Where as it pleased youre hyghnesse vpon very iuste consyderacyons, to encorage me, by the authoryte of your moste gracyouse commyssion, in the. xxxv. yeare of your prosperouse reygne, Studium antiquitatis in, principe. to peruse and dylygentlye to searche all the lybraryes of Monasteryes and collegies of thys your noble realme, to the entent that the monumentes of auncyent wryters, as wel of other nacyons as of your owne prouynce, myghte be brought out of deadly darkenesse to lyuelye lyght, and to receyue lyke thākes of their posteryte, as they hoped for at suche tyme, as they employed their longe and great studyes to the publyque wealthe.

Se here the wysdome of thys worthy and noble Prynce, Kyng Henry the. viij. how prudentlye he dysposeth matters. Accordynge to the Pryncely admynystracyon,Princely of God to hym cōmitted, he hath here cōsyderaciōs diuerse respectinge as wele the dysposycyons of his subiectes, as those thynges also, whyche myght seme to be profytable in a Christē commen welth. Not only marked he the natural inclinacyon of this Leylande, but also prouoked him to folowe it in effect, to the conseruacion of the landes Antiquitees whyche are a most syngulare bewtye in euery nacyon.Antiquite. He gaue hym out his autorite and commission, in the yeare of oure Lorde a M. D. xxxiij. to serche and peruse the Libraries of hys realme in monasteries, couentes, and colleges, before their vtter destruccyon, whyche God then appoynted for their wyckednesses sake. The rular (saythe S. Paule) beareth not the swerde in vayne,A kinge. but is the minister of God, to take vengeaunce on them that do euyl, Roma. xiij. And his noble purpose was thys, to saue the precyouse monumētes of auncyent wryters, whych is a most worthy worke, and so to brynge them from darkenesse to a lyuely light, to the notable fame and ornature of this lād. Thus was there in this kynge, besides that is spoken afore, a stodye of thynges memorable,Studoouse. and a regardynge of noble Antiquite, whyche bothe are to be commended hyghly.

Yea, and furthermore, that the holy scrypture of God myght both be syncerely taught and learned, all maner of superstycyon, and crafty coloured doctryne of a rowte of Romayne Byshoppes, Cura religionis in Principe. totally expelled oute of thys your most catholyque realme. I thinke it now no lesse, than my very dewtye, breuely to declare to your Maiestie, what frute haue spronge of my laboriouse iourney and costly enterprise, both roted vpon your infynyte goodnesse and lyberalyte, qualytees ryght highly to be estemed in all Prynces, and most specyally in yow, as naturally your owne wele knowne proprietes.

An other cause Iohan Leylande bryngeth fourth here, of thys serche of lybraries, which is, that the scriptures of God myght therby be more purely taught then afore in the Romish popes time. Moreouer,ye truthe. that al kyndes of wicked superstycyons, and of the sophystycall doctrynes myghte be remoued hens, to the amendement or els more clere aperaunce of the true Chrysten fayth. For though the more part of writers, were wholly geuen to serue Antichristes affectes in the parelouse ages of the churche. Apo. ix. Yet were there som amonge them,Sūgood whiche refusynge ye office, sought the onlye glory of their Lorde God. In the middest of al darkenesse, haue some men by all ages, had the liuynge sprete of Goddes chyldrē, what though they haue in some thynges erred. Gal. iiij. Neuer yet were the spelunkes of Abdias wythoute the true Prophetes of God, what though that wycked Iezabel,Iesabel. the Romyshe churche most cruelly sought their bloud. iij. Re. xviij. The worthy workes of these, this noble kyng sought to saue by this Leylande, afore the suppressinge of the mō kyshe monasteryes, which commēdeth in hym (as good reason geueth it) both the care of Christen relygyon, and also the disanullynge of most deuylysh idolatry. Suche a discrete and circumspect kyng doth the wyse man cal,A kynge a welfare of the worlde, and an vpholdynge of the people. Sapi. vi. The frutes sprynginge of Leylandes laboriouse iourney now foloweth in effecte.

Fyrst I haue conserued many good authors, Examplariaueterū authorum cōseruata the whych otherwyse had ben lyke to haue peryshed, to • o small incōmodyte of good letters, Of ye which parte remayne in the most magnificent libraryes of your royall palaces. Part also remayne in my custodie, Auctae Bibliothecae palatinae wherby I trust right shortly, so to describe your moste noble realme, and to publyshe the Maiestie of the excellente actes of youre progenytours, hytherto sore obscured, bothe for lacke of empryntynge of such workes as saye secretely in corners.

Yf he be worthy prayse, whyche seketh to profyte a common wealthe Iohan Leyland is not to be neglected here, for thys hys laboryouse iourney and costuouse enterpryse.Iourney For therby he hath sau • d the profitable workes of many excellent wryters, which els had bene loste, to no small decaye of that wholsome veryte, whiche is both to be sought in the scriptures of the Byble, and also in the moste olde and autentyck Chronycles of our prouynce. Heded wele to commyt certen of those worthy workes to the kinges noble Libraries to their conseruacyon,Libraryes. and also in reseruynge a certen of them to hymselfe, at that tyme myndynge to haue polyshed our Chronycles, by fabulouse wryters sore blemyshed. But a moste noble acte shoulde he do, that wold clerely redeme them from dust and byrdfylynges, or pryuate vse to no profyte, and so bryng them fourth to a commē wealth of godly knowledge and lernynge,Good bokes. to the worthy fame of Englād, and increace of vertue. No godly mā lyghteth a candle to put it vndre a bushel, but to set it a broade to the confort of many. Luce. xi. To locke vp the gates of the true knowledge, from them that affectuously seketh it to the glory of God, is a property belongynge onlye to the hypocryiysh Pharisees, and false lawers. Mat. xxiij. A more sygne of ignobylyte can not be sene,Ignobilite. then to hyde such noble monumentes, neyther can growe a more famouse report, than to sende them fourth a broade amonge men. And for that purpose (I thynke) God hath in thys age geuen the noble art of prentynge.

