America: Being the Latest, and Most Accurate Description of the Nevv VVorld / Containing the Original of the Inhabitants, and the Remarkable Voyages Thither. The Conquest of the Vast Empires of Mexico and Peru, and Other Large Provinces and Territories, with the Several European Plantations in Those Parts. Also Their Cities, Fortresses, Towns, Temples, Mountains, and Rivers. Their Habits, Customs, Manners, and Religions. Their Plants, Beasts, Birds, and Serpents. With an Appendix, Containing, Besides Several Other Considerable Additions, a Brief Survey of What Hath Been Discover'd of the Unknown South-land and the Arctick Region.

by John Ogilby

The American Tongue is nothing like the Norwegian.

John de Laet accounts it a great mistake in Grotius, that as a testimony of the Americans original out of Norway, he compares their Languages. He reckons up some Places to be Northward of Panama, which end their words with the syllable Lan instead of Land, because the Spaniards have left out the Letter D at the end thereof. It is certain, that in the Northern America lie Cimatlan, Coatlan, Guescolan, Artlan, Quaxutatlan, Icatlan, Tapatlan, Cinacatlan, Tenuchitlan, Comitlan, Metzitlan, Guatitlan, Necotitlan, Curcatatlan. Besides, that most of these Names are not of Countreys, but of Towns and Villages, and therefore no ways fitting to have the termination of Land: and it is well known that many American words end with Lan, which signifie nothing less than Land: for the Mexicans say Puertatitlan, which signifies At the Gate below; Ochachitlantzitlan, Yet lower; Tenoxtitlan, (this City is also call’d from her Founder Mexis, Mexico) that is, Rests on a Rock. Moreover, it may not without reason seem strange to any, that the Northern Americans have remembred but three Cities out of all the Teutonick Tongue, viz. Lan in stead Land.

Groenland when discovered.

Serm. 3. Antiq. Danic.

Concerning Groenland, through which the Norwegians are thought to have travell’d to America, Lysander witnesseth, That it was accidentally discover’d by one Eric Rauder, Anno 987, and planted thirteen years after.

Olaus, King of Norway, plac’d two Bishops over the new Inhabitants, as Substitutes to the Archbishop of Dronthen. For four Ages they Sail’d frequently to Groenland; but since their King was impoverish’d by War, they left off that Trade.

We find not in any Author, that the Norwegians which liv’d along the Sea-shore, ever went to seek a Way over the inaccessible Snowy Mountains of Groenland, to this our New World.

Besides, Grotius stands for the Norwegians as Planters, upon testimony of the Mexicans themselves, who told the Spaniards, That their Ancestors which planted there came from the North, first setling themselves on Estotiland, where to this day there are not improbable proofs by several remarks, that they were a Norwegian Colony.

The opinion concerning the City Norumbega in America.

In the American City Norumbega, live a People that speak the same Language, and observe the same Customs with the Mexicans.