Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/53

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 45 Earl Swend his ships of war pushed on, saga vii. And lashed their stout stems one to one." It is said that King Olaf brought his ships into battle while Swend was still lying in the harbour. Sigvat the scald was himself in the fight; and in summer, just after the battle, he composed a lay, which is called the Nessic Song, in which he tells particu- larly the circumstances : — lt In the fierce fight 'tis known how near The scorner of the ice-cold spear Laid the Charles' head* the earl on board, All eastward of the Agder fiord." Then was the conflict exceedingly sharp, and it was long before it could be seen how it was to go in the end. Many fell on both sides, and many were the wounded. So says Sigvat : — lt No urging did the earl require, Midst spear and sword — the battle's fire; No urging did the brave king need The ravens in this shield-storm to feed. Of limb- lopping enough was there, And ghastly wounds of sword and spear. Never, I think, was rougher play Than both the armies had that day." The earl had most men, but the king had a chosen crew in his ship, who had followed him in all his wars; and besides they were so excellently equipt, as before related, that each man had a coat of ring- mail f, so that he could not be wounded. So says Sigvat : — " Our lads, broad-shouldered, tall, and hale, Drew on their cold shirts of ring-mail. Soon sword on sword was shrilly ringing, And in the air the spears were singing. t Ring-mail was a kind of network of metal rings sewed upon a leathern or woollen shirt, like a frock or blouse; or it consisted also of rings of metal linked together. It did not impede the movement of the limbs so much as plate-armour, and seems to have been less costly or less esteemed by the great, than plate-armour.
 * The king's ship had a head of Charlemagne.