Annalium in Islandia farrago and De mirabilibus Islandiae

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LMANDI Peerse and Dithma Bleinen pretende to give firα-han information a ut celand asserting that he had visite iis shores, and travete in the counto Accordingly, the writers quote them a trustworth authorities. Blefhen' hookespecialty had a id circulation, and was translate into any other languages it has proh ly sprea more misinformationa ut Iceland than annother single book. Needles to say the Icelandem fel indignant a suo misteadin and derogato publications and wished them tote refuted A staunch defendersoon appeare in the learne Arngrimur Ionsson, ho, esides three descriptive an historical morksin his native and wrote two pamphlet in refutation o Bletae and David Fabricius. In has Brevis commentarius de Blandia Issa Arngrsmur dealtwith the physica geograph of Iceland the inhabitanis, and thei mode of living, but thes ok was writte throughout in acontroversiai style. Hi two later Worki ci mo ea, I 6 , and Specimen Blandi historicum, I 643 were devote to the historyan historica geograph of the country. here is ream to belleve that Bisho Oddur inarsso early lanne to rite a description facetand or something of that hine, 'andae actuallycarrie the plan ut at leastrio som extentu ut a the wor isnow lost, . cannot precisely et What were it character and contenis Bisho Gssit stylescit Avτω λασμα, and give a hortquotation from it. It is also known rom P. Resen's standuae nova descriptio, Resen having Sed it together Wit man otherworks. Ilam incline to thin that it was no a finishe work,

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INTRODUC ON Ihutini notes o disconnecte chapter o various topic relateolo the geographnoi Iceland Accordingly, omne thus far hadattempte a connecte descriptionis the natura phenomen os Iceland anxit was precisely this tas that Bisho Gssii under-took when he wrotei mirabilibus. he want of such a Workwas fel a the time by celandem an foreigner alike, and Bisho Gssi ha many qualifications for producincit. Η Wasfintereste in natural science had doubiles rea aureat ea ofat, an possibi had devote some timerio the stud of it hile in the University. From persona observation e ne thecounir belle than mos of his contemporaries os a out he had travete wit his ather o the lalter' toum os inspectionthrough the dioces an alter he had ecome bisho himself, the visitatio of the various parishe was ne of his episcopalcluties. Further, he had atraeas travete ove paris of the Hola diocese his ather-in-lawieing one of the leadin me in

that sectionis the Country.

The author hegins De mirabilibus by describin the geographical positionis Iceland ut he frankly confesses his inabilityto determine it through his own calculations instead heappeal to ther authorities, quotin Hans ansen an Peter Apianus, as etllas his ather, Bisho Oddur. It is strange, however, that he cloes no mention Bisho Gudbrandu ofviolar, ho was the firstrio succee in determining it tolerable accuracy the geographical positionis Iceland and whora to this time had made the best ma of the country. 'ohe nex chapter deat with the pola ice and the things connecte withit. Then follows a description os meteor an other aeria phenomena, towhich in the scientific opinion of the time, earlhquakes and volcani eruption mere related. he author thenoreat os monster an serpentii lahes rivera, and the ocean. wellingum them at some tength, after Whic he passes on to the description of hales and shes, includin among the lalter mollusos and echinoderms Five chapter are devote to bitas,

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tious period in the histor os Icelanx it Was the age of the witchcraft trials when the belle in allisinos o supernaturalor preternatura things, MonSters omens, and the like was atiis height ne would thereiore expect to find the authorsharin an expressing the view of his contemporariem; et itis gratityin to note hoW comparativel Aound in man ways his opinion are he stor of the activities of allege Sorcerershe in one place dismisses it a nee of course, his oes notprove that he di no belleve in itchcrait, ut he was probablymore sceptica about it than many the educate me of his

Gislaus, acris alias praevaricationum censor in unarum et characterum magicorum usum multum invehatur in epistola quadam ad celeb. laum

Wormium adhuc inedita. 'ohe lette Bisho Finnur refers to is nothnown to mei it could haesimbe that o Iuly 28, 634, in hic Bisho G1sliwrites a follows De unibus nostratium nihil mihi suppetit, quod ad vestram dignitatem sit referendum, propterea quod Vel pen expirari per Dei gratiam et propter Verbum Dei eiusmodi malitia, aut propterea quod ipsi sibi conscii jam dudum sepelierint huius facultatis magistri ipsa etiam

