The present state of Denmark and reflections upon the ancient state thereof. Together with a particular account of the birth, education, martial atchievements and brave performances of His Royal Highness Prince George, only brother of His present Majesty of Denmark. / By G. Pierreville Gent. Secretary to the King's Minister at the Court of Denmark.

The Islands of Fero.

THE Islands of Fero are only many high Rocks and Mountains covered with thin Earth, of about two foot deep, and divided from each other by rapid streams of deep water: Part of them are inhabited, and part stocked with Cattle;

the Account whereof, with their Havens, Creeks, Inlets, and other Circumstances, take as followeth.

They are Seventeen in number; Fugloe, or Fowle-Island, about two English Miles in breadth, and three in length. 2. Swino, in which is a pleasant Valley of a mile is length. 3. Vederoe, six Miles long, and three broad. 4. Bordoe, six Miles in length 5. Kunoe is a long and narrow Island, much of the same bigness as Bordoe. 6. Kalsoe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 seven Miles long, & near two Miles broad, 7. Osteroe is almost twenty Miles in length, but unequal in breadth; for some places are two miles broad, others four or six Miles broad, according as the points stretch themselves far out. 8. Fromoe twenty four Miles long, and eight broad, being the largest of the Feroe Islands, and contains the Town of Thorshaven, the Metropolis and place of greatest Trade of them all▪ 9. Wagoe, a round piece of ground of a∣bout eight miles in Diameter. 19. Mig∣geness, three miles long, and one and a had broad, having a high Territory, with high Promontories round about it, there being but one place to come on Land. 11. Kol∣ter, a small Island, a Mile in length, and half a Mile in breadth. Betwixt twenty and thir∣ty years ago, there was found on the

highest top of the Mountain of Kolter, the quantity of many Tonnes of Herrings spread along; the Mountain where the Herrings were found is above two hun∣dred fathoms high, being carried thither by a Whirl-wind. 12. Sandoe eight Miles long, and four Miles broad. 13. Skuo three Miles long, and one broad. 14. Forcdie∣men, or Great Dam, is almost round, being a good Mile in Diameter, with a high Territory, for the most part flat and green, above with great Clefis round about. 13. Lille-Diemen, a small Island, whereon feed a vast number of wild Sheep▪ 16. Suderoi, twenty Miles long, and eight broad, having a very good little harbour fiord, having a bowed Creek, where there is one of the best. Havens in Fero, called called Punthaven. And lastly, 17. Vaages-Lebroc. Besides, four little Isles, or Holmes, namely, Tintholm, Muggenesholm, Troleho∣fred, and Lilly-Diemen, which afford only Pasture for wild Sheep, with several other smaller Holms, whereof the most neces∣sary to be known by Mariners are Hof∣frigsholm, Kirckbockholm, and Combocholm.

The Air of these Islands is temperate in all seasons, not over-hot in Summer, nor so violent cold in Winter, as to cause Ice in any of the Bays, and withal wholsom, and

free from all Contagious Diseases▪ unless introduced by Strangers; so that the In∣habitants generally attain to a very long life: Yet the Scurvey, the Leprosie, and a sort of Feverish Distemper, by the In∣habitants called Landsarforo, are Epidemi∣cal Diseases, which reign in most of these Islands, but rarely prove mortal. Besides, the Inhabitants are exceedingly subject to Rheums, which occasion Coughs and Head-achs, which they nevertheless cure by drinking some Whey, as hot as they can bear it. Thunder they never hear in Summer, but often in Winter, Spring and Autumn, and that too attended with vio∣lent Storms.

The Fertility of these Islands is not over great, they affording hardly any other grain than Barley, whereof, never∣theless a Tun of Seed will commonly yield twenty or thirty Tun of grain. But their Pasture-grounds abound in good and sweet Grass, and those stockt with as large and fat Oxen, as shall be seen in any other part of Europe.

These Islands do likewise abound in all sorts of Medicinal herbs, as Scurvey-grass, Water-cresses, Sorrel, angelica; as also Radix Rhodia, which is no where met with in such abundance, as upon the

Banks of Running Streams and Lakes in these Islands. Thus they want nothing re∣quisie for the cure of such Distempers as the Natives are most subject to.

