第90章

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.