Gripla - 20.12.2004, Page 106

GRIPLA
Hir›skrá 39 (44): Hver skylda ok gaumgæfi hœfir gestum.
... fleir eru skyldir sem allir handgengnir menn konungs at fara allar
flær fer›ir sem konungr b‡›r fleim eftir flví sem framast megu fleir,
hvárt sem hann vísar fleim til kunnra manna e›a ókunnra. En fló berr
konungi vel fyrir at sjá at eigi vísi hann fleim til ókœmiligra 〈h〉luta ok
eigi til fless sem gu›i sé óflekkt í, eigi ok til fless sem ofmikit ofrefli er
í. fieir eigu ok sjálfir vandliga at at hyggja til hverja 〈h〉luta fleir eru
sendir. fieir eigu ok i›uliga at minnaz á ei› sinn ok trú ok minna á a›ra
flá sem fleir sjá at misgera; varaz vi› rán ok stuld ok allra helzt um
kvenna fri› ok fleira fé; 〈h〉laupa eigi brá›lega til manndrápa hvervetna
flar sem fleir vitu eigi görla hvat fleir gera e›a hverjum fleir gera (Imsen
2000:156).
40 (44) En flar sem gestir ver›a görvir til at taka menn af, flá sé fyrir
vandlega at [ei] ver›i saklausir menn fyrir vápnum. Ok flar sem fleir
eigu fless kost flá skulu fleir handtaka menn ok bera eigi flegar vápn á
flá, heldr nái fleir fyrr einum presti ... En ef fleir gera ö›ruvís flá svari
fleir fyrir gu›i, ok eigi berr höf›ingja at láta flat vera *hirtingalaust
[ms. hirtingialaust] ef svá prófaz ... (Imsen 2000:158).
What duties and concerns befit gestir.
... they are bound, like all the sworn men of the King, to go on all the
journeys the King bids them to, in keeping with their abilities, whether
he directs them to known persons or unknown ones. However, it be-
seems the King to ensure that he does not direct them to inappropriate
tasks, nor such that it would displease God, nor such that he were
abusing his power. They themselves should also carefully consider
each task in which they are sent. They should also remember their oath
and faith with care, and admonish others who they see are doing
wrong; [they should] guard themselves from raiding and theft and
above all from troubling the peace of women; not rush to slaying
where they do not have proper understanding of what they are doing or
to whom.
... And where gestir are set to do away with people, care must be taken
to ensure that innocents do not have weapons brought against them.
Andwhere they have it in their power to choose, they should arrest
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