Page:The Law of the Westgoths - tr. Bergin - 1906.djvu/29

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KIRKIU BOLKÆR.

Church Code

Here begins the lawbook of the Westgoths.^[1]

Christ is first in our law,^[2] then is our Christian doctrine — church — and all christians, kings, freeholders, and all having a settled home, bishops and all booklearned men.

A child is brought to church and baptism is asked, then shall father and mother provide godfather and godmother, and salt and water. It shall be brought to the church. Then they shall call on the priest. He shall live at the parsonage of the parish. The child shall be primsigned^[3] before it can be brought into the church — firi utæn kirkiu dyr —. Then the baptismal font shall be consecrated, the priest baptize the child, the godfather hold it and the godmother name it. The priest shall say how long the father and mother shall care for it. Is the child taken sick, can not be brought to church, then the godmother shall hold it and the godfather baptize it in water, if that can

↑ The lawbook of those Westgoths living in Västergötland. The other states inhabited by them had their own laws.
↑ This code is, no doubt, comparatively old, as christianity was introduced quite early in Västergötland (see intr.), but the fact that it has been placed first in the manuscript, which we possess, does not indicate that it is the oldest or the first written and adopted; it shows only, that in the opinion of the copyist this code was the most important at this time; and he may also by this arrangement have wished to place the law under the grace and protection of Christ. Besides that the copyist may himself have been one of the clergy.
↑ Brymsighna: Primum signum facere: primsigne. Before the child was brought into the church to be baptized, the priest made the sign of the cross on the child's forehead and over its heart, and gave to it during prayers and exorcisms the sanctifying salt. This custom was very common in the church at that time, and a primsigned person enjoyed certain rights and privileges on account of it. These rights and privileges were, however, different in different countries. The church of Sweden was Roman Catholic until the convention of Västerås 1527.

[1] The lawbook of those Westgoths living in Västergötland. The other states inhabited by them had their own laws.

[2] This code is, no doubt, comparatively old, as christianity was introduced quite early in Västergötland (see intr.), but the fact that it has been placed first in the manuscript, which we possess, does not indicate that it is the oldest or the first written and adopted; it shows only, that in the opinion of the copyist this code was the most important at this time; and he may also by this arrangement have wished to place the law under the grace and protection of Christ. Besides that the copyist may himself have been one of the clergy.

[3] Brymsighna: Primum signum facere: primsigne. Before the child was brought into the church to be baptized, the priest made the sign of the cross on the child's forehead and over its heart, and gave to it during prayers and exorcisms the sanctifying salt. This custom was very common in the church at that time, and a primsigned person enjoyed certain rights and privileges on account of it. These rights and privileges were, however, different in different countries. The church of Sweden was Roman Catholic until the convention of Västerås 1527.

[1]

[2]

[3]