ent, and the day after likewise, and they had much
private conversation together. Then the king proceeded eastwards
along Viken. Now when Eilif heard of his arrival, he sent out spies
to discover what he was about; but he himself, with thirty men, kept
himself high up in the habitations among the hills, where he had
gathered together bondes. Many of the bondes came to King Olaf, but some
sent friendly messages to him. People went between King Olaf and Eilif,
and they entreated each separately to hold a Thing-meeting between
themselves, and make peace in one way or another. They told Eilif that
they might expect violent treatment from King Olaf if they opposed his
orders; but promised Eilif he should not want men. It was determined
that they should come down from the high country, and hold a thing
with the bondes and the king. King Olaf thereupon sent the chief of his
pursuivants, Thorer Lange, with six men, to Brynjolf. They were equipped
with their coats-of-mail under their cloaks, and their hats over their
helmets. The following day the bondes came in crowds down with Eilif;
and in his suite was Brynjolf, and with him Thorer. The king laid his
ships close to a rocky knoll that stuck out into the sea, and upon it
the king went with his people, and sat down. Below was a flat field, on
which the bondes' force was; but Eilif's men were drawn up, forming a
shield-fence before him. Bjorn the marshal spoke long and cleverly upon
the king's account, and when he sat down Eilif arose to speak; but at
the same moment Thorer Lange rose, drew his sword, and struck Eilif on
the neck, so that his head flew off. Then the whole bonde-force started
up; but the Gautland men set off in full flight and Thorer with his
people killed several of them. Now when the crowd was settled again,
and the noise over the king stood up, and told the bondes to seat
themselves. They did so, and then much was spoken. The end of it was
that they submitted to the king, and promised fidelity to him; and he,
on the other hand, promised not to desert them, but to remain at hand
until the discord between him and the Swedish Olaf was settled in one
way or other. King Olaf then brought the whole northern district under
his power, and went in summer eastward as far as the Gaut river, and got
all the king's scat among the islands. But when summer (A.D. 1016) was
drawing towards an end he returned north to Viken, and sailed up the
Raum river to a waterfall called Sarp