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




Nos verò Islandi, quamuis vltimi et gelidum conclusi ad Arcton, longè alias
Christianismi notas requirimis. Nam et præceptum Dei habemus, vt quilibet
proximum diligat velut seipsum. Iam nemo est, puto, qui seipsum non plus
diligat, aut pluris faciat, quàm canem. Quod si tantus esse debet proximi
cuiuslibet fauor, tanta æstimatio, tantus amor, quantus quæso erit in
liberos? Quorum arctissimum amorem, præterquam quod ipsa parens natura
nobis firmissimè conciliauit, etiam Lex diuina curam summam in enutriendo
habere iussit (Exo. 12. 24. Ephe. 6, 4.) vt scilicet sint in sancto
coniugio, Ecclesiæ quædam seminaria, omnis pietatis et honestatis
exercitia: Prout vates ille pulcherrimè cecinit.

Vult Ecclesiolam quamlibet esse domum.

Item: Coniugium humanæ quædam est Academia vitæ.

Vt iam satis constet, apud Christianos longè pluris faciendos et curandos
filios, quàm canes: Et, si qui non aliter curent, Christianos non esse.

Sed et hic in prolem dulcissimam affectus naturalis in Ethnicis etiam satis
apertè conspicitur: vt si quos hoc penitùs exueris, eosdem etiam homines
esse negaueris. Monstrant id matres Carthaginenses, cum tertio bello Punico
adolescentes quique lectissimi obsides in Siciliam mitterentur, quos illæ
fletu et lamentatione miserabili ad naues comitatæ, et ex his quædam à
filioram compleximus ægrè diuulsæ, cum ventis pandi vela cernerent,
nauesque è portu egredi, dolore stimulante, in subiectos fluctus
dissiluere: Sabellico authore. Monstrat Ægeus, qui nauem filij Thesei, cum
velis atri coloris, ex Creta redeuntem cerneret, perijsse filium ratus,
vitam in proximis vndis finiuit. Sabellic. lib. 3. cap. 4. Monstrat
Gordianus senior, Africæ proconsul, qui similiter, ob rumores de morte
filij, vitam suspendio clausit. Campofulgos. lib. 5. cap. 7. Monstrant idem
Iocasta Creontis filia, Auctolia Sinonis F. Anius Tuscorum Rex, Orodes Rex
Parthorum, et alij numero innumero. De quibus vide stat. lib. 2.
Plutarchum, et alios, &c. Huc illud. Amor descendit, &c. Adeò, vt videas
non minus esse homini proprium, sobolem intimè diligere, et summo amore
prosequi, quàm aut volare; vt si iam aliquando homines esse Islandos, nedum
Christianos scriptores nostri fassi sint, hunc amorem et affectum in filios
ijsdem, quantumuis inuiti et repugnantes, adscribant: sin minus, non modò
hominis titulum et dignitatem illis detrahant, sed etiam infrà bruta et
quasuis bestias, quæ ipsæ, stimulante natura, maximo prolis suæ et
arctissimo amore tenentur, deprimant.

Non addam contra hoc impudens mendacium exempla etiam nostratium satis
illustria: Tacebo leges nostras plagiarias ipsis Islandis antiquiores,
quippe a Noruagis acceptas, quæ exstant in codice legum nostrarum, titulo
Mannhelge: cap. 5. Si quis hominem liberum (quemuis nedum filium) extraneis
vendat, &c.

Iam verò si quis eò fortunæ deueniat, vt proprium filium, siue incolæ, siue
extranei alicuius potestati, vel fame vel extrema quacunque vrgente
necessitate, aut periculo, permittat, ne familicum *media deficientem
aspicere cogatur, canem verò in proprias dapes reseruet, Is minimè dicendus
est filium æquo aut inferiore loco habere quàm canem, siue id faciant,
Islandi, siue extranei quilibet.

