your King, I free you from the oath ye sware to me. You, Dagfinn, are no longer my marshal; I will not appear with marshal or with guard,[1] with vassals or with henchmen. I am a poor man; all my inheritance is a brooch and this gold ring;—these are scant goods wherewith to reward so many good men's service. Now, ye other Pretenders, now we stand equal; I will have no advantage of you, save the right which I have from above—that I neither can nor will share with any one.—Let the assembly-call be sounded, and then let God and the Holy King Olaf's law decide.
[Goes out with his men to the left; blasts of trumpets and horns are heard in the distance.
Gregorius Jonsson.
[To the Earl, as the crowd is departing.] Me-*thought you seemed afraid during the ordeal, and now you look so glad and of good cheer.
Earl Skule.
[Well at ease.] Marked you that he had Sverre's eyes as he spoke? Whether he or I be chosen king, the choice will be good.
Gregorius Jonsson.
[Uneasily.] But do not you give way. Think of all who stand or fall with your cause.
- ↑ The word hird is very difficult to render. It meant something between "court," "household," and "guard." I have never translated it "court," as that word seemed to convey an idea of peaceful civilisation foreign to the country and period; but I have used either "guard" or "household" as the context seemed to demand. Hirdmand I have generally rendered "man-at-arms." Lendermand I have represented by "baron"; lagmand and sysselmand by "thane"; and stallare by "marshal"—all mere rough approximations.
