Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/24

 12 CHRONICLE OF THE sAGAjx, and went out of the castle with cross, and shrine, and relics, and formed a beautiful procession. The y^ringers also made a great burial. The coffin was borne high in the air, and over it was a tent of costly linen, and before it were carried many banners. Now when the corpse was brought within the castle gate the Yaeringers set down the coffin right across the entry, fixed a bar to keep the gates open, and sounded to battle with all their trumpets, and drew their swords. The whole army of the YaBringers, fully armed, rushed from the camp to the assault of the castle with shout and cry ; and the monks and other priests who had gone to meet the corpse, and had striven with each other who should be the first to come out and take the offering at the burial, were now striving much more who should first get away from the Vaeringers ; for they killed before their feet every one who was nearest, whether clerk or uncon- secrated. The Vasringers rummaged so well this castle, that they killed all the men, pillaged every thing, and made an enormous booty. Chapter Harald was many years in these campaigns, both Of Haraid. in Saraccu land and in Sicily. Then he came back to Constantinople with his troops, and staid there but a little time before he began his expedition to Jerusalem. There he left the pay he had received from the Greek emperor, and all the Vaeringers who accompanied him did the same. It is said that on all these expeditions Harald had fought eighteen regular battles. So says Thiodolf: — ^* Harald the Stern ne'er allowed Peace to his foemen, false and proud : In eighteen battles, fought and won, The valour of the Norseman shone. The king, before his home return, Oft dyed the bald head of the erne With bloody specks, and o'er the waste The sharp-claw'd wolf his footsteps traced."