2 3 8 NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY, 



Denmark, as the Danifli is in Norway, and both are regarded 

 with the fame afTe&ion and favour by all our monarchs, parti- 

 cularly thofe who have reigned mice the fovereignty has been free, 

 and had an opportunity to difcover their impartiality, and natural 

 diipofition, whatever the envious Conringius or others might have 

 infmuated to the contrary. This is demonftrated in a treatife by 

 the worthy Dr. C. L. Scheid, which may be feen in the Trans- 

 actions of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Copenhagen, Tom. II. 

 N° x. p. 317. edit. Lat. infcribed, Chrift. Lud. Scheidii DuT. 

 de Pervetufta et illibata Norvegiae libertate, qua cum ante, turn 

 poft unionem Calmarienfem, gavifa eft, cui accedit demonftratio 

 quod regnum hoc neutiquam Danise, provincial inftar, fubjeclum 

 et confociatum fit. Ex principiis juris publici univerfalis. 



Concerning the obligations of both nations to brotherly love 

 and unity, Chriftian Reitzer, in his dedication of Thorm. Tor- 

 faeus's hiftory of Norway, to king Frid. IV. writes thus: " In hoc 

 mutuo noftro amore, in hac, qua per tot fecula cohaefimus, admi- 

 randa plane concordia, nil poteris illis conferre, ut non et nos ob- 

 liges. Illi noftri funt fratres, illi focii fcedere aeterno Danias juncti. 

 Illis iidem, qui nobis, hint mores; eadem lingua, eadem relipio. 

 Eodem gloriamur rege. Praeftitum nobis eft, quicquid preftitifti 

 illis," &c. 



TheEngM. " When king Oluf Kyrre, towards the end of the eleventh 

 century, founded the city of Bergen, and was particularly intent 

 upon extending the trade and commerce of Norway, he granted 

 the Englifh very great privileges, and gave them a convenient 

 place to build upon*" 



Thefe privileges their defcendants enjoyed near 300 years till 

 the year 13 12, when they fell upon king Hagen's people, upon 

 which they were transferred to the Germans who came in their 

 room, and carried on a confiderable trade there. However, fome 

 of the Engli{h remained in feveral of the fea-ports, and there as 

 it is reported by a continued tradition, built the firft churches 

 and were the apoftles or firft inftructors of the Norwegians in the 



The Scotch. Chriftian faith. The fame may be faid of their neighbours the Scots 

 who have vifited thefe parts rather oftner than the Englifh, being 

 fituated nearer to the Norwegian-coaft. A great number of them 

 have fettled here, efpecially in Hordeland, which, is now called 

 North and South-Hordlehn. Thofe peafants about Bergen, dif- 



3 tinguiihed 



