when one had been found they brought it to the King and he had the adder
taken to the fire so that it might be warmed and teased thereby, and
become right thirsty. Thereafter a twine was bound to its tail and the
adder was let loose, and it crawled away and the twine was unwound from
the ball, and they followed after the adder until it struck into the
earth.
Then the King bade them dig for water, and they dug for it, and there
found water in abundance.
|| From his spies learned King Harald the intelligence that King Svein
was come with a large fleet of ships to the mouth of the fjord, and that
he was making way but slowly, for his ships could only pass in one at a
time. King Harald took his ships up Limfjord, and over against where it
is broadest it is called Lusbreid. Now from the creek within is there a
narrow neck of land westward (north) leading to the sea, and thither did
the men to Harald row in the evening; after nightfall, when it was dark,
they cleared the ships & haled them right over this isthmus, and before
daylight all was accomplished and the ships once more ready for sea.
Then shaped he the course northward past Jutland, and they sang:
'From Danish grip
Did Harald slip.'
|| At that time said the King that he would come to Denmark once again,
& would bring with him more men & larger ships. After these things fared
they northward to Throndhjem.
|| That winter abode King Harald in Nidaros, & at this time caused he a
ship to be builded out on the islands, and it was a bussa-shipSec. made
after the model of the Long Serpent and wrought every way as carefully
as might be.
At her bows was a dragon-head and at her stern a crook, and the ......Sec.
were all overlaid with gold. On her were thirty-five benches, and broad
was she of beam in comparison therewith.
Very fair to behold was she. The King caused all the appurtenances of
the ship to be chosen with exceeding great care, both the sail, the
running tackle, the anchor and the cables.
That winter King Harald sent word southward to Denmark to King Svein,
bidding him come in spring from the south to the River, to a meeting
with him, & saying that they would then fight to the end that one or
other of their countries should change hands, & the victor become master
of both kingdoms.
|| That winter called out King Harald a host, a general host, from all
Norway, and by spring-tide had been assembled together a mighty array of
men.
Then launched the King his great ship on the river Nid, and after that
was accomplished caused he the dragon-head be placed thereon.
Then sang Thiodolf the Skald:
'Fair maid, forward is the ship guided, from river to main.
Mark where off the land there lieth the long hull of the dragon.
The mane of the serpent yellow-green glints on the deck,
The prows were burnt-gold as from off the slip she glided.'
|| Thereafter fitted King Harald out the ship and his men for a cruise,
and all being made ready, stood he down the river, and right well
answered she to the oars. Thus saith Thiodolf:
'Saturday the prince casts off the long land tilts,
There where the widows proud the serpent watch,
As she glideth from the town.
West from the Nid thereafter the King doth steer,
Into the sea drop the oars of his men.
Move can they, the King's lads, the straight oars in the water.
The widows stand and wonder at the oar-strokes so swift,
The thole knows hurt when seventy oars do move her
I' the water ere the war-folk on the sea their oars do strain.
Northmen the serpent row (nailed is she)
out on the billow-stream icy;
'Tis eagles' wings that we behold.'
|| Southward sailed King Harald with his host alongside the land, so that
he might call out a general muster of men and ships. But when they were
come eastward, and were off Vik, arose a strong contrary wind wherefore
was the fleet obliged to stand in for harbour, making such havens as
were to be found in the skerries as well as those in the fjords.
Quoth Thiodolf:
'Lee have the shaven hulls of the ships under the woods,
The King's war-host towards land doth lean with its prow beams.
The land-folk in the skerries, within the creeks, do lie;
The ships white-mailed hide under the land-necks.'
|| Now in the tempest which fell upon them the great ship had need of
good anchor tackle, and thus saith Thiodolf:
'Prow foremost the prince cleft
High fences of the sea;
The ropes of the King's ship
Are strained to the utmost;
The wind is unfriendly
Against the anchor-iron out-hollowed,
Grit and wind-squalls ugly
Chafe at the anchor flukes.'
|| As soon as there was come to him a fair wind, took King Harald the
host east to the River, and thither came towards nightfall. Thus saith
Thiodolf:
'Now drave King Harald hotly the war-ships towards the River,
At nightfall Norway's King anigh the marches is.
A Thing the King now holds at Thumla, there where Svein
Will meet to war if so be the Danes shirk not the tryst.'
|| When the Danes learned that the hosts of the Norwegians were come, all
those that were able to do so fled away.
The Norwegians likewise learnt that the Danish King had his host out,
and was lying south off Funen and the small-isles; but when King Harald
saw that King Svein would not come to meet him as had been agreed, nor
do battle with him, then did he after the same fashion as before & let
the peasant host return to Norway; but manned he one hundred and fiftySec.
ships, & with these steered a course alongside Halland. There he
plundered widely; and he put in also to Lofufjord with his host, and
going up onto the land harried there likewise. Somewhile later came King
Svein to the encounter with the Danish host, and to him was a tale of
three hundredSec. ships. When the Norwegians saw this fleet bade King
Harald a blast be blown to summon his host together, & many spake saying
that they ought to flee, & that it was unavailing for them to fight, but
the King answered thus: 'We will fall one atop of the other rather than
flee!' Thus saith Stein Herdason:
'Said the chief high-minded, what now he awaited.
Here (said the King) he had all hope of peace lost.
Rather than yield, cried the King,
should each man fall one on the top of the other.
Their arms then took the men.'
|| Then let King Harald his ships be cleared for action, and brought his
great dragon forward into the very midst of the host. Thus saith
Thiodolf:
'The giver of kindly gifts
Who oft to the wolf gave food,
His dragon-ship put forward
Midmost in the war-host.'
|| This ship was well fitted out, and had a large crew.
And again saith Thiodolf:
'The peace wishing King his ranks bade
Bind fast the war-shields on the ships' sides;
The prince's friends well ordered stand methinks.
The leader of manly deeds,
The doughty dragon closed,
Outside the Niz, with shields, and one o'erlapped the other.'
|| Ulf the Marshal brought his ship up alongside the royal ship, & bade
her men place her well forward. Stein Herdason was on Ulf's ship, and he
chanted thus:
'Ulf, the Marshal of the King,
Cheered us all on to battle;
The spears trembled when
The ships were rowed to the fight.
And, no doubt, the wise King's
Valiant friend did bid his men
His ship advance beside
The prince's; the lads obeyed.'
|| Stationed farthest out on one of the arms was Ivar Hakonson; under him
had he many and the men to him were well equipped. Farthest out on the
other arm were the chiefs of Throndhjem, and to them likewise was a
large and goodly host.
|| And King Svein likewise ranged his host, and his ship laid he over
against ye ship of Harald, in the midst of the host, and nighest to him
was Earl Fin, and next to him again the Danes ranked all of their host
that was bravest and best equipped. Thereafter either side lashed their
ships together in the midmost part of the fleet, but the hosts being so
large it befell that there was a great number of ships faring loose, and
so each captain placed his ship as far forward as he had courage for;
but that was exceeding varied. Now though the odds were so great yet
nevertheless had either side a vast host, and in his to King Svein
pertained as many as seven earls. Thus saith Stein Herdason:
'The "hersirs'" valiant lord a risk did take him,
With ships fifty and a hundred he waited for the Danes.
Next was it that the ruler dear who dwells in LeidraSec.
The sea cleft thither with three hundred sea-steeds.'
|| Even so soon as he had made ready his ships, commanded King Harald the
war-blast to be sounded, and after this was done, rowed his men ahead.
Stein Herdason saith:
'Before the river's mouth, damage did Harald Svein.
Hard withstanding made he; Harald asked not for peace.
The King's sword-swinging lads forward off Halland rowed,
And yonder on the sea caused wounds with blood to stream.'
|| Then did either side join combat, and the struggle waxed very fierce.
Either King lustily cheered on his men, as saith Stein Herdason:
'Eager for war the good shield-bearers bade their lads
To shoot and hew (but short the space was 'twixt the hosts).
Both stones & arrows streamed when the sword shook from it,
The light blood, depriving of life the men of either host.'
|| It was late in the day when battle was joined and the combatants
fought the whole night; King Harald himself shot for long with his bow.
