THE COMMON LANDS. 483 



more communities as their common property, were called 

 almenning or commons, and were under the power of the herad. 

 Every one had the right to make use of wood and water on 

 these commons ; to build himself seeter, 1 as well as smithies and 

 hunting-huts ; to fish in the waters, hunt and trap animals ; to 

 cut timber and mow grass, observing the previous rights of 

 any earlier user. The settler ought then to fence around his 

 property within twelve months. Outside his home field he 

 owned as outgrounds all the surrounding land as far as he 

 could throw his knife. All fishing-places at some distance 

 from the coast were commons, but the king had a right to get 

 a fee or tax from those who fished there, which tax was one 

 of his sources of revenue. 2 



" Every man is allowed to use water and wood on a common. 

 Every one shall have his common as he has had it from old 

 time. If a settlement is made on a common, the king owns it. 

 If there is a field and meadow fenced in, he owns the land as 

 far from the fence as he can throw his knife. The remaining 

 is common. All that is thrown up on the coast of a common 

 is owned by the king. If people sail along the coast or from 

 sea and their ships founder, whoever owns the land where 

 they are wrecked owns as much property as he can prove with 

 witnesses. The king owns all other sea-wrecks " (Gulath., 

 145). 



" This law have the kings given to all the men of Haloga- 

 land ; namely, the kings have given up all fish-gifts (taxes) 

 from all capes and all fishing-places, except that men shall 

 give to the king five fishes. That shall every man do who 

 fishes in Vagar (in Halogaland) " 3 (Frostath., xvi. 2). 



" The law of seal-catching places is, that within three weeks 

 from St. John's Mass, and six weeks from Yule, all such places 

 are holy, and no man shall go into another's ground without 

 leave. If a man is found in another's fishing-ground during 

 these weeks and catches seals, he is a thief. Between these 

 times they shall protect their seal-catching places like their 

 land with a law stick (lag kelti), and a ran baug (fine) ; if the 

 thief goes then, he is fined for trespassing in another man's 

 land. ..." (Frostath., xiv. 11). 



" Deer-enclosures every man can make on common land, if 



1 A chalet. ! (Gulath.. 145). 



2 All that was thrown up by the sea, i 3 Some great fishing-place in Haloga- 

 wh.iles. wreck, &c., belonged to the king | land. 



2 i 2 



