Chapter VIII: Part 8

The Bridegroom is bound to present the Father with a silver cup, to drink in; this is the first of those they call _Stycke_. The second is a large Kettle, either of Copper or Alchymy. The third, a bed or at least hansom bedding. The presents for the Mother are, first a girdle of silver, secondly a Robe of honor such as they use to call _Vospi_. Thirdly a Whisk, which they wear about their neck, and let it hang down to their brest, interlaced all about with bosses of silver, and this they call _Krake_. These are the presents for the Father and Mother: besides he bestows upon the Brothers, Sisters, and all the near kindred, silver spoons, silver bosses, and some other such kind of things of silver, for each of them must be presented with some gift by the Bridegroom, if he mean to obtain his Bride. These are the presents, which the Bridegroom is more especially bound to make to his Father and Mother in law that are to be, and the rest of the kindred. And he makes them in his father in laws hut, in the sight of all there. The day following the wedding is celebrated, first by the ceremonious joining of the Priest in the Church, afterwards by a set dinner. The new Wife together with the Bridegroom walk along, both dress’d in the best clothes they can procure at their own charges. For ’tis looked upon among them as unhansom to make use of the borrowed cloths of others, unless it be wool as I have elswhere shown. They take saies _Tornæus_ so great pleasure in good cloth of what ever color, that as far as their patrimony will permit, they procure their extraordinary apparel and festival Garments of that kind: who declares expressly that their festival apparel, or that which they wore on more solemn daies, was not of skins but rich cloth. These Garments the Bridegroom girds up with a silver girdle, but the Bride first looses her hair: and the fillet wherewith she bound it up together before, she gives to the Virgin that is next a kin to her: afterwards, on her bare head, and loose hair she puts a kind of a silver fillet gilt over, or two, such as is the womens custom to wear at other times besides, instead of a Garland or Coronet, so that by how much this fillet is looser, then to environ only her head; so much it hangs down the more behind: likewise about her middle they put on a silver girdle. This is the Brides apparel, unless that sometimes they put upon her head something of linnen, instead of a veil, which at other times the women use when they have a mind to make themselves extraordinary gallant, for as for what appertains to their garments, we have before observed, that both the Bridegroom and Bride wear their own, and those their best, and such as on festival daies they deck themselves withal. We have shown in another place, that the womens were called _Volpi_, and were made either of wool, or the richer sort of cloth, so that neither about this does _Olaus Magnus_ in his place a forecited, concerning the _Lapland_ Bride, sufficiently agree with their custom at this day. They set the Bride saies he, apparell’d in _Ermins_ and _Sables_ skins on a _Rain-deer_. At this day both dress’d very fine are carried to the Church or Priest, to be joined in Marriage; this was not the custom in old times, if we give credit to _Olaus Magnus_, for then they were joined at home, not by the Priests but the Parents, his words are in _Lib._ 4. _Cap._ 7. in which place he treats of the _Laplanders_ weddings, as the Title of the Chapter informs us. In the presence of friends and kindred, the Parents solemnly ratifie their Childrens Marriages, and that too by the striking of fire with a flint and steel, particularly there he makes the Parents joining them, and adds moreover the manner, viz. by fire striken out of a flint, which without doubt as some other things, he cull’d out of _Zeigler_, but as for the parents doing it, _Zeigler_ has nothing of that, the manner of their joining he explains in these words, They ratifie their Marriages, and begin them in a ceremony of fire and flint, so pat a conjugal mysterie, that they think nothing can be more agreeable, for as the flint conceals within it self fire, which by concussion breaks forth, so in both sexes there is life hid, which by the mutual coupling of marriage is propagated at last to be a living ofspring. And just so _Olaus_ has it, so that there can be no doubt made but that he followed _Ziegler_. When they arrive near the Church, they observe in their procession a certain order, first walk the Men, the Women follow. The Men are led up by a _Laplander_, whom they call _Automwatze_, or foreman, then follows the Bridegroom, after him the rest. Some number of Virgins lead up the womens company, after them comes the Bride led between a man and a woman, next to her follow the rest of the women. Tis here to be observed that the Bride like one strugling against it, and endeavoring the contrary, is dragged along by the man and woman that are to wait upon her, and would seem to admit of her marriage with great unwillingness and reluctancy, and therefore in her countenance makes shew of extraordinary sadness and dejection: so afterwards in the Church they are joined together by praiers and benediction according to the Christian rite. After the same manner does _John Tornæus_ relate this busines, only that he saies the Bride is led by two men, her Father and Brother, if alive, or otherwise by her two next Kinsmen. The portraicture of the Bride in her wedding apparel, and with her two leaders you have in the next page. After the solemnity of the marriage is ended, there follows a wedding feast, that is made