THE TRUE STATE OF ICELAND a.d. 



1592. 



But may I thinke that Munster and Krantzius were so 



mad as to imagine that the Islanders live upon grasse 



and hay ? To this passe of miserie was Nabuchodonozor 



brought undergoing the yoke of Gods vengeance : Daniel 



4. vers. 30. We will easily graunt that beasts, and 



cattell will not perhaps refuse many things, which men 



not onely of our countrey but of yours also eate, if 



the saide beasts be destitute of their usuall food : as 



horses are fedde with corne and barley loaves : they will 



drinke milke also (like unto calves and lambes) and ale, 



if it be proffered them, and that greedily. And dogges 



in like manner will devour any deinty dishes whatsoever. 



May any man therefore say that men use the same 



common victuals with dogges and horses ? 



Now, whatsoever things have happened in the time 

 of grievous famine ought not to be recorded in historie 

 for the generall custome of any countrey. As it is not 

 lawful! for us to write concerning other nations, that the 

 people of this or that countrie, doe usually live by eating 

 of dogs, mise, cats, although perhaps in the time of 

 famine or seige or dearth of corne, they have often bene 

 constrained so to doe. 



But that the same drinke is some times common to 

 many men with beasts, we will not greatly gainesay : 

 namely most pure water, that naturall drinke created 

 by God for all living creatures : which also in some 

 respect Phisicians doe commende, yea, neither the 

 Patriarkes themselves, nor our saviour Christ de- 

 spised it. 



As touching apparell (for we comprehend apparell 

 also under the name of Victus) it is no wise common 

 to us with beasts. For nature hath clad them with 

 haires & bristles (as I dare say Munster and Krantzius 

 cannot be ignorant) men, being otherwise naked, stande 

 in neede of clothes to cover their bodies. But I had 

 not thought it might therefore have properly beene sayde, 

 that sheepe and we have all one apparell. Men of other 

 countries also weare cloth of sheepes wooll, although it 



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