Saga of Magnus the Blind and of Harald Gille

5. OF THE COUNSELS PROPOSED.

When King Magnus, who was in Bergen, heard these tidings, he
called together all the chiefs who were in the town, and asked
them their counsel, and what they should now do. Then Sigurd
Sigurdson said, "Here I can give a good advice. Let a ship be
manned with good men, and put me, or any other lenderman, to
command it; send it to thy relation, King Harald, and offer him
peace according to the conditions upright men may determine upon,
and offer him the half of the kingdom. It appears to me probable
that King Harald, by the words and counsel of good men, may
accept this offer, and thus there may be a peace established
between you."

Then King Magnus replied, "This proposal I will not accept of;
for of what advantage would it be, after we have gained the whole
kingdom in summer to give away the half of it now? Give us some
other counsel."

Then Sigurd Sigurdson answered, "It appears to me, sire, that
your lendermen who in autumn asked your leave to return home will
now sit at home and will not come to you. At that time it was
much against my advice that you dispersed so entirely the people
we had collected; for I could well suppose that Harald would come
back to Viken as soon as he heard that it was without a chief.
Now there is still another counsel, and it is but a poor one; but
it may turn out useful to us. Send out your pursuivants, and
send other people with them, and let them go against the
lendermen who will not join you in your necessity, and kill them;
and bestow their property on others who will give you help
although they may have been of small importance before. Let them
drive together the people, the bad as well as the good; and go
with the men you can thus assemble against King Harald, and give
him battle."

The king replies, "It would be unpopular to put to death people
of distinction, and raise up inferior people who often break
faith and law, and the country would be still worse off. I would
like to hear some other counsel still."

Sigurd replies, "It is difficult for me now to give advice, as
you will neither make peace nor give battle. Let us go north to
Throndhjem, where the main strength of the country is most
inclined to our side; and on the way let us gather all the men we
can. It may be that these Elfgrims will be tired of such a long
stride after us."

The king replies, "We must not fly from those whom we beat in
summer. Give some better counsel still."

Then Sigurd stood up and said, while he was preparing to go out,
"I will now give you the counsel which I see you will take, and
which must have its course. Sit here in Bergen until Harald
comes with his troops, and then you will either suffer death or
disgrace."

And Sigurd remained no longer at that meeting.

6. OF HARALD'S FORCE.

King Harald came from the East along the coast with a great army,
and this winter (A.D. 1135) is called on that account the
Crowd-winter. King Harald came to Bergen on Christmas eve, and
landed with his fleet at Floruvagar; but would not fight on
account of the sacred time. But King Magnus prepared for defence
in the town. He erected a stone-slinging machine out on the
holm, and had iron chains and wooden booms laid across over the
passage from the king's house to Nordnes, and to the Monks
bridge. He had foot-traps made, and thrown into Saint John's
field, and did not suspend these works except during the three
sacred days of Christmas. The last holyday of Yule, King Harald
ordered his war-horns to sound the gathering of his men for going
to the town; and, during the Yule holydays, his army had been
increased by about 900 men.

7. KING MAGNUS TAKEN PRISONER.

King Harald made a promise to King Olaf the Saint for victory,
that he would build an Olaf's church in the town at his own
expense. King Magnus drew up his men in the Christ church yard;
but King Harald laid his vessels first at Nordnes. Now when King
Magnus and his people saw that, they turned round towards the
town, and to the end of the shore; but as they passed through the
streets many of the burgesses ran into their houses and homes,
and those who went across the fields fell into the foot-traps.
Then King Magnus and his men perceived that King Harald had rowed
with all his men across to Hegravik, and landed there, and had
gone from thence the upper road up the hill opposite the town.
Now Magnus returned back again through the streets, and then his
men fled from him in all directions; some up to the mountains,
some up to the neighbourhood of the convent of nuns, some to
churches, or hid themselves as they best could. King Magnus fled
to his ship; but there was no possibility of getting away, for
the iron chains outside prevented the passage of vessels. He had
also but few men with him, and therefore could do nothing. Einar
Skulason tells of this in the song of Harald: --

"For a whole week an iron chain
Cut off all sailing to the main:
Bergen's blue stable was locked fast, --
Her floating wains could not get past."

