Alfred the Great ruled England, being of his family the first supreme king over England. That was in the days of Harold Fairhair, king of Norway. After Alfred, Edward his son was king in England. He was father of Athelstan the Victorious, who was foster-father of Hacon the Good. It was at this time of our story that Athelstan took the kingdom after his father. There were several brothers sons of Edward.

But when Athelstan had taken the kingdom, then those chieftains who had before lost their power to his forefathers rose in rebellion; now they thought was the easiest time to claim back their own, when a young king ruled the realm. These were Britons, Scots, and Irish. King Athelstan therefore gathered him an army, and gave pay to all such as wished to enrich themselves, both foreigners and natives.

The brothers Thorolf and Egil were standing southwards along Saxony and Flanders, when they heard that the king of England wanted men, and that there was in his service hope of much gain. So they resolved to take their force thither. And they went on that autumn till they came to king Athelstan. He received them well; he saw plainly that such followers would be a great help. Full soon did the English king decide to ask them to join him, to take pay there, and become defenders of his land. They so agreed between them that they became king Athelstan's men.

England was thoroughly Christian in faith, and had long been so, when these things happened. King Athelstan was a good Christian; he was called Athelstan the Faithful. The king asked Thorolf and his brother to consent to take the first signing with the cross, for this was then a common custom both with merchants and those who took soldiers' pay in Christian armies, since those who were 'prime-signed' (as 'twas termed) could hold all intercourse with Christians and heathens alike, while retaining the faith which was most to their mind. Thorolf and Egil did this at the king's request, and both let themselves be prime-signed. They had three hundred men with them who took the king's pay.

Elfráðr inn ríki réð fyrir Englandi. Hann var fyrstr einvaldskonungr yfir Englandi sinna kynsmanna. Þat var á dögum Haralds ins hárfagra Nóregskonungs. Eftir hann var konungr í Englandi sonr hans, Játvarðr. Hann var faðir Aðalsteins ins sigrsæla, fóstra Hákonar ins góða. í þenna tíma tók Aðalsteinn konungdóm í Englandi eftir föður sinn. Þeir váru fleiri bræðr, synir Játvarðs.

En er Aðalsteinn hafði tekit konungdóm, þá hófust upp til ófriðar þeir höfðingjar, er áðr höfðu látit ríki sín fyrir þeim langfeðgum, þótti nú sem dælst myndi til at kalla, er ungr konungr réð fyrir ríki. Váru þat bæði Bretar ok Skotar ok Írar. En Aðalsteinn konungr safnaði herliði at sér ok gaf mála þeim mönnum öllum, er þat vildu hafa til féfangs sér, bæði útlenzkum ok innlenzkum.

Þeir bræðr, Þórólfr ok Egill, heldu suðr fyrir Saxland ok Flæmingjaland. Þá spurðu þeir, at Englandskonungr þóttist liðs þurfa ok þar var ván féfangs mikils. Gera þeir þá þat ráð at halda þangat liði sínu. Fóru þeir þá um haustit, til þess er þeir kómu á fund Aðalsteins konungs. Tók hann vel við þeim ok leizt své á, at liðsemð mikil myndi vera at fylgð þeira. Verðr þat brátt í ræðum Englandskonungs, at hann býðr þeim til sín at taka þar mála ok gerast landvarnarmenn hans. Semja þeir þat sín í milli, at þeir gerast menn Aðalsteins.

England var kristit ok hafði lengi verit, þá er þetta var tíðenda. Aðalsteinn konungr var vel kristinn. Hann var kallaðr Aðalsteinn inn trúfasti. Konungr bað Þórólf ok þá bræðr, at þeir skyldi láta prímsignast, því at þat var þá mikill siðr bæði með kaupmönnum ok þeim mönnum, er á mála gengu með kristnum mönnum, því at þeir menn, er prímsignaðir váru, höfðu allt samneyti við kristna menn ok svá heiðna, en höfðu þat at átrúnaði, er þeim var skapfelldast. Þeir Þórólfr ok Egill gerðu þat eftir bæn konungs ok létu prímsignast báðir. Þeir höfðu þar þrjú hundruð sinna manna, þeira er mála tóku af konungi.