nding. And thereon made he
ready his host and parted them, some to fare and some to tarry; and of
each company he let two men go up for every one left behind.

And Tosti the Earl prepared him to go up with his company, but to guard
his ship there tarried behind Olaf own son to the King, Paal and Erling
the Orkney Earls, and Eystein Blackcock, the son of Thorberg Arnason,
who was in those days the man of most renown and withal dearest to the
King of all feudatories, & King Harald had at that time promised him the
hand of his daughter Maria. Very fine was the weather with warm
sunshine, and wherefore because of this left the men their shirts of
mail behind them and went with their shields and helms and spears, with
their swords girded on; and many had likewise bows and arrows, and
withal were they very merry. But as they advanced on the city, behold a
great host rode out towards them and they saw the smoke of horses, and
here and there fair shields and white coats of mail. Then halted the
King his host and summoned Earl Tosti to him, and asked what manner of
host this was like to be.

And the Earl answered and said that he deemed it might be strife, yet
nevertheless it might be that they were some of his kinsmen who were
seeking for protection & friendship, & would promise the King their
support and fealty in return. Then the King said that they would first
of all keep quiet and learn more particulars anent this host. So they
did this, & the host waxed greater the nearer it came, and everywhere
was it like a sheet of ice to behold, so white was the gleaming of the
weapons.

|| Then King Harald Sigurdson spake and said: 'Let us now take goodly &
wise counsel together, for it cannot be hidden that this forebodes
strife, and most like it is the King himself.' To which the Earl
answered: 'Our first course is to turn back and go our swiftest to the
ships that we may fetch folk and weapons, and thereafter offer what
resistance we can; or even might we also let the ships protect us and
then no power would the horsemen have over us.' Then said King Harald:
'Another counsel will I choose, namely to send three bold fellows on our
swiftest horses and let them ride hotly a'pace and impart to our men
what hath befallen; then will they the sooner come to our aid, and a
right sharp combat shall the Englishmen fight or ever we suffer defeat.'
The Earl answered and said that the King should decide in this matter as
in all else: 'no m