582 OUTLAWRY. 



him, and it was thought that his death was unholy. Hamund 

 Guunarsson and Thorleif led the prosecution in Orn's case, 

 while Mord supported the brothers ; they paid no fine, but were 

 outlawed from the Herad " (Landnama, v., c. 4). 



Another kind of outlawry ( Utlegdarmal) was less severe, and 

 did not imply the confiscation of property, for the outlaw 

 could redeem himself by paying weregild. To this second 

 class belonged a great many crimes, the principal of which 

 were : simple slaying, 1 severe wounds, crimes against honour, 

 bodily ill-treatment, crimes against personal liberty, robbery, 

 &c. 



In some cases corporal punishment, and occasionally fines, 

 were substituted for outlawry. 2 



If a man killed another and failed to cover the body with 

 earth he was outlawed. 



Helgi Droplaugarson slew Bjorn, because he visited Thordis, 

 a kinswoman of Helgi's, too often. 



" The following night Helgi Sveinung and the two others 

 went to a skerry (rock) lying off the shore and removed Bjorn 

 thither and covered his corpse. The widow of Bjorn thought 

 there would be a prosecution by Helgi Asbjarnarson and sent 

 men to him at Mjofanes (her place) In this spring after Bjorn's 

 death, this chief sent to Borgarfjord to prepare the case, and 

 did not find the corpse of Bjorn. 



" Then Helgi Asbjarnarson (a godi) summoned Helgi Drop- 

 laugarson because he had murdered a man, thrown him into 

 the sea, and not covered him with mould. Helgi summoned 

 him at the Thing for greater outlawry. He had prepared the 

 case of seduction for the Althing. Both cases came to tlie 

 Thing. Helgi Droplaugarson went to the court, with many 

 men ; he called witnesses to prove that Helgi Asbjarnarson 

 had no case, and said that three men had seen Bjorn covered 

 with mould ; then Sveinung and two others took oath at the 

 altar ring that they saw Bjorn covered with mould. Now the 

 case of Helgi Asbjarnarson was made void. Then Helgi 

 Droplaugarson wanted to make Bjorn unholy, but Helgi 

 Asbjaruarson offered property and then Helgi Droplaugarson 

 arbitrated, and he decided that 100 aurar should be paid " 

 (Droplaugarsona Saga, p. 15, l(i). 



1 I.e. Slaying which was not done in 

 secret or against plighted faith or skill. 



2 N. G. L., i. 122, 265. 



