Compare 1587 edition: 1 For Irelande I haue ſhevved in mine Epiſtle Dedicatorie in vvhat ſorte, and by vvhat helpes I haue proceeded therein, onely this I forgotte, to ſignifie that Giraldus Cambrenſis, and Flatsbury, I had not till that parte of the Booke vvas vnder the preſſe, and ſo being conſtreyned to make poſte haſte, coulde not exemplifie out of them all that I vviſhed, neither yet diſpoſe it ſo orderly as had bene conuenient, nor penne it vvith ſo apte vvordes as might ſatisfie either my ſelfe, or thoſe to vvhoſe vevve it is novv like to come. And by reaſon of the like haſte made in the Impreſ|ſion, vvhere I vvas determined to haue tranſpoſed the moſte parte of that vvhiche in the Engliſhe Hiſtorie I had noted, concerning the Conqueſte of Irelande by Henry the ſeconde out of Houeden and others, I had not time thereto, and ſo haue lefte it there remayning, vvhere I firſte noted it, before I determined to make any particular collection of the Iriſhe Hiſtories, bicauſe the ſame commeth there vvell inough in place, as to thoſe that ſhall vouchſafe to turne the Booke it may appeare.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 For the computation of the yeares of the vvorlde, I hadde by Maiſter VVoulfes aduiſe follovved Functius, but after his deceaſſe Maiſter VVilliam Hariſon made mee partaker of a Chronologie, vvhiche hee had gathered and compiled vvith moſte exquiſite diligence, follovvyng Gerardus Mercator, and other late Chronologers, and his ovvne obſeruations, according to the vvhiche I haue reformed the ſame. As for the yeares of our Lorde, and the Kings, I haue ſette them dovvne accordyng to ſuche Authours as ſeeme to bee of beſte EEBO page image 6 credite in that behalfe, as I doubte not but to the learned and skilfull in Hiſtories, it ſhal appeare Moreouer, this the Reader hath to conſider, that I do beginne the yeare at the natiuitie of our Lorde, vvhiche is the ſureſt order in my fantaſie that can bee follovved.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 For the names of perſons, tovvnes and places, as I haue bene diligent to reforme the errours of other (vvhich are to be aſcribed more to the imperfect copies thã to the Authours) ſo may it be that I haue ſomevvhere committed the like faultes, either by negligence or vvant of skill to reſtore them to their full integritie as I vviſhed, but vvhat I haue performed aſvvell in that behalfe, as others, the skilful Reader ſhall ea|ſily perceyue, and vvithal cõſider (I truſt) vvhat trauel I haue beſtovved to his behofe in theſe tvvo volumes, crauing onely, that in recompence thereof, he vvill iudge the beſt, and to make a frendly cõſtruction of my meanings, vvhere ought may ſeeme to haue eſcaped, either my penne or the Printers preſſe, othervviſe than vve could haue vviſhed for his better ſatisfaction. Many things being taken out as they lie in Au|thours may be thought to giue offence in time preſent, vvhiche referred to the time paſt vvhen the Authour vvritte, are not onely tollerable but alſo allovvable. There|fore good Reader I beſeech thee to vvay the cauſes and circumſtances of ſuch faultes and imperfections, and conſider that the like may creepe into a far leſſe volume than this, and ſhevv me ſo much fauour as hath bene ſhevved to others in like cauſes: and ſithẽce I haue done my good vvil, accept the ſame, as I vvith a free and thãkful minde do offer it thee, ſo ſhall I thinke my labour vvell beſtovved. For the other Hiſtories vvhiche are already collected, if it pleaſe God to giue abilitie, ſhall in time come to light, vvith ſome ſuch briefe deſcriptions of the forreyn regions, vvhere|of they treate, as may the better ſuffiſe to the Readers contentation, and vnderſtanding of the maters conteyned in the ſame Hiſtories, reduced into abridgements out of their great volumes. And thus I ceaſſe further to trouble thy pacience, vviſh|ing to thee (gentle Reader) ſo much profite, as by reading may be had, and as great cõ|fort as Goddes holy ſpirite may endue thee vvith.