An Enquiry into the Truth of the Tradition, Concerning the Discovery of America Part 6

I would observe here that though our Northern Country-men affect, in some degree, to despise the Welsh, as having produced no Man of Genius, Science, or Renown, which is by no means the Truth, as appears from what hath been above said; yet it is well known, that the Stuart, their favourite Family, by the Mother side, is descended from the ancient Britons.

Fleance, the Son of Banquo, who was murdered by the order of the Usurper Macbeth, to avoid the like Fate, fled to North Wales, where he was kindly and hospitably entertained by Prince Gryffydd ab Llewelyn ab Sitsyllt.[ccc]

[Footnote ccc: Cecil, the Family name of the Marquis of Salisbury, and of the Earl of Exeter seems to be derived from this ancient British name, anglicized.]

Ungenerously he debauched his Daughter, Nest, by whom he had a Son, called Walter. This Son, being upbraided with his illegitimate Birth, by one of his Companions, slew him, and fled to Scotland, where in time he became Lord Steward of that Kingdom; and all the Families of that name in that Country, are descended from that b.a.s.t.a.r.d.[ddd]

[Footnote ddd: For this ungenerous proceeding, Fleance was put to Death by Prince Gryffydd, and Nest was put to a menial office; some say, that of a Scullion. She was afterwards married to Trahaern ab Caradoc, Prince of North Wales.

Buchanan. Hist. Rer. Scot. p. 193. Dr. Powel's Notes on Giraldus, Lib. I. Chap. 2. p. 88. Edit. 1588. Warrington's History of Wales, p. 204, &c. Humphry Llwyd's and Dr. Powel's additions to Caradoc, p. 91. &c.]

Thus I have, to the best of my Knowledge and judgment, examined the Truth of the Tradition, concerning Prince Madog ab Owen Gwynedd, and his Colony's Emigration, about the Year of Christ 1170; and, I presume, have shewn, contrary to the a.s.sertions of Lord Lyttelton and Dr. Robertson, that there always were, and that there still are Monuments, Vestiges, and memorials of that Event in America. Having produced the Evidence, I leave the Reader to draw the conclusion.

ERRATA.

Page Line Read.

7 4 perceiving.

10 8 from the bottom contention.

12 13 mwyedig.

13 6 mewn.

14 1 f'enaid.

26 4 note formerly.

28 last line, note restaurata.

31 7 note somethings.

31 Taliessyn.

45 2 after "River" read, "nine parts in ten pa.s.sing over the River, and &c.

61 16 Height.

The Reader will be so candid as to excuse the above Errors, and others which may have been overlooked. Those in the Welsh could hardly have been avoided, as the Printer has no Knowledge of the Welsh Tongue.

APPENDIX.

The following Observations having been omitted, in their proper places; I beg leave to insert them as an Appendix.

In page 37. a pa.s.sage is cited from the Universal History, Vol.

XX. where it is said, on the supposed authority of Hakluyt, that Prince Madog made three Voyages to the West. Humphry Llwyd, the Translator of Caradoc, and who continued the History to the death of Prince Llewelyn about the Year, 1270, mentions only two. When Madog first sailed it does not appear that he had any particular place in view; but discovering a fruitful Land, he returned to his native Country, and having collected together a considerable number of Men and Women, he went back to the Friends he had left behind. This is what Humphry Llwyd says, and adds, "that he bid his final adieu to his native Country."

Hakluyt's account is that Prince Madog, "prepared certain s.h.i.+ps with Men and Munition, and fought Adventures by Seas, sailed West.

That he returned to his own Country, and declared the pleasant and fruitful Countries he had seen without Inhabitants; that he got together, a number of Men and Women to go with him; that he took leave of his Friends, and returned to his Companions, whom he had left behind." Llwyd and Hakluyt agree in saying that Madog arrived in that Western Country in the Year 1170, and returned back, and went the second time with Ten Sailes." The Authors of the Universal History seem to have mistook Hakluyt. Besides Hakluyt says, he received this account from Guttun Owen; from whom Llwyd also received his Information; it is not therefore likely that Hakluyt should differ so materially from his Authorities.

In page 51, it is observed that when the Romans invaded this Island, the Ancient Britons used the Greek Alphabetical Character in writing.

This is expressly said by Julius Caesar. The Welsh tongue on this Day bears a strong resemblance, in Words and Letters to the Hebrew and Greek. Instances may be seen in a Pamphlet, published in 1783, ent.i.tled, _Thoughts_ on the Origin of Language, &c. The Gutturals in the three Languages are founded much alike. The [Ill.u.s.tration], Hebrew, the X, Greek. and the Ch. in Welsh are p.r.o.nounced exactly alike. The English, make very little, if any difference in p.r.o.nunciation, between the Greek X, and the K, both are sounded like the English K. but they have a very different sound; of which no Idea can be conveyed, but by articulation. It is very familiar to the Welsh, and to the Scots, Irish and Germans.

The, _w_ Omega, Greek, in the Welsh, is the O long, and of the same figure, and sound. Thus in English, "good" in Welsh is written, "gwd."

There can hardly be any doubt but that the Roman Characters were introduced by the Romans; and, as more simple, soon became general.

The Greek, of consequence, gradually declined. However the Britons seems to have preserved the sound, though not the Form of their Alphabetical Characters.

It may however be thought probable, as hath been above observed, that the Scriptures were written in the Welsh Language, but in Greek Characters.