Re: Sheep letter - LN's attempt at a translation of Section 1

Hér hefr réttarboetr Hákonar konungs sonar Magnúss konungs.
Here begin the legal amendments of King Hakon, son of King Magnus.

Svá höfu vér ok spurt um óvenju þá sem fram hefir farit í landinu
meirr en vera skyldi um sauðfénað manna, ok oss hoefir eigi lengr láta
svá búit standa, ok at hverr mátti sitt hafa. Nú ef tveir menn eða
fleiri eigu sauð saman í einum haga ok vilja þeir skera báðir sinn
sauð þann fyrst sem ómarkaðr er, hvárt sem þat eru lömb eða gamlir
sauðir, ok hefir þat hverr er tekr með hundi eða öðrum vélum, hvárt
sem hann á eða eigi; nú af því at oss lízt svá ok öðrum skynsömum
mönnum, at þat berr eigi várri tign at nökkur ólög hefisk upp í
landinu, þá gøru vér þá grein á: ef maðr vil taka lömb eða gamlan sauð
sinn ómarkaðan, þá skal hann fá til tvá vitni skilrík at það er hans
sauð ok þar kenna þeir móður? til. Fallerask þeim þat svari fyrir sem
hann átti ekki í.

We have heard also of the malpractice that has been going on in the
land for longer than it should have concerning the ownership of sheep,
and it behoves us not that matters be allowed to stand thus, but
[rather it behoves us] that everyone should have their own [property].
Now if two or more individuals own sheep together in a single
pasture, and there is one sheep that they both want to slaughter, one
which is as yet unmarked, whether they be lambs or old sheep, and
whoever has taken it with a dog or by some other device has got
it--now because it seems to us, and to other intelligent people, out
of keeping with our royal dignity for any lawlessness to start up the
land, so we will clarify the matter. If someone wishes to take their
own unmarked lambs or an old sheep, then they must produce two honest
witnesses who will testify that it is that person's sheep and they
recognise its mother(?). If their testimony proves false, let the one
who does not own it be answerable.
_________________________________________________________

I wan't sure about the idiom 'bera e-u', so my translation of this is
just a guess from the context. I'm also unsure about 'ok þar kenna
þeir ???? til'. It seems to say 'móðr' (i.e. a hypercorrection for
'móður'?), but anyone wanting to know about ancient Faroese law should
beware and consider my translation of this (grammatical) clause a
guess too.

OTHER NOTES:

'vél' is a cunning device or trick; not related to 'velja' "select",
as far as I know.

In this case, I think 'hefjask upp' = 'hefja' "begin".

'lízt' = 'lítr' + -sk. Infinitive 'líta' "look", 'lítask' "seem".

Hope that hasn't added to the confusion,
Llama Nom



--- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com, "Fred and Grace Hatton"
<hatton@...> wrote:

>
> I made a stab at translating Llama Nom's transcription. I had

trouble with

> the royal formulations and there are several places where I don't

understand

> what the text is saying. Would welcome any corrections.
>
> >her hefr rettar bætr hakonar k(onu)ngs sonar magn(uss) k(onu)ngs
> Sva hofu uer & £purt vm oveniv þa sem fra(m) hef(er) farit jlandenu
> meir en vera £kyldi vm sauðfenað m(ann)a. & os hæf(er) æ(ig)i lengr
> lata sua buit £tanda. & at huer matte sit haua. Nv ef .ij. menn æða
> fleiri eigu £a/ð saman j einum haga & vilia þ(ei)r £kera baðir sin
> sauð. þan fyr£t sem omarkaðr er. huart sem þat ero lomb æða gamlir
> sauðir. & hef(er) þ(at) hv(er?) er tekr með hundi æða oðru(m) velum.
> huart sem han a æða æigi. Nv af þui at os li£t sua & oðrum £kynsamum
> m(onn)om. at þat ber æigi vari tign at nockor olaug hæfi£t vp
> ilandenu. þa geru u(er) þa grein a. ef maðr uil taka lomb æða gamlan
> sauð sin omarkaðan. þa £(kal?) han fa til .ii. vitni £kilrik at þat er
> hans sauðr & þar kenna þeir moðr? til. fallera£t þeim þat suari fyrir
> sem han atti æcki j.
>
> Hér hefr réttarboetr Hákonar konungs sonar Magnúss konungs.
>
> Here has ( is the) improved law of King Hakon, son of King Magnus.
>
>
> Svá höfu vér ok spurt um óvenju þá sem fram hefir farit í landinu
>
> Thus we have and informed about unaccustomed then as from have gone

