Geirrid was accused at the Thing of being a kveldrida,[[557]] by which she had caused some wounds on Gunnlaug.
“At the Thing a godi named Arnkel, Thorarin, and ten others took oath upon the altar-ring that she had not been the cause of Gunnlaug’s injury” (Eyrbyggja).
The tylftareid was divided into two kinds, namely, a milder oath with the so-called fangavitni,[[558]] and a stronger one called nefndarvitni,[[559]] when each side chose six men from the haullds in the herad, neither related to nor enemies of either party. Of these twelve men defendant had to take two, and to add to them two of his nearest kinsmen, making with himself five, and the other seven were fangavitni chosen freely among the free men, the rest having nothing to do with the case. If one of the twelve men did not take the oath, then what is called eidfall (the one who fails in an oath) took place, and the whole affair was considered to be at an end, and the defendant lost the case.
“Wherever a tylftareid shall be and witnesses are named, then the plaintiff names one half of the witnesses, and the defendant the other; and each shall name as their witnesses when the oath is taken twelve of the best haullds in the fylki, or the best bœndr if haullds are not there. Neither foes nor friends shall be named. He shall take two of the twelve as witnesses, then two of his nearest kinsmen; then they are five with himself, and the other seven shall be free men and full-grown, who will be responsible for his words and oaths” (Frostath., iv. 8).
“Tylftareid (oath of twelve men) has to take place in order to free one from the accusation of murder” (Landnáma, 89).
Next came the oath given by six men, which was called séitareid,[[560]] which was taken when the five co-swearers were fangavitni. If the oath was given with nefndarvitni the proceedings were the same as in the case of the strong tylftareid. Each side chose three haullds; of these six the defendant chose one, to whom he added one of his nearest kinsmen, then they were three with himself, and the remaining three were fangavitni.
A still stronger séttareid is mentioned in Gulathing’s Law under the name of grimueid.[[561]] In this six men of equal rétt with the defendant were chosen, and were co-swearers with him.
“Then there is grimueid. Three men shall be named on each side of equal rétt as him who is to be the seventh” (Gulath., 134).
In the lýritareid (a kind of oath of justification given by three men), the defendant himself was one of the swearers; the man of equal rétt not related to him was his co-swearer, and the third was any chosen freeman.
“The lýritareid shall be taken thus. He (plaintiff) shall take it himself, and another man of equal rétt who must neither be a kinsman on male or female side, nor a near relative. The third shall be a free and full-grown man who will be responsible for his word and oath” (Gulath., 135).