Heimskringla, or the Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Part 71

Up hill and down the horses scour, Carrying the Danes from Nors.e.m.e.n's power."

King Magnus drove with fire and sword through the land. So says Thiodolf:--

"And now the Nors.e.m.e.n storm along, Following their banner in a throng: King Magnus' banner flames on high, A star to guide our roaming by.

To Lund, o'er Scania's peaceful field, My shoulder bore my useless s.h.i.+eld; A fairer land, a better road, As friend or foe, I never trod."

They began to burn the habitations all around, and the people fled on every side. So says Thiodolf:--

"Our ice-cold iron in great store, Our arms, beside the king we bore: The Scanian rogues fly at the view Of men and steel all sharp and true.

Their timbered houses flame on high, Red flas.h.i.+ng over half the sky; The blazing town flings forth its light, Lighting the cowards on their flight."

And he also sang:--

"The king o'er all the Danish land Roams, with his fire-bringing band: The house, the hut, the farm, the town, All where men dwelt is burned down.

O'er Denmark's plains and corn-fields, Meadows and moors, are seen our s.h.i.+elds: Victorious over all, we chase Svein's wounded men from place to place.

"Across Fiona's moor again, The paths late trodden by our men We tread once more, until quite near, Through morning mist, the foes appear.

Then up our numerous banners flare In the cold early morning air; And they from Magnus' power who fly Cannot this quick war-work deny."

Then Svein fled eastwards along Scania, and King Magnus returned to his s.h.i.+ps, and steered eastwards also along the Scanian coast, having got ready with the greatest haste to sail. Thiodolf sings thus about it:--

"No drink but the salt sea On board our s.h.i.+ps had we, When, following our king, On board our s.h.i.+ps we spring.

Hard work on the salt sea, Off Scania's coast, had we; But we laboured for the king, To his foemen death to bring."

Svein fled to Gautland, and then sought refuge with the Swedish king, with whom he remained all winter (A.D. 1046), and was treated with great respect.

ENDNOTES: (1) s.h.i.+p.--L.

(2) This was the name of Saint Olaf's sword, which Magnus had recovered.--L.

35. OF KING MAGNUS'S CAMPAIGN.

When King Magnus had subdued Scania he turned about, and first went to Falster, where he landed, plundered, and killed many people who had before submitted to Svein. Arnor speaks of this:--

"A b.l.o.o.d.y vengeance for their guile King Magnus takes on Falster Isle; The treacherous Danes his fury feel, And fall before his purpled steel.

The battle-field is covered o'er, With eagle's prey from sh.o.r.e to sh.o.r.e; And the king's courtmen were the first To quench with blood the raven's thirst."

Thereafter Magnus with his fleet proceeded to the isle of Fyen, went on land, plundered, and made great devastation. So says Arnor, the earls'

skald:--

"To fair Fiona's gra.s.sy sh.o.r.e His banner now again he bore: He who the mail-s.h.i.+rt's linked chains Severs, and all its l.u.s.tre stains,-- He will be long remembered there, The warrior in his twentieth year, Whom their black ravens from afar Saluted as he went to war."

36. OF KING MAGNUS'S BATTLES.

King Magnus remained in Denmark all that winter (A.D. 1046), and sat in peace. He had held many battles, and had gained the victory in all. So says Od Kikinaskald:--

"'Fore Michaelmas was struck the blow, That laid the Vindland vikings low; And people learned with joy to hear The clang of arms, and leaders' cheer.

Short before Yule fell out the day, Southward of Aros, where the fray, Though not enough the foe to quell, Was of the bloodiest men can tell."

And Arnor says:--

"Olaf's avenger who can sing?

The skald cannot o'ertake the king, Who makes the war-bird daily drain The corpse-blood of his foemen slain.

Four battles won within a year,-- Breaker of s.h.i.+elds! with swords and spear, And hand to hand, exalt thy fame Above the kings of greatest name."

