The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation Volume I Part 18

But if I shall seeme somewhat too bold in censuring the errors of writers, or too seuere in reprehending the slanders of some men: yet I hope all they will iudge indifferently of me, who shall seriously consider, how intolerable the errors of writers are, concerning our nation: how many also and how grieuous be the reproches of some, against vs, wherewith they haue sundry wayes prouoked our nation, and as yet will not cease to prouoke.

They ought also to haue me excused in regard of that in-bred affection rooted in the hearts of all men, towards their natiue soile, and to pardon my iust griefe for these iniures offered vnto my countrey. And I in very deed, so much as lay in me, haue in all places moderated my selfe, and haue bene desirous to abstaine from reproches but if any man thinke, we should haue vsed more temperance in our stile, I trust, the former reason will content him.

Sithens therefore, I am to vndergo the same hazard, which I see is commonly incident to all men that publish any writings: I must now haue especiall regarde of this one thing: namely, of seeking out some patron, and Mecoenas for this my briefe commentary, vnder whose name and protection it may more safety pa.s.se through the hands of all men.

But for this purpose I could not finde out, nor wish for any man more fit then your royal Maiestie, most gratious prince For vnto him, who hath receiued vnder his power & tuition our liues and goods, vnto him (I say) doe we make humble sute, that he would haue respect also vnto the credit of our nation, so iniuriously disgraced.

Yea verily (most gracious King) we are constreined to craue your Maiesties mercifull aide, not only in this matter, but in many other things also which are wanting in our countrey, or which otherwise belong to the publique commoditie and welfare thereof which not by me, but by the letters supplicatory of the chiefe men of our nation, are at this time declared, or will shortly be declared. For we doubt not but that your sacred Maiesties, after the example of your Christian predecessors, will vouchsafe vnto our countrey also, amongst other Islands of your Maiesties dominion, your kingly care and protection. For as the necessitie of fleeing for redresse vnto your sacred Maiestie, is ours so the glory of relieuing, regarding, and protecting vs, shal wholy redound vnto your sacred Maiestie: as also, there is layd vp for you, in respect of your fostering and preseruing of G.o.ds church, vpon the extreme northerly parts almost of the whole earth, and in the vttermost bounds of your Maiesties dominion (which by the singular goodnes of G.o.d, enioyeth at this present tranquillitie and quiet safetie) a reward and crowne of immortall life in the heauens.

But considering these things are not proper to this place, I wil leaue them, and returne to my purpose which I haue in hand: most humbly beseeching your S. M. that yon would of your clemencie vouchsafe to become a fauorer, and patron vnto these my labours and studies, for the behalfe of my countrey.

It now remaineth (most gracious and mercifull souereigne) for vs to make our humble prayers vnto almighty G.o.d, that king of kings, and disposer of all humane affaires, that it would please him of his infinite goodnes, to aduance your Maiestie (yearely growing vp in wisedome & experience, and all other heroicall vertues) to the highest pitch of souereigntie: and being aduanced, continually to blesse yon with most prosperous successe in all your affaires: and being blessed, long to preserue you, as the chief ornament, defence and safegarde of these kingdomes, and as the s.h.i.+eld and fortresse of his church: and hereafter in the life to come, to make you s.h.i.+ne glorious like a starre, amongst the princ.i.p.all nurcing fathers of G.o.ds Church, in the perfect ioy of his heauenly kingdome. The same most mercifull father likewise grant, that these praiers, the oftener they be dayly repeated and multiplied in euery corner of your Maiesties most ample territories & Islands, so much the more sure and certain they may remaine, Amen. At Haffnia, or Copen Hagen 1593. in the moneth of March. Y. S. M.

most humble subiect,

Arngrimus Ionas, Islander. [Footnote: A celebrated Icelandic astronomer, disciple of Tycho Brahe, and coadjutor of the Bishop of Holen, died in 1649 at the great age of 95. His princ.i.p.al works, besides his Description and History of Iceland, (published at Amsterdam in 1643, 4to), are _Idea Vera Magistratus_ (Copenhagen, 1689, 8vo); _Rerum Islandicarum libri tres_ (Hamburg, 1630, 4to); _The Life of Gundebrand de Thorlac_, etc. He is remembered amongst the peasantry of Iceland as the only instance known in that country of a man of ninety-one marrying a girl in her teens.]

