King Harald came with his fleet eastward to Viken and landed at
Tunsberg, which was then a trading town. He had then been four years in
Throndhjem, and in all that time had not been in Viken. Here he heard
the news that Eirik Eymundson, king of Sweden, had laid under him
Vermaland, and was taking scat or land-tax from all the forest settlers;
and also that he called the whole country north to Svinasund, and west
along the sea, West Gautland; and which altogether he reckoned to his
kingdom, and took land-tax from it. Over this country he had set an
earl, by name Hrane Gauzke, who had the earldom between Svinasund and
the Gaut river, and was a mighty earl. And it was told to King Harald
that the Swedish king said he would not rest until he had as great
a kingdom in Viken as Sigurd Hring, or his son Ragnar Lodbrok, had
possessed; and that was Raumarike and Vestfold, all the way to the isle
Grenmar, and also Vingulmark, and all that lay south of it. In all these
districts many chiefs, and many other people, had given obedience to
the Swedish king. King Harald was very angry at this, and summoned the
bondes to a Thing at Fold, where he laid an accusation against them
for treason towards him. Some bondes defended themselves from the
accusation, some paid fines, some were punished. He went thus through
the whole district during the summer, and in harvest he did the same in
Raumarike, and laid the two districts under his power. Towards winter
he heard that Eirik king of Sweden was, with his court, going about in
Vermaland in guest-quarters.