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The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries

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




The stirrng breath runnes on with stealing steppes,
vrged now vp, and now enforced downe:
For freedome eke tries all, it skips, it leaps,
to ridde it selfe from vncouth dungeon.
Then quakes the earth as it would burst anon,
The earth yquakes, and walled cities quiuer.
Strong quarries cracke, and stones from hilles doe shiuer.

I thought good to adde these things, not that I suppose any man to be
ignorant thereof: but least other men should thinke that we are ignorant,
and therefore that we will runne after their fables, which they do from
hence establish. But yet there is somewhat more in these three famed
mountaines of Island, which causeth the sayd writers not a little to
woonder, namely whereas they say that their foundations are alwayes
burning, and yet for all that, their toppes be neuer destitute of snowe.
Howbeit, it beseemeth not the authority and learning of such great clearks
to marueile at this, who can not but well know the flames of mount Aetna,
which (according to Plinie) being full of snowe all Winter, notwithstanding
(as the same man witnesseth) it doth alwayes burne. Wherefore, if we will
giue credit vnto them, euen this mountaine also, sithens it is couered with
snowe, and yet burneth, must be a prison of vncleane soules: which thing
they haue not doubted to ascribe vnto Hecla, in regard of the frozen top,
and the fine bottome. And it is no marueile that fire lurking so deepe in
the roots of a mountaine, and neuer breaking forth except it be very
seldome, should not be able continually to melt the snowe couering the
toppe of the sayd mountaine. [Sidenote: Cardanus] For in Caira (or Capira)
also, the highest toppes of the mountaine are sayd continually to be white
with snowe: and those in Veragua likewise, which are fiue miles high, and
neuer without snowe, being distant notwithstanding but onely 10 degrees
from the equinoctiall. We haue heard that either of the forsayd Prouinces
standeth neere vnto Paria. What, if in Teneriffa (which is one of the
Canarie or fortunate Islands) the Pike [Footnote: The Peak.] so called,
arising into the ayre, according to Munster, eight or nine Germaine miles
in height, and continually flaming like Aetna: yet (as Benzo an Italian,
and Historiographer of the West Indies witnesseth) is it not able to melt
the girdle of snowe embracing the middest thereof. Which thing, what reason
haue we more to admire in the mountaine of Hecla? And thus much briefly
concerning firie mountaines.

Now that also is to be amended, whereas they write that these mountaines
are lifted vp euen vnto the skies. For they haue no extraordinarie height
beyond the other mountaines of Island, but especially that third mountaine,
called by Munster Helga, and by vs Helgafel, that is the holy mount,
standing iust by a monastery of the same name, being couered with snowe,
vpon no part thereof in Summer time, neither deserueth it the name of an
high mountaine, but rather of an humble hillocke, neuer yet as I sayd in
the beginning of this section, so much as once suspected of burning.
Neither yet ought perpetuall snowe to be ascribed to Hecla onely, or to a
few others; for Island hath very many such snowy mountaines, all which the
Cosmographer (who hath so extolled and admired these three) should not
easily find out, and reckon vp in a whole yere. And that also is not to be
omitted, that mount Hecla standeth not towards the West, as Munster and
Ziegler haue noted, but betweene the South and the East: neither is it an
headland, but rather a mid-land hill.