Thiodolf saith thus:
'Elm-bow did the Upland
King draw all the night;
Shrewd ruler of the land sent
Arrows 'gainst the white shields;
Barbs bloody harmed the peasants,
And the King's arrows
Fast in the shields did lodge
(The spear-shots grew apace).'
|| Earl Hakon & the men of his company did not lash their ships together,
but rowed against the Danish keels that were faring loose, and every
ship that they grappled did they clear. When the Danes noted this same
did every man move his ship away from the spot whither the Earl was
faring, but went he after them even as they withdrew, and wellnigh to
fleeing were they.
But then came a boat rowing towards the Earl's ship, and those in it
shouted & said that the other arm of ye battle array of King Harald had
given way, and that many of their men had fallen there, so then rowed
the Earl away thither and fierce was his onset, so that the Danes again
caused their ships to fall astern. Thus did the Earl fare the whole of
that night, rowing round outside the combatants, and laying about him
wheresoever it was required; & whithersoever he went he was in no
fashion to be withstood.
During the waning part of the night was there a general fight among the
Danes; this was after King Harald & his band had boarded the own ship to
King Svein, and so utterly cleared it that all his men were slain save
and except those that leapt into the sea. Thus saith Arnor Earl's-skald:
'Svein courageous went not from off his ship
Without good cause (that is my mind);
Hard was the fight for the helmets wasted,
And empty did his craft float ere the eloquent friend of the Jutes
Fled from his dead chosen fighters.'
|| After the banner of King Svein had fallen & the ships to him had been
cleared, fled away all his men save those who were slain, & they that
fled sprang into the deep from those ships that were lashed together or
climbed on to other ships that were faring loose, but all of the men of
King Svein who were able to do so rowed off. Full many men fell there.
And there, where the Kings themselves had fought & the greater number of
the ships had been lashed one to another, lay over seventy of the ships
of that King; thus saith Thiodolf:
'Bold King of the Sogn-folk,
(So 'tis sung) ships seven
Times ten of men and arms
From Svein's fleet cleared away.'
|| King Harald after the Danes rowed hard and put them to rout, but no
easy task was it, for so little sea-room was there betwixt the keels
that motion was well-nigh not possible. Earl Fin would in no wise
consent to flee and was taken captive; he could not see well. This is
what Thiodolf saith:
'To six Danish earls a guerdon hast thou to give
For one single victory,
(They whet the heat of battle).
In the midst of the ranks
Fin Arnason was taken
Battle-strong, stout-hearted;
Ne'er would he think to flee.'
|| Earl Hakon tarried behind with his ship, while the King and the rest
were pursuing after the fugitives, for the Earl could not get his ship
away from the spot where she was lying. Just at that time rowed up a man
in a boat to the ship and brought-to at the poop; a big man was he with
a broad-brimmed hat; 'Where is the Earl?' quoth he up to the ship. 'In
the forehold,' answered they him back, 'binding the wound of a man who
is bleeding.' The Earl viewed the man with the hat and asked what might
his name be, to which he made answer: 'VandradSec. is here, speak to me,
Earl.' Then looked the Earl over the gunwale at him.
Then said the boatman: 'I will receive my life of thee if thou wilt give
it me.' Then the Earl rose up and called to two of his men, either of
whom was dear to him, and said: 'Get into the boat and set Vandrad
ashore; go with him to my friend Karl the Peasant, and tell him for a
token to give Vandrad the horse which I gave to him yesterday, and to
give him his own saddle, and his son for a guide.' Then stepped they
into the boat & took the oars, & Vandrad steered.
This was hard nigh to the dawn of day, and there was much movement among
the ships, craft both large and small, some rowing to land, others to
sea.
Vandrad steered there where thought he there was most sea-room betwixt
the craft, & whensoever any of the Norwegian ships rowed nigh them said
the Earl's men who they were, & then all let them go as they listed.
Vandrad steered along the shore & did not put to land ere they had come
past the place where there was a great throng of ships.
|| Thereafter walked they to the homestead of Karl at about the hour when
the light began to wax, and so went they into the living-room, and
beheld Karl but now clad. To him told the men from the Earl on what
mission had they come, and Karl said that first must they eat, & caused
food to be set before them, & himself fetched them water for
hand-washing. Then came the housewife into the chamber and straightway
said she: 'Wondrous is it that we gat no sleep nor rest all night
through, for the tumult and noise.' Karl answered: 'Knowest thou not
that the Kings fought together yesternight?' She asked: 'Who won?' Karl
answered: 'The Norwegians won.' 'Belike our King hath fled again,' said
she. Karl replied: 'In a bad way are we with our King for he is both
halt & craven.' Then spake Vandrad: 'The King is not craven, but neither
he is victorious.' Now Vandrad was the last to wash his hands, and when
he took the towel he dried himself in the midst thereof; but the
housewife seized it and pulled it from him, saying: 'Little good canst
thou do; 'tis the way of common folk to wet all the towel at once.'
Vandrad answered: 'I shall yet come thither where I may dry myself
midmost in the towel.' Then sat they at meat for a while but afterwards
went out, and there was the horse standing ready, and that son of Karl
who was to bear Vandrad company sat another horse, and together rode
they forth to the forest. But the men from the Earl went back to their
boat, & rowed out again to their ship.
|| Harald and his men pursued the fugitives a short way, and thereafter
returned to those ships which had been deserted. And then searched they
the slain, finding in the King's ship a number of dead men; yet not
among them was the body of King Svein; natheless was it deemed certain
that he must have fallen. King Harald let the corses of his men be laid
out, or the wounds bound up of them that required it. Then caused he the
bodies of the men of Svein to be borne ashore, & sent word to the
peasants that they should bury them; thereafter caused he the plunder to
be divided, and abode for a while there at that spot. And there learnt
he the tidings that King Svein was come to Zealand, and that all of his
host which had not been routed in battle had rejoined him, and to him
likewise were come many other men, and that to him therefore was
assembled a mighty large host.
|| Now as ye have heard tell afore, was Earl Fin Arnason captured in the
battle, and before the King was he led. King Harald was then exceeding
joyful, and said he, 'Here meet we twain, Fin, though lastwhiles in
Norway; scarce hath the Danish court stood by thee! An ill piece of work
will the Norwegians have to drag thee, blind man, after them, and keep
thee alive.'
Then answered back the Earl: 'Many ill things have the Norwegians now to
do, & the worst of these is thy bidding.'
Then said King Harald: 'Wilt thou have grace, though grace deservest
thou not?' The Earl answered: 'Not from thee, hound!' The King said:
'Dost desire that thy kinsman Magnus should give thee grace?' Magnus,
the son of King Harald, was captain of a ship at that time. Then said
the Earl: 'What hath that whelp to do with the meting out of grace?'
Thereat laughed the King, for he deemed it good sport to bait him, and
said he: 'Wilt thou accept thy life from the hand of Thora, thy
kinswoman?'
Then the Earl said: 'Is she here?' 'She is here,' said the King.
Then did Fin utter the scurvy words which were remembered long
thereafter, and all were witness of how wroth he was since he could not
still his words: 'It is not to be wondered at that thou hast bitten well
since the mare is with thee.'
To Earl Fin was given quarter, and King Harald kept him with him for a
time, but Fin was somewhat unjoyful, and unmeek in his words. Then King
Harald said: 'I see thou wilt not be friends with me nor with my
kindred, so I will give thee leave to fare to Svein, thy King.' The Earl
answered: 'That will I accept, and the sooner I fare hence the more
grateful I shall be.' Thereafter the King let Fin be taken even to the
land, where was he made welcome by the Hallanders.
Thence sailed King Harald north with his host to Norway, faring first to
Oslo, and in that place gave leave to all his men who desired it to go
even to their own homes.
|| It is said that King Svein abode that winter in Denmark, and held his
state as before.
And in the winter sent he men northward to Halland to fetch Karl the
Peasant to him, and likewise Karl's wife; and when they were come and he
had summoned Karl unto him he asked him if he had seen him before. Karl
answered: 'I know thee now, King, and I knew thee then even so soon as I
saw thee, and it is under God that the little help which I was able to
afford thee was of use.' The King answered: 'For all the days I have yet
to live I have to reward thee. Now firstly will I give thee whatever
homestead in Zealand thou art minded to have, and I will furthermore
make thee a great man an thou wottest how to act.'
Karl thanked the King well for his words, and said that there was still
a favour he would pray of him. And the King asked what that might be.
Karl said: 'I would ask this thing, King, that thou lettest me take my
wife with me.' The King answered: 'I will not promise thee this thing,
for I will get thee a much better & wiser wife; but thy wife may keep
the small homestead ye have already; on that she can live.'
