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==Chapter 141==
==Chapter 141==


'''TITLE.'''
'''OF THE DECLARATIONS OF THE SUITS.'''


ENSKA
 
It was one day that men went to the Hill of Laws, and the chiefs were so placed that Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, and Gizur the White, and Gudmund the Powerful, and Snorri the Priest, were on the upper hand by the Hill of Laws; but the Eastfirthers stood down below.
 
Mord Valgard's son stood next to Gizur his father-in-law, he was of all men the readiest-tongued.
 
Gizur told him that he ought to give notice of the suit for manslaughter, and bade him speak up, so that all might hear him well.
 
Then Mord took witness and said, "I take witness to this that I give notice of an assault laid down by law against Flosi Thord's son, for that be rushed at Helgi Njal's son and dealt him a brain, or a body, or a marrow wound, which proved a death-wound, and from which Helgi got his death. I say that in this suit he ought to be made a guilty man, an outlaw, not to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to be helped or harboured in any need. I say that all his goods are forfeited, half to me and half to the men of the Quarter, who have a right by law to take his forfeited goods. I give notice of this suit for manslaughter in the Quarter Court into which this suit ought by law to come. I give notice of this lawful notice; I give notice in the hearing of all men on the Hill of Laws; I give notice of this suit to be pleaded this summer, and of full outlawry against Flosi Thord's son; I give notice of a suit which Thorgeir Thorir's son has handed over to me."
 
Then a great shout was uttered at the Hill of Laws, that Mord spoke well and boldly.
 
Then Mord began to speak a second time.
 
"I take you to witness to this," says he, "that I give notice of a suit against Flosi Thord's son. I give notice for that he wounded Helgi Njal's son with a brain, or a body, or a marrow wound, which proved a death-wound, and from which Helgi got his death on that spot where Flosi Thord's son had first rushed on Helgi Njal's son with an assault laid down by law. I say that thou, Flosi, ought to be made in this suit a guilty man, an outlaw, not to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to be helped or harboured in any need. I say that all thy goods are forfeited, half to me and half to the men of the Quarter, who have a right by law to take the goods which have been forfeited by thee. I give notice of this suit in the Quarter Court into which it ought by law to come; I give notice of this lawful notice; I give notice of it in the hearing of all men on the Hill of Laws; I give notice of this suit to be pleaded this summer, and of full outlawry against Flosi Thord's son. I give notice of the suit which Thorgeir Thorir's son hath handed over to me."
 
After that Mord sat him down.
 
Flosi listened carefully, but said never a word the while.
 
Then Thorgeir Craggeir stood up and took witness, and said, "I take witness to this, that I give notice of a suit against Glum Hilldir's son, in that he took firing and lit it, and bore it to the house at Bergthorsknoll, when they were burned inside it, to wit, Njal Thorgeir's son, and Bergthora Skarphedinn's daughter, and all those other men who were burned inside it there and then. I say that in this suit he ought to be made a guilty man, an outlaw, not to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to be helped or harboured in any need. I say that all his goods are forfeited. half to me, and half to the men of the Quarter, who have a right by law to take his forfeited goods; I give notice of this suit in the Quarter Court, into which it ought by law to come. I give notice in the hearing of all men on the Hill of Laws. I give notice of this suit to be pleaded this summer, and of full outlawry against Glum Hilldir's son."
 
Kari Solmund's son declared his suits against Kol Thorstein's son, and Gunnar Lambi's son, and Grani Gunnar's son, and it was the common talk of men that he spoke wondrous well.
 
Thorleif Crow declared his suit against all the sons of Sigfus, but Thorgrim the Big, his brother, against Modolf Kettle's son, and Lambi Sigurd's son, and Hroar Hamond's son, brother of Leidolf the Strong.
 
Asgrim Ellidagrim's son declared his suit against Leidolf and Thorstein Geirleif's son, Arni Kol's son, and Grim the Red.
 
And they all spoke well.
 
After that other men gave notice of their suits, and it was far on in the day that it went on so.
 
Then men fared home to their booths.
 
Eyjolf Bolverk's son went to his booth with Flosi, they passed east around the booth and Flosi said to Eyjolf.
 
