r 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--

"I take witness that this is a lawful defence in this cause, that ye
have pleaded the suit in the Eastfirthers' Court, when ye ought to have
pleaded it in the Northlanders' Court; for Flosi has declared himself
one of the Thingmen of Askel the priest; and here now are those two
witnesses who were by, and who will bear witness that Flosi handed over
his priesthood to his brother Thorgeir, but afterwards declared himself
one of Askel the priest's Thingmen. I take witness to this for my own
part, and for those who may need to make use of it."

Again Eyjolf took witness--"I take witness," he said, "to this, that I
bid Mord who pleads this suit, or the next of kin, to listen to my oath,
and to my declaration of the defence which I am about to bring forward;
I bid him by a lawful bidding before the court, so that the judges may
hear me".

Again Eyjolf took witness--

"I take witness to this, that I swear an oath on the book, a lawful
oath, and say it before God, that I will so defend this cause, in the
most truthful, and most just, and most lawful way, so far as I know, and
so fulfil all lawful duties which belong to me at this Thing."

Then Eyjolf said--

"These two men I take to witness that I bring forward this lawful
defence that this suit was pleaded in another Quarter Court, than that
in which it ought to have been pleaded; and I say that for this sake
their suit has come to naught; I utter this defence in this shape before
the Eastfirthers' Court."

After that he let all the witness be brought forward which belonged to
the defence, and then he took witness to all the steps in the defence to
prove that they had all been duly taken.

After that Eyjolf again took witness and said--

"I take witness to this, that I forbid the judges, by a lawful protest
before the priest, to utter judgment in the suit of Mord and his
friends, for now a lawful defence has been brought before the court. I
forbid you by a protest mad