Iceland

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

ISELAND is the greatest of all those Ilands in the Westerne Ocean, which are subject to the Kings of Norwey; it takes this name from the cold,* 1.1 wherewith it is partly frozen. It is also called Suelandia, from the Snow: Also Gardartsholme, that is, the Iland of Gardart. The most doe suppose this to bee that Thule mentioned by the Ancients, which also Ptolemie doeth call Thule; the middle whereof he placeth in the 30. Degree of Latitude, and 63. of Longitude. Solinus placeth it five dayes and nights sayle from the Orcades. An Island the most famous of all other with Poets, when by this, as being the farthest part of the World, they would intimate any thing farre distant. Whence Virgil saith, Tibi serviat ultima Thule, may the farthest Thule serve thee. But Sinesius doubteth whether there were ever any Thule: and Giraldus writeth, that it was never seene, and the more Learned are doubtfull in their opinions.* 1.2 The most doe affirme (as wee said) that Iseland was heretofore called Thule: yet Saxo the Grammarian, Crantzius, Milius, Ionius, and Peucerus are of a contrary opinion unto them. But of this enough: I returne againe to Iseland.* 1.3 It is situated not under the s 1.4 first Meridian, as one hath noted, but in the eigth Degree from thence. The length of it is an hundred German miles, as the common Writers have it, and Ionas addeth to these foure and fortie. The Latitude or breadth is sixe and fiftie German miles. It hath an ungentle ayre, and for the most part it is unhabited, especially towards the North, by reason of the vehement Westerne windes, which will not suffer the shrubs (as Olaus writeth) to rise up. The Land is unfit for tillage, neither doth it beare any graine; but all that have written of this Isle doe report, that it hath such abundance of grasse, that unlesse the Cattell were somtime driven from the pasture,* 1.5 they would be in danger to die, and be choak't with their owne fatnesse. Ionas himselfe confesseth, that they have no labouring beasts, but Horses and Oxen: and here all the Oxen and Kine have no hornes, nor their Sheepe likewise. They have little white Dogs, which they very much esteeme. They have abundance of white Faulcones, and white Crowes,* 1.6 which prey upon the young Lambes and Hogges. Also there are white Beares and Hares. Also (as Islandus witnesseth) there are Eagles with white traines: which Pliny (as he saith) called Pygargos. Velleius reporteth, that this Island beareth no tree but the Birch and Iuniper trees: so that there is great scarcitie of wood through the whole Island, unlesse by chance (which somtimes happens) some great trees being rooted up by the violence of the winde, are brought out of the Northerne parts, and like wracks cast upon these moores, which the Inhabitants use in building houses and ships. It hath beene subject to the King of Norwey, (as Ionas reporteth) from the yeare 1260. in which they first did homage to him: In regard whereof, the King of Denmarke and Norwey doth yearely send thither a Governour, who keepes his residence in the Castle called Bestede, whom they now obey, as heretofore they did their Bishops, by whom they were converted to the Christian Faith, under the reigne of Edelbert. In the time of Harald the Faire-haired, the first Monarch of Norwey, some thinke it began to be inhabited: for when hee had expell'd a great company of Noble men out of Norwey, they (forsaking their owne Countrie) came with their whole Families and dwelt here. It is likely, that these things happened a thousand yeares after Christ; but as Islandus Ionas writeth about the yeare 874, who declareth the succession and names of these Bishops. Crantzius nameth Islephus to be the first Bishop. But it seemeth, as we may collect out of the E•logues of Nicolas Zenius, that it was under the command of the Norwegians two hundred yeares before, where we reade, that Zichmus King of Frisland did attempt to get this Island by force of Armes, but was repuls'd by the King of Norwey's Garrison Souldiers, placed in this Island. The whole Island is divided into foure parts. The Easterne part they call Ausilendingasiordung, the Westerne Westlendingasiordung, the Northerne Nortendingasiordung, the Southerne Suydlendingasiordung. They have no Cities, but Mountaines in stead thereof. Here is a Fountaine,* 1.7 the exhalations whereof will change any thing into stone, and yet the shape thereof shall still remaine. And there is a Fountaine of pestilent water, which will poyson any one that tastes of it. There is water that tastes like beere. The Northerne Ocean, in which this Island is situate, doth afford such great plenty of fish, and is so commodious to the Common-wealth of Iseland,* 1.8 that all the Inhabitants doe live and maintaine their Families by it. I should want time to reckon up the severall kindes of Fish that are in the Sea, yet it will not be amisse, to remember some of the rarest. Among which there is a kind of Fish called Nahual, whereof if any one eate, he dieth presently; and he hath a tooth in the innermost part of his head, which standeth forth 7 cubits in length, which some have sold for an Vnicornes horne, and it is beleev'd to have a great vertue against poyson. This Monster is fortie yards long. The Royder is an hundred and thirty Elles long, and hath no teeth; his flesh is most sweet and pleasant in eating, and his fat doth heale many diseases. There is the Brittish Whale, which is thirty Elles long, having no teeth, but a tongue seven Elles in length. And there is a kinde of a great Whale, which is seldome seene, being rather like an Island it selfe than a Fish. In regard of the hugenesse of his body, hee cannot follow the lesser fishes, yet hee takes them by cunning and craftinesse. There is also an other Fish called Stantus Valur, all grisly, and something like a Thornback, but much greater; when he appeareth he seemes like an Island, and overturneth Ships with his Fins. There are also Sea-Oxen, called Seenaut, of a grisly colour, and divers other fishes. I come now to the Mountaines.