«Ki
*—
HHH
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES
Northern Antiquities.
VOLUME I.
pefcription of the Manners, &c. of the Ancient DANES.
Northern Antiquities:
OR,
A DESCRIPTION
OF THE
Manners, Cuftoms, Religion and Laws o F T H E
ANCIENT DANES,
And other Northern Nations;
Including thofe of
Our own SAXON ANCESTORS.
WITH
A Translation of the ED DA, or Syftem of RUNIC MYTHOLOGY,
AND
OTHER PIECES,
From the Ancient I SL AN DIG Tongue. In T W O V Q L U M E S.
TRANS I. ATED
From Monf. M AL L E T'S IntroduRion a /' Hijloire fie Dannemarc, &c.
With Additional NOTES
By the Englifh Tranflator,
AND
Goranibu's Latin Verfion of the EDO A. VOLUME I.
LONDON:
Printed for T. CARNAN and Co. at No. 65. in St. Paul's Church-yard. M DCC LXX.
•••
TO HIS GRACE
THE
DUKE
O F
NORTHUMBERLAND.
My LORD,
TH E following work is infcribed to your Grace with the moft genuine refpect, and, I flatter myfelf, not without propriety, fmce it may poffibly afford amufement to one of the moft polifhed No- blemen of the prefent age, to obfcrve from what rude and fimple beginnings our higheft improvements have been derived; and to trace, to their fource, thofe pecu- liarities of character, manners and govern- ment, which fo remarkably diftinguim the Teutonic nations.
Among the hiftorical digrefiions which our Author has fcattered through his work,- is a full relation of the firft Settlement of the NORMANS in France. This cannot
VOL. I. A 2 (2) but
DEDICATION.
but be intereiling to your Grace, as the great Family, which you fo nobly repre- fent, derived their origin from one of the N< V<' ^rn Chiefs, who aflifted in that con- quell, i icm the place of their refidence in Lower Normandy *, they took the name ot : ; a name, which was afterwards
eminent!}' o-lcbrated in our Englifh annals, and which you have revived with additional luftre.
Among the many mining and amiable qualities which diftinguifh your Grace and theDutchefs of Northumberland, none have ppeared to me more truly admirable than ; • :at high refpecl; and reverence, which you both of you mow for the heroic Race whofe pofleffions you inherit.
Superior to the mean and felfifh jealoufy of thofe, who, confcious of their own want of dignity or worth, confign to oblivion the illuftrious dead, and wim to blot out all remembrance of them from the earth; you, my Lord, have, with a more than filial piety, been employed for many years in reftoring and reviving every memorial of the PERCY name.
Defcended, yourfelf, from a moft ancient and refpectable Family; and not afraid to be compared with your noble predecef- fors the Earls of NORTHUMBERLAND, you
* Near VILLEDIET, in the diftrift of ST. Lo.
have
DEDICATION.
have repaired their monuments, rebuilt their caftles, and replaced their trophies : and whatever appears to be any way connected with them, is fure to attracT: your attention and regard.
With this generofity of mind, added to your tafte, munificence, and love of the arts, can we wonder that your name is the delight and ornament of the EngFifh nation ? or that it is equally dear to a fifter country, where your upright and difmterefted plan of government, your politenefs and magni- ficence eftablimed your dominion over every heart ; and where the engaging and exalted virtues of the Putchefs have left an impref- fion never to be effaced,
That you may both of you long enjoy thofe diftinguimed honours and that princely fortune, which you fo highly adorn : That they may be tranfmitted down, in your own pofterity, to the lateft ages, is the fincere and fervent wifh of My Lord,
Your Grace's
Moft humble, and
MDCCLXX. Moft devoted fervant,
THE EDITOR,
i
VOL. I. A a (3)
•
CONTENTS
O F
VOLUME I.
TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.
Proofs that the Teutonic and Celtic Nations •were ab origine tivo diftinfl People.
THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
General Account oj the Work-, its Connexion 'with his propofed Hijlory of Denmark^ &c.
CHAPTER I.
^Denmark defcribed and the federal Countries fubjeft to its crorwn-t viz. Norway, Ice~ land) Greenland. Page I
CHAP. II.
Of the firft Inhabitants of Denmark^ and particularly of the Cimbri. p. 20
AS C HA P.
CONTENTS.
G H A P. HI.
Of the Grounds of the Ancient Hijlory of Denmark and of the different opinions con- cerning it. p. 4.1
CHAP. IV.
Of Odin, his Arrival in the north ^ his Con- cjuejls and the Changes •which he made.
P. 58
CHAP. v.
A general idea of the Ancient Religion cf the Northern Nations. p. 74
CHAP. VI.
Of the Religion 'which prevailed in fLe North, and particularly in Scandinavia after the death of Odin. p. 84
CHAP. VII.
Of the Exterior Worfhip and Religious Cere- monies cf the Northern Nations, p. IV24
CHAP. VIII.
Of the form of Government which formerly prevailed in the North, p. 156
C H
CONTENTS.
CHAP. IX.
The pajfion of the antient Scandinavians for Arms : their Valour : the manner in 'which they made War. A DigreJJion concerning the Jlate of Population among them.
P- '93
CHAP. X.
Of the Maritime Expeditions of the ancient Danes. p. 245
CHAP. XL
Sequel of the Maritime Expeditions of the ancient Danes and Norwegians. The dif- covery of Iceland and Greenland, and of an unknown country called Vinland {thought to be part of North America.]
p. 268
CHAP. XII.
Of the Cuftoms and Manners of the ancient Northern Nations. p. 306
CHAP. XIII.
Sequel of the Cuftoms, Arts, and Sciences of the ancient Scandinavians. p. 347
Conclujion. p. 405
A 4 An
An Account of the AUTHOR, extracted from
La France Liter aire, 2 Tom. 1769, izmo,
[Tom. I. pag. 326.]
PAUL HENRY MALIET
is a native of Geneva: He was fometims Royal Profeffor of Belles Lettres at Copen- hagen, and one of the Preceptors of the Prince of Denmark, now King Chriftian VII. He is a member of the Academies at Upfal and Lyons; and a correfpondent of the Academy of Infcriptions and Belles- Lettres in France. His works arc,
iTiftoire de Dannemarck, &c. (i. e. The Hiftory of Denmark) 1755. 3 -vol. 4/0. or 1763. 6 vol. izmo.
Forme du Gouvernement de Swede, (i. e» The Form of Government of Sweden.) 1756-
Abrege de IHljloire dc Dannemarck. (i: e. An Abridgment of the Hiftory of Den- mark.): 1760.
Hljloire de He/e. (i. e. The Hiftorv of Hefle.) 1766. Qvo.
THE
(i)
THE
TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.
THE Author of the following Work had a fbar~ in the education of that amiable Pnn e CHRIS- TIAN VII. King of Denmark, who late!\ honoured this nation with a vifit. During his refidence in irni North, our Author Monf. MALI.ET , 'who has all the talents of a fine writer) was engaged by the hte King FREDERICK V. to wrice a Hiftory of Denraa--;. ;u tue French Language. By way of introduction 10 that Hiftory, he drew upthefe two prefatory Volumes, the merit of which has long been acknowledged in moft parts of Europe.
Though intended only as a Preliminary Piece, it has all the merit of a complete independent woik ; and, except to the natives of Denmark, i.s much more interefting and entertaining than the Hiftory it. elf, which it was intended to precede. It very earh en- gaged the attention of the prefent Tranfiator : whofs reading having run fomewhat in the fame track with that of the Author, made him fond of the lubjici, ml
VOL. I. A 5 tempted
tempted him to give in an Englifii drefs a work in which it was difplayed with ib much advantage. As he happened alfo to have many of the original books from which the French Author had taken his mate- rials, he flattered himfelf they would fupply fome J3- luflrations, which might give an additional value to the Verfion.
For this reafon, as alfo to afford himfelf an agree- able amufement, the Tranflator fome time ago under- took this work ; but a feries of unexpected avocations intervened, and it was thrown afide for feveral years. At length he was prevailed upon to refume it; and as many of his friends were fo obliging as to {hare among them different parts of the Tranflation, he had little more to do but to compare their performances with the original, and to fuperadd fuch REMARKS as oc- curred to him. Thefe are generally diftinguilhed from thofe of the Author by the letter T^*.
fie was the rather invited to undertake this tsfk, as he perceived the Author had been drawn in to adopt an opinion that has been a great fource of miftake and ccnkihon to many learned wri-ers of the ancient hif- tory of Europe j viz. that of ftippoftng the ancient Gauls and Germans, the Britons and Saxons, to have been all originally one and the fame people ; thus con- founding the antiquities of the Gothic and Celtic na- tions. This crude opinion, which perhaps was firft taken up by CLUVERIUS f, and maintained by hi:n n <.;uJitior>, has been fince incau-
* When the prffer.t Trarflation was undertaken, only the full e-iiiion had appeared ; ana from that icveraJ of ihe firlt cl
ion »hr Frfr. volume was rot, as here, divided
III. CHAPTERS, but into V. HOOKS. Afterwards the Author . iii; v,', >•:•<, and p'lbliffced a nrw frfitirn, i:i whk-! h- .-.or . '/ ma;:e
rj-ionj
>. tlic Tex' ape Norcs. Ir wns r.ecefiiiry to accommodate the Ver-
.1!, but the Trjr.Ji.itor co»!J not Kt!' retailing in
the mirpin rrany of the ivj ..; .: too valuable
I • :t-r-n-!"ia: Antiqu* Libri Tres, &c. Lugduni A pud Lite*. ifciO. Klij.
( iii )
tioufly adopted by KEYSLER J and PELLOUTIER §, the latter of whom has, with great diligence and fkill, endeavou-ed to confirm it. In fhort, fo much lc .,-n-* ing and ingenuity have fcarcely ever been more per- verfely and erroneoufly applied, or brought to adorri and fupport a more groundlefs hypothecs. This mif- take the 'I ranflator thought might be eafily corrected in the prelent work; and by weeding out this one error, he hoped he fhould obtain the Author's pardon, and acquire fome merit with the Englifh Reader ]|.
And that it i> M* c-rr-ir he thinks will appear from the attentive confideration of a few particulars, which can here be oniy mentioned in brief: For to give the fubjc.fr. a thorough difcuffion, and to handle it in its full extent, would far exceed the limit.* of this fhort Preface.
The ancient and original inhabitants of Europe, according to Cluverius and Pclloutier, confifted only of two diftinct race of men, viz the CELTS and SAR- MATIANSS and that from one or other of thefe, but chiefly from the former, all the ancient nations of Eu- rope are defcended. The Sarmatians or Sauromatas, were the anceftors of all the Sclavonian Tribes, viz. the Poles, Ruffians, Bohemians, Walachians, &c. who continue to this day a diftinct and feparate people, extremely different in their character, manners, laws and language from the other race, which was that of the Celts; from whom (they will have it) were uni- formly defcended the old inhabitants of Gaul, Ger-
J Antiquitates Seleftae Septentrionales et Celtics, &c. Autore Job. Gsorgio KEYSLER, &c. Hannoveias 1720. 8vo.
§ Hiftoire des Celtes, et particulierement des Gaulois et des Gerrnains, ire. par Mr. Simon PELLOUTIEH. Haye '750. 2 Tom. nmo. This learned Writer, who is a protelrant minilter, counfellor of the Confiftory, and librarian to the academy at Berlin, is defcended from a family originally of Lang'iedoc, and was born at Leiplic, 2j October, 1694. O. S. (<v. France literaire, Tom. 1. )
|| Though the words GOTHIC or TEUTONIC are often fubftituted in the Tranflation, inftead of tiie Author's t'avuurite word CELTIOJJEJ yet care has been taken to reprefent the Author's own exprefiion in the piargin. Sometimes where it was not needful to be very precife, the word GOTHIC has only been added to the Author's word CELTIC j but the infertion is carefully diilinguiflied by inverted comma:,
YOJ, . I. A 6 many,
(iv)
many, Scandinavia, Britain and Spain, who were all included by the ancients under the general name of Hyperboreans, Scythians, and Celts, being all origi- nally of one race and nation, and having all the fame common language, religion, laws, cuftoms and man- ners.
This is the pofition which thefe Writers have adopted and maintained, with an uncommon difplay of deep erudition, and a great variety of fpecious argu- ments. But that their pofition, fo far as relates to the Celts, is erroneous, and the arguments that fupport it inconclufivc, will appear, if it can be fhown, That an- cient Germany, Scandinavia, Gaul and Britain were not inhabited by the defendants of one (ingle race ; but on the contrary, divided between two very dif- ferent people j the one of whom we fhall call, with moft of the Roman authors, CELTIC, who were the anceftors of the Gauls, Britons and Irifh ; the other GOTHIC or TEUTONIC, from whom the Germans, Belgians, Saxons and Scandinavians derived their ori- gin ; and that thefe were ab origine two diftinft people, very unlike in their manners, cuftoms, religion and laws.
As to the Arguments by which Cluverius and Pel- Joutier fupport their hypothecs that the Gothic and Celtic nations were the fame, they may all be reduced to Two Heads ; viz. either to QUOTATIONS from the ancient Greek and Roman writers; or to JiTYMOLq- CIES of the names of perfons or places, &c.
With regard to the latter, (viz. ETYMOLOGIES) thefe two writers lay it down that the prefent German or High Dutch is a genuine daughter of the ancient Celtic or Gaulifti language * ; becaufe, frorrTit they can explain the Etymology of innumerable names that were well known to be Gaulifh or Celtic f ; and this being admitted, it muft follow that the Germans
• La Impu jUemotidt eft un nftt dt Tantlennt langvt dtiCel:n. Pellou- »j«r, TO). 1. p. 165, Itc, f Vid. CluT. lib. 1. wp. ri, tii, viii, fee. Fallout, liv. I, chap. xv.
are
( v)
are a branch of the Celts, and confeqaently, that the Celtic and Teutonic nations were the fame. In pro- fecuting this argument it muft be acknowledged, that they have produced many inftances that appear at firft fi^ht very plaufiblr. But whoever confiders how little \ve can depend upon the Etymology of obiolete words, derived from barbarous dead languages, in which there are no books extant, will not build very fecurely on proofs of this fort. No one will aflert that the prefent German bears any refemblance now to the modern Welfli and Jrifh languages ; and yet there are writers in abundance who will undertake to account for the aame of almoft every place, perfon or office in ancient Europe, from one or other of thefe two living tongues, and will produce inftances, full as plaufible and conclu- five, as any adduced by Cluverius or his followers *. After all, there is probably a good deal of truth on both fides ; I can readily believe that all the names of places and perfons in ancient Germany, or fuch other countries as any of the Gothic or Teutonic nations at any time penetrated into, will be reducible to the lan- guage now fpoken by their defendants : And that in like manner, from the Irifh and Welfti language?, .which may be allowed to be genuine daughters of the ancient Gallic or Celtic tongue f» it will be eaf'y to ex- plain fuch names as were impofed by any of the ancient Celtic or Gallic tribes. Indeed in the very remote ages, prior to hiftory, one cannot pretend to fay what were the diftinct bounds or limits of each people. They were like all other barbarous nations, roving and unfettled j and often varied their fituation j being
* See that excellent antiqua'y Lluyd, in Archaeologia Britannica, i-e. not to mention many late writers of a different Stamp, viz. JONES, PARSONS, &c. &c.
•J- That the prefent Welfli language is the genuine daughter of the ancient Briufh fpoken in the time of the Romans, cannot be difputed j becaufe we have now extant MSS. writ in every age from the Roman times down to the prefent, which plainly prove the defcfnt, and are not unintelligible to the prefent inhabitants of Wales. (See Evans's fpeci- fnens of Weirti poetry, 410.) Now that the ancient Bririfli differed i; tie from the G^ulifh, we are allured by Tacitus, Strmo laud multum di-vtr. jut. TackC A grit, c, ii.
fometimes
( vi )
Sometimes fpread over a country ; at other times driven out by fome ftronger tribe of barbarians, or forfaking it themfelves in fearch of new fettlements. Csefar in- forms us, that fome of the Gallic tribes forced their way into Germany, and there efrablifhed themfelves*. It is equally probable, that before his time, bands of Germans might at different periods penetrate into Gaul -|- ; where, although their numbers might be too fmall to preferve them a diitincl nation, yet thefe emi- grants might import many names of perfons and places that would outlive the remembrance of their founders. This will fufficiently account for the difperfion ot" words derived from both languages, and inform us why Celtic derivations may be found in Germany and German names difcovered in Gaul. So much for arguments derived from Etymology ; which are fa very uncertain 2nd precarious, that they can only amount to preemptions at beft, and can never be op- pofed to foliclpofitive proofs.
"With regard to the other fource of Arguments, by which thefe learned writers fupport their opinion of the identity of the Gaub and Germans, viz. QUOTA- TIONS from the ancient Greek and Roman authors ; thefe they have produced in great abundance. But even if it {hould be granted that the Greeks and Ro- mans applied fon.ctimes the names of Celtic, Scythian or Hyperborean indifcriminately to the ancient inhabi- tants of Germany and Gau!, of Britain and Scandi- navia, the inference will {till be doubted by thofe that confider how little known all thefe nations were to the early writers of Greece and Rome ; who, giving them all the general name of Barbarians, inquired little far- ther about them, and took very little pains to be
* Full anna ttmpus cum Cermanos Gall'i inrtute fuperartnt et ultra belle, isfdient, ac . . . . dans Ki'crum culonlai mitterent, Z?c. Vid. plura apud Ca-f. de Bell. Gall. III,, vi.
•f This Cat-far exprelly tells us of the Belgae, who were fettled to the riotth or the S*ine and the Marne. Pltrofque Kelgai effi ortos a Germania ; Rh, r.itmqut antiquitui tranfJufios, profiler loci ftrtilitattm ibi (onfedijje ; gut ca loca in;ollercrt, txfultjje. De Bell. Gall. lib. ii.
accurately
( vii )
accurately informed about their peculiar differences and diftin&ions. Even a long time after thefe rude nations had begun to prefs upon the empire, and had made the Romans dread their valour, ftill their writers con- tinued to have fo conrufed and indiftinct a knowledge of their different dcfcent and character, as to confound both the Celts and Goths with the Sarmatians, whom all writers allow to have been a diflindl nation from them both* : XhusZofimus, an hiftorian of the third century, includes them all under the common name of Scythians -f ; and this, at a time when, after their long and frequent intercourfe with the Romans, their hiftorians ought to have been taught to diftinguifh them better.
However, the Greek and Roman authors were not all equally indiftin<5l and confufed on this fub- jecl:. It will be (hewn below, that fome of their beft r.nd moft difcerning writers, when they had an oppor- tunity of being well informed, knew how to diftin- guifli them accurately enough : So that both Cluverius and Pejloutier have found themfelves much puzzled how to reconcile fuch ftubborn paflages with .their own favourite hypothefes, and have been entangled in great difficulties in endeavouring to get over the objections thefe occafion. Even with regard to the more early hiftorians, they appear to have been fometimes more precife and accurate in their defcriptions. There is a remarkable paflage of this kind in Strabo J ; in which lie informs us that, although the old Greek authors gave all the northern nations the common name of Scy- thians or Celtofcythians, yet that writers STILL MORE ANCIENT §, divided all " the nations who lived be- " yond the Euxine, the Danube and the Adriatic Sea, '* into the HYPERBOREANS, the SAURCMATJE, and
* See Pelloutier, vol. I. liv. i. c!i. ii. paflim.
•$ See Pelloutkr, vol. I. p. 17.
j Stiabo, lib. xi. Awav'a; pn Jn tcve n-crS^-o^ M'<»«; :« Tr^atit rxv EXXnv&v eruyy{o^E»f, Jxtfln xa( KiXr^KySai ixxXot/v. &c. Vid. Cluv. Jib. i. p. 42. Pellout. vol.1, p. 2.
't C, ^. ET1 nPDTJPON JttXovlf?, £c.
' i " ARI-
** ARIMASPIANS ; as they did thofc beyond the Caj*- " pian Sea into the SACX. and MESSAGETJE." Thefe SACJE and MESS AGE TJE. might pofiibly be the ancef- tors of the Saxons and Goths, (as thefe laft are fully proved to have been the Getae of the ancients *) who, in the time of thofe very remote Greek writers, pofli- bly had not penetrated fo far weftward as they did afterwards : As it is well known that the GERMANII are mentioned by Herodotus f as a Perfian people. Now the moft authentic hiftorians and poets of the Gothic or Teutonic nations all agree that their ancef- tors came at different emigrations from the more eaftern countries J. But with regard to the three other na- tions, the HYPERBOREANS, theSAUROMAT^and the ARIMASPIANS ; if we agree with Pelloutier §, that under the two former the Celts and Sarmatians arc plainly defigned ; when he contends || that the Arimaf- pians are a meer fabulous people, which never exifted, who does not fee that he is blinded by hypothecs ? Why may not the ancient Finns or Laplanders have been intended by this term, which he himfelf inter- prets from Herodotus to fignify ONE-EYED, and fup- pofes it defer iptive of fome nation that excelled in archery, as alluding to their practice of winking with
* See Pelloutier, liv. i. ch. viii. vol I. p. 46, 47. &c. notes.
f Heiod. in Clio. A>A»i ti irf»j-ai r-n ««£.-, n«-<6>)Xcti«:, Arjjiwriaiej, FrPMAM I. Edit. R. Steph. 1570. pag. 34.
1 All the old northern Scalds and hiftorians agree that their anceftors came thither from the Ea!t, but then fome of them, to do the greater honour lo their country, and to its antiquities, pretend that they firft made an emigration into the Eaft from Scandinavia. See Sheringham De dngli>- rum Ct-.r/ii origine. Canabr\gs<t 1670. %-vo, parTim. It is the great fault of SHERINGHAM not to know how to diftinguifh what is true and credible from what is improbable and fabulous in the old Northern Chre- n.clt-s : Becaufe fome parts are true, he receives all for authentic ; as • late ingenious writer, becaoie fome parts are fabulous, is for rejecting all asfalfe. (See CLARKE, in his learned Treatife on the Connexion between the Roman, Saxon and Englifh Coins, &c. Lond. 17*7. 410.) By the fame rule we might reject the whole Grecian hiftory : For that of the North has, like it, its FABULOUS, its DOUBTFUL, and more ci«- TAJN PIRJODSJ which acute and judiciouj criticks will eafily diftin- grnft.
§ Liv. i. chap. i. J Vol. I. p. 9, 10.
one
(ix)
one eye in order to take aim *. Tacitus exprefly af- furcs us that the FENNI were great archers f ; and, as is oblerved in the following book J, it is highly probable that at fome early period of time, both the Finns and Laplanders were poflefTed of much larger and better traces of country than the northern deferts to which they are now confined.
But whether this interpretation be admitted or not, and whatever the more early Greek and Roman wri- ters knew concerning the Celtic and Gothic nations, it is very certain that in latter times, fuch of them as had moft difcernment, and the beft opportunities of being informed, have plainly and clearly delivered that the Germans and Gauls were two diftindr, people, of different origin, manners, laws, religion and lan- guage, and have accurately pointed out the difference between them.
Before we defcend to particulars, it may be pre- mifed, that thefe two races of men were in many things alike, as would necefTarily happen to two fa- vage nations who lived nearly in the fame climate, who were expofed to the fame wants, and were obliged to relieve them by the fame means. The more men approach to a ftate of wild and uncivilized life, the greater refemblance they will have in manners, becaufe favage nature, reduced almoft to meer brutal inftinft, is fimple and uniform ; whereas art and refinement are infinitely various : Thus one of Ihe rude natives of Nova Zembla will bear a ftrong refemblance in his manner of life to a favage of New Holland : They will both live upon fifh and fea fowls, becaufe their defart fhores afford no other food ; they will both be clad in the fkins of feals and other fea animals, becnu'b their country affords no other cloathing ; and they
« Pelloutier, ibid. Avf**rvw; i*ovo$9<t> pnt . : * APTMA Xiscri i»i/0ai, 2HOT Js TOV 0<f>8aXju»i'. Herod, p. 129. 145. f Sola infagittit $j>c:. Tac. de Mor. Germ, cap. ult. I Pag- 38, 59.
VOL, I. a
will both live by fifhing in little boats, and be armed; with lances pointed, tor want of metal, either with {harp flints or the bones of fifties : But will it therefore be inferred that the inhabitants of thefe two oppofite poles of the globe were originally one and the fame peo- ple ? The ancient Britons in the time of Csefar painted their bodies, as do the prefent Chcrckees of North America, becaufe it would naturally enough occur to the wild people of every country, that by this practice they might render themfelves terrible to their enemies : Nor will this prove that the Cherokces are defcended from the ancient Britons. When therefore Cluverius and Pelloutier foiemnly inform us That the Germans and Gauls lived both of them in fmall huts or caverns ; That they fubfifted either on venifon flain in hunting, or on the milk and cheefe procured from their flocks : That both people led a wandering roving life, and equally difliked to live in cities, or follow agriculture, and of courfe ate little or no bread : That they both of them drank out of the horns of animals *, and either went naked, or threw a rude {kin over their fhoulders : XVhen they collect a long feries of fuch refemblances as thefe, and bring innumerable quota- tions from ancient authors to prove that all thefe de- fcriptions are equally given of both people, who does not fee that all thefe traits are found in every favage nation upon earth, and that by the fame rule they might prove all the people that ever exifted, to be of one race and nation ?
But notwithstanding thefe .general refemblances, we have fufficient teftimony from fome of the moft difberning ancient authors, that the Germans and Gauls, or in other words, the Celtic and Teutonic nations were fufficiemly difUnguifaed from each other, and differed confiderably in PERSON, MANNERS, .LAWS, RELIGION and LANGUAGE.
* Some of the ancient German tribes drank BEER and AIT, as did the old inhabiting of Gaul. (See Pelloutier, vol. I. lib. 2. ch. ii. p. 216, 117, &c.) This, however, proves thrm not to be the fame pe.-ple, any tr.irs thin our dtinking rea and.coSee, proves us to be de- Mended from the Chicefe and Arabians.
C^SAR,
( xi )
CJESAR, whofe judgment and penetration will be dif- puted by none but a perfon blinded by hypothefis *$ and whofe long refidence in Gaul, guvc liim better means of being informed than almoft any of his country- men ; Csefar exprefly affures us that the Celts or com- mon inhabitants of Gaul " differed in Language, <c Cuftoms and Laws" from the Belgae, on the one hand, who were chiefly a Teutonic people f, and front the inhabitants of Aquitain on the other; who, from, their vicinity to Spain, were probably of Iberian race. Caefar pofitively affirms that the nations of Gaul differed from thofe of Germany in their Manners* and in many other particulars, which he has enume- rated at length | : And this alTertion is not thrown out at random, like the paflagcs brought by Cluverius againft it ; but is coolly and cautioufly made, when he
* Catrar is fo much more precife and pofitive againft the hypothefis efpoufed by Cluverius, Keyflcr, Pelloutier, &c: than the- comrfion Roman authors, who were generally inattentive to the differences of the barbarous nations ; that all the writers above- mentioned fet out with siccufing Caefar of being for ever miftaken ; whereas he and Tacitus were probably the only Romans that were generally exadl.
•f Gailia tjl emnis di-vifa In panes tres i quorum unam !>icolunt Betgtf, aliam Aqultanit terliam qu] i^forum lingua Celt*, n?[ira Galli apellantur. Hi cmnn LINGUA, INST!TUTIS, LEGIBUS inter je differunt. Cafa* de BelloGalJ. lib. i.
Plerefyue Belgai rffi ortot a Gtrmanis, &c. Ib. lib. a, (fee abovc^ page vi.'Kote -\.)
tcftimony is precife and formal ; but Cluverius ar~.il Pelloutier have found a fimilar pafljge in Strabo, in which he fays of the dquitanl, that their language only differed A LITTLE from that of the other Gauls, £:i;u,- MIKPON •jrc^aXXa-rWra? T«I? ylxrai;. (Strabi initio lib. 4.) This I apprehend does not afFcft the difference between the Gauls and the Bel^se : 5. e. the Celts and Goths, which is rniy tl)e or- jecl of my preftnt inquiry. (Vid. Cluv. p. 50. 52. Pellont, vol. I. p. 180.) After all, I much doubt whether the original inhabitants nf Spain were of Celtic race : There is found no refemblance between the old Cantabrian language (till fpoken in Bifcay, and any of th; CH<:c: diajecls, viz. the VVelfh, Armoric, Irifri, &c. (See the Specimens fubjoin- cd to this Preface.) 1 am therefoie inclined to follow the ancient autho- rities collected by Pelloutier, (in vol. I p. 27. note.) which affirm that ' the Iberians weie a different people from the Celts, arid that from an intermixture of the two.nations were prodnced the Celt- beriais. Pellou- tier feems to me to have produced no convincing ptoofs to the contrary, though he has laboured the point much. A: for the *ic:-ji:ar<i their in- tercourfe with the other Gauls may hare brought their lanjuige to a much nearer referr.blance when StraL-o wrcte^ ihan it bad v.'hen Cafar refided in Gaul.
J De Beilo GalHco, lib, 6. Vide locum.
a 2 It
is going to draw the characters of both nations at length in an exacl and well finifhed portrait, which fhowi him to have fludied the genius and manners of both people with great attention, and to have been eompleatly matter of his iubje£t *.
It is true, the Gauls and Germans refembled each other in Complexion, and perhaps in fomc other re- fpects, as might be expected from their living under the fame climate, and nearly in the fame manner ; yet that they differed fufficiently in their PERSONS, ap- pears from Tacitus, who fays that the inhabitants of Calidonia refembled the Germans in Features, whereas the Silures were rather like the Spaniards, as the inha- bitants of South-Britain bore a great refemblance to the Gauls f : This plainly proves that the Spaniards, Germans and Gauls were univerfally known to differ in their Perfons.
They differed alfo in MANNERS and CUSTOMS. To inftance only in one point, among the Germans, the wife did not give a dowry to her huiband, but the hufband to the wife, as Tacitus exprefly aflures us J : Whereas we learn from Caefar, that among the Gauls, the hufband received a portion in money with his wife, for which he made her a fuitable fettlement of his goods, &c. §.
They differed no lefs in their INSTITUTIONS and LAWS. The Celtic nations do not appear to have had that equal plan of liberty, which was the peculiar
* S?c the pafiage in Caefajy lib. 6* at large, it was too long to b» inrerted he^e.
f IL-Mui ecrforum i-arij : . . . Rutll<e CaJiJor.iam babitantlum ccm*t mjgti aiKt Germanic'" or:?inem aj/everant. Silurvm cikrati -vultus, et t'.rti plcrujr.tj-Ji crirtt & pojitu contra Hifpanlam, Hxros iieter*t trajeci/t tefaue ftdet cccupajj',: fidem fifiunt. Proximt (rallii et fimllet funt, &c. Tacit, in Vit. Agricol*, c. n.
J Dctim tun Vxor Marito, fed Ux«ri ATaritut offert. De Mor. Germ, c. 18.
§ riri <j'jar.:at prtum'-as at Uxtrlbut DoT.i s nomine accffemnt , ta*t«< f* Jun bir.lt, trftir-a.-K.re faff.!, cum iktibus cvr.mumtant. De Bello GalJ. lib. 6.
honour
•honour of ail the Gothic tribes, and which they car- ried with them, and planted wherever they formed lei- tlements : On the contrary, in Gaul, all the freedom and power chiefly centered among the Druids and the chief men, whom Caefar calls Equates, or Knights: But the inferior people were little better than in a ftate of Jlavery *; Whereas every the meaneft German was in- dependent and free f.
But if none of thefe proofs of difference of Perfon, Manners, Inftitutions or Laws could have been produc- ed, or fliould be explained away, ftill the difference was fo great and effential between the Celtic and Teu- tonic nations, in regard to RELIGION and LANGUAGE, as can never be got over, and plainly evince them to have been two diftinct and different people. Thefe two points are fo ftrong andconclufive, that the whole proof might be left to reft upon them.
In comparing the Religious Eftablifhment and In- ftitutions of the Celtic tribes, with thofe of the Go- thic or Teutonic nations, the moft obfervable difference, and what ftrikes us at firft fight, is that peculiar Hie- rarchy or facred College among the Celts, which had the entire conduct of all their religious and even civil affairs, and ferved them both for magiftrates and priefts, viz. that of the DRUIDS ; which has nothing to refemble it among any of the Gothic or Teutonic nations %. This difference appeared to Caefar foftrik-
* In emu! Gallia eorum bominum, qin allquo funt numero atquc bonore ge- Tura funt duo : ram Plebt fetne Servorum babttur kco. , . . De bit drobus grr.iribut alttrum ift Druidum, alterum Equitumf &c, De Bel. Gal. lib. 6.
f Tacirus de Mor. Germ, pafTim.
j Our Author, Monf. MALLET, thinks that the twelve Pontiffs, called Drcttar, who were afiiftants to Odin in adminiftring juftice, (p.6i.) •were a kind of Druids ; and that their name Drgttes, has fome affinity to the Celtic word DRUID {p. 140.) this however is meer fancy; there appears no more c nneftion between the tun£Hons or offices of thefe two orders of men, than there is between their names : That of DRUID being generally derived from the Greek A;it, or rather from the Celtic Dertvor DM, an OAK, their facred Tree : (Vid. Borlacr, p. 67.) where- at the worJs Dmttar and Drcittt come from the IcclinJic DrOttCIt, Da~ minus. SweJ. Drxitt, Htrtu.
a 3 ing,
ing, that he fets out with this, at his entrance on hfa defcription of the Germans, as a fundamental and primary diftincHon §. I do not here enter into a minute defcription of the nature of the Diuids' eftablifhment, or an enumeration of their privileges, becaufe thefe may be found in Csefar and Pliny among the ancients, and in fo many authors among the moderns || : It will be fufficient to fay that, although the Teutonic nations had Priefts, they bore no more refemblaiue to the
Druids
^ OlS MAKI mnltiim ah k'ic cenfuctudlrte [fe, G Atl.ORt'M] frffirtirt : • sue DRUIDES habttit, yui rebut Diitints prafmt usque (acr'jicih Jiu~ tier', &c. Dr Bell. Gal. lib. 6.
|! Vid.CjESAR. De Bello Gall. Comment, lib. 6. PMKII Nat. Hift. lib. 16. c. 44.
Of the moderns, fee TOLAND'S Specimen of a Kiit. of the Drurds, :.f]. Work?, vol. Ift, 1747. 8vo. STUKF. L Y'S Stonehenge, and Abury. 2 vo'E. 1740, !fc. folio. But efpecially Dr. BORL ACE'S Anti- quities of Cornwall, xd edit. 1769. folio. This learned and ingenious v.-r.:er has left nothing to be clcfntd on the fubjedi of the DRUIDS, and Thrir iriftitufions : He has however been ihawn in by KEYSLER and the other German antiquaries, to adopt their hypothefis, that the Religion of the ancient GerTans was, in fundamentals, the lame with that of the Gauls and Britains, (vid. p. 71.) As nothing that falls from fo excellent 9 writer ought to be difrcgard-d, I fhall confider his arguments with attention. He proves the identity of the German and G«ulilh Reli- p on from the conformity of the Germans and Gauls in the following points: viz. " (i.) The principal Deity of both nations was Mercury ; f« (».) They facrificed human viflims : (3.) They had open temples, *' and (4.) no idols of human ihape. (5.) They had confecrated groves : «' (6 ) WonTiipped oaks : (7.) Were fond of aufpicial rites : and (8.) *' Ccmpvted by nights and not by days."
I ftall confidfr each of thefe proo's in their order: And as for the FIRST, that " both nations worshipped MERCURY :'' This amounts to no mere than this, that the Gauls and Britons worshipped for their fhief Deity, fome Celtic God, which Cxfar finding to refemble in fame, of \.',s attributes the Roman MERCURY, fcruple-d not to call by thac Ro.-T:an name : So again the Germans woifliipped for their fupreme God, a Divinity of their own, whom Tacitus likewife called MERCU- RY, from a fancied refembiance to that Roman Deity, perhaps in other of h's auricles. We know very wtll tb»t the Supreme Deity of all the Teutonic natioris was ODIN or WOPEN, calKd by the ancient Ger- nuns VOTAM and GOTAM, or GODAM, (vid. not. in Tac. Varior. p. foi.) who feems chiefly to have refembled the Roman Mercury, in Laving a particular power over ihe glicfes of the departed : (Vide Bartho- (in. lib. I. c. 7. Odiaut Maniutnfuit Dim-nut : Mercuric cr.mparandus.) r refpecls, how much they differed will appear at firft fight in the f.nriA. Now if the Celtic Mercury refembled the Roman no more than e fee how uiJ(k: chey might be to each other. We are not
(xv)
Druids, than the Pontiffs of the Greeks and Romsns, or of any other Pagan people.
Not
even Cure that thefe two MERCURIES of the Cauls and Germans agreed with the MERCURY of the Romans in the fame points of referrblancc.
But (2.) «• Both nations facritked human victims: (3.) Had open " temples; (5.) Confecrated Groves ; and (7.) were fond of aufpicial " rites." Thefe defcriptions I believe maybe applied to all the Pagan nations in the world, during their early barbsrous ftate. For (2.) all Pagan nations have offered human victims: Have haJ (3.) open tem- ples, before they got covered ones: And, previous to their ereft.ng mag- nificent domes for their religious rites, have ei-her fet up circles cf rude Hones, or retired under the natural Shelter of (5.) folemn groves, which, upon that account, they confecra ted : And (7.) ail Pagan people have dealt in omens, aufpices, and all the other idle fuperftitions of that fort. There is not one of the above circumftances but what is men- tioned in Scripture, as praflifed by the idolatrous nations which furrounded the Jewi/h people, and was equally obferved by iome or other of the inha- bitants of Italy and Greece: Si that the Germans refembled the Gauls with regard to thefe particulars no more than they did the old idolatrous inhabitants of Canaan, Aflyria, Greece and Italy. As for the Teutonic nations, they very foon got covered temples, (lee below; p. 127.) and alfo idols of human Shape, (p. 129.) as had indeed the Celtic nations alfo in the time ofCa?farj for fo Dr. Borlace himfelf (p. 107.) inter- prets that pafTage of his concerning the Gauls, (lib. 6.) Dcummaxlmi Mercur ium alunt : Hyusfuatri.vit.iMA SIMULACRA. If thefe SIMU- LACRA had not been images, but only rude unformed ftones, Caefar would doubtlefs have exprefled himfelf with more referve. When, therefore, Dr. Borlace fays that the Gauls and Germans refembled each other in having, (4.) " No idols of human Shape," he muft cn!y mean in their more early ftate of idolatry ; which I fuppofe may alfo be predi- cated of every fa v age nation, before they have attained any Skill in fculpture.
But he fays, (6.) that both nations " worshipped Oaks." His prcof, however, that the Germans had this fuperflition only, is, that " the " SCLAVONIANS (a people of Germany) worshipped Oaks, inclofed " them with a courr, and fenced them in, to keep off all unhallowed ac- •' eels;" and for this he refers to the note in Tacit. Variorum ad c. 9. where Helmoldus has faid, that the RUSSIANS held their groves and fountains facred, and, that the SCLAVI worshipped OAKS. This proves nothing with regard to the Teutonic nations; but plainly {hows <hat rnar.y of the Diuidic fuperftitions had been caught up and adopted by nations no ways allied to the Celts; and therefore fuggefls an eafy an- fwer to the laft proof that is urged of the refemblance of the Germans and Gauls in their religious rites and opinions ; viz. that,
(8.) Both people " computed by nights, and not by days." This is in reality the only folid argument that has been produced. But to this, the anfwer is very obvious. The Teutonic nations, it is allowed, had this very peculiar arbitrary cuftom, which they probably borrowed from their Celtic neighbours, although of a very different race, and profefiing, in the main, a very different religion : For if the Kclavonian trjbe« whofe fi'.uation lay fo much more remote from the Celts, had adnpted their fuperftitious veneration for the Oak, which feems in no dCgrce to j,ave a * ' infeclcd
Not only in the peculiar nature of their prlefthood, but in their internal doctrines as well as outward rites, they differed.
The Druids taught, and the Celtic nations believed the Metempfichofis, or a Tranfmigration of the foul out of one body into another : This is fo pofitively aflerted of them by Caefar *, who had been long con- verfant among them, and knew them well, that it is not in the power of any of the modern fyftem-makers to argue and explain his words away, as they have at- tempted to do in every other point relating to the Cel- tic antiquities : However, they attempt to qualify it, by aflerting that the Celtic nations believed only that the foul pafled out of one human body into another, and never into that of brutes f: Which diftincYion I fhall not now ftay to examine, but proceed to obferve, that all the Gothic and Teutonic nations held, on the contrary, a fixed Elizium, and a Hell, where the va- liant and the juft were rewarded ; and where the cow- ardly and the wicked fufFered punifhment. The de- fcripiion of thefe forms a great part of the EDDA $.
Jn innumerable other inftances, the inflitutions of the Druids among the Celts, were extremely different
infe&ed the Germans; it \vould have been wonderful indeed, if the lat- ter, who lay contiguous to the Celts, had picked up none of their opi- nions or practices.
* In firirr is bet volant ferfuaJere, Nun interire arlaias, fed ab aliii f>oft mortem traxfrt ad alias. Lib. vi. — Vid. Dioior. Sicul. lib. v. c. 2. & Val. Max. )ih. ii. c. 6. Arr.mian. Marcel. Jib. xv.
f Vid. KETSLER Antiq. Sept. p. 117 BOR LACE, p. 98, 99, tec.
j It muft not be concealed, that Bartholine has produced a pafiage from an ancient Ode in the EDDA of S^EMUND FRODE, which plainly fnews ihr.t tl-.s doctrine of the Tranfmigration was not wholly unknn<- a to the Scandinnvh-.s ; tut Bartholine hirr.felf fpeaks cf it as a fingje inf ancf, and it appears from the pafTnge itfelf, that this opinion was ton- fidcred by tl:e Scardinavians, as an idle old wives fable. Vid. Barthclin. Cant Ccnterr p. a Dar.is Mortis, pag. 208. >v"/f»fld (Hclgonis Uxor) tftiere ei tr.jfl'u-a cx::r.{la tfl. Crtdtlatur ant'iquitut homines iterutn rafct, iHn/i tit re N u N c PRO ANILI tRjiORE tal-tiur, fie.'go tt Sigrurta itf^m rail fuij^t d'.cunturj lt,rsa ille Helgc HatL':nga- SlaJi dlcebatur ; Mia vf» Kara, il~!i~ii:.::: J'^-.j. Jt is probable that in thi* one inllance they only copied the Hofliine ot" the Druids- As the Celtic nations preceded the Teutonic tribes in rr.any of their fettlements, it was probably by the former that thi« <u::.'it error tntiyuirvs credcLatur, which was foon ex- ploded among their Teutonic fuccdTbrs, whole cftabiilhed belief was very ilifferent,
( xvii )
from thofe of the Gothic nations. To mention a few : The former frequently burnt a great quantity of human vi&ims alive, in large wicker images, as an offering to their Gods §. The Gothic nations, though like all other Pagans, they occafionally defiled their altars with human blood, appear never to have had any cuftom like this.
The Druids venerated the Oak and the Mifleltoe, which latter was regarded by them as the moft divine and falutary of plants ||, and gathered with very par- ticular ceremonies. In the Gothic mythology, if any tree feems to have been regarded with more particular attention than others, it is the ASH 1T : And as for the Mifleltoe, it is reprefented in the Edda rather as a contemptible and mifchievous fhrub *.
But what particularly diftinguiflies the Celtic infli- tutions from thofe of the Gothic or Teutonic nations, is that remarkable air of Secrecy and Myftery with which the Druids concealed their doctrines from the laity j forbidding that they (hould ever be committed to writing, and upon that account, not having fo much as an alphabet of their own f. In this, the inftitu- tions of Odin and the Gothic Scalds was the very •reverfe.' No barbarous people were fo addicted to writing, as appears from the innumerable quantity of Runic inscriptions fcattered all over the north ; no barbarous people ever held Letters in higher reverence, afcribing the invention of them to their chief deity J, and attributing to the letters themfelves fupernatural virtues 4- Nor is there the leaft room to believe that "any of their doctrines were locked up or concealed from any part of the community. On the contrary, their Mythology is for ever difplayed in all the Songs of
$ Vid. Csfar de Bell. Gall. lib. vi. Borlace, p. 117.
j| See vol. II. p. 144. &c. «f See the Ed<ia fcjfm.
• See vol. II. p. 159, 140, 143, 145, &c.
•f Nequefat effe txijlimant ta litter'n mandart ; cum in reliju'n fere rebut, publicii frivatlffue ranonikui, GRVECIS LJTIRI.» vta'.f.ir. . . . Ntjut in -vulgui Difciflinam efferri -vt!int. Caefar. Jib. vi. .
J Vid. infra, p. 70. 371, 371. &c.
4. Vid. infra, p. 374, 375. &c.
their
( xviii )
their SCALDS, juft as that of the Greeks and Romans is in the Odes of Pindar and Horace. There never exifted any inftitution in which there appears lefs of referve and myftery than in that of the Gothic and Scandinavian people.
After all, it may poffibly be true that the Gothic nations borrowed fome opinions and practices from the Celts, without being at all defcended from them, or having any pretenfions to be confidered as the fame people. The Celtic tribes were probably the firft that travelled weftward, and it is not impofTible but that feveral of the Druidic obfervances might be caught up and imitated by the other nations that came after them j| . Some reliques of the Druidic fuperflitions, we have feen (p.xv. Note. 6.) prevailed among theScla.- vonians : And ftill more might be expected to be found among thofe of Gothic or Teutonic race, both from their nearer vicinage and greater intercourfe with the Celtic nations ; from whom the Sarmatians lay more remote. Nothing is more contagious than fuperfli- tion ; and therefore we muft not wonder, if in ages of ignorance, one wild people catch up from another, though of very different race, the moft arbitrary and groundlefs opinions, or endeavour to imitate them in iuch rites and practices as they are told will recommend them to the Gods, or avert their anger.
Before I quit this fubje<St of the Religion of the Cel- tic and Gothic nations, I muft beg leave to obferve, that the Mythology of the latter was probably, in the time of Caefar and Tacitus, a very crude and naked thing, compared . to what it was afterwards, when the northern Scalds had had time to flourifli and adora it. From a very few rude and fimple tenets, thefe wild fablers had, in the courfe of eight or nine centu- ries, invented and raifed an amazing fuperftructure of
D See what has been (aid abovp, p. xv. Not. (8.) I know not whether we tre to attribute to imitation the practice that prevailed among both peo- ple of burying th::r <^ad under BARROWS or TUMULI, (fee p. 211.) This mode of Sepulture, however, makes a great figure in all the old Northern SACAS or Hiftories, as weH as in the Songs of the SCALDS.
fi&ion.
fi&ion. We muft not therefore fuppofe that all the fables of the EDDA were equally known to the Go- thic nations of every age and tribe. As truth is uni- form and limple, fo error is mod irregular and various ; and it is very poffible, that different fables and different obfervances might prevail among the fame people in different times and countries. PYom their imperfect knowledge of the divine attributes, all Pagan nations are extremely apt to intermix fomething LOCAL with their ideaof theDivinity, to fuppofepeculiar Deities pre- fiding over certain diftri&s, and to worfhip this or that God with particular rites, which were only to be obferved in one certain fpot. Hence, to inattentive foreigners, there might appear a difference of religion among na- tions who all maintained, at the bottom, one. common creed ; and this will account for whatever difagree- ment is remarked between Csefar and Tacitus in their defcriptions of the Gods of the ancient Germans : It will alfo account for whatever difference may appear between the imperfect relations of the Roman writers, and the full difplay of the Gothic mythology held forth in the EDDA. It is indeed very probable that only the mere firft rudiments of the Gothic religion had begun to be formed, when the Germans were firft known to the Romans : And even when the Saxons made their irruptions into Britain, though they had the fame general belief concerning Odin or Wo-* ilen, Thor and Frigga, &c. yet probably the com- plete fyftem had not arrived to the full maturity it afterwards attained under the inventive hands of the Scalds.
THE cffcntial difference remarked above, between the Religion of the Celtic and Gothic nations, in their Tenets, Initituticns and Worfhip, affords a ftrong proof that they were two races of men ab origine diftin& : The fame truth is proved ftill more ftrongly, if pofii- ble, by their difference in LANGUAGE; this is an argument of fa6i, that amounts in qucftions of this na- ture almoft to demonftration.
Tacitus
Tacitus aflures us ff, that the ancient Britifli lan-
Siage was very little different from that fpoken in aul ; Sermohaud multian diverfus : There was probably no more than a fmall difference in dialect. But that the Gaulifh language widely differed from that of the Germans, appears from the whole current of hiftory. Thus Cxfar not only afierts in the paffage above quoted, (pag. xi. Note.) that the Gauls differed in lan- guage from the Belgas, but plainly {hows that the German and Gaulifh languages were very different, when he tells us that Arioviftus, a German prince, only learnt to fpeak the latter by his long refidence in Gaul *. Again, Suetonius tells us, that Caligula, returning from his fruitlefs expedition againft the Germans, in order to grace his triumph with an ap- pearance of prifoners of that nation, for want of real Germans, chofe from among the Gauls fuch as were of very tall ftature, whom he caufed to let their hair grow long, and to colour it red, to learn the German language, and to adopt Germ:.:i names ; and thus he paffed them off for prifoners from Germany f« Thefe, and other proofs from Tacitus, are produced by Pel- loutier himfelf, though he afterwards endeavours to obviate their force, by pretending that the languages of Gaul and Germany differed only in dialect, &c J. But that they were radically and effentially different, will appear beyond contradiction, to any one that will but uie his eyes and compare any of the living lan- guages which are defcended from thefe two ancient tongues. This queftion receives fo clear, fo full, and fo eafy a folution, by barely infpedling fuch of the languages of Celtic and Gothic origin as are now extant, that to conclude the inquiry, I fhall only lay before the reader Specimens of them both.
That the languages now fpoken in Germany, Swe- den, Denmark, Holland and England arc all derived
^[ See above, pag. v. Note \,
* Sjua multa jam Anoviftui longlngua tcnfuetudlnc utcbatur, De Bell. Gall. lib. i. c. 47.
•j- Sucton, Caligula, c. 47. J Pelkut. vol. I. liv. i. ch. XT.
from 5
(xxi)
from or allied to the ancient German no one can deny; becaafe the words are vifibly the fame in them all, only differing in dialect. On the other hand, that the ancient Britifh was a language very little different from that of the Gauls, we have the exprefs tefti- mony of Tacitus above-mentioned. Let us now com- pare the feveral dialects of the ancient Britifh, viz. the Welfh §, the Armoric and the Cornifh, and fee whether they contain the moft diftant refemblance to any of the Teutonic dialects above mentioned.
Whoever looks into the following Specimens, will obferve, that the modern Englifh and German are two languages evidently derived from one common fource; almoft all the words in both being radically the fame ; and yet it is near 1200 years fmce the Eng- lifh language was tranfplanted out of Germany, and cut off from all intercourfe with the mother tongue. In the mean time, the people who have fpoke it have undergone amazing revolutions and changes in their government, religion, laws and manners, and their language in particular has been fubject to more than common innovations. On the other hand, let him compare the fame Englifh fpecimen with that of the Welfh language, and fee if he can difcover the moft diftant refemblance between them: And yet both ihefe are fpoken upon the fame ifland, and that by fellow citi- zens, who for many hundred years have been fubjedts to the fame prince, governed by the fame laws, have profefled the lame religion, and adopted nearly the fame fyftem of manners : And now at laft, after all this intercourfe, what two languages can be more unlike ? Can this radical diflimilitude be called only a difference in dialect ? During the rude ages prior to hiftory,
§ That the prefent Welfh language is the genuine daughter of the ancient Britiih, fee proved (if it needs any proof) in ROWLAND'S Atina Ar.tiqua re/iaurata. ad. edit. 1766. 410. feft. iv. p. 35. &c. See alfo above, p. v. note f.
See liltewife in CAMDFN'S Britannia, his Effay, De prlmis J»w.7.', &c. "Where that great Ant quary (hows the immediate defcent of the prefent Wj LSH nation from the ancient BR ITONS, and their near affinity to the ohi inhabitants of GA u j ; but efpecially proves, by innumerable inftan- ccs, the ftrong connexion between their feveral LANGUAGES.
before
( xxii )
before the Brif.ons or Germans were invaded by of-her nations_, or had adopted any foreign refinements, \vhilc both people were under the uninterrupted influence of their original institutions, cuftoms and manners, no reafon can be affigned why their language fhould un- dergo any material alterations. A favage people, wholly occupied by their prefent animal wants, aim at no men- tal or moral improvements, and are fubject to no confider- able changes. In this ftate, their language being affected by none of the caufes that commonly introduce very great innovations, will continue for many aacs nearly the fame. The great caufes that introduce the molt confiderable changes in language, are invafions of fo* reigners, violent alterations in religion and laws* great improvements in literature, or refinements in manners. None of thefe, fo far as we know, had happened either to the Germans or Britons before the time of Caefar, and yet even then there appeared no refemblance between the languages of thefe two peo- ple. On the other hand, all thefe caufes have been operating with combined force ever fince, and yet no confiderable refemblance has obtained between the languages of England and Wales ; nor has the radical affinity between thofe of England and Germany been effaced or deftroyed. Upon what grounds then can it be pretended, that the ancient languages of Gaul and Germany flowed from one common fource ? Or who will believe fo improbable a fa£r,?
M. Pelloutier tells us jj, that " it having been pre- " tended that the ancient Celtic is preferred to this day " in the languages of Wales and Brittany in France, " he had looked into a few Gloflaries of the Welfh *' and Armoric tongues ^1, and had indeed difcovered
" that
I! Hid. dcs Celtes, vol. I. p. 155.
^[ The ARMORIC language, now fpoken in Brittany in France, Is a dialeft of the WELSH ; that province being peopled with a colony from Britain in the 4th century ; and though the two people have been Separated fo ma:iy ages, and have been fob] eft to two nations fo different in their laws, religion and manner1;, ftill the two languages contain fo flrong a refemblance, that in our late contjueft of Bdliflr, fuch of our
:' l-'I?:s
( xxiii )
" that SEVERAL words of the ancient Celtic were, In " effecl:, preferred in thofe tongues :" But he plainly hints, that he could not confider the bulk of the lan- guage as there perpetuated ; and indeed, confidering how thick a film the prejudice of fyftem had drawn over his eyes, it is a wonder he could difcover any Cel- tic words at all : For he, taking it for granted that the High-Dutch language was the genuine Celtic, only looked for fuch words as bore any refcmblance to that tongue ; and there being, as indeed there are, very few that have any fimilitude, no wonder that he found fo few Celtic words in a genuine Celtic lan- guage *.
foldicrs as came out of Wales were eafily understood by the country peo- ple, and with their Welfh language, fervcd for interpreters to the other foldiers who only fpoke Enplifh. This is a fad related to the Editor by a perfon who was there. — Perhaps, upon comparing the Specimens fub- joined, the two dialers may appear to the eye more remote from each other, than the above relation fuppofes ; but, it may be obferved, that their orthography not having been fettled in concert, the fame found may have been exprefTed by very different combinations of letters, and the other differences may be oniy thofe of idiom 5 fo that the two languages, when fpoken, may have a much greater refemblance, than appears upon paper to a perfon ignorant of them both. To give one inftance j the Welfti vrorADrwg, and the Armoric Drouc, (Eng. EVIL.) though fo differently written, are in found no further diftant than Droog and Drookt the vowels in both being pronounced exa£Uy alike.
* It is much to be lamented that a Writer of fo much learning, faga- city and diligence as Monf. pELtouTim, fhould have fpoiled, by one unfortunate hypothefif, fo excellent a work as his HISTORY OF THE CELTS, -after all, certainly is. Had he not been drawn into this funda- mental error, which infe£ls his whole book ; but on the contrary had been apprized of the radical diftir.ftion between the GOTHIC and CEL- TIC antiquities; had he affigned to each people die feveral defcrip'.ion* which occur of them in ancient hiftory ; had he •pointed out the diftinft features of their refpeclive characters, and ftiown in what particulars they both agreed, and wherein they differed ; had he endeavoured to afcertain the limits of each. people in ancient Europe, and fhown by which of them.the feveral countries were formerly inhabited, and from which of them the modern nations are chiefly defccnded ; he would then have per- formed1 a noble taflc, and have deferved equally well of the part and fu- ture ages : His Book, inftead of being a perpetual fource of miftake and confulion, would then have ferved as a clue to guide us through the laby- rinth of ancient hiftory, and he would have raifed a noble monument to the memory alike of the CELTS and GOTHS, from one or other of which ancient people fo many great nations are dcfcended.
Ifhall
( xxiv )
I /hall now proceed to lay before the Reader SPEC*- MENS of the GOTHIC and CELTIC Languages, properly clafled and confronted with each other: Which, it is apprehended, will decide this queftion better than any conjectural or moral reafoning.
That the SPECIMENS maybe the better underftood, it will be ufeful to give a fhort GEN'EALOGICAL TA- BLE, fhowing what particular Languages aredefcended
from
GOTHIC.
i. Ol< |
i SAX- |
2. FRANCIC, 3. CIMBRIC, |
ON, or AN- |
or FRANCO- or Old ICE- |
|
GLO-S |
AXON. |
THEOTISC. LANDIC. |
J~ w w |
i r^-»> W *=1 |
m 1,1, o c % x i o 5 |
5£ ^ |
W ?3 |
w m ^ w 0 > |
o o |
^* « |
» * £ t* * y * |
n M |
2 s |
S K ? > ^ S H |
>P w |
> > M |
|
5j |
o |
5 55 0 0 T 3 |
• 2 |
O "* |
= 2, ? > |
o |
o S* |
w ^ |
SL |
? 8 |
o > S |
I |
f s |
b? I |
2 |
£ ^ |
G H £* |
H |
o |
|
0 |
^ Cf<9 |
s |
X |
T3 C |
|
0 I* |
•o |
«
from thofe two great Mother Tongues, by what im- mediate Branches they derive their defcent, and what degree of affinity they feverally bear to each other. This fcheme of the GOTHIC Languages is copied from the Preface to Dr. HICKES'S Inftitutiones Grammatics Anglo-Saxonicts, &c. Oxon. 1689. 4*** *^is of the CELTIC Tongues, from the beft writers I have met with on the fubjeci.
CELTIC,
1. The Ancient GAULISH.
2. The Ancient BRITISH.
3. The Ancient IRISH.
I? > r
5 S S
* g ?
at
? £ fe
-
8-
Tfil
VOL. I.
( xxvi )
SPECIMENS of the GOTHIC LANGUAGES.
The ancient GOTHIC of ULPHILAS *. Atta unfarthu in Himinam. i. VeihnaiNamo thein. 2- Quimaithiudinaflustheins. 3. Vairthai Vilja theins, fuein Himina, jah ana Airthai. 4, Hlaif unfarana thana fmtei- nan gif uns himmadaga. 5. Jah afiet uns thatei Sculans frjaima fua fue jah veis afietam thaim Skulam unfaraim. 6. Jah ni bringais uns in Fraiftubnjai. 7. Ak laufei uns af thamma Ubilin. Amen.
[From Chamberlayn's Orath Dcn:\r,\ca ir r.iverfat cmr.iutr. fere Gertium Lin- guasi-erfa, &V. Amft. IT 15. 410. p. 53. "and from Sacrorum E-vang t~ Ururn Vtrfit Gttb'ua Ed. Edit). Lye. Gxon. I7-.O. 410. p. 9.]
The ANCIENT LANGUAGES derivci I. II.
from the GOTHIC. III.
ANGLO-SAXON.
FRANCO-THEO- CIMBRIC, or old TISC. ICELANDIC.
Uren Fader, |
Fater unfer thu |
Fader uor, fom |
thic arth in Heof- |
tharbift inHimile. |
eft i Himlum. i. |
nas. i. Sie ge- halgud thin No- |
i. Si geheilagot thin Namo. 2. |
Hal^ad wardethitt Kama. 2. Til- |
ma. 2. To cy- |
QuemethinRihhi. |
komme thitt Ri- |
meth thin Rye. |
3. Si thin VVillo, |
kie. 3. Skie thin |
3. Sie thin Willa |
Ib her in Hi mile |
Vilie, fo fom i |
fue is in Heofnas, |
ift o fi her in Er- |
Himmalam,fooch |
and in Eortho. |
du. 4. Unfar |
po lordanne. 4. |
4. Uren H'af ofer- |
Brot tagalihhr.z |
Wort dachlicha |
wiftlic fei us to |
gib uns huitu. 5. |
Brodh gif os i |
daeg. 5. And |
In-ti furlaz uns |
dagh. 5. Ogh |
forgcfe us ScylJa |
nufara Sculdi fo |
forlat os uor a |
urna, fue we f'or- |
uuir furlazames |
Skuldar, fo fom |
gefan Sqldgum |
unfaron Sculdi- |
ogh vi forlatc |
urum. 6. And no |
gon. 6. Inti ni |
them os Skildighe |
in lead uiig in |
gileitefl unfih in |
are. 6. Ogh in- |
Cuftnung. 7. Ah |
Coftunga. 7. U- |
led os ikkiei Fre- |
gefrig ufich from |
zouh srlofi unfi |
italfan. 7. Utan |
Me. Amen. |
fonUbile. Amen. |
frels os ifraOndo. |
(from Chair.beilavn, |
[From Chan |
Amen. |
P-46] |
p. 6i.J |
[From Chi.iiberlayn, |
P- S4-] |
is is alfo called MoEso-GoT'nc, bring the D:aVa o^ the Goths io where Uirhil*; • 3*6.
( xxvii ) SPECIMENS of the CELTIC LANGUAGES.
3" I am not able to produce any Specimen of the CELTIC, at leaft any Verfion of the Lord's Prayer, which can be oppofed in point of antiquity to the GOTHIC Spe- cimen from ULPHILAC, who flourifhed A. D. 365. — As the CELTS were fettled in thefe countries long before the GOTHS, and were expo fed to various re- volutions before their arrival, their Language has, as might be expected, undergone greater and earlier changes than the GOTHIC; fo that no Specimen of the old original CELTIC is, I believe, now to be found.
The ANCIENT LANGUAGES derived from the CELTIC.
I.
III.
ANCIENTGAUL- ISH.
Of this Lan- guage I cannot rind any Specimen to be depended on.
II.
CAMBRIAN, or ANCIENT BRI- TISH.
Eyen Taadrbuvn wyt yn y Neofoe- dodd. i. Santeid- dier yr Hewu tail. 2. Devedy dyrnas dau. 3. Guneler fly Wollys ar ryd- dayar megis ag yn y Nrfi. 4. Eyn Bara beunyddvul dyro in- r.i beddivu. 5 . Am - maddeuynny eyn de- It don, me? is ag i itiaddevu in dele- divir ninaiv. 6. Ag'ia tbowvs nr in brcffdigae'b. j. Namyn gwared ni i hag Drug. Amen,
[From C'liambolayn,
P-47-J
* The above Specimen of ths ancient Irifh i-- jn.^ed to h? a thoufand yeais old. See O Conner's L1;!!'- utitn on the Hiibry ct l;ela:.a. Dublin, jj&fc. Svo. *
b 2
ANCIENT IRISH, or GAEDHLIG.
Our Narme ata ar Neamb. I. Bca- nich a Tainin. 2. Go diga de Riogda. 3. Go dent a duHoill air Talm in matte ar Nearnb. 4. Ta- balr dam aniugh ar Naran limbaii. 5. Angus mai duin ar Fiacb amball ina- amhid arfiacba. 6. Na leigfin amaribb* 7. Acbfaarfafin o Ok. Amen.
[F'.om Dr. Anthony Raymond's Introduc- tion to the Hiftory of Ireland, p, », 3, &c.J -
( xxviii ) SPECIMENS of the GOTHIC LANGUAGES.
I. MODERN LANGUAGES derived from the
OLD SAXON. I. II.
ENGLISH.
Our Father, which art in Heaven, i. Hallowed be thy Name, 2. Thy Kingdom come. 3. Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven. 4. Give us this day, our daily Bread. 5. And forgive us our Debts as we forgive our Debtors. 6. And lead us not into Temptation. 7. But deliver us from Evil. Amen,.
[Fiom the Eng. Teftament.]
III.
Low-DuTCH, or BEL-
GIC.
Onfe Vader, die daer zljt in de Hemelen. i. Uwen Naemworde ghe- heylight. 2. U Rijcke kome. 3. Uwen Wille ghefchiede op der Aerden, gelijck in den Hemel. 4. Onfe dagelijcktBroodt gheeft ons heden. 5. Ende vergheeft ons onfe Schulden, ghelijck wy oock onfe Schuldenaren vergeven. 6. Ende en ley t ons niet in Verfoeckinge. 7. Maer verloft ons van- den Boofen. Amen.
{From theNewTeft. in Dutch, Ainft. 1630. lamo.J
Broad SCOTCH.
Ure Fadir, whilk art in Hevin. I. Hallouit be thy Nairn. 2. Thy Kingdum cum. 3. Thy Wull be dun in Airth, as it is in Hevin. 4. Gie ufs this day ure daily Breid. 5. And forgie ufs ure Debts, afs we forgien ureDebtouris. 6. Andleid ufs na' into Temptation. 7. Bot deliver ufs frae Evil. Amen.
[From a Scotch Gentleman.]
IV. FRISIC, or Friezeland
Tongue.
Ws Haita duu derftu bifteyneHymil. i. Dyn Name wird heiligt. 2. Dyn Rick tokomme. 3. Dyn Wille moet fchoen, opt Yrtryck as yne Hy- mile. 4. Ws deilix Brx jov ws jwed. 5. In ver- jou ws, ws Schylden, as wy vejac ws Schyldnirs. 6. In lied ws nadt in Ver- fieking. 7. Din fry ws vin it Quaed. Amen.
[From Chatnberlayn, p. 6$.}
( xxix }
SPECIMENS of the CELTIC LANGUAGES.
II. MODERN LANGUAGES derived from the ANCIENT BRITJSH, or CYMRAEG.
I.
WELSH, or CYMRAEG.
Ein Tady yr hwn ivyt yn y Nefcedd. I. Sanfieid- dier dy Enw. 2. Dtved dy Deyrnas. 3. Bydded dy Eivyllys ar y Ddaiar me»is y mat yn y Nefcedd. 4. Dyro i ni Heddyw fin Bar a beunyddial. 5. A rnaddc ini ein Dyhdlon fel y tnaddeuwn ni i'n Dyled- u-yr. 6. Ag nag arwain ni i Brofedigaeth. 7. Ei- tbr givared ni rbag Drwg. Amen.
[Communicated by a Gent, of Jefus College Oxon.]
II.
ARMORIC, or Language of Britanny in France.
HonTady pehudij fou en Efatu. i . Da Hancu bezet janttifiet. 2. Devet aor- ti'.mp da rouantelaez. 3. Da eolbexetgraet en Douar^ eual maz ten en Euf. 4. Ro dimp hyziou hon Bar a femdeziec. 5. Pardon dimp hon fechedoti) eual ma par- don omp da nep pegant ezomp offanczet. 6. ha na dilaes quet a hanomp en Tempta- tion. 7. Hoguen ban diliur diouz Drouc. Amen.
[From Chamberlayn, p. 51. J
III.
CORNISH.
Ny Taz, £Z yn Neau.
1 . Bonegas yiv tha Hanaw.
2. Tha Gwlakctb doaz,.
3. 7 ha bonagath bogweez en nore poctragen Neau.
4. Roe tkenycn dythma gon dyth Bar a givians. 5. A^ gan rabn ueery car a ny gi- vians mens. 6. O cabin ledia ny nara idn Tent at: on. 7. Buz dilijcr ny thart Doeg. Amen.
[From Chambcrlayn, p. 50.^
b 3
( XXX )
SPECIMENS of the GOTHIC LANGUAGE si
II. MODERN LANGUAGES derived from the AN- CIENT GERMAN, or P'RANCIC, &c.
J. II.
HIGH-DUTCH, (pro- HIGH-DUTCH of the
per.) SUEVIAN Dialect.
Unfer Vater in dem Fatter aufar dear du
Himmel. i. Dein Name bifcht em Hemmal. i.
\verde geheiliget. 2. Dein Gehoyliget wearde dain
Reich komme. 3. Dein Nam. 2. Zuakommedain
WillegefcheheaufErden, Reych. 3. Dain Will
wie im Himmel. 4. Un- gfchea ufF Earda as em
fer taeglich Brodt gib uns Hemmal. 4. Aufar de-
heute. 5. Und vergib glich Braud gib as huyt.
uns unfere Schulden, wie 5. Und fergiab as aufre
wir unfern Schuldigern Schulda, wia wiar fergea-
vergeben. 6. Und fuehre ba aufarn Schuldigearn.
uns nicht in Verfuchung. 6. Und fuar as net ind
7. Sondernerloefeunsvon Ferfuaching. 7. Sondern
dem Vbel. Amen. erlais as fom Ibal. Amen.
[From the common German
New Teftamrnt, printed at [From Chamberlayn's Oratit)
Lc.-.icn. J2T.O-] Do.T,inic«, p. 64.]
III.
The Swiss Language.
Vatter unfer, der du bift in Himlen. i. Ge- heyligt werd dyn Nam. 2. Zukumm uns dijn Rijch. 3. Dyn Will gefchahe, wie im HimmeJ, alfo auch ufF Erden. 4. Gib uns hut unfer taglich Brot. 5. Und vergib uns unfere Schulden, wie anch wir vergaben unfern Schuldneren. 6. Und fuhr uns nicht in Ver- fuchnyfs. 7. Sunder crlos uns von dem Bofen. Amen.
[From Chaaiberlajn, p. 65.}
( XXXI )
SPECIMENS of the CELTIC LANGUAGES'.
III. MODERN LANGUAGES derived from the ANCIENT IRISH.
I.
IRISH, or GAIDHLIG.
Ar nathair ata ar Neamb. I. Naomhthar Hainrn. 2. Tigeadb do Riogbacbd. 3. Deuntar do Tboil ar an Ttalamh, mar do nithcar ar Neamh. 4. Ar raran lae- aibambail tabhair dhuinn a nlu. 5. Agus maith dhuinn ar Bhfiacha, n.ar mhaithmidne dar bbfiitbe- amhnuibb fein. 6. Agus na leig Jinn a ccatl.ugbadh. 7. Acbd fayr ftnn o O/c.
-.op Bedel'i Ir'nTi Bi- ble. Lond. 1690. 8vo.]
II.
ERSE, or GAIDHLIG ALBANNAICH.
Ar n Atha'ir ati air Neamb. I. Gu naombal- chcar t Tinm. 2. 'Tigcadb do Ricgkacbd. 3. Dean- thar do Thzil air an Ta ant!) mar a nithtar air Neanh. 4. Tabbair dhuinn an dnt ar n Aran laitkeil. 5. Agns tnaitb dbuinn ar Fia- cba ambuil mar mbaitbmid d'ar luebd-facbaibh *. 6. Agus na lelg am bua'ireadb ftnn. 7. Acb faor Jinn 9 Olc. An:en.
* Tcichneiniuh. [From the New Teflament In the Erfe Language, printed at Edinburgh, 1767. Svo, Mat. vi. g.J
in.
MANKS, or Language of the ISLE of MAN. Ayr ain, t'ayns Ntau ; I . Cajherick dy row dt'En- nym. 2. Dy jig dty Reeri- cgbt. 3. DfcngJiey dy rcw jfant er y Tbalav^ myr te fiyns Niau. 4. Cur d oln nyn Arran jiu as gagblaa, 5. As lelb dcoin nyn I gb- tynt myr ta Jhln lew daue- jyn ta jannoo logbtyn nyrf oc. 6. As ny lee id Jhin ayns ml'.lagb. 7. Agb t'rj- r.yfiin vdb Oik. Amen.
[From the Liturgy in Mankt, printed a't London, 1765. Svo.J
b
( xxxii ) SPECIMENS of the GOTHIC LANGUAGES.
III. MODERN LANGUAGES derived from the AN' CIENT SCANDINAVIAN, or ICELANDIC, called (byfome Writers} CIMBRIC, or CiMBRo-Go- THIC.
I.
ICELANDIC.
Fader vor thu fom ert a Himnum. i. Helgeft thittNafn. 2. Tilkome thitt Riike. 3. Verde thinn Vilie, fo a Jordu, fem a Himne. 4. Gieff thu ofs i dag vort daglegt Braud. 5. Og fiergieff ofs vorar Skulder, fo fem vier fierergiefum vorum Skuldinautum. 6. Og inleid ofs ecke i Freiftne. 7. Heldr frelfa thu ofs fra lllu. Amen.
[From Chamberlayn, p. 70.] III.
DANISH.
Vor Fader i Himmelen. i. ' Helligt vorde dit Navn. 2. Tilkomme dit Rige. 3. Vorde din Vil- lie, paa lorden fom i Himmelen. 4. GifF ofs i Dag vort daglige Bred. 5. Oc forlad ofs vor Skyld, fom wi forlade vore Skyldener. 6. Oc leede ofs icke i Friftelfe. 7. Men frcls os fra Ont. Amen.
(From Charabcrlayn, p. 70.]
II.
NORWEGIAN, orNoRsE. Wor Fader du fom eft y Himmelen. j. Gehai- liget worde ditNafn. 2. Tilkomma os Riga dit. 3. Din Wilia gefkia paa lorJen, fom hamlt er udi Himmelen. 4. GifF os y Tag wort dagliga Brouta. 5. Och forlaet os wort Skioldt, fom wy forlata wora Skioldon. 6, Och lad os icke homma voi Friftelfe. 7. Man frals os fra Onet. Amen.