"See'st thou any defence in these suits."
 
"None," says Eyjolf.
 
"What counsel is now to be taken?" says Flosi.
 
"I will give thee a piece of advice," said Eyjolf. "Now thou shalt hand over thy priesthood to thy brother Thorgeir, but declare that thou hast joined the Thing of Askel the Priest the son of Thorkettle, north away in Reykiardale; but if they do not know this, then may be that this will harm them, for they will be sure to plead their suit in the Eastfirthers' court, but they ought to plead it in the Northlanders' court, and they will overlook that, and it is a Fifth Court matter against them if they plead their suit in another court than that in which they ought, and then we will take that suit up, but not until we have no other choice left."
 
"May be," said Flosi, "that we shall get the worth of the ring."
 
"I don't know that," says Eyjolf; "but I will stand by thee at law, so that men shall say that there never was a better defence. Now, we must send for Askel, but Thorgeir shall come to thee at once, and a man with him."
 
A little while after Thorgeir came, and then he took on him Flosi's leadership and priesthood.
 
By that time Askel was come thither too, and then Flosi declared that he had joined his Thing, and this was with no man's knowledge save theirs.
 
Now all is quite till the day when the courts were to go out to try suits.


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 21:27, 5 August 2014


Chapter 141

OF THE DECLARATIONS OF THE SUITS.


It was one day that men went to the Hill of Laws, and the chiefs were so placed that Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, and Gizur the White, and Gudmund the Powerful, and Snorri the Priest, were on the upper hand by the Hill of Laws; but the Eastfirthers stood down below.

Mord Valgard's son stood next to Gizur his father-in-law, he was of all men the readiest-tongued.

Gizur told him that he ought to give notice of the suit for manslaughter, and bade him speak up, so that all might hear him well.

Then Mord took witness and said, "I take witness to this that I give notice of an assault laid down by law against Flosi Thord's son, for that be rushed at Helgi Njal's son and dealt him a brain, or a body, or a marrow wound, which proved a death-wound, and from which Helgi got his death. I say that in this suit he ought to be made a guilty man, an outlaw, not to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to be helped or harboured in any need. I say that all his goods are forfeited, half to me and half to the men of the Quarter, who have a right by law to take his forfeited goods. I give notice of this suit for manslaughter in the Quarter Court into which this suit ought by law to come. I give notice of this lawful notice; I give notice in the hearing of all men on the Hill of Laws; I give notice of this suit to be pleaded this summer, and of full outlawry against Flosi Thord's son; I give notice of a suit which Thorgeir Thorir's son has handed over to me."

Then a great shout was uttered at the Hill of Laws, that Mord spoke well and boldly.

Then Mord began to speak a second time.

"I take you to witness to this," says he, "that I give notice of a suit against Flosi Thord's son. I give notice for that he wounded Helgi Njal's son with a brain, or a body, or a marrow wound, which proved a death-wound, and from which Helgi got his death on that spot where Flosi Thord's son had first rushed on Helgi Njal's son with an assault laid down by law. I say that thou, Flosi, ought to be made in this suit a guilty man, an outlaw, not to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to be helped or harboured in any need. I say that all thy goods are forfeited, half to me and half to the men of the Quarter, who have a right by law to take the goods which have been forfeited by thee. I give notice of this suit in the Quarter Court into which it ought by law to come; I give notice of this lawful notice; I give notice of it in the hearing of all men on the Hill of Laws; I give notice of this suit to be pleaded this summer, and of full outlawry against Flosi Thord's son. I give notice of the suit which Thorgeir Thorir's son hath handed over to me."

After that Mord sat him down.

Flosi listened carefully, but said never a word the while.

Then Thorgeir Craggeir stood up and took witness, and said, "I take witness to this, that I give notice of a suit against Glum Hilldir's son, in that he took firing and lit it, and bore it to the house at Bergthorsknoll, when they were burned inside it, to wit, Njal Thorgeir's son, and Bergthora Skarphedinn's daughter, and all those other men who were burned inside it there and then. I say that in this suit he ought to be made a guilty man, an outlaw, not to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to be helped or harboured in any need. I say that all his goods are forfeited. half to me, and half to the men of the Quarter, who have a right by law to take his forfeited goods; I give notice of this suit in the Quarter Court, into which it ought by law to come. I give notice in the hearing of all men on the Hill of Laws. I give notice of this suit to be pleaded this summer, and of full outlawry against Glum Hilldir's son."

