51. OF KING OLAF.
King Olaf sent spies out to
trace the earl's doings (A.D. 1015);
and when he found that the
earl had left the country he sailed
out west, and to Viken, where
many people came to him. At the
Thing there he was taken as
king, and so he proceeded all the way
to the Naze; and when he heard
that Erling Skialgson had gathered
a large force, he did not tarry
in North Agder, but sailed with a
steady fair wind to the Throndhjem
country; for there it appeared
to him was the greatest strength
of the land, if he could subdue
it for himself while the earl
was abroad. When Olaf came to
Throndhjem there was no opposition,
and he was elected there to
be king. In harvest (A.D.
1015) he took his seat in the town of
Nidaros, and collected the
needful winter provision (A.D. 1016).
He built a king's house, and
raised Clement's church on the spot
on which it now stands. He
parcelled out building ground, which
he gave to bondes, merchants,
or others who he thought would
build. There he sat down with
many men-at-arms around him; for
he put no great confidence
in the Throndhjem people, if the earl
should return to the country.
The people of the interior of the
Throndhjem country showed this
clearly, for he got no land-scat
from them.
52. PLAN OF SVEIN AND THE SWEDISH
KING.
Earl Svein went first to Svithjod
to his brother-in-law Olaf the
Swedish king, told him all
that had happened between him and Olaf
the Thick, and asked his advice
about what he should now
undertake. The king said that
the earl should stay with him if
he liked, and get such a portion
of his kingdom to rule over as
should seem to him sufficient;
"or otherwise," says he, "I will
give thee help of forces to
conquer the country again from Olaf."
The earl chose the latter;
for all those among his men who had
great possessions in Norway,
which was the case with many who
were with him, were anxious
to get back; and in the council they
held about this, it was resolved
that in winter they should take
the land-way over Helsingjaland
and Jamtaland, and so down into
the Throndhjem land; for the
earl reckoned most upon the faithful
help and strength of the Throndhjem
people of the interior as
soon as he should appear there.
In the meantime, however, it was
determined to take a cruise
in summer in the Baltic to gather
property.
53. EARL SVEIN'S DEATH.
Earl Svein went eastward with
his forces to Russia, and passed
the summer (A.D. 1015) in marauding
there; but on the approach of
autumn returned with his ships
to Svithjod. There he fell into a
sickness, which proved fatal.
After the earl's death some of the
people who had followed him
remained in Svithjod; others went to
Helsingjaland, thence to Jamtaland,
and so from the east over the
dividing ridge of the country
to the Throndhjem district, where
they told all that had happened
upon their journey: and thus the
truth of Earl Svein's death
was known (A.D. 1016).
54. OF THE THRONDHJEM PEOPLE.
Einar Tambaskelfer, and the
people who had followed him went in
winter to the Swedish king,
and were received in a friendly
manner. There were also among
them many who had followed the
earl. The Swedish king took
it much amiss that Olaf the Thick
had set himself down in his
scat-lands, and driven the earl out
of them, and therefore he threatened
the king with his heaviest
vengeance when opportunity
offered. He said that Olaf ought not
to have had the presumption
to take the dominions which the earl
had held of him; and all the
Swedish king's men agreed with him.
But the Throndhjem people,
when they heard for certain that the
earl was dead. and could not
be expected back to Norway, turned
all to obedience to King Olaf.
Many came from the interior of
the Throndhjem country, and
became King Olaf's men; others sent
word and tokens that they would
service him. Then, in autumn, he
went into the interior of Throndhjem,
and held Things with the
bondes, and was received as
king in each district. He returned
to Nidaros, and brought there
all the king's scat and revenue,
and had his winter-seat provided
there (A.D. 1016).
55. OF KING OLAF'S HOUSEHOLD.
King Olaf built a king's house
in Nidaros, and in it was a large
room for his court, with doors
at both ends. The king's high-
seat was in the middle of the
room; and within sat his court-
bishop, Grimkel, and next him
his other priests; without them sat
his counsellors; and in the
other high-seat opposite to the king
sat his marshal, Bjorn, and
next to him his pursuivants. When
people of importance came to
him, they also had a seat of honour.
The ale was drunk by the fire-light.
He divided the service
among his men after the fashion
of other kings. He had in his
house sixty court-men and thirty
pursuivants; and to them he gave
pay and certain regulations.
He had also thirty house-servants
to do the needful work about
the house, and procure what was
required. He had, besides,
many slaves. At the house were many
outbuildings, in which the
court-men slept. There was also a
large room, in which the king
held his court-meetings.
56. OF KING OLAF'S HABITS.
It was King Olaf's custom to
rise betimes in the morning, put on
his clothes, wash his hands,
and then go to the church and hear
the matins and morning mass.
