Part 15

Having run thro the mens emploiments, the womens are next to be considered. Two trades are most peculiar to them, as doing the work of Taylors and Shoomakers, for they make and mend all the Clothes, Shoes, Boots and Gloves; and they have a third the making all those things that join the Rain-deer to the sledg, as collars, traces, &c. in order to which they learn subservient arts, as making thred, which is commonly of Rain-deers nerves, because they have no flax: of this sort I have some by me. _Olaus Magnus_ saith _ad indumentorum usum_, for the making of shirts, which made _Lomenius_ believe the women wove this thred into cloth, who I perceive in his short description of _Lapland_, hath very closely followed his words more then his sense. In the making of their thred, which is of about 3 ells long, the extent of the Rain-deers nerves, they first cleanse the nerves, then having cut off all the hard parts, they dry, and hatchell them, and lastly mollify them with fishes fat. Besides this they spin wool for swadling clothes, and Hares fur, with which they knit caps, as in other parts of _Europe_ they do stockins with four knitting needles, which art the _Germans_ call _stricken_. These Caps are as soft as Swans down, and extremly warm. In the same manner they make Gloves, which are very beneficiall to them in the cold. The work of their fillets is very curious, for they put in them many figures, as you may see at the end of the foregoing Chapter, at the figure I. The fourth trade is their covering thred with tin, which first they draw into wire by pulling it thro little holes in horn with their teeth, which holes they fill half up with bone, that the tin may be flat on one side, and fitter to be put on thred. The picture of a woman drawing wire you have in the next page. Then they put it upon the nerves by the help of a spindle, which doth so twist them together that they seem all tin, and when they have done, they wind it about their head or foot, least it should entangle and be spoiled. And this is their way of making thred of tin, as in other Countries of gold and silver, the chiefest use of which is in adorning their clothes after the way of Embroidery, which is the womens fifth art. _Ziegler_ adds to this _faciunt vestes intextas auro & argento_, that they interweave in their clothes gold and silver, which I cannot believe, because they do not do so now, and whatever is spoke of the mettal, they weave neither linnen nor woollen, but buy it from the _Bothnian_ or _Norway_ Merchants: so then they do not weave this thred into their garment, but embroider them with it. Thus they adorn all their vestments, as gowns called _Muddar_, boots, gloves and shoes, and she that doth it neatest, is preferred before other women, and had in greater estimation. They do not immediately put this upon the fur of skins, but lists of blew, green, or red woollen cloth. Their gowns are embroidered about the neck, sleeves, breast, and sides; gloves about the tops, shoes; instep and toes; boots, about the knees; in which work they commonly picture; Stars, Flowers, Birds, Beasts, especially Rain-deers: and to make their clothes more glorious, they set them with spangles, fillets, points, and knots of this thred, and wear upon their head shreds of diverse colored cloth, the pictures of all which you have in the former Chapter, Boots F, Gloves G, Shoes H. The Rain-deers harness they embroider in the same manner.

Lastly they have nothing that appears in sight, but it is hereby made very commendable and ingenious. I have by me men and womens scrips, pin-cases, sheaths for knives, very curiously wrought. Of all which, that I might not seem to give too a large commendation of them, I have put the Pictures in the foregoing page.

CHAP. XXIII.