in her Parents hut, and as for the provision, each of the persons invited contributes his share of the victuals, tho they bring it not thither just then, but the day before: when the Bridegroom distributes his presents to the Brides parents and kindred, then every one brings his victuals that will be serviceable to the feast. But because the meat they bring is ordinarily raw, they deliver it to a _Laplander_, on purpose appointed to that office, viz. to receive it of every Person that brings, and afterwards to boil it, and lastly to distribute it among the guests, tho commonly the greatest part of the provision be made, by the Bridegrooms as well as Brides parents. In their sitting at table they keep this order, in the uppermost places sit the Bridegroom and Bride next to one another, then follow in order the rest, as the parents, and kindred. At the table no person helps himself, but receives his meat from the hands of a _Laplander_, who is both dresser and carver of it. First of all he serves the Bridegroom and Bride with their portion, and in order the rest. Now they who by reason of the scantiness of room in the hut, cannot be admitted to the feast, such are boies and girles, climb up to the roof of the hut, and from thence let down threds with hooks tied to them, to which they fasten pieces of meat, and the like, so that they also enjoy their share of the banquet. The entertainment ended, they give thanks, as at other times they use, and shake hands one with another. The last thing wherewith they shut up the merriment of the feast, is drinking Spirit of Wine, which if they can light upon, they then are sure to buy; first the Bridegroom drinks, then the Brides parents, then each man shifts for himself, and so they make merry, but this custom the richer sort only observe, and those too who have the opportunity of buying, by the presence of those who sell these commodities; as for the meaner sort they are accustomed to divert themselves with talk. When the Wedding is over, the Husband may not take along with him his Wife with her goods and fortune, but must remain for an whole year in service with his Father; when that time is past, if he sees convenient he may set up for himself, and turn housekeeper; and then the Father bestows upon his Daughter at her departure, the _Rain-deer_, which are her due, because given her in her younger years: he gives her also other gifts besides, and what furniture will be requisite for the new married couple, particularly he gives for her dowry an hundred or more _Rain-deers_, as likewise silver, copper, Alchymy, a tent, bedding, and other houshold-stuff. And next all the kindred, the Brothers and Sisters, and whoever have received of the Bridegroom his gifts of respect, are likewise obliged to return him back again some present, so that he who had received one or two markes of silver, returns for a gift again one or two _Rain-deers_: so that it comes to pass, that the _Laplanders_, who can gratifie the friends and kindred with numerous presents, if they wed a rich _Laplanders_ Daughter, come to great wealth in _Rain-deer_ by this kind of marriage. These are the cheif things the _Laplanders_ observe in their contracts and marriages, which before we quite leave, we may take notice first, that it is unlawful among them, to marry a wife too near in blood. And they have so special a regard to the degrees of consanguinity and affinity, that they never request marriage in the prohibited ones. And again ’tis unlawful, having one wife to marry another, or when one is married to put her away, by Divorce. Polygamy and Divorce were never heard of among the _Laplanders_, neither in the time of _Paganism_, saies _Tornæus_, nor afterwards, but they alwaies observed marriage honestly and like Christians; yet in former daies perhaps they did not altogether abhor the communicating their wives, whom they permitted to strangers especially and guests. So indeed writes _Herberstenius_. But _John Tornæus_ mentions an instance of later date, and the Testimony too of a _Laplander_ of _Luhla_, tho he doubts to give credit to him. ’Twas reported to me, saies he, that in the time of my Predecessor of _Luhla-Lapmark_, a certain immodest _Laplander_, came to lodg with another, in _Torne-Lapmark_, a civil honest man, as was his whole family, who could read books, and lived a pious life, for which he was stiled by scorners _Zuan Bishop_. Then the Man of _Luhla_, when he had disordered himself with drinking Spirit of Wine, addressed himself to his hosts wife, in hope of debauching her, but because there were there present two officers, who had Spirit of Wine to sell, the _Zuan_ Bishop call’d for them, and told them the fellows design, desiring likewise that they being Ministers of the State, would apprehend and bind him: they immediately bound him to a Tree, and left him there for a whole Winter night together, to be frozen with cold. At last he was forced to regain his liberty with mony; and pleaded it as an excuse, that it was the custom in _Luli-Lapmark_, that if any person visited another, the entertainer permitted such familiarity with his Wife. Thus saies _Tornæus_, but doubtingly, for the fellow might have only framed this for his own excuse; ’tis certain no other person has taken notice of it in them of _Luhla_, and the other _Laplanders_ are so ignorant of this communion of their wives, that they cannot endure they should look upon other men. The _Laplanders_ dwelling towards _Norway_ at the river _Torna_ are so jealous, that if a Woman chance to meet a man, and speak but a few words to him, they immediatly fall into a suspicion of her.

