The Sagas of Olaf Tryggvason and of Harald The Tyrant (Harald Haardraade) Part 22

But the man of Magnus's s.h.i.+p who was hight Thormod Eindridison, when he heard the name of 'Kodransbane,' ran to Hall and gave him his death-blow.

Kodran was the son of Gudmund Elyolfson, and Valgerd that was sister to Gudmund was the mother of Jurunn, Thormod's mother.

Thormod was a winter old when Kodran was slain, and never had he set eyes on Hall Utryggson before this time.

By this, then, the ice was broken away even so far as the lake and Magnus brought his s.h.i.+p out, & got under way forthwith, and sailed west across the lake; but the King's s.h.i.+p which was the uppermost in the channel came out the last. Now Hall had been of the fellows.h.i.+p of the King and was very dear to him, and the King was exceeding wroth, so that when he came latest into haven he found that Magnus had already helped the murderer to the forest, though he offered atonement for him, would he have gone against Magnus and his folk, had not the friends of both brought about their appeas.e.m.e.nt.

-- King Harald fared up to Raumariki this winter, and to him was a large host.

And he bore cases against the peasants for the keeping back from him of dues and taxes, and for inciting his enemies to strife against him.

And some of the peasants caused he to be taken, and some he maimed and others killed and others he deprived of all their possessions.

Those who could get away fled, but the King burned the countrysides wide about and laid them waste. Thus saith Thiodolf:

'Waster of isle-dwellers Hard hands laid on Raumfolk, Steadily on the ranks Of Harald went, as I trow.

Fire did requite them; But the chief commanded, And high flames poor peasants To obedience led.'

-- After this fared King Harald up to Heidmark and there burned, and did no less war-work than has been writ afore. From thence fared he to Ringariki, there burned, and went everywhere with the war-s.h.i.+eld aloft.

Thus saith Thiodolf:

'Burned were the fell folk's steads, Roofwards the red fire flamed.

Hit did the lord of chiefs The Heiners with hard stones.

For their lives the sufferers craved; So great a hurt the flames The men of Ringariki wrought Or ever the fire was stayed.'

-- After this gave the peasants the whole matter into the hands of the King.

-- After the death of King Magnus were spent fifteen winters ere the battle of the Niz, and after that two winters or ever Harald and Svein made peace. Thus saith Thiodolf:

'The prince of the Hords (Brought peace the third year was made) The strife to an end; on The strand steel hit the s.h.i.+elds.'

-- After this peace-making endured the war of the King with the Uplanders three half-years. Thus saith Thiodolf:

'Hard of the King's work 'tis In seemly wise to speak When to have idle ploughs The upland men he taught.

The chieftain wise hath honour won These three half-years Which ever will be minded.'

-- Edward, the son of Ethelred, was King of England after his brother Hordaknut; he was hight Edward 'the Good' and right good he was.

The mother to King Edward was Queen Emma, the daughter of Richard, the Rouen-Earl; and her brother was Earl Robert, the mother of William the b.a.s.t.a.r.d, who was at that time duke of Rouen in Normandy. King Edward was wedded to Queen Gyda,-- the daughter of Earl G.o.dwin & he was the son of Wolfnoth. The brothers to Gyda were: the eldest Earl Tosti, the second Earl Morcar, the third Earl Walthiof, the fourth Earl Svein, and fifthly Harald. Now Harald was the youngest and was brought up at the court of King Edward and was his foster-son, and the King loved him very greatly and eyed him ever as his own son, for the King was childless.

-- It befell one summer that Harald the son of G.o.dwin had to go a journey to Bretland (Wales) and fared he on a s.h.i.+p, but after they had set sail sprang up a contrary wind & they were driven out to sea.[--]

They made land westward in Normandy after undergoing a perilous storm.

And putting into the town of Rouen found they there Earl William, who received Harald and his travelling companions joyfully, and Harald tarried there in good cheer for long during the autumn, for the tempests continued to blow and it was not weather for sailing out at sea. As winter was approaching spoke the Earl and Harald together concerning the dwelling of Harald there throughout the winter. Now Harald sat in the high-seat on one side of the Earl and on the other side of him sat the Earl's wife, and fairer was she than any other woman whom men had seen.

Harald and she would hold converse together all the time that the cups were going round, and when the Earl retired to rest, as he did betimes, Harald would sit long talking with the wife to the Earl, and so fared things for a long time during the winter.

Once when they were talking together said she: 'Now hath the Earl spoken with me hereon, and asked what it is we twain ever talk about, and now is he wroth.' Harald answered: 'We will forthwith let him know all our conversations.'

The day thereafter Harald called the Earl to speak with him, & went they to the council-chamber where were also the Earl's wife and their councillors.

Then Harald spoke the first and said: 'This must I inform thee, Earl, that there is more in my coming hither than I have revealed to thee: I desire to ask the hand of thy daughter, and have oft-times spoken of this my wish to her mother, and she hath given me her word to support me in this matter with thee.'

When Harald had made known his desire, all those who were present received the news with gladness and supported it with the Earl, and this matter was brought to end by the maid being betrothed to Harald; but since she was young some winters' delay were agreed upon before the time of bridal.

