shall hereafter chance to drawe them into those quarters) translated into
English a briefe treatise called A Chronicle of the Kings of Man. Wherein
they may behold as well the tragical and dolefull historie of those parts
for the space almost of 300. yeeres, as also the most ordinarie and
accustomed nauigations through those very seas, and amidst those
Northwesterne Isles called the Hebrides, so many hundred yeeres agoe. For
they shall there read, that euen then (when men were but rude in sea causes
in regard of the great knowledge which we now haue) first Godredus Crouan
with a whole Fleet of ships throughly haunted some places in that sea;
secondly, that one Ingemundus setting saile out of Norway, arriued vpon the
Isle of Lewis; then, that Magnus the king of Norwau came into the same seas
with 160. sailes, and hauing subdued the Orkney Isles in his way, passed on
in like conquering maner, directing his course (as it should seeme) euen
through the very midst, and on all sides of the Hebrides, who sailing
thence to Man, conquered it also, proceeding afterward as farre as
Anglesey; and lastly crossing ouer from the Isle of Man to the East part of
Ireland. Yea, there they shall read of Godredus the sonne of Olauus his
voiage to the king of Norway, of his expedition with 80. ships against
Sumerledus, of Sumerled his expedition with 53. ships against him; of
Godred his flight and second iourney into Norway, of Sumerled his second
arriuall with 160. shippes at Rhinfrin vpon the coast of Man, and of many
other such combates, assaults, & voyages which were performed onely vpon
those seas & Islands. And for the bringing of this woorthy monument to
light, we doe owe great thanks vnto the iudiciall and famous Antiquarie M
Camden. But sithens we are entred into a discourse of the ancient warrehke
shipping of this land the reader shall giue me leaue to borow one
principall note out of this litle historie, before I quite take my leaue
thereof, and that is in few words, that K. Iohn passed into Ireland with a
Fleet of 500. sailes; so great were our sea-forces euen in his time.
Neither did our shipping for the warres first begin to flourish with king