Offenderant fortè Germanorum vel Danorum nautæ apud nos mendicos quosdam,
liberis onustos, quorum hîc maximus est numerus, qui iocando, vt sunt nugis
scurrilibus addicti, dixerint: Da mihi aut vende hoc vel illud: Cumque
rogarint extranei: Quid tu mihi vicissim? Responderint mendici. Habeo
liberos 10. vel 14. dabo ex eis vnum vel plures, &c. Solet enim ista
mendicorum colluuies istiusmodi scurriles dialogismos cum extraneis
instituere. Quod si tum quispiam bonus vir, misertus stoliditatis et inopiæ
mendicorum, vno illos filio leuauerit, eique propter Deum in alijs terris,
aliquo tandem modo benè prospexerit, num mendicus, qui alioqui cum filio,
fame et paupertate moriturus, filium miserenti permittit et committit,
filium istum suum minoris facit quàm canem? Præstitum est à multis tam
Islandis quàm extraneis huiusmodi beneuolentiæ et commiserationis opus: ex
quibus fuit vir nobilissimus Accilius Iulius à serenissimo rege Daniæ olim
missus ad Islandos, Anno Domini 1552. Qui vt audiui, 15. pueros pauperculos
assumpsit et secum in Daniam auexit: Vbi postea ipsius beneficio singulos
suo vitæ generi addictos, in viros bonos et frugi euasisse, mihi narratum
est.

Quid si quis in extrema constitutus angustia, filium non modò vendat; sed
si emptorem non habet, ipse mactet et comedat? Nota sunt huius rei exempla:
Parentum videlicet inuitiæ crudelitatis in filios, stimulante non odio vel
astorgia, sed ineuitabili necessitate compellente. Num quis inde vniuersale
gentis alicuius conuicium exstruxerit? Legimus, in obsidione Samariæ matres
duas filios suos mactasse, et coctos comedisse: 4. Reg. C. 6. Legimus in
obsidione Ierosolymitana, quam flebilis fuerit vox miserrimæ matris, filium
misellum iam mactaturæ. Infans, ait, (referam enim Eusebij verba de hac re,
etsi notissima, vt miseræ matris affectus appareat,) miselle et infelix,
cuinam in hoc belli. famis, et seditionis tumultu, te commodè reseruem? Si
Romanorum subijciamur imperio, illic seruitutis iugo pressi, vitam
infoeliciter exigemus. Sed seruitutum credo fames anteuertet. Accedit
factiosorum prædonum turba, his vtrisque miserijs toleratu multò asperior.
Age igitur mi gnate, sis matri cibus, sis prædonibus furia, sis communi
hominum vitæ fabula, quæ res vna ad Iudæorum calamitates deesse videtur.
Quæ cum dixisset, natum trucidat, assatumque dimidium mox comedit, dimidium
reseruat &c. Eusebius libro 3. capite 6. Iam quis est, qui non credat
misserrimam hanc matrem filium hunc suum, domini alicuius, si se
obtulisset, apud quem credidisset seruatum iri, aut emptoris possessioni
fuisse permissuram? Nota est fames, Calagurium, Hispaniæ vrbem, olim à
Cneio Pompeio obsessam opprimens (Val. libro septimo cap. 7.) cuius
ciuibus, vxores et liberi in vsum estremæ dapis conuersi sunt, quos
profectò; pro cibarijs et alijs dapibus haud inuiti vendidissent. Nota est
quoque fames, quæ Anno Domini 851. (Vincent. libro 25. cap. 36.) Germaniam
attriuit, vt etiam pater filium suum deuorare voluerit. Notum etiam est,
post mortem Henrici septimi Imperat fame per triennium continuata, quomodo
parentes liberos, vel liberi parentes deuorarint, et præcipuè quidem in
Polonia et Bohemia. Et ne exempla tantùm antiqua petamus, accepimus tantam
annonæ sæuitiam, Anno 1586. et 1587. in Hungaria grassatam fuisse, vt
quidam alimentorum inopia adacti immanissimo Christianorum hosti proprios
liberos vendiderint, et in perpetuum seruitutis iugum manciparint: quidam
paruulos suos, quos vlterius tolerare non sustinebant, crudeli misericordia
in Danubium proiecisse, et, suffocasse dicantur. Sed, num hæc et similia
exempla quempiam eò insaniæ adigent, vt dicat hanc vel illam nationem,
liberos in escam propriam mactare *consuettisse, Turcis libenter vendere,
aut aquis submergere et suffocare solitam esse? Non opinor. Sic neque, quòd
mendici apud Islandos, extrema vrgente necessitate, cuius durissimi sunt
morsus, filios suos libenter amittant, toti genti, et quidem probri loco,
communiter adscribendum est à quoquam, nisi apud eundem omnis pudor,
candor, humanitas, veritas exulent.

