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V.  1 


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BOUGHT  WITH   THE    INCOME   OF  THE 

FISKE  ENDOWMENT  FUND 

THE    BEQUEST  OF 

WILLARD  FISKE 

LIBRARIAN    OF  THE    UNIVERSITY   1868-1883 

1905 


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http://www.archive.org/cletails/cu31924028144313 


EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

A.D.    500    TO    1286 


*EARLY  SOURCES  OF 

SCOTTISH   HISTORY 

A.D.     500    TO     1286 


COLLECTED  AND  TRANSLATED  BY 

ALAN    ORR    ANDERSON 

AUTHOR  OF 
Scottish  Annals  from  English   Chroniclers 


VOLUME      ONE 


OLIVER    AND    BOYD 

EDINBURGH:     TWEEDDALE    COURT 

LONDON  :    33   PATERNOSTER    ROW,    E.G. 

1922 


This  Work  was  begun  during  tenure  of  a  Carnegie 
Research  Fellowship  ;  was  continued  with  the  aid  of 
Grants,  and  has  been  published  with  the  aid  of  a 
Grant,  from  the  Carnegie  Trust  for  the  Universities 
of  Scotland.  The  Editio?i  is  limited  to  600  Sets, 
and  the  type  has  been  distributed. 


PREFACE 

The  chronicles  tell  of  events  ;  but  they  show  also  the  succes- 
sive influences  that  were  at  work  upon  Scotland — Irish, 
Scandinavian,  English,  and  Norman. 

From  the  time  of  the  Norman  conquest,  foreign  influences 
prevailed  at  the  Scottish  court.  The  kings  were  partly  of 
English  blood  ;  the  queens  were  English  or  French  ;  the  nobles 
were  imported  from  northern  France.  French  manners  were 
cultivated.  There  was  little  national  spirit,  as  opposed  to 
tribal  or  local  patriotism,  until  after  the  events  that  followed 
the  competition  for  the  crown.  Then  the  experience  of  true 
feudal  inferiority  galled  the  people,  and  diverse  native  and 
foreign  elements  combined  to  throw  off  the  yoke.  Thence- 
forward the  common  desire  to  remain  independent  was  a 
generally  unifying  influence  among  the  Scottish  peoples ; 
and  national  spirit  arose. 

The  sphere  of  the  present  work  is  the  period  of  foreign 
settlements,  foreign  encroachments,  foreign  influence,  and 
intermittent  submissions  to  a  foreign  power :  the  period  also 
of  assimilation  of  peoples,  centralization  of  government,  and, 
in  the  end,  unification  of  territory,  by  which  the  way  to 
complete  independence  was  prepared. 

It  is  not  the  period  of  Scotland's  greatest  importance, 
although  the  part  she  played  in  English  politics  was  not  a 
negligible  one.  Nevertheless,  it  is  a  period  of  more  than 
local  interest :  since  it  includes  the  formation  of  a  state,  out  of 
a  group  of  small  and  antagonistic  nationalities  ;  and  shows  on 
a  small  scale  a  phase  of  development  through  which  many 
other  countries  have  passed. 

At  the  beginning  of  our  period,  Scotland  was  in  a  semi- 


vi  PREFACE 

barbarous  condition.  We  follow  the  advance  of  ideas  in  this 
country  from  the  misty  dawn,  to  the  noon,  of  medieval 
civilization.  We  must  watch  with  understanding  the  policy, 
whether  humane  or  harsh,  by  which  life  was  regulated  upon 
paths  less  free,  but  more  secure,  leading  a  long  stage  forward 
upon  the  way  to  modern  civilization.  At  the  end  of  our 
period,  it  was  possible  for  a  Scottish  noblewoman  to  found  a 
college  at  Oxford. 

Evidences  of  this  gradual  change  appear  in  the  chronicles; 
but  unfortunately  the  native  chronicles  that  have  survived  are 
few.  The  architecture  and  the  writing  of  the  thirteenth 
century  show  a  perfection  of  the  medieval  spirit  that  was  not 
accidental  or  isolated.  Other  phases  of  human  effort  showed 
the  same  completeness  of  achievement. 

The  feudal  system  was  an  organization  of  stability  in  the 
state,  and  made  these  developments  possible  ;  but  its  results 
contained  the  germs  of  its  decay.  The  nobles  grew  more 
powerful  in  prosperity,  and  by  claiming  a  voice  in  the  govern- 
ment diminished  the  power  of  their  suzerain,  and  weakened 
the  whole  structure.  This  tendency  followed  different  lines  in 
Scotland  and  in  England.  The  Scottish  parliament  was  not 
established  until  forty  years  after  the  close  of  the  period 
included  in  this  book. 

In  Scottish  Annals  from  English  Chroniclers  (London,  1908), 
my  purpose  was  to  translate  from  chronicles  written  in 
England  or  by  Englishmen,  before  the  year  1291,  all  passages 
that  had  immediate  bearing  upon  the  history  of  Scotland, 
within  the  period  A.D.  500  to  1286.  The  present  work  is 
intended  to  be  a  similar  collection  from  chronicles  of  other 
nationalities ;  and  in  addition,  from  chronicles  that  are  later 
than  the  year  1291,  when  they  appear  to  draw  information 
from  previously  existing  writings,  or  from  strong  traditions. 
I  have  also  referred  in  the  notes  to  charters  and  other  docu- 
ments, in  so  far  as  available  time  and  space  allowed. 

In  defence  of  the  translation  of  historical  materials,  I  would 


PREFACE  vii 

say  that  these  collections  are  intended  to  be  a  guide  to  the 
sources,  rather  than  a  substitute  for  them.  For  special 
points  the  historical  worker  will  not  trust  to  a  translation ; 
neither  will  he  be  content  with  extracts  removed  from  their 
context.  The  purpose  of  a  book  of  translated  selections  is 
to  give  a  primary  interpretation  of  the  principal  materials ; 
to  be  a  convenient  book  of  reference  for  the  worker;  and  at 
the  same  time,  to  bring  before  tho.se  who  are  unfamiliar  with 
foreign  tongues,  or  who  have  no  large  library  within  their 
reach,  the  sources  from  which  history  is  drawn. 

In  translating,  I  have  endeavoured  to  give  as  literal  a 
rendering  as  I  could  ;  not  forsaking  the  style  of  the  originals, 
except  with  a  view  to  avoid  obscurity.  I  have  translated 
historic  present  by  past  tense ;  have  divided  sentences ;  and 
have  sometimes  made  changes  in  order,  and  occasionally  in 
mood,  when  otherwise  the  meaning  would  not  have  been 
clear.  I  have  supplied  within  square  brackets  words  that 
are  needed  to  complete  the  interpretation  of  the  text. 

The  rule  of  the  schools,  that  classical  Latin  words  should 
not  be  translated  by  their  derivatives  in  English,  is  reversed 
in  the  translation  of  medieval  Latin ;  because  the  changes 
in  meaning  that  are  apparent  between  the  usages  of  classical 
and  modern  times  have,  to  a  great  extent,  already  taken 
place  in  medieval  times.  In  some  cases  where  the  medieval 
and  modern  usages  differ  it  is  necessary  to  retain  a  word  in 
its  medieval  sense,  in  order  to  convey  a  medieval  idea. 

The  editions  of  many  of  the  Scottish,  and  some  of  the 
Irish  sources,  are  lamentably  inaccurate.  Although  I  have 
checked  some  of  these  editions,  it  has  been  impossible  for 
me  to  examine  the  originals  of  all. 

With  regard  to  emendations  of  the  text,  I  have  noted 
emendations  that  are  not  absolutely  obvious.  When  a  passage 
can  be  translated  as  it  stands,  it  must  not  be  altered  without 
sufficient  proof  that  correction  is  required.  When  the  reading 
is  in  doubt,  the  passage  can  hardly  be  accepted  as  evidence. 


viii  PREFACE 

Ingenious  emendations  cannot  produce  evidence,  unless  they 
are  supported  by  other  writings. 

Contemporary  documents,  such  as  letters,  grants  of  various 
kinds,  proclamations,  and  treaties,  are  the  bed-rock  of  history, 
and  by  them  the  trustworthiness  of  chronicles  is  to  be  tested. 
The  present  collection  is  primarily  a  compilation  of  chronicles. 
Documentary  evidence,  before  the  I2th  century,  is  scarce; 
and  insufficient  to  provide  a  continuous  narrative,  throughout 
the  early  middle  age.  Chronicles  are  in  general  of  a  traditional 
nature ;  but  they  have  value  as  evidence  when  the  tradition 
is  not  remote,  or  when  it  is  of  events  that  were  within  the 
common  knowledge  of  the  people.  There  is  great  divergence 
in  value  among  the  authorities  collected  here. 

We  must  distinguish  between  (a)  authorities  of  highest 
rank  (accounts  written  within  the  life-time  and  under  the 
influence  of  men  who  remembered  the  events;  also  works 
that  faithfully  represent  these  accounts) ;  (b)  the  earliest  writers 
of  less  immediate  tradition ;  and  (c)  later  writers  who  use 
works  of  either  of  the  preceding  classes,  but  do  not  exactly 
reproduce  the  works  they  use.  The  last  class  may  be 
valuable  for  the  interpretation  of  history,  but  does  not  give 
historical  evidence. 

Few  of  the  facts  of  history  are  related  by  eye-witnesses  ; 
many  have  a  half-legendary  setting.  Unless  an  account  has 
been  written  down  soon  after  the  event  described,  it  has  little 
value  as  evidence. 

The  faculty  of  memory,  however,  was  in  the  middle  ages 
more  cultivated  than  it  is  now.  Local  or  family  traditions 
were  often  preserved  with  scrupulous  care.  Nevertheless, 
oral  tradition  was  literary  in  character ;  it  required  as  its 
motive  some  central  figure,  or  heroic  event.  This  bias  must 
be  allowed  for,  when  we  use  written  versions  of  tradition, 
such  as  the  Icelandic  literature.  Also  the  mental  atmosphere 
of  written  tradition  is  that  of  the  writer,  rather  than  that  of 
the  time  described. 


PREFACE  ix 

The  contents  of  a  work  give  some  indication  of  its  historical 
value.  Anachronisms  may  prove  it  to  be  unauthentic  or  late. 
Allowance  may  have  to  be  made  for  bias,  or  (as  in  Adamnan) 
for  credulity  in  marvellous  episodes :  but  these  tendencies  do 
not  necessarily  discredit  a  writer's  work  in  parts  where  they 
are  absent.  Balance  of  judgement  and  clear  sense  legitimately 
claim,  as  in  the  case  of  Bede,  belief;  sometimes,  however, 
they  may  plausibly  cover  the  absence  of  knowledge. 

Apart  from  statements  that  are  obviously  biassed  or 
absurd  (and  their  boundary-line  is  less  clearly  defined  than 
might  be  thought),  we  must  not  reject  the  account  of  a  good 
authority,  except  when  it  is  contradicted  by  an  equally  good 
authority,  or  when  it  is  inconsistent  in  itself  And  here  is 
the  proper  place  of  conjecture  in  history: — to  reconcile 
apparently  conflicting  statements.  Wherever  two  divergent 
statements  can  be  reconciled  by  simple  conjecture,  such  as 
arises  naturally  from  other  evidence,  we  are  not  justified  in 
rejecting  one  of  them  on  the  ground  that  it  is  apparently 
contradictory  of  the  other.  On  the  other  hand,  our  acceptance 
of  a  statement  that  is  not  confirmed  by  another  independent 
witness  must  always  be  provisional.  It  is  scarcely  critical 
to  be  most  certain  of  the  facts  of  history  in  those  periods 
for  our  knowledge  of  which  we  rely  upon  accounts  derived 
from  one  authority  only. 

In  questions  of  fact,  if  two  authorities  differ,  and  neither 
account  is  supported  by  other  evidence,  the  evidence  of 
the  earlier  writer  must  be  preferred,  notwithstanding  that 
the  later  account  may  have  been  written  on  purpose  to  correct 
the  earlier  :  except  in  those  cases  where  the  later  writer  has 
obtained  information  from  an  earlier  source,  or  from  a  more 
immediate  tradition. 

The  more  closely  a  later  writer  represents  the  work  of  an 
earlier  writer,  the  greater  value  he  has  as  a  witness.  The 
Irish  annals  are  remarkable  for  their  fidelity  to  their  sources. 
Fordun   lived    a   century   earlier    than    the   compiler   of    the 


X  PREFACE 

Annals  of  Ulster ;  but  Fordun  has  practically  no  value  for 
early  times,  for  which  the  value  of  the  Ulster  annals  is 
extremely  high. 

The  relation  between  events  cannot  be  established  unless 
the  order  of  events  is  known ;  that  is  to  say,  unless  they  can 
be  dated  with  relative  accuracy. 

When  an  earlier  and  a  later  chronicle  differ  in  dating  an 
event,  the  earlier  account  must  be  preferred,  if  it  is  consistent, 
and  not  opposed  by  other  evidence.  Unsupported  dates  can 
never  be  relied  upon.  But  even  if  the  chronicle  errs  in 
numbering  the  years,  it  may  yet  be  right  in  the  order  of 
events.  The  only  utility  of  dates  is  to  establish  the  order  of 
events :  if  we  accept  the  dates  of  the  oldest  chronicles,  we 
may  be  wrong  in  detail,  and  yet  right  in  the  general  view. 

The  works  of  later  chroniclers,  such  as  Fordun,  Bower, 
Wyntoun,  are  to  be  consulted  in  conjunction  with  the  earlier 
and  more  authoritative  works  used  here ;  and  for  Irish  affairs, 
Geoffrey  Keating's  History  of  Ireland. 

The  invaluable  collections  made  by  Haddan  and  Stubbs, 
Lawrie,  Bain,  Bliss,  Theiner,  should  also  be  used.  For  kings, 
and  for  the  history  of  the  royal  family,  Dunbar's  Scottish 
Kings  must  be  consulted  ;  for  nobles,  the  Scots  Peerage,  and 
the  Complete  Peerage  (G.E.C.)  ;  for  ecclesiastical  history, 
Dowden's  Bishops  of  Scotland,  and  Keith's  Historical  Catalogue 
of  the  Scottish  Bishops  ;  for  abbots  of  lona,  and  heads  of  the 
Columban  order,  Reeves's  Vita  S.  Columbae  (B.Cl.  103,  369- 
413  ;  partly  also  in  Skene's  edition,  334-342).  For  popes,  see 
Jaffe's  and  Potthast's  Regesta  Pontificum  Romanorum. 

For  persons,  the  indexes  of  the  editions  and  calendars 
of  the  public  records  should  be  consulted ;  and  for  persons 
and  places,  the  chartularies  and  registers  of  monasteries  and 
bishoprics,  published  by  the  Scottish  historical  book-clubs. 
The  dating  and  indexing  of  these  charters  are,  for  this  period, 
unsatisfactory.  Since  the  datable  charters  are  of  special 
value   for  the  building  of  history,   and   for  the  accumulation 


PREFACE  xi 

of  evidence  with  which  to  date  other  charters,  a  separate 
index  of  these  would  be  a  useful  aid  to  historical  work.  Such 
an  index  I  have  made,  but  too  late  to  have  its  much-needed 
assistance  in  this  work.  Other  valuable  indexes  are  those 
of  Bouquet's  Recueil,  the  M onumenta  Germaniae  Historica,  Petrie 
and  Sharpe's  Monuinenta  Historica  Britannica,  Langebek's 
Scriptores  Reruni  Danicaruin,  and  Hennessy  and  MacCarthy's 
Annals  of  Ulster.  The  indexes  to  the  volumes  of  the  Rolls 
Series  are  useful ;  among  them  may  be  mentioned  the  index 
to  Matthew  Paris. 

I  have  seldom  given  references  to  modern  histories,  except 
when  they  cite  original  sources.  The  student  will  consult, 
stage  by  stage,  such  works  as  the  histories  of  the  late 
Professor  Hume  Brown,  Andrew  Lang,  Hill  Burton,  Hailes, 
and  Skene.  Skene's  work  must  be  used  with  caution. 
Although  it  contains  many  valuable  suggestions  and  theories, 
they  are  not  always  very  soundly  based. 

There  are  many  other  works  that  should  be  consulted ; 
among  them  the  various  county  histories  of  Scotland  and 
England. 

Of  special  value  among  bibliographies  are  the  works  of 
C.  Gross,  A.  Potthast,  and  Professor  C.  Sanford  Terry.  See 
also  the  lists  of  authorities  in  the  works  of  Professor  Hume 
Brown,  and  Sir  Archibald  H.  Dunbar.  For  Irish  subjects, 
see  the  Bibliography  of  Irish  Printed  Books,  by  Mr  R.  I.  Best 
(Dublin,  1913). 

A  collection  of  sources  is  not  easily  made;  and  compila- 
tion is  only  a  small  part  of  the  labours  it  involves.  As  in 
the  collection  from  English  Chroniclers,  I  have  tried  to  make 
the  chroniclers  speak  for  themselves :  but  even  the  arrange- 
ment of  material  is  part  of  the  work  of  history. 

The  work  should  have  been  done  by  a  specialist  in  all 
the  languages,  and  in  the  history  of  all  the  countries,  and  of 
all  the  different  periods,  with  which  it  is  concerned.  Since 
such  a  person  has  not  undertaken  the  task,   I   hope  that  the 


xii  PREFACE 

faults  that  specialists  will  find  in  the  book  may  not  very 
greatly  interfere  with  its  general  usefulness. 

The  materials  have  not  been  chosen  for  their  interest. 
But  the  reader  may  be  encouraged  with  the  assurance  that 
in  these  pages  he  will  find,  among  the  necessarily  dull  building 
material,  some  brighter  fragments  of  history,  adventure,  and 
romance,  reflecting  the  life  of  other  days. 

I  have  pleasure  in  acknowledging  occasional  assistance 
received : — in  translations  from  Berchan's  Prophecy,  from 
various  courteous  Dublin  scholars,  including  Professor  Bergin 
and  Miss  E.  Knott ;  in  translations  from  Welsh  sources,  from 
Mr  H.  J.  Bell ;  in  some  points  of  Latin,  from  Mr  E.  C.  W. 
Hannan ;  in  translation  from  Old-French  sources,  from 
Miss  E.  Ower,  of  Edinburgh.  Dr  Stefansson  has  helped  me 
over  several  obstacles  in  the  Icelandic  sagas.  I  have  benefited 
from  discussion  of  various  questions  with  Professor  W.  J. 
Watson,  with  Miss  E.  Hull,  and  with  Miss  M.  F.  Moore.  To 
all  these  I  am  indebted  for  the  elimination  of  some  errors. 
The  index  has  been  kept  within  the  smallest  bounds  com- 
patible with  the  inclusion  of  all  proper  names.  The  indexing 
of  the  second  volume  has  been  done  by  Mrs  M.  A.  Preston 
of  Edinburgh,  to  whom  my  thanks  are  due  for  her  care  in  the 
tedious  task. 

Impeded  by  my  defective  sight,  the  work  has  occupied  me 
for  more  than  seven  years,  not  counting  the  time  of  seeing 
it  through  the  press  :  a  still  longer  time  might  with  advantage 
have  been  spent  upon  it.  It  has  been  made  possible  by  grants 
received  from  the  Carnegie  Trust  for  the  Universities  of 
Scotland,  for  whose  generosity  I  express  my  gratitude.  The 
Carnegie  Trust  has  also  contributed  a  large  grant  towards 
the  cost  of  publication. 

A.  O.  A. 

St  Andrews,  1922. 


CONTENTS 


VOLUME    I 

Preface  . 
Abbreviations    . 
Bibliographical  Notes 
Calendar  Notes 
Orthographical  Notes 
Tables    of    the    Succession   of    Kings,    in    Northumbria, 
Dalriata,  Pictland,  Scotland,  and  England 

Introduction— 

Kings'  Reigns,   Districts,  and  Pedigrees  ;    with  a  collation  of 
the  unexpanded  Chronicles  of  the  Kings 


the     Kingdoms     of    Dalriata    and 


Early  Sources  of  Scottish  History- 

Part 

I     Establishment     of 

Northumbria        ..... 
Kings  of  Bernicia       ..... 
II.    Christianization  of  the  Picts.     Life  of  Columba 
ni.    Affairs  before  and  after  the  Council  of  Druimm-Ceta 
IV.    Death  of  Columba     ..... 
V.   Zenith  and  Decline  of  Dalriata 
VI.   Zenith  and  Decline  of  Northumbria 
VII.    Domination  of  the  Picts  over  Dalriata 
VIII.    Recovery  of  Dalriata.     Norwegian  Invasions, 
the  Kingdoms  of  the  Scots  and  the  Picts 
IX.    Scandinavian  Settlements     . 
X.    Harold  Fairhair.     Orkney  and  the  Hebrides 
XI.    Iceland  and  the  Hebrides     . 
XII.    Ketil    Flatnose   establishes    Scandinavian    Rule 
Hebrides ..... 

XIII.  Thorstein    the   Red   becomes   master   of  Caithness  and 

Sutherland.     Turf-Einar  in  the  Orkneys 

XIV.  Harold  Fairhair's  Invasion.     Reign  of  Constantine  II 
XV.    Battle  of  Vin-heath    ..... 


Union  of 


the 


PAGE 

v 

XV 

xxi 
ciii 
cix 


I 

12 

17 

72 

103 

118 

173 
196 

245 
276 

313 
335 

346 

370 
392 
410 


CONTENTS 


XVI.   End  of  Constantine's  Reign.     Reign  of  Malcolm 
XVII.    Eric's  Sons      ..... 
XVIII.    Reigns  of  Indulf,  Dub,  and  Culen    . 
XIX.    Reign  of  Kenneth  II 

XX.    Reigns  of  Constantine  III  and  Kenneth  III 

XXI.    Reign  of  Malcolm  II  ;  and  the  Danish  Conquest 

XXII.    Reigns  of  Duncan,   Macbeth,  and   Lulach.     History  of 

Northumbria       ...... 


425 

455 
468 
478 
517 

525 

576 


VOLUME    II 

Early  Sources  of  Scottish  History- 
part 

I.    Reign  of  Malcolm  III  ;  and  the  Norman  Conquest 
II.    Life  of  Queen  Margaret 

III.  Reigns  of  Donald  Ban,  Duncan  II,  and   Edgar.     First 

Invasion  of  Magnus 

IV.  Second  Invasion  of  Magnus,  and  end  of  Edgar's  Reign 
V.    Reign  of  Alexander  I.     History  of  Huntingdon 

VI.  Reign  of  David,  and  the  Wars  of  Stephen  . 

VII.  Reign  of  Malcolm  IV 

VIII.  Reign  of  William,  and  the  Wars  of  Henry  . 

IX.  Scotland  in  feudal  subjection  to  England,  1175  to  1189 

X.  Latter  part  of  William's  reign 

XI.  Reign  of  Alexander  II,  and  the  Invasion  of  Louis 

XII.  Reign  of  Alexander  III,  to  the  year  1263    . 

XIII.  The  Invasion  of  Hakon 

XIV.  End  of  Alexander's  Reign,  and  extinction  of  the  Royal 

Family     ..... 

Appendix— Religious  Houses    .... 
Index       ..... 


59 

89 
126 

142 
169 
223 
263 
292 
322 

403 
562 
607 

643 
697 
701 


ABBREVIATIONS 


A-I      .  .  see  Bibliographical  Notes,  under  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle. 

A-N    .  .         see  ibid.,  under  Chronicles  of  the  Kings. 

A-P    .  .  see  ibid.,  under  Icelandic  Annals. 

a-h     .  .  after  page  nos.,  indicate  columns  in  the  page. 

a.  .  .  abbot  (of). 
A.B.    .  .  Annals  of  Boyle. 
A.C.    .  .  Annales  Cambriae. 

AC.  .  followed  by  a  number,  annus  {a?zno)  Christi  "  (in  the)  year 

of  Christ."     See  Calendar  Notes. 

A.  CI.  .  .  Abbotsford  Club. 

A.D.  .  .  annus  {anno)  Domini,  "(in  the)  Dionysian  year." 

A.E.  .  .  Ramsay's  Angevin  Empire. 

A.I.     .  .  Annals  of  Innisfallen. 

A.K.   .  .  Miss  Norgate's  England  under  the  Angevin  Kings. 

a.l.      .  .  arf /ocawz  " at  the  corresponding  place." 

A.L.C.  .  Annals  of  Loch  Ce. 

AM..  .  annus  {anno)  miindi  "  (in  the)  year  of  the  Creation." 

A.  N.G.  .  Liebermann's  Ungedruckte  anglonormannische  Geschichts- 

quellen. 

A.N.S.B.  .  Altnordische  Sagabibliothek. 

A.  P.    .  .  a7z«?<j  (a««<?)  Pfljj/o/zzj  "(in  the)  year  of  the  Crucifixion." 
A.R.  .  .  Ailred  of  Rievaulx. 

A.S.    .  .  Bollandists'  Acta  Sanctorum. 

A.S.C.  .  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle(s). 

A.U.  .  .  Annals  of  Ulster. 

A.U.C.  .  ai5  «ri5^  co;z^z'/a  "  from  the  foundation  of  Rome." 

B.  .  .  Bodleian  Version  of  the  Verse  Chronicle. 

b.  .  .  bishop  (of). 
B.Cl.  .  .  Bannatyne  Club. 

B.  P.    .  .  Benedict  of  Peterborough, 

B.R.  .  .  Bouquet's  Recueil. 

br.      .  .  brother  (of). 

B.S.    .  .  Brut  y  Saesson. 

B.T.   .  .  Brut  y  Tywyssogion. 

c.  .  .  count  (of). 

c,  cc.  .  chapter,  chapters. 

ca.      .  .  circa  "about,"  "approximately." 

CA.  N.  .  Michel's  Chroniques  Anglo-normandes. 

CC.   .  .  Chalmers,  Caledonia  (1887). 


ABBREVIATIONS 


cf.       . 

confer  "  compare." 

C.H.  . 

Chronicle  of  Holyrood. 

C.L.   . 

Chronicle  of  Lanercost. 

CM.  . 

Chronicle  of  Melrose. 

Contin. 

Continuation  of. 

C.S.    . 

Chronicon  Scotorum. 

d.        . 

duke  (of). 

D.A.I. 

Dublin  Annals  of  Innisfallen. 

dau.    . 

daughter  of. 

D.B.  . 

Dovvden's  Bishops  of  Scotland. 

D.K.  . 

Dunbar's  Scottish  Kings. 

d.l.      . 

dominical  letter(s). 

D.M.  . 

Dugdale's  Monasticon. 

D.M.F. 

Duald  Mac-Firbis. 

D.N.B. 

Dictionary  of  National  Biography. 

E.       . 

Eirspennill. 

E.,  N.,  S., 

W.     east,  north,  south,  west. 

e. 

epact. 

e. 

earl  (of). 

E.G.    . 

Anderson's  Scottish  Annals  from  English  Chroniclers 

ed.      . 

editor,  edited  (by),  edition  (of). 

E.E.T.S. 

Early-English  Text  Society. 

e.g.     . 

exempli  gratia  "for  instance." 

E.H.R. 

English  Historical  Review. 

E.H.S. 

English  History  Society. 

F.       . 

Fagrskinna. 

f. 

father  of. 

F.A.B.W. 

Skene's  Four  Ancient  Books  of  Wales. 

ff.       . 

"  and  following  pages." 

Fl.      . 

Flateyiarbok. 

fl. 

floruit  "  was  of  middle  age  (in)." 

F.H.  . 

Flores  Historiarum. 

F.M.  . 

Four  Masters. 

f.n.      . 

ferial  number. 

fo.,  fos. 

folio,  folios. 

Fr.      . 

Frisbok. 

fr.        . 

Arna-Magnaean  MS.  fragment,  325,  fascicle  10. 

F.S.    . 

Fornmanna  Sogur. 

F.W.  . 

Florence  of  Worcester. 

G.C.   . 

Gervase  of  Canterbury. 

G.E.C. 

Cokayne's  Complete  Peerage. 

gf. 

grandfather  of. 

G.P.R. 

Gesta  Pontificum  Romanorum. 

gs.      . 

grandson  of 

H.      . 

Snorri's  Heimskringla. 

H.  &S. 

Haddan  and  Stubbs,  Ecclesiastical  Councils. 

H.H. . 

Henry  of  Huntingdon. 

ABBREVIATIONS 


H.N.S.  .  Duchesne's  Historiae  Normannorum  Scriptores. 

'•a-      •  ■  inter  alia  {alios)  "  among  other  works  (or  writers)." 

ibid.   .  .  ibidem  "  in  the  same  work  (or  writer)." 

i.e.      .  .  id  est  "  that  is  to  say." 

J.B.A.A.  .  Journal  of  British  Archaeological  Association. 

J-H.    .  .  John  of  Hexham. 

J-S.     .  .  Jonsson's  Skjaldedigtning. 

J.W.  .  .  John  of  Worcester. 

K.B.   .  .  Keith's  Catalogue  of  Scottish  Bishops. 

K.S.    .  .  Unger's  Konunga  Sogur. 

1.,  11.   .  .  line,  lines. 

L.A.   .  .  Lawrie's  Annals  of  Malcolm  and  William. 

L.B.   .  .  Lebar  Brecc. 

L.C.    .  .  Lawrie's  Early  Scottish  Charters. 

I.e.      .  loco  citato  "  in  the  place  referred  to." 

L.H.  .  .  Bernard  and  Atkinson's  Liber  Hymnorum. 

L.L.    .         .  Lebar  Laigen,  Book  of  Leinster. 

L.U.  .         .  Lebar  na  hUidre. 

M.      .  .  Morkinskinna. 

M.A.  .  .  Jones  etc.,  Myvyrian  Archaiology. 

M.Cl.  .  Maitland  Club. 

M.G.H.  .  Pertz  etc.,  Monumenta  Germaniae  Historica. 

M.H.B.  .  Petrie's  Monumenta  Historica  Britannica. 

M.P.  .  .  Matthew  Paris. 

n.        .  .  note. 

N.C.  .  .  Freeman's  Norman  Conquest. 

N.S.  .  .  New  Series. 

O.S.    .  .  Orkney inga  Saga. 

O.V.  .  .  Ordericus  Vitalis. 

P.       .  .  Proceedings  (of). 

p.,  pp.  .  page,  pages. 

P.  &  S.  .  Skene's  Chronicles  of  the  Picts  and  Scots. 

P.L.    .  .  Migne's  Patrologia  Latina. 

p.l.      .  .  paschal  letter. 

q.v.     .  .  g'uod  vide  "  which  see." 

R.B.H.  .  Evans's  Red  Book  of  Hergest. 

R.C.   .  .  Revue  Celtique. 

R.D.  .  .  Ralph  de  Diceto. 

R.H.  .  .  Richard  of  Hexham. 

R.LA.  .  Royal  Irish  Academy. 

R.S.    .  .  Rolls  Series  :  Chronicles  and  Memorials  of  Great  Britain 

and  Ireland. 

R.T.   .  .  Robert  of  Torigni. 

R.W. .  .  Roger  of  Wendover. 

s.        .  .  son  of 

s.,  ss. .  .  section,  sections, 

s.a.,  s.aa.  .  sud  anno,  sud  aimis  "  under  the  ye&r{s)  ..." 

b 


ABBREVIATIONS 


S.A.S. 

S.C.S. 

S.D.  . 

s.f.      . 

S.H.F. 

S.H.R. 

S.H.S 

sis. 

Sk. 

s.l. 

S.P. 

s.s. 

St. 

S.V., 

T. 

Tr. 

tr. 

U.S. 

V. 

V.C.H, 

V.I. 

w. 

W.C. 

W.J. 

W.M. 

W.N. 

Y.B.L. 


Society  of  Antiquaries  of  Scotland. 

Skene's  Celtic  Scotland. 

Simeon  of  Durham. 

sub  fine  "  near  the  end." 

Societe  de  I'Histoire  de  France. 

Scottish  Historical  Review. 

Scottish  History  Society. 

sister  of. 

Skdlholtsbok. 

sic  lege  "  so  read." 

Paul  etc.,  Scots  Peerage. 

Surtees  Society. 

Stockholm  MS.  20. 

sub  voce,  sub  vocibus  "  under  the  vvord(s)  or  name(s)." 

Tigernach. 

Transactions  (of). 

translated  (by),  translation  (of). 

lit  supra  "as  above." 

vide  "  see." 

Victoria  County  History  of  .  .  . 

varia  lectio  "  another  reading  (is)." 

wife  of 

Walter  of  Coventry. 

William  of  Jumifeges. 

William  of  Malmesbury. 

William  of  Newburgh. 

Yellow  Book  of  Lecan  (facsimile). 


> 


'the  death  of,"  "his  death  in.^ 
.  .  and  not  later  than  .  .  ." 


"died  (in),"  "  who  died  in  .  .  .  "; 

between  dates,  "  from  .  .  .  to  .  . 

between  dates,  "not  earlier  than 

between  pages,  "  between." 

after  a  date,  "not  earlier  than." 

before  a  date,  "not  later  than." 

before  a  date,  indicates  that  the   date   has  been    deduced   from 

incomplete  evidence, 
between  dates  implies  that  the  first  number  is  given  in  a  chronicle 

but   the   second   is   the   number   of  the  year  intended  by  the 

chronicler, 
between  dates,  "  or  less  probably." 
"  therefore." 

before  a  word,  "a  conjectural  or  pre-literary  form." 
"gives  origin  to  the  later  form  ..." 


Small  Roman  numerals  are  used  to  indicate  volumes.  Numerals  in 
black  type  indicate  divisions  of  a  volume,  either  separately  published  or 
with  independent  pagination  ;  also  the  numbers  of  works  published  in  a 


ABBREVIATIONS  xix 

series.  Large  Roman  numerals  followed  by  Arabic  numerals  indicate 
books  and  chapters  of  a  work  ;  chapters  and  verses  of  books  in  the  Bible  ; 
fragments  and  pages  of  D.M.F.  Arabic  numerals  not  preceded  by  a  large 
Roman  numeral  are  either  the  numbers  of  pages  (or  columns,  or  folios, 
when  these  are  numbered  in  the  edition),  or  else  the  A.D.  numbers  of 
years.  An  Arabic  numeral  placed  before  the  name  of  a  king  or  pope 
indicates  the  number  of  a  year  of  his  reign. 

Chartularies,  Registers,  and  Martyrologies,  are  referred  to  by  the 
distinguishing  name  of  their  title.  E.g.  "Oengus"  means  "Calendar"  or 
"Martyrology  of  Oengus"  ;  "  Kelso  "  means  Liber  S.  Marie  de  Calchou  ; 
"Dunfermline"  means  Registrum  de  Dunfermelyn. 

In  the  following  Bibliographical  Notes,  works  are  entered  under  the 
names  by  which  they  are  commonly  referred  to  here.  It  has  not  been  my 
intention  to  include  in  the  list  all  works  that  are  referred  to  once  only,  nor 
all  works  that  are  already  entered  in  the  Table  of  Reference  in  E.G. 

This  is  primarily  a  list  of  editions  referred  to,  and  is  not  a  complete 
list  of  works  used  or  consulted.  Still  less  is  it  a  complete  bibliography  of 
works  relating  to  the  subject  of  this  book. 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL   NOTES 

Abbo  Floriacensis  (abbot  of  Fleury,  t  1004)  :  Passio  S.  Edmundi. 
Edited  by  T.  Arnold,  in  Memorials  of  St  Edmund's  Abbey,  R.S.  96,  i,  3-25. 

Aberdeen,  Registrum  episcopatus  Aberdonensis.  Edited  by  Cosmo 
Innes,  M.Cl.  63  (1845).     Also  in  Spalding  Club  13-14. 

Aberdeen,  see  Breviary  of. 

Aohery,  see  D'Achery. 

Acta  Sanctorum,  quotquot  toto  orbe  coluntur.  Edited  by  J.  Holland 
and  others,  known  as  the  Bollandists.  Antwerp,  1643-igio.  See  Gross, 
no.  603. 

Acts  of  the  Parliaments  of  Scotland.  Records  Commission  (folio 
series).     Vol.  i.  (i  124-1423),  1844. 

Adam  of  Bremen  (t  ca.  1076)  :  Gesta  Hammenburgensis  Ecclesiae 
Pontificum  [788-1072],  Edited  by  J.  M.  Lappenberg,  in  M.G.H.,  Scriptores, 
vii,  267-389  (Hannover,  1846).  Also  in  P.L.  146,  451-668.  Translated  by 
J.  C.  M.  Laurent :  Adams  von  Bremen  Hamburgische  Kirchengeschichte 
(Berlin,  1850;  Die  Geschichtschreiber  der  deutschen  Vorzeit,  X I  Jahrhundert, 
7  Band). 

This  is  a  valuable  work,  for  its  subject,  and  the  countries  included 
under  the  archiepiscopate  of  Hamburg.  It  is  not  very  exact  in  the 
employment  of  other  sources.     It  was  written  in  1075. 

Adamnan  (t  704)  :  Life  of  St  Columba.  Edited  by  Dr.  W.  Reeves  for 
the  Irish  Archaeological  Society,  and  the  Bannatyne  Club  (no.  103  :  Vita 
Sancti  Columbae.  Dublin,  1857).  Re-edited  by  W.  F.  Skene,  in  altered 
form,  in  vol.  vi  of  the  Historians  of  Scotland  (Edinburgh,  1874),  with  a 
translation  by  Bishop  Forbes.  An  excellent  and  convenient  edition  is  that 
of  J.  T.  Fowler  (Oxford,  1894),  with  translation  (London,  1895).  I  refer  to 
Reeves's  chapters,  which  will  be  found  also  in  Fowler's  edition. 

The  Life  is  in  the  Bollandists'  Acta  Sanctorum,  June,  vol.  ii,  from  p.  195 
onwards  (1867):  also  in  Colgan's  Trias  Thaumaturga  ;  Pinkerton's  Vitae  ; 
Metcalfe's  Lives,  i,  73-209.  For  MSS.  and  editions  see  Fowler's  ed., 
pp.  viii-x.  The  proper  names  have  been  published,  with  their  context,  in 
Stokes  and  Strachan's  Thesaurus  Palaeohibernicus,  ii,  272-280. 

The  earliest  MS.  (in  Schaffhausen  public  library)  is  said  to  date  from 
the  beginning  of  the  8th  century.  It  is  believed  to  have  been  written  by 
Dorbene,  abbot  of  lona  (1713),  to  whom  it  is  apparently  attributed  in  the 
colophon. 

It  seems  probable  that  Adamnan  finished  the  work  in  the  year  691.  See 
below,  years  679,  688,  691,  notes. 

Adamnan  was  in  the  direct  line  of  the  tradition  that  he  has  preserved. 


xxii  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

But  tradition  has  selected  for  memory  principally  such  episodes  as  might 
appear  to  be  miraculous.  Few  facts  of  historical  importance  are  given  ; 
but  much  light  is  thrown  upon  the  life  of  Adamnan's  time,  and  the  time 
immediately  preceding  it.  A  collection  of  deducible  facts  will  be  found 
in  Reeves's  Introduction.  Here  I  can  include  only  such  passages  as  have 
more  definite  relation  to  events,  persons,  or  places. 

Other  Lives  of  Columba  are  to  a  great  extent  derived  from  Adamnan's, 
and  are  in  other  respects  untrustworthy. 

Of  his  authorities,  Adamnan  speaks  thus,  in  his  Secunda  Praefatio 
(Reeves,  8  ;  Fowler,  5) :— "  Let  none  esteem  that  I  shall  write  either  what 
is  false,  concerning  this  man  so  worthy  of  renown,  or  anything  that  might 
be  doubtful  or  uncertain  ;  but  let  him  know  that  I  shall  relate,  and  shall 
write  without  any  ambiguity,  the  things  that  have  been  handed  down  in 
the  concordant  narrative  of  the  elders  and  the  faithful  men  who  knew  about 
them  [expertoruni] ;  and  either  from  what  we  have  been  able  to  find  com- 
mitted to  writing  before  our  time,  or  from  what  we  have  learned  orally,  by 
very  diligent  inquiry,  from  the  unhesitating  narration  of  certain  faithful  and 
aged  men,  who  knew  the  facts  [expertis]." 

In  part,  Adamnan  relied  upon  a  Life  written  by  Cummine,  abbot  of 
lona  (ca.  657-669).  This  was  probably  not  the  work  now  associated  with 
Cummine's  name  (see  below  :  Cummine). 

Adaranan.  Cdin  Adamnain  ("Adamnan's  Law"),  edited  and  translated 
by  Kuno  Meyer,  primarily  from  MS.  Rawlinson  B  512  ;  Anecdola 
Oxoniensia,  Oxford,  1905.  This  tract  is  assigned  by  its  editor  to 
probably  the  ninth  century  (p.  viii),  although  the  law  may  be  attributable 
to  Adamnan. 

.ffithelweard  (t?998):  Chronica  (to  975),  ed.  Petrie,  in  M.H.B.,  499- 
521.  Previously  ed.  in  Savile's  Scriptores.  Tr.  by  Giles,  in  Six  Old 
English  Chronicles  (1848),  1-40  ;  and  by  Stevenson,  Church  Historians,  ii, 
2  (1854),  407-440.  This  represents  a  lost  version  of  A.S.C.,  with  some 
additions  (from  892  onwards). 

Agrip  af  Noregs  Konunga-sogum.  Edited  in  Fornmanna  Sogur,  x, 
377-421  :  and  diplomatically  by  V.  Dahlerup,  in  the  Samfund  (Copen- 
hagen, 1880). 

This  work  was  written  in  the  end  of  the  12th  century  (probably  by  a 
Norwegian  in  Iceland,  about  1190),  at  a  time  when  few  of  the  sagas  had 
yet  been  committed  to  writing.  See  Dahlerup's  ed.,  p.  xxxii.  Ari  and 
Theoderic  are  among  its  sources. 

Ailred  of  Rievaulx  (abbot  of  Rievaulx  ;  til67,  q.v.)  :  Eulogy  of  St 
David.     Pinkerton's  Vitae,  439-456  ;  Metcalfe's  Lives,  ii,  269-285. 

The  Life  of  Margaret  attributed  to  him  is  in  Pinkerton's  Vitae,  373-383  ; 
Metcalfe's  Lives,  ii,  199-209. 

His  Life  of  Ninian  is  in  Pinkerton  ;  Metcalfe,  i,  g-39 ;  Historians  of 
Scotland,  v,  137-157. 

Alberic  of  Trois  Pontaines  (tl252x):  Chronica  [1-1241].  Edited  by 
P.  Scheffer-Boichorst  in  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xxiii  (1874),  674-950.  Parts 
are  in  B.K.,  ix-xi,  xiii,  xviii,  xxi. 

Alexander  Malfe  or  Maufe  :  see  Maufe. 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  xxiii 

Altnordische  Sagabibliothek,  ed.  Cederschiold  etc.  (Halle).  This  is  a 
well-edited  series  of  Icelandic  texts. 

Amiens,  Guy  of.     See  De  Bello. 

Amra  Colulmchille.  This  is  a  eulogy  upon  Columba,  attributed  to 
Dalian  Forgaill,  or  Eochaid,  son  of  Colla,  son  of  Ercus  ;  and  said  to  have 
been  composed  at  the  time  of  Columba's  death. 

The  Amra  Coluimchille  (primarily  from  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  MS. 
E.  4.  2)  with  the  glossators'  commentary  upon  it  is  edited  by  Bernard 
and  Atkinson,  Liber  Hymnorum,  i,  167-183  ;  and  is  translated  by  Atkinson, 
ibid.,  ii,  60-80 ;  and  by  Stokes  (as  below).  It  is  too  obscure  to  be  given  here 
in  full.  Although  it  is  an  early  work,  it  was  written  some  centuries  later 
than  the  period  to  which  its  composer  assigned  it. 

The  version  from  Lebar  na  h-Uidre  was  published  by  J.  O'Beirne 
Crowe  (Amra  Choluim  Chilli  of  Dalian  Forgaill,  Dublin,  1871).  A  version 
is  contained  in  Rawlinson  B  502  (facsimile)  ;  ed.  Stokes,  R.C.,  xx,  30  x  473. 

Anderson,  A.  O. :  Scottish  Annals  from  English  Chroniclers  (500-1286). 
London,  1908.  A  collection  of  translations  from  chronicles  of  English 
origin,  and  written  before  1291.  Late  works  were  generally  excluded  for 
the  period  before  1000. 

Anderson,  James  ;  Selectus  Diplomatum  Thesaurus  (Edinburgh,  1739)- 

Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle.  Edited  by  B.  Thorpe,  R.S.  23  (1861)  ;  versions 
ABCDEF  printed  in  parallel  columns,  with  translation  and  indices  (cf 
J.  Ingram's  Saxon  Chronicle,  London,  1823).  Versions  A  and  E  are  the 
basis  of  C.  Plummer's  Two  Saxon  Chronicles  Parallel  (Oxford,  1892-1899  ; 
cf.  J.  Earle,  Two  of  the  Saxon  Chronicles,  Oxford,  1865).  Plummer's 
edition  has  very  valuable  notes.  See  his  Introduction  (in  vol.  ii)  for  an 
account  of  the  manuscripts. 

Starting  from  a  common  origin,  the  chronicle  was  continued  in  various 
monasteries.  Information  was  conveyed  from  one  house  to  the  others  ; 
nevertheless  the  versions  tended  to  differentiate.  These  versions  are 
distinguished  by  letters. 

A  (MS.  C.C.C.C.  173)  was  written  by  one  hand  down  to  891  ;  and 
continued  more  or  less  contemporaneously,  at  Winchester,  to  looi. 
Continuations  were  written,  much  later,  at  Canterbury,  for  the  years 
1001-1066,  1066-1070,  1070.  There  are  some  gaps  and  interpolations. 
Version  W  (Cottonian  MS.  Otho  B  XI)  was  copied  from  A. 

B  (Cot.  MS.  Tiberius  A  VI),  to  977,  was  probably  written  ca.  iioo. 

C  (Cot.  MS.  Tib.  B  I),  to  1066,  was  written  by  various  hands  ;  probably 
from  about  the  middle  of  the  nth  century  to  1066. 

D  (Cot.  MS.  Tib.  B  IV)  runs  to  1079,  with  an  addition  for  1088=1130. 
From  1067  onwards,  it  was  probably  written  after  1 100. 

E  (Bodleian  MS.  Laud  636),  to  11 54,  was  written  by  one  hand  to  1121  ; 
by  three  or  four  contemporary  hands  from  1122  to  1131  ;  and  after  1154,  by 
another  hand  from  1 132  to  11 54  :  at  Peterborough. 

F  (Cot.  MS.  Domitian  A  VIII),  to  1058  (the  remainder  being  lost),  was 
written  in  the  iith-i2th  centuries  by  one  hand  (perhaps  the  interpolator 
of  A),  with  added  notes. 

H  (in  Cot.  MS.  Domit.  A  IX),  a  fragment  of  years  n  13-1 1 14,  was  written 


xxiv  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

early  in  the  12th  century.  It  was  edited  by  Zupitza,  in  Anglia,  i,  I95-I97  ; 
and  by  Plummer,  i,  243-245  ;  ii,  p.  xxxvii. 

I  (Cot.  MS.  Caligula  A  XV,  fos.  133-138  verso),  nth- 12th  century  Anglo- 
Saxon  notes  for  925-1109,  and  I2th-I3th  century  Latin  notes  for  1110-1202, 
written  in  a  10th-century  Easter  table  of  988-1193  ;  edited  by  Liebermann, 
A.N.G.,  1-8. 

The  common  source  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  chronicles  was  begun  in  the 
reign  of  Alfred.  It  was  probably  based  upon  7th  and  8th-century  notes, 
some  of  which  were  used  also  by  Nennius  (see  under  Historia  Brittonum). 
The  Anglo-Saxon  chronicles  are  our  principal  authority  from  the  death 
of  Bede  down  to  the  Norman  Conquest.  They  are  original  and  nearly 
contemporary  from  the  time  of  king  Alfred  to  the  death  of  king  Stephen. 

Versions  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle  were  used  by  ^thelweard,  and 
Florence  of  Worcester.  Versions  used  by  Simeon  of  Durham  and  the 
Annals  of  St  Neots  were  in  some  respects  more  correct  than  any  existing 
text  of  the  chronicle. 

For  the  chronology  of  the  8th  to  9th  centuries  in  the  Chronicle  see  L. 
Theopold,  Kritische  Untersuchungen  Uber  die  Quellen  zur  Angelsachsischen 
Geschichte  des  achten  Jahrhunderts  (Lemgo,  1873).  Theopold's  conclusion 
is  (p.  65)  "that  the  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle  proper  (excluding  all  later 
additions  of  whatever  kind)  has  suffered  a  [backward]  displacement  in  the 
annals  for  754-828  of  2  years,  in  the  annals  for  829-839  of  3  years,  perhaps 
at  840  of  4  years  and  at  845  of  5." 

Annales  Anglo-Saxonici  Breves,  see  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle,  version  I. 

Annales  Cambriae  (MS.  A,  445-954  ;  with  continuations  in  other  MSS. 
to  128S).  MS.  A  (to  954;  with  appended  pedigrees)  is  edited  by  E. 
Phillimore  in  Y  Cymmrodor  (the  journal  of  the  Cymmrodorion  Society), 
ix,  141-183  (London,  1888)  ;  and  after  Phillimore's  text  in  Loth's  Les 
Mabinogion  (1913),  ii,  370-382,  and  326-348  ;  D'Arbois  de  Jubainville's 
Cours  de  la  Litterature  Celtique,  iv,  345-357.  This  and  its  continuation 
in  later  versions  (to  1066)  were  edited  by  Petrie,  M.H.B.  (1848),  830-840  ; 
and  re-edited,  with  the  continuations  to  1288,  by  J.  W.  Ab  Ithel,  in 
R.S.  20  (i860). 

An  index  to  the  pedigrees  that  follow  the  chronicle  in  MS.  A  has  been 
published  by  A.  Anscombe  in  the  Archiv  fur  celtische  Lexicographie,  i, 
187-212  (cf.  his  indexes  to  other  Welsh  pedigrees,  ibid.,  i,  513;  ii,  147; 
iii,  57).  From  these  pedigrees  Skene  drew  up  a  genealogical  tree  of  the 
kings  of  Strathclyde,  in  P.  &  S.,  p.  xcv. 

The  version  called  MS.  A  (Harleian  MS.  3,859,  fos.  190-193)  is  an 
nth  century  copy,  entered  among  the  additions  to  the  Historia  Brittonum, 
of  a  chronicle  that  was  finished  954  x  989,  and  perhaps  954  x  955  (according 
to  Phillimore).  The  original  source  was  an  annotated  paschal  calendar  of 
533  years  ;  it  ran  from  445  to  977,  and  was  therefore  a  Victorian  table. 
Tenth-year  numbers  are  entered  from  it  in  MS.  A  ;  but,  probably  owing  to 
a  copyist's  errors,  these  numbers  do  not  coincide  with  the  tenth  years  of 
the  annals.  One  year  was  dropped  between  the  years  numbered  40  and 
50  ;  one  was  added  between  60  and  70,  220  and  230,  250  and  260,  280  and 
290,  340  and  350,  460  and  470,  490  and  500.     Three  blank  annals  follow 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  xxv 

the  year  numbered  530  ;  therefore  the  total  number  of  annals  ought  to  be 
533  :  but  it  is  actually  539. 

The  year-numbers  are  more  nearly  correct  than  the  actual  numbers  of 
the  annals  would  be.  The  change  of  Easter  [in  455]  is  the  first  entry,  and 
stands  under  the  9th  annal.  Bede's  death  [in  735]  is  entered  under  year 
[291],  the  294th  annal ;  king  Edmund's  death  [in  946],  under  year  [503], 
the  509th  annal. 

In  Petrie's  and  Ab  Ithel's  editions  the  ist  annal  is  wrongly  equated  with 
444  A.D. ;  the  9th  annal,  correctly,  with  453  A.D. 

The  Annales  Cambriae  probably  contain  a  few  contemporary  notes 
from  the  early  part  of  the  8th  century  ;  and  may  contain  genuine  notes  of 
a  still  earlier  date.  Irish  and  some  Scottish  events  were  entered  from  an 
early  collection  of  Irish  annals. 

MS.  A  is  the  earliest  chronicle  of  Wales. 

MS.  B  is  "  prefixed  to  an  abridged  copy  of  Domesday  Book  in  the 
Public  Record  Office,  in  the  custody  of  the  Master  of  the  Rolls."  It  is 
written  "in  a  hand  of  the  close  of  the  13th  century"  (Ab  Ithel,  p.  xxv).  It 
contains  (in  addition  to  a  copy  of  the  earlier  chronicle,  with  added  notes) 
an  undated  chronicle  running  from  955  to  1096  (and  spelling  Welsh  names 
in  a  manner  much  later  than  the  spelling  of  MS.  A),  and  a  continuation, 
with  dates,  to  1286. 

MS.  C  (Cottonian  MS.  Domitian  A  I)  runs  to  1288,  and  is  written  "in 
a  hand  of  the  end  of  the  13th  century"  (Ab  Ithel,  p.  xxvii).  This  version  is 
independent  of  MS.  B  from  1204  onwards. 

Annales  Colonienses  Maximi,  or  Chronica  Regia  Coloniensis  (to  1238). 
Edited  by  K.  Pertz,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xvii,  729-847  ;  xxiv,  4-20.  These 
annals  are  original  for  1144-1175,  with  continuations  to  1238.  See  Potthast, 
Bibliotheca,  i,  239-240. 

Annales  de  Monte  Pernandi.     See  Annals  of  Multifernan. 

Annales  Dorenses  (to  1283  ;  continued  to  1362).  Extracts  (687-1362) 
ed.  R.  Pauli,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xxvii,  514-531  (1885). 

Annales  Egmundani.     See  Annals  of  Egmond. 

Annales  Fuldenses.     See  Annals  of  Fulda. 

Annales  Gandenses  (1297-1310)  ;  ed.  Lappenberg,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores, 
xvi,  559-597  (1859).     Written  by  a  Franciscan  of  Ghent. 

Annales  Lambert!  (of  Hersfeld,  to  1077)  ;  ed.  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  iii, 
22,  33,  90  (1839)  ;  V,  136-263  (1844)  ;  P.L.  141,  146  ;  extracts  in  B.R.,  iii  ; 
v ;  vi  ;  vii ;  xi,  59-69.     See  Potthast's  Bibliotheca,  i,  705-707. 

Annales  Lundenses.     See  Annals  of  Lund. 

Annales    Quedlinburgenses    (to    1025)  ;    ed.     M.G.H.,    Scriptores,    iii, 

22-69, 72-90  (1839) ;  P-L.  i4ii  449-560. 

Annales  Regii,  see  Icelandic  Annals,  version  C. 

Annales  Reseniani,  see  Icelandic  Annals,  version  K. 

Annales   S.   Nicasii    Remenses    (Annals    of    Rheims,    1 197-1309);    ed.  . 
Waitz,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xiii,  84-87  (1881) ;   (1197-1222)  in    B.R.,  xviii, 
699-700. 

Annales  S.  Rudberti  Sallsburgenses  (to  1286).     Edited  by  Wattenbach, 
in  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  ix,  760-843  (1851). 


xxvi  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

Annales  Stadenses  (to  1256),  or  Albert  of  Stade  :  Chronicon  ab  Ortu 
Christi  ad  a.  1256.  Edited  by  Lappenberg,  M.G.H.,  Scnptores,  xvi, 
283-374  (1859).  Albert  was  abbot  of  Stade.  The  chronicle  bears  upon  the 
history  of  Denmark  and  the  archbishopric  of  Bremen,  from  the  nth 
century  onwards. 

Annales  Uticenses  (1-1503).  Edited  by  Le  Prevost,  Ordericus  Vitalis, 
V,  139-173  ('855)-  This  chronicle  has  used  an  earher  and  trustworthy 
source  for  the  history  of  the  Scandinavians  in  France. 

Annales  Vetustisslmi,  see  Icelandic  Annals,  version  B. 

Annales  Weissemburgenses  (Annals  of  Wissembourg,  or  Weissenburg, 
708  to  984,    107s,   1087,   1 147),   ed.   M.G.H.,   Scriptores,  iii,   33-65,  70-72; 

(1839);  P.L.  141,465-517- 

Annalista  Saxo  :  Chronicon  (741-1139) ;  ed.  Waitz,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores, 
vi,  553-777  (1844).     Extracts  in  B.R.,  vi-xi,  xiii. 

Annals  in  the  Book  of  Leinster.  Edited  by  Stokes,  R.S.  89,  ii,  512-528. 
Book  of  Leinster,  facsimile,  pp.  24-26.  These  are  a  list  of  the  kings  of 
Ireland,  ca.  432 -ca.  1189.  Events  are  entered  under  the  kings'  reigns, 
and  are  mostly  undated. 

Annals  of  Boyle  (so-called;  A.M.  i-A.D.  1270).  Partly  edited  (420- 
1245)  by  C.  O'Conor,  in  Scriptores,  ii,  4,  from  Cottonian  MS.  Titus  A  XXV. 
This  MS.  was  "transcribed  towards  the  close  of  the  13th  century"  (J.  T. 
Gilbert).  See  National  MSS.  of  Ireland,  ii,  no.  91  ;  Catalogue  of  Irish 
MSS.  in  the  British  Museum,  4-14.  The  monastery  of  Boyle  was  founded 
in  1 148.     These  annals  deserve  to  be  re-edited. 

Annals  of  Chester  (1-1297).  Edited  by  R.  C.  Christie:  Annales 
Castrienses  (Record  Society  of  Lancashire  and  Cheshire,  14;  1886- 1887). 
This  was  the  chronicle  of  St  Werburg's  abbey.  It  is  preserved  in  a 
manuscript  copied  or  compiled  by  four  hands  in  the  I5th-i6th  centuries, 
but  the  original  chronicle  was  certainly  of  much  earlier  date. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise  (to  1408).  Edited  by  Denis  Murphy  (Royal 
Society  of  Antiquaries  of  Ireland  ;  1896).  This  is  an  English  translation, 
made  by  Conell  Mageoghagan  in  1627,  of  a  work  now  lost.  In  quoting  it, 
I  modernize  the  spelling,  normalize  (when  I  can)  the  names,  and  translate 
unintelligible  Irish  idioms.  These  annals  are  of  a  rather  late  type.  They 
do  not  adhere  to  their  sources  so  closely,  and  have  not  such  authority,  as 
the  older  Irish  annals  ;  and  the  translation  is  not  always  accurate.  There 
are  gaps  between  the  years  11 82  and  1199,  1290  and  1299. 

Annals  of  Bgniond  (875-1205  ;  with  additions  for  1207-1315).  Edited 
in  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xvi,  443-479  (1859).  Also  edited  by  B.  J.  L.  de  Geer 
van  Jutfaas  (Werken  van  het  Historisch  Genootschap  te  Utrecht,  N.S.  1  ; 
Utrecht,   1863).     This  is  the  oldest  chronicle  of  Holland. 

Annals  of  Fulda  (680  to  838,  863,  882,  887,  and  901)  ;  ed.  B.R.,  ii,  v,  vi, 
vii,  viii  ;  ed.  Pertz,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  i,  343-415  (1826). 

Annals  of  Purness  (1199-1298),  a  continuation  of  William  of  Newburgh. 
Edited  by  R.  Hewlett,  R.S.  82,  ii,  503-583. 

Annals  of  Innisfallen  (or  Inishfallen,  in  Lough  Leane,  Kerry  Co.).  The 
only  edition  is  that  of  C.  O'Conor,  Rerum  Hibernicarum  Scriptores,  vol.  ii 
part  2,  pp.    1-122  (Buckingham,   1825).     Skene  published  extracts   in  his 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  xxvii 

Picts  and  Scots,  pp.  167-170;  for  these  he  had  compared  O'Conor's  text 
with  the  manuscript,  and  had  attached  dates  taken  from  the  Annals  of 
Ulster.  A  specimen  of  the  handwriting  is  given  by  J.  T.  Gilbert  in  the 
National  MSS.  of  Ireland,  ii,  no.  89. 

A  new  edition  of  these  annals  is  much  needed.  I  have  checked 
O'Conor's  edition  by  the  manuscript  in  almost  every  instance  where  I 
quote  from  them. 

This  is  one  of  the  earliest  existing  collections  of  Irish  annals.  Prefixed 
to  it  was  a  compiled  chronicle  of  no  original  value,  from  the  Creation  to 
the  year  432  ;  of  this  the  part  from  Abraham  is  preserved.  The  chronicle 
proper  begins  in  432.  Patrick's  mission  is  described  three  times  :  at  the 
end  of  the  prefixed  chronicle,  in  a  passage  written  between  the  two 
chronicles,  and  at  the  beginning  of  the  chronicle  proper. 

The  Annals  of  Innisfallen  are  written  in  different  hands.  Before  the 
end  of  the  nth  century  the  chronicle  becomes  a  more  or  less  contemporary 
work  ;  and  even  from  the  5th  century  it  contains  copied  contemporary 
notes.  It  is  based  upon  annotated  paschal  calendars  ;  first  Patrick's,  then 
the  Victorian,  finally  the  Dionysian. 

This  chronicle  exists  in  one  manuscript  (MS.  Rawlinson  B  503,  in  the 
Bodleian  Library).  Its  pages  are  written  in  two  columns  to  O'Conor's 
year  650  ;  in  three  columns  from  O'Conor's  year  651  to  the  true  year  1 130  ; 
from  the  year  1 1 60  they  are  written  in  two  columns,  in  later  hands.  The 
annals  for  1131-1159  are  missing. 

One  section  of  the  chronicle  closes  at  1 102  (O'Conor's  1085),  where  the 
writer  states  that  he  wrote  in  that  year.  The  writing  is  nearly  contem- 
porary at  the  year  11 14  (O'Conor's  1097).  From  ii6o  onwards  the 
chronicle  is  carried  on  by  so  many  hands  that  it  seems  to  have  been 
written  almost  contemporarily  with  the  events.  O'Conor  prints  the  Annals 
down  to  1 196,  and  points  out  that  the  events  spoken  of  there  had  happened 
not  long  before  the  time  of  writing  (Scriptores,  ii,  2,  122).  The  hand  that 
takes  up  the  work  after  that  date  had  written  several  columns  before.  The 
last  year  legible  is  1319  ;  a  few  years  are  added  in  later  hands  ;  but  the 
last  entry  has  completely  faded,  and  the  remainder  is  lost. 

The  chronology  of  the  early  parts  of  the  Annals  of  Innisfallen  (as  in 
other  Irish  annals)  is  confused  through  events  having  been  entered  from 
different  sources.  One  event  has  sometimes  been  entered  by  counting 
backwards  from  another  event,  without  allowing  for  gaps  in  the  sequence 
of  the  year-sections. 

A  few  years  between  432  and  442,  and  after  798,  are  indicated  by  ferial 
numbers  and  epacts  (see  Calendar  Notes,  p.  civ)  ;  and  after  973  (O'Conor's 
955)  the  years  are  regularly  so  indicated.  Between  442  and  798  some 
years  are  indicated  by  their  number  in  lunar  cycles,  and  one  or  two  are 
dated  from  the  Passion  ;  some  others  are  fixed  by  original  records  of 
eclipses,  or  of  foreign  events. 

It  is  noteworthy  that  the  beginning  (457)  and  end  (559)  of  Victorius's 
paschal  table  are  indicated.  Under  437  (O'Conor's  438)  is  noted  "the 
beginning  of  the  great  circle,"  which  should  refer  to  some  pre- Victorian 
calendar  ;   and  since  (in  IVIacCarthy's  tables)  the  84-year   cycle   did   not 


xxviii  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

begin  in  that  year,  it  may  possibly  refer  to  the  beginning  of  Cyril's  paschal 
table  of  five  19-year  cycles  (437-53i)>  "sed  by  the  Eastern  Church.  The 
beginning  of  a  Dionysian  cycle  of  19  years  is  marked  in  608. 

The  chronological  data  of  the  Annals  of  Innisfallen  have  not  been 
interfered  with  by  the  compilers.  They  do  not  follow  an  erroneous  system, 
like  Tigernach's  ;  they  have  not  been  adapted  to  a  correct  system,  as  in 
the  beginning  of  the  Annals  of  Ulster.  But  they  have  been  ignored  by  the 
editor. 

O'Conor  begins  his  edition  of  part  of  these  annals  with  the  year  before 
that  dated  in  the  prefixed  chronicle  "from  the  Lord's  Incarnation  430"; 
the  year-numbers  he  gives  to  the  sections  that  follow  are  reckoned  inexactly 
by  sequence  from  that  date.  He  ignores  the  fact  that  the  year  432  is 
doubled  ;  therefore  his  years  434  to  458  are  by  one  ahead  of  the  year 
intended.  (Nevertheless  O'Conor's  445  contains  an  eclipse  of  453,  and  his 
455  a  notice  of  Easter  of  455.) 

The  years  that  are  clearly  indicated  in  this  chronicle  are  432-457,  559, 
599-608,  779-800,  817,  847-963,  and  from  973  onwards.  Between  O'Conor's 
458  =  457  and  554  =  559  the  chronicle  has  95  years  instead  of  102  (O'Conor's 
503  is  part  of  the  previous  year  in  the  MS.).  Between  O'Conor's  554  =  559 
and  591  =  599  the  chronicle  has  37  years  instead  of  40.  Between  O'Conor's 
591  =  599  and  765  =  779  the  chronicle  has  174  years  instead  of  180.  Between 
O'Conor's  786  =  800  and  804  =  817  the  chronicle  has  18  years  instead  of  17. 
Between  O'Conor's  804  =  817  and  832  =  847  the  chronicle  has  29  years 
instead  of  30  (O'Conor  also  omits  a  year  between  his  829  and  830).  Between 
O'Conor's  947  =  963  and  955  =  973  the  chronicle  has  8  years  instead  of  10. 
O'Conor  jumps  from  his  year  833  to  835  ;  repeats  his  years  908  and  909  ; 
and  jumps  from  his  year  1002  to  1004. 

Between  O'Conor's  458  and  554,  7  years  have  been  omitted.  They  were 
probably  blank,  and  most  likely  dropped  at  one  or  other  of  the  places 
where  two  blank  years  are  marked  together  ;  these  are  after  O'Conor's  472, 
480,485,  511,  514,  521.  There  are  not  among  these  more  than  two  blank 
years  together.  It  happens  that  O'Conor's  472  =  the  Annals  of  Ulster's  471, 
and  his  475-480  are  nearly  parallel  to  their  480-485.  After  O'Conor's  472  = 
471,  the  Annals  of  Innisfallen  may  have  dropped  6  years.  (Between  469 
and  479  in  the  Annals  of  Ulster  8  years  are  blank  or  contain  alternative 
entries  only.)  O'Conor's  483  and  484  are  parallel  to  the  Annals  of  Ulster's 
488  =  489  and  489  =  490;  so  that  the  Annals  of  Innisfallen  seem  to  have 
missed  a  year  at  the  same  place  as  have  the  Annals  of  Ulster  (between 
481  and  487).  But  we  cannot  with  certainty  correct  the  Innisfallen  by  the 
Ulster  annals.  The  Annals  of  Ulster  have  an  excessive  number  of  alterna- 
tive entries  about  this  period  ;  and  their  year-numbers  here  advance  far 
ahead  of  the  years  intended  by  the  Annals  of  Innisfallen.  (The  Ulster 
Annals'  dates  of  events  in  the  5th  and  6th  centuries  are  not  very  trust- 
worthy. An  eclipse  placed  by  them  under  496  (corrected  date)  occurred 
in  497;  an  eclipse  under  512,  in  509  (both  of  these  being  taken  from 
Marcellinus) ;  another  under  591,  in  592  ;  and  under  592,  in  594.) 

Between  O'Conor's  554  =  559  and  591=599  3  years  have  been  missed, 
probably  after  the  end  of  the  Victorian  calendar  (559).     But  no  gap  appears 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 


there  in  the  sequence  of  events  ;  the  error  must  have  been  present  in  the 
earliest  compilation.  The  compiler  has  entered  many  events  before  559 
at  the  correct  distance  not  from  559  but  from  599.  Events  entered  thus 
belong  to  the  earliest  compilation  ;  and  events  entered  correctly  before  559 
may  have  been  in  the  original  annotated  calendar  that  forms  the  basis  of 
the  compilation. 

Between  O'Conor's  600  =  608  and  765  =  779  6  years  have  been  missed. 
Of  these,  3  seem  to  have  been  dropped  between  O'Conor's  635=643  and 
674  =  685  ;  another,  between  694  =  705  and  723  =  735. 

Between  O'Conor's  786  =  800  and  804  =  817  the  MS.  has  one  year  too 
many.  We  must  read  K  for  KK  in  the  MS.  at  O'Conor's  801  :  this  will 
agree  with  the  bissextile  numbering.  O'Conor's  785,  790,  794,  798,  803, 
807,  81 1,  are  marked  "bissextile."  Between  O'Conor's  804 and  832  the  MS. 
omits  a  year  ;  and  after  O'Conor's  811  the  bissextile  notes  go  wrong. 

The  dates  deducible  from  the  chronicle  may  be  found  by  making  the 
following  changes  in  O'Conor's  year-numbers  : — 


434-458 

deduct  I. 

801-804 

add 

13- 

459-472 

J 

I  (probably). 

805-811 

13  (or  possibly  14) 

475-480 

add 

5  (probably). 

812-829 

13-14- 

483-502 

6  (probably). 

830-831 

14- 

503-554 

5- 

832-833 

15- 

555-635 

8. 

835-909 

14. 

636-673 

8-11. 

908-947 

16. 

674-694 

11. 

948-954 

16-18. 

695-723 

11-12. 

955-1002 

1 8. 

724-764 

13-14. 

1004-1113 

17- 

765-786 

14. 

1160-1 196 

are  correct. 

787-800 

14  (or  possibly  13). 

Annals  of  Loch  C6  (1014-1 138,  1 170-1590)  (i.e.,  Lough  Key,  Roscommon 
Co.).  Edited  by  W.  M.  Hennessy,  R.S.  54  (1871).  For  the  earlier  centuries, 
these  are  mainly  based  upon  the  Annals  of  Ulster  ;  and  have  preserved  a 
version  of  that  chronicle  for  six  of  its  missing  years  (1133-1138).  The 
Annals  of  Loch  Ce  have  also  preserved  some  details  from  sources  that  have 
been  lost.     But  they  are  less  trustworthy  than  the  earlier  compilations. 

Annals  of  Lund  (Annales  Lundenses,  Annales  Esromenses) :  to  1265, 
continued.     Edited  by  Waitz,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores.  xxix,  188-210  (1892). 

Annals  of  Margan  (1066-1232  ;  incomplete).  Edited  by  H.  R.  Luard  ; 
R.S.  36,  i,  3-40  (London,  1864).  See  ibid.,  pp.  xiii-xv.  The  surviving  MS. 
of  these  Annals  is  written  in  a  hand  of  the  13th  century.  The  monastery 
of  Margan  (Margam  Abbey,  Glamorganshire)  was  founded  in  1 147.  One 
of  the  sources  used  by  the  compiler  was  the  Chronicle  of  Holyrood  (see 
below).  These  Annals  are  valuable  for  local  affairs,  but  not  for  Scottish 
histor)'. 

Annals  of  Multifernan  (Annales  montis  Feranandi).  Edited  by  Aquilla 
Smith  for  the  Irish  Archaeological  Society  (Dublin,  1842),  as  the  second 
part  of  vo).  ii  of  Tracts  Relating  to  Ireland.  They  run  from  A.D.  45  to 
1274,  and  were  apparently  written  about  the  latter  date. 


XXX  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

Annals  of  Norwich,  partly  edited  in  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xxviii,  are  the 
source  of  years  1066-1291  in  Bartholomew  Cotton,  R.S.  16. 

Annals  of  St  Neots  (to  914),  or  Chronicon  fani  S.  Neoti.  Inaccurately 
edited  in  Gale's  Scriptores  XV,  (iii)  141-175  (Oxford,  1691).  Part  critically 
edited  by  W.  H.  Stevenson,  in  Asser's  Life  of  king  Alfred,  1 17  (Oxford,  1904). 
This  is  an  early  12th-century  compilation,  said  to  have  preserved  the  true 
chronology  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle,  a  version  of  which  it  uses 
(Plummer,  Two  Saxon  Chronicles,  ii,  p.  ciii).  Stevenson  says  that  "the 
MS.  of  the  chronicle  used  by  the  compiler  was. nearer  to  the  original  than 
any  extant  copy."  Unfortunately  the  compiler  did  not  give  a  complete 
rendering  of  this  source.  Other  sources  used  were  Bede  ;  Asser  ;  Annales 
Uticenses  ;  and  some  Frankish  chronicle.  The  Annals  of  St  Neots  gave 
material  to  the  Annals  of  Lund. 

Annals  of  Southwarb,  Cottonian  MS.  Faustina  A  VI II  (13th  century). 
Among  the  sources  used  by  Matthew  Paris.  Selections  ed.  M.G.H., 
Scriptores,  xxvii. 

Annals  of  Stanley  (to  1271),  ed.  (1202-1271)  by  R.  Howlett,  R.S.  82, 
ii,  506-558  (1885). 

Annals  of  Ulster  (431-1132,  1156-1540).  "Otherwise  Annals  of  Senat  ; 
a  chronicle  of  Irish  affairs  from  A.D.  431  to  A.D.  1540,"  edited  (vol.  i,  to 
year  1056)  by  W.  M.  Hennessy  ;  and  (vols,  ii.-iii)  by  B.  MacCarthy  (Dublin, 
1887-1895).  The  fourth  volume  of  this  edition  (Dublin,  1901),  by  B. 
MacCarthy,  contains  an  Introduction,  valuable  for  the  study  of  chronology  ; 
and  an  index,  which  is  a  useful  dictionary  of  dates. 

An  earlier  edition  (to  1131)  by  C.  O'Conor,  in  his  Scriptores,  vol.  iv 
(Buckingham,  1826),  is  inaccurate.  Extracts  were  printed  in  Johnstone's 
Antiquitates  Celto-Normannicae  ;  in  Pinkerton's  Enquiry,  ii,  307-320  ;  in 
Skene's  Picts  and  Scots,  343-374. 

Hennessy  and  MacCarthy's  edition  is  the  only  trustworthy  one.  It  has 
an  English  translation,  and  many  useful  cross-references  and  notes.  Some 
additions  are  printed  as  if  they  had  formed  part  of  the  original  text.  The 
first  volume  was  severely  criticized  by  Stokes  in  the  Academy  of  1889 
(pp.  207-208,  223-225,  240-241)  :  the  second  and  third  were  denounced  by 
him  in  the  Revue  Celtique  (xviii  (1897),  74-86).  But  Stokes's  own  edition 
of  Tigernach  is  by  no  means  perfect  as  an  edition  for  the  historical 
worker. 

The  Annals  of  Ulster  were  compiled  in  Shanid  or  Belle  Isle,  Upper 
Lough  Erne,  Fermanagh,  by  Cathal  Mac-Manus,  a  Mac-Guire,  in  the  end 
of  the  15th  century.  The  manuscript  (A)  (Trinity  College,  Dublin, 
MS.  H.  I.  8)  is  written  in  his  own  hand  to  A.D.  11 14.  Cathal's  death  in 
1498  is  recorded  by  his  continuator.  MS.  B  (a  Bodleian  MS.,  Rawlinson 
B  489)  extends  to  1588;  it  is,  down  to  the  middle  of  the  nth  century, 
a  close  copy  of  MS.  A. 

The  original  compiler  copied  his  materials  with  close  fidelity.    Notwith- 
standing the  late  date  of  the  Annals  of  Ulster,  they  rank  among  the  most 
ancient  sources.     But  since  it  is  a  compilation  of  various  collections  of 
historical  notes,  the  same  event  is  frequently  entered  two  or  three  times 
under  different  years,  in  the  earlier  centuries. 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  xxxi 

The  chronological  system  of  these  annals  is  more  correct  than  that  of 
the  earlier  collections.  It  must,  however,  be  kept  in  mind  that  the  events 
were  copied  from  earlier  collections,  in  which  the  chronological  system  was 
less  perfect.  The  dates  are  the  result  of  the  compiler's  interpretation  of 
the  dates  of  previous  chronicles.  This  interpretation  appears,  on  the 
whole,  to  be  remarkably  correct.  Errors  and  deviations  occur,  especially 
in  the  5th,  6th,  and  early  part  of  the  7th,  centuries.  In  these  centuries  it 
is  necessary  (for  more  than  approximate  accuracy)  to  compare  all  the 
survivins'  Irish  annals. 

In  the  Annals  of  Ulster,  the  year-sections  are  arranged  consecutively 
under  Dionysian  numbers  ;  with  added  ferial  numbers  and  epacts,  which 
are  all  entered,  according  to  Hennessy  (i,  4),  in  a  later  hand.  The  epacts 
are  incorrect  for  the  years  1235  to  1412  (cf.  MacCarthy,  Todd  Lecture 
Series,  iii,  379). 

The  year-numbers  are  too  low  by  one  year  from  486  to  1012.  In  order 
to  correct  this  error,  no  annal  was  written  for  the  year  1013.  The 
year-numbers,  therefore,  are  not  only  later  than  the  time  of  Bede,  as 
O-Maille  says  ;  they  are  later  than  the  year  1013,  and  are  probably 
attributable  to  Cathal  Mac-Manus  himself. 

Notwithstanding  these  errors,  the  year  intended  by  the  compilers  is 
never  in  doubt.  It  must  not  be  assumed  that  this  was  invariably  the  year 
intended  by  the  annalists  from  whom  the  compilation  was  made. 

The  accuracy  of  transcription  is  so  great  that  it  has  been  possible  to 
deduce  from  the  spelling  (of  the  Irish  entries,  and  of  Irish  names  in  the 
Latin  entries)  that  original  notes  began  to  be  written,  in  the  sources  used, 
almost  contemporaneously  with  the  events  described,  in  the  last  years  of  the 
7th  century.  At  that  time,  some  compilation  of  earlier  notes  was  made. 
This  first  compilation  was  added  to  subsequently,  down  to  the  9th  century, 
in  the  language  of  the  time,  several  centuries  after  the  events  described  ; 
but  there  seems  to  be  reason  to  believe  that  these  additions,  as  well  as  the 
original  compilation,  were  translated  from  earlier  written  records. 

The  chronicle  becomes  continuously  contemporary,  or  nearly  con- 
temporary, from  the  end  of  the  7th  century  onwards.  See  T.  0-Maille's 
Language  of  the  Annals  of  Ulster  (Manchester,  19 10).  Cf  Stokes's 
Linguistic  Value  of  the  Irish  Annals,  in  the  Transactions  for  1890  of  the 
Philological  Society.  Since  some  of  the  sources  used  by  the  Ulster  annals 
were  used  also  by  the  other  Irish  annals,  the  same  statement  of  date  is  to 
some  extent  applicable  to  the  other  Irish  annals  also. 

For  the  sources  of  the  Annals  of  Ulster,  see  O-Maille,  pp.  5-10.  Native 
sources  quoted  by  name  are  : — Mochta's  Epistle  (at  471  and  535  ;  Mochta, 
a  disciple  of  Patrick,  died  in  535  or  537)  ;  a  Book  of  the  Monks  at  512,  and 
Book  of  Mochod  at  528  ;  Cuanu's  Book  (from  467  to  629  ;  see  below,  year 
630,  note);  the  Book  of  Dubdaleithe  (from  629  to  102 1  ;  probably 
Dubdaleithe  was  the  abbot  of  Armagh  who  died  in  1064).  Foreign 
sources  used  are  sometimes  named,  where  Tigernach  quotes  them  without 
naming  them.  Marcellinus,  Bede,  and  Isidore,  are  named.  A  copy  of  the 
Liber  Pontificalis  also  was  used. 

In  referring  to  the  Annals  of  Ulster,  I  usually  give  both  the  uncorrected 


xxxii  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

and  the  corrected  year-numbers.  When  one  number  only  is  given,  for 
a  year  between  487  and  1013,  it  is  the  corrected  number  (unless  s.a. 
precedes  it). 

Anselm  (archbishop   of  Canterbury,   fiiog):    Letters.     Ed.   P.L.   159. 

Also  in  D'Achery. 

Antlquitates  Amerioanae,  ed.  C.  C.  Rafn.  Det  Kongelige  Nordiske 
Oldskriftselskab,  Copenhagen,  1837. 

Arbroath.  Liber  S.  Thome  de  Aberbrothoc,  Edited  by  C.  Innes  and 
P.  Chalmers.     B.Cl.  86  (1848- 1856). 

Ari  Pr6di  ("the  Learned"),  Thorgils' son  (1067-1148) :  Islendingabok. 
This  work  runs  to  the  year  ii20.  I  refer  to  the  edition  of  Mobius  (Leipzig, 
1869).  A  later  edition  is  that  of  W.  Golther,  in  Cederschiold's  Altnordische 
Sagabibliothek,  part  i  (Halle,  1892).  Also  edited  in  Islendinga  Sogur 
(1829),  i  ;  (1843),  i :  and  in  Origines  Islandicae,  i. 

The  Islendingabok  is  a  revised  abridgement  of  a  previous  work  (written 
1122x1133),  now  lost,  of  the  same  writer  (see  Ari's  preface;  p.  3).  The 
earlier  version  was  probably  an  earlier  work  than  the  Korftingabok  and 
Landndmabok  ;  both  of  which,  composed  by  Ari,  have  survived  in  later 
recensions  only.  These  last-named  works  were  perhaps  extensions  of  parts 
of  the  lost  book.  The  surviving  Islendingabok  (with  those  parts  left  out) 
was  written  1134X  ;  and,  according  to  Golther,  x  1138. 

See  under  Landnd,mab6k,  and  Snorri. 

Ari,  a  noble  and  priest,  was  the  first  historian  of  Iceland.  He 
endeavoured  to  obtain  from  good  authorities  (several  of  whom  he  names) 
an  exact  account  of  the  settlement  of  Iceland,  and  its  history  down  to  his 
own  day.  He  was  not  only  a  careful  collector  of  facts  ;  he  was  also  a 
pioneer  of  Icelandic  writing,  and  father  of  the  written  literature  of  Iceland. 
Cf.  Snorri's  Preface  to  HeimskringIa  ;  and  Ari's  Islendingabok,  c,  9. 

While  Ari's  works  contain  a  marvellous  amount  of  trustworthy  informa- 
tion, for  the  period  870-1130,  they  contain  also  much  that  is  legendary. 
Legendary  material  is  often  distinguishable  (in  works  derived  from  his 
Konungabok)  by  the  style  and  character  of  the  narrative  ;  by  direct 
quotation  of  speeches,  rounding-off  of  incidents,  and  antithesis  and 
parallelism  of  cause  and  effect.  Details  of  the  story  tend  to  grow  larger  in 
later  accounts. 

Art  de  Verifier  les  Dates.     See  L'Art. 

Asser:  Annales  rerum  gestarum  vElfredi  Magni.  Edited  by  W.  H. 
Stevenson  (Oxford,  1904).  Previously  edited  by  Petrie,  M.H.B.,  467-498  ; 
and  in  Camden's  Anglica  Scripta. 

This  life  of  Alfred  was  written  in  893  (c.  91,  p.  76),  but  is  of  uncertain 
authority. 

Atkinson,  J.  0.  The  Coucher  Book  of  Furness  Abbey.  Chetham 
Society,  9,  11,  14  (1886-1887).     Continued  by  J.  Brownbill,  no.  74  (191 5). 

Bain,  Joseph:  Calendar  of  Documents  [l  108- 1509]  relating  to  Scotland, 
preserved  in  H.M.  Record  Office,  London.  Edinburgh,  1881-1888.  This, 
with  its  indices,  is  an  invaluable  work. 

Balmerino.  The  Chartularies  of  Balmerino  and  Lindores,  ed.  W.  B.  D.  D. 
TurnbuU  ;  A.Cl.  22  (Edinburgh,  1841). 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  xxxiii 

Banquet  of  Dun  na  n-Ged,  and  the  cause  of  the  Battle  of  Moira.  This 
tale  is  edited  by  O'Donovan  from  the  Yellow  Book  of  Lecan  (see  "  Battle 
of  Moira").     Its  historical  value  is  almost  null. 

Bartholomew  Cotton:  Historia  Anglicana  (to  1298),  ed.  H.  R.  Luard  ; 
R.S.  16  (1859). 

Battle  of  Moira.  This  tale  is  edited  by  John  O'Donovan  from  the 
Yellow  Book  of  Lecan  (The  Banquet  of  Dun  na  n-Gedh,  and  the  Battle 
of  Magh  Rath  ;  Dublin,  Irish  Archaeological  Society,  1842).  O'Donovan 
considers  it  to  have  been  composed  originally  in  the  12th  century.  It  has 
little  historical  value,  but  some  details  of  fact  are  derived  from  earlier 
accounts. 

Bayeux  Tapestries.  F.  R.  Fowke  :  The  Bayeux  Tapestries  reproduced 
in  autotype  (Arundel  Society,  London,  1875).  Photo-lithographs  in  Sir 
Alexander  Malet's  Conquest  of  England  ;  see  under  Wace. 

Beauly.  E.  C.  Batten  :  The  Charters  of  the  Priory  of  Beauly  (Grampian 
Club,  no.  12  ;  1877). 

Bede  (+  735)  :  Chronicle  (to  726).  This  chronicle  is  part  of  his  De 
Temporum  Ratione,  and  is  an  extension  of  his  Shorter  Chronicle  (to  707), 
which  was  part  of  his  De  Temporibus.  Both  chronicles  are  edited  by 
Mommsen,  in  M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  223-354. 

Among  many  sources  from  which  Bede's  Chronicle  is  derived,  the 
following  may  be  named :  Constantius,  and  Gildas ;  Prosper,  and 
Marcellinus  ;  Isidore,  and  the  Liber  Pontificalis. 

Bede  :  Historia  Ecclesiastica  (to  731).  Edited  by  C.  Plummer  (Oxford, 
1896),  with  very  useful  notes  and  indices.  J.  A.  Giles's  edition  (Patres 
Ecclesiae  Anglicanae,  i-ii ;  London,  1843)  has  text  and  translation  on 
alternate  pages.     For  other  editions  see  Gross,  no.  1355. 

The  early  part  of  Bede's  History  is  partly  derived  from  Orosius  and 
Gildas.  In  the  later  part  he  uses  the  same  sources  as  in  his  Chronicle,  and 
many  other  written  sources  and  documents. 

Bede's  work  is,  for  his  own  time,  of  the  highest  authority.  It  is  the 
principal  source  of  succeeding  chronicles  for  the  same  period.  Other 
works  by  which  its  accuracy  might  be  tested  do  not  exist.  Bede's  clear 
style  and  judicial  mind  gave  an  admirable  model  to  his  successors. 

Bede  :  Vita  S.  Cudbercti.  This  Life  is  based  upon  the  more  authoritative 
Anonymous  Life  of  St  Cuthbert  (written  698x705).  Both  Lives  are  edited 
in  Stevenson's  edition  of  Bede,  vol.  ii  (E.H.S.,  1841)-  Bede's  is  edited 
with  a  translation  by  Giles  (Patres  Ecclesiae,  ii)  ;  and  is  translated  by 
J.   Stevenson  in  Church   Historians  of  England,   i,   2,    546-603   (London, 

1853). 

Benedict  of  Peterborough.     Gesta  regis  Henrici  Secundi  (1169-1192), 

ed.  W.   Stubbs  (R.S.  49;    1867).      This  is  a  very  valuable  contemporary 

work,  of  unknown  authorship.     I  have  thought  it  convenient  to  retain  the 

name  (B.P.)  by  which  it  has  been  known.     The  true  author  may  have  been 

Richard  Fitz-Nigel,  treasurer  of  king  Henry  II  :  v.i.a.  R.S.  99,  i,  p.  xxix. 

In  his  introduction,  Stubbs  has  given  an  Itinerary  of  king  Henry  II 
(ii,  cxxix-cxlviii). 

Benolt  de  Sainte-Maure  (t  1 189  x  )  :  Chronique  des  Dues  de  Normandie 

c 


xxxiv  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

(to  1135) ;  ed.  F.  Michel  (Paris,  1836-1844)-  Partly  based  upon  Uudo  and 
William  of  Jumieges.     An  extract  is  in  C.A.N. ,  i,  166-303. 

Berchan,  Prophecy  of.     The  so-called  Prophecy  of  Berchan  is  preserved 

in  MS.  ^  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy  (Skene's  MS.  a),  which  was  copied 
(from  a  book  written  by  Michael  O'Clery  in  1627)  by  John  O'Kane,  and 
finished  on  29th  September,  1722  ;  and  in  a  copy  of  that  MS.,  made  by 
Peter  O'Connell,  and  finished  on  7th  May,  1803  (MS.  R.I.A.,  H.  &  S., 
no.  221  ;  Skene's  MS.  6).  Stanzas  102-204  were  edited  by  Skene,  with 
a  translation,  in  his  Picts  and  Scots,  pp.  79-io5-  Versions  of  stanzas 
7,  9,  8,  69,  71,  and  an  additional  stanza,  are  quoted  in  the  Wars  (R.S.  48, 
10,  204)  ;  stanzas  7,  9,  8,  also  in  the  fragment  of  the  Wars  that  is  preserved 
in  the  Book  of  Leinster  (facsimile,  p.  309  ;  Wars,  225).  This  part  of  the 
Book  of  Leinster  was  perhaps  written  ii66x  1171.  It  has  been  alleged,  on 
insufficient  grounds,  that  the  Wars  were  composed  early  in  the  nth 
century,  and  that  therefore  part  of  the  Prophecy  was  composed  earlier  still 
(O'Curry,  MS.  Materials,  413-414).  A  copy  of  the  Prophecy  existed  in 
1518;  see  Hyde's  Literary  History  of  Ireland  (1899),  611.  A  fragment, 
ending  in  the  middle  of  stanza  66,  was  copied  by  Peter  O'Longan,  "about 
the  year  1760 "(O'Curry,  Catalogue  of  the  Betham  Collection  in  the  R.I. A. 

23 
Library,  ii,  341) :  this  is  in  the  R.I. A.  MS.  ^,-~-     It  was  copied  by  Peter's 

son,  Michael  O'Longan  (R.I. A.  MS.  j^g)- 

This  is  a  Middle-Irish  historical  poem,  written  in  the  form  of  a  prophecy, 
and  ascribed  to  an  abbot  Berchan. 

The  Prophecy  consists  of  204  debide  stanzas  (nos.  128  and  168  being 
incomplete).  There  is  considerable  displacement  of  stanzas,  especially 
among  stanzas  17-42.  The  verse  was  originally  of  fairly  precise  construction  ; 
but  the  text  is  now  very  corrupt.  There  are  many  errors  throughout,  in 
numbers  and  facts.  It  is  not  improbable  that  the  original  source  of  the 
existing  text  was  written  from  memory. 

The  poem  is  divided  into  two  parts.  The  first  part  (stanzas  1-96) 
professes  to  have  been  composed  by  Berchan,  an  Irish  abbot,  60  years 
before  his  death;  and  120  years  before  the  dissolution  of  his  monastery, 
which  was  apparently  dispersed  by  the  Norwegians.  It  is  addressed  to 
a  boy,  who  is  not  named.  It  describes  the  history  of  Berchan's  monastery  ; 
the  arrival  of  the  Norwegians  in  Ireland  (led,  according  to  the  Book  of 
Leinster,  by  Tuirgeis)  ;  their  overthrow  after  seven  years  (in  ?  845,  when, 
according  to  the  Annals  of  Ulster,  Tuirgeis  was  drowned)  :  the  death  of 
Colman  Mor,  son  of  Aed  ;  and  the  reigns  of  19  Irish  kings. 

The  second  part  (stanzas  97-204)  does  not  name  the  composer  ;  but 
purports  to  have  been  spoken  on  the  eve  of  Patrick's  death  [.''461],  60  years 
before  the  composer's  death  and  the  birth  of  Columba  [?  521].  It  describes 
the  life  of  Columba,  the  reign  of  Aidan  in  Scottish  Dalriata,  and  the  reigns 
of  24  kings  of  Scotland,  from  Kenneth  Alpin's  son  to  Donald  Ban. 

The  composer  of  the  Prophecy  has  obscured  its  meaning  by  usino- 
metaphors  freely,  and  by  omitting  the  narnes  of  most  of  the  kings.     In  the 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  xxxv 

first  part,  however,  many  names  of  kings  are  supplied  in  glosses,  which 
were  probably  an  original  part  of  the  work,  and  are  equally  authoritative 
with  the  text ;  although  a  few  of  them  are  incorrectly  placed.  Because  of 
the  style  of  the  work,  its  confused  order,  and  its  inaccuracy,  it  is  often 
difficult  to  ascertain  whether  the  glosses  are  correct,  or  not. 

The  17th  Irish  king  is  the  last  whose  name  is  supplied  in  a  gloss  : 
he  is  said  to  have  been  Muirchertach,  son  of  Toirdelbach  Ua-Briain. 
Muirchertach  died  in  11 19;  therefore  O'Curry  thought  that  the  poem  in 
its  present  form  was  written  about  1120  (MS.  Materials,  413-414).  The 
i8th  is  said  to  become  king  loi  years  after  the  death  of  the  i6th  (Aed 
Ua-Neill,  +  1033),  and  to  reign  for  35  years  :  he  is  probably  Toirdelbach 
Ua-Briain,  who  was  deposed  in  1165,  and  reigned  again  from  1166  till  his 
death  in  1167. 

The  19th  king  is  called  the  "Grey-chested  one,  from  Cloitech"; 
presumably  the  wearer  of  a  cuirass.  It  is  foretold  that  his  reign  will 
begin  140  years  after  the  reign  of  the  i8th  king,  and  that  he  will  be  king 
of  Ireland  for  13  years.  In  his  reign.  Antichrist  will  be  born  in  the  east. 
He  will  be  the  last  king  killed  by  the  Leinstermen  :  very  soon  afterwards 
the  Day  of  Judgement  will  arrive.  If  the  numbers  be  correct,  and  if  I  have 
identified  the  i8th  king  correctly,  the  19th  would  have  reigned  from  1307  to 
1320. 

Within  that  time,  Edward  Bruce  was  the  crowned  king  of  Ireland 
(1315-11318).  These  stanzas  were  probably  added  at  the  time  when 
Berchan's  works  were  collected,  in  1317  (see  below).  Before  1190,  however, 
some  prophecies  attributed  to  Berchan  foretold  the  coming  of  a  king  from 
Downpatrick  to  Offaly  ;  and  the  expulsion  of  the  English  from  Ireland 
(Giraldus  Cambrensis,  v,  385). 

The  last  Scottish  king  whose  reign  is  described  is  Donald  Ban.  For 
this  reason  it  has  been  assumed  that  the  second  part  was  written  1094  x  1097 
(Picts  and  Scots,  p.  xl).  But  in  the  description  of  the  last  Scottish  reigns 
there  are  errors  that  could  not  have  been  made  by  a  contemporary  ;  such 
as,  for  instance,  the  statement  that  Malcolm  III  died  in  Rome.  It  is 
foretold  that  four  or  five  unnamed  Scottish  kings  will  reign  after  Donald, 
in  Ireland,  before  the  Judgement  Day  (see  year  1094).  The  fifth  king 
of  Scotland  after  Donald  would  have  been  William,  who  reigned  1165-1214. 
Thus  both  the  Irish  part  and  the  Scottish  part  appear  to  extend  beyond  the 
year  1165.  It  is  possible  that  the  poem  was  composed  between  that  year 
and  the  time  when  it  was  quoted  in  the  Book  of  Leinster.  Since  no 
mention  is  made  of  the  English  invasion  of  Ireland  in  1169,  th^ 
original  composition  of  the  Prophecy  may  be  dated  conjecturally  1 165  x  i  i6g. 
In  its  present  form,  it  dates  probably  from  1315  x  1318. 

The  Berchan  to  whom  the  first  part  is  ascribed  is  supposed  to  have 
spoken  in  ?7i8  ;  and  to  have  died  in  ?778.  The  prophecy  of  the  reigns  of 
Irish  kings  begins  in  stanza  15,  and  includes  kings  who  lived  in  the  5  th 
century,  in  the  time  of  St  Patrick  and  of  St  Bridget.  The  prophet  of  the 
second  part  is  supposed  to  have  spoken  in  .''461,  and  to  have  died  in  ?  521. 
It  follows  that  stanzas  1-14,  or  some  of  them,  belong  to  a  pre-existing 
nucleus  upon  which  the  later  work  was  imposed.     Berchan's  monastery  is 


xxxvi  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

mentioned  also  in  stanzas  29  and  32  ;  and  the  glosses  in  this  part  of  the 
work  (stanzas  1-32)  may  be  incorrect. 

The  pedigree  of  "Berchan,  prophet  and  bishop  and  poet,"  in  the  Book 
of  Leinster,  p.  350,  column  5,  makes  him  a  great-grandson  of  Ainfcellach 
[king  of  Dalriata  696-697  ;  1719] :  this  was  Berchan  of  Clonsast,  in  King's 
County.  See  Oengus  (1905),  256.  He  was  no  doubt  the  prophet  to  whom 
the  nucleus  of  the  Prophecy  was  ascribed. 

Another  "Berchan,  son  of  Beoaid  Barrfind,  of  Corcothri"  in  Sligo,  is 
also  named  "Mobi  of  Glasnevin  among  the  Foreigners"  (near  Dublin), 
in  the  Book  of  Leinster,  p.  351,  column  7,  Cf.  Oengus  (1905),  322-224. 
This  Mobi  was  called  "the  Flat-faced."  He  was  the  son  of  Uanfind, 
daughter  of  Findbarr  (ibid.,  372,  column  i).  He  died  in  545  (according  to 
the  Annals  of  Ulster ;  but  in  [546]  according  to  Tigernach  and  the 
Chronicon  Scotorum,  both  of  which  identify  him  with  Berchan,  and  appear 
to  speak  of  him  as  a  poet).  Mobi  and  Berchan  are  entered  consecutively 
but  separately  in  the  Martyrology  of  Tallaght  under  October  12th  (Book 
of  Leinster,  363,  column  7  ;  Brussels  version,  ed.  Kelly,  p.  x.\xvi).  The 
identification  of  these  two  men  is  almost  certainly  erroneous. 

Berchan  Beoaid's  son  may  possibly  have  been  the  Berchan  upon  whom 
the  whole  Prophecy  was  fathered  ;  but  it  seems  incredible  that  the  writer 
should  not  have  known  the  legend  of  Mobi's  Girdle  (cf.  Stokes,  Lismore 
Lives,  26-27  ;  L.H.,  i,  87),  and  the  facts  that  it  contains  :  that  Mobi  was  a 
teacher  of  Columba,  and  died  immediately  before  Columba  established  his 
first  monastery  in  Derry. 

The  saint  who  died  on  the  day  of  Columba's  birth,  and  who  is  said  to 
have  prophesied  of  him,  was  Buitte,  the  first  abbot  of  Monasterboice.  It  is 
possible  that  the  introductory  stanzas  (97-113)  of  the  second  part  contain 
verses  that  existed  previously,  and  may  have  been  attributed  to  Buitte. 

The  historical  value  of  this  Prophecy  is  very  low. 

For  other  prophecies  ascribed  to  Berchan,  see  O'Curry,  MS.  Materials, 
417-418,  628  ;  and  Giraldus  Cambrensis,  v,  384-385.  Cf.  i.a.  the  Martyrology 
of  Donegal,  pp.  xxxii-xxxiii.  In  O'Reilly's  Irish  Writers,  p.  xliv,  it  is  stated 
that  "Ware  says,  that  the  prophecies  of  Braccan  were  collected  and 
published  by  Walter  de  Islip,  in  the  year  1317  "  (before  the  death  of  Edward 
Bruce). 

Bernard  of  Clairvaux  (tii53):  Vita  S.  Malachiae.  In  A.S.,  Nov.,  ii, 
1,  143-146;  P.L.  182,  1073-1118.  See  Potthast's  Bibliotheca,  ii,  1445-1446. 
An  excellent  translation  with  critical  notes  has,  since  this  work  was  finished, 
been  produced  by  Dr  H.  J.  Lawlor  ("  St  Bernard  of  Clairvaux's  Life  of 
St  Malachy  of  Armagh"  ;   1920). 

This  Life  of  Maelmaedoic,  bishop  of  Armagh,  was  written  1148X  1152. 
Maelmaedoic  had  twice  visited  Clairvaux ;  on  the  second  occasion  in 
1 148,  he  died  there.  ' 

Bernoldus  (fnoo  ;  a  monk  of  Saint-Blaise,  afterwards  of  SchafFhausen)- 
Chronicon  (to  iioo),  ed.  Pertz,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  v  (1844),  400-467.  Also 
in  P.L.  148  (1853),  1299-1432.  Extracts  in  B.R.,  xi,  xiv.  For  other  works 
see  Potthast,  Bibliotheca,  i,  154-156.  ' 

Bertholdus  (tio88  ;   pupil  and  continuator  of  Herimannus  Augiensis); 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  xxxvii 

Annales  (1054-1080),  ed.  Pertz,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  v  (1844),  267-326.     Also 
in  P.L.  147  (1853),  343-442.     Extracts  in  B.R.,  xi,  xiv. 

Blskupa  Sogur,  ed.  G.  Vigfusson,  J.  Sigurdsson,  G.  Hansen.  HiS 
Islenzka  Bokmentafelag'  (Copenhagen,  1858-1878). 

Black  Book.     See  Black  Book  of  the  Exchequer. 

Black  Book  of  Carmarthen.     See  Welsh  Triads. 

Black  Book  of  Paisley.     See  Bower. 

Black  Book  of  the  Exchequer,  The  Smaller.  T.  Hearne  :  Liber  Niger 
Scaccarii  (Oxford,  1771,  or  1774).  This  was  perhaps  compiled  by  Alexander 
de  Swereford  (t  1246),  before  1216.  See  R.S.  99,  i,  pp.  xxxv-xlix  ;  Hi,  Ivi, 
Ixii,  etc. 

Bliss,  W.  H.  :  Calendar  of  Entries  in  the  Papal  Registers,  relating  to 
Great  Britain.     Rolls  Series.     Vol.  i  (i  198-1304),  London,  1893. 

Bond,  J.  J.  :  Handy-book  of  Rules  and  Tables  for  verifying  Dates 
within  the  Christian  Era  (London,  1889). 

Book  of  Armagh.  Liber  Ardmachanus  .  .  .  edited,  with  Introduction 
and  Appendices,  by  John  Gwynn  (R.I. A.,  1913).  See  also  Life  of  St 
Patrick.  The  Book  of  Armagh  was  written  in  807  by  Ferdomnach,  a 
scribe  of  Armagh  (t  846  ;  A.U.).  See  P.R.I. A.,  iii,  316-324;  Tr.  R.I. A.. 
XX,  329-332. 

Book  of  Ballymote,  published  in  photo-lithographic  facsimile  under 
the  title  "The  Book  of  Ballymote,  a  Collection  of  Pieces,  Prose  and  Verse, 
in  the  Irish  Language,  compiled  about  the  beginning  of  the  fifteenth 
century  :  now  for  the  first  time  published  from  the  original  manuscript  in 
the  library  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy,  by  the  Royal  Irish  Academy.  With 
Introduction,  Analysis  of  Contents,  and  Index,  by  Robert  Atkinson  .  .  ." 
(Dublin  1887).  Cf.  the  facsimile  pages  in  National  MSS.  of  Ireland,  iii, 
nos.  25-27. 

This  is  a  miscellaneous  collection,  compiled  and  translated  from  various 
sources  at  different  times.  Part  was  written  1384x1406  ("about  1400" 
Atkinson). 

Book  of  Coupar.     .See  Bower. 

Book  of  Deer.  This  is  an  incomplete  copy  of  the  Gospels,  in  Latin  ; 
written  in  the  9th  century.  Notes  of  grants,  and  translations  of  charters, 
have  been  added,  in  early  G.nelic,  or  middle-Irish  ;  also  a  copy  of  a  Latin 
charter,  confirming  the  rights  of  the  clerics  of  Deer,  as  written  in  their 
book.  If  this  charter  is  genuine,  and  the  book  referred  to  is  the  present 
Book  of  Deer,  the  Gaelic  additions  would  have  been  made  before  the 
year  1 1 50. 

The  edition  referred  to  here  is  that  of  J.  Stuart :  The  Book  of  Deer 
(Spalding  Club  [no.  36],  Edinburgh,  1869).  This  edition  contains  text  and 
translations  (pp.  xlvii-lvii),  with  facsimiles,  of  the  additions.  The  additions 
had  previously  been  edited  and  translated  : — by  C,  Innes,  Scotland  in  the 
Middle  Ages  (i860),  321-325;  [by  Stokes?]  in  the  Saturday  Review  for 
i860,  734-735  ;  [by  Joseph  Robertson]  in  Illustrations  of  the  topography 
and  antiquities  of  the  Shires  of  Aberdeen  and  Banff,  iv,  545-550  (Spalding 
Club  [no.  32],  1862)  ;  by  C.  Innes,  in  National  MSS.  of  Scotland,  i,  nos.  i, 
18   (Southampton,  1867),  with  facsimiles.     Text,  translation,  and  glossary, 


xxxviii  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

are  given  by  Whitley  Stokes,  in  Goidelica  (1872),  108-111,  115-121  ;  and 
by  Alexander  Macbain,  Gaelic  Society  of  Inverness  (1885),  xi,  144-149, 
158-166.  Translations  and  some  texts  are  in  L.C.,  nos.  i,  95,  97,  107,  224. 
All  these  editions  have  valuable  notes.     Cf.  L.C.,  219-220. 

The  grants  recorded  in  the  additions  are  tabulated  in  Stuart's  Preface, 
pp.  Ixi-lxiii.     Cf.  Macbain's  ed.,  151. 

These  additions  appear  to  be  written  at  a  later  date  than  the  charters 
copied  in  the  Book  of  Kells  (q.v.).  Cf.  below,  note  under  no.  7  ;  year 
1131X. 

Book  of  Kells  Charters  in  the  Book  of  Kells,  ed.  J.  O'Donovan,  in 
Irish  Archaeological  Society,  Miscellany,  i,  127-158  (Dublin,  1846).  These 
were  copied,  according  to  J.  T.  Gilbert,  "  towards  the  latter  part  of  the 
i2th  century."     Cf.  National  MSS.  of  Ireland,  ii,  nos.  59-61. 

Book  of  Leinster  (R.I. A.  MS.  H.  2.  18).  "  The  Book  of  Leinster,  some- 
time called  the  Book  of  Glendalough,  a  collection  of  pieces,  prose  and 
verse,  in  the  Irish  language,  compiled,  in  part,  about  the  middle  of  the 
twelfth  century.  .  .  .  With  introduction,  analysis  of  contents,  and  index  by 
R.  Atkinson"  (Dublin,  1880).     In  facsimile. 

This  collection  was  written  at  various  times.  A  note  on  p.  275  fixes  the 
date  of  that  part  of  the  MS.  as  ist  August,  11 66.  A  note  on  p.  288  (written 
1166x1167)  laments  the  expulsion  of  Diarmait  Murchaid's  son  (tii7i). 
The  original  book  ends  on  p.  354.     It  was  added  to  at  various  times. 

See  Todd,  R.S.  48,  pp.  ix-xii  ;  O'Curry,  MS.  Materials,  184-186.  Cf. 
above,  under  Berchan.  Facsimile  pages  are  given  by  Gilbert  in  the 
National  MSS.  of  Ireland,  ii,  nos.  53-55. 

Book  of  Lismore.  W.  Stokes  :  Lives  of  Saints  from  the  Book  of 
Lismore.  Anecdota  Oxoniensia,  Medieval  and  Modern  Series,  part  5 
(Oxford,  1890).  The  Book  of  Lismore  "was  compiled  from  the  lost  Book 
of  Monasterboice  and  other  manuscripts,  in  the  latter  half  of  the  15th 
centuiy"  (Stokes). 

Book  of  Iilandaff :  edited  by  Evans  and  Rhys,  Welsh  Texts,  iv  (Oxford, 
1893).     Previously  edited  and  translated  by  W.  J.  Rees  ;  Llandovery,  1840. 

A  collection  of  various  historical  materials,  made  about  1132. 

Bouquet,  Martin;  and  others.  Recueil  des  Historiens  des  Gaules  et 
de  la  France.     Paris,   1738- 1876. 

Bower,  Walter  :  Scotichronicon  [to  1437].  Edited  by  Walter  Goodall 
(Edinburgh,  1759)  ;  previously  by  Thomas  Hearne  (Oxford,   1722). 

This  is  a  recension  of  Fordun's  work.  Fordun's  continuator  (to  1437) 
was  born  in  1385,  and  began  to  write  his  compilation  in  I44r.  He  may 
have  been  named  Bower,  Bowyer,  or  Bowmaker.  It  is  convenient  to  retain 
the  name  by  which  he  has  been  known. 

Goodall's  text  is  based  upon  a  MS.  in  Edinburgh  University  Library. 
The  "Book  of  Coupar"  (Advocates'  Library  MS.  35.  i.  7)  is,  according 
to  Skene,  an  abridged  text  by  the  same  compiler.  Another  abridge- 
ment (the  "Book  of  Perth")  was  made  by  a  Carthusian  at  Perth  probably 
before  1451  (Advocates'  Library  35.  6.  7  ;  paper).  In  this  MS.  the 
statement  appears  that  the  first  5  books  had  been  written  by  "John 
Fordoun,  a  priest"  ;  the  other  11  books  by  "the  reverend  father  in  Christ, 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  xxxix 

sir  Walter  Bowmaker,  formerly  abbot  of  the  island  of  St.  Columba 
[Inchcolm],  who  died  in  the  year  of  the  Lord  1449."  In  another  paper  MS. 
(Adv.  Lib.  35.  5.  2),  Fordun's  continuator  is  called  Walterus  Boware. 

Another  text  is  the  "Black  Book  of  Paisley"  (British  Museum,  Royal 
Library  MS.   13  E  X). 

For  the  various  manuscripts  see  Skene's  Preface  to  Fordun. 
Bower's   work   is   not   included   here  ;  but   is  occasionally  quoted  and 
referred  to,  principally  for  ecclesiastical  details.     He  drew  from  sources  of 
information  that  have  now  been  lost. 

Brandkrossa  Thdttr,  ed.  G.  Thordarson,  in  Nordiske  Oldskrifter,  v 
(1848)  ;  Vigfusson,  Origines  Islandicae,  ii,  533-536  ;  J.  Jakobsen,  Samfund, 
29,  183-191  (Copenhagen,  1903).  This  is  an  unhistorical  fragment,  con- 
taining some  genealogical  details.  It  may  have  been  composed  originally 
in  the  13th  century  ;  but  survives  in  manuscripts  of  the  17th  and  i8th 
centuries. 

Brechin.  Registrum  Episcopatus  Brechinensis  ;  ed.  C.  Innes,  B.Cl. 
102  (1856). 

Brenna  Adams  Byskups  (t  1222),  in  Fl.,  ii,  529-530;  ed.  Vigfusson 
and  tr.  Dasent,  R..S.  88,  i,  229-230 ;  iii,  232-233.  Also  in  Collectanea, 
355-356. 

Breviary  of  Aberdeen.  Edited  by  William,  bishop  of  Aberdeen  ;  vol.  i 
(the  winter  part;  December  to  June)  published  on  1st  February,  1509; 
vol.  ii  (the  summer  part)  published  on  4th  June,  15 10  (Edinburgh).  Both 
volumes  were  reprinted  in  facsimile  for  the  Bannatyne  Club  (and  simultane- 
ously for  the  Spalding  Club  and  the  Maitland  Club)  in  1854  (London). 
This  contains  a  collection  of  local  traditions  of  saints'  lives,  preserved 
orally  or  in  writing  ;  it  is  of  value  as  evidence  of  the  existence  of  traditions 
in  the  beginning  of  the  i6th  century. 

The  martyrology  is  the  3rd  section  with  separate  pagination  in  both 
volumes. 

Brevis   Relatio    de  Origine  Willelmi   Conquestoris.      Edited  by  J.  A. 

Giles,   Scriptores   Rerum    Gestarum  Willelmi  Conquestoris,    1-23   (Caxton 

Society,   1845).     Apparently  written  in  the  time  of  his  son,  king  Henry  I. 

Brompton,    John    of    (fl.     1437):      Chronicon     (to     1198).       Twysden, 

Scriptores,  721-1284.     An  inaccurate  compilation,  of  uncertain  date. 

Brut  d'  Angleterre.     See  Wace. 

Brut  y  Saesson.  Two  Welsh  chronicles  are  called  by  this  name.  One 
(to  1 197)  was  edited  from  Cottonian  MS.  Cleopatra  B  V,  fos.  109-162,  in 
Myvyrian  Archaiology,  652-684  (Denbigh,  1870).  This  is  part  (Brenhined 
y  Saesson)  of  the  chronicle  beginning  on  fo.  i,  and  entitled  the  Brut,  or 
Ystoriaeu  Brenhined  Ynys  Brydeyn. 

Another  (850-1382)  is  edited  from  the  Red  Book  of  Hergest  (a  MS.  of 
the  end  of  the  14th  century),  by  J.  G.  Evans,  in  Rhys  and  Evans's  Bruts 
from  the  Red  Book  of  Hergest,  385-403  (Oxford,  1890). 

Brut  y  Tywyssogion  ("Chronicle  of  the  Princes").  Two  Welsh 
chronicles  have  been  called  by  this  name.  One  (running  from  680  to 
1282)  has  been  edited  by  J.  G.  Evans,  from  the  Red  Book  of  Hergest,  a 
MS.  of  the  end  of  the  14th  century  (Rhys  and  Evans,  Welsh  Texts,  vol.  ii : 


xl  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

Bruts  from  the  Red  Book  of  Herg-est,  257-384  ;  Oxford,  1890).  It  was 
previously  edited,  from  the  same  MS.,  in  Myvyrian  Archaiology  (1801  ed., 
ii,  391-582  ;  (1870  ed.),  602-651  ;  from  the  same  and  other  MSS.  by  J.  W. 
Ab  Ithel,  in  R.S.  17  (i860)  ;  and,  to  1066,  by  Aneurin  Owen,  in  Petrie's 
M.H.B.,  841-855  (1848). 

The  value  of  extracts  given  from  this  chronicle  is  uncertain.  I  refer  to 
the  pages  of  Evans's  edition.  For  the  MSS.  used  by  Ab  Ithel,  see  his  ed., 
pp.  xlv,  xlvii-xlviii. 

According  to  Liebermann  (M.G.H.,  xxvii,  444-446)  the  nucleus  of  this 
work  is  a  Welsh  translation  (ascribed  to  Caradoc  of  Llancarvan)  of  the 
Annales  Cambriae  to  954;  probably  also  of  their  continuation,  to  1 100, 
although  it  is  uncertain  whether  the  continuation  is  not  derived  from  the 
Brut.  From  iioo  to  11 20  the  Brut  is  ascribed  to  Caradoc  (who  died  about 
the  middle  of  the  12th  century).  From  1120  to  1282,  the  chronicle  is  the 
work  of  various  hands  ;  the  part  relating  to  the  13th  century  being  attributed 
to  Cistercians  of  Strata  Florida. 

None  of  the  surviving  copies  appears  to  be  earlier  than  the  14th  century. 
Another  chronicle  of  the  same  name  (from  660  to  1196)  was  edited  by 
Owen  Jones  in  the  Myvyrian  Archaiology  (1870  ed.,  pp.  685-715). 

Cambuskenneth.  Registrum  monasterii  S.  Marie  de  Cambuskenneth, 
ed.  Sir  William  Fraser.     Grampian  Club,  4  (Edinburgh,  1872). 

Camden,  William  :  Anglica,  Normannica,  Hibernica,  Cambrica,  a 
veteribus  Scripta  (Frankfurt,  1602,  and  1603).  Britannia  (London,  1586; 
latest  ed.,   1607  ;  tr.  R.  Gough,   1789,  and  1806). 

Carmen  de  Morte  Sumerledl,  by  William,  a  priest  of  Glasgow.  Edited 
by  Skene,  Fordun,  i,  449-451  (1871),  from  MS.  C.C.C.C.  139,  fo.  133  (the 
12th-century  MS.  of  S.D.,  s.f.) ;  independently  by  J.  Raine,  S.S.  70,  78-80 
(1880  ;  cf.  S.S.  51  (1868),  p.  Ixix)  ;  by  T.  Arnold,  R.S.  75,  ii,  386-388  (1885)  ; 
and  from  Skene,  in  L.A.,  80-83. 

This  "Song  upon  the  death  of  Someried"  is  written  in  doggerel  Latin 
verse,  m  lines  of  15  syllables,  with  artificial  alternate  accent.  There  is 
usually  dissyllabic  end-rhyme  or  assonance,  in  couplets.  The  rhyming 
syllables  would  be  unaccented  in  prose.  There  is  usually  also  internal 
rhyme  or  assonance  of  syllables  3-4  with  syllables  7-8  in  each  line. 

Chalmers,  George  :  Caledonia.  New  edition.  (Paisley,  1887-1902) 
First  published  in  London,  1807-1824. 

Chronicle  in  Edinburgh  University  Library  MS.  no.  27  (1057-1401)  ; 
ed.  Miss  C.  R.  Boriand,  Catalogue  of  the  Western  Medieval  MSS.  in 
Edinburgh  University  Library,  329-332  (Edinburgh,  1916). 

Chronicle  of  Anjou  (to  1057,  with  continuation  to  1251).  Called  also 
Chronicle  of  Vendome ;  ed.  Marchegay  and  Mabille,  Chroniques  des 
Eghses  d'Anjou,  155-177.     Selections  are  edited  in  B.R.,  vi-viii,  x-.xii.  xviii 

Chronicle  of  Anjou.  The  chronicle  quoted  under  1174  is  one' of  the 
chronicles  of  St  Albinus'  abbey  in  Angers.  It  runs  to  the  year  1200  and 
has  later  additions.  It  is  edited  in  Labbe's  Nova  Bibliotheca,  i  27C-280 
(Pans,  1657).  ^ 

Chronicle  of  Carlisle,  ed.  Palgrave,  68-76.  This  chronicle  was  sent  to 
king  Edward  on  20th  May,  1291,  by  the  canons  of  the  cathedral  church  of 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  xli 

Carlisle.  The  seal  of  the  chapter  was  attached.  The  manuscript  was 
endorsed  Cronica  de  Karleolo.  It  has  much  in  common  with  the  Chronicle 
of  Huntingdon.     See  also  Chronicles  of  1291. 

Chronicle  of  Dalriata.     See  Chronicles  of  the  Kings. 

Chronicle  of  Holyrood.  The  edition  referred  to  here  under  this  name 
is  that  of  C.  W.  Bouterwek  :  Monachi  anonymi  Scoti  Chronicon  Anglo- 
Scoticum.  Elberfeld,  1863.  This  version  is  inaccurately  edited  from  a  MS. 
(Durlacensis,  no.  38  ;  Karlsruhe,  no.  345)  in  the  Karlsruhe  library  of  the 
Grand-Duke  of  Baden.  The  chronicle  runs  from  before  the  Christian  era 
to  734,  and  from  1066  to  11 89,  all  written  in  one  hand,  of  the  12th  (or  early 
13th)  century.  Additions  have  been  made,  for  1286,  in  a  I3th-I4th  century 
hand  ;  and  for  1266,  1296-1318,  1355,  in  hands  of  the  I4th-I5th  centuries. 

The  version  in  Lambeth  MS.  no.  440  (beginning  on  fo.  122)  was  edited 
by  Robert  Pitcairn  for  the  Bannatyne  Club  (no.  20;  Edinburgh,  1828), 
under  the  title  (borrowed  from  Wharton)  :  Chronicon  Coenobii  S.  Crucis 
Edinburgensis.  Part  of  this  version,  from  596  to  1163,  had  previously  been 
edited  in  Wharton's  Anglia  Sacra,  i,  152-162  (London,  1691).  The  whole  is 
translated  by  Joseph  Stevenson,  in  his  Church  Historians  of  England,  iv, 
1,  61-75  (London,  1856).  The  Lambeth  version  breaks  off,  incomplete,  in 
the  year-section  for  1163;  but  otherwise  has  the  same  contents  as  the 
Karlsruhe  version.  According  to  Henry  Petrie,  the  writing  of  the  Lambeth 
version  appears  to  belong  to  the  I2th  century. 

On  foho  2  of  the  Lambeth  MS.,  this  note  is  written,  in  a  hand  of  the 
13th  century:  "Book  of  St  Mary  of  St  Serf's  [Liber  S.  Mariae  de  S. 
Servand],  by  gift  of  William,  Duncan's  son,  formerly  parson  of  that  church." 
It  seems,  therefore,  that  the  MS.  volume  (or  part  of  it)  in  which  the  Lambeth 
copy  is  now  bound  was  presented,  in  the  13th  century,  to  a  church  of  the 
parish  of  St  Serffs,  dedicated  to  St  Mary.  This  parish  is  now  included  in 
the  parish  of  Redgorton,  near  Scone.  A  William,  Duncan's  son,  probably 
a  churchman,  flourished  in  1202  ;  North  Berwick,  no.  6  (cf.  Moray,  no.  50  ; 
1206x8). 

Both  versions  are  probably  copied  from  one  source.  Errors  are  common 
to  both  codices  under  the  years  668,  685,  1068,  1153,  1160.  But  the  Karls- 
ruhe copy  has  preserved  the  true  reading  under  1162  ;  the  Lambeth  copy 
under  11 54.  The  error  at  1153  (where  the  age  of  king  Malcolm  at  his 
accession  is  said  to  have  been  42  years,  instead  of  12)  shows  that  the 
common  source  cannot  have  been  written  contemporaneously  with  this 
event. 

The  source  copied  in  the  Karlsruhe  MS.  was  probably  compiled  in,  or 
soon  after,  1189.  It  was  derived  from  various  chronicles,  and  from  original 
notes  made  or  preserved  in  the  monastery  of  which  the  writer  was  an 
inmate. 

That  the  chronicle  was  written  at  Holyrood  abbey  is  fairly  deducible 
from  original  notes  in  the  year-sections  of  1150,  1152,  1154,  1155,  1160, 
1 161,  1 163  (cf.  the  borrowed  notes  under  1178,  1180;  and  original  refer- 
ences to  Lothian  affairs,  under  1125,  1163,  1164.  The  words  apud  Scotiam 
— s.aa.  1 153,  1 154 — suggest  that  the  place  of  writing  was  to  the  south  of 
the   Forth).     Bouterwek  (p.   viii)  argued  that  the  writer  was  a  monk   of 


xlii  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

Coupar-Angus  (cf.  year-sections  1164,  1170,  1186,  1187).  It  is  possible 
that  the  chronicle  was  begun  at  Holyrood  (which  was  founded  in  1 128), 
and  continued  at  Coupar  (which  was  established  in  1164);  but  the  connection 
with  Coupar  is  by  no  means  proved. 

The  Chronicle  of  Holyrood,  though  brief,  is  valuable.  It  is  the  only 
early  Scottish  companion  to  the  Chronicle  of  Melrose.  Unfortunately, 
there  is  no  satisfactory  edition  of  either :  the  sources  have  not  been 
critically  traced. 

The  notes  entered  in  the  Holyrood  chronicle  are  often  so  curtailed  that 
it  is  difficult  to  ascertain  their  origin.  Original  notes  appear  from  the 
year  1136  to  the  end.  The  Chronicle  of  Melrose  has  been  borrowed  from, 
down  to  the  year  1169;  but  the  indebtedness  may  in  some  cases  be 
reversed  :  the  Melrose  chronicle  having  made  use  of  the  notes  upon  which 
the  Holyrood  chronicle  is  based. 

Bede,  with  his  continuator,  is  the  principal  source  of  the  Chronicle  of 
Holyrood  down  to  the  year  734.  Other  sources  drawn  from  independently 
(not  merely  through  the  Chronicle  of  Melrose)  are  : — a  list  of  popes  (1084  ; 
the  other  papal  successions  may  have  been  derived  from  the  Chronicle  of 
Melrose);  some  Salisbury  source  (1078,  io8g,  1092;  cf  1099,  1102,  1107, 
1 138,  where  the  Salisbury  events  may  have  been  derived  from  various 
chronicles)  ;  the  Translatio  S.  Cuthberti  (1069  and  1104)  ;  the  Anglo-Saxon 
Chronicle  (version  E?  ;  to  1109)  ;  Florence  of  Worcester  (to  llio)  ;  Simeon 
of  Durham  (to  1123)  ;  William  of  Malmesbury  (1133)  ;  John  of  Worcester 
(to  1 140) ;  John  of  Hexham  (to  1152)  ;  and  a  history  of  the  crusades  (iioi, 
nil,  1118,  1152,  1187.  Cf  notes  otherwise  obtained  under  1096,  1098, 
1099). 

From  1066  to  1102,  1107,  and  perhaps  later,  the  Chronicle  of  Holyrood 
appears  to  have  been  used  by  the  Annals  of  Margan. 

Chronicle  of  Huntingdon ;  Cronica  Canonicoriim  Beaie  Marie  Hunting- 
donie.  Edited  in  Palgrave,  98-104;  and  in  Skene's  Picts  and  Scots, 
209-213.     I  refer  to  the  pages  of  Skene's  edition. 

This  is  one  of  the  chronicles  of  1291.  It  concludes  thus  :  "And  at  the 
command  of  our  noble  king  the  common  seal  ...  [of  the  chapter  of  the 
canons]  of  St  Mary  of  Huntingdon  has  been  appended  to  this." 

It  appears  to  derive  much  of  its  information  from  the  Chronicle  of 
Melrose. 

Chronicle  of  Lanercost  (1201-1346).  Joseph  Stevenson  :  Chronicon  de 
Lanercost.  B.Cl.  65  and  M.Cl.  46  (Edinburgh,  1839).  This  work,  in  its 
survivmg  form  (Cottonian  MS.  Claudius  D  VII),  was  written  in  the  14th 
century  ;  but  it  is  in  part  copied  from  an  earlier  chronicle.  It  borrows 
material  from  a  source  that  is  used  by  the  Chronicle  of  Man,  and  from  that 
part  of  the  Chronicle  of  Melrose  that  ends  in  1264;  see  below,  and  year 
1251,  note.  Down  to  1273,  the  original  version  was  written  x  1275  (see 
below,  year  ?I266).  Down  to  1279  or  further,  it  was  written  before  1296 
(see  below,  year  1279).  Verses  that  are  entered  1280-1290  were  written 
by  Henry  de  Burgo,  who  became  prior  of  Lanercost  in  1310  (f  1315)  The 
section  for  the  year  1289  was  (?  partly)  written  by  a  contemporary  of 
iatrick,  7th  earl  of  Dunbar  (+1289)   (cf  year-sections   1248,   1267    1289)- 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  xliii 

and  (?  partly)  during  the  lifetime  of  Duncan,  loth  earl  of  Fife  (earl 
1288-1- 1353):  therefore  1289x1353.  Part  of  the  same  year-section  was 
written  1306X. 

From  1272  to  1346,  the  chronicle  has  been  translated  by  Sir  Herbert 
Maxwell  in  S.H.R.,  vi-x  ;  reprinted,  Glasgow,  1913. 

Chronicle  of  Maillezais  (Vendee)  (to  1134);  ed.  B.R.,  vii,  ix-xii.  The 
writer  borrows  from  Julius  Florus,  who  wrote  of  affairs  of  Aquitaine  to 
1 140. 

Chronicle  of  Man  (to  1257,  with  additions  to  1376).  Chronicon  Regum 
Manniae,  ed.  Goss  :  Chronicles  of  Man  and  the  Sudreys,  vol.  i ;  Manx 
Society,  22  (Douglas,  1874.  No.  23,  vol.  ii,  contains  an  appendix  of 
documents).  Goss  gives  a  translation.  His  edition  is  based  upon  the 
edition  and  notes  of  P.  A.  Munch  (Christiania,  i860).  Text  also  in  J.  R. 
Oliver's  Monumenta  de  Insula  Manniae,  Manx  Society,  4,  127-205 
(Douglas,  i860) ;  part  in  Camden,  in  Johnstone's  Antiquitates  Celto- 
Normannicae,  and  in  Langebek,  iii,  209  (1774).  Translated  by  Stevenson, 
Church  Historians,  v,  1. 

This  chronicle  is  part  3  of  Cottonian  MS.  Julius  A  VII.  It  dates  from 
the  middle  or  latter  half  of  the  13th  century,  with  additions  of  the  13th  and 
14th  centuries.  It  begins  at  the  year  1017,  and  is  carried  down  by 
successive  hands  to  1257,  1274,  and  1316.  A  list  of  bishops  appended  to 
it  was  begun  by  the  first  chronicler,  and  continued  by  various  hands  to  1376. 

There  are  considerable  errors  in  the  year-numbers.  The  years  numbered 
1000-1023  are  intended  for  1017-1040;  1027-1056=1046-1075  ;  1073-1077  = 
1093-1097.  1140=1148,  1141-1144=1151-1154.  Calculations  of  the  duration 
of  reigns  and  bishoprics  are  inaccurate. 

The  Chronicle  of  Man  uses,  for  the  history  of  the  islands,  a  source  that 
is  used  also  by  the  Chronicle  of  Lanercost.  It  borrows,  down  to  1190,  from 
the  Chronicle  of  Melrose,  edition  to  1197  ;  and  adds  original  material  from 
1066  onwards. 

Cf.  Alunch's  ed.,  pp.  xxvii-xxviii. 

Chronicle  of  Melrose  (731-1263,  with  continuation  1263-1270)-  The 
edition  used  here  is  that  of  Joseph  Stevenson :  Chronica  de  Mailros 
(Bannatyne  Club,  no.  49),  Edinburgh,  1835.  The  chronicle  was  previously 
edited  by  William  Fulman,  in  his  Rerum  Anglicarum  Scriptores,  i,  135-244  ; 
Oxford,  1684.  I  refer  to  Fulman's  book  under  the  usual  but  incorrect 
designation  of  Gale's  Scriptores,  vol.  i.  Joseph  Stevenson  translated  this 
chronicle  in  his  Church  Historians  of  England,  iv,  1,  79-242  ;  London,  1856. 

The  chronicle  with  its  additions  (fos.  1-74)  occupies  folios  2-75  of  the 
Cottonian  MS.  Faustina  B  IX.  This  is  the  original  codex,  to  which 
additions  were  made  from  time  to  time,  during  perhaps  a  hundred  years, 
by  successive  historiographers  of  the  monastery  of  Melrose. 

The  changes  in  handwriting  should  be  an  aid  towards  determining  the 
times  at  which  the  various  parts  were  written.  This  is  a  matter  for  a 
palaeographical  expert.  The  same  hand  varies  at  different  times,  and  with 
different  pens,  inks,  and  qualities  of  parchment.  Writers  of  one  school 
form  characters  in  similar  ways  ;  and,  in  finishing  a  partly-filled  page, 
a  writer  sometimes  imitates  his  predecessor's  style. 


xliv  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

So  far  as  I  can  tentatively  judge,  new  hands  appear  in  the  following 
year-sections  of  the  chronicle  (to  1263)  1—956  ;  970;  1017  ;  1172;  1198; 
1215;  1215;  1216;  1217;  1218;  1221  ;  1222;  1223;  1234;  1234;  1240; 
1244;  1245  ;  1246. 

Each  year-section  is  begun  upon  a  new  line.  From  974  onwards,  a  line 
is  frequently  left  blank  after  year-sections.  A  half-page  was  left  blank  after 
1016.  From  1171  onwards,  space  is  left  at  the  end  of  the  year-sections,  for 
the  accommodation  of  additional  notes.  These  spaces  have  sometimes 
been  filled  up  afterwards. 

The  first  edition  of  the  chronicle  (to  1171)  was  completed  1178x1198, 
and  perhaps  1185x1186.  See  below,  year  1170,  note.  This  section  of 
the  chronicle  was  used  (down  to  1169)  by  the  compiler  of  the  Chronicle 
of  Holyrood  ;  and  (from  1141  to  1 168)  by  Roger  of  Hoveden. 

Original  material  appears  under  the  years  1128,  1134,  1136,  and  from 
1 140  onwards.  Probably  the  compiler  of  the  1171  edition  utilized  historical 
notes  made  and  preserved  in  the  monastery  of  Melrose,  which  was  founded 
in  1 136. 

Among  the  sources  used  are  : — Bede,  and  his  continuator  ;  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  Chronicle  ;  Florence  of  Worcester  ;  Simeon  of  Durham  ;  William  of 
Malmesbury  ;  John  of  Worcester  ;  John  of  Hexham. 

From  1 172  onwards,  the  work  was  continued  by  various  writers,  more  or 
less  contemporaneously  with  the  events  described.  The  chronicle  to  1263 
was  completed  after  21st  January,  1264.  It  ran  to  folio  62,  but  did  not 
include  folios  60  and  61.  It  contained  three  added  leaves  : — folio  13, 
written  in  1263  (or  1264),  and  added  to  the  year-section  of  1056  (see  below, 
year  1249);  folio  37  (on  the  capture  of  Damietta,  in  1219),  inserted  in  the 
middle  of  the  year-section  of  1221  ;  and  folio  53  (in  an  early  13th  century 
hand;  relating  to  years  945-1193),  inserted  between  the  year-sections  of 
1245  and  1246. 

In  the  blank  space  after  year  1016,  on  folio  10  verso,  this  note  has  been 
added,  in  a  late  13th-century  hand: — "Memorandum:  that  the  abbot  of 
Dundrennan  has  borrowed  the  chronicles  of  Melrose,  in  which  were  14 
quires,  1 19  leaves "  (i.e.,  28  folded  sheets,  bound  in  fours  ;  and  3^  single 
leaves:  in  all,  119  pages,  or  59^  folios).  The  book  borrowed  must  have 
been  the  1264  edition  of  our  Chronicle  of  Melrose  ;  because  it  contains  59i- 
folios,  of  which  three  were  added  leaves. 

In  the  lower  margin  of  folio  45  verso,  under  the  year-section  of  1243,  the 
following  note  has  been  written  :  "  The  abbot  of  Dundrennan  has  received  as 
a  loan  the  remainder  of  these  chronicles.  Vide."  The  two  year-sections  that 
follow,  1244  and  1245  (folios  46-52),  were  probably  copied  in  1263. 

In  the  upper  margin  of  folio  52  verso,  the  writer  who  copied  the 
year-section  of  1245  (folios  48  verso-52  verso)  has  written  the  date  :  "Henry, 
the  king  of  England,  the  son  of  king  John,  has  now  reigned  for  47  years"  ; 
and  in  the  lower  margin,  the  note  :  "Alexander,  king  of  Scotland."  King 
Henry  IPs  47th  year  was  completed  on  27th  October,  1263. 

The  1264  edition  of  the  chronicle  was  used  (down  to  125 1)  by  the 
writer  of  the  Chronicle  of  Lanercost. 

The  added  folios  60-61  were  written  after  [263.    They  describe  miraculous 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  xlv 

incidents  of  life  at  Melrose  ;  and  contain  additional  year-sections  for  the 
years  1260  and  1261. 

On  folio  62  verso,  lists  of  Melrose  abbots,  and  promotions  of  Melrose 
monks,  have  been  added. 

The  continuation  (for  years  1263-1270  ;  folios  63-73)  contains,  under  the 
years  1263,  1264,  1268,  a  treatise  upon  the  affairs  of  Simon  de  Montfort. 
Folio  74  is  entirely  occupied  with  the  history  of  the  crusades.  It  ends 
incomplete  ;  the  remainder  of  the  chronicle  is  lost.  This  continuation  has 
probably  been  copied  by  three  hands,  which  have  written  respectively  folios 
63-68,  69-71,  and  72-74.  Part  of  the  annal  for  1265  was  written  1267  x; 
perhaps  1270 x. 

Notes  for  the  years  1271-2,  1275=  ?i272,  1272-3,  and  1274-5,  have  been 
added  on  folios  62,  59  verso,  and  51. 

A  Prose  Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Dalriata  and  of  Scotland  has  been 
inserted  under  their  death-years,  from  741  to  1165  ;  and,  along  with  this,  a 
Verse  Chronicle  (called  by  Stevenson  and  others  the  Chronicon  Rythmicum 
and  Chronicon  Elegiacum)  has  been  inserted,  from  843  to  12 14.  These, 
and  many  other  marginal  notes  (indicating  successions  of  bishops  and 
abbots,  deaths  of  kings  and  popes,  etc.),  have  been  added  to  the  chronicle 
in  hands  of  the  early  14th  century,  and  later  (cf.  Stevenson's  edition,  p.  xiv). 
There  are  several  erased  or  illegible  notes,  in  margins  and  blank  spaces. 
Some  added  notes  have  been  entered  by  a  contemporary  reviser  ;  some,  by 
the  next  continuator. 

The  Chronicle  of  Melrose  is  the  principal  early  monastic  chronicle  of 
Scotland.  Its  only  companion,  later  (for  the  period  it  covers)  and  briefer, 
is  the  Chronicle  of  Holyrood.  Unfortunately,  neither  of  these  chronicles 
has  been  edited  in  such  a  manner  as  to  indicate  the  parts  that  are  original, 
or  the  sources  from  which  material  has  been  derived. 

In  addition  to  Scottish  affairs,  the  Melrose  chroniclers  have  described 
events  in  England,  Ireland,  France,  and  Palestine  ;  and  have  had  access 
to  documents  relating  to  the  crusades,  and  the  quarrel  between  the  empire 
and  the  papacy. 

Chronicle  of  Peterborough  (654-1 368) :  Chronicon  Angliae  Petriburgense, 
ed.  J.  A.  Giles.  Caxton  Society  (London,  1845).  This  is  a  compilation  of 
little  value.  It  is  largely  derived  from  chroniclers  of  Northampton  and 
Huntingdon  shires.  The  earlier  part  of  the  work  has  been  ascribed  to  a 
John  of  Peterborough  (John  de  Caleto,  abbot  of  Peterborough  1250-1262  ; 
or  John  Deeping,  abbot  1410-1439).  The  fact  that  the  writer  borrowed 
from  CM.  under  1244  does  not  prove  that  the  annal  for  that  year  was 
written  after  1263.     See  under  Chronicle  of  Melrose. 

Chronicle  of  Saint-Aubin  of  Anjou  (to  1200)  ;  ed.  Labbe,  Nova 
Bibliotheca.     See  Chronicle  of  Anjou. 

Chronicle  of  the  Picts.     See  Chronicles  of  the  Kings. 

Chronicle  of  Vendome.     See  Chronicle  of  Anjou  (to  1251). 

Chronicles  of  the  Kings.     These  are  divisible  into  three  groups  :— lists 

of  the  kings  (i)  of  the  Picts  ;  (2)  of  the  Scots  of  Dahiata  ;  (3)  of  Scotland, 

after  the  union  of  Picts  and  Scots.     In  dealing  here  with  different  versions 

in   each  group,   I  find  it  necessary  to  distinguish  the  versions  by  group- 


xlvi  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

names  ("  Chronicles  of  Dalriata,"  "  of  the  Picts,"  and  "  of  the  Kings  of 
Scotland")  and  letters,  which  unfortunately  do  not  correspond  with  the 
letters  used  in  D.K. 

These  chronicles  were  named  by  Skene  :  "  Pictish  Chronicle" ;  "  Chronicle 
of  the  Scots  "  ;  "  Chronicle  of  the  Scots  and  Picts  "  ;  "  Chronicle  of  the 
Picts  and  Scots,"  according  to  the  contents  of  their  earlier  parts.  I  have 
rejected  these  names,  because  I  found  their  use  impracticable. 

The  Chronicles  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland  (after  the  union)  are  preserved 
in  several  versions.  These  vary  from  mere  lists  of  reigns  to  meagre 
histories  ;  and  are  carried  down  to  different  periods,  according  to  the  time 
of  their  composition.     I  refer  to  the  following  versions  by  letters  : — 

A.  Colbertine  MS.,  Bibl.  Imp.  Paris.  4126  ;  ed.  Innes,  Critical 
Essay,  416-418  ;  Pinkerton,  Enquiry,  i,  494-497  ;  and  Skene,  Picts  and 
Scots,  8-10,  no.  I.     See  version  E. 

This  is  a  considerably  expanded  version.  It  ceases  before  995.  Van 
Praet's  description  of  the  MS.,  corrections  of  Innes's  transcripts  (in  ist  ed.), 
and  diplomatic  copy,  were  printed  in  Pinkerton,  i,  476-487.  A  facsimile  is 
in  P.  &  S.,  2  X  3. 

B.  Bodleian  MS.,  Laud  610  ;  ed.  O'Donovan,  in  Todd's  Irish  Nennius, 
p.  Ixxv  ;  and  Skene,  P.  &  S.,  29-30,  no.  5  c. 

This  is  an  unexpanded  version,  preserved  as  an  addition  to  the  Irish 
version  of  Nennius.     It  was  composed  before  1093. 

C.  Trinity  College  of  Dublin  MS.,  H.  3.  17  ;  in  Todd,  u.s.,  162  ;  and 
P.  &  S.,  400,  Appendix  no  2. 

This  also  is  a  mere  list,  an  Irish  version,  composed  before  1093. 

D.  Advocates'  Library  MS.  34.7.3  ;  in  Skene,  P.  &  S.,  151-152,  no  23. 
An   expanded  version,   running   to    1058  ;    probably  composed   before 

1093. 

Version  D  begins  with  this  prologue  (Skene's  P.  &  S.,  148)  :  "  Short 
Chronicle.  The  sum  of  the  years  of  the  first  Scots,  who  reigned  before  the 
Picts,  260  years  and  3  months.  The  sum  [of  the  years]  of  the  Picts,  1061 
years.  The  sum  [of  the  years]  of  the  Scots  after  the  Picts,  337  years  and 
5  months.     The  sum  total,  1,668  years  and  8  months. 

"  It  is  to  be  noted  that  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  began  443  years  before 
the  Lord's  Incarnation." 

Skene  dates  this  in  1187. 

The  "sum  total"  shows  error  in  addition,  or  in  the  transcription  of 
some  of  the  figures.  337  years  5  months  from  843  would  give  1180  or  1181  ; 
but  the  chronicle  stops  at  1058.  It  is  probable  that  this  prologue  is  later 
in  origin  than  the  chronicle. 

E.  Colbertine  MS.  (as  A).  In  Innes,  Critical  Essay,  419-420  ;  Skene, 
P.  &  S.,  130-133,  no.  16. 

Unexpanded  to  1005;  much  expanded  from  1018  to  1165,  as  if  in 
continuation  of  A.     Composed  before  1214. 

F.  Register  of  the  priory  of  St.  Andrews,  Harleian  MS.  4  628  In 
Innes,  Essay,  423-425  ;  Skene,  P.  &  S.,  174-176,  no.  29. 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  xlvii 

A  somewhat  expanded  version,  composed  before  1249,  and  continued 
to  1255. 

G.  Cottonian  MS.  Vitellius  A  XX.     In  P.  &  S.,  301-303,  no.  39. 

This  is  the  second  version  in  this  MS.  See  under  version  M.  Version  G 
is  an  expanded  one  from  1057.  It  was  composed  before  1249,  and  after- 
wards continued  to  1286. 

H.  John  of  Eversden's  version,  in  E.H.S.  ed.  of  Florence  of  Worcester, 
ii,  252-253  ;  E.G.,  2-3. 

This  version  is  unexpanded,  and  seems  to  have  been  composed  originally 
1281 X 1286. 

I.  Sir  T.  Phillipps  MS.  31 19.     In  P.  &  S.,  288-290,  no.  36. 
An  expanded  version,  composed  1286  x  1292. 

K.  Thomas  Gray's  Scalachronica,  in  the  Corpus  Christi  College  of 
Cambridge  MS.  Edited  by  J.  Stevenson,  M.Cl.  40  (1836),  116-118;  and 
by  Skene,  P.  &  S.,  204-208. 

This  is  an  Old-French  rendering  of  an  expanded  version  composed 
1292  X  1296. 

L.  Cottonian  MS.  Claudius  D  VII  ;  ed.  Stevenson,  M.Cl.  28,  137-139; 
Skene,  P.  &  S.,  295-297,  no.  38. 

This  version  goes  down  to  1334,  and  was  probably  written  1334  x  1335. 
It  is  expanded  at  the  end.  In  addition  to  its  primary  source,  version  L 
refers  also  to  a  secondary  source  (L  2),  which  runs  to  1249. 

M.  Cottonian  MS.  Vitellius  A  XX.     In  P.  &  S.,  299-301,  no.  39. 
This  version  is  expanded  from  1057  ;  it  stops  at  1290.     The  MS.  appears 
to  have  been  written  1348  x .     Cf.  under  version  G. 

N.  Harleian  MS.  1808.     In  P.  &  S.,  305-307,  no.  40. 

This  version  (slightly  expanded)  is  dated  1465,  in  a  different  hand  ;  but 
the  last  king  mentioned  is  Robert  III,  who  died  in  1406.  There  are  some 
strange  errors  in  this  version.  It  is  probably  based  upon  a  version  that 
ran  to  William's  reign.  A  Sumnia  annoivm  is  entered  after  William's 
death.     See  below,  year  859,  note. 

I  refer  generally  to  the  editions  in  Skene's  Picts  and  Scots. 

Prefixed  to  their  Chronicles  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  versions  ABC 
contain  a  Chronicle  of  the  Picts  ;  versions  EN,  a  Chronicle  of  Dalriata  ; 
versions  DFIK,  Chronicles  of  the  Picts  and  of  Dalriata. 

The  three  sections  are  distinctly  separated  in  FIK.  In  A,  the  Chronicle 
of  the  Picts  (with  a  title)  forms  the  preface.  In  ABC,  the  conclusion  of  the 
first  section  is  marked  by  the  word  "and"  preceding  the  last  king  of  the 
Picts.  In  E,  the  kings  of  Scotland  follow  the  kings  of  Dalriata  without 
interruption  ;  but  the  title  of  the  whole  is  applicable  to  the  Chronicle  of 
Dalriata  only.  In  N,  the  Chronicle  of  Dalriata  (with  a  title)  forms  the 
preface.  In  'D,_filius,  in  patronymics  of  the  Pictish  kings,  gives  place  to  mac 
in  patronymics  of  the  kings  of  Scotland.  Filius  appears  throughout  in 
AEILM.  In  the  Chronicle  of  Dalriata  in  N,  mak  appears.  In  the 
Chronicle  of  the  Picts  in  BC,  7nac  is  used  down  to  Nechtan  Mor-brecc  ; 


xlviii  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

fiUus,  afterwards,  except  for  Brude  Maelchon's  son,  Gartnait  Foith's  son,  and 
Giric  Dungal's  son.  Mac  (or  ua)  appears  in  B  from  1034  to  1058  ;  in  C, 
from  1005  to  1058  ;  in  D,  from  843  to  1040  ;  in  F,  from  843  to  1097  {filius 
from  1 165) ;  in  G,  from  843  to  997  ;  in  H,  from  843  to  1058  (except  at  1034, 
nepos);  in  K,  from  877  to  997;  in  N,  from  843  to  lo\o  ijilius  ixom  1 165 
onwards). 

Fordun  in  his  Ciironicle  (IV,  10,  12;  i,  152-155)  gives  a  version  of  the 
Chronicle  of  the  Picts.  It  stops  at  the  union,  with  the  words  "Deo gratias." 
Some  of  the  notes  are  attributable  to  Fordun  himself.  Skene's  edition  does 
not  profess  to  give  the  exact  spelling  of  Fordun's  words. 

Versions  of  the  Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland  are  the  basis  of  the 
Duan  Albanach  (which  contains  also  the  kings  of  Dalriata) ;  the  Chronicle 
of  Huntingdon  ;  the  Verse  Chronicle  ;  and  the  Chronicon  Rhythmicum 
(containing  also  the  kings  of  Dalriata). 

Chronicles  of  1291.  In  obedience  to  king  Edward's  command,  search 
was  made  in  the  chronicles  that  were  preserved  in  religious  houses  ;  and 
abstracts  of  material  pertinent  to  the  relations  between  England  and 
Scotland  were  sent  in  from  Bath,  Battle,  Bridlington,  Burton-upon-Trent, 
Carlisle  (see  Chronicle  of  Carlisle),  Crowland,  Dover,  Evesham,  Faversham, 
Gloucester,  Huntingdon  (see  Chronicle  of  Huntingdon),  London,  Malmes- 
bury,  Newburgh,  Norwich,  Reading,  Salisbury,  Sawtry,  Tewkesbury, 
Worcester  (these  are  edited  in  Palgrave,  56-134) ;  Chester  (noticed  in  Bain, 
ii,  313-214)  ;  and  others. 

These  abstracts  are  generally  derived  from  surviving  chronicles  (notably 
F.W.,  H.H.,  W.M.),  and  have  no  special  value. 

The  commissioners  appointed  for  the  purpose  made  a  summary  return 
of  the  salient  contents  of  these  abstracts  ;  ed.  Palgrave,  134-137. 

King  Edward's  letter  to  pope  Boniface  was  based  upon  the  finding  of  the 
commissioners,  and  states  the  case  of  England  in  her  claim  to  superiority 
over  Scotland. 

Chronicon  Fiscanense  (Chronicle  of  Fecamp;  to  1220),  ed.  Labbe,  and 
P.L.  147,  479-484.     Extracts  in  B.R.,  xi,  xii,  xviii,  xxiii. 

Chronicon  Hanoniense  (to  1278).  Extracts  ed.  J.  Heller,  M.G.H,, 
Scriptores,  xxv,  419-467. 

Chronicon  Rhythmicum  (to  1437)  ;  ed.  Skene,  P.  &  S.,  332-340.  Previ- 
ously ed.  in  the  Appendix  to  Innes's  Essay,  426-431.  Written  ?  1454 
(1437x1460). 

This  verse  history  is  preserved  in  MSS.  of  Fordun.  It  contains  versions 
of  the  Chronicles  of  Dalriata  and  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland.  Innes  (331)  and 
Skene  (p.  Ixx)  claim  part  to  have  been  written  before  the  death  of 
Alexander  III  ;  but  the  poem  appears  homogeneous.  I  give  very  few 
references  to  this  chronicle,  and  have  not  collated  it  with  the  Chronicles 
of  the  Kings. 

Chronicon  Scotorum  (to  722,  804-1135,  1141-1150),  ed.  W.  M.  Hennessy 
R.S.  46  (1866).  ' 

This  contains  a  somewhat  inaccurate  abridgement  of  Tigernach's 
Annals,  or  copy  of  Tigernach's  source.  It  preserves  a  version  of  the  years 
804-973,  and  1004-1016,  that  are  missing  in  the  surviving  copy  of  Tigernach. 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  xlix 

Down  to  643,  the  years  are  indicated  by  frequent  ferial  numbers  ;  but  these 
have  been  carelessly  copied,  and  are  almost  valueless  for  the  identification 
of  the  years  intended.  See  under  Tigernach,  below.  From  1098  onwards, 
the  years  are  sufficiently  indicated  by  calendar  data. 

The  year-sections  are  dated  in  the  edition  by  sequence,  without  regard 
to  the  ferial  numbers,  down  to  1131  =  1135.  Hennessy  has  added  one  year 
between  the  sections  numbered  by  him  429  and  431,  and  between  his  471 
and  473.  Otherwise  his  dates  are  useful,  because  they  show  the  interval  of 
years  in  the  chronicle  between  events.  Hennessy's  years  1012-1061  are 
behind  the  true  number  of  the  year  intended  by  2  years  ;  1063  -  ca.  1069, 
by  3;  1092-1131,  by  4.     His  year-numbers  1141-1150  are  correct. 

Chronicon  Vizeliaeense  (Chronicle  of  the  monastery  of  V^zelay). 
Partly  edited  (660-1316)  in  Labbe's  Nova  Bibliotheca,  i,  394-398  (1657). 
Extracts  in  B.R.,  xi,  xii,  xviii. 

Chronlque  de  Normandle.  Extracts  (to  1174)  in  B.R.,  xi,  320-343  ;  xiii, 
221-256.  Written  in  the  13th  century  ;  a  version  (to  1106)  and  continuation 
of  Wace's  Roman  de  Rou. 

Chronlque  de  Saint-Denis  (to  1223,  with  continuations  to  1461),  ed.  B.R., 
iii,  v-viii,  x-xii,  xvii. 

Cistercian  Foundations  to  1234.  Cottonian  MS.  Faustina  B  VII, 
fos.  36-39;  ed.  W.  de  G.  Birch,  J.B.A.A.,  xxvi,  281-292.  Folio  39,  for  the 
years  1191-1234,  is  written  in  a  later  hand  than  that  which  wrote  the 
previous  folios  (for  1098-ligo). 

Cistercian  Foundations  to  1247.  Cottonian  MS.  Vespasian  A  VI, 
fos.  55  verso-60;  ed.  W.  De  G.  Birch,  J.B.A.A.,  xxvi,  357-365. 

These  lists  of  foundations  were  derived  from  a  complete  list  which 
appears  to  have  been  kept  in  the  monastery  at  Cileaux. 

Claudian  (Claudius  Claudianus  Alexandrinus,  t  in  the  beginning  of  the 
5th  century) :  Carmina,  ed.  T.  Birt,  in  M.G.H.,  Auctores,  vol.  x  (1892). 
Claudian  speaks  several  times  of  the  British  islands  and  their  inhabitants, 
but  in  a  manner  difficult  to  turn  to  historical  use.  He  is  one  of  the  sources 
for  the  history  of  Britain  under  the  Romans.  Some  of  his  writings  were 
known  to  Gildas. 

Close  Rolls,  i  (1204- 1 224),  ed.  T.  D.  Hardy  (Record  Commission,  folio, 
1833).  The  following  volumes  of  the  octavo  series  (H.M.  Stationery  Office) 
are  distinguished  by  their  years  of  publication  : — 1902  (1227-1231),  1905 
(1231-1234),  1908  (1234-1237),  1911  (1237-1242),  1916  (1242-1247)  ;  and  the 
Calendars  of  the  Close  Rolls,  (abstracts  of  their  contents)  ed.  W.  H. 
Stevenson: — 1900  (1272-1279),  1902  (1279-1288),  1904  (1288-1296),  1906 
(1296- 1 302). 

Clyn,  John:  Annales  Hiberniae  (to  1349),  ed.  R.  Butler,  in  Annals  of 
Ireland.     Irish  Archaeological  Society  (1849). 

Colgan,  J. :  Acta  Sanctorum  Veteris  Scotiae  seu  Hiberniae  (Louvain, 
1645).     1st  January  to  31st  March. 

Colgan,  J. :    Trias   Thaumaturga   (Louvain,   1647).     Contains    Lives   of 
Patrick,  Columba,  and  Bridget.     This  is  vol.  ii  of  Colgan's  Acta  Sanctorum. 
Collectanea  de  Rebus  Albanicis,  ed.  lona  Club.     W.  F.  Skene  contri- 
buted to  the  contents  : — extracts  translated  from  Icelandic  literature  ;  Iri'sh 

d 


1  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

materials  reprinted  from  O'Conor's  Rermn  Hibernicarum  Scriptores,  with 
translations  ;  some  Higliland  pedigrees  ;  and  a  late  history  of  the  origin 
of  the  Macdonalds. 

Corpus  Poetloum  Boreale,  ed.  G.  Vigfusson  and  F.  Y.  Powell  (Oxford, 
1883).  A  collection  of  Icelandic  verse  ;  now  more  critically  edited  by 
F.  Jonsson.     See  under  Jonsson. 

Coupar.  Rental  Book  of  the  Cistercian  abbey  of  Cupar-Angus,  with 
the  Breviary  of  the  Register  ;  ed.  C.  Rogers.  Grampian  Club,  17  (London, 
1 879- 1 880). 

Cuanu's  Book.  See  under  Annals  of  Ulster.  The  book  was  written  in 
the  8th  century,  or  later.  There  is  nothing  to  show  from  which  Cuanu  this 
work  took  its  name  :  possibly  he  may  have  been  the  abbot  of  Louth,  who 
died  in  825. 

Oummine  (abbot  of  lona,  ca.  657-669).  The  Life  of  Columba  attributed 
to  Cummine  is  the  First  Life  in  Colgan's  Trias  Thaumaturga,  321-324.  It 
is  also  in  Pinkerton's  Vitae,  and  Metcalfe's  Lives  (i,  51-69). 

Cummine  wrote  a  Life  of  Columba,  which  was  used  by  Adamnan.  A 
quotation  from  Cummine  in  Adamnan's  Life  of  Columba  (III,  5)  does  not 
represent  the  exact  words  of  the  Life  attributed  to  Cummine,  but  is  in 
Adamnan's  own  style.  See  below,  pp.  55,  160-161.  There  are  one  or  two 
points  of  difference  between  Adamnan  and  the  earlier  part  of  the  Life 
attributed  to  Cummine,  where  it  might  be  thought  that  that  Life  had  been 
earlier  than  Adamnan's  ;  but  if  the  earlier  part  was  written  by  Cummine, 
the  last  chapters  must  have  been  added  later  :  they  are  abridged  from 
Adamnan.  The  only  distinct  evidence  of  Cummine's  authorship  of  any 
part  is  the  fact  that  his  name  appears  in  one  of  the  MSS. 

The  Life  attributed  to  Cummine  frequently  omits  proper  names  which 
Adamnan  gives.  This  would  prove  that  Cummine's  Life  was  derived  from 
Adamnan's,  but  for  the  fact  that  Adamnan  wrote  on  the  spot  where  such 
information  could  have  been  obtained. 

Transcribers  might  have  been  responsible  for  the  later  spellings  of 
names  in  Cummine  than  in  Adamnan  (cf.  e.g.  Hyona  in  Cummine  with 
loua  in  Adamnan  ;  Fernaus  in  Cummine,  c.  1 5,  with  Virgnous  in  Adamnan, 
III,  19). 

The  parts  of  Adamnan's  Life  that  might  have  been  derived  from  the 
Life  attributed  to  Cummine  are  shown  by  itaHc  type  in  Dr  Fowler's 
excellent  edition  of  Adamnan.  It  seems  to  me,  however,  that  the 
attribution  to  Cummine  must  be  rejected,  since  there  is  practically  no 
evidence  in  its  favour. 

D'Achery,  Luc:  Veterum  Scriptorum  Spicilegium  (Paris,  1655-1677  ; 
and  1723). 

Daventry,  Chartulary  of  the  Priory  of  Cottonian  MS.  Claudius  D 
XII. 

De  Bello  Hastingensi  Carmen,  ed.  M.H.B.  ;  Giles,  Scriptores,  27-51  ; 
and  C.A.N.,  iii.     The  author  was  Wido  (?  Guy  of  Amiens,  t  ca.  1075). 

De  Domibus  Religiosis.  De  Partitione  Anglie  per  Comitatus,  et 
domibus  religiosis  in  eis  contentis.  Cottonian  MS.  Cleopatra  A  XII, 
fos.  46-57  ;   ed.  J.B.A.A.,  xxviii,  61-62.     The  Scottish  part  was  edited  by 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  li 

Stevenson,  Gray's  Scalachronica,  241-242  ;  in  H.  &  S.,  ii,  181-182  ;  part  in 
Skene's  Celtic  Scotland,  ii,  510.  Lothian,  Scotland,  and  Wales,  are  placed 
at  the  end  of  the  list. 

On  the  page  preceding  this  tract,  a  list  of  the  archbishops  of  Canterbury 
is  brought  down  by  the  original  hand  (a  hand  of  the  latter  half  of  the  13th 
century)  to  1279  (written  1279  x  1292  ;  with  additions  to  the  i6th  century). 
Before  the  list  of  archbishops  is  the  chronicle  of  Henry  de  Silgrave,  carried 
down  to  1272  ;  with  a  space  left  blank  for  additions. 

Deer.     See  Book  of 

De  Inventione  S.  Crucis  Walthamensis.  Edited  by  W.  Stubbs  : 
Foundation  of  Waltham  Abbey  (Oxford  and  London,  1861).  Part  in 
Michel's  C.A.N. ,  ii,  223-254. 

De  Miraculis,  see  De  Translationibus,  and  Miracula. 

De  Morte  Sumerledi.     See  Carmen. 

De  Obsessione  Dvmelmi,  ed.  T.  Arnold,  R.S.  75,  i,  215-220  (also  in 
Twysden).  Composed  in  the  lifetime  of  a  grandson  of  a  granddaughter  of 
Uhtred  (t  ioi6) ;  preserved  in  a  late  12th-century  MS. 

De  Origine  Comitum  Andegavensium.  Edited  as  Historia  Comitum 
Andegavensium,  in  Marchegay  and  Salmon's  Chroniques  des  Comtes 
d'Anjou,  319-363  (S.H.F.,  1871).  Partly  ed.  in  B.R.,  xii,  534-539.  This  is 
an  early  work,  attributed  (without  evidence)  to  Thomas  Pactius  or  de  Parce, 
prior  of  Loches  (t  1168).     Cf.  Potthast,  Bibliotheca,  ii,  1066. 

De  Origine  'Willelmi.     See  Brevis  Relatio. 

De  Primo  Saxonum  Adventu,  ed.  J.  H.  Hinde,  S.S.  ed.  of  S.D.,  i, 
202-215  ;  and  T.  Arnold,  R.S.  75,  ii,  365-384. 

Dermot  and  the  Earl,  Song  of:  ed.  G.  H.  Orpen,  with  translation 
(Oxford,  1892).  Previously  ed.  F.  Michel :  An  Anglo-Norman  poem  of  the 
Conquest  of  Ireland  (London,  1837). 

This  is  an  Old-French  poem,  incomplete  at  the  beginning  and  end  ;  it 
does  not  extend  to  the  death  of  Strongbow.  It  was  written  ca.  1225 
(Orpen,  pp.  xx-xxii).  The  writer  claims  the  direct  authority  of  Morice 
Regan,  Diarmait's  interpreter  (Orpen's  ed.,  2  ;  cf  32,  122),  who  was  sent  to 
demand  the  surrender  of  Dublin  in  1 170. 

De  Situ  Albanie,  ed.  Skene,  P.  &  S.,  135-137  ;  previously  by  Innes, 
Critical  Essay,  Appendix,  411-413.  Van  Praet's  corrections  of  Innes's 
text  are  published  in  Pinkerton's  Enquiry,  i,  477.  Also  in  Johnstone's 
Antiquitates. 

This  is  a  geographical  tract,  taken  from  the  same  Colbertine  MS.  that 
contains  versions  AE  of  the  Chronicles  of  the  Kings.  It  is  dated  by  Skene 
in  1 165,  because  it  sums  up  to  that  year  the  years  of  the  Scottish  dynasty. 

De  Translationibus  S.  Cuthberti,  ed.  T.  Arnold,  R.S.  75,  i,  229-261, 
ii,  333-362;  J.  H.  Hinde,  S.S.  ed.  of  S.D.,  i,  158-201.  Part  at  least  of  this 
work  is  earlier  than  S.D.'s  Histories. 

Dlceto,  Ralph  de  (t  1202  or  1203):  Ymagines  Historiarum  (i  148-1202), 
ed.  W.  Stubbs.     R.S.  68  (1876). 

Diouil:  Liber  de  Mensura  Orbis  Terrarum,  ed.  G.  Parthey  (Berlin,  1870). 

This  is  a  geographical  work,  written  by  an  Irishman  in  825  (p.  85).  In 
speaking  of  the  smaller  islands  of  Britain,  Dicuil  says  (41) :  "  In  some  of 


lii  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

them   I    have   dwelt,    others    I    have  visited,  others  only  seen  ;  of  others 

I  have  read." 

Diplomatarium    Norvegicum,    ed.    C.    R.    Unger,    etc.    (Christiania, 

1849  etc.). 

Donegal.  Martyrology  of  Donegal,  ed.  J.  H.  Todd  and  W.  Reeves. 
Irish  Archaeological  and  Celtic  Society  (Dublin,  1864).  This  is  a  calendar 
of  saints,  compiled  from  various  sources  (many  old,  some  lost)  by  Michael 
O'Clery,  in  1630. 

Doomsday  Book.  Domesday  Book,  seu  Liber  Censualis  Wilhelmi 
Primi,  regis  Angliae,  ed.  A.  Farley  and  H.  Ellis  ;  Record  Commission 
(1783-1816).  Edited  also  in  facsimile,  for  the  different  counties  separately 
(Southampton,  1861-1864).  Translated  (with  indices)  in  the  Victoria 
County  Histories.     See  under  Ellis.     Cf  Gross,  319-321. 

This  book  contains  the  records  of  the  survey  of  1086  (cf.  F.W.  ;  CM.). 

Dowden,  Ep.  John:  The  Bishops  of  Scotland,  ed.  Dr  J.  Maitland 
Thomson.     Glasgow,  1912. 

Droplaugarsona  Saga,  ed.  J.  Jakobsen,  Samfund,  29,  141-17S  (Copen- 
hagen, 1902-1903).  Previously  ed.  K.  Gislason  (Nordisk  Literatur-samfund, 
Copenhagen,  1847);  Mobius,  Analecta  Norrcena  (1859),  184:  Th.  Jonsson 
(Reykjavik,  1878);  and  (with  translation  of  part)  by  G.  Vigfusson,  in 
Origines  Islandicae,  ii,  536-561.     An  English  edition  is  being  prepared. 

This  is  a  romantic  tale  with  an  historical  basis.  It  is  preserved  in  a 
13th-century  form. 

Dryburgh.  Liber  S.  Marie  de  Dryburgh,  ed.  W.  Eraser.  B.Cl.  83 
(Edinburgh,  1847). 

Duald  MacPirbis  (Dubhaltach  mac  Firbisigh)  :  Annals  of  Ireland, 
Three  Fragments  copied  from  Ancient  Sources  ;  ed.  J.  O'Donovan,  Irish 
Archaeological  and  Celtic  Society  (Dublin,  i860),  with  a  translation,  and 
corrected  dates  supplied  from  the  Annals  of  Ulster.  Extracts  in  Skene, 
P.  &  S.,  401-407. 

These  Fragments  are  preserved  in  an  early  copy  from  Duald's  copy. 
They  run  :  (I)  from  573  to  735  ;  (II)  from  662  to  704  ;  and  (III)  from  851 
to  913  (according  to  the  dates  of  A.U.).  Duald's  dates  are  rare,  confused, 
and  untrustworthy.  The  Fragments  are  interesting,  but  legendary  rather 
than  historical.  The  date  of  the  sources  from  which  Duald  copied  them  is 
unknown.  They  appear  to  favour  the  Ui-Neill,  in  opposition  to  Munster. 
The  language  is  late,  with  few  survivals  of  early  forms  ;  there  seems  to  be 
in  it  nothing  that  would  prove  great  age.  Tradition,  handed  down  in 
Duald's  family,  is  without  doubt  a  main  source  of  these  annals. 

Although  the  Fragments  have  preserved  some  valuable  scraps  of 
history,  their  trustworthiness  is  never  certain.  When  they  contradict  other 
sources  (such  as  the  sagas),  they  must  be  taken  with  reserve. 

Duan  Albanach,  ed.  Skene,  P.  &  S.,  57-64.  Previously  ed.  by  Pinkerton, 
Enquiry,  ii,  321-326 ;  O'Conor,  Rerum  Hibernicarum  Scriptores,  i, 
pp.  cxxiv-cxxx  ;  and  Skene,  Collectanea,  70-76. 

