Kolbein (to HAF).—­Seize hold of this man and bring him into the prison at Flugumyr.  Bishop Gudmund will open its doors for him if time hangs heavy on his hands there. (ILLUGI the blind man runs out, forgetting his crutches; the people follow him.  One hears the multitude outside shouting, ’A miracle’.)

Asbjorn (to HELGI).—­Was it Bishop Gudmund or Kolbein the Young who made that man forget his crutches?

Helgi.—­If Kolbein has done it, then has he done it by the help of Beelzebub. (He gathers up the crutches.  HAF and ASBJORN follow him as he leaves the church.)

Kolbein.—­Did you have a part in this farce, my lord?

Botolf.—­No, my lord! (Mutters.) Pia fraus, pia fraus!

Kolbein.—­Then all is well.  Bishop Gudmund was a witless man, but no saint.

Botolf.—­That is without example in Christendom how you laymen of Iceland treated Bishop Gudmund; you killed his men and his clerks, went to battle against him, beat and bound him, and in no wise let him enjoy peace.

Kolbein.—­Bishop Gudmund was a scourge upon the land.  On his journeys he devoured the property of one farmer in the morning, and of another in the evening.

Botolf.—­Finally you deprived him even of his freedom.

Kolbein.—­That was the very best thing for him!

Botolf.—­Such conduct on your part violated God’s laws.

Kolbein.—­But not the laws of this land, sir bishop.  They say, ’But if a man have a savage dog, then shall this dog be kept bound.’  And I took the dog and bound him, sir bishop!

Botolf.—­The property of the church it was that tempted you, and not the laws of the land; and how have you atoned for your robbery?

Kolbein.—­With my and Thorolf Bjarnason’s pilgrimage to Rome.

Botolf.—­And with the help of this property of the church you have set yourself in the place of that man who alone had divine right to the land.

Kolbein.—­His is the land who holds it.

Botolf.—­The king of Norway lays claim to all the land settled by Norwegians.

Kolbein.—­The fewest of the settlers on Iceland’s soil were subjects of the king of Norway.  For that matter, why comes not King Hakon and take the land from us?

Botolf.—­Because many hands would be raised in its defence, and the king wishes the land to remain in peace.

Kolbein.—­No one has caused more feuds among us Icelanders than has King Hakon.  All feuds arose through his devices.

Botolf.—­Raise the banner of King Hakon in this land, Kolbein!

Kolbein.—­Who would bear the banner for that coward?  No, but should the king come hither you will see me take up a banner; but it will not be that of King Hakon!