THE KING'S MIRROR 



173 



with the king's wares or ships. *JThese are the duties s 

 that they are bound to perform with such other duties 

 as may arise out of the king's needs. 



Now I have told you about several classes of the 

 king's servants, and you will have to determine which 

 of those enumerated seem to you most likely to know 

 much about courtly behavior and the manners that 

 ought by right to be found at a king's court; they are 

 all kingsmen, however. And from this you will observe 

 that every man cannot become perfect in all courtly 

 customs and manners just as soon as he sees the king 

 and his men; for a man will have to be both quick^-i 

 witted and quick to learn, who, if he lacks in breeding, I 

 is to learn perfect courtliness in a year's time, even K* 

 though every day of the year is spent at court among-' 

 the hirdmen in the king's own presence. Now you shalH 

 know this of a truth, that there are many at court who( 

 have spent a large part of their lives there and have\, 

 daily opportunities to see good deportment, and yet 1 c ^ 

 they never become either courtly or well-bred. 





^ Jfa 





XXVIII 



THE HONORED POSITION OF THE KINGSMEN 



<Son. If such is the case, that some of the customs at 

 court are so difficult to learn that both quick wit and 

 continued observation are necessary, it seems evident 

 that the men whom you have just now spoken of can 



* The kings of medieval Norway seem to have engaged quite actively in the 

 mercantile profession. The trade with the Finns was made a royal monopoly 

 at least as early as the tenth century; later the trade with Greenland also 

 passed into the king's hands. 