It  was  edited  by  O'Conor  from  Stowe  MS.  XLI,  fo.  237,  and  from 
a  transcript  made  by  his  grandfather  :  the  latter  version  had  previously 
been  printed  in  Pinkerton.     ©'Conor's  text  was  reprinted  by  Skene  in  the 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  liii 

Collectanea  ;  Skene's  text  in  the  Picts  and  Scots  was  taken  from  Duald 
Mac-Firbis's  version,  which  had  previously  been  edited  in  the  Irish 
Archaeological  Society's  ed.  of  Duald. 

This  is  a  verse  chronicle,  composed  1058  x  1093,  of  Dalriata  and  the 
Kings  of  Scotland. 

Dublin  Annals  of  Innisfallen  (to  1318)  ;  ed.  (from  250  to  1014,  with 
extracts  to  1088)  by  C.  O'Conor  in  his  Rerum  Hibernicarum  Scriptores, 
vol.  ii,  part  3,  pp.  1-83  (1825) 

The  MS.  was  written  by  John  O'Conor  in  1775,  ''•nd  is  apparently  a  copy 
of  an  earlier  chronicle,  probably  compiled  in  Munster  (perhaps  in 
Inishfallen),  in  the  14th  century,  but  including  older  annalistic  notes. 
Years  are  dated  by  Dionysian  numbers. 

The  MS.  (B.M.  Additional  MS.  4787,  fos.  86-91)  quoted  by  O'Conor  in 
his  notes  upon  these  Annals  is  an  abstract,  copied  in  1624  from  the 
Bodleian  MS.  of  A.I. 

Ducliesne,  Andr6  :  (H.N.S.)  Historiae  Normannorum  Scriptores 
Antiqui  (1619). 

(i-v)  Historiae  Francorum  Scriptores  (1636-1649). 

Dudo  of  Saint- Quentin :  De  Moribus  et  Actis  Primorum  Normanniae 
Ducum,  ed.  J.  A.  Lair,  M6moires  de  la  Societe  des  Antiquaires  de  la 
Normandie,  23  (Ser.  3,  vol.  iii,  part  2).  Also  separately  published  in  the 
same  year  (Caen,  1865).  The  two  publications  have  the  same  pagination, 
but  different  appendix  and  corrigenda.  Part  was  edited  by  Duchesne, 
H.N.S.,  51-151  ;  reprinted  in  P.L.  141,  609-758.  Years  936-960,  in  Pertz, 
M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  iv,  93-106. 

Dudo  was  born  shortly  after  the  middle  of  the  loth  century,  and  died 
before  1043.  Scandinavian  writers  justly  deny  the  trustworthiness  of  his 
account  of  the  early  Scandinavian  settlements  in  France. 

Dunbar,  Sir  ArcMbald  H.  :  Scottish  Kings  (1005-1625),  2nd  ed.  (Edin- 
burgh, 1906).     A  very  helpful  work,  with  useful  chronological  apparatus. 

Dunfermline.  Registrum  de  Dunfermelyn,  ed.  C.  Innes.  B.Cl.  74 
(Edinburgh,  1842). 

Badmer  (til24):    Historia  Novorum  (to   1122),  ed.  M.  Rule,    R.S.  81 

(1884). 

Badmer  :   De  Vita  et  conversatione  Anselmi,  R.S.  81,  305-424. 

Badmer :  Miracles  of  St  Anselm,  ed.  F.  Liebermann,  in  Ungedruckte 
Anglonormannische  Geschichtsquellen  (1879). 

Edward  I,  Letter  to  pope  Boniface  VIII  ;  in  Foedera,  i,  2,  932-933 
(first  edition,  ii  (1705),  883-888).  Written  7th  May,  1301.  This  is  a 
statement  of  Edward's  claim  to  superiority  over  Scotland.  It  is  based 
upon  the  results  of  searches  made  by  the  king's  orders,  in  the  records 
and  chronicles,  in  1291  (see  above  :  Chronicles  of  1291),  and  again  in  1300 
(September  26th  ;  Foedera,  i,  2,  923  ;  cf.  924). 

Egils  Saga.  The  edition  referred  to  here  is  that  of  Finnur  Jonsson  in 
part  3  of  the  Alt-nordische  Saga-Bibliothek  of  G.  Cederschiold,  etc.  ;  Egils 
Saga  Skallagrimssonar  (Halle  a.  S.,  1894).  The  edition  with  readings  of 
different  MSS.  is  that  of  F.  Jonsson,  in  the  Samfund  til  Udgivelse  af 
Gammel  Nordisk  Litteratur,  17,    1-3   (Copenhagen,    1886-1888).     The  text 


liv  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

is  also  published  by  V.  Asmundarsson  in  the  Islendinga  Sogur,  no.  4 
(Reykjavik,  1892)  ;  an  English  translation  by  W.  C.  Green  (London,  1893). 
After  c.  56  Jonsson's  and  Green's  chapters  differ. 

This  saga  was  perhaps  written  towards  the  end  of  the  12th  century. 
It  is  one  of  the  less  historical  of  the  great  Icelandic  sagas.  It  gives  a 
clear  narrative,  but  with  literary  tendencies  that  reduce  its  historical  value  : 
the  narrative  is  frequently  extravagant  and  untrustworthy.  While  it  doubt- 
less contains  much  genuine  tradition,  it  has  not  great  authority  for  the 
history  of  Britain.  Its  evidence,  when  not  otherwise  corroborated,  has 
little  value. 

Eglnhard  (Einhard)  :  Annales  Francorum  (to  829),  ed.  and  tr.  A. 
Teulet,  Einhardi  Opera,  i  (S.H.F.,  1840),  1 18-401.  Also  ed.  G.  H.  Pertz, 
M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  i,  134-218  (1826)  ;  in  Scriptores  Rerum  Germanicarum 
(1839)  ;  and  in  P.L.  104,  368-508  (1851). 

Bginhard  (Einhard):  Vita  Karoli  Imperatoris  (750-814),  ed.  and  tr. 
A.  Teulet,  Einhardi  Opera,  i,  2-1 15  (S.H.F.,  1840).  Also  in  P.L.  97,  25-62 
(1851);  ed.  Pertz,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  ii,  443-463  (1829);  A.  Holder, 
Biicherschatz,  ii  (1882)  ;  Garrod  and  Mowat  (Oxford,  1915).  Several 
translations  and  other  editions. 

This  Life  was  written  in  the  9th  century. 
Eginhard  was  abbot  of  Seligenstadt. 

Biriks  Saga  RauSa,  and  Eiriks  Th^ttr  RauBa.  See  Eric  the  Red's 
Saga. 

BlrspennUl.  This  is  an  early  manuscript,  containing  versions  of  the 
histories  of  Norwegian  kings  from  Magnus  the  Good  to  Hakon  Hakon's 
son  ;  but  the  last  part  of  the  latter  saga  has  been  lost.  From  Sverri's  Saga 
onwards,  Eirspennill  has  been  edited  by  C.  R.  Unger  ;  Konunga  Sogur, 
1-449- 

Bkkehard  :  Chronicon  Universale  (to  1106,  and  continued  to  1125), 
ed.  G.  Waitz,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vi,  17-265.  Also  in  P.L.  154,  499-1060 
(1853). 

Ellis,  H.  :  General  Introduction  to  Domesday  Book.  Record  Com- 
mission, 8vo  (1833).  Contains  indices  of  tenants-in-chief  and  under-tenants 
in  1086  ;  and  of  holders  of  land  before  1086. 

Encomium  Bmmae,  ed.  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xix,  509-525  ;  also  in 
Duchesne's  H.N.S.  ;  Langebek,  ii  ;  Maseres  ;  P.L.  141. 

Brie  the  Red's  Saga,  Karlsefni's  Saga  ;  Tale  of  Eric  Red,  Tale  of  the 
Greenlanders. 

Two  Icelandic  accounts  of  the  discovery  of  America  are  preserved. 
(1)  The  first  is  in  two  sagas,  in  most  respects  identical:  (i)  Thorfinn 
Karlsefni's  Saga,  in  Hauksbok,  ii,  425-444  ;  and  (2)  Eric  the  Red's  Saga,  in 
the  Arnamagnaean  MS.  557,  a  15th  century  copy.  These  sagas  belong 
originally  to  the  latter  part  of  the  13th  century.  A  reconstructed  text  has 
been  edited  by  G.  Storm  (Eiriks  Saga  RauSa  ;  Samfund,  21,  Copenhagen, 
1891).  I  refer  to  both  versions  in  Storm's  edition,  by  the  name  "Eric  the 
Red's  Saga "  ;  and  give  preference  to  Hauksbok.  A  large  part  of  the 
version  in  A.M.  557  is  published  in  Vigfusson  and  Powell's  Icelandic  Prose 
Reader,  123-141  (see  Origines,  ii,  595-597).     It  is  translated  into  English 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  Iv 

by  Vigfusson  in  Origines,  ii,  610-625,  under  the  title  "Thorfinn  Karlsefni's 
Saga." 

Both  these  versions  are  edited,  with  translation  and  facsimiles,  in 
Reeves's  Wineland  the  Good,  104-139,  28-52.  Eric  the  Red's  Saga  is 
translated  by  G.  Storm  :  Erik  den  Rodes  Saga,  eller  Sagaen  cm  Vinland 
(Christiania,  1899). 

Hauk,  Erlend's  son,  for  whom  Hauksbok  was  written,  traced  his  descent 
from  Karlsefni's  son,  born  in  America  (cf.  Reeves,  22  ;  Landnamabok). 

(II).  The  second  account  (of  lower  authority)  is  in  the  Flatey-book 
version  of  OlafTryggvi's  son's  Saga.  It  is  in  two  parts  : — (i)  the  Tale  of  Eric 
the  Red  ;  and  (2)  the  Tale  of  the  Greenlanders.  Both  parts  (Flateyiarbok, 
i,  429-432,  538-549)  are  edited  under  the  latter  title  by  Storm  (u.s.) ;  and 
with  translation  and  facsimiles  by  Reeves  (u.s.,  140-158,  60-78).  They  were 
translated  by  Vigfusson  under  the  name  "The  Wineland  Voyages,"  in 
Origines  Islandicae,  ii,  598-609. 

Both  accounts  are  of  very  great  interest. 

V.i.a.  Gustav  Storm's  Studies  on  the  Vineland  Voyages  (Oldskriftselskab, 
Memoires,  N.S.,  1888,  pp.  307-370  ;  Copenhagen) ;  Fischer's  Entdeckungen 
der  Normannen  in  Amerika  (Freiburg  im  Breisgau,  1902  ;  tr.  B.  H.  Soulsby, 
London,  1903). 

Evans,  J.  Gr.  Bruts  from  the  Red  Book  of  Hergest.  See  Brut  y 
Saesson,  Brut  y  Tywyssogion. 

Eversden,  John  of  (fl.  1300):  Continuation  (1265-1296)  of  the  Chronicon 
ex  Chronicis  of  Florence  of  Worcester.  See  Sir  Ernest  Clarke's  Bury 
Chroniclers  of  the  13th  century,  4,  8-10  (Bury,  1905)  ;  Gross,  Sources  (1915), 
397-398.     Edited  by  B.  Thorpe,  E.H.S.  ed.  F.W.,  ii  (1849). 

Extracta  e  Variis  Cronicis  Scocie,  ed.  W.  B.  B.  Turnbull.  Abbotsford 
Club,  23  (Edinburgh,  1842).  This  is  a  I5th-i6th  century  compilation, 
seldom  referred  to  here. 

Eyrbyggla  Saga.  Ed.  H.  Gering,  Altnordische  Sagabibliothek,  part  6 
(Halle,  1897). 

Parts  of  this  saga  were  edited  and  translated  by  G.  Vigfusson  in 
Origines  Islandicae,  i,  252-266,  ii,  93-135;  cf  ii,  88-93.  The  text  had  been 
published  by  Vigfusson  and  Mobius  (Leipzig,  1864);  but  this  ed.  I  have 
not  seen.  A  translation  appears  in  Morris  and  Magnusson's  Saga 
Library,  ii. 

Vigfusson  attributed  the  first  1 1  chapters  to  Ari.  But  they  appear  to 
contain  a  later  version  of  the  story  of  the  Hebrides  than  is  found  in 
Landnimabok  ;  although  not  so  late  as  that  in  the  Laxdoela  Saga. 

Eyrbyggia  Saga  is  one  of  the  greater  Icelandic  sagas.  It  may,  in  its 
present  form,  have  been  composed  before  the  end  of  the  13th  century.  It 
is  more  literary  than  historical ;  but  contains  traditions  of  some  historical 
value. 

Eyton,  R.  W. :  Court,  Household,  and  Itinerary  of  king  Henry  II 
(London,  1878). 

Paereyinga  Saga.  This  is  found  in  the  Flatey-book,  which  is  the 
principal  text  of  the  edition  quoted  here  :  that  of  CC.  Rafn  (Copenhagen, 
1833),  with  Faroese  and  Danish  translations. 


Ivi  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

This  is  one  of  the  historical  sagas,  but  it  magnifies  the   deeds  of  its 

heroes. 

Fagrskinna,  ed.  F.  Jonsson  ;  Samfund,  30  (Copenhagen,  1902-1903). 

This  is  the  name  given  by  Torfaeus  to  a  version  (Noregs  Kononga  tal) 
of  the  kings'  sagas,  from  Halfdan  the  Black  to  \\^^.  It  was  written  by 
an  Icelander  in  Norway,  about  the  year  1240  ;  in  the  time  of  king  Hakon 
Hakon's  son  (t  1263),  and  probably  for  king  Hakon  himself. 

This  version  is  contemporary  with  the  earlier  written  sagas,  and  is  a 
work  of  some  authority  and  importance. 

A  previous  edition  (with  different  capitulation)  was  made  by  P.  A. 
Munch  and  C.  R.  Unger  (Fagrskinna  :  Kortfattet  Norsk  Konge-Saga,  fra 
Slutningen  af  det  tolfte,  eller  Begyndelsen  af  det  trettende,  Aarhundrede), 
under  the  auspices  of  Det  kongelike  norske  Frederiks  -  Universitet 
(Christiania,   1847). 

Pantosme,  Jordan  (de) :  Chronique  de  la  Guerre  enlre  les  Anglois  et 
les  Ecossois  (1173-1174).  Edited  and  translated,  by  F.  Michel,  in  Surtees 
Society,  11  (1840);  and  in  his  ed.  of  Benoit,  iii,  531-613  (1844):  and  by 
R.  Howlett,  in  R.S.  82,  iii,  202-377  (1886).  Partly  edited  in  M.G.H., 
Scriptores,  xxvii,  54-59,  by  F.  Liebermann  (1885)  ;  and  a  specimen  in 
Paget  Toynbee's  Specimens  of  Old  French,  111-114  (Oxford,  1892). 
Stevenson's  translation,  in  Church  Historians,  iv,  1,  245-288  (1856),  is 
based  upon  Michel's.  The  selections  translated  in  Lawrie's  Annals, 
between  pages  119  and  188,  are  derived  from  Michel  and  Howlett. 

Fantosme  was  a  clerk  of  Henry  of  Blois,  bishop  of  Winchester  ;  and 
may  have  become  chancellor  of  that  diocese. 

PlandMainlstrech  (i.e.  "of  Monasterboice")  :  Synchronisms.  This  is  a 
list  of  the  kings  of  the  different  parts  of  Ireland,  and  of  Dalriata.  The  parts 
that  relate  to  Scotland  were  edited  by  Skene  (Picts  &  Scots,  18-22)  from 
the  oldest  manuscript,  Advocates'  Library  Gaelic  MS.  28  (Kilbride  24); 
he  collated  it  with  and  supplemented  it  from  the  Book  of  Lecan,  and 
Rawlinson  MS.  B  512.  A  version  is  in  the  Book  of  Ballymote,  11-13. 
Eland's  Synchronisms  are  incorporated  in  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise. 

Skene's  edition  gives  no  indication  of  the  parts  that  he  omits,  and  is 
not  very  accurate. 

Eland  died  in  1056  (A.U.,  C.S.,  D.A.I.)  ;  on  25th  November,  1056, 
according  to  Tigernach  (where  for  moon  xui  we  must  read  xiii)  ;  on 
i8th  November,  according  to  F.M.  (where  perhaps  this  date,  14  kal. 
Dec,  has  been  erroneously  assimilated  to  a  date  given  a  few  lines  before, 
14  kal.  Jul.).  He  is  said  to  have  been  a  lector  in  the  schools  of  Monaster- 
boice. 

Eland's  work,  like  the  Duan  Albanach,  is  older  than  most  of  the  other 
lists  of  kings,  and  is  valuable  for  comparison  with  them. 

Platey-book  Annals  (to  1394).     See  Icelandic  Annals,  version  A. 

Plateyiarbbk,  ed.  C.  R.  Unger  and  G.  Vigfusson  (Kildeskriftfond  ; 
Christiania,   1859-1868),  from  Royal  Library  of  Copenhagen  MS.  1005  folio. 

This  is  a  collection  of  Icelandic  literature,  written  some  years  befoi'e  and 
after  1380.  It  is  a  valuable  work,  but  has  not  so  high  authority  as  the 
earlier  written  sagas.     See  Vigfusson's  description  of  it  in  R.S.  88,  i,  pp. 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  Ivii 

xxv-xxx  (on  XXV,  1.  8,  read  "A  veritable"  instead  of  "  Available  "  )  ;  and  the 
Fortale,  in  Fl.,  iii. 

Plbamanna  Saga:  ed.  Vigfusson  and  Mobius,  Fornsdgur,  119-161. 

This  is  a  late  and  very  fabulous  story  of  early  times  in  Norway,  Iceland, 
and  Greenland.  Its  authority  is  generally  null ;  but  it  may  contain  some 
genuine  traditions. 

Plodoardus  (priest  of  Rheims  ;  1 966) :  Annales  (919-966),  ed.  Pertz, 
M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  iii.  This  is  a  primary  and  trustworthy  source  for  the 
Lotharingian  period. 

Florence  of  Worcester  (filiS):  Chronicon  ex  Chronicis  (450-1117), 
ed.  B.  Thorpe,  E.H.S.  (1848-1849).  Florence  was  a  collector  and  careful 
editor  of  materials  drawn  from  earlier  sources.  He  was  continued  by  John 
of  Worcester  (to  1141),  John  of  Taxter  (to  1265),  and  John  of  Eversden 
(to  1295). 

Floras  Historiarum  (to  1326).  Chetham  MS.  (with  additions  from 
Eton  MS.)  ed.  H.  R.  Luard,  R.S.  95  (London,  1890).  Eton  MS.  (to  1306) 
ed.  M.  Parker  (London,  1567)  ;  reprinted  (Frankfurt,  1601).  See  Luard's 
ed.,  i,  pp.  xii-xvii,  xliii-1.  This  work  was  written  from  time  to  time,  between 
1259  and  some  date  soon  after  1326. 

Poedera.  I  refer  to  the  Record  Commission's  edition  (1816-1869).  Cf. 
under  Hardy. 

Pordun,  John  of  (i.e.,  of  Fordoun  in  the  Mearns)  ;  Chronicle  (referred 
to  here  by  books  and  chapters),  and  Annals  (referred  to  by  chapters). 
Edited  by  W.  F.  Skene,  Johannis  de  Fordun  Chronica  Gentis  Scotorum, 
with  translation,  notes,  and  index  (Historians  of  Scotland,  i  and  iv ; 
Edinburgh,  1871,  1872).  To  1066,  ed.  Gale,  iii,  565-699.  For  other 
editions,  see  under  Bower. 

The  Chronicle  (to  1153)  contains  five  books,  and  appears  to  have  been 
concluded  1384x1387  (V,  30;  i,  251,  xiv).  It  is  continued  by  the  Annals 
(Gesta  Annalia,  to  1385).  Chapters  describing  English  history,  down  to 
1066,  were  prepared,  according  to  Skene,  for  a  6th  book  of  the  Chronicle 
(i,  387-401).  Chapters  prefixed  to  the  Annals  (i,  406-437)  describe  English 
and  Scottish  affairs,  to  11 53:  these  seem  to  have  contained  an  (earlier?) 
edition  of  book  V.  In  them,  and  in  book  V,  Fordun  claims  the  authority 
of  a  work  written  by  Turgot.  This  work  has  not  been  preserved.  It  is 
uncertain  how  much  Fordun  took  from  it. 

The  edition  of  Fordun  is  considered  to  have  been  Skene's  best  work. 
Whether  it  can  be  trusted  might  appear  if  another  edition  were  brought  out. 

For  an  account  of  the  manuscripts,  see  Skene's  Preface.  His  text  is 
primarily  based  upon 

(A)  the  Book  of  St  Andrews,  entitled  Liber  monasterii  Santi  Andree 
in  Stocia  (a  MS.  in  Wolfenbiittel  library)  ;  with  collation  of: — 

(B)  Cottonian  MS.  Vitellius  E  XI  (paper,  i6th  century)  ; 

(C)  Trin.  Col.  Camb.  MS.  Gale  O  IX.  9  (paper)  ; 

(D)  Trin.  Col.  Dublin  MS.  E  2.28  (paper,  i6th-i7th  c.) ; 

(E)  Harleian  MS.  4764  (apparently  written  in  1497) ; 

(F)  Edinb.  Cath.  Lib.  MS.  (apparently  written  in  1509)  ; 
numerous  15th-century  MSS.  being  rejected. 


Iviii  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

Fordun's  name  is  preserved  in  an  acrostic  at  the  beginning  of  his 
1st  book. 

Fordun  is  the  earliest  Scottish  historian.  His  work  is  not  a  mere 
repetition  of  earlier  authorities.  He  has  attempted  to  synchronize  events 
in  Scotland  with  events  in  other  countries  ;  and  to  explain  the  course  of 
history  according  to  his  own  theories.  It  is  difficult  to  distinguish  between 
his  statements  that  rest  upon  ancient  authority,  and  those  that  are  derived 
from  his  own  speculation. 

He  must  be  consulted,  like  a  modern  historian,  in  conjunction  with  the 
sources.  I  do  not  as  a  rule  quote  his  words.  My  references  to  him  are 
not  to  be  regarded  as  in  any  way  complete. 

Pornaldar  Sogur  Nordrlanda,  eptir  Gomlum  Handritum  ;  ed.  C.  C. 
Rafn  (Copenhagen,  1829-1830).  This  is  a  collection  of  Icelandic  Sagas, 
most  of  them  translated  into  Danish  by  Rafn  in  Nordiske  Fortids  Sagaer 
(Copenhagen,  1829-1830). 

Pornmanna  Sogur,  ed.  for  Det  Kongelige  Nordiske  Oldskriftselskab 
(12  volumes  ;  Copenhagen,  1825-1837).  Translated  into  Danish  for  the 
same  Society:  Oldnordiske  Sagaer  (Copenhagen,  1826-1837) ;  and  into 
Latin  under  the  title :  Scripta  Historica  Islandorum  (Copenhagen, 
1828-1846). 

This  is  a  collection  of  kings'  sagas  taken  from  early  manuscripts.  It 
was  well  edited  for  its  time  ;  but  most  of  the  texts  have  been  superseded 
by  later  editions.     The  translations  of  verse-passages  are  not  trustworthy. 

Pornsogur,  ed.  Vigfusson  and  Mobius  (Leipzig,  i860).  Contains 
Vatnsdoelasaga,  Hallfredarsaga,  Floamannasaga. 

Fountains,  see  Walbran. 

Pour  Masters.  Annals  of  the  kingdom  of  Ireland  (to  1616),  ed.  J. 
O'Donovan  (Dublin,  1851).  To  1171,  inaccurately  edited  by  O'Conor 
(Scriptores,  iii). 

This  is  a  compilation  made  from  all  available  Irish  annals,  and  from 
tradition,  by  Michael  O'Clery,  and  two  other  O'Clerys,  and  Forfeasa 
O'Mulconry,  in  the  years  1632-1636.  It  is  a  valuable  collection  ;  but  the 
compilers  have  given  theoretical  dates  of  their  own  to  all  the  annals  down 
to  658  ;  and  have  altered  their  materials  to  make  them  agree  with  these 
dates. 

No  other  collection  of  Irish  annals  draws  from  so  large  a  number  of 
sources  ;  but  in  no  other  have  the  compilers  taken  such  liberties  with  their 
materials. 

Freeman,  B.  A.  :  History  of  the  Norman  Conquest  (Oxford,  1867-1879  ; 
3rd  ed.  of  vols,  i  and  ii,  1877). 

Frisbdk.  C.  R.  Unger  :  Codex  Frisianus,  en  Samling  af  norske  Konge- 
sagaer  (Christiania,  1871). 

This  is  a  valuable  collection  of  the  kings'  sagas,  written  early  in  the 
14th  century.  It  omits  St  Olaf's  Saga,  and  includes  Hakon  Hakon's  son's 
Saga.  Down  to  the  end  of  Harold  Hardradi's  Saga  it  follows  the 
Heimskringla  version  ;  after  Hardradi,  it  agrees  with  Heimskringla  less 
closely. 

Purness.     See  Atkinson. 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  lix 

Galmar,  Geoffrey  :  Estorie  des  Engles  (495-:  loo),  ed.  T.  D.  Hardy  and 
C.  T.  Martin,  R.S.  91  (1888-1889).  Previously  ed.  T.  Wright,  Caxton 
Society  (1850);  to  1066,  in  Petrie's  M.H.B.,  764-839;  from  1066  to  iioo, 
in  Michel's  C.A.N. ,  i,  1-64.  Translated  in  Stevenson's  Church  Historians, 
ii,  2  (1854)  ;  and  by  Martin  in  R.S.  91,  ii. 

Gaimar  wrote  1135  x  1147.  For  his  sources,  see  R.S.  91,  ii,  pp.  xvii-xxiii. 
They  included  Geoffrey  of  Monmouth,  A.S.C.,  F.W.,  S.D. 

G-ale.     The  titles  Gale's  Scriptores,  vols,  i,  ii,  iii,  indicate  : — 

(i)  William  Fulman's  Rerum  Anglicarum  Scriptores  (Oxford,  1684)  ; 
(ii)  Thomas  Gale's  Historiae  Anglicanae  Scriptores  Quinque  (Oxford, 

1687); 
(iii)  Gale's  Historiae  Britannicae  .  .  .   Scriptores  Quindecim  (Oxford, 
1691). 

G.E.C.  Complete  Peerage  of  England,  Scotland,  Ireland,  Great  Britain, 
and  the  United  Kingdom  (London,  1887-1898).  New  ed.,  1910-1921 
(incomplete). 

Geoffrey  of  Bruil.     See  Geoffrey  ofVigeois. 

Geoffrey  of  Monmouth  (t  1 1 54)  :  Historia  Regum  Britanniae,  ed.  J.  A. 
Giles.  Caxton  Society  (Condon,  1844)  ;  ed.  San-Marte  (Halle,  1854). 
Translated  into  14th-century  Welsh,  ed.  Rhys  and  Evans,  in  Bruts  from 
the  Red  Book  of  Hergest ;  into  English,  by  J.  A.  Giles,  in  Six  Old  English 
Chronicles  (London,  1848). 

Geoffrey  wrote  x  1 147. 

He  used  as  his  authority  "  a  very  ancient  book  in  British  speech," 
brought  from  Brittany,  and  given  to  him  by  Walter,  archdeacon  of  Oxford 
(I,  I  ;  XII,  20).  The  antiquity  of  this  book  is  unknown.  Geoffrey  did  not 
always  adhere  to  it  (cf.  XI,  i  :  "  Concerning  this  .  .  .  Geoffrey  of  Monmouth 
will  be  silent").  So  far  as  can  be  judged  from  Geoffrey's  paraphrase,  his 
Welsh  book  can  have  had  but  little  age  or  authority. 

Geoffrey's  work  is  historically  valueless.  Some  of  the  persons  named 
by  him  may  have  existed.  The  popularity  of  Geoffrey's  History  submerged 
any  previous  legends  that  may  have  existed,  concerning  king  Arthur. 

Geofftey  of  Vigeois  (or  of  Bruil ;  prior  of  Vigeois,  in  diocese  of 
Limoges):  Chronicon  Limovicense  (Chronicle  of  Limoges,  996-1184).  Ed. 
in  B.R.,  x-xii,  xviii  ;  previously  in  Labbe,  Nova  Bibliotheca,  ii,  279-342  ; 
part  ed.  Holder-Egger,  in  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xxvi,  199-203. 

This  somewhat  credulous  chronicler  has  value  for  English  affairs  in 
France. 

Geoffrey  the  Pat.     See  Life  of  Bernard. 

Gerald  du  Barri.     See  Giraldus  Cambrensis. 

Gesta  Here-wardl,  ed.  F.  Michel,  Chroniques  Anglo-Normandes,  ii 
(1836). 

Gildas  (born  ? 490x500;  f  57o)  :  De  Excidio  et  Conquestu  Britanniae, 
ed.  T.  Mommsen,  M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  25-85  (1898).  Previously  ed. 
Stevenson  (E.H.S.,  1838);  and  in  Petrie's  M.H.B.  (1848).  Translated  by 
T.  Habington  (1638,  1652)  ;  and  J.  A.  Giles  (1841  ;  and  1848,  in  Six  English 
Chronicles).     See  H.  &  S.,  i,  108-113. 

This  is  the  only  contemporary  British  authority  for  the  history  of  the 


Ix  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

Saxon  conquest  of  England.  Gildas's  work  is  presumably  genuine,  but  is 
absolutely  untrustworthy  for  events  that  occurred  before  his  own  time. 
It  is  a  sermon,  rather  than  a  work  of  history. 

Gildas  wrote  before  547.  In  the  Rhuys  Life  of  Gildas  (ed.  Mommsen) 
he  is  stated  to  have  been  the  son  of  Caw  {Caunus),  king  of  Dumbarton 
{Arecluta).  But  Anscombe  says  that  Gildas's  "name  does  not  occur  in 
any  list  of  the  children  of  Caw  "  (Archiv  fiir  celtische  Lexicographie,  ii,  184). 

Gildas  speaks  of  Latin  as  "our  tongue."  This  may  mean  that  Latin 
was  in  his  time  still  studied  by  nobles  in  Britain,  as  in  the  time  of  Patrick. 
Gildas  was  perhaps  the  last  British  writer  of  empire  Latin.  His  style  is 
florid,  metaphorical,  and  obscure.  His  meaning  is  often  doubtful,  yet  he 
seems  to  have  expected  British  kings  to  understand  it. 

Giles,  J.  A. :  Patres  Ecclesiae  Anglicanae  (1843- 1848). 

Giles,  J.  A. :  Scriptores  Rerum  Gestarum  Willelmi  Conquestoris,  Caxton 
Society  (London,  1845). 

Glllacoemain  :  chronological  verses,  ed.  from  the  Book  of  Leinster  by 
W.  Stokes ;  R.S.  89,  ii,  530-540.  These  are  calculations  of  periods, 
composed  in  107 1,  of  little  value. 

Gillacoemgin,  translation  of  Nennius.     See  Irish  Nennius. 

Giraldus  Cambrensis  ("  Gerald  the  Welshman  "  ;  also  Barrensis,  "  de 
Barri").  Works,  ed.  R.S.  21  (1861-1891).  Gerald  wrote  voluminously  in 
the  end  of  the  12th  and  beginning  of  the  13th  century  (born  ?ii47, 
■|-ca.   1220). 

His  Topographia  Hibernica  and  Expugnatio  Hibernica  (in  vol.  v,  ed. 
J.  F.  Dimock  ;  1867)  were  completed  ii88x  1189.  They  show  bias  against 
the  Irish,  and  in  favour  of  his  kinsmen.  His  De  Principis  Instructione 
(in  vol.  viii,  ed.  G.  F.  Warner  ;  1891.  Also  in  Anglia  Christiana  Society), 
probably  concluded  about  1217,  contains  out-spoken  criticism  of  king 
Henry  II  and  his  family.  It  is  translated  by  J.  Stevenson  ;  in  Church 
Historians,  v,  1. 

The  Descriptio  Cambriae  (written  ca.  1194  ;  2nd  ed.,  ca.  1215)  is  in 
vol.  vi  ;  Vita  S.  Hugonis  (bishop  of  Lincoln,  t  1200),  in  vol.  vii  (both  ed. 
Dimock);  De  Vita  Gaufredi  Archiepiscopi  (of  York,  ti2i2),  in  vol.  iv 
(ed.  J.  S.  Brewer). 

The  Irish  and  Welsh  works  were  edited  in  Camden's  Anglica  Scripta  ; 
and  have  been  translated  by  T.  Forester  and  R.  C.  Hoare.  See  also  Gross, 
nos.  1782,  2242. 

eialber,  see  Rodulphus. 

Glasgow.  Registrum  episcopatus  Glasguensis,  ed.  C.  Innes.  B.Cl. 
75,  and  M.Cl.  61  (Edinburgh,  1843). 

Gorham,  G.  0. :  History  and  Antiquities  of  Eynesbury  and  St  Neot's  in 
Huntingdonshire  (London,  1824), 

Gorman,  Martyrology  of:  ed.  from  Brussels  MS.  5100-4  by  W.  Stokes. 
Henry  Bradshaw  Society,  9  (London,  1895). 

The  manuscript  was  transcribed  ca.  1630  by  Michael  O'Clery.  The 
author  was  Maelmaire  Ua-Gormain,  or  Marianus  Gorman  ;  he  wrote 
ii66x  1 174. 

Grace,  James:   Annales  Hiberniae  (1074-1370),    ed.   R.   Butler.     Irish 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  hi 

Archaeological  Society  (Dublin,  1842).  Written  ca.  1538.  For  our  period, 
parallel  with  the  Annales  Hiberniae  edited  in  Camden's  Britannia. 

Graenlendinga  Thdttr.      See  Eric  the  Red's  Saga. 

Green,  J.  R. :  The  Making  of  England  (London,  1897). 

Gretti's  Saga,  ed.  R.  C.  Boer.  Altnordische  Saga-bibliothek,  part  8 
(Halle,  1900).  Other  editions  are  those  of  Magnusson  and  Thordarson, 
with  Danish  translation  (Nordisk  Literatur  Samfund  :  Nordiske  Oldskrifter, 
16,  25;  Copenhagen,  1852,  1859).  There  is  a  translation  into  Norwegian 
(Landsmaal),  by  Ola  Rokke  :  Soga  um  Grette  Aasmundsson  (Gamalnorske 
Bokverk,  11.  Oslo,  1912) ;  an  English  translation  by  E.  Magnusson  and 
W.  Morris  (London,  1869  ;  reprinted,  1900).  Boer's  differs  from  previous 
editions  in  the  chaptering,  after  c.  71.  Boer  has  drawn  up  a  chronological 
table,  on  pp.  xxxv-xxxvi. 

Gretti's  Saga  was  composed  about  the  middle  of  the  13th  century.  Its 
surviving  form  is  somewhat  later. 

This  is  one  of  the  greater  Icelandic  Sagas.  It  contains  much  that  is 
fabulous  ;  but  its  historical  preface  (cc.  1-13)  has  no  less  authority  than  the 
best  of  the  sagas. 

Gross,  C. :  Sources  and  Literature  of  English  History  (to  1485).  London, 
1900  ;  2nd  ed.,  1915.     This  is  a  most  useful  book. 

Guibertus  (abbot  of  Nogent-sous-Coucy ;  +1124):  Historia  Hieroso- 
lymitana  (1095-1110),  ed.  P.L.  156,  679-838. 

Guisbrougli.  Cartularium  Prioratus  de  Gyseburne,  Eboracensis 
Dioceseos,  Ordinis  S.  Augustini  ;  fundati  11 19.  Ed.  W.  Browne.  Surtees 
Society,  nos.  86  and  89  (1889,  1891). 

Guisbrough,  Walter  of.     See  Hemingburgh. 

Gunnlaug  Serpent's-tongue's  Saga.  Saga  Gunnlaugs  Ormstungu,  ed. 
Mobius,  Analecta  Norroena,  ist  ed.,  135-166  (Leipzig,  1859)  ;  also  ed.  in 
Sigurdsson  and  Rafn,  Islendinga  Sogur,  ii  (Oldskriftselskab  ;  Copenhagen, 
1847) ;  and  in  V.  Asmundarsson's  Islendinga  Sogur,  9  (Reykjavik,  191 1). 

This  is  one  of  the  shorter  early  Icelandic  sagas.  It  has  literary  and 
some  historical  merit ;  but  (like  most  sagas)  tends  to  eulogize  its  hero. 

Gutliorm  Sigurd's  son's  Saga.  See  under  Hakon  Sverri's  son's 
Saga. 

Haddan,  A.  W.,  and  W.  Stubbs :  Councils  and  Ecclesiastical 
Documents  (Oxford,   1869-1878). 

Hakon  Hakon's  son's  Saga  is  preserved  in  Frisbok  (Unger's  Codex 
Frisianus,  387-583);  in  Eirspennill  (Unger's  Konunga  Sogur,  239-484); 
in  the  Flatey-book  (Vigfusson  and  Unger,  Flateyiarbok,  iii,  3-233) ;  and 
in  Skalholtsbok  (Kjser,  Det  Arnamagnasanske  Haandskrift  81  a  Fol.,  pp. 
292  onwards).  Notwithstanding  its  omissions,  Eirspennill  seems  to 
represent  an  early  text  of  the  saga.  It  may  be  a  later  abbreviation  ;  but 
(errors  apart)  it  may  be  the  most  authoritative  text.  Passages  omitted  by 
it  are  under  the  suspicion  of  not  having  belonged  to  the  earliest  edition  of 
the  saga.     I  have  therefore  given  preference  to  the  text  of  Eirspennill. 

This  saga  has  been  translated  by  A.  Bugge,  in  Norges  Kongesagaer, 
iv,  57-295  (Christiania,  19 14).  Parts  were  edited,  and  translated  into 
English,   by   J.   Johnstone :— Anecdotes   of  Olave   the    Black  [1229-1231] 


Ixii  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

(1780)  ;  The  Norwegian  Account  of  Haco's  Expedition  against  Scotland, 
A.D.  1263  (1782). 

The  whole  saga,  ed.  Vigfusson,  tr.  Dasent,  is  in  R.S.  88,  ii,  iv. 
Hakon  Hakon's  son's  Saga  was  composed  by  Sturla,  Thord's  son,  as  he 
(or  a  continuator)  says  in  the  Islendinga  Saga  (Sturlunga  Saga,  ed. 
Vigfusson,  ii,  272):  "And  a  little  later,  Sturla  came  into  the  greatest 
friendship  with  king  [Magnus] ;  and  the  king  had  him  much  in  his  counsels, 
and  laid  upon  him  the  task  of  putting  together  the  saga  of  king  Hakon^ 
his  father,  following  [Magnus's]  own  advice,  and  the  accounts  of  the  wisest 
men.  But  before  the  king  caused  the  saga  to  be  put  together,  king  Hakon 
had  died  in  the  Orkneys  ;  and  men  thought  that  great  tidings,  through  all 
the  northern  lands  ;  and  the  greatest  loss."  Sturla's  saga  of  Hakon  was 
therefore  composed  1263  x  1284. 

Sturla  had  abundant  materials,  documentary  and  oral.  The  verses 
included  in  the  saga  are  embellishments,  introduced  after  the  model  of  the 
verse-quotations  in  the  older  sagas,  but  are  not,  as  in  the  older  sagas, 
quotations  of  earlier  sources. 

Hakon  (Sverrl's  son),  Guthorm,  and  Ingi's  Saga.  This  saga  is 
preserved  in  the  Eirspennill  ;  ed.  Unger,  Konunga  Sogur,  203-238.  It 
was  edited  previously  by  Thorlacius  and  WerlaufF  (Noregs  Konunga 
Sogur,  iv)  ;  and  in  F.S.,  ix,  1-56  ;  and  tr.  into  Danish  and  Latin  in 
Oldnordiske  Sagaer,  ix,  and  Scripta  Historica  Islandorum,  ix.  Another 
version  (entitled  Boglunga  Sogur,  or  Sagas  of  the  Croziers)  is  preserved 
in  Skalholtsbok,  ed.  A.  Kjsr  ;  and  tr.  A.  Bugge,  in  Norges  Kongesagaer, 
iv,   1-56  (Christiania,   1914). 

Hakon  Sverrl's  son's  Saga ;  Guthorm  Sigurd's  son's  Saga  ;  and  Ingi 
Bard's  son's  Saga.  The  original  of  these  sagas  is  lost,  but  there  is  an  old 
Danish  translation  in  Peter  Clausson's  Snorre  Sturlesons  Norske  Kongers 
Chronica,  pp.  528-587  (Copenhagen,  1633).  Reprinted  in  vol.  iv  of 
Schoning,  Thorlacius,  and  WerlaufPs  Noregs  Konunga  Sogor  (Copenhagen, 
1813),  and  in  vol.  ix  of  the  Fornmanna  Sogur  (Copenhagen,  1835).  They 
have  been  translated  into  modern  Danish  in  Oldnordiske  Sagaer,  vol.  ix. 
They  were  translated  into  Icelandic  and  Latin  by  Sveinbiorn  Egilsson,  in 
Fornmanna  Sogur,  vol.  ix  ;  and  Scripta  Historica  Islandorum,  vol.  ix. 

Hardy,  T.  D.  :  Descriptive  Catalogue  of  Materials  relating  to  the 
History  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  (to  1327).     R.S.  26  (1862-1871). 

Hardy,  T.  D.  :  Itinerary  of  King  John,  in  Introduction  to  his  Patent 
Rolls  in  the  Tower  (1835,  folio) ;  and  after  his  Description  of  the  Patent 
Rolls  (1835,  8vo).     Cf  Archaeologia,  xxii  (less  comprehensive). 

Hardy,  T.  D.  :  Le  Neve's  Fasti  Ecclesiae  Anglicanae  (to  1715). 
Oxford,  1854.     A  useful  collection  of  dates. 

Hardy,  T.  D.  :  Syllabus  of  Documents  in  Rymer's  Foedera.  London, 
1869-1885.  This  corrects  some  (but  not  all)  of  the  errors  in  the  editions 
of  Rymer. 

Hartshorne,  C.  H.  :  Itinerary  of  King  Edward  I.  British  Archaeological 
Association  :  Collectanea  Archaeologica,  ii,  1 15-136  (London,  1863). 

Hauksbdk,  ed.  E.  and  F.  Jonsson.  Oldskriftselskab  (Copenhagen, 
1892-1894).     This  is  a  collection  of  Icelandic  literature  partly  written  by. 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  Ixiii 

partly  for,  lawman  Hauk,  Erlend's  son,  an  Icelander  in  Norway,  who  died 
in  1334.     Cf.  under  Eric  the  Red's  Saga. 

Heimskrlngla.     See  Snorri  Sturla's  son. 

Hemingburgh,  Walter  of  (or  of  Hemingford,  or  of  Gisburn)  :  Chronicon 
de  Gestis  Regum  Angliae  (1048-1346),  ed.  H.  C.  Hamilton.  E.H.S. 
(London,  1848-1849).  Parts  (1066-1273)  in  Gale,  ii.  455-594;  (1274-1346) 
ed.  T.  Hearne  (Oxford,  1731). 

Years  1316-1326  are  missing.  A  continuator  may  have  written  the  part 
for  1 3 14- 1 346,  or  1297-1346.  This  chronicle  becomes  of  value  for  Scottish 
history  after  the  period  of  the  present  book. 

Henry  of  Huntingdon:  Historia  Anglorum  (to  11 54).  Ed.  T.  Arnold, 
R.S.  74  (1879).  Except  for  the  period  11 26- 11 54,  Henry  usually  follows 
earlier  sources.     When  original,  his  information  is  not  always  correct. 

Herimannus  Augiensis  (1013-1054);  Chronicon  de  Sex  Aetatibus 
Mundi  (to  1054),  ed.  Pertz,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  v,  67-133.  An  excellent 
source  for  continental  history  of  the  period  1039-1054. 

Herimannus  Tomacensis  (Herimann  of  Tournai  ;  abbot  of  St  Martin's 
of  Tournai,  1127-ca.  1138;  tii47x):  Narratio  Restaurationis  abbatiae 
S.  Martini  Tornacensis,  ed.  G.  Waitz,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xiv,  274-317. 
Partly  ed.  in  B.R.,  x,  xi,  xiii,  xiv.  Also  in  D'Achery's  Spicilegium,  xii  ; 
2nd  ed.,  ii,  882,  ff.  ;  P.L.  180. 

Higden,  Randolph  (f  1364)  :  Polychronicon  (to  1352),  ed.  (with  Trevisa's 
translation)  by  Babington  and  Lumby  ;  R.S.  41  (1865-1886).  A  compilation, 
used  by  Fordun. 

Hinde,  J.  H.  :  History  of  Northumberland  (Newcastle,  1858). 

See  also  under  Simeon  of  Durham. 

Histoire  de  Guillaume  le  Mar6ohal  (earl  of  Pembroke,  11219),  ed.  P. 
Meyer,  S.H.F.  (Paris,  1891-1894).     Written  ca.  1225  ;  a  valuable  work. 

Histoire  des  Duos  de  Normandle,  et  des  Rois  d'Angleterre,  ed.  F. 
Michel.  S.H.F.  (Paris,  1840).  According  to  Michel,  the  first  part,  to  1199, 
is  an  unimportant  analysis  of  William  of  Jumi^ges,  with  some  continuations. 
The  second  part,  from  1199  to  1220,  is  interesting  and  valuable,  the  work 
of  a  contemporary. 

Historia  Brittonum,  cum  additamentis  Nennii  ;  ed.  T.  Mommsen,  in 
M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  143-219  (1894).  Previously  ed.  J.  Stevenson, 
E.H.S.  (1838)  ;  in  Petrie's  M.H.B.  (1848)  ;  also  in  Gale,  iii  (1691).  For 
other  editions,  and  a  conspectus  of  opinions,  see  Gross,  no.  1375. 
Translated  by  J.  A.  Giles  (Six  Old  English  Chronicles  ;  London,  1848). 
See  also  under  Irish  Nennius,  and  Map  Urbagen. 

Nennius  thus  describes  his  work  and  its  sources  (143):  "The  island 
of  Britain's  briefest  eulogy,  which  Nennius,  pupil  of  Elvodugus,  has 
collected. 

"  I,  Nennius,  pupil  of  Elvodugus,  have  endeavoured  to  write  some 
extracts,  which  the  stupidity  of  the  nation  of  Britain  had  cast  aside  ; 
because  the  learned  men  of  Britain  had  no  skill  [in  writing]  \j)erifiain\ 
nor  did  they  place  any  commemoration  in  books.  But  I  have  collected 
all  that  I  have  found,  from  the  annals  of  the  Romans  as  well  as  from  the 
chronicles  of  the  holy  fathers,  that  is  of  Hieronymus  Eusebius,  of  Isidore, 


Ixiv  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

of  Prosper  ;  and  from  the  annals  of  the  [Irish]  Scots,  and  of  the  Saxons  ; 
and  from  the  tradition  of  our  old  men  \veierw)i\. 

"What  many  learned  men  and  transcribers  [doctores  atque  librarii] 
have  attempted  to  write,  they  have  (I  know  not  why)  left  more  difficult  ; 
whether  because  of  the  most  frequent  mortalities,  or  the  most  numerous 
slaughters  in  war.  I  ask  every  reader  who  reads  this  book  to  pardon  me, 
who  have  dared  to  write  so  great  matters  after  such  great  men,  like  a 
chattering  bird,  or  like  some  inconclusive  witness  \guasi  garrula  avis  vel 
quasi  quidam  invalidiis  arbiter].  I  yield  to  him  who  is  more  sufficiently 
skilled  in  these  matters  \_qui plus  noveritin  ista peritia  saiis]  than  I." 

Genealogies  of  the  Saxon  kings  appended  to  the  Historia  "  were  put 
together  at  various  times  between  the  end  of  the  7th  and  middle  of  the  8th 
centuries"  (Phillimore). 

The  Historia  Brittonum  was  probably  written  before  Bede's  History  ; 
it  borrowed  from  a  Life  of  Germanus.  This  work  was  probably  edited 
by  Nennius,  with  materials  added  from  a  Life  of  Patrick,  traditions  of 
Arthur,  and  Anglo-Saxon  historical  notes. 

Historia  Nonvegiae,  ed.  G.  Storm, in  his  Monumentahistorica  Norvegiae, 
71-124.  Only  a  fragment  of  this  work  is  preserved.  It  was  originally 
written,  according  to  Storm,  towards  the  end  of  the  12th  century  :  later 
than  Ari's  work,  Adam  of  Bremen,  and  an  English  chronicle  of  about  1170 
(De  Legibus  Angliae  ;  used  by  Hoveden,  ii,  215)  ;  but  earlier  than  the  time 
when  most  of  the  sagas  were  first  written.     It  has  therefore  value  from  its  age. 

History  of  Northumberland  (Newcastle  and  London,  1893-1907).  E. 
Bateson  edits  vols,  i  and  ii  ;  A.  B.  Hinds,  vol.  iii  ;  J.  C.  Hodgson,  vols,  iv, 
vii  ;  H.  H.  E.  Craster,  vol.  viii. 

Hodgson,  John:  History  of  Northumberland  (Newcastle,  1820-1858). 
Completed  by  J.  H.  Hinde  and  J.  Raine. 

Hogan,  E.  :  Onomasticon  Goedelicum  Locorum  et  Tribuum  Hiberniae 
et  Scotiae.     Dublin  and  London,  1910. 

Holyrood.  Liber  cartarum  Sancte  Crucis,  ed.  C.  Innes.  B.Cl.  70 
(Edinburgh,  1840). 

Homily  on  St  Columba,  in  Lebar  Brecc  (q.v.),  the  Book  of  Lismore 
(q.v.),  and  the  Advocates'  Library  of  Edinburgh  Gaelic  MS.  no.  40.  Trans- 
lated by  W.  M.  Hennessy  in  Skene's  Celtic  Scotland,  ii,  468-507. 

Horoy  :  Medii  ^vi  Bibliotheca  Patristica  (Paris,  1879-1880).  Contains 
letters  of  pope  Honorius  III,  from  1217  to  1225  (in  ii,  2,  iv). 

Horstmann,  C.  :  Sammlung  altenglischer  Legenden  (Heilbronn,  1878); 
Altenglische  Legenden,  Neue  Folge  (Heilbronn,  1881)  ;  Barbour's 
Legendensammlung  (Heilbronn,  1881-1882). 

Hoveden,  Roger  of:  Chronica  (to  1201),  ed.  W.  Stubbs.  R.S.  51  (1868- 
1871).  Previously  ed.  in  Savile's  Scriptores.  Tr.  H.  T.  Riley  (London, 
1853).  Down  to  1 192,  this  work  is  copied  or  compiled  from  other  sources. 
The  part  for  734-1148  is  based  upon  a  Historia  Anglorum  sive  Saxonum 
post  Bedam  (written  x  1161;  i,  129,  and  preface),  derived  from  S.D.  and 
H.H.     For  Hoveden's  sources,  see  R.S.  51,  i,  pp.  xxv-lxxi. 

Hrblf  Gautrek's  son's  Saga,  ed.  F.  Detter,  in  Zwei  Fornaldarsogur, 
3-78  (Halle,  1891).     This  is  an  unhistorical  saga  of  early  times. 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  Ixv 

Hraifs  Saga  Kraka,  ed.  F.  Jonsson.  Samfund,  82  (Copenhagen,  1904), 
This  is  a  story  of  early  kings  of  Denmark. 

Huntingdon  Chronicle  :  see  Chronicle  of  Huntingdon. 

Icelandic  Annals.  Edited  by  Gustav  Storm  :  Islandske  Annaler 
indtil  1578  (Det  norske  historiske  Kildeskriftfond,  Christiania,  1888).  A 
previous  composite  edition  was  made  by  E.  C.  Werlauff  and  others  : 
Islenzkir  Annalar,  sive  Annales  Islandici,  ab  anno  Christi  803  ad  annum 
1430  (Legatum  Arnse-Magnceanum,  Copenhagen,  1847).  The  Annales 
Regii  (C)  were  edited,  from  a  manuscript  in  the  Royal  Library  at  Copen- 
hagen, by  Vigfusson,  in  his  Sturlunga  Saga,  vol.  ii,  pp.  348-391  ;  and  the 
Flateybook  Annals  (A)  were  edited  in  Unger  and  Vigfusson's  Flateyiarbok, 
vol.  iii,  pp.  477-583- 

WerlaufPs  edition  was  based  upon  the  Flateybook  Annals,  with  collation 
of  13  other  versions  ;  and  it  distinguished  the  different  versions  arbitrarily, 
and  sometimes  incorrectly,  by  letters.  These  letters  I  have  thought  it 
convenient  to  retain. 

Storm  edited  the  versions  named  in  Werlauffs  edition  KBOCDNEP, 
with  parts  of  A  and  L,  and  with  collation  of  I  and  H.  See  Storm's  preface 
for  a  detailed  account  of  the  manuscripts  used  ;  and,  for  a  general  account 
of  the  annals,  ibid.,  pp.  Ixviii-lxxxiv. 

The  earliest  of  these  annals  are  versions  KBOCDE. 

K  (Annales  Reseniani)  runs  to  1295.     Compiled  after  1303. 

B  (Annales  Vetustissimi)  jumps  from  999  to  1270;  runs  to  1306;  and 
is  continued  to  1313.  It  is  based  (to  1290)  upon  K.  Edited  also  in 
Langebek,  ii,  177.     Written  before  1319. 

O  (Henrik  Hoyers  Annaler)  runs  to  1310.  It  is  a  late  copy,  largely 
derived  from  B. 

C  (Annales  Regii)  runs  to  1306,  and  is  carried  on  to  1341.  Edited  also 
in  Langebek,  iii,  12. 

D  (Skalholts-Annaler)  runs  to  1356  =  1362.  It  contains  an  earlier 
version  that  ran  to  1348. 

E  (Logmanns-Annall)  runs  to  1362,  and  is  continued  to  1392. 

A  (Flateybook  Annals)  runs  to  1394.  It  was  perhaps  written  con- 
temporarily from  1390.  It  is  based  upon  a  version  parallel  to  C,  and  D. 
Storm  edits  selections  from  1150  to  1269,  and  a  complete  text  from  1283  to 
1394  ;  and  gives  (492-497)  corrections  of  Vigfusson's  edition.  The  year- 
letters  of  one  year,  1007,  were  omitted  by  the  compiler  :  the  year-numbers 
were  counted  backwards,  without  this  omission  being  observed.  There- 
fore from  520  to  1006,  the  numbers  are  too  large  by  one.  They  were 
corrected  by  Torfaeus,  and  Arngrim  Jonsson.  In  Vigfusson's  edition,  the 
corrected  year-numbers  are  printed.  Storm  gives  the  uncorrected  numbers 
in  his  index.  But  the  year-letters  indicate  the  correct  year  ;  and  I  have 
preferred  to  give  the  corrected  numbers. 

P  (Gottskalks-Annall)  contains  a  version  that  ran  to  1394.  I  (to  1394), 
F  (to  1396),  and  H,  are  cognate  with  this  source.  L  (Oddverja-Annall) 
may  contain  a  version  that  ended  in  1313.     M  runs  to  1400. 

e 


Ixvi  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

The  years  in  K  are  indicated  by  Dionysian  numbers  and  dominical 
letters  ;  in  O,  by  numbers  only  ;  in  BCDEAPL,  by  dominical  and  paschal 
letters,  with  occasional  Dionysian  numbers.  See  the  Calendar  Notes, 
pp.  civ-cv.  The  system  of  distinguishing  the  years  by  dominical  and 
paschal  letters  suggests  that  in  Iceland,  as  in  Ireland,  the  annals  had  their 
origin  in  annotated  Easter  tables.  They  are  later  than  the  sagas,  and 
derive  much  of  their  information  from  them.  The  common  source  of  the 
annals  was  compiled  not  long  before  1300.  Among  its  sources  were  Ari  ; 
Adam  ;  Ekkehart  ;  and  an  erroneous  list  of  Wessex  kings,  which  was  used 
also  by  the  writers  of  the  sagas  (see  Storm,  pp.  Ixxviii-lxxix). 

Icelandic  Sagas.  The  sagas  were  derived  from  tradition  ;  from  poems 
(frequently  cited)  ;  and  probably  from  chronological  jottings  (preserved  in 
the  14th-century  annals).  A  chronicle  of  English  kings  was  used  both  by 
the  saga-writers  and  by  the  annalists. 

The  Icelandic  Annals  were  generally  later  than,  and  largely  derived 
from,  the  sagas.  The  verses  quoted  in  the  sagas  were  often  genuine,  and 
contemporary  with  the  events  ;  but  they  are  obscure.  Their  meaning  is 
frequently  too  uncertain  to  be  of  much  value  as  historical  evidence.  They 
do  not  add  to,  but  must  be  explained  by,  the  prose  narrative  in  which  they 
stand.  They  were  part  of  the  large  oral  literature  of  Iceland  :  a  literature 
which  developed  among  the  Icelanders  remarkable  tenacity  of  memory, 
and  gave  exceptional  value  to  the  traditions  preserved  among  them. 

None  of  the  sagas  is  historical  throughout.  Several  of  them  have, 
however,  a  common  historical  framework,  which  is  remarkably  consistent 
and  uniform  ;  and  which  is  full  of  genealogical  details,  many  of  them 
unnecessary  to  the  story  in  which  they  occur. 

The  style  of  the  narrative  very  often  shows  whether  the  composer  aimed 
at  historical  veracity  or  at  literary  effect.  The  larger  is  the  element  of 
romance,  adventure,  and  marvel,  the  smaller  is  the  element  of  history. 
As  a  general  rule,  the  sagas'  evidence  is  good  for  events  that  are  narrated 
briefly,  without  romantic  setting  ;  and  not  good  for  events  that  cannot  be 
removed  from  their  romantic  setting. 

Their  reckoning  of  time  is  not,  as  a  rule,  to  be  relied  upon  without 
other  support,  in  the  earlier  centuries.  Dates  given  or  implied  by  them 
for  events  in  the  British  Islands  are  frequently  erroneous  (for  instance,  the 
date  of  the  battle  of  Clontarf). 

Icelandic  literature  is  among  the  most  notable  of  all  traditional  heroic 
literatures,  centring  round  certain  families  and  men  ;  and  is  one  of  the 
most  remarkable  phenomena  in  the  literary  history  of  Europe. 

The  best  editions  are  published  by  the  Samfund  til  Udgivelse  af 
gammel  Nordisk  Literatur  ;  by  Det  kongelige  nordiske  Oldskriftselskab  ; 
and  in  the  Altnordische  Sagabibliothek.  The  best  edition  of  the  verses  is 
that  of  Jonsson  in  his  Skjaldedigtning.  Cheap  reprints  of  the  sagas  are 
edited  by  V.  Asmundarson,  in  his  series  of  Islendinga  Sogur.  The  first 
place  among  translations  must  be  given  to  G.  Storm  and  A.  Bugge's  Norges 
Kongesagaer. 

A  complete  collection  from  the  sagas  of  all  the  passages  that  touch 
upon   Scotland  could  not  be  given   here  ;    the   most   important  of  these 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  Ixvii 

passages  could  not  be  left  out.  I  have  given  a  liberal  selection,  which 
will,  I  hope,  be  found  interesting  and  useful. 

Ideler,  Ludivlg  :   Handbuch  der  Chronologie  (Breslau,  1883). 

Inchafifray.  Charters,  Bulls,  and  other  Documents,  relating  to  the 
Abbey  of  Inchaffmy,  ed.  W.  A.  Lindsay,  J.  Dowden,  J.  M.  Thomson. 
S.H.S.  56  (Edinburgh,  1908). 

Ingl  Bard's  son's  Saga.     See  under  Hakon  Sverri's  son's  Saga. 

Innes,  Cosmo,  and  others :  Origines  Parochiales  Scotiae.  B.Cl.  97 
(Edinburgh,  1851-1855). 

Innes,  Thomas  :  Critical  Essay  on  the  Ancient  Inhabitants  of  Scot- 
land, ed.  G.  Grub,  Historians  of  Scotland,  viii  (Edinburgh,  1879).  'st  ed., 
London,  1729. 

Irish  Annals.  V.i.a.  under  Annals  of  Innisfallen,  Annals  of  Ulster, 
Tigernach. 

The  Irish  annals  are  based  upon  historical  notes  kept  in  monastic 
houses,  and  often  entered  in  the  margins  of  paschal  calendars.  See 
A.S.C.,  version  I  ;  and  cf.  A.C.,  A.I.,  and  Icelandic  Annals. 

In  the  end  of  the  7th  century,  collections  of  these  notes  were  made,  and 
were  continued  as  yearly  chronicles.  The  earliest  surviving  collections 
are  compilations  and  continuations  of  these  chronicles.  From  the  8th 
century  onwards  the  Irish  annals  contain  approximately  contemporary 
records  of  events. 

As  a  survival  of  their  origin  in  annotated  paschal  calendars,  Irish  annals 
indicated  the  years  by  data  copied  from  a  calendar  :  such  as  the  number  in 
the  week  of  the  ist  of  January  (the  ferial  number),  and  the  age  of  the  moon 
on  that  day  (the  epact)  ;  and  sometimes  the  concurrents,  and  Dionysian 
Golden  Numbers.  (See  below,  under  the  Calendar  Notes.)  But  copyists 
often  omitted  these  data,  and  indicated  a  new  annal  solely  by  the 
abbreviation  K.,  or  Kl.,  i.e. ,"  Kalends  of  January."  Years  entered  in  this 
way  without  events  were  in  danger  of  being  omitted  altogether  by  later 
copyists.  When  several  years  in  succession  were  entered  without  events, 
errors  were  sometimes  made  in  the  number  of  K's  transcribed.  The  result 
is  that  the  sequence  is  an  insufficient  indication  of  the  years  intended. 

Events  copied  from  annotated  calendars  were  not  always  correctly 
placed.  Conflicting  accounts  are  sometimes  entered  from  different  sources. 
Foreign  events  were  generally  entered  by  the  compilers  from  foreign 
sources,  and  are  of  little  value  in  distinguishing  the  years.  More  help  is 
obtained  from  notes  of  eclipses. 

The  early  annals  are  brief,  and  frequently  refer  to  events  instead  of 
describing  them  ;  so  that  it  is  sometimes  impossible  to  tell  what  person  or 
place  is  spoken  of:  but  their  brevity  has  not  been  embellished  by  the 
compilers.  The  compilations  of  Irish  annals  as  a  whole  show  extraordinary 
fidehty  to  their  sources.  With  small  variations,  the  Irish  annals  generally 
support  one  another  ;  and  the  early  collections  when  used  together  provide 
a  very  valuable  body  of  evidence,  from  the  year  432  onwards. 

So  long  as  lona  was  a  link  between  Ireland  and  Scotland,  Scottish  affairs 
received  considerable  attention  from  the  Irish  monks.  The  later  annals 
become  more  exclusively  histories  of  Irish  affairs. 


Ixviii  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

O'Conor's  editions,  in  Rerum  Hibernicarum  Scriptores,  are  very 
inaccurate  ;  but  have  not  been  superseded  for  the  Annals  of  Innisfallen, 
Dublin  Annals  of  Innisfallen,  and  Annals  of  Boyle  (all  in  vol.  ii).  Skene's 
extracts  in  Collectanea  de  Rebus  Albanicis  (212-280)  are  taken  from 
O'Conor.  Excerpts  from  the  annals,  relating  to  lona,  were  edited  by 
Dr  Reeves  (as  a  "  Chronicon  Hyense")  in  his  edition  of  Adamnan  ;  and 
aftervi'ards  by  Skene. 

Irish  annals  have  hardly  yet  received  the  editing  that  they  deserve. 
The  Irish  type  used  in  the  editions  favours  misprints,  does  not  lend  itself 
to  the  devices  of  editors,  and  is  unnecessary.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that 
critical  editions  of  those  Irish  annals  that  remain  practically  unedited  will 
be  produced  ;  especially  of  the  Annals  of  Innisfallen.  Stokes's  edition  of 
Tigernach  also  is  a  mere  transcript  with  translation. 

For  the  language  of  the  Irish  annals,  see  Stokes's  Linguistic  Value  of  the 
Irish  Annals,  in  the  Transactions  of  the  Philological  Society  for  1888-1890, 
pp.  365-434  ;  and  T.  0-Maille's  Language  of  the  Annals  of  Ulster  (1910). 
The  Annals  of  Ulster  are  so  faithful  to  their  sources  that  0-Maiile  has 
endeavoured  to  date  from  them  the  times  of  changes  that  gradually  took 
place  in  the  Irish  language.  0-Miille's  work  confirms  the  belief  that  the 
sources  were  generally  written  at  a  time  nearly  contemporaneous  with  the 
events  described.  Both  age  of  language  and  style  of  writing  must  be 
considered  in  judging  particular  entries  in  the  annals.  Those  that  are 
proved  in  this  way  to  be  ancient  have  special  value.  Those  vv'hose 
language  is  later  may  have  been  taken  from  a  source  whose  spelling  had 
been  altered  by  copyists  ;  they  may  be  equally  early  ;  but  their  antiquity 
IS  not  certain. 

In  the  early  Irish  annals,  the  year  begins  on  ist  January  ;  and  the  day 
(in  winter-time  at  least)  at  6  p.m.  The  "night  of  Christmas  "  means  the 
night  before  Christmas,  from  6  p.m.  to  6  a.m.  An  eclipse  of  the  moon 
noticed  by  A.U.  "in  the  first  hour  of  the  night"  of  Tuesday,  i8th  December, 
921,  took  place,  according  to  L'Art  de  Verifier  les  Dates,  about  7  p.m. 
(Paris  time  ;  36  minutes  earlier  at  Armagh)  on  17th  December,  which  was 
a  Monday.  The  same  Annals  note  an  eclipse  of  the  moon  in  1023,  on  the 
14th  day  of  the  January  moon,  January  loth,  a  Thursday  :  but  it  occurred 
at  8  p.m.  (Paris  time),  of  Wednesday,  9th  January  (the  13th  day  of  the 
calendar  moon).  For  an  instance  of  Sunday  beginning  before  sunset,  see 
below,  vol.  i,  p.  163. 

According  to  the  Cdin  Domnaig,  Sunday  was  observed  "from  vespers 
on  Saturday  to  the  end  of  matins  on  Monday"  (Anecdota  from  Irish  MSS., 
iii,  21)  ;  but  "  to  sunrise  on  Monday,"  in  L.B.,  204  (Atkinson). 

The  Scandinavian  invaders  of  Ireland  are  spoken  of  by  various  names 
which  I  have  translated  as  literally  as  possible.  At  first  Gaill  "  Foreigners  " 
and  Gente  "Gentiles"  mean  the  Norwegians.  Later,  they  may  mean 
either  Norwegians  or  Danes  (and,  finally,  English)  :  but  distinctive  names 
also  &^^ft2ix -.—Nortmamia  '' tionhmen,"  Fmd-gaill  "White  Foreio^ners  " 
and  Find-gente  "  White  Gentiles,"  mean  Norwegians  ;  while  Dub-^aill 
"Black  Foreigners,"  and  Dub-gents  "Black  Gentiles,"  mean  Danes. 
Lochland    I    have    generally    translated    by    "Scandinavia";    Lochlaind, 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  Ixix 

Lochlaniiaig,  by  "Scandinavians":  these  names  usually  mean  "Norway" 
and  "  Norwegians,"  but  the  meaning  in  early  times  is  somewhat  uncertain. 

Irish  Life  of  Columba.     See  Homily  on  St  Columba. 

Irish  Life  of  Patrick.     See  Homily  on  St  Patrick. 

Irish  Nennius.  Edited  and  translated  by  J.  H.  Todd  and  A.  Herbert 
(Leabhar  Breathnach  ;  Irish  Archaeological  Society,  Dublin,  1848)  from 
three  manuscripts  :— (D)  Trin.  Col.  of  Dubl.  MS.  H.  3.  17  ;  (B)  the  Book  of 
Ballymote  ;  (L)  the  Book  of  Lecan.  A  fragment  occurs  in  Lebar  na  h-Uidre 
(facsimile,  pp.  3-4),  and  has  been  edited  by  E.  Hogan  (Todd  Lecture  Series, 
vi,  1-16  ;  Dublin,  1895).  The  Irish  Nennius  was  translated  into  Latin  by 
H.  Zimmer,  under  the  title  Nennius  Interpretatus,  in  M.G.H.,  Auctores, 
xiii,  147  ff.  (parallel  with  the  Latin  Nennius). 

The  Irish  Nennius  was  translated  from  a  version  of  Nennius's  Historia 
Brittonum.  It  is  uncertain  whether  the  occasional  additions  that  occur  in 
the  Irish  version  were  written  by  the  Irish  translator  (Gilla-Coemgin),  by 
Nennius  in  a  later  edition,  or  by  a  later  editor  of  Historia  Brittonum. 

Isidore  of  Seville  (t636).  Isidorus  Hispalensis  :  Chronica  Majora 
(to  615).  Ed.  T.  Mommsen,  in  M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xi,  394-410  (Berlin,  1894). 
In  the  same  volume  are  Isidore's  Chronica  Minora  ;  and  additions  to  his 
Chronica  Majora. 

Isidore's  chronicles  were  used  by  Bede,  and  by  the  Irish  annalists. 

Islendlngabdk.     See  Ari. 

Islendlnga  Sogur  (1829- 1 830),  ed.  Hit  Konungliga  FornfraeSa  F^lag  ; 
(1843- 1 847),  ed.  Sigurdson  and  Rafn,  Oldskriftselskab.  See  Icelandic 
Sagas. 

Jaff6,  P.  :  Regesta  Pontificum  Romanorum  (to  1198),  (Berlin,  1851)  ed. 
W.  Wattenbach  (Leipzig,  1885-1888).  Very  valuable  to  chronology.  See 
Potthast. 

Janauschek,  P.  L.  :  Origines  Cistercienses,  vol.  i.     Vienna,  1877. 

larla  Saga.     See  under  Orkneyinga  Saga. 

Jocellne  of  Purness.     See  Life  of  Kentigern. 

John  of  Eversden.     See  Eversden. 

John  of  Peterborough.     See  Chronicle  of  Peterborough. 

John  of  Salisbury  (tii8o):  Historia  Pontificalis  (1148-1152),  ed. 
M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xx,  515-545.     This  is  a  continuation  of  Sigebert. 

John  of  Salisbury:  Letters  (1155-1180).  Ed.  J.  A.  Giles,  Joannis 
Saresberiensis  Opera  Omnia,  i-ii  (Patres  Ecclesiae  ;  Oxford,  1848)  ;  also  in 
P.L.  199  (1855).  Some  are  in  R.S.  67,  v-vii  (1881-1885)  ;  and  in  B.R.,  xvi, 
489-625  (1814). 

John  of  Salisbury  was  an  associate  of  Thomas  Becket.  In  11 76,  he 
was  made  bishop  of  Chartres. 

John  of  Taxter.     See  Taxter. 

John  of  "Worcester:  continuation  of  Florence  of  Worcester  (to  1141). 
In  E.  H.  S.  ed.  of  F.  W.  Separately  ed.  J.  R.  H.  Weaver  (Oxford,  1908). 
Written  before  11 54. 

Johnstone,  James :  Account  of  Haco's  Expedition,  and  Anecdotes  of 
Olave  the  Black  ;  see  under  Hakon  Hakon's  son's  Saga. 

Johnstone,     James :     Antiquitates     Celto-normannicae     (Copenhagen, 


Ixx  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTP^S 

1786).  Contains  the  Chronicle  of  Man  ;  extracts  from  A.U.  ;  De  Situ 
Albaniae  ;  and  Chronicles  of  the  Kings,  AEF. 

Johnstone,  James:  Antiquitates  Celto-Scandicae  (Copenhagen,  1786). 
Contains  selections  from  sagas,  relating  to  British  history,  to  1066  ;  with 
a  Latin  translation.  Among  the  sources  used  are  Heimskringla  ;  Landn^- 
mabok  ;  Egil's  Saga;  Nial's  Saga;  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga  ;  Knytlinga 
Saga  ;  Orkneyinga  Saga. 

Idmsvlkinga  Saga  (saga  of  the  pirates  of  Wollin  island).  Ed.  from 
Arna-magnffian  MS.  291  (of  the  I3th-I4th  century)  by  C.  af  Petersens,  in 
Samfund,  7  (Copenhagen,  1882  ;  a  diplomatic  edition).  The  same  version 
had  been  edited  in  F.S.,  xi,  1-162  (Copenhagen,  1828).  Another  version  is 
inserted  in  the  Flatey-book's  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  (Fl.,  i,  96-106,  153-205). 
The  shortest  and  probably  earliest  version  was  edited  by  G.  Cederschiold, 
from  the  Royal  Library  of  Stockholm  MS.  7  (Lund,  1875  ;  I  have  not  seen 
this  edition)  ;  and  later  by  A.  Joleik  (Gamalnorske  Bokverk,  9  ;  Christiania, 
1910;  with  Landsmaal  translation).  C.  af  Pedersens  published  a 
15th-century  text,  from  A.  M.  MS.  510,  in  1879  ("o*  seen).  A.  Jonsson's 
Latin  translation  is  edited  by  A.  Gjessing  in  Det  Norske  Historiske 
Kildeskriftfond,  11  (Kristianssand,  1877). 

Jones,  Owen.     See  Myvyrian  Archaiology. 

Jdnsson,  Flnnur :  Den  norsk-islandske  Skjaldedigtning  (Kommission 
for  det  Arnamagnseanske  Legat ;  Copenhagen  and  Christiania,  1908-1916  : 
incomplete).  This  work  supersedes  the  editions  in  the  Corpus  Poeticum 
Boreale. 

Keith,  Robert :  Historical  Catalogue  of  the  Scottish  Bishops  (to  1688). 
Ed.  M.  Russel  (Edinburgh,  1824).  Contains  (383-480)  An  Account  of  all 
the  Religious  Houses  that  were  in  Scotland  at  the  time  of  the  Reformation, 
by  John  Spotiswood. 

Kelso.  Liber  S.  Marie  de  Calchou,  ed.  C.  Innes.  B.Cl.  82  (Edinburgh, 
1846). 

Kemble,  J.  M. :  Codex  Diplomaticus  ^vi  Saxonici.  E.H.S.  (London, 
1839-J848). 

Kinloss.  Records  of  the  monastery  of  Kinloss,  ed.  J.  Stuart.  S.A.S. 
Publications,  9  (Edinburgh,  1872). 

Kialnesinga  Saga.  This  is  one  of  the  less  trustworthy  of  the  historical 
sagas.  It  appears  to  have  been  written  in  the  end  of  the  13th  century,  or 
early  in  the  14th.     The  manuscripts  are  later,  and  mostly  corrupt. 

The  text  used  here  is  that  in  Islendinga  Sogur,  vol.  ii,  pp.  395-460 
(Copenhagen,  1847). 

Knytlinga  Saga:  ed.  Fornmanna  Sogur,  xi.  A  fragment  ed.  and  tr. 
in  Antiquites  Russes,  i,  66-86  (Societe  Royale  des  Antiquaires  du  Nord, 
Copenhagen,  1850). 

This  is  an  Icelandic  history  of  Danish  kings. 

Konunga-tal,  Ndregs.  This  is  an  enumeration  in  verse  of  the  reigns 
of  kings  in  Norway,  from  Halfdan  the  Black  to  Sverri.  It  was  composed 
between  1 184  and  1202.  The  earlier  part  is  based  upon  Saemund  Prodi's 
work.  It  has  been  edited  in  Fornmanna  Sogur,  x,  422-433  ;  in  Vigfusson 
and   Powell's   Corpus   Poeticum   Boreale,  ii,  310-321  ;    in   Flateyiarbok,   ii. 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  Ixxi 

520-528  ;   and  (the  best  edition)  in  Jonsson's   Skjaldedigtning,  i,  575-590. 
Jonsson  calls  it  :  "a  poem  about  Joan  Lopt's  son,  ca.  1190." 

Krlngla.  This  is  a  manuscript  written  about  the  year  1260 ;  the 
surviving  leaf  contains  a  fragment  of  Hakon  Hakon's  son's  Saga.  It  is 
edited  in  photo-lithographic  facsimile  by  F.  Jonsson,  for  the  Samfimd,  no. 
24  (Copenhagen,  1S95). 

Krlstnl  Saga.  Ed.  B.  Kahle,  Altnordische  Sagabibliothek,  xi  (Halle, 
1905).  Also  ed.  by  Vigfusson  in  Biskupa  Sogur,  i,  3-32  ;  ed.  and  tr.  in 
Origines  Islandicae,  i,  376-406;  and  ed.  F.  Jonsson  in  Hauksbok,  126-149. 

This  is  a  collection  made  in  the  13th  century.  Its  historical  value 
varies.  The  most  historical  part  deals  with  the  period  of  the  Christianiza- 
tion  of  Iceland  (before  and  after  1000  A.D.). 

Labbe,  Philippe  :   Nova  Bibliotheca  (Paris,  1657). 

Landndmabdk,  ed.  F.  Jonsson  (Oldskriftselskab  ;  Copenhagen,  1900). 
Ed.  also  in  F.  Jonsson's  Hauksbok  (Oldskriftselskab,  1892-1894):  in 
Islendinga  Sogur  (1829)  i,  (1843)  '>  and  by  V.  Asmundarson.  An  abridged 
text  and  translation  are  in  Origines  Islandicae,  i.  There  is  a  convenient 
English  translation  by  T.  Ellwood  :  Book  of  the  Settlement  of  Iceland 
(Kendal,  1898). 

Hank's  version  is  the  earliest,  and  is  the  one  referred  to  here  where 
another  version  is  not  indicated.  Hauk  (t  1334)  says  that  it  was  com- 
pleted "according  as  learned  men  have  written  : — first,  the  priest  Ari  the 
Learned,  Thorgils'  son  ;  and  Kolskegg  the  Wise.  And  [1,]  Hauk  Erlend's 
son,  have  written  the  book,  after  the  book  that  has  been  written  by  the 
most  learned  man  Sturla  the  Lawman,  and  after  the  other  book  written  by 
Styrmi  the  Wise.  And  I  had  [copied]  it  from  which  of  the  two  was  fuller ; 
but  much  the  greater  part  was  what  they  both  related  alike.  And  there- 
fore it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  this  Landnamabok  is  longer  than  any 
other." 

No  doubt  much  of  the  work  is  derived  from  Ari. 

Lanfranc  (archbishop  of  Canterbury;  t  1089)  :  Letters,  ed.  J.  A.  Giles, 
in  Patres  Ecclesiae  ;  Beati  Lanfranci  Opera,  i,  17-81  (Oxford  and  Paris, 
1844).     Also  ed.  P.L.  150. 

Langebek,  Jacob  :  Scriptores  Rerum  Danicarum  Medii  JE\\  (Copen- 
hagen, 1 772- 1 878). 

Langtoft,  Pierre  de  :  Chronicle  (to  1307),  ed.  T.  Wright.  R.S.  47 
1866-1868).  Part  ed.  in  C.A.N. ,  i,  127-165.  Langtoft  is  a  contemporary 
authority  from  1272  onwards. 

Lappenberg,  J.  M.     See  Thorpe. 

Lappenberg,  J.  M.  :   Hamburgisches  Urkundenbuch  (Hamburg,  1 842). 

L'Art  de  V6rifer  les  Dates  (Paris,  1750,  1783-1787,  and  1818-1844). 
This  contains  a  valuable  list  of  eclipses,  calculated  to  within  a  quarter  of  an 
hour,  in  Paris  time. 

Lawrie,  Sir  Archibald:  Early  Scottish  Charters  (to  1 153},  with  notes 
and  index  (Glasgow,  1905) ;  Annals  of  the  Reigns  of  Malcolm  and  William, 
Kings  of  Scotland  (1153-1214,  with  notes  and  index  (Glasgow,  1910).  These 
are  most  useful  works. 

Laxdoela  Saga,  ed.  K.  K^Iund,  A.N.S.B.,  iv  (Halle,  1896).    A  comparative 


Ixxii  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

edition  by  the  same  editor  is  in  the  Samfund,  no.  19  (Copenhagen,  1889- 
1891).  Incomplete  text  and  translation  are  in  Origines  Islandicae,  ii,  141- 
187.  A  translation  into  Landsmaal  was  made  by  S.  Frich  in  Gamalnorske 
Bokverk,  no.  3  (Christiania,  1907) ;  into  English,  by  M.A.C.  Press  (Temple 
Classics;  London,  1899:  the  earlier  saga);  and  by  R.  Proctor  (Chiswick 
Press  ;  London,  1903). 

This  important  Icelandic  saga  was  written  before  the  end  of  the  13th 
century,  and  was  continued  about  the  middle  of  the  14th  century.  It  has 
greater  literary  than  historical  merit. 

Lebar  Brecc.  "  Leabhar  Breac,  The  Speckled  Book,  otherwise  styled 
Leabhar  Mor  Diina  Doighre,  The  Great  Book  of  Dun  Doighre  ;  a  collection 
of  pieces  in  Irish  and  Latin,  compiled  from  ancient  sources  about  the  close 
of  the  fourteenth  century"  ;  published  in  facsimile  from  J.  O'Longan's  copy 
by  the  Royal  Irish  Academy  (Dublin,  1876).  Cf.  facsimiles  28-29  in  the 
National  MSS.  of  Ireland,  iii. 

This  is  an  Irish  manuscript  collection  (R.I.A.  MS.  23.  P.  16),  probably 
of  the  15th  century  ;  drawn  from  older  sources.  The  subjects  are  principally 
ecclesiastical. 

Lebar  Brecc.  Stokes,  Three  Middle-Irish  Homilies  on  the  Lives  of 
Saints  Patrick,  Bridget,  and  Columba.     Privately  printed  (Calcutta,  1877). 

Lebar  Lalgnech.     See  Book  of  Leinster. 

Lebar  na  h-Uldre  (R.I.A.  MS.  23.  E.  25).  Leabhar  na  h-Uidhri  .  .  . 
compiled  and  transcribed  about  A.D.  iioo,  by  Moelmuiri  mac  Ceileachair 
.  .  ."  ;  ed.  in  facsimile  by  the  Royal  Irish  Academy  (Dublin,  1870). 

Maelmuire  died  in  1 106,  according  to  the  Four  Masters,  ii,  982.  This 
is  a  collection  of  Irish  literature,  made  from  earlier  Irish  manuscripts. 

Legend  of  St  Andrew,  ed.  Skene,  Picts  and  Scots,  183-193,  from  the 
i8th  century  abstract  of  the  Register  of  St  Andrews  (Harleian  MS.  4628). 
Previously  edited  by  Pinkerton  (Enquiry,  i,  456-466).  See  below,  p.  Ixxxii. 
A  legend  from  the  Colbertine  MS.  was  edited  by  Pinkerton  (ibid.,  496-498)  ; 
an  Old-Scots  legend,  by  Horstmann  (Altenglische  Legenden,  N.F.,  3-10). 
The  readings  in  the  Breviary  of  Aberdeen  (i,  3,  Ixxxii)  are  also  ed.  in 
Metcalfe's  Lives,  ii,  289-290. 

Liber  Hymnorum.  J.  H.  Bernard  and  R.  Atkinson  :  The  Irish  Liber 
Hymnorum  .  .  .  with  translations,  notes,  and  glossary.  Henry  Bradshaw 
Society  (London,  1898).  Much  of  this  work  was  edited  by  Dr  Todd,  under 
the  title  :  Leabhar  Imuinn,  the  Book  of  Hymns  of  the  Ancient  Church  of 
Ireland  ;  Irish  Archaeological  and  Celtic  Society  (Dublin  ;  part  i,  1855  ; 
part  ii,  posthumously,  1869).  The  hymns  that  are  written  in  Irish,  and  the 
prefaces  that  are  partly  so  written,  were  edited  by  Stokes  in  his  Goidelica 
(2nd  ed.  ;  London,  1872).  The  Irish  hymns  are  also  edited  by  E.  Windisch, 
in  Irische  Texte,  i,  5-58  (Leipzig,  1880). 

The  earliest  manuscripts  of  this  Liber  Hymnorum  are  the  Trinity 
College  of  Dublin  MS.  E.  4.2,  and  a  MS.  in  the  Franciscan  Convent, 
Dublin.  The  former  is  somewhat  earlier  than  the  latter.  Both  are  of  the 
nth  century.  According  to  Bernard,  the  Trin.  Col.  MS.  "perhaps  belongs 
to  its  earlier  years."     Some  of  the  contents  appear  also  in  the  Lebar  Brecc. 

Atkinson  (ibid.,  ii,  p.  xxxiii)  dates  the  earliest  MSS.  "about  the  year 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  Ixxiii 

lioo";  and  says  that  "the  prefaces  are  quite  unhistorical,  and  the  verses 
contain  abundant  proofs  of  middle  Irish  forms,  so  that  they  are  assuredly 
not  to  be  taken  as  mere  copies  of  Old  Irish  poems."  Bernard  is  disinclined 
to  admit  that  the  text  of  the  hymns  is  earlier  than  the  notes  and  glosses 
(i,  p.  xii). 

The  prefaces  have  historical  value  only  as  evidence  of  traditions. 

There  is  no  proof  of  the  authenticity  of  the  hymns  attributed  to 
Columba. 

Liber  Pontificalis,  ed.  (to  530)  by  T.  Mommsen  :  Gesta  Pontificum 
Romanorum,  i  (Berlin,  1898). 

This  is  a  collection  of  popes'  lives,  written  at  various  early  times.  It  is 
a  contemporaneous  source  for  periods  in  the  6th  and  7th  centuries,  and 
from  the  8th  century  onwards.  Versions  of  this  work  were  used  i.a.  by 
Bede,  and  the  early  compilers  of  Irish  annals. 

Liber  Vitae  Eoclesiae  Dunelmensis,  ed.  J.  Stevenson.  Surtees  Society 
no.  13  (1841). 

Llebermann,  Felix;  Ungedruckte  Anglonormannische  Geschichtsquellen 
(Strassburg,  1879). 

Life  of  Adamnan.  A  fragment  of  an  Irish  Life  was  edited  by  Skene 
from  Reeves's  transcript  (Picts  and  Scots,  408-409).  The  source  is  Brussels 
MS.  5101-4.  The  Life  is  edited  by  R.  I.  Best,  in  Anecdotafrom  Irish  MSS., 
ii,  10-20  (1908),  from  the  Royal  Library  of  Brussels  MS.,  4190-4200  (a  1628 
transcript)  ;  and  tr.  by  M.  Joynt  in  Celtic  Review,  v,  97-105  (1908). 

Life  of  Baithine,  in  the  Salamanca  MS.  ;  ed.  Smedt  and  de  Backer, 
Acta  Sanctorum  Hiberniae  ex  Codice  Salmanticensi,  871-878.  This  Life, 
though  late,  may  have  some  more  ancient  basis. 

Life  of  Bernard,  abbot  of  Tiron  (t  1148),  by  Geoffrey  the  Fat ;  ed.  A.S., 
14  Apr.  ii,  220-254  ;  P.L.  172,  1363-1446. 

Geoffrey  was  a  monk  of  Tiron,  and  disciple  of  Bernard. 

Life  of  Brendan  of  Clonfert,  ed.  Plummer,  Vitae  Sanctorum  Hiberniae, 
i,  98-151.  Cf.  the  Irish  homily  on  Brendan,  ed.  Stokes,  Lismore  Lives, 
99-116  ;  tr.,  247-261  (beginning  :  Beatus  vir  qui  timet  Dominum). 

Life  of  Buitte  (+  ca.  521),  in  Rawlinson  MS.  B  505.  Extracts  ed.  Skene, 
Picts  and  Scots,  410-41 1.  Ed.  Plummer,  Vitae,  i,  87-97,  from  a  paper  MS. 
in  the  Franciscan  convent  library  at  Dublin. 

Life  of  Catroe.  Ed.  Colgan,  Acta  Sanctorum,  i,  494  ff.  Part  was 
reprinted  by  Skene  in  Picts  and  Scots,  106-116.  A  better  text  (but  not 
complete)  is  that  of  the  BoUandists  ;  A.S.,  March,  i,  473-480  (1865). 

Kaddroe,  or  more  correctly  Catroe  (perhaps  a  Brythonic  parallel  of 
Irish  cathroe  "  battlefield "),  was  a  Pictish  saint.  The  Life  was  apparently 
written  by  one  Reimann,  or  Ousmann,  who  lived  at  a  time  when  and  in 
a  place  where  he  might  have  been  Catroe's  pupil,  but  yet  knew  about  him 
only  by  hearsay  (Dedicatio).  The  author  writes  as  a  contemporary 
(in  c.  24) ;  and  in  the  life-time  of  a  man  who  had  in  his  youth  been  cured 
of  a  fever  by  Catroe  (c.  29).  The  Life  is  dedicated  to  Immo,  probably  the 
abbot  of  Wassor  from  about  982. 

Life  of  Columba.     See  Adamnan,  Cummine,  Lebar  Brecc,  O'Donnell. 

Life  of  Columba  in  the  Salamanca  MS.,  ed.   Smedt  and  De  Backer, 


Ixxiv  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

Acta    Sanctorum    Hiberniae   ex   Codice    Salmanticensi,   845-855.     This   is 
Colgan's  Vita  Secunda  S.  Columbae,  in  Trias  Thaumaturga,  325-330.  ^ 

This  fragment  is  considerably  more  ancient  than  the  manuscript  in 
which  it  occurs.  It  is  derived  in  great  part  from  Adamnan,  or  from  some 
source  used  by  Adamnan. 

Life  of  Harold,  Godwine's  son  (t  1 066),  ed.  F.  Michel,  Chroniques 
Anglo-Normandes,  ii  (1836)  ;  ed.  and  tr.  W.  de  G.  Birch  :  Vita  Haroldi 
(London,  1885).     The  MS.  is  Harleian  MS.  no.  3776. 

Life  of  Kentigern  (anonymous).  Ed.  by  C.  Innes,  Register  of  Glasgow, 
i,  pp.  Ixxviii-lxxxvi  ;  revised,  by  A.  P.  Forbes,  Historians  of  Scotland,  v, 
243-252  ;  and  by  Metcalfe,  Lives,  ii,  99-109. 

This  Life  was  written  at  the  suggestion  of  Herbert,  bishop  of  Glasgow 
(1147-t  1164).  A  fragment  only  is  preserved,  in  a  corrupt  copy  of  the 
beginning  of  the  15th  century.  It  is  quoted  by  Fordun  (III,  9) ;  and  was 
the  basis  of  the  Life  of  Thanea  or  Thenew  in  the  Breviary  of  Aberdeen 
(ii,  3,  34-36)  ;  and  in  part  of  the  Life  of  Kentigern  given  there  (i,  3,  28). 

The  author  says  in  his  Prologue  (ed.  Forbes,  u.s.,  243-244):  "I  have 
wandered  through  many  districts,  diligently  investigating  their  manners, 
and  the  devotion  of  their  clergy  and  people  :  I  have  found  every  country 
venerating  its  own  provincial  saints,  with  the  laudation  of  its  own  people 
and  of  others  [alternis,  for  alienis].  But  now  that  I  have  come  at  last  to 
the  kingdom  of  the  Scots,  I  have  found  it  very  rich  in  the  relics  of  saints, 
illustrious  in  its  priests,  famous  in  its  princes  ;  nevertheless,  it  was  still,  in 
comparison  with  the  other  kingdoms,  indolent,  almost  torpid  in  the  sloth  of 
neglect,  in  the  veneration  of  its  saints.  Indeed,  when  I  observed  the 
dearth  of  honour  paid  to  the  saints  in  wide  areas  [in  spaciosisj  possibly 
for  "  in  high  places  "  ?],  I  took  my  pen  ;  and,  as  Simeon,  former  monk  of 
Durham,  composed  a  history  of  his  saint,  Cuthbert,  so  I  too  (a  cleric  of 
St  Kentigern)  at  the  suggestion  of  Herbert,  the  venerable  bishop  of 
Glasgow,  have  devoutly  composed,  as  well  as  I  could,  from  the  materials 
found  in  a  pamphlet  of  his  virtues,  and  from  the  spoken  words  communicated 
to  me  by  the  faithful  \de  .  .  .  viva  voce  fidelium  viicM  relata],  some  kind 
[of  history]  to  the  honour  of  the  most  holy  confessor  and  bishop,  Kentigern  ; 
who  shines  beside  the  rest  like  Lucifer  among  the  stars.  .  .  .  Let  all  in 
general  know  this,  that  for  the  sake  of  brevity  I  pass  over  many  things  that 
are  worthy  of  commemoration,  in  writing  concerning  the  man  of  blessed 
memory  ;  and  shall  publish  in  writing  but  a  few  out  of  very  many  things,  in 
order  to  avoid  wearying  those  who  are  to  read.  This  also  any  one  can 
faithfully  observe,  if  he  will  apply  his  diligence  to  [Kentigern's]  miracles 
that  still  appear  throughout  Cambria.  .  .  ." 

Life  of  Kentigern,  by  Joceline  of  Furness  ;  ed.  from  Cottonian  MS. 
Vitellius  C.  VIII,  fos.  148-195,  by  Pinkerton  in  his  Vitae  Antiquae,  191-297  ; 
and  by  Metcalfe,  Lives,  ii,  1-96  :  and  from  a  Dublin  MS.  (Marsh  V.  3.4.  16) 
by  Forbes,  with  collation  (by  Travers)  of  the  Cottonian  MS.,  in  Historians 
of  Scotland,  v,  159-242.  Another  version  of  this  Life  was  edited  in 
Capgrave's  Nova  Legenda  (1516),  207-212  ;  and  in  A.S.,  13  Jan.  ii,  98-103. 
See  Hardy,  Catalogue,  i,  1,  207-209.  Hardy  remarked  that  these  lives  were 
written  during  the  episcopate  of  bishops  who  built  the  cathedral  of  Glasgow 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  Ixxv 

(dedicated  1197),  and  that  they  may  have  been  intended  to  arouse  interest 
in  the  collection  of  funds  for  the  building.  Joceline's  Life  is  dedicated  to 
Joceline,  bishop  of  Glasgow  (consecrated  1175  ;  1 1199). 

Joceline  claims  to  have  had  two  authorities  as  materials  for  his  work. 
He  says  in  the  Prologue  :"...!  have  explored  the  squares  and  streets 
[plaieas  et  vicos\  of  the  city,  according  to  your  command,  seeking  the 
written  account  of  St  Kentigern's  Life,  which  your  soul  loves.  .  .  .  Therefore 
I  have  sought  diligently,  if  it  should  chance  to  be  found,  for  a  Life  which 
should  seem  to  be  supported  by  greater  authority  and  more  evident  truth, 
and  to  be  written  in  a  style  more  elegant,  than  is  that  which  your  church 
employs  ;  because  that  [Life],  many  think,  is  stained  throughout  and 
discoloured  by  inelegant  speech,  and  beclouded  by  an  ill-arranged  style  ; 
and,  what  indeed  every  wise  man  abhors  more  than  all  these  things,  in  the 
very  beginning  of  the  narrative  there  appears  plainly  a  thing  which  is 
opposed  to  sound  doctrine  and  to  catholic  faith. 

"And  I  have  found  another  pamphlet,  dictated  in  the  Scottish  style," 
(i.e.  written  in  Gaelic  ?)  "  swarming  with  errors  throughout,  but  containing 
at  greater  length  the  life  and  acts  of  the  holy  bishop.  Therefore  seeing 
that  so  precious  a  bishop's  life  (glorious  in  signs  and  prodigies,  most 
renowned  for  virtues  and  doctrine)  should  be  blotted  by  a  relation  perverted, 
and  diverted  from  the  faith,  or  should  be  exceedingly  obscured  by 
barbarous  speech,  I  grieved,  I  confess,  and  suffered.  And  therefore  I 
determined  to  restore  and  put  together  material  collected  from  both  these 
books  ;  and,  after  my  measure  and  according  to  your  command,  to  savour 
with  Roman  salt  what  had  been  barbarously  written.  I  hold  it  absurd  that 
a  treasure  so  precious  should  be  wrapped  in  so  worthless  coverings  ;  and 
so  I  shall  endeavour  to  clothe  it,  if  not  in  gold  embroidery  and  silk,  at 
least  in  clean  linen.  .  .  ." 

(The  scandal  referred  to  had  not  been  sufficiently  removed  from  the 
version  given  by  the  anonymous  Life.) 

Life  of  Machar.  An  Old-Scots  verse  life  of  Machar  (wrongly  attributed 
to  Barbour)  is  edited  by  Horstmann  in  his  Alt-englische  Legenden,  Neue 
Folge,  189-208  (1881);  by  Dr  W.  M.  Metcalfe,  in  his  Legends,  ii,  1-46 
(1896),  and  in  his  SS.  Ninian  and  Machor,  87-134  (1904).  The  conclusion 
of  this  Life  is  the  same  as  that  of  St  Ninian's  Life  in  the  same  (14th- 
century)  collection  ;  see  Horstmann,  u.s.,  p.  cvi.  The  Life  of  Machar  was 
probably,  like  the  lections  in  the  Breviary  of  Aberdeen,  based  upon  a  lost 
Latin  Life. 

Life  of  Maelmaedoie.     See  Bernard  of  Clairvaux. 

Life  of  Magnus,  earl  of  Orkney  (t  1 1 16).  Edited  in  Pinkerton's  Vitae, 
387-435  ;  Metcalfe's  Lives,  ii,  214-258.     See  Magnus  Erlend's  son. 

Life  of  Margaret,  queen  of  Scotland.     See  Ailred  of  Rievaulx  ;  Turgot. 

Life  of  Ninian,  by  Ailred  of  Rievaulx.  Ed.  from  a  12th-century 
Bodleian  MS.  (Laud  Misc.  668,  fos.  78-89),  by  Pinkerton  in  his  Vitae 
Antiquae  ;  revised,  by  A.  P.  Forbes,  in  Historians  of  Scotland,  v,  137-157  ; 
and  in  Metcalfe's  Lives. 

In  his  Praefatio  (ed.  Forbes,  140),  Ailred,  describing  his  sources,  quotes 
from  Bede,  and  says  :  "  But  that  which  he  [Bede]  seems  merely  to  have 


Ixxvi  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

touched  upon,  briefly  (as  the  course  of  his  History  appeared  to  require),  a 
book  concerning  [Ninian's]  Life  and  Miracles,  written  in  barbarous  language 
\barbarioj  read  barbarice  ?  ]  proposes  to  relate  to  us  more  fully.  This  book, 
however,  (while  nowhere  deviating  from  the  foundation  of  [Bede's]  testimony) 
only  describes  in  historical  manner  how  [Ninian]  had  such  origin,  how  he 
achieved  such  success,  how  he  attained  an  end  so  praiseworthy"  (cf. 
Breviary  of  Aberdeen,  ii,  3,  107).  This  earlier  Life  was  perhaps  written  in 
Anglo-Saxon.  Ailred  says  :  "  ...  Barbarous  speech  obscured  the  Life  of 
the  most  holy  Ninian  ;  .  .  .  and  the  less  it  delighted  the  reader,  the  less 
it  edified  him."  Ailred  proposed  to  translate  the  Life  into  good  Latin  : 
"...  and  to  rescue  it  from  rustic  speech  as  from  darkness,  and  bring  it 
forth  into  the  light  of  Latin  diction." 

Ailred's  Life  was  the  basis  of  the  Life  of  Ninian  in  the  Old-Scots  verse- 
collection. 

Life  of  Ninian  in  the  Scottish  verse  Lives  of  Saints.  C,  Horstmann 
summarized  the  contents  of  this  Life  in  his  Altenglische  Legenden,  Neue 
Folge,  pp.  cii-cvi ;  and  edited  it  in  his  Barbour's  Legendensammlung,  ii, 
121-138.  It  is  edited  by  Dr  Metcalfe  in  his  Legends,  ii,  304-345  (S.T.S., 
1896) ;  and  again  in  his  SS.  Ninian  and  Machor  (Paisley,  1904).  Buss  and 
Metcalfe  have  shown  that  Barbour  was  not  the  author. 

Life  of  Serf,  ed.  from  Marsh  MS.  V.  3.  4.  16  (assigned  to  the  13th 
century),  by  Skene,  Picts  and  Scots,  412-420;  and  by  Metcalfe,  Lives,  ii, 
1 19-128.     This  Life  was  the  basis  of  Wyntoun's  account. 

Life  of  Thanea  (or  Thenew),  in  the  Scottish  verse  Lives  of  Saints.  Ed. 
Horstmann,  Barbour's  Legendensammlung,  ii,  79-83  ;  and  by  Metcalfe, 
Legends,  ii,  215-222. 

Life  of  Waltheof,  ablbot  of  Melrose  (tllS9),  by  Jordan,  a  monk  of 
Furness  ;  ed.  A.S.,  3  August,  i,  249-278.  This  work  is  quoted  by  Bower 
(VI,  I,  etc.) ;  who  calls  the  author  Jocelin.  The  Life  was  written  ca.  1207. 
The  author  addresses  his  work  to  William,  king  of  Scotland  ;  and  his 
son,  Alexander  ;  and  brother,  earl  David.  It  was  written  at  the  request 
of  Patrick,  abbot  of  Melrose  ;  and  was  finished  after  Patrick's  death 
(.•.  1207  X  1214). 

Cf.  the  Life  in  Capgrave's  Nova  Legenda  (1516),  293-295. 
Life  of  Waltheof,  Siward's  son  (t  1075).  Edited  by  F.  Michel,  in 
C.A.N. ,  ii,  99-142,  from  a  manuscript  of  the  I2th-i3th  century  (Library  of 
Douai  MS.  no.  801).  This  Life  appears  to  have  been  compiled  from 
previous  Lives.  It  contains  these  sections  :  Epitaphium  (prose  ;  99-103) ; 
Epitaphium  (verse;  103-104);  Gesta  Antecessorum  (104-111);  Vita  et 
Passio  (111-120);  Epitaphium  (prose;  121-123);  Epitaphium  metricum 
(123);  De  Comitissa  (123-131)  ;  Miracula  (t3[-i42).  There  is  an  edition 
in  Langebek's  Scriptores,  iii,  288-300  (1774). 

Llna,  B.  H. :  Norsk-islandska  Dopnamn  ock  Fingerade  Namn  fran 
Medeltiden  (Uppsala,  1907-1915). 

Llndores.  Chartulary  of  the  Abbey  of  Lindores,  1195-1479;  ed  J. 
Dowden  (Edinburgh,   1903). 

List  of  Bishops  and  Archbishops  of  Norway  (written  in  1325)  ;  ed. 
Langebek,  Scriptores,  vi,  615-621. 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  Ixxvii 

List  of  Bishops  of  Man.     See  Chronicle  of  Man. 

Lorenzen,  M. :  Gammeldanske  Kroniker.  Samfund,  no.  18(1887-1913). 
These  Danish  chronicles  are  later  than  the  early  Icelandic  Annals,  and 
have  little  value  for  the  purpose  of  this  book. 

Magnus  Erlend's  son's  Saga :  Saga  of  St  Magnus,  ed.  Vigfusson,  R.S. 
88,  i,  237-280  ;  tr.  Dasent,  ibid.,  iii,  239-282. 

Magnus  Erlend's  son's  Saga  :  Shorter  Saga  of  St  Magnus,  ed.  Vigfusson, 
R.S.  88,  i,  281-298  ;  tr.  Dasent,  ibid,  iii,  283-301. 

For  the  Latin  Life  of  St  Magnus,  see  under  Life  of  Magnus. 

Magnus  Hakon's  son's  Saga.  Only  a  fragment  of  this  saga  has  been 
preserved.  It  is  edited  in  Thorlacius  and  WerlaufPs  Konunga  Sogur,  v, 
384-392;  Rafn's  Fornmanna  Sogur,  x,  155-163;  Vigfusson's  Icelandic 
Sagas,  R.S.  88,  ii,  361-368.  An  additional  fragment  believed  by  Vigfusson 
to  belong  to  this  saga  is  published  ibid.,  ii,  368-373.  Translations  into 
Danish  and  Latin  accompany  the  Danish  editions  ;  a  translation  into 
English,  by  Dasent,  the  English  edition  (ibid.,  iv,  374-386).  It  is  translated 
into  Danish  by  A.  Bugge,  in  Kongesagaer,  iv,  296-305  (Christiania,  1914). 

This  saga  was  composed  by  Sturla,  Thord's  son.  See  the  Islendinga 
Saga  (Vigfusson's  ed.  of  Sturlunga  Saga,  ii,  272)  ;  where,  after  telling  of 
his  being  commanded  to  write  the  saga  of  Hakon  Hakon's  son,  Sturla  (or  a 
continuator)  says  :  "And  then,  upon  the  second  of  Sturla's  expeditions,  he 
was  with  king  Magnus  again,  well  esteemed  and  held  in  high  honour. 
Then  he  put  together  the  saga  of  king  Magnus,  in  accordance  with 
documents  [eptir  brefu7n\  and  [Magnus's]  own  advice.  Then  he  became 
a  guardsman  of  king  Magnus,  and  afterwards  his  cup-bearer.  .  .  ." 

Malmesbury,  see  William  of. 

Mantissa.  This  is  a  name  given  to  a  collection  of  historical  notes, 
originally  written  in  Icelandic  in  the  12th  century  ;  they  are  of  some  value 
and  fair  authority.  I  have  used  the  composite  edition  of  Vigfusson 
(Origines,  i,  267  ff.). 

Map-Urbagen  (Filius  Urbacen)  :  the  Chartres  MS.  of  the  Historia 
Brittonum ;  Mommsen's  MS.  Z  (written  in  the  loth  century).  This  is 
represented  by  cc.  38-48  of  the  Historia  Brittonum.  Ed.  L.  Duchesne, 
Revue  Celtique,  xv,  174-180  (1894). 

See  L.  Duchesne,  in  R.C.,  xv,  187  ;  L.  Traube,  in  Neues  Archiv  der 
Gesellschaft  fiir  altere  deutsche  Geschichtskunde,  xxiv,  721-724 ;  and 
T.  Mommsen,  ibid.,  xix,  285-293. 

Marcellinus  Comes  (t?534):  Chronicon  (379-518,  continued  to  534), 
ed.  T.  Mommsen,  M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xi,  60-104  (1893);  the  anonymous 
continuation  (to  548),  ibid.,   104-108. 

Marcellinus  continued  the  work  of  Jerome.  Both  MarceUinus  and  his 
continuator  are  valuable  authorities  for  the  history  of  the  empire. 

Marianus  Soottus  (1028-1083) :  Chronicon  (to  1082  ;  with  continuations 
for  1083-1106,  1 133,  and  1083-1087).  Edited  by  G.  Waitz,  in  M.G.H., 
Scriptores,  v,  495-564  (Hannover,  1844).  Also  published  in  Migne's 
Patrologia  Latina,  147,  623-796  (1853).  Selections  in  Bouquet's  Recueil, 
v-viii,  xi. 

The    original    manuscript — Codex    Palatino-Vaticanus,    no.    830— was 


Ixxviii  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

partly  written  by  Marianus  himself,  and  has  additions  made  by  him. 
Many  of  these  additions  do  not  appear  in  the  copy  preserved  in  the 
Cottonian  MS.  Nero  C.  V  ;  this  also  being  an  nth-century  MS.  Perhaps 
the  Cottonian  MS.  was  copied  before  Marianus  had  inserted  the  additions 
that  it  does  not  contain.  For  the  first  MS.,  see  B.  MacCarthy  :  The 
Codex  Palatino-vaticanus  no.  830  (Dublin  1892).  Part  of  it  was  copied  in 
1072,  by  an  Irish  monk  who  went  to  Mainz  from  Scotland  in  that  year. 

Marianus  was  an  Irishman.  He  was  called,  in  Irish,  Maelbrigte  the 
Recluse.  He  became  a  monk  at  Koln,  on  ist  August,  1056  ;  was  con- 
secrated priest  at  Wiirzburg  on  13th  March,  1059;  and  became  a  recluse 
at  Fulda  on  14th  May,  1059.  Released  after  10  years,  he  was  again 
immured,  on  3rd  April,  1069,  at  Mainz  ;  and  remained  a  recluse  until 
his  death. 

The  first  edition  of  his  chronicle  appears  to  end  in  1073.  The  initial 
letters  of  the  words  of  verses  entered  under  1076  form  an  Irish  sentence 
indicating  the  author's  name :  "  Maelbrigte  the  Recluse  compiled  me." 
His  work  was  the  nucleus  of  Florence  of  Worcester's  chronicle. 

Martyrologies,  see  Donegal,  Gorman,  Oengus,  Tallaght. 

Maseres,  Francis :  Historiae  Anglicanae  .  .  .  Monumenta  (London, 
1807).     An  edition  of  parts  of  Duchesne's  H.N.S. 

Mas  Latrie:  Tresor  de  Chronologie  (Paris,  1889). 

Matthew  of  Westminster.     See  Flores  Historiarum. 

Maufe  (or  Malfe),  Alexander:  Statement  regarding  the  foundation  of 
Sawtry  abbey,  Huntingdonshire,  ed.  R.S.  79,  i,  160-166  ;  D.M.,  v,  523-525. 
This  statement  was  written  1147X  1153. 

May.  Records  of  the  Priory  of  the  Isle  of  May,  ed.  J.  Stuart.  S.A.S.  8 
(Edinburgh,  1868). 

Melrose.  Liber  S.  Marie  de  Melros,  ed.  C.  Innes.  B.Cl.  56 
(Edinburgh,   1837). 

Metcalfe,  W.  M. :  Legends  of  the  Saints,  In  the  Scottish  Dialect  of 
the  14th  century.  Scottish  Texts  Society,  is  (Edinburgh,  1896).  Legends 
of  SS.  Ninian  and  Machor,  from  an  Unique  MS.  in  the  Scottish  Dialect 
of  the  14th  century  (Paisley,  1904  ;  a  corrected  text).  Both  works  are 
edited  with  notes  and  glossary. 

Metcalfe,  W.  M. :  Pinkerton's  Lives  of  the  Scottish  Saints,  revised  and 
enlarged  (Paisley,  1889).  Regrettably  few  copies  of  this  valuable  work 
were  published. 

Metrical  Chronicle  of  York,  ed.  Raine's  York,  R.S.  71,  ii,  446-463. 
Written  during  the  archbishopric  of  William  III  of  York;  i.e.,  either 
W.  Wykewane  (1279x1285),  or  W.  of  Greenfield  (1306x1315);  probably 
the  latter. 

Michel,  Prancisque:  Chroniques  Anglo-Normandes  (Rouen  1836 
1836,   1840). 

Migne,  J.  P. :  Patrologiae  Cursus  Completus,  Series  Latina  (Paris, 
1844-1864).  Series  Graeca  (1857-66;  1912).  This  immense  collection, 
principally  of  reprints,  has  the  merit  of  being  generally  accessible. 

Monumenta  Germaniae  Historica:  Auctores  Antiquissimi  (Berlin, 
1877-1905);    Gesta    Pontificum    Romanorum    (Berlin,     1898);    Scriptores 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  Ixxix 

(Hannover,  1826-1905)  ;  Scriptores  Rerum  Merovingicarum  (Hannover, 
1885-1909)  ;  etc.     Series  of  critically  edited  texts. 

Monumenta  Hlstorioa  Britannica  (to  1066),  ed.  H.  Petrie  and  J.  Sharpe. 
Record  Commission  (1848).  A  collection  in  one  volume  of  the  principal 
sources  for  the  history  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  kingdom,  elaborately  edited,  with 
a  useful  index. 

Moore,  Miss  M.  P. :  The  Lands  of  the  Scottish  Kings  in  England  :  the 
Honour  of  Huntingdon,  the  Liberty  of  Tyndale,  and  the  Honour  of 
Penrith  (London,  191 5).     A  very  useful  work. 

Moray.  Registrum  episcopatus  Moraviensis,  ed.  C.  Innes  (Edinburgh, 
1837). 

Morkinskinna  (Royal  Library  of  Copenhagen  MS.  1009  folio),  ed. 
C.  R.  Unger  (Christiania,  1867). 

Morkinskinna  contains  an  early  version  of  the  kings'  sagas,  written  in 
the  first  half  of  the  13th  century  (from  Magnus  the  Good  to  Sigurd 
Bad-deacon). 

Morton,  James:  Monastic  Annals  of  Teviotdale  :  or,  the  History  and 
Antiquities  of  the  abbeys  of  Jedburgh,  Kelso,  Melros,  and  Dryburgh 
(Edinburgh,  1832). 

Mothers  of  Irish  Saints,  a  tract  written  after  927,  and  wrongly  attributed 
to  Oengus  the  Celede,  in  the  R.LA.  MS.  Book  of  Lecan,  and  MS.  Rawlinson 
B  512  ;  accessible  to  me  only  in  the  fragments  in  L.L.,  372-373,  and  B.B., 
212-214. 

Muirchu  Maccu-mactheni :  Memoirs  of  the  life  of  St  Patrick,  ed. 
Hogan  (see  Life  of  Patrick  in  the  Book  of  Armagh)  ;  ed.  Stokes,  R.S.  89, 
ii,  269-300  ;  tr.  A.  Barry  (Dublin,  1895)  ;  tr.,  with  notes,  by  N.  J.  D.  White, 
in  St  Patrick  :  his  Writings  and  Life  (1920),  pp.  68-137. 

According  to  Duchesne  (R.C.,  xv,  188),  Muirchu's  work  dates  from  the 
end  of  the  7th  century. 

Munch,  P.  A.:  Det  Norske  Folks  Historic  (Christiania,  1852-1863). 

Myvyrian  Archaiology.  Owen  Jones,  E.  Williams,  and  W.  O.  Pughe  : 
The  Myvyrian  Archaiology  of  Wales,  collected  out  of  Ancient  Manuscripts 
(Denbigh,  1870;  ist  ed.,  1801). 

National  Manuscripts  of  Ireland,  ed.  J.  T.  Gilbert  (H.M.  Stationery 
Office). 

National  Manuscripts  of  Scotland,  ed.  C.  Innes  (H.M.  Stationery 
Office). 

Nennius,  see  Historia  Brittonum  ;  Irish  Nennius  ;  Zimmer. 

Newminster.  Chartularium  abbathiae  de  Novo  Monasterio  ordinis 
Cisterciensis,  ed.  J.  T.  Fowler.     Surtees  Society,  66  (Durham,  1878). 

Nicolas,  Sir  Harris:  The  Chronology  of  History  (London,  1833; 
1838,  etc.). 

Nielsen,  O. :  Old-danske  Person-navne.  Universitets  Jubilaeets  dansk 
Samfund,  xv  (1882). 

Nidi's  Saga.  K.  Gislason  and  E.  Jonsson  :  Njala.  Oldskriftselskab 
(Copenhagen,  1875,  1889).  This  is  a  composite  text.  Gislason's  cc.  68-159 
are  cc.  69-160  in  Olafsson's  edition  (Copenhagen,  1772)  ;  Gislason's  cc.  58- 
159  are  cc.  57-158,  and  Gislason's  cc.  97-104  are  differently  arranged,  in 


Ixxx  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

G.  W.  Dasent's  translation  (The  Story  of  Burnt  Njal  ;  Edinburgh,  1861  : 
the  text  reprinted  in  Everyman's  Library). 

A  good  and  convenient  edition  is  that  of  F.  Jonsson  :  Brennu-Njalssaga 
(A.N.S.B.  13;  Halle,  1908).  This  text  is  based  primarily  upon  Arna- 
magnaan  MS.  468,  4°  (for  MSS.  and  editions,  see  the  Einleitung  ;  pp. 
xxxix-xlv).  A  description  of  the  MSS.  is  given  in  the  Oldskriftselskab  ed., 
ii,  649-787  ;  facsimile  specimens  appear  at  the  end. 

Extracts  are  ed.  and  tr.  in  R.S.  88,  i,  319-340  ;  iii,  344-365  ;  in 
Johnstone's  Antiquitates  Celto-Scandicae  ;  and  in  Collectanea  de  Rebus 
Albanicis,  334-338. 

This  is  one  of  the  greatest  sagas  of  Iceland.  According  to  Vigfusson 
(Prolegomena,  p.  xliv),  it  was  composed  between  1230  and  1280.  Although 
its  basis  is  historical,  its  character  is  less  historical  than  literary  and 
romantic.  It  is  not  very  trustworthy  for  Scottish  history,  which  it  touches 
incidentally.  The  last  chapters,  describing  real  events  of  1013  and  1014, 
are  partly  fabulous. 

Norgate,  Miss  K.  ;  England  under  the  Angevin  Kings  (London,  1887). 
John  Lackland  (London,  1902). 

Northampton.  Register  of  the  Priory  of  St  Andrews  of  Northampton. 
Cottonian  MS.  Vespasian  E  XVII. 

Northamptonshire,  see  Surveys. 

North  Berwick.  Carte  monialium  de  Northberwic,  ed.  C.  Innes. 
B.Cl.  84  (Edinburgh,  1847). 

O'Clery's  Calendar.     See  Donegal,  Martyrology  of. 

Odd's  Olaf's  Saga  (Oddr  Muncr  :  Saga  Olafs  Konungs  Tryggvasonar). 
Ed.  P.  Grot :  Det  Arnamagnaeanske  Haandskrift  310,  4to.  Norsk  Historisk 
Kildeskriftfond  (1895).  Previously  ed.  in  F.S.,  x,  216-376.  The  beginning 
of  this  version  is  lost.  A  complete  version  from  a  somewhat  different'  text, 
a  MS.  in  the  Royal  Library  in  Stockholm,  was  edited  by  P.  A.  Munch 
(Christiania,  1853). 

These  are  Old-Norse  translations  of  a  saga  written  in  Latin  by  Odd 
towards  the  end  of  the  12th  century.  Odd's  work  was  used  by  Snorri 
Sturla's  son  in  the  Heimskringla. 

Cf.  the  Latin  legends  in  Langebek,  ii,  529  ff. 

O'Donnell's  Life  of  Columba,  partly  ed.  R.  Henebry,  in  Zeitschrift  fiir 
celtische  Philologie,  iii-v ;  and  by  A.  O'Kelleher,  ibid.,  ix,  x.  Large  extracts 
from  it  were  edited  by  John  Colgan  in  his  Trias  Thaumaturga.  Since  the 
conclusion  of  the  present  work,  a  complete  edition  (from  Bodleian  MS. 
Rawlinson  B  514),  with  translation,  glossary,  etc.,  has  been  produced  by 
A.  O'Kelleher  and  G.  Schoepperle  (Urbana,  Illinois;  1918). 

This  Life  was  written  in  1532.  It  is  derived  from  previously  written 
Lives,  and  from  tradition.     It  is  only  exceptionally  cited  here. 

Oengus,  Martyrology  of.  First  edited  by  W.  Stokes  for  the  Royal 
Irish  Academy,  Irish  Manuscript  Series,  1  : — On  the  Calendar  of  Oengus 
(Dublin,  1880).  Three  versions  are  printed  in  parallel,  with  many  notes 
from  the  Lebar  Brecc.  Again  edited  by  the  same  scholar : — Felire 
Oengusso  Celi  De :  The  Martyrology  of  Oengus  the  Culdee.  Henry 
Bradshaw   Society,  29  (London,   1905).     In  the  latter  edition,  the  text   is 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  Ixxxi 

corrected  by  collation  of  ten  manuscripts  ;  selected  notes  from  different 
versions,  and  a  translation,  are  given. 

This  is  a  versified  calendar  of  saints,  composed  originally  about 
800  A.D.  The  earliest  (but  not  always  most  accurate)  of  the  manuscripts 
is  the  Lebar  Brace.  According  to  Stokes,  the  notes  date  from  the  13th 
century.  The  2nd  edition,  with  notes,  glossary,  etc.,  is  a  very  valuable 
book. 

Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga  (Olafs  Saga  Tryggvasonar).  Edited  in 
Fornmanna  Sogur,  i-iii  ;  tr.  in  the  corresponding  volumes  of  Oldnordiske 
Sagaer  and  Scripta  Historica  Islandorum  ;  and  into  English,  by  J.  Sephton 
(London,  1895).  Selections  are  ed.  and  tr.  in  Johnstone's  Antiquitates 
Celto-Scandicae  ;  and  tr.  in  Collectanea. 

This  is  a  13th-century  collection  of  histories  of  the  kings  of  Norway, 
from  862  to  1045.  It  was  nearly  contemporary  with  the  Heimskringla,  and 
they  are  both  derived  from  the  same  sources.     See  also  Odd's  Olaf's  Saga. 

Oldskriftselskab.  Det  Kongelige  Nordiske  Oldskriftselskab.  Many 
excellent  Icelandic  texts  are  published  by  this  Society. 

Oliver,  J.  R. :  Monumenta  de  Insula  Manniae.     Manx  Society,  4,  7,  9. 

Orderlous  Vitalis :  Historia  Ecclesiastica  (to  1 141),  ed.  A.  Le  Prevost. 
S.H.F.  (Paris,  1838-1855).  This  excellent  edition  was  unfortunately 
inaccessible  to  me  when  I  compiled  Scottish  Annals  from  English 
Chroniclers.  Other  editions  are  in  H.N.S.,  321-925  (1619) ;  P.L.  188, 
15-984  (1855).  Tr.  by  T.  Forester  (London,  1853-1856).  Fragments  ed. 
B.R.,  ix-xii  ;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xx,  xxvi. 

Of  English  birth,  Orderic  lived  in  Normandy  from  an  early  age. 
His  work  is  valuable  for  the  history  of  England  after  the  conquest.  He 
derives  material  from  William  of  Poitiers  and  William  of  Jumieges. 

Origines  Islandicae,  edited  and  translated  by  G.  Vigfusson  and  F.  York 
Powell  (Oxford,  1905). 

Origines  Paroehiales  Sootiae  ;  B.Cl.  97  (Edinburgh,  1851-1857). 

Orkneyinga  Saga  (to  1222),  ed.  G.  Vigfusson,  tr.  G.  W.  Dasent.  R.S. 
88,  i,  iii  (1887,  1894).  This  is  a  composite  text.  A  better  edition,  but  also 
composite,  is  being  brought  out  by  S.  Nordal,  in  the  Samfund,  40.  Nordal's 
chapters  are  not  the  same  as  Vigfusson's.  The  whole  Orkneyinga  Saga  is 
distributed  through  the  Flatey-book  (ed.  C.  R.  Unger)  ;  and  a  translation 
by  J.  A.  Hjaltalin  and  G.  Goudie  is  edited  by  Joseph  Anderson  (Edinburgh, 
1873).     Extract  tr.  Skene,  Collectanea,  339-346. 

Vigfusson's  text  is  constructed  from  Arna-magnsean  MS.  332  (MS.  A  ; 
a  paper  MS.  of  the  end  of  the  17th  century) ;  A.M.  MS.  325  (MS.  C  ;  of 
the  end  of  the  13th  century) ;  a  vellum  fragment  (MS.  6 ;  of  the  same  date)  ; 
a  16th-century  Danish  translation  ;  and  Fl.  (the  O.S.  part  of  which  was 
written,  according  to  Vigfusson,  ca.  1380).  Fl.  alone  contains  the  whole 
saga. 

A  larla  Saga  existed  at  the  time  when  Landndmabok  was  written.  The 
form  in  which  we  have  it,  however,  (to  1064  ;  O.S.,  cc.  4-38  ;  i,  1-59)  is  of 
much  later  and  uncertain  date.  A  late  version  of  c.  6  occurs  in  the 
surviving  Landndmabok.  The  earliest  version  is  that  which  is  given  by 
Snorri  in  the  Heimskringla  (St   Olaf,  cc.  96-103,  represented  by  O.S.  in 

/ 


Ixxxii  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

cc.  4-9,  12-22  ;  while  cc.  4-8  and  12  appear  more  fully  in  H.,  Harold 
Fairhair,  cc.  10,  22,  24,  27,  30-32  ;  Hakon  the  Good,  cc.  3,  4,  5,  10  ;  Olaf 
Tryggvi's  son,  cc.  30,  46,  47). 

Chapters  9  (Ragnhild)  to  11,  and  22  (Karl  Hundi's  son,  etc.)  to  38, 
appear  not  to  have  been  among  Snorri's  materials.  With  cc.  4-12  of  O.S., 
cf.  cc.  95-98  of  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga  (F.S.,  i,  192-202). 

Snorri's  version  is  briefer  than  O.S.,  and  written  in  a  more  restrained 
style  ;  although  there  is  often  a  close  verbal  resemblance  between  the  two. 
Snorri  seems  to  have  used  an  earlier  and  less  legendary  version,  presumably 
the  version  that  he  found  in  Ari's  larlabok.  The  chapters  omitted  by 
Snorri  are  generally  more  romantic  in  subject  and  manner,  and  must  take 
a  lower  place  as  historical  evidence,  than  those  that  he  gives.  In  the 
chapters  that  are  common  to  H.  and  O.S.,  preference  must  be  given  to  H. 

The  chapters  of  Orkneyinga  Saga's  larla  Saga  that  are  not  in 
Heimskringla  contain  :— the  story  of  Ragnhild  (also  in  Olaf's  Saga,  c.  97)  ; 
Skull's  battles  with  Liot  and  earl  Macbeth  at  Skidmoor  (in  Olaf's  Saga, 
c.  97)  ;  the  raven  banner  episode  ;  Thorfinn's  battles  with  Karl  Hundi's 
son  and  earl  Moddan,  and  king  Karl's  repeated  defeats  ;  Thorfinn's  advance 
to  Fife  ;  Thorfinn's  generosity  to  his  men.  Also  the  affairs  of  Ronald, 
Brusi's  son,  in  Russia  and  in  Norway  ;  his  league  with  Thorfinn,  and 
peaceful  acquisition  of  two-thirds  of  the  islands  ;  their  common  plunderings  ; 
their  campaign  in  England  ;  the  quarrel  between  them  over  one-third  of 
the  islands,  and  its  dramatic  result,  whereby  the  islands  became  subject  to 
king  Magnus  ;  the  dramatic  attack  of  Ronald  upon  Thorfinn,  and  Thorfinn's 
equally  dramatic  reprisal ;  Thorfinn's  triumphal  progress  through  Norway, 
Denmark,  and  Saxony,  and  his  absolution  at  Rome  : — all  these  stories  are 
brilliantly  told,  and  highly  interesting  ;  but  they  cannot  be  accepted  as 
history. 

Paisley.  Registrum  monasterii  de  Passelet,  ed.  C.  Innes.  M.Cl.  17 
(Edinburgh,  1832). 

Palgrave,  Sir  Francis :  Documents  and  Records  Illustrating  the 
History  of  Scotland,  vol.  i.     Record  Commission  (8vo,  1837). 

Paris,  Matthew  ;  Chronica  Majora  (to  1259),  ed.  H.  R.  Luard.  R.S.  57 
(1872-1883).     Part  ir.  J.  A.  Giles  (London,  1852-1854). 

Paris,  Matthew:  Historia  Anglorum,  or  Historia  Minor  (to  1253),  ed. 
F.  Madden.     R.S.  44  (1866-1869). 

For  his  own  time  (1236-1259),  Paris's  works  are  of  very  great  value. 

Patent  Rolls,  i  (1201-1216),  ii  (1224-1227),  ed.  T.  D.  Hardy  (Record 
Commission,  folio,  1835,  1844).  The  following  octavo  volumes  (pubhshed 
by  H.M.  Stationery  Office)  are  distinguished  by  their  years  of  publication  :— 
1901  (1216-1225),  1903  (1225-1232);  and  the  Calendar  of  the  Patent  Rolls 
(abstracts  of  their  contents) :— 1906  (1232-1247),  1908  (1247-1258),  1910 
(1258-1266),  1913  (1266-1272),  19C1  (1272-1281),  1893  (1281-1292),  1895 
(1292-1301). 

Pictish  Chronicle.     See  Chronicles  of  the  Kings. 

Pingr6  :  Cometographie,  ou  Traite  Historique  et  Theorique  des  Cometes 
(Paris  ;  vol.  i,  17S3). 

Pinkerton,  John  :  Enquiry  into  the  History  of  Scotland  preceding  the 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  Ixxxiii 

Reign  of  Malcolm  III  (London,  1789).  "A  new  edition,  with  corrections 
and  additions,"  Edinburgh,  1814.  The  1814  edition  is  the  one  referred  to 
here. 

Pinkerton,  John  :  Vitae  Antiquae  Sanctorum  qui  habitaverunt  in  ea 
parte  Britanniae  nunc  vocata  Scotia,  vel  in  ejus  insulis  (London,  1789). 
Re-edited  by  W.  M.  Metcalfe  (Paisley,  1889). 

Plummer,  C.     See  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle,  and  Bede. 
Plummer,  O.  :  Vitae  Sanctorum  Hiberniae  (Oxford,  1910).     Latin  Lives 
of  Irish  saints,  well  edited. 

Pontifical  of  St  Andrews.  Pontificale  Ecclesiae  S.  Andreae  :  The 
Pontifical  Offices  used  by  David  de  Bernham,  ed.  C.  Wordsworth  (Edin- 
burgh, 1885),  from  Bibliothfeque  Nationale  of  Paris  MS.  fonds  Latin  no. 
12 18.     See  years  1240- 1249,  below. 

Potthast,  August :  Bibliotheca  Historica  Medii  Mvi  (2nd  ed.,  Berlin, 
1896).     A  very  valuable  historical  bibliography. 

Pottbast,  August:  Regesta  Pontificum  Romanorum  (i  198-1304;  Berlin, 
1874-1875).     See  Jafife. 

Procoplus  Caesarlensls  (f  ca.  562)  :  Historia  sui  temporis  (De  Bello 
Persico,  De  Bello  Vandalico,  De  Bello  Gothico),  ed.  B.  G.  Niebuhr,  Corpus 
Scriptorum  Historiae  Byzantinae  [no.  10  in  British  Museum]  (Bonn,  1833- 
1838).     Procopius  was  not  well  informed  regarding  British  affairs. 

Prose  and  Verse  Chronicles.  See  Chronicle  of  Melrose,  and  Verse 
Chronicle. 

Ragnar  Lodbrok's  Saga,  ed.  Magnus  Olsen.  Samfund,  xxxvi,  2,  lll- 
175  (Copenhagen,  1907). 

This  is  an  unhistorical  tale  of  Ragnar  and  his  sons,  and  their  warfare 
with  king  ^lle  in  England.  The  Tale  of  Ragnar's  sons,  a  shorter  account, 
is  in  Hauksbok,  ii,  458-467. 

Raine,  James  (the  elder)  :  History  and  Antiquities  of  North  Durham 
(London,  1852).     With  a  valuable  appendix  of  documents. 

Raine,  James  (the  younger) :  Historians  of  the  Church  of  York.     R.S. 
71  (1879-1894).     The  Priory  of  Hexham.     S.S.  (1864-1865). 
Ralph  de  Diceto.     See  Diceto. 

Ralph  Niger  ("  the  Black"):  Chronicon  a  Christo  nato  (to  11 70;  with 
continuation,  1162-1178;  and  additions  made  by  a  monk  of  Coggeshall). 
Chronicon  ab  initio  mundi  (to  1199).  Ed.  R.  Anstruther.  Caxton  Society, 
13  (London,  1851).  Extracts,  and  the  continuation,  ed.  R.  Pauli,  in  M.G.H., 
Scriptores,  xxvii,  331-344. 

The  continuation  seems  not  to  have  been  written  by  Ralph  Niger,  and 
was  presumably  written  after  1194.     Ralph  Niger  describes  affairs  of  the 
empire  and  of  Rome,  and  is  not  trustworthy  for  British  history. 
Ramsay,  Sir  J.  H.  :  the  Angevin  Empire  (London,  1903). 
Ramsay,  Sir  J.  H.  :  The  Foundations  of  England  (55  B.C.-11S4  A.D.) 
(London,  1898). 

Ramsey,  Chartularies  of.  Cartularium  monasterii  de  Rameseia,  ed. 
W.  H.  Hart  and  P.  A.  Lyons.  R.S.  79  (1884-1893).  Chronicon  abbatiae 
Rameseiensis,  ed.  W.  D.  Macray.  R.S.  83  (1886).  Of  the  latter,  pp.  7-180 
were  previously  edited  in  Gale's  Scriptores,  iii,  385-462. 


Ixxxiv  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

Rawlinson  B  502,  ed.  in  facsimile  by  Kuno  Meyer  (Oxford,  1909).  A 
collection  of  Irish  writings,  compiled  in  the  nth  and  12th  centuries  ;  with 
an  index  to  the  genealogies. 

Records,  Public.  The  following  published  records  may  be  enumer- 
ated : — 

Pipe  Rolls  (etc.),  for  1130-1131,  1155-1158  (ed.  J.  Hunter,  Record  Com- 
mission, 8vo  ;  1833  and  1844)  ;  1158-1185  (Pipe  Rolls  Society  ;  1884-1913)  ; 
1189-1190  (ed.  J.  Hunter;  1844);  1201-1203  (Antigraphum.  Record 
Commission,  8vo  ;  1833).    Abstracts  of  1154-1155  are  in  the  Red  Book  (q.v.). 

Fine  Rolls,  1182-1199  (Pipe  Rolls  Society,  17,  20,  23,  24)  ;  1195-1214  (ed. 
J.  Hunter,  Record  Commission,  8vo  ;  1835)  ;  king  John's  reign  (ed.  T.  D. 
Hardy,  Record  Commission,  8vo  ;  1835). 

Curial  Rolls,  1194-1195  (ed.  F.  W.  Maitland,  Pipe  Rolls  Society, 
14  ;  1891);  1194-1195,  1 198-1200  (ed.  F.  Palgrave,  Record  Commission,  8vo  ; 
1835)- 

Liberate  Rolls  (etc.),  for  king  John's  reign  (ed.  T.  D.  Hardy,  Record 
Commission,  8vo  ;  1835). 

Charter  Rolls,  1199-1216  (ed.  T.  D.  Hardy  ;  Record  Commission,  1837)  ; 
Calendar,  1226-1300  (i,  ii  ;   1903,  1906). 

Patent  Rolls,  1201-1232  ;  Calendar,  1232  onwards  (see  under  Patent 
Rolls). 

Close  Rolls,  1 204- 1 224,  1 227- 1 247  ;  Calendar,  from  1272  onwards  (see 
under  Close  Rolls). 

Calendar  of  Inquisitions  post  Mortem,  for  the  reigns  of  Henry  III  and 
Edward  I  (i-iv  ;  1904-1913).  See  under  Inquisitions.  Calendar  of  Inquisi- 
tions (Miscellaneous),  1219-1307  (i  ;  1916). 

Calendar  of  Chancery  Rolls,  1277-1326  (1912). 

Red  Book  of  the  Exchequer,  ed.  H.  Hall,  R.S.  99  (1896).  Originally 
compiled  by  Alexander  de  Swereford,  ca.  1230  (see  above :  Black  Book). 
The  1 166  returns  are  copied  from  the  Black  Book. 

Red  Book  of  Hergest.  See  Brut  y  Saesson,  Brut  y  Tywyssogion,  Welsh 
Triads. 

Reeves,  A.  M.  :  The  Finding  of  Wineland  the  Good  (London,  1890). 
See  under  Eric  the  Red's  Saga. 

Reeves,  William  :  see  Adamnan. 

Reeves,  William;  Ecclesiastical  Antiquities  of  Down,  Connor,  and 
Dromore  (Dublin,  1847).  The  Culdees  of  the  British  Islands  (Dublin, 
1864  ;  also  Tr.  R.I. A.,  xxiv.  Antiquities  (1873),  119-264). 

Richerus:  Historiae  (884-995);  Annales  (995-998);  ed.  Pertz,  M.G.H  , 
Scriptores,  iii,  568-657  (Hannover,  1839)  :  in  Scriptores  Rerum  Germani- 
carum  (1840,  1877)  ;  in  P.L.  138,  17-17°  (1853).  Tr.  by  W.  Wattenbach 
(Leipzig,  1892)  ;  E.  Babelon,  Les  derniers  Carolingiens  (Paris,  1878).  See 
Potthast,  Bibliotheca,  ii,  971. 

Richer,  a  monk  of  Rheims,  is  an  original  and  important  source,  the  sole 
authority  for  the  close  of  the  Carolingian  period.  His  work  was  used  by 
Ekkehard. 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 


Ixxxv 


Rishanger,  William  (tafter  1312;  perhaps  1327X):  Chronica  (1259- 
1306),  ed.  H.  T.  Riley.     R.S.  28  (1865). 

To  1272,  completed  after  1290  ;  the  remainder,  after  1327.  Trivet  is 
among  the  sources  used. 

Robert  of  Torlgni  (Robert  de  Monte;  f  1 186)  :  Chronica  (to  1 186),  ed. 
R.  Hewlett.  R.S.  82,  iv  (1889).  Also  ed.  Leopold  Delisle,  Societe  de 
I'Histoire  de  Normandie  (Rouen,  1872-1873)  ;  L.  C.  Bethmann,  M.G.H., 
Scriptores,  vi,  476-535  (Hannover,  1844);  P.L.  160,  411-546  (Paris,  1854). 
Tr.  J.  Stevenson,  Church  Historians,  iv,  2. 

This  is  a  continuation  of  Sigebert  of  Gemblours. 

To  Robert  is  ascribed  book  VHI  of  William  of  Jumieges  (q.v.). 

Rodulfus  Glaber  (t  ?  1047)  :  Francorum  Historiae  Libri  Quinque  (ca. 
923-1044),  ed.  Maurice  Prou  :  Raoul  Glaber  ;  Les  cinque  livres  de  ses 
Histoires  (Paris,  1886).  Also  ed.  B.R.,  x,  1-63  (viii,  238-240)  ;  in  P.L.  142, 
611-698;  in  Duchesne,  H.F.S.,  iv,  1-58.  Selections  ed.  Lappenberg  in 
M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vii,  51-72. 

This  History  is  confused  in  order,  and  mixed  with  fable  ;  but  is  never- 
theless valuable  for  its  period.  Even  in  the  end  of  the  work  (which  appears 
to  have  been  written  before  Christmas  of  1046),  the  year-numbers  are 
inaccurate: — its  years   1041,   1045,   1046,  stand  for  1039,   1043,   1044,  A.D. 

Rolls  Series.  Rerum  Brittanicarum  medii  ^vi  Scriptores  :  Chronicles 
and  Memorials  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  during  the  Middle  Ages 
(London,  1858-1911).  Lists  of  the  series  are  appended  to  the  volumes; 
and  are  in  Potthast's  Bibliotheca,  Gross's  Sources,  Reading-room  Catalogue 
of  the  British  Museum  (Authors). 

Since  I  sometimes  refer  to  the  books  by  their  serial  numbers,  I  give  an 
abbreviated  list  here  : — 


3     Lives  of  Edward  Confessor. 
6     Hector  Boece. 

16  Bartholomew  Cotton. 

17  Brut  y  Tywyssogion. 

20  Annales  Cambriae. 

21  Giraldus  Cambrensis. 
23     Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle. 
28     Registers  of  St  Albans, 

William  Rishanger, 
John  (  f  Trokelowe, 
Thomas  Walsingham. 

36     Annales  Monastici ; — 

i     Margan,  Tewkesbury,  Burton, 
ii     Winchester,  Waverley. 
iii     Dunstable,  Bermondsey. 
iv     Osney,  Worcester,  Wykes. 

38     Itinerarium  regis  Ricardi. 
41     Higden's  Polychronicon. 
44     Matthew  Paris  :  Historia. 


45  Book  of  Hyde. 

46  Chronicon  Scotorum. 

47  Pierre  Langtoft. 

48  Wars  of  the  Irish. 

49  Benedict  of  Peterborough. 

5 1  Roger  of  Hoveden. 

52  William  of  Malmesbury  ; 
Gesta  Pontificum. 

54  Annals  of  Loch  Ce. 

57  Matthew  Paris  :  Chronica. 

58  Walter  of  Coventry. 

61  Raine's  Northern  Registers. 

66  Ralph  of  Coggeshall. 

68  Ralph  of  Diceto. 

71  Raine's  York  :  — 

Eddi  ;  Thomas  Stubbs. 

73  Gervase  of  Canterbury. 

74  Henry  of  Huntingdon. 

75  Simeon  of  Durham, 
John  of  Hexham. 


Ixxxvi 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 


76 


79 
81 


Chronicles  of  Edward  I  and  II: 

i     Annales  Londonienses, 
Annales  Paulini. 

Chartulary  of  Ramsey. 

Eadmer. 

Chronicles  of  Stephen  :  — 

ii     William  of  Newburgh. 

ii     Annals  of  Stanley, 
Draco  Normannicus, 
Etienne  de  Rouen. 

iii     Gesta  Stephani, 

Richard  of  Hexham, 
Ailred's  De  Standardo, 
Jordan  Fantosme, 
Richard  of  Devizes. 

iv     Robert  of  Torigni. 


84 
88 


90 


91 
93 
95 
96 

99 


Chronicle  of  Ramsey. 
Roger  of  Wendover. 
Letters  of  Canterbury. 
Icelandic  Sagas  : — 
iii     Orkneyinga  Saga, 

Magnus  Eriend's  son, 
,  iv     Hakon  Hakon's  son. 
Tripartite  Life  of  Patrick  ; 
Patrick  ;  Muirchu  ;  Tirechan. 
William  of  Malmesbury  : 
Gesta  Regum, 
Historia  Novorum. 
Geoffrey  Gaimar. 
Adam  of  Murimuth. 
Flores  Historiarum. 
Annals  of  St  Edmund's. 
Red  Book  of  the  Exchequer. 


Romsey.  H.  G.  D.  Liveing  :  Records  of  Romsey  Abbey  (Winchester, 
1906). 

RotuU  de  Dominabus,  et  Pueris  et  Puellis,  de  donatione  Regis,  in  XII 
Comitatibus,  ed.  S.  Grimaldi  (London,  1830).  Abstracts  of  the  Inquisitions 
made  in  1185. 

Bound,  J.  H.  :  Ancient  Charters,  prior  to  1200  (Pipe  Rolls  Society,  1888). 
Calendar  of  Documents  preserved  in  France,  illustrative  of  the  History  of 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland  (vol.  i,  918-1206  A.D.)  (Record  Commission  ; 
London,  1899).  Commune  of  London  (Westminster,  1899).  Feudal 
England:  Historical  Studies  in  the  Xlth  and  Xllth  Centuries  (London, 
1895;  re-issued,  1909).  Geoffrey  de  Mandeville  :  A  Study  of  the  Anarchy 
(London,  1892).     All  very  valuable. 

Buodolf  of  Pulda  :  Annales  (838-863).     See  Annals  of  Fulda. 

St  Andrews.  Liber  Cartarum  prioratus  S.  Andree  in  Scotia,  ed.  T. 
Thomson.  B.Cl.  69  (Edinburgh,  1841).  From  a  Panmure  MS.  The 
folios  containing  notices  of  gifts  to  the  celide  of  Lochleven  are  written 
in  a  hand  of  the  latter  part  of  the  13th  century;  and  purport  to  be  an 
abbreviated  translation  from  an  old  volume,  written  in  the  ancient  idiom 
of  the  Scots  (p.   113.     See  facsimile,   112x113). 

St  Andrews,  17th  century  abstract  of  the  Register  of.  Harleian  MS. 
4,628,  part  4,  contains  an  early  18th-century  copy  of  a  17th-century  abstract 
of  the  lost  original  Register.  From  this  MS.,  Pinkerton  edited  "The 
Contents  of,  and  Extracts  from,  the  Register  of  the  Priory  of  St  Andrew's" 
(Enquiry,  2nd  ed.,  i,  450-470).     Cf.  under  Chronicles  of  the  Kings,  version  F. 

St  Neots,  Register  of  the  priory  of.     Cottonian  MS.  Faustina  A  IV. 

St  Olaf  s  Saga  (Saga  Olafs  bins  Helga). 

The  shorter  St  Olafs  Saga  (written  1160X  iiSo)  was  edited  by  R.  Keyser 
and  C.  R.  Unger  (Christiania,  1849). 

Snorri's  (the  longer)  St  Olafs  Saga,  ed.  in  F.S.,  iv  and  v  (1829-1830)  ; 
and  by  P.  A.  Munch  and  C.  R.  Unger  (Christiania,  1853).     This  is  a  version, 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  Ixxxvii 

separately  published,  of  St  Olaf's  Saga  in  Heimskringla  (not  in  Frisbok). 
It  is  probably  earlier  than  the  completed  Heimskringla. 

St  Olaf  s  Saga  in  the  Platey-book,  ed.  Fl.,  ii,  3-394. 

Samfund  til  Udgivelse  af  Gammel  Nordisk  Litteratur  (Copenhagen).  A 
series  of  critical  texts  is  published  by  this  Society. 

Savile,  Henry  :  Rerum  Anglicarum  Scriptores  post  Bedam  praecipui 
(2nd  ed.  ;  Frankfurt,  1601). 

Saxo  G-rammaticus  (t  1204) :  Gesta  Danorum,  or  Historia  Danica 
(to  1 185),  ed.  Alfred  Holder  (Strassburg,  i886).  Part  ed.  in  M.G.H., 
Scriptores,  xxix,  43-161  (1892).  The  first  nine  books  tr.  Oliver  Elton  ;  with 
notes  on  Saxo's  sources,  and  valuable  commentary,  by  F.  Y.  Powell 
(London,  1894).  For  other  editions  and  translations  see  Potthast's 
Bibliotheca,  ii,  999-1000. 

Scone.     Liber  ecclesie  de  Scon.  B.Cl.  78  ;  JM.Cl.  62  (Edinburgh,  1843). 

Scots  Peerage,  ed.  Sir  James  Balfour  Paul  (and  others).  Edinburgh, 
1904-1914. 

Scottish  Chronicle.     See  Chronicles  of  the  Kings. 

Searle,  i  :  Onomasticon  Anglo-Saxonicum  (Cambridge,  1897). 

Searle,  ii :  Anglo-Saxon  Bishops,  Kings,  and  Nobles  (Cambridge,  1899). 

Senchus  Albanach.  A  genealogical  tract,  edited  by  Skene  in  P.  &  S., 
308-317,  from  three  MSS.  : — Trinity  College  Dublin,  H.  2.  7;  the  Book  of 
Ballymote  ;  and  the  Book  of  Lecan  (in  R.I.A.,  Dublin).  This  is  a  traditional 
account  of  the  origins  of  the  families  of  Dalriata,  and  contains  numbers  of 
their  houses,  with  a  view  to  military  service.     See  below,  pp.  cl-cliii. 

Sifridus  de  Balnhusln  (a  priest  of  Grossballhausen  in  Thiiringen)  : 
Historia  Universalis  (to  1304).  Increased,  and  continued  to  1306  (with 
addition  for  1307),  under  the  title :  Compendium  Historiarum.  Incom- 
pletely edited  (more  completely  from  1140)  by  Holder-Egger,  M.G.H., 
Scriptores,  xxv,  684-718.     See  Potthast's  Bibliotheca,  ii,   1015-1016. 

Sigebert  of  G-emblours  (Sigebertus  Gemblacensis  ;  tiil2):  Chrono- 
graphia  (381-1111),  ed.  L.  C.  Bethmann,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vi,  300-535. 
Reprinted  in  P.L.  160.  Parts  ed.  also  in  B.R.,  iii,  v-viii,  x,  xi,  xiii.  There 
are  many  additions  and  continuations.  The  Auctarium  Affligemense 
(1005-1163)  is  partly  ed.  in  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vi,  399-405  (1844);  the 
Auctarium  Aquicinense  (651-1168),  ibid.,  393-398.  See  Potthast,  ii, 
1016-1017. 

Sigebert  is  one  of  the  great  medieval  historians  of  Europe.  He  is  not 
always  accurate. 

Sigebert  says  (s.a.  735) :  "  Henceforward  I  desist  from  noting  [affairs  of] 
the  kingdom  of  the  English,  because  I  have  not  histories  written  by  our 
ancestors  [historias  majormii\  to  follow"  (M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vi,  331). 

Simeon  of  Durham:  Historia  Dunelmensis  ecclesiae  (to  1096,  with 
continuations  to  11 54),  ed.  T.  Arnold,  R.S.  75,  i  (1882)  ;  also  in  Twysden. 
Translated  by  J.  Stevenson,  Church  Historians,  iii,  2  (1855). 

This  work  was  written  1 104  x  1 108. 

Simeon  of  Durham:  Historia  Regum  (to  1129),  ed.  T.  Arnold,  R.S.  75, 
ii  (1885)  ;  also  in  Twysden.  Part  ed.  J.  H.  Hinde,  Surtees  Society,  i 
(Durham,  1868)  ;  and  in  M.H.B.     Tr.  Stevenson,  u.s. 


Ixxxviii  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

The  Historia  Regum  is  based  upon  Florence  of  Worcester's  chronicle. 
It  contains  also  versions  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle,  and  of  a 
Northumbrian  chronicle  ;  both  of  value.  See  R.S.  51,  iv,  pp.  xxviii-xxxi  ; 
735-802. 

Sk^lholtsbdk :  Det  Arnamagnseanske  Haandskrift  81  a  Folio  (Skil- 
holtsbok  yngsta),  ed.  A.  Kja5r  (Det  Norske  Historiske  Kildeskrift- 
commission  ;  Christiania,  1910).  See  under  Hakon  Hakon's  son's  Saga; 
Hakon  (Sverri's  son),  Guthorm,  and  Ingi's  Saga;  Sverri's  Saga. 

Skene,  W.  P.     See  Fordun,  and  Collectanea. 

Skene,  W.  P.:  Celtic  Scotland  (Edinburgh,  1876-1880  ;  2nd  ed.,  1886- 
1890).     The  sources  used  are  quoted  in  the  notes. 

It  has  become  the  custom  to  condemn  Skene  for  uncritical  work.  It  is 
true  that  his  theories  must  not  be  accepted  without  examination  of  their 
bases  ;  and  that  later  writers  have  frequently  been  misled  by  his  errors. 
But  it  is  also  true  that  some  of  Skene's  theories  will  stand  examination, 
and  that  in  spite  of  errors  he  did  much  useful  pioneer  work  in  Scottish 
history.  All  those  that  condemn  him  use  his  books.  He  had  to  rely  upon 
untrustworthy  editions  of  the  Irish  annals  ;  and  in  his  own  editions  he 
suffered  from  lack  of  the  most  necessary  aids  to  Celtic  study. 

Skene,  W.  P. :  Chronicles  of  the  Picts,  Chronicles  of  the  Scots,  and 
other  Early  Memorials  of  Scottish  History  (Register  House,  Edinburgh  ; 
1867).  Principally  valuable  for  its  collection  of  Chronicles  of  the 
Kings  (q.v.). 

The  literal  accuracy  of  Skene's  transcriptions  is  not  certain  ;  and  this 
must  be  remembered  in  using  such  comparisons  of  proper  names  as  those 
I  give  under  the  Chronicles  on  pp.  cxx-cxl.  I  have  not  verified  these 
forms  in  the  manuscripts. 

Snorrl  Sturla's  sou  (Sturlusonr  ;  11 78-1 241):  Heimskringla,  ed.  Finnur 
Jonsson  ;  Samfund  (Copenhagen,  1893-1901).  The  edition  by  C.  R.  Unger, 
Det  Norske  Oldskriftselskab,  Samlinger,  nos.  4,  7,  9,  10  (Christiania,  1868), 
was  reprinted  by  Schultz  (Uppsala,  1869-1872),  in  better  type,  without  the 
preface  and  indices.  S.  Laing's  English  translation  (London,  1844)  was 
revised  by  R.  B.  Anderson  (London,  1889)  ;  and  the  Olaf  Sagas  have  been 
re-edited  by  J.  Beveridge  in  Everyman's  Library  (1915).  A  more  correct 
translation  is  that  of  William  Morris  and  E.  Magnusson,  in  vols,  iii-vi  of  the 
Saga  Library  (London,  1893-1905),  with  valuable  Indices,  an  Introduction, 

and    Genealogies.       The    best    translation   is    Gustav    Storm's : Snorre 

Sturlason  :  Kongesagaer  (Christiania,  1899;  with  also  a  cheap  edition,  in 
the  same  year  ;  reissued  as  vols,  i  and  ii  of  the  collected  edition,  Norges 
Kongesagaer,  in  1914).  An  English  version  of  Storm's  translation  of  Olaf 
Tryggvi's  son  and  Harold  Hardradi  was  made  by  E.  M.  Hearn  (London, 
191 1 ).  Storm's  translation  follows  the  capitulation  of  Jonsson's  text  ;  and 
has  useful  maps,  and  a  good  account  of  Snorri  in  the  introduction. 

The  Heimskringla  is  a  collection  of  sagas  of  the  Norwegian  kings.  It 
was  carried  down  from  mythical  times  to  the  reign  of  Magnus  Erling's  son  ; 
that  is,  down  to  the  beginning  of  Sverri's  Saga.  In  its  completed  form,' 
Heimskringla  is  later  in  date  than  Sverri's  Saga.  It  is  based  upon  earlier 
histories  ;— Ari's  Konungabok,  which  it  follows,  more  or  less  closely,  down 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  Ixxxix 

probably  to  the  time  of  Magnus  Bareleg  and  Sigurd  Crusader  :  but  Ynglinga 
Saga  in  Heimskringla  has  other  sources,  and  St  OlaPs  Saga  has  Odd 
Snorri's  son's  work  behind  it ;  while  Eric  Odd's  son's  work  was  a  source 
for  Harold  Gilli,  and  his  sons. 

See  under  Eirspennill,  Fagrskinna,  Frisbok,  Kringla,  Orkneyinga  Saga, 
St  Olafs  Saga. 

The  Heimskringla  was  begun  after  1220,  and  finished  after  1237.  The 
sagas  were  probably  published  separately,  from  time  to  time,  as  they  were 
written.     Cf.  St  Olafs  Saga. 

As  a  collection  of  traditions,  the  Heimskringla  is  perhaps  unrivalled 
in  European  literature.  The  materials  used  had  probably  high  authority. 
Notwithstanding  the  presence  in  it  of  much  that  is  obviously  fabulous,  the 
Heimskringla  is  a  very  valuable  historical  work  ;  not  only  for  Norway  (the 
basis  of  whose  history  it  is),  but  also  for  neighbouring  countries,  including 
England  and  Scotland.  It  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  productions 
of  Icelandic  literature. 

Soutra.  Registrum  domus  de  Soltre  .  .  .,  ed.  D.  Laing.  B.Cl.  109 
(Edinburgh,  1861). 

Spotiswood  (Spottiswoode).     See  Keith. 

Statistical  Account  of  Scotland,  New  (Edinburgh  and  London,  1845). 

Steenstrup,  J.  C.  H.  R. :  Normannerne  (Copenhagen,  1876-1882). 

Stevenson,  Joseph :  Church  Historians  of  England  ;  Pre-Reformation 
Series  (London,  1853-1858). 

This  is  a  collection  of  translations,  including :— (i,  2)  Bede  ;  (ii,  1) 
A.S.C.,  F.W.  ;  (ii,  2)  ^thelweard,  Asser,  Book  of  Hyde,  John  of  Wallingford, 
Gaimar;  (iii,  1)  W.M.  ;  (iii,  2)  S.D.  ;  (iv,  1)  J.H.,  R.H.,  C.H.,  CM., 
Fantosme  ;  (iv,  2)  W.N.,  R.T.  ;  (v,  1)  R.T.,  G.C.,  Chronicle  of  Man,  Gesta 
Stephani  ;  etc. 

Stevenson,  Joseph :  Documents  Illustrative  of  the  History  of  Scotland, 
1 2 86- 1 306  (Treasury  Commission;  Edinburgh,  1870). 

Stevenson,  Joseph:  Illustrations  of  Scottish  History,  from  the  12th 
to  the  1 6th  century.     M.Cl.  28  (Glasgow,  1834). 

Stokes,  Whitley.  See  Annals  in  the  Book  of  Leinster  ;  Gorman  ; 
Muirchu  ;  Oengus  ;  Tigernach  ;  Tripartite  Life. 

Stokes,  VHiitley  :  Goidelica.     See  Liber  Hymnorum. 

Stokes,  Whitley :  Lismore  Lives.     See  Book  of  Lismore. 

Stokes,  WTiitley :  Three  Homilies.     See  Lebar  Brecc. 

Storm,  G. :  Islandske  Annaler  indtil  1578.  Det  norske  historiske 
Kildeskriftfond,  21  (Christiania,  1888).  The  best  collection  of  Icelandic 
annals  (q.v.). 

Storm,  G. :  Monumenta  historica  Norvegiae.  Kildeskriftfond,  14 
(Christiania,  1 880).  Latin  writings  of  the  history  of  medieval  Norway.  See 
Historia  Norwegiae  ;  Theoderic. 

Storm,  G.,  and  A.  Bugge :  Norges  Kongesagaer  (1914)-  Vols.  1  and  n, 
Heimskringla  (previously  published  separately)  ;  vol.  iii,  Sverri's  Saga ; 
vol.  iv,  Hakon,  Guthorm,  and  Ingi's  Saga  ;  Hakon  Hakon's  son's  Saga  ; 
and  Magnus  Hakon's  son's  Saga.  This  is  the  best  translation  of  the  most 
notable  historical  sagas. 


xc  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

Stubbs,  Thomas:  Chronica  Pontificum  Ecclesiae  Eboracensis  (1147- 
1373),  ed.  J.  Raine,  York,  R.S.  71,  ii  ;  also  in  Twysden. 

Sturlunga  Saga,  ed.  K.  Kalund.  Oldskriftselskab  (1906-1911). 
Sturlunga  Saga,  eSr  Islendi'nga  Saga  hin  mikia,  ed.  B.  Thorsteinsson  ; 
Islenzk  Bokmentafelag  (Copenhagen,  1817-1818).  The  edition  by  G. 
Vigfusson  (Oxford,  1878)  contains  Prolegomena,  which  give  a  survey  of 
Icelandic  saga  literature.  Sturlunga  Saga  has  been  translated  into  Danish 
by  K.  Kalund  and  O.  Hansen  (Oldskriftselskab,  1903-1904).  Maps  of 
Iceland  are  given  at  the  end  of  Vigfusson's  ed.  and  KAlund's  tr. 

Sugerius  (abbot  of  Saint-Denis,  Ii22-tii5r):  Life  of  king  Louis  VII. 
Ed.  A.  Molinier  (Paris,  1887). 

Surveys.    The  following  are  early  surveys  : — 

X  1075  :      Northamptonshire     Geld-roll.       Round's     Feudal     England 

(1895),  147-156- 

X  1086  :  Inquisitio  Comitatus  Cantabrigiensis,  ed.  N.  E.  S.  A.  Hamilton 
(London,  1876). 

1086  :  Doomsday  Book  (q.v.). 

1108x1118:  Worcestershire  Surveys,  ed.  Hearne's  Heming  (1723),  i, 
313-316;  tr.  J.  H.  Round,  V.C.H.  Worcestershire,  i,  324-326  (cf.  ibid., 
327-331  ;  Round's  Feudal  England,  170-175). 

iii5x?iii8:  Lindsey  Survey,  ed.  Hearne's  Liber  Niger,  ii,  399-423 
(see  Black  Book);  tr.  R.  E.  C.  Waters  (1883);  ed.  in  facsimile  by  J. 
Greenstreet  (London,  1884). 

1124x1129:  Leicestershire  Survey,  ed.  Round,  Feudal  England, 
197-203  ;  tr.  Stenton,  V.C.H.  Leicestershire,  i,  344-354. 

Originally  XI135:  Northamptonshire  Survey,  in  Cottonian  MS. 
Vespasian  E  XXII  ;  tr.  J.  H.  Round,  V.C.H.  Northamptonshire,  i, 
365-389  (cf.  Feudal  England,  215-219). 

1 166:  List  of  Knights'  Fees;  ed.  in  Hearne's  Liber  Niger,  i,  49-340; 
Red  Book  of  the  Exchequer,  i,  186-445. 

13th  century:  Testa  de  Nevill,  sive  Liber  Feodorum,  tempore  Henrici 
III  et  Edwardi  I.     Record  Commission  (1807). 

Sven  Aggl's  son,  ed.  S.   J.    Stephanius  :    Svenonis,  Aggonis   filii,  . 
Opuscula  (Sora,  1642). 

Sverri's  Saga  (i  175-1202). 

There  are  four  published  versions  of  Sverri's  Saga :  that  in  the 
Eirspennill,  edited  by  C.  R.  Unger  (Konunga  Sogur,  pp.  1-202.  Det  Norske 
Oldskriftselskabs  Samlinger,  nos.  13  and  15;  Christiania,  1870- 187 1);  that 
in  the  Flatey-book,  edited  by  Vigfusson  (Flateyiarbok,  vol  ii,  pp.  533-701)  ; 
that  in  MS.  A.M.  327,  4°,  edited  in  the  Fornmanna  Sogur  (vol.  viii,  pp. 
5-448)  ;  and  that  in  the  Skalholtsbok,  edited  by  A.  Kjffir  (Det  Arnamag- 
nasanske  Haandskrift  81  a,  Fol.  ;  Skalholtsbok  Yngsta,  pp.  1-254.  Det 
Norske  Historiske  Kildeskriftfond.     Christiania,  1910). 

The  saga  was  translated  from  the  F.S.  text  into  Danish,  in  Oldnordiske 
Sagaer,  viii ;  into  Latin,  in  Scripta  Historica  Islandorum,  viii.  There  is 
an  excellent  English  translation,  composite,  but  with  the  same  text  as 
basis,  made  by  J.  Sephton  (Sverrissaga  :  The  Saga  of  king  Sverri  of  Norway. 
London,  1899).    There  is  an  excellent  and  cheap  translation  into  Norwegian 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  xci 

(Landsmaal)  by  Halvdan  Koht  (Sverresoga.  Det  norske  Samlaget  ; 
Gamalnorske  Bokverk,  12-13.  Christiania,  1913).  Koht's  translation  is 
made  from  Eirspennill  and  A.M.  327.  The  standard  translation  is  Storm's, 
in  Norges  Kongesagaer,  iii  (1914). 

I  have  given  the  preference  to  Eirspennill's  text,  which,  with  errors  of 
omission,  probably  represents  an  earlier  version  than  that  represented  by 
the  other  manuscripts. 

Sverri's  Saga  is  based  upon  information  given  by  Sverri  himself  to  Karl, 
Jon's  son,  abbot  of  Thingeyri  in  Iceland,  and  upon  accounts  given  by 
contemporaries  of  Sverri  (see  the  Prologus  ;  F.S.,  viii,  5-b).  Fl.'s  version 
declares  itself  to  be  copied  by  priest  Magnus  ThorhalPs  son,  from  the  copy 
made  by  priest  Styrmi  the  Wise  (F.S.,  viii,  i  ;  FL,  ii,  533). 

Sverri's  Saga  was  composed  earlier  than  Snorri's  recension  (the 
Heimskringla)  of  the  earlier  kings'  sagas.  The  Heimskringla  was  brought 
down  to  the  beginning  of  Sverri's  Saga. 

Symeon.     See  Simeon. 

Tale  of  Cauo,  in  Y.B.L  ,  128-132.     See  below,  vol.  i,  p    122. 

Tale  of  Kagnar's  Sons.     See  under  Ragnar  Lodbrok's  Saga. 

Tale  of  the  Greeulanders.     See  Eric  the  Red's  Saga. 

Tallaght,  Martyrology  of  Fragments  of  the  larger  version  are  in  the 
Book  of  Leinster  ;  25th  December  to  29th  January,  on  pp.  355-356  ;  nth 
March  to  20th  May,  on  pp.  357-360;  ist  to  20th  August,  on  pp.  361-362  ; 
22nd  September  to  30th  October onpp.  363-364  ;  and  17th  to  24th  December 
on  p.  365. 

An  abridged  version,  less  incomplete  (but  jumping  from  31st  October 
to  17th  December),  was  published  by  M.  Kelly  from  manuscript  5104  in 
the  Burgundian  Librar)',  Brussels,  (from  a  transcript  made  by  Tinbroeck, 
and  revised  by  E.  O'Curry)  in  a  small  volume  entitled  :  Calendar  of  Irish 
Saints  :  the  Martyrology  of  Tallagh  (Dublin,  1857).  The  martyrology  of 
Tallaght  occupies  pp.  xi-xlii. 

The  Brussels  version  is  an  abridgement  of  the  version  in  the  Book  of 
Leinster.  Under  April  17th,  the  Brussels  version  speaks  of  Donnan's 
fellow-martyrs,  "  whose  names  we  have  written  in  the  larger  book  "  ;  under 
October  21st,  of  Fintan  or  Munna's  fellow-martyrs,  "  Lasrian  and  Comain, 
etc.  ;  the  others'  names  we  have  written  in  the  large  [book]."  Their  names 
appear  in  the  Book  of  Leinster,  359,  364. 

Tallaght  Discourse,  ed.  and  tr.  E.  J.  Gwynn  and  W.  J.  Purton  :  The 
Monastery  of  Tallaght  (P.R.I. A.,  xxix  (191 1),  Archaeology,  127-164).  An 
account  of  the  practice  of  the  celide  of  Tallaght,  written  probably  830  x  841. 

Taxter,  John  of:  Chronica  Abbreviata  (to  1265),  ed.  (i  152-1265)  by 
B.  Thorpe,  E.H.S.  ed.  of  Florence  of  Worcester,  ii,  136-196  (1849)  ;  P'""'' 
ed.  (1258-1263)  by  H.  R.  Luard,  R.S.  16  (Bartholomew  Cotton),  137-140 
(1859).  Taxter  borrows  from  Paris,  and  becomes  original  after  the  period 
of  Paris's  Chronicle. 

Terry,  C.  S.  :  A  Catalogue  of  the  Publications  of  Scottish  Historical  and 
Kindred  Clubs  and  Societies,  and  of  the  volumes  relative  to  Scottish 
History  issued  by  His  Majesty's  Stationery  Office,  1780-1908  (Glasgow 
1909).     A  very  useful  guide. 


xcii  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

Theiner,  Augustinus :  Vetera  Monumenta  Hibernorum  et  Scotorum 
(1216-1547)  (Rome,  1864).     A  collection  of  papal  letters. 

Theoderic  (Theodricus,  Thiodrik)  :  Historia  de  Antiquitate  Regum 
Norwagiensium,  ed.  G.  Storm,  Monumenta,  1-68  (1880).  Also  ed.  P.  F. 
Suhm,  in  Langebek's  Scriptores,  v,  311-341  (1783)- 

Theoderic  was  a  monk  at  Nidarholmr.  He  wrote  before  1188  (probably 
1177x1180;  see  G.  Storm's  introduction,  p.  viii).  His  sources  were 
Icelandic  poems  and  unwritten  sagas.  Theoderic's  History  is  earlier  than 
the  Agrip  and  the  Historia  Norwegiae,  and  is  the  oldest  Norwegian 
historical  work.  These  three  12th-century  works  prove  the  existence  of  the 
sagas  before  they  were  written  down,  but  the  13th-century  sagas  are  more 
directly  representative  of  the  old  traditions,  and  the  14th-century  annals 
are  more  in  ag'reement  with  the  sagas'  dates.  Some  of  the  materials 
included  in  the  annals  were  also  used  by  the  saga-writers.  Nevertheless 
for  the  first  three  reigns  we  must  prefer  the  chronological  details  of  the 
12th-century  writers. 

The  dates  of  the  reigns  of  early  Norwegian  kings  are  important  for 
British  history.  I  give  on  the  next  page  a  table  of  their  reign-lengths  and 
accessions,  according  to  the  different  accounts;  placing  under  the  kings' 
names  the  deducible  years  of  their  reigns. 

