THE TRUE STATE OF ICELAND ad 



unto the whole nation, are but in verie tewe places, and 

 are either sheepe-cots for shepheards, or cottages and 

 receptacles for fishermen at that time of the yeere onely 

 when they goe a fishing, and the others stande in neede 

 to watch their flocke. But for their houses themselves, 

 and the very dw^elling places of men, the Islanders have 

 had them built from auncient time stately and sump- 

 tuously enough, according to the condition of the 

 Countrey, with timber, stones, and turfes, untill such 

 time as traffike and exchange of wares began ne to cease Tra^ tsitk 

 betweene them and the Noruagians, who were wont to ^ P^P*^ v 

 supply them with timber, and for that cause nowe our ^g^^^^' 

 houses beginne to decay : whenas neither we have woods 

 convenient for building, not yet there are nowe a dayes, DrijitscadMot 

 as there were in olde time, trees cast upon our shores by ^'- P'^'^^J^ 



, , , - , , . , . ^ ,. -^ Ki:'a.\ as tn 



the benetite ot the sea, which may m any sort relieve us : *;^^^. p^^t 

 neither doe outlandish Merchants succour our necessities : 

 whereupon many of our meanest countrey villages are 

 much decayed from their auncient integritie, some whereof 

 be fallen to the ground, and others bee very ruinous. 

 Notwithstanding there be many farmes and villages 

 which I cannot easily reckon up, the buildings whereof 

 doe resemble that auncient excellencie, the houses being 

 very large, both in breadth and length, and for the most 

 part in height also. x\s for example : farmes or granges 

 which conteine chambers in them, more then fiftie cubites 

 in length, tenne in breadth, and twentie in height. And 

 so other roomes, as a parler, a stove, a butterie, 6cc. 

 answering in proportion unto the former. I could here 

 name many of our countrie buildings both large and 

 wide, neither ilfavoured in shewe, nor base in regarde of 

 their workemanship and costly firmenesse or strength, 

 with certaine Churches also, or religious houses built of 

 timber onely, according to auncient and artificial! seemeli- 

 nesse and beautie : as the Cathedrall Church of Holen 

 having a bodie the five pillars whereof on both sides be 

 foure elnes high, and about five elnes thicke, as also 

 beames and weather-bo urdes, and the rest of the roofe 



IV 161 L 



