ſubdue the ſame vnto theyr owne ſubiection. Many ſorts of people there|fore EEBO page image 11 haue comen hither and ſettled thẽſelues here in thys Iſle, and firſt of all other a per|cell of the image and poſteritie of Iapheth, brought in by Samothes in the 1910.Samothe|ans. after the creation of Adam. Howbeit in proceſſe of tyme, and after they had indifferently reple|nyſhed and furnyſhed this Iſlande with peo|ple (which was done in the ſpace of 335. yea|res) Albion the Gyaunt afore mencioned re|payred hither with a companye of his owne race procéeding from Cham, Chemmi|nites. and not onely ſubued the ſame to his owne dominion, but brought all ſuch in lyke ſort as he found here of the lyne of Iaphet, into miſerable ſerui|tude and thraldome. After hym alſo, and wythin leſſe than ſixe hundred yeares came Brute with a great traine of the poſteritie of the diſperſed Troianes in 324.Britaines ſhyppes: who rendring the lyke curteſie vnto the Chemmi|nites as they had done before vnto the ſéede of Iaphet, brought them alſo wholye vnder his rule and gouernaunce, and diuided the whole lande among ſuch Princes and Cap|taynes as he in his arriuall here had led out of Grecia with him.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Romaines.From henceforth I doe not finde any ſound report of other natiõ, whatſoeuer that ſhuld aduenture hither to dwell, vntill the Romane Emperours ſubdued it to their dominion, ſa|uing of a fewe Galles; (and thoſe peraduen|ture of Belgie) who firſt comming ouer to robbe and pilfer vpon the coaſtes, did after|warde plant themſelues for altogither neare vnto the ſea, and there buylded ſundry cities and townes which they named after thoſe of the maine, from whence they came vnto vs. But after the comming of the Romaynes, it is harde to ſay with how many ſortes of peo|ple we were dayly peſtered, almoſt in euery ſtéede. For as they planted their forworne Legions in the moſt fertile places of the Realme, and where they might beſt lye for the ſafegarde of their conqueſtes: ſo their ar|mies did commonly conſiſt of many ſorts of people, and were as I may call them, a con|fuſed mixture of all other coũtries. Howbeit, I thinke it beſt, bicauſe they did all beare the tytle of Romaynes, to retayne onely that name for them all, albeit they were wofull gueſtes to this our Iſlande: ſith that wyth them came in all maner of vice and vicious liuing, all ryot and exceſſe of behauior, which their Legions brought hyther from eche cor|ner of their dominions, for there was no pro|uince vnder them from whence they had not ſeruitours.

Scottes Pictes.How and when the Scottes ſhould arriue here out of Irelande, and from whence the Pictes ſhoulde come vnto vs, as yet it is vn|certaine. For although their hiſtories doe ca|rie great countenance of their antiquitie and continuance in this Iſlande: yet (to ſay fréely what I thinke) I iudge them rather to haue ſtollẽ in hither, not much before the Saxons, than that they ſhould haue bene ſo long here, as from the one hundreth yeare after Chriſt. Reynulph Higden is of the opinion that the Pictes did come into this Iſland in the days of Seuerus, and that Fulgentius their cap|tayne was brother to Martia, the mother of Baſsianus. He addeth furthermore howe the Pictes forſooke Baſsianus, Li. 4. ca. [...] and held with Carauſius, who gaue thẽ a portion of Scot|lande to inhabite, and thus wryteth he. But if Herodian be well reade, you ſhal find that ye Pictes were ſettled in thys Iſle, before the time of Seuerus, & yet not ſo ſoone as that Ta|cicus can make any mention of thẽ in the cõ|queſt that Agricola his father in law made of ye North parts of this Iſland. Neyther doe I reade of the Scots or Pictes before the time of Antoninus Verus, in the begynning of whoſe thirde yere (which concurred with the xvij. of Lucius king of Britaine) they inuaded thys South part of the Iſle, and were redu|ced to obedience by Trebellius the Legate. Certes the tyme of Samothes and Albion haue ſome likely limitation, and ſo we maye gather of the cõming in of Brute. The voy|age that Caeſar made likewyſe is certainely knowne to fall out in the 54. before the birth of Chriſt. In lyke ſort that the Saxons arry|ued here in the 449. The Danes, and with them the Gothes, Vandales, Norwegians, &c. in the 791. Finally the Normans in 1066. And Flemminges in the tyme of Henry the firſt (although they came not in by conqueſt, but vppon their humble ſute had a place in Wales aſſigned them to inhabite in, by king Henry then reigning, after the drowning of their countrie) it is eaſie to be prooued.