King Magnus had three battles with Svein Ulfson. So says Thiodolf:--

"To our brave Throndhjem sovereign's praise The skald may all his skaldcraft raise; For fortune, and for daring deed, His song will not the truth exceed.

After three battles to regain What was his own, unjustly ta'en, Unjustly kept, and dues denied, He levied dues in red-blood dyed."

37. OF KING MAGNUS, AND THORFIN AND RAGNVALD, EARLS OF ORKNEY.

While King Magnus the Good, a son of King Olaf the Saint, ruled over Norway, as before related, the Earl Ragnvald Brusason lived with him.

Earl Thorfin Sigurdson, the uncle of Ragnvald, ruled then over Orkney.

King Magnus sent Ragnvald west to Orkney, and ordered that Thorfin should let him have his father's heritage. Thorfin let Ragnvald have a third part of the land along with him; for so had Erase, the father of Ragnvald, had it at his dying day. Earl Thorfin was married to Ingebjorg, the earl-mother, who was a daughter of Fin Arnason. Earl Ragnvald thought he should have two-thirds of the land, as Olaf the Saint had promised to his father Bruse, and as Bruse had enjoyed as long as Olaf lived. This was the origin of a great strife between these relations, concerning which we have a long saga. They had a great battle in Pentland Firth, in which Kalf Arnason was with Earl Thorfin. So says Bjarne Gullbrarskald:--

"Thy cutters, das.h.i.+ng through the tide, Brought aid to Earl Thorfin's side, Fin's son-in-law, and people say Thy aid made Bruse's son give way.

Kalf, thou art fond of warlike toil, Gay in the strife and b.l.o.o.d.y broil; But here 'twas hate made thee contend Against Earl Ragnvald, the king's friend."

38. OF KING MAGNUS'S LETTER TO ENGLAND.

King Magnus ruled then both over Denmark and Norway; and when he had got possession of the Danish dominions he sent amba.s.sadors over to England to King Edward, who brought to him King Magnus's letter and seal. And in this letter there stood, along with a salutation from King Magnus, these words:--"Ye must have heard of the agreement which I and Hardaknut made,--that he of us two who survived the other should have all the land and people which the deceased had possessed. Now it has so turned out, as ye have no doubt heard, that I have taken the Danish dominions as my heritage after Hardaknut. But before he departed this life he had England as well as Denmark; therefore I consider myself now, in consequence of my rights by this agreement, to own England also. Now I will therefore that thou deliver to me the kingdom; otherwise I will seek to take it by arms, both from Denmark and Norway; and let him rule the land to whom fate gives the victory."

39. KING EDWARD'S ANSWER TO KING MAGNUS'S LETTER.

Now when King Edward had read this letter, he replied thus: "It is known to all men in this country that King Ethelred, my father, was udal-born to this kingdom, both after the old and new law of inheritance. We were four sons after him; and when he by death left the throne my brother Edmund took the government and kingdom; for he was the oldest of us brothers, and I was well satisfied that it was so. And after him my stepfather, Canute the Great, took the kingdom, and as long as he lived there was no access to it. After him my brother Harald was king as long as he lived; and after him my brother Hardaknut took the kingdoms both of Denmark and England; for he thought that a just brotherly division that he should have both England and Denmark, and that I should have no kingdom at all. Now he died, and then it was the resolution of all the people of the country to take me for king here in England. So long as I had no kingly t.i.tle I served only superiors in all respects, like those who had no claims by birth to land or kingdom. Now, however, I have received the kingly t.i.tle, and am consecrated king. I have established my royal dignity and authority, as my father before me; and while I live I will not renounce my t.i.tle. If King Magnus come here with an army, I will gather no army against him; but he shall only get the opportunity of taking England when he has taken my life. Tell him these words of mine." The amba.s.sadors went back to King Magnus, and told him the answer to their message. King Magnus reflected a while, and answered thus: "I think it wisest, and will succeed best, to let King Edward have his kingdom in peace for me, and that I keep the kingdoms G.o.d has put into my hands."

SAGA OF HARALD HARDRADE.

PRELIMINARY REMARKS.