Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/215

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 203 estates on this foundation, and thereby pay the mulct saga xn. due to God and to us for such transgression." Then said the said the king, " Take what thou wilt of our possessions. Thou art far more reasonable than Bishop Magne." Then the king went away, as well pleased with this bishop as ill pleased with him who had laid a pro- hibition on him. Thereafter the king married the girl, and loved her tenderly. King Sigurd improved the town of Konghelle so chapter much, that there was not a greater town in Norway j^^^'^, at the time, and he remained there long for the mentofthe defence of the frontiers. He built a king's house town of in the castle, and imposed a duty on all the districts Kongheiie. in the neighbourhood of the town, as well as on the townspeople, — that every person of nine years of age and upwards should bring to the castle five missile stones for weapons, or as many large stakes sharp at one end and five ells long. In the castle the king built a cross- church of timber, and carefully put to- gether, as far as regards the wood and other materials. The cross-church was consecrated in the 24th year of King Sigurd's reign. Here the king deposited the piece of the holy cross, and many other holy relics. It was called the Castle Church ; and be- fore the high altar he placed the tables he had got made in the Greek country, which were of copper and silver, all gilt, and beautifully adorned with jewels. Here was also the shrine which the Danish king Eric Eymund had sent to King Sigurd ; and the altar book, written with gold letters, which the patriarch had presented to King Sigurd. Three years after the consecration of the cross- Chapter church, when King Sigurd was stopping at Viken, he Ki.^^^* fell sick. Then his friends entreated him to separate sigmd's from his wife (Cecilia), which she herself also desired; and she entreated the king that she might be allowed