Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway

248. OF SOME CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE BATTLE.

King Olaf fell on Wednesday, the 29th of July (A.D. 1030). It was near mid-day when the two armies met, and the battle began before half-past one, and before three the king fell. The darkness continued from about half-past one to three also. Sigvat the skald speaks thus of the result of the battle:—

     "The loss was great to England's foes,
     When their chief fell beneath the blows
     By his own thoughtless people given,—
     When the king's shield in two was riven.
     The people's sovereign took the field,
     The people clove the sovereign's shield.
     Of all the chiefs that bloody day,
     Dag only came out of the fray."

And he composed these:—

     "Such mighty bonde-power, I ween,
     With chiefs or rulers ne'er was seen.
     It was the people's mighty power
     That struck the king that fatal hour.
     When such a king, in such a strife,
     By his own people lost his life,
     Full many a gallant man must feel
     The death-wound from the people's steel."

The bondes did not spoil the slain upon the field of battle, for immediately after the battle there came upon many of them who had been against the king a kind of dread as it were; yet they held by their evil inclination, for they resolved among themselves that all who had fallen with the king should not receive the interment which belongs to good men, but reckoned them all robbers and outlaws. But the men who had power, and had relations on the field, cared little for this, but removed their remains to the churches, and took care of their burial.