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diff --git a/14032-8.txt b/14032-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5f37a0f --- /dev/null +++ b/14032-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2606 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, An Enquiry into the Truth of the Tradition, +Concerning the Discovery of America, by Prince Madog ab Owen Gwynedd, +about the Year, 1170, by John Williams + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: An Enquiry into the Truth of the Tradition, Concerning the +Discovery of America, by Prince Madog ab Owen Gwynedd, about the Year, 1170 + +Author: John Williams + +Release Date: November 12, 2004 [eBook #14032] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AN ENQUIRY INTO THE TRUTH OF THE +TRADITION, CONCERNING THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA, BY PRINCE MADOG AB OWEN +GWYNEDD, ABOUT THE YEAR, 1170*** + + +E-text prepared by Robert J. Hall from the library of Joseph S. Colello + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which + includes the original Hebrew letters and words. + See 14032-h.htm or 14032-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/4/0/3/14032/14032-h/14032-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/4/0/3/14032/14032-h.zip) + + The original document contained a number of errors in spelling and + punctuation, which the transcriber preserved. At the end of the + book is a list of errata which have not been corrected in this + transcription. The only revision has been to convert the long-s + characters with an 's', where they occur. + + + + +AN ENQUIRY INTO THE TRUTH OF THE TRADITION, CONCERNING THE DISCOVERY +OF AMERICA, BY PRINCE MADOG AB OWEN GWYNEDD, ABOUT THE YEAR, 1170. + +by + +JOHN WILLIAMS, L. L. D. + +LONDON + +M. DCC XCI + + + + + + + +Hic, ubi nunc Roma est orbis caput, arbor et herbæ, Et paucæ pecudes, +et casa rara fuit. + + Ov. Fast. L. 5. v. 93. + + + + +PREFACE + +The following Observations are with Diffidence given to the Public; +because the Subject is rather obscure and uncertain. However, it is +presumed that there are stronger Reasons for admitting the Truth +of Prince Madog's landing on the American Shores, than for the +contrary. There are many Relations in History, which have obtained +Credit, that appear to me, not so well supported as this Tradition. + +We find allusions to it in the Writings of Ancient British Bards, +who were dead before Columbus sailed on his first Western Voyage. +We are told, also, by credible Authors, that some plain traces of +Christianity, such as it was in the Days of Madog, were found in +America, when the Spaniards landed there. No Nation, in Europe, +hath ever pretended to have visited America before Behaim, Columbus, +or Americus Vespucius, but the Welsh: it is therefore almost, if +not quite certain, that if its religious Notions and Customs were +derived from Europe, it must have been from the Ancient Britons. The +Words in common use on different parts of the Continent, which are +very near, or undeniably Welsh, in both sound and sense, could not +happen by chance, and they could not be derived from any Europeans +but from the Ancient Britons. + +The inhabitants of some parts, it is said had a Book among them, +upon which they set a great Value, though they could not read it. +This Book seems to have been a Welsh Bible, because it was found +in the Hands of a people who spoke Welsh; and because Mr. Jones +could read and understand it. + +This Circumstance is of great Weight in the debate. For whether +this Book was a Welsh Bible or not, it actually proves that the +Natives of that Country where the Book was found, had been on that +Continent many Ages, and could not be the descendants of a Colony +planted there after the discovery of Columbus in 1492. No written +Language or Alphabetical Characters can be totally forgotten by +any people, within the space of 160, or 170 Years, which was the +period that intervened between the discovery of Columbus and Mr. +Jones's visit. + +It will be shewn in this short Treatise that there is not the least +reason to think that the whole was a Story invented to be the ground +of a claim to a first Discovery. For before Columbus returned from +his first Western Voyage, no Nation in Europe had any idea of a +Western Continent except the Ancient Britons; among whom there +seems to have been some Tradition that Prince Madog, many Years +before the 15th Century, had landed on some western Shores; but +that these were the American Shores, was a Discovery of later Ages. + +Mr. Owen Jones, and Mr. William Owen, the Editors of David ab Gwilym's +Poems, lately published, to whom I am obliged for several Observations, +have favored me with the following account of a very late date. + +In a letter, dated Octob. 1st, 1788, a Friend of theirs, a Native +of Wales, who lives on the Banks of the Ohio, informed them that +he had been several times among Indians who spoke Welsh; and that +there was at the time when he wrote, a person in Virginia from +the back settlements who had been among a Tribe of Welsh Indians, +whose situation he laid down on the River Misouris, or Misouri, +about 400 Miles above its junction with the Mississipi; that is +between 40 and 50 degrees North Latitude; This Tribe seems to have +been that which Captain Stewart saw, and which is also mentioned +in Mr. Beatty's Journal. + +This Tribe seems to have little or no connection with other Indians: +the latter are of a deep Copper Colour, but the former, in general +have fair Complexions. + +That Prince Madog's Adventures, are _certainly_, true, I do not +positively say; but from various circumstances, hereafter considered, +they appear so to me. However, should the Evidence produced be +thought insufficient to prove them real Facts it will prove that +some Welsh people had landed on the American Shores long before +Columbus; and as we have no account of any other, it may naturally +be concluded, that they are descended from Prince Madog's Colony. + +The Traditions concerning this Welsh Prince have engaged my attention, +more or less, above 30 Years; and these Sheets were intended for +the Press, had the late misunderstanding with Spain never happened. + +This Subject, as far as I can learn hath never been particularly +examined, though mentioned by various Writers. I have, therefore, +ventured to declare my Opinion, and the reasons by which it is +supported, in hopes that some more able and judicious Antiquary +will take it into Consideration. + +To preserve Connection and perspicuity, the Reader will find some +Facts and Remarks more than once mentioned. I hope that it will +be excused, as it appeared to me unavoidable. + +I beg the Gentlemen to whom I am obliged for much Information to +accept my grateful Acknowledgments. + +Every Author cited in this Treatise hath been consulted, excepting +Francis Lopez de Gomara, Postell. Comp. Cosmo. and the 7th and +8th Decades of Peter Martyr, to which I could have no access. + + Sydenham,--Feb. 1st, 1791. + + + + + + +AN ENQUIRY, &c. + +That the original Inhabitants of America were descended from our +common Parents, Adam and Eve, will admit of no doubt. In Form, +Figure, and in the powers of the mind, we are the same. The only +difference between the Europeans and Americans was, that the former +were in a civilized state, the other uncivilized. By whom, how, and +when that vast Continent was first peopled, are questions which +have employed the thoughts and pens of learned Men for several +Centuries. _Hornius_ in his _De Originibus Americanis_, and Dr. +_William Robertson_ in his _History of America_, with great probability, +were of opinion that they were descended from the Jews, Canaanites, +Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, and Scythians; and that the +Chinese, Swedes, Norwegians, the Welsh and the Spaniards, sent +Colonies thither in later ages.[a] + +[Footnote a: De Originibus Americanis, Lib. I. Cap. 2. Dr. Robertson's +_History of America_, Vol. II. Page 28, Edit. 1788.] + +That America was originally peopled by some of the above Nations +seems most probable from the resemblance between the Inhabitants +and Animals of the northern Regions of America, and the Inhabitants +and Animals of the northern Regions of Europe and Asia. If any are +desirous of knowing the sentiments of different Writers on this +Subject, let them consult the above Authors. In the discusion of +this point I am not concerned; my only design being to examine which +of the _European_ nations, since the eleventh Century discovered +the Western Continent. + +When we reflect upon the populousness of America when discovered, +as supposed, in the 12th Century, we must be convinced that it +was known in very early times, many Centuries before any European +landed on the Coasts. + +The Spaniards claim the Honor of this Discovery. + +Christopher Columbus, a native of Genoa in Italy, by the encouragement +and assistance of Ferdinand and Isabella, King and Queen of Spain, +discovered the West Indian Islands, and some parts of the Continent +of South America, about the year 1492, or 1493 of Christ; and other +parts of it were discovered by Americus Vespucci (Vespucius) about +the year 1497, from whom the whole took its name; but neither of +them seems to have been the first European that visited America. +Dr. Gregory Sharp says that Behaim or Martin of Bohemia was there +about the year 1460.[b] + +[Footnote b: Translation of Baron Holbergh's _Introduction to +Universal History_, p. 211. note. Edit. 1758. De Murr says that +Behem or Behaim, was a native of Nuremberg in Germany, acquainted +with Columbus, but had no right to dispute with him the discovery +of America. + +Analytical Review Vol. II. p. 602.] + +The Spaniards pretend not to any discovery prior to those of Columbus, +Americus, and Behaim. + +That the Spaniards have no right to that Continent, as first +Discoverers, appears to me, very evident; for when they landed +there, they found among the Inhabitants some traces of European +languages and manners. + +From the Testimonies of Travellers and Historians, there are strong +reasons to believe that the Ancient Britons landed on that Continent +nearly 300 years before Behaim or Columbus, so that if a first +discovery gives a right of possession, the whole Continent belongs +to the Ancient Britons. But, in truth, conquest is only oppression +and Inhumanity. If different nations could be brought to live together +in peace, and honestly and amicably carry on Trade, it would be +highly advantageous to the World; but conquest, such as that of +Mexico by Cortez, and of Perun and Chili by Pizarro and Almagro, +in nature and in reason, can give no just right to territory. In +such cases, conquest is only another name for Injustice, Barbarity, +and Murder. + +We have, as far as I can now remember, but one instance, upon record, +of an amicable coalition of interests between public bodies; I +mean that of William Penn, the excellent and justly celebrated +Quaker, with the Inhabitants of the Country, now, after his Name +called Pensylvania, a little before the Revolution in 1668. The +peace of that Colony has been less disturbed than that of any other. +The Indians have been very quiet: He deals fairly and openly with +them, and his descendants, as far as I can learn, have always done +the same. The consequence is that though he died in the Fleet Prison, +his posterity now enjoy a Princely Fortune.[c] + +[Footnote c: European settlements in America. Vol. II. p. 195. +&c. Edit. 1758. I know not how much they are affected by the late +revolution in America.] + +But to enter upon my Subject. + +I known not how it comes to pass, but of late years most of our +Historians seem to be over fastidious. They object to, and call +in question many facts which have been credited for Centuries, and +which upon the whole are supported by very respectable authorities. +In reading History, I make in a strict rule to give every Writer a +fair and candid perusal. While I reject old Women's Fables, monkish +Tales, Absurdities, and pretended Miracles, I am disposed to receive +as Truth, that which seems natural, reasonable, and well supported by +evidence. Agreeably to this rule, I shall now consider the accounts +we have of the Discovery of America by the Ancient Britons. + +I cannot, in Giraldus, find any thing upon the subject. He flourished +about the time when this supposed discovery was made; that is, +during the reigns of Henry the IId. Richard the 1st. and John Kings +of England.[d] + +[Footnote d: Giraldus Cambrensis, or Silvester Giraldus, was of +a Noble Flemish Family, born near Tenby in Pembrokshire, South +Wales, 1145. He was Secretary to King Henry, and Tudor to King +John. He was Arch Deacon of St. David's and of Brecon, which seem to +have been his highest ecclesiastical preferments. He is represented +to have been a busy, meddling and troublesome man, which was the +reason, as it is supposed, why he never rose to higher Dignities +in the Church. He was buried at St. David's about 70 years of age. + +Jones's Musical Relicks of the Welsh Bards, and the Life of Giraldus +drawn up by Leland and Bale from his writings, which is prefixed +to his Itinerary. + +Purchas's Pilgrimage p. 779. Edit. 1626.] + +When Prince Madog, the supposed first European discoverer of America +sailed, Giraldus was about 25 years of age, and probably abroad for +education. He therefore might have no intelligence of transactions +which took place in a distant, and, to him, little known part of +the World; for it does not appear that he ever was in North Wales, +until he accompained Arch-Bishop Baldwin thither in the year 1188, +when he went to convert the Britons to the Romish Faith, and to +persuade them to engage in a Crusade.--Besides, being a Fleming +by descent, and so nearly connected with the English Court, he +could have very little correspondence with the Britons, who were +far from being easy under the Dominion of the usurping Saxons, +Normans, and especially the Flemings, who had lately invaded and +possessed a part of their Country. + +The first account that I can find of the discovery of America by the +Britons is in an History of Wales written by Caradoc of Llancarvan, +Glamorganshire, in the British Language, translated into English +by Humphry Llwyd, and published by Dr. David Powel, in the year +1584. It was re-printed in 1697, under the inspection of W. Wynne, +A. M. Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford. There was another edition +lately published. + +This narrative bears the strongest Semblance of Truth, for it is +plain, natural, and simple. It says, that on the death of Owen +Gwynedd, Prince of North Wales, about the year 1169, several of +his Children contended for his Dominions; that Madog, one of his +Sons, preceiving his Native Country engaged, or on the eve of being +engaged, in a Civil War, thought it best to try his Fortune in some +foreign Climes. Leaving North Wales in a very unsettled state, +he sailed with a few Ships which he had fitted up and mann'd for +that purpose to the westward, leaving Ireland to the north. He +came at length to an unknown Country where most things appeared +to him new and uncustomary, and the manners of the Natives far +different from what he had seen in Europe. Madog having viewed the +fertility and pleasantness of the Country, left the most part of +those he had taken with him behind, (Sir Thomas Herbert says that +the number he left behind was 120) and returned to north Wales. Upon +his arrival, he described to his Friends what a fair and extensive +land he had met with, void of any Inhabitants, whilst they employed +themselves, and all their skill to supplant one another, for only a +ragged portion of Rocks and Mountains. Acordingly, having prevailed +with considerable Numbers to accompany him to that Country, he +sailed back with Ten Ships and bid adieu to his Native Land.[e] + +[Footnote e: When our Author says that the Country was void of +Inhabitants, he can mean only that it was thinly peopled, for he +had just said that Madog saw most things there, new and uncustomary, +very different from what he had seen in Europe: Of consequence +the Country was inhabited before he landed there. (See Hornius's +Observations below). Let it be observed that the account above +given of Madog's Emigration appears to have been written, by Humphry +Llwyd, the Translator of Caradoc, for he is said to have continued +the History to the Death of Prince Llewelyn in 1270. + +See the Preface to Caradoc's History.] + +It is very certain that this account of Madog's Emigration was +not written by Caradoc, for his History comes no lower than the +year 1157; and he seems to have died about the time when this Event +took place. However, it is said by Humphry Llwyd, the Translator of +Caradoc into English, that this part of the History was compiled +from Collections made from time to time, and kept in the Abbies +of Conway in Carnarvonshire North Wales, and Strat Flur. (Strata +Florida, Cardiganshire, South Wales.) The most remarkable occurencies +in the Principality, being registered in these Abbies, were generally +compared together every third year, when the Beirdd or Bards, belonging +to these two Houses, went their ordinary Visitations, which were +called Clera. This custom prevailed till the year 1270, a little +before the death of Llewelyn the last Prince of Wales, and who +was killed near Built in Brecknockshire. + +The best copy of these registers was taken by Guttun Owen, a Bard, +in the Reign of Edward the IVth. King of England, about the year +1480; before the first Voyage of Columbus; but that the continuation, +though not Caradoc's, is a true History, we have no just reason +to question. + +Cynfrig ab Gronow, about the same time with Guttun Owen, mentioned +this Event. Those Bards lived between two and three Hundred Years +after Madog's Emigration; and _before_ them it is alluded to by Sir +Meredyth ab Rhy's about the year 1477. Humphry Llwyd the Translator +of Caradoc flourished in the reign of Henry the VIIIth, King of +England, about 50 or 60 years after Guttun Owen,[f] and Dr. Powel +published Llwyd's Translation, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, about +40 Years after the death of Humphry Llwyd, whose death prevented +its earlier publication. + +[Footnote f: Guttun Owen was a Person of Note in the Reign of Henry +the VIIth. of England; for he was the second Person named in a +Commission issued by that Prince to search the pedigree of Owen +Tudor, that King's Grandfather. Caradoc's History. p. 325. and +Appendix, p. 334. Edit. 1697. This Commission, probably was issued +about the Year 1500, when Henry sent his Son Arthur into Wales.] + +There can be little doubt, but that the writings of Guttun Owen, +Cynfrig ab Gronow, and of Sir Meredyth ab Rhys, were extant in +the Days of Llwyd and Powel, and known to many persons who lived +in the principality, as Powel did. + +The next account I have met with of this Event is in Hakluyt. + +"After the death of Owen Gwynedd, his Sonnes fell at debate who +should inherit after him, for the eldest Sonne born in Matrimony, +Edward, or Jorwerth Drwidion (Drwyndwn) was counted unmeet to govern +because of the maime upon his Face, and Howel that took upon him +the Rule, was a bare Sonne, begotten upon an Irish Woman. Therefore +David, another Sonne, gathered all the power he could, and came +against Howel, and fighting with him, slew him, and afterwards +enjoyed quietly the whole Land of North Wales until his Brother +Jorwerth's Sonne came to Age. + +"Madoc, another of Owen Gwyneth's Sonnes, left the land in contentions +betwixt his Brethren, and prepared certain Ships with Men and munition +and fought adventures by Seas, sailing West and leaving the coast +of Ireland so farre North, that he came to a Land unknown, where +he saw many strange things. + +"This Land must needs be some parts of the Countrey of which the +Spanyards affirm themselves to be the first Finders since Hauno's[g] +Time: whereupon it is manifest that that Countrey was by Britons +discovered long before Columbus led any Spanyards thither. + +[Footnote g: The Carthaginian Admiral, supposed to have flourished +about 450 years before Christ.] + +"Of the Voyage and return of this Madoc, there be many fables framed, +as the common people do use in distance of place and length of +time, rather to augment than to diminish, but sure it is, there +he was. And after he had returned home, and declared the pleasant +and fruitful Countries that he had seen, without Inhabitants; and +upon the contrary, for what barren and wild Ground his Brethren +and Nephews did murther one another, he prepared a number of Ships, +and got with him such Men and Women as were desirous to live in +quietness, and taking leave of his Friends, took his Journey +thitherwards again. + +"Therefore it is supposed that He and his people inhabited part +of those Countries; for it appeareth by Francis Lopez de Gomara +that in Acuzamil, and other places, the people honoured the Cross. +Whereby it may be gathered that Christians had been there before +the coming of the Spanyards; but because this people were not many, +they followed the manner of the Land which they came to, and the +Language they found there. + +"This Madoc arriving in that Western Countery, unto the which he +came in the year 1170, left most of his people there, and returning +back for more of his own Nation, Acquaintance and Friends to inhabit +that fair and large Countery, went thither again with Ten Sailes, +as I find noted by Guttun Owen.[h] I am of opinion that the Land +whereunto he came was some part of the West Indies. + +[Footnote h: Hakluyt, says, that he derived this Account from Guttun +Owen: his writings therefore must have been extant in the Days of +Hakluyt. He does not refer to Humphry Llwyd or Dr. Powel as his +authorities. See Pagitt's Christianographie. p. 86. Ed. 2. What +he says is taken from Hakluyt. See also Francis Lopez de Gomara. +Lib. II. Chap. 16. and Postel's camp. Cosmo, p. 70. Gentleman's +Magazine, December, 1789. + +Madog's Voyage is mentioned in the Turkish Spy, Vol. VIII. p. 158. +Edit. IIth.] + +"Carmina Meredith Filii Rhesi, Mentionem facienda de Madoco, Filio +Oweni Gwyneth, et de sua Navigatione in Terras incognitas. Vixit +hic Meredith circiter, Annum Domini, 1477. + + "Madog wyf, mwyedie Wedd + Jawn Genau, Owen Gwynedd, + Ni fynnwn Dir', f y awydd oedd, + Nid Da mawr ond y Moroedd." + +These Lines were communicated to our Author he says by the celebrated +William Camden. + +A Gentleman who is possessed of Sir Meredyth ab Rhys's, "Cywydd i +ddiolch am Rwyd bysgota; i lfan ab Tudor;" "An Ode to thank Evan ab +Tudor, for a Fishing Net;" obligingly favored me with the following +copy of the above Lines. + + Mewu Awr dda, Minnau ar Ddwr + o fodd hael a fydd Heliwr. + Madog wych, mwyedig Wedd + Jawn Genau, Owen Gwynedd + Ni fynnai Dir', f' enaid oedd, + Na Da mawr ond y Moroedd. + + Literally; "On a happy Hour, I on the water + Of Mannaers mild, the Huntsman will be + Madog bold of pleasing Countenance, + Of the true Lineage of Owen Gwyned. + He covettd not Land, his Ambition was, + Not great Wealth, but the Seas," + +As the Poet seems to be returning thanks to a Friend for a Favour, I +am of opinion that he only alludes to Madog's Success, and expressing +his Hope that he should be as successful in his pursuits. Therefore +in the third Line, I would read, not, wyf, "I am," but wych, "bold," +"Courageous;" &c. and in the fifth Line, I would read not f' enaid +oedd, "my Soul or Ambition was," but ei enaid oedd, "His Soul, +or Ambition was." + +A Gentleman, who, upon the whole, approved of these Alterations, +observed that in the fifth Line, alteration was not necessary; +for f'naid oedd, literally, "he was my Soul," was an apostrophe; +in other Words, "I revere his Memory." + +The four last of the above Lines were sent to me above 30 Years +ago, by my late learned and excellent Friend, Dr. John Collet, +of Newbury, Berks, which I endeavoured to translate as above. + +They were thus rendered into Latin by the late Dr. Samuel Johnson. + + Inclytus hic Hæres magni requiescit Oenii, + Consessus tantum mente modoque patrem. + Servilem talis Cultum contempsit Agelli + Et petiit Terras per Freta longa novas.[i] + +[Footnote i: Public Advertiser. May 25th 1787. Sir Thomas Herbert's +Translation, though faithful, is not literal. + +But, in my opinion, neither He nor Dr. Johnson enter into the real +meaning of the Poet.] + +It hath been said by some Writers that these Lines were found cut +upon a stone in Mexico, but this is said without Foundation. It is +much more probable that they were written, on the above occasion, +by Sir Meredyth ab Rhys, who flourished about 300 Years after Madog's +Voyages. However it is certain that they were written, at least, 15 +Years before Columbus first sailed on his American Voyage; when no +European Nation had any idea of a Western Continent. Of consequence, +the Story was not invented to be the Foundation of a Dispute between +the Britons and the Spaniards about the Discovery of the New World. + +Another Writer who alludes to Madog's Voyage is the Author of a +Book entitled "a brief Description of the whole World." Edit. 5th. +London Printed, for John Marriott, 1620. + +"I am not ignorant that some who make too much of vain Shews, and +of the British Antiquities, have given out to the World, and written +some things to that purpose, that Arthur some time King of Britain +had both Knowledge of those parts (the New World) and some Dominion +in them; for they find (as some report) that King Arthur had under +his Government many Islands and great Countries towards the North +and West, which one of some special Note hath interpreted to signify +America, and the Northern parts thereof, and thereupon have gone about +to entitle the Queen of England (Elizabeth) to be the Soveraigne of +these Provinces by right of Descent from King Arthur. But the Wisdom +of our State has been such as to neglect that Opinion, imagining +it to be grounded upon fabulous Foundations, as many things are, +that are asserted of King Arthur. Only this doth convey some Shew +with it, that, now some Hundred Years, there was a Knight of Wales +who with Shipping, and some pretty Company did go to discover these +parts, whereof, as there is some record of reasonable Credit amongst +the Monuments of Wales, so there is nothing which giveth pregnant +Shew thereunto, that in the late Navigations of some of our Menta +Norumbega, and some other northern parts of America they found +some tokens of Civility and Christian Religion; but especially +they do meet with some Words of the Welsh Language, as that a Bird +with a white Head should be called Penguinn, and other such like; +yet because we have now invincible certainty thereof, and if any +thing were done, it was only in the Northern and worse part, and +the Intercourse between Wales and those parts in the space of 700 +Years, was not continued, but quite silenced, we may go forward +with that opinion that these Western Indies were no way known to +former ages." + +From this Extract we learn that in the Days of Queen Elizabeth a +Tradition prevailed, that at some former Period, Britons went to +America. But that this happened in the Days of King Arthur, and +that he had knowledge of Foreign Countries, or any Dominion in +them, is altogether in-incredible. The Knight of Wales, mentioned +by our Author certainly was Prince Madog; but his Emigration is +placed too early by about 400 years; for all Writers agree, that +if he sailed at all, it was in 1169, or 1170. The above Book was +written during the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, who ascended the Throne +in 1558; and consequently the interval between Madog's Voyages, +and Elizabeth's Accession, was only about 400 Years. However, the +Tradition generally prevailed, and was supported by _one of Special +Note_, in that Reign, when Dr. Powel published the History of Caradoc, +together with Humphry Llwyd's and his own Additions. + +The next Account of Prince Madog's Adventures, I have met with +is in Hornius De Originibus Americanis. Hagæ Comitis, 1652. What +he hath advanced is much the same, and contains little more, as +he himself says, than Extracts from Llwyd, Hakluyt, and Powel. +His Observations on the Subject are the following. + +Ex his concludit omnillo Madocum cum Suis Cambris aliquam partem +Americæ Septentrionalis obtinuisse. Nec aliter statuet quisquis +hanc Navigationem cum Situ Terrarum, vel obiter, contulerit. Nam +post Hiberniam nullæ navigantibus occurrunt terræ nisi Bermudæ +ab omni ævo incultæ, et postea ingens America. Cumque Zephyrum +versus Cursum direxerit Madocus, dubium non est in ipsam devenerit +Virginiam vel novam Angliam, ibique suos exposuerit. Nec obstat quod +tradunt incultam suisse, et Hominibus vacuam Regionem: Vastissimæ +illæ Terræ sunt, et nostro quoque ævo post sex Secula maligne +habitantur. Præterea Tractus ille ad quem Madac appulit desertus +esse potuit; cum tamen alia Loca et interiores partes barbaros +Chichimecas haberent, quibus permixti Cambri et intermissa illa +Navigatione, Linguam Moresque patrios exuerint. In hac vehementer me +confirmant Indigenarum Traditiones. Nam Virginiani et Guahutemallæ +antiquis Temporibus Madocum quendam velut Heroem coluerunt. De +Viginianis Martyr, Dec. VII. C. 3. De Guahutemallis, Dec. VIII C. +5. Habemus _Matec Zungam_ et _Mat Ingam_, qui cur Madoc Camber esse +nequeat quem in eos partes delatum domestica evincunt Monumenta, +ratio nulla reddi potest. Ad antiquitatem, quinque illa Secula +sussiciunt quousque altissima Americanorum Memoria, nec sere ultra, +adscendit.