KINGS OF NORWAY. 119 Thorer and Swend collected a troop in the Uplands, saga xi. and went down through Raumsdal into Sondmor, and there collected vessels, with which they afterwards sailed north to Drontheim. The lenderman Sigurd Ullstring, a son of Lodin Chapter Viggierskalle, collected men by sending round the ofThorer's war-token, as soon as he heard of Thorer and the * ^^"^"^^^• troop which followed him, and had a rendezvous with all the men he could raise at Viggia. Swend and Thorer also met there with their people, fought with Sigurd, and gained the victory after giving him a great defeat; and Sigurd fled, and joined King Mag- nus. Thorer and his followers proceeded to the town (Nidaros), and remained there some time in the fiord, where many people joined them. King Magnus hear- ing this news immediately collected an army, and pro- ceeded north to Drontheim. And when he came into the fiord Thorer and his party heard of it while they lay at Hafring, and they were ready to leave the fiord ; and they rowed their ships to the strand at Yanwick, and left them, and came into Texdal in Seliowerf, and Thorer was carried in a litter over the Fielde. Then they got hold of ships, and sailed north to Halogaland. As soon as King Magnus was ready for sea, he sailed from Drontheim in pursuit of them. Thorer and his party Avent north all the way to Biarko ; and John, with his son Vidkunner, fled from thence. Thorer and his men robbed all the moveable goods, and burnt the house, and a good long-ship that belonged to Vidkunner. While the hull was burning the vessel heeled to one side, and Thorer called out, " Hard to starboard, Vidkunner ! " Some verses were made about this burning in Biarko : — " The sweetest farm that I have seen Stood on Biarko's island green ; And now, where once this farm-house stood. Fire crackles through a pile of wood ; I 4
