older. King Sigurd left
west of the sea the Irish king's daughter. When King Magnus's sons were
chosen kings, the men who had followed Skopte Ogmundson returned home.
Some had been to Jerusalem, some to Constantinople; and there they had
made themselves renowned, and they had many kinds of novelties to talk
about. By these extraordinary tidings many men in Norway were incited to
the same expedition; and it was also told that the Northmen who liked to
go into the military service at Constantinople found many opportunities
of getting property. Then these Northmen desired much that one of the
two kings, either Eystein or Sigurd, should go as commander of the troop
which was preparing for this expedition. The kings agreed to this, and
carried on the equipment at their common expense. Many great men, both
of the lendermen and bondes, took part in this enterprise; and when all
was ready for the journey it was determined that Sigurd should go,
and Eystein in the meantime, should rule the kingdom upon their joint
account.

2. OF THE EARLS OF ORKNEY.

A year or two after King Magnus Barefoot's fall, Hakon, a son of Earl
Paul, came from Orkney. The kings gave him the earldom and government
of the Orkney Islands, as the earls before him, his father Paul or
his Uncle Erland, had possessed it; and Earl Hakon then sailed back
immediately to Orkney.

3. KING SIGURD'S JOURNEY OUT OF THE COUNTRY.

Four years after the fall of King Magnus (A.D. 1107), King Sigurd sailed
with his people from Norway. He had then sixty ships. So says Thorarin
Stutfeld:--

"A young king just and kind,
People of loyal mind:
Such brave men soon agree,--
To distant lands they sail with glee.
To the distant Holy Land
A brave and pious band,
Magnificent and gay,
In sixty long-ships glide away."

King Sigurd sailed in autumn to England, where Henry, son of William the
Bastard, was then king, and Sigurd remained with him all winter. So says
Einar Skulason:--

"The king is on the waves!
The storm he boldly braves.
His ocean-steed,
With winged speed,
O'er the white-flashing surges,
To England's coast he urges;
And there he stays the winter o'er:
More gallant king ne'er trod that shore."

4. OF KING SIGURD'S JOURNEY.

In spring King Sigurd and his fleet sailed westward to Valland (A.D.
1108), and in autumn came to Galicia, where he stayed the