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g　those　whom　they　were　burning　within　the　house。　　Some　escaped；　but　many　were　killed。　　Asbjorn　Jalda；　who　had　been　a　very　great　viking；　escaped　from　the　house；　but　was　grievously　wounded。　　A　bonde　met　him；　and　he　offered　the　man　money　to　let　him　get　away；　but　the　bonde　replied；　he　would　do　what　he　liked　best；　and；　adding　that　he　had　often　been　in　fear　of　his　life　for　him；　he　slew　him。　　King　Hakon　and　Sigurd　escaped；　but　many　of　their　people　were　killed。　　Thereafter　Gregorius　returned　home　to　Konungahella。　　Soon　after　King　Hakon　and　Sigurd　went　to　Haldor　Brynjolfson's　farm　of　Vettaland；　set　fire　to　the　house；　and　burnt　it。　　Haldor　went　out；　and　was　cut　down　instantly　with　his　house…　men；　and　in　all　there　were　about　twenty　men　killed。　　Sigrid；　Haldor's　wife；　was　a　sister　of　Gregorius；　and　they　allowed　her　to　escape　into　the　forest　in　her　night…shift　only；　but　they　took　with　them　Amunde；　who　was　a　son　of　Gyrd　Amundason　and　of　Gyrid　Dag's　daughter；　and　a　sister's　son　of　Gregorius；　and　who　was　then　a　boy　about　five　years　old。



14。　OF　THE　FALL　OF　GREGORIUS　DAGSON。

When　Gregorius　heard　the　news　he　took　it　much　to　heart；　and　inquired　carefully　where　they　were。　　Gregorius　set　out　from　Konungahella　late　in　Yule；　and　came　to　Fors　the　thirteenth　day　of　Yule；　where　he　remained　a　night；　and　heard　vespers　the　last　day　of　Yule；　which　was　a　Saturday；　and　the　holy　Evangel　was　read　before　him。　　When　Gregorius　and　his　followers　saw　the　men　of　King　Hakon　and　Sigurd；　the　king's　force　appeared　to　them　smaller　than　their　own。　　There　was　a　river　called　Befia　between　them；　where　they　met；　and　there　was　unsound　ice　on　the　river；　for　there　went　a　stream　under　the　ice　from　it。　　King　Hakon　and　his　men　had　cut　a　rent　in　the　ice；　and　laid　snow　over　it；　so　that　nobody　could　see　it。　　When　Gregorius　came　to　the　ice　on　the　river　the　ice　appeared　to　him　unsound；　he　said；　and　he　advised　the　people　to　go　to　the　bridge；　which　was　close　by；　to　cross　the　river。　　The　bonde…troops　replied；　that　they　did　not　know　why　he　should　be　afraid　to　go　across　the　ice　to　attack　so　few　people　as　Hakon　had；　and　the　ice　was　good　enough。　　Gregorius　said　it　was　seldom　necessary　to　encourage　him　to　show　bravery；　and　it　should　not　be　so　now。　　Then　he　ordered　them　to　follow　him；　and　not　to　be　standing　on　the　land　while　he　was　on　the　ice；　and　he　said　it　was　their　council　to　go　out　upon　the　dangerous　ice；　but　he　had　no　wish　to　do　so；　or　to　be　led　by　them。　　Then　he　ordered　the　banner　to　be　advanced；　and　immediately　went　out　on　the　ice　with　the　men。　　As　soon　as　the　bondes　found　that　the　ice　was　unsound　they　turned　back。　　Gregorius　fell　through　the　ice；　but　not　very　deep；　and　he　told　his　men　to　take　care。　　There　were　not　more　than　twenty　men　with　him；　the　others　having　turned　back。　　A　man　of　King　Hakon's　troop　shot　an　arrow　at　Gregorius；　which　hit　him　under　the　throat；　and　thus　ended　his　life。　　Gregorius　fell；　and　ten　men　with　him。　　It　is　the　talk　of　all　men　that　he　had　been　the　most　gallant　lenderman　in　Norway　that　any　man　then　living　could　remember；　and　also　he　behaved　the　best　towards　us　Icelanders　of　any　chief　since　King　Eystein　the　Elder's　death。　　Gregorius's　body　was　carried　to　Hofund；　and　interred　at　Gimsey　Isle；　in　a　nunnery　which　is　there；　of　which　Gregorius's　sister；　Baugeid；　was　then　the　abbess。



15。　KING　INGE　HEARS　OF　GREGORIUS'S　FALL。

Two　bailiffs　went　to　Oslo　to　bring　the　tidings　to　King　Inge。　　When　they　arrived　they　desired　to　speak　to　the　king：　and　he　asked；　what　news　they　brought。

