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Thorgils and his son accordingly made a coffin, which they adorned as well as they could, and laid the king's body in it;and afterwards made another coffin in which they laid stones and straw, about as much as the weight of a man, and carefully closed the coffins.As soon as the whole bonde-army had left Stiklestad, Thorgils and his son made themselves ready, got a large rowing-boat, and took with them seven or eight men, who were all Thorgil's relations or friends, and privately took the coffin with the king's body down to the boat, and set it under the foot-boards.They had also with them the coffin containing the stones, and placed it in the boat where all could see it; and then went down the fjord with a good opportunity of wind and weather, and arrived in the dusk of the evening at Nidaros, where they brought up at the king's pier.Then Thorgils sent some of his men up to the town to Bishop Sigurd, to say that they were come with the king's body.As soon as the bishop heard this news, he sent his men down to the pier, and they took a small rowing-boat, came alongside of Thorgil's ship, and demanded the king's body.Thorgils and his people then took the coffin which stood in view, and bore it into the boat; and the bishop's men rowed out into the fjord, and sank the coffin in the sea.It was now quite dark.Thorgils and his people now rowed up into the river past the town, and landed at a place called Saurhlid, above the town.Then they carried the king's body to an empty house standing at a distance from other houses, and watched over it for the night, while Thorgils went down to the town, where he spoke with some of the best friends of King Olaf, and asked them if they would take charge of the king's body; but none of them dared to do so.Then Thorgils and his men went with the body higher up the river, buried it in a sand-hill on the banks, and levelled all around it so that no one could observe that people had been at work there.They were ready with all this before break of day, when they returned to their vessel, went immediately out of the river, and proceeded on their way home to Stiklestad.
252.OF THE BEGINNING OF KING SVEIN ALFIFASON'S GOVERNMENT.
Svein, a son of King Canute, and of Alfifa, a daughter of Earl Alfrin, had been appointed to govern Jomsborg in Vindland.There came a message to him from his father King Canute, that he should come to Denmark; and likewise that afterwards he should proceed to Norway, and take that kingdom under his charge, and assume, at the same time, the title of king of Norway.Svein repaired to Denmark, and took many people with him from thence, and also Earl Harald and many other people of consequence attended him.
Thorarin Loftunga speaks of this in the song he composed about King Svein, called the "Glelogn Song": --"'Tis told by fame, How grandly came The Danes to tend Their young king Svein.
Grandest was he, That all could see;
Then, one by one, Each following man More splendour wore Than him before."Then Svein proceeded to Norway, and his mother Alfifa was with him; and he was taken to be king at every Law-thing in the country.He had already come as far as Viken at the time the battle was fought at Stiklestad, and King Olaf fell.Svein continued his journey until he came north, in autumn, to the Throndhjem country; and there, as elsewhere, he was received as king.
253.OF KING SVEIN'S LAWS.
King Svein introduced new laws in many respects into the country, partly after those which were in Denmark, and in part much more severe.No man must leave the country without the king's permission; or if he did, his property fell to the king.Whoever killed a man outright, should forfeit all his land and movables.
If any one was banished the country, and all heritage fell to him, the king took his inheritance.At Yule every man should pay the king a meal of malt from every harvest steading, and a leg of a three-year old ox, which was called a friendly gift, together with a spand of butter; and every house-wife a rock full of unspun lint, as thick as one could span with the longest fingers of the hand.The bondes were bound to build all the houses the king required upon his farms.Of every seven males one should be taken for the service of war, and reckoning from the fifth year of age; and the outfit of ships should be reckoned in the same proportion.Every man who rowed upon the sea to fish should pay the king five fish as a tax, for the land defence, wherever he might come from.Every ship that went out of the country should have stowage reserved open for the king in the middle of the ship.Every man, foreigner or native, who went to Iceland, should pay a tax to the king.And to all this was added, that Danes should enjoy so much consideration in Norway, that one witness of them should invalidate ten of Northmen (1).
When these laws were promulgated the minds of the people were instantly raised against them, and murmurs were heard among them.
They who had not taken part against King Olaf said, "Now take your reward and friendship from the Canute race, ye men of the interior Throndhjem who fought against King Olaf, and deprived him of his kingdom.Ye were promised peace and justice, and now ye have got oppression and slavery for your great treachery and crime." Nor was it very easy to contradict them, as all men saw how miserable the change had been.But people had not the boldness to make an insurrection against King Svein, principally because many had given King Canute their sons or other near relations as hostages; and also because no one appeared as leader of an insurrection.They very soon, however, complained of King Svein; and his mother Alfifa got much of the blame of all that was against their desire.Then the truth, with regard to Olaf, became evident to many.
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