[k] + +[Footnote k: Hornius, ubi Supra. Lib. III. Chap. 2. p. 134, &c.] + +"From hence He (Hakluyt) concludes that Madog with his Cambrians +discovered a part of North America. A cursory attention to the +Figure of the Earth must convince every one, that on this Direction, +he must have landed on that Continent: for beyond Ireland, no Land +can be found except Bermuda, to this Day (about 1650) uncultivated, +but the extensive Continent of America. As Madog directed his course +Westward, it cannot be doubted but that he fell in with Virginia +or New England, and there settled. Nor is this contradicted by +its being said that the Country was uninhabited and uncultivated, +for that Country is very extensive, and in our Times, after Six +Centuries, is but thinly Peopled. Besides, that Tract on which +Madog landed might be desert, and yet other Places in the interior +Parts possessed by the barbarous Chichimecas[l] might be populous, +with whom the Cambrians mingled; and the communication being droped, +(between them and their mother Country) they adopted the Language, +and the manners of the Country. The Traditions prevailing among the +Natives strongly confirm me in this Opinion; for the Virginians +and Guahutemallians, from ancient Times, worshiped one Madog as an +Hero. Concerning the Virginians, See Martyr Decade the VII. chap. +3. concerning the Guahutemallians, Decade VIII. chap. 5. Among them +we have Matec Zungam and Mat Jngam, and why this should not be +Madog the Cambrian, whom the Monuments in the Country prove to +have been in those parts, no reason can be given. As to Antiquity, +five Centuries are sufficient, beyond which American Traditions +do not ascend."[m] + +[Footnote l: A barbarous People to the North West of Mexico.] + +[Footnote m: There were two or more Peter Martyrs; the Person here +referred to, was Peter Martyr, the celebrated civilian of Anghiera +or Angleria, in Italy. He lived in the Court of Ferdinand the fifth, +King of Spain, called the Catholic. In a volume of his Works which +I have consulted he calls himself, "Peter Martyr, Angi Mediolanen, +Consiliarii regii, Pronotarii apost." It is dedicated to Charles +the 5th of Spain, and printed at Basil, by Bebelius 1533. He was +born in 1445, and died in 1525. The date of the first Chapter of +the first Decade is, Ex Hispana Curia Jdus Novem. 6. 1493. and of +the 2d Chapter, Ex Hispana Curia tertio Calend Maii 1494. See also +the 10th Chapter of the 2d Decade. Columbus sailed on his first +Voyage in the Autumn of of 1492, and returned about February or March, +1493. Hence it appears that Peter Martyr was in the Spanish Court +when Columbus returned from his first Voyage; for his first Letter +is dated about 6 or 7 Months afterwards. Peter Martyr, therefore, +ought to be considered as a decisive Evidence that some Nations in +America, honored the Memory of one Madog, when Columbus landed +on that Coast. + +See Nouveau Dictionaire Historique, Ou Histoire abregee, &c. par +une Sociate' de gens de Letres 6mo. Edition. 1786, Paris.] + +This Author in the former part of this Chapter, says, Nam ubi +demonstratum suerit, Madocum cambriæ principem olim cum fuæ Gentis +Hominibus novas in Occidente invenisse Terras et inhabitasse: ejus +etiam nomen ac memoriam adhuc inter barbaros superesse, nihil fere +quod amplius ambigamus, restabit. "For when it is demonstrated that +Madog, a Prince of Cambria, with some of his Nation, discovered +and inhabited some Lands in the West, and that his Name and Memory +are still retained among them, scarcely any doubt remains." + +In the above observations, we have as it appears to me, a clear +proof that Madog visited America, several centuries before the +Spaniards. Matec Zungam, and Mat Jngam, seem to be plain corruptions +of the Name, Madog, the Hero whose Memory was retained, if not +revered, by those who were descended from his Colony. + +In the Gentleman's Magazine, Vol. X, for the Year 1740. p. 103, +&c. the following Narrative is inserted. + +"These presents may certify all persons whatever, that in the Year +1660, being an Inhabitant of Virginia, and Chaplain to Major General +Bennet of Mansoman County, the said Major Bennet find Sir William +Berkeley sent two Ships to Port Royal, now called South Carolina, +which is sixty Leagues to the Southward of Capefair, and I was +sent therewith to be their Minister. Upon the 8th of April we set +out from Virginia, and arrived at the Harbour's Mouth of Port Royal +the 19th of the same Month, where we waited for the rest of the +Fleet that was to sail from Barbadoes and Bermuda with one Mr. +West, who was to be Deputy Governor of the said Place. As soon as +the Fleet came in, the smallest Vessels that were with us sailed +up the River to a place called the Oyster Point. There I continued +about 8 months, all which time being almost starved for want of +provisions, I and 5 more travelled through the Wilderness, till we +came to the Tuscorara Country. There the Tuscorara Indians took us +prisioners, because we told them that we were bound to Roanock.[n] +That night they carried us to their Town, and shut us up close to +our no small dread. The next Day they entered into a consultation +about us, which after it was over their Interpreter told us that we +must prepare ourselves to die next Morning. Whereupon being very +much dejected and speaking to this Effect in the British Tongue, +'Have I escaped so many Dangers, and must I now be knocked on the Head +like a Dog;' then presently an Indian came to me, which afterwards +appeared to be a War Captain belonging to the Sachem of the Doegs, +(whose Original I find must needs be from the Old Britons) and +took me up by the middle, and told me in the British Tongue, I +should not die, and thereupon went to the Emperor of Tuscorara, +and agreed for my Ransom, and the Men that were with me. They then +wellcomed us to their Town, and entertained us very civilly and +cordially four months; during which time I had the opportunity of +conversing with them familiarly in the British Language, and did +preach to them three times a Week in the same Language; and they +would confer with me about any thing that was difficult therein;[o] +and at our Departure, they abundantly supplied us with whatever +was necessary to our Support and Well-doing. They are setled upon +Pontigo River,[p] not far from Cape Atros. This is a brief recital +of my Travels, among the Doeg Indians. Morgan Jones, the Son of +John Jones of Basaleg, near Newport, in the County of Monmouth. +I am ready to conduct any Welshman, or others to the Country. New +York, March 10th, 1685-6." + +[Footnote n: An Harbour at the Mouth of Albemarle River in North +Carolina.] + +[Footnote o: When it is considered that Mr. Jones's Visit to these +Nations was near 500 Years after the Emigration of Prince Madog, +it can be no Wonder that the Language of both Mr. Jones and the +Indians was very much altered. After so long a period Mr. Jones must +have been obliged to make use of Words and Phrases, in preaching +Christianity, with which they must have been altogether unacquainted. +Besides, all living Languages are continually changing; therefore +during so many Centuries, the Original Tongue must have been very +much altered, by the Introduction of New Words borrowed from the +Inhabitants of the Country. Though the Language was radically the +same, yet Mr. Jones, especially, when treating of abstracted subjects, +was hardly intelligible to them, without some Explanations. We are told +that the Religious Worship of the Mexicans, with all its Absurdities, +was less superstitious than that of the ancient and learned Greeks +and Romans. May we not hence conclude that the Mexicans derived +some part of their Religious Knowledge from a People enlightned by +a divine Revelation; which, tho' very much corrupted in the Days +of Madoc, yet was superior to Heathen Darkness. Clavigero, Hist. +of Mexico. Monthly Review, Vol. 65. p. 462, &c.] + +[Footnote p: Pontigo, seems to have been derived from the Welsh +Pont y Go. "The Smith's Bridge;" or Pant y Go, "The Smith's Valley." +Perhaps a Smith dwelt by the Side of a River, or near a Bridge. +Dr. Robertson says, History of America, Vol. II. p. 126, that the +Indians were very ignorant of the use of Metals; Artificers in +Metals were scarce, and on that account a Name might be given to a +Bridge or Valley where one dwelt. Doeg Indians, may be a corruption +of Madog's Indians. Cape Atros, Cape Hateras; near Cape Fair in +Carolina, which last may be Cape Mair, the Cape of Mary, i. e. +the Virgin Mary.--I would just observe that some parts in Europe +seem to have derived their Names from the Welsh. Armorica, has +been thought Latin, yet it is most likely to be Welsh. Ar-y-môr +"upon the Sea," which particularly is the Situation of Bretagne, +in France, twice peopled from Great Britain.] + +This Letter was sent or given to Dr. Thomas Lloyd of Pensylvania, +by whom it was transmitted to Charle Llwyd Esq. of Dôl y frân in +Montgomeryshire; and afterwards to Dr. Robert Plott by Edward Llwyd, +A. M. Keeper of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. + +Mr. Theophilus Evans, a Welch Clergyman, who communicated the above +Letter to the Editor of the Gentleman's Magazine, was Vicar of +St. David's in Brecon, well acquainted with the History of the +Principality. He has made several judicious remarks upon it.[q] + +[Footnote q: It may be supposed that the above Letter was published +about the beginning of the Spanish War in 1740, with a view of +justifying that War; but the Story was not then invented, for it +has been above shewn that the Tradition concerning Madog, was well +known long before Elizabeth's reign; nay, long before she was born.] + +He observes that the truth of Madog's Voyage is confirmed by it; +that several Circumstances unite to establish the Fact; and that +several British Words were used by the Mexicans when their Country +was discovered by the Spaniards; such as Pengwyn, "White Head," the +name, not only of a Bird, but also given to high and bare Rocks.[r] +Groeso "Wellcome." Gwenddwr, "white or limpid Water." Bara, "Bread." +Tâd, "Father." Mam "Mother." Buch or Buwch, "a Cow." Clug-Jâr, "a +Partridge, or Heath Cock" (Clugar is now the Armorican name of a +Partridge.) Llwynog, "a Fox," Coch y dwr, "a red water Bird," Many +others are mentioned by Sir Thomas Herbert, in his Travels. + +[Footnote r: Several Travellers say that the Birds called Pengwyn +have not a White Head: that is, in the Countries where they saw +them. But is it not certain that some Birds vary in Plumage in +different Climates? In this Island the Royston Crow, as it in called +is different in its Plumage from other Crows.] + +Mr. Jones's Narrative shews that the Descendants of Madog's Colony +were, in some measure, a distinct people in the Year 1660. He not +only conversed freely with them, but preached to them in his Native +Tongue. + +When the Spaniards conquered, or rather massacred the Inhabitants +of Mexico, they found among them some traces of Christianity. The +sign of the Cross was highly honoured, possibly worshiped by them. +Having been so many Ages separated from other Christians, their +Religion, more and more, degenerated into Superstition; as, +notwithstanding superior advantages, it did in Europe and in Asia. + +Besides, the Similarity of Dialects in different places, already +taken notice of, inclines me to believe that Madog's Colony, in +process of Time, extended itself much farther than the Country +on which they first landed; for we find several British Words in +other places, and in some of the West Indian Islands.[s] + +[Footnote s: About 90 Leagues to the South East of Mauritius, an +Island in the East Indian Ocean, possessed by the French, there +is another island about 50 Miles round, former called Degarroys, +at present, Deigo Rayes, which name seems derived from the British +Word, Digarad, "unlovely." "utterly forsaken." "Void of all human +Beings." This was the state of the Island in the last Century, +but whether it be now peopled or not, I cannot say. However, it +is well furnished with provisions. See Herberts Travels.] + +The Island Curassoa, or Curazao, possessed by the Dutch, may have +had its name from the British Word, Croesaw, or Croeso, "Wellcome;" +possibly so called for Joy at the sight of Land after a long and +dangerous Voyage. Cape Breton, may also have had its name from +these ancient Navigators, who possibly touched at it in one of their +Voyages. + +To strengthen these Conjectures, it is observable that Montezuma, +Emperor of Mexico, on his submission to Cortez, said that their +Chiefs were of foreign Extraction; and, when the above Circumstances +are attended to, we may be disposed to believe that these Foreigners +were ancient Britons[t] + +[Footnote t: See the Preface to Charlevoix's Travels through America, +and Howel's Letters. Vol. II. Letter 56. p. 77 Edit. 2. This Writer, +who died in 1666, says that the Ancient Italian Bards, much resembled +the Welsh Bards, in alliteration. This seems to intimate that the +British Tongue, or Manners, in some distant Period, were known +and followed in some parts of Italy.] + +I know not of any Objection to the Account given by Humphry Llwyd +and Dr. Powel, confirmed by Mr Jones's Narrative, but what is grounded +upon the very low Estimation in which the Ancient British Writers +are now undeservedly held. + +For Argument's sake, let us suppose that the Original Britons were, +in general, a stupid, foolish race of Men, might there not have +arisen, _even_, among them, in the space of 700, or 800 Years, +_one_ Man blessed with some sagacity and penetration? In early times +the Saxons were a barbarous and savage people. I do not recollect +to have heard of a single instance of Saxon Knowledge or Learning, +before they came to Britain about the Year 449, of Christ. The +Original Inhabitants of this Island were, in some degree, celebrated +for literary Acquisitions in the Days of Julius Cæsar, near 500 +Years before the arrival of the Saxons.