Compare 1587 edition: 1 This was aboute the yeere after the creation (as by their accoumpte it ſhoulde ſeeme) 2533.2533. from whiche tyme the Giauntes kepte poſſeſ|ſion of the lande without forrain inuaſion till the yeare .2714. but yet in all that ſpace they were not able to frame a common welth: for falling at va|riaunce among them ſelues, and meaſuring all things by might, ſeditiouſly they vexed ech other. Whiche thyng comming to the knowledge of the Grecians, moued fiue brethren, ſonnes to one Dela,The ſonnes of Dela a Grecian skilfull in the arte of ſayling. being notable ſea men and ſkilfull Pilots to rigge a nauie, and to attempte the conqueſt of this Ilande. Theſe were of the poſteritie of Ne|modus, and named Gandius, Genandius, Sa|gandus, Rutheranius, and Slauius. When all things were readye and their companies aſſem|bled, they tooke the ſea,They paſſe in|to Ireland, and deſtroyed the Giaunts. They deuide the countrey into four parts. and finally arriuing here in Irelande, founde the puiſſance of the Giants ſore weakened throughe their owne ciuill diſſen|tion, ſo that with more eaſe they atchieued theyr purpoſe, and wanne the whole countreye, vtter|ly deſtroying and rootyng out that wicked gene|ration, enimies to mankinde, and after deuided the Ilande into fyue partes, and in eche of them they ſeuerally reigned.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Furthermore to ſatiſfie all ſydes, and auoyde contention, they concluded to fixe a mereſtone in the myddle poynte of Irelande, to the whiche eche of their kyngdomes ſhoulde reache, ſo as they myght bee equally partakers of the com|modities founde within that countrey ſoyle.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Theſe are alſo ſuppoſed to haue inuented the diſtribution of ſhires into Cantredes,A cantred. euery can|tred or baronie conteyning one hundred town|ſhippes. At lengthe deſyre of ſoueraigntie ſette the fyue bretherne at variance,Deſire of ſoue|raintie cauſe of variance. and greatly hin|dered theyr growyng wealthes. But Slanius gettyng the vpper hande, and bringing his four brethren to a lowe ebbe, tooke vpon him as chiefe aboue his other brethren, encrochyng founde a|boute the myddle ſtone for the ſpace of certayne myles, whiche plotte in tyme obteyned the pri|uiledge and name of one entier parte, and nowe maketh vp the number of fyue partes, (into the whiche Irelande is ſayde to bee deuided) and is called Methe, and in Latine Media, taking that name (as ſome haue gueſſed) for that in reſpecte of the other, it conteyned bot the moytie of can| [...]redes, that is .xvj. (where eche of the other com|prehended .32. a peece) or elſe for that it lyeth in the EEBO page image 4 middeſt of the lande. This parte Slanius ioyned as a ſurpluſage ouer and aboue his inheritaunce, vnto the Monarchie, whiche parte notwithſtan|ding grewe to a ſeuerall kingdome. Thirtie yea|res the monarchie yet continued in this order, but finally Slanius departed this lyfe,Slanius depar|ted thy lyfe. and was bu|ryed in a mountayne of Meth, that beareth hy|therto (as they ſay) the name after him.