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Full text of "Northern antiquities: or, A description of the manners, customs, religion and laws of the ancient Danes, and other northern nations; including those of our own Saxon ancestors. With a translation of the Edda, or system of runic mythology, and other pieces, from the ancient Islandic tongue .."

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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~ 

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W    *=1 

m  1,1, 

o  c  %       x  i  o  5 

5£         ^ 

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o     o 

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n  M 

2    s 

S     K     ?             >     ^     S     H 

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5j 

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« 


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 


(  55  ) 

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 


(57) 

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- 


(53  ) 


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 


(59  ) 

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 


(  6o) 

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- 


(61  ) 

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- 


(    62    ) 

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, 


(64) 

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 


(C6) 

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- 


(  68  ) 

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 


(69) 

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 


(7°) 

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 


(7-  ) 

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  . 


(70 

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 


(73) 

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- 


(74) 


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 


(75) 

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 


(  76  ) 

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, 


(77) 

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 


(78) 

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 


(  79  ) 

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 


(  137  ) 

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 


(  133  ) 

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 


(  '55  ) 

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 


(    162) 

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 


(  196  ) 

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 


(  199  ) 

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 


(    202    ) 

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 


(   220    ) 

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  ; 


(  3"  ) 

"  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  ? 


OF  THE  FIRST  VOLUME. 


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