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Compare 1587 edition: 1 In the yeare of the world .1525. the Patriarke Noe began to admoniſh the people of vengeance to followe for their wickedneſſe and abhominable ſinnes, to buyld his arke, to foreſhew his kinſfolk and frendes, of that vniuerſal floud whiche was to come, wherewith the whole face of the earthe ſhoulde be couered with water, and that within fewe yeeres, except they amended in tyme. This did he before the generall Floud one hundred and xxv. [...]a [...]a nece [...] Noe. yeeres. But when euery man ſeemed to ne|glect this wholſom admonition, one Ceſara that was neece to Noe, hearyng hir vncles fearefull prophecie, doubted leaſt the ſame ſhould come to paſſe, and therfore determined with certayne hir adherentes to ſeeke aduentures in ſome forrayne region, perſuading hir ſelf, that if the might finde a countrey neuer yet inhabited, and ſo with ſinne vnſpotted, the generall ſentence of Gods wrathe. ſhould not there take effecte. Whervpon rigging a nauie, ſhe committed hirſelf to the ſeas, ſayling foorth, till at length ſhe arriued in Irelande only with three men, and fiftie women, hauing loſte the reſidue of hir companie by miſfortune of ſun|drie ſhipwracks made in that hir long & troubles ſome iourney. The names of the men wer theſe, Bythi, Laigria, and Fintan. The coaſt where ſhe fyrſt ſet foote a lande, and where alſo the lyeth buried, is called Nauicular [...]li [...], yt is the ſhip|ping riuage or ſhore. The ſtones wherin the me|morie hereof was preſerued from violence of wa|ters, haue bin ſeene of ſome (as they them ſelues haue reported,) but how truly I haue not to ſay.Anno mundi. 1556. Within .xl. days after hir comming a land there, the vniuerſall floud came and ouerflowed al that coaſt as well as all other partes of the worlde.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 But where this tale bewrayeth it ſelfe too mani|feſtly to be a mere vntruth, if the time & other cir|cũſtances be throughly examined, I wil not ſtãd longer about the proofe or diſproufe therof, ſauing that it is ſufficient (as I thinke) to bring it oute of credite, to conſider, how that the Arte of ſay|ling was vnknowne to the world before the vni|uerſall floud, and no parte inhabited excepte the continent of Syria, and thereaboutes.Rab. Iſaac in Gene .5. But to paſſe ſuch a forged fable, with the recorde thereof grauen in a ſtone (A deuiſe borowed from Ioſe|phus, as ſome thinke) it ſhal be ſufficient for the glorie of the Iriſh antiquitie to graunt that Ire|lande was diſcouered and peopled by ſome of Noes kinrede, euen with the firſt Ilandes of the world (if they will needes haue it ſo, as the like|lyhood is great) according to that whiche is ſette foorth in their hiſtories, when aboute .300.Anno mundi. 1557. After the beſte authours make 300. yeres. and not .100. be|tvvene Noes floud and Ba|bell. yeeres after the generall Floud immediately vpon the confuſion of toungs, Iaphet and his poſteritie enboldened by Noes example, aduentured to cõ|mitie themſelues by ſhippe to paſſe the ſeas, and to ſearche out the vnknowne corners of ye world, and ſo finding out diuers yles in theſe weſt parts of the worlde.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 There was (ſaye they) in that retinue one of the ſame progenie named Bartolenus,Bartolenus, or Baſtolenus. Clem. lib. 4. Cambreid. li. 3. or Ba|ſtolenus, who encouraged with the late attempte and ſucceſſe of Nimrod, kinſeman to Nimus, (then newely intruded vppon the Monarchie of Aſſyria) ſerched ſo farre weſt, intending to atteyn vnto ſome gouernement where hee mighte rule EEBO page image 2 without any partener in authoritie) till at length Fortune broughte him and his people vppon the coaſt of Irelande. Here he ſettled himſelfe with his three ſonnes, Languinna, Salamis, and Ru|thurgus, right actiue and ſtout Gentlemen, who ſearching the lande from ſyde to ſyde, and from ende to ende, lefte remembraunces of their na|mes in certayn notable places named after them as Languini, Stragrnus, and mount Salanga ſince named Sainte Dominickes hill, and Ru|thurgus his poole.Ruthurgi ſtag|num. Little is remembred of Bar|tolenus, ſauing that in ſhorte ſpace with ma|ny handes working at once, he ridde and made playne a great part of the countrey ouergrowen with wooddes and thickets.

