24 On the ORIGIN and STRUCTURE of 



was deflroyed by the Danes. I have taken this account from 

 the Icelandic hiftorian ARNGRIMUS JONAS, a native of the 

 ifland, and a perfon who appears to have had abundance of au- 

 thentic materials for his work. 



THE Swedifh government feems to have arifen in the fame 

 manner as that of Iceland, without the intervention of foreign con- 

 queft, or any very violent domeftic revolution. The moil ancient 

 written law in Sweden is thought to be about as old as the pe- 

 riod of CHARLEMAGNE. Each province had its own peculiar 

 laws, which were collected fucceffively into different codes, and, 

 though not entirely the fame, refembled each other extremely. 

 SHERNHOOK fays, that the original courts of juflice were the pro- 

 vincial afTemblies or lagmanfting, but that, in procefs of time, 

 the provinces were divided into hajredas or trientes, and thefe 

 again into fierdings or quadrantes. He fays, the haeredas de- 

 rived their name from yielding a certain number of military forces. 

 In the province of Upland, they were termed hundreds, and 

 the chiefs hundreders ', for each diftrict, whether haereda or 

 fierding, had chiefs *. The chief of the province was called 

 lagman, which he tranflates legumvir, and was fupreme magi- 

 flrate, in both civil and religious affairs, as long as the provin- 

 ces remained independent. The lagmanfting judged appeals, 

 and punifhed the chiefs and judges of haeredas and fierdings, 

 who judged corruptly, or refufed juflice j and groundlefs appel- 

 lants were likewife punimed. After the provinces confederated, 

 a common chief, or king, arofe, and a national diet, called the 

 landfting, was annually held. The lagmans and the digni- 

 fied clergy, after the nation became Chriftian, formed the fe- 

 nate in this affembly. The people at firft chofe the lagmans. 

 After the rife of a king, it appears from the ancient laws, that 

 he had a right to feled; the lagmans out of leets, prefented to 

 him by the people of the refpeclive diftricls. In fome provinces, 

 however, the lagman had rendered his office hereditary, had af- 



fumed 



* THIS is precifely the arrangement of Denmark. 