into the

> country
>
>
> meirr en vera skyldi um sauðfénað manna, ok oss hoefir eigi lengr láta
>
> more than to be taxed? regarding men's sheep husbandry, and to us

have not

> longer allow
>
>
> svá búit standa, ok at hverr mátti sitt hafa. Nú ef tveir menn eða
>
> so it has been to stand, and that (he) who might have customs? Now

if two

> men or
>
>
> fleiri eigu sauð saman í einum haga ok vilja þeir skera báðir sinn
>
> more own sheep together in one pasture and they wish to slaughter

both their

>
>
> sauð þann fyrst sem ómarkaðr er, hvárt sem þat eru lömb eða gamlir
>
> sheep, then first (they should take those) as are unbranded, whether

they

> are lambs or old
>
>
> sauðir, ok hefir þat hverr er tekr með hundi eða öðrum vélum, hvárt
>
> sheep, and have it who is taking with a dog or other (way of)

selection (in

> turn), whether
>
>
> sem hann á eða eigi; nú af því at oss lízt svá ok öðrum skynsömum
>
> as he owns (the animal) or not, now therefore to us ___ so and other
> reasonable
>
>
>
> mönnum, at þat berr eigi várri tign at nökkur ólög hefisk upp í
>
> men, that bears to have? on our dignity that any bad law is raised

up in

>
>
> landinu, þá gøru vér þá grein á: ef maðr vil taka lömb eða gamlan sauð
>
> the country, then we do then have dissent, if a man will take a his
> unbranded lamb or old sheep
>
>
> sinn ómarkaðan, þá skal hann fá til tvá vitni skilrík at það er hans
>
> then shall he do (it) before two witnesses to (say that) it is his sheep
>
>
>
>
> sauð ok þar kenna þeir móður? til. Fallerask þeim þat svari fyrir sem
>
> and there (they say it) recognized its mother. Should it prove

false, they

> are? answerable for (it) as
>
>
> hann átti ekki í.
>
> he didn't own (it).
>
> vm haga gongr & kensl.
>
>
>
>
> En maðr gengr j haglendi annars mans & rekr brott fenað hans h(on)um
> til £kaða sua at halfrar merkr er uerðr. gialde fulrette þ(ei)m sem
> þan fenað attj. se(m) han er maðr til. & .lj. mork .s. k(onun)gi. jafn
> goðan sem aðr uar. En ef m(að)r kennir þat manne at han hauj verit með
> hundum i haglendum hans & gort honum £kaða. bæti
>
> Um hagagöngr ok kennsl.
>
> Regarding pasturing and instructions?
>
>
> En maðr gengr í haglendi annars manns ok rekr brott fánað hans honum
>
> When a man goes into another man's pasture and scatters away his

livestock

>
>
> til skaða svá at hálfrar merkr er verðr, gjaldi fullrétti þeim sem
>
> to such damage as a half a mark worth, (he) owed full atonement to

them as

>
>
> þann fénað átti, sem hann er maðr til, ok 51? mörk s(ilfrs?) konungi,
>
> then had (the) livestock, as he is a man to ? Mark of the kings silver,
>
>
> jafngóðan sem áðr var. En ef maðr kennir þat manni at hann hafi verity
>
> even as good as was before. But if a man knows that man that he has ?
>
>
> með hundum í haglendum hans ok gört honum skaða, boeti...
>
> with a dog in his pasture and does him harm, offered
> Grace
>
>
> Fred and Grace Hatton
> Hawley Pa
>