THE TRUE STATE OF ICELAND a.d. 



1592. 

 apostolicall, which forbiddeth to eat things strangled : 

 in the observing of which canons, antiquity hath seemed 

 to be very devout. 



Moreover, we will make a distinction of times also, 

 that it may seeme no strange accident in the time of 

 famine, though many things are, and have bene used 

 by a great number of men to satisfie their hunger, 

 which at other times are scarse meat for dogges. As 

 very lately in the yeere 1590 we heard concerning the 

 citizens of Paris, being environed with the most streight 

 siege of Henrie the fourth. King of Navarre, suffering 

 (as Petrus Lindebergius speaketh) the famine of Sagun- 

 tum : insomuch that they did not onely eate their 

 horses, but also taking the flesh of dead men, and 

 beating their bones to powder in a morter, they mingled 

 therewith a handfull or two of meale, esteeming it 

 dainties. And it is well knowen also of other nations, 

 who in the like urgent necessities have lived by eating 

 of mise, cats and dogs. In like maner sometimes are 

 we Islanders constrained to doe, not being besieged by 

 our enemies (although hitherto we have absteined from 

 mans flesh, yea, and to our knowledge, from dogs, 

 mise, and cats) for whereas we provide things necessary 

 for food out of the land and sea, & no sustenance, or 

 very little, is brought unto us by strangers : so often 

 as God withholdeth his gifts of land and sea, then must 

 follow and ensue a dreadfull scarsity of victuals, where- 

 upon the inhabitants are sometimes vexed with grievous 

 famine. And therefore it is likely that they amongst us 

 which used to live from hand to mouth, and had not 

 some provision of former yeeres remaining, have beene 

 driven to great extremities, so often as need hath 

 enforced them thereunto. But whether this thing 

 ought woorthily to minister occasion to a publike and 

 perpetuall reproch against the Islanders, more then other 

 nations, I referre it to the judgement of indifl^erent and 

 honest mindes. 



Moreover, whereas divers use to object concerning [I. 588.] 



187 