And the King gave Karl a large & noble stead & gat him a good marriage.
This was known and told far and wide, yea even as far north as Norway.
|| The winter following on the battle of the Niz King Harald spent in
Oslo. And when the host came up from the south in autumn many tales and
legends went abroad of the autumn outside the Niz river, & everyone who
had been there deemed he had something to tell. Once it happened that
some men were sitting drinking in a small chamber, & full of talk were
they, talking of the battle of the Niz, and of whom might have derived
the greatest renown therefrom. All were agreed on one issue, however,
and that was that no other had been such a man there as Earl Hakon: he
it was who had shown greatest prowess, who was the boldest under arms,
and the ablest, and the most fortunate, and whatsoever he did was that
which availed most, & to him was accounted the victory. Now Harald was
without, in the courtyard, speaking with some of his men, and thereafter
went he before the doorway of the chamber and said: 'Every man now would
like to be named Hakon,' and therewith went his way.
|| Earl Hakon fared to the Uplands in autumn, even to his dominions, and
there tarried throughout the winter.
Right well beloved was he of the Upland folk. Now once it befell, when
spring was drawing nigh, that some men were sitting drinking, & their
talk was yet again of the battle of the Niz; and men lauded greatly Earl
Hakon, but a few praised others no less.
When they had been talking thus a while a man answered: 'Mayhap other
men besides Earl Hakon fought boldly outside the Niz, yet nevertheless
methinks no one can have had the luck he had.'
They said it was no doubt his greatest luck that he had routed many of
the Danes. The same man answered: 'Luckiest for him was it that he gave
King Svein his life.' Another answered him: 'Thou wottest not what thou
art saying.' He answered: 'Yea, I wot full well, for he who set the King
ashore told me himself.' Thus it befell, as oft is said, that 'many are
the King's ears.' These things were told to the King straightway, and
the King had many horses taken and rode forthwith away in the night with
two hundred men,Sec. and rode he the whole of that night and the following
day. Then there came towards them on horseback certain men who were
making for the town with meal and malt. Now faring with the King was one
Gamal, & he rode up to one of the peasants who was a friend of his and
spoke privily with him.
Gamal said: 'Money will I give thee, an thou wilt ride furiously by
hidden ways such as thou wottest to be shortest to Earl Hakon: tell him
that the King will slay him, for the King wotteth that the Earl helped
King Svein to land outside the Niz.'
And the matter being covenanted between them rode the peasant hard, and
came even to the Earl who was sitting drinking and had not gone to his
rest. But when the peasant made known his errand, rose the Earl
forthwith and all his folk; and the Earl caused his chattels to be
removed from the house during the night. When the King arrived thither
tarried he there the night, but Hakon the Earl had ridden his way. And
in time came he east to the realm of Sweden, to King Steinkel, and abode
with him the summer. King Harald then turned him back to town. In the
summer the King fared north to Throndhjem and abode there, but in the
autumn fared eastward again to Vik.
|| Earl Hakon went back in the summer to the Uplands, so soon as he
learned that the King had fared northward, and there dwelt he until such
time as the King came south again. Thereafter fared the Earl eastward to
Vermaland and tarried there long in the winter; and King Steinkel gave
the Earl rule and dominion over that part of the land.
When winter was wearing to an end, fared he westward to Kaumariki, and
took with him many men whom the Gauts and Vermalanders had given him.
And he took thence his land-dues and the taxes which he had a right to
demand, & thereafter fared he back east to Gautland and dwelt there the
spring.
King Harald abode the winter in Oslo, and sent his men to the Uplands to
gather taxes and land-dues and the King's fines; but the Uplanders said
that they would not pay to him all dues which it behoved them to pay
into the hands of Earl Hakon even so long as he was alive and had not
forfeited life or dominions; & no land-dues did the King therefrom
obtain that winter.
|| Now betwixt Norway and Denmark there were sent that winter messengers
and messages, for both Norwegians and Danes alike desired to make peace
and agreement either with other, and they prayed their Kings to do the
same. The sending of these messages appeared prone to bring about
concord, for in the end a peace-meeting was agreed upon in the River
betwixt King Harald and King Svein. When spring-tide was come both Kings
called out many men and ships for this journey. Saith a skald in a poem:
'Leader of armed men, he who the ground engirdles
From Eyrasund northward shuts with his long-ship's prows
The land (the haven spurned he).
Gleaming with gold the stems cut the waves keenly;
Onward of Halland west, with host aboard, and the keels thrilling.
Harald firm-oathed!
oft hast thou the earth engirdled with thy ships;
Svein, too, through the sound sailed the King to meet.
Praise-dight filler of ravens, who every bay doth close,
Hath out a teeming host of Danes, from the south all.'
|| It is said here that these Kings kept to their agreement, to wit, that
there should be a meeting betwixt them; and that both came to the
marches. It is set forth thus below:
'Shrewd leader of armed men
To trysting south once more
Thou sailst as all Danes wished
(No lesser was thy purpose).
Svein now to the northward fares
The land-marches nigh,
The tryst to keep with Harald--
Windy was the weather off the land.'
|| When the Kings were come face to face the one with other forthwith
betwixt them was broached ye matter of peace; and no sooner was this
opened than many men made plaint of the harm they had suffered through
war-fare, rapine, and the slaying of men. And long talked they about
this, as is said hereafter:
'The yeomen shrewd
Such words do say aloud
That when the men meet,
An' angered are mostly
The others. Far seemeth
Concord to lie from men
Who on all things quarrel
(The chiefs' arrogance waxeth).
With danger fraught will be
Wrath of the princes be
If peace be agreed on,
Those who are peace-makers
In scales must weigh all things.
Seemly for Kings to say
What e'er the host liketh;
Bad will would it cause
Were the yeomen's state worsened.'
|| Then the best men and the wisest conferred together, and peace was
made betwixt the Kings, in such wise that King Harald was to have Norway
& King Svein Denmark as far as the marches which had aforetime divided
the kingdoms; neither was to make redress to other; there where the land
had been pillaged the matter was to be passed over; and he who had taken
plunder was to keep it.
This peace was to ensue even so long as the twain were Kings; the
covenant was bounden with oaths, & thereafter gave the Kings one another
hostages; even as is said hereafter:
'Thus have I heard it said
That Svein and Harald both
(God works it) gladly gave
Hostages one to other.
Let them so keep their vows
(All ended was with witness)
And the whole peace so fully
That the folk break it not.'
|| King Harald tarried in Vik during the summer, and sent men to the
Uplands to collect the dues & taxes he had there; but the peasants in
plain words said that they would bide the coming of Earl Hakon, until
such time as he should come to them. Earl Hakon was then up in Gautland
with a large host. When summer was wearing to a close sailed King Harald
south to Konungahella (King's Rock), and he took all the light craft
whereon he could lay hands & went up the River, and at the falls thereof
had the boats haled across land and so put onto Lake Wenern. Thereafter
rowed he east across the lake where he asked tidings of Earl Hakon.
Now when the Earl gat news of the journey of the King, came he down from
the country and made endeavour to prevent the King from harrying, for to
Earl Hakon was a large host which the Gauts had given him. King Harald
laid his boats up the mouth of a river, and thereafter made a landing,
but left some of his men behind to watch the craft. And the King himself
and some of his men rode on horseback, but many more went afoot. Their
way led them through a wood, & thereafter a bog lay before them on which
were small bushes, then after that a copse, and when they were come up
to the copse sighted they the host of the Earl; and a bog there was
betwixt them and it.
Then both hosts arrayed themselves, & King Harald commanded his men to
sit up on the hillside: 'Let us first tempt them to make an onset; Hakon
hath no mind to wait,' said he.
The weather was frosty with some driving snow, and the men to Harald sat
under their shields.
Now the Gauts had taken little apparel on them and were starved with the
cold, but the Earl bade them bide until the King should make an onset
and they could all stand alike in height. Earl Hakon had the banner
which had been that of King Magnus Olafson. Now the head-man to the
Gauts was one hight Thorvid, and he was mounted on a horse the reins of
which were tied to a stake standing in the bog. He spake & said: 'God
knows we have a large host here and many stout men; let not King
Steinkell hear that we are not helping this good Earl well. I wist that
if the Norwegians make onset against us we shall stand firm, but if the
young men falter & bide not, then do not let us run farther than thither
to the brook, and if the young men again falter, which I wot will not
befall, then do not let us run farther than thither to the hill.'
