108 EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY,

' by turns the better lot. I am little beyond cbild- ' hood in years ; and at any rate we could not have ' defended ourselves, as we did not expect any attack ' on the way. It may turn out better with us another ' time. King. — " Dost thou not apprehend that thou art in

• such a condition that, hereafter, there can be neither

' victory nor defeat for thee ? " Hahon. — " That is what only thou canst determine,

• King, according to thy pleasure."

King. — " What wilt thou give me, Jarl, if, for this

• time I let thee go, whole and unhurt ?"

Hakon.— What wilt thou take. King? " King. — "Nothing, except that thou shalt leave ' the country ; give up thy kingdom ; and take an

• oath that thou wilt never go into battle against

'me."* Jarl Hakon accepted the generous terms ; went to England and King Knut, and kept his bargain for a good few years; though he was at last driven, by pressure of King Knut, to violate it, — ^little to his profit, as we shall see. One victorious naval battle

• Snorro, ii. pp. 24-5.