The discouerie of
part of the worlde they were, were not able to make any resistaunce at all, much lesse to defende them selues couragiously, as it behooued them in such dangerous case. And they shoulde haue beene doubtlesse very discourteously entreated and cruelly handeled, if by good hap there had not been hard by the place a Prince with armed people. Who vnderstanding, that there was euen at that present a great ship cast away vpon the Iland, came running at the noyse and outcries that they made against our poore Mariners, and driuing away the inhabitants, spake in latineA forraine prince hapning to be in Frislãd wͭ armed men. When M. Zeno suffered shipwrack, there came vnto him and spake latin. and asked them what they were and from whence they came, and perceiuing yͭ they were Italians, & all of one Countrie, he was surprised with maruellous great ioy. Wherefore promising thẽ all, that they shoulde receiue no discourtesie, and that they were come into a place where they shoulde bee well vsed and very welcome, he tooke them into his protection vpon his faith. This was a great Lord and possessed certaine Ilands called Porland, lying one the Southside of Frisland being y͏ͤ richest and most populous of all those partes, his name was Zichmni: & beside the said little Ilands, he was DukeZichmni prince of Porland or Duke of Zorani. of Sorani, lying within the land towards Scotland. Of these North partes I thought good to draw the copie of a Sea carde, which amongest other antiquities, I haue in my house, which although it be rotten through many yeres: yet it falleth out indifferent well, and to those that are delighted in these things, it may serue for some light to the vnderstanding of that, which without it cannot so easily be conceiued. Zichmni being Lorde of those Seignories (as is said) was a very warlike and valiant man & aboue al things famous in Sea causes. And hauing this yeere before giuen the ouerthroweFrisland the king of Norwayes. to the king of Norway, who was Lord of the Ilande, beeing desirous to winne same by feates of armes, was come on land with his mẽ to giue the attẽpt for y͏ͤ winning of Frisland, which is an Iland much bigger then Ireland. Wherefore seeing that M. Nicolo was a mã of iudgement and discretion, and very expert both in Sea matters and martiall affaires, hee gaue him commission to goe aboard his nauie with all his men, charging the captaine to
