¶ Some will déeme this a méere fable, and saie it sauoureth of grosse superstition and idolatrie, where|vpon they will conclude that no such fragments pou|dered with papistrie should be inserted into a chroni|cle. But (to auoid all suspicion of iustifieng the fan|sies of men) note you this, that in the ecclesiasticall historie, no small number of things no lesse strange and true than this seemeth vaine and false, are recor|ded; yea euen touching the verie crosse. But consi|dering that this our age is verie nice and deintie in making choise of matter pleasing their owne humor we will not wade too farre in this kind of argu|ment, which we know may as soone offend as it is ta|ken, as a thorne may pricke, or a netle sting when it is touched. Neuerthelesse, we would not wish that the forme of a thing should be quite condemned for some scandalous peoples pleasures, whome nothing will please, vnlesse it come out of their owne drie|uat or casket of conceits.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 King Henrie held his Christmas at Saumur in Aniou, Anno. Reg. 35. 1189 but manie of his earles and barons were gon from him, and tooke part with the French king, and with his sonne Richard earle of Poictou. Now when the day was come, in which the truce expired, the Bri|tains (which had a charter of couenants of the French king and earle Richard, that if they conclude [...] any peace with king Henrie, the Britains should be par|takers in the same) entred into the confines of those countries, which still continued their due obedience towards king Henrie, spoiling and wasting the same on each side with barbarous crueltie.A legat. At which time also a legat came from the pope named Iohn de Anagnia, who assaied both by courteous meanes and also by threats and menacings to reduce the par|ties vnto peace and concord: insomuch that by his procurement they met this yeare after Easter néere EEBO page image 114 vnto Fler [...] Bernard, twise within a few daies togi|ther, to trie if by talke they might sort to some reaso|nable conditions of agreement.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The last time of those their meetings was in the Whitsunwéeke, Matth. Paris. at what time the French king requi|red not onelie to haue his sister Alice deliuered vnto earle Richard for wife, according to the former coue|nants, but also some assurance giuen vnto the same earle Richard, that he should inherit his fathers lands after his deceasse. Also he required that earle Iohn might take vpon him the crosse to passe ouer into the holie land also, for otherwise earle Richard would not go. R. Houed. Howbeit king Henrie would in no wise consent to any of these demands: but yet as some write, he offered thus much vnto king Philip, that if he could be so content, his sonne Iohn should marrie his sister Alice, and inioy with hir all such things as he demanded in preferment of his sonne Richard, and that in more large maner than he had requested the same. But king Philip would none of that.