Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/270

 262 CHRONICLE OF THE SAGA VII. Chapter CLXXIII. Of Biorn the bailiff". Chapter CLXXIV. Of Hand's sons. the Uplands, although it was not so long a time since he had been there in guest-quarters as the law pre- scribes, and as the kings usually had the custom of observing in their visits. When he came to the Up- lands the lendermen and the richest bonders invited him to be their guest, and thus lightened his ex- penses. There was a man called Biorn who was of Gotland family, and a friend and acquaintance of Queen Astrid, and in some way related to her. She had given him farm-management and other offices in the upper part of Hedemark. He had also the management of Oster- dal district. Biorn was not in esteem with the king, nor liked by the bonders. It happened in a hamlet which Biorn ruled over, that many swine and cattle were missing ; therefore Biorn ordered a Thing to be called to examine the matter. Such pillage he attri- buted chiefly to the people settled in forest-farms far from other men ; by which he referred particu- larly to those who dwelt in Osterdal, for that district was very thinly inhabited, and full of lakes and forest clearings, and but in few places was any great neighbourhood together. There was a man called Raud who dwelt in Oster- dal. His wife was called Ragnhild ; and his sons, Dag and Sigurd, were men of great talent. They were present at the Thing, made a reply in defence of the Osterdal people, and removed the accusation from them. Biorn thought they were too pert in their answer, and too fine in their clothes and wea- pons ; and therefore turned his speech against these brothers, and said it was not unlikely they may have committed these thefts. They denied it, and the Thing closed. . Soon after King Olaf, with his retinue, came to guest-quarters in the house of bailiff Biorn. The matter which had been before the Thing was then complained of to the king ; and Biorn said that