early kings of norway-第17部分

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r　was　supported　back　to　the　nearest　stone；　and　there　sat　down；　lamentably　calling　on　God　to　help　him　in　this　bad　hour。　　Another　rebel　of　note　（the　name　of　him　long　memorable　in　Norway）　slashed　or　stabbed　Olaf　a　second　time；　as　did　then　a　third。　　Upon　which　the　noble　Olaf　sank　dead；　and　forever　quitted　this　doghole　of　a　world；little　worthy　of　such　men　as　Olaf　one　sometimes　thinks。　　But　that　too　is　a　mistake；　and　even　an　important　one；　should　we　persist　in　it。

With　Olaf's　death　the　sky　cleared　again。　　Battle；　now　near　done；　ended　with　complete　victory　to　the　rebels；　and　next　to　no　pursuit　or　result；　except　the　death　of　Olaf　everybody　hastening　home；　as　soon　as　the　big　Duel　had　decided　itself。　　Olaf's　body　was　secretly　carried；　after　dark；　to　some　out…house　on　the　farm　near　the　spot；　whither　a　poor　blind　beggar；　creeping　in　for　shelter　that　very　evening；　was　miraculously　restored　to　sight。　　And；　truly　with　a　notable；　almost　miraculous；　speed；　the　feelings　of　all　Norway　for　King　Olaf　changed　themselves；　and　were　turned　upside　down；　〃within　a　year；〃　or　almost　within　a　day。　　Superlative　example　of　_Extinctus　amabitur　idem。_　　Not　〃Olaf　the　Thick…set〃　any　longer；　but　〃Olaf　the　Blessed〃　or　Saint；　now　clearly　in　Heaven；　such　the　name　and　character　of　him　from　that　time　to　this。　　Two　churches　dedicated　to　him　（out　of　four　that　once　stood）　stand　in　London　at　this　moment。　　And　the　miracles　that　have　been　done　there；　not　to　speak　of　Norway　and　Christendom　elsewhere；　in　his　name；　were　numerous　and　great　for　long　centuries　afterwards。　　Visibly　a　Saint　Olaf　ever　since；　and；　indeed；　in　_Bollandus_　or　elsewhere；　I　have　seldom　met　with　better　stuff　to　make　a　Saint　of；　or　a　true　World…Hero　in　all　good　senses。

Speaking　of　the　London　Olaf　Churches；　I　should　have　added　that　from　one　of　these　the　thrice…famous　Tooley　Street　gets　its　name；where　those　Three　Tailors；　addressing　Parliament　and　the　Universe；　sublimely　styled　themselves；　〃We；　the　People　of　England。〃　　Saint　Olave　Street；　Saint　Oley　Street；　Stooley　Street；　Tooley　Street；　such　are　the　metamorphoses　of　human　fame　in　the　world！

The　battle…day　of　Stickelstad；　King　Olaf's　death…day；　is　generally　believed　to　have　been　Wednesday；　July　31；　1033。　　But　on　investigation；　it　turns　out　that　there　was　no　total　eclipse　of　the　sun　visible　in　Norway　that　year；　though　three　years　before；　there　was　one；　but　on　the　29th　instead　of　the　31st。　　So　that　the　exact　date　still　remains　uncertain；　Dahlmann；　the　latest　critic；　inclining　for　1030；　and　its　indisputable　eclipse。＇15＇



CHAPTER　XI。

MAGNUS　THE　GOOD　AND　OTHERS。

St。　Olaf　is　the　highest　of　these　Norway　Kings；　and　is　the　last　that　much　attracts　us。　　For　this　reason；　if　a　reason　were　not　superfluous；　we　might　here　end　our　poor　reminiscences　of　those　dim　Sovereigns。　　But　we　will；　nevertheless；　for　the　sake　of　their　connection　with　bits　of　English　History；　still　hastily　mention　the　Dames　of　one　or　two　who　follow；　and　who　throw　a　momentary　gleam　of　life　and　illumination　on　events　and　epochs　that　have　fallen　so　extinct　among　ourselves　at　present；　though　once　they　were　so　momentous　and　memorable。

