Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden maonachi Cestrensis; together with the English translations of John Trevisa and of an unknown writer of the fifteenth century.

Of the site and dimencion of hit. Capitulum quadragesimum.

Plinius, libro secundo, capitulo septuagesimo septimo. That londe of Briteyne lyethe from the costes of Ger|many, of Fraunce, and of Speyne, betwene the northe and weste, departede from theyme by the see. That londe is

from the peple of Gesserike and from the brynkes in that cuntre in the nyeste place by l^ti myles. Beda, libro primo. And for cause that londe lyethe in the northe partes of the worlde, hit hathe liȝhte nyȝhtes in the somer, in so moche that a question is made oftetymes abowte the myddes of the nyȝhte wheþer hit be day or nay for cause of suche liȝhte; for the sonne is not ferre vnder the erthe from that cuntre, wherefore that cuntre hathe daies in the somer of a grete lenghthe, and longe nyȝhtes in the wyntere; that is to say, the daies be of xviij. howres in somer, and the nyȝhtes in wyntere of xviij. howres, and the day of vj. howres. Sythe in Armeny, Macedony, Ytaly, and other regiones of the same costes, the longeste day other nyȝhte is but oonly of xv. houres equinoccialle, and þe moste schorte day other nyȝhte dothe complete oonly but ix. howres. Plinius. In an yle callede Meroris, whiche is as the hede of men of Ethioppe, where hit is that the longeste day is but of xij. howres equinoccialle, and at Alexandria in Egipte

of xiij. howres, and in Ytaly of xv. howres, in Briteyne other Englonde of xviij. howres; and the day in somere is [is of vj. houres continually, MS. originally; but the cancel is apparently by the first hand.] continually by vj. monethes in an yle callede Tile, and nyȝhte continually by vj. other monethes. Isidorus, libro quarto decimo. Briteyne is putte betwene the ocean, as with owte the worlde, sette as vn to the prospecte of Speyne. Giraldus. That londe of Englonde is longe, more large in the myddes of hit then in the extremites. Orosius. That londe of Briteyne is extendede by lenghthe from the [folio 60a] sowthe in to the northe, hauenge on the este to hit Fraunce, on the sowthe Speyne, on the northe Norway, on the weste Yrlonde, nye to the brynkes of whom a cite dothe appere to men sailenge in the see, whiche is callede Rutipi portus. Beda, libro primo. Whiche cite is callede now of the peple of Englonde Reptachestre. Solinus. Briteyne conteynethe in longitude lxxx^ti m^l passes, what man that wylle take the measure of hit from Toteneise vn to the angle of Cali|donia. Alfr. That is from a place that is callede Pen|withstrete, by xv. leukes behynde Mochillestowe in Corne|waile, vn to Catenesse: hauenge in latitude moo then ij. c. m^l.

passes from Meneuia, whiche is calle [So Harl. MS.] Seynte Dauid, whiche place is in the extremite of Wales, vn to Gernemowthe [Yarmouth is written above the word in a later hand.] whiche is in Norfolke: the circuite of whom conteynethe, after diuerse auctores, xl^ti tymes viij^the and lxx^ti m^l of passes.