The Oera Linda Book, from a Manuscript of the Thirteenth Century - Anonymous

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      2. The Grevetmen call all the citizens together and decide how many men shall be sent.

      3. All the resolutions must immediately be sent to the mother by messengers and witnesses.

      4. The mother considers all the resolutions and decides upon them, and with this the king as well as the people must be satisfied.

      5. When in the field, the king consults only his superior officers, but three citizens of the mother must be present, without any voice. These citizens must send daily reports to the mother, that they may be sure nothing is done contrary to the counsels of Frya.

      6. If the king wishes to do anything which his council opposes, he may not persist in it.

      7. If an enemy appears unexpectedly, then the king’s orders must be obeyed.

      8. If the king is not present, the next to him takes command, and so on in succession according to rank.

      9. If there is no leader present, one must be chosen.

      10. If there is no time to choose, any one may come forward who feels himself capable of leading.

      11. If a king has conquered a dangerous enemy, his successors may take his name after their own. The king may, if he wishes, choose an open piece of ground for a house and ground; the ground shall be enclosed, and may be so large that there shall be seven hundred steps to the boundary in all directions from the house.

      12. His youngest son may inherit this, and that son’s youngest son after him; then it shall return to the community.

      Here are the Rules Established for the Security of All Frisians.

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      1. Whenever new laws are made or new regulations established, they must be for the common good, and not for individual advantage.

      2. Whenever in time of war either ships or houses are destroyed, either by the enemy or as a matter of precaution, a general levy shall be assessed on the people to make it good again, so that no one may neglect the general welfare to preserve his own interest.

      3. At the conclusion of a war, if any men are so severely wounded as to be unable to work, they shall be maintained at the public expense, and shall have the best seats at festivals, in order that the young may learn to honour them.

      4. If there are widows and orphans, they shall likewise be maintained at the public expense; and the sons may inscribe the names of their fathers on their shields for the honour of their families.

      5. If any who have been taken prisoners should return, they must be kept separate from the camp, because they may have obtained their liberty by making treacherous promises, and thus they may avoid keeping their promises without forfeiting their honour.

      6. If any enemies be taken prisoners, they must be sent to the interior of the country, that they may learn our free customs.

      7. If they are afterwards set free, it must be done with kindness by the maidens, in order that we may make them comrades and friends, instead of haters and enemies.

      From Minno’s Writings.

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      If any one should be so wicked as to commit robbery, murder, arson, rape, or any other crime, upon a neighbouring state, and our people wish to inflict punishment, the culprit shall be put to death in the presence of the offended, in order that no war may arise, and the innocent suffer for the guilty. If the offended will spare his life and forego their revenge, it may be permitted. If the culprit should be a king, Grevetman, or other person in authority, we must make good his fault, but he must be punished.

      If he bears on his shield the honourable name of his forefathers, his kinsmen shall no longer wear it, in order that every man may look after the conduct of his relatives.

      Laws for the Navigators.

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      Navigator is the title of those who make foreign voyages.

      1. All Frya’s sons have equal rights, and every stalwart youth may offer himself as a navigator to the Olderman, who may not refuse him as long as there is any vacancy.

      2. The navigators may choose their own masters.

      3. The traders must be chosen and named by the community to which they belong, and the navigators have no voice in their election.

      4. If during a voyage it is found that the king is bad or incompetent, another may be put in his place, and on the return home he may make his complaint to the Olderman.

      5. If the fleet returns with profits, the sailors may divide one-third among themselves in the following manner: The king twelve portions, the admiral seven, the boatswains each two portions, the captains three, and the rest of the crew each one part; the youngest boys each one-third of a portion, the second boys half a portion each, and the eldest boys two-thirds of a portion each.

      6. If any have been disabled, they must be maintained at the public expense, and honoured in the same way as the soldiers.

      7. If any have died on the voyage, their nearest relatives inherit their portion.

      8. Their widows and orphans must be maintained at the public expense; and if they were killed in a sea-fight, their sons may bear the names of their fathers on their shields.

      9. If a topsailman is lost, his heirs shall receive a whole portion.

      10. If he was betrothed, his bride may claim seven portions in order to erect a monument to her bridegroom, but then she must remain a widow all her life.

      11. If the community is fitting out a fleet, the purveyors must provide the best provisions for the voyage, and for the women and children.

      12. If a sailor is worn out and poor, and has no house or patrimony, one must be given him. If he does not wish for a house, his friends may take him home; and the community must bear the expense, unless his friends decline to receive it.

      Useful Extracts from the Writings left by Minno.

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      Minno was an ancient sea-king. He was a seer and a philosopher, and he gave laws to the Cretans. He was born at Lindaoord, and after all his wanderings he had the happiness to die at Lindahem.

      If our neighbours have a piece of land or water which it would be advantageous for us to possess, it is proper that we should offer to buy it. If they refuse to sell it, we must let them keep it. This is Frya’s Tex, and it would be unjust to act contrary to it.

      If any of our neighbours quarrel and fight about any matter except land, and they request us to arbitrate, our best course will be to decline; but if they insist upon it, it must be done honourably and justly.

      If any one comes and says, I am at war, you must help me; or another comes and says, My son is an infant and incompetent, and I am old, so I wish you to be his guardian, and to take charge of my property until he is of age, it is proper to refuse in order that we may not come into disputes about matters foreign to our free customs.

      Whenever a foreign trader comes to the open markets at Wyringen and Almanland, if he cheats, he must immediately be fined, and it must be published by the maidens throughout the whole country.

      If he should come back, no one must deal with him. He must return as he came.

      Whenever

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