The  three  first  reigns  have  97  years  in  Theoderic  and  the  Agrip  ;  99 
years  in  version  K  of  the  Annals  ;  loi  years  in  Historia  Norwegiae  and 
the  sagas. 

The  points  of  divergence  are  : — 

(i)  Most  of  the  sagas,  with  Snorri,  say  that  Harold  reigned  for  70  years, 
and  lived  for  3  years  afterwards  ;  some,  with  the  Historia  Norwegiae,  (not 
really  differing)  say  that  he  reigned  for  73  years,  including  3  years  of  Eric's 
reign.  But  Ari,  Theoderic,  and  the  Agrip,  say  that  Harold  died  70  years 
after  his  accession  :  and  their  account  must  be  preferred. 

(2)  Theoderic  and  the  Agrip  say  that  Eric  reigned  for  3  years  after 
Harold's  death.  Their  account  must  be  accepted.  The  sagas,  after  adding 
Eric's  3  years'  reign  to  Harold's  70,  say  that  Eric  reigned  for  2  years  after 
Harold's  death  ;  and  practically  the  same  account  is  in  the  Historia 
Norwegiae. 

(3)  King  Hakon's  reign  (after  Eric's  flight)  is  24  years  in  Theoderic  and 
the  Agrip,  26  years  in  the  Historia  Norwegiae  and  the  sagas.  Adam  of 
Bremen  makes  it  35  years.  If  35  is  a  mistake  for  25  (including  Hakon's 
first  winter  in  Norway),  the  latter  number  would  support  Theoderic. 

Fagrskinna  and  Heimskringla  (below,  950x955)  imply  that  Eric's  death 
was  in  Hakon's  i6th  year  (it  probably  occurred  in  954)  ;  Hakon's  accession 
would  then  have  been  in  939.  But  the  sagas  err  in  dating  British  events. 
Here  again  the  preference  must  be  given  to  Theoderic  and  the  Agrip. 

(4)  The  Historia  Norwegiae,  the  Agrip,  and  the  sagas,  agree  in  giving 
earl  Hakon  20  years'  reign  ;  but  the  annals  give  him  19.  Theoderic  (p.  11) 
says  that  he  reigned  for  30  years  (read  20?)  ;  and  (p.  13)  says  that  Hakon 
heard  in  his  29th  year  (read  19th?)  that  Olaf  was  in  England,  and  "after 
great  and  long  deliberation"  sent  Thori  Klakka  to  him  :  no  winter  passed 
between  Thori's  finding  of  Olaf  and  Olaf's  journey  to   Norway.     Hakon 


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xciv  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

died  in  the  beginning  of  his  20th  winter.  His  reign  began  in  summer,  and 
ended  in  the  beginning  of  winter.  The  Trondhjem  river  Gaul  was  frozen 
when  he  died  (Heimskringla,  Olaf,  c.  53). 

(5)  The  duration  of  the  reign  of  Hakon's  sons  is  14  years  in  the  12th- 
century  histories  ;  15  years,  in  Fl.'s  Konungatal  and  the  annals.  We  can 
hardly  reject  Olaf's  Saga's  statement  that  the  battle  of  Svoldr,  where  Olaf 
Tryggvi's  son  fell,  was  fought  on  Monday,  '9th  September,  A.D.  1000 ; 
and  it  is  established  that  St  Olaf  reigned  1015-1030;  therefore  the  period 
is  in  fact  15  years.  The  explanation  of  this  divergence  is  given  by  Snorri, 
who  speaks  thus  of  the  second-last  year  of  St.  Olaf's  reign  (Heimskringla, 
St  Olaf,  c.  179) :  "  St  Olaf  had  then  been  king  in  Norway  15  winters,  includ- 
ing that  winter  when  earl  Svein  and  he  were  both  in  the  land  ;  and  this 
winter,  of  which  we  have  now  for  a  time  been  speaking,  and  which  had 
then  passed  Yule  when  he  left  his  ship  and  went  up  on  land,  as  was 
previously  said.  This  part  [_^r«'«y  record?]  of  his  reign  was  first  written 
by  priest  Ari  the  Wise,  Thorgils'  son,  who  was  both  truthful  and  of  retentive 
memory ;  and  so  old  a  man  that  he  remembered  (and  had  received 
histories  from)  men  who  were  so  old  that  by  reason  of  their  age  they  could 
i-emember  these  affairs,  as  he  himself  has  said  in  his  books.  And  he  has 
given  the  names  of  the  men  from  whom  he  has  taken  his  knowledge.  But 
most  people  say  [e?z  hitt  er  althy^u  s'dgii]  that  Olaf  was  15  winters  king  over 
Norway  before  he  fell  ;  but  those  that  say  so  reckon  to  the  dominion  of 
earl  Svein  the  winter  when  [Svein]  was  last  in  the  land  :  because  Olaf  was 
king  for  15  winters  after  that,  so  long  as  he  lived." 

We  are  therefore  justified  in  assuming  that  a  year  between  the  reigns 
of  Hakon's  sons  and  of  St  Olaf  has  not  been  counted  in  either  reign  by  the 
12th-century  writers. 

Taking  the  above  considerations  into  account,  the  deducible  reign- 
lengths  would  be:— 68;  5  ;  24  or  26  ;  15  ;  19  ;  5  ;  15  ;  15  :  and  the 
accessions  :— 864  or  862  ;  932  or  930  ;  937  or  935  ;  961  ;  976  ;  995  ;  1000  ; 
1015  ;  1030. 

The  oldest  version  of  the  annals  (K)  has  (following  Landnamabok) 
accepted  the  second  year  in  the  alternatives  ;  but  the  first  is  more  in 
accordance  with  Islendingabok,  Theoderic,  and  the  Agrip.  The  first  year 
must  therefore  be  preferred. 

Th6mas  Saga  Erkibyskups,  ed.  and  tr.  by  Eirikr  Magnusson,  R.S.  85, 
with  a  careful  introduction  in  vol.  ii. 

The  earliest  MS.  in  which  this  saga  is  preserved  was  written  in  the 
14th  century.  The  saga  is  based  upon  the  Lives  of  Thomas  Becket  by 
Benedict  of  Peterborough,  and  by  Robert  of  Cricklade. 
Thorflnn  Karlsefni's  Saga.  See  Eric  the  Red's  Saga. 
Thorpe's  Lappenberg.  History  of  England  under  the  Anglo-Saxon 
Kings  (2  vols.  ;  London,  1845).  History  of  England  under  the  Norman 
Kings  (Oxford,  1857).     By  J.  M.  Lappenberg,  tr.  and  ed.  by  B.  Thorpe. 

Thorstein  Side-Hall's  son's  Saga,  and  Thorstein's  Dream,  ed.  J. 
Jakobsen,  in  Austfirdinga  Sogur,  215-236.  Samfund,  29  (Copenhagen, 
1903).  These  were  ed.  by  G.  Vigfusson  in  T.  Mobius's  Analecta  Norrcena, 
169-186  (Leipzig,   1859),  from  A.  Jonsson's  transcript  of  the  solitary  parch- 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  xcv 

ment  MS.,  which  was  burnt  in  1728.  The  saga  is  ed.  also  by  K.  Gislason, 
Prover  af  oldnordisk  Sprog  (Copenhagen,  i860)  ;  and  by  V.  Asmundarson, 
Islendinga  Sogur,  33  (Reykjavik,  1902). 

Thorstein's  Saga  belongs  to  the  early  cycle  of  historical  sagas,  and  in 
the  events  of  1013-1014  is  parallel  with  Nial's  Saga. 

Thorvald  "Wide-farer's  Tale  (Thorvalds  Thdttr  Vi'Sforlu),  ed.  B.  Kahle 
in  Altnordische  Sagabibliothek,  xi,  59-79.  The  tale  is  also  to  be  found  in 
Olafs  Saga,  cc.  130-138  (F.S.,  i,  255-276)  ;  and  in  Biskupa  Sogur,  i,  33-50. 

Tigernach  (t  1088)  :  Annals  (?  489-766;  974-1003;  1017-1088  ;  and 
Continuation,  1088-1178),  ed.  W.  Stokes,  Revue  Celtique,  vols,  xvii  (1896), 
and  (the  continuation)  xviii  (1897).  The  earlier  edition  of  O'Conor 
(to  1088)  in  his  Scriptores,  ii,  1  (1825),  is  very  inaccurate.  Skene  edited 
extracts  in  his  Picts  and  Scots,  66-78,  and  (the  continuation)  141,  also 
inaccurately. 

At  the  end  of  year  1088  (R.C.,  xvii,  420),  Tigernach's  continuator  has 
written  :  "  Down  to  this,  Tigernach  wrote.  In  [io]88  he  rested."  Cf.  R.C., 
xviii,  303,  Addenda.  "Tigernach  Ua-Broein,  airchinnccli  of  Clonmacnoise, 
rested  in  Christ "  in  1088,  according  to  the  Annals  of  Ulster,  ii,  44.  How 
much  of  the  collection  was  compiled  by  Tigernach,  is  uncertain  ;  but  it  is 
convenient  to  refer  to  the  compilation  by  his  name. 

The  surviving  fragments  of  this  work  are  preserved  in  a  Bodleian  MS., 
Rawlinson  B  488  (cf.  National  MSS.  of  Ireland,  ii,  no.  90;  "transcribed 
ca.  1280"  J.  T.  Gilbert).  Stokes's  edition  is  a  transcript  of  the  text,  with 
English  translation  of  the  Irish  parts,  and  with  added  numbers  of  the 
corresponding  year-sections  in  other  Irish  annals,  according  to  their 
editors.  Stokes  gives  no  indication  of  the  times  of  composition  of 
Tigernach's  Annals,  or  of  the  sources  from  which  they  are  derived. 

Frequent  details  suggest  that  the  time  of  composition  of  the  continua- 
tion was  not  remote  from  the  events  (cf.  e.g.  weather  notes,  under  1098, 
1 107,  nil,  1 130,  1 149,  1 156,  1165,  1 177).  The  annal  for  1096  was 
apparently  composed  in   1096;  for  11 70,  considerably  after  11 70. 

Deriving  information  from  various  sources,  Tigernach  sometimes  enters 
the  same  event  at  diiiferent  places,  two  or  more  times.  Foreign  events 
(taken  principally  from  Bede's  Chronicle,  Isidore's  Chronicle,  and  the 
Liber  Pontificalis)  are  often  misplaced  by  several  years.  Tigernach 
frequently  quotes  historical  verses,  which  differ  sometimes  from  his  prose 
authorities. 

A  critical  edition,  showing  the  sources  used  and  explaining  the  system 
of  chronology,  is  greatly  needed. 

The  Chronicon  Scotorum  is  a  copy,  somewhat  abridged  and  not  very 
correct,  of  a  version  of  Tigernach's  Annals.  It  has  preserved  some  parts 
that  have  been  lost  in  the  Bodleian  version.  The  Annals  of  Ulster  used  a 
copy  of  Tigernach,  or  his  source  ;  and  have  sometimes  preserved  a  better 
reading  than  that  of  the  Bodleian  MS. 

Down  to  the  first  quarter  of  the  7th  century,  the  years  are  not  ascertain- 
able from  the  sequence,  which  is  imperfect ;  but  are  indicated  by  ferial 
numbers  for  the  ist  of  January.  For  some  reason  these  ferial  numbers  do 
not  follow  a  true  course. 


xcvi  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

The  years  indicated  by  the  ferial  numbers  are  incorrect  after  the  middle 
of  the  6th  century  ;  nevertheless  they  are  of  value  in  showing  the  intervals 
between  events. 

Every  year  entered  by  the  compiler  without  a  ferial  number  would  have 
pushed  the  ferial  scale  one  place  down.  A  leap-year  deferred  by  one  year 
would  have  substituted  for  the  correct  scale  the  scale  of  99  years  earlier 
(this  may  have  happened  at  540)  ;  the  same  displacement  would  have 
occurred  if  the  ferials  had  been  written  in  backwards,  and  a  leap-year  had 
been  entered  too  soon  (this  may  have  happened  at  521,  and  in  the 
Chronicon  Scotorum  at  442). 

Such  errors  are  perhaps  the  true  origin  of  Tigernach's  calendar.  In 
that  case,  the  ferial  numbers  were  added  by  a  careless  compiler,  and  are 
evidence  only  of  the  number  of  year-sections  in  his  compilation.  This 
theory  is  supported  by  the  still  greater  confusion  of  the  ferial  numbers  in 
the  Chronicon  Scotorum  before  413  ;  confusion  so  great  as  could  not  have 
resulted  if  any  sort  of  calendar  had  been  followed. 

It  is,  however,  possible  that  Tigernach  should  have  used,  or  found  in 
use  as  a  repository  for  notes,  an  incorrect  calendar.  Leap-years  were 
found  from  the  year-numbers  in  the  era  of  the  Creation  ;  these  numbers 
were  divided  by  4,  and  the  remainder  showed  whether  the  year  was 
bissextile,  or  not.  But  some  systems  gave  one  remainder,  some  another, 
when  leap-years  occurred  ;  and  among  these  divergences  there  was 
opportunity  for  a  theorist  or  a  blunderer  to  place  leap-years  at  the  wrong 
time. 

Tigernach's  numbers  are  very  often  incorrect,  through  copyists'  con- 
fusion of  ii  and  u,  iii  and  ui,  iiii  and  uii.  There  are  one  or  two  instances 
of  transposition.  Allowing  for  these  textual  errors,  I  have  endeavoured  to 
tabulate  his  system  on  the  next  page. 

Tiron.     Cartulaire  de  I'abbaye  de  la   Sainte-Trinite  de  Tiron,  ed.  L. 
Merlet.     Societe  Archeologique  d'Eure-et-Loire  (Chartres,   1883-1884). 
Todd,  J.  H.  :  Leabhar  Breathnach.     See  Irish  Nennius. 
Todd,  J.  H.  :  Leabhar  Imuinn.     See  Liber  Hymnorum. 
Todd,  J.  H.     See  Wars. 

Trivet  (or  Trevet),  Nicholas  (t  1 328)  ;  Annales  Sex  Regum  Angliae 
(i  135-1307),  ed.  T.  Hog.  E.H.S.  (London,  1845).  Also  in  D'Achery's 
Spicilegium,  iii  (1723). 

Turgot  (Thurgot) :  Life  of  queen  Margaret  (t  1C93),  ed.  J.  H.  Hinde, 
S.S.  51,  234-254  (cf  pp.  Ivii-lxi).  Also  ed.  Papebroch,  A.S.,  10  June  ii, 
324-331;  Pinkerton,  Vitae,  329-355;  Metcalfe,  Lives,  ii,  135-182;  tr. 
W.  Forbes- Leith  (Edinburgh,  1884,  1896). 

Twysden,  Roger:  Historiae  Anglicanae  Scriptores  Decern  (London, 
1652).     Includes  A.R.,  G.C.,  J.H.,  R.D.,  R.H.,  S.D.,  Thomas  Stubbs. 

Upphaf  Rlkis  Haraldar  HArfagra,  ed.  Fornmanna  Sogur,  x,  177-197. 
This  belongs  to  the  cycle  of  the  historical  sagas,  and  contains  some  details 
that  do  not  appear  elsewhere. 

Verse  Chronicle  (called  Chronicon  Elegiacum  by  Pinkerton  and  Skene  ; 
Chronicon  Rythmicum,  by  Stevenson).  There  are  two  versions  of  this 
chronicle: — (i)    one    (to    1214)    inserted    in    the    Chronicle    of    Melrose, 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

Ferial  Numbers  of  the  \st  of  Jatiuary. 


xcvii 


o 

28 

56 

I 

29 

57 

2 

30 

58 

3 

31 

59 

4 

32 

60 

S 

33 

61 

6 

34 

62 

7 

35 

63 

8 

36 

64 

9 

37 

65 

10 

38 

66 

II 

39 

67 

12 

40 

68 

13 

41 

69 

14 

42 

70 

15 

43 

71 

i6 

44 

72 

17 

45 

73 

i8 

46 

74 

19 

47 

75 

20 

48 

76 

21 

49 

77 

22 

50 

78 

23 

51 

79 

24 

52 

80 

25 

53 

81 

26 

54 

82 

27 

55 

83 

28 

56 

84 

Clironicon 
Scotorum. 


413 

to 

441 


443 
to 

485 


Tigernach. 


487 

to 
499 


2 
3 

4 
5* 


500 
to 
524 


524 
to 

539 


540 
to 

599 


600 
to 
650 


Correct  Calendar. 


400 
to 
499 


500 
to 
599 


600 
to 


*  If  the  erroneous  system  had  been  in  use,  the  years  whose  ferial 
with  a  star  would  have  had  1st  January  upon  31st  December  of  the 


numbers  are  marked 
Dionysian  Calendar. 


xcviii  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

Cottonian  MS.  Faustina  B  IX,  by  a  hand  of  the  early  part  of  the  14th 
century  (Stevenson)  ;  edited  (to  1165)  by  Stevenson,  in  the  Appendix  to  his 
edition  of  the  Chronicle  of  Melrose  (1835).  It  was  previously  printed  in 
Gale's  Scriptores,  i,  595-598  ;  and  reprinted  in  Pinkerton's  Enquiry,  ii, 
330-334-  Cf.  David  Macpherson's  notes,  in  Stevenson's  CM.,  237-238.  It 
was  collated,  to  1165,  in  P.  &  S.,  177-182. 

(2)  Another  version  (to  1249)  is  preserved  in  a  Bodleian  Library  MS., 
C.  IV.  3,  of  the  middle  of  the  14th  century  (Skene).  This  is  edited  by 
Skene,  in  his  Picts  and  Scots,  177-182  (1867).  Cf.  Pinkerton's  Enquiry, 
334-337  ;  P-  &  S.,  pp.  Ivi-lvii. 

The  Verse  Chronicle  (to  1093)  is  also  quoted  by  Wyntoun  ;  and 
(to  1249)  by  Bower.  It  is  perhaps  referred  to  by  version  L  of  the  Chronicles 
of  the  Kings,  s.f.  (P.  &  S.,  297). 

The  Verse  Chronicle  is  a  chronicle  of  the  kings  of  Scotland  (from  843), 
written  in  elegiac  verse.  It  was  inserted  in  CM.  under  the  successions  of 
kings,  and  on  fos.  15  and  16.  The  writer  was  certainly  not  the  author  of  the 
verses.  He  has  prefixed  to  some  of  the  insertions  a  few  words  of  prose, 
which  are  distinguished  by  the  name  of  the  Prose  Chronicle  inserted  in  the 
Chronicle  of  Melrose.  Neither  the  Prose  nor  the  Verse  Chronicle  contains 
any  dates. 

A  mark  of  antiquity  in  the  Verse  Chronicle  is  the  spelling  of  the  name 
lona.  This  name  occurs  twice,  and  is  both  times  spelt  loua,  in  the  CM. 
version. 

At  1093,  both  versions  were  originally  written  1098x1263;  at  1165, 
after  12 14.  The  whole  of  the  CM.  version  was  probably  composed 
1214X  1263.     The  Bodleian  version  v/as  concluded  1249  x  1286. 

The  parts  of  the  Bodleian  version  that  do  not  appear  in  CM.  are  perhaps 
written  in  a  different  style  (P.  &  S.,  p.  i8l,  11.  21-31  ;  p.  182,  11.  Il-end). 

Victoria  County  Histories.  Victoria  History  of  the  Counties  of  England 
(London).  A  large  series,  as  yet  incomplete.  A  Guide  (1912)  contains 
information  for  historical  workers. 

Vigfusson,  Gr. :  Prolegomena,  see  Sturlunga  Saga. 

Wace:  Roman  de  Rou,  ed.  H.  Andresen  (Heilbronn,  1877-1879).  Part 
previously  ed.  F.  Pluquet  (Rouen,  1827).  Pluquet's  text,  with  verse 
translation,  ed.  Sir  Alexander  Malet :  Conquest  of  England  (London,  i860). 
Translated  also  (ca.  1064-1087)  by  E.  Taylor :  — Master  Wace;  his 
chronicle  of  the  Norman  Conquest,  from  the  Roman  de  Rou  (London, 
1837).  C£  Chronique  de  Normandie.  See  Round's  Feudal  England, 
409-418. 

An  extract  from  an  anonymous  continuation  of  Wace's  Brut  d'  Angleterre 
was  edited  by  F.  Michel,  C.A.N.,  i,  65-117. 

■Walafrldus  Strabo :  Vita  Sancti  Blaithmaic  Martyris,  ed.  Pinkerton, 
Vitae,  459-463  ;  Metcalfe,  Lives,  ii,  293-297. 

WallDran,  J.  R. :  Memorials  of  the  abbey  of  St  Mary  of  Fountains. 
Surtees  Society,  42  (1863,  1878). 

Walsingham,  Thomas  (tea.  1422) :  Historia  Anglicana  (1272-1422),  ed. 
H.  T.  Riley.  R.S.  28  (London,  1863-1864).  Previously  ed.  in  Camden's 
Anglica  Scripta. 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  xcix 

Walter  of  Coventry:  Memoriale  (to  1225),  ed.  W.  Stubbs.  R.S.  58 
(1872-1873).     Part  in  B.R.,  xviii.     The  author  is  unknown. 

Walter  of  Hemingburgh,  see  Hemingburgh. 

Wars  of  the  Irish  with  the  Foreigners  (812-1014),  (Cogadh  Gaedhel 
re  Gallaibh)  ed.  J.  H.  Todd,  R.S.  48  (1867).  Todd's  text  is  composite, 
based  upon  (i)  a  14th-century  manuscript,  Trinity  College  of  Dublin  MS. 
H.2.  17  ;  (2)  a  copy  made  by  Michael  O'Clery  in  1635,  from  a  previous 
copy  made  by  him  in  1628  ;  and  (3)  the  Book  of  Leinster.  The  Book  of 
Leinster  fragment  is  given  on  pp.  221-235  j  P^^^  °f  'he  Brussels  MS. 
version,  on  pp.  250-262.  See  Douglas  Hyde,  Literary  History  of  Ireland 
(1899),  434-442  ;  R.S.  ed.,  Preface,  and  225  ;  O'Curry  3  MS.  Materials  of 
Irish  History  (1873),  412. 

The  earliest  version  is  the  fragment  in  the  Book  of  Leinster.  This 
version  was  composed  1014  x  ca.  1166,  probably  in  the  12th  century,  and 
perhaps  1165X.  See  under  Berchan.  The  later  versions  may  represent 
the  version  of  which  this  fragment  was  a  part.  The  value  of  the  work  is 
reduced  by  its  bias  and  unbalanced  style  as  much  as  by  the  lateness  of  and 
interpolations  in  the  surviving  texts. 

Welsh  Pedigrees,  see  under  Annales  Cambriae. 

Welsh  Romances.  J.  Loth :  Les  Mabinogion  traduits  en  entier  ;  in 
D'Arbois  de  JubainviUe's  Cours  de  la  Litterature  Celtique,  vols,  iii  and  iv 
(Paris,  1889) ;  and  in  a  revised  edition  (1913). 

Welsh  Triads.  The  historical  triads  were  edited  in  My  vyrian  Archaiology, 
ii  (1801),  1-22.  The  triads  from  the  Red  Book  of  Hergest  (a  14th-century 
MS.)  have  been  edited  by  J.  Rhys  in  Y  Cymmrodor,  iii,  52-63  (Honourable 
Society  of  Cymmrodorion,  1880)  ;  also  ed.  diplomatically  in  Rhys  and 
Evan's  Mabinogion,  297-309  (Oxford,  1887).  The  version  of  these  triads  in 
Hengwrt  MS.  202  was  edited  by  E.  Phillimore  in  Y  Cymmrodor,  vii, 
126-132  (1886). 

Triads  from  a  14th-century  MS.,  Hengwrt  536,  were  published  in  Skene's 
Four  Ancient  Books  of  Wales,  ii,  456-465.  A  few  triads  are  in  the  Black 
Book  of  Carmarthen  (ed.  J.  G.  Evans,  Pwllheli,  1906  ;  facsimile,  Oxford, 
1888). 

J.  Loth's  translations  of  153  triads  may  conveniently  be  consulted 
(Mabinogion,  1889  ed.,  ii,  205-301  ;  1913  ed.,  ii,  227-325.  The  triads  are 
numbered  alike  in  both  editions).  Cf.  also  1889  ed.,  i,  22-25  5  1913  ed.,  i, 
76  -  78,  223  -  226 ;  T.  Stephens,  Literature  of  the  Kymry,  429,  493-494 
(London,   1876)  ;  Gross,  Sources,  no.  1489. 

The  triads,  though  ancient,  are  of  little  historical  value. 

Wetherhal,  Register  of  the  priory  of;  ed.  J.  E.  Prescott.  Cumberland 
and  Westmoreland  Archaeological  Society,  no.  12  (London,  1897). 

Wharton,  Henry :  Anglia  Sacra,  sive  Collectio  Historiarum  .  .  .  de 
archiepiscopis  et  episcopis  Anghae  ...  ad  annum  1540  (London,  1691). 

Wido.     See  De  Belle  Hastingensi. 

William  of  Jumifeges  (Guilelmus  Gemmeticensis) :  Historia  Norman- 
norum  (or:  De  Gestis  ducum  Normannicorum)  (851-1087,  continued  to 
1137);  ed.  Duchesne,  H.N.S.,  215-317  (1619).  Reprinted  in  P.L.  149, 
777-910  (1853).     Another  edition  is  in  Camden's  Anglica   Scripta,  604-691. 


c  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

Parts  ed.  B.R.,  viii,  x,  xi.     Tr.  in  F.  P.  G.  Guizot's  Collection  de  Memoires, 
29,  1-316: — Histoire  des  Normands  (Paris,  1826). 

William's  account  of  the  affairs  of  the  Northmen  in  France  has  been 
discredited. 

Books  I-IV  are  based  upon  Dudo.  Book  VIII  (1087-1137)  was  written 
by  Robert  of  Torigni  ;  it  is  translated  by  Stevenson  in  Church  Historians, 
V,  1  (1858).  See  the  valuable  Materiaux  pour  I'edition  de  Guillaume  de 
Jumifeges,  of  J.  Lair,  ed.  L.  V.  Delisle  (Nogent-le-Rotrou,  1910). 

William's  History  was  revised  and  continued  by  Ordericus  Vitalis,  at 
Evroul,  ca.  1130;  and  by  Robert  of  Torigni,  at  Bee,  ca.  1140.  R.T.'s 
version  contains  V,  3-17  ;  VI-VIII,  of  Duchesne's  edition.  See  the  preface 
to  the  Societe  de  I'Histoire  de  Normandie's  ed.  of  R.T. 

■William  of  Malmesbury :  Gesta  Pontificum,  ed.  N.  E.  S.  A.  Hamilton. 
R.S.  52  (1870).  Also  in  P.L.  179  (1855) ;  parts  in  Savile's  Scriptores  (1596), 
Gale,  iii,  and  Wharton's  Anglia"  Sacra,  ii  ;  fragments  in  M.G.H.,  Scriptores, 
X,  xiii.  Gesta  Regum  Anglorum  (449-1127),  and  Historia  Novella  (1125- 
1142),  ed.  W.  Stubbs,  R.S.  90  (1887-1889).  Also  ed.  T.  D.  Hardy,  E.H.S. 
(London,  1840)  ;  P.L.  179 ;  and  in  Savile's  Scriptores.  Selections  in 
M.G.H.,  U.S.  ;  B.R.,  x,  xi,  xiii.  Tr.  J.  Sharpe  (London,  1815)  ;  J.  Stevenson, 
Church  Historians,  iii,  1  (1854)  ;  J.  A.  Giles  (London,  1848). 

I  refer  to  pages  of  the  volumes  of  1870,  1887,  1889,  after  the  abbreviations 
W.M.  ;  W.M.,  i  ;  W.M.,  ii,  respectively. 

William  of  Malmesbury  is  one  of  the  soundest  of  medieval  historians. 
His  work  is  original  for  the  12th  century. 

William  of  Newburgh :  Historia  Reruni  Anglicarum  (1066-1198),  ed. 
R.  Hewlett.  R.S.  82,  i-ii  (1884-1885).  Also  ed.  H.  C.  Hamilton  (E.H.S., 
1856);  and  T.  Hearne  (Oxford,  1719).  Tr.  J.  Stevenson,  in  Church 
Historians,  iv,  2  (1856). 

For  the  continuation  (to  1298),  see  Annals  of  Furness. 

William  of  Poitiers :    Gesta   Willelmi,   ducis    Normannorum  et  regis  " 
Angliae  (1035-1067),   ed.   A.   Duchesne,   H.N.S.,    178-213   (1619)  ;    and   in 
Maseres  (1807),  and  in  P.L.  149  (1853).     Also  ed.  Giles,  Scriptores;  and 
tr.  Guizot,  Collection  de  Memoires,  29,  325-439  (Paris,  1826). 

William  the  Breton  (the  Armorican)  ;  De  Gestis  Philippi  Augusti 
(to  i2ig;  continued  to  1222),  ed.  B.R.,  xvii.  Also  ed.  H.  F.  Delaborde  : 
Oeuvres  de  Rigord  et  Guillaume  le  Breton,  i  (Paris,  1882).  Selections  in 
M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xxvi.  William  borrows  from  Rigord,  whose  Gesta 
Philippi  Augusti  runs  to  1208. 

Wimmer,  L.  P.  A.,  ed.  Lis  Jacobsen  :  De  Danske  Runemindesmsrker 
(Copenhagen  and  Christiania,  1914). 

Worsaae,  J.  J. :  Minder  om  de  Danske  og  Nordmaendene  i  England, 
Skottland  og  Irland  (Copenhagen,  185 1)  ;  tr.  into  English  :  An  account  of 
the  Danes  and  Norwegians  in  England  (London,  1852).  Another  useful 
work  by  Worsaae  is  :  Nordens  Forhistorie,  efter  samtidige  Mindesmarker 
(Copenhagen,  1881) ;  tr.  Simpson,  The  Prehistory  of  the  North  (London, 


Wyntoun,  Andrevir  of:  The  Orygynale  Cronykil  of  Scotland  (to  1408), 
ed.  D.  Laing,  Historians  of  Scotland,  ii,  iii,  ix  (1872-1879).    A  better  edition 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  ci 

by  F.  J.  Amours,  Scottish  Text  Society,  nos.  63,  50,  53,  54,  56,  57  (Edin- 
burgh, 1 903-1914). 

Wyntoun's  work  is  outside  the  scope  of  the  present  collection,  and  1 
have  seldom  referred  to  it.     Wyntoun  was  prior  of  St  Serf. 

Yellow  Book  of  Leoan,  the  Trinity  College  of  Dublin  MS.  H.  2.  16. 
Edited  in  facsimile  for  the  Royal  Irish  Academy  :  The  Yellow  Book  of 
Lecan  ;  a  collection  of  pieces,  prose  and  verse,  in  the  Irish  language,  in 
part  compiled  at  the  end  of  the  fourteenth  century.  .  .  .  With  introduction, 
analysis  of  contents,  and  index,  by  R.  Atkinson  (Dublin,  1896).  Cf.  the 
facsimile  page  in  National  MSS.  of  Ireland,  iii,  no.  24. 


CALENDAR    NOTES 

In  the  Roman  calendar,  the  days  are  numbered  backwards  from  the 
Kalends,  Nones,  and  Ides,  of  each  month.  These  are  the  ist,  5th,  and  13th 
days  of  the  month  ;  except  in  March,  May,  July,  and  October,  in  which 
they  are  the  1st,  7th,  and  15th.  The  day  reckoned  from  is  included  in  the 
number.  In  leap-years,  the  i4th-24th  of  February  are  numbered  as  if 
February  had  only  28  days. 

The  day  was  reckoned  to  begin  in  the  evening :  either  at  sunset,  or  at 
6  p.m.     Cf.  under  Irish  Annals. 

In  chronicles  that  use  the  Dionysian  system,  the  year  is  reckoned  to 
begin  variously  on  ist  January,  25th  December,  or  25th  March. 

The  year-numbers  given  by  Marianus  Scottus  are  greater  by  22  than 
the  year-numbers  of  the  Dionysian  era. 

In  the  era  of  the  Passion  introduced  by  Victorius,  i  A.P.  is  equivalent 
to  28  A.D.  in  the  Dionysian  system.  In  the  system  of  Isidore,  i  A.P.  is 
36  A.D.  according  to  Dionysius.  The  year  of  the  crucifixion  is  reckoned 
to  be  A.D.  29  of  the  Dionysian  era,  but  the  33rd  year  of  Jesus'  life. 

1st  January,  i  B.C.,  in  the  Dionysian  system,  is  ist  January,  3  A.C.,  in 
the  "year  of  Christ"  system  (both  systems  beginning  the  year  on  25th 
December) ;  ist  Jan.,  Era  38,  in  the  Era  of  Spain  (used  by  Isidore  ; 
beginning  on  ist  January)  ;  1st  Jan.,  752  A.U.C.  ("from  the  foundation  of 
Rome";  the  year  beginning  on  21st  April,  although  the  consular  year 
began  on  ist  January) ;  1st  Jan.,  2015  of  Abraham  (an  era  used  by  Jerome  ; 
the  year  beginning  on  ist  October).  The  Dionysian  year  i  B.C.  is  equiva- 
lent to  3951  A.M.  ("year  of  the  world"),  in  the  system  of  Bede  ;  4204  A.M., 
in  some  Irish  annals  ;  5198  A.M.,  according  to  Jerome  and  Isidore  ;  5201 
A.M.,  according  to  Victorius  and  Prosper. 

To  find  the  Dionysian  number  of  a  year  dated  in  olympiads,  multiply  the 
number  of  the  olympiad  by  4  (adding  the  number  of  the  year  in  the 
olympiad)  ;  and  deduct  780.  The  remainder  is  the  A.D.  number  for  the 
1st  of  January  (the  Olympic  year  began  in  July). 

The  following  formulae  are  useful  when  chronological  tables  are  not 
immediately  at  hand.  In  these  formulae,  A.D.  stands  for  the  number  of 
the  year,  according  to  the  Dionysian  system  ;  R,  for  the  remainder  (fractions 
being  neglected).     When  R  =  o,  substitute  for  o  the  divisor. 


civ  CALENDAR  NOTES 

A.D.  +  3 


15 
A.D.  +  9 


R  =  number  of  the  year  in  the  Roman  indiction. 
R  =  number  in  the  solar  cycle  of  28  years. 


T 

W 

e 

F 

S 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

I 

F 

E 

D 

C 

B 

A 

I 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

28 

(A.D.-  [)x  io-^8  .  j^^fgj-i^i  number  (see  the  Bibliographical  Notes, 
7 
under  Irish  Annals).  This  is  the  number  in  the  week  of  the  day  upon 
which  ist  Januai-y  fell  (in  the  Old-Style  calendar) ;  the  Dominical  Letter  is 
(in  alphabetical  enumeration)  the  number  in  the  month  of  the  first  Sunday 
in  January. 

To  find  on  which  day  of  the  week  any  given  day  fell,  find  the  ferial 
number  of  the  year  ;  and  add  up  the  days  from  ist  January  to  the  day  in 
question,  including  both  days.     The  formula  is  :  — 

— '- ^ '—^ ;  R  =  number  of  day  in  week.     Only  the  excess 

7 

over  multiples  of  7  days  need  be  counted  in  each  monlh. 

From  the  ferial  number,  the  Dominical  Letter  of  the  year  is  found  ; 
also  the  concurrent.     These  are  the  equivalents  : — 

1st  January  on  .  .  2  M 
Ferial  number  ..12 
Dominical  Letter  .  .  AG 
Concurrent     ...         6      7 

Leap-years  have  two  Dominical  Letters  :  the  first,  for  ist  January- 
24th  February;  the  second,  for  25th  February- 31st  December.  The 
second  Dominical  Letter  is  the  one  to  the  right  (in  the  above  table)  of  that 
which  is  equivalent  with  the  year's  ferial  number.  The  second  Dominical 
Letter  must  be  used  in  calculating  Easter  in  leap  years. 

All  years  whose  A.D.  number  was  evenly  divisible  by  4  were  leap  years 
in  the  Dionysian  system  (Old-Style  calendar). 

The  Golden  Number  is  the  number  of  the  year  in  the  lunar  cycle  of 
19  years.     The  formula  is  : — 

— — '- —  ;     R  =  Golden  Number. 
19 

The  Roman  epact  was  the  calendar  age  of  the  moon  on  ist  January. 
The  formula  is  : — 

Golden  Number  x  11  -2       „ 

— — ;    R  =  epact. 

30 

See  the  Bibliographical  Notes,  under  Irish  Annals. 

Paschal  new  moon  fell  i  to  29  days  after  7th  March.  Easter  Sunday 
was  14  to  20  days  after  the  Paschal  new  moon. 

32  ~  epact  =  number  of  the  day  in  March  of  the  calendar  new  moon. 
(i)  If  this  number  is  above  7,  add  13  days;  next  Sunday  was  Easter. 
(2)  If  the  number  is  below  7,  add  43  days  ;  next  Sunday  was  Easter. 


CALENDAR  NOTES  cv 

The  following  is  a  Table  of  the  Paschal  letters  used  by  the  Icelandic 
annalists  (in  the  first  column),  with  the  corresponding  Dominical  letters 
and  Golden  Numbers  : 


Easter. 

D.L. 

Gol 

March. 

April. 

3en  ISuuiuera 

b. 

c 

22 
23 

D 

E 

'5 

16 
16 

d. 
e. 

24 
25 

F 
G 

5 
5 

13 

16 
16 

f. 

26 
27 

A 
B 

2 
2 

5 

5 

13 
13 

16 
16 

h. 
i. 

28 
29 

C 
D 

2 
2 

5 
5 

10 
10 

13 
13 

16 

k. 
1. 

30 

31 

E 
F 

2 
2 

7 

10 
10 

13 
13 

18 
18 

m. 
n. 

I 
2 

G 

A 

2 

7 
7 

10 
10 

15 

18 
18 

o. 
P- 

3 
4 

B 
0 

4 
4 

7 

7 

10 

15 
15 

18 
18 

q- 

r. 

5 
6 

D 

E 

4 
4 

7 
7 

12 

12 

15 
15 

18 

s. 
t. 

7 
8 

F 
G 

4 
4 

9 

12 
12 

15 
15 

V. 

.a 

9 

10 

A 
B 

4 

9 
9 

12 
12 

17 

.b 
.c 

II 

12 

C 
D 

6 
6 

9 
9 

12 

17 

17 

.d 
.e 

13 

E 
F 

3 

6 
6 

9 
9 

14 
14 

17 
17 

.f 
■g 

15 
i6 

G 

A 

3 
3 

6 
6 

II 

14 
14 

17 
17 

.h 
■i 

17 
i8 

B 
G 

3 
3 

6 

II 
II 

14 
14 

19 

.k 
.1 

19 

20 

D 

E 

3 
3 

II 
II 

14 

19 
19 

.m 
.n 

21 
22 

F 
G 

... 

II 

II 

19 
19 

.0 

•P 

23 

24 

A 
B 

... 
... 

19 
19 

•q 

25 

C 

i 

i 

cvi  CALENDAR  NOTES 

Cf.  e.g.  Cottonian  MS.  Caligula  A  XV,  fos.  123-124. 

The  above  may  be  used  as  an  old-style  Easter  Table,  in  conjunction 
with  the  formulae  previously  given.  With  the  aid  of  tables  of  Dominical 
Letters  and  Golden  Numbers,  it  shows  in  which  years  Easter  fell  upon  a 
certain  day. 

Ash  Wednesday  (Caput  Jejunii),         is  46  days  before  Easter  ; 

Maundy  Thursday  (Coena  Domini),        45     „  ,, 

Quadragesima  (ist  Sunday  in  Lent), 

Middle  of  Lent  (Laetare  Jerusalem), 

Passion  Sunday, 

Palm  Sunday  (Rami  Palmarum), 

Good  Friday  (Parasceve), 

Low  Sunday  (Pascha  Clausum), 
Rogation  Sunday, 
Ascension  Day, 
Pentecost,  or  Whitsun-day, 
Holy  Trinity, 

Other  movable  feasts,  and  saints'  days,  will  be  found  in  books  of 
chronology,  such  as  J.  J.  Bond's  Handy-book  of  Rules  and  Tables  for 
verifying  Dates  ;  Sir  Harris  Nicolas's  Chronology  of  History  ;  Dunbar's 
Scottish  Kings  ;  A.  Giry's  Manuel  de  Diplomatique  ;  and  L'Art  de  Verifier 
les  Dates. 

For  systems  of  computing  Easter  followed  before  the  Dionysian  system 
was  adopted,  see  MacCarthy's  Introduction  to  the  Annals  of  Ulster  (vol.  iv). 

For  instance,  to  find  Ash  Wednesday  in  the  year  1250  : — 

(0 


42   „ 

5J 

21       „ 

); 

14      „ 

5) 

7     ,, 

») 

2     „ 

)) 

7  days 

after  Easter  ; 

35    ,, 

)) 

39     „ 

5) 

49     „ 

)) 

56     „ 

5) 

19)1251 
6 

(4) 

8)  1 2490 
7)  1561 

III 
5 

(5) 

R  =     7  =  f.n. 

Jan.          3  days 
Feb.         0     „ 

R  =   16 

=  G.N. 

Mar.         0     „ 
f  n.  - 1     6     „ 

i6x  II  - 

2   _    174  . 

30 

30  ' 

9-7  =  2 

R  =  24  ^ 

=  epact. 

.'.     21  Mar.  =  Monday. 
.'.     27  Mar.  =  Easter. 

32  -  24 

=    8  March  ; 

(6) 

27  Mar.  =  55  Feb. 

8+13 

=  21  March. 

55-46   =  9  Feb.  =  Ash  Wednesday. 

(2) 


(3) 


To  find  the  calendar  age  of  the  moon  on  any  given  day,  in  years  whose 
Golden  Number  was  not  5,  8,  11,  16,  or  19,  add  up  the  days  from  ist 
January  to  the  day  in  question,  including  both  days.     The  formula  is  : — 

no.  of  days  -t-  epact  -  i       -n  -o  ..-l  r   ■, 

'- ;    R,  or  R  -  30,  was  the  age  of  the  moon.     If 

R  is  o,  her  age  was  29.     Only  the  excess  over  59  days  in  each  couple  of 


CALENDAR  NOTES 


months  need  be  counted  in  the  sum.     Only  28  days  are  to  be  counted  in 
February. 

The  following  Table  gives  the  new  moons  in  the  other  years  : — 


G.N. 

Jan. 

Feb. 

Mar. 

Apr. 

May. 

June. 

July. 

Aug. 

Sept. 

Oct. 

Nov. 

Dec. 

s 

7 

9 

7 

7 

s 

5 

3 

2 

2,  31 

30 

29 

8 

b 

4 

6 

5 

4 

3 

2 

I,  30 

29 

28 

27 

2b 

11 

3 

2 

?. 

2 

I,  31 

29 

29 

27 

2b 

25 

24 

23 

lb 

8 

6 

8 

6 

6 

4 

4 

2 

I 

I,  30 

29 

28 

19 

5 

3 

5 

4 

3 

2 

I,  31 

29 

28 

27 

25 

24 

These  seem  to  have  been  the  lunations  that  were  accepted  in  early 
times.     The  matter  requires  further  investigation. 

Regnal  years  of  Scottish  kings  will  be  found  in  Dunbar  ;  of  English 
kings,  in  Bond  or  Nicolas,  after  the  Preface  to  Hardy's  Syllabus,  and  in 
Selby's  Date-book  (1887) ;  or  J.  E.  W.  Wallis,  English  Regnal  Years  and 
Titles  (S.P.C.K.,  1921).  The  dates  of  papal  accessions  will  be  found  in 
the  Regesta  Pontificum  of  Jaffe  and  of  Potthast,  and  in  Dunbar.  Dates  of 
early  popes  (to  816);  emperors  (to  944);  and  consuls  (to  613),  will  be 
found  in  the  index-tables  of  Monumenta  Germaniae  Historica,  Auctores 
Antiquissimi,  vol.  xiii.  For  consuls,  see  T.  J.  Almeloveen,  Fasti  Consulares 
(Amsterdam,  1740)  Lists  of  popes  are  given  by  Nicolas  ;  of  popes, 
emperors,  and  consuls,  by  Cappelli  (Cronologia  Calendario  Perpetuo). 
Blair's  Chronological  Tables  also  are  useful,  and  there  are  several  historical 
dictionaries,  the  most  valuable  of  which  is  the  Dictionary  of  National 
Biography. 


ORTHOGRAPHICAL   NOTES 

The  principle  that  names  should  be  spelt  according  to  the  normal  usage 
of  the  time  to  which  they  belong  cannot  be  systematically  obeyed  in 
practice.  It  is  impossible  to  follow  from  generation  to  generation  the 
changes  that  were  made.  There  was  frequently  no  normal  spelling.  Names 
printed  upon  coins  do  not  always  conform  to  the  standards  that  are  now 
accepted  for  the  languages  of  their  inscriptions.  The  same  name  is 
frequently  spelt  in  various  ways  in  one  charter. 

My  method  is  either  to  use  the  modern  form  of  a  name  (when  there  is 
a  modern  English  form  in  common  use),  or  (when  there  is  not)  to  give  an 
early  form,  in  normalized  spelling.  For  the  sake  of  consistency,  I  have 
here  generally  rejected  intermediate  Latin  forms,  which  are  more  con- 
venient to  pronounce,  and  are  a  guide  to  the  pronunciation  ;  and  which 
I  adopted  (for  Anglo-Saxon  names)  in  Scottish  Annals  from  English 
Chroniclers.  Here  I  follow  with  reluctance  the  established  custom  of 
rendering  the  different  values  of  Anglo-Saxon  S  by  th. 

There  are,  however,  several  exceptions  to  this  method.  Some  inter- 
mediate forms  of  well-known  persons' names  are  too  familiar  to  be  rejected. 
I  retain,  for  instance,  the  name  Alcuin,  instead  of  the  theoretically  correct 
Ealhhwine  ;  the  names  Siward  and  Turgot,  instead  of  the  Danish  spellings 
Sigwarth  and  Thurgot  ;  Somerled,  instead  of  the  Norwegian  Sumarlidi. 
I  have  not  discriminated  between  Icelandic  and  Norwegian  spellings  of 
names,  nor  in  all  cases  between  Norwegian  and  Danish  (e.g.,  Halfdan,  for 
Danish  Haldan  ;  Olaf,  instead  of  Danish  Anlaf,  which  appears  on  coins). 
I  have  used  Anglo-Saxon  forms  of  Danish  names,  when  their  bearers  were 
English-born  (e.g.,  Tostig  and  Waltheof,  for  Danish  Tosti  and  Valthiuf). 
For  Scandinavians  in  Ireland  I  have  generally  preferred  Norwegian  names 
(e.g.,  Norwegian  Sigtryggr,  for  Danish  Sigtrigg,  Sigtriugg,  Irish  Sitriuc). 
I  do  not  generally  discriminate  between  Northumbrian  and  West-Saxon 
spellings. 

I  have  allowed  many  unusual  or  doubtful  names  to  stand  as  they  appear 
in  the  original  spelling  ;  as,  for  instance,  in  some  pedigrees.  Also  in  notes 
I  have  occasionally  followed  the  various  spellings  of  different  writers,  when 
the  variations  are  not  entirely  equivalent. 

Epithets  (excepting  Irish  and  Welsh  adjectives),  whether  standing  after 
or  before  the  name,  I  have  translated  into  English,  when  that  could 
satisfactorily  be  done.  In  other  cases,  I  have  given  them  untranslated,  in 
normal  spellings. 


ex  ORTHOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

In  place-names  also,  I  generally  use  either  the  modern  or  an  ancient 
form,  notwithstanding  considerable  variations  in  the  extent  of  the  territory 
that  they  denote  at  different  times.  These  must  be  understood  according 
to  their  meaning  in  the  time  at  which  they  occur  (e.g.,  Lothian,  Strath- 
clyde,  Galloway,  Argyle,  Ulster,  Cumbria,  Northumbria). 

I  have  retained  also  a  few  intermediate  forms,  on  the  ground  of  their 
familiarity  :  e.g.,  John  of  Fordun  (instead  of  Fordoun) ;  Annals  of  Innis- 
fallen  (instead  of  Inishfallen)  ;  Roger  of  Hoveden  (instead  of  Howden). 

Accents  are  not  regularly  used  in  old  texts.  I  have  thought  it  better  to 
use  them  as  seldom  as  possible. 

I  have  omitted  the  nominative  case-ending  -r  in  Scandinavian  personal 
names  ;  and  -us,  in  several  Latin  names. 

In  spelling  Danish  names,  I  have  preferred  to  use  the  letter  v  instead 
of  w,  because  v  had  the  sound  of  w  in  Icelandic  and  Norwegian  also. 

In  reading  early  Irish,  Welsh,  and  Scandinavian  names,  in  normal 
spelling,  it  should  be  remembered  that  certain  consonants  have  two 
functions.  The  letters  b  d  g  p  t  c  have  more  or  less  the  same  value  as  in 
English,  when  they  stand  at  the  beginning  of  a  word.  When  they  do  not 
begin  words  or  syllables,  Irish  and  Welsh  p  t  c  (written  singly)  have  the 
sound  of  b  d  g  (except  p  t  c  after  1  r  s  ;  p  after  m  ;  and  in  Welsh,  t  after 
n)  ;  while  b  d  g  are  usually  spirants,  somewhat  like  /3  5  7  in  modern  Greek 
(except  d  g  after  1  n  r  ;  b  after  m).  In  the  Scandinavian  languages  also, 
d  g,  when  they  did  not  stand  at  the  beginning  of  a  word,  were  usually 
spirants  (except  after  1  n). 

In  all  these  languages,  g  and  c  are  never  sibilant. 

There  were  analogous  variations,  in  Irish  and  Welsh,  in  the  sounds  of 
1  m  n  r.  The  spirant  sound  of  m  was  somewhat  like  v.  Single  1  was 
unvoiced,  in  Irish  and  Welsh  (like  modern  Welsh  //-),  at  the  beginning  of 
words. 

Thus  the  name  Tadc  is  pronounced  TaSg.  F  is  silent  in  Derbforgaill ; 
s,  in  Maccintsacairt. 

Scottish  Gaelic  names  begin  to  be  distinguished  from  Irish  names  in 
the  twelfth  century. 

Many  errors  have  resulted  from  neglecting  the  values  of  Irish  letters. 
The  adoption  of  a  standard  system  is  necessary.  Adhering  as  closely  as 
possible  to  early  Middle-Irish  forms,  I  have  written  in  some  words  «rf  where 
nil  would  have  been  more  correct  (as  in  cend,  dond).  Standard  spelling  is 
equally  necessary  in  the  case  of  Welsh  names  ;  but  the  sources  of  informa- 
tion with  regard  to  them  are  scanty. 


TABLES   OF  THE   SUCCESSION    OF  KINGS 


KINGS    OF    NORTHUMBRIA. 


Bernicia. 

NORTHUMBRIA. 

Deira. 

Ida 

547-559 

Clappa 

? 559-? 560 

^lle             559-588 

Adda 

?  560-7568 

Theodric 

?568-?575 

Frithweald 

?  575-?  581 

Hussa 

?58i-?588 

yEthelric 

^thelfrith 

Edwin 

588-593 
593-617 
617-633 

Eanfrith 

633-63+ 

Oswald 

634-642 

Osric            633-634 

Oswiu 

642-671 

Ecgfrith 

Ealdfrith 

Osred 

Coenred 

Osric 

Ceolwulf 

Eadbeorht 

Oswulf 

671-685 
685-705 
705-716 
716-718 
718-729 
729-737 
737-758 
758-759 

Oswine         642-651 
^thelweald65i  -ca.  655 
Ealhfrith             -  ca.  664 

/Ethelweald  Moll  759-765 

Ealhred 

765-774 

^thelred 

774-779 

^Ifwold 

779-789 

Osred 

789-790 

^thelred 

790-796 

Osbeald 

796 

Eardwulf 

796-806 

^Ifwold 

?  806  - ?  809 

Eardwulf 

?8o9-?8io 

Eanred 

?8io-?843 

^thelred 

?843-?85o 

Osbeorht 

?850-?863 

^lle 

? 863-? 868 

TABLES  OF  THE  SUCCESSION  OF  KINGS 


KINGS    IN   ARGYLE. 


Kings  of  Dalriata. 
Loarn,  s.  Ere. 
Fergus,  s.  Ere. 
Angus,  s.  Ere. 
Domangart,  s.  Fergus 
Comgall,  s.  Domangart 
Gabran,  s.  Domangart 
Conall,  s.  Comgall     . 
Aidan,  s.  Gabran 
Eochaid  Buide,  s.  Aidan 
Connad  Cerr,  s.  Conall 
Donald  Brecc,  s.  Eochaid 
Ferchar,  s.  Connad  Cerr 
Conall  Crandomna,  s.  Eochaid 
Duncan,  s.  Duban 
Domangart,  s,  Donald  Brecc 
Maelduin,  s.  Conall  Crandomna 
Donald  Dond,  s.  Crandomna 
Ferchar  Fota,  s.  Feradach 
Eochaid,  s.  Domangart 
Ainfcellach,  s.  Ferchar  Fota 
Fiannamail,  s.  Ossene,  s.  Duncan 
Selbach,  s.  Ferchar     . 
Dungal,  s.  Selbach 
Eochaid,  s.  Eochaid   , 
Eogan,  s.  Findan 
Dungal,  s.  Selbach    . 
Muiredach,  s.  Ainfcellach 
Alpin,  s.  Eochaid 
Indrechtach,  ?  s.  Fiannamail 
Eogan,  s.  IMuiredach 
Aed  Find,  s.  Eochaid 
Fergus,  s.  Eochaid     . 
Eochaid     ,         .         , 
Donald,  s.  Constantine 
Dondcorci . 
Conall  Coem,  s.  Tadc 
Conall,  s.  Aidan 
Constantine,  s.  Fergus 
Angus,  s.  Fergus 
Aed,  s.  Boanta  . 
Eoganan,  s.  Angus     . 
Alpin,  s.  Eochaid 
Kenneth,  s.  Alpin 


House. 


ca.  SOI-  tea 

506 

ca.  506  - 1  ca. 

537 

ea.  537-  tea 

559 

ca.  559 -tea. 

574 

Cowal. 

ca.  5 74 -tea. 

608 

Knapdale. 

?      -tea. 

630 

Knapdale. 

tea.  630 

Cowal. 

ca.  630- tea. 

643 

Knapdale. 

?ca.  635- ?t 

ca.  651 

Cowal. 

?ca.  651 -tea.  659 

Knapdale. 

?ca.  651 -?ca 

•659 

? 

?       -tea.  673 

Knapdale. 

ca.  673 -tea. 

688 

Knapdale. 

?      -tea. 

696 

Knapdale. ' 

ca.  677 -tea. 

697 

Lorn. 

ca.  695  - 1  ca. 

697 

Knapdale 

ca.  697  -  ca.  698 

Lorn. 

.'       - 1 700 

Antrim. 

ca.  701-723 

Lorn. 

? 723-726 

Lorn. 

726-t733 

Knapdale. 

-?733 

J 

733-736 

Lorn. 

733-?736 

Lorn. 

?736-?74i 

Knapdale. 

t74l 

Antrim. 

? 741-747 

Lorn. 

?748-t778 

Knapdale. 

?778-t78i 

Knapdale. 

?78i 

? 

?78i-?8os 

Scone. 

?    -t792 

?  Antrim. 

?  805 -t  807 

?  Scone. 

8o7-?8ii 

?  Knapdale. 

?8ii-t82o 

Scone. 

82o-t834 

Scone. 

?834-t839 

?  Scone. 

?836-t839 

Scone. 

?  839 -.'841 

Knapdale. 

?84i-?843 

Knapdale. 

TABLES  OF  THE  SUCCESSION  OF  KINGS 


CXIII 


KINGS  OF  THE  PICTS. 


Brude,  s.  Maelchon 

ca.  555-t584 

Angus,  s.  Fergus 

729-750 

Gartnait,  s.  Domelch 

t?6oi 

Brude,  s.  Maelchon  (  ? ) 

?75o-t752 

Nechtan,  gs.  Verb 

?5oi-t?62i 

Angus,  s.  Fergus 

752-  +  761 

Kenneth,  s.  Luchtren 

?62i-t633 

Brude,  s,  Fergus 

76i-t763 

Gartnait,  s.  Foith 

633-t637 

Kenneth,  s.  Feradach 

763 -  +  775 

Brude,  s.  Foith 

637-1642 

Alpin,  s.  Wroid 

?  775- +  780 

Talorc,  s.  Foith 

642 -t  653 

Drust,  s.  Talorcan 

?78o 

Talorcan,  s.  Eanfrith 

653-t657 

Talorcan,  s.  Drostan 

?78o-  +  782 

Gartnait,  s.  Donald 

657-t663 

Talorcan,  s.  Angus 

?  782-784 

Drust,  br.  Gartnait 

663-672 

Conall,  s.  Tadc 

?  784-789 

Brude,  s.  Bile 

672-1693 

Constantine,  s.  Fergus 

789-t82o 

Tarain,  s.  Ainftech 

693-697 

Angus,  s.  Fergus 

?820-t834 

Brude,  s.  Derile 

697 -t  706 

Drust,  s.  Constantine,  and 

Nechtan,  s.  Derile 

706-724 

Talorcan,  s.  Wthoil 

?834-?836 

Drust 

724-726 

Eoganan,  s.  Angus 

?  836 -1-839 

Aipin 

726-728 

Wrad,  s.  Bargoit 

839-842 

Nechtan,  s.  Derile 

728-729 

Bred 

842-843 

KINGS  OF  SCOTLAND. 


Kenneth,  s.  Alpin  843-1858 

Donald,  s.  Alpin  858  - 1  862 

Constantine,  s.  Kenneth  S62-t877 

Aed,  s.  Kenneth  877 -  +  878 

Eochaid,  s.  Run  878-889 

Donald,  s.  Constantine  889 -f  900 

Constantine,  s.  Aed  900-943 


Malcolm,  s.  Donald 
Indulf,  s.  Constantine 
Dub,  s.  Malcolm 
Culen,  s.  Indulf 
Kenneth,  s.  Malcolm 
Constantine,  s.  Culen 
Kenneth,  s.  Dub 


943 -  +  954 
954 -  +  962 
962  - 1 966 
966-  +  971 
971 -  +  995 
995  -  +  997 
997- +  1005 


KINGS  OF  SCOTLAND. 


KINGS  OF  ENGLAND. 


Malcolm  II 
Duncan  I 
Macbeth 
Lulach 
Malcolm  III 
Donald  Ban 
Duncan  II 
Donald  Ban 
Edgar 
Alexander  I 
David  I 
Malcolm  IV 
William 
Alexander  II 
Alexander  III 
.Margaret 


1005-1034, 
103  4-1040, 
1 040- 105  7, 
1057-1058, 
1058-1093, 
1093-1091, 
1094,  May- 
1094-1097, 
1097-1107, 
1107-1124, 
1124-1153, 
1153-1165, 
1165-1214, 
1214-1249, 
1249-1286, 
1286-1290, 


Nov.  25 
Aug.  14 
Aug.  15 
Mar.  17 
Nov.  13 
May 
-Nov.  12 
Oct. 
Jan.  8 
Apr.  23 
May  24 
Dec.  9 
Dec.  4 
July  8 
Mar.  19 
Sep. 


Cnut 

1016-1035 

Cnut's  sons 
Edward  Confessor 

1035-1042 
1042-1066 

Harold 

1066 

William  I 

I 066- I 08 7 

William  II 

1087-1100 

Henry  I 

1100-1135 

Stephen 
Henry  II 
Richard  I 

1135-1154 
1154-1189 
1189-1199 

John 

1199-1216 

Henry  III 
Edward  I 

1216-1272 

1272-1307 

h 

INTRODUCTION 

A.    Kings'  Reigns,  Districts,  and  Pedigrees 

with  a  collation  of  the  unexpanded  Chronicles  of  the  Kings 

De  Situ  Albanie,  Skene's  Picts  and  Scots,  pp.   135-137 

Of  the  situation  of  Scotland,  which  is  shaped  in  tlie  figure  of  a 
man  ;  how  it  was  first  divided  into  seven  districts  ;  by  ivhat  name 
it  was  formerly  called,  and  by  whom  inhabited. 

I  consider  it  worth  while  to  give  to  memory  how  Scotland 
was  first  inhabited,  and  by  what  inhabitants ;  and  by  what 
names  it  was  called,  and  into  how  many  parts  it  was  divided. 

We  read  in  the  histories  and  chronicles  of  the  ancient 
Britons,  and  in  the  ancient  histories  and  annals  of  the  Scots 
and  Picts,  that  the  district  that  is  now  corruptly  called  Scotia 
was  of  old  called  Albania,  after  Albanectus,  the  younger  son 
of  Brutus,  the  first  king  of  the  Britons  of  Greater  Britain ;  and 
after  a  long  interval  of  time  it  was  called  Pictavia,  from  the 
Picts,  who  reigned  in  it  for  a  period  of  1070  years  (according 
to  others,  1360) ;  and  now  it  is  corruptly  called  Scotia.^ 

And  the  Scots  have  reigned  [there]  for  a  period  of  315 
years,  in  the  year  in  which  king  William  the  Ruddy,  brother  of 

'  Bede  gives  a  legendary  account  of  the  settlement  of  the  Picts  in  Scot- 
land (HistoriaEcclesiastica,  I,  r;  cf.  below,  p.  252).  He  says  that  the  Pictish 
nation  put  to  sea  from  Scythia,  in  a  few  long  ships  ;  and  were  driven  by  the 
wind  beyond  Britain,  to  the  north  of  Ireland.  The  Irish  Scots  refused  them 
settlement,  but  sent  them  to  Britain,  and  promised  them  assistance,  if  they 
should  be  opposed.  The  Picts  went  to  the  northern  part  of  Britain,  since 
the  Britons  possessed  the  southern.  And  because  the  Picts  had  no  wives, 
the  Irish  Scots  gave  them  these,  on  condition  that  Pictish  kings  should  inherit 
the  throne  through  their  mothers  :  a  custom  that  prevailed  in  Bede's  time 
(A.D.  731).  Cf  the  verses  in  the  Irish  Nennius,  in  Slcene's  P.  &  S.,  39-40. 
See  below,  p.  252. 


cxvi  INTRODUCTION 

Malcolm,  that  man  of  honourable  life  and  virtue,  has  received 
the  kingdom. 1 

This  district  bears  the  form  and  figure  of  a  man.  Its  chiel 
part,  that  is  to  say,  the  head,  is  in  Argyle,  in  the  western  part 
of  Scotland,  above  the  Irish  Sea;  and  its  feet  are  upon  the  sea 
of  Norway.  And  the  mountains  and  deserts  of  Argyle  resemble 
the  head  and  neck  of  a  man.  And  his  body  is  the  mountain 
[range]  that  is  called  Mound,  which  extends  from  the  western 
sea  to  the  eastern  sea ;  and  his  arms  are  the  mountains  that 
divide  Scotland  from  Argyle.  The  right  side  extends  along 
Moray,  and  Ross,  and  Mar,  and  Buchan ;  his  legs  are  the  two 
principal  and  notable  rivers  which  descend  from  the  mountains 
named  above,  that  is,  the  Mound,  and  which  are  called  the  Tay 
and  the  Spey :  one  of  them  flows  to  this  side  of  the  mountain, 
and  the  other  beyond  it,  into  the  Norwegian  sea.  Between 
this  man's  legs  are  Angus  and  Mearns,  to  this  side  of  the 
mountain ;  and  beyond  the  mountain  other  lands,  between 
Spey  and  the  mountain. 

Now  this  land  was  divided  anciently  by  seven  brothers  into 
seven  parts.  Of  these  the  principal  is  Angus  with  Mearns, 
so  named  after  Oengus,  the  eldest  of  the  brothers.  And 
the  second  part  is  Athole  and  Gowrie.  The  third  part  is 
Strathearn  with  Monteith.  The  fourth  of  the  parts  is  Fife, 
with  Fothreff;  and  the  fifth  part  is  Mar,  with  Buchan.  The 
sixth  is  Moray  and  Ross.  The  seventh  part  is  Caithness, 
to  this  side  of  the  mountain,  and  beyond  the  mountain ; 
because  the  mountain  of  Mound  divides  Caithness  through 
the  middle. 

Each  of  these  parts,  then,  was  called  a  district^  ;  and  rightly, 
because  each  of  them  had  in  it  a  subordinate  district.^  For  this 
reason  were  these  seven  brothers  aforesaid  regarded  as  seven 

^  William  the  Lion  became  king  in  1 165. 

'  regio,  used  in  the  sense  of  Irish  rige. 

5  subregionem.  There  is  little  doubt  that  these  words  ("district"  and 
"subordinate  district")  are  used  in  the  sense  of  "kingdom"  and  "sub- 
ordinate state"  or  "duchy,"  districts  ruled  over  respectively  by  a  king  and 
a  duke  {toisech  or  dux).  These  two  rulers  (king  and  toisech  or  duke) 
were  required  to  complete  the  native  idea  of  a  kingdom.  The  toisech  was 
very  often  preferred  to  take  the  risks  of  war  ;  when  he  was  successful,  he 
became  a  dangerous  rival  of  the  king;  when  he  was  unsuccessful,  the 
king's  position  was  shaken. 


INTRODUCTION  cxvii 

kings,  because  they  had  beneath  them  seven  under-kings.   These 
seven  brothers  divided  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  into  seven  king- 
doms,^ and  each  of  them  in  his  time  reigned  in  his  kingdom.^ 
As    a    trustworthy    narrator    has    told     me  —  Andrew,    a 

1  regnicm  Albanie  in  septem  regna. 

^  in  suo  regno. 

A  different  (and  older)  account  appears  in  the  Chronicle  of  the  Picts, 
version  A,  in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  4  :  "  Cruidne,  Cinge's  son,  the  father  of  the 
Picts  that  dwell  in  this  island,  reigned  for  a  hundred  years.  He  had 
seven  sons.  These  are  their  names  :  Fib,  Fidach,  Floclaid,  Fortrend,  Got, 
Ce,  Circinn. 

"  Circin  reigned  for  60  years,  Fidaich  for  40,  Fortrend  for  70,  Floclaid 
for  30,  Got  for  12,  Ce  for  15,  Fibaid  for  24." 

In  the  additions  to  the  Irish  Nennius  in  the  Book  of  Ballymote,  the 
Book  of  Lecan,  and  the  Trinity  College  (Dublin)  MS.  H,2.i7,  the  legend 
stands  thus  (Skene's  P.  &  S.,  24-25) :  "  Of  the  origin  of  the  Picts. 

"  Cruithne,  son  of  Cinge,  son  of  Luchtai,  son  of  Parthalan,  son  ot 
Agnoinn,  son  of  Buain,  son  of  Mais,  son  of  Fathecht,  son  of  Jafeth,  son  of 
Noah.     [For  Parthalan,  cf.  P.R.I.A.,  xxviii,  C,  6  (1910),  125-127,  145-146.] 

"[Cruithne]  was  the  father  of  the  Picts,  and  he  had  100  years  in  the 
kingdom.  The  seven  sons  of  Cruithne  here  :  Fib,  Fidach,  Fotla,  Fortrend 
of  battles  \caihach\  Cait,  Ce,  Cirig.  And  they  divided  the  land  into  seven 
divisions,  as  Columcille  said  :  '  Cruithne's  seven  children  divided  Scotland 
into  seven  parts  :  Cait,  Ce,  Cirig  (a  warlike  family)  ;  Fib,  Fidach,  Fotla, 
Fortrend.'"  (For  cethach  in  the  parenthesis  reading  cathach  "warlike." 
The  parenthesis  is  a  cheville,  but  is  connected  by  alliteration  with  the  sons 
previously  named.  The  third  and  fourth  lines  of  the  stanza  are  completely 
alliterative.)  "And  the  name  of  each  of  them  remains  upon  his  land,  e.g., 
Fib,  and  Ce,  and  Cait,  and  the  rest.  .  .  . 

"  Fib  was  24  years  in  the  kingdom  ;  Fidach,  40  years  ;  Fortrend,  70  ; 
Cait,  22  years  ;  Ce,  12  years  ;  Cirig,  80  years.  ..." 

Cf.  also  the  Chronicle  of  the  Picts,  version  C  ;  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  396  : 
"  Cruithne,  Cinge's  son,  father  of  the  Picts  that  dwell  in  this  island,  reigned 
for  100  years.  He  had  seven  sons.  These  are  their  nannes  :  Fib,  Fidach, 
Foltlaig,  Fortrend,  Caitt,  Ce,  Circing. 

"  Circing  reigned  for  60  years.  Fidach  reigned  for  40  years.  Fortrend 
reigned  for  40  years.  Foltlaid  reigned  for  30  years.  Gatt  reigned  for 
12  years.     Ce  reigned  for  12  years.     Fidbaiid  reigned  for  24  years.  ..." 

Cruithne  and  his  sons  were  invented  as  eponymous  rulers  of  the 
kingdom  and  its  districts.  The  legend  is  evidence  only  of  the  early 
divisions  of  Scotland,  and  their  names. 

See  the  verses  in  the  Irish  Nennius,  in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  41-44-  It  is 
there  said  (43)  that  after  the  Picts  left  Ireland,  "from  [Islay]  they  seized 
Scotland,  high  and  clear,  [a  land]  which  nourishes  fruits,  without  loss  of 
their  people  ;  with  its  dwellings,  from  the  territory  of  Cath  to  Foirciu " 
(read  Foirtriu  f). 


cxviii  INTRODUCTION 

venerable  man,  bishop  of  Caithness ;  by  nation  a  Scot,  and  a 
monk  of  Dunfermline— the  first  kingdom  [extended]  from  the 
excellent  piece  of  water,  called  in  Scottish  the  Froch,  in  British 
the  Werid,  and  in  Roman  Scottewattre,  that  is.  Aqua  Scottorum'^ 
(which  divides  the  kingdoms  of  Scots  and  of  English,  and  runs 
near  the  town  of  Stirling) ;  as  far  as  to  another  noble  river, 
called  the  Tay. 

The  second  kingdom  [extended]  from  the  Tay  to  the  Hilef^ 
encircling  [the  first]  like  the  sea,  as  far  as  the  mountain  that  is 
called  Athran^  in  the  northern  part  of  Stirling.  The  third 
kingdom  [extended]  from  the  Hilef  to  the  Dee.  The  fourth 
kingdom  [extended]  from  the  Dee  to  the  great  and  wonderful 
river  that  is  called  the  Spey,  the  greatest  and  best  [river]  in  all 
Scotland. 

The  fifth  kingdom  [extended]  from  the  Spey  to  the  mountain 
of  Druimm-nAlban. 

The  sixth  kingdom  was  Moray  and  Ross. 

The  seventh  kingdom  was  Argyle. 

The  name  Argyle  means  the  shore  of  the  Scots  or  the  Irish, 
because  all  Irish  and  Scots  generally  are  called  Gaels,  from  one 
of  their  primeval  leaders,  Gaidel  Glass.  And  the  Irish  used 
always  to  land  there,  to  do  injury  to  the  Britons.  Or  for  this 
reason,  because  the  Scots  [and]  Picts  first  dwelt  there  after  their 
return  from  Ireland ;  or  because  the  Irish  occupied  these  parts 
in  opposition  to  the  Picts ;  or  because  of  what  is  more  certain, 
that  that  part  of  the  district  of  Scotland  is  nearest  to  the  land 
of  Ireland. 

Fergus,  Erc's  son,  was  the  first  of  the  descendants  of  Conaire 
to  receive  the  kingdom  of  Scotland ;  that  is,  from  the  mountain 
of  Druimm-nAlban  *  to  the  Irish  Sea  and  the  Hebrides.  There- 
after, kings  of  the  line  of  Fergus  reigned  in  Druimm-nAlban  or 
Druimm-nErenn^till  the  time  of  Alpin,  Eochaid's"  son.    Kenneth 

1  I.e.,  the  Forth. 

2  According  to  Skene,  the  river  Isla  or  the  Liff,  Perthshire  ;  apparently 
modern  Glen  Isla,  according  to  Professor  W.  J.  Watson,  Celtic  Review 
1912,  p.  383. 

3  According  to  Sl<:ene,  Airthrey,  near  Stirling. 

^  a  monte  Brutialban  usque  ad  mare  Hibernie  et  ad  Inchegall. 

'"  in  Brunalban  sine  Brunhere.     Read  Drumalban  and  Drwnheren  f 

0  Eochal. 


INTRODUCTION  cxix 

this  Alpin's  son,  the  first  king  of  the  Scots,  reigned  prosperously 
in  Pictland  for  sixteen  years.^ 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  the  Plots,  version  A ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  pp.  6-8  ^ 

Talorc,  Achivir's  son,  reigned  for  seventy-five  years.^ 
Drust,  Erp's  son,  reigned  for  a  hundred  years,  and  fought  a 

hundred  battles.     In  the  nineteenth  year  of  his  reign,  the  holy 

bishop  Patrick  came  to  the  island  of  Ireland.* 
Talorc,  Aniel's  son,  reigned  for  four  years.^ 

^  843-858. 

^  The  previous  part  of  this  list  of  Pictish  kings  contains  certainly 
fictitious  matter,  but  is  not  necessarily  all  fictitious. 

In  these  chronicles,  the  number  of  a  king's  last  year  on  the  throne  is 
often  given  as  the  number  of  years  in  his  reign. 

The  spelling  of  names  varies,  and  is  often  corrupt.  I  give  in  notes 
variations  in  the  printed  texts,  except  in  cases  where  they  lead  to  no 
uncertainty. 

Versions  B  and  C  agree  generally  with  A,  and  still  more  closely  with 
one  another;  versions  DFIK  represent  a  somewhat  different  original, 
and  generally  agree  among  themselves.  ABC  frequently  present  names  in 
a  Welsh  form,  when  DFIK  give  them  in  forms  derived  from  the  Irish  spelHng. 

^  Talore,  A  ;  Talorc,  B  ;  Tolorc,  C  ;  Balarg,  D  ;  Talarg,  FK  ;  Talargh, 
I  ;   Thalarger,  Fordun. 

filius  Achivir,  A  ;  mac  Achiuir,  B  ;  mac  Aiihiuir,  C  ;  filius  Keothere, 
D  ;  filius  Keother,  F  and  Fordun  ;  filius  Keocher,  I  ;  le  fits  Kecter,  K. 

75  years,  ABC  ;  25  years,  DFIK  and  Fordun. 

*  Similarly  in  versions  B  and  C.  Down  to  "battles,"  also  in  DFK  ; 
down  to  "years,"  also  in  I. 

"Reigned"  ABC  [IK];  "lived"  DF  and  Fordun. 

"  Fought "  iperegii) ;  "  gained  "  K. 

"Erp's"  ABC  ;   Ws,^);  Irb,  FK  ;   Yrb,  I. 

Patrick  went  to  Ireland  in  432.  If  432  was  Drust's  19th  year,  he  would 
have  become  king  in  414  or  413. 

Fordun's  version  of  the  Chronicle  of  the  Picts  reads  (Chronica,  IV,  lo  ; 
>>  153):  "To  [Talorc  succeeded]  Drust  (he  was  otherwise  called  Nechtan, 
Irb's  son),  for  45  years.  He  (it  is  asserted)  lived  for  a  hundred  years,  and 
fought  a  hundred  battles.  While  he  reigned,  St  Palladius,  the  first  bishop 
of  the  Scots,  was  sent  by  the  blessed  pope  Celestius,  to  teach  the  Scots, 
though  they  believed  in  Christ  long  before"  (Fordun  confuses  Irish  with 
British  Scots). 

5  "Talorc"  BCDFIK;  Talore,  A,  ^xongXy.     Thalarger,Yoxd.\xa.. 

"Aniel's"  AC  ;  Ainel,  B  ;  Aniif,  D  ;  Amile,  F  ;  Aniil,  I  ;  Amil,  K  ; 
Anile,  Fordun. 

4  years,  ABC  ;  2  years,  DFIK  and  Fordun. 


cxx  INTRODUCTION 

Nechtan  Morbet,  Erip's  son,  reigned  for  twenty-four  years.i 
In  the  third  year  of  his  reign,  Dairlugdach,  abbess  of  Kildare, 
came  from  Ireland  to  Britain,  in  exile  for  Christ.  In  the  second 
year  of  her  arrival,  Nectonius  offered  up  Abernethy  to  God  and 
to  St  Bridget,  in  presence  of  Dairlugdach,  who  sang  Alleluia 
over  this  offering.^ 

■  "Nechtan":  Necton,  A;  Nectan,  BCI  ;  Nethan,  D;  Netihan,  F; 
Nectane,  K  and  F"ordun. 

Morbet,  A  ;  mor-brec,  B  ;  mor  breac,  C  ;  cheleiiwf,  D  ;  thelchamoth,  F  ; 
celchamoch,  I  ;  Celtaniech,  K  ;  Chaltamoth,  Fordun.  B  and  C  have 
substituted  Irish  forms  for  the  word  in  their  exemplar. 

"Erip's"  AB  ;  Eirip,  C  ;  omitted,  DFIK. 

24  years,  AB  ;  34  years,  C  ;  10  years,  DFIK. 

^  This  paragraph  stands  also  in  B  and  C.  After  "offered  up,"  B  adds 
"in  one  year."  Instead  of  "second  year  of,"  C  reads  "next  year  after" 
(Skene).  This  paragraph,  with  the  next  two,  is  an  insertion  in  the  original 
chronicle.  In  this  insertion  Nechtan's  name  is  spelt  Nectonius  in  all  three 
versions  (ABC). 

The  monastery  of  Kildare  was  founded  by  Bridget,  who  was  abbess 
there  till  she  died  about  the  year  524  (see  below,  p.  17).  The  mention 
here  of  a  later  abbess  is  an  anachronism. 

The  Aberdeen  Breviary  (i,  3,  xxii,  December  23rd)  says  that  Domath, 
king  of  the  Picts,  while  fighting  against  the  Britons,  was  warned  divinely 
to  call  Bridget  from  Ireland.  She  founded  the  church  at  Abernethy,  and 
the  king  and  all  his  household  were  baptized. 

The  Life  of  Buitte  says  that  Nechtan  reigned  over  the  Picts  when  Buitte 
returned  from  Italy  to  Ireland.  Buitte  sailed  from  Germania  to  the  land 
of  the  Picts,  and  finding  that  Nechtan  had  just  died  resuscitated  him. 
Plummer's  Vitae  Sanctorum  Hiberniae,  i,  88-89  (and  Skene's  Picts  and 
Scots,  pp.  410-41 1) :  "  [Buitte  and  his  companions]  coming  to  the  sea  took 
ship,  and  after  a  prosperous  voyage  landed  in  the  territories  of  the  Picts. 

"  How  he  raised  king  Nectan  from  death. 

"It  happened  at  that  time  that  Nechtan,  the  king  of  that  land,  had  gone 
the  way  of  all  flesh.  They  also  were  invited  to  his  exequies  to  watch  over 
the  dead  king  and  pray  to  the  Lord  for  him.  And  when  they  came  to  the 
house  where  the  dead  body  lay,  the  man  of  God,  Buitte,  shut  out  the  others 
and  began  to  pray.  When  the  pra>er  was  finished,  behold,  the  dead  man 
rose  again  from  the  jaws  of  death.  All  were  amazed  ;  grief  was  turned 
into  joy  ;  and  God  was  glorified  in  his  saint. 

"  Finally  the  king  gave  the  castle  in  which  the  miracle  had  been  done 
with  all  that  pertained  to  it  to  the  blessed  Buitte  ;  and  [Buitte]  consecrated 
it  as  a  church,  and  left  one  of  his  companions  to  keep  it." 

This  is  surmised  by  Skene  to  have  been  a  legend  of  the  foundation  of  a 
church  at  Kirkbuddo  (which  he  says  means  "  Buitte's  church";  but  it  is 
more  probably  a  corruption  of  Carbuddo),  near  Dunnichen  (which  may 


INTRODUCTION  cxxi 

So  Nectonius  the  Great,  Wirp's^  son,  the  king  of  all  the 
provinces  of  the  Picts,  offered  to  St  Bridget,  to  the  day  of 
judgement,  Abernethy,  with  its  territories,  which  are  situated 
from  the  stone  in  Apurfeirt  to  the  stone  beside  Ceirfuill,  that  is, 
Lethfoss,  and  thence  upwards  to  Athan. 

Now  the  cause  of  the  offering  was  this.  Nectonius,  .  .  } 
when  his  brother  Drust  expelled  him  to  Ireland,  begged  St 
Bridget  to  beseech  God  for  him.  And  she  prayed  for  him,  and 
said :  "  If  thou  reach  thy  country,  the  Lord  will  have  pity  upon 
thee.     Thou  shalt  possess  in  peace  the  kingdom  of  the  Picts." 

Drust  Gurthinmoch  reigned  for  thirty  years.^ 

mean  "  Nechtan's  castle")-  Buitte  died  in  the  year  of  Columba's  birth; 
see  year  521.  This  story  implies  that  Forfarshire  had  become  Christian 
some  time  before  that  date.  We  may  compare  with  this  the  story  that 
Palladius  founded  a  church  at  Fordoun  in  432. 

Whether  Buitte  ever  was  in  Strathmore  or  not,  this  story,  taken  with 
that  of  Palladius,  suggests  that  one  route  of  the  Irish  between  the  north  of 
Ireland  and  the  continent  passed  through  Strathmore.  During  the  5th 
and  6th  centuries  they  would  have  preferred  to  go  through  Pictish  territory 
rather  than  through  the  land  in  which  Britons  and  Saxons  were  at  war. 
If  any  part  of  Pictish  territory  had  respect  for  Christianity,  they  would 
naturally  have  gone  through  that  part. 

Ninian  had  introduced  Christianity  into  Galloway  in  Roman  times,  and 
also  apparently  into  Strathmore,  which  seems  to  have  been  the  country  of 
the  "southern  Picts"  converted  by  him.  Though  not  incorporated  in  the 
Roman  empire,  Strathmore  had  doubtless  been  considerably  affected  by 
Roman  influence. 

Perhaps  ships  were  to  be  had  at  Stonehaven.  Perhaps  the  causes  thai 
kept  Saxons  from  settling  there  made  the  passage  from  that  district  more 
secure. 

1  Wirp  appears  to  be  a  later  form  than  the  Erip  or  Erp  of  the  original 
chronicle.  It  seems  also  to  show  that  the  writer  of  the  insertion  spoke  a 
Welsh,  not  a  Gaelic,  language.  The  insertion  was  written  at  Abernethy  ;  it 
suggests  that  a  Welsh  language  was  spoken  in  Abernethy  at  the  time 
when  version  A  was  written — the  end  of  the  tenth  century.  But  the  equation 
Erp  >  Wirp  assumes  that  the  £  of  Erp  was  long  ;  and  that  is  very  doubtful, 
seeing  that  Erp  was  in  Welsh  speech  the  equivalent  oi  Ere  in  Irish. 

2  in  vita  Julie  m[a\nens.  The  text  is  corrupt.  (Cf.  Skene,  P.  &  S.,  p. 
xix,  note  ;  and  his  facsimile  of  A.) 

2  Drest  Gurthinmoch,  A  ;  Brest  Gurthimoth,  B  ;  Dartguitiimoth,  C  ; 
Durst  Gemot,  F  ;  Drust  Gocineht,  I  ;  Drust  Cortinoch,  K  ;  Durst  Gornoth, 
Fordun. 

The  name  "Drust"  occurs  (in  Skene's  texts)  as  Drest  10  times  in  A, 
9  times  in  B,  4  times  in  C  (there  also  as  Drerst  and  Derst).     It  is  spelt 


cxxii  INTRODUCTION 

Galan  Erilich  reigned  for  twelve  years.^ 
Two  Drusts  reigned  together;  Drust,  Girom's  son,  for  one 
year,  and  Drust,  Wdrost's  son,  for  five.^ 

Drust,  Girom's  son,  reigned  alone  for  five  years.^ 
Gartnait,  Girom's  son,  reigned  for  seven  years.* 
Cailtram,  Girom's  son,  reigned  for  one  year.^ 

Drust  in  the  prefixed  part  of  ABC  ;  in  B  ;  so  read  for  Druse  in  C  ;  5  times 
in  D  ;  6  times  in  F  ;  9  times  in  I  ;  10  times  in  K.  It  is  spelt  Durst  3  times  in 
D,  2  times  in  F  ;  Drost,  once  in  C.    Drest  s&tms  to  be  an  earlier  form  oi Drust. 

For  Gurthinmoch  cf.  Stokes,  Philological  Society,  1890,  p.  395  :  "boch 
=  Welsh  boch,  Latin  bucca"  ;  and  ibid.,  p.  406:  "The  gurth  may  be  = 
V^e.]sh  gwrdd  'fortis,  robustus,  strenuus,'  and  the  imjioch  may  be  =  Cornish 
envoch  (gl.  facies),  the  Irish  scribe  writing  (infected)  m  for  v,  as  in 
Catmolodor  and  Simal." 

30  years,  ABCFIK  and  Fordun  ;  omitted,  D. 

Counting  the  regnal  years  backwards  from  Brude  (f  584),  we  find  that 
Drust's  death  should  have  occurred  a  few  years  before  the  year  500. 

'  Galanan  Erilich,  A  ;  Galan  Arilith,  B  ;  Galamarbith,  C  ;  Gulam,  F  ; 
Galany,  I  ;  Galan,  K  ;  Galaam,  Fordun. 

12  years  in  A  and  25  years  in  F  are  probably  textual  errors  ;  15  years, 
in  BCIK  and  Fordun.     Omitted,  D. 

^  "  Girom's  "  :  Gyrom,  Girom,  A  ;  Giron,  Girom,  B  ;  Girtim,  Girom,  C  ; 
Gurum,  Gigurum,  D  ;  Gigurum,  F,  Fordun  ;  Gygurn,  I  ;  Gigurnus,  K. 

"Wdrost's":  Wdrost,  A;  Budros,  BC  ;  Hudrossig,  D;  Hudresseg,  F; 
Hudrosig,  I  ;  Hidrofigus,  K  ;  Otlttred,  Fordun.  Perhaps  in  the  source  of 
ABC  a  final  syllable  was  contracted  by  suspension. 

I  year,  5  years,  A  :  in  text  id  est  (facsimile  z'.) ;  read  uno.  B  and  C 
read:  "Two  Drusts  .  .  .  reigned  for  15  years."  DF  and  Fordun  give 
Girom's  son  a  reign  of  5  years  ;  I,  of  6  years  ;  K,  of  50  years.  DFIK  and 
Fordun  give  Wdrost's  son  a  reign  of  8  years. 

^  5  years,  ABC  ;  4  years,  DK  and  Fordun  ;  omitted,  FT. 

*  7  years,  ABC  ;  6  years,  DFIK  and  Fordun. 

This  name  occurs  20  times  in  versions  ABC.  In  Skene's  texts,  it  is 
spelt  Gartnait  once  in  A,  7  times  in  B,  5  times  in  C  ;  and  no  two  of  the 
remaining  seven  spellings  are  alike.  The  form  Gartnait  does  not  occur  in 
versions  DFIK.  The  spellings  Garnard,  occurring  in  Fordun,  once  in  A, 
twice  in  F,  and  once  in  K  ;  Garnart,  Gartnart,  in  A,  Gartnairt  in  C, 
Gernerd  in  F,  Garnarde  twice  in  K,  seem  to  indicate  the  existence  of  a 
variant  form  of  the  name.  Other  forms,  derived  from  Gartnait,  are 
Gartnaith,  Gartnaich,  Garthnach,  in  A  ;  Gernath,  in  D  ;  Garnath,  twice 
in  F;  Gercnath,  Garnach,  in  I. 

^  Cailtram,  A  ;  Cailtarni,  B  ;  Cailtaine,  C  ;  Kelturan,  DI,  Fordun  ; 
Kelhiran,  F;  Kylmrcait,  K.  For  "Girom's  son"  DFIK  read  "his 
[Gartnait's]  brother." 

I  year,  ABC  ;  6  years,  DFIK  and  Fordun. 


INTRODUCTION  cxxiii 


Talorc,  Muircholach's  son,  reigned  for  eleven  years.^ 

Drust,  Munait's  son,  reigned  for  one  year.^ 

Galam  Cennaleph  reigned  for  one  year,^  and  with  Brude  one 
year.* 

Brude,  Maelchon's  son,  reigned  for  thirty  years/'  In  the 
eighth  year  of  his  reign  he  was  baptized  by  St  Columba.'' 

I  Muircholack,  A  ;  Murtholoic,  B  ;  Murtolic,  C  ;  Mordeleg,  D  ;  Madoleg^ 
F  ;  Tauxdelog,  I  ;  Mendeleghe,  K  ;  Mordeleth,  Fordun. 

II  years,  ABCDFIK  and  Fordun. 

-  Alunait,  A;  Munaith,  B;  Manaith,  C;  Moneth,  DF,  Fordun; 
Monehet,  I  ;  Meneck,  K. 

I  year,  ABCDFIK  and  Fordun. 

^  Galam  Cennaleph,  K'K  ;  Galuin  Cenamlapeh,  C.  Talalad,  D  ;  Tagaled, 
F  ;  Tagalad,  I  ;  Talagach,  K  ;  Thalagath,  Fordun. 

I  year,  A  ;  4  years,  BCDFI  and  Fordun  ;  3  years,  K.  C  places  this 
reign  between  those  of  Drust  and  Gartnait,  Girom's  sons. 

^  "With  Brude  i  year"  ABC;  omitted,  DFIK  and  Fordun.  Perhaps 
this  was  the  Cennalath  who  died  in  Brude's  reign  ;  see  year  580. 

^  In  the  chronicle  of  the  Brudes,  prefixed  to  A  (Skene's  facsimile),  this 
name  is  twice  spelled  in  full,  Brude  ;  once.  Brute.  In  Skene's  text  of  the 
same  part  of  C,  Bruide  appears  6  times,  Bridge  3  times,  and  Bruigi 
23  times. 

In  this  (the  original)  part  of  A,  the  name  occurs  in  the  form  Bredei 
3  times  ;  also  in  the  forms  Breidei,  Bridei,  and  (in  the  ablative)  Briduo. 
In  Skene's  texts,  the  spelling  Brude  occurs  once  in  B,  twice  in  D,  7  times  in 
F,  9  or  10  times  in  I,  3  or  4  times  in  K.  Forms  allied  to  those  in  A  occur 
in  BCK.     Fordun  uses  the  forms  Brud,  Brude,  Brudeus. 

Forms  of  the  type  of  Bredei  are  difficult  to  account  for.  Adamnan's 
Brudeus  and  Bede's  Bridius  forbid  the  equation  *Brede  >  Bruide. 

"  Maelchon's "  :  Mailcon,  A  ;  Me  Icon,  B  ;  Mae  Icon,  C  ;  Me  than,  D  ; 
Melcho,  F  ;  Melcon,  Malcon,  I.  Drust fitz  Methor,  K.  Merlothon,  Fordun 
{Meilothon,  in  insertion  from  Bade).  This  may  have  been  the  same  person 
as  Mailcun  of  the  Annales  Cambriae,  Maglocunus  of  Gildas  ;  the  king 
of  North  Wales  who  died  in  547. 

30  years,  ABCDFI  ;  25  years,  K  ;  19  years,  Fordun. 

See  years  554,  559,  584- 

"  So  in  AB  ;  so  read  in  C.  (This  is  derived  from  Bede ;  see 
below,  p.  20.) 

DF  read:  "St  Columba  converted  him  to  the  faith"  ("  .  .  .  came  to 
Scotland,  and  ..."  in  Fordun,  who  cites  also  Bede  here  directly).  I  reads  : 
"  St  Columba  converted  him,"  with  additions  quoted  below  at  years  563,  597, 
and  603.  K  has  here  a  still  later  addition  (P.  &  S.,  200-201),  which  declares 
that  the  Scots  were  converted  only  once. 


cxxiv  INTRODUCTION 

Gartnait,  Domelch's  son,  reigned  for  eleven  years.^ 
Nechtan,  Verb's  grandson,  reigned  for  twenty  years.^ 
Kenneth,  Luchtren's  son,  reigned  for  nineteen  years.^ 
Gartnait,  Foith's  son,  reigned  for  four  years.* 
Brude,  Foith's  son,  reigned  for  five  years.^ 
Talorc,  their  brother,  reigned  for  twelve  years.® 
Talorcan,  Eanfrith's  son,  reigned  for  four  years.'' 
Gartnait,  Donald's  son,  reigned  for  six  years  and  a  half^ 

'  Do?nelch,  A  ;  Domech,  B  ;  Domnach,  C  ;  Dormafh,  D  ;  Dompneth,  F  ; 
Donaih,  I  ;  Dompnach,  K,  Fordun. 

II  years,  ABC  ;  20  years,  DFI  and  Fordun  ;  30  years,  K. 

See  year  ?6oi.     For  additions  in  DK  and  Fordun,  see  year  ?6oi,  note. 

^  Nectu  nepos  Uerd,  A  ;  Nectan  nepos  Verb,  B  ;  Neachtan  nepo[s]  (Jerp, 
C  ;  Netthadfilius  Irb,  F  ;  Nactanfilius  Yrb,  I  ;  Nectane  filius  Jrb,  Fordun. 

20  years,  ABC  ;  21  years,  FI  ;  omitted,  DK  ;  11  years,  Fordun. 

See  year  ?62i,  note.     For  additions  in  F,  see  year  ?6oi,  note. 

^  Cinioch  filius  Lutrin,  A  ;  Ciiiiath  filius  Ltitrin,  B  ;  Cinhoint  filius 
Luitriu,  C  ;  Kynel  filius  Luthren,  D  ;  Kinet  filius  Luthren,  F  ;  Kynel 
filius  I.ttchrem,  I  ;  Kenechfits  Sugthen,  K  ;  Kenel  filius  Luchtren,  Fordun. 

19  years,  ABC  ;  24  years,  DK  ;  14  years,  FI  and  Fordun. 

See  year  633. 

^  Instead  of  "  Gartnait,"  DFIK  and  Fordun  read  "  Nechtan,  Foith's  son." 

"  Foith's"  :  Wid,  A  ;  Uuid,  BC  ;  Fide,  D  ;  Fotle,  F  ;  Fochle,  I  ;  Fode, 
K,  Fordun.     D  spells  Nechtan  here  Nethan. 

4  years,  A  ;  5  years,  BCF  ;  8  years,  DIK  and  Fordun. 
See  year  637. 

f^  "Foith's":  Wid,  A;  Fruth,  D;  Fathe,  FK ;  Fochle,  I;  Fachna, 
Fordun. 

5  years,  ADFIK  and  Fordun.     BC  in  error  omit  this  reign. 
See  year  642. 

"  "Their  brother"  ABC  ;  "son  of  Fethar"  DFI  {Fethar,  D  ;  Fetebar, 
F  ;  Feckarus,  I  ;  Farchar,  Fordun).  K  has  instead  of  Brude  "  Drust,  his 
brother,"  with  the  years  of  Drust,  Gartnait's  brother  (below),  omitting  the 
reigns  between. 

12  years,  ABC  ;  ii  years,  DFI,  Fordun. 

See  year  653. 

"  "  Eanfrith's "  :  Enfret,  AC  ;  Enfretk,  B  ;  Amfrud,  D  and  Fordun  ; 
Confrud,  F ;  Anfrud,  I.  This  name  seems  to  be  the  Anglo-Saxon 
F.anfrith  ;  its  bearer  was  almost  certainly  Eanfrith,  king  .(Ethelfrith's  son. 

4  years,  ABCFI  and  Fordun  ;  omitted,  K. 

See  year  657. 

8  "  Donald's "  (Irish  annals) :  Donnel,  A  ;  Donuel,  BC  ;  Dunal,  D  ; 
Donnall,  F  (omitting 7f/z'«j-)  ;  Domnal,  I  ;  Domptial,  Fordun.  (The  forms  in 
ABCDF  look  more  like  Dungal  than  Donald.) 

6^  years,  ABC  ;  5  years,  DF  and  Fordun  ;  6  years,  I  ;  omitted,  K. 

See  year  663. 


INTRODUCTION  cxxv 

Drust,  his  brother,  reigned  for  seven  years.^ 
Brude,  Bile's  son,  reigned  for  twenty-one  years. ^ 
Tarain,  Ainftech's  son,  reigned  for  four  years.^ 
Brude,  Derile's  son,  reigned  for  eleven  years.* 
Nechtan,  Derile's  son,  reigned  for  fifteen  years.^ 
Drust  and  Alpin  reigned  together  for  five  years.^ 
Angus,  Fergus'  son,  reigned  for  thirty  years.'' 

I  7  years,  ABC  ;  6  years,  DFIK  and  Fordun. 
See  year  673. 

^"Bile's":  Bill,  A;  File,  B;  Fie,  C;  Bile,  DPI  and  Fordun; 
Hole,  K. 

21  years,  ABFI  ;  20  years,  CDK  ;  11  years,  Fordun. 

See  year  693.  For  additions  in  DFK,  see  year  693,  note.  The  variations 
between  version  A  and  later  versions,  from  this  reign  -onwards,  were 
tabulated  by  Skene  in  his  Picts  and  Scots,  pp.  cxxiii-cxxiv.  (Cf.  his  account 
of  them,  ibid.,  cxxv-cxxvi.) 

^  "Tarain"  :   Taran,  ABCDI  ;  Turaii,  F  ;   Tharan,  K  ;  Gharan,  Fordun. 

"  Ainftech's "  (year  693) :  Entifidich,  A  ;  Enfidaig,  B  ;  Enfidaid,  C 
(to  be  read  as  B)  ;  Amfredeth,  D  (attracted  to  Amfrud,  above) ;  Amsedeth, 
F  ;  Anfudeg,  I  ;  Amjodech,  K  ;  Amfedech,  Fordun. 

4  years,  ABCK  and  Fordun  ;  14  years,  DFI. 

See  years  693,  697,  699. 

*  "Derile's  son,"  ABC  ;  filius  Dergard,  D,  fitz  Dergert,  K,  i.e.  "son  of 
Dargairt"  ;  filius  Decili,  FI  and  Fordun. 

II  years,  ABC  ;  31  years,  DFIK  ;  21  years,  Fordun. 
See  year  706. 

°  "  Nechtan,"  ABCI  (spelt  in  A  Necthon) ;  Ferthen,  F,  Jactan,  K, 
erroneously. 

"Derile's  son"  ABC;  "his  [Brude's]  brother"  DFI  and  Fordun; 
"  Brude's  brother  "  K.  D  puts  Nechtan's  reign  before  Brude's,  as  if  Nechtan 
had  been  Tarain's  brother. 

15  years,  A  ;  10  years,,  BC  ;  18  years,  DFIK  and  Fordun,  correctly. 

See  year  724  ;  also  the  note  below. 

^  Congregavermit,  A ;  Cotiregnaverunt,  B  ;  eonneganaveint,  C.  D 
reads  here  instead :  "  Gartnait,  Ferath's  son,  reigned  for  24  years "  ; 
similarly  also  in  FIK.  {Ferath,  DF  ;  Ferach,  I  ;  Feradhegh,  K  ;  Feredach, 
Fordun.)  Cf.  the  reign  of  Kenneth,  Feradach's  son,  below,  omitted  by 
versions  DFIK. 

Fordun  :  "  To  this  Nechtan  succeeded  Gartnait,  Feradach's  son  ;  and 
he  reigned  for  14  years." 

See  years  724,  726,  728. 

'■  These  Irish  names  occur  in  peculiar  forms,  such  as  for  "  Angus " 
(Irish  Oengus) :  Onnist,  A ;  Unuist,  AB  ;  Onuis,  Uidnuist,  B  ;  Onus/, 
Uidnust,  C;  Hungus,  DIK  and  Fordun;  Teiiegus,  etc.,  FK  and  Fordun; 
Onegussa,  DF  ;  Oengusa,  Oengus,  Engus,  I  ;  Oengussa,  Fordun. 

"  Fergus' "  :   Ur-,   Wir-,   Wrgust,  A  ;  Ur-,   Uurguist,  B  ;  Ur-,  Uurgtist, 


cxxvi  INTRODUCTION 

Brude,  Fergus'  son,  reigned  for  two  years.^ 
Kenneth,  Feradach's  son,  reigned  for  twelve  years.^ 

C  ;  Fergusa,  FK  and  Fordun  (the  Irish  form)  ;  Fergus,  I  (as  nominative  in 
DK,  correctly).     Fergusagiji  in  K  is  perhaps  for  Fergusan. 

The  forms  in  ABC  are  probably  of  a  primitive  Welsh  type  (unless  the 
early  Welsh  forms  were  originally  derived  from  Pictish),  and  seem  to  show 
that  the  original  of  these  versions  of  the  chronicle  was  composed  in,  or 
transmitted  through,  a  district  whose  language  was  allied  to  Welsh  ;  that  is 
to  say,  in  a  district  where  Pictish  or  Strathclyde  Welsh  was  spoken.  It  is 
to  be  observed  that  Irish  forms  predominate  in  DFIK,  and  that  the  usual 
spelling  of  the  name  Nechtan  is  Irish  in  all  the  versions. 

30  years,  ABC  ;  16  years,  FIK  and  Fordun  ;  omitted,  D. 

The  annals  imply  that  Angus  reigned  from  729  to  761,  with  an  interrup- 
tion from  750  to  752  (see  those  years,  below). 

Versions  FIK  and  Fordun  place  after  Angus's  reign  the  reign  of 
"  Nechtan,  Derile's  son,  for  g  months."  {Decili,  F  ;  Derili,  I  ;  Fergaleg, 
K,  Derelz,  Fordun.  Nechtan  is  spelt  Neithan  in  F ;  read  Necthan  ?) 
Nechtan  reigned  before  Angus,  from  728  to  729  ;  see  those  years,  below. 

Here  DFIK  diverge  from  ABC.  They  place  the  following  reigns  before 
that  of  Brude  : 


D 

Angus,  son  of 
Brude,  reigned 
6  months. 


I 


K 


Fordun 


Angus,    son    of      Fergus,      son      of      Angus,      son      of 
Brude,  6  months.     Brude,     i     month      Brude,  6  months. 
[vn;  read  vif] 


Alpin,     son    of      Alpin,     son     of      Alpin,    son     of 
Feret.  Feret,  5  months.      Angus,  8  years. 


Angus,    son    of 
Fergus,  10  years. 


Alpin,       son       of  Alpin,      son       of 

Feradach,  5  months  Feredeth,  likewise 

at    one   time ;    he  6   months.     After 

was    expelled,  but  him,      Ae      same 

afterwards  reigned  Alpin  reigned 

30  years.  again  for  26  years. 


Angus,     son    of  Angus,    son    of 

Brude,  6  months.  Brude,      again. 

The  same  again  36  years, 
reigned  36  years. 

Corrupt  and  discordant  as  these  accounts  are,  they  contain  evidence  of 
rival  claims  laid  to  the  kingdom  by  the  rulers  of  its  parts. 

1  "Fergus'  son"   ABC;   "Angus'  son"   DFIK   and   Fordun,    wrongly. 
Brude,  Angus'  son,  had  died  during  his  father's  reign  ;  see  year  736. 

2  years,  AIK  and  Fordun  ;  15  years,  BC  ;  8  years,  DF. 
See  year  763. 

2  "  Feradach's  "  :    Wredech,  A  ;  Uuredeg,  B  ;  Juuredeg,  C. 

12  years,   AB  ;    15   years,    C  ;    omitted,   DFIK   and    Fordun.     Cf   the 


INTRODUCTION  cxxvii 

Alpin,  Wroid's  son,  reigned  for  three  years  and  a  half.^ 
Drust,  Talorcan's  son,  reigned  four  or  five  years.^ 
Talorcan,  Angus'  son,  reigned  two  years  and  a  half^ 
Conall,  Tadc's  son,  reigned  for  five  years.* 
Constantine,  Fergus'  son,  reigned  for  thirty-five  years.^ 
Angus,  Fergus'  son,  reigned  for  twelve  years. '^ 
Drust,    Constantine's    son,    and     Talorcan,    Wthoil's    son, 
reigned  together  for  three  years.'^ 

"Gartnait,  Ferath's  son"  to  whom  DFIK  give  a  reign  of  24  years,  after  the 
first  reign  of  Nechtan,  Derile's  son. 

See  year  775. 

^  "Wroid's  son"  ABC  ;  "Angus's  son"  IK  and  Fordun,  this  being  in  I 
a  repetition  of  the  reign  entered  before.  Cf  the  Alpin  of  DFK  and  Fordun 
in  the  table  above. 

Wroid,  A  ;  Uuroid,  B  ;  Uuoid,  C  ;  (cf.  C's  Uugtit  for  Fergus,  Brude's 
father,  where  B  has  Uurgut,  and  A  Wirguist ;)  and  above,  Feret,  DF  ; 
Eferadkeche,  K.  Wroid,  Fe?-ef,  and  Ferath,  appear  to  be  different  forms 
of  one  name,  which  K  thought  to  be  the  same  as  the  Irish  Feradach.  Cf. 
"  Wrad,"  below. 

3j  years,  A  ;  6J  years,  B  ;  8  years,  I  ;  2  years,  K  and  Fordun.  C  reads 
"  3  years  and  half  the  reign  "  ;  Todd  and  Skene  would  read  anni  for  regni 
(i.e.  35  years)  ;  this  is  probably  the  true  reading. 

See  year  780. 

^  4  or  5  years,  A  ;  I  year,  BCDFIK  and  Fordun. 

The  text  of  A  is  to  be  corrected  by  the  reading  of  B  :  "  Drust,  Talorcan's 
son,  reigned  one  year. 

"  Talorcan,  Drostan's  son,  reigned  four  or  five  years." 

4  or  5  years,  B  ;  "or  15  "  C  (omitting  the  first  number)  ;  4  years,  DFIK 
and  Fordun. 

See  year  782,  note. 

^  ^\  years,  A  ;  12^  years,  BC  ;  5  years,  DFIK  and  Fordun. 

See  year  782,  note. 

■•  Canaul  filius  Tarl'a,  A  ;  Canaul  filius  Tang.,  C. 

5  years,  ABC  ;  omitted,  DFIK  and  Fordun. 
See  years  789,  807. 

=  35  years,  ABC  ;  45  years,  D  ;  42  years,  FI  ;  40  years,  K  and  F"ordun. 
Read  32  years. 

See  years  789,  820. 

For  additions  in  DFIK  and  Fordun  see  year  820,  note. 

^  12  years,  ABC  ;  9  years,  D  ;  10  years,  FIK  and  Fordun. 

See  year  834.     For  additions  in  DFI  and  Fordun,  see  year  834,  note. 

'   "  Drust,  Constantine's  son  "  ABC. 

"Talorcan"  A  ;  "Talorc"  BC. 

Wthoil,  A  ;  Uuthoil,  BC. 

3  years,  ABC. 

DFIK  and  Fordun  run  the  two  kings  into  one,  who  is  construed  in  D 


cxxviii  INTRODUCTION 

Ewen,  Angus'  son,  reigned  for  three  years.^ 
Wrad,  Bargoit's  son,  reigned  for  three  years,^  and 
Bred  for  one  year.^ 

and  Fordun  with  a  singular  verb.  DFIK  :  "  Drust-talorc  [reigned  (D)]  for 
4  years."  To  the  same  effect  in  Fordun.  {Dostolorg,  D  ;  Drustalorg,  F  ; 
Dustalorg,  I  ;  Durstolorger,  Fordun  ;  Duf  Tolorg,  K,  i.e.  "  Dubthalorc") 

The  period  of  their  reign  appears  to  have  been  from  834  to  836 
or  837. 

1  "  Ewen "  :  Uven,  A  ;  Utten,  B  ;  Uuen,  C  ;  Eogana,  D  ;  Coganan,  F  ; 
Dogatian,  I  ;  Eggamis,  K  ;  Eoghane,  Fordun. 

3  years,  ABCDFIK  and  Fordun.  E wen's  reign  would  thus  have  been 
from  about  836  or  837  to  839  (q.v.),  when  he  died. 

2  IVrad,  A ;  Uurad,  B  ;  Urad,  C  ;  Fergus,  D  ;  Ferat,  F  ;  Ferach,  I 
(read  Ferath) ;  Feradagus,  K  ;  Feredetli,  Fordun. 

Bargoit,  ABC  ;  Barot,  D  ;  Bafot,  F  ;  Bacoc,  I  ;  Badoghe,  K  ;  Badoc, 
Fordun. 

3  years,  ABCDFIK  and  Fordun.  This  would  place  his  reign  from 
about  839  to  842. 

3  "And"  ABC  ;  omitted,  DFIK. 

Bred,  AB  ;  Brod,  C  ;  Briid,  D  ;  Brunde,  F  ;  Brude,  IK  and  Fordun. 

DFIK  add  "Wrad's  son"  {Feraiit,  D  ;  Ferat,  F  ;  Ferech,  I  ;  Feradhach, 
K  ;  Feredeth,  Fordun). 

I  year,  ABCI  ;  i  month,  DFK  and  Fordun.  This  reign  may  have  been 
about  842-843. 

Here  the  list  of  Pictish  kings  ends  in  versions  ABC.  But  DFIK  and 
Fordun  continue  it,  still  in  close  agreement  with  one  another. 

D  reads  (P.  &  S.,  150-151):  "Kenneth,  Wrad's  son,  reigned  for  one 
year. 

"  Brude,  Wthoil's  son,  reigned  for  two  years. 

"  Drust,  Wrad's  son,  reigned  for  three  years.  He  was  slain  at  Forteviot, 
some  say  at  Scone,  by  the  Scots." 

F  omits  "by  the  Scots"  ;  IK  and  Fordun  omit  the  last  sentence,  and  K 
reads  instead  :  "  He  was  the  last  king  of  the  Picts,  and  was  killed  at  Scone 
by  treachery."  Fordun  reads  in  place  of  this  :  "  Also  in  this  king,  Drostan 
\Druskeri\,  the  power  of  the  Picts  to  reign  came  to  an  end  [regnandi  defeat 
potestas],  and  the  kingdom  was  altogether  transferred  from  them  to  the 
king  of  the  Scots,  Kenneth,  and  his  successors  ;  and  the  kingdom  of  the 
Scots  became  thenceforward  one.     Thanks  be  to  God." 

"  Wrad's,"  both  times,  is  spelt  in  all  versions  as  before  (in  Skene's  texts). 

"Wthoil's"  :  Fodel,  D  ;  Fetal,  F  ;  Fokel,  I  ;  Fochel,  K. 

I,  2,  3,  years,  DFIK. 

Most  likely  these  three  were  kings  of  some  Pictish  district.  Probably 
Kenneth  did  not  at  once  obtain  dominion  over  all  the  Picts.  (Cf.  the 
Huntingdon  Chronicle,  year  843,  note.)  With  the  treachery  involved  in  the 
death  of  Drust,  Wrad's  son,  cf.  the  treachery  described  by  Giraldus 
Cambrensis  ;  year  843,  note. 


INTRODUCTION  cxxix 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Dalriata,  version  E  ;  in  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  pp.   130-131^ 

Chronicles  of  the  kings  of  the  Scots  for  three  hundred  and 
four  years?- 

Fergus,  Erc's  son,'*  was  the  first  of  Conaire's  race  to  receive 
the  kingdom  of  Scotland  ;  that  is,  from  the  mountain  of 
Druimm-nAlban*  as  far  as  to  the  sea  of  Ireland,  and  to  the 
Hebrides.^ 

He  reigned  for  three  years.'^ 

Domangart,  his  son,  reigned  for  five  years.' 

^  In  the  notes  upon  Chronicle  E,  the  Duan  Albanach  is  cited,  but  ahnost 
solely  for  the  lengths  of  reigns.     The  Duan  has  little  value  for  numbers. 

^  Cf.  the  conclusion  in  I  ;  "  The  sum  of  the  years  from  the  time  of  Fergus, 
Erc's  son,  to  the  time  of  Alpin,  307  years  and  3  months."  In  K  :  "The  sum 
of  the  years  of  the  reign  of  the  Scots  before  the  Picts,  305  years  and 
3  months." 

D  has  this  title  and  preface  :  "  Short  Chronicle.  The  sum  of  the  years 
of  the  first  Scots  who  reigned  before  the  Picts,  260  years  and  3  months. 
The  sum  of  the  years  of  the  Picts,  337  years  and  5  months.  The  sum 
total,  1668  years  and  8  months.  It  is  to  be  noted  that  the  kingdom  of 
Scotland  begins  443  years  before  the  Lord's  Incarnation."  This  calculation 
would  date  version  D  in  A.D.  1225,  if  its  numbers  and  arithmetic  are 
correct. 

F  has  this  title  :  "  Names  of  the  kings  who  first  reigned  in  Scot- 
land." 

3  "  Erc's "  :  Eric,  E  ;  Herth,  D  ;  Erth,  F  ;  Here,  I  ;  Ferthair,  K  ;  Her, 
N.  (With  this  exception,  N  omits  all  the  notes  of  relationship.)  This  is  a 
typical  example  of  the  variations  in  spelling,  which  will  not  be  noted  here 
unless  some  possible  difference  of  meaning  is  involved. 

■•  Instead  of  " from  the  mountain  of  Druimm-nAlban"  (i.e.,  the  "ridge  of 
Scotland"),  D  reads:  "beyond  Druimm,  and  from  Druimm-nAlban";  FI, 
"beyond  Druimm-nAlban";  K,  "beyond  Dumbarton." 

°  usque  ad  mare  Hibernie  et  ad  Inchegal,  E.  For  ad  mare  Hibernie  D 
reads  Scicagh  munere  ;  F,  Sluaghmaner ;  I,  Stuagmuner. 

N  reads  :  "  Now  the  first  of  the  Scots  to  reign  from  the  mountain  of 
Scotland  to  the  Irish  Sea  \_Mare  Scoticum'\  was  called  Fergus,  Erc's  son  ; 
and  he  ruled  for  three  years  only.     And  he  was  killed  by  his  followers." 

^  3  years,  DEFIKN  ;  27  years,  Duan.     See  year  501. 

The  Duan  places  before  Fergus  a  10  years'  reign  of  Loarn. 

After  Fergus,  Fland  (below)  places  "Angus  Mor,  Erc's  son." 

7  "His  son"  E  ;  "son  of  Fergus"  DFIK. 

5  years,  DEFIKN  and  Duan.     See  year  506. 

N  adds  :  "  And  he  was  killed." 


cxxx  INTRODUCTION 

Comgall,  Domangart's  son,  for  thirty-three.^ 
Gabran,  Comgall's  brother,  for  twenty-two  years ;  ^ 
Conall,  Comgall's  son,  for  fourteen  years  ;  ^ 
Aidan,  Gabran's  son,  for  thirty-four  years;* 
Eochaid  Buide,  Aidan's  son,  for  sixteen  years  ;  ^ 
Connad  Cerr,  Conall's  son,  for  three  months  ;^ 
Ferchar,  his  son,  for  sixteen  years  ; '' 
Donald  Brecc,  Eochaid's  son,  for  fourteen  ;^ 

'  33  years,   E  ;    22  years,  DK  ;  24  years,   F  and   Duan  ;   12  years,   I  ; 
30  years,  N  (after  Gabran).     See  year  537. 
N  adds  :  "And  he  was  killed." 

2  "Comgall's  brother"  E  ;  "Domangart's  son"  DFIK. 

22  years,  DEFK  ;  34  years,  I  ;  20  years,  N  (before  Comgall)  ;  2  years, 
Duan.     See  year  559. 

N  adds  :  "  And  he  was  killed." 

^  14  years,  DEFKN  ;  15  years,  Duan.  Misplaced  in  K  ;  omitted  by  I. 
See  year  ?574. 

N  adds  :  "And  he  was  killed." 

*  34  years,  DEFIK  ;  33  years,  N  ;  24  years,  Duan.  Misplaced  in  F, 
after  Eochaid  Buide,  with  the  note:  "ought  to  be  transposed."  See  year 
?6o8. 

N  adds  :  "  And  he  was  killed." 

^  "Buide"  (i.e.,  "yellow")  DFIK  ;  flavus,  E  ;  omitted,  N. 
16  years,  EFI  ;  15  years,  D  ;  14  years,  K  ;  6  years,  N  ;  70  years,  Duan 
(read  17).     See  year  630. 

«  "Connad":  "  Kenneth"  DEFIKN. 

"Cerr"  (i.e.,  "askew"),  DFIK;  j?«f.r/^r  ("left-handed"),  E;  omitted, 
N. 

3  months,  DEFIKN  and  Duan.     See  year  630. 
N  adds  :  "  And  he  was  killed." 

'  "His  son"  {films  eius)  E  ;  "Ewen's  son"  DFIK  (for  Cuitt  in  I  read 
Euin  as  in  D).  Probably  E  has  the  correct  reading.  Fland  (below)  reads 
"  Conaing's  son,"  meaning  doubtless  that  he  was  the  son  of  Connad  Cerr, 
as  the  Duan  says. 

16  years,  DEFNK  and  Duan  ;  21  years,  I.     See  years  643  note,  694. 

N  adds  :  "And  he  was  killed." 

»  "Brecc"  (i.e ,  "freckled"  or  "pock-marked")  FIK  ;  varius,  E; 
omitted,  N. 

"Eochaid's  son"  E  ;  "son  of  Eochaid  Buide"  FIK. 

14  years,  EFK  and  Duan  ;  4  years,  I  ;  13  years,  N  ;  omitted,  D. 

N  adds  :  "And  he  was  killed." 

This  reign  appears  to  be  wrongly  placed  in  all  the  lists.     Thus  :  — 


INTRODUCTION 


CXXXl 


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cxxxii  INTRODUCTION 

Ferchar  Fota,  for  twenty-one ;  ^ 

Eochaid    the    Crooked-nosed,   son   of    Domangart,   son   of 
Donald  Brecc,  for  three  ;2 

Ainfcellach,  son  of  Ferchar  Fota,  for  one  year  ;  ^ 
Ewen,  Ferchar  Fota's  son,  for  thirteen  ;* 

Skene  thought  that  the  names  omitted  by  version  E  were  the  names  of 
rulers  who  had  not  the  title  of  king,  Dalriata  having  fallen  under  the 
dominion  of  Northumbria  (655-685).  But  there  is  no  Hkelihood  that  the 
title  of  king  of  Dalriata  was  given  up  during  that  time. 

After  the  reign  of  Donald  Brecc,  F  reads  :  "  Maelduin,  son  of  Donald 
Dond,  [reigned]  for  sixteen  years," 

"Son  of  Donald  Dond"  FI  ;  '=son  of  Donald  Brecc"  K.  Fland,  the 
Duan,  and  the  Irish  annals,  call  Maelduin  the  son  of  Conall  Crandomna, 
in  likelihood  correctly.  Donald  Dond  was  the  name  of  one  of  Maelduin's 
successors  that  have  been  omitted. 

16  years,  FIKN  ;  17  years,  Duan.     See  year  688. 

N  adds  :  "And  he  was  killed." 

Maelduin  is  omitted  by  DE  ;  his  predecessors  Conall  Crandomna,  and 
Duncan  (see  year  659),  and  Domangart  (year  673),  are  omitted  by  DEFIK. 

1  "  Fota"  (i.e.  "tall")  DFIK  ;  longus,  E  ;  omitted,  N. 

K  places  Ferchar  Fota  before  Donald  Brecc,  and  after  Ferchar, 
"  Ewen's  son." 

21  years,  DEFIK  and  Duan  ;  20  years,  N.     See  year  697. 

N  adds  :  "  And  he  was  killed." 

The  Chronicles  of  Dalriata  omit  Ferchar's  predecessor,  Donald  Dond. 
See  year  695,  and  Fland. 

^  Eochal  habens  curvuni  nasum,  E  ;  Heched  nionanle^  D  ;  Heoghed 
Monanel,  F  ;  Heochet  Rotmaicel,  I  ;  Eorhetinen  Da?iel,  K  ;  Etal,  N.  The 
epithet  is  obscure;  for  ;«£>«- read  sron-t  This  seems  to  be  the  "Eochaid 
na  n-ech  "  of  the  Duan  ;  the  Eocho  Rianamhail  {inac  Aeda  Find)  of  Fland 
(although  in  that  case  Fland  is  wrong  in  calling  him  "Aed  Find's  son." 
Eochaid,  Aed  Find's  son,  is  entered  by  Fland  more  correctly  later,  without 
any  patronymic). 

3  years,  EFIKN  ;  22  years,  D  ;   2  years,  Duan.     See  year  697. 

^  "Ainfcellach":  Arinchellac,  E;  Amernikellethe,  D;  Arenkelleth,  F; 
Armkellach,  I  ;  Armelech,  K  ;  Ormekellet,  N. 

"Son  of  Ferchar  Fota"  E;  "son  of  Findan"  DFIK.  E's  reading  is 
supported  by  the  Senchus. 

I  year,  DEFIKN  and  Duan  :  i.e.,  697-698.     See  years  698  ;  719. 

N  adds  :  "  And  he  was  killed." 

■*  "Ewen"  E  ;  "Eogan"  DFIK. 

"Ferchar  Fota's  son"  E  ;  "Findan's  son"  DFIK. 

13  years,  E  ;  16  years,  DFIK  ;  omitted,  N  and  Duan.  The  Prose 
Chronicle  in  the  Chronicle  of  Melrose  says  that  Ewen  died  in  741  (see 
year  736,  note). 


INTRODUCTION  cxxxiii 

Muiredach,  Ainfcellach's  son,  for  three  years  ;  ^ 

Ewen,  [Muiredach's]  son,  for  three ;  ^ 

Aed  Find,  son  of  Eochaid  the  Crooked-nosed,  for  thirty;^ 

Fergus,  Aed  Find's  son,  for  three  ;* 

Selbach,  Eogan's  son,  for  twenty-four  ;  ^ 

Eochaid  the  Poisonous,  Aed  Find's  son,  for  thirty  ;  •^ 

See  Fland,  who  diverges  here  from  the  Chronicles  of  Dalriata  (below, 
p.  cxlvii).  Fland  places  here  Alpin,  Eochaid's  son,  instead  of  Ewen,  after 
Selbach,  Eochaid,  and  Dungal,  all  of  whom  the  Chronicles  of  Dalriata  omit. 
Cf.  the  table,  below.     See  years  733,  736. 

1  "Muiredach"  DFIK  and  Duan  [Murechat,  E  ;  Murdac,  F  ;  Minredh- 
ach,  I  ;  Moredath,  K).     Fertham  filius  Murdathe,  D. 

"Ainfcellach's  son"  EFIK  [filius  Arinchellac,  E;  filius  Arinkellath, 
F;  filius  Armkellach,  I;  fitz  Arnikelec,  K)  ;  "Ewen's  son"  Prose 
Chronicle. 

3  years,  EFIK,  and  Duan  (misplaced)  ;  2  years,  D  ;  omitted,  N.  This 
reign  is  placed  741-744  in  the  Prose  Chronicle.  But  Muiredach,  Ainfcellach's 
son,  reigned  in  Lorn  from  733  to  736.     See  the  table,  below. 

-  "Ewen"  EN  ;  "  Eogan  "  FI. 
"  Muiredach's  "  FI  ;  "  Muirchertach's  "  E. 

3  years,    EN  ;    2    years,    FI  ;    omitted,    DK    and    Duan.     The    Prose 
Chronicle  says  that  this  Ewen  reigned  744-747  (see  year  736,  note). 
N  adds  :  "  And  he  was  killed." 

3  "Aed  Find"  (i.e.,  "Aed  the  white"):  Edalbus,  E;  Hethfyne,  D; 
Hethfin,  F ;  Edhfin,  I  ;  Hedaldus,  N.  Aed  Airectech  (v.l.  Airgnech) 
in  Fland. 

"  Of  Eochaid  the  Crooked-nosed "  ;  Eochal  curvi  nasi,  E  ;  Heorghet 
rannal,  D  ;  Heochetramele,  F  ;  Heochet  \ininiele  inter-lined],  I  ;  Heochet 
roimauel,  K. 

30  years,  DEFIN  and  Duan  ;  omitted,  K.     See  year  778. 

N  adds  :  "  And  he  was  killed." 

^  3  years,  DEFIN  ;  omitted,  K  and  Duan.     See  years  778,  781. 

^  "Selbach"  EIKN  ;  Sealthant,  D  ;  Tcalulanc,  F. 
"Eogan's  son"  EIK  ;  "Eoganan's"  D  ?,  F. 
24  years,  EFIK  ;  14  years,  D  ;  20  years,  N.     See  year  781,  note. 
Here   Fland   and  the   Duan   give   an  entirely  different   account.      See 
below. 

"  "  Eochaid  the  Poisonous "  :  Fochal  venenosus,  E  ;  Herghed  annum, 
D  ;  Heogled  annine,  F  ;  Heochet  anuine,  I  ;  Ergheche,  K. 

DFIK  add  "Aed  Find's  son." 

30  years,  DEFIK ;  omitted,  N  ;  omitted  by  Fland  and  the  Duan, 
unless  this  be  the  Eochaid  who  succeeded  Fergus  in  781.  See  the  table, 
below. 


CXXXIV 


INTRODUCTION 


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cxxxvi  INTRODUCTION 

Dungal,  Selbach's  son,  for  seven  ;i 

Alpin,  son  of  Eochaid  the  Poisonous,  for  three.^ 

1  "Dungal,  Selbach's  son"  DEI;  "Dungal,  son  of  Eochaid  Annine" 
F  ;  "  Donald,  Selbach's  son "  K  {Donald;  but  K  spells  Donald  Brecc 
Dopnaldebreck) ;  Conegal,  N. 

7  years,  DEFIKN,  and  (differently  placed)  in.  the  Duan.  See  the 
table  on  p.  cxxxv. 

N  adds  :  "  And  he  was  killed." 

2  "  Of  Eochaid  the  Poisonous "  :  Eochal  venenosi,  E  ;  Hethed  anmine, 
D  ;  Heogled  annine,  F  ;  Heochet  anuine,  I  ;  Beghach,  K. 

3  years,  DEIKN  ;  5  years,  F  (read  2?).  See  the  table,  below.  For 
additions  in  DFIK  see  year  843,  note. 

N  adds:  "And  he  died." 

"Almost  all  these  were  killed;  but  they  were  not  kings,  because 
they  did  not  rule  by  election  nor  by  descent,  but  by  treason"  {j)er 
prodicionem). 

We  have  contradictory  accounts  of  the  kings  who  reigned  in  Argyle 
from  741  to  843.  At  741  begins  the  Prose  Chronicle  inserted  in  the  Chronicle 
of  Melrose  :  it  agrees  substantially  with  the  Chronicle  of  Dalriata,  but 
gives  neither  reign-lengths  nor  dates. 

The  Chronicle  of  Dalriata  and  the  Prose  Chronicle  record  a  continuous 
succession  of  native  kings,  while  in  reality  Dalriata  had  been  annexed  to 
Pictland,  and  there  were  native  kings  at  intervals  only.  See  Skene's 
Introduction  to  Fordun,  Historians  of  Scotland  Series,  iv,  pp.  xH-xlvi  ;  and 
Skene's  Celtic  Scotland,  i,  292-294. 

It  is  necessary  to  tabulate  the  principal  statements  for  the  sake  of 
comparison.  There  are  three  groups  of  authorities  :  (i)  the  Irish  annals. 
Of  these,  Tigernach  fails  us  from  766  to  974  ;  and  the  Chronicon  Scotorum, 
from  722  to  £04.  (2)  Eland's  Synchronisms,  and  the  Duan  Albanach. 
(3)  The  Chronicles  of  the  Picts  and  of  Dalriata,  with  the  Prose  Chronicle 
inserted  in  the  Chronicle  of  Melrose.    See  the  table,  on  the  preceding  pages. 

Down  to  the  year  781,  the  divergence  is  not  very  great.  From  781  to 
841,  group  (3)  has  nothing  in  common  with  the  other  two  groups.  The 
Irish  annals  support  to  some  extent  the  account  of  Eland  and  the 
Duan. 

Genealogies  form  another  source  of  information.  The  only  complete 
one  here  is  that  appended  to  Chronicle  E  (below,  p.  clvii).  It  gives  the 
succession  thus  :  Donald  Brecc,  Domangart,  Eochaid,  Eochaid,  Aed  Find, 
Eochaid,  Alpin,  Kenneth.  (Cf.  also  the  Genealogies  that  follow  the 
Senchus,  II  ;  below,  p.  cliv  :  and  the  Genealogy  given  by  Ralph  de  Diceto  ; 
English  Chroniclers,  p.  I.) 

There  were  two  Alpins,  sons  of  Eochaid  ;  one,  the  father  of  Kenneth, 
may  have  reigned  before  Kenneth  in  Dalriata  ;  the  other,  the  brother  of 
Eochaid,  Eochaid's  son,  reigned  in  Pictland  from  726  to  728,  and  may 
have  reigned  nominally  in  Dalriata  before  741.  See  years  841,  858, 
notes. 


INTRODUCTION  cxxxvii 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  B ;  Skene's  Picts 
and  Scots,  pp.  29-30^ 

Kenneth,  Alpin's  son,  reigned  for  sixteen  years.^ 
Donald,  Alpin's  son,  reigned  for  four  years.^ 
Constantine,  Kenneth's  son,  reigned  for  twenty  years.* 
Aed,  Kenneth's  son,  reigned  for  two  years.^ 
Giric,  Dungal's  son,  reigned  for  eleven  or  three  years.^ 
Donald,  Constantine's  son,  reigned  for  eleven  years.^ 
Constantine,  Aed's  son,  reigned  for  forty  years.^ 

'  Also  in  Todd's  Irish  Nennius,  p.  Ixxvii, 

Variations  in  the  lengths  of  reigns  in  all  the  Chronicles  are  noted  here. 
The  expanded  versions  are  entered  below,  usually  under  the  death-years 
of  kings. 

Version  F  has  this  title  :  "  [Here]  follow  the  names  of  the  kings  of  the 
Scots."  L  has  this  title  :  "  Names  of  the  kings  of  Scotland  who  reigned 
after  the  Picts  "  ;  and  speaks  sub  fine  of  "  other  chronicles  of  the  kings  of 
Scotland." 

2  16  years,  ABCDEFGHIKLMN  ;  30  years,  Duan  ;  28  years,  Hunting- 
don Chronicle. 

See  years  843,  858. 

^  4  years,  ABCDEFGIKLMN  and  Duan  ;  3  years,  H  ;  13  years 
Hunt.  Chr. 

See  years  858,  862. 

*  20  years,  BCEN  ;  16  years,  AFGIKM  ;  15  years,  D  ;  19  years, 
H  ;  20  or  6  years,  L  ;  30  years,  Duan  ;  23  years.  Hunt.  Chr.  ;  5^  years, 
Berchan. 

See  years  861,  877. 

'■>  2  years,  B,  Duan,  and  Hunt.  Chr.  ;  I  year,  ACDEFGHIKLMN. 

See  years  877,  878. 

°  Giric,  B  ;  "  Ciricius  "  A  ;  Girig,  C  ;  Girg;  DI  ;  Grig,  ELMN  ;  C<irus, 
F  ;  Girgh,  G  ;  Tirged,  H  ;  Tirg,  K. 

"Dungal's  son"  BCDEFGIKN  ;  "Dugall's  son"  H;  "Donald's  son" 
LJVI  and  Hunt.  Chr.  (wrongly). 

II  or  3  years,  BC  ;  ii  years,  A,  given  to  Eochaid,  Run's  son  ;  12  years, 
DEGHIK;  10  or  18  years,  LM  ;  15  years,  N;  13  years.  Hunt.  Chr.; 
omitted,  Duan. 

See  years  878,  889. 

''11  years,  ABCDEFHIMN  and  L  (secondary  source)  ;  2  years,  GK  ; 
4  years,  Duan  ;  9  years.  Hunt.  Chr.  L's  primary  source  omits  Donald, 
Constantine's  son,  and  says  that  Giric's  successor  was  Constantine,  Donald's 
son,  who  reigned  for  2  years. 

See  years  889,  900. 

8  40  years,  ABDFGIKN  ;  45  years,  CHLM  and  Hunt.  Chr.  ;  25  years, 
E;  30  years,  L  (secondary  source);  46  years,  Duan.     (For  "Beth"  in  H 


cxxxviii  INTRODUCTION 

Malcolm,  Donald's  son,  reigned  for  nine  years.^ 
Culen,  son  of  Indulf,  son  of  Constantine,  reigned  for  three 
years.^ 

Kenneth,  Malcolm's  son,  reigned  for  seven  years.^ 
Culen,  Indulfs  son,  reigned  for  four  years.* 

read  Heth  "Aed"  ;  there  is  frequent  confusion  between  the  letters  B  and 
H.)     L's  primary  source  omits  Constantine  (but  see  the  previous  note). 
See  years  900  and  943. 

'  9  years,  BCDEFGHI  and  Hunt.  Chr.  ;  11  years,  A  ;  10  years,  K  ; 
20  or  9  years,  L  ;  20  years,  M  ;  8  years,  Duan  ;  omitted,  N. 

See  years  943,  954. 

Version  L  concludes  thus  (ibid.,  297) :  "  It  is  to  be  noted  that  in  other 
chronicles  of  the  kings  of  Scotland,  variations  occur  as  well  in  the  names 
of  certain  of  the  kings  written  above,  as  in  the  numbers  of  the  years  during 
which  they  are  said  to  have  reigned. 

"  Also  it  is  to  be  noted  that  this  name  Malcolm,  in  the  names  of  the  kings 
mentioned  above,  is  versified  in  metre  as  a  name  of  four  syllables  ;  because 
it  is  placed  at  the  end  of  pentameter  verses  ;  and  the  penultimate  [syllable] 
is  short.  But  commonly  it  is  pronounced  in  three  syllables,  and  the  second 
syllable  ends  in  /  and  the  third  begins  with  the  letter  m  ;  so  that  it  is 
pronounced  Mal-col-mus."  (The  form  Malcolomus  occurs  in  the  Verse 
Chronicle,  ibid.,  180;  sic  lege,  182.  The  name  is  derived  from  Irish 
Mael-coluimb,  "  devotee  of  Columba.") 

2  "  Culen,  son  of  Indulf,  son  of  Constantine "  BC  ;  "  Indulf,  son  of 
Constantine"  DEFGHILM  and  Hunt.  Chr.,  correctly  ;  "  Indulf "  AN  and 
Duan.     Omit  "  Culen,  son  of." 

3  years,  B  ;  8  years,  A  and  Duan  ;  4  years,  C  ;  9  years,  DEFGHILMN 
and  Hunt.  Chr.  ;   10  years,  K. 

See  years  954,  962. 

3  "Kenneth":  "or  Dub"  interlined  in  later  hand  in  BC.  This  is  a 
confusion  with  the  Kenneth  who  followed  Culen,  and  arises  from  the 
previous  mistake  of  Culen  for  Indulf  in  BC.  Read  "Dub"  (i.e.,  "the 
Black"):  Niger,  A;  Duf,  DEHIKLMN  and  Hunt.  Chr.;  Buf,  F; 
Diibhoda,  Duan. 

7  years,  BC  and  Duan  ;  5  years,  A  ;  4  years,  6  months,  DEFGIKLM 
and  Hunt.  Chr.  ;  10  years,  L  (secondary  source) ;  3  years,  6  months,  H  ; 
4  years,  N. 

See  years  962,  967. 

^  "  Culen"  (i.e.  "whelp") :  Caniculus  and  Culenring  in  A. 

"  IndulPs  son"  BCDEFHIKLM  and  Hunt.  Chr. 

4  years,  BN  and  Duan  ;  5  years,  A  ;  4  years,  6  months,  DEFGHILM  ; 
4  years,  7  months,  K ;  10  years,  L  (secondary  source) ;  5  years,  3  months. 
Hunt.  Chr.  C  omits  everything  between  this  occurrence  of  the  name 
"Culen"  and  the  next,  and  reads  :  "Culen,  one  year  and  a  half"  :  this  is 
to  be  corrected  to  "  [Constantine,  son  of]  Culen."     See  below. 

See  years  967,  971. 


INTRODUCTION  cxxxix 

Kenneth,  Malcolm's  son,  reigned  for  twenty-four  years.^ 
Constantine,   son    of    Culen,   [reigned]    for    one   year    and 
a  half.2 

Kenneth,  Dub's  son,  reigned  for  eight  years.^ 
Malcolm,  Kenneth's  son,  reigned  for  thirty  years.* 

'  "Malcolm's  son"  ADEGHIK  and  L  (secondary  source);  "Colum's 
son"  BF. 

24  years,  BN  and  L  (secondary  source) ;  24  years,  2  months,  DFGIK  ; 
22  years,  2  months,  EH  ;  27  years,  Duan  (read  24)  ;  blank,  A  ;  omitted, 
CLM  and  Hunt.  Chr. 

See  years  971,  995. 

^  I  year,  6  months,  BDFGHIK  and  L  (secondary  source)  ;  i  year, 
4  months,  E;  2  years,  N;  7  years,  Duan.  In  C,  read:  "[Constantine, 
son  of]  Culen,  i J  years." 

See  years  995,  997. 

3  "  Kenneth,  Dub's  son  "  BCE. 

8  years,  BC  ;  i^  years,  E  ;  omitted,  DN. 

LM  read  (after  the  reign  of  Dub,  Malcolm's  son) :  "To  Dub  succeeded 
Kenneth,  his  son ;  and  he  reigned  for  i  year  and  three  months." 

FGIK  place  here  instead  :  "Giric,  son  of  Kenneth,  Dub's  son  "  {Girus, 
F;  Grig,  GI  ;  Grige,  K.)  L's  secondary  source  reads  :  "  after  [Constantine, 
Culen's  son].  Grim,  Kenneth's  son,  8  years." 

8  years,  FGIL  ;  9  years,  K. 

See  year  1005. 

«  30  years,  BCDEFGHIKLMN,  Duan,  and  Hunt.  Chr.  Malcolm 
reigned  1005- 1034. 

Versions  E  and  H  give  the  kings  in  correct  order  from  Malcolm  I  to 
Malcohn  H  : 

1.  Malcohii  I,  son  of  Donald    II  .  .  [943-954 

2.  Indulf,  son  of  Constantine  II  .  .  .  954-962 

3.  Dub,  son  of  Malcolm  I  .  .  .  962-966 

4.  Culen,  son  of  Indulf    ....  966-97 1 

5.  Kenneth  II,  son  of  Malcolm  I  .  .  971-995 

6.  Constantine  III,  son  of  Culen  .  .  995-997 

7.  Kenneth  III,  son  of  Dub         .  .  .  997-1005 

8.  Malcolm  II,  son  of  Kenneth  II  .  .  1005-1034] 

1  is  omitted  by  N. 

2  is  falsely  given  by  BC  as  Culen,  son  of  Indulf,  son  of  Constantine. 

3  is  called  Kenneth,  son  of  Malcolm,  by  BC. 
Between  3  and  4,  N  inserts  Malcolm. 
Between  4  and  5,  A  inserts  Culenring. 

5  and  6  are  omitted  by  C  (through  a  scribal  error). 

7  is  omitted  by  N,  and  is  called  Girus,  Grig,  and  Grim,  son  of  Kenneth, 
in  F,  GIK,  and  L's  secondary  source. 

L's  primary  source,  M,  and  the  Huntingdon  Chronicle,  omit  5  and  6, 
and  place  7  between  3  and  4. 


cxl  INTRODUCTION 

Duncan,  Malcolm's  grandson,  reigned  for  six  years.^ 
Macbeth,  [Findlaech's]  son,  reigned  for  sixteen  years.^ 
Lulach  [reigned]  for  five  months.^ 
Malcolm,  Duncan's  son,  afterwards.* 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  L ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  pp.  296-297 

Malcolm,  Duncan's  son,  succeeded  Lulach,  and  reigned  for 
thirty-seven  years  and  four  months.^  And  this  Malcolm  was 
the  husband  of  the  queen  St  Margaret,  and  had  by  her  four 
sons,  Duncan,  Edgar,  Alexander,  and  David." 

Donald,  Malcolm's  brother,  succeeded  him,  and  reigned  for 
three  years  and  six  months ;  in  another  book,  for  six  months 
only.^ 

1  "Malcolm's  grandson"  BC  ;  "his  grandson"  HLM.  (For  Enis  in 
text  of  H  read  ejus.) 

6  years,  BDFGIK,  and  L  (secondary  source),  and  Duan  ;  7  years,  C; 
5  years,  9  months,  LM  and  Hunt.  Chr.  ;  5  years,  N  ;  omitted,  E.  Duncan 
reigned  1034- 1040. 

2  "  Macbeth "  : — Macbethad,  B  ;  Macbeathad^  C  ;  Mecbeathaidh  (in 
genitive  case),  Duan  ;  Maket,  D  and  Hunt.  Chr.  ;  Macheik,  EG  (a 
copyist's  error,  k  for  b)  ;  Macbeth,  FL ;  Machet,  H  ;  Macbet  (and 
previously  Macbeth)  in  I  ;  Machbeht,  M  ;  omitted,  N.  BC  and  Duan  give 
the  name  in  Irish  dress. 

"  Findlaech's  "  : — Fin  mic  Laig,  BC  ;  Fytigel,  D  ;  Findleg,  E  ;  Finlen 
(and  previously  Fialeg),  F  ;  Fingel  {Fyngel),  G  ;  Fineleih,  H  ;  Fynleth 
(without  "son  of"),  LM  ;  Fingel,  N;  Fionnlaoich  (in  genitive  case),  in 
Duan.     (These  are  the  spellings  in  Skene's  texts.) 

16  years,  BCK  ;  17  years,  DEFGHIKLMN  and  Duan;  15  years, 
Hunt.  Chr.     Macbeth  reigned  1040-1057. 

3  "Lulach":  Luluch,  B;  Lulach,  CDFIK ;  Lulac,  E;  Dulach,  G; 
Lusach,  H  ;  Luchlach,  L  ;  Luthlach,  M  ;  Gulak,  N  ;  Lughlaigh  (in 
genitive  case),  Duan. 

5  months,  BC  ;  4  months,  DFGI  ;  i,\  months,  E ;  4^-  years  (read 
"months"),  H;  I  month,  K;  3I  months,  LM  ;  4  years,  N;  7  months, 
Duan  ;  omitted,  Hunt.  Chr.     Lulach  reigned  1057-1058. 

*  "  Malcolm,  son  of  Colum,  son  of  Duncan,  afterwards"  C. 

■'  37  years,  4  months,  L  ;  37!  years,  4  months,  E  ;  37  years,  8  months, 
FGI  ;  37  years,  H  and  Hunt.  Chr.  ;  37  years,  6  months,  K  ;  36  years, 
4  months,  M  ;  30  years,  N.  Malcolm  III  reigned  1058-1093  (Nov- 
ember 13th). 

L  and  M  are  here  the  only  unexpanded  versions. 

•^  Duncan  was  the  son  of  a  previous  wife.     A  similar  error  occurs  in  M. 

'  "  Malcolm's  brother "  :  "his  brother"  EHLM  ;  "  Duncan's  son  "  FGI. 


INTRODUCTION  cxii 

Duncan,  Malcolm's  eldest  son,  succeeded  Donald,  and  reigned 
for  half  a  year.^ 

Edgar,  Duncan's  brother,  succeeded  him,  and  reigned  for 
nine  years;  elsewhere  it  is  said  that,  between  Duncan  and 
Edgar,  Donald  reigned  again  for  three  years.^ 

Alexander,  the  third  brother,  succeeded  Edgar,  and  reigned 
for  sixteen  years  and  three  months ;  in  another  book,  for 
[seventeen]  years.^ 

David,  Alexander's  brother,  succeeded  him,  and  reigned  for 
thirty-nine  years ;  in  another  [book,]  for  twenty-nine.* 

Malcolm,  son  of  Henry,  earl  of  Northumbria,  king  David's 
son,  succeeded  David,  and  reigned  for  twelve  years  and  a  half, 
and  three  days.^ 

3i  years  or  6  months,  L  ;  3  years  or  6  months,  M  ;  3  years  and  7  months, 
E  ;  1 5  years,  H  ;  4  years,  N  (including  Duncan's  reign). 

The  3  years  belong  to  Donald's  second  reign.  The  Huntingdon 
Chronicle  places  the  sum  (3^  years)  under  his  second  reign.  Donald 
reigned  during  the  winter  and  spring  of  1093-1094,  and  from  late  in  1094 
to  late  in  1097. 

1  "Malcolm's  eldest  son"  LM  ;  "Malcolm's  son"  EFGI  ;  "illegitimate 
son  of  Malcolm"  H. 

i  year,  ELM  ;  6  months,  FG  and  Hunt.  Chr.  ;  omitted,  HN.  Duncan 
reigned  during  the  summer  and  autumn  of  1094. 

^  To  the  same  effect  in  M. 

FGIK  place  Donald's  second  reign  (3  years)  before  Edgar's,  correctly. 

"Duncan's  brother":  "his  brother"  LM  ;  "Malcolm's  son"  EI  ;  "son 
of  Malcolm  and  Margaret "  H. 

9  years,  FHILM  and  Hunt.  Chr.  ;  9  years,  3  months,  G  ;  9  years, 
4  months,  K  ;   10  years,  N.     Edgar  reigned  1097-1 107  (January  8th). 

^  For  "  71  years  "  in  text  read  17. 

i6years,  3  months,  LM  ;  i7years,  3  months,  EFH  ;  I7years,  35  months, 
GIK  ;  16  years.  Hunt.  Chr.  ;  omitted  by  N.  Alexander  1  reigned  1107-1124 
(April  23rd). 

*  39  years,  LM  and  Hunt.  Chr.  ;  30  years,  E  ;  29  years,  3  months,  FGl  ; 
29  years,  HL  ;  39  years,  3  months,  K  ;  20  years,  N.  (N  transposes  David 
and  Malcolm,  and,  after  David's  reign,  reads  :  "  Henry  reigned  for  20 
years,  and  was  buried  at  Dunfermline.")  David  reigned  11 24- 11 53  (May 
24th). 

^12^  years,  3  days,  LM  ;  12  years,  6  months,  13  days,  E  ;  12  years, 
6  months,  20  days,  FGIK  ;  12^  years,  H  ;  12  years,  N  (before  David's 
reign);  I2|  years,  14  days,  Hunt.  Chr.  Malcolm  IV  reigned  1153-1165 
(December  9th). 


cxlii  INTRODUCTION 

William,  Malcolm's  brother,  succeeded  him,  and  reigned  for 
forty-nine  years  but  sixteen  days.^ 

Alexander,  William's  son,  succeeded  him,  and  reigned  for 
thirty-six  years  and  nine  months ;  and  in  another  [book,] 
for  thirty-five.^ 

Alexander,  Alexander's  son,  succeeded  him,  and  reigned  for 
thirty-six  years  and  nine  months.^ 

John  de  Balliol  succeeded  Alexander,  after  seven  intervening 
years,  and  reigned  for  four  years.* 

Robert  de  Bruce,  usurper,  succeeded  John,  and  reigned  for 
twenty-four  years.^ 


Fland  Mainistreoh,  Synchronisms ;  Skene's  Picts  and  Scots, 

pp.   18-22 

Forty-three  years  from  the  time  when  Patrick  came  to 
Ireland,  to  the  battle  of  Ocha.''  Twenty  years  after  the  battle 
of  Ocha,  the  children  of  Ere,  son  of  Eochaid  Muin-remar,  went 

'  49  years  but  16  days,  L  ;  52  years,  FG  ;  49  years,  HM  ;  50  years, 
IKN  ;  48  years,  Hunt  Chr.  ;  left  blank  in  E,  which  stops  here.  William 
reigned  1165-1214  (December  4th). 

2  36  years,  9  months,  LM  ;  32  years,  G  ;  35  years,  HLN  ;  33  years,  I  ; 
37  years,  K  ;  26  years,  Hunt.  Chr.  N  confuses  Alexander  II  with 
Alexander  HI,  Avhom  it  omits.     Alexander  II  reigned  12 [4-1249  (July  8th). 

3  36  years,  9  months,  L  ;  36  years,  G  ;  39  years,  I  ;  37  years,  KN. 
Alexander  HI  reigned  1249-1286  (March  l6th). 

Version  I  concludes  thus:  "The  sum  of  the  years  from  the  time  of 
Kenneth  to  the  time  of  the  last  Alexander  [is]  567  [years].  .And  the  land 
has  been  quiescent  [si7uii]  without  a  king  for  as  many  years  as  have 
intervened."     The  number  is  wrong. 

*  1292-1296. 

^  27th  March  1 306 -f  7th  June  1329. 

L  continues  to  the  reign  of  David  Bruce  [1329-1371],  and  to  the  appear- 
ance of  David's  opponent,  Edward  Balliol. 

•^  Patrick  went  to  Ireland  in  432  ;  the  battle  of  Ocha  is  placed  in 
482  or  483  by  A.U.  (i,  26),  i.e.  482x484.  (In  the  Ulster  Annals  the 
year  481=481,  but  486  =  487;  the  intermediate  years  are  not  clearly 
indicated.)  The  Chronicon  Scotorum  (28)  places  the  battle  in  [484]  (f.n.  i, 
Hennessy's  year  484).  A.I.  (O'Conor's  year  477)  place  it  77  years  before 
559,  i.e.,  in  482.  Eland's  calculation  would  place  the  battle  in  474  or  475  ; 
the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise's  version  of  Fland  seems  to  have  dated  it  in 
478  (apparently  reading  xhn  instead  of  xlh'i). 


INTRODUCTION  cxliii 

to  Scotland;  namely  six  sons  of  Ere  :  two  Anguses,  two  Loarns, 
two  Ferguses.^ 

Twenty-four  years  from  the  battle  of  Ocha  to  the  death  of 
Diarmait,  Fergus  Cerr-bel's  son.^  .  .  . 

In  this  time  five  kings  [reigned]  in  Scotland :  Fergus  Mor 
Erc's  son ;  Angus  Mor,  Erc's  son ;  Domangart,  Fergus'  son ; 
Comgall,  Domangart's  son  ;  Gabran,  Domangart's  son.^  .  .  . 

'  Cf.  Genealogy  II  after  the  Senchus  (below,  p.  cliv).  Fland's  calcula- 
tion would  place  the  arrival  of  Fergus  in  Scotland  in  the  year  495.  But 
cf.  the  version  in  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  pp.  71-72  :  "There  reigned 
in  Munster  two  kings,  Angus  and  Felim,  20  years  after  the  battle  of  Ocha, 
where  Ailill  Molt  was  slain. 

"  The  sons  of  Ere  went  over  into  Scotland  in  the  year  498,  which  is  the 
year  478[-l-]20,  that  is  483  [-f]  15"  [anjio  498  qui  est  anno  478,  20  sed  so 
483-15).  I.e.,  the  calculation  is  20  years  from  478,  but  has  been  corrected 
in  a  gloss  to  15  years  from  483,  the  date  of  the  battle  of  Ocha,  derived 
from  some  other  source.  But  that  battle  is  placed  by  the  Annals  of 
Clonmacnoise  in  487. 

^  Diarmait's  death  is  recorded  by  A.U.  (i,  60)  under  the  year  564  =  565 
(with  f.n.  and  e.  of  565) ;  by  A.I.,  in  O'Conor's  year  556  =  564  (35  years  before 
599).  The  period  from  482/483  to  564/565  is  82  years  ;  Fland's  24  must  be 
the  result  of  an  error  in  transcription. 

^  Loarn,  Fergus,  and  Angus,  may  have  reigned  together.  Loarn's  reign 
is  said  to  have  preceded  that  of  Fergus.  Angus's  reign  is  not  indicated  by 
the  chronicles. 

For  the  deaths  of  Fergus,  Domangart,  Comgall,  and  Gabran,  see  below, 
years  501,  506,  537,  559. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  72  (after  the  voyage  of  Erc's  sons  to  Dalriata)  : 
"Pope  Hilarius  died,  to  whom  succeeded  pope  Simphcius  [468]. 

"  The  city  of  Ravenna  was  quite  destroyed  by  an  earthquake "  (467  ; 
Marcellinus  Comes,  M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xi,  89). 

"  During  the  reigns  of  the  said  kings,  that  is  to  say  the  reign  of  king 
Lugaid,  Loegaire's  son"  (king  of  Ireland,  484-1507,  508,  or  512),  "king 
Muiredach,  king  Tuathal  Maelgarb  [537-544],  and  king  Diarmait  [544  or 
545  - 1565  or  572],  there  reigned  in  Scotland  five  kings,  who  were  Domangart, 
Fergus  (whom  I  should  first  name),  Angus,  Comgall,  son  of  Domangart, 
and  Gabran  his  other  son  ;  during  which  time  there  reigned  in  Ulster  four 
kings,  namely  Eochaid  Conla's  son  [f  558],  Fergna  [f  557],  Deman  [f  572], 
and  Baetan,  Cairell's  son"  (t58i  or  587.  These  four  kings  have  46  years' 
reign  in  the  Book  of  Leinster's  list  of  kings  (facsimile,  41c) :  20,  5,  11,  10.) 

"  In  Munster  there  reigned  three  kings  :  Eochaid,  Crimthan,  and 
Scandlan.  In  Connaught  also  there  reigned  five  kings,  namely  Owen  or 
Oilill  [t  550],  Fitz-Owen  or  Duach  Tenga-umai  [f  502],  Eochaid  Tirm-charna, 
and  Feradach  Mac- Rosa."  (Eochaid  and  Feradach  have  20  and  30  years' 
reigns  in  the  Book  of  Leinster,  41a.) 


cxliv  INTRODUCTION 

Thirty-six  years  from  tlie  death  of  Diarmait,  Cerball's  son, 
to  the  death  1  of  Aed,  Ainmire's  son.^  .  .  . 

Two  kings  reigned  in  Scotland  in  that  time:  Conall, 
Comgall's  son,  and  Aidan,  Gabran's  son.  Aidan  had  five  years 
after  Aed,  Ainmire's  son.^  .  .  . 

Sixty-three  years  from  the  death  of  Aed,  Ainmire's  son,  to 
the  death  of  Donald,  Aed's  son.*  .  .  . 

Four  kings  [reigned]  over  Scotland  in  that  time : 
Eochaid  Buide  (Aidan's  son  ^) ;  and  Connad  Cerr,  [Eochaid 
Buide's]    son,    who    killed     (Fiach[n]a^)    Deman's    son;    and 

'  Down  to  here  the  Edinburgh  MS.  is  hardly  legible  ;  Skene's  text  is 
taken  from  the  Book  of  Lecan.  Henceforward  the  Edinburgh  MS.  is  the 
basis  of  Skene's  text :  additions  from  the  other  MSS.,  d  and  c  (the  Book  of 
Lecan  and  Rawlinson  B  512),  are  indicated  by  round  brackets. 

1  have  compared  Skene's  text  with  the  Edinburgh  MS.  The  quotations 
from  the  other  MSS.  are  taken  uncorrected  from  Skene's  notes. 

2  Aed  died  in  597  =  598,  according  to  A.U.,  i,  76  (with  f  n.  and  e.  of  598) ; 
in  [596]  =  6oo?  according  to  T.  and  C.S.  (Hennessy's  year  598,  f.n.  i).  A.I. 
(O'Conor's  year  593)  place  Aed's  death  2  years  after  599.  Eland's  calcula- 
tion of  36  years  after  564/565  would  place  Aed's  death  between  599  and  601. 
Perhaps  601  is  the  true  date. 

^  Conall  died  ca.  574,  Aidan  ca.  608. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  80,  s.a.  547:  "Diarmait,  Fergus  Cerball's  son, 
began  his  reign  [544  or  545]  immediately  after  king  Tuathal  was  killed  [544] 
and  reigned  20  years  ;  from  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of  king  Diarmait  to 
the  death  of  Aed  Ainmire's  son  \_Hugh  mcAinnreagh\  was  36  years,  during 
which  time  there  reigned  in  Ireland  the  number  of  seven  kings,  viz.  Donald 
[7566],  Fergus  [1567],  Baetan  [t  572],  Eochaid  [t  572],  Baetan  [f  586], 
Ainmire  [t575],  and  Aed  his  son.  There  reigned  also  in  Scotland  two 
kings,  Conall  Comgall's  son,  and  Aidan  {HugKl  Gabran's  son.  There 
reigned  likewise  in  the  province  of  Ulster  two  kings,  Daig  Cairell's  son" 
{David  mcConnell;  1587],  "and  Aed  Dub,  Suibne's  son  [t  588].  In 
Leinster  there  reigned  two  kings,  Colman  [t  555,  558,  or  563]  and  Aed 
[t  598] ;  in  Ossory  two  kings,  Colman  and  Cendfaelad  \Ceanfoyld\ ;  and  in 
Munster  four  kings  reigned,  Felim,  Aed,  Garvey,  and  Amalgaid  \_Atiley\ ; 
and  in  like  manner  in  the  province  of  Connaught  there  reigned  two  kings, 
that  is  to  say  Maelcathaig  {Moylecahy\  and  Aed." 

*  Donald's  death  is  placed  by  the  Irish  annals  in  the  same  year  as 
Donald  Brecc's  ;  see  year  643,  below.  The  length  of  Eland's  next  period 
shows  that  the  number  here  is  wrong.  We  should  probably  read  xliii  for 
teVz,  i.e.  ca.  600  -  ca.  643. 

'"  "Aidan's  son"  not  in  the  Edinburgh  MS.  (Skene's  MS.  a). 
°  "  Fiacha  "  omitted  by  MS.  a.     See  year  627. 


INTRODUCTION  cxiv 

Ferchar,  Conaing's  son ;  and  Donald  Brecc,  Eochaid  Buide's 
son.i  .  .  . 

A  hundred  and  five  years  from  the  death  of  Donald,  son  of 
Aed  (son  of  Ainmire  ^),  to  the  death  of  Aed  Alddain,  the  son  of 
Fergal.^  .  .  . 

There  were  nine  kings  over  Scotland  in  that  time :  Conall 
Crandomna,  and  Duncan,  Duban's  son,  and  Duncan  Dond,* 
and  Duncan,^  and  Ferchar  Fota,  and  Eochaid  Rianamail,^  and 

^  Eochaid  Buide  died  ca.  630  ;  Connad  Cerr  died  in  the  same  year. 
Ferchar's  reign  is  not  noticed  in  the  annals,  but  his  death  is  entered  by 
A.U.  50  years  after  Fland's  Hmit  of  his  reign  ;  see  year  ?65i. 

Donald  Brecc  died  (apparently)  ca.  643.  For  the  divergence  among  the 
chronicles  see  the  table,  above,  p.  cxxxi.  For  the  divergence  among  the 
Irish  annals,  see  year  643,  note. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  97,  s.a.  590  (after  the  death  of  Columba  [f  597], 
and  the  battle  of  Dunbolg  [598]) :  "  Colman  Rimid  and  Aed  Slane  reigned 
jointly  seven  years.  There  were  43  years  [ca.  600-643]  froni  the  death  of 
king  Aed  Ainmire's  son  to  [the  death  of]  Donald,  Aed's  son"  (in  text 
mcEarckd)  ;  "  during  which  time  there  reigned  in  Ireland  seven  kings,  viz. 
Colman  [578 -f  604],  Aed  Slane  [598-1604],  Aed  Uairidnech,  Maelcoba 
[6i2-t6i5],  Suibne  Mend  [615-1628],  and  Donald.  There  reigned  in 
Scotland  four  kings,  Eochaid  Buide,  Connad  Cerr,  Ferchar  Duncan's  son, 
and  Donald.  There  reigned  in  Ulster  four  kings  :  Fiachna  Baetan's  son 
[t  ca.  626],  Fiachna  [Deman's  son,  f  627],  Congal  [Caech,  f  637],  and  Duncan 
[Fiachna's  son,  t647].  In  Leinster  three  kings,  Brandub  Eochaid's  son 
[1605],  Ronan  [1624],  Crimthan  [1633],  Cualann,  and  Faelan"  (king  in 
628).  "  In  Ossory  three  kings :  Scandlan  Cendfaelad's  son  \incKinley\ 
Tuaimsnama  [Twayntsnawa,  1678],  and  Faelchu  l^ffoylcha^;  and  in  the 
province  of  Munster,  Cathal,  Failbe  [t637],  Curaw,  and  Maenach  son  of 
Fingin  [f  662]  ;  and  lastly  in  the  province  of  Connaught  there  reigned 
Uata  [ffwadagh;  t6oi  or  602],  Colman  Cobthach's  son  [t622],  and 
Ragall[ach]  (of  whom  the  O'Kellys)  son  of  Uata  [1649  or  656].  ..." 

2  Not  in  MS.  a. 

=  I.e.,  from  ca.  643  to  743  (A.U.,  i,  202,  s.a.  742  =  743). 

*  Read  with  MSS.  b  and  c  "  Donald  Dond." 

°  Read  with  MSS.  b  and  c  "  Maelduin,  Conall's  son." 

°  Eocho  rianamhail.  "Aed  Find's  son"  is  added  in  MSS.  b  and  c 
(or  one  of  them),  incorrectly. 

Eochaid,  Aed  Find's  son,  appears  from  the  pedigrees  to  have  been  the 
grandfather  of  Kenneth,  Alpin's  son.  The  present  Eochaid  (t  ca.  697) 
was  Domangart's  son,  and  Aed's  Find's  grandfather.  See  year  697,  and 
p.  cxxxii. 


cxlviii  INTRODUCTION 

A  hundred  and  thirty  years  from  the  death  of  Aed  Find-liath 
to  the  death  of  Brian  Boroime.i  _      _ 

by  Conall,  Aidan's  son,  who  may  be  the  "  brother "  referred  to  (i.e.,  cousin, 
or  brother-in-law?     Cf.  year  713,  note). 

Constantine  has  g  years'  reign  over  Dahiata  in  the  Duan  (?8ii  -fSao). 
He  was  king  of  the  Picts  789-1820. 

Aed,  Boanta's  son,  has  4  years'  reign  in  the  Duan.     He  died  in  839. 

Eoganan  has  13  years'  reign  over  Dalriata  in  the  Duan.  He  was  king 
of  the  Picts  ?836-t839. 

Alpin  n  probably  reigned  for  a  time  in  Dalriata  before  Kenneth. 

Eoganan  II  is  not  elsewhere  mentioned. 

Kenneth,  Alpin's  son,  was  king  of  the  Picts  and  of  Argyle  from  843  to 
858.  Fland's  reckoning  would  place  Kenneth's  death  about  879,  i.e.  about 
21  years  too  late. 

The  Duan  Albanach  agrees  closely  with  Fland  from  the  reign  of  Ferchar 
Fota  onwards,  but  omits  Selbach  and  Eochaid,  and  Fergus  and  Eochaid  ; 
in  Skene's  P.  &  S., -61-62  :  "Seven  years  of  Dungal  the  impetuous,  and 
Alpin  had  four  ;  three  years  of  Muiredach  the  good,  and  Aed  had  thirty  as 
sovereign.  Donald  passed  twenty-four  years  with  might.  Two  years  of 
Conall  (a  brilliant  step),  and  four  of  another  Conall.  Nine  years  of  the  fair 
Constantine,  nine  of  Angus  over  Scotland  ;  four  years  of  glorious  Aed,  and 
thirteen  of  Eoganan.     Thirty  years  of  severe  Kenneth.  .  .  ." 

The  epithets  in  the  Duan  (Dungal  Dian,  Muiredach  Maith,  Cusaintin 
Cain,  Aed  An,  Cionaith  Cruaid)  are  selected  for  assonance.  Sometimes 
perhaps  the  Duan's  numbers  also  have  been  adapted  to  the  metre. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  115-116,  s.a.  734  =  737:  "Aed  Alddain  {Hugh 
Allari\  reigned  9  years. 

"There  was  132  years  between  the  death  of  Aed  Alddain  and  the  death 
of  king  Aed  Find-liath  [743-879].  During  which  time  there  reigned  in 
Ireland  8  kings,  which  were  Fergal,  Niall  Frossach  [763  -  f  769],  Aed 
Oirdnide  \Hughornye;  fSig],  Duncan  [t797],  Connor  Duncan's  son  [7833], 
Niall  Glundub  \Glunduffe ;  read  "  Caille,"  f  846],  Maelsechlaind  [f  862],  and 
Aed  Find-liath  [j  879]. 

"There  reigned  in  Scotland  26  kings,  videlicet:  Dungal,  Alpin,  Muire- 
dach, Conall,  Conall,  Angus,  Fergus,  Eochaid,  Donald,  Constantine,  Eogan 
{Oweri^,  Alpin,  Eogan  Cendbuide"  {Owen  Kymboye,  as  if  one  man), 
"  Fiachna,  Eochaid  {EochyX  Tomaltach  \ffomaliagh\  Carcall,  Maelbressail 
\Moylebressal\  Muiredach,  Matadan  Lethlobar  \Morieagh  Madadan, 
Leathlovar],  Anfith  [Ainvith\  Eochagan,  Eremon,  Fiachna  Eremon's  son, 
Muiredach,  and  Eochaid"  {Ahagh;  878-889.     This  is  a  padded  list.) 

" There  reigned  in  Leinster  13  kings,  videlicet:  Cellach  [t776],  Ruadri 
\Rory ;  1785],  Bran  [f  79S],  Findachta  [f  808],  Muiredach  [t  829],  Cellach 
[t  834],  Bran  [835  - 1 838],  Ruarc  [f  862],  Dunlaing,  Tuathal  [t  854],  Dunlaing, 
and  Donald  {Daniell ;  f  884]."  These  annals  proceed  to  give  lists  of  the 
kings  of  Ossory,  of  Munster,  and  of  Connaught,  within  the  same  period. 

'  I.e.  from  879  to  1014.  (Skene's  text  reads  "  138  years,"  which  is 
doubtless  the  reading  in  one  or  both  of  the  other  MSS.) 


INTRODUCTION  cxlix 

Fourteen  ^  kings  reigned  over  Scotland  in  that  time,  namely 
Donald,  Alpin's  son  ^ ;  and  Constantine,  Kenneth's  son  ^ ;  and 
(Aed,  Kenneth's  son  *) ;  Giric,  Dungal's  son  ^ ;  and  Donald 
Dasachtach  (Constantine's  son^);  Constantine,  Aed's  son''; 
and  Malcolm,  Donald's  son^;  and  Indulf,  Constantine's  (son^); 
and  Dub,  Malcolm's  son i" ;  and  Culen,  Indulf's  son";  and 
Kenneth,  Malcolm's  son  ^^ ;  and  Constantine,  Culen's  son  ^^ ;  and 
Kenneth,  Dub's  son  " ;  and  Malcolm,  Kenneth's  son.  .  .  .  ^^ 

Continuation  of  Fland  Mainistrech ;  Skene's  Picts  and 
Scots,  p.  119^'^ 

A  hundred  and  four  years  from  the  battle  of  Brian  to  the 
death  of  Muirchertach,  Toirdelbach's  son.^'  .  .  . 

Five  kings  reigned  in  Scotland  during  that  time :  Duncan, 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  116:  "There  are  138  years  from  the  death  of 
king  Aed  Find-hath  to  the  death  of  king  Brian  Boroime  [879-1014],  that 
was  killed  by  the  Danes  in  the  battle  of  Clontarf.  During  which  time 
there  reigned  in  Ireland  6  kings,  viz.  :  Fland,  Maelsechlaind's  son  [t9iS], 
Niall  Glundub  [1919],  Congalach  [t956],  Donald  [1980],  Maelsechlaind 
Donald's  son  [f  1022],  and  king  Brian  [f  1014]." 