Thereafter he went to the Thing-
meeting, to bring people to
agreement with each other, or to talk
of one or the other matter
that appeared to him necessary. He
invited to him great and small
who were known to be men of
understanding. He often made
them recite to him the laws which
Hakon Athelstan's foster-son
had made for Throndhjem; and after
considering them with those
men of understanding, he ordered laws
adding to or taking from those
established before. But Christian
privileges he settled according
to the advice of Bishop Grimbel
and other learned priests;
and bent his whole mind to uprooting
heathenism, and old customs
which he thought contrary to
Christianity. And he succeeded
so far that the bondes accepted
of the laws which the king
proposed. So says Sigvat: --
"The king, who at
the helm guides
His warlike ship through
clashing tides,
Now gives one law for
all the land --
A heavenly law, which
long will stand."
King Olaf was a good and very
gentle man, of little speech, and
open-handed although greedy
of money. Sigvat the skald, as
before related, was in King
Olaf's house, and several Iceland
men. The king asked particularly
how Christianity was observed
in Iceland, and it appeared
to him to be very far from where it
ought to be; for, as to observing
Christian practices, it was
told the king that it was permitted
there to eat horse-flesh, to
expose infants as heathens
do, besides many other things contrary
to Christianity. They also
told the king about many principal
men who were then in Iceland.
Skapte Thorodson was then the
lagman of the country. He
inquired also of those who were best
acquainted with it about the
state of people in other distant
countries; and his inquiries
turned principally on how
Christianity was observed in
the Orkney, Shetland, and Farey
Islands: and, as far as he
could learn, it was far from being as
he could have wished. Such
conversation was usually carried on
by him; or else he spoke about
the laws and rights of the
country.
57. KING OLAF'S MESSENGERS.
The same winter (A.D. 1016)
came messengers from the Swedish
king, Olaf the Swede, out of
Svithjod: and their leaders were two
brothers, Thorgaut Skarde and
Asgaut the bailiff; and they, had
twenty-four men with them,
when they came from the eastward, over
the ridge of the country down
into Veradal, they summoned a Thing
of the bondes, talked to them,
and demanded of them scat and
duties upon account of the
king of Sweden. But the bondes, after
consulting with each other,
determined only to pay the scat which
the Swedish king required in
so far as King Olaf required none
upon his account, but refused
to pay scat to both. The
messengers proceeded farther
down the valley; but received at
every Thing they held the same
answer, and no money. They went
forward to Skaun, held a Thing
there, and demanded scat; but it
went there as before. Then
they came to Stjoradal, and summoned
a Thing, but the bondes would
not come to it. Now the messengers
saw that their business was
a failure; and Thorgaut proposed that
they should turn about, and
go eastward again. "I do not think,"
says Asgaut, "that we
have performed the king's errand unless we
go to King Olaf the Thick,
since the bondes refer the matter to
him." He was their commander;
so they proceeded to the town
(Nidaros), and took lodging
there. The day after they presented
themselves to the king, just
as he was seated at table, saluted
him, and said they came with
a message of the Swedish king. The
king told them to come to him
next day. Next day the king,
having heard mass, went to
his Thing-house, ordered the
messengers of the Swedish king
to be called, and told them to
produce their message. Then
Thorgaut spoke, and told first what
his errand was, and next how
the Throndhjem people of the
interior had replied to it;
and asked the king's decision on the
business, that they might know
what result their errand there was
to have. The king answers,
"While the earls ruled over the
country, it was not to be wondered
at if the country people
thought themselves bound to
obey them, as they were at least of
the royal race of the kingdom.
But it would have been more just
if those earls had given assistance
and service to the kings who
had a right to the country,
rather than to foreign kings, or to
stir up opposition to their
lawful kings, depriving them of their
land and kingdom. With regard
to Olaf the Swede, who calls
himself entitled to the kingdom
of Norway, I, who in fact am so
entitled, can see no ground
for his claim; but well remember the
skaith and damage we have suffered
from him and his relations."
Then says Asgaut. "It
is not wonderful that thou art called Olaf
the Thick, seeing thou answerest
so haughtily to such a prince's
message, and canst not see
clearly how heavy the king's wrath
will be for thee to support,
as many have experienced who had
greater strength than thou
appearest to have. But if thou
wishest to keep hold of thy
kingdom, it will be best for thee to
come to the king, and be his
man; and we shall beg him to give
thee this kingdom in fief under
him."
The king replies with all gentleness,
"I will give thee an
advice, Asgaut, in return.
Go back to the east again to thy
king, and tell him that early
in spring I will make myself ready,
and will proceed eastward to
the ancient frontier that divided
formerly the kingdom of the
kings of Norway from Sweden. There
he may come if he likes, that
we may conclude a peace with each
other; and each of us will
retain the kingdom to which he is
born."
