In 1375, Hakon Nominated Alexander Le-Ard To
Be Earl For A Year.
But Sinclair vanquished Le-Ard, and by a large sum
procured the investiture from Hakon in 1379, and we know from history, that
he remained earl in 1406, and was likewise possessed of Shetland.
The name
Sinclair, or Siclair, might easily to an Italian ear seem Zichmni;
and as Sinclair vanquished Le-Ard, who represented the king of Norway, it
was no great impropriety to say that he had beaten the king of Norway.
After these elucidations, there can be no reason left to doubt of the truth
of this narrative of the Zenos which besides, as considered with relation
to the geography of the north at that period, is of great importance
- Forst.
[1] Ramusio. Forst. Voy. and Disc, p. 158.
[2] This is a most unlucky blunders as Icaria and Estoitland are obviously
one and the same place in the narrative of Marcclini, and therefore,
both must be America, or both Ireland, or both in nubibus. - E.
SECTION I
Narrative of Nicolo Zeno.
Nicolo Zeno, surnamed il Cavaliere, or the knight, had a strong desire to
see distant countries, that he might become acquainted with the manners and
languages of foreign nations, by which he might acquire credit and
reputation, and might render himself the more useful to his country. Being
a man of great property, he fitted out a ship with this view, at his own
expence, in 1380, and sailed through the Straits of Gibraltar to the
northwards, intending to visit England and Flanders. By a storm, which
lasted many days, his ship was cast away on the coast of Frislanda[1].
The vessel was entirely lost, but the crew got safe on shore, and part of
the cargo was saved. Zeno and his people were soon attacked by the natives,
attracted by the hopes of a rich plunder, against whom they were hardly
able, in their weary and weather-beaten state, to defend themselves; but,
fortunately for them, Zichmni, or Sinclair, the reigning prince or lord
of Porlanda[2], who happened to be then in Frislanda, and heard of
their shipwreck, came in all haste to their relief, of which they stood in
great need. After discoursing with them for some time in Latin, he took
them under his protection; and finding Nicolo Zeno very expert, both in
naval and military affairs, he gave him, after some time, the post of
admiral of his fleet, which Nicolo for some time refused, but at length
accepted.
Not long afterwards, Nicola wrote an account of these circumstances to his
brother Antonio, inviting him to come to Frislanda; who accordingly soon
arrived there, and lived four years along with Nicolo in that country; and
remained ten years in the service of Zichmni, or Sinclair, the prince of
that country, after the death of his brother Nicolo.
Nicolo Zeno having been shipwrecked in 13SO, on the island of Frislanda,
and saved by prince Zichmni from the rude attacks of the natives, put
himself and all his people under the protection of this prince, who was
lord of certain islands lying to the south of Frislanda, which were
called Porlanda, and were the most fertile and most populous of all the
islands in those parts.
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