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
until, 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 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 spo