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648 VON TROIL’S LETTERS ON ICELAND.
cafes 5, but at prefent moft matters are decided after the Danifh law, and fome more res
cent regulations.
LETTER V.—tTo CHEVALIER IHRE.
Concerning Ecclefiaftical Affairs in Iceland.
Stockholm, June 22, 1772.
Ir is known from Landnama Bok, and the Shedz of Are, that the Norwegians
found fome traces of Chriftianity on their arrival in Iceland. There were alfo fome
few Chriftians among thefe new colonifls, who, however, fcon apoftatized ‘to. the hea-
then religion, fo that it became general there. It is not known whether any attempts
had been made to introduce the Chriftian religion before the year 981, when a certain
bifhop Friedric arrived there from Saxony, and was obliged to return, after a ftay of
five years, without having made any great progreis.
‘However, a church was built in 984, by Thorvard Bodvarfon, and fome perfons re-
ceived baptifm ; but others, though they had no objection to the Chriftian doétrine,
could not be prevailed upon to fuffer themfelves to be baptized, as they pretended it
would be indecent to go naked into the water like little boys to receive baptifm, which,
according to the cuftom of thofe times, could only be done by fubmerfion. Some,
however, to fhew their deteftation of paganifm, fuffered themfelves to be figned with the
crofs, which they called Primfigning. ‘Thefe were not confidered either as Chriftians
or Heathens; however, they were allowed to eat with the former, and to be buried
clofe to the church-yard. :
Olof Trygegvafion afterwards fent them Stefr Thorgilffon, and after him his chaplain
Thangbrand, a German by birth; but they were both received with {tones and abufive
Janguage, as they attempted to convert them, which happened to be at the very fpot
where the common court of juftice was held ;:. nor were they {pared by the poets of the
country, who, being bribed for the purpofe, poured forth in their poetical productions
the keeneft invectives and fatire upon thefe champions of the Chriftian religion.
However, the Icelanders obtained fome knowledge of the Chriftian dottrine, which
by degrees operated upon their minds. Some of them refufed to contribute any more
towards the idolatrous facrifices, and wifhed to enjoy more circumftantial and certain in-
{truétion in the Chriftian religion ; fo that on the arrival of Giffur and Hyalti in the
year one thoufand, the whole country was converted without bloodfhed, though not
without oppofition. They alfo obtained a jus canonicum* from bifhop Grimkell, drawn
up by himfelf, which was as valid asa law till 1123, when it was again revifed by bifhops
Thorlak and Ketill t.
After this time monks and convents abounded in the country. Many monks of the
order of St. Benedict and St. Auftin fettled there, and the people paid a tribute to the
Roman fee, as well as other European nations, which confilted in one nag/i, ten of
which were equal to one ell of two feet }.
That Rome did not lofe fight of Iceland, though ever fo diftant, can be proved by the
bifhop of Skallholt, Arne Therlakfon, keeping his own agent, Sighvatr Lande, canon of
Drontheim, at the fecond council of Lyons, which was convened by Gregory I, in the
* See Krillnie Saga, printed Copenhagen, 1776, in 8vo. p. §7.
+ The canon law was printed at Copenhagen, 1776, in &vo,
t The value of all things is fettled in Iceland by ells of qwadmal, which is acoarfe woollen ftuff of their
own manufacturing ; the fee of Rome taxed every man in Iceland as high as the value of ten ells of wadmal.
5 year
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