TRAVELS IN ICELAND. 



153 



rage of the people in this critical moment; for a heathen priest 

 named Snorro-Godi, who probably had formed a good opinion 

 of the new faith., answered their outrageous remarks by the fol- 

 lowing laconic and ingenious question, " What was the reason 

 of the vengeance of the gods, at those periods when the rocks 

 on which we now stand were in flames? for every one knows 

 that this happened before the country, was inhabited." Christi- 

 anity was then adopted by the people, and fifty years afterwards 

 the son of Gissur the White was created bishop; and SkalSiolt 

 was made the episcopal residence for the whole of Iceland. The 

 son and successor of the latter, whose name -was also Gissur, com- 

 pleted the business, by persuading the Icelanders to enact a law 

 relative to tythes, which continues in force to the present day. 

 He then ceded and separated all the northern part that it might be 

 formed into a second bishopric. 



III. The isle Videy contained a very famous monastery till 

 the reformation of Luther, at which period it was secularized: 

 this monastery was founded in 1 226 by bishop Magnus Gisserseu 

 and his brother Thorvald, and this Thorvald was afterwards canon 

 of the monastery. 



IV. Bessastadr, vulgarly called the Royal House, which is 

 now the residence of the baillie, was also known in ancient 

 times, principally because this place was the property of the fa- 

 mous historiographer Snorro-Sturleson, who made it his country 

 seat. Formerly the governors of Iceland resided here when 

 they stopped in the country in the summer: they generally came 

 every year, and returned in their own ships. 



Vestiges of antiquity. 

 We shall mention the following remains of antiquity as worthy 

 of notice. 



I. An eminence on an islet situated in the river Oxeraa, belong- 

 ing to one of the most famous heathen poets of the north, named 

 Thorlev-Jarlaskald. Some remains of this eminence may yet be 

 seen, though the overflowing of the river has from time to time 

 carried off the major part. The history of king OJuf-Trygg- 

 veson contains an account of the structure, and of the life of its 

 illustrious owner. 



II. The ornaments of the cathedral church are fine and valua- 

 ble, particularly two antique altar pieces. They still preserve 

 here a bishop's crook, the head of which is brass very finely gilt, 

 and an episcopal bonnet of golden-worked cloth. Here is also 

 to be seen the coffin of Saint Thorlak, who is the same Sanctus 

 Thorlacus mentioned in our almanacks : he was born in the 

 southern quaiter; he succeeded to the episcopal chair in 1178; 

 and died in 1193. His translation took place in 1198; and 



OLAFSEN.] Ti 



