The Hrafnkel's Saga (Hrafnkels saga Freysgoða) on Thorgeir

The Story of Hrafnkell, Frey's Priest

• attestation: Thorkell's brother Thorgeirr held the priesthood in Thorskafjörðr and the West-firths, and had about seventy men with him at the Þing.

  ""A man of a priesthood he is indeed, both in Thorskafjörðr and wide about elsewhere in the West-firths." ... "About seventy men," said Thorkell."

• attestation: Thorgeirr initially refused to help because Hrafnkell had consistently defeated all previous legal opponents and he had no personal debt to repay Sámr.

  ""every summer he deals with those who have got cases to contest with him, so that most of them get little or no honour thereof in the end. In this way I have seen them fare every one.""

• attestation: Thorgeirr offered to transfer his priesthood to Thorkell so that Thorkell could back the case himself, but Thorkell declined, saying Thorgeirr was better suited to hold the priesthood.

  ""Now I shall hand over to thee my priesthood and my rule of men, and have thou that which I have had before, but after that we go even shares, and now thou back up whomsoever thou choosest" Answered Thorkell: "It seems to me that our priesthood will be best looked after by being longest in thy hands""

• attestation: Thorgeirr agreed to support Sámr's case against Hrafnkell when he perceived that Thorkell was displeased and deeply committed to it.

  ""I see now, kinsman, how the matter stands, that thou art not pleased, which I cannot bear to think of, so we will lend these men our assistance if it be thy will, whatsoever end the affair may have.""

• attestation: Sámr and Thorbjörn were instructed by Thorgeirr to maintain secrecy about the promised support and to present themselves cheerfully at the Þing.

  ""go ye home and be merry, for if ye are to strive with Hrafnkell it behoves you to bear yourselves well and straightly for a while. But let no man be told that we have promised you any support.""

• attestation: Thorgeirr explained to Sámr that the outlawry sentence was not complete until the act of distress was executed at Hrafnkell's home, within a fortnight of the Wapentake.

  ""A full outlaw the man is not yet, as long as the act of distress has not been executed, which must be done at his own home, not later than a fortnight after 'Wapentake'""

• attestation: Thorgeirr volunteered his brother Thorkell and himself to accompany Sámr to the Eastfirths to execute the act of distress, asking for a non-public road.

  ""I think that my kinsman, Thorkell, is minded not to let it come to a poor end with thee ... Now for this once we shall accompany thee to the Eastfirths; but art thou acquainted with any road thither which is not a highroad?""

• attestation: Thorgeirr selected forty men and Sámr had forty men, a total force of eighty, riding to execute the act of distress against Hrafnkell.

  "Thorgeirr selected the best men from his band, and charged forty of them to accompany him. Sámr, likewise, had forty men in his following, and the whole band was well fitted out, both as to weapons and horses."

• attestation: Thorgeirr and Sámr formally executed the act of distress on a stony knoll at the time of due south, completing the legal process of outlawry.

  "Then Thorgeirr and Sámr executed the act of distress."

• attribution: The sons of Thjóstar counselled Sámr to be generous with his money and supportive to his men so they would follow him faithfully.

  "The sons of Thjóstar counselled him to be bounteous of his money, and helpful to his men, and a support to whomsoever might be in want; "And then they are not men if they do not faithfully follow thee in whatsoever thou mayest stand in need of.""

• attribution: Thorgeirr ordered Freymane and the stud brought to be viewed, then declared that Freymane had caused enough evil and should be destroyed.

  "Thorgeirr said: "These horses seem to me to be serviceable to the household ... but this horse 'Freymane' seems to me no better than other horses, nay, the worse, indeed, that he has brought many an evil thing about; and I will not that he be the cause of any more manslaughters than he has been already""

• attribution: Thorgeirr declined to help Sámr a second time, saying he had warned him that sparing Hrafnkell would be his greatest regret, and that the disparity of wisdom between the two men was now plain.

  ""that would be the matter of thy sorest regret. I urged thee to take Hrafnkell's life, but thou wantedst to have thy way. Now it is easy to see the disparity of wisdom there is between ye two: he allowing thee to sit in peace all along, and only seized the chance of attack when he saw his way to destroying him in whom he deemed there was a greater man than in thyself.""

• attestation: Thorgeirr offered Sámr refuge at Thorskafjörðr with all his kin rather than further involvement against Hrafnkell.

  ""we are willing to offer thee to come here with all thy relatives, and are ready to afford thee our protection, shouldst thou find thy mind more at ease here, than in the neighbourhood of Hrafnkell.""