Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland, vol. 2 | Page 4

enuie had
brought the title in doubt, to whom the right in succession apperteined,
the Conquerour entred, and they remained a prey to him and his: who
plucked all the heads and cheefe in authoritie so cleerelie vp by the
roots, as few or none of them in the end was left to stand vp against
him. And herewith altering the whole state, he planted such lawes and
ordinances as stood most for his auaile and securitie, which being after
qualified with more milde and gentle lawes, tooke such effect, that the
state hath euer sithens continued whole and vnbroken by wise and
politike gouernement, although disquieted sometime by ciuill
dissention, to the ruine commonlie of the first moouers, as by the

sequele of the historie you may see.
For the historie of Scotland, I haue for the more part followed Hector
Boece, Iohannes Maior, and Iouan Ferreri Piemontese, so far as they
haue continued it, interlaced somtimes with other authours, as Houeden,
Fourdon, and such like; although not often, bicause I meant rather to
deliuer what I found in their owne histories extant, than to correct them
by others, leauing that enterprise to their owne countrimen: so that
whatsoeuer ye read in the same, consider that a Scotishman writ it, and
an Englishman hath but onelie translated it into our language, referring
the reader to the English historie, in all matters betwixt vs and them, to
be confronted therewith as he seeth cause. For the continuation thereof
I vsed the like order, in such copies and notes as Maister Wolfe in his
life time procured me; sauing that in these last yeares I haue inserted
some such notes as concerned matters of warre betwixt vs and the Scots,
bicause I got them not till that part of the English historie was past the
presse.
For Ireland, I haue shewed in mine epistle dedicatorie in what sort, and
by what helps I haue proceeded therein; onelie this I forgot to signifie,
that I had not Giraldus Cambrensis, and Flatsburie, vntill that part of
the booke was vnder the presse, and so being constreined to make post
hast, I could not exemplifie what I would out of them all, neither yet
dispose it so orderlie as had beene conuenient, nor pen it with so apt
words as might satisfie either myselfe, or those to whose view it is now
like to come. And by reason of the like haste made in the impression,
where I was determined to haue transposed the most part of that which
in the English historie I had noted, concerning the conquest of Ireland
by Hen. the second, out of Houeden & others, I had not time thereto;
and so haue left it there remaining where I first noted it, before I
determined to make any particular collection of the Irish histories,
bicause the same commeth there well inough in place, as to those that
shall vouchsafe to turne the booke it may appeare.
For the computation of the yeares of the world, I had by Maister
Wolfes aduise followed Functius; but after his deceasse, M. W. H.
made me partaker of a Chronologie, which he had gathered and

compiled with most exquisit diligence, following Gerardus Mercator,
and other late Chronologers, and his owne obseruations, according to
the which I haue reformed the same. As for the yeares of our Lord, and
the kings, I haue set them downe according to such authors as seeme to
be of best credit in that behalfe, as I doubt not but the learned and
skilfull in histories it shall appeare. Moreouer, this the reader hath to
consider, that I doo begin the yeare at the natiuitie of our Lord, which is
the surest order (in my fansie) that can be followed.
For the names of persons, townes, and places, as I haue beene diligent
to reforme the errours of other (which are to be ascribed more to the
vnperfect copies than to the authors) so may it be that I haue
some-where committed the like faults, either by negligence or want of
skill to restore them to their full integritie as I wished. But what I haue
performed, aswell in that behalfe as others, the skilfull reader shall
easily perceiue, and withall consider (I trust) what trauell I haue
bestowed to his behoofe in this huge volume; crauing onelie, that in
recompense thereof he will iudge the best, and to make a freendlie
construction of my meaning, where ought may seeme to haue escaped
my pen or the printers presse, otherwise than we could haue wished for
his better satisfaction. Manie things being taken out as they lie in
authors, may be thought to giue offense in time present, which referred
to the time past when the author writ, are not onelie