_Of the Emploiments common to both Sexes._

The other buisinesses, which we have not treated of yet, whether they be at home or in journies, belong to both Sexes, and that they may be the better undertaken, men and women wear breeches, and as _Joh. Tornæus_ takes notice, equally undergo all pains and work excepting hunting: by which words _exceptâ venatione_ he doth not deny but men and women have peculiar emploiments. In their travels the master of a family goes first, with his baggage and Rain-deers after him, and next him his wife with hers; in Summer they both walk on foot, in Winter both are drawn in sledges, which I have described in the next page: in these they like children are tied and bound fast with fillets and cords, especially when in hast, having only their hands and head at liberty, and their back leaning against the end. The Rain-deer is not harnessed like an Horse, but hath a strong cloth about his neck, to which is fastened a rope that goes between his fore and hind feet, to the hole in the prou of the sledge. He therefore that drew _Olaus Magnus_ pictures was much deceived, when he made Rain-deers joined to the sledge with traces on both sides, and such a collar about their necks, as is used in other Countries upon their thillers; and in another place two yoaked together drawing a cart with wheels, which is a thing unknown to the _Laplanders_, and men riding upon them as on a Horse, whereas they never do so, but walk on foot, and carry their goods only on them in dorsers. He that is drawn rules the beast, not with a bridle, but an halter made of Sea-dogs skin tied about his head or horns, fastned to a stick which he holds in one hand, with which he removes the thong to either side, according as he would go or turn: with the other he guides the sledge, for it being round at bottom is still wavering, so that he which rides, must still with the motion of his body, and hand, take care it overturns not, as you may see in the picture. When they thus travel in the Winter, the _Rain-deer_ are bravely adorned with needle work of tin-thred upon diverse colour’d cloth, about their necks and back, and a bell, with which they are mightily pleased. They travell in these at what rate they will; but if upon a remove, alwaies slow, because of the weight of their goods, in which journies the man and his wife go first, and all the family come after. _Ziegler_ saies in 24 houres they can go 150 miles: _Herbersternius_ saies in a day 20 _German_ miles: but ’tis not to be believed that it is performed with one _Rain-deer_ in the day of 12 hours, except the waies be good and slippery, but they ordinarily go 12 14 or 16 _German_ miles in ten hours, which number doubled will make out _Zeigler_’s opinion: and that not with one _Rain-deer_ which is impossible to out so long, but that it must dy or be left to rest the next day. In this way of travelling the Women are as expert as the men, and _Olaus Magnus_ saies more. As the men and women travel together, so they help one another in fishing, and at baiting time to feed their cattle, which is evident in the _Rain-deer_, for the women take as much care of them as the men, and equally take the trouble to milk them: and in fishing ’tis manifest; for women in the absence of men, are very intent for some weeks at catching fish, which they gut and dry up for Winter. Their way of catching them is with Nets, and other instruments, as every where else. I know not what _Paulus Jovius_ meant, when he said they have a foolish way of fishing, except he refers to their hooks which are nor of Iron but Wood: they make them of _Juniper_ bent round: these they fasten to sticks, and throw them into the Rivers, and very easily take many large fishes. If they fish with a Cane or Whale-bone, the fisher never knows when the fish bites, but pulls up at a venture. Their way of fishing alters with the season, in the Summer usually with drag nets, between two boats, or else with spears like Tridents, but that they have more teeth. With these they strike pikes, especially when they ly sunning themselves near the top of the Water: they do the same by Night burning dry wood at the prow, by which light the Fish are enticed thither. In the Winter time they thrust nets under the ice to a banck side, and then by a great noise above drive the Fish to them; all these things the Women often do alone, which is the less to be wondered at, because every where in this Country there is a great multitude of Fish. Besides all these, they carry and cleave wood, and make hedges, with such like works, which are so inconsiderable as not to be worthy to enlarge our discourse.

CHAP. XXIV.

