Some runic stones. 49 



ANUND and UF'AG, the two powerful Thanes here mentioned, 

 were doubtless the two CImrcIurardenfi, called in the Old-Swedish Pro- 

 vincial Laws KIRKIU-DROTNA(R) or KIRKIU-W^RIJ^.ND^:(R). The 

 West-Gotland Law (Schlyter, p. 104) says: 



Twer skulu kirkiu drotna uœra | Tico shall thc-Clmrch-drilitcns irarc (be). 



As such, and as both probably large proprietors and zealous 

 Christians, it would be their wish and duty to stand by their priest and 

 their church, and see that the tithes (to Bishop, Priest and Parish, or 

 however else divided) were not kept back. They might therefore well 

 take an opportunity of placing on the Church-door, in an alphabet and 

 a tung understood by all the parishioners, t/ie kcrnd of that legal enact- 

 ment which secured to the clergy their full right of tithe, a right which 

 had alread}' been gradually introduced into the Swedish folklands. Prof. 

 K. Maurer (Bugge p. 43) thinks these two landholders may have been 

 patrons or owners of the church. One may have so been. I doubt 

 whether such foundationship and ownership would have been in 2 hands. 



With regard to the Act itself. Prof. Bugge (p. 43) reminds us that 

 by the Norwegian Elder Eidsiva Church-law (Norges Gamle Love, I, 386): 

 »He who neglects to discharge his tithe for 12 months, shall pay 3 marks; 

 the second year he so refuses, 6 marks; and the third year, 9 marks. 

 Then shall the Bishop's deputy summons him to pay within 5 days; if 

 he has not then done so, he has forfeited his frith (peace) and all his 

 property.» Also by the Norse Frosteting Code (Norges Gamle Love I, 137): 

 «The fourth year, he has lost his frith and his goods.» 

 I here add Prof. Bugge's free paraphrase (p. 26): 

 A TWO-GILD OX AND 2 OBES (SHALL ONE FAY) AS FAST A- 

 MOUNT THE FIBST TIME: 2 OXEN AND 4 OBES THE SECOND TIME: 

 BUT THE THIBD TIME 4 OXEN AND 8 OBES AS FAST AMOUNT: AND 

 ALL OF ONE'S PBOPEBTY ONE FOBFEITS, IF ONE THEBEAFTEB 

 CROOKEDLY CUTS OFF BIGHT (= OMITS FULLY TO PAY WHAT ONE 

 IS BOUND TO PAY) THUS SETTING ASIDE WHAT BELONGS TO THE 

 CLERGY ACCOBDING TO THE LAW OF THE LAND: THIS WAS BE- 

 FOBE NA3IED AND UNBBOKENLY FIXT. BUT THEBE (ON THIS 

 RING) MADE ANUND OF TAASTAD AND UFEG OF HJOBTSTAD TO 

 THEMSELVES THIS: BUT VIBJ0BN WBOTE THE RUNES'). 



') »En tvegild Okse og 2 0rer (skal man eikvgge) som tast Belob forste Gang: 

 2 Okser og 4 0rer anden Gang: men tredje Gang 4 Okser og 8 0rer som fast Belob: 

 cg alt af Eiendom fortaber man, iivis man fremdeles skjœvt afskja;rer Ket (d. e. und- 

 lader fuldt ud at yde hvad der er Ens Pligt at yde) med Tilsidesajttelse af hvad der 

 tilkommcr de Geistlige efter Landets Lov: dette var forhen nœvnt og ubrodelig fast- 



