Of his first wife he still had two brothers-in-law, who were very
daring. Hetto--that is, heat--the youngest, he sent as messenger to
Kattaburgt, which lies far in the Saxsenmarken. Friso gave him to take
seven horses, besides his own, laden with precious things stolen by
the sea-rovers. With each horse there were two young sea-rovers and
two young horsemen, clad in rich garments, and with money in their
purses. In the same way as he sent Hetto to Kattaburgt, he sent
Bruno--that is, brown--the other brother-in-law, to Mannagarda oord,
Mannagarda oord was written Mannagarda ford in the earlier part of
this book, but that is wrong. All the riches that they took with them
were given away, according to circumstances, to princes, princesses,
and chosen young girls. When his young men went to the tavern to
dance with the young people there, they ordered baskets of spice,
gingerbread, and tuns of the best beer. After these messengers he let
his young people constantly go over to the Saxsenmarken, always with
money in their purses and presents to give away, and they spent money
carelessly in the taverns. When the Saxsen youths looked with envy
at this they smiled, and said, If you dare go and fight the common
enemy you would be able to give much richer presents to your brides,
and live much more princely. Both the brothers-in-law of Friso had
married daughters of the chief princes, and afterwards the Saxsen
youths and girls came in whole troops to the Flymeer.
The burgtmaidens and old maidens who still remembered their greatness
did not hold with Friso's object, and therefore they said no good
of him; but Friso, more cunning than they, let them chatter, but
the younger maidens he led to his side with golden fingers. They
said everywhere, For a long time we have had no mother, but that
comes from our being fit to take care of ourselves. At present it
suits us best to have a king to win back our lands that we have lost
through the imprudence of our mothers. Further they said, Every child
of Frya has permission to let his voice be heard before the choice
of a prince is decided; but if it comes to that, that you choose
a king, then also we will have our say. From all that we can see,
Wr-alda has appointed Friso for it, for he has brought him here in a
wonderful way. Friso knows the tricks of the Gauls, whose language he
speaks; he can therefore watch against their craftiness. Then there
is something else to keep the eye upon. What count could be chosen
as king without the others being jealous of him? All such nonsense
the young maidens talked; but the old maidens, though few in number,
tapped their advice out of another cask. They said always and to every
one: Friso does like the spiders. At night he spreads his webs in all
directions, and in the day he catches in them all his unsuspecting
friends. Friso says he cannot suffer any priests or foreign princes,
but we say that he cannot suffer anybody but himself; therefore he
will not allow the citadel of Stavia to be rebuilt; therefore he
will not have the mother again. To-day Friso is your counsellor,
to-morrow he will be your king, in order to have full power over
you. Among the people there now existed two parties. The old and the
poor wished to have the mother again, but the young and the warlike
wished for a father and a king. The first called themselves mother's
sons, the others father's sons, but the mother's sons did not count
for much; because there were many ships to build, there was a good
time for all kinds of workmen. Moreover, the sea-rovers brought all
sorts of treasures, with which the maidens were pleased, the girls
were pleased, and their relations and friends.
When Friso had been nearly forty years at Staveren he died. Owing to
him many of the states had been joined together again, but that we
were the better for it I am not prepared to certify. Of all the counts
that preceded him there was none so renowned as Friso; for, as I said
before, the young maidens spoke in his praise, while the old maidens
did all in their power to make him hateful to everybody. Although the
old women could not prevent his meddling, they made so much fuss that
he died without becoming king.