King Hakon came to the Frosta-thing, at which a vast multitude of people
were assembled. And when the Thing was seated, the king spoke to the
people, and began his speech with saying,--it was his message and
entreaty to the bondes and householding men, both great and small, and
to the whole public in general, young and old, rich and poor, women as
well as men, that they should all allow themselves to be baptized, and
should believe in one God, and in Christ the son of Mary and refrain
from all sacrifices and heathen gods; and should keep holy the seventh
day, and abstain from all work on it, and keep a fast on the seventh
day. As soon as the king had proposed this to the bondes, great was the
murmur and noise among the crowd. They complained that the king wanted
to take their labour and their old faith from them, and the land could
not be cultivated in that way. The labouring men and slaves thought that
they could not work if they did not get meat; and they said it was
the character of King Hakon, and his father, and all the family, to be
generous enough with their money, but sparing with their diet. Asbjorn
of Medalhus in the Gaulardal stood up, and answered thus to the king's
proposal:--
"We bondes, King Hakon, when we elected thee to be our king, and got
back our udal rights at the Thing held in Throndhjem, thought we had got
into heaven; but now we don't know whether we have really got back our
freedom, or whether thou wishest to make vassals of us again by this
extraordinary proposal that we should abandon the ancient faith which
our fathers and forefathers have held from the oldest times, in the
times when the dead were burnt, as well as since that they are laid
under mounds, and which, although they were braver than the people of
our days, has served us as a faith to the present time. We have also
held thee so dear, that we have allowed thee to rule and give law and
right to all the country. And even now we bondes will unanimously hold
by the law which thou givest us here in the Frosta-thing, and to which
we have also given our assent; and we will follow thee, and have thee
for our king, as long as there is a living man among us bondes here in
this Thing assembled. But thou, king, must use some moderation towards
us, and only require from us such things as we can obey thee in, and are
not impossible for us. If, however, thou wilt take up this matter with
a high hand, and wilt try thy power and strength against us, we
bondes have resolved among ourselves to part with thee, and to take to
ourselves some other chief, who will so conduct himself towards us
that we can freely and safely enjoy that faith that suits our own
inclinations. Now, king, thou must choose one or other of these
conditions before the Thing is ended."
The bondes gave loud applause to this speech, and said it expressed
their will, and they would stand or fall by what had been spoken. When
silence was again restored, Earl Sigurd said, "It is King Hakon's will
to give way to you, the bondes, and never to separate himself from your
friendship." The bondes replied, that it was their desire that the king
should offer a sacrifice for peace and a good year, as his father was
want to do; and thereupon the noise and tumult ceased, and the Thing was
concluded. Earl Sigurd spoke to the king afterwards, and advised him
not to refuse altogether to do as the people desired, saying there was
nothing else for it but to give way to the will of the bondes; "for
it is, as thou hast heard thyself, the will and earnest desire of the
head-people, as well as of the multitude. Hereafter we may find a good
way to manage it." And in this resolution the king and earl agreed (A.D.
950).