booke, hauevinge in it little above xx leaves (as they saide) of very
thicke vellume, wherin was some things written. But when it was shewed
to priests and chanons, whiche were there, they could not reade it.
Wherfore after they had tossed it from one to another (by the meanes
wherof it was torne) they did neglecte and caste it aside. Long after
a peece therof happened to come to my handes: whiche notwithstandynge
it was all to rente defaced, I shewed to Maister Richard Pace, than
chiefe secretary to the kynges moste royal majestie, wherof he
exceedingly rejoysed. But because it was partely rente, partely
defaced and blourred with meate (or weate) whiche had fallen on it, he
could not finde any one sentence perfect. Notwithstandynge after longe
beholdynge, he shewed me, it seemed that the said booke conteined some
auncient monument of this yle, and that he perceived this woorde
_Prytania_, to be put for _Brytannia_. But at that tyme he sayde no
more to me. Afterwarde, I gevyng much study and diligence to the
readynge of hystories, consyderynge wherof this woorde _Britannia_
first came, fyndynge that all the yles in this parte in the occean,
were called _Brittaniæ_, after conjecture of Albion, remebringe
(remembering) the sayde wrytynge, and by chaunce fyndyng in Suidas,
that _Prytania_ in Greeke, with a circumflexed aspiratio (aspiration,)
doeth signifie metalles, fayres and markettes, also revenues belongyng
to the commune treasure: I then conceyved this opinion, that the
Greekes flourishynge in wisdome, prowesse, and experience, of
saylynge, beynge entred into the occean sea, founde in the yles greate
plenty of tyn, leade, yron, brasse, and in divers places golde and
sylver in great quantitie, they called all those yles (isles) by this
generall name Prytania, &c."

I have, with few exceptions, preserved the spelling.