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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 January 2012
In the year 1847 you published in the Archæologia an interesting letter addressed by a Mr. Churchman to Sir Joseph Banks, respecting the tradition of a city named Vineta, which was supposed to have been submerged on the shores of Pomerania. The circumstance that a city of such size, wealth, and commercial importance, as to have been described as “Maxima civitatum Europæ,” should have been not only obliterated from the face of the earth, but almost from the memory of man, gave me an interest in investigating the statements of early authors respecting its history and situation. My researches, however, brought under my notice so much that was either doubtful or contradictory, that I could come to no definite conclusion upon either point, and became content to lay the subject aside till more decisive evidence might chance to fall under my notice.
* Alter fluvius, id est, Odora, vergens in Boream, transit per medios Winulorum populos dividens Pomeranos a Wilzis; in oujus ostio, qua Balticum alluit pelagus, quondam fuit nobilissima civitas Vinneta, præstans celeberrimam stationem barbaris et Grsæis qui sunt in circuitu. De cujus præconio urbis quia magna quædam et vix credibilia recitantur, libet aliqua commemorare, digna relatu. Fuit sane maxima omnium quas Europa claudit civitatum, quam incohmt Slavi cum aliis gentibus permixtis Græcis et barbaris, nam et advenæ Saxones parem cohabitandi licentiam acceperunt, si tantum Christianitatis titulum ibi commorantes non publioassent. Omnes enim usque ad excidium ejusdem urbis, paganicis ritibus oberrarunt. Cæterum moribus et hospitalitate nulla gens honestior aut benignior potuit inveniri. Civitas ilia mercibus omnium nationum locuples, nihil non habuit jucundi aut rari. Hanc civitatem opulentissimam quidam Danorum rex maxima classe stipatus, funditus evertisse refertur. Præsto sunt adhuc antiqueæ illius civitatis monumenta. Ibi cernitur Neptunus tripliois nature. Tribus enim fretis alluitur ilia insula, quorum aiunt unum viridissimæ esse speciei, alteram subalbidæ, tertium motu furibundo perpetuis sævit tempestatibus.”