1. GOTHLAND.

GOTHLAND, is bounded on the East with the Bodner Sea, on the West with the Mountains which divide it from Norwey, and so much of Denmark as lies in the same continent with it; on the North with Sweden; on the south with the sea Baltick. So called either from the Gothes, whose origi&rehy;nall Countrey it is commonly affirmed to be; or quasi goot landt, from the goodnesse and fertility of the soyl (Goot landia, quæ Germanice Terra bona sonat (as Maginus out of Munster hath it) the soyle being very fruitfull for corne and cattell, affording plenty of Mines, with great store of fish, and generally a better conditioned Countrey then any of the rest of these Northern Re&rehy;gions.

It is divided commonly into Ostrogoth, or East Gothland; Westergoth, divided from the former by the great lake of Weret spoken of before; and South Gothland, subdivided into Smalandia, Tuiscia, and Verendia. Chief townes whereof in Ostrogoth, are 1 Lincopen, a Bishops See; 2 Loduse, adorned with a very fair Haven: in Westergoth, 3 Scara on the lake Weret, a Bishops See also; 4 Elseburg on the We&rehy;stern sea, betwixt Denmark and Norwey; a place of consequence; and flankerd with two very strong Castles in the parts adjoining, the one called Croneberg, and the other Goldberg. 5 Tragualle, remark&rehy;able for iron workes, occasioned by the mines adjoining. And finally in South Gothland, there is 6 Vexim, or Vexio, another of the Episcopall Sees: 7 Walburg, a reasonable fair Town, with a strong Castle. 8 Rottenby, and 9 Elcholm in Verendia, neer the confines of Denmark, 10 Colmar, a noted and well traded Port on the Baltick Sea, beautified with a Castle not inferiour to that of Millain; and so well fortified throughout, that at the taking of it by Christiern the fourth of Denmark, anno 1611. there were found mounted on the Workes 108 brasse peeces of Ordinance, six men of war to guard the Haven, with all manner of Ammunition in proportion to them.

