A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W X Z

The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries

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




There be others also, who either in their maps, or writings haue noted the
situation of Island: notwithstanding it is to no purpose to set downe any
more of their opinions, because the more you haue, the more contrary shall
you finde them. For my part, albeit I haue probable coniectures perswading
me not to beleeue any of the former opinions, concerning the situation of
Island, but to dissent from them all: yet had I rather leaue the matter in
suspense then affirme an vncerteinty, vntill (as I haue sayd) I may be able
perhappes one day not to gesse at the matter, but to bring forth mine owne
obseruation, and experience.

[Sidenote: Seuen dayes sailing from Island to Hamburg Island but two dayes
sailing distant from Faar-Islands & from the desert shores of Norway.]

A certeine writer hath put downe the distance betweene the mouth of Elbe &
Batzende in the South part of Island to be 400 leagues: from whence if you
shall account the difference of longitude to the meridian of Hamburgh,
Island must haue none of the forenamed longitudes in that place. I am able
to proue by three sundry voyages of certaine Hamburgers, that it is but
seuen dayes sailing from Island to Hamburgh. Besides all those Islands,
which by reason of the abundance of sheepe, are called Fareyiar or more
rightly Faareyiar,[Footnote: Faroe Islands.] as likewise the desert shores
of Norway, are distant from vs but two dayes sailing. We haue foure dayes
sailing into habitable Gronland; and almost in the same quantitie of time
we passe ouer to the prouince of Norway, called Stad, lying betweene the
townes of Nidrosia or Trondon, [Footnote: Trondheim.] and Bergen, as we
finde in the ancient records of these nations.




SECTIO SECUNDA.

[Sidenote: Munsterus, Olaus magnus & reliqui.] In hac, æstiuo solstitio,
sole signum Cancri transeunte, nox nulla, brumali Solstitio proinde
nullus dies. Item, Vadianus. In ea autem Insula quæ longe Supra Arcticum
circulum in amplissimo Oceano sita est, Islandia hodie dicta, & terris
congelati maris proxima, quas Entgronlandt vocant, menses sunt plures
sine noctibus.

Nullum esse hyemali solstitio diem, id est, tempus quo sol supra horizontem
conspicitur in illo tantum Islandiæ angulo, si modò quis est, fatemur, vbi
polus ad integros 67. gradus attollitur. Holis autem, quæ est sedes
Episcopalis Borealis Islandiæ, sita etiam in angustissima & profundissima
conualle, latitudo est circiter grad. 65. 44. min. vt à Domino Gudbrando
eiusdem loci Episcopo accepimus, & illic diem breuissimum habemus ad
minimum duarum horarum, in meridionali autem Islandia longiorem, vt ex
artificum tabulis videre est. Vnde constat nec Islandiam vltra Arcticum
circulum positam esse, nec menses plures noctibus in æstiuo, vel diebus in
brumali solstitio carere.

The same in English.

THE SECOND SECTION.

[Sidenote: Munsterus, Olaus Magnus and others.] In this Iland, at the
Summer solstitium, the Sun passing thorow the signe of Cancer, there is
no night, and therefore at the Winter solstitium there is no day. Also:
Vadianus. But in that Iland, which farre within the artic circle is
seated in the maine Ocean, at this day called Island, and next vnto the
lands of the frozen sea, which they call Engrontland, there be many
moneths in the yere without nights.

At the solstitium of winter, that there is no day (that is to say, no time,
wherein the Sunne is seene aboue the horizon) we confesse to be true onely
in that angle of Island (if there be any such angle) where the pole is
eleuated full 67. degrees. But at Holen (which is the bishops seat for the
North part of Island, and lieth in a most deepe valley) the latitude is
about 65. degrees and 44. minutes, as I am enformed by the reuerend father,
Gudbrand, bishop of that place: and yet there, the shortest day in all the
yere is at least two houres long, and in South-Island longer, as it
appeareth by the tables of Mathematicians. [Sidenote: Island is not within
the circle arctic.] Heerehence it is manifest, first that Island is not
situate beyond the arctic circle: [Footnote: This is true, except for the
very small portion of Iceland round about Cape North.] secondly, that in
Island there are not wanting in Summer solstitium many nights, nor in
Winter solstitium many dayes.



