Add MS 4861

BANKS COLLECTION. Vol. V (ff. 387). Four Historical Sagas relating to families in Iceland, from its colonisation in the 9th cent. till the Viz.:-

(1) 'Vatnsdaela': in 71 chapters. Story of the family of Ingemund the Old, at Vatnsdalr in Húnavatns Sýsla in north Iceland. It tells of his ancestors, his settlement in Iceland and his murder. The story also describes the adventures of his three sons and the exploits of their sons. Edited, with a Danish translation, by E. C. Werlauff, Copenhagen, 1812. ff. 1-75.

(2) 'Laxdaela': in 150 chapters. Story of the family of Ólafr Pá (d. 1006), who was famous for the designs on the walls of the banquet-hall at Laxárdalr in Dala Sýsla in west Iceland. The story goes from the settlement of his ancestor Ketill Flatnefr in Caithness in Scotland, and the emigration of Ketill's daughter Auðr from Scotland to Breidafjörðr, down to the adventures of Kiartan (son of Ólafr Pá) under the Norwegian kings, Ólafr Tryggvason and St. Ólafr. Printed, divided into 88 chapters, and with a Latin translation, by the Arna-Magnaean Commission, Copenhagen, 1826. ff. 77-240.

(3) 'Eyrbyggia': in 113 chapters. Story of the colonisation of Thórsnes and the adjoining portions of Snaefells Sýsla in west Iceland by Thórólfr Mostrarskegg (named from the island of Mostr off the coast of South Hörðaland in Norway). Ibis saga tells of the establishment there of Thor's Temple and the feuds of Thórólfr's descendants, especially of Snorri Goði (alias Thorgrímr Thorgrímsson), who is said in the Annals to have lived from 964 to 1031. Edited, with a translation, by Grímr Jónsson Thorkelin, Copenhagen, 1787. An epitome of it by Sir Walter Scott appeared in H. W. Weber, Northern Antiquities, Edinburgh, 1814. ff. 241-343b.

(4) 'Flóamanna Saga': in 34 chapters. Story of Thorgils Örrabeinsfóstri (or Errubeinsstjúpr), telling how he claims hereditary lands in Norway, and makes them over to his son. He then returns to Iceland, becomes one of the earliest Christians, goes with Eric the Red to

Greenland and returns to Iceland. Printed in Fornsögur, ed. Guðbrandr Vigfússon and Theodor Möbius, Leipzig, 1860, pp. 117-161. Örrabein (the leg-scarred) was the nickname of Thorgrímr, the stepfather of Thorgils. The first chapters of this saga relate to the early fortunes of the family, telling how they settle in the district called Flói in the southwestern corner of Iceland: hence the name 'Flóamanna Saga'. ff. 345-387.

includes:

• ff.1-75 Icelandic MSS Collection of sagas, annals, legal codes, etc. in Icelandic as follows:: 'Vatnsdæla Saga': 18th cent.
• ff.77-240 Icelandic MSS Collection of sagas, annals, legal codes, etc. in Icelandic as follows:: 'Laxdæla Saga': 18th cent.
• ff.241-343b Icelandic MSS Collection of sagas, annals, legal codes, etc. in Icelandic as follows:: 'Eyrbyggia Saga': 18th cent.
• ff.345-387 Icelandic MSS Collection of sagas, annals, legal codes, etc. in Icelandic as follows:: 'Flóamanna Saga': 18th cent.