CHAP. XXVI.

_Of their Child-bearing, and the Education of their Children._

Next to Marriage it will be expedient to treat of their Child-bearing, and their Children. Where we may note first, that they wish for nothing more, and that they take no greater plesure in any thing then fruitfull Matrimony. And hence it is, I suppose, they are so prone to lust, as is elsewhere shown: but altho they desire this so ardently, yet they are very seldome fruitfull in Children, for they can scarce beget more then eight, which number is the greatest, and usually they beget but one, two, or three. An occasion of this their barreness, _Sam. Rheen_ imagines their bad diet, as likewise the extreme coldness of the Country, which I think may be very true. He moreover adds Gods anger, which he collects from this, because tho they are not worn away with War or Plague, yet notwithstanding their Country is never the more populous, and their Nation wasts rather daily. The motive of this anger he supposes to be their obstinateness in maintaining their ancient impieties. They use indeed at this very day, not only in Child-bearing, but other affairs too, to be solicitous concerning the events, and to search after them by their superstitious rites. Their first care is concerning the sex, for as soon as they perceive the wife to be big with child, they have an opinion that they can inform themselves whether it will prove a Boy or a Girl, after this manner: they forthwith view the Moon (for they imagine that a Child-bearing woman bears some resemblance to the Moon, as we shall hear) if there be a Star just above the Moon, they thence collect that the burden will prove of the male sex, if below, of the female. But I wonder they make a comparison between the Moon and a woman with child. For can there be any account given of their resemblance? is it, that like the Moon, she grows big with her burden, and when that is laid, lessens again? I rather suppose that these are the reliques of their Pagan superstition, which made the Moon the tutelar Goddess to women with child. For so most of the Pagans did account other, which opinion being outdated, they yet pretend some resemblance between them. Their second care is touching the health or sickness of the child, which thing also they suppose the Moon will inform them in. For if a Star be just before the Moon, they take it for a sign that the child will prove healthfull, and grow up to be a man. But if it comes just after her, they thence presage that the child will be a very sickly one, and not long lived.

The woman with child laies her burden in a hut, but (which any body may understand) a sufficient incommodious one, especially if the time of her delivery happen to be in the Winter, for tho they have a fire kindled in the middle of the hut, yet that can give her but little warmth. After her delivery, her first restorative and cordial, is a good draught of Whales fat, which they procure out of _Norway_, the tast of which is as strong and ill savoured as of a Sea-calves lard, when dried. The child, as soon as brought forth is washed over as in other Countries, but it is a peculiar custom of the _Laplanders_ that first they do it with cold water or snow, and then afterwards dip them in hot water, when it begins to fetch its wind, and can scarcely draw breath. And also they use to dip in the water all the other parts of the body, the head only excepted; They heat water, saies _Sam. Rheen_, in a Caldron, and in that they set the infant streight up to his neck, but they let no water come upon his head, before such time as he is baptized by the Priest. The newborn Babe is instantly wrapped up in an Hares skin, instead of linnen swadling clothes.

The woman lying in, hath her peculiar place assigned her in the hut where she lodges, till she recover her health. And it is just by the door usually on the left hand: there is no other reason given for it then that this part of the hut is less frequently disturb’d by company, and there they have all things needfull for them administred. Tho this seldom resort thither be rather, by reason of the womans lying in in that place, either because they would not disturb her with their company, or, which I rather suppose, because they look upon her at that time as unclean. But the women of _Lapland_ seldom keep their beds long after their delivery, and in that while are extraordinary carefull touching the Baptism of their Infants: for after they began more diligently to be instructed in the Christian Religion, they take the greatest pains imaginable to have their Children baptized as soon as possibly may be. In former times it was otherwise, most of them then were baptized very late, and at their mature age; some deferred it for altogether. Of this _Gustavus_ the first is a witness, in his Charter, the words whereof I have cited elsewhere. As touching the former _Gustavus Adolphus_ in an other Charter and Preface, premised to that which he published _Anno_ 1634, in which the State of the Religion in _Lapland_ is declared at large; Baptism, saies he, is administred indeed to them but only at Winter, if their young children can live till then, it is well; if not, they die without Baptism. Some of their children come to years of Discretion before it, so that with those that are grown up, there is no small paines to be taken when they are to be baptized. The time of Baptism being the Winter time, was because they have Sermons then preached to them, and the Sacrament administred, and that no oftner then twice; once about New-years-day, and againe at Lady-day, of which I have treated in another place. Before these times there was not so much done as that, but the _Laplanders_ were fain to come with their Children to the neighbouring Churches of the _Swedes_ in _Angermannia_ and _Bothnia_, of which _Olaus Magnus_ must be understood to speak, when he saies Lib. 4. c. 17. Once or twice in a year they visit the Baptismall Churches, and bring along with them their sucking Babes in Baskets tied to their backs, to be baptized. But at this day those women that are able, and not impeded by some grievous sickness, carry their Children to the Priest themselves, about a fourtnight after their delivery, that by him they may receive Baptism. So much good hath building Churches in _Lapland_ done, and having Sermons there, not in a strange Tongue, but the _Laplanders_ proper own: and so zealous are they for hastening their Childrens Baptism, that the Mother scarce lying in above a week or fortnight, after her delivery, will undertake a most tedious journy, over the tops of Mountains, thorough wide Marshes and high Woods with her Infant to the Priest; for the women of this Country are naturally hardy, and able to endure any thing without trouble, and therefore, tho they feed upon course food in their sicknesses, and drink nothing else but water, yet they recover again quickly. They carry their young Infants to the Priest, one way in the Summer time, and another way in the Winter. In Winter they lay it upon a sledge. In Summer they put it in a Pannier fastned to the back of a Rain-deer. The Infant is not set upon the back of the Raindeer, but is tied in his cradle, and fastned to the pack saddle after this fashion.