And also because men of eloquence hath not enterprised, to set them fourth in a floryshynge style, Stylus aegrestis ueterum scriptorum. in some tymes past not commenly vsed in Englande of writers, otherwise wele learned, and nowe in suche estymacyon, that except truth be delycately clothed in purpure her written verytees can scant fynde a reader. That all the worlde that euydently perceyue, that no particular region, maye iustely be more extolled, thā yours for true nobylyte and vertues at all poyntes reuoumed.

Muche haue the excellent and lyuelye actes of Kynges bene obscured, (as is wrytten afore) for so muche as these noble Antyquytees haue not bene ere thys tyme reueled,Antiquitees. but tyed vp in cheanes, and hydden vndre dust in the monkes and fryres libraryes. The greate want of them hath caused our latter Chronicles, specyally Iohan Hardynge, Wyllyam Caxton, Robert Fabiane, and now last of al Polydor Vergyll, so depely to erre, as they haue done in many poyntes. And. ij. thynges chefely haue caused them (Leylande sayth) so longe to be witholden frō vs.ij. things The one is the slackenesse of empryntynge, that no studiouse persone, myndynge the veritees preferrement, hath laboured their settynge out, to the cō men profite. An other is the want of ornature, that they haue not bene changed into a more eloquent stile, to the ful satisfyenge of delycate eares and wyttes. The fyrst I woulde wyshe to be folowed,eloquēce as a thynge very necessary to our Englysh commen wealthe. The other for the fyrst tyme, myghte wele be spared. For vndoubtedly, authoryte it woulde adde vnto them, to apere fyrst of all in their owne simplycyte or natiue colours without bewtie of speche. The scriptures are not to be reiected,Scriptures. though they for the more part, want that same plesaunt order, which is commenly sought amonge prophane wryters. God hath chosen (S. Paule saith) the folyshe and weake thynges of the worlde, to confounde the wyse and myghtye i. Cor. i.

Farther more part of the exemplaries, curyously sought by me, and fortunately found in sondry places of this youre dominion, Exemplaria praeliscōmissa hath b • ne emprynted in Germany, and now be in the presses chefely of Frobentus, that not alonly the Germanes, but also the Italianes themselfe, that counte as the Grekes ded full arrogantly, all other nacyons to be barbarouse & vnlettered, sauinge their owne, shall haue a direct occasyon, openly of force to say. That Britannia prima fuit parens, altrix (addo hoc etiam, & iure quidem optimo) conseruatrix eum uirorum magnorum, tum maxime, ingeniorum.

Here sheweth Leylande, howe the thirde or latter part of hys colleccions out of the Englyshe lybraryes, was bestowed to profyte. But where as he maketh report here,Of bokes. a serten of them to haue bene emprynted in Germany. I suppose he partlye speaketh it for the worke of Iosephus Deuonius, which he wrote in paraphrasticall verses, vpō the treatyse of Dares Phrygius concerninge the destruccyon of Troye, and in. vi. bokes dedicated it to Baldewine thā archebyshop of Cāterbury: whiche worke (sayth he in Syllabo antiquarum dictionum) was prynted in Germany,Lelādus. but very corruptly vnder the tytle of Cornelius Nepos a Romane. Wherof Guilhelmus Fastregicus in his fyrste boke de Originibus rerum maketh also mencyon. Of the bokes which shoulde be in the handes of Hieronymus Frobenius, can I nothyng heare. Yet haue I made thydre most instaunt sute and labour by diuerse honeste men, at the least to haue had but theyr tytles, but I neuer coulde obtayne them.Cōiecture. Whiche maketh me to thinke, that eyther they haue peryshed by the waye, or els that they are throwne a syde in some corner, and so forgotten. Yet Conradus Gesnerus sumwhat conforteth me agayne, whyche in the seconde part of hys vnyuersall Biblyotheke, fol. clvij. confesseth serten olde Brittyshe hystorianes yet to remayne. For so lytle estemynge our true Antiquytees, the proude Italyanes haue alwayes holdē vs for a Barbarouse nacyon. Loke Iohan Boccatius in hys sixt boke de genealogia Deorum, Cap. lvij. where as he treateth of Syluius posthumus and of our Brute,Neglygence. besydes their hystoryans. Where as, yf we had by all ages set them abroade, they had bene iustly occasyoned, to haue named Brytayne, a mother, a nource, and a mayntener, not only of worthy men, but also of moste excellent wyttes.

