about midnight
He was a stout warrior , an able courtier , and a very dear friend of the King . Just before his arrival at Jarl Rongvold 's house , King Harald had completed a considerable part of the programme which he had laid down in the great work of subduing the whole of Norway to himself . And wild bloody work it had been . Hearing that several of the small kings had called a meeting in the uplands to discuss his doings , Harald went , with all the men he could gather , through the forests to the uplands , came to the place of meeting about midnight without being observed by the watchmen , set the house on fire , and burnt or slew four kings with all their followers . After that he subdued Hedemark , Ringerige , Gudbrandsdal , Hadeland , Raumarige , and the whole northern part of Vingulmark , and got possession of all the land as far south as the Glommen . It was at this time that he was taunted by the girl Gyda , and took the oath not to clip his hair until he had subdued the whole land -- as formerly related . After his somewhat peculiar determination , he gathered together a great force , and went northwards up the Gudbrandsdal and over the Doverfielde .