SECTIO TERTIA.

[Sidenote: Musterus Saxo.] Nomen habet à glacie quæ illi perpetuo ad Boream
adheret Item. A latere Occidentali Noruagiæ Insula, quæ Glacialis
dicitur, magno circumfusa Oceano repentur, obsoletæ admodum habitationis
tellus, &c. Item, Hæc est Thyle, nulli veterum non celebrata.

Nomen habet à glacie) Tria nomina consequenter sortita est Islandia.
[Sidenote: Snelandia.] Nam qui omnium primus eius inuentor fuisse creditur
Naddocus genere Noruagus, cum versus insulas Farenses nauigaret tempestate
valida, ad littora Islandiæ Orientalis fortè appulit: vbi cum fuisset
aliquot septimanas cum socijs commoratus, animaduertit immodicam niuium
copiam, montium quorundam cacumina obtegentem, atque ideò à niue nomen
Insulæ Snelandia indidit. Hunc secutus alter, Gardarus, fama quam de
Islandia Naddocus attulerat impulsus, Insulam quæsitum abijt, reperit, &
nomen de suo nomine Gardarsholme id est, Gardars Insula imposuit. Quin &
plures nouam terram visendi cupido incessit: nam & post illos duos adhuc
tertius quidam Noruagus (Floki nomen habuit) contulit se in Islandiam,
illique à glacie qua viderat ipsam cingi nomen fecit.

Obsoletæ admodum) Ego ex istis verbis Saxonis hanc sententiam nequaquam
eruo, vt quidam, quòd inde ab initio habitatam esse Islandiam, seu vt verbo
dicam, Islandos autocthonas dicat, cum constet vix ante annos 718. incoli
coeptam.

Hæc est Thyle) Grammatici certant & adhuc sub iudice lis est. Quam tamen
facilè dirimi posse crediderim, si quis animaduertat, circa annum Domini
874. primùm fuisse inhabitatam. Nisi quis dicere velit Thulen illum Ægypti
Regem, quem hoc ipsi nomen dedisse putant, ad Insulam iam tum incultam &
inhabitatam penetrasse. Illud verò rursus si quis neget, per me sanè
licebit, vt illud sit quaddam quasi spectaculum, dum ita in contrarias
scinduntur sententias. Vnus affirmat esse Islandiam. Alter quandam insulam,
vbi arbores bis in anno fructificant. Tertius vnam ex Orcadibus, siue
vitimam in ditione Scoti, vt Ioannes Myritius & alij, qui nomen illius
referunt, Thylensey, quod etiam Virgilius per suam vltimam Thylen sensisse
videtur. Siquidem vltra Britannos, quo nomine Angli hodie dicti & Scoti
veniunt, nullos populos statueret. Quod vel ex illo Virgilij Eclog I.
apparet:

Et penitus toto diuisos orbe Britannos.

Quartus vnam ex Farensibus. Quintus Telemarchiam Noruagiæ. Sextus
Schrichfinniam.

Perpetuò ad Boream adhæret.) Illud verò, Glaciem Insulæ perpetuò, vel vt
paulò post asserit Munsterus: Octo continuis mensibus adhærere: neutrum
verum est. [Sidenote: Glacies Aprili aut Maio soluitur.] Nam vt plurimum in
mense Aprili aut Maio soluitur, & Occidentem versus propellitur, nec ante
Ianuarium aut Februarium sæpissimè etiam tardius redit. Quid? quòd plurimos
annos numerare licet, quibus glaciem illam huius nationis immite flagellum,
ne viderit quidem Islandia: Quod etiam hoc anno 1592. compertum est. Vnde
constat quàm verè à Frisio scriptum sit, nauigationem ad hanc insulam
tantùm quadrimestrem patere, propter glaciem & frigora, quibus
intercludatur iter, Cùm Anglicæ naues quotannis nunc in Martio, nunc in
Aprili, quædam in Maio, Germanorum & Danorum in Maio & Iunio, plærumque ad
nos redeant, & harum quædam non ante Augustum iterum hinc soluunt.
Superiore autem anno 1591. quædam nauis Germanica, cupro onusta, portum
Islandiæ Vopnafiord 14. dies circiter in Nouembri occupauit, quibus lapsis
inde foeliciter soluit Quare cum glacies Islandiæ, nec perpetuò, neque octo
mensibus adhæreat, Munsterus & Frisius manifestè falluntur.

