26. KING INGE AND SIGURD HOLD A THING.

King Eystein and King Sigurd had quarrelled, because King Sigurd had

killed King Eystein's court-man Harald, the Viken man, who owned a house

in Bergen, and also the priest Jon Tapard, a son of Bjarne Sigurdson.

On account of this affair, a conference to settle it was appointed in

winter in the Uplands. The two sat together in the conference for a long

time, and so much was known of their conference that all three brothers

were to meet the following summer in Bergen. It was added, that their

conference was to the effect that King Inge should have two or three

farms, and as much income as would keep thirty men beside him, as he had

not health to be a king. When King Inge and Gregorius heard this report,

they came to Bergen with many followers. King Sigurd arrived there a

little later, and was not nearly so strong in men. Sigurd and Inge had

then been nineteen years kings of Norway (A.D. 1155). King Eystein came

later still from the south than the other two from the north. Then King

Inge ordered the Thing to be called together on the holm by the sound

of trumpet; and Sigurd and Inge came to it with a great many people.

Gregorius had two long-ships, and at the least ninety men, whom he kept

in provisions. He kept his house-men better than other lendermen; for he

never took part in any entertainment where each guest brings his liquor,

without having all his house-men to drink with him. He went now to the

Thing in a gold-mounted helmet, and all his men had helmets on. Then

King Inge stood up, and told the assembly what he had heard; how his

brothers were going to use him, and depose him from his kingdom; and

asked for their assistance. The assembled people made a good return to

his speech, and declared they would follow him.

Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway · 第 934 / 1013 题