Here begins the apology of Nennius, the historiographer of the
Britons, of the race of the Britons.
3. I, Nennius, disciple of St. Elbotus, have endeavoured to write
some extracts which the dulness of the British nation had cast away,
because teachers had no knowledge, nor gave any information in
their books about this island of Britain. But I have got together
all that I could find as well from the annals of the Romans as from
the chronicles of the sacred fathers, Hieronymus, Eusebius, Isidorus,
Prosper, and from the annals of the Scots and Saxons, and from
our ancient traditions. Many teachers and scribes have attempted
to write this, but somehow or other have abandoned it from its
difficulty, either on account of frequent deaths, or the often
recurring calamities of war. I pray that every reader who shall
read this book, may pardon me, for having attempted, like a
chattering jay, or like some weak witness, to write these things,
after they had failed. I yield to him who knows more of these
things than I do.
