28 DIVOECE. 



fylgja but no increase of a third. If they are reconciled and 

 he takes her back, their property shall remain as if there had 

 been no breach between them. If she repeats the crime he 

 shall keep her property while he is alive, and if he will not 

 take her back, then it shall be as has already been said. If 

 she does not and promises redress, and offers to live with her 

 husband and he will not take her, then she shall get her 

 heimanfylgja but not the increase of a third. If the husband 

 wants to rob her of her heimanfylgja and says she has com- 

 mitted this crime before, and people have not before heard 

 him accuse her of it, she shall take the einseidi (oath of one) 

 and get her heimanfylgja, but not her increase of a third 

 if he will not take her back. If a hindrance separates them 

 according to God's laws each of them shall have their respec- 

 tive property " (Frostathing's Law, xi. 14). 



It was a common provision in all the laws that a man was 

 not allowed to beat his wife, under a penalty of paying the 

 same indemity as he had a right to receive if he himself were 

 beaten. If he had beaten her three times and did it a fourth, 

 then she could leave him, taking with her her heimanfylgja and 

 tilqjof. 



// / 



" If a man beats his wife with keys or latches, then he is 

 liable to pay three marks. Also if he takes another woman 

 and puts her in the house ; she is called hearth-rival. Thirdly, 

 if a man beats his wife with a horn or with the fist on an 

 ale-bench, then he is to pay three marks. If she three times 

 gets rett for these reasons, the fourth time she may separate 

 from him, or not, as she likes " (Borgarthing l Laws, ii. 8). 



" When Bork had left his farm Helgafell Thordis went 

 forward and named witnesses that she declared herself sepa- 

 rated from her husband Bork, and pleaded as a reason that 

 he had struck her, and she would not put up with his blows. 

 Their property was divided, and Snorri (a son of her former 

 marriage) took charge of it on behalf of his mother, for he 

 was her heir " (Eyrbyggja, c. 14). 



Restrictions were put upon the extravagance of women. 2 



" The wife of a hauld (odal's bondi) is allowed to buy to the 

 extent of one eyrir, and not more. If she buys for more the 



1 Cf. also Gulathmg's Law, 54. 



2 There is an example of a man leaving 

 his wife on account of extravagance in 



the household, and for insulting him in 

 the presence of people (Landnama, ii. 6; 

 Njala, 34). 



