Title LVII. Concerning the “Chrenecruda”

1.If any one have killed a man，and，having given up all his property，has not enough to comply with the full terms of the law，he shall present 12 sworn witnesses to the effect that，neither above the earth nor under it，has he any more property than he has already given. And he shall afterwards go into his house，and shall collect in his hand dust from the four corners of it，and shall afterwards stand upon the threshold，looking inwards into the house. And then，with his left hand，he shall throw over his shoulder some of that dust on the nearest relative that he has. But if his father and （his father’s） brothers have already paid，he shall then throw that dust on their （the brothers’） children — that is，over three （relatives） who are nearest on the father’s and three on the mother’s side. And after that，in his shirt，without girdle and without shoes，a staff in his hand，he shall spring over the hedge. And then those three shall pay half of what is lacking of the compounding money or the legal fine；that is，those others who are descended in the paternal line shall do this.

2.But if there be one of those relatives who has not enough to pay his whole indebtedness，he，the poorer one，shall in turn throw the “chrenecruda” on him of them who has the most，so that he shall pay the whole fine.

3.But if he also have not enough to pay the whole then he who has charge of the murderer shall bring him before the “Thing，” and afterwards to 4 Things in order that they （his friends） may take him under their protection. And if no one have taken him under his protection — that is，so as to redeem him for what he can not pay- then he shall have to atone with his life. Q74tMK3hhQG0K32VUkEDtEsVOw2hOS5S0OTZdR5aH37wdQdHfQ11dfvWbw+66Rp7