PREFACE. XXxiii 



&quot; book, I think, will live, and be a citizen of the 



&quot; world, as English books are not. For Henry the 



&quot; Eighth, to deal truly with your highness, I did so 



&quot; despair of my health this summer, as I was glad 



!( to choose some such work, as I might compass 



&quot; within days ; so far was I from entering into a 



&amp;lt; work of length. Your highness s return hath 



&quot; been my restorative. When I shall wait upon your 



&quot; highness, I shall give you a farther account. So 



* I most humbly kiss your highness s hands, resting 



&quot; Your highness s most devoted servant. 



&quot; I would (as I wrote to the duke in Spain) I 



&quot; could do your highness s journey any honour with 



&quot; my pen. It began like a fable of the poets ; but 



&quot; it deserveth all in a piece a worthy narration.&quot; 



HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



The first letter upon this subject is 

 &quot; To the Lord Chancellor, touching the History of 



&quot; Britain. 



&quot; It may please your good Lordship, 

 &quot; Some late act of his majesty, referred to some 

 &quot; former speech which I have heard from your lord- 

 &quot; ship, bred in me a great desire, and the strength 

 &quot; of desire a boldness to make an humble proposi- 

 &quot; tion to your lordship, such as in me can be no 

 &quot; better than a wish : but if your lordship should 

 &quot; apprehend it, it may take some good and worthy 

 &quot; effect. The act I speak of, is the order given by 

 &quot; his majesty for the erection of a tomb or monu- 

 VOL. 3. 



