Compare 1587 edition: 1 Moreouer, the Chartes wherein Maiſter VVolfe ſpent a greate parte of his time, were not founde ſo complete as wee wiſhed: and againe, vnderstanding of the great charges and notable enterprice of that worthie Gentleman maiſter Tho|mas Sackeforde in procuring the Chartes of the ſeuerall pro|uinces of this Realme to be ſette forth, wee are in hope that in tyme he will deliniate this whole lande ſo perfectly, as ſhal be comparable or beyonde any deliniation heretofore made of any other region, and therefore leaue that to his well deſerued prayſe. If any well willer will imitate him in ſo prayſe wor|thie a worke for the two other regions, we will be gladde to fur|ther his endeuour with all the helpes we may.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 The Histories I haue gathered according to my skill, and conferred the greatest parte with Maiſter VVolfe in his life time, to his liking, who procured me ſo many helpes to the fur|therance thereof, that I was lothe to omit any thing that might encreace the Readers knowledge, whiche cauſeth the booke to grow ſo great. But receyuing them by partes, and at ſeuerall times (as I might get them) it may be, that hauing had more regard to the mater than to the apt penning, J haue not ſo or|derly diſpoſed them, as otherwiſe I ought, chooſing rather to EEBO page image 3 want order, than to defraude the Reader of that whiche for his further vnderstanding might ſeeme to ſatisfie his expe|ctation. I therefore moste humbly beſeeche your Honour to ac|cept theſe Chronicles of Englande vnder your protection, and according to your wiſedome and accuſtomed benignitie to beare with my faultes, the rather bicauſe you were euer ſo eſpeciall good Lord to Maiſter VVolfe, to whome I was ſingularly be|holden, and in whoſe name I humbly preſente this rude worke vnto you, beſeeching God, that as he hath made you an inſtru|ment to aduaunce his truth, ſo it may pleaſe him to increace his good giftes in you to his glorie, the furtheraunce of the Queenes Maiesties ſeruice, and comforte of all hir faithfull and louing ſubiectes.
Your honours moſt humble to commaunde, RAPHAEL HOLINSHED.
THE PREFACE to the Reader.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 _IT is dangerous (gẽtle Reader) to range in ſo large a fielde as I haue here vnderta|ken, vvhile ſo many ſundry men in diuers things may be able to controll mee, and ma|ny excellent vvittes of our countrey (as vvell or better occupied I hope) are able herein to ſurpaſſe me: but ſe|ing the beſte able do ſeeme to neglect it, let me (though leaſt able) craue pardon to put thẽ in minde not to forget their natiue coũtreis praiſe (vvhich is theyr dutie) the encourage|ment of theyr vvorthie coun|trie men, by elders aduaunce|ments and the dauntyng of the vicious, by foure penall examples, to vvhiche ende I take Chronicles and Hiſto|ries ought chiefly to be vvritten. My labour may ſhevv mine vttermoſt good vvill, of the more learned I require their further enlargement, and of faultfinders diſpenſatiõ till they be more fully enfourmed. It is too commõ that the leaſt able are readieſt to finde fault in maters of leaſt vveight, and therfore I eſteeme the leſſe of their carping, but humbly beſeech the skilfull to ſupplie my vvant, and to haue care of their dutie: and eyther to amend that vvherin I haue fayled, or be content vvith this mine ende|uour. For it may pleaſe them to conſider, that no one can be eye vvitneſſe to all that is vvritten vvithin our time, much leſſe to thoſe things vvhiche happened in former times, and therefore muſt be content vvith reportes of others. Therein I haue bene ſo careful, that I haue ſpared no paynes or helpe of frendes to ſearch out either vvrit|ten or printed auncient Authours, or to enquire of moderne eye vvitneſſes, for the true ſetting dovvne of that vvhiche I haue here deliuered: but I finde ſuch vvant in vvriters for the neceſſary knovvledge of things done in times paſt, and lacke of meane to obtayne ſufficient inſtructions by reporters of the time preſent, and herevvith the vvorthie exploytes of our countrey men ſo many, that it greeueth me I coulde not leaue the ſame to poſteritie (as I vviſhed) to their vvel deſerued praiſe. But I haue here imperted vvhat I could learne, and craue that it may be takẽ in good part. My ſpeech is playne, vvithout any Rethoricall ſhevve of Eloquence, hauing rather a regarde to ſimple truth, than to decking vvordes. I vviſhe I had bene furniſhed vvith ſo perfect inſtructions, and ſo many good gifts, that I might haue pleaſed all kindes of men, but that ſame being ſo rare a thing in any one of the beſt, I beſeech thee (gentle Rea|der) not to looke for it in me the meaneſt.