heimskringla-第138节

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　　　　　〃No　easy　task　it　is　to　say　　　　　　How　the　king　brought　beneath　his　sway　　　　　　The　Upland　bondes；　and　would　give　　　　　　Nought　but　their　ploughs　from　which　to　live。　　　　　　The　king　in　eighteen　months　brought　down　　　　　　Their　bonde　power；　and　raised　his　own；　　　　　　And　the　great　honour　he　has　gained　　　　　　Will　still　in　memory　be　retained。〃



77。　OF　THE　KINGS　OF　ENGLAND。

Edward；　Ethelred's　son；　was　king　of　England　after　his　brother　Hardacanute。　　He　was　called　Edward　the　Good；　and　so　he　was。　　King　Edward's　mother　was　Queen　Emma；　daughter　of　Richard；　earl　of　Rouen。　　Her　brother　was　Earl　Robert；　whose　son　was　William　the　Bastard；　who　at　that　time　was　earl　at　Rouen　in　Normandy。　　King　Edward's　queen　was　Gyda；　a　daughter　of　Earl　Godwin；　the　son　of　Ulfnad。　　Gyda's　brothers　were；　Earl　Toste；　the　eldest；　Earl　Morukare　the　next；　Earl　Walter　the　third；　Earl　Svein　the　fourth；　and　the　fifth　was　Harald；　who　was　the　youngest；　and　he　was　brought　up　at　King　Edward's　court；　and　was　his　foster…son。　　The　king　loved　him　very　much；　and　kept　him　as　his　own　son；　for　he　had　no　children。



78。　OF　HARALD　GODWINSON。

One　summer　it　happened　that　Harald；　the　son　of　Godwin；　made　an　expedition　to　Bretland　with　his　ships；　but　when　they　got　to　sea　they　met　a　contrary　wind；　and　were　driven　off　into　the　ocean。　They　landed　west　in　Normandy；　after　suffering　from　a　dangerous　storm。　　They　brought　up　at　Rouen；　where　they　met　Earl　William；　who　received　Harald　and　his　company　gladly。　　Harald　remained　there　late　in　harvest；　and　was　hospitably　entertained；　for　the　stormy　weather　continued；　and　there　was　no　getting　to　sea；　and　this　continued　until　winter　set　in；　so　the　earl　and　Harald　agreed　that　he　should　remain　there　all　winter。　　Harald　sat　on　the　high…　seat　on　one　side　of　the　earl；　and　on　the　other　side　sat　the　earl's　wife；　one　of　the　most　beautiful　women　that　could　be　seen。　They　often　talked　together　for　amusement　at　the　drinking…table；　and　the　earl　went　generally　to　bed；　but　Harald　and　the　earl's　wife　sat　long　in　the　evenings　talking　together；　and　so　it　went　on　for　a　great　part　of　the　winter。　　In　one　of　their　conversations　she　said　to　Harald；　〃The　earl　has　asked　me　what　it　is　we　have　to　talk　about　so　much；　for　he　is　angry　at　it。〃　　Harald　replies；　〃We　shall　then　at　once　let　him　know　all　our　conversation。〃　　The　following　day；　Harald　asked　the　earl　to　a　conference；　and　they　went　together　into　the　conference…chamber；　where　also　the　queen　was；　and　some　of　the　councillors。　　Then　Harald　began　thus：　　〃I　have　to　inform　you；　earl；　that　there　lies　more　in　my　visit　here　than　I　have　let　you　know。　　I　would　ask　your　daughter　in　marriage；　and　have　often　spoke　over　this　matter　with　her　mother；　and　she　has　promised　to　support　my　suit　with　you。〃　　As　soon　as　Harald　had　made　known　this　proposal　of　his；　it　was　well　received　by　all　who　were　present。　　They　explained　the　case　to　the　earl；　and　at　last　it　came　so　far　that　the　earl　was　contracted　to　Harald；　but　as　she　was　very　young；　it　was　resolved　that　the　wedding　should　be　deferred　for　some　years。



