Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/325

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 313 ^vere informed that Sigurd was at Re, in a house saga xvi. called Ramnes, and had 500 men. Then Erling called together his people ; told them the news he had re- ceived ; and all were eager to hasten their march, fall on them in the houses, or engage them by night. Erling replied to them thus : "It is probable that we and Earl Sigurd shall soon meet. There are also many men in this band whose handy work remains in our memories ; such as cutting down King Inge, and so many more of our friends, that it would take long to reckon them up. These deeds they did by the power of Satan, by witchcraft, and by villany ; for it stands in our laws and country rights, that however highly a man may have been guilty, it shall be called villany and cowardly murder to kill him in the night. This band has had its luck hitherto by following the counsel of men acquainted with mtchcraft and fight- ing by night, and not in the light of day ; and by this proceeding have they been victorious hitherto over the chiefs whose heads they have laid low on the earth. Now we have often seen, and proved, how un- suitable and improper it is to go into battle in the night-time; therefore let us rather have before our eyes the example of chiefs better known to us, and who deserve better to be imitated, and fight by open day in regular battle array, and not steal upon sleep- ing men in the night. We have people enough against them, so few as they are. Let us, therefore, wait for day and daylight, and keep together in our array in case they attack us." Thereafter the whole army sat down. Some opened up bundles of hay, and made a bed of it for them- selves ; some sat upon their shields, and thus waited the day -dawn. The weather was raw, and there was a wet snow-drift. Earl Sio^urd got the first intelli2:ence of Erlins^'s Citaptfh . .XIII army, when it was already near to the house. His men of Eari