At that moment ran up the host of the Norwegians shouting their war-cry
and beating their shields, & then the host of the Gauts likewise began
to shout, and the horse to the head-man pulled so hard at its rein,
being afrighted at the host-cry, that the stake came up & flew past the
head of the chief, wherefore he shouted: 'Such a mischance as thou
shootest, Northmen,' and therewith galloped away. King Harald had ere
this said to his men: 'Though we make din and shouting about us, yet let
us not go down the hill or ever they come hither to us,' and they did
according as he had said.
As soon as the war-cry was heard, caused the Earl his banner to be borne
forward, and when they were come under the hill rushed the King's men
down upon them, and some of the men to the Earl fell forthwith and some
fled; but the Norwegians drave not them that fled very far, for it was
late in the day. There took they the banner of Earl Hakon, and as much
of weapons and apparel as they could lay hands on. And the King let both
the banners be borne in front of him when he fared down the hill; and
his men spake one with another as to whether or no Earl Hakon might be
fallen. Now when it came to faring through the wood they had to ride in
single train, and behold a certain man rode straight across their way,
and thrust a spear through him that bore the banner to the King, and
seizing the stave thereof rode he off another way in the wood with the
banner. When the King was told of this cried he: 'The Earl lives! Give
me my mail-shirt!' And rode he in the night to his ships. Now said many
men that the Earl had avenged himself. Then chanted Thiodolf:
'Steinkell's host who to the
Warlike Earl should help yield
(That brought the King to pass)
To hell, I ween, have fared.
But those who would better
The matter say,
Hakon fled because the hope of help
Therefrom but ill had proven.'
|| King Harald spent what was left of the night on his ship. In the morn,
when it was light saw men that ice had formed round the ships so thick
that it was feasible to walk round about them.
Then bade the King his men hew the ice and release his ships into the
lake, and so went the men and set to work to hew the ice. King Harald's
son Magnus steered the ship which lay lowest in the river-mouth and
nighest out to the lake.
Now when the men had almost chopped the ice away a certain man ran out
on it to the place where they were about to hew, and thereafter fell to
chopping as if he were mad and raving. Then said a man: 'Now is it again
as often before, no one is so good at giving a helping hand as Hall
Kodransbane; behold now, how he is hewing the ice.'
But the man of Magnus's ship who was hight Thormod Eindridison, when he
heard the name of 'Kodransbane,' ran to Hall and gave him his
death-blow.
Kodran was the son of Gudmund Elyolfson, and Valgerd that was sister to
Gudmund was the mother of Jurunn, Thormod's mother.
Thormod was a winter old when Kodran was slain, and never had he set
eyes on Hall Utryggson before this time.
By this, then, the ice was broken away even so far as the lake and
Magnus brought his ship out, & got under way forthwith, and sailed west
across the lake; but the King's ship which was the uppermost in the
channel came out the last. Now Hall had been of the fellowship of the
King and was very dear to him, and the King was exceeding wroth, so that
when he came latest into haven he found that Magnus had already helped
the murderer to the forest, though he offered atonement for him, would
he have gone against Magnus and his folk, had not the friends of both
brought about their appeasement.
|| King Harald fared up to Raumariki this winter, and to him was a large
host.
And he bore cases against the peasants for the keeping back from him of
dues and taxes, and for inciting his enemies to strife against him.
And some of the peasants caused he to be taken, and some he maimed and
others killed and others he deprived of all their possessions.
Those who could get away fled, but the King burned the countrysides wide
about and laid them waste. Thus saith Thiodolf:
'Waster of isle-dwellers
Hard hands laid on Raumfolk,
Steadily on the ranks
Of Harald went, as I trow.
Fire did requite them;
But the chief commanded,
And high flames poor peasants
To obedience led.'
|| After this fared King Harald up to Heidmark and there burned, and did
no less war-work than has been writ afore. From thence fared he to
Ringariki, there burned, and went everywhere with the war-shield aloft.
Thus saith Thiodolf:
'Burned were the fell folk's steads,
Roofwards the red fire flamed.
Hit did the lord of chiefs
The Heiners with hard stones.
For their lives the sufferers craved;
So great a hurt the flames
The men of Ringariki wrought
Or ever the fire was stayed.'
|| After this gave the peasants the whole matter into the hands of the
King.
|| After the death of King Magnus were spent fifteen winters ere the
battle of the Niz, and after that two winters or ever Harald and Svein
made peace. Thus saith Thiodolf:
'The prince of the Hords
(Brought peace the third year was made)
The strife to an end; on
The strand steel hit the shields.'
|| After this peace-making endured the war of the King with the Uplanders
three half-years. Thus saith Thiodolf:
'Hard of the King's work 'tis
In seemly wise to speak
When to have idle ploughs
The upland men he taught.
The chieftain wise hath honour won
These three half-years
Which ever will be minded.'
|| Edward, the son of Ethelred, was King of England after his brother
Hordaknut; he was hight Edward 'the Good' and right good he was.
The mother to King Edward was Queen Emma, the daughter of Richard, the
Rouen-Earl; and her brother was Earl Robert, the mother of William the
Bastard, who was at that time duke of Rouen in Normandy. King Edward was
wedded to Queen Gyda,Sec. the daughter of Earl Godwin & he was the son of
Wolfnoth. The brothers to Gyda were: the eldest Earl Tosti, the second
Earl Morcar, the third Earl Walthiof, the fourth Earl Svein, and fifthly
Harald. Now Harald was the youngest and was brought up at the court of
King Edward and was his foster-son, and the King loved him very greatly
and eyed him ever as his own son, for the King was childless.
|| It befell one summer that Harald the son of Godwin had to go a journey
to Bretland (Wales) and fared he on a ship, but after they had set sail
sprang up a contrary wind & they were driven out to sea.[Sec.]
They made land westward in Normandy after undergoing a perilous storm.
And putting into the town of Rouen found they there Earl William, who
received Harald and his travelling companions joyfully, and Harald
tarried there in good cheer for long during the autumn, for the tempests
continued to blow and it was not weather for sailing out at sea. As
winter was approaching spoke the Earl and Harald together concerning the
dwelling of Harald there throughout the winter. Now Harald sat in the
high-seat on one side of the Earl and on the other side of him sat the
Earl's wife, and fairer was she than any other woman whom men had seen.
Harald and she would hold converse together all the time that the cups
were going round, and when the Earl retired to rest, as he did betimes,
Harald would sit long talking with the wife to the Earl, and so fared
things for a long time during the winter.
Once when they were talking together said she: 'Now hath the Earl spoken
with me hereon, and asked what it is we twain ever talk about, and now
is he wroth.' Harald answered: 'We will forthwith let him know all our
conversations.'
The day thereafter Harald called the Earl to speak with him, & went they
to the council-chamber where were also the Earl's wife and their
councillors.
Then Harald spoke the first and said: 'This must I inform thee, Earl,
that there is more in my coming hither than I have revealed to thee:
I desire to ask the hand of thy daughter, and have oft-times spoken of
this my wish to her mother, and she hath given me her word to support me
in this matter with thee.'
When Harald had made known his desire, all those who were present
received the news with gladness and supported it with the Earl, and this
matter was brought to end by the maid being betrothed to Harald; but
since she was young some winters' delay were agreed upon before the time
of bridal.
|| When spring came, equipped Harald his ship and sailed away, and he and
the Earl parted in full friendship.
And Harald fared to England, to King Edward, and returned no more to
Valland to claim the marriage. King Edward ruled over England for
twenty-four winters, & died a straw death in London, None Janurii (5th
January); he was interred in St. Paul's ChurchSec. and the English call him
sainted.
The sons of Earl Godwin in those days were the most powerful men in
England. Tosti had been made captain over the host of the King, and
warden of the land when the King began to wax old; and he had been
placed over all other Earls.
His brother Harald was ever within the court the next man to the King in
all service, & his duty had been to guard the treasure of the King.Sec. It
is recorded by men that as the King was approaching to his end was
Harald near by, and few other men, and Harald leant over the King and
said: 'I call all of ye to witness that the King gave me but now the
kingdom, and all might in England.' Then was the King borne dead from
out his bed. That same day there was a meeting of lords and the taking
of a King was discussed, and Harald then let his witnesses testify that
King Edward on his death-day had given him the kingdom.
This meeting ended in such fashion that Harald was hailed as King &
consecrated with royal consecration in St. Paul's Church on the 13th
day;Sec. when all lords and folk swore fealty to him.
