[Sidenote: In the first part of the acts of the English votaries.
Britaine inhabitied before the floud.
_Genesis 6_.
_Berosus ant. lib._ 1.]
First therefore Iohn Bale our countrieman, who in his time greatlie
trauelled in the search of such antiquities, dooth probablie coniecture,
that this land was inhabited and replenished with people long before the
floud, at that time in the which the generation of mankind (as Moses
writeth) began to multiplie vpon the vniuersall face of the earth: and
therfore it followeth, that as well this land was inhabited with people
long before the daies of Noah, as any the other countries and parts
of the world beside. But when they had once forsaken the ordinances
appointed them by God, and betaken them to new waies inuented of
themselues, such loosenesse of life ensued euerie where, as brought vpon
them the great deluge and vniuersall floud, in the which perished as well
the inhabitants of these quarters, as the residue of the race of mankind,
generallie dispersed in euerie other part of the whole world, onelie Noah
& his familie excepted, who by the prouidence and pleasure of almightie
God was preserued from the rage of those waters, to recontinue and
repaire the new generation of man of vpon earth.

[Sidenote: NOAH. _In comment. super 4. lib._
_Berosus de antiquit. lib._ 1
_Annius vt suor._]
After the flood (as Annius de Viterbo recordeth) and reason also
enforceth, Noah was the onlie monarch of all the world, and as the same
Annius gathereth by the account of Moses in the 100. yeare after the
flood, Noah diuided the earth among his thrée sonnes; assigning to the
possession of his eldest sonne all that portion of land which now is
knowne by the name of Asia; to his second sonne Cham, he appointed all