Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
King Eystein, and it is likely the case will cost more trouble before
it comes to an end than we intended; but nevertheless we shall follow it
out. I will have him condemned to be outlawed in his native place." Then
said King Eystein, "There are certainly not many things which do not
succeed with thee, and especially when there are but few and small folks
to oppose one who has carried through such great things." And thus they
parted, without anything being concluded in the case. Thereafter King
Sigurd called together a Gula Thing, went himself there, and summoned to
him many high chiefs. King Eystein came there also with his suite; and
many meetings and conferences were held among people of understanding
concerning this case, and it was tried and examined before the lagmen.
Now King Eystein objected that all the parties summoned in any cases
tried here belonged to the Thing-district; but in this case the deed and
the parties belonged to Halogaland. The Thing accordingly ended in doing
nothing, as King Eystein had thus made it incompetent. The kings parted
in great wrath; and King Eystein went north to Throndhjem. King
Sigurd, on the other hand, summoned to him all lendermen, and also
the house-servants of the lendermen, and named out of every district a
number of the bondes from the south parts of the country, so that he
had collected a large army about him; and proceeded with all this crowd
northwards along the coast to Halogaland, and intended to use all his
power to make Sigurd Hranason an outlaw among his own relations. For
this purpose he summoned to him the Halogaland and Naumudal people, and
appointed a Thing at Hrafnista. King Eystein prepared himself also, and
proceeded with many people from the town of Nidaros to the Thing, where
he made Sigurd Hranason, by hand-shake before witnesses, deliver over to
him the following and defending this case. At this Thing both the kings
spoke, each for his own side. Then King Eystein asks the lagmen where
that law was made in Norway which gave the bondes the right to judge
between the kings of the country, when they had pleas with each other.
"I shall bring witnesses to prove that Sigurd has given the case into my
hands; and it is with me, not with Sigurd Hranason, that King Sigurd has
to do in this case." The lagmen said that disputes between kings must be
judged only at the Eyra Thing in Nidaros.
King Eystein said, "So I thought that it should be there, and the cases
must be removed there."
Then King Sigurd said, "The more difficulties and inconvenience thou
bringest upon me in this matter, the more I will persevere in it." And
with that they parted.
Both kings then went south to Nidaros town, where they summoned a Thing
from eight districts. King Eystein was in the town with a great many
people, but Sigurd was on board his ships. When the Thing was opened,
peace and safe conduct was given to all; and when the people were all
collected, and the case should be gone into, Bergthor, a son of Svein
Bryggjufot, stood up, and gave his evidence that Sigurd Hranason had
concealed a part of the Laplanders' taxes.
Then King Eystein stood up and said, "If thy accusation were true,
although we do not know what truth there may be in thy testimony, yet
this case has already been dismissed from three Things, and a fourth
time from a town meeting; and therefore I require that the lagmen acquit
Sigurd in this case according to law." And they did so.
Then said King Sigurd, "I see sufficiently, King Eystein, that thou hast
carried this case by law-quirks (1), which I do not understand. But now
there remains, King Eystein, a way of determining the case which I am
more used to, and which I shall now apply."
He then retired to his ships, had the tents taken down, laid his whole
fleet out at the holm, and held a Thing of his people; and told them
that early in the morning they should land at Iluvellir, and give battle
to King Eystein. But in the evening, as King Sigurd sat at his table in
his ship taking his repast, before he was aware of it a man cast himself
on the floor of the forehold, and at the king's feet. This was Sigurd
Hranason, who begged the king to take what course with regard to him the
king himself thought proper. Then came Bishop Magne and Queen Malmfrid,
and many other great personages, and entreated forgiveness for Sigurd
Hranason; and at their entreaty the king raised him up, took him by the
hand, and placed him among his men, and took him along with himself to
the south part of the country. In autumn the king gave Sigurd Hranason
leave to go north to his farm, gave him an employment, and was always
afterward his friend. After this day, however, the brothers were never
much together, and there was no cordiality or cheerfulness among them.
ENDNOTES: (1) These law-quirks show a singularly advanced state of law.
and deference to the Law Things, amidst such social disorder
and misdeeds.--L.
23. OF KING OLAF'S DEATH.
King Olaf Magnuson fell into a sickness which ended in his death. He was
buried in Christ church in Nidaros, and many were in great grief at his
death. After Olaf's death, Eystein and Sigurd ruled the country, the
three brothers together having been kings of Norway for twelve years
(A.D. 1104-1115); namely, five years after King Sigurd returned home,
and seven years before. King Olaf was seventeen years old when he died,
and it happened on the 24th of December.
24. MAGNUS THE BLIND; HIS BIRTH.
King Eystein had been about a year in the east part of the country at
that time, and King Sigurd was then in the north. King Eystein remained
a long time that winter in Sarpsborg. There was once a powerful and rich
bonde called Olaf of Dal, who dwelt in Great Dal in Aumord, and had two
children,--a son called Hakon Fauk, and a daughter called Borghild, who
was a very beautiful girl, and prudent, and well skilled in many things.
