THE SLAYING OF EARL RÖGNVALD.
WHEN Earl Rögnvald had been an Earl two-and-twenty winters from the time
that Earl Paul was taken prisoner, the Earls went over to Caithness
during the latter part of the summer as usual, and when they came to
Thórsá they heard a rumour to the effect that Thorbiörn was there in
hiding with not a few men, and that he intended to attack them if he had
an opportunity. Then the Earls called men together, and went with a
hundred men, twenty of whom were on horseback and the rest on foot. In
the evening they went up into the valley,[442] and took up their
quarters for the night. When they were sitting by the fire in the
evening, Earl Rögnvald sneezed very much. Earl Harald said: “That was a
loud sneeze, kinsman.” In the morning they went along the valley.
During the day Earl Rögnvald rode always ahead of his men, and a man
with him called Asólf, and another by name Jómar, his kinsman. They rode
five together along Kálfadal; and when they came to the farm, farmer
Höskuld was on the top of a corn-stack piling up the corn, which his
servants brought to him. Earl Harald was some distance behind. When
Höskuld recognised Earl Rögnvald, he saluted him by name, and asked for
news, speaking very loud, so that he could be heard far away. This was a
short distance from the sitting-room of the house. The homestead stood
on an eminence, and one had to go through narrow and very steep passages
up to it. Thorbiörn was at this farm, and was sitting indoors drinking.
The passages led to the end of the house close to the gable, which had a
door filled loosely with stones. Thorbiörn and his men, hearing the
words of Höskuld when he saluted Earl Rögnvald, seized their weapons,
pushed the stones from the concealed door, and ran out. Thorbiörn ran
round the gable, and on to the wall of the passage. The Earl was then
close to the door. Thorbiörn struck at him, and Asólf warded off the
blow with his hand, and it was cut off; and then the sword touched the
Earl’s chin, inflicting a great wound.
On receiving the blow Asólf said: “Let them serve the Earl better who
have to thank him for greater gifts.” He was then eighteen winters old,
and had lately entered the Earl’s service.
Earl Rögnvald was going to jump off his horse, and his foot stuck fast
in the stirrup. At that moment Stefán arrived and stabbed him with a
spear; and Thorbiörn wounded him again; but Jómar stabbed Thorbiörn in
the thigh, the spear entering the bowels. Then Thorbiörn and his men ran
behind the homestead, and down a steep bank, into a wet morass. Then
Earl Harald and his men arrived and met Thorbiörn. They recognised each
other, and the Earl’s men, when they knew his intentions, advised to
pursue him; but Earl Harald dissuaded them from it, saying that he
wished to wait for Earl Rögnvald’s opinion, “Because,” said he, “I am
very intimately connected with Thorbiörn, as you know, both through
relationship and other ties.”
Those who were with Earl Rögnvald stood sorrowing over his dead body,
and some time passed before Earl Harald heard the news. Thorbiörn and
his men had got out on the bog, and across the moss-hag running along
it. But through the urgency of the Earl’s followers, he and his men ran
down to the bog, and they met at the moss-hag—the two parties standing
one on either side. Thorbiörn’s party defended themselves from the bank,
and his followers ran to his assistance from the neighbouring
homesteads, until they were fifty in number. They defended themselves
bravely, for they had a strong position. The moss-hag was both deep and
broad, and the bog was soft; so they could only hurl spears at each
other. Thorbiörn told his men to throw none back; and when the Earl’s
party had exhausted their missiles they spoke to each other, and
Thorbiörn called to Earl Harald, saying, “Kinsman! I wish to ask you to
give me quarter, and I am willing to leave the decision of this case
entirely in your hands. I will reserve nothing which may contribute to
your honour. I also think, kinsman, you must remember that there have
been quarrels in which you would not have made such a difference between
Earl Rögnvald and me that you would have killed me for having done this
deed, when he had you under his thumb, and left you no more power than
if you had been his page; but I gave you the best gifts, and endeavoured
to further your honour in every way I could. The deed which I have
committed is indeed a great crime, and weighs heavily upon me, but the
whole of his dominions revert to you. You may also know that Earl
Rögnvald intended for me the same fate which he met at my hands. And I
suspect, kinsman, that if it had so happened that I were dead, and Earl
Rögnvald alive, you would not have quarrelled with him; and yet you wish
to take away my life.”
