This was the State of Christianity in _Lapland_ till the times of _Gustavus_, differing from their ancient Paganism only in name, and a few external rites, whereby they labored to make the World believe that they were Christians; which gave _Damianus à Goes_ (tho a friend and contemporary of _Johannes_ and _Olaus Magnus_) very good reason to complain that there was no knowledg of God and Christ in the Land. From hence we may understand how to interpret _Olaus M._ when he saies that by the earnest and pious exhortations of the Catholic Priests, great part of these wild People were, and more were likely to be brought over to the Christian Religion. But when _Gustavus_ came to the Crown, as he took greater care then his Predecessors for promoting of the true Religion in other parts of his dominions, so he did in _Lapland_ also; and as the chief means to effect this, he took the peculiar charge of them upon himself. Whereas heretofore they were rather tributaries of the _Birkarli_ then the Kings of _Sweden_; and consequently neglected by those Kings; now at some set times in the Winter, they were obliged to meet together in a place appointed, where they were to pay their tribute to the Kings Officers, and be instructed in the Gospel by the Priests, and also to give an account of what they learnt the year before. This custom must needs have its beginning in _Gustavus_’s time, for he was the first King that demanded tribute of the _Laplanders_, and consequently that assembled them together for the paying of it. Besides _Olaus M._ mentions no such institution; which he would have don had it bin received in his time. Nay he confesses that if the _Laplanders_ had a mind to have their Children baptised, they were forc’t to carry them on their backs two hundred Italian miles to a Christian Church, in some of their neighboring Countries, as _Aongermannia_, _Helsingia_, and the like, and if they neglected this duty, there was none to reprove them for it. This made _Gustavus_ complain in a Letter dated at _Stocholme_, July 24. 1556, that there were many among them, who were never baptised, which proceeded from an opinion that those who were baptised in their riper years, would dy Within 7 or 8 daies after; but when _Gustavus_ together with his Collectors sent Priests into _Lapland_, their children were baptised, and they instructed at home. Nor were they obliged only to a bare hearing of the word, but to a diligent attention, because they were to be catechised afterwards, and give an account of their progress; so that now it was that they began to be Christians in good earnest, and in this respect it might with some reason be said that in this last age the Gospel began to be preached among them, and that before they were wholy ignorant of the means of their salvation. Now it was that they had certain Priests appointed to instruct them, the first whereof, or at least since the reformation, was one _Michael_, whom _Gustavus_ in his before mentioned Letter earnestly recommends to them, giving him especial command by pious exhortation to reduce them to the true knowledg of God, and the Christian Faith.