liþ (2) (OSw) lið (ON) lidh (OSw) lith (OSw) noun

The word liþ in this instance has the basic meaning ‘company’, a group of people supporting another, as well as a particular significance when linked with the word leþunger (q.v.), in which case it refers to the official fighting force taken by the king on the levy. It is, perhaps, simply part of an alliterative tautological expression (parallelism). It occurs in this context in the Swedish laws UL, VmL and SdmL. In the Norwegian laws, it occurs in this context in GuL; elsewhere other words are used for the same concept.

assistance ONorw GuL Llb, Mhb, Tjb, Olb, Leb
ONorw MLL Mah 8, 19 Ert 17 Llb 11, 48 Þjb 6
crew ONorw GuL Mhb, Leb
escort OSw SmL
fighting force OSw SdmL Kgb, Mb
help OIce Grg Vís 86, 99
OIce Jó Mah 20
party OIce Grg Rsþ 230
service OIce Grg Ómb 141
support OIce Grg Þsþ 46
OIce Js Mah 30
troop ONorw MLL Lvb 3
OSw UL Kgb
OSw VmL Kgb Refs:

KLNM, s.v.v. leidang, lide; Schlyter 1877, s.v. liþ (second entry); SL UL, 55−58 notes 30, 31; SL VmL, 40 note 16