[u] + +[Footnote u: Warrington's History of Wales. p. 101. Edit. 2. The +Saxons were so very illiterate when they were called to Britain +by Vortigern, in Welsh, Gwrtheyrn, that they could neither write +nor read. And for that reason Messengers were sent to them from +Britain, with a verbal Invitation. Mr. Llwyd has proved that the +Welsh furnished the Anglo-Saxons with an Alphabet. See a Welsh +Book entitled Drych y prif Oesoedd, "a view of the Primitive Ages," +by the above named Mr. Theophilus Evans. p. 96. note. Edit. 2. +and Rowlands Mona Antigua restorata.] + +Though contrary to History, let us suppose that the Britons were +void of all Understanding and Judgment, of all literary Merit; +that doth not, in the least, affect the Truth of Prince Madog's +Emigration; for by all that appears, it was not owing to Knowledge +or Judgment, but was the consequence of Necessity and Prudence. +This Prince, however dull and sottish, might have sense enough to +see that be could no where be in a worse condition than he was in +his Native Country. There he could not live in safety, being always +surrounded by a lawless Banditti, who sacrificed their Friends, +Relations, and even their Parents, to inherit their Dominions or +Possessions, which after all, for the most part, were only a small +beggarly, wild, and uncultivated District; ragged Rocks and Precipices; +barren Mountains; or boggy, unfruitful, and unfriendly Soil. + +If an Objection be made to the Truth of Madog's Voyages, grounded +upon the silence of History for so many Years, it may with no great +difficulty be answered.[v] + +[Footnote v: The History of the Gwedir Family by Sir John Wynne, +published by the Honorable Daines Barrington, 1773, and afterwards +in his Miscellanies, in 1781, takes no notice of Madog's Voyages; +but mentions him as a Son of Owen Gwynedd. This Author was born in +1553, and died in 1626. He seems, chiefly, at least, to enumerate +those Branches of Owen Gwynedd's Descendants, who were his own +Ancestors. The present Sir Thomas Wynne, Bart. and Lord Newborough +of the Kingdom of Ireland is, I think, a Descendant of our Author.] + +The only History of that Period of British affairs were the Registers +kept at Conway, and Strata Florida, above mentioned; or which Guttun +Owen took the most exact and perfect Copy; and the Odes of the +Bards, for several Years afterwards.[w] These are the only records +we have of there Times. + +[Footnote w: It may naturally be supposed that many Historical +Documents perished, when the Bards were destroyed by King Edward +the Ist.] + +Objections shall be more particularly considered when I come to +consider what Lord Lyttlelton and Dr. Robertson have advanced on +this Subject. + +The Antients were incapable of pursuing foreign discoveries by +Land or Sea. Their notion of the Figure of the Earth was not just, +for most of them thought that it was a flat extensive plain. Their +Knowlege of Astronomy was very much confined; and their Ignorance of +the Properties of the Loadstone would prevent their undertaking any +Voyage of Consequence. Supposing the Country which Madog discovered +was not America, yet to say the Story is a late Invention, and +forged after the discovery of that Continent by Columbus, with a +View to set up a prior Claim to it, is plainly false; for, besides +the testimony of Peter Martyr, respecting Names and Customs, we know +that the Fact had been celebrated by Welsh Bards before Columbus +first sailed to the West.[x] + +[Footnote x: The Welsh Bards were also Historians. They were retained +in great Families to record the actions of their Ancestors, and their +own, in Odes and Songs. Their poems, therefore, may be considered, +as History, sometimes, probably, in some degree, embellished. Out +of Hatred to the Church of Rome, they seem, occasionly, to have +written something in the name of Taliossyn, &c. But the Voyage +of Prince Madog had nothing to do with Religion.] + +Some Writers have said, that it was not to America our Welsh Prince +sailed, and in proof say, that America was well known in the 9th +and 10th Centuries. It is most certain that it was well known to +its Inhabitants for thousands of Years. But that it was at all +known to any European before the 12th Century, at soonest, is +incredible. (See page 12th, &c) for there is not even the Shadow of +Authority for it. We are also told that Greenland was the Country +to which Madog sailed, which is by no means probable, nor, indeed, +possible; because it contradicts every historical Evidence that +we have. Had he sailed to Greenland, he must have left Ireland to +the South, on his left Hand, whereas we are expressly told that +he left it to the North, on his right Hand. Besides, it is said, by +all Writers on the subject, that the Country which Madog discovered +was fair, fruitful and pleasant, but Greenland is a miserable, poor +Country; so excessively cold that all attempts to settle in it, +have failed; for the persons left there have always perished. In +comparison with Greenland, therefore, this Prince's Native Country, +was a Paradise. Farther, I cannot learn that the Greenlanders in +their Persons, Manners, and Customs bear any resemblance to the +Ancient Britons; which some American Tribes plainly do. When we +compare circumstances together, we shall be led, with Hakluyt, to +conclude that Madog landed on some part of New England, Virginia, +&c. and that in process of time the Colony extended itself Southward +to Mexico, and other places; and that those Foreign Ancestors of +the Mexican Chiefs, of whom the Spanish Writers often speak in +their accounts of Cortez's Adventures, were Ancient Britons. + +The probability that Madog sailed to, or was driven upon some part +of the American Continent seems, evident, though perhaps, we have +not facts sufficiently clear to demonstrate it. + +In those ages, before the Invention of the Compass, of the art of +Printing, and of Gun-powder, the Welsh had very few advantages to +boast of above the Native Americans: thence we may conclude that +Madog and his Colony landed amicably, and that they were received +by the Natives with Cordiality. + +That so extraordinary an Event should not excite either the English +or the Welsh to attempt a Discovery of their hardy Countrymen, and +their New Settlement, can only be accounted for by the Ignorance +and poverty of the times. It is most natural to suppose that the +English knew nothing of this Expedition from a Province which +acknowleged not their Authority, and with which they were almost +continually at War, and whose Inhabitants they would have been +exceedingly glad to hear were all gone away: and the poverty of +the Welsh, robbed of their Inheritance by the usurping Saxons, +Normans, and Flemings, would effectually prevent their making any +attempts. + +In short, Mr. Jones's recital of his Travels confirms the Truth of +Prince Madog's Emigration and settlement in some part of America; +for it expressly says, that in the Year 1660, there were some whole +Tribes in North America, who spoke Welsh, and therefore most have +descended from the Ancent Britons.[y] + +[Footnote y: I am obliged to a learned Welsh Divine for several +of the above Observations.] + +A Letter written by Charles Lloyd, Esq. of Dôl y frân, in +Montgomeryshire, already mentioned, published in 1777, by the Revd. +N. Owen, junr. A. M. in a pamphlet entitled, "British Remains," +strongly confirms Mr. Jones's Narrative, and of consequence, the +Truth of Madog's Voyages. Mr. Lloyd says, in a Letter, that he +had been inform- by a Friend, that one Stedman of Breconshire, +about 30 Years before the Date of his Letter, was on the Coast of +America in a Dutch Bottom, and being about to land for refreshment, +the Natives kept them off by Force, till at last this Stedman told +his fellow Dutch Seamen that he understood what the Natives spoke. +The Dutch bade him speak to them, and they were thereupon very +courteous; they supplied them with the best things they had, and +told Stedman, that they came from a Country called Gwynedd, (North +Wales) in Prydam, (prydain) fawr, Great Britain.[z] It is supposed +by Mr. Lloyd that this place was situated between Virginia and +Florida. It is farther said by this Gentleman, that one Oliver +Humphreys, a Merchant, who died, not long before the Date of this +Letter, told him, that when he lived at Surinam, he spoke with an +English Privateer or Pirate, who being near Florida a careening +his Vessel, had learnt, as he thought the Indian Language, which +his Friend said was perfect Welsh. "My Brother, Mr. Lloyd adds, +having heard this, (Mr. Jones's Adventures) and meeting with this +Jones at New York, desired him to write it, with his own Hand, +in his House; and to please me and my Cousin Thomas Price (of +Llanvyllin) he sent me the Original. This Jones lived within 12 +Miles of New-York, and was Contemporary with me and my Brother +at Oxford. He was of Jesus College, and called then Senior Jones, +by Way of distinction." + +[Footnote z: This must be a mistake, for this Island was not called +Great Britain, at soonest, till the Accession of James the first; +Or, these Welsh People were the Descendants of a New Colony from +Britain, since James's Accession. The latter is most probable, for +the Stuart Family had been on the English Throne about 40 Years, +when this Oliver Humphreys died.] + +The Flight of Jones this Gentlemen supposes to have taken place +about the time of Bacon's Rebellion in Virginia, and that he was +with the Indians about the Year 1669.[aa] + +[Footnote aa: Mr. Jones's Narrative says 1660: this Gentleman, +says, 1669; but Mr. Jones's is the best Authority, for his Narrative +is dated March 10th 1685-6, some Years before the time that Mr. +Lloyd supposes that he was among the Indians. The other Date is +either, 1675, or 1673-4. + +See the Gentleman's Magazine. Vol. 47. p. 449.] + +The Date of Mr. Lloyd's Letter is Dolobran. 8m 14 D. 3/4. + +There is also in Mr. Owen's British Remains an Extract from Dr. +Robert Plott's Writings, in which the Doctor declares his Belief +in Prince Madog's Emigration, and Mr. Jones's Narrative. + +About the same time, Sir Thomas Herbert published his Travels, +in which he mentions Prince Madog's Voyages. His Narrative, in +some things not material to the question before us, differs from +Llwyd and Powel. He adds that David the Son of Owen Gwynedd having +slain his illegimate Brother Howel in Battle, was best approved +of, and chosen Prince of North Wales; because by the comeliness +of his Person, and Ingenuity, he had gained the affections of the +Lady Emma Plantagenet, Sister to King Henry the Second.[bb] This +Writer must have seen Llwyd's and Powel's Account, and adds, that +Madog after his last Voyage, returned no more.[cc.] + +[Footnote bb: Warrington's History of Wales, p. 312. Edit. 1788.] + +[Footnote cc: Herbert's Travels, p. 394, &c. The Differences we +find between the Writers who have mentioned prince Madog's Voyages, +seem to imply that they derived their Information form different +Sources.] + +The Language and Customs of the Indians, will be noticed hereafter. + +To these Evidences must be added what the Authors of the universal +History, and Dr. Campbell, in his Naval History of Great Britain, +have said. + +"That the Welsh contributed towards the peopleing of America is +intimated by some good Authors, and ought to be considered as a +Notion supported by something more than bare Conjectures. Powel, +in his History of Wales informs us that a War happening in that +Country for the Succession, upon the death of Owen Gwyneth. A. +D. 1170, and a Bastard having carried it from his lawful Sons, +one of the latter, called, Madog, put to Sea for new Discoveries, +and sailing West from Spain, he discovered a New World of wonderful +Beauty and Fertility. But finding this uninhabited, upon his return, +he carried thither a great Number of People from Wales. To this +delightful Country he made three Voyages, according to Hakluyt. +The Places he discovered seem to be Virginia, New England, and +the adjacent Countries. In Confirmation of this, Peter Martyr says +that the Natives of Virginia and Guatimala celebrated the Memory +of one Madoc as a great and ancient Hero, and hence it came to +pass that Modern Travellers have found several Old British Words +among the Inhabitants of North America; _Matec Zunga_ and _Mat +Inga_ as being in use among the Guatimallians, in which there is +a plain allusion to Madoc, and that with the D softened into T, +according to the Welsh manner of pronunciation. Nay, Bishop Nicolson +seems to believe that the Welsh Language makes a considerable part +of several of the American Tongues. According to a famous British +Antiquary, the Spainards borrowed their double L. (LL) from the +people of Mexico, who received it from the Welsh; and the Dutch +brought a Bird with a white Head from the Streights of Magellan, +called by the Natives, Penguin, which word in the Old British (and +in Modern British) signifies 'White Head;' and therefore seems +Originally to have come from Wales. This must be allowed an additional +Argument, to omit others that occur in Favour of Madoc's three +American Expeditions."[dd] + +[Footnote dd: Universal History. Vol. XX. Dissertion upon the peopling +of America, p. 193. Edit. 1748.] + +It would hence seem that these Writers were inclined to believe +the Tradition concerning Madog; for they say that it is a notion +supported by something more than bare Conjectures. + +They say also that they have omitted other Arguments in Favour of +Madog's Expeditions. + +In the British Tongue, the double L (LL) hath a peculiar sound, +different from any in other Tongues. It hath been said that in +the Spanish it has the same sound. But a Gentleman who understands +the Spanish Language informed me that it is not like the Welsh +double, LL, though it hath a peculiar sound. However, if the Spanish +Tongue hath such a sound, or one near to it, it might have been +derived from the Inhabitants of Mexico or Guatimala; for we have +very strong reasons to believe that the Descendants of Madog's +Colony, spread themselves over a great part of America. But more +of this hereafter. + +Dr. Campbell in his Naval History agrees with the above Writers, +in his general Account, and concludes with these Observations. + +"It must be confessed that there is nothing which absolutely fixes +this Discovery of America, though it must likewise be owned that +the Course before set down might very possibly carry him thither. +The great point is to know how far the fact may be depended upon, +and in relation to this, I will venture to assert that there are +_Authentic Records_, in the British Tongue, as to this Expedition +of Madog's, wherever he went, prior to the Discovery of America +by Columbus, and that many probable Arguments may be offered in +support of this Notion. That these Britons were the Discoverers +of that new World is also true, though at present we have not an +Opportunity to insist upon them." And in a Note Mr. Campbell adds, +"Meredith ab Reece, a Cambrian Bard, who died in 1477, composed +an Ode in his Native Language on this Expedition,[ee] from which +the particulars above mentioned are taken, and this was prior to +Columbus's Discovery; so that Fact would never have encouraged +the framing of this Fable, even supposing it to be so."