[Sidenote: The chronicles of Island.] Continueth alwayes burning &c.
whosoeuer they be that haue ascribed vnto Hecla perpetuall belching out of
flames, they are farre besides the marke: insomuch that as often as it hath
bene enflamed, our countreymen haue recorded it in their yerely Chronicles
for a rare accident: namely in the yeeres of Christ 1104, 1157, 1222, 1300,
1341, 1362, and 1389: For from that yeere we neuer heard of the burning of
this mountaine vntill the yeere 1558, which was the last breaking foorth of
fire in that mountaine. In the meane time I say not that is impossible, but
that the bottome of the hill may inwardly breed and nourish flames, which
at certaine seasons (as hath bene heretofore obserued) haue burst out, and
perhaps may do the like hereafter. [Footnote: The surface of the country is
very mountainous, but there are no definite ranges, the isolated volcanic
masses being separated by elevated plateaux of greater or less size. The
whole centre is, in fact, an almost continuous desert fringed by a belt of
pasture land, lying along the coast and running up the valleys of several
of the greater riuers. This desert is occupied partly by snow mountains and
glaciers, partly by enormous lava streams, partly by undulating plains of
black volcanic sand, shingle, and loose stones. This region is of course
without verdure, and entirely uninhabited. The rocks are all of igneous
origin, but of very different ages, traps, basalts, amygdaloids, tufas,
ochres, and porous lavas. The number of active volcanoes is, at present,
not great, but hot springs and mud volcanoes testify to the existence of
volcanic action along a line running from the extreme south west at Cape
Reykjanes to the north coast near Husavik. The only recent well ascertained
eruptions have been from Hecla, Aotlugja, Skaptar Vokul, and (in 1874-5)
from the mountains to the south-east of Myratu Lake. The eruption of
Skaptar in 1783 is the greatest anywhere on record in respect of the
quantity of lava and ashes ejected. Earthquakes are not unfrequent. The
greatest mountain group is the Vatna or Klofa Yokul, on the south coast, a
mass of snow and ice covering many hundred square miles, and sending down
prodigious glaciers which almost reach the sea. From one of these a torrent
issues, little more than a hundred yards long, and a mile and a half broad.
The line of perpetual snow ranges from 2,000 to 3,000 feet. The loftiest
summits of this great mountain mass have never been ascended, but the
highest point is believed to be the Orefa Yolcal, 6,405 feet. The other
considerable peaks in different parts of the island are Herdubreidr (an
extinct volcano), 5,290 feet, Eyjafjalla Yokul, 5,579 feet, Snæfels Yokul,
5,965 feet, and Hecla, 5,095 feet.]




SECTIO SEPTIMA.

[Sidenote: Frisius. Munst.] Montis Heclæ flamma nec stuppam lucernarum
luminibus aptissimam adurit, neque aqua extinguitur: Eóque impetu, quo
apud nos machinis bellicis, globi eijciuntur, illinc lapides magni in
aera emittuntur, ex frigoris & ignis & sulphuris commixtione. Is locus à
quibusdam putatur carcer sordidarum animarum. Item Zieglerus. Is locos
est carcer sordidarum animarum.

Nec stuppam adurit.) Vnde habeant Scriptores, non satis conijcitur. Hæc
enim nostris hominibus prorsus ignota, nec hic vnquam, nisi prodidissent
illi, audita fuissent. Nemo enim est apud nos tam temerariæ curiositatis,
vt huius rei periculum, ardente monte, facere ansit, vel quod scire licuit,
vnquam ausis fuerit. Quod tamen Munsterus asserit. Qui, inquit, naturam
tanti incendij contemplari cupiunt, & ob id ad montem propius accedunt, eos
vna aliqua vorago viuos absorbet &c. Quæ res, vt dixi, nostræ genti est
ignota prorsus. Exstat tamen liber veteri Noruagorum lingua scriptus, in
quo terrarum, aquarum, ignis, aëris, &c. miracula aliquot confusa reperias,
pauca vera, plurima vana & falsa. Vnde facile apparet, à Sophis quibusdam,
si dijs placet, in Papatu olim esse conscriptum: [Sidenote: Speculum
Regale.] Speculum Regale nomen dederunt, propter vanissima mendacia, quibus
totus, sed plærúmque sub religionis & pietatís prætextu (quo difficilius
est fucum agnoscere) scatet speculum minimè regale, sed Anile & Irregulare.
In hoc speculo figmenta quædam de Heclæ incendio, his quæ nunc tractamus
non multum dissimilia, habentur, nullo experimento magis quàm hæc
stabilita, ideóque explodenda.

