all the heads and cheefe in authoritie so cleerelie vp by the roots, as
few or none of them in the end was left to stand vp against him. And
herewith altering the whole state, he planted such lawes and ordinances
as stood most for his auaile and securitie, which being after qualified
with more milde and gentle lawes, tooke such effect, that the state hath
euer sithens continued whole and vnbroken by wise and politike
gouernement, although disquieted sometime by ciuill dissention, to the
ruine commonlie of the first moouers, as by the sequele of the historie
you may see.

For the historie of Scotland, I haue for the more part followed Hector
Boece, Iohannes Maior, and Iouan Ferreri Piemontese, so far as they haue
continued it, interlaced somtimes with other authours, as Houeden,
Fourdon, and such like; although not often, bicause I meant rather to
deliuer what I found in their owne histories extant, than to correct
them by others, leauing that enterprise to their owne countrimen: so
that whatsoeuer ye read in the same, consider that a Scotishman writ it,
and an Englishman hath but onelie translated it into our language,
referring the reader to the English historie, in all matters betwixt vs
and them, to be confronted therewith as he seeth cause. For the
continuation thereof I vsed the like order, in such copies and notes as
Maister Wolfe in his life time procured me; sauing that in these last
yeares I haue inserted some such notes as concerned matters of warre
betwixt vs and the Scots, bicause I got them not till that part of the
English historie was past the presse.

For Ireland, I haue shewed in mine epistle dedicatorie in what sort, and
by what helps I haue proceeded therein; onelie this I forgot to
signifie, that I had not Giraldus Cambrensis, and Flatsburie, vntill
that part of the booke was vnder the presse, and so being constreined to