Автор литература - Njal's Saga

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.”

Then Mord spoke again, “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 a suit against Flosi Thord’s son

for that he 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.”

Then Mord’s witnesses to the notice came before the court, and

spake so that one uttered their witness, but both confirmed it by

their common consent in this form, “I bear witness that Mord

called Thorodd as his first witness, and me as his second, and my

name is Thorbjorn” — then he named his father’s name — “Mord

called us two as his witnesses that he gave notice of an assault

laid down by law against Flosi Thord’s son when he rushed on

Helgi Njal’s son, in that spot where Flosi Thord’s son dealt

Helgi Njal’s son a brain, or a body, or a marrow wound, that

proved a death-wound, and from which Helgi got his death. He

said that Flosi 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 by any man; he said that all his goods were forfeited,

half to himself and half to the men of the Quarter who have the

right by law to take the goods which he had forfeited; he gave

notice of the suit in the Quarter Court into which the suit ought

by law to come; he gave notice of that lawful notice; he gave

notice in the hearing of all men at the Hill of Laws; he gave

notice of this suit to be pleaded now this summer, and of full

outlawry against Flosi Thord’s son. He gave notice of a suit

which Thorgeir Thorir’s son had handed over to him. He used all

those words in his notice which he used in the declaration of his

suit, and which we have used in bearing witness; we have now

borne our witness rightly and lawfully, and we are agreed in

bearing it; we bear this witness in this shape before the

Eastfirthers’ Court over the head of John, as Mord uttered it

when he gave his notice.”

A second time they bore their witness of the notice before the

court, and put the wounds first and the assault last, and used

all the same words as before, and bore their witness in this

shape before the Eastfirthers’ Court just as Mord uttered them

when he gave his notice.

Then Mord’s witnesses to the handing over of the suit went before

the court, and one uttered their witness, and both confirmed it

by common consent, and spoke in these words, “That those two,

Mord Valgard’s son and Thorgeir Thorir’s son, took them to

witness that Thorgeir Thorir’s son handed over a suit for

manslaughter to Mord Valgard’s son against Flosi Thord’s son for

the slaying of Helgi Njal’s son; he handed over to him then this

suit, with all the proofs and proceedings which belonged to the

suit, he handed it over to him to plead and to settle, and to

make use of all rights as though he were the rightful next of

kin: Thorgeir handed it over lawfully, and Mord took it lawfully.

They bore witness of the handing over of the suit in this shape

before the Eastfirther’s Court over the head of John, just as

Mord or Thorgeir had called them as witnesses to prove.

They made all these witnesses swear on oath ere they bore

witness, and the judges too.

Again Mord Valgard’s son took witness. “I take witness to this,”

said he, “that I bid those nine neighbours whom I summoned when I

laid this suit against Flosi Thord’s son, to take their seats

west on the river-bank, and I call on the defendant to challenge

this request, I call on him by a lawful bidding before the court

so that the judges may hear.”

Again Mord took witness. “I take witness to this, that I bid

Flosi Thord’s son, or that other man who has the defence handed

over to him, to challenge the inquest which I have caused to,

take their seats west on the river-bank. I bid thee by a lawful

bidding before the court so that the judges may hear.”

Again Mord took witness. “I take witness to this, that now are

all the first steps and proofs brought forward which belong to

the suit. Summons to bear my oath, oath taken, suit declared,

witness borne to the notice, witness home to the handing over of

the suit, the neighbours on the inquest bidden to take their

seats, and the defendant bidden to challenge the inquest. I take

this witness to these steps and proofs which are now brought

forward, and also to this that I shall not be thought to have

left the suit though I go away from the court to look up proofs,

or on other business.”

Now Flosi and his men went thither where the neighbours on the

inquest sate.

Then Flosi said to his men, “The sons of Sigfus must know best

whether these are the rightful neighbours to the spot who are

here summoned.”

Kettle of the Mark answered, “Here is that neighbour who held