Birkibeins and Bagals at Bergen. King Sverri and the men of Bergen.

146. King Sverri arrived at the town early in the morning, and went straight to the castle, where he met those in command. Sigurd Borarklett and Aura-Pal, and told them of his movements, and that he was only staying there a short time,. And the king said to Sigurd, “You must demand help from the townsmen and take whatever you can, for we shall need help, maybe, when next we come to the town.” King Sverri sailed away from the town in the course of the day, and steered south to Siggiarvoe. The say day Hallvard arrived at the town with the host of the Bagals and the large ships, and left again immediately to seek King Sverri. The king saw their sails, and bade his men steer the ships seaward out of sight. “Let them sail past,” he said, “southward.” And so it was that the Bagals sailed past them southward, and did not observe the Birkibeins where they lay. As soon as they had sailed by, the King turned his ships back again north to Bergen with the utmost speed. He went up to the castle to his men and inquired what force Sigurd had raised; and Sigurd answered that the yeomen gave no heed to his words, and would do nothing for the King's honour. An Assembly was next summoned in the town, and the King, being very angry, spoke and said:-

You men of Bergen show great unfriendliness to me now as heretofore. You are a chief source of all war against me, and have ever been so; since my rule began you have lived in complete hostility towards us. There was some excuse for you while Magnus and Erling were alive; but now it is nothing but sheer hostility to help plundering Wickings against your rightful King, and thus lay waste his realm. But in all likelihood you will fare as before; the more you dishonour me the worse will your own lot ever be. Know this, too, that you shall lose your wealth and your limbs; and even your lives will be lost unless you consent to all that I require.” Then Finn Forrædi answered, and spoke against the King; his speech tended to the same end as before, a shirking of the King's demand. But at last, however, submitted to all the King required, and furnished him with a hundred men, yeomen and merchants. King Sverri sailed forth from the town, having thirty cutters, and when he came south to Salbrini and was lyaing there, the Bagals sailed thither from the south on their search for the birkibeins. The King rowed to them before they were aware of his presence, and placed his fleet on the weather side of them, so that he could choose whether he would be near or far. Some fighting now occurred, bots were shot, and stones were thrown, but the King had the same disadvantage as before in the height of his ships. The Birkibeins, nevertheless, pushed their ships boldly under the weapons of the bagels, who held some of the King's ships with their grappling-hooks, but were beaten off. But when the Birkibeins perceived that they could not gain the victory over them, they rowed their ships away, and coming north to Bergen at sunrise, they dragged their ships ashore to the north side of the castle and went into town, and at once endeavoured to go on shore; but they could not effect a landing, as the Birkibeins hindered the. The King set his men in tents all round the town. The Bagals lay at sea several days in front of the town, off Nordness, and then sailed away into Sogn, where they collected provisions. They were absent seven days; and they seized one of King Sverri's bailiffs, Jon Trin, to whom they gave quarter, and he joined their band; and yet more Birkibeins joined the Bagals.

The Bagals sailed back to Bergen, coming to Nordness from the south, and they anchored off Munklifi. Here they landed and showed no fear, as they deemed the Birkibeins' fate in their hands, and made sport of them. They shot at each other when within reach. The Birkibeins were constantly in the town, having errands there; some had wives, and many went to get drink. Form under the walls of the buildings the Birkibeins constantly shot at the Bagals, and the bagels did not venture in the town, fearing surprises from the Birkibeins. The Bagals often came to Jons-fields, where they drew themselves up in array and displayed to force to the Birkibeins, shouting at them and questioning their courage. And when they broke up their array, many engaged in games and amused themselves, showing that they cared nothing for the Birkibeins. Their force was exceedingly powerful and fine, well furnished with both weapons and clothes.

King Sverri's speech to the Birkibeins. Preparations for an attack.

147. King Sverri held a meeting of his men on the slopes above Nikolaskirk while the Bagals were at their games on Jons-fields. The King then spoke and said: “It must surely be that a panic has come over us Birkibeins; but it will not last long. We against expect from you firm support, such as of old; for I suppose few examples will be found where men have more faithfully supported their King. You Birkibeins enjoy this best distinction, that you surpass other men in courage and prowess. Those Bagals believe now that they hold our fate at their mercy; but I expect it will turn out otherwise, for I believe that we shall have not less than that power over them in a short time. I do not intend longer to endure their scoffing and their mocking, if your wish is the same as mine; but yet we will consider, all together, what is most practicable. There is the chance of fighting the Bagals as soon as you wish; let each one now say what he wishes.” But all kept silence. And the King said: “You are not doing me justice by being silent. You ought to grant your King the service of answering his speech, and each man should declare his opinion.” Then they answered and bade the King decide. And he said: “That is a good answer, such as I hoped to receive.” The king then said: “We have the chance of remaining in the castle, a secure stronghold as long as our provisions last; but when they fail it will be difficult to get stores. As another course, we may move up into the fells; the Bagals will then chase us and pick off such as they wish; but those who fall in flight never gain renown. Again, there is course, one usual with the Birkibeins of old, to set on the foe and let sword and spear come into play. Our state will seem to me more hopeful as soon as we stand on a level with them.” The men answered that all would rather fight than flee. The King then said: “The Bagals will have observed our meeting, but know nothing of our counsel. We will march, therefore, to the castle first, then go down to the town, two and two, four or five, seven or eight at a time, and all meet at Olafskirk.” This they did, and the Bagals did not find out their design, because the Birkibeins usually moved about in that way.