But when his brother, Earl Tosti, heard what had befallen, liked he it
no whit, for thought he himself to be equally near the King.
'I desire,' quoth he, 'that the lords of the land choose him for King
whom they deem best fitted therefor.' And such like words went between
the brothers.
King Harald declared that he would not give up the kingdom for he had
been throned in that city which had been the King's, and had been
thereafter anointed and consecrated with royal consecration; with him
also sided the multitude, and he had moreover all the treasure of the
dead King.
|| Now when King Harald became aware that his brother Tosti desired to
oust him from the kingdom believed he but ill in him, for Tosti was a
very wise man and a great warrior, and was full friendly, to boot, with
the lords of the land.
So Harald deprived him from command of the host, and of all the power he
had had aforetime more than other earlsSec. there in the land. And Earl
Tosti, who by no means would suffer himself to be the serving-man to his
brother, fared away with his men, and so south to Flanders across the
sea, and tarried there a while before faring to Friesland & thence to
Denmark, to his kinsman King Svein. Earl Ulf the father to King Svein
and Gyda that was mother to Tosti, were brother and sister. The Earl
craved the aid of King Svein and men for his assistance, and King Svein
bade him come to him & told him that he should have an earl's realm in
Denmark, such as would make him a seemly chief in that country. The Earl
answered thus: 'My desire is to fare back to England, to my heritage;
but if I am given no assistance for that purpose from thee, King, then
would I liefer make a pact to afford thee all the support I can procure
in England, an thou wilt take the Danish hosts thither and conquer the
land, even as thy mother's brother Knut (Canute) conquered it.'
The King answered: 'So much less a man am I than my kinsman King Knut
that I have hard work to hold the Danish realm against the Norwegians.
Knut the Old gat his Danish kingdom by inheritance but won England by
warfare and strife, yet nevertheless at one time seemed he like to lose
his life thereby. Norway gat he without battle.
Now would I liefer keep within compass according to my smaller
conditions than assay to rival the success of my kinsman Knut.' Then
said Tosti the Earl: 'Lesser is my errand hither than I had thought for;
I deemed not that thou, a bold man, wouldst let me go in need. It may be
that I am seeking friendship where it is not meet to seek it. But
natheless it may hap that I find a chief who is less afeared of great
ventures than thou art, King.' Thereafter they parted, the King and the
Earl, and were not very well of one accord.
|| Tosti the Earl now turned him another way: he fared onward to Norway,
to King Harald who was in Vik, and when they met the Earl made he known
his mission to the King, recounting to him all concerning his journey
since he had left England. And he craved help of the King so that he
might regain his dominions in England.
But the King said as followeth: that the Norwegians had no wish to fare
to England and harry with an English chief over them; 'folk deem,' said
he, 'that the English are not full trustworthy.' The Earl answered:
'I wonder if it is sooth, that which I have heard men say in England,
to wit, that thy kinsman King Magnus despatched men to King Edward, with
the message that he, Magnus, owned England with no less right than
Denmark, that he inherited it from Hordaknut (Hardicanute) and that the
pact was ratified by their oaths?' The King answered: 'Why did he not
have it if he owned it?' The Earl said: 'Why hast thou not Denmark even
as King Magnus had it before thee?' The King answered: 'Little have the
Danes to plume themselves on above us Norwegians, for many a hole have
we burnt in those kinsmen of thine.'
Then said the Earl: 'Though thou wilt not tell me yet can I,
nevertheless, tell thee how it was King Magnus took possession of
Denmark, to wit, was it because the lords of the land there helped him,
but thou gat it not because all the people of the land were against
thee. King Magnus fought not to gain England because all the people
desired to have Edward for their King. If thou wishest to conquer
England then can I bring it about that many of the lords there will be
thy friends and supporters, for nothing lack I against my brother Harald
save the name of King. All men know that there has never been born in
the northlands a warrior such as thou art.
Astonished am I that thou who foughtest fifteen winters for Denmark will
not take England which is lying at thy hand.' King Harald pondered with
care over what the Earl had said to him, and well wot he that in great
measure had he said sooth; and added thereto conceived he the wish to
conquer that kingdom.
Thereafter the King and the Earl talked long & oft together, & in the
end covenanted they an agreement that come the summer they would fare to
England and conquer the country. King Harald sent round the whole of
Norway calling out a levy, one half of the general war-muster.
Now all this was much spoken of by men, and many were the guesses as to
how things would go on the faring. Some reckoned & counted up all deeds
of valour, swearing how naught would be impossible of King Harald, but
said others that England would be difficult to conquer inasmuch as the
people were exceeding numerous, & those warriors who were called the
Thingmanna-hostSec. so doughty that one of them was better than two of
Harald's best men.
Thus answered Ulf the Marshal:
'Never would the marshals
Of the King (uncompelling
Ever gat I riches)
Turn them to the King's stern-hold
Noble woman, an twain should be pressed back by
One Thingman (other than
That when young I learned me).'
|| That spring Ulf the Marshal died, & Harald when he stood by his grave
said ere he quitted it: 'Here lies he that was ever the most faithful &
the most dutiful to his lord.' To Flanders also sailed Earl Tosti in
springtide so that he should meet the men the which had followed him
from England, with those others also who were to join him from England
and likewise from Flanders.
|| The host to King Harald was gathered together in SolundirSec. and when
all things were made ready and he was about to set sail from Nidaros
went he to the shrine of King Olaf, and thrusting his hands into the
sanctuary cut he off the hair and the nails pertaining to the saint, and
thereafter turned he the key once of the shrine and then threw that same
key into the Nid; and since that time forsooth hath the shrine of the
holy King Olaf never been opened.
Five and thirty winters had been encompassed since his fall, and five
and thirty years had he lived in the world.
Then King Harald and the men that were with him gat them a course
southward to meet his host; or ever that time it was a mighty force that
met together, and it is told among men that to King Harald were nigh
upon two hundredSec. keels, besides victualling ships and smaller craft.
When they were lying off Solundir a certain man named Gyrd, who was on
the own ship to the King, dreamed a dream, and to him it seemed as
though he stood on that same ship and beheld up on the isle a great
troll-woman, & in one hand held she a short sword and in the other a
trough. And to him also did it appear that he was looking at all the
other ships, and on the prow to each was perched a fowl of the air, and
all of those same fowl were either eagles or ravens.
The troll-woman sang:
'King from the east in sooth
To battle inciteth
Many a warrior westward,
(Joyful am I therefor);
There may the raven find
For itself food on the ships
(It knows enow there is);
With thee will I ever fare.'
|| Now a certain man hight Thord abode on one of the ships nigh to the
own ship of the King, and on a night dreamed he that he saw the fleet to
King Harald faring landward, and he seemed to wot that to England were
they coming.
Then he saw on the land a vast host of men & both hosts were making them
ready for battle, and for each were many banners held on high. Before
the host of the men of the land rode a swarth troll-woman, sitting on a
wolf, and the wolf had the body of a man in its mouth, & blood flowed
from the corners thereof. And when it had eaten the man she threw yet
another into its mouth, and thereafter threw she one man after another,
but notwithstanding made it scant ado at swallowing them all. And so she
sang:
'The troll makes the red shield gleam when war comes nigh.
Bride of the giant-brood mishap to the King foretells.
The quean with the jaws flings flesh of fallen warriors;
Raging the wolf's mouth she dyes red with blood.'
|| Furthermore it befell that King Harald dreamed one night and in his
vision lo he was in Nidaros, and there met he his brother, King Olaf,
who chanted a verse to him:
'The burly King in many fights with honour conquered.
I gat (because at home I stayed) a holy fall to earth.
Still of this I fear me that death is nigh thee, King;
The greedy wolves thou fill'st;
Ne'er was this caused by God.'
|| Men spake low of many other dreams and omens of divers kinds, and the
bulk of them were of ill import. Or ever King Harald left Throndhjem
caused he his son Magnus to be accepted as King, and made he him ruler
over the kingdom of Norway.