Cæterum ne audaculus videar, qui speculum illud Regale mendacij accusem;
nullum verò ex his quæ minus credibilia affert, recenseam; Accipe horum
pauca Lector, quæ fidem minimè mereri existimarim.

1. De quadam Insula Hyberniæ; quæ templum & Parochiam habet: Cuius incolæ
decedentes non inhumantur: sed ad aggerem seu parietem coemeterij, viuorum
instar erecti, consistunt perpetuò: Nec vlli corruptioni, nec ruinæ.
obnoxij: vt posterum quiuis suos maiores ibi quærere & conspicere possit.

2. De altera Hyberniæ Insula, vbi homines emori nequeant.

3. De omni terrâ & omnibus arboribus Hyberniæ, quæ omnibus omninò venenis
resistant, serpentes & alia venenata, vbiuis terrarum, solâ virtute &
præsentia, etiam sine contactu, enecent.

4. De tertia Hyberniæ Insula: Quòd hæc dimidia Diabolorum colonia facta
sit. In dimidiam vero propter templum ibidem exstructum, iuris habeant
nihil, licet & pastore (vt tota Insula incolis) & sacris perpetuò careat:
idque per naturam ita esse.

5. De quarta Hyberniæ Insula, quæ in lacu quòdam satis vasto fluitet: cuius
gramina, quibusuis morbis præssentissimum remedium existant: Insula verò
ripam lacus statis temporibus accedat, idque vt plurimum, diebus Dominicis,
vt tum quiuis facilè eam veluti nauim quandam, ingrediatur: id quod tamen
pluribus simul, per fatum licere negat. Hanc vero Insulam septimo quoque
anno ripæ adnasci tradit, vt à continente non discernas: In eius autem
locum mox succedere alteram, priori, naturam, magnitudine & virtute
consimilem: quæ vnde veniat, nesciri: idque cum quòdam quasi tonitru
contingere.

6. De venatoribus Noruegiæ, qui lignum domare (sic enim loquitur,
quantumuis impropriè: cùm ligno vt non vita, ita nec domitura competat)
adeo docti sint, vt asseres 8. vlnas longi, plantis pedum eorundem
alligati, tanta eos celeritate, vel in excelsis montibus, promoueant, vt
non modò canum venaticorum, aut caprearum cursu, sed etiam auium volatu
superari nequeant: atque vnico cursu, vnico etiam hastæ ictu, nouem vel
plures capreas feriant. [Sidenote: Gronlandia.] Hæc & similia, de Hybernia,
Noruegia, Islandia, Gronlandia, de aquæ & aëris etiam miraculis, centonum
ille magister, in suum speculum collegit: Quibus, licet suis admirationem,
vulgo stuporem, nobis tamen risum concitauit.

