Earl Svein and Einar Tambaskelfer gathered a large armed force, with
which they came by the upper road into Gaulardal, and so down to
Nidaros, with nearly 2000 men. King Olaf's men were out upon the Gaular
ridge, and had a guard on horseback. They became aware that a force was
coming down the Gaulardal, and they brought word of it to the king about
midnight. The king got up immediately, ordered the people to be wakened,
and they went on board of the ships, bearing all their clothes and arms
on board, and all that they could take with them, and then rowed out of
the river. Then came the earl's men to the town at the same moment, took
all the Christmas provision, and set fire to the houses. King Olaf went
out of the fjord down to Orkadal, and there landed the men from
their ships. From Orkadal they went up to the mountains, and over the
mountains eastwards into Gudbrandsdal. In the lines composed about Kleng
Brusason, it is said that Earl Eirik burned the town of Nidaros:--
"The king's half-finished hall,
Rafters, root, and all,
Is burned down by the river's side;
The flame spreads o'er the city wide."