



THE KING'S MIRROR 



from the kingsmen in their efforts to obtain justice, 

 wherever they have suits to bring up. Likewise if any 

 of these men are slain, the fines due the king will be 

 increased as much as for those whom we spoke of 

 earlier. 



There is another class of royal housecarles who re- 

 ceive money payments from the king, some twelve 

 aura? some two marks, some three marks, and others 

 more, in proportion as the king finds them likely to add 



f 



to his strength and credit IThese men do not dine with 

 \ the king at court; they are abroad in the realm in a sort 

 ) of ^official capacity, for some of them are sons of the 

 L king's landedmen,fj while others are peasants, though 

 so wealthy that they seem to rank with the landedmen. 

 These royal housecarles owe the king the same kind of 

 service as those whom we have just mentioned, but 

 more, inasmuch as they haye greater prestige and_en- 

 joy greater favors from the kin^; and the fines due the 

 king in case these men are ill used will be increased 

 about as much as has been stated before. From all these 

 kingsmen that we have now told about, who do not dine 

 at his tables, the king may demand such service as he 

 finds each capable of: some are called to pilot the long- 

 ships when the king sets out on a naval campaign; some 

 are sent abroad in embassies to foreign rulers and other 

 princes; while others are sent out upon the sea as traders 



* The Eyrir (pi. aura, from Latin aurum ?) was an ounce of silver, or one- 

 eighth of a mark. 



f The landedman (lendir raaoV) was one who enjoyed a fief granted by the 

 king. The term was also used in a more restricted sense for the local chieftains 

 who in return for the fief enjoyed gave certain assistance in the local admin- 

 istration. See N&rges Gamle Love, V, 396-397; Gjerset, History of the Nor- 

 wegian People, I, 387-388; American Historical Review, XIII, 467-468. 