〃Gregorius　Dagson's　death；〃　said　they。

〃How　came　that　misfortune？〃　asked　the　king。

When　they　had　told　him　how　it　happened；　he　said；　〃They　gave　advice　who　understood　the　least。〃

It　is　said　he　took　it　so　much　to　heart　that　he　cried　like　a　child。　　When　he　recovered　himself　he　said；　〃I　wanted　to　go　to　Gregorius　as　soon　as　I　heard　of　Haldor's　murder；　for　I　thought　that　Gregorius　would　not　sit　long　before　thinking。　of　revenge。　But　the　people　here　would　think　nothing　so　important　as　their　Yule　feasts；　and　nothing　could　move　them　away；　and　I　am　confident　that　if　I　had　been　there；　he　would　either　have　proceeded　more　cautiously；　or　I　and　Gregorius　would　now　have　shared　one　lodging。　Now　he　is　gone；　the　man　who　has　been　my　best　friend；　and　more　than　any　other　has　kept　the　kingdom　in　my　hands；　and　I　think　it　will　be　but　a　short　space　between　us。　　Now　I　make　an　oath　to　go　forth　against　Hakon；　and　one　of　two　things　shall　happen：　I　shall　either　come　to　my　death；　or　shall　walk　over　Hakon　and　his　people；　and　such　a　man　as　Gregorius　is　not　avenged；　even　if　all　were　to　pay　the　penalty　of　their　lives　for　him。〃

There　was　a　man　present　who　replied；　〃Ye　need　not　seek　after　them；　for　they　intend　to　seek　you。〃

Kristin；　King　Sigurd's　daughter　and　King　Inge's　cousin；　was　then　in　Oslo。　　The　king　heard　that　she　intended　going　away。　　He　sent　a　message　to　her　to　inquire　why　she　wished　to　leave　the　town。

She　thought　it　was　dangerous　and　unsafe　for　a　female　to　be　there。　　The　king　would　not　let　her　go。　〃For　if　it　go　well　with　me；　as　I　hope；　you　will　be　well　here；　and　if　I　fall；　my　friends　may　not　get　leave　to　dress　my　body；　but　you　can　ask　permission；　and　it　will　not　be　denied　you；　and　you　will　thereby　best　requite　what　I　have　done　for　you。〃



16。　OF　KING　INGE。

On　Saint　Blasius'　day　（February　3；　1161）；　in　the　evening；　King　Inge's　spies　brought　him　the　news　that　King　Hakon　was　coming　towards　the　town。　　Then　King　Inge　ordered　the　war…horns　to　call　together　all　the　troops　up　from　the　town；　and　when　he　drew　them　up　he　could　reckon　them　to　be　nearly　4000　men。　　The　king　let　the　array　be　long；　but　not　more　than　five　men　deep。　　Then　some　said　that　the　king　should　not　be　himself　in　the　battle；　as　they　thought　the　risk　too　great；　but　that　his　brother　Orm　should　be　the　leader　of　the　army。　　The　king　replied；　〃I　think　if　Gregorius　were　alive　and　here　now；　and　I　had　fallen　and　was　to　be　avenged；　he　would　not　lie　concealed；　but　would　be　in　the　battle。　　Now；　although　I；　on　account　of　my　ill　health；　am　not　fit　for　the　combat　as　he　was；　yet　will　I　show　as　good　will　as　he　would　have　had；　and　it　is　not　to　be　thought　of　that　I　should　not　be　in　the　battle。〃

People　say　that　Gunhild；　who　was　married　to　Simon；　King　Hakon's　foster…brother；　had　a　witch　employed　to　sit　out　all　night　and　procure　the　victory　for　Hakon；　and　that　the　answer　was　obtained；　that　they　should　fight　King　Inge　by　night；　and　never　by　day；　and　then　the　result　would　be　favourable。　　The　witch　who；　as　people　say；　sat　out　was　called　Thordis　Skeggia；　but　what　truth　there　may　be　in　the　report　I　know　not。

Simon　Skalp　had　gone　to　the　town；　and　was　gone　to　sleep；　when　the　war…shouts　awoke　him。　　When　the　night　was　well　advanced；　King　Inge's　spies　came　to　him；　and　told　him　that　King　Hakon　and　his　army　were　coming　over　the　ice；　for　the　ice　lay　the　whole　way　from　the　town　to　Hofud　Isle。



