TRAVELS IN ICELAND. 155 with brass; while that of the other is covered with skin. Instead of a guard they have a piece of curved iron about an inch in, thick- ness, with two round buttons at the ends. The lance is a strip of pine live feet four inches long, shod with iron. There is also in the same place a vizor much decayed, which is com- posed of four rings of iron that are groved into each other: its thickness is double round the neck, and it must have been made for a middle-sized man. OF THE GENERAL COMMERCE OF ICELAND AND PARTI- CULARLY OF THAT OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. The ports and harbours of Iceland particularly those ot the southern quarter were in former times much frequented by mer- chants, and first by those from Norway; afterwards by the Ger- mans, and particularly by the Hamburgers, who came in great numbers. The English began to trade there in 1413, though without permission; and they afterwards continued their -traffic for a lengdi of time either by permission or secretly; because it often happened that commerce was absolutely forbidden with them on account of the disturbances .which they excited in the country; but at that period the trade was of no great extent. John Gerricksen and other Catholic bishops, several of whom came to this part of Iceland in the English vessels, bought mer- chandizes which they sold to foreigners, and thus created a con- siderable traffic. A vice-governor having made a fortune in this manner, resigned his functions, and went to live in England, carrying with him great riches in merchandize, silver and jewels. In this century fishing was carried on to a considerable extent, but the more this increased the more was rural economy neglected. The great plague at length occurred, and agriculture as well as other essential occupations were neglected; because every thing was in confusion, and this confusion for a long time gave rise to various abuses. About the year 1420, the vice-governors began openly to monopolize the commerce by trading with their own ships: the bishops on the other hand as they acquired riches and power, become dissolute and arrogant. An event which happened to bishop Gerricksen is very remarkable in the history of Iceland: his brother having in 1433 asked in marriage a young lady of distinction without being able to obtain her, conceived himself so mortally offended, that in revenge he killed the brother of the lady, and set lire to the house in which she resided, which with the people in it were destroyed, except the lady whose destruction was intended. She had the good luck to escape at an opening in the roof without being perceived by those who surrounded the house. At length being preserved from such imminent danger, and overwhelmed with resentment V 3

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