Frirek Keina and Bjarne the Bad, Onund Simonson and Ornolf Skorpa had rowed out to sea with some ships, and sailed outside along the land to the east.Wheresoever they came to the land they plundered, and killed Erling's friends.Now when Erling heard that Sigurd and Markus were killed, he gave leave to the lendermen and people of the levy to return home; but he himself, with his men, set his course eastward across the Folden fjord, for he heard of Markus's men there.Erling sailed to Konungahella, where he remained the autumn; and in the first week of winter Erling went out to the island Hising with his men, and called the bondes to a Thing.When the Hising people came to the Thing, Erling laid his law-suit against them for having joined the bands of Sigurd and Markus, and having raised men against him.Assur was the name of one of the greatest of the bondes on the island, and he answered Erling on account of the others.The Thing was long assembled; but at the close the bondes gave the case into Erling's own power, and he appointed a meeting in the town within one week, and named fifteen bondes who should appear there.When they came, he condemned them to pay a penalty of 300head of cattle; and the bondes returned home ill pleased at this sentence.Soon after the Gaut river was frozen, and Erling's ships were fast in the ice; and the bondes kept back the mulct, and lay assembled for some time.Erling made a Yule feast in the town; but the Hising people had joint-feasts with each other, and kept under arms during Yule.The night after the fifth day of Yule Erling went up to Hising, surrounded Assur's house, and burnt him in it.He killed one hundred men in all, burnt three houses, and then returned to Konungahella.The bondes came then, according to agreement, to pay the mulct.
20.DEATH OF FRIREK KEINA AND BJARNE.
Erling Skakke made ready to sail in spring as soon as he could get his ships afloat for ice, and sailed from Konungahella; for he heard that those who had formerly been Markus's friends were marauding in the north of Viken.Erling sent out spies to learn their doings, searched for them, and found them lying in a harbour.Onund Simonson and Ornolf Skorpa escaped, but Frirek Keina and Bjarne the Bad were taken, and many of their followers were killed.Erling had Frirek bound to an anchor and thrown overboard; and for that deed Erling was much detested in the Throndhjem country, for the most powerful men there were relatives of Frirek.Erling ordered Bjarne the Bad to be hanged;and he uttered, according to his custom, many dreadful imprecations during his execution.Thorbjorn Skakkaskald tells of this business: --"East of the Fjord beyond the land, Unnoticed by the pirate band, Erling stole on them ere they knew, And seized and killed all Keina's crew.
Keina, fast to an anchor bound, Was thrown into the deep-blue Sound;And Bjarne swung high on gallows-tree, A sight all good men loved to see."Onund and Ornolf, with the band that had escaped, fled to Denmark; but were sometimes in Gautland, or in Viken.
21.CONFERENCE BETWEEN ERLING AND EYSTEIN.
Erling Skakke sailed after this to Tunsberg, and remained there very long in spring (A.D.1164); but when summer came he proceeded north to Bergen, where at that time a great many people were assembled.There was the legate from Rome, Stephanus; the Archbishop Eystein, and other bishops of the country.There was also Bishop Brand, who was consecrated bishop of Iceland, and Jon Loptson, a daughter's son of King Magnus Barefoot; and on this occasion King Magnus and Jon's other relations acknowledged the relationship with him.
Archbishop Eystein and Erling Skakke often conversed together in private; and, among other things, Erling asked one day, "Is it true, sir, what people tell me, that you have raised the value of the ore upon the people north in Throndhjem, in the law cases in which money-fees are paid you ?""It is so," said the archbishop, "that the bondes have allowed me an advance on the ore of law casualties; but they did it willingly, and without any kind of compulsion, and have thereby added to their honour for God and the income of the bishopric."Erling replies, "Is this according to the law of the holy Olaf?