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?
"The Indians upon examining the Clergyman, and finding that he was
going to Virginia, looked upon him, and his Companions as belonging
to Virginia, and therefore took them all Prisoners, and let them
know they must die. The Clergyman in preparation for another World
went to prayer, and being a Welsh-man, prayed in the Welsh Language,
possibly because this Language was most familiar to him, or to
prevent the Indians understanding him. One or more of the party of
the Indians, was much surprised to hear him pray in their Language.
Upon this they spoke to him, and finding that he could understand
their speech, they got the Sentance of Death reversed; and this
happy Circumstance was the means of saving his Life.
"They took him back with them into their Country where he found a
Tribe, whore Native Language was Welsh, though the Dialect was a
little different from his own, which he soon came to understand.
They shewed him a Book, which he found to be the Bible, but which
they could not read; and if I mistake not, his ability to read
it tended to raise their regard for him.[gg]
[Footnote gg: Mr. Jones in his Narrative does not mention a Book,
but that he conversed familiarly with, and preached to these Indians
in Welsh. It appears from hence that Mr. Beatty had not seen Mr.
Jones's Narrative. It were to be wished that this Book, or a Copy
of it, could be procured.]
"He stayed among them some time and endeavoured to instruct them
in the Christian Religion. He at length proposed to go back to
his own Country, and return to them with some other Teachers, who
would be able to instruct them in their own Language; to which
proposal they consenting, he accordingly set out from thence, and
arrived in Britain, with full intention to return to them with some
of his Country-men in order to teach these Indians Christianity.
But I was acquainted that not long after his arrival he was taken
sick, and died, which put an end to his schemes.[hh]
[Footnote hh: Mr. Jones says that he was taken Prisoner by the
Indians in 1660, and continued with them 4 months. His Narrative
is dated 1685-6, and he then lived at New York, or within 12 Miles
of it. It is not at an likely therefore that he returned to Britain,
and died here. See pages, 16, 17, and 26.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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