ught within the castle gate the
Varings set down the coffin right across the entry, fixed a bar to keep
the gates open, and sounded to battle with all their trumpets, and drew
their swords. The whole army of the Varings, fully armed, rushed from
the camp to the assault of the castle with shout and cry; and the monks
and other priests who had gone to meet the corpse and had striven with
each other who should be the first to come out and take the offering at
the burial, were now striving much more who should first get away
from the Varings; for they killed before their feet every one who was
nearest, whether clerk or unconsecrated. The Varings rummaged so well
this castle that they killed all the men, pillaged everything and made
an enormous booty.

11. OF HARALD.

Harald was many years in these campaigns, both in Serkland and in
Sicily. Then he came back to Constantinople with his troops and stayed
there but a little time before he began his expedition to Jerusalem.
There he left the pay he had received from the Greek emperor and all the
Varings who accompanied him did the same. It is said that on all
these expeditions Harald had fought eighteen regular battles. So says
Thiodolf:--

"Harald the Stern ne'er allowed
Peace to his foemen, false and proud;
In eighteen battles, fought and won,
The valour of the Norseman shone.
The king, before his home return,
Oft dyed the bald head of the erne
With bloody specks, and o'er the waste
The sharp-claw'd wolf his footsteps traced."

12. HARALD'S EXPEDITION TO PALESTINE.

Harald went with his men to the land of Jerusalem and then up to the
city of Jerusalem, and wheresoever he came in the land all the towns and
strongholds were given up to him. So says the skald Stuf, who had heard
the king himself relate these tidings:--

"He went, the warrior bold and brave,
Jerusalem, the holy grave,
And the interior of the land,
To bring under the Greeks' command;
And by the terror of his name
Under his power the country came,
Nor needed wasting fire and sword
To yield obediance to his word."

Here it is told that this land came without fire and sword under
Harald's command. He then went out to Jordan and bathed therein,
according to the custom of other pilgrims. Harald gave great gifts to
our Lord's grave, to the Holy Cross, and other holy relics in the land
of Jerusalem. He also cleared t