Heimskringla, or the Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Part 54

178. KING OLAF'S COUNSELS.

The news came to Norway that King Canute had a.s.sembled an immense armament through all Denmark, with which he intended to conquer Norway.

When this became known the people were less willing to join King Olaf, and he got but little aid from the bondes. The king's men often spoke about this among themselves. Sigvat tells of it thus:--

"Our men are few, our s.h.i.+ps are small, While England's king is strong in all; But yet our king is not afraid-- O! never be such king betrayed!

'Tis evil counsel to deprive Our king of countrymen to strive To save their country, sword in hand: Tis money that betrays our land."

The king held meetings with the men of the court, and sometimes House-things with all his people, and consulted with them what they should, in their opinion, undertake. "We must not conceal from ourselves," said he, "that Canute will come here this summer; and that he has, as ye all know, a large force, and we have at present but few men to oppose to him; and, as matters now stand, we cannot depend much on the fidelity of the country people." The king's men replied to his speech in various ways; but it is said that Sigvat the skald replied thus, advising flight, as treachery, not cowardice, was the cause of it:--

"We may well fly, when even our foe Offers us money if we go.

I may be blamed, accused of fear; But treachery, not faith, rules here.

Men may retire who long have shown Their faith and love, and now alone Retire because they cannot save-- This is no treachery in the brave."

179. HAREK OF THJOTTA BURNS GRANKEL AND HIS MEN.

The same spring (A.D. 1028) it happened in Halogaland that Harek of Thjotta remembered how Asmund Grankelson had plundered and beaten his house-servants. A cutter with twenty rowing-benches, which belonged to Harek, was afloat in front of the house, with tent and deck, and he spread the report that he intended to go south to Throndhjem. One evening Harek went on board with his house-servants, about eighty men, who rowed the whole night; and he came towards morning to Grankel's house, and surrounded it with his men. They then made an attack on the house, and set fire to it; and Grankel with his people were burnt, and some were killed outside; and in all about thirty men lost their lives.

After this deed Harek returned home, and sat quietly in his farm. Asmund was with King Olaf when he heard of it; therefore there was n.o.body in Halogaland to sue Harek for mulct for this deed, nor did he offer any satisfaction.

180. KING CANUTE'S EXPEDITION TO NORWAY.

Canute the Great collected his forces, and went to Limfjord. When he was ready with his equipment he sailed from thence with his whole fleet to Norway; made all possible speed, and did not land to the eastward of the Fjords, but crossed Folden, and landed in Agder, where he summoned a Thing. The bondes came down from the upper country to hold a Thing with Canute, who was everywhere in that country accepted as king. Then he placed men over the districts, and took hostages from the bondes, and no man opposed him. King Olaf was in Tunsberg when Canute's fleet sailed across the mouth of the fjord. Canute sailed northwards along the coast, and people came to him from all the districts, and promised him fealty.

He lay a while in Egersund, where Erling Skjalgson came to him with many people, and King Canute and Erling renewed their league of friends.h.i.+p.

Among other things, Canute promised Erling the whole country between Stad and Rygiarbit to rule over. Then King Canute proceeded; and, to be short in our tale, did not stop until he came to Throndhjem, and landed at Nidaros. In Throndhjem he called together a Thing for the eight districts, at which King Canute was chosen king of all Norway. Th.o.r.er Hund, who had come with King Canute from Denmark, was there, and also Harek of Thjotta; and both were made sheriffs of the king, and took the oath of fealty to him. King Canute gave them great fiefs, and also right to the Lapland trade, and presented them besides with great gifts. He enriched all men who were inclined to enter into friendly accord with him both with fiefs and money, and gave them greater power than they had before.