Now the messengers turned back
to their lodging, and prepared for
their departure, and the king
went to table. The messengers came
back soon after to the king's
house; but the doorkeepers saw it,
and reported it to the king,
who told them not to let the
messengers in. "I will
not speak with them," said he. Then the
messengers went off, and Thorgaut
said he would now return home
with his men; but Asgaut insisted
still that he would go forward
with the king's errand: so
they separated. Thorgaut proceeded
accordingly through Strind;
but Asgaut went into Gaulardal and
Orkadal, and intended proceeding
southwards to More, to deliver
his king's message. When King
Olaf came to the knowledge of this
he sent out his pursuivants
after them, who found them at the
ness in Stein, bound their
hands behind their backs, and led them
down to the point called Gaularas,
where they raised a gallows,
and hanged them so that they
could be seen by those who travelled
the usual sea-way out of the
fjord. Thorgaut heard this news
before he had travelled far
on his way home through the
Throndhjem country; and he
hastened on his journey until he came
to the Swedish king, and told
him how it had gone with them. The
king was highly enraged when
he heard the account of it; and he
had no lack of high words.
58. OLAF AND ERLING RECONCILED.
The spring thereafter (A.D.
1016) King Olaf Haraldson calls out
an army from the Throndhjem
land, and makes ready to proceed
eastward. Some of the Iceland
traders were then ready to sail
from Norway. With them King
Olaf sent word and token to Hjalte
Skeggjason, and summoned him
to come to him, and at the same time
sent a verbal message to Skapte
the lagman, and other men who
principally took part in the
lawgiving of Iceland, to take out of
the law whatever appeared contrary
to Christianity. He sent,
besides, a message of friendship
to the people in general. The
king then proceeded southwards
himself along the coast, stopping
at every district, and holding
Things with the bondes; and in
each Thing he ordered the Christian
law to be read, together with
the message of salvation thereunto
belonging, and with which many
ill customs and much heathenism
were swept away at once among the
common people: for the earls
had kept well the old laws and
rights of the country; but
with respect to keeping Christianity,
they had allowed every man
to do as he liked. It was thus come
so far that the people were
baptized in the most places on the
sea-coast, but the most of
them were ignorant of Christian law.
In the upper ends of the valleys,
and in the habitations among
the mountains, the greater
part of the people were heathen; for
when the common man is left
to himself, the faith he has been
taught in his childhood is
that which has the strongest hold over
his inclination. But the king
threatened the most violent
proceedings against great or
small, who, after the king's
message, would not adopt Christianity.
In the meantime Olaf was
proclaimed king in every Law
Thing in the country, and no man
spoke against him. While he
lay in Karmtsund messengers went
between him and Erling Skjalgson,
who endeavoured to make peace
between them; and the meeting
was appointed in Whitings Isle.
When they met they spoke with
each other about agreement
together; but Erling found
something else than he expected in the
conversation: for when he insisted
on having all the fiefs which
Olaf Trygvason, and afterwards
the Earls Svein and Hakon, had
given him, and on that condition
would be his man and dutiful
friend, the king answered,
"It appears to me, Erling, that it
would be no bad bargain for
thee to get as great fiefs from me
for thy aid and friendship
as thou hadst from Earl Eirik, a man
who had done thee the greatest
injury by the bloodshed of thy
men; but even if I let thee
remain the greatest lenderman in
Norway, I will bestow my fiefs
according to my own will, and not
act as if ye lendermen had
udal right to my ancestor's heritage,
and I was obliged to buy your
services with manifold rewards."
Erling had no disposition to
sue for even the smallest thing; and
he saw that the king was not
easily dealt with. He saw also that
he had only two conditions
before him: the one was to make no
agreement with the king, and
stand by the consequences; the other
to leave it entirely to the
king's pleasure. Although it was
much against his inclination,
he chose the latter, and merely
said to the king, "The
service will be the most useful to thee
which I give with a free will."
And thus their conference ended.
Erling's relations and friends
came to him afterwards, and
advised him to give way, and
proceed with more prudence and less
pride. "Thou wilt still,"
they said, "be the most important and
most respected lenderman in
Norway, both on account of thy own
and thy relations' abilities
and great wealth." Erling found
that this was prudent advice,
and that they who gave it did so
with a good intention, and
he followed it accordingly. Erling
went into the king's service
on such conditions as the king
himself should determine and
please. Thereafter they separated
in some shape reconciled, and
Olaf went his way eastward along
the coast (A.D. 1016).
59. EILIF OF GAUTLAND'S MURDER.
As soon as it was reported
that Olaf had come to Viken, the Danes
who had offices under the Danish
king set off for Denmark,
without waiting for King Olaf.
