Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/240

 228 CHRONICLE OF THE SAGA XIII. he consecrated the holy water with chant ; and the Ion O'er he staid there the more he was esteemed. The summer after, Sigurd told Thorgil, before they parted, that he might with all confidence address his friends to Sigurd Slembidiakn. Thorgil asked how nearly he was related to him; on which he replies, " I am Sigurd Slembidiakn, a son of King Magnus Barefoot." He then left Iceland. Chapter At this timc Harald was sole king of Norway, and Of Sigurd people generally said that he was not a man of under- f^'^: standinof ; but not so cruel as his relation Kinsr Mas;- nus Sigurdsson. When Harald Gille had been six years King of Norway, Sigurd came to the country ; and many gave him the counsel to go at once to King Harald, declare his relationship to him, and try how matters would go. Sigurd accordingly went to his brother King Harald, and found him in Bergen. He placed himself entirely in the king's hands, disclosed who his father was, and asked him to acknowledge their relationship. The king gave him no hasty or distinct reply ; but laid the matter before his friends in a conference at a specially appointed meeting. When the king's counsellors were made acquainted with it, they said that if Sigurd was placed over the kingdom he would become too great, as King Magnus had been : and now they lived in all quietness, and the Icndermen alone, in fact, governed the kingdom ; and therefore they advised the king to lay a capital accu- sation against Sigurd, and have him put to death. After this conference it became known that the king laid an accusation against Sigurd, because he had been at the killing of Thorkel Fostre in the West. Thorkcl had accompanied Harald to Norway when he first came to the country, and had been one of Harald's best friends. This case was followed up so severely, that a capital accusation ao-ainst Sirard was