¶ The authors out of whom this historie of Ireland hath beene gathered.
- Compare 1577 edition:
1
- Giraldus Cambrensis.
- Flatsburie.
- Henricus Marleburgensis.
- Saxo Grammaticus.
- Albertus Crantz.
- Rogerus Houeden.
- Guilielm. Paruus Nouoburgensis.
- Polychronicon, siue Ranulfus Higeden.
- Iohannes Bale.
- Edmund Campion.
- Records and rolles diuers.
The contents of the chapters following in the description of Ireland.
- 1 The names of Ireland, with the com|passe of the same, also what shires or counties it conteineth, the diuision or partition of the land, and of the language of the people. Chap. 1.
- 2 Of the nature of the soile and other incidents. Chap. 2.
- 3 The names of the ciuities, boroughs, and hauen towns in Ireland. Chap. 3.
- 4 Of the strange and woonderfull pla|ces in Ireland. Chap. 4.
- 5 Of the lords spirituall of Ireland, their names and dignities. Chap. 5.
- 6 The lords temporall, as well Eng|lish as Irish, which inhabit the coun|trie of Ireland. Chap. 6.
- 7 The names or surnames of the lear|ned men and authors of Ireland, and what bookes they wrote. Chap. 7.
- 8 The disposition and maners of the meere Irish, commonlie called the wild Irish. Chap. 8.
TO THE RIGHT HO|norable sir Henrie Sidneie knight, lord deputie generall of Ireland, lord president of Wales, knight of the most noble order of the garter, and one of hir maiesties priuie councell within hir realme of England.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 _MY verie good Lord, there haue beene diuerse of late, that with no small toile, and great commendation, haue throughlie imploied themselues, in culling and packing togi|ther the scrapings and fragments of the historie of Ireland. A|mong which crue, my fast friend, and inward companion, maister Edmund Campion did so learnedlie bequite himselfe, in the penning of certeine breefe notes, concerning that coun|trie, as certes it was greatlie to be lamented, that either his theame had not beene shorter, or else his leasure had not beene longer. For if Alexander were so rauisht with Homer his historie, that notwithstanding Thersites were a crabbed and a rugged dwarfe, being in outward feature so deformed, and in inward conditions so crooked, as he seemed to stand to no better steed, than to lead apes in hell: yet the vali|ant capteine, weighing how liuelie the golden poet hath set forth the ouglie dandeprat in his colours, did sooner wish to be Homer his Thersites, than to be the Alex|ander of that doltish rithmour, which vndertooke with his woodden verses to blase his famous and mar|tiall exploits: how much more ought Ireland (being in sundrie ages seized of diuerse good and couragi|ous Alexanders) sore to long and thirst after so rare a clarke, as maister Campion, who was so vpright in conscience, so deepe in iudgement, so ripe in eloquence, as the countrie might haue beene well assu|red to haue had their historie trulie reported, pithilie handled, and brauelie polished.