The　new　King　Svein　from　Jomsburg；　Knut's　natural　son；　had　no　success　in　Norway；　nor　seems　to　have　deserved　any。　　His　English　mother　and　he　were　found　to　be　grasping；　oppressive　persons；　and　awoke；　almost　from　the　instant　that　Olaf　was　suppressed　and　crushed　away　from　Norway　into　Heaven；　universal　odium　more　and　more　in　that　country。　Well…deservedly；　as　still　appears；　for　their　taxings　and　extortions　of　malt；　of　herring；　of　meal；　smithwork　and　every　article　taxable　in　Norway；　were　extreme；　and　their　service　to　the　country　otherwise　nearly　imperceptible。　　In　brief　their　one　basis　there　was　the　power　of　Knut　the　Great；　and　that；　like　all　earthly　things；　was　liable　to　sudden　collapse；and　it　suffered　such　in　a　notable　degree。　　King　Knut；　hardly　yet　of　middle　age；　and　the　greatest　King　in　the　then　world；　died　at　Shaftesbury；　in　1035；　as　Dahlmann　thinks＇16＇；leaving　two　legitimate　sons　and　a　busy；　intriguing　widow　（Norman　Emma；　widow　of　Ethelred　the　Unready）；　mother　of　the　younger　of　these　two；　neither　of　whom　proved　to　have　any　talent　or　any　continuance。　　In　spite　of　Emma's　utmost　efforts；　Harald；　the　elder　son　of　Knut；　not　hers；　got　England　for　his　kingdom；　Emma　and　her　Harda…Knut　had　to　be　content　with　Denmark；　and　go　thither；　much　against　their　will。　　Harald　in　England；light…going　little　figure　like　his　father　before　him；got　the　name　of　Harefoot　here；　and　might　have　done　good　work　among　his　now　orderly　and　settled　people；　but　he　died　almost　within　year　and　day；　and　has　left　no　trace　among　us；　except　that　of　〃Harefoot；〃　from　his　swift　mode　of　walking。　　Emma　and　her　Harda…Knut　now　returned　joyful　to　England。　　But　the　violent；　idle；　and　drunken　Harda…Knut　did　no　good　there；　and；　happily　for　England　and　him；　soon　suddenly　ended；　by　stroke　of　apoplexy　at　a　marriage　festival；　as　mentioned　above。　　In　Denmark　he　had　done　still　less　good。　　And　indeed；under　him；　in　a　year　or　two；　the　grand　imperial　edifice；　laboriously　built　by　Knut's　valor　and　wisdom；　had　already　tumbled　all　to　the　ground；　in　a　most　unexpected　and　remarkable　way。　　As　we　are　now　to　indicate　with　all　brevity。



Svein's　tyrannies　in　Norway　had　wrought　such　fruit　that；　within　the　four　years　after　Olaf's　death；　the　chief　men　in　Norway；　the　very　slayers　of　King　Olaf；　Kalf　Arneson　at　the　head　of　them；　met　secretly　once　or　twice；　and　unanimously　agreed　that　Kalf　Arneson　must　go　to　Sweden；　or　to　Russia　itself；　seek　young　Magnus；　son　of　Olaf　home：　excellent　Magnus；　to　be　king　over　all　Norway　and　them；　instead　of　this　intolerable　Svein。　　Which　was　at　once　done；Magnus　brought　home　in　a　kind　of　triumph；　all　Norway　waiting　for　him。　　Intolerable　Svein　had　already　been　rebelled　against：　　some　years　before　this；　a　certain　young　Tryggve　out　of　Ireland；　authentic　son　of　Olaf　Tryggveson；　and　of　that　fine　Irish　Princess　who　chose　him　in　his　low　habiliments　and　low　estate；　and　took　him　over　to　her　own　Green　Island；this　royal　young　Tryggve　Olafson　had　invaded　the　usurper　Svein；　in　a　fierce；　valiant；　and　determined　manner；　and　though　with　too　small　a　party；　showed　excellent　fight　for　some　time；　till　Svein；　zealously　bestirring　himself；　managed　to　get　him　beaten　and　killed。　　But　that　was　a　couple　of　years　ago；　the　party　still　too　small；　not　including　one　and　all　as　now！　　Svein；　without　stroke　of　sword　this　time；　moved　off　towards　Denmark；　never　showing　face　in　Norway　again。　　His　drunken　brother；　Harda…Knut；　received　him　brother…like；　even　gave　him　some　territory　to　rule　over　and　subsist　upon。　　But　he　lived　only　a　short　while；　was　gone　before　Harda…Knut　himself；　and　we　will　mention　him　no　more。

