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?
This Letter was sent or given to Dr. Thomas Lloyd of Pensylvania,
by whom it was transmitted to Charle Llwyd Esq. of Dol y fran in
Montgomeryshire; and afterwards to Dr. Robert Plott by Edward Llwyd,
A. M. Keeper of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.
Mr. Theophilus Evans, a Welch Clergyman, who communicated the above
Letter to the Editor of the Gentleman's Magazine, was Vicar of
St. David's in Brecon, well acquainted with the History of the
Principality. He has made several judicious remarks upon it.[q]
[Footnote q: It may be supposed that the above Letter was published
about the beginning of the Spanish War in 1740, with a view of
justifying that War; but the Story was not then invented, for it
has been above shewn that the Tradition concerning Madog, was well
known long before Elizabeth's reign; nay, long before she was born.]
He observes that the truth of Madog's Voyage is confirmed by it;
that several Circumstances unite to establish the Fact; and that
several British Words were used by the Mexicans when their Country
was discovered by the Spaniards; such as Pengwyn, "White Head," the
name, not only of a Bird, but also given to high and bare Rocks.[r]
Groeso "Wellcome." Gwenddwr, "white or limpid Water." Bara, "Bread."
Tad, "Father." Mam "Mother." Buch or Buwch, "a Cow." Clug-Jar, "a
Partridge, or Heath Cock" (Clugar is now the Armorican name of a
Partridge.) Llwynog, "a Fox," Coch y dwr, "a red water Bird," Many
others are mentioned by Sir Thomas Herbert, in his Travels.
[Footnote r: Several Travellers say that the Birds called Pengwyn
have not a White Head: that is, in the Countries where they saw
them. But is it not certain that some Birds vary in Plumage in
different Climates? In this Island the Royston Crow, as it in called
is different in its Plumage from other Crows.]
Mr. Jones's Narrative shews that the Descendants of Madog's Colony
were, in some measure, a distinct people in the Year 1660. He not
only conversed freely with them, but preached to them in his Native
Tongue.
When the Spaniards conquered, or rather massacred the Inhabitants
of Mexico, they found among them some traces of Christianity. The
sign of the Cross was highly honoured, possibly worshiped by them.
Having been so many Ages separated from other Christians, their
Religion, more and more, degenerated into Superstition; as,
notwithstanding superior advantages, it did in Europe and in Asia.
Besides, the Similarity of Dialects in different places, already
taken notice of, inclines me to believe that Madog's Colony, in
process of Time, extended itself much farther than the Country
on which they first landed; for we find several British Words in
other places, and in some of the West Indian Islands.[s]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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