510 SLAVERY THRALDOM. 



" If a man wishes to buy himself off thyrmsl and depend- 

 ence, rather than make his freedom-ale, it shall be so if his 

 master will pledge his faith in granting it, and then it shall 

 never be broken" (Frostath., ix. 16). 



" If a leysingi wishes to have the power of bargains and 

 marriage, he shall make his freedom-ale, with at least 3 said 

 (measures) of ale, and invite his master to it, with witnesses, 

 and seat him in the ondvegi, and lay 6 aurar in balances the 

 first evening, and offer him the sum of a leysingi. 1 If he 

 receives it, it is well ; if he gives it up, it is as if it were paid " 

 (Gulathing's Law, 62). 



"If a thrall gets land or lives (for himself), lie shall make 

 his freedom-ale with 9 mcelirs (measures) of ale, and kill a ram, 

 and a family-born man 2 shall cut off its head, and his master 

 shall take the neck-band 3 from his neck. If his master allows 

 him to make his freedom-ale, he shall ask his leave to make it 

 with two witnesses, and invite him, with four others, to the 

 feast which is his freedom-ale " (Frostathing's Law, ix. 12). 



Though a slave had been made free, he could not leave the 

 fylki without permission. 



" If a freedman leaves the fylki without the permission of 

 his master, and obtains for himself property, his lord should 

 go after him with witnesses. If he is willing to return, all is 

 well ; if not, his lord may by the witnesses prove that he is 

 his freedman, and bring him back to his old place, bound or 

 not, as he chooses, and seat him where he sat before " (Gula- 

 thing's Law, 67). 



" When a thrall or bondmaid pays his sum of redemption 

 they shall be taken to the church, a book laid on their heads, 

 and freedom given to them. They shall work a twelvemonth 

 (xii manad) for their master " (Gulath., 61). 



Slaves and freedmen who had made their freedom-ale were 

 limited in their bargains. 



"A pauper must not make or have power over any 

 bargain. Nor must a thrall, except only about his knife. 

 Also a freedman who has not made his freedom-ale must not 

 make a bargain higher than an ' ortug ' ' (Gulath., 56). 



A thrall who proved that he had for twenty years lived and 

 acted as a free man without any one during that time having 



1 The redemption-sum of a leysiugi. | 3 This means, to take the slavery off. 



2 Hereditary freeman. 



