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Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 These were Pi [...]s, and the first that had béen heard of in these parties (as some authors haue recorded) a [...]s arriue in Ireland. people from their verie cradle giuen to dissention, landleapers, mercilesse, fierce and hardie. They being brought and presented to the Irish king, craued in|terpretors, which granted, Rodorike their cheefeteine made this request for him and his, as followeth: Not The oration of Rodorike king of the Picts king of Ireland. as denegrate from the courage of our ancestours, but fashioning our selues to fortunes course, we are become to craue of Ireland, as humble supplicants that neuer before this present haue so embased our selues to anie other nation. Behold sir king, and re|gard vs well, no light occasion causeth these lustie valiant bodies to stoope. Scithians we are, & Pi [...]s of Scithia, no small portion of glorie resteth in these two names. What shall I speake of the ciuill warre that hath expelled vs from our natiue homes, or rip vp old histories to mooue strangers to bemone vs? Let our seruants and children discourse therof at lei|sure, if perhaps you will vouchsafe to grant vs some time of abode in your land, to the which effect and purpose our vrgent necessitie beséecheth your fauors, a king of a king and men of men are to craue assi|stance. Princes can well discerne and consider how néere it toucheth their honour and suertie, to vphold and releeue the state of a king, by treason decaied. And manifest it is to all men of reasonable conside|ration, that nothing more beseemeth the nature of man, than to be mooued with compassion, and as it were to féele themselues hurt, when they heare and vnderstand of other mens calamities. Admit (we be|seech you) and receiue amongst you these few scatte|red remnants of Scithia: if your roomes be nar|row, we are not manie: if the soile of your countrie be barren, we are borne and enured to hardnesse: if you liue in peace, we are at commandement as sub|iects: if you warre, we are readie to serue you as souldiours: we demand no kingdome, no state, no pompous triumph in Ireland: we are héere alone, and haue left such things behind vs with our eni|mies: howsoeuer you estéeme of vs, we shall con|tent our selues therewith, and learne to frame our liking to yours, calling to mind not what we haue beene, but what we are.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Great consultation was had about this request Doub [...]ull consultation. of these strangers, and manie things debated to and fro. In conclusion, the Irish laid foorth for answer the opinions of their antiquaries; that is, such as were The answ [...] of the Irish to the request of the Pi [...]s. skilfull in old histories and saiengs of their elders, wherevnto they gaue credit, and therefore they gathe|red it could not be expedient to accept the Scithians into the land, for that mingling of nations in one realme bréedeth quarels: moreouer, that the multi|tude of the inhabitants was such, as roome in the whole Ile was vneth able to receiue them, and there|fore those few new commers, being placed among so manie old inhabitants, might bréed quicklie some disturbance to bring all out of ioint. But (said they) though we may not conuenientlie receiue you a|mong vs, yet shall you find vs readie to further you to be our neighbours.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Not far hense there lieth the great Ile of Bri|taine, The Irish persuadeth the Pi [...]s to place them|selues in Britains. in the north part whereof, being void of inha|bitants, your manhoods and policies may purchase for you roomes to place your selues at ease: we shall appoint you capteins to guide you thither, we shall assist to settle you with our forces in that coun|trie, make readie your ships that yée may passe thi|ther with all conuenient spéed. Incouraged with this persuasion, they tooke their course towards the north parts of Britaine now called Scotland, where contrarie to their expectation Marius king of Bri|taine was readie to await their comming, and with Marius o|therwise c [...]|led [...]ruira|gus king o [...] Briton [...]. sharpe battell vanquishing them in field, slue Rodo|rike with a great number of his retinues. Those that escaped with life, and sought to him for grace, he li|cenced to inhabit the vttermost end of Scotland. This Marius Humfrie Lhuid taketh to be the same, whome the Romane writers name Aruiragus, who reigned about the yere of our Lord seuentie, a prince of a noble courage and of no small estimation in his daies (as should séeme by that which is written of him.) His right name (as the said Humfreie Lhuid anoucheth) was Meurig.

