On Eirik, who claimed to be a son of King Sigurd Munn, And established his claim by ordeal.

59. The same spring, Eirik, said to be a son of King Sigurd Haraldsson, came to King Sverri. He ahd been a long time abroad, and as far as Jerusalem, and had entered the river Jordan bearing a lighted taper in his hand. According to his story, confirmed by his men, he had declared before entering the river, that God would let the taper come fore unextinguished, “if” said he, “I am really King Sigurd's son.” Those who accompanied him to the river said that he came out holding the taper still alight. Eirik had been in the service of the Emperor Manuel in Miklagarth, and had also visited men of high estate, far and wide, in the southern lands; he was courteous, well informed, short of stature, and plain in appearance. He requested King Sverri to give him leave to undergo the ordeal, that he might bring himself into the family he believed to be his, and prove himself King Sigurd's son. King Sverri first discussed the matter with his chiefs, seeking counsel of them; then he brought it up at meetings of the body-guard, saying he wished to know whether the whole of the force would consent to it. From the force he obtained a unanimous answer, that they desired to serve King Sverri and none other; but the chiefs wished to grant Eirik evidence of his paternity. Then King Sverri said to Eirik, “By the advice of my friends I will give you leave to undergo the ordeal, so that God may prove you paternity. But though it happen that you become really my brother, and are King Sigurd's son, yet the name of King and the realm I now possess have cost me so dearly, so many worries, perplexities, and grave dangers, which I and the Birkibeins with me have endured, that neither to you nor any other will I grant the name of King, or give up the realm I now possess. Accept this condition, if you will, peacefully and with my leave, otherwise you shall depart hence, and go in safety as you came hither.” Eirik, who was a well-spoken man, thanked the King with fair words for giving him leave to undergo the ordeal, and said that he gladly accepted the condition in order to prove his paternity; after which his affairs would lie entirely in God's power and the King's. Shortly afterwards, preparatory to the ordeal, Eirik fasted; and when the time came that he should bear the iron, King Sverri dictated the form of the oath and spoke thus: “For this cause you lay your hands on the Holy Relics and the Book, and make this appeal to God: that He will allow your hand to come unharmed from the iron if you are King Sigurd's son and my brother.” And Eirik answered “So may God let me rove my hand, unharmed from this iron as I am King Sigurd's son; but I will not bear the iron to prove the paternity of more men than myself.” After taking this oath he bore the iron, and his truth was made fully clear. King Sverri then acknowledged his kinship to Eirik, and made him a captain in his body-guard. Eirik was a popular man, most condescending , and ruled his company exceedingly well.

King Sverri and Magnus hold a conference, which leaves things as they were.

60. King Magnus came to Bergen with his force, and remained there during the spring. And when it was past, he made ready his host and sailed north to Kaupang, where he arrived on the later Olaf's-mass Day. King Sverri prepared to meet him in the town, and had a large force at hand, for the yeomen promised him their support; moreover, there was a large concourse of people in the town, which it was the custom to visit during guild-term. King Magnus lay out at sea, near Holm, a long time, for he thought an attack upon the town unadvisable against all that crowed which he say with King Sverri, and he preferred to wail till the guild-term ended and the yeomen went home. During this delay the Kings parleyed for a time each day. King Sverri again made his former offer to King Magnus to share the land, and King Magnus should choose which half he would; but King Magnus would neither yea nor nay after the parley. Afterwards King Sverrisummoned an Assembly in the town, and told the yeomen of his offer and what had been said. The King's speech awas well received, and the yeomen said they would be glad if peace were made. They were very eager that the conference should go on, and a truce was made while it lasted. King Magnus rowed in a cutter to the Eyra, where King Sverri sat on horseback, attended by a great crowd, of yeomen and townsfolk chiefly, who were curious to know what the Kings would say and how the conference would end.