1  "Fifteen"  in  MSS.  b  and  f.  "Fourteen  .  .  .  time"  is  now  illegible 
in  MS.  a.  "  Fifteen "  is  the  correct  reading  ;  MS.  a  has  omitted  Aed, 
Kenneth's  son. 

2  Donald  reigned  probably  858-862. 

^  Constantine  reigned  probably  862-S77. 
*  Not  in  MS.  a.     Aed  reigned  probably  877-878. 
^  Giric  and  Eochaid  reigned  878-889. 
"  Not  in  MS.  a.     Donald  reigned  889-900. 
'  Constantine,  900-943. 
^  Malcolm,  943-954. 

"  Not  in  MS.  a.     Indulf  reigned  954-962. 

1°  Dub,  962-966.     After  his  reign,   MSS.  6  and  c  insert:    "and   Aear, 
Malcolm's  son"  (Skene,  P.  &  S.,  p.  xxxi). 
"  Culen,  966-971. 
12  Kenneth,  971-995. 
'^  Constantine,  995-997. 
"  Kenneth,  997-1005. 
15  Malcolm,  1005-1034. 

1"  Edited  by  Skene  (with  a  translation)  from  the  Book  of  Lecan,  and 
MS.  Rawlinson  B  512. 

"  Muirchertach  Ua-Briain  died  in  11 19,  according  to  A.U.,  ii,  100; 
the  continuation  of  Tigernach,  Revue  Celtique,  xviii,  40  ;  A.I.,  O'Conor's 
Scriptores,  ii,  2,  103  ;  Chronicon  Scotorum,  320  ;  and  F.M.,  ii,  1008.  The 
period  intended  is  therefore  1014-1119. 


cl  INTRODUCTION 

Crinan's  son  1 ;  Duncan,  Malcolm's  son  2;  Macbeth,  Findlaech's 
son 3;  Lulach,  Macbeth's  son*;  Malcolm,  Duncan's  son.^  He 
it  was  who  was  killed  by  the  French,  along  with  Edward, 
his  son. 

Senchus  Fer  n-Alban,  in  the  Book  of  Ballymote,  facsimile, 

p.   148 « 

Here  begins   the  abbreviation  of  the  history  of  the  men  of 
Scotland. 

Two  sons  of  Eochaid  Muin-remor,  namely  Ere  and  Olchu. 
And  Ere,  Eochaid's  son,  had  twelve  sons ;  six  of  them  took 
possession  of  Scotland  ; — two  Loarns,  Loarn  Bee  and  Loarn 
Mor ;  and  two  sons  of  [Nes],^  Macc-Misi  Bee  and  Macc-Misi 
Mor ;  [and]  two  [sons]  Fergus,  Fergus  Bee  and  Fergus  Mor. 
Six  others  were  in  Ireland,  namely  Macc-Deichill ;  Angus, 
whose  descendants  are  in  Scotland ;  Enda,  Bressal,  Fiachra, 
Dubthach.  Others  say  that  Ere  had  another  son,  whose  name 
was  Muiredach. 

Olchu,  Eochaid  Muin-remar's  son,  had  eleven  sons,  who 
inhabited  Muirbolg  with  the  [men  of]  Dalriata ;  namely  Muir- 
edach Bole,  Aed,  Guaire,  Daire,  Angus,  Tuathal,  Anblomaid, 
Eochaid,  Setna,  Briasomu,  Cormac. 

Fergus,  Erc's  son,  was  another  name  of  Macc-Misi  Mor.  He 
had  one  son,  Domangart.  Domangart  had  two  sons,  Gabran  ^ 
and  Comgall,  both  sons  of  Fedlim,  daughter  of  Briun,  son  of 
Eochaid  Muigmedon.  Comgall  had  one  son,  Conall.  Conall 
had  seven  sons : — Loingsech,  Nechtan,  Artan,  Tuathan,  Tutio, 
Coirpre. 

Gabran  had  five  sons :  —  Aed  Find,''  Eogan,  Cuiltech, 
Donald,  Domangart. 

'  Duncan,  Crinan's  son,  reigned  1034-1040. 

^  Duncan,  Malcolm's  son,  1094. 

^  Macbeth,  1040- 1057. 

^  Lulach,  1057-1058. 

^  Malcolm  III,  1058- 1093. 

^  Skene  edited  this  tract,  with  a  translation,  from  the  Trinity  College 
(Dublin)  MS.  H.2.7,  collating  the  versions  in  the  Book  of  Ballymote  and 
the  Book  of  Lecan,  in  his  P.  &  S.,  308-314. 

'  For  Misi  read  Nisej  so  also  below. 

^  In  MS.  Garbanj  so  also  below. 

^  Read  "  Aldan  "  ;  so  also  below. 


INTRODUCTION  cli 

Aed  Find  had  seven  sons : — two  Eochaids,  Eochaid  Buide 
and  Eochaid  Find ;  Tuathal,  Bran,  Baithine,  Conaing,  Gartnait. 

Eochaid  Buide,  Aidan's  son,  had  eight  sons : — Donald  Brecc, 
and  Donald  Dond,  and  Conall  Crandomna,  Conall  Breg, 
Connad  Cerr,  Failbe,  Domangart,  Cu-cen-mathir. 

Eochaid  [Find]  had  eight  sons; — Baetan,  Pertan,  Pletan, 
Cormac,  Cronan,  Feradach,  Fedlimid,  Caplen. 

These  were  the  sons  of  Conaing,  Aidan's  son: — Rigallan, 
Ferchar,  Artan,  Arthur,  Duncan,  Domangart,  Nechtan,  Nem, 
Crumene. 

Four  sons  of  Gartnait,  Aidan's  son,  namely  [  .  .  .  ].^ 

Two  sons  of  Tuathal,  son  of  Morgan,  son  of  Eochaid  Find, 
son  of  Aidan,  son  of  Gabran,  [grandson  of  Fergus  Mor].  Now 
[Fergus  Mor's]  brother  was  Fergus  Bee,  son  of  Ere  Geodnaid. 
He  had  one  son,  Setna,  from  whom  descend  the  tribe  of  Setna, 
or  Setne,  son  of  Fergus  Bee,  son  of  Ere,  son  of  Eochaid  Muin- 
remor. 

Angus  Mor  and  Loarn  and  Macc-Misi  Mor  were  three  sons 
of  Ere,  on  that  side. 

Angus  Mor,  Erc's  son,  had  two  sons,  Natsluaig  and  Fergna. 

Fergna  had  seven  sons:  —  Tuathal,  Aed  Letho,  Riagan, 
Fiachu,  Guaire,  Canntann,  Eocho. 

And  Natsluaig  had  two  sons,  Barrfind  and  Caiblene. 

Two  sons  of  Barrfind,  Naem  and  Tulchan. 

Tulchan  had  four  sons :  —  Cronan,  Breccan,  Domancon, 
Mend. 

Other  people  say  that  Natsluaig  had  three  sons: — Lugaid, 
Conall,  Galan. 

Caiblene,  Natsluaig's  son,  had  four  sons: — Aidan,  Lugaid, 
Crumaine,  Gentine,  who  was  also  called  Min.^ 

Barrfind,  Natsluaig's  son,  had  three  sons: — Lugaid,  Conall, 
Canan.  Their  mother  was  a  Pict,^  and  they  divided  the  land  in 
Islay.* 

Now  Angus  Bee,  Erc's  son,  had  one  son,  Muiredach. 

[There  are]  a  hundred  villages  in  Islay: — in  Odeich,  twenty 

'  There  has  been  some  omission  in  this  sentence  ;  but  no  gap  appears 
in  the  text  of  the  Book  of  Ballymote. 
^  qui  et  inin. 
^  Cruithneach. 
*  orba  anili. 


ciii  INTRODUCTION 

houses;  in  Freg,  a  hundred  and  twenty  houses;  in  Clad-rois, 
sixty  houses;  in  Rosdeorand,  thirty  houses;  in  Ardbes, 
thirty   houses ;    in    Loichrois,    thirty    houses ;    in    Ath-caisil, 

thirty  .  .  .^ 

The  tribe  of  Angus :— thirty  houses  in  Caillnae,  but  the 
holdings  are  small,  namely  thirty-one  men.  The  fighting- 
strength  ^  of  the  army  of  the  tribes  of  Angus,  five  hundred 
men.  The  fighting-strength  of  the  tribes  of  Gabran,  three 
hundred  men ;  but  if  the  expedition  be  by  sea,  forty-two 
men  (?)  go  from  them  upon  the  campaign.^ 

Now  the  three  parts  of  Dalriata  are  the  tribe  of  Gabran,  and 
the  tribe  of  Angus,  and  the  tribe  of  Loarn  Mor. 

These  were  the  sons  of  Loarn  Mor: — Eochaid,  Cathba, 
Muiredach,  Fuindenam,  Fergus  Salach,  two  Maines.  Others 
say  that  Loarn  had  only  three  sons,  Fergus  Salach,  and  Muire- 
dach, and  Maine. 

These  are  the  three  divisions  of  the  tribe  of  Loarn : — the 
tribe  of  Fergus  Salach,  and  the  tribe  of  Cathba,  and  the  tribe 
of  Eochaid,  Muiredach's  son.  The  tribe  of  Fergus  have  sixty 
houses.  The  fighting-strength  of  the  tribe  of  Loarn  is  seven 
hundred  men  ;  but  the  seventh  hundred  is  composed  of  the 
people  of  Oriel.*  But  in  the  case  of  a  sea  campaign,  fourteen 
go  still  from  every  twenty  houses.^ 

Fergus  Salach  had  five  sons: — Caeldub,  who  had  thirty 
houses ;  Eogan  Garb,  who  had  thirty  houses ;  and  his  wife  was 
Crodu,  daughter  of  Dalian,  son  of  Eogan,  son  of  Niall ;  Fergna, 
who  had  fifteen  houses  ^ ;  Eogan,  who  had  five  houses  ;  Baetan, 
who  had  five  houses. 

Muiredach,  Loam's  son,  had  two  sons,  Cathba  and  Eochaid. 
Eochaid,  Muiredach's  son,  had  five  sons: — Feradach,  who  had 

1  ininsinj  possibly  read  inmsin  "  in  that  [land] "  ? 

2  fecht  airmi. 

^  mad  fecht  imorro  for  imramh,  uiishese\r\  uaidib  i  fecht.  Skene's  text 
has  :  vij.  vij.  sese  uaidibh,  which  he  translates  "  twice  seven  benches  of 
them."  The  text  is  probably  corrupt,  and  my  rendering  of  it  is  merely 
conjectural.  The  calculation  below  gives  392  men.  We  might  have 
expected  here  a  number  140,  or  150. 

*  dinib  Airgiall. 

^  da  secht  bes  o  each  xx.  iteach  dib. 

"  Fergna  coig  tigi  dh  ~  lais. 


INTRODUCTION  cliii 

twenty  houses ;  Cormac,  who  had  twenty  houses ;  Pletan  and 
Cronan,  who  had  twenty  houses  between  them.  And  three  sons 
of  Cathba: — Brenaind,  Ainmire,  Cronan. 

A  hundred  and  fifty  men  were  the  navy  that  went  with  the 
sons  of  Ere  ;  the  third  fifty  were  Coirpre  with  his  people. 

The  tribe  of  Gabran  [has]  five  hundred  and  sixty  houses 
[in]  Kintyre,  and  [in]  the  territory  of  Comgall/  with  its  islands. 
Fourteen  to  every  twenty  houses,  for  sea  campaign.  The  tribe 
of  Angus  has  four  hundred  and  thirty  houses ;  fourteen  to 
every  twenty  houses,  for  sea  campaign.  The  tribe  of  Loarn 
has  four  hundred  and  twenty  houses ;  fourteen  to  every  twenty 
houses,  for  sea  campaign. 


Genealogies  from  the  Book  of  Ballymote,  pp.   148-149^ 
Here  begins  the  genealogy  of  the  men  of  Scotland. 

I 

Constantine,  son  of  [Culen],^  son  of  Indulf,  son  of  Con- 
stantine,  son  of  Aed,*  son  of  Kenneth,  son  of  Alpin,  son  of 
Eochaid,  son  of  Aed  Find,  son  of  Eochaid,^  son  of  Domangart," 
son  of  Fergus,  son  of  Ere,  son  of  Angus,  son  of  Fergus  Ulach, 
son  of  Fiachra  Tathmael,''  son  of  Fedlimid  Lamdoit,  son  of 
Cince,  son  of  Guaire,  son  of  Cindtai,  son  of  Coirpre  Riata,  son 
of  Conaire  Coem,  son  of  Mug-lama,^  son  of  Coirpre  Crom-chend, 
son  of  Daire  Dornmor,^  son  of  Conaire  Mor,  son  of  Eterscel,  son 
of  Eogan,  son  of  Ailill,  son  of  lar,  son  of  Dedad,  son  of  Sin,  son 

'  I.e.,  Cowal,  Argyleshire. 

2  Skene  edited  these  pedigrees  from  the  same  three  MSS.  as  the 
Senchus,  to  which  they  are  appended,  in  his  P.  &  S.,  314-317.  Cf.  the 
slightly  varying  pedigree  in  Rawlinson  B  502,  facsimile,  162. 

^  Coluim;  read  Coliuin  ? 

*  "son  of  Aed,"  omitted  by  other  pedigrees,  is  erroneous. 

■^  Add  here  "  son  of  Eochaid." 

"  Add  :  "  Son  of  Donald  Brecc,  son  of  Eochaid  Buide,  son  of  Aldan, 
son  of  Gabran,  son  of  Domangart,"  as  in  Rawlinson  MS.,  and  in  B.B. 
pedigree  II. 

"  "Ere  .  .  .  Tathmael,"  to  be  corrected  by  pedigree  II. 

^  "  Conaire  ..."  The  Rawlinson  MS.  reads  "  Conaire  Coem,  son  of 
Lugaid." 

^  The  Rawlinson  MS.  inserts  "son  of  Coirpre." 


clvi  INTRODUCTION 

mother    was    Fedlim   Folt-choem,   daughter  of    Briun,   son  of 
Eochaid  Muigmedon. 

IV 

Congus,  son  of  Consamla,  son  of  Conai  Garb,  son  of  Gartnait, 
son  of  Aidan,  son  of  Gabran. 

V 

Genealogy  of  the  children  of  Loarn  Mor. 

Ainfcellach,  son  of  Ferchar  Fota,  son  of  Feradach,  son  of 
Fergus,  son  of  Nechtan,  son  of  Colum,  son  of  Baetan,  son  of 
Eochaid,  son  of  Muiredach,  son  of  Loarn  Mor,  son  of  Ere,  son 
of  Eochaid  Muin  remor. 

Morgan,!  sg^  gf  Don[ald],  son  of  Cathma[il],  son  of  Ruadri, 
son  of  Ferchar,  son  of  Muiredach,  son  of  Baetan,  son  of  Eochaid, 
son  of  Muiredach. 

VI 

Genealogy  of  the  children  of  Comgall. 

Eochaid,  son  of  Nechtan,  son  of  Ferchar,  son  of  Fingin,  son 
of  Eochaid,  son  of  Loingsech,  son  of  Comgall,  son  of  Domangart, 
son  of  Macc-Misi  Mor,  son  of  Ere. 

VII 

Genealogy  of  the  children  of  Angus. 

Angus,  son  of  Boib,  son  of  Ronan,  son  of  Aidan,  son  of 
Coiblein,  son  of  Natsluaig,  son  of  Ronan,  son  of  Angus,  son  of 
Ere,  son  of  Eochaid  Muin-remor. 

VIII 

Maelsnachtai,  son  of  Lulach,  son  of  Gillacom[gain],2  son  of 
Maelbrigte,    son   of  Ruadri,  son  of  Morgan,  son   of  Donald, 

1  The  r  in  Morgan  has  been  added  above  the  line.  The  Book  of  Lecan 
has  Moganj  MS.  a  has  Mongan  (Skene,  u.s.,  316). 

^  Gillicom.  Skene  reads  Gillicomgan,  presumably  from  the  Book  of 
Lecan. 


INTRODUCTION  clvii 

son   of  Cathmail,   son   of  Ruadri,  son   of  Aircellach,   son   of 
Ferchar  Fota.^ 


Pedigree  of  the  Scottish  Kings,  appended  to  version  E  of 
the  Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland ;  Skene's  Picts 
and  Scots,  pp.   133-134^ 

King  William  the  ruddy  [was]  the  son  of  Henry,  the  son  of 
David,  the  son  of  Malcolm,  the  son  of  Duncan,  who  was  the 
grandson  of  Malcolm,  the  son  of  Kenneth,  the  son  of  Malcolm, 
the  son  of  Donald,  the  son  of  Constantine,  the  son  of  Kenneth, 
the  son  of  Alpin,  the  son  of  Eochaid,  the  son  of  Aed  Find,  the 
son  of  Eochaid,  the  son  of  Eochaid,  the  son  of  Domangart,  the 
son  of  Donald  Brecc,  the  son  of  Eochaid  Buide,  the  son  of 
Aidan,  the  son  of  Gabran,  the  son  of  Domangart,  the  son  of 
Fergus,  the  son  of  Ere,  the  son  of  Eochaid  Muin-remor,  the  son 
of  Angus  Fir,  the  son  of  Fedlimid  Aislingech,  the  son  of 
Angus  Bujdnech,  the  son  of  Fedlimid  Ruamnach,  the  son  of 
Sen-chormac,  the  son  of  Cruitlinde,  the  son  of  Findfece,  the  son 
of  Achircir,  the  son  of  Eochaid  Antoit,  the  son  of  Fiachra 
Cathmail,  the  son  of  Eochaid  Riata,  the  son  of  Conaire,  the  son 
of  Mug-lama,  the  son  of  Lugaid,  the  son  of  Ellatig,  the  son  of 
Coirpre  Crom-chend,  the  son  of  Daire  Dorn-mor,  the  son  of 
Coirpre,  the  son  of  Admor,  the  son  of  Conaire  Mor,  the  son  of 
Eterscel,  the  son  of  Eogan.  .  .  .^ 

Pedigree  V  appended  to  Annales  Cambriae ;  Y  Cymmrodor, 
vol.  ix,  pp.   172-173* 

Run,  son  of  Arthgal,  son  of  Dumnagual,  son  of  Riderch,  son 
of  Eugein,  son  of  Dumnagual,  son  of  Teudebur,  son  of  Beli,  son 

1  Pedigree  VIII  is  not  in  MS.  a  (Skene).  For  "Aircellach"  read 
"  Ainfcellach."     But  this  is  not  in  agreement  with  pedigree  V,  above. 

-  Also  edited  by  Innes  in  his  Critical  Essay,  420-421. 

^  The  pedigree  is  carried  up  to  "Adam,  the  son  of  the  living  God." 

Cf.  the  pedigree  in  Fordun,  Chronica,  IV,  8  (i,  151) :  "For  this  Kenneth 
was  the  son  of  king  Alpin,  son  of  Eochaid  \Achay\  son  of  Aed  Find,  son  of 
Eugenius,  son  of  Findan,  son  of  Eugenius,  son  of  Domangart,  son  of  Donald 
Brecc,  son  of  Eugenius  Buide,  son  of  Aidan,  son  of  Gabran,  son  of 
Domangart,  son  of  Fergus,  son  of  Erth." 

^  Also  in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  15  ;  Loth's  Mabinogion  (1889),  ii,  308-309. 

I  give  the  names  here  as  they  are  spelt  in  the  pedigree. 


clviii  INTRODUCTION 

of  Elfin,  son  of  Eugein,  son  of  Beli,  son  of  Neithon,  son  of 
Guipno,  son  of  Dumngual  Hen,  son  of  Cinuit,  son  of  Ceretic 
Guletic,!  son  of  Cynloyp,  son  of  Cinhil,  son  of  Cluim,  son  of 
Cursalen,  son  of  Per,  son  of  Confer.  .  .  } 

1  This  seems  to  have  been  the  Coroticus  of  Patrick's  Epistle.  See 
R.S.  89,  ii,  375-380;  N.  J.  D.  White,  St  Patrick  (1920),  52-55,  111-112. 
Muirchu  calls  Coroticus  Coirthech  regem  Aloo,  i.e.  "king  of  Dumbarton"; 
R.S.  89,  ii,  271  ;  White,  U.S.,  100. 

^  This  pedigree  continues  thus  :  ipse  est  uero  olitauc.  dimor.  meton. 
uenditits  est. 


EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

A.D.    500    TO    1286 


EARLY     SOURCES    OF 
SCOTTISH    HISTORY 

VOL.  I— PART  I 

Establishment  of  the  Kingdoms  of  Dalriata 
and  northumbria 

Giraldus  Cambrensis,  Topographia  Hibernica.      Opera, 
vol.  V,  p.  147 

Note  that  the  northern  part  of  Britain  is  called  Scotland, 
because  it  was  inhabited  by  this  nation  of  the  Scots. 

The  northern  part  of  the  island  of  Britain  also  is  called 
Scotland,  because  a  nation  originally  sprung  from  [the  Irish] 
is  understood  to  inhabit  that  land.  And  this  is  shown  even  to 
the  present  day  by  their  affinity  both  in  language  and  in 
culture,  also  both  in  arms  and  in  customs.^ 

ca.  501 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  124, 
s.a.  [501]^ 

Fergus  Mor,  Erc's  son,  with  the  nation  of  Dalriata,  held  part 
of  Britain  ^ ;  and  there  he  died.* 

^  Cf.  Giraldus's  account  of  the  Irish  occupation  of  "  the  northern  parts 
of  Britain"  ;  ibid.,  162.     See  also  below,  year  843,  note. 

^  With  f.n.  I  (see  pp.  xcvi-xcvii  for  an  account  of  Tigernach's  chronology). 
This  stands  5  year-sections  after  the  record  of  an  eclipse  of  the  sun  in 
[496],  perhaps  that  visible  at  Rome  in  496,  on  22nd  October,  at  8  a.m. 
(Solar  eclipses  visible  in  Ireland  occurred  in  498,  499,  and  502.)  The 
A.U.  record  the  eclipse  under  495=496  (with  f.n.  and  e.  for  496). 

Tigernach  and  C.S.  notice  in  the  same  year-section  as  the  death  of 
Fergus,  the  battle  of  Druimm-loch-muide,  which  A.U.  place  under 
502  =  503. 

At  the  beginning  of  year  [501]  Tigernach  quotes  a  passage  about  pope 
Symmachus  [498-514]  (his  buildings,  and  his  generosity  to  the  bishops  in 
exile  in  Africa)  from  the  Liber  Pontificalis,  LIII,  10,  11  (M.G.H.,  Gesta 
Pontificum  Romanorum,  i,  124,  125)  through  Bede's  Chronicle  (M.G.H., 
Auctores,  xiii,  306).     The  death   of  Symmachus's   predecessor  is   noticed 


2  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

under  [498],  and  the  succession  of  Symmachus  under  [499].     The  latter  is 
placed  by  A.U.  in  498  =  499  ;  but  the  accepted  date  is  498. 

3  Bede  (H.E.,  I,  i),  says  :  "  .  .  .  Britain  received  a  third  race,  after 
the  Britons  and  Picts,  that  of  the  Scots,  in  the  region  of  the  Picts  "  (E.G.,  4). 
The  earlier  inhabitants  of  Kintyre  were  a  Welsh-speaking  race  (K.  Meyer: 
Zur  keltischen  Wortkunde,§  41 ;  Sitzungsberichte  der  Koniglich  preussischen 
Akademie  der  Wissenschaften,  xxv,  445-446). 

1  This  annal  appears  similarly  in  C.S.,  34,  s.a.  [502]  (f.n.  3  ;  Hennessy's 
year  499).     It  is  placed  by  P.M.  under  498  (i,  160). 

Fland  places  Fergus's  accession  about  [495]  ;  the  Annals  of  Clonmac- 
noise's  version  of  Fland,  in  498. 

Version  D  of  the  Chronicle  of  Dalriata,  in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  148  :  "The 
sum  of  the  years  of  the  first  Scots  that  reigned  before  the  Picts,  260  years 
and  3  months."    This  would  place  Fergus's  accession  about  583. 

Version  I  of  the  Chronicle  of  Dalriata,  in  P.  &  S.,  288,  concludes  :  "The 
sum  of  the  years  from  the  time  of  Fergus,  Erc's  son,  to  the  time  of  Alpin 
is  407  years  and  3  months."  Alpin  died  probably  in  843  ;  therefore  this 
summation  would  place  Fergus's  accession  about  436. 

Scots  from  Antrim  had  been  settling  in  Kintyre  long  before  500. 
Probably  at  the  same  time  Picts  from  Down  had  been  settling  in  Wigton- 
shire  ;  from  which  they  had  originally  gone  to  Ireland. 

The  Chronicles  of  Dalriata  give  Fergus  a  reign  of  3  years  [ca.  498- 
ca.  501]  ;  the  Duan,  of  27.  His  date  is  very  uncertain.  See  ?So6,  note, 
for  his  successor.  For  the  extent  of  his  kingdom  cf.  the  Chronicle  of 
Dalriata,  above,  p.  cxxix,  which  erroneously  implies  that  he  reigned  over 
the  whole  of  the  lands  that  belonged  to  Dalriata  a  century  later. 

Fergus's  predecessor  appears  to  have  been  his  brother  Loarn.  Duan 
Albanach,  in  P.  &  S.,  59  :  "  Three  sons  of  Ere,  the  son  of  pleasant  Eochaid, 
three  men  who  got  the  blessing"  (?  beannachtair,  read  bea7i7iacht)  "of 
Patrick,  took  Scotland — great  were  their  deeds — :  Loarn,  Fergus,  and 
Angus.  Ten  years  Loarn,  with  distinguished  renown,  was  in  the  kingdom 
of  Argyle  \Oirir  Albati\  :  Fergus  for  twenty-seven  years,  after  generous 
Loarn,  with  vigour."     The  Duan's  numbers  are  not  trustworthy. 

Loarn  was  the  father  of  Ere  (see  below).  Ere  was  the  mother  oi 
Muirchertach  (t  ?  ca.  537),  whose  sons  won  the  battle  of  Sligo  (?  ca.  542). 
Other  grandsons  of  Ere  were  Columba  (born  ca.  521),  and  Baithine  (t  ca. 
601).  Ere  must  have  been  born  before  481,  and  have  flourished  in  or 
before  500.     Loarn  probably  flourished  about  470,  or  earlier. 

The  battle  of  Sligo  is  placed  in  543,  547,  or  548,  by  A.U.  ;  in  [542]  by 
T.  and  C.S.  (Hennessy's  year  543);  by  A.I.,  in  O'Conor's  year  536  =  541 
(or  =541x544). 

Tripartite  Life,  i,  108  :  "  [Patrick]  went  to  the  sons  of  Ere  [Eochaid's 
son].  They  stole  Patrick's  horses,  and  Patrick  cursed  them,  saying,  '  Your 
descendants  shall  serve  your  brother  [Fergus's]  descendants  for  ever.' " 

Another  account  of  Fergus's  relations  with  Patrick  (Tripartite  Life, 
i,  162)  is  given  below,  year  573,  note. 


KINGS  OF  ARGYLE  3 

Loam's  daughter  Ere  was,  according  to  Irish  traditions  of  doubtful 
value,  the  ancestress  of  many  families. 

Cf.  the  story  preserved  by  D.M.F.,  in  Todd's  Irish  Nennius,  pp.  ci-cii : 

"  Muiredach,  Eogan's  son,  had  four  sons  ;  and  they  had  one  mother  : 
[they  were]  Muirchertach,  Moen,  Feradach,  and  Tigernach.  The  mother 
of  these  four  was  Ere,  the  daughter  of  Loarn,  king  of  Scotland.  .  .  . 

"After  the  death  of  Eogan's  son,  Fergus,  Conall  Gulban's  son,  took  Ere, 
Loarn's  daughter  ;  and  she  bore  him  four  other  sons  :  Fedlim[id],  Loarn, 
Brenaind,  and  Setna.  .  .  ." 

Cf.  a  poem  ascribed  to  Fland  Mainistrech  in  Advocates'  Library  Gaelic 
MS.  28  (Kilbride,  24),  p.  4  ;  and  a  poem  edited  by  Todd  in  his  Irish 
Nennius,  civ-cix.  Ibid.,  cvi-cvii :  "  Fedlim[id]  left  no  children  but  Eogan 
Bee  and  Columba.  Brenaind  .  .  .  left  none  but  Baithine  Frithbertach  (or 
Frithcertach).  Loarn,  of  strong  grasp,  noble  Avas  the  firstborn  of  his  sons, 
Ronan,  the  father  of  illustrious  sons,  Colman  [St  Columbanus],  Segine,  and 
Laisren.  .  .  .  From  Setna,  son  of  Fergus  of  Fal  [i.e.  of  Ireland],  are  the 
noble  descendants  of  Setna  from  the  east,  the  tribe  of  Lugaid  in  the  east 
[i.e.  in  Scotland]  ;  and  on  this  side  [i.e.  in  Ireland],  the  people  of 
Fanat"  etc. 

From  these  and  other  sources  quoted  by  Todd  (ci-cvi)  the  following 
table  may  be  drawn  up  : — 

Eochaid  Muin-remor 


Niall  Nine-hostager 

I 
Conall  Gulban 

I 

Fergus  Cendfota 


lall  Nine-hostager 
1 

Ere 
1 

1 

Eogan 

1 

Loarn 
1 

Muiredach          = 

1 
Ere 

Muirchertach     Moen      Feradach  Tigernach      Fedlimid      Loarn   Brenaind     Setna 


Kings  of 
Ailech 

(Northern 
Ui-Neill) 


Ronan    Baithine 


Eogan    Columba 
Bee 


Colman      Segine       Laisren 


Cenel        Ceuel  Sil 

Moin       Feradaig    Tigernaig 


Sil 
Setnai 


Cenel 

Lugdach 

(in  Scotland) 


Sluag 

Fanat 

(in  Ireland) 


Cland 
Ciarain 


Cland 
Crundmail 


Cland 
Loing-sich 


(Tirconnell  and  Tyrone) 
The  fabulous  tale  of  Ere  (quoted  below)  in  the  Book  of  Ballymote  says 


4  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

?ca.  506 

Tigemach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  125, 

s.a.  [506]  1 

The  death  of  Domangart,  Ness's  son,  king  of  Scotland.^ 

that  Erc's  son,  Muirchertach,  was  expelled  from  Ireland,  then  killed  his 
grandfather  Loarn  and  was  expelled  from  Scotland  also. 

According  to  the  fabulous  14th-century  tale  of  Sin  and  of  Muirchertach 
Erc's  son,  in  Y.B.L.,  317,  Muirchertach  says:  "  It  was  prophesied  to  me 
that  my  death  would  be  like  the  death  of  Loarn,  my  grandfather  ;  for 
he  did  not  fall  in  combat,  but  was  burned  none  the  less."  Muirchertach 
was,  it  is  said,  drowned  in  a  vat  of  wine  in  a  burning  house  at  Cletty. 
His  death  is  placed  in  534  or  536,  or  after  537,  by  A.U.,  i,  44i  46  ;  see  T., 
s.a.  [532]  (fn.  5  ;  so  also  in  C.S.,  Hennessy's  year  531)  ;  and  F.M.,  s.a.  527. 
See  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  77,  s.a.  529. 

Fordun's  account  (II,  12,  13;  III,  i)  differs  from  that  of  the  older 
authorities. 

For  the  history  of  Ere,  Loarn's  daughter,  cf  the  Book  of  Ballymote,  208 
(Skene's  P.  &  S.,  52) : 

"Then  Sarran  took  kingship  over  Britain,  and  took  authority  over  the 
Saxons  and  the  Picts.  And  he  married  the  daughter  of  the  king  of  Scotland, 
Babona,  the  daughter  of  Loarn,  Erc's  son. 

"  It  was  not  she  that  had  been  given  to  him,  but  her  sister.  Ere,  daughter 
of  Loarn  ;  but  Muiredach,  son  of  Eogan,  Niall's  son,  had  seduced  her  to 
Ireland,  and  she  bore  him  four  sons,  Muirchertach,  Erc's  son,  and  Feradach, 
and  Tigernach,  and  Maian.  And  Sarran  impregnated  Babona,  and  five 
sons  were  born  to  them  :  Luirig,  and  Cairnech,  and  bishop  Dalian,  and 
Coemlach  ;  and  he  died  after  victory  and  triumph  [over  this  world,]  in  the 
house  of  Martin  "  (i.e.  at  Whithorn). 

The  remainder  of  this  story  is  quite  mythical  (ibid.  53-56),  and  perhaps 
the  part  quoted  above  has  little  foundation  in  fact.  (The  text,  with 
translation,  was  edited  by  Todd,  Irish  Nennius,  178-180.  Skene's  translation 
is  based  upon  Todd's.)  For  Saran's  pedigree,  see  1905  Oengus,  72  ;  1880 
ed.,  Ixxxix. 

According  to  the  tract  on  the  Mothers  of  Irish  saints  (L.L.,  372  ;  cf  B.B., 
212),  "Pompa,  daughter  of  Loarn,  son  of  Ere,  [was]  the  mother  of  Carnech, 
and  Breccan,  son  of  Saran,  and  Ronan  [Find,  B.B.],  son  of  Saran  "  ;  and 
"  Ere,  daughter  of  Loarn,  son  of  Ere,  king  of  Scotland,  [was]  the  mother  of 
Maelumai,  son  of  Baetan."  The  "  elopement  of  Ere,  Loarn's  daughter, 
with  Muiredach,  Eogan's  son,"  was  one  of  the  subjects  of  Irish  literary 
compositions  ;  Book  of  Leinster,   190a. 

1  F.n.  I.  In  the  same  year-section  Tigernach  places  the  death  of  Brude, 
Maelchon's  son  ;  see  year  586. 

^  A.U.,  i,  36,  place  Domangart's  death  in  506  =  507  :  "...  the 
death  of  Lugaid,  Loegaire's  son  ;  and,  as  others  say,  Domangart  Ness's 
son  died  at  Rete  [?]  in  his  thirty-fifth  year  \_Domhangart  mac  Nisse  reti 
secessit^     Repose  of  Macc-Nisse,  bishop  of  Connor."     (Again  under  513  = 


KINGS  OF  ARGYLE  5 

ca.  517 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  38,  s.a.  516=517^ 

The  repose  of  Darerca  of  Cell-Slebe-Cuilind,^  on  the  third 
day  ^  before  the  Nones  of  July. 

514  :  "  Macc-Nisse,  i.e.  Oengus,  bishop  of  Connor,  reposed.")  At  506  =  507, 
in  margin  of  MS.  A,  erroneously,  "bishop  Domangart." 

With  reti  secessit,  literally,  "withdrew  from  Rete"  (or  possibly  "with- 
drew from  the  net "  [of  the  world  ;  or  as  a  pun  on  a  place-name  ?]),  cf. 
A. I.,  below,  year  537,  note,  where  this  king  is  called  "  Domangart  of  Rete  " 
{refis).  This  seems  to  show  that  Rete  was  a  place.  (Whitley  Stokes  held 
that  reti  secessit,  "like  the  resticuit  oi  \.\\^  Book  of  Armagh,  ff.  iia  i,  14a  i, 
seems  for  reciescit,  the  Irish  spelling  of  reguiescit,  as  in  the  A.L.C.,  i,  p.  53, 
n.  5."     The  Academy,  1889,  p.  208.) 

Also  under  466  =  466  (but  with  e.  20  in  MS.  A,  instead  of  29) :  "  Doman- 
gart, son  of  Nes,  reposed"  {quievit)  ;  and  so  also  in  C.S.,  26,  f.n.  2  =  468, 
Hennessy's  year  464. 

A. I.,  5,  O'Conor's  year  495=?5oi  (58  years  before  559) :  "The  repose  of 
Domangart  of  Kintyre."  "  Repose  "  {quies)  usually  means  the  death  of  a  man 
in  religion.     Seven  years  before  this,  these  annals  record  Patrick's  death. 

The  deaths  of  Brude,  Maelchon's  son,  king  of  Pictland  ;  and  Doman- 
gart, son  of  Ness,  are  erroneously  placed  in  one  year,  s.a.  509,  in  the 
Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  74. 

The  Chronicles  of  Dalriata  (above,  p.  cxxix)  say  that  Domangart  was 
the  son  of  Fergus  :  Ness  (or  Cness  ?)  was  apparently  his  mother's  name. 

Fland  places  the  reign  of  "Angus  Mor,  Erc's  son"  between  the  reigns 
of  Fergus  and  of  Domangart. 

The  Duan  Albanach,  in  P.  &  S.,  59  :  "  Domangart,  a  son  to  high 
Fergus,  [was  in  the  sovereignty  of  Argyle  for  the]  number  of  five  ever- 
turbulent  years." 

All  the  Chronicles  of  Dalriata,  and  the  Duan,  and  Tigernach,  agree 
that  Domangart  reigned  for  5  years.  For  the  date  of  his  son's  accession, 
see  year  537,  note. 

A  chronological  tract  in  Debar  Brecc  (R.S.  89,  ii,  552)  in  an  unhistorical 
passage  says  that  Domangart,  Fergus'  son,  was  king  of  Scotland  at  the 
time  of  Patrick's  death. 

^  With  fn.  and  e.  of  517.  Darerca's  death  is  repeated  in  A.U.,  40, 
under  518  =  519  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  519) :—"  The  repose  of  Darerca,  who 
was  called  Moninne." 

A.I.,  5,  O'Conor's  year  507  =  512  (47  years  before  559) :  "The  repose  of 
Darerca." 

C.S.,  38,  Hennessy's  year  514  =  516  (fn.  6):  "The  repose  of  Darerca, 
of  Cell-Slebe-Cuilind ;  she  was  afterwards  named  Moninne  (Aninne 
Sanatho)."  The  last  words  seem  to  be  the  beginning  of  a  Latin  hymn  {0 
Ninne  Sanato). 

2  "Church  of  the  mountain  of  Cuilend." 

^  5th  July.     Moninne  (Darerca)  is  entered  at  6th  July  by  the  Martyr- 


6  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

ca.  521 

Tigernacli,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  128, 
s.a.  [520]  1 

Buitte,  son  of  Bronach,  died ;  Columcille  was  born.  And  of 
them  it  was  said  :  "  The  fair  birth  of  Columba,  our  priest,  [took 
place]  to-day,  upon  learned  Ireland,  on  the  same  festival^  (no  vain 
saying)  as  the  death  of  Bronach's  fair-haired,  victorious  son."^ 

ologies    of    Oengus,    Gorman,    Tallaght    (Brussels    version  ;    ed.    Kelly, 
p.  xxviii),  and  Donegal. 

Darerca,  Moninne,  Modwena,  or  Medana,  is  said  to  have  founded 
many  churches  in  southern  Scotland  ;  many  churches  were  dedicated  to 
her.  Besides  Kirkmaiden,  near  the  Mull  of  Galloway,  there  was  an 
ancient  parish  of  Kirkmaiden,  now  included  in  Glasserton  parish,  also  in 
the  south  ofWigtonshire. 

1  For  f.n.  7  (uii)  in  Stokes's  text  read  4  (iiii,  with  O'Conor),  i.e.  [520] 
instead  of  [522]  :  otherwise  the  order  of  the  annals  is  incorrect. 

2  Buitte's  death-day  was  the  7th  of  December,  according  to  the 
Martyrology  of  Oengus  (7th  December  520,  according  to  the  Martyrology 
of  Donegal).  The  Martyrology  of  Gorman,  p.  234,  places  Buitte's  death 
and  Columba's  birth  on  7th  December.     Cf.  Stokes,  Lismore  Lives,  308. 

For  the  year,  cf.  years  563,  597,  notes. 

^  The  passage  in  inverted  commas  is  in  verse  in  the  original. 

The  whole  passage  stands  similarly  in  C.S.,  38,  Hennessy's  year  518  = 
520  (f.n.  4). 

A.U.,  i,  40,  enters  these  deaths  twice  ;  s.a.  518  =  519  :  "The  nativity  of 
Columcille,  on  the  same  day  upon  which  Buitte,  son  of  Bronach,  slept"  ; 
and  s.a.  522  =  523  :  "  Buitte,  son  of  Bronach,  died.  Columcille  was  born" 
(with  f.n.  and  e.  of  519  and  523).  The  latter  entry  appears  in  A.B.,  3, 
O'Conor's  year  499. 

A.I.,  5,  O'Conor's  year  511  =  516(23  years  after  493,  43  years  before 
559) :  "  The  birth  of  Columcille.     The  slumber  of  Buitte,  Bronach's  son." 

A.C.,  s.a.  [521]  (7  years  after  the  "70th  year"  after  444):  "St 
Columcille  was  born." 

Columba's  birth  is  placed  4  year-sections  before  Bridget's  death,  in  T. 
(but  the  ferial  numbers  are  here  confused)  ;  5  years  before  Bridget's  death, 
in  C.S.  and  A.B.  ;  3  years,  in  A.I.  The  two  events  are  erroneously 
placed  in  the  same  year  by  A.C.     See  below,  p.  17. 

The  Tripartite  Life  (ii,  150)  quotes  a  stanza  in  which  Patrick  is  said  to 
have  prophesied  the  birth  of  Columba,  and  another  stanza  in  which  Bridget 
is  represented  as  welcoming  Columba  in  his  infancy. 

Berchan's  Prophecy  (stanzas  3,  97,  102)  places  Columba's  birth  60  years 
after  the  death  of  Patrick  (t?46i). 

See  an  account  of  St  Patrick's  prophecy  of  St  Columba's  birth  in  the 
Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  92. 

Ibid.   93 :    "  He   was   born  the    17th   of  the    Ides  of    December,   on 


IRISH  AND  GALWEGIAN  SAINTS  7 

Early  6th  century  :  ca.  525  ? 

Preface  to  the  hymn  Parce,  D online  ;  Liber  Hymnorum, 
vol.  i,  p.  22  ^ 

Parce,  Doniine.  Mugint  composed  this  hymn  in  Whithorn. 
The  cause  [of  its  composition  was  that]  Finnian  of  Moville^ 
went  forth  [from  Ireland]  for  instruction  to  Mugint ;  and  with 
him  [were]  Rioc  and  Talmach  and  others.  The  king  of  the 
Britons  at  that  time  was  Drust,  and  he  had  a  daughter  whose 
name  was  Drusticc.^  And  [Drust]  gave  her  to  Mugint  for 
[instruction  in]  reading.  And  she  loved  Rioc,  and  said  to 
Finnian :  "  I  will  give  thee  all  the  books  that  Mugint  has  to 
write*  if  thou  give  me  Rioc  in  marriage."  And  Finnian  sent 
Talmach  to  her  that  night  in  Rioc's  shape,  and  he  knew  her, 

Thursday,  in  a  place  called  Gortann  ;  and  as  soon  as  he  was  born  he  was 
brought  to  that  venerable  and  worthy  priest  Cruinneachan  mcKellaghan, 
who  christened  him  by  the  name  of  Columb.  .  .  ." 

Buitte  was  the  founder  of  Monasterboice.  For  the  story  of  Buitte's 
raising  king  Nechtan  from  the  dead,  see  above,  p.  cxx. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  76,  s.a.  519:  "St  Columcille  was  born  this 
year.  He  was  born  the  night  that  St  Baithine"  (Boyhinn,  but  read 
"St  Buitte")  "died.  They  were  of  one  family,  and  both  of  the  families 
of  O'Donnell  of  Tirconnel,  as  may  appear  by  St  Columba's  genealogy,  as 
Columcille  was  son  of  Felim,  who  was  son  of  Fergus  Cendfota,  who  was 
son  of  Conall  Gulban,  who  was  son  of  Niall  of  the  nine  hostages,  etc.  We 
will  leave  to  speak  here  of  St  Columb,  until  we  come  to  make  mention  of 
him  at  the  time  of  his  death.  St  Baithine  \_Boghinn\  was  his  cousin- 
german  (he  errs)."  Baithine,  not  Buitte,  was  Columba's  first  cousin  ; 
their  grandfather  was  Fergus  Cendfota. 

'  Also  in  Todd's  Book  of  Hymns,  i,  95  ;  Stokes,  Goidelica,  96-97.  See 
Todd's  Notes,  u.s.,  97  ff.  ;  and  Bernard  and  Atkinson,  ii,  112-113. 

This  story  is  mere  legend. 

-  Finnian  of  Moville's  death  is  placed  by  A.U.  s.a.  578  =  579  ;  by  T., 
s.a.  [577];  by  C.S.,  under  Hennessy's  year  578  =  577  (f.n.  5);  and  in  A.I., 
under  O'Conor's  year  572  =  580  (19  years  before  599). 

^  Book  of  Leinster,  373a  (list  of  mothers  of  saints)  :  "  Dustric,  daughter 
of  Drust  \Truist\  king  of  the  Britons  of  the  north,  and  mother  of  Lonan 
Talmach's  son.  Of  her  it  is  said:  'Drust,  king  of  the  free  estuary 
from  the  shore  [Trust  rt  in  tsaer  inbir  ontraig\  had  one  perfect  daughter, 
Dustricc,  very  haughty  to  others  ;  the  mother  of  Lonan,  Talmach's 
son.' " 

^  Quos  hahet  Mugint  scribendicm ;  possibly  books  lent  by  her  to 
Mugint  to  be  copied. 


8  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

and  thereby  Lonan  of  Treoit  ^  was  conceived  and  born.  But 
Drusticc  imagined  that  Rioc  had  known  her,  and  she  said  that 
Rice  was  the  father  of  her  son.  This  was  false,  because  Rioc 
was  a  virgin. 

Then  Mugint  was  angry,  and  sent  a  lad  to  the  church, 
and  said  to  him  :  "  Whoever  comes  first  this  night  to  thee 
in  the  church,  strike  him  with  an  axe."  He  said  this  because 
Finnian  used  to  go  to  the  church  first.  Nevertheless  that 
night,  by  the  Lord's  instigation  Mugint  himself  reached  the 
church  first;  and  the  lad  struck  him,  according  to  the  words 
of  the  prophet :  "  His  sorrow  shall  be  turned  about,  and  his 
wickedness  shall  fall  upon  his  own  head."  And  then  Mugint 
said  the  Parce,  because  he  thought  that  enemies  were  harry- 
ing the  people ;  or  else  [it  was]  that  this  hymn  was  composed 
for  this  reason,  that  his  fault  should  not  be  visited  upon  the 
people. 

Or  Ambrose  composed  it  when  he  was  ill.  Or  David 
composed  it,  as  others  say,  but  not  truly ;  but  from  [David] 
was  taken  [the  part]  from  Die  angelo  tuo  percutienti  to 
populo  tuo} 

'  Treoit  seems  to  have  been  a  place  in  Galloway. 

Martyrology  of  Oengus,  4th  December:  "The  modest  Fer-da-leithe" 
("man  of  two  sides")  "was  one  of  our  noble  elders";  with  this  note  in 
L.B.  (1880  Oengus,  clxxx) :  "Berchan  of  Clonsost  in  Offaly";  and  in 
Laud  MS.  610  (ibid.)  :  "or  Fer-da-leithe  in  Laid- Treoit  in  Scotland;  he 
was  a  priest.  '  Man  of  two  parts,'  that  is  [he  spent]  half  his  life  in  the 
world  and  the  other  half  in  pilgrimage,  as  they  say."  The  Franciscan 
MS.  (ibid.):  "half  his  life  in  Scotland,  and  the  other  half  in  Ireland.'' 
(Cf.  1905  ed.,  256.) 

Cf.  the  Martyrology  of  Donegal,  December  4th,  p.  327. 

Another  Galloway  saint  was  apparently  Colman.  Cf.  a  note  in  the 
Franciscan  MS.  of  the  Martyrology  of  Oengus  (1905  ed.,  246) :  "Colman 
of  the  ink  of  Cuilend  in  the  Rhinns,  that  is  of  Dunragit  [duib 
Chicili?td  isna  Remiaib  a.  0  Dhun  Reichef],  and  of  Belach  Congais  in 
Leinster,  and  of  other  places.  .  .  ."  But  MS.  Rawlinson  B  505  calls  him 
"Colman  Dub  of  Cuilend,  that  is  a  mountain  at  Belach  Conglaiss,  in 
Leinster."  Cf  the  notes  in  L.B.  (1880  Oengus,  clxxi),  with  an  account  of 
Colman's  miraculous  conception  from  ink,  through  virtue  of  Comgall  of 
Bangor. 

2  The  hymn  Parce,  Domine  is  in  Bernard  and  Atkinson,  i,  23-24  ;  Todd's 
Book  of  Hymns,  i,  95-96.  It  is  quite  unconnected  with  the  story  in  its 
preface  ;  see  Bernard  and  Atkinson,  ii,  113. 


KING  ARTHUR  9 

?ca.  537 
Annales  Camtoriae,  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  154;  s.a.  [537]^ 

The  battle  of  Camlann,^  in  which  Arthur  and  Medraut  fell ; 
and  there  was  a  plague  in  Britain  and  Ireland.^ 

1  Placed  3  years  after  "  the  90th  year  "  after  [444].  Geoffrey  dates  this 
battle  in  542  ;  see  below.  542  would  have  been  93  years  after  449,  which 
Geoffrey  may  have  thought  to  have  been  the  initial  year  of  the  A.C.  (cf. 
Bede's  rendering  (I,  16)  of  Gildas). 

2  Gueith  Camlann  ;  bellum  Camlan  in  MS.  B,  which  reads  (Ab  Ithel's 
ed.,  4,  note):  "  The  battle  of  Camlann,  in  which  the  renowned  Arthur,  king 
of  the  Britons,  and  his  betrayer  Medraut,  fell  by  mutual  wounds."  This 
is  derived  by  MS.  B  from  Geoffrey  of  Monmouth,  who  places  the  battle 
beside  the  river  Camel  {flumen  Cambuld)  in  Cornwall.  Geoffrey's  evidence 
is  not  conclusive  against  the  identification  of  Camlann  with  Camelon  near 
Falkirk.  But  there  is  a  13th-century  family  name,  de  Camelyn  (or 
Camelin) ;  and  if  that  is  "of  Camelon,"  the  form  of  the  name  would 
absolutely  rule  out  any  connection  between  the  names  Camlann  and 
Camelon.  The  land  of  Camelyn  was  in  the  fee  of  Calacmane,  i.e.  presum- 
ably Clackmannan  (St  Andrews,  398-399). 

3  The  last  sentence  is  not  in  Ab  Ithel's  MSS.  BC.  In  MS.  A,  "the 
battle  .  .  .  plague  "  is  written  over  an  erasure. 

A  plague  reached  Ireland,  according  to  A.U.,  in  544  =  545  ;  cf  A.I., 
O'Conor's  year  534  =  539  (20  years  before  559;  57  years  before  599);  and 
T.  and  C.S.,  under  f.n.  i  (Hennessy's  year  54i)  =  [54o].  This  was  the 
plague  in  which  Mobi  died. 

The  battle  of  Camlann  is  mentioned  in  the  Welsh  Triads.  See  M.A. 
(1870),  396,  397,  398,  393  ;  Loth's  Mabinogion  (1913),  ii,  237,  246,  253,  265, 
283,  290  ;  cf  i,  269-270,  277,  353-354. 

The  "slaying  of  Arthur"  is  placed  last  among  the  destructions  that 
were  the  subjects  of  Irish  literary  compositions  :  L.L.,  igo. 

W.N.,  i,  14,  says  in  his  Preface  :  "  It  is  quite  plain  that  everything  that 
that  man  [Geoffrey  of  Monmouth]  took  pains  to  write  concerning  Arthur 
and  his  successors  and  predecessors,  after  Vortigern,  was  invented,  partly 
by  him,  partly  also  by  others  ;  either  in  unbridled  lust  of  lying,  or  also  for 
the  sake  of  pleasing  the  Britons  [i.e.  the  Welsh]  ;  of  whom  we  hear  that 
very  many  are  so  irrational  that  they  are  said  to  await  Arthur  as  still  to 
come  ;  and  they  will  not  hear  of  his  being  dead.  .  .  ." 

For  an  instance  of  this  belief,  in  Cornwall,  shortly  before  Geoffrey 
wrote,  see  Hermann  of  Laon,  De  Miraculis  S.  Marie  Laudunensis,  II,  15  ; 
P.L.  156,  983.  Cf  i.a.  R.  H.  Fletcher,  Arthurian  Material  in  the  Chronicles 
(1906),  lOI. 


10  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

ca.  537 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  136, 
s.a.  [S37]i 

Comgall,  Domangart's  son,  king  of  Scotland,  fell  in  the 
thirty-fifth  year  of  his  reign.^ 

546 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  50,  s.a.  545  =  546  ^ 

Derry  of  Columcille  was  founded.* 

1  F.n.  5.  The  previous  year-section  records  the  death  of  Pope  Agapitus 
(+  536),  and  the  next  contains  the  death  of  Pope  Silverius  after  a  pontificate 
of  "  I  year,  5  months,  and  11  days."  (Similarly  A.U.  under  537  =  538  and 
538  =  539.)  This  is  taken  from  the  Liber  Pontificalis,  LX,  i  ;  M.G.H., 
G.P.R.,  i,  144.     Silverius  was  deposed  in  537. 

^  A.U.  also  read  (i,  48,  s.a.  537  =  538):  "Death  of  Comgall,  son  of 
Domangart,  in  the  thirty-fifth  year  of  his  reign,"  although  "thirty-second" 
would  be  in  agreement  with  the  dates  they  give  ;  and  in  order  to  allow 
him  a  reign  of  about  thirty-five  years  they  repeat,  s.a.  541  =542,  "  Death  of 
Comgall,  son  of  Domangart"  (i,  48).  Again,  i,  50,  s.a.  544  =  545  (with  fn. 
and  e.  of  545) :  "The  death  of  Comgall,  Domangart's  son,  as  others  say." 
Under  the  same  year  (545),  A.U.  place:  "The  first  mortality,  which  is 
called  blefed ;  and  in  it  Mobf  Clar-ainech  died." 

A.I.,  6,  O'Conor's  year  531  =  536  (23  years  before  559):  "The  death  of 
Comgall,  son  of  Domangart  of  Rete."  This  stands  35  years  after  the  death 
of  Comgall's  predecessor,  Domangart  (see  above,  ca.  506). 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  78,  s.a.  539:  "Comgall,  Domangart's  son, 
king  of  Scotland,  in  the  35th  year  of  his  reign,  died." 

The  Duan  Albanach,  in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  59  :  "  Comgall,  Domangart's 
son,  had  twenty-four  [years]  without  contention  [in  the  sovereignty  of 
Argyle]." 

The  Chronicles  of  Dalriata  are  at  variance  about  the  length  of 
Comgall's  reign,  giving  him  33  (E),  22  (DK),  or  24  years  (F).  See  p.  cxxx. 
The  Irish  Annals  are  in  agreement  about  it  ;  they  say  that  he  died  in  his 
35th  year,  which  not  only  does  not  agree  with  any  of  the  Chronicles  of 
Dalriata  or  with  the  Duan,  but  also  does  not  agree  with  their  own  dates. 
T.  says  that  he  reigned  from  [506]  to  [537]  ;  A.U.,  from  507  to  538,  but  with 
alternative  death-dates  542  and  545  ;  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  from 
509  to  539.  A.I.  alone  give  him  unequivocally  35  years'  reign,  from 
501  to  536.     For  the  succession  of  his  brother  Gabran,  see  year  559,  note. 

In  his  De  Bello  Gothico,  II,  6,  Procopius  says  that  the  Roman  leader, 
Belisarius,  in  jest  made  over  Britain  to  the  Goths  in  537  (Hodgkin, 
England,  112-113)  ;  Niebuhr's  Procopius,  ii,  171. 

'  With  f.n.  and  e.  of  546. 

*  F.M.,     i,  178,  s.a.  535  (and  "the  8th  year  of  TuathaP'as  sovereign 


KINGS  OF  ARGYLE  AND  NORTHUMBRIA  11 

547 

Annales  Camlbriae,  in  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  155,  s.a.  [547]^ 
A  great  mortality,  in  which  Mailcun,  king  of  Guenedota, 
reposed.^ 

547 

Historia  Brittonum,  Genealogies;  in  M.G.H.,  Auctores, 
vol.  xii,  p.  205 

Ida,  son  of  Eobba,  held  the  districts  in  the  northern  part  of 
Britain ;  that  is,  [to  the  north]  of  the  sea  of  Humber.  He 
reigned  for  twelve  years ;  and  he  united  Dinguayrdi  [and] 
Guurth  Berneich.^ 

At  that  time  Dutigirn  fought  valiantly  against  the  nation 
of  the  Angles,  At  that  time  Talhaearn  Tataguen  was  renowned 
in  verse  ;  and  Neirin,  and  Taliessin,  and  Bluchbard,  and  Cian, 

of  Ireland):  "The  church  of  Daire-Calgaig  was  founded  by  Columcille, 
after  the  place  had  been  offered  up  to  him  by  his  own  tribe,  the  kindred  of 
Conall  Gulban,  Niall's  son." 

Cf.  the  Irish  Life  of  Columba,  Stokes's  Three  Homilies,  106-108  ;  and 
Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  94. 

'■  Placed  3  years  after  the  "  looth  year"  after  444. 

2  MS.  B,  Ab  Ithel's  ed.,  4,  adds  :  "Hence  it  was  said,  'The  long  sleep 
of  Mailcun  in  the  castle  of  Ros ' "  (ffir  hun  Wailgun  en  His  Ros j  evidently 
the  title  of  an  elegy). 

^  The  version  of  Nennius  (ibid.)  is  :  "  Ida,  son  of  Eobba,  held  the 
districts  to  the  northern  side  of  the  sea  of  Humber,  for  twelve  years  ;  and 
he  united  the  citadel,  that  is.  Din  Gueirm,  with  Curd  Birnech.  These 
two  districts  were  in  one  district,  that  is  Deura  Bernech,  in  English  Deira 
and  Bernicia." 

With  this  union,  compare  the  separation  mentioned  in  the  Historia 
Brittonum's  Genealogies,  u.s.,  204:  "...  Sebald  begot  Zegulf,  [who] 
begot  Soemil.  [Soemil]  first  separated  Deira  and  Bernicia  \Deur  o 
BirneicK],  Soemil  begot  Sguerthing,  [who]  begot  Guilglis,  [who]  begot 
Usfrean,  who  begot  Ififi,  [who]  begot  Ulli,  [who  begot]  Edgum,  [who  begot] 
Osfird  and  Eadfird.     Edgum  had  two  sons  .  .  .  ."     See  year  633,  note. 

Soemil  appears  to  be  omitted  by  the  pedigree  in  A.S.C.  (B,  s.a.  560  ; 
C,  s.a.  559) ;  Sguerthing  seems  to  be  the  Westerfalca  of  A.S.C.,  which 
reads  :  "MWe  was  Yffe's  son,  Yffe  Uxfrea's  son,  Uxfrea  Wilgils'  son,  Wilgils 
Westerfalca's  son,  Westerfalca  Ssefugal's  son,  Saefugel  Sasbald's  son.  .  .  ." 

Ida's  death  and  file's  succession  are  placed  by  A.S.C.  in  560  (ABE) 
or  559  (CF).     See  year  559. 

C.H.,  8,  s.a.  547,  notes  the  reign  of  Ida  verbatim  from  Bede's 
Recapitulatio. 


12  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

who  was  called  Gueinth  Guaut,  were  famed  together  at   one 
time  in  British  verse. 

The  great  king  Mailcun  reigned  over  the  Britons,  that  is  to 
say,  in  the  district  of  Guenedota.  .  .  .  ^ 

559-685 

Kings  of  Bernicia 

Historia  Brittonum,  Genealogies;  in  M.G.H.,  Auctores, 
vol.  xiii,  pp.  206-208 

Adda,  Ida's  son,  reigned  for  eight  years.^ 
^thelric,  [Ida's]  son,  reigned  for  four  years.^ 
Theodric,  Ida's  son,  reigned  for  seven  years.* 

1  Here  (205-206)  follows  the  account  of  Cuneda's  migration  from  Manau 
(East  Stirlingshire)  :  "because  his  grandfather's  grandfather  [atavus], 
Cunedag,  had  formerly  come  with  his  sons  (whose  number  is  eight)  from 
the  northern  region,  that  is  to  say,  from  the  district  that  is  called  Manau 
Guotodin,  146  years  before  Mailcun  reigned  ;  and  they  expelled  the  [Irish] 
Scots  from  these  districts  [of  Gwynedd]  with  the  greatest  slaughter,  and 
never  again  did  [the  Scots]  return  to  dwell  there." 

Mailcun  is  made  the  great-grandson  of  Cuneda  in  the  genealogies  after 
A.C.     They  seem  to  have  omitted  two  generations, 

Genealogy  XXXII,  after  A.C;  Y  Cymmrodor,  ix,  182-183:  "These 
are  the  names  of  Cuneda's  sons,  whose  number  was  nine  :  Typiaun " 
(in  text  Typipauii)  "the  eldest,  who  died  in  the  district  that  is  called 
Manau  Guotodin  [Guodottn'],  and  he  did  not  come  hither  with  his 
father  and  with  his  brothers  afore[said] "  (in  text  pre  ;  read  predictis, 
with  Meyrick,  Phillimore) ;  "  Meriaun,  [Cuneda's]  son,  divided  the 
possessions  among  his  brothers,  2nd  Osmail,  3rd  Rumaun,  4th  Dunaut, 
5th  Ceretic,  6th  Abloyc,  7th  Enniaun  Girt,  8th  Docmail,  9th  Etern.  This 
is  their  territory  [terminus],  from  a  river  that  is  called  Dubr  Duiii  to 
another  river,  Tebi.  And  they  held  very  many  districts  in  the  western 
part  of  Britain." 

^  I.e.  in  Bernicia  ;  while  ^Ue  reigned  in  Deira,  from  559  or  560  to 
588  (A.S.C.,  ABCEF). 

The  reign  of  Clappa  for  one  year  has  been  omitted  from  this  list.  Cf. 
E.C.,  5.  Other  kings  have  been  omitted  ;  and  probably  for  several  years 
yEUe  reigned  over  Bernicia  also  :  but  early  evidence  is  scanty  for  this 
period. 

^  For  "Adda's  son"  in  the  text,  read  "Ida's  son";  cf  ibid.  202,  and 
A.S.C.  s.a.  593.  /Ethelric  reigned  over  Northumbria  from  588  to  593 
(A.S.C.,  ABCE). 

*  Probably  before  588.  This  appears  to  have  been  the  same  Theodric 
who  was  the  opponent  of  Urbgen  (below). 


KINGS  OF  BEENICIA  13 

Frithweald  reigned  for  six  years.^  In  iiis  time  the  kingdom 
of  Kent  received  baptism,  at  tlie  sending  of  Gregory.''^ 

Hussa  reigned  for  seven  years.^  Four  kings  strove  against 
him :  Urbgen,  and  Riderch  Hen,  and  Guallanc,  and  Morcant.* 
Theodric  fought  manfully  against  this  Urbgen  and  his  sons. 
And  in  those  days  sometimes  the  enemy,  sometimes  the 
citizens,  conquered.^  And  [Urbgen]  shut  them  in  for  three 
days  and  nights  in  the  island  called  Metcaud.''  And  while  he 
was  upon  the  expedition,  he  was  assassinated  by  contrivance 
of  Morcant,  through  jealousy ;  because  among  all  the  kings 
[Urbgen]  had  the  greatest  courage  in  conducting  war. 

1  I.e.  ca.  593-599  :  perhaps  in  northern  Bernicia. 

^  Augustine  was  sent  by  Pope  Gregory  I  in  596,  and  arrived  in 
spring  of  597. 

'  I.e.  ca.599-ca.606.  But  the  same  authority  (below)  implies  that 
Hussa's  reign  ended  in  605. 

yEthelfrith  appears  to  have  been  king  of  all  Northumbria  at  this  time, 
from  593  (Bede,  I,  34;  E.G.,  11)  to  617  (A.S.G.,  E).  But  probably  Hussa 
held  the  northern  part  of  Bernicia  under  him  ;  and  Hussa's  son,  Hering, 
led  the  Northumbrian  forces  against  the  Scots  in  603  (E.G.,  12,  note). 

*  Apparently  these  were  kings  of  Welsh  districts  of  Gumbria  and 
Strathclyde. 

For  Riderch  Hen,  cf  Adamnan,  below,  p.  73  ;  also  years  573,  612,  notes. 

The  Genealogies  that  follow  A.C.  (P.  &  S.,  15)  give  this  king's  pedigree 
thus  :  "Riderch  Hen,  son  of  Tutagual,  son  of  Clinoch,  son  of  Dumnagual 
Hen."  For  Dumnagual  Hen,  see  above,  p.  clviii ;  and  cf  the  pedigree 
(u.s.  15-16) :  "Clinog  Eitin,  son  of  Ginbelim,  son  of  Dumnagual  Hen." 

Ginbelin,  son  of  Dumnagual  Hen,  is  mentioned  in  Welsh  Triads  ; 
Loth's  Mabinogion,  ii,  nos.  16,  38  ;  M.A.,  396  (u),  397  (31). 

Aidan,  Gabran's  son,  appears  to  have  been  Dumnagual  Hen's  grandson. 
See  S.C.S.,  i,  160,  note. 

Urbgen's  pedigree  also  appears  after  A.G.  (u.s.  16)  :  "Urbgen,  son  of 
Ginmarc,  son  of  Merchiaun  \_Merchianunt\,  son  of  Gurgust,  [son  of  Ceneu] 
son  of  Goil  Hen." 

For  "  Guallanc "  we  should  read  Guallauc.  Guallauc's  pedigree  (ibid. 
16) :  "  Guallauc,  son  of  Laenauc,  son  of  Masguic  Clop,  son  of  Geneu,  son 
of  Goyl  Hen."     See  year  ?632. 

Morcant's  pedigree  (ibid.  16) :  "  Morcant,  son  of  Goledauc,  son  of 
Morcant  Bulc,  son  of  Cincar  Braut,  son  of  Bran  Hen,  son  of  Dumnagual 
Moilmut,  son  of  Garbaniaun,  son  of  CoyI  Hen  "  ;  and  Coil  Hen's  pedigree 
is  carried  back  through  15  generations  to  Beli.  These  are  pedigrees  VI -X 
after  A.C.  in  Y  Cymmrodor,  ix,  173,  174. 

°  I.e.  the  Welsh  of  Cumbria  or  of  Strathclyde,  regarded  as  survivors  of 
the  Romans.     This  is  an  echo  of  Gildas. 

^  I.e.  Lindisfarne  ;  cf  the  Irish  Annals,  below,  year  634,  note. 


14  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

iEthelfrith  Flesaurs  reigned  for  twelve  years  in  Bernicia, 
and  other  twelve  in  Deira ;  he  reigned  for  twenty-four  years, 
between  the  two  kingdoms.  And  he  gave  Dinguoroy  to  his 
wife.  She  was  called  Bebbab ;  and  from  the  name  of  his  wife 
[the  castle]  received  its  name  of  Bebbanburch.^ 

Edwin,  son  of  ^lle,  reigned  for  seventeen  years.  And  he 
occupied  Elmet,  and  drove  out  Ceretic.the  king  of  that  district.^ 

Eanflffid,  [Edwin's]  daughter,  received  baptism  on  the  twelfth 
day  after  Pentecost,  and  all  her  people  with  her,  both  men  and 
women.^  And  Edwin  received  baptism  on  the  following 
Easter ;  and  twelve  thousand  men  were  baptized  with  him.* 

If  any  wish  to  know  who  baptized  them  ^ :  Run,  Urbgen's 
son,^  baptized  them ;  and  for  forty  days  he  did  not  cease 
baptizing  the  whole  race  of  Ambrones.''  And  through  his 
preaching  many  believed  in  Christ.^ 

'  According  to  A.S.C.,  Bamborough  Castle  was  built  by  Ida  ;  it  took 
the  place  of  the  British  capital  of  Deira.  See  year  547.  yEthelfrith  (here 
called  Eadfered Flesaurs ;  cf.  ibid.  202)  reigned  for  24  years  in  Northumbria 
(593-617).  According  to  this  authority,  he  was  sole  king  there  only  from 
605  to  617. 

^  Edwin  would  thus  have  reigned  from  5i6  to  633  :  perhaps,  however, 
617  is  the  true  year  of  his  accession  (A.S.C.,  E). 

A.C.,  6,  s.a.  [616]:  "Ceretic  died";  and  immediately  after,  s.a.  [617]: 
"  Edwin  began  to  reign." 

^  Nennius  adds :  "And  she  was  the  first  to  be  baptized." 

Pentecost  in  626  was  June  8.  Eanflsd  was  baptized  in  her  infancy  on 
that  day,  with  eleven  others,  according  to  Bede.  She  had  been  born  on 
the  night  of  Easter  (April  19  x  20). 

*  Nennius  adds  (ibid.  207) :  "  in  one  day."  Edwin  was  baptized  in  627 
(A.S.C.),  on  April  12  (Bede).  12th  April  was  Easter  in  that  year  (Dionysiam 
system).     See  the  account  in  Bede's  Historia  Ecclesiastica,  II,  9-14. 

=  Nennius  adds  (u.s,):  "Thus  bishop  Renchidus,  and  Elbobdus,  the 
holiest  of  bishops,  have  related  {iradideruni)  to  me."  Possibly  these  were 
the  writers  of  the  Genealogies  in  Historia  Brittonum. 

•^  Rum  map  Urbgen.  Nennius  adds  (u.s.)  ;  "That  is  to  say,  Paulinus, 
archbishop  of  York."  Bede  implies  that  Paulinus  was  the  baptizer.  From 
this  passage  of  Historia  Brittonum  it  has  been  deduced  that  Paulinus  was 
the  assumed  name  of  Run  ;  for  whom  see  below,  p.  150. 

'  genus  ambronum,  an  echo  of  Gildas.  Cf  Adam  of  Bremen's  crudelis- 
simi  ambrones  (M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vii,  375) ;  rendered  by  Wilmans, 
Latrones,  i.e.  "robbers,"  which  would  agree  with  the  meaning  in  Gildas. 
But  here,  and  in  Geoffrey  of  Monmouth  (VIII,  8,  14,  23  ;  XII,  15)  the  word 
seems  to  be  used  as  a  proper  name,  perhaps  equivalent  to  Angles. 

8  Here  Nennius  continues  (ibid.  207) :  "  But  since  the  genealogies  of 


KINGS  OF  BERNICIA  15 

Oswald,  ^thelfrith's  son,  reigned  for  nine  years ;  he  is 
[called]  Oswald  Lamnguin.^  He  slew  Catguollaun,  king  of 
the  district  of  Guenedota,  in  the  battle  of  Catscaul,  and  made 
a  great  slaughter  of  his  army.^ 

Oswiu,  ^thelfrith's  son,  reigned  for  twenty-eight  years  and 
six  months.^  While  he  reigned,  and  Catgualart  after  his 
father  reigned  over  the  Britons,  a  pestilence  came,  and  in  it 
[Oswiu]  died.*  And  [Oswiu]  killed  Penda^  in  the  plain  of 
Gai ;  and  now  was  made  the  slaughter  of  Gai  Plain.''  And 
[there]  were  slain  the  British  kings,  who  had  gone  out  with 
Penda^  upon  this  expedition,  as  far  as  the  city  that  is  called 
ludeu.  Then  Oswiu  rendered  all  the  riches  that  were  with  him, 
in  the  town,  as  far  as  Manau,  to  Penda ;  and  Penda  distributed 

the  Saxons  and  the  genealogies  of  the  other  nations  seemed  useless  to  my 
master,  the  priest  Beulan,  I  have  refrained  from  writing  them  ;  but  I  have 
written  about  the  cities  and  marvels  of  the  island  of  Britain,  as  the  writers 
before  me  have  written." 

'  In  L.B.'s  notes  upon  Oengus,  the  name  Fland  Fma  is  given  to 
Ealdfrith  Oswiu's  son  (1880  Oengus,  cxxix  ;  Flann  Fma  in  the  Franciscan 
MS.,  1905  Oengus,  182),  apparently  in  error.     See  year  704,  note. 

2  In  the  battle  of  Denisesburna,  in  634  ;  Bede,  H.E.,  III,  1-2.  Oswald 
reigned  from  that  battle  to  642  (A.S.C.,  A  ;  641,  BCEF).  He  was  killed  in 
the  battle  of  Maserfelth  (perhaps  Oswestry)  on  5th  August,  642  (Bede, 
H.E.,  III,  9).     See  years  634,  642. 

3  Oswiu  reigned  from  August  642  to  671  (A.S.C.,  ABCEF),  February 
15th  (E;  Bede,  H.E.,  IV,  5). 

Historia  Brittonum's  Genealogies,  U.S.  203  :  "  And  Oswiu  had  two 
wives  :  one  of  them  was  called  Riemmelth,  daughter  of  Royth,  daughter  of 
Rum  ;  and  the  other  was  called  Eanflsed,  daughter  of  Edwin,  son  of  ^Ue." 

■•  Robertson  (Early  Kings,  i,  17)  and  Skene  (F.A.B.W.,  i,  73-74)  under- 
stand this  to  mean  that  Catgualart  died  of  the  pestilence.  The  passage  is 
so  understood  by  A.C.  ;  Y  Cymmrodor,  ix,  159,  s.a.  [682]  (8  years  after  the 
"  230th  year  "  after  444) :  "  There  was  a  great  pestilence  in  Britain  ;  and  in 
it  Catgualart,  Catguollaun's  son,  died."  And  immediately  afterwards,  s.a. 
[683] :  "Pestilence  in  Ireland."  A.U.  record,  s.a.  683  =  684 ("bissextile"),  a 
"  mortality  of  children,"  which  began  in  October  of  the  previous  year.  Under 
the  succeeding  year  both  A.C.  and  A.U.  record  an  earthquake  in  Man. 

We  should  have  to  read  regnans  for  regnante  in  the  text  of  Historia 
Brittonum,  to  make  it  agree  with  the  statement  in  A.C.  ;  and  even  then 
A.C.  must  have  misplaced  Catgualart's  death.  A.C.  has  no  independent 
authority  when  it  uses  the  Historia  Brittonum,  as  it  seems  here  to  do. 

^  Pantha.  The  receiver  of  the  concession  at  ludeu  is  called  Penda; 
possibly  for  Peada  (king  of  Mercia,  655-656)  ? 

^  See  year  655. 


16  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH   HISTORY 

them  to  the  kings  of  the  Britons;  that  is,  the  "restitution  of 
ludeu."!  And  Catgabail  alone,  the  king  of  the  district  of 
Guenedota,  fled  with  his  army,  arising  by  night;  wherefore 
he  was  called  Catgabail  Catguommed.- 

Ecgfrith,  Oswiu's  son,  reigned  for  nine  years.^  In  his 
time,  the  bishop  St  Cuthbert  died  in  the  island  of  Medcaut* 
Ecgfrith  is  he  who  made  war  against  the  Picts,  and  fell  there.^ 

1  Aibret  ludeu.  Skene  (F.A.B.W.,  i,  87-89  ;  S.C.S.,  i,  253-256)  explains 
the  text  without  verbal  alteration,  by  placing  the  "ransom  of  ludeu,"  as  he 
translates  it,  before  the  battle  of  Gai.  This  is  possible.  Bede  (H.E.,  III, 
24  ;  cf.  E.C.,  24,  note)  says  that  Oswiu  offered  Panda  a  large  price  for 
peace,  but  that  Penda  refused  it  ;  Skene's  account  would  imply  that  Penda 
accepted  the  price  without  giving  peace.  If  this  is  right,  the  six  sentences 
in  the  above  paragraph  should  be  re-arranged  in  the  order  r  i,  5,  6,  3,  4,  2. 
Perhaps  the  writer  combined  accounts  taken  from  different  sources.  Cf. 
year  642.     It  seems  more  reasonable  to  read  "  Peada  "  in  sentence  5. 

ludeu  may  be  Giudi  on  the  Forth  ;  Manau  may  be  the  Manau  on  the 
Forth,  but,  since  a  wide  distribution  of  lands  seems  to  be  indicated,  may 
also  mean  some  other  Manau,  perhaps  the  island  of  Man.  The  British 
kings  seem  to  have  received  their  lands  in  subjection  to  Oswiu  throughout 
northern  Britain,  perhaps  from  the  Forth  to  Man.  No  reliance  can  be 
placed  upon  this  passage.  The  words  "as  far  as  Manau"  may  be  a 
displaced  gloss  upon  "as  far  as  .  .  .  ludeu,"  and  may  mean  no  more  than 
that  ludeu  was  within  Manau. 

Bede  says  that  the  battle  in  which  Penda  was  killed  was  fought  "to  the 
great  benefit  of  both  peoples  :  because  [Oswiu]  both  freed  his  own  nation 
from  the  hostile  ravaging  of  pagans,  and  (by  cutting  off  their  faithless 
{perfidus]  head)  converted  that  nation  of  the  Mercians  and  of  the  neigh- 
bouring provinces  to  the  grace  of  the  Christian  faith"  (H.E.,  III,  24). 

Oswiu  gave  Peada,  Penda's  son,  rule  over  the  Mercians  to  the  south  of 
the  Trent,  "  because  he  was  his  relative  "  ;  also,  perhaps,  because  Oswiu's 
son,  Ecgfrith,  was  a  hostage  in  the  hands  of  the  Mercians.  Peada  was 
killed  in  spring,  656  (ibid.). 

2  This  probably  means  "  the  battle-fighter  who  evades  battle." 

^  Ecgfrith  reigned  15th  February  671  to  20th  May  685  (E.G.,  43). . 

*  I.e.,  in  Lindisfarne  ;  see  above.  But  Cuthbert  died  in  Fame  Island 
on  Wednesday,  20th  March  [687]  (or  rather  the  preceding  evening ;  con- 
suetum  nocturncE  orationis  tempus.  Vita  S.  Cudbercti,  XXXVI,  XXXIX. 
H.E.,  IV,  29),  after  two  years  in  the  episcopate  (Anonymous  Life  ;  E.H.S. 
Bede,  ii,  281).  He  had  been  made  bishop  during  Ecgfrith's  reign,  but 
survived  Ecgfrith  by  22  months. 

^  See  year  685.     For  the  continuation  of  this  passage,  see  year  642. 


PART   II 

Cfiristianization  of  the  Picts.      Life  of  Columba 

Before  524  and  before  558 

Life  of  Brendan,  in  Plummer's  Vitap  Sanctorum 
Hiberniae,  vol.  i,  p.  143 

After  this/  [Brendan  of  Clonfert]  came  to  a  certain  island 
of  Britain  called  Auerech,^  and  there  he  founded  a  church, 
proposing  to  remain  there  to  the  end.  .  .  .^ 

'  After  an  episode  related  of  Brendan  and  Gildas  (for  whom  see  year 
570).     Cf.  another  Life,  quoted  in  S.C.S.,  ii,  77,  note. 

^  In  three  versions  this  name  appears  as  Ailech,  which  would  stand  for 
one  of  the  Garvelloch  Islands.  It  is  almost  certainly  the  island  called 
Elachnave  {Eileach  nan  naoinh). 

For  a  short  description  of  the  ruins  in  Elachnave  see  Cosmo 
Innes,  Origines  Parochiales,  ii,  1,  277  (Edinburgh,  1854).  Cf.  Joseph 
Anderson,  Scotland  in  Early  Christian  Times,  i,  95  ff.' (Edinburgh,  1881). 
These  so-called  bee-hive  structures  had  no  arch.  The  existing  chapel 
has  a  small  window  at  the  east  end. 

^  A  miraculous  incident  sent  him  back  to  Ireland,  to  consult  St  Bridget. 

A.U.,  s.aa.  523  =  524  and  525  =  526:  "Repose  [524;  Sleeping  526]  of 
St  Bridget,  in  the  70th  year  of  her  age";  s.a.  527  =  528:  "Or  in  this 
year  the  sleeping  of  Bridget,  according  to  the  Book  of  Mochod." 

T.  (R.C.,  xvii,  129)  under  fn.  2  =  524:  "Sleeping  of  St  Bridget  in  the 
88th  year  of  her  age  ;  or  the  70th  only,  as  others  say.''  Similarly  in  C.S., 
40,  Hennessy's  year  523  (between  years  with  fn.  3  and  4)  ;  but  with  the 
false  reading  "  or  77th  '■'  for  "  70th." 

Bridget's  death  stands  in  A.I.,  5,  under  O'Conor's  year  514  =  519  (40 
years  before  559);  in  A.C.,  under  [521],  with  the  birth  of  Columba;  but 
A.C.  places  her  birth  in  [454],  and  its  Irish  source  might  have  been 
expected  to  have  had  her  death  under  524. 

Alberic  of  Trois  Fontaines  (M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xxiii,  692)  notes 
Bridget's  death  under  519. 

Gilla-Coemain  (R.S.  89,  ii,  536):  "From  the  death  of  Patrick" 
(traditional  date,  A.D.  493)  ".  .  .  30  years  to  the  death  of  Bridget.  20 
years  after  the  death  of  Bridget  .  .  .  the  death  of  Tuathal  Maelgarb  with 
horror,  a  year  before  Ciaran's  decease."  Tuathal  died  in  544  or  549,  Ciaran 
in  549,  according  to  A.U.     Both  these  deaths  are  placed  in  A.I.  under 

1^  B 


18  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

St  Brendan  set  out  again  for  Britain,  and  founded  a  church 
there,  called  Bledach,  in  the  district  that  is  named  Heth  ^ ;  and 
there  he  worked  many  miracles.  .  .  .  ^ 

Sigebert  of  Gemblours,  Chronica ;  Monumenta  Germaniae 
Historica,  Scriptores,  vol.  vi,  p.  318,  s.a.  561 

At  this  time  Brendan  was  renowned  in  Scotia  [Ireland]; 
and  he  sought  the  Fortunate  Islands  in  a  seven-years'  voyage, 
and  saw  many  things  worthy  of  marvel. 

Macutes,  also  called  Maclovus,  regularly  trained  by  him, 
and  the  companion  of  his  voyage,  was  famed  in  Britain  for 
sanctity  and  miracles^;  but  provoked  by  the  Britons,  he  cursed 

O'Conor's  year  538  =  543  (16  years  before  559).  Interpreted  by  A.U., 
Gilla-Coemain  places  Bridget's  death  523x524.  It  maybe  dated  with 
sufficient  accuracy  in  or  before  524.  Therefore  the  biographer  places 
Brendan's  first  visit  to  Scotland  before  524. 

"  Ninnid,  Eochaid's  son,  from  the  regions  of  Mull"  {de partibus  Mula), 
also  called  "Ninnid  Lam-idan"  (clean-handed),  left  Britain  to  administer 
the  communion  to  Bridget  before  she  died.  "  Mull "  may  have  been  the 
island  of  that  name.  (See  Colgan's  Acta  Sanctorum,  i8th  January,  112, 
113-114.)  Ninnid's  pedigree  stands  thus  in  the  Book  of  Leinster  (347d) 
and  the  Lebar  Brecc  (13  f.) :  "Ninnid  Lamidan,  son  of  Eochaid,  son  of 
Aed,  son  of  Loegaire,  son  of  Niall  Nine-hostager.  He  had  a  sister,  Cere, 
Eochaid's  daughter"  (in  Lebar  Brecc,  "Ere,  daughter  of  Eochaid,  son 
of  Aed,  was  his  sister"). 

1  Tiree.  "  In  the  district  of  Heth,  he  dedicated  a  church,  and  a  village 
around  it"  Life  quoted  in  S.C.S.,  u.s.  This  means  that  a  monastic  settle- 
ment was  established. 

2  A  vision  caused  him  to  return  to  Ireland.  This  stands  before  the 
foundation  of  Clonfert  in  558  ;  see  below,  p.  55. 

The  Brussels  Life  of  St  Brendan  says  (Smedt  and  De  Backer,  Acta, 
769  ;  S.C.S.,  ii,  77) :— "■Afterwards,  while  all  wept,  [Brendan]  set  out  and 
returned  to  Britain,  and  founded  two  monasteries,  one  in  the  island  of 
Ailech,  the  other  in  Tiree  \terra  Ethical  in  the  place  called  Bledua.  And 
being  warned  in  dreams,  he  returned  to  Ireland.  .  .  ." 

Various  churches  in  Scotland  were  dedicated  to  Brendan  of  Clonfert. 
For  Kilbrandon,  see  Cosmo  Innes,  Origines  Parochiales,  ii,  1,  102 

3  Down  to  this  point  Sigebert  is  copied  by  Forduii,  Chronicon,  III,  23 
(1,  108).     Fordun  imagined  that  Scotia  meant  Scotland  here. 

Immediately  before  this,  Fordun  reads  :  "And  at  this  time  in  the  city 
of  Rome  [Dionysius]  constructed  the  decemnovenal  cycle  of  Easter  and  it 
began  in  the  year  of  the  Lord  532."  Hence  the  Breviary  of  Aberdeen 
says  that     St  Brandanus,  confessor  and  abbot,"  flourished  A  D   532 

Breviary  of  Aberdeen,   i,  3,   98-99 :   "  Brendan    flourished  among   the 


BRENDAN  AND  MACHUTUS  VISIT  SCOTLAND         19 

them,  and  crossed  over  to  France ;  and  was  renowned  for 
virtues  for  a  long  time  under  Leontius,  bishop  of  Saintes.  The 
Britons  were  afflicted  with  various  disasters  because  of  his 
curse ;  and  he  gave  them  again  his  blessing,  and  absolved  and 
cured  them.^ 

5S3 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  52,  s.a.  552  =  553^ 

Thus  I  have  found  in  Cuanu's  Book : 

Patrick's  remains  were  placed  in  a  shrine  by  Columcille, 
three    score  years  after   Patrick's   death.^     Three   noble  relics 

Scots  when  532  years  from  the  birth  of  Christ  had  passed :  a  man 
renowned  for  great  abstinence  and  virtues  ;  the  father  of  nearly  three 
thousand  monks,  he  was  held  in  the  greatest  esteem  during  those  times  for 
his  extreme  sanctity  and  his  doctrine.  Of  him  some  marvels  are  written, 
in  the  little  book  about  his  life. 

"  He  also  explored  in  a  seven-years'  voyage  the  Fortunate  Islands,  and 
saw  very  many  marvels  ;  and  by  him  St  Machutus  was  baptized,  and 
regularly  trained  in  Christian  doctrine,  and  [made]  the  companion  of  his 
voyage  ;  and  we  read  that  he  was  distinguished  in  Scotland  for  many 
miracles.  .  .  . 

"  St  Brendan  .  .  .  saluted  the  brethren  and  commended  them  all  to 
the  prior  \j>reposit6\  of  his  monastery,  whom  afterwards  he  left  as  his 
successor  in  the  same  place.  And  he  set  out  towards  the  western  district 
or  region  {partem  sive  plagani],  with  twenty-four  brethren,  to  the  island  of 
a  certain  holy  father,  by  name  Penda  \_nomi71e  Pende]  ;  and  there  he  stayed 
for  three  days  and  three  nights. 

"  After  this  he  received  the  blessing  of  the  father  and  of  all  the  monks, 
and  set  out  to  the  remotest  part  of  his  province  {in  ultimam  partem 
regionis  sue\,  where  his  relatives  \_parentes  eiiis]  lived  ;  yet  he  would  not 
see  them,  but  he  pitched  his  tent  upon  the  summit  of  a  certain  mountain 
which  projects  into  the  ocean,  in  the  place  that  is  called  Brendan's  Seat 
[sedes  Brandant].     There  was  [room  for]  the  entrance  of  [but]  one  ship." 

Breviary  of  Aberdeen,  ii,  3,  v-vii :  "  Molocus,  who  had  had  his  birth 
from  a  noble  family  of  the  Scots,  was  from  his  infancy  instructed  in  liberal 
and  divine  studies  under  the  blessed  abbot  Brandanus,  a  man  of  great 
sanctity  and  devotion."  Molocus  sailed  on  a  rock  to  Lismore.  He 
became  a  monk  in  Melrose,  and  was  sent  to  convert  the  people  of  Lismore. 
Then  he  went  to  Thule  {Tyle,  Iceland),  and  afterwards  "went  to  the 
northern  parts  of  Scotland,  namely  Rossia,"  or  Ross.  He  died  in  old  age 
on  the  25th  June,  and  "  was  buried  in  great  veneration  in  the  church  of 
the  blessed  bishop  Boniface,  in  Rosemarkie."  This  is  a  tradition  of 
Moluoc;  see  year  ca.  592, 

1  Machutus  is  the  St  Malo  of  Brittany. 

2  With  f  n.  for  553. 

^  Reckoning  from  the  traditional  date,  493. 


20  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

were  found  in  the  sepulchre :  his  cup,  and  the  Gospel  of  the 
Angel,  and  the  Bell  of  the  Testament.^  Thus  did  the  angel 
divide  the  relics  for  Columcille :— the  cup  to  Down[patrick], 
and  the  Bell  of  the  Testament  to  Armagh,  and  the  Gospel  of 
the  Angel  to  Columcille  himself  It  was  called  the  Angel's 
Gospel,  because  Columcille  received  it  from  the  angel's  hand. 

553 
Tirechan's  History  of  Patrick ;  in  Stokes's  Tripartite  Life, 

vol.  ii,  p.  332 

Columcille,  inspired  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  showed  Patrick's 
burial-place,  and  confirmed  where  it  is,  namely  in  Sabal 
Patraic,^  in  the  church  nearest  to  the  sea,  where  is  the 
collection  of  relics,  that  is,  of  the  bones,  of  Columcille  [brought] 
from  Britain,  and  the  collection  of  all  the  saints  of  Ireland  on 
the  day  of  Judgement. 

?555 

Herimannus  Augiensis,  Chronicon ;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores, 

vol.  V,  p.  88,  s.a.  557 
In  Britain,  Brude  became  king  of  the  Picts.^ 

1  The  bell  may  be  that  preserved  in  the  Royal  Irish  Academy's 
collection  (see  Coffey's  Guide  (19 10),  47-48).  The  Gospel  of  the  Angel 
was  a  book  preserved  mitil  1007  (q.v.) :  it  has  been  supposed  to  be  the 
Book  of  Kells,  but  without  evidence. 

For  Patrick's  Bell,  cf.  Stokes's  Tripartite  Life,  i,  114,  170. 

2  Saul,  county  Down. 

^  This  is  derived  from  Bede's  clear  statement  that  565  was  Brude's  ninth 
year  (English  Chroniclers,  8).  (Hermann's  Chronicle  was  edited  as  a 
continuation  of  the  Chronicle  of  Marcellinus  Comes,  e.g.  in  Bouquet's 
Recueil,  ii,  20). ' 

The  Chronicle  of  the  Picts  (ABC)  says  that  "  Brude,  Maelchon's  son, 
reigned  for  thirty  years.  In  the  eighth  year  of  his  reign  he  was  baptized 
by  St  Columba."  This  statement  appears  to  have  been  derived  from 
Bede's,  with  the  change  of  "ninth"  to  "eighth."  (Fordun,  Chronica,  IV, 
10,  quoting  Bede,  reads  "  ninth.") 

If  Brude's  ninth  year  was  564-565,  his  thirtieth  would  have  been 
585-586.  But  the  A.U.  and  the  A.I.  place  his  death  in  584  (below).  If 
his  thirtieth  year  began  in  584,  his  ninth  would  have  been  563-564  ;  and 
his  first,  555-556.  It  seems  probable  that  Columba  came  to  Dalriata  in 
563  ;  and  that  Bede's  statement  applies  to  that  year.  But  Coltunba  may 
not  have  visited  King  Brude  until  the  following  summer.  Adamnan  does 
not   say   that    Brude   was  baptized  in   the   year  of  Columba's  arrival  in 


KING  BRUDE  AND  KING  GABRAN  21 

ca.  559 

Tigernach,  Annals;  in  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  142^ 

The  death  of  Gabran,  Domangart's  son,  king  of  Scotland.^ 
Flight  of  the  Scots  before  Brude,  Maelchon's  son,  king  of 
the  Picts.3 

Scotland,  or  even  upon  Columba's  first  visit   to  the  Pictish  court.      See 
below,  years  563  and  584. 

^  Under  f.n.  i,  which  may  indicate  a  continuation  of  year  557  ;  but 
placed  between  years  [559]  and  [560].  Perhaps  we  should  read  f.n.  4, 
i.e.  559  ;  and  (with  C.S.)  attach  the  previous  year-section  (which  has  nofn.) 
to  the  one  before  it  (fn.  3,  i.e.  558). 

2  The  Chronicle  of  Dalriata  allows  Gabran  a  reign  of  22  years  ;  i.e., 
perhaps  537-559- 

The  Duan  Albanach  (P.  &  S.,  59) :  "  Gabran  had  two  years  [of 
prosperity?]  without  reproach,  after  Comgall"  {Da  bhliadhan  Conaing  gan 
fair  [read  tar\  \  far  es  Comhghaill  do  Gobhran  ;  which  as  it  stands  would 
mean  :  "  Gabran  had  .  .  .  two  years  of  Conaing,"  and  is  here  senseless. 
Skene  translates  it  "two  prosperous  years,"  following  O'Conor,  Scriptores, 
i,  2,  cxxvii.  If  this  is  the  meaning,  we  should  read  chondigh  for 
Conaing.  Pinkerton's  transcript  (Enquiry,  ii,  323)  has  chonnail ;  wrongly 
(O'Conor).  The  facts  seem  to  require  the  substitution  of  fichead  for 
Conaing;  i.e.  "22  years"  ;  but  that  is  not  what  the  writer  intended). 

^  Both  events  are  similarly  entered  in  C.S.,  52,  s.a.  [559]  (Hennessy's 
year  560).  Both  events  appear  twice  in  A.U.  (i,  54,  56);  s.a.  557  =  558 
(with  fn.  and  e.  of  558):  "...  A  flight  before  Maelchon's  son  ;  and  the 
death  of  Gabran,  son  of  Domangart";  and  s.a.  559  =  560:  ".  .  .  The 
death  of  Gabran,  son  of  Domangart  [according  to  others,  MS.  B].  An 
expedition  by  Maelchon's  son,  king  Brude."  A.U.  allow  Gabran  a  reign 
of  20  or  22  years  (counting  from  their  earlier  date  of  Comgall's  death). 

A.I.,  6,  O'Conor's  year  551  =  556  (three  years  before  559) :  "The  death 
of  Gabran,  son  of  Domangart"  (for  Garbain  in  MS.,  read  Gabrain).  This 
stands  20  years  after  the  death  of  Comgall. 

The  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  88,  place  both  events  under  563,  in  the 
same  year-section  with  Columba's  journey  to  Scotland. 

Under  the  same  years,  T.  and  A.U.  place  the  Feast  of  Tara.  It  is 
placed  by  A.I.  in  the  previous  year. 

A.C.,  in  Y  Cymmrodor,  ix,  154,  s.a.  [558]  (4  years  after  the  "iioth 
year"  after  444):  "Gabran,  Dungart's  son,  died."  MS.  B  (Ab  Ithel's 
ed.,  4) :  "  Gabran  the  treacherous  [Gawran  Wradoiic\  son  of  Dinwarch, 
died."  The  annal  is  not  in  MS.  C.  The  same  epithet  is  given  to  Aidan, 
Gabran's  son,  in  the  Welsh  Triads. 

Fordun's  account  is  fabulous.  He  says  (III,  21)  that  Gabran  was 
"a  man  advanced  in  age"  when  he  came  to  the  throne  ;  and  (III,  24)  that 
he  was  killed  by  Eochaid  Hebdre,  Comgall's  son,  who  succeeded  him. 
For  the  succession  of  Gabran's  nephew,  Conall,  see  year  574,  note. 


22  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba  ;  Secunda  Praefatio,  pp.  4-5  ^ 

There  was  a  man  of  venerable  life  and  blessed  memory, 
father  and  founder  of  monasteries,"  having  the  same  name  as 
the  prophet  Jonah ;  for  although  it  sounds  differently  in  the 
three  different  languages,  yet  this  signifies  one  and  the  same 
thing,  which  in  Hebrew  is  called  lona,  in  Greek  Peristera,  and 
in  the  Latin  tongue  Columba.  .  .  .^ 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba;  Secunda  Praefatio,  pp.  8-9* 

St  Columba,  then,  was  born  of  noble  parents,  having  as  his 
father  Fedelmid   the   son  of  Fergus ;    as   his  mother,  Ethne, 

'  Skene's  edition,  106. 

2  For  a  list  of  foundations  ascribed  to  Columba,  see  Reeves'  Adamnan, 
276-285,  289-298  (Skene's  edition,  xlix-lxxi). 

^  This  paragraph  is  copied  by  Fordun,  III,  26  (i,  113).  It  is  derived 
from  letters  of  Columbanus  ;  M.G.H.,  Epistolae  Karolini  Aevi,  i,  169,  176. 

The  name  Colum  meant  "  dove."  This  etymologizing  may  have  helped 
to  give  lona  its  present  name.  The  earliest  text  of  Adamnan  reads  always 
loua  insula  \  later  texts  read  lona  insula.  The  Verse  Chronicle  reads 
loua.  Cf.  Eiieam  insulam,  quae  nunc  lona  dicitur,  in  the  Life  of  Catroe 
(below,  p.  44).  Irish  writers  spelt  the  name  i  or  hi  (later  Hii  or  Hith, 
with  similar  sound),  and  in  the  genitive  ia,  iae,  ia  Coluim  chille. 

Notes  on  Fiacc's  Hymn,  Franciscan  Liber  Hymnorum,  Thesaurus,  ii, 
306  :  "  Columcille.  His  baptismal  name  was  Cremthand  ;  but  he  read  his 
psalms  at  Telach  Dubglase,  to  the  priest  of  the  church  ;  and  he  came 
frequently  to  the  plain  beside  the  church  "  (remainder  illegible). 

Cf  the  Lebar  Brecc,  margin  of  p.  89  ;  1880  Oengus,  p.  xcix  : — "  He  was 
called  Colum''  [a  dove]  "because  of  his  simplicity  ;  cille"  [of  the  church] 
"  because  he  often  came  from  the  church,  where  he  had  read  his  psalms, 
into  the  company  of  the  neighbouring  children.  And  they  used  to  say 
this  among  themselves,  '  Has  our  little  pigeon  come  from  the  church?"; 
that  is,  from  Telach-Dubglaisse  in  Tir-Lugdach  in  the  [land  of  the]  tribe 
of  Conall"  [Temple  Douglas  in  Tirconnell].  "But  Columcille's  original 
name  was  Crimthan.  And  this  Columcille  from  his  youth  gave  very  great 
love  to  Christ.  .  .  ."  Cf  the  other  versions,  1905  ed.,  144-146.  Adamnan, 
Praefatio  II,  states  that  he  was  called  Columba  not  only  "from  the  days  of 
infancy,"  but  even  prophetically  before  his  birth,  by  St  Mochta,  Patrick's 
disciple. 

Calum  at  the  present  day  passes  as  the  Gaelic  equivalent  of  "  Malcolm," 
which  was  oxx^mzWy  Mael-Coluimb,  "  Columba's  devotee."  In  this  work, 
I  translate  Colomb,  or  Colum,  by  "Columba"  when  St  Columba  is  meant ; 
and  give  the  compound  name  "  Columcille  "  when  it  occurs. 

*  Skene's  edition,  107-108. 


ORIGIN  OF  COLUMBA  23 

whose  father  may  be  called  in  Latin  Filius  Navis,  but  is  in 
the  Irish  tongue  called  Mac  Naue.^ 

^  "Noah's  son."     For  Columba's  birth,  see  year  ca.  521. 

Cf.  also  the  Continuation  of  Adamnan  (in  MS.  B),  in  ed.  Reeves,  246- 
247)  (Stokes  and  Strachan,  Thesaurus  Palaeohibernicus,  ii,  281):  "St 
Columba's  relatives  : — Fedelmid,  his  father,  the  son  of  Fergus  ;  Ethne,  his 
mother,  the  daughter  of  Filius  Navis.  logen,  Columba's  younger  brother 
german.  Also  his  three  sisters  german,  Cuimne,  the  mother  of  Macc-Decuil's 
sons,  who  are  called  M'Ernoc,  and  Cascene,  and  Meldal,  and  Bran  (who 
was  buried  in  Derry),  St  Columba's  cousins  ;  Mincholeth,  mother  of 
Enan's  sons,  of  whom  one  was  called  Caiman  ;  Sinech,  mother  of  Mocu- 
Cein's  sons  in  Ciiil-uisci,  whose  names  are  the  monk  Aidan  (who  was  buried 
in  Cuil-Uisci),  and  Conri  Mocu-Cein  (who  was  buried  in  Durrow),  and 
grandmother  of  To-cummi  Mocu-Cein,  a  holy  priest,  who  ended  the  present 
life  in  the  island  of  Zona,  very  wearied  with  age." 

(The  expression  "brother  german"  stands  for  Irish  derb-brathir  "full- 
brother  "  ;  brathir  "  brother  "  sometimes  means  "  cousin.") 

Cf.  the  note  in  L.B.  (1880  Oengus,  p.  xcix)  :  "  .  .  .  Columcille,  son  of 
Fedlimid,  son  of  Fergus.     Columcille's  name  was  Crimthan  at  first. 

"And  Columcille's  mother  was  Ethne,  daughter  of  Dimma,  son  of 
Noah,  son  of  Etine,  son  of  Coirpre  the  poet,  son  of  Ailill  the  great,  son  of 
Breccan,  son  of  Fiacc,  son  of  Daire  Barrach,  son  of  Cathair  the  great. 
And  Columcille's  three  sisters  were  Cumfne,  Minchloth,  and  Sinech." 

For  Columba's  kindred,  cf.  the  Book  of  Ballymote,  84-85.  Cf  the  Life 
in  the  Salamanca  MS.,  Smedt  and  De  Backer's  Acta,  845. 

Genealogies  of  Saints,  in  the  Book  of  Leinster,  facsimile,  p.  347,  column 
2  :  "  Columcille,  son  of  Fedlimid,  son  of  Fergus,  son  of  Conall  Gulban,  son 
of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  son  of  Eochaid  M[uinremor],  son  of  Muire- 
dach  Tprech],  son  of  Fiachu  Srop[tine],  son  of  Corpre  Lifechar,  son  of 
Cormac  UI[fota],  son  of  Art  Oenfer,  son  of  Cond  Cetchathach,  son  of 
Fedlimid  R[echtaid]."  (Cf.  also  ibid.  366,  top  margin.  For  these  kings, 
from  Fedlimid  to  Niall,  cf.  Coir  Anmann,  Irische  Texte,  iii,  2,  334-338.) 
The  first  part  of  the  pedigree  is  also  in  L.B.,  12  d;  B.B.,  215  f.  Cf. 
A.U.,  s.aa.  546  =  547  and  585  =  586;  and  the  Irish  Life,  in  Stokes's  Three 
Homilies,  100  (below). 

Cf.  the  verse  in  the  preface  to  the  Amra,  Liber  Hymnorum,  i,  165  : 
"  Ethne,  distinguished  in  her  time,  the  queen  of  the  Corpraige,  was  the 
mother  of  Columba,  a  bright  conjunction  ;  the  daughter  of  Dimma,  Noah's 
son."     (Cf.  Book  of  Leinster,  366,  top  margin.) 

She  is  called  "long-sided  Ethne"  {Eithne  idebfhotta)  in  the  verse  in 
which  Bridget  welcomes  Columba,  in  the  Tripartite  Life,  i,  1 50. 

Amra  Coluimchille,  Liber  Hymnorum,  i,  182,  Atkinson's  translation, 
ii,  80  :  "  May  the  descendant  of  the  body  of  Cathair  with  nobility  see  me 
without  stain.  (I.e.,  may  he  look  on  me  without  stain,  a  descendant  of 
Coirpre  Nia-fer  of  Leinster ;  for  Ethne  daughter  of  Dimma  macc-Noe  was 
his  [Colum  Cille's]  mother,  of  the  Carburys  of  Leinster ;  and  he  [Coirpre] 
was  a  descendant  of  Cathair  Mor,  son  of  Fedelmid  the  All-wise.") 


24  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

In  the  second  year  after  the  battle  of  Cuil-dremne,  in  the 
forty-second  year  of  his  age,  he  sailed  over  from  Ireland  to 
Britain,  wishing  to  live  in  pilgrimage  for  Christ's  sake.i 

For   the  story  of  Columba's  grandmother,  Ere,  see  above,  p.  4- 

The  Lebar  Brecc  (facsimile,  236  b,  foot)  represents  Columba  as  saymg  : 

"  The  Irish  are  dearer  to  me  than  [the  rest  of]  the  men  of  the  world  ;  and 

the  tribe  of  Conall,  than  the  [rest  of  the]  Irish  ;  and  the  tribe  of  Lugaid, 

than  the  [rest  of  the]  tribe  of  Conall." 

Columba's  uncle,  Ernan,  is  mentioned  by  Adamnan,  I,  45  (below,  p.  63). 

Adamnan  speaks  also   of  a  relative   of  Columba's   mother   (II,  40;    ed. 

Skene,  184).  ,  ,■       a  ■     i  -n 

Columba's  sister,  Uthende,  and  her  six  sons,  are  mentioned  in  L.B. 
(1880  Oengus,  p.  liv)  :  "Their  mother  was  of  the  eminent  descendants  of 
Conall  IVIor"  (i.e.  of  Conall  Gulban,  ancestor  of  the  Cenel-Conaill).  Cf. 
"Seven  sons  of  Uthenne,  Fedlimid's  daughter,"  in  MS.  Rawlinson  B.  512  ; 

1905  Oengus,  78. 

Reeves  has  drawn  up  a  genealogy  of  Columba  and  the  abbots  of  lona 
(Adamnan,  after  p.  342  ;  Skene's  ed.,  p.  clxxxv.  Cf.  ed.  Reeves,  8  ;  ed. 
Skene,  249.     See  also  Fowler's  ed.,  after  p.  xciv). 

1  Cuil-dremne  was  in  Carbury,  between  Drumcliff  and  Sligo ;  see 
Hogan's  Onomasticon. 

Tigernach  dates  the  battle  of  Cuil-dremne  in  [560]  (f.n.  5)  ;  Revue 
Celtique,  xvii,  143-144:  "The  battle  of  Cuil-dremne  [was  gained]  over 
Diarmait,  Cerball's  son.  Forgus  and  Donald,  two  sons  of  Muirchertach, 
Erc's  son  ;  and  Ainmire,  Setna's  son  ;  and  Nindid,  Duach's  son  ;  and  Aed, 
king  of  Connaught,  son  of  Eochaid  Dry-flesh,  were  the  conquerors,  through 
the  prayer  of  Columcille,  who  said :  '  O  God,  why  clearest  thou  not  away 
the  mist,  that  we  might  reckon  the  number  of  the  host  that  reaps  judgements 
off  us? 

"'A  host  marching  round  a  cairn,  the  son  of  storm  [i.e.  the  wind] 
betrays  them  ;  [because]  my  wizard,  who  will  not  deny  me,  is  God's  son, 
who  will  assist  me. 

"  '  Baetan's  steed  before  the  host  makes  the  advance  beautiful  ;  Baetan 
of  the  yellow  hair  thinks  it  well,  it  will  bear  its  burden  upon  it.' 

"  It  was  Fraechan  son  of  Teniusan  that  made  the  Druids'  Fence  for 
Diarmait.  It  was  Tuatan,  son  of  Dimman,  son  of  Saran,  son  of  Cormac, 
son  of  Eogan,  that  overthrew  the  Druids'  Fence.  Maiglinde  went  across 
it,  and  he  alone  was  killed." 

This  passage  appears  with  little  difference  in  C.S.,  52-54,  s.a.  [560] 
(Hennessy's  561). 

A.U.  give  two  dates  for  the  battle;  i,  56,  s.a.  559  =  560:  "The 
feast  of  Tara  [was  held]  by  Diarmait,  Cerball's  son.  .  .  .  The  battle  of 
Cuil-dremne."  Ibid.  s.a.  560  =  561  :  "The  battle  of  Cuil-dremne  [was 
gained]  over  Diarmait,  Cerball's  son,  and  there  three  thousand  fell." 

A.I.,  7,  O'Conor's  year  553  =  558: — "[A  year]  in  which  the  battle  of 
Cuil-dremne  was  fought  ;  and  in  it  Ainmire,  Setna's  son,  and  Ainnedid, 


BATTLE  OF  CUIL-DREMNE  25 

Fergus's  son,  and  Donald,  were  the  conquerors  ;  while  Diarmait  fled.  And 
on  that  day  Clonfert  of  Brendan  {Bre/nmui]  was  founded,  at  an  angel's 
command  \angelus  iniperante\. 

[O'Conor's  554  =  559]  "The  end  of  the  cycle  of  Victorius."  The 
Victorian  paschal  cycle,  introduced  in  457,  was  issued  as  a  calendar  of 
532  years,  from  28  to  559  A.D.  (1-532  A.P.,  Victorian  system).  Although 
Victorius  numbered  his  years  from  the  Passion,  he  made  them  correspond 
with  the  consular  year,  and  therefore  begin  upon  ist  January.  In  the 
same  year-section  [=559]  is  noticed  (from  Bede's  or  Isidore's  Chronicle) 
Tiberius'  succession  to  Justinus,  an  event  of  578. 

The  year-section  preceding  that  describing  Cuil-dremne  in  T.  contains 
the  "flight  of  the  Scots"  (above,  year  559),  and  the  following  (R.C.,  xvii, 
142-143):  "The  last  Feast  of  Tara  [was  held]  by  Diarmait,  Cerball's 
son.  .  .  . 

"  The  death  of  Curnan,  son  of  Aed,  son  of  Eochaid  Dry-flesh,  [king  of 
Connaught,]  by  Diarmait,  Cerball's  son,  [although  Curnan  was]  under 
Columcille's  protection.  And  this  was  one  of  the  causes  of  the  battle  of 
Cuil-dremne."  So  also,  with  little  diflference,  in  C.S.,  52,  Hennessy's  year 
560  =  559. 

The  Annals  from  the  Book  of  Leinster  (p.  246;  R.S.  89,  ii,  514),  s.a. 
565  :  "The  battle  of  Cuil-dremne  [was  gained]  against  Diarmait,  Cerball's 
son."  (The  date  566,  attached  to  this  event  in  Stokes's  edition,  belongs  to 
the  next  entry,  the  one-year  reign  of  Donald  and  Fergus,  Erc's  grand- 
sons ;  in  these  annals  dated  565-566.) 

F.M.,  i,  190-192,  s.a.  554  (and  "the  16th  year  of  Diarmait,"  sovereign 
of  Ireland) :  "  The  last  Feast  of  Tara  was  held  by  Diarmait,  king  of 
Ireland. 

"  Curnan,  son  of  Aed,  son  of  Eochaid  Dry -flesh,  that  is  to  say  the  son 
of  the  king  of  Connaught,  was  killed  by  Diarmait,  Cerball's  son,  in  spite  of 
Columcille's  sureties  and  protection,  after  having  been  dragged  out  of  his 
hands  ;  and  this  was  the  cause  of  the  battle  of  Cuil-dremne."  And  ibid., 
192-194,  s.a.  555  (and  "the  17th  year  of  Diarmait"]:  "The  battle  of 
Cuil-dremne  was  gained  over  Diarmait,  Cerball's  son,  by  Fergus  and  by 
Donald,  two  sons  of  Muirchertach,  Erc's  son,  and  by  Ainmire,  Setna's  son, 
and  by  Ninnid,  Duach's  son,  and  by  Aed,  Eochaid  Tirmcharna's  son,  king 
of  Connaught.  The  clans  of  the  Ui-Neill,  of  the  north  and  of  Connaught, 
fought  this  battle  of  Cuil-dremne  against  the  king,  Diarmait,  because 
he  was  guilty  of  the  slaying  of  Curnan,  son  of  Aed,  son  of  Eochaid 
Dry-flesh,  in  Columcille's  protection  ;  and  further  because  of  the  unjust 
judgement  given  by  Diarmait  against  Columcille,  concerning  Finnian's 
book  (which  Columcille  had  copied  without  letting  Finnian  know),  when 
they  asked  for  Diarmait's  decision  :  and  Diarmait  had  pronounced  the 
famous  judgement,  'To  every  cow  belongs  her  calf,'  etc.  .  .  ."  (Here 
follows,  with  little  difference,  the  verse  passage  translated  above  from 
Tigernach.) 

O'Donnell,  Life  of  Columba,  in  Colgan's  Trias  Thaumaturga,  409  a: 
"The  king  .  .  .  pronounced  judgement  for  Finnian,  and  he  uttered  the 


26  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Devoted  even  from  his  boyhood  to  Christian  discipleship/ 
and  by  gift  of  God,  through  his  zeal  for  wisdom,  preserving 
integrity  of  body  and  purity  of  soul,  he  showed  himself  fitted 

judgement  in  Irish  verse,  famous  to  this  day  among  the  Irish,  in  this 
fashion  :  ' Lc gach  boin  a  boi?tin,  agiis  le  gach  leabhar a  leabhran'  ;  that  is, 
'Let  the  calf  belong  to  its  mother,  and  the  copy  to  its  original.'" 
O'Donnell's,  though  late,  is  the  fullest  account ;  q.v.,  u.s.,  408  a -409  b. 

Immediately  after  the  battle  of  Cuil-dremne,  Tigernach  gives  under 
[561]  (f.n.  6):  "The  battle  of  Cuil-Uinnsenn  in  Teffia  [was  gained]  over 
Diarmait,  Cerball's  son,  by  Aed,  Brendan's  son,  the  king  of  Teffia  ;  and 
there  Diarmait  fled."  So  also  in  C.S.,  54,  s.a.  [561]  (Hennessy's  562).  Aed 
had  previously  granted  Durrow  to  Columba,  for  the  foundation  of  a 
monastery  ;  see  T.  and  C.S.,  in  their  notice  of  Aed's  death,  s.a.  [587] ; 
MS.  A  of  A.U.,  i,  72,  s.a.  588  =  589. 

Immediately  after  the  battle  of  Cuil-Uinnsenn,  both  T.  and  C.S.  place 
Columba's  voyage  to  Scotland. 

These  events  appear  in  A. I.,  6-7  ;  the  Feast  of  Tara  under  O'Conor's 
year  550  =  555,  the  death  of  Curnan  under  O'Conor's  552  =  557,  the  battle 
of  Cuil-dremne  under  O'Conor's  553  =  558,  the  battle  of  Cuil-Uinnsenn 
under  O'Conor's  554  =  559.  A.I.  agree  with  the  other  Irish  Annals  in 
placing  Columba's  arrival  in  Scotland  two  years  after  the  battle  of  Cuil- 
dremne.     (So  also  in  the  Annals  of  Boyle.) 

See  also  the  Preface  to  the  Altus  Prositor,  below,  p.  97. 

Chronological  tract  (of  nth  century  ;  Stokes)  in  Lebar  Brecc  ;  Stokes, 
Tripartite  Life,  ii,  552:  "33  years  from  Patrick's  death"  (placed  by  this 
tract  in  [493])  "to  the  death  of  Bridget,  in  the  70th  year  of  her  age  [526] 
in  the  same  year  [were]  Bridget's  death  and  [that  of]  the  first  Ailill, 
abbot  of  Armagh. 

"  36  years  from  Bridget's  death  to  the  battle  of  Cuil-dremne  [562]. 

"35  years  from  the  battle  of  Cuil-dremne  to  the  death  of  Columcille,  in 
the  76th  year  of  his  age  [597]. 

"43  years  from  the  death  of  Columcille  to  the  battle  of  Moira  [640]. 

"  25  years  from  the  battle  of  Moira  to  the  pestilence  \buidechar\  of  which 
died  Diarmait  and  Blathmac,  two  sons  of  Aed  Slaine  [665].  .  .  ."  (They 
died  in  665  or  668,  according  to  A.U.)  The  dates  in  square  brackets  are 
those  deducible  from  the  tract. 

Marianus  Scottus,  in  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  v,  546,  s.a.  585  =  563,  and  the 
37th  of  Justinian,  inserts  :  "  Columcille  fought  the  battle  of  Cuil-dremne." 

^  Tirocinia,  the  monastic  noviciate. 

A.I.,  5,  O'Conor's  year  527  =  532  (64  years  before  599),  read:  "Loss  of 
bread  of  Columba."  A.U.,  i,  46,  s.a.  535  =  536,  read  simply  "loss  of  bread"  ; 
but  possibly  Columba's  dedication  may  be  meant  (cf.  Ecclesiastes,  XI,  i). 
Columba  would  in  536  have  been  about  15  years  old.  There  seems  to  be 
nothing  else  in  the  Lives  to  which  these  words  could  refer.  (Under  the 
same  year,  A.U.  notice  the  death  of  Pope  John  II,  an  event  of  535.  This 
is  taken  from  the  Liber  Pontificalis  ;  M.G.H.,  Gesta  Pontificum,  i,  141.) 


CHARACTER  OF  COLUMBA  27 

for  heavenly  customs,  though  placed  on  earthly  soil.  For  he 
was  angelic  in  appearance/  polished  in  speech,  holy  in  work, 
excellent  in  intelligence,  great  in  resourcefulness ;  having  lived 
for  thirty-four  years  as  an  island  soldier.  He  could  not  pass 
the  interval  of  even  one  hour  without  setting  himself  either  to 
prayer,  or  to  reading,  writing,  or  even  to  some  [manual]  labour.^ 
He  was  also  so  constantly  occupied,  day  and  night,  without  any 
intermission,  with  indefatigable  labours  of  fasts  and  vigils,  that 
the  weight  of  each  particular  labour  seemed  beyond  human 
capacity  to  bear.  And  with  all  this  he  was  dear  to  all,  showing 
his  holy  face  ever  cheerful ;  and  he  rejoiced  in  his  inmost  heart 
with  the  joy  of  the  Holy  Spirit.^ 

^  Cf.  verses  in  L.B.  (1880  Oengus,  p.  ci)  and  in  IMS.  Laud  610  (1905 
Oengus,  148),  thus  translated  by  Stokes  (1905  Oengus,  149);  "Colum,  fair, 
mighty  form,  face  ruddy,  broad,  radiant,  body  white,  fame  without  false- 
hood, hair  curly,  eye  grey,  luminous." 

"  vel  etiam  aliciii  operatio7ii.  <Zi.  the  fratres  operarii  mentioned  by 
Adamnan,  III,  23  ;  below,  year  597. 

Cf.  the  account  given  by  Sulpicius  Severus  of  the  constant  activity  of 
St  Martin,  in  prayer  and  reading  (Life  of  Martin,  P.L.  20,  175,  176);  a 
passage  doubtless  known  to  Adamnan. 

^  Cf.  the  Life  in  the  Salamanca  MS.,  Smedt  and  De  Backer's  Acta,  853  : 
'■'■Note  Columba's  inanner  of  life.  He  applied  his  mind  more  indefatigably 
than  could  be  believed  to  fasts  and  vigils  and  prayers,  also  to  meditations 
upon  the  scriptures  and  to  preachings  of  the  faith,  and  to  the  other  works 
of  charity.  And  when  he  did  allow  himself  some  time  for  sleep,  he  lay  with 
his  head  supported  on  a  stone  and  his  body  thrown  upon  the  bare  ground, 
with  nothing  but  a  skin  between.  But  although  he  afflicted  his  body  with 
such  labours,  yet  by  provision  of  divine  favour  he  was  held  worthy  of 
admiration  by  all  for  beauty  of  countenance,  ruddy  cheeks  and  condition 
of  body." 

Amra  Coluimchille,  Liber  Hymnorum,  i,  178  :  "  He  assailed  the  fatness  of 
his  side  (i.e.,  he  betrayed  the  fatness  of  his  side  ;  for  the  mark  of  his  ribs 
was  apparent  through  his  linen  shirt  \bldi'\  upon  the  shore).  The  desires 
of  his  body,  he  destroyed.     (I.e.,  he  destroyed  the  desires  of  his  body.)" 

Cf.  a  verse  in  the  preface  to  the  Amra,  i,  166  :  "[Columba]  used  to  lie 
bare"  {gle ;  " openly,"  Atkinson)  " in  the  sand;  in  his  resting  there  was 
much  affliction.  When  the  wind  blew  his  clothing,  the  course  of  his  ribs 
was  visible  through  it." 

The  Amra  Coluimchille,  ibid.,  i,  170:  "He  kept  vigil  as  long  as  he 
lived  ;  (i.e.,  he  made  twelve  hundred  genuflexions  daily,  except  only  on 
festivals  ;  so  that  his  ribs  became  apparent  through  his  linen  shirt  [bldi  b'?t\). 
He  was  of  brief  age  (i.e.,  straight,  or  trifling,  or  small,  i.e.  76  years,  as 
the  poet  said) ;  he  was  of  small  sufficiency  (i.e.,  trifling  was  [the  amount 
of  food]  that  satisfied  him)."    The  same,  ibid.,  i,  172  :  "  He  suffered  briefly. 


28  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

and  conquered.  (I.e.  fairly  he  has  conquered  his  desires  in  the  short  time 
during  which  he  existed.)"  Most  of  this  obscure  composition  is  eulogy  of 
Columba.     See  Atkinson's  and  Stokes'  translations. 

Amra  Coluimchille,  Liber  Hymnorum,  i,  173,  174  :  "  He  commented  on" 
{sluinnsiusj  Atkinson's  translation)  "law-books,  books  which  Cassian 
loved  [?].  (I.e.,  he  so  read  books  of  law,  as  he  read  books  of  John  Cassian 
for  their  clearness  ;  or  he  read  books  of  law  as  John  Cassian  did.)  ...  He 
divided  part  from  figure,  among  the  books  of  law.  (I.e.,  he  put  the  history 
of  the  law  on  one  side,  and  its  meaning  on  the  other  side.)" 

For  his  knowledge  of  the  calendar,  we  may  compare  the  same  work, 
ibid.,  i,  174,  translated  ii,  68-69. 

Amra  Coluimchille,  Liber  Hymnorum,  i,  180:  "He  conversed  with  an 
angel.  He  discussed  [?  atgailt\  Greek  grammar.  (I.e.,  he  held  converse 
with  an  angel,  and  he  studied  grammar  like  the  Greeks.  Or,  he  conversed 
with  grammarians  and  with  Greeks)"  ("grammatically  and  in  Greek," 
Atkinson.     The  meaning  is  obscure.) 

Amra  Coluimchille,  Liber  Hymnorum,  i,  180-181  :  "Not  with  Niall's 
strength  is  he,  .  .  .  who  injured  not,  when  he  died  [Stokes'  translation  ; 
R.C.,  XX,  407].  ([I.e.]  he  did  not  commit  any  injury  for  which  he  should 
have  died,  if  it  were  a  cause  for  [death]  in  other  cases.)"  The  glossator 
means  that  Columba  did  nothing  for  which  a  smaller  man  would  have 
died.  Atkinson  follows  the  glossator,  though  doubtfully,  in  translating 
the  text :  "  He  did  not  commit  an  injury  for  which  one  dies."  Cf.  with 
this^Adamnan,  below,  years  686,  688. 

Amra  Coluimchille,  Liber  Hymnorum,  i,  176:  "The  art  of  his  priest- 
hood" (i.e.  hymn-writing?)  "was  melodious,  was  unique.  (I.e.,  all  thought 
that  his  voice  was  sweet  ;  and  all  were  satisfied  with  the  unique  art  which 
he  had  of  priesthood.  Or  priesthood  was  only  one  of  his  arts,  because  he 
was  a  poet,  he  was  a  prophet,  he  was  a  sage.) 

"  To  mankind  he  was  unintelligible.  (I.e.  his  hymns  were  unintelligible 
to  other  people.) 

"  He  was'  a  shelter  to  the  naked,  a  shelter  to  the  poor.  (I.e.,  clothing 
and  feeding  them.)" 

With  the  words  "  He  was  a  poet  .  .  .  prophet  .  .  .  sage,"  cf.  the 
second  line  of  the  stanza  in  which,  according  to  the  Tripartite  Life,  i,  150, 
Patrick  foretold  the  birth  of  Columba  ("  He  will  be  a  sage,  a  prophet,  a 
poet"  tr.  Stokes) ;  and  the  first  line  of  stanza  103  of  Berchan's  Prophecy 
(P.  &  S.,  79).  The  notator  of  the  Amra  seems  to  quote  some  verse  that 
has  been  copied  also  by  the  writers  of  Berchan  and  the  Tripartite  Life. 

According  to  Adamnan,  I,  i  (ed.  Skene,  113-114),  Columba  had  from 
early  years  the  gift  of  prophecy,  or  rather  of  second-sight  There  are  many 
stories  of  this  faculty  in  Adamnan  and  in  the  Irish  Life.  According  to 
Giraldus  Cambrensis,  Columba  was  one  of  the  four  prophets  of  Ireland 
(Expugnatio  Hibernica  ;  v,  384-385,  cf.  341-342). 

Adamnan  says  also  (I,  i  ;  ed.  Skene,  in):  "And  he  by  himself  alone 
repulsed,  with  God's  aid,  and  drove  back  from  this  our  primary  island  [of 
lona],  attacking  and  innumerable  troops  of  demons  fighting  against  him, 
seen  by  his  bodily  eyes,  and  beginning  to  bring  upon  his  monastic  company 


CHARACTER  OF  COLUMBA  29 

Irish  Life  of  Columba;  Stokes's  Three  Homilies,  pp.  122-124I 

Now  there  never  was  begotten  of  the  Gael  a  person  nobler, 
or  wiser,  or  of  higher  descent,  than  Columcille :  there  never 
came  to  them  one  more  lowly,  more  humble,  more  modest. 
Great  indeed  was  Columcille's  modesty,  since  he  used  himself 
to  take  off  his  monks'  sandals,  and  to  wash  them  for  them.  He 
used  often  to  carry  his  share  of  corn  on  his  back  to  the  mill, 
and  he  ground  it  and  bore  it  back  to  his  house.  He  never 
wore  linen  or  wool  next  his  skin.  He  slept  not  except  with  his 
side  against  the  bare  earth ;  with  nothing  under  his  head  but  a 
pillar  of  stone  for  a  pillow.  And  he  slept  not  at  all,  except  for 
the  time  that  his  disciple  Diarmait  chanted  three  chapters  of 
the  Beaius.  After  that  he  rose  up,  and  made  lamentation  and 
hand-clapping  like  a  loving  mother  weeping  for  her  only  son. 

deadly  diseases."  This  story  is  told  more  fully,  and  attributed  to  Columba 
himself,  in  III,  8  ;  it  is  also  in  Cummine,  IX,  who  attributes  their  repulse 
to  the  assistance  of  angels  (Pinkerton,  Vitae,  32-33). 

Poems  written  by  Columba  were  believed  to  have  miraculously  protective 
powers  in  battle  (Adamnan,  I,  i). 

When  Columba  was  a  boy  novice,  he  had  a  tutor  \7tutritot-\  called 
Cruithnechan,  according  to  Adamnan,  III,  2  (ed.  Skene,  195).  Later, 
while  he  was  a  young  man  and  deacon,  he  had  an  old  man  Gemman  as 
instructor  (Adamnan,  II,  25  ;  ed.  Skene,  169).  Afterwards  St  Finnian 
[of  Moville]  was  his  teacher  (Adamnan,  II,  i.  III,  4;  ed.  Skene,  152,  196. 
Cf  Cummine,  III,  IV  ;  and  the  Salamanca  Life,  ed.  Smedt  and  De  Backer, 
847).  Finnian  died  in  579,  according  to  A.U.  ;  in  [577]  according  to  T. 
(an  old  entry ;  but  without  year-heading.  Supply  f.n.  5,  as  in  C.S., 
Hennessy's  year  578). 

The  Lebar  Brecc,  in  a  mythical  account,  says  that  Columba  received 
priest's  orders  from  bishop  Etchen  of  Clonfad  (1880  Oengus,  pp.  1-li  ; 
other  versions  in  1905  ed.,  72.  Cf.  J.  H.  Todd,  Introduction  to  Obits  and 
Martyrologies  of  Christchurch,  pp.  liii-lv.  Cf  also  Martyrology  of  Donegal, 
44  ;  Colgan's  Acta  Sanctorum,  304-306  ;  and  O'Donnell's  Life  of  Columba, 
in  Colgan's  Trias  Thaumaturga,  396-397).  Etchen  died  on  nth  February, 
according  to  the  martyrologies  and  F.M.  ;  in  577  =  578,  according  to  A.U. 
and  F.M.  ;  in  [576]  according  to  T.  (R.C.,  xvii,  152)  and  C.S.,  60,  Hennessy's 
year  577  ;  in  the  same  year  as  Brendan  of  Clonfert,  according  to  A.B. 

For  Columba's  creation  of  the  monastery  of  Derry,  see  year  546  ;  for 
his  elevation  of  Patrick's  remains,  and  distribution  of  relics,  see  year  553. 
His  life-history  is  traced  by  Reeves  (Adamnan,  Ixviii-lxxx ;  ed.  Skene, 
xxxiii-lxxix).     Cf.  the  Irish  Life,  below. 

1  Very  similarly  also  in  the  Book  of  Lismore  ;  Stokes,  Lismore  Lives, 

32-33- 

With  the  Irish  Life,  cf.  the  life  in  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  92-96. 


30  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

After  that  he  sang  the  hundred-and-fifty  [psalms]  until  morning, 
[lying]  in  the  sand  of  the  shore,  as  [the  poet]  said  :  "  The  three 
fifties,  heavy  was  the  vigil ;  in  the  night,  the  torment  was  great. 
In  the  sea  by  the  side  of  Scotland,  before  the  sun  had  risen ; 
bare  he  laid  himself,  noble  afflictions,  in  the  sand ;  great  was 
the  affliction.  The  course  of  his  ribs  was  plain  through  his 
clothing,  when  the  wind  blew  it." 

That  was  his  night-work.  In  the  day  he  attended  at  the 
canonical  hours ;  he  offered  the  body  of  Christ,  and  his  blood. 
He  preached  the  gospel,  baptized,  consecrated,  anointed ;  he 
healed  lepers,  and  blind,  and  lame,  and  all  other  diseased 
persons ;  he  raised  the  dead. 

Irish  Life  of  Oolumba ;  Stokes's  Three  Homilies,  pp.  96  ff.^ 

The  time  when  the  Christians  keep  the  festival  and 
celebration  of  Columcille's  death  is  the  fifth  day  ^before  the 
Ides  of  June,  as  regards  the  day  of  the  solar  month.  Every 
year  on  this  day,^  etc. 

And  the  wise  men  of  the  Gael  relate  at  this  season  every 
year  an  abridgement  of  the  exposition  of  the  nobility  *  and  noble 
parentage  of  St  Columcille,  and  moreover  of  the  innumerable 
miracles  and  wonders  that  the  Lord  worked  for  him  while  he 
lived  in  this  world ;  and  of  the  perfecting  and  distinguished 
conclusion  which  [the  Lord]  gave  at  last  to  [Columba's] 
victorious  career,  when  he  reached  his  own  true  fatherland  and 
true  native  country,  the  abode  of  Paradise,  in  the  presence  of 
God  for  ever. 

Columcille's  descent  was  noble,  as  the  world  is  concerned ; 
he  was  of  the  descendants  of  Conall,  Niall's  son.  He  had  by 
descent  the  right  to  the  kingship  of  Ireland,  and  it  would  have 
been  offered  to  him  had  he  not  renounced  it  for  God.  But  it 
is  clear  that  he  was  a  chosen  son  of  God,  because  the  elders  of 
Ireland  prophesied  of  him  before  his  birth.  .  .  .^ 

^  Also  (a  somewhat  later  text)  in  the  Book  of  Lismore  ;  Stokes's 
Lismore  Lives,  22  ff. 

-  9th  June. 

^  This  Life  was  meant  to  be  read  on  9th  June. 

*  shocheneoil  "noble  descent"  in  L.B.  ;  shochair  "privilege"  (Stokes), 
in  Book  of  Lismore. 

''  Here  are  cited  predictions  of  Columba  attributed  to  Mochta  of  Louth, 
Patrick,  Bee  Macc-De,  and  Eogan  of  Ardstraw. 


BIRTH  OF  COLUMBA  31 

Buitte,  Bronach's  son,  prophesied  of  Columcille,  and  said  to 
his  household :  "  This  night  has  been  born  a  son,  glorious, 
honourable  before  God  and  men  ;  and  he  will  come  here  thirty 
years  from  to-night,  accompanied  by  twelve  men ;  and  he  will 
reveal  my  grave  and  point  out  my  burial-place,  and  we  shall  be 
one  ^  in  heaven  and  on  earth." 

As  Columcille's  birth  was  foretold  by  the  elders  of  Ireland, 
so  also  it  was  displayed  in  visions  and  in  dreams.  Thus  it  was 
displayed  in  the  vision  that  was  shown  to  his  mother.  She 
imagined  that  a  great  mantle  was  given  to  her,  and  that  it 
stretched  from  Insi-Mod  to  Caer-Abrocc,^  and  every  colour  was 
present  in  it.  And  a  youth  saw  the  splendid  garment,  and  took 
the  mantle  from  her  into  the  air.  And  Ethne  was  sorrowful 
because  of  it.  And  she  imagined  that  the  same  youth  came 
to  her  again,  and  said  to  her :  "  Good  woman,"  said  the  youth, 
"  thou  needest  not  to  grieve,  but  gladness  and  delight  are 
meeter  for  thee ;  because  this  cloak  portends  that  thou  wilt 
bear  a  son,  and  Ireland  and  Scotland  will  be  full  of  his 
doctrine." 

Likewise  the  v/aiting-woman ^  saw  a  vision;  she  imagined 
that  the  birds  of  the  air  bore  Ethne's  bowels  throughout  the 
territories  of  Ireland  and  Scotland.  Ethne  herself  interpreted 
this  vision,  and  spoke  then  thus :  "  I  shall  bear  a  son,  and  his 
doctrine  will  extend  throughout  the  territories  of  Ireland  and 
Scotland." 

As  it  had  been  predicted  by  the  elders  of  Ireland,  and  had 
been  seen  in  visions,  so  Columcille  was  born.  And  Gortan  is 
the  name  of  the  place  where  he  was  born ;  and  he  was  born 
upon  the  seventh  day  *  before  the  Ides  of  December,  as  regards 
the  day  of  the  solar  month,  and  on  Thursday,  as  regards  the 
day  of  the  week. 

Wonderful  was  the  son  who  was  born  there ;  a  son  of  the 
king  of  heaven  and  of  earth :  Columcille,  son  of  Fedlimid,  son 
of  Fergus,  son  of  Conall  Gulban,  son  of  Niall  Nine-hostager. 

1  diaid  ar  n-oentu,  literally  "  our  unity  will  be  "  ;  Stokes  translates  this 
"  our  union  shall  abide." 

'  CO  Caer  nambrocc  in  Lebar  Brace  ;  co  Caeir  n-Abrocc  in  Book  of 
Lismore,  i.e.  "to  York,"  The  Insi-Mod  are  Inishymoe,  the  islands  in  Clew 
Bay,  off  the  coast  of  Mayo,  according  to  Reeves  ;  Adamnan,  191. 

^  anben  imtha  sin,  Lebar  Brecc  ;  a  ben  imthasi,  Book  of  Lismore. 

■*  7th  December,  a  Thursday  in  521. 


32  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

His  mother  was  of  the  Corprige  of  Leinster :  Ethne  Olmar, 
daughter  of  Dimma,  son  of  Noah. 

Immediately  after  his  birth  he  was  taken  [away],  and 
Cruithnechan,  Cellachan's  son,  the  noble  priest,  baptized  him ; 
and  thereafter  he  fostered  him,  at  the  command  of  angels 
of  God. 

Now  when  he  reached  the  age  for  study,  the  priest  went  to 
a  certain  seer,i  to  ask  him  when  the  boy  ought  to  begin.  When 
the  seer  had  scanned  the  sky,  he  said :  "  Write  his  alphabet 
for  him  now."  Thereupon  it  was  written  on  a  cake.^  And 
Columcille  consumed  the  cake  thus,  half  of  it  to  the  east  of  a 
water  and  half  of  it  to  the  west  of  a  water. 

The  seer  said,  by  grace  of  prophecy,  "  So  shall  the  territory 
of  this  boy  be,  half  of  it  to  the  east  of  a  sea,  that  is,  in  Scotland, 
and  half  of  it  to  the  west  of  a  sea,  that  is,  in  Ireland."  .  .  .^ 

Thereafter  [Cruithnechan]  offered  Columcille  to  the  Lord  of 
the  elements,  and  [Columcille]  asked  three  boons  of  [God] : 
charity,  and  wisdom,  and  pilgrimage.  All  three  were  granted 
to  him  in  full. 

He  bade  farewell  to  his  foster-father,  and  his  foster-father 
gave  him  leave  to  go,  and  blessed  him  fervently.  Then 
[Columba]  went  to  study  wisdom  with  the  noble  bishop, 
Finnian  of  Moville.  .  .  .* 

[Columba]  then  bade  farewell  to  Finnian,  and  went  to 
Gemman  the  Master.  .  .  .  ^ 

He  then  bade  farewell  to  Gemman,  and  went  to  Finnian  of 
Clonard.  .  .  ." 

Columcille  then    bade   farewell   to    Finnian,   and    went   to 

^  fdith  ;  "spaeman,"  "prophet"  Stokes. 

-  I.e.,  that  time  was  propitious,  and  his  education  was  symbolically 
begun. 

5  Columba  chanted  a  psalm  for  Cruithnechan,  although  he  had  learned 
only  the  alphabet ;  and  he  raised  Cruithnechan  from  death  caused  by 
falling  in  a  wood. 

*  Columba  turned  water  to  wine  for  the  mass. 

''  Here  is  related  the  episode,  told  also  by  Adamnan,  of  Columba's  curse 
killing  a  man  who  had  killed  a  girl  in  his  presence. 

^  Finnian  bade  Columba  build  his  hut  in  the  door  of  the  church. 
Columba  was  relieved  by  an  angel  of  his  share  in  the  quern-grinding. 
Finnian  had  a  vision  of  a  golden  moon  and  a  silver  moon— Columba  and 
Ciaran,  the  Wright's  son. 


COLUMBA  IN  IRELAND  33 

Glasnevin;  because  fifty  were  studying  there  with  Mobi, 
including  Cainnech  and  Comgall  and  Ciaran.  .  .  } 

On  one  occasion  a  great  church  was  built  by  Mobi,  and  the 
priests  were  considering  what  each  of  them  would  like  to  have 
the  church  filled  with.  "I  should  like,"  said  Ciaran,  "to  have 
it  filled  with  sons  of  the  church  to  attend  at  the  canonical 
hours."  "  I  should  like  "  said  Cainnech,  "  to  have  it  filled  with 
books  for  the  use  of  the  elect."  ^  "  I  should  like  "  said  Comgall, 
"to  have  it  filled  with  tribulation  and  disease,  that  they  might 
enter  my  own  body  to  oppress  and  to  chastise  me."  But 
Columcille  chose  that  it  should  be  filled  with  gold  and  silver 
with  which  to  cover  relics  and  monasteries.  Mobi  said  that  it 
would  not  be  so,  but  that  Columcille's  community  would  be 
richer  than  any  other  congregation,  either  in  Ireland  or  in 
Scotland.  .  .  .^ 

Then  another  time  when  he  was  in  Derry,  he  planned  to  go 
to  Rome  and  to  Jerusalem.*  On  another  occasion  he  went 
from  Derry  to  Tours  of  Martin,  and  took  away  with  him  the 
gospel  that  had  been  in  the  earth  on  Martin's  bosom  for  a 
hundred  years.     And  he  left  it  in  Derry. 

God  did  many  miracles  and  wonders  for  Columcille  in 
Derry.     [Columba]  loved  that  city  greatly,  and  said  : 

"  I  love  Derry  for  these  reasons  :  for  its  smoothness  ;  for  its 
purity  ;  because  it  is  full  of  holy  angels,  from  one  end  to  the  other." 

Thereafter  Columcille  founded  Raphoe.  There  he  raised 
the  carpenter  from  death,  after  he  had  been  drowned  in  the 

1  Columba  miraculously  transferred  monastic  huts  across  a  flooded  river. 

^  do  macaib  bethad.  For  the  meaning  of  this  expression  cf.  the  Life  of 
Cainnech,  Plummer's  Vitae,  i,  167,  where  films  vitae  means  "  one  of  the 
elect." 

^  Mobi  predicted  plague  ;  Columba  stopped  it  at  the  river  Biur.  Derry 
was  founded  (see  year  546) ;  see  the  preface  to  the  hymn  Noli,  Pater. 
Wattles  were  taken  without  permission,  and  paid  for  with  barley  seed. 
Columba  drew  water  from  a  rock  to  baptize  a  child. 

*  nosiniraid  dula  do  Roim  ecus  do  Jerusalem,  Lebar  Brecc  ;  no 
imraideth  dula,  Lismore  Life.  "  He  bethought  him  of  going "  Stokes. 
This  surely  means  that  he  went.  The  same  expression  is  used  of  his  going 
to  Britain,  below. 

This  voyage  to  Rome  never  occurred.  An  altogether  miraculous  visit 
to  Rome  (through  the  air,  fighting  for  king  Brandub's  soul)  is  described  in 
O'Donnell's  Life  (III,  45);  Colgan's  Trias  Thaumaturga,  439a.  See 
Reeves's  Adamnan,  205.     Cf  Tallaght  Discourse,  133. 

C 


34  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

mill-pond.  Still  in  Raphoe  his  community  needed  a  plough- 
share ;  and  he  blessed  the  hands  of  the  little  boy  that  was  with 
him,  Fergna  by  name,  and  he  made  the  ploughshare;  and 
through  [Columba's]  blessing  [Fergna]  was  skilled  in  metal 
work  thenceforward. 

Then  [Columba]  went  on  a  preaching-circuit  to  the  king  of 
Teffia,  who  was  named  Aed,  Brendan's  son.  And  [Aed]  gave 
him  the  place  where  Durrow  is  to-day;  and  a  monastery ^  was 
made  there  by  [Columba].  .  .  } 

After  that  he  blessed  Durrow,  and  left  there  as  keeper  one 
of  his  community,  Cormac  Ua-Liathain. 

Then  he  went  to  Aed  Slane,  Diarmait's  son ;  he  came  to 
the  place  where  Kells  is  to-day.  It  was  a  castle  of  the  king  of 
Ireland  at  that  time  ;  the  castle  of  Diarmait,  Cerball's  son.  .  .  ? 

There  was  a  great  oak  under  which  Columcille  remained, 
so  long  as  he  was  in  that  place.  This  oak  lasted  for  many 
ages,  but  fell  in  the  uproar  of  a  great  wind.  A  certain  man 
took  some  of  its  bark  to  tan  his  shoes ;  and  as  soon  as  he  wore 
his  shoes  after  they  had  been  tanned,  leprosy  seized  him  from 
his  soles  to  his  crown. 

Then  Columcille  went  to  Aed  Slane,  and  prophesied  on  his 
behalf,  and  said  that  he  would  live  long  unless  he  committed 
parricide ;  but  if  he  did  parricide,  he  would  live  only  four  years 
afterwards.  And  he  blessed  a  cowl  for  him,  and  said  that  he 
should  not  be  wounded  so  long  as  he  wore  that  cowl.  But  Aed 
Slane  did  do  parricide,  contrary  to  the  word  of  Columcille, 
upon  Suibne,  Colman's  son  ;  and  after  four  years  he  went  upon 
an  expedition  ;  he  forgot  his  cowl ;  he  was  killed  upon  that  day. 

After  that,  Columcille  founded  many  churches  in  Brega. 
He  left  in  them  two  elders  and  many  relics.  He  left  Ossine, 
Cellach's  son,  in  Clonmore  of  Ferrard ;  [and]  he  went  after 
that  to   Monasterboice.     There  his  staff  struck  the  ladder  of 

'  redes. 

^  He  turned  bitter  apples  sweet;  he  sent  to  Colman  Mor,  Diarmait's 
son,  a  sword  so  blessed  that  none  could  die  beside  it. 

^  Columba  foretold  the  future  of  Kells  and  Killskeer  ;  and  "  he  marked 
out  that  city  [of  Kells]  as  it  is  now  ;  and  he  blessed  it  earnestly  ;  and  he 
said  that  it  would  be  the  chief  possession  he  should  have  among  the  lands, 
although  his  resurrection  would  not  be  there "  (i.e.,  although  he  should  not 
be  buried  there).  But  the  Columbite  monks  did  not  get  Kells  until  the 
year  804,  q.v.     This  was  written  long  after  that  date. 


COLUMBA  IN  IRELAND  35 

glass  by  which  Buitte  had  climbed  to  heaven ;  and  the  sound 
of  it  was  heard  through  the  whole  church.  And  he  revealed 
the  grave  of  Buitte.  And  he  marked  out  [Buitte's]  church/  as 
Buitte  himself  had  prophesied  upon  the  day  of  his  death. 

For  he  marked  out  many  churches,  and  wrote  many  books,''' 
as  the  poet  has  said  :  "  He  marked  out,  without  relaxing,^  three 
hundred  fair  churches  (it  is  true) ;  and  he  wrote  three  hundred 
bright,  noble,  miracle-working  books.  .  .  .* " 

Any  book  that  his  hand  had  written,  though  it  were  long 
under  water,  not  even  one  letter  in  it  was  washed  out. 

He  founded  a  church  in  Rechraind  ^  in  the  east  of  Brega, 
and  left  deacon  Colman  there.  .  .  .^ 

He  founded  a  church  in  the  place  where  Swords'  is  to-day. 
He  left  there  an  elder  of  his  community,  Finan  Lobur ;  and  he 
left  the  gospel  which  he  had  written  with  his  own  hand.  And 
he  marked  out  a  well  there,  called  Sord,  that  is  "  pure."  And 
he  blessed  a  cross.  For  he  was  accustomed  to  make  crosses 
and  book-satchels  and  book-covers  ^  and  altar  vessels,^  as 
[the  poet]  said  :  "  He  blessed  three  hundred  miracle-working 
crosses,  three  hundred  rushing  wells ;  and  a  hundred  splendid 
.  .  .  satchels,^"  and  a  hundred   croziers,  and  a  hundred  book- 


'  dororaind  a  chill;  Stokes's  translation.     Not  in  the  Lismore  Life. 

^  The  Lismore  Life  adds,  "  namely  three  hundred  churches  and  three 
hundred  books,"  and  omits  the  stanza  quoted  in  Lebar  Brecc. 

^  cen  mannair  "  without  loosening  "  Stokes. 

*  trebon;  "lasting(?)"  Stokes (z'j'CCir.  buadach  trebon.  lebor  solas saer  roscrib). 

8  irrachraind  oirthir  breg ;  "  now  Lambay,  Adamnan's  Rechrea  insula" 
Stokes.     This  is  Lambay,  but  in  Adamnan  Rathlin  may  be  meant. 

^  Cainnech  and  Comgall  saw  a  pillar  of  fire  over  Columba's  head  while 
he  celebrated  mass  there.     See  Adamnan,  below,  pp.  55-56. 

'  "  About  seven  miles  north  of  Dublin  "  Stokes. 

^  polaire  ocus  tiaga  lebor;  "writing-tablets  and  book-satchels"  Stokes, 
Lismore  Lives. 

"  aid7ne  eclastacda. 

'"  cSt  ipolaire  an  anathach;  "  a  hundred  tablets,"  Stokes  (Lismore 
Lives).     This  seems  an  unlikely  meaning  here. 

"  cet  Hag;  "  satchels,"  Stokes.  The  Lismore  Life  omits  the  quotation, 
and  reads:  "and  he  blessed  300  crosses  and  300  wells,  and  100  polaires 
and  100  tiag%." 

'^  Two  instances  of  second-sight  stand  here,  one  in  connection  with 
Cainnech's  monks,  another  with  Bridget  (who  died  ca.  524  ;  see  above, 
p.  17). 


36  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Afterwards  he  went  to  Leinster,  and  left  many  churches 
founded  there,  including  Druimm-Monach,  and  Moone,  and 
many  other  churches. 

Afterwards  Columcille  went  to  Clonmacnoise,  with  the 
hymn  that  he  had  made  for  Ciaran/  for  he  made  many 
praises  for  God's  community ;  as  [the  poet]  said,  "  Noble 
hundred-and-fifty  [hymns],  nobler  than  [those  of]  any  apostle  ; 
the  number  of  miracles  are  [as]  grass  ^;  some  [of  the  hymns 
were  written]  in  Latin,  which  was  obscure^;  others  in  Irish, 
fair  is  the  tale." 

Now  in  Clonmacnoise  a  little  boy  came  to  him  and  took  a 
small  hair  from  [Columba's]  clothing,  without  his  perceiving  it. 
But  God  revealed  the  matter  to  [Columba.]  He  prophesied  of 
the  boy  that  he  should  be  a  wise  man  and  religious.  That  is 
Ernan  of  Clondara  to-day. 

Afterwards  Columcille  went  into  the  territories  of  Connaught 
on  a  preaching-circuit,  and  he  founded  many  churches  and 
establishments  in  that  province-;  among  them  Assylyn*  and 
Drumcliff  And  he  left  Mothoria  in  Drumcliff,^  and  left  with 
them  a  crozier  which  he  himself  had  made.  Columcille  then 
went  past  Assaroe  and  founded  many  churches  in  Tirconnell 
and  Tyrone.  He  founded  [the  church]  in  Tory  Island,  and  left 
in  it  an  elder  of  his  community,  Ernaine. 

Now  when  Columcille  had  made  the  circuit  of  all  Ireland, 
and  had  sown  faith  and  belief,  after  he  had  baptized  many 
peoples,  after  he  had  founded  churches  and  establishments, 
after  he  had  left  in  them  elders  and  relics  of  saints  and  of 
martyrs,^  there  came  to  his  mind  the  resolution  he  had  deter- 
mined upon  from  the  beginning  of  his  life,  namely  to  go  into 
pilgrimage.  Then  he  planned  to  go  across  the  sea  to  preach 
God's  word  to  Scots  and  to  Britons  and  SaxonsJ 

1  Cf.  Liber  Hymnorum,  i,  157. 

2  itUn  ferta  fer ;  Stokes's  translation  (Lismore  Lives.) 
^  soebail J  "beguiling,"  Stokes. 

*  Ess-mic  -  Eire.  Assylyn,  on  the  Boyle,  according  to  Reeves, 
Adamnan,  281. 

^  This  clause  is  not  in  the  Lismore  Life. 

^  minda  ociis  martire ;  perhaps  "  reliquaries  and  relics,"  with  Stokes. 

■  Similarly  in  the  Life  of  Columba  in  the  Salamanca  MS.,  Smedt  and 
De  Backer's  Acta,  847-848  :  "And  after  the  holy  man  saw  that  a  fitting 
time  had  arrived  to  carry  out  what  he  had  formerly  purposed,  that  is  to 


COLUMBA  EXCOMMUNICATED  37 

?56i 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  III,  c.  3  ^ 

Concerning  the  apparition  of  holy  angels,  that  St  Brendan 
had  seen  passing  along  the  plain  in  company  of  the  blessed  ^nan. 

After  the  interval  of  many  seasons,^  when  St  Columba  was 
being  excommunicated  by  a  certain  synod  for  some  venial  and 
indeed  excusable  causes,  unjustly,  as  afterwards  became  plain 
in  the  end,  he  came  to  the  same  assembly  that  had  been 
collected  against  himself.  And  because  St  Brendan  (the 
founder  of  the  monastery  called  Birra  in  Irish  ^ )  had  seen 
him  coming,  far  off,  he  quickly  rose  and  bowed  his  face,  and 
reverently  kissed  him.  Some  of  the  elders  of  the  assembly 
separated  from  the  rest,  and  rebuked  him,  saying,  "  Why  dost 
thou  not  refuse  to  rise  in  presence  of  one  excommunicated,  and 
to  kiss  him?"  Then  he  spoke  to  them  and  said,  "If  you 
could  see  what  the  Lord  has  not  disdained  to  reveal  to  me  this 
day  concerning  this  his  chosen  one,  whom  you  dishonour,  you 
would  never  have  excommunicated  him  whom  God  by  no 
means  excommunicates  in  accordance  with  your  unjust  decree, 
but    even  exalts  by  more  and  more."     They  retorted,  saying, 

say  for  his  purpose  to  go  into  pilgrimage,  and  for  converting  the  Picts 
to  the  faith,  he  left  his  native  land  and  sailed  with  prosperous  passage  to 
the  island  of  lona,  which  is  situated  in  the  northern  ocean  between  Ireland 
and  Britain  ;  and  there  he  built  a  most  noble  monastery,  and  fed  white 
flocks  of  monks  with  the  salutary  nutriment  of  doctrine.  He  also  converted 
the  Picts  to  the  faith  of  Christ." 

'  Reeves's  ed.,  192-194;  Skene's,  195-196. 

2  After  the  time  of  a  miraculous  occurrence  in  Columba's  boyhood. 

^  The  death  of  Brendan  of  Birr  was  revealed  to  Columba  in  lona 
when  it  occurred,  according  to  Adamnan,  III,  11  (ed.  Skene,  201),  and 
Cummine,  VII  ;  and  Columba  instituted  the  .day  as  Brendan's  festival. 
Cf.  the  Life  in  the  Salamanca  MS.,  ed.  Smedt  and  De  Backer,  851. 

Brendan  died  either  in  564  =  565  or  in  571  =  572,  according  to  A.U., 
i,  60,  62  ;  in  [565]  or  [572],  according  to  T.,  u.s.,  147,  150,  and  C.S.,  56,  58, 
Hennessy's  years  566  and  573.  A.I.  place  his  death  under  O'Conor's  year 
565  =  573  (26  years  before  599).  Cf.  A.C.  s.a.  [574].  The  Annals  from  the 
Book  of  Leinster,  R.S.  89,  ii,  514,  place  his  death  in  580;  F.M.,  on  29th 
November  571. 

Brendan  of  Birr  died  in  the  year  of  the  battle  of  Femin,  according  to 
D.M.F.,  I,  p.  6,  first  year-section  ("about  the  year  of  Christ  571").  This 
battle  was  fought  in  573,  according  to  A.U.  and  A.I.  Perhaps  573  is  the 
true  year  of  Brendan's  death. 


38  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

"  How,  we  should  like  to  know,  does  God  glorify,  as  thou  sayest, 
him  whom  we  have  excommunicated,  and  not  without  cause?" 
"I  have  seen"  said  Brendan,  "a  column  streaming  with  fire, 
and  exceedingly  bright,  preceding  this  man  of  God  whom  you 
despise;  and  holy  angels  accompanying  him  on  his  journey 
through  the  plain.  So  I  dare  not  slight  this  man  whom  I  perceive 
to  be  preordained  by  God  to  live  as  leader  of  the  peoples." 

After  he  had  said  this,  they  not  only  desisted,  without  ventur- 
ing to  excommunicate  the  holy  man  further,  but  even  honoured 
him  with  great  reverence.     This  affair  occurred  in  Teltown.^ 

563 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  III,  c.  4^ 

About  the  same  time  ^  the  saint  sailed  over  to  Britain  with 
twelve  fellow-warriors  as  his  disciples.'*' 

'  The  later  accounts  which  give  Columba's  share  in  the  battle  of 
Cuil-dremne  as  the  cause  of  his  departure  from  Ireland  may  have 
justification  ;  Adamnan  touches  this  matter  very  gently.  It  seems  probable 
that  the  synod  here  spoken  of  had  assembled  after  that  battle. 

An  account  somewhat  similar  to  Adamnan's  appears  in  the  Salamanca 
MS.,  ed.  Smedt  and  De  Backer,  221-22;). 

Cf  the  notes  on  Oengus,  in  MS.  Rawlinson  B  512  (R.S.  89,  ii, 
556;  1905  Oengus,  204):  "The  cutting-off  of  Ciaran's  life,  Columcille's 
being  sent  across  the  sea,  and  Mochuta's  being  driven  from  Rahen,  these 
are  the  three  discreditable  stories  of  the  saints  of  Ireland."  To  similar 
effect  in  L.B.  (1880  Oengus,  cxliv),  Avhich  says  that  these  were  "the  three 
worst  counsels  carried  out  in  Ireland  by  advice  of  saints."  But  the 
annotator  of  the  Amra  puts  a  different  complexion  upon  it.  Amra  Coluim- 
chille  (Liber  Hymnorum,  i,  179) :  "  In  Scotland,  fear  of  hell.  (I.e.  for  fear 
of  hell  he  went  into  Scotland.)" 

Cf.  the  glossator's  note  in  the  Amra  Coluimchille,  i,  173:  "[Columba] 
conquered  in  the  battles  of  the  three  Culls  ;  the  battle  of  Cuil-Dremne, 
against  the  Connaught-men  ;  and  the  battle  of  Cuil-Feda,  against  Colman 
Mor,  Diarmait's  son  ;  and  the  battle  of  Cuil-Rathin  [Coleraine],  against  the 
Ulstermen,  in  the  contest  between  Columba  and  Comgall  for  Ros-Torathair." 

The  Metrical  Dindsenchas  (from  the  Book  of  Leinster),  ed.  Gwynn,  Todd 
Lecture  Series,  8,  i,  26 :  "  Columcille  (who  used  to  ransom  captives) 
gained  the  battle  [of  Cuildremne]  against  Diarmait ;  before  he  went  out 
across  the  sea,  the  lord  of  Tara  had  yielded  to  him." 

^  Reeves's  edition,  195  ;  Skene's,  196. 

^  The  previous  passage  (the  previous  chapter  in  Cummine)  relates  how 
Finnian  [of  Moville]  (called  "bishop  Finnio"  by  Adamnan)  saw  Columba 
escorted  by  an  angel.  Adamnan  places  Finnian's  vision  vaguely  ("at 
another  time  ")  after  the  synod  of  Teltown. 

*  With  the  word  "fellow- warriors"  {commilito7ics)  compare  Adamnan's 


FOLLOWERS  OF  COLUMBA  39 

Continuation  of  Adamnan's  Life  of  Columba,  Reeves's  edition, 

pp.  245-246 1 

These  are  the  names  of  the  twelve  men  who  sailed  over 
with  St  Columba  from  Ireland,  in  his  first  crossing  to  Britain  : 
The  two  sons  of  Brendan :  Baithene,  who  [was  called]  also 
Conin,  St  Columba's  successor ;  and  Cobthach,  his  brother  ; 
Ernan,  St  Columba's  uncle ; 
Diarmait,  his  attendant ; 
Rus,  and  Fechno,  two  sons  of  Rodan  ; 
Scandal,  son  of  Bresal,  son  of  Enda,  son  of  Niall; 
Lugaid  Mocu-Themne ; 
Echoid ; 

Tochannu  Mocu-Fircetea ; 
Cairnan,  son  of  Brandub,  son  of  Meilge  ; 
Grillan.2  .  .  . 

description  of  Columba  as  an  "  island  soldier."  The  meaning  is  "  soldiers 
of  Christ"  ;  but  here  the  word  suggests  that  Columba  and  his  followers 
had  taken  part  in  the  battle  of  Cuil-dremne. 

The  number  "twelve"  appears  also  in  the  Irish  Life;  Stokes's  Three 
Homilies,  100  ;  but  see  the  same  work  below. 

'  Skene's  ed.,  Ixxi-lxxii  ;  Stokes  and  Strachan,  Thesaurus,  ii,  281.  This 
is  taken  from  Reeves's  MS.  B  (for  which  see  Reeves,  xxiv-xxv). 

2  This  list  is  copied  imperfectly  by  Fordun  ;  III,  26  (i,  113). 

It  is  probable  that  these  are  all  names  of  men  who  were  associated  with 
Columba  in  Scotland  at  one  time  or  another. 

The  Irish  Life  in  Lebar  Brecc  ;  Stokes's  Homilies,  118  :  "the  monks  he 
had  with  him  in  [the  church  of  lona]  were  a  hundred  and  fifty  for  contem- 
plation" {ri  ieoir,  i.e.  theoria;  Stokes's  translation)  "and  sixty  for  active 
life "  {ri  achtdilj  Stokes  \actualis\,  but  possibly  laymen  are  meant)  ;  "  as 
said  the  poet  :  'Wondrous  were  the  youths  that  were  in  lona  ;  a  hundred 
and  fifty  in  monasticism,  with  their  curachs  over  the  sea  ;  sixty  men 
rowing.' 

"  When  Columcille  had  founded  lona,  he  went  upon  a  preaching-circuit 
through  Scotland  and  Wales  and  England.  And  he  brought  them  to  faith 
and  belief,  after  performing  many  miracles,  after  raising  the  dead  from 
death." 

Similarly  also  in  the  Book  of  Lismore  ;  Stokes,  Lismore  Lives,  30  (for 
"  sixty  "  above,  the  Lismore  Life  reads  "  forty  "  ;  perhaps  this  is  a  printer's 
error.  Stokes  translates  it  "sixty";  ibid.,  178).  For  the  numbers,  cf. 
below,  year  575. 

Lebar  Brecc,  19b,:  "  Colum  of  Terryglass,  son  of  Nindid,  son  of 
Naxair,  son  of  Crimthan,  son  of  Eochaid,  son  of  Oengus,  son  of  Crimthan, 
son  of  Cathair  Mor. 


40  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

"  My  Maedoc  of  Fid-duin,  son  of  Midgna,  son  of  Meti,  son  of  Nindid, 
son  of  Naxair,  son  of  Crimthan,  son  of  Cathair  Mor. 

"  Colman  Cuile,  son  of  Midgna  ;  i.e.,  brother  of  My  Maedoc  of  Fid-duin. 
And  their  sister  was  Conchend." 

This  pedigree  (corrected)  places  Maedoc  in  the  gth  generation  from 
Cathair  Mor,  from  whom  Columba  was  descended  by  ii  generations. 
Cf.  the  pedigree  in  the  Book  of  Leinster,  351  d.  (Cf.  Forbes,  Kalendars 
of  Scottish  Saints,  412.) 

Martyrology  of  Oengus,  23rd  March  :  "  My  Maedoc,  diadem  of  Scot- 
land, relates  loftiness  from  Christ."  Notes  in  the  Franciscan  MS.  (1905 
Oengus,  100)  and  in  L.B.  (1880  Oengus,  Ixiv)  give  his  pedigree.  Cf. 
Tallaght,  in  L.L.,  357  d. 

According  to  the  Book  of  Deer,  Drostan  was  a  pupil  of  Columba.  Cf. 
the  Breviary  of  Aberdeen,  i,  3,  xix  (14th  December) :  "  St  Drostan,  abbot." 
"  Blessed  Drostan,  sprung  from  royal  ancestry  of  the  Scots."  "...  He 
took  the  habit  in  Dalquongale.  Upon  the  death  of  the  abbot  of  that  place, 
the  blessed  Drostan  was  elected  abbot."  "...  He  removed  himself  to  a 
desert  place  in  the  regions  of  Scotland  ;  and  leading  there  the  life  of  a 
hermit  he  built  a  church  in  a  place  that  is  called  Glenesk."  "And  the 
bones  of  the  most  holy  confessor  Drostan  are  preserved  at  Aberdour  in 
a  tomb  of  stone,  and  there  many  suffering  from  various  oppressions  of 
disease  are  restored  by  his  merits  to  health."     See  below,  ii,  174-181. 

One  companion  of  Columba  was  Munnu  or  Fintan.  Cf.  the  Breviary  of 
Aberdeen,  ii,  3,  cxxxi :  "The  abbot  St  Mundus,  at  Kilmund  and  Dissert." 
(See  Martyrology  of  Oengus,  21st  October.) 

A  pupil  of  Congall  and  Sillenus,  he  received  the  habit  from  Columba, 
according  to  this  Breviary. 

Fintan  was  Aed's  son,  according  to  Adamnan,  II,  31  (see  below,  p.  61). 

Machar  also  is  said  to  have  been  one  of  Columba's  companions  on  the 
voyage  from  Ireland. 

According  to  the  Scots  Life  of  Machar  (Horstmann,  Altenglische 
Legenden,  Neue  Folge,  190-207  ;  Metcalfe,  Legends,  ii,  i  ff.),  Machar 
[Sand  Morys\  was  the  son  of  an  Irish  king  and  queen,  Syaconus  and 
Synchene  ;  he  was  called  by  them  Mochumma  [Mocwnma,  Mocumba]  ;  he 
was  fostered  by  Colman  \Telemane\.  As  a  child,  he  restored  to  life  his 
infant  brother.  He  was  miraculously  saved  from  death  by  fire  and  by 
water.  He  became  a  disciple  of  Columba,  who  called  him  Machar 
{Machore)  when  he  reached  full  manhood.  Sent  by  Columba  to  preach  in 
Mull,  he  cured  seven  lepers  there.     (Cf.  the  Aberdeen  Breviary.) 

When  Columba  and  his  followers  set  sail  for  Scotland,  Machar  was  the 
first  to  embark.  "  Then,  God  helping,  they  sailed  a  while,  till  they  came 
near  to  the  island  of  lona  [Ty],  and  there  struck  sail ;  then  they  thought  to 
land  there.  One  Maelumai  [Mellumd]  at  that  moment  came  to  the  sea 
and  saw  them  there,  and  knew  St  Columba,  and  was  glad  ;  and  asked  him 
at  once  if  he  wished  to  land,  and  he  said  '  Yes.'  Then  the  peasant  [carle] 
waded  to  the  boat  without  delay.  And  when  he  had  [carried]  them  to  the 
land,  then  said  St  Columba:  'Are  we  all  here?'  Maelumai  said,  'Yes,  sir. 


ST  MACHAR  41 

now.'  St  Columba  made  them  pass  before  him  to  see  ;  and  he  missed 
St  Machar,  who  still  lay  in  his  prayers.  Then  St  Columba  said  to  the 
peasant :  '  One  still  is  wanting,  who  is  more  to  God  of  heaven  than  we  all 
are.'  Then  the  peasant  went  over,  and  asked  if  he  wished  to  be  carried 
dry  to  land.  '  Yes,'  said  he  ;  and  straightway  he  carried  him  dry  to  the 
land.  .  .  . 

"  Then  said  St  Columba  :  '  Brothers,  blessed  be  this  place  ;  and  pray  to 
God  that  he  send  his  angel  to  bless  it,  since  it  has  chanced  that  we  have 
come  here.'  And  after  they  had  done  as  he  said,  they  presently  passed 
over  the  whole  island  ;  and  found  it  very  productive,  and  good  and  suit- 
able to  dwell  in.  And  in  a  while  one  may  easily  sail  to  that  isle  out  of 
Ireland."  They  found  a  "fair  stead,"  and  built  mansions  for  Columba  and 
Machar,  and  dwellings  for  the  remainder  of  the  company. 

After  some  time  Machar  left  lona,  and  "  God  helping,  sailed  the  sea, 
in  three  days,  without  difficulty  ;  and  arrived  by  a  straight  course  in  the 
north  of  Scotland  \_e'wine  north  in  5.],  where  they  found  dwelling  a 
Christian  man,  whose  name  was  Ferchar  \^Farcare\  and  who  had  riches 
and  great  power"  in  the  country  of  the  Picts.  Ferchar  received  Machar 
gladly,  and  brought  him  "to  his  town,"  and  provided  him  with  all  that  he 
needed.  Ferchar  let  Machar  choose  any  place  out  of  all  his  heritage.  And 
Machar  searched  till  he  found  "  a  place  that  was  suitable  for  him  ;  beside 
the  bank  of  a  water  that  ran  into  the  sea,  and  looked  as  if  it  had  been  a 
bishop's  staff."  He  built  the  necessary  dwellings.  "And  after  that  he 
caused  a  costly  church  to  be  built  by  craftsmen,  and  it  men  called  still 
St  Machar's  See  or  Seat."  A  religious  man  dwelling  near,  called  Devenick 
{Dewynik),  went  to  convert  the  Picts  of  Caithness.  "  Devenick  went  over 
to  Caithness,  to  folk  who  were  then  without  the  truth  ;  and  he  prospered 
so  well  in  short  time  there,  that  he  made  them  perfect  in  God's  lore. 