181. OF KING CANUTE.

When King Canute had laid the whole of Norway trader his authority, he called together a numerous Thing, both of his own people and of the people of the country; and at it he made proclamation, that he made his relation Earl Hakon the governor-in-chief of all the land in Norway that he had conquered in this expedition. In like manner he led his son Hardaknut to the high-seat at his side, gave him the t.i.tle of king, and therewith the whole Danish dominion. King Canute took as hostages from all lendermen and great bondes in Norway either their sons, brothers, or other near connections, or the men who were dearest to them and appeared to him most suitable; by which he, as before observed, secured their fidelity to him. As soon as Earl Hakon had attained this power in Norway his brother-in-law, Einar Tambaskelfer, made an agreement with him, and received back all the fiefs he formerly had possessed while the earls ruled the country. King Canute gave Einar great gifts, and bound him by great kindness to his interests; and promised that Einar should be the greatest and most important man in Norway, among those who did not hold the highest dignity, as long as he had power over the country. He added to this, that Einar appeared to him the most suitable man to hold the highest t.i.tle of honour in Norway if no earls remained, and his son Eindride also, on account of his high birth. Einar placed a great value on these promises, and, in return, promised the greatest fidelity.

Einar's chiefs.h.i.+p began anew with this.

182. OF THORARIN LOFTUNGA.

There was a man by name Thorarin Loftunga, an Icelander by birth, and a great skald, who had been much with the kings and other great chiefs. He was now with King Canute the Great, and had composed a flock, or short poem, in his praise. When the king heard of this he was very angry, and ordered him to bring the next day a drapa, or long poem, by the time he went to table; and if he failed to do so, said the king, "he shall be hanged for his impudence in composing such a small poem about King Canute." Thorarin then composed a stave as a refrain, which he inserted in the poem, and also augmented it with several other strophes or verses. This was the refrain:--

"Canute protects his realm, as Jove, Guardian of Greece, his realm above."

King Canute rewarded him for the poem with fifty marks of silver. The poem was called the "Headransom" ("Hofudlausn"). Thorarin composed another poem about King Canute, which was called the "Campaign Poem"

("Togdrapa"); and therein he tells King Canute's expedition when he sailed from Denmark to Norway; and the following are strophes from one of the parts of this poem:--

"Canute with all his men is out, Under the heavens in war-s.h.i.+ps stout,-- 'Out on the sea, from Limfjord's green, My good, my brave friend's fleet is seen.

The men of Adger on the coast Tremble to see this mighty host: The guilty tremble as they spy The victor's fleet beneath the sky.

"The sight surpa.s.ses far the tale, As glacing in the sun they sail; The king's s.h.i.+p glittering all with gold, And splendour there not to be told.

Round Lister many a coal-black mast Of Canute's fleet is gliding past.

And now through Eger sound they ride, Upon the gently heaving tide.

"And all the sound is covered o'er With s.h.i.+ps and sails, from sh.o.r.e to sh.o.r.e, A mighty king, a mighty host, Hiding the sea on Eger coast.

And peaceful men in haste now hie Up Hiornagla-hill the fleet to spy, As round the ness where Stad now lies Each high-stemmed s.h.i.+p in splendour flies.

"Nor seemed the voyage long, I trow, To warrior on the high-built bow, As o'er the ocean-mountains riding The land and hill seem past him gliding.

With whistling breeze and flas.h.i.+ng spray Past Stein the gay s.h.i.+ps dashed away; In open sea, the southern gale Filled every wide out-bellying sail.

"Still on they fly, still northward go, Till he who conquers every foe, The mighty Canute, came to land, Far in the north on Throndhjem's strand.

There this great king of Jutland race, Whose deeds and gifts surpa.s.s in grace All other kings, bestowed the throne Of Norway on his sister's son.

"To his own son he gave the crown (This I must add to his renown) Of Denmark--land of shadowy vales, In which the white swan trims her sails."

Here it is told that King Canute's expedition was grander than saga can tell; but Thorarin sang thus because he would pride himself upon being one of King Canute's retinue when he came to Norway.

183. OF THE MESSENGERS SENT BY KING OLAF FOR HIS s.h.i.+PS.

The men whom King Olaf had sent eastwards to Gautland after his s.h.i.+ps took with them the vessels they thought the best, and burnt the rest.

