It surprises me that you treat with such contempt our episcopal office, and your own royal office.I will now do what is my duty; and in the name of God, of the holy King Olaf, of Peter the apostle, and of the other saints, forbid thee this wickedness."While he thus spoke he stood straight up, as if stretching out his neck to the blow, as if ready if the king chose to let the sword fall; and the priest Sigurd.who afterwards was bishop, has declared that the sky appeared to him no bigger than a calf's skin, so frightful did the appearance of the king present itself to him.The king returned to the hall, however, without saying a word; and the bishop went to his house and home so cheerful and gay that he laughed, and saluted every child on his way, and was playing with his fingers.Then the priest Sigurd asked him the reason, saying, "Why are you so cheerful, sir? Do you not consider that the king may be exasperated against you? and would it not be better to get out of the way?"Then said the bishop, "It appears to me more likely that he will not act so; and besides, what death could be better, or more desirable, than to leave life for the honour of God? or to die for the holy cause of Christianity and our own office, by preventing that which is not right? I am so cheerful because Ihave done what I ought to do."There was much noise in the town about this.The king got ready for a journey, and took with him corn, malt and honey.He went south to Stavanger, and prepared a feast there for his marriage with Cecilia.When a bishop who ruled there heard of this he went to the king, and asked if it were true that he intended to marry in the lifetime of the queen.
The king said it was so.
The bishop answers, "If it be so, sire, you must know how much such a thing is forbidden to inferior persons.Now it appears as if you thought it was allowable for you, because you have great power, and that it is proper for you, although it is against right and propriety; but I do not know how you will do it in our bishopric, dishonouring thereby God's command, the holy Church, and our episcopal authority.But you must bestow a great amount of gifts and estates on this foundation, and thereby pay the mulct due to God and to us for such transgression."Then said the king, "Take what thou wilt of our possessions.
Thou art far more reasonable than Bishop Magne."Then the king went away, as well pleased with this bishop as ill pleased with him who had laid a prohibition on him.Thereafter the king married the girl, and loved her tenderly.
41.IMPROVEMENT OF KONUNGAHELLA.
King Sigurd improved the town of Konungahella so much, that there was not a greater town in Norway at the time, and he remained there long for the defence of the frontiers.He built a king's house in the castle, and imposed a duty on all the districts in the neighbourhood of the town, as well as on the townspeople, that every person of nine years of age and upwards should bring to the castle five missile stones for weapons, or as many large stakes sharp at one end and five ells long.In the castle the king built a cross-church of timber, and carefully put together, as far as regards the wood and other materials.The cross-church was consecrated in the 24th year of King Sigurd's reign (A.D.
1127).Here the king deposited the piece of the holy cross, and many other holy relics.It was called the castle church; and before the high altar he placed the tables he had got made in the Greek country, which were of copper and silver, all gilt, and beautifully adorned with jewels.Here was also the shrine which the Danish king Eirik Eimune had sent to King Sigurd; and the altar book, written with gold letters, which the patriarch had presented to King Sigurd.
42.KING SIGURD'S DEATH.
Three years after the consecration of the cross-church, when King Sigurd was stopping at Viken, he fell sick (A.D.1130).He died the night before Mary's-mass (August 15), and was buried in Halvard's church, where he was laid in the stone wall without the choir on the south side.His son Magnus was in the town at the time and took possession of the whole of the king's treasury when King Sigurd died.Sigurd had been king of Norway twenty-seven years (A.D.1104-1130), and was forty years of age when he died.
The time of his reign was good for the country; for there was peace, and crops were good.
SAGA OF MAGNUS THE BLIND AND OF HARALD GILLE.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS
An age of conflict now begins in Norway.On his death, in 1130, Sigurd left his son Magnus and his brother Harald.They soon divided the government, and then entered upon a five-years'
conflict, until Magnus, in 1135, with eyes picked out, went into a convent.
The next year, 1136, a new pretender appeared in the person of Sigurd Slembe, who took King Harald's life in 1137.Magnus died in 1139.
Other literature in regard to this epoch is "Fagrskinna" and "Morkinskinna".The corresponding part of "Agrip" is lost.
Skalds quoted are: Haldor Skvaldre, Einar Skulason, and Ivar Ingemundson.
1.MAGNUS AND HARALD PROCLAIMED KINGS.
King Sigurd's son Magnus was proclaimed in Oslo king of all the country immediately after his father's death, according to the oath which the whole nation had sworn to King Sigurd; and many went into his service, and many became his lendermen.Magnus was the handsomest man then in Norway; of a passionate temper, and cruel, but distinguished in bodily exercises.The favour of the people he owed most to the respect for his father.He was a great drinker, greedy of money, hard, and obstinate.