To the elucidation of the word Britannia, contained in your 486th
number, I beg to add the opinion of the same author on the subject
of Albion:--

"Albion (the most ancient name of this Isle) containeth Englande and
Scotlande: of the beginning (origin) of which name haue been sundrie
opinios (opinions): One late feigned by him, which first prynted the
Englishe Chronicle,[1] wherein is neither similitude of trouth, reasone,
nor honestie: I mean the fable of the fiftie doughters of Dioclesian,
kyng of Syria, where neuer any other historic maketh mencion of a kyng
of Syria, so named: Also that name is Greke, and no part of the language
of Syria. Moreouer the coming of theim from Syria in a shippe or boate
without any marynours (mariners) thorowe (through) the sea called
_Mediterraneum_, into the occean, and so finally to finde this He, and
to inhabit it, * * * * is both impossible, and much reproche to this
noble Realme, to ascribe hir first name and habitation, to such
inuention. Another opinion is (which hath a more honeste similitude)
that it was named _Albion, ab albis rupibus_, of white rockes, because
that unto them, that come by sea, the bankes and rockes of this He doe
appeare whyte. Of this opinion I moste mervayle (marvel), because it is
written of great learned men, First, _Albion_ is no latin worde, nor
hath the analogie, that is to saie, proportion or similitude of latine.
For who hath founde this syllable _on_, at the ende of a latin woord.
And if it should have bæn (been) so called for the whyte colour of the
rockes, men would have called called it (I believe this to be a
misprint) _Alba_, or _Albus_, or Album. In Italy were townes called
Alba[2] and in Asia a countrey called Albania, and neither of them took
their beginning of whyte rockes, or walles, as ye may read in books of
geographic: nor the water of the ryuer called _Albis_, semeth any whiter
than other water. But if where auncient remembraunce of the beginning