BUYING PEACE FROM THE KING. 583 



If a man was outlawed he had to buy his peace, "fridkaup," 

 from the king, who determined what the amount should be. 



" Now it may happen that the king permits the outlaw to 

 stay in the land at the entreaties of chiefs, or in some other 

 way. Then he (the outlaw) must buy peace with the king 

 according to his mercy (the price paid by the outlaw to stay 

 in peace in the country is determined by the king), and pay 

 that half of his fine which is unpaid with sale-meetings 

 (auctions), of the kind that men of good sense see that he is 

 well able to hold. If he is not willing to pay, the kinsmen of 

 the dead may take revenge on him, even though he be 

 reconciled (in peace) with the king, and they will not be 

 outlawed though they slay him. But those who took care of 

 his property while he was an outlaw must pay him back as 

 much as they received in lands and movables, and the rent of 

 the land besides " (Frostathing's Law, Introd. 5). 



