men of the mountains, from _Berga_ mountain, and _Charar_ or _Karar_ men. What grounds he hath for this, he neither declares, nor can I easily imagine. But I think them so small that they will find little credit any where; for from whence, or from what mountains should they be thus called? not from those of _Norway_, when at that time no body inhabited there; neither are there any other mountains besides these, from whence they should take this name: moreover, the _Birkarli_ were subjects to the _Swedes_, and conversed commonly with the _Laplanders_. The public records also contradict this opinion, for in them there is no mention of _Bergcharli_, but _Birkarleboa_. It is yet clearer also from the Letters of _Cnute Joanson_, written in Latine, in the year 1318, where he saies in the Parliament held at _Telge_, betwixt the _Helsingers_ and _Birkarleboa_ in his presence, there was issued out this Placart, _&c._ This serves to confute _Olaus_. It is more evident that they came from _Birkala_, an allotment in _Tavastia_, and described in the Mapps. Next, as to _Gustavus_ the first mentioning the _Birkarli_, in the foresaid Letters, as belonging to severall marches, _viz._ _Luhla_, _Pitha_, and _Torna_ it was upon this account: the _Birkarli_ that descended from those of _Tavastia_, were placed in these severall Towns to govern the _Laplanders_, and because they only had the priviledge of commerce with them, they were called Merchants. They were used in the Summer to buy those commodities of the Merchants that came to _Bothnia_, which were necessary for the _Laplanders_, and in the Winter, when the Rivers and Lakes were frozen over, they carried them up into the Countrey. This way of trafic was used by all the Inhabitants of _Bothnia_, but perhaps only at first by one allotment, which growing populous, severall of the Inhabitants removed farther into the Countrey, and retained the same priviledge that was first granted by _Ladulaus_, _viz._ that no one, but they, should claim any priviledges over the _Laplanders_, either as to the Government, tribute, commerce, or any thing of this nature, which priviledges they for a long time enjoied, as is confirmed by the Letters wrote by _Cnute Joanson_, in the time of King _Smecke_, in which it was provided that the _Birkarli_ should not be molested either in their passage to or from the _Laplanders_. This priviledge they maintained till _Gustavus_ the first, who made a Contract with them at _Upsal_ on the 4^{th} of _April_ 1528, concerning the yearly tribute they were to pay to the Crown, for the great advantages they received from the _Laplanders_. This tribute was only in respect of the priviledges the _Birkarli_ had from _Ladulaus_’s time till then, these were so largely granted, that they setled them as hereditary upon their children, and none but those descended from the _Birkarli_ could enjoy them. This _Gustavus_ also confirmed according to the former grants made to their ancestors,