Sweden, or the Kingdom of the Swedes

a revision: In the first place, causes are heard and judged in cities by the Consuls and Aldermen of the cities, but in the countryside by the judge of the territory, whom they call Häredzhöffding, from whom an appeal may be made to the provincial judge, whom they call Lagman, and from him again to that supreme court of which we have spoken.

After the administration of justice, the next duty of the King appears to be the defense of the fatherland, and therefore it is fitting that he should always have vigorous soldiers, not only born of brave and good stock, but also trained with the utmost diligence and industry; furthermore, he must always have at the ready instruments of war of every kind: which province the Kings of Sweden are accustomed to entrust to the Richfens Marsk, or Marshal of the Kingdom, whom, since he bears the care of military fortitude, they have called Marsk by contraction from the ancient name Madersk, which signifies a brave or martial man; and it is likely that Mars himself, whom the ancients once (as Virgil testifies) believed presided over the Getic fields, derived his name from the same origin. It is the duty of this Marshal to act as the General Duke of war, when the King himself does not wish to preside over the battle line. He [has] colleagues