Sed Frisium audiamus. Flamma, inquit, Montis Heclæ nec stuppam, lucernarum
luminibus aptissimam, adurit, nec aqua extinguitur. Atqui inquam, ex Schola
vestra Philosophica petitis rationibus hoc Paradoxon confirmari poterit.
Docent enim Physici, commune esse validioribus flammis omnibus vt siccis
extinguantur, alantur verò humidis: Vnde etiam fabri, aqua inspersa, ignem
excitare solent. Cùm enim, aiunt, ardentior fuerit ignis, à frigido
incitatur, & ab humido alitur, quorum vtrumque aquæ inest. Item: Aqua solet
vehementes accendere ignes: Quoniam humidum ipsum quod exhalat, pinguius
redditur, nec à circumfuso fumo absumitur, sed totum ignis ipse depascitur,
quò purior inde factus, ac simul collectus, à frigido alacrior inde
redditur. Vnde etiam ignes artificiosi aqua minimè extinguibiles. Item:
Sunt sulphure & bitumine loca abundantia, quæ sponte ardent, quorum flamma
aqua minimè extinguitur. Prodidit etiam Philosophus, Aqua ali ignem. Arist.
3. de anim. Et Plin. lib. 2. Nat. Histor. cap. 110. Et Strabo lib. 7. In
Nymphæo excitè Petra flamma, que aqua accenditur. Idem, Viret æternùm
contexens fontem igneum fraxinus. Quin & repentinos ignes in aquis
existere, vt Thrasumenum lacum in agro Perusino arsisse totum, idem autor
est. [Sidenote: Chronica Islandie.] Et anno 1226, & 1236. non procul à
promontorio Islandiæ Reykianes, flamma ex ipso mari erupit. Etiam in
corporibus humanis repentinos ignes emicuisse, vt Seruio Tullio dormienti,
è capite flammam exsilijsse: Et L. Martium in Hispania, interfectis
Scipionibus, concionem seu orationem ad milites habentem, atque ad vltionem
exhortantem, conflagrasse, Valerius Antias narrat. Meminit etiam Plinius
flammæ montanæ, quæ, vt aqua accendatur, ita terra aut foeno extinguatur.
Item, Alterius campestris, que frondem densi supra se nemoris non adurat.
Quæ cum ita sint, mirum, homines id in solâ Heclâ mirari (ponam enim iam
ita esse, cum non sit tamen, quòd à quoquam scire potuerim) quòd multis
aliarum terrarum partibus seu locis, tam montanis, quàm campestribus, cum
ea commune esset.

Eo impetu quo apud nos globi. Sic enim Munsterus. [Sidenote: Frisius.] Mons
ipse cum furit, inquit, horribilia tonitrua insonat, proijcit ingentia
Saxa, sulphur euomit, cineribus egestis, tam longè terram circumcirca
operit, vt ad vicesimum lapidem coli non possit, &c. Cæterum oportuit
potius cum Ætnâ, aut alijs montibus flammiuomis, quos mox recitabo,
comparasse, cum non deesset, non modò simile, sed prope idem: Nisi fortè
quòd incendia rarius ex Heclâ erumpant, quàm alijs id genus montibus. Nam
proxunis 34. annis prorsus quieuit, facta videlicet vltima eruptione, An.
1558. vt superius annotauimus. Et nihil tam magnificè dici potest de nostra
Hecla, quin idem, vel maius cæteris montibus flammiuomis competat, vt mox
apparebit. Quòd verò sulphur eiaculetur, manifestum est commentum nullo
experimento apud nostrates cognitum.

Is locus est carcer sordidarum animarum. Hic præfandum esse mihi video,
atque veniam à Lectore petendam quòd cum initio proposuerim, de terra &
incolis diuisim agere in hac prima parte tamen, quæ sunt meritò secundæ
partis miscere cogar. Euenit hoc scriptorum culpa, qui Insulæ situi ac
miraculis, religionis incolarum particulam hanc, de opinione infernalis
carceris, confuderunt. Quare etiam vt hunc locum attingamus, quis non
miretur isthoc commentum ab homine cordato in Historia positum esse? Quis
non miretur, viros sapientes eò perduci, vt hæc vulgi deliramenta
auscultent, nedum sequantur? Vulgus enim extraneorum & hominum colluuies
nautica (hic enim saniores omnes tam inter nautas quam reliquos excipio,)
de hoc insolito naturæ miraculo audiens, ingenito stupore ad istam, de
carcere animarum, imaginationem fertur: Siquidem incendio nullam substerni
materiam videt, quemadmodum in domesticis focis fieri consueuit. Atque hac
persuasione vulgi fama inoleuit dum (vt ad maledicta optimè assuefactum
est) vnus alteri huius montis incendum imprecatur. Quasi verò ignis
elementaris & materiatus ac visibilis, animas, i. substantias spirituales
comburat. Quis deníque non miretur cur eundem carcere damnatorum, non in
Ætna etiam, nihilo minus ignibus ac incendijs celebri, confingant? At
confinxit dices, Gregorius Pontifex. Purgatorium igitur est. Sit sanè:
Eadem igitur huius carceris veritas quæ & purgatorij. Sed priusquam longius
procedamus, libet hic referre fabulam perlepidam, huius opinionis
infernalis originem & fundamentum: Nempe cuidam extraneorum naui Islandiam
relinquenti & turgidis velis citissimo cursu iter suum rectà legenti,
factam obuiam alteram similiter impigro cursu, sed contra vim tempestatum,
velis & remis nitentem: cuius præfectus rogatus, quinam essent? Respondisse
fertur: De Bischop van Bremen. Iterum rogatus quo tenderent? ait. Thom
Heckelfeldt tho, Thom Heckelfeldt tho. Hæc videns Lector vereor, ne peluim
postulet dari: Est enim mendacium adeo detestandum, vt facilè nauseam
pariat. Abeat igitur ad Cynosarges & ranas palustres: illud enim eiusde
facimus atque illarum coax, coax. Nec verò dignum est hoc commentum, quod
rideatur, nedum refutetur. Sed nolo cum insanis Papistis nugari: Quin
potius ad scriptores nostros conuertamur.

