THE SCENE: The following passage describes how, during the 13th Century when chivalry and the monarchy were still taking hold in Scandinavia, the king maintained his power through a loose confederation of secret police.
THE TEXT: There are certain other housecarles at the king’s court, who, in addition to the housecarle’s title, have a by-name and are called “gests.” They have this name from their manifold duties; for they visit the homes of many, though not always with friendly intent. These men are also in the king’s pay and get half the wages of hirdmen. These are the duties that belong to the office of these men: they serve as spies throughout the king’s domain to make sure whether he has any enemies in his kingdom; and I if such are found the gests are to slay them if they are able to do so. But if the king sends his gests upon his enemies and those against whom they are sent are slain, they are to have for their trouble as much of the enemies’ wealth as they can carry away at the time, only no gold, for that is the king’s, as is all the rest that the gests are unable to bring away. And whenever the king becomes aware of an enemy, it is the gest’s duty to pursue the foeman and thus to cleanse the realm. Whenever they are present at court, they keep the various watches about the king, just as the others do who share the king’s bounty in the royal garth, except the headward; this they do not keep; nor do they sit at table to eat or drink in the house where the king dines with his hirdmen, except at Christmas and Easter, when they are to eat with the hirdmen in the king’s hall, but at no other time.
– The King’s Mirror, King Hakon Hakonarson, 13th Century AD
