heimskringla-第144部分

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it　was　true。　　He　stood　up；　and　observed　that　he　was　loose。　　Now　said　his　fellow…prisoners；　this　would　help　him　but　little；　for　the　door　was　locked　both　on　the　inside　and　on　the　outside。　　Then　an　old　man　who　sat　there　in　a　deplorable　condition　put　in　his　word；　and　told　him　not　to　doubt　the　mercy　of　the　man　who　had　loosened　his　chains；　〃For　he　has　wrought　this　miracle　on　thee　that　thou　shouldst　enjoy　his　mercy；　and　hereafter　be　free；　without　suffering　more　misery　and　torture。　　Make　haste；　then；　and　seek　the　door；　and　if　thou　are　able　to　slip　out；　thou　art　saved。〃

He　did　so；　found　the　door　open；　slipped　out；　and　away　to　the　forest。　　As　soon　as　the　Vindland　people　were　aware　of　this　they　set　loose　the　dogs；　and　pursued　him　in　great　haste；　and　the　poor　man　lay　hid；　and　saw　well　where　they　were　following　him。　　But　now　the　hounds　lost　the　trace　when　they　came　nearer；　and　all　the　eyes　that　sought　him　were　struck　with　a　blindness；　so　that　nobody　could　find　him；　although　he　lay　before　their　feet；　and　they　all　returned　home；　vexed　that　they　could　not　find　him。　　King　Olaf　did　not　permit　this　man's　destruction　after　he　had　reached　the　forest；　and　restored　him　also　to　his　health　and　hearing；　for　they　had　so　long　tortured　and　beaten　him　that　he　had　become　deaf。　　At　last　he　came　on　board　of　a　ship；　with　two　other　Christian　men　who　had　been　long　afflicted　in　that　country。　　All　of　them　worked　zealously　in　this　vessel；　and　so　had　a　successful　flight。　　Then　he　repaired　to　the　holy　man's　house；　strong　and　fit　to　bear　arms。　Now　he　was　vexed　at　his　vow；　went　from　his　promise　to　the　holy　king；　ran　away　one　day；　and　came　in　the　evening　to　a　bonde　who　gave　him　lodging　for　God's　sake。　　Then　in　the　night　he　saw　three　girls　coming　to　him；　and　handsome　and　nobly　dressed　were　they。　They　spoke　to　him　directly；　and　sharply　reprimanded　him　for　having　been　so　bold　as　to　run　from　the　good　king　who　had　shown　so　much　compassion　to　him；　first　in　freeing　him　from　his　irons；　and　then　from　the　prison；　and　yet　he　had　deserted　the　mild　master　into　whose　service　he　had　entered。　　Then　he　awoke　full　of　terror；　got　up　early；　and　told　the　house…father　his　dream。　　The　good　man　had　nothing　so　earnest　in　life　as　to　send　him…back　to　the　holy　place。　　This　miracle　was　first　written　down　by　a　man　who　himself　saw　the　man；　and　the　marks　of　the　chains　upon　his　body。



40。　KING　SIGURD　MARRIES　CECILIA。

In　the　last　period　of　King　Sigurd's　life；　his　new　and　extraordinary　resolution　was　whispered　about；　that　he　would　be　divorced　from　his　queen；　and　would　take　Cecilia；　who　was　a　great　man's　daughter；　to　wife。　　He　ordered　accordingly　a　great　feast　to　be　prepared；　and　intended　to　hold　his　wedding　with　her　in　Bergen。　Now　when　Bishop　Magne　heard　this；　he　was　very　sorry；　and　one　day　the　bishop　goes　to　the　king's　hall；　and　with　him　a　priest　called　Sigurd；　who　was　afterwards　bishop　of　Bergen。　　When　they　came　to　the　king's　hall；　the　bishop　sent　the　king　a　message　that　he　would　like　to　meet　him；　and　asked　the　king　to　come　out　to　him。　　He　did　so；　and　came　out　with　a　drawn　sword　in　his　hand。　　He　received　the　bishop　kindly　and　asked　him　to　go　in　and　sit　down　to　table　with　him。

The　bishop　replies；　〃I　have　other　business　now。　　Is　it　true；　sire；　what　is　told　me；　that　thou　hast　the　intention　of　marrying；　and　of　driving　away　thy　queen；　and　taking　another　wife？〃