But King Olaf sailed in along
Viken, holding Things with
the bondes. All the people of the
country submitted to him, and
thereafter he took all the king's
taxes, and remained the summer
(A.D. 1016) in Viken. He then
sailed east from Tunsberg across
the fjord, and all the way east
to Svinasund. There the Swedish
king's dominions begin, and he
had set officers over this
country; namely, Eilif Gautske over
the north part, and Hroe Skialge
over the east part, all the way
to the Gaut river. Hroe had
family friends on both sides of the
river, and also great farms
on Hising Island, and was besides a
mighty and very rich man.
Eilif was also of great family, and
very wealthy. Now when King
Olaf came to Ranrike he summoned the
people to a Thing, and all
who dwelt on the sea-coast or in the
out-islands came to him. Now
when the Thing was seated the
king's marshal, Bjorn, held
a speech to them, in which he told
the bondes to receive Olaf
as their king, in the same way as had
been done in all other parts
of Norway. Then stood up a bold
bonde by name Brynjolf Ulfalde,
and said, "We bondes know where
the division-boundaries between
the Norway and Danish and Swedish
kings' lands have stood by
rights in old times; namely, that the
Gaut river divided their lands
between the Vener lake and the
sea; but towards the north
the forests until Eid forest, and from
thence the ridge of the country
all north to Finmark. We know,
also, that by turns they have
made inroads upon each other's
territories, and that the Swedes
have long had power all the way
to Svinasund. But, sooth to
say, I know that it is the
inclination of many rather
to serve the king of Norway, but they
dare not; for the Swedish king's
dominions surround us, both
eastward, southwards, and also
up the country; and besides, it
may be expected that the king
of Norway must soon go to the
north, where the strength of
his kingdom lies, and then we have
no power to withstand the Gautlanders.
Now it is for the king to
give us good counsel, for we
have great desire to be his men."
After the Thing, in the evening,
Brynjolf was in the king's tent,
and the day after likewise,
and they had much private
conversation together. Then
the king proceeded eastwards along
Viken. Now when Eilif heard
of his arrival, he sent out spies to
discover what he was about;
but he himself, with thirty men, kept
himself high up in the habitations
among the hills, where he had
gathered together bondes.
Many of the bondes came to King Olaf,
but some sent friendly messages
to him. People went between King
Olaf and Eilif, and they entreated
each separately to hold a
Thing-meeting between themselves,
and make peace in one way or
another. They told Eilif that
they might expect violent
treatment from King Olaf if
they opposed his orders; but promised
Eilif he should not want men.
It was determined that they should
come down from the high country,
and hold a thing with the bondes
and the king. King Olaf thereupon
sent the chief of his
pursuivants, Thorer Lange,
with six men, to Brynjolf. They were
equipped with their coats-of-mail
under their cloaks, and their
hats over their helmets. The
following day the bondes came in
crowds down with Eilif; and
in his suite was Brynjolf, and with
him Thorer. The king laid
his ships close to a rocky knoll that
stuck out into the sea, and
upon it the king went with his
people, and sat down. Below
was a flat field, on which the
bondes' force was; but Eilif's
men were drawn up, forming a
shield-fence before him. Bjorn
the marshal spoke long and
cleverly upon the king's account,
and when he sat down Eilif
arose to speak; but at the
same moment Thorer Lange rose, drew
his sword, and struck Eilif
on the neck, so that his head flew
off. Then the whole bonde-force
started up; but the Gautland men
set off in full flight and
Thorer with his people killed several
of them. Now when the crowd
was settled again, and the noise
over the king stood up, and
told the bondes to seat themselves.
They did so, and then much
was spoken. The end of it was that
they submitted to the king,
and promised fidelity to him; and he,
on the other hand, promised
not to desert them, but to remain at
hand until the discord between
him and the Swedish Olaf was
settled in one way or other.
King Olaf then brought the whole
northern district under his
power, and went in summer eastward as
far as the Gaut river, and
got all the king's scat among the
islands. But when summer (A.D.
1016) was drawing towards an end
he returned north to Viken,
and sailed up the Raum river to a
waterfall called Sarp. On
the north side of the fall, a point of
land juts out into the river.
There the king ordered a rampart
to be built right across the
ness, of stone, turf, and wood, and
a ditch to be dug in front
of it; so that it was a large earthen
fort or burgh, which he made
a merchant town of. He had a king's
house put up, and ordered the
building of Mary church. He also
laid out plans for other houses,
and got people to build on them.
In harvest (A.D. 1016) he let
everything be gathered there that
was useful for his winter residence
(A.D. 1017), and sat there
with a great many people, and
the rest he quartered in the
neighbouring districts. The
king prohibited all exports from
Viken to Gautland of herrings
and salt, which the Gautland people
could ill do without. This
year the king held a great Yule
feast, to which he invited
many great bondes.