Thora, the daughter of Thorberg, also remained behind, but Queen Ellisif
fared forth with King Harald and with them likewise her daughters Mary
and Ingigerd; Olaf the son to King Harald also fared with him from the
land.
|| When King Harald was ready, and a favourable wind had sprung up,
sailed he out to sea & came to land at the Shetlands, but some of his
ships went on to the Orkneys. King Harald lay at these isles a while or
ever set he sail for the Orkneys, & from these latter took he with him
many men & the Earls Paal and Erling, twain sons to Thorfin the Earl,
but behind him left he there Queen Ellisif & their daughters Mary &
Ingigerd. Thereafter sailed he southward alongside Scotland, & then
alongside England, and went ashore there where it is called Cleveland.
And being come on land forthwith harried he the countryside, bringing it
into subjection under him, & withal encountering no resistance.
Thereafter went King Harald into Scarborough, & fought there with the
men of the town, and he went up on to the cliff there and ordered a vast
bonfire to be made and a light thereto put, and when it was ablaze, his
men took large forks and with them rolled it down into the town, and
then one house after the other began to burn, so that there was naught
for the townsmen to do save to surrender. There slew the Norwegians many
men, and took all the goods whereon they could lay hands. No choice had
then the Englishmen, an they wished to keep their lives, save to make
submission to King Harald.
Wheresoever he fared brought he the land into subjection, and he
continued on his way southward off the coast with the whole of his host,
bringing-to at Holderness, and there a band came against him, and King
Harald did battle with them and gained the day.
|| Now having come thus far on his journey King Harald fared south to the
Humber and went up that river and lay in it beside the banks.
At that time there were up in Jerirk (York) Earl Morcar and his brother
Earl Walthiof and with them was a vast host. King Harald was lying in
the Ouse when the host of the Earls swooped down against him.
And King Harald went ashore and set to arraying his host, and one arm of
the array was ranked on the banks of the river, whereas the other
stretched up inland over towards a certain dyke, and a deep marsh was
there, both broad, and full of water.
The Earls bade the whole multitude of their array slink down alongside
the river.
Now the banner to the King was nigh unto the river and there the ranks
were serried, but near the dyke were they more scattered, and the men
thereof also the least trustworthy.
The Earls then came down along by the dyke, and that arm of the
battle-array of the Norwegians which faced the dyke gave way, and
thereon the English pushed forward after them and deemed that the
Norwegians would flee. Therefore did the banner of Morcar fare forward.
|| But when King Harald saw that the array of the English had descended
alongside the dyke and was coming right toward them, then commanded he
the war-blast to be sounded, and eagerly encouraged his men, and let the
banner 'Land-waster' be carried forward; and even so fierce was their
advance on the English, that all were repulsed and there fell a many men
in the host of the Earls.
This host was even soon routed, and some fled up beside the river and
some down, but the most of the folk ran right out into the dyke, and
there the fallen lay so thick that the Norwegians could walk dry-shod
across the marsh.
There too fell Earl Morcar.Sec. Thus saith Stein Herdason:
'Many in the river sank
(The sunken men were drowned);
All round about young Morcar of yore lay many a lad.
To flight the chieftain put them;
The host to swiftest running
Olaf the Mighty is.'Sec.
|| The song that followeth was wrought by Stein Herdason about Olaf ye
son to King Harald, and he saith, the which also we wot of that Olaf was
in the battle with his father. This is told likewise in 'Haraldsstikka:'
'There the dead lay
Down in the marsh
Walthiof's fighters
Weapon-bitten,
So that they might
The war-wonted horsemen
There wend their way
On corses only.'
|| Earl Walthiof and those men that contrived to make their escape from
out the battle fled even up to the town of York, and there it was that
the greatest slaughter took place. This battle was on the WednesdaySec. or
ever St. Matthew's Day.
|| Earl Tosti had come west (south) from Flanders to King Harald, and
being even come to England joined himself with the Earl so that he had
his part in all three battles. And now things came to pass even as he
had told Harald at their meeting they would come to pass, to wit, that a
number of men would flock to them in England, and these were both
kinsmen and friends to Tosti; and their company added greatly to the
strength of the King.
After the battle whereof we have but now heard related, all the men of
the countryside hailed King Harald, albeit some few fled. And now set
King Harald forth to take the city, and placed he his host by Stanford
Bridge,Sec. but for the reason that the King had won so fair a victory over
great lords and overwhelming odds were the people dismayed & deemed it
hopeless to withstand him. Then took the citizens council together, &
they were of one mind to send word to the King giving themselves and
likewise the town into his power. This same was proffered even at such
time that on the Sunday[Sec.] fared King Harald and his men to the city,
and there they held a council of war without the walls, and the citizens
came out and were present at the council.
Then did all the folk promise obedience to King Harald; and gave him as
hostages the sons of great men even according as Tosti chose, for the
Earl knew all men in this town; and in the evening fared the King to his
ships elated with the victory he had won and withal was very joyful.
It was furthermore covenanted there should be held a Thing in the citySec.
early on that Monday when would King Harald appoint governors and grant
fiefs and rights. Now that self-same evening, after the sun had gone
down, approached King Harald Godwinson with a vast host the city from
the south, and rode he into the city by the will and consent of all the
citizens.
Then were men posted at all the gates, and at all the roads, so that to
the Norwegians there might get no tidings of what had befallen, and this
host passed the night within the walls.
|| On the Monday,[Sec.] when Harald Sigurdson had eaten his fill at dinner,
ordered he a blast to be sounded for a landing. And thereon made he
ready his host and parted them, some to fare and some to tarry; and of
each company he let two men go up for every one left behind.
And Tosti the Earl prepared him to go up with his company, but to guard
his ship there tarried behind Olaf own son to the King, Paal and Erling
the Orkney Earls, and Eystein Blackcock, the son of Thorberg Arnason,
who was in those days the man of most renown and withal dearest to the
King of all feudatories, & King Harald had at that time promised him the
hand of his daughter Maria. Very fine was the weather with warm
sunshine, and wherefore because of this left the men their shirts of
mail behind them and went with their shields and helms and spears, with
their swords girded on; and many had likewise bows and arrows, and
withal were they very merry. But as they advanced on the city, behold a
great host rode out towards them and they saw the smoke of horses, and
here and there fair shields and white coats of mail. Then halted the
King his host and summoned Earl Tosti to him, and asked what manner of
host this was like to be.
And the Earl answered and said that he deemed it might be strife, yet
nevertheless it might be that they were some of his kinsmen who were
seeking for protection & friendship, & would promise the King their
support and fealty in return. Then the King said that they would first
of all keep quiet and learn more particulars anent this host. So they
did this, & the host waxed greater the nearer it came, and everywhere
was it like a sheet of ice to behold, so white was the gleaming of the
weapons.
|| Then King Harald Sigurdson spake and said: 'Let us now take goodly &
wise counsel together, for it cannot be hidden that this forebodes
strife, and most like it is the King himself.' To which the Earl
answered: 'Our first course is to turn back and go our swiftest to the
ships that we may fetch folk and weapons, and thereafter offer what
resistance we can; or even might we also let the ships protect us and
then no power would the horsemen have over us.' Then said King Harald:
'Another counsel will I choose, namely to send three bold fellows on our
swiftest horses and let them ride hotly a'pace and impart to our men
what hath befallen; then will they the sooner come to our aid, and a
right sharp combat shall the Englishmen fight or ever we suffer defeat.'
The Earl answered and said that the King should decide in this matter as
in all else: 'no manner of desire had he either to flee.' Then caused
the King his banner 'Land-waster' to be borne aloft, and Fridrek was the
man hight who bore the banner.
|| After these things arrayed King Harald his host.
And he let the muster be long and not dense, and then after doing this
doubled he both the arms thereof backward so that they reached together
and made a wide ring thick and even on all sides without, shield by
shield, and the same within likewise; and the King's company was without
the ring and there too was his banner.
In another spot was Earl Tosti with his company, and another banner had
he, and the men to him were all picked men. Now the array was made in
this fashion because the King wist that the horsemenSec. were wont to ride
forward in a mass & thereupon fall back. Now said the King that his
company should advance whithersoever it were most needed, 'but our
archers shall also be with us, and those who stand farthest forward will
set their spear handles in the earth and point their spears at the
breasts of the riders if they should ride us down, and those who stand
in the next row will thrust their spears into the chests of the horses.'
|| It was with an exceeding vast host that King Harald Godwinson had come
thither, a host of both horse and foot-folk. Around his array rode King
Harald Sigurdson having a wary eye to see how it had been ranked, and he
bestrode a black piebald horse.