Thorbiörn urged his case with many fair words, and many pleaded for him,
and begged that quarter might be given him. And at last, when so many
pleaded, the Earl began to listen to them.
Then Magnus, the son of Gunni, Hávard’s son, a chief and a kinsman of
the Earl’s, and the noblest born of Earl Harald’s followers, took speech
as follows:—“We are not able to counsel you, Earl, after these great
deeds, but I shall tell you what will be said if quarter is given to
Thorbiörn when he has done such a deed, and even dared to say to your
face, almost in so many words, that he has done this wickedness in your
interest, or for your honour; and it will be an everlasting shame and
dishonour to you and to all the Earl’s kinsmen if he is not avenged. I
think Earl Rögnvald’s friends will believe it to be the truth that for a
long time you have been planning his death, and that it is your plan
which has now been accomplished. Do you think he will acquit you from
complicity in his guilt when he has to defend himself; since no one says
a word for you when he tells you to your face that he has committed this
crime in your interest? And how can you better confirm this suspicion
than by now granting him peace? I have resolved, for my part, never to
give him quarter, if any doughty men are willing to follow me, whether
you like it or not.”
His brother Thorstein, and Hákon, and Swein, Hróald’s son, spoke to the
same effect. Then they left the Earl and went along by the moss-hag,
trying to find a place where they might cross.
When Thorbiörn saw Magnus and his followers walking along the moss-hag,
he said: “Now, I suppose, they must have disagreed in their counsels;
the Earl has wished to give me peace, and Magnus has spoken against it.”
While they were thus talking, Thorbiörn and his men went farther away
from the moss-hag.
Harald’s party stood on the brink, and when he saw that no quarter would
be given, he leapt across in full armour, though it was nine ells[443]
broad. His followers leapt after him, but none of them were able to leap
so far; and most of them caught the bank and crawled up out of the mud.
Thorbiörn’s men urged him to advance against Magnus and his men, and
decide the matter with them; but he said: “I think the best plan is,
that each of you do what he thinks likely to be best, but I shall go to
Earl Harald.”
Most of his men dissuaded him from this, and begged him rather to flee
to the woods and save himself. He did not, however, accept that advice.
Then his followers left him, and tried to save themselves in various
ways, and at last there were eight men only with Thorbiörn. When he saw
that Earl Harald had crossed the ditch, he went to him and fell on his
knees, saying that he brought his head to him. Many of the Earl’s men
asked that peace might be given him; and the Earl said: “Save yourself,
Thorbiörn; I have not the heart to kill you.”
While they were talking, they moved down the valley along
Kalfadalsá,[444] and Magnus’s party pursued them. When the Earl saw it,
he said: “Save yourself, Thorbiörn, I will not fight for you against my
men.” Then Thorbiörn and his men left the Earl’s party, and went to some
deserted shielings called Asgrím’s ærgin.[445] Magnus’s party pursued
them, and set the buildings on fire immediately. Thorbiörn and his men
defended themselves bravely; and when the buildings began to fall down
with the burning, they went out and were attacked by the other party
with their weapons, as soon as they could reach them. They were already
very much exhausted by the fire, and fell there all nine. When
Thorbiörn’s wounds were examined, it was found that the intestines
protruded through the wound inflicted by Jómar. Earl Harald led his men
down the valley, but those who were with Magnus went to Fors (Forss),
wrapped up Earl Rögnvald’s body, and brought it down to Thórsá.