Bibliotheca Arnamagnæana - 01.06.2003, Blaðsíða 159

APPENDIX II
TRANSLATION OF THE
LESSONS AND RESPONDS AT MATINS
First lesson ofthe Passion (§ 2a:2:l.l). The most Christian king Erik, who by
God’s grace was found worthy of the throne, ruled the kingdom of Denmark
auspiciously; and during his reign peace and the rule of law, prosperity among
the population, and an abundance of food smiled on the land. Among his other
good works, having set out on one occasion to offer his prayers in a distant land,
he bought fields and farms for money, and built there at his own expense a
much-needed hospital for poor people and pilgrims. Because of his continual
goodness, the whole population gave him in their own tongue the nickname
‘Ever-goodk And so he flourished due to so much kindness towards his subjects
that, when he was about to go abroad for a third [recte a second?] time, the
whole country offered him a third of its wealth (exclusive of land and livestock)
if he would refrain from fulfilling his vow. But neither request nor reward could
deflect him from his godly purpose, and together with Bodil, his queen, he de-
parted, appointing his eldest son Harald as regent. Knud, the son of the queen by
the king, was at that time still a little boy; he went to live with Skjalm, the migh-
tiest lord among the Danes, who was entrusted with his upbringing. The prudent
king now proceeded to Rome, where out of concem for his country’s indepen-
dence he obtained the pallium from the Lord Pope. Sending it home to Denmark,
he preoccupied himself with completing the pilgrimage he had begun. But in the
meantime the end of his industrious life approached and he was struck down by
fever. Divine providence then granted him to foretell the day of his passing to
his companions, and to point out to them the place where he wished to be in-
terred. When they saw the inappropriateness of the place and asserted that no
one could be buried there, the king said: “The earth is the Lord’s. Bury me out-
side the cemetery, even though He should cast me forth from that grave.” The
king’s word was fulfilled: he died on the day he had predicted and was buried
where he wished, and the place remained undisturbed. O wondrous miracle!
When the king had been laid to rest there, that place - previously unsuitable for
a deceased person - revealed itself as wholly fitting for any and every burial.
First respond (§ 2a:2:l:2). Duke Knud was bom of a noble lineage; King
Erik was progenitor of the line * from which the salvation of the realm and the
liberty of the people sprang.