17。　KING　INGE'S　SPEECH。

Thereupon　King　Inge　went　with　his　army　out　on　the　ice；　and　he　drew　it　up　in　order　of　battle　in　front　of　the　town。　　Simon　Skalp　was　in　that　wing　of　the　array　which　was　towards　Thraelaberg；　and　on　the　other　wing；　which　was　towards　the　Nunnery；　was　Gudrod；　the　king　of　the　South　Hebudes；　a　son　of　Olaf　Klining；　and　Jon；　a　son　of　Svein　Bergthor　Buk。　　When　King　Hakon　and　his　army　came　near　to　King　Inge's　array；　both　sides　raised　a　war…shout。　　Gudrod　and　Jon　gave　King　Hakon　and　his　men　a　sign；　and　let　them　know　where　they　were　in　the　line；　and　as　soon　as　Hakon's　men　in　consequence　turned　thither；　Gudrod　immediately　fled　with　1500　men；　and　Jon；　and　a　great　body　of　men　with　him；　ran　over　to　King　Hakon's　army；　and　assisted　them　in　the　fight。　　When　this　news　was　told　to　King　Inge；　he　said；　〃Such　is　the　difference　between　my　friends。　　Never　would　Gregorius　have　done　so　in　his　life！〃　　There　were　some　who　advised　King　Inge　to　get　on　horseback；　and　ride　from　the　battle　up　to　Raumarike；　〃where；〃　said　they；　〃you　would　get　help　enough；　even　this　very　day。〃　　The　king　replied；　he　had　no　inclination　to　do　so。　　〃I　have　heard　you　often　say；　and　I　think　truly；　that　it　was　of　little　use　to　my　brother；　King　Eystein；　that　he　took　to　flight；　and　yet　he　was　a　man　distinguished　for　many　qualities　which　adorn　a　king。　　Now　I；　who　labour　under　so　great　decrepitude；　can　see　how　bad　my　fate　would　be；　if　I　betook　myself　to　what　proved　so　unfortunate　for　him；　with　so　great　a　difference　as　there　is　between　our　activity；　health；　and　strength。　　I　was　in　the　second　year　of　my　age　when　I　was　chosen　king　of　Norway；　and　I　am　now　twenty…five；　and　I　think　I　have　had　misfortune　and　sorrow　under　my　kingly　dignity；　rather　than　pleasure　and　peaceful　days。　I　have　had　many　battles；　sometimes　with　more；　sometimes　with　fewer　people；　and　it　is　my　greatest　luck　that　I　have　never　fled。　God　will　dispose　of　my　life；　and　of　how　long　it　shall　be；　but　I　shall　never　betake　myself　to　flight。〃



18。　KING　INGE'S　FALL。

Now　as　Jon　and　his　troop　had　broken　the　one　wing　of　King　Inge's　array；　many　of　those　who　were　nearest　to　him　fled；　by　which　the　whole　array　was　dispersed；　and　fell　into　disorder。　　But　Hakon　and　his　men　went　briskly　forwards；　and　now　it　was　near　daybreak。　　An　assault　was　made　against　King　Inge's　banner；　and　in　this　conflict　King　Inge　fell；　but　his　brother　Orm　continued　the　battle；　while　many　of　the　army　fled　up　into　the　town。　　Twice　Orm　went　to　the　town　after　the　king's　fall　to　encourage　the　people；　and　both　times　returned；　and　went　out　again　upon　the　ice　to　continue　the　battle。　　Hakon's　men　attacked　the　wing　of　the　array　which　Simon　Skalp　led；　and　in　that　assault　fell　of　King　Inge's　men　his　brother…in…law；　Gudbrand　Skafhogson。　　Simon　Skalp　and　Halvard　Hikre　went　against　each　other　with　their　troops；　and　fought　while　they　drew　aside　past　Thraelaberg；　and　in　this　conflict　both　Simon　and　Halvard　fell。　　Orm；　the　king's　brother；　gained　great　reputation　in　this　battle；　but　he　at　last　fled。　　Orm　the　winter　before　had　been　contracted　with　Ragna；　a　daughter　of　Nikolas　Mase；　who　had　been　married　before　to　King　Eystein　Haraldson；　and　the　wedding　was　fixed　for　the　Sunday　after　Saint　Blasius's　mass；　which　was　on　a　Friday。　　Orm　fled　east　to　Svithjod；　where　his　brother　Magnus　was　then　king；　and　their　brother　Ragnvald　was　an　earl　there　at　that　time。　　They　were　the　sons　of　Queen　Ingerid　and　Henrik　Halte；　who　was　a