_Olaus Magnus_ makes them put in Baskets, as his words afore quoted do intimate, and those Baskets too to be tied at their backs, and the Picture he makes of them represents not only the woman, but the man too so laden, each with two Children a piece: so that together they travell with four Children, and with wooden shoes on their feet; but here I am afraid the Painter followed his own fancy too much. Certain it is that the Baskets there represented, bear no resemblance to those of _Lapland_. The _Laplanders_ are wholly ignorant of this sort of Baskets, that are carried at ones back. Nor are their Baskets like wooden square Boxes, such as his figure represents them, but of a round compass, and one part shut down upon the other, as I have said elsewhere. But to return to their Baptism, in it they give their Children names, according to the names of some of their friends and kindred. _Samuel Rheen_ adds that they affect to put Pagan names upon them, such as _Thor_, _Guaarm_, _Finne_, _Pagge_; but that the Priests avert them from so doing as much as possibly they can. And this is peculiar with them, that they often change their names, and put others upon them then those that were given them at their Baptism, for the love they bear to some friend or kinsman deceased, whose memory thereby they desire to preserve. _Tornæus_ too avouches the same thing, and if at any time in their younger years they fall into sickness, then they use the name given them in Baptism instead of a surname, especially they observe this in boies. But altho the _Laplanders_ wives are hardy, so as to be able to undertake a journy a week or two after their delivery, and to go about other emploiments, tho they have made their public appearance, and have been churched by the Priest, yet by their husbands they are looked upon as unclean, till six weeks be accomplished, so that they admit of no familiarity or conjugal society with them for all that space of time. And thus much of their child-bearing.

I proceed next to their Education of them, the first thing that occurs here is their Nursing, which is alwaies by their own Mothers milk, for the _Laplanders_ make no use of Nurses. And this they do not only for some small time, but usuall for two years, three or four together; but if sickness or any other occasion happen, so that they cannot themselves suckle their young ones, they give them the Rain-deers milk, which is grosser and thicker, then they can well draw out of a suck-bottle, (as at sometimes they are accustomed to do, elswhere) and for that reason, if the necessity be urgent they give it in a spoon. Besides their Mothers milk, they instantly accustom their young Infants, to eat flesh, for they thrust into their mouths a piece of Rain-deers flesh, that they may suck the gravie out of it, and so get nurishment.

The rocking the infant in his cradle, follows next, whereby they get him a sleep. Their Cradles are made of the stock of a tree hollowed, like a boat: these they cover with leather, and at the head they erect an arched kind of roof, of leather likewise. In such a cradle they lay & tie in the Infant, without any linnen clothes or sheets, instead of which they lay him on a sort of soft moss, of a red color, which they dry in Summer, and have great plenty of it. When the Infant is to be rocked, they let the cradle hang by a rope from the roof of the hut, and by thrusting the cradle and tossing it from one side to the other, they lull him a sleep. They use likewise to please their young children with some certain baubles, for at their cradles they tie some rings of Alchamy, to make a noise and clinking. To these rings which serve instead of rattles they moreover add some emblems, wherewith their children may be timely admonished of their condition and future duty. If it be a boy, they hang up at his cradle a bow and arrows, and a spear made very artificially out of Rain-deers horn, whereby they signifie, that their children must diligently practise to be expert and ready in using the bow and spear. If it be a girle; the wings, feet, and beak of a white Partridge, which they call _Smæripa_, and is call’d _Lagopus_ having feet like the feet of an hare, thereby implying, that their Daughters must carefully learn to be cleanly, and like those birds nimble and active. As soon as the children come to some age, they instruct them in all necessary arts, the Fathers the boies, the Mothers the girles, for they have no School-masters among them, but each person is his own childerns Master, and they are so far put on by their parents as to be able to perform any works in use among them. Their boies they cheifly teach the Art of Shooting, and hitting marks with an arrow, because in old time they were necessitated to get their living by the help of bow and arrows, whereas the greatest part of them maintain themselves by hunting, and therefore when they have practised never so little the use of the bow, the boies victuals are kept from them, till they can hit a mark with an arrow, and as it was the custom anciently among the _Baleares_, and so now among the _Laplanders_, their boies earn their food every day by their dexterity in shooting, and thereby at last they prove most excellent marks-men. _Olaus Magnus_ makes mention of this their practice, and wonderfully extolls their dextrousness herein, and avers that he himself has seen some of them who could exactly hit a farthing or a nedle, set at such a distance off as would just let them see it. On the boies, that they may take more care to hit the mark, when they have hit it, they bestow a white girdle, wherein they take huge delight, and sometime a new bow. But as the _Laplanders_ do look to their children in time to teach them arts requisite to get their living, so also to provide them means to maintain themselves withal, where it will not be impertinent to mention, that tis a custom with them to bestow upon their infant a female Rain-deer, soon after its birth or Baptism, if it be of female Sex, and upon the horns of it they ingrave her mark, so to prevent all controversies or quarrels, that may arise concerning her right. She receives likewise another, when she cuts her first tooth. Which they call _Pannikeis_, that is, the tooth Rain-deer. _John Tornæus_ writes as if these gifts were given only by women. The Woman saies he, that first spies a tooth in his mouth, is fain to honor him with a present of a Rain-deers Calve. This custom might probably have its rise thus, because, when the infants have gotten teeth, they have need of more solid meat, therefore they stock them with Rain-deer as being their cheifest food. That Rain-deer then, and whatever encrease comes of it, are preserv’d to the future uses of the child, as may appear by what we have elsewhere said, in the Chapter of their marriages, and so likewise of the other Rain-deer which parents give the child besides, for tis usual among them to superadd one to the former, and this they call _Waddom_, that is, the given one. And this is the chief care of the Parents towards their children, but if they die, instead of them are substituted Guardians, as among other nations, out of their nearest kindred, who manage all these affairs for them.

