THE TRUE STATE OF ICELAND ad. 



1592. 



burg ? What ? Have you determined to gratifie Island 



in this sort, which these many yeeres, by reason of your 



aboundant traffique with us, and your transporting home 



of all our commodities, of our beeves and muttons, and T'he commo- 



of an incredible deale of butter and fishes, hath bene Cities ofis land. 



unto your Citie in stead of a storehouse ? In times past ^^^ ancient 



also, certaine Cities of England and of Holland have %^^?^^/-^ -,, 

 11 1 • • r 1 • T 1 A /r 1 England with 



reaped the commodities or this Isle : Moreover, there island. 



hath bene ancient traffique of Denmarke, Breme, and 



Lubeck with the Islanders. But they never gained by 



any of their chapmen such commendations, and such 



thanks, as are conteined in this libell : It hath in your, 



in your Citie (I say) bene bred, brought foorth, iterated, 



if not the thirde time published : which hath armed other 



people, unto whom the name of Island was otherwise 



scarce knowne, to the disdaine and contempt of this our 



Nation : and this injurie offered by a Citizen of yours, 



hath Island susteined these 30. yeeres and more, and 



doeth as yet susteine. But many such accidents often 



come to passe without the knowledge of the magistrate, 



neither do we doubt but that good men are grieved 



at such infamous libels, and do take diligent heed that 



they be not published : for such editions are contrary 



to the lawe of nature : Doe not that to another which 



thou wouldest not have done unto thy selfe : and to 



the lawes Emperial of infamous libels : wherein is Law^^ against 



enjoyned a most grievous penaltie unto those, who invent, 



write, utter, or cause such libels to be bought or sold, 



or do not presently upon the finding thereof teare them 



in pieces. 



But now time bids us to sound a retreat : and to 



returne home unto thee Island (our most deare mother) 



whom neither povertie, nor colde, nor any other such 



inconveniences shall make ircksome unto us, so long as 



thou ceasest not to give heartie and willing entertainment 



unto Christ : where, first we doe earnestly exhort thee 



to the serious and ardent affection, and love of God, and 



of the heavenly knowledge reveiled unto us in Christ : 



191 



