y how they had fared with each of
them.

Then Gudmund said, "Last time I behaved badly and meanly to you.
Then I was stubborn, but now ye shall drive your bargain with me
all the more quickly because I was more stubborn then, and now I
will go myself with you to the court with all my Thing-men, and
stand by you in all such things as I can, and fight for you
though this be needed, and lay down my life for your lives. I
will also pay Skapti out in this way, that Thorstein Gape-mouth
his son shall be in the battle on our side, for he will not dare
to do aught else than I will, since he has Jodisa my daughter to
wife, and then Skapti will try to part us."

They thanked him, and talked with him long and low afterwards, so
that no other men could hear.

Then Gudmund bade them not to go before the knees of any other
chiefs, for he said that would be little-hearted.

"We will now run the risk with the force that we have. Ye must
go with your weapons to all law-business, but not fight as things
stand."

Then they went all of them home to their booths, and all this was
at first with few men's knowledge.

So now the Thing goes on.

140. OF THE DECLARATIONS OF THE SUITS

It was one day that men went to the Hill of Laws, and the chiefs
were so placed that Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, and Gizur the White,
and Gudmund the Powerful, and Snorri the Priest, were on the
upper hand by the Hill of Laws; but the Eastfirthers stood down
below.

Mord Valgard's son stood next to Gizur his father-in-law, he was
of all men the readiest-tongued.

Gizur told him that he ought to give notice of the suit for
manslaughter, and bade him speak up, so that all might hear him
well.

Then Mord took witness and said, "I take witness to this that I
give notice of an assault laid down by law against Flosi Thord's
son, for that he rushed at Helgi Njal's son and dealt him a
brain, or a body, or a marrow wound, which proved a death-wound,
and from which Helgi got his death. I say that in this suit he
ought to be made a guilty man, an outlaw, not to be fed, not to
be forwarded, not to be helped or harboured in any need. I say
that all his goods are forfeited, half to me and half to the men
of the Quarter, who have a right by law to take his forfeited
goods. I give notice of this suit for manslaughter in the
Quarter Court into which this suit ought by law to come. I give
notice of this lawful notice; I give notice in the hearing of all
men