And that profyte hath rysen by the aforsayd iourneye, in bryngynge full manye thynges to lyght, as concernynge the vsurped autoryte of the Byshopp of Rome and hys complyces, Antiphilarchia repellens ambitiosū Ro. Epi. Imperiū. to the manyfest and vyolent derogacyon of kyngely dygnyte, I referre my selfe moste humbly to your moste prudent, lerned, & hygh iudgement, to dyscerne my dylygence in the longe volume, wherin I haue made answer for the defence of your supreme dygnyte, alonly leuynge to the stronge pyllour of holye scripture agaynste the whole college of the Romanystes, clokynge their crafty assercyons and argumentes, vndre the name of one poore Pighius of Vltraiecte in Germany,Albertus Pighius. and standynge to them as to their onlye anker holde agaynst tēpestes that they knowe wyll aryse, yf truthe maye be by lycens lette in, to haue a voyce in the generall counsell.

By the hystoryes of Antiquyte, are the natures of all ages of the worlde manyfested from tyme to tyme, & also both the prophecyes of Daniel and of S. Iohans reuelacyon more easely of their readers vnderstanded.Prophecyes. For he that marketh not by the serche of ernest chronycles, the dysposycyon of tymes, shall neuer beholde those godly prophecyes fulfylled in effect. And therfore sayth Leylande here, that thys profyte amonge other hath rysen of hys studyouse labour. Antichrist and hys mynysters are lyke to be the better knowne,Antichrist. and their tyrannouse vsurpacyons perceyued, how shamefullye they haue abused the dygnyte of kynges. Whose power S. Paul declareth, not to be of the proude Romysh popet, as they haue bene persuaded by hys false prophetes in euery nacyō, but immedyatly from the omnypotent God of heauen. Roma. xiij. In all ages haue there bene some godly writers in Englāde,writers. which haue both smelled out, & also by theyr writynges detected the blasphemouse fraudes of thys Antichrist. Dyuerse, of those christen workes ded Leylande fynde, and was by them occasyoned to write a great boke, called Antiphilarchia, agaynst the ambycyouse empyre of the Romysh byshop. And in thys he chefely withstode the subtyle assercyōs & sophystycall reasonynges of an ydell brayned papyste,a papyst called Albertus Pighius, sumtyme a catty stayled canō in ye great cathedral mynster of vtrecht in Hollande. Wherin he wylleth that the veryte maye ones fynde gētyll hearers, agaynst those wycked enemyes.

Yet herin only I haue not pytched the supreme worke of my labour, whervnto your grace moste lyke a kyngelye patrone of all good learnynge ded anymate me. Affectus autoris erga patriam. But also consyderynge and expendynge with my selfe, how great a numbre of excellent godlye wyttes and wryters, learned wyth the best, as the tymes serued, hath bene in thys your regyon. Not onely at suche tymes as the Romane emprours had recourse to it, but also in those dayes that the Saxons preuayled of the Brytaynes, and the Normānes of the Saxons, coulde not but with a feruent zele and an honest corage, commende them to memory. Els alas, lyke to haue bene perpetually obscured, or to haue bene lyghtelye remembred, as vncerteyne shaddowes.

Not onelye ded Iohan Leylande collect these frutefull auncyēt authors togyther, that men mgyhte by them inueye agaynste the false doctryne of papystes,doctrine corruptynge both the scriptures of God and the chronycles of thys realme, by execrable lyes & fables but also that their wyttye workes myghte come to lyght and be spredde abroade to the whorthye fame of the land. For by them maye it wele apere, the tymes alwayes consydered, that we are no Barbarouse nacyon, as contemptuouslye the Italyane wryters doth call vs. Yet Cornelius Tacitus a noble Romane,Coneliꝰ Tacitus in the lyfe of Iulius Agricola, commendeth the bryngynge vp of noble mennys chyldren in the lyberall scyences amonge the Brytaynes, and preferreth the pregnauncy of their wittes afore the laboryouse stody of the Galles, whome we now call Frenche men. Moreouer afore that, he reporteth the seyd Brytaynes,britayne to be famously remembred of manye worthy writers, which is no note of obscuryte or barberousnesse. And thys noble nacyon had afterwarde most wyttie writers and men of grounded learnynge, vndre the Saxōs, Danes, & Normānes so wele as they had afore tyme vndre the Romane Emprours. A fylthy bastarde is he to Englande, and a moste cruell enemy to all good lernyng, that wyll now obscure their names and destroye their workes, to the landes perpetuall dyscommodyte.Bastardes. As some vnnaturall chyldren haue done now of late, to serue their pryuate affeccyons more than the commen welthe. God shorten their vnprofytable lyues, if they cease not of that myschefe in tyme.

Wherfor I knowynge by infynyte varyete of bokes, and assyduouse readynge of them, Libri quatour de uiris illustribus, siue descriptoribus Britannicis. who hath bene learned and who hath written from tyme to tyme in this realme, haue digested into iiij. bokes, the names of thē wyth their lyues and monumentes of learnynge. And to them added thys lytle, De uiris illustribus, folowynge the profytable example of Hierome, Gennadie, Cassiodore, Seueryane, and Trittemie a late writer. But alwaye so handlynge the matter, that I haue more exspacyated in thys campe, than they ded, as in a thynge that desyred to be sumwhat at large, & to haue ornature. The fyrst boke begynnynge at the Druides, is deducted vnto the tyme of the cōmyng of S. Augustyne into Englande. The secōde is from the tyme of Augustyne, vnto the aduente of the Normanes.