[Frcm Ckamberlayn, p 71.]
IV.
SWEDISH.
Fader war fom aft i Himmelen. i. Hclgat warde titt Nampn. 2. Till komme titt Ricke. 3. Skei tin Wilie faa paa lordejine, fom i Himme- len. 4. Wart dagliga Brod gifFofs i Dagh. 5, Och forlat ofs wara Skul- der fa fom ock wi forlaten, them (,fs Skildege ar«, 6. Och inlecd ofs icke j Freftelle. 7. Ut an frals ofs i fra Ondo. Amen. [Frcm Chaniberbyn, p. 7$,]
xxxiii )
SPECIMENS of the FINN and LAPLAND TONGUES.
I. II.
The FINN Language. The LAPLAND Tongue.
/fa met Jan joca olet tat- Atki mijam juco lee al-
waj/a. I. Pybitetty olcm menfifne. I. Aitii ziaddai
ftnum Nimes. 2. Lakes tu Nam. 2. Zweigubatta
tulcon ftnum Jf^aldacundas. tu Ryki. 3. Ziaddus tu
3. Olcon finun tables n'rin Willio naukuchte almefne
maafa cuin taiwafa. 4. nau el cdna manna!. 4.
Anna meile tanapaiwana IVadde mijai udni inijan
meidan jcca paiwainen lei- Jecrt pafwen laibtbm. 5.
pam. 5. Sa anna me'ille Jah andagafloite ml jemijan
meidan fynd.m andexi nun- Juddoid, naukuchte mije an-
cuin mekin andex annam dagajloitebt kudi mije wj-
meidan u:elwAtiflcn\. 6. gogas lien. 6. Jah JlJJa-
Ja ala johdata meita kiu- laidi mijabn''. y. &!e
jauxen. 7. Mutta paajla tocfa kackztsllebrna pakaft.
meita pabajla. Amen. Atntn.
[From Chambcrlayn, p. 8z.] [From Chamberlayn, p. 83.]
A SPECIMEN of the CANTABRIAN or BISCAYAN
LANGUAGE, ftill preferved in SPAIN,
The BASQUE.
Cure Aita keruetan ca~ rena. I. Erabilbedi fain- dutjui fure Jcena. 2. E- thorbedi fure ErreJJiima. 3. Eguinbedi fare Boron~ datea feruan becalaturre an ere. 4. En.nndie^agucu. tgun gure egunorczco oguia. 5. Eta barkhadietcaigutfu gure forrac gucere gure car- dunei bat kkatcendiotfagutert becala. 6. Eta ezgait^at- (u utc tentacionetan erortfe- rat. 7. Aitcitic beguira- gaitcal^u gaitc gucittaric.
[From Chamberlayp, p. 44.]
( xxxiv }
-.•I.
REMARKS
ON THE
FOREGOING VE'RSIONS;
AND PIRST
Of the GOTHIC SPECIMENS.
TH E great and uniform fimilitude, difcoverable at firft fight between all the Specimens of the Gothic or Teutonic Languages, muft be very ftriking, even to foreigners unacquainted with thefe Tongues : But to thofe that know them intimately the affinity muft appear much nearer and ftronger, becaufe many words that were originally the fame, are difguifed by the variations of Pronunciation and Orthography, as well as by the difference of Idiom : Thus, the Ger- man GeheiKget) and the Englifh Hallowed, are both equally derived from the Teutonic HELIG, Holy.
It may further be obferved, that Time has intro- duced a change, not only in the Form, but in the Meaning of many Words, fo that though they are equally preferved in the different Dialects, they no longer retain the fame uniform appearance, nor can be ufed with propriety to exprefs the fame exacT: mean- ing. Thus, the Latin Word Panis is tranflated in the Gothic and Anglo-Saxon Hlaf, or Hlaif, which word is ftill current among us in its derivative Leaf, but with a variation of fenfe that made it lefs proper to be ufed in the Pater-nofter than the other Teutonic word BREAD, which is preferved in all the other Dialedts, but in a great variety of Forms. Thus from the old Francic Brot, or Cimbric Brodh, come the Swifs, Bret; The Swedifh, Broch, The High
and
( XXXV )
and Low Dutch, Broodt j The Norfe, Brauta j The Icelandic, Brand-, The Englifh, Bread; The Scot- tifh, Breid\ The Danifh, Bred; and the Frific, Bra.
Again, it is poflible that in many of thefe Lan- guages there was more than one word to exprefs the fame idea; and if there was a variety, then the dif- ferent Tranflators, by ufmg fome of them one word, and the reft another, have introduced a greater dif- ference into their Verfions than really fubfifted in their feveral Languages. Of this kind I efteem the word Atta> (Pater) ufed by Ulphilas, whofe countrymen had probably another word of the fame origin a? FADER or FATHER, as well as all the other Gothic nations : So again, the Anglo-Saxons (befides their word HLAF) had probably another term, whence we derived our prefent word BREAD. As for the Gothic word ATTA, (whence the Frific Haita, and perhaps the Lapland Atki,) however Ulphilas came by it, it feems evidently of the fame origin as the old Canta- brian Aha,
Laftly, a great difference will appear to Foreigners from the different arrangement of the fame words, but more efpecially from the difference of Tranflation ; for the Pater-nofter has rot been rendered in the fe- veral Verfions in the fame uniform manner. Thus, in the High Dutch and Danifh, the nrft fentence is exprefled contra&edly, NoJIer Pater in Ccelis. In the Gothic of Ulphilas, Pater Nojlcr tu in Ccelis. In the others more at large, Pater Nofter tu es in Coeli^ or NoJIer Pater qui es in Cat/is, &c. &c. And what is ftill more remarkable in the Anglo-Saxon, the fourth Pe- tition is rendered, not pancm noflrnm quotidianum, but panem nojlrum fupcrnaturalcm ; as it was interpreted alfo by fome of the ancient Fathers.
But to confirm the foregoing Remarks by one ge- neral Illuftration, I fhall confront the HIGH DUTCH Specimen, with a literal ENGLISH Verfion, which will fupport the afiertion made above, (p. xxi.) that thefe two Languages ftill prove their affinity, notwith- ftanding the different mediums through which they have defcended, and the many ages that have elapfed {ince their feparation.
GERMAN.
( xxxvi )
GERMAN. ENGLISH.
Unfar Our [Ure, Northern Dla-
Vater
in dem Himmel.
1. Dein Name werde geheiliget.
2. Dein Reich komme.
3. Dein Willc gefchehe
auf Erden, wie in Himmel.
4. Unfar taeglich Brodt. gib uns
heutej.
5. Und vergib
uns unfere Schulden, wie wir unfern
Schuldigcrn vergib en.
6. Und fuehre uns nicht in Verfuchung.
7. Sondern erloefe uns von dem Ubel.
Father [Vather, Vader, Somerfetjhire DiaUft.}
in the Heaven, [in them Heavens, vulgar Dia- led.]
1. Thine Name
were [may it be] hallow- ed.
2. Thine [Kingdom f ] come.
3. Thine Will fobe
of [in] Earth, as in Heaven.
4. Our daily Bread give us
[this Day.]
5. And forgive [vorgive, Somerfetjhire Dialed.}
us our
[Debts, Debita^ Lat.] as we our [ou'rn, Ruflic Dialed.}
forgive, [vorgiven, Somer- fetjhire Dialed .}
6. And [lead] us not in [into] [Temptation, Lat.]
7. But
loofe [deliver, French} us from the Evil.
J Perhaps from the La*, btdie.
• This is evidently a contraction of Unfar, antiqu. Unfcr, fc. U'er," Ure. In our midland counties, Our is pronounced War or H'er, like the Swedifli or Norfe.
The S*-ifs, and fome of the other German Dialers give the firft fen- tence more fully, thus; Du bift in Himlen : This is literally the fame with our vulgar phrafc, Thou betft, or bift in Heaven.
•\ The old Teutonic word Rick, is (till pieferved in the termination of our Englifli Bijbcf-rick ; and even King-rikt for Kingdoms was in ufe
among
( xxxvii )
Before I quit this fubjecT: of the GOTHIC or TEU- TONIC Languages, I muft obferve, that the old Scan- dinavian Tongue is commonly called CIMBRIC, or CiMBRo-GoxHic, as it was the dialect that chiefly prevailed among the Gothic Tribes, who inhabited the Cirnbrica Cherfonefus^ &c. But whether the an- cient CIMBRI, and their confederates the TEU- TONES, who made the irruption into the Roman Em- pire in the time of Marius f, were a CELTIC or a GO- THIC people, may perhaps admit of fome difquifition.
They who contend that they were CELTS, may urge the refemblance of the name of Cimbri to that of Cymri^ by which the Britons have always called themfelves in their own language : They may alfo pro- duce the authority of Appian, who exprefsly calls the Cimbri CELTS ; as well as of feveral of the Roman Authors, who fcruple not to name them GAULS £. It may further be obferved in favour of this opinion, that the emigration of fo large a body of the old Celtic inhabitants, would facilitate the invafion of the Gothic tribes who fucceeded them in thefe northern fettlements, and will account for the rapid conquefts of Odin and his Afiatic followers : It might alfo be conjectured, that the fmall fcattered remains of thefe old Celtic Cimbri, were the Savage Men who lurked up and down in the forefts and mountains, as defcrib- ed by the ancient Icelandic Hiftorians ||, and who, in their fize and ferocity, fo well correspond with the
among our countrymen fo late as the reign of Queen Elizabeth : Thus, in the famous libel of STUBS, intitled, " The Difcoverie of a gaping " Gulf, whereinto England is like to be fwallowed by another French " Marriage," &c. printed Anno 1579. fmall 8vo. (Sign. C. 7. b.) The Author talks of the Queen's " having the Kingrikc in her own per- " fon j" meaning the regal dominion, authority, &c. See alfo Verfti- gan's Antiquities, Lond. 1634. p. 215.
t Defcribed below, in Chap. II.
J " APPIANUS in lllyric'u Cimbros Celtas, addito qu?t Cimbros vacant, «' appellavit. Et evolve FLORUM, Lib. III. Cap, 3. SALUSTIUM Bell. " Jug"rth'injine. RUFUM Brei>. Cap. VI. qui omnes Cimbros diferte *' Ga/Ioi, et ab extremit Calliif profu jos, nominarunt." Speneri Notitia Cermaniae Antiquae. Hal. Magd. 1717. 4'o. p. 113.
H See below, p. 35, &c.
defcrip-
( xxxviii )
defcriptions given us of their countrymen that invaded the Roman Empire. Thus far fuch an opinion is equally confiftent, both with the Roman and Nor- thern Hiftorians.
On the other hand, that the Cimbrl of Marius were not a Celtic, but a German or a Gothic people, is an opinion that may be fupported with no flight argu- ments. On this head it may be obferved, with our Author Monf. Mallet, " that the Ancients generally " confidered this people as a branch of the Ger- " mans *," and that their tall ftature and general character rather correfponds with the description of the Germans than of the Celts : That as for the name of Cimbri or Cimber, it is refolvable into a word in the German Language, which fignifies WARRIOR or WARLIKE -j- : And that the authorities of the Ro- man Hiftorians cannot much be depended on, becaufe (as has been before obferved %} they were feldom ex- a£t in the names they gave to the Barbarous Nations. It may further be urged, that the facility with which the Cimbri made their way through Germany into
» See below, p. ar.
•f" Cermanis quidem Camp rxercltum aut locum uli exercitus caflra ntetaturt fg"ifi""j tr.de ifjis -vir cajirer/is et tnHita'is Kemft'cr et Kempher tt Kcmper et Kimber et Kamper, fro var-etate JialeStrutn -vccatvr ; -voca- bulum hoc roftro [fc. dr.gl\co~\ Sermtne ncr.dum penitui exolti'it ; Norfol. fiences enim pltbeio et proietario fermone dicunt •' He is a Kemper Old " Man," ;. e. Senex ftgetui eft, Sheringham, p. 57. See alfo, K.EMPERYE MAN, in the Reliqucs of Ancient Englifli Foetry, Vol. I. p. 7«-
Sheringham afterwards adds, lHud autcm bcc loco cmittendum nan eft, CIMBROS qutque a proceritale corporit bcc r.imcn babere potuifle - - - - Kimber cr.'im alia Jignif'catione totiiinem gigantea corporit mole frced\t urn de- fignat. " Danico btdic idiomate^ (inquit Pontanus, in additam. ad " Hift. Dan. lib. I.) Kimber Jive Kempe et Kerrper ncn bellatcrem tan- *' turn, fed proprie Gigar.tcm ttotat," Sheringh. p. 58. From hence it fl-.ould feem, that a gigantic perfon was called Kitr.bcr, from his refem- tlance to the ancient Cimbri\ rather than that this people were called Cimlri, from their gigantic fizc ; fo that this favours the opinion that the Cimbri were a different Race from the ancient Danes, &c. becaufe no na- tirn would think of calling thcmfelves Giants; for if they were all uni- formly gigantic, there would appear to themfelves nothing remarkable in their f.ze : whereas this would firikc another people, as a primary and leading Diftinflion.
T See p. vi.
Gaul,
( xxxix )
Gaul, renders it probable that they were rather a branch of the German people, than of a race in con- ftant enmity with them, like the Celts, and who, upon that account, would have been oppofed in their paflage ; efpecially as the Germans appear in thefe countries rather to have prevailed over the Celts, and to have forced them weftward, driving them out of many of their fettlements. But laftly, if the Cimbri had been a Celtic people, then fuch of them as were left behind in their own country, and were afterwards fwallowed up among the fucceeding Gothic Tribes who invaded Scandinavia, would have given a tincture of their Celtic Language to that branch of the Teu- tonic, which was (poke in thefe countries: Or, at leaft, we (hould have found more Celtic names of Mountains, Rivers, &c. in the Cimbric Cherfonefe than in other Gothic Settlements : But I do not find that eithsr of theie is the cafe ; the old Icelandic feems to be as free from any Celtic mixture, as any other Gothic Dialect ; nor is there any remarkable preva- lence of CJtic names in the peninfula of Jutland, more than in any part of Germany; where I believe its former Celtic inhabitants have up and down left behind them a few names of places, chiefly of natural iituations, as of Rivers, Mountains, &c. This at leaft is the cafe in England, where, although the Britons were fo intirely extirpated, that fcarce a Jingle word of the Welfa Language was admitted by the Saxons ; and although the names of Towns and Villages are al- moft univerfally of Anglo-Saxon derivation, yet the Hills, Forefts, Rivers, &c. have generally retained their old Celtic names *.
But whether the old Cimlri were Celts or Goths, yet forafmuch as from the time of Odin, both the Cimbrica Cherfonefus, and all the neighbouring re- gions were become entirely Gothic fettlements, the Gothic Dialect which prevailed in thefe countries is called by Antiquaries CIMBRIC, and CiMCRo-Go-
* See PF.NIGENT, ARDEN, AVON, &c, in Camden's Britannia, and that Aether fajfa,
THIC:
(XI)
THIC : It is alfo fometimes termed Old ICELANDIC, becaufe many of the beft writers in it came from Ice- land, and becaufe the Cimbric has been more perfectly preferved in that ifland than in any other fettlement. To the old original mother tongue of all the Gothic Dialers, it has been ufual (after Verftegan *) to give the name of TEUTONIC, not fo much from the Teu- tones or Teuton'^ who inhabited the Danifh iflands, and were brethren to the Cimbri, as from its being the ancient TUYTSH, the language of TUISTO f» and his votaries; the great Father and Deity of the Ger- man Tribes.
To conclude this fubje£ ; whoever would trace the feveral TEUTONIC Languages up to their fource, and proceed upon fure and folid principles in inquiries of this kind, need only have recourfe to that great and admirable work, LINGUARUM Vctt. Septentriona- lium THESAURUS Grammatico-Critlcus et Arcbaologi- cus Autore GEORGIO HICKES. S. T. P. Oxon. 1705. a Vols. folio.
* Reftitution of decayed Intelligence. 410. pajjim. See alfo Spenerl Notit. Antiq. Germ. L. 4. p. 104.
•j- Celtbrant Carminibui antlq-uh (quod unum afud illos. fc. Germanos, memeria et antialium genus eft) TUISTO N EM Deum, Terr&tditum, et fliun: MANNUM originem gentis, condltorejque. Tacit, de Mor. German. This MANNUS is evidently MAN, the offspring of TUISTO, the fu- preme Deity.
Of the G E L T i c SPECIMENS.
AS the ftrong refemblance of the feveral GOTHIC Specimens to each other, fo their radical difli- militude to thofe of CELTIC origin, muft appear deci- five of the great queftion difcufled in the foregoing PREFACE. Had thefe two Languages ever had any pretenfions to be confidered as congenial, the further ther we traced them back, the ftronger would be the refemblance between them ; but the mod ancient Specimens appear as utterly diflimilar, as themoft mo- dern ;
clern ; not but here and there a word rmy have been accidentally caught up on either fide: viz. borrowed by the Goths from the Celtic Language, and via verfa'i or perhaps adopted by each of them f;om fomc third Language radically different from them bo;h. Thus, from the Welfti T&d^ our vulgar have got the common Englifti word Dad and Daddy : And from the French Delivre, are derived both the En^lifh De- liver^ and the Armoric Diluir, whence the Cornflh Dilver.
In conformity to the opinion of the moft knowing Antiquaries, I have given the IRISH and ERSE Tongues as drfcended from one common original with the Cambrian, or ancient Britijh Languages, viz. the WELSH, ARMORIC, and CORNISH. But, tocon- fefs my own opinion, I cannot think they are equally derived from one common CELTIC Stock; at leaft not in the fame uniform manner as any two branches of the GOTHIC ; fuch, for inftance, as the ANGLO- SAXON and FRANCIC, from the Old Teutonic. Upon comparing the two ancient Specimens given above in pag. xxvii. fcarce any refemblance appears between them ; fo that if the learned will have them to be ftreams from one common fountain, it muft be allowed, trnt one or both of them have been greatly" polluted in their courfe, and received large inlets from fome other channel.
But, notwithftandinsr this apparent diffimilitud^ the celebrated Lluyd, and others who have invefti- gated this fubjedl:, firmly maintain, that there is a real affinity between the Irifh and Cambrian Tongues, and that a great part of both Languages is radically the fame. He has further fhown, that many names of places in South-Britain, and even in Wales itfelf, the meaning of which is loft in the Wei fh Language, can only be explained from words n^w extant in the Irifh. and Erfe Tongues: An inconteftible proof either that the Irifh or Erfe Language originally prevailed all over the fouthern parts of this ifiand, or that it is of congenial origin with the Cambi'ian or Welfh, ar.-d !o
VOL. I. c has
has preferved many words, which arc now loft in the other *.
Indeed a good reafon may be afligned why the fe- veral branches of the Old CELTIC differ to the eye fo much more than the derivatives of any other Lan- guage : viz. In the Celtic Tongue words are declined by changing, NOT the Terminations, but the Initial Letters in the oblique cafes, or by prefixing an article with an apoftrophe (either exprt fled or implied); fo that thofe who are ignorant of this language are apt to confound the radical Letters, with fuch as are merely fuperadded and accidental ; or to think two words utterly diflimilar, that are only made fo by an occafional Prefix or a variety of Declenlion : To give one inltance (out of innumerable) of the latter kind, the Britim word Pent in conftru&ion regularly aflumes the form of Ben, Pben and Mben. e. g.
Peny a Head.
Pen gufy a Man's Head.
/ Ben, his Head.
i Pben, her Head.
y'm Mben^ my Head.
* LLUYD thinks both thefe caufes have concurred, viz. I. That the tn- ceftors of the Irifh and Highland Scots, fc. the ancient GVYDHEII ANS, were the old original Celts, who firlr. inhabited this ifland : And that the Cymri, or Welfh, were another and different race of Celts, (a branch of the Celtic Cimbri) who fucceeded the o'her, and drove them north- wards. II. That the Language of both thefe people, though yiiginally the fame, had defcended down through different channels, and was rendered ftill more widely diftant )• I. By the additional mixture of Cantabrian words irnpoited into Ireland by the Scots, who came from Spain and fet- tled among the old Guydelian Celts from Britain: And, 2. By the changes the Cymraeg or Welfli Language fuffered during the fubjeclion of 500 Years to the Romans, fee. (See Lluyd's WELSH and IRISW Prefaces, translated in the Appendix to Nicholfon's JR n>n HISTORI- CAL LIBRARY, £-c. 1736. folio.)
See alfo MAITLANB'S " Hiftory of Scotland, 2 Vols. folio." who- has fome things curious on this fu!>jec~t, particularly on the paf- fape of the Cimkri into Biitain; but the generality of his book fhews a judgment fo warped by national prejudice; is fo evidently de- figmd to fnpport a favourite hypothefis, and is writ with fuch a fpirit of coarfe invedivc, that the Reader will be conftantly kd to fufpecl that his quotations arc unfair, and his arguments fallacious. To mention only one inMance of this Writer's ftrange perverfion of Hiftory, he fcts or.t with denying, in the teeth of Cscfar and all the ancients, that the OLD B;;ITONI wjiuc t :VE* PAINTZB !
5 Before •
f xliii )
Before I conclude thefe flight Remarks, I muft beg leave to obferve, that as the great fubjecl of this pre- fent book is GOTHIC ANTIQUITIES, which I appre- hend to be totally diftinft from the CKLTIC, I only pretend to be exa£r and precife as to the GOTHIC or TEUTONIC Languages; but do not take upon me to decide on any of the points which relate either to the CELTIC Antiquities or CELTIC Tongues. For this reafon I avoid entering into the difpute, which has of late fo much interefted our countrymen in North- Britain : viz. Whether the ERSE Language was firft fpokcn in Scotland or Ireland. Before the inquifitive Reader adopts either opinion, he would do well to con- fider many curious hints, which arc fcattered up and down in LLUYD'S moft excellent Arcbceologia Britan- tiica^ 1707. fol. and efpecially in his WELSH and IRISH Prefaces, referred to in the foregoing Note.
The Specimen of the ERSE or HIGHLAND SCOT- TISH, in p. xxxi. is extracted from the New Tefta- ment lately publifhed at Edinburgh, wherein this Language is called Gaidblig dibannaicb ; and upon the authority of that book I have fo named it here. This I mention by way of caveat againft the cenfure of thofe who contend that the true name is GAELIC or GALIC, and that this word is the fame with GALLIC, the name of the ancient Language of GAUL. With- out deciding the queftion as to the origin of the ERSE Language itfelf, I muft obferve upon the ancient name of GALLIC, that this does not fcem to have been ufed by the natives of GAUL themfelves, but to have been given them by foreigners : They called themfelves CELTIC, and their Language CELTIC *;
* Sjiii ipfirum lingua CtLTf., nc/lra OALLI apftKatitur. Csefar de
Bell. Gal. L. i " CELT*, tie Gauls, Gadi!, Cadil, or Keill,
" and in the plural, according to our dialcft, Ktiliet, or Keilt, (now " Guidhelod) Irishmen. The word Ke:!t could not be othrrwife vnrit- " ten by the Romans, than Ciilte or C« /:<*." Sse Lloyd's Iiiih Preface, f. 107. in Nicbolfun's Iriih Hilfcrijn.
c » Jn
( xliv )
in like manner as the inhabitants of Wales, though called WELSH by us, term themfelves CYMRU, and their own Language CYMRAEG ; who at the fame time call us SAISSONS, and our Tongue SAISSONAEG, thus reminding us of our Saxon origin.
In the fame place the Reader will find many of the ancient names of offices, perfons, &c. mentioned by Casfar as prevailing in Gaul, ex- plained from 'he modern Iiifh Language, as, JU/obrox, Divitiacus, Vtr- clngetoriXf Vergafillaunus, Vcrgobretus, &c.
Of the FINN and LAPLAND Specimens: And of the CANTABRIAN or BASQJJE.
TH E two former of thefe are fubjoined, in order to illuftrate what our Author has faid below, in
P- 38, 39-
Of the FINN Language it may be obferved, that it appears quite original, and underived from any other Tongue with which we are acquainted. But as to that of the LAPLANDERS, it is apparently a derivative from feveral others : Many of the words are evidently borrowed from the FINN LANGUAGE, and others from the NORSE, mixed, it may be, with derivatives from the GREENLAND Tongue, or perhaps the SCLA- VONIC. From the FINN Language are apparently borrowed thefe words in the Pater- nofter, viz. Mi- jam, juco, laibcbm, pabaji, &c. and thefe from the NORSE, or fome filler dialed!, viz. Namt Ryki, Wil-
HOy &C.
As to the CANTABRIAN or BASQUE, if has no ap- parent affinity with any dialect either of the TEUTO- NIC or CELTIC Languages. Yet LLUYD has given a lift of derivatives from this Language which are ftill extant in the IRISH Tongue, and which confirm the opinion that an ancient colony from Spain actually
intermixed
( *lv )
intermixed among the original inhabitants of IRE- LAND.
To this excellent writer, fo often quoted, I refer all fuch as would proceed on fure and folid grounds in thdr inquiries concerning the CELTIC LANGUAGE and ANTIQUITIES: A fubjeft which has proved the great ftumbling-block of modern Antiquaries and Ety- mologifts, and which has occafioned fo many wild, abfurd, and childifh publications, to the difgrace of all etymology and fcandal of literature. Inftead of imitating the caution, diffidence, and modeity of LLUYD, who fpent feveral years in travelling and re- fiding among the different branches of the CELTS, thefe writers make up a jargon of their own, which they call Celtic, and, without knowing any one of the ancient Languages truly, fet out confidently to explain them all.
That I may not appear invidious, I will not pro- duce inftances of the dotage and folly of fome of cur countrymen in what they call Celtic Etymologies, and Illuftrattons of Celtic Antiquities; but will refer the Reader to a work of a fuperior clafs, the celebrated Memoir is de la Langue Celtique par M. BULLET. Be~ fan$on 1754. 3 Vols. folio. This learned, and in other refpedts, ingenious writer, is a glaring inftance how much a good judgment may be drawn away by a dar- ling hypothefis, and is a warning to others not to write upon fubjech they do not underftand : For, having little or no acquaintance with the Englifh Language, he undertakes to explain, from his own imaginary Celtic Vocabulary, the names of innumerable places in England, in what he calls a Defcription Etymokgiqite * : Where, if he had confined himfelf to (ome of our Ri- vers, Mountains and Forefts, he had ftood fome chance of being right^ fince many of thefe retain their old
' Une Defcnplitn Etyrr.ohgique da i/.'.'/t-i, rlvierts, montafna, fortts. nriofitfi nature,'/:! d'S GauUi ; de la meuliure far: if del* Efpagr.e it de <" Italic ; dt la Grande Brltagnt, dent la Gaulm<. »nt <te let primien babi- tans. This writer has, however, fome things very ingenious and folid.
c 3 British
( xlvi )
Britifti names: But when he boldly proceeds to our names of Villages and Towns, which are moft of them purely Saxon and Englifh, he falls into fuch diverting blunders as thefe, viz.
ACTON (which is from the Saxon Ac, an Oak, and Ten, a Town) he derives from Ac, a River, and Ton9 Habitation.
ASTON (which is merely Eajl-tcwn, as in fome parts of England Eafier is ftill called After) he will have from As, River, and Tcn9 Habitation.
AUKLAND (which is probably old Englifh for OAK-LAND) he fetches from Oc, a little Hill, Lan, River, and D from Dy, Two.
COLBROKE, he fays, comes from the Saxon Broke * a Bridge ; i. e. a Bridge over the Colnc.
DICH-MARSH, he derives from Dich, which he fays is from Dichlud, Borne, and Mar, Water. Dich- mar, Land borne up by Water.
HANWELL, he fays, is from Han, a Bending, and Val, in competition rel, a River.
HICHAM (a borough in Northamptonfhire, which ftands on a hill, at fome diftance from any river, and which was doubtlefs named from its elevated fituation, High-ham ; i. e. the Home or Habitation on High Ground: See Verftigan :) this writer derives from J, a River, and Cam, in compofition Gam, a Bending.
NORTHAMPTON, (either fo named in contradif- tindlion to SOUTH HAMPTON, or, according to Cam- den, originally Nortb-avonton ;) this egregious Ety- mologift derives from Nor, (Embouchure) the Mouth of a river, Tan, a River, and Ton, Habitation.
NORTHILL, (which f fuppofe is merely North- Hill) he derives from Nor, River, and Tyle, Habita- tion.
OUNDALE fcontra&ed for Avon-dale! he derives from /fi/on, a River, and Dal, Inclofed, furroundcd.
RING WOOD (i. e. J fuppofe, a *' Wood ring-fenc- " ed," a common foreft term) he derives from Ren (Portage) a Divifion, Cw, River, and Hed, a Fo- rcft.
STANFORD
( xlvii )
STANFORD (i. e. Stone, or Stony Ford) he de- rives from Stan (Embouchure} a Mouth of a River, Vor^ pronounced For, Near.
STRATTON (r. e. Street-Town, the name of a Town on the Watling-ftreet) from Stratt Land near a River, and Tow, Habitation : Or, from Ster, Rii- vers, jit, Junction or Joining, and To«, Habitation.
UXBRIDGE, (fuppofed by fome to be corrupted from Oufe- bridge) he derives from Uc9 River, and Bri^ (Portage) Divifion.
Such are the derivations of a writer who fets out to explain the meaning of Englifh names of places, with- out underftanding the fignification of our common Englifti words LAND, BROOK, MARSH, WELL, HIGH, NORTH, HILL, DALE, WOOD, FORD, STREET or BRIDGE !
So much for Celtic Etymologies !
POSTSCRIPT.
*Tp O the modern Tongues derived from the QZd •*• CiMBRo-GoTHic above mentioned in p. xxxii. may be added a Specimen of the Language fpoken by the common people in the Ifles of Orkney. This is preferred by Dr. Wallace, in his ACCOUNT of thofe Jflands, 4< Lond. 1700. 8vo." Who reUs us it is called by the natives Narns* It feems to be a corruption of the NORSE, Icelandic, &c. and is as follows :
" Favor i ir i Chimrie. i. Helleur ir i Nam thite. " 2. Gilla cofdum thite cumma. 3. Veya thine mota *' var gort o Yurn finna gort i Chimrie. 4. Gav *« vus da on da dalight Brow vora. 5. Firgive vus c< Sinna vora fin vee firgive Sindara mutha vus. 6. " Lyv vus ye i Tumtation. 7. Min delivera vus fro " Olt ilt. Amen.
y^- I fufpeft the abo^ve Copy to be incorrectly print- ed by Wallace : that u Helleur" fliould be " Hel- '* leut," &c. &c.
c 4
of literature and promoter of knowledge: it is therefore but juftue to thn Monarch to mention a few of th- literary undertakings which owe their nfe and eflabliflunent to bis bounty and love of Science.
I. He imlinited a Society, confifling of four or five gentlemen, who have a fahry of 400!. per annum affigned thrm, purpofely for the cul- ?!>r.f;on of the Dar.ifh Language, and illustration of the Icelandic and Northern Antiquities. They have in their poflefiion a great quantity of .Tunufciipts relative to the lait?r 5 and, among the reft, the intire Vo- VUSPA. This Society has already publifoed two volumes upon Mifcel- lan^ous Subj?£h; in which are two Diflfertations relative to the ICELAN- DIC ANTJOjJiTir:.
IF. He directed and enabled his ProfefTor of Botany, Dr. OEDER, to publjih that magnificent work, the Fhra Danica; of which he com- manded prefents to be made to all the principal clergy, engaging them tc contribute their afliftance towards perfecting an undertaking fo ufeful and extenfive : And, in order to promote the fame defign all over Eu- rope, he commanded this work to be printed in the Latin and French, as well as German and Danifh Languages ; and to be carried on till it fhall be found to contain the figures and defcriptions of all the plants '* hich grow within the limits of the polar circle, and the j3d degree of latitude.
TIL He fent the celebrated Mifiion of Literati to explore the interior f arts of Arabia, at d to give us a more perfect account of that now almoft unknown country, which was once the feat of learning and fcience: as alfo to collect whatever reliques could be found of the old Arabian books, biftory, ibc. Thefe Miflionaries were FIVE in number, viz. Mr. Pro- feilbr Dt HAVEN, for Philology and Language: Mr. ProfefTor Fos- SXAL (a Difciple of Lianaeus) for Natural Hiftcry : a lieutenant of engineers, Mr. NIEBVHK, f.-.r Geography and Aftronomy: Dr. CRA- MER, for Medicine, and Mr. PAU»ENFEIND for Drawing and taking View«, &c. The whole defign and plan of their voyage may be feen in Monf. MICHAELIS'S " Recueil da quefliw prepoffes a une Sttiete de *• Sai-ar.s, jui far ardrc tie fa Maj, Dan. fsnt It voyage de /' Arahit, &c." Frjncf. 1763. izmo. Of hete r I VE Literati, only one is returned alive out of the f.aft. Their join-, obfervations, however, are in the hands of Mr NIKBUHR the furviv..r, which he is preparing for the prefs in the permah Lang'i.->ge. As fome of the travellers died early in their tour, we mud not rxpcft to find the original plan entirely compleated. The work will be found moft perfect in svhat relates to Geography and Natu- ral Hiftory : but though it muft, from the circumftances abive menrioned , prove fomewhat deftflive, the world nmy neverthelefs form confidEriliC expeclafions of it; and it will, as we- are affured, be given to the Publ in the uurk ot this prefem year, M,DCC,LXX.
( xlix )
THE
FRENCH AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
IF it be allowed that the Hiftory of a confiderablc people is in itfelf ufeful and interefting, indepen- dent of all accidental circumftancesi it muft alfo be acknowledged that there are certain points of time, •when fuch a Hiftory runs a better chance of being re- ceived, than at any other. This is more particularly the cafe when a general curiofity is excited concern- ing the nation which is the fubjeft of that hiftory. An illuftrious reign *, diftinguifhed by whatever can render it dear to a people, and glorious in the eyes of fenfible obfervers, cannot attract the attention of man- kind, without infpiring at the fame time, a defire of knowing the principal events which have preceded that reign.
This reflection fufficiently juftifies my defign of pub- lifhing a new Hiftory of Denmark in the French Language. If I am fortunate enough to fucceed in my undertaking, I (hall be the more happy, as I {hall, in many refpects, anfwer the ends of my prefent em- ployment, and (hall give, at the fame time, a proof of my gratitude to the Danifh nation, who have fo generoufly adopted me for their fellow-citizen.
• Our Author here (and below, p. lv.) pays a compliment to the late King of Denmark , FREDERICK V ; with what reafon fee the preceding page
lam
(1)
I am not ignorant that many perfons have executed long ago, either in the whole or in part, a work of the fame kind with mine ; and I (hall, in its proper p!ace, do juftice to their diligence *. But as the vo- lume which I now offer to the public relates to a fub- je£l which thefe Authors have treated either very iuperfkially, or not at all ; I fhall here, in a few words, give my reafons why, at fetting out, I have followed a plan fomewhat different from theirs.
To run curforily over a number Q( events, uncon- nected and void of circumftances, .without being able to penetrate into their true caufes; to fee people, princes, conquerors and legiflators fucceed one an- other rapidly upon the ftage, without knowing any thing of their real character, manner of thinking, or of the fpirit which animated them, this is to have only the fkeleton of Hiftory; this is meerly to be- hold a parcel of dark and obfcure fhadows, inftead of living and cenverfing with real men. For this reafon I have all along refolved not to meddle with the body of the Danifh Hiftory, till I have prefcnted my Rea- ders with a (ketch of the manners and genius of the firft inhabitants of Denmark. But I imagined, like thofe who have preceded me in this attempt, that a few pages would have fufficed for illuftrating the mod effential of thefe points ; nor was it, till 1 had exa- mined this matter with new attention, that I difco- vered my mrftake. I then found, that too much brevity would defeat the end I propofed, which was to place my fubjeft in different points of view, all of them equally new and interesting.
• Our Author probably alludes to a former hiftory of Denmark in the French Language, (dedicated to the prefent King's grandfather, K. FREDERICK IV.) iniitled, " ISHifloirt de Dannemarc avar.t et defnh u rEtabL/ementdc la Monarchic : Par Mr. J. B. D r s R o c H E s , Effvyer, «« Cbtjet/ter et JT.*cat Central du Roi 7r. Cbr. au Bureau lies Finances et " Cbambrc. dti Domaiie dt la Gtneralite de la Roebelle." AMST. 1730. 6 Vol. iimo. To this work is prefixed a PRFFACF HISTOR IQ^UK four ftruir d' Introduction a rHiJloirt de Dfxtitmarc j which contaias a tolerable difplay of the Northern Antiquities, &c.
In
(li)
In fair, Hiftory has not recorded the annals of a people who have occafioned greater, more fudden, or more numerous revolutions in Europe than the Scan- dinavians ; or whofe antiquities, at the kme time, arc fo little known. Had, indeed, their emigrations been, only like thofe fuddci. toi rents of which all traces and remembrance are foon effaced, the indifference ;hat has been (hown to them would have been fufficiently ju- ftified by the barbarifm they have been reproached with. But, during thofe general inundations, the face of Europe underwent fo total a change; and during the confufion they occafioned, fuch different eftablifh- ments took place; rew focieties were formed, ani- mated fo intirely with a new fpirit, that the Hiftory of our own manners and inftitutions ought neceflarily to afcend back, and even dwell a confiderable time upon a period, which difcoversto us their chief origin and fource.
But I ought nofbarely to affert this. Permit me to fupport the affertion by proofs. For this purpofe, let us briefly run over all the different Revolutions which this part of the world underwent, during the long courfe of ages which its Hiftory comprehends, in or- der to fee what mare the nations of the north have had in producing them. If we recur back to the remoteft times, we obferve a nation iffuing ftep by ftep from the forefts of Scythia, inceffantly increafing and dividing to take pofleffion of the uncultivated countries which it met with in its progrefs. Very foon after, we fee the fame people, like a tree full of vigour, extending long branches over all Europe ; we fee them alfo carrying with them, wherever they came, from the borders of the Black Sea, to the ex- tremities of Spain, of Sicily, and Greece, a religion fimple and martial as themfelves, a form of govern- ment dictated by good fenfe and liberty, a reftlefs unconquered fpirit, apt to take fire at the very men- tion of fubje&ion and conftraint, and a ferocious courage, nourimed by a favage and vagabond life. While the gentlenefs of the climate foftened impercep- tibly
tibly the ferocity of thofe who fettled in the fouth, Colonies of Egyptians and Phenicians mixing with them upon the coafts of Greece, and thence pafT- ing over to thofe of Italy, taught them at lalt to live in cities, to cultivate letters, arts and commerce. Thus their opinions, their cuftoms and genius, were blended together, and new ftates were formed upon new plans. Rome, in the mean time, arofe, and ac length carried all before her. In proportion as fhe in- creafed in grandeur, fhe forgot her ancient manners, and deftroyed, among the nations whom {he over- powered, the original fpirit with which they were animated. But this fpirit continued unaltered in the colder countries of Europe, and maintained itfelf there like the independency of the inhabitants. Scarce could fifteen or fixteen centuries produce there any change in that fpirit. There it renewed itfelf incef- fantly ; for, during the whole of that long interval, new adventurers ifluing continually from the original inexhauftible country, trod upon the heels of their fathers towards the north, and, being in their turn fucceeded by new troops of followers, they puflied one another forward, like the waves of the fea. The northern countries, thus overftocked, and unable any longer to contain fuch reftlefs inhabitants, equally greedy of glory and plunder, difcharged at length, upon the Roman Empire, the weight that opprefled them. The barriers of the Empire, ill defended by a people whom profperity had enervated, were borne down on all fides by torrents of victorious armies. We then fee the conquerors introducing, among the nations they vanquiihed, viz. into the very bofom of ilavery and iloth, that fpirit of independance and equa- lity, that elevation of foul, that tafte for rural and military life, which both the one and the other had originally derived from the fame common fource, but which were then among the Romans breathing their laft. Difpofitions and principles fo oppofite, ftruggled long with forces fufficiently equal, but they united in the end, they coalefced together, and from their coa- lition
lition fprung thofe principles and that fpirit which governed, afterwards, almoft all the ftates of Europe, and which, notwithflanding the differences of climate, of religion and particular accidents, do ftill vifibly reign in them, and retain, to this day, more or leis the traces of their firft common original.
It is eafy to fee, from this fbort (ketch, how greatly the nations of the north have influenced the different fates of Europe: And, if it be worth while to trace its revolutions to their caufes, if the illuftration of its inftitutions, of its police, of its cuftoms, of its man- ners, of its laws, be a fubjecl of ufeful and intereft- ing inquiry ; it muft be allowed, that the Anti- quities of the north, that is to fay, every thing which tends to make us acquainted with its ancient inhibi- t.mts, merits a {hare in the attention of thinking men. But to render this obvious by a particular example ; Is it not well known that the moft flourifhing and ce- lebrated ftates of Europe owe originally to the nor- thern nations, whatever liberty they now enjoy, either in their conftitution, or in the fpirit of their government? P'or although the Gothic form of govern- ment has been almoft every where altered or abolifhed, have we not retained, in moft things, the opinions, the cuftoms, the manners which that government had a tendency to produce ? Is not this, in fa£r, the principal fource of that courage, of that averfion to flavery, of that empire of honour which charadterife in general the European nations ; and of that mode- ration, of that eafmefs of accefs, and peculiar atten- tion to the rights of humanity, which fo happily dif- tinguifh our fovereigns from the inacceffible and fu- perb tyrants of Afia ? The immenfe extent of the Roman Empire had rendered its conftitution fo de- fpotic and miiitary, many of its Emperors were fuch ferocious monfters, its fenate was become fo mean- fpirited and vile, that all elevation of fentiment, every thing that was noble and manly, feems to have been for ever banifhed from their hearts and minds : Info- muchj that if all Europe had received the yoke of
Komr
(Uv)
Rome in this her (late of debafement, this fine part of the world, reduced to the inglorious condition of the reft, could not have avoided falling into that kind of barbarity, which is of all others the moft incurable; as, by making as many flaves as there are men, it degrades them fo low as not to leave them even a thought or defire of bettering their condition. But Nature had long prepared a remedy for fuch great evils, in that unfubmiting, unconquerable fpirit, with •which (he had infpired the people of the north ; and thus {he made amends to the human race, for all the calamities which, in other refpefts, the inroads of thefe nations, and the overthrow of the Roman Em- pire produced.
" The great prerogative of Scandinavia, (fays the " admirable Author of the Spirit of Laws) and what ** ought to recommend its inhabitants beyond every people upon earth, is, that they afforded the great refource to the liberty of Europe, that is, to almoft all the liberty that is among men. The Goth JORNANDES, (adds he) calls the north of Europe THE FORGE OF MANKIND. I fhould rather call it, the forge of thofe inftruments which broke the fetters manufactured in the fouth. It was there thofe valiant nations were bred, who left their native climes to deftroy tyrants and flaves, " and to teach men that nature having made them " equal, no reafon could be afligned for their becom- " ing dependent, but their mutual happinefs."
If thefe confiderations be of any weight, I (hall cafily be excufed for having treated at fo much length, the Antiquities of the nation whofe Hiftory I write. The judicious public will fee and decide, whether I have conceived a juft idea of my fubjefr, or whether, from an illufion too common with Authors, I have not afcribed to it more importance than it deferves. I fhould not be without fome apprehenfions of this kind, if that were always true which is commonly faid, that we grow fond of our labours in proportion as they are difficult. Many tedious and unentertain-
ing
(hr)
ing volumes I have been obliged to perufe : I have had more than one language to learn : My materials were widely fcattered, ill digefted, and often little known: It was not eafy to collect them, or to accommodate them to my purpofe. Thefe are all c ire urn (ranees, ill calculated, it muft be owned, to give me much aflur- ance. But I have likewife met with very confiderable affiftances ; feveral learned men have treated particular points of the Antiquities of the north, with that deep erudition which chara&erifes the frudies of the laft age. I cannot mention, without acknowledgment and praife, BARTHOLINUS, WORMIUS, STEPHANIUS, ARNGRIM JONAS, TORF^EUS, &c. I have alfo con- fulted, with advantage, two learned ftrangers, MefH PELLOUTIER and DALIN. The firft, in his fiiftory of the Geltes, has thrown a great deal of light upon the religion of the firft inhabitants of Europe. The fecond has given a new Hiftory of Sweden, which difcovers extenfive reading and genius. In three or four chapters, where the Author treats of the reli- gion, the laws and manners of the ancient Swedes, we find thefe fubjecls di (cuffed with unufual perfpi- cuity and elegance.
There are people of that happy genius, that they need only wifh in order to fucceed, and have every re- fource within themfelves. As for me, I dare hardly reckon among my advantages, the ftrong motives and inducements I have had to my undertaking. I dare not tell ftrangcrs, that I have had the happinefs of be- ing encouraged by more than one Maecenas, and by a Prince, alike knowing, and zealous in the advance- ment of knowledge. They would judge of me, un- queftionably, according to what fuch numerous and great encouragements ought to have produced, when, perhaps, I hardly find myielf capable of Jifcharging the duties which lie upon me in common wilh all Hiftorians.
Is it neceflary that I fhould take notice, before I conclude, that 1 am about to delineate a nation in its infancy, and that the grcateft part or the other Euro- peans
(Ivi)
peans were neither lefs favage, nor lefs uncivilized, during the fame period ? I (hall give fufficient proofs of this in other places, being perfuaded that there is among nations an emulation of glory, which often degenerates into jealoufy, and puts them upon afTum- ing a pre-eminence upon the moft chimerical advanta- ges: That there glows in their bofoms a patriotic zeal, which is often fo blind and ill informed, as to take alarm at the moft (lender and indifferent declara- tions made in favour of others.
In the fecond Volume will be found a Tranflation of the EDDA, and of fome other fragments of Mytho- logy and ancient pieces of Poetry. They are fingu- lar, and, in many refpects, precious monuments, which throw much light upon the Antiquities of the north, and upon thoie of the other l Gothic *' na- tions. They will ferve for Proofs, and be a Supplement to this Defcription of the Manners of the Ancient Danes ; and for this reafon, as well as out of deference to the advice of fome perfons of tafte, 1 was induced to tranflate them, and to annex them to it.
* d!:t:. Orig.
A DES-
A
DESCRIPTION
OF THE
MANNERS, CUSTOMS, Vc.
OF THE
ANCIENT DANES
And other NORTHERN NATIONS.
CHAPTER I.
Denmark defcribed, and the federal countries fubjetf to its crown, 'viz. Norway, Iceland, Greenland.
THE feveral countries, which com- pofe the Danim monarchy, have feldom juftice done them by thf- other nations of Europe. The notions en tertained of them are not commonly the moft favourable or true. This is owing to various caufes. The lituation cf Tome of the provinces is fo remote, that fkilful travellers have feldom had occafion to vifit them; Thofe who have pretended to de- VOL. I. Chap. I, B fcribe
• ( 2 )
fcribe them have been generally wanting in fidelity or exadnefs ; Some of their defcrip- tions are grown obfolete, fo that what was once true, is no longer fo at prefent ; Laftly, fuch confufion and prejudices have been occafioned by that vague term THENoRTH, that we are not to wonder if Denmark has been thought ilightly of by the fouthern nations. To correct thefe miftakes I mall lay before the Reader a faithful account of the prefent ftate of thefe countries : In which I fhall be more or lefs diffufe in pro- portion as they are more or lefs known to foreigners, for whom this work is princi- pally defigned. And if the piclure I draw, prefents .nothing very agreeable or ftriking, I dare at leaft promife that it mall be very exact and faithful.
DENMARK is naturally divided into con- tinent, and iilands. Among the iflands, the firfr. that merits attention, as well on account of its lize as fertility, is ZEALAND. In this iile is feated COPENHAGEN, the capital of the whole kingdom ; which de- rives its name from its harbour*, one of the fmeft in the world. This city is built
* It's name in the Da- ./kViffr/,andHAFFN, For-
rifli language is KIOBEN- tus. This city has been
MAFFN; which literally is reckoned by travellers to
a " Haven for merchandize be about the fize of Brif-
or traffic;" frcm KIOBE, tol; T«
4 upon
(3)
upon the very edge of that channel, fo well known by the name of the SOUND, and re- ceives into its bofom a fmall arm of the fea, which divides Zealand from another ifle of lefs extent, but of very agreeable fituation, named AM AC. Copenhagen, which is at prefent very ftrong, wealthy, and populous, hath continually improved in its dimenfions and beauty ever fince king Chriftopher of Bavaria fixed his refidence there in the year 1443 : but it owes its greater! fplendor to the laft reign, and that of the prefent king Frederic V. in which it hath been adorned with a palace worthy of the monarch who inhabits it, and with many ftately build- ings, as well public as private.
At fome leagues diftance towards the north, this channel, which wafhes the walls of Copenhagen, grows gradually nar- rower, being confined between the two oppofite coafts of Zealand and Schonen, till it forms at length what is properly called the PafTage of the Sound ; one of the moft celebrated and moft frequented ftraits in the world ; and which opens the prin- cipal communication between the ocean and the Baltic. ELSE N ORE, which is fituated -on the brink of the Sound, and defended by the fortrefs of CRONENBERG, enjoys the ever-moving picture of a multitude of (hips, which pafs and repafs, and come to
Chap. I. B 2 pay
( 4 )
pay their tribute to the king *. About a league diftant the oppofite fhore terminates the proipect in a very agreeable manner ; and not far off, between the two banks, rifes the little ifle of WE ME, famous for the obfervations of Tycho Brahe. Although the other parts of Zealand afford nothing fo ftriking as this ; the eye will find enough to entertain it every where elfe. Here are vail plains covered with a mod delightful verdure, which fprings earlier and continues longer than the fouthern nations would ima- gine. Thefe plains are interfperfed with little hills, lakes, and groves ; and adorned with feveral palaces, many gentlemens feats -J-, and a good number of cities and towns. The foil, though light and fome- what fandy, produces a great quantity of grain, particularly of oats and barley : nor is it deficient in woods and paflures. Be- fides, the fea and lakes furnifh this illand with fifh in fuch abundance, as might well fupply the want of the other fruits of the earth in a country lefs fertile or lefs addicted to commerce.
But fertility is in a flill more eminent de- gree the character of FUNEN, which is the fecond of the Danifh ifles in point of fize,
* A certain toll paid by the merchant- (hips for paf- fing the Sound. T.
f In French, Chateaux.
5
( 5)
but the firft in goodnefs of foil. This ifland rifes higher than that of Zealand, and is fe- parated from it by an arm of the fea, which, on account of its breadth, is called the GREAT BELT, to diftinguifli it from an- other fmaller channel, that divides it from Jutland, and is called the LESSER BELT. Corn, pafture, and fruits grow plentifully in this ifland, which prefents the mofl de- lightful appearance. In the middle of a vaft plain ftands ODENSEE, the capital of the province ; and feven towns lefs con- fiderable adorn the fea-coafts at almoft equal distances.
The ifles of LALAND and FALSTRIA yield not much in point of fertility to Funen, being both of them famous for their fine wheat : but the latter of thefe produces alfo fruits in fuch abundance, that one may juftly call it the Orchard of Denmark. Amidft the multitude of lefier iflands, that are fcattered round the principal ones, there are few which do not fupply their inhabi- tants with neceffaries, and even afford them an overplus for traffic. LAN GLAND hath plenty of fine corn-fields. Bo KN HOLM, MoNA,and SAMSOE have excellent paftures. AM AC is found very proper for pulfe, -and is become a fruitful garden under the hands of thofe induftrious Flemings, who were brought hither by queen Elizabeth,
Chap. I. 63 wife
(*)
wife of Chriftian II. and fifter of Charles .V.
If we pafs over to the provinces on the continent, we (hall find new reafons to convince us, that Denmark plentifully fup- ports its inhabitants, and is able to enrich even a numerous people. JUTLAND, the largeft of thefe provinces, forms the head of that long peninfula, which is bounded by the ocean to the weft, by the gulph of Categade and the Baltic to the eaft, and which opens a communication into Ger- many towards the fouth. From this pro- vince they carry into Norway a great part of the corn ufed in that kingdom; and hence are exported thofe thoufands of head of cattle, which are every year brought into Holland and other' countries. Here are alfo bred thofe Danifh horfes, whofe beauty makes them fo much fought after in all parts of Europe. If the inland parts are barren in fome places, the coafts extremely abound with fifh. This affords a refource fo much the greater, as they increafe and breed in the long bays, which fun up into the country, in fuch a manner that almoft all the inhabitants enjoy the benefit of the fimery. The gulph of LIMFIORDE in particular reaches almoft from one fea to the other ; and the fifh ing therein is fo rich, that, after
it
(7)
it has fupplied the wants of the province, it constantly produces large quantities for exportation *.
Nature hath been no lefs indulgent to the fouthern part of this peninfula, which forms the dutchy of SLESWIC. Although the inland parts of this country have large tracts of heath and barren fields, yet the fertility of its coafts, its advantageous fitu- ation between the ocean and the Baltic, the number and convenience of its harbours, and the large traffic which it carries on, have enriched many of its cities, and rendered it an agreeable and flourishing province -f- .
What I have faid of the dutchy of Slef- wic is pretty nearly applicable to the dut- chy of HOLSTEIN. This province is in general rich, fertile, and populous J. Fat B 4 and
* " The principal ci- " REN,andTcNNiNGEV,
«* ties of Jutland are AL- " are cities of tolerable
*c BURG, NYCOPPING, " fize." Flrjl Edit.
" WYBURG, AARHU- % Lord Molefworth ob-
ec SEN, RANDERS, HOR- ferves, that this country
"SENS, WARDE, RIDE, very much refemblesENC-
FREDERICIA, COLD- LAND. Another traveller
ING, &c.'' Flrjl Edit. has remarked, that the in-
-j- '* SLESWIC, an an- habitants are in their per-
cient and confiderable Tons very like the ENG-
city, is the capital of LISH. See"Howeli's Let-
the dutchy. FLENS- ters," vol. i. fe£l. 6. lett. 4.
BURG hath an extenfive It feems this writer was at
commerce. FREDE- Rendfburg (or as he calls
RICKSTADT, TONDE- it Rainfburg) when the
CJiap. I. king
(8 )
and plentiful paftures; large and trading cities fituate near together ; coafts abound- ing in fifh, and a large river* which termi- nated the province towards the fouth, form its principal advantages -f*.
On the other fide of the Elb, after crof- fing the country of Bremen, we find two fmall provinces, which have been long united to the crown of Denmark. Thefe are the counties of OLDENBURG and DEL- MEN HORST, which are comprized within
king of Denmark held an afTembly of the ihtes there in 1632. " Among other " things, he fays, I put *' myfelf to mark the car- " riage of the Holftein " gentlemen, as they were <c going in and out at the <* parliament-houfe : and tl obferving well their phy- " fiognomies, their com- " plections, and gait ; I ** thought verily I was in " P.ngland ; for they re- " femblethe Englifh more " than either Welfli or " Scot (though cohabiting f( u-on the fame iflandj "or any other people that " ever I faw yet ; which *' makes me verily believe, " that the Englifli nation *<• came firft from this *' lower circle of Saxony; " and there is one thing " that flrengthencth me
in this belief; that there is an ancient town hard by, called Lunden, and an ifland called Angles; * whence it may well be that our country came from Britannia to be Anglia." This remark is confirmed by the moft diligent inquirers into this fubjeft,whopla<;e the coun- try of our Saxon anceftors in the Cimbric Cherfonefe, in the tracts of land fmce known by the names of Jutland, Angelen, and Holftein. T.
* The Elb.
t " The kingofDen- " mark pofleiTes here " RF.NDSBURG, a very " ftrong place, 'ALTON A, " a town of grqat trade, " and GLUCKERSTADT, " a good fortification."
F'irjl Edit,
the
(9)
the circle of Weftphalia, and have re- ceived their names from their two principal cities.
The temperature of the air is nearly the fame in the greateft part of thefe provinces, and, except in the north of Jutland, is much milder than their fituation would incline one to believe, being rarely fubject to very long or rigorous cold. To comprehend this, it will be fufficient to remind the rea- der, of this general obfervation, that coun- tries furrounded with the fea, have their atmofphere loaded with vapours continually exhaling from it, which break and blunt the nitrous particles of the air, and foften its rigours. When the flraits and gulphs, which furround the Danifh iflands, become frozen in very (harp winters, it is lefs ow- fng to the prevalence of the froft there, than to the large flakes of ice, which are driven by the winds out of the northern feas, and are there aflembled and united. The fummer feafon commonly begins with the month of May, and continues till Oc- tober : and during its continuance, the beauty of the country, the fremnefs and Ihortnefs of the nights, and the convenience of navigation in a country furrounded and crofted by the fea, eaiily repair and make the inhabitants forget the languors and in- terruptions, which winter caufes in their bufmefs and amufements.
Chap. I. If
If travellers for the mod part have not been very favourable in their accounts of Denmark, they have been ftill lefs tender of NORWAY. They have often confounded it with Lapland, and have given defcrip- tions of its inhabitants, and their man- ners, which are hardly applicable to the favages of that country. The notion that is generally entertained of the extreme coldnefs of the climate here is no lefs unjuft. It is true, that in a kingdom which extends thirteen degrees from north to Ibuth, the temperature of the air cannot every where be the fame : accordingly the mofl northern parts of Norway, thofe which face the eaft, and which are not flickered by the mountains from the fury of the north winds, are undoubtedly ex- pofed to rigorous winters. But almoft all that length of coaft, which is wafhed by the fea towards the weft, and which forms fo confiderable a part of Norway, com- monly enjoys an air tolerably temperate, even in the middle of winter. Here are none of thole " defolate regions, where " Winter hath eftablimed his eternal em- " pire, and where he reigns among horrid " heaps of ice and fnow," as ignorance hath often led travellers, and a fondnefs for the marvellous induced poets to fpeak of Norway. It is feldom that a very marp froft lafts there a fortnight or three weeks
together ;
together -, it rains frequently at BERGEN in the midft of winter*, and the ports of Hamburg, Lubeck, and Amfterdam, are locked up with froft ten times for once that this city is fo expofed. In fhort, this is an accident that doth not happen more than two or three times in an age. The vapours, which rife from the ocean, con- tinually foften the fharpnefs of the cold ; and it is only in the coafts of Iceland, Fin- mark, and Greenland, that are found thofe immenfe and eternal banks of ice, of which voyagers make fuch a noife, and which, when they are fevered, may fometimes float along the coafts of Norway.
The greateft inconvenience to which this vaft country is expofed, arifes without dif- pute, from the inequality of the ground, from it's being almoft entirely covered with rocks and ftones, and croft every wny by high and large mountains, which render a great part of it wild and defert. There grow, not- withftanding, feveral forts of grain in many of the provinces, as in the UPLANDS, the RYFOLKE, JEDEREN -f ; the reft which have not this advantage may eafily be fupplied from Jutland or the Danirfi iflands, by means of the navigation. Various
* Sec PONTOPPIDAN'S og. Norg. Beflcrivelfe.
natural hiftory of Nor- [i. e. Defcription of Den-
>vay, vol. i. mark and Norway.] p. 36.
•f HOLBERG'S Danm, & feqq.
Chap. I. products,
( 12)
products, with which this country abounds, fufficiently compenfate for that difadvan- tage.
The other nations of Europe cannot be ignorant that great part of the pitch and tar, of the mafts, planks, and different forts of timber, which are every where ufed, come from Norway. Thefe articles alone would be fufficient to procure an eafy competence for the inhabitants of the inland and eafterri parts of this country. The weftern coafl hath a refource not lefs rich or lefs certain, in the prodigious abundance of its fifh. Cod, falmon and herrings are no where found in greater quantities. The Norwe- gians fupply part of Europe with thefe; and this fruitful branch of commerce be- comes every day more extenfive by the care of a wife adminiftration. The very moun- tains of this country, which at firil: fight, appear fo barren, often conceal great riches in their bofoms. Some of them are intirc quarries of fine marble, which the luxury of all the cities of Europe could never ex- hauft. In others are found jafper, cryftal and fome precious flones ; feveral mines of gold, though hitherto not very rich ; two mines of filver by no means fcanty ; much copper ; but above all fo great a quantity of iron, that this fingle article brings almoft as much money into the kingdom, as what arifes from the fale of its timber.
At
( '3)
At the northern extremity of this ki'ng- tlom and of Europe, dwells a people, which, from the earlieft ages, have differed from the other inhabitants of Scandinavia, in fi- gure, manners, and language. This na- tion, known by the name of FINNS, or LAPLANDERS, not only poffefs the northern parts of Norway, but alfo vaft countries in Mufcovy and Sweden. They are a coarfe and favage race of men, yet by no means barbarous, if we underftand by this word mifchievous and cruel. Such of them as live upon the fea-coafts fupport themfelves by fiming, and by a traffic they carry on with a fort of little barks, which they make and fell to the Norwegians. The reft wan- der up and down in the mountains without any fixed habitation, and gain a fcanty fub- fiftence by hunting, by their pelteries, and their rain-deer. Such of them as are neigh- bours to the Norwegians have embraced chriftianity, and are ibmewhat civilized by their commerce with that people. The reft live ftill in ignorance, not knowing fo much as the names of the other nations of the world; preferved by their poverty and their climate from the evils which difturb the en- joyments of more opulent countries. Their whole religion confifts in fome confufed no- tions of an invifible and tremendous being : and a few fuperftitious ceremonies compoie their worihip. They have no laws, and
Chap. I. fcarce
fcarce any magistrates : yet have they great .humanity, a natural foftnefs of difpofition, and a very hofpitable temper.
They were nearly the fame in the time of Tacitus. " The FINNS*," he fays, •*' live in extreme favagenefs, in fquallid " poverty : have neither arms, nor fteeds, " nor houfes. Herbs are their food, fkins " their cloathing, the earth their bed. All " their refource is their arrows, which " they point with fifh-bones, for want of " iron. Their women live by hunting, <: as well as the men -f. For they every " where accompany them, and gain their " mare of the prey. A rude hovel fhelters " their infants from the inclemencies of " the weather, and the beafts of prey. " Such is the home to which their young " men return ; the afylum to which the " old retire. This kind of life they think " more happy, than the painful toils of " agriculture, than the various labours of " domeftic management, than that circle " of hopes and fears, in which men are " involved by their attention to the fortune " of themfelves and others. Equally fe- tf cure both as to gods and men, the Finns
* FENNI. TACIT. De . that herbs are their food :
raorib. Germ, ad fin. I fuppofe herbs were their
t This feems to con- ordinary food j flefh gain-
tradict the paflage above, ed by hunting their regale.
" have
( '5)
" have attained that rare privilege, not to " form a (ingle wifh."
I ought not to feparate ICELAND from Norway. This ifland, the largeft in Eu- rope next to Great Britain, is furrounded by that part of the northern fea, which geographers have been pjeafed to call the Deucalidonian ocean. Its length from eaft to weft is about 112 Danifh miles (12 to a degree) and its mean breadth may be 50 of thofe miles J. Nature itfelf hath marked out the divifion of this country *. Two long chains of mountains run from the middle of the eaftern and weftern coafts, riling by de- grees till they meet in the center of the ifland : from whence two other chains of fmaller hills gradually defcend till they reach the coafts that lie north and fouth ; thus mak- ing a primary divifion of the country into four quarters (fierdingers) which are di- ftinguifhed by the four points of the co'm- pafs towards which they lie.
The whole ifland can only be confidered as one vaft mountain, interfperfed with long and deep vallies, concealing in its bofom heaps of minerals, of vitrified and bitu- minous fubftances, and rifing on all fides out of the ocean in the form of a fhort blunted cone -j~.
t About 560 Englifh p. 18. § 6. miles long, and 250 broad. f Vid. HORREBOW'*
T. Natural Hiftory of Ice-
* EGERH. OLAI E- land, paffim. narrat. Hiftor. de Ifland.
Chap. I. Earth-
( 16 )
Earthquakes and volcanoes have thro' all ages laid wade this unhappy ifland. Hecla, the only one of thefe volcanoes, which is known by name to the reft of Europe, feems at prefent extinct; but the principles of fire, which lie concealed all over the ifland, often break out in other places. There have been already within this century many erup- tions, as dreadful, as they were unexpected. From the bofom of thefe enormous heaps of ice we have lately feen afcend torrents of fmoke, of flame, and melted or calcined fubftances, which fpread fire and inunda- tion wide over the neighbouring fields, whilft they filled the air with thick clouds, and hideous roarings caufed by the melting of fuch immenfe quantities of fnow and ice. One meets almoft every where in travelling through this country with marks of the fame confufion and difbrder. One fees enormous piles of fharp and broken rocks, which are fometimes porous and half calcined, and often frightful on account of their blacknefs, and the traces of fire, which they ftill retain. The clefts and hollows of the rocks are only filled with thofe hideous and barren ruins ; but in the valleys, which are formed between the mountains, and which are fcattered here and there all over the ifland very often at a confiderable diftance from each other, are found very extenfive and delightful plains,
where
( -7)
xvhere nature, who always mingles Corns allay with the rigour of her feverities, af- fords a tolerable afylum for men who know no better, and a moft plentiful and delicate nourilhment for cattle.
I ought to beftow a word or two upon another northern country dependent on the kingdom of Norway, as well as Iceland, but much more extenfive, more unknown, and more favage : I mean GREENLAND, a vaft country, which one knows not whe- ther to call an illand or continent. It ex- tends from the 6oth to the Scth degree of* latitude ; farther than that men have not penetrated. All that we can know for certain of it is, that this country, little known to geographers, ftretches away from its fouthern point, named Cape Farewel, continually widening both towards the eaft and weft. The eaftern coaft in fome places is not diftant more than 40 rniles from Ice- land, but the ice, which furrounds it, or other unknown caufes, make it now paf3 for inacceflable. Yet it was chiefly on this coaft, that the Norwegians formerly efta- bliihed a colony, as we fhall mow here- after : a colony which at this time is either* deftroyed, or perhaps only neglected, and cut oft from all communication with the reft of the world. With regard to the weftern coaft, which alone is frequented by
VOL. I. Chap. I. C / the
th-e Danes at prefent ; it is known no far- ther than the yoth degree. It is very pro- bable that on this fide, Greenland joins to the continent of America. Yet no one hath hitherto reached the bottom of the Bay, or Straits of Davies. The Savages whom the Danes have found on this coaft, are not unlike the Laplanders in figure, yet fpeak a language quite different from theirs. They are fhort of feature, and thick-fet, their vifage is broad and tawny, their lips are thick, and their hair black and coarfe. They are robuft, phlegmatic, incurious, and even fhipid when their own intereft is not immediately concerned. Yet their children have been found capable of the fame inflrudions, as thofe of Europeans. They live without laws, and without fu- periors, yet with great union and tranqui- lity. They are neither quarrel fome, nor mifchievous, nor warlike ; being greatly afraid of thofe that are : and they keep fair with the Europeans from this motive. Theft, blows and murder are almoft un- known to them. They are chafle before marriage, and love their children tenderly. Their nailinefs is fo great, that it renders their hofpitality almoft ufelefs to Europe- ans ; and their fimplicity hath not been able to preferve them from having priefts, who pals among them for enchanters, and
are
( '9)
arc in truth very great and dexterous cheats. As to their religion it confifts in the belief of certain good and evil Genii, and of a Land of Souls, to which, however, they pay little or no regard in their actions.
Chap. I. C2 CHAP.
CHAPTER IL
Of the firft Inhabitants of Denmark^ and particularly of the Cimbri.
IT is ufelefs to enquire at what period of time Denmark began to be inhabit- ed. Such a refearch would doubtlefs lead us up to an age when all Europe was plung- ed in ignorance and barbarity. Thefe two words include in them almofl all we know of the hiftory of the firft ages. It is very- probable, that the firft Danes were like all the other Teutonic nations, a colony of Scythians, who fpread themfelves at dif- ferent times over the countries which lay towards the weft. The refemblance of name might induce us to believe that it was from among the Cimmerian Scythians (whom the ancients placed to the north of the Euxine fea) that the firft colonies were fent into Denmark ; and • that from this people they inherited the name of Cimbri, which they bare fo long before
they
( 2' )
they a/Turned that of Danes*. But this refemblance of name, which many hifto- rians produce as a folid proof, is liable to ib many different explanations, that it is better to acknowledge once for all, that this fubject is as incapable of certainty, as it is unworthy of refearch.
Whatever was the origin of the Cimbri, they for a long time before the birth of Chrift inhabited the country, which receiv- ed from them the name of the Cimbrica Cherfonefus *)-, and probably comprehend- ed Jutland, Slefwic, and Holftein, and perhaps fome of the neighbouring pro- vinces. The ancients coniidered this peo- ple as a branch of the Germans, and never diftinguimed the one from the other in the defcriptions they have left us of the man- ners and cuftoms of that nation. The hiftorical monuments of the north give us ilill lefs information about them, and go no farther back than the arrival of Odin; the epoque of which, I am
* Thehiftcrians of the appears to have made ufe
.north do not inform us of it. We fhall fee below,
when this name began to what we are to think of
be in ufe. Among fo- the etymologies which
reign writers, PROCOPIUS have been given of this
%n author of the Vlth name,
century, is the firft who f Or Cimbric Peninfula.
Chjp, II. C 3 in-
(22)
inclined to place, with the celebrated Tor- faeus, about 70 years before the birth of Chrift. All that pafledin Denmark before that period would be intirely unknown to us, if the famous expedition of the Cimbri into Italy had not drawn upon them the attention of a people who enjoyed the ad- vantage of having hiftorians. It is a fingle gleam, which for a moment throws light upon the ages of obfcurity : fliort and tran- iient as it is, let us neverthelefs catch it, in order to difcover, if poffible, a feature or two of the character of this people.
The hiflory of Rome § informs us, that in the confulmip of Caecilius Metellus and Papirius Carbo, about one hundred and eleven years before the Chriftian aera J, the republic was agitated by inteftine divifions which already began to threaten it's liberty, when the intrigues of the feveral factions were all at once fufpended by the fudden news of an irruption of Barbarians. More than three hundred thoufand men, known by the name of Cimbri and Teutones, who chiefly iflued from the Cimbric Cherfonefe and the neighbouring iflands, had forfaken their country to go in fearch of a more fa-
§ See PLUTARCH in T. Liv.epit 1.68.— Flor. Mario. — OROS. 1.5. — 1. 3. c. 30. Vel. PATERCUL. 1. 2.— J AnnoUrb, cond. 640.
vourable
vourable climate, of plunder and glory. They attacked and fubdued at once what- ever people they found in their pafTage, and as they met with no refiftance, refolved to pufh their conquefts farther. The Gauls were overwhelmed with this torrent, whole courfe was for a long time marked by the moft horrible defolation. Terror every where went before them, and when it was reported at Rome, that they were difpofed to pafs into Italy, the confternation there became general. The fenate dilpatched Pa- pirius Carbo with an army to guard the paf- fage of the Alps, deeming it a fufficient degree of good fortune, if they could but preferve Italy from thefe formidable guefts. But, as they took a different rout, and flopped fome time on the banks of the Da- nube, the Romans refumed courage, and condemning their former fears, fent in a menacing tone to the Cimbri, to bid them take care not to difturb the Norici their al- lies. At the fame time, the Cimbri being informed that a Roman army approached them, and refpecling the character of the Republic, fent ambaffadors to the Conful Papirius, " to excufe themfelves, foraf- " much as having come from the remote «' parts of the north, they could not pof- " iibly know that the Norici were the " allies of the Romans :" adding ; " that Chap. II. C 4 " they
ct they only knew it to be a received law <f among all nations, that the conqueror " hath a right to whatever he can acquire : " and that the Romans themfelves had no st other pretenfions to moft of the countries tf they had fubdued, than what was found- " ed on the fvvord. That they had how- " ever, a great veneration for the Roman ff people, on account of their virtue and " bravery ; in confideration of which, al- (f though they knew not what it was to " fear, they con fen ted to leave the Norici " in peace, and to employ their valour in f ' fome other quarter, where they could do " it without incurring the difpleafure of ft the common- wealth." Satisfied with fo moderate an anfwer, the conful fuffered them quietly to remove ; but when the Cimbri were retired into Dalmatia, and ex- pected nothing lefs than hofl ilities from the Romans : a party of thefe commanded by Carbo, furprized them by night, afleep and unarmed. Thefe brave warriors full of in- dignation, flew to their arms, and defend- ed themfelves with fo much intrepidity, that they wrefted the victory out of their enemies hands, and forced them to feek their fafety by flight. But although the Romans almoft all efcaped the vengeance of their enemies, this defeat was not the lefs fatal to the republic -, for the fplendour
and
and reputation which it added to the arms of the Cimbri, drew on all fides under their banners fuch nations as were either impatient of the Roman yoke, or jealous of their incroachments : particularly the Tigurini and Ambrones, two people ori- ginally of Helvetia. With thefe new auxi- liaries, they overwhelmed Gaul a fecond time, and advancing to the foot of the Pyrenees, endeavoured to eftablifh them- felves in Spain : bat meeting with a vigo- rous repulfe from the Celtiberians, and tired of fo many unprofitable invafions, they fenta new embafly to the Romans, to offer them their fervices, upon condition they would give them lands to cultivate. The Senate too prudent to enter into any kind of ac- commodation with fuch dangerous enemies, and already divided among themfelves about the diftribution of lands, returned a diredl refufal to their demand. Upon which the Cimbri refolved to feize by force what they could not gain- by intreaty, and immediately fell with 16 much fury upon the new con- ful Silanus, who had received orders to march againft them, that they forced his intrenchments, pillaged his camp, and cut all his army in pieces. This victory was foon after followed by another, which their allies the Ambrones gained over Caffius konginus at the mouth of the Rhone $ and Chap. II. to
( 26 )
to compleat the misfortune, a third army of Romans more confiderable than the two former, was foon after entirely defeated. Scaurus, who commanded it, was made prifoner, and afterwards put to death ; his two fons were flain, and more than four- fcore thoufand of the Romans and their allies were left dead in the field. Laft of all, two other generals, the conful Man- lius, and the proconful Caepio, to whom had been intrufted a fourth army already half vanquifhed with fear, and who were difunited and jealous of each other, were attacked near the Rhone, each of them in his camp, and entirely defeated.