Benigno & pio Lectori salutem.

In lucem exijt circa annum Christi 1561. Hamburgi foetus valde deformis, patre quodam Germanico propola: Rhythmi videlicet Germanici, omnium qui vnquam leguntur spurcissimi & mendacissimi in gentem Islandicam. Nec sufficiebat sordido Typographo sordidum illum foetum semel emisisse, nisi tertium etiam aut quartum publica.s.set, quo videlicet magis innocenti genti apud Germanos & Danos, aliosque vicinos populos summam & nunquam delendam ignominiam, quantum, in ipso fuit, inureret. Tantum Typographi huius odium fuit, & ex re illicita lucri auiditas. Et hoc in illa ciuitate, quae plurimos annos commercia sua magno suorum c.u.m lucro in Islandia exercuit, impune fecit. Ioachimus Leo nomen illi est, dignus certe qui Leones pascat.

Reperiuntur praeterea multi alij scriptores, qui c.u.m miracula naturae, quae in hac Insula creduntur esse plurima, & gentis Islandicae mores ac inst.i.tuta describere se velle putant, a re ipsa & veritate prorsus aberrarunt, nautarnm fabulas plusquam aniles, & vulgi opiniones vanissimas secuti. Hi Scriptores etsi non tam spurca & probrosa reliquerunt, quam sordidus iste Rhythmista: multa tamen sunt in illorum scriptis, quae illos excusare non possunt, aut prorsus liberare, quo minus innocentem gentem suis scriptis deridendam alijs exposuerint. Haec animaduertens, legens, expendens, subinde nouis, qui Islandorum nomen & aestimationem laederent, scriptoribus ortis, alienorum laborum suffuratoribus impudicis, qui etiam non desinunt gentem nostram nouis conspurcare mendacijs, lectoresque noua monstrorum enumeratione & descriptionibus fictis deludere, saepe optabam esse aliquem, qui ad errata Historicorum, & aliorum iniquorum censorum responderet, quique aliquo scripto innocentem gentem a tot conuicijs si non liberaret, certe aliquo modo apud pios & candidos Lectores defenderet. Quare hoc tempore Author eram honesto studioso, _Arngrimo Ionae_ F. vt reuolutis scriptorum monumentis, qui de Islandia aliquid scripserunt, errores & mendacia solidis rationibus detegeret. Ille etsi prim reluctabatur, vicit tamen demum admonitio, amorque communis patriae, ita vt hunc qualemcunque commentariolum conscriberet, non ex vanis vulgi fabulis, sed & ex sua & multorum fide dignorum experientia, comprobationibus sumptis.

Ille ver, qui hanc rem meo est aggressus instinctu, vicissim a me suo quasi iure flagitabat, vt in has pagellas, vel tribus saltem verbis praefarer: existimans aliquid fidei vel authoritatis opusculo inde conciliatum iri. Quare vt mentem breuiter exponam: Ego quidem & honestam & necessariam quoque operam naua.s.se eum iudico, qui non mod scriptorum varias sententias de rebus ignotis perpendere, & inuicem conferre, nec non ad veritatis & experientiae censuram exigere: Sed etiam patriam a venenatis quorundam sycophantarum morsibus vindicare conatus sit. aequum est igitur, Lector optime, vt quicquid hoc est opusculi, velut sanctissimo veritatis & patriae amore aduersus Zoilorum proteruiam munitum & muniendum excipias.

Vale.

Gudbrandus Thorliacus Epscopus Holensis in Islandia.

Anno 1592. Iul. 29.

[Footnote: In the _original_ edition of the description of Iceland by Arngrimus, follow these lines:

-- Authoris ad Lectorem.

Imbute Lector suauis arte Palladis, Lector benigne, humane, multum candide, Qui cuncta scis collis sacri mysteria: Has videris si forte quando paginas Non lectione sique dedignabere, Fac, nos tuo candori vt haec committimus Et aequitati, fronte sic non tetrica, Vultu legas nec ista quando turbido: Communis vnquam sortis haud sis immemor, Infirmitas quam nostra n.o.bis contulit.

