PREFACE All intelligent teachers of history realize the desirability of having their students do more reading of history than is contained in the text-book, and most of them agree that this is best found in records and writings contemporary with the events being studied. But the practical problem of providing such readings for classes is by no means easy to solve. Those who have tried to procure the necessary number of copies of books, to discover English translations, to find applicable passages, and to make practicable requirements best know the difficulties of the task. I hope that this book of readings from the original sources of English history will help to overcome these obstacles. It is intended to be used as a close companion to my Short History of England: the matter contained in it is arranged in the same order as the subjects taken up in that text-book, and is selected with a view to the further explanation and illustration of the principal points there discussed. It can, however, obviously be used in connection with other text-books, and in any case, where time is insufficient to make use of all the illustrative extracts, a selection from them can be made by the teacher. I have, of course, utilized the suggestions of earlier collectors of similar material, and take this opportunity of acknowledging my indebtedness to the ingenuity and intelligence displayed by them in the discovery of certain iii BS FEB 15 1928 illustrative documents. I have had much valuable assistance in the work of selection, translation, and editing from Dr. Helen G. Preston, and the last chapter is largely the work of Professor Witt Bowden of the University of Pennsylvania. Professor James Harvey Robinson, the editor of the series of which this volume is a part, through our long labors together over manuscript and proof, has often contributed the last and best word of advice or decision. In this new edition the illustrative material has been brought down to date, corresponding to the last chapter of the revised edition of the text-book. Grateful acknowledgment is made to publishers and authors who have permitted the use of their copyrighted matter. UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA EDWARD P. CHEYNEY CONTENTS CHAPTER I— THE GEOGRAPHY OF ENGLAND I. Accounts by Ancient Geographical Observers 1. Cæsar's description of Britain. De Bello Gallico, Lib. v, c. 13. 2. Description by Diodorus Siculus Library of Histories, Lib. v, cc. 21, 22; trans. in Monumenta II. Accounts by Modern Observers 5. Paul Hentzner's description of the Downs. Travels in England, pp. 80 sq. I. The First Contact of the Romans with the Britons 7. Cæsar's description of his first invasion . De Bello Gallico, Lib. iv, cc. 20-27. |