The same in English.

THE THIRD SECTION.

It is named of the ice which continually cleaueth vnto the North part
thereof. [Sidenote: Munsterus Saxo] Another writeth: From the West part
of Norway there lieth an Iland which is named of the ice, enuironed with
an huge sea, and being a countrey of ancient habitation, &c. Zieglerus.
This is Thyle [Footnote: Thule] whereof most of the ancient writers haue
made mention.

It is named of ice, &c. Island hath beene called by three names, one after
another. [Sidenote: Island first discouered by Naddocus in a tempest.] For
one Naddocus a Noruagian borne, who is thought to be the first Discouerer
of the same, as he was sailing towards the Faar-Ilands, [Footnote: Faroe
Islands.] through a violent tempest did by chance arriue at the East shore
of Island; [Sidenote: Sneland.] where staying with his whole company
certaine weeks, he beheld abundance of snow couering the tops of the
mountaines, and thereupon, in regard of the snow, called this Iland
Sneland. [Sidenote: Gardarsholme] After him one Gardarus, being mooued
thereunto by the report which Naddocus gaue out concerning Island, went to
seeke the sayd Iland who when he had found it, called it after his owne
name Gardars-holme, that is to say, Gardars Ile. There were more also
desirous to visit this new land. [Sidenote: Island.] For after the two
former a certaine third Noruagian, called Flok, went into Island, and named
it of the ice, wherewith he saw it enuironed.

Of ancient habitation &c. I gather not this opinion out of these wordes of
Saxo (as some men do) that Island hath bene inhabited from the beginning or
(to speake in one word) that the people of Island were autochthones, that
is, earth-bred, or bred out of their owne soile like vnto trees and herbs:
sithens it is euident that this Island scarse began to be inhabited no
longer agoe then about 718 yeres since. [Footnote: The Viking Naddodr is
said to have discovered Iceland in 860, and it was colonised by Ingulf, a
chieftain from the west coast of Norway.]

This is Thyle, &c. Grammarians wrangle about this name, and as yet the
controuersie is not decided. Which notwithstanding, I thinke might easily
grow to composition, if men would vnderstand that this Iland was first
inhabited about the yeere of our Lord 874. Vnlesse some man will say that
Thule King of Ægypt (who, as it is thought, gaue this name thereunto)
passed so farre vnto an Iland, which was at that time vntilled, and
destitute of inhabitants. Againe, if any man will denie this, he may for
all me, that it may seeme to be but a dreame, while they are distracted
into so many contrary opinions. One affirmes that it is Island: another,
that it is a certeine Iland, where trees beare fruit twise in a yeere: the
third, that it is one of the Orcades, or the last Iland of the Scotish
dominion, as Iohannes Myritius and others, calling it by the name of
Thylensey, which Virgil also seemeth to haue meant by his vltima Thyle. If
beyond the Britans (by which name the English men and Scots onely at this
day are called) he imagined none other nation to inhabit. Which is euident
out of that verse of Virgil in his first Eclogue:

And Britans whole from all the world diuided.

The fourth writeth, that it is one of the Faar-Ilands: the fift, that it is
Telemark in Norway: the sixt, that it is Scrichfinnia.

