hvinska (OSw) hvinnska (ON) noun

Pilfering, petty larceny. In some Nordic laws hvinnska is given as the lowest degree of theft. In Seyð and Jó (Þjb 1) thefts of goods valued at less than one eyrir, and less than one þveit (q.v.) in FrL (XIV.12), were considered hvinnska. Penalties for hvinnska were severe but appear to have lessened over time. In YVgL (Tb 13) the punishment for hvinska is a large cash payment or corporal punishment in the form of flogging and clipped ears. Hvinnska in FrL (XIV.12) incurred a loss of rights. In the later MLL and Jó (Þjb 1) hvinnska incurs a fine of three øre, and the perpetrator is to be called ‘a lesser man’ (ON maðr at verri). Snattan (q.v.), or its subsequent fine, snattan- or snattarabot (q.v.), is a corresponding offense listed in ÖgL, some Svea laws and GL.

petty larceny OIce Jó Þjb 1
OSw YVgL Tb, Add
petty theft OIce Jó Mah 26
OIce Js Mah 25
ONorw MLL Mah 25 Llb 17 Þjb 10
pilfering OFar Seyð 5 Refs:

CV s.v. hvinnska; Fritzner s.v. hvinnska; KLNM s.v.v. rättlösa, tyveri; ONP s.v. hvinnska