Page:The Early Kings of Norway.djvu/42

32 EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY. Harald, the head-king in this Eric fraternity, does not seem to have been a bad man, — the contrary indeed ; but his position was untowardly, full of diffi- culty and contradictions. Whatever Harald could accomplish for behoof of Christianity, or real benefit to Norway, in these cross circumstances, he seems to have done in a modest and honest manner. He got the name of Greyfell from his people on a very trivial account, but seemingly with perfect good humour on their part. Some Iceland trader had brought a cargo of furs to Trondhjem (Lade) for sale; sale being slacker than the Icelander wished, he presented a chosen specimen, cloak, doublet, or whatever it was, to Harald; who wore it with acceptance in public, and rapidly brought disposal of the Icelander's stock, and the surname of Greyfell to himself. His under- kings and he were certainly not popular, though I almost think Greyfell himself, in absence of his mother and the under-kings, might have been se. But here they all were, and had wrought great trouble in Norway. "Too many of them,** said everybody ; "too many of these courts and court people, eating up any substance that there is.'* For