In thys ded Iohan Leylande declare a noble kynde of stody and a naturall hart to hys contrey. The Lorde of heauē sende England more of suche louers,More fryndes and take awaye those vnprofytable cloddes, whyche seketh not els but them selues in the destruccyon of thynges memorable & necessarye. The boke of S. Hierome de uiris illustribus, is iudged of them that be godly, wyse, and lerned, to be a worke verye excellent, and muche profytable to the Christen commen vse. For it sheweth what writers there were in the prymatyue churche,Church & what frute spronge of their doctryne. If anye learned man hadde shewed thys ordre in the Brittyshe churche, whyche contynued from the Apostles tyme by Ioseph of Arymathie, and other godlye mynysters, tyll the commynge of Augustyne, we had knowne of their christianyte muche more than we now do. Bedas in the Englysh churche, wrote De scriptoribus Ecclesiae, whych had clerelye peryshed Gesnerus sayth) yf one Honorius Augustudimensis had not into his boke of the same tytle,Honoriꝰ conuayed a certen of them. Other collectors of the names & workes of lerned writers, had we none here in Englande, that I euer hearde of, sauynge one Bostonus of Bury, whyche was verye copyouse in that matter. Now cōmeth Iohan Leylande with hys. iiij. bokes de uiris illustribus, & he so abundauntlye wyll satisfye the hungry expectacyon of many, maye hys worke come ones to lyght,Leylād. that muche more is not therin to be desyred. Blessed be that man, whyche shall set that worthy worke abroade. And contrary wyse, cursed be he for euer and euer, that shall in sphyght of hys nacyon, seke therof the destruccyon.

The thirde from the Normans, to the ende of the most honourable reigne of the myghtie, famouse, and prudent Prynce, Henry. the. vij. your father. The fourth begynneth wyth the name of your maieste, whose glorie in learnynge is to the worlde so clerely knowne, that though emonge the lyues of other learned men I haue accuratelye celebrated the names of Bladudus, Principes eruditi. Molinutius, Constantinus magnus, Sigebertus, Alfridus, Alfridus magnus, Athelstanus, & Henry the fyrste, Kynges and your progenytours. And also Ethelwarde, seconde sonne to Alfride the greate, Hunfryde Duke of Glocester, and Tipetote earle of worcestre, yet conferred with your grace, they seme as small lyghtes (yf I maye frely saye my iudgement, your hygh modestie not offended) in respect of the daye starre.

Of many ydell wytted braggers, whych iudge them selues lerned and are nothynge lesse, is the tytle of thys worke,the tytle de uiris illustribus, contempned and ill spoken of. But what wyse men do thynke of them that so frantycklye on their ale benches do prattle, it is easy to coniecture. Saynt Hierome, Gennadius, Cassiodorus, Seuerianus & Tritemius, whome Leylande here nameth for example, thought not the argument lyghte, whan they wrote workes of that tytle. No more ded Suidas Grecus, Isidorus, Hildefonsus, Prosper, Sigebertus, Honorius, Trissa, Bostonus, Bostius, Bergomas, & a great sort more,Authores. in doynge the same. The ordre of Leylandes worke into. iiij bokes deuyded, begynnynge at the Druides, & endyng in the lattre yeares of Kynge Henry the. viij. as he hath herin vttered, is very commendable. Sumwhat more is it thā a yeare past, sens I put fourth a worke of the same argument, entytled de scrpitoribus Britannicis, Scriptores. conteynynge. v. bokes wyth serten addycyons whych I gathered togyther beynge out of the realme. Sens I returned agayne therunto, by the serche of dyuerse most ruynouslye spoyled, broaken vp, and dyspersed lybraryes, I haue collected by no small labour & dylygence, so muche as wyll make so many bokes more, besydes the necessarye recognycyon and frutefull augmentacyon of the seyd first worke. Thys lattre worke intende I to set fourth also, Aliud opus. to the commodyte of my contrey, as it is ones fynyshed, yf pouerte withstande me not, as it is my most doubt. Yet wolde I haue no man to iudge my rude labours, to Leylādes fyue workemāshyp in any poynt equal but at all tymes to geue place vnto it.

Now farther to insynuate to your grace, of what matters the writers, whose lyues I haue congested into. iiij bokes, hath treated of. Ingenia scriptorū Britannicorū omni genere eruditionis exercitata. I maye ryghte boldely saye, that besyde the cognyciō of the. iiij. tungues, in the whych part of them hath excelled, that there is no kynde of lyberall scyence, or any feate concernynge learnynge, in the whych they haue not shewed certayne argumentes of great felycyte of wytte. Yea and concernynge the interpretacyon of holy scripture, both after the auncyent forme, and sens the scholastycall trade they haue reygned as in a certayne excellencye.

