Madoc ab Owen Gwynnedd - the rightful discoverer of America?
This article, written by Robert Plott and published in The Pennsylvania Evening Post on December 4, 1777, presents a historical account claiming that Welsh Prince Madoc discovered America around 1170—over 300 years before Christopher Columbus. According to British annals and oral traditions, Madoc fled civil strife in Wales, sailed west, and established a colony in a fertile and peaceful land (possibly in Florida). He later returned to Wales to recruit more settlers and permanently established a community.
Plott supports this theory by citing linguistic similarities between Welsh and Indigenous American languages, traditions among Native peoples that recall the arrival of peaceful white strangers, and testimonies from Welsh preacher Morgan Jones, who allegedly communicated fluently with Native tribes in a Welsh dialect. Plott argues that, if true, this would make the English—not the Spanish—the rightful discoverers of America, and the continent should have been named Madocia instead of America.
Claimed Similar Words:
| English Meaning | Alleged Native Word | Welsh Equivalent / Note |
|---|---|---|
| White Water | guyn dur | gwyn dŵr (Welsh: white water) |
| Bread | bara | bara (Welsh: bread) |
| Mother | mam | mam (Welsh: mother) |
| Father | tat | tad (Welsh: father) |
| Knife | cleddyf (not listed but implied) | Possibly cleddyf in Welsh |
| Rock | careg | carreg (Welsh: rock) |
| Bird | adar | adar (Welsh: birds) |
| Eye | llygad | llygad (Welsh: eye) |
| Egg | wy | wy (Welsh: egg) |
| Snow | eira | eira (Welsh: snow) |
| Heaven | nef or neaf | nefoedd or nef (Welsh: heaven) |
THE PENNSYLVANIA EVENING POST
Published Thursday, December 4, 1777.
A copy of Dr. Plot’s account of an antient discovery of America, from Wales.
Now how it should come to pass that the Welsh language should be spoken (and understood, in a country so remote, is not imagined, much less hinted, by the author of this relation; which, could it any way be made out, I thought might be an undertaking worthy of the notice of this society, and, perhaps, of being published; wherein having lately met with something tending that way, I here humbly offer it to consideration: which, though I cannot pronounce it to be the certain method by which it came to pass, yet, if it amount to a probability, I hope it may give some satisfaction.
To come then directly to the business: I find, in the British annals, that Prince Madoc ap Owen Gwynedd, that is, son of Owen Gwynedd, who, after Griffith ap Conan did homage for certain lands in England to William the Conqueror, being tired with the civil wars which happened with his brethren Jorwerth, Howel, and David, each of them claiming a dividend part of their father's dominions, by the custom of gavel-kind, and perceiving at the same time their new neighbours, the Normans, ready to swallow them up, and that his advice and propositions of peace were not hearkened unto, but that rather for those good offices he made himself the object of their fury; therefore, studying his own preservation, and seeing no part of his native country like to afford him any quiet, he resolved to hazard abroad to some remote part of the world, where he might acquire future happiness to himself and posterity.
In order whereunto he prepared for a sea voyage, and in the year 1170, the 16th of Henry II, he set off from Wales with so prosperous a gale, that after some weeks sail due westward he descried a land; where, upon his arrival, he found store of good victuals, sweet water, free and healthful air, gold, and whatever else he could reasonably desire.
Here Madoc plants himself and the people that he brought with him (about Florida, as my author thinks, which agrees pretty well with my novel relation) and having spent some time in putting matters in order, and raising fortifications for defence, he then thought of returning again into his own country, to furnish himself with a greater number of men, and all manner of provisions; which accordingly he undertook, leaving one hundred and twenty men behind him, as Cynwrick ap Grono, Meridith ap Rice, Gaten, Owen, and many others; and being directed by God's providence, the best compass, and the benefit of the pole star, after a long voyage, arrived safely at home; where, recounting his marvellous successful voyage, the fruitfulness of the soil, the simplicity of the savages, the great wealth abounding there, and the facility of conquest, he thereby drew many to return with him, who in ten barks, laden with necessary provisions, by as successful a voyage as before, most fortunately attained the same place they hoped for; where, though they found few of those they left there living, some being destroyed by excess in eating, and others by the treachery of the barbarians, yet by this recruit, having much bettered and enlarged their colony, and contrived everything with so good order that they were secure from any enemy, and had all things conducive to ease and plenty and content, they threw away the too indulgent thoughts of their own country, and returned no more; nor did any of the Welsh that followed after them, so that, in a few generations, the whole matter was in a manner forgotten.
The Spaniard, it is true, as Mr. Herbert acquaints us, to whom I refer the reader for a more full account of this expedition, his III. cap. fol. found some remains of this story at their arrival in America; among other things, the Mexicans a tradition that about the time that Madoc came thither, a strange people came thither in carraghs, or ships, as Columbus, Franciscus Lopez, and others testify, who taught them some knowledge of God, and the use of beads, crucifixes, religion, &c. which we read in Lopez and Gomara, were found among them at their first landing.
It is so remarkable that Cortez relates, who, observing the Indians to have many ceremonies, asked Montezuma, the father of Quabotino, the last king of Mexico, at the time he surrendered, how that many years ago a strange nation landed there, a civil people, from whose examples of piety they received them; but how they were called, or whence they came, he could not satisfy them.
Another item, in an oration of thanks which Montezuma returned the Spaniards for some favour, he thus told them, that the chief cause of his special affection to their nation was, that he had many times heard his father say, he had heard his grandfather seriously affirm, out of a continued tradition, that not many descents above him his progenitors came thither strangers, by accident in company of a nobleman, who abode there awhile, and then departed; upon his return, the people there left died; but that from him, or some of them, they thought themselves descended.
A speech so agreeable with the narration of Madoc, that I cannot but avow they rather descended from the Welsh than from the Spaniards or others; as the records of this voyage, writ by many bards and genealogists, do seem amply to confirm; as do also the many Welsh names given to birds, beasts, rocks, &c. yet remaining among the people of the same signification with the Welsh; (such as penguin, referred by them to be a bird that hath a white head, and to rocks of that resemblance: gwyn dur, white water; bara, bread; mam, mother; tad, father; cigar, a leathcock; llygad, a look; wy, an egg; adar, quill; naures, snow; neaf, heaven; and many names.
But, above all, this relation of Mr. Morgan Jones gives the most incontestable proof that can be desired; who conversed with those Indians, not in single words only, but in set discourses, preaching whole sermons to them three times a week; which, had not the language been the same, or little depraved, he could never have come to any satisfaction; so that I think we may safely conclude, that it is probable at least that these Doeg Indians are the remaining posterity of prince Madoc and his followers; that neither Christopher Columbus, Americus Vespucius, nor any other were the first discoverers of this, I dare say with them the new world, it having been discovered now upwards of six hundred years, viz. three hundred and twenty-two years before the voyage made thither by Christopher Columbus.
And if a premier discovery give any right or title either to name or thing, the property of the country rather belongs to the English than the Spanish king, and should have more justly been called Madocia than America.
Now, sir, whether this first relation of Mr. Morgan Jones, thus supported by the testimonies of the British annals, and the concurrent reports of the late Spanish discoverer rather deserve your imprimatur, or to be committed to the flames, is humbly left to your judicious decision. In the mean time, if it has given you or any of the society the least diversion, it sufficiently compensates the little trouble I have been at, and will serve, however, to demonstrate how willing I am to prove myself your most faithful and assiduous servant and secretary.
ROBERT PLOTT
The Pennsylvania Evening Post (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) · Thu, Dec 4, 1777 · Page 1-2
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