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the standard of modern usages and feelings. | What is now 
regarded as a shame was then accounted an honour. ‘The 
Northman who went upon an expedition in his vessel, acquired 
a large tract of land, or returned with gold and silver, after 
having killed many warriors in battle, was quite sure 
that the daughters of the highest nobles in the land would 
gladly give him their hand; but they never liked to marry a 
man who remained at home all his life. There is a curious 
story in one of the old Icelandic sagas which affords a very 
good idea of the state of society in the olden time. When 
King Olaf Tryggveson was stopping in England, after having 
been converted to Christianity, he bought a beautiful shield 
from a clergyman of the name Thangbrand. The clergyman, 
instead of purchasing holy books with the money, bought a 
handsome Irish girl, who some time before had been taken 
prisoner and made a slave. Not long afterwards the clergy- 
man was obliged to leave England and proceed to Germany 
in company with a bishop Adelbert ; nevertheless he carried 
the Irish girl along with him. In Germany, one of the fol- 
lowers of the Emperor becoming enamoured of her, attempted 
to take her from the priest, upon which the latter drew his 
sword and killed his rival. ‘The priest, being expelled by the 
Emperor from his dominions, returned to England, where 
King Olaf Tryggveson received him with great kindness, and 
made him his chaplain. 
When this was tolerated among the clergy, what was to be 
expected from the common people? It is true enough, that 
the Danes robbed and killed Irishmen, but they were, perhaps, 
not so much to blame as the native Irish, who constantly 
assailed each other, each tribe making incursions into the terri- 
tory of its neighbour. If we take a view of the different coun- 
tries of Europe, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy, we shall 
find that people of the same era called Christian were addicted 
to plunder and assassination as well as the Pagan Norsemen; 
nor were such practices considered in the least degree extra- 
