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Pearsall Surname Project
Number of Pearsalls By Location
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Surname
History and Genealogy
of the Pearsall Family in England
and America:
Volume I
Front Cover
Inside Front Cover
The Motive
Thanks
Illustrations
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Appendix I
Volume II
Volume III
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the kings of Sweden
are concerned it is distinctly stated in one of the sagas that Odin gave
this country to his son Yngve, which means Njord, who succeeded him in this kingdom. In his days
were peace and plenty, and such good years, in all respects, that the
Swedes believed Njord ruled over the growth of
seasons and the prosperity of the people. In his time all the diars or gods died, and blood-sacrifices were made
for them. Njord died on the bed of sickness,
and before he died made himself be marked for
Odin with the spear-point. The Swedes burned him, and all wept over his
grave mound.
Njord of Noatun married Skade who is
known as the goddess of harm and damage, which gives some inkling as to
her real character. She was the daughter of the giant Thjasse
who was the son of Svidger Ivalde
and her spirit dwells in Thrymheim in the form
of a hanging venomous serpent. She preferred dwelling in the abode
formerly belonging to her father, which is situated among rocky mountains
in the region called Thrymheim, but Njord loved to reside near the sea. They at last
agreed that they should pass together nine nights in Thrymheim
and three at Noatum. One day when Njord came back from the mountains to Noatun he thus sang:
Of Mountains I'm
weary,
Not long was I
there,
Not more than
nine nights;
But the howl of
the wolf
Methought sounded ill To
the song of
Swan-bird.
To which Skadi
sang in reply:
N'er can I sleep
In my couch on
the strand,
For the scream
of the sea-fowl,
The mew as he
comes
Every morn from
the main
is sure to wake
me.
They had a son
Frey and a daughter Freyja who were beautiful
in looks and mighty. Frey is best of the Asar. He
rules the rain and the sunshine, and also has power over the growth of
the ground. It is good to make vows to him for good seasons and peace. He
also rules over men's fortune in property.
*53. FREYR Yngve, his son, took the kingdom after Njord, and was called drot
by the Swedes, and they paid taxes to him. He was, like his father,
fortunate in friends and in good seasons. Freyr
built a great temple at Upsal, made it his
chief seat, and gave it all his taxes, his land and goods. Then began the
Upsal domains, which have remained ever since.
The Upsal domains were certain estates for the
support of the sovereign, and of the temple and rites of worship; which
after the introduction of Christianity remained with the crown, and
constituted a large portion of the crown property in Sweden.
In the Norse mythology we read that the elves smithied
splendid treasures for Frey among which was the celebrated ship Skidbladner which could hold all the warriors of Asgard and always had a favorable wind but which he
could fold up like a nap-kin and carry in his pocket. The elves were
famous workmen who were the sons of Svigder-Invalde.
Hence they included the grandfather, the great uncles and the cousins of Freyr. The old saga says:
The
sons of Invalde Among
ships the best,
Went
in ancient times For the
shining Frey
To
make Skidbladner, Njord's useful son.
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