290 NATURAL HISTORY of N R WAT, 



from the Danifh,) * no odels-gods, or freehold, can be alienated 

 by fale, or any other way whatfoever from him, that can make it 

 appear, that he has the beft title to it, by being the right heir, 

 or odels-mand. If he has it not in his power to redeem it, then 

 he muft declare every tenth year at the feilions, that the want of 

 money is the only reafon; and if he furmounts that difficulty, or, 

 if he, or his heirs, to the fecond, or third generation be able to 

 redeem it, then he that inhabits it who is only a pofTeflbr pro 

 tempore, muft turn out directly, and give up the premifes to the 

 odels-mand f . For this reafon, they keep a find account of 

 their pedigree, and formerly about midfummer, every family ufed 

 to meet together and make themfelves merry, and if any of their 

 kindred had deceafed Unce their laft meeting, they marked his name 

 in the tal-ftock provided for that purpofe. When king Harald 

 Haarfager, in the eleventh century made himfelf fovereign lord of 

 all Norway, and fupprefled all the petty kings; his power ex- 

 tended likewife to the Odels-bonden, and they were obliged to 

 pay him a tax, which was without doubt, the origin of the Odels- 

 ikat, or taf, which is frill impofed upon them, though king Hagen 

 Adalfteen, afterwards promifed that it mould be taken off. By 

 this we may conclude that they are miftaken, who think that the 

 odels-right was not inftituted till the time of the crufades, and took 

 its rife, from a certain Norwegian having permiilion on his return 

 from the holy land, to reclaim his patrimony which was taken 

 from him during his abfence. According to the old law, called 

 odels balken, thirty years pofTemon was required to eftablifh the 

 Odel's-right; % and then this right could never be forfeited to the 

 crown unlefs by treafon or felony. This Odels-right is prefer- 

 able to that of the fele-eyers, or freeholders in Denmark, not only 

 becaufe it is better fecured to their families by the right of re- 

 demption ; but becaufe they poffefs it with all the privileges which 



* The real fignification of J:he word Odel implies real property, according to Joh. 

 Gramm, in his dhTertation upon the word Herremand; " ut ad Adelbonde redeamus, 

 is non alius quam locuples et copiofus colonus aut fundi poffeffor. Schefferus autu- 

 mat ab Adel et Odel oriundum effe, quod proprietatem omnimodam, fcilxcet ab Odh 

 proprietas, et All totum omne denotavit, atque Adelbonde effe eum qui haberet Odel, 

 hoc eft proprium et a majoribus per hsereditatem acquifitum poffidebat fundum." 

 Vide Acla Societatis, Reg. Hafn. T. ii. p. 270. 



f What there is elfe to be obferved by putting it up, or lengthening the time for 

 redemption, is to be feen in Doct. Frid. Chrift. Sevel inaugural, differtatio de proro- 

 gatione termini retrahendi bona gentilitia in Norvegia. Written in the year 1749. 



% The law now requires but twenty years. 



