And although they be
not of such worth as I could wish, yet sith a willing minde is worth all, I
would not therefore giue ouer because I mistrusted my selfe as one
insufficient to contend for thine innocencie, for thy reputation, and thine
honour, my deare Countrey. But rather whatsoeuer it be (if it be ought) and
how mickle soeuer which for my slender abilitie I was able to afford in thy
defence, I thought good not to suppresse it: for I esteeme not those men
worthy of commendation, who despairing
To ouergrow the limmes of Lyco stoute,
Neglect to cure their bodies of the goute:
And in very deed, it doeth no whit repent me of my labour, if this little
treatise shall tend neither to thine, nor to mine owne disgrace. But if it
shall any thing auaile to thine honour or defence, I will thinke my
trauaile right well bestowed. Yea, if by this my slender attempt, I may but
onely excite other of thy children, and my natiue Countreymen, being farre
my superiours both in learning and industrie to take thy cause in hand,
either nowe or hereafter what reason is there why any man should say that
it is not worth my labour? Nowe, if they addresse themselues to write,
howsoeuer my fame shalbe obscured, yet wil I comfort my selfe with their
excellencie, who are like to impaire my credite: for albeit a man ought to
haue speciall regard of his name and fame, yet he is to haue more of his
Countrey, whose dignitie being safe and sound, we also must needes esteeme
our selues to be in safetie.
Written at Holen Hialtedale in Island, the yeere of our Lord 1592. the 17.
of the Kalends of May.
* * * * *
A letter written by the graue and learned Gudbrandus Thorlacius Bishop of
Holen in Island, concerning the ancient state of Island and Gronland, &c.
Reuerendissimo viro, eruditione et virtute conspicuo, D. Hugoni Branham,
Ecclesia Hareuicensis in Anglia pastori vigilantissimo, fratri et
symmysta obseruando.
Mirabar equidem (vt conijcis, reuerende domine pastor) primo literarum
tuarum intuitu, ignotum me, ab ignoto, scriptis salutari. Caterum, cum
vlterius progrederer, comperi me, si non aliter, certe nomine tenus, tibi
(qua tua est humanitas) innotuisse: Simulque quod te nominis Islandorum
studiosum experirer, ex animo gauisus sum. Vnde etiam faciam, vt tua
pietas, tuumque nomen, de Euangelio Iesu Christi nobis congratulantis,
deque gente nostra tam benigne tamque honorifice sentientis, et scribentis
apud nos ignotum esse desinat.
[Sidenote: Commentarius breuis de Islandia: per Arngrimum Ionam Islandum
editus, 1593.] Quod vero ad antiquitatis monimenta attinet, qua hic extare
creduntur, nihil sane est (prater illa, quorum in Commentario isto de
Islandia, quem vidisse te scribis, fit mentio) de hac nostra insula lectu
scriptuua dignum, quod cum humanitate tua communicem.
