the cause of the parties, and had so
been guilty of contempt of the Thing; and he laid the penalty for
that at lesser outlawry.

Then they went away to the Court of Laws, there the Fifth Court
was then set.

Now when Mord and Asgrim had gone away, then the judges in the
Eastfirthers' Court could not agree how they should give
judgment, for some of them wished to give judgment for Flosi, but
some for Mord and Asgrim. Then Flosi and Eyjolf tried to divide
the court, and there they stayed, and lost time over that while
the summoning at the Hill of Laws going on. A little while after
Flosi and Eyjolf were told that they had been summoned at the
Hill of Laws into the Fifth Court, each of them with two summons.
Then Eyjolf said, "In an evil hour have we loitered here while
they have been before us in quickness of summoning. Now hath
come out Thorhall's cunning, and no man is his match in wit. Now
they have the first right to plead their cause before the court,
and that was everything for them; but still we will go to the
Hill of Laws, and set our suit on foot against them, though that
will now stand us in little stead."

Then they fared to the Hill of Laws, and Eyjolf summoned them for
contempt of the Thing.

After that they went to the Fifth Court.

Now we must say that when Mord and Asgrim came to the Fifth
Court, Mord took witness and bade them listen to his oath and the
declaration of his suit, and to all those proofs and steps which
he meant to bring forward against Flosi and Eyjolf. He bade them
by a lawful bidding before the court, so that the judges could
hear him across the court.

In the Fifth Court vouchers had to follow the oaths of the
parties, and they had to take an oath after them.

Mord took witness. "I take witness," he said, "to this, that I
take a Fifth Court oath. I pray God so to help me in this light
and in the next, as I shall plead this suit as I know to be most
truthful, and just, and lawful. I believe with all my heart that
Flosi is truly guilty in this suit, if I may bring forward my
proofs; and I have not brought money into this court in this
suit, and I will not bring it. I have not taken money, and I
will not take it, neither for a lawful nor for an unlawful end."

The men who were Mord's vouchers then went two of them before the
court, and took witness to this -- "We take witness that we take
an oath on the book, a lawful oath; we pray God so to help us two
in this light a