Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
southwards. Some of them went out to sea, others got south to the sound,
and some got into the Fjords. Markus, and some people with him, sprang
upon an isle called Skarpa. Nikolas and his men took their ships, gave
Jon Halkelson and a few others quarter, but killed the most of them they
could get hold of. Some days after Eindride Heidafylja found Sigurd and
Markus, and they were brought to Bergen. Sigurd was beheaded outside of
Grafdal, and Markus and another man were hanged at Hvarfsnes. This took
place on Michaelmas day (September 29, 1163), and the band which had
followed them was dispersed.
19. ERLING AND THE PEOPLE OF HISING ISLE.
Frirek Keina and Bjarne the Bad, Onund Simonson and Ornolf Skorpa had
rowed out to sea with some ships, and sailed outside along the land to
the east. Wheresoever they came to the land they plundered, and killed
Erling's friends. Now when Erling heard that Sigurd and Markus were
killed, he gave leave to the lendermen and people of the levy to return
home; but he himself, with his men, set his course eastward across
the Folden fjord, for he heard of Markus's men there. Erling sailed to
Konungahella, where he remained the autumn; and in the first week of
winter Erling went out to the island Hising with his men, and called the
bondes to a Thing. When the Hising people came to the Thing, Erling
laid his law-suit against them for having joined the bands of Sigurd and
Markus, and having raised men against him. Assur was the name of one
of the greatest of the bondes on the island, and he answered Erling on
account of the others. The Thing was long assembled; but at the close
the bondes gave the case into Erling's own power, and he appointed a
meeting in the town within one week, and named fifteen bondes who should
appear there. When they came, he condemned them to pay a penalty of
300 head of cattle; and the bondes returned home ill pleased at this
sentence. Soon after the Gaut river was frozen, and Erling's ships were
fast in the ice; and the bondes kept back the mulct, and lay assembled
for some time. Erling made a Yule feast in the town; but the Hising
people had joint-feasts with each other, and kept under arms during
Yule. The night after the fifth day of Yule Erling went up to Hising,
surrounded Assur's house, and burnt him in it. He killed one hundred
men in all, burnt three houses, and then returned to Konungahella. The
bondes came then, according to agreement, to pay the mulct.
20. DEATH OF FRIREK KEINA AND BJARNE.
Erling Skakke made ready to sail in spring as soon as he could get his
ships afloat for ice, and sailed from Konungahella; for he heard that
those who had formerly been Markus's friends were marauding in the north
of Viken. Erling sent out spies to learn their doings, searched for
them, and found them lying in a harbour. Onund Simonson and Ornolf
Skorpa escaped, but Frirek Keina and Bjarne the Bad were taken, and many
of their followers were killed. Erling had Frirek bound to an anchor
and thrown overboard; and for that deed Erling was much detested in the
Throndhjem country, for the most powerful men there were relatives of
Frirek. Erling ordered Bjarne the Bad to be hanged; and he uttered,
according to his custom, many dreadful imprecations during his
execution. Thorbjorn Skakkaskald tells of this business:--
"East of the Fjord beyond the land,
Unnoticed by the pirate band,
Erling stole on them ere they knew,
And seized and killed all Keina's crew.
Keina, fast to an anchor bound,
Was thrown into the deep-blue Sound;
And Bjarne swung high on gallows-tree,
A sight all good men loved to see."
Onund and Ornolf, with the band that had escaped, fled to Denmark; but
were sometimes in Gautland, or in Viken.
21. CONFERENCE BETWEEN ERLING AND EYSTEIN.
Erling Skakke sailed after this to Tunsberg, and remained there very
long in spring (A.D. 1164); but when summer came he proceeded north to
Bergen, where at that time a great many people were assembled. There
was the legate from Rome, Stephanus; the Archbishop Eystein, and other
bishops of the country. There was also Bishop Brand, who was consecrated
bishop of Iceland, and Jon Loptson, a daughter's son of King Magnus
Barefoot; and on this occasion King Magnus and Jon's other relations
acknowledged the relationship with him.
Archbishop Eystein and Erling Skakke often conversed together in
private; and, among other things, Erling asked one day, "Is it true,
sir, what people tell me, that you have raised the value of the ore upon
the people north in Throndhjem, in the law cases in which money-fees are
paid you?"
"It is so," said the archbishop, "that the bondes have allowed me an
advance on the ore of law casualties; but they did it willingly, and
without any kind of compulsion, and have thereby added to their honour
for God and the income of the bishopric."
Erling replies, "Is this according to the law of the holy Olaf? or have
you gone to work more arbitrarily in this than is written down in the
lawbook?"
The archbishop replies, "King Olaf the Holy fixed the laws, to which he
received the consent and affirmative of the people; but it will not be
found in his laws that it is forbidden to increase God's right."
Erling: "If you augment your right, you must assist us to augment as
much the king's right."
The archbishop: "Thou hast already augmented enough thy son's power and
dominion; and if I have exceeded the law in taking an increase of the
ore from the Throndhjem people, it is, I think, a much greater breach of
the law that one is king over the country who is not a king's son, and
which has neither any support in the law, nor in any precedent here in
the country."
