Holinshed Chronicles: England, Scotland, and Ireland. Volume 1, CompleteHolinshed, Raphael
History
Holinshed Chronicles: England, Scotland, and Ireland. Volume 1, Complete
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- To 1485; Great Britain -- History -- Tudors, 1485-1603
Honour will mislike hereof, for that I haue not by mine owne trauell
and eysight viewed such things as I doo here intreat of. In deed I
must needs confesse, that vntill now of late, except it were from the
parish where I dwell, vnto your Honour in Kent; or out of London where
I was borne, vnto Oxford & Cambridge where I haue bene brought vp, I
neuer trauelled 40. miles foorthright and at one iourney in all my
life; neuerthelesse in my report of these things, I vse their
authorities, who either haue performed in their persons, or left in
writing vpon sufficient ground (as I said before) whatsoeuer is
wanting in mine. It may be in like sort that your Honour will take
offense at my rash and retchlesse behauiour vsed in the composition of
this volume, and much more that being scambled vp after this maner, I
dare presume to make tendour of the protection therof vnto your
Lordships hands. But when I consider the singular affection that your
Honour dooth beare to those that in any wise will trauell to set
foorth such profitable things as lie hidden, and therevnto doo weigh
on mine owne behalfe my bounden dutie and gratefull mind to such a one
as hath so manie and sundrie waies benefited me that otherwise can
make no recompense, I can not but cut off all such occasion of doubt,
and therevpon exhibit it, such as it is, and so penned as it is, vnto
your Lordships tuition, vnto whome if it may seeme in anie wise
acceptable, I haue my whole desire. And as I am the first that
(notwithstanding the great repugnancie to be seene among our writers)
hath taken vpon him so particularlie to describe this Ile of Britaine;
so I hope the learned and godlie will beare withall, & reforme with
charitie where I doo tread amisse. As for the curious, and such as can
rather euill fauouredlie espie than skilfullie correct an error, and
sooner carpe at another mans dooings than publish any thing of their
owne, (keeping themselues close with an obscure admiration of learning
& knowledge among the common sort) I force not what they saie hereof:
for whether it doo please or displease them, all is one to me, sith I
referre my whole trauell in the gratification of your Honour, and such
as are of experience to consider of my trauell, and the large scope of
things purposed in this Treatise, of whome my seruice in this behalfe
may be taken in good part, that I will repute for my full recompense,
and large guerdon of my labours. The Almightie God preserue your
Lordship in continuall health, wealth, and prosperitie, with my good
Ladie your wife, your Honours children, (whom God hath indued with a
singular towardnesse vnto all vertue and learning) and the rest of
your reformed familie, vnto whom I wish farder increase of his holie
spirit, vnderstanding of his word, augmentation of honor, and
continuance of zeale to follow his commandements.
_Your Lordships humble seruant
and houshold Chaplein._
W. H.
¶ THE NAMES OF THE AUTHORS
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