Law, compiled by Grieffelfeld, at the command of Chriftian the
Fifth, the great legillator of his country. By this law, the palladium
o f Norway, the pealants are free, a few only excepted on
certain noble eftates near Frederickftadt. But the virtue of this
law extends itfelf even to thofe ferfs, for no proprietor can have
more than one o f thefe privileged eftates ; and unlefs he pofleffes a
title or certain rank, and refides on his eftate, he lofes his privilege,
and the peafants are free.
The benefits o f the Norway Code are lb vifible in its general
effefts on the happinefs and in the appearance of the peafants,
that a traveller mail be blind who does not inftantly perceive the
difference between the free pealants of Norway and the enflaved
vaflals of Denmark, though both living under the lame government.
Many o f the peafants pretend to be defcended from the antient
nobles, and feme even from the royal line: they greatly pride
themfelves upon this feppofed defcent, -and are careful not to
give their children in marriage but to their equals in birth and
iblood.
A curious cuftom prevails in Norway, called odds right, or
fight of inheritance, by which the proprietor of certain freehold
■eftates may re-purc'hafe his eftate, which either he or any of his
anceftors have fold, provided he can prove the title of his family.
But in.order to enforce this claim, his anceftors, or he, muft
have declared every tenth year, at the feflions, that they lay claim
to the eftate, but that they want money to redeem i t ; and if he,
or
or his heirs are able to obtain a fufficient fum, then the pòfiéfìbr
muft, on receiving the money, give up thè eftate to the odels-man.
For this reafon, the peafants who are freeholders keep a ftrift
account of their pedigree. This cuftom is attended with advantages
and diladvantages. As to the advantages, it fixes the
affedtions of the peafant on his native place, and he improves
with pleafure thofe poffefiions which are fo ftrongly fecured to
him : it increafes the confequence and excites the induftry of his
family. On the contrary, the eftate lofes its value when fold to
another perfon, becaufe, as he poffeffes only a precarious eftate,
which he may be obliged' to refign, he is not inclined to improve
the lands, as if they were irrecoverably his own.
The Norwegian peafants poflèfs much fpirit and fire in their
manner, are ftank, open, and undaunted, yet not infolentj never
fawning to their fuperiors, yet paying proper refpeft to thofe
above them.
Their principal, mode of ialute is by offering their hand; and
when we gave them or. paid them a trifle, the peafants, inftead of
returning thanks by words or by a bow, ihook our hands with
great franknefs and cordiality.
The peafants of Norway are well clothed and well lodged, and
appear to poffefs more comforts and conveniences of life than any
which I have feen in the courfe of my travels, excepting in feme
parts of Switzerland.
They weave their ordinary cloth and linen ; they make alfe;
a-kind of ftuff like a Scotch plaid.. The cloth which the men ufe
9, for.-