The Book of the Settlement of Iceland (Landnámabók)

rVHlS is the Prologue to this Book. In that Book on the reckoning of time, which the Venerable Bede drew up, there is mention made of the Island called Tili, which in books is said to be six days’ sailing north from Britain. There he said day came not in winter, nor night in summer, when day is at its longest. By wise men the reason why Iceland is called Tili is held to be this, that, wide about the land the sun shines all night when the day is at its longest, and that wide about it the sun is not seen in the day time when night is at its longest.

But Bede, the Priest, died 735 years after the Incarnation of our Lord, according to what is written, and more than one hundred years before Iceland was peopled by the Northmen. But before Iceland was peopled from Norway there were in it the men whom the Northmen call Papar; they were Christian men, and it is held that they must have come over sea from the west, for there were found left by them Irish books, bells, and croziers, and more things besides, from which it could be understood that they were Westmen; these things were found east in Pap-isle and Papyle, and it is stated in English books that in those times voyages were made between these countries.