PREFACE. of Becket mas saga. between mas sagas present one. AT different times various narratives of the life of All histories Archbishop Thomas Becket have been current in Iceland, called Thoindiscriminately designated by the comprehensive name of THOMAS SAGA. This term being misleading, we deal Distinction with it in this introduction in the following manner. other ThoWhen we have in view the whole group of Icelandic and the writings relating to Thomas of Canterbury, or an undefined portion of it, we refer to either as "Thomas saga or "a saga of Thomas." But the narrative which, under the title of "Thomas Saga Erkibyskups," now issues completed from the press, as well as the codex containing it, called Thomasskinna, we designate as T., when occasion demands that either should be distinguished from other writings of a similar character. "" lation of saga to literature. The Icelandic Thomas saga stands in a relation of General reunique interest to English history and literature. It Thomas was in existence at a remarkably short period after English the Archbishop's death. It soon exercised an influence nothing short of momentous on the relations between Church and State in Iceland. It secured for the name of St. Thomas a popularity which eclipsed that of every other saint, save the Virgin Mary. As we know it now, it is largely due to the pen of an Englishman who, in the literature of his own country, is unknown as a biographer of Becket; and thus it occupies a position of especial interest in relation to the existing lives of the Archbishop. It is our duty in this preface to deal with Thomas Scope of the saga under these different aspects as briefly as is con K 541. a* preface. sistent with completeness. For the sake of clearness and convenience we propose to treat the subject under the following heads: I. The history of Thomas saga. II. The history of Thomasskinna. III. Various recensions of Thomas sagas. IV. Authors of Thomas sagas. V. Thomas saga and the sagas of Gudmund Arason News of the murder sooner known in Iceland than might cation fre quent I. THE HISTORY OF THOMAS SAGA. 1. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.-The news of the murder of Archbishop Thomas of Canterbury, one of the most heart-stirring occurrences of the eventful 12th century, be supposed. seems to have reached Iceland sooner than would be generally supposed from the long distance it had to travel across that gulf of isolation which is commonly believed to have been at all times fixed between the Communi- island and the outer world. But communication with England, during this and the four succeeding centuries, was by no means uncommon; on the contrary, it was one of constantly increasing frequency until the prohibitive trade policy of the 16th and 17th centuries succeeded in excluding all foreign commerce from the country. The beginning of this intercourse was coeval with the history of the country. In the days of its settlement Iceland was colonized, to a large extent, by immigrants from Great Britain. That period was by means such an exclusive period of sword and Trade inter- slaughter as is commonly supposed. It was, what all war periods are, a time of commercial intercourse as well, and when the viking ceased, in the 11th century, to be the scourge of the British coast, there followed, in the wake of his dragons, the northern ships of burthen with from the first settlement onward. course. no yard mea duced. peaceful traders on board, and laden with furs from. Norway and fish from Iceland to be exchanged for England's fine textile fabrics, wine, honey, malt, and wheat. As to Iceland, this trade, it would seem, rather flourished than flagged as time wore on. Indeed, towards the end of the 12th century English trade had, apparently, asserted a paramount influence in Iceland. About A.D. 1200 it is truthfully related, that the national English standard measure of length was changed, so as to cor- sure introrespond exactly with the English yard. That this violent innovation was the result of a most pressing necessity may be inferred from the words of the record. It was carried at the instance of a most influencial bishop backed by the mightiest men of the country, chiefly his own kinsmen. Paul Jonsson, bishop of Skalholt (1195– 1211), to whom the measure was chiefly due, had himself studied in England and, having thus become acquainted with English institutions, was, no doubt, better able than most of his countrymen to realize the importance for his native land of facilitating commercial intercourse with England. We shall see, further on, when we come to discuss the "Littera fraternitatis" of Vigfus Ivarsson (vii) that, in the 15th century, the English trade was flourishing more than ever. Under circumstances of commercial intercourse the news would naturally reach the country very rapidly of an event which sent a thrill of horror through every heart of the Christian world. But, besides commerce, other interests had for a long time formed bonds of intercommunion between the two countries. sionaries land. From the very dawn of Christianity in Iceland we Early misfind that, among the missionaries who busied themselves from Engwith the fortification of the new faith in the semi-pagan community, Englishmen took a prominent and, as it 1 Páls saga. Biskupa sögur, I., 135; Diplomat. Island., I., 306 2 Páls saga. Bisk, sög., ib. 310. would seem, the most civilized and humane, and there Bernard the fore the most popular, part. "book. wise." afterwards abbot of Abingdon, first monas Among these a Bernard Wilfried's? or Willard's? son (Bjarnvaror Vilráðsson) won for himself the surname of Bookwise,1" no doubt because he brought a library with him to the country and startled the unlettered islanders with his literary Rudolph, proficiency. Another, Rudolph by name, is stated to have spent nineteen years in the country as a missionary bishop, sent there by St. Olaf of Norway; and that he really was sent by St. Olaf we may infer from the notice on him in the Hist. Coenob. Abendonensis, where it says, on his death as abbot of Abingdon, that he had founded the been a Norwegian bishop." He was the first man that ever founded a conventual establishment in Iceland; and although his small monastery of Bær in Borgarfjord soon collapsed after his departure, he had none the less been the means of making the rough and ready islanders acquainted with catholic humility and self-abnegation in their most ideal aspect. No doubt it was connected with the missionary efforts of these Englishmen that Gudlaug, the oldest son of Snorri Goði, in his day the most influential chief in the country, took the vow, and left the country to spend the life of a recluse in England (cca. A.D. 1016).5 tery in Iceland. Gudlaug Snorrason goes to England to take the vow. Anglo- 2. LITERARY CONNECTIONS.-The early missionaries, out of whose number we content ourselves with mentioning these two only, brought with them English, that is, Anglo-Saxon, books, and thus made the people, at a very early period, acquainted with a language which bore a strong similarity to the native idiom. Indeed, the early Icelanders Icelanders looked upon the Anglo-Saxon language as one and the same with the Icelandic," a view wherein we at A.-S. looked upon by as identical with their own tongue. 1 Hungrvaka, Bisk. sög., I., 65. 2 Ib. 3 Wharton Angl. Sacra, I., 167. 6 See treatise "Um stafrofit," Snorra Edda, II., 12. That the author of this treatise, which is written before 1160, is more familiar with English than with any other language, excep Latin, is clear |