Soon after Harald's people came out to the ships, and then King
Magnus was made prisoner. He was sitting behind in the
forecastle upon the chests of the high-seat, and at his side
Hakon Fauk, his mother's brother, who was very popular but was
not considered very wise, and Ivar Assurson. They, and many
others of King Magnus's friends, were taken, and some of them
killed on the spot.

8. KING MAGNUS MUTILATED.

Thereafter King Harald had a meeting of his counsellors, and
desired their counsel; and in this meeting the judgment was given
that Magnus should be deposed from his dominions, and should no
longer be called king. Then he was delivered to the king's
slaves, who mutilated him, picked out both his eyes, cut off one
foot, and at last castrated him. Ivar Assurson was blinded, and
Hakon Fauk killed. The whole country then was reduced to
obedience under King Harald. Afterwards it was diligently
examined who were King Magnus's best friends, or who knew most of
his concealments of treasure or valuables. The holy cross King
Magnus had kept beside him since the battle of Fyrileif, but
would not tell where it was deposited for preservation. Bishop
Reinald of Stavanger, who was an Englishman, was considered very
greedy of money. He was a great friend of King Magnus, and it
was thought likely that great treasure and valuables had been
given into his keeping. Men were sent for him accordingly, and
he came to Bergen, where it was insisted against him that he had
some knowledge of such treasure; but he denied it altogether,
would not admit it, and offered to clear himself by ordeal. King
Harald would not have this, but laid on the bishop a money fine
of fifteen marks of gold, which he should pay to the king. The
bishop declared he would not thus impoverish his bishop's see,
but would rather offer his life. On this they hanged the bishop
out on the holm, beside the sling machine. As he was going to
the gallows he threw the sock from his foot, and said with an
oath, "I know no more about King Magnus's treasure than what is
in this sock;" and in it there was a gold ring. Bishop Reinald
was buried at Nordnes in Michael's church, and this deed was much
blamed. After this Harald Gille was sole king of Norway as long
as he lived.

9. WONDERFUL OMENS IN KONUNGAHELLA.

Five years after King Sigurd's death remarkable occurrences took
place in Konungahella (A.D. 1135). Guthorm, a son of Harald
Fletter, and Saemund Husfreyja, were at that time the king's
officers there. Saemund was married to Ingebjorg, a daughter of
the priest Andres Brunson. Their sons were Paul Flip and Gunne
Fis. Saemund's natural son was called Asmund. Andres Brunson
was a very remarkable man, who carried on divine service in the
Cross church. His wife (1) was called Solveig. Jon Loptson, who
was then eleven years old, was in their house to be fostered and
educated. The priest Lopt Saemundson, Jon's father, was also in
the town at that time. The priest Andres and Solveig had a
daughter by name Helga, who was Einar's wife. It happened now in
Konungahella, the next Sunday night after Easter week, that there
was a great noise in the streets through the whole town as if the
king was going through with all his court-men. The dogs were so
affected that nobody could hold them, but they slipped loose; and
when they came out they ran mad, biting all that came in their
way, people and cattle. All who were bitten by them till the
blood came turned raging mad; and pregnant women were taken in
labour prematurely, and became mad. From Easter to
Ascension-day, these portentous circumstances took place almost
every night. People were dreadfully alarmed at these wonders;
and many made themselves ready to remove, sold their houses, and
went out to the country districts, or to other towns. The most
intelligent men looked upon it as something extremely remarkable;
were in dread of it; and said, as it proved to be, that it was an
omen of important events which had not yet taken place. And the
priest Andres, on Whit Sunday, made a long and excellent speech,
and turned the conclusion of it to the distressing situation of
the townspeople; telling them to muster courage, and not lay
waste their excellent town by deserting it, but rather to take
the utmost care in all things, and use the greatest foresight
against all dangers, as of fire or the enemy, and to pray to God
to have mercy on them.

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