her and sister. The Earl
craved the aid of King Svein and men for his assistance, and King Svein
bade him come to him & told him that he should have an earl's realm in
Denmark, such as would make him a seemly chief in that country. The Earl
answered thus: 'My desire is to fare back to England, to my heritage;
but if I am given no assistance for that purpose from thee, King, then
would I liefer make a pact to afford thee all the support I can procure
in England, an thou wilt take the Danish hosts thither and conquer the
land, even as thy mother's brother Knut (Canute) conquered it.'

The King answered: 'So much less a man am I than my kinsman King Knut
that I have hard work to hold the Danish realm against the Norwegians.

Knut the Old gat his Danish kingdom by inheritance but won England by
warfare and strife, yet nevertheless at one time seemed he like to lose
his life thereby. Norway gat he without battle.

Now would I liefer keep within compass according to my smaller
conditions than assay to rival the success of my kinsman Knut.' Then
said Tosti the Earl: 'Lesser is my errand hither than I had thought for;
I deemed not that thou, a bold man, wouldst let me go in need. It may be
that I am seeking friendship where it is not meet to seek it. But
natheless it may hap that I find a chief who is less afeared of great
ventures than thou art, King.' Thereafter they parted, the King and the
Earl, and were not very well of one accord.

|| Tosti the Earl now turned him another way: he fared onward to Norway,
to King Harald who was in Vik, and when they met the Earl made he known
his mission to the King, recounting to him all concerning his journey
since he had left England. And he craved help of the King so that he
might regain his dominions in England.

But the King said as followeth: that the Norwegians had no wish to fare
to England and harry with an English chief over them; 'folk deem,' said
he, 'that the English are not full trustworthy.' The Earl answered:
'I wonder if it is sooth, that which I have heard men say in England,
to wit, that thy kinsman King Magnus despatched men to King Edward, with
the message that he, Magnus, owned England with no less right than
Denmark, that he inherited it from Hordaknut (Hardicanute) and that the
pact was ratified by their oaths?' The King answered: 'Why did he not
have it if he owned it?' The Earl said: 'Why hast thou not Denmark even
as King Magnus had it before thee?' The Kin