"  St  Machar  continued  to  preach  to  the  Picts,  as  he  had  done  before, 
and  so  prospered  that  he  caused  the  greater  part  of  them  to  become 
Christian.  And  notably  he  brought  to  the  truth  leading  men,  who  had 
till  then  been  without  the  truth  ;  both  through  the  teaching  he  gave  them, 
and  by  showing  several  miracles.  And  far  and  wide  he  destroyed  their 
temples,  and  the  idols  which  were  in  them." 

He  turned  a  boar  to  stone, 

A  sorcerer,  Dinone,  dwelt  in  that  country  ;  he  appeared  to  have  seven 
heads,  but  when  Machar  repeated  the  psalm  Exsurgat  Deus  (Psalms, 
LXVIII  ;  in  Vulgate,  LXVn)  he  was  seen  to  have  but  one;  and  he 
became  a  Christian.  Machar  performed  miracles  of  healing,  and  raised 
from  death  a  relative  of  Columba  called  Synchenus.  Those  who  opposed 
him  lost  their  lives.  One  spring,  he  sent  to  his  bishop  "  to  my  lord 
Ternane"  for  seed,  and  produced  a  miraculous  crop  of  bere  and  rye  in 
waste  land. 

A  man  refused  Machar  ground  for  a  church  ;  but  a  fish-bone  stuck  in 
the  man's  throat,  till  he  yielded.  "  St  Machar  then  measured  the  place, 
which  was  long  and  broad  and  very  smooth  :  and  in  a  short  time  he 
had  a  comely  church  built  there,  of  fair  trees." 


42  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Machar  received  a  visit  from  "  St  Ternan,  the  bishop  near." 

"Not  long  afterwards,  upon  a  day  a  man  said  to  St  Machar  that  St 
Devenick  in  Caithness  had  perished  of  age,  and  was  dead  ;  and  while  he 
lay  on  his  death-straw  he  had  said  to  those  beside  him:  'When  you  see 
that  I  am  dead,  I  conjure  you  for  God's  sake  that  you  let  no  labour  weary 
you,  but  carry  my  body  to  a  certain  church  of  which  St  Machar  knows,  and 
pray  him  for  the  sake  of  heaven's  king  that  he  remember  and  be  mindful 
of  the  promise  which  he  made  to  me  of  his  good  will,  at  our  parting." 
Machar  had  promised  to  bury  him  where  he  had  laboured,  and  where 
he  had  parted  from  Machar,  near  the  place  of  Machar's  first  church 
among  the  Picts.  The  bearers  of  the  body  were  resting  near  the  hill 
of  Crostan  iCreskane).  Machar  directed  them  to  take  it  to  Banchory, 
where  they  buried  him,  and  built  a  church  above  him.  There  miracles 
appeared.  "  Men  call  the  place  wherein  he  .lay  Banchory-Devenick  to 
this  day." 

Columba  entered  Scotland,  intending  to  go  to  Rome.  Machar  went 
with  him,  and  they  came  to  pope  Gregory,  who  made  Machar  bishop  of 
all  the  Picts,  and  changed  his  name  to  Mauritius  {Morise).  Gregory 
instructed  Machar  and  blessed  them  both,  and  they  returned,  visiting 
on  their  way  the  tomb  of  St  Martin  at  Tours  ;  the  bishop  of  Tours 
received  them  with  great  honour,  and  wished  them  to  remain  with 
him.  Martin  appeared  to  Columba  and  gave  him  "  the  book  of  the 
Gospel  which  had  been  laid  in  the  grave  for  some  time,  beside  him, 
where  he  was  buried";  "which  all  his  lifetime  [Columba]  held  in 
great  liking,  as  a  relic  ;  and  when  he  died,  he  left  it  to  his  church,  as 
was  reasonable." 

Machar  remained  in  Tours  for  three  years  and  a  half,  as  the  bishop's 
administrator,  as  "father  and  soul-herd."  Then  he  died,  and  was 
embalmed  and  sumptuously  buried  beside  Martin.  There  his  remains  do 
miracles  ;  his  intercession  is  obtained  by  suppliants. 

This  Life  has  very  little  authority,  and  is  in  some  respects  palpably 
false.  In  general  agreement  with  its  earlier  details  is  the  office  for  the 
festival  of  St  Machar  in  the  Breviary  of  Aberdeen  (ii,  3,  154-157;  12th 
November,  a  "  double  principal  [festival]  in  the  church  of  Aberdeen," 
which  was  dedicated  to  this  saint):  "As  his  true  History  relates,  we 
learn  that  St  Mauricius  was  born  of  a  father  Syacanus,  a  regulus  of  the 
Irish  ;  and  of  a  mother  Synchena,  his  queen.  .  .  ."  (This  office  is  also  in 
Metcalfe,  Scottish  Saints,  i,  217-221.) 

For  S.  Ternan,  see  i.a.  A.  P.  Forbes,  Liber  Ecclesie  B.  Terrenani  de 
Arbuthnott  (1864),  Preface,  pp.  Ixxii-lxxxiv. 

Ternan  may  possibly  have  been  the  Torannan  who  is  commemorated 
under  June  12th,  in  Oengus  (1880  ed.,  xciii,  cccxxiv.  ;  1905  ed.,  140,447; 
"  Long-lived,  active  Torannan,  over  a  wide  sea  of  ships  "  ;  see  the  notes 
variously  identifying  him,  1905  ed.,  148,  149;  Donegal,  166,  167,  168);  and 
in  Gorman,  114. 


MONASTERY  OF  lONA  43 

563 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  144,  s.a.  [562] 

The  sailing  of  Columcille  to  the  island  of  lona,  in  the 
forty-fifth  year  of  his  age.^ 

1  F.n.  I. 

2  In  text  " forty-i5fth "  (xlu) ;  probably  we  should  read  "forty-second" 
(xlii),  as  in  C.S.,  and  in  Adamnan.  A.U.  also  read  "forty-second,"  in  spite 
of  the  fact  that  this  number  is  not  in  agreement  with  the  dates  they  give. 
"42nd"  is  also  the  reading  of  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  88,  s.a.  563  (cf. 
82  :  "  St  Columcille  being  then  banished  into  Scotland  .  .  ."). 

C.S.,  54,  s.a.  [563]  (f.n.  I  ;  Hennessy's  year  563),  and  A.U.,  i,  60,  s.a. 
562  =  563  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  563) :  "Voyage  of  Columcille  to  lona  in  the 
forty-second  year  of  his  age."  MS.  B  of  A.U.  reads  only  :  "  Voyage  of 
Columcille  from  Ireland."  This  stands  44  or  40  years  after  A.U.'s  date  of 
Columba's  birth. 

A.I.,  7,  O'Conor's  year  555  =  563  (36  years  before  599,  i  year  after  559) : 
"  Columcille  in  pilgrimage.  His  first  night  in  Scotland  was  Pentecost." 
This  is  placed  44  years  after  his  birth.  According  to  MacCarthy's  tables 
(N  and  O,  in  A.U.,  iv,  Introduction),  the  Celtic  Pentecost  in  563  was 
13th  May,  the  same  as  Roman  Pentecost.  Tigernach's  reckoning  (below, 
year  597)  requires  an  earlier  day  of  arrival  than  9th  June. 

Columba's  voyage  is  used  as  an  era  to  reckon  from,  but  erroneously,  in 
A.U.,  ii,  310,  s.a.  1249. 

F.M.,  i,  196,  s.a.  557:  "Columcille  went  to  Scotland,  and  afterwards 
founded  a  church  ;  and  it  is  named  after  him." 

A.C.,  Y  Cymmrodor,  ix,  155,  s.a.  [562]  (8  years  after  the  "iioth 
year"  after  444):  "Columcille  went  forth  in[to]  Britain."  In  MS.  B 
(Ab  Ithel,  4) :  "  Columcille  came  out  of  Ireland  in[to]  Britain."  The  annal 
is  not  in  MS.  C. 

Bede's  date  565  is  given  by  the  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle,  and  by  the 
Annals  of  St  Neots  (Stevenson's  Asser,  120).  Bede's  account  implies  that 
Columba  passed  some  time  in  Britain  before  his  settlement  in  lona.  It 
seems  possible  that  Columba  may  have  remained  from  563  to  564  with  the 
king  of  Dalriata  (see  Adamnan,  below,  p.  48),  and  from  564  to  565  in 
Pictland  ;  and  that  he  did  not  finally  settle  in  lona  until  565.  (We  may 
note  that  Maelrubai  passed  about  two  years  in  Britain  before  establishing 
his  monastery  at  Applecross  ;  below,  years  671,  673.) 

Version  I  of  the  Chronicle  of  the  Picts,  in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  286 : 
"The  arrival  of  St  Columba  to  the  Picts,  565  ;  and  he  lived  with  them 
for  thirty-two  years  afterwards.  Columba  died  in  the  time  of  Brude, 
Maelchon's  son,  592."  (The  first  sentence  is  taken  from  English,  the 
second,  erroneously,  from  Irish,  sources.) 

C.H.,  8:  "In  the  year '565,  father  Columba  came  from  Ireland  to 
Britain,  to  teach  the  Picts  ;  and  he  made  a  monastery  in  the  island  of 
lona."     This  is  taken  from  Bede,  H.E.,  Recapitulatio  ;  i,  353.     The  Annals 


44  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Preface  to  the  hymn  Alius  Prositor ;  Bernard  and 
Atkinson's  Liber  Hymnorum,  vol.  i,  p.  63 

Columcille  went  to  lona  in  the  565tli  year  after  the  birth 
of  Christ.  According  to  Bede,  in  the  year  of  the  Lord's 
Incarnation  565,  at  which  time  Justinus  the  younger  received 
the  helm  of  the  Roman  empire,  after  Justinian,  he  came 
from  Ireland  to  Britain,  a  priest  and  abbot,  noted  for  the  habit 
and  life  of  a  monk,  with  the  name  of  a  dove,  to  preach  the  word 
of  God  to  the  provinces  of  the  northern  Picts.  At  that  time 
Brude,  Maelchon's  son,  reigned  over  the  Picts ;  and  he  granted 
lona  to  Columba.  And  there  Columba  was  buried  when  he 
was  seventy-six  1  years  old,  thirty-four  years  after  he  had  come 
to  Britain  to  preach.^ 

of  Lund  (M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xxix,  191,  s.a.  567)  quote  from  the  same 
source. 

Columba's  mission  is  entered  (from  Bede)  by  Marianus  Scottus,  in 
M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  v,  546,  insertion  s.a.  587  =  565  (and  ist  of  Justinus  II). 

Herimannus  Augiensis,  Chronicon  ;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  v,  88,  s.a. 
565:  "St  Columba,  priest  and  abbot,  came  from  Ireland  and  preached 
the  word  of  God  to  the  Britons."  Columba's  mission  is  mentioned  also 
under  565  by  Bernoldus,  Chronicon  ;  ibid.,  v,  413  ;  and  by  Alberic  of 
Trois  Fontaines  ;  ibid.,  xxiii,  693. 

Sigebert  of  Gemblours,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vi,  318,  s.a.  566:  "St 
Columba,  a  priest,  coming  from  Ireland  was  held  in  renown  in  Britain." 

Life  of  Catroe,  in  P.  &  S.,  108-109  (reprinted  from  Colgan's  Acta 
Sanctorum,  p.  495,  6th  March) :  "  Several  years  passed,"  [after  the  Scottish 
settlement  in  Ireland  ;  reading  aliquot  ior  guot]  "and  [the  Scots]  crossed 
over  the  sea  that  is  beside  them,  and  occupied  the  island  of  Eu,  which  is 
now  called  lona  \Eueam  insulam,  quae  nunc  lona  dicitur,  repleveruni\ 
Not  resting  there,  they  passed  \j)erlegentes\  the  neighbouring  sea  of 
Britain,  and  over  the  river  Rosis,  and  settled  the  district  of  Ross"  (^er 
Rosim  amnem,  Rossiam  regionem  manserunt j  for  which  Skene  would  read 
invaserunt,  "  invaded ").  "  They  went  also  to  the  cities  of  St  Andrews 
[^Rtgmonat/z]  and  Belachoir  [Bellethor],  situated  far  apart,  and  overcame 
them,  to  hold  them  [ever  after].  And  thus  they  called  the  whole  land 
Scotia  [which  previously  had  been]  called  by  its  own  name  Chorischia  .  .  ." 
This  curious  account  does  not  distinguish  between  ecclesiastical  and  civil 
occupation. 

■  "  Seventy-seven "  in  Reeves's  quotation  (Adamnan,  435) :  this  is  the 
reading  of  the  Franciscan  MS.  (used  by  Colgan,  in  Trias  Thaumaturga). 

^  This  account  is  derived  from  Bede  ;  see  E.C.,  6-8.  The  first  sentence 
is  in  Irish,  the  rest  is  in  Latin. 


CONSECRATION  OF  lONA  45 

563 

Irish  Life  of  Columba,  in  Lebar  Brecc ;  Stokes's  Three 
Homilies,  pp.  116-118^ 

So  he  went  upon  an  expedition.  His  age  was  forty-two 
when  he  went ;  he  lived  thirty-four  years  in  Scotland ;  his 
complete  age  was  seventy-seven  years.  ^ 

And  the  number  [of  those]  that  went  was  twenty  bishops, 
forty  priests,  thirty  deacons,  fifty  students.  As  said  [the  poet]  : 
"  Their  number  was  forty  priests,  twenty  bishops  (noble  was 
their  power)  ;  for  psalm-singing,  without  doubt,  thirty  deacons, 
fifty  boys."  3 

Then  he  went  in  cheerful  mood,  and  came  to  the  place  that 
is  called  to-day  lona  of  Columcille.*  He  arrived  there  on  the 
night  of  Pentecost. 

Two  bishops  that  were  in  the  land  came  to  send  him  away 
from  it.  But  God  revealed  to  Columcille  that  they  were  not 
really  bishops ;  therefore  they  abandoned  the  island  to  him 
when  he  related  to  them  their  history,  and  their  true 
performances.^ 

Then  Columcille  said  to  his  community :  "  It  were  well  for 
us  that  our  roots  should  go  into  the  ground  here."  And  he 
said  to  them,  "  It  is  permitted  you  that  some  one  of  you  should 
go  into  the  ground  of  this  island,  to  consecrate  it." 

Oran  rose  up  readily,  and  spoke  thus  :  "  If  I  should  be 
taken,"  said  he,  "  I  am  ready  for  that." 

"  Oran,"  said  Columcille,  "  thou  shalt  have  reward  for  it. 
No  prayer  shall  be  granted  to  any  one  at  my  grave,  unless  he 
first  make  it  to  thee." 

Then  Oran  went  to  heaven.  Then  [Columba]  founded 
the  church  of  lona.^ 

1  Also  in  the  Book  of  Lismore  ;  Stokes's  Lismore  Lives,  30. 

2  The  Lismore  Life  reads  here  erroneously  :  "  Then  he  went  upon  an 
expedition.     He  was  45  years  in  Scotland  ;  his  complete  age  was  77  years." 

3  Cf.  the  Liber  Hymnorum,  below,  year  575,  note. 
*  In  modern  Gaelic  1-Chohdm-chille. 

5  atindrium  n-diles ;  "  what  they  ought  to  perform,"  Stokes. 

^  This  is  a  late  authority  for  an  old  legend.     Cf  Stokes,  Lismore  Lives, 

This  story  (in  Lebar  Brecc,  facsimile,  33  a)  is  to  some  extent  supported 
by  the  name  of  the  graveyard  in  lona,  Reilig  Odhrain,  at  the  present  day. 


46  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Berclian''s  Prophecy,  stanzas  1 02-1 13;  in  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  79 

Three  score  years  from  to-morrow,^  pleasant  to  my 
heart  .  .  .  ^  till  a  son  will  be  born  in  Raith-cro,^  of  whom 
Ireland  and  Scotland  will  be  full. 

He  will  be  a  scholar,  a  seer,  a  poet,  a  sage  of  the  son  of 
the  God  of  heaven ;  he  will  be  a  warrior  and  cleric,  pure  and 
fierce ;  a  celibate,  a  priest. 

He  will  be  a  chief  prophet  beyond  measure ;  he  is  not  a 
bishop,  through  neglect.*  Heaven  and  earth  will  be  full  of 
him,  of  the  son  who  has  the  prophecy. 

Ireland  will  not  be  without  a  wise  one,  after  Bridget,  and 
Patrick  of  great  deeds ;  with  the  youth  .  .  .  ^  the  battle  of 
Cuil-dremne  .  .  .^ 

But  Adamnan,  III,  5,  gives  a  different  account  of  the  first  death  in  the 
community  of  lona,  of  a  monk  Brito  (perhaps  "  a  Briton  "  ;  not  certainly 
different  from  Oran). 

There  are,  however,  other  places  named  after  Oran,  and  the  legend 
may  be  dismissed  as  unhistorical. 

The  Martyrology  of  Oengus  commemorates  Oran  at  27th  October : 
"Oran,  a  noble  champion"  {sab;  cf  ibid.  loth  November,  and  in  1880  ed. 
p.  clxvi,  a  gloss  in  Lebar  Brecc)  "  [and]  a  good  swimmer."  There  is  this 
note  in  Lebar  Brecc  (ibid.,  clx) :  "  By  swimming  he  went  into  Gair-maicc- 
Moga  (an  island  in  Corkaguiny).  Oran,  a  priest  of  Tech-Airerain  in  Meath  ; 
or  of  Latteragh  of  Oran  in  Muscraige-Tire,  and  of  lona  of  Columcille,  that 
is  to  say  [of]  Reilic  Odrain  "  ["  Oran's  graveyard,"  still  so-called]  "  in  lona. 
Or  he  lies  in  Gair-maicc-Moga,  an  island  in  Corkaguiny;  and  he  went  there 
by  swimming,  as  they  say."  That  is  to  say,  the  annotator  was  uncertain 
which  of  two  Orans  was  commemorated  on  this  day. 

Oran  of  Latteragh's  death  is  recorded  by  F.M.  under  548,  October 
2nd  ;  i,  186. 

27th  October  would  have  been  a  most  unlikely  time  of  year  for 
Columba's  first  settlement  in  lona. 

1  I.e.,  from  the  death  of  Patrick  (stanza  97).  Patrick  probably  died  in 
461,  Columba  was  probably  born  in  521. 

^  cia  raladh,  rhyming  with  bdrach. 

2  Glossed  above  :  "i.e.,  Columcille."  See  year  521.  Raith-Cro  was  in 
Brega. 

■*  Bishop  Etchen  is  said  to  have  conferred  upon  him  priest's  orders, 
instead  of  bishop's  orders,  by  mistake.  See  1905  Oengus,  72.  Cf.  above, 
p.  29. 

°  athbuir  aimne j  a  cheville,  "  I  speak  thus  "  (reading  aibiur)  ? 

"  ni  anbhadh  cath  Ciila  Dreimne :  read  dm  m-biadh  cath  "  by  whom  the 


COLUMBA  LEAVES  IRELAND  47 

Alas  for  Ireland,  which  will  hear  of  the  battle !  Alas, 
alas  for  her  sons;  alas  for  her  kings;  alas  for  freemen, 
alas  for  bondmen ;  alas  for  the  people ;  sea  and  land  be- 
wailing it. 

The  youth  Columba  will  go  from  the  centre  of  Derry,  past 
Cuaile-Ciannacht ;  he  will  hear  three  shouts  behind  him.  He 
will  speak  to  his  boatman,  consulting  him  (?).^ 

Loch  Foyle  under  waves  of  blood  ;  the  wailing  of  the  birds 
(it  is  not  falsehood),  the  wind  rises  against  the  Oakwood,^ 
lamenting  over  the  pilgrim. 

Then  he  will  speak  a  true  message,  which  I  shall  not 
conceal,  to  the  sons  of  heaven  and  earth,  with  a  shower  of 
tears  upon  his  pure  wan  cheek  : 

"  My  fortress  in  lona,  without  a  fault,  and  my  soul  in 
Derry ;  and  my  body  under  the  stone  under  which  are  Bridget 
and  Patrick.^ 

"The  angels  will  carry  me  from  the  east  to  Ireland  out  of 
Scotland :  dear  the  death  that  shall  take  me  out  of  Scotland 
to  Ireland ! " 

And  I  am  certain,  although  he  comes,  he  will  not  be  absent 
in  lona,  every  day  in  his  choir  in  Derry,  and  his  body  in 
Downpatrick. 

I  beseech  the  Father  and  the  Son,  and  the  equally  powerful 

battle  .  .  .  will   be    caused"?     The   initial  vowel  of  anbhadh   is   elided, 
therefore  ni  is  not  the  negative  particle. 

'  adbJier  fria  churc\K\air  na  adhrns,  rhyming  with  dia  cis.  The  initial 
vowel  oi  adhrus  is  elided,  therefore  na  is  not  the  negative  particle.  With 
adhrus  cf.  Windisch,  Worterbuch,  s.v.  athreSs  ;  O'Donovan,  s.v.  aitreos. 
This  and  the  previous  imperfect  rhyme  are  marks  of  age,  in  the  nucleus  of 
the  Prophecy. 

^  an  ghaothfri  Dhoire  at  asfraigh.  (For  the  rhyme  with  ailithrigh  cf. 
similar  imperfect  assonance  in  stanzas  i,  99,  100.)  Perhaps  a/ was  originally 
a  gloss,  intended  to  correct  asfraigh  to  atfraigh. 

There  is  perhaps  in  the  previous  stanza  the  same  play  upon  the 
meaning  of  Derry  ("a  dove  will  go  from  the  Oakwood  "). 

^  I.e.  in  Downpatrick :  see  stanza  loi.  This  stanza  (no)  is  quoted 
in  the  Irish  Life  of  Columba  (Lismore  Lives,  317)  ;  and  by  O'Donnell. 

This  was  probably  written  before  the  time  when,  according  to  Giraldus 
Cambrensis  (v,  163-164,  387),  during  John  de  Courcy's  rule  over  Ulster, 
the  bodies  of  Patrick,  Bridget,  and  Columba,  (called  contemporaries)  were 
found  in  Downpatrick,  and  translated. 


48  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

gentle  Spirit,  that  it  may  be  a  long  time  before  the  pilgrim 
goes  to  death,  to  his  new  healing.^ 

563 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  I,  c.  7  - 

Of  tlie  blessed  man's  prophecy  concerning  the  clash  of  battle 
fought  far  away. 

After  the  battle  of  Cuil-dremne,  [and]  at  the  time  when  the 
blessed  man  first  sailed  away  from  Ireland  ^  on  pilgrimage,  the 
same  man  of  God  dwelling  with  king  Conall,  Comgall's  son,  in 
Britain,  told  him  in  full  one  day  (that  is,  at  the  same  hour  in 
which  the  battle  called  in  Irish  Ondemone  was  fought  in 
Ireland^)  all  about  the  battle's  being  fought,  and  even  about 
the  kings  to  whom  the  Lord  granted  victory  over  their 
enemies  :  and  their  proper  names  were  Ainmire,  son  of  Setna; 
and  the  two  sons  of  [Muirchertach]  Erc's  son,  Donald  and 
Fergus.^     Further  concerning  the  [Irish]  Picts'  king,  who  was 

1  ddicc  uir  inn  ailithrechj  read  da  uc  ur,  unelided?  MS.  B  has  Daigh 
uir  i  n-ailithreach.  Read  in  t-ailitker,  as  in  stanza  154  (year  942),  to  rhyme 
with  ar  ceal  of  the  previous  line. 

2  Reeves's  ed.,  31-33;  Skene's,  120.  This  passage  is  abbreviated  in 
Fordun,  III,  26  (i,  113). 

3  Scotia;  so  also  below.     For  the  date,  see  pp.  43,  104-105. 

*  The  battle  of  Moin-daire-lothair  was  gained  "  by  the  Ui-Neill  of  the 
north,  over  the  [Irish]  Picts"  (T.,  R.C.,  xvii,  145,  q.v.  ;  cf.  C.S.,  54  ;  A.U.,  i, 
58  ;  and  P.M.).  This  is  the  battle  that  the  Irish  annals  record  in  the 
year  of  Columba's  departure  from  Ireland,  and  it  must  have  been  the 
battle  intended  by  Adamnan.  (A.U.  place  it  also  under  the  previous  year ; 
i,  56.) 

5  years  before  563  (s.a.  [557],  fn.  i  ;  R.C.,  xvii,  141-142)  T.  records: 
"The  slaughter  of  Colman  Mor,  Diarmait's  son,  in  his  chariot,  by 
Dubslait,  Tren's  grandson,  of  the  [Irish]  Picts."  Cf  C.S.,  Hennessy's  year 
558  ;  A.U.,  s.a.  557  =  558-  Diarmait,  of  the  southern  Ui-Neill,  was  succeeded 
in  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  by  Fergus  and  Donald,  who  were  in  563  the 
chiefs  of  the  northern  Ui-Neill. 

^  According  to  T.  (u.s.,  146),  Donald  and  Fergus  {Fergus)  succeeded 
Diarmait  Cerball's  son  in  the  sovereignty  in  [564]  (f  n.  3  ;  but  under  the 
same  year-heading  have  been  inserted  foreign  events  of  565  and  552,  taken 
through  Bede  from  Isidore  and  the  Liber  Pontificalis).  Similarly  C.S.,  56 
(Hennessy's  year  565),  but  without  notice  of  foreign  events.  A.U.,  i,  60, 
place  Fergus  and  Donald's  accession  in  564  =  565  (with  fn.  and  e.  of  '565). 
The  Annals  from  the  Book  of  Leinster  (R.S.  89,  ii,  514)  say:  "Donald 
and  Fergus,  two  sons  of  Erc's  son,  [reigned]  one  year." 

Donald  and  Fergus,  of  the  northern  Ui-Neill,  won  the  battles  of  Sligo 


COLUMBA  VISITS  KINGS  CONALL  AND  BRUDE       49 

called  Eochaid  Laib/  the  saint  likewise  prophesied  how  he  was 
conquered,  but  escaped,  sitting  in  his  chariot. 

ca.  564 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  11,  c.  35  ^ 

Concerning  the  sudden  spontaneous  opening  of  the  gate  of  a 
king's  fortress? 

At  another  time,  that  is,  on  the  saint's  first  laborious 
journey  to  king  Brude,  it  happened  that  the  king  was  uplifted 
by  royal  pride  and  acted  arrogantly,  not  opening  the  gates 
upon  the  blessed  man's  first  arrival. 

As  soon  as  the  man  of  God  saw  this  he  went  with  his 
comrades  to  the  wings  of  the  gates,  and  first  pressed  upon 
them  an  image*  of  the  Lord's  cross,  then  laid  his  hand  upon 
them,  striking  against  the  gates;  and  immediately,  of  their  own 
accord,  the  bolts  were  forcibly  withdrawn,  and  the  gates  opened 

and  Cuil-conaire  over  Connaught  in  543  and  550  ;  of  Cuil-dremne,  over 
the  sovereign  of  Ireland,  in  561  ;  and  of  Moin-daire-lothair,  over  Dalaraide, 
in  563  (A.U.).  They  were  the  first  of  the  northern  Ui-Neill  to  become 
sovereigns  of  Ireland. 

Ainmire  Setna's  son  became  king  of  Ireland  after  Donald's  death  in 
566  or  573  (A.U.,  i,  60,  64  ;  according  to  T.,  in  ?[565],  R.C.,  xvii,  148,  under 
f.n.  7,  for  which  read  4,  as  in  C.S.,  56,  Hennessy's  year  566). 

Adamnan  here  presumably  calls  these  three  men  kings,  because  they 
reigned  over  Ireland  afterwards. 

Ainmire's  father  Setna  was  the  brother  of  Columba's  father  Fedlimid. 
Ere,  Loarn's  daughter,  Muirchertach's  mother,  was  Fedlimid's  mother  also. 
Ainmire  was  Columba's  first-cousin  ;  Donald  and  Fergus  were  Columba's 
half  cousins. 

'  The  death  of  king  Eochaid's  son  is  recorded  by  A.U.,  i,  86,  s.a.  610  = 
611  (with  fn.  and  e.  of  611) :  "The  death  of  Eogan,  son  of  Eochaid  Laib." 

^  Reeves's  ed.,  150-152  ;  Skene's,  176-177.  Adamnan  is  here  copied 
by  the  Life  in  the  Salamanca  MS.,  ed.  Smedt  and  De  Backer,  850  ;  and 
by  Fordun,  IV,  11. 

'  Reeves  identified  Brude's  castle  with  the  site  on  Craigphadrick, 
two  miles  south-west  of  Inverness  (Adamnan,  151);  but  the  identity 
is  uncertain.  The  Amra  suggests  that  it  may  have  been  in  Strathtay. 
See  R.C.,  xx,  400-401. 

*  signum.  Cf.  with  this  the  statement  in  the  Life  attributed  to 
Cummine,  c.  XXV  (Pinkerton's  Vitae,  43),  that  Columba  "very  often 
unlocked  the  church  when  it  was  not  opened  for  him,  without  a  key, 
without  spoiling  the  lock  ;  by  merely  pressing  upon  it  the  image  \effigiein\ 
of  the  Lord's  cross."     Cf.  the  Salamanca  MS.,  u.s.,  850. 

D 


50 


EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 


with  all  speed.     And  immediately  after  they  were  opened,  the 
saint  entered  with  his  companions.^ 

Learning  this,  the  king  and  his  council  ^  were  much  afraid  ; 
and  he  left  the  house,  and  went  to  meet  the  blessed  man  with 
reverence,  and  addressed  him  mildly  with  peaceful  words ;  and 
thenceforth  from  that  day  all  the  days  of  his  life  the  same  ruler 
honoured  the  holy  and  venerable  man  befittingly  with  very 
high  esteem.^ 

1  The  Life  of  St  Comgall  says  that  Columba's  companions  on  this 
occasion  included  Comgall  of  Bangor  and  Cainnech  of  Aghaboe  ;  Plummer's 
Vitae  Sanctorum  Hiberniae,  ii,  i8  :  "On  one  occasion  three  most  blessed 
abbots,  St  Comgall,  St  Columba,  and  St  Cainnech,  came  to  the  heathen 
king  called  Brude  ;  and  [the  king]  commanded  the  doors  of  the  fortress 
to  be  shut  against  them.  But  St  Comgall  broke  the  gates  with  the  sign 
of  the  holy  cross,  and  they  fell  broken  to  the  ground  ;  and  St  Columba 
broke  the  door  of  the  king's  house  with  the  same  sign,  and  St  Cainnech 
also  signed  the  king's  hand,  which  was  flourishing  a  sword  to  slay  them. 
And  immediately  the  king's  hand  was  dried  up,  and  so  remained,  until  he 
believed  in  God.  But  when  he  became  a  believer  in  God,  his  hand  was 
released."     See  also  below,  year  .■'  564. 

An  Edinburgh  MS.  makes  the  king's  son,  Maelcu,  the  opponent  of 
Columba  on  this  occasion  ;  Stokes,  Lismore  Lives,  315. 

^  cum  senatu. 

^  According  to  the  Life  of  Cainnech  (Plummer's  Vitae,  i,  159)  that  saint 
gave  sight,  hearing,  and  voice,  to  the  daughter  of  the  king  of  the  Picts  ; 
in  the  island  of  lona,  according  to  the  Salamanca  MS.,  etc.  ;  Smedt  and 
De  Backer's  Acta,  373. 

Adamnan  relates  (II,  33  ;  Skene,  174-175)  that  Columba  once  asked  the 
wizard  Broichan  to  release  a  female  slave,  and,  when  he  refused,  cursed 
him  in  presence  of  king  Brude  :  Broichan  should  die  before  Columba  left 
that  country.  Columba  proceeded  to  the  river  Ness,  picked  up  a  white 
pebble,  and  blessed  it.  It  became  lighter  than  water,  and  the  water  in 
which  it  floated  had  the  power  of  curing  disease.  Broichan'  immediately 
fell  ill  in  Brude's  fortress,  but  was  cured  by  this  pebble  after  he  had  freed 
the  slave.  Preserved  among  the  king's  treasures,  the  pebble  wrought 
many  cures  (so  also  in  Cummine,  XXV  ;  Pinkerton,  Vitae,  43)  ;  but  when 
a  sick  man's  time  had  come,  the  pebble  could  never  be  found.  "  So  also 
on  the  day  of  king  Brude's  death  it  was  sought,  but  was  not  found  in  the 
place  where  it  had  before  been  kept "  (Adamnan). 

Broichan  is  spoken  of  here  as  Brude's  tutor  or  guardian  (nutricius) ; 
this  may  imply  that  Brude  was  still  a  minor  when  Columba  visited  him 
first.     But  later  accounts  do  not  agree  with  this. 

In  spite  of  this  lesson,  Broichan  stirred  up  a  contrary  wind  against 
Columba,  who  nevertheless  sailed  away  against  it  (Adamnan,  II,  34  ; 
Skene,   175-176),  on  Loch  Ness. 

Adamnan   locates   two   other   episodes    in    the   same   neighbourhood. 


MIRACLES  OF  COLUMBA  51 

?564 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  I,  c.  37  ^ 

This  also  we  ought  not  to  hide,  which  has  been  indubitably 
handed  down  by  certain  experienced  men  concerning  the 
blessed  man's  voice  in  psalmody.  For  the  voice  of  the 
venerable  man,  when  he  sang  with  the  brethren  in  the  church, 
was  heard  raised  in  an  inimitable  manner  sometimes  four 
furlongs  off,  that  is,  five  hundred  paces ;  sometimes  even  eight 
furlongs  off,  that  is  to  say  a  mile.  Yet  strange  to  say,  in  the 
ears  of  those  that  stood  with  him  in  the  church  his  voice 
exceeded  not  the  volume  of  human  voice  in  magnitude  of 
sound :  although  at  the  same  time  those  that  stood  beyond 
the  distance  of  a  mile  heard  the  same  voice  so  clearly  that  they 
could  distinguish  even  every  syllable  of  the  verses  that  he  sang  ; 
for  his  voice  sounded  alike  in  the  hearers'  ears,  both  near  and 
far  away.  But  this  marvel  concerning  the  voice  of  the  blessed 
man  is  proved  to  have  taken  place  not  always,  but  rarely ; 
without  the  favour  of  the  divine  spirit,  however,  it  could  not 
have  occurred  at  all. 

This,  too,  must  not  be  hid,  which  is  related  to  have  occurred 

Once  "  when  the  blessed  man  stayed  for  some  days  in  the  province  of  the 
Picts,  he  had  to  cross  the  river  Ness.  But  when  he  reached  its  bank, 
he  saw  some  of  the  inhabitants  burying  an  unfortunate  little  man,  whom, 
as  the  buriers  themselves  related,  an  aquatic  beast  had  caught  as  he  was 
swimming,  a  short  while  before,  and  had  bitten  most  savagely."  Columba 
bade  Lugne  Mocumin  swim  over  for  the  ferry-boat,  and  protected  him 
miraculously  from  the  beast.     (Adamnan,  11,27  ;  Skene,  170-171.) 

The  Irish  Life  gives  a  somewhat  different  account ;  Stokes,  Three 
Homilies,  118;  Lismore  Lives,  31.  Cf.  the  Life  in  the  Salamanca  MS., 
Smedt  and  De  Backer's  Acta,  849. 

Probably  the  same  Lugne  is  spoken  of  in  Adamnan,  II,  18  (Skene,  163) : 
"...  a  youth  of  good  ability,  Lugne  by  name,  who  afterwards  when  an 
old  man  was  prior  in  the  monastery  on  the  island  of  Elena."  This  Lugne 
was  cured  of  a  tendency  to  bleeding  from  the  nose.  {Elena  insula: 
perhaps  a  variant  form  oi  Ilea  insula,  II,  23,  for  I  slay.  Cf.  Hinbina  insula 
and  Hinba  insula  for  Hinba.  Eilean,  "island,"  is  of  Norse  origin,  and 
could  hardly  have  entered  in  Adamnan's  day  into  local  nomenclature.) 

At  Airchartdan  (Urquhart),  "near  the  lake  of  river  Ness,"  he  baptized 
an  aged  man,  Emchat,  who  immediately  died.  "  Also  his  son,  Virolec, 
believed,  and  was  baptized  with  his  whole  house."     (Ill,  14  ;  Skene,  203.) 

A  similar  episode  is  related  as  having  taken  place  in  Skye  ;  below. 

1  Reeves's  edition,  72-74  ;  Skene's,  137-138. 


52  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

once  beside  the  fortress  of  king  Brude,  in  connection  with  such 
an  inimitable  elevation  of  his  voice.  For  while  the  saint  with 
a  few  brethren  was  singing  evening  praises  of  God,  according 
to  custom,  outside  the  king's  fortress,  some  wizards  came  near 
to  them  and  endeavoured,  as  far  as  they  could,  to  prevent  them, 
that  the  sounds  of  divine  praise  might  not  be  heard  among 
heathen  peoples.  Understanding  this,  the  saint  began  to  sing 
the  forty-fourth  psalm,^  and  in  marvellous  fashion  his  voice 
was  the  same  moment  so  raised  in  the  air,  like  some  dreadful 
thunder,  that  both  king  and  people  trembled  in  insufferable 
fear.^ 

?S64 

Life  of  Comgall  of  Bangor;  Plummer's  Vitae  Sanctorum 
Hiberniae,  vol.  ii,  p.  1 1 

Also  in  the  seventh  year  after  the  monastery  of  Bangor  had 
been   founded^   the   holy   father    Comgall    .sailed    to    Britain, 

1  Psalm  XLV,  in  the  English  version  ;  XLIV  in  the  Vulgate. 

2  Cf.  the  Liber  Hymnorum,  i,  165  :  "The  voice  of  Columcille  was 
audible  to  a  distance  of  a  mile  and  a  half,  while  he  celebrated  [ic  celebrad], 
as  the  poet  has  said  :  'The  sweetness  of  the  sound  of  Columcille's  voice 
was  great,  [rising]  above  every  choir ' "  {hi'ias  cech  cliir,  "  above  every 
(bard's)  train"  Stokes;  "above  every  company"  Atkinson.  But  in  the 
context,  clergy  must  be  meant :)  "  'to  the  distance  of  fifteen  hundred  steps 
(marvellous  the  range)  it  was  clear.'"  This  verse  appears  also  in  Lebar 
Brecc  among  the  notes  on  the  Martyrology  of  Oengus-(i88o  ed.,  p.  ci),  and 
in  other  MSS.  (1905  Oengus,  148,  149). 

In  the  Irish  Life  in  Lebar  Brecc  this  verse  is  quoted  of  a  definite 
occasion,  when  Columba  was  a  child  :  Stokes,  Three  Homilies,  102  (cf 
Lismore  Lives,  25). 

Amra  Coluimchille,  Liber  Hymnorum,  i,  179  (cf  Atkinson's  translation, 
ii,  76) :  "  Blessing  subdued  fierce  lips  that  were  at  Toi — a  king's  will ! 
(I.e.,  he  subdued  the  lips  of  barbarous  [men]  whom  the  sovereign  of  Toi 
had,  although  their  desire  was  to  say  evil  things  ;  so  that  they  spoke 
blessings,  as  in  Balaam's  case.)" 

Amra  Coluimchille,  Liber  Hymnorum,  i,  169 :  "  For  [we  have]  not 
[now  the]  teacher  who  taught  the  tribes  of  Toi.  (I.e.,  him  whose  words 
helped  the  nations,  teaching  them  to  be  silent ;"  (the  glossator  understands 
Toi  as  toi^  silence)  "  or,  the  teacher  who  sang  [to]  the  nations  that  were 
about  the  Tay  — the  proper  name  of  a  stream  in  Scotland.)" 

^  The  foundation  of  the  church  of  Bangor  is  placed  by  A.U.  (i,  54, 
56)  under  554  =  555  or  under  558  =  559  (with  earlier  spelling  at  555);  by 
A.I.,  6,  under  O'Conor's  year  548  =  553  (6  years  before  559,  but  43  years 


ST  COMGALL  VISITS  SCOTLAND  53 

wishing  to  visit  there  certain  saints,^  and  to  remain  there  for 
a  time.  And  he  founded  a  monastery  there,  in  a  certain 
village  in  the  district  of  Heth ;  there  he  remained  for  a  while. 

One  day,  while  St  Comgall  was  alone  at  work  out-of-doors 
in  a  field,  he  placed  his  chrismal  [pall]  over  his  robe.  That 
day  many  heathen  robbers  of  the  Ficts  invaded  the  village,^  to 
carry  off  everything  that  was  there,  both  human  beings  and 
cattle.  But  when  the  heathen  came  to  St  Comgall  where  he 
was  at  work  out-of-doors,  and  saw  his  chrismal  over  his  gown,^ 
they  thought  that  the  chrismal  was  St  Comgall's  god ;  and  the 
robbers  dared  not  touch  him  for  fear  of  his  god.  But  the  spoilers 
took  to  their  ships  St  Comgall's  brethren  with  all  their  substance. 

Now  when  the  holy  father  Comgall  saw  this,  he  was  enraged, 
and  said :  "  The  Lord  is  my  support  and  my  refuge  and  my 
deliverer."  *  And  worshipping  the  Lord  he  signed  the  sky  and 
the   earth  and  the  sea ;    and  immediately  the  heathen  were 

before  599).  It  stands  under  f.n.  i  =[557]  in  Tigernach  (R.C.,  xvii,  142) 
and  C.S.  (52  ;  Hennessy's  year  558).  The  original  annal  from  which  these 
are  derived  is  probably  old.  The  7th  year  after  557  would  have  been 
563-564.  Comgall  is  said  to  have  been  with  Columba  when  Columba  first 
visited  Brude,  probably  in  564  :  we  may  provisionally  assume  that  this 
was  about  the  time  when  Comgall  came  to  Scotland  and  lived  in  Tiree. 

Comgall  had  been  an  abbot  for  several  years  before  he  founded  Bangor 
church.  The  length  of  his  abbacy  was  50  years,  3  months  and  10  days, 
according  to  T.  and  C.S.  ;  that  is  to  say,  from  1st  March  [551]  to  loth 
May  [600],  when  he  died,  in  his  ninety-first  year  ;  R.C.,  xvii,  163,  s.a.  [600] 
(f.n.  6).  This  is  perhaps  an  old  entry,  and  the  year  may  be  correct.  So 
also  in  C.S.,  66,  s.a.  [600]  (Hennessy's  year  602),  and  in  F.M.,  i,  224,  s.a. 
600.  A.U.  place  his  death  in  601  =  602  ;  and  also,  from  Cuanu's  Book,  in 
600  =  601  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  602  and  601);  and  his  birth  in  515  =  516  or 
519  =  520,  perhaps  wrongly. 

Martyrology  of  Tallaght,  May  loth,  in  Book  of  Leinster,  360  c  : 
"  Comgall  of  Bangor,  in  the  91st  year  of  his  age,  and  the  50th  year,  3rd 
month,  and  loth  day,  of  his  abbacy."  Similarly  in  the  Brussels  version, 
Kelly,  p.  xxiii.  May  loth. 

See  below,  year  575,  where  it  appears  that  Comgall  was  an  Irish  Pict. 

'  Brendan  had  visited  Tiree  before  558  ;  apparently  disciples  of  his 
had  remained  there.  The  occasion  of  Comgall's  coming  to  Scotland  may 
have  been  the  same  as  that  described  by  Adamnan  in  the  passage 
translated  next  below. 

^  This  may  mean  that  Comgall  was  regarded  as  a  trespasser. 

^  crisfnale  eius  super  capam  suam. 

«  Psalms,  XVII,  3. 


54  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

struck  with  blindness,  and  moreover  the  sea  swelled  dreadfully, 
so  that  it  cast  the  ships  upon  the  shore,  and  the  bodies  of  the 
heathen  were  severely  injured.  Then  they  abandoned  all  that 
they  had  taken,  and  with  earnest  prayers  begged  for  pardon 
from  St  Comgall :  and  the  saint,  moved  with  pity,  prayed  for 
them.  And  they  recovered  their  eyesight,  and  calm  was 
restored,  and  they  returned,  empty  and  feeble.  Afterwards 
St  Comgall  was  conducted  back  to  Ireland  by  many  holy  men. 

563x567     ?S64 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  III,  c.  17^ 

Regarding  the  pillar  of  light  seen  to  blaze  from  the  holy 
man's  head. 

At  another  time,  four  holy  founders  of  monasteries  came 
over  from  Ireland  to  visit  St  Columba,  and  found  him  in  the 
island  of  Hinba  ^ ;  these  distinguished  men's  names  were 
Comgall  Mocu-Aridi,^  Cainnech  Mocu-Dalon,*  Brendan  Mocu- 
Alti,^  Cormac,  grandson  of  Lethan.'' 

'  Reeves's  edition,  219-222;  Skene's,  205-206. 

This  narrative  appears  also  in  the  Life  attributed  to  Cummine,  XII 
(Pinkerton's  Vitae,  34)  ;  but  Cummine  does  not  name  the  visitors.  The 
Life  in  the  Salamanca  MS.  follows  Adamnan,  more  briefly  (Smedt  and 
De  Backer,  Acta,  850-851).  The  Irish  Life  places  the  occurrence  in 
Rechraind  (Lambay?),  and  makes  Cainnech  and  Comgall  witnesses  of 
the  light. 

^  In  Cummine,  here,  and  again  in  chapter  V,  this  name  is  spelt 
Hyinba,  according  to  Pinkerton's  text  {Himba  in  Colgan's  Trias  Thauma- 
turga,  321).  In  Adamnan  it  is  Hhiba  and  Hinbina  insula  (but  the 
Capitula  to  book  III  have  Hinibd). 

Hinba  has  not  been  identified.  It  was  most  likely  a  small  island  given 
up  to  monastic  use.  It  may  have  contained  the  harbour  of  Muirbulc-mar 
("great  sea-pouch"),  or  Muirbolc  Paradisi  (see  Adamnan,  III,  23),  and  if 
so  was  not  far  from  Ardnamurchan  (ibid.,  I,  13).  From  the  narrative 
given  here  (III,  17)  one  might  perhaps  infer  that  the  island  was  near 
some  populous  region. 

^  For  Comgall  of  Bangor  see  the  passage  last  quoted. 

*  For  Cainnech,  abbot  of  Aghaboe,  compare  the  pleasant  anecdotes  in 
Adamnan,  I,  4;  II,  13;  II,  14  (Skene,  118- 119,  160-161,  161).  See 
Reeves's  edition,  121,  220-221.  Cf  the  Irish  Life;  Stokes,  Three 
Homilies,  118-120;  Lismore  Lives,  31. 

Cf.  the  later  stories  in  the  Salamanca  MS.,  Smedt  and  De  Backer's 
Acta,  371-375  ;  and  in  Plummer's  Vitae  Sanctorum  Hiberniae,  i,  158-161. 

Oengus  places  Cainnech's  death  on  October  nth  :  "  Cainnech,  descen- 


IRISH  ABBOTS  VISIT  COLUMBA  55 

These  all  with  one  consent  chose  that  St  Columba  should 
celebrate  in  their  presence  the  sacred  mysteries  of  the  Eucharist 
in  the  church.  And  in  obedience  to  their  command  he  entered 
the  church  with  them,  on  Sunday,  as  usual.^  after  the  reading 
of  the  Evangel.  And  there,  while  [Columba]  was  performing 
the  ceremony  of  mass,  St  Brendan  Mocu-Alti  saw,  as  he  after- 
wards imparted  to  Comgall  and  Cainnech,  a  radiating  globe  of 

dant  of  Dala"  (Stokes).  This  note  appears  in  Lebar  Brecc  (1880  Oengus, 
p.  civ):  "  Cainnech,  descendant  of  Dala;  he  was  a  son  of  Aed  Alaind,  and  his 
chief  church  \_primcheir\  is  Aghaboe,  and  he  has  an  abbey-church  {redes] 
in  St  Andrews  \cill  rigtnonaig]  in  Scotland. 

"  When  Cainnech  went  to  Finnian,  he  asked  of  him  a  place  to  live  in. 
'  I  see  none  now,'  said  Finnian,  '  because  the  others  have  taken  them 
before  thee.'  'There  is  an  empty  place'  said  Cainnech.  .  .  ."  See  the 
1905  Oengus,  222. 

The  Martyrology  of  Donegal  (270,  October  nth)  says  :  "  His  principal 
church  is  Aghaboe,  and  he  has  an  abbey-church  in  St  Andrews  [z  cCitl 
RighmanadH\  in  Scotland." 

Tigernach  places  Cainnech's  death  in  [599] ;  C.S.,  in  [598]  (Hennessy's 
year  600) ;  A.U.,  in  599  =  600,  and,  from  Cuanu's  Book,  in  598  =  599  ;  the 
Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  in  599.  Under  the  same  year,  Tigernach  and 
A.U.  place  the  battle  of  603  (below).  A.I.  place  his  death  four  years  after 
599,  i.e.  in  603  (O'Conor's  year  595).     603  is  probably  the  true  date. 

°  Brendan  founded  the  church  of  Clonfert  in  [558],  according  to 
Tigernach,  R.C.,  xvii,  142  (f.n.  3),  and  C.S.,  52  (Hennessy's  year  559). 
A.U.  place  the  foundation  in  557  =  558.  Probably  558  is  the  true  date 
of  the  foundation,  although  A.I.  place  it  on  the  day  of  the  battle  of 
Cuil-dremne.  The  Life  of  Brendan  (in  Plummer's  Vitae  Sanctorum 
Hiberniae,  i,  145)  says  :  "When  the  man  of  God  was  seventy-seven  years 
old,  he  founded  a  church  at  Clonfert,  saying  :  '  Here  shall  I  dwell  for 
ever.'"     (Cf  Psalms,  CXXXI I— Vulgate,  CXXXI— ,  14.) 

See  above,  p.  18. 

See  Reeves,  Adamnan,  55,  221-222.     Cf  below,  p.  64. 

Brendan's  death  is  placed  in  576  =  577,  and  alternatively  in  582  =  583, 
by  A.U.  ;  under  fn.  3  =576  in  Tigernach  (R.C.,  xvii,  152),  and  C.S. 
(60,  Hennessy's  year  576)  ;  in  A.I.,  ("  Repose  of  Brendan  of  Clonfert,  in  the 
94th  year  of  his  age")  under  O'Conor's  year  570  =  578. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  89,  s.a.  579  :  "  St  Brendan  of  Clonfert  died, 
577,  1 6th  of  May,  or  583." 

"  For  this  Cormac  ("  Cormac  Ua-Liathain")  see  below. 

1  In  the  Life  attributed  to  Cummine  :  "  This  too  he  did  one  Sunday. 
And  after  the  recitation  of  the  Gospel,  they  saw  .  .  .  ."  Cummine  omits 
reference  to  the  custom  of  reading  the  Gospel  in  the  open  air,  and 
finishing  the  service  of  mass  inside  the  church.  This  is  probably  one  of 
several  indications  that  Cummine's  Life  is  later  than  Adamnan's. 


56  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

fire,  exceedingly  bright,  blazing  from  St  Columba's  head,  and 
rising  Hke  a  pillar,  so  long  as  he  stood  before  the  altar,  and 
consecrated  the  holy  oblation,  until  he  had  concluded  the  same 
sacred  ministries. 


564x583 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  11,  c.  42  ^ 

The  blessed  man^s  prophecy  concerning  the  voyage  of  Corniac, 
grandson  of  Lethan. 

At  another  time  Cormac,  a  soldier  of  Christ,  of  whom  we 
have  made  some  brief  commemoration  in  the  first  book  of  this 
work,^  attempted  for  a  second  time  to  seek  a  desert  in  the 
ocean. 

And  after  [Cormac]  had  sailed  away  from  land  with  full 
sails  over  the  limitless  ocean,  about  the  same  time  St  Columba, 
staying  beyond  the  Ridge  of  Britain,  commanded  king  Brude 
in  presence  of  the  kinglet  of  the  Orkneys,  saying,  "  Some  of  us 
have   recently   sailed    out,   desiring   to    find    a   desert   in   the 

1  Reeves's  edition,  166-168  ;  Skene's,  185-186.     Of.  Fordun,  IV,  11. 

^  Adamnan  (I,  6;  Skene,  119)  relates  that  Columba  saw  clairvoyantly 
Cormac's  second  expedition  to  seek  a  "  desert  in  the  ocean,"  and  foretold 
that  it  also  would  be  unsuccessful ;  "  and  for  no  other  fault  of  his  than 
that  he  has  received  in  his  expedition  the  monk  of  a  religious  abbot, 
wrongly  departing  to  accompany  [Cormac]  without  the  abbot's  permission." 

Cormac  was  left  as  guardian  of  the  monastery  of  Durrow  when 
Columba  departed  from  it  ;  Reeves,  365  (in  Skene,  241-242).  Irish  Life, 
Stokes's  Three  Homilies,  no.  In  the  previous  passage  (above)  Cormac 
appears  as  the  successful  founder  of  a  monastery.  He  was  Columba's 
successor  in  Durrow. 

Martyrology  of  Gorman,  p.  120,  June  21st:  "Pious  Cormac  Ua- 
Liathan,"  with  the  note  :  "  abbot  of  Durrow,  and  bishop,  and  this  Cormac 
was  also  an  anchorite."  Martyrology  of  Oengus,  June  21st:  "Cormac, 
the  fair  descendant  of  Liathan,  was  a  beautiful  cleric."  Brussels 
Martyrology  of  Tallaght,  Kelly,  p.  xxvii,  "  Cormac  Ua-Liathain  in  Durrow." 
See  the  Martyrology  of  Donegal,  p.  174:  Adamnan,  Reeves,  264-274 
(Thesaurus  Palaeohibernicus,  ii,  272,  273,  279). 

Cf  the  notes  on  Oengus,  1905  ed.,  pp.  156-158  ;  1880  ed.,  cvi.  The 
Lebar  Brecc  says  that  Cormac  "  rests  in  Durrow  of  Columcille." 

"  Cormac  Ua-Liathain "  appears  also  in  the  Brussels  Martyrology  of 
Tallaght,  Kelly,  p.  xxvi,  at  June  8th. 

Cormac's  pedigree  is  given  in  the  Book  of  Leinster,  351  b. 


ORKNEY  SUBJECT  TO  KING  BRUDE  57 

impassable  sea  ^ ;  and  in  case  they  chance  after  long  wanderings  ^ 
to  come  to  the  Orkney  isles,  command  this  chieftain  earnestly, 
since  his  hostages  are  in  thy  hand,  that  no  harm  befal  them 
within  his  territories." 

The  saint  said  this  because  he  foreknew  in  spirit  that  after 
some  months  this  Cormac  would  come  to  the  Orkneys.  This 
occurred  afterwards,  and  because  of  the  holy  man's  aforesaid 
commendation  [Cormac]  was  saved  from  imminent  death  in 
the  Orkneys.  .  .  .^ 

563x597 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Oolumba,  book  II,  c.  1 1  * 

Concerning  another^  malign  springing  water  which  the  holy 
man  blessed  in  the  district  of  the  Picts. 

At  another  time,  when  the  blessed  man  abode  for  some 
days  in  the  province  of  the  Picts,  he  heard  a  rumour  spread 
among  the  heathen  people  concerning  another  fountain,  which 
the  stupid  folk  reverenced  as  a  god,  the  devil  blinding  their 
senses ;  because  those  that  drank  from  that  spring,  or 
assiduously  washed  their  hands  or  feet  in  it,  were  struck  by 
demoniacal  art,  God  permitting  it,  and  came  away  leprous  or 
partly  blind,  or  else  infirm  or  affected  by  some  other  disease. 
By  all  this  the  heathen  were  led  astray,  and  gave  honour  to 
the   stream   as  to  a  god. 

Understanding  this,  the  saint  one  day  went  boldly  to  the 
spring.  And  the  wizards,  whom  he  had  often  driven  from  him 
in  confusion  and  defeat,  seeing  this  rejoiced  greatly,  since 
they  thought  that  he  would  likewise  suffer  from  touching  the 
baleful  water. 

He  first  raised  his  holy  hand,  invoking  the  name  of  Christ, 
and  washed  his  hands  and  feet ;  and  thereafter  drank,  with 
his  companions,  of  the  same  water,  blessed  by  him.     And  from 

'  inpelago  intransmeabili ;  i.e.,  over  the  Pentland  Firth? 

2  post  longos  circuitus :  "  by  circumnavigation  " .? 

2  Cormac's  arrival  in  Zona  on  his  return  is  related,  and  his  interesting 
experiences  on  the  third  journey,  into  the  Arctic  Ocean,  are  described. 
Ibid.,  186-187. 

*  Reeves's  edition,  119;    Skene's,  159-160. 

5  The  previous  spring  mentioned  had  been  produced  by  Columba  out 
of  a  rock  :  Adamnan,  II,  10. 


58  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

that  day  the  demons  departed  from  the  spring ;  and  not  only 
was  it  permitted  to  hurt  no  one,  but  even,  after  the  saint  had 
blessed  it  and  washed  in  it,  many  diseases  were  cured  by  the 
same  spring  among  the  people. 

563x597 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columlba,  book  II,  c.  1 7  ^ 

Concerning  a  vessel  that  an  evildoer  named  Silnan  had  filled 
with  milk  taken  from  a  bull. 

This  is  related  to  have  occurred  in  the  house  of  a  rich 
plebeian  called  Foirtgirn,  who  dwelt  on  mount  Cainle.^  While 
the  saint  was  a  guest  there  he  judged  with  true  judgement 
between  two  peasants  who  were  at  strife ;  and  one  of  them, 
who  was  a  wizard,  took  at  the  saint's  command,  by  diabolic 
art,  milk  from  a  bull  which  was  near.  This  the  saint  com- 
manded to  be  done,  not  to  confirm  these  evil  deeds  (heaven 
forbid),  but  to  refute  them  in  presence  of  the  multitude.  And 
so  the  blessed  man  asked  that  the  vessel  which  appeared  to  be 
full  of  this  milk  should  quickly  be  given  to  him ;  and  he 
blessed  it  with  this  statement,  saying,  "  Now  it  will  be  proved 
that  this  is  not  true  milk,  as  it  is  supposed  to  be,  but  blood 
bleached  by  deceit  of  demons  to  beguile  mankind";  and 
immediately  the  milky  colour  was  changed  to  the  proper  hue, 
that  is  to  say,  to  blood.  The  bull,  too,  which  in  the  short  space 
of  one  hour,  wasted  and  shrunk  with  wretched  leanness,  was 
upon  the  point  of  death,  when  bathed  with  water  blessed  by 
the  saint  was  cured  with  marvellous  rapidity.^ 

563x597 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  I,  c.  34* 

Of  a  boat  removed  at  the  saints  command. 

At   another   time   when  he  journeyed   over   the   Ridge  of 

1  Reeves's  edition,  126-127  ;  Skene's,  163. 

^  Adamnan  relates  an  episode  connected  with  the  death  "  in  the 
district  of  Cainle "  of  an  enchanter,  Neman  son  of  Gruthriche  ;  I,  39 
(Skene,  138). 

^  Wizardry  or  druidism  and  the  study  of  omens  were  characteristic  of 
the  Picts.  See  the  verses  in  the  Irish  Nennius,  Todd,  142-144  ;  in  Skene's 
P.  &  S.,  41-42. 

*  Reeves's  edition,  64  ;  Skene's,  134-135. 


COLUMBA'S  TRAVELS  AMONG  THE  PICTS  59 

Britain,  he  found  an  [empty]  hamlet  among  deserted  fields, 
and  the  saint  made  his  abode  there,  beside  the  bank  of  a 
stream  there  entering  a  lake.^  The  same  night  he  roused  his 
sleeping  companions,  who  had  tasted  drowsiness,  and  said,  "  At 
once,  at  once,  go  out  swiftly,  and  bring  hither  quickly  our  boat 
which  you  placed  in  a  house  beyond  the  stream,  and  place  it 
in  a  hut  near  by." 

And  they  obeyed  at  once,  and  did  as  they  were  commanded. 
And  after  some  interval,  when  they  were  at  rest  again,  the 
saint  struck  Diarmait  silently,  saying,  "  Now  stand  outside  the 
house,  and  see  what  is  being  done  in  the  hamlet  where  before 
you  placed  your  boat."  And  obeying  the  saint's  command  he 
left  the  house,  and  looking  back  saw  that  the  village  was  being 
wholly  burned  down  by  attacking  fire.  And  he  returned  to 
the  saint  and  informed  him  of  what  was  passing  there.  Then 
the  saint  related  to  the  brethren  concerning  a  certain  envious 
pursuer  who  had  set  fire  to  those  houses  that  night. 

563x597 


Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  I,  c.  46 


2 


TJie  holy  maris  prophecy  concerning  the  little  family  of  a 
certain  plebeian. 

At  another  time  also  a  certain  plebeian  came  among  the 
rest  to  the  saint  when  he  lodged  in  the  place  that  is  called  in 
Scottish  Coire-Salchain.^     And  when  the  saint  saw  him  coming 

1  In  book  I,  Capitulationes,  the  name  of  the  place  is  given  :  "  Of  the 
removal  of  a  boat  beside  the  lake  Lochdiae."  ("  Otherwise,  Nigra  Dea 
{loch  i.  dub)  ;  now  the  Lochy,  Gaelic  Lochaidh,  in^Lochaber,  or  the  Lochy 
at  Tyndrum  "  :  Professor  Watson,  Celtic  Review,  1912,  p.  383.)  Adamnan's 
Nigra  Dea  was  a  river  in  Lochaber. 

Adamnan  mentions  also  visits  of  Columba  to  Lochaber  {Regie  stagno 
Aporum  contermina,  II,  29  ;  regio  quae  stagni  liioribus  Aporici  est  conter- 
inina,  II,  37,  i.e.  "the  district  bordering  the  lake  of  Abers,"  which  is 
presumably  Loch  Lochy).  A  very  interesting  tale  of  a  miracle  (in 
Cummine,  XIV  ;  Pinkerton,  Vitae,  35-36)  is  located  by  Adamnan  (II,  37) 
in  Lochaber  ;  Adamnan  translates  the  name  of  a  salmon-river  there  by 
nigra  dea  "black  goddess"  ;  i.e.  the  Lochy,  which  connects  Loch  Lochy 
with  Loch  Linnhe. 

2  Reeves's  edition,  88-89  ;  Skene's,  143-144. 

3  Perhaps  Coire  Salachain  in  Morvern,  north-west  of  Loch  Creran 
across  Loch  Linnhe  ;  but  the  name  is  not  distinctive. 


60  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

to  him  in  the  evening,  he  said,  "  Where  dwellest  thou  ?  "  He 
said,  "  I  dwell  in  the  district  that  borders  upon  the  shores  of 
lake  Crogreth."^  "That  little  province  thou  namest"  said  the 
saint,  "  is  at  present  being  ravaged  by  barbarian  plunderers." 

And  hearing  this  the  unhappy  plebeian  began  to  lament 
for  his  wife  and  sons.  But  the  saint,  seeing  that  he  was  in 
great  grief,  said  consoling  him,  "Go,  little  man,  go,  all  thy 
little  family  has  escaped,  fleeing  into  the  mountain ;  but  the 
invaders  have  driven  off  all  thy  little  cattle,^  and  likewise  the 
cruel  ravagers  have  plundered  all  the  furniture  of  thy  house." 
Upon  hearing  this  the  plebeian  returned  to  his  country,  and 
found  everything  fulfilled  as  the  saint  had  foretold. 

563x597 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  i,  c.  33  ^ 

The  holy  man's  prophecy  concerning  one  A  rtbranan. 

When  the  blessed  man  was  staying  for  some  days  in  the  island 
of  Skye,*  he  struck  with  his  staff  a  spot  of  land  in  a  certain 
place,  near  to  the  sea, and  spoke  thus  to  his  companions : "  Strange 
to  say,  my  children,  to-day  on  this  spot  of  land  a  heathen  old 
man,  who  has  preserved  what  was  naturally  right  through  his 
whole  life,  will  be  baptized,  will  die,  and  will  be  buried." 

And  behold,  after  the  interval  of  about  one  hour,  a  boat 
reached  that  harbour ;  and  in  its  prow  was  carried  a  decrepit 
old  man,  the  chief  of  the  army^  of  Geona ;    and  two  youths 

^  Professor  Watson  thinks  that  Crogreth  was  "  most  likely  Loch 
Creran,  formerly  L.  Creveren,  connected  with  L.  Etive  by  Glen  Salach " 
(Celtic  Review,  1912,  p.  383).  No  more  probable  identification  has  been 
made  ;  but  the  names  are  not  so  similar  as  to  prove  the  conjecture. 

^  pecusctda,  possibly  "sheep"  (cf.  Gaelic  meanbh-chrodh  "sheep  or 
goats,"  literally  "small  cattle").  The  diminutives  in  this  passage  are 
usually  explained  as  a  characteristic  of  Adamnan's  style  ;  they  may  how- 
ever be  meant  literally,  or  they  may  represent  Columba's  manner  of 
speech  to  a  rustic. 

3  Reeves's  edition,  62-63  ;  Skene's,  134.  Cf.  the  Life  in  the  Salamanca 
MS.  ;  Smedt  and  De  Backer,  852. 

*  "  When  he  was  staying  for  some  days  in  the  isle  of  Skye  "  he  killed 
by  words  a  boar  that  was  charging  him  ;  Adamnan,  II,  26.  Cf.  Cummine, 
XXV  ;  Pinkerton,  Vitae,  43. 

*  Literally  "  cohort "  {Geonae  pritnarius  cohoriis).  Possibly  this  word 
implies  that  Artbranan  belonged  to  a  British  community  where  Roman 
military  traditions  survived  ;  but  this  is  altogether  uncertain. 


COLUMBA'S  TRAVELS  AMONG  THE  PICTS  61 

lifted  him  from  the  ship  and  laid  him  down  in  front  of  the 
blessed  man.  And  immediately  upon  receiving  the  word  of 
God  from  the  saint  through  an  interpreter/  he  believed,  and 
was  baptized  by  him ;  and,  as  the  saint  had  prophesied,  after 
the  ceremony  of  baptism  had  been  completed,  he  presently 
died  in  the  same  spot,  and  there  his  companions  heaped  a  pile 
of  stones  and  buried  him.  It  may  be  seen  even  to-day  on  the 
shore  of  the  sea.  And  the  river  in  the  same  locality  in  which 
he  had  received  this  baptism  is  to  the  present  day  named  by 
the  inhabitants  Dobur-Artbranain,^  after  his  name. 

563x597 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  II,  c.  23  ^ 

Also  at  another  time  the  holy  man  earnestly  consigned  a 
certain  exile  of  noble  Pictish  race,  Tarain  by  name,  into  the 
hands  of  a  rich  man  called  Feradach,  who  dwelt  in  the  island 
of  Islay ;  and  instructed  that  he  should  live  for  some  months 
in  [Feradach's]  retinue  as  one  of  his  friends.  But  although 
[Feradach]  had  received  him  commended  with  such  recom- 
mendation from  the  hand  of  the  holy  man,  after  a  few  days 
he  acted  treacherously  and  slaughtered  him,  by  a  cruel 
command.  .  .  .* 

563x597 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  II,  c.  3 1  ^ 

Of  the  healing  of  Finten,  son  of  Aed,  when  he  was  at  the  point 
of  death. 

Also  at  another  time  when  the  saint  travelled  across  the 
Ridge  of  Britain,  a  certain  youth,  called  Finten,  one  of  his 
companions,  was  troubled  with  sudden  sickness  and  brought 
to  the  point  of  death ;  and  his  fellow  warriors  sadly  begged 
the  saint  to  pray  for  him.  And  immediately  he  took  pity  upon 
them  and  spread  his  holy  hands  to  heaven  in  earnest  prayer, 

'  Cf.  below,  p.  62.     Evidently  Columba  did  not  know  the  language  of 
Geona.     Artbranan's  name  is  Celtic. 
2  I.e.  "Artbranan's  Water." 
^  Reeves's  edition,  134-135  ;  Skene's,  167. 
*  The  offender's  death  follows. 
"  Reeves's  edition,  144  ;  Skene's,  173. 


62  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

and  blessed  the  sick  man,  saying,  "  This  youth  for  whom  you 
plead  shall  live  a  long  life ;  he  shall  remain  as  the  survivor 
of  all  of  us  who  are  present  here,  and  shall  die  in  good  old 
age." 

This  prophecy  of  the  blessed  man  was  completely  fulfilled  ; 
for  the  same  youth,  afterwards  the  founder  of  the  monastery 
that  is  called  Kailli-auinde,  ended  the  present  life  in  good 
old  age. 

563  X  597 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  II,  c.  32^ 

At  that  time,2  when  St  Columba  stayed  for  some  days  in 
the  province  of  the  Picts,  a  certain  plebeian  with  his  whole 
family  heard  and  believed  the  word  of  life  when  the  holy  man 
preached  through  an  interpreter,^  and  believing  was  baptized, 
the  husband  with  his  wife  and  children  and  friends.  .  .  .* 

563x597 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  I,  c.  31^ 

The  holy  maris  prophecy  concerning  his  monk  Cailtan. 

At  another  time  the  saint  sent  two  monks  to  another  of  his 
monks,  called  Cailtan,  who  was  at  that  time  prior  in  the  cell 
that  is  to-day  also  called  by  the  name  of  his  brother  Diuni, 
beside  the  lake  of  river  Awe*";  and  by  these  messengers  sent 
the  following  commands :  "  Go  quickly,  hasten  to  Cailtan,  and 
bid  him  come  to  me  without  any  delay." 

And  following  the  saint's  instructions  they  departed,  and 

^  Reeves's  edition,  145  ;  Skene's,  173. 

^  The  time  of  Finten's  sickness  ;  above. 

^  Cf.  above,  p.  61.  From  these  two  passages  we  may  conclude  that 
some  dialects  at  least  of  Pictish  were  not  intelligible  to  an  Irishman  in 
the  6th  century. 

*  One  of  the  sons  died  soon  afterwards,  and  blame  was  laid  upon 
Christianity  ;  Columba  brought  the  boy  to  life.  Adamnan,  u.s.,  145-146 
(Skene,  173-174).  This  episode  is  mentioned  by  Cummine,  XXV;  Pinkerton's 
Vitae,  43. 

Cf.  the  Irish  Life  ;  Stokes,  Three  Homilies,  118  ;  Lismore  Lives,  30-31. 

Cf.  the  Life  in  the  Salamanca  MS.  ;  Smedt  and  De  Backer's  Acta, 
849-850. 

^  Reeves's  edition,  60  ;  Skene's,  132-133. 

"  Stagno  .  .  .  Abae  fluminis.     Cf.  year  676. 


PRIORS  OF  LOCH  AWE  AND  HINBA  63 

arriving  at  Cill-Diuni  they  imparted  to  Cailtan  the  nature  of 
their  message.  And  he  delayed  not  at  all,  but  followed  the 
saint's  messengers  that  very  hour,  and  accompanying  them  on 
their  journey  quickly  came  to  [Columba]  where  he  dwelt  in 
the  island  of  lona. 

And  seeing  him,  the  saint  spoke  to  him  in  this  fashion  and 
addressed  him  in  these  words:  "O  Cailtan,  thou  didst  well  in 
hastening  obediently  to  me ;  rest  for  a  little.  I  sent  to  invite 
thee  for  this  cause,  loving  thee  as  a  friend,  that  thou  mightest 
finish  the  course  of  thy  life  with  me  here  in  true  obedience. 
For  before  the  end  of  this  week  thou  shalt  pass  in  peace  to 
the  Lord." 

Hearing  this,  [Cailtan]  rendered  thanks  to  God,  and  weeping 
kissed  the  saint,  and  went  to  the  hospice,  after  receiving  his 
benediction  :  and  the  same  night  following  he  fell  ill,  and  he 
passed  to  Christ  the  Lord  within  the  same  week,  according  to 
the  saint's  word. 

563x597 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  I,  c.  45  ^ 

The  holy  man's  prophecy  concerning  the  priest  Ernanp- 

Also  at  another  time  the  venerable  man  sent  the  priest 
Ernan,  an  old  man,  his  uncle,  to  the  priority  of  the  monastery 
that  he  had  founded  many  years  before  in  the  island  of 
Hinba.3 

When  the  saint  kissed  him  and  blessed  him  at  his  departure, 
he  pronounced  this  prophecy  concerning  him,  saying,  "  This  my 
friend  now  departing  I  have  no  hope  of  seeing  again  in  this 
world." 

And  so  after  not  many  days  this  Ernan  was  troubled  with 
a  certain  disease,  and  was  carried  back,  wishing  to  go  to  the 
saint ;  and  [Columba]  rejoiced  greatly  in  his  arrival,  and  began 
to  go  to  meet  him  at  the  harbour.  And  Ernan,  although  his 
steps  were  feeble,  attempted  nevertheless  very  eagerly  to  go 
from  the  harbour  on  his  own  feet  to  meet  the  saint. 

But  when  there  was  a  space  of  about  twenty-four  paces 
between   the   two,   he   was   taken  by   sudden   death,  and  fell 

^  Reeves's  edition,  86-88  ;  Skene's,  143. 
^  For  Ernan  see  above,  p.  39. 
See  above,  p.  54. 


64  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

expiring  on  the  ground  before  the  saint  had  seen  his  face  in 
life,  that  the  saint's  word  should  not  in  any  way  be  vain. 

And  hence  a  cross  was  set  up  in  that  place,  before  the  door 
of  a  kiln  ^ ;  and  another  cross  likewise  stands  even  to-day,  set 
up  where  the  saint  was  when  [Ernan]  expired. 

563x597 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  I,  c.  26  ^ 

Of  a  guesfs  arrival  that  the  saint  foretold. 

Also  at  another  time,  on  the  third  day  of  the  week,  the 
saint  thus  prophesied  to  the  brethren  :  "  To-morrow,  being  the 
fourth  day  of  the  week,  we  intend  to  fast ;  nevertheless  an 
inconvenient^  guest  will  arrive,  and  the  customary  fast  will  be 
relaxed.  ...  * 

563  X  597 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columlba,  book  I,  c.  21^ 

At  another  time  the  saint  came  to  the  island  of  Hinba,  and 
on  that  day  ordered  that  some  indulgence  in  food  should  be 
allowed  even  to  penitents. 

But  there  was  among  the  penitents  there  one  Neman,  son 
of  Cathir,  who  refused  to  receive  at  the  saint's  command  the 
offered  consolation.  And  the  saint  addressed  him  in  these 
words :  "  O  Neman,  thou  receivest  not  any  indulgence  of 
refection  granted  by  me  and  Baithine ;  a  time  will  come 
when  thou  shalt  chew  mare's  flesh  in  the  woods  secretly 
with  robbers." 

Accordingly  he  returned  afterwards  to  the  world,  and  was 
found  sharing  such  flesh  in  a  pass  with  thieves,  according  to 
the  saint's  words,  taking  it  from  a  wooden  gridiron. 

^  ante  januavz  canabae.     See  Reeves,  88,  440. 

'  Reeves's  edition,  54-55  ;  Skene's,  129. 

^  "  dangerous  "  Fowler  (jnolesto). 

*  The  guest  was  Aidan,  Fergna's  son,  "  who,  it  is  said,  for  twelve  years 
had  been  the  attendant  of  Brendan  Mocu-Alti,"  abbot  of  Clonfert. 

Cf.  the  Irish  canons  ;  Wasserschleben,  Irische  Kanonensammlung, 
XII,  15. 

^  Reeves's  edition,  50-51  ;  Skene's,  127. 


MONASTIC  CUSTOMS  65 

563x597 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  II,  c.  3  ^ 

At  another  time  the  saint  sent  his  monks  to  bring  from  a 
plebeian's  field  bundles  of  twigs,  with  which  to  build  a  hospice. 

And  when  they  returned  and  came  to  the  saint,  having 
a  freight-ship  filled  with  the  aforesaid  building-material  of 
twigs,  and  told  that  the  plebeian  was  greatly  grieved  because 
of  this  loss,  the  saint  in  consequence  bade  them,  saying,  "  Then 
lest  we  offend  the  man,  let  six  pecks  of  barley  be  taken  to 
him  by  us,  and  let  him  sow  them  at  this  time  in  ploughed 
land."  .  .  } 

563  X  597 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Oolumba,  book  I,  c.  41 '' 

The  holy  maris  prophecy  concerning  the  thief  Ere  Mocu-druide, 
who  dwelt  in  the  island  of  Colosus.^ 

At    another   time,  when   the   saint   abode  in   the  island  of 

'  Reeves's  edition,  106  ;  Skene's,  153. 

For  the  use  of  wattles  in  building  see  S.C.S.,  ii,  57-59. 

^  The  corn  was  sown  after  12th  June,  and  reaped  in  the  beginning 
of  August ;  this  was  regarded  as  a  miracle.  The  plebeian  is  called 
Findchan,  his  place  Delcros.  In  Adamnan,  II,  44  (below,  p.  186)  seed  of 
some  kind  was  sown  in  lona  late  in  April  or  early  in  May  According  to 
Reeves,  107  :  "  In  the  neighbourhood  of  lona  barley  is  occasionally  sown 
early  in  July  ;  but  the  usual  time  of  sowing  is  June  ;  of  reaping,  the  early 
part  of  September." 

In  the  Irish  Life  the  episode  is  placed  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Derry  : 
Stokes,  Three  Homilies,  108,  Lismore  Lives,  27. 

^  Reeves's  edition,  77-79  ;  Skene's,  139-140. 

^  In  Coloso  insula.  Below,  de  i7isula  Coloso;  and  in  II,  22,  (below,) 
inter  Maleam  et  Colosum  insulas.  The  nominative  postulated  was  there- 
fore Colosus  insula. 

Adamnan's  general  practice  is  to  give  islands' names  in  quasi-adjectival 
form,  or  at  least  as  nouns  with  a  feminine  termination  :  Egea  insula,  for 
Eigg  ;  Elena  insula,  II,  18  ;  Ethica  terra,  for  Tiree  ;  Hinbina  insula  once 
for  the  usual  Hinba  insula;  Ilea  insula  for  Islay  ;  loua  insula  for  lona  ; 
Longa  insula  for  the  Long  Island  or  Luing,  II,  24  ;  Oidecha  insula  for 
Aithche,  II,  14  ;  Rechrea  insula,  II,  41,  for  Rechru,  I,  5  ;  Saifiea  insula  for 
PShuna,  II,  45  ;  Scia  insula  for  Skye  ;  see  above,  p.  51.  Another  exception 
to  this  practice  is  Ommon  insula,  I,  36. 

Coloso  is  perhaps  the  form  from  which  Adamnan  has  constructed  his 
Colosus  insula. 

From  this  narrative  Colosus  insula  appears  to  have  been  within   so 


66  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

lona,  he  called  to  him  two  men  of  the  brethren,  their  names 
being  Lugbe  and  Silnan.  And  he  bade  them,  saying,  "  Cross 
over  at  once  to  the  island  of  Mull,  and  in  the  little  plains  near 
the  sea  look  for  the  robber  Ere ;  for  he  came  secretly  alone 
last  night  from  the  island  of  Colosus,  and  endeavours  to  hide 
during  the  day  among  the  sand-dunes,  under  his  boat,  which  he 
has  covered  with  hay,  intending  to  sail  over  by  night  to  the 
small  island  where  the  seals  belonging  to  our  sealing  rights 
breed  and  are  bred,  and  to  kill  some  of  them  violently,  and 
after  very  greedily  and  predaciously  filling  his  boat  to  return 
to  his  habitation." 

Hearing  this  they  obeyed  and  sailed  over,  and  found  the 
thief  hidden  in  the  place  indicated  beforehand  by  the  saint ; 
and  they  brought  him  to  the  saint,  as  he  had  instructed 
them. 

And  seeing  him,  the  saint  said  to  him  :  "  Wherefore  dost 
thou  often  transgress  God's  command  and  steal  what  belongs 
to  others?  When  thou  needest  anything  come  to  us,  and  thou 
shalt  receive  what  is  necessary  by  asking  for  it." 

And  so  speaking  he  ordered  that  wethers  should  be  killed 
and  given  to  the  poor  thief,  that  he  should  not  return  home 
empty. 

And  after  some  considerable  time  the  saint  foresaw  in  spirit 
the  thief's  imminent  death,  and  sent  to  Baithine,  who  was  at 
that  time  dwelling  as  prior  in  Mag-Luinge  [in  Tiree],  and  bade 
him  send  the  thief  as  last  gifts  a  fat  sheep  and  six  pecks 
of  corn. 

And  when  Baithine  had  sent  over  as  the  saint  had 
commanded,  the  miserable  robber  was  found  on  that  day 
taken  by  sudden  death,  and  the  gifts  sent  over  were  used  at 
his  funeral. 

short  a  distance  from  a  sandy  shore  of  Mull  that  one  man  in  a  coracle 
could  cross  over  in  the  night.     It  was  also  near  Tiree. 

In  II,  22,  (below,)  a  ship  was  between  Mull  and  Colosus  insula  after 
sailing  for  a  few  hours,  on  a  quiet  day,  from  a  harbour  in  Ardnamurchan  ; 
and  visible  (apparently)  from  a  hill  there.  Colonsay  is  some  fifty  miles 
from  the  present  Ardnamurchan,  and  some  thirty-five  from  Tiree.  Coll  is 
at  a  suitable  distance  from  Ardnamurchan,  and  is  near  Tiree.  The  name 
has  been  regarded  as  pointing  to  Colonsay  (modern  Colasa),  but  this  is 
very  doubtful  for  phonetic  reasons  ;  and  the  context  seems  to  indicate 
Coll.     (Cf.  also  the  editors  of  the  Thesaurus  Palaeohibernicus,  ii,  276,  278.) 


CURSES  OF  COLUMBA  67 

563  X  597 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columtoa,  MS.  B,  book  II,  c.  20  ^ 

On  the  other  hand  he  pronounced  the  following  prophetic 
sentence  concerning  a  certain  very  niggardly  rich  man  called 
Fingen,^  who  had  despised  St  Columba  and  had  not  received 
him  as  a  guest :  "  The  riches  of  that  greedy  man  who  has 
despised  Christ  in  pilgrim  guests,  from  this  day  shall  gradually 
decrease,  and  shall  be  reduced  to  nothing ;  and  he  shall  beg ; 
and  his  son  shall  run  from  house  to  house  with  a  half  empty 
wallet ;  and  he  shall  be  struck  by  a  rival  [beggar]  with  an  axe 
in  the  pit  of  a  threshing-floor,  and  shall  die."  And  all  this  was 
completely  fulfilled,  according  to  the  holy  man's  prophecy,  in 
the  case  of  both. 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Oolumlba,  book  II,  c.  22  ^ 

Of  the  death  of  wizards  that  had  scorned  the  saint. 

The  venerable  man  greatly  loved  the  above-mentioned 
Columban,*  whom  the  virtue  of  his  blessing  had  made,  from  a 
poor  man,  rich ;  because  he  offered  him  many  pious  services. 

But  there  was  at  that  time  a  certain  man,  a  wizard,  a 
persecutor  of  the  good,  by  name  John,  the  son  of  Conall,  son 
of  Donald,  sprung  from  the  royal  race  of  Gabran.  He  perse- 
cuted St  Columba's  friend,  the  Columban  mentioned  above ; 
and  he  had  plundered  his  house,  carrying  off  all  that  he  found 
in  it,  acting  as  an  enemy  not  once,  but  twice. 

And  hence  it  happened  not  undeservedly  to  this  malignant 
man  that  the  third  time,  after  the  third  despoliation  of  the 
same  house,  as  he  returned  to  his  ship,  laden  with  spoil  with 
his  associates,  he  met  the  blessed  man  [Columba],  whom  he 
had   imagined   far   away,   approaching  close   at   hand.^     And 

1  Reeves's  edition,  131  ;  Skene's,  165. 

This  chapter  is  wholly  omitted  by  the  oldest  MS.  The  preceding 
passage  describes  Columba's  blessing  of  his  host  Nesan  Cam's  five  cows, 
that  they  should  increase  to  105  ;  an  episode  that  is  related  also  in  con- 
nection with  the  cows  of  a  poor  man,  Columban,  in  II,  21  (Skene,  165-166), 
and  is  spoken  of  also  by  Cummine,  XXV,  in  Pinkerton's  Vitae,  43. 

^  Ingenio  ;  Uigeno  in  the  Capitulationes  of  book  1 1  (Skene,  1 50). 

^  Reeves's  edition,  132-134;  Skene's,  166-167. 

*  See  the  note  on  the  preceding  passage. 

^  In  X^yX proprius ;  re.a.d propius. 


68  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

when  the  saint  upbraided  him  for  his  wicked  deeds,  and  asked 
and  urged  him  to  abandon  his  booty,  he  remained  cruel  and 
obdurate,  and  scorned  the  saint ;  and  entering  his  ship  with 
the  booty,  scoffed  and  mocked  at  the  blessed  man. 

And  the  saint  followed  him  down  to  the  sea,  and  entering 
the  green  sea-waves  up  to  his  knees  raised  both  hands  to 
heaven,  and  prayed  earnestly  to  Christ,  who  glorifies  his  elect 
that  glorify  him. 

The  harbour  in  which  he  stood  after  the  departure  of  the 
persecutor,  and  for  a  while  prayed  to  the  Lord,  is  in  a  place 
that  is  called  in  Scottish  Aithchambas  of  Ardnamurchan.^  .  .  . 

After  some  interval  of  a  few  short  hours,^  the  day  being 
quite  serene,  behold  a  cloud  arisen  from  the  sea,  as  the  saint 
had  said,  driven  with  great  roaring  of  wind  caught  the 
plunderer  with  his  booty  between  the  isles  of  Mull  and 
Colosus,^  and  swamped  him  in  a  sudden  squall  in  the  middle 
of  the  sea;  and  of  those  that  were  in  the  ship  not  one,  in 
accordance  with  the  saint's  word,  escaped.  .  .  .* 

1  Aithchambas  Art  Muirchol.  Reeves  reads  Ait-chamas,  "pleasant 
bay";  and  the  editors  of  the  Thesaurus  Palaeohibernicus  (ii,  278)  would 
correct  the  text  to  Aithchamba  sive  Art  Muirchol,  "Aithchamba  or 
Ardnamurchan."     But  emendation  is  perhaps  unnecessary. 

Ardnamurchan  is  called  by  Adamnan  Artda  muirchol,  apparently  a 
plural,  which  forms  the  plural  dative  Artdaib  muirchol. 

Columba  and  his  companions  watched  from  high  ground  ;  Columba 
promised  the  immediate  destruction  of  the  robber,  and  it  seems  to  be 
implied  that  the  catastrophe  occurred  while  they  were  there,  and  within 
their  sight. 

^  moranim,  read  horarum. 

'  See  above,  p.  65. 

*  A  visit  of  Columba  to  Ardnamurchan  took  place  shortly  after  the 
deaths  [in  572]  of  Baetan,  son  of  Muirchertach  Erc's  son,  and  Eochaid, 
son  of  Donald  [Muirchertach's  son]  ;  Adamnan,  I,  12  (Skene,  122).  A 
harbour  in  this  district  is  there  called  AfwzVi^o/c  /"anzi/zj-/ ("heavenly  sea- 
pouch"),  being  apparently  named  after  the  Muirbolc  (now  Murlough)  in 
Antrim. 

On  a  visit  to  Ardnamurchan  Columba  drew  water  from  a  rock  to 
baptize  a  child  :  "This  [child]  was  Lugu  Cen[n]calad  [i.e.  Hard-head],  and 
his  parents  were  in  Ardnamurchan,  where  even  to-day  a  spring  is  seen, 
distinguished  by  the  name  of  St  Columba."  Adamnan,  II,  10  (Skene, 
158-159).  Cf.  the  Irish  Life;  Stokes,  Three  Homilies,  108;  Lismore 
Lives,  27. 


PERSECUTION  BY  SCOTS  OF  ARGYLE  69 

563  X  597 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  II,  c.  24  ^ 

Of  another  wicked  man,  persecutor  of  churches,  whose  name  is 
called  in  Latitt  Manus  Dextera. 

At  another  time,  when  the  blessed  man,  dwelling  in  the 
island  of  Hinba,  had  begun  to  excommunicate  some^  perse- 
cutors of  the  churches,  the  sons  namely  of  Conall  Donald's 
son,  (one  of  whose  sons  was  John,  of  whom  we  have  related 
above,)  one  of  their  companion  malefactors  upon  instigation 
of  the  devil  ran  up  with  a  spear,  to  slay  the  saint.  And  one 
of  the  brethren,  Findlugan  by  name,  to  prevent  this  interposed, 
wearing  the  holy  man's  cowl,  ready  to  die  for  him.  But  in  a 
marvellous  manner  this  vestment  of  the  blessed  man,  like 
some  very  strong  and  impenetrable  coat  of  mail,  could  not  be 
pierced,  even  by  the  strong  cast  of  a  sharp  spear  from  a  strong 
man's  hand,  but  remained  uninjured  ;  and  he  that  wore  it  was 
preserved  safe  and  unhurt  through  its  protection.  And  the 
villain,  who  [was  called  in  Latin]  Manus  Dextera,  went  away 
again,  thinking  that  he  had  transfixed  the  holy  man  with 
the  spear. 

After  completion  of  a  year  from  that  day,  when  the  saint 
was  dwelling  in  the  island  of  lona,  he  said,  "  It  is  an  entire  year 
to  this  day  from  the  day  when  Lam  Dess  ^  slew,  to  the  extent 
of  his  power,  Findlugan  in  my  stead  ;  but  he  too,  as  I  think, 
is  slain  in  this  hour." 

And  this  occurred  according  to  the  saint's  revelation 
at  the  same  instant  in  the  island  that  in  Latin  may  be  called 
Longa*;  there  this  Lam  Dess  alone  had  perished,  in  a 
fight  between  two  companies  of  men,  pierced  by  the 
spear  of  Cronan  Baithan's  son,  thrown,  it  is  said,  in  the 
name  of  St  Columba.  And  after  his  death  the  men  ceased 
to  fight. 

'  Reeves's  edition,  135-137  ;  Skene's,  168-169. 

^  alios, 

'  Lam  dess  "right  hand"  is  the  Old  Irish  form  of  the  name  previously 
given  in  Latin  {nia7tus  dextera). 

*  I.e.  "the  long  [island]."  Possibly  the  Long  Island  of  the  present 
day  (the  Outer  Hebrides). 


70  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

565x588 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columlba,  book  I,  c.  36  ^ 

The  blessed  man's  prophecy  concerning  the  priest  Findchan, 
founder  of  the  monastery  that  in  Scottish  is  called  Artchain,  in 
the  land  of  Tiree? 

At  another  time  the  above-mentioned  priest  Findchan, 
soldier  of  Christ,  brought  with  him  from  Ireland  ^  to  Britain, 
in  the  habit  of  clergy,  Aed,  surnamed  the  Black,  sprung  from 
royal  blood,  an  [Irish]  Pict  by  race,  to  be  a  pilgrim  with  him 
for  some  years  in  his  monastery.  This  Aed  the  Black  had 
been  a  very  blood-thirsty  man  and  the  slayer  of  many ;  and 
he  had  also  killed  Diarmait,  Cerball's  son,  ruler  over  all  Ireland,^ 
appointed  by  God's  authority.  After  this  same  Aed  had 
passed  some  time  in  pilgrimage,  a  bishop  was  called  in,  and 
[Aed]  was  ordained  priest  in  presence  of*  Findchan  aforesaid, 
although  not  rightly.  But  the  bishop  dared  not  place  his  hand 
upon  [Aed's]  head  until  the  same  Findchan  (who  loved  Aed 
after  the  flesh)  had  first  placed  his  hand  in  confirmation  upon 
his  head. 

When  this  ordination  was  afterwards  announced  to  the 
holy  man  [Columba,]  he  was  ill-pleased.  Thereupon  he 
pronounced  this  terrible  sentence  concerning  Findchan  and 
Aed,  who  had  been  ordained,  saying :  "  The  right  hand  that 
Findchan,  contrary  to  right  and  to  ecclesiastic  law,  has  placed 
upon  the  head  of  that  son  of  perdition,  shall  presently  decay, 
and  after  great  torture  of  suffering  shall  precede  him  to  the 
ground  in  burial ;  and  he  surviving  shall  live  for  many  years 
after  his  hand  has  been  interred.  But  Aed,  undeservedly 
ordained,  shall  return  to  his  vomit  like  a  dog ;  and  he  shall  be 
again  a  bloody  murderer,  and  at  last,  slaughtered  with  a  spear, 
he  shall  fall  from  a  log  into  water,  and  shall  sink  and  die.  He 
has  long  ago  deserved  such  termination  of  his  life,  because  he 
slaughtered  the  king  of  all  Ireland."  ^ 

■  Reeves's  edition,  66-71  ;  Skene's,  135-136. 

^  In  Adamnan,  Ethica  terra  or  EtJika  rcgio. 

^  Scotia. 

^  Apiid^  in  Irish  writers  often  =  "by."  The  form  of  ordination  was 
here  gone  through  by  the  abbot,  without  validity,  to  relieve  the  bishop 
of  responsibility  in  the  subsequent  valid  ordination  performed  by  him. 

*•  Scotiae. 


ABUSES  IN  MONASTERY  OF  TIREE  71 

And  this  prophecy  of  the  blessed  man  was  fulfilled  in  both 
cases ;  for  the  priest  Findchan's  right  hand  decayed  from  the 
effects  of  a  blow  and  preceded  him  to  earth,  being  buried  in 
the  island  that  is  called  Ommon ;  while  he  lived  for  many 
years  afterwards,  according  to  St  Columba's  words.  And  Aed 
the  Black,  a  priest  only  in  name,  returned  to  his  former  crimes, 
was  pierced  by  treachery  with  a  spear,  fell  from  the  prow  of  a 
raft  into  the  water  of  a  lake,  and  perished. 


PART  III 

Affairs  before  and  after  the  Council 
OF  Druimm-Ceta 

ca.  568 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  60,  s.a.  567=  568  ^ 

A  campaign  in  the  western  world  [was  led]  by  Colman  Bee, 
Diarmait's  son,  and  Conall,  Comgall's  son.^ 

ca.  570 

Tigernach,  Annals;  in  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  149, 
s.a.  [568]  3 

And  Gildas  [died].* 

1  With  f.n,  and  e.  of  568. 

^  Also  ibid.,  s.a.  566  =  567  (with  f.n.  of  567);  "A  campaign  in  the 
western  world  "  {Jecht  in  lardoman),  as  in  the  passage  translated  above). 
Probably  lardoman  was  the  name  of  a  district. 

P.M.,  i,  204,  s.a.  565  :  "A  fleet  [was  led]  by  Colman  Bee,  son  of 
Diarmait,  son  of  Fergus  Cerr-bel,  and  by  Conall,  Comgall's  son,  prince 
\toiseacK\  of  Dalriata,  into  Soil  and  into  Islay ;  and  they  took  from 
them  many  spoils." 

The  battle  appears  thus  in  A.I.,  7,  O'Conor's  year  560  =  568  (31  years 
before  599)  :  "The  battle  of  Ard-Tommain  [was  fought]  by  Colman  Bee, 
son  of  Ailill,  son  of  Comgall." 

The  Annals  from  the  Book  of  Leinster,  R.S.  89,  ii,  514:  "583. 
A  battle  in  the  western  world  (that  is,  in  Soil  and  in  Islay,)  [was  fought] 
by  Colman  Bee,  D[iarmait's]  son,  and  by  Conall,  Comgall's  son." 

Colman  Bee  was  responsible  for  the  death  of  Baetan,  Ninnid's  son, 
king  of  Tara,  and  was  himself  killed  the  next  year  by  Aed,  Ainmire's  son. 
A.U.,  i,  70-72,  s.aa.  585  =  586  and  586=587. 

2  F.n.  I. 

*  A.U.,  i,  62,  s.a.  569  =  570  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  570)  :  "Gildas  died." 
In  MS.  A,  Gildas's  death  is  placed  alternatively  under  576  =  577. 

A. I.,  7,  O'Conor's  year  559  =  567  (32  years  before  599  ;  and  s.a.  562  in 
Harleian  MS.,  ibid.,  note)  :  "The  repose  of  bishop  Gildas." 

Annals  from  L.L.  (R.S.  89,  ii,  514);  "Gildas  the  Wise  reposed," 
72 


GILDAS.     KING  RIDERCH  73 

?573 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  I,  c.  15.^ 

The  blessed  man  \Columbd s^  prophecy  concerning  king  Roderc, 
Tothail's  son,  who  reigned  in  the  Rock  of  Clyde?' 

At  one  time  this  king,  since  he  was  a  friend  of  the  holy 
man  [Columba],  sent  to  him  a  secret  message  by  Lugbe 
Mocu-Min,  wishing  to  know  whether  he  should  be  slaughtered 
by  enemies,  or  not.  And  when  Lugbe  was  questioned  by  the 
saint  regarding  the  same  king,  and  the  kingdom,  and  the 
people,  he  replied  as  in  pity,  saying,  "  Why  dost  thou  inquire 
concerning  that  unfortunate  man,  who  can  by  no  means  know 
at  what  hour  he  may  be  slain  by  his  enemies?"  Thereupon 
the  saint  foretold  :  "  He  shall  never  be  given  up  into  the  hands 
of  enemies,  but  shall  die  in  his  own  house,  upon  his  pillow" 
And  this  prophecy  of  the  saint  regarding  king  Roderc  was 
completely  fulfilled  ;  for  according  to  his  word,  [Roderc]  died 
a  placid  death  in  his  own  house. 

573 

Annales  Cambriae,  Ab  Ithel's  edition,  p.  5,  s.a.  [573]^ 

The  battle  of  Arterid*  [between  the  sons   of  Elifer   and 

without  date  ;  placed  immediately  before  the  death  of  Aed  Suibne's  son 
(t585;A.U.). 

Probably  the  best  authority  is  the  Annales  Cambriae.     A.C.,  MS.  B 
Ab  Ithel's  ed.,  5,  s.a.  [565]  (121  years  after  444)  :  "  The  voyage  of  Gildas 
to  Ireland."    (Many  canons  of  the  Irish  church  are  attributed  to  Gildas 
see  Wasserschleben,  Irische  Kanonensammlung  (1885),  g,  35,  73,  133,  139 
150,  151,  154,  212,  237.) 

A.C.,  Y  Cymmrodor,  ix,  155,  s.a.  [570]  (6  years  after  the  "  120th  year'' 
after  444):  "Gildas  died."  (MS.  B  adds,  "the  wisest  of  the  Britons"  ;  ed, 
Ab  Ithel,  5.) 

The  Martyrology  of  Donegal,  296,  enters  his  death  under  November  4th 

Fordun,    III,  22-23,  places   the   death   of  Gildas   erroneously    in   the 
reign   of  Gabran.     For  his  birth,  see   his    De   Excidio,  c.    26  ;   M.G.H 
Auctores,  xiii,  40. 

'  Reeves's  edition,  43-44  ;  Skene's,  123-124. 

2  Petra  Cloithe j  i.e.,  Ail-Chluaide  (Dumbarton).  For  Roderc  or 
Riderch,  see  years  573,  612,  notes. 

^  Placed  9  years  after  the  "r20th  year"  after  444  (Y  Cymmrodor,  ix,  155). 
"i  Armieridm  MS.  A  ;  Erderit,  B  ;  Arderit,  C. 


74  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Guendoleu,  the  son  of  Keidiau.     And  in  this  battle  Guendoleu 
fell.     Merlin  became  insane].^ 

1  The  part  within  brackets  is  taken  from  MS.  B. 

According  to  Skene,  Four  Ancient  Books  of  Wales,  i,  66,  the  battle  was 
fought  "between  Gwenddolew,  whose  name  is  surrounded  by  bardic 
tradition  with  every  type  and  symbol  of  a  semi-pagan  cult,  and  on  the 
other  side  three  leading  chiefs,  who  each  became  the  founder  of  a 
kingdom — Maelgwn  Gwynedd,  Rydderch  Hael,  and  Aedan,  son  of  Gafran, 
called  Fradawg,  or  the  treacherous." 

But  Mailcun,  king  of  Gwynedd  or  Guenedota,  had  died  in  547. 
Riderch,  king  of  Dumbarton,  died  ca.  612  ;  see  also  above. 

The  success  of  this  battle  may  have  strengthened  Aidan's  hold  of  the 
kingdom  of  Argyle,  and  improved  his  position  in  the  negotiations  with 
Ireland.     See  year  575. 

In  an  article  published  by  the  Society  of  Antiquaries  of  Scotland 
(Proceedings,  vi,  91-98),  Skene  argued  with  all  likelihood  that  the  place 
of  this  battle  was  the  "Roman  Camp"  or  "Moat  of  Liddel,"  near 
Carwhinelow,  near  Arthuret,  in  the  valley  of  the  Liddel,  eight  miles 
from  Carlisle,  and  within  sight  of  Burnswark.  Skene  further  derived 
Carwhinelow  from  Caer  Guendoleu  or  Gwenddolew,  and  Ridding  from 
Erydon,  a  name  which  occurs  in  the  Cyvoesi  Myrddin,  a  dialogue  between 
Merlin  and  his  sister  Gwendydd  ;  "the  battle  of  Ardderyd  and  Erydon"  ; 
"...  Gwendolau  was  slain  in  the  blood-fray  of  Ardderyd."  (Skene, 
U.S.,  94-95-) 

Skene  cites  six  Welsh  Triads  that  refer  to  the  battle  or  to  people 
who  fought  in  it  ;  U.S.,  92. 

The  battle  of  Arderydd  is  mentioned  in  Welsh  Triads  ;  Loth's 
Mabinogion,  ii,  triads  no.  16,  48  ;  M.A.,  396,  397-398.  It  is  named  second 
among  the  "  three  frivolous  battles  of  the  island  of  Britain  "  :  "  the  battle 
of  Arderydd,  fought  because  of  a  lark's  nest."  M.A.,  391.  Loth's 
Mabinogion,  1913  ed.,  ii,  283  (triad  no.  79). 

A  Welsh  Triad  mentions  an  expedition  of  Aidan  to  Strathclyde : 
"The  third  [costly  plundering  expedition  of  the  island  of  Britain]  was  that 
in  which  Aidan  the  Traitor  went  into  Alclut  to  the  court  of  Riderch  Hael  : 
after  it,  there  remained  neither  food  nor  drink,  nor  any  living  thing." 
M.A.,  391.  Loth's  Mabinogion  (1913),  ii,  248  (triad  no.  19).  Cf.  M.A., 
406. 

The  legends  that  grew  up  around  Merlin,  his  remorse  over  causing  the 
battle,  and  the  deaths  resulting  from  it,  and  his  subsequent  attachment, 
upon  Kentigern's  recommendation,  to  Riderch's  court,  are  scarcely  to  be 
regarded  as  history.  Cf.  Joceline's  Life  of  Kentigern,  c.  45  ;  Historians 
of  Scotland,  v,  241  (118,  371-374),  and  below,  p.  139,  with  Bower's 
Scotichronicon,  III,  31  (Goodall's  edition,  i,  135-137;  Edinburgh,  1759). 
But  if  Merlin  composed  the  prophecies  ascribed  to  him,  he  was  certainly 
insane. 

For  the  sons  of  Elifer,  see  year  580. 


DEATH  OF  KING  CONALL  75 

?S74 

Tigernach,  Annals  ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  151,  s.a.  [573]  1 

The  death  of  Conall,  Comgall's  son,  king  of  Dalriata,  in  the 
[sixteenth]  2  year  of  his  reign.  He  gave  as  offering  ^  the  island 
of  lona  of  Columcille.* 

ca.  574 

Berchan's  Prophecy,  stanzas  114-118;  in  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  pp.  82-83 

Alas  for  the  Picts  to  whom  he  ^  will  go  eastward,  if  they 
knew  the  thing  that  approaches  them  (?).^      He  will  not   be 

1  With  f.n.  7.  Under  f.n.  3=575,  with  the  marginal  date  4437,  Tigernach 
notes  tlie  reign  for  7  years  of  Tiberius.  This  is  taken  from  Bede's 
Chronicle  (M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  308,  s.a.  4536).  Tiberius  II  was  emperor 
from  578  to  582  ;  Bede  says,  from  4529  to  4536  ;  Isidore,  from  5772  to 
5779  (Auctores,  xi,  477). 

^  In  the  text,  "thirteenth";  read  "sixteenth"  (no.  xui  for  xiii). 
"Sixteenth"  in  C.S.,  A.U.,  and  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise. 

^  ofenxvit ;  offerebat  in  C.S.  ;  obtulit  in  A.U.  The  word  is  translated 
by  F.M.  ro  edhbair. 

*  To  the  same  effect  in  C.S.,  60,  s.a.  [573]  (fn.  7  ;  Hennessy's  year 
574).  So  also  in  A.U.,  i,  64,  s.a.  573  =  574  (with  fn.  and  e.  of  574).  A.I., 
8,  O'Conor' s year  566  =  574  (25  years  before  599) :  "The  death  of  Conall, 
Comgall's  son.  He  reigned  for  sixteen  years"  (this  is  placed  15  years 
after  Gabran's  death).  F.M.,  i,  208,  s.a.  572  (and  the  "  15th  year  of  Aed, 
Ainmire's  son  "  as  sovereign  of  Ireland) :  "  Conall,  Comgall's  son,  the  king 
of  Dalriata,  died.     He  offered  up  lona  to  Columcille." 

Soon  after  he  left  Ireland,  Columba  had  been  Conall's  guest ;  see 
Adamnan,  II,  7  ;  above,  p.  48.  As  Reeves  has  pointed  out,  the  grant  of 
lona  must  rather  have  been  made  by  Brude,  with  Conall's  consent. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  89,  s.a.  569  :  "  Conall,  son  of  Comgall  that 
gave  the  island  of  lona  \_Hug}i\  to  Columcille,  died  in  the  i6th  year  of  his 
reign  over  Dalriata." 

The  Duan  Albanach,  in  P.  &  S.,  60  :  "  Five  times  three  years,  without 
a  verse  [of  eulogy]  \^gan  roi?7?{],  Conall,  Comgall's  son,  was  king"  (Skene 
translated  gan  roinn  "  without  interruption."  But  cf  the  Duan  Albanach, 
below,  years  607,  630,  notes.  For  the  gender,  see  Irische  Texte,  iii,  1,  128). 
"Without  division"  of  spoils  or  of  territory  is  also  a  possible  translation. 

The  Chronicles  of  Dalriata  give  Conall  a  reign  of  14  years  ;  but  the 
Irish  Annals  and  the  Duan  seem  to  prove  that  he  reigned  for  over  15  years. 
Fordun's  account  (III,  26)  of  Conall's  death  and  successor  is  incorrect. 
For  the  succession  of  Conall's  cousin  Aidan,  see  year  607,  note. 

^  Apparently  this  was  Aidan,  Gabran's  son,  before  his  accession  to  the 
kingdom. 

''  da  bfestaois  aim  ni  da  bfuil. 


76  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

satisfied  that  an  Irishman  should  have  been  i<iiig  in  the 
east  in  subjection  to  the  Picts.^ 

He  will  be  a  short  while  in  the  east,  according  to  his  will ;  he 
will  not  come  against  his  word.  At  the  time  when  they  molest  him 
he  will  not  be  king.     He  will  cast  the  Picts  into  insignificance.^ 

He  is  the  first  man  who  will  rise  _  in  the  east,  after  his 
molestation  by  the  Picts:  the  distressed  traveller^  will  be  the 
red  flam.e  that  awakens  war.* 

A  dart  will  glance  from  the  shield's  edge,^  with  whom  will 
be  wanderers  his  grey  [horses]^:  a  rider  of  the  swift  horse' 
(it  is  not  falsehood)  which  will  seek  Ireland  in  one  day. 

Thirteen  years  (one  after  another)  [he  will  fight  against] 
the  Pictish  host  (fair  the  diadem).^  He  will  not  be  king  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  on  a  Thursday,  in  Kintyre.^ 

^  nir  ba  sdnih  leis  gorbd  righ  thair  \  eirinnech  fa  chruithnechaibh. 
The  first  of  these  hnes  has  a  syllable  too  many.  Ba  has  probably  been 
written  twice,  in  error  ;  read  ni  sdmh  leis  (or  gor-rigthair,  "  that  an 
Irishman  should  have  been  subject  to  the  Picts  "  i"). 

^  attrdth  no  craidlifeadh,  ni  ba  righj  \  fo-ciochra  cruithnecha  i  nemhbrigh. 

^  in  t-aistearach  inuiedhach. 

■*  Here  is  the  note  :  "i.e.  Aidan,  Gabran's  son.  But  Aidan  belongs  to 
Leinster,  according  to  his  genealogy."  This  gloss  has  been  placed  at 
Aidan's  accession,  not  where  he  is  first  mentioned. 

^  do  bhile  sgiaith.  In  MS.  B  do  bhilibh  Sciath,  with  O'Connell's  note 
"  do  bhile  sceith  perhaps."  O'Connell's  emendation  is  correct.  This  phrase 
is  a  play  upon  Skye's  name  (in  the  genitive  Sceth,  Sgiad,  A.U.  ; 
modern  nominative  Sgiath,  like  sgiath  "  shield."  The  ''  dart  "  was  surely 
Cano,  Gartnait's  son,  who  fled  from  Skye  to  Ireland  in  668  and  died  in 
687.  The  Tale  of  Cano  (Yellow  Book  of  Lecan,  128-132;  Kuno  Meyer, 
Anecdota  from  Irish  MSS.,  i,  I- 1 5)  says  that  Cano  escaped  from  Aidan, 
Gabran's  son  ;  and  the  writer  of  the  Prophecy  has  had  the  same  false 
idea.     See  year  ?6oi,  note. 

The  Tale  implies  that  Cano  was  king  for  a  time. 

«  Or  "[men]"? 

''  Presumably  a  wooden  ship.  The  Tale  speaks  of  curachs.  The 
journey  from  Skye  to  Ireland  would  have  been  a  very  long  one  for  one 
day  ;  but  Dunskey,  near  Portpatrick,  is  so  near  to  Ireland  that  this  stanza 
shows  it  is  not  meant. 

*  Tri  bliadhna  deg,cinn  archinn,  \  fri  shluagh  cruithnech,  cAin  in  inhind. 
MS.  B  has  ceatiii  ar  cheann,  .  .  .  cain  an  Meunn,  with  O'Connell's  note 
"  i.  caoin."  Such  chevilles  are  used  for  verse-building  without  much 
regard  to  their  meaning. 

The  Prophecy  seems  to  have  reverted  to  Aidan. 
"  The  Prophecy  is  continued  at  year  843. 


SUCCESSION  OF  KING  AIDAN  77 

ca.  574 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  III,  c.  5  ^ 

Of  the  angel  of  the  Lord  who  appeared  in  a  visioti  to  Si 
Columba  ivhile  he  dwelt  in  the  island  of  Hinba,  being  sent  to 
appoint  Aidan  as  king. 

At  another  time,  when  this  excellent  man  [Columba]  was 
dwelling  in  the  island  of  Hinba,  one  night  in  ecstasy  of  mind 
he  saw  an  angel  of  the  Lord  sent  to  him ;  and  [the  angelj  had 
in  his  hand  a  glass  book  of  the  appointment  of  kings.  And 
when  the  venerable  man  had  received  it  from  the  angel's  hand, 
at  his  command  he  began  to  read  it.  And  when  he  refused 
to  appoint  Aidan  as  king,  according  to  what  was  commanded 
him  in  the  book,  because  he  loved  Eoganan^  [Aidan's]  brother 
more,  suddenly  the  angel  stretched  out  his  hand  and  struck  the 
saint  with  a  scourge,  from  which  a  livid  scar  remained  in  his 
side  for  all  the  days  of  his  life.  And  these  words  he  addressed 
to  him,  saying,  "  Know  surely  that  I  have  been  sent  from  God 
to  thee  with  the  book  of  glass,  that  according  to  the  words  thou 
hast  read  in  it  thou  shalt  appoint  Aidan  to  the  kingdom.  And 
if  thou  refuse  to  obey  this  command,  I  shall  strike  thee  again." 

So  when  this  angel  of  the  Lord  had  appeared  to  him  for 
three  successive  nights,  having  in  his  hand  the  same  book  of 
glass,  and  had  given  him  the  same  commands  of  the  Lord 
concerning  the  same  king's  appointment,  the  saint  followed  the 
Lord's  word,  and  sailed  over  to  the  island  of  lona ;  and  there, 
as  he  had  been  commanded,  he  ordained  Aidan,  who  arrived 
about  the  same  time,  as  king.  And  among  the  words  of  the 
ordination  he  prophesied  the  future  concerning  [Aidan's]  sons 
and  grandsons  and  great  grandsons ;  and  laying  his  hand  upon 
his  head,  he  ordained  and  blessed  him.^ 

'  Reeves's  edition,  197-198  ;  Skene's,  196-197.  This  anecdote  is  given 
more  briefly  in  Cummine's  Life  (below).  It  is  abbreviated  from  Adamnan 
by  Fordun  (III,  27  ;  i,  113-114),  who  omits  the  words  of  the  prophecy,  and 
its  fulfilment. 

''■  Eogan  or  Eoganan's  death  is  noted  under  year  597,  below.  Cummine's 
Life  omits  the  name. 

2  For  the  fulfilment  of  this  prophecy  see  year  639. 

This  incident  appears  thus  in  the  Life  attributed  to  Cummine,  c.  V  ;  in 
Pinkerton's  Vitae,  30  : — 

''''\Colu7nbd\  consecrates  Aidan  as  king,  and  predicts  the  future  concerning 
his  sons. 

"At  another  time  the  holy  man,  dwelling  in  the  island  of  Hymba,  saw 


78  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

ca.  574 

Tigernach,  Annals ;  u.s.,  continued. 

The  battle  of  Delgu  ^  in  Kintyre ;  and  in  it  Duncan,  son  of 

one  night,  in  ecstasy  of  mind,  an  angel  of  the  Lord  sent  to  him.     And  [the 
angel]  had  in  his  hand  a  glass  book  of  the  appointment  of  kings. 

"  [Columba]  received  it  from  the  angel's  hand  and  began  to  read  it. 
But  he  refused  to  appoint  Aidan  as  king,  according  to  the  commandment ; 
for  he  loved  [Aidan's]  brother  more  ;  and  suddenly  the  angel  stretched 
out  his  hand,  and  struck  the  saint  with  a  scourge,  from  which  a  livid  scar 
remained  in  his  side  for  all  the  days  of  his  life.  And  in  these  words  [the 
angel]  addressed  him  :  '  Know  surely  that  I  have  been  sent  by  God  to 
bid  thee  appoint  Aidan  as  king  ;  and  if  thou  refuse,  I  shall  strike  thee 
again.' 

"  When  for  three  successive  nights  the  angel  of  the  Lord  had  given 
him  the  same  commands  concerning  the  appointment  of  Aidan,  the  saint 
sailed  over  to  God's  island  of  lona  ;  and  upon  Aidan's  arrival  there, 
appointed  him  as  king." 

Tripartite  Life  of  St  Patrick,  i,  162  (and  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  17)  :  "Patrick 
was  welcomed  in  the  land  [of  Dalaraide]  by  Erc's  twelve  sons.  And 
Fergus  Mor,  Erc's  son,  said  to  Patrick,  '  If  my  brother  should  respect  me 
in  the  division  of  his  land,  I  would  give  [my  share]  to  thee.'  And  Patrick 
offered  that  part  to  bishop  Olcan  ;  that  is,  Airthir  Maige. 

"  Patrick  said  to  Fergus  :  '  Though  to-day  thy  brother  have  little  esteem 
for  thee,  yet  thou  shalt  be  king,  and  from  thee  shall  come  the  kings  in  this 
country  and  over  Fortriu  for  ever.'  And  this  was  fulfilled  in  Aidan,  Gabran's 
son,  who  took  Scotland  by  force.  And  Patrick  left  many  churches  and 
establishments  in  the  territory  of  [Irish]  Dalriata." 

This  story  has  no  more  authority  than  the  other  version  given  by  the 
same  Life  :  see  above,  p.  2. 

Cf.  Colgan's  7th  Life  of  Patrick,  Trias  Thaumaturga,  147  b  ;  and  the 
still  more  extended  account  in  Joceline  of  Furness  (ca.  1 185),  Life  of 
Patrick,  ibid.,  95  b,  and  in  P.  &  S.,  142-143. 

Cf  year  575,  note. 

A  story  of  Columba  is  told  in  the  Yellow  Book  of  Lecan,  164  a, 
beginning  :  "  Columcille,  Fedlimid's  son,  was  the  confessor  of  Aidan, 
Gabran's  son,  king  of  Scotland." 

According  to  a  fabulous  tale  in  the  Yellow  Book  of  Lecan  (facsimile, 
128  a),  Aidan  was  the  son  of  Eochaid,  son  of  Enda  Gen-salach  :  Aidan  was 
fostered  from  his  birth  by  Gabran's  wife,  Ingenach.  Aidan's  twin  brother 
was  Brandub,  king  of  Leinster.  This  alleged  relationship  caused  recon- 
ciliation and  peace  between  Aidan  and  Brandub  after  Aidan's  successful 
invasion  of  Brandub's  land  (ibid.).  The  same  story  appears  in  Keating's 
History  of  Ireland,  at  the  end  of  the  first  book  (ed.  Dinneen,  iii,  408- 
412). 

1  cath  Delgon:  but  in  A.U.,  bellum  Telocho. 


CONVENTION  OF  DRUIMM-CETA  79 

Conall,  son  of  Comgall,  and  many  others  of  the  allies  of  the 
sons  of  Gabran/  fell.^ 

ca.  575 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  64,  s.a.  574=575  ^ 

The  great  convention*  of  Druimm-ceta,^  in  which  were 
Columcille  and  Aed,  Ainmire's  son.^ 

ca.  57S 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columtaa,  book  I,  c.  lo'^ 

Of  Donald,  Aed's  son. 

Donald  Aed's  son,  still  a  boy,  was  brought  to  St  Columba 
in  Druimm-ceta  by  his  foster-parents,^  and,  regarding  him, 
[Columba]  asked,  saying :  "  Whose  son  is  this,-  that  you  have 

1  In  text  Garbain  ;  read  Gabrain,  as  in  A.U. 

2  Similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  66,  s.a.  575  =  576  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  576).  Also 
ibid.,  s.a.  576  =  577  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  577) :  "  The  battle  of  Telocho." 

3  With  f.n.  and  e.  of  575. 

■*  Glossed  "assembly"  in  Irish  in  MSS.  A  and  B. 

°  "Identified  with  the  mound  called  the  Mullagh,  in  Roe  Park,  near 
Newtownlimavady  in  the  Co.  Derry " ;  Bernard  and  Atkinson's  Liber 
Hymnorum,  ii,  225. 

^  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  90,  s.a.  587  (the  year-section  begins  with 
the  mission  of  Augustine):  "Aed  Ainmire's  son  succeeded  in  the 
kingdom,  and  reigned  25  years"  [592-1598  ;  A.U.] 

"  In  his  time  the  meeting  was  between  him  and  Aidan,  Gabran's  son, 
king  of  Scotland,  in  Druimm-ceta  \promkehaire\  with  divers  of  the 
nobility  both  spiritual  and  temporal  of  Ireland  and  Scotland,  in  their 
company,  for  deciding  the  controversy  between  the  said  kings  for  the 
territory  and  lordship  of  Dalriata.  St  Columcille  and  St  Baithine  were 
present  at  that  meeting." 

The  Annals  from  L.L.  (R.S.  89,  ii,  514)  place  the  council  of 
Druimm-ceta  immediately  after  the  death  of  Daig,  Cairell's  son  (1586  =  587, 
A.U.  ;  under  f.n.  i  =585,  in  T.  and  C.S.,  Hennessy's  year  586;  586  in 
F.M.  ;  in  A.I.,  O'Conor's  year  581  =  589).  Lebar  Brecc,  238  Ca:  "The 
king  of  [the  tribe  of]  Coirpre,  Aed,  Gabran's  son  ;  Aidan,  son  of  Gabran 
of  the  warriors,  was  sovereign  of  Scotland,  full  of  arms.  .  .  .  They  were 
all  .  .  .  in  the  assembly  of  Druimm-ceta,  making  peace  between  Aed 
.  .  .  and  Aidan." 

For  this  conference  cf.  O'Donnell's  Life  of  Columba,  in  Colgan's  Trias 
Thaumaturga,  430-431. 

■^  Reeves's  edition,  36-37  ;  Skene's,  121-122. 

*  j>er  nutritores. 


80  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

brought?"  They  replied:  "This  is  Donald,  Aed's  son,  who 
has  been  brought  to  thee  for  this,  that  he  may  return  enriched 
with  thy  blessing."  And  immediately  after  the  saint  had 
blessed  him,  he  said  :  "  This  [boy]  shall  survive  after  all  his 
brothers,  and  shall  be  a  very  famous  king ;  and  he  shall  never 
be  given  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies,  but  shall  die  a  placid 
death  in  old  age  upon  his  bed,  and  within  his  own  house, 
surrounded  by  a  crowd  of  his  intimate  friends."  All  these 
things  were  truly  fulfilled  of  him  according  to  the  blessed  man's 
prophecy.i 

ca.  575 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columtoa,  book  i,  c.  1 1  ^ 

Of  Scandlan,  Colinan^s  son. 

At  the  same  time  and  in  the  same  place  he  went  to 
Scandlan,  Colman's  son,^  kept  in  chains  by  king  Aed,  desiring 
to  visit  him.  And  after  blessing  him  he  said  comforting  him  : 
"  Son,  be  not  sorrowful,  but  rather  be  glad  and  of  good  comfort ; 
for  king  Aed,  by  whom  thou  art  enchained,  will  precede  thee 
from  this  world ;  and,  after  some  seasons  of  exile,  thou  shalt 
reign  as  king  over  thy  nation  for  thirty  years.  And  again 
thou  shalt  escape  from  the  kingdom  and  be  in  exile  for  some 
days ;  after  which  recalled  by  the  people  thou  shalt  reign  for 
three  short  seasons."  And  all  this  was  completely  fulfilled 
according  to  the  saint's  prophecy.  For  after  thirty  years  he 
was  expelled  from  the  kingdom,  and  was  in  exile  for  some 
space  of  time ;  but  afterwards  he  was  recalled  by  the  people 
and  reigned,  not,  as  he  had  imagined,  for  three  years,  but  for 
three  months,  after  which  he  immediately  died.* 

'  See  year  ca.  643,  note. 

'^  Reeves's  edition,  38-39  ;  Skene's,  122. 

3  For  Colman,  Feradach's  son,  cf.  the  Life  of  Cainnech,  Acta  Sanctorum 
ex  Codice  Salmanticensi,  384-385.     He  is  called  Cendfaelad,  below. 

*  While  Columba  stayed  at  Druimm-ceta  for  the  council  he  cured 
many  sick  people,  according  to  Adamnan,  II,  6  (Skene,  156-157). 

Many  visits  to  Ireland  are  spoken  of  by  Adamnan  (I,  3,  9,  38,  40,  42  ; 
II,  19,  36,  43)  ;  one,  perhaps  upon  the  way  to  Ireland,  to  Kintyre  {caput 
regionis,  I,  28).  A  late  and  fabulous  account  of  Columba's  leaving  and 
returning  to  Ireland  [in  563  and  575]  appears  in  the  Life  of  Farandan  ; 
C.  Plummer,  in  Anecdota  from  Irish  MSS.,  iii,  r,  ff. 


QUESTIONS  IN  DISPUTE  81 

The  second  Preface  to  fhe'Ajnra  Coluiinchille ;   in  Bernard 
and  Atkinson's  Liber  Hymnorum,  vol  i,  pp.  163-164  ^ 

The  place  of  this  poem  was  Druimm-ceta,  where  the  great 
assembly  was.  It  was  composed  in  the  time  of  Aed,  Ainmire's 
son,  and  of  Aidan,  Gabran's  son.  The  person  [who  composed 
it]  was  Dalian,  Forgall's  son,  of  the  Masraige  of  Mag-Slecht  in 
Breifne  of  Connaught.  The  cause,  to  obtain  heaven  for  himself 
and  for  others  through  him.^ 

Now  the  three  causes  of  Columcille's  coming  from  Scotland 
to  Ireland  at  that  time  were,  to  release  Scandlan  Mor,  son  of 
Cendfaelad,  king  of  Ossory,  to  whom  he  had  given  security  ; 
and  to  keep  the  poets  in  Ireland,  because  they  were  being 
expelled  on  account  of  their  oppressiveness,  since  thirty  [men] 
composed  the  full  retinue,  and  fifteen  the  half  retinue,  of  a 
master-singer,^  and  the  number  of  the  poets  was  twelve 
hundred,  as  someone  said  .  .  .*;  and  to  make  peace  between 
the  men  of  Ireland  and  of  Scotland  with  regard  to  Dalriata.^ 

^  Also  in  Stokes's  Goidelica,  156-157. 

^  Cf.  below.  Cf.  also  a  verse  in  the  preface  to  the  Amra,  Liber 
Hymnorum,  i,  166. 

3  i.  md  ollamain.  Lebar  na  h-Uidre  (p.  5)  reads  "because  there  were 
thirty  in  the  retinue  of  every  ollam"  (i.e.  master-poet  ;  i  cleir  cac\K\ 
olloman)  "and  fifteen  in  the  retinue  of  every  anrad"  (i.e.  champion-poet), 
and  omits  the  next  clause  and  the  verse-quotation. 

*  Here  two  stanzas  of  verse  are  quoted  :  they  are  translated  ibid.,  ii,  55. 

The  case  of  the  poets  is  described  in  the  first  preface  to  the  Amra,  in 
Liber  Hymnorum,  i,  162-163.  I'  's  there  stated  (162)  that  "Columcille 
then  came  as  he  came  from  his  cicrack,  with  a  hundred  and  forty  followers  ; 
as  the  poet  said  :  'Their  number  was  forty  priests,  twenty  bishops,  noble 
was  their  power  ;  at  the  psalm-singing,  without  a  doubt,  fifty  deacons, 
thirty  sons  ' "  {mac,  i.e.  novices).     Cf.  the  Irish  Life,  above,  p.  45. 

^  It  is  implied  that  the  "  men  of  Scotland  "  {_firu  .  .  .  Alban)  were 
Aidan's  subjects,  the  "men  of  Ireland"  Aed's.  Aidan's  subjects  were  the 
Irish  in  Scotland.  It  is  implied  that  Dalriata  is  not  here  synonymous 
with  the  "men  of  Scotland,"  or  the  Irish  in  Scotland.  Here  and  below  the 
subject  of  dispute  appears  to  have  been  Irish  Dalriata,  which  the  king  of 
Scottish  Dalriata  claimed  as  part  of  his  kingdom,  while  the  Irish  king 
resisted  his  claim.  If  these  earlier  accounts  are  correct,  later  writers  must 
erroneously  have  imagined  that  Scottish  Dalriata  was  the  subject  of 
dispute,  and  therefore  that  it  was  only  a  part  of  Aidan's  kingdom 
(cf.  Keating,  History  of  Ireland,  II,  9,  10  ;  Dinneen,  iii,  80-86,  94-96). 

The  three  reasons  appear  similarly  in  the  Lebar  na  h-Uidre  version, 
which  diverges  after  this  from  the  Liber  Hymnorum. 


82  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

And  then  Columcille  came  into  the  assembly,  and  some 
people  in  the  assembly  rose  to  greet  him ;  and  the  poets 
came  to  make  music  for  him.  .  .  } 

For  the  question  of  Dalriata  cf.  the  first  preface  to  the  Amra,  Liber 
Hymnorum,  i,  163,  ii,  54. 

Liber  Hymnorum,  i,  187  :  "Once  Columcille  and  Aidan,  Gabran's  son, 
went  to  an  assembly  at  Druimm-ceta,  to  Aed,  Ainmire's  son  ;  and  the 
men  of  Ireland,  both  laymen  and  clergy,  were  there  to  the  end  of  a  year 
and  four  months.  [Columba  and  Aidan]  came  to  ask  for  truce  for  the 
men  of  Scotland,  but  it  was  not  given  to  them.  'Yet  there  shall  be  truce 
for  ever,'  said  Columcille,  '  without  invasion  from  Ireland  eastwards.' 
Because  Aed,  Ainmire's  son,  had  many  grounds  of  dispute  there  ;  such  as 
driving  the  [men  of  Irish]  Dalriata  across  the  sea,  and  the  expulsion  of 
the  wise  men,  and  of  Dail-Osraige  after  the  fall  of  their  hostage,  Scandlan." 
After  describing  the  imprisonment  of  Scandlan,  and  his  miraculous 
release  by  aid  of  Cummine,  son  of  Feradach,  son  of  Muiredach,  son  of 
Eogan,  the  same  passage  continues  (ibid.,  188):  "Columcille  had  three 
successes  from  this  journey :  peace  regarding  [Irish]  Dalriata,  namely 
that  its  expeditionary  and  military  service  should  belong  to  the  men  of 
Ireland,  but  its  tribute  and  tax  to  the  men  of  Scotland  ;  and  the  retaining 
of  the  wise  men  in  Ireland  ;  and  the  release  of  Scandlan."  Columba  then 
made  peace  with  Cummine,  and  gave  his  staff  and  his  blessing  to  Scandlan. 

'  Here  are  verses,  translated  ibid.,  ii,  55. 

In  the  Introduction  to  the  Amra  in  Lebar  na  h-Uidre,  p.  5:  "And 
Columcille  came  afterwards  into  the  assembly,  and  some  rose  before  him, 
to  greet  him.  But  according  to  another  version  no  one  rose  before  him 
but  Donald,  the  king's  son  ;  for  the  king  had  said  that  no  one  should  rise 
before  him,  because  he  knew  the  reason  why  he  came,  and  his  coming 
displeased  him,  and  he  did  not  wish  to  retain  the  poets  or  to  release 
Scandlan. 

"  So  then  Columcille  blessed  this  Donald,  because  he  had  been  cowardly 
till  then.  And  the  queen  was  ill-pleased  at  his  being  blessed,  because  he 
was  her  step-son  ;  and  the  priest  was  angry  with  her  ;  and  she  said  to  the 
priest,  '  Great  is  the  warranty  under  which  thou  art.'  The  priest  said, 
'  Thou  too  mayest  be  under  warranty.' "  (There  is  a  pun  here  upon  the 
word  corraigccht  "  warranty,"  which  is  used  in  the  second  instance  as 
if  it  meant  "  cranishness,"  from  corr  "  crane.") 

"  So  then  she  was  turned  into  a  crane,  and  her  maid  took  to  reviling 
the  priest  ;  and  she  was  turned  into  another  crane  ;  and  from  that  time 
onwards  are  [spoken  of]  the  two  cranes  of  Druimm-ceta,  as  some  say. 

"  After  that   the  poets  came  into   the   assembly  with   a  eulogy   upon 
him.  .  .  . 

"  The  quartering  of  the  poets  was  made  after  that  through  Ireland,  and 
their  retinues  were  reduced,  to  twenty-four  in  the  train  of  a  master-singer 
and  twelve  in  the  train  of  a  champion-singer.  .  .  ." 

Cf.  Lebar  Brecc,  238  C  b  :  " .  .  .  The  second  cause  was  to  keep  the  art 


DECISION  REGARDING  DALRIATA  83 

After  that,  Columcille  besought  Aed  for  Scandlan,  but  [Aed] 
did  not  give  him  to  him.  And  then  Columcille  said  to  Aed 
that  [Scandlan]  should  take  off  his  shoes  about  nocturns  in 
whatever  place  [Columba]  should  be ;  and  so  it  was  fulfilled.^ 

Colman,  Comgellan's  son,  of  Dalriata,  gave  the  judgement : 
that  [Dalriata's]  campaigning  and  military  service  should 
belong  to  the  men  of  Ireland,  because  military  service  always 
goes  with  the  soil  - ;  but  their  tribute  and  taxes  should  belong 
to  the  men  of  Scotland. 

[of  poetry]  in  Ireland.  [The  poets]  were  a  troublesome  tribe  ;  they  had 
thirty  men  in  one  retinue,  and  whatever  they  asked  of  any  one  he  had  to 
give  it  them,  else  he  was  summarily  disposed  of  \_no  gldm  dkciid  do 
dcnam  do].  They  made  three  blisters  in  the  face  of  any  whom  they 
satirized  ;  that  is  to  say,  from  life,  lack  of  life.  .  .  ." 

'  The  preface  to  the  Amra,  in  Liber  Hymnorum,  i,  163:  "Columcille 
released  Scandlan,  Cendfaelad's  son,  from  his  hostage-ship,  and  he  bowed 
down  to  the  gospel  ;  .  .  .  and  he  gave  him  eight  score  of  plough-oxen  [da/u 
riatai\  ;  .  .  .  and  therefore  eight  score  plough-oxen  are  still  owed  [as 
tribute]  to  the  congregation  of  lona,  by  the  [men  of]  Ossory." 

Cf.  Lebar  Brecc,  238  C  b  :  "  The  third  cause  was  to  relieve  Scandlan 
Mor,  son  of  Cendfaelad  the  king  of  Ossory.  [Scandlan's]  father  had  given 
him  as  a  hostage  into  the  hands  of  Aed  Ainmire's  son,  the  king  :  and 
Columcille  had  given  him  warranty  that  he  should  be  set  free  at  the  end 
of  a  year,  or  that  another  hostage  should  be  taken  in  his  stead.  And  Aed 
took  none  but  him;  and  an  enclosure  of  wattle  was  made  round  him,  with 
no  way  out.  .  .  ."     Cf.  ibid.,  238  D  a-b. 

^  This  sentence  proves  that  the  Dalriata  in  dispute  was  part  of  the 
land  of  Ireland,  not  a  province  outside  Ireland.  These  are  the  words  of 
the  judgement :  a  fecht  ociis  a  slogad  la  firu  Hereitd,  ar  is  slogad  la  fo?inaib 
dogrisj  a  cdin  ocus  a  cobach  la  firu  Alban.  Similarly  in  Lebar  na  h-Uidre, 
p.  6a;  but  there  is  added,  no  ain-muir-coblach  nainind  la  firu  Alba?z,  0 
shein  initnach  imorro  la  firu  h-Erenn  (i.e.  "  or  their  fleet  only  [went]  with 
the  men  of  Scotland,  but  from  that  time  forward  with  the  men  of  Ireland.") 

Lebar  Brecc,  238  C  b  :  "  The  cause  of  writing  the  Amra  was  Columcille's 
coming  from  Scotland  to  the  assembly  at  Druimm-ceta,  where  the  men  of 
Ireland  were. 

"  There  were  three  causes  why  Columcille  came  out  of  his  pilgrimage. 
The  first  cause  was  the  dispeace  between  the  men  of  Ireland  and  the  men 
of  Scotland  concerning  Dalriata,  because  it  was  free  from  law  and  from 
military  service  till  then.     And  Columcille  made  peace  in  the  council. 

"  Now  this  is  the  judgement  which  Colman  Comgellan's  son  made  for 
the  Ulstermen  :  that  Dalriata  belongs  to  the  men  of  Ireland.  .  .  ." 

This  extract  might  suggest  that  Scottish  Dalriata  was  in  dispute,  since 
Irish  Dalriata  can  hardly  have  been  exempt  from  military  service  ;  but 
the  following  extract  clearly  indicates  that  Irish  Dalriata  is  meant. 


84  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

This  was  the  Colman  whom  Columcille  fondled  ^  when  he 
was  a  little  boy,  saying :  "  O  clear  conscience,  O  pure  soul, 
here  is  a  kiss  for  thee ;  give  thou  a  kiss  to  me ! "  And 
Columcille  said  that  [Colman]  should  make  terms  of  peace 
between  the  men  of  Ireland  and  of  Scotland.^ 

Then  Dalian  came  to  speak  with  Columcille,  and  thereupon 
sang  the  prologue  to  him  ;  and  Columcille  permitted  him  not 
to  compose  more  than  that,  but  to  compose  it  at  the  time  of 
his  death,  and  said  that  it  was  fitting  for  a  dead  person. 

Now  Columcille  promised  to  Dalian  riches  and  the  fruits 
of  the  earth,  and  Dalian  accepted  nothing  but  heaven  for 
himself  and  for  every  one  who  should  sing  it,  and  understand 
it,  both  sense  and  sound. 

[Dalian  said,]  "  How  shall  I  know  of  thy  death,  while  thou 
art  in  pilgrimage  and  I  in  Ireland?" 

And  Columcille  gave  him  three  signs,  of  the  time  when  he 
should  compose  the  eulogy  :  that  the  rider  of  a  piebald  horse 

Lebar  Brecc,  238  D  b :  "As  for  the  [men  of]  Dalriata,  there  was 
contention  concerning  them  between  the  men  of  Ireland  and  of  Scotland. 
The  [men  of]  Dalriata  and  the  men  of  Scotland  were  of  the  race  of  Coirpre 
Rigfota  son  of  Conaire,  Mug's  son.  They  were  together  in  Munster  ;  but 
a  great  famine  came  into  Munster,  and  the  race  of  Coirpre  Rigfota  came 
out  of  it :  and  the  one  part  of  them  went  into  Scotland,  and  the  other  part 
remained  in  Ireland,  and  thence  are  the  [men  of]  Dalriata  to-day.  There- 
after they  sowed  in  those  lands  till  the  time  of  Aidan,  Gabran's  son,  king 
of  Scotland,  and  of  Aed,  Ainmire's  son,  king  of  Ireland  Contention  arose 
between  these  two  kings  concerning  them  :  and  this  is  the  third  reason 
why  Columcille  came  from  the  east,  for  peace  between  the  men  of  Ireland 
and  of  Scotland  regarding  the  [men  of]  Dalriata.  .  .  .  Now  Columcille 
came  to  the  conference,  and  brought  with  him  Colman,  Comgellan's  son. 
And  they  said  to  Columcille,  '  Give  them  thy  judgement  regarding  the 
Dalriata.'  'It  is  not  I  who  shall  give  it,'  said  he,  'but  yonder  youth, 
Colman,  Comgellan's  son.'  So  then  Colman  gave  judgement,  and  this  is 
the  judgement  that  he  gave  :  their  tax  and  tribute  and  customs  and  military 
service  belong  to  the  men  of  Ireland.  And  when  one  of  the  men  of  Scot- 
land comes  from  the  east,  the  [men  of]  Dalriata  must  provide  for  him, 
whether  one  or  many  come,  so  long  as  they  are  on  this  side  ;  and  must 
convey  them  also,  if  that  be  needed.  Thus  have  been  enumerated  the 
three  questions  for  which  Columcille  came  westwards  .  .  ."  Cf.  R.C.,xx,  424. 

1  dori^ni  .  .  .  in  m-boide j  Atkinson  (literally)  "to  whom  Columcille 
did  the  kindness." 

^  Colman  seems  to  have  been  chosen  to  give  a  decision  because  he 
belonged  to  Irish  Dalriata,  the  country  in  dispute,  and  therefore  not  to 
either  of  the  disputing  parties. 


PROPHECIES  OF  COLUMBA  85 

should  tell  him  of  the  death  of  Coluracille ;  and  the  first  word 
that  he  should  say  would  be  the  beginning  of  the  eulogy ;  and 
that  [Dalian's]  eyesight  would  be  granted  him  so  long  as  he 
was  composing  [the  eulogy]. 

The  eulogy  was  sung  in  Ath-Feni  in  Meath,  as  Mael- 
Suthain  said.  But  [Columba's]  successor  Ferdomnach  ^  relates 
that  it  was  sung  upon  the  Ass's  Way,  from  Dun-na-n-Airbed  to 
the  cross  at  Tech-Lommain.^ 

ca.  57S 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  l,  c.  49  ^ 

The  blessed  maris  fore-knowledge  of  the  battle  that  was  fought 
after  many  years  in  the  fortress  of  Cethirn,  and  of  a  spring  close 
to  its  land. 

One  time  when  the  blessed  man  was  returning  to  the  plains 
by  the  sea  after  the  conference  of  kings  in  Druimm-ceta, 
(namely  of  Aed,  son  of  Ainmire,  and  Aidan,  Gabran's  son,)  he 
and  abbot  Comgall  rested,  one  fair  day  in  summer-time,  not 
far  from  the  aforesaid  fortress.  So  then  water  was  brought  to 
the  saints  in  a  bronze  vessel  from  a  spring  close  by,  for  them 
to  wash  their  hands.  And  when  Columba  had  received  it,  he 
spoke  thus  to  abbot  Comgall,*  who  was  sitting  by  his  side ; 
"  The  spring,  O  Comgall,  from  which  this  water  has  run  and 
has  been  brought  to  us,  a  day  will  come  when  it  will  be  fit  for 
no  human  use."  "By  what  cause,"  said  Comgall,  "will  its 
springing  water  be  polluted  ? "  Then  St  Columba  said, 
"Because  it  will  be  filled  with  human  blood:  for  the  friends 
of  my  kindred,  and  thy  relatives  after  the  flesh,  will  be  at  war, 
and  will  fight  a  battle  in  this  neighbouring  castle  of  Cethirn  : 
that  is,  the  Ui-Neill  and  the  [Irish]  Pictish  peoples.  ,  .  ."^ 

1  Ferdomnach,  abbot  of  Kells,  died  in  1008. 

2  "  Portloman  on  L.  Owel,  county  Westmeath"  Hogan. 
^  Reeves's  edition,  91-93  ;  Skene's,  145-146. 

■*  Comgall  was  the  first  abbot  of  Bangor  ;  see  above,  pp.  52-53. 

»  That  Columba's  prophecy  had  been  fulfilled  was  attested  to  Adamnan 
by  an  eye-witness  "  Finan,  a  soldier  of  Christ."     Ibid.,  93-97. 

In  the  battle  of  Dun-Cethirn,  Congal  Caech,  king  of  Ulster,  was  defeated 
by  Donald,  Aed's  son,  king  of  Tara.  Cf.  A.U.,  i,  98,  s.a.  628  =  629;  T., 
R.C.,  xvii,  181,  s.a.  [627]  (f.n.  5) ;  C.S.,  82,  Hennessy's  year  629  ;  A. I.,  12, 
O'Conor's  year  623  =  631  (32  years  after  599). 


86  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

ca.  580 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  68,  s.a.  579=  580 ^ 

A  campaign  in  the  Orkneys  [was  conducted]  by  Aidan, 
Gabran's  son.^ 

ca.  580 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  153, 
s.a.  [578]^ 
Cennalath,*  king  of  the  Picts,  died.^ 

580 

Annales  Cambriae  ;  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  155,  s.a.  [580]^ 
Gurci  and  Peretur  died.^ 

1  With  f.n.  and  e.  of  580.  Under  the  same  year  is  placed  the  death  of 
Cennalath. 

2  Also  ibid.,  under  580=581  (with  f.n.  of  581)  :  "A  campaign  in  the 
Orkneys  "  (^fecht  Ore,  as  in  the  previous  passage). 

^  F.n.  7.  In  the  previous  year-section  (with  f  n.  5  in  O'Conoi-'s  edition, 
i.e.  [577])  is  placed  the  death  of  pope  Benedict  I  :  "  Benedict,  a  Roman  by 
race,  sat  [four]  year[s],  one  month,  twenty-nine  days,  and  was  buried  in 
the  church  of  blessed  Peter  the  apostle."  Benedict  died  in  579.  (The 
text  is  corrected  by  that  of  A.U.,  which  place  his  death  in  578  =  579.)  This 
is  derived  from  the  Liber  Pontificalis,  which  says  that  Benedict  was  pope 
for  4  years,  i  month,  28  days  (M.G.H.,  Gesta  Pontificum,  i,  159). 

*  Cindaeladh,  possibly  attracted  to  (the  genitive  of)  Cendfaelad;  in 
A.U.  Cennalath.  The  Chronicle  of  the  Picts  (ABC)  says  that  "  Galam 
Cennaleph  "  shared  Brude's  kingdom  for  i  year. 

^  To  the  same  effect  in  A.U.,  s.a.  579  =  580. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  8g,  s.a.  580  :  "  The  departing  of  Ulstermen 
from  Emain"  {Eawyn.  In  A.U.,  "Return  of  the  Ulstermen  from 
Eumania,"  s.a.  577  =  578.)  "...  Kenneth,  king  of  the  Picts,  died. 
Baetan  Cairell's  son,  king  of  Ulster,  died. 

"The  battle  of  the  Isle  of  Man  was  given  by  Aidan.  Gabran's  son 
was  victor." 

^  Placed  6  years  after  the  "  130th  year"  after  444. 

'  "  Sons  of  Elifer,"  adds  MS.  B  (Ab  Ithel,  5).  See  above,  year  573. 
Cf.  Genealogy  XII  appended  to  A.C.,  Y  Cymmrodor,  ix,  175: — "Gurci 
and  Peretur,  the  sons  of  Elifer  Cascord-maur  [i.e.  "of  the  great  retinue"], 
son  of  Gurgust  Letlum,  son  of  Ceneu,  son  of  Coyl  Hen." 

Gurci  and  Peretur  are  mentioned  in  a  Welsh  Triad  (M.A.,  396  (11); 
Loth's  Mabinogion  (1913),  ii,  243  (triad  no.  16).  Cf.  Skene's  F.A.B.W., 
ii,  454)-     Cf.  M.A.,  394. 


KINGS  CENNALATH  AND  BAETAN  87 

Before  581  or  before  587 

Berchan's  Prophecy,  stanzas  23-26 

After  that,^  a  king  from  the  north  ^  will  take  [the  sovereignty 
of  Ireland].  His  hosts  will  be  wanderers  from  the  great  fort  of 
Mag-Line^;  by  him  every  tribe  will  be  drained. 

The  pale-yellow  Shouter*will  be  sovereign  of  all  Ireland; 
he  will  be  king  of  Scotland  in  the  east ;  he  will  be  a  foe  to  the 
Saxons. 

A  king  who  wins  three  battles  in  the  east,  three  fatalities 
in  Scotland.  By  him  are  collected  into  his  presence  the  relics 
of  the  saints  of  Ireland. 

Twenty-five  years  (it  is  not  weak)  [he  will  be]  in  the 
sovereignty  of  Ireland.^  He  dies  of  disease  in  his  house  ;  his 
grave  [is]  above  Allabair. 

S81 

Book  of  Lecan,  in  Skene's  Picts  and  Scots,  pp.  127-129^ 
Baetan,  Cairell's  son,  was  king  of  Ireland  and  Scotland.^ 

'  There  appears  to  be  a  gap  in  the  narrative  before  the  events  spoken 
of  in  these  stanzas. 

^  Probably  Baetan,  Cairell's  son. 

Glossed  above  :  "i.e.,  Fiachna,  son  of  Baetan,  son  of  Cairell"  ;  and  in 
the  margin,  "  king."  The  next  king  spoken  of  is  glossed  "  i.e.,  Baetan, 
son  of  Cairell";  but  stanza  30  says  that  he  "dies  of  a  draught  of 
poison  in  the  east,  in  the  castle  of  Lethet  [z"  n-diin  leitheid],  in  Ulster." 
Poison  may  be  a  metaphor  for  a  violent  death.  Fiachna  was  killed  in 
Lethet-Midenn.  It  seems  probable  that  the  order  of  these  stanzas  (23-30) 
is  correct,  but  that  the  two  glosses  have  been  transposed  by  some  copyist. 
(The  glosses  are  probably  as  old  as  the  Prophecy.) 

^  Moylinny  (Hogan). 

^  Perhaps  "  the  Laugher  "  :  an  gairechtach  glas-bhuidhe ;  doubtless  the 
same  "  king  from  the  north." 

^  The  list  of  kings  of  Ulster  in  the  Book  of  Leinster,  facsimile,  41,  c, 
says  that  Baetan  reigned  for  10  years,  his  brother  Daig  for  10  years, 
Aed  the  Black,  Suibne's  son,  for  5  years,  before  the  reign  of  Fiachna, 
Baetan's  son. 

^  Versions  of  this  passage  occur  in  four  other  MSS.  (Skene,  ibid.,  127)  ; 
the  Book  of  Leinster,  facsimile,  330,  b-c  ;  the  Book  of  Ballymote,  facsimile, 
152,  c  ;  and  the  Bodleian  MSS.  Rawlinson  B  506,  and  Laud  610. 

'  According  to  A.U.,  i,  68,  Baetan,  Cairell's  son,  died  in  580  =  581  ; 
but  his  death  is  repeated  there  (i,  72)  alternatively  under  year  586  =  587 
(with  the  addition,  "king  of  Ulster.")  Probably  581  is  the  true  date. 
A.L  (O'Conor's  year  573  =  581)  say  that  Baetan  fell  in  battle. 


88  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Aidan,  Gabran's  son,  yielded  to  him  at  Ros-na'-Rig  in 
Semniu.^ 

Of  [Baetan]  was  sung,  when  he  carried  the  tribute  of 
Munster^  northwards:  "There  are  many  scores  of  miles 
between  Dun-Baetain  and  Lethet^;  long  land,  wide  sea,  are 
to  the  west  between  us  and  Imlech-Ibair.-* 

"  Although  I  have  come  here  from  fair  Raith-Cruachan  with 
my  tributes,  my  face  is  long  after  dinner  in  the  castle  of 
Baetan,  Cairell's  son.  Although  I  have  come  from  Skye,  I 
have  come  twice  and  three  times  guarding  jewels  that  had 
changed  their  colour ;  the  Scot  is  very  cold.^ 

"  Fifty,  sixty  are  under  the  water  between  Man  and  Ireland  ; 
nine  here  have  gone  to  heaven ;  dreadful  is  their  pilgrimage. 

"  Though  I  [have  come]  from  the  mountain  of  Alps  I  saw 
many  hardships^;  I  gave  much  silver  and  gold,  without 
receiving  honour."'' 

And  Man  was  cleared  by  [Baetan]  of  foreigners,^  so  that 
dominion  over  it  has  belonged  to  the  Ulstermen  from  that 
time  forward  ^ ;  and  in  the  second  year  after  his  death  the 
Gaels  abandoned  Man.^" 

'  The  battle  of  Ros-na-rig  was  probably  fought  before  575. 

2  "  of  Man,"  wrongly,  in  Book  of  Ballymote. 

^  According  to  Skene  (S.C.S.,  i,  240,  241,  note),  Lothian  "appears  to  be 
meant"  by  this  Lethet.  Perhaps  he  meant  to  identify  the  word  with 
Leith  (modern  Gaelic  Lid).  This  is  certainly  wrong.  Lethet  is  the 
dt'm-leitheid  of  Berchan's  Prophecy,  the  Lethet-Midend  of  Tigernach. 

■'  Emly,  in  Tipperary  county. 

°  aduar,  here  "  cunning  "  ? 

^  ?nor  n-[d]eaccra. 

'  "  Although  I  have  come  here  .  .  .  honour,"  in  the  Book  of  Lecan 
only. 

s  These  "  foreigners  "  Cg-fl:z7/),  the  "Saxons"  of  Berchan  (above),  must 
have  been  Angles  of  Northumbria.  If  these  not  very  trustworthy  sources 
are  to  be  believed,  Man  had  been  occupied  by  English  about  34  years 
after  the  definite  establishment  of  the  Anglian  kingdom  of  Northumbria. 

"The  Hosting  of  Fiachna,  Baetan's  son,  to  Dun-Guaire  in  England" 
(i  Saxanaibh)  was  the  subject  of  an  Irish  literary  composition  ;  Book  of 
Leinster,  190  a. 

°  "  of  foreigners  .  .  .  forward"  in  Book  of  Lecan  only. 

'"  In  A.U.,  sa.  576  =  577:  "The  first  peril  of  the  Ulstermen  in 
Eufania "  ;  "  in  Emain  [Macha],"  i.e.  Navan,  in  Armagh,  according  to 
Tigernach  (R.C.,  xvii,  152)  and  C.S.  (60),  and  the  translator  of  the  Annals 
of  Clonmacnoise.     But  Stokes,  comparing  the  Book  of  Armagh's  Evonia 


ISLE  OF  MAN  89 

?S83 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol  xvii,  p.  153,  s.a.  [579]^ 

The  battle  of  Man,^  in  which  Aidan,  Gabran's  son,  was  the 
conqueror.^ 

(Tripartite  Life,  ii,  288),  would  identify  Eufania  with  Man.  A.I.  (O'Conor's 
year  571  =  579) :  "First  peril  of  the  Ulstermen." 

A.U.,  s.a.  577  =  578:  "Return  of  the  Ulstermen  from  Eumania"; 
similarly  in  T.  ;  "  from  Emain  "  in  C.S. 

Navan  was  within  Ulster,  therefore  perhaps  Man  was  meant. 
Cf.  year  ?  583. 

1  With  f.n.  I. 

^  Cath  Manandj  so  also  ibid.  125  ;  cath  Mana?in  ibid.  154,  and  in  A.I. 
and  D.M.F.  In  A.U.  at  582  bellum  Manonnj  at  583  belhcm  Manandj  at 
504  bcllinn  Mhanann.  These  are  genitive  forms  of  Mano,  equivalent  to 
the  Welsh  name  Manau. 

^  This  event  is  noticed  by  Tigernach  in  the  same  words  (in  Latin) 
under  the  following  year  (for  f.n.  5  in  the  text  read  2  [=580],  with  O'Conor); 
ibid.,  154.  The  same  event  is  wrongly  entered  (in  Irish)  by  Tigernach 
under  [505]  (fn.  6;  ibid.,  125):  "The  battle  of  Man  [was  fought]  by 
Aidan,  Gabran's  son  "  ;  it  is  followed  there  by  the  death  of  Brude. 

Similarly  A.U.  place  the  battle  under  years  503,  581,  and  582,  =504, 
582,  and  583.  S.a.  581  =  582  (i,  68):  "The  battle  of  Man,  in  which  the 
victor  was  Aidan,  son  of  Gabran,  son  of  Domangart."  S.a.  582  =  583 
(i,  68):  "The  battle  of  Man  [was  fought]  against  Aidan."  S.a.  503  = 
504  (i,  34):  "The  battle  of  Man  [was  fought]  by  Aidan.''  The  earliest 
spelling  is  at  581  =  582. 

Immediately  after  this  battle  is  noticed  the  death  of  "  Fergna,  son  of 
Caiblene,"  in  T.,  s.aa.  [579]  and  [580],  and  in  A.U.,  s.aa.  581  =  582  and 
582  =  583  :  but  s.a.  [580]  Tigernach  adds,  "and  this  is  the  truth  of  it,"  a 
remark  that  may  be  taken  to  apply  to  the  battle  also,  and  to  support  the 
later  date. 

A. I.,  8,  O'Conor's  year  575  =  583  (16  years  before  599) :  "The  battle  of 
Man  [was  fought]  by  Aidan,  Gabran's  son." 

D.M.F.,  I,  p.  6  (Skene's  P.  &  S.,  401):  "The  battle  of  Man,  in  which 
Aidan,  Gabran's  son,  was  the  conqueror."  This  stands  8  years  after  the 
battle  of  Femin  [573],  and  one  year  before  the  death  of  Feradach  Find, 
Duach's  son,  king  of  Ossory  [t  583  or  584,  A.U.  ;  in  A.I.,  O'Conor's  577  = 
585.     See  below,  p.  91,  note]. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  74,  s.a.  504:  "Aidan,  Gabran's  son,  king 
of  Scotland,  fought  a  battle  in  the  Isle  of  Man." 

Annales  Cambriae,  Y  Cymmrodor,  ix,  155,  s.a.  [584]  (the  "  140th  year" 
after  444) :  "  A  battle  against  Man  "  {bellum  contra  Euboniam). 

There  seems  to  be  no  doubt  that  the  Afano  referred  to  here  was  the 
same  place  as  that  referred  to  under  year  581.     The  place  intended  in 


90  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

the  verse-passage  there,  and  in  the  Annales  Cambriae,  is  certainly 
the  island  of  Man  :  and  that  is  without  doubt  the  meaning  of  Mano 
here. 

The  names  of  Manau  on  the  Forth  and  of  the  island  of  Man  were 
essentially  identical,  so  that  these  writers  might  very  easily  have  confused 
the  two.  Skene  thought  that  this  battle  was  fought  in  Manau  upon  the 
Forth,  a  district  certainly  in  danger  of  invasion  by  Angles  after  547. 

Aidan's  victory  over  the  Miathi  may  have  been  gained  in  or  near 
Manau  on  the  Forth,  perhaps  near  Dunmyat,  or  Dumyat,  which  is  upon 
the  borders  of  Clackmannan. 

From  603  (if  not  before)  to  the  time  of  Catguollaun,  Manau  south  of 
the  Forth  must  have  been  under  English  authority.  In  655,  perhaps  from 
633,  it  may  have  belonged  to  Strathclyde.  From  655  to  685  it  belonged 
probably  to  Northumbria ;  and  from  685  until  711  it  may  have  been 
re-annexed  to  Pictland. 

Upon  what  authority  I  do  not  know,  Fordun  identifies  this  battle  with 
the  British  defeat  at  Fethanleag,  recorded  thus  in  A.S.C.  ABCE,  s.a.  584  : 
"  In  this  year  Ceawlin  and  Cutha  fought  against  the  Britons  in  the  place 
that  is  called  Fethanleag  ;  and  Cutha  was  slain  [there  BC],  and  Ceawlin 
took  many  towns,  and  incalculable  spoils  ;  and  dispersedly  \_erre,  yrre\  he 
went  thence  home." 

Fordun  places  this  battle  in  Aidan's  15th  year,  which  would  be,  accord- 
ing to  his  reckoning,  584-585.  He  says  (III,  28)  that  "  Malgo,  king  of  the 
Britons"  asked  for  Aidan's  help  against  "the  heathen  nation  of  a  wicked 
race "  ;  and  Aidan  "  sent  his  son  Griffin,  a  distinguished  knight,  and 
Brendinus,  regulus  of  Man  \_Eiiboniae\,  his  nephew  by  his  sister,  with  a 
powerful  force."  They  were  joined  by  "  the  Britons  of  the  north."  On 
the  third  day,  after  they  had  passed  Stanemore  (or  Mora  lapidea),  they 
encountered  the  heathen  army,  led  by  Ceawlin,  king  of  the  West  Saxons, 
in  Fethanleag.  The  enemy's  front  line  was  destroyed ;  but  after  a 
stubborn  battle  the  Scots  and  Britons  were  defeated  with  great  slaughter. 
Griffin  was  killed  (see  below,  p.  96). 

This  story  is  probably  fabulous,  and  Malgo  may  be  the  Mailcun  who 
died  in  547. 

Fordun  (III,  28),  quoting  from  Vincentius  Bellovacensis  (who  died  in 
1264),  says  that  the  regulus  Brendinus  had  a  brother,  Adelfius,  whose 
daughter  Gelgehes  was  (by  "  the  king  of  Ireland,  Philtanus")  the  mother 
of  St  Furseus,  Foylanus,  and  Ultanus.     See  below,  p.  231. 

This  passage  was  derived  from  Sigebert  of  Gemblours,  Chronica, 
M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vi,  320,  s.a.  593.  Cf.  Bede's  account  of  Furseus 
(H.E.,  III,  19) ;  the  Life  of  Furseus  in  the  Salamanca  MS.,  Smedt  and  De 
Backer's  Acta,  99,  106 ;  and  the  Life  of  Cuanna,  in  Colgan's  Acta 
Sanctorum,  251. 

These  three  saints  went  on  pilgrimage  from  Scotland,  according  to 
Fordun  (III,  37) ;  but  in  reality  from  Ireland.  Furseus  founded  a 
monastery  at  Lagny  in  France  ;  Foylanus  founded  Fosses-la-ville  in 
Belgium.     Fordun's  account  is  borrowed  from  Sigebert  (u.s.,  324,  s.a.  648), 


KINGS  BRUDE  AND  CONSTANTINE  91 

ca.  584 

Tigernach,  Annals;   Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  154; 
s.a.  [S8i]i 

The  death  of  Brude,  Maelchon's  son,  king  of  the  Picts.^ 

ca.  589 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  72,  s.a.  587  =  588 

The  conversion  of  Constantine  to  the  Lord ;  and  great 
snow ;  and  the  slaughter  of  Aed  Dub,  Suibne's  son,  in  a  ship.^ 

who  takes  it  from  Bede.  Cf.  the  Additamentum  Nivialense  to  the  Life  of 
Furseus,  in  M.G.H.,  Scriptores  Rerum  Merovingicarum,  iv,  450-451. 

Fordun  says  that  about  the  same  time  "  Dido,  bishop  of  Poitou,  was 
sent  as  an  exile  to  the  king  in  Scotland"  ;  but  he  should  say,  in  Ireland. 
He  takes  this  from  Sigebert,  s.a.  657,  who  takes  it  from  the  Liber  Historiae 
Francorum  ;  M.G.H.,  U.S.,  ii,  316. 

1  For  f.n.  6  in  Stokes's  text  read  3,  with  O'Conor  ;  i.e.,  [581]  {iii  for  ui). 
In  the  same  year  Tigernach  notes  ;  "  The  death  of  Feradach,  Duach's 

son,  the  king  of  Ossory,  slain  by  his  own  people."  Feradach's  death  is 
entered  by  A.U.  under  582  =  583,  and  under  583  =  584;  by  A.I.,  under 
O'Conor's  year  577  =  585  (14  years  before  599,  but  23  years  after  559)  ;  in 
D.M.F.,  9  years  after  the  battle  of  Femin  (573  +  9  =  582). 

Under  the  same  year-heading,  Tigernach  notes  the  pontificate  of 
Pelagius  II  [t  ?59o]  for  10  years,  6  months,  10  days.  This  is  derived  from 
the  Liber  Pontificalis  (M.G.H.,  Gesta  Pontificum,  i,  i5o),  which  reads  10 
years,  2  months,  10  days  :  and  which  is  correctly  copied  by  A.U.,  under 

582  =  583. 

In  the  next  year-section  (with  f.n.  5  =582)  Tigernach  notes  the  reign  of 
Mauricius,  who  was  emperor  from    582   to  602.     A.U.  place   this  under 

583  =  584,  thus  :  "  Mauricius  reigned  for  21  years,  as  Bede  and  Isidore  say.' 

2  This  event  is  wrongly  entered  by  Tigernach  (u.s.,  125)  in  similar 
words,  under  f.n.  2  =506. 

It  appears  similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  70,  s.a.  583  =  584  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  584) ; 
and,  omitting  "king  of  the  Picts,"  in  A.U.,  i,  34,  s.a.  504  =  505  ;  and  in 
A.I.,  8,  under  O'Conor's  year  576  =  584  (5  years  before  599). 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  89,  s.a.  584  :  "  Brude,  Maelchon's  son,  king  of 
Pictland,  died." 

See  year  ?  555. 

■^  i  luing.  Possibly  "  in  [the  island  of]  Luing "  ?  For  Aed  see 
Adamnan,  above,  pp.  70-71.  Aed  was  ruler  of  the  Picts  of  Dalaraide 
(Down),  and  he  had  killed  Diarmait,  Cerball's  son,  king  of  Ireland. 

Excepting  Aed's  death,  the  same  annal  is  in  Tigernach,  R.C.,  xvii,  157, 
s.a.  [586]  (f.n.  3) ;  and  (from  A.U.)  in  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  90, 
s.a.  587.  "  Constantine's  conversion  to  the  Lord"  is  in  A.C.,  s.a.  [589]  (not 
in  MS.  C  ;  ed.  Ab  Ithel,  5). 


92  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

There  appears  to  have  been  some  confusion  between  different 
St  Constantines. 

This  Constantine  may  have  been  the  first  of  the  five  kings  that  Gildas 
denounced,  in  De  Excidio  Britanniae,  c.  28  (M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  41-42). 
E.g.  :  "  Constantine,  the  tyrannical  whelp  of  the  foul  lioness  of  Damnonia, 
is  not  ignorant  of  these  monstrous  crimes."  Damnonia  was  the  region  of 
Devon  and  Cornwall.  (There  was  also  a  Damnonia  in  Pictland  ;  possibly 
in  Perthshire,  about  the  parish  of  Glendevon,  beside  the  rivers  Devon  and 
Black  Devon  ;  bordering  upon  Clackmannan  and  Fife.) 

Gildas  warns  another  of  the  kings  of  Britain,  Cuneglasus,  against  the 
"foul  lioness  that  will  one  day  break  thy  bones  "  (c.  32)  ;  but  in  both  cases 
perhaps  "lioness"  is  a  metaphor  for  the  land  of  Devon.  In  c.  23  Gildas 
calls  the  Saxon's  land  on  the  continent  a  "barbarous  lioness"  (u.s.,  p.  38  ; 
cf  p.  39  at  top). 

According  to  Geoffrey  of  Monmouth,  that  Constantine's  father  was  the 
foster-father  of  Guanhumara,  king  Arthur's  wife.  In  the  Welsh  Triads, 
a  St  Constantine  appears  as  king  Arthur's  grandfather  (see  Loth  (1913),  ii, 
233  ;  cf  i,  244-246). 

Oengus  places  the  death  of  "  Constantine,  king  of  Rahen,"  on 
March  nth.  Note  in  the  Martyrology  of  Gorman,  March  nth,  p.  52: 
"  Constantine,  Fergus's  son,  of  the  Picts  ;  or  a  Briton,  according  to  others. 
Abbot  of  Rahen  of  Mochuta." 

Brussels  version  of  the  Martyrology  of  Tallaght,  Kelly,  p.  xviii, 
Maixh  nth  :  "[Festival]  of  Constantine,  a  Briton  \Consta?itini  Briio\,  or 
the  son  of  Fergus  of  the  Picts." 

Notes  in  MS.  Rawlinson  B  512  (1905  Oengus,  92):  "Constantine,  i.e. 
the  son  of  Fergus,  and  successor  of  Mochuta  of  Rahen,  in  Delbna-Ethra 
in  Meath  :  a  king  of  Britain  who  left  his  kingdom  and  came  for  pilgrimage 
to  Rahen  in  the  time  of  Mochuta.  And  he  was  also  king  of  Scotland " 
{rig  Alban  e  bcus\  "and  he  sold  the  riches  of  the  world  for- pilgrimage,  in 
order  to  gain  heaven.  .  .  ."  Cf  the  notes  in  L.B.  (1880  Oengus,  Ixiii).  There 
are  fabulous  stories  about  Constantine  in  the  notes  in  Rawlinson  B.  512,  u.s., 
pp.  92-94.     It  is  there  said  that  Constantine  died  before  Mochuta  (94). 

Mochuta  flourished  ca.  630,  and  died  in  637,  according  to  A.U. 
Therefore  the  Constantine  of  the  Calendars  can  scarcely  have  been  the 
Constantine  that  entered  monastic  life  in  589,  and  certainly  not  if  the 
latter  was  adult  before  547,  when  Gildas  wrote.  Probably  two  or  three 
Constantines  have  been  confused.  Joceline's  Life  .of  Kentigern  would 
perhaps  identify  the  Constantine  of  589  with  Constantine,  son  of  Riderch 
of  Cumbria.     See  below,  p.  135. 

