"At Aberdeen, too, I am told, Fell many by our Norsemen bold;Peace was disturbed, and blue swords broke With many a hard and bloody stroke."The next battle was at Hartlepool in the south, with a party of horsemen.The king put them to flight, and seized some ships there.So says Einar: --"At Hartlepool, in rank and row, The king's court-men attack the foe.
The king's sharp sword in blood was red, Blood dropped from every Norse spear-head.
Ravens rejoice o'er the warm food Of English slain, each where he stood;And in the ships their thirst was quenched:
The decks were in the foe's blood drenched."Then he went southwards to England, and had his third battle at Whitby, and gained the victory, and burnt the town.So says Einar: --"The ring of swords, the clash of shields, Were loud in Whitby's peaceful fields;For here the king stirred up the strife.--Man against man, for death or life.
O'er roof and tower, rose on high The red wrath-fire in the sky;House after house the red fiend burns;By blackened walls the poor man mourns."
Thereafter he plundered wide around in England, where Stephen was then the king.After this King Eystein fought with some cavalry at Skarpasker.So says Einar: --"At Skarpasker the English horse Retire before the Norse king's force:
The arrow-shower like snow-drift flew, And the shield-covered foemen slew."He fought next at Pilavik, and gained the victory.So says Einar: --"At Pilavik the wild wolf feeds, Well furnished by the king's brave deeds He poured upon the grass-green plain A red shower from the Perthmen slain.
On westwards in the sea he urges, With fire and sword the country purges:
Langtown he burns; the country rang, For sword on shield incessant clang."Here they burnt Langatun, a large village; and people say that the town has never since risen to its former condition.After this King Eystein left England in autumn, and returned to Norway.
People spoke in various ways about this expedition.
21.OF HARALD'S SONS.
There was good peace maintained in Norway in the first years of the government of Harald's sons; and as long as their old counsellors were alive, there was some kind of unanimity among them.While Inge and Sigurd were in their childhood, they had a court together; but Eystein, who was come to age of discretion, had a court for himself.But when Inge's and Sigurd's counsellors were dead, -- namely, Sadagyrd Bardson, Ottar Birting, Amunde Gyrdson, Thjostolf Alason, Ogmund Svipter, and Ogmund Denger, a brother of Erling Skakke (Erling was not much looked up to while Ogmund lived), -- the two kings, Inge and Sigurd divided their courts.King Inge then got great assistance from Gregorius Dagson, a son of Dag Eilifson by Ragnhild a daughter of Skapte Ogmundson.Gregorius had much property, and was himself a thriving, sagacious man.He presided in the governing the country under King Inge, and the king allowed him to manage his property for him according to his own judgment.
22.HABITS AND MANNERS OF HARALD'S SONS.
When King Sigurd grew up he was a very ungovernable, restless man in every way; and so was King Eystein, but Eystein was the more reasonable of the two.King Sigurd was a stout and strong man, of a brisk appearance; he had light brown hair, an ugly mouth;but otherwise a well-shaped countenance.He was polite in his conversation beyond any man, and was expert in all exercises.
Einar Skulason speaks of this: --
"Sigurd, expert in every way To wield the sword in bloody fray, Showed well that to the bold and brave God always luck and victory gave.
In speech, as well as bloody deeds, The king all other men exceeds;And when he speaks we think that none Has said a word but he alone."King Eystein was dark and dingy in complexion, of middle height, and a prudent able man; but what deprived him of consideration and popularity with those under him were his avarice and narrowness.He was married to Ragna, a daughter of Nicolas Mase.
King Inge was the handsomest among them in countenance.He had yellow but rather thin hair, which was much curled.His stature was small; and he had difficulty in walking alone, because he had one foot withered, and he had a hump both on his back and his breast.He was of cheerful conversation, and friendly towards his friends; was generous, and allowed other chiefs to give him counsel in governing the country.He was popular, therefore, with the public; and all this brought the kingdom and the mass of the people on his side.King Harald Gille's daughter Brigida was first married to the Swedish king Inge Halsteinson, and afterwards to Earl Karl Sonason, and then to the Swedish king Magnus.She and King Inge Haraldson were cousins by the mother's side.At last Brigida married Earl Birger Brose, and they had four sons, namely, Earl Philip, Earl Knut, Folke, and Magnus.
Their daughters were Ingegerd, who was married to the Swedish king Sorkver, and their son was King Jon; a second daughter was called Kristin, and a third Margaret.Harald Gille's second daughter was called Maria, who was married to Simon Skalp, a son of Halkel Huk; and their son was called Nikolas.King Harald Gille's third daughter was called Margaret, who was married to Jon Halkelson, a brother of Simon.Now many things occurred between the brothers which occasioned differences and disputes;but I will only relate what appears to me to have produced the more important events.
23.CARDINAL NIKOLAS COMES TO THE COUNTRY.