THE DRESS F l< I \GS. '1 ! ) ! ) 



From the earlier Eclda and the Sagas we find that kings 

 or warriors were easily recognised by the splendour of their 

 accoutrements. They wore gilt spurs. 



" When the king (St. Olaf) had said this, he sat down and let 

 his shoes and stockings be pulled off, put cordovan hose on his 

 feet and put on gilt spurs. Then he took off his cloak and 

 kirtle and dressed himself in cdothes of pell, and over these a 

 scarlet cloak. He girded himself with an ornamented sword, 

 put a gilt helmet on his head, and mounted his horse " (St. 

 Olaf s Saga, c. 32). 



" King Hakon was easily recognized before all others ; his 

 helmet glittered when the sun shone upon it " (Hakon the 

 Good's Saga, c. 31). 



" Kjartan Olafsson took up the scarlet clothes which King 

 Olaf (Tryggvason) gave him at their parting and dressed him- 

 self magnificently ; he girt himself with the sword which was 

 the king's gift ; he wore on his head a gilt helmet, and had a 

 red shield at his side with the holy cross marked thereon in 

 gold, and in his hand a spear with a gilt handle. All his 

 men were in coloured clothes ; they were more than twenty ' 

 (Laxdsela, c. 44). 



" The king (Hakon) put on his dress of war ; he wore a coat 

 of ring-mail, and was girt with the sword Kvernbit ; he had on 

 a gilt helmet, a spear in his hand, and a shield at his side. 

 Then he arrayed in ranks his hird and the bcendr, and raised 

 his standard " (Fornmanna Sogur, vol. i., pp. 42, 43). 



"OnedayGilli and Leif (kinsmen) went from their booths 

 to a hill, which was on the island, and there talked together ; 

 they saw many men on the headland on the eastern side of 

 the island .... there glittered in the sunshine fine shields 

 and magnificent helmets, axes and spears, and the men looked 

 very valiant ; they saw that a man, tall and bold-looking, went 

 in front of the rest in a red kirtle, with a shield half blue and 

 half yellow, a helmet on his head, and a long cutting spear in 

 liis hand ; they thought the,y recognized in him Sigurd 

 Thorlaksson. Next to him walked a stout man in a red 

 kirtle, who had a red shield ; they thought they recognized 

 him with certainty as Thord Lagi (the low) ; the third man had 

 a red shield, with a man's face painted on it, and a large axe 

 in his hand ; this was Gaut the red " (Faereyinga Saga, c. 48). 



While King Olaf was at Stiklastadir a man came to him 

 who was not like other men. 