Obnoxius nam non quis est mortalium Erroribus naeuisque semper plurimis?

Quod si diu multumque cogitauens, Nostris eris conatibus paul aequior, Tuis & isto rite pacto consules: Candore nam quo nostra arctans vtere, En te legentes rursus vtentur pari: Sic ipse semper alteri quae feceris.

aequalitatis lege & haec fient tibi.

De gente multis praedicata Islandica Authoribus quamuis probata maximis, Nostro periclo hucusque vulg credita, Licere n.o.bis credimus refellere, Non vt notam scriptorum muram nomini, Nostrum sed a nota probosa vindicem: Hoc inst.i.tutum iusque fasque comprobant: Hoc nostra consuetudo lexque comprobant: Hoc digna lectu exempla denique comprobant.

Ergo faue: nostris faue conatibus, Sis mitis indulgens et aequus arbiter, O lector arte imbute suauis Palladis, Lector benigne, amice, multum candide, Qui cuncta scis collis sacri mysteria.]

The same in English.

To the courteous and Christian reader Gudbrandus Thorlacius, Bishop of Holen in Island, wisheth health.

There came to light about the yeare of Christ 1561, a very deformed impe, begotten by a certain Pedlar of Germany: namely a booke of German rimes of al that euer were read the most filthy and most slanderous against the nation of Island. Neither did it suffice the base printer once to send abroad that base brat, but he must publish it also thrise or foure times ouer: that he might thereby, what lay in him, more deepely disgrace our innocent nation among the Germans, & Danes, and other neighbour countries, with shamefull, and euerlasting ignominie. So great was the malice of this printer, & his desire so greedy to get lucre, by a thing vnlawfull. And this he did without controlment, euen in that citie, which these many yeres hath trafficked with Island to the great gaine, and commodity of the citizens. His name is Ioachimus Leo, a man worthy to become lions foode.

[Sidenote: Great errors grow vpon mariners fabulous reports.]

Moreouer, there are many other writers found, who when they would seeme to describe the miracles of nature, which are thought to be very many in this Island, & the maners, & customs of the Islanders, haue altogether swarued from the matter and truth it selfe, following mariners fables more trifling than old wiues tales, & the most vain opinions of the common sort. These writers, although they haue not left behind them such filthy and reprochful stuffe as that base rimer: yet there are many things in their writings that wil not suffer them to be excused, & altogether acquited from causing an innocent nation to be had in derision by others. Wherefore marking, reading, & weighing these things with my selfe, & considering that there dayly spring vp new writers, which offer iniury to the fame & reputation of the Islanders, being such men also as do shamelesly filtch out of other mens labours, deluding their readers with feined descriptions, & a new rehearsal of monsters, I often wished that some one man would come forth, to make answere to the errors of historiographers & other vniust censurers: and by some writing, if not to free our innocent nation from so many reproches, yet at leastwise, in some sort to defend it, among Christian & friendly readers. And for this cause I haue now procured an honest and learned young man one Arngrimus Fitz-Ionas, to peruse the works of authors, that haue written anything concerning Island, and by sound reasons to detect their errors, & falshoods. And albeit at the first he was very loth, yet at length my friendly admonition, & the common loue of his countrey preuailed with him so farre, that he compiled this briefe commentary, taking his proofes, not out of the vaine fables of the people, but from his owne experience, and many other mens also of sufficient credit.

Now, he that vndertooke this matter at my procurement, did againe as it were by his owne authority chalenge at my hands, that I should in two or three words at least, make a preface vnto his booke; thinking it might gaine some credit, and authority thereby. Wherfore to speake my minde in a word: for my part, I iudge hin to haue taken both honest & necessary paines, who hath done his indeuour not onely to weigh the diuers opinions of wrighters concerning things vnknowen, and to examine them by the censure of trueth, and experience, but also to defend his countrey from the venemous bitings of certaine sycophants. It is thy part therefore (gentle reader) to accept this small treatise of his, being as it were guarded with the sacred loue of truth, and of his countrey, against the peruersnes of carpers. Farewel.

Anno 1592. Iulii 19.

COMMENTARII DE ISLANDIA INITIUM.