Gothes The first Inhhabitants of these south parts of Scandia, are commonly affirmed to have beene the GOTHES, whom Jornandes in his Book de Rebus Geticis, makes to have issued out of this countrey, and to plant themselves on the north bankes of the Ister, nere the Euxine sea, some time before the Trojan war: ascribing to them whatsoever is reported in old writers of the antient Scythians, as their encounter with Vexoris or Sesostris the King of Egypt, the Act and acheivements of the Amazons, their congresse with Alexander the Great in his Persian war, and the like to these. In which Jornandes be&rehy;ing himself a Goth, is no more to be credited, then Geofrie of Monmouth a Welchman, in the storie of Brute and his successours, to whom he doth ascribe the taking and sack of Rome under the conduct of Brennus, whom he makes to be the brother of Belinus a King of Britain. Most probable it is that they were originally a Dutch or German people, part of the great Nation of the Suevi, called by Ta&rehy;citus the Gothones, inhabiting in his time (as it is conceived) in the land of Prussia. Who finding their own countrey too narrow for them might passe over the Baltick into the next adjoining Regions: and not well liking that cold clime might afterwards in some good numbers goe to seek new dwellings, and at lest seat themselves on the bankes of Ister, where Jornandes found them. That they were Dutch originally, besides the generall name of the Gothones or Gothes, and those of Ostro&rehy;gothes, and Wisigothes, into which they were afterwards divided; the particular names of Alaric, Theodorick, Riccared, (the names of their Kings and Captains) seem to me to evidence. That they were once seated in this Countrie doth appeare as plainly 1 by the name of Gothland here still remaining; 2 by the title of Rex Gothorum, which the Kings of Swethland keep in the Royall style; and 3 by some inscriptions in antient unknown Charcters engraven on the rocks neere Scara in the Continent, and Wisby in the Isle of Gothland, supposed by learned men to be some monument of that people. And finally that their fixt dwellings, when first known by this name amongst the Romans, was on the north side of the Ister; is evident by the testimony of all antient Writers, from the time of An&rehy;toninus Caracalla, with whom they had some tumultuarie skirmishes in his way towards Persia; till their violent irruption into Italie and the Western Provinces: most famous in this intervall for a great fight with Decius the Roman Emperour, whom they overcame and slew in battell, anno 253. In the time of Valens and Valentinian the Roman Emperours a quarrell being grown amongst them, managed by Phritigernes and Athanaricus the leaders of the opposite factions, Phritigernes over throwne in fight had recourse to Valens, from whom he received such succours, that giving his adversary another day for it, he obtained the victory. Whereupon Phritigernes and his partie received the Gospell, but in&rehy;termixt and corrupt with the leaven of Arianism, by the practise of Valens, who sent them none but A&rehy;rian teachers, to whom and their faction in the Church, he was wholly addicted. Afterwards the whole Nation being driven over the Ister by the barbarous Huns, they obtained of Valens the out parts of Thrace for an habitation, on the condition they should serve under the pay of the Emperour, and become Christians: the cause that Arianism overspread the whole Nation generally, which had before infected but one partie onely. Ulphilas a devout and learned man, was their first Bishop; who for their bet&rehy;ter edification in the way of godlinesse, invented the Gothick Characters, and translated the Scriptures in&rehy;to that language: in the studie whereof they so well profited, that many of them in the time of their first conversion, suffered death for it at the hands of Athanaricus, and were counted Martyrs. Burdned by Valens, and denyed their accustomed pay, they harasse and depopulate the rest of Thrace, march&rehy;ing towards Constantinople: encountred in the way by Valens, whom they overcame, and killed, af&rehy;ter all his favours. Vanquished by Theodosius the succeeding Emperour in many battels, they became good neighbours, inlarging their bounds with his leave and license as far as Pannonia, and grown into such estimation with him that Ricimir and Franita, two of that Nation, did obtaine the Consul&rehy;ship: not to say any thing of that exorbitant power and favour which Gainas had attained unto in the Court it selfe. Made insolent by so great honours, and apt to pick quarrels with their Patrons, they invaded Italy in two great bodies, consisting of no fewer then 200000 fighting men: the first whereof under the conduct of Rhadaguisus, was discomfited and cut in pieces by Stilico Lieutenant to Honorius the Western Emperour, at Fesulæ in the straits of the Appennine: the other by his treachery permitted to passe, sacked Rome, and subdued the most part of Italy, under the leading of Alaricus. He dying immediately after this great victory, left the fruits of it to his son Athaulfus, who marry&rehy;ing with Galla Placidia, the Emperours sister, relinquished Italy, and had all Gaul Narbonnoise, and a great part of Hispania Tarraconensis assigned unto him: where he erected the kingdome of the Wisi&rehy;Gothes, or Western Gothes, possessed of Spain and Tingitana, for the space of 300 years, and upward, when they lost that kingdome to the Moores, as hath there been said. In the meane time the Gothes which were left in their owne countries, distinguished from these by the name of Ostro-Gothes by rea&rehy;son of their more Eastern situation, kept themselves in quiet, first subdued by the Huns, and when by Wilamer, freed from that subjection, not intermedling or attempting any thing against the Em&rehy;pire, till called by Zeno Emperour of Constantinople into Italie, against Odoacer and the Heruli, who had then subdued it. Which action they managed with so much prudence and good fortune by their King Theodorick, that they vanquished Odoacer, possessed Italie, and held it above 60 yeares, when broken in many set battels by Belisarius and Narses, Lieutenants for the Emperour Justinian, their Kingdome and name there came unto an end.

As for the Kings of the Gothes, we have a succession of them in Jornandes, from Berig, who first conducted them out of Scandia towards the East, till the going of Theodorick into Italie: but made up with so little probalitie, that I dare give no more credit to it then to the stories of Brute, Dan, Fergus, or the Lady Scota Pharaohs daughter. Gothes. Such of whom there is any certaine knowledge and succession are these few that follow.