_Of their Divertisements._

Having spoken of their ordinary emploiments, it will not be amiss here to annex something of their Divertisements: where first we may note, that the people of this Country are generally dispos’d to idleness, not willing to take any great paines, unless when meer necessity constrains them to provide against want. This they seem to derive principally from their Ancestors the Finlanders, as is elsewhere said. To which as well their cold constitution by reason of the sharpness of the Air in this Country (that it self is sufficient to dispose men to laziness,) as the length of their Nights, and indulgence to much sleep, may contribute not a little. In fine, that I may omit their many other infirmities, whereby they are incapacitated to undergo any considerable hardship, they are lovers of sloth and wholly given up to it. But further, to consider how they bestow their vacant time from business, ’tis the general and most recieved accompt, that making and receiving visits, and familiar conversation become the greatest part of their recreations. For whereas their manner of life so nearly resembles solitariness, that each family seems confined to its own hut, they can take no greater satisfaction in any thing then such mutual entercourse. And here it may be observed, that in their discourses at these meetings of friends and acquaintance, usually the most ordinary affairs and daily occurrences have the chiefest place: as particularly their welfare, emploiments, and the like. But besides ’tis their humor to make remarks upon the transactions of all forreiners, whose names or customes commerce has at any time brought to their knowledg. And furthermore they can take no greater pride, then either in traducing the management of their affairs, or imposing drollish Nick-names upon them. Tho indeed those of the richer sort are used to entertain their visitants with greater merriment and magnificence. Besides these visits they use some sports wherewith they recreate themselves, especially in Winter (when for some space of time they live as scateringly as in Summer, but are more familiar,) or at their public assemblies in the places of Judicature and Fairs. Again some sports are looked upon as only peculiar to men, others the female Sex also have their part in. Of the first sort this is one. They make a line in the Snow, in place of a goal: behind it at some paces distance they set up a mark, from whence each person taking a run to the goal, and there taking his rise, throws his body as far as possibly he can, and he that at one leap compasses the greatest space of ground, is reckon’d the Conqueror. In this first sport they both leap and run. Another they have where the trial of skill consists in leaping only, and that too not in length but height; there stand two men upright, at no great distance the one front the other, and hold in their hands sometimes a rope, sometimes a pole, now higher, now lower, as is agreed upon by the combatants, usually at the common height of a man: then each Person attemts to leap over from a station assign’d, and he that performs most dextrously, gains the applause to himself. A third sort of sport among them is with bow and arrows. At a convenient place they set up a mark of a very small bigness, and shoot at it with arrows from any distance prescrib’d. He that hits either soonest or oftnest, bears away the bell from the rest. These sports hitherto mentioned are almost instituted by them meerly for the consideration of credit and renown: yet sometimes they play for prizes such as they agree upon among themselves, and instantly they lay them down in the place where they keep their games. Their prizes are seldom mony, usually skins, especially of Squirrels, sometimes one, sometimes more as they see convenient and agree upon it. But in those sports wherein as well the women as men are plaiers, they commonly play with a leather ball stuffed with hay, about the bigness of ones fist; whatever company of men and women is there present, is sorted into two sides, one whereof seizes on this ground, the other on another opposite to it, and at some distance off. Then every Person of one side in his turn, beats the ball with a club thorough the Air, those of the contrary side catching it at the fall; and if any one chance to catch it in his hands, before it touch ground, then the order of the play is inverted, and this side strikes out the ball, the other is fain to catch. Thus play the men and women, the boies and girles together, nor do the men shew themselves more expert at it then the women. They besides have another play at ball: in the hard frozen snow they draw two lines at some distance from one another, then all the multitude both of men and women parting into two sides, one applies it self to the defence of this, the other of that line; then they meet in the middle space between their two goals, and fling down the ball, then each partie with bandies and clubs strives to strike the ball cross the opposite parties line, each party still maintaining the defence of its own line; but if one side chance to strike the ball with their bandies over the others line (for it is foul play to fling it with their hands) and so take their goal, that is accounted the conquering side. The sports as yet mentioned are such as belong to the younger sort, as well as to those of more mature age: the next is peculiar to these last and only to men. Their custom is to separate themselves into two companies, and attacque one another by wrestling: first each company stands like a file of Soldiers all along in order to confront the adverse company: then each man catches his adversary by the girdle, wherewith all _Laplanders_ are alwaies girt, as is elswhere shown, (their girdle goes six times round their body, and so is fast and fittest for their purpose,) so each man having caught hold, endeavors to fling the other down, which they are not allowed to attempt by craft or deceit, as by any lock or the like; Any one that is found delinquent in this kind, is branded for a fowl plaier, and excluded the lists. These are the sports that are almost peculiar to the _Laplanders_: besides them they use some, which they borrow from other places, such is playing at Cards, a sport sufficiently known thorough all _Europe_, for even the _Laplanders_ take no little satisfaction in it: they procure their Cards of the Merchants that trade thither. They use likewise to play at dice, which they themselves make of wood after the common fashion, with this only difference, that whereas dice commonly have some number of spots inscribed on every side, they have a figure made only on one side like an X. he wins in this sport, that casting two Dies, on the top of either can show the X. their stakes are usually Squirrils skins, or some small trifles, and in the failance of these leaden bullets, which they use in their hunting to charge their Guns withal: and it happens sometimes that a fellow having lost all his bullets, in hope of repairing his damage by winning again, not only at present will be sensible of the harm, but being disappointed of his Hunting puts to stake and looses his future acquisitions and hope of livelihood. These are the usual waies, whereby the people of _Lapland_ spend their leisure times and divert themselves.

