KINGS OF NORWAY. 277 Bergen with his forces ; but when he came to Stior- saqa xv. vellta, he heard that King Inge and Gregorius had arrived a few nights before from the east at Ber- gen, and therefore he did not venture to steer thi- ther. They sailed the outer course southwards past Bergen, and met three ships of King Inge's fleet, which had been outsailed on the voyage from the east. On board of them were Gyrder Amundsson, King Inge's foster-brother, who was married to Gyrid a sister of Gregorius, and also lagman Gyrder Gun- hildsson, and Havard Klining. King Hakon had Gyrder Amundsson and Havard Klining put to death ; but took lagman Gyrder southwards, and then pro- ceeded east to Yiken. When King Inge heard of this he sailed east after Chapter them, and they met east in the Gotha river. King ofthecon- Ino^e went up the north arm of the river, and sent suitatioiis ^ . ^ . of King out spies to get news of Hakon and his fleet ; but he inge. himself landed at Hising, and waited for his spies. Now when the spies came back they went to the king, and said that they had seen King Hakon's forces, and all his ships which lay at the stakes in the river, and Hakon's men had bound the stems of their vessels to them. They had two great East-country trading vessels, which they had laid outside of the fleet, and on both these were built high wooden stages (castles). When King Inge heard the preparations they had made, he ordered a trumpet to call a House-thing of all the men ; and when the Thing was seated he asked his men for counsel, and applied particularly to Gregorius Dagsson, his brother-in-law Erling Skakke, and other lendermen and ship-commanders, to whom he related the preparations of Hakon and his men. Then Gregorius Dagsson replied first, and made known his mind in the following w^ords : Some- times we and Hakon have met, and generally they had the most people; but, notwithstanding, they fell T 3
