In every year, either before or after the harveft, when the
, peafants are leaft employed, the companies of each regiment
are ieparately aflfembled for a fortnight or three weeks. The
landholder is obliged to tranfport the man and his baggage
to the place o f rendezvous, and fupport him during his ftay
at the review. Befide thefe annual encampments, once in
three years a general review o f each regiment takes place.
The men are a]fo cpnftantly exercifed on Sundays after divine
fervice in fmall parties, and in larger corps for fome time
before the encampment, but more particularly in Spring.
If, in time o f war, thefe troops are marched out o f the
country, the crown receives the ufual contributions from the
landholder, and provides the foldiers with clothes, provi-
iions, Sep.
In the Spring o f 17 79 the following was nearly the ftate
o f the Swedilh army ;
Regular Troops,
Nine « regiments o f infantry * - - 9,000
Two of cavalry » - * - 800
Artillery *■ » * - a ,900
Total o f regular troops
National Militia.
Twenty-one regiments of infantry, about
Seven of cavalry *
Light dragoons *
ï 2,700
24,000
7,400
3)4 ° °
Total o f national militia - - 34,800
Total o f the garrifon and national troops 47,500
« T h e U r g e d regiment» contain 1670, ju tan t» .— E a ch company o f t jo m e n hat a
th e to a lle t t 1000, and arc divided in to com- captain, lieu ten an t, enfign, five non-
p an ic s . T h e ftaff-ofliceri are a co lo n e l, coramiflioned officer», and fix corpora)», the
lieu ten an t-colon el, two majore, 9 t ju a r tc r - la t te r o f whom are in c lu ded in the 150,
m a ile r , w h o rank» a i capta in , and two ad .
IV. I Hi all clofe this chapter with a few remarks on the chap.
Penal Laws, ■ ' .
There are four fuperior courts o f juftice, called Hof-
Rsett : at Stockholm for Sweden Proper; at Lindkioping
for the kingdom o f Gothland ; at Abo for South Finland;
and at Vafa for North Finland. No fentence o f death paifed
by the inferior courts can be carried into execution, unlefs
ratified by thefe tribunals.
The inferior tribunals are Kiamar's Ratter, which
aflemble, as occafion requires, in the principal towns ; and
the Harads Rsetter, or a kind o f aifizes, generally held three
times, in the year under the county judges. It may not be
uninterefting to mention in this place, that, in the latter,
there is a kind o f jury, confiding o f tw'elve peafants, chofen
by the diftridt, and confirmed by the governor o f the province:
they continue in office for life, and feven o f them
form a court. In all criminal cafes the judge demands their
opinion, which prevails againft his decifion i f they fhould
be unanimous. ; But this inftitution, according to practice,
is a mere formality : for the jurymen are fo ignorant and
poor, that moft o f them pay an implicit deference to the dictates
of the judge ; befides, their fentiments have only force
when they all agree; and they are not, as with us, obliged
to be unanimous. The lupinenefs indeed, and paffivenels,
of thefe infigni-ficant retainers o f juftice is fo notorious, that
a man,, remarkable for his indolence and inattention, is commonly
laid to be as Jleepy as a juryman.
.. The ufual mode o f execution in Sweden is beheading and
hanging. Every criminal capitally convi&ed is indulged
with the privilege of petitioning the k in g : they either complain,
o f unjuft condemnation, and in that cafe demand a re-
3 vital