60. THE HISTORY OF EYVIND URARHORN.
There was a man called Eyvind
Urarhorn, who was a great man, of
high birth, who had his descent
from the East Agder country.
Every summer he went out on
a viking cruise, sometimes to the
West sea, sometimes to the
Baltic, sometimes south to Flanders,
and had a well-armed cutter
(snekkia) of twenty benches of
rowers. He had been also at
Nesjar, and given his aid to the
king; and when they separated
the king promised him his favour,
and Eyvind, again, promised
to come to the king's aid whenever he
was required. This winter
(A.D. 1017) Eyvind was at the Yule
feast of the king, and received
goodly gifts from him. Brynjolf
Ulfalde was also with the king,
and he received a Yule present
from the king of a gold-mounted
sword, and also a farm called
Vettaland, which is a very
large head-farm of the district.
Brynjolf composed a song about
these gifts, of which the refrain
was --
"The song-famed hero
to my hand
Gave a good sword, and
Vettaland."
The king afterwards gave him
the title of Lenderman, and Brynjolf
was ever after the king's greatest
friend.
61. THRAND WHITE'S MURDER.
This winter (A.D. 1017) Thrand
White from Throndhjem went east to
Jamtaland, to take up scat
upon account of King Olaf. But when
he had collected the scat he
was surprised by men of the Swedish
king, who killed him and his
men, twelve in all, and brought the
scat to the Swedish king.
King Olaf was very ill-pleased when he
heard this news.
62. CHRISTIANITY PROCLAIMED
IN VIKEN.
King Olaf made Christian law
to be proclaimed in Viken, in the
same way as in the North country.
It succeeded well, because the
people of Viken were better
acquainted with the Christian customs
than the people in the north;
for, both winter and summer, there
were many merchants in Viken,
both Danish and Saxon. The people
of Viken, also, had much trading
intercourse with England, and
Saxony, and Flanders, and Denmark;
and some had been on viking
expeditions, and had had their
winter abode in Christian lands.
63. HROE'S FALL.
About spring-time (A.D. 1017)
King Olaf sent a message that
Eyvind Urarhorn should come
to him; and they spake together in
private for a long time. Thereafter
Eyvind made himself ready
for a viking cruise. He sailed
south towards Viken, and brought
up at the Eikreys Isles without
Hising Isle. There he heard that
Hroe Skialge had gone northwards
towards Ordost, and had there
made a levy of men and goods
on account of the Swedish king, and
was expected from the north.
Eyvind rowed in by Haugasund, and
Hroe came rowing from the north,
and they met in the sound and
fought. Hroe fell there, with
nearly thirty men; and Eyvind took
all the goods Hroe had with
him. Eyvind then proceeded to the
Baltic, and was all summer
on a viking cruise.
64. FALL OF GUDLEIK AND THORGAUT.
There was a man called Gudleik
Gerske, who came originally from
Agder. He was a great merchant,
who went far and wide by sea,
was very rich, and drove a
trade with various countries. He
often went east to Gardarike
(Russia), and therefore was called
Gudleik Gerske (the Russian).
This spring (A.D. 1017) Gudleik
fitted out his ship, and intended
to go east in summer to Russia.
King Olaf sent a message to
him that he wanted to speak to him;
and when Gudleik came to the
king he told him he would go in
partnership with him, and told
him to purchase some costly
articles which were difficult
to be had in this country. Gudleik
said that it should be according
to the king's desire. The king
ordered as much money to be
delivered to Gudleik as he thought
sufficient, and then Gudleik
set out for the Baltic. They lay in
a sound in Gotland; and there
it happened, as it often does, that
people cannot keep their own
secrets, and the people of the
country came to know that in
this ship was Olaf the Thick's
partner. Gudleik went in summer
eastwards to Novgorod, where he
bought fine and costly clothes,
which he intended for the king as
a state dress; and also precious
furs, and remarkably splendid
table utensils. In autumn
(A.D. 1017), as Gudleik was returning
from the east, he met a contrary
wind, and lay for a long time at
the island Eyland. There came
Thorgaut Skarde, who in autumn had
heard of Gudleik's course,
in a long-ship against him, and gave
him battle. They fought long,
and Gudleik and his people
defended themselves for a long
time; but the numbers against them
were great, and Gudleik and
many of his ship's crew fell, and a
great many of them were wounded.
Thorgaut took all their goods,
and King Olaf's, and he and
his comrades divided the booty among
them equally; but he said the
Swedish king ought to have the
precious articles of King Olaf,
as these, he said, should be
considered as part of the scat
due to him from Norway.
