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The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries

R >> Richard Hakluyt >> The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries




Reperiuntur præterea multi alij scriptores, qui cum miracula naturæ, quæ in
hac Insula creduntur esse plurima, & gentis Islandicæ mores ac instituta
describere se velle putant, à re ipsa & veritate prorsus aberrarunt,
nautarnm fabulas plusquam aniles, & vulgi opiniones vanissimas secuti. Hi
Scriptores etsi non tam spurca & probrosa reliquerunt, quàm sordidus iste
Rhythmista: multa tamen sunt in illorum scriptis, quæ illos excusare non
possunt, aut prorsus liberare, quo minus innocentem gentem suis scriptis
deridendam alijs exposuerint. Hæc animaduertens, legens, expendens, subinde
nouis, qui Islandorum nomen & æstimationem læderent, scriptoribus ortis,
alienorum laborum suffuratoribus impudicis, qui etiam non desinunt gentem
nostram nouis conspurcare mendacijs, lectorésque noua monstrorum
enumeratione & descriptionibus fictis deludere, sæpe optabam esse aliquem,
qui ad errata Historicorum, & aliorum iniquorum censorum responderet,
quíque aliquo scripto innocentem gentem à tot conuicijs si non liberaret,
certè aliquo modo apud pios & candidos Lectores defenderet. Quare hoc
tempore Author eram honesto studioso, _Arngrimo Ionæ_ F. vt reuolutis
scriptorum monumentis, qui de Islandia aliquid scripserunt, errores &
mendacia solidis rationibus detegeret. Ille etsi primò reluctabatur, vicit
tamen demum admonitio, amórque communis patriæ, ita vt hunc qualemcunque
commentariolum conscriberet, non ex vanis vulgi fabulis, sed & ex sua &
multorum fide dignorum experientia, comprobationibus sumptis.

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

Gudbrandus Thorliacus Epìscopus
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, multùm candide,
Qui cuncta scis collis sacri mysteria:
Has videris si fortè quando paginas
Non lectione síque dedignabere,
Fac, nos tuo candori vt hæc committimus
Et æquitati, fronte sic non tetrica,
Vultu legas nec ista quando turbido:
Communis vnquam sortis haud sis immemor,
Infirmitas quam nostra nobis contulit.
Obnoxius nam non quis est mortalium
Erroribus næuísque semper plurimis?
Quod si diu multúmque cogitauens,
Nostris eris conatibus paulò æquior,
Tuis & isto rite pacto consules:
Candore nam quo nostra arctans vtere,
En te legentes rursus vtentur pari:
Sic ipse semper alteri quæ feceris.
Æqualitatis lege & hæc fient tibi.

De gente multis prædicata Islandica
Authoribus quamuis probata maximis,
Nostro periclo hucúsque vulgò credita,
Licere nobis credimus refellere,
Non vt notam scriptorum muram nomini,
Nostrum sed à nota probosa vindicem:
Hoc institutum iúsque fásque comprobant:
Hoc nostra consuetudo léxque comprobant:
Hoc digna lectu exempla denique comprobant.
Ergo faue: nostris faue conatibus,
Sis mitis indulgens et æquus 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 æqua ratione adductos, sed
ambitione, inuidia & auaritia motos, Martis castra sequi animaduertimus:
Alios verò iustis de causis arma sumere; vt qui vel doctrinæ coelestis
propagandæ aut seruandæ 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 gloriæ 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 verò contrà, animo ingenuo multa lucubrando inuestigant
& in lucem emittunt; vt qui scientiam Theologicam & Philosophicam scriptis
mandarunt, quique suis vigilijs veterum monumenta nobis explicuerunt: qui
quicquid in illis obscurum, imperfectum, inordinatum animaduerterunt, vsu &
experientia duce illustrarunt, explerunt, ordinarunt: qui mundi historias,
bona fide, æternæ memoriæ 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 diuinæ Palladi nomen dederunt, longè infimus (vt id ingenuè de mea
tenuitate confitear) facere certè non possum, quin me, in illorum aciem
conferam, qui gentis suæ maculam abluere, veritatem ipsam asserere, &
conuitiantium iugum detrectare studuerunt: Maiora ingenio sors denegauit:
Id quoquo modo tentare compellit ipsius veritatis dignitas, & innatus amor
patriæ, quam extraneos nonnullos falsis rumoribus deformare, varijs
conuitijs, magna cum voluptate proscindere, aliísque nationibus deridendam
propinare comperimus. Quorum petulantiæ occurrere, & criminationes falsas,
detectis simul scriptorum de hac Insula erroribus, apud bonos & cordatos
viros, (Nam vulgus sui semper simile, falsi & vani tenacissimum, non est
quòd sperem me ab hac inueterata opinione abducere posse) diluere hoc
commentariolo decreui.

