An Enquiry into the Truth of the Tradition, Concerning the - Discovery of America, by Prince Madog ab Owen Gwynedd, about the Year, 1170 by John Williams
page 50 of 74 (67%)
page 50 of 74 (67%)
|
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 |
|