NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. 289 



and are Adelaer, Blixencrbne, Blixenfkiold, Hufmand, Knagen- 

 hielm, Lillienpalrrij Lillienfldold, Loverihielm, Lovenfkiold, Ld- 

 venftierne, Rofencrone, Stockfleth, Svanenliielm, Sundt, Torden- 

 fkiold, Tordenftierne, not a new title, but received anno 1733. 

 Tonfberg, Wasrneikiold, Weffel, Ulrichfdal. 



As for the firft-mentioned ancient Norwegian families, fome of 

 which are ftill left in different provinces, it is remarkable, that 

 though moft of them have begun to live like other peafants, as 

 to drefs, diet, and appearance, yet they carefully pick up all 

 the intelligence they can get by tradition, &c. of their pedigree, . 

 and publifh it *. This they particularly do at fome of their fu- 

 nerals ; for the whole pedigree is generally traced in their funeral 

 fermons. And the efcutcheons are preferved in fome of their 

 houfes as a mark of diftincrion. In others, where they have 

 old-fafhioned windows, the panes of glafs are ftained with their 

 coats of arms, which is but a frail monument of their nobility. 

 In another place I have obferved there are many peafants, that by 

 report are faid to be defcended from noble families, and even 

 fome from the royal-line, who are careful in marrying their chil- 

 dren to their equals in birth and blood f. 



SECT. VI. 



Exclufive of thefe foibles, every freeholder in Norway has vanity The right of 

 enough to think himfelf as good as noble by Odel, or right of ree ° 

 inheritance. This coniifts in having, from time immemorial, the 

 Jus primogeniture united with the Jus reluitionis, or the right 

 of primogeniture and power of redemption, which in this coun- 

 try has always taken place. 



There are feveral peafants who now inhabit the houfe, which 

 they can make appear their anceftors poneffed, and inhabited for 

 three or four hundred years before them. According to the 

 Norwegian-law (which in this, and other points, greatly differs 



* In the year i 713, when 5000 Norwegian foldiers were fent to Denmark, Ge- 

 neral Budde, colonel of a Tronheim regiment, told the commanding-officer, M. Huf- 

 mand, that in his battallion he had two country-fellows that were defcended from 

 one of the ancient Norwegian kings. " Their faces (adds he) and mein diftinguifh 

 them fo remarkably that your Excellence can find them out yourfelf." The general 

 tried the experiment, and difcovered the two fellows amongft feveral hundreds. 

 One of them died a ferjeant at the iiege of Stralfund. 



•f Of the privilege granted the Norwegian nobility by Chriftian IV. anno 1591, 

 fee the Danifh Magazine, Tom. iii. p. 113. and alfo by king Frederic III. anno 

 1648, ibid. p. 36%. 



Part II. 4 E from 