In thys parcell Leylāde expresseth, the most excellēt wyttes, ye knowledge of tungues, and the manyfolde lyterature of hys Englyshe writers,Lyterature. whose lyues he vttereth in hys. iiij. former bokes at large. Many of them (he sayth) were excellent in the thre pryncypall languages, Hebrue, Greke, & Latyne. As concernynge the Hebrue,Hebrues it is to be thought, that many were therin wele learned in the dayes of Kynge Athelstane. For at the instaunt request of his prelates, he caused the scriptures out of that tungue to be by certē doctours translated into the Saxonysh or Englyshe speche, as in the chronycles is mencyoned. Robert Grosthede of Sothfolke, a famouse learned man, & sumtyme byshop of Lyncolne, extracted many thynges out of the Hebrues commentaryes, specyally, he translated the Testament of the Patryarkes, and out of the Greke certen workes of Aristotle,Grekes. Dionyse, and Suidas, besydes that Helena the mother of great Constantyne ded in her tyme. Gildas Cambrius, Claudia Rufina, Constantinus magnus, Maildulphus Scotus, Aldelmus Bladunius, Thobias Cantianus, Bedas Girwinus, Daniel Wentanus, Flaccus Albinus, Ioānes Erigena, Odo Seuerus, Iosephus Denouius, and a grat sort more, in the Greke tungue were very notable. The nūbre of good Latyne autours within thys realme,Latines were to lōge at thys tyme to be rehearced, besydes the infynyterable of the barbarouse and brawlyng sentencyoners. These he for hys part, and I for my part, haue moste plenteously descrybed, with the dyuersyte of matters in their workes cōprehended.

And as touchyng hystorycall knowledge, Ingens numerus scriptorū rerū Britānicarū. there hath bene to the nombre of a full hundreth or mo, that from tyme to tyme hath with great dylygēce, and no lesse, faythe, wolde to God wyth lyke eloquence, perscribed the actes of your moste noble predecessours, and the fortunes of thys your realme, so incredyblye great, that he that hath not seane and throughlye redde theyr workes, can lytle pronounce in thys parte.

Now cometh he in with the talke of hystoryanes and chronyclers of Englande,Chronyclers. whyche hath by all ages most plenteously described the noble actes and fortunes of the same. The nombre of them after hys reckenynge, cometh to more than a full hundreth, great pytie it is, that we haue not abroade those worthye and auncyent monumentes of oure predecessours. Lete no man fynde faulte with thys their nombre, for though it be great, & at the fyrst shewe apereth incredyble to them whych haue not trauayled in that kynde of stodye, yet I perfyghtly knowe it to be true, and also reported here wyth ye least.Hystorianes. If we lose ye treasure of these authors herin cōtayned, by the malyce or els flouthfull neglygence of thys wycked age, whych is muche geuen to the destruccyon of thynges memorable, we maye wele lamente and saye wyth the noble clarke Erasmus of Roterdame.Erasmꝰ Wyth muche payne I absteyne from wepynge (sayth he in a certen Epystle) so oft as I in readynge the Cataloges of olde writers, do beholde what profyghtes, yea, what pusaunce, ayde, and confort we haue lost. My grefe is also augmented, so oft tymes as I call to remembraunce, what yll stuffe we haue in stede of their good writynges. We fynde for true hystoryes, most fryuolouse fables and lyes,Fables. that we myghte the sonner by the deuyls suggestion, fall into moste depe errours, and so be lost, for not beleuynge the truthe. ij. Tessa. ij.

Wherfor, after that I had perpended the honest and profytable studyes of these hystoryographers, I was totallye enflamed wyth a loue, to se throughlye all those partes of thys your opulent and ample realme, Peragratio laboriosa totius Britaniae primae. that I hadde redde of in the aforsayd wryters. In so muche that all my other occupacyons intermytted, I haue so traueled in your domynions both by the see coastes and the myddle partes, sparynge neyther labour nor costes by the space of these. vi. yeares past, that there is almost neyther cape nor baye, hauen, creke or pere, ryuer or confluence of ryuers, breches, washes, lakes, meres, fenny waters, mountaynes, valleys, mores, hethes, forestes, woodes, cyties, burges, castels, pryncypall manor places, monasteryes, and colleges, but I haue seane them, and noted in so doynge a whole worlde of thynges verye memorable.

Se what worthy trauayle, this learned man hath taken here▪ for the many folde commodytees of hys naturall cō trey, as a naturall frynde to the same.A frynd Fyrst he perused the profytable monumentes of thys great nombre of olde wryters, and by the serche of them, his studyouse harte was enflamed to procede yet farther. For after he had redde them ouer, he toke vpon hym a verye laboryouse iourney, ouer all the realme euery waye, both by see, and by lande, by the space of. vi. yeares that he might knowe the costes therof,vi. year • . as wele by practyse as by speculacyon, and therby geue instruccions to other. Marke herin his laboriouse and fruteful doinges, and ye shal fynde him no lesse profytable to vs, in the descrypcion of this particular nacyon, that were Strabo, Pliny, Ptholome, and other Geographers to their perusers,Geography. in the pycturinge out of the vniuersall worlde. No smal dyscommodyte were it now to this lande, yf these his worthy labours should after any yll sort perishe. For out of them myght mē of sondry occupienges, fatch most wonderful knowledge, for their necessary affayres euery where. Consydre a multitude of thinges here named, yf all their specialtees were broughte fourth ones into lyght, as he hath collected them together, it woulde apere one of the greatest wonders,wōders. that euer yet was seane in this regyon. The heauenly father graunt the conseruacyon of them.

Thus instructed, I trust shortly to se the tyme, Desriptio totius Britāniae primae in quadrata argenti tabula. that like as Carolus Magnus had amōg his treasures thre large and notable tables of syluer, rychely enameled, one of the fyte and descripcion of Constantynople, an other of the site and figure of the magnificent citie of Rome, and the third of the descripcion of the worlde. So shall your Maiestie haue thys your worlde and impery of Englande so sett fourthe in a quadrate table of syluer, yf God sende me lyfe to accomplyshe my beginning, that your grace shall haue ready knowledge at the fyrst sighte of many right delectable, fruteful, and necessary pleasures, by contemplacion therof, as often as occasyon shall moue yow to the syghte of it.

