early kings of norway-第14部分

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his　course　of　conduct；　naturally　made　enemies。　　His　severity　so　visible　to　all；　and　the　justice　and　infinite　beneficence　of　it　so　invisible　except　to　a　very　few。　　But；　at　any　rate；　his　reign　for　the　first　ten　years　was　victorious；　and　might　have　been　so　to　the　end；　had　it　not　been　intersected；　and　interfered　with；　by　King　Knut　in　his　far　bigger　orbit　and　current　of　affairs　and　interests。　　Knut's　English　affairs　and　Danish　being　all　settled　to　his　mind；　he　seems；　especially　after　that　year　of　pilgrimage　to　Rome；　and　association　with　the　Pontiffs　and　Kaisers　of　the　world　on　that　occasion；　to　have　turned　his　more　particular　attention　upon　Norway；　and　the　claims　he　himself　had　there。　Jarl　Hakon；　too；　sister's　son　of　Knut；　and　always　well　seen　by　him；　had　long　been　busy　in　this　direction；　much　forgetful　of　that　oath　to　Olaf　when　his　barge　got　canted　over　by　the　cable　of　two　capstans；　and　his　life　was　given　him；　not　without　conditions　altogether！

About　the　year　1026　there　arrived　two　splendid　persons　out　of　England；　bearing　King　Knut　the　Great's　letter　and　seal；　with　a　message；　likely　enough　to　be　far　from　welcome　to　Olaf。　　For　some　days　Olaf　refused　to　see　them　or　their　letter；　shrewdly　guessing　what　the　purport　would　be。　Which　indeed　was　couched　in　mild　language；　but　of　sharp　meaning　enough：　　a　notice　to　King　Olaf　namely；　That　Norway　was　properly；　by　just　heritage；　Knut　the　Great's；　and　that　Olaf　must　become　the　great　Knut's　liegeman；　and　pay　tribute　to　him；　or　worse　would　follow。　　King　Olaf　listening　to　these　two　splendid　persons　and　their　letter；　in　indignant　silence　till　they　quite　ended；　made　answer：　　〃I　have　heard　say；　by　old　accounts　there　are；　that　King　Gorm　of　Denmark　＇Blue…tooth's　father；　Knut's　great…grandfather＇　was　considered　but　a　small　king；　having　Denmark　only　and　few　people　to　rule　over。　　But　the　kings　who　succeeded　him　thought　that　insufficient　for　them；　and　it　has　since　come　so　far　that　King　Knut　rules　over　both　Denmark　and　England；　and　has　conquered　for　himself　a　part　of　Scotland。　　And　now　he　claims　also　my　paternal　bit　of　heritage；　cannot　be　contented　without　that　too。　　Does　he　wish　to　rule　over　all　the　countries　of　the　North？　　Can　he　eat　up　all　the　kale　in　England　itself；　this　Knut　the　Great？　　He　shall　do　that；　and　reduce　his　England　to　a　desert；　before　I　lay　my　head　in　his　hands；　or　show　him　any　other　kind　of　vassalage。　　And　so　I　bid　you　tell　him　these　my　words：　　I　will　defend　Norway　with　battle…axe　and　sword　as　long　as　life　is　given　me；　and　will　pay　tax　to　no　man　for　my　kingdom。〃　　Words　which　naturally　irritated　Knut　to　a　high　degree。

Next　year　accordingly　（year　1027）；　tenth　or　eleventh　year　of　Olaf's　reign；　there　came　bad　rumors　out　of　England：　　That　Knut　was　equipping　an　immense　army；land…army；　and　such　a　fleet　as　had　never　sailed　before；　Knut's　own　ship　in　it；a　Gold　Dragon　with　no　fewer　than　sixty　benches　of　oars。　　Olaf　and　Onund　King　of　Sweden；　whose　sister　he　had　married；　well　guessed　whither　this　armament　was　bound。　　They　were　friends　withal；　they　recognized　their　common　peril　in　this　imminence；　and　had；　in　repeated　consultations；　taken　measures　the　best　that　their　united　skill　（which　I　find　was　mainly　Olaf's　but　loyally　accepted　by　the　other）　could　suggest。　　It　was　in　this　year　that　Olaf　（with　his　Swedish　king　assisting）　did　his　grand　feat　upon　Knut　in　Lymfjord　of　Jutland；　which　was　already　spoken　of。　　The　special　circumstances　of　which　were　these：

