King Svein introduced new laws in many respects into the country, partly
after those which were in Denmark, and in part much more severe. No man
must leave the country without the king's permission; or if he did, his
property fell to the king. Whoever killed a man outright, should forfeit
all his land and movables. If any one was banished the country, and all
heritage fell to him, the king took his inheritance. At Yule every man
should pay the king a meal of malt from every harvest steading, and a
leg of a three-year old ox, which was called a friendly gift, together
with a spand of butter; and every house-wife a rock full of unspun lint,
as thick as one could span with the longest fingers of the hand. The
bondes were bound to build all the houses the king required upon his
farms. Of every seven males one should be taken for the service of war,
and reckoning from the fifth year of age; and the outfit of ships should
be reckoned in the same proportion. Every man who rowed upon the sea
to fish should pay the king five fish as a tax, for the land defence,
wherever he might come from. Every ship that went out of the country
should have stowage reserved open for the king in the middle of the
ship. Every man, foreigner or native, who went to Iceland, should pay a
tax to the king. And to all this was added, that Danes should enjoy so
much consideration in Norway, that one witness of them should invalidate
ten of Northmen (1).
When these laws were promulgated the minds of the people were instantly
raised against them, and murmurs were heard among them. They who had not
taken part against King Olaf said, "Now take your reward and friendship
from the Canute race, ye men of the interior Throndhjem who fought
against King Olaf, and deprived him of his kingdom. Ye were promised
peace and justice, and now ye have got oppression and slavery for your
great treachery and crime." Nor was it very easy to contradict them, as
all men saw how miserable the change had been. But people had not the
boldness to make an insurrection against King Svein, principally
because many had given King Canute their sons or other near relations as
hostages; and also because no one appeared as leader of an insurrection.
They very soon, however, complained of King Svein; and his mother Alfifa
got much of the blame of all that was against their desire. Then the
truth, with regard to Olaf, became evident to many.
ENDNOTES: (1) This may probably have referred not to witnesses of an
act, but to the class of witnesses in the jurisprudence of the
Middle Ages called compurgators, who testified not the fact,
but their confidence in the statements of the accused; and
from which, possibly, our English bail for offenders arose.
--L.