At the dissolution of the Thing he made public from the law-hill the timereckoning, a kind of almanack for the coming year. Supposing that he was doubtful on any point he was allowed to take counsel with five or more men, wise in law, and their advice was considered sacred.
If the lawman had not arrived on the first Friday before the people went to the law-hill he had to pay a fine of three marks, and they could elect another man in his place. The yearly pay for this office was 248 ells[[537]] of vadmal from the property of the law-court, besides the half of all the fines.
The closing ceremony at the term of office was for the lawman to recite the regulations of the Thing. This ceremony took place on the first day of the fourth summons, after which he was free. When the lawman died, a man was taken from his quarter to recite the regulations, and his successor was at once elected.
A lawman, when at home, could be a godi as well as a lawman, but at the Thing he was obliged to have a representative of his godiship.
“It is a law that there shall always be a man in our country whose duty it is to tell people the law, and he is called lawman (lögsögu-man = law-telling man). If the lawman dies, a man shall be taken the next summer from the quarter of the country in which he dwelt last, to recite the regulations of the Thing. Then the lawman is to be elected on the Friday before the cases are proclaimed. It is also good if all agree about one man. If one of the law-court men is against that which most want, it shall be decided with lots from which quarter the lawman is to be elected. The men of the quarter who win the lot shall choose the lawman, if he is willing to undertake the office, whether he is from their own quarter or from some other. If they do not agree, the majority shall rule; but if those who disagree about the lawman and sit in the law-court are equal in numbers, the bishop of the quarter shall decide.... From the law-court where the electing takes place the men shall go to the law-hill. The lawman shall go thither and sit in his seat, and seat those whom he wishes on the law-hill, and then the cases are to be brought forward. It is also law that it is the lawman’s duty to recite all parts of the law in three summers, and the Thing-regulations every summer. The lawman has to recite all declarations of innocence (e.g. of outlawry), if possible, when the greater part of the people are present; also he shall recite the reckoning of seasons; and if people shall come to the Althing before ten weeks of the summer have passed and inquire about keeping the ember-days and the beginning of fasts, he shall make known all this at the dissolution of the Thing.... If he is not wise enough, he shall take counsel with five or more law-skilled men. Every intruder is fined three marks, and the lawman has to prosecute him. The lawman shall receive every summer 400 feet of vadmal from the law-court property for his work; also half of all the fines. When the lawman has had the law-telling for three summers, he shall recite the Thing-regulations for the first Friday of the fourth summer; then he can give up office if he likes. If he wishes to keep office, the greater part of the law-court men can again decide. The lawman is to be fined three marks if he does not come to the Althing on the Friday before people go to the law-hill, no necessity hindering, and another lawman is to be elected if the people wish” (Grágás, i.)
The following table shows how long the elected lawmen usually remained in office, and how great was the order and stability of government in those days, the lawman having to stand for election once a year:—
| Rafn (Lawman) | 930–950 (20 years) |
| Thórarin (Lawman) | 950–970 (20 years) |
| Thorkel (Lawman) | 970–985 (15 years) |
| Thorgeir (Lawman) | 985–1002 (17 years) |
The whole of Norway was divided into four law districts, but not before the time of Hakon the Good, who codified the laws: (1) Frostathing’s Law district, (2) Gulathing’s Law district, (3) Eidsifjathing’s, (4) Borgarthing’s; but we find that the Gulathing existed, and had probably existed long, before Harald Fairhair.[[538]]
In the course of time changes and additions were made. In regard to how these new laws were to be made, the laws themselves contain no provision; but that they were made by the co-operation of king and people is evident, and their adoption depended, no doubt, on the standing, wisdom, and influence of him who proposed them.
When Harald Fairhair became king of all Norway his idea seems to have been that the royal power established by him should be exalted far above existing laws, and from it every change in these laws ought to emanate for the future.