* 1.9 In Iseland (saith Georgius Agricola) there are three very high Mountaines, whose tops are alwayes white with continuall Snow, the bottomes doe burne with continuall Fire. The first is called Hecla, or Hecklfort; the second, the Mountaine of the Crosse; and the third Helga, that is, the holy Mountaine. Not farre from Hecla there are Mynes of Brimstone, which is the onely commodity of traffique, that belongs to the Inhabitants of Iseland. For Merchants doe fraight and loade their ships with it. The Mountaine when it rageth, doth send forth a noise like thunder, casteth forth great stones, vomiteth out Brimstone, and sils all the ground with ashes round about it, so that the Countrie cannot be inhabited for two entire miles round about it. They which draw neere to this Mountaine to consider and view more curiously the causes why it burnes, are somtime swallowed up alive by some hidden breach in the Mountaine, for there are many, and those covered so with ashes, that no man can beware of them: therefore they call this place t 1.10 Carcer sordidarum animarum, the prison-house of uncleane soules. Besides it happeneth, that the yee being loosed, doth in great peeces for 8 moneths together beat against the shore, and maketh such an horrible sound, that the Inhabitants say, it is the crying and howling of those soules. There is an other Mountaine of the same nature called Helga: this Mountaine in the yeare 1581, (as Ionas witnesseth) did cast forth fire and stones with such a thundering noise, that foure score miles from thence, they thought some great pieces of Ordnance had beene shot off. In one part hereof, strange Spirits are seene in the liknesse of men, so that those who doe not know them to bee dead before, would thinke they were alive: nor doe they finde their errour before the ghosts doe vanish away. But these things Ionas thinkes are fabulous, or else the delusions of the Devill. Crantzius and Olaus doe write, that the Islanders, for the most part, doe dwell in Caves, which they digge in the sides of the Mountaines, especially in the Winter time. But Ionas, on the contrary, saith, that there are many Temples and houses built of wood very faire and costly. The Island hath two Cathedrall Bishopricks, as Holar, or Hallen, under which are the Monasteries Pingora, Remested, Modur, Munkeniere; and Scalholt, under which are those Monasteries Videy, Pyrnebar, Kirckebar, and Shieda. Yet wee understand by the writings of Velletus the Authour of this Table, that there are nine Monasteries in it, and three hundred and nine and twenty Churches. The Bishops are sent thither out of the Universitie of Hassnia, the only University in Denmarke; one of them governeth the Northerne part of the Island, the other the Southerne. And each of them hath a free Schoole joyned to his house, in which hee is bound to be at the cost of the bringing up and teaching of foure and twentie Children.* 1.11 The Inhabitants live, eate, and lodge in the same houses with their Cattell. They live in a holy simplicity, seeking nothing more than what Nature grants them, for the Mountaines are their Townes, and the Fountaines their delight. A happie Nation, not envied by reason of their poverty, and so much the happier because it hath received the Christian Religion. Yet the English and Danish Merchants doe trouble their quiet, not suffering them to be content with their owne; for they frequenting this Island, to bring away fish from thence, have brought among them their vices together with their wares. The memorable acts of their Ancestours, they doe celebrate in Verse, and doe keepe them from oblivion by engraving them on Rocks. They live, for the most part, by Fish, which being dryed and beaten, and so made into a kinde of meate, they use at their Table instead of bread. But the wealthier doe eate bread twice baked. Heretofore they dranke water, and the richer milke, but now they have learned to mingle corne with it, which is brought hither from other places, and they scorne to drinke water, since strangers have begun to traffick with them. For those of Lubeck, Hamburrough, and Rostoch comming every yeare with their ships to this Island, doe bring thither corne, bread,* 1.13 beere, wine, honey, English cloathes, linnen cloth, iron, steele, gold, silver, womens coyfs, and wood for building houses and ships: and they doe expect for these, Iselandish cloth (commonly called Watman) great store of Brimstone, dried fish, butter, tallow, hides, skins of wilde beasts, foxes, white faulcons, horses, and the like. Here is so great plenty of fish, that they lay them in great heapes out of doores, and so sell them, the heapes being higher than the tops of their houses. There is also so great store of salt butter, that they put it up in sweet chests of fortie foot long, and five foote deepe, besides that which they barrell up. And here we will adde Erasmus Michael's Verses concerning Iseland, as hee hath them in his third Booke Of Sea matters.

