heimskringla-第165部分

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tricts；　and　then　Erling　went　there　with　his　people。

When　the　Thing　was　seated　Erling　made　a　speech　in　which　he　explained　the　resolutions　which　had　been　settled　upon　between　him　and　the　Danish　king；　the　first　time　he　collected　troops　against　his　enemies。　　〃I　will；〃　said　Erling；　〃keep　faithfully　the　agreement　which　we　then　entered　into　with　the　king；　if　it　be　your　will　and　consent；　bondes；　rather　to　serve　the　Danish　king　than　the　king　who　is　now　consecrated　and　crowned　king　of　this　country。〃

The　bondes　replied　thus　to　Erling's　speech：　〃Never　will　we　become　the　Danish　king's　men；　as　long　as　one　of　us　Viken　men　is　in　life。〃　　And　the　whole　assembly；　with　shouts　and　cries；　called　on　Erling　to　keep　the　oath　he　had　taken　to　defend　his　son's　dominions；　〃should　we　even　all　follow　thee　to　battle。〃　　And　so　the　Thing　was　dissolved。

The　ambassadors　of　the　Danish　king　then　returned　home；　and　told　the　issue　of　their　errand。　　The　Danes　abused　Erling；　and　all　Northmen；　and　declared　that　evil　only　proceeded　from　them；　and　the　report　was　spread；　that　in　Spring　the　Danish　king　would　send　out　an　army　and　lay　waste　Norway。　　Erling　returned　in　autumn　north　to　Bergen；　stayed　there　all　winter；　and　gave　their　pay　to　his　people。


ENDNOTES：　（1）　　This　reference　to　a　Thing　of　the　people　in　the　affairs　of　　　　　　the　country　is　a　striking　example　of　the　right　of　the　Things　　　　　　being　recognised；　in　theory　at　least；　as　fully　as　the　right　　　　　　of　our　parliaments　in　later　times。　　L。



25。　LETTERS　OF　THE　THRONDHJEM　PEOPLE。

The　same　winter　（A。D。　1165）　some　Danish　people　came　by　land　through　the　Uplands；　saying　they　were　to　go；　as　was　then　the　general　practice；　to　the　holy　King　Olaf's　festival。　　But　when　they　came　to　the　Throndhjem　country；　they　went　to　many　men　of　influence；　and　told　their　business；　which　was；　that　the　Danish　king　had　sent　them　to　desire　their　friendship；　and　consent；　if　he　came　to　the　country；　promising　them　both　power　and　money。　　With　this　verbal　message　came　also　the　Danish　king's　letter　and　seal；　and　a　message　to　the　Throndhjem　people　that　they　should　send　back　their　letters　and　seals　to　him。　　They　did　so；　and　the　most　of　them　received　well　the　Danish　king's　message；　whereupon　the　messengers　returned　back　towards　Lent。　　Erling　was　in　Bergen；　and　towards　spring　Erling's　friends　told　him　the　loose　reports　they　had　heard　by　some　merchant　vessels　that　had　arrived　from　Throndhjem；　that　the　Throndhjem　people　were　in　hostility　openly　against　him；　and　had　declared　that　if　Erling　came　to　Throndhjem；　he　should　never　pass　Agdanes　in　life。　　Erling　said　this　was　mere　folly　and　idle　talk。　　Erling　now　made　it　known　that　he　would　go　to　Unarheim　to　the　Gangdag…thing；　and　ordered　a　cutter　of　twenty　rowing　benches　to　be　fitted　out；　a　boat　of　fifteen　benches；　and　a　provision…ship。　　When　the　vessels　were　ready；　there　came　a　strong　southerly　gale。　　On　the　Thursday　of　the　Ascension　week；　Erling　called　his　people　by　sound　of　trumpet　to　their　departure；　but　the　men　were　loath　to　leave　the　town；　and　were　ill　inclined　to　row　against　the　wind。　　Erling　brought　his　vessels　to　Biskupshafn。　〃Well；〃　said　Erling；　〃since　ye　are　so　unwilling　to　row　against　the　wind；　raise　the　mast；　hoist　the　sails；　and　let　the　ship　go　north。〃　　They　did　so；　and　sailed　northwards　both　day　and　night。　On　Wednesday；　in　the　evening；　they　sailed　in　past　Agdanes；　where　they　found　a　fleet　assembled　of　many　merchant　vessels；　rowing　craft；　and　boats；　all　going　towards　the　town　to　the　celebration　of　the　festival；　　some　before　them；　some　behind　them　　so　that　the　townspeople　paid　no　attention　to　the　long…ships　coming。



