“Thorstein asked the Viking: ‘Who is talking to us?’ ‘His name is Ljót,’ he replied. Thorstein said, ‘For a long time I have been looking for thee.’ Ljót answered: ‘What dost thou want from me? I have never seen thee, though I have heard of thy renown.’ Thorstein added: ‘Short is my errand to thee; I want to make a division of property with thee, on the condition that thou shalt go ashore with thy weapons and clothes, but thy men only in shirts and linen breeches.’ Ljót said: ‘An unequal condition does that seem; but is there any other?’ ‘The other,’ Thorstein added, ‘is that we shall fight.’ Ljót asked where were his warriors that he made such a challenge. ‘My equipment,’ Thorstein replied, ‘is ten ships.’ Ljót arose and said: ‘Too unequal does this seem to me, and I will rather fight thee than thus shamefully leave my property.’ ‘Then put forward all your ships,’ Thorstein replied, ‘against mine.’ Ljót said: ‘I will not agree to that condition, to have more ships in the battle than thou, for that I have never done; but I have had fewer ships and yet always been victorious.’ Thorstein replied: ‘Thou needest not spare me thus.’ Ljót said: ‘I will not put forward more; but if thou clearest one vessel, I will put another instead.’ ‘So be it,’ Thorstein said” (Svarfdæla Saga, c. 5). Among the laws of the Vikings, and one that was most honourably observed, was the compact made not to plunder a country or attack a man where there was _fridland_[114] (peaceland), or a kind of asylum where men could come at all times on their way from one country to another, or going and coming from an expedition, or for some other reason. “Gunnlaug was once with Sigurd jarl of Western Gautland, and messengers came there with gifts from Eirik jarl, Hakon’s son, of Norway. When questioned who of the two jarls was the more famous, Gunnlaug in a stanza decided for Eirik. The messengers told Eirik this when they came back to Norway. The jarl thought that Gunnlaug had shown courage and friendship towards him, and said that he should have peace-land in his realm” (Gunnlaug Ormstunga’s Saga, c. 8). “It is said that King Gorm and his son Harald disagreed when Harald was of age. Gorm therefore resolved to give him some ships, and thus get rid of him. Every summer he went far on Viking expeditions, but every winter he was in Denmark and had peace-land there” (Flateyjarbók, vol. i., p. 104). The Viking customs point to a high code of honour, though there seem to have been general laws acknowledged by all. Special regulations were enacted by particular bodies of men or by different chiefs.