Gripla - 2023, Blaðsíða 145

143THE END OF Á R N A S A G A B I S K U P S
This summer Priest Þorvaldr embarked again without receiving
permission from Lord Abbot Runólfr. The conduct of Þorvaldr
the previous winter has already been narrated, but his voyage went
no better this time, for they lost the ship in the Faroes even though
they all got to shore. On this journey Þorvaldr was afflicted by a
distressing incident. Previously his family, advancement and high
learning had kept him safe as a plaintiff against the enemies of
God’s Christendom, so long as he remained faithful to his lord.
Now he was attacked by an unclean spirit so violently that ten men
were needed to bring him into the holy Church of St Magnús. And
when he came through the door, such a thing happened as might
have seemed unbelievable if it had not been proved beyond doubt
that St Magnús, the patron of the same church, had suffered and
become the aforesaid Christ’s martyr. When they brought this man
to the church, he became so limp with madness that he fell down
as if dead in their hands, while his legs, which had been so unnatu-
rally strong, became likewise so unnaturally limp and weak that he
praised the living God, the Virgin Mary and the patron, St Magnús.
There were some who spoke falsely about what had occurred, say-
ing that it was due to heavy drinking and that this had caused his
madness. And as proof that the evil was real, it attacked Þorvaldr
again when he came before King Eiríkr. There were also men who
testified that he was afflicted by the same condition when he began
to accuse his lord bishop to King Eiríkr. First he was cared for by
the Icelanders and then by the Norwegians. A special poultice was
heated up and tied around his head, but this did not help, and it was
in this distressing state that he died. Bishop Árni had a safe stay in
Norway that time, his second winter there.
This episode features in Jón Gissurarson’s copy of Reykjarfjarðarbók
(J), but it is in neither Björn Jónsson’s autograph copy of his abridged
Árna saga (B4) nor in the copies of his fuller version (B1–B3). Þorleifur
Hauksson suggests that by the time Jón produced his copy, this part of the
manuscript may have become difficult to read.13 Also worth considering
13 Þorleifur Hauksson (ed.), xxvii. In 1279 Hrafn was dubbed merkismaðr at the Norwegian
court, see Guðrún Ása Grímsdóttir (ed.), 75. In this context, the honour appears to have
meant seniority among the king’s representatives in Iceland (sýslumenn). Hrafn likely held