Sigvat accordingly composed a poem, which he called the "Free-speaking
Song", which begins with saying the king had delayed too long to pacify
the people, who were threatening to rise in tumult against him. He
said:--
"Here in the south, from Sogn is spread
The news that strife draws to a head:
The bondes will the king oppose--
Kings and their folk should ne'er be foes.
Let us take arms, and briskly go
To battle, if it must be so;
Defend our king--but still deplore
His land plunged in such strife once more."