Cæterum optarim ego, parcius Islandis canum curam exprobrare illos populos,
quorum matronæ, et præcipuè nobiles, canes in maximis delicijs habent, vt
eos vel in plateis, ne dicam in sacris concionibus, sinum gestent, quem
morem in peregrinis quibusdam, quos Romæ catulos simiarum et canum in
gremio circumferre Cæsar conspexit, hac quæstione reprehendit, dum
quæreret: Numquid apud ipsos mulieres liberos non parerent? Monens errare
eos, qui à natura inditos sibi affectus, quibus in amorem hominum ac
præcipuè sobolis incitarentur, in bestias transferunt, quarum deliciarum
voluptas Islandorum gentem, nunquam cepit aut habuit. Quare iam Munstere et
Krantzi, alias nobis Christianitatis, (vt sic dicam) legis naturæ, legis
item Germanorum, et sanctæ simplicitatis notas qusente.

The same in English.

THE SEVENTH SECTION.

They make all one reckoning of their whelpes, and of their children: except
that of the poorer sort you shall easier obtaine their sonne then their
shalke.

Although in the beginning of this Treatise I thought that Munster and other
men of great name in those things which they haue left written concerning
Islande, were not to bee charged with slander, yet whether that fauour may
here be shewed by any man whatsoeuer (be he neuer so fauourable, and neuer
so sincere) I doe not sufficiently conceiue. For what should moue such
great men, following the despightful lyes, and fables of mariners, to
defame and staine our nation with so horrible and so shamefull a reproch?
Surely nothing else but a carelesse licentiousnesse to deride and contemne
a poore and vnknowen Nation, and such other like vices.

But, be it knowen to all men that this vntrueth doth not so much hurt to
the Islanders, as to the authors themselues. For in heaping vp this, and a
great number of others into their Histories, they cause their credite in
other places also to be suspected: And hereby they gaine thus muche (as
Aristotle sayth) that when they speake trueth no man will beleeue them
without suspition.

But attend a while (Reader) and consider with me the grauitie and wisedome
of these great Clarkes: that we may not let passe such a notable
commendation of Island. Krantzius and Munster haue hitherto taught, that
the Islanders are Christians. Also: that before receiuing of Christian
faith they liued according to the lawe of Nature. Also: that the Islanders
liued after a law not much differing from the lawe of the Germanes. Also,
that they liued in holy simplicitie.

Attend I say (good Reader) and consider, what markes of Christianitie, of
the lawe of nature, of the Germanes law, of holy simplicitie, these authors
require, and what markes they shew and describe in the Islanders. There was
one of the sayd markes before: namely, that the Islanders doe place hell or
the prison of the damned, within the gulfe and bottome of mount Hecla:
concerning which, reade the first section of this part, and the seuenth
section of the former. The seconde marke is, that with the Anabaptists they
take away distinctions of properties and possessions: in the section next
going before. The third and most excellent is this: those singular and
natural affections, that loue and tender care, and that fatherly and godly
minde of the Islanders towards their children, namely, that they make the
same accompt of them, or lesse then they doe of their dogges. What? Will
Munster and Krantzius after this fashion picture out vnto vs the lawe of
Christ, the lawe of nature, the lawe of the Germanes, and holy simplicitie?
O rare and excellent picture, though not altogether matching the skill of
Apelles: O sharpe and wonderfull inuention, if authenticall: O knowledge
more then humane, though not at all diuine.

But wee Islanders (albeit the farthest of all nations and inhabiting a
frozen clime) require farre other notes of Christianitie. For we haue the
commaundement of God, that euery man should loue his neighbour as himselfe.
Nowe there is none (I suppose) that doeth not loue or esteeme more of
himselfe then of his dogge. And if there ought to bee so great fauour, so
great estimation, so great loue vnto our neighbour, then how great
affection doe we owe vnto our children? The most neare and inseparable loue
of whom, besides that nature hath most friendly setled in our mindes, the
loue of God also commaundeth vs to haue speciall regard in trayning them vp
(Exod 12. 24. Ephes. 6. 4.) namely that there may be in holy marriage
certaine seminaries of Gods Church, and exercises of all pietie and
honestie according to the excellent saying of the Poet--

God will haue each family,
A little Church to be,

Also,

Of humane life or mans societie,
A Schole or College is holy matrimonie

That it may be manifest, that among Christians their sonnes are more to be
accompted of and regarded, then their dogges: and if any doe no otherwise
esteeme of them, that they are no Christians.

