I have no authority positively to assert it, but it is possible
that the Scriptures, translated into Welsh, might be written in
Creek Characters, for the Welsh-man could not read them. Those
Characters might be thought Sacred, because in these Characters,
the Gospel was first written. Had they been Roman, as they had
been long in use, the Welsh-man, if he knew any Letters at all,
could not be ignorant of them. Some parts of North Wales, till of
late Years, were far behind other parts, in every kind of Knowledge;
but as Charity-Schools were opened in South Wales, above fifty Years
ago, and in North Wales, above thirty, the Country is very much
improved in this respect.[nn] Or, perhaps, the Book was written
in the Ancient Greek Characters, of the same Form with those of the
Alexandrian Manuscript in the British Museum. In that Case it is
not at all surprizing that neither the Captain, nor the Welsh-man
could read them.
[Footnote nn: A Welsh Gentleman observed to me that there may be
found whole Parishes, in the principality, where there are more
Persons who cannot read, than those who can; and as he very justly
added, there is hardly any one in the whole Number, who can read
a Manuscript of the twelfth Century.]
Though the Art of Printing was not discovered in the Days of Madog,
yet there can be no doubt, but that the Britons had Copies of the
Scriptures in their own Language many Centuries before that period;
for it is almost certain that they were converted to Christianity
about the Year 177. Madog was of a Princely Family: it may therefore
be reasonably thought that he and his Companions had one or more
Copies among them.
The Jewish Customs mentioned by Mr. Beatty seem to establish the
opinion, that some of the Original Inhabitants of the New Continent,
were Jews, Carthaginians, or Phoenicians, among who those Customs
prevailed.
By the Way, we are told by Travellers, that some of these Customs
now prevail among the Tartars. As we have no Satisfactory, or even
a plausible, Account of the Ten Tribes carried Captives to the
East by Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, we may be disposed to
think that the Tartars are descended from them. All the Discoveries
of our late Navigators shew that the North Continent of America is
at no great distance from the Northern, North Eastern, and North
Western parts of Asia and Europe. It is therefore possible that
the Tartars, at different Periods, might have been driven on that
Coast, and people the Country. Some Tartars hunting upon the Ice,
on a sudden Thaw, might be carried on the Ice to America, from
whence they could not return.[oo]
[Footnote oo: See Hornius, ubi supra, pages, 183, 186, 205, 215.
Forster's History of the Voyages and Discoveries made in the North.
Clavigero's History of Mexico and Brerewood on the Languages and
the Religion of the World.
In the Hebrew we have [Illustration] exploravit, "he search'd,"
and a Substantive, [Illustration] exploratores, "Searchers." Hence
some would derive the word Tartar, [Illustration] "Tartar," after
the Hebrew manner. They also think that the British word "Tor or
Torriad," "a breaking or cutting off," has the same Origin. Those who
travel, may be said to "search." When they travel in foreign, unknown
Countries, they may be said to be "cut off" from their Friends, as
the Ten Tribes were from their native Land by Nebuchadnezzar.
But it is not at all probable that the Tartars derived their Name
from this Hebrew word; for, omitting other reasons, the original
Name of that People is Tatar.]
As the Captivity happened near 600 Years before Christ, we may
reasonably believe that in the Course of about 2000 Years, the
Americans descended from Tartars might become as numerous as they
are said to have been, when the Europeans landed on their Coast.
This will fully Account for Jewish Customs and Manners in some
parts of America.
I now proceed to consider the Objections raised by two very respectable
Authors to Prince Madog's Voyages to America; Lord Lyttelton, and
Dr. William Robertson.
I have already observed, that the Account we have of this Event
in Caradoc's History, was not written by him, but by Humphry Llwyd
and Dr. Powel; but I conceive that Lord Lyttelton was not right
in calling there additions to Caradoc's work "Interpolations."
Besides the Unpoliteness, indeed, the Impropriety of the Word, this
is to charge the above Writers with wilful and direct Forgeries.
Llwyd and Powel were Gentlemen of fair and unblemished Characters,
and good Scholars. Mr. Llwyd's Writings shew him to have been a Man
of Learning and Judgment; and Dr. Powel was the same; and was well
acquainted with all the Transactions in his Native Principality,
and published several things on that Subject, besides this Work;
such as Ponticus Virunnius, and Giraldus's History.