CHAP. XXVII.

_Of their Diseases, Death and Burial._

Tho the _Laplanders_ lead a miserable and hardy kind of life, yet they enjoy their health perfectly well. They have not so much as heard of most diseases, and are not all infected with those, that elswhere use to depopulate whole Countries. There are no acute and burning feavers among them, no plague. And if any infection be brought among them, it instantly loses its force. Some years since an infection was brought into _Lapland_ in hemp, but none were hurt by it, besides the women that in spinning chewed it, for the Northern cold easily dissipates the poisonous vapors. The ordinary and frequent disease among them is, sore eies, from whence not seldom proceeds blindness. The cause of this may be, that from their infancie they for the most part are forced to be in smoak, wherewith their Huts are fill’d both in Summer and Winter. _Ericus Plantinus_ gives the same reason, and moreover adds the light of the fire to be a cause of it. And this gives them the greatest trouble imaginable, that their old age usually ends in blindness. They are often troubled also with the Pleuresy and inflammation of the lungs, stiches in the back, and dizziness in the head. The small Pox likewise sometimes takes them. Now as diseases are rare among them, so Physick is altogether unknown. Against all diseases inwardly they use the root of a kind of Moss, which they call _Jereh_, or in the failance of that, the stalke of _Angelica_, which they call _Fadno_, and is any where to be found. For this use they boil the _Angelica_ with the whey of Rain-deers milk, as I said it was a custom among them before, in the Chapter of their food, and so prepared it is made use of as a special Medicine. If they feel any pain in their joints, they apply some fired chips to the place ill affected, that the ulcer then made may attract the vicious humors, and so mitigate the paine.

They cure wounds with no other ointment or plaister then of resin, which the trees sweat out: if a member be benummed with cold, the Cheese made of Rain-deers milk affords the presentest remedy to it; they thrust a red-hot iron into it, and with the fat of the Cheese that instantly distills from it, they anoint the part affected with incredible success. Others apply the Cheese it self, slicing it thin like a plate or leafe. This Cheese so boiled in milk is extraordinary good for a cough, and what other distempers, either of lungs or breast arise from cold, if it be taken so heated. It helps the stomach when disaffected by their drinking water. Because diseases are so rare among them, most of them come to extreme old age. Nay _Sam. Rheen_ saies there are some among them that live to be above an hundred years old, and that most of them usually reach 70, 80, and 90 years, and at this age he saies many of them are still sufficiently brisk and lively; able to manage their business with expedition, to take a journey, to course thorough Woods and Mountains, and to perform other such labour: and lastly that they grow not grey-haired either soon or easily; so that old age dispatches more of them then diseases do. But if any be so dangerously sick as to keep his bed, either worn with age, or some distemper, they first enquire concerning him by their Drum, whither he will recover his health againe or die, as I have in another place shewn this to be one of the uses of the Drum, and _Cl. M. Matthias Steuchius_ in his Letter to me tells us the same; _I remember_, saies he, _I was once told by a_ Laplander _that they can tell the very houre and manner of any mans death by those their Drums_.