Folowinge the example of Charles the great, which had not only the chefe cities of the Greke and Latyne Empires, but also the whole worlde in syluer tables artificially ingraued,Carolus thys Leyland after long dyscourse, set forth in portiture a ryght descripcion of this noble ylande, according to that he hath seane. But whether he perfourmed hys former promyse to Kynge Henry the viij. (to whome he dedicated thys present treatyse) whiche was to haue done it in a. iiij. square table of siluer, or other wyse, that cā I not groundedly tel. For why, the next yeare after, both the king deceaced,Hērus and Leylande also by a most pytiefull occasion fell besides his wittes, and is not yet fully amended, the heauenly father restore him agayne, to this landes most singular commodite. In that he calleth Englande an empire he doth not otherwyse than ded bothe Iosephus and Egesippus, wyth other notable Historianes. For Iosephus in lib. ij. cap. xxvi. de bello Iudaico, Iosephꝰ sayth in the oracyon of King Agrippa. The Romanes sought an other worlde beyond the great Occeane, sending their mighty power and host in to Britayne, whō they coulde neuer afore those dayes atteyne. The Romanes by strength (saith Egesippus) obtayned and other worlde beyonde the Occeane sea, in Brytayne farre from them,Britaine li ij. de excidio Heiroso lymae. The empire therof is manifest in kinge Brennus, in great Constantyne, in Arthure, and in Edwarde the third. This bringe I in here, that men should not disdaynously scorne, that they are yet ignoraunt of.

And because that it may be more permanent, and farther knowne, then to haue it engraued in syluer or brasse. Liber de Topographia Britāniae primae. I entend by the leaue of God, within the space of. xij. moneths folowyng, such a descripcion to make of your realme in wryttinge, that it shall be no mastery after, for the grauer of painter to make the lyke by a perfect example.

Not only haue this notable wryter and specyall frynde to Englande, collected the monumentes of learnynge & hystorical knowledge, as is afore rehearced,Diuesite but also hath searched oute by his syx yeares labour, al hauēs, crekes, ryuers, mountaines, hethes, valleyes, woodes cities, townes, holdes, wyth suche other lyke, after a most wonderful sort. And to make vnto vs an orderly rehersal of the same, he consequently gaue him selfe to the compylinge of a boke, whome in the margende he thus intitled, Liber de Topographia Britāniae primae, Topography. a boke concerninge the descripcyon of ye first Britayne. Yf this worke were not yet fully accomplished (as the matter is now in doubte) by reason of his troublous dysease, great pytie it were but his labours shoulde come to some learned mannes hande, that he mighte laudably finish it to the commē vse. And although it were not so exactly folowed as he hath begunne it, yet shoulde he be worthy perpetual memory in thys noble nacion,memory for his good wyll and diligence. Many noble workes we reade of, that were left vnperfyght, as their fyrst authors were preuented of deathe, yet for theyr vtilite they haue bene fynished by other good mē. As now in oure tyme, the Epitome of Chronicles begunne by Thomas Lanquet,A Chronycle. was laboriously folowed and profytably ended by Thomas Couper a man worthy of cōtinual prayse for so studiouse labours. The lyke also may be sayd of hym, that brought to lyghte the great worke of Edwarde Halle. The Lord dayly prosper so profytable affayres.

Yea, and to wade further in thys matter, where as now almost no man can wele gesse at the shaddow of the auncyent names of hauens, Restituta uetera locorum in Britannia nomina. ryuers, promontories, hilles, woodes, cities, townes, castelles, and varyete of kyndes of people, that Cesar, Liui, Strabo Diodorus, Fabius Pictor, Pomponius Mela, Plinius, Cornelius Tacitus Ptolomeus, Sextus Rufus, Ammianus, Marcellinus, Solinus, Antoninus, and dyuerse other make mencyon of. I trust so to opē this wyndow, that the lyght shal be seane, so long, yt is to say, by ye space of a whole thousād yeares stopped vp, & the old glory of your renoumed Britaine to reflorish through the worlde.

Folowinge hys most profytable processe, for the syngular bewtye of Englande, he calleth agayne to lyuely memory, the auncyent names of cyties townes,Cytyes. castelles, hylles, hauens, ryuers, and suche lyke, whiche haue bene longe buryed in obliuion, and had vtterly perished, had not those noble wryters, whome he here recyteth, reserued them in their worthie workes to oure behoue. Muche more are we bounde in that poynt, to these foren authors, than to al oure owne Hystorianes, sens the worldes beginninge. And whether we maye iustly ascrybe that to the neglygence of oure forefathers,Negligence. eyther els to the churlyshenesse of them, which hath vnnaturally witholden them so longe tyme from vs, I leaue it to be iudged of them that shal reade this treatise. In this kinde of writinge, haue Leylande plenteously done his part in Commentario Cygneae cantionis, Olde names. in Elencho antiquorum nominum, and in Syllabo dictionum ueterum, besydes hys other labours, whiche we most desierously loke for, at the handes of som worthy man, that wyl shewe his natural harte therin to hys countrey. Greatly is this vnwont maner of stodie, ac • epted now a dayes amonge mē of knowledge, and much was vsed of S. Hierome and Lactantius, and is so wele exemplyfyed in the sacred scriptures,Scryptures. as in the profane hystories of the nacions. For Moses calleth Bethlehē, Ephrata, Ge. xxxv. so doth Dauid, and Micheas. Psal. cxxxi. Mic. v. Because that olde name shoulde neuer growe out of knowledge. The cyty that Mathew calleth Cesarea Philippi, Mat. xvi. is named in the olde lawe Lesen, and Laisa, Iosue. xix. and Esa. x. Constantynople of olde wryters is called Bizantium, Roma Latium, and London Trenouantum.London. At this wyll the Papistes and sectaryes laugh scornefully, whiche neyther delyte in kynge, nor contrey, but only seke by subtyltees to vpholde their owne fylthy fleshe in the wicked kyngedome of Antichrist.

