Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/60

 52 CHRONICLE OF THE saga vii. room ; and within sat his court-bishop, Grimkel, and next him his other priests; without them sat his councillors ; and in the other high seat opposite to the king sat his marshal, Biorn, and next to him his pursuivants.* When people of importance came to him, they also had a seat of honour. The ale was drunk by the fire-light. He divided the service among his men after the fashion of other kings. He had in his house sixty court-men and thirty pur- suivants ; and to them he gave pay and certain regu- lations. He had also thirty house-servants to do the needful work about the house, and procure what was required. He had besides many slaves. At the house were many outbuildings, in which the court-men slept. There was also a large room, in which the king held his court-meetings. Chapter It was King Olaf 's custom to rise betimes in the LV! . & . of King morning, put on his clothes, wash his hands, and then oiaf's g £ ^] ie c ] mrc h aric l ] ie ar the matins and morning habits o o mass. Thereafter he went to the Thing-meeting, to bring people to agreement with each other, or to talk of one or the other matter that appeared to him necessary. He invited to him great and small who were known to be men of understanding. He often made them recite to him the laws which Hakon Athelstan's foster- son had made for Drontheim ; and after considering them with those men of understand- ing, he ordered laws adding to or taking from those established before. But Christian privileges he settled according to the advice of Bishop Grimkel and other learned priests ; and bent his whole mind to uprooting heathenism, and old customs which he thought con- trary to Christianity. And he succeeded so far that thing-men, or men-at-arms of the king's guard; and to have been em- ployed in civil affairs, as gathering penalties, inflicting punishments, and collecting provisions.
 * Giaestr appear to have been inferior in rank to the court-men,