Compare 1587 edition: 1 Thys Gregorie lyeth buryed in one of the out Iſles called Iona, or Colmekyll, where they ſpeake naturally Iriſhe: and therefore ſome of the Scottes woulde ſeeme to make the conqueſt of Henry the ſeconde in Irelande, a re [...]leyng from the righte inheritours, although they con|feſſe they can not tell howe they came from the poſſeſſion of it, otherwyſe than by forging a tale that they willingly forewent it, as reaping leſſe by reteyning it, than they layde foorthe, and ſo not able to diſcharge that whiche was to bee de|frayed aboute the keeping of it, they gaue it o|uer, perſwading themſelues, that the Kyngs of Englande haue gayned little or nothyng by the hauyng of Irelande. And yet in the tyme whyleſt ſyr Henry Sydney was gouernor there,Sir Henry Sydney. when the Countie of Vlſter was auouched to belong to the Crowne, it was proued in open Parliament, that there armies of that Erledom, in the dayes of Edwarde the thirde were recke|ned, and founde to amounte vnto the ſumme of xxxj. thouſande markes yearely, the ſame being but a fyfte parte of Irelande: ſo that if thinges were well looked vnto, and ſuche enprouemente made as mighte bee; Irelande woulde ſuffice to beare the neceſſarie charges, and yelde no ſmall ſurpluſage vnto the Princes co [...]fers.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 But nowe as it falleth foorthe in the hiſtorie. We haue thoughte good heere to ſhewe in what ſorte Irelande came to receyue the Chriſtian fayth. We fynde in deede that immediatly after Chriſtes tyme, Saynt Iames the Apoſtle,Ireland inſtruc|ted in the faithe by S. Iames the Apoſtle. and other, trauayling into theſe Weaſt partes, didde firſt inſtructe the Iriſhe people, and teache them the glad tidyngs of the Goſpell, ſo that dyuerſe amongeſt them euen then were chriſtened, and beleeued, but not in ſuche numbers (as maye be thought) wherby it ſhould be ſayd, that the coũ|trey was generally conuerted.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Notwithſtanding, the Scottiſhe Chronicles anouche, that in the dayes of their king Finco|marke, who departed this lyfe in the yeare of our Redemption three hundred fyfty and eyght, Irelande was conuerted to the faithe by this meanes.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 The Scots write, that their king Eregorie the Gregorie king of Scots subdueth I|reland. [...]75 sonne of Dongall, who began his reigne in the yeare of our Lord 875, pretending a title to Ireland, as be|longing to him by right of lawfull succession, made a iourneie thither, and within a small time made a conquest of the countrie. This Gregorie lieth bu|ried in one of the out Iles called Iona, or Colme|kill, where they speake naturallie Irish: and there|fore some of the Scots would séeme to make the con|quest of Henrie the second in Ireland, a reuolting from the right inheritors: although they doo con|fesse they can not tell how they came from the posses|sion of it, otherwise than by forging a tale that they willinglie forewent it, as reaping lesse by reteining it, than they laid foorth, and so not able to discharge that which was to be defraied about the kéeping of it they gaue it ouer, persuading themselues that the kings of England haue gained little or nothing by the hauing of Ireland. And yet in the time whilest sir Henrie Sidneie was gouernour there, when the Sir [...] Sid [...]. countie of Ulster was auouched to belong vnto the crowne: it was prooued in open parlement, that the reuenues of that earldome, in the daies of Edward the third were reckoned, and found to amount vnto the summe of one and thirtie thousand marks yeare|lie, the same being but a fift part of Ireland: so that if things were well looked vnto, and such improue|ment made as might be, Ireland would suffice to beare the necessarie charges, and yéeld no small s [...]|plusage vnto the princes coffers.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 But now as it falleth foorth in the historie. We haue thought good here to shew in what sort Ireland came to receiue the christian faith. We find in deed that immediatlie after Christes time, saint Iames Ireland in|stru [...]ed in the faith by saint Iames t [...] [...]|postle. the apostle, & other trauelling into these west parts, did first instruct the Irish people, and teach them the glad tidings of the gospell, so that diuerse amongst them euen then were christened, and beléeued, but not in such numbers (as may be thought) whereby it should be said, that the countrie was generallie conuerted. Notwithstanding, the Scotish chroni|cles a [...]ouch, that in the daies of their king Finc [...]|marke, who departed this life in the yeare of our re|demption thrée hundred fiftie and eight, Ireland was conuerted to the faith by this meanes.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 A woman of the Pictish bloud chanced (saie they) to serue in those daies the queene of Ireland, which woman being a christian hir selfe, first instructed hir mistresse in the faith and true points of christianitie; and the quéene hir husband, who conuerted the whole Irish nation. Howbeit, by the report of the Irish writers themselues, this should not seeme altogither true: for they affirme, that their countrie was rather still estéemed as one of the vnchristened Iles, till a|bout the yeare foure hundred twentie and six, whilest Celestine the first of that name gouerned the sée of Rome, who vpon conference had with his cleargie, touching the restoring of the christian faith in the west parts of the world, greatlie decaied there by the heresie of Pelagius, vnderstood that Ireland also by reason of distance from the hart of christendome, and rudenesse of the nation, had receiued little fruit at all of true religion, a thing much to be lamented.