The first edition, published in 1577, was succeeded in 1587 by another, in which the “Chronicles” were continued by John Hooker and others.  An edition appeared in 1807, in the foreword to which the “Chronicles” are described as containing “the most curious and authentic account of the manners and customs of our island in the reign of Henry VIII. and Elizabeth “; and being the work of a contemporary observer this is not too much to claim for it.  Owing to the great scope of this work, it is impossible to convey an impression of the whole, which is best represented by means of selected examples of the chronicler’s method.  Being the work of so many different authors, the literary quality of the “Chronicles” naturally varies; but the learning and research they show make them an invaluable aid to the study of the manners and customs of early England.

I.—­Master Holinshed to his Good Lord and Master, Sir William Brooke, Knight

Being earnestlie required, Right Honorable, of divers my freends, to set down some breefe discourse of some of those things which I had observed in the reading of manifold antiquities, I was at first verie loth to yeeld to their desires.  But, they pressing their irksome sute, I condescended to it, and went in hand with the work, with hopes of good, although no gaie success.  In the process of this Booke, if your Honor regard the substance of that which is here declared, I must needs confess that it is none of mine owne; but if your lordship have consideration of the barbarous composition shewed herein, that I may boldlie claim and challenge for mine owne.  Certes, I protest before God and your Honor, that I never made any choise of stile, or words, neither regarded to handle this Treatise in such precise order and method as manie other would have done, thinking it sufficient, truelie and plainelie to set forth such things as I minded to intreat of, rather than with vain affectation of eloquence to paint out a rotten sepulchre, a thing neither commendable in a writer, nor profitable to the reader.  But howsoever it be done, I have had an especial eye unto the truth of things, and for the rest, I hope that this foule frizeled Treatise of mine will prove a spur to others better learned to handle the self-same argument, if in my life-time I doo not peruse it again.

II.—­Some Account of the Historie of Britaine

As few or no nations can justlie boast themselves to have continued sithence their countrie was first replenished, without anie mixture, more or lesse, of forreine inhabitant mixture, more or lesse, of forreine inhabitants; no more can this our Iland, whose manifold commodities have oft allured sundrie princes and famous capteines of the world to conquer and subdue the same unto their owne subjection.  Manie sorts of people therefore have come in hither and settled themselves here in this Ile, and first of all other, a parcell of the lineage and posteritie of Japhet,