In Svithjod it was the old custom, as long as heathenism prevailed, that
the chief sacrifice took place in Goe month at Upsala. Then sacrifice
was offered for peace, and victory to the king; and thither came people
from all parts of Svithjod. All the Things of the Swedes, also, were
held there, and markets, and meetings for buying, which continued for
a week: and after Christianity was introduced into Svithjod, the Things
and fairs were held there as before. After Christianity had taken
root in Svithjod, and the kings would no longer dwell in Upsala, the
market-time was moved to Candlemas, and it has since continued so, and
it lasts only three days. There is then the Swedish Thing also, and
people from all quarters come there. Svithjod is divided into many
parts. One part is West Gautland, Vermaland, and the Marks, with what
belongs to them; and this part of the kingdom is so large, that the
bishop who is set over it has 1100 churches under him. The other part is
East Gautland, where there is also a bishop's seat, to which the islands
of Gotland and Eyland belong; and forming all together a still greater
bishopric. In Svithjod itself there is a part of the country called
Sudermanland, where there is also a bishopric. Then comes Westmanland,
or Fiathrundaland, which is also a bishopric. The third portion of
Svithjod proper is called Tiundaland; the fourth Attandaland; the
fifth Sialand, and what belongs to it lies eastward along the coast.
Tiundaland is the best and most inhabited part of Svithjod, under which
the other kingdoms stand. There Upsala is situated, the seat of the king
and archbishop; and from it Upsala-audr, or the domain of the Swedish
kings, takes its name. Each of these divisions of the country has its
Lag-thing, and its own laws in many parts. Over each is a lagman, who
rules principally in affairs of the bondes: for that becomes law which
he, by his speech, determines them to make law: and if king, earl, or
bishop goes through the country, and holds a Thing with the bondes, the
lagmen reply on account of the bondes, and they all follow their lagmen;
so that even the most powerful men scarcely dare to come to their
Al-thing without regarding the bondes' and lagmen's law. And in all
matters in which the laws differ from each other, Upsala-law is the
directing law; and the other lagmen are under the lagman who dwells in
Tiundaland.