Such repeated lofles filled Rome with grief and terror; and many began to def- pair even of the fafety of the ftate. In this melancholy conjuncture, minds lefs firm than thofe of thefe fpirited Repub- licans, would doubtlefs, have fuggefted the imprudent meafure of granting to the con- querors conditions capable of foftening them : they would have given them at once the lands they had required, or perhaps have purchafed their friendship with a fum of money. This dangerous policy would probably have ruined Rome in this exi- gence, as it did fome ages after. The Gauls, the Germans, and the Scythians, poor and greedy nations, who gafped after
nothing
(27)
nothing but flaughter and booty, roving and warlike as well by inclination as ne- ceffity, would have harafled by continual inroads, a people which had let them fee that they were at once richer and weaker than themfelves. The prudent firmnefs of the Senate, and the valour of Marius faved Rome for this time from the danger under \vhichitafterwardsfunk. All thecitizensnow turned their eyes towards the conqueror of Jugurtha, as their laft and only fupport. They decreed him confular honours for the fourth time, and aflbciated with him Ca- tulus Ludtatius, a perfon fcarcely inferior to him in military {kill, and who far ex- celled him in all the other qualities, which make a great ftatefman.
Marius having quickly difcovered that the ill fuccefs of his predeceflbrs was the effect of their imprudence, formed to him- felf a very different plan of conduct. In particular, he refolved not to join battle with the enemy, till their furious ardour was abated, and till his foldiers familiarized to the fight of them, fhould no longer con- fider themfelves as conquered before they came to blows. Their former victo- ries, their tallnefs of flature, rendered ftill more terrible by their drefs, their ferocious air, their barbarous fhouts, and unufual manner of fighting, had all contributed to
Chap. II. {hike
{ 28)
ftrike the Romans with the greateft terror; •and this terror was the firfl enemy he had to encounter; an enemy which time alone could fubdue. With this view, Ma- rius judged it necefTary to encamp on the banks of the Rhone, in a iituation natu- rally advantageous, where he laid in all forts of proviSons in great abundance, that he might not be compelled to engage before he favv a convenient opportunity. This coolnefs of the general was regarded by thofe Barbarians, as a mark of cowardice. They refolved, therefore, to divide them- felves into different bodies, and fo penetrate into Italy. The Cimbri and Tigurini went to meet Catulus 3 the Ambrones and Teu- tones hoping to provoke the Romans to fight,, came. and encamped in a plain full in their front. But nothing could induce Marius to change his refolution.
Neverthelefs, thefe Barbarians infulted the Romans inceflantly by every means they could devife : they advanced as far as the very intrenchments of their camp, to re- proach and deride them ; they challenged the officers and the general himfelf to fingle combat. The Roman foldiers were by degrees accuftomed to look their ene- mies in the face, while the provocations they received every day, more and more •whetted their refentment. Many of them
even
( 29 )
even broke out into reproaches againft Ma- rius for appearing fo much to diitruft their courage ; and this dexterous general to ap- peaie them, had recourfe to a Syrian pro- phetefs in his camp, who allured them that the Gods did not yet approve of their fighting.
At length, the patience of the Teutones was exhaufted, and they endeavoured to force the Roman intrenchments ; but here they were repulfed with lofs : upon which,, they refolved to abandon their camp, and attempt an irruption into Italy. They filed off for fix days together in the prefence of Marius's army, infulting his foldiers with the moft provoking language, and afking them, if they had any mefTage to fend to their wives, whom they hoped foon to fee. Marius heard all thefe bravados witl> his accuftomed coolnefs ; but when their whole army was pafied by, he followed them as far as Aix in Provence, haraffing their rear-guard without intermiffion. When he was arrived at this place, he halted, in or- der to let his foldiers enjoy what they had ardently defired fo long, a pitched battle. They began with fkirmifhing on both fides, till the fight infenfibly growing more fc- rious, at length both armies made the moft furious attacks. Thirty thoufand Am- brones advanced firft, marching in a kind Chap. IL of
(3°)
of meafure to the found of their inftru- ments. A body of Ligurians, fupported by the Romans, repulfed them with great lofs : but as they betook themfelves to flight, their wives came forth to meet them with fwords and hatchets in their hands, and bitterly reproaching them, and finking indifcriminately friend and foe, endeavour- ed to fnatch with their naked hands the enemies weapons, maintaining an invin- cible firmnefs even till death. This firft action raifed the courage of the Romans, and was the prelude to a victory ftill more decifive.
After the greateft part of the Ambrones had perimed in that day's action, Marius caufed his army to retire back to his camp, ordering them to keep ftrict watch, and to lye clofe without making any movement; as if they were affrighted at their own victory. On the other hand, in the camp of the Teutones were heard continual bowlings, like to thofe of favage beafts -, fo hideous, that the Romans, and even their general himfelf could not help teftify- ing their horror. They notwithstanding lay quiet that, night, and the day following, being bufily employed in preparing all things for a fecond engagement. Marius, on his part, took all neceflary precautions ; he placed in an ambufcade three thoufand 4 men
(3' )
men commanded by Marcellus, with or- ders to attack the enemy in the rear, as foon as they mould perceive the battle was begun. When both armies were come within fight of each other, Marius com- manded his cavalry to difmount ; but the Teutones hurried on by that blind impetuo- fity which diftinguimes all barbarous na- tions, inftead of waiting till the Romans were come down into the plain, attacked them on an eminence where they were ad- vantageouily ported. At the fame inftant, Marcellus appeared fuddenly behind with his troops, and hemming them in, threw their ranks into diforder, fo that they were quickly forced to fly. Then the victory declared itfelf entirely in favour of the Romans, and a moft horrible carnage en- fued. If we may take literally what fome of the Roman hiftorians have * re- lated, there periihed more than a hundred thoufand Teutones including the prifoners. Others content themfelves with faying, that the number of the {lain was incredible ; that the inhabitants of Marfeilles for a long time after, made inclofures for their gar- dens and vineyards with the bones ; and that the earth thereabouts was fo much fattened, that its increafe of produce was
* See Plutarch's Life of Marius.
Chap. II. pro-
(SO
prodigious. Marius loaded with glory, after a victory fo illuflrious in itfelf, and fo im- portant in its confequences, was a fifth time honoured with the confular fafces -, but he would not triumph till he had fecured the repofe of Italy, by the entire defeat of all the Barbarians. The Cimbri, who had fe- parated themfelves from the Teutones, ftill threatened its fafety. They had penetrated as far as the banks of the Adige ; which Catulus Ludtatius was not flrong enough to prevent them from croffing. The pro- grefs they made ftill caufed violent alarms in Rome; Marius was charged to raife a new army with the utmoft fpeed, and to go and engage them. The Cimbri had halted near the Po, in hopes that the Teutones, of whofe fate they were ignorant, would quickly join them. Wondering at the delay of thefe their aflbciates, they fentto Marius a fecond time, to demand an allotment of land, fufficient to maintain themfelves, and the Teutones their brethren. Marius an- fwered them, that " iheir brethren already <c poiTefled more than they defired, and that " they would not eaiily quit, what he had " affigned them." The Cimbri irritated by this raillery, inflantly refolved to take ample vengeance.
They prepared immediately for battle,
and their king or general, named Bojorix,
i ap-
( 33 )
approached the Roman camp with a fmail party of horfe, to challenge Marius, and to agree with him on a day and place of action. Marius anfwered, that although it was not the cuftom of the Romans to confult their enemies on this fubje<5t, he would notwithstanding for once oblige them, and therefore appointed the next day but one, and the plain of Verceil for their meeting. At the time appointed, the two armies marched thither ; the Ro- mans ranged themfelves in two wings : Ca- tulus commanded a body of twenty thou- fand men, and Sylla was in the number of his officers. The Cimbri formed with their infantry an immenfe fquare batallion : their cavalry, confiding of fifteen thousand men, was magnificently mounted ; each ibldier bore upon his helmet the head of fome favage beaft, with its mouth gaping wide ; an iron cuirafs covered his body, and he carried a long halberd in his hand. The extreme heat of the weather was very fa- vourable to the Romans. They had been careful to get the fun on their backs ; while the Cimbri little accuftomed to its violence, had it in their faces. Befides this, the duil hid from the eyes of the Romans the aftonifhing multitude of their enemies, fo that they fought with the more confidence, and of courfe more courage. The Cim- VoL.I. Chap. I r. D bri,
( 34)
. bri, exhaufted and difpirited, were quickly routed. A precaution, which they had taken to prevent their being difperfed, only ferved to forward their ruin : they had linked the foldiers of the foremoft ranks to one another with chains -, in thefe they were entangled, and thereby expofed the more to the blows of the Romans. Such as could fly, met with new dangers in their camp ; for their women who fat upon their chariots, clothed in black, received them as enemies, and malTacred without diftinction their fa- thers, brothers and hufbands : they even car- ried their rage to fuch a height, as to dam out the brains of their children ; and compleated the tragedy, by throwing themfelves under their chariot wheels. After their example, their hufbands in defpair turned their arms againft one another, and feemed to join with the Romans in promoting their own defeat. In the dreadful Daughter of that day, a hundred and twenty thoufand are faid to have perimed ; and if we except a few families of the Cimbri, which remain- ed in their own country, and a fmall num- ber who efcaped, one may fay, that this fierce and valiant nation was all mowed down at one fingle ftroke. This laft vic- tory procured Marius the honours of a triumph, and the fervices he thereby ren- derdd the commonwealth appeared fo great, 2 that
( 35)
that he received the glorious title of third founder of Rome.
Thus have we given in a few words, what hiftorians relate of the expedition of the Cimbri ; it drew upon them for a mo- ment, the attention of all Europe. But as literature, and the fine arts, can alone give Lifting fame to a nation, and as we eafily lofe the remembrance of thofe evils we no longer fear, this torrent was no foqner withdrawn within its ancient bounds, but the Romans themfelves loft fight of it, fo that we fcarcely find any farther mention of the Cimbri in any of their writers. Strabo only informs us, that they after- wards fought the friendship of Auguflus, and fent for a prefent a vafe, which they made ufe of in their facrifices ; and Taci- tus tells us, in one word *, that the Cim- bri had nothing left but a celebrated name, and a reputation as ancient as it was ex- tenfive.
Thus whatever figure this expedition made, we know but little the more of the nation which fent it forth. Neverthelefs, what is related of their tall ftature and fe- rocity deferves to be remarked, becaufe if we may believe all the antient hiftorians of the
* Parva nunc civitas, fama late "jejllgia ma-i-^ft fed gloria ingcns^ veterifque Tacit. Germ. c. 37.
Chap. II. D 2 north,
( 36 )
north, and even many among the moderns, Scandinavia was peopled only with giants in thdie remote ages, which precede the epoque of hiftory. The Icelandic mytho- logy, which I mall have more than once occafion to quote, relates very exactly all the engagements, which the giants had with thofe Scythians, whom Odin brought with him out of Afia.
They pretend that this monftrous race fubfifted for a long time in the mountains and ferefts of Norway, where they con- tinued even down to the ninth century ; that they fled from the open day, and re- nounced all commerce with men, living only with thofe of their own fpecies in the folitudes and cliffs of the rocks ; that they fed on human rlefh, and clothed themfelves in the raw jfkins of wild beads ; that they were fo /killed in magic, as to be able to faf- cinate the eyes of men, and prevent them from feeing the objects before them ; yet v. crc at the lame time fuch religious obfervers of their word, that their fidelity hath pafled into a proverb * ; that in procefs of time, they intermixed with the women of our fpecies, and produced demi-giants, who approaching nearer and nearer to the hu- man race, at length became mere men, like
* Trolhram TV
our-
( 37)
oarfelves -f. If all thefe circumftances are compared and examined, we mall find no great difficulty in clearing up the truth. When Odin and his companions came to eftablifh themfelves in the north, there is no doubt but the Cimbri, or ori- ginal inhabitants of the country, would lloutly difpute the poffeflion of it with them. Afterwards when they were con- quered and driven out, the remains of this barbarous nation would be apt to take re- fuge among the rocks and defarts, where their rough and favage way of living J could not but increafe their native ferocity. The fear of being difcovered by the con- querors, reduced them to the necefiity of feeking by night the only provillons that were left them ; and as their tallnefs of ila- ture, their cloathing of fkins, and their favage air could not fail ibmetimes to make
f TORF. Hift. Norveg. fon, fays, " that he was
Tom. i. Lib.' 3'. cap. 4 " fo well clothed, that
ARNG. JON. Crymogria. 4C you would take him for
Lib. i. p. 44. " one of the [AsEs] A-
J The Afiatics brought ** fiatics." P. 3. cap. 10.
with them into the north, p. 102. apud Sperling, in
a degree of luxury and nov. liter. M. 13. an. 1699.
magnificence^ which were M. Jim. Hence proceeded
before unknown there. their contempt for the an-
The author of an old It- cient inhabitants of the
landic chronicle, intitl- country, who were worfe
ed, LAN'ONA-MA-SAGA, clad and lefs civilized than
fpeakingof a certain per-r themfelv^s.
. II. D 3 their
47M8
( 33)
their conquerors tremble; that hatred which is always mixed with fear, may have given birth to the charge of their being canibals and magicians. Excefs of fear fafcinates and dazzles the fight more certainly than the forceries of which they were accufed : and their enemies may have encouraged this opinion partly through fuperftition, and partly to fet off their own courage. The probity for which this people was fo famous, proves pretty plainly that the pic- ture was over-charged. In prccefs of time, the fubjecl of thefe ancient wars was for- gotten ; love performed the office of me- diator between both people, their mutual fhynefs infenfibly wore off, and as foon as they began to fee one another more near- ly, all thefe prodigies vanished away.
After all, I do not pretend to decide whether the firft inhabitants of thefe coun- tries were all of them, without any mixture, of Germanic origin, Cimbri and Teuto- nes. For although to me this appears very probable with regard to Denmark, it can- not be denied that the Finns and Lap- landers anciently poflefTed a much more con- fiderable part of Scandinavia than they do at prefent. This was the opinion of Gro- tius and Leibnitz. According to them, thefe people were formerly fpread over the fouthern parts of Norway and Sweden,
whence
( 39)
whence in procefs of time, they have been driven out by new colonies of Scythians and Germans, and banimed among the northern rocks ; in like manner as the an- cient inhabitants of Britain have been dif- pofTefled by the Saxons of the greateft and moft pleafant part of their ifland, and con- ftrained to conceal themielves among the mountains in Wales, where to this day, they retain their language, and preferve fome traces of their ancient manners. But whether the Finlanders were formerly the in tire pofTeffors of Scandinavia, or were only fomewhat more numerous than they are at prefent, it is very certain that this nation hath been eftablimed there from the earlieft ages, and hath always differed from the other inhabitants of the north, by fea- tures fo ftrong and remarkable, that we muft acknowledge their original to be as different from that of the others, as it is utterly unknown to us. The language of the Finns hath nothing in common with that of any neighbouring people, neither doth it referable any dialect of the ancient ' Gothic,' Celtic or Sarmatian tongues, which were formerly the only ones that prevailed among the barbarous people of Europe. The learned, who have taken the pains to compare the great Finland bible printed at Abo, with a multitude of others, Chap, II. D 4 could
( 40)
could never find the leaft refemblance be- tween this and any other known language *j fo that after all their refearches on this head, they have been obliged to propofe mere conjectures, among which mankind are divided according to the particular light in which every one views the fubjecl:.
, * Stiernhelm, a learn^ ed Swede, thought hedif- covcred in the Finland tongue, many Hungarian words, and ftill more Greek ones. (Vid. Prx- fat. in Evangel. Gothica
167 r. 410,) But what the author lays above, may be notwithftancfing true of the general ftructureofthe language ; and Stiernhelm was probably fanciful.
C II A P-
CHAPTER III.
The grounds of the ancient hi/lory of Den- mark) and of the different opinions con- cerning it.
ON whatever fide we direct our in- quiries concerning the firft inhabi- tants of Denmark, I believe nothing certain can be added to the account given of them above. It is true, if we will take for our guides certain modern authors, our know- ledge will not be confined within fuch fcanty limits. They will lead us ftep by flep through an uninterrupted fucceffion of kings and judges, up to the firft ages of the world, or at leaft to the deluge : and there, receiving the defcendants of Noah, as foon as they let foot out of the ark, will conduct them acrofs the vaft extent of deferts into Scandinavia, in order to found thofe ftates and kingdoms, which fublift at prefent. Such is the fcheme of Petreius, Lyfchander, and other authors, who have followed what is called, among Danilh hiftorians, the Chap. III. Gothlandic
( 42 )
Gothlandic hypothecs *, becatife it is built upon fome pretended monuments found in the ifle of Gothland on the coaft of Swe- den : monuments which bear fo many marks of impofition, that at prefent they are by common confent thrown afidc among the moft ill-concerted impoftures.
The celebrated Rudbeck, a learned Swede, zealous for the glory of his coun- trymen, hath endeavoured no lefs to pro- cure THEM the honour of a very remote original; as if, after all, it were of any confequence, whether a people, who lived before us fo many ages, and of whom we retain only a vain refentblance of name, were po^elled fooner or later of thofe countries, which we quietly enjoy at pre- fent. As this author joined to the mod extenfive learning an imagination emi- nently fruitful, he wanted none of the ma-
* PETREIUS is a Da- " times." The argu-
nifh author of the i6th ments on which thefe au-
century : LYSCHANDER thors found their accounts
was hiftoriographer to did not merit the pains,
king Chriftian IV. His which Torfaeus and others
work, printed in Den- have taken to refute them,
mark at Copenhagen in The reader may confult,
1662, bears this title : on this fubjeft, the laft-
" An abridgment of the cited writer in his " Series
" Danifh hiilories from " of kings of Denmark."
•' the beginning of the Lib. i. c. 8. 4* world to our own
terials
(43 )
terials for ere&ing plaufible and frivolous fyftems. He hath found the art to apply to his own country a multitude of pafTages in ancient authors, who probably had never fo much as heard of its name. According to him Sweden is the Atlantis of which Plato fpeaks, and for this reafon he af- fumed that word for the title of his book., He makes no doubt but Japhet himfelf came thither with his family, and he un- dertakes to prove the antiquity of the Scandinavians by the expeditions, which according to him they have undertaken in the remoteft ages *. The firft of thefe he places in the time of Serug, in the year of the world 1900 : the fecond under the di- rection of Hercules in the interval between the years 2200, and 2500. He lays great ftrefs upon the conformity which is found between the names, manners and cuftoms of certain nations of the South and thofe of the North, to prove that the former had been fubdued by the latter; which he af- firms could never have been done, if Scan- dinavia had not been for a long time back overcharged, as it were, with the number of its inhabitants. It doubtlefs cannot be expected that I mould go out of my way to encounter fuch an hypothefis, as this : it is
* See Ol. Rudbedk, Atlantica, cap. xxxv. Chap. III. very
( 44 )
very evident that Rudbeck and his followers have falfely attributed to the Goths of Scan- dinavia, whatever the Greek or Latin hifto- rians have faid of the Getae, or Goths, who dwelt near the Euxine fea, and were doubtlefs the anceftors of thofe people, who afterwards founded colonies in the North. And as to the arguments brought from a refemblance of names, we know how little thefe can be depended on. Proofs of this kind are eafily found where- ever they are fought for, and never fail to offer themfelves in fupport of any fyflem our heads are full of.
Having thus fet aiide thefe two pretended guides, there only remains to chufe between Saxo Grammaticus* and ThermodTorfaeus.
The
* SAXO, fill-named on who engaged him to write
account of his learning, the hiftory of Denmark;
Grammaticus, or The for which he furniihed
Grammarian, wrote about him with various helps.
the middle of the I2th Saxo's \vork is divided in-
century, under the reigns to XVI books, and hath
of Valdemar theFirftand been many times printed.
Canute his fon. He was Stephanius published a
provoft of the cathedral very good edition of it at
church of Rofchild, then Sora, in the year 1664,
the capital of the kine- with notes which difplay
dom. It was. the cele- a great profufion of learn-
brated Abfalon, archbi- ing. SWENO, the fon of
{hop of Lund, one of the Agg°> contemporary with
greateft men of his time, Saxo, wrote alfo, at the
r fame
(45 )
The firft of thefe fuppofes that a certain perfon, named Dan, of whom we know nothing but that his father was named Humble, and his brother Angul, was the founder of the Danifh monarchy, in the year of the world 2910 : that from him Cimbria aflumed the name of Denmark ; and that it hath been ever fince governed by his pofterity. Saxo himfelf takes care to give us, in his preface, the grounds on which his account is founded. Thefe are, firft, the ancient hymns or fongs, by which the Danes formerly preferved the memory of the great exploits of their heroes, the wars and moft remarkable events of each reign, and even fometimes the genealogies of princes and famous men. Secondly, the infcriptions which are found up and down in the North, engraven on rocks and other durable materials. He alfo lays great ftrefs on the Icelandic chronicles ; and on the re- lations which he received from archbiiliop Abfalon. It cannot be denied but Saxo's
fame time, and by the particular concerning the command of the fame founder of the monarchy, prelate, a hiilory of Den- who, according to him, mark which is {till extant. was Skiold the fon of But this author feems ra- Odin, the fame who, ae- ther to lean to the Ice- cording to the Icelandic landic hypothecs ; for he chronicles, was the firft differs from Saxo in many king of Denmark, cjfiential points, and in
Chap. II J. 7 work
(46)
work is written with great elegance for the time in which it was compofed, but the rhetorician and the patriot are every where fo apparent, as to make us fometimes diftruft the fidelity of the hiftorian. In fhort, to be convinced that this high antiquity, which he attributes to the Danifh monarchy, is extremely uncertain, we need only examine the authorities on which he builds his hy- potheiis. Torfaeus *, a native of Iceland, and hifloriographer of Norway, hath (hewn this at large in his learned " Series of kings w of Denmark." He there proves that thofe fongs, from which Saxo pretends to have extracted part of what he advanced, are in very fmall number -, that he can quote none of them for many entire books of his hiftory ; and that they cannot exhibit a chronological feries of kings, nor afcertain
* THERMCDiusToR- tie too credulous, efpeci- FJEUS, who was born in ally where he takes for Iceland, in the laft cen- his guides the ancient tury, and died about the Icelandic hiftorians, upon beginning of the prefent, whofe authority he hath had received his educa- filled the firft volumes of tion at Copenhagen, and his hiftqry of Norway pafied the greateft part of with many incredible e- his life in Norway. He vents. His trcatife of the was a man of great inte- Series of the Princes and grity and diligence, and Kings of Denmark con- extremely converfant in tains many curious re- the antiquities of the fearches, and feems to me North, but perhaps a lit- to be his beft work.
the
(47)
the date of any one event. Nor could the infcriptions, adds he, afford greater affift- ance to that hiftorian ; they contain very few matters of importance, they are for the moil part eaten away with time, and are very difficult to underftand*. With re- gard to the Icelandic chronicles, Torfasus thinks that they might have been of great life to Saxo, had he often confulted them ; but this, notwithitanding his aifertions, does not fufficiently appear, fince they rarely agree with his relations. Finally, the recitals of archbifhopAbfalon are doubt- lefs of great weight for the times near to thofe, in which that learned prelate lived ; but we do not fee from whence he could have drawn any information of what pafled a long time before him. Upon the whole, therefore, Torfseus concludes, with
* WORMIUS had read alm«ft all thofe which are found in Denmark and Norway, as Verelius had alfo done the greateft part of thofe which fubfifted, in his time, in Sweden. Both of them agree, that they fcarce throw any light upon ancient hiftory. To be convinced of this, one need only to examine the copies and explana- tions they have given of
Chap. III.
them. See " OLAI
" WORMII Monuments. " Pvunica." Lib. iv. and " OLAI VERELII Ru- " nagraphia Scandica an-
" tiqua," &c. Since
Verclius'swork, there hath been publilfhed a com pleat collection of all the in- fcriptions found in Swe- den, by JOHN GORANS- SON ; at Stockholm- 1750. Folio.
reafon,
(48)
reafon, that Saxo's firft books, 'that is to fay, nearly half his hiftory, fcarce deferve any credit fo far as regards the fucceffion of the kings, and the dates of the principal events, although they abound with various paffages, which contribute to throw light on the antiquities of the North. Having thus overturned the hypothefis of that an- cient hiftorian, let us now fee whether Tor- faeus is equally fuccefsful in creeling a new one in its ftead.
The knowledge which this learned man had of the old Icelandic language, enabled him to read a confiderable number of an- cient manufcripts, which have been found in Iceland at different times, and of which the greater! part relate to the hiftory of that ifland and the neighbouring countries. Af- ter having carefully diftinguifhed thofe which appeared to him moil worthy of credit, from a multitude of others which ftrongly favoured of fiction and romance, he thought he had found in the former, materials for drawing up a compleat Series of Danim kings, beginning with Skiold the fon of Odin, who, according to him, began his reign a fhort time before the birth of Chrift. Thus he not only cuts off from hiftory all the reigns which, according to Saxo, preceded that aera j but he changes alfo the order of the kings, which fucceeded
it;
( 49 )
it ; affirming that Saxo had one while in- ferted foreign princes, another while lords or powerful varTals ; that he had reprefented as living long before Chrift fome who did not reign till many years after ; and that, in fhort, he hath vifibly inlarged his lift of monarchs, whether with defign to flatter his own nation by making the Danifh mo-" narchy one of the mod ancient in the world, or whether he only too creduloufly followed the guides who feduced him.
It will appear pretty extraordinary to hear a hiftorian of Denmark, cite for his authori- ties, the writers of Iceland, a country cutoff, as it were, from the reft of the world, and lying almoft under the northern pole.- But this wonder, adds Torfseus, will ceafe, when the Reader mall be informed, that from the earlieft times the inhabitants of that ifland have had a particular fondnefs for hiftory, and that from among them have fprung thofe poets,, who* tinder the name of SCALDS, rendered themfelves fo famous throughout the North for their fongs, and for the credit they enjoyed with kings and people. In effec~l, the Icelanders have always taken great care to pfeferve the remem- brance of every remarkable event that hap- pened not only at home, but among their neighbours the Norwegians, the Danes, the Swedes, the Scots, the Englilh, the
VOL, L Chap. III. E Green-
Greenlanders, &c. The firft inhabitants of Iceland were a colony of Norwegians, who, to withdraw themfelves from the ty- ranny of Harold Harfagre *, retired thither in the year 874 ; and thefe might carry with them the verfes and other historical monuments of former times. Befides, they kept up fuch a conftant intercourfe with the other people of the North, that they could readily learn from them whatever pafled abroad. We muft add, that the odes of thefe Icelandic Scalds were conti- nually in every body's mouth, containing, if we may believe Torfxus, the genealogies and exploits of kings, princes, and heroes: And as the poets did not forget to arrange them according to the order of time, it was not difficult for the Icelandic hiftorians to compofe afterwards, from fuch memoirs, the chronicles they have left us.
Thefe are the grounds of Torfseus's fyf- tem : and one cannot help highly applaud- ing the diligence and fagacity of an author, who has thrown more light on the firft ages of Danifh hiftory than any of his pre- deceffors. At the fame time we muft con- fefs, that there ftill remains much darknefs and uncertainty upon this fubjeft. For7
* HAP.PAGRF. is fynonimous to our Englifh FAIR- FAX, and fignifies FAIR LOCK*. T.
although
(51 )
although the annals of the Icelanders are without contradiction a much purer fource than thofe which Saxo had recourfe to ; and although the reafons alledged byTorfaeus in their favour are of fome weight ; many perfons, after all, will hardly be perfuaded that we can thence draw fuch exacl: and full information, as to form acompleat and firm thread of hiftory. For, in the firft place, the Icelandic writers have left us a great number of pieces which evidently mew that their tafle inclined them to deal in the marvelous, in allegory, and even in that kind of narrations, in which truth is de- fignedly blended with fable. Torfaeus him- felf confefTes * that there are many of their books, in which it is difficult to diftinguifh truth from falQiood, and that there are fcarce any of them, but what contain fome degree of fiction. In following fuch guides there is great danger of being fometimes mifled. In the fecond place, thefe annals are of no great antiquity : we have none that were written before chrifKanity was eftablifhed in the North : now between the time of Odin, whofe arrival in the North, according to Torfseus, is the firfl epoque of hiftory, and that of the earlieft Icelandic
* See his Series Dynafl. et Reg. lib. i. cap. 6.
Chap. III. E 2 hiftorian,
(50
hiftorian, elapfed' about eleven centuries *< And therefore if the compilers of the Icelan- dic annals found no written memoirs earlier than their own, as we have great reafon to believe, then their narratives are only founded on traditions, infcriptions, or re- liques of poetry.
But can one give much credit to tradi- tions, which muft have taken in fo many ages, and have been preferved by a people fo ignorant ? Do not we fee that among
* This firfr. Icelandic hiftorian was ISLEIF, bi- fhop of Scalholt, or the fouthern part of Iceland. He died in the year 1080. His collections are loft, but there is room to be- lieve that ARE, theprieft, who is furnamed the SAG E, made ufe'of them to com- pofe his Chronicles, part of which are ftill extant. This writer lived towards the end of the fame cen- tury : as did alfo R^E- MUND, furnamed the WISE or LEARNED, an- other Icelandic hiftorian, fome of whofe works ftill remain. He had com- piled a very voluminous mythology, the lofs of which is much to be re- gretted, fince what we
have of it, which is only a very fhort abridgment, throws fo much light upon the ancient reli- gion of the firft inhabi- tants of Europe. SNORRO STURLESON 13 he of all their hiftorians, whofe works are moft ufeful to us at prefent. He com- pofed a Chronicle of the kings of Nonvay, which is exa£l as to the times near to his own. He was the chief magi ftrate or fu- preme judge of the king- dom of Iceland, and was (lain in a popular infur- re&ion, in 1241. With regard to the other Ice- landic hiftorians, the rea- der may confultTorfzus's Series Dynaft. ac Regum Dan. lib. \.
the
(53)
the common clafs of men, a fon remembers his father, knows fomething of his grand- father, but never beftows a thought on his more remote progenitors ? With regard to infcriptions, we have already feen what af- fiftance they were likely to afford : we may add that there are very few of them, which were written before the introduction of chriftianity into the North 5 and, indeed, as we (hall prove in the fequel, before that time very little ufe was made of letters. Laftly, as for the verfes or fongs which were learnt by rote, it cannot be denied, but the Icelandic hiftorians might receive great information from them, concerning times not very remote from their own. But was a rough and illiterate people likely to beftow much care in prefer ving a great number of poems, through a fucceffion of eight or nine centuries ? Or can one expect to find in fuch compofitions much clearnefs and preciiion ? Did the poets of thofe rude ages obferve that exactnefs and me- thodical order, which hiftory demands ? In the third place, if the Icelandic annalifts could not know with certainty, whatpafTed a long time before them in Iceland and Norway, muft not their authority be ftill weaker in what relates to a diftant itate like that of Denmark ; which doubtlefs in thofe times had not fuch intimate connec- Chap. III. E 3 tions
( 54 )
tlons with the other countries of the North, as it hath had fmce ? We muft be fen- fible, that almoft all that .could be then known in Iceland of what pafled in other nations, confifted in popular rumours, and in a few longs, which were handed about by means of fome Icelandic Scald, who re- turned from thence into his own country.
What courfe then ought an hiftorian to perfue, amid fuch a wide field of contrary opinions, where the momentary gleams of light do not enable him to difcover or trace out any certain truth. Jn the firft place, I think he ought not to engage himfelf and his readers in a labyrinth of entangled and ufelefs refearches; the refult of which, he is pretty fure, can be only doubt. In the next place, he is to pafs rapidly over all thofe ages which are but little known, and all fuch fads as cannot be fet clear from fiction. The interefl we take in paft events is weakened in proportion as they are remote and diflant. But when, befides being remote, they are alfo doubtful, un- connected, uncircumflantial and confufed, they vanim into fuch obfcurity, that they neither can, nor ought to engage our at- tention. In thofe diflant periods, if any events occur, which ought not wholly to be part over in filence, great care mould be taken to mark the degree of probability
which
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which appears to be due to them, left we debafe hiftory by reducing it to one undiftinguiflied mafs of truth and fable. It is true, by conforming to this rule, an hiftorian will leave great chafms in his work, and the annals of eight or nine centuries which, in fome hands, fill up feveral volumes, will by this means be reduced within very few pages. But this chafm, if it be one, may be ufe- fully filled up. Inftead of difcuiimg the doubtful facts which are fuppofed to have happened .among the Northern nations, during the dark ages of paganifm, let us ftudy the religion, the character, the man- ners and cuftoms of the ancient inhabitants during thofe ages. Such a fubject, I (hould think, may intereft the learned, and even the philofopher. It will have to moil rea- ders the charm of novelty, having been but imperfectly treated of in any modern lan- guage : and fo far from being foreign to the Hiftory of Denmark, it makes a very eflential part of it. For why mould hiitory be only a recital of battles, fieges, intrigues and negotiations ? And why fhould it contain meerly a heap of petty facts and dates, rather than a juft picture of the opinions, cufloms and even incli- nations of a people ? By confining our inquiries to this fubject, we may with Chap. III. E 4 confidence
confidence confult thofe ancient annals, whofe authority is too weak to afcertain, events. It is needlefs to obferve, that great light may be thrown on the cha- racter and fentiments of a nation, by thofe very books, whence we can learn nothing exact or connected of their hiftory. The moft credulous writer, he that has the greateft pamon for the marvelous, while he falfifies the hifcory of his contempo- raries, paints their manners of life and modes of thinking, without perceiving it. His fimplicity, his ignorance, are at once pledges of the artlels truth of his draw- ing, and a warning to diftruft that of his relations *. This is doubtlefs the beft, if not .the only ufe, we can make of thofe old reiiques of poetry, which have efcaped the mipwreck of time. The authors of thofe fragments', erected into hiftorians by Succeeding ages, have caufed ancient hif- tory to degenerate into a meer tiffue of fables. TO avoid this miftake, let us
* This is the opinion tiquos eruendos, eos quoque
pf the learned BARTHO- evohi pofle codices exijli-
LJN, who hath written maverim^ quos fabulojis In-
with fo much erudition terfperjos narration! bus ^ in
and judgment, upon cer- bljloria concinnanda baud
tain points of the anti- tutofequqris. Vid. Thorn,
quities of Denmark. Jd Barthol. de Cauf. &c.
ritxs, fays he, morefque an- prsefat.
confider
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conflder them only on the footing of poets, for they were in effect nothing elfe ; let us principally attend to and copy thofe ftrokes, which, without their intending it, point out to us the notions, and mark the cha- racter of the ages in which they lived. Thefe are the moffc certain truths we can find in their works, for they could not help delivering them whether they would of not.
Chap. III. CHAP-
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CHAPTER IV.
Of Odin> his arrival in the North, his con- quefts, and the changes which he made.
BEFORE I defcribe the ftate of an- cient Scandinavia, I muft flop one moment. A celebrated tradition, confirm- ed by the poems of all the northern na- tions, by their chronicles, by inftitutions and cuftoms, fome of which fubfift to this day, informs us, that an extraordinary per- fon named ODIN, formerly reigned in the north : that he made great changes in the government, manners and religion of thole countries ; that he enjoyed there great au- thority, and had even divine honours paid him. All thefe are facts, which cannot be contefted. As to what regards the ori- ginal of this man, the country whence he came, the time in which he lived, and the other circumftances of his life and death, they are fo uncertain, that the moft pro- found refearches, the moft ingenious con- jectures about them, difcover nothing to
us
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us but our own ignorance. Thus pre- vioufly difpofed to doubt, let thofe ancient authors, I have mentioned, relate the ftory : all their teftimonies are comprized in that of SNORRO, the ancient hiftorian of Nor- way, and in the commentaries and expli- cations which TORF^US hath added to his narrative *.
The Roman Common-wealth was arriv- ed to the highefl pitch of power, and favv, all the then known world fubject to its laws, when an unforefeen event raifed up enemies againfl it, from the very bofom of the forefls of Scythia, and on the banks of the Tanais. Mithridates by flying, had drawn Pompey after him into thofe defarts. The king of Pontus fought there for re- fuge, and new means of vengeance. He hoped to arm againfl: the ambition of Rome, all the barbarous nations his neighbours, whofe liberty me threatened. He fucceed- ed in this at firfl; but all thofe people, ill- united as allies, ill-armed as foldiers, and ilill worfe difciplined, were forced to yield to the genius of Pompey. ODIN is faid to have been of this number. He. was ob- liged to withdraw himfelf by flight from
* Vid. Snorro. Sturl. ac Reg. Dan. c. u. p. Chron. Norveg. in initio. 104. & feq. » — Xoif-yeus Ser. Dynaft.
Chap. IV. the
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the vengeance of the Romans ; and to go feek in countries unknown to his enemies, that fafety which he could no longer find in his own. His true name was Stgge, fon of Fridulph -, but he afTumed that of ODIN, who was the Supreme God among the Scythians : Whether he did this in order to pafs among his followers for a man infpired by the Gods, or becaufe he was chief-prieft, and prefided over the worfhip paid to that Deity. We know that it was ufual with many nations to give their pon- tiffs the name of the God they worfhipped. Sigge, full of his ambitious projects, we may be allured, took care to avail himfelf of a title fo proper to procure him refpect among the people he meant to fubjecl.
Odin, for lo we mail hereafter call him, commanded the Afes, a Scythian peo- ple, whofe country muft have been fituated between the Pontus Euxinus, and the Caf- pian fea. Their principal city was As- GARD *. The worfhip there paid to their
fu-
* The teftimony of the country. L. 2. Pliny Icelandic annalifts is con- fpeaks of the Afeens, a firmed by that of feveral people feated at the foot ancient authors, of whom of mount Taurus. L. 6. it is not likely that they c. 17. Ptolemy calls them had any knowledge. Stra- Afiotes. Stephen of By- bo places a city named fantium intitlcs them Af- Afburg in the very fame purgians [ Afyurgitanl. }
Mo-
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Supreme God was famous throughout tn6 circumjacent countries '; and it was Odin that performed the functions of it in chief, aflifted by twelve other Pontiffs (Diar or Drotfar, a kind of Druids) whoalfodiftribut-
ed
Modern relations make mention alfo of a nation of Afes or Ofles feated in the fame country ; and there is reafon to believe, that the city of Af-hof de- rived its name from the fame fource ; this word fignifies in the Gothic language, the fame as Af- gard, or Afburg. [Vid. Bayer, in A&. Academ. Petropol. Tom. 9. p. 387. & Dalin. S. R. Hift. T. i. p. 101, & feqq-] But notwithftanding all this, it is (till doutbtful whether Odin and his companions came fo far. Snorro is probably the author of this conjecture founded on the fimilitude of names. The moft eminent chronicles, the poets, and tradition it is likely, faid only, that Odin came from the coun- try of the Afes : Now As in the Scythian language fignifies a Lord, a God, and this name was in ufe among many Celtic na-> Chap. IV,
tions. See Sueton. Aug." c. 97. Af-gard then fig- nifies the court or abode of God, and the refem- blance of this name may have deceived Snorro. The learned Eccard in his Treatife of the Origin of the Germans, thinks that Odin came from fome neighbouring country of Germany, where we find many names of places which are compounded of the word As, and it is pofllble that he may have ibjourned there a long time, and formed efta- blimments ; though he or his nation came originally from fome country of Scy- thia.
[Thus far our author in his fecond Edition: in his firft edit, he had ob- ferved that there was a ftriking refemblance be- tween feveral cuftoms of the Georgians, as defcrib- ed by Cbardin, and thofe of certain Cantons of Nor-
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cd juftice *. Odin having united under his banners the youth of the neighbouring nations, marched towards the north and weft of Europe, fubduing, we are told, all the people he found in his paiTage ; and giving them to one or other of his fons for' fubjedts. Thus Suarlami was made king over a part of Ruffia : Baldeg over the weftern parts of Saxony or Weftphalia : Segdeg had eaftern Saxony, and Sigge had
Norway and Sweden, which have beft preferved the ancient manners. The learned Bifliop Pontoppi- dan mentions feveral of thefe in his Nat. Hift. of Norway. Tom. 2. c. 10. §. i, 2, 3. The Geor- gians (adds our author) poflefs at prefent one part of the country, which was inhabited by the Afes, whom Odin conducted into the north.]
* Among the feveral nations to whom thefe men diftributed juftice, the TURKS are often men- tioned in the Icelandic chronicles. There was in effe£t, at the foot of mount Taurus, a Scy- thian people from the ear- )ieft times known by that name. Pomponius Mela
mentions them exprefly ; [Lib. i. cap. 19. towards the end.] Herodotus him- felf feems to have had them in his eye. [Lib. iv. p. 22.] One part of the Turks followed Odin in- to the north, where their name had long been for- gotten by their own def- cendants, when other off- fhoots from the fame root, over-fpreading the oppo- fite part of Europe, re- vived the name with new fplendor, and gave it to one of the moft powerful empires in the world. Such ftrange revolutions have mankind in general undergone, and efpecially fuch of them, as long led a wandering unfettled life, Firfl Edit
Fran-
Franconia. Many fovereign families of the north, are faid to be defcended from thefe princes *. Thus Horfa and Hengifl, the chiefs of thofe Saxons, who conquered Britain in the fifth century, counted Odin or Woden -f- in the number of their ansef- tors : it was the fame with the other An- glo-Saxon princes ; as well as the greateft part of thofe of Lower Germany and the north. But there is reafon to fufpecl: that all thefe genealogies, which have given birth to fo many infipid panegyrics and fri- volous refearches, are founded upon a meer equivoque, or double meaning of the word Odin. This word fignified, as we have feen above, the fupreme God of the Scy- thians, we know alfo that it was cuftomary with all the heroes of thefe nations to fpeak of themfelves as fprung from their divini- ties, efpecially their God of War. The hiftorians of thofe times, that is to fay the
* Snorro Sturlefon. We find there ten or
Chron. Norveg. p. 4. twelve genealogies of the
f ODIN in the dialed Englifh princes traced up
of the Anglo-Saxons was to the fame fource : and
called WODEN or Wo- the Author concludes with
DAN. The ancient chro- this reflection : " It is
nicies of this people, par- " from Odin that all our
ticularly that published " royal families derive
by Gibfon, exprefly affert " their defcent," V. p.
that Hengift and Horfa 13. were defcended from him.
Chap. IV. poets,
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poets, never failed to beftow thefame honour on allthofewhofepraifes theyfung: and thus they multiplied the defcendants of ODIN, or the fupreme God, as much as ever thej found convenient.
After having difpofed of fo many coun- tries, and confirmed and fettled his new governments, Odin direded his courfe to- wards Scandinavia, palling through Cim- bria, at prefent Holftein and Jutland. Thefe provinces exhaufted of inhabitants, made him no refinance ; and mortly after he palTed into Funen, which fubmitted as foon as ever he appeared. He is faid to have ftaid a long time in this agreeable ifland, where he built the city of ODEN- SEE, which ftill preferves in its name the memory of its founder. Hence he ex- tended his arms over all the north. He fubdued the reft of Denmark, and made his fon Skiold be received there as king ; a title, which according to the Icelandic an- nals, no perfon had ever borne before, and which pafled to his defcendants, called after his name Skioldungians *. Odin, who was apparently better pleafed to give crowns to his children, than to wear them him-
* If this name was not med to bear, for this is rather given them on ac- called SKIOLD in the Da- count of the SHIELD, nifh language to this day. n-hich they were accufto- Firfl Edit.
felf,
felf, afterwards patted into Sweden, where at that time reigned a prince named Gylfe, who perfuaded that the author of a new wormip confecrated by conquefts fo brilliant, could not be of the ordinary race of mortals, paid him great honours, and even worfhip- ed him as a divinity. By favour of this opi- nion which the ignorance of that age led men eafily to embrace, Odin quickly acquired in Sweden the fame authority he had ob- tained in Denmark. The Swedes came in crowds to do him homage, and by com- mon confent beftowed the regal title and office upon his fon Yngvon and his pofle- rity. Hence fprung the Ynlingians,anameby which the kings of Sweden were for a long time diftinguifhed. Gylfe died or was for- gotten. Odin governed with abfolute do- minion. He ena&ed new laws, introduced the cuftoms of his own country ; and efta- blifhed at Sigtuna (a city at prefent deftroy- ed, fltuate in the fame province with Stock- holm) a fupreme council or tribunal, com- pofed of thofe twelve lords (drottar) men- tioned above. Their bufinefs was to watch over the public weal, to diftribute juftice to the people, to prefide over the new wor- fhip, which Odin brought with him into the north, and to preferve faithfully the religious and magical fecrets which that prince depofited with them. He was VOL. I. Chap. IV. F quickly
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quickly acknowledged as a fovereign and a God, by all the petty kings among whom Sweden was then divided ± and he levied art import or poll-tax upon every head through the whole country. He engaged on his part to defend the inhabitants againft all their enemies, and to defray the expence of the worfhip rendered to the gods at Sig- tuna.
Thefe great acquifitions feem not how- ever to have fatisfied his ambition. The defire of extending farther his religion, his authority and his glory, caufed him to un- dertake the conqueft of Norway. His good fortune or addrefs followed him thi- ther, and this kingdom quickly obeyed a fon of Odin named Saemungve, whom they have taken care to make head of a family, the different branches of which reigned for a long time in that country. If all the fons of Odin were to have been provided for in the fame manner, all Europe would not have afforded them kingdoms ; for ac- cording to fome chronicles, he had twenty eight by his wife Frigga, and according to others thirty one, or thirty two.
After he had finimed the fe glorious at- chievements, Odin retired into bweden ; where perceiving his end to draw near, he would not wait till the confequcnces of a lingering difeafe mould put a period to that
life,
life, which he had fo often bravely hazard- ed in the field : but affembling the friends and companions of his fortune, he gave himfelf nine wounds in the form of a circle with the point of a lance, and many other cuts in his fkin with his fword. As he was dying, he declared he was going back, into Scythia to take his feat among the other Gods at an eternal banquet, where he would receive with great honours all who mould expofe themfelves intrepidly in battle, and die bravely with their fwords in their hands. As foon as he had breath - edhislaft, they carried hie body to Sigtu- ria, where conformably to a cuftom intro- duced by him into the north, his body was burnt with much pomp and magnificence.
Such was the end of this man, whofe death was as extraordinary as his life. The loofe Sketches which we have here given of his character, might afford room for many curious conjectures, if they could be de- pended on as well founded. Among thofc which have been propofed, there is never- thelefs one which deferves fome attention. Several learned men have fuppofed that a defire of being revenged on the Romans was the ruling principle of his whole con- duct. Driven from his country by thofe enemies of univerfal liberty j his refent- ment, fay they, was fo much the more
Chap. IV. Fa vio-
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violent, as the Scythians efteemed it a fa- cred duty to revenge all injuries, efpecially thofe offered to their relations and country. He had no other view, according to them, in running through fo many diftant king- doms ; and in eflabliming with fo much zeal his fanguinary doctrines, but to fpirit up all nations againft fo formidable and odious a power. This leven, which he left in the bofoms of the northern people, fermented a long time in fecret ; but the fignal, they add, once given, they all fell as it were by common confent upon this unhappy empire; and after many repeated fhocks, intirely overturned it ; thereby re- venging the affront offered fo many ages before to their founder.
I cannot prevail on myfelf to raife ob- jections againft fo ingenious a fuppofition. It gives fo much importance to the hiftory of the North, it renders that of all Europe fo interefting, and, if I may ufe the ex- preffion, fo poetical, that I cannot but ad- mit thefe advantages as fo many proofs in its favour. It muft after all be confeffed, that we can difcover nothing very certain concerning Odin, but only this that He was the founder of a new Religion, before un- known to the rude and artlefs inhabitants of Scandinavia. I will not anfwer for the truth of the account given of his original : 3 I only
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I only fufpeft that at fome period of time more or lefs early, either he, or his fa- thers, or the authors of his Religion, came from fome country of Scythia, or from the borders of Perfia. I may add, that the God, whofe prophet or prieft he pretended to be, was named ODIN, and that the ig- norance of fucceeding ages confounded the Deity with his prieft, compofing out of the attributes of the one and the hiftory of the other, a grofs medley, in which we can at prefent diftinguim nothing for cer- tain. New proofs of this confufion will occur in all we mall hereafter produce on this fubject ; and it will import the Reader never to lofe fight of this obfervation. I fhall now mention fome farther particu- lars recorded of Odin by the Icelandic writers ; which though it will confirm what I have been faying, will yet perhaps give us fome infight into his character.
One of the artifices, which he employed with the greateft fuccefs, in order to con- ciliate the refpedl of the people, was to confult in all difficult emergencies the head of one MIMUR, who in his life time had been in great reputation for his wifdom. This man having had his head cut off, Odin caufed it to be embalmed, and had the addrefs to perfuade the Scandinavians,
Chap. IV. F 3 that
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that by his enchantments he had reffored to it the ufe of fpeech. He carried it every where about with him, and made it pronounce whatever oracles he wanted. This artifice reminds us of the pigeon, which brought to Mahomet the commands of heaven, and proves pretty plainly, that neither of thefe impoftors had to do with a very fubtle and difcerning people. We find another feature of great refemblance jn their characters, and that is the eloquence, with which both of them are faid to have been gifted. The Icelandic chronicles paint out Odin as the moft perfuafive of men. They tell us, that nothing could refifl the force of his words, that he fometimes in- terfperfed his harangues with verfes, which he ccmpofed extempore, and that he was not only a great poet, but that it was he who firfl taught the art of poefy to the Scandinavians. He was alfo the inventor of the runic characters, which fo long pre- vailed among that people. But what moil contributed to make him pafs for a God, was his {kill in magic. He perfuaded his followers, that he could run over the world in the twinkling of an eye, that he had the diredion of the air and ternpefts, that he could transform himfelf into all forts of ^ could raife the dead, could foretel
things
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things to come, could by enchantments de- prive his enemies of health and vigour, and difcover all the treafures concealed in the earth. The fame authors add, thathealfo knew how to fing airs fo tender and melo- dious, that the very plains and mountains would open and expand with delight j and that the ghofts attracted by the fweetnefs of his fongs, would leave their infernal caverns, and ftand motionlefs about him.
But if his eloquence, together with his auguft and venerable deportment, procured him love and refpedt in a calm and peace- able affembly, he was no lefs dreadful and furious in battle. He infpired his enemies with fuch terror, that they thought they could not defcribe it better, than by faying he rendered them blind and deaf; that he changed himfelf into the fhape of a bear, a wild-bull, or a lion ; that he would ap- pear like a wolf all defperate ; and biting his very fhield for rage, would throw him- felf amidft the oppofing ranks, making round him the moft horrible carnage, with- out receiving any wound himfelf.
Some later hiftorians feem to be a good deal puzzled how to account for thefe prodigies. In my opinion, the only thing that ought to aftonim us, would be the weak credulity of the people whom Odin
Chap. IV, F 4 .
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was able fo to impoic upon, if fb many ex- amples ancient and modern had not taught us how far ignorance is able to degrade all the powers of the human mind. For why need we fuppofe this famous leader ever really employed the pretended fcience of magic, when we know in general that mankind hath been at all times and in . all countries the dupes of the firft im- porter, who thought it worth his while to abufe them ; that the people who then inhabited Scandinavia were in particular plunged in the thickeft clouds of igno- rance ', that the hiftorians who have tranf- initted to us the accounts of all thefe prodigies were Poets, figurative and hy- perbolical in their language, fond of the marvellous by profefiion, and at that time difpofed to believe it by habit. That the refemblance of names makes it very eafy for us at this time to confound the def- criptions given by ancient authors of their fupreme Deity, with thofe which cha- racterize this Afiatic Prince; and finally, that the latter bringing along with him arts be- fore unknown in the North, a luxury and magnificence thought prodigious in that rude country, together with great fub- tilty, and perhaps other uncommon ta- lents, might eafily pals for a God, at a
time
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time when there were fo few real men ; and when the number of prodigies coul3 not but be great, fince they called by that name whatever filled them with furprizc and wonder.
Chap. IV. C H A P-
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CHAPTER V.
ji general idea of the ancient religion of the northern nations*
IT is not eafy to form an exact notion of the religion formerly profefled in the north of Europe. What the Latin and Greek authors have written on this fubjedt is commonly deficient in point of exactnefs. They had for many ages little or no inter- courfe with the inhabitants of thefe coun- tries, whom they ftyled Barbarians ; they were ignorant of their language, and, as * moft of thefe' nations * made a fcruple of unfolding the grounds of their religious doctrines to ftrangers, the latter, who were thereby reduced to be meer fpectators of
* Particularly all thofe «« pie," fuppofmg the Go- of Celtic origin. The thic nations to be the fame author had exprefled it with the Celtic : but this fimply " As all the Cel- opinion is confidered in *' tic nations made a fcru- the preface.
their
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their outward forms of wor/hip, could not eafily enter into the fpirit of it. And yet if we bring together the few fhort Sketches which thefe different writers have pre- ferved of it, if we correct them by one an- other, if we compare their accounts with thofe of the ancient poets and hiftorians of thefe nations themfelves, I flatter myfelf, we (hall throw light enough upon this fab- ject to be able to diftinguifh the mofl impor- tant objects in it.
The religion of the Scythians was, in the firft ages, extremely fimple. It taught a few plain eafy doctrines, and theie feem to have comprized the whole of religion known to the firft inhabitants of Europe. The farther back we afcend to the aera of the creation, the more plainly we difcover traces of this conformity among the feveral na- tions of the earth ; but in proportion as we fee them difperfed to form diflant fettle- ments and colonies, they feem to fwerve from their original ideas, and to afliime new forms of religion. The nations, who fettled in the fouthern countries, were they who altered it the firft, and afterwards disfigured it the moft. Thefe people de- rive from their climate a lively, fruitful, and reftlefs imagination, which makes them greedy of novelties and wonders : they have
Chap, V. alfo
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alfo ardent paflions, which rarely fufFer them to preferve a rational freedom of mind, or to fee things coolly and impartially. Hence the wild frenzies of the Egyptians, Syrians and Greeks in religious matters ; and hence that chaos of extravagances, in fome refpects ingenious, known by the name of mythology : through which we can hardly difcover any traces of the an- cient doctrines. And yet we do difcover them, and can make it appear, that thofe firft doctrines, which the fouthern nations fo much difguifed, were the very fame that compofed for a long time after all the re- ligion of the Scythians, and were preferved in the North without any material altera- tion. There the rigour of the climate ne- ceflarily locks up the capricious delires, confines the imagination, leffens the num- ber of the paffions, as well as abates their violence, and by yielding only to painful and unremitted labour, wholly confines to material objects, that activity of mind, which produces among men levity and dif- quiet.
But whether thefe caufes have not al- ways operated with the fame efficacy, or whether others more powerful have pre- vailed over them -, the greateft part of the Scythian nations after having, for fome
time,
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time, continued inviolably attached to the religion of their firft fathers, fuffered it at length to be corrupted by an intermixture of ceremonies, fome of them ridiculous, others cruel.; in which, by little and little, as it commonly happens, they came to place the whole effence of religion. It is not eafy to mark the precife time when this alteration happened, as well for want of ancient monuments, as becaufe it was introduced by imperceptible degrees, and at different times among different nations : but it is not therefore the lefs certain, that we ought to diftinguifh two different epoques or ages in the religion of this people : and in each of thefe we mould be careful not to confound the opinions of the fages, with the fables or mythology of the poets. Without thefe diftinctions it is difficult to reconcile the different accounts, often in appearance contradictory, which we find in ancient authors. Yet I cannot promife to mark out precifely, what be- longs to each of thefe claffes in particular. The lights which guide us at intervals through thefe dark ages, are barely fuffi- cient to mew us fome of the more ftriking objects ; but the finer links which conned: and join them together, will generally •cfcape us.
Chap. V. Let
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Let us, firft of all examine this religiort in its purity. It taught the being of a " fupreme God, mafter of the univerfe, to ct whom all things were fubmiflive and " obedient*." Such, according to Ta* citus, was the fupreme God of the Ger- mans. The ancient Icelandic mythology calls him " The author of every thing " that exifteth ; the eternal, the ancient, " the living and awful Being, the fearcher " into concealed things, the Being that " never changeth." It attributed to their deity " an infinite power, a boundlefs c< knowledge, an incorruptible juftice." It forbade them to reprefent this divinity under any corporeal form. They were not even to think of confining him within the inclofure of walls *j-, but were taught that
it
* No do&rine was held in higher reverence among the ancient Germans than this. Regnator omnium Deus, catcrafubjefta atque parentia* fays Tacitus, fpeaking of their religion. JDe Mor. Germ. c. xxxv. The epithets that follow above are exprefsly given to the Deity in the old treatife of Icelandic my-
thology, intitled the ED- DA, which has been men- tioned abovei See the tranflation of this in the next volume.
f Ceeterum nee cobibere parietibus Deos, fteque in ullam humani oris jpeciem ajjimilare ex magnitudine ceelejliwn arbitrantur. Lu~ cos ac nemora confecranty Deorum qua nominibus appellant
9
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h was only within woods and confecrated forefts, that they could ferve him properly. There he feemed to reign in filence, and to make himfelf felt by the refpedt which he inlpired. It was an injurious extrava- gance to attribute to this deity a human figure, to erect ftatues to him, to fuppofe him of any fex, or to reprefent him by- images. From this fupreme God were fprung (as it were emanations of his divi- nity) an infinite number of fubaltern deities and genii, of which every part of the vi- fible world was the feat and temple. Thefe intelligences did not barely refide in each part of nature ; they directed its operations, it was the organ or inftrument of their love or liberality to mankind. Each element was urkder the guidance of fome Being pe- culiar to it. The earth, the water, the
ctppeUant fecrctum illud quod feverely prohibited the ufe frjla reverentid vident. Ta- of temples, idols, images, cit. Germ. c. ix. One &c. But it is fufficient might here bring together to refer thofe, who would a great multitude of au- fee this fubjeft treated thorities to prove that fo more at large, to M. Pel- long as thefe J nations had loutier's Hijlsire des Celtts, no communication with torn. ii. Grangers, their religion
t * The Celtic nations.' Orig.
Chap. V. fire,
(8o)
fire, the air, the fun, moon, and ftars had each their refpective divinity. The trees, forefts, rivers, mountains, rocks, winds, thunder and tempefts had the fame ; and merited on that fcore a religious worfhip, which, at firft, could not be directed to the vifible object, but to the intelligence with which it was animated. The motive of this worfhip was the fear of a deity irri- tated by the fins of men, but who, at the fame time, was merciful, and capable of being appeafed by prayer and repentance. They looked up to him as to the active principle, which, by uniting with the earth or paflive principle,, had produced men, animals, plants, and all vifible be- ings j they even believed that he was the only agent iij nature, who preferves the feveral beings, and difpofes of all events. To ferve this divinity with facrifices and prayers, to do no wrong to others, and to be brave and intrepid in themfelves, were all the moral confequences they derived from thefe doctrines. Laftly, the belief of a future ftate cemented and compleated the whole building. Cruel tortures were there referved for fuch as defpifed thefe three fundamental precepts of morality, and joys without number and without end awaited every religious, juft and valiant man.
Thefe
( 8. )
Thefe are the principal heads of that ari- cient religion, which probably prevailed for many ages through the greateft part of the- north of Europe, and doubtleiS among fe- veral nations of Afia. It was preferved tole- rably pure in the North till towards the de- cline of the Roman republic: One may judge at leaft by the teftimony of feveral authors, that the Germans had maintained till that time the chief of thefe doctrines, whilil the inhabitants of Spain, Gaul and Britain, rialf fubdued by the arms and luxury of the Romans, adopted by degrees new Gods, at the fame time that they received new rria- fters *. It is probable then, that it was hot till the arrival of Odin in the North, that the Scythian religion among the an- cient Danes and other Scandinavians began to lofe the moft beautiful features of its original purity. Though the fact itfelf is probable, it is not fo eafy td affign the caufes of it. Whether this change muft be attributed to the natural ir^onftancy of mankind and their invincible pronenefs te whatever is marvellous, and flrikes the fenfes. Or whether we ought to throw the blame on that conqueror, and fuppofe with fome authors that he had a formed defigri
* Pelloutier, chap. xvii.
VOL. I. Chap. V. G to
( 82 )
to pafs among the northern people for a formidable deity ; and to found there a new worfhip, on which to eftablifh his new do- minion, and to eternize his hatred for the Romans, by planting among thofe valiant and populous nations a perpetual nurfery of devoted enemies to every thing that (hould bear that name. It is difficult to decide this queftion. The eye is loft and bewildered, when it endeavours to trace out events fo remote and obfcure. To unravel and diftinguim the feveral caufes, and to mark exactly the diftin£i influence of each, is what we can hardly do in the hiftory of fuch ages as are the moft en- lightened and beft known to us. Let us then confine ourfelves within more narrow limits, and endeavour to fketch out a new picture of this fame religion, as it was af- terwards altered, and like a piece of cloth fo profufely overcharged with falfe orna- ments, as hardly to mew the leaft glimpfe of the original groundwork. This picture will take in a (pace of feven or eight cen- turies, which intervened between the time of Odin and the converfion of Denmark to the Chriftian faith. The Icelandic Ed- da, and fome ancient pieces of poetry, wherein the fame mythology is taught, are the fources whence I (hall draw my in- formation. But the fear of falling into
needlefs
( 83 )
needlefs repetitions, prevents me at prefent from defcribing the nature of thefe ancient works, which ar- known but to few of the learned. This difctiffion will find its moft proper place in the article which I refer ve for the ancient literature of the North.
Chap. V. G 2 C H A P-
CHAPTER VI.
Of the Religion, which prevailed in tkt North, and particularly in Scandinavia> after the death tf Odin.
TH E moft {hiking alteration in the doctrines of the primitive religion, was in the number of the Gods who were to be worshipped. A capital point among the Scythians, was that preheminence, I have been defcribing, of one only all power- ful and perfect being over all the other in- telligences with which univerfal nature was peopled. The firm belief of a doctrine fo reafonable had fuch influence on their minds* that they openly teftifted on feveral occa- lions their hatred and contempt for the polytheifm of thofe nations, who treated them as Barbarians ; and made it their firll care to destroy all the objects of idolatrous worfhip in whatever place they eftablifhed their authority *. But the defcendants of
theft
* They demolifhed of their Gods : this was the temples and ftatues done bv the Perfians
(whofc
thefe people being, in all appearance, weary of this fimplicity of religion, aflbciated to the fupreme God many of thofe Genii or fubaltern divinities, who had been always fubordinate to him. As thefe differed ra- ther in degree of power, than in eflence, the tranfition was very eafy to a people, who were not very refined and fubtle. To this another reafbn alib contributed. As each of thefe inferior divinities governed with abfolute power every thing within his ref- pedlive fphere ; fear, defire, all their wants, and paffions inclined a rude people to have recourfe to them, as to a more prefent, fpeedy and more acceflible help in time of need, rather than to the fupreme God, whofe name alone imprinted fo much ref- pec~t and terror. It is an inevitable miftake of the human mind to carry the imperfec- tions of its own nature into the idea it forms of the Oeity. The deep conviction, we have every moment of our own weaknefs, prevents us from conceiving how it is pof- iible for one fingle being to move and fup- port all parts of the univerfe. This is ef- pecially inconceivable to an ignorant peo-
(whofe religion fecms pri- when, lyider the banners,
finally to .have differed of Xerxes they entered
but little from that of the Greece. See Cicero de
Scythians and Celtes) legibus, L, 2.
Chap. YI, G 3 pie,
(86)
pie, who have never fufpedted that there is any connexion between the feveral parts of nature, and that a general methanifm can produce fo many different phenomena. Accordingly, all barbarous nations have ever fubftituted, inftead of the iimple and uni- form laws of nature which were unknown to them, the operation of fpirits, genii and divinities of all kinds, and have given them as affiftants to the fupreme Being in the moral and phyflcal government of the world. If they have paid to any of them greater honours than to others, it has ufual- ly been to thoie whofe dominion extended over iiich things as were moft dear to them, or appeared moft worthy of admiration. This was what happened in Scandinavia. In procefs of time that fupreme Being, the idea of whom takes in all exiftence, was reftrained to one particular province, and pa/Ted among the generality of the inha- bitants for the God of war. No object, in their opinion, could be more worthy his attention, nor more proper to /hew forth his power. Hence thofe frightful pictures which are left us of him in the Icelandic Mythology*, where he is always meant under the name of Odin. He is there called « The terrible and fevere God ; the
* See the EDDA, Mytbol. 3. & feq.
father
" father of (laughter; the God that carrieth <c defolation and fire ; the adlive and roar- " ing deity ; he who giveth victory, and " reviveth courage in the conflict ; who " nameth thofe that are to be flain." The warriors who went to battle, made a vow to fend him a certain number of fouls, which they confecrated to him ; thefe fouls were Odin's right, he received them in VALHALL,his ordinary place of refidence, where he rewarded all fuch as died fword in hand. There it was that he diftributed to them praifes and delight ; there he received them at his table, where in a continual feaft, as we fliall fee hereafter, the plea- fures of thefe heroes confifted. The af- fiftance of this Deity was implored in every war that was undertaken; to him the vows of both parties were addrefled ; and it was believed that he often defcended to intermix in the conflict himfelf, to inflame the fury of the combatants, to ftrike thofe who were to perim, and to carry their fouls to his ce- leftial abodes.
This terrible Deity, who took fuch plea- fure in medding the blood of men, was at the fame time, according to the Icelandic mythology, their father and creator. So eafily dogrofs and prejudiced minds recon- cile the mofl glaring contradictions : this fame God, whom they ferved under a cha-
Chap. VI. G 4 rafter
( 83 )
rafter that would make even a man abhor— red, according to the EDDA*, " liveth " and governeth during the ages, he di- <f recleth every thing which is high, and " every thing which is low, whatever is " great and whatever is fmall ; he hath " made the heaven, the air, and man, who <c is to live for ever : and before the heaven <c and the earth exifted, this God lived al- " ready with the giants." The principal ftrokes of this picture are found many times repeated in the fame work. They have been frequently ufed by other northern poets. Nor were they peculiar to the in- habitants of Scandinavia. Many ancient people, the Scythians, and the Germans for example, attributed in like manner to the fupreme God a fuperintendance over war. They drew their gods by their own character, who loved nothing fo much themfelves, as to cjifplay their ftrength and power in battle, a.nd to fignalize their ven- geance upon their enemies by flaughter and defolation. Without doubt, this idea had taken deep root in the minds of the ancient Danes before the arrival of Odin. The expedition of the Cimbri plainly mows, that war was already in thofe early times become their ruling pafiion, and mod
* See Mythol. 3.
im-
( 89)
important bufinefs : but it is neverthelefs probable that this northern conqueror in- creafed their natural ferocity, by infiif- ing into minds fo prepared the fangui- nary doctrines of his religion. Without doubt, that intimate perfuafion of theirs, that the fupreme God appeared in battle ; that he fupported thofe who defended themfelves with courage ; that he fought for them himfelf ; that he carried them away into heaven, and that this delightful abode was only open to fuch as died like heroes, with other circumftances of this kind was either the work of this ambitious prince, or only founded upon fbme events of his life, which they attributed to the fupreme God, when they had once confounded them together *. The apotheofis of this Chief and his companions which followed it, in- volves the hiftory of thofe times in great obfcurity. The Icelandic mythology never diftinguifhes the fupreme Being, who had been adored in the north under the name
* Abbe Banier fays ing been deified for fome
very fenfibly, that we great actions, have been
(hould always diftinguifh honoured with the fame
in the Gods of Antiquity, worfhip, as the Gods
thofe whofe worfhip has whofe names they have
been antecedent to the taken. See his mytholo-
exiftencc of their great gy. Vol. 3. Book 7. c. 2. men, from thofe who hav-
Chap. VI. of
( 90)
of Odin many ages before, from this princc of the !\SES, who ufurped his name and the worfhip that was paid to him. Ail that one can juft make mift to difcover amidft fo much darknefs, is that the Scandinavians were not feduced hy the impoftures of the Aiiatic Odin fo far as to be generally per- fuaded, that he was the fupreme God, whole name he had affumed, and to lofe all remembrance of the primary belief. I think one may conjecture that it was prin- cipally the poets, who delighted to con- found thefe two Odins for the better adorn - ing the pictures they drew of them both *. Mention is fometimes made of an ancient Odin, who never came out of Scythia, and who was very different from that other Odin that came into Sweden, and caufed divine honours to be paid him at Sigtuna. Some authors make mention alfo of a third Odin, ib that it is very poflible this name may have been ufurped by many different war- riours out of policy and ambition ; of all whom pofterity made in procefs of time but one fingle perfon ; much in the fame manner as hath happened with regard to Hercules, in thofe rude ages when Greece and Italy were no lefs barbarous than the
* Wormii Monumen- Regum & Dynaft. Dan. ta Danica. Lib. i. p. 12. Lib. 2. c. 3. Therm. Torfcei Series
northern
(91 )
northern nations *. However that be, there remains to this-day fome traces, of the worfhip paid to Odin in the name given by almoft all the people of the north to the fourth day of the week, which was for- merly confecrated to him. It is called by a name which fignifies ODIN'S DAY-f-: For as this God was reputed alib the au- thor of magic, and inventor of all the arts, he was thought to anfwer to the Mercury of the Greeks and Romans, and the name of the day confecrated to him was expref- fed in Latin Dies Mercurii%.
The principal Deity among the ancient Danes, after ODIN, was FRIGGA or FREA his wife. It was the opinion of all the Celtic nations, of the ancient Syrians, and of the firil inhabitants of Greece, that the fupreme Being or celeftial God had united
* 'Several learned men * from Afia to form fettle- have proved very clerrly ' ments in the north?' that the word HERCU- f I* is called in Ice- LES, was a name given Jandic IVonfdag, in Swe- to ail the leaders of Co- di(b Odinfdag^ in Low Ionics, who came out of Dutch lycer.fdag, in An- Afta to fettle in Greece, glo-Siixon Wodcnfdag^ in ;.-.! Spain. May Englifh IVednefday^ that not one conjecture with is, the DAY of WODEN or fome probability, that Odin. Vide Junii Ety- thc name of ODIN was mologicon Anglicanum. ;.iven in like manner to Fol. 1748. all ihe leaders of Scy- \ In French Mecredi. rhian colonies, who cajne
Chap. VI. with
(9*)
with the Earth to produce the inferior di^ vinities, man, and all other creatures. Upon this was founded that veneration they had for the Earth, which they confidered as a goddefs, and the honours which were paid her. They called her MOTHER EARTH, and MOTHER OF THE GODS. The Phenicians adored both thefe two principles under the names of TAUTES and ASTAR- TE. They were called by fome of the Scy- thian nations JUPITER and APIA; by the Thracians COTIS and BENDIS; by the in- habitants of Greece and Italy, SATURN an4 Qps. All antiquity is full of traces of this wormip, which was formerly univerfal. We know that the Scythians adored the Earth as a goddefs, wife of the fupreme God; the Turks celebrated her in their hymns 3 the Perfians offered facrifices to, her. Tacitus attributes the fame worfhip to the Germans, particularly to the inha- bitants of the north of Germany. He fays, " Tney adore the goddefs HER- " THUS*, (meaning the EARTH") and
* The name which Anglo-Saxon, Eorthe, Er-
Tacitus gives to this god- tha^ ' Hertha : Englifh,
defs, fignifies the EARTH Earth: in Danifb, Jord :
in .all the northern (or in Belgic, Aerde^ &c.
Teutonic) languages. Vid. JunjiEtymolog. An-
Thus it is in the ancient glican. T.
Gothic, Airina : in the
gives
( 9.5 )
gives a circtimftantial defcription of the ceremonies which were obferved in honour of her in an ifland, which he does not name, but which could not have been far from Denmark *. We cannot doubt, but this fame goddefs was the Frigga or Frea of the Scandinavians. The word FREA or •f- FRAU fignifies a woman in the German language. When therefore the Afiatic prince came into Denmark, and had found the wormip of Odin and his wife the Earth eftablimed, there is no doubt but the famci people, who gave him the name of ODIN
* Cluverius pretends that it is the ifle of Ru- CEN, which is in the Bal- tic fea, on the coaft of Pomerania. Germ. Antiq. p. 134. Yet as Tacitus places it in the ocean, it is more likely to have been
the ifleofHEILIGELAND,
which is not far from the mouth of theElb. The AN- GLES (Angl'i) from whom Our Englifh anccftors de- rived their name) were feated on this coaft : and Arnkiel hath mown in his Cimbric Antiquities, that the ancient Germans held this ifland in great ve,nera"
Chap. VI.
tion. The word Heili- geland^ fignifies " Holy " Land." See Pellou- tier's Hift. des Celtes.
Tom. 2« Chap. 18.