Cf  the  Breviary  of  Aberdeen,  i,  3,  67,  under  March  i  ith  : 

"  St  Constantine,  king  and  martyr," 

"  Constantinus,  the  son  of  Paternus  king  of  Cornwall,  married  the 
daughter  of  the  king  of  Lesser  Britain.  But  fortune  was  averse,  and  the 
queen  died.  The  king,  grieving  for  her  death,  refused  to  be  consoled, 
and  deliberately  entrusted  and  gave  up  to  his  son  the  kingdom  and  his 
sovereignty. 

"  Then  he  bade  farewell  to  all,  and,  leaving  the  kingdom,  sailed  across 


ST  CONSTANTINE  93 

to  Ireland  ;  and  coming  to  a  certain  house  of  religion  he  humbly  endured 
labour  there,  carrying  all  the  grist  to  and  from  the  mill  for  seven  years  ; 
descending  from  a  kingdom  to  a  mill. 

"And  one  day  when  Constantine  of  the  mill  sat  in  the  mill  and  saw  no 
one,  he  said,  'Am  I  Constantir.e,  king  of  Cornwall,  whose  head  has 
sustained  so  many  helmets,  his  body  so  many  coats  of  mail?  Am  I  ?'  he 
inquired  of  himself.     And  he  replied,  '  I  am  not.' 

"And  when  he  had  debated  this  with  himself,  a  man  who,  hidden  in  the 
mill,  had  heard  it  all,  revealed  to  the  abbot  What  he  had  heard.  All  came 
quickly  and  drew  him  from  the  mill,  and  led  him  to  the  cloister  ;  they 
taught  him  letters,  and  by  inspiration  of  the  holy  spirit  raised  him 
to  the  rank  of  priesthood. 

"  Immediately  he  bade  farewell  to  all,  and  departed  thence  and  came 
to  St  Columba,  a  man  most  dear  to  God  ;  then  he  was  sent  into  Galloway 
by  St  Kentigern,  to  preach  the  word  of  God.  There  he  was  elected 
abbot,  and  laboured  to  reform  with  word  and  example  the  flock  entrusted 
to  him. 

"  Constantine  had  already  reached  decrepit  old  age  ;  he  had  long  had  it 
in  mind,  and  had  prayed  to  the  Lord,  that  he  might  die  as  a  martyr  for 
Christ's  Church  :  and  he  heard  a  voice  from  heaven  saying  that  it  should 
be  so  as  he  had  asked. 

"And  while  the  man  of  God  had  journeyed  here  and  there  through  the 
land,  preaching  the  word  of  God,  and  was  making  a  sojourn  in  the  island 
of  Kintyre,  certain  wicked  men  collected  together  and  hastened  to  the 
island,  wickedly  to  fulfil  what  the  man  of  God  had  piously  prayed  for. 

"  So  they  came  to  the  man  of  God,  and  cut  off  the  hand  of  his 
attendant ;  and  immediately,  merely  by  a  touch,  he  cured  it.  So.  they 
raged  against  the  man  of  God,  and  afflicted  him  Avith  various  torments  ; 
and  among  other  mortal  wounds  they  also  cut  off  his  fore-arm.  And  they 
went  away,  leaving  him  for  dead. 

"Then  the  saint  called  together  his  brethren,  and  consoled  them  in 
charity  ;  and  so  among  his  prostrate  brethren  he  slept  in  peace,  worthy  to 
be  reckoned  among  the  saints  and  chosen  martyrs  of  God.  And  he  died 
about  the  year  of  the  Lord  576."  (Cf  the  Bollandists'  Acta  Sanctorum, 
March,  iii,  62.) 

This  date  of  Constantine's  death  would  fit  the  Constantine  of  Gildas,  but 
it  cannot  stand  against  the  Irish  Annals'  date  of  Constantine's  conversion. 

A  St  Padarn  (Paternus)  is  mentioned  in  a  Welsh  Triad  ;  M.A.,  391  (43)  ; 
Loth,  Mabinogion,  ii,  triad  no.  77.  There  is  nothing  to  show  whether  this 
was  the  Paternus  called  by  the  Aberdeen  Breviary  the  father  of  Constantine. 

Fordun,  III,  25,  MSS.  CF  (i,  in,  note):  "Arthur  was  a  contemporary 
of  St  Columba.  Also  at  the  same  time  St  Constantine,  king  of  Cornwall, 
left  his  earthly  kingdom,  cleaving  to  and  invoking  the  heavenly  king  ;  and 
came  to  Scotland  with  St  Columba,  and  preached  the  faith  to  the  Scots. 
He  founded  the  monastery  of  Govan  and  was  its  abbot,  and  he  preached 
to  the  Picts.  He  converted  the  whole  land  of  Kintyre,  and  succumbed 
there  to  martyrdom  ;  etc." 

According  to  Reeves  (Adamnan,   371)   the  church  of  Kilchousland  in 


94  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

ca.  590 1 

ca.  591 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  158,  s.a.  [588]^ 

The  battle  of  Leithrig  [was  fought]  by  Aidan,  Gabran's  son.^ 

Kintyre  was  dedicated  to  him.     Cf.  Cosmo  Innes,  Origines  Parochiales, 
ii,  1,  19. 

"  Kirk-constantine  of  Galloway  "  appears  to  have  been  the  Kirlc  of  Urr, 
Kirkcudbrightshire. 

'  Alberic  of  Trois  Fontaines,  Chronica  ;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xxiii,  695, 
s.a.  602  :  "  The  blessed  Columbanus,  coming  from  Scotland  and  Ireland, 
founded  Luxueil  in  Burgundy."  Annales  Uticenses,  s.a.  611  ;  in  Le 
Prevost's  O.V.,  v,  147  :  "In  this  time,  St  Columbanus  was  renowned,  and 
built  Luxeuil ;  and  afterwards,  Bobbio,  in  Italy."     Cf  Fordun,  III,  32. 

The  letters  of  Columbanus  are  edited  by  W.  Gundlach  in  M.G.H., 
Epistolae,  iii,  154-190.  The  Rule  and  Penitential  attributed  to  him  are  in 
P.L.  80,  209-230. 

^  F.n.  5.  In  the  next  year-section  is  recorded  an  eclipse  of  the  sun  in 
the  early  morning. 

A.I.,  29,  under  O'Conor's  year  586  =  594  (5  years  before  599)  enter  an 
"  eclipse  of  the  sun  in  the  morning  hour."  There  seems  to  have  been  no 
eclipse  before  6  a.m.  within  the  possible  period  ;  but  there  was  a  visible 
eclipse  in  594  on  July  23rd  at  about  8  a.m.,  Paris  time — i.e.  about  7j  a.m., 
at  Inishfallen  (the  appearance  of  the  eclipse  would  have  been  earlier  than 
the  calculated  time).  Probably  this  was  the  eclipse  recorded  here  ;  possibly 
"  morning  hour"  here  is  equivalent  to  "  first  hour  of  the  day,"  6-7  a.m. 

There  was  also  an  eclipse  in  592,  visible  at  Inishfallen  about  8^  a.m. 

Both  these  eclipses  (of  592  and  594)  seem  to  have  been  recorded  by 
A.U.  ;  s.a.  590  =  591  :  "Defection  of  the  sun,  i.e.  a  dark  early-morning" 
{inane  tenebrosimi).  S.a.  591  =  592  :  "a  dark  morning"  {inatutina  tenebrosd). 
Of  these,  the  later  corresponds  with  the  entry  in  A.I.  ;  the  earlier,  with 
that  in  T. 

Two  years  after  the  eclipse  of  592,  T.  and  C.S.  enter  s.a.  [591],  from 
the  Liber  Pontificalis  (M.G.H.,  Gesta  Pontificum,  i,  161,  162),  a  note  of 
the  pontificate  of  pope  Gregory  I  [590-604]  (for  16  years,  6  months,  10  days, 
according  to  T.  ;  read  13,  6,  10,  as  in  C.S.  and  A.U.).  A.U.  enter  this 
under  592  =  593.  A.I.  read,  under  O'Conor's  year  596  =  604  (5  years  after 
599) :  "The  repose  of  Gregory  of  Rome"  ;  i.e.,  in  the  correct  year.  See 
year  608,  note. 

^  A.U.,  i,  72,  s.a.  589  =  590  (with  fn.  and  e.  of  590):  "The  battle  of 
Leithreid  [was  fought]  by  Aidan,  Gabran's  son." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  91,  s.a.  589  :  "  Felim,  Tigernach's  son,  king 
of  Munster,  died,      [t  590  ;  A.U.] 

"  The  battle  of  Leithrig  \Leihrye\  was  fought  by  king  Aidan  of 
Scotland." 


BATTLES  AND  SONS  OF  AIDAN  95 

ca.  592 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  159;  s.a.  [590]^ 
The  death  of  Lugaid  of  Lismore  ;  that  is,  Moluoc.^ 

ca.  574x597 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  I,  c.  9  ^ 

Si  Columbds  prophecy  regarding  the  sons  of  king  Aidan. 

At  another  time,  before  the  above-mentioned  battle,*  the 
saint  questioned  king  Aidan  concerning  the  successor  to  the 
kingdom.  When  [Aidan]  replied  that  he  knew  not  which  of 
his  three  sons  would  reign,  Arthur,  or  Eochaid  Find,  or 
Domangart,  the  saint  immediately  prophesied  in  this  fashion  : 
"  None  of  these  three  will  be  the  ruler ;  for  they  will  fall  in 
battles,  slain  by  enemies.  But  now  if  thou  hast  any  younger 
[sons],  let  them  come  to  me ;  and  he  whom  the  Lord  has 
chosen  of  them  as  king  will  suddenly  fall  upon  my  knees." 

And  when  they  were  summoned,  according  to  the  saint's 
word  Eochaid  Buide  came  and  rested  upon  his  bosom.  And 
at  once  the  saint  kissed  and  blessed  him,  and  said  to  the  father  : 
"  This  is  the  survivor,  and  the  king  that  shall  reign  after  thee  ; 
and  his  sons  shall  reign  after  him." 

Afterwards,  in  its  own  time,  all  this  was    exactly  fulfilled. 

'  With  f.n.  I  ;  one  year  after  the  eclipse  of  592. 

2  Also  in  Tigernach,  u.s.,  158,  s.a.  [588]:  "The  death  of  Lugaid  of 
Lismore."  Similarly  in  C.S.,  62,  s.a.  [589]  (f.n.  6,  with  a  note  of  the  eclipse 
of  592  ;  Hennessy's  year  590) ;  and  in  A.U.,  i,  74,  s.a.  591  =  592  (with  f.n. 
and  e.  of  592,  and  a  note  of  the  echpse  of  594). 

F.M.,  i,  212,  s.a.  588  :  "Lugaid  of  Lismore  died." 

Martyrology  of  Oengus,  June  25th  :  "with  Moluoc,  pure  and  fair  \_glan 
n-geldae\  the  sun  of  Lismore  of  Scotland."  "  Moluoc  of  Lismore  in 
Scotland "  Rawlinson  B  505  ;  "  namely  of  Cell  Delga  in  Ardgal " 
Franciscan  MS.  ;  1905  ed.,  p.  158. 

Martyrology  of  Gorman,  p.  122,  June  25th  :  "Moluoc  modest,  white- 
headed"  {fial,  findchemi)  ;  with  the  note  :  "of  Lismore  in  Scotland." 

"  Moluoc  of  Lismore  "  Brussels  Martyrology  of  Tallaght,  Kelly,  p.  xxvii, 
June  25th. 

"Moluoc  of  Lismore  in  Scotland"  Martyrology  of  Donegal,  p.  178, 
June  25th. 

Moluoc  was  the  founder  of  the  monastery  of  Lismore.  See  year  61  r. 
Cf.  p.  19. 

^  Reeves's  ed.,  35-36  ;  Skene's  ed.,  121. 

*  Of  king  Aidan  with  the  Miathi ;  below. 


96  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

For  after  a  short  interval  of  time,  Arthur  and  Eochaid  Find 
were  killed  in  the  above-mentioned  battle  with  the  Miathi ;  and 
Domangart  was  killed  in  a  rout  of  battle  .in  England  i ;  but 
Eochaid  Buide  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  after  his  father.^ 

ca.  S74XS97 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  I,  c.  8  ^ 

Of  the  battle  of  the  Miathi. 

At  another  time,  that  is  after  the  course  of  many  years  from 
the  above-mentioned  battle  [of  Ondemone],*  when  the  holy 
man  [Columba]  was  in  the  island  of  lona,  he  said  suddenly  to 
his  attendant,  Diarmait,  "Strike  the  bell"  And  summoned  by 
its  sound  the  brethren  ran  very  quickly  to  the  church,  preceded 
by  the  holy  abbot  himself  And  when  they  had  knelt  down 
there,  he  addressed  them  :  "  Let  us  now  pray  earnestly  to  the 
Lord  for  this  people,  and  for  king  Aidan  ;  because  they  enter 
battle  in  this  hour."  And  after  a  short  interval  he  left  the 
oratory,  and  looking  again  upon  the  sky,  said :  "  Now  the 
barbarians  are  put  to  flight ;  and  victory,  although  a  sad  one, 
has  nevertheless  been  granted  to  Aidan."  And  also  the  holy 
man  related  prophetically  the  number  of  the  slain  in  Aidan's 
army,  three  hundred  and  three  men.^ 

'  See  below,  year  ?  598. 

^  This  passage  is  quoted  from  Adamnan  by  Fordmi,  III,  31  ;  i,  116- 
117.  But  at  the  end  he  reads  (i,  117):  "And  all  this  was  completely 
fulfilled  in  its  own  time.  For  after  a  short  interval  of  time  Arthur  and 
Eochaid  Find  were  slaughtered  in  the  battle  of  the  Maythi  ;  Arthur  also" 
(read  "Domangart")  "was  slain  [MS.  C  :  in  the  war  with  the  Saxons,  as 
also  long  before  had  been  slain  his  older  brother  Grififin]  ;  but  Eochaid 
Buide,  which  in  our  tongue  is  sounded  Eugenius  "  (this  is  wrong,  because 
"  Eugenius  "  was  the  Latin  equivalent  of  Eogan  ;  but  Fordun  errs  similarly 
elsewhere)  "  succeeded  after  a  year  to  his  father's  kingdom. 

"Now  Conrad  \Conanrodus\  the  son  of  the  king  of  South  Wales,  took 
as  his  wife  the  daughter,  by  name  Fynewennis,  of  this  Grififin,  the  son  of 
king  Aidan,  Gabran's  son.  And  he  had  by  her  a  son,  very  dear  to  God, 
St  Drostan,  who  living  in  the  monastic  habit  ofifered  himself  as  an 
acceptable  offering  to  God." 

^  Reeves's  ed.,  33-34  ;  Skene's,  120. 

*  See  above,  p.  48. 

°  This  incident  is  more  briefly  narrated  in  the  Life  attributed  to  Cummine, 
XXV  (Pinkerton,  Vitae,  44)  ;  but  the  Miathi  are  not  named  there,  except 
as  "  a  barbarian  force." 

The  Miathi  may  have  been  the  same  people  as  the  Maeatae,  who  lived 


BATTLES  OF  AIDAN  AND  OF  COLUMBA  97 

?  590x597 

Preface  to  the  hymn  Alius  Prositor ;  Bernard  and  Atkinson's 
Liber  Hymnorum,  i,  62-64.'^ 

The  place  [of  composition]  of  this  hymn  was  lona ;  the  time, 
[that  of]  Aidan,  Gabran's  son,  and  of  Aed,  Ainmire's  son,  king 
of  Ireland.  And  the  king  of  the  Romans  at  that  time  was 
Mauricius,  or  Phocas.^  The  person  [composing  it]  was 
Columcille,  of  the  noble  race  of  the  Scots.  He  is  called 
Columba,^  according  to  the  words :  "  Be  ye  wise  as  serpents, 
and  simple  as  doves."*  The  cause  [of  its  composition  was] 
that  he  wished  to  praise  God. 

He  spent  seven  years  producing  this  hymn,  in  a  little  black 
chapel  without  light,^  to  beg  for  forgiveness  on  the  score  of  the 
battle  of  Cuil-dremne  which  he  had  won  against  Diarmait, 
Cerball's  son :  and  of  the  other  battles  that  had  been  fought 
because  of  him.® 

to  the  north  of  the  southern  Roman  wall.  Dumyat  or  Dunmyat  is  supposed 
to  have  been  their  border  stronghold  ;  but  this  is  not  certain.  Dumyat  is 
on  the  border  of  Clackmannanshire,  the  northern  division  of  Manau  on 
the  Forth.  Nevertheless  the  battle  with  the  Miathi  is  not  to  be  identified 
with  the  battle  of  Mano  (above,  year  ?  583).  It  was  not  the  battle  of 
Circhend  (below,  year  ?  599)  ;  and  there  is  nothing  to  connect  it  with  the 
battle  of  Leithrig  (year  591). 

Not  far  from  Dumyat  are  the  battle-fields  of  Ardoch  and  Sheriffmuir  ; 
the  "battle  of  the  Miathi"  may  have  occurred  in  a  locality  not  far  remote 
from  these.     But  this  is  mere  conjecture. 

Again  without  traceable  authority,  Fordun  (III,  29)  connects  this 
battle  with  the  defeat  of  Ceawlin  (t  593)  recorded  by  A.S.C.  ABCE  under 
the  year  592  :  "  In  this  year  was  great  slaughter  [in  Britain  E]  at  Woddes- 
beorge  [Wodnesbeorge  E],  and  Ceawlin  was  driven  out."  The  name  is 
no  doubt  "  Woden's  castle." 

'  Also  in  Todd's  Book  of  Hymns,  ii,  204-205,  and  in  Stokes's  Goidelica, 
100-102.  This  legend  is  of  value,  if  at  all,  as  evidence  of  communication 
between  lona  and  Rome.     Gregory  I  was  pope  from  590  to  604. 

See  O'Donnell's  Life  of  Columba,  in  Colgan's  Trias  Thaumaturga,  412. 

2  Aidan,  Aed,  and  Mauricius,  all  reigned  throughout  the  possible 
period  for  this  legend. 

5  Coltcinba;  below,  Columbus. 

*  Matthew,  X,  16. 

^  in  Nigra  Cellula  sine  lumiiie. 

°  These  paragraphs  appear  thus  in  L.B.,  ii,  237  ;  L.H.,  i,  63  :  "  In  the 
time  of  Aidan,  Gabran's  son,  king  of  Scotland,  and  of  Aed,  Ainmire's  son, 
king  of  Ireland  ;  further,  Phocas  was  king  of  the  Romans  at  that  time. 

G 


98  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Or  as  others  say,  it  was  composed  suddenly.  One  day 
Columcille  was  in  lona,  and  he  had  no  one  with  him  but 
Baithine,  and  they  had  no  food  but  a  sieve-ful  of  oats.  Then 
Columcille  said  to  Baithine,  "  Noble  guests  are  coming  to  us 
to-day,  Baithine";  Gregory's  people,  who  had  come  to  him 
with  gifts.  And  he  said  to  Baithine,  "  Stay  here  to  wait  upon 
the  guests,  that  I  may  go  to  the  mill."  He  took  up  the  load, 
which  was  upon  a  certain  stone  within  the  church  ^ ;  [the  stone's] 
name  was  Blathnat,  and  it  exists  yet.  Upon  it  division  is  made 
in  the  refectory.  Now  he  felt  the  burden  heavy,  and  he 
composed  this  hymn  ^  in  alphabetical  order,  [on  the  way]  from 
there  to  the  mill:  Adjutor  laborantium,  etc.  And  when  he 
put  the  first  grist  into  the  mill,  at  the  same  time  he  began  the 
first  chapter  ;  and  the  grinding  of  the  corn  and  the  composing 
of  the  hymn  ceased  together.  And  it  was  composed  thus, 
suddenly.  .  .  ? 

The  cause  [of  composition,]  because  [Columba]  wished  to  praise  God,  in 
order  to  beseech  forgiveness  for  the  three  battles  that  he  had  fought  in 
Ireland  ;  the  battle  of  Coleraine  in  Dalaraide,  between  him  and  Comgall" 
("of  Bangor,"  interlined  above),  "in  contention  about  a  church,  namely 
Ros-torathair  ;  and  the  battle  of  Belach-feda  of  the  weir "  {arradj  Todd's 
translation)  "  of  Clonard,  and  the  battle  of  Cuil-dremne  in  Connaught,  both 
of  which  were  fought  against  Diarmait,  Cerball's  son."     See  also  R.C.,  xx, 

434- 

The  order  of  the  parts  of  this  preface  in  L.B.  is  different  from  that  in 
the  Liber  Hymnorum.  The  preface  begins  thus  in  L.B.,  u.s.  ;  Todd,  ii, 
223;  L.H.,  i,  62:  "Alius  Proseior.  Columcille  composed  this  hymn  to 
the  Trinity,  during  seven  years  in  the  little  black  chapel  \in  cellula 
nigral,  t'^^'  's,  in  the  Dub-recles  in  Derry  of  Columcille." 

1  isindrecles.     Redes  "  abbey-church  "  frequently  signified  "  monastery." 

-  The  Adjutor  laborantiiim  seems  to  have  been  another  poem  in 
chapters  whose  first  letters  followed  the  order  of  the  alphabet. 

^  Here  follows  a  notice  of  Columba's  arrival  in  Scotland  ;  see  above, 
year  563. 

The  alternative  account  of  the  hymn's  composition  appears  thus  in 
L.B.  (Todd,  ii,  223-224;  L.H.,  i,  62-63):  "Otherwise,  it  was  composed 
suddenly,  as  others  say,  while  Columcille  was  alone  in  lona,  with  none 
beside  him  but  Baithine  only.  Then  it  was  revealed  to  Columcille  that 
guests  were  coming  to  him,  seven  of  the  community  of  Gregory,  who  came 
to  him  with  gifts  for  him  from  Rome  :  the  great  jewel  of  Columcille,  that 
is  to  say  a  cross  [preserved]  to-day  ;  and  a  hymn  of  the  week,  that  is,  a 
hymn  for  every  night  of  the  week  ;  and  other  gifts. 

"And  Columcille  asked  Baithine  what  food  was  in  the  monastery" 
{isin  choitchendj    perhaps   "  in   the    common   stock,"   with   Bernard  and 


COLUMBA  AND  POPE  GREGORY  99 

Now  this  hymn  was  given  to  Gregory  in  the  east,  in  return 
for  the  gifts  that  had  been  given  by  him — the  cross,  named 
the  Great  Jewel,  and  the  hymns  for  the  weei^.^ 

But  the  bearers,  to  test  Gregory,  interpolated  in  it  three 
chapters  which  Gregory  had  made,  [in  place  of]  Hie  sublatus 
and  Orbem  and  Vagatur.  But  when  they  began  to  repeat  the 
hymn  to  Gregory,  angels  of  God  had  come  and  were  standing, 
till  they  reached  that  chapter ;  and  Gregory  stood  in  their 
honour"  till  then.  But  when  that  was  reached^  the  angels  sat, 
and  Gregory  sat,  and  the  hymn  ended  in  this  fashion.  Now 
Gregory  asked  for  their  confessions,  because  he  knew  that  they 
had  made  the  interpolation.  And  they  said  that  they  had ; 
and  they  were  forgiven  for  it. 

And  [Gregory]  said  that  there  was  no  fault  in  the  hymn 
except  the  small  extent  to  which  the  Trinity  was  praised  in 
it  directly,*  although  it  was  praised  in  its  creations.^ 

Atkinson).  "  '  There  is  a  sieve  of  oats  in  it,'  said  Baithine.  '  Do  thou  wait 
upon  the  guests,  Baithine,'  said  Columcille,  '  while  I  go  to  the  mill.' 

"Thereupon  Columcille  took  up  the  sack"  (i.e.  the  "sieve"  of  oats, 
the  sieve-ful  being  used  as  a  rough  measure  of  quantity,)  "  from  the  stone 
which  is  within  the  refectory  in  lona  ;  and  the  name  of  that  stone  is 
Moelblatha,  and  it  bestows  good  fortune  upon  all  food  that  is  placed  upon 
it.  Thereupon,  while  going  to  the  mill,  he  then  composed'  this  little  hymn, 
the  Adjutor  laborantium ;  and  it  is  in  alphabetical  order. 

"  When  Columcille  threw  the  first  grist  into  the  mouth  of  the  mill,  then 
he  entered  upon  the  beginning  of  the  Alius;"  (i.e.,  the  first  chapter)  "and 
the  composing  of  the  hymn  and  the  grinding  of  the  corn  ceased  together  : 
and  [the  hymn]  was  not  composed  as  the  fruit  of  lucubration,  but 
through  the  grace  of  the  Lord." 

1  There  may  have  been  some  foundation  for  these  legends  of  intercourse 
between  Columba  and  Gregory. 

-  Bernard  and  Atkinson,  no  doubt  correctly,  read  ar  a  n-on[oir\-seom, 
and  translate  "  in  their  honour "  ;  Stokes  read  with  Todd  araroinnseotn, 
and  translated  it  "for  his  part."  (This  would  have  meant  "for  [Columba's] 
part  [of  the  work.]  ") 

^  Oroseched  .  .  .  sett;  Bernard  and  Atkinson's  translation.  Stokes 
translated  this  "when  that  was  said"  (Goidelica  :  see  also  O'Davoren's 
Glossary  in  Archiv  fiir  celtische  Lexicographic,  ii,  449-450).  But  the 
meaning  would  in  this  case  be  "  when  this  had  been  said,"  which  does  not 
agree  with  the  context. 

*  per  se. 

^  trianadulib :  "through  its  creatures,"  Stokes. 

The  last  two  paragraphs  appear  thus  in  L.B.  (Todd,  ii,  224  ;  L.H.,  i, 
63-64)  :  "  It  was  taken  to  Gregory,  and  the  attendants  stole  three  chapters 


100  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

And  this  rebuke  reached  Columcille ;  and  this  was  the 
cause  of  the  composition  oi  In  te,  Christe} 

There  is  alphabetical  order  here,^  in  Hebraic  fashion.  The 
basis  of  this  chapter  ^  was  drawn  from  the  catholic  faith — belief 
in  the  unity  with  confession  of  trinity.     It  was  composed  in 

from  it :  Hie  sublatus  and  Orbem  i7ifra  and  Christo  de  ccelis.  And  they 
inserted  three  chapters  in  their  place.  And  while  the  attendants  sang  the 
hymn  to  Gregory,  Gregory  rose  until  he  heard  the  three  alien  chapters  ; 
and  sat  again,  until  [he  heard]  the  true  [chapters].  He  rose  again,  and 
said  to  them,  '  Confess  what  you  have  done.'  They  confessed  ;  and  he 
said  to  them,  'Then  sing  the  hymn  in  the  manner  in  which  its  author 
composed  it.'  And  they  sang  it ;  and  afterwards  he  praised  the  praises. 
But  he  said,  '  God  is  mentioned  in  it  less  than  he  ought  to  have  been 
mentioned.' " 

In  O'Donnell's  Life,  u.s.  :  "  The  messengers  .  .  .  boldly  struck  out 
three  chapters  from  its  contents,  and  substituted  as  many,  which  they 
themselves  had  concocted  ;  intending  by  this  to  make  trial  whether 
Gregory,  the  fame  of  whose  sanctity  had  at  that  time  arisen,  would 
distinguish  the  substituted  verses  from  the  rest,  or  whether  he  would 
commend  both  with  equal  praise.  But  .  .  .  the  great  bishop  rose  to  his 
feet  and  so  continued  standing  reverently,  until  he  came  to  the  apocryphal 
verses  ;  when  these  began  to  be  read,  he  immediately  sat  down  ;  and  after 
they  were  concluded,  he  rose  again,  and  received  the  rest  standing.  .  .  ." 

^  The  alleged  criticism  would  seem  to  have  been  directed  not  against 
the  hymn,  but  against  its  title  ;  Todd,  ii,  205,  and  L.H.,  i,  66: — "This  is 
the  title,  De  Unitate  et  Trinitate  trium  Personarum  " — a  title  applicable 
only  to  the  first  chapter. 

The  hymn  /n  te,  Christe,  is  in  Todd,  ii,  256-257  ;  L.H.,  i,  84-85.  The 
preface  is  in  L.H.,  i,  84  (less  completely  in  Todd  and  in  Stokes's  Goidelica, 
103)  : —  "/«  te,  Christe.  Columcille  composed  this  hymn.  He  composed 
it  in  rhythm,  sixteen  syllables  to  each  line.  But  some  say  that  Columcille 
was  not  the  author  at  all,  except  from  Christus  Redempfor"  [i.e.,  the  second 
half]  "and  Christus  Crucem.  And  therefore  many  repeat  that  part  [only]. 
The  place  [of  composition  was]  lona  ;  the  time,  [that]  of  Aed,  Ainmire's 
son  ;  the  cause,  that  he  had  praised  the  Trinity  so  little  in  the  Alius ;  and 
that  Gregory  had  reproved  Columcille  for  it." 

2  I.e.,  in  the  Alius  Prosiior.  This  hymn  is  edited  by  Bernard  and 
Atkinson,  L.H.,  i,  66-81.  Chapters  ABCDEFGHIKLMNYZ  are  taken 
from  the  Trinity  College  MS.,  chapters  OPQRSTUX  are  supplied  from 
the  Franciscan  MS.  The  Lebar  Brecc  implies  that  there  were  23  chapters 
(facsimile,  ii,  237  b;  L.H.,  i,  65):  "The  number  of  the  chapters  in  this 
hymn  is  the  number  of  the  letters  of  the  alphabet.  .  .  .  That  the  Romans 
have  23  letters  is  caused  by  the  ten  senses  of  man,  the  ten  commandments 
of  the  law,  and  the  Trinity." 

^  Foiha  in  chaipiilse :  evidently  referring  to  the  ^rj/ chapter. 


HYMNS  OF  COLUMBA  101 

rhythm  ;  and  there  are  two  types  of  [rhythm],  correct  and 
ordinary.!  The  correct  [type  is  that]  in  which  the  feet  are 
equally  timed,  equally  divided,  with  equivalence  in  arsis  and 
thesis,  so  that  in  resolving  them  the  latter  would  fit  into  the 
former's  place.^  But  the  ordinary  [type  occurs]  where  there  is 
correspondence  of  syllables  and  of  quarter-lines  and  of  half- 
lines  :  and  that  is  what  we  have  here.^  [There  are]  six  lines 
in  every  chapter,  and  sixteen  syllables  in  every  line ;  excepting 
the  first  chapter,  which  has  seven  lines,  because  it  contains  the 
praise  of  God.  .  .  .* 

Many  manifestations  of  grace  attend  [the  singing  of]  this 
hymn :  angels  are  present  so  long  as  it  is  being  sung ;  no 
demon  shall  learn  the  road  of  him  that  sings  it  daily,  and 
enemies  shall  not  make  him  blush  upon  a  day  in  which  he 
sings  it,  and  there  shall  be  no  quarrel  in  the  house  where  it  is 
frequently  sung.  It  protects  against  every  kind  of  death  except 
death  on  a  pillow^ ;  and  there  shall  not  be  hunger  or  nakedness 
in  the  place  where  it  is  often  sung.  And  there  are  many  other 
[manifestations  of  grace].^ 

'  artificialis  et  vulgaris. 

2  I.e.,  the  caesura  is  in  the  middle  of  the  line,  both  halves  contain  the 
same  number  effect,  and  all  the  feet  are  alike. 

^  This  seems  to  mean  that  the  line  is  divided  by  three  caesurae  (or  by 
four  accents  ?)  into  four  parts  of  the  same  number  of  syllables.  In  this 
hymn  there  is  usually  a  caesura  in  the  middle  of  the  line.  The  lines 
contain  sixteen  syllables,  without  elision,  composed  without  regard  to  the 
position  of  stressed  syllables  in  the  usual  pronunciation  of  Latin.  The 
metre  is  one  adapted  for  singing. 

*  Directions  for  singing  the  hymn  follow.  With  these  and  the  passage 
above  cf.  the  Lebar  Brecc,  u.s. 

'  I.e.,  death  from  natural  causes.  Morte  absque pretiosa  in  L.B.,  which 
continues  : — "  And  he  [that  sings  it  often]  shall  not  be  in  hell  after  the  day 
of  judgement,  even  if  he  have  done  many  things  that  are  wrong  ;  and  he 
shall  have  great  riches,  and  length  of  life."     Cf.  the  remainder  in  L.B. 

Cf.  the  legend  quoted  by  Todd  through  O'Curry  from  the  Liber  Flavus 
Fergusorum,  in  the  Book  of  Hymns,  ii,  249-251. 

"  The  preface  to  the  hymn  Noli,  pater,  also  in  the  Liber  Hymnorum, 
i,  87  (Todd,  ii,  262  ;  Stokes's  Goidelica,  103-104,)  has  to  do  with  the 
foundation  of  Derry;  '■'■Noli,  pater.  Columcille  composed  this  hymn,  in 
the  same  measure  as  the  In  te,  Chrisie.  The  place  [of  composition]  was 
the  door  of  the  hermitage  of  Daire-Calgaig  [Londonderry] ;  the  time,  [that] 
of  Aed,  Ainmire's  son.  The  cause  [was  this]  ;  Columcille  came  once  to  a 
conference  with  the  king,  to  Derry  ;  and  the  king  granted  him  the  place, 


102  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

with  its  appurtenances  [conairliud].  Then  Columcille  refused  the  place, 
because  Mobi  had  forbidden  him  to  receive  [property  in]  the  world,  until 
he  should  hear  of  his  death. 

"  Thereupon  Columcille  came  to  the  door  of  the  town  ;  and  three  of 
Mobi's  people  met  him  there,  with  the  girdle  of  Mobi.  And  they  said : 
'  Mobi  is  dead.'"  After  a  quotation  from  a  poem,  ascribed  to  Columba,  on 
Mobi's  Girdle,  the  preface  proceeds:  "Columcille  went  back  to  the  king, 
and  he  said  to  the  king:  'The  offering  that  thou  gavest  to  me  recently, 
\imbiiaruc\Ji^  give  me  it  now.'     '  It  shall  be  given,'  said  the  king. 

"  Now  the  place  was  burnt  up,  with  everything  that  it  contained. 
'That  is  useless'  \espach\  said  the  king,  'for  if  it  had  not  been  burnt 
there  would  not  have  been  lack  \tachd\  there  of  mantle  or  food  for  ever.' 
'  But  there  shall  not  be  [lack]  there  henceforward,'  said  [Columcille] ; 
'whoever  dwells  there,  there  shall  not  be  a  night  of  fasting.' 

"  Now  the  fire  was  so  great  that  it  threatened  to  burn  the  whole 
oakwood"  [or,  "all  Derry"?],  "and  it  was  to  save  it  on  that  occasion  that 
this  hymn  was  made. 

"  Or  he  had  the  day  of  judgement  under  his  consideration  ;  or  the  fire 
of  [St]  John's  Eve. 

"And  it  has  been  sung  [in  protection]  against  every  fire  and  every 
thunder[-storm]  from  that  time  forward.  And  whoever  sings  it  at  bed- 
time and  on  rising,  it  protects  him  against  the  fire  of  lightning  ;  and  it 
protects  the  nine  of  his  household  whom  he  wishes  [it  to  protect]." 

A  somewhat  similar  account  occurs  in  the  Irish  Life  ;  Stokes,  Three 
Homilies,  106-108  ;  Lismore  Lives,  26-27. 

Derry  was  founded  in  546  (see  above)  ;  Aed,  Ainmire's  son,  reigned 
592-598  (A.U.). 

The  hymn  Noli,  Pater,  is  in  Liber  Hymnorum,  i,  88  ;  in  Todd's  Book 
of  Hymns,  ii,  262-263  ;  and  in  Colgan's  Trias  Thaumaturga,  476. 

For  the  death  of  Mobi,  see  A.U.,  i.  48-50,  s.a.  544  =  545. 

For  a  story  of  Columba's  relations  (after  his  banishment)  with  Diarmait, 
see  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  82-83.  FoJ"  Columba  and  Aidan,  see 
Yellow  Book  of  Lecan,  164,  a.  For  Columba's  miraculous  visit  to  Rome, 
assisting  Maedoc  to  fight  with  demons  in  the  air  for  Brandub's  soul,  see 
Colgan,  Trias  Thaumaturga,  439. 


PART  IV 

Death  of  Columba 
597 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  i6o, 
s.a.  [592] '=596? 

The  repose  of  Columcille  [occurred]  on  the  Sunday  night 
of  Pentecost,  the  fifth  ^  before  the  Ides  of  June,  in  the  thirty- 
fifth  year  of  his  pilgrimage,  and  the  seventy-seventh  of  his  life. 

1  F.n.  3.     (It  happens  that  3  was  the  true  f.n.  of  597.) 

2  I.e.  between  6  p.m.  of  8th  June  and  6  a.m.  of  9th  June. 

Adamnan  clearly  states  that  Columba  died  after  midnight,  i.e.  on 
Sunday  morning,  of  the  9th  June,  therefore  in  597.  MacCarthy  (A.U.,  iv, 
p.  Ixxviii)  understands  Tigernach  to  mean  that  Columba  died  on  Saturday 
evening,  of  the  gth  of  June,  and  therefore  in  596,  in  which  year  the  Roman 
Pentecost  was  the  loth  of  June.  But  if  this  had  been  the  true  date,  the 
9th  of  June  after  sunset  would  certainly  have  been  reckoned  as  June  loth. 
See  Adamnan's  narrative,  below,  If  Columba  had  died  on  Roman 
Pentecost,  Adamnan  would  surely  have  mentioned  it. 

The  word  "Pentecost"  may  have  been  added  in  agreement  with  the 
statement  that  is  made  in  A.I.,  and  in  the  Irish  Life,  that  Columba 
arrived  in  Scotland  on  the  day  before  Pentecost.  Adamnan's  account 
suggests  that  Columba  expected  to  die  on  the  anniversary  of  his  arrival 
in  Britain.  It  maybe  that  T.  or  whoever  added  the  word  "Pentecost" 
believed  that  Columba  died  on  gth  June  596,  and  had  found  that  the  loth 
was  Whitsunday. 

According  to  MacCarthy's  tables  (N  and  O,  in  A.U.,  vol.  iv)  Irish 
Pentecost  would  have  fallen  on  the  26th  May  in  597,  the  3rd  June  in  596. 

The  office  for  Columba  is  entered  under  June  9th  in  the  Breviary  of 
Aberdeen,  i,  3,  102-104. 

Columba's  death  and  Baithine's  death  are  noted  in  the  Martyrology  of 
Gorman,  p.  112,  under  June  gth.  So  also  in  the  Brussels  Martyrology  of 
Tallaght,  Kelly,  p.  xxvi ;  and  in  the  Calendar  in  the  Karlsruhe  Bede 
(Thesaurus  Palaeohibernicus,  ii,  283). 

Cf.  Oengus,  under  June  gth  (1905  ed.,  I3g  ;  tr.  Stokes): — "May  they 
convoy  us  to  the  eternal  Kingdom,  wherein  is  ever  a  lucid  light,  Baethine 
high,  angelical,  Colomb  Cille  the  lustrous  !  "  (The  last  word,  caindleck, 
may  have  reference  to  the  miraculous  lights  spoken  of  by  Adamnan.) 

Adamnan  too  (II,  45)  says  that  Columba's  day  was  Baithine's  day  also. 

103 


104  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Cf.  the  Chronological  tract  in  the  Lebar  Brecc,  above,  p.  26.  ^ 

Gilla-Coemain,  chronological  verses,  in  Stokes's  Tripartite  Life,  ii,  536  : 
"...  the  battle  of  Cuil-Conaire  ;  in  that  year,  verses  tell,  [was]  the  death 
of  Diarmait,  Cerball's  son.  Thirty  years  [and]  three  years  (it  is  just  to 
proceed  from  that)  to  the  death  of  Fedlimid's  son  [Columba]  in  lona,  and 
to  Gregory's  decease."  The  battle  of  Cuil-Conaire  is  placed  in  549  =  550 
by  A.U.  ;  in  A.I.,  under  O'Conor's  year  543  =  548.  Diarmait  lived  several 
years  longer.  Gregory  died  in  604.  Gilla-Coemain  (u.s.,  536-538)  reckons 
41  years  from  Columba's  death  to  the  battle  of  Moira  ;  see  below,  year  639. 
A.B.,  5  (O'Conor's  year  568),  place  Columba's  death  5  years  before 
Gregory's,  in  604. 

The  Martyrology  of  Donegal,  152,  puts  Columba's  death  in  599. 

Columba's  death  is  placed  by  T.  3  years,  by  C.S.  4  years,  by  A.U.  4  or 
10  years,  after  the  eclipse  of  592  ;  by  A.I.  3  years,  by  A.U.  3  or  9  years, 
after  the  eclipse  of  594. 

A.C.  notes  his  death  s.a.  [595]  ;  in  the  same  year  as  the  death  of 
"king  Dunaut"  (the  son  of  Pappo,  son  of  Ceneu,  son  of  Coil  Hen). 
Y  Cymmrodor,  ix,   156,   174. 

Version  G  of  the  Chronicles  of  the  Picts  (P.  &  S.,  286)  places  Columba's 
death  in  592,  in  the  time  of  Brude  Maelchon's  son  (erroneously).  Fordun 
(111,  31)  places  it  in  600. 

Marianus  Scottus,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  v,  546,  in  an  insertion  s.a. 
620=598  (and  the  i6th  of  Mauricius) :  "  Columbanus  died." 

Columba's  death  is  entered  under  596  by  Herimannus  Augiensis, 
M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  v,  90  (in  the  same  year  he  records  the  mission  of 
Augustine  ;  and  says  that  "a  comet  and  many  signs  appeared  in  the  sky"  : 
cf.  Paulus  Diaconus,  IV,  10  ;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores  Rerum  Langobardicarum, 
ii,  120)  ;  and  by  Bernoldus,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  v,  414.  It  is  placed  under 
597  by  Alberic  ;  ibid.,  xxiii,  694  ;  and  under  598  by  Sigebert,  ibid.,  vi,  320. 
Sigebert  misrepresents  Bede's  words  with  characteristic  inaccuracy,  and 
says  that  Columba  "  with  rustic  simplicity  neither  learned  nor  taught  that 
Easter  should  be  celebrated  on  Sunday." 

Columba's  birth  is  placed  upon  December  7th  (see  year  521),  and  he  is 
stated  to  have  come  to  Scotland  in  his  42nd  year.  If  we  denote  the 
number  of  his  birth-year  by  n,  he  came  to  Scotland  between  the  year  n  + 41, 
December,  and  the  year  «-t-42,  December;  and  his  death,  in  the  begin- 
ning of  the  35th  year  of  his  pilgrimage,  must  have  been  between  n  +  y^, 
December,  and  n  +  yy,  December.  And  since  his  death  took  place  upon 
the  9th  of  June,  it  must  have  been  either  in  June,  n+y6  (in  agreement 
with  A.U.,  which  say  that  he  died  in  his  76th  year),  or  in  June,  n  +  yy 
(in  agreement  with  T.,  C.S.,  and  A.B.,  where  they  say  that  he  died  in  his 
77th  year).  Allowing  for  the  tendency  to  round  up  the  ages  of  saints,  we 
are  led  rather  to  accept  A.U.'s  year  of  his  age  :  so  that  if  he  died  in 
597  we  should  place  his  birth  in  521  and  his  arrival  in  Scotland  in  563. 

Adamnan  says  that  Columba  passed  34  years  in  lona,  and  died  at  the 
end  of  his  34th  year  in  Britain  :  that  is  to  say,  Adamnan  places  Columba's 
arrival  in  563  and  his  death  in  597.  Bede  places  Columba's  arrival 
definitely  in  565,  and  his  death  about  597. 


YEARS  OF  COLUMBA'S  MISSION  105 

"  Columba  was  three  years  without  light  in  his  dark  church  ; 
he  went  to  the  angels  out  of  his  bondage  after  seven  and 
seventy  years."  ^ 

For  the  so-called  Rule  of  Columcille,  see  Zeitschr.  f.  celt.  PhiloL,  iii,  28- 
30  (ed.  K.  Meyer,  from  Rawlinson  B  512) ;  Acts  of  Archb.  Cotton,  108-112 
(Ir.  Archaeol.  Soc,  1850  ;  ed.  W.  Reeves,  from  O'Clery's  MS.) ;  H.  &  S.,  ii, 
iig-i2i;  and  a  tr.  by  E.  O'Curry,  in  S.C.S.,  ii,  508-509.  Cf  Reeves, 
Adamnan,  336-339.  The  practices  of  Columban  monks  are  to  be  sought 
rather  in  other  Irish  Rules,  comparing  the  Rule  of  Columbanus.  They 
were  derived  from  the  monastic  customs  of  the  western  church,  under  the 
influence  of  southern  Gaul,  which  was  in  turn  influenced  by  the  eastern 
church ;  and  they  were  partly  based  upon  pre-Benedictine  writings, 
notably  of  Cassianus.  They  were  revived  by  the  celide,  and  may  be 
studied  in  the  Tallaght  rules.     See  below,  vol.  ii,  p.  73. 

^  The  whole  passage  appears  similarly  in  C.S.,  64,  under  f.n.  4  =593, 
Hennessy's  year  595. 

The  passage  in  inverted  commas  is  a  stanza  of  verse  in  the  original. 
The  "dark  church"  {dubrecles)  intended  is  the  Dubrecles  at  Derry  ;  this 
account  contradicts  the  trustworthy  account  of  Adamnan.  This  stanza  is 
taken  from  the  Preface  to  the  Amra  ;  in  Liber  Hymnorum,  i,  165  :  but  the 
reading  there  is  "  after  six  and  seventy  years,"  which  is  probably  correct. 
F.M.  quote  it  from  T. 

Amra  Coluimchille,  Liber  Hymnorum,  i,  172:  "His  burial-place  is 
known  ;  his  wisdom  is  known.  (Le.,  the  place  where  he  is  buried  is 
known  ;  namely,  lona,  or  Down[patrick],  as  others  say.  Or,  he  was 
known  as  far  as  Rome,  and  his  wisdom  was  known.)" 

Cf  a  verse  in  the  Preface  to  the  Amra,  L.H.,  i,  165  :  "With  its  great 
number  of  relics,  lona,  of  which  Columba  was  the  dear  foster-son  ; 
[Columba]  departed  from  it  at  the  last,  and  the  chapel  of  his  old  age 
\a  slun-nemed]  is  Down[patrick]."     Cf  Berchan,  above,  year  563,  p.  47. 

Irish  Life  of  Columba,  Stokes's  Three  Homilies,  124  :  "  His  body  is  here 
on  earth,  in  honour  and  respect  from  God  and  man  ;  with  miracles  and 
wonders  every  day.  .  .  ."  Similarly  in  the  Book  of  Lismore,  Stokes's 
Lismore  Lives,  33. 

The  relics  of  Columba  were  removed  in  849  from  lona,  part  to 
Ireland,  part  to  Dunkeld. 

A.U.,  i,  74-76,  s.a.  594  =  595  (with  fn.  and  e.  of  595):  "The  repose  of 
Columcille  on  the  fifth  day  before  the  Ides  of  June,  in  the  76th  year  of  his 
age."  Also  i,  78,  s.a.  600  =  601  (with  fn.  and  e.  of  601)  :  "Otherwise,  in 
this  year  [was]  the  repose  of  Columcille,  on  a  Sunday  night." 

A.I.,  9,  under  O'Conor's  year  589  =  597  (2  years  before  599):  "The 
repose  of  Columcille  on  Sunday  night,  the  fifth  before  the  Ides  of  June, 
in  the  35th  year  of  his  pilgrimage,  aged  76  [years]."  (For  aetatis  in 
O'Conor's  text,  the  MS.  has  aetate.) 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  91-92,  s.a.  590:  "St  Columcille  died  on 
Whitsunday  eve,  the  5th  of  the  Ides  of  June,  in  the  island  of  lona,  in  the 


106  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

35th  year  of  his  pilgrimage  in  Scotland,  and  his  banishment  [s.  1.]  thither  ; 
and  in  the  77th  year  of  his  age,  as  he  was  saying  his  prayers  in  the 
church  of  that  isle,  with  all  his  monks  about  him  ;  and  was  interred  in 
the  place  where  the  abbey  of  Down  is  (before  the  abbey  was  founded  by 
Sir  John  Courcy),  where  St  Patrick  and  St  Bridget  were  buried 
before.  .  .  ." 

F.M.,  i,  214-216,  s.a.  592  (and  the  "  25th  year  of  Aed  "  Ainmire's  son  as 
sovereign  of  Ireland)  :  "  Columcille,  Fedlimid's  son,  (the  apostle  of 
Scotland,  and  head  of  religion  in  the  greater  part  of  Ireland  and  of 
Scotland,  after  Patrick)  died  in  his  own  church  in  lona  in  Scotland,  after 
[completing]  the  35th  year  of  his  pilgrimage,  on  Sunday  night,  the  9th 
day  of  June.  ']^  years  was  his  whole  age,  when  he  sent  his  spirit  to 
heaven  ;  as  it  is  said  in  the  verse  :  '  Columba  .  .  .  years '  [as  in  T.]. 

"  Dalian  Forgaill  said  this  of  the  death  of  Columcille  :  '  The  physician's 
cure  without  physic'"  (?  les j  "without  an  ale-bag,"  Atkinson),  "  'removal 
of  marrow  from  marrow ' "  {is  dedhail  smera  re  snmais :  "  like  the  separation 
of  marrow  from  the  bone"  O'Donovan),  "  'a  song  to  the  harp  without  the 
f/w'"  (probably  some  necessary  part  of  the  harp),  "'[so  are]  we,  without 
our  noble  organ'"  (?  see  below).  For  the  meaning  of  ce'is  cf.  L.H.,  i, 
165 ;  ii,  57. 

Cf  the  Amra  Coluimchille,  L.H.,  i,  170  :  — "  It  is  a  harp  without  a  ceisj 
it  is  a  church  without  an  abbot.  (I.e.,  ceis  was' the  name  of  a  little  harp 
accompanying  the  great  harp  when  it  was  played  ;  or  a  name  for  a  pulley 
\tharraing\  over  which  is  the  cord  \leiihriii\  ;  or  it  is  a  name  for  the  small 
peg  ;  or  it  is  a  name  for  the  bass-strings,  or  the  heavy  string,  which  is 
better,  as  the  poet  said.)" 

This  is  continued  in  the  preface,  ibid.,  i,  167:  "A  physician's  cure 
without  physic,  seeking  marrow  where  none  is,  \is  cuinchid  smera  cen 
smuaisj  "  without  a  bone  "  Atkinson]  so  is  our  existence,  in  the  absence 
of  our  noble  organ  "  \d'eis  ar  n-organ  huais ;  Atkinson's  translation]. 

Cf.  the  Amra,  ibid.,  i,  169  (from  Atkinson's  translation,  ibid.,  ii,  62-63) : 
"  No  (more)  is  our  sage  the  profit  of  (our)  soul,  for  (he  hath  gone)  from  us 
to  a  fair  land.  .  .  .  He  who  preserves  alive  has  died.  .  .  .  For  he  hath 
died  to  us,  who  was  destined  to  secure  our  forgiveness.  .  .  .  For  he  hath 
died  to  us,  who  was  a  messenger  to  our  Lord.  .  .  .  For  now  we  have  no 
more  a  sage  who  should  avert  terrors  from  us.  .  .  .  For  we  have  no  king, 
who  shall  explain  word-truth.  For  (we  have)  no  teacher  who  used  to 
teach  tribes  of  Toi.  .  .  ." 

Amra  Coluimchille,  L.H.,  i,  176:  "  It  was  abstemiousness"  {h-anmni; 
Atkinson)  "of  which  he  died.  (I.e.  ...  he  died  of  paucity  of  drink,  for 
he  did  not  consume  ale  or  food  in  the  year  of  his  death  except  on 
Saturday  and  on  Sunday)."  Cf.  the  story  of  his  having  died  of  hunger 
from  living  upon  nettle-broth,  in  the  notes  upon  Oengus  (1880  ed.,  c-ci ; 
1905  ed.,  147).     But  cf.  the  Tallaght  Discourse,  161. 

Notker  Balbulus,  Martyrologium,  June  9th;  P.L.  131,  iioi  :  "In 
Scotia,  the  island  of  Hibernia,  the  death  \depositio\  of  St  Columba, 
surnamed    among    his   own    people    Columbkilli,    because    he   was    the 


COLUMBA  FORESEES  HIS  DEATH  107 

597 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Oolumba,  book  III,  c.  23  ^ 

Of  the  passing  to  the  Lord  of  our  holy  patron  Columba. 

As  the  end  of  the  four  years  above-mentioned^  approached, 
after  whose  completion  the  truthful  seer  long  in  advance 
foreknew  that  the  end  of  his  present  life  would  be,  he  went, 
drawn  in  a  cart,  since  he  was  an  old  man  wearied  with  age,  to 
visit  the  brethren  at  work,^  on  a  certain  day  in  the  month  of 
May,  as  we  have  written  in  the  preceding  second  book.*  And 
to  those  that  were  labouring  in  the  western  part  of  the  island 
of  lona  he  began  that  day  to  speak  thus,  saying :  "  In  the 
celebration  of  Easter  lately  past,  in  the  month  of  April  ^  I 
desired  with  desire  to  depart  to  Christ  the  Lord,  even  as  he 
would  have  granted  to  me,  had  I  chosen.  But  lest  the  festival 
of  joy  should  have  been  turned  for  you   to   sorrow,    I    have 

establisher,  founder,  and  ruler,  of  many  cells,  that  is,  monasteries  or 
churches  :  with  the  result  that  the  abbot  of  the  monastery  that  he  ruled 
last,  and  where  he  rests,  is  contrary  to  ecclesiastical  custom  held  to  be 
the  primate  of  all  the  bishops  of  Ireland;  and  not  unjustly,  because 
through  the  in-dwelling  of  the  holy  spirit  this  saint  seems  second  to  none, 
after  the  apostles  and  the  excellent  Martin,  in  doctrine,  in  prophecy,  and 
in  the  performance  of  miracles  :  and  in  the  visitation  of  angels."  Notker 
proceeds  to  tell  stories  about  Columba,  taking  them  from  Adamnan 
(ibid.,  1101-1103). 

^  Reeves's  ed.,  228-235,  239  ;  Skene's  ed.,  210-214,  216,  217.  Somewhat 
more  briefly  in  the  Life  attributed  to  Cummine,  cc.  17-23  ;  Pinkerton's 
Vitae,  38-42.  Cf.  also  the  Salamanca  MS.  ;  Smedt  and  De  Backer's  Acta, 
862-865. 

^  I.e.  after  the  thirtieth  anniversary  of  his  arrival  in  Britain,  upon 
which  day  he  had  prayed  that  he  might  die  ;  but  four  years  were  added 
to  his  life,  in  response  to  the  prayers  of  the  churches.  Adamnan,  III,  22 
(Skene,  209-210)  ;  Cummine,  XVI,  Pinkerton,  37-38.  Cf  the  Life  in  the 
Salamanca  MS.,  860-862. 

^  operarios  fraires,  the  workers  in  the  fields.  In  Adamnan,  II,  28 
(Skene,  171) :  "to  visit  brethren  who  were  working  at  wood-cutting" 
{opus  materiale  exercebant ;  see  above,  p.  27)  "  in  the  little  western  plain 
of  the  island  of  lona."  Cf  also  the  agricultural  workers  mentioned  by 
Adamnan  in  Clonmacnoise  :  Vita  Columbae,  I,  3  ;  Reeves,  24,  and  note. 

*  Adamnan,  11,  28.     See  below,  in  note. 

^  According  to  MacCarthy's  tables  (N  and  O,  A.U.,  iv)  the  Celtic  Easter 
was  7th  April  in  597,  a  week  before  Roman  Easter.  In  596  also  it  was  in 
April,  on  the  15th. 


108  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

preferred  to  postpone  a  little  longer  ^  the  day  of  my  departure 
from  the  world." 

Hearing  him  speak  these  sad  words  his  friends  the  monks 
became  very  sorrowful ;  and  he  began  to  cheer  them  in  so  far 
as  he  could  by  consolatory  words.  After  concluding,  while  he 
was  sitting  in  his  waggon  he  turned  his  face  to  the  east,  and 
blessed  the  island  with  those  that  dwelt  in  it ;  and  from  that 
day,  as  has  been  written  in  the  book  mentioned  above,  even  to 
the  present  time  the  venom  of  three-forked  tongues  of  snakes 
has  been  powerless  to  hurt  either  men  or  cattle.^  After 
pronouncing  this  benediction  the  saint  drove  back  to  his 
monastery.^ 

Then  after  a  few  days,  while  the  celebration  of  mass  was 
held  upon  the  Lord's  day,  according  to  custom,  he  raised  his 
eyes,  and  the  venerable  man's  face  appeared  to  be  suffused 
with  a  glowing  flush ;  because,  as  it  is  written,  the  countenance 
glows  when  the  heart  is  glad.*  For  he  alone  in  that  hour  saw 
an  angel  of  the  Lord  flying  above,  within  the  walls  of  the 
chapel ;  and  because  the  dear  and  pleasant  sight  of  holy  angels 
causes  joy  and  exultation  in  the  hearts  of  the  elect,  this  was 
the  cause  of  that  sudden  gladness  caused  to  the  holy  man. 
And  when  those  that  were  present  there  inquired  concerning 
the  cause  of  his  inspired  gladness,  the  saint,  looking  upwards, 

'  In  the  Irish  Life  in  Lebar  Brecc,  Stokes's  Three  Homilies,  120: 
"  But  I  did  not  wish  you  to  have  sorrow  or  grief  after  your  labour ; 
therefore  I  have  remained  with  you,  to  comfort  you,  from  Easter  to 
Pentecost."  Similarly  in  the  Book  of  Lismore  ;  Stokes,  Lismore 
Lives,  32. 

2  Adamnan,  II,  28  (Skene,  171):  "...  He  raised  both  his  holy 
hands  and  blessed  the  whole  of  this  our  island,  saying :  '  From  this 
moment  of  this  hour  the  poison  of  all  kinds  of  snakes  shall  be  in  no  way 
able  to  hurt  either  men  or  cattle  in  the  lands  of  this  island,  so  long  as  the 
inhabitants  dwelling  in  it  keep  Christ's  commands.'" 

Cummine's  Life,  u.s.  "...  and  from  that  day  no  serpent  has  harmed 
[there]  man  or  beast." 

In  the  Irish  Life,  Stokes's  Three  Homilies,  120:  "Thereupon  he 
turned  his  face  to  the  west  [siar],  and  blessed  the  ...  of  the  island,  with 
its  inhabitants.  And  he  banished  from  it  toads  and  snakes."  Cf  the 
Book  of  Lismore  ;  Stokes,  Lismore  Lives,  32. 

Cf  the  Life  in  the  Salamanca  MS.,  Smedt  and  De  Backer's  Acta,  862. 

^  da  redes  in  the  Irish  Life. 

■■  Cf.  Proverbs,  XV,  13. 


COLUMBA  BLESSES  lONA  109 

gave  them  this  reply :  "  Wonderful  and  incomparable  is  the 
cunning  of  angelic  nature;  for  behold,  an  angel  of  the  Lord, 
sent  to  seek  again  some  deposit  ^  dear  to  God,  looking  down 
upon  us  from  within  the  church  and  blessing  us,  has  returned 
again  through  the  roof  of  the  church,  leaving  no  trace  of  such 
exit." 

Thus  [spoke]  the  saint.  But  none  of  the  by-standers  could 
understand  the  nature  of  the  deposit  that  the  angel  was  sent 
to  seek.  But  our  holy  patron  called  his  own  soul,  entrusted  to 
him  by  God,  a  holy  deposit.  And  it  passed  to  the  Lord  on 
the  next  Lord's  night,  as  shall  be  related  below,  after  an 
interval  of  six  successive  days. 

At  the  end  of  the  same  week,  therefore,  that  is  on  the 
Saturday,^  the  venerable  man  himself  and  his  faithful  attendant 
Diarmait  went  to  bless  the  nearest  barn.  And  after  entering 
it  and  blessing  it  and  two  separated  heaps  of  corn  in  it,  the 
saint  pronounced  these  words  with  his  rendering  of  thanks, 
saying,  "  I  much  congratulate  my  friends  the  monks,  that  this 
year,  even  if  I  must  depart  anywhere  from  you,  you  will  have 
a  sufficient  year's  supply."  ^ 

Hearing  these  words,  Diarmait  his  attendant  began  to  be 
sorrowful,  and  spoke  thus : — "  Thou  saddenest  us  very  often, 
father,  this  year,  because  thou  remindest  us  frequently  of  thy 
departure."* 

And  the  saint  gave  him  this  answer :  "  I  have  some  little 
secret  speech  which,  if  thou  promise  me  truly  to  disclose  it  to 
none  before  my  death,  I  may  communicate  to  thee  somewhat 
more   clearly,   concerning    my    departure."      And    when    the 

1  See  2  Timothy,  I,  12  ;  and  cf.  Bernard's  Vita  Malachiae,  s.f. 

2  Literally  "  on  the  day  of  the  Sabbath." 

^  The  blessing  of  the  barn  is  not  in  Cummine. 

*  Within  the  same  year,  the  priest  St  Columbanus  had  left  lona,  and 
Columba  had  foretold  that  they  should  not  meet  again.  ,  This  was  apparently 
Colman  Mocu-Sailni,  Beogna's  son.  Both  in  his  voyage  from  Ireland,  and 
on  his  return,  he  was  helped  by  Columba  in  weather  (Adamnan,  I,  5  ;  II,  15). 
He  is  identified  with  the  Colmanele  to  whom  some  Scottish  churches  were 
dedicated  (Colman  Elo,  of  Land-Elo,  in  Meath  (Lynally,  King's  co.) ;  born 
October  3rd;  died  in  his  56th  year  (T.  ;  C.S.,  Hennessey's  year  611); 
t6ii  (A.U.),  September  26th;  see  1905  Oengus,  136,  196,  212,  214,  220). 
Mocholmoc  of  Lismore  (Colman  Maccu-Beognai,  t  January  22nd  ;  1905 
Oengus,  37,  50,  409)  was  presumably  his  relative. 


no  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

attendant  bending  his  knees  had  concluded  such  a  promise  as 
the  saint  wished,  the  venerable  man  proceeded  to  speak :  "  In 
holy  books,  this  day  is  called  Sabbath,  which  means  rest :  and 
truly  this  day  is  Sabbath  to  me,  because  it  is  my  last  day  of 
this  present  laborious  life,  and  I  hold  Sabbath  in  it  after  my 
painful  labours ;  and  in  the  middle  of  this  following  venerated 
night  of  the  Lord  I  shall,  in  the  language  of  the  Scriptures,  go 
the  way  of  the  fathers.  For  already  my  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
deigns  to  invite  me ;  and  at  his  invitation,  in  the  middle  of 
this  night,  I  say,  I  shall  pass  to  him.  For  so  it  has  been 
revealed  to  me  by  the  Lord  himself." 

Hearing  these  sad  words,  his  attendant  began  to  weep 
bitterly.  And  the  saint  endeavoured  as  best  he  could  to 
console  him.^ 

After  this  the  saint  left  the  barn ;  and  returning  toward 
the  monastery  he  sat  down  mid-way,  in  a  place  where  after- 
wards a  cross,  fixed  into  a  mill-stone  and  still  standing,  is  seen 
at  the  side  of  the  road.  And  while  the  saint  rested  there, 
sitting  for  a  little  while,  wearied  with  age,  as  I  have  said  above, 
behold  a  white  horse  met  him,  the  obedient  drudge  that  had 
been  accustomed  to  carry  the  milk-vessels  between  the  byre 
and  the  monastery^;  and  coming  to  the  saint,  strange  to  say 
placed  its  head  in  his  bosom  (being  inspired  as  I  believe  by 

'  The  Life  attributed  to  Cummine,  XIX,  in  Pinkerton's  Vitae,  39-40  : 
"  He  reveals  to  Diarmait  the  day  of  his  death. 

"  In  the  end  of  the  same  week,  that  is,  on  Saturday,  the  holy  man 
called  his  servant  Diarmait  secretly,  and  thus  addressed  him  :  '  In  holy 
books  this  day  is  called  the  Sabbath,  which  means  rest.  And  for  me  this 
day  is  Sabbath  indeed,  because  it  is  the  last  day  of  my  life  ;  and  in  it 
I  keep  Sabbath,  after  my  painful  labours  ;  and  in  this  Lord's  night 
following  I  shall  go  the  way  of  the  fathers.  For  already  Christ  invites 
me  :  and  so  it  has  been  revealed  to  me  by  him.' 

"The  attendant  was  grieved  by  this  ;  but  the  father  consoled  him." 

The  Irish  Life  reads  (Stokes,  Three  Homilies,  122):  "And  not  long 
afterwards  came  the  close  of  the  Sabbath  and  the  beginning  of  the 
Sunday.  .  .  .  After  that,  he  went  to  bless  the  barn.  And  he  said  to  his 
servant,  Diarmait,  that  he  should  depart  to  heaven  in  the  night  of 
Sunday."     Similarly  in  the  Book  of  Lismore  ;  Stokes,  Lismore  Lives,  32. 

2  Adamnan's  anecdote  (II,  16;  Skene,  162-163)  of  the  expulsion  of 
a  demon  from  a  milk-pail,  implies  that  the  milk  was  carried  by  human 
hands,  and  that  monastic  milk-cans  were  signed  with  the  cross  as  part  of 
the  process  of  cleaning  them.  Cf.  the  Life  in  the  Salamanca  MS.,  Smedt 
and  De  Backer's  Acta,  848-849. 


COLUMBA'S  HORSE  Ul 

God,  by  whose  will  every  animal  is  [made]  wise  with  such 
perception  of  things  as  the  Creator  himself  has  decreed^) ;  and 
knowing  that  its  master  was  soon  to  depart  from  it,  and  that  it 
should  see  him  no  more,  began  to  lament,  and  like  a  human 
being  to  pour  tears  copiously  into  the  saint's  lap,  and  to  foam 
much  and  weep.  And  seeing  this  the  attendant  began  to  drive 
away  the  tearful  mourner;  but  the  saint  forbade  him,  saying, 
"  Permit  this  our  lover  to  pour  the  torrents  of  its  bitterest  grief 
into  my  bosom.  See  thou,  man  as  thou  art,  and  with  a  rational 
soul,  thou  couldst  know  nothing  of  my  death  except  what  I 
myself  have  recently  disclosed  to  thee;  but  to  this  brute  and 
irrational  beast  the  Creator  has  clearly  revealed,  in  whatever 
way  he  wished,  that  its  master  is  about  to  depart  from  it."^ 

And  so  speaking  he  blessed  his  servant  the  horse,  as  it 
turned  sadly  from  him. 

And  he  departed  thence  and  climbed  a  little  hill  above  the 
monastery.  He  stood  for  a  little  while  upon  its  summit,  and 
standing  raised  both  palms,  and  blessed  his  monastery,  saying  : 
"  Upon  this  place,  small  and  mean  though  it  be,  not  only  kings 
of  the  Scots  with  their  peoples,  but  even  rulers  over  strange  and 
barbarous  nations,  with  the  peoples  subject  to  them,  will  bestow 
great  and  especial  honour ;  especial  reverence  will  be  bestowed 
also  by  the  saints  even  of  other  churches."  ^ 

After  these  words  he  descended  from  the  little  hill  and 
returned   to   the    monastery,   and   sat   in   his   hut*   writing  a 

'  Cui  (read  quia  f)  omne  animal  rerum  sapit  sensu  quo  jusserit  ipse 
creator. 

2  Cf.  the  Irish  Life,  Stokes's  Three  Homihes,  122  ;  Lismore  Lives,  32. 
The  incident  of  the  weeping  horse  is  not  in  Cummine. 

The  discovery  of  a  horse's  sepulchre  in  lona,  near  to  the  traditional 
site  of  Columba's  cell,  was  announced  by  Miss  N.  F.  Layard  in  a  letter 
published  in  the  Scotsman  of  30th  July,  1906  (cf  ibid.,  August  ist  and  7th). 
Miss  Layard  has  now  withdrawn  her  suggestion  that  these  remains  might 
have  been  of  Columba's  horse  ;  since  examination  has  proved  that  they  are 
a  deer's  {Scotsman,  5th  April  1920). 

2  This  stands  thus  in  Cummine,  XIX  ;  Pinkerton,  Vitae,  40  :  "  So  then 
the  holy  man  of  God  went  out  and  climbed  the  hill  above  the  monastery, 
and  stood  for  a  little  while  upon  its  summit ;  and  raising  his  hands  he 
blessed  his  monastery  ;  and,  concerning  present  and  future  [times],  he 
prophesied  many  things,  which  the  result  afterwards  justified." 

*  in  tugurio  (in  Cummine,  in  cella).  Elsewhere  Adamnan  uses  the 
diminutive  tuguriolum  {tegoriolum  in  MS.  A),  as  in  III,  22  (Skene,  209): 


112  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

psalter;  and  reaching  the  verse  of  the  thirty-third  psalm 
where  is  written  "  They  that  seek  the  Lord  shall  not  lack  any 
good  thing,"  he  said  :  "  Here  at  the  end  of  the  page  I  must 
cease  ;  let  Baithine  write  what  follows." 

The  last  verse  that  he  had  written  well  befitted  the  holy 
predecessor,  who  will  never  lack  eternal  good  things ;  and  the 
following  verse  aptly  fitted  the  father  his  successor,  the  teacher 
of  spiritual  sons :  "  Come,  sons,  hear  me,  I  shall  teach  you  the 
fear  of  the  Lord."  For,  as  his  predecessor  had  commanded,  he 
succeeded  him  not  only  in  teaching  but  in  writing  also.^ 

"  His  hut,  .  .  .  which  was  built  in  a  more  elevated  place."  The  tuguriolum 
was  a  place  for  writing  and  reading  (see  Adamnan,  I,  25  ;  I,  35  ;  II,  16  ; 
III,  15).  Columba's  sleeping-place  is  called  hospitiolum  and  hospitium 
below  (cf.  also  III,  2).  The  tuguriolum  was  erected  upon  a  planked  floor 
{in  tuguriolo  tabulis  sujfulto,  I,  25  :  "in  his  cell  that  was  raised  on 
a  platform"  Fowler). 

That  some  of  the  huts  forming  the  monastery  were  built  of  basket-work 
is  shown  by  Adamnan,  II,  3  ;  above,  p.  65.  The  library  was  probably 
more  solidly  built,  to  keep  out  rain  and  rats. 

When  Columba,  surrounded  by  miraculous  light,  was  inside  a  church, 
{domus)  in  Hinba,  the  light  escaped  "  by  chinks  of  the  doors  and  by  the 
key-holes"  (III,  18;  cf.  Ill,  19,  and  III,  2i)  {per  rimulas  valvarum  et 
claviuni  foramina;  but  clavorum  in  the  text  of  Cummine).  Windows  are 
not  mentioned.  The  custom  was  to  read  the  gospels  outside  the  church, 
and  afterwards  to  enter  the  church  to  celebrate  mass  (III,  17).  The 
oldest  surviving  ("bee-hive")  Irish  churches  have  one  narrow  window,  in 
the  eastern  end  ;  but  the  light  inside  them  would  usually  have  been  faint. 

'  Columba  had  appointed  his  pupil  Baithine,  then  prior  of  Mag-Luinge 
in  Tiree,  as  his  successor  in  the  abbacy  of  lona.     Adamnan,  I,  2. 

This  episode  stands  thus  in  the  Life  attributed  to  Cummine,  XX  ; 
Pinkerton's  Vitae,  p.  40  : 

"  The  hour  of  death  approaching,  he  niakes  division  of  a  psalm. 

"  After  this  he  came  down  from  the  hill,  and,  returning  to  the  monastery, 
sat  in  his  cell,  writing  a  psalter.  At  last  he  came  to  that  verse  of  the 
thirty-third  psalm,  where  it  is  written  :  '  But  they  that  seek  the  Lord  shall 
not  lack  any  good  thing  '  ;  and  he  said  :  '  Here  I  think  I  must  stop  ;  what 
follows  Baithine  must  write.'  Indeed  the  last  verse  that  he  had  written 
befitted  the  saint  well  ;  for  in  truth  eternal  good  things  will  never  be 
lacking  to  him.  And  the  following  verse  no  less  aptly  suited  his  successor, 
the  true  father  of  spiritual  sons  :  '  Come,  sons,  hear  me,  I  shall  teach  you  the 
fear  of  the  Lord.'  For,  as  his  predecessor  commanded,  [Baithine]  succeeded 
him  not  only  in  writing,  but  also  in  the  labour  of  ruling  the  monastery." 

Cf.  also  the  Life  in  the  Salamanca  MS.,  Smedt  and  De  Backer,  853- 
854  ("  on  the  day  before  he  passed  from  the  habitation  of  this  world"). 


COLUMBA  APPOINTS  HIS  SUCCESSOR  113 

After  finishing  the  writing  of  this  verse  above-mentioned  at 
the  end  of  the  page,  the  saint  entered  the  church  for  evening 
mass  of  the  Lord's  night;  which  presently  concluded  he 
returned  to  his  little  dwelling,^  and  rested  over-night  in  his 
bed,  where  in  place  of  bedding  he  had  a  bare  rock,  and  for 
pillow  a  stone  which  also  to-day  stands  as  some  kind  of 
monument  beside  his  grave.^  Thus  resting  there  he  gave  his 
last  commands  to  the  brethren,  his  attendant  alone  for  audience, 
saying,  "  I  commit  these  last  words  to  you,  my  children,  that 
between  you  you  have  mutual  and  not  pretended  charity,  with 
peace ;  and  if  you  observe  this,  after  the  example  of  the  holy 
fathers,  God,  the  gladdener  of  the  good,  will  aid  you,  and  I, 
dwelling  with  him,  will  intercede  for  you ;  and  not  only  will 
the  necessaries  of  this  life  be  sufficiently  provided  by  him,  but 
also  the  prizes  of  eternal  good  things  will  be  assigned,  prepared 
for  those  that  uphold  what  is  divine." 

Thus  far  have  been  brought  the  last  words,  related  briefly, 
of  the  venerable  father,  as  of  one  passing  over  from  this  weary 
pilgrimage  to  the  heavenly  country.^ 

After  this,  his  happy  last  hour  gradually  approaching,  the 
saint  was  silent. 

Thereafter  when  the  bell  that  struck  at  midnight  resounded,* 

John's  Gospel  in  the  Book  of  Durrow  may  have  been  an  autograph  of 
Columba,  but  was  more  likely  a  copy  of  his  autograph  (cf.  Fowler's 
Adamnan,  i66). 

At  the  end  (originally)  of  the  Book  of  Durrow  was  written  the  following 
(Reeves,  Adamnan,  243,  note)  :  "  I  beseech  thy  blessedness,  holy  priest 
Patrick,  that  whoever  holds  in  his  hand  this  little  book  may  remember  me, 
Columba,  the  writer,  who  have  written  for  myself"  (^m{\himet)  "this  gospel 
in  the  space  of  twelve  days."  "  Below  which  "  says  Reeves,  "  in  a  more 
angular,  but  not  later,  hand,  follows,  Ora  pro  me  frater  mi  Doviinus  tecum 
sit."  That  is  "Pray  for  me,  my  brother  ;  the  Lord  be  with  thee."  These 
last  words  seem  to  have  been  addressed  to  a  living  person,  not  to  Patrick. 

'  ad  hospitiolu7)i.  In  Cummine  hospitiuin,  as  also  in  Adamnan  below. 
These  words  mean  the  hut  in  which  Columba  slept,  distinct  from  the  hut 
in  which  he  wrote  itugicriuni). 

"  In  the  chancel  of  lona  cathedral  a  stone  called  Columba's  pillow  is 
still  shown. 

3  This  sentence  is  not  in  Cummine's  Life. 

*  "At  midnight,  when  the  bell  sounded"  Cummine's  Life. 

In  the  Irish  Life  (Stokes's  Three  Homilies,  124) :  "  When  the  bell  for 
nocturns  had  been  struck  on  the  night  of  Pentecost  Sunday."  Similarly 
in  the  Book  of  Lismore  ;  Stokes's  Lismore  Lives,  33. 

11 


114  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

he  rose  quickly  and  went  to  the  church,  and  running  faster 
than  the  rest  he  entered  alone,  and,  kneeling  in  prayer  before 
the  altar,  lay  back.  Diarmait  the  attendant,  following  more 
slowly,  at  the  same  moment  saw  from  afar  the  whole  church 
within  filled  for  the  saint  with  angelic  light ;  but  as  he 
approached  the  door,  the  same  light  very  quickly  vanished: 
but  a  few  others  also  of  the  brethren,  also  at  a  distance,  had 
seen  it.^  So  Diarmait  entered  the  church,  and  cried  in  a 
tearful  voice,  "  Where  art  thou,  father  ? "  And  feeling  in  the 
darkness,  because  the  lanterns  of  the  brethren  had  not  yet  been 
brought,  he  found  the  saint  lying  on  his  back  before  the  altar ; 
and  he  raised  him  a  little,  and  sitting  beside  him  placed  the 
holy  head  in  his  lap.  And  meanwhile  the  company  of  monks 
running  up  with  lights  saw  their  father  dying,  and  began  to 
lament.^ 

And,  as  we  have  learned  from  some  who  were  present 
there,^  before  his  soul  departed  the  saint  opened  his  eyes, 
and  looked  about  to  either  side  with  a  countenance  of  wonder- 
ful joy  and  gladness,  for  he  saw  the  holy  angels  coming  to  him, 

Then  Diarmait  raised  [Columba's]  holy  right  hand  to  bless 
the  saintly  man's  choir  of  monks ;  and  the  venerable  father 
himself  also,  so  far  as  he  could,  moved  his  hand  at  the  same 
time,  so  that  he  appeared  to  bless  the  brethren  even  by  the 
movement  of  his  hand,  since  in  the  departure  of  his  soul  he 
could  not  do  it  in  speech.  And  after  the  holy  benediction 
thus  signified  he  presently  breathed  out  his  spirit. 

And  after  he  had  left  the  tabernacle  of  the  body,  his  face 
remained  so  glowing,  and  marvellously  made  joyous  by  the 
vision  of  angels,  that  it  appeared  not  as  of  one  dead,  but  as  of 
one  asleep  and  living. 

Meanwhile  the  whole  church  resounded  with  sad  lamenta- 
tions. .  .  .* 

1  "  But  first  it  had  been  seen  by  several  of  the  brethren  "  Cummine's 
Life. 

2  "The  rest  of  the  brethren  arrived,  and  seeing  that  their  father  was 
dying  they  grieved  exceedingly  for  the  death  of  him  whom  in  life  they  had 
loved"  Cummine's  Life. 

3  These  words  imply  that  Adamnan's  source  of  information  was  speech, 
not  writing.  The  passage  stands  more  briefly  in  the  Life  attributed  to 
Cummine  ;  and  these  words  are  absent  there. 

*  Lugaid  Tailchan's  son   in  Cloni-finchoil  in  Ireland  had  a  vision  of 


DEATH  AND  BURIAL  OF  COLUMBA  115 

Meanwhile  after  the  departure  of  the  holy  soul,  when 
morning  hymns  had  been  concluded  ^  the  sacred  body  was 
carried  back  with  tuneful  psalmody  of  the  brethren  from  the 
church  to  the  dwelling  ^  whence  he  had  come  a  little  while 
before,  alive  ;  and  reverent  obsequies  were  properly  conducted 
with  honour  for  three  days  and  as  man}^  nights.  When  this 
period  was  over,  passed  in  savoury  praises  of  God,  the 
venerable  body  of  the  holy  and  blessed  patron  was  wrapped 
in  clean  linen  cloths  and  placed  in  the  coffin  ^  prepared,  and 
buried  with  due  reverence,  to  rise  again  in  bright  and  eternal 
glory.  .  .  .* 

angels  coming  to  Zona  for  Columba's  soul.  He  told  it  to  Fergna  ( Virgnous) : 
"  In  the  same  days  Fergna  rowed  over  from  Ireland  [^Scotia],  and  passing 
the  remaining  days  of  his  life  in  the  island  of  Hinba  he  very  often  related 
to  the  monks  of  St  Columba  this  vision  of  angels,  as  it  has  been  described 
above  ;  and  he  had  undoubtedly  learned  it  from  the  mouth  of  the  holy 
old  man  to  whom  it  had  been  revealed.  And  after  many  years  passed 
irreproachably  in  subjection  among  the  brethren,  this  Fergna  completed 
other  twelve  years  in  the  place  of  the  anchorites  in  Muirbulcmar,  leading 
the  life  of  an  anchorite,  as  a  victorious  soldier  of  Christ. 

"We  have  not  only  found  this  aforesaid  vision  inscribed  in  writing,  but 
have  heard  it  told  without  any  hesitation  by  some  experienced  elders,  to 
whom  Fergna  himself  had  related  it." 

Ernene  Mocufirroide  (buried  at  Druimm-tomme,  i.e.  Drumhome,  in 
Donegal)  in  the  valley  of  the  Finn  in  Donegal,  and  other  fishers,  saw  a 
fiery  column  in  the  east  at  the  time  of  Columba's  death  ;  Adamnan  in  his 
youth  heard  it  from  Ernene  himself  when  he  was  very  old. 

These  visions  are  not  in  Cummine's  Life. 

Amra  Coluimchille,  L.H.,  i,  171  : — "His  death  [was]  good;  .  .  .  God's 
angels  [were  present]  when  he  ascended.  (I.e.,  the  angels  of  God  of 
heaven  met  him  when  he  ascended.)" 

The  Irish  Life  makes  Diarmait  live  for  seven  years  after  Columba's 
death;  Stokes,  Three  Homilies,  ii8:  "A  violent  disease  attacked  his 
attendant,  named  Diarmait ;  and  he  died.  And  [Columba]  prayed  for  him, 
and  he  awoke  out  of  death.  And  not  this  only,  but  [Columba]  asked  seven 
years'  life  for  him  after  himself."  To  the  same  effect  in  the  Book  of 
Lismore  ;  Stokes,  Lismore  Lives,  31.     See  Adamnan,  II,  30. 

Diarmait  was  doubtless  the  authority  for  the  tales  of  Columba  in 
connection  with  which  his  name  is  mentioned. 

^  I.e.  after  the  midnight  service  for  which  the  monks  had  assembled. 

^  kospiiium. 

^  ratabiista. 

^  During  the  three  days  of  Columba's  obsequies,  in  accordance  with 
his  prophecy  storm  raged  and  kept  all  visitors  from  lona  (so  also  in 
Cummine,  XXIV,  p.  42). 


116  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Oolumlba,  book  III,  c.  23  ^ 

After  the  reading  of  these  three  books,  let  each  studious 
reader  observe  of  what  and  how  great  merit  was  the  holy, 
venerable  prelate,  oft-times  above-mentioned,  in  what  and 
how  great  honour  he  was  esteemed  by  God,  what  and  how 
great  visitations  were  vouchsafed  to  him  of  angels  and 
lights ;  how  great  gift  of  prophecy  he  had,  what  power  of 
transcendent  miracles;  how  greatly  and  how  frequently  the 
glory  of  divine  light  gleamed  round  him  while  he  still 
dwelt  in  mortal  ilesh :  and  even  after  the  departure  of  his 
most  gentle  soul  from  the  tabernacle  of  the  body,  this 
same  heavenly  brightness  ceases  not  unto  this  day,  nor  the 
visitation  of  holy  angels,  to  frequent  the  place  where  his 
holy  bones  remain,  as  is  held  to  be  proved,  being  shown  to 
certain  chosen  persons. 

And  upon  the  same  man  of  blessed  memory  this  great 
favour  also  has  been  conferred  by  God,  that  his  name 
has  been  worthy  not  only  to  be  proclaimed  with  renown 
through  our  whole  Ireland,^  and  Britain,  the  greatest  of 
the  whole  circle  of  all  the  islands,  although  he  dwelt  in 
this  small  and  outermost  isle  of  the  Britannic  ocean,  but 
even  to  reach  as  far  as  triangular  Spain  and  to  Gaul,  and 
to  Italy,  beyond  the  Pennine  Alps ;  also  to  the  city  of 
Rome  itself,  which  is  the  head  of  all  cities.  Among  the 
other  ^  gifts  of  God's  granting,  such  and  so  great  honour  of 
renown  is  known  to  have  been  bestowed  upon  the  saint  by 
God,  who  loves  those  that  love  him,  and  glorifying  more 
and  more  those  that  with  savoury  praises  magnify  him 
exalts  them  to  unbounded  honours :  and  He  is  blessed 
through  the  ages.     Amen. 

I  beseech  all  those  that  may  v/ish  to  copy  these  books,  nay 
rather  I  conjure  them  through  Christ,  the  judge  of  the  ages, 
after  carefully  copying  them  to  compare  them  with  the 
exemplar  from  which  they  have  written,  and  to  correct  them 

1  Reeves's  edition,  241-242;  Skene's,  217-218.  Cf.  the  first  sentence 
of  Cummine's  chapter  XXV,  in  Pinkerton,  Vitae,  43. 

2  Scotiani. 

^  In  text  ceterae J  read  cetera,  as  in  MS.  B. 


SANCTITY  AND  FAME  OF  COLUMBA  117 

with   all   heed,   and   also   to   append   this  conjuration  in  this 
place.^ 

^  Here  the  scribe  of  MS.  A  adds  ; — "Whoever  reads  these  books  of 
the  virtues  of  St  Columba,  let  him  pray  to  the  Lord  for  me,  Dorbene,  that 
after  death  I  may  possess  eternal  life."  (Cf.  facsimile  in  Fowler's  edition, 
p.  i66).  This  Dorbene  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  abbot  of  that  name, 
who  died  in  713  (see  that  year,  below).  MS.  A  may  have  been  in  Dorbene's 
own  writing,  and  copied  directly  from  Adamnan's.  Cf  W.  M.  Lindsay, 
Early  Irish  Minuscule  Script,  2-3  (Oxford,  1910). 


PART  V 

Zenith  and  Decline  of  Dalriata 

?S97 

Tigernach,  Annals;   Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  i6o, 
s.a.  [592]  =  S96?i 

The  death  of  Eogan,  Gabran's  son." 

?ca.  598 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvh',  p.  160, 
s.a.  [594]'=  598? 

The  slaughter  of  the  sons  of  Aidan,  namely  Bran  and 
Domangart  and  Eochaid  Find  and  Arthur,  in  the  battle  of 
Circhend,*  in  which  Aidan  was  conquered.^ 

'  Placed  in  the  same  year-section  as  the  death  of  Columba,  and  immedi- 
ately after  the  notice  of  that  event. 

^  Similarly  in  A..U.,  i,  76,  s.a.  594  =  595- 

See  above,  p.  "j"],  where  Eogan's  name  is  given  in  the  diminutive 
form,  Eoganan. 

There  is  uncertainty  in  the  dates  of  the  last  decade  of  the  6th  century, 
and  first  decade  of  the  7th  century.  With  exception  of  A. I.,  the  Irish 
annals'  dates  fall  behind  at  this  time  ;  and  it  is  possible  that  A.I.'s  dates 
are  a  year  ahead  of  the  year  intended  (as  at  613).  I  imagine  that  for  a 
score  of  years  T.'s  and  C.S.'s  dates  (between  [588]  and  [608])  of  Scottish 
events  at  least  are  4  years  behind  the  year  intended  by  their  source;  I 
give  the  equations,  and  have  with  considerable  hesitancy  arranged  events 
of  the  next  ten  years  under  these  conjectural  dates  ;  not  so  much  because 
I  think  them  more  trustworthy  ihan  the  dates  of  A.I.,  as  in  order  to  retain 
the  sequence  of  the  events  as  they  stand  in  the  Irish  annals. 

^  F.n.  6.  From  the  sequence  of  events  and  A.I.'s  dates,  this  annal  may 
belong  to  599. 

■*  i  cath  Chirchind^  although  the  sentence  is  constructed  in  Latin.  This 
battle  was  perhaps  fought  in  the  Mearns  :  the  Howe  of  Mearns  was  at 
one  time  called  Mag-Circin.  Cf  below,  year  752,  and  above,  p.  96. 
Tigernach  has  named  here  too  many  of  Aidan's  sons.  But  if  Adamnan 
and  A.U.  are  both  right,  the  battle  must  have  been  fought  in  England. 

5  A.U.,  i,  76,  s.a.  595  =  596  (with  fn.  and  e.  of  596) :  "The  slaughter  of 
the  sons  of  Aidan,  namely  Bran  and  Domangart." 
lis 


BATTLE  OF  CIRCHEND.     DEATH  OF  BAITHINE     119 

?6oo 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  i6i ; 
s.a.  [596]!  =  600? 

The  repose  of  Baithine,  abbot  of  Zona,  in  the  sixty-sixth 
year  of  his  age.^ 

Life  of  Baithine ;  Smedt  and  De  Backer's  Acta  Sanctorum 
Hiberniae  ex  Codice  Salmanticensi,  columns  871-872 

The  reverend  father  abbot  Baithine  was  actively  instructed 
from  his  infancy  in  the  word  of  God,  and  in  discipline,  by  the 
most  renowned  abbot,  Columba  ;  and  as  he  grew  in  bodily  age. 

According  to  Adamnan  (above,  p.  96),  Arthur  and  Eochaid  Find  had 
been  killed  in  the  battle  with  the  Miathi,  before  597  ;  and  Domangart  was 
killed  "  in  England,"  probably  at  Degsastan  in  603  (below,  and  in  English 
Chroniclers,  11).  Tigernach  has  therefore  added  names  here  incorrectly  ; 
and  perhaps  A.U.  have  added  Domangarl's  name  incorrectly. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  96,  s.a.  590  (after  the  death  of  Columba)  : 
"  The  battle  of  Kirkynn  in  Scotland  was  fought,  where  the  sons  of  king 
Aidan — namely  Brian,  Domangart,  Eochaid  Find,  and  Arthur — were 
slain,  and  king  Aidan  himself  overcome." 

1  F.n.  I. 

-  A.U.,  i,  76,  s.a.  597  =598  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  598)  :  "The  repose  of 
Baithine,  abbot  of  lona."  So  also  in  C.S.,  64,  s.a.  [596]  (f  n.  I  ;  Hennessy's 
year  598). 

A.I.,  9,  O'Conor's  year  593=601  (2  years  after  599):  "Baithine 
reposed  in  Christ,  the  years  of  his  age  being  66  "  (for  anno  in  O'Conor's 
text  the  MS.  has  annis). 

F.M.,  i;  220,  s.a.  595:  "St  Baithine,  Brendan's  son,  abbot  of  lona  of 
Columcille,  died  on  the  gth  of  June." 

The  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  97,  s.a.  590  (a  section  in  which  several 
years  are  run  together  ;  it  contains  Columba's  death)  :  "  St  Baithine 
abbot  of  lona  in  the  66th  year  of  his  age  died." 

The  Annals  from  L.L.  (R.S.  89,  ii,  516)  place  under  one  year  "the 
repose  of  Columcille  and  of  Baithine."  Baithine's  day  is  said  by  Adamnan 
to  have  been  the  same  as  Columba's  (below,  p.  189).  Cf.  Oengus,  above, 
p.  103,  note.  A.B.,  5,  place  Baithine's  death  3  years  after  Columba's,  and 
two  years  before  Gregory's  in  604.  The  Martyrology  of  Donegal,  164,  says 
that  Baithine  died  4  years  after  Columba,  on  June  9th,  600.  Possibly  601 
is  the  true  year  (as  in  A.I.). 

T.  places  Baithine's  birth  in  [534],  with  f.n.  i  (R.C.,  xvii,  135) :  "Birth 
of  Baithine,  Columcille's  disciple."  So  also  in  C.S.,  44,  s.a.  [536]  (fn.  3  ; 
Hennessy's  year  535);  and  the  parallel  year  in  A.U.  is  535  =536.  It  is 
entered  from  T.  in  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  78,  s.a.  536.  No  doubt 
the  birth  was  entered  65  years  before  the  death  of  Baithine. 


120  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

he  practised  faithfully  works  so  much  the  more  strenuous  and 
more  perfect.  For  no  one  could  ever  catch  him  idle ;  because 
he  passed  the  [leisure]  time  allowed  him,  in  reading,  or  in 
prayer,  or  in  bodily  labour,  except  that  he  sometimes  inter- 
rupted these  pursuits  to  help  the  necessities  of  his  neighbours. 
When  he  made  a  journey  or  spoke  to  any  one,  he  raised 
meanwhile  his  hands  beneath  his  robe,  to  pray  to  the  Lord 
with  active  mind.  And  thus  he  was  so  devoted  to  prayer  that 
in  taking  food,  between  raising  two  mouthfuls  to  his  lips,  and 
so  too  between  two  sips,  he  repeated  that  verse  well-known 
to  holy  men :  "  [Come]  O  God  to  my  aid ;  hasten.  Lord,  to 
help  me."  ^ 

And  what  is  more  difficult,  at  harvest-time  when  he  was 
carrying  to  the  stack  a  sheaf  collected  in  his  [one]  hand,  he 
meanwhile  raised  the  other  to  the  sky,  and  appealed  to  the 
Thunderer ;  and  in  his  devotion  did  not  remove  the  midges 
that  settled  on  his  face. 

He  showed  the  same  diligence  also  in  fulfilling  all  the 
commands  of  God,  and  in  so  far  as  the  ability  of  human  frailty 
allowed  he  subdued  his  flesh,  and  aroused  the  inner  man  with 
spiritual  arms  against  the  foe.  Yet  with  all  these  merits  none 
was  as  anxious  to  protect  earthly  treasure  as  he  to  hide  the 
miracles  that  God  worked  through  him.  And  thus  so  far  as 
he  could  he  refused  to  divulge  his  miracles,  for  the  sake  of 
humility,  and  to  avoid  pride.^ 

Life  of  Baithine;  Smedt  and  De  Backer's  Acta  Sanctorum 
Hiberniae  ex  Codice  Salmanticensi,  column  878 

On  the  third  day  of  the  week,  while  St  Baithine  was  praying 
to  the  Lord  in  the  church  beside  the  altar,   stupor  almost  of 

'  Psalms,  LXX,  i  (in  Vulgate,  LXIX,  2). 

2  Cf.  the  testimonium  Fintini^filii  Lippani,  to  this  effect:  "Know  that 
none  on  this  side  of  the  Alps  is  found  equal  to  him  in  acquaintance  with 
the  divine  scriptures,  and  in  the  greatness  of  his  knowledge."  Smedt  and 
De  Backer,  876  ;  cf.  876-877. 

Ibid.,  877-878:  "To  this  must  also  be  added  the  testimony  of  St 
Columba  himself  concerning  him.  For  he  said  that  his  pupil  Baithine, 
and  John  the  Evangehst,  Christ's  pupil,  were  not  dissimilar  in  purest 
innocence,  and  in  wisest  simplicity,  and  in  the  discipHne  of  the  severity  of 
perfect  works  ;  that  nevertheless  their  teachers  were  widely  different 
in  their  customs." 


ABBOT  BAITHINE.     KING  GARTNAIT  121 

death  fell  upon  him  there.  And  when  the  brethren  were 
lamenting  around  him,  Diarmait,  Columba's  attendant,  said  : 
"  Behold,  brethren,  you  see  that  there  will  not  be  a  great 
interval  between  two  festivals  of  our  elders." 

As  he  said  this,  Baithine  awoke  as  it  were  out  of  a  deep 
sleep,  and  said :  "  If  I  have  found  grace  in  the  eyes  of  God,  and 
if  I  have  run  to  this  day  a  perfect  course  in  his  sight,  I  trust 
in  him  that  I  shall  not  die  till  the  nativity  of  my  predecessor." 
And  it  occurred  thus,  after  about  six  days. 

The  pang  of  unendurable  pains  did  not  deter  him  from  the 
work  of  writing  and  praying  and  teaching,  until  the  hour  in 
which  he  slept  and  was  added  to  his  fathers. 

This  little  of  the  life  of  St  Baithine.^ 

?6oi 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  162  ; 
s.a.  [597]  ^  =  601  ? 

The  death  of  Gartnait,  king  of  the  Picts.^ 

1  This  Life  from  the  Salamanca  MS.  is  too  late  to  have  much 
authority,  but  some  incidents  in  it  may  rest  upon  early  tradition. 

The  description  here  given  of  Baithine's  death  implies  that  he  died  on 
June  9th,  about  six  days  after  a  Tuesday  ;  if  this  were  right,  June  9th 
would  have  been  about  Monday  ;  but  it  was  Friday  in  601.  It  would  have 
been  Monday  in  598,  which  was  probably  the  year  intended  by  the 
biographer. 

2  F.n.  2.  Under  the  same  year  is  placed  a  note  "the  Saxons  came  to 
the  faith,"  which  probably  refers  to  Augustine's  mission  of  597.  Similarly 
in  C.S.,  66,  s.a.  [597]  (Hennessy's  599):  "The  Saxons  received  the  faith  " 
("the  Catholic  faith"  in  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  97,  s.a.  590).  Cf. 
A.U.,  i,  76,  s.a.  597  =  598  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  598):  "Augustine  came  to 
England."  But  Scottish  and  Irish  events  have  been  entered  too  early 
in  the  Irish  annals,  and  probably  601  or  602  is  the  year  of  Gartnait's 
death. 

2  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  97,  s.a.  590  (after  the  death  of  Columba 
[t  597]  and  the  battle  of  Dunbolg  [598],  and  the  kings  of  [ca.  600-643] ) : 
"  Gartnait  \Garnat\,  king  of  the  Picts,  died." 

The  Chronicles  of  the  Picts  (ABC)  give  Gartnait  a  reign  of  11  years, 
after  the  reign  of  Brude,  Maelchon's  son.     See  above,  year  584. 

Version  D  of  the  Chronicle  of  the  Picts,  in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  150,  says  : 
"He  built  Abernethy."  Fordun's  version,  IV,  12;  i,  154  (not  in  Skene's 
MSS.  BE) :  "He  founded  Abernethy."  Version  F  (P.  &  S.,  172)  attaches 
this  note  to  Gartnait's  successor,  Nechtan.  Version  H  (ibid.,  201)  reads  : 
"  [Gartnait]  built  the  church  of  Abernethy,  225  years  and  11  months  before 


122  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

the  church  of  Dunkeld  was  built  by  king  Constantine,  king  of  the  Picts." 
Versions  ABC  give  a  mythical  account  of  the  foundation  of  Abernethy,  in 
the  reign  of  Nechtan  Mor-brecc,  Drust  Gurthinmoch's  predecessor.  See 
above,  p.  cxxi. 

An  insertion  in  version  A  of  the  Chronicle  of  the  Picts  (Skene's  P.  &  S., 
6-7)  describing  the  legendary  foundation  of  Abernethy,  says :  "  Thus 
Nechtan  the  great,  Erp's  son,  king  of  all  the  provinces  of  the  Picts,  gave 
Abernethy  as  an  offering  to  St  Bridget,  to  the  day  of  Judgement,  along 
with  its  territories,  which  extend  from  the  stone  in  Apurfeirt  as  far 
as  the  stone  beside  Ceirfuill,  that  is,  Lethfoss,  and  thence  upwards  as 
far  as  Athan."     See  above,  p.  cxxi. 

The  identification  of  Apurfeirt  with  the  junction  of  the  Farg  and  the 
Earn,  if  correct,  would  require  the  reading  Apurfeirc.  Skene  wished  to 
identify  Ceirfuill  with  Carpow,  Athan  with  Hatton. 

The  fabulous  Tale  of  Cano,  in  the  Yellow  Book  of  Lecan,  128-132,  says 
that  "there  was  contention  for  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  between  Aidan, 
Gabran's  son,  and  Gartnan,  son  of  Aed,  son  of  Gabran  ;  and  in  the  battles 
and  contentions  between  them,  half  the  men  of  Scotland  fell."  According 
to  this  story,  Aidan  killed  Gartnan,  in  the  crannog  of  Inis-meic-Uchen,  and 
would  have  killed  Cano,  Gartnan's  son,  but  that  Cano  made  curachs,  and 
escaped  with  his  followers  to  Ireland.  A  description  of  their  accoutrements 
is  given  there,  128  b.  (Anecdota  from  Irish  MSS.,  i,  2.  Cf  O'Curry,  Manners 
and  Customs,  iii,  164-165.) 

The  Tale  of  Cano  is  interesting  and  old,  but  has  no  historical  value. 

It  contains  verses  in  which  Cano  is  called  "  Cano,  Gartnan's  son,  from 
Skye"  {Sci;  Anecdota,  i,  6  ;  cf.  80,  14).  The  Tale  implies  that  Cano  fled 
to  Ireland  in  the  reign  of  Aidan,  and  after  the  death  of  Aed  Slaine 
(t6o4  ;  A.U.),  and  that  he  returned  to  Scotland  in  the  time  of  Diarmait, 
son  of  Aed  Slaine  (Diarmait  became  king  of  Ireland  in  643,  according  to 
A.U.).  It  is  implied  that  Cano's  return  was  not  long  after  Aidan's  death. 
It  would  seem,  from  the  Tale,  that  Cano's  father  was  the  Gartnait,  king  cf 
the  Picts,  who  died  (ca.  601)  in  Aidan's  reign.  Nechtan,  Cano's  son, 
appears  from  the  annals  to  have  died  (?62i)  about  the  same  time  as  king 
Nechtan,  Verb's  grandson,  the  successor  of  Gartnait. 

But  this  king  Gartnait  was  Domelch's  son.  It  is  possible  that 
Domelch  was  his  mother's  name  ;  and  it  is  possible  that  Verb  was 
Nechtan's  grandmother.  Ferb  (genitive  Feirbe)  was  an  Irish  woman's- 
name  ;  Gartnait's  connection  with  the  house  of  Dalriata  might  have  been 
through  her,  and  not  through  his  father.  More  probably,  the  pedigree  in  the 
Tale  is  fabulous. 

There  are  irreconcilable  divergencies  between  the  Tale  and  the  Irish 
annals.  The  annals  appear  to  place  Cano's  escape,  with  his  brothers,  from 
Skye,  in  668  ;  and  his  death  in  687,  his  daughter's  in  689,  and  his  son's  in 
705.  These  dates,  along  with  the  capture  of  Cano's  son  in  673,  would 
suggest  that  Cano's  father  was  king  Gartnait,  Donald's  son  (t  663).  But  the 
annals  imply  rather  that  Cano's  father  was  Accidan's  son  (see  year  ca.  649). 
Even  if  the  annalists  had  entered  these  events  about  43  years  too  late  (see 


BATTLE  OF  DEGSASTAN  123 

603 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  163, 
s.a.  [599] '  =  603? 

A  battle  with  the  Saxons  [was  fought]  by  Aidan ;  and  there 
Eanfrith,  ^thelfrith's  brother,  fell,  [slain]  by  Maelumai,  Baetan's 
son  ;  and  there  [Aidan]  was  conquered.^ 

603 

Chronicle  of  Holyrood,  p.  9 

In  the  year  603,  Aidan,  king  of  the  Scots  who  dwelt 
in  Britain,  came  against  .(Ethelfrith,^  the  king  of  the 
Northumbrians,  with  an  immense  and  powerful  army;  but, 
beaten,  he  fled  away  with  few.  For  in  a  very  renowned  place 
called  Dexastan,  that  is  to  say  Dexa  stone,''  almost  all  his  army 
was  slain.  And  ^thelfrith  accomplished  this  battle  in  the 
eleventh  )-ear  of  his  kingdom,  and  in  the  first  year^  of  Phocas, 
who  then  occupied  the  summit  of  the  Roman  realm.  And  the 
aforesaid  king  ^thelfrith  reigned  for  twenty-four  years." 

year  643,  note),  they  would  not  agree  with  the  statement  that  Cano  fled 
from  king  Aidan. 

There  were  at  least  two  Canos  ;  but  the  Tale  appears  to  have  placed 
the  later  one  more  than  60  years  too  early,  in  order  to  make  him  a 
contemporary  of  king  Aidan,  who  was  a  prominent  figure  in  Irish  tales. 
In  any  case  the  Tale  does  not  affect  the  authority  of  the  annals. 

See  years  ca.  574,  ?62i,  668,  notes. 

'  F.n.  5.  Other  events  placed  by  Tigernach  in  this  year-section  .Tppear 
in  C.S.,  66,  s.a.  [598],  Hennessy's  year  600. 

^  A.U.,  i,  78,  s.a.  599  =  600  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  600):  "The  Saxons' 
battle,  in  which  Aidan  was  conquered." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  97,  s.a.  603  :  "  The  battle  between  king 
Aidan  and  the  Saxons  was  fought,  where  Aidan  had  the  victory,  and 
Eanfrith  \CanfritJi\,  brother  of  king  yEthelfrith,  was  slain  by  the  hands  of 
Maelumai,  Baetan's  son  "  {Moyleawa  mcBoylan\. 

The  death  of  Maelumai  Baetan's  son  is  placed  by  T.  (u.s.,  169)  s.a. 
[609]  (for  f.n.  6  read  3  :  [609]  and  [608]  are  transposed).  Cf.  A.U.,  i,  86, 
s.a.  609  =  610.  It  is  placed  by  C.S.,  72,  s.a.  [608]  (f.n.  5,  read  2  ;  Hennessy's 
year  610). 

3  "Alfred"  in  MS. 

*  Degsastan  may  have  been  at  the  head  of  Liddesdale,  near  Dawston 
Burn,  within  the  Catrail ;  not  far  within  the  present  boundary  of  Scotland. 

5  I.e.,  603  A.D. 

^  This  passage  is  derived  from  Bede's  H.E.,  I,  34  (E.C.,  11-12). 

Chronicle  of  the   Picts,  version  I,  in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  286:    "Aidan, 


124  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

?6o4 

Tigernaoh,  Annals;   Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  164; 
s.a.  [600]  1  =  604  ? 

The  battle  of  Cuil-coel,  in  which  Fiachna  Baetan's  son  was 
the  conqueror.     Fiachna  Deman's  son  fled.^ 

Gabran's  son — 513  [years]  from  the  Incarnation,  when  Aidan  and  ALthel- 
frith  [Cad/red]  fought  a  battle  in  the  place  that  is  called  Dexastan."  For 
dxiii  read  dciii. 

Herimannus  Augiensis,  Chronicon  ;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  v,  91,  s.a.  604, 
says  that  "  In  Britain,  ^Ethelfrith,  king  of  the  English,  conquered  Aidan, 
king  of  the  Scots,  invading  the  island"  {insulam  petentemj  Hermann 
regards  the  Scots  as  living  outside  of  Britain),  "  [Aidan's]  strong  army 
being  destroyed  in  battle." 

Fordun,  III,  30  (i,  116) :  "And  at  another  time  the  army  of  king  Aidan 
was  conquered  while  he  was  present  ;  namely  in  the  33rd  year  of  his 
reign.  In  the  nth  year  after  he  had  conquered  Ceawlin,  king  of  the 
Saxons  [West  Saxons  MSS.  BCEF],  it  was  at  last  agreed  between  [Aidan] 
and  the  Britons  that  they  should  meet  at  a  place  fixed  upon  with  faithful 
promises,  to  attack  in  both  quarters — he  on  the  north,  they  at  the  same 
time  on  the  south — the  Northumbrian  peoples,  who  were  ruled  at  that 
time  by  yEthelfrith,  a  king  strong  in  forces  and  discreet,  who  annoyed  the 
Britons  and  the  Scots  with  constant  injuries.  So  the  king  [Aidan], 
although  very  old  in  years,  invaded  the  districts  of  Northumbria  when  the 
time  appointed  came,  hoping  that  [the  Britons]  on  their  part  would  do 
what  they  had  undertaken  in  the  agreement  ;  and  while  from  day  to  day 
his  army  employed  its  leisure  in  burning  and  spoiling,  on  one  of  the  days 
[of  waiting]  king  jEthelfrith  with  a  massed  army  came  upon  the  Scots,  who 
were  scattered  in  this  manner  for  robbery  through  the  villages  and  the 
fields  ;  and  conquered  them,  not  without  great  slaughter  of  his  men.  .  .  ." 
Here  follow  quotations  from  Bede. 

For  the  alleged  defeat  of  Ceawlin  by  Aidan,  see  above,  p.  97.  Fordun 
appears  to  draw  upon  his  imagination  in  his  account  of  these  affairs. 

1  F.n.  6. 

^  Similarly  in  C.S.,  66,  s.a.  [600]  (Hennessy's  year  602). 

A.I.,  10,  O'Conor's  year  597  =  605  (6  years  after  599):  "The  battle  of 
Cuil-coel."     605  may  be  the  true  date. 

A.U.,  i,  78,  s.a.  601=602  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  602):  "The  battle  of 
Cuil-coel,  in  which  Fiachna  Deman's  son  fled.  Fiachna  Baetan's  son  was 
the  conqueror."  Also  under  the  previous  year  :  "  Thus  I  have  found  in 
Cuanu's  Book  :  that  .  .  .  the  battle  of  Cuil-coel  .  .  .  took  place  in  this 
year." 


DEATH  OF  KING  AIDAN  125 

?6o7 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  167, 
s.a.  [603]  ^  =  607? 

The  death  of  Laisreri,  abbot  of  lona.^ 

?6o8 

Tigernach,  Annals  ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  167  ; 
s.a.  [604]  8  =  608? 
The  death  of  Aidan,  Gabran's  son,  in  the  thirty-seventh* 
year  of  his  reign,  and  the  seventy-fourth  of  his  age.^ 

'  F.n.  3.     Perhaps  the  true  year  is  608  (as  in  A. I.). 

At  the  beginning  of  the  same  year-section  is  noted  (ibid.,  166)  :  "  Phocas 
reigned  for  eight  years."  This  is  taken  through  Bede  (M.G.H.,  Auctores, 
xiii,  309,  with  date  4565)  from  Isidore  (ibid.,  xi,  478).  In  Tigernach's 
previous  year-section  (R.C.  xvii,  165,  with  f.n.  5,  for  which  read  2,  i.e.  [602]), 
with  marginal  date  4566  :  "  Mauricius  died."  Mauricius  was  emperor 
from  582  to  602,  Phocas  from  602  to  610. 

-  Similarly  in  C.S.,  70,  s.a.  [603]  (Hennessy's  year  605)  ;  and  in  A.U., 
i,  82,  s.a.  604  =  605.  A. I.,  10,  under  O'Conor's  year  600  =  608  (g  years  after 
599):  "Repose  of  Laisren."  F.M.,  i,  228,  s.a.  601  :  "St  Laisren,  abbot  of 
lona  of  Columcille,  died  on  the  i6th  of  September." 

Oengus  places  his  death  on  September  i6th  :  "In  lona,  Laisren  the 
happy"  (with  the  note  "Laisren,  abbot  of  lona  of  Columcille"  in  Lebar 
Brecc,  1880  Oengus  p.  cxlvi  ;  in  other  versions,  1905  Oengus,  208).  Laisren 
is  commemorated  under  September  i6th  in  the  Martyrology  of  Gorman 
(178),  and  the  Martyrology  of  Donegal  (248).  The  latter  says  :  "He  was 
of  the  kindred  of  Conall  Gulban,  Niall's  son." 

'  With  f.n.  4.  Under  the  same  year  Tigernach  reads  :  "  In  the  2nd 
year  of  Phocas,  pope  Gregory  departed  to  the  Lord  "  ;  A.U.  add,  "  accord- 
ing to  Bede."  This  is  derived  from  Bede's  Chronicle  (M.G.H.,  Auctores, 
xiii,  309) ;  Bede  uses  the  Liber  Pontificalis  (M.G.H.,  Gesta  Pontificum, 
i,  164).  Events  of  various  years  are  entered  by  Tigernach  in  the  next 
year-section,  from  Bede  (u.s.,  310),  who  takes  them  from  the  Liber  Ponti- 
ficalis and  Isidore.     Gregory  I  died  A.D.  604. 

*  For  "37th"  in  T.  and  C.S.  we  should  probably  read  "34111,"  {xxxiiii 
for  xxxuii)  as  in  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise.  The  Chronicles  of  Dalriata 
give  Aidan  a  reign  of  34  years.  If  he  reigned  33x34  years  after  574,  he 
would  have  died  607  x  608. 

^  C.S.,  71,  s.a.  [604]  (f.n.  4  ;  Hennessy's  year  606) :  "  The  death  of  Aidan, 
Gabran's  son,  in  the  37th  year  of  his  reign,  and  the  88th,  or  86th,  of  his  age." 

A.U.,  i,  84,  s.a.  605=606  :  "The  death  of  Aidan,  son  of  Gabran,  (son 
of  Domangart,  king  of  Scotland)."  The  words  mic  DoniMigairt  righ  Alban 
are  placed  within  brackets  by  Hennessy  ;  presumably  he  means  that  they 
are  a  later  addition  to  the  MS.  A.U.  call  Aidan's  son,  Eochaid  Buide, 
"  king  of  the  Picts  "  at  the  time  of  his  death  ;  see  year  ?  630. 


126  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

ca.  6ii 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  169,  s.a.  [608]  ^ 
Neman,  abbot  of  Lismore,  rested.^ 

ca.  612 

Annales  Cambriae,  in  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  156; 
s.a.  [612/613]^ 

The  death  of  Conthigirnus.* 

A. I.,  10,  O'Conor's  year  601  =6og  (10  years  after  599):  "The  death  of 
Aidan,  Gabran's  son." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  98,  s.a.  604  :  "  King  Aidan  of  Scotland  died  in 
the  34th  year  of  his  reign,  and  in  the  78th  year  of  his  age.  .  .  . 

"  The  end  of  the  Chronicles  of  Eusebius"  (i.e.,  of  Isidore  ;  615). 

The  Annals  of  Boyle,  5,  (O'Conor's  year  580)  place  Aidan's  death  7 
years  after  Gregory's,  which  they  date  A.M.  58o5  =  A.D.  604;  borrowing 
events  but  not  the  date  from  Bede. 

Annales  Cambriae,  Y  Cymmrodor,  ix,  156,  s.a.  [607]  (3  years  after  the 
"  i6oth  year"  after  444) :  "Aidan,  Gabran's  son,  died."  (The  word  "Aidan" 
is  not  in  MS.  C  ;  ed  Ab  Ithel,  6). 

Sigebert  of  Gemblours  (M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vi,  322,  s.a.  615)  confuses 
Aidan's  death  with  the  battle  of  Degsastan  [603]  and  the  battle  of 
Chester  [613]. 

Fland  (above,  p.  cxliv.)  seems  to  place  Aidan's  death  in  606. 

The  Duan  Albanach,  P.  &  S.,  60,  says:  "Twenty-four  years  yonder" 
(i.e.,  in  Argyle)  "  Aidan,  of  many  eulogies,  was  king  "  (ntz  n-iol-rann,  literally 
"of  the  many  verses";  or  perhaps,  as  Skene  translates  it,  "of  many 
divisions."     Yor  ficheat  "  twenty-"  read  trichat  "  thirty- "  ?). 

Fordun  (III,  31)  says  that  Aidan  died  in  the  second  year  after  the 
battle  of  Degsastan,  and  was  buried  at  Kilkerran. 

A  late  account  appears  in  the  Life  of  Berach,  of  Aidan's  being  con- 
sulted as  arbitrator  in  an  Irish  difference  ;  Plummer,  Vitae  Sanctorum 
Hiberniae,  i,  80-81. 

The  "History  of  Aidan,  Gabran's  son"  was  the  subject  of  an  Irish 
literary  composition  ;  L.L.,  189  c.  Cf.  Zeitschrift  fiir  celtische  Philologie, 
ii,  134-135.  He  is  a  figure  in  Welsh  literature  also.  Cf.  the  Gododin  of 
Aneurin,  LXI  (ed.  Stephens,  284).  A  fabulous  Welsh  pedigree  is  given 
in  Skene's  F.A.B.W.,  ii,  454.  Cf.  the  Welsh  Triads,  in  M.A.,  397,  401  ; 
F.A.B.W.,  ii,  460  ;  Loth's  Mabinogion,  ii,  triads  48,  113. 

The  name  of  "Aidan,  Garban's  son"  is  entered  under  April  17th  in 
the  Martyrology  of  Tallaght  (L.L.,  359  a). 

'  F-n-  2.  -  Cf.  below,  year  637. 

^  Placed  2  years  before  the  "  170th  year"  after  444  ;  but  9  years  after 
the  "  1 60th  year." 

*  This  appears  to  have  been  Kentigern,  the  patron  saint  of  Glasgow. 
His  festival  is  January  13th. 


ST  THANEA  AND  ST  SERF  127 

According  to  the  Anonymous  Life  of  Kentigern  (I)  :  "King  Leudonus, 
a  man  semi-pagan,  from  whom  the  province  that  he  ruled,  Lothian,  in 
northern  Britain,  got  its  name,  had  a  daughter  ruled  by  a  step-mother 
\_novercaiani\  ;  and  her  name  was  Thaney."  She  is  called  Thenew  in  the 
Aberdeen  Breviary,  Taneu  in  Joceline. 

Leudonus  appears  to  be  the  same  person  as  Geoffrey  of  Monmouth's 
Lot;  Historia  Regum  Britanniae,  IX,  9  (Giles,  165-166):  "There  were 
there  [i.e.  at  York]  three  brothers  born  of  royal  stock  ;  Lot,  and  Urianus, 
and  also  Auguselus.  These  had  held  the  principate  of  those  regions, 
before  the  Saxons  had  prevailed  [over  them].  So  wishing  to  present  these 
like  the  rest  with  their  paternal  rights,  [Arthur]  restored  to  Auguselus  the 
royal  authority  over  the  Scots  ;  and  he  honoured  [Auguselus']  brother 
Urianus  with  the  sceptre  of  the  Moravians  ;  and  he  restored  to  the  con- 
sulate of  Lothian  and  its  sister  provinces  \Londonesiae  ceteraruviqtte  coin- 
provinciarujii],  which  pertained  to  him,  Lot,  who  had  married  [Arthur's] 
sister  in  the  time  of  Aurelius  Ambrosias,  and  had  had  by  her  Walgannus 
and  Modredius.  Finally  after  restoring  the  state  of  the  whole  country  to 
its  former  dignity,  he  married  a  wife,  Guanhumara.  .  .  ."  See  Fordun, 
Chronica,  III,  24,  25.  Notwithstanding  the  difference  in  names,  the 
anonymous  Life  has  been  influenced  here  by  Geoffrey's  History. 

The  anonymous  Life  says  that  this  Thanea  was  a  Christian,  and  wished 
and  prayed  that  she  might  emulate  the  virginity  and  motherhood  of  Mary. 
She  rejected  a  suitor  whom  her  father  favoured  :  "  For  her  suitor  was  a 
certain  most  elegant  youth,  Ewen,  the  son  of  Erwegende,  sprung  from  the 
most  noble  blood  of  the  Britons.  .  .  .  Ewen  is  called  the  son  of  king 
Ulien  in  the  Gesta  Historiarum."  (He  is  called  "Ewen  Eufurenn,  king  of 
Cumbria,"  in  the  Aberdeen  Breviary,  i,  3,  28.)  Rather  than  marry,  she 
chose  to  be  the  slave  of  a  swineherd,  who  "gave  all  the  honour  he  could  to 
the  girl,  because  he  was  chaste,  and  secretly  a  Christian  ;  and  indeed,  in 
the  fields  and  house  he  taught  her  with  diligence  daily  in  the  things  that 
he  had  learned  from  his  Christian  teachers.  He  had  received  teaching  in 
the  Christian  law  in  Scotland,  from  St  Serf,  a  sacred  teacher  of  the  faith. 

"  This  Serf  [Servanus]  had  been  a  disciple  of  the  venerable  Palladius, 
the  first  bishop  of  the  Scots,  in  the  original  church  of  the  Scots.  [Palladius] 
was  sent  by  pope  Celestine  to  the  Scots  who  believed,  as  their  first  bishop, 
in  the  year  of  the  Lord's  Incarnation  430.  He  found  the  blessed  Serf  in 
Scotland  [A/danid]  before  him,  a  Christian  man:  and  afterwards  he 
initiated  him  sufficiently  in  church  doctrine,  and  made  him  his  suffragan, 
to  teach  those  whom  he  could  not."  (This  paragraph  is  quoted  by 
Fordun,  III,  9  (i,  94),  in  nearly  the  same  words.)  The  Life  falsely  imagines 
that  the  Scotia  to  which  Palladius  was  sent  was  Scotland,  instead  of 
Ireland. 

Cf  the  Book  of  Lecan,  fo.  43  bb  :  "And  [Serf]  is  the  ancient  elder  that 
possesses  [as  patron]  Culross  in  Strathearn  in  the  Comgellaig,  between 
the  Ochil  Hills  and  the  Firth  of  Forth  "  (acus  ise  sin  in  sruiih  senoir  congeb 
Cuilendros  hi  sraith  Hirend  hi  Comgellgaib  itir  sliab  n-Ochel  acus  muir 
n-Giudan;  Reeves,  Culdees,  124,  note).      Cf  B.B.,  214.      These  MSS.  say 


128  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

that  Serf  was  the  son  of  Proc,  king  of  Canand  (Canandan,  in  B.B.)  of  Egypt ; 
and  Alma  (Alma,  in  B.B.),  daughter  of  a  king  of  the  Cruithni.  A  fabulous 
Life  of  the  saint  says  that  he  was  a  son  of  Obeth,  son  of  Elind,  king  in 
Canaan  ;  and  of  Alpia,  daughter  of  a  king  of  Arabia  (Reeves,  u.s.).  The 
Comgellaig  [hostage-lands?]  of  Strathearn  are  apparently  the  district  in 
which  Culross  stands,  now  an  isolated  part  of  Perthshire. 

Reeves  compares  the  Latin  Life  of  Serf  (ibid.)  :  "  Thy  followers  shall 
inhabit  the  land  of  Fife,  and  from  the  mountains  of  the  Britons  to  the 
mountains  that  are  called  Ochil"  {Habitent  terrain  Fif,  et  a  monte  Britann- 
orum  ad  monieni  qui  dicitur  Okhelj  P.  &  S.,  416).  The  "mountain  of  the 
Britons"  may  have  meant  Dumbarton. 

For  St  Serf,  cf.  the  Breviary  of  Aberdeen,  ii,  3,  15.  See  the  pleasant 
description  of  St  Serf  and  his  tame  robin,  in  Joceline's  Life  of  Kentigern, 
V  ;  Historians  of  Scotland,  v,  170,  42. 

The  anonymous  Life  goes  on  to  say  (II)  that  Ewen  persevered  in  his 
attentions.     He  dressed  himself  as  a  woman,  and  ravished  the  girl. 

(III)  "When  the  king  her  father  learned  that  she  was  pregnant 
and  that  she  invoked  the  name  of  Christ,  he  ordered  her  to  be  crushed 
with  stones  \lapidibus  obrui\  according  to  the  law  of  his  country,  as 
a  daughter  who  had  acted  wantonly  and  had  transgressed  her  father's 
law.  For  a  decree  of  their  law  at  that  time  commanded  that  every 
woman  born  of  noble  parents,  if  she  were  caught  in  fornication,  should 
be  crushed  with  blows  of  stones  ;  while  a  serving-maid  was  to  be  branded 
in  the  face  with  a  mark  of  wickedness,  and  held  in  scorn  by  all." 

(IV)  But  because  each  of  her  executioners  was  unwilling  to  be  the  first 
to  be  guilty  of  shedding  royal  blood,  "  she  was  taken  to  the  brow  of 
a  mountain  which  is  called  Kepduf,  so  that  she  might  be  placed  in 
a  chariot  and,  hurled  down  from  the  summit  of  [the  mountain],  might  be 
consigned  to  a  dreadful  death,  while  so  the  executioners  \exactores\  seemed 
innocent  of  her  end."  She  commended  herself  to  St  Mary's  protection, 
and  was  unhurt ;  the  wooden  chariot-wheels  made  ruts  in  the  hard  stone. 

(VI)  But  her  escape  was  attributed  to  magic  art ;  "  and  the  king,  not  to 
appear  to  place  affection  for  his  daughter  before  the  justice  of  his  realm, 
said  :  '  [To  find]  if  she  be  worthy  of  life,  let  her  be  given  up  to  Neptune  ; 
and  let  her  God  deliver  her  from  the  danger  of  death,  since  he  will.' 

"  So  she  was  taken  to  the  firth  that  is  about  three  miles  distant  from 
the  mountain  of  Kepduf,  to  the  mouth  of  a  river  which  is  called  Aberlessic 
— that  is,  the  'river-mouth  of  stench,'  because  there  abounded  at  that  time 
so  great  plenty  and  quantity  of  netted  fish  that  it  was  too  much  trouble  to 
the  inhabitants  to  carry  away  the  multitude  of  fish  cast  out  of  the  boats 
upon  the  shore  ;  and  so  much  decomposition  set  in  among  the  fish  left 
behind  upon  the  shore  of  the  river's  mouth  that  the  sand  was  cemented 
with  the  putrescent  fluid,  and  the  stench  of  violent  rottenness  used  to  send 
away  very  quickly  many  who  came  there." 

The  girl  was  accompanied  by  many  sympathizing  men  and  women  to 
this   place.       She   called   to    God   for   judgement   upon   her   persecutors. 

(VII)  While  the  swineherd  was  being  pursued,  he  threw  a  thonged  javelin 


BIRTH  OF  KENTIGERN  129 

and  killed  the  king.  "And  the  king's  friends  set  up  a  great  stone  in  the 
place  where  he  fell,  as  a  mark  of  his  royal  rank  ;  and  they  placed  above  it 
a  smaller  stone,  [fitted]  by  mason's  craft  {arte  cavatorid\ ;  it  still  stands 
there,  about  one  mile  distant  from  the  mountain  of  Dumpelder,  on  the 
southern  side."     (I.e.,  Dunpender  or  Traprain.) 

"...  Meanwhile  the  mother  of  a  blessed  child  (who,  though  still 
unborn,  was  divinely  directing  his  mother)  was  put  into  a  coracle  \in  laubo\ 
that  is,  a  boat  made  of  hides,  and  towed  out  into  the  deep  sea  beyond  the 
island  of  May. 

"  But  when  the  pregnant  girl  left  the  estuary  of  the  aforesaid  shore,  all 
the  fish  of  that  margin  of  the  sea  accompanied  her  in  procession,  as  their 
mistress.  And  after  the  day  of  her  departure,  the  take  of  fish  there 
ceased.  And  the  estuary  of  the  described  fecundity  remains  sterile  to 
this  day,  because  it  received  the  child  unjustly  condemned.  And  the  fish 
that  followed  the  woman  remain  where  she  was  cast  adrift.  Indeed  from 
that  time  to  this  day  there  abounds  there  so  great  plenty  of  fish  that  from 
every  sea-coast  very  many  fishermen,  English  and  Scottish,  and  also  from 
the  shores  of  Belgium  and  France,  come  there  to  fish  "  {sic  lege) ;  "and  all 
these  the  island  of  May  receives  fitly  in  its  harbours. 

"The  mother  of  the  blessed  child  was  left  alone  in  the  middle  of  the 
sea.  To  God,  who  made  heaven  and  earth,  the  sea,  and  all  that  is  in 
them  ;  who  guards  the  truth,  and  does  justice  to  those  that  suffer 
injustice,  she  most  devoutly  committed  her  purity  of  conscience.  And 
when  morning  broke,  she  came  to  land  safely  in  Scotland"  (i.e.  north  of 
Forth)  "  upon  the  sand  of  the  sea  near  Culross  \Collenross\  which  is 
thirty  miles  distant,  according  to  sailors'  reckoning,  from  the  island  of 
May.  She  was  suffering  greatly  from  the  pangs  of  child-birth,  and 
torturing  pain." 

(VIII)  Commending  herself  to  God,  she  found  and  rekindled  a  half- 
extinguished  fire  ;  and  her  child  was  born.  Herdsmen  found  her,  and 
told  it  to  St  Serf,  who  remarked:  '■'■A  dia,  cur  fir  sin!"  ("O  God,  may 
it  be  true  "  ;  the  only  Gaelic  speech  quoted  in  this  Life.)  "...  And  he 
said,  '  Thanks  be  to  God  ;  for  he  shall  be  my  [dear]  son.'  Because  at  the 
time  of  the  boy's  birth,  [St  Serf]  had  been  in  his  oratory,  praying  alone, 
after  matin  lauds  ;  and  he  had  heard  in  the  sky  Gloria  z«  excelsis  solemnly 
sung.  He  remembered  therefore  the  joy  of  the  angels  and  the  visit  of  the 
shepherds  at  Bethlehem,  in  the  case  of  the  boy  Christ  and  his  mother 
Mary  ;  and  he  saw  that  in  some  sort  the  birth  of  the  servant  was  like  to  the 
Nativity  of  the  Lord  ;  in  the  angelic  celebration,  in  the  visit  of  herds,  in 
the  solitude  of  the  place.  Triumphantly  with  his  clerks  he  raised  his 
voice  and  sang  those  hymns  of  praise,  Te  deum  laicdamus,  and  Gloria  in 
excelsis?'  The  Life  ends  with  a  dissertation  upon  the  real  chastity  of 
Kentigern's  birth,  which  had  been  the  answer  to  his  mother's  prayers. 

Joceline's  account  omits  mention  of  the  rape  ;  he  suggests  that  an 
anaesthetic  might  have  been  used.  (163  :  "  It  is  well  known  to  us  that 
many,  after  taking  a  draught  of  oblivion,  which  the  physicians  call 
Letargion,  have  fallen  asleep  ;  and  have  had  incision  made  in  their  limbs, 


130  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

and  sometimes  cauterization,  and  abrasion  in  their  vitals,  without  feeling 
anything  ;  after  arousal  from  sleep  they  have  been  ignorant  of  what  had 
been  done  to  them.")  He  does  not  name  Kentigern's  father,  but  admits 
the  virtual  fulfilment  of  Thanea's  prayers  for  a  maiden  conception.  He 
omits  also  her  father's  death  in  answer  to  her  prayer.  There  is  no  doubt 
that  the  anonymous  Life  follows  the  older  version  of  the  legend,  which 
Joceline  wished  to  improve. 

For  the  remainder  of  Kentigern's  life  we  have  only  Joceline's  authority. 
According  to  him,  (IV)  St  Serf  b.aptized  both  mother' and  child,  "calling 
the  mother  Taneu  and  the  boy  Kyentyern,  which  is  interpreted  Chief 
Lord."  Kentigern  grew  up  to  be  so  gifted  in  intelligence  and  disposition 
that  Serf  "called  him  also  customarily  in  his  native  tongue  Mungku, 
which  is  in  Latin  Karissimus  Amicus''^  ("  dearest  friend").  "The  common 
people  have  been  accustomed  to  call  him  by  this  name  very  frequently, 
down  to  the  present  day,  and  to  invoke  him  [by  it]  in  their  difficulties." 
(This  identifies  Kentigern  with  Mungo,  patron  saint  of  Glasgow.  Perhaps, 
however,  Mungo  was  his  original  name  ;  Kentigern,  his  later  name.) 

(V)  Kentigern's  miracles  began  with  the  restoration  to  life  of  Serf's 
tame  robin.  This  was  followed  by  many  other  miracles  (VI,  VII,  VIII,  IX). 
(VIII)  He  left  Serf  secretly.  "Setting  out,  he  came  to  the  Frisian 
Shore  ;  and  there  the  river  named  Mallena  overflowing  its  bed  because 
the  water  of  the  sea  was  flowing  in,  removed  all  hope  of  gcing  across." 
The  water  parted  to  let  him  cross.  "Then  passing  over  a  little  arm  of  the 
sea  by  a  bridge  which  is  called  Serf's  Bridge  by  the  inhabitants,  he  looked 
back  to  the  shore,  and  saw  that  the  waters,  which  had  before  stood  up  in 
a  heap,  had  advanced  again  and  filled  the  bed  of  the  Mallena  ;  they  had 
also  poured  over  the  bridge  named  above,  and  altogether  refused  a 
passage  to  anyone."  Thus  Kentigern  was  parted  from  Serf,  and  they  never 
met  again.  "And  the  place  through  which  St  Kentigern  had  crossed 
became  thenceforth  altogether  impassable.  For  the  bridge  was  ever 
afterwards  covered  by  the  water  of  the  sea,  and  gave  no  one  any  longer 
the  opportunity  to  cross  it  ;  and  the  Mallena  also  changed  the  direction 
of  its  course  from  its  own  place,  and  from  that  day  till  now  turned  back 
into  the  bed  of  the  river  Ledo.  So  indeed  the  two  rivers,  which  had  till 
then  been  separated,  became  combined  and  united."  (The  river-names 
Mallena  and  Ledo  are  fanciful ;  see  Forbes,  ibid.,  328.  Forbes  thinks  the 
Forth  and  Teith  are  meant ;  but  probably  some  stream  with  tidal  estuary 
nearer  to  Culross  is  indicated.) 

(IX)  Kentigern  came  on  the  same  day  to  Carnock  {Kernach),  and  took 
thence  the  body  of  an  old  man  (Fergus,  who  had  lived  long  enough  to  see 
Kentigern  and  die  in  his  presence)  in  a  wagon  drawn  by  "two  untamed 
bulls,"  "  as  far  as  Cathures,  which  is  now  called  Glasgow "  :  and  buried 
hrni  there,  in  "a  certain  cemetery  formerly  consecrated  by  St  Ninian." 

(X)  Here  Kentigern  took  his  abode.  (XI)  "  The  king  and  clergy  of  the 
Cambrian  district,  with  the  rest  of  the  Christians— although  they  were 
very  few— ":  elected  him  their  bishop.  He  was  consecrated  (although  only  in 
the  twenty-fifth  year  of  his  age  ;  XII)  by  one  bishop,  "after  the  custom  of 


LIFE  OF  KENTIGERN  131 

the  Britons  and  the  Scots  of  that  time."  This  bishop  was  brought  from 
Ireland.  "[Kentigern]  appointed  his  cathedral  see  in  the  village  named 
Glesgu,  which  is  interpreted  the  '  Dear  Family ' ;  it  is  now  called  Glasgow 
[Glasgu\.  There  too  he  united  to  God  a  very  numerous"  (reading 
plurimain)  "family  dear  and  renowned,  of  men  serving  God  in  continence, 
and  living  after  the  manner  of  the  original  church  under  the  apostles 
without  property,  in  holy  discipline  and  godly  obedience. 

"  And  the  diocese  of  his  episcopate  extended  to  the  boundaries  of  the 
Cambrian  kingdom.  This  kingdom  [extended],  as  did  formerly  the 
rampart  [built]  by  the  emperor  Severus,  from  sea  to  sea  ;  afterwards,  by 
aid  and  counsel  of  the  Roman  legion — to  check  invasion  by  the  Picts — 
there  was  built  in  the  same  place  a  wall,  eight  feet  in  breadth,  twelve  feet 
in  height.  It  reaches  to  the  river  Forth  [flumen  Fordense],  and  as  a 
boundary-line  divides  Scotland  from  England."  Joceline  calls  the  kingdom 
"  the  district  of  Cambria"  (but  Cambrma  in  the  Dublin  MS.). 

Joceline  next  describes  (cf.  also  XXVI I)  the  mythical  conversion  of 
Britain  in  the  time  of  pope  Eleutherius  (who  was  pope  for  15  years  from 
176,  according  to  Prosper;  M.G.H.,  Auctores,  ix,  431).  This  story  passed 
from  the  Liber  Pontificalis  (M.G.H.,  G.P.R.,  i,  17)  to  Bede  and  Nennius 
(M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  288,  164).  See  Haddan  and  Stubbs,  Councils, 
i,  25-26  ;  Forbes,  Historians  of  Scotland,  v,  342. 

(XII)  Kentigern  lived  with  great  austerity,  eating  only  bread  with 
milk,  cheese,  or  butter,  and  pottage  [pulme7itun{\  ;  and  only  on  one  day 
in  three  or  in  four.  When  he  relaxed  his  abstinence  upon  a  journey  or 
dining  with  the  king,  he  made  up  for  it  afterwards.  (XIII)  "He  was  clad 
in  rough  horse-hair  next  his  skin,  then  in  a  tunic  [ifielote]  made  of  goats' 
skins,  then  in  a  cowl  drawn  like  a  fisherman's  ;  above  this  he  wore  a  white 
alb,  and  always  carried  a  stole,  placed  upon  his  head.  And  [he  had] 
a  pastoral  staff  not  rounded  and  covered  with  gold  and  jewels  as  one  sees 
now-a-days,  but  of  plain  wood,  bent  only.  He  had  in  his  hand  his 
manual-book,  ever  ready  to  perform  his  office,  when  necessity  or  cause 
required.  And  so  in  the  whiteness  of  his  apparel  he  expressed  the  purity  of 
his  inner  mind,  and  avoided  vain-glory." 

(XIV)  He  slept  in  a  stone,  hollowed  like  a  sarcophagus.  Rising  before 
day  he  prayed  and  sang  "  until  the  second  cock-crowing."  Then  he  stood 
naked  in  a  river,  while  he  repeated  the  whole  of  the  psalter  ;  and  after  this 
"he  sat,  drying  his  limbs,  upon  a  stone  on  the  brow  of  a  mountain  called 
Gulath,  beside  the  river  and  near  his  hut."  (This  place  Skene  would 
identify  with  the  Penryn  WIeth  of  Taliessin  ;  F.A.B.W.,  i.  276,  ii,  404.) 
Kentigern   did    this   in   all    weathers.     Thus    he   overcame    bodily   lusts. 

(XV)  He  weighed   his  words,   but  gave   all   his  substance   to   the   poor. 

(XVI)  Marvels  appeared  in  his  celebration  of  mass.  (XVII)  He  withdrew 
to  desert  places  during  Lent  in  rigorous  fasts,  returning  before  the  Lord's 
Supper,  afterwards  on  the  Saturday  before  Palm-Sunday.  He  celebrated 
these  occasions  with  great  zeal,  washing  the  feet  of  poor  men  and  lepers, 
and  fasting  from  Thursday  till  after  mass  on  Easter  Sunday. 

(XVIII)  "  St  Kentigern  is  said  to  have  been,  in  bodily  form,  of  medium 


132  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

stature,  but  rather  approaching  to  tallness.  He  is  stated  to  have  been 
physically  strong,  and  almost  indefatigable  in  enduring  every  kind  of 
labour,  whether  in  body  or  in  spirit.  For  he  was  beautiful  in  face,  and  fair 
in  form.  He  had  a  countenance  full  of  grace  and  reverence,  and  with  his 
dove-like  eyes  and  turtle-dove  cheeks  drew  the  hearts  of  all  beholders  to 
affection  for  him."  His  cheerfulness  was  the  mark  of  gentleness  and 
spiritual  joy.     He  detested  hypocrisy. 

(XIX)  He  set  himself  to  the  work  of  the  bishopric.  "The  renowned 
warrior  began  to  make  war  upon  the  shrines  of  demons,  to  throw  down 
images,  to  build  churches,  to  dedicate  those  he  had  built  ;  to  mark  out 
parishes  with  fixed  boundaries  in  the  cord  of  distribution  ;  to  ordain 
clergy  ;  to  dissolve  incestuous  and  unlawful  marriages  ;  to  change 
concubinage  into  legitimate  wedlock,"  and  to  estabhsh  ecclesiastical 
usages.     He  did  all  this,  travelling  about  on  foot. 

(XX)  He  trained  his  disciples  to  the  principles  of  the  primitive  church  ; 
"...  possessing  nothing  of  their  own,  .  .  .  they  lived  in  separate  huts,  as 
soon  as  they  had  grown  to  age  and  wisdom,  just  as  St  Kentigern  dwelt 
himself.  And  so  the  separate  clergy  \singulares  clerict\  were  called  by  the 
people  Celi-de  {Callideiy     Cf.  Reeves,  Culdees,  27. 

He  worked  at  agriculture.  Having  no  oxen,  he  once  employed  wild 
stags.  One  was  killed  by  a  wolf;  the  wolf  was  yoked  with  the  other  to 
the  plough.     Having  no  seed,  he  sowed  sea-sand  and  reaped  good  wheat. 

(XXI)  "A  considerable  period  of  time  having  passed,  a  tyrant  called 
Morgan  \_Morken\  had  ascended  the  throne  of  the  Cambrian  kingdom." 
This  worldly  man  opposed  Kentigern,  and  refused  him  the  necessary  alms  ; 
saying  that  his  poverty  proved  his  teaching  to  be  false,  and  taunting  him 
that  his  God  could  not  transfer  the  corn  from  the  barns  of  the  king  to  those 
of  the  bishop.  But  the  Clyde  rose  and  did  transfer  the  corn.  Kentigern 
remonstrated  with  the  king,  who  accused  him  of  sorcery  and  kicked  him. 
The  king's  abettor  Cadvan  [Cathen)  fell  with  his  horse  and  broke  his  neck  ; 
Morgan  himself  died  of  gout,  which  became  hereditary  in  his  family.  He 
died  in  a  place  called  Thorp-morgan  {Thorp -mor ken ;  unidentified). 

Kentigern  had  a  time  of  peace.  (XXIII)  But  Morgan's  relatives  still 
hated  Kentigern,  and  conspired  to  kill  him  ;  and  Kentigern  escaped  to 
bishop  David  in  Menevia. 

On  his  way,  Kentigern  visited  Carlisle,  and  erected  in  the  mountains 
a  cross,  which  gave  its  name  to  Cross  Fell  :  thence  he  proceeded  by  the 
shore.  He  gained  the  friendship  of  the  people  of  Menevia,  including  their 
"  king  Catguollaun  [Cathwallaij{\,  who  was  the  ruler  in  that  district."  This 
king  granted  him  the  site  of  a  monastery  at  Llancarvan  ;  thither  he  went 
with  his  disciples,  leaving  St  David. 

(XXIV)  Led  by  a  white  boar  to  a  spot  beside  the  river  Elwy  {Elgu), 
they  began  to  build  a  monastery.  The  prince  of  the  district  interfered,  but 
was  afflicted  with  blindness  until  he  repented.  .(XXV)  Many  disciples 
flocked  to  the  monastery.  One  of  them  was  the  boy,  St  Asaph,  who  in 
early  youth  began  to  perform  miracles  (cf.  Aberdeen  Breviary,  i,  3,  92). 

(XXVI)  Kentig-ern  saw  the  reception  of  St  David  in  Heaven.    (David  died 


KENTIGERN,  MORGAN,  AND  GREGORY  133 

in  [6oi],  according  to  the  Annales  Cambriae.  He  was  a  grandson  of  Ceretic, 
Cuneda's  son.  Cf.  Anscombe,  Archiv  fur  celtische  Lexicographie,  i,  534, 
from  a  pedigree  at  the  end  of  De  Situ  Brecheniauc.) 

XXVII  (Historians,  V,  209-210) :  ".  .  .  Lastly  Britain- was  vanquished  by 
the  Angles,  who  were  still  pagans,  and  from  whom  it  was  called  Anglia  ; 
the  natives  were  driven  out,  and  [the  land]  made  subject  to  idols  and 
idolatry.  And  the  natives  of  the  island  fled  across  the  sea  to  Lesser 
Britain,  or  into  Wales.  But  although  fugitives  from  their  own  land,  they 
yet  did  not  all  wholly  abandon  the  faith. 

"And  the  Picts  received  the  faith  first,  in  great  part,  through  St  Ninian  ; 
afterwards  through  saints  Kentigern  and  Columba.  And  then  they  fell 
into  apostasy,  but  .were  again  converted  to  the  faith  (as  we  have  said 
already  and  shall  say  more  fully),  or  confirmed  in  the  faith,  through  the 
preaching  of  St  Kentigern — not  only  the  Picts,  but  the  Scots,  and  innumer- 
able peoples  placed  in  various  regions  of  Britain. 

"And  St  Augustine,  renowned  for  monastic  habit  and  life;  and  other 
religious  servants  of  God,  came  to  England,  being  sent  by  the  blessed  chief 
pontiff  Gregory.  .  .  . 

"  Because,  then,  Britain  had  been  exhausted  by  so  many  troubles,  and 
Christianity  had  been  so  often  beclouded  there,  or  even  destroyed,  different 
rites  had  appeared  in  her  at  different  times,  contrary  to  the  standard  of  the 
holy  Roman  church  and  to  the  decrees  of  the  holy  fathers.  In  order, 
therefore,  to  have  knowledge  and  ability  to  face  and  to  remedy  all  these 
things,  the  blessed  Kentigern  left  his  monastery  mentioned  above,  and 
went  to  Rome  seven  times  ;  and  he  learned  at  Rome  and  brought  back 
the  reforms  that  Britain  needed.  But  returning  home  the  seventh  time  he 
fell  ill  of  a  very  serious  malady,  and  arrived  there  with  the  greatest  difficulty. 
"  On  one  occasion  he  went  to  Rome  while  the  blessed  Gregory  ruled 
the  apostolic  see  [590-604],  a  man  in  office,  authority,  doctrine,  and  life, 
apostolic  ;  and  the  special  apostle  of  England,  because  the  English  are 
the  tokens  of  his  apostolate.  .  .  . 

"  The  holy  pope,  excelling  in  the  spirit  of  counsel  and  discretion,  and 
as  it  were  being  filled  with  the  holy  Spirit,  recognized  in  [Kentigern]  a  man 
of  God,  and  one  full  of  the  grace  of  the  holy  Spirit  ;  and  he  confirmed  his 
election  and  consecration,  because  he  knew  that  both  had  come  from 
God  ;  and  at  [Kentigern's]  request,  many  times  repeated  and  with  difficulty 
obtained,  he  supplied  what  was  lacking  in  his  consecration,  and  sent  him 
to  the  work  of  the  ministry  laid  upon  him  by  the  holy  Spirit.  After 
receiving  apostolic  absolution  and  benediction,  the  holy  bishop  Kentigern 
returned  home,  carrying  with  him  books  of  canons,  and  as  many  other 
books  as  possible  of  holy  writings  ;  also  privileges,  and  many  relics  of 
saints  ;  and  church  decorations,  and  the  other  things  that  belong  to  the 
adornment  of  the  house  of  the  Lord.  And  he  gladdened  his  disciples  with 
his  return,  and  with  holy  gifts  and  presents. 

"  He  passed  some  considerable  time  there"  (in  Llancarvan)  "  in  great 
quiet,  and  [religious]  life.  And  he  ruled  with  sanctity  and  vigour,  and  with 
great  solicitude,  both  the  monastery  and  the  episcopate." 


134  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

(XXVIII)  He  had  a  gift  of  insight  that  detected  crime  and 
heresy. 

(XXIX)  While  Kentigern  remained  in  Wales,  his  enemies  in  Cumbria 
(the  Cambrina  regid)  perished  by  various  deaths  ;  and  those  who  had 
returned  to  idolatry  were  victims  of  death  and  famine.  "  But  when  the 
time  arrived  to  have  mercy  upon  them,  when  the  Lord  should  remove  from 
them  the  rod  of  his  indignation,  and  when  they  should  turn  to  the  Lord 
and  he  should  heal  them,  he  raised  up  as  king  over  the  Cumbrian  kingdom 
\regnum  Cambrinuin\  a  man  called  Riderch  \Rederec}i\,  who  had  been 
"baptized  in  the  faith  in  the  most  Christian  manner  by  the  disciples  of 
St  Patrick  in  Ireland  ;  and  one  that  with  his  whole  heart  sought  after  the 
Lord,  and  endeavoured  to  restore  Christianity.  And  truly  it  is  a  manifest 
indication  of  divine  mercy  when  the  Lord  has  appointed  as  rulers  and 
kings  to  the  control  of  the  holy  church  and  to  the  principate  of  the  land, 
men  who  make  just  decrees,  and  who  live  holily  :  men  who  seek  their 
people's  good,  and  who  judge  with  justice  in  the  land.  .  .  ." 

(XXX)  Riderch,  desiring  to  resuscitate  Christianity  in  his  kingdom, 
invited  Kentigern  to  return  ;  Kentigern  was  bidden  by  an  angel  to  go 
back  to  his  church  in  Glasgow.  (XXXI)  He  therefore  enthroned  Asaph 
as  his  successor,  and  departed,  by  the  north  door  of  the  church,  taking 
with  him  to  Strathclyde  665  of  his  disciples.  (These  all  rest  "  in  the 
cemetery  of  the  church"  of  Glasgow  ;  XLV.)  In  memory  of  this  occasion 
the  north  door  of  that  church  (of  Llancarvan)  was  opened  only  once  each 
year,  on  St  Asaph's  festival  (May  ist).  "When  king  Riderch  and  his 
people  heard  that  Kentigern  had  arrived  from  Wales  in  Cumbria,  from 
exile  into  his  own  country  ;  the  king  with  great  gladness,  and  a  very  great 
crowd  with  joy  and  praise,  went  in  procession  to  meet  him.  .  .  ." 
(XXXII)  Kentigern  exorcised  many  demons  from  the  crowd.  In  Hoddam 
{Holdelm)  the  ground  where  he  had  sat  down  to  teach  rose  into  a  high 
knoll  {monticuhim  aliuni). 

"  And  after  the  inhabitants  of  Cumbria  had  turned  to  the  Lord,  and 
been  washed  in  the  saving  laver,  all  the  elements,  which  appeared  to  have 
conspired  for  their  destruction  in  vengeance  for  the  wrong  they  had 
done  to  God,  now  put  on  a  new  face  towards  them,  for  the  salvation  of 
both  soul  and  body.  .  .  ." 

(XXXIII)  "And  so  king  Riderch,  seeing  that  the  hand  of  the  Lord 
was  good  to  him,  and  was  working  with  his  wishes,  was  filled  with  great 
joy  ;  and  he  was  quick  to  show  openly  how  great  devotion  burned  within 
him.  He  divested  himself  of  the  royal  robes,  and,  bowing  his  knees  and 
joining  his  hands,  with  consent  and  counsel  of  his  nobles  offered  homage 
to  St  Kentigern,  and  gave  up  to  him  dominion  and  sovereignty  over  his 
whole  kingdom,  and  wished  [Kentigern]  to  be  called  king,  and  himself 
ruler  of  the  country  under  him  ;  even  as  he  knew  the  former  emperor, 
Constantine  the  Great,  had  done  to  St  Silvester. 

"And  so  the  custom  sprang  up,  [and  continued]  during  the  course  of 
many  years,  so  long  as  the  Cumbrian  kingdom  lasted  unimpaired,  that  the 
prince  was  always  subject  to  the  bishop." 


KENTIGERN,  RIDERCH,  AND  CONSTANTINE        135 

Riderch  said  that  St  Serf  had  given  Kentigern  his  name  prophetically 
(A'sw,  capud  I,atine ;  tyern  Alba7iice,  dominiis  Laiine,   interpretatuf). 

"St  Kentigern,  as  if  being  made  a  new  Melchizedech,  refused  not  to 
receive  what  the  king  so  devoutly  offered  him,  to  the  honour  of  God  ; 
because  he  foresaw  that  this  too  in  the  future  would  benefit  the  church  of 
God. 

"  He  had  also  a  privilege  sent  him  by  the  chief  pontiff,  to  the  effect 
that  he  was  subject  to  no  [other]  bishop  ;  but  rather  was  called  to  be,  and 
was,  the  lord  pope's  vicar  and  chaplain. 

"And  the  king  who  had  raised  the  holy  bishop  in  glory  and  honour  got 
from  the  Lord  glory  in  return  for  glory,  and  greater  honours  and  riches." 

The  queen  {Langaueth,  Dublin  MS.  ;  Languoreth,  London  MS.)  after 
long  barrenness  was  blessed  with  a  child,  who  was  named  Constantine, 
after  the  emperor. 

"  [Constantine]  grew  in  age  and  grace,  [and  became]  a  boy  of  excellent 
disposition,  beloved  of  God  and  men  ;  and  after  his  father  had  yielded  to 
fate  he  succeeded  him  in  the  kingdom  by  hereditary  right  ;  and  he  was 
always  subject  to  the  bishop,  as  was  his  father.  And  because  the  Lord 
was  with  him  he  reduced  to  his  own  nation,  without  shedding  blood,  all 
the  neighbouring  barbarous  races.  He  excelled  all  the  kings  that  had 
reigned  before  him  in  the  kingdom  of  Cumbria,  in  riches  and  glory,  in 
dignity  and  (what  is  more  noble)  in  sanctity.  Hence  he  was  renowned  for 
his  merits,  and  used  his  days  for  good  ;  and  merited  to  triumph  over  the 
world,  and  so  be  crowned  in  heaven  with  glory  and  honour  ;  and  to  this 
day  many  are  accustomed  to  call  him  St  Constantine.  [Cf  year  589,  note.] 
"  This  we  have  said  as  in  anticipation,  because  we  made  mention  of 
Constantine's  birth  at  the  prayers  of  St  Kentigern,  and  his  baptism  and 
education  by  him. 

"The  holy  bishop  Kentigern  built  churches  in  Hoddam,  and  ordained 
elders  and  clergy  ;  and  he  fixed  his  episcopal  see  there,  for  a  certain  reason, 
for  some  time.  Afterwards  instructed  by  divine  revelation  he  transferred 
it,  as  justice  required,  to  his  city  of  Glasgow." 

(XXXIV)  Kentigern  visited  his  diocese,  cleared  away  remnants  of 
idolatry  and  "  restored  Christianity  generally  to  a  better  state  than  it 
had  ever  been  in  there  before. 

"  Then  the  soldier  of  God,  kindled  with  the  fire  of  the  holy  Spirit — like 
[fire]  which  burns  up  wood,  and  flame  burning  the  hills — ,  after  he  had  put 
right  what  was  nearest  to  him  (that  is,  his  own  diocese)  advanced  to 
things  more  remote,  and  purged  from  the  filth  of  idolatry  and  the  contagion 
of  heretical  doctrine  the  country  of  the  Picts,  which  is  now  called  Galloway 
[Galwiethial,  and  its  neighbourhood.  And  all  that  he  found  [there]  contrary 
to  the  Christian  faith  and  to  sound  doctrine  he  brought  with  shining 
miracles  to  the  rule  of  truth,  and  corrected  to  the  best  of  his  power. 

"  In  all  this  the  fervour  of  his  devotion  was  not  turned  aside,  but  his 
hand  was  still  extended  to  works  of  power,  and  to  the  extension  of  the 
glory  and  honour  of  the  highest  name  ;  his  feet  being  shod  in  the  prepara- 
tion of  the  gospel  of  peace. 


136  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

"  For  he  went  to  Albany,  and  there  with  excessive  and  almost 
unbearable  labour,  frequently  risking  his  life  in  the  barbarians'  toils,  yet 
standing  fearless  in  faith,  the  Lord  helping  him  and  giving  power  to  the 
voice  of  his  preaching,  he  converted  the  land  from  the  worship  of  idols  and 
the  profane  rites  almost  equivalent  to  idolatry,  to  the  [true]  lines  of  faith, 
and  ecclesiastical  customs,  and  canonical  decrees.  For  there  he  built  many 
churches,  and  dedicated  them  after  they  were  built ;  he  ordained  elders 
and  clergy,  and  consecrated  as  bishops  many  of  his  disciples.  In  these 
parts  also  he  founded  many  monasteries,  and  placed  over  them  as  fathers 
some  of  the  disciples  whom  he  had  instructed." 

He  also  sent  missionaries  to  Orkney,  Norway,  and  Iceland. 

He  returned  to  Glasgow,  and  performed  there  as  elsewhere  daily 
miracles  of  healing.  (XXXV)  His  faith  protected  him  and  his  companions 
from  rain,  snow,  or  hail. 

(XXXVI)  Queen  Langueth  (she  is  called  "the  queen  of  Cadzow"  in 
the  Aberdeen  Breviary,  i,  3,  29,  where  this  story  is  quoted  "  from  the 
history  of  the  blessed  Kentigern,")  had  given  the  king's  ring  to  a  lover. 
Learning  this,  Riderch  took  the  ring  while  the  man  was  asleep,  and  threw 
it  into  the  Clyde  ;  then  he  threatened  to  put  the  queen  to  death  unless  she 
brought  him  the  ring.  In  extremity,  the  queen  appealed  to  Kentigern  ;  he 
sent  her  messenger  away  to  fish.  A  salmon  was  caught,  and  the  ring  was 
found  in  it.  Reconciled  to  her  husband,  the  queen  sinned  no  more,  and 
Kentigern  kept  the  secret.  (This  is  grafted  upon  Kentigern's  Life  from  an 
old  heroic  story  ;  compare  the  story  of  Fraech  and  Findabair's  ring  in  the 
Tdin  bo  Fraich.     Y.B.L,  58.) 

(XXXVII)  To  save  the  king's  honour,  Kentigern  provided  a  dish  of 
mulberries  demanded  by  a  jester  who  had  been  sent  by  an  Irish  king  to  the 
Cumbrian  court  for  the  Christmas  holidays. 

(XXXVIII)  Kentigern  lived  upon  milk.  He  sent  some  to  a  smith 
whom  he  employed,  and  it  was  accidentally  poured  into  the  Clyde,  where 
it  was  not  lost,  but  turned  into  cheese. 

(XXXIX)  "In  the  time  when  the  blessed  Kentigern,  placed  in  the 
Lord's  chandelier,  like  a  lantern  glowing  with  celestial  desires  and  shining 
with  salutary  words,  with  exhibitions  of  virtues,  and  with  miracles,  shone 
upon  all  that  were  in  the  house  of  God,  the  holy  abbot  Columba  (whom 
the  Angles  call  Columkill),  miraculous  in  doctrine  and  virtues,  renowned 
for  predictions  of  the  future,  filled  with  prophetic  spirit,  dwelling  in  that 
glorious  monastery  which  he  had  built  in  the  island  of  lona  [insula  Yi\ 
wished  to  exult  in  St  Kentigern's  light  not  for  an  hour,  but  continually. 
He  had  heard  for  a  long  time  the  report  of  his  holy  renown,  and  desired 
to  come  to  him,  to  visit  him,  to  see  him,  to  obtain  intimate  friendship  with 
him,  and  to  consult  the  sanctuary  of  his  holy  bosom  concerning  the  things 
that  lay  next  his  own  heart. 

"And  when  a  fitting  time  arrived,  the  holy  father  Columba  set  out ;  and 
a  great  crowd  of  his  disciples,  and  others  who  desired  to  visit  and  see  the 
face  of  the  notable  man,  accompanied  him.  And  when  he  had  approached 
the  place   called  yiAXvaAo^ox"  {MelUvdenor  in   Dublin  MS.)  "where  the 


MISSION  OF  KENTIGERN  137 

saint  abode  at  that  time,  he  divided  all  his  followers  into  three  companies, 
and  sent  a  messenger  before  him  to  announce  to  the  holy  bishop  the 
arrival  of  himself  and  his  followers." 

Kentigern  advanced  with  three  companies  to  meet  Columba  ;  both 
sides  sang  psalms  ;  the  saints  met  and  embraced.  Columba  distinguished 
Kentigern  from  the  rest  by  seeing  him  "  clothed  with  light,  as  with  a 
garment,  and  with  a  golden  crown  placed  upon  his  head." 

(XL)  Two  of  Columba's  followers,  being  naturally  thieves,  stole  the  fattest 
wether  from  one  of  Kentigern's  flocks.  The  shepherd  bade  them  ask  for  it ; 
but  one  of  the  thieves  insulted  him  while  the  other  cut  off  the  ram's  head. 
But  the  decapitated  ram  ran  away  and  fell  beside  his  flock,  while  his  head 
turned  to  stone  and  refused  to  leave  the  robbers'  hands.  They  were 
compelled  to  implore  Kentigern's  forgiveness.  They  received  it,  and  also 
the  ram's  carcase;  "but  the  head,  turned  to  stone,  remains  there  to  the 
present  day  in  witness  of  the  sign  ;  and  mutely  preaches  the  merit  of 
St  Kentigern." 

"  In  the  place  where  this  miracle  was  performed  by  St  Kentigern,  and 
made  apparent  in  the  sight  of  Columba  and  many  others,  each  took  the 
other's  staff,  as  a  pledge  and  witness  of  their  mutual  love  in  Christ.  The 
staff  that  St  Columba  gave  to  the  holy  bishop  Kentigern  was  kept  for 
a  long  time  in  the  church  of  St  Wilfrith,  bishop  and  confessor,  at  Ripon  ; 
and  it  was  held  in  great  veneration  because  of  the  sanctity  both  of  the 
giver  and  of  the  receiver. 

"  So  these  saints  stayed  there  together  for  several  days,  and  mutually 
conferred  upon  the  things  which  are  God's,  and  which  belong  to  the  saving 
of  souls  ;  afterwards  they  bade  each  other  farewell,  never  to  meet  again  ; 
and  giving  each  other  benediction  in  love,  they  departed  homeward." 

(XLI)  Kentigern  erected  many  crosses  throughout  the  country. 
"  Among  many  crosses  which  the  man  of  the  Lord  erected  in  many  places 
he  put  up  two  that  to  the  present  day  work  miracles."  One  was  of  such 
size  that  men  with  machinery  failed  (on  Saturday)  to  set  it  up  ;  but  an 
angel  raised  it  "  in  the  following  night,  which  was  regarded  as  Sunday 
[night]."  "  When  the  people  came  to  the  church  in  the  early  morning 
and  perceived  what  had  been  done,  they  were  amazed,  and  glorified  God  in 
his  saint :  for  [the  cross]  was  very  large.  And  from  that  time  it  never 
lacked  great  virtue  :  for  many  men  delirious  \arrepticii\  and  tormented  by 
unclean  spirits  are  customarily  bound  to  that  cross  on  Sunday  night  ;  and 
on  the  following  day  they  are  found  in  their  right  minds,  delivered  and 
cleansed,  or  else  frequently  dead,  or  about  to  die  by  a  rapid  death. 

"  He  constructed  another  cross — unbelievably,  if  it  could  not  have  been 
examined  by  sight  and  touch — of  sea-sand  alone,  while  he  meditated 
righteously  and  rehgiously  upon  the  resurrection,  in  Borthwick  \Lothe- 
ververd\  And  he  dwelt  in  this  place  for  the  space  of  eight  years.  Who 
indeed  should  doubt  that  the  Lord  will  restore  our  mortal  bodies,  although 
resolved  into  dust,  since  he  has  promised  this  with  his  blessed  mouth  ; 
when  in  his  name  this  saint,  of  like  sufferings  to  us,  through  prayer  to 
the  Lord  has  set  up  a  cross  of  the  sand  of  the  sea .''... 


138  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

'■  To  this  cross  also  are  bound  in  the  evening  many  that  are  afflicted  by 
various  diseases  ;  but  especially  maniacs,  and  those  that  are  tormented  by 
a  demon  :  and  frequently  in  the  morning  they  are  found  well  and  unhurt, 
and  they  return  home  in  freedom. 

"  There  are  also  many  other  places  vi'here  he  used  to  dwell ;  and  places 
unknown  to  us,  which  (especially  in  Lent)  the  saint  sanctified  with  his 
presence  and  holy  habitation."  (He  used  to  live,  in  Lent,  in  caves  :  XVII.) 
But  many  places  retain  his  influence,  in  curing  the  sick  and  in  other  signs. 

(XLII)  Kentigern's  body  began  to  show  signs  of  approaching  dissolu- 
tion :  he  was  extremely  old.  Cf.  chapter  XII  :  "To  depict  his  whole  life 
briefly,  he  broke  his  fast  only  after  three  days  or  frequently  four  days  of 
fasting,  from  the  time  of  his  ordination,  which  befel  him  in  the  twenty-fifth 
year  of  his  age,  until  the  very  end  of  his  life,  which  lasted  for  a  space  of  a 
hundred  and  sixty  years.  .  .  ."  (The  two  numbers — 25  and  160 — are  not 
here  to  be  added  together.  But  in  chapter  XLIV  Joceline  says  :  "And  so 
the  blessed  Kentigern  passed  to  the  Father  in  such  manner  from  this 
world,  full  of  days,  since  he  was  a  hundred  and  eighty-five  years  old  ;  ripe 
in  merits,  renowned  for  signs  and  prodigies  and  prophecies.  .  .  ."  The 
number  185  is  accepted  as  Joceline's  meaning  by  Skene  and  Forbes  ; 
Historians,  v,  369-370.  But  Joceline  gives  in  reality  two  conflicting 
accounts,  in  the  later  of  which  the  number  may  have  arisen  from  the 
addition  of  a  pa.rt  to  the  whole  of  the  earlier  number — such  an  error  as  has 
occurred  e.g.  in  the  traditions  of  Patrick's  age,  and  of  Harold  Fairhair's 
reign.  In  such  cases  the  lesser  number  is  the  earlier  ;  in  this  case  it  too 
may  have  been  increased  by  similar  means.  The  Life  of  Kentigern  is  not 
of  such  authority  as  to  justify  any  argument  of  the  possibility  of  so  long  a 
life.)  Kentigern  was  so  decrepit  that  he  had  to  support  his  chin  with  a 
linen  bandage  ;  but  he  was  still  able  to  speak  :  and  he  instructed  his 
disciples  to  practise  the  Christian  virtues  ;  and  more  especially  to  adhere 
to  the  laws  and  customs  of  the  church,  and  to  have  no  dealings  with 
heretics.  Then  he  kissed  and  blessed  them,  and  laid  himself  down  "  in  his 
noble  stone  couch."  (XLII I)  His  disciples,  seeing  him  about  to  depart, 
begged  that  they  might  accompany  him.  An  angel  announced  that  this 
prayer  should  be  granted  :  (XLIV)  "And  when  the  octave  of  the  Lord's 
appearance  dawned"  (i.e.  the  13th  January) — "the  day  on  which  in  every 
year  the  gentle  bishop  had  been  accustomed  to  wash  a  multitude  of  the 
people  with  holy  baptism,"  Kentigern  entered  a  warm  bath,  in  which,  as 
if  falling  asleep,  he  died.  Then  (following  the  angel's  instruction)  his 
disciples  entered  the  bath,  one  after  another,  struggling  for  precedence  ; 
and  so  long  as  the  water  remained  warm,  all  who  entered  it  died.  "  But 
after  the  water  had  cooled,  there  was  cessation  not  only  of  the  obtaining  of 
death,  but  also  of  every  smallest  spark  of  discomfort."  The  remaining 
disciples  preserved  some  of  Kentigern's  garments  as  relics.  Kentigern's 
body  was  buried  under  a  stone  to  the  right  of  the  altar ;  his  disciples' 
bodies  were  placed  "in  the  cemetery,  in  the  order  in  which  they  had 
passed  from  this  world,  after  the  holy  bishop."  (This  story  might  possibly 
rest  upon  some  basis  of  a  real  epidemic.) 


DEATHS  OF  KENTIGERN  AND  KING  RIDERCH      139 

Miracles  wene  still  performed  at  his  tomb.  "  From  the  day  of  his  burial 
to  the  present  time,  his  sacred  bones  are  known  to  blossom  in  their  place 
with  very  frequent  miracles.  ...  At  his  tomb  sight  is  restored  to  the 
blind,  hearing  to  the  deaf,  walking  to  the  lame,  speech  to  the  dumb,  clean 
skin  to  the  leprous,  control  of  limbs  to  the  paralytic,  senses  to  the  maniacal. 
The  impious,  the  sacrilegious,  the  treacherous,  and  violators  of  the  peace 
of  his  church,  and  defilers  of  the  holy  place,  are  punished  with  deserved 
penalty."  The  theft  of  a  cow  was  punished  with  death.  "  Many  also  who 
have  ventured  [to  violate]  with  any  servile  work  the  day  of  his  festival, 
when  a  crowd  is  accustomed  to  gather  from  different  quarters  to  the  church 
in  Glasgow  where  his  most  holy  body  rests,  to  beg  his  intercessions  and  to 
see  the  miracles  that  commonly  take  place  there,  have  very  often  suffered 
the  vengeance  upon  themselves  of  their  crime." 

