Compare 1577 edition: 1 The tenth of Nouember a proclamation wasA proclamati|on for the f [...]e traffike of merchants as before, &c. published for the frée traffike of merchants to be re|stored as had béen accustomed in times past betwixt the kingdoms and countries of the quéenes maiestie of England and the king of Portingall, which traf|fike had been discontinued by reson of certeine staies and arrests made of diuerse subiects on both parts, with their goods & ships. But now it was accorded in name of both their maiesties, that all maner of both their subiects of what kingdome or countrie so euer they be, from the fiftéenth of the said moneth, might vse the like mutuall traffike for merchandizes, and in the same places: that is to saie, hir maiesties subiects in the kingdomes of Portingale & Algarbia, and in the Iles of Medera and Azore: and likewise the sub|iects of the king of Portingale in England and Ire|land, as they were lawfullie accustomed before the said arrests. This restitution of the said traffike to remaine from the said fifteenth daie of Nouember in this yeare one thousand, fiue hundred, seauentie and six, during the space of thrée yeares next insuing. At the end of which terme, if by the said princes in the meane time it be not otherwise prouided for conti|nuance of the said traffike to indure perpetuallie, no new arrests shall be made of anie things brought into the kingdoms and Iles aforesaid, of either of the said princes during the time of the said thrée yeares. It was further agréed by the said princes for the more sure preseruation of the amitie and friend|ship betwixt them, their said realmes and subiects, that neither of them shall receiue anie pirat or rouer into anie of the ports or créeks of either of their realmes, dominions, and countries, which may or shall haue committed anie pirasie or robberie vpon either of their subiects, nor shall shew anie fauour, giue anie aid or succor, or suffer anie to be giuen di|rectlie or indirectlie to the said rouers or pirats. Nei|ther shall they during the time of the said amitie, in either of their kingdoms, or anie place of their do|minions, fauour, interteine, receiue or reteine, nor suffer to be fauoured, interteined, receiued, or retei|ned by anie of their subiects, anie rebels, traitors, or fugitiues, subiects to either of them.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 Thus farre haue I continued this collection of the English histories, noting breefelie in these later yeares, such things as I find in the abridgement of Richard Grafton, and in the summarie of Iohn Stow, increased somewhat (as may appeare) in places with such helpes as haue come to my hand; humblie beseeching the reader to accept the same in good part, and to pardon me where I haue not satis|fied his expectation: sith heerein I must confesse, I haue nothing contented my selfe, but yet at the request of others haue doone what I could & not what I would, for want of conference with such as might haue furnished me with more large instructions, such as had beene neces|sarie for the purpose.
24.1. THE CHRONICLES OF England, from the yeare of our Lord 1576, where Raphaell Holinshed left; supplied and continued to this present yeare 1586: by Iohn Stow, and others.
EEBO page image 1268THE CHRONICLES OF England, from the yeare of our Lord 1576, where Raphaell Holinshed left; supplied and continued to this present yeare 1586: by Iohn Stow, and others.
_A Disciple of Socrates, by name Aristip|pus, a man suerlie of a verie sharpe iudgement and pleasant wit, when he was demanded what profit he tooke by the studie of wisedome, made this an|swer: Forsooth this profit, that with all sorts of men I can frankelie and boldlie speake. Which answer might well be of that mans making; bicause he bare a mind indifferentlie free, as well from hope as feare: for he serued no man, nor yet flattered anie person, nor otherwise behaued himselfe than his hart gaue him. Of the same mind it were to be wished that all storie-writers were: for then should Chronicles approch next in truth to the sacred and inuiolable scripture, and their vse not onelie growe more common, but also of greater account. And right good reason whie. For therein is conteined the rich and pretious treasure of time, the wisest counsellor vnder the cope of heauen. And that saw Thales the philosopher well inough, who being as|ked what of all was the eldest? answered, God: what of all the fairest? the world: what of all the greatest? place: what of all the swiftest? the mind: what of all the strongest? necessitie: and what of all the wisest? time. Time in Greeke is cal|led [...], whereof the word Chronicles ariseth, termed [...], that is, obseruati|ons of time: so that if nothing in wisedome dooth excell time, then who can but wax wise by reading and perusing the obseruations of time, which are meerelie & simplie Chronicles? Chroniclers therefore deserue a reuerence of dutie, whome time hath called and culled out as it were by the hand, to vse their ministerie and seruice for the disposing and distributing of the riches of his wisedome to all ages, that successors may be taught by their predecessors, wit by their follie, fealtie by their disloialtie, obedience by their rebellion, vnitie and peace by their dissention, plainnesse by their doublenesse, sobrietie by their vntemperance, courtesie by their churlishnesse, pitie by their vncharitablenesse; finallie all goodnesse by their badnesse; for the which (as we may see by a sea of examples in this booke) sith they were greeuouslie punished, it is our gaine by their smart to be admonished.
EEBO page image 1269For surelie heerein standeth a speciall vse of chronicles, that whilest some of|fending against the lawes of God, of nature, and of nations, doo draw vnto them|selues deserued vengeance: others by loue allured, or by feare inforced, seeing their rufull fals, and auoiding the meanes, may happilie escape the paine. This frute hitherto hath this historie of chronicles affoorded, no lesse heereafter by the continuation following is like to be performed; besides manifold mat|ters of recreation, policie, aduentures, chiualrie, &c: abundant|lie ministred; and all vnder the golden reigne of blessed queene Elisabeth, the sweet floure of ami|able virginitie:
Cui vitam, studiúmque Deus, regníque coronamPerpetuet, beet, & tranquillo prosperet vsu:Póstque hanc exactam vitam, studium atque coronam,Coelesti vita, studio, diademate donet.A. F.