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INTRODUCTION III Superstitions of the age, ere e familiarisit at the materialfrom hic he selecte his Annalium farra for that work, Derhaps, ould mahe Clear his distinctio belween hat he considere credibi and what incredibie. In the De mirabilibus e frequently declares that he deerias the popularistorie an bellesswhic he mention to heridie talli or at est uncertain, an in places he even apologizes for referring to them-somelimes hereserves udgmen vivi further proos are forthcoming. His whol treaiment of the subject must be juclge from the stand-point of the scientisis of his time. Natura science Was then astrange mixture of nowledge, tradition, an superstition systematic division were lachin or imperfeci, and the value os observatio an experience ad o been fuli establishe asagainst tradition popular o literary. ike mos scientisis of his times Bisho G1sti vacillates in this respeci, et e suallyseelis for natura causes in explanation of the phenomena, instea of assumin occultis mysterious influences at or be-hin them. hat he belleve in the existence of monsters of various hind within the animal hingdom is notrio e wonderedat the leadin scientisis of the time di the fame, an treared such creatures it ali seriousness in thei books. Indee theheliei in such things ouilived the seventeent century, and may noti entiret extinctisve inmur times, at least amon certainquennium hisce osculis vidi, nihil nunc repperiam, praecipue in hac Dioecoesi, ubi per singularem gratiam Dei sonat verbum Dei purum et sincerum, quantumquide mmihi constat, ne e tolerantur ejusmodi signomini observatores, nisi magistratus politicus cum aliqvibus conniveat, quod tamen non fiet, me sciente et volente AΜ. 6 fol. 3. In a letter of Iuly3I, 1635. Bishop sali again rite to Orm Superstitiones magicae,

laus Deo ferme exularunt a patria nostra, aut minimum evacuatae sunt,

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xlv MANDI classes of the population. The author ad made various observations o the geologica structure of the country, and wit his partial nowledge e tries o no an explanation ofthem. he current belles of the time, thataol was to beriounclin Iceland he refutes by declaring the minera populari tatienior that rectous meta to e pyrites. As to preternaturalbeings in human formine apparently shares to a certain degreethe popular belles Memingi he has no great ait in the

existence of giant o trons-he a leas takescit for certain that the were extinet, ut elves o fairies he reat asci the stili existed although heincknowledges the dissiculino ascertaining the accuracy of Some of the storie tot concerning them, sus Ct-ing, here a elseWhere, the trich an deceptions of the devit. Aliogether the De mirabilibus is an interesting ork, and ne could is that the author ad expresse himself at greater tength o the topicche treat of Ascit is, it present the ut-look of an educate man of the eventeent centur on thenature surroundinchim and it is pleasant to observe the author's love of the subjeci. His patriotism an his pride in the nationare verywhere evident-yet he cloes no wis to seem vanam gloriam patriae venditare.' 'ohe wor stand out a the est ofit hin writte in celand cluring the eventeenth century. Compare Wit the similar ork of Jon Gudmunesson and Ion Dadason, e se that it represent a critical a reaiment asone could expect in that age. Bein writte in Latin, it naturali appeale to educate readers, hereas the two authors just mentione Wrote in the vernacular, an represent a more popular vie of things, while the ora also pon indred publications o foreignoriters. No at these orri are fimportanoe for the stud of Icelandio folk-lore.

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INTRODUCTION VΤhe Annalium farrago an De mirabilitas are here printed from a rotograph copy of the Bodleia manuscript Τhe orthography of the manuscript has been followed here it a consistenti carrie through, ni a se manifest error Ming

Corrected. he manuscriptisse of forci, or i for , an also that ostiae an in foris, o vice versa, as weli asither peculiarities, have been observed. he Icelandi mores arealven a writteni the original, excepi that an accent has been ut ver o etsi many cases here it was lachinga butis and stare reproducedwhereve the occur. he punctuation, n the other hand forthe greater par is the work of the editor.

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HINC INDE DESCRIPTA.

Anno 1106 Ignis eruptio Hekla monte prima. Anno 1117multa mirabilia acciderunt, quae non invenio annotata, unde annus iste dictus est Undra a se annus rerum mirabilium. Anno 115 Hyems morbis multum obnoxia. Anno 1157 Crucis signum in luna conspicuum. Anno 1158 Visae sunt simul Llunae et quae harum erat media crucis signum gerebat Itemque tenebrae memorabiles. Anno 115 Mense Septembri apparuerunt tres soles in occidente. Anno 116 Annus quibusdam dictus portentorum propter terraemotus frequentes, bella et seditiones cruentes ubique gentium saeVientes. Anno 116 Homines in aere conspicui. Anno 1181 Hyems morbifica. stas sterilis. Anno 1199 Inundatio maxima, qualis vero fuerit a nobis

ignoratur.

Anno 1223 Ignis eruptio quarta ex monte Hekla. Secundam et tertiam ignoramus. Item ignis eruptio apud Reykianes. Anno 122 Hyems nocivo arenae imbre notabilis tenebrae etiam meridianae Ignis eruptio e mari apud Reyhianes. Anno 122 Hyems instar praecedentis arenosa. Anno 123 Ignis eruptio apud promontorium Reykianes. Anno 124 Sol instar sanguinis rubeus. Ignis eruptio iterum apud Reykianes. orbus pustularum primus. erraemotus

per insulam universRm.

Anno 1244 Conflictus Floensis, quem Istandi viderunt in patria

acerrimum.

Anno 124 Ignis eruptio ex Solheim Johle. Anno 127s Grando et numero et pondere solito vehementior enubibus exiliit. Anno 1279 Admodum austera et dura hyems glacie marina regionem undiquaque cingente quam Groniandicam appellamus funde passim homines et pecora subdialia perierunt'. Deus autem hoc tempore misit ursos albos et phocas marinas ad hanc

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a LMANDI Anno 1308 Tanta homi saevitia stantiam invasit cum frigore nivibus et tempestatibus intemperatissimis, ut necesse

haberent anniversarium conventum visitaturi media aestate equos calceare quemadmodum in bruma, neque istae nives etiam circa ipsa habitacula hoc anno resolutae sunt.