(XLV)  "  In  the  same  year  in  which  St  Kentigern  was  removed  from 
earthly  things  and  departed  to  the  skies,  the  often  mentioned  king  Riderch 
stayed  longer  than  usual  in  the  royal  village  which  is  called  Partick " 
{Perlncch,  Dublin  MS.  ;  Pertinet,  London  MS.).  "  In  his  court  lived  a 
weak-witted  man,  named  Laloecen,"  {Laloicen  in  London  MS.)  "who 
received  the  necessaries  of  food  and  clothing  from  the  king's  munificence. 
(For  the  nobles  of  the  land,  the  sons  of  the  kingdom,  being  addicted  to 
vanity,  are  accustomed  to  keep  men  of  this  kind  about  them  ;  so  that  they 
may  move  their  lord  and  his  household  to  jests  and  loud  laughter  by  foolish 
words  and  acts.)  After  the  death  of  St  Kentigern,  this  man  took  to  the 
most  grievous  lamentations,  and  he  would  receive  no  consolation  from 
anyone. 

"  When  he  was  asked  why  he  mourned  so  inconsolably,  he  replied  that 
his  lord  king  Riderch  \Rederech\  and  one  of  the  nobles  of  the  land,  called 
Morthec,  could  not  delay  very  long  in  this  life  after  the  death  of  the  holy 
bishop,  but  would  yield  to  fate  in  the  same  year. 

"  Since  this  saying  of  the  fool  had  been  spoken  not  foolishly  but  rather 
prophetically,  it  was  clearly  confirmed  by  the  deaths  of  the  men  named, 
within  the  same  year."  (See  above,  year  573.)  "...  In  the  same  year, 
therefore,  in  which  the  holy  bishop  Kentigern  had  died,  the  aforesaid  king 
and  prince  departed  ;  and  they  were  buried  in  Glasgow."  Joceline  con- 
cludes with  a  peroration  upon  the  merits  of  Glasgow  church  and  its  patron 
saint. 

In  the  office  for  Baldred,  the  Aberdeen  Breviary  (i,  3,  63)  says  that 
Kentigern  died  on  13th  January,  503,  "at  the  city  of  Glasgow,  which  he 
ruled,  in  the  183rd  year  of  his  age"  :  and  that  Baldred  was  his  pupil  and 
suffragan.     (For  Baldred's  death,  see  year  756.) 

For  the  Aberdeen  Breviary's  13th  January,  503,  Skene  reads  Sunday, 
13th  January,  603  (F.A.B.W.,  i,  176,  note).  Even  with  this  correction  the 
authority  of  the  Breviary  cannot  stand  against  that  of  the  Annales  Cambriae, 
if  there  St  Kentigern  is  meant. 

The  Breviary  of  Aberdeen  mentions  a  disciple  of  St  Kentigern, 
Conuallus  (ii,  3,  112),  under  September  28th. 

Fordun,   Chronica  Gentis  Scotorum,  111,29  ('>  nS):   "Contemporarily 


140  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

ca.  613 
Annales  Oambriae,  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  156,  s.a.  [613]  ^ 

The  battle  of  Chester  ^ ;  and  there  fell  Selim,  Cinan's  son. 
And  the  repose  of  Jacob,  Beli's  son.^ 

with  St  Columba  flourished  the  most  blessed  Kentigern,  bishop  of  Glasgow, 
a  man  of  marvellous  sanctity,  and  a  worker  of  many  miracles.  His 
venerable  bones  rest  there  entombed,  made  famous  by  many  miracles  to 
God's  praise.  His  bishopric's  furthest  boundary  towards  the  south  was  at 
that  time,  as  it  ought  now  to  be,  the  royal  cross  below  Stanemor. 

"  One  of  his  principal  disciples  was  St  Convallus,  famous  for  miracles 
and  virtues,  whose  bones  therefore  rest  buried  at  Inchinnan,  near 
Glasgow." 

The  southern  boundary  was  the  "  Rerecross  on  Stanemoor"  H.  &  S., 
ii,  I  [  ;  i.e.,  Rere  Cross  on  Stanemore,  in  Westmoreland,  near  the  border  of 
that  county  and  of  Skipton  Parish  in  the  North  Riding  of  Yorkshire. 

'  10  years  after  the  "  i5oth,"  i  year  before  the  "  170th  year"  after  444. 

2  Gueith  cair  legion.  This  is  the  battle  described  by  Bede,  Historia 
Ecclesiastica,  II,  2  (i,  83-84)  :  "To  these  [bishops  of  the  Britons]  the  man 
of  the  Lord,  Augustine,  is  said  to  have  foretold  threateningly,  that  if  they 
refused  to  accept  peace  with  brethren,  they  should  have  to  accept  war  from 
enemies  ;  and  if  they  refused  to  preach  the  way  of  life  to  the  race  of  the 
Angles,  through  their  hands  they  should  suffer  the  vengeance  of  death. 
And  through  divine  judgement  this  was  entirely  accomplished  as  he  had 
foretold. 

"  For  after  this  the  English  king  of  whom  we  have  spoken,  ^thelfrith, 
collected  a  great  army  to  the  city  of  Chester  \ad civitatem  Legionujit],  which 
is  called  Legacaestir  by  the  English  race,  and  by  the  Britons  is  more 
correctly  called  Carlegion,  and  he  made  the  greatest  slaughter  of  the 
faithless  race.  And  when  (setting  out  to  the  battle)  he  saw  their  priests, 
who  had  assembled  to  pray  to  God  for  their  army  during  the  battle,  he 
enquired  who  these  were,  and  what  they  had  assembled  there  to  do.  Very 
many  of  them  were  from  the  monastery  of  Bangor,  in  which  there  is  said 
to  have  been  so  great  a  number  of  monks  that  after  the  monaster'/  had 
been  divided  into  seven  parts  with  the  rulers  placed  over  it,  none  of  these 
parts  had  less  than  three  hundred  men  ;  and  they  all  used  to  live  by  the 
labour  of  their  hands.  Very  many  of  these,  then,  had  assembled  to  the 
aforesaid  action,  with  others,  to  pray,  after  accomplishing  a  three-days' 
fast  ;  and  they  had  a  defender  called  Brocmail,  to  protect  them  from  the 
swords  of  the  barbarians  while  they  were  employed  in  prayer. 

"  When  king  ^thelfrith  had  understood  the  cause  of  their  coming,  he 
said  :  '  If  then  they  cry  to  their  God  against  us,  they  also  indeed  fight 
against  us,  although  they  bear  not  arms,  since  they  pursue  us  with  adverse 
prayers.'  Therefore  he  commanded  the  sword  to  be  used  against  them 
first ;  and  so  he  destroyed  also  the  rest  of  the  forces  of  the  wicked  army, 


BATTLE  OF  CHESTER  141 

not  without  great  loss  to  his  own  army.  It  is  said  that  of  those  who  had 
come  to  pray  about  a  thousand  and  two  hundred  men  were  killed  in  that 
fight,  and  that  only  fifty  men  escaped.  At  the  first  arrival  of  the  enemy, 
Brocmail  and  his  followers  turned  their  backs,  and  left  those  whom  they 
ought  to  have  protected,  naked  and  unarmed,  to  the  blows  of  the  sword. 

"And  so  the  prophecy  of  the  blessed  bishop  Augustine  was  fulfilled, 
although  he  had  been  raised  to  the  heavenly  realms  already  a  long  time 
ago  ;  so  that  the  treacherous  ones  might  feel,  in  the  vengeance  of  temporal 
death,  that  they  had  despised  the  counsels  offered  to  them  of  perpetual 
salvation." 

Since  Augustine  had  been  for  a  long  time  dead,  the  battle  must  have 
been  fought  several  years  after  26th  May  604,  when  he  died. 

A  note  of  this  battle  is  entered  in  A.S.C.  A  (insertion  under  607)  and 
E  (s.a.  605).  Cf.  Giraldus  Cambrensis,  vi,  217.  According  to  Sigebert 
(M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vi,  321),  s.a.  602,  Augustine's  prophecy  was  directed 
against  the  Scots  as  well  as  the  Britons.  In  fact  the  "Britons"  would  at 
that  time  have  included  the  Britons  of  Strathclyde. 

^thelfrith's  victory  over  the  Welsh  separated  North  Wales  from 
Cumbria  and  Strathclyde. 

^  MS.  B  reads  (Ab  Ithel,  6) :  "The  battle  of  Kairlion,  in  which  Seysil, 
Cinan's  son,  and  Jacob,  Beli's  son,  died,  with  many  others."  MS.  C  (ibid.) : 
"The  battle  of  Caer-Legion,  in  which  Silla,  Cinan's  son,  fell." 

A.I.,  II,  O'Conor's  year  606  =  614  (15  years  after  599) :  "  The  battle  of 
Chester  \Cath  Legeoin\  in  which  hosts  of  saints  fell,  [was  fought]  in  Britain 
between  Saxons  and  Britons." 

Tigernach,  Annals;  R.C.,  xvii,  171,  s.a.  [611]  (fn.  6):  "  The  battle  of 
Chester  [cath  caire  Legio7i\  where  the  saints  were  slain  ;  and  [where] 
Solon,  Conan's  son,  king  of  the  Britons,  and  king  Cetula  fell,  ^thelfrith 
was  the  victor  ;  and  immediately  afterwards  he  died."  (Omitted  in  C.S.) 
^thelfrith  died  in  617  (A.S.C.  E). 

A.U.,  i,  86,  s.a.  612  =  613  (with  fn.  and  e.  of  613)  :  "The  battle  of 
Chester  \belhim  Caire  legiori\  in  which  the  saints  were  slain,  and  Solon, 
Conan's  son,  king  of  the  Britons,  fell."  (This  is  followed  by  :  "Heraclius 
reigns  for  26  years  "  ;  derived  from  Bede's  Chronicle,  M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii, 
310.  Heraclius  reigned  610-641.  Tigernach  places  this  reign  (  "  22  years  " ) 
at  the  beginning  of  the  year-section,  and  continues  with  further  extracts 
from  Bede,  ibid.,  3 10-31 1.  T.  gives  the  marginal  date  4592  (  =  641) ;  Bede, 
4591  (  =  640).) 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  99,  s.a.  613:  "The  battle  of  Carleil  or 
Carlegion,  where  Folinn,  Conan's  son,  king  of  the  Britons,  was  killed  by 
yEthelfrith  ;  who  having  the  victory  died  himself  instantly." 

In  614,  the  West  Saxons  under  Cynegils  and  Cuichelm  inflicted  a 
heavy  defeat  upon  the  Welsh,  at  Beandune  (A.S.C,  ABCE,  s.a.  614). 
Fordun,  III,  33,  says  that  Catguollaun  fled  to  Scotland,  obtained  aid 
there  and  from  Ireland  and  Armorica,  and  was  afterwards  able  to  hold 
his  own. 


142  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

616-617 

Annales  Cambriae,  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  157, 
s.aa.  [616]  and  [617]  ^ 
Ceretic  died. 
Edwin  began  to  reign.^ 

?6i7 

Annals  of  Innisfallen ;  Rerum  Hibernicarum  Scriptores,  vol.  ii, 
part  2,  p.  II  ;  under  O'Conor's  year  610  =  618^ 
The  death  of  Talorcan.* 

?6i8 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  pp.  171-172, 

s.a.  [61 5]  5 
The  burning  of  Donnan  of  Eigg,  on  the  fifteenth^  before 

'  Placed  2  and  3  years  after  the  "170th  year"  after  444.  (Not  in 
MS.  C  ;  Ab  Ithel,  6.) 

^  For  the  death  of  king  ^^thelfrith  in  617  in  the  battle  of  the  Idle,  and 
the  escape  of  his  children  to  Scotland,  with  their  subsequent  conversion  to 
Christianity,  see  Bede,  H.E.,  II,  12,  III,  i  ;  A.S.C.  E,  s.a.  617  ;  F.W., 
s.a.  616.  (From  these  sources  Fordun,  III,  33,  derives  his  account.)  See 
E.G.,  12-13;  and  for  ^bbe,  step-daughter  of  king  ^thelfrith  and  grand- 
daughter of  king  .^Ue,  E.G.,  13,  39. 

Aberdeen  Breviary,  ii,  3,  87-88,  under  August  23rd  :  "  Ebba,  a  glorious 
virgin,  uterine  sister  of  Oswald,  king  of  Northumberland,  was  sent  with 
her  seven  brothers  to  exile  in  the  land  of  the  Scots,  and,  along  with  her 
brother  king  Oswald  and  his  brothers,  was  received  and  cherished  with 
honour  by  Donald  Brecc,  king  of  the  Scots.  And  like  her  brothers  and 
many  more,  so  she  too  received  the  faith  of  Christ  from  the  Scots."  She 
became  a  nun,  taking  the  veil  from  "  St  Finan,  a  Scot  by  race,  bishop  of 
Lindisfarne."  She  died  [+683]  four  years  before  St  Cuthbert  [1687].  Her 
remains  were  found  "by  the  prior  and  convent  of  the  monastery  of 
Coldingham,  by  command  and  revelation  of  the  same  holy  virgin,"  and 
transferred  to  the  church  of  St  Mary  of  Coldingham,  where  the  oratory  was  in 
ruins.  After  a  few  days,  Ebba  appeared  to  a  monk  Henry,  "and  commanded 
that  an  oratory  should  be  built  to  her  in  that  place,"  in  the  year  11 88. 

^  Placed  19  years  after  599. 

''  In  MS.  Tolorggain. 

'"  F.n.  4.  The  remainder  of  the  year-section  appears  thus  in  Tigernach 
and  in  A.U.  :  "Down  to  this  year  Isidore  wrote  his  chronicle,  thus 
speaking  :  '  From  now  Heraclius  is  in  the  fifth  year  of  his  empire,'  that  is 
to  say  m  the  fifth  year  of  the  empire  of  Heraclius  and  the  fourth  year  of 
the  most  religious  prince  Sisebert.  From  the  beginning  of  the  world  to 
the  present  year  of  Heraclius,  his  fifth,  are  5814  years."  This  is  taken 
from  Isidore,  Chronica  Majora,  480,  s.a.  5813  =  615  A.D. 

"  17th  April. 


^THELFRITH'S  SONS.     ST  DONNAN  143 

the  Kalends  of  May,  with  a  hundred  and  fifty  martyrs ;  and 
the  devastation  of  Tory  Island,  and  the  burning  of  Connor.^ 

'  This  passage  appears  similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  88,  s.a.  616  =  617  (with  f.n. 
and  e.  of  617).  They  prefix  the  sentence  :  "The  burning  of  the  martyrs 
of  Eigg." 

C.S.,  74,  s.a.  [615]  (Hennessy's  year  617),  agrees  with  T.,  but  does  not 
mention  Connor.     (For  xii  in  the  text  read  xu.) 

A.I.,  II,  O'Conor's  year  611=619  (20  years  after  599) :  "The  slaying  of 
Donnan  of  Eigg,  on  the  fifteenth  before  the  Kalends  of  May." 

The  Martyrology  of  Gorman,  April  17th,  p.  78  :  "  Great  Donnan  and 
his  monks,  to  our  assistance,  the  devout  ones "  ;  with  the  note  : — "  The 
number  of  their  congregation  was  52,  and  the  sea-pirates  came  to  the  island 
where  they  were  and  killed  them  all.     The  name  of  that  island  is  Ego'' 

Oengus,  April  17th  :  "Donnan,  of  chilly  Eigg,  \Ega  ;  Eca  in  L.B.]  with 
his  followers,  a  fair  company"  [dinej  perhaps  "garrison"?].  In  the  notes 
it  is  suggested  that  Eigg  was  "a  spring"  (L.B.  ;  so  also  in  L.L.,  359a) ; 
"a  spring  in  the  [land  of  the]  Old-Saxons,  or  in  Caithness"  (Laud  610)  ; 
"a  river  in  Scotland"  (Rawlinson  B  512).  But  the  annotators  also  identify 
the  place  as  an  island,  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  the  island  of  Eigg  is 
meant.     See  the  notes  in  1880  Oengus,  Ixxi  ;  1905  Oengus,  116. 

Upon  "followers,"  L.B.  notes:  "i.e.,  fifty-four";  and  gives  the 
following  account  in  the  margin  (L.B.,  86  ;  1880  Oengus,  Ixxiv-lxxv)  : 
"  Donnan  of  Eigg,  i.e.  Eigg  is  the  name  of  an  island  in  Scotland,  and 
Donnan  is  in  it  ;  or  in  Caithness  ;  and  St  Donnan  died  there  with  his 
community,  fifty-five  [in  number]. 

"This  Donnan  is  he  who  went  to  Columcille,  to  take  him  for  his 
confessor.  And  Columcille  said  to  him,  '  I  will  not  be  a  confessor,'  said 
he,  '  to  people  who  are  to  suffer  violent  martyrdom  ;  for  thou  shalt  enter 
violent  martyrdom,  and  thy  community  with  thee.'  And  that  is  what  was 
fulfilled.  Donnan  went  after  that  among  the  Gall-gaidil,  and  took  up  his 
abode  in  the  place  where  the  queen  of  the  country's  sheep  used  to  be. 
This  was  told  to  the  queen.  '  Kill  them  all '  said  she.  '  That  is  not  devout ' 
said  the  others. 

"  Thereafter  men  go  to  them,  to  kill  them.  The  priest  was  then  at 
mass.  '  Grant  us  peace  till  the  mass  is  ended '  said  Donnan.  '  We  will ' 
said  they.     Thereafter  they  were  all  killed,  as  many  as  were  there." 

Of  the  above,  only  the  sentence  that  says  that  Donnan  died  in  Eigg  is 
in  Latin  ;  the  rest,  in  Irish,  is  a  different  account  and  is  fabulous. 
(Similarly  in  Rawlinson  B  512  and  Laud  610;  1905  Oengus,  116.)  For 
the  Gall-Gaidil  see  below,  year  856. 

Cf  L.L.,  371  :  "Do!inan  of  Eigg"  (with  this  note  between  the  lines  by 
the  compiler  : — "  That  is,  a  rock  between  Galloway  and  Kintyre,  standing 
out  opposite  [Galloway]"' — inacamair  imniuich — surely  meaning  Ailsa 
Craig  :)  "  Eigg  is  the  name  of  a  spring  in  Aldasain,  in  Caithness  in  the 
north  of  Scotland.  And  there  Donnan  with  his  community  endured 
martyrdom.  It  happened  thus  that  a  certain  rich  woman  dwelt  there 
before  Donnan,  and  there  her  sheep  used  to  be  fed.     For  the  ill-will  there- 


144  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

fore  which  she  had  against  them  she  persuaded  certain  robbers  to  slay 
Donnan  with  his  followers.  But  when  the  robbers  came  there,  they  found 
them  in  the  oratory,  singing  psalms  ;  and  there  they  were  not"  (for  nunc^ 
reading  «o«)  "able  to  kill  them.  But  Donnan  said  to  his  disciples,  'Let 
us  go  into  the  refectory,  that  these  men  may  be  able  to  kill  us  where  we 
used  to  live  after  the  flesh  ;  because  so  long  as  we  are  where  we  have 
endeavoured  to  please  God,  we  cannot  die.  But  where  we  have  favoured 
the  flesh  we  shall  pay  the  debt  of  the  flesh.'  And  so  they  were  killed,  on 
the  night  of  Easter"  (i.e.,  the  night  before  Easter),  "in  their  refectory. 
And  they  that  suffered  with  this  Donnan  were  fifty-four  in  number."  A 
similar  account  (but  omitting  "in  Aldasain"  and  "on  the  night  of  Easter") 
is  given  by  Rawlinson  B  505  (1905  Oengus,  114-116).  The  number  54  is 
also  given  by  Laud  610,  1905  Oengus,  116. 

April  17th  was  Irish  Easter  in  623  ;  April  i6th  was  Irish  and  Roman 
Easter  in  618  (MacCarthy). 

The  Martyrology  of  Donegal,  April  17th,  p.  104,  has  a  more  credible 
account:  "Donnan  of  Eigg,  abbot.  Eigg  is  the  name  of  an  island  in 
which  he  was  after  he  left  Ireland.  And  sea-robbers  came  one  time  to 
the  island,  while  he  was  celebrating  mass  ;  he  begged  them  not  to  kill  him 
till  he  had  concluded  the  mass  ;  and  they  gave  him  this  favour  \cairde\. 
And  afterwards  he  was  beheaded,  and  52  of  his  monks  along  with  him. 
And  all  their  names  are  in  a  certain  old  book  of  the  books  of  Ireland. 
A.D.  616." 

A  list  of  Donnan's  fellow-sufferers  is  given  in  the  Martyrology  of 
Tallaght  (L.L.,  359). 

Brussels  Martyrology  of  Tallaght,  Kelly's  edition,  p.  xxi,  April  17th: 
"[Festival]  of  Donnan  of  Eigg  with  his  52  companions,  whose  names  we 
have  written  in  the  larger  book."  This  seems  to  show  that  the  writer  of 
this  version  had  written  also  the  version  fragments  of  which  occur  in  the 
Book  of  Leinster. 

An  alternative  date  is  given  by  the  Brussels  Martyrology  of  Tallaght, 
Kelly,  p.  xxii,  April  30th  :  "  The  household  of  Eigg,  [familia  Eago]  as 
some  say."  Similarly  in  the  Book  of  Leinster  version,  p.  359 :  "  The 
household  of  Eigg,  \^Egd]  as  others  say." 

Cf  the  Breviary  of  Aberdeen,  i,  3,  87. 

Donnan's  death  was  the  subject  of  an  Irish  literary  composition 
(L.L.,  190). 

A  barrow  in  Eigg  is  said  to  be  Donnan's  tomb. 

The  death-years  of  some  other  saints  of  Eigg  have  not  been  recorded. 

"  Berchan  of  Eigg  "  is  commemorated  on  April  loth  ;  Franciscan  MS., 
1905  Oengus,  114;  Brussels  Tallaght,  xxi  ;  Donegal,  98  :  and  in  Gorman, 
74,  "Gracious  Berchan,  to  whom  I  stretch"  (tr.  Stokes),  has  the  note: 
"of  Eigg"  {Aego). 

"Festival  of  Enan  of  Eigg"  {Enani  Eago)  Brussels  Tallaght,  xxii, 
April  29th.  Enan's  name  stands  under^  the  same  day  in  Gorman,  86,  with 
the  note  "  of  the  island  of  Eigg  "  {insi  Aego). 

"  Congalach,  from  Ard  Aego "  {o  Ard  Aego)  Donegal,  344,   December 


BATTLE  OF  CEND-t)ELGtHEISf  145 

?62I 

Tigemach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  pp.  174-175, 

s.a.  [619]! 

Duncan,  Eoganan's  son,^  and  Nechtan,  Cano's  son,^  and 
Aed,  died.* 

?622 

Tigemach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  pp.  175-176; 

s.a.  [619]^ 

The  battle  of  Cend-Delgthen,  in  which  fell  the  two  sons  of 
Libren,  son  of  Illann,  son  of  Cerball.  Conall,  son  of  Suibne, 
was  the  conqueror,  and  with  him  Donald  Brecc."  .  .  . 

22nd.     This  is  derived  from  Gorman,  244,  same  day  :  "  High  Congalach 
oi  A&§"  {Congalachard  Aegoj  tr.  Stokes). 

"Conan  of  Eigg"  Donegal,  14,  January  12th. 

1  F.n.  2. 

^  "Eogan's  son,"  in  A.U.  His  father  may  have  been  the  Eogan  or 
Eoganan,  Gabran's  son,  whose  death  is  placed  above  in  597.  But  the  last 
Eogan  mentioned  in  A.U.  was  the  son  of  Eochaid  Laib,  and  probably  the 
king  of  Dalaraide.     See  above,  p.  49. 

**  This  name  is  spelt  in  T.,  mac  Canand;  in  A.U.,  mac  Cattonn;  in  C.S., 
mac  Cananainn,  "the  son  of  Cananann."     See  year  ?6oi,  note. 

This  Nechtan  has  been  regarded  as  the  same  as  "  Nectu,  grandson  of 
Uerd"  or  "Uerb,"  whom  the  Chronicle  of  the  Picts  places  for  twenty  years 
at  this  time  on  the  Pictish  throne  ;  i.e.,  perhaps  from  601  to  621.  If  Verb 
was  his  grandmother's  name,  his  claim  to  the  throne  would  have  been 
through  his  father. 

Nechtan  Cano's  son  may  have  been  the  father  of  Angus,  who  died 
?  636  ;  and  possibly  the  father  of  Lochene,  Nechtan  Cendfota's  son,  who 
was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Segais  ;  below,  year  ?  637,  note. 

The  legend  of  St  Boniface  (t  March  i6th)  in  the  Breviary  of  Aberdeen, 
i,  3,  69  (P.  &  S.,  423)  says  that  king  Nechtan  received  pope  Boniface  [IV] 
and  many  followers  at  Restennet  in  Pictland,  beyond  the  Scottish  sea. 
This  Boniface  is  stated  to  have  set  out  on  a  missionary  enterprise, 
emulating  the  work  of  his  predecessor,  Gregory  I  (pope,  590-604). 
Boniface  IV  was  pope  from  607  to  614  ;  if  he  sent  a  mission  to  Pictland, 
it  would  have  been  between  those  years,  and  within  the  reign  of  Nechtan 
(?6oi-?62i).  But  Skene  erroneously  places  the  mission  a  century  later, 
ca.  710,  in  the  reign  of  Nechtan  Derile's  son  (706-724).     S.C.S.,  i,  277-278. 

*  This  passage  appears  similarly  in  C.S.,  76,  s.a.  [6i9](Hennessy's  year 
621)  ;  and  in  A.U.,  i,  92,  s.a.  620  =  621  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  621). 

5  F.n.  2. 

"  Similarly  in  C.S.,  76.  s.a.  [620]  (Hennessy's  year  622). 

K 


146  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Conaing,  son  of  Aid  an,  Gabran's  son,  was  drowned.  This 
is  what  Ninnine  the  poet  sang : 

"  The  great  clear  waves  of  the  sea  reflected  the  sun's  rays ; 
they  flung  themselves  upon  Conaing,  into  his  frail  wicker 
coracle. 

"The  woman  who  threw  her  white  hair  into  Conaing's 
coracle,  her  smile  has  beamed  to-day  upon  the  tree  of 
Tortu."!  .  .  . 

The  death  of  Colgu,  son  of  Cellach.^ 

A.I.,  II,  under  O'Conor's  year  615=623  (24  years  after  599):  "The 
battle  of  Cend-De[l]gthen,  in  which  fell  two  sons  of  Libren,  son  of  lUedan, 
son  of  Cerball.     Conall,  son  of  Suibne,  son  of  Colman,  conquered." 

A.U.,  i,  92,  s.a.  621=622  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  622)  agree  with  T.  and 
C.S.,  but  do  not  mention  Donald  Brecc. 

F.M.,  i,  240,  s.a.  617:  "The  battle  of  Cend-Delgthen  [was  fought]  by 
Conall,  Suibne's  son,  and  by  Donald  Brecc  ;  and  there  were  slain  two  sons 
of  Libren,  son  of  lUann,  son  of  Cerball." 

Donald  Brecc  was  not  yet  king  of  Dalriata  ;  he  seems  to  have  reigned 
from  630  to  643. 

Cend-Delgthen  seems  to  have  been  in  Meath.  Conall,  Suibne's  son, 
was  the  great-great-grandson  of  Fergus  Cerrbel  or  Cerball,  king  of  Ireland, 
through  that  king's  son  Diarmait,  who  was  defeated  in  the  battle  of 
Cuil-Dremne  (see  above,  year  563). 

Suibne,  son  of  Colman  Mor,  was  killed  by  Aed  Slaine,  joint-king  of 
Ireland  with  Colman  Rimid  (A.U.,  s.a.  599  =  600).  Aed  Slaine  was  killed 
by  Conall,  Suibne's  son  (A.U.,  603  =  604).;  Angus,  Colman  Mor's  son, 
king  of  the  southern  Ui-Neill,  was  killed  (A.U.,  620  =  631)  ;  and  in  the 
next  year  Conall,  Suibne's  son,  (the  nephew  of  Angus,)  won  the  battle  of 
Cend-Delgthen,  aided  by  Donald  Brecc.  Two  sons  of  Aed  Slaine  were 
killed  by  Conall,  Suibne's  son  (A.U.,  633  =  634).  Diarmait,  son  of  Aed 
Slaine,  killed  Conall,  Suibne's  son  (A.U.,  634  =  635). 

After  this,  Donald  Brecc  invaded  Meath  and  was  defeated  in  the  battle 
of  Moira  by  the  king  of  Ireland  and  the  sons  of  Aed  Slaine.  See  below, 
year  639. 

'  The  passage  in  inverted  commas  is  in  verse  in  the  original. 

The  whole  account  of  Conaing's  death  appears  similarly  in  C.S.,  76,  u.s. 
A.U.,  U.S.,  say  :  "Conaing,  Aidan's  son,  was  drowned,"  and  give  (somewhat 
differently)  the  first  of  the  two  quatrains  translated  above. 

^  Similarly  in  C.S.  and  A.U.,  u.s. ;  F.M.,  i,  240,  s.a.  617. 

Colgu,  Cellach's  son,  is  twice  mentioned  by  Adamnan,  but  there  is 
no  indication  of  the  place  of  his  monastery. 

Adamnan,  I,  35  (Skene,  135) :  "  Concerning  Gallan.  son  of  Fachtna,  who 
•was  in  the  district  of  Colgu,  Cellach's  son. 

"Again  one  day  the  saint,  sitting  in  his  little  hut,  said  in  prophecy  to 


CONAING.     COLGU.     FERGNA.     MONGAN  147 

ca.  623 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  176,  s.a.  [619]^ 
The  death  of  Fergna,  abbot  of  lona.^ 

ca.  625 

Tigernach,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  178,  s.a.  [624]  ^ 

Mongan,  son  of  Fiachna  Lurgan,  was  struck  with  a  stone 
by  Arthur,  Bicoir's  son,  a  [north]  Briton,*  and  perished. 

the  same  Colgu,  who  was  reading  beside  him  :  '  Now  demons  are  dragging 
to  hell  a  grasping  chief  from  among  the  governors  of  thy  district.' 
[Literally  "  diocese."] 

"  And,  hearing  this,  Colgu  wrote  down  on  a  tablet  the  time  and  hour  ; 
and  returning  to  his  country  after  some  months  he  found,  on  enquiry  of 
the  natives  of  that  district,  that  Gallan,  son  of  Fachtna,  had  died  at  the 
same  moment  of  the  hour  at  which  the  blessed  man  [Columba]  had  related 
to  him  that  [Gallan]  had  been  seized  by  demons." 

In  Adamnan,  III,  15,  this  Colgu  was  one  of  those  to  whom  in  lona 
Columba  described  a  miracle  which  he  perceived  by  second-sight  at  the 
time  it  occurred,  in  Durrow.     (Skene,  203-204.) 

'  F.n.  2,  as  above.  One  or  two  year-headings  have  been  omitted 
here  in  our  text  of  Tigernach. 

'•^  Fergna's  death  is  noted  to  the  same  effect  in  C.S.,  76,  s.a.  [621] 
(fn.  4;  Hennessy's  year  623),  and  in  A.U.,  i,  92,  s.a.  622  =  623  (with  fn. 
and  e.  of  623). 

A.I.,  II,  ©'Conor's  year  616  =  624  (24  years  after  599):  "The  repose 
of  Fergna,  abbot  of  lona." 

F.M.,  i,  244,  s.a.  622  (and  "the  twelfth  year  of  Suibne"  Mend  as 
sovereign  of  Ireland) :  "St  Fergna  the  Briton,  abbot  of  lona  and  bishop, 
died  on  the  second  day  of  March." 

The  Martyrology  of  Oengus  places  "the  white  festival  of  Fergna  of 
lona"  on  the  2nd  of  March,  with  this  note  in  Lebar  Brecc  (1880  Oengus, 
p.  Ix) :  "  Fergna  the  Briton,  abbot  of  lona  of  Columcille  "  ;  to  which  note 
Rawl.  B  512  adds  this  pedigree  :  "  Fergna  son  of  the  poet,  son  of  Finntan, 

son  of -,  son  of  Cuinnid,  son  of  Daithem,  son  of  Cas,  son  of  Fraech, 

son  of  Cumscrach"  (1905  Oengus,  86). 

The  death  of  "  Fergna  of  lona"  is  placed  in  the  Martyrology  of  Gorman, 
p.  46,  under  March  2nd,  with  the  note:  "a  Briton,  abbot  of  lona  of 
Columcille,  and  bishop  also."  He  is  called  "abbot  of  lona"  in  the 
Brussels  Martyrology  of  Tallaght ;  Kelly,  p.  xvii,  March  2nd.  Fergna's 
death  is  placed  on  2nd  March,  622,  in  the  Martyrology  of  Donegal  (60). 
He  is  the  Uirgnous  of  Adamnan. 

'  F.n.  I.  The  year-section  begins  with  the  note  "a  dark  year" 
(ibid.,  177)  ;  so  also  in  A.U.     This  appears  as  "an  eclipse  of  the  sun"  in 


148  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

And  hence  Bee  Boirche  ^  said :  "  The  wind  blows  cold 
over  Islay ;  there  are  youths  approaching  in  Kintyre :  they 
will  do  a  cruel  deed  thereby,  they  will  slay  Mongan,  son  of 
Fiachna."^  .  .  . 

A.I.  The  year  meant  must  surely  be  625,  when  a  solar  eclipse  occurring 
on  June  loth  at  5  p.m.,  Paris  time,  according  to  L'Art  de  Verifier  les 
Dates,  was  visible  all  over  Europe. 

From  here  to  the  end  of  the  early  years  indicated  in  Tigernach  by 
ferial  numbers,  the  years  intended  are  uncertain  ;  events  are  entered  in 
general  from  three  to  six  years  too  early. 

Tigernach  enters  in  the  same  year-section  :  "  The  baptism  of  Edwin, 
file's  son,  who  was  the  first  in  the  districts  of  the  Saxons  to  believe." 
The  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle  places  this  event  in  627  :  Annales  Cambriae, 
6,  under  [626]  ("the  182nd  year"). 

''  ab  Artuir  filio  bi  coirpre  tene  in  MS.  (Stokes):  C.S.  and  F.M.  read 
Britone  for  pretene.  Professor  K.  Meyer  translates  pretene  "a  Pict"  ;  see 
(comparing  his  Bran,  i,  84  ;  and  Rhys,  Y  Cymmrodor,  xviii,  83)  his  Zur 
Keltischen  Wortkunde,  II,  39  (Sitzungsberichte  d.  Konigl.  preuss.  Akad. 
d.  Wiss.,  phil.-hist.  Klasse,  12th  December  1912). 

'  Bee  Boirche,  king  of  Ulster,  died,  according  to  A.U.,  i,  166,  in 
717  =  718. 

^  The  passage  in  inverted  commas  is  in  verse  in  the  original. 

The  whole  passage  stands  similarly  in  C.S.,  78,  s.a.  [623]  (f.n.  7 ; 
Hennessy's  year  625),  and  in  F.M.,  i,  242-244,  s.a.  620. 

Mongan's  death  is  noted  by  A.U.,  i,  94,  s.a.  624  =  625  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of 
625) ;  and  in  A.I.,  II,  O'Conor's  year  618  =  626. 

Later  we  find  the  king  of  Dalriata  avenging  the  death  of  Mongan's 
father,  the  king  of  Dalaraide  ;  below,  year  627.  Mongan  early  became 
a  hero  of  romance.  See  Nutt  and  Meyer's  Voyage  of  Bran  (1895),  e.g.  i, 
137-139- 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  100,  s.a.  627  :  "  Mongan,  Fiachna's  son, 
a  very  well-spoken  man,  and  one  much  given  to  the  wooing  of  women,  was 
killed  by  one  Bicor,  a  Welshman,  with  a  stone  [625]. 

"  Cathal,  Aed's  son,  king  of  Munster,  died. 

"Saint  Maedoc  \^Mayochus\  of  Fearns  died  [t625]. 

"  The  battle  of  Lethet-midind  [Leheid-jnynd]  was  fought,  where  Fiachna 
Demman's  son,  called  Fiachna  Baetan's  son,  king  of  Dalaraide,  was  killed 
[626],  ar,d  in  revenge  thereof  those  of  Dalriata  challenged  Fiachna 
Demman's  son  and  killed  him  in  the  battle  of  Corrann,  by  the  hands  of 
Connad  Cerr  {Conard  KearcY  [627].  (The  dates  in  brackets  are  supplied 
from  A.U.)     See  below,  ca.  627,  note. 

For  Mongan,  cf.  the  Yellow  Book  of  Lecan,  facsimile,  135-136,  192-194  ; 
Lebar  na  hUidre,  134  ;  S.  H.  O'Grady,  Silva  Gadelica  (1892),  i,  391-392. 

The  "History  of  Mongan  son  of  Fiachna"  is  one  of  the  historical 
works  enumerated  in  the  Book  of  Leinster,  i8qc. 


BATTLE  OF  ARD-CORRANN  149 

ca.  625 

Tigernach,  Annals;  u.s.,  p.  177 
.  .  .  Colman,  Comgellan's  son,  departed  to  the  Lord.^ 

ca.  627 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  179,  s.a.  [625] ^ 

The  battle  of  Ard-Corann,  in  [which  the  men  of]  Dalriata^ 
were  the  conquerors,  [and]  in  which  Fiachna,  the  son  of  Deman, 
fell,  [killed]  by  Connad  Cerr,  king  of  Dalriata.* 

'  Similarly  in  A.U.,  u.s.  F.M.,  i,  242,  s.a.  620  : — "Colman,  Comgellan's 
son,  died." 

Cf.  above,  year  575,  notes. 

^  F.n.  2. 

'  This  sentence  is  divided  here  by  another  (noting  the  death  of  abbot 
Lachtnene). 

*  The  battle  is  similarly  described  in  A.U.,  i,  96,  s.a.  626  =  627  (with  f.n. 
and  e.  of  627)  ;  but  they  do  not  mention  the  king  of  Dalriata  :  also  in  C.S., 
80,  s.a.  [625]  (f  n.  2  ;  Hennessy's  year  627),  which  mentions  the  king  but 
omits  his  name. 

F.M.,  i,  248,  s.a.  624:  "The  battle  of  Ard-Corann  [was  fought]  by 
Connad  Cerr,  lord  of  Dalriata  ;  and  there  Fiachna,  Deman's  son,  king  of 
Ulster,  was  killed." 

Connad  Cerr  seems  not  to  have  become  the  principal  king  of  Dalriata 
until  a  few  years  after  this  battle  :  see  below,  year  630.  He  may,  however, 
have  been  king  of  a  part  of  Scottish  Dalriata  at  this  time. 

The  battle  of  Ard-Corann  followed  "  the  battle  of  Lethet-Midenn,  in 
Drong  ;  in  which  Fiachna,  Baetan's  son,  the  king  of  Dalaraide,  was  slain. 
Fiachna,  Deman's  son,  was  the  conqueror "  ;  Tigernach,  u.s.,  s.a.  [624] 
(f.n.  i).  C.S.,  80,  s.a.  [624]  (fn.  i,  Hennessy's  year  626),  calls  Fiachna, 
Deman's  son,  "the  king  of  Dal-Fiachach."  A.U.  give  a  similar  account, 
i,  94-96,  s.a.  625  =  626  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  626) ;  they  call  the  place  Leithet 
Midind,  and  name  the  conquered  king  "  Fiachna  Lurgan."  Fiachna  Lurgan 
was  the  father  of  Mongan,  for  whom  see  above,  year  625. 

Lethet-Midenn  is  called  "  the  castle  of  Lethet "  in  Berchan's  Prophecy, 
stanza  30.  (The  glosses  there  indicating  Baetan  and  his  son  Fiachna  have 
been  transposed.)  See  year  581.  The  Prophecy  implies  that  this  place 
was  in  the  east  of  Ulster. 

The  Book  of  Leinster  (facsimile,  41,  c)  says  that  "Fiachna,  Baetan's 
son,  was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Drong."  The  two  Fiachnas  stand  there 
among  the  kings  of  Ulster.  They  were  followed  by  Congal  Caech,  who  fell 
at  Moira  (see  below,  year  639). 

Fiachna  Lurgan,  king  of  Ireland,  son  of  Baetan,  son  of  Cairell,  is  said 
to  have  obtained  authority  over  Scotland,  in  a  fairy-tale  of  the  Yellow  Book 
of  Lecan,  facsimile,  212-313.     For  his  brother  Maelumai  see  year  603,  note. 


150  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

627 
Annales  Cambriae,  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  157,  s.a.  [626]  ^ 
Edwin  was  baptized  ;  and  Run,  Urbgen's  son,  baptized  him.^ 

627,  640 

Bede,  Chronica;  M.G.H.,  Auctores,  vol.  xiii,  p.  311. 

At  this  time  there  had  arisen  among  the  [Irish]  Scots  the 
error  of  the  quartodecimans  in  the  observance  of  Easter. 
Pope  Honorius  ^  refuted  it  in  a  letter ;  but  John,  who  succeeded 
[Honorius']  successor  Severinus,  while  still  elect  to  the 
pontificate,  wrote  for  their  benefit  concerning  the  same 
Easter,*  and  of  the  Pelagian  heresy,  which  was  reviving  among 
them.^ 

ca.  627 
Annales  Cambriae  ;  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  157,  s.a.  [627]" 

Belin  died. 

ca.  629 
Annales  Cambriae,  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  157,  s.a.  [629]' 
The  besieging  of  king  Catguollaun  in  the  island  of  Glannauc. 

1  Placed  2  years  after  the  "  i8oth  year"  after  444.  Not  in  MS.  C. 
MS.  B  reads  instead  of  the  second  sentence  :  "  by  PauHnus,  bishop  of 
York"(ed.  Ab  Ithel,  6). 

2  See  above,  p.  14. 

3  Honorius  I  was  pope  from  625  to  638.  According  to  A.S.C.  E,  this 
letter  was  written  in  627  :  "And  [Pope  Honorius]  sent  the  [Irish]  Scots  a 
writing,  that  they  should  turn  to  the  right  Easter."     See  Bede,  H.E.,  II,  19. 

*  Severinus  was  buried  on  2nd  August,  [640]  ;  the  see  was  vacant  for 
4  months,  28  days.  Then  John  IV  held  it,  for  i  year,  9  months,  18  days  ; 
he  was  buried  on  12th  October,  [642].  This  letter  was  therefore  written  in 
640  after  August  2nd  and  before  December  24th,  which  was  the  day  of 
John's  consecration. 

5  This  passage  is  quoted  in  Hugo's  Chronicon,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores, 
viii,  324 ;  the  Chronicon  Universale,  ibid,  xiii,  14 ;  Gesta  episcoporum 
Neapolitanorum,  in  M.G.H.,  Scriptores  Rerum  Langobardicarum,  415. 

Tigernach  (R.C.,  xvii,  s.a.  [6n],  fn.  6  ;  in  the  section  with  the  reign  of 
Heraclius  [610-641],  and  the  marginal  date  4592  A.M.  =  641  A.D.)  copies 
Bede,  omitting  "  while  .  .  .  pontificate." 

6  3  years  after  the  "  180th  year"  after  444. 

7  Placed  5  years  after  the  "  i8oth  year"  after  444. 


EASTER  CONTROVERSY.     KING  EOCHAID  151 

?630 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii, p.  i8i,  s.a.  [627]^ 
The  death  of  Eochaid  Buide,  Aidan's  son.^ 

?  630 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  98,  s.a.  628  =  629  ^ 

The  death  of  Eochaid  Buide,  king  of  the  Picts,  the  son  of 
Aidan.     So  I  have  found  in  Cuanu's  Book.* 

1  With  f.n.  5. 

^  Eochaid's  death  is  placed  in  T.,  C.S.,  and  A.U.,  23  years  after  the 
death  of  Aidan,  and  immediately  after  the  battle  of  Fid-eoin.  But  Connad; 
Cerr,  who  is  said  to  have  been  killed  in  that  battle,  appears  to  have  been 
Eochaid's  successor. 

C.S.,  82,  s.a.  [627]  (Hennessy's  year  629)  :  "  The  death  of  Eochaid 
Buide,  Aidan's  son,  in  the  20th  year  of  his  reign." 

A. I.,  12,  O'Conor's  year  623  =  631  (32  years  after  599)  :  "The  death  of 
Eochaid  Buide,  Aidan's  son."  This  is  placed  22  years  after  the  death  of 
Aidan. 

A  verse  relating  to  Eochaid  Buide  is  quoted  from  B.B.  289  a,  and  a 
Dublin  MS.  (Trin.  Col.  H.  2.12.8),  in  Irische  Texte,  iii,  67  (ed.  R. 
Thurneysen). 

The  Duan  Albanach,  in  P.  &  S.,  60 ;  "  Seven  times  ten  years,"  (for  fo 
seacht r&2.A  aciis  seacht,  i.e.  "seventeen  years"?)  "a  course  of  renown,  in 
the  sovereignty  of  Eochaid  Buide." 
^  With  f.n.  and  e.  for  629. 

*  This  is  the  last  reference  to  Cuanu's  Book  in  A.U.  :  if  it  is  used 
afterwards,  it  is  not  named.  It  may  have  ended  about  this  date.  The  first 
quotation  from  it  is  at  the  year  467.  There  is  no  indication  of  the  date 
at  which  Cuanu's  Book  was  written,  except  that  some  Irish  words  in  the 
quotations  from  it  were  not  written  before  the  8th  century  ;  the)'  may, 
however,  have  been  translated  into  Irish  from  a  Latin  original  by  an  8th- 
century  (or  later)  compiler. 

The  oldest  Chronicles  of  Dalriata  give  Eochaid  Buide  a  reign  of  15  or 
16  years  (see  p.  cxxx) ;  the  Duan,  of  17  years  (s.l.).  He  does  not  seem  there- 
fore to  have  reigned  over  Dalriata  during  the  whole  period  between  his 
father's  death  and  his  own. 

Eochaid  was  evidently  very  young  at  the  time  when  Columba  chose  him 
as  Aidan's  successor  (above,  p.  95). 

According  to  Fordun,  (i,  84,  119)  the  hand  of  Eochaid  Buide  (or  of 
Eochaid  Domangart's  son  ;  1 697)  was  cut  off  and  buried  on  his  extreme 
frontier,  at  Stanemore. 

The  words  "  king  of  the  Picts,"  {rex  Pictorum)  if  not  a  mistake  for 
"king  of  Scotland"  or  Dalriata,  would  imply  that  Eochaid  had  reduced 
some  part  of  Pictish  territory  to  his  dominion.    We  may  compare  with  this 


152  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

ca.  630 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  pp.  180-181, 

s.a.  [627]  1 

The  battle  of  F"id-eoin,  in  which  Maelcaich,  Scandal's  son, 
king  of  the  [Irish]  Picts,  was  the  conqueror.  [The  men  of] 
Dalriata  fell. 

Connad  Cerr,  king  of  Dalriata,  fell,  and  Dicull,  Eochaid's 
son,  king  of  the  kindred  of  the  Picts,^  fell ;  and  Aidan's 
grandsons  fell,  Rigullan,  Conaing's  son,  and  Failbe,  Eochaid's 

implication  the  statement  of  Tigernach  (above,  year  627)  that  Connad  Cerr 
was  king  of  Dalriata  during  Eochaid  Buide's  life-time.  (The  conjecture 
in  S.C.S.,  i,  241-242,  that  Eochaid  reigned  in  Galloway,  Connad  in  Argyle, 
would  imply  either  that  Aidan  had  ruled  over  Galloway,  or  that  between 
607  and  630  the  Scots  had  encroached  upon  the  kingdom  of  Bernicia  ;  the 
former  is  improbable,  the  latter  is  expressly  denied  by  Bede  (E.C.,  12). 
It  seems  more  likely  that  Connad  ruled  some  part  of  Dalriata  under 
Eochaid.  The  Picts  of  Galloway  at  least  were  subject  to  Oswald  (634-642) 
and  his  successors.) 

It  is  probable  that  Irish  emigrants  from  Dalaraide  had  settled  in 
Galloway,  as  emigrants  from  Irish  Dalriata  had  settled  in  Argyle.  The 
settlers  in  Galloway  might  have  had  relations  with  their  kinsmen  in  Argyle. 
But  they  can  hardly  have  been  the  Picti  of  whom  Eochaid  Buide  was  the 
king,  since  they  (like  the  Picts  of  Dalaraide)  would  have  been  called 
Cruithni,  not  Picti,  by  the  Irish  annalists. 

Some  division  of  Dalriatan  territory  had  probably  been  made  ;  and  a 
more  Pictish  part  was  probably  ruled  by  Eochaid  Buide,  while  a  southern 
part  was  under  Connad  Cerr.  It  is  possible,  however,  since  Connad's 
subjects  were  twice  in  conflict  with  the  Cruithni  of  Dalaraide,  that  the 
annalists  thought  him'  the  king  of  Irish  Dalriata  ;  and  that  Eochaid's 
subjects  are  called  Picts  in  distinction  from  the  Irish  Dalriatans. 

1  F.n.  5. 

2  ri  ceneoil  Cruithne  :  i.e.,  a  claimant  of  the  kingdom  of  Dalaraide,  and 
possibly  the  son  of  Eochaid  Buide.  In  that  case  he  would  have  been  the 
brother  of  Failbe,  and  might  have  had  some  hereditary  claim,  perhaps 
through  his  mother. 

Fiachna,  Deman's  son,  king  of  Dal-Fiatach  (a  section  of  Dalaraide), 
had  killed  Fiachna  Lurgan,  Baetan's  son,  the  king  of  Dalaraide,  in  ?626; 
and  had  made  himself  king  of  the  Cruithni  of  Dalaraide.  Connad  Cerr 
had  defeated  and  killed  Fiachna  Deman's  son  in  the  following  year  ;  and 
presumably  had  set  up  Dicull  as  king  in  his  place.  Maelcaich,  Scandal's 
son,  then  made  himself  king.  In  645,  "  Locheni,  the  king  of  the  Cruithni, 
son  of  Fingin,  died"  ;  in  646,  "Scandal,  son  of  Bee,  son  of  Fiachra,  king 
of  the  Cruithni"  was  wounded;  in  666,  "Maelcaich,  Scandal's  son,  king  of 
the  Cruithni,"  and  "  Eochaid  larlaithi,  king  of  the  Cruithni,"  died  (A.U.). 
Scottish  Dalriata  does  not  appear  to  have  avenged  the  defeat  of  Fid-eoin. 


BATTLE  OF  FID-EOIN.     KING  CONNAD  153 

son ;    and  Osric,  ^Ifric's  son/  the  crown-prince  of  England, 
with  very  great  slaughter  of  his  men.^ 

ca,  630 

Tigemach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  181,  s.a.  [628]^ 

The  death  of  Conaing  Cerr,  as  others  say,  in  the  first  year 
of  his  reign  ;  he  who  was  conquered  in  the  battle  of  Fid-eoin.* 

^  In  Tigernach,  mac  Albndt  ("a  scribal  error  for  Albruic  =  /4Llfric" 
Stokes,  Transactions  of  the  Philological  Society,  1890,  p.  426);  in 
C.S.,  mac  Albirit. 

Osric,  ^Ifric's  son,  the  apostate  king  of  Deira,  reigned  633-1634, 
according  to  Bede,  H.E.,  III,  i.  (A.S.C.  E  says  that  he  became  king  of 
Deira  in  634.)  His  death  is  wrongly  placed  here  in  the  Irish  annals, 
before  the  death  of  his  predecessor  Edwin.     See  year  633. 

^  cum  strage  maxima  suorum,  perhaps  "  of  their  men." 

Similarly  in  C.S.,  80-82,  s.a.  [627]  (Hennessy's  year  629). 

A.U.,  i,  98,  s.a.  628  =  629  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  629) :  "The  battle  of 
Fid-eoin,  in  which  Maelcaich,  Scandal's  son,  king  of  the  [Irish]  Picts, 
was  the  conqueror.  [The  men  of]  Dalriata  fell.  Connad  Cerr,  king  of 
Dalriata,  fell.  .  .  . 

"  Otherwise,  the  battle  of  Fid-eoin,  in  which  fell  Rigullon  and  Failbe, 
the  grandsons  of  Aidan."  The  latter  account  they  derive  from  Cuanu's 
Book.     Other  battles  are  entered  in  the  same  annal. 

Tigernach,  placing  Connad's  death  in  the  following  year,  from  another 
source,  suggests  that  Connad  survived  the  battle.  But  the  variation  seems 
to  be  one  of  date  only  :  an  alternative  source  would  place  the  battle  in  631, 
instead  of  630. 

The  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  loi,  s.a.  627:  "The  battle  of  Fid-eoin 
{ffeawynel,  wherein  Maelcaich,  Scandal's  son  \_Moylekeigh  mcSeannoile], 
king  of  the  Picts,  was  killed  ;  many  of  [the  men  of]  Dalriata  were  killed, 
as  Connad  Cerr  their  prince  ;  the  nephews  of  Aidan  were  killed,  Rigailan 
Conaing's  son  and  Eailbe  Eochaid's  son  ;  and  Osric,  ^Ifric's  son  \offrich 
mcAlfrithe\  prince  of  the  Saxons,  with  many  of  his  nobles,  were  likewise 
killed. 

"  Eochaid  Buide,  son  of  king  Aidan  of  Scotland,  in  the  20th  year  of  his 
reign  died  (in  the  year  of  his  reign  15  or  i6,  of  Christ  621)."  The  last 
words  {an7to  regni  15  vel  16,  xti  621)  are  evidently  a  gloss. 

^  F.n.  6  in  O'Conor's  edition  ;  Scriptores,  ii,  1,  191.  The  year  meant 
here  in  T.  and  in  C.S.  is  probably  631.  Under  the  same  year  is  placed 
"the  death  of  ^lle,  king  of  England";  an  event  which  A.S.C.  dates  in 
588.     This  anachronism  appears  in  C.S.  also. 

4  C.S.,  82,  s.a.  [628]  (f.n.  6;  Hennessy's  year  630):  "The  death  of 
Connad  Cerr,  as  others  say,  in  the  first  year  of  his  reign,  in  the  battle 
of  Fid-eoin."  T.  appears  to  have  added  to  his  alternative  source  the  words 
"  he   who   was   conquered,"  suggesting  that  Connad  survived  the  battle  ; 


154  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

633 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  181 ;  s.a.  [629]' 

The  battle  of  Edwin,  file's  son,  the  Saxons'  king,  who 
ruled  all  Britain  ;  and  in  this  battle  he  was  conquered  by 
C[atguoll]aun,  king  of  the  Britons,  and  Penda  the  Saxon.^ 

The  death  of  Kenneth,  Luchtren's  son,  king  of  the  Picts.^ 

633 
Annales  Oambriae,  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  157,  s.a.  [630]* 

Guidgar  comes  and  does  not  return,  on  the  Kalends  of 
January.  The  battle  of  Meicen,  in  which  Edwin  was  killed, 
with  his  two  sons.^     And  Catguollaun  was  the  conqueror.*' 

that  suggestion  does  not  appear  in  C.S.,  and  was  probably  absent  from 
T.'s  source. 

The  Chronicle  of  Dalriata  calls  this  king  "  Kenneth  the  Left-handed, 
Conall's  son,"  and  gives  him  a  reign  of  three  months. 

The  Duan  Albanach,  in  P.  &  S.,  60  :  "  Connad  Cerr  [reigned]  for  a 
quarter,  of  noted  fame ;  and  his  son  Ferchar  had  [a  reign  of]  sixteen  "  (quarters 
or  years?).     "After  Ferchar — see  the  verses — fourteen  years  of  Donald." 

For  Ferchar,  see  below,  ?ca.  651.  With  Feaghaidh  rainji,  literally 
"look  upon  the  stanza,"  cf  gan  roimi  ("without  a  stanza"),  above, 
year  574.     The  gender  and  spelling  are  made  dependent  on  the  rhyme. 

Fordun  transposes  the  reigns  of  Eochaid  Buide  and  Connad  Cerr  ;  and 
after  Eochaid  places  a  king  Ferchar,  Eochaid's  son,  wrongly  (III,  31,  34). 

'  With  f.n.  7.     Placed  17  year-sections  before  651. 

2  Edwin  was  killed  on  12th  October,  633  (Bede). 

^  To  the  same  effect  in  C.S.,  82,  s.a.  [629]  (f  n.  7  ;  Hennessy's  year  631). 

A.U.,  i,  98,  s.a.  630  =  631  (with  fn.  and  e.  of  631)  :  "The  battle  of  yElle's 
son,  and  the  death  of  Kenneth  Lugtren's  son." 

A.I.,  12,  O'Conor's  year  625  =  633  (34  years  after  599):  "The  death  of 
Kenneth,  king  of  Scotland,  and  of  Edwin,  king  of  England." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  loi,  s.a.  630  :  "^lle  king  of  the  Saxons  died. 
.  .  .  The  battle  of  Edwin,  son  of  king  ^lle  who  reigned  king  over  all  the 
Saxons,  wherein  Catguollaun  \Acathlon\  king  of  the  Britons  was  overcome, 
was  fought";  and  102,  s.a.  632:  "Kenneth,  Luchtren's  son  \Cenay 
mcLachtren\  king  of  the  Picts,  died." 

The  Chronicles  of  the  Picts  give  Kenneth  a  reign  of  19  (ABC)  or  24 
years  (DK).  T.,  C.S.,  and  A.U.,  place  his  death  10  years  after  the  death 
of  Nechtan  Cano's  son,  who  may  have  been  Kenneth's  predecessor. 

*  Placed  6  years  after  the  "  i8oth  year"  after  444. 

^  Cf.  Bede's  account,  below. 

"  This  is  derived  from  the  Historia  Brittonum,  Genealogies  ;  M.G.H., 
Auctores,  xiii,  204:  "...  Yffe  begot  ^lle,  [who  begot]  Edwin,  [who 
begot]  Osfrith  and  Eadfrith.     Edwin  had   two  sons,  and  they  fell  along 


KINGS  EDWIN  AND  KENNETH  155 

with  him  in  the  battle  of  Meicen  ;  and  kingship  never  recurred  in  his  line, 
because  not  one  of  his  race  escaped  from  this  battle,  but  all  were  slain 
along-  with  him  by  the  army  of  CatguoUaun,  king  of  the  district  of 
Guenedota." 

Bede,  H.E.,  II,  20:  "And  when  Edwin  had  ruled  most  gloriously  for 
seventeen  years  over  the  nations  both  of  the  Angles  and  of  the  Britons — 
and  during  six  of  these  years,  as  I  have  said,  he  too  had  been  a  soldier  of 
Christ's  kingdom — CatguoUaun,  king  of  the  Britons,  rebelled  against  him, 
with  aid  from  Penda,  that  most  vigorous  man  of  the  royal  race  of  the 
Mercians  ;  [Penda]  had  moreover  at  that  time  ruled  the  kingdom  of  that 
nation  with  varying  fortune  for  twenty-two  years.  And  a  severe  battle  was 
fought  in  the  plain  which  is  called  Hatfield  \HaethfeltJi\,  and  Edwin  was 
killed,  on  the  fourth  day  before  the  Ides  of  October,  in  the  year  of  the 
Lord's  Incarnation  633,  when  [Edwin]  was  forty-eight  years  old.  And  his 
whole  army  was  either  killed  or  routed. 

"  In  this  battle  also  one  of  his  sons,  Osfrith,  a  valiant  youth,  had  fallen 
before  him  ;  the  other,  Eadfrith,  compelled  by  need,  made  his  escape  to 
king  Penda,  and  was  killed  by  him  afterwards,  during  Oswald's  reign,  in 
violation  of  his  oath." 

Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle,  MS.  E,  s.a.  633  :  "  In  this  year  king  Edwin  was 
slain  by  CatguoUaun  and  Penda  on  Hethfelda,  on  the  second  day  before  the 
Ides  of  October"  (i.e.,  October  14th).  "And  he  [had]  reigned  for  seventeen 
years.  And  also  his  son  Osfrith  was  slain  with  him.  And  thereupon 
CatguoUaun  and  Penda  advanced,  and  destroyed  all  the  land  of  the 
Northumbrians."  (MSS.  ABCF  have  simply:  "In  this  year  king  Edwin 
was  slain.")  Edwin's  death  is  placed  in  633  also  by  the  Annals  of  St 
Neots  ;  Stevenson's  Asser,  122. 

Bede's  Historia  Ecclesiastica,  III,  i  :  (Osric,  king  of  Deira,  had  been 
baptized  by  Paulinus  ;  Eanfrith,  king  of  Bernicia,  had  been  baptized  during 
his  exile  among  the  "Scots  or  Picts"  ;)  "And  both  these  kings,  as  soon 
as  they  had  obtained  the  insignia  of  earthly  kingship,  abandoned  and 
betrayed  the  heavenly  kingdom's  sacraments,  in  which  they  had  been 
initiated,  and  gave  themselves  up  again  to  their  former  filth  of  idolatry,  to 
be  polluted  and  destroyed. 

"Soon  CatguoUaun,  the  king  of  the  Britons,  slew  them,  with  impious 
hand  but  in  just  retribution  ;  first  Osric,  the  following  summer,  while 
[Osric]  was  besieging  him  rashly  in  a  municipal  town  ;  [CatguoUaun]  sallied 
suddenly  forth  with  all  his  men,  and  taking  [Osric]  unprepared,  destroyed 
him  and  his  army.  Afterwards,  when  for  a  whole  year  the  victor  had 
occupied  the  provinces  of  the  Northumbrians,  not  as  a  king  ;  but  as  a 
tyrant  had  oppressed  and  destroyed  them,  and  ravaged  them  with  tragic 
slaughter,  at  last  he  doomed  Eanfrith  to  a  similar  fate,  when  [Eanfrith] 
came  to  him  unadvisedly  with  twelve  picked  soldiers  to  sue  for  peace. 

"  That  year  remains  to  this  day  of  ill  renown,  and  abhorred  by  all  the 
good,  both  on  account  of  the  apostasy  of  the  kings  of  the  Angles,  whereby 
they  had  stripped  themselves  of  the  sacraments  of  the  faith  ;  and  because 
of  the  savage  tyranny  of  the  British  king.     Hence  it  has  seemed  good  to 


156  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

634 
Annales  Cambriae ;  V  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  157,  s.a.  [631] 

The  battle  of  Catscaul,  in  which  Catguollaun  fell.^ 

634 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  I,  c.  i  ^ 

[Columba]  often  foretold  the  future  rewards  of  very  many 
still  living  in  mortal  flesh  :  of  some  happy,  of  others  sad.  And 
in  the  dreadful  clashings  of  wars  he  obtained  this  of  God  by 
virtue  of  prayers  that  some  kings  should  be  conquered,  and 
other  rulers  should  be  the  conquerors.  Such  a  privilege  was 
granted  to  him  by  God  (who  honours  all  saints),  as  to  a 
victorious  and  very  powerful  champion,  not  only  while 
[Columba]  continued  in  this  life,  but  also  after  his  passing 
from  the  flesh. 

We  shall  give  one  example  of  this  honour  divinely  conferred 
by  the  Almighty  upon  the  honourable  man,  [an  example]  which 
was  shown  to  Oswald,  ruler  of  the  Saxons,  on  the  day  before 
he  fought  against  Catguollaun,*  the  most  powerful  king  of  the 
Britons.  For  when  this  king  Oswald  had  encamped  upon  the 
verge  of  battle,  sleeping  in  his  tent  upon  a  pillow  he  saw  in 

all  who  reckon  the  times  of  kings  to  put  aside  the  memory  of  the  faithless 
\perfidoriini\  kings,  and  to  assign  this  year  to  the  reign  of  the  following 
king,  that  is,  of  Oswald,  a  man  beloved  of  God.  He,  after  the  death  of  his 
brother  Eanfrith,  attacked  [Catguollaun]  with  an  army,  small  but  strengthened 
by  the  faith  of  Christ  ;  and  the  execrable  leader  of  the  Britons,  with  his 
innumerable  forces,  which  he  used  to  boast  that  nothing  could  withstand, 
was  slain  by  him  in  the  place  that  is  called  Denisesburna  in  the  English 
tongue  ;  that  is,  the  stream  of  Denis."     See  also  H.E.,  II,  2. 

Fordun,  III,  34,  says  that  when  ^thelfrith's  sons  heard  of  the  death  of 
Edwin,  they  appealed  to  king  Donald  for  leave  to  depart,  and  for  aid  to 
recover  their  inheritance.  The  king  gave  them  an  escort,  but  refused 
military  aid  against  his  ally  Catguollaun. 

^  Placed  7  years  after  the  "  i8oth  year"  after  444. 

2  This  is  derived  from  the  Historia  Brittonum,  c.  64,  M.G.H.,  Auctores, 
xiii,  207-208  :  "  [Oswald]  slew  Catguollaun,  king  of  the  district  of  North 
Wales,  in  the  battle  of  Catscaul,  with  great  slaughter  of  his  army." 
(Annales  Cambriae  read  Cantscaul).  According  to  Fordun,  III,  34  (i,  121) 
the  battle  of  Denisesburna  was  fought  near  the  Roman  wall  "  which  is 
called  Thyrlwall." 

2  Reeves's  edition,  13-16;  Skene's,  112-113. 

*  Adamnan  uses  the  Irish  form  of  the  name.  Cation, 


KINGS  CATGUOLLAUN  AND  OSWALD  157 

a  vision  St  Columba  beaming  in  angelic  form,  whose  great 
height  appeared  with  its  head  to  touch  the  clouds.  And  the 
blessed  man  revealed  to  the  king  his  name,  and  standing  in 
the  middle  of  the  camp  protected  with  his  effulgent  robe  the 
camp,  excepting  a  small  outpost ;  and  he  bestowed  these 
words  in  confirmation — the  same  which  the  Lord  spoke  to 
Joshua  Ben  Nun  before  the  crossing  of  Jordan,  after  Moses' 
death,  saying : — "  Have  courage  and  act  manfully ;  behold  I 
shall  be  with  thee,"  and  the  rest.^  And  thus,  saying  these 
things  to  the  king  in  a  vision,  the  holy  Columba  added  : — 
"  Advance  to  battle  from  the  camp  this  coming  night ;  for  on 
this  occasion  the  Lord  has  granted  to  me  that  thy  enemies 
shall  be  turned  to  flight,  and  thy  enemy  Catguollaun  shall  be 
given  up  into  thy  hands  ;  and  that  after  the  battle  thou  shalt 
return  as  conqueror,  and  shalt  reign  happily."  After  these 
words  the  king  arose,  and  related  this  vision  to  his  assembled 
council ;  and  all  were  encouraged  by  it,  and  the  whole  people 
promised  that  after  returning  from  the  battle  they  would  believe 
and  receive  baptism  :  for  up  to  that  time  the  whole  of  that 
Saxon  land  had  been  overshadowed  by  the  darkness  of 
heathendom  and  ignorance,  excepting  king  Oswald  himself, 
with  twelve  men  who  had  been  baptized  while  with  him  in 
his  exile  among  the  Scots. 

In  effect,  the  same  night  following  (as  he  had  been  instructed 
in  the  vision)  king  Oswald  advanced  from  camp  to  battle, 
against  numerous  thousands,  with  a  considerably  smaller  army  ; 
and  as  had  been  promised  him,  a  successful  and  easy  victory 
was  granted  to  him  by  the  Lord  ;  king  Catguollaun  was  killed, 
and  [Oswald]  returned  with  victory  after  the  battle,  and  was 
afterwards  appointed  by  God  emperor  of  all  Britain. 

This  narration  was  indubitably  narrated  to  me,  Adamnan, 
by  my  predecessor,  our  abbot  Failbe,^  who  stated  that  he  had 
heard  it  from  the  lips  of  king  Oswald  himself,  when  he  related 
this  vision  to  abbot  Segine.^ 

'  See  Joshua,  I,  1-9  ;  noticing  the  boundaries  mentioned  in  verse  4. 

^  Failbe  died  about  679  ;  see  below. 

^  Segine  died  about  652  ;  below.  He  was  abbot  of  lona  from  about 
623. 

The  episode  is  briefly  narrated  in  the  Life  attributed  to  Cummine,  XXV  ; 
Pinkerton's  Vitae,  44. 


158  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

634 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  182,  s.a.  [630] ^ 

A  battle  [was  fought]  by  Catguollaun,  and  Eanfrith,  who 
was  beheaded ;  and  in  it  Oswald,  ^thelfrith's  son,  was  the 
conqueror,  and  Catguollaun,  king  of  the  Britons,  fell.^  .  .  . 

The  island  of  Lindisfarne  was  founded.^ 

630  X  643 
?ca.  635 

Tigernach,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  205  * 
A   battle    in    Calathros,'^    and    in    it    Donald    Brecc   was 
conquered.^ 

'  F.n.  2,  placed  16  year-sections  before  651. 

2  A.U.,  i,  100,  s.a.  631=632  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  632) :  "The  battle  of 
Catguollaun,  king  of  the  Britons,  and  of  Eanfrith." 

A.I.,  12,  under  O'Conor's  year  626  =  634  (35  years  after  599) :  "The 
wounding  of  Catguollaun." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  132,  s.a.  634  :  "The  battle  between  Catguollaun 
and  Eanfrith  was  fought,  who  therein  was  beheaded  ;  and  Oswald  son  of 
^thelfrith  had  the  victory." 

See  E.G.,  13,  18. 

Oswald's  victory  and  succession  are  recorded,  after  Bede,  by  Sigebert 
of  Gemblours,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vi,  323,  s.a.  635 

Catguollaun's  death  ended  British  s'jpremacy  in  Northumbria. 
Adamnan's  narrative  shows  that  Scottish  sympathies  were  against  the 
Britons  on  this  occasion. 

3  Inis  Metgoit  in  T.  ;  Inis  Medgoit  in  C.S.  The  monastery  of  Lindis- 
farne was  probably  founded  in  635.     See  E.C.,  13-18. 

Its  foundation  appears  similarly  in  C.S.,  s.a.  [630]  (for  f.n.  5  read  2  ; 
Hennessy's  year  632),  and  in  A.I.,  u.s.  F.M.,  i,  248,  s.a.  627,  add:  "by 
bishop  Aidan."     See  below,  year,  65  \. 

Aidan's  mission  to  Lindisfarne  is  mentioned  by  Alberic  of  Trois 
Fontaines,  Chronica  ;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xxiii,  696,  s.a.  635  :  Aidan's 
death,  ibid.,  697,  s.a.  651. 

■•  This  is  placed  after  the  events  quoted  from  Tigernach  below,  year  679. 

°  CalitroSy  in  Tigernach  ;  Calathros,  A.U.  ;  Calairos,  Duald. 

Skene  understood  this  district  to  be  the  same  as  that  named  Calatria  in 
Latin  ;  but  the  identity  of  the  two  places  is  not  established,  and  in  fact  this 
passage  practically  disproves  it,  because  Bede  says  expressly  that  no  king 
of  the  Scots  had  invaded  Bernicia  after  the  defeat  of  Aidan  in  603. 

Below  (year  736)  it  seems  that  Calathros  was  within  Dalriata  ;  and  it 
may  perhaps  have  been  the  Cladrois  placed  by  the  Senchus  in  Islay 
(above,  p.  clii).     See  year  736. 

About  this   time   (635   or  636)   Donald's  rival  of  the  house  of  Cowal, 


BATTLE  OF  CALATHROS.     KING  GARTNAIT         159 

?636 

Annals  of  Innisfallen  ;  Rerum  Hibernicarum  Scriptores,  vol.  ii, 
p.  12;  O'Conor's  year  628  =  636 1 

The  death  of  Angus,  Nechtan's  son.^ 

?637 

The  Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  102,  s.a.  634  =  635  " 

The  death  of  Gartnait,*  Foith's  son.^ 

ca.  637 

Tigemach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  183,  s.a.  [632]^ 

Segine,  abbot  of  lona,  founded  the  church  of  Rechru.'^ 

Ferchar,  son  of  Connad  Cerr,  seems  to  have  obtained  a  share  in  the 
sovereignty  of  Dalriata.  It  seems  possible  that  this  division  might  have 
resulted  from  a  battle  in  Dalriata  in  which  Donald  was  defeated. 

Donald  fought  also  with  his  neighbours.  His  supporters  were  defeated 
ca.  640  in  Glend-Mairison,  which  may  have  been  in  Pictish  territory  ;  but 
his  death  ca.  643  was  caused  by  the  Britons  of  Strathclyde. 

'^  Similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  130,  s.a.  677  =  678;  and  in  D.M.F.,  II,  p.  86, 
under  [678].     Cf.  below,  year  679,  note. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  109,  s.a.  674  :  "  The  battle  of  Calathros  was 
given,  where  Donald  Brecc  was  vanquished." 

The  only  reason  for  dating  this  battle  in  635  is  that  it  is  placed  in 
A.U.  8  years  before  the  misplaced  entry  of  Donald  Brecc's  death.  See 
year  643. 

'  Placed  37  years  after  599. 

^  Perhaps  this  was  a  son  of  the  Nechtan  whose  death  is  entered  above 
in  ?62i. 

^  With  f.n.  and  e.  of  635. 

*  In  text  Gartnain. 

^  In  the  same  year-section  A.U.  note  (doubtless  from  another  source) : 
"The  battle  of  Segais,  in  which  fell  Lochene,  son  of  Nechtan  Cendfota  ; 
and  Cumuscach,  son  of  Angus  ;  and  Gartnaith,  son  of  Oith."  This  notice 
of  the  battle  of  Segais  appears  similarly  in  Tigernach,  s.a.  [632]  (as  below), 
and  in  C.S.,  without  mention  of  Gartnait ;  his  name  ought  probably  not  to 
be  connected  with  it.  Segais  is  stated  to  have  been  Curlieu  Mountain,  in 
county  Roscommon  (editors  of  A.U.). 

The  Chronicle  of  the  Picts,  version  A,  says  that  Gartnait  reigned  for 
4  years  ;  i.e.,  probably  633-637. 

"  F.n.  4.     Placed  14  year-sections  before  651. 

'  A.U.,  i,  100,  s.a.  634  =  635  (u.s.) :  "The  church  of  Rechru  was 
founded." 

F.M.,  i,  250,  s.a.  630  :  "  Segine,  abbot  of  lona  of  Columcille,  founded  the 


160  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

A  gathering  of  the  Saxons  against  Oswald.^ 
Eochaid,  the  abbot  of  Lismore,  reposed."^ 

ca.  639 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  III,  c.  5  ^ 

Cummine  the  Fair,  in  the  book  that  he  wrote  about  the 
virtues  of  St  Columba,  so  said  that  St  Columba  began  to 
prophesy  concerning  Aidan  and  his  descendants  and  concerning 
his  kingdom,  saying,  "  Believe  indubitably,  O  Aidan,  that  none 
of  thy  enemies  will  be  able  to  oppose  thee  until  first  thou  work 
deceit  upon  me  and  upon  my  successors.  For  this  cause  there- 
fore do  thou  command  thy  sons  that  they  also  command  their 
sons  and  grandsons  and  descendants  not  through  evil  counsel 
to  lose  their  sceptre  of  this  kingdom  from  their  hands.  For  at 
whatever  time  they  shall  act  against  me  or  against  my  relatives 
who  are  in  Ireland,  the  whip  that  I  endured  for  thee  from  the 

church  of  Rechrainn."  (The  name  Rechru  passes  through  the  form 
Rechrainn  to  Rathhn.) 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  132,  s.a.  634:  "Segine,  abbot  of  lona, 
founded  the  church  of  Rathlin.  The  Saxons  made  great  assemblies 
against  king  Oswald." 

Stokes  explains  Rechru  here  as  Lambay  :  but  ecclesiastics  of  Rathlin 
or  Lambay  are  not  spoken  of  by  A.U.  for  a  hundred  years  after  this  date. 

The  island  of  Rechru  mentioned  in  Adamnan,  I,  5,  and  {Rechrea  insula) 
in  II,  41,  was  near  Ireland,  close  to  Coire-Brecain,  and  inhabited.  This 
was  apparently  the  original  Coire-Brecain  from  which  the  modern  Scottish 
Corrievreckan,  between  Jura  and  Scarba,  got  its  name  ;  and  Adamnan's 
Rechru  is  Rathlin,  formerly  counted  among  the  Hebrides. 

Cf  the  Irish  addition  to  the  Historia  Brittonum  of  Nennius,  in  Skene's 
P.  &  S.,  23  :  "  Now  the  Fir-bolg  took  Man,  and  they  took  moreover  the 
other  islands  Ara,  and  Ila,  and  Recca"  ;  i.e.,  Arran,  Islay,  and  Rathlin. 

'  This  is  in  Latin. 

"^  A.U.,  i,  102,  s.a.  634  =  635  :  "Eochaid  of  Lismore  died." 

F.M.,  i,  252,  s.a.  634  :  "  St  Eochaid,  abbot  of  Lismore,  died  on  the  17th 
of  April."  (17th  April  634,  according  to  the  Martyrology  of  Donegal,  104.) 
"Eochaid  of  Lismore"  is  placed  in  the  Martyrology  of  Tallaght  (Book 
of  Leinster,  359  a)  under  April  17th. 

This  was  Lismore  in  Scotland.  A.I.  record  the  foundation  of  the  Irish 
Lismore  in  O'Conor's  year  630  =  638,  and  the  death  of  Mochuta  its  founder 
in  631=639:  A.U.  place  the  death  of  Mochuta  in  636  =  637  (T.,  R.C.  xvii, 
184,  under  fn.  7  =  634;  C.S.,  84,  Hennessy's  year  636).  All  four  annals 
place  Mochuta's  expulsion  from  Rahen  in  the  year  before  his  death.  A.I.'s 
dates  are  probably  correct. 

^  Reeves's  edition,  199-201  ;  Skene's,  197-198. 


BATTLE  OF  MOlRA  161 

angel  ^  shall  be  turned  to  a  great  disgrace  upon  them  by  the 
hand  of  God :  and  men's  hearts  shall  be  taken  from  them,  and 
their  enemies  shall  greatly  rejoice  over  them." 

And  this  prophecy  was  fulfilled  in  our  days  in  the  battle  of 
Roth,2  when  Donald  Brecc,  Aidan's  grandson,  without  cause 
wasted  the  province  of  Donald,  grandson  of  Ainmire.  And 
from  that  day  to  this '  they  have  been  held  down  by  strangers  ; 
a  thing  that  fills  the  heart  with  grief* 

'  See  above,  year  573. 

^  Apparently  the  battle  of  Moira,  for  which  see  below. 

^  Adamnan's  death  is  recorded  below,  year  704.  For  the  date  of  his 
work  cf.  years  679,  686-688,  notes. 

*  This  passage  appears  thus  in  the  Life  attributed  to  Cummine,  c.  V  ; 
Pinkerton's  Vitae  Antiquae,  p.  30 :  "  Further,  among  the  words  of  the 
ordination  [of  Aidan,  Columba]  prophesied  the  future  concerning  [Aidan's] 
sons  and  grandsons  and  great-grandsons  ;  and  laying  his  hand  upon  his 
head,  he  ordained  and  blessed  him,  and  spoke  these  words  :  '  Believe 
indubitably,  O  Aidan,  that  none  of  thy  enemies  will  be  able  to  oppose  thee, 
until  first  thou  work  deceit  upon  me  and  upon  my  successors.  Speak  to 
thy  sons  in  these  same  words,  lest  they  lose  the  kingdom.  If  they  obey 
not,  the  scourge  that  for  thy  sake  I  have  endured  from  the  angel  of  God 
shall  be  turned  against  them.' 

"  And  so  it  happened  ;  for  they  transgressed  the  command  of  the  man 
of  God,  and  have  lost  the  kingdom.' 

These  last  words  show  that  the  Life  attributed  to  Cummine  was  written 
at  a  time  when  the  descendants  of  Aidan  had  lost  the  kingdom  of  Dalriata  : 
i.e.,  643  X  65 1,  or  after  697.  Cummine  might  have  written  before  651.  The 
phrase  quoted  by  Adamnan,  that  Aidan's  descendants  were  "held  down 
by  strangers,"  suggests  rather  that  they  reigned,  but  were  not  independent. 
It  might  have  been  taken  from  a  later  recension  of  the  Life  attributed  to 
Cummine,  made  651x669;  or  it  might  have  been  an  adaptation  of  that 
Life's  words,  to  suit  the  conditions  of  Adamnan's  time.  At  the  time  when 
he  wrote  (ca.  688  x  693)  Aidan's  descendants  may  not  have  recovered  the 
sovereignty  of  Dalriata. 

More  probably  the  Life  attributed  to  Cummine  was  not  written  by 
Cummine,  but  was  derived  from  Adamnan's  Life.     See  above,  p.  55. 

In  S.C.S.,  i,  250,  257,  this  passage  was  interpreted  to  mean  that  Argyle 
was  under  the  supremacy  of  Strathclyde  after  the  battle  of  Strathcarron 
(year  643)  ;  and  of  Northumbria,  after  the  battle  of  the  Winwsd  (year  655). 
Cf.  Bede,  II,  5  (E.G.,  25,  note).  But  the  Scots  of  Dalriata  had  recovered 
their  independence  of  Northumbria  in  685.  Adamnan  implies  that  the 
oppression  continued  when  he  wrote,  and  that  it  afflicted  Aidan's 
descendants  rather  than  the  whole  of  Dalriata.  Probably  the  hegemony 
of  the  Dalriatan  tribes  had  gone  to  another  house  :  to  the  house  of  Cowal, 
after  the  battle  of  Moira  ;  to  Ferchar  Fota  of  Lorn,  in  Adamnan's  time. 
Cf.  year  ?643,  note. 

L 


162  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

ca.  639 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  pp.  183-184, 

s.a.  [634]  1 

The  battle  of  Moira  [was  won]  by  Donald,  Aed's  son,  and 
by  the  sons  of  Aed  Slaine  (Donald  reigned  in  Tara  at  that 
time) ;  and  in  it  fell  Congal  Caech,  king  of  Ulster,  and  Faelchu, 
with  many  nobles  ;  and  in  it  fell  Suibne,  son  of  Colman  Cuar.^ 

^  F.n.  7.     Placed  12  years  before  651. 

2  To  similar  effect  in  C.S.,  84,  s.a.  [634]  (Hennessy's  year  636)  ;  but 
Suibne  is  not  mentioned,  and  Faelchu  is  called  "  Airmedach's  son,  king  of 
Meath."  A.I.,  13,  under  O'Conor's  year  631=639  (40  years  after  599): 
"  The  battle  of  Roth,  in  which  Congal  Caech  fell." 

A.U.,  i,  102,  s.a.  636  =  637  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  637)  :  "The  battle  of  Roth 
and  the  battle  of  Sailtire  [Kintyre]  were  fought  on  the  same  day." 

The  Annals  from  the  Book  of  Leinster,  in  Stokes's  Tripartite  Life,  ii,  516 
(without  date) :  "  The  battle  of  Moira  and  the  battle  of  Sailtire  were 
fought  in  one  day.  One  [was  gained]  over  [the  tribe  of]  Eogan,  the  other 
over  the  Ulstermen." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  100,  s.a.  627  :  "The  wasting  and  destroying 
of  Leinster  by  Donald,  Aed's  son  [628].  Donald,  Aed's  son,  succeeded 
[628]  next  king  of  this  land,  and  reigned  30  years  ;  he  got  two  victories  of 
his  enemies,  by  name  the  battle  of  Sailtire  [Sat/ymt],  and  the  battle  of 
Moira  [Moyroth]." 

F.M.,  i,  252-254,  s.a.  634:  "The  battle  of  Moira  [was  gained]  by 
Donald,  Aed's  son,  and  by  the  sons  of  Aed  Slane,  over  Congal  Cloen, 
Scandlan's  son,  king  of  Ulster,  and  there  fell  Congal,  [and]  Ulstermen  and 
foreigners  along  with  him." 

From  Adamnan's  account  (above)  it  would  seem  that  Donald  Brecc, 
king  of  Dalriata,  had  been  invading  the  lands  of  Tara  with  the  king  of 
Ulster.     For  Donald's  part  in  these  feuds  see  above,  year  622. 

O'Donnell's  Life  of  Columba,  in  Colgan's  Trias  Thaumaturga,  416  b: 
"  St  Adamnan  also  relates  in  the  acts  of  St  Columba  that  this  prophecy 
had  been  partly  fulfilled.  For  when  Congal  Cloen,  Scandlan's  son,  king  of 
Ulster,  had  been  exiled  from  the  country  because  of  his  unjust  undertakings, 
he  brought  in  a  great  army  from  foreign  nations,  and  among  others  the 
sons  of  Eochaid  Buide,  the  son  of  Aidan,  mentioned  above,  for  the 
destruction  of  his  own  land  ;  and  they  fought  in  the  battle  of  Moira  against 
Donald,  Ainmire's  grandson  by  his  son  Aed,  and  king  of  Ireland,  and 
St  Columba's  relative  ;  and  Congal,  and  the  sons  of  Eochaid  aforesaid, 
were  pitiably  slaughtered,  and  perished,  with  great  slaughter  of  the 
foreigners   who  took  their  part." 

The  Banquet  of  Dun  na  n-Ged,  in  O'Donovan's  Battle  of  Moira,  34 
(Yellow  Book  of  Lecan,  321  a) :  "  '  I  [Congal  Cloen,  Scandlan's  son,  king  of 
Ulster]  was  fostered  by  thee  [Donald,  Aed's  son,  king  of  Ireland],  until 
thou  wast  expelled  by  the  king  of  Ireland,  Suibne  Mend,  son  of  Fiachna, 


DEFEAT  OF  KING  DONALD  BRECC  163 

ca.  640 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  184,  s.a.  [635] ^ 

The  battle  of  Glend-Mairison,  in  which  the  people^  of 
Donald  Brecc  fled  ;  and  the  siege  of  Etain.'* 

son  of  Feradach,  and  didst  go  to  the  king  of  Scotland  [Eochaid  Buide]  ;  and 
I  went  with  thee  in  that  exile.  And  thou  gottest  great  love  from  him,  and 
you  made  a  treaty,  thou  and  the  king  of  Scotland,  and  he  promised  thee 
that  he  would  not  come  against  thee  so  long  as  there  was  sea  round 
Ireland.  Then  thou  didst  go  to  Ireland,  and  I  went  with  thee,  for  I  was 
in  exile  along  with  thee.' "  (Congal  Cloen  or  Caech  killed  Suibne  Mend, 
and  Donald  took  the  throne.) 

In  the  late  Battle  of  Moira,  106  (Y.B.L.,  300  a)  the  investiture  of 
Donald,  Aed's  son,  as  king  of  Ireland  took  place  in  the  beginning  of  the 
third  quarter  of  the  day,  just  after  the  completion  of  the  twelfth  hour,  in 
the  middle  of  May,  on  Sunday,  the  fifth  of  the  moon  ;  i.e.,  after  6  p.m.  of 
Saturday,  14th  May,  628.     For  his  death,  see  year  643,  note. 

The  Banquet  of  Dun  na  n-Ged,  in  O'Donovan's  Battle  of  Moira,  44 
(Y.B.L.,  321b):  "The  old  man  [Cellach,  son  of  Fiachna,  Scandlan's 
brother]  said  to  [Congal  Caech,  son  of  Scandlan,]  '  Go  to  Scotland,  to  thy 
grandfather,  Eochaid  Buide,  son  of  Aidan,  son  of  Gabran  ;  he  is  king  over 
Scotland.  For  thy  mother  is  his  daughter,  and  thy  grandmother,  thy 
mother's  mother,  is  the  daughter  of  the  king  of  the  Britons,  Eochaid 
Aingces,  and  the  wife  of  the  king  of  Scotland.  Bring  with  thee  to  Ireland 
the  men  of  Scotland  and  of  the  Britons,  because  of  this  kinship,  to  give 
battle  to  the  king  "  [Donald,  Aed's  son].  Congal  went  to  king  Eochaid  at 
Dun-Monaid  [?  Dunadd].  Eochaid  could  not  help  him  in  person,  because 
of  his  treaty  with  Donald,  but  promised  him  the  aid  of  his  sons  :  Donald 
Brecc,  Suibne,  Congal  Mend,  Aed  Green-robed  (in  order  of  age).  Donald 
Brecc  is  spoken  of  as  king  :  ibid.,  56.  Eochaid  then  sent  Congal  to 
"  Eochaid  Aingcess,  king  of  the  Britons,"  who  also  gave  him  aid.  The 
battle  of  Moira  was  fought  (ibid.,  114)  between  Congal  Caech  and  his  sup- 
porters, and  Donald,  Aed's  son,  king  of  Ireland :  Congal  Caech  was 
defeated  and  killed  ;  three  of  Eochaid  Buide's  sons  were  killed,  and 
Donald  Brecc  was  taken  captive  (ibid.,  246). 

An  earlier  Battle  of  Moira,  in  the  Yellow  Book  of  Lecan,  209  b,  says 
more  correctly :  "  Then  Congal  went  straightway  to  the  territory  of 
Scotland,  namely  to  Donald,  Eochaid  Buide's  son.  .  .  ." 

The  late  Battle  of  Moira,  1 14,  dates  the  battle  on  Tuesday,  the  24th  of 
June,  the  twenty-fifth  day  of  the  moon  :  i.e.  Tuesday,  24th  June,  637. 

'  With  fn.  I  ;  but  placed  11  years  before  651. 

2  muindter.     In  C.S.  familia. 

^  Cath  Glinne  Mairison  .  .  .  et  obsessio  Etain.  (So  also  C.S.,  but  with 
bellum  for  cath.) 

C.S.,  84,  s.a.  [635]  (f  n.  I  ;  Hennessy's  year  637)  :  "  The  battle  of  Glend- 
Mairison,  in  which  the  family  of  Donald  Brecc  were  put  to  flight ;  and  the 
siege  of  Etain." 


164  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

A.U.,  i,  102,  s.a.  637  =  638  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  638):  "The  battle  of 
Glend-Mureson,  and  the  siege  of  Etin  "  ifiellum  glinne  Mureson  et  obsesio 
Etiti). 

L.  C.  Stern's  assumption  (Revue  Celtique,  xvi,  23)  that  Beatm  Eadain 
in  Scottish  =Beann  Eadair  (the  Hill  of  Howth)  in  Irish  Gaelic  appears 
not  to  be  correct. 

Reeves  (Adamnan,  202,  note)  would  identify  Etain  with  Carriden,  an 
older  town  than  Edinburgh.  Skene  held  this  view  (F.A.B.W.,  i,  178  ;  1868), 
but  abandoned  it  (S.C.S.,  i,  249;  1886:  "That  Etin  here  is  Edinburgh 
need  not  be  doubted.")  Joseph  Anderson  wished  to  identify  the  place  with 
"  Edin's  Hall  or  Etin's  Hold,  on  Cockburn  Law,  near  Dunse,  in  Berwick- 
shire" (Tr.  S.A.S.,  (1871)  V,  164);  for  which  see  also  J.  Stuart,  P.S.A.S., 
viii  (1868-9),  41-46  ;  D.  Milne  Home  and  G.  Turnbull,  in  Tr.  Berwickshire 
Naturalists'  Club,  (1856-62)  246-248,  (1850-6)  9-20. 

There  is  some  doubt  about  the  identification  of  Etain  or  Etin.  Dun- 
etain  might  possibly  have  been  an  Irish  translation  oi  Eadwinesburh,  which 
would  have  been  a  name  of  very  recent  origin  in  640.  The  modern  Gaelic 
name  of  Edinburgh  {Duneideann,  with  palatal  d,  non-palatal  n)  is  not 
derived  from  Dun-eiain  ;  but  it  might  have  come  from  Dun-etin  (cf  the 
spelling  in  A.U.).  The  Welsh  Eiddyn  is  not  the  equivalent  either  oi  Etain 
or  of  the  modern  Dimeideann  (cf.  the  Aneurin,  Gododin,  e.g.  Skene's 
F.A.B.W.,  i,  413,  414),  but  rather  of  Cair-Eden,  or  Carriden  (see  below, 
year  962,  note).     Eden  (with  aspirated  d)  was  not  the  equivalent  o{  Etain. 

Glenn-Mairiso7t  or  Glenn-Mureson  has  been  rashly  identified  with  the 
valley  of  Murieston  Water,  which  joins  the  Linhouse  Water  and  with  it 
the  Almond  at  Mid-Calder  (12  miles  from  Edinburgh).  But  Murieston 
Water  is  spelt  Muirhouseton  Water  in  old  maps,  and  appears  to  take  its 
name  from  Muirhouse  on  the  border  of  Mid  and  West  Calder  parishes  ; 
just  as  its  sister-stream  took  its  name  from  a  place  called  Linhouse.  (Black's 
County  Atlas  of  Scotland,  Edinburgh,  1848.)  The  name  Muirhouseton  is 
English  and  modern,  and  even  if  it  had  existed  in  the  7th  century  {Mor- 
hus-tun)  it  would  hardly  have  become  Mureson  in  Irish.  Mureson  or 
Mairison,  and  Murieston,  might  have  been  derived  from  Morestun;  if  that 
were  the  original  name,  Muirhouseton  would  have  been  a  form  resulting 
from  folk-etymology. 

The  English  chroniclers  give  no  indication  of  a  Dalriatan  invasion  of 
Northumbria  at  this  time.  St  Aidan  was  labouring  to  Christianize 
Northumbria  ;  Oswald,  a  friend  of  the  Scots,  was  king  there.  Donald  had 
had  difficulties  at  home  ;  there  is  no  reason  to  suppose  that  he  would  have 
ventured  so  far  from  his  own  land  to  invade  the  most  powerful  kingdom  in 
Britain,  with  which  his  nation  had  peaceful  intercourse.  He  would  have 
had  to  pass  through  a  country  that  four  years  later  was  hostile  to  him. 

Glend  also  is  part  of  the  place-name,  since  it  is  Irish  in  a  Latin  sentence. 
There  is  a  Glen  Moriston  or  Morrison  west  of  Loch  Ness,  about  30  miles 
within  Pictish  territory  from  the  shore  of  Loch  Eil.  This  may  have  been 
the  place,  if  it  is  not,  as  it  appears,  of  Teutonic  origin. 

Etain  may  have  been  within  the  same  locality,  or  on  the  line  of  retreat 


ETAIN  AND  RITHA.     KING  OSWALD  165 

ca.  642 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  104,  s.a.  640  =  641  ^ 

The  wreck  of  a  boat  of  the  community  of  lona. 
The  siege  of  Ritha.^ 

642 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  185,  s.a.  [636]^ 

Oswald's  battle  against  Penda ;  and  in  it  Oswald  fell.* 

of  the  Scots.  But  the  identification  with  Edinburgh  is  probably  to  be 
preferred,  since  the  castle  at  Edinburgh  was  a  place  worthy  of  siege,  and 
hardly  to  be  taken  by  assault. 

^  With  f.n.  and  e.  for  641. 

^  Obsesio  Rithae.  This  place  is  unidentified  ;  its  siege  may  have  been 
a  continuation  of  the  warfare  in  which  Etain  was  besieged  ;  and  since  both 
sieges  are  mentioned  after  Scottish  affairs,  they  seem  to  have  occurred  in 
Scotland.     Cf.  ca.  704. 

^  F.n.  2.  Placed  10  year-sections  before  651.  In  the  margin  is  the 
date  4617  ;  the  year-section  begins  with  the  note  :  "  Heracleonas,  with  his 
mother  Martina,  reigned  two  years."  (This  ends  the  year-section  in  A.U.) 
This  is  taken  from  Bede's  Chronicle;  M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  312,  s.a. 
4593.  His  reign  lasted  some  seven  months  in  641  (Gibbon).  Near  the 
end  of  the  same  year-section  is  the  note:  "At  this  time  pope  Theodore 
flourished"  (so  also  in  C.S.,  86,  s.a.  [636],  Hennessy's  year  638).  This  is 
taken  from  Bede,  u.s.  ("in  these  times,  that  is  under  pope  Theodore"). 
Theodore  I  was  pope  from  642  to  649. 

*  This  battle  is  noticed  by  A.U.,  i,  104,  s.a.  638  =  639  (with  f.n  and  e.  of 
639).  It  is  called  the  battle  of  Cocboy  by  the  Historia  Brittonum,  below. 
A.I.,  13,  O'Conor's  year  636  =  644  (45  years  after  599):  "The  death  of 
Oswald,  king  of  the  English,"  with  the  gloss  Saxajt  ("of  the  Saxons") 
above,  and  the  note  :  "  English  is  interpreted  Saxon." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  103,  s.a.  638  :  "The  battle  of  king  Oswald 
against  king  Penda,  wherein  Oswald  was  slain." 

For  the  battle  of  Maserfelth  (August  5th),  see  Bede's  H.E.,  III.  9  , 
A.S.C.,  s.a.  641  (BCEF  ;  642,  A).  Oswald  had  reigned  9  years,  including 
the  year  (633-634)  of  Osric  and  Eanfrith. 

Cf.  Fordun,  III,  36  (i,  122). 

The  Martyrology  of  Oengus  places  his  death  on  August  5th  :  "...  holy 
Oswald,  to  whom  we  pray,  the  noble  sovereign  of  the  Saxons." 

Alberic  of  Trois  Fontaines,  Chronica  ;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xxiii,  697, 
s.a.  642  :  "The  passion  of  St  Oswald,  king  of  the  Northumbrians." 


166  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

642 

Historia  Brittonum,  c.  65  ;    Monumenta  Germaniae  Historica, 
Auctores,  vol.  xiii,  p.  208 

Penda,  son  of  Pybba,  reigned  for  ten  years.^  He  first 
separated  the  kingdom  of  the  Mercians  from  the  kingdom  of 
the  Northumbrians,  And  he  slew  Anna,  the  king  of  the 
East-Angles,2  and  Oswald,  the  king  of  the  Northumbrians,^ 
by  treachery.  [Penda]  fought  the  battle  of  Cocboy,*  in  which 
fell  Eova,  Pybba's  son,  [Penda's]  brother,  king  of  the  Mercians; 
and  Oswald,  king  of  the  Northumbrians.  And  he  was  the 
conqueror  by  diabolical  arts.  He  had  not  been  baptized,  and 
he  never  believed  in  God. 

?642 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  185,  s.a.  [637]^ 

The  death  of  Brude,  son  of  [Foith].^ 

?643 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  186,  s.a.  [638]'' 

Afterwards^   Donald    Brecc   was    slain    in    the    battle    of 

'  For  his  death,  see  year  655,  below. 

2  Anna,  king  of  the  East  Angles,  was  killed  in  654  (A.S.C.,  ABCE). 

■''  See  above,  p.  15. 

*  I.e.  the  battle  of  Maserfelth  (perhaps  Oswestry),  5th  August,  642  ; 
Bade,  H.E.,  III,  9. 

The  Annales  Cambriae,  in  Y  Cymmrodor,  ix,  158,  s.a.  [644]  (the  "200th 
year"  after  444) :  "The  battle  of  Cocboy,  in  which  fell  Oswald,  king  of  the 
Northumbrians,  and  Eoba,  king  of  the  Mercians." 

°  F.n.  6  ;  read  3,  with  O'Conor.     Placed  9  year-sections  before  651. 

"  Similarly  in  C.S.,  86,  s.a.  [637]  (f.n.  3  ;  Hennessy's  year  639),  and  in 
A.U.,  i,  104,  s.a.  640  =  641  (as  above) :  "The  death  of  Brude,  son  of  Foith." 
A.U.  place  this  six  years  after  the  death  of  Gartnait. 

The  Chronicle  of  the  Picts  gives  Brude  a  reign  of  5  years  ;  perhaps  from 
637  to  642. 

^  F.n.  5  ;  placed  8  year-sections  before  651.  The  year-section  begins 
thus  :  "  Constantinus,  the  son  of  Heraclius,  [reigned]  for  six  months." 
(For  rex,  reading  sex  :  A.U.  also  give  this  note,  and  more  correctly.  This 
is  taken  from  Bede's  Chronicle  ;  M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  312,  's.a.  4594.) 
"  The  death  of  Donald,  son  of  Aed,  son  of  Ainmire,  king  of  Ireland,  in  the  end 
of  January,  in  the  fourteenth  year  of  his  reign,  in  Ard-Fothaid."  In  the 
margin  is  given  the  date  4620,  which  belongs  to  Constantine's  death.  C.S. 
records  Donald's  death  similarly,  but  reads  "in  his  thirteenth  year."    A.U.  say 


KINGS  BRUDE  AND  DONALD  BRECC  167 

Strathcarron.i  in  the  end  of  the  year,  in  December,  in  the 
fifteenth  year  of  his  reign,  by  Owen,  king  of  the  Britons.^ 

simply,  s.a.  641=642  :  "The  death  of  Donald,  Aed's  son,  king  of  Ireland, 
in  the  end  of  January."  They  place  Donald's  succession  in  627  or  628  =628 
(with  f.n.  and  e.  of  628)  ;  Tigernach  (for  f.n.  7  read  4)  and  C.S.  place  it  in 
[626]  (Hennessy's  year  628).     See  above,  year  639,  note. 

In  one  MS.  of  Paulus  Diaconus,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores  Rerum  Langobardi- 
carum,  13,  note:  "Six  hundred  and  eighteen  years  from  the  Lord's 
baptism  to  the  death  of  Donald,  king  of  the  [Irish]  Scots." 

Constantinus  III  was  emperor  for  103  days  in  641  (Gibbon). 

The  same  year-section,  in  T.  and  A.U.,  records  a  battle  between  Oswiu 
and  the  Britons.  This  was  probably  the  battle  of  the  Winwaed  ;  see  below, 
year  655. 

^  After  the  death  of  Donald,  king  of  Ireland. 

^  Sratha  Caiiin,  in  T.  ;  Sratha  Carum,  C.S.  ;  sraith  Cairtiin,  A.U. 

2  Similarly  in  C.S.,  86,  s.a.  [638],  Hennessy's  year  640  (between  ferial 
numbers  3  and  6).  A.U.  give  a  similar  account,  but  say  :  "he  reigned  for 
fifteen  years"  (i,  104,  s.a.  641=642,  with  fn.  and  e.  of  642).  These  all  repeat 
this  event  at  a  later  date  ;  Tigernach,  u.s.,  209,  under  the  year  of  the  battle 
of  Dunnichen  (see  year  685) :  "  Donald  Brecc,  son  of  Eochaid  Buide,  fell 
[slain]  by  Owen,  king  of  the  Britons,  in  the  battle  of  Strathcarron."  To 
the  same  effect  also  in  C.S.,  108,  Hennessy's  year  682.  A.U.,  i,  136,  s.a. 
685  =  686  :  ".  .  .  Donald  Brecc,  son  of  Eochaid,  died."  D.M.F.,  II,  88,  in 
the  corresponding  year-section  r  "  Donald  Brecc,  Eochaid  Buide's  son, 
died." 

A.I.,  13,  O'Conor's  year  635  =  643  (44  years  after  599):  "The  death  of 
Donald,  Aed's  son,  and  of  Donald  Brecc." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  no,  s.a.  681:  "Donald  Brecc,  son  of 
Eochaid  Buide,  was  slain  by  Henry  [Henery],  king  of  the  Britons,  in  the 
battle  of  Strath-carron  "  {Srait  Cormhaich). 

The  earlier  date  of  Donald's  death  is  given  with  variations  by  all  four 
Irish  annals,  and  is  more  or  less  supported  by  Fland  ;  it  must  therefore  be 
accepted  provisionally.  But  we  cannot  reject  the  authority  of  Fland,  who 
says  that  Ferchar  reigned  before  [643],  or  wholly  the  authority  of  the  Duan 
and  all  the  lists  of  kings,  which  say  that  Ferchar  reigned  before  Donald 
Brecc  ;  we  are  therefore  compelled  to  assume  that  Ferchar  and  Donald 
Brecc  reigned  for  a  time  contemporaneously. 

There  is  considerable  divergence  among  the  authorities  in  this  period 
of  the  history  of  Argyle.  Chronicles  of  Dalriata  EFK,  and  the  Duan,  say 
that  Donald  reigned  for  14  years  [?  630- ?  643];  the  Irish  annals  say  for  15  or 
over  14  years,  although  that  does  not  agree  with  their  implied  dates  of  his 
reign  (in  Tigernach  and  C.S.,  627-638  ;  A.U.,  629-642,  or  673-686  ;  A.I., 
631-643).  Fland,  the  Duan,  and  Chronicles  of  Dalriata  EFIKN,  place 
Ferchar's  reign  before  Donald's  ;  A.U.  record  Donald's  death  at  642  and 
686,  and  Ferchar's  at  694.  Donald  is  there  spoken  of  as  being  alive 
possibly  in  673,  certainly  in  678. 


168  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

ca.  644 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  187,  s.a.  [639] ^ 

The  burning  of  larnbodb,  Gartnait's  son. 

Donald  was  killed  by  a  king  whose  brother  (probably)  died  in  694,  and 
whose  son  died  in  695. 

Ferchar's  grandfather  died  ca.  575,  Donald's  ca.  607.  It  is  possible 
that  Donald  should  have  lived  till  686,  but  scarcely  possible  that  Ferchar 
should  have  lived  till  694.  The  Scottish  events  recorded  in  A.U.  at  678, 
686,  694,  are  almost  certainly  misplaced. 

The  misplaced  entries  in  A.U.  may  give  Donald  a  reign  of  14  years 
(673-686)  ;  and  between  678  and  694  they  would  allow  Ferchar  the  16  years' 
reign  that  he  receives  in  the  Chronicles  of  Dalriata  and  the  Duan. 
Perhaps  A.U.'s  intervals  (673-678-686-694)  are  correct,  although  the  dates 
are  not.  Possibly  a  compiler  wrongly  imagined  that  Donald  was  spoken 
of  as  king  in  673,  and  counted  the  years  from  that  date  as  if  it  had  been 
the  first  year  of  Donald's  reign.  In  that  case  the  true  dates  would  be 
approximately  630,  635,  643,  651,  673. 

See  years  ?635,  ?65i,  notes. 

Fordun,  Chronica,  III,  34  (i,  120):  "When  Ferchar"  (the  son  of 
Eochaid  Buide  ;  a  fictitious  king,  for  whom  see  years  630,  693)  "had  been 
buried  in  the  island  of  Columba,  his  brother  Donald  Brecc  received  the 
kingdom  in  the  year  of  the  Lord  632,  and  the  twentieth  year  of  the  same 
Heraclius  (i.e.  in  629-630)  ;  "and  he  reigned  for  fourteen  years."  Here 
Fordun  quotes  from  Adamnan,  I,  10  (Reeves,  36-37  ;  Skene,  121-122)  a 
blessing  and  prophecy  spoken  by  Columba  with  regard  to  Donald,  son 
of  Aed,  son  of  Ainmire  ;  "he  shall  survive  after  all  his  brothers,  and  shall 
be  a  very  famous  king  ;  he  shall  never  be  betrayed  into  the  hands  of  his 
enemies,  but  shall  die  upon  his  bed  a  placid  death,  in  old  age,  and  within 
his  own  house,  in  the  presence  of  a  crowd  of  intimate  friends.  And  all 
these  things  were  completely  fulfilled  with  regard  to  him,  according  to  the 
blessed  man's  prophecy."  But  Fordun  alters  the  passage  to  make  it  apply 
to  Donald  Brecc,  and  continues  as  above,  year  633,  note. 

Fordun,  Chronica,  III,  37  (i,  123):  "Donald  died  after  completing 
fourteen  years  in  the  kingdom  ;  and  his  nephew  Ferchar  Fota,  the  son  of 
Ferchar"  (who  was,  according  to  Fordun,  the  son  of  Eochaid  Buide  ;  III, 
34  ;  but  these  relationships  are  fictitious)  "  was  advanced  to  the  rule  of  the 
kingdom  and  crowned.  He  began  to  reign  in  the  year  of  the  Lord  646, 
the  third  year  of  .  .  .  Constans,  who  was  also  called  Constantinus"  (641- 
668.)  "  And  he  held  the  kingdom  for  eighteen  years,  and  reigned  the  whole 
time  in  peace." 

Donald  Brecc  did  die  in  the  third  year  of  Constans  II  ;  but  his 
successor  appears  to  have  been  Conall  Crandomna.  Fordun's  account  is 
altogether  confused.  He  makes  Maelduin  (t  688)  the  successor  of  Ferchar 
Fota  (+  696). 

'  F.n.  3  ;  read  6,  with  O'Conor  and  the  corresponding  year-section  of 
C,S.     Placed  7  year-sections  before  651. 


ACCIDAN'S  GRANDSONS  169 

ca.  649 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  108,  s.a.  648  =  649^ 

War  [took  place]  between  the  descendants  of  Aidan  and 
[the  descendants]  of  Gartnait,  son  of  Accidan.^ 

ca.  650 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  191,  s.a.  [646]^ 

The  death  of  Cathasach,  son  of  Donald  Brecc* 

651,  August  31 

Tigernach,'  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  191  ^ 

The  repose  of  Aidan,  bishop  of  the  Saxons.*^ 

Tigernach  begins  the  year  thus  :  "  Constantinus,  son  of  Constantinus, 
reigned  for  twenty-eight  years."  This  appears  also  in  A.U.  It  is  derived 
from  Bede's  Chronicle  ;  M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  313,  s.a.  4622.  Constans 
II,  son  of  Constantinus  III,  was  emperor  from  641  to  668.  In  Tigernach's 
margin  is  the  date  4638,  18  years  later  than  the  date  of  the  previous 
year-section  (4620,  Bede's  4594).  These  dates  are  derived  from  Bade, 
erroneously. 

'  With  f.n.  and  e.  of  649. 

^  For  the  sons  of  Gartnait  see  below,  years  668  and  670.  larnbodb 
(t  ca.  644)  may  have  been  a  son  of  Gartnait,  Accidan's  son. 

^  F.n.  I  ;  placed  one  year-section  before  651.  The  year-section  begins, 
in  Tigernach,  C.S.,  and  A.U.,  with  a  notice  of  the  battle  of  the  Winwasd, 
fought  in  655  ;  see  below.  In  the  next  year-section  is  placed  the  death  of 
bishop  Aidan,  who  died  in  651.  S.a.  [644]  (fn.  5)  in  Tigernach,  and  in 
C.S.  (Hennessy's  year  644),  is  the  note:  "At  this  time  pope  Martin 
flourished."  This  is  taken  from  Bede's  mention  of  "pope  Martin"  in  his 
Chronicle  ;  M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  313.  Martin  I  was  pope  from  649 
to  655. 

*  Similarly  in  C.S.,  90,  Hennessy's  year  647  ;  and  in  A.U.,  i,  loS, 
s.a.  649  =  650  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  650). 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  104,  s.a.  647  :  "Cellach,"  (read  "Cathasach") 
"son  of  Donald  Brecc,  died.     Cronan  of  Moville  died"  (t65o,  August  7th). 

Cathasach's  death  is  placed  after  the  battle  of  Dun-cremthainn,  in  T., 
C.S.,  and  A.U.  F.M.,  i,  262,  s.a.  646,  say  that  he  was  killed  in  that  battle. 
For  the  death  of  Donald  Brecc's  grandson  Cathasach,  see  year  688. 

^  With  f.n.  6,  perhaps  for  650.  Under  the  same  year  is  entered  "  the 
slaying  of  Oswine,  Osric's  son  "  ;  i.e.,  the  king  of  Deira,  who  was  killed  in 
651.     (E.C.,  19,  note.) 

The  date  is  fixed  by  Bede's  authority. 

"  Similarly  in  C.S.,  90,  Hennessy's  year  648;  and  in  A.U.,  i,  108, 
s.a.  650  =  651  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  651). 


170  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

?  ca.  65 1 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,.p.  142,  s.a.  693=694 

The  death  of  Ferchar,  son  of  Connad  Cerr.^ 

Bede  (III,  17)  is  followed  by  Fordun  (III,  37). 

The  Martyrology  of  Oeng-us  places  Aidan's  death  on  the  31st  of 
August  :—"Aidan,  the  bright  sun  of  Inis-Medcoit"  (Lindisfarne).  There 
is  this  note  in  Lebar  Brecc  (1880  Oengus,  cxxxv)  :  "That  is,  of  Inis-Cathaig  ; 
or  Inis-Medcoit  in  the  north-west  of  the  [land  of  the]  Little-Saxons,  and 
Aidan  [lies]  there  :  Aidan,  son  of  Lugar,  son  of  Ernin,  son  of  Gael,  son  of 
Aed,  son  of  Artchorp,  son  of  Niacorp."  (Cf  the  Martyrology  of  Donegal, 
230.)  Oengus  indicates  the  death  of  Aidan's  uncle  "  Enan  of  Druimm 
Rdthe"  under  August  19th  (similarly  in  Martyrologies  of  Tallaght  and 
Donegal:  "Son  of  Ernin"  etc.  in  MS.  Laud  610;  1905  Oengus  188),  and 
Enan's  birth  under  September  i8th.  Tigernach,  R.C.,  xvii,  182,  s.a.  [631] 
(fn.  3,  but  15  year-sections  before  651):  "Enan  of  Druimm-Raithe 
reposed."  So  also  in  C.S.,  82,  s.a.  [631]  (fn.  3  ;  Hennessy's  year  633). 
This  note  should  refer  to  the  year  636.  According  to  L.B.,  Enan  rests  "in 
the  west  of  Meath"  (1880  Oengus,  cxlvi). 

The  death  of  the  "blessed  Aidan  Scottigena"  is  recorded  in  651, 
August  31st,  by  Herimannus  Augiensis,  Chronicon  ;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores, 
V,  94.  Annales  Breves  Fuldenses,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  ii,  237,  s.a.  651  : — 
"  Bishop  Aidan  died." 

'  Mors  Fercair  mic  Conaeth  cirr. 

This  is  placed  (after  a  siege  of  Dunnottar)  8  years  after  the  death  of 
Donald  Brecc  (t  ca.  643)  recorded  in  686  ;  it  appears  to  be  one  of  a  series 
of  Scottish  events  that  are  misplaced  (at  678,  686,  and  694)  in  A.U.  See 
year  643,  note. 

Chronicles  of  Dalriata  DPTK  (above,  p.  cxxx)  call  Ferchar  "Eogan's 
son,"  which  is  probably  due  to  a  false  reading.  Fland  calls  him  "  Conaing's 
son,"  which  might  also  mean  son  of  Conaing,  Aidan's  son  ;  but  the  Duan 
and  Chronicle  of  Dalriata  E  support  the  reading  of  A.U.  The  Chronicles 
of  Dalriata  and  the  Duan  give  Ferchar  a  reign  of  16  years  after  Connad, 
thus  suggesting  that  Ferchar  died  645  x  647. 

Connad  Cerr  died  ca.  630  ;  his  father  Conall  died  in  ?574  ;  his  grand- 
father Comgall,  in  ?537.  Connad's  son  Ferchar  must  have  been  a  very 
old  man  if  he  lived  until  694.  The  period  of  120  years  is  a  most  unlikely 
one  to  have  elapsed  between  the  deaths  of  grandfather  and  grandson. 
It  is  fairly  safe  to  assume  that  this  entry  is  misplaced.  If  Ferchar  died  ca. 
651,  he  should  have  become  king  ca.  635  (q.v.),  about  the  time  of  the  battle 
of  Calathros. 

A.U.,  i,  144,  s.a.  694  =  695  (with  fn.  and  e.  of  695)  record  :  "Tomnat, 
Ferchar's  wife,  died."  Perhaps  this  was  the  wife  of  Ferchar,  Connad's  son. 
In  that  case,  allowing  for  a  43-years'  displacement,  her  death  would  have 
occurred  ?ca.  652. 


KINGS  FERCHAR  AND  TALORC  171 

652 

Tigernaoli,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  192 ^ 
The  death  of  Segine,  abbot  of  lona,  the  son  of  Fiachna.^ 

653 

Tigernach,   Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  192 ^ 

The  death  of  Fereth,  son  of  Tothalan.* 

The  death  of  Talorc,*^  Foith's  son,  king  of  the  Picts.^ 

'  This  event  begins  the  year-section  next  after  that  containing  Aidan's 
death.  Under  the  same  year  is  the  note  :  "  Pope  Vitalianus  flourished 
at  this  time."  Vitalianus  was  pope  from  657  to  672.  The  source  drawn 
from  is  probably  Bede's  Chronicle,  M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  313,  under  the 
reign  of  Constantinus  [IV]  [668-685] :  Bede  draws  from  Liber  Pontificalis, 
c.  78. 

2  Similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  no,  s.a.  651=652  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of652,  and  the 
marginal  note  "bissextile").  C.S.,  92,  Hennessy's  year  649 :  "The  death 
of  Segine,  abbot  of  lona."  A.I.,  14,  O'Conor's  year  642  =  650x653: 
"The  repose  .  .  .  of  Segine,  abbot  of  lona." 

Martyrology  of  Oengus,  August  12th:  "The  festival  of  renowned 
Segine,"  with  this  note  in  L.B.  :— "abbot  of  lona  of  Columcille"  (1880 
Oengus,  cxxx  ;  cf  1905  ed.,  184). 

Under  August  12th,  the  Martyrology  of  Gorman,  p.  154:  "Segine, 
prince  of  the  good  stars"  {flait\K\  na  forend),  "the  good,  great  fair  abbot 
of  lona"  ;  and  the  note  :  "  Fachtna's  son,  abbot  of  lona  of  Columcille." 

"Segine,  abbot  of  lona"  Brussels  Martyrology  of  Tallaght,  Kelly, 
p.  xxxii,  August  i2th  :  and  Book  of  Leinster,  361  d.  His  death  is  placed 
on  i2th  August,  651,  in  the  Martyrology  of  Donegal,  p.  216. 

The  abbot  Segine,  successor  of  Columba  and  of  the  other  saints  ;  and 
Cummine's  brother,  Beccan,  a  solitary,  with  his  followers  {sapientes), 
received  a  letter  De  Controversia  Paschali  from  Cummine  Fota  {Cum- 
mianiis,  siipplex peccator,  magnis  minimus);  P.L.  87,  969-978. 

^  Placed  2  years  after  651. 

*  Ferich  maic  Toialain  in  Tigernach;  Ferith  in  A.U.  "Tothalan"  is 
the  same  name  as  "Tuathalan"  below,  years  ca.  659,  663,  688.  It  appears 
to  be  associated  with  Scottish  events. 

^  Tolairg,  Tigernach  and  A.U. 

"  A.U.,  i,  no,  s.a.  652  or  653  =  653  (with  fn.  and  e.  of  653):  "The 
death  of  Fereth,  Tothalan's  son,  and  of  Talorc,  Foith's  son,  king  of  the 
Picts."     This  is  placed  twelve  years  after  the  death  of  Brude. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  104,  s.a.  649 :  "  Segine,  abbot  of  lona, 
died  [652].  .  .  . 

"  Fereth,  Totholan's  son  {JTerith  mcFoholai{\,  and  Talorc  Foith's  son 
\Octlarge  mcFogitK],  king  of  the  Picts,  died." 

The  Chronicle  of  the  Picts  says  that  king  Talorc  reigned  for  12  years 
(perhaps  from  642  to  653). 


172  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

6S4 

Tigernach,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  193  ^ 

The  battle  of  Srath-Ethairt  [was  gained]  by  Talorcan,- 
Eanfrith's  son,  king  of  the  Picts ;  and  there  fell  Duncan,  son 
of  Conaing,  and  Congal,  son  of  Ronan.^ 

^  Placed  3  years  after  651. 

^  In  text,  Tolartach  mac  Anfrait.  In  C.S.,  Tolarcan  mac  Ai?tfith.  See 
below,  year  657. 

^  Similarly  in  C.S.,  94,  Hennessy's  year  651. 

A.U.,  i,  112,  s.a.  653  =  654  (with  f.n.  and  €.  of  654):  "The  battle  of 
Srath-Ethairt,  where  Duncan,  Conaing's  son,  fell." 

Duncan's  father  may  have  been  Conaing',  Aidan's  son,  who  died  in  early 
manhood  in  622,  but  left  children  (see  genealogy  II  after  the  Senchus  ; 
above,  p.  cliv)  ;  or  possibly  Connad  Cerr,  who  died  in  ?630,  and  whose 
son  Ferchar's  death  is  entered  above,  ?ca.  651.  (The  names  Conaing  and 
Connad  are  frequently  interchanged.) 


PART  VI 

Zenith  and  Decline  of  Northumbria 

655,  November  15th 

Tigernach,   Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  194 ^ 

The  battle  of  Penda,  king  of  the  Saxons ;  and  he  fell  in  it, 
with  thirty  kings.     Oswiu  was  the  conqueror.^ 

1  This  is  placed  under  f.n.  i,  four  years  after  651.  Tigernach  ceases 
here  to  give  ferial  numbers. 

^  This  was  the  battle  of  the  Winwsed,  fought  on  the  15th  November, 
655  (E.C.,  24,  note). 

Tigernach  has  perhaps  already  noticed  this  battle,  at  the  end  of  the 
year-section  for  [638]  (fn.  S;  R.C.,  xvii,  186):  "  Osvviu's  battle,  [fought] 
between  him  and  the  Britons."  (Stokes's  conjecture  :  the  text  is  corrupt.) 
And  again  under  [646]  (fn.  i;  R.C.,  xvii,  190):  "The  battle  of  Oswiu 
against  Penda  ;  and  in  it  Penda  fell,  with  thirty  kings."  The  last  notice 
appears  similarly  in  C.S.,  90,  Hennessy's  year  647.     It  is  derived  from  A.S.C. 

A.U.  record  the  battle,  i,  106,  s.a.  641=642:  "The  battle  of  Oswiu 
against  the  Britons"  ;  i,  108,  s.a.  649  =  650  :  "The  battle  of  Oswiu  against 
Penda"  ;  i,  H2,  s.a.  655  =  656  :  "The  battle  of  Penda,  king  of  the  Saxons. 
Oswiu  was  the  conqueror."  In  the  last  place  it  is  followed  by  "the  battle 
of  Anna"  :  Anna,  king  of  the  East  Angles,  was  killed  by  Penda,  king  of 
the  Mercians,  in  654.  Also  i,  142,  s.a.  692  =  693:  "A  battle  against 
Penda";  but  in  the  corresponding  place  C.S.,  no,  Hennessy's  year  689, 
reads  :  "A  battle  against  Penda's  son." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  104,  s.a.  642:  "The  battle  of  Oswiu  against 
Penda,  in  which  Penda  with  20  kings  were  slain  (in  the  year  625)."  The 
last  words  {anno  625)  are  evidently  a  gloss.  Ibid.,  105,  s.a.  652:  "The 
battle  of  Penda,  king  of  the  Saxons,  was  fought  against  Oswiu,  where 
Penda  himself,  together  with  30  kings,  were  slain,  and  Oswiu  was  victor." 
These  Annals  seem  to  show  that  the  first  entry  in  T.  and  A.U.  also  refers  to 
the  battle  of  the  Winwaed,  and  that  probably  all  the  entries  of  Penda's 
battle  are  of  the  same  event. 

No  doubt  the  Britons  were  still  with  Penda  ;  otherwise  he  could  hardly 
have  had  on  his  side  a  large  number  of  chiefs  or  kings.  Even  the  expression 
"legions  trained  in  war,"  applied  by  Bede  to  Penda's  forces,  suggests  the 
idea  of  forces  trained  in  the  Roman  tradition.  But  British  aid  was  no 
longer  so  effective  as  it  had  been  under  Catguollaun  (see  year  633). 

It  is  improbable  that  Argyle  should  have  supported  a  pagan  king 
17a 


174:  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

against  the  Christian  Oswiu,  even  to  throw  off  his  overlordship.  Oswiu's 
kingdom  had  received  Christianity  from  Argyle  only  20  years  before,  and 
the  success  of  the  mission  should  have  created  good  feehng  between  the 
two  countries.  The  suzerainty  over  the  Scots  between  655  and  685  was 
probably  peaceful,  and  was  the  natural  result  of  Northumbria's  overlordship 
over  the  Picts  and  over  Strathclyde. 

A.S.C.  ABC,  s.a.  655:  "In  this  year  Penda  perished."  A.S.C.  E, 
s.a.  654  (the  first  sentence  also  inF):  "In  this  year,  king  Oswiu  slew 
king  Penda  on  Winwidfelda,  and  with  him  30  men  of  royal  family  \xxx 
cynebearnd\.  And  some  of  them  were  kings.  One  of  them  was  ^thelhere, 
brother  of  Anna,  the  king  of  the  East  Angles."     This  is  derived  from  Bede. 

Bede's  account  is  as  follows  (H.E.,  III,  24):  "In  these  times  king 
Oswiu,  after  suffering  cruel  and  unendurable  invasions  of  the  Mercians' 
often-mentioned  king,  who  had  killed  [Oswiu's]  brother  [Oswald],  at  last 
driven  by  necessity  promised  that  he  would  give  him  innumerable  royal 
ornaments  or  gifts,  and  greater  than  can  be  believed,  as  the  price  of  peace  ; 
provided  that  he  would  return  home,  and  desist  from  wasting  to  extermina- 
tion the  provinces  of  [Oswiu's]  kingdom.  And  when  the  faithless  king 
\rex  perfidus\  altogether  refused  assent  to  [Oswiu's]  prayers,  having 
determined  to  destroy  and  to  depopulate  his  whole  nation,  both  small  and 
great  ;  [Oswiu]  turned  to  the  aid  of  divine  pity,  that  he  might  thereby 
be  rescued  from  barbarian  cruelty.  And  he  bound  himself  by  a  vow,  saying, 
'  If  a  pagan  cannot  accept  our  gifts,  let  us  offer  them  to  the  Lord  our  God, 
who  can.'  So  he  vowed  that  if  he  were  'the  victor  he  would  offer  his 
daughter  [St  ^Ifflsed]  in  dedication  to  the  Lord  in  sacred  virginity,  and 
would  also  give  twelve  holdings  of  lands  for  the  construction  of  monasteries. 
And  so  he  entered  the  contest  with  a  very  small  army.  Indeed  it  is  said 
that  the  pagans  had  an  army  thirty  times  greater ;  because  they  had 
thirty  legions,  trained  in  warfare,  with  very  noble  leaders,  while  king  Oswiu 
and  his  son  Ealhfrith  went  to  meet  them  with  only  a  very  small  army,  as 
I  have  said,  but  with  trust  in  Christ  as  their  leader. 

"  For  [Oswiu's]  other  son,  Ecgfrith,  was  held  as  a  hostage  at  that  time 
in  the  province  of  the  Mercians,  by  queen  Cynewise  \Cynuise\.  And  king 
Oswald's  son,  ^thelweald,  who  ought  to  have  been  assisting  them,  had 
been  upon  the  side  of  their  opponents,  as  their  guide  when  they  set  out  to 
fight  against  his  native  land  and  against  his  uncle ;  although  at  the 
moment  of  fighting  he  had  withdrawn  himself  from  the  battle,  and  awaited 
the  result  of  the  hazard  in  a  safe  place. 

"  So  the  contest  began,  and  the  pagans  were  routed  and  slain  ;  and 
thirty  royal  leaders  who  had  come  to  their  aid  were  almost  all  of  them 
killed.  Among  these  ^thelhere,  the  brother  of  king  Anna  of  the  East 
Angles  (and  after  [Anna]  their  king),  himself  the  instigator  of  the  war, 
was  killed,  after  losing  his  soldiers  and  auxiliaries.  And  because  the  battle 
was  fought  near  the  river  Winwssd,  and  the  river  had  at  that  time  widely 
overflowed  its  bed,  indeed  all  its  banks,  through  the  inundation  of  rains,  it 
happened  that  the  water  destroyed  many  more  in  their  flight  than  the 
sword  had  destroyed  in  the  battle.  .  .  ."     (Oswiu  fulfilled  his  vow.)     "  And 


DOMINION  OF  KING  OSWIU  175 

655-658 

Chronicle  of  Holyrood,  p.  1 1 

The  seventh  [Bretwalda]  was  Oswiu,  [Oswald's]  brother, 
who  controlled  the  kingdom  for  some  time  within  almost  the 
same  boundaries ;  and  for  the  most  part  subdued  the  nations 
also  of  the  Picts  and  Scots,  which  hold  the  northern  territories 
of  Britain,  and  made  them  tributary.^ 

king  Oswiu  fought  this  battle  in  the  district  of  Loidis,  to  the  great  benefit 
of  both  peoples.  .  .  ."     For  the  continuation,  see  above,  p.  16,  note. 

F.W.,  i,  22-23,  follows  Bede  and  A.S.C.  ;  but  says  that  "the  faithless 
king  of  the  Mercians,  Penda,  slayer  of  the  kings  of  the  East  Angles, 
Sigebeorht,  Ecgric,  Anna,  moreover  also  of  Edwin  and  Oswald,  kings  of 
the  Northumbrians,  .  .  .  rose  into  Bernicia,  to  conquer  in  battle  their 
king  Oswiu.  .  .  ." 

Annales  Cambriae,  Y  Cymmrodor,  ix,  158,  s.a.  [656]  (2  years  after  the 
2ioth  year  from  444):  "The  slaughter  of  Gai  plain";  and  immediately 
afterwards,  s.a.  [657],  "  The  slaying  of  Penda"  {Pantha  occisid).  Immediately 
after  this,  s.a.  [658],  "Oswiu  came  and  took  plunder."  Thus  it  is  implied 
that  Penda  survived  the  battle  of  Gai  plain,  and  was  killed  in  the  following 
year ;  but  this  account  is  probably  derived  from  the  confused  narrative  in 
the  genealogies  appended  to  the  Historia  Brittonum,  and  is  not  to  be  relied 
upon.     See  above,  pp.  15-16. 

Penda  was  king  of  Mercia  from  626  to  655  (A.S.C.  ABC  ;  to  654,  EF). 
But  the  genealogical  additions  to  Historia  Brittonum,  followed  by  A.C., 
would  imply  that  he  succeeded  his  brother,  Eova,  as  king  of  Mercia  in  642. 

Penda's  pedigree  (eleven  generations  from  Woden)  is  given  in  A.S.C. 
BC,  s.a.  626. 

Penda's  genealogy  (nine  generations  from  Woden)  is  given  also  in  the 
genealogies  after  the  Historia  Brittonum,  M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  203-204. 
Thence  :  ".  .  .  Earner  begot  Pubba  ;  this  Pubba  had  twelve  sons,  of  whom 
two  are  better  known  to  me  than  the  others,  i.e.  Penda  and  Eva. 

"  Eadlit  son  of  Pantha,  Penda  son  of  Pubba. 

"  Eadlbald  son  of  Eva,  son  of  Penda,  son  of  Pubba. 

"  Egfrid,  son  of  Ofifa,  son  of  Duminfert,  son  of  Eandulf,  son  of  Ossulf,  son 
of  Eva,  son  of  Pubba." 

In  the  additions  to  the  Historia  Brittonum  (above,  p.  16)  the  passages 
in  which  he  is  called  Penda  are  placed,  in  wrong  order,  after  the  death  of 
"  Pantha."     Perhaps  they  were  taken  in  part  from  an  English  source. 

The  Irish  Annals'  form  of  the  name  is  Pante  or  Pantaj  the  form  in  A.C., 
Pantha  {Pantha  occisid).     Penda  is  the  form  in  A.S.C. 

1  From  Bede,  H.E.,  II,  5.  C.H.  reads  "Oswin"  for  "Oswiu."  Oswiu 
is  called  "king  of  the  Scots  and  Picts,"  in  B.S.  in  R.B.H.,  385. 

Sigebert  of  Gemblours,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vi,  325,  s.a.  656  :  "And 
[Oswiu]  reduced  the  Picts  also  to  the  kingdom  of  the  Angles."  This  is 
taken  from  Bede,  but  with  characteristic  slovenliness  of  rendering. 


176  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Tigernacli,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  pp.  194,  195  ^ 
The     repose     of    Suibne,    Cuirthre's    son,    the    abbot    of 
lona.^  .  .  . 

The  death  of  Talorcan,  Eanfrith's  son,  the  king  of  the  Picts.^ 

658 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  114,  s.a.  657  =  658* 

The  death  of  Guret,  king  of  Dumbarton. 

ca.  659 

Tigernacli,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  195  ^ 

The  death  of  Finan,  Rimid's  son,  bishop  [of  Lindisfarne]. 
.  .  .  And  Daniel,  bishop  of  Kingarth,  [reposed]. ** 
Conall  Crandomna  died.'^ 
Eoganan,  son  of  Tuathalan,  died.^ 

'  This  is  placed  5  years  after  651. 

"-  Similarly  in  C.S.,  94,  Hennessy's  year  653  ;  in  A.U.,  i,  114,  s.a. 
656  =  657  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  657) ;  and  in  F.M.,  i,  266,  s.a.  654;  and 
the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  105,  s.a.  653. 

The  Martyrology  of  Gorman  (14)  commemorates  Suibne  under  January 
nth,  with  the  note,  "abbot  of  lona  of  Columcille,  Suibne,  Cuirtri's  son." 
The  Martyrology  of  Donegal  (12)  places  his  death  on  nth  January,  656. 

^  Similarly  in  C.S.  and  A.U.,  u.s.  The  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  u.s.  : 
"Talorcan,  Eanfrith's  son  \Tolorchati  mcAnfritli\,  king  of  the  Picts,  died." 

The  Chronicles  of  the  Picts  give  Talorcan  a  reign  of  4  years  ;  probably 
653  to  657. 

■>  With  f.n.  and  e.  of  658. 

*  This  is  placed  8  years  after  651. 

^  Similarly  in  C.S.,  94,  Hennessy's  year  656,  and  in  A.U.,  i,  116, 
s.a.  659  =  660  (with  ferial  and  lunar  numbers  for  660,  and  the  marginal  note 
"bissextile").  In  F.M.,  i,  268-270,  s.a.  659  (and  "the  3rd  year  of  Diarmait 
and  Blathmac,"  sovereigns  of  Ireland)  :  "  Daniel,  bishop  of  Kingarth,  died 
on  the  1 8th  of  February.  Bishop  Finan,  Rimid's  son,  died."  The  Martyr- 
ology of  Gorman  (38)  places  "  Daniel  Dond-gel"  ("  the  princely-fair"  Stokes) 
under  February  i8th,  with  the  note  :  "bishop  of  Kingarth." 

Cf  the  Martyrology  of  Donegal,  52,  February  i8th. 

Finan's  death  is  noted  (from  Bede)  by  the  Annales  Breves  Fuldenses  ; 
M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  ii,  237,  s.a.  658.  But  Bede's  reckoning  (III,  26  ;  E.C., 
32)  makes  Finan's  bishopric  last  from  651  to  661. 

One  of  the  earliest  bishops  of  Kingarth  was  Blaan,  or  Blane.  An 
ancient  chapel  "dedicated  to  St  Blane  at  Kingarth  in  Bute"  is  described 
by  W.  Galloway,  in  Tr.  S.A.S.,  v,  317-333. 

Martyrology  of  Oengus,  August   loth  :  "  With  a  host,  sound,  of  noble 


KINGS  TALORCAN,  GURET,  CONALL,  AND  DUNCAN     177 

birth,  well-coloured,  [died]  fair  BWan  of  Kingarth."  In  the  Franciscan 
MS.  is  this  note  (1905  Oengus,  184) :  "i.e.,  a  bishop  of  Kingarth,  and  his 
principal  seat  was  Dunblane  {Dtil  Blaa}t\  ;  and  he  was  from  Kingarth,  i.e., 
in  Galloway."  Similarly  in  L.B.  (1880  Oengus,  cxxx).  In  Rawlinson  B 
505  (1905  Oengus,  184):  "Blaan,  a  bishop  of  Kingarth  in  Galloway"  {hi 
n-GallgaidelaiU). 

Martyrology  of  Tallaght,  August  loth,  Book  of  Leinster,  361  c : 
"[Festival  of]  Blaan,  bishop  of  Kingarth  in  Galloway"  {i  n-gall-gaedelaib ; 
in  Kelly's  text,  p.  xxxi,  in  Gallghaedelaibh  Udiwchtan). 

Cf.  the  Breviary  of  Aberdeen,  ii,  S,  77,  August  loth  :  "  Blaanus,  having 
his  origin  from  the  island  of  Bute,  through  his  mother,  Ertha,  sister  of  the 
blessed  bishop  ^praesul\  Cathanus"  of  noble  Irish  descent.  This  Breviary 
says  that  Blaan  was  taught  in  Ireland  by  bishops  Congall  and  Kenneth 
for  seven  years  before  he  returned  to  Bute.     (Cf  also  ibid.,  173-174). 

Another  early  bishop  of  Kingarth  was  Colum. 

Martyrology  of  Gorman,  46,  March  ist:  "Colum  the  gently-modest" 
{caemfial)  ;  with  the  note  "  of  Kingarth."  So  in  the  Brussels  Martyrology 
of  Tallaght,  Kelly,  p.  xvii,  March  ist :  "  [Festival]  of  Columba  of  Kingarth." 
"  Colum  of  Kingarth  "  in  Martyrology  of  Donegal,  60,  March  ist. 

For  bishop  lolan  see  year  688.  Abbots  of  Kingarth  died  in  737,  776, 
790  (below)  ;  priest  Temnen  in  732. 

'  Similarly  in  C.S.,  96,  u.s.  ;  A.U.,  U.S.  ;  F.M.,  i,  268,  s.a.  658. 

The  Duan  Albanach,  in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  60:  "After  Donald  Brecc  of 
the  towns  \T!a  m-bld\,  Conall  [and]  Dungal  [reigned]  for  ten  years."  Cf  year 
696,  note.  Dungal  is  doubtless  the  same  man  as  Fland's  Duncan,  Duban's 
son  (see  p.  190). 

Conall  Crandomna,  son  of  Eochaid  Buide  (cf.  Senchus,  II  ;  above,  p. 
civ),  was  king  of  Dalriata  ;  he  was  of  the  Cenel-Gabrain,  of  Knapdale. 
The  Duan  implies  that  during  his  whole  reign  he  shared  the  kingdom  with 
Duncan  ;  but  its  evidence  is  not  decisive.  Probably  Conall's  hegemony 
over  Argyle  was  disputed.  (Cf  year  639,  note.)  About  655,  part  at  least 
of  Argyle  became  subject  to  Northumbria.  Possibly  some  other  part 
refused  to  submit  to  Northumbria,  or  to|the  king  recognized  by  Northumbria  ; 
this  might  account  for  some  of  the  claimants  to  the  kingship  at  this  time. 

Duban  is  unknown.  He  may  have  been  Duncan's  foster-father.  A 
Duncan,  son  of  Conaing,  and  perhaps  first-cousin  of  Conall,  died  in  654  : 
he  might  have  shared  the  kingdom  with  Conall  (ca.  651-654).  Duncan,  son 
of  the  Eoganan  who  died  in  the  same  year  as  Conall,  hved  until  680,  and 
appears  to  have  been  the  ancestor  of  claimants,  from  Antrim,  to  the  throne 
of  Argyle  :  he  might  have  reigned  for  a  few  years  after  Conall  (possibly  ca. 
659-663) ;  but  in  that  case  the  lo-years'  reign  of  Conall  and  Duncan  would 
have  begun  a  few  years  after  65 1  (possibly  in  654),  if  we  trust  the  number 
given  by  the  Duan.     No  decision  is  justified  by  the  evidence. 

Conall  Crandomna's  sons  fell  in  688  and  696.  Duncan's  grandson  fell 
in  700. 

*  Similarly  in  C.S.,  96,  u.s.  ;  A.U.,  u.s.  F.M.,  u.s.,  s.a.  658  :  "  Eogan, 
Tuathalan's  son,  died." 

M 


178  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

66i 

Tigernach,   Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  196 ^ 

Abbot  Cummine  came  to  Ireland.^ 

661 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  198 ^ 

The  death  of  Gartnait,  Donald's  son,  king  of  the  Picts  ;  and 
of  Donald,  son  of  Tuathal[an],*  and  of  Tuathal,  son  of  Morcant.^ 

1  Placed  nine  years  after  65  r,  but  in  a  year-section  corresponding  to 
A.U.'s  660  =  661.  Tigernach  records  in  the  next  year-section  the  sixth 
universal  council  of  the  church  at  Constantinople  ;  i.e.,  the  council  of 
680  to  681. 

2  Similarly  in  C.S.,  96,  Hennessy's  year  657. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  105,  s.a.  657  :  "  Cummine  [Co)?tyn'\  came  to 
Ireland  this  year." 

This  was  Cummine  the  White,  abbot  of  lona,  who  died  in  669. 

^Placed  II  years  after  651.  In  the  next  year-section  Tigernach,  C.S., 
and  A.U.,  record:  "Darkness  on  the  Kalends  of  May,  in  the  ninth  hour" 
(2-3  p.m.).  This  was  the  eclipse  of  664,  May  1st,  3J  p.m.,  Paris  time 
(L'Art)  ;  36  minutes  earlier  at  Armagh. 

*  In  text,  "of  Tuathal." 

This  passage  appears  similarly  in  C.S.,  96,  Hennessy's  year  659,  but 
with  the  reading  "Donald,  son  of  Tuathalan";  and  in  A.U.,  i,  118, 
s.a.  662  =  663  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  663),  with  the  reading  "Donald,  son  of 
Totholan." 

The  Chronicle  of  the  Picts  (ABC)  says  that  Gartnait  reigned  six  and  a 
half  years  ;  perhaps  from  657  to  663.  See  year  672.  He  may  possibly 
have  been  a  son  of  Donald  Brecc  (year  643),  but  hardly  the  father  of  Cano 
(years  668,  687). 

''  Similarly  in  A.U.,  u.s.  (  "  the  death  of  Tuathal,  son  of  Morgand"). 

In  the  parallel  year-section  [663]  of  D.M.F.,  II,  64,  "Tuathal,  son  of 
Morgann,  died." 

Cf.  Annales  Cambriae,  Y  Cymmrodor,  ■  ix,  158-159,  s.a.  [665]  (i  year 
after  the  "220th  year"  after  444) :  "The  first  [true]  Easter  was  celebrated 
among  the  Saxons.  A  battle  of  Badon,  a  second  time.  Morcant  died." 
(Phillimore  understands  the  battle  to  have  been  that  of  B{t)edan-heafod  oi 
the  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle,  s.a.  675.)  In  665  the  Roman  and  Celtic 
Easters  coincided  (MacCarthy's  tables) ;  therefore  this  part  of  the  annal 
probably  belongs  to  664. 

Misplacing  Maelduin's  reign,  Fordun,  Chronica,  III,  40  (i,  125)  says  : 
"In  this  year  [664]  St  Colman  returned  to  Scotland,  and  Tuda  succeeded 
him"  (Bede  III,  26).  "And  during  the  whole  time  of  the  preaching  of  the 
Scots  in  Anglia  steadfast  peace  and  communion  was  preserved,  without 
discord  of  strife  ;  but  when  at  last,  multiplied  principally  through  the 
teaching  of  the  Scots,  the  clergy  of  native  Anglian  race  had  increased,  it 


KING  GARTNAIT.     ACCIDAN'S  GRANDSONS  179 

664 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  11 8,  s.a.  663  =  664  ^ 

The  battle  of  Lutho-feirnn,  in  Fortriu.^ 

668 

Tigemach,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  200  ^ 

The  voyage  of  bishop  Colman,  with  relics  of  saints,  to  the 
island  of  the  white  heifer  [Inishboffin],  in  which  he  founded  a 
church.* 

And  the  voyage  of  the  sons  of  Gartnait  to  Ireland,  with 
the  populace  of  Skye.^ 

began  ungratefully  to  despise  altogether  its  holy  teachers,  and  to  seek 
many  and  various  excuses  whereby  to  compel  them  to  return  to  Scotland, 
or  else  to  endure  an  intolerable  burden  placed  upon  them.  And  so 
thenceforward,  during  the  twenty  years  in  which  Maelduin  reigned,  there 
was  never  or  seldom  peace  between  the  kingdoms,  but  almost  continually 
raid  succeeded  raid,  devastating  first  one  side,  then  the  other  ;  yet  no  battle 
fought  in  these  times  great  enough  to  be  recorded  is  found  in  the  chronicles 
of  either  people. 

"  But  in  [Maelduin's]  fifth  year ''  (668-669,  in  Fordun's  reckoning)  "  a 
very  severe  mortality  of  men  oppressed  all  Europe  with  dreadful  slaughter." 
Here  follows  a  quotation  from  Adamnan  ;  see  below,  686,  688. 

For  the  true  period  of  Maelduin's  reign,  see  year  688. 

The  dispute  over  Easter  is  mentioned  (after  Bede)  by  Sigebert  of 
Gemblours,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vi,  325,  s.a.  664. 

The  Annales  Breves  Fuldenses  (M.G.H.,  ii,  237,  s.a.  664)  erroneously 
place  Colman's  death  in  664. 

1  With  f.n.  and  e.  for  664,  and  the  note  "  bissextile."  In  the  same  year- 
section  is  recorded  the  eclipse  of  664. 

^  Bellum  Lutho  feirnn  i.  i  Fortrinn.  Lutho  looks  like  a  genitive 
formation.     This  place  has  not  been  identified. 

^  Placed  4  years  after  664. 

■*  Cf.  D.M.F.,  II,  66,  70.  Duald  reads:  "With  relics  of  many 
saints."  Colman's  voyage  is  noted  by  F.M.,  i,  278,  s.a.  667.  Colman's 
foundation  of  Mayo  is  noted  (from  Bede)  by  Alberic  of  Trois  Fontaines, 
M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xxiii,  698,  s.a.  664.     See  E.C.,  35. 

'"  cum  plebe  Scith.  Cf  Adamnan's  Scia  i7tsula.  The  genitive  is  Scetk, 
Sciadj  dative,  Scii,  ?  Set,  in  A.U. 

This  whole  passage  appears  similarly  in  C.S.,  100,  Hennessy's  year  664 
(with  two  false  readings :  cum  religui\i^s  Scotorum  for  sanctorum,  and 
cumplebe  Seth  for  Sceth) ;  and  in  A.U.,  i,  120,  s.a.  667  =  668  (with  marginal 
note  "bissextile"). 

For  the  sons  of  Gartnait,  Accidan's  son,  see  ca.  649.  One  of  his  sons 
seems  to  have  been  Cano  (t  687) ;  see  years  673,  705.     This  Cano's  flight 


180  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

669 

Tigemach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  201  ^ 

The  death  of  Cummine  the  White,  abbot  of  lona.^  .  .  . 
Itharnan  and  Corindu  died  among  the  Picts.^ 


670 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  201  * 

The  people  5  of  Gartnait  came  from  Ireland.'' 

seems  to  have  been  placed  in  legend  in  the  reign  of  Aidan  :  see  year  ?6oi, 
note.  Even  if  the  voyage  from  Skye  were  one  of  the  events  that  the  annals 
have  entered  about  43  years  too  late  (see  year  643,  note),  it  would  still  not 
have  occurred  within  the  reign  of  Aidan.  But  the  date  is  probably 
approximately  correct. 

^  Placed  5  years  after  664. 

2  Similarly  in  C.S.,  loc,  Hennessy's  year  665  ;  and  in  A.U.,  i,  122, 
s.a.  668  =  669. 

D.M.F.,  II,  66  (Skene's  P.  &  S.,  402) :  "Cummine  the  White,  abbot  of 
lona,  reposed."     This  is  placed  before  Colman's  foundation  of  Inishboffiii. 

F.M.,  i,  278-280,  s.a.  668  (and  "the  4th  year  of  Sechnasach,"  sovereign  of 
Ireland) :  "  St  Cummine  the  White,  abbot  of  lona  of  Columcille,  died  on  the 
24th  of  February." 

The  Martyrology  of  Oengus  commemorates  him  under  February  24th  : 
"An  abbot  of  lona  of  splendid  intellect,  Cummine  the  White,  the  excellent" 
{find,  febdaj  perhaps  "aged");  with  this  note  in  Lebar  Brecc  (i88o 
Oengus,  liv) :  "  Cummine,  the  son  of  Dinertach  :  he  it  was  that  took  with 
him  the  relics  of  Paul  and  Peter,  to  Disert-Cummine  in  the  precincts 
[  termand]  of  Roscrea  ;  and  they  escaped  from  him  to  Roscrea."  Similarly 
in  Rawlinson  B  512  (1905  Oengus,  78). 

Martyrology  of  Gorman  (p.  42)  commemorates  Cummine  under 
February  24th,  with  the  note,  "abbot  of  lona"  ;  the  Brussels  Martyrology 
of  Tallaght,  ed.  Kelly,  p.  xvi,  under  February  24th,  notes  "  Cummine  the 
White,  son  of  Fiachna,  son  of  Feradach  ;  abbot  of  lona."  The  Martyrology 
of  Donegal  says  that  he  died  on  24th  February,  668. 

^  Apiid  Pictores ;  so  also  in  A.U.  (C.S.  reads  Picto7ies.)  In  the  Irish 
annals  Picii  and  Pictores  (most  commonly  in  the  genitive  case,  Pictoruni) 
are  the  usual  names  for  the  Scottish  Picts,  Cruith7ti  standing  for  the  Irish 
Picts.  (E.g.  in  A.U.  Pictos  occurs  at  697  =  698  and  788  =  789;  Pictores 
reappears  at  727  =  728;  Pictones,  probably  from  a  textual  error,  stands  at 

749  =  750-) 

This  sentence  appears  similarly  in  C.S.,  u.s.  (with  the  spelling  Ituntan 
and  Corinda  or  Cormdd)  ;  and  in  A.U.,  u.s.  (with  the  spelling  Itarnan). 

This  was  probably  not  S.  Ternan  ;  for  whom  see  above,  p.  42. 

■*  Placed  6  years  after  664. 

°  Gens,     Tigernach;    genus,    C.S.    and    A.U.    (i.e.    "descendants    of 


OSWIU  AND  DRUST,  DONALD'S  SON  181 

670,  671 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  pp.  201,  202^ 

The  death  of  Oswiu,  ^Ethelfrith's  son,  king  of  the 
Saxons.^  .  .  . 

Maelrubai  sailed  to  Britain.^ 

672 

Tigernach,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  202  * 

The  expulsion  of  Drust  from  his  kingdom.^ 

Gartnait").     Gartnait's  sons   and   the  plebs  referred  to   above  (year  668) 
appear  to  be  meant. 

°  Similarly  in  C.S.,  102,  Hennessy's  year  666;  and  A.U.,  i,  124,  s.a. 
669  =  670. 

The  words  "came  from"  or  "conies  from  Ireland"  {venif  .  .  .  de 
Hibernid)  suggest  that  tliis  event  was  taken  from  a  Scottish  chronicle, 
written  probably  at  lona. 

The  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  108,  s.a.  666,  read  erroneously:  "The 
race  of  Gartnait  of  Pictland  returned  to  Ireland." 

'  Placed  7  years  after  664. 

2  Oswiu's  death  is  dated  by  Bede  on  15th  February,  670  (cf.  above, 
p.  15;  and  E.G.,  37,  note).  A.I.,  15,  place  it  under  O'Conor's  year  659 
(  =  667x670;  misreading  "Oswald"  for  "Oswiu");  A.C.  places  it  s.a. 
[669]  (but  6  years  before  674).  The  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  108,  place  ic 
in  667  (  =  671).     See  above,  p.  15. 

'  Both  sentences  appear  similarly  in  C.S.,  102,  Hennessy's  year  667  ; 
and  in  A.U.,  i,  124,  s.a.  670  =  671. 

*  Placed  8  years  after  664. 

5  Similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  126,  s.a.  671=672  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  672,  and 
the  marginal  note  "bissextile"). 

The  Chronicle  of  the  Picts  (ABC)  makes  Drust  the  successor  of 
Gartnait  for  7  years  ;  perhaps  from  663  to  670,  when  exiles  returned  from 
Ireland.  The  years  670-672  may  have  been  deducted  by  the  chronicle  from 
Drust's  reign  ;  or  he  may  not  immediately  have  succeeded  to  Gartnait. 

The  dates  657-664,  for  Gartnait  ;  664-671,  for  Drust ;  671-692,  for  Brude, 
would  fit  the  reign-lengths  given  by  the  Chronicle  of  the  Picts  ;  but  that 
chronicle  cannot  stand  against  the  authority  of  the  Irish  annals  at 
this  time. 

The  expulsion  of  Drust  in  672  very  likely  preceded  the  defeat  inflicted 
by  the  Angles  on  the  Picts,  described  by  Eddius.  After  Oswiu's  death, 
Brude  seems  to  have  expelled  Drust,  the  Northumbrian  vassal ;  and  to 
have  invaded  Bemicia.     See  E.G.,  36-37  ;  and  below,  year  676. 


182  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

ca.  673 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  126,  s.a.  672  =  673  ^ 

The  burning  of  Mag-Luinge.^ 

The  killing  of  Domangart,  son  of  Donald  Brecc,  the  king  of 
Dalriata.^ 

The  capture  of  (?)Alpin,  Corp's  son,  and  of  Conamail,  Cano's 
son  ;  and  Cormac,  son  of  Maelfothartaig,  died.* 

'  The  year-section  concludes  thus  :  "  Constantinus,  son  of  the  previous 
Constantinus,  reigned  for  17  years."  Constantinus  IV,  the  son  of  Constans 
II,  was  emperor  from  668  to  685  (Gibbon). 

Tigernach  begins  the  year  thus  :  "  Justinianus  the  younger,  the  son  of 
Constantinus,  reigned  10  years  "  ;  and  gives  the  date  4658  in  the  margin. 
This  is  derived  from  Bede's  Chronicle  ;  M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  315,  s.a. 
4649.     Justinian  II  was  emperor  685-695  (4639-4649,  according  to  Bede). 

The  next  year-section  in  T.,  C.S.,  and  A.U.,  records  in  Latin  these 
phenomena  :  "  A  thin  and  quivering  cloud,  like  a  rainbow,  appeared  over 
a  clear  sky  from  east  to  west,  in  the  fourth  watch  of  the  night,  on  the  fifth 
day  of  the  week  before  Easter."  ["  Sixth  day"  A.U.  Irish  Easter  was  26th 
March  in  674  (MacCarthy).]  ''The  moon  turned  to  [the  colour  of]  blood." 
If  the  latter  phenomenon  is  to  be  taken  with  the  former,  it  may  not  have 
been  an  eclipse  ;  but  if  an  eclipse  is  meant,  it  would  seem  to  belong  to  the 
year  673  or  676  (L'Art). 

2  This  was  the  name  of  a  monastery  in  Tiree  ;  see  above,  p.  66. 

This  note  appears  similarly  in  T.,  R.C.,  xvii,  202  (placed  9  years  after 
664),  and  in  F.M.,  i,  282,  s.a.  671  (and  "the  second  year  of  Cendfaelad" 
as  sovereign  of  Ireland). 

^  iiigulatio  Doinangairt  mic  Domnaill  Bricc  regis  Dal  Riatai.  This  is 
ambiguous,  but  probably  means  that  Domangart  was  king  of  Dalriata. 

To  the  same  effect  in  T.,  u.s.  ;  and  in  C.S.,  102,  Hennessy's  year  66g. 

The  Chronicle  of  Dalriata  omits  both  Conall  Crandomna  and  his 
successor  ;  but  the  Irish  annals  seem  to  imply  that  Domangart  was  king. 
His  reign  might  have  been  from  ca.  659  to  673. 

This  Domangart  was  the  father  of  king  Eochaid  "the  Crooked-nosed," 
according  to  the  Chronicle  of  Dalriata. 

The  ambiguity  in  the  text  of  A.U.  seems  to  be  responsible  for  a 
compiler's  error  in  misplacing  events,  perhaps  at  correct  intervals  from 
Donald  Brecc's  accession,  at  678,  686,  and  694.  See  year  643,  note  (and 
years  ?635  and  ?65i). 

The  affairs  of  Dalriata  were  very  confused  at  this  time.  The  rulers  of 
different  parts  claimed  the  kingship,  and  the  country  had  accepted  the 
overlordship  of  Northumbria  (655-685). 

*  For  Conamail's  death,  see  below,  year  705  ;  he  may  have  been  a  minor 
in  673.     His  father  was  probably  the  Cano  who  died  in  687. 

Alpin  {Eliuin  mic  Cuirp)  was  probably  not  the  king  who  reigned 
726-728.  If  he  were,  he  would  have  been  a  child  in  673.  There  is,  how- 
ever, a  suspicious  resemblance  between  this  note  and  that  placed  below 


KING  DOMANGART.     DEFEAT  OF  PICTS  183 

The  voyage  of  Failbe,  abbot  of  lona,  to  Ireland.^ 
Maelrubai  founded  the  church  of  Applecross,^ 

Tigernaoli,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  203  ^ 

The  death  of  Noah,  Daniel's  son.* 
The  death  of  Penda's  son.^ 

676 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  128,  s.a.  675=676" 

The  slaying  of  Maelduin,  Rigullan's  son/  and  of  Bodb,  son 
of  Ronan,  grandson  of  Congal. 

Many  Picts  were  drowned  in  Land-Abae.  .  .  .^ 
Failbe  returned  from  Ireland.^ 

under  year  742.  Possibly  one  or  the  other  has  been  misplaced  in  A.U. 
Stokes  and  O-Meiille  interpret  this:  "Capture  of  Corp's  son's  island"  or 
crannog.  But  the  context  implies  that  Eiliidn  was  a  man.  See  below, 
P-  237. 

'  Similarly  in  T.  and  C.S.,  u.s.     To  the  same  effect  in  F.  M.,  u.s. 

The  whole  passage,  down  to  this,  stands  thus  in  the  Annals  of 
Clonmacnoise,  p.  108,  s.a.  669  :  "  Justinus  the  Younger  reigned  ten  years. 

"  Domangart,  son  of  Donald  Brecc,  king  of  Dalriata,  was  killed. 

"  The  sailing  of  Failbe,  abbot  of  lona,  into  Ireland. 

"  Mag-luinge  \Moylelonge\  was  burnt. 

"Congal  Cend-fota,  king  of  Ulster,  was  killed  by  one  Bee  Boirche 
IBeagbrwich^" 

2  Similarly  in  T.  and  C.S. 

F.M.,  U.S.:  "Maelrubai,  abbot  of  Bangor,  went  to  Scotland,  and 
founded  the  church  of  Applecross." 

Cf.  years  671  and  722. 

5  Placed  1 1  years  after  664. 

*  Similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  126,  s.a.  674  =  675.  F.M.,  i,  282,  s.a.  673  :  "  Noah, 
Daniel's  son,  died." 

The  Daniel  previously  mentioned  is  the  bishop  of  Kingarth,  who  died 
in  660. 

■^  Similarly  in  A.U.,  u.s.  ;  cf.  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  108,  s.a.  671. 
Penda's  son  Wulfhere,  king  of  Mercia,  died  in  675  (A.S.C.). 
"  With  f  n.  and  e.  of  676,  and  the  marginal  note  "  bissextile." 
'  For  RiguUan  see  year  630. 

*  According  to  Skene,  "  Lundaff,  now  Kinloch,  in  Perthshire"  (P.  &  S,, 
471).     This  seems  uncertain.     Cf.  the  defeat  by  Beornhseth  (E.C.,  37). 

"  Similarly  in  T.,  R.C.,  xvii,  203,  12  years  after  664.  F.M.,  i,  284,  s.a. 
674  (and  "the  first  year  of  Findachta  Fledach,"  sovereign  of  Ireland): 
"  Failbe,  abbot  of  lona,  turned  back  again  from  Ireland." 


184  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

ca.  Qj"] 

Tigernach,  Annals  ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  204  ^ 

Beccan  of  Rum  ^  reposed  in  the  island  of  Britain.^ 

ca.  Q'JJ 

Annals  of  XJlster,  vol.  i,  p.  128,  s.a.  676  —  6^7 

The  slaughter  of  Cuanda,  son  of  Eoganan.* 

678 
Tigernach,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  pp.  204-205  ^ 

A  slaughter  of  the  tribe  of  Loarn  in  Tirinn,  [in  a  battle] 
between  Ferchar  Fota  and  the  Britons,  who  were  the  con- 
querors.''  .  .  ^ 

The  death  of  Drust,  son  of  Donald.^ 

'  Placed  13  years  after  664.  In  all  the  annals  this  event  closes  the 
year-section,  which  begins  thus:  "A  brilliant  comet  star  was  seen  in  the 
months  of  September  and  October." 

This  comet  is  recorded  by  Bede  in  678,  the  8th  year  of  Ecgfrith's  reign, 
August  to  October  (H.E.,  IV  12,  V  24).  But  Bede  says  (IV  5)  that 
Ecgfrith  succeeded  on  15th  February,  670;  and  (IV  5,  V  24)  that  24th 
September,  673,  was  in  Ecgfrith's  3rd  year ;  therefore  Ecgfrith's  8th 
autumn  was  677,  and  we  must  correct  678  here  to  677.  A.S.C.  places  the 
comet  in  678  (ABCE  ;  677  F).  A.C.  places  it  in  [676],  M'hich  is  the  correct 
year  ;  see  Pingr^,  Cometographie,  i,  331-333. 

^  In  Tigernach,  Ruimea7t;  C.S.,  Riimindj  A.U.,  Ruimm;  F.M., 
Rtdmind. 

2  Similarly  in  C.S.,  104,  Hennessy's  year  673. 

A.U.,  i,  130,  s.a.  676  =  677  (with  fn.  and  e.  of  677)  :  "Beccan  of  Rum 
reposed." 

F.M.,  i,  284,  s.a.  675  (and  "  the  second  year  of  Findachta"  as  sovereign 
of  Ireland) :  "Beccan  of  Rum  died  in  Britain  on  the  17th  of  March."  Cf. 
the  Martyrology  of  Donegal,  March  17th,  p.  80. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  109,  s.a.  673  :  "There  was  a  comet  and  a 
star  of  great  brightness,  seen  in  the  months  of  September  and  October.  .  .  . 

"  Beccan  of  Rum  [Beagan  Reymynii\  died  in  the  island  of  Wales." 

Beccan  was  specially  named  among  those  to  whom  Cummine  Fota 
(t669)  directed  his  letter  on  the  Easter  question.  See  above,  p.  171  ; 
James  Ussher's  Works,  iv,  432. 

*  Cf.  years  701,  ca.  659. 

^  Placed  14  years  after  664.  Under  the  same  year  in  T.  and  A.U.  is 
placed  the  defeat  of  Donald  Brecc  at  Calathros  ;  see  year  ?635. 

"  A.U.,  i,  130,  s.a.  677  or  678  =  678  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  678) :  "Slaughter 
of  the  tribe  of  Loarn  in  Tirinn." 

'  The   sentence   omitted   is:    " Tuaim-snama,   king   of   Ossory,   died, 


DEFEAT  OF  LORN  185 

679 

Tigernach,  Annals ;   Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  205  ^ 

The  repose  of  Failbe,  abbot  of  lona.-  .  .  . 
The  slumber  of  Nechtan.^ 

[killed]  by  Faelan  Senchostal."  A.U.  (u.s.)  read  :  "  Toimsnamo,  king  of 
Ossory,  [died]. 

"The  battle  of  Dun-locho,  and  the  battle  of  Lia-Moe!ain,  and  the 
subjugation  of  Elend"  {doirad  Eilind). 

Skene  seems  to  have  regarded  these  as  Scottish  battles,  fought  by  the 
men  of  Dalriata  in  the  attempt  to  throw  off  the  yoke  of  Strathclyde 
(S.C.S.,  i,  264).     This  is  mere  conjecture. 

^  Similarly  in  C.S.,  104,  Hennessy's  year  674  ;  in  A.U.,  u.s.  ;  and  in 
the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  109,  s.a.  674. 

See  year  672.    Drust  may  have  been  a  factor  in  the  Pictish  defeat  of  676. 

'  Placed  15  years  after  664. 

^  Similarly  in  C.S.,  104,  Hennessy's  year  675  ;  and  in  A.U.,  i,  130, 
s.a.  678  =  679  (with  fn.  and  e.  of  679). 

Failbe's  "death"  {mors)  is  recorded  in  A.I.,  16,  O'Conor's  year  667=678 
(8  years  after  670). 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  109,  s.a.  674  :  "  Failbe  abbot  of  lona  died." 

Duald's  Fragment  II  (86)  places  Failbe's  death  after,  and  in  the  same 
year-section  as,  the  battle  of  Calathros  ;  it  appears  therefore  that  the  year 
678  is  meant. 

F.M.,  i,  284,  s.a.  677  (and  "the  4th  year  of  Findachta,"  sovereign  of 
Ireland) :  "  St  Failbe,  abbot  of  lona  of  Columcille,  died  on  the  22nd  of 
March." 

Failbe's  successor  was  Adamnan  (t  704). 

The  Martyrology  of  Oengus  commemorates  Failbe  under  March  22nd : 
"A  strong  light  over  the  rampart  of  the  sea,  Failbe,  the  warrior  of  lona"  ; 
with  the  note  in  Lebar  Brecc  (1880  Oengus,  Ixiv) :  "an  abbot  of  lona  of 
Columba." 

"Failbe  .  .  .  holy  successor  of  Columba"  is  placed  in  the  Martyrology 
of  Gorman  under  March  22nd  (60). 

The  Brussels  Martyrology  of  Tallaght  (Kelly,  xix)  under  March  22nd 
notes,  "  Failbe  of  lona." 

The  Martyrology  of  Donegal,  84,  March  22nd  :  "  Failbe,  Pipan's  son, 
abbot  of  lona,  successor  of  Columcille,  [died]  A.D.  677.  He  was  of  the 
kindred  of  Conall  Guiban,  Niall's  son." 

^  Similarly  C.S.,  u.s. 

A.U.,  U.S.:  "The  slumber  of  Nechtan  of  Ner."  F.M.,  u.s.,  284-286: 
"  Nechtan  of  Ner  died." 

The  Martyrology  of  Oengus  places  Nechtan's  death  on  the  8th  of 
January  :  "  Nechtan  of  Ner,  from  Scotland."  Stokes  would  read  mir, 
"noble  Nechtan";  see  1905  Oengus,  xxviii,  34.  But  perhaps  Ner  was 
the  place  of  a  monastery  in   Ireland.     Cf   A.U.,  i,  92-94,   s.a.  622  =  623: 


186  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

679 

Duald  Mac-Firbis,  Fragment  II,  p.  88  ^ 

Adamnan  received  the  abbacy  of  lona. 

Before  679 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  II,  c.  44  ^ 

Of  rain  poured  upon  thirsty  land,  the  Lord  graitting  it,  after 
some  months  of  drought,  in  honour  of  the  blessed  man  \^Columba\ 

About  fourteen  years  ago^  in  spring-time  in  tliese  arid 
lands  a  very  great  drought  occurred,  prolonged  and  hard.  .  .  . 
We  therefore  .  .  .  took  counsel  to  adopt  this  plan,  and  cause 
some  of  our  elders  to  go  round  the  recently  ploughed  and  sown 
field  with  St  Columba's  white  tunic,  and  books  written  by  his 
pen  ;  to  raise  aloft,  and  shake  three  times  the  same  tunic,  which 
he  had  worn  in  the  very  hour  of  his  departure  from  the  flesh ; 
and  to  open  his  books  and  read  them  on  the  Angels'  Knoll, 
where  sometimes  the  citizens  of  the  heavenly  land  were  seen  to 
descend  to  confer  with  the  blessed  man. 

