rHK TJUJK STATE OF ICELAND ad 



I 592. 



PcTugi, was all on fire, as the same Strabo witnesseth. 

 And in the yeares 1226, and 1236, not farre from the 

 promontoric of Islande called Reykians, a flame of fire 

 brake forth out of the sea. Yea even upon mens bodies 

 sudden fires have glittered : as namely, there sprang a 

 flame from the head of Scrvius Tullius lying a sleepe : 

 and also Lucius Martius in Spaine after the death of the 

 Scipions, making an oration to his souldiers, and ex- 

 horting them to revenge, was all in a flame, as Valerius 

 Antias doth report. Plinie in like sort maketh mention 

 of a flame in a certaine mountaine, which, as it is kindled 

 with water, so is it quenched with earth or haye : also 

 of another field which burneth not the leaves of shadie 

 trees that growe directly over it. These things being 

 thus, it is strange that men should accompt that a 

 wonder in Hecla onely (for 1 will graunt it to be, for 

 disputation sake, when indeede there is no such matter 

 so farre foorth as ever I could learne of any man) which 

 is common to manie other parts or places in the world, 

 both hilly and plaine, as well as to this. 



And by the same force that bullets, 6cc. Munster Frisius. 

 saith the like also. This mountaine when it rageth, it 

 soundeth like dreadfull thunder, casteth forth huge 

 stones, disgorgeth brimstone, and with the cinders that 

 are blowen abroad, it covereth so much ground round 

 about it, that no man can inhabite within 20. miles 

 thereof, &c. Howbeit, they ought to have compared 

 it with Aetna, or with other fierie mountaines, whereof 

 I will presently make mention, seeing there is to be 

 found in them, not onely a like accident, but in a 

 manner the very same. Unlesse perhaps this be the 

 diflx^rence, that flames brake seldomer out of Hecla, 

 then out of other mountaines of the same kinde. For 

 it hath now rested these 34. yeares full out, the last fierie 

 breach being made in the yeare 1558. as we have before 

 noted. And there can no such wonders be aflRrmed of our 

 Hecla, but the same or greater are to be ascribed unto 

 other burning mountaines, as it shall by and by appeare. 

 IV 113 H 