Kari Solmund's son declared his suits against Kol Thorstein's son, and Gunnar Lambi's son, and Grani Gunnar's son, and it was the common talk of men that he spoke wondrous well.

Thorleif Crow declared his suit against all the sons of Sigfus, but Thorgrim the Big, his brother, against Modolf Kettle's son, and Lambi Sigurd's son, and Hroar Hamond's son, brother of Leidolf the Strong.

Asgrim Ellidagrim's son declared his suit against Leidolf and Thorstein Geirleif's son, Arni Kol's son, and Grim the Red.

And they all spoke well.

After that other men gave notice of their suits, and it was far on in the day that it went on so.

Then men fared home to their booths.

Eyjolf Bolverk's son went to his booth with Flosi, they passed east around the booth and Flosi said to Eyjolf.

"See'st thou any defence in these suits."

"None," says Eyjolf.

"What counsel is now to be taken?" says Flosi.

"I will give thee a piece of advice," said Eyjolf. "Now thou shalt hand over thy priesthood to thy brother Thorgeir, but declare that thou hast joined the Thing of Askel the Priest the son of Thorkettle, north away in Reykiardale; but if they do not know this, then may be that this will harm them, for they will be sure to plead their suit in the Eastfirthers' court, but they ought to plead it in the Northlanders' court, and they will overlook that, and it is a Fifth Court matter against them if they plead their suit in another court than that in which they ought, and then we will take that suit up, but not until we have no other choice left."

"May be," said Flosi, "that we shall get the worth of the ring."

"I don't know that," says Eyjolf; "but I will stand by thee at law, so that men shall say that there never was a better defence. Now, we must send for Askel, but Thorgeir shall come to thee at once, and a man with him."

A little while after Thorgeir came, and then he took on him Flosi's leadership and priesthood.

By that time Askel was come thither too, and then Flosi declared that he had joined his Thing, and this was with no man's knowledge save theirs.

Now all is quite till the day when the courts were to go out to try suits.

References


Kafli 141

Það var einn dag að menn gengu til Lögbergs og var svo skipað höfðingjum að Ásgrímur Elliða-Grímsson og Gissur hvíti, Guðmundur ríki, Snorri goði voru uppi hjá Lögbergi en Austfirðingar stóðu niðri fyrir. Mörður Valgarðsson stóð hjá Gissuri mági sínum. Hann var allra málsnjallastur. Gissur mælti að hann skyldi lýsa vígsökinni, bað hann mæla svo hátt að vel mætti heyra.

Mörður nefndi sér votta: „Nefni eg í það vætti að eg lýsi lögmætu frumhlaupi á hönd Flosa Þórðarsyni er hann hljóp til Helga Njálssonar og veitti honum holundarsár eða mergundar, það er að ben gerðist en hann fékk bana af. Tel eg hann eiga að verða um sök þá mann sekjan, skógarmann óalanda, óferjanda, óráðanda öllum bjargráðum. Tel eg sekt fé hans allt, hálft mér en hálft fjórðungsmönnum þeim sem sektarfé eiga að taka að lögum eftir hann. Lýsi eg vígsök þessi til fjórðungsdóms þess er sökin á í að koma að lögum. Lýsi eg löglýsing. Lýsi eg í heyranda hljóði að Lögbergi. Lýsi eg nú til sóknar í sumar og til sektar fullrar á hönd Flosa Þórðarsyni. Lýsi eg handseldri sök Þorgeirs Þórissonar.“

Að Lögbergi var ger mikill rómur að honum mæltist vel og skörulega.