Anno 133 Terraemotus insignes et formidabiles adeo, ut domus et aedificia passim comaerent et terra multis in locis dehisceret, atque in rupturis istis aqua visa sit, rubra tanquam Saninis, quae pestiferum foetorem exhalavit hominibus et jumentis pariter ac volucribus ipsis lethalem. Anno 1340 et duobus consequentibus sexto coepit ardere mons Hehia horrendo fremitu. Item moni magnsipur simul et alter quidam mons ronaclino exoneravit se usque ad mare apud provinciam maritimam, quae appellatur Selvogur. Item promontorium Reyhianes plus dimidio igne consumptum, cujus vestigia in aperto mari etiamnum conspiciuntur, excelsi scopuli exinde dicti Eudeyiar sive ut veteres volunt Dristar meim μItem Geirfugia skier, ubi lapides plurimi adhuc conspiciuntur

exusti. Eodem tempore exarsit etiam mons meridionalis

Istandis Sijdu Iohun et multi alij montes integras provincias

devastantes, aliquando etiam in mari ignis et incendium fuit conspicuum, et montes exusti a continente in mare corruerunt Tantae mutationes tunc temporis visae sunt in Isiandia incomparabile detrimentum insulae adferentes, quantae nunquam antea posthac nunquam resarciendae. 'Anno 1342 Groniandiae incolae' a vera fide et religione Christiana sponte sua defecerunt, et repudiatis omnibus honestis moribus atque veris virtutibus ad Americae populos se converterunt. Existimant enim quidam Grontandiam adeo ' vicinam esse occidentalibus orbis regionibus. Ac inde factum est, quod Christiani a roniandicis navigationibus abstinerent. Ah Ιslandia versus aquilonem Oio ausi et a Groniandia similitersita esse creditur' regio, quae appellatur Iotnalano, alijs Troubotnalano, quasi gigantum terra aut Sylphium aut monticolarum.' Hanc nationem multi olim invisere et speculari sategerunt'' inter quos Gormerus, ille antiquissimus rex Daniae, cu cum socij et legatis suis negotium hoc admodum sinistrecessit' idque propter imbriferas ac immoderatas tempestates multaque inlia impedimenta. Haraldus postea cognomento '

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ANNALIUM FARRAGO

Hardrade sive Crudelis navigationem eodem instituit, sed in Periculosos errores, tenebras maximas ac demum in insolitam quandam carybdin se voraginem incidens summo cum vitae discrimine evasit, gigantum habitatione nunquam consPecta. Quia vero multi Haraldum ut spe frustratum irriserunt, rursus ex Nooegia et Friislandia nonnulli praedictum giganteum regnum Troilbotnaland quaesitum ibant, quibus non multo foeticius iter cessit, nam experti sunt innumeras et ineffabiles ex coelo et solo et salo dissicultates cum maximo vitae periculo. Ipsi quoque

inciderunt in voraginem quandam vasti maris amisso poenitus lumine solari.' andem vero terrae praedictae oris adlabuntur, quae altissimos montes et horriferos scopulos repraesentat,

ibidemque nullas domos' aut aedificia videre contigit, nisi

tantum cavernas et antra solo effossa idque multis in locis.'Pulvis autem hujus terrae auro et argento scatebat, quod navigijs suis importabant, quod cum incolae animadverterent, undique armati hastis et arcubus concurrerunt. Nautae vero fuga sibi consuluerunt relicto forte uno tantum, quem gigantes isti extemplo crudelissime dilaniarunt.' In hac regione auidiurna nunquam dicitur esse clara, ubi etiam formidabiles strepitus coeli marisque semper exauditur; unde quidam 'concludunt eam esse infimam in globo terrae atque in umbra constitutam, unde omnes aqvae et nubes magna vi sursum tendant.' Haec navigatio facta est

in diebus la regis sancti Haralidi fili et postea nunquam

iterata.

Anno 1346 orbus pustularum flandiam iterum graviter affigebat adeo, ut ex omnibus insulae partibus multi decederent. Anno 1374 Pauperes inedia et fame moriuntur. Anno 1379 Graminis proventu tam exiguus, ut exemplo careat imbresque aquarum et crebri et largi adeo, ut ruinam

montium causarentur et labores hominum perderent.

Anno 1402 Strages hominum in Istandi ingens. Anno 1492 Pestis illa memorabilis, quam plagam magnam VHis tu una appellare solemus, in meridionali Istandi ab

Settiarnarnes primum exorta est ho modo. Navis quaedam Britannica in freto extra portum ferebatur, quam cum maris accolae gubernaculo non regi sed aura et fluctibus agitari animadverterent, studio cognoscendi eandem visitarunt. Cumque ascendissent, signis non obscuris moniti nautas omnes peste