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Compare 1587 edition: 1

Not as degenerate from the courage of our anceſtours,The oration of Roderik K. of the Pictes king of Ireland but faſhioning our ſelues to For|tunes courſe, wee are become to craue of Ire|lande, as humble ſuppliantes that neuer bee|fore this preſent haue ſo embaſed our ſelues to any other nation. Beholde ſir king, and re|garde vs well, no light occaſion cauſeth theſe luſty valiant bodies to ſtoupe. Scythians we are, and Pictes of Scythia, no ſmalle portion of glorie reſteth in theſe two names. What ſhal I ſpeake of the ciuill warre that hath ex|pulſed vs from our natiue homes, or rip vp old hiſtories to moue ſtraungers to bemoane vs, let our ſeruantes and children diſcourſe therof at leyſure, if perhappes you will vouchſafe to graunt vs ſome time of abode in your land, to the whiche effecte and purpoſe our vrgent ne|ceſſitie beſecheth your fauors, a king of a king and men of men, are to craue aſſiſtance: prin|ces can well diſcerne and conſider howe neere it toucheth their honour and ſuretie to vphold and relieue the ſtate of a king, by treaſon de|cayed: And manifeſt it is to all men of reaſo|nable conſideration, that nothing more beſee|meth the nature of mã, than to be moued with compaſſion, and as it were to feele themſelues hurte, when they hear and vnderſtand of other mennes calamities. Admit (we beſeeche you) and receyue amongſt you theſe fewe ſcattered remnauntes of Scythia: if your roomes bee narrowe, wee are not manye: if the ſoyle of your countrey be barreyne, wee are borne and enured to hardeneſſe: if you liue in peace, wee are at commaundemente as ſubiectes: if you warre, we are readie to ſerue you as ſouldi|ours: we demaunde no kingdome, no ſtate, no pompous triumph in Irelande: we are heere alone, and haue lefte ſuche things behynde vs with our enimies: howſoeuer you eſteeme of vs, we ſhall content our ſelues therwith, and learne to frame our liking to yours, calling to mynd not what we haue bin, but what we ar.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Great conſultation was had about this re|queſt of theſe ſtrangers,Doubtfull con|ſultation. and many things de|bated to and fro. In concluſion, the Iriſhe layde forth for anſwere the opinions of theyr Antiquaries, that is,The anſvvere of the Irishe to the requeſt of the Picts. ſuche as were ſkilfull in old hiſtories & ſayings of their elders, whervn|to they gaue credite, & therfore they gathered, it coulde not be expedient to accept the Scy|thians into the land, for that mingling of na|tions in one realme, bredeth quarels: moreouer that the multitude of the inhabitantes was ſuche, as roomth in the whole Ile was vueth able to receyue them, and therefore thoſe fewe newe commers being placed among ſo many olde inhabitants, might breede quickely ſome diſturbance to bring al out of ioynt. But (ſaid they) though we may not cõueniently receiue you among vs, yet ſhall you fynd vs readie to further you to be our neighbours.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Not farre hence there lyeth the great Ile of Britayne, in the northe parte whereof,The Irish per|ſuadeth the Picts to place themſelues in Britayn. beeing voyde of inhabitantes, your manhode and po|licies maye purchaſe for you roomthes to place yourſelues at eaſe, we ſhall appoynt you cap|taines to guide you thither, we ſhall aſſiſt to ſettle you with oure forces in that countreye, make readie your ſhippes that ye maye paſſe thither with all conuenient ſpeede. Encoura|ged with this perſuaſion they toke their courſe towards the north parts of Britain now cal|led Scotland,Marius other|vviſe called Aruiragus king of Britons. where contrarie to their expec|tation Marius king of Britayne was readye to awayte their comming, and with ſharp ba|tayle vanquiſhing them in fielde, ſlewe Ro|derike with a greate number of his retinues. Thoſe that eſcaped with lyfe, and ſoughte to him for grace, he licenced to inhabite the vt|termoſt end of Scotland. This Marius Hũ|frey Lluyd taketh to bee the ſame whome the Romain writers name Aruiragus, and reig|ned about the yere of our Lord .70. a Prince of a noble courage and of no ſmall eſtimation in his dayes (as ſhould ſeeme by that which is written of him.) His right name (as the ſayde Humfrey Lluyd auoucheth) was Meurig.