Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/335

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 323 When the Danish king Waldemar heard the news saga xvi. from Norway that Magnus was become king of the c^I^er whole country, and all the other parties in the country KUi^wi'i- were rooted out, he sent his men with a letter to King dtmar's Magnus and Erling, and reminded them of the agree- "'^''^'* ment which Erling had entered into, under oath, with King Waldemar, of which we have spoken before ; namely, that Viken from the east to Rygiarbet should be ceded to King Waldemar, if Magnus became the sole king of Norway. When the embassadors came forward and showed Erling the letter of the Danish king, and he heard the Danish king's demand upon Norway, he laid it before the other chiefs by whose counsels he usually covered his acts. All, as one man, replied that the Danes should never hold the slightest portion of Norway ; for never had times been worse in the land than when the Danes had poAver in it. The embassadors of the Danish king were urgent with Erling for an answer, and desired to have it decidedly ; but Erling begged them to proceed with him east to Yiken, and said he would give his final answer when he had met with the men of most understanding and influence in Viken. Erling Skakke proceeded in autumn to Yiken, and Chapter. staid in Tunsberg, from whence he sent people to ofEriing Sarpsburg to summon a Thing* of four districts ; and ^"^ f^^^ then Erling went there with his people. viken. When the Thing was seated Erling made a speech, in which he explained the resolutions which had been settled upon between him and the Danish king, the first time he collected troops against his enemies. " I will," said Erling, "keep faithfully the agreement which we then entered into with the king, if it be your will and consent, bonders, rather to serve the try is a striking example of the right of the Things being recognised, in theory at least, as fully as the right of our parliaments in later times. Y 2
 * This reference to a Thing of the people in the affairs of the coun-