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Of the Laplanders. , ^ n
was named Mottle. This account was queflionlefs taken from Harslds
expedition intoBiarmi*, and his ruining all that Ccuntrey, except the parr
belonging to thefe Finlanders, In thofe times the name of Laplanders was
neither ufed, nor known , aSl have Shewn elStwhere, but they retained
that of their anceftours , which was alfo common to all cf the Same extra,
ft’ion.
Their condition was not much altered , after that they took this name,
wftkh was When they first Sent cut Colonies into the inland Countries,
on the farther part of the mountains , which divide Srtedland from Norway.
For they that went out had certainly fome Leader , whom without doubt
they ehcfe for King, after they had taken poSTeffion of thofe Countries; and
I believe they would Scarcely fubmit to any other power whilst that he
was living; and thl9 Seems the more probable, becaufe no one in thole
dates would undertake the conquest cf a company of poor beggarly
fugitives, who dwelt among Wcods and Deierts, in continual fnow and
the greatest extremity of cold. This was the Mofctvites opinion of them,
who tho they dwelt near them , fcarcely knew their nature and diSpoSirion,
and thought it madneSs to Set upon them with a finall patty, and an
adventure of little profit,and lefs honour to raiSean Army against a Country
already diftreSTedby poverty. For this reafon the Laplanders enjoied their
own cuStoms for a long time. The first King of Sweden that had any
thoughts-of conquering them was Ladulatts the great, -who florilhed abcutthe year
1277, who becaufe it Seemed difficult to bring them under the Crown of
Sweden , promised thoSe that would undertake the conquest, the government
over them. He thought it too expenfive to make a public war upon them,
whenihey were to be dealt with as wild beasts; yet however could not
endure that a neighbouring People, dwelling almost in the heart of his
Country , for they poSTeSled at that time as far as the Bay of Bothnia,
(honld refufe obedience to his Kingdom. Wherefore he thought upon the
before mentioned projeft, and propoSed great advantages to private perSons,
upon which the Birkarli, their neighbours, readily engaged themSelves,
and effetfled their entei prize noleSs frcctfsfully. In this defign, the plot
of a particular perfon was most remarkable , as is related by Ericus,
and recorded by John Bitr<tus. One Single man of the Birkarli went
towards Lapland to way-lay the Laplanders in their return from Birkala,
( at this time no one inhabited on the North fide of that allotment )
and ordered his wife to cover him over with fnow, in the middle of the
way where the Laplanders muft neceSfarily pafs over him. They came in the
night time, and by their pasting over him he knew there were fifteen,
which were the chief among them , and to whom the reft were in
Subjection ; when they were gone, he immediately arofe out of the fnow, and
going Some Shorter way , fet upcn them at unawares, as they pasted by,
one by one, which is their ufual way in travelling, and Slew them one aSter
another. None of thoSe that followed perceived the firft men Slain, it being
in the night time, and each of them at fome diftance from the others ;
till the laft man finding his fellows killed, made a stout refistance ,but the
Birkarh by the afliftance of his wife got the vitftory ,and flew him
like-wife. Thus the moft powrfull of them being (lain , the reft readily
fub-mitted. Some think the Biikarli deluded them by a pretended truce, and
that
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