diate inspection of his own bailiwick, and whose office principally consisted in taking care of the poor, and especially in providing against an increase of pauperism. He had likewise his inferior court, at which he was assisted by four of the most respectable members of the community; in the election of whom particular care was taken that they should be possessed of some property, in order to prevent them from being exposed to bribery or corruption. Such matters as could not be settled at this court were carried before that of the sheriff, where the Hreppstiorar were amenable for any breach of office. In extraordinary cases, there lay an appeal to the provincial court, or an assembly of deputies from the different sheriffdoms, which was held under the presidency of the chief magistrate of that quarter of the island. This court was not held at stated times like the others, but only convened on occasions of great importance and emergency.

Lastly, the Icelanders established a final court of appeal, which they called the Althing, or General Assembly of the nation, which was held annually, and lasted for sixteen days. Here, by common consent, the laws of the republic were enacted; and to this assembly the whole nation looked for the final and equitable adjustment of any differences which might arise among them. To the Supreme Magistrate who presided on these occasions, they gave the name of Lögsögumadr, or the Publisher of the Law. He was elected to this office by the free choice of the people, and generally retained it for life. His judgment, confirmed by the people, was in all cases considered as decisive. Though he possessed little or no power out of the assembly, he was always respected by his countrymen as the sovereign judge and the protector of their laws and liberties. To him was committed the custody of the written laws, and the copy in his possession was regarded as the standard. He had the power of examining and reversing the sentences passed by the inferior magistrates, and even of punishing them if it were proved that they had acted inconsistently with the spirit or dignity of their office. The degree of importance attached to the office of Lögsögumadr, is

strikingly illustrated by the circumstance, that the Icelanders were in the habit of computing time by the periods during which it was held by the different judges. In a manuscript now before me, I find the names of thirty-seven distinguished individuals who filled this office between the years 927 and 1263, the period of the existence of the free Icelandic republic. Snorro Sturluson, the celebrated historian of the north, was twice elected chief magistrate, and possessed more power than any judge, either before or after his time.

For their excellent code of laws, the Icelanders were principally indebted to Ulfliot, one of their own countrymen, who, animated with a truly patriotic zeal, undertook a journey to Norway, in his sixtieth year, in order to acquire a perfect knowledge of the science and practice of jurisprudence. Having attained his object, he returned to Iceland in the year 927, and immediately made a tour of the island, with the view of persuading its inhabitants to adopt and sanction such laws as might be found applicable to their local and peculiar circumstances. The consequence was, that a general meeting was held the following year at Thingvalla, in the southern quarter of the island, at which the code of laws proposed by Ulfliot was received by the unanimous consent of the nation. The farm of Thingvalla having been confiscated on account of some heinous offence committed by its possessor, it was appropriated to the public use, and became the permanent seat of the national assembly. The laws of Ulfliot may be considered as an abstract of the Gulathing code, at that time in force in Norway. In the year 1118, an improved system of jurisprudence was introduced by Bergthor, at that time principal magistrate, chiefly modelled according to the famous Norwegian code Grágás; and in 1280, the collection of laws called Jonsbok was adopted, and this code still obtains in most instances in Iceland.

The existence and constitution of the Icelandic republic exhibit an interesting phenomenon in the history of man. We here behold a number of free and independent settlers, many of whom had been accustomed to rule in their native country, establishing a government on principles of the most

perfect liberty, and, with the most consummate skill, enacting laws which were admirably adapted to the peculiar circumstances of the nation. Unintimidated by any foreign power, guided solely by their own natural genius, and uninfluenced by any other principle than the love of liberty, security, and independence, they combined their interests and their energies in support of a political system, at once cal culated to protect the rights of individuals, and inspire the community at large with sentiments of exalted patriotism.