Etsi autem Islandia multos habet, vt ætate, ita ingenio & eruditione me
longe superiores, ideóque ad hanc causam patriæ suscipiendam multò magis
idoneos: Ego tamen optimi & clarissimi viri, Dom. Gudbrandi Thorlacij,
Episcopi Holensis, apud Islandos, sollicitationibus motus communi causæ,
pro viribus, nequaquam deesse volui, tum vt æquissimæ 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 nostræ patrocinium inuitarem: Tantum abest, vt ijs qui idem
conabuntur, obstaculo esse voluerim.

Cæterum vt ad rem redeamus, quoniam illi quicunque sunt nostræ gentis
obtrectatores, testimonio scripto se vti ac niti iactitant: videndum omnino
est, quidnam de Islandia, & quàm vera scriptores prodiderint, vt si fortè
isti, alijs in nos dicendi aliquam occasionem dederint, patefactis ipsorum
erroribus (nolo enim quid durius dicere) quàm meritò nos calumnientur,
reliquis planum fiat, Porrò, quamuis vetustiorum quorundam scripta de hac
Insula, ad veritatis & experientiæ normam exigere non verear: Tamen nobis
eorundem alioqui sacra est memoria, reuerenda dignitas, suspicienda
eruditio, laudanda voluntas & in Rempub. literariam studium; Nouitij verò,
si qui sunt id genus scriptores, aut verius pasquilli, cum ijs longè
veriora quàm scripserant, audire & nosse de Islandia licuerit, sua leuitate
& ingenio malè candido, nihil nisi inuidiæ & calumniæ maculam lucrati esse
videbuntur.

[Sidenote: Commentarij duæ partes.]

Atque vt Commentarius hic noster aliquid ordinis habeat, duo erunt
propositæ 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 quàm hæc
ipsa, & quæ huc pertinere videbuntur attingere nolo. Non enim ex professo
Historicum vel geographum sed disputatorem tantùm agimus. [Sidenote: Primæ
partis tractatio.] Itaque omissa longiore præfatione partem primam, quæ est
de situ, nomine, miraculis & alijs quibusdam adiunctis Insulæ, 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 destitute 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 godly & 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 Islandiæ, quæ per immensum à
cæteris secreta longè sita est in Oceano, vixque à nauigantibus
agnoscitur, &c.

Et si hæc tractare, quæ ipsam terram vel illius adiuncta seu proprietates
concernunt, ad gentem vel incolas à calumniantium morsu vindicandos parùm
faciat: tamen id nequaquam omittendum videtur. Sed de his primùm, & quidem
prolixiùs aliquantò agendum est, vt perspecto, quàm vera de hac re tradant
illi Islandiæ scriptores, facilè inde candidus Lector, in ijs quæ de
Incolis scripta reliquerant, quæque ab illis alij, tanquam Dijs
prodentibus, acceperunt, vnde sua in gentem nostram ludibria depromi aiunt,
quantum fidei mereantur, iudicet.

Primum igitur distantiam Islandiæ à reliquis terris non immensam esse, nec
tantam, quanta vulgò putatur, si quis insulæ longitudinem & latitudinem
aliquo modo cognitam haberet, facilè demonstrari posset. Non enim id alio,
quàm isto cognosci exactè posse modo existimarim, cum nulli dubium sit,
quàm semper nautarum vel rectissimus, vt illis videtur, cursus aberret.
Quare varias authorum de situ Islandiæ sententias subiungam, vt inde quiuis
de distantia id colligat, quod maximè verisimile videbitur, donec fortè
aliquando propria edoctus experientia, meam quoque sententiam si non
interponam, tamen adiungam.

Longit. Latitud.
Munsterus Islandiam collocat sub
gradibus ferè 20 68
Gerardus Mercator 352 68
Gemma Frisius:
Medium Islandiæ: 7 0 65 30
Hersee: 7 40 60 42
Thirtes: 5 50 64 44
Nadar: 6 40 57 20
Iacobi Ziegleri:
Littus Islandiæ 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 mediterraneæ sunt
Holen Episcopalis 28 67 50
Schalholten Episcopalis 22 63 30
Reinholdus.
Per Holen Islandiæ 68
Ioh. Myritius.
Per Med. Islandiæ 69
Neander.
Islandia tribus gradibus in circulum
vsque Arcticum ab æquinoctiali
excurrit, adeò ferè, vt
mediam circulus ille secet, &c.