26。　ERLING　AND　THE　PEOPLE　OF　THRONDHJEM。

Erling　came　to　the　town　just　as　vespers　was　being　sung　in　Christ　church。　　He　and　his　men　ran　into　the　town；　to　where　it　was　told　them　that　the　lenderman；　Alf　Rode；　a　son　of　Ottar　Birting；　was　still　sitting　at　table；　and　drinking　with　his　men。　　Erling　fell　upon　them；　and　Alf　was　killed；　with　almost　all　his　men。　　Few　other　men　were　killed；　for　they　had　almost　all　gone　to　church；　as　this　was　the　night　before　Christ's　Ascension…day。　　In　the　morning　early；　Erling　called　all　the　people　by　sound　of　trumpet　to　a　Thing　out　upon　Evrar。　　At　the　Thing　Erling　laid　a　charge　against　the　Throndhjem　people；　accusing　them　of　intending　to　betray　the　country；　and　take　it　from　the　king；　and　named　Bard　Standale；　Pal　Andreason；　and　Razabard；　who　then　presided　over　the　town's　affairs；　and　many　others。　　They；　in　their　defence；　denied　the　accusation；　but　Erling's　writer　stood　up；　produced　many　letters　with　seals；　and　asked　if　they　acknowledged　their　seals　which　they　had　sent　to　the　Danish　king；　and　thereupon　the　letters　were　read。　There　was　also　a　Danish　man　with　Erling　who　had　gone　with　the　letters　in　winter；　and　whom　Erling　for　that　purpose　had　taken　into　his　service。　　He　told　to　these　men　the　very　words　which　each　of　them　had　used。　　〃And　you；　Razabard；　spoke；　striking　your　breast；　and　the　very　words　you　used　were；　‘Out　of　this　breast　are　all　these　counsels　produced。'〃　　Bard　replied；　〃I　was　wrong　in　the　head；　sirs；　when　I　spoke　so。〃　　There　was　now　nothing　to　be　done　but　to　submit　the　case　entirely　to　the　sentence　Erling　might　give　upon　it。　　He　took　great　sums　of　money　from　many　as　fines；　and　condemned　all　those　who　had　been　killed　as　lawless；　and　their　deeds　as　lawless；　making　their　deaths　thereby　not　subject　to　mulct。　　Then　Erling　returned　south　to　Bergen。



27。　KING　VALDEMAR'S　EXPEDITION　TO　NORWAY。

The　Danish　king　Valdemar　assembled　in　spring　（A。D。　1165）　a　great　army；　and　proceeded　with　it　north　to　Viken。　　As　soon　as　he　reached　the　dominions　of　the　king　of　Norway；　the　bondes　assembled　in　a　great　multitude。　　The　king　advanced　peacefully；　but　when　they　came　to　the　mainland；　the　people　shot　at　them　even　when　there　were　only　two　or　three　together；　from　which　the　ill…will　of　the　country　people　towards　them　was　evident。　　When　they　came　to　Tunsberg；　King　Valdemar　summoned　a　Hauga…thing；　but　nobody　attended　it　from　the　country　parts。　　Then　Valdemar　spoke　thus　to　his　troops：　〃It　is　evident　that　all　the　country…people　are　against　us；　and　now　we　have　two　things　to　choose：　the　one　to　go　through　the　country；　sword　in　hand；　sparing　neither　man　nor　beast；　the　other　is　to　go　back　without　effecting　our　object。　　And　it　is　more　my　inclination　to　go　with　the　army　to　the　East　against　the　heathens；　of　whom　we　have　enough　before　us　in　the　East　country；　than　to　kill　Christian　people　here；　although　they　have　well　deserved　it。〃　　All　the　others　had　a　greater　desire　for　a　foray；　but　the　king　ruled；　and　they　all　returned　back　to　Denmark　without　effecting　their　purpose。　　They　pillaged；　however；　all　around　in　the　distant　islands；　or　where　the　king　was　not　in　the　neighbourhood。　　They　then　returned　south　to　Denmark　without　doing　anything。



