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54 THE KING'S MIRROR 



mcrchanti mint rf ^ pHii^ipd: they must learn the 

 art of reckoning and those facts of science that are of 

 interest to navigators; they must study languages, 

 Latin, French, and Norwegian; and they must become 

 thoroughly acquainted with the laws of the land. But 

 the author does not stop here: a merchant should also 

 educate his children. " If children be given to you, let 

 them not grow up without learning a trade; for we may 

 expect a man to keep closer to knowledge and business 

 when he comes of age, if he is trained in youth while 

 under control." 



The identity of the author of the Speculum Regale has 

 never been disclosed. Anonymous authorship was not 

 uncommon in medieval Norse literature: many of the 

 sagas were written by men whose names are not known. 

 In the thirteenth century, however, it had become cus- 

 tomary for writers to claim the honors of authorship. 

 Our philosopher of the King's Mirror clearly understood 

 that his readers would be curious to know his name: if 

 the book, he tells us in his introductory chapter, has 

 any merit, that should satisfy the reader, and there is 

 no reason why any one should wish to search out the 

 name of the one who wrote it.f Evidently he had a pur- 

 pose in concealing his identity, and the motive is not 

 far to seek. 



After the death of King Sverre (1202) the conflict be- 

 tween the king and the hierarchy ceased for a time. The 

 church made peace with the monarchy; the exiled 

 bishops returned; and the faction of the Croziermen 

 disintegrated. After a few years, however, the old 

 *C.iv. C.i. 



