“Mord Valgard’s son summoned nine of us thanes on this inquest, but here we stand five of us, but four have been challenged and set aside, and now witness has been borne as to the absence of the four who ought to have uttered this finding along with us, and now we are bound by law to utter our finding.  We were summoned to bear this witness, whether Flosi Thord’s son rushed with an assault laid down by law on Helgi Njal’s son, on that spot where 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.  He summoned us to utter all those words which it was lawful for us to utter, and which he should call on us to answer before the court, and which belong to this suit; he summoned us, so that we heard what he said; he summoned us in a suit which Thorgeir Thorir’s son had handed over to him, and now we have all sworn an oath, and found our lawful finding, and are all agreed, and we utter our finding against Flosi, and we say that he is truly guilty in this suit.  We nine men on this inquest of neighbours so shapen, utter this our finding before the Eastfirthers’ Court over the head of John, as Mord summoned us to do; but this is the finding of all of us.”

Again a second time they uttered their finding against Flosi, and uttered it first about the wounds, and last about the assault, but all their other words they uttered just as they had before uttered their finding against Flosi, and brought him in truly guilty in the suit.

Then Mord Valgard’s son went before the court, and took witness that those neighbours whom he had summoned in the suit which he had set on foot against Flosi Thord’s son had now uttered their finding, and brought him in truly guilty in the suit; he took witness to this for his own part, or for those who might wish to make use of this witness.

Again a second time Mord took witness and said—­

“I take witness to this that I call on Flosi, or that man who has to undertake the lawful defence which he has handed over to him, to begin his defence to this suit which I have set on foot against him, for now all the steps and proofs have been brought forward which belong by law to this suit; all witness borne, the finding of the inquest uttered and brought in, witness taken to the finding, and to all the steps which have gone before; but if any such thing arises in their lawful defence which I need to turn into a suit against them, then I claim the right to set that suit on foot against them.  I bid this my lawful bidding before the court, so that the judges may hear.”

“It gladdens me now, Eyjolf,” said Flosi, “in my heart to think what a wry face they will make, and how their pates will tingle when thou bringest forward our defence.”

CHAPTER CXLII.

OF EYJOLF BOLVERK’S SON.

Then Eyjolf Bolverk’s son went before the court, and took witness to this—­