shall also have this arrangement in the Court of Laws, that those
only shall have the right to make or change laws who sit on the
middle bench, and to this bench those only shall be chosen who
are wisest and best. There, too, shall the Fifth Court sit; but
if those who sit in the Court of Laws are not agreed as to what
they shall allow or bring in as law, then they shall clear the
court for a division, and the majority shall bind the rest; but
if any man who has a seat in the Court be outside the Court of
Laws and cannot get inside it, or thinks himself overborne in the
suit, then he shall forbid them by a protest, so that they can
hear it in the Court, and then he has made all their grants and
all their decisions void and of none effect, and stopped them by
his protest.”
After that, Skapti Thorod’s son brought the Fifth Court into the
law, and all that was spoken of before. Then men went to the
Hill of Laws, and men set up new priesthoods: In the
Northlanders’ Quarter were these new priesthoods. The priesthood
of the Melmen in Midfirth, and the Laufesingers’ priesthood in
the Eyjafirth.
Then Njal begged for a hearing, and spoke thus: “It is known to
many men what passed between my sons and the men of Gritwater
when they slew Thrain Sigfus’ son. But for all that we settled
the matter; and now I have taken Hauskuld into my house, and
planned a marriage for him if he can get a priesthood anywhere;
but no man will sell his priesthood, and so I will beg you to
give me leave to set up a new priesthood at Whiteness for
Hauskuld.”
He got this leave from all, and after that he set up the new
priesthood for Hauskuld; and he was afterwards called Hauskuld,
the Priest of Whiteness.
After that, men ride home from the Thing, and Njal stayed but a
short time at home ere he rides east to Swinefell, and his sons
with him, and again stirs in the matter of the marriage with
Flosi; but Flosi said he was ready to keep faith with them in
everything.
Then Hildigunna was betrothed to Hauskuld, and the day for the
wedding feast was fixed, and so the matter ended. They then ride
home, but they rode again shortly to the bridal, and Flosi paid
down all her goods and money after the wedding, and all went off
well.
They fared home to Bergthorsknoll, and were there the next year,
and all went well between Hildigunna and Bergthom. But the next
spring Njal bought land in Ossaby, and hands it over to Hauskuld,
and thither he fares to his own abode. Njal got him all his
household, and there was such love between them all, that none of
them thought anything that he said or did any worth unless the
others had a share in it.
Hauskuld dwelt long at Ossaby, and each backed the other’s
honour, and Njal’s sons were always in Hauskuld’s company. Their
friendship was so warm, that each house bade the other to a feast