Et si qui sunt præterea, qui vel in mappis, vel alioqui suis scriptis
Insulæ situm notarunt, quorum plures sententias referre nihil attinet, cùm
quò plures habeas, eò magis dissidentes reperias. Ego quamuis verisimiles
coniecturas habeo, cur nullæ citatæ de Islandiæ situ sententiæ assentiar,
quin potius diuersum quippiam ab ijs omnibus statuam, tamen id ipsum in
dubio relinquere malo, quàm quicquam non exploratum satis affirmare, donec,
vt dixi, fortè aliquando non coniecturam, sed obseruationem & experientiam
propriam afferre liceat.

[Sidenote: Bidui nauigatio ab Islandia ad Noruagiam desertam.]

Distantiam ab ostio Albis ad portum Istandiæ meridionalis Batzende, quidam
scripserat esse circiter 400. milliarium: Vnde si longitudinis differentiam
ad meridianum Hamburgensem supputaueris, nullam modò positarum longitudinum
habebit illo in loco Islandia. Ego ternis Hamburgensium nauigationibus
docere possum, septimo die Hamburgum ex Islandia peruentum esse. Præterea
etiam, Insulæ quæ ab ouium multitudine Færeyjar, seu rectius Faareyjar
dictæ sunt, bidui nauigatione, vt & littora Noruagiæ deserta distant.
Quatridui verò nauigatione in Gronlandiam habitabilem, & pari ferè temporis
interuallo, ad prouinciam Noruagiæ Stad. inter opida Nidrosiam & Bergas
sitam peruenitur, quemadmodum in harum nationum vetustis codicibus
reperimus.

The same in English.

THE FIRST SECTION.

[Sidenote: Munsterus lib. 4. cosmographiæ] The Isle of Island being seuered
from other countreys an infinite distance, standeth farre into the Ocean,
and is scarse knowen vnto Sailers.

Albeit a discourse of those things which concerne the land, and the
adiuncts or properties thereof be of little moment to defend the nation or
inhabitants from the biting of slanderers, yet seemeth it in no case to be
omitted, but to be intreated of in the first place; that the friendly
reader perceiuing how truely those writers of Island haue reported in this
respect, may thereby also easily iudge what credit is to be giuen vnto them
in other matters which they haue left written concerning the inhabitants,
and which others haue receiued from them as oracles, from whence (as they
say) they haue borrowed scoffes and taunts against our nation.

First therefore, that the distance of Island from other countreys is not
infinite, nor indeed so great as men commonly imagine, it might easily be
prouided, if one did but in some sort know the true longitude & latitude of
the said Iland. For I am of opinion that it cannot exactly be knowen any
other way then this, whenas it is manifest how the Mariners course (be it
neuer so direct, as they suppose) doth at all times swerue. In the meane
while therfore I will set downe diuers opinions of authors, concerning the
situation of Island, that from hence euery man may gather that of the
distance which seemeth most probable, vntil perhaps my selfe being one day
taught by mine owne experience, may, if not intrude, yet at least adioin,
what I shal thinke true as touching this matter. [Footnote: The real
position of Iceland is 700 miles west of Norway, 200 miles east of
Greenland, and 320 miles north-west of the Faroe Islands. It lies between
latitude 63° 25 and 66° 32 north and longitude 13° 30' and 24° 30' west;
length east to west 280 miles; breadth 210 miles. It will be thus seen that
while Frisius is nearly right in his latitude, Gerard Mercator is
considerably out. As regards the longitude, whilst Munster's estimate is
converted to the standard of Greenwich, Mercator's reckoning is from
Copenhagen or Hamburg, and Frisius has reckoned east of Reikiavik or
Skallholt.]

Longit. Latitud.
deg min. deg min.

Munster placeth Island almost in 20 68
Gerardus Mercator 325 68
Gemma Frisius placeth the midst
of Island 7 0 65 30
Hersee 7 40 60 42
Thirtes 5 50 64 44
Nadar 6 40 57 10
Iacobus Zieglerus
The West shore of Island 20 0 63 0
The promontorie of Chos 22 46 63 0
The East shore is extended
Northward, and hath bounds
of extension in 30 0 68 0
The North shore is extended
Westward and hath bounds of
extension in 28 0 69 0
The description of the West side
The promontorie of Heckelfell 25 0 67 0
The promontorie of Madher 21 20 65 10
The inland cities of Island
Holen the seat of a bishop 28 0 67 50
Schalholten the seat of a bishop 22 63 30
Reinholdus
By Holen in Island 68
Iohannes Miritius
By Mid-Island 69-1/2
Neander
Island stretcheth it selfe 3 degrees
within the circle arctic from the
equinoctial, insomuch that the
said circle arctic doeth almost
diuide it in the midst &c.

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