Now the horse fell under him but the King arose in haste & said:
'Falling when faring betokens fortune.' Then said Harald, the King of
the English, to those Norwegians who were with him: 'Knowest thou the
big man yonder who fell from his horse, the man with the blue kirtle and
the fair helme?' 'That is the King,' said they.
'A big man and of masterful appearance, yet belike his luck is over,'
answered the English King.
|| Twenty horsemen rode forward from the Thingmanna host before the
battle-array of the Norwegians; and they were wholly clad in chain-mail
and their horses like unto them. Then said one horseman: 'Is Earl Tosti
in the host?' to which was made answer: 'There is no hiding it, ye can
find him there.'
Then said the horseman: 'Harald, thy brother, sent thee a greeting, and
word therewith that thou shouldst have grace & the whole of
Northumberland; and rather than thou shouldst not go over to him will he
give thee a third share of the whole of his kingdom.' Then answered the
Earl: 'That is a very different message from the strife and scorn of the
winter: had it been offered then many a man would still be alive who is
now dead, & more firmly too would the kingdom stand in England. Now if I
should accept these terms, what would he offer King Harald Sigurdson for
his pains?' 'He hath said something of what he would grant him in
England, Seven feet of room or as much longer as he is taller than other
men,' made answer that rider. 'Fare thee now to King Harald and bid him
make ready for battle,' said the Earl, 'other shall be said among
Norwegians than that Earl Tosti quitteth King Harald Sigurdson for the
fellowship of his foemen when he hath to fight in England. Nay, let us
all rather be of one mind: to die with honour or to win England by
conquest.' Then did the horseman ride away, and King Harald Sigurdson
asked of the Earl, 'who was that long-tongued man, yonder?' 'That was
King Harald Godwinson,' said the Earl. 'Too long was this kept from us,'
said King Harald Sigurdson, 'they were come so nigh unto our host, that
nought would this Harald have known how to tell of the death of our
men.' 'True it is,' said the Earl, 'that such a chief went right
unwarily, and that it might have been as thou sayest; I saw that he
wished to offer me grace and much dominion, but that I should be his
slayer an I said who he was. Rather would I that he should be my slayer
than I his.' Then said King Harald Sigurdson: 'A little man was he, but
firm in his stirrups.'
It is said that King Harald chanted this verse:
'Forward go we in folk array
Without our mail
Under blue blades;
The helmets shine,
No mail have I;
On the ships yonder
Our garb doth lie.'
|| Now the mail-shirt to Harald was hight 'Emma,' and it was so long that
it reached down even unto the midst of his foot, and so strong that no
weapon had ever lodged fast in it. Then said King Harald Sigurdson:
'That was ill wrought; I must make another, a better verse in its
place,' and then he chanted this:
'Ne'er do we in battle
Creep behind our shields,
The clash of weapons fearing
(E'en so the word-fast woman bade me).
Of yore the necklet-wearer bade me
Carry high my head in battle,
Where sword and shield do meet.'
And Thiodolf likewise sang thus:
'Never, if e'en the prince himself to earth should fall,
(As God wills so goeth it)
Will I flee from the heirs of the chief.
The sun shines not better on these than these twain shine.
Avengers of Harald are resourceful hawks full grown.'
|| And now they fall to battle, and the English ride onward toward the
Norwegians, but the resistance is stubborn, and because of the shots it
is not easy for the English to ride against the Norwegians, and so they
ride round about them in a ring. At first the battle is altogether even,
that is so long as the Norwegians hold their array, but the English
charge them & then if they have done no hurt ride aback, and when the
Norwegians see this, namely that the English seem to ride on them
without spirit, set they themselves upon them and would have pursued
them, but behold no sooner is the wall of shields broken than the
English ride towards them from all directions bringing spears and shots
to bear on them. And King Harald Sigurdson seeing this goeth forth into
the brunt of the battle, even there where the hardest struggle is taking
place, and many men falling from both hosts.
King Harald Sigurdson waxeth so fierce that he runneth forward right out
from the array, & heweth with both hands, & hath neither helme, nor
shield holden before him.
All those who are nighest to him draw aback, and far are the English
from fleeing. Thus saith Arnor Earl's-skald:
'In battle swift the chief's heart ne'er did quake,
And the strong King the greatest courage showed
'mid the helmes' thunder,
There, where in the hersirs' chief the hosts saw this,
That by his bloody sword the men to death were wounded.'
|| Now it happened that King Harald Sigurdson was wounded by an arrow in
the throat, and this was his death-wound. He fell with the whole of that
company which was advancing with him, save those that drew back; and
these held stoutly to the banner.
Yet a conflict full as hard was foughten after Tosti the Earl had taken
his place under the King's banner. Then both the hosts fell to arraying
themselves for the second time, and an exceeding long truce was there in
the battle. Thereof sang Thiodolf:
'Mishap hath fallen on us,
(in peril is now the host);
In vain hath Harald brought us
This journey from the east.
The chieftain shrewd's life-passage
So hath ended that we now
(the King bepraised his life lost)
Row in peril of our lives.'
|| But ere the combatants again joined issue offered Harald Godwinson his
brother Tosti grace, and he likewise offered grace to the other men
surviving from the Norwegian host; but the Norwegians shouted out that
they would rather fall one above the other, than accept quarter from the
English. And thereon shouted they their war-cry, & then the battle began
for the second time.
Thus saith Arnor Earl's-skald:
'In an hour of misfortune
The King austere gat death;
The arrows gold-inwoven
Spared not the robbers' foe.
Gentle and bounteous King--
His friends choose all to fall
Round their host-wonted chief
Rather than quarter seek.'
|| Now it befell that Eystein Blackcock came up just at that moment from
the ships with his company, and they were in full armour, and Eystein
gat him hold of the King's banner 'Land-waster,' and for the third time
the men fell to battle; exceeding sharp was it and the English lost men
full heavily and were on the point of fleeing. That fray was called
'Blackcock's Brunt.' Eystein's men had hastened so furiously from the
ships that at first, or ever they were come to the combat, they were
weary and scarce fit for battle, but afterwards so raging were they that
they defended themselves as long as they could stand upright. At the
last cast they from off them their mail-shirts, and then was it easy for
the English to find a vulnerable spot on them; but some who were
unwounded yet died from their haste and fury.
Nearly all the great men among the Norwegians fell at that time.
This befell late in the day.
As was to be looked for not all men fared alike in fortune, many fled &
many who thus made their escape met differing fates. Mirk was it in the
evening ere the slaughtering was brought to an end.
|| Among those who escaped was Styrkar, the marshal of King Harald
Sigurdson, & this befell from his getting him a horse and thereon riding
away. Now a wind sprang up in the evening and the weather waxed somewhat
cold, and Styrkar had no other apparel than his shirt, a helme on his
head, and a naked sword in his hand.
And he waxed cold as his weariness wore off. Then a certain waincarle
came driving towards him, and this man had a lined coat. Styrkar said
unto him: 'Wilt thou sell thy jacket, peasant?' 'Not to thee,' quoth he,
'thou art a Norwegian, as I wist by thy tongue.'
'An I am a Norwegian what wilt thou do then?' said Styrkar. 'I would
slay thee; but alack I have no weapon to do it with,' the peasant
replied. 'If thou canst not slay me, peasant, I will make trial if I
cannot slay thee,' and therewith Styrkar swung his sword and brought it
down on the man's neck so that his head was cut off; and then took he
the fur coat and springing on to his horse rode down to the shore.
|| Now tidings were borne to the Rouen Earl, William the Bastard, of the
death of King Edward his kinsman, & furthermore was it told how Harald
Godwinson had been acclaimed as King of England and had been consecrated
thereto. Now William deemed he had a better right to that kingdom than
Harald, to wit by reason of the kinship betwixt him & King Edward, and
withal furthermore inasmuch as he deemed it but fair to avenge himself
on Harald for the slight of that broken betrothal with his own daughter.
For all these self-same reasons, then, assembled William an host
together in Normandy, and a multitude of men were mustered, with a
goodly sufficiency of ships. And on the day that he rode from the city
unto his ships, when he had mounted up on to his horse, his wife went to
him & would have spoken with him, but when he saw this he thrust at her
with his heel, setting his spur in her breast so that it penetrated deep
therein, and she fell and straightway died.Sec. But the Earl rode to his
ships and fared with his host over to England. At that time was his
brother Otta with him.
When the Earl came to England plundered he there, & brought the land
into subjection under him wheresoever he went.