Other learned men pre- tend that the ifle in quef- tion was ZEALAND, but it is after all, not very certain or important. Via. Mallets Firft Edit. T. + The Lydians and o- ther people of Afia minor acknowledged her under the name of Rkea, which is doubtlefs the fame as Frea with a different af- piration. Fir/1 Edit.
or
( 94)
or God, gave his wife alfo the name of FREA confecrated to the Earth, and that they paid her the fame compliment they had done her hulband. Thus the fame confufion, which prevails in the defcrip- tions given us of Odin, equally obtains in that of his wife ; and without doubt the worfhip of both the one and the other un- derwent an alteration at this period. This Frea became in the fequel, the goddefs of love and debauchery, the Venus of the north, doubtlefs becaufe (he patted for the princi- ple of all fecundity, and for the mother of all exiftence. It was (he that was addreffed in order to obtain happy marriages and eafy child-births. She difpenfed pleafures, en- joyments and delights of all kinds. The Edda (Hies her the moft favourable of the goddefles ; and in imitation of the Venus of the Greeks, who lived in the mod tender union with Mars, Frea went to war as well as Odin, and divided with him the fouls of the (lain : and indeed it would have been very hard if the goddefs of pleafures had been deprived of an amufement which her vota- ries were fo fond of. It appears to have been the general opinion, that (he was the fame with the Venus of the Greeks and Ro- mans, fmce the fixth day of the week which was. confecrated to her under the 2 name
(95 )
name of Freytag, Friday, or Frea's day, was rendered into Latin Dies Veneris, or Venus's day *.
x The third principal deity of the ancient Scandinavians was named THOR, and was no lefs known than the former among the Celtic nations. Julius Caefar fpeaks ex- prefly of a God of the Gauls, who was charged with the conduct of the atmof- phere, and prefided over the winds and tempefls -f-. He mentions him under the Latin name of Jupiter : But Lucan gives him a name, which bears a greater refem- blance to that of Thor, he calls him Ta- ranis, a word which to this day in the Welfli language lignihes thunder J. It plainly appears, and is the exprefs opinion of Adam of Bremen, that the authority of this god, extended over the winds and, feafons, and particularly over thunder and
* She was alfo known under the name of dfta- godor the goddefs of love, a name which is not very remote from that of Af- iarte^ by which the Phe- nicians denoted her ; and under that of Goya, which the ancient Greeks gave to the earth. She was fometimes confound- ed with the moon who was
thought as well as her to have influence over the in- creafe of the human fpe- cies, for which reafon the full moon was confidered as the moft favourable time for nuptials.
t Crefar Comment. L. 6. c. 17.
t Pellout. Hift. des Celtes. Lib. 3. c. 6.
Chap. VI.
light-
(96)
lightning §. In the fyftem of the primi- tive Religion, the God Thor was probably only one of thofe genii or fubaltern divi- nities, fprung from the union of Odin or the fupreme being, and the Earth. The Edda calls him exprefly the moft valiant of the fons of Odin *, but I have not difcovered that the employment of launching the thunder was ever attributed to him. In reading the Icelandic mythology, I find him rather confidered as the defender and avenger of the Gods. He always carried a mace or club, which as often as he dif- charged it, returned back to his hand of itfelf j he grafped it with gauntlets of iron> and was further poflefTed of a girdle which
§ Thar prafidet in atre ; fuimina^ frugis gubernat. (Adam Brem. Hift. Ec- cles. c. 233.) Dudo de St. Quentin obferves the fame thing of the Normans and Goths, adding that they offered human facrifices. There was alfo a day con- iecratcd to THOR* which llill retains his name in the Danifh, Swedifh, Englifh, and Low-dutch languages, [e. g» Dan. Thirfdeg, Sued. Torf-dag. T.ng.Tburfday. Belg: Don- dcrdag. Vide Jun. Etym.] This word has been ren-
8
dered into Latin, by Dies Jovis, or Jupiter's day* for this Deity, according to ideas of the Romans alfo, was the God of Thunder. In confequence of the fame opinion^ this day hath received a fimi- lar name in the dialect of High - Germany. It is called there by a name tompofed of the word Peit or Penning, which figni- fies the fummit of a moun - tain, and the God, who prefides (in that place) over thunder and tempeft. * Edda Mvthol. 7.
had
(97)
had the virtue to renew his ftrength as often as was needful. It was with thefe formi- dable arms that he overthrew to the ground the menders and giants, when the Gods fent him to oppofe their enemies.
The three deities, whom we have men- tioned, compofed the court or fupreme council of the gods, and were the principal objects of the worfhip and veneration of all the Scandinavians : but they were not all agreed among themfelves about the pre- ference which was due to each of them in particular. The Danes feem to have paid the higheft honours to Odin. The inha- bitants of Norway and Iceland appear to have been under the immediate protection of Thor : and the Swedes had chofen for their tutelar deity FREYA, or rather FREY, an inferior divinity, who, according to the Edda, prefided over the feafons of the year, and beftowed peace, fertility and riches. The number and employment of thefe deities of the fecond order, it is not very eafy to determine, and the matter befides being of no great confequence, I mall point out fome of the moil material. The Edda* reckons up twelve gods and as many g-oddefTes, to whom divine honours were
* Edda, Mythol. 18.
VOL. I. Chap. VI. H due,
(9S )
due, and who though they had all a certair* power, were neverthelefs obliged to obey Odin the moft ancient of the gods, and the great principle of all things. Such was NioRD-f-, the Neptune of the northern nations, who reigned over the fea and winds. This was one of thofe genii, whom the Celts placed in the elements. The extent of his empire rendered him very reipeclable, and we find in the North to this day traces of the veneration which was there paid him. The Edda exhorts men to wormip him with great devotion for fear he Ihould do them mifchief: a motive like that which caufed the Romans to erect temples to the FEVER : for fear is the moft fuperftitious of all the paffions J. BALDER was another fon of Odin, wile, eloquent, and endowed with fuch great rmjefty, that his very glances were bright and mining. TYR, who mufl be diftin- guimed from THOR, was alib a warrior deity, and the protedor of champions and
f Mythol. 21. of beauty and love, who
t Niord was the father hath been confounded
of that Frey, the patron with Frea or Frigga, the
of the Swedes, whom I wife of Odin. See the
Ji;i\c mentioned above, EdJa, 20. Firfl&dit. and of Freya the goddels
brave
( 99 )
brave men*. BRACE prefided over elo- quence and poetry. His wife, named ID UN A, had the care of certain apples, which the gods tafted, when they found themfelves grow old, and which had the power of infiantly reftoring them to youth ||. HEFMDAL was their porter. The gods had made a bridge between heaven and earth : this bridge is the Rain-bow. Heim- dal was employed to watch at one of the extremities of this bridge, for fear the gi- ants fhould make ufe of it to get into hea- ven. It was a difficult matter to furprize him, for the gods had given him the fa- culty of fleeping more lightly than a bird, and of difcovering objects by day or night farther than the diftance of a hundred leagues. He had alfo an ear fo fine that he could hear the very grafs grow in the mea- dows and the wool on the backs of the {heep. He carried in the one hand a fword, and in the other a trumpet, the found of which could be heard through all the
* From Tyr is derived This proves that Tyr an-
the name given to the fwered to Mars. The Ger-
third day of the week in mans in High Dutch call
moft of the northern Ian- this day R^ichi-tag, from,
guages, viz. in Dan. the word Heric^ or Harec,
Tyrfdag or Tiifdag ; Sued. a Warrior, which comes to
Tifdagy Engliih, Tuefdayy the fame thing, in Low Dutch, Dingf-tag : }\ Edda Mythol. 25.
in Latin, Dies Martis,
Chap. VJ. H 2 worlds.
worlds. I fupprefs here the names of the r gods, who made up the number of twelve ; but I ought to beftow a word upon LOKE, whom the ancient Scandina- vians feem to have regarded as their evil principle, ,and whom notwithftanding they ranked among the gods. The Edda* calls him " the calumniator of the gods, the " grand contriver of deceit and frauds, the <f reproach of gods and men. He is beau- '* tiful in his figure, but his mind is evil, " and his inclinations inconftant. No " body renders him divine honours. He " furpafTes all mortals in the arts of per- " fidy and craft." He hath had many children by SEGNIE his wife : betides three monfters who owe their birth to him j the wolf FEN RIS, the ferpent MID CARD, and HELA or Death. All three are enemies to the gods -, who after various ftruggles have chained this wolf till the lail day, when he lhall break loofe and devour the fun. The ferpent hath been caft into the fea, where he fhail remain till he is conquered by the god Thor. And Hela or death {hall be ba- jiimed into the lower regions, where fhe hath the government of nine worlds, into which me diftribntes thofe who are fent to her. We find here and there in the Edda
* Mythol. 26. •
fever nl
feveral other ftrokes concerning Loke, his wars with the gods, and efpecially with Thor, his frauds, their refentment againfl him, and the vengeance they took of him, when he was feized and fhut up in a ca- vern formed of three keen-edged ftones, where he rages with fuch violence that he caufes all the earthquakes that happen. He will remain there captive, adds the fame mythology, till the end of the ages ; but then he mall be flain by Heimdal the door- keeper of the gods.
We have feen above that the Icelandic mythology reckons up twelve goddefles, in- cluding Frea or Frigga, the fpoufe of Odin, and the chief of them all. Each of them hath her particular fundions. EIRA is the goddefs of medicine; GEFIONE of virgi- nity : FULL A is the confident of Frea and takes care of her drefs and ornaments. FREYA is favorable to lovers, but more faithful than the Grecian Venus, me weeps inceffantly for the abfence of her hufband ODRUS, and her tears are drops of gold. LOFNA makes up differences between lovers and married perfons though never fb much at variance. VARA receives their oaths and punifhes fuch as violate them. SNO- TRA is the goddefs of learning and of good manners. GNA is the mefTenger of Frea. Chap. VI. II 3 Befides
Befides thcfe twelvegoddeffcs there are other virgins in VALHALLOF the paradife of the heroes. Their bufinefs is to wait upon them, and they are called VALKERIES. Odin alfo employs them to chufe in battles thole who are to perifh, and to make the victory incline to whatever fide he pleafes. The court of the gods is ordinarily kept under a great am-tree, and there they diftri- bute juftice *. This am is the greateft of all trees j its branches cover the furface of the earth, its top reaches to the higheft hea- ven, it is fupported by three vaft roots, one of which extends to the ninth world, or hell. An eagle, whofe piercing eye difcovers all things, perches upon its branches. A fquirrel is continually running up and down it to bring news j while a parcel of ferpents, fattened to the trunk, endeavour to deftroy him. From under one of the roots runs a fountain wherein Wifdom lies concealed. From a neighbouring fpring (the fountain of paft things) three virgins are continually drawing a precious water, with which they water the am- tree : this water keeps up the beauty of its foliage, and after having refreshed its leaves, falls back again to the earth, where it forms the dew of which
* See the EDDA : Mythol. 14.
the
the bees make their honey. Thefe three virgins always keep under the afh; and it is they who difpenfe the days and ages of men. Every man hath a Deftiny appropri- ated tohimfelf, who determines the duration and events of his life. But the three Defti- nies of more efpecial note are URD (the paft), WE RAND i (the prefent), andScuLDE (the future).
Such were the principal deities, for- merly worfhipped in the north of Europe* Or rather thefe were the ideas which the poets gave of t^em to that credulous people. It is eafy to difcover their handy-work in. thefe ficlions, fometimes ingenious, but more frequently puerile, with which they thought to let off the fimplicity of the an- tient religion ; and we ought not to believe, as we mall prove hereafter, that fuch of them as were men of fenfe and difcernment ever confidered them in any other light. But after having fhewn the names and attributes of their principal Deities, let us proceed to fet forth after the Edda and the poem named VOL us PA *, the other Doctrines of their Religion.
VOL. I. H 4 We
* It is belie: eJ, that very extenfiveMythoIogy, S^EMOND, futra-ned the of which at prefent we LEARNED, compiled a have only an abridgment.
VI. W9
\Ve have feen that among the qualities of which they fuppofed Odin or the Su- prcam God to be poflefled, that of the creator of heaven and earth is exprefsly at- tributed to him. It is very probable that moft of the nations which were of Celtic race held opinions fimjlar to this, although the few monuments which remain at prefent of the Celtic religion, leave us ignorant in what manner their Druids or their philofo- phers conceived this great event to hav£ happened, What the Icelandic mytho^ logy hath preferred to us on this head, me- rits fo much the more attention, as it dif- covers to us the fentimcnts of the ancient Scythians on this important point, and at the fame time expreffes them frequently with a greatnefs and fublimity equal to the fined ftrokes of claflical antiquity on the. fame fubjec~t *. The poet begins by a
delcription
We have flill three or tains an abftra£ of all th«
four fragments of this firft northern Mythology, and
EDDA, the moft valuable appears very ancient ; but
of which is a poem of is not every where eafy to
about 400 verfes, which be underftood. is frill extant, and inti tied
the VOLUSPA, that is to * I quote as much as
lav, " The Oracle of the poflible the very words of
*k Prpphetefs.'* Jt con- £he VOLUSPA, and when
defcription of Chaos. " In the day-fpring *' of the ages, fays he, there was neither " fea, nor more, nor refreshing breezes. " There was neither earth below, nor hea- " ven above to be diftinguifhed. The " whole was only one vait abyfs without " herb, and without feeds. The fun had " then no palace : the ftars knew not their " dwelling-places, the moon was ignorant <c of her power." After this, continues he, " there was a luminous, burning, (t flaming world towards the fouth ; and <c from this world flowed out incefTantly " into the abyfs that lay towards the tc north, torrents of fparkling fire, which " in proportion as they removed far away " from their fource, congealed in their " falling into the abyfs, and fo filled it ft with fcum and ice. Thus was the <c abyfs by little and little filled quite full : (l but there remained within it a light and " immoveable air, and thence exhaled icy " vapours. Then a warm breath coming " from the fouth, melted thofe vapours, " and formed of them living drops, whence " was born the giant YMER. It is re-
they appear to me too ob- em. See efpecially My-
ifcure, I fupply them from thol. 4, 5, & feqq. Edd.
the EDDA, which is for Ifland. Refenii. Havniac,
the moft part, only a kind 1665. Firjl Edit. of paraphrafe of this po-
Chap, VI. « ported
<c ported that whilft he flept, an extraordi- <{ nary fweat under his arm-pits produced «« a male and female, whence is fprung the " race of the giants ; a race evil and cor- " rupt, as well as Ymer their author. " Another race was brought forth, which " formed alliances with that of the giant " Ymer : This was called the family of " BOR, fo named from the firft of that fa- " mily, who was the father of Odin. The " fons of Bor flew the giant Ymer, and " the blood ran from his wounds in fuch " abundance, that it caufed a general in- " undation, wherein perimed all the <c giants, except only one, who fav- " ing himfelf in a bark, efcaped with all " his family. Then a new world was *' formed. The fons of Bor, or the Gods, " dragged the body of the giant in the ** abyls, and of it made the earth : the fea «« and rivers were compofed of his blood ; " the earth of his fle(h ; the great moun- " tains of his bones ; the rocks of his teeth " and of fplinters of his bones broken. " They made of his fcull the vault of hea- " ven, which is fupported by four dwarfs " named South, North, Eaft and Weft. " They fixed there tapers to enlighten '« it, and affigned to other fires certain <4 fpaces which they were to run through, " fome of them in heaven, others under
" the
the heaven : The days were diftinguimed,
and the years were numbered. They
made the earth round, and furrounded it
with the deep ocean, upon the banks of
which they placed the giants. One day,
" as the fons of Bor, or the gods, were
" taking a walk, they found two pieces of
" wood floating upon the water; thefe they
" took, and out of them made a man and
" a woman. The eldeft of the gods gave
" them life and fouls; the fecond motion
" and knowledge ; the third the gift of
" fpeech, hearing and fight, to which he
" added beauty and raiment. From this
" man and this woman, named ASKUS and
*' EMBLA, is defcended the race of men
" who are permitted to inhabit the earth.'"
It is eafy to trace out in this narration veftiges of an ancient and general tradition, of which every feel of paganifm hath al- tered, adorned or fupprelTed many circurn- ftances, according to their own fancy, and which is now only to be found intire in the books of Mofes. Let the ftrokes we have here produced be compared with the be- ginning of Hefiod's Theogony, with the mythology of fome Afiatic nations, and with the book of Genefis, and we mall in- flantly be convinced, that the conformity which is found between many circum- itances of their recitals, cannot be the Chap. VI. mere
mere work of chance. Thus in the Edda the defcription of the Chaos ; that vivifying breath which produces the giant Ymer ; that fleep during which a male and female fpring from his fides ; that race of the fons of the gods *, that deluge which only one man efcapes, with his family, by means of a bark ; that renewal of the world which fucceeds ; that firft man and firft woman created by the gods, and who receive from them life and motion : all this feems to be only remains of a more ancient and more general belief, which the Scythians carried with them when they retired into the North, and which they altered more flowly than the other nations. One may difcover alfo in the very nature of thefe alterations the fame fpirit of allegory, the fame defire of accounting for all the phenomena of nature by fictions, which hath fuggefted to other nations the greateft part of the fables with which their theology is infected. To conclude, the ftyle itfelf, in which the expremons, one while fublime, one while extravagant and gigantic, are thrown toge- ther without art ; the littlenefles that ac- company the moft magnificent defcription s ; the diforder of the narrative ; the uniform turn of the phrafes, confirms to all who read this work an idea of a very remote antiquity, and a mode cf thinking and
writing
writing peculiar to a fimple and grofs people, who were unacquainted with any rules of compofition, and whofe vigorous imagination, defpifing or not knowing any rules of art, difplays itfelf in all the liberty and energy of nature.
It was thus the world was created ; or to exprefs it in a manner, more conformable to the Celtic notions, It was thus that the matter already exifting but without order and without life, was animated and dif- pofed by the Gods in the prefent ftate in which we behold it. I have already re- marked, that they were far from fuppoling that after it had received the firft motion from the hands of the Gods, the world continued to fubfift, and to move indepen- dent of its firft movers. Perhaps no re- ligion ever attributed fo much to a divine providence as that of the northern nations. This doctrine ferved them for a key, as commodious, as it was univerfal, to un- lock all the phenomena of nature without exception. The intelligences united to different bodies, penetrated and moved them; and men needed not to look any farther than to them, to find the caufe of every thing they obferved in them. Thus entire nature animated and always moved immediately by one or more intelligent caufes, was in their fyilem nothing more Chap. VI. than
than the organ or instrument of the divi- nity, and became a kind of book in which they thought they could read his will, in- clinations and defigns. Hence that weak- nefs formerly common to fo many nations, and of which the traces ftill fubfift in many places, that makes them regard a thoufand indifferent phenomena, fuch as the quivering of leaves, the crackling and colour of flames, the fall of thunderbolts, the flight or finging of a bird, mens invo- luntary motions, their dreams and vifions, the movements of the pulfe, &c. as inti- mations which God gives to wife men, of his will. Hence came oracles, divinations, aufpices, prefages, and lots ; in a word all that rubbim of dark fuperftitions, called at one time religion, at another magic, a fcience abfurd to the eyes of reafon, but fuitable to the impatience and reftleflhefs of our defires, and which only betrays the weak- nefs of human nature, in promifing to re- lieve it. Such notwithflanding was the prin- cipal confequence which the * Gothic' na- tions drew from the doctrine of a Divine Providence. The ancient Danes carried it to as extravagant a pitch as the reft, as will appear from what I fhall fay of their facri- fices and prefages, when I come to treat of their exterior wor/hip. With refpecl to the moral precepts, we know very well that
it
( III )
it hath ever been the failing of mankind to regard thefe as the leaft effential part of re- ligion. When they admitted that conti- nual and immediate action of the divinity on all creatures, the Scandinavians had thence concluded that it was impoffible for men to effect any change in the courfe of things, or to reiift the deftinies. The Stoics themfelves did not underftand this term in a more rigorous fenfe than the peo- ple of the North. Nothing is more com- mon in the ancient Chronicles than to hear their warriours complaining that the defti- nies are inflexible, that they are unatirable and cannot be furmounted. We have feen above that they reckoned the Parcae or God- defles of deftiny to be three in number, as well as the Greeks ; and like tkem attri- buted to them the determination of all events. Every man had alfo his own de- fbiny* who affifted at the moment of his birth, and marked before hand the period of his days *. It is yet probable that they confidered Odin or the fupreme God, as the author and arbiter of the deftinies. This
* It is this doctrine of mances, as that ofthcan- the ancient Celtic (and cient Romances, is found- northern) Mythology, ed on the Greek and Ro- which has produced all man Mythology. This theftoriesoffairies,andthe will appear more plainly marvellous of modern Ro- in the fequel of this work,
Chap. VI. the
6
the Edda infinuates pretty clearly, when it tells us, that he hath eftablimed from the beginning governors to regulate the defti- nies of mortals. One may conceive what impreffion this doctrine muft have made upon men who v/ere naturally warlike. Recent examples have (hewn us, that it never fails among men to add ftrength to their ruling paffion, and to produce parti- cularly in fuch as love war, a blind temerity which knows neither meafure nor danger *. But to this unlucky prejudice the ancient inhabitants of the north added another, the effects of which v/ere no lefs barbarous : which was, that the term of a man's life might be prolonged, if any one would put himfelf in his place and die in his ftead. This was, often pradtifed when a prince or illuftrious warrior was ready to perim by fbme accident ; Odin appeafed by fuch a facrifice, and content to have a victim, revoked, they faid, the decree of the def- tinies and lengthened the thread of HIS life whom they were fo delirous to fave.
The other precepts of this religion -f- probably extended no farther than to be brave and intrepid in war, to ferve the
* The author (I fup- Hiftory by Voltaire, pofe) alludes to Charles f As among all the
XII of Sweden : See his Celtic nations. Orig.
Gods,
( "3 )
Gods, and to appeafe them by Sacrifices, not to be unjult, to mow hofpitality to Grangers, to keep their words inviolably, and to be faithful to the marriage bed. There are many remarks to be made upon the fenfe in which thefe precepts were taken, and upon the manner in which they were obferved ; but to avoid repetitions, I fhall referve them for the article in which I fhall treat of the Manners of the ancient Danes : There we fhall be beft able to judge, what influence their religion had upon thefe peo- ple, and by a natural circle, thence form the moft exact idea of the fpirit of the reli- gion itfelf. It is now time to difcufs an- other of its doctrines, that of the flate of man after death, and the final deftiny of the world he now inhabits.
" There will come a time, fays the Ed- " da*, a barbarous age, an age of the " fword, when iniquity fhall infeft the <£ earth, when brothers (hall flam themfelves " with brothers blood, when fons fhall be " the murderers of their fathers, and fa- " thers of their fons, when inceft and adul-
* See Mythol. 48. and alfo the fragments cited 49. and the Poem of the by Bartholin. De Cauf. VOLUSPA towards the Contempt, a Dan. Gen- end, as it is found in til. mortis. L. 2. c. 14. the Edit, of Refenius. See
VOL. I. Chap. VI. I " tery
et tery fhall be common, when no man mall " fpare his friend. Immediately mail fuc- " ceed a defolating winter ; the mow fhall " fall from the four corners of the world, " the winds fhall blow with fury, the whole " earth fhall be hard bound in ice. Three " fuch winters fhall pals away, without being " foftened by one fummer. Then fhall fuc- " ceed aftonifhing prodigies : Then fhall " the monfters break their chains and cf- w cape : the great Dragon fhall roll himfelf " in the ocean, and with his motions the •** earth mall be overflowed : the earth mall " be fhaken ; the trees fhall be torn up by " the roots ; the rocks fhall be darned " -again ft each other. The Wolf Fenris, *< broke loofe from his chains, fhall open *l his enormous mouth which reaches from " heaven to earth ; the fire fhall flafh out " from his eyes and noftrils j he fhall devour '•" the fun : and the great Dragon who fol- " lows him, fhall vomit forth upon the <{ waters and into the air, great torrents <{ of venom. In this confufion the flars ** fhall fly from their places, the heaven <( mail cleave afunder, and the army of evil " Genii and Giants conducted by SORTUR *c (the black) and followed by LOKE, (hall " break in, to attack the gods. But HE- " IMDAL the door-keeper of the Gods, *' -rifes up, he founds his clanging trumpet;
« the
:< the Gods awake and aflemble ; the great " Afh-tree makes its branches ; heaven and " earth are full of horror and affright. The " Gods fly to arms j the heroes place " themfelves in battle-array. Odin appears " armed in his golden cafque and his re- " fplendant cuirals ; his vail fcimetar is in " his hands. He attacks the Wolf Fenris ; " he is devoured by him, and Fenris pe- " rimes at the fame inftant. Thor is fuf- '* focated in the floods of venom which the- " Dragon breathes forth as he expires. " Loke and Heimdal mutually kill each " other *.. The fire confumes every Chap. VI. I 2 " thing,
* It is very difficult to to have nothing in corn- comprehend why the mon with ODIN. The Scandinavians make their Stoics had probably the Gods to die thus, with- fame ideas : there is at out ever returning again leaft a very remarkable to life : For after the de- paflage of Seneca the tra- feat of the three principal gedian on this fubjecl. It divinities, we fee an nil- is where he defcrioes that powerful Deity appear up- conflagration which is to on tke ftage, who feems put an end to this world.
Jam jam legibus obrutis Mundo cum veniet dies Auftralis polus obruet Quicquid per Lybiam jacet, &c. Arclous polu^ obruet Quicquid fubjacet axibus. i Amiftum trepidus polo
Titan excutict diem.
( "6)
" thing, and the flame reaches up to heaven. " But prefently after a new earth fprings " forth from the bofom of the waves, " adorned with green meadows j the fields '? there bring forth without culture, cala- " mities are there unknown, a palace is " there raifed more mining than the fun, " all covered with gold. This is the place " that the juft will inhabit, and enjoy de- " lights for evermore. Then the POWER-
" FUL, the VALIANT, he WHO GOVERNS
" ALL THINGS, comes forth from his " lofty abodes, to render divine juftice. " He pronounces decrees. He eftabliihes " the facred deftinies which mail endure " for ever. There is an abode remote from
Cceli regia concidens Ortus atque obitus trahet Atque omne s pariter Deos Perdet mors aliqua^ et Chaos Et mors et fata noviflima In fe conftituet fibi Quis mundum capiet locus ?
So remarkable a confor- felves, flrongly prejudic- mity feems to fuppofe that ed as they were againlt the two fyftems had gjy them : And it is very pro- common original, jK bable that more than one would it be aftonifhing V philofopher had picked they had. There wery "Uj> among the Scythians among the barbarous na- or Thracians, confider- tions Sages of great repute, able information, efpeci- as is acknowledged by the ally with regard to reli- G reeks and Romans them- gion and morality. \ft Ed.
«' the
( "7)
" the fun, the gates of which face the " North ; poifon rains there through a thou- " fand openings : This place is all compofed " of the carcafTes of Serpents : There run " certain torrents, in which are plunged " the perjurers, afTaffins, and thofe who " feduce married women. A black, winged " Dragon flies inceflantly around, and de- " vours the bodies of the wretched who <c are there imprifoned."
Notwithstanding the obfcurities which are found in thefe defcriptions, we fee that it was a doctrine rendered facred by the re- ligion of the ancient Scandinavians, that the foul was immortal, and that there was a future ftate referved for men, either happy or miferable according to their behaviour here below. All the c Gothic and ' Celtic nations held the fame opinions, and it was upon thefe they founded the obligation of ferv- ing the Gods, and of being valiant in battle : But although the Greek and Latin hiftorians who have fpoke of this people, agree in at- tributing thefe notions to them, yet none of them have given any particular account of the nature of thefe doctrines j and one ought to regard in this refpect the Icelandic my- thology as a precious monument, without which we can know but very imperfectly this important part of the religion of our fathers. I mult here facrifke to brevity
Chap. VI. I 3 many
many reflections, which the picture I have here copied from thence, naturally pre- fents to the mind. Many in particular would arife on the furprizing conformity that there is between feveral of the fore- going ftrokes, and thole employed in the gofpel to defcribe the fame thing. A con- formity fo remarkable that one mould be tempted to attribute it to the indifcreet zeal of the Chriftian writer who compiled this mythology, if the Eiida alone had tranf- mitted to us this prophecy concerning the laft ages of the world, and if we did not find it with the fame circumftances in the VOLUSPA, a poem of greater antiquity, rind in which nothing can be difcovered that has an air of interpolation, or forgery.
One remark however ought not to be omitted, which is, that this mythology ex- prefly diftinguimes TWO different abodes for the happy, and as many for the culp- able : Which is what feveral authors who have writ of the ancient religion of Eu- rope, have not fufficiently attended to. The firft of thefe abodes was the palace of Odin named VALHALLA, where that God re- ceived all fuch as died in a violent manner, from the beginning to the end of the world, that is, to the time of that univerfal defo- lation of nature which was to be followed by a new creation, and what they called
RA-
( "9 )
RAGNAROCKUR, or the Twilight of the Gods. The fecond, which after the reno- vation of all things was to be their eternal abode, was named GIMLE, that is, the Palace covered with Gold, the defcription of which we have feen above, where the juft were to enjoy delights for ever. It was the fame as to the place of punifliments ; they diftinguifhed two of thofe, of which the firft named XIFLHEIM*, was only to continue to the renovation of the world, and the fecond that fucceeded it, was to endure forever. This laft was named NAS- T R OND "\- -, and we have feen in the defcrip- tion of the end of the world, what idea was entertained of it by the ancient Danes. With regard to the two firft places, the VALHALLA andNiFLHEiM, they are not only diftinguimed from the others in being only to endure till the conflagration of the •world, but alfo in that they feem rather in- tended to reward violence than virtue, and rather to flifie all the focial affe&ions than to deter men from crimes. Thofe only, whofe blood had been fhed in battle, might afpire to the pleafiires which Odin prepared for them in Valhalla. The pleafures which they expecled after death, fhew us plainly
* This word fignifies and Helm home, the Abode of the wicked, f The ihore of the irom the ifland Afr/7cvil, dead.
Chap. VI. I 4. enough
enough what they relimed during life. " The heroes, fays the Edda *, who are re- " ceived into the palace of Odin, have " every day the pleafure of arming them- " felves, of palling in review, of ranging " themfelves in order of battle, and of " cutting one another in pieces ; but as foon " as the hour of repaft approaches, they " return on horfeback all fafe and found " back to the Hall of Odin, and fall to eat- <{ ing and drinking. Though the number " of them cannot be counted, the fiem of " the boarSERiMNER is fufHcient for them " all ; every day it is ferved up at table, and " every day it is renewed again intire : their " beverage is beer and mead ; one fingle " goat, whofe milk is excellent mead, fur- " nifhes enough of that liquor to intoxicate " all the heroes : their cups are the fkulls of *' enemies they have flain. Odin alone, " who fits at a table by himfelf, drinks " wine for his entire liquor. A crowd of tl virgins wait upon the heroes at table, and " fill their cups as faft as they empty them." Such was that happy ftate, the bare hope of which rendered all the inhabitants of the North of Europe intrepid, and which made them not only to defy, but even feek with ardor the moft cruel deaths. Accordingly
* Edda Iceland. Mythol^i, 33, 34, 35. '1
King Regner Lodbrog * when he was going to (lie, far from uttering groans, or form- ing complaints, exprefled his joy by thefe verfes. " We * are' cut to pieces with " fwords : but this nils me with joy, when " J think of the feaft that is preparing for ct me in Odin's palace. Quickly, quickly " feated in the fplendid habitation of the " Gods, we mail drink beer out of the <c fkulls of our enemies. A brave man fears " not to die. I mail utter no timorous " words as I enter the Hall of Odin." This fanatic hope derived additional force from the ignominy affixed to every kind of death but fuch as was of a violent nature, and from the fear of being fent after fuch an exit into NIFLHEIM. This was a place coniifting of nine worlds, referved for thofe that died of difeafe or old age. HE LA or death, there exercifed her defpotic power ; her palace was ANGUISH ; her table FA- MINE; her waiters were EXPECTATIOM and DELAY -, the threfhold of her door, was PRECIPICE ; her bed LEANNESS : (he vfas livid and gh airly pale ; and her very looks infpired horror.
After this defcription of the religion of the Scandinavians, can we be furprized
* See " Five Pieces of Lend. 1763. 8vo. — Olaii " Runic Poetry, tranfla- Wormii Literatur. Run. *' ted from the Icelandic. ad calc,
Chap. VI. that
that they mould make war their only bu- iinefs, and carry their valour to the utmoft excefles of fanaticifm. Such alfo will be the features which I {hall moft frequently have occaiion to prefent, when I come to give a picture of their manners : there the influence of a doctrine fo pernicious will he felt in its utmoft extent. But juftice obliges me to obferve here, that the reproach ari- fing from it does not affect the ancient in- habitants of the North more, than thofe of all Europe in general, unlefs it be that they continued to deferve it longer. However ftrange to a man who reafons coolly may appear the madnefs of making war habitu- ally, for the fake of war itfelf: it muft not- withilanding be allowed, that this hath been for a fucceffion of ages the favourite paffion of all thofe nations at prefent fo po- lite -y and it is but, as it were, of yefterday that they began to be fenfible of the value of peace, of the cultivation of arts, and of a government favourable to induftry. The farther we look back towards their infancy, the more we fee them occupied in war, di- vided among themfelves, cruelly bent on the deftrudtion of each other, by a fpirit of revenge, idlenefs and fanaticifm. There was a time when the whole face of Europe prefented the fame fpedtacle as the forefts of America -, viz. a thoufand little wandering
nations,
( 123)
nations, without cities or towns, or agri- culture, or arts ; having nothing to fubfift on but a few herds, wild fruits and pillage, harraffing themfelves inceflantly by inroads and attacks, fometimes conquering, fome- times conquered, often totally overthrown and deftroyed. The fame caufes every where produce the fame effedls : a favage life neceflarily produces cruelty and in- juflice ; difquiet, idlenefs and envy natu- rally lead to violence, and the defire of ra- pine and mifchief. The fear of death is no restraint when life has no comfort. What evidently proves the unhappinefs of thofe nations who live in fuch a ftate as this, is the facility with which they throw their lives away. The pleafure arifing from property, from fentiment and knowledge, the fruits of induftry, laws and arts, by foftening life and endearing it to us, can alone give us arelim for peace andjuftice.
Chap. VI, C H A P-
CHAPTER VII.
Of the exterior worjhip and religious cerfi monies of the northern nations.
IN laying open the principal doctrines of the ancient Danes, I have already had frequent occafion to remark their confor- mity with thofe of the other ' Gothic and ' Celtic nations of Europe. The fame con- formity is obfervable in the worfhip which they paid the Deity ; and one may prefume that it would appear ftill greater if it were eafy to purfue with exa&nefs, the hiftory of that religion through its feveral ftages of purity and alteration. Thus, for inftance, it is eafy to comprehend why the ancient Danes made ufe of temples ; although, on the other hand, it is very certain, that the ufe of them was profcribed by the primitive religion, which taught that it was orTenfive to the gods to pretend to inclofe them with- in the circuit of walls ; and that men thereby checked and reftrained their action,
which
( -25)
which is to penetrate all creatures freely irl order to fupport them in being. There was doubtlefs a time, when the Danes, admitting the fame doctrine, worshipped theirdivinities only in open air, and either knew not or approved not of the ufe of temples. Al- though we want the greateft part of the monuments which might inftruct us con- cerning that flage of their religion, the traces of it are not yet entirely deftroyed. We find at this day here and there in Den- mark, Sweden, and Norway, in the middle of a plain, 'or upon fome little hill, altars, around which they aflembled to offer facri- fices and to affift at other religious cere- monies. The greateft part of thefe altars are raifed upon a little hill, either natural or artificial. Three long pieces of rock fet upright ferve for bafis to a great fiat ftone, which forms the table of the altar. There is commonly a pretty large cavity under this altar, which might be intended to re- ceive the blood of the victims ; and they never fail to find ftones for ftriking fire fcattered round it ; for no other fire, but fuch as was ftruck forth with a flint, was pure enough for fo holy a purpofe. Some- times thefe rural altars are conftrufted in a more magnificent manner ; a double range of enormous ftones furround the altar and the little hill on which it is erected. In Chap. VII. Zealand
Zealand we fee one of this kind * j which is formed of ftones of a prodigious magni- tude. Men would even now be afraid to undertake fuch a work, notwithftanding all the afliftance of the mechanic powers which in thofe times they wanted. What redoubles the aftonimment is, that ftones of that fi£'e are rarely to be feen throughout the ifland, and that they muft have been brought from a great diftance. What la- bour, time and fweat then muft have been beftowed urjon thefe vaft rude monuments, which are unhappily more durable than thofe of the fine arts ? But men in all ages have been perfuaded, that they could not pay greater honour to the Deity, than by making for him (if I may fo exprefs it) a kind of ftrong bulwarks ; in executing prodigies of labour j in confe- crating to him immenfe riches. The fa- crifice of whatever is vicious in our paffions, which he only requires of us for our own happinefs, is always the laft thing that is thought of to offer to him, becaufe it is perhaps what is after all the moft difficult. At Ephefus they difplayed their devotion, by laying out upon one fingle temple all the treafures of Greece and Ana. The Goths, whofe bodily ftrength was all their riches,
* Vide Olai Wormii Monum. Danic.
{hewed
( '27 )
fhewed their zeal by rolling enormous rocks to the fummits of hills.
In fome places of Norway, are found grottos, which have alfo been employed for religious ufes. Some of them have been cut with incredible pains in the hardeft rocks 5 others are formed of prodigious ftones brought near and combined together with a force no lefs furprizing*.
By degrees, as the Scandinavians formed new intercourfes and connections with the other nations of Europe, whether by the expeditions they undertook, or by the fo- reign colonies which came to eftabliih themfelves among them, their religion, changing by degrees, tolerated infenfibly temples and idols, and at length adopted them without referve. The three principal nations of Scandinavia -f- vied with each other in creeling temples, but none were more famous than that of Upfal in Swe- den. It glittered on all fides with gold. A chain of the fame metal (or at leaft gilded) ran round the roof, although the circumference was not lefs than nine hun- dred ells. Hacon earl of Norway had built one near Drontheim, which was not inferior to that of Upfal. When Olaus
* Worm. Monum. Danic. lib. i. p. 6. f Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.
Chap. VII. king
( 128 )
king of Norway introduced the ChrifKan faith into that country, he caufed this temple to be razed to the ground, and broke to pieces the idols it contained : They found there great riches, and parti- cularly a ring of gold of great value. Ice- land had alfo its temples, and the chro- nicles of that country fpeak with admira- tion of two efpecially, one lituate in the north of the ifland, the other in the fouth. In each of thefe temples, " there was," fays an author of that country *, «« a private «« chapel, which was regarded as a holy " place : There they placed the idols upon " a kind of altar, around which they " ranged the victims that were to be " offered up. Another altar flood oppo- " fite to it, plated with iron, in order that " the fire which was to burn there perpe- " tually, fhould not damage it : Upon this *c altar was placed a vafe of brafs, in which " they received the blood of the victims : " Befide it flood a brufh which they made " life of to fprinklethe blood upon the by- " ftanders. There hung up likewife a " great filver ring which they ftained with " blood, and which whoever took an oath «* on any occafion was required to hold " in his iiand. In one of thefe temples,
* Vid. Arngrim. Jon. Crymogrea.
" there
ec there was alfo near the chapel a deep " pit or well, into which they caft the " victims."
When Denmark had embraced the Chri- ftian faith, they applied themfelves with as much zeal to deftroy thefe temples, as they had a little before to ferve their falfe gods in them. In a fhort time they were all razed to the ground, and the very remem- brance of the places where they flood was totally loft. But the altars that are very often found fcattered upon the mountains and in the woods, teftify at this day, that the ancient Danes were not lefs attached to this mode of wormip than the other nor- thern nations.
All the gods whofe names I have enu- merated, and many others of inferior note, were worfhipped and invoked by the ancient Scandinavians, but not all in the fame manner, nor on the fame account. The great temple of Upfal feemed to be particularly confecrated to the three fupe- rior deities, and each of them was charac- terized by fome particular fymbol. ODIN was reprefented holding a fword in his hand : THOR flood at the left hand of Odin, with a crown upon his head, a fceptre in one hand, and a club in the other. Sometimes they painted him on a chariot, drawn by two he- goats of wood, VOL, I. Chap. VII. K with
( '30 )
with a filver bridle, and his head fur- rounded with ftars. FK IGG A flood at theleft hand of Thor ; (he was reprefented of both fexes (as an hermaphrodite) and with di- vers other attributes, which characterized the goddefs of pleafure. Odin was in- voked as the god of battles and victory. Thor, as the governor of the feafons, who difpenfed rains, dry weather and fertility. Fngga as the goddefs of pleafures, of love .and marriage. I do not here enter into a minute account of the worfhip rendered to the other gods : That which was paid to the three fuperior deities confifted principally in facrifices, and deferves to be defcribed more at large.
There were three great religious feftivals in the year. The firft was celebrated at the winter folftice. They called the night on which it wasobferved, the MOTHER-NIGHT, as that which produced all the reft : and this epoch was rendered the more remarkable as they dated from thence the beginning of the year, which among the northern nations was computed from one winter folftice to another, as the month was from one new moon to the next. .. This feaft which was very confiderable, was named IUUL *, and
* Hence is derived the old name for Chriftmas.
word YEOL or YULE, Vide Junii Etymolog.
• [Ang. Sax. Deol,] the Anglican. T.
was celebrated in honour of THOR, or the fun, in order to obtain a propitious year, and fruitful feafons. Sacrifices, feafting, dances, nocturnal affemblies, and all the de- monftrations of a moft diilblute joy, were then authorized by the general ufage : Thefe anfwered to the Saturnalia of the Romans, and were in a great meafure re- newed afterwards among the people, on oc- cafion of the feaft of Chriftmas< The fe- cond feftival was inftituted in honour of the earth or of the goddefs GOYA or FRIGGA, to requeft of her pleafures, fruit- fulnefs, and victory : And it was fixed at the firft quarter of the fecond moon of the year. The third, which feems to have been the moft confiderable in ancient times, was inftituted in honour of ODIN ; it was celebrated at the beginning of the fpring, in order to welcome in that pleafant feafon, aad efpecially to obtain of the god of battles happy fuccefs in their projected expeditions. There were alfo fome feafts in honour of the other gods, and they were often mul- tiplied on occafion of particular events.
In the earlieft ages the offerings were fimple, and fuch as fhepherds and ruftics could prefent. They loaded the altars of the gods with the firft fruits of their crops, and the choiceft products of the earth : After- wards they facrificed animals. Thev offered
Chap. VII. K 2 to
( 13*)
to Thor, during the feaft of IUUL, fat oxen and horfes ; to Frigga the largefl hog they could get * -, to Odin horfes, dogs, and fal- cons, fometimes cocks, and a fat bull. When they had once laid it down as a principle that the effufion of the blood of thefe animals appeafed the anger of the gods, and that their juftice turned afide up- on the victims thoie ftrokes which were deftined for men; their great care then was for nothing more than to conciliate their favour by fo eafy a method. It is the nature of violent deiires and exceffive fear to know no bounds, and therefore when they would aik for any favour which they ardently wimed for, or would deprecate fome public calamity which they feared, the blood of animals was not deemed a price fufficient, but they began to med that of men. It is probable that this barbarous pradice was formerly almoft univerfal, and that it is of a very remote antiquity : It •was not entirely abolimed among the nor- thern nations till towards the ninth century, becaufe before that time they had not re- ceived the light of the gofpel, and were ig- norant of thofe arts which had foftened
* MatremDcumveneran- ticnis, formas aprorum ge- tur JFJlii : injigne fuperjli- Jtant. Tacit. Germ. 0.45.
the
. ( '33 )
the ferocity of the Romans and Greeks whilft they were ftill pagans.
The appointed time for thefe facrifices was always determined by another fuper- ftitious opinion which made /the northern nations regard the number xJ&£&%s facred and particularly dear to the gods. Thus in every ninth month they renewed this bloody ceremony, which was to lad nine days, and every day they offered up nine living victims whether men or animals. But the mofl folemn facrifices were thofe which were offered at Upfal in Sweden every ninth year. Then the king, the fenate, and all the citizens of any distinction, were obliged to appear in perfon, and to bring offerings, which were placed in the great temple de- fcribed above. Thofe who could not come themfelves, fent their prefents by others, or paid the value in money to priefts whofe buiinefs it was to receive the offerings. Strangers flocked there in crowds from all parts ; and none were excluded except thofe whofe honour had ftiffered fome ftain, and efpecially fuch as had been ac- cufed of cowardice. Then they chofe among the captives in time of war, and among the flaves in time of peace, nine perfons to be facrificed : The choice was partly regulated by the opinion of the by- ftanders, and partly by lot. The wretches upon,
Chap. VII, K 3 whom
( '34)
whom the lot fell, were treated with fuch honours by all the affembly, they were fo overwhelmed \vith carefles for the pre- fent, and with promifes for the life to come, that they fometimes congratulated themfelves on their deftiny. But they did not always facrifice fuch mean perfons : In great calamities, in a preffing famine for example, if the people thought they had fome pretext to impute the caufe of it to their king, they even facrificed him with- out hefitation, as the higheft price with which they could purchafe the divine fa- vour. \In this manner the firft king* of VERM LAND was burnt in honour of Odin to put an end to a great dearth j as we read in the hiftory of Norway. The kings, in their turn, did not fpare the blood of their fubje&s ; and many of them even fhed that of their children. Hacon, king of Norway, offered his fon in facrifice, to ob- tain of Odin the victory over his enemy Harald -j-. Aune, king of Sweden, devoted to Odin the blood of his nine fons, to pre- vail on that god to prolong his life J. The ancient hiftory of the North abounds in fi-
* This was a petty f Saxo Grammat. lib. king of a province of x.
Sweden. See Wormius, £ Worm. Monum.
in Monum. Dan. p. 25, Danic. lib. i. p. 28. 26.
milar
milar examples. Thefe abominable facri- fices were accompanied with various cere- monies. When the victim was chofen, they conducted him towards the altar where the facred fire was kept burning night and day : It was furrounded with all forts of iron and brazen veflels : Among them one was diftinguimed from the reft by its fu- perior fize ; in this they received the blood of the victims. When they offered up animals, they fpeedily killed them at the foot of the altar j then they opened their entrails to draw auguries from them, as among the Romans ; afterwards they drefTed the flefh to be ferved up in a feaft prepared for the afTembly. Even horfe-flem was not rejected, and the grandees often eat of it as well as the people. But when they were difpofed to facrifice men, thofe whom they pitched upon were laid upon a great ftone, where they were inftantly either ftrangled or knocked on the head. Some- times they let out the blood ; for no pre- fage was more refpected than that which they drew from the greater or lefs degree of impetuofity with which the blood guflied forth. Hence the priefls inferred what fuccefs would attend the enterprize which was the object of their facrifice. They alfo opened the body to read in the entrails, and efpecially in the heart, the will of the Chap. VII. K 4 gods,
( '36 )
gods, and the good or ill fortune that was impending. The bodies were afterwards burnt, or fufpended in a facred grove near the temple. Part of the blood was fprinkled upon the people, part of it upon the facred grove ; with the fame they alfo bedewed the images of the gods, the altars, the benches and walls of the temple both within and without.
Sometimes thefe facrifkes were per- formed in another manner*. There was a deep well in the neighbourhood of the temple : The chofen perfon was thrown headlong in -, commonly in honour of GOYA or the EARTH. If he went at once to the bottom, the victim had proved agreeable to the goddefs, and me had re- ceived it : If it fwam a long time upon the furface, me refufed it, and it was hung up in a facred foreft. Near the temple of Up- fal, there was a grove of this fort, of which every tree and every leaf was regarded as the moft facred thing in the world. This, which was named ODIN'S GROVE, was full of the bodies of men and animals who had been facrificed. They afterwards took them down to burn them in honour of Thor or the fun : And they had no doubt that the holocauft had proved agreeable, when the
* See Arngrirn. Jonas in Crymogrea. lib. i.
frnoke
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fmoke afcended very high. In whatever manner they immolated men, the prieft al- ways took care in confecrating the vi&im to pronounce certain words, as, " I devote «c thee to Odin." " I fend thee to Odin." Or, " I devote thee for a good harveft; " for the return of a fruitful feafon." The ceremony concluded with feaftings, in which they difplayed all the magnificence known in thofe times. They drank im- moderately ; the kings and chief lords drank firft, healths in honour of the gods : Every one drank afterwards, making fome vow or prayer to the god whom they named. Hence came that cuftom among the firft Chriftians in Germany and the North, of drinking to the health of our Saviour, the apoflles, and the faints : A cuf- tom which the church was often obliged to tolerate. The licentioufnefs of thefe feafts at length increafed to fuch a pitch, as to be- come mere bacchanalian meetings, where, to the found of barbarous mufic, amidft fhouts, dancing and indecent geftures, fo many unfeemly actions were committed, that the wiieit men refufed to aflift at them.
The fame kinds of facrifices were of- fered, though perhaps with lefs Iplendor, in Denmark, Norway and Iceland. Let us hear on this fubjecl: an hiftorian of the
Chap. VJJ. eleventh
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eleventh century, Dithmar bifhop of Merle- burg*. " There is," fays he, " in Zea- " land a place which is the capital of " Denmark, named Lederun (this is now " Lethra or Leyre, of which I (hall fpeak " hereafter). At this place, every nine *' years, in the month of January, the " Danes flock together in crowds, and " offer to their gods ninety nine men, as " many horfes, dogs and cocks, with the " certain hope of appealing the gods by " thefe victims." Dudo of St. Quentin, a French hiftorian, attributes the fame prac- tice to the Normans or Norwegians -{- : But he informs us, that it was in honour of Thor that thefe facrifices were made. Arngrim Jonas, an Icelandic author who hath writ with great learning upon the an- tiquities of his nation J, remarks, that there were formerly in Iceland, two tem- ples in which they offered up human vic- tims, and a famous pit or well in which they were thrown headlong. There are ftill in Friezland, and in feveral places of Germany, altars compofed of fuch large ftones that they could neither be deftroyed by the ravages of time, nor by the zeal of
* Dithm. Merfeburg. t J. Arngr. Crymog. Chronic, lib. i. p. 12. lib. i. c. 7.
t DudoQiiint.fubinit.
the
( "39 )
the firft converts to Chriftianity. Thefe al- tars, according to the tradition of the inha- bitants, and the reports of creditable hifto- rians, have ferved for the fame horrid pur- pofes *. The Gauls for a long time offered men to their fupreme god Esus, or TEV- TAT -f. The firft inhabitants of Italy, and Sicily, the Britons, the Phenicians, the Carthaginians, and all the nations we know of in Europe and Afia, have been covered with the fame reproach. And can we wonder at it ? Every nation buried in ignorance muft inevitably fall into error, and from thence into fanaticifm and cru- elty. Men are born furrounded with dan- gers and evils, at the fame time that they are weak and naked. If, as they grow up to manhood, the arts of c vil life and the fecurity of laws do not difperfe their fears, foften their difpofitions, and difFufe through their minds, calmnefs moderation and the fbcial affections, they become a prey to a thoufand gloomy terrors, which paint out all nature to them as full of dan- gers and enemies, and keep them perpe- tually armed with ferocity and diftruft. Hence that thirft of revenge and deftruclion which barbarous nations cannot lay afide :
* Ubbo Emmius Hift. thinks was the fame as Frif. lib. i. p. 21. Odin. T.
f This our Author
Chap. VII. Hence
Hence that impious prejudice which makes them imagine the gods to be as fanguinary as themfelves. It is the unhappinefs of our nature, that ignorance fuggefts fear, and fear cruelty. They muft therefore be very little acquainted with human nature, and ftill lefs fo with hiflory, who place the golden age of any people in the age of its poverty and ignorance. It is fo true that men are every where alike in this refpect, that nations who have never had any com- merce with thofe of Europe, have run into the fame excefles with equal fury. The Peruvians anciently offered human facri- fices. The Mexicans once offered up to their gods, upon one fingle occafion, five thoufand prifoners of war. Multitudes of people, half-unknown and wandering in the deferts of Afric or forefts of America, do to this day deftroy each other, from the fame principles and with the fame blind fury.
The priefts of thefe inhuman Gods were called DROTTES, a name which probably anfwers to the Gallic word DRUIDS : They were alfo frequently ftyled Prophets, Wile Men, Divine Men. At Upfal each of the three fuperior deities had their ref- pective priefts, the principal of whom to the number of twelve, prefided over the facrifkes, and exercifed an unlimited au- thority
( HI )
thority over every thing which Teemed to have connection with religion. The refpe^t fhown them was fuitable to this authority. Sprung for the moft part from the fame fa- mily*, likethofe of the Jews, they perfuaded the people that this family had God himfelf for its founder. They often united the prieft- hood and the fovereignty in their own per- fons, after the example of Odin their legifla- tor. And it was in confequence of that cuf- tom that in later times kings ftill performed fome functions of the priefthood, or fet apart their children for an office fo highly revered. The goddefs Frigga was ufually ferved by kings daughters whom they called PRO- PHETESSES and GODDESSES; thefe pro- nounced oracles, devoted themfelves to per- petual virginity, and kept up the facred fire in her temple. Tacitus informs us, that among the Germans the power of inflidting pains and penalties, of ftriking, and bind- ing a criminal was vefted in the priefts alone. And thefe men fo haughty, who thought themfelves difhonoured if they did not re- venge the flighteft offence, would trembling fubmit to blows and even death itfelf from
* Among the northern with the care of the tem-
nations, fays Diodorus pies, and the worfhip of
Siculus,afamilyis charg- the gods. Hift. lib. ii.
cd (from father to fon) c. 47.
Chap. VII. the
( 14* )
the hand of the pontiff, whom they took for the inftrument of an angry deity *. In fhort, the credulity of the people, and the craft and prefumption of the prieft went fo far, that thefe pretended interpreters of the Divine Will dared even to demand, in the name of heaven, the blood of kings them- felves ; and they obtained it. To fucceed in this, it was only requifite for them to avail themfclves of thofe times of calamity, when the people, diftra&ed with forrovr and fear, lay their minds open to the mod horrid impreffions. At thofe times, while the prince was flaughtered at one of the altars of the gods ; the others were covered with offerings, which were heaped up on all fides for their minifters.
I have already obferved, that the ancient religion of the northern nations -J- made the deity to interpofe in the moft indifferent events, as well as the moft confiderable ; and they only confidered the elements, as fo many organs by which he manifejfted his will and his refolves. This opinion once admitted, intereft or fuperflition quickly drew from thence a confequence natural enough : namely, that by ftudying
* Neque animadvertere> velut Deo imperante. Ta-
neque vincire, neque verbe- cit. Germ. rare nift facerdotibus per- f Celtic nations. O-
mijfumy non due is j"J/uy ftd rig.
with
( '43)
with care the phenomena of nature, or, to fpeak in the fpirit of that religion, the vifible actions of that unfeen deity, men might come to know his will, inclinations, and defires : in one word, they entered into a kind of commerce with him; oracles, auguries, divinations, and a thoufand prac- tices of that kind quickly fprung up in crowds, from this erroneous principle. Ac- cordingly in all our ancient fables and chro- nicles, we fee the northern nations extremely attached to this vain fcience. They had oracles like the people of Italy and Greece, and thefe oracles were not lefs revered, nor lefs famous than theirs. It was generally believed either that the gods and goddefles, or, more commonly, that the three deftinies whofe names I have given elfewhere, de- livered out thefe oracles in their temples. That of Upfal was as famous for its ora- cles as its facrifices. There were alfo celebrated ones in Dalia, a province of Sweden ; in Norway and Denmark. " It " was," fays Saxo the Grammarian, " *a " cuftom with the ancient Danes to con- " fult the oracles of the Parcsc, concerning " the future defliny of children newly " born. Accordingly Fridleif being de- " firous to know that of his fon Olaus, " entered into the temple of the gods to «•' pray ; and being introduced into the Chap. VII. " fanftuary,
( 144)
" fan&uary, he faw three goddefles upon " fo many feats. The firft, who was of a " beneficent nature, granted the infant " beauty and the gift of pleafing. The <c fecond gave him a noble heart. But " the third, who was envious and fpiteful, <{ to fpoil the work of her fillers, im- " printed on him the ftain of covetoufnefs." It mould feem that the idols or itatues themfelves of the gods and goddefles de- livered thefe oracles vrva voce. In an ancient Icelandic chronicle we read of one Indrid, •who went from home to wait for Thor- jftein his enemy. " Thorflein," fays the author, " upon his arrival, entered into " the temple. In it was a ftone (cut pro- " bably into a flatue) which he had been " accuftomed to worfhip ; he proftrated " himfelf before it, and prayed to it (to " inform him of his defliny). Indrid, " who flood without, heard the ftone <' chaunt forth thefe verfes. " It is for the " laft time, it is with feet drawing near " to the grave, that thou art come to this <c place : For it is moil certain, that before " the fun ariieth, the valiant Indrid fhall •• make thee feel his hatred *." The people perfuaded themfelves fometimes that thefe idols anfwered by a gefture or a nod
* Holmveria faga apud Bartholin. lib. iii. c. i r.
Of
( H5 )
of the head, which fignified that they' hearkened to the prayers of their fuppli- cants. Thus in the hiitory of Olave Tryg- gefon king of Norway, we fee a lord named Hacon, who enters into a temple, and proftrates hi mfelf before an idol which held in its hand a great bracelet of gold. Hacon, adds the hiftorian, eafiiy conceiv- ing, that fo long as the idol would not part with the bracelet, it was not difpofed to be reconciled to him, and having made fome fruitlefs efforts to take the bracelet away, be- gan to pray afrem, and to offer it prefents : then getting up a fecond time, the idol loofed the bracelet, and he went away very well pleafed. I (hall not lofe time in en- tering into a defcription of the other kinds of Oracles. Enough has been faid to con- vince the difcerning reader, that here was the fame credulity oit the one fide, and the fame impofture on the other, as had for- merly procured credit to the oracles of Greece and Afia. There is no eflential difference between thofe of the two coun- tries, though fo far diftant from each other. If the luxury of the fouthern nations fet theirs off with more pomp and magnifi- cence than comported with the lirnplicity of the rude inhabitants of the North, the latter had no lefs veneration and attachment to their own oracles, than they. It has VOL. I. Chap. VII. L been
( 146 )
been thought to be no lefs for the intereft of religion to attribute thefe of the North to the artifices of the devil, than the others, as well as the pretended fcience of magic, of which the North has pad fo long for the mofl ce- lebrated fchool and peculiar country. It rt true that men have not advanced on the iubjeft of the northern oiacles, as they have done with refpecSt to thofe of the fouth, that they ceafed at the birth of Chriil *, although the affertion is as true, of the one as the other : But for want of this proof, an ill-grounded zeal hath found plenty of others ; as if the advan- tages refulting from, true religion were lefs important, or our gratitude lefs due, be- caufe the evils from which it hath deli- rered mankind, did not proceed from fu- perpatural caufes.
' Oracles were not the only efforts made by the curiofity of the Scandinavians to pene- trate into futurity, nor the only relief im- pofture afforded them. They had diviners both male and female, honoured with the name of prophets, and revered as if they
* Pope Gregory writ- rati, &c. &c. Ex EpifK
ing to the Saxons newly Bonifac.aSerar. Mogunt.
converted, fays, Falfedica in 4 edit. — Nothing was
numlna in qiiibus dtcmones • more common at that
habitare nofciintur — Oro ut time than this fort ot
J.nt a diabolitd Jraude, like- language-
had
(
had been fuch. Some of them were faid to have familiar fpirits, who never left them, and whom they confulted under the form of little idols : Others dragged the ghofts of the departed from their tombs, and forced the dead to tell them what would happen. Of this laft fort was Odin himfelf, who often called up the fouls of the deceafed, to know what pafled in dif- tant countries. There is ftill extant a very ancient Icelandic ode upon a fubjecl: of this kind * > wherein the poet reprefents, in very ftrong imagery, Odin as defcending to the infernal regions, and calling up from thence a celebrated prophetefs. Poetry was often employed for the like abfurd pur- pofes, and thofe fame SCALDS or bards, who as we mall fee hereafter enjoyed fuch credit among the living, boafted a power of difturbing the repofe of the dead, and of dragging them fpite of their teeth out of their gloomy abodes, by force of certain fangs which they knew how to compofe. The fame ignorance, which made poetry be regarded as fomething fupernatural, perfuaded them alfo that the letters or RUNIC characters, which were then ufed by the few who were able to write and
* This the reader will find tranflated in the fecond part of this work.
Chap. VII. L 2 read,
read, included in them certain myfleriotts and magical properties. Importers then eafily perfuaded a credulous people, that thefe letters, difpofed and combined after a certain manner, were able to work won- ders, and in particular to prefage future events. It is faid, that Odin, who was the inventor of thofe characters, knew by their means how to raife the dead. There were letters, or RUNES, to procure victory, to preferve from poiibn, to relieve women in labour, to cure bodily difeafes, to difpel evil thoughts from the mind, to diffipate melan- choly, and to foften the feverity of a cruel iniilrcfs. They employed pretty nearly the fame characters for all thefe different pur- pofes, but they varied the order and com- bination of the letters : They wrote them either from right to left, or from top to bottom, or in form of a circle, or contrary to the courfe of the fun, &c. In this principally coniifled that puerile and ridi- culous art, as little underftood probably by thofe who profciTed it, as it was diftrufted by thofe who had recourfe to it.
I have already remarked, that they had often no other end in facrificing human victims, than to know what was to happen by infpeciion of their entrails, by the effu- fion of their blood, and by the greater or lefs degree of celerity with which they funk to
the
( H9 )
the bottom of the water. The fame mo- tive engaged them to lend an attentive ear to the fmging of birds, which fome di- viners boafted a power of interpreting. The ancient hiftory of Scandinavia is as full of thefe fuperftitious practices, as that of Rome itfelf. We fee in Saxo Grammaticus, as in Livy, auguries which forebode the fuccefs of an expedition, warriors who are ftruclc by unexpected prefages, lots confulted, days regarded as favourable or unlucky, female diviners who follow the armies, ihowers of blood, forebodings, wonderful dreams which the event never fails to juftify, and the ilightefl circumftances of the moft import- ant actions taken for good or bad omens. This hath been, we well know, a general and inveterate difeafe in human nature, of which it hath only begun to be cured in Eu- rope. To recall to view a fpectacle, which tends fo much to mortify and humble us, would be a labour as ufelefs as difcouraging to an hiftorian, if the knowledge of all thefe practices did not make an eiTential part of that of Manners and of the caufes of events, without which there could be no hiftory ; and alfo if the fketch of the errors and miftakes of human reafon did not convincingly prove to us the necemty of cultivating it. A perfon endued with natural good fenfe will alfo find by this Chap. VII. L 3 means
( '5°)
means remedies proper to cure whatever remains of fuch weaknefs and credulity hang about him. It is true, one cannot al- ways refute the marvellous and fupernatural fiories of ancient hiftorians, by the bare circumftances of their relations ; becaufe, befides that it would be endlefs to enter continually upon fuch difcuffions, we often want the pieces necefTary to enable us to> make all the refearches fuch an examina- tion would require. But what needs there more to convince us that we have a right to reject, without exception, all facts of this kind, than to confider, on the one hand, how ignorant the vulgar are even in our days, how credulous, how eafy to be impofed on, and to be even the dupes of their own fancy, greedy of the marvel- lous, inclined to exaggeration, and pre- cipitant in their judgments : And, on the other hand, that among thofe nations whofe hiftory appears fo aftoniming at prefent, for a long time all were vulgar, except per- haps a few obfcure fages, whofe voice was too feeble to be heard amid the clamours of fo many blind and prejudiced perfons ? Is it .not fufficient to confider further, that the age of the greater! ignorance of fuch na- tions is prccifely that which hath been mofl fruitful of oracles, divinations, prophetic dreams, apparitions, and other prodigies
of
of that kind ? that they appear more fel- dom in proportion as they are lefs believed ? and finally, that the experience of our own times (hows us, that wherever reafon is brought to the greateft perfection, all things fall into the order of natural and fimple events, infomuch that the lowed and mean- eft clafs of men accuftom themfelves to be- lieve nothing which is not agreeable to good fenfe and accompanied with fomc probability ?
But I repeat it once more, that fuper- ftition did not blind all the ancient Scan- dinavians without exception : And hiftory teftifies, that there were, after all, among them men wife enough to dilcover the folly of the received opinions, and coura- geous enough to condemn them without referve. In the hiftory of Olave * king of Norway, a warrior fears not to fay publickly, that he relies much more on his own ftrength and on his arms, than upon Thor or Odin. Another, in the fame book, fpeaks thus to his friend. " I would have " thee know, that I believe neither in " idols nor fpirits. I have travelled in " many places ; I have met with giants <c and monftrous men : they could never
* Or Olaus furnamed Trygguefon. Vid. Bar- tholin. de Caufis, &c. p. 80.
Chap. VII. L 4 " over-
" overcome me j thus to this prefent hour " my own force and courage are the fole " objecls of my belief." Unluckily there feems too much room to lufpect that this contempt of fuperftition did but throw them for the moft part into the oppofite ex- treme. So true is it that we feldom are able to obferve a juft medium. At leaft, many of the northern warriors feem to have been fo intoxicated with their cou- rage as to efteem themfelves independent .beings, who had nothing to aik or fear from the gods. In an Icelandic chronicle, a vain-glorious perfon makes his boaft to a Chriftian miffionary, that he had never yet acknowledged any religion, and that his own ftrength and abilities were every thing to him. For the fame reafon, others refufed to facrirke to the gods of whom they had no need. St. Olave king of Norway demanding of a war- rior, who offered him his fervices, what religion he profeffed ; the warrior an- Avered, " I am neither Chriftian nor " Pagan ; my companions and I have no <: other religion, than the confidence in '•' our own flrength, and in the good iiic- " cefs which always attends us in war; " and we are of opinion, it is all that is " necelTary." The fame thing is related pf R.OLF furnamed KP.ACK, king of Den- mark 3
( "53 )
mark ; one day when one of his compa-r nions propofed to offer a facrifice to Odin, he faid that he feared nothing from that bluftering fpirit, and that he fhould never ftand in awe of him. But as it was not al- ways kings who durft manifeft fentiments fb bold and hardy, the followers of the pre- vailing religion fometimes punimed thefe irreligious perfons. In the life of king Olave Tryggefon, mention is made of a man who was condemned to exile for hav- ing fung in a public place, verfes, the fenfe of which was to this purpofe. " I will " not infult or affront the gods : Never- " thelefs, the goddefs Freya infpires me " with no refpect : It mufl certainly be " that either me or Odin are chimerical " deities." It is eafy to conceive how much, natural good fenfe, fupported by that confidence which bodily ftrength in- fpires, could excite in thofe ancient war- riors contempt for their mute and feeble deities, and for the childifh or trouble- fome rites in their worfhip. But befides this, it is certain, as I have already ob- ferved, that the Scythian religion, in its original purity, admitted only a limple and reafonable worfliip, and one fole, principal Deity, who was invilible and almighty. One may then fuppofe, with a good deal of likelihood, that tin's religion \vas not Chap. VII. by
( J54)
by length of time fo much defaced, but that fome traces of it ftill remained in the memory of fenfible perfons, and in the founded part of the nation. Indeed we fee appear at intervals, in the ancient Scandinavia, fome men of this ftamp endued with a real Strength of mind, who not only trampled under foot all the objects of the credulity and idle fuperftition of the multitude, (an effort which pride renders eafy, and fome- times alone produces) but who even raifed their minds to the invifible mafter of every thing we fee; " the father of the fun, and " of all nature." In an Icelandic chro- nicle, a perfon named GIEST fays to his nephew, who is juft ready to embark for Greenland * : " I befeech, and conjure " him who made the fun, to give fuccefs " to thy undertaking." A celebrated Nor- wegian warrior, named THORSTEIN, fays, fpeaking of his father, " He will receive *' upon this account a recompence from " him, who made the heaven and the " univerfe, whoever he be :" And, upon another occasion, he makes a vow to the fame being, " who made the fun," for, adds he, " his power muil needs have been " exceflive to produce fuch a work." All his family entertained the fame fentiments,
* Vatzdzla, apud BarthoJ. c. 6. lib. i. p. 83.
and
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and It is exprefsly noted in many places of the fame chronicle, that it was their re- ligion to believe in him " who was creator of the fun." TORCHILL, afupreme judge of Iceland, a man of unblemimed life, and diftinguifhed among the wifeft magiftrates of that ifland during the time that it was governed in form of a republic, feeing his end draw near, ordered himfelf to be fet in the open air, with his face turned to- wards the fun, and having retted there fome moments in a kind of extacy, ex- pired, recommending his foul to HIM among the gods, who had created the fun and the ftars *. But of all the ftrokes of this kind, none is more remarkable than what a modern Icelandic hlftorian relates in his manufcript-fupplement to the hiftory of Norway. Harold Harfax, the firfl king of all Norway, fays this au- thor, being yet but young, held the fol- lowing difcourfe in a popular aflembly. ** I " fwear and proteft in the moft facred «' manner, that I will never offer facrifice " to any of the gods adored by the people, " but to him only, who hath formed this " world, and every thing we behold in it." Harold lived in the middle of the ninth century, at a time when the Chriftian reli- gion had not yet penetrated into Norway.
* Arn. Jon. Crymog. lib. i. c. 6.
CHAP-
CHAPTER VIII.
Of the form of government which formerly prevailed in the North.
THE character of the ancient nor- thern nations is, in fome meafure, laid open in the former book. It is the nature of every religion which is the handy- work of men, always to carry marks of the weaknefs of its authors, and to breathe forth the fame fpirit, with which they themfelves were animated. Their govern- ment and laws are another faithful mirrour, wherein that fpirit may be feen with no lefs advantage. It is obvious, that the laws cannot long be contrary to the genius of a nation. Sooner or later they will be im- preffed with its character, or they will give it theirs. Thefe are two ftreams very dif- ferent in their fources, but which as foon as they unite in the fame channel, have but one force and one direction. The importance of this fubject makes it incumbent on me to treat it with fome extent, and to bring
together
( '57)
together with the utmoft care all the feebfe and fcattered rays, which throw any light upon it amid the obfcurity of fo many dark ages.
In the firft place, let us confult Tacitus, that excellent hiftorian of ancient Germany, who in his little compendious narrative, hath given in a few pages a mofl ftrik- ing picture of the inhabitants of this vaft country. It is needlefs to repeat here what is known to all who have read his treatife concerning Germany, that he comprehended under this name all Scan- dinavia ; and whatever he fays of the for- mer equally regards the latter. His words ought to be given here intire, and weighed with care. Among this people, he fays, *e the chiefs, or princes *, determine fome " affairs of lefs importance ; all the reft " are referved for the general afTembly : «c Yet even thefe the decifion of which is " vefted in the people, are beforehand
" difcufled by the chiefs
" At thefe afTemblies they take their feats " all of them armed. Silence is com- " manded by the priefts, whofe buflnefs it
* De minor ibus nrflff PftlNcrfES confult ant ; demajc- ribus OMNES. Tacit. Germ. c. ir, 12, 13, 14, &V.
Chap. VIII. " is
" is at fuch times to maintain order. Then " the king or chief fpeaks firft j afterwards es the great men are heard in their turns " with that attention which is due to their " age, to their nobility, their reputation in " war, their eloquence j greater deference " being paid to their power of perfuafion, " than to their perfonal authority. If «' their advice difpleafes, the people reject " it with a general murmur : If it is ap- " proved of, they clam their lances -f. It " is the moft honourable way of expreffing " their affent, or of conferring praiie, to do " it by their arms. . . . Criminal caufes " mayalfobe brought before this great coun- ** cil of the nation. ... In the fame af-^ ** femblies are elected the chiefs or princes, " whofe bufinefs it is to diftribtite juflice " thro' the towns and villages. To each of " thele are joined a hundred affeflbrs cho- " fen out of the peopk, who affift the chief
** with their advice and authority
t( * The kings are chofen for their no- *' ble birth j the leaders or generals for " their perfonal valour. The power of " the kings is not arbitrary, but limited.
•j- Frame as concutiunt. Tacit. * REGES ex nobilitate:, DUCES ex vh'tute fvmunt. Tacit, c. 7.
'* The
" The leaders are not fo much to give of- " ders, as examples : They muft fignalize " themfelves by their courage and activity, <c and their authority muft be founded on " eftecm and admiration. . ^ . . Extreme " youth does not exclude from the rank of " prince or chief, thofe, whom their noble " birth, or the diftinguifhed merit of their " fathers intitle to this dignity. As they " advance in age and acquire efteem, other " young warriors attach themfelves to " them and fwell their retinue. Nor does " any one blufti to be feen among thefe " ATTENDANTS or FOLLOWERS-}-. Yet «' they have different degrees of rank, " which are regulated by the chief's own " judgment. Among the followers is " great emulation, who mall ftand higheft " in the chief's or prince's favour : Among " the princes, who mall have the moft nu- *' merous and valiant attendants. This is " their dignity, their ftrength, to be always " furrounded with a body of chofen youths : *c This is their glory in peace ; their fecu- " rity in war. And not only in their own " nation, but among neighbouring ftates, " they acquire a name and reputation, in
t Nfc rubor inter CoMlTES afpid. T?.c.
Chap. VIII. " proportion
" proportion to the number and valour of «e their attendants. Then is their friendfhip' " fought after by embaffies, and cultivated *' by prefents. .... In battle, it would " be a difgrace to the chief to be excelled " in courage by any of his followers : A <£ difgrace to his followers not to equal " their chief. Should he perifh, they " would be expofed to the higheft infamy " through life if they mould furvive him,
" and efcape from battle The
<£ chiefs fight for victory : They for their " chief. .... To retain their followers; " in their fervice, no prince or chief hath " any other refource but war. They re- " quire of him one while a horfe trained " for war : One while a victorious and " bloody lance. His table rudely ferved, *' but with great abundance, ferves them " inftead of pay."