[Sidenote: The ice of Iseland sets always to the West.] Which continually
cleaueth to the North part of the Iland. That clause that ice continually
cleaueth &c. or as Munster affirmeth a little after, that it cleaueth for
the space of eight whole moneths, are neither of them both true, when as
for the most part the ice is thawed in the moneth of April or May, and is
driuen towards the West: neither doth it returne before Ianuarie or
Februarie, nay often times it commeth later. [Sidenote: No ice at all some
yeres in Island.] What if a man should recken vp many yeeres, wherein ice
(the sharpe scourge of this our nation) hath not at all bene seene about
Island? which was found to be true this present yeere 1592. Heereupon it is
manifest how truely Frisius hath written that nauigation to this Iland
lieth open onely for foure moneths in a yeere, and no longer, by reason of
the ice and colde, whereby the passage is shut vp, when as English ships
euery yere, sometimes in March, sometimes in April, and some of them in
May; the Germans and Danes, in May and Iune, doe vsually returne vnto vs,
and some of them depart not againe from hence till August. [Sidenote:
Nauigation open to Island from March till the midst of Nouember.] But the
last yere, being 1591, there lay a certeine shippe of Germanie laden with
Copper within the hauen of Vopnafiord in the coast of Island about
fourteene dayes in the moneth of Nouember, which time being expired, she
fortunately set saile. Wherefore, seeing that ice, neither continually, nor
yet eight moneths cleaueth vnto Iland, Munster and Frisius are much
deceiued. [Footnote: The mean temperature of Iceland is said to be 40
degrees.]




SECTIO QUARTA

[Sidenote: Kranzius. Munsterus.] Tam grandis Insula, vt populos multos
contineat. Item, Zieglerus. Situs Insulæ extenditur inter austrum &
boream ducentorum prope Schænorum longitudine.

Grandis.) Wilstenius quidam, rector Scholæ OLDENBVRGENSIS Anno 1591. ad
auunculum meum in Islandia Occidentali misit breuem commentarium, quem ex
scriptorum rapsodijs de Islandia collegerat. Vbi sic reperimus Islandia
duplo maior Sicilia,&c. Sicilia autem secundum Munsterum 150. milliaria
Germanica in ambitu habet. [Sidenote: Magnitudo Islandiæ.] Nostræ verò
Insulæ ambitus etsi nobis non est exactè cognitus, tamen vetus & constans
opinio, & apud nostrates recepta 144. milliaria numerat per duodecim
videlicet promontoria Islandiæ insigniora, quæ singula 12. inter se
milliaribus distent, aut circiter, quæ collecta prædictam summam ostendunt.

Populos multos.) Gysserus quidam, circa annum Domini 1090, Episcopus
Schalholtensts in Islandia, omnes Insulæ colonos seu rusticos qui tantas
facultates possiderent, vt regi tributum soluere tenerentur (reliquis
pauperibus cum foeminis & promiscuo vulgo omissis) lustrari curauit,
reperítque in parte Insulæ Orientali 700, meridionali 1000, Occidentali
1100, Aquilonari 1200. Summa 4000. colonorum tributa soluentium. Iam si
quis experiatur, inueniet Insulam plus dimidio fuisse inhabitatam.

The same in English.

THE FOURTH SECTION.

[Sidenote: Krantzius. Munsterus.] The Iland is so great that it conteineth
many people. Item Zieglerus sayth: The situation of the Iland is extended
betweene the South and the North almost 200 leagues in length.

So great, &c. One Wilstenius schoolemaster of Oldenburg, in the yere 1591,
sent vnto mine Vncle in West Island, a short treatise which he had gathered
out of the fragments of sundrie writers, concerning Island. Where we found
thus written: Island is twise as great as Sicilie, &c. But Sicilie,
according to Munster, hath 150. Germaine miles in compasse. [Sidenote: 144.
Germaine miles in compasse.] As for the circuit of our Iland, although it
be not exactly knowen vnto vs, yet the ancient, constant, and receiued
opinion of the inhabitants accounteth it l44 leagues; namely by the 12
promontories of Iland, which are commonly knowen, being distant one from
another 12 leagues or thereabout, which two numbers being mulitplied,
produce the whole summe. [Footnote: The exact area is 39,737 square miles.]

Many people, &c. One Gysserus about the yere of our Lord 1090, being bishop
of Schalholten in Island, caused all the husbandmen, or countreymen of the
Iland, who, in regard of their possessions were bound to pay tribute to the
king, to be numbred (omitting the poorer sort with women, and the meaner
sort of the communally) and he found in the East part of Island 700, in the
South part 1000, in the West part 1100, in the North part 1200, to the
number of 4000. inhabitants paying tribute. Now if any man will trie, he
shall finde that more then halfe the Iland was at that time vnpeopled.
[Footnote: In 1875 the population was 69,800.]




SECTIO QUINTA.

