Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 1.djvu/320

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306
CHRONICLE OF THE

but Eric got nothing, and left the town. Biorn went also out of the town towards evening up to Seahehn. In the night Eric came back after Biorn, and came to Seaheim just as Biorn and his men were seated at table drinking. Eric surrounded the house in which they were; but Biorn -with his men went out and fought. Biorn, and many men with him, fell. Eric, on the other hand, got a great booty, and proceeded northwards. But this work was taken very ill by the people of Yiken, and Eric was much disliked for it; and the report went that King Olaf would avenge his brother Biorn, whenever opportunity offered. King Biorn lies in the Freightman's mound at Seaheim.[1]

Chapter XXXIX.
Of the reconciliation of the Icings.

King Eric went in winter northwards to More, and was at a feast in Solva, within the point Agdanes[2]; and when Halfdan heard of it he set out with his men, and surrounded the house in which they were. Eric slept in a room which stood detached by itself, and he escaped into the forest with five others; but Halfdan and his men burnt the main house, with all the people who were in it. With this news Eric came to King Harald, who was very wroth at it, and assembled a great force against the Drontheim people. When Elalfdan the Black heard this he levied ships and men, so that he had a great force, and proceeded with it to Stad, within Thorsberg. King Harald lay with his men at Reinplain. How people went between them, and among others a clever man called Guttorm Sindre, who was then in Halfdan's army, but had been formerly in the service of King Harald, and was a great friend of both. Guttorm was a great scald, and had once composed a song both about the father and the son, for which they had offered him a reward.

  1. Seaheim called afterwards Semb or Sern, is a farm now called Jarlsberg, about two miles from the town of Tunsberg. The Freightman's mound is still to be seen.
  2. Agdaness is the south point of land at the entrance of the Drontheim fiord.