CHAP. VII. Of the Religion of the Laplanders.
HAVING seen the rise and Original of the Laplanders, we come now to speak more distinctly of them, but first of their Religion; not only what is now, but also what was before Christianity came to be receiv'd there. For there were Laplanders, or at least some Inhabitants of Lapland before the Christian Religion was introduced: such as the Finni, Lappofinni, Scrid∣finni, or Biarmi, as is above said; but it was very long before the Laplanders properly so called embraced the Christian Religion. At first there is no doubt they were Pagans, as all the Northern Nations were, but being all Pagans were not of the same Religion, it may be enquired which the Lap∣landers profest. And I suppose it could be no other then that of the Fin∣landers, from whom they derive their original, and consequently their Re∣ligion too. But what the Religion of the Finlanders was is very uncertain, since we have no account of the ancient affairs of that Nation. Therefore we must make our conjectures from the Biarmi, and Scridfinni, as also from some remains among the Finlanders and Laplanders.
We have already prov'd the Biarmi to be the first Colony that the Fin∣landers sent into Lapland, of whom this is chiefly recorded in ancient Mo∣numents, that they worship'd a certain God whom they called Jumala: which Jumala or Jomala is manifestly a different word from what is mentioned in the History of St. Olaus King of Norway, and of Herrodus, for they relate it as peculiar to the Biarmi, and unknown to themselves; who being either Goths, Norwegians or Islanders, it cannot possibly be any old Gothic word, but of some other Country, and therefore most probably of Fin∣land, where it is now in use. For God, which is by the Swedes, Goths, and all of the same original termed Gott, or Gudh, is by them called Jumala;