[Sidenote: Munst. Frisius, Ziegler] Insula multa sui parte montosa est &
inculta. Qua parte autem plana est præstat plurimum pabulo, tam læto, vt
pecus depellatur à pascuis, ne ab aruina suffocetur.

Id suffocationis periculum nullo testimomo, nec nostra nec patrum
nostrorum, vel quàm longè retro numeraris, memoria confirmari potest.

The same in English.

THE FIFTH SECTION.

[Sidenote: Munster. Frisius. Zieglerus.] The Iland, most part thereof, is
mountainous and vntilled But that part which is plaine doth greatly
abound with fodder, which is so ranke, that they are faine to driue their
cattell from the pasture, least they surfet or be choaked.

That danger of surfetting or choaking was neuer heard tell of, in our
fathers, grandfathers, great grandfathers or any of our predecessours
dayes, be they neuer so ancient. [Footnote: In the tenth and eleventh
centuries, corn and other crops seem to have been raised in considerable
quantities, but at present only small crops of potatoes, turnips, and
cabbages are grown. The pastures are good, and many horses, cattle, and
sheep are reared.]




SECTIO SEXTA.

[Sidenote: Munst. Frisius.] Sunt in hac Insula montes elati in coelum,
quorum vertices perpetua niue candent, radices sempiterno igne æstuant.
Primus Occidentem versus est, qui vocatur Hecla, alter crucis, tertius
Helga. Item Zieglerus. Rupes siue promontorium Hecla æstuans perpetuis
ignibus. Item Saxo. In hac itidem Insula mons est, qui rupem sideream
perpetuæ flagrationis æstibus imitatus, incendia sempiterna iugi
flammarum eructatione continuat.

Miracula Islandiæ Munsterus & Frisius narraturi mox in vestibulo, magno suo
cum incommodo impingunt. Nam quod hic de monte Hecla asserunt, etsi aliquam
habet veritatis speciem, tamen quod idem de duobus alijs montibus perpetuo
igne æstuantibus dicunt, manifestè erroneum est. Illi enim in Islandia non
extant, nec quicquam, quod huic tanto scriptorum errori occasionem dederit,
imaginari possumus. Facta tamen est, sed nunc demum Anno 1581. ex monte
quodam australis Islandiæ, maritimo, perpetuis niuibus & glacie obducto
memorabilis fumi ac flammæ eruptio, magna saxorum ac cineris copia eiecta.
Cæterum ille mons longe est ab his tribus, quos authores commemorant,
diuersissimus. Porro etsi hæc de montibus ignitis maximè vera narrarent,
annon naturaliter ista contingerent? An ad extruendam illam, quæ mox in
Munstero, Zieglero & Frisio sequitur, de orco Islandico opinionem aliquid
faciunt? Ego sanè nefas esse duco, his vel similibus naturæ miraculis ab
absurda asserenda abuti, vel hæc tanquam impossibilia cum quadam impietate
mirari. Quasi verò non concurrant in huiusmodi incendijs causæ ad hanc rem
satis validæ. Est in horum montium radicibus materia vri aptissima, nempe
sulphurea & bituminosa. Accedit aër per poros ac cauernas in terræ viscera
ingressus, ac illum maximi incendij fomitem exsufflans vnà cum nitro, qua
exsufflatione tanquam follibus quibusdam, ardentissima excitatur flamma.
Habet siquidem ignis, his ita conacnientibus, quæ tria ad vrendum sunt
necessaria, materiam scilicet, motum, & tandem penetrandi facultatem:
Materiam quidem pinguem & humidam ideoque flammas diuturnas alentem: Motum
præstat per terræ cauernas admissus aër: Penetrandi facultatem facit ignis
vis inuicta, sine respiraculo esse nescientis, & incredibili conatu
violenter erumpentis, atque ita (non secus ac in cuniculis machinisue seu
tormentis bellicis, globi è ferro maximi, magno cum fragore ac strepitu, à
sulphure & nitro, è quibus pyrius puluis conficitur, excitato, eijciuntur)
lapides & Saxa in ista voragine ignita, ceu quodam camino, collique facta
cum immodica arenæ & cinerum copia, exspuentis & eiaculantis, idque vt
plurimum, non sine terræmotu: qui si secundum profunditatem terræ fiat,
succussio à Possidoneo appellatur vel hiatus erit, vel pulsus. Hiatu terra
dehiscit: pulsu eleuatur intumescens, & nonunquam, vt inquit Plinius
[Sidenote: Lib. 2. cap. 20.], motes magnas egerit: Cuiusmodi terræmotus iam
mentionem fecimus, maritima Islandiæ Australis Anno 1581 infestantis quíque
à Pontano his verbis scitissimè describitur.