Great plenty, and variety of Fowl is here to be found, as doves, Stares, Owls, Sparrow-Hawks, Crows, Grillins, and Ravens, as well white, as others. The Sea-Fowl with them in most request is a kind of Teal, about the bigness of a Crow, with a long, round, and yellow Bill. The Eyder (a sort of Duck, which yields the Eyder Down) is a Bird pecu∣liar to these Islands, and which usually pulls the Down from her own Breast to make her Nest withal. When her young one are fledg'd and fled, the Natives take away the Down, and change it for use. But if the Feathers be pull'd off by man, they rot away forthwith, and are of no use. Another remarkable Fowl they have by them, called Imbrim, with a long Neck and Beak, the Back grey, and chequer'd with white spots, with a white Ring about the Neck: This Bird has two holes under her Wings, each large enough to hold an Egg; here 'tis thought she hatches two Eggs at once, being never seen with above two young ones at a time, nor known to come ashore.

The neighbouring Seas do provide the Natives with God, Whiting, large Floun∣ders, Marts a kind of Pilchards, of which such store, that the Havens and Creeks are filled with them, besides, Seals, Grind Whales, Morsses, and Dogfish, though their fishing Trade is much decayed of late years to what it was formerly.

These Islands were first inhabited by Norwegians about the year 840. and so the Norwegian tongue was for a long while generally spoke, though of late years the Danish Dialect has much prevailed.

The people are humble and civil to one another, and especially Courteous to Stran∣gers; Loyal, and liberal in their Contribu∣tions to the Government, and Charitable to the Poor: they are moderate and fru∣gal in their Dyet, which is chiefly on Milk, Fish, Gruel, and Flesh. They dry both their Flesh and Fish in the Wind, having Wind houses for that purpose, when the flesh is dryed, they boyl it in Water, and thicken the Broth with Barley Meal; which is reckon'd one of their greatest Delicacies.

As for their Apparel, the Men wear woollen shirts, flannel Trowces, and Wast∣coats, with short loose Coats of the same. The Women rich and poor, go all alike, in strait Growns without skirts. Their

Stomachers are commonly large, and a∣dorn'd with thin gingling guilt plates of Tin. Their Shoes have no soles, but have pieces of leather drawn together at the Heels and Toes, and fastned with a string, or ribband about the Ancle, and are of Sheep-skin for the Women, and tann'd Neats leather for the Men. They lie on Beds of Hay, overspread with pieces of flannel.

These People were first Converted to Christianity in the year 1000. by Sigismoad Bristyon, a Native of Fero, who was sent by the King of Denmark into his own Country for that purpose, Immediately after the Augsbourg Confession was recei∣ved in Denmark, and Norway, it was estab∣lished in Fero, these Islands containing at this day thirty nine Parishes, which are all officiated by Ministers of the Lutheran Religion. Besides Sundays, Holy-days, and the usual days of Prayer, as in other pla∣ces, they annually observe six peculiar days of Prayer, three in Ascension week, and three in Michaelmas week. They have one publick School endowed by King Chri∣stian the 4. and Nichilas Trolls, Vice-Ad∣miral of Denmark.

As to the Government of these Islands, it is divided into the six Districts of Nor∣deroe,

Ostaroe, Stromoe, Waaegoe, Sandoe, and Sanorce. Each of these Districts has a Sheriff, who sits as Judge, and determines all Causes and Controversies of less mo∣ment. The Laws of Norway are the Laws of these Islands. They having none pecu∣liar of their own.

The Ecclesiastical affairs are governed by a Synod of the Priests and Ministers, who meet and fit once a year. Out of the whole Synod one is Elected to preside o∣ver the rest, with the title of Provost.

The Principal Commodities these Islands afford, are Skins, Feathers, Tallow, Train∣oyl, and Stockings; upon all which there is a particular price set. Stockins are the chief staple Commodity they have, in the making of which, all the Inhabitants of all Conditions are constrained to employ them∣selves for the getting a lively-hood, which the smallness of their Incomes, their slender possessions, and inconsiderable sti∣pends, would hardly otherwise afford.

As for the Isle of Schetland, which many will have to be the Ancient Thule, it lies about sixty Degrees, & a few odd Minutes of Northern latitude, and has nothing very observable, the manners of its Inhabitants, the natuae of its Soyl, the temperature of its Air &c. being much the same as in Iseland.