Atque inprimis nequeo hic, clarissimi viri, D. Casparis Peuceri, illud
præterire. Est in Islandia, inquit, mons Hecla, qui immanis barathri, vel
inferni potius profunditate terribilis, eiulantium miserabili & lamentabili
ploratu personat, vt voces plorantium circumquaque, ad interuallum magni
milliaris audiantur. Circumnolitant hunc coruorum & vulturum nigerrima
agmina, quæ nidulari ibidem ab incolis existimantur. Vulgus incolarum
descensum esse per voraginem illam ad inferos persuasum habet: Inde cum
prælia committuntur alibi in quacunque parte orbis terrarum aut cædes fiunt
cruentæ commoueri horrendos circumcirca tumultus & excitari clamores atque
eiulatus ingentes longâ experientiâ didicerunt. Quis verò rem tam
incredibilem ad te vir doctissime perferre ausus fuit? Nec enim vultures
habet Islandia, sed genus aquilarum secundum, quod ab albicante caudâ
Plinius notauit & Pygarsum appellauit. Nec vlli sunt huius spectaculi apud
nos testes: Nec deníque ibidem coruos aut aquilas nidificare probabile est,
quæ, igni & fumo semper inimicissimo, potius à focis vel incendijs
arceantur. Et nihilominus in huius rei testimonium, (vt & exauditi per
voraginem montis tumultus extranei,) experientiam incolarum allegant, quæ
certè contraria omnia testatur. Vnde verò foramen vel fenestra illa
montana, per quam clamores, strepitus & tumultus apud antipodes, periæcos &
antæcos factos exaudiremus? De quâ re multa essent, quæ authorem istius
mendacij interrogatum haberem, modò quid de illo nobis constaret: qui
vtinam veriora narrare discat, nec tam perfrictâ fronte similia,
incomperta, átque, adeò incredibilia, clarissimo viro Peucero, aut alijs
referre præsumat.

Ast verò Munsterus cum incendij tanti & tam incredilis caussas in
famosissimâ Ætna inuestigare conatus sit, quam rem illic naturalem facit,
hic verò præternaturalem imo infernalem faciat, an non monstri simile est?
Cæterum de Æthnâ quid dico? Quin potius videamus quid de Heclæ incendio
alias sentiat Munsterus.