79。　KING　EDWARD'S　DEATH。

When　spring　came　Harald　rigged　his　ships　and　set　off；　and　he　and　the　earl　parted　with　great　friendship。　　Harald　sailed　over　to　England　to　King　Edward；　but　did　not　return　to　Valland　to　fulfill　the　marriage　agreement。　　Edward　was　king　over　England　for　twenty…　three　years　and　died　on　a　bed　of　sickness　in　London　on　the　5th　of　January；　and　was　buried　in　Paul's　church。　　Englishmen　call　him　a　saint。



80。　HARALD　GODWINSON　MADE　KING　OF　ENGLAND。

The　sons　of　Earl　Godwin　were　the　most　powerful　men　in　England。　Toste　was　made　chief　of　the　English　king's　army；　and　was　his　land…defence　man　when　the　king　began　to　grow　old；　and　he　was　also　placed　above　all　the　other　earls。　　His　brother　Harald　was　always　with　the　court　itself；　and　nearest　to　the　king　in　all　service；　and　had　the　charge　of　the　king's　treasure…chamber。　　It　is　said　that　when　the　king　was　approaching　his　last　hour；　Harald　and　a　few　others　were　with　him。　　Harald　first　leans　down　over　the　king；　and　then　said；　〃I　take　you　all　to　witness　that　the　king　has　now　given　me　the　kingdom；　and　all　the　realm　of　England：〃　and　then　the　king　was　taken　dead　out　of　the　bed。　　The　same　day　there　was　a　meeting　of　the　chiefs；　at　which　there　was　some　talk　of　choosing　a　king；　and　then　Harald　brought　forward　his　witnesses　that　King　Edward　had　given　him　the　kingdom　on　his　dying　day。　　The　meeting　ended　by　choosing　Harald　as　king；　and　he　was　consecrated　and　crowned　the　13th　day　of　Yule；　in　Paul's　church。　　Then　all　the　chiefs　and　all　the　people　submitted　to　him。　　Now　when　his　brother；　Earl　Toste；　heard　of　this　he　took　it　very　ill；　as　he　thought　himself　quite　as　well　entitled　to　be　king。　　〃I　want；〃　said　he；　〃that　the　principal　men　of　the　country　choose　him　whom　they　think　best　fitted　for　it。〃　　And　sharp　words　passed　between　the　brothers。　　King　Harald　says　he　will　not　give　up　his　kingly　dignity；　for　he　is　seated　on　the　throne　which　kings　sat　upon；　and　is　anointed　and　consecrated　a　king。　　On　his　side　also　was　the　strength　of　the　people；　for　he　had　the　king's　whole　treasure。



81。　EARL　TOSTE'S　EXPEDITION　TO　DENMARK。

Now　when　King　Harald　perceived　that　his　brother　Toste　wanted　to　have　him　deprived　of　the　kingdom　he　did　not　trust　him；　for　Toste　was　a　clever　man；　and　a　great　warrior；　and　was　in　friendship　with　the　principal　men　of　the　country。　　He　therefore　took　the　command　of　the　army　from　Toste；　and　also　all　the　power　he　had　beyond　that　of　the　other　earls　of　the　country。　　Earl　Toste；　again；　would　not　submit　to　be　his　own　brother's　serving　man；　therefore　he　went　with　his　people　over　the　sea　to　Flanders；　and　stayed　there　awhile；　then　went　to　Friesland；　and　from　thence　to　Denmark　to　his　relation　King　Svein。　　Earl　Ulf；　King　Svein's　father；　and　Gyda；　Earl　Toste's　mother；　were　brother's　and　sister's　children。　　The　earl　now　asked　King　Svein　for　support　and　help　of　men；　and　King　Svein　invited　him　to　stay　with　him；　with　the　promise　that　he　should　get　so　large　an　earldom　in　Denmark　that　he　would　be　an　important　chief。