When they perceive any one neer death, then if there be present any well disposed persons, and versed in the Christian Religion, they exhort him in his agonies to think of God and Christ. If they are regardless of Religion, they instantly abandon the sick person, carefull only about the funeral banquet, which they begin sometimes to celebrate before the person departing is quite dead. _Steuchius_ confirms this by a Story; There was a rich _Laplander_ named _Thomas_, who when he was taken with a dangerous fitt of sickness, so as to loose all hope of recovery, he summond before him his friends and acquaintance; they when they perceived him to be desperate, they hasted to the Victuallers that keeps the Inn towards _Norway_ and _Jamptland_, and of him they bought Ale and spirit of Wine ready to sacrifice over their friend, whilst he was alive: when they had spent a whole day in quaffing, they camme to the sick mans Hut, and by that time found him quite dead. This is an example of the latest date, that hath happened in these our daies, from whence we may learn how just and reasonable the complaints were, which were premised to the Charter of _Gustavus Adolphus_, concerning the _Lapland_ School. Furthermore, it is customary if any die, of whatever distemper, all instantly forsake the Cottage where the departed person lies; for they imagine (which is elsewhere shewn) that there survives something of the deceased, such as the ancient _Latins_ called _Manes_, and that that was not alwaies benign, but sometimes hurtfull: for this reason they are afraid of the corps of the deceased. And if the person departed were of the richer sort: they wrap his corps in a linnen garment, if a poor mean man, in a woollen tattered one, so as to cover over as well the head, as all the other parts of the body, this they call _Waldmar_. So indeed do they that are more observant of the Christian rites then ordinary there; as for the others, they cover their dead with their own vestments, and those too the best they had when alive, as _N. Matthias Steuchius_ assures me by a Letter, and confirms it too by a late example that a person worthy to be credited, related to him by an Inhabitant of _Undersaok_, a near neighbour to _Lapland_. _The body of the dead_, saies he, _they cover with the best garments he had alive, and shut it up in a Biere_. They lay the corps so wrap’d up in a Coffin, or funeral Chest, which is done by one peculiarly intreated to undertake the employment, and who must receive of the nearest kinsman to the deceased person a ring of Alchimy, and wear it fastned to his right arm. The reason of so tying this ring is, because they beleive it to be a preservative against the harm the Manes of the deceased person may otherwise bring upon them, for this reason he is fain to wear this same ring till the Burial be over, I suppose, because then they think the ghost may be more quiet, which is the ancient superstition as well of _Greeks_ as _Romans_. The Coffin is usually made of the hollowed trunk of a tree, when they have not wherewithall to make a Coffin, as is common with them that dwell in the barren Mountains near _Norway_, they lay the corps of the deceased on a Carr or Sledge, which they call _Akia_, instead of a Coffin. The place of their Buriall in ancient times, before they turned Christians, was the first convenient place they met withall for that purpose, especially a Wood. As for them that dwell at a considerable distance from the Church at this day, they leave not off the custom of burying them any where where they first light, with the Sledge too, especially if there are only bare Rocks, and no Trees to be seen. Others on every side beset the Sledge with the corps too with stocks of Trees, both above and below, on each side, so as that it may not contract filthiness or moulder, nor the corps be torn in pieces, or devoured by wild Beasts.

There are some besides that lay them in Caves, and stop up the mouths of them with stones. But what _Peucer_ writes that they dig a hole, and lay their dead bodies under their hearth, thereby to escape the hauntings of Ghosts, that is neither known nor heard of by the _Laplanders_: “Whereas saies he, they are strangely frightned and haunted with the Ghosts of their kindred after death, they provide against that by burying their bodies under their hearths: by this only remedy they guard and protect themselves against the hauntings and affrightments of Demons, this if they do, no ghosts afterwards appear; if they neglect to do it, they are perpetually interrupted and infested with the apparitions of their too officious kindred.” They are so far from burying the corps under the hearth that they rather remove them to as great a distance as they can, But it is a singular and memorable passage, that those especially who are less observant of Christian rites, do use to bury with their deceased, first an hatchet, and next a flint and steel, of which ceremony they give this account, that if they ever come to rise againe in that darkness they shall have great need of springing a light; to which the flint and steel may help them, as likewise there will be occasion for a ready way, wherein they may travell to Heaven, to which purpose their hatchet may stand them instead, them especially that are buried among thick Woods, that if any Trees obstruct their passage, they may cut them down. And this do they themselves at this day affirm, now they have heard of a last day, and a Resurrection of the dead. But I suppose it rather to be an ancient superstition remaining still in these Countries, nor used only by the _Laplanders_. I my self saw some few miles distant from _Upsal_, raked out of the Sepulcher of a famous person, the great Treasurer of this Kingdom, _M. Steno Bielke_, a steel and flint; which that it was a relique only of Paganism, not the place only, but Tomb over him did sufficiently testify. It is certain that it was the ancient persuasion of Pagans, that there was no other way for the dead to arrive at the abodes of the Blessed, but thorough darkness, which they are the more afraid of, because it is the nature of their Country to have thicker darkness and of more durance then is usual among others. As concerning the hatchet, it is no wonder, whereas in other places it is a received custom to lay by dead People their Weapons, of which the principal one, among the _Laplanders_, is the hatchet. As for what appertains to the modern _Laplanders_, _Olaus Petri_ imagines that they bury these things with their dead, because they beleive that after the Resurrection they shall take the same course of life they lead before, and for that reason they furnish them with the same utensils. Thus do they who are less observant of the Christian ceremonies, and dwell farthest off from the Christian Churches. The others take special care to have their dead carried to the Church-yard, which too the Priests do earnestly request of them. It is said too that some of them, when they have bin accustomed to bury in such a place are so ambitious as to give money to have their deceased buried not in the Yard, but the Church.

