NICHOLAS AND ANTONIO ZENO 



courage and valour, had determined to make himself 

 Lord of the sea. Wherfore using alwayes the counsaile 

 and service of M. Antonio, he determined to send him 

 with certaine barks to the Westwards, for that towards 

 those parts, some of his fishermen had discovred certaine 

 Islands very rich and populous : which discovery 

 M. Antonio, in a letter to his brother M. Carlo, re- 

 counteth from point to point in this maner, saving that 

 we have changed some old words, leaving the matter 

 entire as it was. 



Sixe and twentie yeeres agoe there departed foure fisher 

 boats, the which, a mightie tempest arising, were tossed 

 for the space of many dayes very desperately upon the 

 Sea, when at length, the tempest ceasing, and the wether 

 waxing faire, they discovered an Island called Estotiland, 

 lying to the Westwards above iooo Miles from Frisland, 

 upon the which one of the boats was cast away, and sixe 

 men that were in it were taken of the inhabitants and 

 brought into a faire and populous citie, where the king 

 of the place sent for many interpreters, but there was none 

 could be found that understood the language of the fisher- 

 men, except one that spake Latine, who was also cast by 

 chance upon the same Island, who in the behalfe of the 

 king asked them what countreymen they were : and so 

 understanding their case, rehearsed it unto the king, who 

 willed that they should tary in the countrey : wherefore 

 they obeying his commandement, for that they could not 

 otherwise doe, dwelt five yeres in the Island, & learned 

 the language, and one of them was in divers partes of 

 the Island, and reporteths that it is a very rich countrey, 

 abounding with all the commodities of the world, and 

 that it is litle lesse then Island, but farre more fruitfull, 

 having in the middle thereof a very high mountaine, from 

 the which there spring foure rivers that passe through 

 the whole countrey. 



The inhabitants are very wittie people, and have all 

 artes and faculties, as we have : and it is credible that 

 in time past they have had trafficke with our men, for 



455 



A.D. 



c. 1380-90. 



The discoverie 

 of Estotiland 

 Westward. 

 Sixe fisher- 

 men taken. 



Fishermen of 

 Frisland 

 speake Latine. 



Sixe were five 

 yeeres in 

 Estotiland. 

 One of the 

 fishers of Fris- 

 land, reporteth 

 of Estotiland. 

 Estotiland 

 rich, abound- 

 ing with all 

 the commodi- 

 ties of the 

 world. 