[ff] + +[Footnote ee: This Ode was cited above, p. 13 &c. It was not written +on Madog's Expedition, but contains an Allusion to it.] + +[Footnote ff: Naval History. Vol. I. P.257. Edit. 2. Mr. Buache +seems to believe Madog's Emigration. History and Memoires of the +Royal Academy of Paris, for 1784. Monthly Review, Vol, 78. p. 616. +Had there not been a Tradition concerning this Fact before the Days +of Queen Elizabeth, this Discovery would hardly have been attributed +to a people so little known as the Britons were at that Period. +It would have been ascribed to some more renowned and powerful +Nation.] + +It is evident, from this Extract, that Dr. Campbell gave credit +to this Tradition, and assigns as a Reason, an Ode written by Sir +Meredyth ab Rhys, (containing an allusion to it) who died about +1477, during the Reign of Richard the 3d, some Years before Columbus +first sailed Westward. Hence then it clearly appears that it was +not a Story invented to dispute the discovery of America with the +Spaniards; for when this Ode was written, Europeans had no Notion +of a Western World. The Voyages of Madog were little known, but +to the Native Welsh, nor did they know whither he went. That it +was to America, was a discovery of after Ages. Had the Story been +first mentioned in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, when at War with +Philip the 2d. King of Spain, it might have appeared suspicious; +but as it had been celebrated and alluded to in an Ode written 50 +Years before she was born, there can, in my Opinion, be no room +for suspicion. The Bard wrote an Ode of thanks to a Friend for a +Favour, in which he alludes to a Fact, honourable to his Country +men, but then of no advantage to them, for all Intercourse between +the Countries had ceased for Hundreds of Years. + +I now proceed to modern Travellers, who prove, that at present, +there are Tribes In North America descended from the Ancient Britons. + +Mr. Charles Beatty, a Missionary from New York, accompanied by +a Mr. Duffield, visited some Inland parts, of North America in +the Year 1766. If I rightly understand his Journal, he travelled +about 400, or 500 Miles, to the South West of New York. During his +Tour he met with several Persons who had been among the Indians +from their Youth, or who had been taken Captives by them, and lived +with them several Years. Among others one Benjamin Sutton, who had +visited different Nations, and had lived many Years with them. +His Account, in Mr. Beatty's Words, was as follows. + +"He, (Benjamin Sutton) informed us, when he was with the Chactaw +Nation, or Tribes of Indians at the Mississipi, he went to an Indian +Town a very considerable Distance from New Orleans, whose Inhabitants +were of different Complexions; not so tawny as those of the other +Indians, and who spoke Welsh. He said he saw a Book among them, +which he supposed was a Welsh Bible, which they carefully kept +wrapped up in a Skin, but they could not read it; and that he heard +some of these Indians afterwards in the lower Shawanaugh Town speak +Welsh with one Lewis a Welsh-man, Captive there. This Welsh Tribe +now live on the West-side of the Mississipi River, a great way +above New Orleans. + +"Levi Hicks--as being among the Indians from his Youth, told us he +had been, when attending an Embassy in a Town of Indians, on the +West-side of the Mississipi River, who talked Welsh, (as he was +told, for he did not understand them) and our Interpreter Joseph +saw some Indians whom he supposed to be of the same Tribe, who +talked Welsh, for he told us some of the Words they said, which +he knew to be Welsh, as he had been acquainted with some Welsh +People. + +"Correspondent hereto, I have been informed that many Years ago, a +Clergyman went from Britain to Virginia, and having lived some time +there, went from thence to South Carolina; but either because the +Climate did not agree with him, or for some other reason, resolved +to return to Virginia, and accordingly set out by Land, accompanied +by some other persons; but travelling thro' the back parts of the +Country which was very thinly inhabited, supposing, very probably, +this was the nearest Way, he fell in with a party of Indian Warriors +going to attack the Inhabitants of Virginia, against whom they +had declared War. + +"The Indians upon examining the Clergyman, and finding that he was +going to Virginia, looked upon him, and his Companions as belonging +to Virginia, and therefore took them all Prisoners, and let them +know they must die. The Clergyman in preparation for another World +went to prayer, and being a Welsh-man, prayed in the Welsh Language, +possibly because this Language was most familiar to him, or to +prevent the Indians understanding him. One or more of the party of +the Indians, was much surprised to hear him pray in their Language. +Upon this they spoke to him, and finding that he could understand +their speech, they got the Sentance of Death reversed; and this +happy Circumstance was the means of saving his Life. + +"They took him back with them into their Country where he found a +Tribe, whore Native Language was Welsh, though the Dialect was a +little different from his own, which he soon came to understand. +They shewed him a Book, which he found to be the Bible, but which +they could not read; and if I mistake not, his ability to read +it tended to raise their regard for him.[gg] + +[Footnote gg: Mr. Jones in his Narrative does not mention a Book, +but that he conversed familiarly with, and preached to these Indians +in Welsh. It appears from hence that Mr. Beatty had not seen Mr. +Jones's Narrative. It were to be wished that this Book, or a Copy +of it, could be procured.] + +"He stayed among them some time and endeavoured to instruct them +in the Christian Religion. He at length proposed to go back to +his own Country, and return to them with some other Teachers, who +would be able to instruct them in their own Language; to which +proposal they consenting, he accordingly set out from thence, and +arrived in Britain, with full intention to return to them with some +of his Country-men in order to teach these Indians Christianity. +But I was acquainted that not long after his arrival he was taken +sick, and died, which put an end to his schemes.[hh] + +[Footnote hh: Mr. Jones says that he was taken Prisoner by the +Indians in 1660, and continued with them 4 months. His Narrative +is dated 1685-6, and he then lived at New York, or within 12 Miles +of it. It is not at an likely therefore that he returned to Britain, +and died here. See pages, 16, 17, and 26.] + +"Sutton farther told us that among the Delaware Tribe of Indians, +he observed their Women to follow exactly the Custom of the Jewish +Women, in keeping separate from the rest Seven Days at certain Times +as prescribed in the Mosaic Law; that from some Old Men among them +he had heard the following Traditions: That of old Time their people +were divided by a River, and one part tarrying behind;[ii] that +they knew not for certainty, how they came first to this Continent, +but account thus for their coming into there parts, near where they +are now settled: That a King of their Nation, when they formerly +lived far to the West, left his Kingdom to his two Sons; that the +one Son making War upon the other, the latter thereupon determined +to depart and seek some New Habitation; that accordingly he set out +accompanied by a number of his people, and that after wandering +too and fro for the space of 40 Years,[kk] they at length came +to Delaware River, where they settled 370 Years ago. The Way, he +says, they keep an account of this, is by putting on a Black Bead +of Wampum every Year since, on a Belt they have for that purpose. + +[Footnote ii: Does not this Tradition refer to the passages of the +Israelites over Jordan into the Land of Canaan under the Conduct +of Joshua?] + +[Footnote kk: The unsettled State of North Wales, the Departure +of Madog, and his Travels before he finally Settled, seem implied +in the above Account, or it may be a confused Tradition of the +Travels of the Israelites in the Wilderness.] + +"He farther added that the King of that Country from whence they +came, some Years ago, when the French were in possession of Fort +Duquesne, sent out some of his People, in order if possible, to +find out that part of their Nation that departed to seek a new +Country, and that these Men after seeking six Years, came at length +to the Pickt Town on the Oubache River, and there happened to meet +with a Delaware Indian, named Jack, after the English, whose Language +they could understand; and that by him they were conducted to the +Delaware Towns where they tarried one year, and returned; that +the French sent a White Man with them properly furnished to bring +back an Account of their Conntry who, the Indians said, could not +return in less than 14 Years, for they lived a great Way towards +the Sun setting. It is now, Sutton says, about 10 or 12 Years since +they went away. He added that the Delawares observe the Feast of +first Fruits, or the green Corn Feast. So far Sutton."[ll] + +[Footnote ll: Journal of a Two Month's Tour, &c. by Charles Beatty. +A. M. dedicated to the Earl of Dartmouth. London. 1768. p. 24, +&c. Note.] + +Before I make any Remarks on the above long Extract I will produce +another Evidence of late Date, to confirm the Truth of Mr. Jones's +Narrative. It is an Accouut given by Captain Isaac Stewart, taken +from his own Mouth, in March 1782, and inserted in the Public +Advertizer, 0ct. 8th, 1785. + +"I was taken Prisoner about 50 Miles to the West-ward of Fort Pitt, +about 18 Years ago by the Indians, and was carried by them to the +Wabash with many more White Men who were executed with Circumstances +of horrid Barbarity. It was my good Fortune to call forth the Sympathy +of what is called the good Woman of the Town, who was permitted to +redeem me from the Flames, by giving, as my Ransom, a Horse. + +"After remaining two Years in Bondage among the Indians, a Spaniard +came to the Nation, having been sent from Mexico on Discoveries. +He made Application to the Chiefs for redeeming me and another +White Men, who was in a like Situation, named John Davey (David) +which they complied with. And we took our Departure in Company +with the Spaniard to the Westward, crossing the Mississipi near +Rouge or Red River, up which we travelled 700 Miles, when we came +to a Nation of Indians remarkably White, and whose Hair was of a +reddish Colour, at least, mostly so. They lived on the Banks of +a Small River which is called the River Post. In the Morning of +the Day after our Arrival, the Welsh Man informed me that he was +determined remain with them, giving us a Reason, that he understood +their Language, it being very little different from the Welsh. My +Curiosity was excited very much by this Information, and I went +with my Companion to the Chief Men of the Town, who informed him in +a Language that I had no knowledge of, and which had no affinity +to that of other Indian Tongues that I ever heard, that their Fore +Fathers of this Nation came from a Foreign Country, and landed on +the East Side of the Mississipi, describing particularly the Country +now called Florida, and that on the Spaniards taking possession of +Mexico, they fled to their then Abode. And as a proof of the Truth +of what he advanced, he brought forth Rolls of Parchment, which were +carefully tied up in Otter's Skins, on which were large Characters +written with blue Ink. The Characters I did not understand, and +the Welsh Man being unacquainted with Letters, even, of his own +Language, I was not able to know the meaning of the writing. They +are a bold, hardy, and intrepid people, very Warlike, and the Women +beautiful when compared with other Indians." + +Captain Stewart and Mr. Beatty's account are nearly of the same +Date, though related by the Captain in March 1782. + +The Riches of the Country I take no Notice of, as they do not concern +my Subject, which is only the Manners, Customs, Traditions, and +Language of the Inhabitants. + +The Information given us by the Captain and Mr. Beatty, seems to +confirm, I may almost say, establish, the Truth of Llwyd's and +Powel's History, and of Mr. Jones's Narrative. The latter says +that in the Year 1660, some Indian Tribes spoke Welsh; and his +Testimony appears to me unquestionable because he understood it. +Messrs. Stewart and Beatty say that it was the Language of some +Indian Tribes about the Years 1766 and 1768. + +This is said by Mr. Beatty on the Testimony of Four different Persons, +Benjamin Sutton, Levi Hicks, Jack (who was himself a Delaware Indian) +and Joseph the Interpreter, who each of them had lived a long time in +the Country, and were acquainted with the Traditions that prevailed +among the Inhabitants. These Persons declared that they know Tribes +of Indians who used the ancient British Tongue. + +There is not the least reason to call their Veracity in question, or +even to charge Them with Credulity, for they could have no Interest +in propagating such a report among Persons who were not Welsh, if +it were not true. Captain Stewart seems to have visited parts of +the Country to the West, and South West, far beyond the Extent of +Mt. Beatty's Tour. + +From these accounts, accurately compared together, it would seem +that the Welsh Tribes are now divided into three Tribes, separate +from one another. The Tuscoraras, on the South side of Lake Erie, +between the Ohio and Mississipi Rivers, behind Pensylvania. The +Delawares, whom I take to be the same with the Doegs, lower down +on the Ohio, and Delaware Rivers; and the other Tribe to the West +of the Mississipi, from whose Country, we are told the Rivers flow +to the South Sea or Pacific Ocean. The Account which the above +named Persons gave to Mr. Beatty is the more credible, as it is +not at all probable, I may say, possible, that either of these +had ever heard of Llwyd and Powel's History; and very little if +any thing of Mr. Jones's Narrative. Of Mr. Jones, however, there +seems to have been some Tradition in the Country, perhaps, among +the Indians; for he must have been the Clergyman alluded to by +Mr. Beatty. + +A Tradition supported by such corroborating Circumstances must have +had some foundation of Truth, and as the Language was evidently +Welsh, it appears to me, beyond all reasonable Doubt, that these +Tribes are descended from Prince Madog's Colony. That the Language +was Welsh cannot be denied; for one Lewis a Welsh-man conversed +with Indians in their own Language. It is observable also that they +had a Book among them upon which they set a great Value, though they +could not read it. This Book, I conclude was a Welsh Bible, which +Mr. Jones could read and understand. The Book which Captain Stewart +saw seems also to have been a Welsh Bible, for it was found in the +Hands of a people who spoke Welsh; and we are told by Mr. Beatty +that Mr. Jones's being able to read this Book, much recommended +him to the Indians. The Captain says that the "Welsh-man was not +acquainted with Letters, even, those of his own Language." This seems +rather surprizing to me; for whatever may have been the original +alphabetical Characters of the Ancient Britons, they used the Greek +Characters in the Days of Julius Cæsar.