Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
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