Ergo incerta ferens raptim vestigia, anhelus
Spiritus incursat, nunc huc, nunc percitus illuc,
Explorátque abitum insistens, & singula tentat,
Si qua forte queat victis erumpere claustris.
Interea tremit ingentem factura ruinam
Terra, suis quatiens latas cum moenibus vrbes:
Dissiliunt auulsa iugis immania saxa, &c.

Hæc addere libuit, non quòd cuiquam hæc ignota esse existimemus; sed ne nos
alij ignorare credant, atque ideo ad suas fabulas, quas hinc extruunt,
confugere velle.

Cæterum video quid etiamnum admirationem non exiguam scriptoribus moueat,
in his, quos ignoranter fingunt, tribus Islandiæ montibus, videlicet cum
eorum basin semper ardere dicant, summitates tamen nunquam niue careant.
Porrò id admirari, est præter authoritatem tantorum virorum, quibus Ætnæ
incendium optimè notum erat, quæ, cùm secundum Plinium hybernis temporibus
niualis sit, noctibus tamen, eodem teste, semper ardet. Quare etiam
secundum illos, ille mons, cum adhac niuium copia obducitur, & tamen ardeat
sordidarum animarum quoque erit receptaculum: id quod Heclæ propter niues
in summo vertice & basin æstuantem, adscribere non dubitarunt. [Sidenote:
Cardanus.] Vix autem mirum esse potest, quòd ignis montis radicibus latens,
& nunquam, nisi rarissimè erumpens, excelsa montis cacumina, quæ niuibus
obducuntur, non collique faciat. Nam & in Caira, altissima montis cacumina
niuibus semper candentia esse perhibentur: & in Beragua quidem similiter,
sed 5000 passuum in coelum elata, quæ niuibus nunquam liberentur, cum tamen
partibus tantum decem ab æquatore distent. Vtrámque hanc prouinciam iuxta
Pariam esse sitam accepimus. Quid? quod illa Teneriffæ (quæ vna, est ex
insulis Canarijs, quæ & fortunatæ) pyramis, secundum Munsterum, 8 aut 9
milliarium Germanicorum altitudine in aëra assurgens, atque instar Ætnæ
iugiter conflagrans, niues, quibus media cingitur, teste Benzone Italo,
Indiæ occidentalis Historico, non resoluit. Quod ipsum in nostra Hecla quid
est, quod magis miremur? Atque hæc ita breuiter de incendijs montanis.

Nunc illud quoque castigandum arbitramur, quod hos montes in coelum vsque
attolli scribant. Habent enim nullam præ cæteris Islandiæ montibus
notabilem altitudinem. Precipuè tertius ille Helga à Munstero appellatus,
nobis Helgafel. i. Sacer mons, apud monasterium eiusdem nominis, nulla sui
parts tempore æstiuo nimbus obductus, nec montis excelsi, sed potius collis
humilis nomen meretur, nunquam, vt initio huius sectionis dixi, de incendio
suspectus. Nec verò perpetuæ niues Heclæ, vel paucis alijs adscribi
debebant: Permultos enim habet eiusmodi montes niuosos Islandia, quos omnes
vel toto anno, non facilè collegerit aut connumerarit, horum prædicator &
admirator Cosmographus. Quin etiam id non negligendum, quod mons Hecla non
occidentem versus, vt à Munstero & Zieglero annotatum est, sed inter
meridiem & orientem positus sit. Nec promontorium est: sed mons ferè
mediterraneus.