The KINGS of the GOTHES. 344 1 Athanaricus king of the Gothes, in the time of Constantius and Constans the sons of Constan&rehy;tine the Great. 357 2 Alaricus, the first of that name in the time of Constantius. 3 Phritigernes King of the Gothes in the time of Valens, the first Christian Prince among the Gothes. 370 4 Athanaricus II. in the time of the Emperours Valens, Gratian and Valentinian the second, under whom the Gothes were first setled on this side of the Ister. 379 5 Rhadaguisus, who in the time of Honorius, first led the Gothes into Italie, slain at the bat&rehy;tell of Fesulæ. 410 6 Alaricus II. who pursuing the war of Italy, sacked Rome, subdued Naples, and the most of Italy. 412 7 Athaulfus the son of Alarick the second, who first erected the Kingdom of the Wisigothes in Gaul and Spain, continuing there for the space of 300 yeares and upwards: the present Kings of Spain coming from his stock. 417 8 Athalaricus King of the Gothes remaining in the East, at the departure of Rhadaguise and Alaricus distinguished from their plantations by the name of Ostrogothes: vanquished by Attila, they became subject to the Huns, in the time of Theodosius the second, and Valentinian the third, Emperour of the East and West. 9 Wilamir, one of the bloud Royall of the Gothes, taking advantage of some quarrels a&rehy;mongst the sons of Attila, shooke off that yoke, and recovered the kingdom of the Gothes; in the time of the Emperour Marcianus. 10 Theodomir son of Winithar, and brother of Wilamir in the time of Leo Emperour of Constantinople. 11 Theodorick son of Theodomir, kept at Constantinople in his youth as a Pledge or Hostage for his Father, where he was instructed in all the Greeke and Roman learning, and made the adopted son (as is said by Scaliger) of the Emperour Zeno: by whom he was sent into Italy against Odoacer and the Heruli erecting there the kingdome of the Ostrogothes, which continued till the reign of Justinian, when destroyed by Belisarius and Narses as before is said; the name of Gothes in Italy being thus extinct, but their bloud intermixt with the best Italian.

The summe of their whole story, for varieties sake take thus out of Du Bartas.

The warlike Goth which whilom issued forth From the cold frozen Islands of the North, Incamp'd by Vistula, but th'Air almost Being there as cold as in the Baltick coast, He with victorious Armes Sclavonia gaines, The Transilvanian and Valachian plaines. Then flies to Thracia, and then leaving Greeks, Greedy of spoile, foure times he bravely seeks To pluck from Rome, then Mars his Minion, The plumes which she from all the world had won: Guided by Rhadaguise, and Alarick, Bold Vindimarus and Theodorick. Thence flies to France; from whence expulst, his Legions Rest ever since upon the Spanish Regions.

The Armes of these Kings are said to have been Or, three Ravens with displayed wings Purple, membred Gules. And let this suffice for the Originall, successes, and finall period of the Gothes; re&rehy;served by me unto this place, because most commonly conceived to be their originall countrey; at least the place out of which they issued, when they first moved towards the East to seeke new dwellings.

SWEDEN.

SWEDEN is bounded on the East with the Bodner Sea, on the West with the Dofrine hils, which part it from Norwey; on the North with Lapland, on the South with Gotland. So called from the Suethans or Suethidi, the old Inhabitants hereof, of whom more anon. A countrey sufficiently fruitfull, but for the goodnesse of the soil inferiour to Gothland, and not so well planted or inha&rehy;bited as that is, by reason of the vast Woods which they will not suffer to be destroyed, and the greatnesse of some marishes hitherto undrained: but might be made as rich and fertile, if the people would, as appeareth by that plenty of corn growing amongst the Woods, though much hindered by their shade and thicknesse both from Sunne and raine. Lapland.But for the character of this Countrey we had it formerly, when we spake of Swethland in the generall; relating specially to this as the prin&rehy;cipall part.

And as the largest and principall part of this great body it containes in it many Provinces, and subdivisions, as namely 1 Upland, 2 Suderman, 3 Noricia, 4 Westman, 5 Dalecarle, 6 Wermelund, 7 Cop&rehy;perdale, 8 Gestricia, 9 Helsingen, 10 Middelphat, 11 Angerman, bordering on Lapland, the furthest of these Provinces towards the North. Many of which have no Townes or Cities of any greatnesse or beauty, the people living thin, and scattered, where they have wood for building, pasturage for their Beasts, and elbow roome enough for themselves and their Cattell. Of these the principall are 1 Upsal, an Archbishops See, and an Universitie, situate not far from the Bay of Bodner: beautified with a large Cathedrall, wherein many of the antient Kings of Swethland are interred. From this City the Countrey hereabouts is styled Archiepiscopatus Upsalensis. 2 Holm, by the Inhabitants called Stock&rehy;holm, by the Russians Stecolne, the Royall seat of the Kings, a noted and well traded Port, and the chief of the kingdome: exceeding strong both by Art and Nature, as being situate in the Marishes like Venice, at the mouth of the Lake, or River of Meler, the passage to it out of the Bay, being very narrow and by consequence easily defended, and yet so deep withall, that the greatest ships of bur&rehy;den may saile up to the City: the Port within the Strait being so safe and capacious, that it is able to receive at one time 300 sail, which usually ride there without any Anchour. The Castle of this City is conceived to be one of the strongest holds in the world, fortified for the more assurance of it with 400 brasse peeces, many of which are double Canons. 3 Nicopen, a Sea town on the same Bay also. These three are in that part hereof which is called Upland. Then there is 4 Strengnes, an Episcopall See; and 5 Telge, on the lake of Meler, in the Province of Suderman; the title and estate of Charles father of Gustavus Adolphus late King of Sweden, before his getting of the Crown cal&rehy;led Duke of Suderman. Next in the Province of Westman, there are 6 Arbogen, on the West side of the said Lake of Meler; and 7 Arose, rich in silver mines; out of which are made the best Dollars of Sweden: the mines here being so rich and profitable, that out of every fifteen pound weight of silver, the workmen draw a pound weight of gold. 8 Helsinge, upon the Bay of Bodner in the Province of Hel&rehy;singen, taking name from hence. 9 Ozebo, or Ourbou, a strong piece in Nerisia; and 10 Lesinger, on the Bay of Bodner, one of the furthest North of Sweden, distinctly and specially so called.

