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Five years after King Sigurd's death remarkable occurrences took place in Konungahella (A.D.1135).Guthorm, a son of Harald Fletter, and Saemund Husfreyja, were at that time the king's officers there.Saemund was married to Ingebjorg, a daughter of the priest Andres Brunson.Their sons were Paul Flip and Gunne Fis.Saemund's natural son was called Asmund.Andres Brunson was a very remarkable man, who carried on divine service in the Cross church.His wife (1) was called Solveig.Jon Loptson, who was then eleven years old, was in their house to be fostered and educated.The priest Lopt Saemundson, Jon's father, was also in the town at that time.The priest Andres and Solveig had a daughter by name Helga, who was Einar's wife.It happened now in Konungahella, the next Sunday night after Easter week, that there was a great noise in the streets through the whole town as if the king was going through with all his court-men.The dogs were so affected that nobody could hold them, but they slipped loose; and when they came out they ran mad, biting all that came in their way, people and cattle.All who were bitten by them till the blood came turned raging mad; and pregnant women were taken in labour prematurely, and became mad.From Easter to Ascension-day, these portentous circumstances took place almost every night.People were dreadfully alarmed at these wonders;and many made themselves ready to remove, sold their houses, and went out to the country districts, or to other towns.The most intelligent men looked upon it as something extremely remarkable;were in dread of it; and said, as it proved to be, that it was an omen of important events which had not yet taken place.And the priest Andres, on Whit Sunday, made a long and excellent speech, and turned the conclusion of it to the distressing situation of the townspeople; telling them to muster courage, and not lay waste their excellent town by deserting it, but rather to take the utmost care in all things, and use the greatest foresight against all dangers, as of fire or the enemy, and to pray to God to have mercy on them.
ENDNOTES:
(1) The Catholic priests appear to have had wives at that time in Norway, and celibacy to have been confined to the monks.
-- L.
10.THE RISE OF WAR IN KONUNGAHELLA.
Thirteen loaded merchant ships made ready to leave the town, intending to proceed to Bergen; but eleven of them were lost, men and goods, and all that was in them; the twelfth was lost also, but the people were saved, although the cargo went to the bottom.
At that time the priest Lopt went north to Bergen, with all that belonged to him, and arrived safely.The merchant vessels were lost on Saint Lawrence eve (August 10).The Danish king Eirik and the Archbishop Assur, both sent notice to Konungahella to keep watch on their town; and said the Vindland people had a great force on foot with which they made war far around on Christian people, and usually gained the victory.But the townspeople attended very little to this warning, were indifferent, and forgot more and more the dreadful omens the longer it was since they happened.On the holy Saint Lawrence day, while the words of high mass were spoken, came to the Vindland king Rettibur to Konungahella with 550 Vindland 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, with a part of their troops, up the east arm of the Gaut 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 Bratsas, and from thence up around the town.
Einar, a relation of priest Andres, brought these tidings up to the Castle church; for there the whole inhabitants of the town were gathered to hear high mass.Einar came just as the priest Andres 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 Bratsas.Many said it must be the Danish king Eirik, and from him they might expect peace.The people ran down into the town to their properties, armed themselves, and went down 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 Vindland people first directed their course toward these and fought with the merchants, who armed themselves, and defended themselves long, well, and manfully.There was a hard battle, and resistance, before the merchant vessels were cleared of their men; and in this conflict the Vindland people lost 150 of their ships, with all the men on board.When the battle was sharpest the townsmen stood upon the piers, and shot at the heathens.But when the fight slackened the burgesses fled up to the town, and from thence into the castle; and the men took with them all their valuable articles, and such goods as they could carry.Solveig and her daughters, with two other women, went on shore when the Vindlanders took possession of the merchant vessels.Now the Vindlanders landed, and mustered their men, and discovered their loss.Some of them went up into the town, some on board the merchant ships, and took all the goods they pleased; and then they set fire to the town, and burnt it and the ships.They hastened then with all their army to assault the castle.
11.THE SECOND BATTLE.