But this naturall affection towarde our most deare of-spring is plainely
seene in the heathen themselues: that whomsoeuer you totally depriue of
this, you denie them also to bee men. The mothers of Carthage testifie this
to be true, when as in the third Punic warre the most choyse and gallant
young men in all the Citie were sent as pledges into Sicilia, whom they
followed vnto the shippes with most miserable weeping and lamentation, and
some of them being with griefe separated from their deare sonnes, when they
sawe the saules hoysed, and the shippes departing out of the hauen, for
very anguish cast themselues headlong into the water: as Sabellicus
witnesseth. Egæus doth testifie this, who when he sawe the shippe of his
sonne Theseus, returning out of Creete with blacke sayles, thinking that
his sonne had perished, ended his life in the next waters: Sabell lib. 3.
cap 4. Gordianus the elder, Proconsul of Affrica, doth testifie this, who
likewise, vpon rumours of the death of his sonne, hanged himselfe. Campoful
lib 5. cap. 7. Also, Iocasta the daughter of Creon, Auctolia daughter of
Simon, Anius King of the Thuscans, Orodes King of the Parthians, and an
infinite number of others. Concerning whom reade Plutarch stat. lib. 2. and
other authors, &c. To these may be added that sentence, Loue descendeth,
&c. So that you see, it is no lesse proper to a man entirely to loue his
children, then for a bird to flie: that if our writers at any time haue
confessed the Islanders to be men (muche lesse to be Christians,) they
must, will they nill they, ascribe vnto them this loue and affection
towardes their children: if not, they doe not onely take from them the
title and dignitie of men, but also they debase them vnder euery brute
beast, which euen by the instinct of nature are bound with exceeding great
loue, and tender affection towards their young ones.

I will not adde against this shamelesse vntruth most notable examples of
our owen countreymen: I will omit our lawes of man-stealing, more ancient
then the Islanders themselues, being receiued from the Noruagians, and are
extant in our booke of lawes vnder the title Manhelge cap. 5, Whosoeuer
selleth a free man (any man much more a sonne) vnto strangers, &c.

Now if any man be driuen to that hard fortune, that he must needs commit
his own sonne into the hands of some inhabitant or stranger, being vrged
thereunto by famine, or any other extreame necessity, that he may not be
constrained to see him hunger-starued for want of sustenance, but keepeth
his dogge still for his owne eating, this man is not to be sayd, that he
esteemeth equally or more basely of his sonne then of his dogge: whether
Islanders or any other countreymen do the same.

[Sidenote: The occasion of this slander.] The Germane or the Danish
mariners might perhaps find amongst vs certaine beggars laden with children
(for we haue here a great number of them) who in iesting maner, for they
are much giuen to trifling talke, might saye: Giue me this, or sell me
that: and when the stranger should aske, What will you giue me for it? the
beggar might answere: I haue ten or foureteene children, I will giue you
some one or more of them, &c. For this rabble of beggars vseth thus fondly
to prate with strangers. Now if there be any well-disposed man, who pitying
the need and folly of these beggers, releaseth them of one sonne, and doth
for Gods sake by some meanes prouide for him in another countrey: doth the
begger therefore (who together with his sonne being ready to die for hunger
and pouerty, yeeldeth and committeth his sonne into the hands of a
mercifull man) make lesse account of his sonne then of his dogge? Such
works of loue and mercie haue bene performed by many, as well Islanders
themselues as strangers: one of which number was that honourable man
Accilius Iulius, being sent by the most gracious King of Denmarke into
Island in the yere of our Lord 1552, who, as I haue heard, tooke, and
carried with him into Denmarke fiftene poore boyes: where afterward it was
reported vnto me, that, by his good meanes euery one of them being bound to
a seuerall trade, proued good and thriftie men.