[Sidenote: Annales Islandiæ.] Incendia perpetua ragi, &c. Quicunque
perpetuam flammarum cructationem Heclæ adscripserunt, toto coelo errarunt,
adeò, vt quoties flammas eructarit, nostrates in annales retulerint, viz.
anno Christi 1104. 1157. 1222. 1300. 1341. 1362. & 1389. Neque enim ab illo
de montis incendio audire licuit, vsque ad annum 1558. quæ vltima fuit in
illo monte eruptio. Interea non nego, fieri posse, quin mons infernè
latentes intus flammas & incendia alat, quæ videlicet statis interuallis,
vt hactenus annotatum est, eruperint, aut etiam forte posthac erumpant.

The same in English.

THE SIXTH SECTION

[Sidenote: Monsterus. Frisius.] There be in this Iland mountaines lift vp
to the skies, whose tops being white with perpetuall snowe, their roots
boile with euerlasting fire. The first is towards the West, called Hecla:
the other the mountaine of the crosse: and the third Helga. Item
Zieglerus. The rocke or promontone of Hecla boileth with continuall fire.
Item: Saxo. There is in this Iland also a mountaine, which resembling the
starrie firmament, with perpetuall flashings of fire, continueth alwayes
burning, by vncessant belching out of flames.

Munster and Frisius being about to report the woonders of Island doe
presently stumble, as it were, vpon the thresholde, to the great
inconuenience of them both. For that which they heere affirme of mount
Hecla, although it hath some shew of trueth: notwithstanding concerning the
other two mountaines, that they should burne with perpetuall fire, it is a
manifest errour. For there are no such mountaines to be found in Island,
nor yet any thing els (so farre foorth as wee can imagine) which might
minister occasion of so great an errour vnto writers. Howbeit there was
seene (yet very lately) in the yeere 1581 out of a certaine mountaine of
South Island lying neere the Sea, and couered ouer with continuall snow and
frost, a marueilous eruption of smoke and fire, casting vp abundance of
stones and ashes. But this mountaine is farre from the other three, which
the sayd authours doe mention. Howbeit, suppose that these things be true
which they report of firie mountaines: is it possible therefore that they
should seeme strange, or monstrous, whenas they proceed from naturall
causes? What? Doe they any whit preuaile to establish that opinion
concerning the hell of Island, which followeth next after in Munster,
Ziegler, and Frisius? For my part, I thinke it no way tollerable, that men
should abuse these, and the like miracles of nature, to auouch absurdities,
or, that they should with a kinde of impietie woonder at them, as at
matters impossible. As though in these kindes of inflammations, there did
not concurre causes of sufficient force for the same purpose. There is in
the rootes of these mountaines a matter most apt to be set on fire, comming
so neere as it doeth to the nature of brimstone and pitch. There is ayer
also which insinuating it selfe by passages, and holes, into the very
bowels of the earth, doeth puffe vp the nourishment of so huge a fire,
together with Salt-peter, by which puffing (as it were with certeine
bellowes) a most ardent flame is kindled. [Sidenote: Three naturall causes
of firie mountaines.] For, all these thus concurring fire hath those three
things, which necessarily make it burne, that is to say, matter, motion,
and force of making passage: matter which is fattie and moyst, and
therefore nourisheth lasting flames: motion which the ayer doeth performe,
being admitted into the caues of the earth: force of making passage, and
that the inuincible might of fire it selfe (which can not be without
inspiration of ayre, and can not but breake foorth with an incredible
strength) doeth bring to passe: and so (euen as in vndermining trenches and
engines or great warrelike ordinance, huge yron bullets are cast foorth
with monstrous roaring, and cracking, by the force of kindled Brimstone,
and Salt-peeter, whereof Gunne-powder is compounded) chingle and great
stones being skorched in that fiery gulfe, as it were in a furnace,
together with abundance of sande and ashes, are vomitted vp and discharged,
and that for the most part not without an earthquake which, if it commeth
from the depth of the earth, (being called by Possidonius, Succussio) it
must either be either an opening or a quaking. Opening causeth the earth in
some places to gape, and fall a sunder. By quaking the earth is heaued vp
and swelleth, and sometimes (as Plinie saith) [Sidenote: Lib. 20. cap. 20.]
casteth out huge heaps: such an earth-quake was the same which I euen now
mentioned, which in the yere 1581 did so sore trouble the South shore of
Island. And this kinde of earth-quake is most clearkely described by
Pontanus in these verses:

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