[Sidenote: Munsterus Cosmograph. vniuersal. lib. 1. cap. 7.] Dubium non
est, inquit, montes olim & campos arsisse in orbe terrarum: Et nostra
quidem state ardent. Verbi gratia: In Islandia mons Hecla statis temporibus
foras proijcit ingentia Saxa, euomit sulphur spargit cineres, tam longè
circumcirca, vt terra ad vicesimum lapidem coli non possit. Vbi autem
montium incendia perpetua sunt, intelligimus nullam esse obstructionem
meatuum, per quos modò, quasi fluuium quendam, ignes, modò flammas, nunc
verò fumum tantùm euomunt. Sin per temporum interualla increscunt, internis
meatibus obturatis, eius viscera nihilominus ardent Superioris autem partis
incendia, propter fomitis inopiam, non nihil remittunt ad tempus. Ast vbi
spiritus vehementior, rursus reclusis meatibus ijsdem vel alijs, ex carcere
magnâ vi erumpit, cineres, arenam, sulphur, pumices, massas, quæ habent
speciem ferri, saxa, aliásque materias foras proijcit, plerúnque non sine
detrimento regionis adiacentis. Hæc Munsterus. Vbi videas quæso Lector,
quomodo suo se iugulet gladio, videas inquam hic eadem de incendio Heclæ &
Ætnæ opinionem & sententiam, quæ tamen lib 4. eiusdem, admodum est dispar,
vt illic ad causas infernales confugiat.

Habet profectò Indiæ occidentalis mons quidam flammiuomus æquiores multò,
quàm hic noster censores & historicos, minimè illic barathrum
exædificantes: Cuius historiam, quia & breuis est, & non illepida,
subijciam, ab Hieronimo Benzone Italo in Historiar noui orbis, lib. 2. his
verbis descriptam.

Triginta quínque, inquit, milliarium interuallo abest Legione mons
flammiuomus, qui per ingentem craterem tantos sæpe flammarum globos
eructat, vt noctu latissimè vltra 10000. passuum incendia reluceant.
Nonnullis fuit opinio, intus liquefactum aurum esse, perpetuam ignibus
materiam. Itáque Dominicanus quidam monachus cum eius rei periculum facere
vellet, ahenum & catenam ferream fabricari curat móxque in montis iugum cum
quatuor alijs Hispanis ascendens, catenam cum aheno ad centum quadraginta
vlnas in caminum demittit. Ibi ignis feruore, ahenum cum parte catenæ
liquefactum est. Monachus non leuiter iratus Legionem recurrit, fabrum
incusat, quòd catenam tenuiorem multò, quàm iussisset ipse, esset
fabricatus. Faber aliam multo crassiorem excudit. Monachus montem repetit:
Catenam & lebetem demittit. Res priori incoepto similem exitum habuit. Nec
tantùm resolutus lebes euanuit, verum etiam flammæ globus repentè è
profundo exsiliens, propemodum & Fratrem & socios absumpsit. Omnes quidem
adeo perculsi in vrbem reuersi sunt, vt de eo incoepto exequendo nunquam
deinceps cogitarent &c.

O quam censura dispar? In montano Indiæ occidentalis camino auram: Islandiæ
verò, infernum quærunt. Sed hoc vt nimis recens, ac veteribus ignotum
fortasse reijcient: Cur igitur eundem, quem in Hecla Islandiæ, animarum in
Chimæra carcerem, Lyciæ monte, cuius noctu diúque flamma immortalis
perhibetur, non sunt imaginati scriptores? Cur no in Ephesi montibus, quos
tæda flammante tactos, tantum ignis concipere accepimus, vt lapides quoque
& arenæ in ipsis aquis ardeant, & ex quibus accenso baculo, si quis sulcum
traxerit, riuos ignium sequi narrator à Plinio? Cur non in Cophantro
Bactrorum monte, noctu semper conflagrante? Cur non in Hiera Insula, medio
mari ardente? Cur non in Æolia, similiter in ipso mari olim dies aliquot
aliquot accensa? Cur non in Babyloniorum campo, interdiu flagrante? Cur non
in Æthiopum campis, Stellarum modo, noctu semper nitentibus? Cur non in
illo Liparæ tumulo, ampla & profunda voragine hiante, teste Aristotele, ad
quem non tutò noctu accedatur: ex quo Cymbalorum sonitus, crotalorum
boatus, cum insolitis & inconditis cachinnis exaudiantur? Cur non in
Neapolitanorum agro ad Puteolos? Cur non in illa superius commemorata
Teneriffæ pyramide montana, instar Ætnæ, iugiter ardente, & lapides, vt ex
Munstero videre est, in aëra exspuente? Cur non in illo Aethiopum iugo,
quod Plinius testatur, horum omnium maximo aduri incendio? Cur non denique
in Vesuuio monte, non sine insigni viciniæ clade, & C. Plinij exitiali
detrimento, dum insueti incendij causas perscrutaturus venit, nubium tenus
flammas cum saxis euomente, pumicum & cinerum ineffabili copiâ aëra
replente, & solem meridianum per totam viciniam densissimis tenebris
intercipiente? Dicam, & dicam quod res est: Quia scilicet illis, vtpote
notioribus, fidem, etsi inferni esse incendia finxissent, minimè adhiberi
præuidebant: Heclæ verò æstum, cuius rumor tardius ad eorum aures peruenit,
huic commento vanissimo stabiliendo, magis inseruire putabant. Sed
facessite: Depræhensa fraus est: Desinite posthac illam de inferno Heklensi
opinionem cuiquam velle persuadere. Docuit enim & nos, & alios, vobis
inuitis, consimilibus incendijs, operationes suas Natura, non Infernus. Sed
videamus iam plura eiusdem farinæ vulgi mendacia, quæ Historicis &
Cosmographis nostris adeò malè imposuerunt.

