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第16节

early kings of norway-第16节

小说: early kings of norway 字数: 每页4000字

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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 good luck or merit that one sees; except that of surviving longer than some others。  Nevertheless he came to be the Restorer; so called; of Danish independence; sole remaining representative of Knut (or Knut's sister); of Fork…beard; Blue…tooth; and Old Gorm; and ancestor of all the subsequent kings of Denmark for some 400 years; himself coming; as we see; only by the Distaff side; all of the Sword or male side having died so soon。  Early death; it has been observed; was the Great Knut's allotment; and all his posterity's as well;fatal limit (had there been no others; which we see there were) to his becoming 〃Charlemagne of the North〃 in any considerable degree! Jarl Ulf; as we have seen; had a sister; Gyda by name; wife to Earl Godwin (〃Gudin Ulfnadsson;〃 as Snorro calls him) a very memorable Englishman; whose son and hers; King Harald; _Harold_ in English books; is the memorablest of all。  These things ought to be better known to English antiquaries; and will perhaps be alluded to again。

This pretty little victory or affront; gained over Knut in _Lymfjord_; was among the last successes of Olaf against that mighty man。  Olaf; the skilful captain he was; need not have despaired to defend his Norway against Knut and all the world。  But he learned henceforth; month by month ever more tragically; that his own people; seeing softer prospects under Knut; and in particular the chiefs of them; industriously bribed by Knut for years past; had fallen away from him; and that his means of defence were gone。  Next summer; Knut's grand fleet sailed; unopposed; along the coast of Norway; Knut summoning a Thing every here and there; and in all of them meeting nothing but sky…high acclamation and acceptance。  Olaf; with some twelve little ships; all he now had; lay quiet in some safe fjord; near Lindenaes; what we now call the Naze; behind some little solitary isles on the southeast of Norway there; till triumphant Knut had streamed home again。  Home to England again 〃Sovereign of Norway〃 now; with nephew Hakon appointed Jarl and Vice…regent under him!  This was the news Olaf met on venturing out; and that his worst anticipations were not beyond the sad truth all; or almost all; the chief Bonders and men of weight in Norway had declared against him; and stood with triumphant Knut。

Olaf; with his twelve poor ships; steered vigorously along the coast to collect money and force;if such could now anywhere be had。  He himself was resolute to hold out; and try。  〃Sailing swiftly with a fair wind; morning cloudy with some showers;〃 he passed the coast of Jedderen; which was Erling Skjalgson's country; when he got sure notice of an endless multitude of ships; war…ships; armed merchant ships; all kinds of shipping…craft; down to fishermen's boats; just getting under way against him; under the command of Erling Skjalgson; the powerfulest of his subjects; once much a friend of Olaf's but now gone against him to this length; thanks to Olaf's severity of justice; and Knut's abundance in gold and promises for years back。  To that complexion had it come with Erling; sailing with this immense assemblage of the naval people and populace of Norway to seize King Olaf; and bring him to the great Knut dead or alive。

Erling had a grand new ship of his own; which far outsailed the general miscellany of rebel ships; and was visibly fast gaining distance on Olaf himself;who well understood what Erling's puzzle was; between the tail of his game (the miscellany of rebel ships; namely) that could not come up; and the head or general prize of the game which was crowding all sail to get away; and Olaf took advantage of the same。  〃Lower your sails!〃 said Olaf to his men (though we must go slower)。

〃Ho you; we have lost sight of them!〃 said Erling to his; and put on all his speed; Olaf going; soon after this; altogether invisible;behind a little island that he knew of; whence into a certain fjord or bay (Bay of Fungen on the maps); which he thought would suit him。  〃Halt here; and get out your arms;〃 said Olaf; and had not to wait long till Erling came bound

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