What if some man be driuen to that passe, that he doth not onely sell his
sonne but not finding a chapman, his owne selfe killeth and eateth him?
Examples of this kinde be common, namely of the vnwilling and forced
cruelty of parents towards their children, not being pricked on through
hate, or want of naturall affection, but being compelled thereunto by
vrgent necessity. Shall any man hereupon ground a generall reproch against
a whole nation? We reade that in the siege of Samaria, two mothers slew
their sonnes, and eat them sodden: 4. King, chap. 6. We reade in the siege
of Ierusalem, how lamentable the voice of that distressed mother was, being
about to kill her tender childe: My sweete babe, sayth she (for I will
report Eusebius owne words, concerning this matter, though very common,
that the affection of a mother may appeare) borne to miserie and mishap,
for whom should I conueniently reserue thee in this tumult of famine, of
warre, and sedition? If we be subdued to the gouernment of the Romans, we
shall weare out our vnhappy dayes vnder the yoke of slauery. But I thinke
famine will preuent captiuity. Besides, there is a rout of seditious rebels
much more intollerable then either of the former miseries. Come on
therefore, my sonne, be thou meat vnto thy mother, a fury to these rebels,
and a byword in the common life of men, which one thing onely is wanting to
make vp the calamities of the Iewes. These sayings being ended, she killeth
her sonne, roasting and eating one halfe, and reseruing the other, &c.
Eusebius lib 3. cap. 6. Now, what man will not beleeue that this vnhappy
mother would full gladly haue passed ouer this her sonne into the
possession of some master or chapman, if she could haue happened vpon any
such, with whom she thought he might haue beene preserued: That famine is
well knowen which oppressed Calagurium, a city of Spaine, when in olde time
Cneius Pompeius layed siege thereunto (Valerius lib. 7. cap. 7.) the
citizens whereof conuerted their wiues and children into meat for the
satisfying of their extreame hunger, whom doubtlesse they would with all
their heartes haue solde for other victuals. That famine also is well
knowen which in the yere of our Lord 851. (Vincent lib. 35. cap 26.)
afflicted Germany, insomuch that the father was glad to deuoure his owne
sonne. It was well knowen after the death of the Emperour Henry the
seuenth, in a famine continuing three whole yeres, how the parents would
deuoure their children, and the children their parents, and that especially
in Polonia and Bohemia. And that we may not onely allege ancient examples:
it is reported that there was such a grieuous dearth of corne in the yeeres
1586, and 1587, thorowout Hungary, that some being compelled for want of
food were faine to sell their children vnto the most bloudy and barbarous
enemy of Christians, and so to enthrall them to the perpetuall yoke of
Turkish slauery: and some are sayd to haue taken their children, whom they
could no longer sustaine, and with cruell mercy to haue cast them into
Danubius, and drowned them. But should these stories and the like make any
man so mad as to affirme that this or that nation accustometh to kill their
children for their owne food, and to sell them willingly vnto the Turks, or
to drowne and strangle them willingly in the water? I cannot thinke it. So
neither (because beggers in Island being enforced through extreame and
biting necessitie, do willingly part with their sonnes) is this custome
generally to be imputed vnto the whole nation, and that by way of disgrace,
by any man, except it be such an one who hath taken his leaue of all
modesty, plaine dealing, humanity, and trueth.

But I could wish that the loue of dogges in Islanders might be more
sparingly reprehended by those people, whose matrons, and specially their
noble women, take so great delight in dogs, that they carry them in their
bosomes thorow the open streetes. I will not say in Churches: which feshion
Cæsar blamed in certaine strangers, whom he sawe at Rome carrying about
yoong apes and whelpes in their armes, asking them this question: Whether
women in their countrey brought foorth children or no? signifying heereby,
that they do greatly offend who bestow vpon beasts these naturall
affections, wherewith they should be inuited to the loue of mankinde, and
specially of their owne ofspring, which strange pleasure neuer ouertooke,
nor possessed the nation of the Islanders. Wherefore now (Munster and
Krantzius) you must finde vs out other marks of Christianity, of the law of
nature, of the Germans law, and of holy simplicity.

SECTIO OCTAVA.