The　earl　replies；　〃My　inclination　is　to　go　back　to　my　estate　in　England；　but　if　I　cannot　get　help　from　you　for　that　purpose；　I　will　agree　to　help　you　with　all　the　power　I　can　command　in　England；　if　you　will　go　there　with　the　Danish　army；　and　win　the　country；　as　Canute；　your　mother's　brother；　did。〃

The　king　replied；　〃So　much　smaller　a　man　am　I　than　Canute　the　Great；　that　I　can　with　difficulty　defend　my　own　Danish　dominions　against　the　Northmen。　　King　Canute；　on　the　other　hand；　got　the　Danish　kingdom　in　heritage；　took　England　by　slash　and　blow；　and　sometimes　was　near　losing　his　life　in　the　contest；　and　Norway　he　took　without　slash　or　blow。　　Now　it　suits　me　much　better　to　be　guided　by　my　own　slender　ability　than　to　imitate　my　relation；　King　Canute's；　lucky　hits。〃

Then　Earl　Toste　said；　〃The　result　of　my　errand　here　is　less　fortunate　than　I　expected　of　thee　who　art　so　gallant　a　man；　seeing　that　thy　relative　is　in　so　great　need。　It　may　be　that　I　will　seek　friendly　help　where　it　could　less　be　expected；　and　that　I　may　find　a　chief　who　is　less　afraid；　king；　than　thou　art　of　a　great　enterprise。〃

Then　the　king　and　the　earl　parted；　not　just　the　best　friends。



82。　EARL　TOSTE'S　EXPEDITION　TO　NORWAY。

Earl　Toste　turned　away　then　and　went　to　Norway；　where　he　presented　himself　to　King　Harald；　who　was　at　that　time　in　Viken。　When　they　met　the　earl　explained　his　errand　to　the　king。　　He　told　him　all　his　proceedings　since　he　left　England；　and　asked　his　aid　to　recover　his　dominions　in　England。

The　king　replied　that　the　Northmen　had　no　great　desire　for　a　campaign　in　England；　and　to　have　English　chiefs　over　them　there。　　〃People　say；〃　added　he；　〃that　the　English　are　not　to　be　trusted。〃　

The　earl　replied；　〃Is　it　true　what　I　have　heard　people　tell　in　England；　that　thy　relative；　King　Magnus；　sent　men　to　King　Edward　with　the　message　that　King　Magnus　had　right　to　England　as　well　as　to　Denmark；　and　had　got　that　heritage　after　Hardacanute；　in　consequence　of　a　regular　agreement？〃

The　king　replied；　〃How　came　it　that　he　did　not　get　it；　if　he　had　a　right　to　it？〃

〃Why；〃　replied　the　earl；　〃hast　thou　not　Denmark；　as　King　Magnus；　thy　predecessor；　had　it？〃

The　king　replies；　〃The　Danes　have　nothing　to　brag　of　over　us　Northmen；　for　many　a　place　have　we　laid　in　ashes　to　thy　relations。〃

Then　said　the　earl；　〃If　thou　wilt　not　tell　me；　I　will　tell　thee。　Magnus　subdued　Denmark；　because　all　the　chiefs　of　the　country　helped　him；　and　thou　hast　not　done　it；　because　all　the　people　of　the　country　were　against　thee。　　Therefore；　also；　King　Magnus　did　not　strive　for　England；　because　all　the　nation　would　have　Edward　for　king。　　Wilt　thou　take　England　now？　　I　will　bring　the　matter　so　far　that　most　of　the　principal　men　in　England　shall　be　thy　friends；　and　assist　thee；　for　nothing　is　wanting　to　place　me　at　the　side　of　my　brother　Harald　but　the　king's　name。　　All　men　allow　that　there　never　was　such　a　warrior　in　the　northern　lands　as　thou　art；　and　it　appears　to　me　extraordinary　that　thou　hast　been　fighting　for　fifteen　years　for　Denmark；　and　wilt　not　take　England　that　lies　open　to　thee。〃

King　Harald　weighed　carefully　the　earl's　words；　and　perceived　at　once　that　there　was　truth　in　much　of　what　he　said；　and　he　himsel