S extracts fio?ri Snorro's history, July lOx 



cient Gothic language, iijbout 5 jO years ago. Of this 

 ancient and curious hook a splendid edition has lately 

 been printed in Denmark, at the expence of the 

 Frince Royal, in 3 vols. Folio. '7'he following is a 

 translation of the 15th, 16th, and I'jih chapters of 

 the history of Hako the Good, page 138 vol. l. 



iCiNG Hako was a good christian before he came to 

 Norway ; (he had been baptized in England, during 

 his residence at the court of Athelstane), but as all 

 the inhabitants of Norway, particularly the nobility, 

 were heathens, and much addicted to the worfliip of 

 their false gods ; and as Hako stood much in need of 

 the afsistance of the nobility, as well as of the favour 

 of the people, he thought it most advisable to ex-er- 

 cise his own religion in private. He observed the 

 S.mdays, and fasted on fridays ; and was not unmiod- 

 ful of the other holidays of the church. He made a 

 law, for fixing the heathen feaft of yole, on the 

 same day the christians kept christmafs. Hogg- 

 flight preceded, and was usually held on the fhort- 

 eft day in the year.* The feaft of yole continued for 

 three days thereafter, t He ordered the people to 

 provide ale made of barley, for the celebration of 

 this feaft, or else to pay its value in money It was 

 his intention to introduce the christian religion, as' 



* The reader will here observe the genuine derivation of the word 



7~ole, and also of the name generally given to the night preceding 



that festival hogg-monay. The first appeals to have been the ancient 



Vathen name of their greatest holiday, and the word hogg^ to kill 



- or nake slaughter. 



f The feast of christmafs or yule, is held iox three days together iw 

 Aberdeenshire at this day. Edit, 



