Bibliotheca Arnamagnæana - 01.06.2003, Qupperneq 165

Liturgy of St Knud Lavard
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was riding in front, wished to wam the duke of the ambush, but dared not open-
ly reveal his master’s secrets on account of the oath that had been swom. So in-
stead he sang a story about the murder of some kinsmen or other, repeating it
three times in the hope that the duke would thus realise what his enemy had in
store for him, and still have some means of avoiding it. But the suspicion of
treachery could not affect his trusting nature. Indeed he said to the boy, ponder-
ing in part whether he might be singing for his benefit: “These things and their
like were done by false pagans to whom a pact of trust, the obligation of kinship,
and the fear of God were of no moment. That faithful Christians should do such
evil is incredible.”
Seventh respond (§ 2b:2:3:2). To Danes and pagans alike the saint brought
peace together with the Faith; * he compelled them to abandon their vain and
unholy rites and to profess Christ under the pact of peace.
Under royal law the Wendish hordes show honour to the Danish duke; * he
compelled them, etc.
Eighth lesson of the Passion (§ 2b:2:4:l). Hastening to the site of his betrayal,
the saint saw the traitor walking alone in the forest awaiting him. Having seen
him he dismounted, handed his horse to his own attendant and, continuing by
himself, approached his hostile kinsman with a cheerful countenance, a pure
conscience, and a faithful mind. Magnus came doser. Magnus, ‘the great one\
was his name, I tell you; great he was in his heart’s malice, great in his mouth’s
falsehood, great in the impiousness of his deed! He greeted the faithful, kind,
and just man with his foul tongue, embraced him with his profane arms, and
eamed with a kiss of peace the guilt of the traitor Judas’s crime. Then he pointed
out a spot a little further off and said: “Brother, let us go and sit down over
there.” He calls him a brother whom he treacherously assails; he urges him to
walk whom he desires shall fail; and he asks him to sit against whom he pre-
sumes to rise up! The pious one granted the impious one’s request, went along
with him, and sat down. When he was seated he noticed that the tumcoat Mag-
nus had a breastplate hidden under his gown, and said: “Good brother, why are
you armed in the season of peace?” To this the traitor replied: “I have to pay
back one who is my enemy according to his deserts, and I am at this moment
prepared for revenge.” Being a man of great prudence and a conciliatory dispo-
sition, the duke tried to restrain the traitor’s malice and said: “Far be it from your
mind, brother, to presume by shedding biood, be it innocent or guilty, to be-
smirch this solemn season that must be strictly observed. Wait patiently! When
these days are over and the time of reckoning has come, my hånd shall be with
you, if need be, against your adversary. I shall be your enemies’ enemy and your
friends shall be mine.” Now the crime could be concealed no longer. Magnus en-
veloped the duke in words of hatred, saying: “Knud, whose is Denmark?” The