The s.h.i.+p-apparel and other goods belonging to the king and his men they also took with them; and when they heard that King Canute had gone to Norway they sailed west through the Sound, and then north to Viken to King Olaf, to whom they delivered his s.h.i.+ps. He was then at Tunsberg.

When King Olaf learnt that King Canute was sailing north along the coast, King Olaf steered with his fleet into Oslo fjord, and into a branch of it called Drafn, where he lay quiet until King Canute's fleet had sailed southwards again. On this expedition which King Canute made from the North along the coast, he held a Thing in each district, and in every Thing the country was bound by oath in fealty to him, and hostages were given him. He went eastward across the mouths of the fjords to Sarpsborg, and held a Thing there, and, as elsewhere, the country was surrendered to him under oath of fidelity. King Canute then returned south to Denmark, after having conquered Norway without stroke of sword, and he ruled now over three kingdoms. So says Halvard Hareksblese when he sang of King Canute:--

"The warrior-king, whose blood-stain'd s.h.i.+eld Has shone on many a hard-fought field, England and Denmark now has won, And o'er three kingdoms rules alone.

Peace now he gives us fast and sure, Since Norway too is made secure By him who oft, in days of yore, Glutted the hawk and wolf with gore."

184. OF KING OLAF IN HIS PROCEEDINGS.

King Olaf sailed with his s.h.i.+ps out to Tunsberg, as soon as he heard that King Canute had turned back, and was gone south to Denmark. He then made himself ready with the men who liked to follow him, and had then thirteen s.h.i.+ps. Afterwards he sailed out along Viken; but got little money, and few men, as those only followed him who dwelt in islands, or on outlying points of land. The king landed in such places, but got only the money and men that fell in his way; and he soon perceived that the country had abandoned him. He proceeded on according to the winds. This was in the beginning of winter (A.D. 1029). The wind turned very late in the season in their favour, so that they lay long in the Seley islands, where they heard the news from the North, through merchants, who told the king that Erling Skjalgson had collected a great force in Jadar, and that his s.h.i.+p lay fully rigged outside of the land, together with many other vessels belonging to the bondes; namely, skiffs, fisher-yachts, and great row-boats. Then the king sailed with his fleet from the East, and lay a while in Egersund. Both parties heard of each other now, and Erling a.s.sembled all the men he could.

185. OF KING OLAF'S VOYAGE.

On Thomasmas, before Yule (Dec. 21), the king left the harbour as soon as day appeared. With a good but rather strong gale he sailed northwards past Jadar. The weather was rainy, with dark flying clouds in the sky.

The spies went immediately in through the Jadar country when the king sailed past it; and as soon as Erling heard that the king was sailing past from the East, he let the war-horn call all the people on board, and the whole force hastened to the s.h.i.+ps, and prepared for battle. The king's s.h.i.+p pa.s.sed by Jadar at a great rate; but thereafter turned in towards the land, intending to run up the fjords to gather men and money. Erling Skjalgson perceived this, and sailed after him with a great force and many s.h.i.+ps. Swiftly their vessels flew, for they had nothing on board but men and arms: but Erling's s.h.i.+p went much faster than the others; therefore he took in a reef in the sails, and waited for the other vessels. Then the king saw that Erling with his fleet gained upon him fast; for the king's s.h.i.+ps were heavily laden, and were besides water-soaked, having been in the sea the whole summer, autumn, and winter, up to this time. He saw also that there would be a great want of men, if he should go against the whole of Erling's fleet when it was a.s.sembled. He hailed from s.h.i.+p to s.h.i.+p the orders to let the sails gently sink, and to uns.h.i.+p the booms and outriggers, which was done.

When Erling saw this he calls out to his people, and orders them to get on more sail. "Ye see," says he, "that their sails are diminis.h.i.+ng, and they are getting fast away from our sight." He took the reef out of the sails of his s.h.i.+p, and outsailed all the others immediately; for Erling was very eager in his pursuit of King Olaf.