Magnus　was　a　fine　bright　young　fellow；　and　proved　a　valiant；　wise；　and　successful　King；　known　among　his　people　as　Magnus　the　Good。　　He　was　only　natural　son　of　King　Olaf　but　that　made　little　difference　in　those　times　and　there。　　His　strange…looking；　unexpected　Latin　name　he　got　in　this　way：　　Alfhild；　his　mother；　a　slave　through　ill…luck　of　war；　though　nobly　born；　was　seen　to　be　in　a　hopeful　way；　and　it　was　known　in　the　King's　house　how　intimately　Olaf　was　connected　with　that　occurrence；　and　how　much　he　loved　this　〃King's　serving…maid；〃　as　she　was　commonly　designated。　　Alfhild　was　brought　to　bed　late　at　night；　and　all　the　world；　especially　King　Olaf　was　asleep；　Olaf's　strict　rule；　then　and　always；　being；　Don't　awaken　me：seemingly　a　man　sensitive　about　his　sleep。　　The　child　was　a　boy；　of　rather　weakly　aspect；　no　important　person　present；　except　Sigvat；　the　King's　Icelandic　Skald；　who　happened　to　be　still　awake；　and　the　Bishop　of　Norway；　who；　I　suppose；　had　been　sent　for　in　hurry。　　〃What　is　to　be　done？〃　said　the　Bishop：　　〃here　is　an　infant　in　pressing　need　of　baptism；　and　we　know　not　what　the　name　is：　　go；　Sigvat；　awaken　the　King；　and　ask。〃　　〃I　dare　not　for　my　life；〃　answered　Sigvat；　〃King's　orders　are　rigorous　on　that　point。〃　　〃But　if　the　child　die　unbaptized；〃　said　the　Bishop；　shuddering；　too　certain；　he　and　everybody；　where　the　child　would　go　in　that　case！　　〃I　will　myself　give　him　a　name；〃　said　Sigvat；　with　a　desperate　concentration　of　all　his　faculties；　〃he　shall　be　namesake　of　the　greatest　of　mankind；imperial　Carolus　Magnus；　let　us　call　the　infant　Magnus！〃　　King　Olaf；　on　the　morrow；　asked　rather　sharply　how　Sigvat　had　dared　take　such　a　liberty；　but　excused　Sigvat；　seeing　what　the　perilous　alternative　was。　　And　Magnus；　by　such　accident；　this　boy　was　called；　and　he；　not　another；　is　the　prime　origin　and　introducer　of　that　name　Magnus；　which　occurs　rather　frequently；　not　among　the　Norman　Kings　only；　but　by　and　by　among　the　Danish　and　Swedish；　and；　among　the　Scandinavian　populations；　appears　to　be　rather　frequent　to　this　day。

Magnus；　a　youth　of　great　spirit；　whose　own；　and　standing　at　his　beck；　all　Norway　now　was；　immediately　smote　home　on　Denmark；　desirous　naturally　of　vengeance　for　what　it　had　done　to　Norway；　and　the　sacred　kindred　of　Magnus。　　Denmark；　its　great　Knut　gone；　and　nothing　but　a　drunken　Harda…Knut；　fugitive　Svein　and　Co。；　there　in　his　stead；　was　become　a　weak　dislocated　Country。　　And　Magnus　plundered　in　it；　burnt　it；　beat　it；　as　often　as　he　pleased；　Harda…Knut　struggling　what　he　could　to　make　resistance　or　reprisals；　but　never　once　getting　any　victory　over　Magnus。　　Magnus；　I　perceive；　was；　like　his　Father；　a　skilful　as　well　as　valiant　fighter　by　sea　and　land；　Magnus；　with　good　battalions；　and　probably　backed　by　immediate　alliance　with　Heaven　and　St。　Olaf；　as　was　then　the　general　belief　or　surmise　about　him；　could　not　easily　be　beaten。　　And　the　truth　is；　he　never　was；　by　Harda…Knut　or　any　other。　　Harda…Knut's　last　transaction　with　him　was；　To　make　a　firm　Peace　and　even　Family…treaty　sanctioned　by　all　the　grandees　of　both　countries；　who　did　indeed　mainly　themselves　make　it；　their　two　Kings　assenting：　　That　there　should　be　perpetual　Peace；　and　no　thought　of　war　more；　between　Denmark　and　Norway；　and　that；　if　either　of　the　Kings　died　childless　while　the　other　was　reigning；　the　other　should　succeed　him　in　both　Kingdoms。　　A　magnificent　arrangement；　such　as　has　several　times　been　made　in　the　world's　history；　but　which　in　this　instance；　what　is　very　singular；　took　actual　effect；　drunken　Harda…　Knut　dying　so　speedily；　and　Magnus　being　the　man