e day of the consecration the king and Erling had the legate, the
archbishop, and all the other bishops as guests; and the feast was
exceedingly magnificent, and the father and son distributed many great
presents. King Magnus was then eight years of age, and had been king for
three years.

23. KING VALDEMAR'S EMBASSY.

When the Danish king Valdemar heard the news from Norway that Magnus
was become king of the whole country, and all the other parties in the
country were rooted out, he sent his men with a letter to King Magnus
and Erling, and reminded them of the agreement which Erling had entered
into, under oath, with King Valdemar, of which we have spoken before;
namely, that Viken from the east to Rygiarbit should be ceded to King
Valdemar, if Magnus became the sole king of Norway. When the ambassadors
came forward and showed Erling the letter of the Danish king, and he
heard the Danish king's demand upon Norway, he laid it before the other
chiefs by whose counsels he usually covered his acts. All, as one
man, replied that the Danes should never hold the slightest portion of
Norway; for never had things been worse in the land than when the Danes
had power in it. The ambassadors of the Danish king were urgent with
Erling for an answer, and desired to have it decided; but Erling begged
them to proceed with him east to Viken, and said he would give his final
answer when he had met with the men of most understanding and influence
in Viken.

24. ERLING AND THE PEOPLE OF VIKEN.

Erling Skakke proceeded in autumn to Viken, and stayed in Tunsberg,
from whence he sent people to Sarpsborg to summon a Thing (1) of four
districts; and then Erling went there with his people.

When the Thing was seated Erling made a speech in which he explained the
resolutions which had been settled upon between him and the Danish king,
the first time he collected troops against his enemies. "I will," said
Erling, "keep faithfully the agreement which we then entered into with
the king, if it be your will and consent, bondes, rather to serve the
Danish king than the king who is now consecrated and crowned king of
this country."

The bondes replied thus to Erling's speech: "Never will we become the
Danish king's men, as long as one of us Viken men is in life." And the
whole assembly, with shouts and cries, called on Erling to keep the oath
he had taken to defend his son's dominions, "should we even all follow
thee to battle." And s