to him into a golden dish, of a vast weight and bigness, which stood upon his knees. This Vessel, in the History of _Olaus_, is said to be of silver, and full of silver coin, for a little before his time both basin and gold were lost, and the _Biarmi_, never had an opportunity of getting more. They did not worship _Jumala_ every where, but in some few places, or perhaps only in that one, where in a thick remote wood he had a kind of a Temple, not as they are usually built with walls and roof, but only a piece of ground fenced as the old Roman Temples were; from hence one might look every way, which could not have bin don had they bin cover’d at the top. As in the form of their Temples, so in the situation of them they did imitate the ancients, who for the most part chose groves to worship their Gods in, and there built their Temples. So much of _Jumala_, and the ancient manner of worshipping him amongst the _Biarmi_, as it is transmitted to us by ancient Writers; but of _Thor_, the Sun, and the other Gods, there is nothing read but what belongs to the times of Christianity, and the superstition still remaining amongst them, of which we shall speak particularly in the following Chapter. CHAP. VIII. _Of the second, or Christian Religion of the_ Laplanders. _Lapland_ among other Nations, after a long night of Paganism, was enlightned with the Christian Religion: of which I shall now speak. In the first place we must enquire how and when they first began to hear’d of Christs name: but this will be very difficult, because all Writers are silent herein. _Plantin_ indeed affirms from their report, that they first hear of the Christian Religion in the last age; from whence he concludes that they came out of _Finland_ before the _Finlanders_ were converted. But for all this we can hardly yield our assent to him; for it is certain on the contrary that they knew, and some of them embraced, the Christian Religion in the time of _Ziegler_, who lived in the very beginning of the precedent age, and was present at the destruction of _Stockholm_ by _Christiern_ the Tyrant, which he hath very well described: he affirms that they admited Christianity to obtain the favor of their Kings, which cannot be spoken of _Christiern_, or his immediate Predecessor, but of several others in former ages. And indeed it is very improbable that so many Christian Kings should take no care of propagating their Religion among the _Laplanders_, but permit them to live in a heathenish impiety, without so much as ever hearing the name of Christ; especially since there are Letters of _Ericus_ King of _Pomerania_ extant, wherein he advises the Consistory of _Upsal_ that they would send Priests to instruct the _Laplanders_; which _Charles_ the IX afterwards made an argument of his title to _Lapland_ against his neighbors. Besides they had adjoining to them the _Birkarli_, who were either _Finlanders_ or _Swedes_, and were