_Lapland_ Bride, sufficiently agree with their custom at this day. They set the Bride saies he, apparell’d in _Ermins_ and _Sables_ skins on a _Rain-deer_. At this day both dress’d very fine are carried to the Church or Priest, to be joined in Marriage; this was not the custom in old times, if we give credit to _Olaus Magnus_, for then they were joined at home, not by the Priests but the Parents, his words are in _Lib._ 4. _Cap._ 7. in which place he treats of the _Laplanders_ weddings, as the Title of the Chapter informs us. In the presence of friends and kindred, the Parents solemnly ratifie their Childrens Marriages, and that too by the striking of fire with a flint and steel, particularly there he makes the Parents joining them, and adds moreover the manner, viz. by fire striken out of a flint, which without doubt as some other things, he cull’d out of _Zeigler_, but as for the parents doing it, _Zeigler_ has nothing of that, the manner of their joining he explains in these words, They ratifie their Marriages, and begin them in a ceremony of fire and flint, so pat a conjugal mysterie, that they think nothing can be more agreeable, for as the flint conceals within it self fire, which by concussion breaks forth, so in both sexes there is life hid, which by the mutual coupling of marriage is propagated at last to be a living ofspring. And just so _Olaus_ has it, so that there can be no doubt made but that he followed _Ziegler_. When they arrive near the Church, they observe in their procession a certain order, first walk the Men, the Women follow. The Men are led up by a _Laplander_, whom they call _Automwatze_, or foreman, then follows the Bridegroom, after him the rest. Some number of Virgins lead up the womens company, after them comes the Bride led between a man and a woman, next to her follow the rest of the women. Tis here to be observed that the Bride like one strugling against it, and endeavoring the contrary, is dragged along by the man and woman that are to wait upon her, and would seem to admit of her marriage with great unwillingness and reluctancy, and therefore in her countenance makes shew of extraordinary sadness and dejection: so afterwards in the Church they are joined together by praiers and benediction according to the Christian rite. After the same manner does _John Tornæus_ relate this busines, only that he saies the Bride is led by two men, her Father and Brother, if alive, or otherwise by her two next Kinsmen. The portraicture of the Bride in her wedding apparel, and with her two leaders you have in the next page. After the solemnity of the marriage is ended, there follows a wedding feast, that is made in her Parents hut, and as for the provision, each of the persons invited contributes his share of the victuals, tho they bring it not thither just then, but the day before: when the Bridegroom distributes his presents to the Brides parents and kindred, then every one brings his victuals that