Chapter I: Front Matter

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SHOWING ROUTES OF MÖNNICHHOFEN AND RAMSAY]

HISTORY OF THE

SCOTTISH EXPEDITION
TO NORWAY IN 1612.

_By_

_THOMAS MICHELL, C.B.,_
_Her Majesty's Consul General for Norway._

London:

T. NELSON AND SONS, PATERNOSTER ROW.

EDINBURGH; AND NEW YORK.

CHRISTIANIA: T. BENNETT, TOURIST AGENT.

1886.

_Rights of Translation and Reproduction reserved for the benefit of
the Anglican Church at Christiania._

Dedicated,

BY GRACIOUS PERMISSION,

TO

HIS MAJESTY OSCAR II.

KING OF SWEDEN AND NORWAY,
&c. &c. &c.

WITH THE DEEPEST GRATITUDE
AND THE MOST PROFOUND RESPECT OF
THE AUTHOR.

Preface.

The idea of investigating the story of the Scottish Expedition to Norway in 1612 occurred to the author on a trip through the beautiful valleys of Romsdal and Gudbrandsdal in the autumn of 1884--many of the statements made on that subject in guide-books, and in almost every work on Norway, having appeared incredible when he left the highway and explored the old bridle-path along which the Scots marched on their way to Sweden.

Subsequent researches in State Archives, made with the kind assistance which has been heartily acknowledged in the pages that follow, resulted in the discovery of official documents hitherto unavailable, and with their aid the traditional account of the "Skottetog" has, in its chief outlines, been reduced to strict historical proportions.

The information thus acquired was utilized by the author in a lecture delivered in 1885 at the University of Christiania, in the gracious presence of His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway, for the benefit of the Building Fund of the Anglican Church in that city.

It is with the same practical object that, with the generous co-operation of the publishers, the lecture has been embodied in the little book now commended to the attention of those who take an interest in Scottish history, as well as to that of the British and American travellers who visit in such largely increasing numbers the beautiful and hospitable valleys and highlands of Norway, in which they find so much sympathetic evidence of a common origin of both race and language.

LONDON, _March 1886_.

Contents.

PART I.--HISTORICAL.

I. SOURCES OF INFORMATION, 11

II. THE CALMAR WAR, AND SWEDISH MEASURES FOR RAISING
MERCENARIES, 18

III. SUCCESSFUL MARCH OF MÖNNICHHOFEN THROUGH NORWAY, 23

IV. ORGANIZATION OF SCOTTISH LEVIES FOR SWEDEN, AND THEIR
FORCED DISBANDMENT, 32

V. ORDERS OF KING JAMES I. DISOBEYED BY A FEW SCOTTISH
OFFICERS, WHO PROCEED WITH A SMALL PORTION OF THE
LEVIES TO NORWAY, 42

VI. THE LANDING OF ALEXANDER RAMSAY IN ROMSDALEN, 48

VII. DESTRUCTION OF THE SCOTS IN GUDBRANDSDALEN, 52

VIII. THE COMBAT AT KRINGELEN, 56

PART II.--TRADITION.

I. THE SINCLAIR BALLAD, 71

II. NORWEGIAN TRADITIONS COLLECTED BY THE REV. H. P. S.
KRAG, 75

PART III.--APPENDICES.

Historical Documents.

I. EXTRACTS FROM THE "SWEDEN AND DENMARK CORRESPONDENCE,
1612," IN THE PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON, 133

II. COPIES OF DOCUMENTS FROM THE GENERAL REGISTER HOUSE,
EDINBURGH, 160

III. DOCUMENTS FROM STATE ARCHIVES, STOCKHOLM, 173

IV. DOCUMENTS FROM STATE ARCHIVES, COPENHAGEN, 180

INDEX TO NAMES OF PERSONS, 187