plands, and summoned the
people to a Thing; and there streamed all to him who could come. He was
proclaimed king at every Thing; and then he proceeded eastward to Viken,
where his brother's sons, Trygve and Gudrod, and many others, came
unto him, and complained of the sorrow and evil his brother Eirik had
wrought. The hatred to King Eirik grew more and more, the more liking
all men took to King Hakon; and they got more boldness to say what they
thought. King Hakon gave Trygve and Gudrod the title of kings, and the
dominions which King Harald had bestowed on their fathers. Trygve got
Ranrike and Vingulmark, and Gudrod, Vestfold; but as they were young,
and in the years of childhood, he appointed able men to rule the land
for them. He gave them the country on the same conditions as it had been
given before,--that they should have half of the scat and revenues with
him. Towards spring King Hakon returned north, over the Uplands, to
Throndhjem.

3. EIRIK'S DEPARTURE FROM THE COUNTRY.

King Hakon, early in spring, collected a great army at Throndhjem, and
fitted out ships. The people of Viken also had a great force on foot,
and intended to join Hakon. King Eirik also levied people in the middle
of the country; but it went badly with him to gather people, for the
leading men left him, and went over to Hakon. As he saw himself not
nearly strong enough to oppose Hakon, he sailed (A.D. 935) out to the
West sea with such men as would follow him. He first sailed to Orkney,
and took many people with him from that country; and then went south
towards England, plundering in Scotland, and in the north parts of
England, wherever he could land. Athelstan, the king of England, sent
a message to Eirik, offering him dominions under him in England; saying
that King Harald his father was a good friend of King Athelstan, and
therefore he would do kindly towards his sons. Messengers passed between
the two kings; and it came to an agreement that King Eirik should take
Northumberland as a fief from King Athelstan, and which land he should
defend against the Danes or other vikings. Eirik should let himself be
baptized, together with his wife and children, and all the people who
had followed him. Eirik accepted this offer, and was baptized, and
adopted the right faith. Northumberland is called a fifth part of
England. Eirik had his residence at York, where Lodbrok's sons, it was
said, had formerly been, and Northumberland was principally in