A chronicle at large and meere history of the affayres of Englande and kinges of the same deduced from the Creation of the vvorlde, vnto the first habitation of thys islande: and so by contynuance vnto the first yere of the reigne of our most deere and souereigne Lady Queene Elizabeth: collected out of sundry aucthors, whose names are expressed in the next page of this leafe.

To the Right Honorable Sir Wylliam Cecill Knight, principall Secreta∣ry to the Queenes Maiesty, and of hir priuie Coun∣sayle, Mayster of the Courtes of VVardes and Lyueries, and Chauncelour of the Vniuersitie of Cambridge: Richard Grafton Citezen of London, wysheth long health wyth encrease of honor.

DOVBTLES, YOVR Honor and other maye mar∣uayle, or paraduenture mis∣lyke, that after so many books alreadie set forth, bearing the names and tytles of Chroni∣cles of Englande, I should ac∣comber the Readers super∣fluouslye wyth one mo of the same matter: Neuerthe∣lesse, the contentes of thys and the sayde other former bookes being compared, your wisedome can well discerne, and other shall easely perceyue, that this la∣bor of mine was neyther altogether needelesse nor vnprofitable. For among so many writers, there hath yet none to my know∣ledge, published any full, playne and meere Englishe historie. For some of them of purpose meaning to write short notes in maner of Annales, commonly called Abridgementes, rather touch the tymes when things were done, then declare the ma∣ner of the doyngs, leauing thereby some necessitie of larger ex∣plication, and referring the desirous Reader to a further serch and study. Other haue dealt but with the reignes of a few kings, & yet therof haue made long bookes, with many tedious digres∣sions, obscure descriptions & friuolous dilatations: which forme

of writing if it should not be reformed, coulde not in the whole be folowed without pestering the Reader with importable Vo∣lumes. Other haue intermyngled the affaires of other foreyne Nations with the matters of Englande, yea, euen where the one had no concurrencie or dependaunce of the other. Others, namely straungers, as well in their bookes written purposely of England, as in discourses enterlaced in their histories of their awne Countries, and specially concerning the actes of later times, both in matters of Religion and ciuill pollicie, partly fo∣lowing common reportes, and partly vsyng enuious constructi∣ons haue eyther by ignoraunce or malyce slaunderously written and erred from the manifest truth: so farre as to me seemeth a better worke could not be taken in hande, then that some lear∣ned Englishe man of good intelligence would by some speciall worke, written in such a language as other Nations might for the more part best vnderstand, detect, and with plaine declara∣tion of the truth, confute such errors & vntruths as are written and scattred in foreyn stories concerning this realme: For some supply of all which defectes and errors conteyned in the said for∣mer Chronicles of Englande, I haue to the best of my small skill & with the vttermost of my diligence, gathered this booke, con∣teinyng a complete and whole history from the first entrie and habitation of the Britons in this Islande, vnto the first yere of the reigne of our soueraigne Lady Queene Elizabeth, presently reigning. Large ynough (I trust) without tediousnesse, short ynough without darknesse, meerely and onely of Englande, not mingling the same with foreyne matters impertynent to oure state, and finally true without misreporting, so farre as the folo∣wing of the best Aucthors & reporters & mine awne experi∣ence (hauing of long time seene and purposely noted much ther∣of) could conceaue. And now hauing ended this worke, and

seking to whom I might for testification of my speciall good will present it, or for patronage and defence dedicate it, and princi∣pally for all iudgement and correction to submit it: Among many I haue chosen your Mastership, moued therto by expe∣rience of your curteous iudgement towardes those that trauaile to any honest purpose, rather helping & comforting their weak∣nesse, then condempning their simple (but yet well meanyng) endeuours. By which your accustomed good acceptation of o∣thers, J am the rather boldened to beseeche your Maistership to receaue this my worke and me, in such maner as you doe those, in whome (howsoeuer there be want of power) there wanteth no poynt of good will and seruiceable affection. Wherefore at this present, not meaning to trouble your Maistership with any farther tedious matter, my prayer shall be to God for your long prosperous estate with encrease of Gods grace, and so thereby to direct your trauayles in the seruice of the Queenes most excellent Maiestie, and the common weale of this Realme, as you may alwayes leaue to the poste∣ritie happy and plentifull matter of worthy report.