that
kingdom under his charge, and assume, at the same time, the title of
king of Norway. Svein repaired to Denmark, and took many people with him
from thence, and also Earl Harald and many other people of consequence
attended him. Thorarin Loftunga speaks of this in the song he composed
about King Svein, called the "Glelogn Song":--

"'Tis told by fame,
How grandly came
The Danes to tend
Their young king Svein.
Grandest was he,
That all could see;
Then, one by one,
Each following man
More splendour wore
Than him before."

Then Svein proceeded to Norway, and his mother Alfifa was with him;
and he was taken to be king at every Law-thing in the country. He
had already come as far as Viken at the time the battle was fought at
Stiklestad, and King Olaf fell. Svein continued his journey until
he came north, in autumn, to the Throndhjem country; and there, as
elsewhere, he was received as king.

253. OF KING SVEIN'S LAWS.

King Svein introduced new laws in many respects into the country, partly
after those which were in Denmark, and in part much more severe. No man
must leave the country without the king's permission; or if he did, his
property fell to the king. Whoever killed a man outright, should forfeit
all his land and movables. If any one was banished the country, and all
heritage fell to him, the king took his inheritance. At Yule every man
should pay the king a meal of malt from every harvest steading, and a
leg of a three-year old ox, which was called a friendly gift, together
with a spand of butter; and every house-wife a rock full of unspun lint,
as thick as one could span with the longest fingers of the hand. The
bondes were bound to build all the houses the king required upon his
farms. Of every seven males one should be taken for the service of war,
and reckoning from the fifth year of age; and the outfit of ships should
be reckoned in the same proportion. Every man who rowed upon the sea
to fish should pay the king five fish as a tax, for the land defence,
wherever he might come from. Every ship that went out of the country
should have stowage reserved open for the king in the middle of the
ship. Every man, foreigner or native, who went to Iceland, should pay a
tax to the king. And to all this was added, that Danes should enjoy so
much consideration in Norway, that one witness of them should invalidate
ten of Northmen (1).

When these laws were