DIFFERENT GRADES OF IM'l'MMTY. ." 1;1 



of every freeman, were not equal. People were divided into 

 classes, as we have seen, and it was according to his rank 

 that a man had to pay or receive weregild. 



The entire family weregild was computed in gold, one 1 mark 

 of gold being reckoned as eight marks of silver in weight. Six 

 marks of gold seem to have been the family weregild for a 

 Jnfulhl, and that of the other classes was fixed in proportion. 



A general rule seems to have prevailed for the computation 

 of the rett in all upper classes, which was reckoned in silver, 

 or 12 ells of vadmal for every eyrir. In the lower classes it- 

 was reckoned in the so-called logeyrir (legal eyrir), i.e. about 

 12 feet of vadmal for every eyrir. 



Some retts were hereditary, and a wife enjoyed the same 

 rett as her husband received, and retained it even during 

 widowhood. 



" This is about the rights of women. Every man has full 

 rett on behalf of his wife. Three marks are due to a haulld if 

 his wife is struck. 



" A widow shall have her rett herself, as high a rett as that 

 of her late husband, and whoever she wishes shall claim it " 

 (Frostath., x. 37). 



In Gulathing's Law the haulld is the centre of the division ; 

 his rett is three marks. 



" A haulld shall get as his full rett three marks. The rett 

 of every man upward (of higher rank) from the haulld shall 

 increase by a third and decrease downwards " (Frostath., x. 34). 



The amount to be paid or received by each degree of a 

 family was entirely independent of the number of members of 

 such degree. In the computation the following rules were 

 chiefly followed : The weregild on both sides embraced the 

 family within the same degrees of the slain and the slaver, 

 each individual degree on the side of the slayer paying 

 weregild to the corresponding one in the family of the slain ; 

 the first receiver of weregild was the son of the slain, or, if he 

 was not alive, the father. 



" The first indemnity (baugf is called head-indemnity. That 



Eight aurar made a mark. 



of silver or gold. 



2 Indemnity to be paid in metal rings 

 VOL. I. 2 N 



