Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/117

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 109 has robbed me of my kingdom, and done me great SAGA VI1 - mischief by marauding and killing through the land." With that their conversation broke off, and each went away. Ingigerd, the king's daughter, had now full cer- Chapter tainty of king Olaf 's intention, and immediately sent 0f i at : men to West Gotland to Earl Rognvald, and let him * he Norway o / kings know how it stood with the Swedish king, and that counsels. the agreement made with the king of Norway was broken ; and advising the earl and people of West Gotland to be upon their guard, as no peace from the people of Norway was to be expected. When the earl got this news he sent a message through all his kingdom, and told the people to be cautious, and pre- pared in case of war or pillage from the side of Nor- way. He also sent men to King Olaf the Thick, and let him know the message he had received, and like- wise that he wished for himself to hold peace and friendship with King Olaf; and therefore he begged him not to pillage in his kingdom. When this message came to King Olaf it made him both angry and sorry ; and for some days nobody got a word from him. He then held a House-Thing with his men, and in it Biorn arose, and first took the word. He began his speech by telling that he had proceeded eastward last winter to establish a peace, and he told how kindly Earl Rognvald had received him ; and, on the other hand, how crossly and heavily the Swedish king had accepted the proposal. " And the agreement," said he, "which was made, was made more by means of the strength of the people, the power of Thorgnyr, and the aid of the earl, than by the king's good will. Now, on these grounds, we know for certain that it is the king who has caused the breach of the agreement ; therefore we ought by no means to make the earl suffer, for it is proved that he is King Olaf's firm friend." The king wished now to hear from the chiefs and other leaders