The Custom of Lapland for the marrying of their Daughters.
IT is Death in Lapland to marry a Maid without her Parents or Friends Consent; wherefore, if one bear affection to a young Maid, upon the breaking thereof to her Friends, the fashion is, that a day is appointed for their Friends to meet, to be∣hold the two young Parties to run a Race together. The Maid is allowed in starting the advantage of a third part of the Race, so that it is impossible, ex∣cept willing of her self, that she should ever be over∣taken. If the Maid over-run her Suiter, the mat∣ter is ended, he must never have her, it being penal for the man again to renew the motion of Marriage. But, if the Virgin hath an Affection for him, tho' at the first running hard, to try the Truth of his Love, she will (without Atalanta's golden Balls to retard her speed) pretend some Casualty, and make a voluntary hault before she cometh to the Mark, or end of the Race. Thus none are compelled to marry against their own Wills; and this is the cause that in this poor Country the married People are richer in their own Contentment than in other Lands, where so many forced Matches make feigned Love, and cause real Unhappiness.