[1] ΒΆ Here I haue thought good to aduertise the rea|der, that these men of war, whom we haue general|lie in this part of our booke named Brabanders, we find them written in old copies diuerslie, as Breba|zones, Brebanceni, and Brebationes, the which for so much as I haue found them by the learned transla|ted Brabanders, and that the French word some|what yeeldeth thereto, I haue likewise so named them: wherein whether I haue erred or not, I must submit mine opinion to the learned & skilfull search|ers of such points of antiquities. For to confesse in plaine truth mine ignorance, or rather vnresolued doubt herein, I can not satisfie my selfe with any thing that I haue read, whereby to assure my con|iecture what to make of them, although verelie it may be, and the likelihood is great, that the Braban|ders in those daies for their trained skill and vsuall practise in warlike feats, wan themselues a name, whereby not onelie those that were naturallie borne in Brabant, but such also as serued amongst them, or else vsed the same warlike furniture, order, trade and discipline, which was in vse among them, passed in that age vnder the name of Brabanders. Or else I must thinke, that by reason of some od kind of ha|bit [page 99] or other speciall cause, a certeine sort of souldi|ers purchased to themselues the priuilege of that name, so to be called Brabanceni or Brebationes (whe|ther ye will) as hath chanced to the Lansquenetz and Reisters in our time, and likewise to the compa|nions Arminaes and Escorchers in the daies of our forefathers, and as in all ages likewise it hath fortu|ned amongst men of warre. Which if it so chanced to these Brabanceni, I know not then what countrie|men to make them: for as I remember, Marchades that was a chiefe leader of such souldiers as were knowne by that name (as after ye shall heare) is re|ported by some authors to be a Prouancois.