When the force was assembled at Olafskirk the King set up his standard and said: “We will not draw up in array. Let us rush on them at full speed. Let no man be behind another, and every one do his best. This fight will be short, for the Bagals will behave as before: as soon as they see their men falling their hearts will be struck with fear. In their hearts will be struck with fear. In their talk they are very tall, as a fox is long in the tail. Let our onslaught on them be as fierce as we can make it. Men who have hurried form the churn-pail will be ill-pleased with blows. They have never yet seen the way in which Birkibeins are wont to make their swords bite in battle. Forward now, my brave fellows, and God have us in his charge.”

Bagals surprised and put to flight. Warlike feat of King Sverri. Other Skirmishes.

148. After that, they ran to the fields, shouting and inciting one another. And when the levies heard the trumpets sound, and beheld the standards wave, and the host of the Birkibeins came like lighting upon them, crying out and shouting, woe stared them in the face. The Birkibeins, as soon as they were within reach, let fly their spears. And now the Bagals saw the drawn swords glittering aloft, threatening danger to life; and they crowded together and formed their ranks, having Sigurd Earlsson under the standards with them. Their force behaved as the King foretold; for the foremost Bagals soon fled, no less than those who stood behind. Many fell where the tow armies met. When the Bagals turned to run away, the Birkibeins had full choice to strike where they would, and were so close to them that all rushed together over the fields towards the sea, past Jonskirk yard. Here, at the edge of the fields. The Bagals rallied for a while; but when the BIrkibeins used their swords the Bagals turned and fled. This resistance caused them no smaller loss than the former, and even more of them fell. And so the Birkibeins drove them right out ot their ships. Some of the Bagals plunged into the water, but most of them got upon the ships which law nearest to land. Narfi, son of Hallvard of Sasteads, commanded a large ship, on which a great crowd leapt, so that it sank down in the water and grounded. Then the Birkibeins came up to it, and while some held the ship fast, others attacked the bagels on board, who got many sword blows gratis; in the end the Birkibeins cleared the Ship. Narfi fell and many others with him. Some leapt into the water.

King Sverri rode beside his men as they chased the flying host, and his spear was all covered with blood, which ran down the shaft to his hands. And as he went past Jonskirk one of the Bagals turned towards him, and raising two spears, burled both at once against the King. The King lowered his shield in front of his horse as well as he could, and one spear struck the shield, while the other passed under the horse's belly. The man seeing that his spears had not struck the King, threw his sword, and it followed the spear that passed under the Horse's belly; then he cast himself down and pulled the spear out of the ground. The King now thrust his spear against the man's shoulder, who warded it, but the spear touched the flesh and tore it. The King rode forward so hard that the man fell; then he held in his host, intending to trample him under foot; and the man as he lay on the ground struck at the King with the shaft of his spear, hitting him a slight blow. The horse now became restive and jumped away. The man sprang up and went off towards the churchyard, but the King turned the horse after him and thrust him with his spear, so that he fell dead to the ground.

The Birkibeins then went back into the town, and marched up to the castle; and the Bagals henceforth were less eager for their games, and stayed a shorter time on shore.

Bishop Nikolas and his force lay at anchor by Toluholm, and the Bishop had the island cleared. Then he set up his tent there and sung mass, and said he would erect a great ecclesiastical establishment and a stone church.

