When the Thing was seated Erling made a speech in which he explained the resolutions which had been settled upon between him and the Danish king, the first time he collected troops against his enemies."I will," said Erling, "keep faithfully the agreement which we then entered into with the king, if it be your will and consent, bondes, rather to serve the Danish king than the king who is now consecrated and crowned king of this country."The bondes replied thus to Erling's speech: "Never will we become the Danish king's men, as long as one of us Viken men is in life." And the whole assembly, with shouts and cries, called on Erling to keep the oath he had taken to defend his son's dominions, "should we even all follow thee to battle." And so the Thing was dissolved.
The ambassadors of the Danish king then returned home, and told the issue of their errand.The Danes abused Erling, and all Northmen, and declared that evil only proceeded from them; and the report was spread, that in Spring the Danish king would send out an army and lay waste Norway.Erling returned in autumn north to Bergen, stayed there all winter, and gave their pay to his people.
ENDNOTES:
(1) This reference to a Thing of the people in the affairs of the country is a striking example of the right of the Things being recognised, in theory at least, as fully as the right of our parliaments in later times.-- L.
25.LETTERS OF THE THRONDHJEM PEOPLE.
The same winter (A.D.1165) some Danish people came by land through the Uplands, saying they were to go, as was then the general practice, to the holy King Olaf's festival.But when they came to the Throndhjem country, they went to many men of influence, and told their business; which was, that the Danish king had sent them to desire their friendship, and consent, if he came to the country, promising them both power and money.With this verbal message came also the Danish king's letter and seal, and a message to the Throndhjem people that they should send back their letters and seals to him.They did so, and the most of them received well the Danish king's message; whereupon the messengers returned back towards Lent.Erling was in Bergen; and towards spring Erling's friends told him the loose reports they had heard by some merchant vessels that had arrived from Throndhjem, that the Throndhjem people were in hostility openly against him; and had declared that if Erling came to Throndhjem, he should never pass Agdanes in life.Erling said this was mere folly and idle talk.Erling now made it known that he would go to Unarheim to the Gangdag-thing; and ordered a cutter of twenty rowing benches to be fitted out, a boat of fifteen benches, and a provision-ship.When the vessels were ready, there came a strong southerly gale.On the Thursday of the Ascension week, Erling called his people by sound of trumpet to their departure; but the men were loath to leave the town, and were ill inclined to row against the wind.Erling brought his vessels to Biskupshafn.
"Well," said Erling, "since ye are so unwilling to row against the wind, raise the mast, hoist the sails, and let the ship go north." They did so, and sailed northwards both day and night.
On Wednesday, in the evening, they sailed in past Agdanes, where they found a fleet assembled of many merchant vessels, rowing craft, and boats, all going towards the town to the celebration of the festival, -- some before them, some behind them -- so that the townspeople paid no attention to the long-ships coming.
26.ERLING AND THE PEOPLE OF THRONDHJEM.
Erling came to the town just as vespers was being sung in Christ church.He and his men ran into the town, to where it was told them that the lenderman, Alf Rode, a son of Ottar Birting, was still sitting at table, and drinking with his men.Erling fell upon them; and Alf was killed, with almost all his men.Few other men were killed; for they had almost all gone to church, as this was the night before Christ's Ascension-day.In the morning early, Erling called all the people by sound of trumpet to a Thing out upon Evrar.At the Thing Erling laid a charge against the Throndhjem people, accusing them of intending to betray the country, and take it from the king; and named Bard Standale, Pal Andreason, and Razabard, who then presided over the town's affairs, and many others.They, in their defence, denied the accusation; but Erling's writer stood up, produced many letters with seals, and asked if they acknowledged their seals which they had sent to the Danish king; and thereupon the letters were read.
There was also a Danish man with Erling who had gone with the letters in winter, and whom Erling for that purpose had taken into his service.He told to these men the very words which each of them had used."And you, Razabard, spoke, striking your breast; and the very words you used were, `Out of this breast are all these counsels produced.'" Bard replied, "I was wrong in the head, sirs, when I spoke so." There was now nothing to be done but to submit the case entirely to the sentence Erling might give upon it.He took great sums of money from many as fines, and condemned all those who had been killed as lawless, and their deeds as lawless; making their deaths thereby not subject to mulct.Then Erling returned south to Bergen.
27.KING VALDEMAR'S EXPEDITION TO NORWAY.
