Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/147

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 139 The earl now declared his errand, and told the king sa ga v ii. the circumstances of the whole dispute between him and his brother, and asked help to defend his king- dom of Orkney; promising, in return, the fullest friendship towards King Olaf. In his answer, the king began with showing how Harald Haarfager had appropriated to himself all udal rights in Orkney, and that the earls, since that time, have constantly held the country as a fief, not as their udal property. " As a sufficient proof of which," said he, " when Eric Bloodyaxe and his sons were in Orkney the earls were subject to them; and also when my relation Olaf Tryggvesson came there thy father, Earl Sigurd, became his man. Now I have taken heritage after King Olaf, and I will give thee the condition to be- come my man, and then I will give thee the islands as a lief; and we shall try if I cannot give thee aid that will be more to the purpose than Thorfinn can get from the Scottish king. If thou wilt not accept of these terms, then will I win back my udal property there in the West, as our forefathers and relations of old possessed it." The earl carefully considered this speech, laid it before his friends, and demanded their advice if he should agree to it, and enter into such terms with King Olaf and become his vassal. " But I do not see what my lot will be at my departure if I say no ; for the king has clearly enough declared his claim upon Orkney ; and from his great power, and our being in his hands, it is easy for him to make our destiny what he pleases." Although the earl saw that there was much to be considered for and against it, he chose the condition to deliver himself and his dominion into the king's power. Thereupon the king took the earl's power, and the government over all the earl's lands, and the earl became his vassal under oath of fealty.