[mm] which I presume, the +Captain could read; and it is almost certain, that the Britons used +the Roman Characters in the twelfth Century when Madog emigrated. + +[Footnote mm: Græcis Literis utuntur. Com. Lib. VI. As the Gauls +and the Britons at this period, were Friends and Allies, and of the +same Origin, without doubt, they made use of the same alphabetical +Characters. + +Drych y prif Oesoedd. p. 25 and 35.] + +I have no authority positively to assert it, but it is possible +that the Scriptures, translated into Welsh, might be written in +Creek Characters, for the Welsh-man could not read them. Those +Characters might be thought Sacred, because in these Characters, +the Gospel was first written. Had they been Roman, as they had +been long in use, the Welsh-man, if he knew any Letters at all, +could not be ignorant of them. Some parts of North Wales, till of +late Years, were far behind other parts, in every kind of Knowledge; +but as Charity-Schools were opened in South Wales, above fifty Years +ago, and in North Wales, above thirty, the Country is very much +improved in this respect.[nn] Or, perhaps, the Book was written +in the Ancient Greek Characters, of the same Form with those of the +Alexandrian Manuscript in the British Museum. In that Case it is +not at all surprizing that neither the Captain, nor the Welsh-man +could read them. + +[Footnote nn: A Welsh Gentleman observed to me that there may be +found whole Parishes, in the principality, where there are more +Persons who cannot read, than those who can; and as he very justly +added, there is hardly any one in the whole Number, who can read +a Manuscript of the twelfth Century.] + +Though the Art of Printing was not discovered in the Days of Madog, +yet there can be no doubt, but that the Britons had Copies of the +Scriptures in their own Language many Centuries before that period; +for it is almost certain that they were converted to Christianity +about the Year 177. Madog was of a Princely Family: it may therefore +be reasonably thought that he and his Companions had one or more +Copies among them. + +The Jewish Customs mentioned by Mr. Beatty seem to establish the +opinion, that some of the Original Inhabitants of the New Continent, +were Jews, Carthaginians, or Phoenicians, among who those Customs +prevailed. + +By the Way, we are told by Travellers, that some of these Customs +now prevail among the Tartars. As we have no Satisfactory, or even +a plausible, Account of the Ten Tribes carried Captives to the +East by Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, we may be disposed to +think that the Tartars are descended from them. All the Discoveries +of our late Navigators shew that the North Continent of America is +at no great distance from the Northern, North Eastern, and North +Western parts of Asia and Europe. It is therefore possible that +the Tartars, at different Periods, might have been driven on that +Coast, and people the Country. Some Tartars hunting upon the Ice, +on a sudden Thaw, might be carried on the Ice to America, from +whence they could not return.[oo] + +[Footnote oo: See Hornius, ubi supra, pages, 183, 186, 205, 215. +Forster's History of the Voyages and Discoveries made in the North. +Clavigero's History of Mexico and Brerewood on the Languages and +the Religion of the World. + +In the Hebrew we have [Illustration] exploravit, "he search'd," +and a Substantive, [Illustration] exploratores, "Searchers." Hence +some would derive the word Tartar, [Illustration] "Tartar," after +the Hebrew manner. They also think that the British word "Tor or +Torriad," "a breaking or cutting off," has the same Origin. Those who +travel, may be said to "search." When they travel in foreign, unknown +Countries, they may be said to be "cut off" from their Friends, as +the Ten Tribes were from their native Land by Nebuchadnezzar. + +But it is not at all probable that the Tartars derived their Name +from this Hebrew word; for, omitting other reasons, the original +Name of that People is Tatar.] + +As the Captivity happened near 600 Years before Christ, we may +reasonably believe that in the Course of about 2000 Years, the +Americans descended from Tartars might become as numerous as they +are said to have been, when the Europeans landed on their Coast. +This will fully Account for Jewish Customs and Manners in some +parts of America. + +I now proceed to consider the Objections raised by two very respectable +Authors to Prince Madog's Voyages to America; Lord Lyttelton, and +Dr. William Robertson. + +I have already observed, that the Account we have of this Event +in Caradoc's History, was not written by him, but by Humphry Llwyd +and Dr. Powel; but I conceive that Lord Lyttelton was not right +in calling there additions to Caradoc's work "Interpolations." + +Besides the Unpoliteness, indeed, the Impropriety of the Word, this +is to charge the above Writers with wilful and direct Forgeries. +Llwyd and Powel were Gentlemen of fair and unblemished Characters, +and good Scholars. Mr. Llwyd's Writings shew him to have been a Man +of Learning and Judgment; and Dr. Powel was the same; and was well +acquainted with all the Transactions in his Native Principality, +and published several things on that Subject, besides this Work; +such as Ponticus Virunnius, and Giraldus's History. + +Dr. Powel says that he had compared Llwyd's Translation with the +British Book, of which he had at first two Copies, (meaning, as I +understand him, of Guttun Owen's Book) and that he had received a +third and a larger Copy of it from Robert Glover, Somerset Herald. +This Circumstance shews that he was a diligent and careful Enquirer; +and that Llwyd's Translations and Additions were just, true, and +correct. A Gentleman in the Herald's Office must have known what +degree of Credit was to be given to a Writing on a Subject with +which a Person in his Office must have been conversant; otherwise, it +is not probable that he would have been at the trouble of correcting +it, nor would he have sent it to a Friend as a Voucher of a Fact. +Where he found his Copy to differ from others of Authority and +Consistency, he corrected his Copy by them; for a Person in his +Situation must have had free access to all the Repositories of +Antiquity in his own Office, and to others.[pp] Dr. Powel also +corrected his Copy; whence it appears evident that Guttun Owen's +Compilations were extant in Dr. Powel's Days. + +[Footnote pp: Were the Herald's Office carefully searched, there +possibly might be found some papers on this Subject.] + +His Lordship supposes that the Doctor dressed up some Tradition +concerning Madog which he found in Guttun Owen and others, in order +to convey an Idea that his Country-man had the Honour of first +discovering America.--It hath already been observed (page 8th) that +this part of History from 1157, to 1270, was not written by Dr. +Powel, but by Humphry Llwyd. Had these additions been Inventions, +Humphry Llwyd and Dr. Powel must have been very bad and weak Men; +for as Guttun Owen's Works were extant in their Time, the Forgeries +must have been immediately detected. I really believe that his +Lordship is the first Writer that has charged Dr. Powel with wilful +and designed misrepresentations. + +Those writings of Guttun Owen's, which his Lordship allows were +extant in the Days of Dr. Powel, were certainly known before Columbus's +first Voyage; for the Doctor expressly says that he found the +particulars concerning Madog's emigration noted by Guttun Owen, +who wrote, in 1480: consequently this Bard's Writings were known +to Dr. Powel. + +Lord Lyttelton grants that Prince Madog was a bolder Navigator +than any of his Countrymen, in the age he lived, and that he was +"famous for some Voyage; but as the Course was not mark'd, it is +of no Importance to the matter in question." + +With Submission to his Lordship, I think that the Course is clearly +marked, and so thought Hornius, as appears from what he says in the +Extract above cited: for it is said that Madog sailed west-ward, +and left the Coast of Ireland to the North, and that he fell in +with Land in that Direction. And it is certain that no Land is +found in that Direction, but America. + +His Lordship also says "that if Madog did really discover any part +of America, or any Islands lying to the South-west of Ireland, in +the Atlantic Ocean, without the help of the Compass, at a time +when Navigation was ill understood, and with Mariners less expert +than any other in Europe, he performed an atchievement incomparably +more extraordinary than that of Columbus." + +I agree with his Lordship, that is was an extraordinary atchievement, +superior to that of Columbus, who had many advantages which the +other had not: but as I have already observed, it does not appear +that Prince Madog's first Voyage was the result of Sagacity and +Judgment, but of meer Necessity and Prudence. Most probably, chance +threw him on the American Coast.[qq] + +[Footnote qq: In the Space of about 300 Years, a report of Prince +Madog's successful Western Navigations might obtain through Europe; +and the penetrating and enterprizing Genius of Columbus might excite +him to pursue the same Course, in Hopes of finding a nearer Way +to China and other Countries.] + +In this paragraph his Lordship, happens, unfortunately, to be mistaken. +The Naval force of the Britons seems to have been very considerable +in the Days of Julius Cæsar. + +The Reason for which he invaded this Island was, as he says, because +the Britons assisted the Gauls by Land and Sea. Their Naval Power +must have been very considerable, when Vincula dare Oceano, and +Britannos subjugare, were convertible Terms.[rr] Had not the British +Naval Power been then formidable, this would not have been said. + +[Footnote rr: Cæsar says that the Britons assisted the Gauls with +Ships. Hence we may infer that their Ships were of the same Construction +with those of the Gauls, which Cæsar says were built of Oak so +strong that they were impenetrable to the Beaks of the Roman Ships, +and so high that they could not be annoyed by the Darts of the +Roman Soldiers. To the 9th Century, Alfred the great had a very +formidable fleet.] + +Their Maritme Force, it is true, was much weakened by Cæsar; yet +in no long Time it seems to have been considerably restored, as +appears from the Conduct of later Emperors. Had their Navy, as +hath been asserted by some Writers, consisted only of small Fishing +Boats, now, in the Principality called, Coracles, they could not have +afforded such assistance to the Gauls, as to bring upon them the +Roman power. As to unskilfulness, it doth not appear from History, +that this, with truth, could be said of them. + +I know not upon what Authority, it is said by his Lordship that +the Britons were less expert Mariners than any other in Europe; +for they seem to have had Connections in the way of Commerce, with +very distant Nations, before Julius Cæsar; indeed, a very considerable +and extensive Trade with the Phoenicians, and others. + +For these Reasons, I am inclined to believe that the Naval power +of the Britons was considerable before the coming of the Romans. +As to succeeding Times, when the Britons were driven into Wales, +a Country with an extensive Sea Coast, they had little to subsist +upon, but a scanty Agriculture, and rich Fisheries; so that very great +Numbers of them were compelled by necessity to pursue a Seafaring +Life. + +The strongest objection to the Truth of this Event, which is urged +by his Lordship and by others, is the great Improbability that +such a Voyage could be performed without the assistance of the +Mariner's Compass, not then discovered. This Discovery was made +about the Year, 1300; others say, by Behain above mentioned, above +100 Years later. In answer to this Objection, it may be observed +that previously to Madog's Voyage we read of several others, which +appear to me full as improbable. It is generally understood that +the Phoenicians, Grecians, &c. were acquainted with, and sailed +to Britain, and other Countries, for Tin and Lead, and unto the +Baltic Sea for Amber; Voyages which seen as difficult as that of +Madog's, and a longer Navigation. It was hardly possible for the +Britons, not to learn how to navigate Ships, when they saw how +it was done by others. + +The return of our Prince to North Wales, and back again to his +Colony, is the most difficult to be accounted for, in the whole +Story: However, I apprehend, that this is not altogether impossible. + +Let it be observed that the space of Time in which there Voyages +of Madag's were performed is no where mentioned. They might have +taken up twenty Years or more. Madog, on his return to Wales, might +have sailed Northward by the American Coast, till he came to a +situation where the light of the Sun at Noon was the same, at that +Season, as it was in his Native Country, and then sailing Eastward +(the Polar Star, long before observed would prevent his sailing on +a wrong point) he might safely return to Britain. The experience he +derived from his first Voyage would enable him to join his Companions +whom he had left behind. + +That there are strong Currents in the Atlantic Ocean, is well known. +On his return to North Wales, Madog might fall into that Current, +which it is said, runs from the West Indian Islands Northward to +Cape Sable in Nova Scotia, where interrupted by the Land, it runs +Eastward towards Britain. + +There is a Tradition that a Captain of a Ship dined at Boston, in +New England, on a Sunday, and on the following Sunday, dined at his +own House, in Penzance, Cornwall. This is by no means impossible; +for with favourable Winds and strong Currents, a Ship may run above +14 miles in an Hour. + +The late celebrated Dr. Benjamin Franklin of Philadelphia, in a +letter to a Friend well known in the literary World, which I heard +read, said that he was fully convinced that there was such a Current +from West to East, and that he did not think that the Captain's +remarkable Expedition impossible, nor even, altogether, improbable. + +It seems to me not a little strange that Lord Lyttelton should +say, "that no certain Monument, Vestige or Memorial of Madog's +Voyage was ever found." It is hardly possible that his Lordship +would say it, if he saw Hornius, and some other authorities, above +produced, especially Peter Martyr for we have above seen that many +such Memorials were, and are now to be found in America. + +His Lordship, indeed, seems to have entertained a most contemptible +opinion of the Ancient and the Modern Britons, as appears in his +Letter from Snowdon. + +These Remarks, I presume, if they do not remove, yet very considerably +weaken, Lord Lyttelton's Objections.