INDEMNITIES FOB WOUNDS. 5-JJ) 



every cut if it bleeds, half a mark for wounds in the vital 

 parts, half a mark for marrow-wounds (piercing to the marrow). 

 The wounder shall pay healing-fee and give to them both 

 (physician and wounded) food for a month. If a muscle is 

 cut off and falls on the ground the indemnity is six anrar, and 

 as much if a scar is left in a man's head (a scar which causes 

 pain when the head is combed). All breast-wounds shall be 

 valued, but back-wounds receive double indemnity. If a man 

 is present at a quarrel and does not part nor help either he 

 shall pay a slanbaug (ring or indemnity of laziness) to the 

 king 12 aurar" (Gulath., 185). 



" There are bone-indemnities (bein-gjold) wherever a bone 

 is loosened from the wound of a man. . . . Then there is one 

 eyrir to be paid and one eyrir for each little bone until they 

 are six. But if so large a bone is loosened that six holes may 

 be made in it six aurar shall be paid, but a bone-indemnity is 

 never higher than six aurar " (Frostath., iv. 49). 



" If a haulld wounds a man he is liable to pay six baugar 

 (rings) to the king, and twelve aurar are in each ring. If an 

 arborinn-madr wounds a man he has to pay three rings ; and 

 a leysingi (freedman) two, a leudr-man twelve, a jarl twenty- 

 four, a king forty-eight, twelve aurar being in every ring, and 

 the sum is to be paid to all to whom it is due by law. All this 

 is valued in silver " (Frostath., iv. 53). 



" If an arm an (steward) is struck or slain at a church or at a 

 feast or at a Thing the slayer is outlawed, as for the slaying of 

 any man ; but if anywhere else he shall pay fifteen marks, and 

 the arman has half the rett of a haulld " (Frostath., iv. 57). 



" The king's skittilsveirts (pages) shall have the rett of a 

 haulld in all greater and lesser things. But with regard to 

 other servants of the king thev shall have the rett of a haulld 



O / 



if they wear ale-cloths (aprons) on their necks, and also the one 

 who steers his trading-ship between lands, and also his gold- 

 smiths. Stallaris (marshals) shall have the rett of a lendr-man 

 in smaller and larger things" (Frostath., iv. 60). 



If a man bit another man, his fore teeth were broken at the 

 Thing by the king's tax-gatherer (sijslu-mart), but no indemnity 

 was paid. Wounds with knives were also punished at the 

 Thing. 1 



" It is unfitting that men should bite each other like horses 

 or dogs. When a man bites another the sijslumadr (steward) 



1 x. o. L., ii. GO. 