But when the Pictes and Scottes ſhould enter, neither doe our hyſtories make any re|port, neyther their owne agrée among thẽ|ſelues by manye hundreth yeares. Where|fore as the tyme of their arriuall here is not to be founde out, ſo it ſhall ſuffice to gyue notice that they are but ſtrangers, and ſuch as by obſcure inuaſion haue neſtled in thys Iſlande.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The Saxons became firſt acquainted with thys Iſle,Saxons by meanes of the pyracie which they daily practiſed vpon our coaſtes (after they had once begunne to aduenture themſel|ues alſo vpon the ſeas, thereby to ſéeke out more wealth then was nowe to begotten in theſe weſt partes of the mayne, which they & their neighbors had alreadie ſpoyled in moſt EEBO page image 3 lamentable and barbarous maner) howbeit they neuer durſt preſume to inhabite in this Iſland, vntill they were ſent for by Vortiger to ſerue him in his warres agaynſt ye Pictes & Scottes, after that the Romaines had gi|uen vs ouer, & left vs wholy to our owne de|fence & regiment. Being therefore comen in thrée bottomes or kéeles, & in ſhort time eſpi|ing the ydle & negligent behauiour of ye Bry|tons and fertilitie of our ſoyle, they were not a little inflamed to make a full conqueſt of ſuch as they came to ayde and ſuccour. Here|vpon alſo they fell by little and little to the winding in of greater nũbers of their coun|trymen with their wyues and children into this region, ſo that within a whyle they be|gan to moleſt the homelings (for ſo I finde ye word Indigena, to be engliſhed in an old booke that I haue, wherin Aduena is tranſlated al|ſo an homeling) and ceaſed not from time to time to cõtinue their purpoſe, vntill they had gotten poſſeſſion of the whole, or at the leaſt|wiſe the greateſt part of our coũtry, the Bri|tons in the meane ſeaſon being driuen eyther into Wales & Cornewall, [...]n altogither out of the Iſlande to ſéeke newe inhabitations.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 Danes.In like maner the Danes (the next nation that ſuccéeded) came at the firſt onely to pil|fer & robbe vpon the frontiers of our Iſland, till that in the end being let in by the Welch|men or Brytons to reuenge them vpon the Saxons, they no leſſe plagued the one then the other, their friendes, then their aduerſa|ries, ſéeking by all meanes poſſible, to eſta|bliſh themſelues in the ſure poſſeſſiõ of Bry|tayne. But ſuch was their ſucceſſe, that they proſpered not long in their deuiſe, for ſo great was their lordlineſſe, their crueltie, and inſa|tiable deſire of riches, beſide their deteſtable abuſing of chaſt matrones, & young virgines (whoſe huſbandes and parentes were daily inforced to become their drudges and ſlaues whyleſt they ſate at home and fed like Drone bées of the ſwéet of their trauayle & labours) that God I ſay would not ſuffer thẽ to con|tinue any while ouer vs, but when he ſaw his time he remooued their yoke, and gaue vs li|bertie, as it were to breath vs, thereby to ſée whether this his ſharpe ſcourge coulde haue mooued vs to repentaunce and amendement of our lewde and ſinnefull liues, or not. But whẽ no ſigne therof appeared in our hearts, he called in an other nation to vexe vs [...] meane the Normans,The Nor|mans. a people of whom it is woorthily doubted, whether they were more harde and cruell to our countrymen then the Danes, or more heauye and intollerable to our Iſlande then the Saxons or Romaynes, yet ſuch was our lotte, in theſe dayes by the deuine appointed order, that we muſt néedes obey, ſuch as the Lorde dyd ſet ouer vs, & ſo much the rather, for that all power to reſiſte was vtterly taken from vs, and our armes made ſo weake and féeble, that they were not now able to remooue the importable loade of the Normanes from our ſurburdened ſhoul|ders: And this onely I ſay agayne, bycauſe we refuſed grace offred in time and woulde not heare when God by his Preachers did call vs ſo fauourably vnto him.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Thus we ſée howe from time to time this Iſlande hath not onely bene a praye, but as it were a common receptacle for ſtraungers, the naturall homelinges being ſtill cut ſhor|ter and ſhorter, as I ſayde before, till in the ende they came not onely to be driuen into a corner of this region, but in tyme alſo verie like vtterly to haue ben extinguiſhed. For had not king Edward ſurnamed the ſainct in his time after grieuous warres, made vppon them (wherein Earle Harald, ſonne to Good|wine & after king of Englande was his ge|nerall) permitted the remnaunt of their wo|men to ioyne in maryage with the Engliſh|men (when the moſt part of their huſbandes & male children were ſlayne with the ſworde) it coulde not haue bene otherwyſe choſen, but their whole race muſt néedes haue ſuſtayned the vttermoſt confuſion, and thereby the me|morie of the Britons vtterly haue periſhed.

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