NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. 287 



pra&ifed, particularly by the inhabitants of Nordland, at the 

 hazard of their lives, in another place. 



SECT. V. 



Having enumerated the employments and occupations of the Nobility, 

 commonality among the Norwegians, which conftitutes the bulk 

 of the nation, I fhall now treat of the nobility of Norway. 

 There are at prefent but few of this clafs left, for which this 

 reafon may be affigned, that a nobleman's eftate has not the pri- 

 viledges belonging to the demefne of the nobility, longer than it 

 is inhabited by the lord in perfon. Formerly the nobility were 

 very powerful here, and confifted of dukes, jarler, and herzer, 

 that is, earls and barons *. Their merits and atchievements may 

 be feen in the the Norwegian Hird. Skraa, or Hof, ret. cap. viL 

 & feq, Jens Dolmer, who publifhed this work, which, notwith- 

 ftanding its antiquity, is very intelligible, fays in his dedication 

 of it to king Frederic third, " a more magnificent and numerous 

 court was not in thofe times in any kingdom ; then the king with 

 his courtiers and retinue, could receive the unexpected invafions, 

 and fecret attacks of his enemies ; or meeting them openly in 

 the field, 



" They bravely conquer'd, or they bravely died," 



Thus the valiant king Hagen Adelfteen and his noblefle routed 

 the fons of Erich Blodox. In thofe days every courtier gave proofs 

 of their fidelity to their king, of courage, valour towards their 

 enemies, good-manners and civility toward their equals, and af- 

 fability towards their inferiors." So far the faid Dolmer. 



Though my plan does not require it, yet it may not be thought 

 impertinent or fuperfluous in this place, to enquire into a fubjedr. 



inopia ferri ofiibus afperant. Idemque venatus viros pariter ac fkminas alit." The 

 Boygde fins in Nordland, live fomething better, and have a more certain livelihood* 

 but Ttill keep up their cuftoms and language, though they likewife talk the Norwe- 

 gian dialect. 



* Concerning the extinction of thofe titles, Andr. Buffasus fays, in notis ad Arii 

 Polyhiftor Shedas, cap. ii. p. 12. Hie obiter notandum, regem Norvegise Haconem 

 A. C. 1308. Comitum, baronumque titulos, intra regnum luum abrogcuTe folis re- 

 gum filiis comitibufque Orcadenfibus eorum ufu permiflb, tefte Thorm. Torfeo 

 hiftoria Oread, lib. ii. ad memoratum annum." The laft-mentioned author alfo 

 fpeaks of it in hift. Norv. p. iv. 1. xvi. c. xii. p. 366, and fays the king ordered, that 

 all thofe honorary titles mould be changed to a general one, viz. Herre, dicitur circa 

 h^ec tempora rex magnus, titulos procerum honorarios immutafie : fatrapas, barones, 

 ac equites, utrofque communi dominorum vocabulo nominibus praefixo appellari ju- 

 bens. 



• 3 that 