The　king　said　it　was　true。

Then　the　bishop　changed　countenance；　and　angrily　replied；　〃How　can　it　come　into　your　mind；　sire；　to　do　such　an　act　in　our　bishopric　as　to　betray　God's　word　and　law；　and　the　holy　church？　It　surprises　me　that　you　treat　with　such　contempt　our　episcopal　office；　and　your　own　royal　office。　　I　will　now　do　what　is　my　duty；　and　in　the　name　of　God；　of　the　holy　King　Olaf；　of　Peter　the　apostle；　and　of　the　other　saints；　forbid　thee　this　wickedness。〃

While　he　thus　spoke　he　stood　straight　up；　as　if　stretching　out　his　neck　to　the　blow；　as　if　ready　if　the　king　chose　to　let　the　sword　fall；　and　the　priest　Sigurd。　who　afterwards　was　bishop；　has　declared　that　the　sky　appeared　to　him　no　bigger　than　a　calf's　skin；　so　frightful　did　the　appearance　of　the　king　present　itself　to　him。　　The　king　returned　to　the　hall；　however；　without　saying　a　word；　and　the　bishop　went　to　his　house　and　home　so　cheerful　and　gay　that　he　laughed；　and　saluted　every　child　on　his　way；　and　was　playing　with　his　fingers。　　Then　the　priest　Sigurd　asked　him　the　reason；　saying；　〃Why　are　you　so　cheerful；　sir？　　Do　you　not　consider　that　the　king　may　be　exasperated　against　you？　　and　would　it　not　be　better　to　get　out　of　the　way？〃

Then　said　the　bishop；　〃It　appears　to　me　more　likely　that　he　will　not　act　so；　and　besides；　what　death　could　be　better；　or　more　desirable；　than　to　leave　life　for　the　honour　of　God？　　or　to　die　for　the　holy　cause　of　Christianity　and　our　own　office；　by　preventing　that　which　is　not　right？　　I　am　so　cheerful　because　I　have　done　what　I　ought　to　do。〃

There　was　much　noise　in　the　town　about　this。　　The　king　got　ready　for　a　journey；　and　took　with　him　corn；　malt　and　honey。　　He　went　south　to　Stavanger；　and　prepared　a　feast　there　for　his　marriage　with　Cecilia。　　When　a　bishop　who　ruled　there　heard　of　this　he　went　to　the　king；　and　asked　if　it　were　true　that　he　intended　to　marry　in　the　lifetime　of　the　queen。

The　king　said　it　was　so。

The　bishop　answers；　〃If　it　be　so；　sire；　you　must　know　how　much　such　a　thing　is　forbidden　to　inferior　persons。　　Now　it　appears　as　if　you　thought　it　was　allowable　for　you；　because　you　have　great　power；　and　that　it　is　proper　for　you；　although　it　is　against　right　and　propriety；　but　I　do　not　know　how　you　will　do　it　in　our　bishopric；　dishonouring　thereby　God's　command；　the　holy　Church；　and　our　episcopal　authority。　　But　you　must　bestow　a　great　amount　of　gifts　and　estates　on　this　foundation；　and　thereby　pay　the　mulct　due　to　God　and　to　us　for　such　transgression。〃

Then　said　the　king；　〃Take　what　thou　wilt　of　our　possessions。　　Thou　art　far　more　reasonable　than　Bishop　Magne。〃

Then　the　king　went　away；　as　well　pleased　with　this　bishop　as　ill　pleased　with　him　who　had　laid　a　prohibition　on　him。　　Thereafter　the　king　married　the　girl；　and　loved　her　tenderly。



41。　IMPROVEMENT　OF　KONUNGAHELLA。

King　Sigurd　improved　the　town　of　Konungahella　so　much；　that　there　was　not　a　greater　town　in　Norway　at　the　time；　and　he　remained　there　long　for　the　defence　of　the　frontiers。　　He　built　a　king's　house　in　the　castle；　and　imposed　a　duty　on　all　the　districts　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　town；　as　well　as　on　the　townspeople；　that　every　person　of　nine　years　of　age　and　upwards　should　bring　to　the　castle　five　missile　stones　for　weapons；　or　as　many　large　stakes　sharp　at　one　end　and　five　ells　long。　　In　the　castle　the　king　built　a　cross…church　of　timber；　and　carefully　put　together；　as　far　as　regards　the　wood　and　other　materials。　　The　cross…church　was　consecrated　in　the　24th　year　of　King　Sigurd's　reign　（A。D。　1127）。　　Here　the　king　deposited　the　piece　of　the　holy　cross；　and　many　other　holy　relics。　　It　was　called　the　castle　church；　and　before　the　high　altar　he　placed　the　tables　he　had　got　made　in　the　Greek　country；　which　were　of　copper　and　silver；　all　gilt；　and　beautifully　adorned　with　jewels。　　Here　was　also　the　shrine　which　the　Danish　king　Eirik　Eimune　had　sent　to　King　Sigurd；　and　the　altar　book；　written　with　gold　letters；　which　the　patriarch　had　presented　to　King　Sigurd。