-- When spring came, equipped Harald his s.h.i.+p and sailed away, and he and the Earl parted in full friends.h.i.+p.

And Harald fared to England, to King Edward, and returned no more to Valland to claim the marriage. King Edward ruled over England for twenty-four winters, & died a straw death in London, None Janurii (5th January); he was interred in St. Paul's Church-- and the English call him sainted.

The sons of Earl G.o.dwin in those days were the most powerful men in England. Tosti had been made captain over the host of the King, and warden of the land when the King began to wax old; and he had been placed over all other Earls.

His brother Harald was ever within the court the next man to the King in all service, & his duty had been to guard the treasure of the King.-- It is recorded by men that as the King was approaching to his end was Harald near by, and few other men, and Harald leant over the King and said: 'I call all of ye to witness that the King gave me but now the kingdom, and all might in England.' Then was the King borne dead from out his bed. That same day there was a meeting of lords and the taking of a King was discussed, and Harald then let his witnesses testify that King Edward on his death-day had given him the kingdom.

This meeting ended in such fas.h.i.+on that Harald was hailed as King & consecrated with royal consecration in St. Paul's Church on the 13th day;-- when all lords and folk swore fealty to him.

But when his brother, Earl Tosti, heard what had befallen, liked he it no whit, for thought he himself to be equally near the King.

'I desire,' quoth he, 'that the lords of the land choose him for King whom they deem best fitted therefor.' And such like words went between the brothers.

King Harald declared that he would not give up the kingdom for he had been throned in that city which had been the King's, and had been thereafter anointed and consecrated with royal consecration; with him also sided the mult.i.tude, and he had moreover all the treasure of the dead King.

-- Now when King Harald became aware that his brother Tosti desired to oust him from the kingdom believed he but ill in him, for Tosti was a very wise man and a great warrior, and was full friendly, to boot, with the lords of the land.

So Harald deprived him from command of the host, and of all the power he had had aforetime more than other earls-- there in the land. And Earl Tosti, who by no means would suffer himself to be the serving-man to his brother, fared away with his men, and so south to Flanders across the sea, and tarried there a while before faring to Friesland & thence to Denmark, to his kinsman King Svein. Earl Ulf the father to King Svein and Gyda that was mother to Tosti, were brother and sister. The Earl craved the aid of King Svein and men for his a.s.sistance, and King Svein bade him come to him & told him that he should have an earl's realm in Denmark, such as would make him a seemly chief in that country. The Earl answered thus: 'My desire is to fare back to England, to my heritage; but if I am given no a.s.sistance for that purpose from thee, King, then would I liefer make a pact to afford thee all the support I can procure in England, an thou wilt take the Danish hosts thither and conquer the land, even as thy mother's brother Knut (Canute) conquered it.'

The King answered: 'So much less a man am I than my kinsman King Knut that I have hard work to hold the Danish realm against the Norwegians.

Knut the Old gat his Danish kingdom by inheritance but won England by warfare and strife, yet nevertheless at one time seemed he like to lose his life thereby. Norway gat he without battle.

Now would I liefer keep within compa.s.s according to my smaller conditions than a.s.say to rival the success of my kinsman Knut.' Then said Tosti the Earl: 'Lesser is my errand hither than I had thought for; I deemed not that thou, a bold man, wouldst let me go in need. It may be that I am seeking friends.h.i.+p where it is not meet to seek it. But natheless it may hap that I find a chief who is less afeared of great ventures than thou art, King.' Thereafter they parted, the King and the Earl, and were not very well of one accord.

-- Tosti the Earl now turned him another way: he fared onward to Norway, to King Harald who was in Vik, and when they met the Earl made he known his mission to the King, recounting to him all concerning his journey since he had left England. And he craved help of the King so that he might regain his dominions in England.

But the King said as followeth: that the Norwegians had no wish to fare to England and harry with an English chief over them; 'folk deem,' said he, 'that the English are not full trustworthy.' The Earl answered: 'I wonder if it is sooth, that which I have heard men say in England, to wit, that thy kinsman King Magnus despatched men to King Edward, with the message that he, Magnus, owned England with no less right than Denmark, that he inherited it from Hordaknut (Hardicanute) and that the pact was ratified by their oaths?' The King answered: 'Why did he not have it if he owned it?' The Earl said: 'Why hast thou not Denmark even as King Magnus had it before thee?' The King answered: 'Little have the Danes to plume themselves on above us Norwegians, for many a hole have we burnt in those kinsmen of thine.'

Then said the Earl: 'Though thou wilt not tell me yet can I, nevertheless, tell thee how it was King Magnus took possession of Denmark, to wit, was it because the lords of the land there helped him, but thou gat it not because all the people of the land were against thee. King Magnus fought not to gain England because all the people desired to have Edward for their King. If thou wishest to conquer England then can I bring it about that many of the lords there will be thy friends and supporters, for nothing lack I against my brother Harald save the name of King. All men know that there has never been born in the northlands a warrior such as thou art.