IEP) a Ra Was Ai We 
Their country had, before that period, the name of Nortmannaland, and the in- 
habitants Nortmans; a title which included other adjacent people. Great Britain 
and Jreland were ravaged by them in 845; and they continued their invafion 
till they effected the conqueft of England, under their leader, Canute the Great. 
They went up the Seize as faras Paris, burnt the town, and forced its weak monarch 
to purchafe their abfence at the price of fourteen thoufand marks. They plun- 
‘dered Spain, and at length carried their excurfions through the ALediterranean to 
Jtaly, and even into Sicily. ‘hey ufed narrow veflels, like their anceftors the 
Sitones ; and, befides oars, added the improvement of two fails: and vidtualled 
them with falted provifions, bifcuit, cheefe, and beer. Their fhips were at 
firft fmall; but in after times they were large enough to hold a hundred or a 
hundred and.twenty men. But the multitude of veflels was amazing. The fleet 
of Harold Blaatand confifted of feven hundred *. A hundred thoufand of thefe 
favages have at once fallied from Scandinavia, fo juftly ftyled Oficina Cextium, 
aut certe velut vagina nationum t+. Probably neceflity, more than ambition, caufed 
them to difcharge their country of its exuberant numbers. Multitudes were 
deftroyed ; but multitudes remained, and peopled more favorable climes. 
Their king, O/aus, was a convert to Chriftianity in 994; Bernard, an Eng- 
lifhman, had the honor of baptizing him, when Olaus happened to touch at one 
of the Sci/ly iflands. He plundered with great fpirit during feveral years ; and 
in 1006 received the crown of martyrdom from his pagan fubjeéts. But reli- 
gious zeal firft gave the reft of Europe a knowlege of their country, and the {weets 
of its commerce. The Han/e towns poured in their miffionaries, and reaped 
a temporal harveft. By the year 1204, the merchants obtained from the wife 
prince Suer every encouragement to commerce ; and by that means introduced 
wealth and civilization into his barren kingdom. England, by every method, 
cherifhed the advantages refulting from an intercourfe with Norway; and Bergen 
was the emporium. Henry III. in 1217, entered into a league with its monarch 
Haquin, by which both princes ftipulated for free accefs for their fubjects into their 
refpective kingdoms, free trade and fecurity to their perfons. In 1269, Henry 
entered into another treaty with Magnus, in which it was agreed, that no goods 
fhould be exported from either kingdom except they had been paid for; and 
there is befides a humane provifion on both fides, for the fecurity of the perfons 
and effets of the fubjects who fhould fuffer fhipwreck on their feveral coafts. 
This country extends above fifteen hundred miles in length, and exhibits a 
moft wonderful appearance of coaft. It runs due north to Cape Staff; the 
* Mallets Introd. i, 257+ + Fornandes, c. 4. 
i2 weftern 
LXVII 
Norataans, 
Coasts. 
