Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway

7. OF THE PUNISHMENT OF THE THRONDHJEM PEOPLE.

After this King Magnus sailed south to Throndhjem, and brought up in the fjord, and punished severely all who had been guilty of treason towards him; killing some, and burning the houses of others. So says Bjorn Krephende:—

     "He who despises fence of shields
     Drove terror through the Throndhjem fields,
     When all the land through which he came
     Was swimming in a flood of flame.
     The raven-feeder, will I know,
     Cut off two chieftans at a blow;
     The wolf could scarcely ravenous be,
     The ernes flew round the gallows-tree."

Svein Harald Fletter's son, fled out to sea first, and sailed then to Denmark, and remained there; and at last came into great favour with King Eystein, the son of King Magnus, who took so great a liking to Svein that he made him his dish-bearer, and held him in great respect. King Magnus had now alone the whole kingdom, and he kept good peace in the land, and rooted out all vikings and lawless men. He was a man quick, warlike, and able, and more like in all things to his grandfather, King Harald, in disposition and talents than to his father.