Earl William was bigger and stronger than other men, a good horseman,
the greatest of warriors, and very cruel; a very wise man was he withal,
but accounted in no wise trustworthy.
|| King Harald Godwinson gave Olaf, the son of King Harald Sigurdson,
permission to fare his way, and in like fashion treated he those men of
the host who had been with the King and had not fallen. King Harald then
turned southward with his host, for he had learned that William Bastard
was faring northward through England, & was conquering the country.
There were with Harald Godwinson at that time his brethren Svein,Sec. Gyrd,
and Walthiof. King Harald and Earl William met in the south of England
at Hastings and a great battle befell there.
In it were slain King Harald and his brother Earl Gyrd, & a great part
of their host. Nineteen nights was it after the fall of King Harald
Sigurdson,Sec. Earl Walthiof, own brother to Harald, made good his escape
by flight, and at even fell in with a band of William's men; whereupon
Earl Walthiof set fire to the forest and burned them all up. Thus saith
Thorkel Skallson in Walthiof's lay:
'An hundred King's own court-men
The warrior had burned
In hottest fire (to the men
An eve of singeing was it).
'Tis said that the men
'Neath the wolf's claw must lie;
Gray steed of the troll-quean
Gave victuals to the swords.'
|| Thereon caused William himself to be proclaimed King of England, and
thereafter sent he to Earl Walthiof proffering him peace & appointing a
truce so that a meeting might take place betwixt them. The Earl fared to
it with but few men, and when he was come on the heath north of the
castle bridge two of the King's bailiffs advanced upon him with a band
of men, and when they had taken him they put him in chains; thereafter
he was beheaded.Sec. The English call him sainted. Thus saith Thorkel:
''Tis doubtless that manly Walthiof
By William (he who from the south
Across the chill main came)
Is bewrayed in his trusting.
Sooth is that long 'twill be
Ere ends the slaying of men
In England (swift was my master.
No prince like him doth live).'
|| Afterwards lived William as King of England for one and twenty
winters, and ever since have his descendants ruled as Kings of England.
|| Now Olaf the son to King Harald Sigurdson took his men and fared away
from England, sailing forth from Ravenseer whence they came in autumn to
the Orkneys, & there learned they the tidings that Maria the daughter of
King Harald Sigurdson had died of a sudden death on the self-same day
and in that same hour as her father King Harald had perished. Olaf
tarried in the Orkneys the winter through but the summer thereafter
fared he east to Norway, and was made King there together with his
brother Magnus.
Queen Ellisif journeyed eastward with her step-son Olaf and her daughter
Ingigerd.
Skuli also, he who was afterwards called King's-fosterer, & his brother
Ketil Crook, likewise fared overseas with Olaf. The twain of them were
doughty men, and noble in England, and both were very sage and
well-beloved by the King. Ketil Crook fared northward to Halogaland and
King Olaf gat him a good marriage, and from him are descended many great
men. Skuli, King's-fosterer, was a wise and strong man, very fair to
behold; he became captain of King Olaf's body-guard, lent his counsel at
the Things, and ruled with the King in all governances of the land. King
Olaf desired to give Skuli a province in Norway, whichever he was minded
to have, with all the incomes and dues that the King held disposition
over, but Skuli thanked him for this offer and said that he would liefer
ask for other things because should there be a change of kings perchance
the gift would be taken back: 'I will,' said he, 'accept certain domains
which lie nigh to the towns, where ye, Sire, are wont to be, and where
the Yule feasts are held.' So King Olaf gave him his word thereon, and
made over to him lands in the east at Konungahella, and at Oslo, at
Tunsberg, at Borg, at Bergen, and in the north at Nidaros. They were
nigh upon the best estates at each place, and they have ever since been
the possessions of men of the lineage of Skuli.
King Olaf married Skuli to his kinswoman Gudrun Nefsteinsdotir, whose
mother was Ingirid the daughter of King Sigurd Sow and his wife Asta.
Asta was own sister of King Olaf the Saint & of King Harald. The son of
Skuli and Gudrun was Asolf of Reini who was wedded to Thora the daughter
of Skopti Ogmundson. The son of Asolf and Thora was Guthorm of Reini,
the father of Bard, the father of King Ingi and Duke Skuli.
|| On a winter after the fall of King Harald was his body transported
from England to Nidaros and interred there in the Church of St. Mary,
that selfsame church the which he himself had caused to be builded.
It was allowed by all that King Harald had exceeded other men in wisdom
& resourcefulness, both when he had been fain to act swiftly or had
debated long, either for himself or others. The most valiant of all men
was he, and victorious withal, even as hath been set forth this while:
'The waster of Zealand's dwellers
In boldness ne'er was lacking;
Mind ruleth half of victory,
And soothly Harald proveth it.'
|| King Harald was stately and goodly to behold, fair hair and a fair
beard had he, and a long moustache; of his eyebrows the one was somewhat
higher than the other, & he had large hands and feet, but either
shapely. Five ells was he in stature. Towards his foes was he cruel, and
when withstood revengeful. Thus saith Thiodolf:
'Sage Harald doth arrogance
In his thanes chastise;
Methinks the King's men bear
But that which they mete out.
Such burdens bear they
As for themselves they care to have
(The law is used for each against the other);
Thus doth Harald change revenge.'
|| King Harald vastly loved power & all worldly advantages, but towards
his friends, even to those whom he liked well, was he very bountiful.
Thiodolf telleth us as followeth:
'Of ships'-battle the awakener
For my work a mark bestowed;
To praise vouchsafeth he
Each one who proveth him thereof worthy.'
|| King Harald was fifty years of age when he fell. We have no tales of
count regarding his up-growing, or ever he was fifteen winters old and
was at Stiklastad, in the battle, with his brother King Olaf. Thereafter
lived he for five and thirty years, and during all that time had ever
turmoil and strife. King Harald never fled from any battle, but
oft-times sought he expedients when the odds of war were against him.
All men who followed him in battle or warfare avowed that when he found
himself hard pressed or was obliged to make a swift resolution, he chose
that course which afterwards all men saw to be the likeliest to avail.
|| Halldor, the son of Bryniolf the Camel, hight likewise the Old, was a
wise man and a great lord, and thus spake he when he heard the
conversation of men in respect to the very different natures of King
Olaf the Saint and his brother King Harald.
'I was with both brothers,' said he, 'and high in favour, and I wotted
the natures of both: never did I find two men so alike at heart. Both
were very wise and valiant men, loving possessions and power, masterful,
not lowly-hearted, overbearing, haughty, and quick to chastise. King
Olaf constrained the people of the land to Christianity and the true
Faith, but punished harshly those who turned a deaf ear to his commands.
The chiefs of the land who would not suffer his even-handed dispensation
of justice rose up against him and slew him in his own land, and it is
for that reason he is called saintly.
But King Harald harried for renown and dominion, bringing under his yoke
all people that he could bring under it, and he fell in the land of
other kings.
Both these brothers in normal life were men of religion and had regard
for their honour; they were likewise travelled & vigorous in mind, & it
is from such-like qualities that they waxed so far-famed.'
|| King Magnus Haraldson ruled Norway the first winter after the fall of
King Harald, but thereafter ruled he the land for two winters together
with his brother King Olaf, and there were then two kings together,
Magnus having dominion in the northern half of the land & Olaf in the
eastern half. King Magnus had a son who was hight Hakon & his
foster-father was Steig-Thorir; a youth of promise was he.
|| After the death of King Harald Sigurdson, Svein, the Danish King, gave
out that peace was at an end betwixt Norwegians and Danes, for the pact
was made to endure only as long as both kings lived. So then were men
mustered in both realms; King Harald's sons called out a general-host
and ships from Norway, and King Svein fared northward with the host of
the Danes.
And so it was that messengers were thereafter despatched betwixt the
kings with offers of peace, and the Norwegians said that they would
either keep to the covenant which had been made aforetime or fight. For
that reason the following verse was sung:
'With threats and words of peace
Olaf his land defended,
So that no one from the King
Durst claim a right thereto.'
And thus saith Stein Herdason in the lay of Olaf:
'His heritage 'gainst Svein
The warlike King defended
In that merchant town where resteth
(Great is he) the saintly King.'
|| But a compact was come to betwixt the kings at the time of this
mustering, & peace ensued in the lands. King Magnus was afterwards
stricken with a sickness, the rift-worm sickness, and when he had lain
abed for some time died he at Nidaros, and there was buried. He was a
King right well-beloved of all the people.