This done, I haue matter at plenty, already prepared to this purpose, that is to saye, to wryte an hystorie, to the whiche I entende to adscribe this title de Antiquitate Britannica, or els • iuilis historia. De Antiquitate Britānica siue de Ciuili historia, libri quinquaginta. And this worke I entende to dyuyde into so many bokes, as ther be shires in Englande, and shyres & great dominions in wales. So that I esterne that thys volume wyl enclude a fyfty bokes, wherof eche one seuerally shall conteyne the beginninges, encreases, and memorable actes of the chiefe townes, and castelles of the prouince allotted to it.

By this fulfilleth he hys former promyse, which is to clarifye those thinges that oure negligent predecessours, by more then a thousand yeares space, had dyuersely darkened. He hath prepared to our vse, a most noble Chronicle of the Antiquitees of Brytaine,A Chronycle, called the Cyuile hystorie, and conteyninge fyfty bokes. Therin hath euery shire both of Englande and wales, hys particulare boke, comprehendyng theyr orygynalles and contynuall successes bothe of their peoples and gouernours. In thē may euery Englysh man, and walshe man as in a clere mirrour seuerally beholde, the memorable actes, prouysiōs,For all men, commodytees and buyldynges of his owne natyue shyre in it selfe. All the Chronicles of this noble realme, which hathe bene made afore thys age, what though their authors for the more part were men pythely learned, yet at the syghte herof wyll apere, but mistes and shadowes.Shadowes. For neyther obserued they thys most decent order, nor yet declared in so ample maner, matters so necessary, and so manye in nombre. Lete vs therfore moste ernestly praye vnto God the moste plenteouse geuer of all good gytfes, that this noble worke be not cast away by som cruel caterpiller or papyst which disdayneth to further hys owne nacion, neither yet that it be destroyed by an ignoraunt keper or an ydel possessor. But that it may fortunably lighte into the handes of suche a good stuarde of hys,A frynd as is learned and louynge to his nacion, that our natural bretherne and contrey men may ones tast of the swetnesse of so precyouse a frute, and not therof be depryued, to their inestymable discommodyte.

Then I entende to dystrybute in to syx bokes, Libri sex de insulis Britāniae adiacent bus. suche matter as I haue already collected, concernynge the Isles adiacent to your noble realme, and vndre your subieccion. Wherof. iij. shal be of these Isles, Vecta, Mona, and Menauia, somtime kingedomes.

Consequently hath he herin stretched fourth his hande to the foren Iles parteynynge to this nacyon,the yles for these two naturall purposes. First that his natural contrey men, myghte knowe the sytuacion and hystorycall commoditees of them, and afterwardes that all men dwellynge vndre the worthy dominion of Englande, myghte of his studyouse labours take profyte. No reasonable creature can iustly reprehende a loue extendinge so farre in wele doynge, but rather wyth gentylnesse of humanyte, commende it. Yf all men had remembred this brotherly office,Amyte England had neuer bene so wretchedly spoyled of so many noble monumentes of Antiquite, by a meny of vnnaturall chyldren, yea, rather curyshe bastardes, nothyng els sekinge, but theyr bellyes. And as concernynge the Iles, he hath not done amys in descrybynge them, for as the scriptures mencyoneth,Scryptures. the Lorde hath alwayes had vnto them a respect. For as the kynde of man ouerspredde the whole worlde, by the natural ofspring of Noah, in the hundreth year after the dyluuy or general floude, Gene. ix. the Iles of the Gentyles were anon after, to a serten of them dyuyded, euery mā sorted in his kindred, speche, and naciō Gene. x. Gloryfie God in doctrynes. (sayth Esay) yow that do dwell in the Iles of the sea,Esaias. and magnyfie the name of the Lorde God of Israel. Esa. xxiiij. And in an other place. The Iles farre of (sayth almyghty God) whiche haue not hearde me spoken of, neyther yet haue seane my glory spredde, shall declare my prayse largely, amonge the Gentyles, Esa. lxvi.

And to superadde a worke as an ornament and a ryght comely garlande, to the enterpryses afore sayd, I haue selected stuffe to be distributed into thre bokes, the which I purpose thus to entytle, De nobilitate Britannica. De nobilitate Britā nica libritres. Whereof the fyrst shal declare the names of kynges and quenes wyth theyr chyldren, dukes, earles, lordes, capitaynes, and rulers in this realme to the commynge of the Saxons and their conquest. The seconde shalbe of the Saxons and Danes, to the vyctorye of Kyng Willyam the greate. The thirde from the Normannes to the reygne of youre most noble grace, descendynge lyneally of the Brytayne, Saxon, and Normā kynges, So that all noble men shal clerely perceyue theyr syneal parentele.