Dr. Powel says that he had compared Llwyd's Translation with the
British Book, of which he had at first two Copies, (meaning, as I
understand him, of Guttun Owen's Book) and that he had received a
third and a larger Copy of it from Robert Glover, Somerset Herald.
This Circumstance shews that he was a diligent and careful Enquirer;
and that Llwyd's Translations and Additions were just, true, and
correct. A Gentleman in the Herald's Office must have known what
degree of Credit was to be given to a Writing on a Subject with
which a Person in his Office must have been conversant; otherwise, it
is not probable that he would have been at the trouble of correcting
it, nor would he have sent it to a Friend as a Voucher of a Fact.
Where he found his Copy to differ from others of Authority and
Consistency, he corrected his Copy by them; for a Person in his
Situation must have had free access to all the Repositories of
Antiquity in his own Office, and to others.[pp] Dr. Powel also
corrected his Copy; whence it appears evident that Guttun Owen's
Compilations were extant in Dr. Powel's Days.
[Footnote pp: Were the Herald's Office carefully searched, there
possibly might be found some papers on this Subject.]
His Lordship supposes that the Doctor dressed up some Tradition
concerning Madog which he found in Guttun Owen and others, in order
to convey an Idea that his Country-man had the Honour of first
discovering America.--It hath already been observed (page 8th) that
this part of History from 1157, to 1270, was not written by Dr.
Powel, but by Humphry Llwyd. Had these additions been Inventions,
Humphry Llwyd and Dr. Powel must have been very bad and weak Men;
for as Guttun Owen's Works were extant in their Time, the Forgeries
must have been immediately detected. I really believe that his
Lordship is the first Writer that has charged Dr. Powel with wilful
and designed misrepresentations.
Those writings of Guttun Owen's, which his Lordship allows were
extant in the Days of Dr. Powel, were certainly known before Columbus's
first Voyage; for the Doctor expressly says that he found the
particulars concerning Madog's emigration noted by Guttun Owen,
who wrote, in 1480: consequently this Bard's Writings were known
to Dr. Powel.
Lord Lyttelton grants that Prince Madog was a bolder Navigator
than any of his Countrymen, in the age he lived, and that he was
"famous for some Voyage; but as the Course was not mark'd, it is
of no Importance to the matter in question."
With Submission to his Lordship, I think that the Course is clearly
marked, and so thought Hornius, as appears from what he says in the
Extract above cited: for it is said that Madog sailed west-ward,
and left the Coast of Ireland to the North, and that he fell in
with Land in that Direction. And it is certain that no Land is
found in that Direction, but America.
His Lordship also says "that if Madog did really discover any part
of America, or any Islands lying to the South-west of Ireland, in
the Atlantic Ocean, without the help of the Compass, at a time
when Navigation was ill understood, and with Mariners less expert
than any other in Europe, he performed an atchievement incomparably
more extraordinary than that of Columbus."
I agree with his Lordship, that is was an extraordinary atchievement,
superior to that of Columbus, who had many advantages which the
other had not: but as I have already observed, it does not appear
that Prince Madog's first Voyage was the result of Sagacity and
Judgment, but of meer Necessity and Prudence. Most probably, chance
threw him on the American Coast.[qq]
[Footnote qq: In the Space of about 300 Years, a report of Prince
Madog's successful Western Navigations might obtain through Europe;
and the penetrating and enterprizing Genius of Columbus might excite
him to pursue the same Course, in Hopes of finding a nearer Way
to China and other Countries.]
In this paragraph his Lordship, happens, unfortunately, to be mistaken.
The Naval force of the Britons seems to have been very considerable
in the Days of Julius Cæsar.
The Reason for which he invaded this Island was, as he says, because
the Britons assisted the Gauls by Land and Sea. Their Naval Power
must have been very considerable, when Vincula dare Oceano, and
Britannos subjugare, were convertible Terms.[rr] Had not the British
Naval Power been then formidable, this would not have been said.
[Footnote rr: Cæsar says that the Britons assisted the Gauls with
Ships. Hence we may infer that their Ships were of the same Construction
with those of the Gauls, which Cæsar says were built of Oak so
strong that they were impenetrable to the Beaks of the Roman Ships,
and so high that they could not be annoyed by the Darts of the
Roman Soldiers. To the 9th Century, Alfred the great had a very
formidable fleet.]