Mörður tók til orðs í annað sinn. „Nefni eg yður í það vætti,“ segir hann, „að eg lýsi sök á hönd Flosa Þórðarsyni. Lýsi eg er hann særði Helga Njálsson holundarsári eða mergundar, því sári er að ben gerðist, en Helgi fékk bana af á því vættfangi er Flosi Þórðarson hljóp til Helga Njálssonar lögmætu frumhlaupi áður. Tel eg þig, Flosi, eiga að verða um sök þá mann sekjan, skógarmann óalanda, óferjanda, óráðanda öllum bjargráðum. Tel eg sekt fé þitt allt, hálft mér en hálft fjórðungsmönnum þeim sem sektarfé eiga að taka eftir þig að lögum. Lýsi sök þessi til fjórðungsdóms þess sem sökin á í að koma að lögum. Lýsi eg löglýsing. Lýsi eg í heyranda hljóði að Lögbergi. Lýsi eg nú til sóknar í sumar og fullrar sektar á hönd Flosa Þórðarsyni. Lýsi eg handseldri sök Þorgeirs Þórissonar.“

Síðan settist Mörður niður. Flosi gaf gott hljóð til og mælti ekki orð á meðan.

Þorgeir skorargeir stóð upp og nefndi sér votta: „Nefni eg í það vætti að eg lýsi sök á hendur Glúmi Hildissyni um það er hann tók eld og kveikti og bar í húsin að Bergþórshvoli þá er þeir brenndu inni Njál Þorgeirsson og Bergþóru Skarphéðinsdóttur og þá menn alla er þar brunnu inni. Tel eg hann eiga að verða um sök þá mann sekjan, skógarmann óalanda, óferjanda, óráðanda öllum bjargráðum. Tel eg sekt fé hans allt, hálft mér en hálft fjórðungsmönnum þeim sem sektarfé eiga að taka eftir hann að lögum. Lýsi sök þessi til fjórðungsdóms þess er sökin á í að koma að lögum. Lýsi eg í heyranda hljóði að Lögbergi. Lýsi eg nú til sóknar í sumar og til fullrar sektar á hönd Glúmi Hildissyni.“

Kári Sölmundarson sótti Kol Þorsteinsson og Gunnar Lambason og Grana Gunnarsson og var það mál manna að honum mæltist furðulega vel. Þorleifur krákur sótti Sigfússonu alla en Þorgrímur hinn mikli bróðir hans sótti Móðólf Ketilsson og Lamba Sigurðarson, Hróar Hámundarson, bróður Leiðólfs hins sterka. Ásgrímur Elliða-Grímsson sótti Leiðólf og Þorstein Geirleifsson, Árna Kolsson og Grím hinn rauða og mæltist þeim öllum vel. Síðan lýstu aðrir sökum sínum og var það lengi dags að því gekk. Fóru menn þá heim til búða sinna.

Eyjólfur Bölverksson gekk til búðar með Flosa. Þeir gengu austur um búðina.

Flosi mælti til Eyjólfs: „Hvort sérð þú nokkura vörn í málum þessum?“

„Enga,“ segir Eyjólfur.

„Hvað er nú til ráðs?“ segir Flosi.

„Til mun eg leggja eitthvert ráð með þér en ey. Nú skaltu selja af höndum goðorð þitt og í hendur Þorgilsi bróður þínum en þú segist í þing með Áskatli goða Þorketilssyni norðan úr Reykjardal. En ef þeir vita þetta eigi þá má vera að þeim verði að þessu mein því að þeir munu sækja í Austfirðingadóm en þeir ættu í Norðlendingadóm að sækja og mun þeim þetta yfir sjást. Og er fimmtardómsmál á þeim ef þeir sækja og mun í annan dóm en vera á. Skulum vér þá sök upp taka og þó að síðasta kosti.“

Flosi mælti: „Vera má að oss sé launaður hringurinn.“

„Eigi veit eg það,“ segir Eyjólfur, „en veita skal eg yður til laga svo að það sé mál manna að eigi sé framar von. Skal nú senda eftir Áskatli en Þorgils skal nú þegar koma til þín og einn maður með honum.“

Litlu síðar kom Þorgils. Tók hann þá við manna forræði. Þá kom þar og Áskell. Sagðist Flosi þá í þing með honum. Var þetta nú ekki á fleiri manna vitorði en þeirra.


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