Quemadmodum in militia castrensi, alios nulla aequa ratione adductos, sed ambitione, inuidia & auaritia motos, Martis castra sequi animaduertimus: Alios ver iustis de causis arma sumere; vt qui vel doctrinae coelestis propagandae aut seruandae ergo bella mouent, vel aliquo modo lacessiti paratam vim ac iniuriam repellunt, vel saltem non lacessiti, propter obsidentem hostem metu in armis esse coguntur: Non secus Apollini militantes: alij animo nequaquam bono, Philosophico seu verius Christiano, ad scribendum feruntur: puta qui gloriae cupiditate, qui liuore ac odio, qui affectata ignorantia alios sugillant, vt ipsi potiores habeantur, nunc in personam, nomen ac famam alicuius, nunc in gentem totam stylum acuentes, atque impudenter quasi mentiendo, insontem nationem & populos commaculantes: Alij ver contra, animo ingenuo multa lucubrando inuestigant & in lucem emittunt; vt qui scientiam Theologicam & Philosophicam scriptis mandarunt, quique suis vigilijs veterum monumenta n.o.bis explicuerunt: qui quicquid in illis obscurum, imperfectum, inordinatum animaduerterunt, vsu & experientia duce ill.u.s.trarunt, explerunt, ordinarunt: qui mundi historias, bona fide, aeternae memoriae consecrarunt: qui linguarum cognitionem suis indefessis laboribus iuuerunt: denique qui aliorum in se suamue gentem vel patriam, licentiosam petulantiam reprimere, calumnias refellere, & quandam quasi vim iniustam propulsare annixi sunt.

Et quidem ego, cui literas vix, ac ne vix quidem videre contigit, omnium qui diuinae Palladi nomen dederunt, longe infimus (vt id ingenue de mea tenuitate confitear) facere certe non possum, quin me, in illorum aciem conferam, qui gentis suae maculam abluere, veritatem ipsam a.s.serere, & conuitiantium iugum detrectare studuerunt: Maiora ingenio sors denegauit: Id quoquo modo tentare compellit ipsius veritatis dignitas, & innatus amor patriae, quam extraneos nonnullos falsis rumoribus deformare, varijs conuitijs, magna c.u.m voluptate proscindere, aliisque nationibus deridendam propinare comperimus. Quorum petulantiae occurrere, & criminationes falsas, detectis simul scriptorum de hac Insula erroribus, apud bonos & cordatos viros, (Nam vulgus sui semper simile, falsi & vani tenacissimum, non est qud sperem me ab hac inueterata opinione abducere posse) diluere hoc commentariolo decreui.

Etsi autem Islandia multos habet, vt aetate, ita ingenio & eruditione me longe superiores, ideoque ad hanc causam patriae suscipiendam mult magis idoneos: Ego tamen optimi & clarissimi viri, Dom. Gudbrandi Thorlacij, Episcopi Holensis, apud Islandos, sollicitationibus motus communi causae, pro viribus, nequaquam deesse volui, tum vt aequissimae postulationi ipsius parerem, atque amorem & studium debitum erga patriam declararem, tum vt reliquos sympatriotas meos, in bonarum literarum scientia foelicius versatos, atque in rerum plurimarum cognitione vlterius progresses, ad hoc gentis nostrae patrocinium inuitarem: Tantum abest, vt ijs qui idem conabuntur, obstaculo esse voluerim.

Caeterum vt ad rem redeamus, quoniam illi quicunque sunt nostrae gentis obtrectatores, testimonio scripto se vti ac niti iact.i.tant: videndum omnino est, quidnam de Islandia, & quam vera scriptores prodiderint, vt si forte isti, alijs in nos dicendi aliquam occasionem dederint, patefactis ipsorum erroribus (nolo enim quid durius dicere) quam merit nos calumnientur, reliquis planum fiat, Porr, quamuis vetustiorum quorundam scripta de hac Insula, ad veritatis & experientiae normam exigere non verear: Tamen n.o.bis eorundem alioqui sacra est memoria, reuerenda dignitas, suspicienda eruditio, laudanda voluntas & in Rempub. literariam studium; Nouitij ver, si qui sunt id genus scriptores, aut verius pasquilli, c.u.m ijs longe veriora quam scripserant, audire & nosse de Islandia licuerit, sua leuitate & ingenio male candido, nihil nisi inuidiae & calumniae maculam lucrati esse videbuntur.

