Baring-Gould’s sources: Icelandic Necrology. Authority: — Pals Saga Biskups, written between 1216-1220 (Biskupa Sogur, formali xxxiii.). The best edition of the Pals Saga is that in Biskupa Sogur, Copenh. 1858, t. i. p. 125-148, introduction, xxv.-xxxiv. An earlier edition with Latin translation, along with Hungurvaka and the Thattr af Thorvalldi vithforla, Copenh. Paul was the son of John Loptson, son of the illustrious Saemund the Wise, who made the collection of the elder Edda. His grandmother was Thora, daughter of King Magnus Barelegs of Norway. The mother of Paul was the sister of S. Thorlac. Paul was a man of wealth and rank. He married Herdisa, and was educated in schools in England. He was handsome, had a remarkably sweet voice for singing, and was a poet and literary man. His talents and rank pointed him out as a suitable man to occupy the see of Skalholt on the death of Bishop Thorlac. It was arranged in the family that he was the most proper person to succeed his uncle, and as Bishop Brand of Holar was of the same opinion, he was sent to Lund in Denmark to be consecrated by Archbishop Absalom of Nidaros (Dronthjem) and Eric of Lund. He was consecrated in May, 1195, by Peter, bishop of Roskilde, acting for the archbishop Eric, who was blind. On his return to Iceland he gave a great banquet, and supplied the guests with wine as a beverage instead of beer — a piece of splendour and liberality hitherto unheard of. He brought with him two glass windows for his cathedral, and erected a tower of wood, in which he hung several bells. In the tower was an oratory dedicated to his predecessor Thorlac, which he had painted sumptuously. He spent a winter in Skalholt before he was rejoined by his wife. Her coming led to the happiest results. “ She was to him and to the diocese great support and strength, the like of which was not seen anywhere else whilst he was bishop. So great was her economy and management, that before she had been there many years, there reigned a superfluity of all things necessary, so that they could entertain at a time a hundred guests, besides their own servants, who numbered eighty men.”

This excellent wife was drowned with one of her daughters in crossing the river Thiorsd. Paul buried them with great solemnity, and after that his daughter Thora, aged fourteen, managed the house. In ri99 S. Thorlac was canonized by popular acclamation at the national council, and Paul then translated his body. In the winter of 1202-3 he entertained John, a Greenland bishop, who gave him a recipe for S. Elizabeth of Hungary.

making wine of crowberries, which had been taught him by King Swerrir. The following summer, however, was not fruitful in crowberries, and only one man in the neighbourhood was able to lay in a stock of home-made crowberry wine. Paul had 220 churches in his diocese, and 290 priests. He only preached on the greatest festivals, because he thought that too frequent preaching lost its effect on the people, and perhaps he was not altogether wrong. He had two sons, Lopt and Ketell, and two daughters: one, as already said, was drowned. He died in 12 11.