2 793 extracts from Snorro's history, 2r 



perous and unfortunate, women and men, that they 

 might all become christians, and believe in one God, 

 Christ the son of Mary, and lay aside their ancient 

 sacrifices and heathen gods : that they Ihould keep ho- 

 ly every seventh day, abstaining from work ; and that 

 they fhould observe a fast day once in the week. 

 When the people heard this proposal, there was 

 great murmuring among them. The country peo- 

 ple said, the king wanted to deprive them at once of 

 their industry and the religion of their forefathers ; and 

 that they could not inhabit the land. The bond-men 

 and servants said, they could not work if their food 

 was taken from them ; adding, that it was just such 

 a proposal as they Ihould have expefted from king 

 Hako, his father, or any of the Hako family ; as 

 they were all very sparing of their entertainments, 

 though liberal enough in distributing their money. 

 Afbiorn of Middlehouse in Gaulardale, stood up, and 

 addrefsed himself thus to the king : " King Hako, 

 when you held your first convention, and when we 

 chose you king, and when we were restored by ycu 

 to our ancient inheritances, we all thought ourselves 

 supremely happy; but mw, tilings wear a more 

 doubtful appearance : we are uncertain if we be free, 

 or if you are preparing a new sort of slavery for us, 

 since we must lay aside the religion profefsed by our 

 forefathers, who are now in their graves, and who 

 were far better men than us," and from whose religi- 

 on we derived much benefit. From our great love to 

 you, we admitted you to a fhare in the framing our 

 laws, and deciding our law suits. It is our inten- 

 tion, to observe inviolably the laws which you have 



