toko, in revenge of an injury (1) which he had endured, stabbed Harald. The wounded king fled to Jomsburg, where he soon died, in 985 (2). Svein's reign. Svein, who has received the surnames of Otto from the emperor Otho, and Tiugoskegg from the shape of his beard, became now the undisputed master of a throne, which he had so foully earned. His life was romantic; but at a period when the manners of society, viewed with the eye of reason, seem unnatural and distorted, the actions will be often extravagant. He was three times taken prisoner by the Jomsburgers, and was three times redeemed. His last liberation was accomplished by the generosity of that sex, whose pity is never asked in vain ; whom nature has made lovely in person, but still more lovely in heart (3). New misfortunes divested the ill-gotten crown of its expected charms. Eric, the prevailing king in Sweden, invaded Scania, and after many battles expelled Svein, and for many years remained the master of the Danish isles (4). The exiled Svein fled humbly to Tryggva of Norway, but was disdainfully spurned. England was his next resource, but Ethelred, offended at incursions of the Northmen, with which he had been harassed, would not admit him. He then sailed to Scotland, and there met an asylum, and a hospitable friend (5). He resided there fourteen years. On the death of his enemy he returned to Denmark, but was driven out again by the son of Eric, who at last reinstated him, and gave him Syritha his mother in marriage (6). Soon after this period England felt his power. NORWAY. Haco the Good was reigning in the time of Athelstan. His character is interesting and great; his hilarity of Haco's reign. (1) This injury, as related by Saxo, p. 184., is the story of William Tell and Geisler. Toko was a famous archer, and boasted of his skill. Harald bid him with his first arrow, on pain of death, pierce an apple on his son's head. Toko, compelled to obey, exhorted his son not to stir. He took out three arrows. The first was successful. The king inquired why three arrows To have shot you if I had killed my son." Saxo lived long before William Tell. (2) Saxo, 186.; and see Ad. Brem., 25., Helmoldus, p. 14., Snorre and 2 Langb. 149., for some variation in the circumstances. I take the date from the ancient Icelandic annals. 2 Langb. 189. (3) On these incidents, see Saxo, 186; Sveno, 54.; Chron. Erici, 298.; Adam Brem. 26. Saxo and Sveno mention, that in grateful return, the ladies were presented with a law entitling them to a share of their paternal property, from which till then they had been excluded. (4) Ad Brem. c. lxxii. p. 26. Frag. Ist. 2 Langb. 150. Saxo, 188. (5) Ad. Brem. p. 27. says, Thrucco of Norway. Saxo, his son Olave, p. 189. Saxo, and Hector Boethius, mention Edward as the English king. This is wrong. Adam is correct in stating Ethelred, who began his reign in 978. (6) Adam, p. 28.; and see Saxo, 189. mind was peculiar; his eloquence, his prudence, and his modesty, were equally distinguished. Peace, with her abundance and felicity, blessed both the agriculturist and the merchant of Norway during his reign, and he was diligent in his legislation. Two laws are particularised which he made, like the Anglo-Saxon kings, with the advice of his wisest men (1). Among others, he provided for the defence of the maritime regions of Norway by a sort of coast militia. The country on the shore, and as far up the river as salmon ascended, he divided into provinces, and these into territories, each of which was to be provided with a definite number of war-ships, of a stated size. The population of the district was to be always ready to act in these vessels whenever a hostile force drew near (2). To give celerity to their movement he established a sort of telegraph. On high mountains, piles of wood of the largest trees, to be fired on exigency, were so placed as to be visible from mountain to mountain; by these means in seven days the news was transmitted from one end of Norway to the other (3). Haco retaliated the invasion of the Danes on Vikia, by driving them into Halland and Jutland (4). He passed into Zealand with successful outrage, took eleven Vikingr ships, and obtained great booty from the island; he then turned his conquering arms upon Scania, and even ventured to attack, with equal good fortune, the Swedish province of Gothland. In the following autumn he returned to Vikia, with an immense burthen of booty (5). Harald Blaatand, who at this time ruled Denmark, beheld, with unavailing displeasure, the desolating victories of Haco. To humble the Norwegian, he admitted into his kingdom the children of Eric, the expelled king of Norway, whom Haco had succeeded, whom Athelstan had received into Northumbria, and who at last had perished there. Harald gave them possessions, and