LAPLAND.

LAPLAND, the most Northern part of all Scandia, hath on the East Russia, on the West the Province or Prefecture of Wardhuys, in the kingdome of Norwey; on the North the main frozen Ocean, and on the South Bodia or Bodden on both sides of the Bay so called.

It is named thus originally from the Lappi or Lappones, the Inhabitants of it; as they are from their blockish behaviour; the word Lappon signifying the same with ineptus or insulfus in Latine, for such they are: rude, barbarous, and without the knowledge of Arts or Letters, as also without corn and houses, or any certain habitations, (except onely in Finmarch) feeding for the most part on fish, and the flesh of wild beasts, with the skins whereof sowed together they hide their naked&rehy;nesse. Generally they are meer Idolaters, giving divine honour all day following to that living creature whatsoever it be, which they see at their first setting out in the morning: selling winds to mari&rehy;ners great Sorcerers, and abhor&rehy;ring the sight of strangers, whom till of late they used to flee from, at their first approach; but within few yeares past beginning to be more sociable and familiar. In a word, they are the true descendants of the Antient Finni (possessed in old times of all that tract which lyeth betweene the Bay of Finland and the Frozen Ocean) whose naturall rudenesse and barbaritie, unmixt with the con&rehy;ditions of more civill people, they doe still retain.

It is divided into the Eastern and the Western Lapland. The former appertaining to the Knez or Great Duke of Muscovie, by which people the Inhabitants are called Dikiloppi, or the wild Lappians; is sub&rehy;divided into Biarmia and Corelia, of which if there be any thing in them worth taking notice of, wee shall there speake more. The latter doth belong to the Crown of Sweden, subdivided into 2 parts also, that is to say, Finmarch, and 2 Scricfinnia.

1 FINMARCH, being that part hereof which lyeth next to Norwey, is the more populous of the two, the people for the most part idolatrous, but by the neighbourhood of the Norwegians, and resort of strangers unto Wardhuys, and the parts adjoining, somewhat civilized; and in the borders of both king&rehy;doms savouring of Religion, possessed of sheds or sorry houses, & those house reduced to parishes, under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Upsal, the chiefe of which, (if there be any chief amongst them) are named 1 Samman, and 2 Hielso. Called Finmarch, as the antient bounds and Marches of the Finni (of whom more anon) and therefore erroneously by Maginus made a part of the kingdom of Norwey.

2 SCRICFINNIA lyeth between Finmarch and Russia, the name derived from the Finni, a great people of Scandia, and Scriken a Dutch word signifying leaping, sliding or bounding, for such is their gate. An etymologie not much improbable, in that the wooden-soled shoes with sharp bottomes, which they used for their more speedy sliding over the yce, of which this countrey is full, are by the Ger&rehy;mans (who also use them) called Skates. Scrikeshoenen, or sliding-shoes. The ancient Writers call this people Scrictofinni. Finland.

These are indeed the naturall and proper Laplanders; and unto these the former character doth of right belong. Of stature very low, little more then Pigmeys, but strong and active, well skilled in Archerie, and patient of cold and labour. Much given to hunting of wild beasts whom they kill with their bowes, devoure the flesh, and cloath themselves with their skins, which they tie at the top of their heads, and leave no place open but for the sight, giving thereby occasion unto some to write, that they are hairie all over like kine or horses. Such Deere (whereof they have great plenty) as they take unkilled, they make to draw in little carts, as they shift their Quarters. But having served them for a while they are killed at last, though perhaps for nothing but their skinnes; a certaine number of which they pay yeerly to the King of Sweden in the way of tribute. Three companies of these Laplanders, so clad and armed as aforesaid, came into Germanie in the year 1630 to serve Gu&rehy;stavus in those wars; looked on with admiration by all spectators.