[Sidenote: Commentarij duae partes.]

Atque vt Commentarius hic noster aliquid ordinis habeat, duo erunt propositae orationis capita, vnum de Insula, de incolis alterum: quantum quidem de his duobus capitibus Scriptores qui in nostris manibus versantur, annotatum reliquerunt: Quoniam vltra has metas vagari, vel plura quam haec ipsa, & quae huc pertinere videbuntur attingere nolo. Non enim ex professo Historic.u.m vel geographum sed disputatorem tantum agimus. [Sidenote: Primae partis tractatio.] Itaque omissa longiore praefatione partem primam, quae est de situ, nomine, miraculis & alijs quibusdam adiunctis Insulae, aggrediamur.

The same im English.

HERE BEGINNETH THE COMMENTARY OF ISLAND.

Euen as in war, dayly experience teacheth vs, that some vpon no iust & lawful grounds (being egged on by ambition, enuie, and couetise) are induced to follow the armie, and on the contrary side, that others arme themselues vpon iust and necessary causes: namely such as go to battell for the defence and propagation of the Gospel, or such as being any way prouoked thereunto, doe withstand present violence and wrong, or at least (not being prouoked) by reason of the enemie approching are constrained to be vp in armes right so, they that fight vnder Apolloes banner. Amongst whom, a great part, not vpon any honest, philosophical, or indeede Christian intention, addresse themselues to wright: especially such as for desire of glory, for enuy and spight, or vpon malicious and affected ignorance, carpe at others: and that they may be accompted superiours, sometimes whette their stiles against the person, name and fame of this or that particular man, sometimes inueighing against a whole countrey, and by shamelesse vntrueths disgracing innocent nations and people. Againe, others of an ingenuous minde, doe by great industry, search and bring to light things profitable: namely, they that write of Diuinity, Philosophy, History and such like: and they who (taking vse and experience for their guides) in the said Sciences haue brought things obscure to light, things maimed to perfection, and things confused to order: and they that haue faithfully commended to euerlasting posteritie, the stories of the whole world: that by their infinite labours haue aduaunced the knowledge of tongues: to be short, that endeuour themselues to represse the insolencie, confute the slanders, and withstand the vniust violence of others, against themselues, their Nation or their Countrey:

And I for my part, hauing scarce attained the sight of good letters, and being the meanest of all the followers of Minerua (that I may freely acknowledge mine owne wants) can do no lesse then become one of their number, who haue applied themselues to ridde their countrey from dishonor, to auouch the trueth, and to shake off the yoke of railers & reuilers. My estate enabled me onely to write; howbeit the excellencie of trueth and the in bred affection I beare to my countrey enforceth me to do the best I can: sithens it hath pleased some strangers by false rumours to deface, and by manifolde reproches to iniurie my sayd countrey, making it a by word, and a langhing-stocke to all other nations. To meet with whose insolencie and false accusations, as also to detect the errours of certeine writers concerning this Island, vnto good and well affected men (for the common people will be alwayes like themselues, stubbornly mainteining that which is false and foolish, neither can I hope to remooue them from this accustomed and stale opinion) I haue penned the treatise following.

And albeit Island is not dest.i.tute of many excellent men, who, both in age, wit, and learning, are by many degrees my superiors, and therefore more fit to take the defence of the countrey into their hands: notwithstanding, being earnestly perswaded thereunto, by that G.o.dly & famous man Gudbrandus Thorlacius Bishop of Hola in Island, I thought good (to the vtmost of mine ability) to be no whit wanting vnto the common cause: both that I might obey his most reasonable request, and also that I might encourage other of my countreymen, who haue bene better trained vp in good learning, and indued with a greater measure of knowledge then I my selfe, to the defence of this our nation: so farre am I from hindering any man to vndertake the like enterprise.

