KINGS AMENABLE TO THE LAWS 



501 



were thought far above other men in Reidgotaland " (Hervarar 

 Saga, c. 10). 



No king could rule over the people or the land without the 

 consent of the Thing. 1 



" Some Fylkis-kings summoned a Thing, and Olaf made a 

 speech w r herein he asked the boendr to take him for king over 

 the country, and promised to keep to the old laws and defend 

 the laud against foreign chiefs and hosts ; he spoke long and 

 well, and was cheered. Then the kings rose one after the 

 other, and all spoke in favour of this to the people. At last 

 the name of king over the whole land was given to Olaf 

 according to the laws of Upplond " 2 (St. Olaf, Heimskringla, 

 c. 35). 



When Olaf had made a long speech to the boendr 



" The whole crowd of people arose and would hear of nothing 

 but that Olaf Tryggvason should be king; and so he was 

 chosen king at the AUsherjarthing (general Thing) over all 

 the country which Harald Fairhair possessed, and the rule given 

 to him according to ancient laws. The boendr promised to 

 give him many men in order to get the realm, and afterwards 

 to hold it ; and he, on the other hand, promised to uphold the 

 laws and rights of the land " (Fornmanna Sogur, 1). 



If a king attacked a man, the people of all the Fylkis might 

 gather against him and kill him. The boendr, as soon as a 

 king or jarl had encroached upon the property or violated 

 their domestic peace, were obliged to cut up heror (host arrow, 

 war arrow) if it was a king in every Fylki, if it was a jarl in 

 four, and after such a summons to gather together, attack, and 

 slay or drive the offender away. This legal enactment was 

 undoubtedly of very ancient origin. 



" No man shall attack another (with armed men), neither 

 the king, nor any other man. If the king does so, an arrow 

 shall be cut and sent inland through all the Fylkis, and he 

 shall be attacked and slain if taken. If he escapes he shall 

 never come back to the country. Whoever will not attack 

 him, or drops the arrow, shall pay three marks " (Earlier 

 Frostathiug's Law, iv., 50). 



1 In the Danish laws the stipulation ing). 



to be given by the king at his elevation 2 Cf. also Magnus the Good, c. 22 



was called Haand-ftestning (hand-fasten- (Heimskringla). 



