THE CHRONICLES of HOLINSHED having become exceedingly scarce, and,
from their Rarity and Value, having always brought a high Price
whenever they have appeared for Sale, the Publishers have thought they
should perform an acceptable Service to the Public by reprinting them
in a uniform, handsome, and modern Form.
It cannot now be necessary to state the Importance and interesting
Nature of this Work. The high Price for which it has always sold, is a
sufficient Testimony of the Esteem in which it has been held.
Holinshed's Description of Britain is allowed to contain the most
curious and authentic Account of the Manners and Customs of our Island
in the Reign of Henry VIII. and Elizabeth, in which it was written.
His History of the Transactions of the British Isles, during these
Periods, possesses all the Force and Value of contemporary Evidence,
collected by a most skilful Observer; and the peculiar Style and
Orthography in which the Work is written, furnish a very interesting
Document to illustrate the History of the English Language.
The original Edition of the Chronicles of Holinshed, it is well known,
was published by their Author in a mutilated State. A Number of Pages,
which had obviously been printed with the rest of the Work, were found
to be omitted, except in a few Copies obtained by some favoured
Persons. In the present Edition, these Castrations are faithfully
restored; and in order that the Purchaser may depend upon finding an
exact as well as a perfect Copy, it has been a Law with the
Publishers, not to alter a single Letter, but to print the Work with
the utmost Fidelity from the best preceding Edition, with the Author's
own Orthography, and with his marginal Notes. The only Liberty taken,
has been to use the Types of the present Day, instead of the old
English Letter of the Time of Elizabeth.
The Publishers submit to the Public this Edition of a curious and
valuable Chronicle of our History, with a confident Hope, that it will
gratify both the Historical Student and the General Reader. If it meet
with the Reception which they anticipate, they will be encouraged to
select some others of the rarest and most important of our ancient
Chronicles, and reprint them, in like Manner, for the Convenience and
Gratification of the Public.