heathens; but it was a foolish counsel; for the
heathens did not keep their promises, but took all people, men, women,
and children, and killed all of them who were wounded or young, or could
not easily be carried with them. They took all the goods that were in
the castle; went into the Cross church, and plundered it of all its
ornaments. The priest Andres gave King Rettibur a silver-mounted gilt
sceptre, and to his sister's son Dunimiz he gave a gold ring. They
supposed from this that he was a man of great importance in the town,
and held him in higher respect than the others. They took away with them
the holy cross, and also the tables which stood before the altar, which
Sigurd had got made in the Greek country, and had brought home himself.
These they took, and laid flat down on the steps before the altar. Then
the heathens went out of the church. Rettibur said, "This house has
been adorned with great zeal for the God to whom it is dedicated; but,
methinks, He has shown little regard for the town or house: so I see
their God has been angry at those who defended them." King Rettibur gave
the priest Andres the church, the shrine, the holy cross, the Bible,
the altar-book, and four clerks (prisoners); but the heathens burnt the
Castle church, and all the houses that were in the castle. As the fire
they had set to the church went out twice, they hewed the church down,
and then it burnt like other houses. Then the heathens went to their
ships with the booty; but when they mustered their people and saw their
loss, they made prisoners of all the people, and divided them among the
vessels. Now priest Andres went on board the king's ship with the holy
cross, and there came a great terror over the heathens on account of the
portentous circumstance which took place in the king's ship; namely,
it became so hot that all thought they were to be burnt up. The king
ordered the interpreter to ask the priest why this happened. He replied,
that the Almighty God on whom the Christians believed, sent them a proof
of His anger, that they who would not believe in their Creator presumed
to lay hands on the emblem of His suffering; and that there lay so much
power in the cross, that such, and even clearer miracles, happened to
heathen men who had taken the cross in their hands. The king had the
priest put into the ship's boat, and the priest Andres carried the holy
cross in his grasp. They led the boat along past the ship's bow,
and then along