NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. 259 



and therefore cannot leave this fubjecr. without inferting it. In 

 the year 1733, when his late majefty Chriftian VI. and his royal 

 confort Sophia Magdalena, vifited their Norvegian dominions, they 

 took up their refidence in the houfe of lieutenant- colonel Colbi- 

 ornfen in Friderickfhald, who was defirous of diverting his royal 

 guefts with what they call a jubilee-wedding. This was per-A««t^ 

 formed in the garden under tents pitched for that purpofe. wedding. 



There were four couples married, being country-people invited 

 from the adjacent parts, and out of all thefe there were none un- 

 der a hundred years old; fo that all their ages put together made 

 upwards of eight hundred years. Their names were, Ole Torre- 

 fen Sologfteen, who lived eight years afterwards, and his wife 

 Helje, ten years; Jem Oer who lived fix years after, and his wife 

 Inger who lived feven years; Ole Beffeber and his wife N— , and 

 Hans Torlafkfen who lived ten years after, and brought with him 

 Joran Gallen who was not his wife, but being a hundred years 

 old, he borrowed her for this ceremony; me alfo lived ten years 

 afterwards. Thefe eight married people, being each upwards of a 

 hundred years old, made themfelves extremely merry at this ju- 

 bilee-wedding, and the women, according to the cuftom of the 

 country, danced with green wreaths on their heads, which brides 

 always wear on their wedding-day* 



The royal family and nobility were prefent to fee this extraor- 

 dinary ball, which without doubt, was as innocent a one as ever 

 was exhibited. They had each a genteel bride-prefent given them 

 to carry home. I thought myfelf in a manner obliged to take 

 notice of this uncommon entertainment, as it has not, as far as I 

 can learn, hitherto been remarked by any writer. The Scots, who 

 partly breathe the fame air with us, have alfo amongft them a great 

 many examples of perfons of an uncommon great age. Dr. Bab. 

 Sibbald tells us in his Prodom. Hift. Nat. Scotia?, p. 44. and lib. HI 

 p. 4. of a man whofe name was Lawrence, that married a fecond 

 time in the hundredth year of his age, could row out in his boat 

 to fifh till he was a hundred and forty, and died at laft worn out 

 with age, without the leaft fymptoms of any diftemper. Amongft 

 the Swedes, who are our neighbours on the other fide, and like- 

 wife breathe the fame air, are found ftill more extraordinary in- 

 ftances, of perfons living to a hundred and fifty-fix and a hundred 

 and (ixty-one years ; of this, as well as of the fruitfulnefs of the 

 1 Norwegian 