All the moft diftinguifhed circumftances which characterize the ancient Gothic form of government, are contained in this re- markable palTage. Here we fee Rings; who owe their advancement to an illuftrious extraction, prefiding, rather than ruling, over a free people. Here we fee the Na- tion ailembling at certain flated times, and making refolutions in their own perfons on all affairs of importance, as to enaft laws,
to
to chufe peace or war, to conclude alliances, to distribute juftice in the laft refort, and to elecl: magiftrates. Here alfb We diftin- guim a body of the Grandees or Chiefs of the nation, who prepare arid propofe the Important matters, the decifion of which is referved for the general affembly of all the free men : That is, we trace here the firft lineaments, if I may fo fay, of what Was afterwards named in different countries, " The council of the nation," " The fe- *' nate," " The houfe of peers," &c. Here We difcoVer the origin of that fingu- lar cuftom, of having an elective General, under an hereditary King : a cufto'm re- ceived among moft of the nations of Ger- man extraction, who had either Mayors of the Palace, or Grand Marfhals, or Cori- ftables, or Counts : For all theie different names only exprefTed the fame thing in different countries. Laftly, if we examine with attention the words of Tacitus, we cannot doubt but VafTalagfc and the' Feudal Tenure had already taken footing among this people before ever they left their na- tive forefls. For although perhaps they did not in thofe early times give lands in fee, and although their Fees or Fiefs were then perhaps nothing but arms, war-horfes, and banquets ; what we read of the reci- procal engagements between the Princes or VOL. I. Chap. VJII. M Chiefs
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Chiefs and their Followers, evidently con- tains whatever was eflential to the nature of VaflTalage, and all the changes which were afterwards made in it were only flight and accidental, occafioned by the conquefts and new eftablUhments, which followed from it.
If we confider after this, the character of thefe nations, as it is fketched out by Tacitus, we mall not be furprized to fee them wedded to institutions which they found fo fuitable to their fituation and tem- per : For being the moft free and warlike people upon earth, they muft have had a natural averfion to the authority of a fingle perfon ; and if they placed themfelves un- der leaders, it was only becaufe war cannot be conducted in any other form. As free men, they would only obey from choice, and be lefs influenced by perfonal authority than by reafon : As warriors, they con- ceived no other duty to be owing to a prince, than to be ready to fhed their blood for his caufe.
But how came thefe men to preferve themfelves in fo great a degree of liberty ? This was owing to their climate and man- ner of life, which gave them fuch ftrength of body and mind as rendered them ca- pable of long and painful labours, of great and daring exploits. " Accordingly we
" have
" have fince found liberty to prevail in Nortri " America: But not in the South*." For the bodily ftrength of the northern warriors kept up in them that courage, that opinion of their own valour, that impatience of affronts and injuries, which makes men hate all arbitrary government and defpife thofe who fubmit to it. Being lefs fenfible of pain than the more fouthern nations, lefs eafily moved by the bait of pleafure, lefs fufceptible of thofe paffions which fhake the foul too violently, and weaken it by making it dependent on another's will, they were the lefs a prey to ambition, which flatters and intimidates by turns, in order to gain the afcendant : Their imagination more conftant than lively, their conception more fteady than quick, naturally refifting novelties, kept them from falling into thofe fnares, out of which they would not have known how to efcape.
They were free, becaufe they inhabited an uncultivated country, rude forefts and mountains ; and liberty is the fole treafure of an indigent people : for a poor country excites no avidity, and he who poffefles little, defends* it eafily. They were free, becaufe they were ignorant of thofe plea- fures, often fo dearly bought, which render
* Montefquieu. L'Efprit des Loix. Tom. 2.
Chap. VIII. M 2 the
the protection of a powerful matter ne- ceilary. They were free, becaufe hunters and fhepherds, who wander about in woods through inclination or neceffity, are not fo eafily opprefled as the timorous inhabitants of inclofed towns, who are there chained down to the fate of their houfes : and be- caufe a wandering people, if deprived of their liberty in one place, eanly find it in another, as well as their fubfiftence. Laftly, they were free, becaufe knowing not the ufe of money, there could not be employed againft them that inftrument of flavery and corruption, which enables the ambitious to colled and diflribute at will the figns of riches.
Further, that fpirit of liberty, arifing from their climate, and from their ruftic and military life, had received new ftrength from the opinions it had produced ; as a fucker which moots forth from the root of a tree, ftrengthens by embracing it. In effect, thefe people, efteeming beyond all things, the right of revenging an affront, the glory of defpifing death and perifhing fword in hand, were always ready to attack tyranny in the firft who dfred to attempt it, and in whatever formidable ihape it appeared.
By thefe means was liberty preferved among the inhabitants of Germany and the
North,
( '65 )
North, as it were in the bud, ready to blof- fom and expand through all Europe, there to flourish in their feveral colonies. This powerful principle exerted the more ftrength in proportion as it was the more preffed, and the whole power of Rome having been unable to deftroy it, it made that yield in its turn from the time it began to be en- feebled till it was entirely overturned. In- deed there was fcarce a moment wherein thefe two oppofite powers prefer ved an even ballance. As foon as ever that of Rome ceafed to be fuperior, it was de- ftroyed. Its celebrated name, that name which had been fo long its fupport, was only a fignal of vengeance, which ferved as it were to rally and affemble at the fame inftant all the northern nations: .And im- mediately all thefe people breaking forth as it were by agreement, overturned this un- happy empire, and formed out of its ruins limited monarchies ; ftates not lefs known before by name, than by their form of government.
In effect, we every where fee in thefe fwarms of Germans and Scandinavians, a troop of favage warriors who feem only born for ravage and deftru&ion, changed into a fenfible and free people as foon as ever they had confirmed their conquers ; impregnating (if I may fo fay) their inOi- Chap. VIII. M 3 tutions
( '66 )
tutions with a fpirit of order and equality j electing for their kings fuch of their princes of the blood royal as they judged inoft worthy to wear the crown > dividing between thofe kings and the whole nation the exercife of the fovereign power -, referv- ing to the general aiTemblies the right of making laws, and deciding important mat- ters ; and laftly, to give a folid fupport to the powers immediately eiTential to mo- narchy, diftributing fiefs to the principal warriors, and affigning certain privileges proper to the feveral orders of the ftate.
Such for a long time was the conftitu- tion of all the governments which thefe people founded in Italy, in Spain, in Gaul, in Britain at that memorable sra, which changed the fate and place of abode of fa many nations : An asra for ever memorable, fince here we trace the firfl link (as it were) of a new chain of events ; and hence we fee fpring forth the laws, the manners and principles which have ever fince go- verned fo many celebrated nations, whofe fuperiority of genius feems to have called them forth to determine one day the fate of almoft all the reft of the world.
One cannot without difficulty quit an
objecl: fo pleafmg. It is time however
to confine myfelf to what more parti-
V relates to my fubjedt. All that
we
we learn from the hiftorical monuments of the North perfectly confirms the tefti- mony of Tacitus, and either gives or re- ceives new light from the annals of the other Teutonic nations. This remarkable agreement made M. de Montefquieu fay that " in reading Tacitus, we every where " fee the codes of the barbarous nations : " And in reading the codes of the barba- " rous nations, we are continually reminded " of Tacitus." Notwithftanding this, we muft not flatter ourfelves that we can dif- cover exadtly the extent of power, which the ancient kings of Scandinavia enjoyed, nor the particular rights and privileges of each order of the ftate. If thefe were never very precifely determined among a rude people, who had no other laws but cuftom, how can we diftinguim them ex- aftly at the prefent great diftance of time ? All that we can obfcurely difcover, is, that the Danes, who before the arrival of Odin, were divided into many nations, and lived in great independence, were by force of arms lubjeded to kings more abfolute, whom this conqueror placed over them. It is ftill more probable, that the fame thing hap- pened to the Swedes, who, according to Tacitus, were in his time under the go- vernment of a fmgle perfon. If this hifto- rian is well informed, the point of time in Chap. VIII. M 4 which
( -63 )
which he has defcribed the Swedes, piuft have been that immediately after their con- quefl. This event alone will account for that ftate of defpotifm in which he fuppofcs them to be funk. (i The Swedes*," he tells us, " honour riches as well as the Romans. " And for this reafon they have fallen un- " der the dominion. of a fingle perfon. " Their monarchy is no longer moderated t( and limited by any reftridtions ; but is " entirely deipotic. - The arms are not '* there as among the other Germanic " people, promifcuouily found in every " one's hand, but they are kept fhut up " under a clofe guard * and are even under " the cuftody of -a -Have." This govern- ment fo '- entirely deipotic " was doubtlefs owing to fome accident : accordingly it could not be of long duration. An ar- bitrary government hath fince been re- eftablifhed in Sweden upon feveral occa- fions, but never for any long continuance. This climate, made for liberty, always triumphs in the end over defpotic fway, which in other countries hath always tri- umphed over liberty.
The Danes were not long before they recovered their right of electing their kings, and coniequently all the other rights
* Lat. Suisnes. Tacit. Germ. c. 44.
left
lefs effential to liberty. It is true, the people feem always to have made it a law to chufe the neareft relation of the deceafed king, or at leaft fome one of the royal fa- xnily, which they refpe&ed as iflued from the gods. They ftill fhew the places where thefe elections were made : And as Den- mark was for a long time divided into three kingdoms, we find accordingly three prin- cipal monuments of this cuftom j the one near Lunden in Scania, the other at Leyra or Lethra in Zealand, and the third near Viburg in Jutland. Thefe monuments, whofe rude bulk has preferved them from the ravages of time, are only vaft unhewn ftones, commonly twelve in number, fet upright and placed in form of a circle. In the middle is ere<5ted a flone much larger than the reft, on which they made a feat for their king *. The other ftones ferved as a barrier to keep off the populace, and marked the place of thofe whom the people had appointed to make the election. They treated alfo in the fame place of the moft important affairs. But if the king chanced to die in war or at a diftance from home, they formed upon the fpot a place after the fame model by bringing together the largeft fto-nes they could find. The prin-
* Worm. Monum. Danic. Chap. VIII, cipal
( '70)
cipal chiefs got upon thefc Hones, and with a loud voice delivered their opinions ; then the fbldiers who Hood in crowds about them lignified their approbation or affent by clafhing their fhields together in a kind of cadence, or by raifing certain mouts. We know that this cuftom of electing their kings in the open field prevailed among all the northern nations, and was for a long time neceflary, becaufe they had no cities. The emperors of Germany were for many ages elected after the fame man- ner; and the Poles, more attached to their ancient cufloms than other nations, have not to this day, forfaken it.
In Sweden, they joined to the other ce- remonies which I have been defcribing, an oath, reciprocally taken between the king and his fubje&s *. One of the fenators, or judges of the provinces, convoked an affembly to make a new election imme- diately after the death of the king, and de- manded with a loud voice of the people, if they would accept for king the perfbn he named, who was always one of the royal family. When they had all given their content, the new king was lifted up on the moulders of the fenators -f , in order that
all
* Dalin. Suea Rikes. t We preferve in Eng- Jlift. torn, i. chap. 7. land to this day a relique
of
( '7' )
all the people might fee and know him. Then he took Odin to witnefs, that he would obferve the laws, defend his country, extend its boundaries, revenge whatever in- juries his predeceflbrs had received from their enemies, and would ftrike fome fignal ftroke which mould render him and his people famous. This oath he renewed at the funeral of his predecefTor, which was ufually celebrated with great pomp : And alfo on occafion of the progrefs which he was obliged to make through the chief provinces of the kingdom, in order to re- ceive the homage of his fubje&s. I relate here all the particulars of this ceremony, becaufe the exacT: conformity which we find between the manners of the Danes and Swedes during the ages of paganifm, will not fuffer us to doubt but that the kings of Denmark were elected after the fame man- ner. This fuppofition is confirmed by what we can difcover of the ancient con- ftitution of the kingdom of Norway. But it is fufficient juft to mention here this identity of government in the three princi- pal kingdoms of the North. To defcribe
ofthiscuftom, by carry- on the fhoulders of the
ing our members of par- burgefles, and fo expo-
Jiament, as foon as they fing them, to general
are ele&ed, in chairs up- view. T.
Cha. VIIL it
it minutely in them all would occasion tirefome repetitions. We have a remark- able fad:, relative to this matter, which it will be of much greater confequence to know, as well on account of the great light which it throws on this fubject, as on ac- count of its own finking Angularity.
A colony of Norwegians driven from their own country by the tyranny of one of their kings, eftablimed itfelf in Iceland towards the end of the ninth century *. Hiftory informs us that immediately, with- out lofing time, they proceeded to elect magiftrates, to enact laws, and, in a word, to give their government fuch a regular form, as might at once infure their tran- quillity and independence. The fituation in which thefe Icelanders found themfelves is remarkable on many accounts. The ge- nius of this people, their natural good fenfe, and their love of liberty appeared upon this occafion in all their vigour. Un- interrupted and unreftrained by any out- ward force, we have here a nation deli- vered up to its own direction, and efta- bliming itfelf in a country feparated by vaft feas from all the reft of the world : We Ibe therefore in all their inftitutions nothing
* See a more particular relation of this below, fr Chap. XI.
but
( '73 )
but the pure dictates of their own irfcli- nations and fentiments, and thefe were fo natural and fo fuited to their fituation and character, that we do not find any general deliberation, any irrefolution, any trial of different modes of government ever pre- ceded that form of civil polity which they at firft adopted, and under which they lived afterwards fo many ages. The whole fettled into form as it were of itfelf, and fell into order without any effort. In like manner as bees form their hives, the new Icelanders, guided by a happy in- ftinct, immediately on their landing in a defert ifland, eftablifhed that fine conftitu- tion wherein liberty is fixed on its proper bafis, viz. a wife diftribution of the differ- ent powers of government. An admirable difcovery, which at firft fight, one would think muft have been the matter-piece of fome confummate politician ; and which, neverthelefs, according to the remark of a great genius of this age *, was compleated
* M. de MONTES- felves : Of which we
QUIEU. The follow- find various notices and
ing account is built on extracts in a multitude of
the teflimony of many books, particularly in
ancient annals, both that of Torfaeus cited
printed and manufcript, above, and in Arngrim's
of the Icelanders them- work iiuitled Crymogxa.
Chap. VIII. here,
( 174 )
hc«, as in other countries, by favages in the inidft of forefts.
Nature having of itfelf divided the ifland into four provinces, the Icelanders followed this divifion, and eftablifhed in each of them a magistrate who might be called the Provincial Judge. Each province was fub- divided into three Prefectures *, which had their reTpedtive Judges or Prefects. And laftly, each Prefecture contained a certain number of Bailywicks ; in each of which were commonly five inferior magistrates, whofe bufmefs it was to diftribute juftice in the firft inftance through their own diftrict ; to fee that good order Was preferved in it -f* ; and to convoke the aflemblies of the Baily- wick, as well ordinary as extraordinary, of which all free men, who poflefled lands of a certain value, were members. In thefe
* Only the northern Arngrim thus renders in- province or quarter, be- to Latin. Ejufmodi nun- ing larger than the reft, did impune CASTRANDJ contained four of thcfe eiiamft cum eorundem nece Prefectures. conjunttum foret. Tit. de
f It was the bufmefs Pupil, c. 33. There is ef thefe magiftrates to in the fame code another punifti the difiblute, par- Law which forbids the ticularly fuch as were giving fuftenance or re- poor through their own lief of any kind to com- iault. We find in the mon beggars. Tit. de Icelandic code this re- Mendic. c. 39 & 36. maskable law, which Firft Edit;
aflemblies
aflemblies they elected the five Judges or Bailifs, who were to be perfons diftin- guimed for their wifdomj and were required to enjoy a certain income in lands, for fear their poverty ihould expofe them to con- tempt or corruption. When the caufes were of any importance, the whole affembly gave their opinion. Without its full confent a new member could not be received into their community. If any fuch offered himfelf, he applied to the afTembly, who examined his motives for making the requeft, and rejected it, if the petitioner had failed in honour on any occafion, or was merely too poor : For as the com- munity maintained fuch of its own mem- bers as were by any accident reduced to mifery or want *, it was their common in- tereft to exclude fuch perfons as were indi- gent : They had for that purpofe a fund fupported by contribution, as alfo by what arofe from the fines, which were the more confiderable, as they ufed in thofe times fcarce any other kind of punifhmcnt-j-.
Laftly,
* Thus the Auembly per, &c. In thefe cafes
rebuilt (at leaft in part) the Bailiffs taxed each ci-
any man's houfe that was tizen according to his
burnt down, beftowed a fubttance. Firji Ed:t.
new ftock of cattle on f It is a remark of the
fuch as had loft their own Author of the SPIRIT OF
fey any contagious diftem- LAWS, a remark con-
. Chap. Vili. firmed
( 176 )
Laftly, this fame aflembly of the Bally- wick took care to examine into the conduct of the Bailiffs, received the complaints that were made agairift them, and punimed them when convicted of abufing their au- thority.
A re-afTembly of the members, or at leaft of the deputies of ten fuch communi- ties, reprefented, what I call a Prefe&ure. Each quarter or grand province of the ifland contained three of thefe, as we have
firmed by the Hiftory of all nations, that in pro- portion as any people love liberty, the milder are their punifhments. The ancient Germans and Scandinavians, the moft brave and free race of men that perhaps ever exifted, knew fcarcely any other than pecuniary penalties. They carried this fpirit with them thro' all parts of Europe, as appears from the Codes of the Vifi- goths, the Burgundians, £c. But the govern- ments, which they efta- blifhed in the more fou- thern countries could not fubfift with fo much le- nity.
In Iceland and Nor- VTJV all crimes were rated
zt a certain number of Marks. The Mark was divided into eight parts, each of which was equi- valent to fix ells of fuch fluff, as made their ordi- nary cloaths. Confe- quently a Mark was in value equal to 48 ells of this cloth. Now a Mark confuted of fomewha* more than an ounce of fine filver. A cow com- monly coft two Marks and a half. Hence we may judge of the quantity of filver that was then in thofe countries. But fliis remark muft not be ex- tended to Denmark, which was apparently richer. See Arngrim. Jon. Crymog. lib. i. p. 86. Fir ft Edit.
already
already feen. The Chief of a Prefecture enjoyed confidcrable dignity. He had a power to aflemble the ten communities within his diftrict, and prefided himfelf over all afTemblies of this fort, as well or- dinary as extraordinary ; he was at the fame time head of the religion within his Prefecture. It was he who appointed the facrifices, and other religious ceremonies, which were celebrated in the fame place where they regulated their political and ci- vil affairs. There lay an appeal to thefe AfTemblies from the fentence pronounced by the magistrates of the Bailywicks, and here were determined whatever difputes arofe between thofe inferior communities. Here alfo the prefect received the tax, which each citizen was obliged to pay to- wards the expences of the religious wor- fhip; and here he judged, in the quality of pontiff, fuch as were accufed of pro- faning temples, of ipeaking irreverently of the gods, or of any other act of impiety. The penalties inflicted on criminals of this fort confifted for the moil part of fines, which the ailemblies empowered the prefedt to levy, in order to lay them out in repair of the temples. But when any affair occurred of great importance, or which concerned the whole pro- vince, then the members, or perhaps only VOL. I. Chap. VIII. N ths
( "73 )
the deputies of the three Prefectures met together and compofed, what they called the States of the Quarter, or Province. Thefe States did not afTemble regularly like the ethers, who were required to meet at leaft once a year ; nor do we know ex- actly what were the objects of their delibe- rations. All that one can conjecture is, that they had recourfe to it, as to an extraordi- nary means of terminating fuch quarrels as arofe between the communities of the dif- ferent Prefectures, or to obviate fome dan- ger which threatened the whole province in general.
Superior to all thefe AfTemblies of the lefTer Communities and Provinces were the STATES GENERAL of the whole ifland (Altingj, which anfwered to the Ah-he~ riar-ting of the other Scandinavian natisns, to the Wittena-Gcmot or Parliament of the Anglo-Saxons *, to the Champs de Mars or de May of the French, and to the Cortes of the Spaniards, &c. Thefe ^fTembled every year, and each citizen of Iceland thought it his honour and his duty to be prefent at
* Al-tir.v is compound- //?<?/, " The Meeting of
eJ of /ft//'?. 11, ami 7 ing, " the Wife- men." It is
* court of juftice, aflrzc : evident, that all thefe ex-
Ah-bcriar-ting flgnifics, preflions contain at the
fc< The Court of all the bottom the fame idea. " Lord:,;" Wiitena-Gi-
thena.
( '79 )
them. The prefident of this great aflem- bly was Sovereign Judge of the ifland. He poflefled this office for life, but it was con- ferred upon him by the States. His prin- cipal bufmefs was to convoke the General Aflembly, and to fee to the obfervance of the laws -, hence the name of JLcigman, or Man of the Laws, was given to this magiftrate. Pie had a power of examining before the General Eftates, and of reVerfmg all the fentences pronounced by inferior judges throughout tlie ifland, of annulling their ordinances, and even of puniming them, if the complaints brought againft them were \vell-fotmded. He could propofe the enact- ing of new laws, the repealing or changing of the old ones : and if they pafled in the General Aflembly, it was his bufmefs to put them in execution. After this people began to have written laws, and the whole ifland had adopted one common form of juriipru- dence, it was the Supreme Judge, who had the keeping of the original authentic copy, to which all the others were to be con- formable. To his judgment and that of the aflembly, lay an appeal from the fen- tences given in the interior courts. The Bailiffs or Prefects, whofe fentence he re- viled, were obliged to judge the caufe over again in his prefence, and he afterwards pro- nounced fentence both on the contending Chap. Vlll. N 2 parties,
( i8o )
parties, and on the judges. The fear of "being condemned and punimed before fo numerous an aflembly, was (as Arngrirn well remarks) a great check upon all thefe fubaltern judges, and ferved to keep every magiftrate within the bounds of his duty. Commonly the Seffion of thefe General Eftates lafted fixteen days, and they mow at this time the place of their meeting, which began and ended with folemn facri- fices. It was chiefly during that femon, that the Sovereign Judge exercifed his au- thority. Out of this afiembly his power feems not to have been confiderable : But he was at all times treated with great ho- nour and refpect; and was always confi- dered as the oracle of the laws and pro- te3or of the people. The Icelandic chro- nicles carefully note the year, wherein each Judge was elected, and the time was computed by the years of his election, as among the Lacedemonians by thole of the EPHORI. We fee by the lift, which Arn- grim has preferred of them, that there were thirty-eight from the beginning of the commonwealth to its diflblution : And we find in this number the celebrated hiftorian Snorro Sturlefon, whom I have already in- troduced to the reader's knowledge *.
* Sec above, Pag. 52.
Such
Such was the conftitution of a republic, which is at prefent quite forgotten in the North, and utterly unknown through the reft of Europe even to men of much read- ing, notwithstanding the great number of poets and hiftorians, which that republic produced. But fame is not the portion of indigent nations, efpecially when remote, unconnected with the reft of mankind, and placed under a rigorous climate. It is eafy to difcover here the genius of all the ' Go- ' thic * ' tribes, and their notions of go- vernment. That diftribution of the people into different communities fubordinate to one another, that right of being judged every one by the members of his own com- munity, that care of watching over each citizen committed to the community of which he was a member, thofe general af- femblies of the whole nation, with whom ajone the legislative power was depofited, &c. All thefe inftitutions exifted among the Germans already in the time of Ta-« citus, and without doubt long before. They prevailed in Denmark and Sweden, and we find numerous traces of them at this day. They were carried into Iceland, and there brought to perfection. They followed the Saxons into England ; and
* Celtic. Orig.
Chap. VIII, N 3 when
when the times of confufion had caufed them to wear out of memory, the great Alfred immortalized his name by reviving them. It would be eafy to fhew traces of them in the firft eftablifhments of the Francs in Gaul, of the Goths in Spain, and the fame in feveral countries of Germany : But a dilplay of fo much erudition would be foreign to my plan. I only point out the way to the reader, and (hall leave him to perfue at his leifure a fubject fo fruitful and fo interesting, whether he is difpofed ta read what others have written on it, or to follow the train of his own reflec- tions.
With regard to the laws, which pre- vailed in Scandinavia during the times of paganifm, all that we can fay for certain about them may be reduced within very fmall compafs. Tradition, cuftom, maxims learnt by heart, and above all, fimplicity of manners, ferved this people in the firft: ages inftead of laws. They had maxims, which from time immemorial 'had been in the mouths of their fages, and which were thought to have been delivered to the firft men by the gods themfelves. Such were thofe of which the Icelandic poets have preferved fome fragments, under the title of the " Sublime Difcourfe of Odin," as will be more particularly (hewn in the
fequel
fequel of this work *. It is doubtful whe^ ther the ancient Danes, as well as their neighbours, had written laws, before their converfion to Chriftianity. It is true, if we will believe Saxo the Grammarian, a king of Denmark named Frotho, who lived many ages before that period, publimed laws both civil and military, which were tranfmitted down to the time of that au- thor. But this great antiquity renders the fact too fufpicious to be admitted upon the iingle authority of fuch an hiftorian as Saxo. It would be running too great a hazard, to argue on a fuppofition, built on fuch weak foundations; and that regard to truth, which ought to prevail over all other motives, obliges me for once to neglect domeftic information, and to have recourfe to foreign intelligence.
The ancient inhabitants of Germany and Scandinavia emerged but flowly from a ftate of nature. The ties which linked different families together were for a long time no- thing but a confederacy to exercife violence or to repel it. They poflefled a great extent of lands, of which they cultivated but little, and refided on lefs : In fhort, they lived too feparate from each other, to have any great need of civil laws ; and their Chiefs
* See Vol. II. towards the end.
Chap. VIII. N 4 had
had too little authority to make them ob- ferved, if they had. Hence To many little focieties and confederacies. Men band- ed together to revenge an injury : and the fentiment of honour, as well as intereft, made them faithful to each other in an af- fcciation fo necefTary to their welfare. A man's relations and friends who had not revenged his death, would inftantly have loft that reputation, which conftituted their principal fecuri'ty. The inhabitants of Friezeland lived for a long time in a Hate of this kind. Moft of the other German nations had already advanced a ff.ep beyond this in the time of Tacitus. Endlefs dif- orders, the unavoidable confequences of the right of felf- revenge, had fuggefted to the wifer fort among them, the neceffity of magistrates, who mould interpofe their authority in private quarrels, and oblige the offended perfon or his relations to re- ceive a prefent from the aggrefTor j, that fo a compensation being made for an injury, might prevent the confequences of an eternal refentment, which from private perfons might extend to the public. And for fear ,that this manner of terminating differences mould become a new fource of them, the compenlation was determined by an invariable rule, and commonly li- mited to a certain value in cattle, the only
monkey
( 185)
money known in thofe rude ages. A mark of fubmiffion of this fort fatisfied mens pride as to the point of honour, gratified their avarice, and fufficiently fecured them from a repetition of the offence. The Danes, in this refpect, followed the fteps of the neighbouring nations. Mere parity of reafon might give one a right to fuppoie this, even if we had not more poiitive proofs ; but without accumulating thefe unnecefTarily, we need only caft our eyes on the ancient laws of the conquerors of Great Britain. It is well known that the Angles and Jutes, who fhared with the Saxons in the honour of that conqueft, were Danim nations, who came from Jutland and Slefwick. Now mod of the laws of that people are ftill extant, and whoever will run over the collections, publifhed by Lambard, Wilkins, and Leibnitz, will not doubt but they were all dictated by the fame fpirit, and were really the fame at the bottom. It will be fufficient to quote a few particulars, to enable us to judge of their general fpirit j for this is all I under- take to mew of them. As to their more particular minute circumftances they have doubtlefs varied a thoufand times, in dif- ferent ages, and countries : But thefe we ihall not defcend to at prefent.
. Chap. VIII. The
C '86 )
The laws of the Saxons, as regulated by- Charlemagne, and published by Leibnitz *, eftablifhed a competition in money for moft forts of crimes ; and for want of money this was to be paid in the flem of cattle, every limb and joint of which had its known va- lue regulated by law. They carefully dif- tinguifhed the different degrees of offence, as well as thofe of the rank, which the offended perfon bore in the ftate. Accord- ingly for the murder of a grandee or a prince the competition was 1440 fous-\-t and the fame for every wound that deprived him of his hearing, tight, or ufe of his limbs. But if this injury was done to a freeman, and not to a noble J, the- com- petition was only 120 fous^; at the fame time the murder of a Have was rated but 30 ; which was precifely the price of a iimple blow, that produced neither fwelling nor blacknefs, if given to a prince or noble. Much the fame proportions were obferved by the law of the Angles. Wounds
* Leibnitz Rer.Brunf- whence comes the word
wic. torn. i. Rotitrier, by which the
t If the Author com- French exprefs at prefent, putes by modern money : One who is not a gentle- It is 720 pence Englifh, man. or about 3l.fterling. T. § 60 pence or 55. fter-
\ The original hRoda^ ling. Tt
given
given to a maiden were eftimated at double the rate they would have been, if given to a man of the fame rank of life. It was not the fame with a woman who had borne children. Outrages againft modefty were alfo valued with a degree of exaclnefs, of which one would not have thought matters of that nature fufceptible. " The laws of .«' thefe people," fays M. de Montefquieu, " judged of infults offered to men by the " fize of the wounds, nor did they {hew tc more refinement as to the offences com- " mitted againft women : So that they " feem to have meafured injuries, as one " meafures figures in geometry."
Thefe laws vary more in what relates to theft. By the law of the Saxons, it was in moft cafes punimed with death. By that of the Angles, which doubtlefs approaches nearer to the laws of the other Danifh na- tions, the robber compounded by paying tripple the value of what he had ftolen. But when government had acquired a little more {lability, and when the manners were a little more civilized, men were not fatif- fied with oppofmg to the diforder a barrier fo often ineffectual. The magiftrates ap- pointed to watch over the public peace, pretended that THEY were infulted as often as that peace was broken, and therefore over and above the coinpofition which was
Chap. VIII. to
( '83 )
to atone for the offence, they exacted a fine, either as a fatisfaclion due to the pub- lic, or as a recompence for the trouble given themfelves in making up the differ- ence and in protecting the offender. Thefe fines were for a long time all, or almoft all the punimment, which could poffibly pre- vail among a valiant and free people, who efteemed their blood too precious to be fhed any other way than in battle. Their kings had for many ages no other revenue than what arofe from thefe fines, and from their own private demefnes : All other kinds of impofition were not known till long after that period of time, to which we at prefent confine our refearches.
If this way of puniming crimes may juftly pafs for fingular, that of eftabliming proofs in the adminiftrstion of juftice may be efteemed no lefs fo. Here all the igno- rance, all the barbarity of our anceftors manifeft themfelves fo plainly, that it is not in the power of our reflections to add to them. Their embarraffment was fo great when they endeavoured to diftinguifh truth from falfhood, that they were obliged to have recourfe to the moft ftrange expe- dients and moft ridiculous practices. Thus they foinetimes obliged the accufed to produce1 a certain number of perfons called COMPURG ATORS 3 not that thefe men had,
or
or were fuppofed to have any knowledge of the affair in queftion, but they were fimply to fwear they were perfuaded the accufed fpoke true. Befides this, they often appointed what was called the JUDICIARY COM- BAT, and how abfurd foever this cuftorn was, it was fo intimately connected with their opinions concerning deftiny and pro- vidence, that it triumphed for a long time over Religion, Popes, and Councils; and though a hundred times profcribed, as of- ten revived and appeared again under dif- ferent fhapes. Laftlv, when the difcovery of truth appeared to them to exceed all hu- man powers, they had recourfe to fuperna- tural means, and what they called DIVINE JUDGMENTS. They had many ways of confulting that oracle. For as, according to their notions, all the elements were ani- mated by an Intelligence as incorruptible in its juftice, as the Deity whence it fprung, they thought they had nothing to do but to unite the accufed perfon to one of thefe divinities, and fo oblige it to declare by the manner of its acting upon him, what judgment it entertained of his innocence. Thus fometimes they caft him into a deep xvater, tied about with cords : If he funk, that is, if the Genius of the water received him into its bofom, it declared him to be innocent : If it rejected him, if he fwam Chap. VIII. upon
upon the furface, he was looked upon as convicted of the crime *. This was called the WATERY-ORDEAL. The proof by fire, or FIERY-ORDEAL feems to have been more in ufe afterwards, and founded upon a different train of reafoning ; for in things of this nature, we muft not ex- pect fuch rude minds to adt very con- Mently.
* This kind of proof was more dangerous, than it appears to have been at firft fight ; for though a tnan thrown into the •water commonly finks at firft to the bottom, yet as they tied him about with large cords, 4 and withs,' he fometimes f\vam on the furface fpight of his teeth. This kind of proof indeed, as well as that of Boiling Water was only for perfons of inferior rank. Others handled hot iron, or put their hands into a red hot gauntlet, or walked blind- fold over burning plough- fhares. If at the end of certain days there remain- ed any marks of the fire on the hands or feet, the accufed were judged guil- ty ; if not, he was ac-
quitted. There is reafon to think that, notwith- ftanding they took all poflible precaution, they alfo had recourfe to cer- tain prefervatives againft the effects of fire, and perhaps the fame that mountebanks in our times make ufe of, as oft as they am ufe the people with fpectacles of the fame kind. Befides this, men who were accuf- tomed to hard labour, to the toils of hunting, and conftanthandlingof arms, had rendered their fkins fo thick and callous, that they could not eafily be hurt ; and as for the La- dies, they were generally allowed Champions to undergo the trial for them.
Fwjl Edit.
As
( '9' )
•f As for the ceremonies which accom- panied thefe kinds of proof, the cafes in which they were appointed, and the other minute circumftances, tliey varied in dif- ferent times and places : And as imitation and habit perpetuate cuftoms long after the caufes of them have ceafed, the OR- DEAL was pradtiied during many ages by men, who doubtlefs believed nothing about the genii prefiding over the feveral ele- ments, or the other doctrines of the an- cient religion *. I mall not enter on the minute hillory of the ORDEAL, &c. which was not peculiar to the ancient Danes, and may be found defcribed in other books J. I thought proper only to mark the con- nection between them and the dodlrines of that religion, which I defcribed in the pre- ceding chapters : A connection which has
f From hence to the own times, the WATERY
end of the chap, is o- ORDEAL, or Proof by
mitted in the 2d edit, of Swimming, has been em-
the original. ployed by the Vulgar for
* Thus long after the trial of Witchcraft, Chriftianity waseftablifh- whenever they could find ed among the Anglo- means to put it in prac- Saxons, king Edward the tice. T. Confeflbr( a reputed faint) % Vid. Wormius Mo- is faid to have put his mo- num. Danic. lib. i. c. ther to the proof of the n. and Steph. Stepha- Burning Plough-Shares. nius in his Notes on Saxo — And even down to our Gramraaticus.
Chap. VIII. been
( 192 )
been feldom attended to, and which mews that it is only for want of ftudying man- kind, that they appear to aft wholly with- out motives or principles of conduct. It was king Valdemar the fecond J to whom the glory belongs of having abolifhed this abfurd and inhuman practice in Den- mark §.
$ &e reigned from the year 1202, to 1241,
§ I cannot conclude this fubjedt without ob- ferving that we find fome traces of the ORDEAL among the ancient Greeks and Romans. Thus in the fragments of a tragedy of Sophocles, called AN- TIGONUS, we have a re- markable paflage, which fhews it was not unknown in Greece. The guards being willing to clear themfelves from fome crime that was imputed to them, fay to king Cre- on, " We are ready to *' take HOT IRON in our " hands, to carry it thro' ** the midft of the FIRE,
" and to fwear in the " name of the gods that " we are innocent." Vide Stiernhok de Jur. Vet. Suec. lib. i. c. 8. apud Dalin. Sue. Rik. Hift. torn. i. ch. 7.
Pliny fpeaking of a feaft, which the ancient Romans celebrated every year in honour of the fun, obferves that the priefts, who were to be of the fa- mily of the Hirpians, danced on this occafion, bare- foot on burning coals without burning them- felves : This was appa- rently a relique of the Fiery Ordeal. Plin. Hift. Nat. lib. vii. 2.
CHAP-
( 193 )
CHAPTER IX.
je pajjlon of the ancient Scandinavians for arms: their valour: the manner in which they made war. A digrejjion con- cerning the Jlate of population among them.
^ E had reckoned from its foundation fix hundred and forty years, when the arms of the Cimbri were firfl heard of among us. From that time to the prefent have elapfed two hundred and fix years more. So long have we been in conquering Germany. And in the courfe of fo tedious a war, what various lolles have been fuftained by each party ? No nation hath given us more frequent alarms ; neither the Samnites, the Carthaginians, the Spa- niards, the Gauls, nor even the Par- thians : fo much lefs vigour hath the defpotic power of Arfaces had, than the liberty of the Germans. For, except VOL. I. O « the
" the defeat of Craflus, what hath the {< conquered and proftrate Eaft to object " to the current of our fuccefs ? Whereas <c the Germans have taken or defeated five tl generals of the Republic, who com- " manded fo many confular armies. They " cut oft Varus and three legions from " Auguftus himfelf. Nor was that ad- tl vantage obtained with impunity, which " Marius gained over them in Italy, the " divine Julius in Gaul, and Drufus, Ti- " berius and Germanicus in their own " country. And even prefently after this, " the tremendous threatsof Caligula became " the objedt of their fport. A refpitc " followed, till profiting by our difcord " and civil wars, they attacked our le- " gions in their winter quarters, and even " undertook the conqueft of Gaul. We " have fince driven them back beyond the " Rhine : but in thefe latter times, our " vi&ories over them have been lefs real,
" than the pomp of our triumphs
<c If this people cannot be brought to love " us, at leaft may they always hate each " other ! fince in the prefent declining <{ fates of the empire, fortune can grant " us no greater favour, than the diflen- '* tions of our enemies*."
* Tacit* Germ. c. 37, et c. 33.
Such
( '95)
Such was the opinion entertained of the German and northern nations, by the people who conquered the reft of the world. Such, according to the confeffion of Tacitus, was that martial courage, that ardour, that conftancy in defending and avenging their liberty, which fo early threatened the power of Rome, and in a few ages after overturned it. It is not my prefent bufinefs to write the hiftory of that great revolution, which changed the face of Europe, but my fubject leads me to difclofe its caufes, fince they are con- tained in the opinions and manners which I am defcribing. We only want here that penetrating eye, that deep fenfe and energy of ftyle, which diftinguimed the author I have been tranflating. The fources whence iflued thofe torrents of people, which from the North overwhelmed all Europe, the principles which put them in motion, and gave them fo much activity and force, thefe objects, fo grand and interesting, have been but flightly and weakly treated of. The more enlightened people, who were the victims of thefe ravages, were too much preffed with the weight of their ca- lamity, to have leifure to trace its remote caufes. Like the thunder which remains unfeen in the clouds till the m6ment it burfts forth, and whofe nature we have no
Chap. IX. O 2 time
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time to ftudy while it is linking us ; thefe unexpected irruptions would hardly be- come the objects of refearch, till after their effects were forgotten. Hence the rela- tions that have been given us of them, are fo uninterefting, confufed and obfcure : faults to which every hiftory will be liable which only gives us a4ieap of facts, with- out being able to develope their caufes. The greateft part then of the hiftorical phaenomena of the middle ages can only be explained by a deep infight into the manners of the northern nations. It is only from thence we can ever be able to comprehend what could induce whole na- tions to tranfport themfelves from one ex- tremity of Europe to the other ; could break through the tyes of country, which fo ftrongly attach men to the places of their birth ; could render them unanimous in fuch ftrange projects, and make them thus fpread themfelves beyond their own boundaries with fuch exuberance and im- petuofity.
I have already hinted, that the ancient Scandinavians breathed nothing but war, which was at once with them the fource of honour, riches and fafety. Their educa- tion, laws, prejudices, morality and reli- gion, all concurred to make that their ruling pafiion and only object. From
their
( '97)
their moft tender age they applied them- ielves to learn the military art ; they har- dened their bodies, and accuftomed them- felves to cold, fatigue and hunger. They exercifed themfelves in running, in the chace, in fwimming acrofs the greateft ri- vers, and in handling their arms. The very fports of childhood itfelf, and of early youth were directed all towards this end : dangers were always intermingled with their play. For it coniifted in taking frightful leaps, in climbing up the fteepeft rocks, in righting naked with offenfive weapons, in wreftling with the utmoft fury : it was therefore common to fee them at the age of fifteen years already grown robuft men, and able to make themfelves feared in combat. It was alfo at this age that their young men became their own matters, which they did by receiving a fword, a buckler and a lance. This cere- mony was performed in fome public meet- ing. One of the principal perfons of the aflembly armed the youth in public. " This, we are told by Tacitus, was his " Toga Virilis, his entrance upon digni- *' ties ; before this he made only part of a " family, now he became a member of " the ftate." After this he was obliged to provide for his own fubfiflence, and was either now to live by hunting, or by joining Chap. IX. O 3 in
( 195)
in fome incurfion againft an enemy. Par- ticular care was taken to prevent thefe young foldiers from enjoying too early an acquaintance with the oppofite fex, till their limbs had acquired all the vigour of which they were capable. Indeed they could have no hope to be acceptable to the women, but in proportion to the courage and addrefs they had mown in war and in their military exercifes. Accordingly we fee in an ancient fong, preferved by Bartho- lin *, a king of Norway extremely fur- prized that, as he could perform eight dif- ferent exercifes, his miftrefs mould pre- fume to reject his fuit. I mail frequently have occafion to produce new inftances of this manner of thinking among their wo- men : it is fufficient at prefent to obferve, that they were not likely to foften their children by too much delicacy or indul- gence. Thefe tender creatures were ge- nerally born in the mklft of camps and armies. Their eyes, from the moment they were firft opened, faw nothing but military fpedtacles, arms, efFufion of blood, and combats either real or in fport : thus as they grew up from their infancy, their fouls were early difpofed to imbibe the cruel prejudices of their fathers.
* See a tranflation of this in the fecond volume.
Their
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Their laws for the moft part (like thofc of the ancient Lacedemonians) fet'med to know no other virtues than thofe of a mili- tary nature, and no other crimes but cowardice. They inflided the greateft pe- nalties on fuch as fled the firft in battle. The laws of the ancient Danes, according to Saxo, excluded them from fociety, and declared them infamous. Among the Ger- mans this was fometimes carried fo far as to fuffocate cowards in mud ; after which they covered them over with hurdles : to {hew, fays Tacitus, that though the pu- nimment of crimes mould be public, there are certain degrees of cowardice and in- famy which ought to be buried in eternal filence. The moft flattering diftindtions were referved for fuch as had performed fome fignal exploit ; and the laws them- felves diftributed men into different ranks according to their different degrees of cou- rage. Frotho, king of Denmark, had or- dained, according to Saxo, that whoever folicited an eminent poft in the army, ought upon all occafions to attack one enemy; to face two; to retire only one Irep back from three •> and not to make an adual retreat till affaulted by four. Hence was formed that prejudice fo deeply rooted among thefe people, that there was no other way to acquire glory, but by the
Chap. IX. O 4 pro-
( 2©0 )
profeffion of arms, and a fanatic valour : a prejudice the force of which difplayed it- felf without obftruction at a time, when luxury was unknown ; when that defire, fo natural, and fo adive among men, of drawing upon themfelves the attention of their equals, had but one fingle object and fupport ; and when their country and their fellow citizens had no other treafure but the fame of their exploits, and the terrour thereby excited in their neighbours.
The rules of juftice, far from checking thefe prejudices, had been themfelves warped and adapted to their bias. It is no exaggeration to fay, that all the ' Gothic and' Celtic nations entertained opinions on this fubjecl:, quite oppofite to the theory of our times. They looked upon war as a real act of juftice, and efteemed force an incon- teftible title over the weak, a vifible mark that God had intended to fubjecl: them to the ftrong. They had no doubt but the intentions of this divinity had been to efta- blifh the fame dependance among men which there is among animals, and fetting out from the principle of the inequality of men, as our modern civilians do from that of their equality, they inferred thence that the weak had no right to what they could not defend. This maxim, which formed the bafis of the law of nations
among
(201 )
among the ancient inhabitants of Europe, being dictated by their moil darling paf- fion, we cannot wonder that they mould fo fteadily aft up to it in practice. And which, after all, is worft ; to aft and think as they did, or like the moderns, with bet- ter principles to acl: as ill ? As to the ancient nations, we attribute nothing to them here but what is juftified by a thou- fand facts. They adopted the above max- im in all its rigour, and gave the name of Divine Judgment not only to the JU- DICIARY COMBAT, but to conflicts and battles of all forts : victory being in their opinion the only certain mark by which Providence enables us to dillinguim thofe, whom it has appointed to command others. " Valour, fays a German warrior in Ta- " citus, is the only proper goods of men. " The Gods range themfelves on the fide " oftheftrongeft*."
Laftly, Religion, by annexing eternal happinefs to the military virtues, had given the lad degree of activity to the ardour and propensity thefe people had for war. There were no fatigues, no dangers nor tor- ments capable of damping a paffion fo well countenanced, and the defire of meriting
* Tacit, hift. lib. IV. c. 17. Pellouticr hift. des Celtes, torn. J. p. 415.
Chap. IX, fo
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fo great a reward. We have feen what motives this religion offered to its votaries ; and we cannot fail to recall them in read- ing fome inftances of that courage which diftinguifhed the ancient Scandinavians, and of their contempt of death itfelf, which I mail produce from the mod authentic chronicles of Iceland.
Hiftory informs us, that HAROLD fur- named BLAATAND or BLUE TOOTH (a king of Denmark, who reigned in the middle of the tenth century) had founded on the coafts of Pomerania, which he had fubdued, a city named Julin or Jomf- hurg ; where he fent a colony of young Danes, and beftowed the government on a celebrated warrior named Palnatoko. This new Lycurgus had made of that city a fe- cond Sparta, and every thing was directed to this {ingle end, to form complete fol- diers. The author who has left us the hiftory of this colony allures us, that " it " was forbidden there fo much as to men- <c tion the name of Fear, even in the moft tc imminent dangers *." No citizen of Jomfburg was to yield to any number how- ever great, but to fight intrepidly without flying, even from a very fuperior force.
* See Jomfwikinga Saga, in Bartholin. de cauf, contempt, mort. lib. i. c. 5.
The 6
The fight of prefent and inevitable death would have been no excufe with them for making any the leaft complaint, or for mewing the flighteft apprehenfion. And this legiflator really appears to have eradi- cated from the minds of moft of the youths bred up under him, all traces of that fenti- ment fo natural and fo univerfal, which makes men think on their definition with horror. Nothing can mew this better than a fingle faft in their hiftory, which de- ferves to have place here for its fingularity. Some of them having made an irruption into the territories of a powerful Norwe- gian lord, named Haquin, were overcome fpite of the obftinacy of their refiftance ; and the moft diftinguifhed among them be- ing made prifoners, were, according to the cuftom of thofe times, condemned to death. The news of this, far from afflict- ing them, was, on the contrary, received with joy. The firft who was led to pu- nifhment was content to fay, without changing countenance, and without ex- preffing the leaft fign of fear, <c Why " mould not the fame happen to me, as " did to my father ? He died, and fo " muft I." A warrior, named Thorchill, who was to cut off the head of the fecond, having afked him what he felt at the fight of death, he anfwered, that " he remem- Chap. IX. " bered
( 204 )
" bered too well the- laws of Jomfburg to tl utter any words that denoted fear." The third, in reply to the fame queftion, faid, *f he rejoyced to dye with glory, and that " he preferred fuch a death to an infamous " life like that of Thorchill's." The fourth made an anfwer much longer and more extraordinary. " I fufFer with a " good heart ; and the prefent hour is to " me very agreeable. I only beg of you," added he, addrefiing himfelf to Thorchill, " to be very quick in cutting off my head ; *' for it is a queftion often debated by us, " at Jomfburg, whether one retains any " fenfe after being beheaded. I will there - tf fore grafp this knife in my hand; if after t( my head is cut off I ftrike it towards " you, it will (hew I have not loft all fenfe : <{ if I let it drop, it will be a proof of the " contrary. Make hafte therefore, and " decide the difpute." ' Thorchill,' adds the hiftorian, « cut off his head in moft ' expeditious manner, but the knife, as ' might be expected, dropt from his hand/ The fifth mewed the fame tranquillity, and died rallying and jeering his enemies. The fixth begged of Thorchill, that he might not be led to punimment like a meep * ; " ftrike the blow in my face," faid he,
* Barthpl. lib. i. c. 5. p. 51.
" I will fit dill without (blinking ; and " take notice whether I once wink my " eyes, or betray one fign of fear in my <{ countenance. For we inhabitants of " Jomlburg are ufed to exercife ourfelves " in trials of this fort, fo as to meet the «* ftroke of death, without once moving." He kept his promife before all the fpec- tators, and received the blow without betraying the leaft fign of fear, or fo much as winking his eyes *. The feventh, fays the hiftorian, " was a very beautiful " young man, in the flower of his age. " His long fair hair, as fine as filk, floated " in curls and ringlets on his moulders. «' Thorchill afked him what he thought of " death ? I receive it willingly, faid he, " fince I have fulfilled the greateft duty of " life, and have feen all thofe put to death " whom I would not furvive. I only beg " of you one favour, not to let my hair be " touched by a Have, or ftained with my " blood f."
* Barthol. ibid. his 2d. edit.
f In Barthplin it is, Bartholin gives the
Id unicumate peto^ne tnan- fpeech of the EIGHTH
fipia me ad mortem ducant^ perfon, which, though
neu quis te inferior capillum fpirited, being not fo
meumten(at,&cc. M.Mai- ftriking as the former,
let has omitted the cir- our author has omitted,
cumftance of the hair in T.
Chap. IX. This
This confbncy in the lafl moments was not, however, the peculiar effecl: of the laws and education of the Jomfburgians. The other Danes have often given the fame proofs of intrepidity ; or rather this was the general character of all the inhabitants of Scandinavia. It was with them an in- ftance of mameful puiillanimity to utter upon fuch occafions the leaft groan, or to change countenance, but efpecially to fhed tears. The Danes, fays Adam of Bre- men *, " are remarkable for this, that if " they have committed any crime, they " had rather fuffer death, than blows. c« There is no other punimment for them " but either the ax, or fervitude. As for " groans, complaints and other bemoan- " ings of that kind, in which WE find " relief, they are fo detefted by the Danes, " that they think it mean to weep for " their fins, or for the death of their dear- " eil relations." But if a private foldier looked upon tears as peculiar to weaknefs or flavery, their great warriours, the chiefs, all who afpired to fame and glory, carried the contempt of death much further. King Regner, who, as I have once before ob- ferved, dyed fmging the pleafure of re- ceiving death in the field of battle, cries
* Adam Bremen, deiitu Danias, c, 213.
out
out at the end of a ftanza, *' the hours of " my life are patted away, I mall die " laughing* :" And many paflages in an- cient hiftory plainly mow that this was not a poetical hyperbole. Saxo, fpeaking of a fingle combat, fays, that one of the cham- pions FELL, LAUGHED, AND DYED, an
epitaph as mort as energetic -f. An officer belonging to a king of Norway, celebrating in verfe the death of his mailer, concludes his elogium with thefe words, " It (hall " hereafter be recorded in hiftories, that " king Halfer died laughing ||." A warrior having been thrown upon his back, in wreftling with his enemy, and the latter finding himfelf without his arms, the van- quifhed perfon promifed to wait without changing his pofture while he fetched a fword to kill him; and he faithfully kept his word. To die with his arms in his hand was the vo\v of every free man ; and the pleating idea they had of this kind of death, would naturally lead them to dread fuch as proceeded from dif- eafe and old age. In the joy therefore which they teftihed at the approach of a violent death, they might frequently ex-
* Barthol. p. 4. Saga apud Barthol. lib. u
f Saxo Gram. lib. ii. c. J. p. 5. et vide Bodvar's Biarka || Barthol. p. 6.
Chap.. IX, prefs
( 208 )
prefs no more than their real fentiments, though doubtlefs it was fometimes inter- mixt with oftentation. The general tenor of their condud: proves that they were moft commonly fincere in this ; and fuch as know the power which education, example and prejudice have over men, will find no difficulty in receiving the multitude of tef- timonies, which antiquity hath left us of their extraordinary valour. " The philo- " fophy of the Cirnbri," fays Valerius Maximus, *' is gay and couragious : they " leap for joy in a battle, that they are " £°ing to q1"1 life m f° glorious a man- " ner : in ficknefs they lament for fear of " a mameful and miferable end *.M Ci- cero remarks, that in proportion as men are intrepid in war, they are weak and im- patient under bodily pains. " Happy in " their miftake," fays Lucan, " are the people who live beneath the Pole ! per- fuaded that death is only a paffage to a long life, they are undifturbed by the moft grievous of all fears, that of dy- ing. Hence they eagerly run to arms, and their minds are capable of meet- ing death : hence they efteem it cow- " ardice to fpare a life which they mall
* Val. Max. lib. ii. cap. 6. p. n. Cicero Tufc. Quaeft. lib. ii. cap. ult.
" fo
( 2°9 )
*r fo foon recover*." The hiftory of an* cient Scandinavia is full of pafTages expref- Hve of this manner of thinking. The il- luftrious warriors, who found themfelves wafting by fome lingering illnefs, were not always content barely to accufe their fate. They often availed themfelves of the few moments that were yet remain- ing, to make off life by a way more glo- rious. Some of them would be carried into a field of battle, that they might die in the engagement: others flew themfelves: many procured this melancholy fervice to be performed them by their friends, who con- fidered this as a moft facred duty. " There " is on a mountain in Iceland," fays the author of an old Icelandic romance -f , " a
" rock
* As only a loofe pa- Reader will be glad to yaphrafeof Lucan's words lee the original here, is given in 'the text, the
Orle aJlo kngce^ tanltls fi cogMa^ vita MorS media eft. Certepopull quos defplclt Arftos Felices errore juo ! quos llle tiniontm Maximum baud urget lethi metus ; Inde ruendi In ferrum mens pfona i/iris^ anlmetque capaces Msrtls : et igxavum redliurcs parcere vita;.
Lib. i
f The old SAGA, or and fi&ion, but fliews iw
hiftory here quoted, con- plainly what opinion was
tains a mixture of truth held of SUICIDE, and
VOL. I. Chap. IX. P
" rock fo high that no animal can fall " from the top and live. Here men be- " take themfelves when they are afflicted " and unhappy. From this place all our " anceftors, even without waiting for fick- *' nefs, have departed unto Odin. It is ufe- " lefs therefore to give ourfelvesupto groans " and complaints, or to put our relations " to needlefs expences, fince we can eafily " follow the example of our fathers who " have all gone by the way of this rock.'* There was fuch another in Sweden, appro- priated to the fame ufe, which was fi- guratively called the HALL OF ODIN, becaufe it was a kind of veftibule or entry
to
how commonly it was fenium ouupaj/et, out mor-
pra&ifed heretofore in the bus, rogare is cogebatur pro-
North. pinquoS) ut quamprimum
Procopius attributes the bominum numero turn tol-
fame thing to the Heruli, lerent. Procop. Goth,
a Gothic people. JIfud lib. ii. c. 14.
HeruloSy fays he, nee Jerri- Silius fays of the an-
bus, nee agrotis fas erat vi- cient inhabitants of Spain, tarn producer? : et Ji quern
Prodlga gens an: ma, fff proper are facillima mortem ; Nar.que ubi tranfcendit flcrcntcs viribus annas , Impatient &vi fpernit ncvrjje fine flam Etfati modus in tkxtra ejt.
Air
to the palace of that God
La%, if none
All thefe authorities, which it would be eafy to multiply, prove that I attribute nothing to the northern nations, which is not pofitively confirmed • by hiftorians, as well ftrangers zs their own countrymen ; and that one cannot reproach the ancient Scandinavians with thefe barbarous pre- judices, without con- demning at the fame time the anceftors of half the nations of Europe. Vid. Pelloutier, torn. ii. lib. 3. ch. 1 8. Fir ft Edit.
% We have a particular defcription of this place by Sir William Temple j which it will be worth while to produce at large.
" I will not," he fays, <{ trouble myfelf with " more paflages out of " the Runic poems con- " cerning this fuperfti- " tious principle [of pre- " ferring a violent death, " &c.Jbutwilladdatefti- " mony of it, which was " givenmeatNimeguen, " bv count Oxenftern,
Chap. IX..
" the firft of the Swedifh " embailadors in that af- " fembly. In difcourfe " upon this fubjeft, and " in confirmation of this " opinion having been " general among the " Goths of thofe coun- " tries i he told me there ' was ftill in Sweden a ' place which was a me- ' morial of it, and was : called ODIN'S-HALL, * That it was a great bay 4 in the fea, entompafled " on three fides with 44 fteep and ragged rocks ; <c and that in the time of " the Gothic paganifm, *' men that were either *' fick of difeafes they <c efteemed mortal or in- ** curable, or elfe grown *c invalid with age, and " thereby paft all military " action, and fearino; to " die meanly and bafely " (as they efteemed it) " in their beds, they «: ufually caufed them- " felves to be brought to «£ the neareft part of thefe " rocks, and from thence " threw themfelves down P 2 " into
(212 )
none of thefe reliefs were afforded, and eipecially when Chriftianity had banifhed thefe cruel practices, the heroes confoled themfelves at leaft by putting on complete armour as foon as they found their end ap- proaching; thus making (as it were) a folemn proteft againft the kind of death to which they were forced involuntarily to fubmit. After this it will not be thought wonderful that the clients of a great lord, and all thofe who inlifted under a chief for fome expedition, fhould make a vow not to furvive their com- mander; or that this vow mould always be performed in all its rigour *. Neither will it be furprizing that private foldiers mould fometimes form among themfelves a kind of fociety or confraternity, in which the feveral members engaged, at the expence of their own lives, to avenge the death of their aflb- ciates, provided it were honourable and vio- lent. All thefe dangers were, in their opinion, fo many favourable and precious occasions of
" into the fea, hoping by lanea, Part II. Efiay 3.
" the boldnefs of iuch a part 4. T.
violent death, to renew * The fame thing pre-
the pretence of admif- vailed among diverfe Cel-
fion into the Hall of tic nations : they called
Odin, which they had thofe who thus engaged
loft, by failing to die themfelves to their chiefs,
" in combat and v/ith faldurii. Firjl Edit.
" their arms." Mifcel-
meriting
meriting glory and eternal happinefs. Ac- cordingly, we never find any among theie people guilty of cowardice, and the bare fufpicion of that vice was always attended with univerfal contempt. A man who had loft his buckler, or who had received a wound behind, durft never more appear in public. In the hiftory of England *, we fee a famous Danifh captain named Si- ward, who had fent his fon to attack a pro- vince in Scotland, afk with great coolnefs thofe who brought the news of his death, whether he had received his wounds behind or before ? The meflengers tel- ling him he was wounded before, the father cries out, " then I have only caufe " to rejoice : for any other death would " have been unworthy of me and my fon." A conqueror could not exercife a more ter- rible vengeance upon his captives, than to condemn them to flavery. " There is," fays Saxo, " in the heart of the Danes, an " infurmountable averfion to fervitude, " which makes them efteem it the moft " dreadful of all conditions -)-." The fame hiftorian defcribes to us a king of Denmark, named Frotho, taken in battle by a king his enemy, and obftinately refufing all offers of
* Brompton. U.bb. Jom. Chronic, p. 946. f Saxo Gramm. lib. xii.
Chap, IX. P 3 life
life which that prince could make him. "To " what end," fays he, " mould I referve " myfelf for fo great a difgrace ? What " good can the remainder of my life af- " ford me, that can counter-ballance the " remembrance of my misfortunes, and " the regret which my mifery would caufe " me ? And even if you mould reftore me c< my kingdom, if you mould bring me tf back my fitter, if you mould repair all " the lofs of my treafure, would all this " recover my honour ? All thefe benefits <{ would never replace me in my former " ftate, but future ages would always fay, " FROTHO HATH BEEN TAKEN BY HIS te ENEMY." In all combats, and the num- ber of them is prodigious in the ancient hiflories of the North, we always find both parties continually repeating the words glory, honour, and contempt of death, and by this means raifing one another to that pitch of enthufiafm, which produces extra- ordinary actions. A general never forgot to remind his troops of thefe motives when he was going to give battle ; and not infre- quently they prevented him, and flew to the engagement of themfelves, chanting fongs of war, marching in cadence, and raifing mouts of joy.
Laftly, like the heroes of Homer, thofe of ancient Scandinavia, in the excefs of
their
their over-boiling courage, dared to defy the Gods themfelves. " Though they " mould be ftronger than the Gods," fays a boaftful warrior fpeaking of his enemies, " I would abfolutely fight them *." And in Saxo Grammaticus we hear another wifliing ardently that he could but meet with Odin, that he might attack him : expreffing his mind by verfes to this effect. " Where at prefent is he, whom they call *' ODFN, that warrior fo completely armed, " who hath but on.e eye to guide him ? if Ah, if I could but ke him, this re- " doubted fpoufe of Frigga ; in vain mould 11 he be covered with his fnow-white " buckler, in vain mounted upon his lofty " fleed, he {hould not leave his abode of " Lethra without a wound. It is lawful " to encounter a Warrior god -)-."
A
* Bartholin. lib. i.e. 6.
t SAXO GRAM. lib. ii. apud Barthol. lib. i. c. 8. — The lame author relates that a Danifli prince, named Mother, reftfted the united forces of Odin, Thor, and the iquadrons of the gods. <* And the victory," he adds, " would have re- " mained with the god-, " if Hother, breaking
Chap. IX.
through their thickeft ranks, and aflailing them with fuch fury as a mortal can fuperior beings, had not ren- dered the club of the god Thor ufelefs, by cutting it off at the handle. Weakened by this fudden and unex- pected ftroke, the gods were forced to beiukc themfelves to flight." P 4 [Saxo.
A pafllon fo ftrong, fo general and fo blind could not but give a tincture of its chara&er to whatever it could poffibly ex- tend to •> and therefore we muft not be furprized that they mould take it into their heads to deify the inftruments of war, without which that paffion could not have been gratified. From the earlieft anti- quity they paid divine honours to their fwords, their battle-axes and their pikes. The Scythians commonly fubftituted a fword as the moft proper fymbol to repre- fent the fupreme god. It was by planting a fpear in the middle of a field, that they ufually marked out the place fet apart for
[Saxo. lib. iii. Barthol. lib. i. c. 6.] It was a received opinion among them, that a man might attack and fight the gods ; and it is needlefs to re- mark with Saxo, that thefe were only imaginary deities. No one is tempt- ed to take fuch relations literally, and they only deferve to be mentioned becaufe they fhew us what manner of thinking pre- vailed among the people who invented {lories of this fort, From them we may at leaft infer that the confidence with which
their bodily ftrength and courage infpired thefe an- cient Danes muft have been excefilve to make them brave and defy what- ever was moft formidable .in their fyftem of religion. But Diomedes's wound- ing Venus concealed in a cloud, his defying Jupi- ter, as well as the other combats of men with the gods dcfcribed in the Ili-r ad, have already fhown us, to what a degree of in- toxication and madnefs men may arrive, who think themfelves above all fear, Firjl Ed'n*
prayers
prayers and facrifices : and when they had relaxed from their primitive ftrictnefs, fo far as to build temples and fet up idols in them, they yet preferved fome traces of the ancient cuftom, by putting a fword in the hands of ODIN'S ftatues. The refpedt they had for their arms made them alfo fwear by inftruments fo valuable and fo ufeful, as being the moft facred things they knew. Accordingly, in an ancient Ice- landic poem, a Scandinavian, to affure him- felf of a perfon's good faith, requires him to fwear " by the moulder of a horfe, and " the edge of a SWORD *." This oath was ufual more efpecially on the eve of fome great engagement : the foldiers engaged
* The paflage at large, as tranflated by Bartholin, [lib. i. cap. 6.J is
Jttr 'amenta mihl prim cinnla dabis
Ad latus naviiy et adfcuti extremitatem.
Ad equi armum, et ad GLADII ACIEM, &c.
It is therefore with pe- his PRINCE OF DEN-
culiar propriety and de- MARK call upon his
corum (as is well obferved companions to SWEAR
by his commentators) UPON HIS SWORD. that our Shakefpear makes
Come hither gentlemen,
And lay your hands againe upon my fword. Never to fpeake of this that you have heard
Sweare by my SWORD. •
HAMLET. A, i. f<* ult. T.
Chap. IX. themfelves
themfclves by an oath of this kind, not to flee though their enemies mould be never fo fuperior in number.
From the fame fource proceeded that propenfity to duels and fingle combats, ib remarkable among all the ' Gothic * ' na- tions, and which of all their barbarous cuftoms has been moft religiouily kept up by their prefect defcendants. In Den- mark, and through all the North, they provoked a man to fight a duel, by pub- licly calling him NIDING or £< infamous -f :"
for
* Celtic. Orig.
•f In the fame manner as giving the LYE is the higheft provocation in modern times, becaufe it implies a charge of mean- nefs, falfhood and cow- ardice : fo the word NI- DING or NITHIKG an- ciently included in it the ideas of extreme wicked- ncfs, meannefs and in- famy. It fignified a villainous bafe wretch, a , daftardly coward, a fordid ftingy worthlefs creature : (Homo fcclera- tus, nequam, apoftata^ fae- difragus, funnm infamh, Jordide parcus, &<:. being derived by the greateft etymologift of the prefent
age from the Icelandic UplJ, rejettanea^ contumeliay Cf<r. Vid. LYE, in Junii etymolog. Anglican.) No wonder that an impu- tation of this kind mould be fo reproachful among an open and brave peo- ple : or that they would rather do any thing than incur it.
We have a remarkable proof in Englifh hiftory how much this name was dreaded and abhorred by our anceftors. King William Rufus having occafion to draw together a fuJden body of forces, only fent word to all fuch as held of him in fee, that thofe who did not repair
( "9 )
for he who had received fo deep a ilain, without endeavouring to wafh it out with the blood of his adverfary, would have loft much more than the life he was fo delirous to fave. Banifhed by public indignation from the fociety of men, degraded from his quality of citizen, and fcarce regarded as a human creature, he had nothing left for it but a fhameful and infecure flight.
repair to his affiftance, fhould be deemed Ni- THING ; and without further fummons they all flocked to his ftandard. Rex ird infammatus, fays Matthew Paris, Jlipendi- arios milites fuos Anglos csn- gregat, et abfque mora, lit ad obfedionem veniant, ju- bety niji velint fub nomine NITHING, quod Latlne NEQUAM fonat, recenfcri. Angli (qui nihil contumelio- fnts et vilius ejlimant quam kujufmadi ignominiofo voca-
bulo notari) catervqtim ad regcm conjiu£ntesy ingentes capias conficiunt. (M. Par. fubann. 1089.) The word NITHING for fome ages after continued in ufe in this kingdom, but chiefly in the ienfe of STINGY,
NIGGARDLY, &C. The
Tranflator has feen an ancient MS. poem, that was written between the reigns of Edward ILL and Edw. IV. in which a per- fon is thus exhorted,
tljou tic fcinn ana tumour a Dctnfee be ncicr
•A'liich fcnfe of the word modernis Dams virumfor-
ftill obtains in Denmark, dide parcitm atque tcnacem.
as we learn from Bartho- Lib» i. c. 7. p. 98. T. 1 i n . Denotat N I D I N c
Chap. IX. The
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The dreadful confequences of their fen- fibility with regard to what we falfely call HONOUR, extended often from private perfons to a whole people ; and nations, blind to their true welfare, waged long and cruel wars for fuch chimerical interefts as really ought not to have armed one {ingle Individual againfl another. Under the reign of Harald Blaatand, king of Den- mark, the Icelanders provoked by his hav- ing detained one of their {hips laden with merchandife, flew for revenge to a fpecies of arms that were familiar to them, and made verfes upon him fo very fatirical, that Harald, flung to the quick, fent out a fleet to ravage the ifland. This obliged the in- habitants to make a law, which is ft ill ex- tant in their ancient code, forbidding any perfon, under capital punifhment, to com- pofe fatirical verfes upon the kings of Den- mark, Sweden, or Norway.
After fo many efforts to acquire glory, it was very natural to think how to perpetuate it. To this end the ancient Scandinavians employed various means fuitable to the groflhefs and rudenels of the times j which if they have deceived the expectation of thole who hoped for fame and immortality from them, have done them no great injustice. The mod
common
( "I )
common method confifted in burying the heroes under little hills which they raifed in the middle of fome plain *, and in giving
to
dore fpeaks of it as a ge- neral cuftom. Afrud ma- jor -fs, he fays, Potent es out
* Vide Bartholin. de cauf. contempt, a Dan. mortis, lib. i. c. 8.
There is room to be- ~fub mont'ibus, ant in mon- lieve that this cuftom of tibus fepcliuntur. (Orig. burying; the dead under little hills or mounts of earth prevailed among many or' the apcient in- habitants of Europe. Jfi-
lib. xv. c. u.) And Vir- gil and Servius exprefsly attribute it to the ancient Italians: See Servius on that verfeof fen, II.
i Fuit ingens montefub alto
Regis Dercenni terreno ex aggere lujlum,
This cuflom Bartholin ments of this kind, which
thinks ODIN brought with him into the North out of Scythia ; where it anciently prevailed, as we learn from Herodo- tus, lib. iv. c. 71. And Mallet aflures us that fome travellers " havefeen ** in Crim Tartary (part " of the ancient Scythia) " and in the neighbour- •' ing countries, artificial *< hills like thofe which " are found in Denmark «* and throughout all the " North." Mallet. i/?. Edit.'} See alfo Bell's Travels, vol. i. This Traveller found thefe fe- pulchral hills in his jour- ney to China.
We have in England many ancient monu-
VOL ' Chap. IX.
are of fuch remote anti- quity that it is not eafy to decide whether they ought to be afcribed to our Gothic anceftors the Saxons and Danes; or to the more ancient inhabi- bants of Celtic race, viz. the Britons, &c. Some antiquaries are for refer- ing every veftige of this fort to the times of the Druids : but it is very certain that the ancient Scandinavians buried in the fame manner : indeed this fort of monument is fo fimple and obvious, that it has doubtlefs pre- vailed among many na- tions of very different original.
P 7 Monifc-
to thefe hillocks, and ibmetimes to the plains themfelves the name of the perfon wha was there interred. This rude monument kept up at the fame time the memory of the hero, and the emulation of the neigh- bouring inhabitants. We find in Denmark at this day a great number of fuch artificial hills, which bear the name of fome war- rior, or king of antient times *.
They
Monuments of this kind particularly abound in the fouth-weft parts of this ifland. " There are ** many in Wiltshire, " round and copped, *c which are called BUR- *' ROWS or BARROWS ; " perhaps raifed in me- "• mory of the foldiers •« (lain there : For bones " are found in them ; " and I bave read that it t; was a cuftom among " the northern people, 4i that tvery foldier who ** fjrvived a battle, "• fhould bring a helmet ** full of earth towards **• raifmg of monuments ** for their (lain fellows." So far from Cambden : to which Gibfon adds, that *' upon thefe downs 44 [in Wiitfhire] are fe- 11 veral forts of Barrows. ««• i. Small circular ?' trenches with very
" little elevation in the " middle. 2. Ordinary " barrows. 3. Barrows " with ditches round " them. 4. Large ob- <c lonw barrows, fome ** with trenches round " them, others without. <c 5. Oblong barrows «« with ftones fet up all " round them." Of this laft fort " that large *' oblong barrow, called " Milbarrow, is more 4< efpecially remarkable, tc as beingenvironecl with " great ilones about 6 or *« 7 feet high." Which was doubtlefs " the fe* " pulchre of fome Da-
Cl niftj commander."
Cambden's Britannia by Gibfon, 1722. Vol. i. p. 127, &c. T.
* Of this kind was the tomb of HAMLET as de- fer i bed by Saxo, Infignls ejus fepuliurd ac nominr
(
They commonly pitched upon Tome pub- lic place, fome great road, fome fountain or other well-frequented fpot, as the moft proper to raife thefe tombs in. They adorned them frequently with one or more large ftones and epitaphs, as will be explained when I come to fpeak of the funerals of this people. But above all, they had re- courfe to the art of poetry, when they were difpofed to immortalize their kings or great captains. The SCALDS or bards were em- ployed to compofe odes or fongs, which related all their moft fhining exploits, and fometimes the whole hiftory of their lives. Thefe fongs were propagated from one re- citer to another : and there was no public folemnity in which they were not fung or chanted. The praifes which thefe poets gave to valour, the warlike enthufiafm which animated their verfes, the great care men took to learn them from their in-
campus apud Jutlam extat, torian thus relates it, which field we are told is Dani cadaver HUBBLE in- called AMLETS-HEDE td ter cccifes invenientes, illud this day. (Saxo. lib. iv. cum ciamore maxima fepe- Barthol. p. 119.) In like Hermit, cumulum apponentes manner HUBBESTOWE in HUBBELOWE vocaverunt. Devonfhire received its Bromton ad ann. 873. name from HUBBA the Vid. Cambden. Gibfon. Dane, who was flain and vol. i. p. 47. Earth, lib. buried there in the year i. c. 8. T. 879 ; as an ancient hit- Chap. IX. fancy,
fancy, being all of them the natural effects of the ruling paffion of this people, ferved in their turn to ftrengthen and extend it. Laftly, the common objects which they ufually had before their eyes, the rocks fcattered all over the country, the bucklers, the trophies raifed in the field of battle, the walls and hangings of their houfes, all contributed to preferve the memory of great actions and intrepid warriors, by means of the Runic characters, the hiero- glyphics, and the fymbols, which were engraven or infcribed upon them.
