Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/224

 212 CHRONICLE OF THE SAGA XIII that it was without a chief. Now there is still an- other counsel, and it is but a poor one ; but it may turn out useful to us. Send out your pursuivants*, and send other people with them, and let them go against the lendermen who will not join you in your necessity, and kill them ; and bestow their pro- perty on others who will give you help, although they may have been of small importance before. Let them drive together the people, the bad as well as the good ; and go with the men you can thus assemble against King Harald, and give him battle." The king replies, '' It would be unpopular to put to death people of distinction, and raise up inferior people who often break faith and law, and the country would be still worse off. I would like to hear some other counsel still." Sigurd replies, " It is difficult for me now to give advice, as you will neither make peace nor give battle. Let us go north to Drontheim, where the main strength of the country is most inclined to our side ; and on the way let us gather all the men we can. It may be that these river-borderers will be tired of such a Ions: stride after us." The king replies, " We must not fly from those whom we beat in summer. Give some better counsel still." Then Sigurd stood up, and said, while he was pre- paring to go out, " I will now give you the counsel which I see you will take, and which must have its course. Sit here in Bergen until Harald comes with his troops, and then you will either suffer death or disgrace." And Sigurd remained no longer at that meeting. King Harald came from the East along the coast ofiiaraid's With a grcat army, and this winter is called on that force. The Giester, or pursuivants, were a lower class of men-at-arms than the hirdmen, or courtmen. Chaptkr VI.