[1] [2] ¶ Now therefore bicause it appeareth here how the gouernors of the citie of London had their names altered for their greater honour, and the state of go|uernment thereby partlie changed, or rather confir|med; I haue thought good (though verie breefelie) to touch somewhat the signification of this word Maire,The signifi|cation of this word Maire. Wulf. Laz. Berosus. before I procéed any further with the rest of this hi|storie. The ancient inhabitants of Franconia, or Frankenland, from whome the Frenchmen are des|cended, and their neighbors the old Saxons, of whom the Englishmen haue their originall, being people of Germanie, and descended (as Berosus saith) of the the old Hebrues, haue reteined manie Hebrue words, either from the beginning, or else borowed them abroad in other regions which they conquered, passing by force of armes through a great part of the world. For no doubt, by conuersation with those peo|ple whom they subdued, they brought home into their owne countrie and toong manie borowed words, so that their language hath no small store of them fet|ched out of sundrie strange toongs.