[Sidenote: Krantzius Munsterus] Episcopum suum colunt pro Rege ad cuius
nutum respicit totus populus. Quicquid ex lege, scripturis, et ex
consuetudine aliarum gentium constituit, quàm sancte obseruant.

Fuit equidem initio ferè ad repurgatam Euangelij doctrinam maxima Episcopi
obseruantia; sed nunquam tanta vt exteris legibus aut consuetudini cederent
nostræ leges politicæ, ex nutu Episcopi. Nec tempore Alberti Krantzij,
multò minus Munsteri (quorum ille 1517, hic 1552. post partum salutiferum
decessit) Episcopi Islandorum regiam obtinuerunt authoritatem, cùm scilicet
multi ex ijs, qui diuitijs paulò plus valebant aduersus ipsos consurgere
non dubitarint; quæ res apud nostrates liquido constat. Intenm tamen
Episcopi, anathematis fulmine terribiles, alios in suam potestatem
redegerunt, alios furibunda sæuitia id temporis persecuti sunt.

Porrò etsi tum fuit magna, imò maxima Episcopi obseruantia, tamen nunc
dispulsis tenebris Papisticis, alia ratione homines Satan aggreditur,
eorùmque mentes contemptus libertate et refractaria contumacia, aduersus
Deum et sacrum ministerium, etiam hîc armare non negligit.


The same in English.

THE EIGHTH SECTION.

[Sidenote: Krantzius, Munsterus] They honour their Bishop as their King
vnto whose command all the whole people haue respect. Whatsoeuer he
prescribeth out of the law, the scriptures, or the customes of other
nations, they do full holily obserue.

There was indeed at the beginning, about the time of the reformation of
religion, great reuerence had vnto the bishop; but neuer so great, that our
politique lawes at the bishops command should giue place to outlandish
lawes and customes. Neither in the time of Albertus Krantzius, much lesse
of Munster (of which two the first deceased in the yere of our Lord 1517,
and the second 1552) the bishops of Island had the authonty of kings, when
as many of the country which were of the richer sort, would not doubt to
rebell against them; which thing is too well knowen in our countrey. Yet in
the meane time, the bishops being terrible with their authority of
excommunication, reduced some vnder their subiection, and others at that
time they cruelly persecuted.

Moreouer, albeit at that time the bishop was had in great, yea, in
exceeding great reuerence, yet now adayes, the darkenesse of popery being
dispelled, the deuill assaulteth men after another sort, and euen here
amongst vs, he is not slacke to arme their minds with contempt, and
peruerse stubburnnesse against God, and his holy ministery.


SECTIO NONA.

[Sidenote: Munster.] Illic victitant plerumque piscibus, propter magnam
penuriam frumenti, quod aliunde à maritimis ciuitatibus infertur: & qui
inde cum magno lucro pisces exportant. Item Munsterus. Illic piscibus
induratis vtuntur loco panis qui illic non crescit.

Vide Lector, quàm Munsterum iuuet, eadem oberrare chorda: vt cum de gente
ignota nihil scribere possit, quod coloris aliquid habeat, vel falsa
afferre, vel eadem sæpius repetere, sicque cramben eandem recoquere
sustineat: Dixerat enim paulò ante, Islandos piscibus viuere. Verba ipsius
superiùs etiam recitata, hæc sunt. Islandia populos continet multos, solo
pecorum pastu et nunc captura piscium victitantes, etc. Et vt cætera
transeam in quibus leue quiddam notari poterat: Illud sanè, panem in
Islandia non crescere, perquam verùm est. Quod etiam illi cum Germania
commune esse crediderim, quòd videlicet nec illic panis crescat, nisi fortè
in Munsteri, agro, vbi etiam acetum naturale optimè crescit. Sed hæc,
troporum indulgentia, scilicet, salua erunt. Ad conicia autem, quæ ex victu
Islandorum petunt extranei, infrà paucis respondebitur, Sect. 15.

The same in English.

THE NINTH SECTION.

[Sidenote: Munsterus.] They liue there for the most part vpon fishes,
because of their great want of corne, which is brought in from the port
townes of other countreys: who cary home fishes from thence with great
gaine. Also Munster sayth, they do there vse stockefish in stead of
bread, which groweth not in that countrey.

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