CHAP. XXV.

_Of their Contracts and Marriages._

We have hitherto taken a survey of their ordinary imploiments, and such as are almost every day in use, as well those peculiar to each Sex, as common to both; likewise of their Divertisements and sports, wherewith they use to intermingle those emploiments: It remains that we treat of those businesses, which do not every day occur, but are singular and solemn, and undertaken upon special occasions. And first of what appertain to their Marriages; Concerning them ’tis most memorable, that whenever any person purposes to marry, ’tis his first business, to make search after a Maid well stock’d with _Raindeers_. For the _Laplanders_ have a custom, (as shall hereafter more particularly be mentioned) of bestowing upon their Children soon after their birth, some certain number of those _Raindeers_, and their increase is accounted of, not as the Parents estate, but the Childs portion. She therefore, that is best provided of them, is in most likely-hood of meeting with an Husband. Nor have they regard to any thing else, as either good breeding, or beauty, or other the common allurements of woers. For they who dwell on a hard and barren soile are generally solicitous concerning food, which because their _Rain-deer_ afford, every one thinks himself best secured against want when he is best provided of them. As soon therefore as the young man has cast about him for a wife, which is usually done at their public meetings for paying of taxes, or upon the account of fairs; next he makes a journy to her parents, taking along with him his father, if alive, and one or two more whom he thinks will be most kindly welcome, but especially one who may declare his affections, and win the favor of the Maids parents. When they arrive at the hut, they are all kindly invited in, only the suiter is fain to wait at door, and bestow his time in chopping wood, or some such trivial business, till he be summon’d in also, for without express permission ’tis uncivil in him to enter. When they have drank of the Spirit of Wine, which the spokes-man brings, he applies himself to the management of his province, discloses the Suiters affections to the Daughter, and makes his address to her Father, that he will please to bestow her in Marriage upon him. Which that he may atcheive with more success, he honors the Father with the greatest titles and names of renown that he can devise, at every one bowing the knee, as if he were treating with a prince. He stiles him with the High and Mighty Father, the Worshipful Father, as if he were one of the Patriarcks, the best and most illustrious Father, and no doubt if they were acquainted with the Roial title of His Majestie, He would not scruple to call him, the most Majestic Father. The Wine, that the Suiter is supposed to have brought along with him therewith to pay his respects to her parents, whom he pretends to, they call either _Pouristwyn_ (that is) the Wine of prosperous access, or that Wine wherewith he designs to caress his Father and Mother in Law, that are to be; or else, _Soubowiin_ (that is) the Wine of wooers which tis expedient for wooers to bestow, thereby to procure permission of converse with the daughter, and gain the favour and liking of the future Bride. But we must take notice, that the business is nor proposed to the maid her self first, but her parents; nor may the Suiter have any conference with her without their permission. Nay ’tis the usual custom, at this time to dispatch her away upon some sleevless arrand, either to the _Rain-deers_ pastures in the Woods, or a Neighbors hut, so as neither the Suiter nor any of his company may have a sight of her; but if at last either she or some other woman procure leave for Her of her Parents or kindred, to speak to him, their entertainment finished he gets him out of the hut to his sledg, and then takes out his woollen Cloth-Garments, (such as they use to spruce themselves up withal, at their public Festivals, or more solemn affairs) and what else is requisite to the present business: when he has trimm’d himself up, he makes his address to his Mistress and salutes her. Their manner of Salutation is by a kiss; in which that they mainly aim at is, that each not only apply his mouth to the others, but also that both their noses touch; for otherwise it goes not for a true salute. Next he makes her a present of the rarest delicacies that _Lapland_ affords, the _Rain-deers_ tongue, the Beavers flesh, and other dainties, which she refuses to accept of in the presence of any body; presently after she is call’d aside to some convenient place without the hut, then if she profess her self willing to receive them, the Suiter farther puts it to her, whether she will grant him leave, that he may take his repose by her in the hut; if she grant it, ’tis concluded between them of their future marriage: withal he presents his gifts above mentioned. If she rejects his suit, she casts them all down at his feet. The Bridegroom usually carries them in his bosom, before he presents them. The full approbation of the Parents, and the celebration of the wedding is used oftentimes to be deferr’d for a considerable while, sometimes for two or three years together; and all that while they bestow upon courting their Mistresses. The reason why their time of Courtship or wooing proves so long, is because the Bridegroom is necessitated to gratifie with frequent presents, the parents and friends nearest in blood to the Bride, without the leave of each of which he cannot compass the possession of her. This is expressed by _Samuel Rheen_ in these words, When any Person pretends marriage to the Daughter of one of the richer sort, he is obliged to make a present to her parents and nearest Kinsmen, such as is made for state to Ambassadors or cheif Officers, as large as his means will reach to, which present they call _Peck_, that is, Peices, every peice at least must contain two marks of silver, that is, six ounces, there are some too, that must contain twenty, forty, sometimes threescore ounces a peice, such peices the Bridegroom is bound to bestow upon His Mistresses parents and her near kindred. In what things these presents particularly consist, I shall mention hereafter, for they do not give barely silver, but moulded into some fashion, or other things besides; while therefore the Bridegroom is emploied in procuring these pieces, ’tis no inconsiderable while that passes.