Erling: "When Magnus was chosen king, it was done with your knowledge
and consent, and also of all the other bishops here in the country."
Archbishop: "You promised then, Erling, that provided we gave our
consent to electing Magnus king, you would, on all occasions, and with
all your power, strengthen God's rights."
Erling: "I may well admit that I have promised to preserve and
strengthen God's commands and the laws of the land with all my power,
and with the king's strength; and now I consider it to be much more
advisable, instead of accusing each other of a breach of our promises,
to hold firmly by the agreement entered into between us. Do you
strengthen Magnus in his dominion, according to what you have promised;
and I will, on my part, strengthen your power in all that can be of
advantage or honour."
The conversation now took a more friendly turn; and Erling said,
"Although Magnus was not chosen king according to what has been the
old custom of this country, yet can you with your power give him
consecration as king, as God's law prescribes, by anointing the king to
sovereignty; and although I be neither a king, nor of kingly race, yet
most of the kings, within my recollection, have not known the laws or
the constitution of the country so well as I do. Besides, the mother of
King Magnus is the daughter of a king and queen born in lawful wedlock,
and Magnus is son of a queen and a lawfully married wife. Now if you
will give him royal consecration, no man can take royalty from him.
William Bastard was not a king's son; but he was consecrated and crowned
king of England, and the royalty in England has ever since remained with
his race, and all have been crowned. Svein Ulfson was not a king's son
in Denmark, and still he was a crowned king, and his sons likewise, and
all his descendants have been crowned kings. Now we have here in Norway
an archiepiscopal seat, to the glory and honour of the country; let us
also have a crowned king, as well as the Danes and Englishmen."
Erling and the archbishop afterwards talked often of this matter, and
they were quite agreed. Then the archbishop brought the business before
the legate, and got him easily persuaded to give his consent. Thereafter
the archbishop called together the bishops, and other learned men, and
explained the subject to them. They all replied in the same terms, that
they would follow the counsels of the archbishop, and all were eager to
promote the consecration as soon as the archbishop pleased.
22. KING MAGNUS'S CONSECRATION.
Erling Skakke then had a great feast prepared in the king's house. The
large hall was covered with costly cloth and tapestry, and adorned
with great expense. The court-men and all the attendants were there
entertained, and there were numerous guests, and many chiefs. Then King
Magnus received the royal consecration from the Archbishop Eystein;
and at the consecration there were five other bishops and the legate,
besides a number of other clergy. Erling Skakke, and with him twelve
other lendermen, administered to the king the oath of the law; and
the day of the consecration the king and Erling had the legate, the
archbishop, and all the other bishops as guests; and the feast was
exceedingly magnificent, and the father and son distributed many great
presents. King Magnus was then eight years of age, and had been king for
three years.
23. KING VALDEMAR'S EMBASSY.
When the Danish king Valdemar heard the news from Norway that Magnus
was become king of the whole country, and all the other parties in the
country were rooted out, he sent his men with a letter to King Magnus
and Erling, and reminded them of the agreement which Erling had entered
into, under oath, with King Valdemar, of which we have spoken before;
namely, that Viken from the east to Rygiarbit should be ceded to King
Valdemar, if Magnus became the sole king of Norway. When the ambassadors
came forward and showed Erling the letter of the Danish king, and he
heard the Danish king's demand upon Norway, he laid it before the other
chiefs by whose counsels he usually covered his acts. All, as one
man, replied that the Danes should never hold the slightest portion of
Norway; for never had things been worse in the land than when the Danes
had power in it. The ambassadors of the Danish king were urgent with
Erling for an answer, and desired to have it decided; but Erling begged
them to proceed with him east to Viken, and said he would give his final
answer when he had met with the men of most understanding and influence
in Viken.
24. ERLING AND THE PEOPLE OF VIKEN.
Erling Skakke proceeded in autumn to Viken, and stayed in Tunsberg,
from whence he sent people to Sarpsborg to summon a Thing (1) of four
districts; and then Erling went there with his people.
When the Thing was seated Erling made a speech in which he explained the
resolutions which had been settled upon between him and the Danish king,
the first time he collected troops against his enemies. "I will," said
Erling, "keep faithfully the agreement which we then entered into with
the king, if it be your will and consent, bondes, rather to serve the
Danish king than the king who is now consecrated and crowned king of
this country."
The bondes replied thus to Erling's speech: "Never will we become the
Danish king's men, as long as one of us Viken men is in life." And the
whole assembly, with shouts and cries, called on Erling to keep the oath
he had taken to defend his son's dominions, "should we even all follow
thee to battle." And so the Thing was dissolved.
The ambassadors of the Danish king then returned home, and told the
issue of their errand. The Danes abused Erling, and all Northmen, and
declared that evil only proceeded from them; and the report was spread,
that in Spring the Danish king would send out an army and lay waste
Norway. Erling returned in autumn north to Bergen, stayed there all
winter, and gave their pay to his people.
ENDNOTES: (1) This reference to a Thing of the people in the affairs of