But to returne to the matter, because they (whatsoeuer they be) that reproch and maligne our nation, make their boast that they vse the testimonies of writers: we are seriously to consider, what things, and how true, writers haue reported of Island, to the end that if they haue giuen (perhaps) any occasion to others of inueying against vs, their errours being layd open (for I will not speake more sharpely) all the world may see how iustly they do reproch vs. And albeit I nothing doubt to examine some ancient writers of this Island, by the rule of trueth and experience: yet (otherwise) their memory is precious in our eyes, their dignity reuerend, their learning to be had in honour, and their zeale and affection towards the whole common wealth of learned men, highly to be commended: but as for nouices (if there be any such writers or rather pasquilles) when they shall heare and know truer matters concerning Island, then they themselues haue written, they shall seeme by their inconstancie and peruerse wit to haue gained nought else but a blacke marke of enuy and reproch.

And that this commentarie of mine may haue some order, it shall be diuided into two general parts: the first of the Island, the second of the inhabitants: and of these two but so farfoorth as those writers which are come to our hands haue left recorded: because I am not determined to wander out of these lists, or to handle more then these things and some other which perteine vnto them. For I professe not my selfe an Historiographer, or Geographer, but onely a Disputer. Wherefore omitting a longer Preface, let vs come to the first part concerning the situation, the name, miracles, and certaine other adiuncts of this Iland.

SECTIO PRIMA.

[Sidenote: Munst. lib. 4. Cosmograph.] Insula Islandiae, quae per immensum a caeteris secreta longe sita est in Oceano, vixque a nauigantibus agnoscitur, &c.

Et si haec tractare, quae ipsam terram vel illius adiuncta seu proprietates concernunt, ad gentem vel incolas a calumniantium morsu vindicandos parum faciat: tamen id nequaquam omittendum videtur. Sed de his primum, & quidem prolixius aliquant agendum est, vt perspecto, quam vera de hac re tradant illi Islandiae scriptores, facile inde candidus Lector, in ijs quae de Incolis scripta reliquerant, quaeque ab illis alij, tanquam Dijs prodentibus, acceperunt, vnde sua in gentem nostram ludibria depromi aiunt, quantum fidei mereantur, iudicet.

Primum igitur distantiam Islandiae a reliquis terris non immensam esse, nec tantam, quanta vulg putatur, si quis insulae longitudinem & lat.i.tudinem aliquo modo cognitam haberet, facile demonstrari posset. Non enim id alio, quam isto cognosci exacte posse modo existimarim, c.u.m nulli dubium sit, quam semper nautarum vel rectissimus, vt illis videtur, cursus aberret.

Quare varias authorum de situ Islandiae sententias subiungam, vt inde quiuis de distantia id colligat, quod maxime verisimile videbitur, donec forte aliquando propria edoctus experientia, meam quoque sententiam si non interponam, tamen adiungam.

Longit. Lat.i.tud.

Munsterus Islandiam collocat sub gradibus fere 20 68 Gerardus Mercator 352 68 Gemma Frisius: Medium Islandiae: 7 0 65 30 Hersee: 7 40 60 42 Thirtes: 5 50 64 44 Nadar: 6 40 57 20 Iacobi Ziegleri: Littus Islandiae Occident. 20 63 Chos promontorium: 22 46 63 Latus orientale extenditur contra Septentrionem: & finis extensionis habet 30 68 Latus septentrionale contra occidentem extenditur, & finis extensionis habet 28 69 Lateris Occidentalis descriptio.

Heckelfel promontorium 25 67 Madher promontorium 21 20 65 10 Ciuitates in ea mediterraneae sunt Holen Episcopalis 28 67 50 Schalholten Episcopalis 22 63 30 Reinholdus.

Per Holen Islandiae 68 Ioh. Myritius.

Per Med. Islandiae 69 Neander.

Islandia tribus gradibus in circulum vsque Arctic.u.m ab aequinoctiali excurrit, ade fere, vt mediam circulus ille secet, &c.

Et si qui sunt praeterea, qui vel in mappis, vel alioqui suis scriptis Insulae situm notarunt, quorum plures sententias referre nihil attinet, c.u.m qu plures habeas, e magis dissidentes reperias. Ego quamuis verisimiles coniecturas habeo, cur nullae citatae de Islandiae situ sententiae a.s.sentiar, quin potius diuersum quippiam ab ijs omnibus statuam, tamen id ipsum in dubio relinquere malo, quam quicquam non exploratum satis affirmare, donec, vt dixi, forte aliquando non coniecturam, sed obseruationem & experientiam propriam afferre liceat.