hæraþsnæmd (OSw) hærethsnævnd (ODan) noun

A næmd ‘panel’ with, according to ODan JyL, three members from each fjarthing ‘quarter’ (see fiarþunger) of the hæreth ‘district’ (see hæraþ). It dealt with cases of, for instance, forgery, arson, highwaymen (ODan JyL), referrals from the king concerning sins (OSw SmL), contradictory oaths, infanticide, unjust revenge, rape, chasing off opponents, association with outlaws, breaching the king’s sworn oath, killings and a hæraþshöfþingi failing to heed a call from a householder (OSw ÖgL). OSw ÖgL (Kkb 16) prescribed a functional division between hæraþsnæmd (formal aspects) and biskupsnæmd (q.v.) (facts). Appears in OSw ÄVgL, YVgL, KrL and MEL in the expression lukt (lit. ‘closed, locked’) hæraþsnæmd, which indicated unanimity, confidentiality or something else.

district jury OSw ÖgL Kkb, Eb, Db
hundred jury OSw KrL Kgb Gb Äb Bb Kmb Rb Eb Hb DbI DbII SmbI SmbII Tb
OSw MEL Kgb Bb Rb Eb Hb DbI SmbI Tb
OSw MESt Äb
jury of the {hæraþ} OSw ÖgL Jb Kmb Rb Bb
men of a district ODan JyL 3
nominated men of the district OSw ÄVgL Slb, Äb
OSw YVgL Frb, Drb, Äb, Rlb, Add
panel from the {hæraþ} OSw SmL Refs:

Andersen 2014; Lindkvist forthcoming; SL ÄVgL, 69 note 33; Åqvist 1989, 283