New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-24
THE BERSERKS.
SOME NOTABLE RUFFIANS OF VIKING
TIMES.
Frederick Boyle In The Pail Mall Gazette.

Frederick Boyle In The Pail Mall Gazette.
In a little excursus upon red hair lately re-
ferred to the Viking Berserks. who were mostly
Of that compia xion. Perhaps Ii is worth "hlle
10 say a few words more about them, lor not
everybody understands their position. Kingsley
made the name familiar to all, but his genial
enthusiasm was attracted by the picturesque
and glorious side Of the legend. lhat ~ las
chatting. indeed The Berserks were me iorl9rn
hope of a Viking army. We may belleVe that
to them was due especially the amazing recK-
Icssness Of its enterprises. so often VICTORIOUS
through their mad valor In brlei, a roiahccr
would not dare to make his hero perform the ex-
PLOTS which these extraordinary tuniaiis
achieved matter OF course. All that Is
UNDERSTOOD generally. But there Is another
point Of view much more interesting. Even inc
Mortimer aid not fight etcrnally. After profit
able fOray they spent years AT nome IL "h'
but "A minority. indeed. though Il large oi,e'
which undertook the expeditions ana .nose mi,o
made a practice IF piracy. as one may say
were few They loved their farms ana thcS
loved trade-not shopkeepng. but veh, =, ,
speculatons ov"r sea How nin ,h@ ~ ~ ,hrir
own country during the intervals OF warfare!
The question can be answered promptly pleccs
main. Those heroes OF the nat'lh,'n WEI.
such brutal bulli"s at home as the woriI hc'el
saw before or since. That Is n great thInB 10
say. but we may believe II un'li some rea'ii
can be shown where homcidal MANAGES had a.
much opportunity for sport as IN Scaldiha'la AZ
that time Mark "A passage In EgiIs saga 3:
1T was the Law that he who challenged man
10 give him som, thing or fight took the thllS
if victorious" and there was an cni OF IL. ~
ne Ny.r.. overcome he might ransom himself.
But If defeated and slain. all his property
whatsoever passed to the challenged. conceive
the effect 81 loosing class Of desp' radocS. as
unconscious Of shame as of fear among people
who accepted such 4 law Bers"rk who dld
not attach himself to some wealthy ch"i
roamcd the countryside. claiming fI"" quarters
everywhere II refused his mildest couri" was
TO summon the householder To a duel but prob
ably h. would begin by murdcring all within
reach and battcrng the housr walls until neigh
bors ran up and killed him. When admitted IA
Dragged and insultcd and picked quarrcls with
every one WhO came 10 the house. seeking th'
prctext for "A holnganga-a duel. But all this
was harmless. comparatively. IT, staggering
around. any sort II object caught his fancy. tn
owner must yield IT or fight h. might rngag"
substitute. indeed but except for tn" old oi
crippled That was disgrace. Arms and orna-
mcnts and miscellaneous property tempted tn
I."rserk more than land. but women hc coveted
above all \ timid youthful such creature
could bc found might well hesitate to wed
handsome maiden when any wandering savage
struck by his wifc's beauty might challenge, him
10 surrender her or die. Hrr"sscs were regarded
mere loot. ~ course. but In the number OF
their Icrs'rk sutprs they often found relief A
single one might Kill the father or guardian and
secure the prZ" but when half n dozen or more
gathered for tn" spoil they massacr,d one an
other III successive heats The lovcest and rich
est maiden was proud 10 accept the survivor
the Brrs"rk Of IcrScrks, As one may say.
II IL to be- remembered that these marriages
by force and the transfer Of wives or property
were Regular and legal wish space allowed
me To tell some stories We cannot conceive
Zlng SIN when IN" elaborate codes Of law III
Scandinavia and their strict application ar"
considered. Both wives and maids received pro
lection. even EXAGGERATED on some points Scotch
that law which forbade writing SONGS about