This Province is affirm’d by _Matthias Quadus_, and _J. Antonius Maginus_, to have been the first discover’d Countrey of the new World, and that by _Antonius Zeno_, a Patrician of _Venice_, in the Year of our Lord 1390. which was long before the Expedition of _Columbus_, through the encouragement of _Zichmus_, King of the Isle of _Friezland_; but by whomsoever found out, or at whatsoever time, it is commonly affirm’d to be not ill furnish’d with Provisions of all sorts, as Beasts, Birds, Fish, Fowl, and Fruits, having a Soil indifferent fertile, in respect of the coldness of the Climate. The People in general (for some there are that live wild and salvage up and down the Woods, and go naked, whereas the Clothing of the Countrey is the Skins of Beasts and of Sea-Calves, call’d _Morses_) are reported not onely tolerably civil, but also ingenious and expert both in mechanick Arts, and other necessary Faculties, insomuch that the first Voyagers to this place are said to have observ’d of them upon this first Discovery, That they sow’d Corn, brew’d Beer and Ale, and Traded by Sea to _Greenland_, _Friezland_, and other places, to the distance of fifteen hundred Miles; and that they were not altogether void of the use of Letters, but that their Character was onely proper to themselves and not intelligible by any other Nation: Moreover, there is a certain Tradition, that there was here and there some little knowledge of the _Latine_ Tongue amongst them, and that there were found divers _Latine_ Books in a Library of one of their Kings; the reason of which, if true, is conjectur’d to be from certain _Europeans_ who understood that Language, having in Ages past suffer’d shipwrack upon those Coasts, where chancing to abide either through constraint or choice, they might haply at their Decease leave behind them some Books and other Monuments of the _Latine_ Tongue. They were observ’d to use such a kind of Javelin or short Dart, as was known to be us’d by the People of _Java_, and some other Islands of the _East-Indies_; whereupon it seems not wholly improbable, that they might for a long time have entertain’d Traffick and Correspondence with them. [Sidenote: Description of the _Morses_.]