The same in English.

THE SEUENTH SECTION.

[Sidenote: Frisius. Munsterus.] The flame of mount Hecla will not burne
towe (which is most apt for the wieke of a candle) neither is it quenched
with water: and by the same force that bullets are discharged out of
warlike engines with vs, from thence are great stones cast foorth into
the aire, by reason of the mixture of colde, and fire, and brimstone.
This place is thought of some to be the prison of vncleane soules. Item:
Zieglerus. This place is the prison of vncleane soules.

Will not burne towe. Where these writers should finde such matters, it is
not easie to coniecture. For our people are altogether ignorant of them,
neither had they euer bene heard of heere among vs, if they had not brought
them to light. For there is no man with vs so rashly and fondly curious,
that dareth for his life, the hill being on fire, trie any such
conclusions, or (to our knowledge) that euer durst: which notwithstanding
Munster affirmeth, saying: They that are desirous to contemplate the nature
of so huge a fire, & for the same purpose approch vnto the mountaine, are
by some gulfe swallowed vp aliue, &c. which thing (as I sayd) is altogether
vnknowen vnto our nation. [Sidenote: Speculum regale written in the
Noruagian tongue.] Yet there is a booke extant, written in the ancient
language of the Noruagians, wherein you may finde some miracles of earth,
water, fire, and aire, &c. confusedly written, few of them true, and the
most part vaine and false. Whereupon it easily appeareth that it was
written long since by some that were imagined to be great wise men in the
time of Popery. [Sidenote: Whence the fables of Island grew.] They called
it a royall looking glasse: howbeit, in regard of the fond fables,
wherewith (but for the most part vnder the shew of religion and piety,
whereby it is more difficult to finde out the cousinage) it doeth all ouer
swarme, it deserueth not the name of a looking glasse royall, but rather of
a popular, and olde wiues looking glasse. In this glasse there are found
certaine figments of the burning of Hecla, not much vnlike these which we
now entreat of, nor any whit more grounded vpon experience, and for that
cause to be reiected.

But that I may not seeme somewhat foolehardy, for accusing this royall
looking glasse of falshood (not to mention any of those things which it
reporteth as lesse credible) loe heere a few things (friendly reader) which
I suppose deserue no credit at all.

1. Of a certain Isle in Ireland, hauing a church and a parish in it, the
inhabitants whereof deceasing are not buried in the earth, but like liuing
men, do continually, against some banke or wall in the Churchyard, stand
bolt-vpright: neither are they subiect to any corruption or downefall:
insomuch that any of the posteritie, may there seeke for, and beholde their
ancestors.

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