[Footnote uu: Dr. Robertson. ubi supra. Vol. I. p. 64. If the Country on which Madog landed was uninhabited, how could he have found the Customs and Manners of the People different from those of Europe? Where there were no Inhabitants, there could be no Customs.]
What the Doctor hath said, after Lord Lyttelton, concerning the Literature and Naval skill of the ancient Britons, hath been already animadverted upon. To add more on those particulars, is unnecessary.
If we could find no Word, among the Americans, similar to the ancient British, in sound and sense, but Pengwyn, I should no more depend upon that circumstance than Mr. Pennant doth; but that is not the case: for many such words were found among the Natives of the New World, and in the West Indian Islands, which are neither obscure nor fanciful; for they had not only a strong resemblance in found, but convey the same Idea precisely, in both Languages.
As to traces of Christianity, Hornius hath enumerated many that were found there by the Spaniards; such as the Cross, Baptism, the Lord's Supper, 35 days Fast, and the Trinity.[vv]
[Footnote vv: Hornius. ubi supra. p. 128, 178, Peter Martyr. Decade 3d. ch. 5. p. 58. C. and de Insulis nuper inventis. p. 71. C.]
It is true, that these Customs may have been introduced by other Nations; by the Chinese, Japanese, &c. as Hornius hath observed: but this does not concern my subject, which is only to examine which of the European Nations first visited America. As no Nation in Europe, but the ancient Britons, hath ever pretended, or does pretend to have discovered America before, the Spaniards in 1492, I am inclined to believe that some of these Christian ordinances and superstitions were introduced by the Britons.
The space of time between the landing of Prince Madog, and Columbus, above 300 Years, was sufficiently long to disseminate such Notions and practices through a very great part of America.
In short, the account given by Llwyd and Powel hath all the marks of strict Truth. If it be an Invention without any Foundation, it is a very singular one, the like to which is hardly to be met with. All imaginary Heroes and Conquerors, are adorned with every Virtue; whereas Madog is represented as possessed of no Virtue, but prudence and Courage.
Having thus made some Animadversions on Lord Lyttelton's, and Dr. Robertson's Objections to Prince Madog's Adventures, and endeavoured to shew, that they do not absolutely overthrow the Truth of the Fact, I only observe farther here, that these eminent Writers have entirely omitted to take Notice of Mr. Jones's Narrative, and Mr. Lloyd's Letter, which they had, or ought to have seen, before they wrote upon the Subject.
That the Welsh Tribes above mentioned are not better known to the Europeans at this Time, is owing to what I have already observed. They dwell far to the West of the English provinces. They may have been driven thither by more powerful Tribes of Indians, or by Europeans, and may now be reduced to an inconsiderable number, comparatively, by intestine quarrels or foreign Enemies. However, they seem to have been numerous when Mr. Jones was among them, and about 20 or 25 Years ago, when Messrs. Beatty and Stewart were among them.