[ss] + +[Footnote ss: Lord Lyttelton's, History of Henry the 2d. Book V. +Note 339. 8th Edit. 1773.] + +I shall now confider Dr. Robertson's Observations on this Subject.[tt] + +[Footnote tt: History of America. Vol. I. p. 373. Edit. 1788.] + +What he hath, in general, advanced, is much the same with what +had been said by Lord Lyttelton and others; and therefore, what +I have already said, will serve as a general Answer: but I must +examine some particulars. + +He first says, "that the Pretensions of the Welsh to the Discovery +of America, seem not to rest on a foundation much more solid, (than +the Discovery of it by Behaim) because that Powel, on whose Testimony +the authenticity of the Story rests, published his History above +four Centuries from the Date of the Event which he relates." It +is granted that Humphry Llwyd, and Dr. Powel, lived some Centuries +after Madog's Emigration; but Dr. Robertson must also grant that +there are several Events, mentioned in History, now commonly believed, +even by the learned, which have no memorials for as long a Period. +Where shall we find any Evidence for the Originality of Ossian and +Fingal, from the Time in which they are said to have been written, +till their publication, a few Years ago by Mr. Macpherson? Whether +these Poems are of Scots or Irish Origin I know not; but they were +not known to the World till very lately. If Dr. Robertson says that +they always were, and now are known in the Highlands of Scotland; +I say in Answer, so was the Expedition of Madog in the High Lands +of Wales, as appears from the Poems of Sir Meredyth ab Rhy's, and +of other Bards. This, by the Way, is an Evidence in which the Poems +of Ossian and Fingal are deficient. The silence of History for +about 1400 Years is much more unfriendly to the Authenticity of +these Poems, than that of about 400 to the Truth of Madog's Voyages. +Ossian and Fingal are supposed to have flourished about the End of +the 3d Century. The Bards drew their Information, chiefly, from the +Collections preserved in the Abbies of Conway and Strata Florida, +and from the current Traditions of the Country. We have no regular +History of the period in which this Prince emigrated, but this +History of Caradoc, and of Llwyd's, and Dr. Powel's additions. I +think that Dr. Robertson cannot produce better Authority for any +Facts, equal in Antiquity; I am sure none, for Ossian and Fingal. + +The Manner in which Dr. Robertson mentions the Verses published, +by Hakluyt and others, is rather observable. "Later Antiquarians, +indeed, appealed to the Testimony of Meredith ab Rhees, a Welsh +Bard, who died in 1477; but he cannot be considered of much more +credit than Powel." This passage implies a severe Reflection on Dr. +Powel. His Evidence is of no weight; it is not worthy of belief; +and, indeed, Sir Meredith ab Rhys, is no better. However I must +beg leave to differ very much, _indeed_, from the Doctor on this +Head, though I much admire him as a Writer and Historian; because +I think their Evidence is not only equal, but much superior to +his, concerning an Event which took place between two and three +hundred Years nearer to their Times than to his. + +I should be very sorry to suspect that Dr. Robertson took notice +of Sir Meredyth ab Rhys, only because he could not well avoid it. +However, as if he wanted to destroy his Authority, he speaks of +him with great Indifference, with a formal, _indeed_. + +He adds, "But if we admit Powel's Story; (Humphry Llwyd's) it does +not follow that the unknown Country which Madog discovered was any +part of America: it is much more probable that it was Madeira, +or some of the Western Isles." With submission, this is altogether +improbable. It is very little farther from North Wales to some +parts of America, than to the Madeiras; and, upon the whole, it is +more secure to sail in an open Sea, than among Shelves and Shoals +on an unknown Coast. + +But not to insist upon this Circumstance; if the Country Madog +discovered was Madeira, or any of the Western Islands, he must +have found them uninhabited, and entirely uncultivated, covered +with Wood, and without any Traces of Human Beings; for as the Doctor +himself says, this was the state of the Madeiras when discovered +by the Portuguese in 1519. The other Western Isles were not, even, +settled, for some Centuries after Madog's Voyages.[uu] + +[Footnote uu: Dr. Robertson. ubi supra. Vol. I. p. 64. If the Country +on which Madog landed was uninhabited, how could he have found the +Customs and Manners of the People different from those of Europe? +Where there were no Inhabitants, there could be no Customs.] + +What the Doctor hath said, after Lord Lyttelton, concerning the +Literature and Naval skill of the ancient Britons, hath been already +animadverted upon. To add more on those particulars, is unnecessary. + +If we could find no Word, among the Americans, similar to the ancient +British, in sound and sense, but Pengwyn, I should no more depend +upon that circumstance than Mr. Pennant doth; but that is not the +case: for many such words were found among the Natives of the New +World, and in the West Indian Islands, which are neither obscure +nor fanciful; for they had not only a strong resemblance in found, +but convey the same Idea precisely, in both Languages. + +As to traces of Christianity, Hornius hath enumerated many that +were found there by the Spaniards; such as the Cross, Baptism, +the Lord's Supper, 35 days Fast, and the Trinity.[vv] + +[Footnote vv: Hornius. ubi supra. p. 128, 178, Peter Martyr. Decade +3d. ch. 5. p. 58. C. and de Insulis nuper inventis. p. 71. C.] + +It is true, that these Customs may have been introduced by other +Nations; by the Chinese, Japanese, &c. as Hornius hath observed: +but this does not concern my subject, which is only to examine +which of the _European_ Nations first visited America. As no Nation +in Europe, but the ancient Britons, hath ever pretended, or does +pretend to have discovered America before, the Spaniards in 1492, +I am inclined to believe that some of these Christian ordinances +and superstitions were introduced by the Britons. + +The space of time between the landing of Prince Madog, and Columbus, +above 300 Years, was sufficiently long to disseminate such Notions +and practices through a very great part of America. + +In short, the account given by Llwyd and Powel hath all the marks +of strict Truth. If it be an Invention without any Foundation, +it is a very singular one, the like to which is hardly to be met +with. All imaginary Heroes and Conquerors, are adorned with every +Virtue; whereas Madog is represented as possessed of no Virtue, +but prudence and Courage. + +Having thus made some Animadversions on Lord Lyttelton's, and Dr. +Robertson's Objections to Prince Madog's Adventures, and endeavoured +to shew, that they do not absolutely overthrow the Truth of the +Fact, I only observe farther here, that these eminent Writers have +entirely omitted to take Notice of Mr. Jones's Narrative, and Mr. +Lloyd's Letter, which they had, or ought to have seen, before they +wrote upon the Subject. + +That the Welsh Tribes above mentioned are not better known to the +Europeans at this Time, is owing to what I have already observed. They +dwell far to the West of the English provinces. They may have been +driven thither by more powerful Tribes of Indians, or by Europeans, +and may now be reduced to an inconsiderable number, comparatively, +by intestine quarrels or foreign Enemies. However, they seem to +have been numerous when Mr. Jones was among them, and about 20 +or 25 Years ago, when Messrs. Beatty and Stewart were among them. + +If Missionaries from different Nations, with cultivated understandings, +and enlarged Minds, acquainted in some measure, at least, with the +Languages of Europe, Asia, and Africa, were sent to the Western +Inland parts of North America, they might be able, to a very +considerable degree of probability, if not of certainty, from their +Language, Customs, and Manners, to trace the Origin of many Tribes +on that vast Continent.[ww] + +[Footnote ww: A Society of public spirited Gentlemen have lately +employed persons to explore the interior parts of Africa. It were +to be wished, that they, or others would extend their plan, and +carry on the like design, in the interior parts of America.] + +No Credit can be given to those who are called Traders in the Country; +for as their chief pursuits are profit, they can make but few +discoveries. The Origin and Manners of Nations are not the objects +which they have in View. Instead of conciliating the friendship +and affections of these unhappy, uncivilized and savage people, +they very often shamefully over-reach them, and impose upon them +in Business; and when they are detected and chastised for their +fraudulent Practices, they bitterly complain of ill treatment, +though it often is much better than they deserve. + +My design, in the above Extracts and Observations, I presume, hath +been answered, which was to shew that the Spaniards have not an +unquestionable right to the Continent of America, as the first +Discoverers among the Europeans; for it appears from well attested +and numerous Relations, Facts and Circumstances, that the Ancient +Britons landed on the American Shores about 300 Years before either, +Behaim, Columbus or Americus Vespucius. + +But after all, what is it that gives a people right to a Country? + +This question is very easily answered. If Voyagers, by chance, +fall in with a Continent, or Island, uninhabited and uncultivated, +they have a right of possession by the Law of Nature, and or reason; +because no human Being is injured or deprived of his right. But if +they find any Inhabitants there, they can have no right. The Man +who robs us on the High Way, or who breaks open, and plunders our +Houses, hath as good a right to what he takes from us, as Conquerors +to a Country, which they may be able to subdue by Force of Arms. +The right obtained by Conquest if admitted, will justify every +Kind and every degree of oppression, even the slavery of our poor +African Brethren. This principle will justify a Nation in wresting +whole Countries out of the Hands of a cultivated, well ordered +and peaceable people. In short, this Principle will justify the +greatest Inhumanity, Cruelty, and Barbarity. + +Nations engaged in open Way may, perhaps, be justified in invading +and subduing their Enemies' Territories, because it may be the +happy means of hastening a Peace, and put an end to the shedding +of human Blood. But, on such Occasions, the innocent Inhabitants +should not be wantonly injured; because the quarrel, is not between +private Individuals, but between their Governors, in which their +real Interests are seldom consulted. Very few necessary Wars have +ever disturbed the peace of the World: they generally are the +consequence of Ambition, Pride, and Vanity. + +To invade and wantonly destroy, or plunder, the Lands or the Houses +of a quiet, inoffensive and peaceable people; to carry away or +destroy their property, without any provocation on their part, +only because they are not able to resist, are acts in themselves +highly wicked and diabolical. + +How Madog and his Colony behaved, when they landed, to the original +Inhabitants of the Country, does not appear; not in a hostile, +but in an amicable and affectionate manner, as may be supposed; +for his memory was held in high esteem by the Mexicans when Cortez +arrived there. He was the Hero whose praises they celebrated in +various places. How the Spaniards behaved is well known. One Author +says that Cortez, and his Army slew four millions of Mexicans and +two Emperors, Montezuma, and Guatimozin, the latter in the most +cruel manner. + +But if two millions, or even _one_, were destroyed, it was a carnage +that will reflect the highest disgrace upon the infernal Perpetrators +for ever. + +Private Persons are often chargeable with fraudulent Practices, in +their dealings with the unsuspicious Natives of America. There is +no doubt but that the English, as well as other Nations, are often +guilt. But public Bodies, as well as Individuals, are chargeable +with unjust and dishonest proceedings, not only with the Indians, +but with one another. + +The Bay of Honduras, and the parts of the adjoining Continent, in +which the English have a right, "to load and carry away Logwood," +by the 17th article of the Peace in 1762, and by the 6th article +of the Peace in 1783, we are told are already dangerous to the +British Traders. The Conduct of the Spaniards in this matter, is +not only unjustifiable, but shameful among enlightened Nations, +and ought to be represented, in its true Light, to the World. If +the Accounts we have are not exaggerated, their Conduct, if not +altered, ought to be resented and chastised. We should not tamely +give up the Sovereignty of the Seas, to any people on Earth, when +Justice and Humanity require us to claim and defend it. + +Spanish Pride is become a proverb: however, it requires no inspiration +to foretel, that in the course of not many Years, the Spanish Power +in America will be much reduced.