The place where the judges sat was holy, and ropes, vebönd, marked out the boundaries of the enclosure.
“The court was held in a level field and hazel poles were put down in a circle into the ground with ropes around them; these ropes were called vebönd (sacred bands). Inside the circle sat the judges, twelve from Firdafylki, twelve from Sygnafylki, and twelve from Hördafylki; these thirty-six men were to judge in all cases. Arinbjörn chose the judges in Firdafylki, and Thórd of Aurland (the brother of Björn) those from Sygnafylki and these twenty-four acted together” (Egil’s Saga, c. 57).
“It is an old right that stewards from every Fylki shall make the vebönd on the Thing-plain. The vebönd shall be so wide that those appointed for the law-court shall have room to sit inside. The stewards shall name for the law-court as many men as are fixed for each Fylki. From the inner Thrándheim forty men shall be named for each Fylki, and from the outer Thrándheim sixty men from each Fylki, and the oldest and most able men shall be named into the law-court. No lendirmen must go into the law-court unless the bœndr allow it. It is also law that no man who is not named must sit inside the vebönd without being liable to pay a mark. If a man leaves the law-court and goes outside the vebönd to another place he is to pay a full mark” (Frostathing’s Law, i. 2).
CHAPTER XXXIX.
THE LAWS OF THE EARLIER ENGLISH TRIBES.
Comprehensiveness of the codes of the Northmen—The earlier laws—The Icelandic laws—The Grágás law-book—Judgment rings—Power of the lawmen—Their office hereditary in early times—Their office elective in Iceland—Manner of election—Duty of the lawman—Ceremony at the close of his term of office—Length of the term of office—Norway divided into four law-districts—Law originally vested in the people—Members of the law-court—Mode of their election—Judicial decisions.
For clearness of language, comprehensiveness, and minuteness of detail, we find nothing in Europe during the first ten centuries of the Christian era that can compare with the earlier laws of the Norsemen; we must go back to Rome to find such comprehensive and exhaustive codes. They give us a very clear insight into the life and civilisation of the North, which from these records seem to have been far above those of neighbouring countries at that period. Some of the laws given in the course of this work demonstrate the mode of life of the time. We can see from these that, above all, the Norsemen abhorred perjury, murder, seduction, adultery, and the violation of the sanctity of blood-relationship.
The earlier laws, as all laws in every country, were but a codification of the customs of the people, handed down in many cases from very ancient times.
The Icelandic laws were based upon those of the mother-country, just as those of the English colonies are to-day based on the old English laws, and those of other colonies on those of the countries that founded them.
“When Iceland was widely settled, an eastern (Norwegian) man called Úlfljót was the first who brought laws there; this Teit told us; they were called Úlfljót’s laws; Úlfljót was the father of Gunnar, from whom the Djupdælir in Eyjafjord are descended. The laws were mostly taken from the Gulathing-laws as they were then, or made according to the advice of Thorleif the Wise, son of Hördakári, with regard to what should be added or taken away, or altered” (Islendingabók, c. 2).
One of the great authorities for our knowledge of the administration of justice among the Norwegians is the law-book, the Grágás.[[536]]