A.D. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1592. 



The fourth section. 



Krantzius, They leade their Hves in holy simplicitie, not seeking 

 Munsterus. ^^^ more then nature doeth afforde. A happie 

 Nation, whose povertie no man doth envie. But 

 the EngHsh and Danish merchants suffer not the 

 nation to be at rest, who frequenting that countrey 

 to transport fishing, have conveighed thither our 

 vices, together with their manifolde wares. For 

 nowe, they have learned to brew their water with 

 corne, and beginne to despise, and loath the drinking 

 of faire water. Now they covet golde and silver like 

 unto our men. 



Simplicitie, &c. I am exceedingly glad, that the com- 

 mendation of holy simplicitie is given unto us. But 

 it grieveth us that there is found so great a decay of 

 justice, and good lawes, and so great want of governement 

 amongst us, which is the cause of many thousande 

 haynous offences : which all honest and godly men doe 

 continually bewayle. This inconvenience doth not happen 

 through the negligence of the highest Magistrate, that 

 is, of our most gracious King, but rather by our owne 

 fault : who doe not present these thinges unto his 

 Majestie, which are disorderly committed without his 

 knowledge, and which are wanting in the inferiour 

 Magistrate. 



Merchants. Moreover, Merchants, not onely of Eng- 

 land and Denmarke, but especially of Germanic, as at 

 this time, so heretofore frequenting our countrey, not to 

 transport fishing, but fishes, taught not Islanders the arte 

 of brewing corne with water. For ye Noruagians them- 

 selves, the first, to our knowledge, that inhabited this 

 Hand, from whom ye Islanders are lineally descended, 

 brought with them out of Norway that arte, as also 

 golde and silver coine, so that in old time there was 

 no lesse use of silver and golde with us, then there is 

 at this day. 



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