Page:The Early Kings of Norway.djvu/135

 REIGN OF KING OLAF THE SAINT. 125 mind, he seems, especially after that year of pilgrim- age to Rome, and association with the Pontiffs and Kaisers of the world on that occasion, to have turned his more particular attention upon Norway, and the claims he himself had there. Jarl Hakon, too, sister's son of Knut, and always well seen hy him, had long heen husy in this direction, much forgetful of that oath to Olaf when his harge got canted over by the cable of two capstans, and his life was given him, not without conditions altogether ! About the year 1026 there arrived two splendid persons out of England, bearing King Knut the Great's letter and seal, with a message, likely enough to be far from welcome to Olaf. For some days Olaf refused to see them or their letter, shrewdly guessing what the purport would be. "Which indeed was couched in mild language, but of sharp meaning enough : a notice to King Olaf, namely. That Norway was properly, by just heritage, Knut the Great's ; and that Olaf must become the great Knut's liegeman, and pay tribute to him, or worse would follow. King Olaf, listening to these two splendid persons and their letter, in indignant silence till they quite ended,