of all men the readiest-tongued.
Gizur told him that he ought to give notice of the suit for
manslaughter, and bade him speak up, so that all might hear him
well.
Then Mord took witness and said, “I take witness to this that I
give notice of an assault laid down by law against Flosi Thord’s
son, for that be rushed at Helgi Njal’s son and dealt him a
brain, or a body, or a marrow wound, which proved a death-wound,
and from which Helgi got his death. I say that in this suit he
ought to be made a guilty man, an outlaw, not to be fed, not to
be forwarded, not to be helped or harboured in any need. I say
that all his goods are forfeited, half to me and half to the men
of the Quarter, who have a right by law to take his forfeited
goods. I give notice of this suit for manslaughter in the
Quarter Court into which this suit ought by law to come. I give
notice of this lawful notice; I give notice in the hearing of all
men on the Hill of Laws; I give notice of this suit to be pleaded
this summer, and of full outlawry against Flosi Thord’s son; I
give notice of a suit which Thorgeir Thorir’s son has handed over
to me.”
Then a great shout was uttered at the Hill of Laws, that Mord
spoke well and boldly.
Then Mord began to speak a second time.
“I take you to witness to this,” says he, “that I give notice
of a suit against Flosi Thord’s son. I give notice for that he
wounded Helgi Njal’s son with a brain, or a body, or a marrow
wound, which proved a death-wound, and from which Helgi got his
death on that spot where Flosi Thord’s son had first rushed on
Helgi Njal’s son with an assault laid down by law. I say that
thou, Flosi, ought to be made in this suit a guilty man, an
outlaw, not to be fed, not to be forwarded, not to be helped or
harboured in any need. I say that all thy goods are forfeited,
half to me and half to the men of the Quarter, who have a right
by law to take the goods which have been forfeited by thee. I
give notice of this suit in the Quarter Court into which it ought
by law to come; I give notice of this lawful notice; I give
notice of it in the hearing of all men on the Hill of Laws; I
give notice of this suit to be pleaded this summer, and of full
outlawry against Flosi Thord’s son. I give notice of the suit
which Thorgeir Thorir’s son hath handed over to me.”
After that Mord sat him down.
Flosi listened carefully, but said never a word the while.
Then Thorgeir Craggeir stood up and took witness, and said, “I
take witness to this, that I give notice of a suit against Glum
Hilldir’s son, in that he took firing and lit it, and bore it to
the house at Bergthorsknoll, when they were burned inside it, to
wit, Njal Thorgeir’s son, and Bergthora Skarphedinn’s daughter,
and all those other men who were burned inside it there and then.
I say that in this suit he ought to be made a guilty man, an
