Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway

40. EIRIK AND HAKON MAKE A WAR LEVY.

When Earl Eirik, the son of Hakon, who at that time was in Raumarike, heard the tidings, he immediately gathered troops, and went to the Uplands, and thence over the mountains to Throndhjem, and joined his father Earl Hakon. Thord Kolbeinson speaks of this in the lay of Eirik:—

     "News from the south are flying round;
     The bonde comes with look profound,
     Bad news of bloody battles bringing,
     Of steel-clad men, of weapons ringing.
     I hear that in the Danish land
     Long-sided ships slide down the strand,
     And, floating with the rising tide,
     The ocean-coursers soon will ride."

The earls Hakon and Eirik had war-arrows split up and sent round the Throndhjem country; and despatched messages to both the Mores, North More and South More, and to Raumsdal, and also north to Naumudal and Halogaland. They summoned all the country to provide both men and ships. So it is said in Eirik's lay:

     "The skald must now a war-song raise,
     The gallant active youth must praise,
     Who o'er the ocean's field spreads forth
     Ships, cutters, boats, from the far north.
     His mighty fleet comes sailing by,—
     The people run to see them glide,
     Mast after mast, by the coast-side."

Earl Hakon set out immediately to the south, to More, to reconnoitre and gather people; and Earl Eirik gathered an army from the north to follow.