42。　KING　SIGURD'S　DEATH。

Three　years　after　the　consecration　of　the　cross…church；　when　King　Sigurd　was　stopping　at　Viken；　he　fell　sick　（A。D。　1130）。　　He　died　the　night　before　Mary's…mass　（August　15）；　and　was　buried　in　Halvard's　church；　where　he　was　laid　in　the　stone　wall　without　the　choir　on　the　south　side。　　His　son　Magnus　was　in　the　town　at　the　time　and　took　possession　of　the　whole　of　the　king's　treasury　when　King　Sigurd　died。　　Sigurd　had　been　king　of　Norway　twenty…seven　years　（A。D。　1104…1130）；　and　was　forty　years　of　age　when　he　died。　The　time　of　his　reign　was　good　for　the　country；　for　there　was　peace；　and　crops　were　good。



SAGA　OF　MAGNUS　THE　BLIND　AND　OF　HARALD　GILLE。


PRELIMINARY　REMARKS

An　age　of　conflict　now　begins　in　Norway。　　On　his　death；　in　1130；　Sigurd　left　his　son　Magnus　and　his　brother　Harald。　　They　soon　divided　the　government；　and　then　entered　upon　a　five…years'　conflict；　until　Magnus；　in　1135；　with　eyes　picked　out；　went　into　a　convent。

The　next　year；　1136；　a　new　pretender　appeared　in　the　person　of　Sigurd　Slembe；　who　took　King　Harald's　life　in　1137。　　Magnus　died　in　1139。

Other　literature　in　regard　to　this　epoch　is　〃Fagrskinna〃　and　〃Morkinskinna〃。　　The　corresponding　part　of　〃Agrip〃　is　lost。

Skalds　quoted　are：　Haldor　Skvaldre；　Einar　Skulason；　and　Ivar　Ingemundson。



1。　MAGNUS　AND　HARALD　PROCLAIMED　KINGS。

King　Sigurd's　son　Magnus　was　proclaimed　in　Oslo　king　of　all　the　country　immediately　after　his　father's　death；　according　to　the　oath　which　the　whole　nation　had　sworn　to　King　Sigurd；　and　many　went　into　his　service；　and　many　became　his　lendermen。　　Magnus　was　the　handsomest　man　then　in　Norway；　of　a　passionate　temper；　and　cruel；　but　distinguished　in　bodily　exercises。　　The　favour　of　the　people　he　owed　most　to　the　respect　for　his　father。　　He　was　a　great　drinker；　greedy　of　money；　hard；　and　obstinate。

Harald　Gille；　on　the　other　hand；　was　very　pleasing　in　intercourse；　gay；　and　full　of　mirth；　and　so　generous　that　he　spared　in　nothing　for　the　sake　of　his　friends。　　He　willingly　listened　to　good　advice；　so　that　he　allowed　others　to　consult　with　him　and　give　counsel。　With　all　this　he　obtained　favour　and　a　good　repute；　and　many　men　attached　themselves　as　much　to　him　as　to　King　Magnus。　　Harald　was　in　Tunsberg　when　he　heard　of　his　brother　King　Sigurd's　death。　　He　called　together　his　friends　to　a　meeting；　and　it　was　resolved　to　hold　the　Hauga　Thing　（1）　there　in　the　town。　　At　this　Thing；　Harald　was　chosen　king　of　half　the　country；　and　it　was　called　a　forced　oath　which　had　been　taken　from　him　to　renounce　his　paternal　heritage。　　Then　Harald　formed　a　court；　and　appointed　lendermen；　and　very　soon　he　had　as　many　people　about　him　as　King　Magnus。　　Then　men　went　between　them；　and　matters　stood　in　this　way　for　seven　days；　but　King　Magnus；　finding　he　had　fewer　people；　was　obliged　to　give　way；　and　to　divide　the　kingdom　with　Harald　into　two　parts。　　The　kingdom　accordingly　was　so　div