S. M. V. humiliter subiectus:
Aragrimos Ionas Islandus.
The same in English.
A briefe commentarie of Island: wherein the errors of such as haue written
concerning this Island, are detected, and the slanders, and reproches of
certaine strangers, which they haue vsed ouer-boldly against the people
of Island are confuted.
By Arngrimus Ionas, of Island.
To the most mighty Prince and Lord, Lord Christian the 4. [Footnote:
Christian IV. was the last elective king of Denmark and Norway. Frederick
III. in 1665 changed the constituion to an hereditary monarchy, vested in
his own family.] of Denmarke, Norway, and of the Vandals and Gothes, King
elect: of Sleswic, Holste, Stormar, and Dithmarse Duke: Earle of
Oldenburg, and Delmenhorst: His most gratious Lord.
That heroical attempt of Anchurus, sonne of King Midas (most gratious
prince) and that pietie towards his countrey in maner peerelesse, deserueth
highly to be renowmed in histories: in that freely and couragiously he
offered his owne person, for the stopping vp of an huge gulfe of earth,
about Celoena, a towne in Phrigia, which daily swallowed multitudes of men
and whatsoeuer else came neere vnto it. For when his father Midas was
aduertised by the Oracle, that the said gulfe should not be shut vp, before
things most precious were cast into it; Anchurus deeming nothing to be more
inualuable then life plunged himselfe aliue downe headlong into that
bottomless hole; and that with so great vehemencie of mind, that neither by
his fathers request nor by the allurements and teares of his most amiable
wife, he suffered himselfe to be drawne backe from this his enterprise.
[Footnote:
