ICELAND : ITS HISTORY AND INHABITANTS. 289 



144 was made up, and it was called "'"logretta'''' (amending of the 

 law ) . 



After the introduction of Christianity, in A. D. 1000, the two bish- 

 ops were added to the Kigi-etta, while the sole official of the Republic, 

 the law speaker, used to preside. It was his duty to recite aloud in 

 the hearing of all present at the Parliament the whole law of Iceland, 

 going through it, in the three years during which he held office, at 

 the annual meeting in the latter half of June, which generally lasted 

 a fortnight ; also to recite once a year the formulas of actions at 

 law — all from memory, for no laws were written down till about 1117. 

 When any question of laAv was in dispute, reference was made to him, 

 and his decision was accepted as final. For his labors he received an 

 annual salary of 200 ells of vadmal (woolen cloth) and one-half of 

 the fines imposed at the Althing. He was the living voice of the 

 law {r'lra vox juris), but he was neither judge nor magistrate, and 

 did not open the Althing or take the responsibility for keeping order 

 at it, for that Avas done by the gooi, within whose jurisdiction the 

 Althing met. He enunciated the unwritten law, accepted by all. 



The go6is and their nine nominees sat on the four middle benches, 

 arranged round a central square, twelve on each, while the two asses- 

 sors of each of them sat, one on the bench behind, the other on the 

 bench in front of him. The logretta made, modified, and applied 

 the laAvs. Decisions were carried by simple majority, though the 

 minority must not consist of more than twelve members. If a reso- 

 lution of the logretta infringed the rights and interests of any free- 

 man, he could veto or suspend it by appearing in person. It Avas one 

 of the numerous precautions taken to guard the ancient palladium of 

 personal liberty. It was a counterpoise to the abuse of oligarchy. 

 The whole nation, through any of its members, had, in the last 

 instance, the right to take part in the deliberations of the Althing. 



The logretta published and interpreted the laws through the laAv 

 speaker. He could be consulted at any time of the year on a point of 

 laAv, being its official interpreter. If a law Avas passed by in silence 

 and not recited publicly by him for three years — i. e., for his term of 

 office — it was abolished, provided that no remonstrance was made. 

 The only trace there was of central power in the island resided in 

 him, but as he had no executiA^e power it was next to none. 



After the Althing the neAv laAvs and other matters of public impor- 

 tance Avere proclaimed at a " thing," held in each " thing " district of 

 Iceland, and called "lei6." There Avas another "thing" held in the 

 spring, dealing with local matters and preparing for the Althing. 



The source of the English trial by jury is the Icelandic kvi6, and 

 the English juries de vicineto in the thirteenth century correspond 

 with that form of trial, 



SM 1906 19 