[xx] The Independence of the late +British Colonies in that Country, will, I fear, make them ambitious; +will lead them to enlarge their Territories; the consequence, most +probably, will be, a great Extent of Dominion, and another conquest +of Mexico. This indeed, in no long time, must naturally take place, +if these Colonies firmly adhere to the principles of their Union. +This may be expected for the following reasons. + +[Footnote xx: The Close of the 18th Century seems teeming with +great Events. The separation of the American Colonies from great +Britain, hath roused the attention of Europe. Religious and Civil +Liberty are hitherto claimed and successfully maintained in France. +In the Austrian Netherlands, and in other Countries, the principles +of Liberty seem to prevail, and though checked for the present, +cannot fail of becoming triumphant in the End. It, possibly, may +have been the design of the Spanish Court, in the present fermented +state of Europe, to lead the people's attention to a foreign War, +lest they should persue the measures taken in France. May the Divine +Blessing accompany every attempt made to establish Truth, Viriue, +and Liberty, all over the World!] + +The American Forces are at Hand, ready to undertake Expeditions, +and to accomplish any purpose, before the Spaniards, at so many +thousands of miles distance, can be apprized of their Designs; +and long before they possibly can send sufficient Reinforcements. +Another Reason is, that the Native Spanish Indians, being in the +most abject Slavery to the Prince and the Priests, will naturally and +heartly join the late British Colonies, and assist them in subduing +the Spaniards, in order to emancipate themselves from bondage, and +to regain their long lost Liberties. + +The British Colonies have set the example, when they thought themselves +aggrieved. The Tyranny, Oppression and Extortion of the Spaniards +in the higher Ranks, will dispose the Native Descendants of the +original Inhabitants, and doubtless, many of the Native Spaniards, +in the lower Ranks, to imitate their Example. + +The Spanish Military Forces in the Country cannot defeat a general +confederacy of the Indians and others; when strengthened by an +Army from the associated American Colonies. + +But this prospect, as far as it regards the independent States, I +cannot reflect upon with any pleasure, rather, with Pain; because +I am convinced, that it will not be of any advantage, but rather +injurious to them to enlarge their Territories. It will lead their +attention to the Gold Mines of Mexico, and cause them to neglect +their own more fruitful Mines at home; Commerce and Industry, the +nearest and most certain Way to Honour, Opulence, and Happiness. + +This Conduct, at least chiefly, reduced the Spaniards to their +present comparative insignifancy, among the Nations of Europe; and +should this be the conduct of the united States, they may expect +the total Destruction of their Religion, Laws, and Liberties. + +May they seriously reflect upon the Conduct of the Athenians and +Carthaginians, in ancient Times; and upon the Conduct of the Venetians, +Genoese, and, especially, Holland, (a District less in dimensions, +than New Jersey, the least of their Colonies by above 2000 square +Miles) in later Times, and they will be soon convinced that Commerce +is the shortest and surest Way to Wealth and Power! + +I have above cited a passage from the ancient Universal History, +in which the Writer appears inclined to believe the reality of +Prince Madog's Voyages. But the Author of the History of America, +Modern Part, Vol. 38, p. 5. treats them with contempt. "To recite, +says he, the fabulous story of Madog, a Welsh Prince, and the Tale +related by William of Newbury, of two green Children, who were +found in a Field, in the Reign of King Stephen, would afford the +judicious Reader as little Amusement as Instruction." + +This voluminous Work, upon the whole, seems well executed, but +like all others of great Length, is very unequal; because written +by persons of different Abilities and Opinions. Gentlemen of great +eminence in the literary World, and of unimpeached Integrity were +engaged; and others, though of acknowledged Abilities, yet, to say +the least, of very suspicious Characters, were employed. Among +the latter, Psalmanazar, who, if he was a Spanish Jesuit, as has +been said, and wrote this article, might be induced by the Amor +Patriæ, to ascribe to his Countrymen the honour of having, first +discoved America. The Author of the above paragraph, whoever he +was, affected to look upon the Tradition concerning Madog, and +the Tale of the two green Children, as equally ill founded, and +unworthy of credit. Whereas in Truth, the one is plainly an idle +monkish Tale, the other a simple Narrative of an Event. One is a +Fact supported by numerous authorities, the other evidently is one +of those prodigies, pretended miracles, and priestly Inventions, +which are to be found in most Authors who wrote during the dark +ages of Popery. + +We have above seen, that one has been favourably thought of by +several Writers, at home and abroad, and is confirmed by circumstances +and memorials in America: the other I have not seen mentioned by +any Writer, but by William of Newbury, and by a few who have cited +him.[yy] + +[Footnote yy: That the ancient Britons were descended from the +Trojans was asserted by several Writers before Jefferey of Monmouth, +who wrote about the Year 1152. It is alluded to by Taliessyn, who +flourished about the middle of the 6th Century. A Welsh Author, +already mentioned, Mr. Theophilus Evans, says, that the first Writer, +who questioned the Fact, was William of Newbury, in welsh called, +Gwilym bach, about the Year 1192, on this occasion. When Jefferey +ab Arthur, (of Monmouth, who was Bishop of St. Asaph) died; William +an English-man applied to David ab Owen to succeed him, and was +refused. The refusal so mortified him, that he immediately set +about composing his Book, in which he abused Jefferey, and the whole +Welsh Nation. There is great reason to believe that resentment, +upon some account, guided the Pen of William. + +See Drych y prif Oesoedd, and the Preface to Jefferey's History.] + +It is true that in this Century, and about the close of the last, +if not near the beginning of it, many Welsh people settled in +America.[zz] But it is as true, that long before the earliest of +these periods, there were whole Tribes in the inland parts of that +Country, who spoke Welsh, and who consequently, must have been +descended from some Colony or Colonies, who had settled there long +before the Year, 1660. + +[Footnote zz: See a performance entitled, Hanes y Bedyddwyr ymhlith +y Cymru. "The History of the Welsh Baptists," by Joshua Thomas. +Carmarthen. 1778.] + +Mr. Jones says that they were numerous, in 1660, and Messrs. Beatty +and Stewart, intimate the same, in 1766, and 1768. It cannot be +thought that there Tribes are descended from emigrants in the present +or last Century. Their Numbers, Customs, Manners, and Traditions, +prove that they have been settled there for many Ages. Besides, +the difference between the European and American Welsh, in Mr. +Jones's time, shews that the two people had then been long asunder; +for it was greater than could take place, within 60, indeed, within +100 Years. + +For these reasons I am strongly of opinion, that several American +Tribes are descended from Prince Madog's Colony. + +From the earliest account we have of the ancient Britons they seem +to have been the best informed, formed, and most enlightened of all +the northern Nations in Europe. The speech of Caractacus, addressed +to the Emperor Claudius, and preserved by Tacitus, is a proof that +good natural Sense and Literature, such as it was in that Age, +in some measure, flourished in Britain.[aaa] + +[Footnote aaa: Tacitus annal. Lib. XII. This Author lived in the +reign of Claudius. Caractacus, in Welsh, Caradoc, appeared before +the Emperor in 52. His address to Claudius made a great impression +upon all the audience, so that his Fetters were immediately taken +off. It is possible that Tacitus was himself one of the Audience. +As the Romans had been in Britain then about 100 Years, Caractacus +might understand and perhaps speak some Latin, yet he could hardly +have spoken so correctly and elegantly as is represented by Tacitus. +The Language, doubtless, was Tacitus's, but the Sentiments were +those of Caractacus. The stile, indeed, is that of Tacitus. Rapin's +History of England. Vol. I. p. 44. 8vo. Edit. Giraldus Descriptio +Cambriæ, Chap. XII. and note, and Rowland's Mona antiqua restaurata, +passim.] + +We have also in Cæsar several passages favourable to British Learning: +I see no reason, therefore, why British Writers should be treated +with contempt. + +The Scotch writers, especially of late years, have strained every +nerve to establish the reputation of their ancient Authors. Oman +and Fingal are ostentatiously held out, as instances of superior +merit and excellence; but the poor Britons are treated with disdain, +as having no merit for imagination, or original Composition. + +Taliessyn, a Welsh Bard, who, as already observed, flourished about +the middle of the 6th Century, and who by way of eminence was called +Pen Beirdd y Gorllewin, "Head of the Western Bards;" some of whose +works are come down to us; particularly, an Ode, in Welsh, translated +into Latin sapphic Verre, by David Jones, Vicar of Llanfair Duffryn +Clwyd, Denbighshire, in 1580.[bbb] Owen Cyfeiliog, and Gwalchmai, +in the 12th Century; and many others, at different periods, of +distinguished merit, have appeared in Wales. Some of whom have +plainly alluded to Madog's Adventures. For the Names, Times, and +the Works of these Bards, I refer to Mr. Evans's Specimens of the +ancient Welsh Bards, 1764. To Sir Thomas Herbert's Travels and +to Mr. Warrington's History of Wales, p. 307. Edit. 1788. + +[Footnote bbb: Owen's Remains, ubi supra, p. i23, &c.--A Gentleman, +well versed in British Antiquities, and Welsh Poetry, to whom these +papers were communicated, says, that there are 30 or 40 pieces of +Talessyn's now in being, but is doubtful whether the above Ode +be Taliessyn's or not.] + +I would observe here that though our Northern Country-men affect, +in some degree, to despise the Welsh, as having produced no Man +of Genius, Science, or Renown, which is by no means the Truth, +as appears from what hath been above said; yet it is well known, +that the Stuart, their favourite Family, by the Mother side, is +descended from the ancient Britons. + +Fleance, the Son of Banquo, who was murdered by the order of the +Usurper Macbeth, to avoid the like Fate, fled to North Wales, where +he was kindly and hospitably entertained by Prince Gryffydd ab +Llewelyn ab Sitsyllt.[ccc] + +[Footnote ccc: Cecil, the Family name of the Marquis of Salisbury, +and of the Earl of Exeter seems to be derived from this ancient +British name, anglicized.] + +Ungenerously he debauched his Daughter, Nest, by whom he had a +Son, called Walter. This Son, being upbraided with his illegitimate +Birth, by one of his Companions, slew him, and fled to Scotland, +where in time he became Lord Steward of that Kingdom; and all the +Families of that name in that Country, are descended from that +Bastard.[ddd] + +[Footnote ddd: For this ungenerous proceeding, Fleance was put +to Death by Prince Gryffydd, and Nest was put to a menial office; +some say, that of a Scullion. She was afterwards married to Trahaern +ab Caradoc, Prince of North Wales. + +Buchanan. Hist. Rer. Scot. p. 193. Dr. Powel's Notes on Giraldus, +Lib. I. Chap. 2. p. 88. Edit. 1588. Warrington's History of Wales, +p. 204, &c. Humphry Llwyd's and Dr. Powel's additions to Caradoc, +p. 91. &c.] + +Thus I have, to the best of my Knowledge and judgment, examined the +Truth of the Tradition, concerning Prince Madog ab Owen Gwynedd, +and his Colony's Emigration, about the Year of Christ 1170; and, I +presume, have shewn, contrary to the assertions of Lord Lyttelton +and Dr. Robertson, that there always were, and that there still are +Monuments, Vestiges, and memorials of that Event in America. Having +produced the Evidence, I leave the Reader to draw the conclusion. + + * * * * * + +ERRATA. + +Page Line Read. + 7 4 perceiving. + 10 8 from the bottom contention. + 12 13 mwyedig. + 13 6 mewn. + 14 1 f'enaid. + 26 4 note formerly. + 28 last line, note restaurata. + 31 7 note somethings. + 31 Taliessyn. + 45 2 after "River" read, + "nine parts in ten passing over the River, and &c. + 61 16 Height. + +The Reader will be so candid as to excuse the above Errors, and +others which may have been overlooked. Those in the Welsh could +hardly have been avoided, as the Printer has no Knowledge of the +Welsh Tongue. + + + + +APPENDIX. + +The following Observations having been omitted, in their proper +places; I beg leave to insert them as an Appendix. + +In page 37. a passage is cited from the Universal History, Vol. +XX. where it is said, on the supposed authority of Hakluyt, that +Prince Madog made three Voyages to the West. Humphry Llwyd, the +Translator of Caradoc, and who continued the History to the death +of Prince Llewelyn about the Year, 1270, mentions only two. When +Madog first sailed it does not appear that he had any particular +place in view; but discovering a fruitful Land, he returned to +his native Country, and having collected together a considerable +number of Men and Women, he went back to the Friends he had left +behind. This is what Humphry Llwyd says, and adds, "that he bid +his final adieu to his native Country." + +Hakluyt's account is that Prince Madog, "prepared certain Ships +with Men and Munition, and fought Adventures by Seas, sailed West. +That he returned to his own Country, and declared the pleasant +and fruitful Countries he had seen without Inhabitants; that he +got together, a number of Men and Women to go with him; that he +took leave of his Friends, and returned to his Companions, whom +he had left behind." Llwyd and Hakluyt agree in saying that Madog +arrived in that Western Country in the Year 1170, and returned +back, and went the second time with Ten Sailes." The Authors of +the Universal History seem to have mistook Hakluyt. Besides Hakluyt +says, he received this account from Guttun Owen; from whom Llwyd +also received his Information; it is not therefore likely that +Hakluyt should differ so materially from his Authorities. + +In page 51, it is observed that when the Romans invaded this Island, +the Ancient Britons used the Greek Alphabetical Character in writing. +This is expressly said by Julius Cæsar. The Welsh tongue on this +Day bears a strong resemblance, in Words and Letters to the Hebrew +and Greek. Instances may be seen in a Pamphlet, published in 1783, +entitled, _Thoughts_ on the Origin of Language, &c. The Gutturals +in the three Languages are founded much alike. The [Illustration], +Hebrew, the X, Greek. and the Ch. in Welsh are pronounced exactly +alike. The English, make very little, if any difference in +pronunciation, between the Greek X, and the K, both are sounded +like the English K. but they have a very different sound; of which +no Idea can be conveyed, but by articulation. It is very familiar +to the Welsh, and to the Scots, Irish and Germans. + +The, _w_ Omega, Greek, in the Welsh, is the O long, and of the same +figure, and sound. Thus in English, "good" in Welsh is written, +"gwd." + +There can hardly be any doubt but that the Roman Characters were +introduced by the Romans; and, as more simple, soon became general. +The Greek, of consequence, gradually declined. However the Britons +seems to have preserved the sound, though not the Form of their +Alphabetical Characters. + +It may however be thought probable, as hath been above observed, +that the Scriptures were written in the Welsh Language, but in +Greek Characters. + + * * * * * + + + + +Published by the same Author. + +Thoughts on the Origin of Language, and on the most rational and +natural manner of teaching the Languages. p. 2s. + +A free Enquiry into the Authenticity of the first and second Chapters +of St. Matthew's Gospel. &c. 2d Edition. 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