It was in the beginning of Lent that news came to Erling that Earl
Sigurd intended to come upon him; and news of him came here and there,
sometimes nearer, sometimes farther off. Erling sent out spies in all
quarters around to discover where they were. Every evening he assembled
all the men-at-arms by the war-horn out of the town; and for a long time
in the winter they lay under arms all night, ready to be drawn up in
array. At last Erling got intelligence that Sigurd and his followers
were not far distant, up at the farm Re. Erling then began his
expedition out of the town, and took with him all the towns-people who
were able to carry arms and had arms, and likewise all the merchants;
and left only twelve men behind to keep watch in the town. Erling
went out of the town on Thursday afternoon, in the second week of Lent
(February 19); and every man had two days' provisions with him. They
marched by night, and it was late before they got out of the town with
the men. Two men were with each shield and each horse; and the people,
when mustered, were about 1200 men. When they met their spies, they were
informed that Sigurd was at Re, in a house called Rafnnes, and had 500
men. Then Erling called together his people; told them the news he had
received, and all were eager to hasten their march, fall on them in the
houses, or engage them by night.
Erling replied to them thus:--"It is probable that we and Earl Sigurd
shall soon meet. There are also many men in this band whose handy-work
remains in our memories; such as cutting down King Inge, and so many
more of our friends, that it would take long to reckon them up. These
deeds they did by the power of Satan, by witchcraft, and by villainy;
for it stands in our laws and country rights, that however highly a man
may have been guilty, it shall be called villainy and cowardly murder to
kill him in the night. This band has had its luck hitherto by following
the counsel of men acquainted with witchcraft and fighting by night,
and not in the light of day; and by this proceeding have they been
victorious hitherto over the chiefs whose heads they have laid low
on the earth. Now we have often seen, and proved, how unsuitable and
improper it is to go into battle in the nighttime; therefore let us
rather have before our eyes the example of chiefs better known to us,
and who deserve better to be imitated, and fight by open day in regular
battle array, and not steal upon sleeping men in the night. We have
people enough against them, so few as they are. Let us, therefore, wait
for day and daylight, and keep together in our array in case they attack
us."
Thereafter the whole army sat down. Some opened up bundles of hay, and
made a bed of it for themselves; some sat upon their shields, and thus
waited the daydawn. The weather was raw, and there was a wet snowdrift.