Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/332

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320 CHRONICLE OF THE SAGA XVI. Erling Skakke and Arch- bishop Eystein. KsBne, fast to an anchor bound, Was thrown into the deep blue Sound ; And Biorn swung high on gallows- tree, A sight all good men loved to see." Onund and Arnolf, with the band that had escaped, fled to Denmark ; but were sometimes in Gotland, or in Yiken. Chaptek Erling Skakke sailed after this to Tunsberg, and Conference remained there very long in spring ; but when summer between (.^me he proceeded north to Bergen, where at that time a great many people were assembled. There Avas the legate from Rome, Stephanus ; the Archbishop Eystein, and other bishops of the country. There was also Bishop Brand, who was consecrated bishop of Iceland, and John Loptsson, a daughter's son of King Magnus Barefoot ; and on this occasion King Magnus and John's other relations acknowledged the relation- ship with him. Archbishop Eystein and Erling Skakke often con- versed together in private ; and, among other things, Erling asked one day, Is it true, sir, what people tell me, — that you have raised the value of the ore upon the people north in Drontheim, in the law cases in which money-fees are paid you? " "It is so," said the archbishop, " that the bonders have allowed me an advance on the ore of law casual- ties ; but they did it willingly, and without any kind of compulsion, and have thereby added to their honour for God and the income of the bishopric." Erling replies, " Is this according to the law of the holy Olaf ? or have you gone to work more arbitrarily in this than is written down in the law-book ? " The archbishop replies, " King Olaf the Holy fixed the laws, to which he received the consent and affirm- ative of the people ; but it will not be found in his laws that it is forbidden to increase God's right." Erling : "• If you augment your right, you must assist us to augment as much the king's right."