When Harald Gille had been six years (A.D. 1136), king of Norway, Sigurd
came to the country and went to his brother King Harald, and found him
in Bergen. He placed himself entirely in the king's hands, disclosed
who his father was, and asked him to acknowledge their relationship. The
king gave him no hasty or distinct reply; but laid the matter before
his friends in a conference at a specially appointed meeting. After
this conference it became known that the king laid an accusation against
Sigurd, because he had been at the killing of Thorkel Fostre in the
West. Thorkel had accompanied Harald to Norway when he first came to
the country, and had been one of Harald's best friends. This case was
followed up so severely, that a capital accusation against Sigurd was
made, and, by the advice of the lendermen, was carried so far, that some
of the king's pursuivants went one evening late to Sigurd, and called
him to them. They then took a boat and rowed away with Sigurd from the
town south to Nordnes. Sigurd sat on a chest in the stern of the boat,
and had his suspicions that foul play was intended. He was clothed in
blue trousers, and over his shirt he had a hood tied with ribands,
which served him for a cloak. He sat looking down, and holding his
hood-strings; and sometimes moved them over his head, sometimes let
them fall again before him. Now when they had passed the ness, they
were drunk, and merry, were rowing so eagerly that they were not taking
notice of anything. Sigurd stood up, and went on the boat's deck; but
the two men who were placed to guard him stood up also, and followed
him to the side of the vessel, holding by his cloak, as is the custom in
guarding people of distinction. As he was afraid that they would catch
hold of more of his clothes, he seized them both, and leaped overboard
with them. The boat, in the meantime, had gone on a long way, and it was
a long time before those on board could turn the vessel, and long before
they could get their own men taken on board again; and Sigurd dived
under water, and swam so far away that he reached the land before they
could get the boat turned to pursue him. Sigurd, who was very swift of
foot, hied up to the mountains, and the king's men travelled about the
whole night seeking him without finding him. He lay down in a cleft of
the rocks; and as he was very cold he took off his trousers, cut a hole
in the seat of them, and stuck his head through it, and put his arms
in the legs of them. He escaped with life this time; and the king's men
returned, and could not conceal their unsuccessful adventure.