The king begged him to conceal him, and said it was proper to do so.
"For there was long friendship between us, although it has now gone
differently."
Simon replied, it could not be.
Then the king begged that he might hear mass before he died, which
accordingly took place. Then Eystein laid himself down on his face on
the grass, stretched out his hands on each side, and told them to cut
the sign of the cross between his shoulders, and see whether he could
not bear steel as King Inge's followers had asserted of him. Simon told
the man who had to put the king to death to do so immediately, for
the king had been creeping about upon the grass long enough. He was
accordingly slain, and he appears to have suffered manfully. His body
was carried to Fors, and lay all night under the hill at the south side
of the church. King Eystein was buried in Fors church, and his grave is
in the middle of the church-floor, where a fringed canopy is spread over
it, and he is considered a saint. Where he was executed, and his blood
ran upon the ground, sprang up a fountain, and another under the hill
where his body lay all night. From both these waters many think they
have received a cure of sickness and pain. It is reported by the Viken
people that many miracles were wrought at King Eystein's grave, until
his enemies poured upon it soup made of boiled dog's flesh. Simon Skalp
was much hated for this deed, which was generally ascribed to him; but
some said that when King Eystein was taken Simon sent a message to King
Inge, and the king commanded that King Eystein should not come before
his face. So King Sverre has caused it to be written; but Einar Skulason
tells of it thus:--
"Simon Skalp, the traitor bold,
For deeds of murder known of old,
His king betrayed; and ne'er will he
God's blessed face hereafter see."