permitted them to pirate (6). Thus encouraged and supported, the sons of Eric assailed Haco (7); but the star of his prosperity still continued to beam. Haco had long cherished a love for Christianity in secret. When he thought his power consolidated, he sent to England (8) for ecclesiastics capable of teaching the religion to the Norwegians. On their arrival he avowed his wishes, and exhorted the nation, in a (2) Ibid. p. 146. (1) Snorre Hakonar Goda, p. 135. (8) Ut in montibus excelsis ex ingentibus arboribus pyræ ita struerentur (s. angari) ut ab una pyra ad alteram facilis et liber esset prospectus. Excitatus hoc pacto hostilis irruptionis nuntius, a prima in extremo regni ad meridiem angulo extructa pyra, ad remotissimum boream versus publicorum comitiorum in Halogalandia locum 7 dierum spatio volitasse fertur. Snorre Hakonar Goda, xxi. p. 146. (4) The Scalld Guthormr Sindri records this invasion in his Hakonar Drapa. Snorre has quoted one of his verses. Saga Hak. c. vi. p. 131. (5) Saga Hak. c. vii. p. 132, 133. (6) Ibid. c. x. p. 134. (7) Ibid. c. xx. p. 145. (8) Missis in Angliam nuntiis, episcopos aliosque doctores arcessivit post quorum in Norwegiam adventum mentem suam aperuit rex Hakonus. Snorre, p. 138. public assembly, to adopt his faith; but he experienced from the peasantry such a decided opposition, that he was even compelled by them to assist in their idolatrous superstitions (1). Tryggvi, the son of one of those children of Harald Harfragre who fell by the hostilities of their brother Eric, so often mentioned in this history, obtained from Hakon the Good some little principalities towards the south of Norway, for which he assisted Hakon against his enemies, the children of Eric (2). These restless enemies were frequently assaulting Hakon with various devices, but he reigned prosperously for twenty years (3). 961. He retired At last Harald, the eldest of these sons of Eric, surprised Hakon at a disadvantage. He fought with his usual success, but a dart wounded him under the arm. to his ship; no art could stop the blood, and Hakon the Good sunk gradually into death. Friends and enemies enshrined his memory with a general lamentation. The exclamation was unanimous, that no king, his equal in virtue, would again bless Norway (4). Eywind the Scald has honoured his memory with an ode, which gives dignity to the character of Norwegian poetry (5). The civilization of every country has been of such tardy vegetation, that such kings as Hakon must be hailed with blessings, for to them the precious plant owes principally its preservation and progress, during these dark and stormy ages. On Hakon's death the sons of Eric predominated in Norway, and their mother Gunillda shared in the government; but they held at first only the middle regions, for three others were governing in other parts of Norway; as Tryggvi in the south-east; Gudrod in Westfold; and Sigurd Jarl in Throndheim (6). Gunillda stimulated her sons to destroy Sigurd Jarl, as a step to the monarchy of Norway. Her soliciting prevailed. The brother of Sigurd was seduced to conspire against him. The Jarl was surprised at a feast, and burnt alive, with the edifice, two years after Hakon's death (7). (1) Snorre, 139–143. (2) Ibid. 121–135. (3) See one of the schemes to baffle the effect of Hakon's telegraphs. Snorre, 147-152. (4) Snorre, 155–161. One of his last actions was to request the sons of Eric to spare his friends and relations, p. 160. The Icelandic Annals place his death in 961. 2 Langb. 188. (5) Snorre, 161-165. This fine Runic ode is better known by the name of the Elegy or Eulogium of Hakon. (6) Snorre Saga af Haralldi Graffeld oc Hakoni Jarli, p. 165. Glimr the scalld of Haralld, by his verses, excited Eyvindr to an emulating eulogiuin of Hakon. This offended Haralld, but his displeasure was appeased by Eyvindr becoming his scalld, and resounding his fame, 166. (7) Snorre, 170-173. Sigurd had greatly assisted in the elevation of Hakon the Good, who, in return, made him Jarl of Throndheim. He is called by Snorre the wisest of the Norwegians, 125. 