of the Province, _Landzhœfdingh_, a head over the _Laplanders_, _Lappafougten_, their Officers who perform all other duties. In this manner the _Laplanders_ are now governed by the _Swedes_. CHAP. XIII. _Of the Judicatures and Tributes of the_ Laplanders. After the manner of their Government, and the discipline they live under, we descend to those affairs that are managed by it; which belong either to the Courts of Judicature, or to the Tribute. I can scarce find any mention of the former. Their own Kings, when they were a free Nation, exercised this autority, and kept the jurisdiction in their own hands; but when the _Birkarli_ ruled them, it depended altogether on their plesure. _Zeigler_ makes no mention of any Judges among them, but saies that if any dispute happened that was dubious, it was referred to the Courts in _Swedland_; I suppose he means the more weighty controversies, which the _Birkarli_ could not, or did not dare to decide. But these were very rare with them, for great crimes, as theft, rapine, murder, adultery, or such like are seldom committed and scarce known by the _Laplanders_. They neither borrow nor lend mony, being content with what they possess of their own, which are commonly the occasions of quarrels in other Nations, and maintain so many Lawyers. The chief sin they are guilty of is their magical superstition, which since their embracing Christianity, is forbidden by the Laws, and is not so frequent as formerly. After that _Gustavus_ the first had deposed the _Birkarli_, and given them Governors of their own, they lived under better discipline, and greater diligence was used in seeing Justice done, but _Charles_ the ninth was the first that took care to have them instructed in the Swedish Laws, and that they should regulate themselves accordingly. This charge was given by the same King in his instructions to _Laurentius Laurentii_, Governor of _Lapland_, dated from _Stockholm_ on the 10^{th} of Oct. 1610, wherein he commanded him to govern those of _Uma_, _Pitha_, and _Luhla_, according to the Swedish Laws, and to protect them from all injuries. There are at present in _Lapland_ three Governors, and as many Courts of Judicature: the first is called _Anundsiœense_, or _Angermansian_, the other _Uhmensian_, _Pithensian_ and _Luhlensian_, the other is the _Tornensian_, and _Kiemensian_. Over these are particular Governors, who in the Kings name pass Sentence, but in the presence of a Judge and a Priest; where it is observable that they added Priests to the Governors, to restrain them from doing injustice by the autority of their presence. Now as to the time when these Courts were called, it is a doubt, but I believe it was at the Fair times, when they met about all public business; this was commonly twice in a year, _viz._ in Winter and Summer, according to an order of _Charles_ the ninth’s. It is now in _January_ and _February_. They were held in the same places