Nam Et Fruges Aqua Miscere In Potum Didicerunt, Et Simplicis Aqua Haustus Oderunt.

Nunc aurum et argentum cum nostris admirantur.

Simplicitate. Equidem sancta simphcitatis laudem nobis attribui, merito gaudemus: Sed id dolemus, quod reperiatur etiam apud nos iustitia ac legum ingens deprauatio, ac magna anarchia, quam multorum scelerum myriades consequuntur, quod pij et boni omnes quotidie deplorant. Id mali autem nequaquam supremi Magistratus, hoc est, Regis nostri clementissimi, sed verius nostra culpa accidit: qui hac qua clam ipso prapostere geruntur et qua in inferiore magistratu desiderantur, ad maiestatem ipsius non deferimus.

Mercatores. Mercatores porro, non solum Angli et Dani, sed maxime Germani, vt nunc, ita olim terram nostram, non ob piscaturam sed pisces euehendos frequentantes, nequaquam artem illam, miscendarum frugum aqua, Islandos docuerunt. Quippe ipsi Noruagi primi, quod nobis constet, terra nostra incola; a quibus oriundi sunt Islandi, artem illam, sicut etiam aureos argenteosque nummos, secum ex Noruegia attulerunt; vt initio non fuerit minor argenti et auri vsus apud nos, quam est hodie.

Et quidem ante Danorum, Germanorum, Anglorumue frequentes ad nos nauigationes, terra nostra multo, quam nunc, senescentis mundi incommoda, coelo soloque persentiens, fertilior, in delectis simis quibusque locis, Cereris munera produxit.

The same in English.

THE FOURTH SECTION.

[Sidenote: Krantzius. Munster.] They leade their liues in holy simplicitie, not seeking any more then nature doeth afforde. A happie Nation, whose pouertie no man doth enuie. But the English and Danish merchants suffer not the nation to be at rest, who frequenting that countrey to transport fishing, haue conueighed thither our vices, together with their manifolde wares. For nowe, they haue learned to brew their water with corne, and beginne to despise, and loath the drinking of faire water. Now they couet golde and siluer like vnto our men.

Simplicitie, &c. I am exceedingly glad, that the commendation of holy simplicitie is giuen vnto vs. But it grieueth vs that there is found so great a decay of iustice, and good lawes, and so great want of gouernement amongst vs, which is the cause of many thousande haynous offences which all honest and godly men doe continually bewayle. This inconuenience doth not happen through the negligence of the highest Magistrate, that is of our most gracious King, but rather by our owne fault, who doe not present these thinges vnto his Maiestie, which are disorderly committed without his knowledge, and which are wanting in the inferiour Magistrate.

Merchants. Moreouer, Merchants, not onely of England and Denmarke, but especially of Germanie, as at this time, so heretofore frequenting our countrey, not to transport fishing, but fishes, taught not Islanders the arte of brewing corne with water. For the Noruagians themselues, the first, to our knowledge, that inhabited this Island, from whom ye Islanders are lineally descended, brought with them out of Norway that arte, as also golde and siluer coine, so that in old time there was no lesse vse of siluer and golde with vs, then there is at this day.

[Sidenote: Corne of old time growing on Island.] And it is certaine that before the often nauigations of Danes, Germans, and English men vnto vs, our land was much more fertile then nowe it is (feeling the inconueniences of the aged and decayed worlde, both from heauen and earth) and brought foorth, in certaine choyse places, corne in abundance.

SECTIO QUINTA.

[Sidenote: Munsterus. Krantzius.] Rex Dania qui et Noruagia quotannis prafectum immittit genti.

Anno Domino 846. natus est Haraldus Harfagre (quod auricomum vel pulchricomum dixeris) Qui deinde Anno 858, Rex Noruagia designatus, vbi atas viresque iustum incrementum acceperunt, formam imperij Noruagici mutauit. Nam antea in minutas prouincias diuisum (quas Fylki vocabant, et qui his praerant regulos, Fylkis Konga) ad Monarchiam armis potentibus redegit. Id cum et genere et potentia valentes aliquot regni incola agre ferrent, patria exulare, quam ipsius Tyrannidis iugum non detrectare maluerunt. Vnde hi in Islandiam, antea quidem a quibusdam visam et inuentam, at desertam tamen, colonias, dicto Superius Anno 874. transtulerunt: Atque sic genti nostra originem prabentes, se Islandos nuncuparunt, quod nomen hodie posteri retinent. Vixerunt itaque Islandi diu, nullius imperium agnoscentes, annis scilicet 386. plus minus. Et quamuis Rex Noruagia Haquinus ille conatus, qui omnium regum Noruagia diutissime, nempe plusquam 66. annos imperium gerebat, sape per legatos tentarat tributarios sibi facere Islandos, constanter tamen semper restiterunt, donec tandem circa annum Domini 1260. homagium ipsi prastarent. [Sidenote: Margareta.] Atque postea semper in data fide persistentes, et regibus Noruagia parentes, translato per Margaretam, Dania, Suecia, et Noruagia reginam, Noruagorum imperio, ad Danos, vna cum reliquis imperij Noruagici Insulis, Serenissimum Dania regem; Dominum et Regem suum hodie salutant.

The same in English.

THE FIFTH SECTION.

[Sidenote: Munsterus. Krantzius.] The King of Denmarke and Norway sendeth euery yeere a Lieutenant into the Countrey.

In the yeere of our Lord eight hundred fortie and sixe Harold Harfagre (which is to say, golden haires or faire lockes) was borne. Who afterward in the yeere eight hundred fiftie and eight, being chosen king of Norway, when he was growen to age, and full strength, chaunged the forme of the Noruagian gouernment. For whereas before it was diuided into pettie Prouinces (which they called Fylki, and the pettie kings that gouerned them, fylkis konga) he reduced it by force of armes vnto a Monarchie. [Sidenote: The occasion of the first inhabiting of Island by the people of Norway.] But when some inhabitants of the countrie, being mightie, and descended of good parentages, could not well brooke this hard dealing, they chose rather to be banished their countrey, then not to shake off the yoke of tyranny. Whereupon, they in the yeere aboue named eight hundred seuentie and foure, transported colonies into Island being before discouered by some men and found out, but vnpeopled as yet: And so being the first founders of our nation, they called themselues Islanders, which name their posteritie reteineth vnto this day. And therefore the Islanders liued a long time, namely, three hundred eightie and sixe yeeres, more or lesse, acknowledging no submission to any other Nation. [Sidenote:

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