XXIV 
INTRODUCTION. 
Of the revenues accruing to the parent 
state I am not capable of speaking with any 
degree of certainty. Besides, however, those 
arising from the taxes imposed upon the inhabi¬ 
tants, the king receives a certain sum for the 
rental of such farms as are his private property; 
altogether not amounting to a sufficiency to meet 
the annual expenditure of the island. Land 
in Iceland comes under three divisions: such as 
belongs to the king, to the church, and to the 
peasants themselves. It would be interesting to 
ascertain, were it possible, the present proportion 
of each, but to do this with any kind of accuracy 
is impracticable, from the various changes that 
have taken place. The Icelandic Villarium, or 
land-book, made in 1695 , is here our only guide, 
and from this is extracted the following state¬ 
ment, in applying which to the present time it 
must be observed that, from subsequent sales, the 
quantity of farms in the possession of the occu¬ 
piers has been materially increased, and the 
regal and ecclesiastical estates proportionably 
diminished. 
To the King. 
To the Bishop’s See of Skalholt.. 
To the Bishop’s See at Holum .. 
Church Glebe .. 
No. of Farms. 
718 
304 
345 
640 
Carried forward .... 2007 
