Pruis, and of his returne home. And lastly, our old English father Ennius,
I meane, the learned, wittie, and profound Geffrey Chaucer, vnder the
person of his knight, doeth full iudicially and like a cunning
Cosmographer, make report of the long voiages and woorthy exploits of our
English Nobles, Knights, & Gentlemen, to the Northren, and to other partes
of the world in his dayes.

Neither haue we comprehended in this Volume, onely our Trades and Voiages
both new and old; but also haue scattered here and there (as the
circumstance of times would giue vs leaue) certaine fragments concerning
the beginnings, antiquities, and grouth of the classical and warrelike
shipping of this Island: as namely, first of the great nauie of that
victorious Saxon prince king Edgar, mentioned by Florentius Wigorniensis,
Roger Houeden, Rainulph of Chester, Matthew of Westminster, Flores
historiarum, & in the libel of English policie, pag. 224. and 225. of this
present volume. [Footnote: _Original_ edition.] Of which Authors some
affirme the sayd fleet to haue consisted of 4800. others of 4000. some
others of 3600. ships: howbeit (if I may presume to gloze vpon the text) I
verily thinke that they were not comparable, either for burthen, strength,
building, or nimble stirrage vnto the ships of later times, and specially
of this age. But howsoeuer it be, they all agree in this, that by meanes of
the sayd huge Fleet he was a most puissant prince; yea, and some of them
affirme together with William of Malmesbury, that he was not onely
soueraigne lord of all the British seas, and of the whole Ile of Britanne
it selfe, but also that he brought vnder his yoke of subiection, most of
the Isles and some of the maine lands adiacent. And for that most of our
Nauigators at this time bee (for want of trade and practise that way)
either vtterly ignorant or but meanely skilfull, in the true state of the
Seas, Shoulds and Islands, lying between the North part of Ireland and of
Scotland, I haue for their better encouragement (if any weightie action