Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/389

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 381 opinion of my judgment, I think. Some consider that saga vm. ye are too great earls, and others that ye are fit for nothing." Then the king stood up, took a sword, and girt it on the earl's loins, and took a shield and fastened it on his shoulders, put a helmet upon his head, and gave him the title of earl, with the same fiefs in Den- mark which his father Earl Ulf had formerly held. Afterwards a shrine was brought forth containing holy relics, and Swend laid his hand thereon, and swore the oath of fidelity to King Magnus ; upon which the king led the earl to the high seat by his side. So says Thiodolf : — " 'Twas at the Gotha river's shore, With hand on shrine Swend Ulfsson swore. King Magnus first said o'er the oath, With which Swend Ulfsson pledged his troth. The vows by Swend solemnly given, On holy bones of saints in heaven, To Magnus seemed both fair and fast : He found they were too fair to last." Earl Swend went thereafter to Denmark, and the whole nation received him well. He established a court about him, and soon became a great man. In winter he went much about the country, and made friends among the powerful chiefs ; and, indeed, he was beloved by all the people of the land. Kino; Magnus proceeded northward to Norway Chapter XXV with his fleet, and wintered there; but when the K in g spring set in he gathered a large force, with which he Magnus's sailed south to Denmark, having heard the news from Yendland that the Vendlancl people in Jomsburg had withdrawn from their submission to him. The Danish kings had formerly had a very large earldom there, and they first founded Jomsburg ; and now the place was become a very strong fortress. When King Mag- nus heard of this, he ordered a large fleet and army to be levied in Denmark, and sailed in summer to