Esbern, finding that these men were attached with a singular loyalty to the side of Ragnar, tried to bribe them to desert the king.

But they did not swerve from their purpose, and replied that their will depended on that of Biorn, declaring that not a single Swede would dare to do what went against his pleasure.

Esbern speedily made an attempt on Biorn himself, addressing him most courteously through his envoys.

Biorn said that he would never lean more to treachery than to good faith, and judged that it would be a most abominable thing to prefer the favour of an infamous brother to the love of a most righteous father.

The envoys themselves he punished with hanging, because they counselled him to so grievous a crime.