Thereafter Thorgaut proceeded
east to Svithjod. These tidings
were soon known; and as Eyvind
Urarhorn came soon after to
Eyland, he heard the news,
and sailed east after Thorgaut and his
troop, and overtook them among
the Swedish isles on the coast,
and gave battle. There Thorgaut
and the most of his men were
killed, and the rest sprang
overboard. Eyvind took all the goods
and all the costly articles
of King Olaf which they had captured
from Gudleik, and went with
these back to Norway in autumn, and
delivered to King Olaf his
precious wares. The king thanked him
in the most friendly way for
his proceeding, and promised him
anew his favour and friendship.
At this time Olaf had been three
years king over Norway (A.D.
1015-1017).
65. MEETING OF OLAF AND RAGNVALD.
The same summer (A.D. 1017)
King Olaf ordered a levy, and went
out eastwards to the Gaut river,
where he lay a great part of the
summer. Messages were passing
between King Olaf, Earl Ragnvald,
and the earl's wife, Ingebjorg,
the daughter of Trygve. She was
very zealous about giving King
Olaf of Norway every kind of help,
and made it a matter of her
deepest interest. For this there
were two causes. She had a
great friendship for King Olaf; and
also she could never forget
that the Swedish king had been one at
the death of her brother, Olaf
Trygvason; and also that he, on
that account only, had any
presence to rule over Norway. The
earl, by her persuasion, turned
much towards friendship with King
Olaf; and it proceeded so far
that the earl and the king
appointed a meeting, and met
at the Gaut river. They talked
together of many things, but
especially of the Norwegian and
Swedish kings' relations with
each other; both agreeing, as was
the truth also, that it was
the greatest loss, both to the people
of Viken and of Gautland, that
there was no peace for trade
between the two countries;
and at last both agreed upon a peace,
and still-stand of arms between
them until next summer; and they
parted with mutual gifts and
friendly speeches.
66. KING OLAF THE SWEDE.
The king thereupon returned
north to Viken, and had all the royal
revenues up to the Gaut river;
and all the people of the country
there had submitted to him.
King Olaf the Swede had so great a
hatred of Olaf Haraldson, that
no man dared to call him by his
right name in the king's hearing.
They called him the thick man;
and never named him without
some hard by-name.
67. ACCOUNT OF THEIR RECONCILIATION.
The bondes in Viken spoke with
each other about there being
nothing for it but that the
kings should make peace and a league
with each other, and insisted
upon it that they were badly used
by the kings going to war;
but nobody was so bold as to bring
these murmurs before the king.
At last they begged Bjorn the
marshal to bring this matter
before the king, and entreat him to
send messengers to the Swedish
king to offer peace on his side.
Bjorn was disinclined to do
this, and put it off from himself
with excuses; but on the entreaties
of many of his friends, he
promised at last to speak of
it to the king; but declared, at the
same time, that he knew it
would be taken very ill by the king to
propose that he should give
way in anything to the Swedish king.
The same summer (A.D. 1017)
Hjalte Skeggjason came over to Norway
from Iceland, according to
the message sent him by King Olaf, and
went directly to the king.
He was well received by the king, who
told him to lodge in his house,
and gave him a seat beside Bjorn
the marshal, and Hjalte became
his comrade at table. There was
good-fellowship immediately
between them.
Once, when King Olaf had assembled
the people and bondes to
consult upon the good of the
country, Bjorn the marshal said,
"What think you, king,
of the strife that is between the Swedish
king and you? Many people
have fallen on both sides, without its
being at all more determined
than before what each of you shall
have of the kingdom. You have
now been sitting in Viken one
winter and two summers, and
the whole country to the north is
lying behind your back unseen;
and the men who have property or
udal rights in the north are
weary of sitting here. Now it is
the wish of the lendermen,
of your other people, and of the
bondes that this should come
to an end. There is now a truce,
agreement, and peace with the
earl, and the West Gautland people
who are nearest to us; and
it appears to the people it would be
best that you sent messengers
to the Swedish king to offer a
reconciliation on your side;
and, without doubt, many who are
about the Swedish king will
support the proposal, for it is a
common gain for those who dwell
in both countries, both here and
there." This speech of
Bjorn's received great applause.
Then the king said, "It
is fair, Bjorn, that the advice thou hast
given should be carried out
by thyself. Thou shalt undertake
this embassy thyself, and enjoy
the good of it, if thou hast
advised well; and if it involve
any man in danger, thou hast
involved thyself in it. Moreover,
it belongs to thy office to
declare to the multitude what
I wish to have told." Then the
king stood up, went to the
church, and had high mass sung before
him; and thereafter went to
table.
The following day Hjalte said
to Bjorn, "Why art thou so
melancholy, man? Art thou
sick, or art thou angry at any one?"
Bjorn tells Hjalte his conversation
with the king, and says it is
a very dangerous errand.
Hjalte says, "It is their
lot who follow kings that they enjoy
high honours, and are more
respected than other men, but stand
often in danger of their lives:
and they must understand how to
bear both parts of their lot.
