of Flatey is a very large vellum volume in folio, and appears to have
been compiled in the 14. age. It contains a collection of poems;
excerpts from Adam Bremensis; a dissertation on the first inhabitants
of Norway; the life of Eric the Traveller; of Olave Trygvason; of St
Olave; of the earls of Orkney; of Suerir; of Haco the Aged; of his son
Magnus; of Magnus the Good; of Harald the Imperious; of Einar Sockason
of Greenland; and of Ölver the Mischievous; it contains also a general
chronology down to A.D. 1394, the year in which the MS. was completed.
The work, from the life of Eric the Traveller to the end of St Olave's
history, inclusive, was written by John Thordrson the priest; the rest
by Magnus Thorvaldson also a clergyman.

The initial letters, in some places, are ornamented with historical
miniature paintings. In page 35, there is a representation of the
birth of Trygvason; and, at the bottom of the leaf, there is a unicorn
and a lion. 217. An archer shooting. 272. Orme Storolfson carrying off
a hay-cock. 295. Haldan the Black beheading the Norwegian princes; one
of them is represented on his knees, dressed in a red cap, a short
doublet, and in red trousers reaching down to the middle of his legs.
310. Three men armed with swords, and battle axes, dispatching St
Olave at Sticklestad; at the bottom of the page a man killing a boar,
and another fighting with a mermaid. 650. Haco creating Sculi a Duke.
Sculi is drawn with a garland, or coronet, and receiving a sword,
together with a book by which he is to swear. Most of the figures, in
these paintings, are depicted in armour or mail; their helmets are
sometimes conical, sometimes like a broad-brimmed hat; their
defensive armour is generally a round target, and a two-handed sword.
This venerable volume, the noblest treasure of northern literature now
existing, though wrote in a very small character, and much
abbreviated, consists of 960 columns, two to every page.