ith any deliberation peruse, or almost with any judgment
deliberate exactly upon, such notes as were to be inserted. Sometimes
indeed their leisure gave me liberty, but that I applied in following my
vocation; many times their expedition abridged my perusal; and by this
latter it came to pass that most of this book was no sooner penned than
printed, neither well conveyed, before it came to writing. But it is now
too late to excuse the manner of doing.[53] It is possible also that your
Honour will mislike hereof for that I have not by mine own travel and
eyesight viewed such things as I do here intreat of. Indeed I must needs
confess that until now of late, except it were from the parish where I
dwell unto your Honour in Kent, or out of London where I was born unto
Oxford and Cambridge where I have been brought up, I never travelled forty
miles forthright and at one journey in all my life; nevertheless in my
report of these things I use their authorities who either have performed
in their persons or left in writing upon sufficient ground (as I said
before) whatsoever is wanting in mine. It may be in like sort that your
Honour will take offence at my rash and retchless behaviour used in the
composition of this volume, and much more than that, being scrambled up
after this manner, I dare presume to make tender of the protection thereof
unto your Lordship's hands. But, when I consider the singular affection
that your Honour doth bear to those that in anywise will travel to set
forth such profitable things as lie hidden of their country without regard
of fine and eloquent handling, and thereunto do weigh on my own behalf my
bounden duty and grateful mind to such a one as hath so many and sundry
ways benefited me that otherwise can make no recompense, I cannot but cut
off all such occasion of doubt, and thereupon exhibit it, such as it is,
and so penned as it is, unto your Lordship's tuition, unto whom if it may
seem in any wise acceptable I have my whole desire. And as I am the first
that (notwithstanding the great repugnance to be seen among our writers)
hath taken upon him so particularly to describe this Isle of Britain, so I
hope the learned and godly will bear withal, and reform with charity where
I do tread amiss. As for the curious, and such as can rather
evil-favouredly espy than skilfully correct an error, and sooner carp at
another man's doings than publish anything of their own (keeping
themselves close with an obscu