Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Thus was Ireland inhabited by this people vn|der Ireland first inhabited. the gouernment of those thrée sons of Bartole|nus and their ofspring, about the space of thrée hun|dred yeares. Togither with Bartolenus arriued Ireland certeine godles people of Nimrods stocke, woorthilie termed giants, as those that in botille Giants. shape excéeded the common proportion of others, and vsed their strength to gaine souereigntie, and to op|presse Bergon the sonne of Nep|tune and bro|ther to Albion (as Iohn Bale hath) conque|red Ireland and the Ork|neis. Euill exam|ples soone fol|lowed. the weake with rapine and violence. That li|nage (Chams brood) did grow in short while to great numbers, and alwaie indeuored themselues where soeuer they came to beare the rule ouer others. One cause hereof was their bodilie strength, answerable to their hugenesse of stature; another, the examples of Cham or Zoroastres the magician, and Nimrod grandfather to Ninus. Which two persons in them|selues and their progenies were renowmed through the world as victorious princes, ruling ouer two mightie kingdoms Egypt and Assyria. A third cause there was, as this: they repined at the blessings be|stowed vpon Sem and Iaphet, thinking it necessarie to withstand and preuent all lawfull rule and domi|nion, least the cursse of slauerie prophesied by Noah should light vpon them, as at length it did. Here|vpon EEBO page image 48 rebelliouslie withdrawing their due obedience from their lawfull gouernors here in Ireland, and taking head, set vp a king of their owne faction, and mainteining his estate to the oppression of the Rebe [...]ion a|gainst gouer|nors. subiects, by bringing them into continuall bondage. The successe was variable on both sides betwixt the lawfull gouernors & these vsurpers, with dailie rai|ses and skirmishes, so much to the griefe of them that couered to liue in quiet vnder their rightfull princes, that they determined with the chance of one gene|rall A woorthie resolution. battell, either wholie to subdue those proud rebel|lious tyrants, or else to end their liues in fréedome, and so [...] be rid of further miserie. But first, where there had growen certeine debates and enimitie a|mong themselues, whereby they had infeebled their owne forces, they thought good to make peace togi|ther, before they put their whole state in hazard of one battell against the giants, concluding therefore an agréement, and ioining in league with promise to as|sis [...] ech other to subdue their common eni [...]ies, they Assemble their power foorth of all parts of the land, and comming to ioine battell with the giants, after th [...] had fought right fiercelie togither for the space [...] certeine houres, the victorie inclined to the right| [...] part; so that the lawfull kings preuailing against Uictorie [...] cruellie vsed. the wicked tyrants, great slaughter was made on the whole brood of that mischeefous generation. For the kings meaning to deliuer themselues of all dan|ger in time to come, vsed their happie victorie with great crueltie, which turned to their owne confusion: for where they neither spared man, woman, nor child that came in the waie for more despite, & fuller satisfi|eng of their whole reuenge, they did not vouchsafe to burie the carcasses of their slaine enimies; but cast Anno mundi. 2257 them out like a sort of dead dogs: whereof through [...]ench of the same, such an infectiue pestilence insu|ed in all places through corruption of aire, that few escaped with life, beside those that got them awaie by sea.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 And hereby lieth a vaine tale among the Irish|men, that one of the giants named Ruanus, chan|cing Ruanus how long he liued. to be preserued from this mortalitie, liued for|sooth two thousand and one and fortie yeares, which is more than twise the age of Methusalem. By this man (saie they) saint Patrike was informed of all the estate of the countrie: and after that vpon request he had receiued baptisme of the said Patrike, he de|ceassed in the yeare after the birth of our sauior foure hundred and thirtie, as in the Irish histories hath bin vnaduisedlie registred. But such foolish tales and vaine narrations may warne the aduised reader how to beware of yéelding credit vnto the like idle fantasies and forged tales, when they hap to light vp|on such blind legends. For where some of the poets Forged tales and tables wi [...] credit in time, to passe among the vn|skilfull people for [...] hi|stories. vsed for inuention sake to faine such dreaming ta|bles for exercise of their stiles and wits: afterwards through error and lacke of knowledge, they haue béene taken with the ignorant for verie true and most assured histories. But now to the matter, as we find it recorded of an infinit number of giants slaine and made awaie in manner afore rehearsed, certeine there were that got them into some lurking dens or caues, and there kept them till lacke of vit|tels inforced them to come foorth, and make shift for sustenance; and perceiuing no resistance because the land was in manner left desolat, they waxed bolder; and when they vnderstood how things had passed, they settled themselues in the best part of the countrie, ea|silie subduing the poore séelie soules that remained, and so reuiuing their linage, they became lords of the whole Iland, kéeping the same in subiection for the space of three score yeares togither.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 Among Iaphets sons we read in Genesis that Ma|gog was one, who planted his people in Seythia nere Gen. 20. Tanais, from whense about the yeare of the world two thousand thrée hundred & seuenteene. Nemodus Anno [...]. 2317 Nemodus with his foure sonnes. with his foure sonnes, Starius, Garbaeles, A [...]i|nus, Fergu [...]us, capteins ouer a faire companie of people, were sent into Ireland, who passing by Gre|cia, and taking there such as were desirous to seeke aduentures with them, at length they landed in Ire|land, inhabited the countrie, and multiplied therein, Ireland [...]|soones inhabi|ted by the of|spring of Ia|phet. The giants preuaile. 2533 although not without continuall warre, which they held wih the giants for the space of two hundred and sixteene yeares, in the end of which terme the giants preuailing chased them thense againe, so that they re|tired into Syria. This was about the yeare after the creation (as by their account it should séeme) two thousand fiue hundred thirtie and thrée, from which time the giants kept possession of the land without forren inuasion, till the yeare two thousand seauen hundred and fouretéene; but yet in all that space they were not able to frame a common-welth: for falling at variance among themselues, and measuring all things by might, seditiouslie they vexed ech other. Which thing comming to the knowledge of the Gre|cians The sonnes of Dela a Grecian skil|full in the art of sailing. mooued fiue brethren, sonnes to one Dela, be|ing notable seamen and skilfull pilots to rig a nauie, and to attempt the conquest of this Iland. These were of the posteritie of Nemodus, and named Gandius, Genandius, Sagandus, Rutheranius, & Slanius. When all things were readie, and their They passe into Ireland, and destroied the giants. companies assembled, they tooke the sea, and finallie arriuing here in Ireland, found the puissance of the giants sore weakened through their owne ciuill dis|sention: so that with more ease they atchiued their purpose, and wan the whole countrie, vtterlie destroi|eng and rooting out that wicked generation enimies to mankind; and after diuided the Iland into fiue parts, and in each of them they seuerallie reigned. They diuide the countrie into foure parts. Furthermore, to satisfie all sides, and auoid con|tention, they concluded to fix a mere-stone in the middle poi [...]t of Ireland, to the which ech of their kingdoms should reach, so as they might be equallie partakers of the commodities found within that countrie soile.