Nikolas Arnason first began to speak on behalf of King Magnus. His address was in favour of peace, in accordance with the discussion already held, and he spoke long and eloquently. King Magnus's men had rowed some of their cutters into the river. And the Birkibeins went down to meet them, and had ale brought out of the town. They all sat down together on the Brottu-Eyri drinking and talking; for though they belonged to two different bands, many in the one had kinsmen or relatives in the other, or friends of longstanding. After this, King Sverri began to speak. He said that he desired to come to an agreement with King Magnus, that the land might be at peace; and he again made the offer that they should share the land equally, and both of them be Kings, as the sons of King Magnus Berfœtt had been aforetime, and the sons of Harald Gilli. He said that from the time when King Magnus the Good had granted half the land to his father's brother, King Harald, there had generally been two kings in Norway at one time, and sometimes more. They might well follow, he said, the example of former kings. The yeomen and townsfolk loudly applauded the king's speech and declared it excellent. King Mangus then stood up and declaimed in a loud voice, speak his words calmly at first, and thus saying: “In the instances you bring forward where two kings reigned in Norway at the same time, the sharing of the land, I am told, was done in a friendly and agreeable manner by brothers or other closely related kinsmen, and yet the division invariably ended in unfriendlieness, and sometimes in loss of life. And it bears closely upon our case that in those instances there were fewer causes of quarrel at first than now exist. I allude to the troubles which through ill-fortune have befallen me of late, the death of distinguished men, my kinsmen and friends. And this I know that even if I were to accept a forced agreement, it will not be possible for Sverri and me to keep our guardsmen on good terms in the same market-town or the same place of payment, under such causes of quarrel as have here arisen among men. Though we should attempt a settlement, peace would be short-lived.” Then answered King Sverri: “You speak truly, King Magnus, when you say of peace, that though we should desire to preserve it, others might break it; therefore, rather than our ill-fortune should become long harmful to so many men, I will quit the land with my force if you will be bound by oath that shall hold the government of one half and set my men over it in peace and freedom. I will then stay out of the land three years; and when I return, you and your men shall give place to s for three other years, under the same conditions as we did for you.” Then Magnus replied: “The condition I desire is this- that you, Sverri, and you, Birkibiens, go out of the country yea, and never return. I was consecrated and crowned King by the legate from Rome with unanimous consent of the people of the land, and I swore at my consecration that I would observe the laws of the land, and defend it against the greed and enmity of wicked men with the sword that I received at my consecration, and I promised that I would rather lose my life than go against the words of my oath. Let God decide how long my shall last; but I will listen to no proposal that I should break through cowardice the oath I look at my consecration, and share the land with thee, Sverri. I have already lost through, Birkibeins, one hundred high-born guardsmen, sixteen barons, and one, the seventeenth, a greater loss to me than all those I have mention, Earl Erling, my father. Moreover, it is not possible for me to share the kingdom with you, Sverri, a man who, in my opinion, has no right by birth to be King either here or elsewhere. Most certainly will either keep the whole of Norway, or lose the whole and my life with it.” Then King Sverri spoke: “You call to mind, King Magnus, the losses that be befallen you only in our dealings, and you look not at those I have suffered from you kinsmen, greater and heavier than you have just reckoned up: first when my father King Sigurd was slain, south in Bergen and then King Eystein, my father's brother east in Vik. Somewhat later, after King Ingri fell, my brother Hakon was chosen King over the whole country; and then Erling Skakki raised a band against him and slew him, south in Mœri, together with many barons and worthy gentlemen. Erling caused my brother Harald to be hanged up, like a young crow, south at Hvarfsness; my brother Sigurd was put to death in Bergen, and my cousin Eystein was slain at Re. Now I might well declare to you, as you have declared to me, that I could not possibly be King over Norway if I came to terms with you or shared with you the inheritance of my fathers; because it never happened in Norway that a man was called King who was not a King's son, before you, King Magnus. And there shall again be made to you on my part the same offer as formerly. Go up to the fields of Ila, prepare yourself and your force for battle and I will come forth from the castle with all my force. You shall fare as badly as before when last we fought, or worse, for God doubtless desires that the rule you have held wrongfully for a time should now come to an end.”