28。　ERLING'S　EXPEDITION　TO　JUTLAND。

As　soon　as　Erling　heard　that　a　Danish　force　had　come　to　Viken；　he　ordered　a　levy　through　all　the　land；　both　of　men　and　ships；　so　that　there　was　a　great　assemblage　of　men　in　arms；　and　with　this　force　he　proceeded　eastward　along　the　coast。　　But　when　he　came　to　Lidandisnes；　he　heard　that　the　Danish　army　had　returned　south　to　Denmark；　after　plundering　all　around　them　in　Viken。　　Then　Erling　gave　all　the　people　of　the　levy　permission　to　return　home；　but　he　himself　and　some　lendermen；　with　many　vessels；　sailed　to　Jutland　after　the　Danes。　　When　they　came　to　a　place　called　Dyrsa；　the　Danes　who　had　returned　from　the　expedition　lay　there　with　many　ships。　　Erling　gave　them　battle；　and　there　was　a　fight；　in　which　the　Danes　soon　fled　with　the　loss　of　many　people；　and　Erling　and　his　men　plundered　the　ships　and　the　town；　and　made　a　great　booty；　with　which　they　returned　to　Norway。　　Thereafter；　for　a　time；　there　was　hostility　between　Norway　and　Denmark。



29。　ERLING'S　EXPEDITION　TO　DENMARK。

The　princess　Krisfin　went　south　in　autumn　（A。D。　1165）　to　Denmark；　to　visit　her　relation　King　Valdemar；　who　was　her　cousin。　　The　king　received　her　kindly；　and　gave　her　fiefs　in　his　kingdom；　so　that　she　could　support　her　household　well。　　She　often　conversed　with　the　king；　who　was　remarkably　kind　towards　her。　　In　the　spring　following　（A。D。　1166）　Kristin　sent　to　Erling；　and　begged　him　to　pay　a　visit　to　the　Danish　king；　and　enter　into　a　peace　with　him。　　In　summer　Erling　was　in　Viken；　where　he　fitted　out　a　long…ship；　manned　it　with　his　finest　lads；　and　sailed　（a　single　ship）　over　to　Jutland。　　When　he　heard　that　the　Danish　king　Valdemar　was　in　Randaros；　Erling　sailed　thither；　and　came　to　the　town　just　as　the　king　sat　at　the　dinner…table；　and　most　of　the　people　were　taking　their　meal。　　When　his　people　had　made　themselves　ready　according　to　Erling's　orders；　set　up　the　ship…tents；　and　made　fast　the　ship；　Erling　landed　with　twelve　men；　all　in　armour；　with　hats　over　their　helmets；　and　swords　under　their　cloaks。　　They　went　to　the　king's　lodging；　where　the　doors　stood　open；　and　the　dishes　were　being　carried　in。　　Erling　and　his　people　went　in　immediately；　and　drew　up　in　front　of　the　high…seat。　　Erling　said；　〃Peace　and　safe　conduct　we　desire；　king；　both　here　and　to　return　home。〃

The　king　looked　at　him；　and　said；　〃Art　thou　here；　Erling？〃

He　replies；　〃Here　is　Erling；　and　tell　us；　at　once；　if　we　shall　have　peace　and　safe　conduct。〃

There　were　eighty　of　the　king's　men　in　the　room；　but　all　unarmed。　The　king　replies；　〃Peace　ye　shall　have；　Erling；　according　to　thy　desire；　for　I　will　not　use　force　or　villainy　against　a　man　who　comes　to　visit　me。〃

Erling　then　kissed　the　king's　hand；　went　out；　and　down　to　his　ship。　　Erling　stayed　at　Randaros　some　time　with　the　king；　and　they　talked　about　terms　of　peace　between　them　and　between　the　countries。　　They　agreed　that　Erling　should　remain　as　hostage　with　the　Danish　king；　and　that　Asbjorn　Snara；　Bishop　Absalon's　brother；　should　go　to　Norway　as　hostage　on　the　other　part。　



30。　KING　VALDEMAR　AND　ERLING。

In　a　conference　which　King　Valdemar　and　Erling　once　had　together。　Erling　said；　〃Sire；　it　appears　to　me　likely　that　it　might　lead　to　a　peace　between　the　countries　if　you　got　that　part　of　Norway　which　was　promised　you　in　our　agreement；　but　if　it　should　be　so；　what　chief　would　you　place　over　it？　　Would　he　be　a　Dane？〃

〃No；〃　replied　the　king；　〃no　Danish　chief　would　go　to　Norway；　where　he　would　have　to　m