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VON TROIL’S LETTERS ON ICELAND, 647
inevitable, wherever liberty degenerates into licentioufnefs and public fpirit into felfith
views ; that is, they were obliged to fubmit to one chief. ‘The greateft part of the in-
habitants in 1261, put themfelves under the protection of king Hakans, and promifed to
pay tribute to him on certain conditions agreed upon between them, and the reft followed
their example in 1264. Afterwards Iceland, together with Norway, became fubject ta
the crown of Denmark, which intrufted the care of it toa governor, who commonly
went there only once a year to examine every thing, though according to his in{tructions,
he ought to have refided there. As the country fuffered incredibly through the ab-
fence of its commanders, it was refolved a few years ago, that the governor fhould re-
fide there continually, and have his feat at Beflefledr, one of the royal domains, where
old Snorfe Sturlefon formerly dwelt. He has under him a bailiff, two laymen, a fheriff,
and twenty-one /y/é/men*. Formerly the country was divided into quarters (Fiardungar)
each having its own court of juftice, of which one was formed of their public aflemblies,
under the denomination of Fiordungs-doeme}t. But as the public fecurity feemed to
require a fuperior court of judicature, to which the fuffering party might appeal; a
Fimtar-doeme was eftablifhed foon after the introduction of the Chriftian religion, which
tribunal confifted of the four above-mentioned courts, and fome clergymen.
At prefent all caufes are firft decided at the Harads-thing, or county court, from
which the parties concerned may appeal to the A/-thing, or common court of juflice,
which is kept every year on the eighth of July at Thingvalla. Here there are two
courts, the one before which the caufe in appeal is firft brought, and confifts entirely of
lagmen +; the other to which recourfe may be had for a new hearing the following year,
and more accurate examination ; and this is compofed of the, governor, who prefides,
and twelve affeffors, who are the moft refpectable men in the country, moftly /agmen and
Sifeimen. From this court the parties may again appeal to the fupreme court of judica-
ture at Copenhagen, which is final.
The Norwegians, on their firft arrival in Iceland, made their own laws; but thefe
proving infufficient, when the number of people increafed, Ulfliotr undertook, in the
year 987, a voyage to Norway, and compofed an accurate code of laws from the regu-
lations eftablifhed there. He made ufe of the Gulothing law on this occafion, and re-
turned to his native country after an abfence of three years. MA
In 1118, the Gragas, a famous ancient code of laws, was received there; and in
1280, that called the Jon/bok §, according to which fentence is ftill pronounced in fome
_ * The place of Amman is here tranflated Bailiff, and is to be taken in the fenfe in which the French re?
ceive the word Bailif, i. c. the head of a Bailiwick. The word Lagmann fignifies properly a Lawman ?
i. e. a perfon who adminifters juftice, and might be tranflated Judge or Juftice. The Landvogt is the per-
fon who adminifters the executive power of juftice aud the criminal law; and he may be compared to a
fheriff The Sy/élmen are the magiftrates of the fmaller diftri€ts in Iceland (called the Sy/2/). who not only
gaét as juftices of the peace, but alfo as receivers of the land tax. The governor is called in {celand Stifts-
. amtmann, which is the fame as a bailiff of the epifcopal diocefe; i.e. the chief magiftrate of the ifland,
This place was occupied in 1772 by Mr. Thodal, counfellor of juftice, who had been employed in the
final adjuftment of the limits between Sweden and Norway; his falary amounts to 1500 rix-dollars,
Travellers praife his abilities, patriotifm, and hofpitality. The bailiff at the time of our arrival in Ices
land, was Mr. Olafr Stephanffon, a native of Icciand, whofe parts and abilities we admired, and whole
hofpitality we experience’: his falary is 400 rix-dollars; and the fame appointment is given to the fheriff
{ Landvogt) Mr. Skule Magnufen, who is faid to deferve well of his country by his patriotifm and eminent
fervices.
+ The words Fiordungsedoeme and Fimtar-doeme are ftill in part preferved in the language. For Deom/~
day is the day of judgment, from the Gothic word Dvem, to judge, with which, the Englifh word Doom
correfponds. :
_- } At the-fame time and at the fame place the {piritual court called Prefa/efna. is held, wherein, the go-
yernor and bithop prefide: the priefts are the affeffors. - :
§ The Fonfbok was reccived in 1272, according to an Icelandic Chronicle, publifhed by Langebeck in
the fecond volume of the Scriptores Hift. Dan. :
Caless
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