PRECEDENCE. '!'. U 



The seats on the oedri lekk were however more prominent 

 than those on the lower bench. Next to the king, on the uppi-r 

 bench, on the right sat the under-kin gs or other prominent 

 men. 



On some occasions at a later period we find that to the left 

 sat the queen with her women in the order of their rank, for the 

 places of the women were then upon the long bench to the left 

 of the king, and to the right of the other ondvegismen, the place 

 of the men being on the left of the ondvegi. 



Hildigunn wishing to make preparations to receive her 

 kinsman Flosi, said : 



"' Now all my men-servants shall stand outside when Flosi 

 rides into the yard, and the women shall clean the rooms, and 

 put up the hangings and prepare the high-seat for him " (Njala, 

 ch. 116). 



The high-seat was often wide enough to hold two or three 

 persons. Sigurd jarl of the Orkneys invited Gilli jarl of Sud- 

 reyjar (Hebrides) and Sigtrygg, king in Ireland, for Yuletide. 



" Men were so seated that King Sigtrygg sat in the middle 

 of the high-seat, and each of the jarls on either side of him. 

 The men of Sigtrygg and Gilli jarl sat on the inner side, and 

 Flosi and Thorsteiii Siduhallson on the outer side of Sigurd 

 jarl. The hall was full " (Njala, c. 154). 



There were also, in some halls, transverse benches, called 

 Pall or Tliverpall (cross-benches) ; on these the women sat. 

 In such cases the middle seat was the most prominent, and 

 the lowest seat was at the end of the bench in the corner l : 

 the word was used as a term of contempt. 



"It was the custom of Gumiar and Njal to give feasts to 

 each other once every winter in turns for friendship's sake. 

 Now Gunnar had to stay with Njal, and went to Bergthorshval 

 with Hallgerd. Helgi (son of Njal) and his wife were not at 

 home. Njal received them well. When they had stayed there 

 for a while Helgi and his wife Thorhalla came home. Then 

 Bergthora (Njal's wife) walked with Thorhalla up to the cross- 

 bench (women's bench), and said to Hallgerd : ' Thou shalt 

 give up thy seat to this woman.' She answered : ' I will not 



Njala 120; Fornmanna Sogur. 



