Compare 1587 edition: 1 Together wyth Bartolenus arriued in Ire|land certayn godleſſe people of Nemrods ſtocke,Gyaunts. worthily termed Giants, as thoſe that in bodily ſhape exceeded the common proportion of others, and vſed their ſtrengthe to gayne ſoueraigntie,Bergon the ſonne of Nep|tune and bro|ther to Albiõ, as I. Bale hath, cõquered Ire|lande, and the Orkneys. and to oppreſſe the weake with rapine and vio|lence. That linage (Chams broode) grewe in ſhorte whyle to greate numbres, and alway en|deuored them ſelues where ſo euer they came to beare y^e rule ouer others. One cauſe hereof was, their bodily ſtrength anſwerable to their huge|neſſe of ſtature, an other the examples of Cham or Zoroaſtres that Magicien & Nemrod grand|father to Ninus.Euil examples ſoon folovved Whiche two perſons in them|ſelues & their progenies were renoumed through the world, as victorious princes, ruling ouer two mighty kingdoms, Egypt and Aſſyria. A thirde cauſe ther was, as this: They repined at the bleſ|ſings beſtowed vpõ Sem and Iaphet, thinking it neceſſarie to withſtand and preuent all lawfull rule and dominion, leſt the curſe of ſlauerie pro|phecied by Noe ſhould light vpon thẽ as at lẽgth it did. Herevpon rebelliouſly withdrawing theyr due obedience from their lawfull gouerners here in Ireland, and taking head,Rebellion a|gainſt gouer|nours. ſet vp a king of their own faction, mainteyning his aſtate to y^e oppreſ|ſion of the ſubiects, by bringing them into conti|nual bondage. The ſucceſſe was variable on both ſides, betwixt the lawful gouernors & theſe vſur|pers, with dayly reiſes & ſkirmiſhes, ſo much to y^e grief of them that coueted to liue in quiet vnder their rightful Princes, that they determined with the chaunce of one general battayle eyther whol|ly to ſubdue thoſe proud rebellious tyrants,A vvorthy re|ſolution. or els to end their lyues in freedom, & ſo to be rid of fur|ther miſerie. But firſt, where there had growen certain debate & enimitie amõg thẽſelues, wher|by they had enfebled their own forces, they thou|ght good to make peace togither, before they put their whole ſtate in hazard of one bataile againſt the Giants, concluding therfore an agreement, & ioyning in league, with promiſe to aſſiſte eche o|ther to ſubdue their cõmon enimies, they aſſem|ble [figure appears here on page 2] theyr power forth of all parts of the land, and comming to ioyne batail with the Giants, after they had fought righte fiercely togither for the ſpace of certaine houres, the victorie enclined to EEBO page image 3 the rightful part, ſo that the lawful kings preuay|ling againſt y^e wicked tyrãts, gret ſlaughter was made on the whole broode of that miſcheuous ge|neration.Victorie too cruelly vſed. For the kings meaning to deliuer them ſelues of all daunger in tyme to come, vſed theyr happie victorie with great crueltie, whiche turned to their owne confuſion: for where they neyther ſpared man woman nor chylde that came in the way for more deſpite, & fuller ſatiſfying of theyr whole reuenge, they did not vouchſafe to bury the carkaſſes of their ſlayne enimies, but caſte them out lyke a ſort of dead dogges,Anno mundi. 1257. wherof thorough ſtenche of the ſame, ſuche an infectiue peſtilence enſewed in all places through corruption of ayre, that fewe eſcaped with lyfe, beſyde thoſe that got them away by ſea.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Ruanus hovve long he lyued.And hereby lyeth a vayne tale among the I|riſhmen,Ruanus hovve long he lyued. that one of the Giants named Ruanus chancing to be preſerued from this mortalitie, li|ued forſooth about .2041. yeres, which is more thã twice the age of Mathuſalem. By this man (ſay they) S. Patrike was enformed of all the eſtate of the coũtrey: and after that vpon requeſt he had receiued baptiſme of the ſayd Patrike, he deceaſed in the yere after the birth of our ſauior .430. as in the Iriſhe hiſtories hath bene vnaduiſedly regi|ſtred. But ſuche fooliſhe tales and vayne nar|rations may warne the aduiſed reader how to be|ware of yelding credite vnto the lyke idle fanta|ſies & forged tales, when they hap to lyght vpon ſuche blynde Legendes. For where ſome of the Poets vſed for inuention ſake to fayne ſuch drea|ming Fables,Forged tales & fables vvinne credit in tyme, to paſſe among the vnskilfull people for true hiſtories. for exerciſe of their ſtiles and wits, afterwarde thorough errour and lacke of know|ledge, they haue ben taken with the ignorant for verie true and moſte aſſured hiſtories.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 But nowe to the matter as we fynde it recor|ded of an infinite number of Giants ſlayne and made away in maner afore reherſed, certain there were that got them into ſome lurking dennes or caues, and there kepte them till lacke of victuals enforced them to come foorth, and make ſhift: for ſuſtenaunce, and perceyuing no reſiſtance by|cauſe the lande was in maner lefte deſolate, they waxed bolder, and when they vnderſtoode howe things had paſſed, they ſettled them ſelues in the beſt part of the countrey, eaſily ſubduing the poore ſillie ſoules that remayned, and ſo reuiuing theyr lignage, they became lordes of the whole Iland, keping the ſame in ſubiection for the ſpace of three ſcore yeares together.