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EEBO page image 47

THE FIRST INHABI|tation of Ireland, &c.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 _IN the yeare of the world, 1525: the patriarch Noah began to admonish the people of ven|geance to fol|lowe for their wickednesse and detestable sins, to build his arke to foreshew his kinstolkes and friends of that vniuersall floud which was to come, wherewith the whole face of the earth should be couered with wa|ter; & that within few yeares, except they amended in time. This did he before the generall floud, one hundred & fiue and twentie yeares. But when euerie Cesara néece to Noah. man séemed to neglect this wholesome admonition, one Cesara that was néece to Noah, hearing hir vn|cles prophesie, doubted least the same should come to passe; and therefore determined with certeine hir ad|herents to séeke aduentures in some forren region, persuading hir selfe, that if she might find a countrie neuer yet inhabited, and so with sin vnspotted, the generall sentence of Gods wrath should not there take effect. Wherevpon rigging a nauie, she com|mitted hir selfe to the seas, sailing foorth, till at length she arriued in Ireland onelie with three men, & fif|tie women, hauing lost the residue of hir companie by misfortune of sundrie shipwracks made in that hir long & troublesome iourneie. The names of the men were these, Bithi, Laigria, and Fintan. The coast where she first set foot on land, and where also she lieth buried, is called Nauiculare littus, that is, the ship|ping riuage or shore. The stones wherein the me|morie here of was preserued from violence of wa|ters, haue béene seene of some (as they themselues An. mundi. 1556 haue reported) but how trulie I haue not to say: within fortie daies after hir comming on land there, the vniuersall floud came & ouerflowed all that coast as well as all other parts of the world. But where as this tale be wraieth it selfe too manifestlie to be a meere vntruth, if the time and other circumstances be throughlie examined, I will not stand longer a|bout the proofe or disproofe thereof; sauing that it is sufficient (as I thin [...]e) to bring it out of credit, to consider, how that the art of sailing was vnknowne to the world before the vniuersall floud; and no part inhabited except the continent of Syria, and there|abouts. But to [...] such a forged fable, with the Reb. Isaac in Gene. 5. record thereof grauen in a stone (a deuise borowed from Iosephus, as some thinke) it shall be sufficient for the glorie of the Irish antiquitie to grant that Ireland was discouered and peopled by some of No|ahs kinred, euen with the first Ilands of the world (if they will needs haue it so, as the likelihood is great) according to that which is set foorth in their An. mundi. 1557 After the best authors make 300 yeares, and not 100 betwéene Noahs floud and Babell. histories, when about thrée hundred yeares after the generall floud immediatlie vpon the confusion of toongs, Iaphet & his posteritie imboldened by Noahs example, aduentured to commit themselues by ship to passe the seas, & to search out the vnknowne cor|ners of the world, and so finding out diuerse Iles in these west parts of the world.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 There was (saie they) in that retinue one of Bartolenus, or Bastole|nus. Clem. lib. 4. Cambreid. lib. 3. the same progenie named Bartolenus or Bastole|nus, who incouraged with the late attempt and suc|cesse of Nimrod kinsman to Ninus (then newlie in|truded vpon the monarchie of Assyria) searched so far west, intending to atteine to some gouernement, where he might rule without anie partner in authori|tie, till at length fortune brought him and his people vpon the coast of Ireland. Here he settled himselfe with his three sonnes Languina, Salamis, and Ru|thurgus, right actiue and stout gentlemen, who sear|ching the land from side to side, and from end to end, left remembrances of their names in certeine nota|ble places named after them; as Languinie, Stra|gruus, and mount Salanga, since named saint Do|miniks hill, and Ruthurgus his poole. Little is re|membred Ruthurgi stag|num. of Bartolenus, sauing that in short space with manie hands working at once, he rid and made plaine a great part of the countrie ouergrowen with woods and thickets.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Thus was Ireland inhabited by this people vn|der Ireland first inhabited. the gouernment of those thrée sons of Bartole|nus and their ofspring, about the space of thrée hun|dred yeares. Togither with Bartolenus arriued Ireland certeine godles people of Nimrods stocke, woorthilie termed giants, as those that in botille Giants. shape excéeded the common proportion of others, and vsed their strength to gaine souereigntie, and to op|presse Bergon the sonne of Nep|tune and bro|ther to Albion (as Iohn Bale hath) conque|red Ireland and the Ork|neis. Euill exam|ples soone fol|lowed. the weake with rapine and violence. That li|nage (Chams brood) did grow in short while to great numbers, and alwaie indeuored themselues where soeuer they came to beare the rule ouer others. One cause hereof was their bodilie strength, answerable to their hugenesse of stature; another, the examples of Cham or Zoroastres the magician, and Nimrod grandfather to Ninus. Which two persons in them|selues and their progenies were renowmed through the world as victorious princes, ruling ouer two mightie kingdoms Egypt and Assyria. A third cause there was, as this: they repined at the blessings be|stowed vpon Sem and Iaphet, thinking it necessarie to withstand and preuent all lawfull rule and domi|nion, least the cursse of slauerie prophesied by Noah should light vpon them, as at length it did. Here|vpon EEBO page image 48 rebelliouslie withdrawing their due obedience from their lawfull gouernors here in Ireland, and taking head, set vp a king of their owne faction, and mainteining his estate to the oppression of the Rebe [...]ion a|gainst gouer|nors. subiects, by bringing them into continuall bondage. The successe was variable on both sides betwixt the lawfull gouernors & these vsurpers, with dailie rai|ses and skirmishes, so much to the griefe of them that couered to liue in quiet vnder their rightfull princes, that they determined with the chance of one gene|rall A woorthie resolution. battell, either wholie to subdue those proud rebel|lious tyrants, or else to end their liues in fréedome, and so [...] be rid of further miserie. But first, where there had growen certeine debates and enimitie a|mong themselues, whereby they had infeebled their owne forces, they thought good to make peace togi|ther, before they put their whole state in hazard of one battell against the giants, concluding therefore an agréement, and ioining in league with promise to as|sis [...] ech other to subdue their common eni [...]ies, they Assemble their power foorth of all parts of the land, and comming to ioine battell with the giants, after th [...] had fought right fiercelie togither for the space [...] certeine houres, the victorie inclined to the right| [...] part; so that the lawfull kings preuailing against Uictorie [...] cruellie vsed. the wicked tyrants, great slaughter was made on the whole brood of that mischeefous generation. For the kings meaning to deliuer themselues of all dan|ger in time to come, vsed their happie victorie with great crueltie, which turned to their owne confusion: for where they neither spared man, woman, nor child that came in the waie for more despite, & fuller satisfi|eng of their whole reuenge, they did not vouchsafe to burie the carcasses of their slaine enimies; but cast Anno mundi. 2257 them out like a sort of dead dogs: whereof through [...]ench of the same, such an infectiue pestilence insu|ed in all places through corruption of aire, that few escaped with life, beside those that got them awaie by sea.