Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/228

 216 CHRONICLE OF THE SAGA XIII. came turned raging mad; and pregnant women were taken in labour prematurely, and became mad. From Easter to Ascension-day, these portentous circum- stances took place almost every night. People were dreadfully alarmed at these wonders ; and many made themselves ready to remove, sold their houses, and went out to the country districts, or to other towns. The most intelligent men looked upon it as something extremely remarkable ; were in dread of it ; and said, as it proved to be, that it was an omen of important events which had not yet taken place. And the priest Andreas, on Whit Sunday, made a long and excellent speech, and turned the conclusion of it to the distressing situation of the townspeople ; telling them to muster courage, and not lay waste their ex- cellent town by deserting it, but rather to take the utmost care in all things, and use the greatest fore- sight against all dangers, as of fire or the enemy, and to pray to God to have mercy on them. Chapter Thirteen loaded merchant ships made ready to leave The rise the towu, intending to proceed to Bergen ; but eleven of war in ^f thcui wcrc lost, mcu and 2:oods, and all that was in Konghelle. ' ^ i them ; the twelfth was lost also, but the people were saved, although the cargo went to the bottom. At that time the priest Lopt went north to Bergen, with all that belonged to him, and arrived safely. The merchant vessels were lost on Saint Lawrence eve. The Danish king Eric Eymund, and the Archbishop Ozur*, both sent notice to Konghelle to keep watch on their town ; and said the Vendland people had a great force on foot with which they made war far around on Christian people, and usually gained the victory. But the townspeople attended very little to This Ozur, — or Asserus, Asgerus, or Atscherus, — was the first archbishop of Lund in Scania, and died anno 1138.