This state of liberty the Icelanders maintained for the space of nearly four hundred years. It is true, their tranquillity was ultimately disturbed by a number of intestine feuds and bloody quarrels, against which the laws made no effectual provision; but these disturbances would never have assumed so serious an aspect, had they not been kindled and encouraged by the Kings of Norway, who always regarded Iceland with an envious eye, and employed all the arts of intrigue to bring its inhabitants into subjection to their sceptre. At last Hacon succeeded in effecting their subjugation. In the year 1261, the greater number of the inhabitants became tributary to Norway; and their example was followed, four years afterwards, by the natives of the eastern shores, who thus joined them in the transfer of themselves and their island to a foreign prince. In this very surrender, however, we observe the spirit of a free people; and, in fact, the Icelanders may be said to have all along retained their liberty; for the changes that were introduced in consequence of their junction to Norway, and even those which have resulted from their connection with Denmark since the year 1887, have been exceedingly immaterial; and no military force has ever set a foot on the island. In becoming subject to Norway, they expressly stipulated that they should be allowed to retain their ancient laws and privileges; that they should be exempt from taxes; and that the king should secure to them the annual importation of the most necessary articles of foreign produce, and preserve peace on the island by an earl appointed for that purpose. And, if these conditions were not ful

filled, they were to be at liberty to withdraw their allegiance from the Norwegian crown.*

At present, Iceland is governed by a Stiftamptman, who is appointed by his Danish Majesty, and is bound to fill this office for the space of five years. He is generally one of the younger branches of a noble family, has a salary of about L. 300 per annum, and is entitled to preferment on his return to Denmark. He is likewise special governor of the southern quarter of the island in which he resides; and has two Amtmen, or deputy-governors, one for the western, and another for the northern and eastern quarters. These quarters are divided into syssels, or sheriffdoms, the boundaries of which are much the same as those fixed in the ancient constitution; and they are governed by a Sysselman, whose office also resembles that of the ancient sheriffs-only he has a lease of the King's taxes, and accounts to the royal treasurer for the amount. The syssels are again divided into a number of Hrepps, each of which is placed under the inspection of a Hreppstiori or constable, answering to the bailiff of former times.

There is, besides, another public officer called the Landfoged, or steward, who is treasurer or receiver-general for the island, and at the same time tax-gatherer of Gullbringè syssel, and police-master of Reykiavik.

This

In 1800 the venerable Althing was abrogated, and a supreme court substituted in its room at Reykiavik, consisting of a Chief-Justice, two Assessors, and a Secretary. court meets once a month, and decides on criminal and other cases; only the Icelanders have the privilege of appealing from its decisions to the high court in Denmark. In ancient times, scarcely any other than pecuniary punishments obtained. Criminals were fined in a certain number of merks, each of which amounted to rather more than an ounce of fine silver, and was equal to forty-eight ells of woollen cloth; † but as this mode of punishment was found ineffectual to the prevention of crime, the laws became gradually more severe,

Finni Johannei Hist. Eccles. Island. tom. i. p. 381. + Mallet, vol. i. p. 176.

and at last capital punishments were introduced. Hanging was the mode inflicted for murder, drowning for child-murder, and burning for witchcraft. At present, fines, imprisonment, and whipping, are the only punishments inflicted in Iceland. Such as are capitally convicted, it is necessary to send over to Copenhagen to be beheaded; it being a curious fact, that, for some time past, no person could be found on the island who would execute the sentence of the law.

To the Icelanders belongs the honour of being the first discoverers of America and Greenland. The latter country had been seen by one Gunnbeörn, who had been driven out to sea in a storm, some time after the colonization of Iceland, but no attempt was made to find it again till the year 982, when Eirik the Red proceeded thither on a voyage of discovery. After spending the greater part of three years, exploring the coasts, and taking possession of such places as he deemed most suitable for occupation, he returned to Iceland, and spoke so highly in praise of the newly discovered country, to which he had given the name of Greenland, in order to excite a favourable idea of it in the minds of his countrymen, that he prevailed on a great number of them to accompany him the following summer. Not fewer than twentyfive vessels left Iceland under his convoy, but of these only fourteen reached the place of their destination; the rest were either lost or driven back to Iceland. As the distance between the two countries was little more than two hundred miles, a regular intercourse was established between them; and the number of settlers increased so rapidly, that, soon after the introduction of the Christian religion, about the year 1000, a number of churches were built along the east coast, and a bishop was appointed to superintend the ecclesiastical affairs of the colony. He had his residence at Gardè, and was a suffragan to the Archbishop of Drontheim in Norway. A monastery, dedicated to St Thomas, was also erected at another small town, called Albe; and, for the space of more than three hundred and fifty years, a regular inter

*

Eyrbyggiasaga, cap. xxiv. Landnâmabok, Part II. cap. xiv.

C