e before a priest; by a full, fair, and
binding protest; as I have a right to forbid you by the common custom of
the Althing, and by the law of the land."

After that he called on the judges to pronounce for the defence.

Then Asgrim and his friends brought on the other suits for the Burning,
and those suits took their course.

CHAPTER CXLIII.

THE COUNSEL OF THORHALL ASGRIM'S SON.

Now Asgrim and his friends sent a man to Thorhall, and let him be told
in what a strait they had come.

"Too far off was I now," answers Thorhall, "for this cause might still
not have taken this turn if I had been by. I now see their course that
they must mean to summon you to the Fifth Court for contempt of the
Thing. They must also mean to divide the Eastfirthers' Court in the suit
for the Burning, so that no judgment may be given, for now they behave
so as to show that they will stay at no ill. Now shalt thou go back to
them as quickly as thou canst, and say that Mord must summon them both,
both Flosi and Eyjolf, for having brought money into the Fifth Court,
and make it a case of lesser outlawry. Then he shall summon them with a
second summons for that they have brought forward that witness which had
nothing to do with their cause, and so were guilty of contempt of the
Thing; and tell them that I say this, that if two suits for lesser
outlawry hang over one and the same man, that he shall be adjudged a
thorough outlaw at once. And for this ye must set your suits on foot
first, that then ye will first go to trial and judgment."

Now the messenger went his way back and told Mord and Asgrim.

After that they went to the Hill of Laws, and Mord Valgard's son took
witness.

"I take witness to this that I summon Flosi Thord's son, for that he
gave money for his help here at the Thing to Eyjolf Bolverk's son. I say
that he ought on this charge to be made a guilty outlaw, for this sake
alone to be forwarded or to be allowed the right of frithstow
[sanctuary], if his fine and bail are brought forward at the execution
levied on his house and goods, but else to become a thorough outlaw. I
say all his goods are forfeited, half to me and half to the men of the
Quarter who have the right by law to take his goods after he has been
outlawed. I summon this cause before the Fifth Court, whither the cause
ought to come by law; I summon it to be pleaded now and to full
outlawry. I summon with a lawful summons. I summon in the hearing of all