ith their weapons.
Then Svein Bryggjufot and the other lendermen saw there was no other
chance for Sigurd but to get him on horseback, which was done, and he
rode off into the forest. The end was that Sveinke returned home to his
farm, and Sigurd Ulstreng came, with great difficulty, by land north to
Throndhjem to King Magnus, and told the result of his errand. "Did I not
say," said the king, "that the help of my lendermen would be needed?"
Sigurd was ill pleased with his journey; insisted that he would be
revenged, cost what it will; and urged the king much. The king ordered
five ships to be fitted out; and as soon as they were ready for sea
he sailed south along the land, and then east to Viken, where he was
entertained in excellent guest-quarters by his lendermen. The king told
them he would seek out Sveinke. "For I will not conceal my suspicion
that he thinks to make himself king of Norway." They said that Sveinke
was both a powerful and an ungovernable man. Now the king went from
Viken until he came to Sveinke's farm. Then the lendermen desired that
they might be put on shore to see how matters stood; and when they came
to the land they saw that Sveinke had already come down from the farm,
and was on the road with a number of well-armed men. The lendermen held
up a white shield in the air, as a peace-token; and when Sveinke saw it
he halted his men, and they approached each other. Then said Kolbjorn
Klakke, "King Magnus sends thee God's salutation and his own, and bids
thee consider what becomes thee, and do him obedience, and not prepare
thyself to give him battle." Kolbjorn offered to mediate peace between
them, if he could, and told him to halt his troops.

Sveinke said he would wait for them where he was. "We came out to meet
you," he said, "that ye might not tread down our corn-fields."

The lendermen returned to the king, and told him all was now at his
pleasure.

The king said, "My doom is soon delivered. He shall fly the country, and
never come back to Norway as long as the kingdom is mine; and he shall
leave all his goods behind."

"But will it not be more for thy honour," said Kolbjorn, "and give thee
a higher reputation among other kings, if, in banishing him from the
country, thou shouldst allow him to keep his property, and show himself
among other people? And we shall take care that he never comes back
while we live. Consider of this, sire, by yourself, and have respect for
our assurance."

The