But here none of the _Laplanders_ will willingly dig up a grave, unless he be extraordinary poor, such whom the richer of them hire at a considerable rate to such an emploiment, or some other of _Swedland_, whom they can procure. So the deceased person is buried according to the Christian rite, when they have mourned for him, putting on the worst clothes they have, that is peculiar to them, that they leave behind them the sledg whereon the course was brought to the Church-yard and all the vestments wherein the deceased lay during sickness, these they bring to the Sepulcher, for fear I suppose lest any deadly thing should cling to them, and that cannot be used by others without harm. So when the Person is buried, a funeral banquet is provided, the time of it is usually, the third day after the burial, the banquet is furnished out of the flesh of the Rain-deer; that drew the person departed to his Burial place. That they sacrifice in honor of him; and all the kindred and acquaintance feast upon it. At this feast they take special care, not to loose the bones, but gather them all up diligently, and lay them in a coffer and bury them under ground; if they have the opportunity of procuring Spirit of Wine, they drink it about to the memory of the person deceased, and call it _Saligawiin_, that is the Wine of the blessed, meaning, I suppose that they drink it to the memory of him, that is happy by his departure from earth: however it happened, that those kinsmen of _Thomas_ the _Laplander_, as was above mentioned, made this feast before the due time. They fasten upon the coffer, wherein they shut up the Rain-deers bones, the image of a man fashioned out of wood, bigger or less in proportion to the deceased person; thus much of their funeral rites. Only some of the richer sort repeat the feast every year, in the manner aforesaid, where may note, that the Rain-deers are not only slain for their business of the feast, but likewise in manner a Sacrifice, and that the bones are offered to the Manes of the deceased, at tis more largely treated of in another place. It moreover is apparent that the _Laplanders_ time of mourning is not used to be short, but of a long continuance, especially for the loss of married persons or children, and consists not in ostentation, or appearance, but only in inward sorrow. I come now to their manner of inheritance and division of their goods, which follows upon the death of any one, for the _Laplanders_ likewise have their sort of riches, consisting most in moveables as cattle, silver, brass and copper vessels and the like, but there is nothing for which they are more esteemed then plenty of Rain-deer. Some of them have a hundred, some a thousand or more; _Olaus Magnus_ makes mention of but half these numbers _Lib._ 17. _Cap._ 28. but what may be read in the papers of _John Buræus_, confirms their number to be much greater. _Oroveen_, tis there said, was so rich in Rain-deer, that their number could not be known. _Arent Justinus_ stole a hundred of them, and yet they could not be missed. And other things which serve for daily uses, they keep in public, or else lay up in their cupboards, as I have elsewhere shown, but they bury under ground either silver plate or mony, and the place they call _Roggri_, they lay it first in a close box, that in a copper kind of kettle, and that they cover over with boord, and so strew it over with earth and moss, that no body may perceive any thing to be hid there, this they do so privatly, that neither their wives nor children can tell any thing of it, so that it sometimes chances, that, when they dy suddenly, all these things ly buried and never come to the heirs, but what come to their hands are thus divided among them, if they be moveables, the Brother receives two thirds, the Sister one, as was appointed by the Provincial Laws of the _Swedes_. The two _Rain-deers_ given to the children in their tender years, the one the Tooth Rain-deer, the other the Parents free gift, are exempted from this common division, as likewise their increase, which sometimes comes to a considerable number. If the goods be not moveables, as territories, lakes, mountains and such like, the children of either Sex, possess them with equall right, and make use of them indifferently, tho this be not a bare permission, but founded in the division of _Lapland_, made by _Charles_ the Ninth, in which to every family were given its own territories, Lakes, Woods, Mountains, and the like, as has been mentioned in another place, from whence I suppose tis, that they remain still to each single family, and are not liable to division or to be distributed among the heirs as other goods; for these are not their own proper possessions, as other goods are, but only granted from the crown of _Swedland_ to them to receive the profits, and upon that score every year they pay a certain tribute, which we have treated of before, so that there remains nothing else to be added here.

CHAP. XXVIII.

_Of their Cattel._

After our discourse of the inhabitants of _Lapland_, their Nature and manners, something is to be said of other things there remarkable. First of their Cattel, of which they have some common to other Nations, some proper only to themselves. They have no Horses, nor Asses, Oxen, nor Bulls, Sheep nor Goats. The inhabitants do not regard Horses, for the little use they have of them; Oxen, Sheep, Goats, they procure from their Neighbors, for the provision of meat, wool, and hides, and they keep them but one Summer, still killing them a little before Winter. The Beasts proper to _Lapland_ which no other Nation has, are Rain-deers, _Peucerus_ stiles them _Tarandi_, but without reason, for the Rain-deer compared with _Tarandus_ as ’tis described by _Pliny_, have scarce any thing a like, the _Tarandus_ having the bulk of an Ox, an head bigger than a stags, and hair as thick and rough as a Bears, which he can change into any color, as he shews in his 8^{th} book, but nothing of this agrees to the Raindeer, as we shall shew anon. Likewise _Gesner_ did erre in bringing this Animal from two divers species. ’Tis not known who imposed the name; but whatever become of the Etymology or imposition of the name, tho it seem to be of late times, the beast it self was long before known. The first that wrote of him was _Paulus Warnefrid_: he speaks there of a people which he calls _Scritobini_, which were doubtless the _Laplanders_, for he describes their cloths to be the same with those which the _Laplanders_ call’d _Mudd_, he affirms that the beast of which they had their hides was not unlike a Stag, which serves to prove that they were the _Rain-deer_, for so they are call’d by _Herbestenius_, _Damianus_, and _Olaus_, who tells us that they are something taller then a Stag: those which have broad horns (found most in the North) are less than others. But tis not the same thing to talke of tallness and bulk; for tho other Stags owe their height to their long legs, they have less bodies than the Rain-deer. They have 3 horns, 2 branching out backward, the third sprowting down their foreheads (which _Olaus_ observes is to guard them from the wild Beasts especially the Wolves.) _Lomenius_ speaks of 4 horns, 2 backwards and 2 forwards, as appears by his picture, in which the Artist falls short of the matter, as my draught which is more accurate will show: but _Albertus Magnus_ makes them have three rows of horns, for so _Jonstonus_ out of him, they carry saies he 3 horns, each breeding 2 horns more, which makes his head seem bushy. Two of these are bigger then the rest, which answer to the Stags horns, growing sometimes to that bigness as to be 5 cubits high, and are adorned with 25 branches. The Doe has 2 short horns, one being fixt in its forehead which it uses in conflict with other beasts. These horns are proper only to the Buck, the Doe having much less and fewer branches. They are commonly covered with a kind of Wool, which is most frequent after they are cast and begin again to shoot; so _Olaus_. In the spring, they begin to sprout, tender, but rough and full of blood: when they come to a sufficient growth, they cast their hair in Autumn. The Rain-deer differ from a Stag, that their feet are thick like a Bulls; hence _Olaus_ took notice of their round hoofs: when they walk, the joints of their feet make a noise like the clashing of flints, or cracking of nuts, which is peculiar only to these beasts. Lastly their color is different from a Stags, for it comes nearer an Ash: besides they are white not only on their belly but on their haunches, which _Damianus_ observes does render them more like Asses then Stags, and _Zeigler_ agrees with him. But I cannot see on what account _Olaus_ attributes a main to this beast: they have indeed, especially under their necks, hair longer then ordinary, such as Goats and other beasts have, but nothing agreeable to an horse main: tis farther observeable that tho they are cleft they do not chew the cud. Likewise instead of the bladder for their gall they have a black passage in their liver. This is the picture of one drawn to the life.