Townes we must look for none here, where no houses be: and yet there are some sheds and cabbins on the Sea shore; which Mariners having made for their refreshment when they came on land, have bestowed some names on, and possibly in time may become good townes, now not worth the naming.

BODIA.

BODIA, BODEN, or BODNER, is situate on the South of Scricfinnia, betwixt it and the Bay or Gulfe hence named; extending southwards on the West side of it till it joines to Sweden, and on the East side till it meet with the Province of Finland. Hence the division of this countrey, into the Eastern, Northern, and Western Bodden; with reference to the situation of it on the Bay aforesaid. The countrey not very plentifull of grain or fruites, but full of great variety of wilde beasts, whose rich skins yeeld great profit unto the Inhabitants; and by reason of the commodious situation on all sides of the Bay, well stored with Fish. Antiently it was part of the possessions of the Finni, but how or whence it had the name of Bodia, or Bodden, or Bodner, I am yet to learn. But whence soever it had the name, certain I am, that from hence the Gulfe adjoining, is called Sinus Bodicus, Bodner Zee, by the Dutch or Germans.

Chief Townes here in are 1 Barkara, in West Bodden betwixt the Bay and a great navigable lake; 2 Gernia, a well traded Emporie at the very bottom of the Bay in North Bodden; 3 Helsingeliac, more North then that, towards the borders of Lapland, and 4 Korldby, in East Bodden, on the bank of the Gulfe, conveniently seated for a town of Trade.

3. FINLAND.

FINLAND hath on the North, Bodia; on the South, the Baltick Sea, or Mare Suevicum: on the East, Sinus Finnicus; on the West, Sinus Bodicus. It is by Munster thought to be called Finland, quasi fine land; quod pulchrior & amanior sit Suecia, because it is a more fine and pleasing countrey than Sweden it selfe. But indeed it is so called from the Finni, or Fenni; a potent Nation who have here dwelt; whose character is thus framed by Tacitus: Finnis mira feritas, fœda paupertas, non arma, non equi, no penates, victui herbæ, vestitui pelles, cubile humus, sola in sagittis spes. The Finnes, saith he, are wonderfully barbarous, miserably poore, without Armes, Horse, or Household Goods: Herbs their food, the ground their bed, and the skins of beasts their best apparell, armed onely with their Arrowes, and in them their hopes. A Character which agreeth every way with our present Finlan&rehy;ders, especially those of Scricfinnia, and some parts of Finmarchia, who are not so well reclaimed to ci&rehy;vility, as the other are; but very different from that which Jornandes gives them, who living within 400 yeares after Tacitus, before they had much (if any) entercourse with forein Nations, tel&rehy;leth us of them that they were Scanziæ Cultoribus omnibus mitiores, more tractable and civill then any of the Inhabitants of Scandia, not excepting the Suethidi themselves. If so, they did deserve to live in so good a Countrey, more plentifull and plaine then Sweden, and neither so hilly nor so moorish.

The principall places in it are 1. Abo, an Archbishops See, situate on the most Southern point of it, shooting into the Baltick. 2 Wiburg, a Bishops See also, whose jurisdiction for the most part is without this Province, on some part of Russia; all Finland being in the Diocese of the Bishop of Abo. A town conveniently seated at the bottome of the Bay or Gulfe of Finland (called Sinus Fin&rehy;nicus in Latine) which divides this Countrey from Livonia: well fortified as the chief Bulwarke of this Kingdome against the Moscovite; and so well garrisoned withall, that the keeping of this town, and Rivallia in the borders of Liefland, doe cost the king of Sweden 100000 Dollars yearly. 3. Udden, on a point or Promontorie of the same Gulfe opposite to Narve, another Garrison of this king, in Liefland. 4. Verma upon the Bodner Zee, 5 Cronaburg, more within the land, at the efflux of a River out of the Lake called Puente, 6 Deckala, on the banks of the great Lake called Hosela. 7 Varta, more northwards towards Lapland: of which last four I finde not any thing ovservable in the way of story.