to adore, or the manner of his worship: wherefore out of reverence to them they will not recede from their opinions, least they should seem to reprove them of ignorance or impiety. Lastly, this happens upon the account of inveterate Custom, which at all times is hardly forgot, especially where it prevails as a Law. This is it that darkens their understanding, and renders it incapable of discerning between true and false. For these and some other reasons there remain severall tracks of Superstition and Idolatry, w^{ch} require no small time to be wore out; as we see in severall of the meaner sort, nor only in _Swedland_, but in _Germany_, _France_, and other Countries, where there is found much of the old superstition, tho in other things they are orthodox enough. Amongst the _Laplanders_ these opinions may be reduced to two heads, for they are superstitious and paganish, or Magical and Diabolical. Of the first sort some of their superstitions are only vain and fabulous, others very impious and heathenish. As first of all their distinctions between white and black daies. Of the later sort they account the Feasts of _S. Katharine_ and _S. Mark_, whom they call _Cantepaive_, and _S. Clement_, upon which daies they abstain from all business, and chiefly from hunting. And of this they give two reasons; first, because they say if they should hunt on any of those daies, their bows and arrows would be broken, and they should forfeit their good success in that sport all the year. In like manner they esteem the first day of Christmas to be unlucky, insomuch that Masters of families go not out of their Cottages, not so much as to Church, but send their Children and Servants, for fear of I know not what spirits and dæmons, which they suppose to wander about the air in great Companies upon that day; and that they must first be appeased by certain Sacrifices, which we shall mention hereafter. This superstition, I suppose, sprang from a misinterpretation of the story which they heard from their Priest, how a great host of Angels came down from Heaven upon our Saviours Nativity, and frighted the Shepheards. They are likewise great observers of Omens, and amongst others they guess at the success of the day from the first beast they meet in the morning. They forbid the woman to go out of that door thro which the man went a hunting, as thinking the way would be improsperous if a woman trod the same steps.