King Magnus then replied, “We will go no more to you bewitched field.” Do you go rather to your ships and man an equal number to ours, we will then sail out of the river and fight.” Then King Sverri answered, “Our ships are now drawn up on shore, and not fit for battle at present; yet I can take three ships; do you man three likewise, as shall seem good to you, and we will put these six ships to flight.” “I am of opinion”, then said King Magnus, “that it will be a better plan not let more men die than have already lost their lives in this quarrel; for what you say is true, that I have ever made a hasty retreat before your men. But you, Sverri, whenever battles take place, lurk in holes and hiding-places. Come forth alone with you weapons if you dare, and I will come alone and meet you, and we will fight together, and whichever gains the victory have the land and realm.” Our ill-fortune is quite evident enough to other men,” replied King Sverri, “though we do not fight with one another ourselves. Our men are set to fight for us in battle, it seems to me very unkingly to engage in a duel, like those who have no followers. But, King Magnus, since you desire a single combat with me, rather than others should take part, do you take a horse, and I will rake another, and we will ride a tilt as is the custom with men of rank.”

As the conference drew to a close, their followers who were drinking together, became more and more haughty towards one another; and King Magnus's men all went of board ship, and rowed their cutters out of the river.”

King Magnus returns to Bergen, and King Sverri marches Through the Uplands to Oslo.

61. King Sverri caused cutter to be dragged over the Eyra to the sea, and his men, hastening on board, rowed after the Heklungs. They came so near that spears were thrown on both sides, but the Heklungs rowed away. In this encounter men were slain on both sides, and very many were wounded. Karl Kiotlær died of his wounds. A few days afterwards King Magnus sailed out of Throndham and went back south to Bergen, and there was no battle at this time. He passed the winter in Bergen. That summer King Magnus received war contribution and all revenues south of Stad, and as far north as the entrance of Throndham.; and King Sverri obtained no winter stores for his force except what they received from Throndham. King Sverri now learnt that King Magnus with all his force and come south beyond Stad, and had with him almost all of his barons; he resolved therefore to start on a march overland to the Uplands. He gave oversight of Throndham to his brother Eirik and a captain named Kol, son Isak of Folskn, and he left them a numerous force to guard the ships; many other captains also were there. King Sverri marched all the way to the Uplands, and dispatched men in advance to the inhabited districts to plan the winning of some advantage if Heklungs or their property came in the way. They slew Ozur, son of Jon Vagadraumb, Eyvind Dyri, and many others. Afterwards King Sverri marched down to Oslo, and appointed his bailiffs over the whole of the Vik; but the Heklings fled, some east, some north to King Magnus, and told him of King Sverri's marches.

Battle of Nidaros between King Magnus and Eirik Kings-son The Birkibeins are defeated and lose all their ships.

62. King Magnus put his forces in order, and sent the greater part east to Vik, under Orm Kings-brother, to oppose King Sverri. He himself set sail with eight ships-seven long-ships and one cutter, and coasting north, came to Throndham shortly before Martinmas. Eirik Kings-son and Kol Isaksson heard a rumour of King Magnus's voyage, and set a watch at nights in the Guild-halls by the sea; but they had no certain knowledge of King Magnus's movements before his ships sailed into sight off the Dirgmull. The trumpets at once summoned all the force, and the men were drawn up in array; one body on the Eyra, and the other by Skipacrook. Eirik Kings-son commanded the latter; the former was under the charge of Kol Isaksson, who had with him some of the townsmen, but the greater part of the townsmen were drawn up at the quays. As soon as King Magnus's fleet came near Holm, the sails were lowered and the ships allowed to run under bare poles to the Eyra. The day of the week was Saturday. When they had come quite close to the cross the ships were all brought together, and remained there a large part of the day, because King Magnus was then taking counsel with his men. But many of those who were on the Eyra waded out towards them; some threw stones, others shot at them, and incited them to land. No answer came back from King Magnus's men, because the chiefs were conferring and forming their plans. In the town Habard Muntari was then busy with his wedding-feast; he called aloud to King Magnus and said that he wished to invite him to the wedding and all his men with him. This was done in sport. About the hour of Nones, King Magnus's men set free their fleet, and applying themselves to the oars, rowed the four largest of the ships into the river, and the other four to the Eyra. The King himself rowed into the river and made his attack where the standard of Eirik Kings-son stood. The resistance was sterna nd short. King Magnus laid his ships alongside the beach, and his men pushed their gangways under the beet of the Birkibeins; they cast stones and missiles from the ships so that the Birkibeins fell back. After that, the Heklungs decided to land, but the Birkibeins withstood them; many were wounded and some slain on both sides. The townsmen and levies grew tired of standing there longer, and thronged into the town. And when the Birkibiens saw their ranks growing thin, and the Heklungs pressing hard, they turned away and fled. The Heklungs followed close upon them, and many Birkibeins were slain.

