32 THE KING'S MIRROR 



" It was told me that I would here see few men; but 

 even though I saw some, they would be liker to beasts 

 in their behaviour than to men; but now I see here a 

 countless multitude of the folk of this land, and, as it 

 seems to me, with good behaviour." * Tf the King's 

 g"" * rrpnt statement of what was ronntM 

 nnH prnpff finnf 1 "** nt t}lp 



lY, the ^iHrr 1 ' i""" ** 1<c TinTin +nn ntiTinTlg - 



As a part of his discussion of the duties and activities 

 of the king's henchmen, the author describes the mili- 

 tary methods of the age, arms and armour, military 

 engines and devices used in offensive and defensive 

 warfare, and other necessary equipment.! He also dis- 

 cusses the ethics of the military profession to some ex- 

 tent. This part of the work has been made the subject of 

 a detailed study by Captain Otto Blom of the Danish 

 artillery, who has tried to fix a date for the composition 

 of the King's Mirror on the basis of these materials.! It 

 is not likely, however, that the work describes the mili- 

 tary art of the North; such an elaborate system of equip- 

 ment and such a variety of military engines and devices 

 the Norwegians probably never knew at any time in 

 the middle ages. It is the military art of Europe which 

 the author describes, especially the war machinery of the 

 crusades. One should not be surprised to find that he 

 had knowledge of the devices which were employed by 

 the Christian hosts in their warfare against the infidel 

 in the Orient. The crusades attracted the Norwegian 

 warriors and they took a part in them almost from the 



* Hdkonar Saga, c. 255. (Dasent's translation.) 



t Cc. xxxviii-xxxix. J See below, pp. 62-63. 