The king's luck is great; and much
honour will be gained by this
business, if it succeed."
Bjorn answered, "Since
thou makest so light of this business in
thy speech, wilt thou go with
me? The king has promised that I
shall have companions with
me on the journey."
"Certainly," says
Hjalte; "I will follow thee, if thou wilt: for
never again shall I fall in
with such a comrade if we part."
68. JOURNEY OF BJORN THE MARSHAL.
A few days afterwards. when
the king was at a Thing-meeting,
Bjorn came with eleven others.
He says to the king that they
were now ready to proceed on
their mission, and that their horses
stood saddled at the door.
"And now," says he, "I would know
with what errand I am to go,
or what orders thou givest us."
The king replies, "Ye
shall carry these my words to the Swedish
king -- that I will establish
peace between our countries up to
the frontier which Olaf Trygvason
had before me; and each shall
bind himself faithfully not
to trespass over it. But with regard
to the loss of people, no man
must mention it if peace there is
to be; for the Swedish king
cannot with money pay for the men the
Swedes have deprived us of."
Thereupon the king rose, and went
out with Bjorn and his followers;
and he took a gold-mounted
sword and a gold ring, and
said, in handing over the sword to
Bjorn, "This I give thee:
it was given to me in summer by Earl
Ragnvald. To him ye shall
go; and bring him word from me to
advance your errand with his
counsel and strength. This thy
errand I will think well fulfilled
if thou hearest the Swedish
king's own words, be they yea
or nay: and this gold ring thou
shalt give Earl Ragnvald.
These are tokens (1) he must know
well."
Hjalte went up to the king,
saluted him, and said, "We need much,
king, that thy luck attend
us;" and wished that they might meet
again in good health.
The king asked where Hjalte
was going.
"With Bjorn," said
he.
The king said, "It will
assist much to the good success of the
journey that thou goest too,
for thy good fortune has often been
proved; and be assured that
I shall wish that all my luck, if
that be of any weight, may
attend thee and thy company."
Bjorn and his followers rode
their way, and came to Earl
Ragnvald's court, where they
were well received. Bjorn was a
celebrated and generally known
man, -- known by sight and speech
to all who had ever seen King
Olaf; for at every Thing, Bjorn
stood up and told the king's
message. Ingebjorg, the earl's
wife, went up to Hjalte and
looked at him. She recognized him,
for she was living with her
brother Olaf Trygvason when Hjalte
was there: and she knew how
to reckon up the relationship between
King Olaf and Vilborg, the
wife of Hjalte; for Eirik Bjodaskalle
father of Astrid, King Olaf
Trygvason's mother, and Bodvar father
of Olaf, mother of Gissur White
the father of Vilborg, were
brother's sons of the lenderman
Vikingakare of Vors.
They enjoyed here good entertainment.
One day Bjorn entered into
conversation with the earl
and Ingebjorg, in which he set forth
his errand, and produced to
the earl his tokens.
The earl replies, "What
hast thou done, Bjorn, that the king
wishes thy death? For, so
far from thy errand having any
success, I do not think a man
can be found who could speak these
words to the Swedish king without
incurring wrath and punishment.
King Olaf, king of Sweden,
is too proud for any man to speak to
him on anything he is angry
at."
Then Bjorn says, "Nothing
has happened to me that King Olaf is
offended at; but many of his
disposition act both for themselves
and others, in a way that only
men who are daring can succeed in.
But as yet all his plans have
had good success, and I think this
will turn out well too; so
I assure you, earl, that I will
actually travel to the Swedish
king, and not turn back before I
have brought to his ears every
word that King Olaf told me to say
to him, unless death prevent
me, or that I am in bonds, and
cannot perform my errand; and
this I must do, whether you give
any aid or no aid to me in
fulfilling the king's wishes."
Then said IngebJorg, "I
will soon declare my opinion. I think,
earl, thou must turn all thy
attention to supporting King Olaf
the king of Norway's desire
that this message be laid before the
Swedish king, in whatever way
he may answer it. Although the
Swedish king's anger should
be incurred, and our power and
property be at stake, yet will
I rather run the risk, than that
it should be said the message
of King Olaf was neglected from
fear of the Swedish king.
Thou hast that birth, strength of
relations, and other means,
that here in the Swedish land it is
free to thee to tell thy mind,
if it be right and worthy of being
heard, whether it be listened
to by few or many, great or little
people, or by the king himself."
The earl replies, "It
is known to every one how thou urgest me:
it may be, according to thy
counsel, that I should promise the
king's men to follow them,
so that they may get their errand laid
before the Swedish king, whether
he take it ill or take it well.
But I will have my own counsel
followed, and will not run hastily
into Bjorn's or any other man's
measures, in such a highly
important matter. It is my
will that ye all remain here with me,
so long as I think it necessary
for the purpose of rightly
forwarding this mission."