Se what order he obserueth here, in the ende of this matter. After long discourse of hys laboryouse processe, concernyng the serch of libraries, descripcyon of the lande, edycyon of bokes,Summ • and declaracyon of theyr necessary argumentes, he concludeth with nobilite commendyng it as an ornature of bewtie of all the other. And in hys thre bokes of that tytle, that is to say, of the nobilitie of Brytayne, he comprehendeth the whole successiō of kinges with the true dyssent of all noble kynredes vndre them, for the tyme of the raignes of the Brytaynes,nobylyte Saxons, and Normās, whiche only here continued. So that euery noble man within thys regyon, hauinge that worthy worke, myghte clerely beholde as in a pure glasse, hys parentage and successe in bloud, wyth their falles and raises, as the variete of tymes heue geuen it. Whiche were a wonderful matter, and vnto them for dyuerse causes much commodiouse. A noble harte surely had this present author,Noble hart. and a most louynge mynde to hys contrey, employenge hys manifold labours to so diuerse & nedefull matters concerninge the same. Consydre ye noble men, the worthinesse of this noble worke, what profyt might therby arise not only to yow, but also to thē, which delyght in the readynge of hystoryes: & as ye beare noble hartes to your contrey & kinredes, do that lyeth in yow, yt it perysh not. Make labour that it maye frutefully come abroade,Helpe it as it is frutefully of him collected, yt both yow, the realm & ye autor may haue honor therof.

Many other workes hath he writtē,Prynted of whome some are emprinted, as the assercyon of kinge Arthure, the byrthe of Prynce Edwarde, the songe of the swāne, the decease of sir Thomas wiet, the wynnynge of Bullein, and the cō mendacion of peace. Some are not yet printed, as his colleccions of the Byshoppes of Brytayne, of the vniuersytees of the same, of the orygynall and increase of good learnynges there, of hys Epigrammes and Epitaphes,Vnpryntedr and the lyfe of kynge Sygebert, with many other more. Now in the conclusion, he promysed the ful perfourmaūce of of all his workes to the profyte and pleasure of thys noble nacyon. God lendyng hym lyfe and healthe conuenyent. And hys hope was as myne is, and as is the truthe of the matter, that these thinges ones done, Englāde whyche hath of the Italianes, and French men be reckened a barbarouse nacyon,Obscure theyr Monumentes afore tyme not knowne, wyll apere from thens fourthe, equall with the prowdest of them, in prowesse, wysedome, eloquence, polycyes, and in all kyndes of learnynge. Though the stody and labour were Leylandes, in collectynge these noble Antiquitees, yet was ye first prouocacyō therunto Kynge Henryes,Kynge Henry. wyth the payment of all hys charges. And so wele ought the one as the other to be therupon perpetually famed. Yf learned men were thus set a worke, euery one in hys vocacyon, of them whyche are men of power, nobylyte wolde shyne more bryghte, & doctryne apere more pure. But alas pryuate cares dystayneth nobylyte, and beggery blemysheth learnynge.

Christ contynue your most royall estate, and the prosperyte, Cōmunenotum. wyth succession in kyngely dygnyte, of your dere and worthylye beloued sonne prynce Edwarde, grauntynge yow a numbre of pryncely sonnes, by the moste gracyouse, benygne, and modest lady your quene Cataryne.

¶Ioannes Leylandus Antiquarius.

With S. Paule here in the ende of hys briefe declaracyon, concernynge hys laboryouse iourney, Leylande prayeth for the Kynge,Prayer. takynge Christ as an only medyatour in that behalfe, thynkynge it also an acceptable offyce afore God, so to do i. Timoth. ij. But now that thys noble gouernour is departed and gone to God, it is mete that we from hens fourth returne to ye sonne, that in those dayes was due to the father. That is to saye, to desyre that Lorde almyghty through Iesus Christ,Herytag to maynteyne in all vertue, hys most royall estate. For that whych by the scripture was due to the father by hys lyfe tyme, is now by the same, the sonnes ryghte inherytaunce, he beynge dead and gone. Lete vs therfor in our dayly prayers, moste affectuously desyre, that our moste redoubted soueraigne, Kynge Edwarde the sixte, maye haue a prosperouse and longe contynuaunce vpon this earthe, wyth frutefull successyon in kyngelye dygnyte, whan tyme and age shall requyre it.Obedyence. Also for our partes, lete vs endeuer our selues to obeye both hym & hys magistrates in the true feare of God, as those men that of hym hath authoryte and power, to represse malefactours, and to ayde all vertuouse doers, i. Pet. ii. Yf we be bounde to do thys to Ethnyckes and Idolaters, for the publyque offyce sake, muche more lete vs do it to them that be of our christen professyō, and do dayly seke wyth all dylygence possyble, the manyfeste glorye of hys moste holye name. The eternall father confirme both them and vs in the puryte of hys worde,Pray, pray. and graunt that we fashyon our lyues therafter in all mekenesse of sprete, through Iesus Christe hys sonne & the holye Ghost.