A part of the Bagals' force lay of Nordness, and part more to the south. The Birkibeins remained now mostly in the town, and visited the country round for provisions, going wherever they wished, in spite of the Bagals. The yeomen of South Hordaland and Hardangr, who had already sent levies and help to the Bagals from their district, thought the Birkibeins, in their search for food, did not sweep over the farms in a gentle way. They therefore sent to the Bagals and said that they ought to be a defence to them and their love-stock. The Bagals bade them drive the livestock to them, saying they would then watch over it. SO the yeomen drove up great numbers of cattle, and brought them to Laxavoe. One night King Sverri summoned his men, and marching from the castle, a long the higher road over the fell, came round to Alreksteads. Thence he passed along Alreksteads-voe to Laxavoe, where was the host of the Bagals. They had set a watch, and King Sverri, having learnt where the watchmen were, dispatched six men, bidding them to make great haste and see if they could take them. They came to the tow men on the watch; one was asleep and the other awake. The former waked only to die; the latter cried out as a spear passed through him in the midst. The Bagals, heard the man's cry, and inquired what was the matter with the watchman that he cried so loud; and the Birkibeins who had slain him answered that it was their play: We are in good spirits and amusing ourselves.” The scouts then returned and told the King of the death of the watchmen, and he said that the business was well done. Afterwards he marched with his men against the Bagals so silently that they did not awake before the Birkibeins dragged their ships to shore under them, and many of the Bagals were slain. Those Bagals who lay at anchor farther off heard the noise and the clashing of weapons, and suspecting an enemy, all rowed to the spot whence the shout was hear and the din of arms. Certain that the enemy was there, they sprang ashore prepared to attack. The Birkibeins did not wait, but ran to meet them; such as the shock that the Bagals followed the plan that seemed good, and betook themselves again to their ships. They left many lying on the ground, though, and many sprang into the water. After that, the Bagals loosed the moorings of all their ships and rowed out of range. The Birkibeins drove the cattle inland to Alreksteads, and the Bagals, reckoning up the loss of their men, saw that it was heavy. They had suffered a great disgrace, and they incited one another to avenge it. They knew that the King had a mere handful of men in comparison with them; so they rowed up the fiord and into the Alreksteads-voe, and anchoring at the head of the bay, they sprang on shore and drew up in battle array. It was now full day, and they thought themselves fortunate that the Birkibeins had not passed by. King Sverri saw the Bagals' host, and perceiving that they were not tired of attacking him, spoke and said: “I expect there will be another brush with the Bagals. Let us mount the sloped, and thence make as vigorous and onslaught upon them as we can. I expect they will again give way.” The Birkibeins set about the task, and ran upon them with such force that many fell in the foremost ranks of the Bagals. The standard-bearer of the Bagals' chiefs was a man named Eindridi Lioxa, a Thrond by race, very valiant and daring. He bore the standard well to front, so that Bergsvein Langi, King Sverri's standard-bearer, confronted him. So close were they that they exchanged blows, with the result that Bergsvein was wounded and Eindridi fell. The standard of the Bagals fell with him, and they fled when they saw it fall. The Birkibeins chased them, and followed them to their ships. In these two skirmishes the Bagals lost many men, especially of the levies. King Sverri then marched back to the castle with the cattle, and thanked God for his victory. He was now well supplied with meat, and viands were not lacking, being fearlessly sought.

King Sverri's unsuccessful device to capture Bishop Nikolas. The Bergen Summer.

149. The Bagals now rather shunned the castle and the town; the capture was not so easy as they had supposed. It often happened, if the Bagals came on shore, fifty or sixty at a time, to amuse themselves, and they saw ten or fifteen Birkibeins with the King himself among them, they would flee to their ships, At times the Birkibeins came o them unawares, and the Bagals, getting the worst of the encounter, rushed wildly to their ships, gaining neither respect nor fame. The night of Jon's Eve, King Sverri went down from the castle with a hundred men into the town. They put on priest' copes, which they took out of the churches, and going in companies of five or six, or even fewer, they met together over at Munkifi. Here they entered a barn in secret, because the King expected that Bishop Nikolas and other leaders of the Bagals would come to mass during the day. Some of the men put on monks; frocks, and sauntered about the churchyard, two and two together, to watch if the Bagals came on shore; but the Bagals remained on their ships, except that some of their boys came to land in boats to get firewood, the Birkibeins seized each one as he appeared; some they slew, others they maimed so that none might carry information to the ships. A priest also came on shore. The Birkibeins caught him, and asked him if the Bishop were coming at all to mass. The priest said that the Bishop was coming to land as soon as he was ready. As time went on, there came up a man, well dressed, who passed a short distance from them. They started to meet him, and when he saw them he thought it strange that monks wore low shoes and red hose. So he turned aside, and did not go near them. The monks asked him how soon the Bishop was coming to mass. The Bagal answered, “He will come when he is ready. But why do monks wear low shoes and red hose?” “The fashion alters with the times,” they replied. Then they ran after him, and having caught him, they began to strip him of his fine kirtle, for they did not wish to defile it with blood. When his arms were out of the sleeves, and he stood free, he sprang off instantly, and making good use of his feet, ran to the ships like one frantic and furious. And related to the Bishop the story of his church-going, and as a sign that he lied not, he pointed to an arrow-wound in his thigh, and said he thought it was more like a present from Birkibeins than monks. The Bishop, Hreidar, and many other men of rank were on the point of going on shore; some were already in boats before the news came. King Sverri turned back to the castle as soon as he knew that the Bagals were informed of him, and the Bagals henceforth were much more wary about themselves.

