p in the ornamental margin that borders
the Arctic islands. _Legere est in libro de inventione fortunati sub polo
arctico rupem esse excelsam ex lapide magnete 33 miliarium germanorum
ambitu._ This refers to a matter recorded in Hakluyt's _Principall
Navigations_ (Lond., 1589, p. 249), namely: "A Testimonie of the learned
Mathematician, maister John Dee, {14} touching the foresaid voyage of
Nicholas de Linna. Anno 1360 a frier of Oxford, being a good Astronomer,
went in companie with others to the most Northren islands of the world, and
there leaving his company together, he travelled alone, and purposely
described all the Northern islands, with the indrawing seas: and the record
thereof at his return he delivered to the king of England. The name of
which booke is _Inventio Fortunata_ (_aliter fortunae_) _qui liber incipit
a gradu 54 usq. ad polum_."

The situation of the alleged loadstone rock is thus described by T.
Blundevile in his _Exercises_ in the chapter entitled _A plaine and full
description of Peter Plancius his vniuersall Map, seruing both for sea and
land, and by him lately put foorth in the yeare of our Lord, 1592_....
Written in our mother tongue by M. Blundeuill, Anno Domini 1594. The
passage is quoted from p. 253 of the third edition (1606):

"Now betwixt the 72. and 86. degrees of North latitude he setteth downe two
long Ilands extending from the West towardes the East somewhat beyond the
first Meridian, and from the saide Meridian more Eastward he setteth downe
other two long Ilandes ... and hee saith further that right under the North
pole there is a certaine blacke and most high rocke which hath in circuite
thirtie and three leagues, which is nintie and nine miles, and that the
long Iland next to the Pole on the West is the best and most healthfull of
all the North parts. Next to the foresaide Ilandes more Southward hee
setteth downe the Ilandes of Crocklande and Groynelande, making them to
haue a farre longer and more slender shape then all other mappes doe....
Moreouer at the East end of the last Ilande somewhat to the Southwarde, he
placeth the Pole of the Lodestone which is called in Latine Magnes, euen as
Mercator doth in his Mappe who supposing the first Meridian to passe
through Saint Marie or Saint Michael, which are two of the outermost
Ilandes of the Azores Eastwarde, placeth the Pole of the stone in the
seuentie fiue degree of Latitude, but supposing the first Meridian to passe
through th