Forseta (Forseti)

There is no evidence for Forseta left in Old English literature, however, as he was chief God of the Frisians means he was most likely known to the Angles. His name means literally, "presider," and presumably refers to his position in relation to the thing. Amongst the Frisians he is seen as the giver of their lawcode. The myth about this is in"Van da tweer Koningen Karl ende Radbod," a and goes roughly as follows: when Charlemagne conquered Frisia, he requested they produce their law code. The twelve fore-speakers gathered and tried to stall, but finally had to admit they could not produce the laws. They are then set in a rudderless boat, left to drift in the sea. At this point, a man appears with a golden axe. He steers the ship to land using the axe, and then once on land, he casts down the axe and a spring appears. He then teachs the law to the men, who can then produce it for Charlemagne.

In the Old Norse accounts, Snorri gives Forseta's father as Balder, but this is doubtful as Forseta seems the older deity (and there is no evidence of place names for Balder in Frisia).