Somewhat later than King Eystein, Gregorius Dagson also set out to the eastward and came to his farm Bratsberg in Hofund; but King Eystein was up in the fjord at Oslo, and had his ships drawn above two miles over the frozen sea, for there was much ice at that time in Viken.King Eystein went up to Hofund to take Gregorius; but he got news of what was on foot, and escaped to Thelemark with ninety men, from thence over the mountains, and came down in Hardanger; and at last to Studla in Etne, to Erling Skakke's farm.Erling himself had gone north to Bergen; but his wife Kristin, a daughter of King Sigurd, was at home, and offered Gregorius all the assistance he wanted; and he was hospitably received.He got a long-ship there which belonged to Erling, and everything else he required.Gregorius thanked her kindly, and allowed that she had behaved nobly, and as might have been expected of her.Gregorius then proceeded to Bergen, where he met Erling, who thought also that his wife had done well.
30.RECONCILIATION OF EYSTEIN AND INGE.
Then Gregorius went north to Throndhjem, and came there before Yule.King Inge was rejoiced at his safety, and told him to use his property as freely as his own, King Eystein having burnt Gregorius's house, and slaughtered his stock of cattle.The ship-docks which King Eystein the Elder had constructed in the merchant town of Nidaros, and which had been exceedingly expensive, were also burnt this winter, together with some good vessels belonging to King Inge.This deed was ascribed to King Eystein and Philip Gyrdson, King Sigurd's foster-brother, and occasioned much displeasure and hatred.The following summer King Inge went south with a very numerous body of men; and King Eystein came northwards, gathering men also.They met in the east (A.D.1156) at the Seleys, near to the Naze; but King Inge was by far the strongest in men.It was nearly coming to a battle; but at last they were reconciled on these conditions, that King Eystein should be bound to pay forty-five marks of gold, of which King Inge should have thirty marks, because King Eystein had occasioned the burning of the docks and ships; and, besides, that Philip, and all who had been accomplices in the deed, should be outlawed.Also that the men should be banished the country, against whom it could be proved that they gave blow or wound to King Sigurd; for King Eystein accused King Inge of protecting these men; and that Gregorius should have fifteen marks of gold for the value of his property burnt by King Eystein.King Eystein was ill pleased with these terms, and looked upon the treaty as one forced upon him.From that meeting King Inge went eastward to Viken, and King Eystein north to Throndhjem; and they had no intercourse with each other, nor were the messages which passed between them very friendly, and on both sides they killed each other's friends.King Eystein, besides, did not pay the money; and the one accused the other of not fulfilling what was promised.King Inge and Gregorius enticed many people from King Eystein; among others, Bard Standale Brynjolfson, Simon Skalp, a son of Halkel Huk, Halder Brynjolfson, Jon Halkelson, and many other lendermen.
31.OF EYSTEIN AND INGE.
Two years after King Sigurd's fall (A.D.1157) both kings assembled armaments; namely, King Inge in the east of the country, where he collected eighty ships; and King Eystein in the north, where he had forty-five, and among these the Great Dragon, which King Eystein Magnuson had built after the Long Serpent; and they had on both sides many and excellent troops.King Inge lay with his ships south at Moster Isle, and King Eystein a little to the north in Graeningasund.King Eystein sent the young Aslak Jonson, and Arne Sturla, a son of Snaebjorn, with one ship to meet King Inge; but when the king's men knew them, they assaulted them, killed many of their people, and took all that was in the ship belonging to them.Aslak and Arne and a few more escaped to the land, went to King Eystein, and told him how King Inge had received them.Thereupon King Eystein held a House-thing, and told his followers how ill King Inge had treated his men, and desired the troops to follow him."I have," said he, "so many, and such excellent men, that I have no intention to fly, if ye will follow me." But this speech was not received with much favour.Halkel Huk was there; but both his sons, Simon and Jon, were with King Inge.Halkel replied, so loud that many heard him, "Let thy chests of gold follow thee, and let them defend thy land."32.KING EYSTEIN'S DEATH.
In the night many of King Eystein's ships rowed secretly away, some of them joining King Inge, some going to Bergen, or up into the fjords; so that when it was daylight in the morning the king was lying behind with only ten ships.Then he left the Great Dragon, which was heavy to row, and several other vessels behind;and cut and destroyed the Dragon, started out the ale, and destroyed all that they could not take with them.King Eystein went on board of the ship of Eindride, a son of Jon Morner, sailed north into Sogn, and then took the land-road eastwards to Viken.King Inge took the vessels, and sailed with them outside of the isles to Viken.King Eystein had then got east as far as Fold, and had with him 1200 men; but when they saw King Inge's force, they did not think themselves sufficiently strong to oppose him, and they retired to the forest.Every one fled his own way, so that the king was left with but one man.King Inge and his men observed King Eystein's flight, and also that he had but few people with him, and they went immediately to search for him.Simon Skalp met the king just as he was coming out of a willow bush.Simon saluted him."God save you, sire," said he.
The king replied, "I do not know if thou are not sire here."Simon replied, "That is as it may happen."The king begged him to conceal him, and said it was proper to do so."For there was long friendship between us, although it has now gone differently."Simon replied, it could not be.