Their Maritme Force, it is true, was much weakened by Cæsar; yet
in no long Time it seems to have been considerably restored, as
appears from the Conduct of later Emperors. Had their Navy, as
hath been asserted by some Writers, consisted only of small Fishing
Boats, now, in the Principality called, Coracles, they could not have
afforded such assistance to the Gauls, as to bring upon them the
Roman power. As to unskilfulness, it doth not appear from History,
that this, with truth, could be said of them.
I know not upon what Authority, it is said by his Lordship that
the Britons were less expert Mariners than any other in Europe;
for they seem to have had Connections in the way of Commerce, with
very distant Nations, before Julius Cæsar; indeed, a very considerable
and extensive Trade with the Phoenicians, and others.
For these Reasons, I am inclined to believe that the Naval power
of the Britons was considerable before the coming of the Romans.
As to succeeding Times, when the Britons were driven into Wales,
a Country with an extensive Sea Coast, they had little to subsist
upon, but a scanty Agriculture, and rich Fisheries; so that very great
Numbers of them were compelled by necessity to pursue a Seafaring
Life.
The strongest objection to the Truth of this Event, which is urged
by his Lordship and by others, is the great Improbability that
such a Voyage could be performed without the assistance of the
Mariner's Compass, not then discovered. This Discovery was made
about the Year, 1300; others say, by Behain above mentioned, above
100 Years later. In answer to this Objection, it may be observed
that previously to Madog's Voyage we read of several others, which
appear to me full as improbable. It is generally understood that
the Phoenicians, Grecians, &c. were acquainted with, and sailed
to Britain, and other Countries, for Tin and Lead, and unto the
Baltic Sea for Amber; Voyages which seen as difficult as that of
Madog's, and a longer Navigation. It was hardly possible for the
Britons, not to learn how to navigate Ships, when they saw how
it was done by others.
The return of our Prince to North Wales, and back again to his
Colony, is the most difficult to be accounted for, in the whole
Story: However, I apprehend, that this is not altogether impossible.
Let it be observed that the space of Time in which there Voyages
of Madag's were performed is no where mentioned. They might have
taken up twenty Years or more. Madog, on his return to Wales, might
have sailed Northward by the American Coast, till he came to a
situation where the light of the Sun at Noon was the same, at that
Season, as it was in his Native Country, and then sailing Eastward
(the Polar Star, long before observed would prevent his sailing on
a wrong point) he might safely return to Britain. The experience he
derived from his first Voyage would enable him to join his Companions
whom he had left behind.
That there are strong Currents in the Atlantic Ocean, is well known.
On his return to North Wales, Madog might fall into that Current,
which it is said, runs from the West Indian Islands Northward to
Cape Sable in Nova Scotia, where interrupted by the Land, it runs
Eastward towards Britain.
There is a Tradition that a Captain of a Ship dined at Boston, in
New England, on a Sunday, and on the following Sunday, dined at his
own House, in Penzance, Cornwall. This is by no means impossible;
for with favourable Winds and strong Currents, a Ship may run above
14 miles in an Hour.
The late celebrated Dr. Benjamin Franklin of Philadelphia, in a
letter to a Friend well known in the literary World, which I heard
read, said that he was fully convinced that there was such a Current
from West to East, and that he did not think that the Captain's
remarkable Expedition impossible, nor even, altogether, improbable.
It seems to me not a little strange that Lord Lyttelton should
say, "that no certain Monument, Vestige or Memorial of Madog's
Voyage was ever found." It is hardly possible that his Lordship
would say it, if he saw Hornius, and some other authorities, above
produced, especially Peter Martyr for we have above seen that many
such Memorials were, and are now to be found in America.
His Lordship, indeed, seems to have entertained a most contemptible
opinion of the Ancient and the Modern Britons, as appears in his
Letter from Snowdon.
These Remarks, I presume, if they do not remove, yet very considerably
weaken, Lord Lyttelton's Objections.[ss]
[Footnote ss: Lord Lyttelton's, History of Henry the 2d. Book V.
Note 339. 8th Edit. 1773.]