Knut's　big　armament　arriving　on　the　Jutish　coasts　too　late　in　the　season；　and　the　coast　country　lying　all　plundered　into　temporary　wreck　by　the　two　Norse　kings；　who　shrank　away　on　sight　of　Knut；　there　was　nothing　could　be　done　upon　them　by　Knut　this　year；or；　if　anything；　what？　　Knut's　ships　ran　into　Lymfjord；　the　safe…sheltered　frith；　or　intricate　long　straggle　of　friths　and　straits；　which　almost　cuts　Jutland　in　two　in　that　region；　and　lay　safe；　idly　rocking　on　the　waters　there；　uncertain　what　to　do　farther。　　At　last　he　steered　in　his　big　ship　and　some　others；　deeper　into　the　interior　of　Lymfjord；　deeper　and　deeper　onwards　to　the　mouth　of　a　big　river　called　the　Helge　（_Helge…aa_；　the　Holy　River；　not　discoverable　in　my　poor　maps；　but　certainly　enough　still　existing　and　still　flowing　somewhere　among　those　intricate　straits　and　friths）；　towards　the　bottom　of　which　Helge　river　lay；　in　some　safe　nook；　the　small　combined　Swedish　and　Norse　fleet；　under　the　charge　of　Onund；　the　Swedish　king；　while　at　the　top　or　source；　which　is　a　biggish　mountain　lake；　King　Olaf　had　been　doing　considerable　engineering　works；　well　suited　to　such　an　occasion；　and　was　now　ready　at　a　moment's　notice。　　Knut's　fleet　having　idly　taken　station　here；　notice　from　the　Swedish　king　was　instantly　sent；　instantly　Olaf's　well…engineered　flood…gates　were　thrown　open；　from　the　swollen　lake　a　huge　deluge　of　water　was　let　loose；　Olaf　himself　with　all　his　people　hastening　down　to　join　his　Swedish　friend；　and　get　on　board　in　time；　Helge　river　all　the　while　alongside　of　him；　with　ever…increasing　roar；　and　wider…spreading　deluge；　hastening　down　the　steeps　in　the　night…watches。　　So　that；　along　with　Olaf　or　some　way　ahead　of　him；　came　immeasurable　roaring　waste　of　waters　upon　Knut's　negligent　fleet；　shattered；　broke；　and　stranded　many　of　his　ships；　and　was　within　a　trifle　of　destroying　the　Golden　Dragon　herself；　with　Knut　on　board。　　Olaf　and　Onund；　we　need　not　say；　were　promptly　there　in　person；　doing　their　very　best；　the　railings　of　the　Golden　Dragon；　however；　were　too　high　for　their　little　ships；　and　Jarl　Ulf；　husband　of　Knut's　sister；　at　the　top　of　his　speed；　courageously　intervening；　spoiled　their　stratagem；　and　saved　Knut　from　this　very　dangerous　pass。

Knut　did　nothing　more　this　winter。　　The　two　Norse　kings；　quite　unequal　to　attack　such　an　armament；　except　by　ambush　and　engineering；　sailed　away；　again　plundering　at　discretion　on　the　Danish　coast；　carrying　into　Sweden　great　booties　and　many　prisoners；　but　obliged　to　lie　fixed　all　winter；　and　indeed　to　leave　their　fleets　there　for　a　series　of　winters；Knut's　fleet；　posted　at　Elsinore　on　both　sides　of　the　Sound；　rendering　all　egress　from　the　Baltic　impossible；　except　at　his　pleasure。　　Ulf's　opportune　deliverance　of　his　royal　brother…in…law　did　not　much　bestead　poor　Ulf　himself。　　He　had　been　in　disfavor　before；　pardoned　with　difficulty；　by　Queen　Emma's　intercession；　an　ambitious；　officious；　pushing；　stirring；　and；　both　in　England　and　Denmark；　almost　dangerous　man；　and　this　conspicuous　accidental　merit　only　awoke　new　jealousy　in　Knut。　　Knut；　finding　nothing　pass　the　Sound　worth　much　blockading；　went　ashore；　〃and　the　day　before　Michaelmas；〃　says　Snorro；　〃rode　with　a　great　retinue　to　Roeskilde。〃　　Snorro　continues　his　tragic　narrative　of　what　befell　there：

