THE TRUE STATE OF ICELAND ad. 



1592. 

 condemne that fable, which is so sencelesse of it selfe 

 and not woorthy to be read. 



They are guiltie of the same crime also who have 

 found out ravens, pies, hares and vultures, all white 

 in Island : for it is wel knowen that vultures come Vultures, 

 very seldome, together with the Ise of the sea, unto ^^^^'^^ ^"^ 

 us, as beares also (but they seldomer then vultures) ^.^^ ^^^ ^^.-^r^ 

 and a certaine kind of crowes called by the Islanders he Into Island. 

 Isakrakur. But as for white pies, hares, and ravens, 

 Island never had any. 



And these in a maner be the things which, in regard 

 of our daily busines, we were able at this present to 

 affoord, as touching the former part of our treatise, 

 which were penned by me for this purpose (as in the 

 beginning I did protest) that the errors of Authors 

 concerning an unknowen land, and the affected vanitie 

 also of some men might be disclosed, for I am not 

 desirous to diminish any mans good name : but because 

 I consecrated these my labours to trueth and to my 

 countrey, I could not chuse but shew, that those things 

 which hitherto have bene reported by many concerning 

 our Hand deserve very litle credite : and so to addresse 

 my selfe unto the matters folowing concerning the 

 Inhabitants. 



Here endeth the first part of the Commentarie. 



Of Island the second part, concerning 

 the Inhabitants. 



HAving hitherto finished the miracles of Island with 

 certaine other particulars belonging to the first 

 part, the which while writers doe wonder at, and diversly 

 extoll as it were the fountains of Agamemnon, yea, as 

 things besides and against all nature, they have bene 

 very carelesse both of trueth it selfe, & of their owne 

 credite. Now the course of the present speach doeth 

 admonish mee to make haste unto the other part of 

 the treatise concerning the Inhabitants : wherein what 



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