Moreover the beast is naturally wild, and such still abound in _Lapland_, but now multitudes are tamed for domestick service; those that are bred of tame ones, remain so, of which there is great plenty. There is a third sort bred of the wild and tame, for they use, as _Sam. Rheen_ observes, to set out tame Does about rutting time, for the better conveniency of catching the wild ones. Thence it happens that sometimes the tame ones breed that third sort, which they call particularly _Kattaigiar_ or _Purach_, and are bigger and stronger than the rest, and fitter to draw Sledges. He saies too that they retain something of their primitive wildeness, sometimes being very headstrong, and kicking at him that sits on the Sledge. The driver hath no remedy then but to turn his Cart, and lie under it, till the Beast ceases to be unruly, for they are strong, and will not be governed with whips. They go a rutting about S. _Matthews_ tide, in the same manner that Staggs do: if any Buck be killed in that Season, the flesh stinks like a Goats, which makes the Inhabitants desist from killing them at that time, but at other times they are good meat. The Does (which they call _Waijar_) are big ten months, they calve about _May_, when they can recruit themselves with the Sun, and fresh grass. They breed but one a piece, but are so fertile, that of an hundred there is not ten barren. Those that have calved are stiled _Raonæ_, which become exceeding fleshy, as if they were fatned against Autumn, at which time they are usualy killed.

Those that have young ones never are housed, but give suck without, and in this case the great multitude breeds no confusion, for each Doe knows her proper Calf, and is known by it; so saies _Sam. Rheen_, who affirms that they know one another after two or three years absence. When the Calves are grown they feed on grass and leaves, and what the Mountains afford: their color is mixt of red and yellow. About S. _James_ tide they cast their hair, which in the next growth turns blackish. They are at their full growth in 4 years, each year changing their name; the first, they are stiled _Namiloppa_, i. e. nameless. _Tornæus_ calls the Buck _Hiroas_, but _Rheen_ gives him the name of _Herki_. When they are able to work, they are tamed; one sort being condemned to the Sledge, and thence named _Vaijom-herki_, others to carry burdens, thence called _Lykam-herki_. Those that are design’d for labour they commonly gueld, which renders them more tractable: this is done when they are a year old. Those which are reserved for breeding, are called _Servi_. The Bucks are not so numerous as the Does, of which there be an hundred for twenty, which are profitable for Milk, Cheese and breeding. Both men and women milk them kneeling, one hand being emploied to hold the pail, and the other the dugg. They milk them sometimes loose, and sometimes bound to a post, about 2 or 3 of the clock in the evening, and but once a day, the rest being reserved for the calves: those which have Calves alwaies yield most milk: the greatest quantity they give at once is a Swedish pint and half, that is about the fourth part of the ordinary measure upon the _Rhine_. The milk is fat and thick, and very nurishing, which is their chiefest food; that which they do not boil they make Cheese of, which is thus described by _Rheen_. The Dairy-Maids first let the milk stand to cream, when it hath stood they take off the cream with a skimmer. When one Cheesefat is filled, they fill another, and put it on the first, and so till 6 or 8 are filled, then they turn the Cheesefats, that the lowermost be in the top, and use not their hands to press the cheese, but let them press each other. Each Cheese requires as much milk as ten Rain-deers can spare: their shape is round about two fingers thick, and as big as a Trencher, which we use at table, their Milk makes very fat Cheese, but no Butter, instead of which they have a kind of tallow, as I shew’d before.