A people who nourifhed fo ftrong a paf- fion for war, could feldom be at lofs for occafions of it. Accordingly the ancient Scandinavians were continually involved in one hoftile difpute or other, and their whole hiftory would have confuted of no- thing elfe but melancholy and difgufting de- tails of thefe wars, if they had been at the needlefs pains to write it. But the little that is left of their hiftory is more than fufficient to fatisfy the curiofity of thofe who admire courage, no matter with what fpirit it is animated ; and who are afto- nifhed that men ihould be fo prodigal of their lives, when they were ignorant of the art how to render them agreeable. We have already obferved, that the inhabitants of Germany and the North were accuftomed
every
every fpring to hold a general affembly, at which every free-man appeared completely armed, and ready to go upon any expedi- tion. At this meeting they considered in what quarter they mould make war : they examined what caufes of complaint had been received from the feveral neigh- bouring nations, their power or their riches, the ealinefs with which they might be overcome, the profpecl of booty, or the neceffity of avenging fome injury. When they had determined on the war, and fettled the plan of the campaign, they imme- diately began their march, furnifhed each of them with a proper quantity of provi- fions ; and almoft every grown man in the country made hafte to join the army thus tumultuoufly affembled. We are not to wonder after this, that there mould iflue from the North fwarms of foldiers, as for- midable for their numbers as their valour : and we ought not haftily to conclude from hence, that Scandinavia formerly contained more people than it does at prefent. I know what is related of the incredible multitudes of men, which that country is faid to have poured forth : but on the other hand, who does not know how much na- tions and hiftorians have been, in all ages, inclined to exaggeration in this refpect; fome being defirous to enhance the power VOL. I. Chap. IX. Q_ of
( 226 )
of their country, and others, when it has been conquered, being willing to fave its credit by making it yield only to fuperior numbers j but the greateft part have been guilty of enlargement from no other mo- tive than a blind love of the marvellous, Biithorifed by the difficulty of pronouncing with certainty on a fubjecl, in which men often commit great millakes even after long refearches. Betides this, it is very probable that many particular circumflances of thofe famous expeditions made by the Scandinavians, have contributed to coun- tenance that name of Vagina gentium, which an hiftorian gives their country *. For when thefe emigrations were made by lea, the promptitude and celerity with which they could carry their ravages from one coaft to another, might eafily multiply armies in the eyes of the people they at-
* Jornandes de rebus Milton has "taken a com-
(•ctias. Sir William parifon from thence to
Temple calls it THE exprefs exuberant mul-
NORTHERN HIVE : and titudes.
" A multitude like which the populous North " Pour'd never from her frozen loins, to pafs *'• Rhene or the Danaw, when her barbarous fons " Came like a deluge on the South, and fpread " Beneath Gibraltar to the Lybian fands."
Par. Loft. B. I. 351.
tacked,
( "7 )
tacked, and who heard many different ir- ruptions fpoken of almoft at the fame time. If on the contrary, they iffiied forth by land, they found every where on their march nations as greedy of fame and plun- der as themfelves, who joining with them, afterwards paffed for people of the fame original with the firfl fwarm which put itfelf in motion. It mould alfo be con- lidered, that thefe emigrations did not all of them take place at the fame time ; and that after a nation was thus exhaufted, it probably remained inactive until it had been able to recruit its numbers. The vaft extent of Scandinavia being in thofe times divided among many different people who were little known and onlydefcribed by fome one general name, as that of Goths, for in- ftance, or Normans, ' (that is Northein men) ' it could not exactly be afcertained from what country each troop originally came, and ftill lefs to what degree of de- population each country was reduced after lofing fo great a quantity of its inhabitants. But what, in my opinion, beft accounts for thofe numerous and frequent inundations of northern people, is that we have reafon to believe, entire nations often engaged iu enterprifes of this fort : even the women and children fometimes marched in the rear of the armies, when a whole people Chap. IX. Q_2 either
either by inconilancy, by indigence, or the attraction of a milder climate, refolved to change their place of abode. Projects of this kind, it is true, appear very ftrange to us at prefent : but it is no lefs true that our anceftors the « Goths and ' Celts often engaged in them. In the time of Caefar the Helvetians, that is, the ancient inhabi- tants of Swifferland, defirous to eftablifh themfelves in Gaul, burnt their houfes with their own hands, together with fuch of their effects as were not portable, and fol- lowed by their wives and children, fet out with a refolution of never more returning home. What a multitude might not one expect fuch a nation to form? And yet Carfar remarks * that according to the mutters of the Helvetians themfelves, found in their camp, they did not exceed three hundred and fixty thoufand in all, including old men, women and children : a number, without difpute, fmall compared with that of the inhabitants of the fame country at prefent. The expedition of the Cimbri had alfo been an entire tranfplan- tation of that people : for it appears, by the requeft they made to the Romans, that their view was to obtain new lands to fettle in. They, as well as the Helvetians, took
* De bcllo Gallic, lib. i. c. n.
with
with them their wives and children * and accordingly Cimbria (at prefent Slefwick and Jutland) continued after this emigra- tion fo depopulated, that at the end of two whole centuries, viz. in the time of Tacitus, it had not been able to recover itfelf, as we have already remarked from this hifto- rian, who had been himfelf in Germany.
The expedition of the Anglo-Saxons furnifhes us with proofs no lefs con- vincing than thofe I have mentioned. The firfl Angles, who pafTed into Britain under the conduct of Hengift and Horfa, were a mere handful of men. The ancient Saxon chronicle * informs us, that they had only three veflels, and it fhould feem that their number could not well exceed a thoufand. Some other fwarms having afterwards fol- lowed their example, their country was reduced to a mere defert f-, and con- tinued destitute of inhabitants for more than two centuries ; being ftill in this flate in the time of Bede, from whom the au- thor of the Saxon chronicle borrowed this fact. Let any one judge after this, whe- ther it was always out of the funerfluity of its inhabitants, as hath been frequently aflerted, that the North poured forth its
* Chronic. Ang1o Sax. fubjeft towards the end of a Gibfon. edit. p. 13. the next Chapter.
f See a Note on this T.
Chap. IX Q^3 torrents
( 23° )
torrents on the countries they overwhelmed. For my part I have not been able to dif- cover any proofs that their emigrations ever proceeded from want of room at home : on the contrary, I find enough to convince me that their country could eafily have re- ceived an additional number of inhabi- tants. When Alboin formed the project of leading the Lombards into Italy, he demanded auxiliaries from the Saxons, his allies. Twenty thoufand Saxons, with their wives and children, accompanied the Lombards into Italy : and the kings of France fent colonies of Swabians to occupy the country which the Saxons had left de- fert. Thus we fee the Saxons, who arc thought to have been one of the moft nu- merous people of Germany, could not fend forth this feeble fwarm without depo- pulating their own country : But this is not all. The twenty thonfand Saxons, dif- agreeing with the Lombards, quitted Italy, and returned back (undiminimed in num- ber) into their own country, which they found pofleffed by the Swabians above- mentioned. This prefently gave rife to a war, notwithftanding all the remonftrances of the Swabians, who, as an ancient hifto- rian * afTures us, demonftrated to the Sax- ons, that both nations might ealily mare
* Paul. Diacon. de geft. Longobard. lib. ii. c. 6.
the
(23' )
the country among them, and live all of them in it very commodionfly. I make no doubt but there were throughout all Sax- ony, as well as Scandinavia, vaft trafts of land which lay in their original uncultivated ftate, having never been grubbed up and cleared. Let any one read the de- fcription which Adam of Bremen * gives of Denmark in the eleventh century, and he will be convinced that the coafts alone were peopled, but that the interior parts formed only one vaft foreft.
From what has been faid, therefore, I think one may fafely conclude, that as all were foldiers among the ancient Scandina- vians, they could eafily fill all Europe with the noife of their arms, and ravage for a long time different parts of it, although the fum total of the inhabitants mould have been much lefs than it is at prefent. If it was otherwife, we muft acknowledge, that this extreme population can be very ill reconciled, either with what hiftory informs of the manners, cuftoms and principles of the ancient Scandinavians, or with the founded notions of policy with refpect to what makes the true profperity of a people. For we cannot allow them fuch a fupe- riority over us in the number of inhabit-
* Adam Brem. hift. ecclef. Cap. cie fitu Daniae.
Chap. IX. Q_4 ants,
ants, without granting them at the fame time a proportionable excellence in their cuftoms, manners, civil regulations, and conftitution of government, as fo many ef- ficacious caufes of the good or bad ftate of all focieties, and confequently of their greater or lefs degree of population. But who can perfuade himfelf, that thofe favage times when men fowed and reaped but little; when they had no other choice but that of the deftru&ive profeffion of arms, or of a drowfy indolence no lefs deflru&ive ; when every petty nation was torn to pieces either by private revenge and factions within, or by war with their neighbours from with- out ; when they had no other fubfiftence but rapine, and no other ramparts but wide frontiers laid wafte ; who, I fay, can be- lieve fuch a flate as this to be more favour- able to the propagation of the human fpe- cies, than that wherein mens goods and perfons are in full fecurity ; wherein the field are covered with labourers, and their cities, rich and numerous, flourifh in tran- quillity j wherein the people are left to breathe during long intervals of peace, and there is never more than a fmall part of the inhabitants to whom war is deftrudtive ; and laflly, wherein commerce, manufac^ tures, and the arts offer fo many refources, and fecond fo well that natural propenfity to
increafe
increafe and multiply, which nothing but the fear of indigence can check and reftrain.
Let us now confider in what manner the ancient nations of the North made war. When an army was upon the march, the whole body, as well generals as pri- vate foldiers, equally deiired to terminate the campaign by fome fpeedy and decifive action. Their numbers, their poverty, the want of provifions, and of the other pre- cautions obferved at prefent, did not per- mit thefe people to wait leifurely the fa- vourable occafions of giving battle. The plunder, as it was their principal object, fo it was generally their greatefr. refource : and they were not of a character to brook either long delays, or fevere difcipline, without which all military knowledge is ufelefs. Naturally impetuous and ardent, they only fought with courage fo long as the firft heat of their pamon continued, and while they were encouraged by the hope of fpeedy fuccefs. Whenever they attacked a civilized and warlike people they were always fure to be defeated fooner or later, provided the operations were flow and cautious. It was thus Marius repaired the repeated lofles which Rome had fuf- fered from the imprudence of the former generals, by only oppofing to the Cimbri a Itudied flacknefs which blunted the
Chap. IX. edge
( 234)
edge of their impetuofity, and threw them into dejection and decay by reducing them to inaction. One need only read the ac- count which the Englifh hiftorians give of the irruptions made hy the Danes in England, to be convinced that it was ra- ther by furprize and fudden excurfions than by a regular war, that they made a conqueft of that country. The northern kings, as well as thofe of the other parts of Europe, had not then any regular troops, except- ing perhaps a fmall number of armed cavalry which ferved them for guards. When they would raife an army, they convoked, as we have faid above, a general aflembly of the free- men of the nation : in this aftembly they levied foldiers, and fixed the number which each farm, village or town was to furnim. There is room to believe that in Denmark, as in other kingdoms, the foldiers received no regular pay ; but every one re- turned home as foon as the expedition was finished and the booty divided. Neverthelefs the more valiant among them, unable to lie inactive, till their own country mould offer them new occa/ions to enrich and lignalize themfelves, entered into the fervice of fuch other nations as were at war. This was a general cuftom among all the < Teutonic and ' Celtic nations, and ancient hiilory affords us a thoufand examples of it. We
have
( 235 )
have feen the Cimbri afk the Romans to aflign them lands, promifing in return to be always ready to arm themfelves in their quarrels. A long time after we frequently fee the Goths and Danes in the pay of the Roman emperours. Saxo informs us that in fucceeding ages the emperours of Con- ftantinople intrufted to them the guard of their perfons, and gave them the firft ranks in their armies *.
It is very difficult to fay any thing more particular of the Tactics or military art of thefe ancient nations. If we may judge of the Scandinavians by what is related of feveral other Celtic people -f-, we mail not
form
* Vid. Pontoppidani gefta et veftig. Dan. ex- tra Dan. torn. i. p. 20.
f Our author goes here upon the miftaken notion of monf. Peljou- tier, that the CELTS and GOTHS, the GAULS and GERMANS were the fame people ; and therefore in the following lines he ap- plies to the Scandina- vians (a Gothic race) what Pelloutier has col- fe£red from ancient au- thors concerning the Gauls and other nations of Celtic origin. (See
Chap. IX.
Pelloutier hift. des Celts,
lib. ii. c. 15.) What
he fays below of their blind fury, of their dif- orderly way of fighting, and being readily broken after the tirft {hock, was true of the Gauls, &c. whereas the nations of Teutonic race, as they had lefs vivacity and were lefs choleric, fo they feem to have had more con- francy and perfeverance, and therefore were reduci- ble to better difcipline, as ou r author allows the Scan - diuavians to have been " when
(236)
a very advantageous idea of them in this refpect. The Greek and Latin hifto- rians reprefent them to us as mad men, who in battle only followed the inftinc"l of a blind and brutal rage, without regarding either time or place, or circumftances. At the firft fight of an enemy, they darted down upon them with the rapidity of lightning : their impetuofity was a mere drunkennefs or intoxication, which made them march to battle with the moft extravagant joy : but they marched, we are alfo told, without any order, and often without ever confi- dering whether the enemy could be forced in their poft or not. Hence it frequent- ly happened, that their vigour being ex- haufted, it was fufficient to refift the firfl: fhock, and they were defeated. We muft neverthelefs fuppofe, that when fkilful ge-
" when they had fkilful *£ generals :" This con- ceflion the current of hif- tory extorted from him contrary to his theory. However, as it is the cha- racter of all barbarous na- tions to be eager and fu- rious in their firfl attacks, we may fuppofe the an- cient Danes and other Gothic nations would not be able to join battle
with the fame cool and deliberate difcipline, as a civilized people like the Romans did : and this will account for what Plutarch and others tell us of the furious ardor of the Cimbri, (in vit. Marii Flor. III. 3.) and for whatever {imilaj inftances we find in other authors. Vid. Ammian. jMarcellin. XVI. 13. p. 146. T.
nerals
( 237 )
nerals commanded the armies of the Scan- dinavians, they very well knew how to maintain a proper fubordination and to mo- derate that fenfelefs fury, which always over-moots the mark it aims at j atleaft we fee in the accounts which the ancient chro- nicles give of their battles, that the autho- rity of their generals was very great, and their orders highly refpe&ed. It appears alfo to have been their cuftom to difpofe an army in the form of a triangle or pyra- mid, the point of which was directed againft the center of the enemy's army. This body was only compofed of infantry ; the cavalry being generally upon a very incon- fiderable footing in the North, whether becaufe the country is fo divided there by mountains and arms of the fea, or whether becaufe their principal forces were referved for the marine *. They had only fome foldiers who ferved both on foot and horfe- back, like our dragoons at prefent, and who were commonly placed in the flanks of their armies. When they were going to join battle, they raifed great fhouts, they clamed their arms together, they invoked with a great noife the name of Odin, ,and fometimes fung hymns in his praife.
* Dalin. Suea, Rikcs hift. torn. i. ch. 8.
Chap. IX. They
They made an intrenchment with their baggage round the camp, where the wo- men and children remained during the en- gagement. The conquered in vain fled there for refuge if they happened to be routed. Moil commonly the women only waited their coming back to cut them in pieces, and if they could not oblige them to return to battle, they chofe to bury thein- felves and their children in one common carnage with their hufbands rather than fall into the hands of a mercilefs conqueror. Such were the dreadful effects of that inhumanity with which war was then carried on. An act of rigour occafioned an act of cruelty, and this again produced a degree of barbarity ftill greater. The chains and punimments which were referved for the vanquished, only ferved to render the victory the more bloody, and to make it coft the dearer to thofe, who purchaled the honour of de- Itroying their fellow-creatures without ne- ceffity.
Their offenfive weapons were commonly the bow and arrows, the battle-ax, and the fword. The f \vord was Short, mod frequently crooked in the manner of a fcimetar, and hung to a little belt which parted over the right fhoulder. Yet they foraetimes made ufe of very long fwords
which
( 239 )
which went by a different name *, and thefe were what the Cimbri employed, ac- cording to Plutarch. Their champions or heroes took particular care to procure very keen fwords, which they infcribed with myfterious characters and called by fuch names as might infpire terror. The battle- ax had two edges ; when it had a long handle it went by the name of an Hal- berd -f-, and was particularly affected by the TRABANTS, or thofe who flood upon
fuard in the caftles of their kings J. The candinavians were reckoned very fkilful at mooting, and accordingly made great ufe of the bow, as we learn from all the ancient chronicles. But belides thefe arms, fome warriors employed whatever others they judged moft proper to fecond their valour. Thus we fometimes read of javelins, flings,
* The former went by an Ax, and HALLE a
the name of SWERD, Court ; Halberds being
whence our Englifh word the common weapons of
SWORD : the latter by guards. ( Jahnfon's Dicl.
that of SPAD or SPADA, Jumi Etymol.) The
a word which is ftill pre- weapon itfelf however
ferved in moft of the was probably in ufe from
fouthern languages, in the earlieft times. T.
the fame fen fe. J TRABANTS (or ra-
•| Theword HALBARD ther DRABAXTS) is the
is, I believe, of latter nnme given to the Yeo-
date, tho' it is of Gothic men of the Guard in the
origin, being compounded Northern Courts. T. of the Teutonic, BARDE
Chap. IX. clubs
( 240 )
tlubs ftuck round with points, lances, and Jt fort of daggers. There was no lefs variety in their defenlive arms. Of thefe the mield or buckler was the chief*. This moft com- monly was of wood, bark, or leather. The fhields belonging to warriors of diftinclion were of iron orbrafs, ornamented with paint- ing and fculpture, often finely gilt, and fome- times plated over with gold or filver. We have feen what great account the ancient Danes made of their mields, and what pe- nalties were referved for fuch as loft them in battle. Their fhape and fize varied much in different countries : the Scandinavians generally had them of a long oval form, juft the height of the bearer, in order to protect him from arrows, darts and flones. They beiides made ufe of them to carry the dead to the grave, to terrify the enemy by claming their arms againft them, to form upon occafion a kind of fhelter or tent when they were obliged to encamp in the open field, or when the weather was bad. Nor was the fhield lefs ufeful in naval en- counters; for if the fear of falling into their
* They had two forts of Shield: andafmallerkind,
thefe, the great Buckler or Target,with which they
which refted on the earth parried the thrufts and
and covered the whole blows of the fword. See
body, called in the Danifh Dalin. Sue. Rik. hift.
language SKIOLD, the torn. i. c. 8. §. 18.
enemies
enemies hands obliged one of their warriors to caft himfelf into the fea, he could eafily efcape by fwimming upon his buckler *. Laftly, they fometimes made a rampart of their mields, by locking them one into an- other, in the form of a circle ; and at the end of a campaign, they fufpended them, againft the walls of their houfes, as the fineft decoration with which they could adorn them.
All thefe ufes which they made of their Shields could not but infpire the Scandina- vians with a high reipecl: for this part of their armour. It was the moft noble man- ner in which an hero could employ his lei- fure, to polifh his fhield to the utmoft brightnefs, and to reprefent upon it either fome gallant feat, or fome emblematical fi- gure expreffive of his own inclinations or exploits : and this ferved to diflinguim him when, being armed at all points, his hel-
* Vid. Holberg's Dan- placing their BROAD
nem. og Norg. Befkri- SHIELDS under their bo-
velfe. chap. xiii. dies, would flide down
Plutarch in his Life of thofe vaft flippery de-
Marius tells us, that the fcents. Travellers
Cimbri, when they were inform us, that the fame
paffing the Alps, took method of defcending
great delight in climbing thofe fnowy flopes is
up to the tops of the pra&ifed to this day.
mountains over the ice T. and fnow, and there
VOL, I. Chap. IX. R met
met hid his face. But then every one could not carry thefe painted or carved fhields indifferently. When a young war- rior was at firft inlifted, they gave him a white and fmooth buckler, which was called the " Shield of expedation." This he carried till, by fome fignal exploit, he had obtained leave to have proofs of his valour engraven on it : For this reafon none but princes, or perfons diftinguifh- ed by their fervices, prefumed to carry fhields adorned with any fymbol j the common foldiers could not obtain a dif- tinclion of which the grandees were fo jealous. Even fo early as the expedition of the Cirnbri, the greateil part of the army, according to Plutarch, had only white bucklers. In following times, but not till long after, thefe fymbols which illuftrious warriors had adopted, paffing from father to fon, produced in the North, as well as all over Europe, hereditary coats of arms.
The cafque or helmet was known to the Scandinavians from the moft early ages. The private foldiers had their helmets fre- quently of leather: thofe of the officers were of iron, and, if their rank or wealth per- mitted, of gilded brafs. The coat of mail, the breaft-plate and back-piece, the armour for the thighs, and other lefs effential pieces, were only for fuch as were able to procure
( 243 )
them.- Thus, although the invention of all thefe was certainly owing to the Scy- thians and firft inhabitants of Europe, few of their defendants were for many ages able to obtain them : a finking proof of their indifference, or rather barbarous con- tempt for all the arts, fince they cultivated fo ill even that which was fo neceflary to them in battle.
They did not carry to a much greater de- gree of perfection the art of fortifying or attacking places of defence. Their for- trefTes were only rude caflles fituate on the fummits of rocks, and rendered inacceflible by thick mimapen walls. As thefe walls ran winding round the caflles, they often, called them by a name which fignified SERPENTS or DRAGONS, and in thefe they commonly fecured the women and young maids of diftindlion, who were fel- dom fafe at a time when fo many bold warriors were rambling up and down in fearch of adventures*. It was this cuf- tom which gave occafion to ancient ro- mancers, who knew not how to defcribe any thing fimply, to invent fo many fables concerning princefTes of great beauty, guarded by dragons, and afterwards deli-
* See Dalin. Suea Rikes. hift. lib. i. ch. 7. §. 20. & torn. i. ch. 6. §. 19. in not.
Chap. IX. R 2 vered
( 244 )
vered Ly young heroes, Avho could not atchieve their refcue till they had overcome thofe terrible guards. Thefe rude forts were feldom taken by the enemy, unlefs by fur- prize or after a long blockade : however, when thefe were of great importance, they raifed terraces and artificial banks on that fide of the fort which was loweft ; and by this means annoyed the befieged by throw- ing in arrows, Hones, boiling water and melted pitch; oftenfive arms, which the be- fieged, on their part, were not negligent in returning *.
* There is alfd reafbn to believe that the ancient Northern nations were not wholly unacquainted with the ufe of the Cata- pul ta and other engines for battering, darting ftones, &c. but it is very pro-
bable that thefe were not common, and were be- fides of very rude and fimple conftruclion. Vid. Loccen. Antiq. Suev. Goth. lib. iii. c. 2. apud Dalin, Suea. Rik. hift.
Firjt Edit.
CHAP-
( 245
CHAPTER X.
Of the Maritime Expeditions of the ancient Danes*
IT T O W formidable foever the ancient L Scandinavians were by land to moft of the inhabitants of Europe, it muft yet be allowed that their maritime expedi- tions occafioned flill more deftructive ra- vages and greater terror. We cannot read the hiftory of the eighth, the ninth and tenth centuries, without obferving with furprize, the fea covered with their veflels, and from one end of Europe to the other, the coafts of thofe countries, now the moft powerful, a prey to their depredations. During the fpace of two hundred years, they almoft inceffantly ravaged England, and frequently fubdued it. They often in- vaded Scotland and Ireland, and made in- curfions on the coafts of Livonia, Cour- land and Pomerania. Already feared, be- fore the time of Charlemagne, they became Chap. X. R 3 ftill
ftill more terrible as foon as this great mo- narch's eyes were clofed. He is known to have fhed tears on hearing that thefe barbarians had, on fome occafion, defyed his name, and all the precautions he had made to oppofe them. He forefaw what his people would fuffer from their courage under his feeble fucceflbrs. And never was prefage better grounded. They foon fpread, like a devouring flame, over Lower Saxony, Friezeland, Holland, Flanders and the banks of the Rhine as far as Mentz. They penetrated into the heart of France, having long before ravaged the coafts ; they every where found their way up the Somme, the Seine, the Loire, the Garonne and the Rhone. Within the fpace of thirty years, they frequently pillaged and burnt Paris, Amiens, Orleans, Poitiers, Bourdeaux, Tou- loufe, Saintes, Angouleme, Nants, and Tours. They fettled themfelves in Ca- margue, at the mouth of the Rhone, from whence they wafted Provence and Dau- phiny as far as Valence. In mort, they ruined France *, levied immenfe tribute on its monarchs, burnt the palace of Charle-
* See in the Colle&ion nonymous Author : See
of Norman Hiftorians, alfo that of Dudon de St.
compiled by Duchene, the Quentin, and other an-
relation of an ancient a- cicnt writers.
magne
(247)
magne at Aix-la-Chapelle, and, in con- clufion, caufed one of the fineft provinces of the kingdom to be ceded to them. They often carried their arms into Spain, and even made themfelves dreaded in Italy and Greece. In fine, they no lefs infefted the North than the South with their incur- fions, fpreading every where defolation and terror : fometimes as furioufly bent on their own mutual deftruction, as on the ruin of other nations j fometimes animated by a more pacific fpirit, they tranfported colonies to unknown or unin- habited countries, as if they were willing to repair in one place the horrid defrruction of human kind occafioned by their furious ravages in others.
A people, who are ignorant of manual arts and profeffions,of juftice, and of all means of providing for their own fecurity or fubfift- ence. except by war, never fail to betake themfelves to piracy, if they inhabit a coun- try furrounded by the fea. The Pelafgi or firft Greeks were generally pirates and robbers. " Some of them," fays Thuci- dides*, " attacked unfortified cities ; others, " fuch as the Carians and Cretans, who " dwelt along the coafls, fitted out fleets " to fcour the feas." But whereas the
* Sec Thucid. lib. i. cap. 5.
Chap. X. R 4 Greeks
( 248 )
Greeks are reprefented to us as pirates in the firft periods of their hiflory, it is to be obferved, that the Scandinavians did not become fo till late. Sidonius Apolli- narius, a writer of the fifth century, is, I think, the firft who mentions the piracy of the Northern nations. He attributes this practice to the Saxons, of whom he draws a frightful picture*. The Danes and Norwegians had not as yet ventured far from their coafts. I imagine that their neareft neighbours had not allurements fufficient to tempt them. The inhabit- ants of thofe countries, as poor and war- like as themfelves, were likely to return them blow for blow. Britain and Gaul were too diftant and too well defended to become the firfl attempt of the Scan- dinavian ravagers. They began then by arming a few vefTels, with which they plundered the ftates neareil to them, and overpowered fuch few merchant-mips as traverfed the Baltic. Infenfibly enriched by their fuccefs in little enterprizes, and en- couraged to attempt greater, they were at length in a condition to become formi-
* Eft Saxenlbus piratis prcvifus aggreditur, pr<z-
cum difcrimin;bus pelagi vifia c'abitur^ fpcrnit ob-
non notitia folum fed fa- jttla, jlcrnlt incc.utos. Si-
miliaritas UcjUs tion. Apolin, lib. viii.
omni hcjle truculent'iv r -f im- epift. 6.
dable
( 249 )
dable to diftant nations, fuch as the Anglo- Saxons, the French, or the Flemings, who all of them pofTefled wealth enough to tempt free-hooters, and lived under a go- vernment too defective and weak to repel them. From that time all this people conceived an amazing fondnefs for mari- time expeditions, and towards the begin- ning of the ninth century, we find thefe adventurers vaftly encreafed, who, by a flrange aflbciation of ideas, imagined they acquired eternal glory, by committing every where, without any pretext, the moft horrible violence.
In proportion as the divifions, incapacity and imprudence of Charlemagne's fuc- ceflbrs weakened their governments, the Scandinavians, encouraged by their grow- ing wealth, conftantly fitted out ftill more numerous fleets. " The French monar- <c chy," fays an author of that age *, " la- " bouring under the weight of a bad in-
" terior
* Au&or Vitae Sti. Ge- of war at the mouths of all
nulfi, lib. xi. the great rivers through-
The Scandinavians had out his empire, and to
already, before the time caufe an exa& difcipline
of Charlemagne, found to be obferved along the
their way into the neigh- coafts, they were obliged
bouring feas : but this to keep within the limits
prince having had the he prefcribed them fo long
precaution to ftation {hips as he reigned, which was
Chap. X. from
( 25° )
" terior policy, hath been obliged to leave " the feas expofed to the barbarous fury " of the Normans." The mal-admini- ftraticn of the Saxon kings of England produced the fame effect in that iiland, now fo refpectable for its naval power. Both the one and the other had the dangerous imprudence to purchafe peace from thefe pirates i which was not only putting arms into the hands of the enemy, but was alfo attended with this further inconvenience, that the command- ers in thefe expeditions, who had no au- thority over each other, only confidered themfelves as bound by their own fe- parate engagements j fo that thofe harraffed .nations were no fooner freed, by dint of money, from one fet of ravagers, than another fucceeded, ready to attack them with the fame impetuofity, if they were not appeafed by the fame means. The better to account for that ftrange facility with which the Scandinavians fo long plundered, and fo frequently conquered the Anglo-Saxons and the French, we mufl remark, that their cruelty, which
from A. D. 768 to 814. the feas with the fame
But they\ quickly found impunity, they had done
under his feeble fucceflbrs befoie his time. \Jl edit. that they might fcour
gave
gave no quarter, and which occafioned thofe fad lamentations fo well known *, had im- prefled thefe nations with fuch terror, that they were half vanquifhed at their very ap- pearance. Betides, there was no contend- ing with an enemy who did not make war, like regular forces, on any direct and con- fiftent plan, but by fudden eruptions in a hundred places at once, as expeditious in retreating to their mips where they met with reiiftance, as in darting down upon the coafts where they found them quiet and defencelefs. It is, neverthelefs, pro- bable, that a wife and well-ordered go- vernment might have remedied all thefe evils : and in fact that it did fo, we have an inconteftible proof in the conduct of the great ALFRED, under whofe reign the Danes were obliged to leave England un- rnolefled. But what appears an eaiy mat- ter to us, at this time, required in thofe ages of ignorance and confuiion, the un- common genius of an Alfred to accom- plifh.
* The Monks infected Northern - men : which
it as a petition in the Li- afterwards became the
tany, A furore Norman- proper name of the co-
norum, Hbera nos, 'D online, lony that fettled in Neu-
The French called ftria ; whofe hiflory is
thefe adventurers in ge- givrcn below. T.
neral NORMANS, j. e.
Chap. X. If
If we reflect on the interior flate of Scandinavia, during the times that its in- habitants were fo unfortunately famous, we fhall foon fee the caufe of that amazing ex- terior power which they poflefTed. I have before obferved, that they neglected agri- culture, which, among a thoufand other good effects, extinguimes in a rifing people the relim for favage life, and infpires them with the love of peace and juftice, with- out which the cultivation of their lands is ufelefs. Their flocks being alrnoft their only income, they were neither obliged to a confiant abode on the fame fpot, nor to wait for the time of harveft, and confequently fuch a people, though in fact but few, were able, on mort notice, to levy numerous armies. Moft of them brought up in a maritime country, and inured to the fea from their childhood, had no fear of the dangers, or rather knew not that there were dangers of any kind attending fuch a life. What a bound lefs field for conquefts was here opened by the fole advantage of navigation ! What a free fcope was here afforded a warlike people to fpread univerfally the terror of their arms f The profeffion of piracy was fo far from , appearing difgraceful to them, that it was in their eyes the certain road to honours and to fortune : for it was wifely contrived
that
that the word HONOUR, to which fo many different ideas are annexed, was among them folely confined to a difregard of dan- gers. Hence it is, that in the ancient chronicles, more than one hero boafts of being the moft renowned pirate in the North ; and that often the fons of the great lords and kings made cruizing voyages in their youth, in order to render themfelves illuftrious, and to become one day worthy of command. This is what we fee hap- pen very frequently after Harold Harfagre had once made himfelf mafter of all Nor- way, which before his time was divided into feveral petty kingdoms. Many princes, dukes or earls, feeing themfelves thus ftrip- ped of their pofTeffions, retired into Ice- land, the Orkneys, the ifles of Faro and Shetland, and . thence covering the fea with their veflels, infefted all the coafts of Scandinavia ; where for many ages there was no failing with any fafety. Adam of Bremen, who travelled through Denmark fome time after Chriftianity was received there, gives a very affecting defcription of the defolations they made in that king- dom *. Nor were they in reality lefs for- midable in the North, than to France or England. The coafts of Denmark, Sweden
* Vid. Adam Bfem. de fitu Dan paflim. Chap. X. and
( 254 )
and Norway were obliged to be under con- ftant guard. They encreafed fo much, that on fome occafions, and particularly under king Regner Lodbrog, the Danes were perhaps more numerous on fea than on land : fo that the whole nation, according to the account of an ancient hiftorian, wore nothing but the habits of failors, that they might be ready to embark on the firft fignal *.
As foon as a prince had attained his eighteenth or twentieth year, he commonly requefted of his father a fmall fleet com-
Eletely fitted out, in order to atchieve with is followers fome adventure that might be productive of glory and fpoil. The father applauded fuch an inclination in his fon, as indicating a riling courage and heroic mind. He gave him (hips, the commander and crew of which mutually engaged not to return, unlefs adorned with laurels and loaded with plunder. That nation became the firft object of their re- fentment, from whom they had received any injury 5 and frequently their principal aim was to make reprizals on fome pro- vince which ferved for the retreat of other corfairs. If the fleets of two different na- tions met by chance in their voyage, this
* Arnold. Lubeck. Chronic.
4 was
( 255)
was alfo an occafion of fighting which they never neglected.
The vanquished party was commonly put to death, though fometimes the con- querors were contented to make them flaves ; and often, by a fingular ftrain of generofity, which the love of glory was able to produce in minds in other refpects fo ferocious, if the enemy that fell in their way had fewer mips than themfelves, they fet afide part of their own veflels, that fo, engaging upon equal terms, the victory might not be attributed to fuperiority of numbers*. Many of them alfo regarded it as dimonourable to furprize the enemy by night. Sometimes the chiefs thought it beft to decide the difpute by fmgle com- bat j in this cafe they landed on the nearefl fhore : if one of them happened to be dif- armed or thrown down, he frequently re- fufed to receive quarter, and was killed on the fpot : but if he had defended himfelf gallantly, the victor granted him his life, demanded his friend (hip, adopted him for a kind of Fofter-brother -)-, and they mutually fwore to preferve an eternal
* So it happened in chronicle called Torftein
an engagement between Wildnga Saga.
two heroes, who are men- -j- Fofter-broder, Da-
tioned in an old Icelandic nice.
Chap, X. friendship.
(256 )
friendship. In token of this alliance the two heroes made incifions in their hands or arms, and befmeared their weapons with the blood, or mixing it in a cup, each of them covering their heads with a fod, drank of it, fwearing that the death of the firfr. of them who fell in battle mould not pafs unrevenged. Many of thefe piratical princes, whom fuccefs and cuftom had at- tached and habituated to this profeffion, never quitted it, but gloried in paffing the remainder of their lives on board their fhips. We meet with them fometimes, in their ancient hiftories, boafting that they never repofed under an immoveable roof, nor drank BEER in peace by their fire- fide *.
The vefTels of thefe corfairs were always well provided with offenfive arms, fuch as ftones, arrows, cables, with which they overfet frnall vefTels, and grapling irons to board them, &c. Every individual was fkilful in fwimming, and as their en- gagements were ieldorn far diftant from the fhore, the vanquimed party often faved themfelves by fwimming to land. Each band had its own peculiar ilations, ports, places of rendezvous, and magazines : and many cities in the North owe their prefent
* Dalin. Sue. Rik. hift. torn. i. c. 4. §. 8.
profperity
2
profperity to the advantage they had of affording them retreats. Such was Lunden in Scania, which, according to Adam of Bremen *, contained great riches laid up there by the pirates : and for a long time the kings themfelves countenanced and fhared their plunder, by felling them the liberty of retiring into their harbours.
The manner in which the lands were parcelled out in Denmark and Norway evidently mews, that every thing there was directed towards this one end of hav- ing a powerful maritime force. Each di- vifion, whether more or lefs confiderable, derived its name from the number of vef- fels it was capable of fitting out, and thefe names ftill fubfift in fome places. In the hiftory of Denmark may be feen the par- ticular taxes impofed on each province for that purpofe, and the number of (hips of which their fleets were compofed. At firft they were inconfiderablc, but in pro- portion as the chiefs who followed this piratical profeffion were enriched by it, the northern feas were feen covered with one or two hundred vefTels or ftill more nu- merous fquadrons. We read in hiftory of a fleet of feven hundred mips, commanded by HAROLD BL A AT AND king of Den-
* Vid. Adam Brem. de fit. Dan. cap. ccxiii.
VOL. I. Chap. X, S mark,
mark, and a Norwegian lord named count HACON. This number is, no greater than what we often find in the fleets under the following reigns, and befides it is cer- tain, that the veflels of which it confuted, were but fmall. The firft we hear of were only a kind of twelve-oared barks ; they were afterwards built capable of containing one hundred or a hundred and twenty men, and thefe were very common in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. The northern kings alfo fometimes conftruded veflels of an ex- traordinary fize, but thefe were rather for {hew than defence. Such was that of Ha- rold Harfagre: a long fhip which the chro- nicles mention with admiration, under the name of the DRAGON. King Olave Trygguefon had one of the fame kind, named the LONG SERPENT : the chronicles fay it was very long, large and high, and of a mod durable conduction ; a wooden fer- pent was carved on its poop, and both that and its prow were gilded. It carried thirty four banks of rowers, and was, they add, the fined and larger! /hip that had been ever feen in Norway *.
* See a Diflertation of " Norges Soe Hiftoire:"
baron Holberg's infert- See alfoTorfaeus's hift. of
eJ in the 3d tome of Me- Norway in the Life of
itioirs of the Society of HAROLD and of OLAVE,
Sciences in Denmark, in- 6cc. Firji Edit,
titled " Danmarks og
Thefe
( 259 )
Thefe piratical expeditions were not al- ways confined to the devastation of fome province, or to a few naval engagements ;. events which producing no farther conle- quence than the immediate misfortune of the people who then fuffered by them, were foon forgot by poflerity. 1 mould digrefs from the purpofe of this intro- duction-, were I to relate all the Conquers made by the inhabitants of the North in their cruizing voyages. I will only take notice of the emigration of the ANGLES, who along with the SAXONS, invaded Bri- tain in the fifth century, and gave it their name. As for the reft, I mall only borrow from the old chronicles fome facts and re- lations little known to ftrangers, but which will afford the beft idea of the maritime power of thefe ancient Scandinavians, for- merly dreaded by fo many nations.
It is well known, that the Britons, unable to defend themfelves from the northern in- habitants of their ifle, fought for affiftance' from the Danes and Saxons, their allies. The ancient Saxon chronicle, publidied by Gibfon *, informs us, that thofe people who went over and fettled in Britain, were originally of three different countries. One party of them were the ancient SAXONS,
* Chronic. Saxon, p. 12, et feq.
Chap. X. S 2 that
( 260 )
that is to fay, the people of Lower Saxony ; another were the ANGLES or Englifti, who inhabited that part of the duchy of Slefwic in the neighbourhood of Flenfoourg, ftill called Angelen, and were confequently Danes. Laftly, there pafled over into Bri- tain alfo a confiderable number of JUTES, which is the name given at this day to the inhabitants of Jutland, The Saxons oc- cupied the provinces named, after them, ESSEX, WESTSEX*, SUSSEX, and MID- DLESEX. " The ANGLES," continues the author of that chronicle, «* left their own " country totally deferted -f-, and fo it ftill
" continues.
* WESTSEX, or the Weft - Saxon kingdom contained Hampfhire, Berks, Wilts, Somerfet, Dorfet, &c. T.
f We (hall not wonder at this, if we recoiled that they did not fo much con- quer the BRITONS, as ex- tirpate and expel them, and that they entirely new-peopledthree fourths of this large ifland. That the SAXONS fuftered few or none of the old inha- bitants to remain among them, appears from their adopting fcarce any of their cuftoms, laws, or
language : hardly retain- ing fomuch as their names of places. All which they would infenfibly have done more or lefs had the conquered Britons re- mained among them, tho* in the loweft ftate of fer- vitude. For it is always feen that the conquerors gradually affume the lan- guage and manners of the conquered, where the latter are moft numerous though never fo much deprefled, provided they intermix with them. Thus the Norwegians, under ROLLO, when they had conquered
" continues. This country is fituated be- " tween Saxony and Jutland. Their leaders " were Hengift and Horfa, who derived their " pedigree from Odin, as do all our kings. " From the Angles defcended all the in- <£ habitants of the eafl and fouthern parts " of England, as well as thofe of Mercia* " and Northumberland. The Jutes or " Jutlanders pofieffed only Kent and the " ifle of Wight." Thus although this people were not yet known by the name of Danes, it is evident, that at leaft two thirds of the conquerors of Great Britain came from Denmark : fo that when the Danes again infefted England about three or four hundred years after, and finally conquered it toward the latter end of the tenth cen-
conquered Normandy, quickly imbibed the French manners and lan- guage : Thus the fame Normans, when about two centuries after they conquered England, in vain endeavoured to make their Norman- French the national language, and to eftablifh the Norman laws j in the courfe of one or two reigns, the laws, manners, and fpeech of the Englifh had gra- dually recovered the fu-
Chap. X.
periority, and were a- dopted by the conquerors themfelves and their de- fcendants. T.
* MERCIA, or (as the old Englifh name was) MERCH-LAND contained 17 counties, viz. Oxford, Gloucefter, Salop, Che- fhire, &c. It was called Merch-land, becaufe it was every way bounded by MARCHES, or lands bordering on other king- doms : It no where verged on the fea. T.
S 3 tury,
( 262 )
tury, they waged war with the defendants of their own anceftors.
A particular event ferved to rekindle that fpirit of rapine and conqueft which had al- ready been fo fatal to this ifland. Harold Harfagre having (as I faid above) compleated the conqueft of Norway about the year 870, and being defirous of procuring that repofe for fuch of his fubje&s as dwelt along the coafts, which they themfelves would not grant to their neighbours, pro- hibited all pirates of Norway, under the fevereft penalties, from exercifing any hof- tilities againft their own country -f-. But notwithstanding this prohibition a Nor- wegian dukej, named ROLF or ROLLO, fprung, as it is faid, from the ancient kings of Norway, made a defcent on the pro- vince of Viken, nor retired thence till la- den with a great booty of cattle. Harold, who was in the neighbourhood, was en- raged at Rollo to the laft degree, for thus daring to difobey him almoft in his very prefence, and inftantly condemned him to perpetual banimment from Norway. In
t Torfei hift. Norveg. language JARL, a title of
torn. ii. lib. ii. Ejufd. the fame original and im-
DifTertat. deGaungoRol- port, as our Anglor- Saxon
fo. p. 80. EARL. T«
\ Called in their c\vn
vain
( 263 )
vain the mother of this unfortunate youth threw herfelf at the king's feet, imploring pardon for her fon, and chanting, according to the cuftom of 'thofe times, thefe verfes, xvhich the chronic'es have preferved to us; " Is the very name of our race become hate- «« ful to you? You drive from his country " one of the greateft men it has ever pro- «c duced, the honour of the Norwegian no- " bility. Ah ! why will you provoke the " wolf to devour the flocks, who wander " defencelefs through the woods ? Fear, left " becoming outrageous, he mould one day " occafion great misfortunes." The king remained inflexible, and Kollo perceiving that he was for ever cut off from all hopes of return to his own country, retired with his fleet among the iflands of the Hebrides to the north-weft of Scotland, whither the flower of the Norwegian nobility had fled for refuge ever fince Harold had become mafter of the whole kingdom. He was there received with open arms by thofe warriors, who, eager for conqueft and re- venge, waited only for a chief to undertake fome glorious enterprize. Rollo Jetting himfelf at their head, and feeing his power formidable, failed towards England, which had been long as it were a field open on all fides to the violences of the northern na- tions. But the great Alfred had fome Chap.X." S 4, year:.
years before eftablilhed fuch order in his part of the ifland, that Rollo, after feveral fruitlefs attempts, defpaired of forming there fuch a fettlement as mould make him amends for the lofs of his own country. He pretended therefore to have had a fu- pernatural dream, which promifed him a glorious fortune in France, and which ferved at leaft to fupport the ardour of his followers. The weaknefs of the govern- ment in that kingdom, and the confulion in which it was involved, were ftill more perfuafive reafons to allure them of fuccefs. Having therefore failed up the Seine to Rouen, he immediately took that capi- tal of the province, then called NEU- STRIA, and making it his magazine of arms, he advanced up to Paris, to which he laid liege in form. The events of this war properly belong to the hiftory of France, and all the world knows, that it at length ended in the entire ceflion of Neuftria, which Charles the Simple was obliged to give up to Rollo and his Nor- mans, in order to purchafe a peace. Rollo received it in perpetuity to himfelf and his posterity, as a feudal duchy dependant on the crown of France *. A defcription of the
interview
* This famous treaty A.D. 912, by which K. W23 concluded atS.Clair, Charles agreed to give hi:
daughter
(265)
interview between Charles and this new duke, gives us a curious pidure of the manners of thefe NORMANS, (as they were called by foreigners : ) for the latter would not take the oath of fealty to his fovereign lord, any other way than by placing his hands within thofe of the king ; and abfo- luiely refufed to kifs his feet, as cuftom then required. It was with great difficulty he was prevailed on to let one of his war- riors perform this ceremony in his ftead j but the officer to whom Rollo deputed this fervice, fuddenly raifed the king's foot fo high, that he overturned him on his back ; a piece of rudenefs which was only laughed at -, to fuch a degree were the Nor- mans feared and Charles defpifed *.
Soon after, Rollo was perfuaded to em- brace Chriflianity, and he was baptized with much ceremony by the archbimop of Rouen in the cathedral of that city. As foon as he faw himfelf in full pofleffion of Normandy, he exhibited fuch virtues as rendered the province happy, and defer ved
daughter Gifele in mar- Chriftian religion. (Vid.
riage to Rollo, together Abrege Chronologique de
with that part of Neuftria 1'hift. de France, parM.
fmce called Normandy, Henault.) T.
upon condition that he * Wilhelm. Gemmet.
would do homage for it, lib. ii. c. II. and would embrace the
Chap. X. to
(266)
to make his former outrages forgotten. Religious, wife, and liberal, this captain of pirates became, after Alfred, the greateft and moft humane prince of his time. Far from treating Normandy as a conquered province, his whole attention was employed to re-eftablifti it. This country was, by the frequent devaftations of the Scandina- vians, rendered fo defert and uncultivated, that Rollo could not at firft refide in it ; but Charles was obliged to yield up Britanny to him for a while, till Normandy was in a condition to furnim fubfiftence to its new matters. Neverthelete, the fertility of the foil, feconding the induftry of the peo- ple, it became, in a few years, one of the finer! provinces of Europe. Thus it was that this prince, afterwards known under the name of ROLLO or RAOUL I. fecured to his children this noble pofleffion, which they, two hundred years afterwards, aug- mented by the conqueft xof England : As if it were defined that this ifland mould at all times receive its fbvereigns from among the northern nations. As to the French hifto- rians, they agree with the Icelandic chro- nicles, in defcribing Rollo as a man of un- common wifdom and capacity ; generous, eloquent, indefatigable, intrepid, of a noble figure and majeftic fize. Many other Scan- dinavian princes and captains are drawn in
tho
the fame colours. Such were Harold Har- fagre, Olave Trygguefon, Magnus king of Norway, Canute the Great, &c. men born with truly heroic qualities, which they alas ! degraded by injuftice and inhuma- nity : but who wanted only another age and another education to render them moft accomplifhed perfons.
Chap. X, CHAP-;
CHAPTER XL
Sequel of the maritime expeditions of the ancient Danes and Norwegians. ¥he difcovery of Iceland and Greenland, and of an unknown country, called Vinland.
"FT was not by this expedition alone, im- JL portant as it might be, that the Nor- wegians were diftinguimed under the reign of HAROLD HARFAGRE. The ambition of that prince gave birth to a conqueft of a more peaceable kind, which though little known to the reft of the world, had yet very interefting confequences in the hiftory of the North. For, not fatisfied with having happily fubdued the little tyrants who had for a long time weakened and diftreft Nor- way, he was difpofed to exercife fuch ab- folute authority over his fubje&s, as, far from fubmitting to, they had not even a name for it. The greateft part of the Nor- wegian nobility perceiving that it was in vain to oppofe their ilrength to his, deter- 5 mined
mined to abandon a country, where they were obliged to live deprefled, impoverifh- ed and obfcure. Ingulph was one of the firft who went into this voluntary exile. It is, indeed, faid, that the apprehenfion of being punimed for a murder he had com- mitted, was, equally with the tyranny of Harold, a motive for his flight -, but this latter inducement was certainly what en- gaged a multitude of noble families of Norway to join him *. Thefe illuftrious fugitives being imbarked, Ingulph, whom they had chofen for their leader, conducted them, in the year 874, to Iceland, which muft certainly have been long before known to a people who were fuch expert failors, though they had never yet thought of fend- ing colonies thither. As foon as they dif- covered it at a diflance, Ingulph, according to an ancient and fuperftitious cuftom, threw a wooden door into the fea, deter- mining to land where the Gods fliould feem to point out, by the direction of this floating guide; but the waves carrying it out of fight, after a fruitlefs fearch, they were obliged to difembark in a gulph toward the fouth part of the ffland, which ftill bears Ingulph's name. Hiorleif,
* Arngrim. Jon. Crymogza, five de reb. Ifland. lib. iii. Hamb. 1593.
Chap. XL his
( 27° )
his brother-in-law fettled in another part. They both found the ifland uninhabited and uncultivated, but covered with thick forefts of birch-trees, through which they could not penetrate, but by cutting their way before them. There are now no fo- refts in Iceland, nor any birch-trees, except here and there a few fhort and flender fhrubs : but the trees that are flill found deep buried in the earth, and frequently among the rocks, mould prevent our too haftily rejecting the evidence of the ancient chronicles, when they defcribe the country as different from what it is at prefent *. The Norwegian adventurers imagined that this ifland had been formerly inhabited, or at leaft that people had landed on the
* Vid. ARNGRIM. JON. Crymogaea. lib. i.
C. 2. p. 21. TORFJEUS
remarks the fame thing. *' Should any one obje<5t, " (fays he) that modern " Iceland does not an- " fwer the ancient de- " fcriptions of it, it may *' be juftly anfweredjthat " this country has greatly ** degenerated. This I " can affirm, from what *' I have been an eye- " witnefs 6f fnyfel'f: I " have feen in my youth
" great alterations in the " face of this country ; " fhores fwallowed, and " others thrown up by the violence of the waves; meadows for- merly fruitful, now bu- ' ried under vaft heaps ' of fand ; plains all co-
* vered and vallies filled ' up with ftones and1 c fand brought down by
* the torrents of melted " fnow,"&c. VideTor- faei hift. Norveg. torn. i. €.5. p. 12.
more,
fhore, as Ingulph found there wooden crofles, and other little pieces ofworkman-" fliip, after the manner of the Irifh and Brit- tons. Thefe people had embraced Chrif- tianity before that time, and very poflibly fome of their fimermen thrown upon the coafts, might have left a few of their effecls behind them. On this fuppofition, that Iceland had not been inhabited before the ninth century, it could not poflibly be the THULE of which the ancients fpeak fo of- ten ; and what Procopius and others have written of it, feems rather applicable to the northern provinces of Scandinavia *.
The fuccefs of Ingulph's expedition be- ing much talked of in Norway, other fa^- milies were eager to fly to this place of refuge from the ambitious encroachments of their king. The Icelandic annals are very exadl: in relating the names of thefe adventurers, the feveral numbers of which they confifted, together with the names of the places where they fettled, which, for
* All that can, with fome very northern coun-
any certainty, be faid of try. Indeed it appears,
this Ultima Thule of the that they applied this
ancients, is, that they name at different times to
called by that name the the ifles of Shetland, Fa-
fartheft country which ro, the Orkneys, Nor-
they could difcover to the way, Iceland, Lapland,
North j or in general &c.
Chap. XL the
3
( 27* )
the moft part, are ftill retained. All the other circumftances of thefe voyages are handed down with equal precilion, and we may confidently affert, that the ancient hiftory of Iceland is more compleat than that of any other country in Europe. The feveral particulars and the fequel of the event are foreign to this work ; we need only obferve, that this Icelandic colony carried with them a violent hatred for ar- bitrary power, and bravely perferved their liberty and independance againft every at- tempt to deprive them of thofe bleffings. This was endeavoured by feveral Norwe- gian princes in vain ; fo that it was full four hundred years before this republic became fubjecl to Norway, along with which it was afterwards united to the crown of Denmark.
About a century after the difcovery of Iceland, a Norwegian nobleman, called TORWALD, having been exiled for killing a perfon in a duel, retired thither, along with his fon ERIC, furnamed RUFUS, or the RED *. Torwald dyiag there, his fon was foon after, for a iimilar accident, obliged to withdraw from this ifland. Not knowing where to fly for refuge, necefiity
* Vid. Torfsei Greenland. Antiq. defcript. Haun. 1708.
determined
determined him to attempt the- difcovery ofacoaft, to the north of Iceland, which had been before defcryed by a Norwegian voyager. His fearch proved fuccefsful, and he landed there in the year 982. He fettled at firft on a little ifland that formed a ftrait, which he called, after his own name, ERIC SUND, and there patted the winter. In the fpring he went to furvey the main land, and finding it covered with a pleating verdure, gave it the name it ftill bears of GROENLAND or GREEN- LAND *. After living there fome years, he returned to Iceland, and prevailed on feveral perfons to go and fettle in this new country. He defcribed it as a land abound- ing in excellent pafturage, in furs and
* GROENLAND is, in the for though Greenland is
northern languages, exadl- in the inner parts a high
ly equivalent to our Eng- mountainous country, co-
lifh word GREENLAND, vered perpetually with ice
An old Icelandic hi ftorian and fnovv ; yet on the
tells us, that ERIC gave fea-coarts, and in the bays
the country this alluring and inlets are found very
name, in order to capti- good meadows and paf-
vate and invite the nor- tares ; or at leaft what
them people to come and might be deemed fuch by
fettle there. (Vid. Ani natives of Iceland and
Po!ybi/iJibelluscleh-landiat Norway. See EGEDE'S
c- <>' P- 33-) The name " Natural Hift. of Green -
however was not altoge- " land." Lond. 1745. p-
thar without foundation ; 4, 12, 44, &c. T.
VOL. I. Chap. XI. T game,
( 274 )
game, having a coaft well fupplied with fiflh. Returning back with his Icelanders, he applied himfelf to render this infant colony fiouriming and profperous.
Some years after, LEIF, thefon of ERIC, having made a voyage to Norway, met xvith a favourable reception from king Olave Trygguefon, to whom he painted out Greenland in the mod advantageous colours. Olave, newly become a convert to Chriftianity, was animated with -the warmett zeal to propagate through the North the religion he had embraced. He detained Leif therefore at his court during the winter, and was fo good an advocate for the Chriftian dodrines that he per- fuaded his gueft to be baptized. In the fpring he fent him to Greenland, attended by a prieft, who was to confirm him in his faith, and endeavour to get it received in- to the new colony. Eric was at firft of- fended at his fon's deferting the religion of his anceftors, but was at length appeafed ; and the miffionary, with the affiftance of Leif, foon brought over the whole fettle- ment to the knowledge of the true God. Before the end of the tenth century there were churches in Greenland, and a bi- fhoprick had been creeled in the new town of GARDE, the capital of the country, wrjither the Norwegians traded for many
years.
years. The Greenlanders foon after en- creafing, founded another little town caUed ALBE, and a monaftery dedicated to St. Thomas. Arngrim Jonas has preferved a lift of the bifhops of Garde : they were fuffragans to the archbifhop of Drontheim. The Greenlanders acknowledged the kings of Norway for their fovereigns, and paid them an annual tribute, from which they in vain endeavoured to free themfelves in the year 1 26 r. This colony fubfifted till about the year 1348, which was the asra of a dreadful peftilence, known by the name of the BLACK DEATH, that made terrible devaftation in the North. From that thne *, both the colony at Garde
and
* Though the pefti- lence above - mentioned might contribute to the ruin of the colony, and to cut off its inter- courfe with Norway ; yet EGEDE affures us, that it' ftill fubfifted and main- tained fome correfpond- ence with the mother- country until the year 1406, when the laft bi- fhop was fent over to Greenland. The fame autflbr attributes the neg- lect and lofs of that an- cient colony to the dif-
Chap. XI.
turbances in the North, occalioned partly by change and tranllation of the government in queen Margaret's reign (about the beginning of the i5th century) and partly by the continual wars, that followed between the Swedes and Danes, which caufed the navigation to thofe parts to be laid a- fuje : to which a natural caufe has alfo probably contributed, viz. that the fcas en the carle rn coaft, which were formerly open, T ± are
(276 )
and that at Albe, with all the other Nof- wegian fettlements on the eaftern coaft of Greenland, have been fo totally forgotten, and neglected, that we are utterly ignorant what became of them. All the endeavours which have been ufed fince, have only tended to the difcovery of the weftern more, where in the prefent age the Danes have made four new fettlements. The Icelandic chronicles unanimoufly atteft, that the an- cient Norwegians eftablimed a colony alfo on the weflern coaft ; but as no remains of it are now extant, many people fufpeded the veracity of thofe hiftorians on this head, and confequently on many others. At length they have recovered all the autho- rity they were in danger of lofing. It is not long fince the Danim miflionaries dif- covered along this coafl the ruins of large ftone houfes, of churches built in the form of a crofs, and fragments of broken bells ; they have alfo difcovered that the favage inhabitants of the country have preferved a diftincl remembrance of thofe ancient Nor- wegians, .of the places where they dwelt,
are now clofed up with wholly extinct, and even
almoft perpetual fhoals ,of propoles means of getting
ice, fo as to render it in- to them. See his Hift. of
accefiible. EGEDE, how- Greenland, chap, ii, &c.
ever, offers proofs that tT. is not
their
(277)
their cuftoms, the quarrels their ancef- tors had with them, and of the war which ended in the deftruction of thofe ftrangers *.
We ought not, after this, to doubt what the fame chronicles tell us concern- ing other colonies, founded at the fame time, and particularly thofe in the eaft- ern part of Greenland. The difcovery of fuch an ancient fettlement cannot fail of being a juft object of curiofity. It is true indeed, that feveral unfuccefsful attempts were made towards- it in the laft age ; but were they fo well directed, as to bar all future hopes ? The moil intelligent per- fons are of opinion, that they were not. We may therefore expect that an attentive government will ere long furmount all the obftacles which have hitherto oppofed fo interefting a difcovery.
The Scandinavians, now matters of the northern ocean, and fluftred with fuccefs, became poffefied, at different times, of all the iilands in thofe feas. Thus, while the Danes were reducing England, the Nor- wegians conquered a confidepable part of
* SeeEcEDE'sdefcrip- the language of the na- tion of Greenland, p. 6. tive Greenlanders are and particularly the whole found at this day many 2<Fchapter. — The fame Norwegian words. See author tells us, that in ch. xvii. p, 163.
Chap. XI. T 3 Scotland*
Scotland, and peopled the Orkneys, tho Hebrides, the iflands of Faro and Shet- land; in moft of which the Norwegian language is fpoken to this day. Towards the end of the eleventh century, Magnus, the fon of Olave, one of their princes, filled that part of the world with the re- nown of his arms. Ordericus Vitalis, whofe acknowledged veracity in the hiftories of France and England, may ferve to eftablifli that of our old Icelandic chronicles, with which he perfeftly agrees, relates, that " in the fifth year of the reign of William " Rufus, king of England *, Magnus king " ot Norway vifited the Orkneys, and made " a tour through part of Scotland, and " all the iflands in thofe feas that be- " longed to him, as far as Anglefey. He " fettled colonies in the Ifle of Man, " which was then a defart, commanded " them to build houfes, and took care " they (hould be provided with neceflaries " of every kind. He afterwards made a *' progrefs through feveral o^her iflands in " the great ocean, which are, in a manner, " beyond the limits of the world ; and, " exerting his royal authority, obliged fe- " veral people to go and inhabit them.
* This was in the year IOQ2. V.id. OrdericAVi- tal. Hift. ecclef. Jib, x,
With
" With the fame earneftnefs did this prince <{ apply himfelf for many years to increafe " his lubjects and enlarge his empire." But if in an age when ignorance over- fpread the whole face of Europe ; when the aim of governments was little more than felf- defence ; and when rapine and bloodmed compofed the moft memorable events of hiftory ; if we are furprized to find, in fuch an age, colonies founded and unknown regions explored, by a people who are conlidered as farther removed than other nations from civility and fcience ; how will our furprize be encreafed when we find them opening a way into that new world, which many ages after occaiioned fuch a change among us, and reflected fo much glory on its difcoverers. Strange as this may appear, the fact becomes indif- put.ible, when we confider that the beft authenticated Icelandic chronicles unani- moufly affirm it, that their relations con- tain nothing that can admit of doubt, and that they are fupported by feveral concur- rent teftimonies. This is an event too in- terefting and too little known, not to re- quire a circumftantial detail. I (hall pro- ceed then, without any previous reflections, to relate the principal circumftances, as I find them in the Treatife of Ancient Vin- land, written by Torfsus ; and in the hiftory Chap. XI. T 4 df
( 28o)
of Greenland by Jonas Arngrim : two Ice- landic authors of undoubted credit, who have faithfully copied the old hiftorians of their own country *.
There was, fay thofe ancient chronicles, an Icelander, named HKRIOL, who along with his ion BIARN, made every year a trading voyage to different countries, and generally wintered in Norway. Happen- ing one time to be feparated from each other, the fon fleered his courfe for Nor- way, where he fuppofed he fhould meet with his father; but on his arrival there, found he was gone to Greenland, a country but lately difcovered, and little known to the Norwegians. Biarn determined, at all events, to follow his father, and fet fail for Greenland -, although, fays Arngrim, " he
* This little treatife of ters. The Icelandic ma- Torfbeus appeared in che nufcripts that fpeak of it year 1705, under the title are numerous ; the prin- of cc Hijhr;a V nlcmdits cipal are the Codex Flatey- " antiqua^ feu fars Ame- en/is, Hiemskringla, Land- " rices- Septentrionclisi ubl nama Saga, or " Book *' ntmiinis ratio recenfetvr^ " on the origin of coun- «' £rV. ex antlquit. JJJan- " tries 5" and poffibly " dlcis cruta." Arngrim's others that are now loft, Hiflory of Greenland "but of which many ex- came out more than one tra>fh remain in thecol- huncired years before, but legion of a learned Ice- he on'y occasionally men- lander named BICRN DE tioncd this difcovery in SKARDZA. the 9th and loth chap-
'< had
" had no-body on board who could dl- " rect him in the voyage, nor any par- " ticular inftruclicns to guide him ; fo " great was the courage of the ancients ! «' He fleered by the obfcrvation of *hc ftars, " and by what he had heard of the- iitua- " tion of the country he was in queft of." During the firft three days, he bore towards the weft, but the wind v.«r*':,.g to the north, and blo-ving ftrong, he wns forced to run to the fbuthward. The vvind ceaf- ing in about twenty four hours, they dif- covcred land at a diftunce, which as they approached they perceived to be flat and low, and covered with wood j for which reafon he would not go on fliore, as being convinced it could not be Greenland, which had been reprefented to him as dillmguifh- able at a great diftance for its mountains covered with fno\v. They then failed away towards the North-weft, and were aware of a road which formed an ifland, but did not ftop there. After foine days they ar- rived in Greenland, where Biarn met with his father.
The following fummer, viz. in the year 1 002, Biarn made another voyage to Nor- way, where, to one of the principal lords of the country, named count ERIC, he mentioned the difcovery he had made of
Chap. XI. ibmo
(282)
fome unknown iflands. The count blamed his want of curiofity, and ftrongly prefled him to proceed on with his difcovery. In confequence of this advice Biarn, as foon as he was returned to Greenland to his fa- ther, began to think ferioufly of exploring thofe lands with more attention. LEIF, the fon of that fame Eric Rufus who had difcovered Greenland, and who was ftill chief of the colony he had fettled there ; this Leif, I fay, being defirous of rendering himfelf illuftrious like his father, formed the defign of going thither himfelf; and prevailing on his father Eric to accompany him, they fitted out a veflel with five and thirty hands ; but when the old man was fetting out on horfeback to go to the fhip, his horfe happened to fall down under him; an accident which he confidered as an ad- monition from heaven to defift from the enterprize ; and therefore returning home, the lefs-fuperftitious J-,eif fet fail witnout him."
He foon defcryed one of the coafls which Biarn had before feen, that lay neareft to Greenland. He caft anchor and \.ent on fhore, but found only a flat rocky more without any kind of verdure ; he therefore immediately quitted it, after having firft given it the name of HELLELAND, or the
" Flat
*< Flat Country*." A fhort navigation brought him to another place, which Bi- arn had alfo noted. In this land, which lay very low, they faw nothing but a few fcattered thickets, and white fand. This he called MARK-LAND, or the " Level " country -fv" Two days profperous fail- ing brought them to a third more, which was flickered to the north by an ifland. They difembarked there in very fine wea- ther, and found plants which produced a grain as fweet as honey. Leaving this, they failed weft ward, in fearch of fome har- bour, and at length entering the mouth of a river, were carried up by the tide into a lake whence the ftream proceeded.
As foon as they were landed, they pitched their tents on the fhore, not yet daring to wander far from it. The river afforded them plenty of very large fal- jnons j the air was foft and temperate ; the foil appeared to be fruitful, and the paftu-
* Pays plat^ fays the fiightly acquainted with.
French original. But T.
PELL EL AND fhould ra- f Pay* du plaine^ fays
thcr be fendered " Stony- ourauthor. — ButMARK-
" h'ul :" for He! la figni- LAND rather fignifies
fies a Stone or Rock, in " Woody-land:" from
the Northern languages ; Mark (jytotf, tefqua) a
wh:ch our French author Wood, or Rough Thick-
feems to have been but et, T.
Chap. XI. rage
rage very good. The days in winter were much longer than in Greenland, and they had lefs fnow than in Iceland *. Entirely iatisfied with their new refidence, they erected houfes and fpent the winter there.
But before the fetting in of this feafon, a German who was of their cotnpany, named TYRKER, was one day miffing. Leif, ap- prehenfive for the fafety of a man who had been long in his father's family, and was an excellent handycraft, fent his people all about to hunt for him. He was at length found, fmging and leaping, and expreffing the moft extravagant joy by his difcourfe and geftures. The aftonimed Greenlanders enquired the reafon of fuch ftrange beha- viour, and it was not without difficulty,
* Arngrim adds, from the ancient chronicles, that their fhorteft day was fix, and their night eigh- teen hours. But it muft be confefied, that nothing can be more uncertain than this reckoning by hours, among a people who had no exaft method of computing tirrfb. The arguments o?Torfeus on this fubjcct make it evi- dent, that the old Icelan- dic \vord which we tranf- Jate HOUR, is of a very
vague and undetermined fignification ; and that the ancient chronicles may be fo underftood as to give us room to conclude that at the winter folftice the fun rofe there at 8 in the morning and fet at 4. This gives us the 4Qth degree, which is the la- titude of Canada and Newfoundland. See the Supplement to Torfaeus's Ancient Vinland, &c.
Firjl Edit.
owing
owing to the difference of their languages, that Tyrker made them underftand he had difcovered wild grapes near a place which he pointed out. Excited by this news, they immediately went thither, and brought back feveral bunches to their commander, who was equally furprized. Leif ftill doubted whether they were grapes ; but the German aflured him he was born in a country where vines grew, and that he knew them too well to be miftaken. Yield- ing to this proof, Leif named the country VINLAND, or the Land of Wine.
Leif returned to Greenland in the fpring ; but one of his brothers, named THOR- VALD, thinking he had left the difcovery imperfect, obtained from Eric this fame veflel and thirty men. Thorvald arriving at Vinland, made ufe of the houfes built by Leif, and living on fifh, which was in, great plenty, palled the winter there. In, the fpring he took part of his people, and fet out weftward to examine the country. They met every where with very pleating landfcapes, all the coafts covered with fo- refts, and the mores with a black fand. They faw a multitude of little iflands di- vided from each other by fmall arms of the fea, but no marks of either wild beafts, or of men, except a heap of wood piled up in the form of a pyramid. Having fpent Chap. XI. the
(286)
the fummer in this furvey, they returned in autumn to their winter quarters; but the fummer following Thorvald being defirous of exploring the eaftern and nor- thern coafts, his veffel was a good deal fhattered by a ftorm, and the remainder of that feafon was taken up in repairing hen He afterwards fet up the keel, which was unfit for fervice, at the extremity of a neck of land, thence called KIELLAR-N^ES, or Cape-Keel *. He then proceeded to furvey the eaftern coafts, where he gave names to feveral Bays and Capes which he then difcovered.
On his landing one day, attracted by the beauty of the more, he was aware of three little leathern canoes, in each of which were three perfons feemingly half-afleep. Thorvald and his companions inftantly ran in and feized them all excepting one, who efcaped; and by a ferocity as imprudent as it was cruel, put them to death the fame day. Soon afterwards, as they lay on the fame coaft, they were fuddenly alarmed by the arrival of a great number of thefe little vefTels, which covered the whole bay. Thorvald gave immediate orders to his party to defend themfelves with planks and
* Or as we (bould exprefs it in Englifli, KEEL- NESS. T.
boards
boards againft their darts, which quite filled the air; and the favages having in vain wafted all their arrows, after an hour's combat, betook themfelves to a precipitate flight. The Norwegians called them in derifion SKR^ELINGUES, /. e. fmall and puny men * : the chronicles tell us, that this kind of men are neither endowed with ftrength nor courage, and that there would be nothing to fear from a whole army of them. Arngrim adds, that thefe Skrse- lingues are the fame people who inhabit the weftern parts of Greenland, and that the Norwegians who are fettled on thofe coafts had called the favages they met witk there by the fame name.
Thorvald was the only one who was mortally wounded, and dying foon after, paid the penalty that was juftly due for his inhuman conduct. As he defired to be buried with a crofs at his feet, and an- other at his head, he feems to have im- bibed fome idea of Chriftianity, which at that time began to dawn in Norwegian Greenland. His body was interred at the point of the Cape, where he had intended
* They alfo called ing equivalent to SMALL
them SMJELINGS, which in Englifh. Vid. Buflaei
fignifies the f;.me thing j Not. in Arii Polyhilt.
SMJEL in Icelandic be- Sched. p. 33. T.
Chap. XL to
(288)
to make a fettlement; which Cape was named from the crofTes, KROSSA-N/ES or KORSN^S*. The feafon being too far advanced for undertaking the voyage home> the reft of the crew ftaid the winter there, and did not reach Greenland till the follow- ing fpring. We are farther told, that they loaded the vefTel with vine-fets, and all the raifins they could preferve.
ERIC "I" had left a third fon, named THORSTEIN, who as foon as he was in- formed of his brother Thorvald's death, embarked that very year with his wife Gudride, and a felecl: crew of twenty meru His principal defign was to bring his bro- ther's body back to Greenland, that it might be buried in a country more agree- able to his manes, and in a manner more honourable to his family. But during the whole fummer the winds proved fo con- trary and tempeftuous, that after feveral fruitlefs attempts, he was driven back to a part of Greenland far diflant from the co- lony of his countrymen. Here he was
* Or, according to the dently a miftake, for he
Englifti dialect, CROSS- tells us in the next Iin6,
NEss,orCAPE-CROss. T. that THORSTEIN was the
f M. Mallet fays, brother of THORVALDJ
" Leifavoit laij/e un troi- and he had before called
«' finne fih nomme Thar- THCRVALD the brother
" fifing but this is evi- of LEIF. T*
confined
(289 )
confined during the rigor of the winter, deprived of all affiftance, and expofed to the feverity of fo rude a climate. Thefe misfortunes were encreafed by a contagious ficknefs, which carried off Thorftein and moft of his company. His widow took care of her hufband's body, and returning with it in the fpring, interred it in the bu- rial-place of his family.
Hitherto we have feen the Norwegians only making flight efforts to eftablim themfelves in Vinland. The year after Thorftein's death proved more favourable to the deiign of fettling a colony. A rich Icelander, named Thorfin, whofe gene- alogy the chronicles have carefully pre- ferved, arrived in Greenland from Norway, with a great number of followers. He cultivated an acquaintance with Leif, who fince his father Eric's death was head of the colony ; and with his confent efpoufed Gudride, by whom he acquired a right to thofe claims her former hulband had on the fettlements at Vinland. Thither he foon went to take pofleffion, having with him Gudride and five other women, befides fixty failors, much cattle, provifion, and imple- ments of hufbandry. Nothing was omitted that could forward an enterprize of this kind. Soon after his arrival on the coaft he caught a great whale, which proved
VOL. I. Chap. XI. U very
( 29° )
very ferviceable to the whole company. The pafturage was found to be fo plentiful and rich, that a bull they had carried over with them became in a fhort time remarkable for its fiercenefs and ftrength.
The remainder of that fummer, and the winter following were fpent in taking all necefTary precautions for their prefervation, and in procuring all the conveniences of which they had any idea. The fucceeding fummer the Skrelingues or natives of the country came down in crowds, and brought with them various merchandizes * for traf- fic. It was obferved that the roaring of the bull terrified them to fuch a degree, that they burfl open the doors of Thorfm's houfe, and crowded in with the utmoft precipitation. Thorfin fuffered his people to traffic with them, but ftrictly forbad their fupplying them with arms, which were what they feemed moft defirous of obtaining. The Greenland women offered them different kinds of eatables made with milk, of which they were fo fond, that they came down in crowds to beg them in exchange for their fkins. Some difputes that arofe obliged the Skrelingues to retire,
* The chronicles re- of furs, fable?, the fkins mark, that thefe mer- of white rats, &c. chandizes confifted chiefly
and
and Thorfin furrounded the manufactory with a ftrong palifade to prevent fur- prize.
