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THE LIVES OF
THE III. NORMANS,
KINGS OF
England:

William the first.
William the second.
Henrie the first.

Written by I. H.

Mart. Improbè facit qui in alieno libro ingeniosus est.

¶ IMPRINTED AT
LONDON BY R.B.
ANNO 1613.

Table of Contents

3

TO THE HIGH
AND MIGHTIE
Prince
CHARLES
Prince of Wales.

Most Illustrious Prince:

vr late, too late borne, or too soonedying Prince, Henry of famous memorie,your deceased brother, sent formee, a few monethes before his death.And at my second comming to his presence,among some other speeches, heecomplained much of our Histories of England; and that the English Nation,which is inferiour to none in Honourable actions, should besurpassed by all, in leauing the memorie of them to posteritie. Forthis cause hee blamed the negligence of former ages: as if theywere ignorant of their owne deseruings, as if they esteemed themseluesvnworthie of their worth.

I answered, that I conceiued these causes hereof; One, thatmen of sufficiencie were otherwise employed; either in publickeaffaires, or in wrestling with the world, for maintenance or encreaseof their priuate estates. Another is, for that men mightsafely write of others in a tale, but in maner of a History,4safely they could not: because, albeit they should write of menlong since dead, and whose posteritie is cleane w