courts of northern Europe, where they are always held in high honour. Gunnlaug Worm-tongue[1] in 1004 came to England, after being in Norway, as the saga says:—“Now sail Gunnlaug and his fellows into the English main, and come at autumntide south to London Bridge, where they hauled ashore their ship. Now, at that time King Ethelred, the son of Edgar, ruled over England, and was a good lord; the winter he sat in London. But in those days there was the same tongue in England as in Norway and Denmark; but the tongues changed when William the Bastard won England, for thenceforward French went current there, for he was of French kin. Gunnlaug went presently to the king, and greeted him well and worthily. The king asked him from what land he came, and Gunnlaug told him all as it was. ‘But,’ said he, ‘I have come to meet thee, lord, for that I have made a song on thee, and I would that it might please thee to hearken to that song.’ The king said it should be so, and Gunnlaug gave forth the song well and proudly, and this is the burden thereof—
The free lord King of England,
Kin of all kings and all folk,
To Ethelred the head bow.’
The king thanked him for the song, and gave him as song-reward a scarlet cloak lined with the costliest of furs, and golden-broidered down to the hem; and made him his man; and Gunnlaug was with him all the winter, and was well accounted of.”
- ↑ Snake-tongue—so called from his biting satire.
