oubted. But it is to be remembered withal, that always on the back of
these compulsory adventures there followed English bishops, priests and
preachers; whereby to the open-minded, conviction, to all degrees of it,
was attainable, while silence and passivity became the duty or necessity
of the unconvinced party.

In about two years Norway was all gone over with a rough harrow of
conversion. Heathenism at least constrained to be silent and outwardly
conformable. Tryggveson, next turned his attention to Iceland, sent one
Thangbrand, priest from Saxony, of wonderful qualities, military as
well as theological, to try and convert Iceland. Thangbrand made a few
converts; for Olaf had already many estimable Iceland friends, whom he
liked much, and was much liked by; and conversion was the ready road
to his favor. Thangbrand, I find, lodged with Hall of Sida (familiar
acquaintance of "Burnt Njal," whose Saga has its admirers among us even
now). Thangbrand converted Hall and one or two other leading men;
but in general he was reckoned quarrelsome and blusterous rather than
eloquent and piously convincing. Two skalds of repute made biting
lampoons upon Thangbrand, whom Thangbrand, by two opportunities that
offered, cut down and did to death because of their skaldic quality.
Another he killed with his own hand, I know not for what reason. In
brief, after about a year, Thangbrand returned to Norway and king Olaf;
declaring the Icelanders to be a perverse, satirical, and inconvertible
people, having himself, the record says, "been the death of three men
there." King Olaf was in high rage at this result; but was persuaded by
the Icelanders about him to try farther, and by a wilder instrument. He
accordingly chose one Thormod, a pious, patient, and kindly man, who,
within the next year or so, did actually accomplish the matter; namely,
get Christianity, by open vote, declared at Thingvalla by the general
Thing of Iceland there; the roar of a big thunder-clap at the right
moment rather helping the conclusion, if I recollect. Whereupon Olaf's
joy was no doubt great.

One general result of these successful operations was the discontent,
to all manner of degrees, on the part of many Norse individuals, against
this glorious and victorious, but peremptory and terrible king of
theirs. Tryggveson, I fancy, did not much regard all that; a man of
joyful, cheery temper, habitually contemptuous of danger. Another
trivial misfortune that befell i