Nothing memorable occurred the next year. The Skrelingues again offered their commodities, and again begged to have arms in exchange. Thefe being always denied, one of them flole an hatchet, and returned highly pleafed to his companions. Eager to try the new inflrument, he gave a violent blow to one of his comrades, and killed him on the fpot. All who were prefent flood filent with aflonifhment 'till one whofe mape and air befpoke him to be a perfon of fome authority among them, took up the inftrument, and after clofely ex- amining it, threw it with the utmoft in- dignation as far as he could into the fea.
After flaying there three years, Thorfin feturned home, with a valuable cargo of raiiins and other merchandize -, the fame of which fpreading through the North, the incitements of curiolity and gain drew fe- veral adventurers to Vinland. The author of the chronicle, called the MANUSCRIPT OF FLATEY, relates, that after feveral voyages, Thorfin ended his days in Ice- land, where he had built a very fine houfe, and lived in fplendor as one of the firft lords of the country ; that he had a fon named SNORRO, born in Vinland; that hia
Chap. XI. U 2 widow
( 292 )
widow went on a pilgrimage to Rome af- ter his death, and having at her return devoted herfelf entirely to religion, died in a monaftery in Iceland, near a church erected by her fon. The fame author adds, that this account is confirmed by Thornn himfelf, and mentions the facts as well known to all the world. Another manufcript relates the fame circumftances only with fome inconnderable variations.
But to return to the new colony, where Thornn had without doubt left fome of his people : two brothers, named HELGUE and FIN BOG, Icelanders by birth, going to Greenland, were perfuaded to fit out two vefiels, and undertake a voyage to this new country. FKEIDIS, the daughter of Eric Rufus, accompanied them; but this woman, unworthy to belong to fo illuf- trious a family, impofed upon the two brothers, and during their flay in Vinland, raifed fuch diflurbances as ended in the maffacre of thirty people. Freidis not daring to ftay after this bloody fcene, fled to Greenland to her brother Leif, where fhe fpent the refidue of her days hated and defpifed by all mankind. Helgue and Finbog were among the unfortunate vic- tims, and it is probable that thofe who eicaped iettled in the country.
Thk
( 293 )
This is the fubftance of what we find in the'ancient Icelandic writers concerning the difcovery of VINLAND : and as they only mention it occasionally, this accounts for their filence in refpecl: to the fequel. There is reafon to fuppofe, that the people of the North continued to make voyages to Vin- land for a long time : but as nothing par- ticular occurred afterwards, hiitorians deemed it fufficient to mention fuch cir- cumftances as related to its firft difcovery and fettlement. Yet the Icelandic chro- nicles fometimes fpeak of Vinland after- wards. There is one of them in particu- lar (which the critics efteem very au- thentic) that makes exprefs mention of a Saxon prieft, named JOHN, who after hav- ing ferved a church in Iceland for the fpace of four years, pafTed over to Vinland, with an intention of converting the Norwegian colony ; but we may conclude his attempt did not fucceed, fince we find he was con- demned to death. In the year 1121, ERIC, a bifhop of Greenland, went over there on the fame errand, but we know not with what fuccefs. Since that time Vinland fcems by degrees to have been forgotten in the North ; and that part of Greenland which had embraced Chriftianity being loft, Iceland alfo fallen from its former ilate, and the northern nations being Chap. XJ. U 3 wafted
( 294 )
wafted by a peftilence, and weakened by internal feuds, all remembrance of that difcovery was at length utterly obliterated, and the Norwegian Vinlanders themfelves having no further connection with Europe, were either incorporated into, or deftroyed by their barbarian neighbours *. Be this as it may, the teftimony of our ancient chronicles is ftrongly corroborated by the pofitive teftimony of ADAM of BREMEN, a well-eileemed hiftorian, who lived in the very age when the difcovery was made. Adam was a virtuous ecclefiailic, who re- ceived all he relates from the mouth of SWAIX II. -j- king of Denmark, who had entertained him during the long abode he made in that kingdom. Thefe are his own words J, " The king of Denmark hath " informed me, that another ifland has " been difcovered in the ocean that wafhes " Norway or Finmark, which ifland is *{ called Vinland, from the vines which
* In his firft edit, our white fkins, their fair
author was of opinion, hair, and bufhy beards :
that the favages called but upon rcvFfal he found
ESKIMAUX, who inhabit, reafon to difcnrd this opi-
Newfoundland, might nion. T.
poffibly be defcended from f Called by the Danes
that Norwegian colony, SUENON ESTRIDSEN.
as being diftinguifhed Fir/1 Edit.
from the other inhabit- J Vid.AdamBrem.de
ants of America by their fitu Dan. c. 246.
*' grow
" grow there fpontaneoufly ; and we learn, <f not by fabulous hearfay, but by the ex- " prefs report of certain Danes, that fruits *c are produced there without cultivation." Hence we fee, that this was not only ad- mitted as a certain fad: in Greenland, Ice- land and Norway, but the fame of it was alfo fpread abroad in Denmark * ; and we may add in England, Normandy, and un- doubtedly much further. Ordericus Vita- lis, the hiflorian of the Normans and Englifh, whom I before mentioned, reckons Vinland along with Greenland Iceland and the Orkneys as countries under the domi- nion of the king of Norway, and wfyofe commerce encreafed his revenues -f-. What Adam of Bremen immediately adds after the foregoing pafTage, merits likewife fome attention, as it indicates the ftrong propen- fity of the Norwegians for maritime en- terprizes, and (what we mould little ex-
* Rudbek pretends, that in this place ADAM means Finland in Swe- den. Among the many bold conjectures of this man, there is not one lefs idefeiifible than this. A- dam of Bremen was \vell acquainted with Finland,
Chap. XL
fince he exprefsly names it in that fame work. It is needlefs to confute an opinion fo contrary to probability, and devoid of all foundation.
f Order. Vital, hifr, Ecclef. ad an. i o^ 8.
U4
( 29° )
pe<3 from fo unenlightened a people) for expeditions that had even no other end but to make new difcoveries/ «« In ad- " vancing farther towards the North," fays he, " we meet with nothing but a '* boundlefs fea, covered with enormous *' pieces of ice, and hid in perpetual dark- " nefs." (He certainly means thofe almoft continual fogs, fo well known to fuch as frequent the feas of North America.) " Harold, prince of Norway, lately was ts very near having a fatal proof of this, (f when being defirous of knowing the ex- (i tent of the northerA ocean, he tried to «c difcover it with feveral veiTels ; but the *' limits of the world being hid from their " fight by thick darknefs, they were with " difRculty preferved from deftruction in " that vaft mafs of waters." We fee, not- withflanding this figurative manner of fpeaking, that Harold had formed fome great defign, concerning which hiftory leaves us in the dark ; and without doubt he was not the only one of his age and nation, whofe enterprizes of this kind are buried in oblivion. Fame, as well as all other fub- lunary things, is governed by Chance, and without her afliftance, the attempt made by Alfred the Great to difcover a north-eaft paflage to the Indies, would have flill
remained
( 297 ) Remained unknown to us *.
In
all ages the
* In the Cotton Libra- ry is happily preferved a Relation of this Voyage, written in the Saxon lan- guage by ALFRED him- ielf, as he took it down from the mouth of Oc- TH ER, a Norwegian, who, it mould feem, had been fent by him into thofe feas, for the purpoie men- tioned in the text. The narrative, it muft be owned, appears to us in this enlightened age but fhort and fuperficial : but if we confider the time in which it was written, •what muft we think of the amazing capacity of that great monarch, who could conceive or encou- rage fuch an attempt, and who could condefcend to write down with his own hand the refult of the enquiry, which probably the Norwegian adven- turer was not able to do himfelf, and which the king might not chufe to truft to the pen of another, who might not have been fo exact or (Curious ?
Chap. XL
In the fame tract the king has alfo given the report of WULFSTAN, an Anglo-Saxon, whom he had lent to explore thfc Baltic. The fubftance of Octher's account may be feen in Hackluyt's Voyages, and in part in Spelman's Life of Alfred, p. 153. The original was firft published with a La- tin verfion, at the end of Walker's Lat. tranflatioa ofSpelman, and has been reprinted (at the end of jlr'n Polyhijl. Schceda dc JJlandici al> Andrea BuJ/ao, Hafn. 1733, ^to.) under this title, Periplus Oc- T H E R i Halgolando - Nor- vegi-t ut ft WULFSTANI Angli^ fecundum narrations eorundcm de fuis^ Unius in ultlmam plagam feptentrio- nalcm^ Utriujqve auton in man Balthico Navigatfa nibtis^ jujj'u ALFREDI MAGNI Anglcrum regis, feculo a nativitate Cbrijli
Anglc-Saxomca lingua dt- fcriptus, demum Latinc si (t nr.a cum " Joh. Spelmaaai Vita jEl- •« frcdi
(298 )
the Europeans feem to have had a kind of inflincl: peculiar to themfelves, for great and daring enterprizes. Hence we may forefee, that the glory of pervading the whole globe is referved for them. And doubtlefs the time will come, when they will explore and meafure the vaft countries of Terra Auftralis, will cruife beneath the Poles, and will fecurely, and freely in every fenfe of the expreffion, SAIL ROUND THE WORLD.
To return to our fubjecl:. The difcovery of a diftant country called Vinland, and the reality of a Norwegian colony's fettling there, appear to be facts fo well attefted on all fides, and related with circumftances fo probable, as to leave no room for any doubt. But to fettle the geography of the country where this happened, is not fo eafy a matter. To fucceed in an enquiry of this kind we mould know what part of America lies neareft to Greenland j by what nations it is inhabited; what are their languages and traditions ; as alfo the cuftoms and produce of their countries -,
" fredi Magni," e veteri iifinem, rcpriitus^ ac brevi-
cod. MS. Bibl. Cotton, edi- ^lus NOT is adauftus al>
tus : " Jam vero, ob ANDR/EA BUSSAO."
Gntlquitatis feptentrionalis T. turn tu/ifcr'u Jlatus co£xi-,
branches
( 299 )
branches of knowledge thefe, which we fliall but very imperfectly learn from the books hitherto published. Neverthelefs, though we may not be able to afcertain ex- actly the fituation of Vinland, we have fuf- ficient room to conjecture that this colony could not be far from the coafts of Labra- dor, or thofe of Newfoundland which are not far from it : nor is there any circum- ftance in the relations of the ancient chro- nicles, but what may be accounted for on fuch a fupppfition.
The firft difficulty that muft be obviated, is the fhort fpace of time that appears to have been taken up in paffing to this coun- try from Greenland. To this end we muft obferve, that the Norwegians might fet fail from the weftern, as well as from the eaftern coaft of that country, fince (as hath been laid before) they had fettled on botli fides of it. Now it is certain, that Davis's S freight, which feparates Greenland from the American continent, is very narrow in. feveral places ; and it appears from the journal taken by the learned Mr. Ellis, in his voyage to Hudfon's Bay, that his paf- fage from Cape Farewell, which is the mofl fouthern point of Greenland, into the entrance of the Bay, was but feven or eight days eafy fail with a wind indiffer- ently favourable. The diftance between
Chap. XI. the
( 30° )
the fame Cape and the neareft coaft of La- brador is ftill much lefs. As it cannot be above two hundred French leagues, the voyage could not take up above feven or eight days, even allowing for the delays that muft have happened to the ancients through their want of that (kill in naviga- tion which the moderns have fince ac- quired. This could therefore appear no iiich frightful diflance to adventurers who had newly difcovered Greenland, which is feparated from Iceland at leaft as far. This reafoning is ftill farther enforced, when we reflect that the diflance of Iceland itfelf, from the neareft part of Norway, is double to that above-mentioned.
In effect, the hiftory of the North abounds with relations of maritime expedi- tions of far greater extent than was necef- fary for the difcovery of America. The fituation of Greenland, relative to this new country, not being fufficiently known, is the only circumftance that can prejudice one againft it ; but when we have mattered the greater objection, why mould we make any difficulty of the lefs ? We mould ceafe to be furprized at thofe fame men croffing a fpace of two hundred leagues, which was the diftance between them and Ame- rica, whofe courage and curioiity had fre- quently prompted them to traverle the
ocean,
ocean, and who had been accuflomed to per- form voyages of three or fourhundred leagues before they quitted their former fettle- ments. We may indeed fuppofe, that when they made incurfions into England, France, Spain, or Italy, they were directed by the coafls, from which they were never far diftant ; but how can the rapidity of their motions be accounted for, if they never loft fight of land ? How could fo imperfect a kind of navigation ferve to convey into England fuch numerous fleets as failed from Denmark and Norway ? How were Ice- land, the ifles of Faro, Shetland and Green- land explored ? There is nothing then in the diftance of America that can render it unlikely to have been difcovered by the Norwegians. Let us fee if there are not other greater difficulties.
The relations handed down to us in the chronicles, and the name affixed to this new-difcovered country, agree in defcribing it as a foil where the vine fpontaneoufly grows. This circumftance alone has ferved with many people to render the whole account fufpecled ; but on a clofer view, we fhall find it fo far from overthrow- ing, that it even confirms the other parts of the relation. I mall not evade the diffi- culty (as I might) by anfwering, that very poffibly the Norwegians might be fo little Chap. XL acquainted
( 302 )
acquainted with grapes, as to miftake cur- rants for them, which in the Northern1 languages are called Viin-b&r *, or vine- berries ; and of which in feveral places they make a kind of fermented liquor : but I can aflert on the faith of the moft credible travellers, "that not only in Canada the vine- grows without cultivation, and bears a fmall well-tafted fruit ; but that it is alfo found in far more northern latitudes, and even where the winters are very fevere. The evidence of Mr. Ellis -f- may here render all others needlefs. This curious and fenfible obferver met with the fame kind of vine about the Englifh fettlements in Hudfon's Bay ; the fruit of which he compares to the currants of the Levant. Now Labra- dor is not far from thence ; it lies partly in the fame, and partly in a more fouthern latitude, and their feveral productions feem to be much alike. Befides, as the Europeans never penetrated very far into the country, it would not prove that there were no vines there, even if THE"? had not met with any. But we have room to expect greater dif- coveries on this fubjecT: from Mr. CALM,; a Swedifh botanift, educated under Lirr-
* Vim-bar^ or rather Grapes. T.
Wm-ler, is a general name f Voyage to Hudfon's
in the North for Goofe- Bay, by Mr. Ellis. Vol.
berries, Currants, and II.
nseus,
nasus, who fome years fince made a curious progrefs through Canada, with a view to- its natural hiftory and productions. Ac- cording to him, the colony of VINLAND was in the ifland of Newfoundland, which is only feparated from the continent of La- brador by a narrow ftreight of a few leagues called BELLE-ISLE*. This he has under- taken to prove in a part of his work not yet publimed ; nor can any writer invefti- gate fuch an inquiry fo well as one who has been himfelf upon the fpot.
As to the other circumftances of the re- lation, the account given by the ancient chronicles agrees in all refpedls with the reports of modern voyagers. Thefe tell us, that the native favages of thofe countries, from the frequent ufe they make of them in fiming, can in a mort time colled: together a vaft number of canoes ; that they are very fkilful with their bows and arrows; that on the coafts they fim for whales, and in the inland parts live by hunting •, fo that their merchandize confifts of whale-bone and various kinds of fkins and furs ; that they are very fond of iron or hardware, efpecially arms, hatchets, and other inftru- ments of like fort -f ; that they are very
* Calm's Refa til Norra-America. Tome ii. p. 471.- t Vid. Ellis ubi fupra.
Chap. XL a-pt
apt to rob Grangers, but are otherwife "cowardly and unwarlike.
If to this picture you add, that they are for the moll: part of a middle ftature, and little {killed in the art of war, it is no wonder that the Norwegians, the largeft, flrongeft and moll active people of Europe fhould look upon them with contempt, as a poor, weak, degenerate race. It is re- markable that the name they gave them of SKRELINGDES is the fame with which they denoted the Greenlanders, when they firfi difcovered them. In reality thefe GREENLANDERS and the ESKIMAUX feem to have been one people ; and this likenefs between them, which has fo much {truck the moderns, could not fail of appearing in a ftronger light to the Norwegians, who were ftill better able to compare them to- gether. " I believe, lays Mr. Ellis, that " the Efkimaux are the fame people with " the Greenlanders; and this feems the " more probable, when we confider the " narrowness of Davis's Streight, and the " vagabond {trolling life we find all this *4 nation accuftomed to lead wherever we " meet with them." This is alfo the opi- nion of Mr. Egede, who knew the Green- landers better than any body. He obferves, that according to their own accounts, Da- vis's Streight is only a deep bay, which runs
on
on, narrowing towards the north, till the oppofite American continent can be eafily difcerned from Greenland* and that the extremity of this bay ends in a river, over which, wandering favages, inured to cold, might eafily pafs from one land to the other, even if they had had no canoes.
The refult of all this feems to be, that there can be no doubt, but that the Norwe- gian Greenlanders difcovered the American continent ; that the place where they fet- tled was either the country of Labrador, or Newfoundland, and that their colony fub- fifted there a good while. But then this is all we can fay about it with any certainty* To endeavour to afcertain the exact lite, extent and fortune of the eftablifhment, would be a fruitlefs labour. Time and chance may poffibly one day inform us of thefe circumf lances. I mall not therefore amufe the reader with uncertain conjec- tures ; neither fhall I trouble him with fuch reflections as he is able to make much better than myfelf.
VOL. L X CHAP-
CHAPTER XII.
Of the cuftoms and manners of the ancient Northern nations.
WHOEVER attempts to delineate the manners of the ancient inhabitants of the North, will find their love of war and paflion for arms among the moft cha- ra&eriftic and expreflive lines of the por- trait. Their prejudices, their cuftoms, their daily occupations, their amufements, in mort, every adtion of their lives were all impreffed with this paffion. They paiTed the greateft part of their time either in camps or on board their fleets, employed in real engagements, in preparations for them, or in fham fights j for whenever they were conftrained to live in peace, the refemblance of war furnifhed out their higheil entertainment. They then had reviews, mock battles, which frequently ended in real ones, tournaments, the bo- dily excrcifes of wreftling, boxing, racing,
&c.
&c. The reft of their time was commonly fpent in hunting*, public bufmefs, drink- ing and fleeping. " The Germans," faya Tacitus, " when not engaged in war, pafs " their time in indolence, feafting and " fleep. The braved and mod warlike " among them do nothing themfelves ; " but transfer the whole care of the houfe, " family and poffefTions to the females, *' the old men and fuch as are infirm " among them : And the fame people, by <c a ilrange contradiction of nature, both " love inaction and hate peace." All the Celtic nations lie under the fame reproach from the Greek and Roman authors ; and it is eafy to conceive, that a people who
* So Cacfar writes of the Germans, Vita omnis in Vtnationibus atque in Jindiis rei militaris confijlit.
Tacitus is believed
to have faid the fame thing in the pafl*age quo- ted below, but as fome of the words are thought to be corrupt, our author has dropt them in his quota- tion. The whole pafTage ftands in the copies thus, Qurtiens belhtm nan insuntj NOV nudtum venatibus ; plus psr otium tranfigunt, dediti fcmno ciboqnc. (Ta-
cit. Germ. c. 15.) The learned are generally of opinion, that the fecond NON here is fpurious, and that we fhould read mul- turn venatibitS) or turn vitatn venatibus, &c. But Pel- loutier thinks Tacitus meant to infmuate that the Germans beftow a fmall portion of their time in hunting, but much more in idlenefs, feafting and fleeping. Hift. des Celtes. torn. i. p. 449.
T,
Chap. XII.
X 2
affixed
affixed ideas of contempt to all labour of body and mind, had for the moft part no- thing elfe to do but to caroufe and ileep, whenever the ftate did not call them to arms. This was the badge and noblefl privilege of their liberty ; every free man placed his glory and happinefs in being of- ten invited to folemn entertainments -, and the hopes of partaking of eternal feafts filled, as we have feen, the North with he- roes. Other pleafures and other rewards have been conceived under the influence of other climes : All nations have in their in- fancy been governed by the force of cli- mate j and their firft legiflators, far from endeavouring to ftem this torrent but borne away with it themfelves, have ever by their laws and infKtutions enlarged and en- creafed its natural prevalence. fc Among tl the Celts (as their learned hiftorian tells " us) there was no national or provincial «' affembly held; no civil or religious fefti- <f val obferved ; no birth- day, marriage or " funeral properly folemnized ; no treaty " of alliance or friendship entered into, in " which feafting did not bear a- principal " part*." In all the hiftorical monu- ments of ancient Scandinavia we con-
* Vid. Pelloutier Hill, cles Ccltcs. Torn, i. lib, 2. chap. 12.
flantly
( 3°9 )
flantly hear of frequent and exceifive feaft - ings *. Tacitus obferves, that the plenti- ful tables of the chiefs, were* among the Germans, the wages of their dependants -j-. Nor could a great lord or chieftain take a readier way to attract a numerous train of followers, than by often making magnifi- cent entertainments. It was at table that the Germans confulted together on their moft important concerns, fuch as the elect- ing of their princes, the entering into war, or the concluding of peace, &c. On the morrow they re-confidered the refolutions of the preceding night, fuppofing, adds the fame hiftorian, " that the proper time to " take each others opinions was when the " foul was too open for difguife j and to de- " termine, when it was too cautious to err." The common liquors at thefe caroufals were either beer, mead or wine when they
* We find remarkable number of days not
jnftances in the Icelandic lefs than 900 perfons,
Chronicles, quoted by and at laft fent them away
Arngrim Jonas. Crymog. with prefents. Feafb of
lib. i. cap. 6. p. 54. Two this fort were frequent iti
brothers in Iceland at Norway and throughout
the funeral of thefr fa- all the North. Fir/* Ed;t, ther, made a feaft for f Kamtfula^ ct q;u?i:-
1 200 perfons, and regaled quam incompti, lirgi tamen
them fourteen days. An- apparatus, projtlpendio ce-
other inhabitant of Iceland dunt. Mor. Germ. cap.
entertained for the fame 14.
Chao. XII. X 3 could
could get it : Thefe they drank out of earthen or wooden pitchers, or elfe out of the horns of wild bulls with which their forefts abounded, or laftly out of the SCULLS of their enemies. The principal perfon at the table took the cup firft, and rifing up? faluted by name either him who fat next him, or him who was neareft in rank ; then he drank it off, and cauiing it to be filled up again to the brim, prefented it to the man whom he had faluted *. Hence came the cuftom of drinking to the health of the guefts : But I know not whether that of drinking to the honour of the Gods was generally pra-flifed among all the ' Go- thic and' Celtic people, or only among fome of the northern nations. Snorro Sturlefon. fays, " That in the folemn feftivals, fuch "as ufually followed the facrifices, they f emptied what was called the Cup of " ODIN, to obtain victory an'd a glorious
* This ancient cere- their heroes, kings and
rnony is flill kept up, at friends. Herffum, re-
folemn feafts, in fome of gum, anncorum, et in bello
the Colleges in our Uni- farther reni gercntiiim, me-
verfities. In like man- morlales fcyphos t cxbaurie-
ner our cuftom of drink- bantj quibus ear urn ?)ia;u-
ing to the memory of de- bus parentare fe credebant.
parted perfons, is evi- Wormius apud Barthol.
dently a rel'ique of the Cauf. contempt, mort.
ancient fuperftition of p. 127. T. drinking to the manes of
". reicn ;
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" reign ; then the cups of NIORD and of " FREV, for a plentiful feafon ; after " which feveral ufed to take off another " to BRAGE-f-y the God of Eloquence <{ and Poetry." The Scandinavians were fo much addicted to this cuftom, that the firft miffionaries, unable to abolifh it, were forced inftead of thefe falfe deities to fub- fKtute the true God, Jefus Chrift and the faints , to whofe honour they devoutly drank for many ages. In the pagan times they alfo drank to the heroes, and to fuch of their friends as had fallen bravely in battle. Laftly, it was at thefe feafts, for the moft part, that thofe afTociations were formed and confirmed, which the old Chronicles fo often mention. There was fcarcely a valiant man who was not a mem- ber of one or more of thefe focieties ; the chief tie of which was a folemn obligation entered into, to defend and protect their companions on all occafions, and to re- venge their deaths at the hazard of their own lives J. This oath was taken and re-
newed
f Vid. Barthol. de protcclion, individuals
Cauf. contempt, mprt. had no other means of
lib. i. cap. 8. p. 128. fecuring their lives and
\ In the early ftate of property, but by entering
fociety, when the laws into thefe aflbciations, in
were too weak to afford which a number of men
. XJI. X 4 engaged
nevved at their feftivals, which had their refpective laws. Fraternities of this fort ftill fubfiiled after the Chriftian reli- gion was received in the North, but by degrees the object was changed. When the harbouring projects of enmity and revenge were forbidden at them, thefe meetings had no other object or fupport but drunk- ennefs and intemperance. More than two hundred years after the Scandinavians had embraced Chriftianity there were ftill con- fraternities of which the firft nobility were
engaged to vindicate and avenge each other. Thefe confederacies, which were at firft neceflary for felf- prefervation, and might originally be confined to felf - defence, of.en pro- ceeded afterwards to act offenfively, and fo were productive of great mif- chiefs.
Confraternities of the fame kind prevailed in this kingdom, not only during the Anglo-Saxon fimes, but for fome ages after the conqueft. They' we-e called BANDSHJPS, and were often under the patronage of fome great man ; they had public badges by which each
band or confederacy was diftinguifhed, and at length grew to fuch a pafs as to fupport each other in all quarrels, rob- beries, murders and other outrages : this occafioned a particular act of parlia- ment for their fupprefiion, i Rich. II. chap. 7. • Dr. Hickes has preferred a very curious bond of this kind, which he calls Sodalltium ; it was drawn up in the Anglo-Saxon, times, and contains many particulars which ftron^ly mark the manners and character of thofe rude ages. See his Dlfiertatio 9 T.
\piftotans9 p. 21
members.
3'3 )
members. But the diforders committed at thefe meetings encreafing, the Coun- cils were at laft obliged to fupprefs them *.
While the attention of thefe people was thus engrolTed by their paffion for arms and the pleafures of the table, we may conclude that love held no violent domi- nion over them. It is befides well known, that the inhabitants of the North are not of very quick fenfibility. The ideas and
* The reader will find many curious particulars relating -to the above- mentioned confraternities (or GILDS as they called them in the North) in BARTHOLIN; who has given fome of the laws or llatutes obferved by them, particularly thofe found in a MS. of the thirteenth
century. One of thefe
ftatutes will give us an idea of the fobriety of thofe times : Si guts pro ebrietate cecidcrit in ipfa fknn convivii, vel antequam frcpriam curiam intraverit, Gram (a fmall piece of money) perfohat. Not lefs remarkable are the ilatutes of another con-
fraternity inftituted in honour of S. Olave king of Norway; among which we find thefe : £>uicitnque potum fuurn effundit latiut quam pede velare poterit, VI Denarios perfolvat. Shiicunque dormierit in banco convivii in confyeftu. fratrumy Or am perfohat. ^uicunque ebrietatis causa in domo convivii vomitum fccerit^ Dimidiam Marcam perfohat, &c. (Barthol. cauf. contempt, mort. &c,
P- I33-)
Our modern CLUBS are evidently the offspring of the ancient GILDS or GUILDS of our northern anceftors.
T.
Chap. Xir,
modes
( 3'4)
modes of thinking of the Scandinavians were in this refpect very different from thofe of the Afiatics and more fouthern nations 5 who by a contraft as remarkable as it is common, have ever felt for the fe- male fex the warm paflion of love, devoid of dfcy real efteem. Being at the fame time tyrants and Haves ; laying afide their own, reafon, and requiring none in the object, they have ever made a quick tranfition from adoration to contempt, and from fen- timents of the moft extravagant and violent love, to thofe of the mod cruel jealoufy or of an indifference ftill more infulting. We find the reverfe of all this among the nor- thern nations, who did not fo much con- fider the other fex as made for their plea- fure, as to be their equals and companions, whofe efteem, as valuable as their other favours, could only be obtained by conftant attentions, by generous fervices, and by a proper exertion of virtue and courage. I conceive that this will at firft fight be deemed a paradox, and that it will not be an eafy matter to reconcile a manner of thinking which fuppofes fo much delicacy, with the rough unpolifhed character of this people. Yet I believe the obfervation is fo well grounded that one may venture to afiert, that it is this fame people who have contributed to diffufe throuh all
( 3'5)
Europe that fpirit of equity, of moderation, and generality (hewn by the ftronger to the weaker fex, which is at this day the diftinguifhing characterise of European, manners ; nay that we even owe to them that fpirit of gallantry which was fo little known to the Greeks and Romans, how polite foever in other refpecls.
That there mould in the North be a communication of liberty and equality be- tween the two fexes, is what one might expect to find there in thofe ancient times, when mens property was fmall and almoft upon an equality ; when their manners were fimple •, when their paffions difclofed themfelves but flowly, and then under the dominion of reafon ; being moderated by a rigorous climate and their hard way of living ; and laftly, when the fole aim of government was to preferve and extend li- berty. But the Scandinavians went frill farther, and thefe fame men, who on other occafions were too high-fpirited to yield to any earthly power; yet in whatever re- lated to the fair fex feem to have been no longer tenacious of their rights or independance. The principles of the an- cient or Celtic religion will afford us proofs of this refpeft paid to the ladies, and at the fame time may poflibly help us to account for it. I have often alTerted that
Chap. XII. the
the immediate intervention of the Deity, even in the flighteft things, was one of their moft eftablimed doctrines, and that every, even the moft minute appearance of nature, was a manifeftation of the will of heaven to thofe who understood its lan- guage. Thus mens involuntary motions, their dreams, their fudden and unfore- feen inclinations being confidered as the falutary admonitions of heaven, became the objects of ferious attention. And a univerfal refpect could not but be paid to thofe who were confidered as the organs or inflruments of a beneficent Deity. Now women muft appear much more proper than men for fo noble a purpofe, who be- ing commonly more fubject than we to the unknown laws of temperament and confti- tution, feem lefs to be governed by reflec- tion, than by fenfation and natural inftinct. Hence it was that the Germans admitted them into their councils, and confulted with them on the bufinefs of the ftate. Hence it was that among them, as alfo among the Gauls, there were ten pro- phetefles for one prophet; whereas in the Baft we find the contrary proportion, if indeed there was ever known an inftance in thofe countries of a female worker of miracles. Hence alfo it was, that nothing was formerly more common in the North,
than
than to meet with women who delivered oracular informations, .cured the moft in- veterate maladies, aflumed whatever fhape they pleafed, raifed ftorms, chained up the winds, travelled through the air, and in one word, performed every fundtion of the Fairy-art. Thus endowed with fuperna- tural powers, thefe prophetefles being converted as it were into fairies or demons, influenced the events they had predicted, and all nature became fubject to their com- mand. Tacitus puts this beyond a difpute when he fays, " The Germans fuppofe " fome divine and prophetic quality refi- " dent in their women, and are care- " ful neither to difregard their admoni- " tions, nor to negleS: their anfwers*." Nor can it be doubted but that the fame notions prevailed among the Scandinavians. Strabo relates that the Cimbri were accom- panied by venerable and hoary-headed pro- phetefles, apparrelled in long linen robes moft fplendidly white. We alfo find this
* Tacit, de Mor. Ger. " mutieribtts fatidicis vc-
c. 8. — There is a re- *' terum Ceharttm gcnti-
markable paffage on the " umque Septentrional:-
fame fubjecl in Polycn. " ?/;«," in his learned
Stratagem, lib. i. and in treatife, " dntlquitates
Plutarch *c De virtutibus " Selefltt SrptentrionalesJ'
" mitlierum" — SeeKEYS- &c. 1720. I2rno. p. 371.
LER'S " DiJJ'ertatio de T.
Chap. XII. people
people always attended by their wives even in their moll diftant expeditions, hearing them with refpecl:, and after a defeat, more afraid of their reproaches than of the blows of the enemy. To this we may add; that the men being conflantly employed either in war or hunting, left to the wo- men the care of acquiring thofe ufeful branches of knowledge which made them regarded by their huibands as prophetefTes and oracles. Thus to them belonged the fludy of fimples and the art of healing wounds, an art as myflerious in thofe times, as the occafions of it were frequent. In the ancient chronicles of the North, we find the matrons and the young women al- ways employed in drefling the wounds of their hufbands or lovers. It was the fame with dreams ; which the women alone were verfed in the art of interpreting *.
But this is not all. At a time when pi- racy and a fondnefs for feeking adventures expofed weaknefs to continual and unex- pected attacks, the women, efpecially thofe of celebrated beauty, flood in want fometimes of deliverers, and almoft always of defenders. Every young warrior, eager
* Probably becaufe the men, and gave more cre- women paid more atten- dit to them, tion to them than the Flrjl Edit.
after
after glory, (and this was often the cha- racter of whole nations) muft have been glad then to take upon him an office, which promifed fuch juft returns of fame, which flattered the moft agreeable of all paflions, and at the fame time gratified another al- moft as ftrong, that for a wandering and rambling life. We are apt to value what we acquire, in proportion to the labour and trouble it cofts us. Accordingly the hero looked upon himfelf as fufficiently re- warded for all his pains, if he could at length obtain the fair hand of her he had delivered ; and it is obvious how honour- able fuch marriages muft have been among the people who thought in this manner. This emulation would quickly encreafe the number of thofe gallant knights : And the women, on their parts, would not fail to acquire a kind of ftatelinefs, confidering themfelves as no lefs neceffary to the glory of their lovers, than to their happine/s and pleafure. That fair one who had flood in need of feveral champions, yielded only to the moft courageous ; and fhe who had never been in a fituation that required pro- teftors, was ft ill defironsof the lover who had proved himfelf capable of encounter- ing all kind of dangers for her fake. This was more than enough to inflame fuch fpirits as thefe with an emulation of fur- Chap. XII. palling
paffing each other, and of difplaying their courage and intrepidity. Belides the cha- racter of the northern women themfelves left the men no other lefs glorious means of gaining their hearts. Naturally chafte and proud, there was no other way but this to come at them. Educated under the in- fluence of the fame prejudices concerning honor as the men, they were early taught to defpife thofe who fpent their youth in a peaceful obfcurity. All the hiftorical re- cords of ancient Scandinavia prove what I advance. We fee there the turn for chivalry as it were in the bud. The hiftory of other nations mews it afterwards as it were opening and expanding in Spain, France, Italy and England, being carried there by the fwarms that ifTued from the North. It is in reality this fame fpirit, reduced afterwards within jufter bounds, that has been productive of that polite gallantry fo peculiarly obfervable in our manners, which adds a double relifh to the moft pleafing of all focial bands, which unites the lafting charms of fentiment re- gard and friendlhip with the fleeting fire of love, which tempers and animates one by the other, adds to their number, power, and duration, and which cherimes and unfolds fenfibility, that moft choice gift of nature, without which neither decorum,
propriety,
( 3" )
propriety, chafte friendfhip nor true gene- rofity can exift among men. It would be needlefs to prove, that we are not indebted for this manner of thinking to the ancient Romans. We may appeal for this to all who know any thing of their character. But though I afTert that the refpect we fhew to the fair fex is probably derived from that fuperftitious reverence which our anceftors had for them, and is only a re- lique of that ancient authority, which the; women enjoyed among the northern na- tions ; I ought alfo to prove by facts art opinion fo contrary to eftablimed preju- dices, and at firft fight fo unlikely to be true. To do this will be eafy.
Every page of northern hiflory prefents us with warriors as gallant as intrepid. In- fpired by that paffion which Montagne calls " the fpring of great actions," king REGNER LODBROG, whom I have fo of- ten mentioned, and who was one of the moft celebrated heroes of his time, figna- lized his youth by a gallant exploit. A Swedifli prince had a daughter named THORA, whofe beauty was celebrated throughout the North. Fearing left me might fall into the hands of a ravifher, he fecured her, probably during his abfence, in a caftle of his, under the guardianmip of one of his officers. This man falling
VOL. I. Chap. XII. Y violently
violently in love with his ward, abfolutety refufed to reiign his charge, and had taker* iuch precautions to keep her in his hands, that the Swediih prince in vain endeavoured to fet her at liberty. Defpairing at laft to- jfucceed in the attempt himielf, he pub- limed through all the neighbouring coun- tries, that he woald beftow his daughter* in marriage on any perfon, of whatever condition, who mould conquer her ra- vifher *. Of all thole who afpired to fo noble a prize, young Regner was the happy man who delivered and married the fair captive. This exploit, as he tells us in. an ode which he wrote a very little time before hi* death, placed him in the rank of heroes. After Thora's deceafe, Regner efpoufed a young (hepherdefs whom he had fcen by accident on- the coaft of Norway, As the particular circumftances of this event are to my prefent purpofe, I will' briefly relate them from a very ancient Icelandic hiftory of the life of Regner -f-.
* Vich Torf. Bift. Dragon. Allegories of
Norvcg. torn. i. lib. 10. this fort are quite in the
This officer being proba- tafte and manner of that
Ely called ORM, i. e. Ser- age. Firjl Edit.-
pent, which was a name f Vid. Regnara Lod-
very common in thole brogs Sa^a. c. 5. ap. Bi-
tlme% the poets took oc- oneri Hiftor. Reg. Her. &-
cafion to fay that TnoXA Pugil. Res pr.-rciar. geft.
v_i g.arded bv a furious Stocidiolm. 1737.
Ths
The name of this moft beautiful nymph was ASLAUGA, who no fooner faw a fleet draw near the more where {he fed her flock, but yielding to the natural paffion of her fex, repaired to a neighbouring fountain where (he carefully waflied her face and hands and combed her long golden hair which hung down to her feet. The people whom Regner had ordered on fhore to feek for provisions, were fo amazed at" her beauty, that they returned to their commander, bringing nothing back with them but aftonifhment and admiration. The king furprized at their account, was defirous to judge himielf whether the young maid was really fo handfome as to make his men forget the orders he had £iven them. With this defign he fent one of his chief attendants to invite Aflauga on board ; but fhe was prudent enough to re- fufe him, till Regner had given his ho- nour, that no attempts mould be made on her virtue. Then fuffering herfelf to be conducted to the king, he no fooner faw her than ftruck with admiration, he fung extemporary verfes to this effect ; " O moft mighty Odin ! what a fweet '* and unexpected confolation would it <c be, if this young and lovely mepherdds '* would permit me to join my hands to " hers as a pledge of eternal alliance!"
Chap. XII. Y 2 Aflauga
Aflauga perceiving that the king's paf- lion every moment increafed, was ap-1 prehenfive he would not keep his word, and in anfwer to fuch a flattering com- pliment, only returned thefe verfes, (for fuch language was at that time much more polite than profe, and argued, as we fhall fee prefently, good breeding and wit) " O prince, "you will deferve to un- " dergo fome misfortune, if you fail in " your word to me. I have paid my re- " fpe&s to the king, and he ought now to " fend me back to my parents." This anfwer only inflamed the Danifh monarch's love, and he propofed to carry her to his court, where her happy lot mould be the envy of all her companions. To add weight to his intreaties, he offered her a rich veftment ornamented with filver, which had belonged to his former queen Thora, and flill addreffing her in verfe, " Take," fays he, " if you are wife, this " robe embroidered with filver, which be- " longed to Thora. Rich garments are " made for you. The lovely hands of " Thora have often run over this piece £t of work, and it will be dear to the laft " moment of life, to him whom the North " hath called the prince of heroes."
Aflauga was fr.il! proof againft this flat- tering attack : " No !" replied fhe linging,
" I
( 325 )
" I muft not accept of fo fine a robe, the " ornament of queen Thora. I am un- " worthy to bear fuch magnificent gar- " ments ; a fluff, dark and coarfe, is all " that is befitting a fhepherdefs whofe reft- " ing-place is a cottage, and who wanders " along the fandy mores after her flock." Recurring at length to a more natural lan- guage, me afTured the king, that notwith- ftanding the warmth of his paffion, me was determined not to yield to it, till me had feen proofs of his conftancy -, that he muft therefore finifh the expedition which called him out of his kingdom, and then at his return, if he flill perfevered in the fame fen- timents, me was ready to attend into Den- mark thofe whom he mould fend to con- duel: her thither. The amorous Regner was forced to fubfcribe to thefe conditions, and immediately departed, protefting that fhe mould very foon fee him return vic- torious and more captivated with her than ever. In a few months the king repaired with his fleet to the coaft where the fair one dwelt, who was foon con- duded to him. She had however fuf- ficient addrefs and afcendant over him to obtain that their marriage mould not be folemnized till they returned to Denmark, and could celebrate it in prefence of the whole court.
Chap. XII. Y 3 This
( 3*6 )
This relation, which is literally copied from the original, {hews that decency and decorum were not unknown to the Scan- dinavians of thofe days : for to fee thefe obferved in a cafe where even among the inoft polifhed people they are too often, neglected, and where the moft bewitching of all paffions, when aided by power, unites to caft a veil over them, is the flrongeft evidence that can poffibly be required. For the reft, I will not promife that the ancient writer, who has given us this ftory, may not have added fome circumftances of his own ; though the traditionary records of the country confirm his narrative, and Torfasus places it among the beft-authen- ticated hiftories : but even fuppofmg the greateft part of it fictitious, it is enough that it be ancient, and written by one well verfed in the hiflory and manners of his country. It is really of little confequencc whether Regner actually performed, or not, every action the chronicles relate, provided they attribute nothing to him but what cor- refponds with the genius and character of his contemporaries.
It were eafy to produce other inftances to juflify the defcription I have drawn above, but it is enough to relate only one more, which we meet with in the life of
1 1 A R A I. D 1 1 A R F A C, R E , of wliom \VC have
fo
& often fpoken. His birth and merits were equally illuftrious ; his courage, his line figure, and his long golden iilky locks, confpired to render him, according to our chronicles, the fee-ret paffion of the inoft lovely priacefTes of his time.
Notwithstanding thefe accompli foments, a young beauty named GIDA, the daugh- ter of a rich Norwegian lord, made him experience a refiftance to which he had no$ been accuftomed. Harald, in love with her from hearfay, commiffioned fome lords of his court to make her an offer -of his hand : but far from readily accepting a propofal which would have rendered her the envy of all the young ladies of the North, fhe haughtily anfwered, That to merit her love Harald fiiotild fignalize himfelf by more noble exploits than he had hitherto performed ; that (liedifdained. to mare the fortune of a prince whole ter- ritories were fo fmall, and that llie could never efteem him worthy of her, till like the other fovereigns of the North, he had reduced all Norway under his power. In- ftead of being piqued at this retufil, Ha- rald's admiration for the ambitious Gida was redoubled, and he made a vow to negledl his fine hair, till he had coin- pleated the conqudr. of Norway : nor did
Chip. XIL V 4 be
(
he marry her, till all that kingdom fub* mitted to him *.
Now it is not to be fuppofed that fenti- ments of this fort were peculiar only to Harald, Regner, or fome one fingle hero. The northern chronicles prefent us every where with inftances of this female fove- reignty : and we always find none more fubjec~i to it than thofe who were moft diftinguimed for tlieir noble birth and gal- lant adions.
As few young men of any rank were able to obtain an advantageous or honour- able alliance, until they had diftinguimed themfelves in war, we may naturally con- clude they could not marry till late in life. This is alfo confirmed by other proofs. Casfar fays, that " among the Germans, " the greateft praife is allowed to thofe " who remain the longeft unmarried ; and " that it is reckoned very fhamcful for *' young men to be acquainted with women <f before they are TWENTY YEARS of " age -f." Tacitus adds, that «« the Ger- *' mans retain the vigour of youth the ?c longer, by deferring their union with the
* Vid. Torf. H. N. lib. vi. 19. — Hocalijla-
tpm. ii, lib. i. turam^ ali vires, ncrvof-
f Caef- cle Bell. Gall. que confirmari putant. T.
<c other
(< other fex ; nor are they in hade to marry " their daughters *." That age once paft, it was common for the people of the North to marry two wives or more, and this was a very ancient cuftom. Men of wealth and power confidered a number of wives as a mark of grandeur. And according to Tacitus -f-, political reafons alfo fome- times brought about thefe matches, fince the great were often obliged to yield to the importunity of families which fought their alliance. The Chriftian religion, not with- out great difficulty, got the better of this cuftom ; which ftill prevailed in the North fo late as the tenth century. All the children claimed equally from their father, nor was the title of baftard given to any, unlefs to fuch as were born without any kind of matrimonial rite. Neverthelefs, one of the wives feems to have poflefled a fuperior rank, and to have been con- fidered as the chief and moft legitimate. But as it was her diftinguifhed prero- gative to accompany her lord to the grave or funeral pile, me \vould hardly be
* "Tacit. Germ. c. 20. admodwn panels ^ adds he,
f He fays, the Ger- qui non tikutine, fed ob no-
mans in his time were for bilitatem plurimis nuptiis
the moft part content ambiuntur. De mor. Ger.
with one wife, Exceptis p, 18. T.
Chap. XII, an
( 33° )
an object of envy or jealoufy amoqg the ladies of the prefent age.
The matrimonial ceremonies were very Jimple, and chiefly confifted in feafting *. The bridegroom having obtained the maiden's confent, together with that of her parents and guardians, appointed the day j and having alfembled his own relations and friends, fent fome of them to receive in his name the bride and her portion from her father. The friends were anfwerable for the charge that was committed to them, and if they abufed their truft, the law amerced them in a fum treble to what was paid for murder. The father or guardian of the young woman attended her alfo to the hufband's houfe, and there gave her into his hands -J-. After this the new- married pair fat down to table with their guefts, who drank to their healths along with thofe of the gods and heroes. The bride's friends then took her up and bors
* Vid. Dalin. Suea- Rikes Hift. torn. i. c. 9.
f At the fame time he commonly made fome ipeech to this effed : " I *4 give thee my daughter ** in honourable wed- " lock j to have the half " ufrhy bed, the keeping
of the keys of thy houfe, one THIRD of the money thou art at prefent poflefTed of, or fhalt polFefs hereafter, and to enjoy the other rights appointed by- law." Fir/I Edit.
her
( 33' )
her on their moulders, which was a mark, ofefteem among the Goths ; her father af- terwards led her to the nuptial bed, a great number of lights being carried before her ; a cuftom known to the Greeks and Romans, and frill in ufe in fome parts of the North. The marriage being confuxn- mated, the hufband made his wife feveral prefents, fuch as a pair of oxen for the plough, an harneffed horfe, a buckler, to- gether with a lance and a fword. " This " was to fignify," fays Tacitus*, " that " {he ought not to lead an idle and lux- " urious life, but that fhe was to be a " partaker with him in his labours, and a ?c companion in dangers, which they were <c to mare together in peace and war." He adds that •" the women on their parts " gave fome arms ; this was the facred *f band of their 'union, thefe their myftic '« rites, and thefe the deities who prefided *' over their marriage." The yoked oxen, the caparifoned horfe, and the arms, all ferved to inftruct the women how they were to lead their life, and how per- haps it might be terminated. The arms were to be carefully preferved, and being enobled by the ufe the hufband made of them, were to be configned as portions
* Tac. de mor. Germ. c. 18.
Chap. XII. for
g
( 33* )
for their daughters, and to be handed down to pofterity.
The German women have been juftly noted for fidelity to the marriage- bed ; and indeed chaftity feems to have been the ge- neral chara&er of this nation. Let us fee what that moft excellent writer Tacitus fays on this fubject : " A ftrict regard for " the fanctity of the matrimonial ftate " characterizes the Germans, and deferves
" our higheft applaufe Among
" them female virtue runs no hazard of " being debauched by the outward objects " which are prefented to the fenfes, or of " being corrupted by fuch focial gaieties <£ as inflame the paffions. The art of " correfpending by letters is equally un- " known to both fexes. Very few adul- " teries happen in that populous nation : " where the power of inftantly inflicting " punimment is granted to the injured " hufband 5 who after having cut off her " hair in the prefence of her relations, " drives her naked out of his houfe, and " whips her through the village. Chaftity ct once proftituted is never forgiven ; nor " to fuch an one can the attractions of " beauty, youth or riches procure an huf- " band. Vice is not there made the ob- " je6t of wit and mirth ; nor can the " fafliion of the age be pleaded in excufe
«' either
( 333) " either for being corrupt, or for endea-
" -vouring to corrupt others Good
" cuftoms and manners avail more among " thefe barbarians, than good laws among " a more refined people *."
Our own hiftorical monuments confirm thefe teftimonies. I have before obferved, that their religion threatened the feducers of wo- men with the fevered torments of the next world. Adam of Bremen in his voyage to Denmark obferves, that adultery was there mod ftrictly punimed ; and that the wo- man who was detected in it, was fold on the fpot. The law in Iceland was equally remarkable -, for it not only denounced very fevere punimments againft rapes and adulteries, but proceeded farther ; exprefsly prohibiting even kiffing or fecret embraces. Whoever kifled a woman againft her own confent was condemned to exile ; and even with her confent, he was fined three marks of filver. Every degree of this crime was rated in the fame propor- tion. If a man abufed a free woman he was punifhed with death ; and if one that had been freed, with banishment; if a flave, he was amerced three marks •{•. Among the Swedes and Danes, the hufband who
* Tacit. Germ. c. 18, 19.
f Arngrim. Jon. Crymog. p. 89.
Chap. XII. caught
( 334 )
caught his wife in the aft of adultery, might immediately kill her, and caftrate the gallant. Saxo takes notice of the fame law, which he attributes to king Frotho*.
When the people of the North migrated into the fouthern parts of Europe, they car- ried along with their laws, a chaftity and referve, which excited univerfal furprize. Salvian, a prieft of Marfeilles in the 1 5th century, exclaims, " Let us blum," fays he, " and be covered with a confulion " which ought to produce falutary effects. " Wherever the Goths become mafters, " we fee no longer any diforders, except " among the old inhabitants. Our man- *' ners are reformed under the dominion ** of Vandals. Behold an incredible event! " an unheard-of prodigy ! Barbarians have " by the feverity of their difcipline ren- " dered chafte the Romans themfelves : " and the Goths have purified thofe places *' which the others had defiled by their *' debaucheries. A cruel nation," adds he, " but worthy to be admired for their con- " tinence -f-." Thefe virtues were not there of long continuance j the climate foon warmed their frozen imaginations; their
* Sax. Gram. lib. v.
f Salvian. lib. vii. ds Gubern. Dei.
laws
(335)
lavtfs by degrees relaxed, and their manners ftill more than their laws.
A numerous offspring was commonly produced from thefe marriages -, but nei- ther the rich, nor the poor fcrupled to expofe fuch of their children as they did not chufe to bring up*. Both the Greeks and Romans were guilty of this barbarous practice, lon-g before they can be faid to have been corrupted by pro- fperity, luxury and the arts : So true is it that ignorance is no fecurity from vice* and that men always know enough to in- vent crimes. It is no lefs remarkable, that a kind of infant baptifm was practiced in the North, long before the firft dawning of Chriftiarvity had reached thofe parts. Snorro Sturlefon, in his Chronicle, fpeak- ing of a Norwegian nobleman, who lived in the reign of Harald Harfagre, re-* lates, that he poured water on the head of a new-born child, and called him HA- CON, from the name of his father -f-. Ha- rald hrmfelf had been baptized in the fame manner, and it is noted of king OLAVE TRYGGUESON, that his mother Aftride had him thus baptized and named as foon as he was born. The Livonians obferved
* Vid. Verel.Not. ad Hervor. cap.vi. p. 87. t Vid. Snor. Sturlef. c. Ixx.
Chap. XII. the
the fame ceremony ; which alfo prevailed among the Germans, as appears from a letter which the famous pope Gregory the Third fent to their apoftle Boniface, di- "reding him exprefsly how to act in this refpedt*. It is probable that all thefe people might intend by fuch a rite to pre- ferve their children from the forceries and evil charms which wicked fpirits might employ againft them at the inftant of their birth. Several nations of Alia and Ame- rica have attributed fuch a power to ablu- tions of this kind j nor were the Romans without fuch a cuftom, though they did not wholly confine it to new-born in- fants •}-.
I fhall not here repeat what I have faid above concerning the hardy way of bring- ing up children in the North. But I can- not omit mentioning the great advan- tages gained from it in refpect to their health and bodily force. The Greek and Latin authors fpeak with furprize of the fize and ftrength of the northern men.
* Vid. Epift. 122. a- collected together a num-
pud Nic. Serar. in Epift. ber of curious paflages
Sti Bonifacii martyris. fiom authors ancient and
t Vid. Keyfler. Antiq. modern, Claflic and Bar-*
SeledT:. p. 313. who has a barous writers, relating
very learned NOTE on to this praflice.
this fubject, where he has T.
i Cxfar
( 337)
Caefar obferves of the Suevi, that they feed chiefly on milk, and exercife them- felves much in hunting, which together with the free unreftrained life they lead, never being from their childhood impelled againft their inclinations to any difcipline or duty, he affigns as effective caufes of their very large and robuft make *. Vege- tius exprefsly affirms, that the tallnefs of the Germans gave them great advantage in combat over the lefTer Romans. The lances, fvvords and other arms which have been preferved to this time, and may yet continue to more remote ages, are objects of curiolity and aftonifhment to thofe whofe anceftors were able to wield them. But the greateft proof of their prodigi- ous flrength arife's from the rude enor- mous monuments of architecture which were raifed by thefe northern people. We have all heard of that monument on Sa- lifbury plain in England, where we fee a multitude of vaft flones of monftrous weight fet up end-wife, and ferving as bafes to other ftones, many of which are in length fixteen feet. Nor are the monu- ments of this kind lefs aflonidiing, which we meet with in Iceland, in Weftphalia, and particularly in Eaft-Friezeland, Brunf-
* Bell. Gall. lib. iv. c.i.
VOL. I. Chap. XII. Z wick,
( 338 )
wick, Mecklenburg, and many parts of the North *. The dark ignorance of fuc- ceeding ages not being able to compre- hend how fuch flupendous edifices could be conftruded by mortals, have attributed them to demons and giants. But although the founders of thefe had not probably all the affiftance we derive from the mecha- nic powers, yet great things might be ac- complifhed by men of fuch mighty force co- operating together -f. The Americans, un- aided by the engines we apply to thefe pur-
* A defcription of moft of the monuments above- mentioned, with their fi- gures engraven on cop- per-plates, may be feen in KEYSLER. Antiq. Select. Septen. Sett. i. cap. i. (cui titulus Defcriptio mo- nument i Salijburienjisy Jimi- iiumqne qute in Ger mania terrtfque Arfiois cernunlur.) T.
f In an ancient Ice- landic chronicle mention is made of a Norwegian named FINBOG, celebrat- ed for his Itrength. One day, fays the Author, he pulled up an enormous Itone, that xvas deep fixed in the earth, he took t\vo
other great (tones and placed them upon it, he carried them all three up- on his belly for fome mi- nutes, and at length threw them from him with fuch violence that the greateft of them remained buried a great way in the earth. (Vid.Chrift.Worm.Difl". de Arse Multifc. vit. & fcript. p. 172.)
A multitude of fuch men uniting together might be able to difplace large and heavy fragments of rocks, and by means of the fcaffolding they ufed, viz. artificial banks, &c. n^ight be able to fet them upright. Flrjl Edit.
pofes,
(339 )
pofes, have raifed up fuch vaft ftones ia building their temples, as we dare not un- dertake to remove *. One may however conceive that patience united with ftrength, might by taking time, be able to move fuch vaft bodies from one place to another, and afterwards to fet them up an end, by means of artificial banks, down the Hopes of which they made them Hide. It is with- out difpute from fuch proofs of the great fize and ftrength of the firft inhabitants of the earth, that ancient hiftory has generally painted them as giants. The atmofphere, which was formerly more cold and bracing in Europe than it is now -f-, the continual exercifes which men then perfifted in, to- gether with their continence, their avoid- ing an early commerce with the other fex,
* See ACOSTA'S Hift. " wrought that in many
of the Indies, lib. vi. cap. " places the joints are
14. This author fpeak- " hardly feen,:" and as
ing of the huildings and for their fize, he afiures
fortrefles which the Incas us he meafured one of the
had creeled in Cufco, and ftones himfelf, which was
other places of Peru, fays " 38 feet long, 18 feet
" they ufed no mortar " broad, and fix thick.
" nor cement, neither *' And in the wall of the
had iron nor fteel to " fortrefs of Cufco there
cut the ftones with ; " are ftones of a ftill
no engines or other " greater bignefs." T. inftruments to carry f See on this fubjedl
them ; and yet they the conclufiori of the next
were fo artificially chapter.
Chap. XII. Z 2 their
(34°)
their fimple diet and favage life, in the fa- tigues of which the mind bore no part, were without doubt the caufes which pro- duced fuch enormous vegetables ; and will convince us, whenever the like circum- ftances again occur, that Nature, ever young and inexhauftible, will always pro- duce the like effects.
To that wonderful constitutional vigor the Scandinavians were indebted for fuch a long and healthy old age as many of them enjoyed : an advantage which they for the moft part only regarded with indifference, and even with difdain, though fo highly valued by mankind fince the acquifition of arts, and the refinements of pleafure have Shortened the date, but rendered the journey of life more agreeable. In truth, few of them awaited the diftant period al- lotted by nature ; fingle combats or gene- ral engagements, the dangers and fatigues of the fea, together with the frequent practice of filicide, were fo many paffages ever open to conduct them to that glorious path which they thought led to a happy futurity. The influence which this doctrine had upon their minds, cannot be more particularly feen, than in the cuftoms obferved in their lafl fcene of life and funeral ceremonies. In the moft early- ages thefe were very firnple. Before the
arrival
( 34?}
arrival of Odin the Scandinavians did no- thing more than lay the dead body, toge- ther with his arms, under a little heap of earth and Hones ; but He introduced into the North new cuftoms attended with more magnificence. In the fucceeding ages the Danes were wont to raife funeral piles, and reduce the bodies to ames; which were collected together into an urn, and de- pofited under a little mount of earth. But this foreign cuftom was never quite univer- fal, and the old rite took place again, ac- cording to conjecture, within five or fix hundred years. Thefe two funeral cere- monies have diflinguifhed two diftind: asras in the ancient northern hiftory. The firft was called the AGE OF FIRE*, and the fecond the AGE OF HILLS -f; which 1 aft prevailed 'till Chriftianity triumphed in the North.
When an hero or chief fell glorioufly in battle, his funeral obiequies were honoured with all poffible magnificence. His arms, his gold and filver, his war-horfe, his domeftic attendants, and whatever elfe he held moft dear, were placed with him on the pile. His dependants and friends frequently made it a
* Brenne- Alder en. or BARROWS, as they are
•J- Hog-Alderen : That called in the fouth-wcit
is, the Age of Little Hills, parts of this ifland. T.
Chap. XII. Z 3 point
( 34* )
point of honour to die with their leader, in order to attend on his made in the palace of Odin. And laftly, his wife was generally confumed with him on the fame pile. If the defunct, as was often the cafe, had more wives than one, the privilege of fol- lowing her dead lord to his grave was claimed by her who had been his chief fa- vourite during life. In this manner was Nanna confumed in the fame fire with the body of her hufband Balder, one of Odin's companions *. In the hiftory of Olave Trygguefon, left us by an old Ice- landic writer, we have a memorable pafTage relative to this ftrange cuftom : " ERIC " king of Sweden (fays this author) put <c away his wife Segride on account of her " intolerably infolent and imperious tem- " per. But others aflert that her difmif- " fion was a voluntary act of her own, be- " caufe fhe had learnt that her hufband " had but ten years to live, and that me " fhould be obliged to be buried with him, " according to the ufage of the country. " For Eric had made a vow during the *' heat of an engagement, to put an end to " his own life at the completion of that
* Vid. Edda Mythol. Oiof. Trygguafons Saga, 43. et vid. etiam Hift. c. 2. et Keyfler Antiq, J\rorveg. Torf. paflim. Sel. p. 147.
^ " fpace
( 343 )
" fpace of time." This (hews, that the Scandinavian women were not always willing to make fo cruel and abfurd a fa- crifice to the manes of their hufbandsj ' the idea of which had been picked up by their Scythian anceftors, when they inha- bited the warmer climates of Afra, where they had had their firft abode. In fome parts of the Indies this cuftom is ftill, and ever has been religiouily obferved. " The "' fame lively imaginations and the fame " delicate nerves" (as the fenfible author of the Spirit of Laws well remarks) " which " infpire the people of thefe hot climates <c with the fear of death, make them at " the fame time dread a thoufand things " worfe even than death itfelf." Although it was thus founded on a principle of reli- gion, fuch an abfurd cuftom has long fub- fided in Europe. Caefar obferves, that this ufage had cealed in Gaul long before the Romans were acquainted with them *. The Germans, in the time of Tacitus, were content to give their departed friends their horfes to accompany them ; and in all probability if it had not been for the infti- tutio»s of Odin, thefe facrifices of the wives
* Casfar de bell. Gall. lib. vi. c. 19. Pomp. Mela, lib. iii. c. 8.
Chap. XII. Z 4 to
( 344 )
to the manes of their dead lords had been abolimed much earlier in Scandinavia.
Be that as it would : Nothing ieemed to them more grand and noble than to enter the hall of Odin with a numerous retinue of flaves, friends and horfes, all in their fineft armour and richefr. apparel. The princes and nobles never failed of fuch attendants. His arms, and the bones of the horfe on which Chilperic I. fuppofed he ihculd be prefented to this warrior God have been found in his tomb. They did in reality firmly believe, and Odin himfelf had a flu red them, that whatever was bu- ried or confumed with the dead, accom- panied them to his palace. The poorer people, from the fame perfuafion, carried at leaf! their mod neceiTary utenfils and a little money, not to be entirely deftitute in the other world. From a like motive, the Greeks and Romans put a piece of filver into the dead man's mouth, to pay his paf- fage over the Styx. The Laplanders to this day provide their dead with a flint and every thing necefiary for lighting them along the dark paflage they have to traverfe after death. In whatever degree civilized nations refemble the favage part of man- kind, their ftrongeil features are thofe which refped: religion, death and a future (late. Men cannot contemplate thefe in-
terefting
( 345 )
terefting objects coolly, nor uninfluenced by fuch hopes and fears as {hackle and im- pede the proper exertion of their reafoning faculties. Accordingly all that the theology of the Egyptians, the Greeks and Romans, thofe people in other refpects fo wife, taught them on many points was only one great delirium, and was (if we coniider it impartially) in no refpect fuperior to that of the ancient Celts and Scandinavians; if in- deed it was not more indecent and extra- vagant ftill than theirs.
Odin was fuppofed to guard thefe rich depofits from the facrilegious attempts of rapine by means of Certain facred and wan- dering fires which played round the tombs. And for their better fecurity the law pro- mulged its fevered edicls againft all of- fences of this kind. The nineteenth chapter of the Salic-law is full of the different punimments decreed againft fuch as mall carry off the boards or carpeting with which the fepulchres were covered ; and interdicts them from fire and water. This law appears to have been well ob- ferved in the North during the times of paganifm, fmce in digging into old burial grounds there are now frequently found arms, fpurs, rings, and different kinds of vafes. Such were the contents of the tomb that was opened near Guben in
Chap. XII. Germany.
_ ( 346 )
Germany*. The perfon who had been interred there, feems to have been a lover of good chear ; for he had carried with him feveral utenfils of cookery, together with flagons and drinking veflels of all fizes. In the Britim Ifles, in Germany, in Scandinavia, and in many countries in the northern and eaftern parts of Afia, are found monuments of the ancient inha- bitants, in the form of little round hills and often furrounded with Hones, on open plains or near fome road, It is the re- ceived opinion that thefe are the burying places of giants, and indeed bones larger than the human fize are often found in them j but we mufl remember that as the ancients durft not approach the palace of Odin on foot, and for that reafon had their horfes buried with them, it is very probable that the bones of thefe animals are often miftaken for thofe of men.
* Nimifeha in pago uno eating phiafo, patirus, ur~
milUari a Gubena dijlante ceoli^ lagenults^ &c. Vide
unmerfus apparatus culina- Keyfler. Antiq. Selcft.
rius trutusy cacabiy olla, Scpten. p, 173. T,
CHAP-
(347)
CHAPTER XIII.
Sequel of the cuftoms, arts and fciences of the ancient Scandinavians.
TH E arts which are necefTary to the convenience of life, are but indif- ferently cultivated among a people, who neglect the more pleafing and refined ones. The Scandinavians held them all equally in contempt : What little attention they beftowed on any, was chiefly on fuch as were fubfervient to their darling paffion. This contempt for the arts, which mens' defire of juftifying their own iloth infpires, received additional ftrength from their fanguinary re- ligion, from their extravagant fondnels for liberty, which could not brook a long con- finement in the fame place, and efpecially from their rough, fiery and quarrel fome temper, which taught them to place all the happinefs and glory of man in being able to brave his equals and to repel infults. Chap. XIII. As
(348 )
As long as this inclination had its full fway "among a people, who were perpe- tually migrating from one forefl to another, and entirely maintained from the produce of their flocks and herds, they never thought of cultivating the foil. In the time of Tacitus, the Germans were little ufed to agriculture. *{ They cultivate," fays that hiflorian, " fometimes one part " of the country, and fometimes another ; " and then make a new divifion of the *e lands. They will much eafier be per- " fuaded to attack and reap wounds from " an enemy, than to till the ground and " wait the produce. They confider it as " an indication of effeminacy and want of " courage to gain by the iweat of their " brow, what they may acquire at the " price of their blood *." This prejudice gradually wore out, and they applied them- lelves more to agriculture. The great con- fumption of grain in a country, where the principal part of their food and their ordi- nary liquor was chiefly made of nothing elfe, could not but produce this effect. In the ninth and tenth centuries we fee the free men, the nobility and the men of great property, directing the operations of huf- bandry themfelvcs -J-. At length Chriftianity
* Tac. Germ. c. 14, &c.
f Vid, Arng. Jon. Crymog. lib. i. p. 52.
having
( 349 V
having entirely extinguished the tafte for piracy, and thus reftored to the land one half of its inhabitants, laid them under a neceffity of deriving from thence all their fubfiftence.
But the other arts were ftill deprefled under the influence of this prejudice, and were for a long time confidered as abjedt occupations befitting none but flaves ; which not only dimonoured the prefent profeflbrs, but even fixed a ftaia on all their pofterity *. The Gauls, the Germans, and die Scandinavians never employed in any of their domeftic and handicraft trades other than ilaves, freed- men, women or fuch miferable old men as preferred a dif- honourable life to death. They were of courfe ignorant of all the plealmg conve- niences and ornaments of life, excepting fuch as they either acquired by violence in their piratical excurfions, or gained to them- felves by foreign fervice. Their wives fpun themfelves the wool which made one part of their cloathing, and ikins fupplied
* The Greeks and Ro- thcr Common Senfe, to
mans did not think more eltimate things in pro-
philofophically on this portion to their utility,
luhject than thefc rude and to be ienfibie that we
uncivilized nations : if owe to the Arts moft of
indeed it can be called the comforts we enjoy. Philofophy, and not ra- Flrji Edit..
Chap. XIII. the
( 350 )
the reft. Their habits fat clofe to their bodies, and were fhort and neat like thofe of all the ' Gothic*' nations : not wide, long and flowing like thofe of the Sarma- tians and eaftern people. They were per- haps ftill lefs luxurious in their manner of lodging.
In the time of Tacitus, the Germans had not yet built themfelves cities, or even towns : " Every one/' fays that author, " places his houfe on whatever fpot he " chufes, near a fpring, a wood or open <c field, at a diftance from any neighbour, " either from ignorance in the art of " building, or for fear of fire •(-." When religion permitted temples to be eredted to the Gods, the concourfe of thofe who came to offer oblations, engaged them to build round about them, and towns infenfibly arofe. The fame thing happened near the caftles of their kings, princes and great
* (Celtic. Orig.) In flioes ; whereas the an-
the habits of the ancient cient Romans were naked
Gothic nations we fee knee'd. Upon the pillars
evidently the rudiments of of Trajan and Antonine
the modern European the dreffes of fuch nations
drefs: They confuted of as were of Gothic race
a kind of waiftcoat, and bear a great refemblance
breeches, or rather a kind to thofe of our common
of trowfers which came failors and peafants. down to the feet, and T.
were connected with the f Tac. Germ. c. 16.
men;
( 35' )
men ; and laftly, the markets, whither the peafants repaired for the mutual exchange of thofe few commodities in which the trade of thefe days confided, gave birth to a third kind of towns, which ftill in their names bear evident traces of their original *. The houfes of which thefe towns confided were nothing better, for the moft part, than cot- tages fupported by thick heavy ports joined together by boards and covered with turf -f-. The very loweft rank of people were not even fo well off; having no other defence from the feverity of the winter, but only miferable huts, ditches or clefts in the rocks. There lying on the bare ground, half covered with a few /kins tacked together with thorns, they paffed their time in a kind of drowfy torpor, (happy, if it be poflible to be fo by the meer privation of misfortunes) till roufed by fome call of war, all this ferocious and favage youth rufhed from their caverns to go to fet fire to the palaces of Rome, and to trample under foot all the fine 'monuments of lux-
* The general termi- was that the ufe of win- nation of thefe; is Koplug^ dows was then unknown, i. e. Market. or regarded by the fagrs
f lu thefe b;iildino;s of the country as a dan-
the light for the moit gerous luxury. Vid.
part was only received Arngr. Jon. Crymog.
from the top ; whether it lib. i. c. 6. Firji Edit.
Chap. XIII. ury,
( 352 )
tiry, induftry and arts. But I again repeat it, that it was only a fmall part of this people who lived fo totally ignorant of the conveniences of life. Their grandees were early diftinguifhed by edifices fumptuous for thofe times. Their chief ambition was to have them of vaft extent, and adorned with very lofty towers. /The moft wealthy of thofe Norwegian lords who fettled in Iceland built there houfes of monftrous greatnefs. Arngrim * allures us, that In- gulph's palace was 135 feet in length ; and mentions others not inferior to it; but it is very likely that thefe were only a kind of covered inclofures which took in both their flaves and cattle. The moft valuable ornaments of their palaces were the ciel- ings, on which were reprefented in fculp- ture the memorable actions of the poflefTor or his anceftors. Fragments of thefe are ftiil found in Iceland, which appear to have been done eight hundred years ago, and contribute to throw light on thehiflory of the country. Nor is this fculpture fo bad as might be expected. The moun- taineers of Norway and Sweden have to this day a remarkable dexterity at carving with the knife, and in the cabinets of the curious are preferved many pieces which
* ViJ. Crymog. p. 57.
furprizingly
(.353 )
furprizingly {hew how far genius can ad- Vance unaffifted by art*. Such of" the Scan- dinavians as fettled in richer countries* foon adopted the luxury of their new fel- low-citizens, and were as defirous as they of diftinguifliing themfelves by fumptuous buildings. But although they had ftill before their eyes thofe fine monuments which the envious hand of time has denied to us, yet the beautiful and noble fimpli- city of the antique proportions efcaped ' them ; they disfigured them by that affec- tatiori of exceffive ornament, from whence* Iprang the Gothic ftile of architecture, fd called from this people, which fb long pre- vailed through all Europe, and produced Id many edifices wherein we can find nothing to admire but the inexhauftible patiencb and infinite pains of thofe who built them.
We may judge from the foregoing pages of the (late of commerce in ancient Scan^* dinavia. It is true, the fondnefs of the in- habitants for navigation ought to have been favourable to it ; but we know that piracy^ . which is the refult of idlenefs in thofe who pradife it, reduces to idlenefs thofe who fufFer by it, as it reridefs all induftrjr
* Vid. Pontoppid. Hift. Nat. Norr. torn. ii. C, ICN
VOL. I. Chap, XIII. A a tifelcfs,
( 354 )
ufelefs. We muft not however fuppofe, that this people carried on no kind of traf- fic. I think one may difcover fome views of this fort in thofe maritime expeditions of the Norwegians which have been related above : and this conjecture feems to be confirmed by the great quantity of foreign money which is flill found in different parts of the North ; if indeed this is not rather reliques of the plunder collected by thefe ravagers. It is probable that for a long time commerce was carried on by means of this foreign coin, in thofe parts where they had a fufficient quantity of it, and in other places by an exchange of commodities. We do not find that there was any money coined in the three nor- thern kingdoms before the tenth or at moil the ninth century j and there is reafon to believe, it was Canute the Great who firft brought over Englishmen for the purpofe of coining thofe little pieces of copper money which are flill fhewn, and are ge- nerally imprefTed with the figure of a crofs, the fun, or a flar, without any letters or infcription. Under the pagan princes, money was alfo much in ufe as the com- mon medium of value, but it feems to have only pafTed by weight.
