Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 11, 1900.djvu/294

 282 The Ancient Teutonic Priesthood.

assembly and a lawman (logmactr)} These lawmen seem, at this period, to have been men of high position.^ The succession, at all events in Uppland, was hereditary •'^ Besides the lawman there existed in Uppland a council of twelve sages {spekingar), whose duty it was to advise the king, especially in the administration of justice, and who likewise appear to have been men of important position.* At their head stood, during the reign of Olafr Skottkonungr, three brothers, Arnvidr, Thorvidr, and Freyvidr, the two latter being named after the great gods. Similar councils can be shown to have existed in other Scandinavian lands, e.g. in the Danish settlements in England. Thus Lincoln and Stamford had each a council of twelve, who inherited their jurisdiction and bore the title of lawmen (Lat. lageinanni).^ Bearing in mind the close connection which everywhere among Teutonic peoples subsists between the law and the priesthood, it seems not unlikely that these councillors are the priests mentioned by Adam. During the reign of the Christian king, Olafr, their sacerdotal duties would neces- sarily have to cease ; but they may subsequently have been resumed during the heathen reaction which was in operation during Adam's time.

As regards the number, we may compare the twelve priests who officiated in the sacrifices at Maeren. The identification is still more favoured by the story of the twelve gods who were appointed by Othin as temple-priests (hof-godar), to keep up the sacrifices and

' Olafs s. Helga {Heimskr.), 76. At an earlier period these provinces seem to have been separate kingdoms, most of which, however, were always dependent on the king in Uppland ; cf. Yngl. s. 40, 42.

- Of the Lawman of W. Gotland it is stated that he was the richest and most powerful man in the land except the earl ; 0/a/s. s. Helga {Heiinskr.), 96.

' In St. Olafs time the lawman was Thorgnyr, the son of Thorgnyr, the son of Thorgnyr; his father and grandfather had been lawmen before him, and so had their ancestors for many generations {ib. 77).


 * Olafs s. Helga, 96 [Heimskr,, p. 316 f.).


 * Stubbs, Const, Hist, i., p. 106, and n. 4.