ed according to my skill, and conferred the
greatest part with _Maister Wolfe_ in his life time, to his liking, who
procured me so manie helpes to the furtherance thereof, that I was loth to
omit anie thing that might increase the readers knowledge, which causeth
the book to grow so great. But receiuing them by parts, and at seuerall
times (as I might get them) it may be, that hauing had more regard to the
matter than the apt penning, I haue not so orderlie disposed them, as
otherwise I ought; choosing rather to want order, than to defraud the
reader of that which for his further understanding might seeme to satisfie
expectation.

I therefore most humbly beseech your Honour to accept these Chronicles of
England vnder your protection, and according to your wisedome and
accustomed benignitie to beare with my faults; the rather, bicause you
were euer so especiall good Lord to _Maister Wolfe_, to whom I was
singularlie beholden; and in whose name I

humblie present this rude worke vnto you, beseeching
God that as he hath made you an instrument
to aduance his truth, so it may please him
to increase his good gifts in you,
to his glorie, the furtherance of the
Queenes Maiesties seruice,
and the comfort of all her
faithful and louing
subiects.
Your Honours most humble to be commanded,
RAPHAEL HOLINSHED.

B.--AN ELIZABETHAN SURVEY OF ENGLAND.

Harrison closes Chapter 16 of his first book (which is the last of several
chapters describing all the English rivers) with a most interesting
complaint of a literary theft of which he was the victim. From his words
it is evident that a complete and minute survey of England may still be
possibly hidden away in some heap of manuscripts, and which was the work
of Thomas Seckford, who died three or four months after the _Holinshed_ of
1587 was issued, and who was evidently intimate with the group engaged on
the great folio. Seckford was a Londoner by residence and occupation, but
a Suffolk man by birth, and founder of the present Seckford Hospital at
Woodbridge, to which place he was taken for burial. He was a barrister of
Grey's Inn, master of requests, surveyor of the court of wards, and
steward of the Marshalsea. He weathered the storm under Catholic and
Protestant sway, and was a most industrious scholar, although any of his
publis