Saga of Magnus the Good

19. OF KING MAGNUS OLAFSON.

When King Magnus Olafson heard of Hardaknut's death, he
immediately sent people south to Denmark, with a message to the
men who had bound themselves by oath to the peace and agreement
which was made between King Magnus and Hardaknut, and reminded
them of their pledge. He added, as a conclusion, that in summer
(A.D. 1042.) he would come with his army to Denmark to take
possession of his Danish dominions, in terms of the agreement, or
to fall in the field with his army. So says Arnor, the earls'
skald: --

"Wise were the words, exceeding wise,
Of him who stills the hungriest cries
Of beasts of prey -- the earl's lord;
And soon fulfilled will be his word:
`With his good sword he'll Denmark gain,
Or fall upon a bloody plain;
And rather than give up his cause,
Will leave his corpse to raven's claws.'"

20. KING MAGNUS'S ARMAMENT.

Thereafter King Magnus gathered together a great army, and
summoned to him all lendermen and powerful bondes, and collected
war-ships. When the army was assembled it was very handsome, and
well fitted out. He had seventy large vessels when he sailed
from Norway. So says Thiodolf the skald: --

"Brave king! the terror of the foe,
With thee will many a long-ship go.
Full seventy sail are gathered here,
Eastward with their great king to steer.
And southward now the bright keel glides;
O'er the white waves the Bison rides.
Sails swell, yards crack, the highest mast
O'er the wide sea scarce seen at last."

Here it related that King Magnus had the great Bison, which his
father King Olaf had built. It had more than thirty banks of
rowers; and forward on the bow was a great buffalo head, and aft
on the stern-post was its tail. Both the head and the tail, and
both sides of the ship, were gilded over. Of this speaks Arnor,
the earls' skald: --

"The white foam lashing o'er the deck
Oft made the glided head to shake;
The helm down, the vessel's heel
Oft showed her stem's bright-glacing steel.
Around Stavanger-point careering,
Through the wild sea's white flames steering,
Tackle loud singing to the strain,
The storm-horse flies to Denmark's plain."

King Magnus set out to sea from Agder, and sailed over to
Jutland. So says Arnor: --

"I can relate how through the gale
The gallant Bison carried sail.
With her lee gunwale in the wave,
The king on board, Magnus the brave!
The iron-clad Thingmen's chief to see
On Jutland's coast right glad were we, --
Right glad our men to see a king
Who in the fight his sword could swing."

21. KING MAGNUS COMES TO DENMARK.

When King Magnus came to Denmark he was joyfully received. He
appointed a Thing without delay, to which he summoned the people
of the country, and desired they would take him as king,
according to the agreement which had been entered into. As the
highest of the chiefs of the country were bound by oath to King
Magnus, and were desirous of keeping their word and oath, they
endeavoured zealously to promote the cause with the people. It
contributed also that King Canute the Great, and all his
descendants, were dead; and a third assistance was, that his
father King Olaf's sanctity and miracles were become celebrated
in all countries.

22. KING MAGNUS CHOSEN KING OF DENMARK.

King Magnus afterwards ordered the people to be summoned to
Viborg to a Thing. Both in older and later times, the Danes
elected their kings at the Viborg Thing. At this Thing the Danes
chose Magnus Olafson to be king of all the Danish dorninions.
King Magnus remained long in Denmark during the summer (A.D.
1042); and wherever he came the people received him joyfully, and
obeyed him willingly. He divided the country into baronies and
districts, and gave fiefs to men of power in the land. Late in
autumn he returned with his fleet to Norway, but lay for some
time at the Gaut river.

23. OF SVEIN ULFSON.

There was a man, by name Svein, a son of Earl Ulf, and grandson
of Thorgils Sprakaleg. Svein's mother was Astrid, a daughter of
King Svein Forkbeard. She was a sister of Canute the Great by
the father's side, and of the Swedish King Olaf Eirikson by the
mother's side; for her mother was Queen Sigrid the Haughty, a
daughter of Skoglar Toste. Svein Ulfson had been a long time
living with his relation the Swedish king, ever since King Canute
had ordered his father Ulf to be killed, as is related in the
saga of old King Canute, that he had his brother-in-law, Earl
Ulf, murdered in Roskilde; and on which account Svein had not
since been in Denmark. Svein Ulfson was one of the handsomest
men that could be seen; he was very stout and strong, and very
expert in all exercises, and a well-spoken man withal. Every one
who knew him said he had every quality which became a good chief.
Svein Ulfson waited upon King Magnus while he lay in the Gaut
river, as before mentioned, and the king received him kindly, as
he was by many advised to do; for Svein was a particularly
popular man. He could also speak for himself to the king well
and cleverly; so that it came at lasf to Svein's entering into
King Magnus's service, and becoming his man. They often talked
together afterwards in private concerning many affairs.

24. SVEIN ULFSON CREATED AN EARL.

One day, as King Magnus sat in his high-seat and many people were
around him, Svein Ulfson sat upon a footstool before the king.
The king then made a speech: "Be it known to you, chiefs, and the
people in general, that I have taken the following resolution.
Here is a distinguished man, both for family and for his own
merits, Svein Ulfson, who has entered into my service, and given
me promise of fidelity. Now, as ye know, the Danes have this
summer become my men, so that when I am absent from the country
it is without a head; and it is not unknown to you how it is
ravaged by the people of Vindland, Kurland, and others from the
Baltic, as well as by Saxons. Therefore I promised them a chief
who could defend and rule their land; and I know no man better
fitted, in all respects, for this than Svein Ulfson, who is of
birth to be chief of the country. I will therefore make him my
earl, and give him the government of my Danish dominions while I
am in Norway; just as King Canute the Great set his father, Earl
Ulf, over Denmark while he was in England."

Then Einar Tambaskelfer said, "Too great an earl -- too great an
earl, my foster-son!"

The king replied in a passion, "Ye have a poor opinion of my
judgment, I think. Some consider that ye are too great earls,
and others that ye are fit for nothing."

Then the king stood up, took a sword, and girt it on the earl's
loins, and took a shield and fastened it on his shoulders, put a
helmet upon his head, and gave him the title of earl, with the
same fiefs in Denmark which his father Earl Ulf had formerly
held. Afterwards a shrine was brought forth containing holy
relics, and Svein laid his hand hereon, and swore the oath of
fidelity to King Magnus; upon which the king led the earl to the
highseat by his side. So says Thiodolf: --

"Twas at the Gaut river's shore,
With hand on shrine Svein Ulfson swore.
King Magnus first said o'er the oath,
With which Svein Ulfson pledged his troth.
The vows by Svein solemnly given,
On holy bones of saints in heaven,
To Magnus seemed both fair and fast;
He found they were too fair to last."

Earl Svein went thereafter to Denmark, and the whole nation
received him well. He established a court about him, and soon
became a great man. In winter (A.D. 1043), he went much about
the country, and made friends among the powerful chiefs; and,
indeed, he was beloved by all the people of the land.