The Island Curassoa, or Curazao, possessed by the Dutch, may have had its name from the British Word, Croesaw, or Croeso, "Wellcome;" possibly so called for Joy at the sight of Land after a long and dangerous Voyage. Cape Breton, may also have had its name from these ancient Navigators, who possibly touched at it in one of their Voyages.
To strengthen these Conjectures, it is observable that Montezuma, Emperor of Mexico, on his submission to Cortez, said that their Chiefs were of foreign Extraction; and, when the above Circumstances are attended to, we may be disposed to believe that these Foreigners were ancient Britons[t]
[Footnote t: See the Preface to Charlevoix's Travels through America, and Howel's Letters. Vol. II. Letter 56. p. 77 Edit. 2. This Writer, who died in 1666, says that the Ancient Italian Bards, much resembled the Welsh Bards, in alliteration. This seems to intimate that the British Tongue, or Manners, in some distant Period, were known and followed in some parts of Italy.]
I know not of any Objection to the Account given by Humphry Llwyd and Dr. Powel, confirmed by Mr Jones's Narrative, but what is grounded upon the very low Estimation in which the Ancient British Writers are now undeservedly held.
For Argument's sake, let us suppose that the Original Britons were, in general, a stupid, foolish race of Men, might there not have arisen, even, among them, in the space of 700, or 800 Years, one Man blessed with some sagacity and penetration? In early times the Saxons were a barbarous and savage people. I do not recollect to have heard of a single instance of Saxon Knowledge or Learning, before they came to Britain about the Year 449, of Christ. The Original Inhabitants of this Island were, in some degree, celebrated for literary Acquisitions in the Days of Julius Cæsar, near 500 Years before the arrival of the Saxons.
[Footnote u: Warrington's History of Wales. p. 101. Edit. 2. The Saxons were so very illiterate when they were called to Britain by Vortigern, in Welsh, Gwrtheyrn, that they could neither write nor read. And for that reason Messengers were sent to them from Britain, with a verbal Invitation. Mr. Llwyd has proved that the Welsh furnished the Anglo-Saxons with an Alphabet. See a Welsh Book entitled Drych y prif Oesoedd, "a view of the Primitive Ages," by the above named Mr. Theophilus Evans. p. 96. note. Edit. 2. and Rowlands Mona Antigua restorata.]
Though contrary to History, let us suppose that the Britons were void of all Understanding and Judgment, of all literary Merit; that doth not, in the least, affect the Truth of Prince Madog's Emigration; for by all that appears, it was not owing to Knowledge or Judgment, but was the consequence of Necessity and Prudence. This Prince, however dull and sottish, might have sense enough to see that be could no where be in a worse condition than he was in his Native Country. There he could not live in safety, being always surrounded by a lawless Banditti, who sacrificed their Friends, Relations, and even their Parents, to inherit their Dominions or Possessions, which after all, for the most part, were only a small beggarly, wild, and uncultivated District; ragged Rocks and Precipices; barren Mountains; or boggy, unfruitful, and unfriendly Soil.
If an Objection be made to the Truth of Madog's Voyages, grounded upon the silence of History for so many Years, it may with no great difficulty be answered.[v]
[Footnote v: The History of the Gwedir Family by Sir John Wynne, published by the Honorable Daines Barrington, 1773, and afterwards in his Miscellanies, in 1781, takes no notice of Madog's Voyages; but mentions him as a Son of Owen Gwynedd. This Author was born in 1553, and died in 1626. He seems, chiefly, at least, to enumerate those Branches of Owen Gwynedd's Descendants, who were his own Ancestors. The present Sir Thomas Wynne, Bart. and Lord Newborough of the Kingdom of Ireland is, I think, a Descendant of our Author.]
The only History of that Period of British affairs were the Registers kept at Conway, and Strata Florida, above mentioned; or which Guttun Owen took the most exact and perfect Copy; and the Odes of the Bards, for several Years afterwards.[w] These are the only records we have of there Times.