The writings of Konered about Friso

Now will I write about Friso¹
Friso who was already powerful through his people, was also elected to first grave by Staveren’s provincials.

He ridiculed our way of land defence and sea warfare, therefore has he founded a school wherein the boys learn to fight in the Greek way.
Though I believe that he has done that to bind the young folk on his string.
I have also sent my brother thence, that is now ten years ago.⁵
For I thought now that we haven’t no longer no Mother to protect the one against the other, aught I to watch double that he becomes no master of us.

Gosa has named no successor, thereupon will I not pass no judgement, but there are yet old, ill-thinking people who hold that she had been in unison with Friso about that. But Friso who was busily making a kingdom for himself, Friso desired neither advice nor messengers from Texland.

When the messengers of the land dwellers came to him spake he and quoth: Gosa, said he, had been far-seeing and wiser than all the graves together and still had she not found no light nor clarity in this matter, therefore hadn’t she no courage to choose a successor, and to choose a successor who were doubtful, therein had she seen bad, therefore has she written in her last will, that it is better for you to have no Mother than one upon whom you may not rely.

Friso has seen much, he was brought up by warfare, and of the snares and tricks of the Guals and princes had he learned and gathered as much as he had need of in order to lead the other graves whither he would lead them.¹⁰

See here how he now has proceded therewith.
Friso had taken another wife here, the daughter of Wil-frethe, in his life had he become first Grave of Staveren.
By her had he won two sons and two daughters.
Though his arrangement is Kornelia, his youngest daughter married off to my brother.

Kornelia is poor Frisian and must be written Kornhelia.¹⁵
Wemod, his eldest (daughter) had he betrothed to Kauch.
Kauch who also went to school with him is the son of Wichhirte, the king of the Gertmen.
But Kauch is also poor Frisian and must be Kap.
But they have brought more bad speech with them than good morals.

Now must I go back with my history.²⁰
After the great flood whereof my dad had written, were many Jutes and Lets carried by the ebb out of the Baltic sea or bad sea.
By Kattagat drove they in their barges with the ice upon the Denmarks’ shore and there are they remained settled.
There were nowhere no people in sight.

Therefore have they taken that land in possession, after their name have they called that land Jutland.
Afterwards came well many Denmarkers from the highlands, but these set themselves down more southerly.²⁵
And as the seamen came back who were not perished, went the one with the other toward the sea or islands.

Through this arrangement might the Jutes hold that land, whereupon Wralda has led them.
The Zeelander sea-men who would neither help nor nourish themselves with fish alone, and who had a loathing for the Gauls, went then to rob the Phoenician ships.

On the southwestern horn of Skenland, there lay Lindasburgh surnamed Lindasnose.
Founded by our Apol, also described in this book.³⁰

All coast dwellers and those in the surrounding land remained true Frya’s, but through the lust of wrack against the Gauls and against the Kaltana followers went they to work together with the Zeelanders, but working together had not held strong. For the Zeelanders had taken over many wrongful customs from the evil Magyars to the ridicule of Frya’s folk.

Forth went each to rob for himself, though if it suited them, then stood each man truely by the others.
Though at last began the Zeelanders to suffer a lack of good ships.
Their shipwrights were dead and their woods were with the ground and all of the land swept away.³⁵

Now came there unwatched three ships by the ring-dike of our burgh sea.
Through the inlet of our land were they strayed and missailing the Flymond.
The merchant who went along would have new ships from us, thereto had they brought with them all sorts of costly wares, which they had robbed from the Celtic lands and from the Phoenician ships.

Because we ourselves had no ships, I gave them able horses and four armed runners to (give to) Friso.
For at Staveren and along the Alderga, there were the best warships, made of hard oaken wood which no rot comes upon.⁴⁰

While the seafighters stayed with me, were some Jutes sailed to Texland and thence were they directed to Friso.
The Zeelanders had stolen many of their stoutest boys, they must row upon their benches, and of their stoutest daughters to thereby heget children.
The great Jutes might not defend against it, because they hadn’t not no good weapons.

When they had told of their suffering and thereover many words were exchanged, Friso asked whether they had no good harbours in their region.
O yes, answered they, one of the best ones, one shaped by Wr-alda.⁴⁵
It is just like your beer crock there, the neck is narrow, though in the belly can well a thousand barges lie, but we haven’t no burgh nor burgh weapons, to keep the pirate ships out of there.

Then must you make one, said Friso.
Good advice, answered the Jutes, but we haven’t no tradesmen nor building tools, we are all fishers and beachcombers.
The others are drowned or flown to the highlands.
While they thus talked, came my messengers with Zeelander gentlemen to his court.⁵⁰

Here must be revealed how Friso wist to cheat everyone to the pleasure of both parties and to the profit of his own goal.
To the Zeelanders, he promised, they should have fifty ships yearly, of set measurements and for a fixed sum of money, ready with iron chains and cross-bows and also the full rigging for warships as it be needed and useful for warships, but the Jutes should leave them in peace, and all the folk that belong to Frya’s children.

Yea he would do more, he would invite all our seafighters that they should fight and rob with him.

When the Zeelanders were away, then let he forty old ships be laden with burgh weapons, wood, bricks, carpenters, brickmasons and smiths so as to build a burgh with them.
Witto, that is Witte’s son, sent he with them to oversee.⁵⁵

What went on there, isn’t told to me, but so much is revealed to me, on both sides of the harbourmouth is a stronghold built, therein are folk encamped who Friso took out of the Saxonmarks.
Witto has courted Siuchthirte and taken her to be his wife.
Wilhem, thus was her dad called, he was first Alderman of the Jutes, that is first Graveman or Grave.
Wilhem died shortly thereafter and Witto is chosen in his stead.