NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. 



tinguifhed by a particular drefs,- and by way of diitinclion called 

 Strile-farmers, are thought to be of Scotch extraction, and a great 

 many Scotch and Englifh families employed iri the mercantile way, 

 are fettled here at Bergen. Thefe are itill diftinguifhed by tHeir 

 names ; and a diftrict in Rye-Kirkens-Sogn, called Skette-Byen, or 

 Scotch-town, is a farther proof of this. There are likewife in FofTen, 

 now called Chriflianfand, which has the privileges of a trading- 

 city, a great many Englifh and Scotch families fettled, who carry- 

 on a great trade. I obferved above, that- the Germans, about the 

 beginning of the fourteenth century, fiicceeded the E-n ! glifh in 

 their trade, privileges, and advantages. Thefe they enjoyed as long 

 as the Kanfe-treaty was in- force, and Bergen was one of the 

 principal towns of this affociation. Thefe Germans piqued them 1 - 

 fefves upon the privileges that were granted themy and behaved 

 with a great deal of infolence, making a bad life of them- by en- 

 croaching upon the inhabitants, particularly by joining with 1 the" 

 mechanics of their country. By this means they became very nu- 

 merous, and conftituted a formidable body of feveral thoufands, 

 till king Frid. II. deputed Mr. Chriftopher Walkendorf to chaAife 

 them, who immediately damped their courage,, arid' let them 

 their proper bounds. 



At this prefent time the Germans have but little fnare 61 the 5 

 trade of the country, and are but few in proportion to their pre- 

 decefforsy for tho' the Nordland-company have as great trade as' 

 ever, yet out of fifty-eight houfes which were formerly" inhabited" 

 by German families, who belonged to .that company, there are 

 now but four in their pofTefTion; all the reft are bought up 

 by the natives, who, partly in the company's compting-houfes, 

 and partly' at their own houfes, carry on the trade, which for- 

 merly enriched, a great many foreigners. 



It fhewed a great want of judgment and policy in 1 thofe tiriieSj 

 to permit foreigners thus to engrofs the whole trade of thecoum-' 

 try *! Even at prefent there are in this city betwixt four ! and fiVe ; 



hus- 



* I have obferved, that- fonie of. our own as well as foreign authors, have -con-" 

 ceived a very wrong idea of this German-company, which they have conveyed to- 

 others, by repreienting it- in. a declining condition, or • almoft -bankrupt 1 '; but the- 

 truth is quite the reverfe^ in . regard to the trade of .the company : Their houfes, 

 ftock, fervants, and the number of traders, are the fame as heretofore.- As for the 

 iillieries, God be praifed, they ace more flouriihing than ever. That at Sundmoerfke - 

 is as large again as it was formerly: but it may be faid very juftly, that its depen- 

 danpe upon the German Imperial cities, fuch as Bremen, Hamburg,. Lubeck, Roftoc, 



