Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 The Romane empire being brought into irreco|uerable ruine by the Uandals, Gothes, Hunnes, Frenchmen, and other barbarous nations, occupi|eng sundrie parts and portions thereof, put the Britains out of all hope to haue anie assistance from the emperors, which caused them to remaine in Conanus [...] Britaine go|eth about to persuade his countriemen to breake the peace conclu|ded with the Scots and Picts. quiet certein yéers without attempting any exploit against the Scots or Picts, and so duelie paid their couenanted tribute, though sore against their wils, if they might otherwise haue remedied it. At the last about ten yéers after the cõclusion of this last peace, it chanced that one Conanus the sonne of the aboue EEBO page image 90 mentioned Conanus, descended of the bloud of the Octauij, sometimes kings of the Britains, sore ma|ligned to sée his countrie thus brought into thral|dome of the Scotish nation, and deuising how to find some redres, called togither the most part of the Bri|tish nobilitie, by secret message home to a manour place which he had within a thicke wood in the coun|trie of Kent, and there opening vnto them a great péece of his mind, persuaded them with the weighti|est reasons he could imagine, to leuie warre against the Scots and Picts, hauing at that present, meanes now since the last warres to mainteine it, as well by reason of their increase both of able men, as al|so of substance to furnish them withall.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Héere the nobles were of sundrie opinions: for The Bri|tains hauing respect to their sonnes & kinsmen lieng in hostage would not a|grée to breake the peace. some awearied with the note of bondage, would gladlie haue had warres: other hauing regard to their sons lieng in hostage with the enimies, would in no wise consent thereto: by reason whereof this councell brake vp without conclusion of anie effect. When ech man was returned to his home, there had beene some amongst them, that gaue knowledge to the confederate kings what motion had béene made, and what was intended against them. Wherevpon they immediatlie determined, not onelie to cause the hostages to be executed, but also to pursue the re|bels with fierce and cruell warres. Yet before they The kings of the Scots & Picts offen|ded with the consp racie of the Britains, prescribe vnto them new ar|ticles to be performed. practised anie violence, they sent their ambassadors vnto the Britains, to vnderstand their full meaning, and to declare vnto them further certeine articles which the said kings required to haue performed without all delaies, or else to looke for open warre out of hand.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 The chiefest points of which articles were these. First that the Britains should not assemble togither in councell without licence of the Scotish and Pic|tish Impudent ser [...]litie in|truded vpon the Britains by the proud and cru [...]ll Scots, if it be true. kings, notwithstanding that their ancient laws they might vse at their pleasure, but they should re|ceiue no stranger into their countrie being a Ro|mane or a Frenchman, neither merchant nor other. Their old hostages they should receiue home againe, and deliuer in exchange of them twise so manie in number of the like age and degrée, as was coue|nanted by the former league. The commons of the land vnderstanding what was demanded by these ambassadors, were in a woonderfull rage, and would haue made a great sturre if they had not béene quie|ted The com|mons of Bri|taine offended with their gouernors. by the lords, who for their paines taken herein, got thém an euill report amongst the inferior sort of people, as though through their want of stomach on|lie, the common-wealth was brought into such a mi|serable estate, that looke what it pleased the enimie to charge the British nation with, no man durst once speake against it.