Now those that rowed to the Eyra leapt overboard at once and the water reached to their arm-pits. As they came up the Birkibeins attacked them, and a fierce battle began. Then a man spoke to Kol: “I believe the Heklungs had landed at the river.” Kol turned to the man: “Then our best plan, surely, is to flee.” “Is it not too late now,” said a Heklung, “for the Birkibeins to flee?” And Kol turned to the man: “There they are now, the devils,” he said, and he smote the man and was smitten by him. After Eirik Kings-son and his force fled, some of the Heklungs turned to Eyra and came upon Kol and his men with a troublesome attack on their rear. Kol was slain with many of his company, and all the force fled that remained.

Eirik Kings-son fled away beyond the castle, and on to Gualardale. Many of his force fled with him, but some fled inland over the bridge. Many took refuge in the churches, and were nearly all slain; no church was a safe refuge this time. Men were dragged out of Kristskirk and slain, a deed that had never beendone hitherto. One old Birkibein named Eyvind Skrapit, a valiant warrior, tall and strong, was taken from the choir, and dragged out of Kristskirk. They placed him on a sledge, dragged him to the Eyra and slew him there. Gudlaug Vali was seized in a church, kept prisoner a long time, and put to torture, that he might be made to tell where King Sverri had stored his money, and where King Sverri's son Lavard was, who had been Gudlaug's foster-son. But he told nothing, and his firmness was remembered afterwards in his honour. He was slain by command of King Magnus. Scarcely a Birkibeins had his life spared whom they had the means of slaying. King Magnus took possession of the Olafssud, and all King Sverri's fleet, thirty-three long ships. Four of these, all they could take away, were launched and made ready; the rest were burnt.

King Magnus returns to Bergen.

63. King Magnus now made hasty preparations to leave the town, for he heard the Eirik Kings-son had a large gathering of yeomen up in Gualardale. And as he sailed down the Fiord he dispatched men to seize and kill the cattle Afli at Asta, Tosti at Ysta, and thirdly, of Helgi at Rydas. They likewise seized the cattle of Eirik and Arni of Efia, and as long as they were in Throndham they behaved with violence wherever they could. Eindridi Torfi, son of Jon Kutiza, remained behind with a single ship at the mouth of the Orkna. The same day Bard Guthormsson came with thrity men form the south, from Hefni, to the slope above Tunga. He saw the long-ship lying there, and suspected there were Heklungs, but did not venture to attack them. He stayed there during the night, which his men found very cold. Then he sent men to the homestead Gelmin to ask Cecilia Kings-daughter¹¹ of the tidings. She told them many things in secret, and said that King Magnus's men were there. Bard's men wished to attack. “Don't let us lie here,” they said. But Bard was unwilling, and prevailed. The next day the Heklungs sailed away, and followed King Magnus. Bard marched to Kaupang, where he stayed for a time, and found quarters for his company. The captains of the Birkibeins, Helgi Thrfinnsson, Ottar Knerra, and Eyiolf Aflason, came and joined themselves to him; but Eirik Kings-son marched east to Vik after King Sverri, and told him that his way had not been smooth.

King Magnus then sailed south to Bergen. Hall Snorrason was there with the King, and he composed these stanzas:-

“The Olafssud, prows gilded with red Gold,
Weighted with wealth, cleaved Rodi's sounding plains.
The lavish prince has prospered on his way.
His happy voyage o'er, the awful King
Now comes with honour home, in generous mood.
The swollen ship on Dufa's bosom rocks.
The fair prow-horse, prince-steered, appears off Holm;
By doughty ruler led, reddened beaks
Glide o'er the roaring fields, retreat of whales.
The monarch, swift his fold to marshal, held
A moot of spears and swords with foemen brave.
Dag's son returns, renowned for glorious victory.”