Saga of Magnus the Good

16. OF THE THREATS OF THE BONDES.

King Magnus added to his property Veggia, which Hrut had been
owner of, and Kviststad, which had belonged to Thorgeir, and also
Eggja, with all the goods which Kalf had left behind him; and
thus he confiscated to the king's estate many great farms, which
had belonged to those of the bonde-army who had fallen at
Stiklestad. In like manner, he laid heavy fined upon many of
those who made the greatest opposition to King Olaf. He drove
some out of the country, took large sums of money from others,
and had the cattle of others slaughtered for his use. Then the
bondes began to murmur, and to say among themselves, "Will he go
on in the same way as his father and other chiefs, whom we made
an end of when their pride and lawless proceedings became
insupportable?" This discontent spread widely through the
country. The people of Sogn gathered men, and, it was said, were
determined to give battle to King Magnus, if he came into the
Fjord district. King Magnus was then in Hordaland, where he had
remained a long time with a numerous retinue, and was now come to
the resolution to proceed north to Sogn. When the king's friends
observed this, twelve men had a meeting, and resolved to
determine by casting lots which of them should inform the king of
the discontent of the people; and it so happened that the lot
fell upon Sigvat.

17. OF THE FREE-SPEAKING SONG ("BERSOGLISVISUR").

Sigvat accordingly composed a poem, which he called the "Free-
speaking Song", which begins with saying the king had delayed too
long to pacify the people, who were threatening to rise in tumult
against him. He said: --

"Here in the south, from Sogn is spread
The news that strife draws to a head:
The bondes will the king oppose --
Kings and their folk should ne'er be foes.
Let us take arms, and briskly go
To battle, if it must be so;
Defend our king -- but still deplore
His land plunged in such strife once more."

In this song are also these verses: --

"Hakon. who at Fitiar died, --
Hakon the Good, could not abide
The viking rule, or robber train,
And all men's love he thus did gain.
The people since have still in mind
The laws of Hakon, just and kind;
And men will never see the day
When Hakon's laws have passed away.

"The bondes ask but what is fair;
The Olafs and the Earls, when there
Where Magnus sits, confirmed to all
Their lands and gear -- to great and small,
Bold Trygve's son, and Harald's heir,
The Olafs, while on earth they were,
Observed the laws themselves had made,
And none was for his own afraid.

"Let not thy counsellors stir thy wrath
Against the man who speaks the truth;
Thy honour lies in thy good sword,
But still more in thy royal word;
And, if the people do not lie,
The new laws turn out not nigh
So Just and mild, as the laws given
At Ulfasund in face of heaven.

"Dread king! who urges thee to break
Thy pledged word, and back to take
Thy promise given? Thou warrior bold;
With thy own people word to hold,
Thy promise fully to maintain,
Is to thyself the greatest gain:
The battle-storm raiser he
Must by his own men trusted be.

"Who urges thee, who seek'st renown,
The bondes' cattle to cut down?
No king before e'er took in hand
Such viking-work in his own land.
Such rapine men will not long bear,
And the king's counsellors will but share
In their ill-will: when once inflamed,
The king himself for all is blamed.

"Do cautious, with this news of treason
Flying about -- give them no reason.
We hanged the thief, but then we use
Consideration of the excuse.
I think, great king (who wilt rejoice
Eagle and wolf with battle voice),
It would be wise not to oppose
Thy bondes, and make them thy foes.

"A dangerous sign it is, I fear,
That old grey-bearded men appear
In corners whispering at the Thing,
As if they had bad news to bring.
The young sit still, -- no laugh, or shout, --
More looks than words passing shout;
And groups of whispering heads are seen,
On buttoned breasts, with lowering mien.

"Among the udalmen, they say
The king, if he could have his way,
Would seize the bondes' udal land,
And free-born men must this withstand.
In truth the man whose udal field,
By any doom that law can yield
From him adjudged the king would take,
Could the king's throne and power shake."

This verse is the last: --

"A holy bond between us still
Makes me wish speedy end to ill:
The sluggard waits till afternoon, --
At once great Magnus! grant our boon.
Then we will serve with heart and hand,
With thee we'll fight by sea or land:
With Olaf's sword take Olaf's mind,
And to thy bondes be more kind."

In this song the king was exhorted to observe the laws which his
father had established. This exhortation had a good effect on
the king, for many others held the same language to him. So at
last the king consulted the most prudent men, who ordered all
affairs according to law. Thereafter King Magnus had the law-
book composed in writing which is still in use in Throndhjem
district, and is called "The Grey Goose" (1). King Magnus
afterwards became very popular, and was beloved by all the
country people, and therefore he was called Magnus the Good.

18. OF THE ENGLISH KINGS.

The king of the English, King Harald, died (A.D. 1040) five years
after his father King Canute, and was buried beside his father at
Winchester. After his death his brother Hardaknut, the second
son of the old King Canute, was king of England, and was thus
king both of Denmark and England. He ruled these kingdoms two
years, and then died of sickness in England, leaving no children.
He was buried at Winchester beside his father. After his death
Edward the Good, a son of the English king Ethelred (and Emma, a
daughter of Richard earl of Rouen), was chosen king in England.
King Edward the Good was, on his mother's side, a brother of
Harald and Hardaknut, the sons of Canute the Great; and the
daughter of Canute and Queen Emma was Gunhild, who was married to
the Emperor Henry of Germany, who was called Henry the Mild.
Gunhild had been three years in Germamy when she fell sick, and
she died five years after the death of her father King Canute the
Great.

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