Vltima Parrhasias Islandia spectat in Arctos, &c.The farthest part of Iseland looketh North,And Westward some Degrees it is streight forth,Which hath not onely a rich pleasant soyleWhile as it doth the yellow Brimstone boyleWithin its cavernes blinde, which at the lastAll mingled with sand, it forth doth cast:Or when the Meddowes bring forth fodder store,And all the vales with grasse are clothed o're;But when upon the shore it fish doth heape,Whose number can't be told, it is so great:Or he distinguisht every severall sort,Which it by shipping doth abroad transport.For though here plenty of all things is found,Yet most of all in fish it doth abound.'Tis rich, the Inhabitants are stout of minde,And where it lyes against the Southerne windeHecla still burneth with continuall flame,Which it at open holes sends forth againe.It casts forth ashes with a fearfull sound,While pitchie flames doe to the Starres rebound.

1682. Cosmography and geography in two parts by Richard Blome

ISELAND, subject to the King of Denmark, is 150 Leagues long, and little less than 100 broad. Its Inhabitants are very lusty, and live above an 100 years; they scarce addict themselves to any thing but the feeding of their Beasts, and Fishing. The Coast toward the South is much better, and best inhabited. The Governour of the Island resides at Bellested on the Coast, Scalhold and Holdon, within Land, are Bishops Sees. The Mountains of Hecla and Helga often vomit Fire, though the Circle of the Pole Arctick passes over this Island, and incloses part of it in the Frozen Zone, leaving the other in the Temperate, if that can possibly be, which lies so contiguous and near to the Frozen; yet doth it not hinder them from enjoying many rare things in their Mountains, in their Lands, in their Fountains and Rivers, in their Beasts, and in their Fish. Iseland doth (in my Judgment.) apparently answer to the Thule of the Ancients, though some Authors of the Country maintain the contrary.

