has often been so in our
former meetings, although there has been a much greater want of men
with us than now." All thought well of the advice that the king himself
should not take part in the battle.

Then Erling Skakke said, "I agree also to the counsel that you, sire,
should not go into the battle. It appears to me that their preparations
are such, that we require all our precaution not to suffer a great
defeat from them; and whole limbs are the easiest cured. In the council
we held before to-day many opposed what I said, and ye said then that
I did not want to fight; but now I think the business has altered its
appearance, and greatly to our advantage, since they have hauled off
from the piles, and now it stands so that I do not dissuade from giving
battle; for I see, what all are sensible of, how necessary it is to put
an end to this robber band who have gone over the whole country with
pillage and destruction, in order that people may cultivate the land in
peace, and serve a king so good and just as King Inge who has long had
trouble and anxiety from the haughty unquiet spirit of his relations,
although he has been a shield of defence for the whole people, and has
been exposed to manifold perils for the peace of the country." Erling
spoke well and long, and many other chiefs also; and all to the same
purpose--all urging to battle. In the meantime they waited until all the
fleet should be assembled. King Inge had the ship Baekisudin; and, at
the entreaty of his friends, he did not join the battle, but lay still
at the island.

10. BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE.

When the army was ready they rowed briskly against the enemy, and both
sides raised a war-shout. Inge's men did not bind their ships together,
but let them be loose; for they rowed right across the current, by which
the large ships were much swayed. Erling Skakke laid his ship beside
King Hakon's ship, and ran the stem between his and Sigurd's ship, by
which the battle began. But Gregorius's ship swung upon the ground,
and heeled very much over, so that at first she could not come into the
battle; and when Hakon's men saw this they laid themselves against her,
and attacked Gregorius's ship on all sides. Ivar, Hakon Mage's son,
laid his ship so that the stems struck together; and he got a boat-hook
fastened on Gregorius, on that part of his body where the waist is
smallest, and dragged him to him, by which Gregorius stumbled against
the ship's rails; but