Compare 1577 edition: 1 Notwithstanding sure it is, that in the daies of Gurguntius king of the Britons, the chiefe gouer|nour of Baion with foure brethren Spaniards, of the which two are said to be Hiberus and Hermion, not the sonnes (some thinke) of Gathelus (as Hector Boetius affirmeth) but some other perhaps that were descended from him, who vnderstanding that diuerse of the westerne Iles were emptie of inhabitants, as|sembling a great number of men, women, and chil|dren, imbarked with the same in thrée score great vessels, and directing their course westward, houe|red a long time in the sea about the Iles of Orke|ncie, vntill by good hap they met with Gurguntius Gurguntius. then returning from the conquest of Denmarke (as in the British historie it appéereth) whom they be|sought in consideration of their want of vittels and other necessaries, being such as they were not able longer to abide the seas, incumbred with a sort of women and children, to direct and appoint them to some place where to inhabit; promising to hold the same of him, and to become liege people to him and his heires for euer.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Gurguntius aduising himselfe hereof, remem|bred Gurguntius appointeth the Spani|ards fears in Ireland to liue vnder his subiection. with what trouble he held the Irish in subiecti|on, and conceiuing hope that those strangers should either subdue or wholie destroie that vnrulie genera|tion, tooke the othes of those Spaniards with hosta|ges; and furnishing them and their ships with all things néedfull, set them ouer into Ireland, where as|sisted with such Britons as Gurguntius had appoin|ted The arriuall of the Spa|niards in I|reland, Geffreic Mon. to go with them for their guids, they made a con|quest of the whole conntrie, & setled themselues in the same. Some write, that Ireland was before that pre|sent void of all inhabitants: but yet they agrée that these Spaniards were guided thither by the Bri|tons, & that vnder such conditions as before is reci|ted. So that it appéereth the kings of this our Britain had an elder right to the realme of Ireland, than by the conquest of Henrie the second, which title they e|uer mainteined, and sometimes preuailed in pursu|ing thereof, as in the daies of king Arthur, to whom the Irish (as in some histories is remembred) ac|knowledged The Irish were subiect to K. Arthur. Westchester. their due subiection with paiement of their tribute, and making their appéerance at the ci|tie called in the British toong Caer Lheon. Where|vnto when their [...]rée assent, the submission of their princes with lawfull conquest and prescription are adioined, an inuincible title must néeds be inforced.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 But now to our purpose. The Spaniards sub|stantiallie aided by the Britons, setled themselues, and diuided their seats in quarters, the foure bre|thren reigning seuerallie apart in foure sundrie por|tions in good quiet and increase of welth, vntill their Disse [...]tion betwixt the brethren. pride and ambition armed two of them against the other two: as Hiberus and one of his brethren a|gainst Such are the fruits o [...] [...]. Hermion and the other brother. In this dis|sention Hermion slue his brother Hiberus. Of whom at the same time the countrie (as some hold) Sée more hereof in the description. was named Hibernia, as in the description further EEBO page image 50 appeareth: although some rather hold, that it tooke the nam [...] of iron, of the plentifull mines of that kind of mettall wherewith that land aboundeth: and so those ancient writers which name it Ierna, named it more aptlie after the spéech of the inhabitants than others, which name it Hibernia. But to procéed. Her|mion herevpon to auoid the ill opinion of men, for that he had thus atteined to the souereignetie by the [...] [...]ime so [...] or detestable that wanteth a colourable pretense to ex|cuse it. vnnaturall slaughter of his brother, in that vnhap|pie ciuill warre, purged himselfe to his subiects, that neither maliciouslie nor contentiouslie, but for his necessarie defense and safetie he had borne armes a|gainst his brethren: and to witnesse how farre he was from all desire to rule alone, he appointed cer|teine capteins as kings, to rule vnder him seuerall countries, reseruing to himselfe but one fourth part, and the portion of Meth allotted to the monarchie for the better maintenance of his estate.