Then Asbjorn was laid in chains, and locked up in a house for the night.
The day after the king heard the morning mass, and then went to the
Thing, where he sat till high mass. As he was going to mass he said
to Thorarin, "Is not the sun high enough now in the heavens that your
friend Asbjorn may be hanged?"
Thorarin bowed before the king, and said, "Sire, it was said by Bishop
Sigurd on Friday last, that the King who has all things in his power
had to endure great temptation of spirit; and blessed is he who rather
imitates him, than those who condemned the man to death, or those
who caused his slaughter. It is not long till tomorrow, and that is a
working day."
The king looked at him, and said, "Thou must take care then that he is
not put to death to-day; but take him under thy charge, and know for
certain that thy own life shall answer for it if he escape in any way."
Then the king went away. Thorarin went also to where Asbjorn lay in
irons, took off his chains, and brought him to a small room, where
he had meat and drink set before him, and told him what the king had
determined in case Asbjorn ran away. Asbjorn replies, that Thorarin need
not be afraid of him. Thorarin sat a long while with him during the day,
and slept there all night. On Saturday the king arose and went to the
early mass, and from thence he went to the Thing, where a great many
bondes were assembled, who had many complaints to be determined. The
king sat there long in the day, and it was late before the people went
to high mass. Thereafter the king went to table. When he had got meat he
sat drinking for a while, so that the tables were not removed. Thorarin
went out to the priest who had the church under his care, and gave him
two marks of silver to ring in the Sabbath as soon as the king's table
was taken away. When the king had drunk as much as he wished the tables
were removed. Then said the king, that it was now time for the slaves
to go to the murderer and put him to death. In the same moment the bell
rang in the Sabbath.
Then Thorarin went before the king, and said, "The Sabbath-peace this
man must have, although he has done evil."