Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/95

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 87 meetings for buying, which continued for a week : saga vii. and after Christianity was introduced into Sweden, the Things and fairs were held there as before. After Christianity had taken root in Sweden, and the kings would no longer dwell in Upsal, the market- time was moved to Candlemas, and it has since con- tinued so, and it lasts only three days. There is then the Swedish Thing also, and people from all quarters come there. Sweden is divided into many parts. One part is West Gotland, Yermeland, and the Marks, with what belongs to them ; and this part of the kingdom is so large, that the bishop who is set over it has 1100 churches under him. The other part is East Gotland, where there is also a bishop's seat, to which the islands of Gotland and Oland be- long ; and forming all together a still greater bishop- ric. In Sweden itself (Swithiod) there is a part of the country called Sudermanland, where there is also a bishopric. Then comes Westmanland, or Fiathrynda- land, which is also a bishopric. The third portion of Sweden proper, or Swithiod, is called Tiundaland ; the fourth Aattundaland ; the fifth Sioland, and what belongs to it lies eastward along the coast. Tiunda- land is the best and most inhabited part of Swithiod, or Sweden proper, under which the other kingdoms stand. There Upsal is situated, the seat of the king and archbishop; and from it Upsala-Audur, or the domain of the Swedish kings, takes its name. Each of these divisions of the country has its Lag-thing, and its own laws in many parts. Over each is a lagman, who rules principally in affairs of the bon- ders ; for that becomes law which he, by his speech, determines them to make law: and if king, earl, or bishop goes through the country, and holds a Thing with the bonders, the lagmen reply on account of the bonders, and they all follow their lagmen ; so that even the most powerful men scarcely dare to come to G 4