〃There　Knut's　brother…in…law；　Jarl　Ulf；　had　prepared　a　great　feast　for　him。　　The　Jarl　was　the　most　agreeable　of　hosts；　but　the　King　was　silent　and　sullen。　　The　Jarl　talked　to　him　in　every　way　to　make　him　cheerful；　and　brought　forward　everything　he　could　think　of　to　amuse　him；　but　the　King　remained　stern；　and　speaking　little。　　At　last　the　Jarl　proposed　a　game　of　chess；　which　he　agreed　to。　　A　chess…board　was　produced；　and　they　played　together。　　Jarl　Ulf　was　hasty　in　temper；　stiff；　and　in　nothing　yielding；　but　everything　he　managed　went　on　well　in　his　hands：　　and　he　was　a　great　warrior；　about　whom　there　are　many　stories。　　He　was　the　most　powerful　man　in　Denmark　next　to　the　King。　Jarl　Ulf's　sister；　Gyda；　was　married　to　Jarl　Gudin　（Godwin）　Ulfnadson；　and　their　sons　were；　Harald　King　of　England；　and　Jarl　Tosti；　Jarl　Walthiof；　Jarl　Mauro…Kaare；　and　Jarl　Svein。　　Gyda　was　the　name　of　their　daughter；　who　was　married　to　the　English　King　Edward；　the　Good　（whom　we　call　the　Confessor）。

〃When　they　had　played　a　while；　the　King　made　a　false　move；　on　which　the　Jarl　took　a　knight　from　him；　but　the　King　set　the　piece　on　the　board　again；　and　told　the　Jarl　to　make　another　move。　　But　the　Jarl　flew　angry；　tumbled　the　chess…board　over；　rose；　and　went　away。　　The　King　said；　'Run　thy　ways；　Ulf　the　Fearful。'　　The　Jarl　turned　round　at　the　door　and　said；　'Thou　wouldst　have　run　farther　at　Helge　river　hadst　thou　been　left　to　battle　there。　　Thou　didst　not　call　me　Ulf　the　Fearful　when　I　hastened　to　thy　help　while　the　Swedes　were　beating　thee　like　a　dog。'　　The　Jarl　then　went　out；　and　went　to　bed。

〃The　following　morning；　while　the　King　was　putting　on　his　clothes；　he　said　to　his　footboy；　'Go　thou　to　Jarl　Ulf　and　kill　him。'　　The　lad　went；　was　away　a　while；　and　then　came　back。　　The　King　said；　'Hast　thou　killed　the　Jarl？'　　'I　did　not　kill　him；　for　he　was　gone　to　St。　Lucius's　church。'　　There　was　a　man　called　Ivar　the　White；　a　Norwegian　by　birth；　who　was　the　King's　courtman　and　chamberlain。　　The　King　said　to　him；　'Go　thou　and　kill　the　Jarl。'　　Ivar　went　to　the　church；　and　in　at　the　choir；　and　thrust　his　sword　through　the　Jarl；　who　died　on　the　spot。　　Then　Ivar　went　to　the　King；　with　the　bloody　sword　in　his　hand。

〃The　King　said；　'Hast　thou　killed　the　Jarl？'　　'I　have　killed　him；'　said　he。　　'Thou　hast　done　well；'　answered　the　King。〃　　I

From　a　man　who　built　so　many　churches　（one　on　each　battlefield　where　he　had　fought；　to　say　nothing　of　the　others）；　and　who　had　in　him　such　depths　of　real　devotion　and　other　fine　cosmic　quality；　this　does　seem　rather　strong！　　But　it　is　characteristic；　withal；of　the　man；　and　perhaps　of　the　times　still　more。＇14＇　　In　any　case；　it　is　an　event　worth　noting；　the　slain　Jarl　Ulf　and　his　connections　being　of　importance　in　the　history　of　Denmark　and　of　England　also。　　Ulf's　wife　was　Astrid；　sister　of　Knut；　and　their　only　child　was　Svein；　styled　afterwards　〃Svein　Estrithson〃　（〃Astrid…son〃）　when　he　became　noted　in　the　world；at　this　time　a　beardless　youth；　who；　on　the　back　of　this　tragedy；　fled　hastily　to　Sweden；　where　were　friends　of　Ulf。　　After　some　ten　years'　eclipse　there；　Knut　and　both　his　sons　being　now　dead；　Svein　reappeared　in　Denmark　under　a　new　and　eminent　figure；　〃Jarl　of　Denmark；〃　highest　Liegeman　to　the　then　sovereign　there。　　Broke　his　oath　to　said　sovereign；　declared　himself；　Svein　Estrithson；　to　be　real　King　of　Denmark；　and；　after　much　preliminary　trouble；　and　many　beatings　and　disastrous　flights　to　and　fro；　became　in　effect　such；to　the　wonder　of　mankind；　for　he　had　not　had　one　victory　to　cheer　him　on；　or　any　goo