In later times, instead of an island, places were marked out for duels; and though they were sometimes marked by stones in a ring, like a dom-ring, they were nevertheless called “holm,” because the laws of holmganga prevented any one from passing the boundary.
The laws of duelling seem to have been recited before the combat. Björn Hitdœlakappi said:—
“‘I left my country because I wanted to seek fame; there are now two choices before me: the one to bravely get victory, though that is unlikely, in fighting against this man; the other is to fall with valour like a man, and that is better than to live in shame and not dare to win honour for the king. I will fight against Kaldimar.’ The king thanked him, and the laws of the holmganga were read. The champion had an excellent sword called Mœring. They fought hard and eagerly; at last the champion fell, but Björn received a severe wound; on this account he got great fame and honour from the king” (Björn Hitdœlakappi’s Saga).
The combatants had sometimes to fight on a cloak, and were allowed to use three shields, in case of these being cut asunder, one after the other. They usually did not themselves carry the shield, each combatant having a friend to hold it, who was called skjaldsvein (shield man). Swords of a certain length only were allowed, and it seems that they were used for striking, not thrusting.
“A cloak was spread under their feet. Bersi said, ‘Thou, Kormak, didst challenge me to holmganga, but instead of it I offer thee einvigi (single-fight). Thou art young and little experienced, and at holmganga there are difficult rules, but none whatever at einvigi.’ Kormak answered, ‘I shall not fight better in einvigi, and I will risk this, and in all be on equal footing with thee.’ ‘Thou shalt now have thy way,’ said Bersi.
“This was the holmganga law: that the cloak should be 10 feet from one end to the other, with loops in the corners, and in these should be put down pegs, having a head at the upper end; these were called tjösnur. The one who made the preparations must go toward the pegs, hold his ear-lobes, and stand with his feet apart, seeing the sky between them, using the formulary which was afterwards used at the sacrifice called Tjösnublót (peg sacrifice). Three squares, each one foot wide, must be marked around the cloak. Outside the squares must be placed four poles, called höslur (hazel poles): it was called a hazelled field when it was prepared thus.
“Each man must have three shields, and when these were made useless he must stand upon the cloak, even if he had walked out of it before, and thereafter defend himself with his weapons.
Fig. 780.—Plan of Holmganga Ground.
“He who had been challenged was to strike first. If one was wounded so that blood came upon the cloak he was not obliged to fight any longer. If either stepped with one of his feet outside the hazel poles, it was held he had retreated; and if he stepped outside with both, he was held to have fled. One man was to hold the shield before each of the combatants. The one who had received most wounds was to pay as hólmlausn (i.e., indemnity for being released from the fight) three marks of silver.