963. The indignant people of Throndheim chose Hakon, surnamed the Jarl, the son of Sigurd, their leader, and frustrated the ambition of the sons of Gunillda. Many battles ensued it was at last settled that Hakon should enjoy Throndheim, and the other kings were to possess the rest of the dominions of Hakon the Good (1). : The future enmities between Hakon Jarl and the sons of Eric need not be detailed (2). They enabled Harald Blaatand to subject Norway, who sometimes was the friend, and sometimes was the enemy of Hakon Jarl (3). This prince, who has come down to us with a fame so eclipsed as to be called Hakon the Bad, became at last the monarch of Norway (4). After a life of great warlike exertions, he fell in his age, before a new competitor for the moveable crown; this was Olave the son of Tryggva. The aggressions of Olave on England connect his actions with the reign of Ethelred, and demand a corner in the history of the Anglo-Saxons. The little sketch will forcibly express the state of manners in these districts. Life of Olaf, Tryggva's son. In 969, Tryggva his father suffered that death of violence (5) which usually closed the lives of those inhabitants of the north who stepped out of the path of industry into the adventures of heroism. His widow fled, pregnant with Olaf, and he was born on an island in the lake where she was concealed (6). In his childhood he was captured by Eastern pirates, and was sold. He was afterwards purchased and carried to Russia (7). He was there brought up by Waldemar, who employed him in his army: His favour declining, he quitted the Russian court, sailed to the Baltic, and settling in the isle of Bornholm, he began the dismal profession of a vikingr (8). After marrying a queen, on whose coast he landed, he commenced depredations on Scania and Gothland (9). On her death he extended the scene of his piracy, and Friesland, Saxony, and Flanders, mourned his visitations. From these the unwearied sea-king turned towards England, and attacked Northumbria. As fortunate as enterprising, he made Scotland, (1) Snorre, p. 175. (2) See Snorre, 175-184., and also his Saga af Olasi Tryggva, 195–203. Snorre adduces Ara Frode as an evidence on this subject. (3) Snorre, 202, 203. 230. (4) Snorre, 245. In Hakon's reign Greenland was discovered and colonised by the Icelanders. Eric the Red first saw and gave it that name, in hopes that a country with an epithet so pleasing might attract settlers. He found the traces of men both in the east and west regions, et assamenta fracta et lapidarum opera unde cognoscerent quod ejus generis ibi vixerunt qui Vinlandiam incoluerint et quos Islandi vocant Screlingos. Ara Frode, c. vi. p. 40. (5) Snorre, p. 177. Island. Ann. 2 Langb. 189. (7) Snorre, 192, 193. (9) Ibid. 215. the Hebrides, Ireland, Wales, Cumbria, and Normandy, feel the exertions of his valour (1). Great and ardent spirits are liable to be impressed by the peculiar and the interesting. Olaf, anchoring once off the Scilly isles, was converted to Christianity by the lessons of a hermit, whose age and seclusion had won from the rude population the fame of a seer (2). But although this warrior was daring every danger that storms and battles could present, his rigid heart was found penetrable by the shafts of love. A princess of Dublin had promised her chiefs to choose a husband: they assembled that she might select, and Olaf, though uninvited, joined the meeting. The movements of the tender passions are more eccentric than the wanderings of the heathy meteor. Clothed in rough garments, made to keep off rain, and wrapped in a hairy gown, the figure of Olaf was not the vision of a Cupid. But it was uncouth; and when Gyda's eye roved anxiously around, it arrested her notice: "Who are you?""Olaf, a stranger." It was enough; and if Snorre has not slandered the lady, love, instantaneous love, supplied every other explanation. With all the simplicity of rude nature, she exclaimed, If you desire me for your wife, I will choose you for my husband." 66 Olaf was, however, less impetuous or less philosophical than the lady. He had the caution to enquire who she was, her name, and parentage: she declared her birth, and Olaf contemplated her again. She was young and beautiful. At last his tardy sensibility was kindled, and he became her husband, after conquering a rival (3). The reputation of Olaf roused the crafty and cruel mind of Hakon the Bad, who sent a favourite to discover and to circumvent him (4). But Hakon's disorderly passions had offended the chiefs whose families he had dared to violate, and they were in insurrection against him, when Olaf, led by his pretended friend, was approaching Norway. Hakon had fled before the chiefs when Olaf landed. The Norwegians eagerly placed the crown on his head, as a descendant of Harald Harfragre; and thus, in 995, Olaf became the monarch of Norway (5). One of Olaf's most zealous occupations was to convert Norway. He proceeded, with his desire, from province to province, and at last accomplished it, but by methods repugnant to that freedom of mind which is man's dearest birthright, and as odious to the spirit and lessons of Christianity as the Paganism he abolished (6). (1) Snorre, 221, 222. (3) Ibid. 225, 226. (2) Ibid. 223, 224. (5) Ibid. 247-253. Hakon the Bad was killed in his hiding-place. I take the date from the Isl. Ann. 190. (6) Snorre, 258-266. Among Olaf's Voyages, Snorre mentions his expedition to Vinland. As this was a country west of Greenland, it is obvious that the Nor |