Wherfore by remitting the readers to those, I reape this aduantage, namelie a discharge of a forethought & purposed labour, which as to reduce into some plausible forme was a worke both of time, paine and studie:  so seeming vnlikelie to be comprised in few words (being a matter of necessarie and important obseruation) occasion of tediousnes is to and fro auoided; speciallie to the reader, who is further to be aduertised, that the computations of yeares here and there expressed, according to the indirect direction of the copies whense they were deriued and drawne, is not so absolute (in some mens opinion) as it might haue beene:  howbeit iustifiable by their originals.

Wherin hereafter (God prolonging peace in the church and commonwelth that the vse of bookes may not be abridged) such diligent care shall be had, that in whatsoeuer the helpe of bookes will doo good, or conference with antiquaries auaile, there shall want no will to vse the one and the other.  And yet it is not a worke for euerie common capacitie, naie it is a toile without head or taile euen for extraordinarie wits, to correct the accounts of former ages so many hundred yeares receiued, out of vncerteinties to raise certeinties, and to reconcile writers dissenting in opinion and report.  But as this is vnpossible, so is no more to be looked for than may be performed:  and further to inquire as it is against reason, so to vndertake more than may commendablie be atchiued, were fowle follie.

Abraham Fleming.

* * * * *

THE FIRST BOOKE

OF THE

Historie of England.

* * * * *

Who inhabited this Iland before the comming of Brute:  of Noah & his three sonnes, among whom the whole earth was diuided:  and to which of their portions this Ile of Britaine befell.

THE FIRST CHAPTER.

What manner of people did first inhabite this our country, which hath most generallie and of longest continuance beene knowne among all nations by the name of Britaine as yet is not certeinly knowne; neither can it be decided fr[=o] whence the first inhabitants there of came, by reason of such diuersitie in iudgements as haue risen amongst the learned in this [Sidenote:  The originall of nations for the most part vncerteine.] behalfe.  But sith the originall in maner of all nations is doubtfull, and euen the same for the more part fabulous (that alwaies excepted which we find in the holie scriptures) I wish not any man to leane to that which shall be here set downe as to an infallible truth, sith I doo but onlie shew other mens conjectures, grounded neuerthelesse vpon likelie reasons, concerning that matter whereof there is now left but little other certeintie, or rather none at all.