bóndaréttr (ON) noun

The bóndaréttr — as opposed to the konungs réttr and the kristinn réttr — was the personal right of the bóndi (see bonde) (in the broader sense of the term) to compensation in case of insult, graded in accordance with his legal and social status. This réttr ‘right’ had three levels. The lowest level was that of the bóndi or bóndi árborinn (freeborn bóndi) who had purchased his land or tilled it as a tenant. In the GuL (chs 91 and 200) his réttr was stipulated to half of what was fixed for the hauldr (see hölðr), in the FrL (Rgb ch. 34) one third. On the intermediate level stood the freeholder/householder (the hauldr or hauldr óðalborinn). When entitled to fullrétti (full compensation) he received three merkr (FrL Rgb ch. 34, GuL Mhb ch. 200). The top level consisted of chieftains, esp. lendir menn (see lænder), ármenn (see ármaðr) and stallarar (see stallari). This tripartite division is found in the FrL and GuL. The BorgL and EidsL seem to recognize only two levels, the hauldsmaðr and the bóndi, although this cannot be stated with certainty because only the Church Laws have been preserved.

According to the FrL (KrbB ch. 2) the bóndaréttr set the standard of fines for a number of offences, such as (e.g.) fornication, the eating of flesh before taking part in the Holy Communion, paying inadequate tithes, violation of the church peace, neglect of providing saddle horses for the bishop, and failure to send forth a message concerning this duty. A later addition states that these fines had to be paid in burnt silver (FrL Rgb ch. 35).

farmers’ law ONorw FrL KrbB 2
householder’s right ONorw GuL Mhb Refs:

Hertzberg s.v. bóndaréttr; KLNM s.v. böter; RGA² s.v. hǫlðr