suit a guilty man, an outlaw, not to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to be helped or harboured in any need; I said that all his goods were forfeited, half to me and half to the men of the Quarter who have the right by law to take the goods which he has forfeited; I gave notice of the suit in the Quarter Court into which the suit ought by law to come; I gave notice of that lawful notice; I gave notice in the hearing of all men at the Hill of Laws; I gave notice of this suit to be pleaded now this summer, and of full outlawry against Flosi Thord’s son.  I gave notice of a suit which Thorgeir Thorir’s son had handed heard it.  Then lots were cast as to the declarations, and he, Mord, drew the lot to declare his suit first”.

Now Mord Valgard’s son took witness the second time, and said—­

“I take witness to this, that I except all mistakes in words in my pleading, whether they be too many or wrongly spoken, and I claim the right to amend all my words until I have put them into proper lawful shape.  I take witness to myself of this.”

Again Mord said—­

“I take witness to this, that I bid Flosi Thord’s son, or any other man who has undertaken the defence made over to him by Flosi, to listen for him to my oath, and to my declaration of my suit, and to all the proofs and proceedings which I am about to bring forward against him; I bid him by a lawful bidding before the court, so that the judges may hear it across the court.”

Again Mord Valgard’s son said—­

“I take witness to this, that I take an oath on the book, a lawful oath, and I say it before God, that I will so plead this suit in the most truthful, and most just, and most lawful way, so far as I know; and that I will bring forward all my proofs in due form, and utter them faithfully so long as I am in this suit.”

After that he spoke in these words—­

“I have called Thorodd as my first witness, and Thorbjorn as my second; I have called them to bear witness that I gave notice of an assault laid down by law against Flosi Thord’s son, on that spot where he, Flosi Thord’s son, rushed with an assault laid down by law on Helgi Njal’s son, when Flosi Thord’s son, wounded Helgi Njal’s son with a brain, or a body, or a marrow wound, which proved a death-wound, and from which Helgi got his death.  I said that he ought to be made in this suit a guilty man, an outlaw, not to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to be helped or harboured in any need; I said that all his goods were forfeited, half to me and half to the men of the Quarter who have the right by law to take the goods which he has forfeited; I gave notice of the suit in the Quarter Court into which the suit ought by law to come; I gave notice of that lawful notice; I gave notice in the hearing of all men at the Hill of Laws; I gave notice of this suit to be pleaded now this summer, and of full outlawry against Flosi Thord’s son.  I gave notice of a suit which Thorgeir Thorir’s son had handed over to me; and I had all these words in my notice which I have now used in this declaration of my suit.  I now declare this suit of outlawry in this shape before the court of the Eastfirthers over the head of John, as I uttered it when I gave notice of it.”