NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY, 251 



repulfed, but will fupport the honour of their nation, and undergo 

 the greateft fatigues with very little reft or nourishment. Olaus 

 Magnus calls the Norwegians, " durum & indomabile genus 

 bellatorum, ob ingentem animi & corporis ferocitatem, &c ani- 

 mofitatem, ac etiam propter duriffima exercitia, Sec. . . . Acre 

 genus hominum nuliis bellorum afperitatibus cedens. Hift. fep- 

 te'ntr. lib. vi. prarfat. p. 180 *. 



What a pity it is that this natural courage and valour mould Quarreifom* 

 degenerate, in fo many of our people, to a difpofition for fight^ 

 ing and quarreling among themfelves, when the common enemy 

 does not call upon them to exert it. The many parties and fac- 

 tions, in ancient times, are glaring inftances of this unhappy dif- 

 pofition. Thefe ran in the blood from one generation to another, 

 and brought on interline wars which ruined their country. Such 

 were the Bagler, Birke-beener, Breed-fkaegger, Varbelger, Slit— 

 linger, and Rib-bunger ; their origin, views, and actions, are 

 to be feen at large in the civil hiftory of this country. There we 

 may learn, that they had valour, courage, and fidelity to their 

 fovereign, but always difcovered a turbulent and revengeful dif- 

 pofition. Even the common peaiants would ftand upon their 

 point of honour, and fight it out with their knives ; and before 

 they began, they would hook themfelves together by the belts, 

 then draw their knives, and would not be parted till one or the 

 other was mortally wounded, or killed. This brutim cuftom 

 prevailed in Norway til] about the middle of the lafl century, to 

 fuch a degree, that they fay, when a peafant with his family was 

 invited to a wedding, the wife generally took her huiband's 

 fhroud with her ; becaufe, on thefe occasions they feldom parted 

 before they were intoxicated with liquor, the confequence of 

 which was fighting, and thofe battles feldom ended without mur- 

 der. Therefore the chancellor, Jens Bielke, ftrove to the utmoft 

 of his power, to crufh this quarrelfom fpirit, and made an order, 

 that every man mould deliver up his knife to proper officers as 

 foon as dinner was over, and before they had drank to excefs. 

 But frill there were many fo wicked as to provide themfelves with 

 two knives. Very lately this abominable practice has appeared 

 again in Lasrdal, and feveral other places. Some of the peafants 



* The Norwegian army, at this prefent time, confifts of 30,000 effective men, 

 befides 14 or 15000 failors, fuch as all Europe can hardly match. 



Part II. Ttt who 