Now as the earl had thus given them to
understand that he would support
them in the business, Bjorn
thanked him most kindly, and
with the assurance that his advice
should rule them altogether.
Thereafter Bjorn and his fellow-
travellers remained very long
in the earl's house.
ENDNOTES:
(1) Before writing was a common
accomplishment in courts, the
only way of accrediting
a special messenger between kings
and great men was by giving
the messenger a token; that is.
some article well known
by the person receiving the message
to be the property of
and valued by the person sending it.
69. CONVERSATION OF BJORN AND
INGEBJORG.
Ingebjorg was particularly
kind to them; and Bjorn often spoke
with her about the matter,
and was ill at ease that their journey
was so long delayed. Hjalte
and the others often spoke together
also about the matter; and
Hjalte said; "I will go to the king if
ye like; for I am not a man
of Norway, and the Swedes can have
nothing to say to me. I have
heard that there are Iceland men in
the king's house who are my
acquaintances, and are well treated;
namely, the skalds Gissur Black
and Ottar Black. From them I
shall get out what I can about
the Swedish king; and if the
business will really be so
difficult as it now appears, or if
there be any other way of promoting
it, I can easily devise some
errand that may appear suitable
for me."
This counsel appeared to Bjorn
and Ingebjorg to be the wisest,
and they resolved upon it among
themselves. Ingebjorg put Hjalte
in a position to travel; gave
him two Gautland men with him, and
ordered them to follow him,
and assist him with their service,
and also to go wherever he
might have occasion to send them.
Besides, Ingebjorg gave him
twenty marks of weighed silver money
for travelling expenses, and
sent word and token by him to the
Swedish king Olaf's daughter,
Ingegerd, that she should give all
her assistance to Hjalte's
business, whenever he should find
himself under the necessity
of craving her help. Hjalte set off
as soon as he was ready. When
he came to King Olaf he soon found
the skalds Gissur and Ottar,
and they were very glad at his
coming. Without delay they
went to the king, and told him that a
man was come who was their
countryman, and one of the most
considerable in their native
land, and requested the king to
receive him well. The king
told them to take Hjalte and his
fellow-travellers into their
company and quarters. Now when
Hjalte had resided there a
short time, and got acquainted with
people, he was much respected
by everybody. The skalds were
often in the king's house,
for they were well-spoken men; and
often in the daytime they sat
in front of the king's high-seat,
and Hjalte, to whom they paid
the highest respect in all things,
by their side. He became thus
known to the king, who willingly
entered into conversation with
him, and heard from him news about
Iceland.
70. OF SIGVAT THE SKALD.
It happened that before Bjorn
set out from home he asked Sigvat
the skald, who at that time
was with King Olaf, to accompany him
on his journey. It was a journey
for which people had no great
inclination. There was, however,
great friendship between Bjorn
and Sigvat. Then Sigvat sang:
--
"With the king's
marshals all have I,
In days gone by,
Lived joyously, --
With all who on the king
attend,
And knee before him humbly
bend,
Bjorn, thou oft hast ta'en
my part --
Pleaded with art,
And touched the heart.
Bjorn! brave stainer
of the sword,
Thou art my friend --
I trust thy word."
While they were riding up to
Gautland, Sigvat made these verses:
--
"Down the Fjord sweep
wind and rain,
Our stout ship's sails
and tackle strain;
Wet to the skin.
We're sound within,
And gaily o'er the waves
are dancing,
Our sea-steed o'er the
waves high prancing!
Through Lister sea
Flying all free;
Off from the wind with
swelling sail,
We merrily scud before
the gale,
And reach the sound
Where we were bound.
And now our ship, so gay
and grand,
Glides past the green
and lovely land,
And at the isle
Moors for a while.
Our horse-hoofs now leave
hasty print;
We ride -- of ease there's
scanty stint --
In heat and haste
O'er Gautland's waste:
Though in a hurry to be
married,
The king can't say that
we have tarried."
One evening late they were
riding through Gautland, and Sigvat
made these verses: --
"The weary horse
will at nightfall
Gallop right well to reach
his stall;
When night meets day,
with hasty hoof
He plies the road to reach
a roof.
Far from the Danes, we
now may ride
Safely by stream or mountain-side;
But, in this twilight,
in some ditch
The horse and rider both
may pitch."
They rode through the merchant
town of Skara, and down the street
to the earl's house. He sang:
--
"The shy sweet girls,
from window high
In wonder peep at the
sparks that fly
From our horses heels,
as down the street
Of the earl's town we
ride so fleet.
Spur on! -- that every
pretty lass
May hear our horse-hoofs
as we pass
Clatter upon the stones
so hard,
And echo round the paved
court-yard."