An Enquiry into the Truth of the Tradition, Concerning the Discovery of America, by Prince Madog ab Owen Gwynedd, about the Year, 1170Williams, John
History
An Enquiry into the Truth of the Tradition, Concerning the Discovery of America, by Prince Madog ab Owen Gwynedd, about the Year, 1170
Williams, John
America -- Discovery and exploration -- Welsh; Madog ab Owain Gwynedd, 1150-1180?
preach to them three times a Week in the same Language; and they
would confer with me about any thing that was difficult therein;[o]
and at our Departure, they abundantly supplied us with whatever
was necessary to our Support and Well-doing. They are setled upon
Pontigo River,[p] not far from Cape Atros. This is a brief recital
of my Travels, among the Doeg Indians. Morgan Jones, the Son of
John Jones of Basaleg, near Newport, in the County of Monmouth.
I am ready to conduct any Welshman, or others to the Country. New
York, March 10th, 1685-6."
[Footnote n: An Harbour at the Mouth of Albemarle River in North
Carolina.]
[Footnote o: When it is considered that Mr. Jones's Visit to these
Nations was near 500 Years after the Emigration of Prince Madog,
it can be no Wonder that the Language of both Mr. Jones and the
Indians was very much altered. After so long a period Mr. Jones must
have been obliged to make use of Words and Phrases, in preaching
Christianity, with which they must have been altogether unacquainted.
Besides, all living Languages are continually changing; therefore
during so many Centuries, the Original Tongue must have been very
much altered, by the Introduction of New Words borrowed from the
Inhabitants of the Country. Though the Language was radically the
same, yet Mr. Jones, especially, when treating of abstracted subjects,
was hardly intelligible to them, without some Explanations. We are told
that the Religious Worship of the Mexicans, with all its Absurdities,
was less superstitious than that of the ancient and learned Greeks
and Romans. May we not hence conclude that the Mexicans derived
some part of their Religious Knowledge from a People enlightned by
a divine Revelation; which, tho' very much corrupted in the Days
of Madoc, yet was superior to Heathen Darkness. Clavigero, Hist.
of Mexico. Monthly Review, Vol. 65. p. 462, &c.]
[Footnote p: Pontigo, seems to have been derived from the Welsh
Pont y Go. "The Smith's Bridge;" or Pant y Go, "The Smith's Valley."
Perhaps a Smith dwelt by the Side of a River, or near a Bridge.
Dr. Robertson says, History of America, Vol. II. p. 126, that the
Indians were very ignorant of the use of Metals; Artificers in
Metals were scarce, and on that account a Name might be given to a
Bridge or Valley where one dwelt. Doeg Indians, may be a corruption
of Madog's Indians. Cape Atros, Cape Hateras; near Cape Fair in
Carolina, which last may be Cape Mair, the Cape of Mary, i. e.
the Virgin Mary.--I would just observe that some parts in Europe
seem to have derived their Names from the Welsh. Armorica, has
been thought Latin, yet it is most likely to be Welsh. Ar-y-mor
"upon the Sea," which particularly is the Situation of Bretagne,
in France, twice peopled from Great Britain.]
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