1685. Geographia universalis: the present state of the whole world by Pierre Duval.

Iseland, the Thule of the Ancients, one of the greatest Islands in the World, lyes towards the North in both Hemispheres, where it is part of the Dominions of the Crown of Denmark. This advantage it has of not having so many Rocks upon its Coasts, as have the other Northern Countreys.

There are two Principal Villages, Hola and Schalholt: As for Cities, it has none; the Houses in other places are commonly of Wood; cover'd with the Bark of Trees and with Turfs. The Inhabitants are of the Confession of Augsbourg; have no Physicians, feed their Oxen and their Horses with dry Fish, when they are in want of Hay. They receive often great floats of Ice, which are loosen'd from the Northern Shores, whereon is Wood and several sorts of Creatures, which they accommodate themselves withal. Therefore they inhabit more willingly the Sea-Coasts, than the inner part of the Island. There are several Mountains, whereof Mount Hecla is the most considerable; It casts forth Fire, and is not to be approached within six Miles distance. Danish, Hambourger, and Lubecker Ships, frequently refort thither with diverse Commodities of Europe, which the Islanders stand in need of. The Danes fetch from thence dryed Fish, Whale-Oyl, Butter, Suet, Sulphur, Ox-Hides, and those Teeth of Valrushes, which some esteem as much as Ivory.

Spigelberg, or Spitsbergen, is a Countrey in our Hemisphere, the most advanc'd toward the Artick Pole. It produces only green Moss: those that have been left there to make a full discovery of it, perish'd through cold, after having fought with White Bears, who pretended a right to eat them. Upon its Coasts Whales are taken of a prodigious bulk, since from one alone has sometimes been drawn a a Hundred and twenty Tun of Oyl. The English and Hollanders lay claim to the Dominion of it.

Nova Zembla is the Island Carambice of the Ancients, very near our great Continent, from whence one may pass to it upon the Ice, and one way stretches as far as Spitsbergen, nay, and much farther; so as it may probably be said, that this is the place, where those pass'd who first of all inhabited America: the streight which parts it from the Terra firma, has in its Eastern part high Mountains of Ice, which are call'd Pater-nosters. This Name of Nova Zembla, is by reason of the Way that has been so long sought after along those Coasts, to go to the East-Indies, through the Tartarian-Sea. In the year 1676. Capt. Wood, that Ingenious and Industrious Seaman, was again sent out by His Majesty, King Charles the Second, to make a more perfect Discovery of that North-East Passage; perswaded unto it by diverse Relations of our own and Dutch Mariners; who reported many things concerning it, which Capt. Wood upon his own experience conceives to be false; as that they were either under or near the Pole; that it was there all thaw'd Water, and the Weather as warm as at Amsterdam, &c. He saith further, That he himself cou'd pass no further than 76 Deg. where he found the Sea as far as he cou'd discern, entirely frozen without intermission. That it is most likely, that Nova Zembla and Greenland are the same Continent, at least that there is no passage betwixt them; for that he found scarce any Current: And that little, which was, ran E.S.E. along the Ice; and seem'd only to be a small Tide, rising not above Eight Foot. And whil'st he was in that Degree, there were nothing but Frogs, Frost and Snow, and all imaginable ill Weather, tho' at the same time the heat seem'd to be as great as at any time in England.

The Land of Jesso lyes between Asia and America, being separated from each of those Continents by great Arms of the Sea. Its Inhabitants exchange in those Cities of Japan that are nearest 'em, their Fish, their Skins, the Tongues and the Fat of their Whales, for other Merchandize which they fancy most. The Planks of their Vessels are not nail'd; they are sewed very dexterously with Ropes made of the Rind or Bark of Cocoes, and they do not rot in the Water. The Hollanders have been there several times. Their Relations affirm, That part of this Territory acknowledges the King of Japan for its Soveraign; That the Commander in Chief of this Country, who has his Residence at Matzimai, carries that Monarch every year, Silver, Birds Feathers of several Colours, with very fine Furs.