Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/229

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 217 this warning, were indifferent, and forgot more and sa ga x m. more the dreadful omens the longer it was since they happened. On the holy Saint Lawrence day, while the words of high mass Avere spoken, came the Vend- land king Rettibur to Konghelle with 250 Yendland cutters, and in each cutter were forty-four men and two horses. The king's sister's son Dunimiz, and Unibur, a chief who ruled over many people, were with him. These two chiefs rowed at once, mth all their troops, up the east arm of the Gotha river past Hising Isle, and thus came down to the town ; but a part of the fleet lay in the western arm, and came so to the town. They made fast their ships at the piles, and landed their horses, and rode over the height of Bratsaas, and from thence up around the town. Einar, a relation of priest Andreas, brought these tidings up to the Castle church ; for there the whole inhabitants of the to^vn were gathered to hear high mass. Einar came just as the priest Andreas was holding his discourse ; and he told the people that an army was sailing up against the town with a great number of ships of war, and that some people were riding over Bratsaas. Many said it must be the Danish king Eric, and from him they might expect peace. The people ran down into the town to their properties, armed themselves, and went doAvn upon the piers, whence they immediately saw there was an enemy and an immense army. Nine East-country trading vessels belonging to the merchants were afloat in the river at the piers. The merchants took these, armed themselves, and defended themselves long, well, and manfully. There was a hard battle, and resist- ance, before the merchant vessels were cleared of their men ; and in this conflict the Vendland people lost 150 of their ships, with all the men on board. When the battle was sharpest the townsmen stood upon the