THE TRUE STATE OF ICELAND ad. 



1592. 

 the wicked behaviour of outlandish mariners, often times 

 doe leade a badde and dishonest life) notwithstanding we 

 are in this place more manifestly wronged through the 

 knavery of this one varlet, and desperate sycophant by 

 his defaming of the whole nation (as others also usually 

 do) then that it should neede any refutation at all. Of 

 which thing strangers themselves, who are not a little 

 conversant in our Hand, may be most sufficient witnesses. 

 I could also gather together many such filthy, 

 unmannerly, and baudie fashions noted by others even 

 in his own countrey. But I detest this dogged elo- 

 quence, neither take I any pleasure to be witty in the [I. 587.] 

 disgracing of others : and yet I will not shew my 

 selfe such a milke-soppe as to be daunted with light 

 words. Onely, let all honest and good men consider, 

 what disposition it argueth, for one to object against 

 a whole nation certaine misdemeanours committed by 

 some one or other particular man. If any man should 

 travell thorowout all the cities and townes of Germanic 

 or any other nation, and heaping together the offences, 

 and most leud maners, the robberies, manslaughters, 

 murthers, whoredomes, adulteries, incests, riots, extor- 

 tions, and other prophane, and filthy actes, should 

 affirme them to be common to all Germans, or 

 otherwise to any other whole nation, and should exagge- 

 rate all these things with notorious lies, is he to be 

 accounted one that spends his time in a good argument ? 

 But what marvaile is it, though a varlet, and, that I 

 may give him his true title, a filthy hogge, that rimer 

 (I say) hath bewrayed his nature and disposition in 

 such like reproches ? For it is well knowen that 

 swine, when they enter into most pleasant gardens, 

 do not plucke lillies, or roses, or any other most 

 beautifull and sweet flowers ; but thrusting their snouts 

 into the ground, doe tumble and tosse up and downe 

 whatsoever durt and dung they can finde, untill they 

 have rooted up most uncleane things, namely such as are 

 best agreeable to their nature, wherewith they greedily 



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