We may readily fuppofe that the Scandi- fludied aflronomy. A fcience fo 4 requifite
( 355 )
requifite for failors could not but make a great part of the education of a people who afpired to fame by maritime enterprizes. The ancient chronicles frequently prefent us with young warriors endeavouring to acquire the good opinion of their miftrefTes by boafting of their accomplishments, fuch as their fkill at chefs, their dexterity in fwimming and fkating, their talents in poetry, and their knowing all the flars by their names. Thefe names had nothing in common with thofe adopted by the Greeks and Romans ; and were often founded on reafons as fantaftical as theirs. Thus they called Urja Major the GREAT DOG, and the leffer Bear CHARLES'S WAIN : « The * three flars in the belt of Orion, FRIG- GA'S DISTAFF; the Swan, THE CROSS ; the Milky-way, the ROAD OF WINTER, &c. But whether they only applied their knowledge of aftronomy to conduct them in their voyages, or endeavoured, like the reft of the world, to read their deftiny in the ftars, is a matter I am not able to de- cide. Their curious prying into future events by other means equally ridiculous, will not allow them to claim any merit from either their ignorance or negledt of judicial aftrology. All we can fay with certainty is, that they have at all times be- flowed great care and attention in regulating Chap. XIII. A a 2 the
the courfc of time j whether their religion, which prefcribed them certain periodical facrifices, rendered that care neceflary ; or whether it proceeded from that peculiar turn which the northern people have ever {hewn for calculation and numbers *. Their year commonly commenced at the winter-folftice, and they divided it into two half years, or intervals between the two folftices -)-, which were again divided into quarters and months. There was
* It is remarkable that the Scandinavians num- bered the unities up to Twelve, without flopping at Ten like all other na- tions. This manner of counting is preferable to ours, as Twelve is a more perfe& number, and more eafily broken into frac- tions, than Ten. The Icelanders and the pea- lants of certain provinces in Sweden, retain to this day a method of reckon- ing by Great Hundreds and Little Hundreds, Great Thoufands and Little Thoufands : But they feem to have con- founded their ancient manner of computation with the modern, fmce
they make their Great Hundred to confiftof2O times 1 2 or 1 20, and their Great Thoufand of 1200, inftead of multiplying rc-
Ejlarly 12 by 12. (Vid. al. Su. Rik. Hift. torn, i. p. 245. et Arngr. Jon. Crymog. lib. i. p. 85.)
Firft Edit.
The fame method of reckoning by the Great and Little Hundred ftill prevails among our Eng- lifh farmers, in their fale of cheefe, &c. Their Great Hundred is I2o!b. their Little Hundred H2lb. T.
f That is, by Summer and Winter, as we in our ordinary converfation do in England. T.
great
( 357)
great variety in the names of thpfe months, which were borrowed generally from the rural occupations to be performed in each of them, or from the religious ceremonies which were then to be obferved ; thefe names are frill in ufe in many places of the North *. The months were divided into weeks of feven days, a divifion which hath prevailed among almoft aft the nations we have any knowledge of, from the extremity of Alia to that of Europe. The day was divided into twelve parts, to each of which $hey afllgned a diftindl name : but in their
* Vid. Ol. Worm.
Faft. Danic. paflim.
Dr. HICKES in his va- luable Thefaunis Ling. Sfptentrion. has given a curious lift of the names of the months in all th,e northern languages, in- cluding thofe of our An- glo-Saxon anceftors. In all thefe languages they are very fignificant, as the reader will judge from thofe of the Icelandic : In which JANUARY was called Midfuetrar-manudr^ the midwinter month. FEBRUARY, Fo/?ensgangs- manudr, the fafting- pro- ceffion-month. MARCH, Jaffadegra - manudi^ the
Chap. XIII.
month of equal day and night. MAY, Fardaga- ir.anudr^ the month of fair days. JUNE, Nottlfyfa- manudr^ the night - lef» month.. JULY, Madka- mamtdr^ the infe£l month. AUGUST, Hey anna • ma- •rnidr^ the hay - making month. SEPTEMBER, Ad- draata-manudr^ ..... OCTOBER, Slatrnnar-nin- nudr^ the daughter-month. NOVEMBER, Rydtrydar-
DECEMBER, Skamdciges- manudr^ the month of (hort days. Vid. Hickes Gram. 'Maefo-Goth. pu 215,216. T.
Aa3
compu-
( 358 )
computation of time, they made ufe of the word NIGHT inftead of DAY. Tacitus obferves the fame thing of the Germans * ; and the Engiifh have flill, on fome occafions, the fame mode of fpeaking -J-. The long- eft night of winter was confidered in the North, as that which had produced all the reft as well as the days ; hence they termed it the MOTHER-NIGHT J, and were per- fuaded that on fuch a night the world was created. This notion certainly gave birth to the mode of expreffion above-related.
The neceffity of aflifting the memory, led them early to invent a kind of Calen- dars, which they called RUNIC STAFFS. Thefe were a fort of compendious alman- acks marked out by lines upon fhort pieces of board, or fmooth fticks ||. Some of them bear the appearance of great anti- quity, but I believe there are none which do not carry evident marks that their
* Nee dierum numerum \ See above, chap. VII.
utnos, fed NOCTIUM com- p. 130.
putant. Sic conjiituunt, || They were called in
flc condlcunt^ nox ducere di- the North Rim-flocks^ and
'emvidetur.. Tacit. Germ. Prim-Jlaff's : they exhibit-
c. ii. ed by different lines and
t Thus we fay SEVEN- marks, the Fafts and
NIGHT, (not SevenDays) Feftivals, the Golden
and FORTNIGHT, /. e. Number, Dominical Let-
Fourtcen Nights, (not ter, Epacl, &c. Tt Fourteen Days.) T.
owners
(359 )
owners- were Chriilians. The Pagans how- ever may have had inftruments of this kind ; which the firft princes converted to Chrifdanity might alter and adapt to the Chriftian rites. The Runic characters with which they are always infcribed, to- gether with fome other marks of paganifm, feem to prove this : But the queftion can- not pofitively be decided 'till we have ex- amined whether the Scandinavians were acquainted with the ufe of letters before they had embraced Chriftianity. This is a fruitful queftion which deferves particular difcuflion.
One cannot travel far in Denmark, Norway or Sweden, without meeting with great ftones of different forms, engraven with thofe ancient characters called RUNIC*, which appear at fir ft fight ex- tremely different from all we know. The few who have endeavoured to decipher
* Runic infcriptions Septentrionale, p. 168.
are alfo found in this There is even extant a
ifland : See a defcription coin of king OFF A with
of a very curious one in a Runic infcription j
Cumberland, and of an- whence it fliould feem
other in Scotland, in that this character had
Hickes's Thefaur. Ling. heen originally ufed by
Sept. (Gram. I/land. Tax the Saxons, as well as
VI. & p. 5.) See alfo their Scandinavian bre-
Gordon's Itinerarium thren. T.
Chap. XIII. A a 4 them,
them, have difcovered that thefe infcripr >tions are, for the moft part, only epitaphs, written in a language not lefs obfolete than the characters *. Several of them were undoubtedly written in Pagan times : but as a great part of them bear evident marks of Chriftianity, fome learned men of dif- tinction have thought that the German and Scandinavian miffionaries firft inftrucled their converts in the art of writing. The favourers of this opinion alledge feveral proofs in fupport of it, which deferve fome attention.
They produce the teflimony of feveral Greek and Latin authors to invalidate what tbe northern literati have aflerted concern- ing the great antiquity of the RUNIC cha- racter. Androtion, quoted by Elian -f, af- fures us, that " neither the Thracians, nor " any other of the barbarous people fettled
* The manner in which in which there are innu-
pur author fpeaks of the merable books extant in
Runic infcriptions, fhews the libraries of the North,
him but little acquainted Almoft all the Runic in-
\vith this part of his fub- fcriptions found in the
je&: the Runic characters North have been publifh-
are not difficult to read to ed in one collection or
thofe who are moderately other. T
converfant in northern f ./Elian. Var. Rift.
antiquities, and the Ian- lib. viii. c. 6. Vid. Pel-
'guage of them is no other Joutier Hift. des Celtes,
than the antient Icelandic, torn. i. ch. 10.
«< in Europe, make ufe of letters ; look- " ing upon it as fomewhat dishonourable «' to employ them : whereas the ufe of '* them is common among the barbarians " of Alia." Tacitus is more exprefs on this head. " Both the men and the wo- *' men," fays he, fpeaking of the Ger- mans, " are equally ignorant of the «« fecret of writing letters *." Almoft all the ancients who fpeak of the Celts, af- firm the fame thing. They afliire us, that thefe people held in contempt every occu- pation, except that of arms ; That learning to read and write degraded a perfon in their eyes; That their DRUIDS or priefts, in- duced either by intereft or fuperftition, and probably by both, utterly forbade them the ufe of letters, and encouraged them in the averfion they entertained for this admirable fecret; and That thefe Druids pretended their doctrines ought to be referved for the initiated only, and concealed from all others, which could not have been had they com- mitted them to an indifcreet paper -)-. They
confirm
* Litterarum fecrtta vi- are taken by our author
rl pariter ac feminee igno- from M. Pelloutier's Hift.
rant. Tac. Germ. c. ties Celtes, liv. ii. ch. 10.
19. whofe general pofition is,
f This and moft of the that the GOTHS and
arguments here produced CELTS were the fame
Chap. XIII. people:
confirm all thefe authorities by divers facts. Thus Theodoric king of Italy could not fo much as fign the firft letters of his name, tho' he had fpent his youth among the Ro- mans. Eginhard, in his life of Charle- magne, fays, that this emperor, though in other refpedts not unlearned, could not write, and that there were entire nations in Germany fubject to him, whofe laws were not yet committed to writing. The Saxons under Louis le Debonnair, perfift- ing in their refolution of not learning to read, he was obliged to have the Old and New Teftament turned into verfe, which they willingly learned by heart, and fung after their own manner. Laftly, the lite- rati, whofe fentiments we here give, think they can unravel all the difficulty arifmg from the particular form of the Runic cha- racters, and prove that thefe were not known in the North before ChrifHanity, by reducing them to the Roman letters; from which, fay they, thefe do not differ any
people: But this is a great ids ; but profeffed a very
miftake : The Celts or different religion ?
Gauls had DRUIDS, who Some of the inftances that
made a fecret of their follow arc more to the
doctrines ; but what has point, being taken from
this to do with the Go- among the Gothic na-
thic nations of Scandi- tions, but our author con-
flavia, who had no Dru- fiders them below. T,
farther
( 363 )
farther than this, that the people of the North having been obliged at firft to en- grave them in wood and ftone, found it convenient to draw their letters chiefly in ftrait lines, and to avoid as much as pomble all round ftrokes and turnings *.
Thefe arguments are fpecious, but are they equally folid ? It is true the ancients denied that the Celts in general had the knowledge, or at leaft the ufe of letters among them ; but our prefent enquiry only regards the Scandinavians -f-, and fuch of
* The word RUNE feems to come from a •word in the ancient Go- thic language fignifying TO CUT. [So fays our author, but Wormius, who was a much greater mafter of this fubjecl, de- rives RUNE from either Ryn a FURROW, or Ren a GUTTER or CHANNEL. As thefe chara&ers were firft cut in wood or ftone, the refemblance to a fur- row or channel would ea- fily fuggeft the appella- tion. Vid. Worm. Lit. Run. p. 2. 1636.410. T.J
The word Bog Stav, or Bucb Stab, which is ufed in Germany and the North to fignify a letter,
Chap. XIII.
is doubtlefs derived from Bog or Buck a Beech* tree, of which wood they originally made their wri- ting tables, and from Stav or Stab^ a ftaff or ftick, becaufe moft of the letters were drawn in perpendi- cular lines, as it were " fticks or ftaffs fet upi " right." [Vid. Worm.
Lit. Run. p. 6 From
the fame Bog or Buck the beft etymologifts derive the word BOK. or BOOK, which fignifies a Volume not only in ours, but ia all the Gothic or Teu- tonic languages. Vid. Junii Etymol. T.] f Who were not Celts. T-
the
(364)
the Germans as lived neareft them. Thefe are the only people among whom the Ru- nic characters are found, and with them the ancients were leaft acquainted. As for Tacitus, he has probably been mifunder- ftood ; thofe who are acquainted with his flile and manner, if they re-confider the pafTage, will not doubt but this is his meaning, that " both the German men and " women were ignorant of the fecret of ** writing letters or epiftles," that is, with a view to carry on an intrigue *. What; they relate of the Druids chiefly refpecls the Gauls, nor is it equally applicable to the othpr northern people. We may eafily fuppofe there were a.mong them many war- riors and illuftrious men who could not write, without concluding from thence that the whole nation was equally ignorant. As for the laft argument which attributes *o the firft millenaries the honour of in- troducing letters into the North; it does not appear to me to carry much weight. The Runic characters might poffibly be borrowed from the Roman alphabet, with- out any neceffary conclufion that the Scan- dinavians had waited for the fecret till the
* So the beft tranfla- rendered this paflage in tors of Tacitus, and fo his celebrated French the Abbe BJLETTERIE has verfion.
intro-
( 365 )
introdu&ion of Christianity among them. The Runic letters might even have a great rcfemblance to the Roman without being copied from them, fince both may have been derived from one common original. But the ftrongeft argument of all is* that this refemblance has been nothing lefs than proved ; for that the difference between the RUNIC and ROMAN letters is all owing to the neceffity of writing on wood or ilone, and of tracing the letters in perpen- dicular lines, leaves fuch a latitude for changing, adding or diminiming, that there ate few alphabets in the world, which by means of fuch a commodious hypothefis, might not eafily be reduced to the Roman character. Accordingly the learned Wor- mius found the Runic letters as eafily redu- cible to the Greek and Hebrew alphabets as to the Roman *.
* Vid. Ol. Worm. to me to be nothing but
Literatur. Runic, paflim. conjectures. Firjl Edit.]
[M. Pelloutier cites It was that great matter
in the firft volume of his of northern literature Dr.
Hift. des Celtes a manu- HICKES, who firft ftarted
fcriptDiiTertation, the au- the notion that the Runic
thoi of which (Mr. CEL- character was borrowed
Bius, a learned Swede) from the Roman : See his
hath reduced the RUNIC Tbefaurus Linguar. Sep-
to ROMAN characters. I te^trion. &c. But this o-
have read this Diflcrtation pinion is now generally
vety carefully : it con- given up as unfupport-
tains many ingenious con- able. T. je6hires, but they appear
Chap. XIII. We
(366)
We have hitherto only propofed doubts : Let us now fee if we can afcertain fome truths. The Roman hiftory tells us, that under the reign of the emperor Valens, ULPHILAS *, bimop of thofe Goths who
were
* In the year 369. Vid. Socrat. Hift. Ecclef. lib. iv. and Sozomen. lib. vi. 36.
In the following ac- count of ULPHILAS and the GOTHIC letters, our ingenious author has com- mitted feveral miftakes ; occafioned by his too clofely following WOR- MIUS in his Literaiur. Run. not confidering that fmce the time of Wor- mius fome very important difcoveries have been made, and great light thrown upon this fubje6t. When WORM i us wrote, the tranflation of Ulphilas was fuppofed to be irrecoverably loft, and therefore Wormius hav- ing nothing to guide him but conjecture, fuppofed the Runic character and that of Ulphilas to be the
fame. But fonie years
after, there was found in the abbey of Warden in Weftphalia, a very cu- rious fragment <
believed to have been the identical verfion of UL- PHILAS ; written in the language of the Mcefo- Goths, and exhibiting the characters which that pre- late made ufe of : Thefe are fo very remote from the Runic, that we may now fafely allow the Go- thic bimop the honour of their invention, without in the leaft derogating from the antiquity of the Runic letters. This frag- ment is now preferved in the library at UPSAL in Sweden, and is famous among all the northern literati, under the name of the Codex argentcus, or Silver Book : for which reafon a fhort account of it may not be unaccept- able.
The Cod:* ar gen teas
contains at prefent only
the four Gofpels, though
::t mutilated; and
is b.l.jvcd to be a relic
of the Gothic Bible, all
or the greater part of
which
were fettled in Mcefia and Thrace, tranflared the Bible into the Gothic language. But we know from other authorities, that the
character
xvhich Ulphilas had tranf- lated. The leaves are of vellum of a violet colour ; all the letters are of fil- ver, except the initials, •which are of gold. Thefe letters (which are all ca- pitals) appear not to have been written with the pen, but ftamped or im- printed on the vellum with hot iron types J, in the fame manner as the book-binders at prefent letter the backs of books. This copy is judged to be near as ancient as the time of Ulphilas, or at leaft not more than a cen- tury or two later ; yet fo near was the copyift to the clifcovery of printing, that if he had but thought of combining three or four of thefe letters together he muft have hit upon that admirable invention ; whereas he only imprinted
each letter fmgly.
This curious fragment
has been feveral times printed in 410, firft by Junius in 1665 ; and lately in a ver-y elegant manner at Oxford by the learned Mr. Lye in 1750. — Another fragment of this curious vei fion (con- taining part of the Epiftle to the Romans) has been fince difcovered in the li- brary at Wolfenbcttle, and was published two years ago in a very fplen- did volume in 410 by the Rev. F. A. Knitell,. arch- deacon of Wolfenbottle. It muft not be con- cealed that M. Michaelis and one or two other learned men have oppofed the current opinion, that the Silver Book contains part of Ulphilas's Gothic verfion ; and have offered arguments to prove that it is rather a venerable fragment of fome ancient Francic Bible : but they have been confuted by
"I See this fully proved in fome late curious TradVs wiittenbyfhe learned Dtm. JOHAN. IHKT, and other Swedifii Literati,
Chap. XIII.
( 368)
character in which this verfion was written, was either Runic, or one nearly refembling it. Several authors fay, that Ulpriilas in- vented it ; but is it probable that any brie fhould form a new character for a nation that had one already? If the Goths of Mcefia and Thrace had not before his time had any knowledge of letters, would it not have been better to have taught them the ufe of the Greek character, already underfiood ? Befides, Ulphilas neither wrote the Gofpels on wood nor on ftone, but on parchment ; he would not therefore be under the necef- fity of disfiguring the alphabet of other nations for the fake of ftrait lines, which it is alledged gave birth to the Runic let-
M. Knitell and others ; and the Gothic claim has been further confirmed by a curious relic of the fame language lately difcovered to have been left by the fame Goths in Italy ; the explanation of which we owe to the reverend Mr. LYE : See his Notes on the Gothic Gofpels, &c.
To conclude ; The letters ufed in the Gothic Gofpels, being 25 in number, are formed with (light variations from the
capitals of the Greek and Latin alphabet, and are extremely different from the Runic. The inven- tion of them may there- fore be very fafely attri- buted to Bp. ULPHILAS (as the ancients exprefsly aflert) ; who might not chufe to employ in fo fa- cred a work as the tranf- lation of the Bible, the RUNIC characters, which the Goths had rendered infamous by their fupcr- ftirious ufe of them.
T,
( 369)
ters. At moft it could not be the Roman alphabet that was altered ; but if any it muft have been the Greek, for Ulphilas was at that time in a country where the Greek language was Ipoken. Nor is it dif- ficult to difcover what it was that led hiflo- rians into the miftake of fuppofing Ul- philas to have been the inventor of thefe characters. The Greeks had probably never heard any mention of them before he came among them : The introducer of a novelty eafily pafles for the author of it ; and when we compare the Runic letters, taken from the infcriptions fcattered up and down on the rocks in the North-, with the alphabet of Ulphilas, it is eaiy to fee that the bifhop has added diverfe characters un- known to the ancient Scandinavians. It was doubtlefs the tranflation of the Bible which obliged him to make thefe addi- tions. The ancient alphabet being com- pofed only of fixteen letters *, could not exprefe many founds foreign to the Gothic language, that neceflarily occurred in that work. Thefe additional letters might ea- fily confer on Ulphilas the credit of invent- ing the whole. This is one of thofe in- accuracies which every day happen. It is no lefs probable that before Ulphilas, the
* Verel. Runogr. Scand. cap. vii.
VOL. I. Chap. XIII. Bb Goths,
( 37° )
Goths, even while they were involved in the thickeft darknefs of paganifm, had fome knowledge of letters*.
* An evident proof that teen) and their order and
the RUNIC were not imi- names, which have no-
tated from the ROMAN thing in common with the
letters, arifes not only ROMAN, GREEK or Go-
from their form which THIC characters of Ul-
have fo little refemblance philas : Let the reader
to thefe, but from their truft to his own eyes, number, (being but iix-
The RUNIC Alphabet. Name, Fie Ur Dufs Oys Ridhur Ivaun Hagl
Fewer, F. U. D. O. R. K. H.
Nandur Jis Aar Sol Tyr Biarkan
K I 4 fy T &
N. I. A. S. T. B.
Lagur Madur Yr f\ \17 X
L. M. YR.
The GOTHIC Alphabet by ULPHILAS.
Power, A. B. G. D. E. F. lorY. H. I.
KAMNRTTO^S
K. L. M. N. O. P. Q. R. S.
T * n D x ^
T. TH. U. QU. WorU. CH. Z.
What
( 57' )
What are we to think of thofe infcrip- tions in the Runic character, which travel- lers allure us they have feen in the dcfarts of Tartary * ? Tartary has never yet been converted to Chriftianity ; from this and the circumjacent countries iffued thofe fwarms which peopled Scandinavia ; nor have the Scandinavians ever made any ex- pedition into their mother country fmce they embraced the Chriftian faith. If then the account given us by thefe travellers is true, we muft necefiarily conclude that the Runic writing was an art which had its rife in Afia, and was carried into Europe by the colonies who came to fettle in the North. This is alfo confirmed by all the old chronicles and poems which I have fo of- ten quoted. They univerfally agree in af- iigning to the Runic characters a very re- mote antiquity, and an origin entirely pa- gan. They attribute the invention of them to Odin himfelf ; who, they add, was emi- nently fkilled in the art of writing as wdl for the common purpofes of life, as for the operations of magic -f . Many of thefe
* Confult Strahlcm- Upfal. 1724. See alfo in
berg's Description of the the fame book the map of
northern and eaftcrn parts Tartary. Fir/i }•'.,>••.] of Europe and Afia, [quo- f Ecida liland. ct Bar-
ted by Er. Benzcl. Ju:i. thol. p. 649. in PL.icul. Runic. DirT.
Chap. XIII. B b 2 letters
( 372 )
letters even bore the names of the Gods his companions. In a very ancient ode, quoted by Bartholin, the poet thus fpeaks of the Runic characters J : " The letters which " the Great Ancient traced out : which " the Gods compofed : which Odin the " fovereign of the Gods engraved." Had it been otherwife, how could the pagans have fo foon forgotten that thefe letters were introduced among them by the mi- nifters of a religion that was foreign, un- known, and muft have been hateful to them, fmce they were often compelled by violent means to profefs it ? How could all their poets (who were at the fame time their theologians) fo exprefsly call Odin, " The inventor of the RUNES?" But laftly, what appears to be of great weight, is, that our hiflories often make mention of princes and pagan heroes who made ufe of this character in an age when, in all probability, Chriftianity had not penetrated fo far into the North -f . In
Blekingia,
$ Vid. Barthol. de fpeaks even then of the
Caufis cont. mort. p. 647. Runic characters in one
f Venantius Fortuna- of his epigrams addrefled
tus, a Latin poet, who to Flavius. Lib. vii. E-
wrote about the begin- pig. 18. ning of the fixth century,
Bar-
(373 )
Blekingia, a province of Sweden, there is a road cut through a rock, on which are various Runic characters, faid to have been engraved there by king HAROLD HYLDETAND in honour of his father. Saxo, who lived under Valdemar II. -f- re- lates, that this prince fent people thither to examine them, and that tradition attri- buted them to that king Harold who, ac- cording to Torfa?us, afcended the throne about the beginning of the feventh cen- tury. The fame author affures us that Regner Lodbrog ufed Runic letters to re- cord his exploits in Biarmland J. In- flances of the fame kind are found in almoft every page of the ancient chro- nicles, and of Torfaeus's hiflory of Nor- way.
We may then fairly conclude, that it was Odin himfelf that introduced the
Barbara fraxineis pingatur RUN A t alt: His £h<odque Papyrus aglt Virgula plana valet.
i. e. The Barbarians en- 1241. See Sax. Gram.
grave their Runic cha- in Prasfat. and the Notes
rafters on aflien tablets, of Steph. Stephan. on
which ferve them inftead that paflage.
of paper. Vid. Wor- J A province in the
mil Literat. Runic, p. 7. north partof Rufiia. Vid.
t He reigned from Sax. Grammat. lib. ix. A. D. 1202, to A. D.
Chap. XIII. B b 3 Runic
( 374)
Runic characters into the North. Almoft all the Afiatic nations had long before his time been acquainted v/ith letters, and this prince's native country could not be far diftant from many of thofe people among whom they had been long familiar. Nor is it improbable but that an ambitious leader might avail himfelf of them, to acquire refpecl from the rude uncivilized inha- bitants of Scandinavia. The art of writing being of fuch infinite and wonderful ufe, might eafily perfuade them that there was fomething divine or magical in it. Ac- cordingly we fee them more frequent- ly employ it for the foolifh purpofe of working prodigies, than to affift the memory and render words fixed and per- manent.
This would be the place to fay fomething of thofe fuperftitious practices, if we had not already given fufficient inftances of the weaknefs of the human mind, and of the ftrange errors and extravagances to which ignorant nations are fubjecl:. Let it fufiice then juft to obferve, that the Runic cha- raclers were diilinguimed into various kinds*. The NOXIOUS, or as they called
* Vid. Worm. Litterat. Runic, p. 33. et Barthol. de Cauf. &c. p. 650.
them,
( 375)
them, the BITTER RUNES, were employed to bring various evils on their enemies: the FAVOURABLE averted misfortunes : the VICTORIOUS procured conqueft to thofe who ufed them : the M & D I c i N A L were in- fcribed on the leaves of trees for healing : others ferved to difpel melancholy thoughts; to prevent (hipwreck : were antidotes againft poifon ; prefervatives againft the re- fentment of their enemies, and efficacious to render a miftrefs favourable : Thefe laft were to be ufed with great caution. Jf an ignorant perfon had chanced to write one letter for another, or had but erred in the minuteft ftroke, he would have expofed his miftrefs to fome dangerous illnefs ; which was only to be cured by writing other RUNES with the greateft niceneis. All thefe various kinds differed only in the ce- remonies obferved in writing them, in the materials on which they were written, in the place where they were expofed, in the manner in which the lines were drawn, whether in the form of a circle, of a fer- pent, or a triangle, &c. In the ftrict ob- iervance of thefe childim particulars con- fifted that obfcure and ridiculous art, which acquired to fo many weak and wicked perfons, the refpedtable name of Priefts and ProphetelTes, merely for filling rude Chap. XIII. B b 4 minds
(376 )
minds with fo much jealoufy, fear and hatred*.
However, the life of letters for more rational purpofes became by degrees more common in the North. In the latter ages of paganifrn, we frequently meet with princes and famous leaders, and in general all perfons whofe rank entitled them to a careful education, writing epiftles, epi- taphs and infcriptions of various kinds J.
* It is by mifchievous errors of the fame kind that all nations have been diftinguifhed in their firft ages of fimplicity and ig- norance j thofe rirft ages which prejudice makes us regret, and wifo that the arts had never corrupted their primeval innocence. Whereas in proportion as the empire of the Sci- ences hath prevailed in the North, that of Su- perftition hath faded and vanished before its grow- ing light. But the ex- tremity of Scandinavia, where that light hath not yet penetrated, ftill re- mains faithfully fflbjeft to all its ancient errors. Al- lowing for the difference
of their climate and po- verty, the Laplanders at prefent are in this refpecr. what the Scandinavians were formerly. With the fame ignorance, they are equally fubjedt to fuper- itition and credulity ; for it is a ceitain rule that Magic never fails to work prodigies in all fuch na- tions as believe in it. The Oftiacs and other favages of Afia are no lefsgiien to forcery and witchcraft than the Laplanders, and we have all heard of the JONGLEURS, thofe magi- cians fo revered among the Barbarians of Ame- rica. I Edit. t ViJ. VcrcJ.'Runo- graph. Scand. p. 21.
The
(377 )
The older thefe infcriptions are the better they are engraven. We rarely find them written from the right hand to the left -f- : but it is not uncommon to meet with the line running from the top to the bottom, after the manner of the Chinefe and feveral nations of India; or from the top to the bottom, and then turning round to the left, and fo up again to the place it begins at ; or elfe from the left to the right, and fo back to the left again, which was the manner of the early Greeks, and had its name from the refemblance to a furrow traced by the plough *. The greater part of the ancient monuments written in the Runic character, which are ftill preferved, are infcriptions difperfed here and there in the fields §, and cut out on large ftones or pieces of rock. The Scandinavians wrote alfo on wood, on the bark of the birch- tree, and on prepared fkins. When they had occafion to impart any matter to an abfent perfon, they difpatched a meffenger with a bit of bark, or a fmall polimed piece of wood, on which they commonly ex- prefled their meaning with much exaclnefs.
f Vid. Worm. Littc- found in churches, and
rar. Run. cap. xxv. fometimes in other build-
* Bourfof^Jcv. ings* T.
§ They are alfo often
Chan. XIII. There
( 378 )
There are ftill extant fome of thefe epiftles, and even love-letters written on thefe pieces of bark and bits of wood ||. As for books compofed in the Runic character, the moil ancient we can find, appear to have been written about the time that Chriftianity took place in the North, as is judged from feveral proofs, particularly from the frequent intermixture of Roman let- ters in them. In the tenth and eleventh centuries the Runic gave way ftill more and more to the other. Till at length the mifiionaries fucceeded in totally abolifliing the ufe of them, as tending to retain the people in their ancient fuperftitions. But this reformation did not fpeedily take place, and there remained traces of this character for many fucceeding ages ; nor, as we are allured *, is it yet wholly laid afide among the mountaineers of one province in Sweden.
|| Renhielm, a learned Swede, in his Notes up- on the Icelandic chro- nicle, intitled " Tor- " ftcin's Wile Saga," p. 35, cites an ancient bil- let-doux, containing only thefe words, " I ihould '•'• 1' better, you ng maid, '* to repofe on thy bofom, <£ than to poilefr the " riches 'of the tKrc~ In-
" dies," Olaus Wor- mius alfo tells us, that he had one in his cabinet of curiofities which was writ upon little tables of wood, but he hath not thought proper to translate it.
Flrjl Edit.
* See Dalin. Su. Rik. hift. torn. i. p. 237. and Benzel. colled, hift. p. i. cap. i.
Ifliall
( 379)
I fhall avoid entering into the difputes" which have been raifed on the fubjec~t of the ancient northern tongues : For however the refearch may have been heretofore carried on with much gravity, it was in reality very trifling, nor is it a trifle of that kind which ferves to intereft or amufe the world at prefent. Let it fuffice to re- mark, that from the refult of the whole it appears, that all Europe at firft fpoke the fame language*, excepting the SA;*MA- TIANS who from the earlieft time had one peculiar to themfelves, the GREEKS
* M. MALLET here goes upon the erroneous hypothecs of M. PEL- LOUTIER in his " Hift. " des Celtcs ;" that the Gauls and Germans were the fame people and had one common language : but this a flight inflection of the dialects of their refpeftive defendants is fufficient to confute, and for this the reader need only caft his eye over the fpccimens fubjoined to
the preface. For as
our author obfcrves juft below, " the ancient " languages of the NOR-
" THERN and WESTERN7
" parts of Europe arc
Chap. XIII.
" ftill preferved in thofe countries which the Romans never con- quered ; and traces of them are ftill vifible in others : " An ocular nfpe£Hon therefore of thofe languages thus pre- ferved, compared with their more ancient dia- lects, will ferve to decide a difpute of this fort bet- ter than a thoufand argu- ments drawn from con- jecture and hypothefis, or from obfcure paflages of ancient Lntin and Greek authors, who knew no- thing of any language but their own. T.
who
who borrowed many of their terms from ^gypt and the Baft, and the ROMANS \vho in part adopted the language of Greece. This ancient language of the northern and weftern parts of Europe has only been preferved in thofe countries, which the Ro- mans never conquered ; although evident traces of it are ftill vifible in others that were long fubjed: to their dominion. The Spanifh and French tongues abound with many words which we find fHll extant in the Teutonic *, fome of them fuch as the Ro- mans could not obliterate, and many others introduced by the frequent migrations from the North, it is true, that the common lot of all the languages in the world hath attended this, to be branched out into al- mofl as many different dialects as there
* The ancient Ian- the northern parts of Ita- guage of the NORTHERN ly before the Roman con- parts of Europe was the quefts : thofe of TEU- GOTHIC or TEUTONIC ; TONIC derivation were that of the WESTERN imported into thofe coun- parts, the GAULISH or tries by the Gothic emi- CELTIC : Thefe two grants after the decline of languages had originally the Roman empire. This no refemblancc : Yet the diftincHon carefully at- Spanifh and French and tended to, would remove Italian tongues have fomc all the obfcurity, confu- words derived from both. fion and miitake, which Thofe of CELTIC origin fome learned men have were what prevailed in thrown on this fubjc6t. Spain and France and T.
were
were different nations who fpoke it ; but they all of them retain ample proof of their origin from one common parent. " The Teutonic or Gothic tongue of the " fourth and fifth centuries is very like the " language of Wales and Bas-Bretaign, " and have fome refemblance to the " Irifh *." That tongue is flill fpoken in
Iceland,
* This ftrange error, which I chufe to diftin- guifh by inverted commas, our ingenious author could never have fallen into, had he been a na- tive of this ifland, where dialects of the TEUTO- NIC and CELTIC lan- guages are ftiJl fpoken by innumerable multitudes. The TEUTONIC tongue of the fourth and filth centuries was the parent of our ANGLO-SAXON, whence is derived our pixfrnt ENGLISH. The language of WALES, BAS-BRETAIGNE, and the ERSE for IRISH) are Jcnown defcendants (at leaft the two former) of the ancient CELTIC. But we, of this ifland, know that there are hardly any two languages in the Chap. XIII.
world, radically more different than the WELSH and ENGLISH : And fuch as are acquainted with the ftate of the ANGLO- SAXON and GOTHIC tongue before the times of Chriftianity, well know that it was ftill more re- mote from the WELSH and ERSE, than our mo- dern ENGLISH ; for thefe three languages have at prefcnt many terms in common, relating to re- ligion, government and the conveniences of life, which they have either borrowed from the Latin or from each other, in confequence of their vici- nage, or thei r profefling the fame faith, and their liv- ing under the fame or a fimilar form of govern- ment : Whereas origin- ally
( 382 )
Iceland, and in fome mountainous pro- vinces of Sweden. The Danifh, the Nor- wegian and the Swedish are evidently the fame, and are very like the German, efpe- cialiy the Low Dutch. It feems as if the foreign colonies under the conduct of Odin, who fettled in Scandinavia and the north of Germany, had only introduced a fofter pro- nunciation, a very few new words, and fome fmall difference in the terminations.
After what we have feen of the cha- racter and manners of the Scandinavians, we cannot form any very high idea of their language. As men only invent terms in proportion as they acquire ideas, lan- guage muft of courfe have been at firft very poor and unadorned, not at all ex- preffive of a variety of abftrad notions; but among a free, independant and warlike people, it muft have borrowed its colour- ings from the genius of the fpeakers*.
There
ally thefe were different. And yet after all, the WELSH and ERSE conti- nue as remote as poflible from the ENGLISH (and every other branch of the TEUTONIC whether an- cient or modern) in their genius, idioms, inflection,
conftru&ion, general co- pia verbortim, and every other criterion of lan- guage. See the Speci- mens annexed to the pre- face. T. * " Nations like fingle " men, have their pecu- " iiar ideas ; thefe pecu- " Jiar
There is always fomething to be admired in the language of a free people, however grofs and ignorant they may be in other relpecls : Such /a language has always an energetic brevity, lively and fententious turns, and picturefque exprefiions, which the conftraint of our education, the fear of ridicule, and the dominion of fa/hion. render the modern tongues incapable of re- taining. But what muft have contributed ftill further to give ftrength and fublimity to that of the ancient Scandinavians was their general and diftinguimed tafte for poetry. This is a fubject fo interefting as to deferve to be treated with particular attention.
MANKIND, every where efTentially the fame, have been always led to poetical compofition, prior to that of profe. This feems, at prefent, the reverfe of the natural order ; but we think fo either through our prejudices or for want of putting ourfelves in the place of a people who are ignorant of the art of writing. Plealing founds and the attractions of harmony would ftrike at firft every ear ; but long could not long
" liar ideas become the " type. "H0s?
" genius of their Ian- " \$i -r avO^wV
" guage, fmce the fym- HERMES, p. 407.
" bol muft of courfe cor- 1".
** refpond to its arche-
Chap. XIII. fubfift
fubfift without poetry. No fooner was it obferved how thefe two united powers fixed and impreffed thofe images on the mind, which the memory was defirous of retaining ; than they acquired a new de- gree of efteem, efpecially among fuch as afpired to a lafting fame. Verfe was made ufe of to preferve the memory of remark- able events and great actions. The laws of a people, their religious ceremonies and rural labours were alfo recorded in num- bers, becaufe thefe are fubjects which con- fifting of a great variety of particulars, might eafily fall into oblivion. Hence it was that Greece could already boaft of an Homer, an Hefiod, and of many other poets, feveral ages before PHERECYDES* had written in profe. Hence among the Gauls and other Celtic nations there were poems compofed on all fubjedts from the earlieft ages, which the Druids, who were appointed to educate the youth, frequently employed twenty years in teaching them to repeat -f-. This cuftom, rendered facred by its high antiquity, which ever com- mands refpect from the people, was in
* He lived 600 years expedition. after the taking of Troy ; f Caefar. Comment,
whereas there were poets lib. vi, 14. previous to that famous
force
($5=)
force many ages after the art of writing had pointed out a more perfect method of preferving the memorials of human know- ledge. In like manner the Scandinavians for a long time applied their Runic letters only to the fenfelefs purpofes above-men- tioned ; nor did they during fo many years ever think of committing to writing thofe verfes with which their memories were loaded ; and it is probable that they only wrote down a fmall quantity of them at ' laft. The idea of making a book never entered into the heads of thofe fierce war- riors, who knew no medium between the violent exercifes and fatigues of war or hunting j and a ftupid lethargic ftate of inaction. Among the innumerable advan- tages, which accrued to the northern na- tions from the introduction of the Chrif- tian religion, that of teaching them to ap- ply the knowledge of letters to ufeful purpofes, is not the leaft valuable. Nor could a motive lefs facred have eradicated that habitual and barbarous prejudice, which caufed them to neglect fo admirable a fecret. The churches .and monafteries were at leaft fo many afylums where this fecret was preferved, while the ferocity of manners which prevailed in the dark ages, tended again to confign it to oblivion. The theological difputes between the different VOL. I. Chap. XIII. Cc fedls
( 386 )
feds had this good effect, that they obliged them to conlult many ancient books, and to compofe new ones. The Celtic religion on the contrary, by relying on poetry and tradition for the preiervaticn of its tenets, and in a manner forbidding the ufe of wri- ting, left they fhould be divulged, muft needs extend the empire of barbarifm and ignorance.
So long as that religion prevailed in the North, the ufe of letters being very li- mited , it is no paradox to fay that verfe was a necefTary medium of knowledge, and the poet an eflential officer of the frate. And if it requires a peculiar and uncommon genius to excel in this art, the profeflbrs of it would of courfe acquire a very high degree of efteem and refpeft. All the historical monuments of the North are full of the honours paid this order of men both by princes and people j nor can the annals of poetry produce any age or country which reflects more glory and luftre upon it. The ancient chronicles constantly reprefent the kings of Den- mark, Norway, and Sweden as attended by one or more SCALDS *j for this was the
* The word SCALD is " of language." Vide judged by Torfieus to Torfaei Praetat. ad Or- have fignified originally cades, folio. T.
" a fmoothcr and polifher
name
(#7)
name they gave their poets. They were more efpecially honoured and carefled at the courts of thofe princes, who diftinguifhed themfelves by their great actions and paffion for glory. HAROLD HARFAGRE, for inftance, placed them at his feafts above all the other officers of his court *. Many princes entrufted them both in peace and war with commifiions of the utmoft importance. They never fet out on any confiderable expedition without fome of them in their train. HACON earl of Nor- way had five celebrated poets along with him in that famous battle of which I have fpoken, when the warriors of Jomfburg were defeated; and hiflory records that they fung each an ode to animate the fol- diers before they engaged -f*. But they enjoyed another advantage, which would be more the envy of the poets of thefe
* Vid. Hift. Norveg. eye-witnefTcs of his ex-
vol. II. p. 21. Bartholin. ploits (as defcribed by
Cauf. Contempt, a Dan. our author below) : thefe
Mortis, p. 1 66. bards compofed each of
f See Torf Bartholin, them a fong on the fpot,
p. 172. who produces other which Bartholin has
inftances to the fame pur- printed and accompanied
pofe : particularly that of with a Latin verflon.
OLAVE king of Norway, Other /bngs of the fame
who placed three of his kind may be found in the
SCALDS about him to be fame author. T.
Chap. XIII. C c 2 days.
days. They were rewarded for the poems they compofed in honour of the kings and heroes, with magnificent prefents. We never find the SCALD finging his verfes at the courts of princes without being recom- penfed with golden rings, glittering arms, and rich apparel. Their refpect for this or- der of men often extended fo far as to remit the punimment of crimes they had commit- ted, on condition they fued out their pardon in verfe ; and we have ftill extant an ode, by which EG ILL, a celebrated poet, atoned- for a murder he had been guilty of*. In a word, the poetic art was held in fuch high eftimation, that great lords and even kings did not difdain to cultivate it with, the utmoft pains themfelves. ROGVALD earl of the Orkney iilands pafTed for a very able poet ; he boafts himfelf, in a fong of his which is flill extant, that he knew how to compofe verfes on all fubjeds -J-. King REGNER was no lefs diftinguifhed for his ikill in poetry, than in war and navi-
* EGTLL had even kil- with the original, in a
led the fon of that prince, little 8vo pamphlet, in-
who remitted his punifh- titled *' 1' ive Pieces of
mem : This was Eric " Runic Poetry, tranflat-
Blodox king of Norway. " ed from the Icelandic
The render may fee an " language," 1763. Englifh verfion of the T.
poem P^GILL corrpofcd f Vid. Worm. Litter.
on this occafion, together Runic, p. 195.
gation.
(389)
gallon. Many of his poems were long preferved in the North, and may be found inferted in the hiftory of his life : and it is well known that he died no lefs like a poet than an hero.
The refpecl: however which the nor- thern nations paid to their SCALDS was not owing to the nobility of their extraction. A people whofe object was glory, could not fail of mowing a great deference to thofe who both published it abroad and conligned it to futurity, let their original be what it would. A prince or illuftrious warrior oftentimes expofcd his life with fo much intrepidity only to be praifed by his Scald, who was both the witnefs and judge of his bravery. It is affirmed that this kind of men, altho' poets, were never guilty of flat- tery, and never lavimed their praifes on he- roes and kings themfelves unlefs theirgallant exploits were quite inconteftible *. Hence arofe the cuftom of always bringing them into the fcene of action : CLAVE king of Norway placing « three of them one day around him in battle, cried out with fpirit, " You mall not relate what you have only " heard, but what you are eye-witneffes
* Vid. Bartholin. p, 154. et cap. 10. lib. i, paflim. T.
Chap. XIII. C c 3 "of
( 390 )
" of yoarfelves *." The fame poets ufually fung their verfes themfelves at folemn fefti- vals and in great aflemblies, to the found of the flute or harp-f-. But the fubject of thefe poems was not confined to one fingle event, fuch as a victory or fome generous action ', it was frequently a genealogical hiftory of all the kings of the country, de- duced down from the Gods to the reigning prince, who always derived his origin from them. Thefe poems were, according to Tacitus, the only annals of the Germans £ : They had great numbers of them, which were not wholly forgotten in the eighth century ; fince Eginhard relates, that CHARLEMAGNE caufed them to be com- mitted to writing. " And even learnt " himfelf," adds the hiftorian, " the rude " and ancient fongs in which the ex- " ploits and the wars of the firft princes <{ were celebrated." In poems of the fame kind confifted for many ages all the hiftory of the Scandinavians. A bard named THIODOLFE, celebrated in his
* Vid. Olaf. Saga ap. J Celebrant carmlnibus
Verel. ad Herv. Sag. p. antiquis (quod unum apud
178. Bartholin. Cauf. illos memorial et annalium
Contemp. a Dan. ^c. genus ejl) tuijlonem^ &c,
p. 172. Tac. Germ. c. 10.
t Stephan in not. ad T. Saxon, p. 12.
yerfes
verfes the exploits of Harold and thirty of his predeceflbrs ; another called EY- vi ND, compofed an historical poem which went back as far as Odin. Such are the fources whence Saxo drew his materials for the firft fix or feven books of his hiftory, and he might doubtlefs have derived great affiftance from them, if he had not hap- pened to live in an age wholly deftitute of that exact fkill in criticifm, which knows how to feparate facts from the fictions with which they are blended.
The neceflity there was for poets, the natural attractions of the art itielf, and thofe it derived from the manners of the age, greatly multiplied the number of SCALDS. An ancient Icelandic manufcript has preferved a lift of all fuch as diftin- guimed themfelves in the three northern kingdoms, from the reign of Regner Lod- brog to that of Valdemar II.* They are in number two hundred and thirty, among whom we find more than one crowned head. Hut what is not lefs remarkable is, that the greateft part of them are natives of Iceland. The reader has doubtlefs by this time obfer- ved that we are indebted to that ifland for almoft all the hiflorical monuments of the
* Viz. from A. D. 750, to 1157. — Vide SCALDA- TAL in Append, ad Lit. Run. Ol. Worm. p. 242.
Chap. XIII. C c 4 nor-
( 392 )
northern nations now remaining. It cannot eafily be accounted for how it came to pafs, that a people disjoined from the reft of the world, few in number, de- prefTed by poverty, and fituated in fo un- favourable a climate, mould be capable in thofe dark ages, of manifefting fuch a tafle for literature, and mould even rife to the perception *of the more refined men- tal pleafures. While they were heathens, the Icelandic annalifts were always deem- ed the bed in the North. After they had embraced the Chriftian faith, they were the firil who thought of unravelling the chaos of ancient hiftory, who collected the old poems, digefted the chronicles into a regular form, and applied themfelves to refcue from oblivion the traditions of their pagan theology. Were we better informed of certain particulars relating to the ftate of the North during thofe remote ages, we mi jht pcffibly find the caufe of this phe- nomenon either in the poverty of the inha- bitants of Iceland, which drove them to feek their fortunes at the neighbouring courts i Or in the faccefs of their firft bards, which excited their emulation, and at the fame time prepoiierTed ftrangers in their fa- vour -, Or laftly, in the nature of their re- publican government, in which the talent of oratory and the reputation of fuperior
fenfc
( 393 )
fbnfe and capacity are the direct roads to refpect and preferment.
The ftile of thefe ancient poems is very enigmatical and figurative, very remote from the common language, and for that reafon, grand, but tumid j fublime, but obfcure. If it be the character of po- etry to have nothing in common with profe, if the language of the Gods ought to be quite different from that of men, if every thing mould be exprefTed by imagery, figures, hyperboles, and allegories, the Scandinavians may rank in the higheft clafs of poets : Nor is this unaccountable. The foaring flights of fancy may poffibly more peculiarly belong to a rude and uncultivated, than to a civilized people. The great ob- jects of nature flrike more forcibly on rude imaginations. Their pafiions are not im- paired by the constraint of laws and edu- cation. The paucity of their ideas and the barrennefs of their language oblige them to borrow from all nature, images fit to cloath their conceptions in. How mould abftract terms and reflex ideas, which fo much enervate our poetry, be found in theirs ? They could feldom have been met with in their moft familiar conventions. The moment the foul, reflecting on its own operations recurs inwards, and detaches it- felf from exterior objects, the imagination
Chap. XIII. lofes
( 394 )
lofes its energy, the paffions their activity, the mind becomes fevere, and requires ideas rather than fenfations ; language then becomes precife and cautious, and poetry being no longer the child of pure paffion, is able to affect but feebly. If it be aiked, what is become of that magic power which the ancients attributed to this art ? It may be well faid to exift no more. The poetry of the modern languages is nothing more than reaibning in rhime, addreffed to the understanding, but very little to the heart. No longer effentially connected with reli- gion, politics or morality, it is at prefent, if I may fo fay, a mere private art, an amufement that attains its end when it hath gained the cold approbation of a few felecl: judges. &C<V^ £"***-* ^A**^.^ «- *^- •&- The moft affecting and moft Striking paffages in the ancient northern poetry, were luch as now feem to us the moft whim- fical, unintelligible and overftrained : So different are our modes of thinking from theirs. We can admit of nothing but what is accurate and perfpicuous. They only required bold and aftoniming images which appear to us hyperbolical and gi- gantic. What alfo contributes to render their poetry very obfcure at prefent, is that the language of it is borrowed from their mythology; a mythology not fo familiar to
us
( 395 )
us as that of ,the Greeks and Romans. When they did not allude to their own fables, they took their metaphors from other fubjefts, which were commonly very far-fetched and remote : Thus a poet fel- dom exprefled heaven by any other term than «c the fcull of the giant Ymer," al- luding to a fable on that fubjecl. The rain-bow was called " the bridge of the " Gods :" Gold was " the tears of Freya:" Poetry, " the prefent, or the drink of " Odin." The earth was either indiffer- ently " the fpoufe of Odin, The flem of " Ymer, The daughter of the night, The " veiTel which floats on the ages, Or the " foundation of the air :" Herbs and plants were called, " the hair or the fleece of " the earth." A combat was termed " a « bath of blood, The hail of Odin, The " fhock of bucklers:" The fea was " the " field of pirates, and the girdle of the " earth :" Ice, " the greateft of all " bridges :" A fhip, " the horfe of the " waves :" The tongue, " The fword of " words," &c. Each of their deities might be. exprefled by an infinite variety of phrafes. In fhort, a peculiar ftudy of this kind of language was neceflary to con- ftitute a poet ; for which reafon they early compofed a dictionary of it for the ufe as well of the Scalds, as their readers. Chap. XIII. The
(396 )
The fame Rogvald earl of the Orkneys, before fpok en of, is laid to have compofed a work of this fort, which, according to Wormius, is ftill extant, under the name of THE POETICAL KEY *. Another is found at the end of the Icelandic EDDA, and is in titled SCALD/,, or The art of Poetry. This is a collection of epithets and fynoni- mous words fele&ed from their beft poets, very like thofe which are put .into vthe. hands of young people when they firft ap- ply themfelves to Latin poetry.
Yet they fometimes compofed verfes in a more fimple ftile, and nearer approaching to common language; but this only happened when in converfation a Scald, either to {hew his happy talent, or to do more hoRour to the perfon with whom he converfed, anfwer- ed in extemporary metre. This fingular mode of expreffing themfelves was very common among the ancient Scandinavians, and proves in what degree of efteem this
* Vid. Worm. Litter. tai, cor.fecijje dicitur,
Runic, p. 195. Rog- Habnh etiam ille in Pa~
valdys Qrcadum comes, l&fiinam navigans itineris
princfps egregius, inter comites Rhyibfnijias duos
alias nobiles dotes^ quibus IJlandos^ qtti una cum ipfo
ornatus e/i, praftantijjimus res quoiidie gejtas rhytbmis
ft fr'owpt JJimus full Rhyth- comprehenderunt) et niagna
mljic, ,f/CLAVEM RHYTH- apud ilium in tcjii mat tone
MITICAM, qua adbuc ex- fucrunt, T.
people
( 397)
people held the art of poetry. The chro- nicles have preferred a great number of fuch converfations in verfe ; and there is reafon to believe that thefe poems, which might be fung at firfl and eafily committed to memory, were oftentimes the text of which fucceeding chronicles were nothing more th?,n commentaries or expolitions. There is no appearance that the verfes were compofed by the authors of thofe hiftories : They are never affigned to any but the SCALDS by profeffion ; and are quoted by the hiftorians as their proofs and vouchers : And befides it is known to have been ufual with the Scalds to interlard their difcourfe with extemporary verfes. There are to this day both in the North, in Italy and in other countries, many famous compofers of impromptu's. Thus it is reported of an Icelandic bard, named Si- VARD *, that when he fpoke in profe his tongue feemed embarrafled and to deliver his thoughts with difficulty, but that he expreffed himfelf in verfe with the greated fluency and eafe. The hiflorians frequently and pofitively afTure us that thefe verfes were fpoken off-hand. This is what is remarked in the life of the poet EG ILL, for inftance, who purchafed his pardon
* Vid. Olav. in Epift. apud Worm. Litter. Runic.
Chap. XIII. from
(398 )
from the king of Norway by iinging an extemporary ode which ilill remains, and is intitled THE RANSOM OF EGILL*. The fame elogium is often given to an- other more ancient Scald, called EYVIND, and furnamed from his fuperior talents, «< The crofs of the poets." All the chro- nicles mention his great facility in com- poiing verfes, as a matter well known throughout the North.
We muft not however infer, that thefe poets were wholly unconfmed by rules, or that even they were not under very fevere ones : it is true, if Ave may credit Wor- rnius, they were ignorant of the fhackles of rhime, which have fo long galled mo- dern poets -J-. But pombly this learned
man
febatur illud genus quo jam ludunt nc/trates, totum ar- lificium in opoiortXfVTois ponentes. Meaning only that there were 136 forts of metre, without includ- ing rhyme ; for he after- wards gives a long poem all in rhyme. But the publifiier having inad- vertently added in the margin (by way of giv- ing the contents of the paragraph ) Modernum Rhythml genus veterlbus in- cdgnitum j fuperficial Rea- ders
* Vid. Torf. H. I*, torn. ii. p. 188. et feq. t By way of Appendix
tO his LlTERATURA Ru-
NICA, Wormius has gi- ven fome, of the laws of the ancient Runic Poetry communicated to him by a friend : One of thefe is, * Rhythmorutn v:terwn ;n- ' finita fere ftmt genera, 4 vulgo tamen ufitatiorum 4 centum triginta fex ejje ' putantur :" the author adds by way of corollary . . . Nee Inter hcec recen-
( 399 )
man fhould rather have faid, that the old northern poets did not always make ufe of rhime ; for he even quotes, in the fame treatife, ancient poems which are not only in rhime, but even rhimed with the ut- moft exadnefs *. BARTHOLIN has alfo
ders have been led into the miftake, that Rhyme was wholly unknown to the northern SCALDS, and by parity of reafon to all the Gothic poets ; whereas it was undoubt- edly from thefe that this modern ornament of
verfe derived its origin and ufe. T.
* This is the famous Ode of EGILL, mentioned above ; which is not only in fmgle, but double rhymes. Take a ftanza by way of fpecimen :
Raud hilmer hior That var hrafn-agior Flelnn hitte fior Flugn drey fug fplor Ol Flagds goto Tharbioditr Jkota Tbradnift NARA. Nattuerd ara.
i e. « The king dyed his fword in crimfon ; his fword that glutted the hungry ravens. The weapon aimed at human life. The bloody lances flew. The commander of the Scottifh fleet fed fat the birds of prey. The
" fifterof NARA [Death] '* trampled on the foe : " file trampled on the " evening food of the " eagle." See FIVE PIECES OF RUNIC PO- ETRY, p. 52. 93. OLAII WORM. LITERATUR. RUNIC, p. 232.
Chap. XIII.
given
( 4°° )
given us two little fongs in rhime, which feem to be older than the tenth century}-. It is probable that many more of the fame age, are either totally loft or con- cealed in manufcripts which I am unac- quainted with. Since that time the poets have more and more run into the ufe of rhime. We find in the collection of an- cient monuments, published by Mr. Bior- ner, a pretty long poem, which, according to that author, was writ in the twelfth or thirteenth century • this poem is not only moft exactly and uniformly in rhime, but the meafure feems to be much like what we [the French] call heroic or Alexandrine verfe. Some people have advanced that rhime is of a very ancient date among the Celtic nations ; but it is difficult to give very folid proofs of this : it is however likely enough, if we reflect that the Scan- dinavians* were long acquainted with it, and that there is no kind of harmony or cadence more ilmple or more likely to catch the ear.
f Vid. Olaf. Tryg- were a branch of the
guafon. Saa;a apud Bar- Celtes : One may how-
tholin. Cauf. contempt. ever infer from its being
a Dan. mortis, p. 8 1, et ufed among thofe nor-
p. 489. them tribes, that it early
* This is true, fup- prevailed among the other
pofing the Scandinavians Gothic nations. T.
It
It is not eafy to difcover wherein con- fifted the mechanifm and harmony of thofe ancient verfes which were not in rhime. The learned who have made the northern languages their fludy, fancy they difcover in fome of them the Saphic meafure, which many Greek lyric poets and Horace in Latin fo frequently chofe *. In others the
poet
* Dalin. Suea. Rik.
Hift. lib. viii. [This
refemblance to the Sap- phic meafure, will I am afraid be found only ima- ginary. It may with more certainty be affirm- ed that the vaft variety of metre ufed by the ancient SCALDS may chiefly, if not altogether be reduced to different kinds of Al- literation. In \Vormius we have an exact analyfis of one of thefe forts of metre : in which it was requifite that the ftanza
or ftrophe mould confift of four diftichs, and each verfe of fix fyllables. In each diftich three words at leaft were required to begin with the fame let- ters, (that is, two words in one verfe, and one in the other), that there mould befides thi_s be two correfpondent fyllables in each verfe, and that none of the correfpondcnces ought immediately to fol- low each other ; &c. as in the following Latin couplet :
GbriSTus Caput noSTrum CorONet te bONis.
This appears to us at prefent, to be only a very laborious way of trifling ; however we ought not to
VOL. I. Chap. XIII.
decide too haftily : every language has its own pe-; culiar laws of harmony j and as the ancient Greeks D d and
poet feems to have tied himfelf up to begin the two firft lines of each ftrophe with the fame letters, and to confine his verfe within fix fyllables. Others think they obferve that the initial letters of the lines
correfpond
and Romans formed their metre of certain artful distributions of their long and fhort fribbles: fo the northern Scalds placed the ftructure of theirs in the ftudied repetition and adaptation of the vowels
and confonants, The
fame mode 'of verification was admired by our An- glo-Saxon anceftors, and hath not wholly Ken laid afide much more than two centuries among our Englifli poets; fee *« Re- " liques of ancient Ensl. « poetry," Vol. II. p. 260. — •. — It may not be amifs to add, that the metre of the WELSH bards is altogether of the alliterative kind, and full as artificial as tha^of the ancient Scandinavians : Yet thofe who thoroughly underftand that language, aflcrt that this kind of metre is extremely pleaf- ing to the ear, and does iiot fubjeft the poet to
more reftraint than the different forts of feet did the Greek and Roman poets.
Perhaps it will not be difficult to find the differ- ence between tht metre cf the ancient Claflics, and that .of the Gothic and Celtic bards, in the different genius of their refpeitive languages. The Greek and Latin tongues chiefly confifted of poly- fyllables, of words ending with vowels, and not o- verburdened with confo- nants : their poets there- fore (if they would pro- duce harmony) could not but make their metre to con ft ft in quantity, or the artful difpofal of the long and ibort fyllables ; whereas ihe old Celtic and Teutonic languages being chiefly compofed of monofyllables, cculd have had hardly any luch. thing as quantity, and on the other hand abounding in -hsrfh
correfpond in many different refpects, either in the fame or in different ftrophees. The mod fkilful inveftigators of this fub- jedl afTure us, that the poets perpetually invented new meafures, and reckon up one hundred and thirty-fix kinds *. The ex- plication of them we mud leave to the amduity of thofe who have reckoned them up.
This tafte for the abftrufe and compli- cated, could not fail of running them into allegories and enigmas of every kind : We often meet with princes and great warriors in the ancient chronicles, propofing riddles and affixing penalties on fuch as could not unravel them. In the firft interview king Regner had with the beautiful fhep- herdefs before mentioned, he tried by enigmas to difcover whether her wit was aniwerable to her beauty. Another king, named ERIC, rendered himfelf famous for being able to give immediate anfwers to thirty riddles, which Odin himfelf had
harfh confonants, the firft interweaving, repeating effort of their bards to and dividing thefe fe- reduce it to harmony muft vcral founds, as to pro- have- been by placing duce an agreeable effedl thefe confonants at fuch from their ftrudure. T. distances from each other, * Worm. App. Litt. fo intermixing them with Run. p. 165. rec. edit, vowels, and fo artfully
Chap. XIII. D d 2 come
come to propofe to him, having afTumed the appearance of one GEST, a man ex- tremely well verfed in this art. Thefe are ftill extant in an old Icelandic romance*. But excepting fome few, which are toler- ably ingenious, they are either totally un- intelligible, or built on verbal equivoca^ tions. The poets were not limited to this kind only. There is mention made from the earlieft ages "of LOGOGRYPHS -f-, and other {till- more trifling fpecies of wit, for which we happily want even names. Some of them muft have coft much labour, and all imply fuch an acutenefs and patience in the inventors, as would hardly be expeded from a nation of warriors.
In regard to the old poems, all that is moft needful to be known about them, is the peculiar genius, manner and tafte that runs through them. Some of them prefent us with the faithful and genuine mode of thinking of thofe times, but they are of- ten difficult to underftand, and ftill more to tranflate. JNeverthelefs, to fatisfy the
* Vid. Hervarer Saga, ent parts of the fame
c, xv. word. See inftances of
f A LOGOGRYPH is a this fpecies of falfe wit
Jcind of enigma, which in Ol. Wormii Literal,
tonfifb of taking, in dif- Runic, p. 183, 185, &c.
ferent fqnfes, the differ- T.
curiofity
( 405 )
cunofity of thofe readers who like to view the original manners and fpirit of a people, I have endeavoured to tranflate fuch frag- ments of ancient northern poetry as would beft anfwer this purpofe. Thefe tranfla- tions, together with a few explanatory notes, will be thrown to the end by way of fequel, and as affording vouchers to this little work.
THERE remains now but one word to add by way of CONCLUSION. When the truth of fads is once folidly eftablimed, we may fafely reafon concerning their caufes. From a reprefentation of fuch facts, (which are here only brought toge- ther and left to fpeak for themfelves) a picture has been given of the ancient northern nations. But having thus in- formed ourfelves concerning the manners of this people; why may not we proceed a flep farther, to confider the general caufes of their character. It does not feem impofiible here to difcover and perfue the path which nature hath taken. A great abundance of blood and humours, ftrong and rigid fibres, together with an inexhauftible vigour, formed the conftitutional temperament of the Scandinavians and Germans, as they do Chap. XIII. D d 3 indeed
indeed of all favage people who live under a like climate*.
Hence proceeded that impetuofity and violence of their paffions when they were once roufed ; and hence in their calmer moments that ferious, phlegmatic and in- dolent turn. The exercifes of war and the chace, which are great fatigues to a lefs robuft people, were to them only amufe- ments, the means of making off their lethargy, and of giving an agreeable and even neceffary motion to the body. Their relifli for this kind of life, the efFedt of
* SubSeptentrionibus nu- tr'mntur gentcs immani- bus corporibitS) eandidis co~ loribus^ fanguine multo, quoniam ab humoris pleni- tate, ccetique refrigera- tionibus funt confirmati. Sanguinis abundantid ferro refijlunt fine tlmore, . . . £)ui refrigeratis nafcuntur regionibus ad armorum ve- hementlam paratlores funt^ magnifque vlribus ruunt fine timore^ fed tarditate antml refringuntur. Vi- truv. lib. vi. The an-' cients bear witnefs to tbefe aflertions ; The fentiments of Vitruvius are here nothing more
than their general opi- nion. [Let the reader caft his eye over the fol- lowing paflages. Septen- trionales populi largo fan- guine redundantes. Veget. I, 2. Got hi confcientia virium freti, robore cor- poris validi) manu prompti, Ifidor. Chronic, p. 730. Germanicee nationes^ fes- vijfimis duratee frigoribus, msrts ex ipfo cceli rigore traxerunt. Ifid. Orig. lib. ix. cap. 2. Scytha gens laboribus et bellls af- pera : vires corporum im~ menfez. Juftin. lib. ii. cap. 3. Fir/I Edit.]
confti-
( 407 )
conftitution, {lengthened in its turn the caufe that produced it. Thus ftrongly moulded by the hand of nature, and ren- dered hardy by education, the opinion they entertained of their own courage and ftrength muft have given the peculiar turn to their character. A man who thinks he has nothing to fear, cannot endure any fort of conftraint ; much lefs will he fubmit to any arbitrary authority, which he fees only fupported by human power, or fuch as he can brave with impunity. As he thinks himfelf not obliged to court any one's favour or deprecate his refentment, he fcorns difTimulation, artifice or falmood. He regards thefe faults, the effects of fear, as the moft degrading of all others. He is always ready to repel force by force ; hence he is neither fufpicious nor diftruftful. A declared enemy to his enemy, he attacks openly; he confides in and is true to others ; generous and fometimes in the higheft de- gree magnanimous, becaufe he places his dcareft intereft in the idea he entertains and would excite of his courage. He does not willingly confine himfelf to fuch occu- pations as require more affiduity than ac- tion, more application of mind than body; becaufe moderate exercife is not fufficient to put his blood and fibres into fuch a degree of motion as is neceflary to his own eafe. Chap. XIII. D d 4 Hence
Hence that diftafte for the arts ; and as the paflions always endeavour to juftify them- felves, hence alfo that contempt and preju- dice which reprefents the profcffion of the arts as difhonourable.-^ War then becomes the only employment he can exercife with pleafure. The frequent and extreme vi- cimtudes, the fatigues and dangers at- tendant on this way of life, are alone able to throw him into thofe violent and continual agitations his habit of body re- quires. Now if we fuppofe after this a whole fociety compofed of fuch men, to what a degree of emulation muft their eou- rage arife ? The love of diftinction fo na- tural to all men, having here no other object than perfonal valour, with what ar- dour muft that quality have been cultivated and cherimed ? The love of arms becom- ing thus their ruling and univerfal pafiion, would foon characterife their religion, dic- tate their laws, and in fhort form their prejudices and opinions, which decide every thing among mankind.
But it may be objected, that if the man- ners and character of the ancient northern people proceeded fo much from the climate, as the fame caufe ftill operate.;, why is the effect altered? This is only a fpecious :;uhy. A nation is never folely in- . / climate, except in its infancy;
while
( 409 )
while it is uncultivated and barbarous, it is only guided by inftinct ; the objects of fenfe and the modes of living being as yet fimple and uniform. When after fome ages, reafon has been expanded by experience and reflection, when legiflators have arifen, who either by the native force of genius, or by obferving the manners of other na- tions, have fo enlarged their underftand- ings as to perceive the neceffity of a change of manners, it is then that a new fyftern of principles combat, and either divide the empire with, or totally triumph over the firft phyfkal caufes. Such was the imme- diate effect of Chriflianity in the North, an, event which, confidered only in a philo- fophical light, mould be ever regarded as the dawn of thofe happy days, which were afterwards to mine out with fuperior fplen- dour. In effect, this religion, which tended to correct the abufe of licentious liberty, to banifh bloody diffentions from among individuals, to reftrain robberies and pi- racy, foftening the ferocity of manners, requiring a certain knowledge of letters and hiftory, re-eftabliming a part of mankind, who groaned under a miserable flavery, in their natural rights, introducing a relimfor a life of peace, and an idea of happinefs independant of fenfual gratifications, lowed the .feeds, if I muy fo fpeak, of that new Chap. XIII. fpirit,
jpirit, which grew to maturity in the fuo ceeding ages, and to which the arts and fciences fpringing up along with it, added frill more flrength and vigour.
But after all, is it very certain, as the ob- jection fuppofes, that the climate of Europe hath not undergone a change fince the times we fpeak of ? Thofe who have read the an- cients with attention, think differently, and conclude, that the degrees of cold are at this time much lefs fevere than they were formerly. This is not a place to enlarge on a fubjecl: which might appear foreign to the work *. Let it fuffice to obferve, that the rivers in Gaul, namely, the LOIRE and the RHONE were regularly frozen over every year, fo that frequently whole armies with their carriages and baggage could march over them -f-. Even the TYBER froze at Rome, and Juvenal fays pofitively, that it was requifite to break the ice in winter, in order to come at the water of that river §.
«jf
Many
* L'Hiftoire des Cel- v. Dion alfo mentions
tes, torn. i. c. 12. maybe the coldnefs of Gaul,
confulted in this matter, lib. Ixxix. and Statius in
f Vid. Diod. Sic. lib. Sylv. lib. x. carm. i.
§ Hybernum fratta glac'ie dcfcendct in amnem^
Ter matutino Tyberi mcrgetur. Juv. Sat. 6.
The abbe du Bos, from TYBER at Rome now whom this quotation is freezes no more than the borrowed, adds, that the NILE at Grand Cairo,
and
Many pafiages in Horace fuppofe the ftreets of Rome to be full of ice and fnow*. Ovid afiures us, that the Black Sea was frozen annually, and 'appeals for the truth of this to the governour of the province, whofe name he mentions : he alfo relates feveral circumftances concerning that cli- mate, which at prefent agree only with Nor- way or Sweden £. The forefts of Thrace and Pannonia were full of « white ' bears and white boars, in like manner as now the forefts of the North -f*. The northern
part
and that the Romans reckon it a very rigorous winter if the fnow lies two days on the ground unmelted, and if there is any ice on the fountains which are exppfed to the North.
* See in particular lib. ii. fat. 3 et 6.
J Vid. Trift. lib. iii. eleg. 9. De Ponto. lib. iv. eleg. 7. 9. 10. Tourne- fort, a native of Pro- vence, fays in his Voy- ages, that there is no part of the world where the climate is more mild, nor the fruits more abundant than in THRACE ; and that the BLACK SEA is now never frozen. Yet
Chap. XIII,
Pliny, Herodian, Strabo, and other authors ex- prefsly fay, that THRACE is in a moft frightful cli- mate, that the inhabitants are forced to bury in the earth and to cover over with dung, during the winter, all the fruit-trees they wifh to preferve. Ovid and Strabo agree in faying, that the countries about the Borifthenes and the Cimmerian Bofpho- rus are both uninhabited and uninhabitable by rea- fon of the cold. Vid. Plin. lib. xv. c. 18. He- rodian. lib. i. p. 26. Stra- bo 1 1. Ovid. Trift. lib. iii.
t Vid. Paufan. Arcad.
( 412 )
part of Spain was little inhabited for the fame caufe*. In fhort, all the ancients •who mention the climate of Gaul, Ger- many, Pannonia ancrThrace, fpeak of it as infupportable -f-, and agree that the ground was covered with fnow the greateft part of the year, being incapable of producing olives, grapes, and moft other fruits. It is eafy to conceive that the forefts being cleared away, the face of the country bet- ter cultivated, and the marfhy places drained, the moift exhalations which generate cold, muft be considerably lef- fened, and that the rays of the fun mufl have a freer accefs to warm the earth. The fame thing has happened in North America fince the Europeans have carried
c. xii. The Gaulifh and German horfes were very fmall and ill-made, as are thefe of the coldeft parts of Scandinavia, which M. Buffon attributes to the fevere cold of thofe countries. V. Hift. Nat. torn. iv. du Cheval. Equi non forma confpicui. Tac. Germ. Jumenta Germa- nis parva et deformia. Csefar. de bell. Gallic, lib. xiv.
* Vid. Strab. lib. iii.
. [Polybius fpeaks
of Arcadia itfelf as fituate
under a cold and humid
climate. Lib. iv. c. 21.
Firfl Edit.}
f £)uid tflis locis afpe- rius ? Cicer. Sithonia nix. Gennania informis terris. Afpsra ccelo. Ger- mania frugiferarum arbo- rum impatient. Tacitus paflim. Gallica byemefrt- gidior. Petronius. Scy- thico quid frigore pejus. Ovid, &c.
Firji Edit.
there
(413 )
there their wonted induftry *. The hi~ ftory of the North leaves us no room to doubt, that there have been vaft forefts cut down, and by this fingle means extenfive marfhes have been dried up and converted into land fit for cultivation. Without mentioning the general caufes which in- fenfibly effect the destruction of forefts, it was common to fet thefe on fire in order to procure fertile fields. This was fo ufual a practice in SWEDEN, that this country is fuppofed to have taken its name from thence -f-. A king of that country was
* " Our colonies in " North- America" (fays a learned Englifhman) " become more tcm- <e perate in proportion " as we cut down the <c forefts j but they are *c in general colder than " the countries of Eu- " rope fituated under the " fame latitude." Vid. Hume's Political Dif- courf, Difc. jo. p. 246. Father Charlevoix ob- ferves the fame of Ca- nada. " Experience," fays he, " puts it paft " contradiction, that the c< cold decreafes in pro- " portion as the country
Chap. XIII.
" is difcovered," &c. Journal Hiftorique d' un Voyage en Amerique. Lettre X. p. 188.
f From the old Cim- bric word SUIDIA to burn : Hence lands cleared away and pre- pared for cultivation are cajled in the North Suidior and Suidioland. The fame derivation holds in the German di- alect ; Sueden from Sueda, to burn. Vid. Olai Vereli Notae in Hift. Gotr. et Rolv. p. 9. 1664. I2mo.
T.
furnamed
( 4J4 )
furnamed the WOOD-CUTTER, for having grubbed up and cleared vaft provinces, and felled the trees with which it was all covered. Nor were they lefs cleared away in Norway and Denmark. Thus a change in the climate muft long have preceded that in the manners.
What conclulion ought we to draw from all this ? If for theie fifteen or fixteen centuries, the arts, fciences, induftry and politenefs have been inceflantly advancing in the north of Europe, we cannot but evidently difcover three caufes of this, which, though different in their natures, have yet been productive of the fame effect. The firft is that reftlefsnefs natural to the people of all nations, but which acls more forceably on the inhabitants of Europe, and is ever urging them to exchange their pre- fent condition, in hopes of a better : the fecond, flower but equally fure, is the change of climate : the third, more fen- fible, more expeditious, but more acci- dental, is that communication formed between mankind by commerce and reli- gion, and cemented by a thonfand new relations ; which has in a fhort time tranf- ported from the South into the North new arts, manners and opinions. Thefe three caufes have continually operated, and the
face
( 4-5 )
face of Scandinavia changes daily. It al- ready fhines with fomewhat more than borrowed lights. Time produces ftrange revolutions. Who knows whether the Sun will not one day rife in the NORTH ?
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