Olaf and his children were a long time in winter in Sarpsborg, and
Borghild conversed very often with King Eystein; so that many reports
were spread about their friendship. The following summer King Eystein
went north, and King Sigurd came eastward, where he remained all
winter, and was long in Konungahella, which town he greatly enlarged and
improved. He built there a great castle of turf and stone, dug a great
ditch around it, and built a church and several houses within the
castle. The holy cross he allowed to remain at Konungahella, and therein
did not fulfill the oath he had taken in Palestine; but, on the other
hand, he established tithe, and most of the other things to which he had
bound himself by oath. The reason of his keeping the cross east at the
frontier of the country was, that he thought it would be a protection to
all the land; but it proved the greatest misfortune to place this relic
within the power of the heathens, as it afterwards turned out.
When Borghild, Olaf's daughter, heard it whispered that people talked
ill of her conversations and intimacy with King Eystein, she went to
Sarpsborg; and after suitable fasts she carried the iron as proof of her
innocence, and cleared herself thereby fully from all offence. When
King Sigurd heard this, he rode one day as far as usually was two days'
travelling, and came to Dal to Olaf, where he remained all night, made
Borghild his concubine, and took her away with him. They had a son,
who was called Magnus, and he was sent immediately to Halogaland, to
be fostered at Bjarkey by Vidkun Jonson; and he was brought up there.
Magnus grew up to be the handsomest man that could be seen, and was very
soon stout and strong.
25. COMPARISON BETWEEN THE TWO KINGS.
King Eystein and King Sigurd went both in spring to guest-quarters
in the Uplands; and each was entertained in a separate house, and the
houses were not very distant from each other. The bondes, however,
thought it more convenient that both should be entertained together by
turns in each house; and thus they were both at first in the house of
King Eystein. But in the evening, when the people began to drink, the
ale was not good; so that the guests were very quiet and still. Then
said King Eystein, "Why are the people so silent? It is more usual in
drinking parties that people are merry, so let us fall upon some jest
over our ale that will amuse people; for surely, brother Sigurd, all
people are well pleased when we talk cheerfully."
Sigurd replies, bluntly, "Do you talk as much as you please, but give me
leave to be silent."
Eystein says, "It is a common custom over the ale-table to compare one
person with another, and now let us do so." Then Sigurd was silent.
"I see," says King Eystein, "that I must begin this amusement. Now I
will take thee, brother, to compare myself with, and will make it appear
so as if we had both equal reputation and property, and that there is no
difference in our birth and education."
Then King Sigurd replies, "Do you remember that I was always able to
throw you when we wrestled, although you are a year older?"
Then King Eystein replied, "But I remember that you was not so good at
the games which require agility."
Sigurd: "Do you remember that I could drag you under water, when we swam
together, as often as I pleased?"
Eystein: "But I could swim as far as you, and could dive as well as you;
and I could run upon snow-skates so well that nobody could beat me, and
you could no more do it than an ox."
Sigurd: "Methinks it is a more useful and suitable accomplishment for
a chief to be expert at his bow; and I think you could scarcely draw my
bow, even if you took your foot to help."
Eystein: "I am not strong at the bow as you are, but there is less
difference between our shooting near; and I can use the skees
much better than you, and in former times that was held a great
accomplishment."
Sigurd: "It appears to me much better for a chief who is to be the
superior of other men, that he is conspicuous in a crowd, and strong
and powerful in weapons above other men; easily seen, and easily known,
where there are many together."
Eystein: "It is not less a distinction and an ornament that a man is
of a handsome appearance, so as to be easily known from others on that
account; and this appears to me to suit a chief best, because the best
ornament is allied to beauty. I am moreover more knowing in the law than
you, and on every subject my words flow more easily than yours."
Sigurd: "It may be that you know more law-quirks, for I have had
something else to do; neither will any deny you a smooth tongue. But
there are many who say that your words are not to be trusted; that what
you promise is little to be regarded; and that you talk just according
to what those who are about you say, which is not kingly."
Eystein: "This is because, when people bring their cases before me, I
wish first to give every man that satisfaction in his affairs which
he desires; but afterwards comes the opposite party, and then there
is something to be given or taken away very often, in order to mediate
between them, so that both may be satisfied. It often happens, too, that
I promise whatever is desired of me, that all may be joyful about me. It
would be an easy matter for me to do as you do,--to promise evil to all;
and I never hear any complain of your not keeping this promise to them."
Sigurd: "It is the conversation of all that the expedition that I made
out of the country was a princely expedition, while you in the meantime
sat at home like your father's daughter."
Eystein: "Now you touched the tender spot. I would not have brought up
this conversation if I had not known what to reply on this point. I can
truly say that I equipt you from home like a sister, before you went
upon this expedition."