The Earliest Norwegian Laws

Compilation of Early Norwegian Laws. 'The oldest Norwegian laws, those of Gula and Frosta, go back to a time when the culture of the Middle Ages was still a somewhat novel experience in Northern Europe. Though the copies that have survived seem to date from the twelfth century and later, the codes must, in considerable part, have taken form in the eleventh century, or as early as the first generation of the Christian age. Heathendom had by that time been outlawed, but one seems justified in believing that the cult of strength and valor was for some time yet a force that had to be taken into account; for the principles that governed in the heathen age retained much of their ancient vigor, and the old civilization, rooted, as it was, in the soil itself, was able in large measure to maintain both life and validity.' --Foreword, viiLaurence M. Larson [1868-1938] was a Professor of History at the University of Illinois. CONTENTSIntroductionTHE OLDER LAW OF THE GULATHINGThe Church LawThe Merchant LawThe Law of TenancyThe Inheritance LawMiscellaneous ProvisionsThe Law of Personal RightsThe Wergeld SystemThe Law as to TheftThe Redemption of Odal LandThe Law of the Coast DefenseA Later System of WergeldTHE OLDER LAW OF THE FROSTATHINGIntroductionI. The FrostathingII. The Church LawIII. The Church Law-ContinuedIV. The Law of Personal RightsV. Miscellaneous ProvisionsVI. The Wergeld SystemVII. The Law of the Coast DefenseVIII. The Inheritance LawIX. The Inheritance Law-ContinuedX. The Merchant LawXI. The Merchant Law-ContinuedXII. The Redemption of Odal LandXIII. The Law of TenancyXIV. The Law of Tenancy-Concluded. The Law as to TheftXV. The Law as to Theft-ContinuedXVI. Later EnactmentsGlossary BibliographyIndex