Sira Solmund replied, “It has been said on every estate and in every hovel throughout the countryside that the child was conceived in adultery and with blood guilt, by the mistress and her overseer. And it seems to us hardly credible that she did not know of this rumor herself.”
The bishop was about to speak, but Kristin said, in a loud and firm voice, “So help me Almighty God, the Virgin Mary, Saint Olav, and the archbishop Saint Thomas, I did not know this lie was being said about us.”
“Then it’s hard to understand why you felt such a need to conceal the fact that you were with child,” said the priest. “You hid from everyone and barely came out of your house all winter.”
“It’s been a long time since I had any friends among the farmers of this parish; I’ve had so little to do with anyone here over the past few years. And yet I didn’t know until now that everyone seems to be my foe. But I came to church on every Sabbath,” she said.
“Yes, and you wrapped yourself up in cloaks and dressed so that no one might see you were growing big under your belt.”
“As any woman would do; surely any woman would want to look decent in the company of other people,” replied Kristin curtly.
The priest continued, “If the child was your husband’s, as you say, then surely you wouldn’t have tended to the infant so poorly that you caused him to die of neglect.”
One of the young priests from Hamar quickly stepped forward and caught hold of Kristin. A moment later she stood as she had before, pale and straight-backed. She thanked the priest with a nod of her head.
Sira Solmund vehemently declared, “That’s what the servingwomen at J?rundgaard said. My sister, who has been to the manor, witnessed it herself. The mistress went about with her breasts bursting with milk, so that her clothing was soaked through. But any woman who saw the boy’s body can testify that he died of starvation.”
Bishop Halvard put up his hand. “That’s enough, Sira Solmund. We will keep to the matter at hand, which is whether Jardtrud Herbrandsdatter had any other basis for her claims when she brought her case against her husband than that she had heard rumors, which the mistress here says are lies. And whether Kristin can dispute these rumors. Surely no one would claim that she laid hands on the child . . .”
But Kristin stood there, her face pale, and did not speak.
The bishop said to the parish priest, “But you, Sira Solmund, it was your duty to speak to this woman and let her know what was being said. Haven’t you done so?”
The priest blushed. “I have said heartfelt prayers for this woman, that she might willingly give up her stubborn ways and seek remorse and repentance. Her father was not my friend,” said the priest heatedly. “And yet I know that Lavrans of J?rundgaard was a righteous man and a firm believer. No doubt he might have deserved better, but this daughter of his has brought shame after shame upon him. She was barely a grown maiden before her loose ways caused two boys here in the parish to die. Then she broke her promise and betrothal to a fine and splendid knight’s son, whom her father had chosen to be her husband, and forced her own will, using dishonorable means, to win this man, who you, my Lord, know full well was condemned as a traitor and betrayer of the Crown. But I thought that at last her heart would have to soften when she saw how she was hated and scorned—she and all her family—and with the worst of reputations, living there at J?rundgaard, where her father and Ragnfrid Ivarsdatter had enjoyed the respect and love of everyone.
“But it was too much when she brought her son here today to be confirmed, and that man was supposed to present the boy to you when the whole parish knows that she lives with him in both adultery and blood guilt.”
The bishop gestured for the other man to be silent.
“How closely related is Ulf Haldorss?n to your husband?” he asked Kristin.
“Ulf’s rightful father was Sir Baard Peters?n of Hestnes. He had the same mother as his half brother Gaute Erlendss?n of Skogheim, who was Erlend Nikulauss?n’s maternal grandfather.”
Lord Halvard turned impatiently to Sira Solmund, “There is no blood guilt; her mother-in-law and Ulf are cousins. It would be a breach of kinship ties and a grave sin if it were true, but you need not make it any worse than that.”
“Ulf Haldorss?n is godfather to this woman’s eldest son,” said Sira Solmund.
The bishop looked at her, and Kristin answered, “Yes, my Lord.”
Lord Halvard sat in silence for a while.
“May God help you, Kristin Lavransdatter,” he said sorrowfully. “I knew your father in the past; I was his guest at J?rundgaard in my youth. I remember that you were a lovely, innocent child. If Lavrans Bj?rgulfs?n had been alive, this would never have happened. Think of your father, Kristin. For his sake, you must put aside this shame and cleanse yourself, if you can.”