There were many onsets and assaults which might be told, but it is not possible to write all in one book. The forces cut off each other's men, and slew them whensoever they could. In the districts around there was a large number of Birkibeins who joined the Bagals, some of their own will, and many who were taken unwillingly from their homes.

This summer was called the Bergen summer.

The Bagals Set fire to Bergen.

150. On the night of Lafrans' mass-day the chiefs of the Bagals carried out a threat which they had already made. They declared that the men of Bergen were a strength and support to King Sverri, whereby he was able to maintain himself in the castle. To Bishop Nikolas is ascribed the design, in which the other joined, of laying waste the market-town of Bergen, and of setting up another market in its place elsewhere, in Hordaland. It would then be seen what the castle would do for King Sverri. The Bishop said that the Birkibeins had polluted all the churches, which, as they were frequented by men under ban,²⁹ were thus no better than brothels. During the night the Bagals rowed up in front of the quays, having two cutters laden with wood. One place which they set fire was a building close by Krosskirk; a second was opposite Foskaquays at the house of Finn Forrædi; and a third was close to Mariukirk. The townsmen had no means of stopping it; the work was not easy, for all the gangways had been removed. The Birkibeins had no information before the town was in flames, and they saw that nothing could be done to save it. They feared for the castle lest it should take fire, and they hung up sail-cloths to protect it, and kept them wet. The town was burnt all the way from Krisskirk to Sand-bridge on the side of the street neares the bay, and from the Sand-bridge to Nikolaskirk on the upper side. Then, to meet the fire, the Holy Rood was borne from Steinkirk, and the fire was stayed. The shrine of Sunnifa was borne [from Kristskirk] to Sand-bridge and palced there, and by a notable miracle the fire there advanced no farther. The Bagals lay with their cutters in the bay, shooting at all who tried to save the buildings and slake the fire. Many of the men of Bergen had already removed all the property they could when they heard that the Bagals were meditating their design; some went into the districts, some into the castle. Bishop Nikolas was on board the cutter which carried fire to the town, giving orders what places they should fire, and where they should shoot. This design made him greatly abhorred. It brought loss and damage to many, and not a few who were wealthy before the fire were made penniless by it; and the men of Bergen ever remembered it against Bishop Nikolas.

Mariukirk was then burnt, and five other churches.

The Birkibeins are defeated in the absence of King Sverri.

151. Shortly after, King Sverri left the town with a hundred men for a place where he knew that his men collected for him great flocks of cattle. And when the Bagals knew that the King was absent, they went on land with their force, and came by the upper road down to Olafskirk on the Banks. The Birkibeins hurried out of the castle against them with their men, except thirty who were on the Holm, to see that no ships came there to land. The Bagals now drew up their men in ranks. The Birkibeins, having a fine force, were minded, as before, not to put themselves in battle array, but purposed to rush on them and so break up their line. At their first rush, against one arm of the Bagals, it recoiled before them; but the other arm wheeled in upon them, so that the Birkibeins were surrounded. There was now great odds against them, and the Birkibeins fought but a shore time before they saw they had no power to resist further. They endeavoured therefore to escape to the castle, and the Bagals pursued hard after them. Many brave and valiant heroes fell- Siguri Borgarklett, Fin the Færyman, Thord Lokk and Bita-Kari, Einar Biarnason, Bengeir Langi, Eindridi Peini, brother of Eystein Rædisman, and son of Hallkel of Lo. Eindridi was the standard-bearer of Earl Philippis, and commanded the Earl's force. So gallant a man was he, that when he had received many grievous wounds and had no hope of escape, he thrust the standard into the ground, and grasping his sword with both hands, struck to the right and left; he fell there with great renown. They all defended themselves bravely. The Bagals pursued them right up to the castle; and as the Birkibeins were going in, the Bagals happened to seized one of them by the feet as he was about to enter; the Birkibeins wished to save him, and clutched him by the shoulders. They pulled hard at the man, and he was torn asunder between them before they separated. This was the evening of Mariumass. The Bagals had brought their cutters to the Holm, and the Birkibeins who were to have defended it were slain. The Bagals went close under the castle where the ships were, set fire to them and burnt them all up. After that the Bagals then composed this verse:-

“The King on Monday called his Guards,
to Clash of arms the men pressed har;
Yea, Ingi's men resolved to march
In early morn to Sverri's burg.
Against them came the foe and fought
Full long beneath the banner-poles;
Storm of shafts the Bagals stood,
Ships they burnt while champions fled.”

But the Birkibeins recited this verse:-

“Potroon on Monday called his guards,
to clash of arms the men pressed hard;
But Thufu-skit succeeded not
In winning Sverri's burg that morn.
Against them came the foe and fought
Full long beneath the banner-poles;
The Bagals all are under ban,
They burnt the ships while champions fled.”

When the King Returned to the town he thought this a grievous blow, and he said there had been lack of care and foresight.