In this interval he ever and anon makes a visit to his Mistress, to whom while he is travelling he solaces himself with a Love Song, and diverts the wearisomness of his journy. And ’tis their common custom, to use such kind of Songs, not with any set tune, but such as every one thinks best himself, nor in the same manner, but sometimes one way, sometimes another, as goes best to every man, when he is in the mode of singing. An ensampel of one they use in the Winter season, communicated to me by _Olaus Matthias_, a _Laplander_, I here annex.

_Kulnasatz niraosam æugaos joao audas jordee skaode Nurte waota waolges skaode Abeide kockit laidi ede Fauruogaoidhe sadicde Ællao momiaiat kuekan kaigewarri. Patzao buaorest kællueiaur tuuni Maode paoti millasan Kaiga waonaide waiedin Aogo niraome buaorebæst Nute aotzaon sargabæst Taide sun monia lii aigoamass Saraogaoin waolgat amass Ios iuao sarga aoinasim Kiuresam katzesim Kulnaasatz nirasam Katze aoinakaos tun su salm._

The meaning of this Song is this,

Kulnasatz _my Rain-deer We have a long journy to go; The Moor’s are vast, And we must hast, Our strength I fear Will fail if we are slow, And so Our Songs will do._

Kaigè _the watery Moor Is pleasant unto me, Though long it be; Since it doth to my Mistriss lead, Whom I adore; The_ Kilwa _Moor, I nere again will tread_.

_Thoughts fill’d my mind Whilst I thro_ Kaigè _past. Swift as the wind, And my desire, Winged with impatient fire, My Rain-deer let us hast._