And  when  all  this  had  been  carried  out  according  to  our 
design,  marvellous  to  relate  the  same  day  the  sky  (which  had 
been  bare  of  clouds  during  the  previous  months  of  March  and 
April)  was  straightway  with  marvellous  rapidity  covered  with 
[clouds]  rising  from  the  sea,  and  there  was  great  rain,  falling 
by  day  and  by  night ;  and  the  land,  thirsting  formerly,  now 
satisfied,  produced  its  shoots  in  season,  and  very  joyous  crops 
in   the   same   year.      The   commemoration   therefore    of   the 

"The  repose  ...  of  Fine  \_Uinei'],  abbot  of  Ner."     Cf.  the  Martyrology  of 
Donegal,  10. 

After  Nechtan's  death,  in  the  same  year,  Tigernach  enters  a  note  of 
the  battle  of  Calathros  ;  A.U.  enter  it  a  year  earlier.     See  above,  ?ca.  635. 

^  In  the  year-section  parallel  to  A.U.'s  682  =  683. 

^  Reeves's  edition,  174-176;  Skene's,  188-189. 

2  Cf.  the  statement  (below,  year  ca.  691)  that  Adamnan  went  to  Ireland 
"  in  the  fourteenth  year  after  the  death  of  Failbe."  He  would  naturally 
have  taken  the  Life  with  him,  and  have  read  it  there  ;  if  he  did  so,  the 
annalist  may  have  taken  the  word  "  fourteenth  "  from  this  passage.  Adamnan 
seems  to  have  gone  to  Ireland  in  reality  in  the  twelfth  year  (the  thirteenth 
summer)  of  his  abbacy. 

He  may  have  written  the  book  partly  on  purpose  to  strengthen  his 
authority  in  Ireland,  as  Columba's  successor. 


ABBACY  OF  ADAMNAN  187 

blessed  name  of  one  man/  a  commemoration  conducted  with 
his  tunic  and  his  books,  assisted  many  districts  and  peoples  at 
the  same  time,  with  salutary  opportuneness.^ 

After  679 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  II,  c.  45  ^ 

Of  contrary  winds  changed,  by  virtue  of  the  prayers  of  the 
venerable  man,  to  favourable  winds. 

Our  faith  in  such  miracles  in  the  past,  which  we  did  not  see, 
is  indubitably  confirmed  by  present-day  miracles  which  we 
have  seen  ourselves.  For  we  ourselves  have  thrice  seen 
contrary  winds  turned  to  favourable  ones. 

The  first  time,  when  long  hewn-out  ships  of  pine  and  oak 
were  being  drawn  over-land,  and  timbers  for  the  great 
monastery*  (and  for  ships  likewise)  were  being  conveyed,  we 
took  counsel,  and  placed  the  holy  man's  vestments  and  books 
upon  the  altar,  with  psalms  and  fasting,  and  with  invocation  of 

^   Uniiis  Hague  beati  commemoratio  notninis  viri. 

^  At  the  end  of  Cummine's  Life  stands  a  brief  account  of  this  affair 
(c.  26  ;  Pinkerton,  Vitae,  44-45).  It  is  dated  simply  "after  the  death  of  the 
man  of  God,"  and  lacks  the  details 'which  make  Adamnan's  account  read 
like  the  narrative  of  an  eye-witness. 

Below,  year  686,  it  will  be  seen  that  Adamnan  wrote  after  688  ; 
therefore  the  present  episode  occurred  after  674,  i.e.  after  Cummine's  death. 
If  Cummine  wrote  the  Life  attributed  to  him,  chapters  25-27  must  have 
been  later  additions  to  it,  derived  from  Adamnan. 

Reeves  thought  it  likely  that  Adamnan  wrote  the  Life  between  692  and 
697  (p.  xlix).  If  this  episode  had  occurred  within  the  period  of  Adamnan's 
abbacy,  the  time  of  writing  must  have  been  in  or  after  693.  But  in  the 
opening  words  of  the  next  chapter  Adamnan  seems  to  deny  having  been 
present  on  this  occasion  :  therefore  the  word  "  we  "  used  here  must  not  be 
taken  to  mean  Adamnan  himself,  and  the  date  of  writing  must  have  been  in 
or  before  693. 

We  may  therefore  conclude  (comparing  the  previous  note)  that  the  work 
(written  688x693)  was  very  probably  finished  in  691.  This  episode  would 
in  that  case  fall  under  677. 

^  Reeves's  edition,  176-182  ;  Skene's,  189-190. 

The  date  of  these  episodes  has  been  taken  to  be  the  period  of 
Adamnan's  subordinacy,  while  he  was  employed  in  monastic  labour ;  but 
the  narrative  implies  that  he  was  abbot,  and  was  on  the  first  occasion  in 
lona,  not  with  the  ships. 

*  et  \ciini\  inagnae  navium  pariter  materiae  eveherenttir  domus.  (Cf. 
the  order  of  construction  of  2WzW  .  .  .  w/rz' above.) 


188  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

his  name,  that  he  should  obtain  for  us  from  the  Lord  favourable 
prosperity  of  winds.  And,  God  so  granting  it  to  that  holy  man, 
it  happened  thus;  for  on  the  day  upon  which  our  sailors  had 
prepared  everything,  and  intended  to  tow  the  logs  of  the 
above-mentioned  timber  over  the  sea  with  skiffs  and  curachs, 
the  winds,  on  the  previous  days  contrary,  became  suddenly 
favourable.  Thereupon  the  whole  day,  God  being  propitious, 
prosperous  breezes  served  them  through  long  and  devious 
ways ;  and  with  full  sails,  without  any  delay,  the  whole 
expedition  of  ships  reached  the  island  of  lona  successfully. 

The  second  time,  when  after  the  interval  of  several  years 
other  oak  timbers  were  being  towed  by  us  ^  from  the  mouth  of 
the  river  ShieP  for  restoration  of  our  monastery,  twelve  curachs 
being  collected  [for  the  purpose],  on  another  quiet  day  when 
the  sailors  were  sweeping  the  sea  with  their  paddles,  suddenly 
a  wind  adverse  to  us  arose,  Favonius,  called  also  the  wind 
Zephyrus  ^ ;  and  we  then  turned  aside  to  the  nearest  island, 
which  is  called  in  Scottish  Airthrago,  seeking  in  it  a  harbour  in 
which  to  wait.  But  meanwhile  we  grumbled  at  the  inopportune 
adversity  of  the  wind,  and  began  in  some  fashion  as  if  to 
accuse  our  Columba,  saying,  "  Does  it  please  thee,  holy  one, 
that  we  are  thus  inconveniently  delayed  ?  We  have  hitherto 
hoped,  by  God's  favour,  for  some  consolatory  assistance  in  our 
labours  from  thee,  esteeming  that  thou  wert  in  somewhat  high 
honour  with  God." 

A  short  space,  as  of  a  moment,  after  this  was  said,  strange 
to  tell,  behold  the  adverse  wind  Favonius  ceased,  and  in  less 
time  than  it  takes  to  say  it,  Vulturnus  *  blew  favourably.  Then 
the  sailors  were  ordered  to  put  up  yards  in  form  of  a  cross,  and 
they  raised  sails  to  their  extended  oars ;  and  with  prosperous 
and  gentle  breezes  we  reached  our  island  the  same  day  and 
landed  without  any  exertion,  with  all  the  helpers  who  were 
in  our  ships,  rejoicing  in  the  conveyance  of  the  logs.  That 
grumbling  accusation,  mild  as  it  was,  of  the  holy  man,  helped 
us  in  no  small  degree.     It  is  clear  of  what  and  how  great  merit 

'  nobiscum.     Cf.  year  734,  note. 

2  fluminis  Sale.     "The  river  Shiel,  rich  in  fish"  ;  Adamnan,  II,  18  ;  ed. 
Skene,  164. 

^  I.e.  the  west  wind. 
*  The  south-east  wind. 


FESTIVAL  OF  COLUMBA  189 

the  saint  is  esteemed  by  the  Lord,  since  he  heard  him  in  so 
swiftly  turning  the  winds. 

The  third  time,  when  in  the  summer  season,  after  attending 
a  synod  in  Ireland,  we  were  detained  for  some  days  through 
contrariety  of  wind  among  the  people  of  the  tribe  of  Loarn,  we 
came  to  the  island  of  Shuna  ^ ;  and  there  awaiting,  the  festive 
night  2  and  solemn  day  of  St  Columba  found  us  much  dejected, 
because  we  wished  to  keep  the  same  day  joyfully  in  the  island 
of  Zona.  And  hence  as  before  we  grumbled  a  second  time, 
saying,  "  Does  it  please  thee,  holy  one,  to  pass  the  morrow  of 
thy  festival^  among  laymen,  and  not  in  thy  church  ?  In  the 
beginning  of  such  a  day  it  is  easy  for  thee  to  obtain  from  the 
Lord  that  contrary  be  changed  to  favourable  winds,  and  that 
we  celebrate  the  ceremony  of  the  mass  of  thy  nativity  *  in  thy 
church." 

After  that  night  was  past  we  rose  in  the  early  dawn ;  and 
seeing  that  the  contrary  breezes  had  ceased,  we  entered  our 
ships  and  put  out  to  sea,  without  a  breath  of  wind.  And 
behold,  immediately  the  due  south  wind,  which  is  also  called 
Notus,  blew  behind  us.  Then  the  sailors  rejoicing  hoisted 
their  sails  ;  and  thus  our  voyage  on  that  day  was  so  facile  and 
so  quick,  and  so  prosperous,  God  granting  it  to  the  blessed  man, 
that  after  the  third  hour  of  the  day  we  reached  the  harbour  of 
Zona,  as  we  had  previously  desired ;  and  afterwards,  when  we 
had  finished  washing  hands  and  feet,  we  entered  the  church 
with  the  brethren  in  the  sixth  hour,  and  celebrated  together 
the  holy  ceremony  of  mass  on  the  festival  to  which  belongs 
the  nativity  of  saints  Columba  and  Baithine  ;  in  the  dawn  of 
which,  as  has  been  said  above,  we  had  set  out  from  the  island 
of  Shuna,  a  great  distance  away. 

Of  the  above  narrative  witnesses  still  live,  not  two  or  three, 
according  to  the  law,  but  a  hundred  and  more. 

'  Ad  Saineam  insulam. 

^  The  "festive  night"  was  the  night  preceding  Columba's  festival,  that 
is  to  say  from  6  p.m.  of  8th  June  to  6  a.m.  of  9th  June.  The  "  solemn  day  " 
began  at  6  p.m.  of  the  evening  before. 

5  Crastinavt  tuce  festivitatis ;  from  the  context  this  must  mean  the  day 
after  Columba's  night,  i.e.  6  a.m.  to  6  p.m.  of  9th  June. 

*  Similarly  Columba  calls  the  day  of  Brendan  of  Birr's  death  his  '■  natal 
day"  ;  Adamnan,  III,  11  (Cummine,  VII  ;  Pinkerton's  Vitae,  31). 


190  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

680 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  132,  s.a.  679  =  6801 

The  battle  of  the  Saxons,  in  which  ^Ifwine,  Oswiu's  son, 
fell.2 

The  siege  of  Dun-baitte.^ 

Duncan,  son  of  Eoganan,  was  slaughtered.* 

681 

Tigernacli,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  206^ 

The  death  of  Conall  Gael,  son  of  Duncan,  in  Kintyre." 

681 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  132,  s.a.  680  =  681 

The  siege  of  Dunnottar.  ^ 

^  With  marginal  note  "  bissextile." 

^Similarly  in  T.,  R.C.,  xvii,  205  (16  years  after  664);  C.S.,  104, 
Hennessy's  year  676  ;  and  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  109,  s.a.  675. 

A.S.C.  ABCE  place  yElfwine's  death  in  679. 

^  According  to  Skene,  this  was  a  battle  fought  by  Brude  at  Dunbeath  in 
Caithness.  This  is  mere  conjecture  ;  neither  the  place  nor  the  besieger  is 
known.  Cf.  the  Dun-mBaithe  or  Dunbuithe  in  the  Tale  of  Cano  (Anecdota 
from  Irish  MSS.,  i,  13,  12)  ;  and  Dalbeattie  in  Kirkcudbrightshire. 

■•  This  may  possibly  have  been  the  Duncan  whom  Fland  calls  "  Duban's 
son,"  and  places  after  Conall  Crandomna  (t  659).     Duncan's  family  appears 


to  have  been  as  in  the  table  below. 

Tuathalan 
1 

1                                                1 
Fereth  t653                            Eoganan  tea. 

659 

1 
Donald  t663 

1                                                   1 
Guanda  1 677                           Duncan  t  680 

1 

Congnl  t  701 

Conall  Gael  t68i                    Ossene 

Conaing  f  701 

I  I 

?  Bee  t  707  Fiannamail  fl.  699  f  700 

''  Placed  17  years  after  664. 

^  Probably  the  son  of  Duncan,  Eoganan's  son,  who  was  killed  in  680. 

The  event  appears  similarly  in  C.S.,  106,  Hennessy's  year  677,  and  in 
A.U.,  i,  132,  s.a.  680  =  681,  in  both  with  the  reading  "slaying"  instead  of 
"  death." 

F.M.,  i,  286,  s.a.  679  (and.  "the  6th  year  of  Findachta,"  sovereign  of 
Ireland)  :  "  Conall,  Duncan's  son,  was  killed  in  Kintyre."  So  also  in  the 
Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  109,  s.a.  675. 

'  Obsessio  duin  Foither. 

According  to  Skene,  Brude  was  the  besieger. 

Cf.  year  694. 


FOUR  SIEGES.     ORKNEY  REDUCED  BY  BRUDE      191 

682 

Tigernach,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  pp.  206-207  ^ 
The  Orkneys  were  destroyed  by  Brude." 

683 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  134,  s.a.  682  =  683 

The  siege  of  Dunadd,  and  the  siege  of  Dundurn.^ 

684 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  208  * 

The  Saxons  wasted  Mag-[Breg]  and  very  many  churches 
in  the  month  of  June.^ 

^  Placed  18  years  after  664.  Immediately  afterwards,  at  the  end  of  the 
year-section,  Tigernach  notes  the  deposition  of  Justinian  II,  an  event  of 
695.  The  next  year  begins  thus:  "Pope  Leo  reigned  three  years,"  with 
the  marginal  date  4661.  Leo  II  was  pope  from  682  to  683  ;  there  was  no 
pope  from  683  to  684.  This  is  followed  by  pope  Sergius's  discovery  of  a 
piece  of  the  cross  ;  Sergius  I  was  pope  from  687  to  701.  Both  these  events 
were  taken  from  Bede  (M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  316)  ;  Bede  took  them  from 
the  Liber  Pontificalis  (M.G.H.,  Gesta  Pontificum,  i,  86). 

2  Similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  132,  s.a,  681=682. 

For  Brude  see  years  685  and  692. 

5  Duin  Aitt  .  .  .  duin  Duirn.  Probably  the  places  now  so  named  are 
meant.  Dunadd  is  to  the  north  of  the  Crinan  canal,  near  Kilmichael- 
Glassary  ;  Dundurn  is  a  hill  at  the  east  end  of  Loch  Earn. 

*  Placed  21  years  after  664.  In  the  same  year-section  is  noted  the 
reign  of  Tiberius,  who  was  emperor  from  698  to  705.  With  this  is 
connected  the  marginal  date  4668  (4659  in  Bede).  Here  also  are  noted 
affairs  of  Lombardy  from  701.  These  foreign  events  are  derived  from 
Bede's  Chronicle,  M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  317. 

^  To  this  effect  in  C.S.,  106,  Hennessy's  year  681  ;  and  in  A.U.,  i,  134 
s.a.  684  =  685. 

D.M.F.,  II,  p.  88:  "The  Saxons  devastated  the  plain  of  Brega,  and  very 
many  churches."  This  is  placed  under  [685]  the  year  after  the  children's 
mortality  of  683-684  (A.U.). 

P.M.,  i,  288,  s.a.  683  (and  "the  loth  year  of  Findachta,"  sovereign  of 
Ireland) :  "  The  wasting  of  Mag-Breg,  both  church  and  people,  by  the 
Saxons,  in  the  month  of  June  ;  and  they  took  with  them  many  hostages 
from  every  place  which  they  left,  throughout  Mag-Breg,  along  with  many 
other  spoils  ;  and  thereafter  they  went  to  their  ships." 


192  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

685 
Simeon  of  Durham,  Historia  Dunelmensis  Ecclesiae :  Rolls 
Series,  no.  75,  vol.  i,  pp.  31-32 

And  the  aforesaid  king  [Ecgfrith]  and  Theodore  gave  to 
[Cuthbert]  the  whole  land  in  the  city  of  York,  from  the  wall  of 
the  church  of  St  Peter  to  the  great  gate  on  the  west ;  and  from 
the  wall  of  that  church  to  the  wall  of  the  city  on  the  south. 
They  gave  him  also  the  village  of  Craike,  and  three  miles  in 
circumference  round  about  that  village,  that  he  might  have 
upon  his  way  [from  Lindisfarne]  to  York,  or  returning  from 
[York],  a  dwelling  where  he  might  rest.  And  there  he 
established  a  habitation  of  monks.  And  because  that  land 
seemed  insufficient,  he  received  in  addition  Carlisle,^  which 
is  called  Luel,  and  has  fifteen  miles  in  circumference.  And 
there  also  he  established  a  congregation  of  nuns,  and  conse- 
crated the  queen,  giving  to  her  the  garb  of  religion;  and 
appointed  schools,  for  the  advancement  of  the  service  of  God. 
Also  other  possessions  of  lands  were  granted  to  him.  .  .  ? 

68s 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  209^ 

The  battle  of  Dunnichen  took  place  on  the  twentieth  day  of 
the  month  of  May,  on  Saturday*;  and  there  Ecgfrith,  Oswiu's 

'  Liigubaliam. 

^  To  the  same  effect  (witli  no  mention  of  queen  ^tlielthrytfi,  wfio 
was  in  reality  consecrated  at  Ely)  in  the  Historia  de  Sancto  Cuthberto  ; 
R.S.  75,  i,  199. 

Skene  (S.C.S.,  i,  271)  understood  this  grant  of  Carlisle  to  have  included 
ecclesiastic  rule  in  Galloway  (through  Whithorn).  Robertson  held  that 
this  extension  of  the  Northumbrian  dominion  occurred  in  the  reign  of 
Ecgfrith's  successor,  Ealdfrith  ;  but  that  in  Ecgfrith's  reign  a  considerable 
tract  of  Northumbrian  territory  separated  Cumbria  and  Strathclyde  from 
North  Wales  (E.K.,  i,  17-18). 

That  Carhsle  pertained  to  Lindisfarne  in  854  is  stated  by  S.D.  ; 
R.S.  75,  i,  53  ;  ii,  loi  (cf  114,  in  883).  Carlisle  lay  waste  from  ca.  892  to 
1092,  when  it  was  restored  by  king  William  II  (F.W.,  ii,  30  ;  S.D.,  ii,  220. 
E.C.,  108-109). 

^  Placed  21  years  after  664. 

*  May  20th  was  a  Saturday  in  685,  which  is  the  year  given  by  Bede 
(E.C.,  42).  Ecgfrith  is  commemorated  under  May  27th  in  the  Franciscan 
MS.  of  Oengus  (1905  ed.,  136). 


BATTLE  OP  DUNNICHEN  193 

son,  king  of  the  Saxons,  was  killed  (after  completing  the 
fifteenth  year  of  his  reign^),  with  a  great  company  of  his 
soldiers,  by  Brude,  son  of  Bile,  the  king  of  Fortriu.i 

^  This  passage  appears  similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  134-136,  s.a.  685  =  686; 
but  instead  of  "  by  Brude  .  .  .  Fortriu "  they  read  :  "  And  he  burned 
Tula-Aman  of  Dunolly"  {combusit  tula  aman  duin  Ollaigh).  The  meaning 
is  obscure.  Hennessy  translates  it:  "Tula-aman  burned  Dunollaigh." 
Skene  says  that  Brude  "burnt  the  place  called  Tula  Aman  at  the  mouth 
of  the  river  Almond  where  it  falls  into  the  Tay  "  (S.C.S.,  i,  266)  :  but  that 
is  not  what  the  Ulster  Annals  say,  and  must  be  rejected. 

A.I.,  Scriptores,  ii,  2,  i6,  O'Conor's  year  674  =  685  (15  years  after  670)  : 
"  A  great  battle  between  the  Picts  "  [and  the  Angles  ?]. 

D.M.F.  II,  p.  88  (in  the  year-section  parallel  to  the  Ulster  Annals' 
686  =  687  ;  but  Duald's  next  year-section  is  numbered  A.D.  686)  :  "  In  this 
year  Adamnan  freed  the  captives  whom  the  Saxons  had  taken  from 
Ireland. 

"The  battle  of  Dunnichen,  between  Oswiu's  son  and  Brude,  Bile's 
son,  [who]  was  the  victor." 

The  battle  of  685  broke  the  English  power  in  Scotland  to  the  north  of 
the  Forth,  and  allowed  also  part  at  least  of  Strathclyde  to  recover 
independence.  Bede  says  that  the  Scots  of  Dalriata  renounced  allegiance 
to  Northumbria  (E.C.,  43-44).  Linlithgow  and  the  Picts  of  Galloway  seem 
to  have  remained  still  subject  to  the  Angles  (S.C.S.,  i,  268,  271). 

Brude  is  called  the  "son  of  the  king  of  Dumbarton"  in  the  Life  of 
Adamnan.  Cf  below,  year  ca.  692.  His  father  "Bile,  king  of  Fortriu" 
was  probably  the  "  Beli,  Neithon's  son"  of  the  pedigree  of  the  kings  of 
Strathclyde  (above,  p.  clviii),  and  the  great-grandfather  of  the  "  Beli,  Elfin's 
son"  who  died  in  722.  Brude  died  in  693,  only  30  years  before  his 
grand-nephew,  and  40  years  before  the  last  of  his  grandsons.  Brude's 
brother  Owen  was  in  his  prime  in  643  ;  Owen's  son  died  in  694.  Brude 
must  have  been  old  when  he  died. 

Tigernach  gives  Brude  the  title  of  "king  of  Fortriu"  (see  year  693). 
Brude  seems  therefore  to  have  inherited  Pictland  south  of  the  Tay  from  his 
father,  Pictland  north  of  the  Tay  through  his  mother. 

If  the  genealogies  after  the  Historia  Brittonum  are  right  in  calling 
Brude  Ecgfrith's  fratruelis,  Brude's  mother's  father  must  have  been  one 
of  the  sons  of  jEthelfrith.  But  since  we  may  assume  that  Brude  claimed 
part  of  the  kingdom  through  his  mother,  her  father  must  have  been 
a  descendant  of  Eanfrith,  who  married  a  Pictish  princess  (617x633),  and 
whose  son  Talorcan  held  the  Pictish  throne  from  653  to  657.  The  dates 
seem  to  decide  that  Brude  must  have  been  Eanfrith's  grandson,  not 
Talorcan's.  Talorcan  was  probably  not  born  before  617,  and  Brude  had 
a  grandson  who  was  old  enough  for  warfare  in  685. 

From  the  verses  of  Riaguil  (below)  Skene  deduced  that  Brude's  mother 
was  the  daughter  of  Talorcan,  Eanfrith's  son  (S.C.S.,  i,  263).  This 
deduction  is  incorrect.  What  Riaguil  says  is  that  Brude  was  the 
grandfather  of  Brude,  Derile's  son  (t  706).     See  below. 

N 


194  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Talorc,  [son  of]  Aithican,  died.i         _ 

The  slaying  of  Rothechtach,  and  of  Dargairt,  son  of 
Finguine.^ 

685 

Duald  Mac-Firbis,  Three  Fragments  of  Irish  Annals,  II,  p.  no 

Death  of  Fland  Fina,  Oswiu's  son,  king  of  the  Saxons,  the 
renowned  scholar,^  Adamnan's  pupil;  of  whom  Riaguil  of 
Bangor  sang : 

"To-day  Brude*  fights  a  battle  for  the  heritage  of  his 
grandfather*;  unless  it  please  God's  son,  they  have  perished 
in  it;  where  Oswiu's  son  has  been  killed,  in  battle  against 
green  swords.  Although  [Ecgfrith]  does  penance,  it  is  in 
lona  .  .  ." 

1  This  is  followed  in  T.  by  a  notice  of  Donald  Brecc's  death.  See 
above,  year  643. 

A.U.,  U.S.,  136,  say:  "Talorc,  son  of  Acithaen,  and  Donald  Brecc, 
Eochaid's  son,  died."  Cf.  the  Gartnait,  Accidan's  son,  mentioned  above, 
year  649.     (Perhaps  Talorc's  death  also  should  be  placed  in  643.) 

2  Similarly  in  C.S.,  108,  Hennessy's  year  682  ;  and  in  A.U.,  u.s. 

A.U.,  i,  172,  s.a.  720  =  721,  note:  "The  slaughter  of  Cu-dinaisc, 
Rothechtach's  son "  ;  this  may  have  been  the  Rothechtach  vifhose  death 
is  entered  here. 

Dargairt's  death  appears  to  be  repeated  in  A.U.,  i,  142,  s.a.  692  =  693 
(but  here  more  probably  692  is  right)  :  "  The  death  of  Dargairt,  son  of 
Finguine."     Cf.  below,  year  710. 

Finguine  may  have  been  the  great  -  great  -  grandson  of  Conall, 
Comgall's  son. 

^  in  t-egnaidh  amhra.  This  was  Ealdfrith,  Oswiu's  son,  Ecgfrith's 
successor  ;  under  whose  death  in  704  this  passage  stands.  But  the  poem 
speaks  of  Ecgfrith,  not  of  Ealdfrith. 

■•  In  the  margin  :  "  Derile's  son."  He  became  king  of  the  Picts  eleven 
years  afterwards.  (Marginal  notes  like  this  have  equal  value  with  the 
text.) 

^  ivi  forba  a  senathar.  "His  grandfather's  heritage"  was  therefore  the 
land  of  the  Picts,  at  this  time  ruled  by  Brude,  Bile's  son.  It  follows  from 
this  that  Brude,  Bile's  son,  was  the  grandfather  of  Brude,  Derile's  son.  It 
is  implied  by  the  plural  verb  ("they  have  perished")  that  both  Brudes 
were  present  in  the  battle. 

"  cia  do  radix  aitrige  \  is  hi  ind  Hi  iar  nassa,  rhyming  with  glasaj  there- 
fore iarnassa  should  be  one  word  ("  of  iron  shoes  "  ?). 

There  seems  to  be  a  pun  here  upon  aithrige  "  repentance "  (feminine) 
and  ath-rige  "dethronement"  (neuter). 


NORTHUMBRIAN  DOMINION  CURTAILED  195 

"  To-day  Oswiu's  son  has  been  killed,  who  had  black 
draughts.!  Christ  has  heard  our  prayers,  that  they  should 
save  Brude  .  .  .".^ 

68s 

Chroaicle  of  Holyrood,  p.  19 

In  the  year  685  king  Ecgfrith  rashly  led  an  army  to  waste 
the  province  of  the  Picts,  although  many  of  his  friends  opposed 
it,  and  especially  Cuthbert  of  blessed  memory,  who  had  recently 
been  ordained  a  bishop;  and  through  the  enemy's  feigning 
flight  he  was  led  on  into  the  defiles  of  inaccessible  mountains, 
and  annihilated,  with  great  part  of  the  forces  he  had  brought 
with  him,  in  the  fortieth  year  of  his  age,  the  fifteenth  of  his 
kingdom,  on  the  thirteenth  day^  before  the  Kalends  of  June. 

And  Ecgfrith  was  succeeded  on  the  throne  by  Ealdfrith,  a 
man  very  learned  in  scriptures,  who  was  said  to  be  [Ecgfrith's] 
brother  and  Oswiu's  *  son.  And  he  nobly  restored  the  ruined 
state  of  the  kingdom,  although  within  narrower  bounds.^ 

685 

Annals  of  the  Pour  Masters,  vol.  i,  p.  290,  s.a.  684'' 

Slaughter  [fell]  upon  all  animals  in  common,  throughout 
the  world,  to  the  end  of  three  years,  so  that  scarce  one  survived 
in  the  thousand  of  every  kind  of  beasts. 

'  I.e.,  "  died  of  wounds  "  ? 

2  roisaorbut  Bruide  bregha,  rhyming  with  deocha.  "  Brude  the  brave  " 
O'Donovan.     Possibly:  "that  [the  saints  of]  Brega  should  save  Brude".'' 

O'Donovan's  translation  of  this  poem  (ibid.,  iii)  is  the  basis  of  Skene's 
(S.C.S.,  i,  266-267).     The  text  also  is  given  by  Skene  in  P.  &  S.,  402. 

^  I.e.,  May  20th. 

*  In  text  "  Oswin's." 

°  This  passage  is  derived  from  Bede's  H.E.,  IV,  26  (E.G.,  42-44). 

Sigebert  of  Gemblours,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vi,  327,  s.a.  6S5,  renders 
Bede's  account  thus  :  "  Ecgfrith,  king  of  the  Northumbrians,  was  slain 
by  the  Picts.  The  Picts,  Scots,  and  Britons,  pressed  the  English 
exceedingly  ;  and,  recovering  the  liberty  which  they  had  formerly  lost 
through  the  English,  they  invaded  great  part  of  England.  .  .  .  Ecgfrith 
was  succeeded  by  his  brother  Ealdfrith,  who  reigned  for  20  years." 

Sigebert  is  followed  by  Alberic  of  Trois  Fontaines,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores, 
xxiii,  700,  s.a.  685. 

^  Also  "the  iTth  year  of  Findachta,"  sovereign  of  Ireland.  Under  this 
year  is  noted  a  hard  frost,  for  which  see  year  700. 


PART  VII 

Domination  of  the  Picts  over  Dalriata 

686 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  210^ 

Adamnan  led  back  sixty  captives  to  Ireland.^ 

686 

Annals  of  the  Pour  Masters,  vol.  i,  pp.  290-292,  s.a.  684 

Adamnan  went  to  England,  to  beg  for  the  captives  that  the 
North  Saxons  had  taken  with  them  from  Mag-Breg,  in  the 
previous  year.  He  got  their  restitution  from  them  after  doing 
miracles  and  wonders  before  the  hosts  ;  and  afterwards  they 
gave  him  great  honour  and  reverence,  with  complete  restora- 
tion of  everything  he  asked  of  them.^ 

'  Placed  22  years  after  664. 

^  Similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  136,  s.a.  686  =  687  :  and  (with  omission  of  "sixty") 
in  C.S.,  108,  Hennessy's  year  683.  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  1 10,  s.a. 
682  :   "Adamnan  brought  60  captives  to  Ireland." 

•^  D.M.F.  says  that  the  concession  of  the  captives  was  one  of  the 
honom-s  done  to  Adamnan,  when  he  accepted  Roman  tonsure.  Fragment 
II,  112  (also  in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  402):  "Great  booty  was  taken  by  the 
Saxons  from  Ireland.  Adamnan  went  to  ask  for  [the  return  of]  the  booty." 
Ibid.,  114,  after  an  incorrect  account  of  the  Easter  controversy:  "So 
Adamnan  was  crown-tonsured  there  ;  and  never  was  greater  honour  shown 
to  man  than  was  shown  then  to  Adamnan.  And  that  great  booty  was 
given  to  him,  and  he  proceeded  to  his  own  monastery  at  lona. 

"  There  was  great  astonishment  in  his  congregation  when  they  saw 
him  with  this  crown-tonsure.  He  urged  the  congregation  to  receive  the 
crown-tonsure  ;  and  he  could  not  prevail  upon  them  :  but  God  permitted 
the  convent  to  sin,  and  to  expel  Adamnan.  And  [Adamnan]  took  pity 
upon  Ireland.  Thus  Bede  has  said.  For  Bede  was  with  Adamnan  as  long 
as  [Adamnan]  was  in  England." 

If  Bede  is  the  only  authority  for  this  account,  the  account  is  worthless. 
See  E.C.,  45-46. 

Duald  continues  thus  :  "  Thereupon  Adamnan  came  to  Ireland,  and  he 

190 


ADAMNAN'S  JOURNEYS  197 

686,  688 

Adamnan,  Life  of  Columba,  book  II,  c.  46  ^ 

Of  the  plague. 

And  this  also,  as  I  think,  seems  not  to  be  reckoned  among 
smaller  miracles  of  virtue,  with  regard  to  the  plague  which 
twice  in  our  time  had  ravaged  the  greater  part  of  the  world. 
For  not  to  speak  of  the  other  wider  districts  of  Europe  (that  is 
of  Italy  and  the  city  of  Rome  itself,  and  the  cisalpine  provinces 
of  Gaul,  and  also  Spain,  though  separated  by  the  interposition 
of  the  Pyrenaean  mountain),  the  islands  of  the  ocean,  that  is  to 
say  Ireland  ^  and  Britain,  were  twice  entirely  ravaged  by  dreadful 
pestilence,  with  the  exception  of  two  peoples :  the  people  of 
the  Picts  and  that  of  the  Scots  of  Britain,  between  whom  is  the 
boundary  of  the  mountains  of  the  Ridge  of  Britain.^  And 
although  both  peoples  are  not  without  great  sins,  by  which  the 
eternal  judge  is  frequently  provoked  to  anger ;  yet  he  has 
spared  them  both  hitherto,  bearing  with  them  patiently.  To 
whom  else  then  can  this  favour  conferred  by  God  be  ascribed, 
than  to  St  Columba,  whose  monasteries,  founded  within  the 
borders  of  both  peoples,  are  greatly  honoured  by  both  to  the 
present  time  ? 

But  this  that  we  shall  now  say  is  not  to  be  heard,  as  we 
think,  without  lamentation  :  that  there  are  many  very  stupid 
men  in  both  peoples  who,  not  knowing  that  they  have  been 
protected  from  diseases  by  the  prayers  of  the  saints,  with 
ingratitude  basely  abuse  God's  patience. 

But  we  render  to  God  frequent  thanks  that  he  has  protected 
us,  at  the  prayers  of  our  venerable  patron  on  our  behalf,  from 
the  invasion  of  plagues,  both  in  these  our  islands  and  in 
England,*  when  we  visited  our  friend  king  Ealdfrith;  although 
the   pestilence   had    not   yet   ceased,   but  was  ravaging  many 

flourished  in  Ireland"  {ro  iordliarcaigh  sain  for  Eirinn;  "excelled  all 
Erin,"  O'Donovan) ;  "but  that  single  control  of  Easter  and  the  tonsure 
were  not  accepted  from  him  until  this  year"  [704].  "And  Adamnan  died 
in  this  year,  in  the  eighty-third  year  of  his  age."  Here  this  Fragment 
ends.     See  year  704. 

'  Reeves's  edition,  183-187  ;  Skene's,  191. 

'•^  Scotia. 

3  Dorsi  monies  Briiannici  (i.e.  Druimm-nAlban). 

^  Saxonia. 


198  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

villages  from  place  to  place ;  yet  both  in  our  first  visit,  after 
Ecgfrith's  battle,  and  in  the  second,  after  an  interval  of  two 
years,!  while  we  walked  in  the  midst  of  such  danger  of  plague, 
the  Lord  so  delivered  us  that  not  even  one  of  our  companions 
died,  nor  was  any  of  them  troubled  with  any  disease. 

687 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  210° 

The  killing  of  Cano,  Gartnait's  ^  son.  * 

688 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  138,   s.a.  688  =  689 

lolan,  bishop  of  Kingarth,  died.® 

The  death  of  Cathasach,  grandson  of  Donald  Brecc.  .  .  .  The 
death  of  Feradach,  son  of  Tuathalan.  The  death  of  Maelduin, 
son  of  Conall  Crandomna.^ 

'  I.e.,  in  686  and  in  688.  Adamnan  therefore  wrote  after  688.  See 
also  year  679. 

2  Placed  23  years  after  664. 

^  In  Tigernach,  Gartnain  (similarly  in  Duald,  and  the  Tale  of  Cano)  ; 
C.S.,  Car7taitj  A.U.,  Gartnaidh. 

*  This  sentence  appears  similarly  in  C.S.,  108,  Hennessy's  year  684  ; 
and  A.U.,  i,  136,  s.a.  687  =  688. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  no,  s.a.  683:  "Canon  son  of  Gartnait 
entered  into  religion." 

D.M.F.,  II.,  90,  s.a.  686  :  "Bishop  Cuthbert  reposed  [687]. 

"  Cano  Gartnait's  son  died. 

"The  emperor  Constantine  [IV]  died"  [685]. 

This  Cano  became  a  figure  in  Irish  romance,  and  was  imagined  to 
have  been  a  contemporary  of  king  Aidan.  See  years  ?  574,  ?6oi,  notes  ; 
and  year  668. 

Two  years  after  Cano's  death  Tigernach,  u.s.,  211,  C.S.,  no,  and  A.U., 
i,  140,  record  that  "  Coblaith,  Cano's  daughter,  died."  Cf.  also  years  673 
and  705.  In  the  same  year-section  are  noted  the  writing  of  works  by 
Bede,  and  the  reign  of  Justinian  II  [685-695]  ;  the  reign  is  taken  from 
Bede's  Chronicle  (M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  315). 

''  Similarly  in  C.S.,  108,  Hennessy's  year  685  (with  the  reading  Garad 
for  Kingarth),  and  in  F.M.,  i,  294,  s.a.  688. 

Tigernach,  R.C.,  xvii,  210  (24  years  after  664),  reads  "John"  for 
"  lolan,"  and  mis-spells  Kingarth  {lohannes  espoc  Cind  GalardtK). 

"  This  paragraph  appears  similarly  in  C.S.,  u.s. ;  but  Tigernach,  U.S., 
211,  reads   falsely:    "The    death    of    Cathasach,    grandson    of    Donald 


KING  MAELDUIN.     ARGYLE  AND  IRELAND         199 

688 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  211  ^ 

Adamnan  led  back  captives  to  Ireland.^ 

691 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  140,  s.a.  690  =  691  ^ 

The  [men  of]  Dalriata  ravaged  the  [Irish]  Plots  and 
the  Ulaid.*  .  .  . 

A  great  gale  drowned  certain  six  men  of  the  community 
of  lona  on  the  sixteenth  day  ^  before  the  Kalends  of  October. 

Brecc,  son  of  Feradach,  son  of  Tuathal,  son  of  Maelduin,  son  of  Conall 
Crandomna." 

The  next  sentence  in  T.,  C.S.,  and  A.U.,  is:  "Part  of  the  sun  was 
obscured."  There  was  an  annular  eclipse  in  688  on  July  3rd  at  loj  a.m. 
(Paris  time)  ;  this  is  the  only  eclipse  that  can  be  intended,  between  680 
and  692  (L'Art). 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  no,  s.a.  684  :  "  Cathasach,  Donald  Brecc's 
son,  died.     Feradach,  Tuathalan's  son,  died." 

According  to  the  Chronicle  of  Dalriata,  Maelduin  was  king  of  Argyle 
for  16  years. 

The  Duan  Albanach,  in  P.  &  S.,  61  :  "Maelduin,  son  of  Conall  of 
[many]  plunderings,  had  seventeen  [years]  by  right"  on  the  throne  of 
Dalriata.  Maelduin  is  placed  after  Donald  Dond  (t  ca.  695),  and  before 
Ferchar  Fota  (t  ca.  696).     See  above,  p.  cxxxi. 

Fordun  places  the  reign  of  Maelduin  ("  Maldewinus,  king  Donald's 
son  ")  after  that  which  he  gives  to  Ferchar  Fota  (see  above,  year  643,  note  ; 
and  see  664,  note).  According  to  Fordun,  Maelduin  reigned  from  664  to 
684  (III,  40,  i,  125  ;  whereby  is  to  be  corrected  111,  43,  i,  128).  Fordun's 
dates  of  the  empire  are  inaccurate  here. 

1  Placed  immediately  after  the  eclipse  of  688. 

^  This  may  be  a  repetition  of  the  statement  made  under  year  686  ;  but 
see  Adamnan's  own  account,  above. 

^  Under  the  same  year  is  entered:  "Theodore,  bishop  of  Britain, 
reposed."  Theodore,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  died  in  690,  according  to 
Bede's  History,  V,  8,  and  the  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicles  (ABCEF). 

"•  In  the  previous  year  the  king  of  the  Irish  Picts  had  fallen  ;  A.U.,  i, 
140,  s.a.  689  =  690  :  ".  .  .  Ailill,  son  of  Dungal  of  Eilne,  son  of  Scandal" 
was  slain.  (The  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise  erroneously  make  Eilne  the 
name  of  a  man;  p.  no,  s.a.  685.)  Eilne  is  in  the  north-west  of  Antrim 
county  (O'Donovan,  F.M.,  i,  199).  C.S.,  108,  Hennessy's  year  686  =  690: 
"...  Ailill,  Dungal's  son,  king  of  the  [Irish]  Picts,"  was  slaughtered. 
Ailill  stands  in  the  list  of  kings  of  Dalaraide,  in  the  Book  of  Leinster, 
p.  41  e. 

''  i6th  September. 


200  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

691  or  692 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  212  ^ 

In  the  fourteenth  year  after  the  death  of  Failbe  of  lona, 
Adamnan  went  to  Ireland." 

ca.  692 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  140,  s.a.  691  =692 

The  siege  of  Dun-deauae-dibsi.^ 

693 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  212* 

Brude,  Bile's  son,  king  of  Fortriu,  died ;  also  Alpin, 
Nechtan's  son.^ 

'  Placed  3  years  after  688,  but  37  years  before  729.  Under  the  same 
year  appears  the  following,  in  Tigernach,  C.S.,  and  A.U.  :  "The  moon 
turned  to  the  colour  of  blood  on  the  natal  day  of  St.  Martin."  L'Art  de 
Verifier  les  Dates  calculates  that  there  was  a  partial  limar  eclipse  in  691 
on  November  nth  at  6  p.m.  (Paris  time)  ;  i.e.,  32  to  50  minutes  earlier  in 
Ireland,  and  therefore  on  November  nth  according  to  the  Irish  reckoning. 

The  14th  summer  after  Failbe's  death  would  have  been  that  of  692. 

The  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  no,  s.a.  687  =  691,  record  nothing  else 
within  the  year :  "  The  moon  was  of  sanguine  colour,  the  eve  of  the 
nativity  of  St  Martin." 

-  Similarly  in  C.S.,  no,  Hennessy's  year  688  ;  and  in  A.U.,  i,  140,  s.a. 
691=692  (with  fn.  and  e.  of  692). 

D.M.F.,  II,  92:  "Adamnan  came  to  Ireland  in  the  fourteenth  year 
after  the  death  of  Failbe,  abbot  of  lona"  ("thirteenth"  in  O'Donovan's 
translation). 

The  Annals  of  Boyle,  7,  O'Conor's  year  657,  read  :  "Adamnan  came  to 
Ireland,  and  brought  the  evangel  with  him." 

It  seems  probable  that  Adamnan  took  with  him,  if  he  did  not  actually 
go  on  purpose  to  take,  his  Life  of  Columba.     See  before  679,  notes. 

2  Reeves  (Adamnan,  378)  thought  that  Dundafif  south  of  Stirling  may 
have  been  meant. 

*  Placed  4  years  after  688,  but  36  before  729.  Under  the  same  year  has 
been  entered  the  restoration  of  Justinian  II  [in  705]  :  an  event  which,  with 
the  passage  following  it,  is  taken  from  Bede's  Chronicle  (M.G.H.,  Auctores, 
xiii,  317-318). 

■''  This  passage  appears  similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  140,  s.a.  692  =  693. 

The  Chronicles  of  the  Picts  (ABFI)  give  Brude  Bile's  son  a  reign  of 
21  years.  He  seems  to  have  reigned  from  682  to  693,  and  may  have 
succeeded  in  672. 

D.M.F.,   II,   p.   93;    "Brude,   Bile's   son,   king   of  Fortriu,   died"  {ri 


BRUDE,  BILE'S  SON  201 

693 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  142,  s.a.  692  =  693 

The  slaying  of  Ainftech,i  and  of  the  nephews  of  Niall,^  and 
of  the  sons  of  Boanta.^ 

?694 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  142,  s.a.  693=694 

A  siege  of  Dunnottar.* 

Foirtrean).  This  is  placed  in  the  year  after  Adamnan's  voyage  to 
Ireland. 

Chronicles  of  the  Picts  DF,  in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  150,  173  :  "  In  his  time 
flourished  St  Adamnan."     Similarly  in  K,  ibid.,  201. 

Extract  from  an  Irish  Life  of  Adamnan,  Reeves's  transcript,  from 
Brussels  MS.  5101-4,  in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  408-409  : — "Once  the  body  of 
Brude,  Bile's  son,  king  of  the  Picts,  was  brought  to  lona  ;  and  his  death 
caused  Adamnan  grief  and  sorrow,  and  he  said  that  Brude's  body  should 
be  taken  to  him  into  the  house  that  night.  Adamnan  watched  by  the 
body  in  that  house  till  morning.  In  the  morning  of  the  day  after,  when 
the  body  had  taken  to  moving  and  opening  its  eyes,  a  certain  religious 
man  came  then  to  the  door  of  the  house  and  said  :  '  If  Adamnan  would 
like  to  raise  the  dead,  I  say  that  he  should  not  do  it.  It  will  be  a  disgrace 
to  every  priest  who  shall  come  in  his  place,  unless  he  [too]  raise  the 
dead.'  'There  is  some  justice  in  that'  said  Adamnan.  'If,  then,  it  is 
juster,  let  us  bless  this  body,  and  the  soul  of  Brude.'  Brude  sent  his 
spirit  again  to  heaven,  with  the  blessing  of  Adamnan  and  of  the  com- 
munity of  lona. 

"  Then  Adamnan  said  :  '  Many  wonders  performs  the  king  who  was 
born  of  Mary  ;  .  .  .  \betha  scuab  an  nim  muili^  [giving]  death  to  Brude, 
Bile's  son.  It  is  strange  that,  after  he  has  been  king  of  the  north,  a 
hollow  stump  of  withered  oak  [should  be]  about  the  son  of  the  king  of 
Dumbarton'"  \im  mac  rig  Ala  Cluaithi\ 

For  Brude's  father.  Bile  or  Beli,  see  year  685,  note  ;  for  Beli's  son, 
Owen,  see  year  643.  Alpin  or  Elfin  was  perhaps  Neithon's  son,  and  Beli's 
brother. 

'  Ainftech  was  perhaps  the  father  of  Tarain,  Brude's  successor.  Cf. 
the  Chronicle  of  the  Picts,  above,  p.  cxxv  ;  and  years  697,  699. 

2  Nieth-Neill. 

^  Jiliorum  Boendo. 

*  Obsesio  diiin  father.  This  may  possibly  be  a  repetition  of  the  Obsessio 
duin  Foither  already  entered  by  these  annals  under  680  =  681. 

Immediately  after  this  is  placed  "  the  death  of  Ferchar,  son  of  Connad 
Cerr"  ;  see  above,  year  ?65i. 


202  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

694 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique.  vol.  xvii,  p.  213  ^ 

Donald,  Owen's  son,  king  of  Dumbarton,^  died.^ 

696 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  144,  s.a.  695  =  696* 

The  slaying  of  Donald,  son  of  Conall  Crandomna.^' 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  215" 
Tarachin  was  expelled  from  his  princedom.^ 
Ferchar  Fota  died.^ 
Adamnan  brought  in  a  law^  in  Ireland  this  year. 

1  Placed  5  years  after  688,  35  before  729. 

^  Rex  Alo  Chluaithe;  i.e.,  king  of  Strathclyde. 

^  Similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  142,  s.a.  693  =  694. 

For  Owen,  see  year  643.  Donald  appears  to  have  been  succeeded  by 
his  nephew  Bile  or  Bali,  who  died  in  722. 

*  With  the  marginal  note  "  bissextile." 

^  Similarly  in  C.S.,  112,  Hennessy's  year  692.  Tigernach,  R.C.,  xvii, 
214,  (7  years  after  688,  33  before  729)  omits  "Donald,  son  of." 

The  Duan  Albanach,  in  P.  &  S.,  60: — "Thirteen  years  of  Donald 
Dond,  after  Dungal"  (Fland's  Duncan)  "and  Conall"  (Conall  Crandomna, 
who  died  ca.  659.     See  year  660,  note). 

Donald  Dond's  reign  over  Argyle  seems  to  have  been  from  693  to  696. 

''  Placed  8  years  after  688,  but  32  before  729. 

'  Similarly  in  A.U.,  144,  s.a.  696  =  697;  but  they  read  "from  his 
kingdom"  ;  i.e.,  the  kingdom  of  the  Scottish  Picts.  This  king's  name  is 
spelt  Tarain,  below,  year  699  ;  and  Taran  in  the  Pictish  Chronicle.  See 
also  year  692.     Cf  Adamnan's  "Tarain." 

Tarain  is  allowed  four  years'  reign  in  the  Chronicle  of  the  Picts  ; 
perhaps  692  to  696.  His  successor  was  Brude,  Derile's  son  ;  see  below, 
and  year  706. 

'  Similarly  in  A.U.,  u.s. 

The  Duan  Albanach,  in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  61  : — "Ferchar  Fota  (consider 
it)  passed  twenty-one  years  [in  the  kingdom]."  Ferchar  is  there  placed 
after  Maelduin  (t  688)  and  before  Eochaid  (t  697). 

Ferchar  Fota  appears  to  have  been  king  of  Argyle  from  696  to  697. 
The  Chronicles  of  Dalriata  also  allow  him  a  reign  of  2  r  years,  which  must 
include  his  previous  reign  in  Lorn.  His  pedigree  is  given  in  genealogy  V 
after  the  Senchus  ;  above,  p.  clvi. 

The  claims  of  the  last  kings  of  Dalriata  will  be  shown  in  the  table 
on  the  opposite  page. 

^  Recht  lecsa.  Stokes  regards  recht  as  a  gloss  upon  hcsa  =  /era,  from 
Latin  lex. 

A.U.,   U.S.  :    "Adamnan   went  to    Ireland   and   gave   the   Law   of  the 


KINGS  OF  ARGYLE 


203 


pq      o 


-fl"^ 

rt    CO 

JD    N  — 

0)1 — I      M  c^ 


S 


rt 


oj 


rt     — : 


O  S-^         T3-1-°Q  O- 


O. 


o 


T) 


o  1^  o  A 


O       &M 


204  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Innocents  to  the  peoples."  Similarly  in  C.S.,  112,  Hennessy's  year  693. 
A.I.,  17,  O'Conor's  year  685  =  696  (26  years  after  670) :  "Adamnan  set  a 
law  over  Ireland." 

D.M.F.,  II,  96  (and  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  402):  "Adamnan  came  to  Ireland 
and  indicted  the  Law  of  the  Innocents  to  the  peoples  of  Ireland  :  that  boys 
and  women  were  not  to  be  killed." 

The  Law  was  the  subject  of  an  early  Middle-Irish  tract,  Cdin 
Adamndin  ;  it  is  edited  by  K.  Meyer  in  the  Anecdota  Oxoniensia,  Medieval 
and  Modern  Series,  part  12  (Oxford,  1905). 

In  the  list  of  those  that  were  present  at  the  council  are  the  names  : — 
"  Eochaid,  Donald's  grandson,  king  of  .  .  .  ,"  and  "  Brude,  Derile's  son, 
king  of  Pictland"  {Cruithintuathi)  \  Cdin  Adamnain,  20.  Brude's 
predecessor  Tarain  was  deposed  in  697  (above)  ;  and  Eochaid,  king  of 
Dalriata,  died  in  the  same  year  (below). 

Sigebert  of  Gemblours,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vi,  328,  s.a  694  :  "Abbot 
Adamnan  .  .  .  was  famed  in  England." 

The  Martyrology  of  Oengus,  under  September  23rd  (Stokes's 
translation):  "To  Adamnan  of  lona,  whose  troop  is  radiant,  noble  Jesus 
has  granted  the  lasting  liberation  of  the  women  of  the  Gael " ;  with 
Lebar  Brecc's  notes  (1880  Oengus,  cxlvi-cxlvii)  :  "abbot  of  lona  of 
Columcille"  ;  and  in  the  lower  margin  (of  p.  96)  :  "Of  Adamnan  of  lona, 
etc.  On  a  certain  day  Adamnan  chanced  to  be  passing  through  Mag 
Breg,  with  his  mother  on  his  back ;  and  they  saw  two  battalions  attacking 
each  other.  Now  Ronait,  Adamnan's  mother,  happened  to  see  a  woman 
with  an  iron  hook  in  her  hand  dragging  another  woman  from  the  opposite 
side,  with  the  hook  fastened  in  her  breast.  For  men  and  women  used  to 
fight  in  battle  alike  at  that  time.  Thereupon  Ronait  sat  down,  and  said  : 
'Thou  shalt  not  take  me  from  this  place  until  women  are  freed  forever  from 
this  condition,  and  from  battles  and  campaigns.'  So  Adamnan  promised 
this  thing. 

"Then  there  happened  to  be  a  great  council  in  Ireland,  and  Adamnan 
went  to  that  council  with  men  chosen  from  the  priests  of  Ireland,  and  he 
freed  women  there. 

"  These  are  four  laws  of  Ireland  :  Patrick's  law,  not  to  kill  priests  ;  the 
law  of  Dan'  the  nun,  not  to  kill  cattle  [not  to  steal  oxen,  ibid.  Ixiv]  ; 
Adamnan's  law,  not  to  kill  women  ;  the  law  of  Sunday,  not  to  transgress 
upon  it."  Similarly  also  in  MS.  Laud  610  (1905  Oengus,  210).  The  last 
paragraph  appears  with  little  difference  under  March  17th  in  Lebar  Brecc 
(84  ;   1880  Oengus,  Ixiv  ;  R.S.  89,  ii,  504). 

An  addition  to  Colman's  Hymn  (by  Mugroin,  abbot  of  lona  [964-980], 
according  to  the  Franciscan  MS.),  in  Thesaurus  Palaeohibernicus,  ii,  306  : 
"A  blessing  upon  Columcille,  with  the  saints  of  Scotland  on  the  other 
side"  {Alban  allaj  glossed  in  the  Dublin  version /rz"  inuir  anair  "to  the 
east  of  the  sea ") ;  "  upon  the  soul  of  the  glorious  Adamnan "  {Adamnan 
din,  the  attribute  being  chosen  for  alliteration),  "who  laid  a  law  upon  the 
tribes"  [forsna  danna;  i.e.  the  tribes  of  the  Gaels). 

Note  on  Fiacc's  Hymn,  in  Franciscan  Liber  Hymnorum,  ii,  306:  "The 


ADAMNAN'S  LAW.     KING  EOCHAID  205 

697 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  146,  s.a.  696  =  697  ^ 
Eochaid,  Donald's  grandson,  was  killed.^ 

698 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  146,  s.a.  697  =  698'' 
The  burning  of  Dunolly. 

four  chief  laws  of  Ireland  :  the  laws  of  Patrick,  of  Dare,  of  Adamnan,  of 
Sunday.  Patrick's  law  [was]  not  to  kill  priests  ;  Dare's  law  [was]  not  to 
steal  cows  ;  Adamnan's  [was]  not  to  kill  [women]  ;  [the  law]  of  Sunday,  not 
to  transgress  it "  (cen  \a  tK\ar-imthechf). 

For  the  "  Law  of  Sunday,"  cf.  the  Yellow  Book  of  Lecan,  facs.,  215; 
J.  G.  O'KeefFe,  Anecdota  from  Irish  MSS.,  iii,  21  ff.  ;  Eriu,  i,  189-214. 

The  English  bishop  Ecgbeorht,  who  was  at  this  time  endeavouring  to 
reform  the  Columbite  monasteries  (see  E.G.,  50-51),  was  present  at  the 
council  of  697  (Gain,  16). 

Another  person  present  was  bishop  Cuiritan  or  Guretan  (Gain,  12,  16). 
This  may  have  been  the  Curitanus  who  is  commemorated  under  March  i6th 
(the  day  of  Boniface  of  Rosemarkie),  in  Gorman,  56,  with  the  note : 
"bishop,  and  abbot  of  Ross-meinn "  ;  and  in  Tallaght,  ed.  Kelly,  p.  xviii.: — 
"Guritanus,  bishop,  and  abbot  of  Ros-mic-Bairend"  (identified  with  Rose- 
markie, by  Reeves  and  Hogan  ;  but  this  seems  doubtful).  See  Reeves, 
Guldees,  44-46.  Late  writers  identify  Guritanus  with  Boniface,  Gf.  below, 
year  706. 

'  This  notice  is  placed  immediately  after  the  promulgation  of  Adamnan's 
law. 

^  Echu,  nepos  Domnaill.  This  seems  to  have  been  the  same  person  as 
the  "  Eochaid  Grookednosed,  son  of  Domangart,  son  of  Donald  Brecc," 
to  whom  three  years'  reign  is  given  by  the  Ghronicle  of  Dalriata  (above, 
p.  cxxxii). 

For  his  successor  see  year  69S.     His  son  (probably)  reigned  726-733. 

The  Duan  Albanach,  in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  61  (after  Ferchar  Fota,  and 
before  Ainfcellach)  :  '■  Two  years  of  Eochaid  of  the  horses ;  the  king  of 
palaces  was  brave."  See  above,  p.  cxxxi.  Eochaid  seems  to  have  been  king 
of  Knapdale. 

Fordun  (III,  43)  inserts,  after  the  reign  of  "  Eugenius,"  Donald's  grand- 
son, the  reign  of  another  Eugenius,  who  is  probably  fictitious.  This  seems 
to  be  a  duplication  of  the  Ewen,  variously  called  by  the  Ghronicles  of 
Dalriata  Ferchar  Fota's  son  (E)  and  Findan's  son  (DFIK).  These  two 
seem  to  have  been  the  same  man,  about  whose  parentage  the  chroniclers 
are  in  conflict ;  but  Fordun  makes  Ferchar  Fota's  son  reign  before,  and 
Findan's  son  reign  after,  Ainfcellach.     See  year  736. 

^  These  events  are  entered  after  the  battle  of  698. 


206  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

The  expulsion  of  Ainfcellach,  Ferchar's  son,  from  the 
kingship ;  and  he  was  taken,  bound,  to  Ireland.^ 

698 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  216^ 

A  battle  [was  fought]  between  the  Saxons  and  the  Picts  ; 
and  there  fell  Beornhseth's  son,  who  was  called  Beorhtred.^ 

ca.  699 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  146,  s.a.  698  =  699 

The  battle  of  Fiannamail,  Ossene's  son.* 
Tarain  went  to  Ireland.^ 

'  Ainfcellach,  son  of  Ferchar  Fota,  has  one  year's  reign  allowed  him  by 
the  Chronicle  of  Dalriata,  apparently  697-698.     See  also  year  719. 

The  Duan  Albanach,  in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  61  (after  Eochaid's  reign) : 
"  After  that  the  good  Ainfcellach,  Ferchar's  son,  was  king  for  one  year." 
The  next  king  named  there  is  Dungal  (below,  p.  235). 

The  words  of  A.U.  imply  that  Ainfcellach's  conqueror  was  Irish.  The 
deposition  of  Ainfcellach  is  synchronous  with  the  appearance  of  Fiannamail 
as  king  of  Dalriata  (see  year  700). 

Fordun  (Chronica,  III,  44,  i,  129)  records  Ainfcellach's  reign  thus: 
"  Eugenius,  yielding  up  the  kingdom,"  (see  year  696,  note)  "  left  it  to  his 
successor  Ainfcellach"  {Amrikelleth,  etc.),  "son  of  Findan,  son  of  Eugenius 
IV,  after  having  established  peace  with  the  Picts  and  the  Angles.  When 
he  had  been  crowned,  in  the  same  year  of  the  Lord  697,  he  inadvisedly 
prepared  war  against  the  Picts,  breaking  off  the  state  of  peace.  And  the 
same  year  was  not  yet  quite  complete  when  upon  his  first  expedition,  made 
secretly  by  traversing  dense  woods,  in  the  land  of  [the  Picts],  many  of  his 
followers  were  shot  with  arrows  ;  and  the  king  himself  was  wounded  by 
being  hit  with  an  arrow,  and  suddenly  turned  back.  And  on  the  tenth  day 
after  receiving  this  wound  he  died,  and  left  the  throne  of  the  kingdom  to 
his  brother  Eugenius  [VI]." 

^  Placed  9  years  after  688,  but  31  years  before  729.  In  the  next  year- 
section  has  been  entered  the  reign  of  Philippicus  [emperor  from  711  to  713]. 
(So  in  C.S.,  112,  Hennessy's  year  695.)  This  is  derived  from  Bede's 
Chronicle  (M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  318). 

The  year  of  the  battle  is  given  as  698  by  Bede  (E.C.,  47). 

^  films  Bernith,  qui  dicebaticr  Brechtraigh.  {Brectrid  in  A.U.  ;  Berctred 
in  Bede.) 

A.U.,  i,  146,  s.a.  697  =  698,  read  :  "A  battle  between  the  Saxons  and  the 
Picts  ;  and  there  fell  [the  son  of]  Beornhasth,  who  was  called  Beorhtred." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  in,  s.a.  693  =  698:  "The  battle  between 
the  Saxons  and  Picts,  where  the  son  of  Beornhaeth,  who  was  called  Beorhtred 
\Bregghtra\  was  slain." 

••  Similarly  in  D.M.F.,  II,  98.     See  year  700. 

'"  See  year  697. 


KINGS  AINFCELLACH  AND  FIANNAMAIL         207 

700 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  148,  s.a.  699  =  700^ 

Fiannamail,  Duncan's  grandson,  king  of  Dalriata,  .  .  .  was 
slaughtered/^ 

ca.  700 

Chronicon  Scotorum,  p.  112,  Hennessy's  year  696 

[There  was]  great  frost  in  this  year,  so  that  the  lakes  and 
rivers  of  Ireland  froze;  and  the  sea  froze  between  Ireland  and 
Scotland,  so  that  there  was  communication  between  them  on 
sheet  ice.* 

701 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  pp,  148-150,  s.a.  700  =  701 

.  .  .  Congal,  Eoganan's  son,  died. 

A    conflict    [occurred]    in    Skye,    and    there   fell    Conaing, 
Duncan's  son,  and  the  son  of  Cuanda.* 
The  destruction  of  Dunolly  by  Selbach.® 
Slaughter  of  the  tribe  of  Cathba.'^ 

'  With  the  marginal  note  "  bissextile." 

-  Cf.  Tigernach,  R.C.,  xvii,  216  (29  years  before  729):  "  Fian[n]amail, 
Duncan's  great-grandson,  king  of  Dalaraide,  .  .  .  was  slain."  (The  foreign 
events  in  this  year-section  of  Tigernach  are  derived  from  Bede's  Chronicle  ; 
JM.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  318-319.) 

F.M.,  i,  300,  s.a.  698  :  "  Fian[n]amail,  Duncan's  grandson,  lord  yoisec/i] 
of  Dalriata,  .  .  .  was  killed." 

D.M.F.,  II,  100  (in  the  first  part  of  the  year-section  corresponding  with 
the  Ulster  Annals' 699  =  700  and  700  =  701)  "Fiannamail,  Duncan's  grand- 
son, king  of  Dalriata,  died." 

For  Duncan  see  above,  year  680.     Cf.  years  701,  707. 

Hennessy  understood  that  Fiannamail  was  king  of  Irish,  not  Scottish, 
Dalriata  ;  if  so,  he  is  the  first  king  of  Irish  Dalriata  named  in  the  annals. 
After  639,  the  kings  of  Argyle  had  perhaps  lost  Irish  Dalriata.  It  lay  within 
the  kingdom  of  Ulster  {Ulaid) ;  for  whose  kings  v.  L.L.,  41  ;  B.B.,  51-52, 
276  ;  A.U.,  iv,  427.  Fiannamail  is  not  named  in  the  Book  of  Leinster's 
list  of  kings  of  Dalaraide.  Whether  he  belonged  to  Irish  or  Scottish 
Dalriata,  he  probably  claimed  the  title  to  both.     See  year  741. 

'  This  is  a  late  entry  in  the  year-section  corresponding  to  the  Ulster 
Annals'  699  =  700.     It  is  placed  by  F.IVI.  (i,  290)  under  year  684  (for  685). 

*  See  above,  year  677.     For  Duncan,  see  year  680. 

■'  Dunolly  was  the  principal  stronghold  of  the  tribe  of  Loarn.  It 
seems  to  have  been  occupied  in  698  by  the  supporters  of  an  Irish  chieftain, 


208  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

ca.  704 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  152,  s.a.  702  =  703  ^ 

Ailen-Daingen  was  built.^  .  .  . 
Fergussan,  Maelcon's  son,  died. 
The  siege  of  Ritha.^ 

ca.  704 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  219'' 

A  slaughter  of  the  [men  of]  Dalriata,  in  the  valley  of  the 
Leven.^ 

Adamnan,  abbot  of  lona,  reposed,  in  the  seventy-seventh 
year  of  his  age,  on  the  ninth  day  before  the  Kalends  of  October.'' 

perhaps  the  Fiannamail  who  died  in  700  ;  and  by  taking  it  (cf.  year  714) 
Selbach  probably  made  good  his  claim  not  only  to  the  chieftainship  of  the 
tribe  of  Loarn  (cf.  year  719)  but  also  to  the  kingship  of  Argyle  (cf.  year  723). 
Selbach's  son  Dungal  seems  to  have  had  his  seat  at  Dunadd  (year  736). 

''  generis  CaihbotJi.  CathbaAvas  grandson  of  Loarn  Mor,  the  son  of  Ere  and 
brother  of  Fergus  (see  year  ca.  501).  The  tribe  of  Cathba  was,  according 
to  Skene,  "a  rival  branch  of  the  tribe  of  Loarn"  (S.C.S.,  i,  272).  See  the 
Senchus,  above,  pp.  clii-cliii. 

1  Previously  in  the  same  year-section,  and  in  the  parallel  section  of 
Tigernach  and  of  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise  (699  =  704),  it  is  stated  that 
the  battle  of  Corann  was  fought  on  12th  July,  a  Saturday  :  12th  July  was 
Saturday  in  704.     (C.S.  reads  the  15th  July,  incorrectly.) 

^  Le.,  "strong  island";  presumably  an  island  fortress,  or  a  crannog. 
See  year  714,  and  cf  year  725. 

2  Obsessio  Riihe.  The  editors  of  A.U.  conjecture  that  Rithe  was  a 
place  in  Scotland.     Cf  ca.  642. 

^  Placed  25  years  before  729.  The  year-section  begins  with  the  note  : 
"Theodosius  reigned  one  year"  [716-717],  with  the  marginal  date  4600. 
Next  year-section  begins  "Leo  reigned  nine  years"  [717-741],  with  the 
marginal  date  4688.  These  and  the  other  foreign  events  on  pp.  218,  219, 
are  derived  from  Bede's  Chronicle  (M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  319-321),  which 
concludes  in  Leo's  9th  year  (A.D.  725-726).  Tigernach's  notice  s.a.  [712]: 
"  In  this  year  Bede  made  a  great  book,  i.e.  Berba  Beid,"  [?  =  verba  Bedae'] 
must  therefore  refer  to  Bede's  Chronica  Majora,  finished  in  725  or  726. 

5  Similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  152,  s.a.  703  =  704.  But  C.S.,  114,  Hennessy's  year 
700  =  704,  reads:  "Slaughter  of  the  [men  of|  Dalriata  at  Loch  Lomond" 
(or  Leven,  ic  li?in  linnnae).  If  this  is  not  a  corrupt  reading,  it  would  show 
that  the  valley  of  the  Dumbartonshire  Leven  is  meant  in  the  other 
Irish  Annals. 

"  I.e.,  on  the  23rd  September. 

Similarly  in  C.S.,  u.s.,  but  with  the  reading:  "in  the  seventy-eio^hth 
year  of  his  age." 


DEATH  OF  ADAMiSTAN  209 

A.U.,  U.S.  :  "Adamnan,  abbot  of  lona,  rested  in  the  seventy-seventh 
year  of  his  age." 

A. I.,  17,  O'Conor's  year  693  =  704  (34  years  after  670):  "Adamnan, 
abbot  of  lona  and  wise  man,  reposed  in  Christ." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  111-112,  s.a.  700  =  705:  "Adamnan,  abbot  of 
lona,  in  the  78th  year  of  his  age  died  ;  of  whom  Syonan  in  Kinelea 
[^Kinleagh']  is  named  (in  Irish  Sidhi  Adamhndn^  which  is  as  much  in 
Enghsh  as  the  seat  of  Adamnan,  but  no  church  land  as  I  take  it).  Ealdfrith, 
son  of  Oswiu,  the  prudent  king  of  the  Saxons,  died."  The  part  in  brackets 
is  a  gloss  by  the  translator.  Murphy  says  of  the  place  mentioned  that  it  is 
"  a  townland  in  the  barony  of  Moycashel,  co.  West  Meath." 

Annales  Cambriae,  Y  Cymmrodor,  ix,  160,  s.a.  [704]  (the  "260th  year" 
after  444)  :  "  Ealdfrith  \Alch-frit\  king  of  the  Saxons,  died.  The  slumber 
of  Adamnan." 

C.S.,  78,  places  "the  birth  of  Adamnan,  abbot  of  lona,"  in  [622] 
(Hennessy's  year  624).  Tigernach  erroneously  reads:  "The  death  of 
Adamnan,  abbot  of  lona"  ;  R.C.,  xvii,  177,  s.a.  [622],  f.n.  6.  628  is  the  next 
year  after  622  whose  f.n.  is  6  ;  and  628  is  probably  the  year  intended, 
because  Adamnan's  77th  year  would  then  be  704  to  705. 

A.I.,  10,  under  O'Conors  year  617  =  625  (26  years  after  599),  also  note  : 
"The  birth  of  Adamnan."  So  also  A.U.,  i,  94,  s.a.  623  =  624  (with  f.n.  and  e. 
of  624). 

Martyrology  of  Gorman  (182,  September  23rd) :  "Adamnan,  high  abbot 
of  Zona,  what  form  of  religion  did  he  not  cherish,  in  Scotland,  in  Ireland?" 

Adamnan  is  commemorated  at  23rd  September  in  the  calendars  :  e.g. 
"Adamnan,  abbot  of  lona"  in  the  Martyrology  of  Tallaght,  in  Book  of 
Leinster,  363,  and  in  the  Brussels  version,  ed.  Kelly,  p.  xxxiv  ;  "  Adamnan 
the  wise"  (in  the  second  hand)  in  the  Karlsruhe  Bede  ;  Thesaurus 
Palaeohibernicus,  ii,  283.  Cf  the  Martyrologies  of  Oengus,  above,  year  697, 
note  ;  and  of  Tallaght,  ed.  Kelly,  xli-xlii  (Todd's  Hymns,  i,  69-70),  where, 
in  a  list  of  Irish  saints  paralleled  (as  unius  maris  et  vitae)  with  saints  of  the 
Roman  church,  Patrick  is  ranked  with  Peter,  Bridget  with  Mary,  Columba 
with  the  apostle  Andrew,  and  Adamnan  with  pope  Silvester.  See  the 
Martyrology  of  Donegal,  254-256.  Cf.  also  the  Breviary  of  Aberdeen,  ii, 
3,  cxiv-cxv. 

P.M.,  i,  304-306,  s.a.  703,  and  "The  2nd  year  of  Congal"  of  Kinnaweer, 
sovereign  of  Ireland:  "Adamnan,  Ronan's  son,  the  abbot  of  lona  of 
Columcille,  died  on  the  23rd  of  September,  after  being  twenty-six  years 
in  the  abbacy,  and  after  seventy-seven  years  of  life.  Adamnan  was  a  good 
holy  man,  according  to  the  testimony  of  the  holy  Bede,  for  he  was  tearful, 
repentant,  prayerful,  devoted,  fasting,  temperate  ;  inasmuch  as  he  never 
ate  but  on  Sundays  and  Thursdays  only.  He  made  himself  a  slave  to  these 
virtues.  And  moreover  he  was  wise  and  learned  in  the  exposition  of  the 
divine  holy  scriptures." 

A  note  in  Lebar  Brecc  (1880  Oengus,  cxiii)  says  that  Adamnan 
appointed  the  15  th  July  as  festival  of  the  twelve  apostles,  among  the 
[Irish]  Scots. 

O 


210  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Ealdfrith,  Oswiu's  son,  [called]  Fland  Fina  by  the  Gaels, 
a  wise  man,  king  of  the  Saxons,  died.^ 

There  is  a  metrical  pedigree  of  Adamnan  in  the  top  margin  of  p.  369  of 
the  Book  of  Leinster :  "Adamnan  was  nourished  in  lona  ;  the  son  of  clear 
Ronan,  the  son  of  Tinne,  the  son  of  Aed,  the  son  of  Lugaid,  the  son  of 
Setna,  the  son  of  Fergus  (i.e.,  of  the  kindred  of  Lugaid). 

"  His  mother  (if  it  be  a  fault  in  the  body)  [was]  Ronnat,  daughter  of 
Segine.  Segine,  of  briUiant  rank,  [was]  the  good  son  of  Duach,  the  son  of 
Barr-finnan  (i.e.,  of  the  kindred  of  Enda)." 

Note  on  Fiacc's  Hymn  in  Franciscan  Liber  Hymnorum,  L.H.,  ii,  306: 
"Adamnan,  son  of  Ronan,  son  of  [T]inne.     His  mother's  name  was  Ronat." 

See  years  692,  696,  above.  According  to  Reeves  (Adamnan,  378-379), 
Adamnan  was  succeeded  by  Conamail,  who  died  in  710. 

Book  of  Leinster,  facsimile,  370  e  :  "Adamnan  was  an  admirable  man  ; 
gi'eat  was  his  love  for  his  God  and  for  his  neighbour.  By  him  the  great 
relics  of  saints  were  collected  into  one  shrine  ;  and  this  is  the  shrine  that 
Cilline  Droich[tech],  son  of  Dichloch,  gave  to  Ireland  in  order  to  m.ake 
peace  ;  and  it  belongs  to  the  tribe  of  Conall  and  the  tribe  of  Eogan.  Here 
follows  the  enumeration  of  the  relics  (i.e.  in  the  shrine),  as  Adamnan  sang : 
"A  maccucain  isruith 
In  tiag  nodgaibi  fortmuin  .  .  ."  etc. 
Cf  year  726,  note.  There  is  an  Irish  Life  of  Adamnan  (see  above,  p.  Ixxiii). 
An  anecdote  of  him  is  told  in  the  Tallaght  Discourse,  162. 

'  Fuit,  with  the  gloss  do  M  ("  was  "). 

Ealdfrith  died  in  705  ;  Bede,  V,  18.  A. I.,  17,  O'Conor's  year  694  =  705 
(35  years  after  670)  :  "  Fland  Fina,  Oswiu's  son,  king  of  the  Saxons, 
reposed."  A.U.,  i,  152,  s.a.  703  =  704  (with  marginal  note,  "bissextile"): 
"  Ealdfrith,  Oswiu's  son,  a  wise  man,  the  king  of  the  Saxons,  died." 

Ealdfrith  has  been  confused  with  Ecgfrith  by  D.M.F.  ;  see  above,  year 
685.  The  name  Fland  Fina  is  a  descriptive  one,  meaning  "wine-red."  In 
the  notes  upon  the  Martyrology  of  Oengus  at  Oswald's  death  on  August  5th, 
the  Franciscan  MS.  and  the  Lebar  Brecc  confuse  Oswald  with  Ealdfrith 
(1905  Oengus,  182  ;  1880  ed.,  cxxix):  "that  is,  Fland  Fina,  Oswiu's  son." 

D.M.F.,  II,  no  (and  P.  &  S.,  402) :  — "  The  death  of  Fland  Fina, 
Oswiu's  son,  king  of  the  Saxons,  the  renowned  scholar  [egnatd/i]  and  pupil 
of  Adamnan."     Here  follow  the  verses  quoted  at  year  685. 

Verses  written  in  Irish  have  been  attributed  to  Ealdfrith.  Cf  the  text 
edited  by  K.  Meyer  ;  Anecdota  from  Irish  MSS.,  iii,  10  ff 

D.M.F.,  II,  1 10  :  "  In  this  year  [704]  the  men  of  Ireland  consented  to 
receive  single  authority  and  a  single  rule  from  Adamnan,  regarding  the 
celebration  of  Easter.  .  .  ."  There  follows  an  erroneous  account  of  the 
Easter  and  tonsure  controversy  (iio-i  14).  For  its  conclusion,  see  year 
586,  note. 

The  Metrical  Dindsenchas  (from  the  Book  of  Leinster),  Gwynn,  Todd 
Lecture  Series,  viii,  20:  "Afterwards  the  synod  of  Adamnan  [was 
assembled]  to  excommunicate  Irgalach,"  in  Raith-Senaid,  north  of  Tara. 


EALDFRITH.     BRUDE  DERILE'S  SON  211 

ca.  705 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  154,  s.a.  704  =  705 

The  slaying  of  Conamail,  Cano's  son.^ 

ca.  706 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  220 " 
Brude,  [son  of]  Derile,  died.-* 

ca.  707 

Tigernach,   Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  220 '' 

Duncan  held  the  principate  of  lona.^ 

707 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  154,  s.a.  706  =  707 

Bee,  Duncan's  grandson,  was  slaughtered.** 

^  See  above,  year  673. 

"  Placed  23  years  before  729. 

3  A.U.,  i,  154,  s.a.  705  (glossed  "or  7o6")  =  7o6:  "Brude,  Derile's  son, 
died." 

The  Chronicle  of  the  Picts  (ABC)  gives  Brude  11  years'  reign;  he 
appears  from  the  annals  to  have  reigned  from  697  to  706.  He  was 
succeeded  by  his  brother  Nechtan. 

According  to  A.S.,  March,  ii,  444-445,  the  Life  of  Kiritinus  in  the 
Codex  Ultrajectinus  says  that  "Nectavius,  the  king  of  the  Picts,  .  .  was 
baptized  [.'.  706x710?];  and  gave  the  place  of  his  baptism,  with  its  whole 
parish,  to  St  Kiritinus,  for  the  service  of  Christ's  pilgrim  servants,  without 
any  subjection,  in  eternity.  .  .  .  And  St  Kiritinus  took  with  him  many 
relics  of  saints,  and  founded  a  church  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Gobriat  in 
Pictland,  and  consecrated  it.  He  preached  the  gospel  to  Picts  and  Scots 
for  60  years,  and  built  a  notable  temple  at  Rosemarkie.  .  .  .  Kiritinus 
performed  apostolic  miracles.  .  .  .  He  built  150  temples;  he  converted 
36,000  persons  to  the  faith  of  Christ.  At  last,  after  completing  80  years 
of  his  age,  3  months,  and  17  days,"  he  died  on  i6th  March  ;  "and  was 
buried  in  the  same  city,  in  the  church  of  St  Peter,  before  the  altar.  .  .  ." 
Cf.  Breviary  of  Aberdeen,  i,  3,  69-70.     See  year  697,  note. 

*  Placed  22  years  before  729. 

^  Similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  156,  s.a.  706  =  707. 

Duncan's  appointment  seems  to  have  preceded  the  death  of  abbot 
Conamail ;  Reeves  reckoned  Conamail's  abbacy  from  704  to  710.  See  year 
710.  Duncan  seems  to  have  been  appointed  in  connection  with  the  Easter 
dispute  ;  see  years  716,  note  ;  717. 

"  According  to  S.C.S.,  i,  273,  "  he  was  the  head  of  a  branch  of  the  Cinel 
Gabhran,  who  possessed  the  south  half  of  Kintyre,  and  were  descended 


212  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

709 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  156,  s.a.  708  =  709 

A  battle  [was  fought]  in  the  Orkneys,  and  in  it  fell  the  son 
of  Artablair. 


710 

Tigernach,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  221  ^ 

Conamail,^  Failbe's  son,  abbot  of  lona,  rested.^ 

710 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  158,  s.a.  709  =  710 

A  conflict  [was  fought]  by  the  tribe  of  Comgall  * ;  and  there 
two  sons  of  Nechtan  Dargairt's  ^  son  were  slaughtered. 
Angus,  Maelanfaid's  son,  was  slaughtered  in  Skye.^ 

from  Conaing-,  one  of  the  sons  of  Aidan,  to  whom  it  was  given  as  his 
patrimony."  Skene  (S.C.S.,  i,  285)  understood  Bee  to  have  been  the  son  of 
Conall  Gael  (see  year  681),  the  son  of  Duncan,  son  of  Conaing  (see 
year  622). 

For  Duncan  see  years  680,  681,  700.  He  was  perhaps  a  son  of 
Eoganan. 

'  Placed  19  years  before  729.  Under  the  same  year-section  Tigernach 
enters  a  second  notice  of  the  restoration  of  Justinian  II  ;  this  is  derived 
from  Bede's  Chronicle  (M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  317).     Cf  year  693. 

'  Conmaelvci  Tigernach,  Conmaolvn.  C.S. 

^  The  text  is  corrected  by  that  of  C.S.,  116,  Hennessy's  year  706  =  710. 

A.U.,  i,  158,  s.a.  709  =  710:  "Conamail,  Failbe's  son,  abbot  of  lona, 
rested."     Similarly  in  F.M.,  i,  308,  s.a.  708. 

Conamail's  death  is  placed  in  the  Martyrology  of  Gorman,  p.  174,  under 
September  nth.  So  also  in  Martyrology  of  Donegal,  p.  244:  "Conamail, 
Failbe's  son.     He  was  of  the  race  of  CoUa  Uais,  sovereign  of  Ireland." 

About  this  time  Ceolfrith's  letter  was  written  (Bede,  V,  21  ;  E.C.,  47-49). 

Fordun  inserts  in  his  version  of  the  Chronicle  of  the  Picts,  after  the 
reign  of  Nechtan,  Derile's  son  (Chronica,  IV,  12;  i,  154):  "[Nechtan], 
according  to  Bede,  received  letters  from  England  concerning  the  observance 
of  the  Paschal  cycle." 

*  linnibairecc  apud genus  Coinghaill  {apud  in  sense  of  Irish  la). 

'•>  Doirgarto.  Cf  A.U.'s  genitive  Dargarto  above,  year  685  {Dargarto  in 
Tigernach)  ;  in  probabihty  the  same  man  is  referred  to  there  as  here. 
Cf  year  712. 

"  inscijugulatus  est.     Cf  the  Maelanfaid  at  year  725. 


WARS  IN  ORKNEY,  ARGYLE,  AND  PICTLAND       213 

710x711 

Chronicle  of  Holyrood,  p.  23. 

In  the  year  711,  the  prefect  Beorhtfrith  fought  with  the 
Picts.i 

7" 

Tigernach,   Annals  ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  222  ^ 

A  slaughter  of  the  Picts  in  the  plain  of  Mano  [was  made] 
by  the  Saxons  ^ ;  and  there  Finguine,  son  of  Deleroith,*  fell  by 
premature  death.  .  .  . 

A  conflict  of  the  Britons  with  the  [men  of]  Dalriata  occurred 
on  Lorg-eclet,  and  there  the  Britons  were  conquered.^ 

712 

Tigernach,   Annals  ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  222  •* 

Coeti,  bishop  of  lona,  rested.'' 


712 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  160,  s.a.  711  =712 

The  burning  of  Tairpert-boitter.^ 
Congal,  Dargairt's*'  son,  died. 
The  siege  of  Aberte  ^^  by  Selbach. 

'  This  is  derived  from  Bede's  Recapitulatio  (E.C.,  49.  Bede  reads 
Berctfrid ;  Bercired  (see  above,  year  698)  is  probably  a  different  name). 

2  Placed  18  years  before  729. 

2  In  text  ab  Saxones,  for  which  Stokes  would  read,  with  A.U.,  apud 
Saxones  (cf  year  710).  Mano  was  probably  the  district  called  by  Welsh 
writers  Manau;  i.e.,  Clackmannanshire,  with  an  extension  to  the  south 
of  the  Forth,  as  far  as  Slamannan. 

■•  Cf.  year  716. 

=  Both  these  passages  appear  similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  158,  160,  s.a.  710  =  711. 

"  Placed  17  years  before  729. 

"  Similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  i6q,  s.a.  711  =  712  (with  marginal  note 
"bissextile");  cf.  F  M.,  i,  310,  s.a.  710.  The  bishop's  name  is  spelt 
Ceode  by  Tigernach  ;  Coeddi  in  A.U.  and  F.M. 

See  the  Martyrology  of  Donegal,  October  24th. 

8  Combustio  Tairpirt  Boitter.  Reeves  would  identify  this  with  the 
Tarbert  north  of  Kintyre  :  Adamnan,  380. 

^  Doirgarto,  as  at  year  710,  above. 

'"  Reeves  (Adamnan,  380)  would  identify  this  with  Dunaverty,  in  S.E. 


214  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

713 

Tigernacli,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  223  ^ 

Kenneth,  son  of  Derile,  and  the  son  of  Mathgernan,  were 
slaughtered. 

Dorbene  obtained  the  chair  of  lona ;  and  after  five  months 
in  the  primacy  he  died,  on  Saturday,  the  fifth  day  before  the 
Kalends  of  November.^  .  .  . 

Talorc,  Drostan's  son,  was  bound  by  his  brother,  king 
Nechtan.-'' 

Kintyre.  This  identification  is  uncertain,  but  probably  right.  Skene 
adopted  it :  "  Dunaverty,  the  main  stronghold  of  the  south  half  of  Kintyre, 
the  patrimony  of  the  branch  of  the  Cinel  Gabhran  of  which  the  descendants 
of  Conaing,  son  of  Aidan,  were  the  head"  (S.C.S.,  i,  273).  See  Berchan, 
below,  year  997. 

^  Placed  16  years  before  729. 

2  I.e.  on  the  28th  October,  a  Saturday  in  713.  So  also  in  A.U.  But 
Tigernacli  repeats  Dorbene's  death  under  [715]  (R.C.,  xvii,  225  :  14  years 
before  729)  :  "  Dorbene,  abbot  of  lona,  [died]."  Probably  this  Dorbene 
was  the  copyist  of  the  earliest  existing  manuscript  of  Adamnan's  Life  of 
Columba  ;  see  above,  p.  117. 

F.M.,  i,  312,  s.a.  713:  "St  Dorbene  Fota,  the  abbot  of  lona,  died  on 
the  28th  of  October." 

Martyrology  of  Gorman,  p.  204,  places  "slender  Dorbene"  {Dorbene 
seng)  under  October  28th;  with  the  note:  "abbot  of  lona  of  Columcille  ; 
he  was  of  the  kindred  of  Conall  Gulban."  To  this  the  Martyrology  of 
Donegal  (286)  adds  that  Dorbene  was  "  Altaine's  son." 

"Dorbene,  abbot  of  lona"  is  named  under  October  27th  in  the 
Martyrology  of  Tallaght,  Book  of  Leinster,  364  ;  but  October  28th  in  the 
Brussels  version,  ed.  Kelly,  xxxviii. 

^  ligatur  apud fratrem  suum,  Nechtan  regem  {apud  in  sense  of  Irish  la). 

This  whole  passage  is  in  A.U.,  i,  162,  s.a.  712  =  713. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  112,  s.a.  710:  "Talorc  [_Folorg\  the  son  of 
Drost,  was  fast  bound  by  his  own  brother  king  Nechtan." 

Nechtan,  the  king  of  the  Picts  at  this  time,  was  Derile's  son,  and 
brother  of  the  Kenneth  previously  mentioned.  Skene  would  read 
"  Kenneth's  brother "  here  ;  but  possibly  "  brother "  may  mean  "  cousin  " 
(as  Irish  brathir  sometimes  means),  or  else  "brother-in-law"  or  "foster 
brother"  may  be  meant.  The  kings  of  Pictland  seem  to  have  preferred  to 
give  Athole  (the  doorway  of  Moray)  to  a  near  relative. 

Angus  put  Talorcan,  Drostan's  son,  king  of  Athole,  to  death  in  739,  and 
inay  have  made  his  own  brother  Talorcan  the  king  of  Athole  (see  year  750). 


EASTER  REFORM  IN  lONA  215 

714 

Tigernacli,   Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  224^ 

Dunolly  was  built  by  Selbach.^ 
Ailen  Daingen  was  destroyed.^ 

716 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  166,  s.a.  715  =  716 

Gartnait,  son  of  Deleroith,  died. 

716 

Tigernach,  Annals;   Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  217 

Ecgbeorht,  a  holy  man  of  the  nation  of  the  Angles,  and  one 
that  for  the  sake  of  the  heavenly  fatherland  adorned  the 
priesthood  with  monastic  life,  by  pious  preaching  brought 
over  many  provinces  of  the  [Irish]  Scottish  nation  to  the 
canonical  observance  of  the  time  of  Easter,  from  which 
observance  they  had  too  long  strayed,  in  the  year  from  the 
Lord's  Incarnation  715.* 

'  Placed  15  years  before  729.  In  the  same  year-section  in  Tigernach 
and  A.U.  is  the  note  :  "  Fogartach,  Cernach's  grandson,  was  driven  from 
his  kingdom  [of  Ireland],  and  came  to  Britain." 

See  year  716,  note. 

-  Cf.  year  701. 

3  Cf.  year  704. 

Both  events  stand  similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  162-164,  s.a.  713  =  714. 

*  This  passage  is  wrongly  placed  by  Tigernach  under  [701]  (28  years 
before  729).  It  is  derived  from  Bede's  Chronicle  (M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii, 
319;  E.C.,  50,  note),  where  the  date  given  is  716,  though  some  MSS. 
read  715  and  717.  The  other  foreign  events  in  the  same  section  are 
also  derived  from  Bede  (u.s.,  318-319).  Tigernach's  year-section  begins 
with  the  note:  "Anastasius  reigned  three  years,"  with  the  marginal  date 
4676  ;  but  Bede  gives  the  date  4670.     Anastasius  was  emperor  713-716. 

According  to  MacCarthy's  tables  (N  and  O  in  A.U.,  iv)  Celtic  Easter 
was  April  21st  in  715,  3  weeks  after  Roman  Easter;  in  716  (the  last  year 
of  the  cycle  of  84  years,  according  to  MacCarthy)  it  would  have  been  April 
i2th,  one  week  before  Roman  Easter:  because  the  thirteenth  day  after 
the  Paschal  new  moon  was  a  Sunday— an  occurrence  that  did  not  happen 
again  until  729,  the  year  of  Ecgbeorht's  death.  (See  year  729,  and  E.C., 
51-52.) 

Rival  abbots  seem  to  have  been  set  up  by  the  different  factions  before 
the  innovation  was  accepted.  The  change  is  said  to  have  been  made  by 
Duncan  (see  year  707,  and  note) ;  but  abbot  Conamail  (t7io)  lived  for  3 
years  after  Duncan's  appointment,  and  abbot  Dorbene  ruled  for  a  short 


216  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

716 

Chronicle  of  Holyrood,  p.  23 

In  the  year  716  ...  the  man  of  the  Lord,  Ecgbeorht,  con- 
verted the  monks  of  lona  to  the  catholic  [time]  of  Easter,  and 
to  the  ecclesiastical  tonsure.^ 

716 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  225  ^ 

Easter  was  changed  in  the  community  ^  of  lona. 

Faelchu,  Dorbene's  son,  received  the  chair  of  Columba  in 
the  eighty-seventh  *  year  of  his  age,  on  the  fourth  before  the 
Kalends  of  September,  a  Saturday.^ 

time  (t7i3  or  715)  ;  and  Dorbene's  successor  Faelchu  was  enthroned  one 
year  before  Duncan's  death  (t7i7). 

Irish  customs  and  tonsure  survived  in  the  church  of  Brittany,  and  were 
abolished  by  Louis  in  818.  See  B.R.,  vi,  513-514-  Some  Irish  customs 
survived  in  Scotland  till  the  time  of  queen  Margaret. 

^  This  is  derived  from  Bede,  H.E.,  Recapitulatio. 

Herimannus  Augiensis  notes  Ecgbeorht's  reform  from  Bede's  Chronicle; 
M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  v,  97,  s.a.  716  (also  the  year  of  Theodosius'  empire). 
Cf.  Bernoldus,  Chronicon,  ibid.,  v,  417.  So  also  in  Ekkehard,  s.a.  716,  or  3 
Anastasius  II  ;  ibid.,  vi,  26,  157  ;  and  in  Marianus  Scottus,  ibid.,  v,  546, 
s.a.  737  =  715  (also  the  2nd  of  Anastasius),  and  A.D.  716.  Incorrectly  in 
Sigebert  of  Gemblours,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vi,  329,  s.a.  708:  "The  Picts 
and  Scots  received  the  catholic  rite  of  the  observance  of  Easter."  Ibid., 
s.a.  716:  "Ecgbeorht,  coming  from  Ireland,  was  renowned  for  sanctity 
and  doctrine  in  England."  Ibid.,  330,  s.a.  730  :  "  St  Ecgbeorht,  the  priest 
of  the  English,  died." 

Ecgbeorht's  reform  of  the  Scottish  Easter  is  noted  (from  Bede)  by  the 
Chronicon  Universale,  ibid.,  xiii,  18  ;  and  (from  Sigebert)  by  Alberic  of 
Trois  Fontaines,  ibid.,  xxiii,  703,  s.a.  716.  Hugo's  Chronicon  (ibid.,  viii, 
325)  abstracts  from  Bede's  Chronicle,  but  gives  the  date  717. 

^  Placed  13  years  before  729.  In  the  same  year-section  in  T.,  A.U., 
and  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  is  noted  the  death  of  Osred,  king  of 
Northumbria  ;  and  the  restoration  of  Fogartach,  Cernach's  grandson,  to 
the  kingdom  of  Ireland.  (Fogartach  was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Cend- 
delgthen  in  724  ;  A.U.,  i,  174.)  Osred's  death  is  placed  in  716  by  Bede 
and  A.S.C.  ;  in  [717]  by  A.C. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  112,  s.a.  713:  "Faelchu  [Foylww]  sate  in 
the  seat  of  Columcille,  in  the  74th  year  of  his  age." 

^  civitate,  i.e.  the  monastery.  Under  years  717  and  718  the  word  used 
xi,  fainilia. 

*  "  Seventy-fourth,"  in  A  U.  and  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise.  Read  74th 
in  T.  (Ixxiiii  for  Ixxxuii). 

^  August  29th.     This  was  a  Saturday  in  716. 


COLUMBITES  RESIST  THE  REFORM  217 

717 

Tigemach,  Annals;    Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  pp.  225,  226 ^ 

Duncan,  Cendfaelad's  son,  abbot  of  lona,  died.-  .  .  . 
Expulsion  of  the  community  of  lona  across  the  ridge  of 
Britain  by  king  Nechtan.^ 

The  whole  passage  is  also  in  A.U.,  i,  164-166,  s.a.  715  =  716  (with  the 
marginal  note  "bissextile"). 

F.M.,  i,  312,  s.a.  714  and  "the  sixth  year  of  Fergal"  as  sovereign  of 
Ireland  :  "  Faelchu,  son  of  Dorbene,  was  ordained  in  the  abbacy  of  Zona 
on  the  fourth  before  the  Kalends  of  September,  a  Saturday,  in  the  seventy- 
fourth  year  of  his  hfe." 

His  predecessor's  death  is  recorded  in  the  year  717. 

'  Placed  12  years  before  729. 

2  Similarly  in  C.S.,  118,  Hennessy's  year  713  =  777  ;  and  in  A.U.,  i,  166, 
s.a.  716  =  717. 

The  Martyrology  of  Oengus,  May  25th  :  "  Duncan  of  chill  lona." 

Notes  on  the  Martyrology  of  Oengus  (1905  Oengus,  p.  136),  in  Rawlinson 
B  505:  "Duncan,  i.e.  abbot  of  lona  of  Columcille.— I.e.  abbot  of  lona. 
Under  him  the  community  of  lona  accepted  the  lawful  Easter."  In  Laud 
610  (ibid.;  and  Lebar  Brecc,  u.i.)  :  "Duncan,  son  of  Cendfaelad,  son  of 
Maelcoba,  son  of  Aed,  son  of  Ainmire"  ;  Lebar  Brecc  completes  the  pedigree 
(1880  Oengus,  xc):  "son  of  Setna,  son  of  Fergus  Cend-fota,  son  of  Conall 
Gulban,  son  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages." 

Martyrology  of  Gorman,  p.  104,  May  25th:  "Noble  Duncan  of  lona 
here"  {Duncad lae  soer  sunna),  with  the  note  "abbot  of  lona  of  Columcille, 
of  Cenel-Conaill."  Martyrology  of  Oengus,  p.  126,  May  25th  :  "Duncan  of 
cold  lona."  Brussels  Martyrology  of  Tallaght,  Kelly,  p.  xxv.  May  25th  : 
"  Duncan,  abbot  of  lona  ;  the  son  of  Cendfaelad."  Cf.  the  Martyrology 
of  Donegal,  p.  138,  May  25th. 

See  above,  years  707,  716  note. 

Reeves  in  his  edition  of  Adamnan  says  (p.  379) :  "  He  was  of  the  most 
noble  branch  of  the  house  of  Conall  Gulban,  for  his  grandfather  Maelcobha, 
who  died  in  615,  was  the  third  of  the  family  who  were  successively  monarchs 
of  Ireland,  and  his  grand-uncle  Domhnall,  who  won  the  battle  of  Magh 
Rath  ...  in  637  succeeded  Maelcobha  on  the  throne.  During  his 
presidency  there  seems  to  have  been  a  schism  in  the  community,  for  in 
713  and  716  two  other  members  of  the  order  were  elected  to  the  cathedra 
lae  or  Columbae :  or  it  may  be  that  a  different  office,  such  as  prior,  or  even 
bishop,  is  denoted  by  the  expression.  ..."  A  rival  abbot  appointed  to  rule 
during  the  life-time  of  his  predecessor  would  have  had  a  doubtful  position, 
which  might  have  been  described  by  saying  that  he  had  been  appointed 
to  sit  in  the  abbot's  chair. 

^  Similarly  in  C.S.  and  A.U.,  u.s. 

This  expulsion  must  have  been  the  result  of  the  Columbites'  refusal 
to  accept  some  of  Nechtan's  reforms.     See  year  710,  and  Bede  (H.E.,  V, 


218  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

A  conflict  between  [the  people]  of  Dalriata  and  the  Britons 
at  the  stone  that  is  called  Minuirc ;  and  the  Britons  were 
defeated.^ 


718 

Tigernach,  Annals  ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  226  ^ 

The  tonsure-crown^  was  put  upon  the  community  of  lona.* 

719 

Tigernach,  Annals  ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  227  ^ 

The  battle  of  Findglend  [took  place]  between  two  sons  of 
Ferchar  Fota ;  and  there  Ainfcellach  was  slaughtered  on  the 
fifth  day  of  the  week,  the  Ides  of  September.'^ 

21  ;  in  E.C.,  47-49).  With  the  king's  authority  over  the  Scottish  church 
at  this  time  compare  the  "servitude"  from  which  the  church  was  freed, 
878  X  889  ;  year  889,  note. 

'  Similarly  in  A.U.,  U.S.     C.S.  omits  "and  the  Britons  .  .  .  Minuirc." 

Skene  (S.C.S.,  i,  273)  suggested  that  Minuirc  was  Clach  na  Breatan  in 
Glenfalloch,  on  the  boundary  between  the  counties  of  Dumbarton  and 
Perth.  But  no  doubt  there  were  many  boundary  marks.  This  should  have 
been  on  the  border  of  Argyle. 

^  Placed  II  years  before  729.  In  the  same  year  is  noted  the  death  of  a 
king  of  Northumbria,  i.e.,  Coenred,  who  died  in  718  (Bede,  V,  22,  23  ;  A.S.C., 
s.a.  716). 

^  Tonsura  corona.     In  C.S.,  Tonsurae  corona. 

*  Similarly  in  C.S.,  118,  Hennessy's  year  714  =  718. 

"Placed  10  years  before  729.  In  the  next  year  is  noted  :  "Theodosius 
reigned  one  year"  (he  was  emperor  716-717).  So  also  in  A. U.,  s.a.  719  =  720. 
This  is  derived  from  Bede's  Chronicle  (M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  319),  and  has 
already  been  entered  by  Tigernach  under  [704]  (see  that  year,  note). 

"  I.e.,  on  Thursday,  the  13th  September  ;  but  this  was  a  Wednesday  in 
719.  It  was  Thursday  in  714  and  725.  The  battle  is  similarly  entered  and 
dated  in  A.U.,  i,  170,  s.a.  718  =  719  ;  but  in  MS.  A  the  date  has  been  altered 
by  another  hand  to  "the  si.xth  before  the  Ides,"  September  8th,  which  was 
Thursday  in  718.  Perhaps  the  true  correction  would  have  been  from 
"fifth"  to  "fourth  day  of  the  week,"  i.e.  Wednesday,  September  13th,  719. 

This  is  the  Ainfcellach  who  was  deposed  in  697  or  698.  His  adversary 
must  have  been  Selbach,  who  reigned  till  723.  Another  brother  may  have 
been  Ewen,  for  whom  see  year  736. 

"Findglend"  was  understood  by  Skene  to  have  been  "  Finglen  on  the 
Braes  of  Loarn,  near  Lochavich"  (S.C.S.,  i,  284).  This  is  likely,  and  is 
supported  by  tradition. 


DEFEATS  OF  STRATHCLYDE  AND  LORN  219 

The  battle  of  Ardde-anesbi/  on  the  sea,  [took  place]  between 
Duncan  Bee,  with  the  tribe  of  Gabran,  and  Selbach  with  the 
tribe  of  Loarn  ;  and  Selbach  was  defeated,  on  the  second  before 
the  Nones  of  October,  the  seventh  day  of  the  week.'^  And 
certain  earls  ^  fell  in  it. 

721 

Tigernach,   Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  227* 

Duncan  Bee,  king  of  Kintyre,  died.^ 

722 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  228'' 

Maelrubai  rested  in  Applecross,  after  completing  the 
eightieth  year  of  his  life,  three  months,  and  nineteen  days  ;  on 
the  eleventh  day  before  the  Kalends  of  May,  the  third  day  of 
the  week.^  .  .  . 

'  In  A.U.,  Ardae  nesbi. 

^  I.e.,  on  Saturday,  the  6th  October:  but  this  was  Friday  in  719.  It 
was  Saturday  in  714  and  725. 

A.U.  (u.s.)  note  the  battle  similarly,  but  read  :  "on  the  day  before  the 
Nones  of  September  (or  October),  on  the  sixth  day  of  the  week"  :  i.e., 
Friday,  September  4th  or  October  6th.  (September  4th  was  Monday  in  719, 
Friday  in  716  and  722.) 

The  true  date  seems  therefore  to  have  been  Friday,  6th  October,  719. 

^  comites.     Possibly  =  "mormaers"?     Cf.  the  nobiles  who  fell  in  736. 

*  Placed  8  years  before  729. 

^  So  also  in  A.U.,  i,  170,  s.a.  720  =  721. 

"  Placed  7  years  before  729. 

'  April  2ist,  a  Tuesday  in  722.  Lower  in  the  same  year-section  the  i  ith 
of  December  is  stated  to  be  Friday  ;  this  also  was  true  of  722. 

A.U.,  i,  172,  s.a.  721=722:  "Maelrubai  [died]  in  Applecross,  in  the 
eightieth  year  of  his  age." 

F.M.,  i,  320,  s.a.  721  (and  "the  2nd  year  of  Kenneth,"  Irgalach's  son,  as 
sovereign  of  Ireland) ;  "  St  Maelrubai,  abbot  of  Bangor,  died,  after  going  to 
Scotland,  in  his  own  church  at  Applecross,  on  the  21st  of  April.  80  years, 
3  months,  and  9  days,  was  the  length  of  his  life." 

The  Martyrology  of  Oengus,  April  21st:  "In  Scotland  in  purity,  after 
forsaking  every  pleasure,  our  brother  Maelrubai  went  from  us,  with  his 
mother."  Notes  in  Lebar  Brecc  (1880  Oengus,  Ixxv ;  1905  ed.,  118): 
"  The  festival  of  the  death  of  Maelrubai.  And  he  was  of  the  Cenel-Eogain 
[Tyrone],  but  his  church  is  in  Scotland,  and  this  is  the  festival  of  his  death. 
His  mother  was  Subthan,  daughter  of  Comgall,  or  daughter  of  Setna  ;  and 
his  church  is  in  Applecross"  ii n-Apiir-crosen  a  chell). 

A  note  upon  "holy  Maelrubai"  in  the  Martyrology  of  Gorman,  p.  80, 


220  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Beli,  Elfin's  son,  king  of  Dumbarton,  died.^  .  .  . 
Fedlimid  held  the  principate  of  lona." 


723 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  231  ^ 

The  entrance  into  monastic  life  *  of  Selbach,  king  of  Dalriata/' 

April  2 1  St,  calls  him  "abbot  of  Bangor  ;  he  was  of  the  Cenel-Eogain,  and 
he  blessed  [a  church]  in  Applecross  [Apur  Crossan]  in  Scotland.'' 

He  is  called  "  Maelrubai,  abbot  of  Bangor"  in  the  Calendar  of  Tallaght, 
April  2ist ;  Book  of  Leinster,  p.  359,  b. 

Of.  Martyrology  of  Donegal,  p.  106. 

According  to  the  Breviary  of  Aberdeen,  ii,  3,  Ixxxix-xc,  August  27th, 
Maelrubai  was  killed  in  Urquhart  in  Ross  by  Norwegian  invaders,  and 
buried  in  Applecross. 

.Genealogies  of  Saints,  in  the  Book  of  Leinster,  facsimile,  347,  c : 
"  Maelrubae,  son  of  Elgonach,  son  of  Garb,  son  of  Ferballach,  son  of 
Cu-bairend,  son  of  Cremthand,  son  of  Binnech,  son  of  Eogan,  son  of  Niall 
Nine-hostager."  Similarly  in  L.B.,  13,  e-f;  "  Moelrubai,  son  of  Elgonach, 
son  of  Garb,  son  of  Ferballach,  son  of  Cu-boirend,  son  of  Crimthan,  son  of 
Eochaid  Bindech,  son  of  Eogan,  son  of  Niall  Nine-hostager." 

'  Bi7z  mac  Elphine,  rex  Alo  Cluaithe. 

This  event  stands  also  in  A.U.,  u.s.  ;  and  in  A.C.,  Y  Cymmrodor,  ix,  160, 
s.a.  [722]  (8  years  after  the  "270th  year"  after  444:  Beli  filius  Elfin 
moritur).  Cf.  B.T.  in  M.A.,  686,  s.a.  720  ;  B.S.  in  M.A.,  653,  s.a.  721.  His 
death  is  placed  by  D.M.F.,  I,  40,  in  this  year  [722],  on  December  nth 
or  1 2th  : — "  .  .  .  The  battle  [of  Almain]  was  won  by  Murchaid,  Bran's 
son  [king  of  Leinster],  and  by  Aed,  king  of  South  Leinster,  the  son  of 
Duncan,  son  of  Colgu.  Fergal  [king  of  Ireland]  was  killed  there  ;  Aed 
Mend  and  Duncan,  Murchaid's  son,  slew  Fergal  himself,  and  Bile,  Buan's 
son,  king  of  Scotland;  from  him  is  named  Corrbile  ['Bile's  nook']  in 
Almain.  .  .  ."  This  account  of  the  battle  is  full  of  miraculous  and 
legendary  stories,  and  is  not  to  be  relied  upon  for  any  detail. 

2  Reeves,  Adamnan,  382 :  "  Fedhlimid,  who  was  coadjutor  abbot  in  722, 
did  not  succeed  to  the  abbacy  on  the  death  of  Faelcu,  in  724." 

2  Placed  6  years  before  729. 

*  Cleiricatus.     {Clericaiiis,  A.U.  ;  i  cclercecht,  F.M.) 

'^  A.U.,  i,  174,  s.a.  722  =  723:  "Selbach's  entrance  into  monastic  life." 
In  F.M.,  i,  318,  s.a.  719  :  "  Selbach,  lord  of  Dalriata,  entered  monastic  life." 

Selbach  appears  to  have  relinquished  the  kingdom  to  his  son  Dungal. 
See  year  726. 

See  year  730  for  Selbach's  death.  The  Chronicle  of  Dalriata  allows 
him  24  years'  reign  ;  perhaps  700-723. 


KINGS  BELT,  SELBACH,  AND  NECHTAN  221 

724 

Tigernacli,  Annals;    Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  231  ^ 

Faelchu,  Dorbene's  son,  abbot  of  lona,  slept.  Cilline  Fota 
succeeded  him  in  the  principate  of  lona.^ 

The  entrance  into  monastic  life^  of  Nechtan,  king  of  the 
Picts.     Drust  reigned  afterwards.* 

72s 

Tigernach,    Annals  :  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  232  ^ 

Ailen  of  Macc-Craich  was  built." 
Simal,  son  of  Drust,  was  bound.'' 

ca.  725 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  176,  s.a.  724  =  725^ 

Congal,  son  of  Maelanfaith";  Brecc  of  Fortriu ;  Eogan,^" 
abbot  of  Eigg,  died. 

1  Placed  5  years  before  729.  In  the  same  year-section  the  7th  of  October 
is  stated  to  have  been  a  Saturday  :  this  was  true  of  724. 

^  So  also  in  A.U.,  i,  174,  s.a.  723  =  724  (with  marginal  note  ''bissextile"). 
F.M.,  i,  3 1 8,  s.a.  720  (and  "the  ist  year  of  Kenneth,  son  of  Irgalach, 
son  of  Conaing  Cuirri,  in  the  sovereignty  over  Ireland"):  "St  Faelchu, 
Dorbe[ne]'s  son,  abbot  of  lona,  .  .  .  died," 

D.M.F.,  I,  52  (P.  &  S.,  401) :  "Faelchu,  abbot  of  lona,  died." 

For  Cilline  see  year  726. 

^  Clericatum. 

*  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  113,  s.a.  722  =  724  and  725:  "Nechtan, 
king  of  the  Picts,  entered  into  religion,  and  Drust  succeeded  him  in  the 
kingdom." 

The  annals  support  Chronicles  of  the  Picts  DFIK,  which  give  Nechtan 
iS  years'  reign  (probably  706-724). 

Nechtan  may  have  adopted  the  religious  life  from  choice  ;  cf.  Bede's 
account  of  his  character  (E.C.,  s.a.  .'710),  and  his  zeal  in  religious  matters 
(above,  years  ?7io,  717).  He  seems  to  have  endeavoured  in  726  to  recover 
civil  power,  but  unsuccessfully.  He  did  become  king  again  in  728,  but  in 
729  Angus  was  king.     Nechtan  died  in  732. 

^  Placed  4  years  before  729. 

'^  Similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  176,  s.a.  724  =  725.    I.e.,  "isle  of  the  Rough's  son"? 

For  a  similar  use  of  the  word  Ailen  (perhaps  meaning  "  island  fortress  " 
or  "  crannog")  cf.  Ailen-daingen,  under  years  704,  714. 

'  A.U.,  U.S.,  read  Simul  for  Simal,  possibly  intending:  "At  the  same 
time,  the  son  of  Drust  was  bound." 

8  The  sentence  preceding  the  passage  quoted  is  :  "  The  moon  [appeared] 
dark  and  sanguine  on  the  eighteenth  day  before  the  Kalends  of  January," 


222  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

726 

Tigernach,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  232  ^ 

Nechtan,  Derile's  son,  was  bound  by  ^  king  Drust.^ 

Cilline,  abbot  of  lona,  rested.* 

Dungal  was  cast  from  his  kingdom ;  and  Drust  was  cast 
from  the  kingdom  of  the  Picts,  and  Alpin^  reigned  in  his 
stead.  .  .  . 

Eochaid,  Eochaid's  son,  began  to  reign.® 

726 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  176,  s.a.  725  =  726 

Talorcan  Map-han  died.'' 

727 

Duald  Mac-Pirbis,  Fragment  I,  p.  54^ 

In  this  year  Angus,  king  of  Fortriu,  gained  three  battles 
against  Drust,  king  of  Scotland. 

i.e.  the  15th  December.  According  to  L'Art  de  Verifier  les  Dates  there 
was  a  total  lunar  eclipse  on  13th  December,  726.  Perhaps  these  events  are 
to  be  assigned  to  the  year  726. 

"  With  this  Maelanfaith  cf.  Maelanfaid  of  year  7 10. 

'"  Oan  prmceps  Ego. 

'  Placed  3  years  before  729. 

-  abp;  in  A.U.,  apud. 

^  This  sentence  appears  similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  176,  s.a.  725  =  726. 

^  D.M.F.,  I,  52  (P.  &  S.,  401)  (under  the  year  after  the  battle  of 
Cend-delgthen,  fought  in  724) :  "Cilline  Fota,  abbot  of  lona,  [died]." 

F.M.,  i,  322,  s.a.  725=731  (and  "the  3rd  year  of  Flaithbertach,"  son  of 
Loingsech,  as  sovereign  of  Ireland)  :  "  St  Cilline  Fota,  abbot  of  lona,  died." 

A  Cillen  is  placed  under  April  19th  in  the  Martyrology  of  Gorman,  p.  80. 
Similarly  in  the  Martyrology  of  Donegal,  p.  1 06. 

^  Elphin,  i.e.  .^Ifwine.  See  year  728.  According  to  S.C.S.,  i,  286, 
Alpin  was  the  brother  of  the  Eochaid,  Eochaid's  son,  who  acquired 
Dalriata,  also  in  726.  The  only  evidence  of  this  relationship  is  the  fact 
that  Fland  names  "Alpin,  Eochaid's  son,"  as  the  king  who  reigned  after 
Dungal  and  before  Muiredach  ;  but  perhaps  Fland's  evidence  is  sufficient. 
See  above,  p.  cxlvii. 

"  See  year  733. 

Eochaid's  predecessor  was  Dungal,  Selbach's  son,  who  had  ruled  in 
Argyle  apparently  from  723  to  726  ;  he  endeavoured  to  recover  the  kingdom 
afterwards  (cf.  years  727,  731,  733,  734,  736). 

''   Perhaps  for  map-hoen  "  Owen's  son." 

**  Also  in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  401. 

The  previous  year-section  ends  thus:  "The  beginning  of  the  reign  of 


KINGS  DRUST,  DUNGAL,  EOCHAID,  AND  ANGUS     223 

727 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  178,  s.a.  726  =  727 

A  battle  [took  place]  in  Rosfoichne,^  and  there  some  men 
of  the  two  Airgialla^  fell;  [it  was  fought]  between  Selbach 
and  the  family  of  Eochaid,  Donald's  grandson.^ 

727 

Tigernach,  Annals;    Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  233* 

Adamnan's  relics  were  carried  over  to  Ireland;  and  [his] 
law  was  renewed.^ 

728 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  234^ 

The  battle  of  Moin-craibe ''  among  the  Picts  themselves ; 
Angus  and  Alpin  were  they  that  fought  the  battle.     And  the 

Flaithbertach "   [728].       The   present    year-section   begins   as   above,   and 
continues  :  "The  death  of  Murchaid,  Bran's  son,  king  of  Leinster"  [727]. 

Duald's  Fragment  is  not  very  good  evidence  for  the  occurrence  of  these 
battles,  or  for  their  date.     Cf  year  729. 

^  Congressio  Irrois  Foichnae,  "the  encounter  of  Irros-Foichne" 
Hennessy.  Of  the  tvi'o  editors,  Hennessy  inclined  to  think  that  the  battle 
took  place  in  Ireland  ;  MacCarthy,  in  Scotland. 

^  dendibh  Airgiallaib.  The  Airgialla  of  Ireland  appear  to  be  meant 
(i.e.  Oriel).     See  above,  p.  clii. 

^  "  Eochaid,  Donald's  grandson,"  was  the  king  vi'hose  death  is  noticed 
above  under  697.  The  king  who  reigned  at  this  time  in  Dalriata  was 
Eochaid,  Eochaid's  son  ;  and  probably  therefore  Donald  Brecc's  great- 
grandson. 

This  battle  would  seem  to  have  taken  place  between  supporters  of 
Eochaid,  Eochaid's  son,  and  Selbach,  whose  son — Dungal — Eochaid  had 
deposed  (year  726). 

*  Placed  2  years  before  729. 

5  Similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  178,  s.a.  726  =  727  (after,  but  in  the  same  year 
with,  the  battle  of  Rosfoichne) ;  and  in  D.M.F.,  u.s.,  immediately  after  the 
passage  quoted  above. 

Among  the  provisions  of  the  law  was  one  of  the  payment  of  tax  to  lona 
by  the  Irish  Columbite  houses  :  see  above,  year  696. 

•J  Placed  I  year  before  729. 

'■  M onaigh-craebi.  Reeves  would  identify  this  place  with  Moncrieff  Hill, 
some  3  miles  S.E.  of  Perth,  in  the  barony  of  Dunbarney  (Adamnan  383). 


224  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

rout  was  before  Angus,  and  the  son  of  Alpin  was  slain  there ; 
and  Angus  took  authority. 

A  pitiful  battle  between  Picts  at  Caislen-Credi  ^ ;  and  the 
rout  was  upon  the  same  Alpin,  and  his  territories  and  his  men 
were  all  taken  from  him.  And  Nechtan,  Derile's  son,  took  the 
kingship  of  the  Ficts.^ 

'  I.e.,  "fortress  of  Crede"?  According  to  Reeves,  u.s.,  this  was 
Moothill,  now  Boothill,  near  Scone  ;  and  the  same  place  as  the  Hill  of 
Credulity,  in  the  Chronicle  of  the  Picts  (below,  p.  445).  Cf.  S.C.S.,  i,  280. 
This  identification  would  involve  the  assumptions  that  credi  is  a  genitive  of 
end  "  the  credo  "  (or  else,  as  Stokes  suggested,  that  it  is  a  by-form  from  the 
root  cred  of  eretid  "  believes  "),  and  that  eredulitas  in  the  Chronicle  of  the 
Picts  means  "faith."  These  assumptions  are  somewhat  strained,  and 
I  doubt  whether  the  verbal  resemblance  justifies  them.  It  seems  more 
probable  that  Crede  was  a  man's  name,  or  even  a  woman's  name  {CrSd, 
gen.  Crede.  Cf.  Cred,  Guaire's  daughter,  in  the  Tale  of  Cano ;  Anecdota 
from  Irish  MSS.,  i,  6,  ff.  Cf  D'Arbois  de  Jubainville,  Litterature  Epique 
de  I'Irlande,  206). 

Skene  deduced  from  the  word  "pitiful"  that  the  Irish  annalist's 
sympathy  was  on  Alpin's  side,  Alpin  being  of  Dalriatan  origin.  The  name 
Alpin  is  not  originally  Gaelic  ;  it  appears  to  be  derived  from  Anglo-Saxon 
^Ifwine,  and  suggests  descent  from  Neithon  and  Oswiu. 

^  These  events  stand  thus  in  A.U.,  i,  180,  s.a.  727  =  728  (with  the 
marginal  note  "bissextile"):  "The  battle  of  Moin-croib  [A-fonid  ckroibh'\ 
between  the  Picts  themselves  ;  and  there  Angus  was  the  conqueror,  and 
many  were  slain  on  the  side  of  king  Alpin. 

"A  lamentable  battle  was  fought  among  the  same,  near  the  castle  of 
Crede  \_juxta  castellum  Credi\  ;  and  there  Alpin  fled  away." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  114,  s.a.  725  =  728:  "The  battle  of 
Moin-craibe  \_Moymd  Krewe~\  was  fought  between  the  Picts  themselves, 
where  Angus  \_Enos\  was  victor  and  many  of  Alpin's  \Eljihines\  side  slain. 

"  There  was  another  battle  between  them  near  the  castle  of  Crede 
\Credy\,  where  it  was  a  pitiful  spectacle  to  behold  king  Alpin  take  his 
flight,  and  the  most  part  of  his  army  yield  themselves  to  the  mercy  of  their 
enemies  :  Eolbeck  the  son  of  Moydan  and  the  rest  of  the  nobles  and  people 
of  the  Picts  turned  their  backs  to  Alpin,  and  did  receive  Nechtan  the  son  . 
of  Derile  \_DeriUs\  as  king  into  the  kingdom  again." 

Angus  held  part  of  the  country,  and  in  the  next  year  made  himself  king. 
In  "Jix  he  repelled  Talorc's  attempt  to  take  the  kingdom  from  him,  and 
three  years  later  began  to  annex  Argyle.  He  was  in  conflict  with 
Northumbria  in  740  ;  completed  the  annexation  of  Argyle  in  741  ;  and 
fought  against  Strathclyde  in  744. 

The  Chronicle  of  the  Picts  (ABC)  says  that  Drust  and  Alpin  reigned 
together  for  5  years.  According  to  the  Irish  annals,  Drust  reigned 
724-726  ;  Alpin,  726-728.  One  or  the  other  may  have  entered  his  third 
year  upon  the  throne. 


KINGS  ALPIN  AND  NECHTAN.      ECGBEORHT       225 

729 

Tigernach,  Annals  ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  234 
Christ's  knight  died  on  the  day  of  Easter.^ 

729 

Chronicle  of  Holyrood,  p.  24 

And  in  this  year  [729]  the  man  of  the  Lord,  Slcgbeorht, 
departed  to  the  Lord  on  the  very  day  of  Easter,  the  eighth  ^ 
before  the  Kalends  of  May.^ 

729 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  pp.  180-182,  s.a.  728  =  729 

The  battle  of  Monith-Carno,  near  lake  Loogdae,  [took  place] 
between  the  army*  of  Nechtan  and  the  army  of  Angus ;  and 
Nechtan's  tax-gatherers^  fell,  namely  Biceot,  son  of  Moneit, 
and    his    son ;     Finguine,    son    of    Drostan ;    Feroth,    son    of 

'  24th  April,  729. 

A.U.,  i,  180,  s.a.  728  =  729:  "Ecgbeorht,  Christ's  soldier,  rested  on 
Easter  day." 

D.M.F.,  I,  p.  56  :  "  Saint  Ecgbeorht,  Christ's  soldier,  rested  in  lona 
of  Columcille." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  114,  s.a.  726  =  729:  "Ecgbeorht  \Egbricht\ 
the  champion  of  Christ  died  on  the  feast  day  of  Easter." 

"'  April  24th.  This  was  Easter  in  729.  Celtic  Easter  was  April  17th, 
according  to  MacCarthy's  tables  (N  and  O,  A.U.,  iv).  See  above,  year 
716,  note. 

^  This  passage  is  derived  from  Bede's  H.E.,  V,  22  (E.C.,  51). 

Ecgbeorht's  death,  and  the  appearance  of  a  comet,  are  placed  under 
729  in  A.S.C.,  ABCDEF  ;  and  in  the  Annals  of  St  Neots  (Stevenson's 
Asser,  126). 

His  death  is  noticed  also  by  Bernoldus,  Chronicon,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores, 
V,  417  (in  his  90th  year,  729,  April  24th)  ;  and  s.a.  727,  by  the  Annales 
Quedlinburgenses,Weissemburgenses,  Lamberti,  and  Hersfeldenses  (M.G.H., 
Scriptores,  iii,  34,  and  v,  i)  ;  s.a.  730,  by  Sigebert  (ibid.,  vi,  330),  confusedly. 
See  above,  year  716. 

Historia  Brittonum,  Genealogies;  M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  205:  "Ida 
begot  Eadric,  who  begot  Ecgulf,  who  begot  Liodguald,  who  begot  Aetan  ; 
he  is  Eata  Glinmaur ;  he  begot  Eadbyrth,  who  begot  Ecgbirth  the  bishop, 
the  first  [bishop]  of  their  race." 

*  hostem. 

'"  exactatores  {exactores  in  IMS.  B). 

P 


226  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH   HISTORY 

Finguine,    and    many    others:     and    the    family    of     Angus 
triumphed.^ 

729 

Tigernach,   Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  235 

A  hundred  and  fifty  Pictish  ships  were  wrecked  upon  Ros- 
Cuissine  in  the  same  year."  .  .  . 

The  battle  of  Druimm-Derg-BIathuug=*  [took  place]  between 
Picts,  namely  Drust  and  Angus,  the  king  of  the  Picts ;  and 
Drust  was  killed  there,  on  the  twelfth  day  of  the  month  of 
August.* 

1  Annales  Cambriae,  ed.  Ab  Ithel,  9,  s.a.  [728]  (4  years  after  the  "280th 
year"  after  444):  "The  battle  of  mount  Carno"  (MS.  A  reads  mortis 
instead  o^  motitis.     Cf.  Mons  Carno,  A.C.,  18  ;  Mons  Carn,  A.C.,  27). 

B.T.  in  M.A.,  686,  s.a.  728  :  "  There  was  the  battle  of  Mynydd  Carno, 
in  Gwent "  ;  confusing  this  place  with  the  scene  of  later  battles.  This 
battle  is  also  entered  in  B.S.  in  M.A.,  653,  s.a.  728.  B.T.  in  R.B.H.,  258, 
places  it  in  730. 

Monith-carno  is  probably  a  genitive  case  of  moin-Carno ;  but  vionith 
or  monid  may  have  been  a  Pictish  nominative.  Carno  is  not  the  genitive 
of  cai-ji,  as  Reeves  (Adamnan,  3S3)  would  imply.  Skene  at  one  time 
suggested  that  the  place  might  have  been  Cairn  O'  Mount,  beside  a  pass 
between  the  Howe  of  Mearns  and  Strathdee  ;  but  there  is  no  lake  there, 
unless  the  Bog  of  Luchray  may  be  meant.  Reeves  (Adamnan,  64)  would 
have  identified  A.U.'s  stagmcm  loogdae  with  Adamnan's  Loch  Diae,  in  the 
"ridge  of  Britain"  ;  above,  p.  59  ;  that  is  probably  Loch  Lochy.  But  the 
identity  of  the  two  names  is  dovibtful.  Other  conjectures  are  in  Skene's 
Adamnan,  328;  and  S.C.S.,  i,  288.  Phillimore  says  that  the  lake  "is 
apparently  Loch  Tay"  (Y  Cymmrodor,  i.x,  160):  this  is  possible,  but 
uncertain.  The  spelling  is  probably  corrupt,  and  the  place  is  unidentifiable. 
No  doubt  the  succeeding  battle  was  fought  near  the  same  district. 

The  battle  of  Moin-Carno  ended  the  second  reign  of  Nechtan,  Derile's 
son.  This  reign  lasted  for  9  months,  according  to  the  Chronicles  of  the 
Picts  (FIK  and  Fordun). 

-  The  year  of  Ecgbeorht's  death,  729.    Possibly  the  place  is  Troup  Head. 

^  Cath  Droma  Deirg  Blathuug,  Tigernach  ;  in  A.U.,  Bellum  Dromo 
Dergg  Blathuug. 

*  A.U.,  i,  182,  s.a.  728  =  729:  "The  battle  of  Druimm-Derg-Blathuug 
[was  fought]  in  the  districts  of  the  Picts,  between  Angus  and  Drust,  king 
of  the  Picts  ;  and  Drust  fell." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnolse,  p.  114,  s.a.  726  =  729  :  "The  battle  of  Druimm- 
derg  was  fought  in  the  kingdom  of  the  Picts  between  Drust  and  Angus, 
king  of  the  Picts  ;  where  Drust  was  slain,  the  12th  of  the  Kalends  of 
August. 

'■^  Here  end  the  Chronicles  of  Bede."     (Le.,  Bede's  H.E.) 


731 


CONFLICTS  IN  PICTLAND  AND  ARGYLE  227 

730 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  235  1 

Return  of  Adamnan's  relics  from  Ireland  in  the  month  of 
October.^ 

730 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  182,  s.a.  729  =  730 

.  .  .  Selbach,  Ferchar's  son,  died.^ 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  184,  s.a.  730  =  731 
The  burning  of  Tairpert-boittir  by  Dungal.'' 

731 

Tigernach,   Annals;   Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  235  ^ 

A  battle  [took  place]  between  the  Picts*"  and  Dalriata  in 
Muirbolg,  and  there  the  Picts  were  conquered.     This    was    a 

For  the  stone  cross  inscribed  to  Drust  "son  of  Voret,"  at  St  Vigeans, 
see  Allen,  Early  Christian  iVIonuments  of  Scotland  (1903),  iii,  235-239.  Cf. 
H.  &  S.,  ii,  126;  Stuart,  Sculptured  Stones,  i  (1856),  plate  69.  This  stone 
may  perhaps  be  responsible  for  the  tradition  that  Drust  "son  of  Wrad  "  was 
killed  by  Kenneth  Alpin's  son.     See  above,  p.  cxxviii. 

1  Placed  I  year  after  729, 

2  Similarly  A. U.,  i,  182,  s.a.  729  =  730;  it  is  there  stated  that  February 
8th  of  this  year  was  Wednesday,  which  was  true  of  730. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise  (erroneously),  p.  114,  s.a.  727  =  730;  "The 
return  of  the  relics  of  Adamnan  to  Ireland  in  the  month  of  October." 

^  See  year  723. 

*  Combustio  Tairpirt  boittir  apud  Dimghal. 

This  would  seem  to  have  been  an  act  of  aggression  by  the  deposed 
Dungal,  Selbach's  son,  at  Tarbert  on  Loch  Fyne,  against  the  king  then 
reigning  in  Kintyre.     The  king  at  this  time  was  Eochaid,  Eochaid's  son. 

^  Placed  2  years  after  729. 

Under  the  same  year  Tigernach  notes  :  "  The  entrance  into  monastic 
life  \clericatus\  of  Eachada,  Cuthwine's  son.  The  king  of  the  Saxons  was 
bound."  These  events  are  connected,  probably  wrongly,  in  A.U.,  i,  184, 
s.a.  730  =  731  :  "The  entrance  into  monastic  life  [u.s.]  of  Eochaid,  Cuthwine's 
son,  the  king  of  the  Saxons  ;  and  he  was  bound." 

Stokes  conjectured  male  Chuta  for  Tigernach's  Eachada,  because 
Ceolwulf,  Cutha's  son,  king  of  Northumbria,  became  a  monk  in  737.  This 
conjecture  is  perhaps  not  necessary. 

*•  Cruithniu ;  below  (in  the  nominative)  Cruithne. 


228  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

battle   between    the   son   of  Angus   and   the   son  of  Congus. 
Brude  conquered  Talorc,  who  fled.^ 


ca.  732 

Tigernach,   Annals;   Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  236- 

Temnen  of  [Kingarth^],  a  religious  priest,  rested.* 
Nechtan,  Derile's  son,  died.^ 

'  In  A.U.,  U.S.  :  "A  battle  [took  place]  between  the  son  of  Angus  and 
the  son  of  Congus,  but  Brude  conquered  Talorc,  who  fled."  In  F.M.,  i, 
322,  s.a.  725  :  "A  battle  [took  place]  between  the  Picts  \Cruithniii\  and 
Dalriata,  in  Muirbolg  ;  and  there  a  great  number  of  the  Picts  were  killed." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  114,  s.a.  728  =  731  :  "The  battle  between 
the  Picts  and  Dalriata,  where  the  Picts  were  overcome,  was  fought. 

"  There  was  a  battle  between  the  son  of  Angus  and  the  son  of  Congus, 
where  Brude  vanquished  Talorc  flying." 

Hennessy  thought  that  the  Irish  Picts  are  meant,  and  Irish  Dalriata, 
and  the  Irish  Muirbolg.  The  context  appears  to  contradict  this  view, 
although  the  word  used  {Cruithm)  usually  in  the  Irish  annals  means 
"  Irish  Picts."  Perhaps  there  were  two  battles,  and  Tigernach  by  con- 
flation combines  them. 

Talorc  or  Talorcan  was  the  "son  of  Congus"  (see  below,  year  734)  ; 
Brude,  the  "son  of  Angus"  (year  736).  One  year  later,  Dungal,  ruling 
part  of  Dalriata,  captured  (probably)  this  Brude  from  sanctuary.  Angus, 
a  strong  ruler,  retaliated  vigorously,  taking  advantage  of  the  disunion 
of  Dalriata. 

Talorc's  father  Congus  is  probably  he  whose  descent  is  recorded  in 
Genealogy  IV  after  the  Senchus  (above,  p.  clvi). 

^  Placed  3  years  after  729. 

^  Cille  Garadh.  So  also  in  A.U.  and  F.M.  The  priest's  name  is  spelt 
Teimnen,  in  A.U.  ;  Tinmen,  in  F.M. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  114,  s.a.  729  =  732:  "  Tymnen  of  Kilgarad, 
a  religious  and  virtuous  man,  died." 

*  Similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  186,  s.a.  731  =732.  In  F.M.,  i,  322,  s.a.  726  (and 
"the  4th  year  of  Flaithbertach"  as  sovereign  of  Ireland):  "Temnen  of 
Kingarth  [died]." 

5  Similarly  in  F.M.,  i,  324,  s.a.  726,  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  U.S., 
114-115. 

Nechtan's  reign-length  is  given  variously  as  15,  10,  or  18  years,  by  the 
Chronicles  of  the  Picts  (see  p.  cxxv).  His  reign  was  interrupted  by  the 
reigns  of  Drust  and  Alpin,  724  to  728  ("  5  years,"  according  to  Chronicles 
ABC).     He  had  ceased  to  reign  in  729. 


ARGYLE  IN  CONFLICT  WITH  KING  ANGUS  229 

733 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  i86,  s.a.  732  =  733 

Dungal,  Selbach's  son,  profaned  [the  sanctuary  of]  Tory- 
Island,  when  he  dragged  Brude  out  of  it.  And  on  the  same 
occasion  he  invaded  the  island  of  Cuiren-rigi.^ 

Muiredach,  Ainfcellach's  son,  assumed  the  kingship  of  the 
tribe  of  Loarn.^ 

733 

Tigernach,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  237,  s.a.  [733] 

Flaithbertach  led  the  fleet  of  Dalriata  to  Ireland,  and  great 
slaughter  was  made  of  them  in  the  island  of  Oine.^  And  these 
men  were  slain  there  :  Conchobar,  son  of  Lochene,  and  Branchu, 
son  of  Bran ;  and  many  were  drowned  in  the  river  that  is 
called  the  Bann.* 

1  The  island's  name  has  been  altered  in  MS.  A  by  another  hand  to 
Culren-rigi,  and  so  appears  in  MS.  B  ;  and  it  is  spelt  Culen-rigi  in  the 
same  annals,  i,  286,  s.a.  802  =  803.  Reeves  accepted  the  identification  with 
Inch,  off  Inishowen,  in  Donegal  (Adamnan,  384). 

This  passage  appears  thus  in  Tigernach  (R.C.,  xvii,  236  ;  4  years  after 
729)  : 

"Dungal,  Selbach's  son,  made  a  raid  into  Tory  Island,  and  another 
raid  into  Inis  Cuirenn-rige,  and  destroyed [it?]-" 

This  Brude  was  probably  Brude  (t  736),  the  son  of  Angus  Fergus'  son 
king  of  the  Picts  :  Angus  retaliated  upon  Dungal  next  year  (734),  and 
Dungal  fled  to  Ireland  ;  two  years  later  (736)  Angus  attacked  him  in 
Dalriata  again,  and  imprisoned  Dungal  and  his  brother.  Brude  had  doubt- 
less been  rescued  in  734  ;  he  died  soon  after  the  imprisonment  of  Dungal. 

2  This  sentence  appears  similarly  in  Tigernach,  u.s.,  237. 

^  O'Donovan  follows  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise  in  thinking  this 
"island  of  Oine"  to  be  Inishowen.  Reeves  suggested  Island  Heaghey, 
Coleraine.     There  seems  to  be  little  ground  for  either  conjecture. 

*  F.M.,  i,  326,  s.a.  728  (and  "the  6th  year  of  Flaithbertach  "  as  sovereign 
of  Ireland):  "Flaithbertach  brought  a  fleet  from  Dalriata  to  Ireland; 
and  on  their  arrival  they  delayed  not  in  reaching  the  island  of  Oine.  And 
battle  was  engaged  in  between  Flaithbertach  with  his  mercenaries 
\ainhsaibK\  and  the  Ciannachta,  with  others  of  the  Qlstermen  and  of  the 
tribe  of  Eogan  ;  and  a  countless  host  of  the  Ulstermeii  and  of  the  tribe  of 
Eogan  and  of  the  Ciannachta  were  destroyed  there,  including  Conchobar, 
son  of  Lochene,  and  Branchu,  son  of  Bran  ;  and  a  countless  number  of 
them  were  drowned  in  the  Bann,  after  their  defeat." 

Flaithbertach  entered  a  monastery,  and  died  in  734  :  F.M,,  i,  326, 
s.a.  729. 


230  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Eochaid,  Eochaid's  son,  king  of  Dalriata,  and  Conall,  son 
of  Conchobar,  died.^ 

734 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  i88,  s.a.  733  =  734^ 

Caintigern,  the  daughter  of  Cellach  Cualann,  died.^ 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  incorrectly,  p.  115,  s.a.  730  =  733:  "Fergus 
[read  Flaithbertach]  brought  an  army  out  of  Dalriata  into  Inis  Owen  in 
Ulster,  upon  whom  there  was  great  slaughter  made,  amongst  whom  Connor, 
son  of  Lochene,  and  Branchu,  son  of  Bran,  were  slain,  and  many  others 
drowned  in  the  river  of  Bann." 

D.M.F.,  I,  56  (Skene's  P.  &  S.,  401):  "A  battle  was  won  by  Aed 
Alddain,  Fergal's  son,  over  Flaithbertach,  Loingsech's  son,  king  of  Ireland; 
and  Flaithbertach  took  to  himself  a  fleet  from  the  Fortrenna"  (i.e.,  the 
people  of  Fortrlu)  "  against  the  tribe  of  Eogan  ;  but  the  greater  part  of 
that  fleet  was  drowned.  The  death  of  Flaithbertach  himself  in  that 
year.  .  .  ." 

This  affair  shows  the  intimate  connection  at  this  time  between  the 
affairs  of  Ireland  and  Dalriata. 

'  Similarly  in  F.M.,  i,  324,  s  a.  727  (and  "the  5th  year  of  Flaithbertach"), 
but  with  the  reading  "  toisech  of  Dalriata." 

For  Eochaid's  accession  see  year  726. 

"Eochaid,  Eochaid's  son"  stands  in  the  list  of  kings  of  Dalaraide  : 
Book  of  Leinster,  facsimile,  41,  e  ;  he  is  succeeded  there  by  Indrechtach, 
for  whom  see  year  741. 

Eochaid  seems  to  have  held  together  the  three  districts  of  Argyle  (the 
districts  containing  respectively  Dunnolly,  Dunadd,  and  Dunaverty),  and 
also  the  district  of  Dalaraide  in  the  north-east  of  Ireland.  Upon  his  death 
the  territory  was  divided.  The  Chronicle  of  Dalriata  and  the  Prose 
Chronicle  in  the  Chronicle  of  Melrose  say  that  the  king  of  Dalriata  was 
Ewen,  Ferchar  Fota's  son  (to  741  ;  see  below,  pp.  235-236).  But  this 
Ewen's  nephew,  Dungal,  Selbach's  son,  is  named  as  king  by  Fland  and 
the  Duan.  (Dungal  appears  to  have  reigned  in  Dunadd  ;  see  year  736.) 
Dungal  was  driven  out  by  Angus  in  734,  and  captured  in  736.  At  the 
same  time  Dungal's  cousin,  Muiredach,  Ainfcellach's  son,  reigned  in 
Lorn  (year  733)  ;  he  also  was  driven  out,  by  Angus's  brother,  in  736. 

Indrechtach  became  king  of  Dalaraide  ;  and  he  too  was  conquered  by 
Angus  (see  year  741). 

Fland  and  the  Duan  make  Dungal  Eochaid's  successor  ;  this  he  can 
only  have  been  till  736  :  and  they  name  D^ungal's  successor  Alpin.  Fland 
calls  Alpin  "Eochaid's  son"  :  and  in  the  Duan,  Alpin  is  given  a  reign  of 
4  years  [?  737-741].     See  below,  years  741,  742. 

^  The  preceding  sentence,  in  the  same  year-section,  is  :  "  An  eclipse  of 
the  moon  occurred  on  the  eleventh  before  the  Kalends  of  February " 
(i.e.  22nd  January).  So  also  in  the  same  year  of  Tigernach,  R.C. 
xvii,  237.     According  to   L'Art  de  Verifier  les   Dates,  there  was  a   lunar 


KING  EOCHAID.     KENTIGERNA  231 

eclipse  in  734  on  January  24th  at  3  a.m.     This  is  the  eclipse  connected 
by  the  A.S.C.  (ABCDEF,  s.a.  734)  with  the  deaths  of  Tatwine  and  Bede. 

^  Cf.  A.U.,  i,  164,  s.a.  714  =  715  :  "Cellach  Cualann,  king  of  Leinster, 
.  .  .  died." 

Caintigern's  name  becomes  Kentigerna  in  Latin.  She  had  come  to 
Scotland  with  her  brother,  Congan,  and  her  son,  Faelan. 

According  to  J.  Stuart  in  his  edition  of  the  Book  of  Deer,  p.  cxxxv, 
Kentigerna's  relatives  were  these  : 

provincial  chief  of  Leinster 

I 

I  I 

Congan  .  Kentigerna 

\ 


I  I  I 

Faelan  Fursae  Ultan 


These  five  saints  with  seven  other  priests,  according  to  tradition,  settled 
at  Lochalsh  ;  and  Faelan  built  a  church  in  honour  of  Congan. 

Cf.  the  Breviary  of  Aberdeen,  i,  3,  xxiv,  January  7th  :  "  St  Kentigerna, 
the  mother  of  abbot  Faelan."  Her  father  was  Tyrennus,  king  of  Leinster  ; 
her  husband  Feriacus,  kinglet  of  Monchestree  ;  her  brother,  St  Congan 
(ibid.,  xxv)  :  "...  Forsaking  her  country,  friends,  and  nation,  she  fled 
from  the  society  of  worldly  men,  with  her  son  Faelan  and  her  brother 
Congan  ;  .  .  .  and  she  came  to  a  desert  place  at  Strathfillan,  and  lived  with 
them  there  for  some  time  in  deep  contemplation. 

"At  last,  deprived  of  the  intercourse  and  presence  of  her  dearest  son 
and  brother,  Congan,  she  betook  herself  for  contemplation  to  the  island  of 
Inchcailloch  in  Loch  Lomond,  in  Lennox,  and  adopted  the  solitary  life  of 
an  anchorite,  satisfying  herself  with  herbs  and  water  only,  in  all  patience 
and  sanctity  and  integrity  of  life.  .  .  ." 

Breviary  of  Aberdeen,  ii,  3,  cxxvi,  October  r3th :  "The  abbot 
St  Congan,  who  is  revered  at  Turriff  of  the  diocese  of  Aberdeen." 
"  According  to  tradition  [feruni],  Congan  was  the  brother  of  the  matron 
Kentigerna,  and  the  dearest  uncle  of  the  blessed  abbot  Faelan." 

The  Breviary  of  Aberdeen  (i,  3,  xxvi,  January  9th)  says  that  Faelan  was 
the  son  of  Feriach  and  Kentigerna.  Ibid.,  xxvii :  "  But  by  angelic 
exhortation  he  left  his  holy  mother,  Kentigerna,  and  the  most  holy  man,  his 
uncle  Congan,  and  came  to  the  place  that  is  called  Siracht,  in  the  upper 
parts  of  Glenduckie"  {Gleitdeochquhy),  and  built  a  church  there. 

Martyrology  of  Oengus,  June  20th  :  "Faelan  with  that  victory,  that 
splendid  mute"  (Stokes),  with  the  note  in  Lebar  Brecc  (1905  Oengus, 
p.  156):  "From  Raith-hErenn  ;  he  is  in  Scotland,  near  Glenn-Drochta  in 
the  west " ;  and  in  Rawlinson  B  505,  ibid.  :  "  Faelan  the  dumb,  from 
Srath-hErenn  in  Scotland." 

Martyrology  of  Gorman,  p.  120,  June  20th  :  "  Faelan,  the  high  (?) 
flame"  (Stokes)  {in  breo  balla),  with  the  note  :  "[the]  dumb,  in  Raith-Erenn 
in  Scotland."  Brussels  Martyrology  of  Tallaght,  Kelly,  p.  xxvii,  June  20th  : 
"[Festival]  of  Faelan,  the  dumb,  in  Srath-Eret  in  Scotland." 


232  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

734 

Tigernach,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  237  ^ 

Talorc,  son  of  Congus,  took  his  own  brother  and  gave  him 
into  the  hands  of  the  Picts ;  and  he  was  drowned  by  them.^ 

734 

Annals  of  Ulster,  u.s. 

Talorcan,  Drostan's  son,  was  taken  and  bound  near 
Dunolly.^ 

Dun-leithfind  was  destroyed,  after  the  wounding  of  Dungal ; 
and  [Dungal]  fled  into  Ireland,  to  be  out  of  the  power  of  Angus. 

735 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  239* 

Bede,  the  wise  man  of  the  Saxons,  reposed.^ 

735 

Annales  Oambriae  ;  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  s.a.  [735]  ^ 

Bede  the  priest  died. 

736 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  239^ 

Angus,  Fergus'  son,  king  of  the  Picts,  wasted  the  districts 

1  Placed  5  years  after  729. 

2  Similarly  in  A.U.,  u.s.  ;  but  they  translate  into  Latin  {cum  illis)  the 
Irish  of  their  original  (in  Tigernach,  leo-siden,  "by  them"). 

The  death  of  one  brother  (apparently)  of  Talorc  is  recorded  at  year  740. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise  (incorrectly),  115,  s.a.  731=734:  "Talorc, 
Congus'  son  [Talorg  mcCougusd\,  was  bound  by  his  own  brother  and 
presented  and  sent  to  the  Picts,  who  cast  him  into  the  water  and 
drowned  him." 

^  See  year  739. 

*  Placed  6  years  after  729. 

°  Similarly  in  a'V.U.,  i,  igo,  s.a.  734  =  735.  In  both,  the  previous  record 
is  :  "An  immense  dragon  was  seen  in  the  end  of  autumn,  with  great 
thunder  after  it."  This  may  have  been  understood  as  a  portent  preceding 
Bede's  death.  A. I.,  20,  ©'Conor's  year  723:  "Bede,  the  Wise,  rested 
in  Christ." 

"  The  year  after  the  "290th  year"  after  444.  The  Anglo-Saxon 
Chronicle  (ABCDEF)  places  Bede's  death  under  734,  kfter  a  lunar  eclipse 
which  occurred  on  January  24th  at  3  a.m.  (L'Art).  Bede's  death  may  have 
been  retracted  to  the  year  of  the  eclipse.     735  is  probably  the  true  year. 

"■  Placed  7  years  after  729. 


ANGUS  SUBDUES  ARGYLE  233 

of  Dalriata,  and  gained  Dunadd,  and  burned  Creic^;  and  he 
bound  with  chains  two  sons  of  Selbach^  namely  Dungal^  and 
Feradach. 

And  a  little  later  Brude,  son  of  Angus  Fergus'  son,  died.^ 

736 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  192,  s.a.  735  =  736 

The  battle  of  Cnocc-Coirpri  in  Calathros,  at  Etarlindu, 
between  Dalriata  and    Fortriu  * ;   and   Talorcan,   Fergus'   son, 

'  Skene  would  first  have  identified  this  with  Creich,  Mull  (P.  &  S.,  cxxxi) ; 
later,  with  "a  fort,  the  remains  of  which  are  still  to  be  seen  on  the 
promontory  of  Craignish "  (S.C.S.,  i,  290).  ?Cf  Ailen  of  Macc-Craich, 
under  year  725. 

^  Here  spelt  Dondgal j  A.U.,  Donngal. 

^  The  whole  passage  is  similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  190,  s.a.  735=736  (with 
marginal  note  "bissextile"). 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  116,  s.a.  733  =  736:  "Angus,  Fergus'  son, 
king  of  the  Picts,  wasted  the  region  of  Dalriata  or  Redshanks,  took  Dunadd 
and  burned  Cregg,  and  bound  the  two  sons  of  Selbach  with  cords, 
Dungal  and  Feradach. 

"  A  little  while  after,  Brude  the  son  of  Angus  who  was  son  of  Fergus 
died."     (The  text  is  dislocated,  but  undoubtedly  to  be  read  thus.) 

*  Bellum  Cnuicc  Coirpri  i  Calathros  uc  Etarlinddii  itir  Dalriatai  7 
Foirtrind.  This  may  either  mean  that  Calathros  was  between  Argyleshire 
and  Perthshire,  or  it  may  mean  that  the  battle  was  fought  between  men  of 
Argyle  and  men  of  Fortriu. 

Cnocc-Coirpri  means  "  Coirprfe's  Knoll."  Possibly  this  was  the  Coirpre 
of  the  Senchus  ;  above,  p.  cliii.     Etar-lindu  means  "between  pools." 

This  battle  may  reasonably  be  understood  to  have  been  fought  in  an 
extension  of  the  campaign  in  which  the  battles  had  occurred  at  Creich  and 
Dunadd,  and  therefore  Calathros  would  seem  to  have  been  within  Dalriata. 

The  campaign  against  Dunadd  resulted  in  the  capture  of  Selbach's 
sons  ;  it  would  seem  therefore  that  Dunadd  had  been  within  Dungal's 
territory.  Ainfcellach  was  king  of  Lorn  ;  he  was  deposed  by  the  battle  of 
Etarlindu,  \yhich  was  probably  therefore  within  his  dominions. 

We  should  look  for  Calathros  within  Argyle,  in  some  part  of  it  where 
a  rally  could  have  been  made  after  Knapdale  had  fallen.  Not  one  of 
the  three  names  has  been  identified.  The  name  Etarlindu  suggests 
Benderloch  ;  but  Calathros  suggests  the  Cladrois  in  Islay  of  the  Senchus 
(above,  p.  clii).  Skene,  following  up  the  identifications  (almost  certainly 
erroneous)  noted  above  under  year  635,  would  identify  Cnocc-Coirpri 
with  "Carriber,  where  the  Avon  separates  Lothian  from  Calatria"  (i.e., 
Carribber,  Linlithgow  parish)  ;  apparently  conjecturing  that  the  chiefs  of 
Dalriata  had  been  able  to  take  refuge  in  Lothian.     But  we  find  their  enemy 


234  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Angus  next  embroiled  not  with  Lothian  or  Strathclyde,  but  with  Dalaraide 
(in  741). 

The  Britons  certainly  were  hostile  to  Angus  soon  afterwards.  Angus 
evidently  wished  to  extend  his  rule  over  the  other  kingdoms  of  Scotland  ; 
after  subjugating  Argyle,  he  would  naturally  have  proceeded  to  master 
Strathclyde.  A  battle  was  fought  between  Picts  and  Britons  in  744. 
It  appears  to  have  been  indecisive  ;  and  in  750  the  Britons  under  Teudubr 
inflicted  so  severe  a  defeat  upon  Angus  that  he  was  temporarily  driven 
from  his  throne.  After  Teudubr's  death,  however,  Angus  recovered  the 
throne,  and  the  English  annexed  some  land  on  the  western  borders  of 
Strathclyde.  In  756,  Angus  and  Eadbert  (who  had  been  enemies  in  740) 
united  forces  against  the  Britons.  The  Britons  were  forced  to  submit, 
but  they  inflicted  another  severe  defeat  upon  Angus  as  he  was  returning 
home.     (E.G.,  57.) 

Skene's  identification  of  the  12th-century  Calatria  (or  Calateria  ;  Lawrie, 
Charters,  86)  with  Callendar  near  Falkirk  (Callendar  House,  Callendar 
Wood,  Callendar  Riggs)  has  been  generally  accepted,  but  it  is  based  upon 
insufficient  evidence.  The  old  name  of  Callendar  was  Kalentyr  (Kalentar 
in  1362  ;  Great  Seal,  no.  108),  which  might  possibly  have  been  a  form  taken 
from  Welsh  speech,  while  Kalediire  (the  12th  century  form  of  Galder ; 
L.C.,  184)  might  conceivably  have  been  a  form  of  the  same  name,  taken 
from  Gaelic  speech  (cf  Kaledor,  the  13th  century  form  of  Cawdor  ;  later 
Caldor).  They  could  not  however  have  been  the  same,  if  (as  seems 
probable)  the  Kaled  of  Kaledure  were  the  Welsh  caled,  Irish  crt/arf"hard," 
the  calath  of  Calathros.  Galder  seems  elsewhere  to  have  been  originally 
a  river  name  ;  but  the  spellings  Kaledure,  Kaledor,  suggest  that  the  second 
part  of  the  name  was  not  the  Welsh  dwfyr,  Irish  dobur  "water,"  the  dour 
of  Aberdour. 

The  native  form  of  the  name  Calateria  would  presumably  have  become 
Gaiter  or  Clater,  according  as  the  accent  was  upon  the  first  or  the  second 
syllable.  It  would  not  have  become  Callendar.  Calateria  could  not  have 
been  an  artificial  Latin  form  of  Kalentyr.  It  might  less  inconceivably  have 
been  an  artificial  Latin  form  of  Kaledure  ;  but  more  evidence  is  needed 
to  decide  the  question. 

Aih-ed  of  Rievaulx  implies  that  Calatria  v/as  between  Laodonia  and 
Scotia,  that  is  to  say  between  Lothian  and  Fife  (E.G.,  197).  The  district  of 
Galder  (East  Galder,  Mid  Galder,  West  Calder)  is  geographically  the 
valley  of  the  Almond  ;  it  is  in  the  extreme  west  of  Midlothian.  To  the 
west  of  it  lies  the  Garse  of  Falkirk,  in  the  middle  of  which  are  Callendar 
and  Camelon.  The  Garse  of  Falkirk  was  the  southern  part  of  the  ancient 
Manau.  A  traveller  from  the  south,  intending  to  enter  Fife  by  the  ferry, 
would  have  had  to  cross  the  Almond,  but  Callendar  would  have  been 
off  his  road. 

Mid  Galder  belonged  in  the  12th  century  to  the  earl  of  Fife. 

In  Galder  and  the  Garse  of  Falkirk  there  is  now  no  place  that  could 
be  named  "between  pools,"  and  there  seems  to  be  no  reason  to  look  for 
Calathros  in  Calatria.     For  Calathros  cf.  year  640. 


KINGS  OF  LORN  235 

pursued  Ainfcellach's  son  [Muiredach],  who  fled  with  his  army. 
And  in  this  encounter  many  nobles  perished.^ 

736 
Annales  Cambriae  ;  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  161,  s.a.  [736]  ^ 
Owen,  king  of  the  Picts,  died.^ 

'  This  seems  to  have  been  the  end  of  Muiredach's  reign  in  Dalriata. 
The  Duan  Albanach,  in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  61,  gives  Muiredach  a  reign  of 
three  years  ;  above,  p.  cxxxiii,  note.  For  the  beginning  of  his  reign  in  Lorn 
see  year  733. 

For  Talorcan,  son  of  Fergus  and  brother  of  Angus,  see  year  750. 

The  Duan  Albanach,  U.S.:  "Seven  years  of  Dungal  Dian"  (i.e.  "the 
impetuous"),  "and  Alpin  \^Ailpen\  had  four."  These  are  placed  between 
Ainfcellach  (ca.  697-698)  and  Muiredach  (ca.  733-736). 

Fordun's  account  (III,  45)  of  Muiredach's  reign  is  apocryphal:  "To 
[Eugenius  Findan's  son]  succeeded  Muiredach  \^Murdacus\,  his  nephew  by 
his  brother  Ainfcellach  ;  and  he  ruled  the  kingdom  in  the  same  peace  as 
did  his  uncle  and  predecessor,"  (see  year  741)  "but  by  no  means  with  the 
same  or  so  great  favour  from  his  neighbours.  .  .  ."  Fordun  says  that 
Muiredach  reigned  715-730,  and  was  king  when  Bede  wrote  the  conclusion 
of  his  History  (in  731  ;  Bede,  V,  23  ;  E.G.,  52-54). 

^  2  years  after  the  "  290th  year"  after  444. 

^  Similarly  in  B.S.  in  M.A.,  653,  s.a.  736.  Cf.  B.T.  in  R.B.H.,  258 
(the  only  entry  between  740  and  750)  :  "And  then  died  Owen,  king  of  the 
Picts."  (Under  740  this  Brut  places  Eede's  death,  which  is  shown  by 
Bede's  continuator,  by  T.,  and  by  A.U.,  to  have  occurred  in  735.)  "  Owen  " 
is  the  Welsh  equivalent  of  Irish  Eogan  (or  "  Ewen  "). 

This  Owen  is  perhaps  the  Ewen  who  heads  the  spurious  series  of  kings 
(from  741  onwards)  in  the  Chronicles  of  Dalriata,  and  in  the  Prose 
Chronicle  inserted  in  CM. 

The  Prose  Chronicle  in  CM.  (4,  223  ;  P.  &  S.,  177)  ;  s.a.  741  : — "Ewen, 
the  king  of  the  Scots,  died  ;  and  his  son  Muiredach  \_Miirezaui\  succeeded 
him."  S.a.  744: — "Muiredach,  the  king  of  the  Scots,  died;  and  his  son 
Ewen  succeeded  him."  S.a.  747  : — "  Ewen,  the  king  of  the  Scots,  died ;  and 
his  son  Aed  Find  succeeded  him"  \Hedabbicsj  read  Hedalbus,  with  Edalhus 
of  Chronicle  of  Dalriata,  E]. 

See  below,  year  781,  note. 

If  there  was  a  king  Ewen  in  Dalriata  at  this  time,  he  could  only  have 
reigned  under  protection  of  the  Picts.  They  might  have  regarded  him  as 
the  true  heir,  because  he  was  the  brother  of  the  former  kings  Ainfcellach 
and  Selbach  (sons  of  Ferchar  Fota).  The  Chronicles  of  Dalriata  give 
Ewen  I  a  reign  of  16  years  (DFIK  ;  13,  E) ;  they  place  his  reign  after  that 
of  Ainfcellach  (-698,  t7i9).  (But  Ewen  could  not  have  reigned  before 
733,  and  only  nominally  before  736.)  Fland  names  two  "Eoganans,"  the 
second  unidentified,  in  his  list  (above,  p.  cxivii).     (Chronicles  DFIK  and 


236  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

737 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  240^ 

The  death  of  Ronan,  abbot  of  Kingarth.^ 

Failbe,  Guaire's  son,  the  successor  of  Maelrubai  of  Apple- 
cross,  was  drowned  in  the  deep  sea  with  his  sailors,  twenty-two 
in  number.^ 

739 

Tigernach,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  243  * 

Talorcan,  Drostan's  son,  king  of  Athole,  was  drowned  by- 
Angus.^ 

740 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  198,  s.a.  739  =  740" 

An  earthquake  [occurred]  in  Islay  on  the  second  day'' 
before  the  Ides  of  April. 

Cubretan,  son  of  Congus,  died.^ 

Fordun  make  Evven  and  Ainfcellach  sons  of  Findan.)    According  to  Fordun, 
this  Ewen  was  the  father  of  Aed  Find  ;  but  see  below,  year  778,  note. 

Muiredach's  father  was  probably  not  Ewen,  but  Ainfcellach  (see  year 

733)- 

Ewen  II  is  given  a  reign  of  3  years  in  Chronicle  of  Dalriata  E. 

Aed  Find's  father  was  probably  not  Ewen,  but  Eochaid,  Eochaid's  son. 
See  year  778. 

1  Placed  8  years  after  729. 

^  Similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  192,  s.a.  736  =  737.  F.M.,  i,  328,  place  Ronan's 
death  in  732  (and  "the  3rd  year  of  Aed  Alddain  "  as  sovereign  of  Ireland). 

^  This  passage  is  corrupt  in  the  text  of  Tigernach  ;  it  appears,  also  some- 
what corruptly,  in  A.U.,  u.s. 

F.M.,  U.S.  :  "  Failbe,  Guaire's  son,  successor  of  Maelrubai,  was  drowned, 
and  with  him  the  crew  of  his  ship.     Their  number  was  twenty-two." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  erroneously,  p.  116,  s.a.  734  =  737:  "The 
work  done  in  Applecross  \_Upercroossann'\  was  sunk  in  the  depth  of  the  sea, 
and  certain  sea-faring  men  to  the  number  of  22." 

■*  Placed  10  years  after  729. 

^  Similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  198,  s.a.  738-739. 

Cf  year  713.  Talorcan's  successor  in  Athole  may  possibly  have  been 
Talorcan,  Fergus'  son  (year  750). 

"  With  marginal  note  "bissextile." 

"  April  1 2th. 

*  Probably  this  is  the  Congus  of  years  73  [  and  734. 

In  this  year  the  indomitable  Angus  seems  to  have  invaded  Northumbrian 
territory  (Bede's  continuator ;  E.C.,  55). 


KINGS  OF  ATHOLE  AND  DOWN  237 

741 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  200,  s.a.  740  =  741 

The  battle  of  Druimm-cathmail,i  between  the  Picts^  and 
Dalriata,  [was  fought]  against  Indrechtach.^  The  overthrow  * 
of  Dalriata  by  Angus,  Fergus'^  son. 

741 

Annals  of  Ulsiter,  vol.  i,  p.  198,  s.a.  740=741 

The  battle  of  Forboros,"  in  which  fell  two  sons  of  Fianna- 
mail,  namely  Indrechtach^  and  Conall,  and  others. 

742 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  202,  s.a.  741  =742 

Alpin  (.''),  Crop's  son,  was  besieged.* 

'  This  place  has  not  been  identified.  Skene  placed  the  battle  at 
Dungyle,  Kelton  parish,  Kirkcudbrightshire  ;  but  confused  it  with  a  battle 
that  probably  occurred  a  hundred  years  later  (S.C.S.,  i,  292).  See  year 
841,  note.  Dungavel  and  Dungivel  in  Lanarkshire  have  a  superficial 
resemblance  to  the  name.  The  ejected  chiefs  of  Dalriata  may  have 
persuaded  Indrechtach,  who  was  king  of  the  Irish  Picts  of  Dalaraide,  to 
invade  Pictish  territory.  It  is  equally  possible  that  the  battle  occurred  in 
Ireland. 

Skene  is  probably  wrong  in  arguing  that  Alpin,  king  of  the  Picts  (726- 
728),  died  in  this  campaign.     See  year  742. 

^  Cruithniu.  Hennessy  thought  that  the  Irish  Picts,  and  Irish  Dalriata, 
are  meant. 

^  Indrechtach's  death  has  already  been  noticed  in  the  Ulster  Annals  ; 
see  the  next  passage. 

■*  Percuiio  Dalriatai.  By  conquering  Indrechtach,  Angus  had  over- 
thrown all  the  chieftains  among  whom  Eochaid's  kingdom  had  been 
divided  (see  year  733,  note). 

^  Forgusso.     This  Angus  was  the  king  of  the  Scottish  Picts. 

"  "This  place  has  not  been  identified"  Hennessy,  ibid.,  199;  "in 
Scotland"  MacCarthy,  in  index,  A.U.,  iv. 

'  Indrechtach's  name  stands  in  the  list  of  kings  of  Dalaraide,  in  the 
Book  of  Leinster,  facsimile,  41  e. 

*  Obsesio  Auilmin,  filii  Criiip.  This  event  is  not  entered  in  the  other 
Irish  annals  ;  it  probably  therefore  did  not  occur  in  Ireland.  If  it  refers 
to  the  Alpin  (^Ifwine)  who  was  king  of  the  Picts  from  726  to  728,  and 
perhaps,  from  the  Duan's  account,  also  from  737  to  741,  A.U.  differ  from 
Fland  in  the  name  of  Alpin's  father  :  Fland  calls  Alpin  "  Eochaid's  son." 
Stokes  and  6-Maille  render  Auiliuin  "  Len's  grandson"  ;  but  it  seems  to  be 
the  same  name  as  Eiliuin  above,  pp.  182-183.     Two  years  later,  A.U.  have 


238  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

744 

Chronicle  of  Melrose,  p,  4 

In  the  year  744,  a  battle  was  fought  between  the  Picts  and 
the  Britons.^ 

747 

Tigernach,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  249  - 

The  death  of  Tuathalan,  abbot  of  Cendrigmonaid.^ 

749 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  251  ^ 

Drowning  of  the  [monastic]  household  of  lona.^ 

Ailhdn  as  genitive  of  ailen  "  crannog  "  ;  perhaps  by  attraction  to  Auiliuin. 
With  the  name  Crop,  ?cf.  the  "ridge  of  Crup"  in  Chronicle  of  the  Kings, 
version  A  ;  below,  p.  473. 

This  siege  may  have  been  a  continuation  of,  or  sequel  to,  the  warfare  of 
741.  But  the  notice  of  it  is  too  brief  to  permit  any  certain  conclusion  to  be 
drawn.     Cf.  above,  ca.  673. 

1  This  is  taken  from  S.D.     See  E.G.,  56. 
^  Placed  18  years  after  729. 

^  Ab  Ci?id-righ-monaigh  (read  monaidh,  with  F.M.  ;  i.e.  Kilrimuned  and 
Kilrimund  of  the  charters)  ;  Cinrighmonai  in  A.U.  This  place  was  near 
St  Andrews.     It  contained  the  parish  church  of  Holy  Trinity. 

This  passage  appears  similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  208,  s.a.  746  =  747.  F.M., 
i,  344,  s.a.  742  (and  "the  4th  year  of  Donald,"  son  of  Murchaid,  son  of 
Diarmait,  as  sovereign  of  Ireland):  "Tuathalan,  abbot  of  Cendrigmonaid, 
died." 

The  name  Totholan  appears  under  June  17th  in  the  Martyrologies  of 
Gorman,  Tallaght  (Brussels  version),  and  Donegal.  There  is  no  reason, 
however,  to  identify  this  Totholan  with  Tuathalan,  although  these  are  two 
forms  of  the  same  name. 

See  below,  year  834,  note,  for  the  foundation  of  the  monastery  of  St 
Andrews. 

*  Placed  20  years  after  729. 

^  Demersi\o\famili\ae\  iae. 

Similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  212,  s.a.  748  =  749,  with  correct  spelling. 

F.M.,  i,  346,  s.a.  744  (and  "the  6th  year  of  Donald"):  "A  great  storm 
came  in  this  year,  and  a  great  number  of  the  community  of  lona  of 
Columcille  were  drowned." 


ANGUS  DEFEATED  BY  STRATHCLYDE  239 

750 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  251  ^ 

A  battle  [occurred]  between  Picts  and  Britons,  and  in  it 
perished  Talorcan,  Fergus'  son,  and  his  brother ;  and  there 
slaughter  was  [made]  of  the  Picts  along  with  him.- 

750 
Annales  Cambriae,  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  161,  s.a.  [750]^ 

A  battle  [was  fought]  between  the  Picts  and  the  Britons, 
that  is,  the  battle  of  Moce-tauc  ;  and  their  king  Talorcan  was 
slain  by  the  Britons.* 

'  Placed  21  years  after  729,  3  years  before  753,  which  is  indicated  by 
a  "  dark  sun." 

^  In  A.U.,  i,  212,  s.a.  749  =  750  :  "The  battle  of  Catoic  \beUum  Catohic] 
between  Picts  and  Britons  ;  and  in  it  fell  Talorcan,  Fergus'  son,  the 
brother  of  Angus." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  119,  s.a.  746  =  750:  "The  battle  of  Ocha 
between  the  Picts  and  Britons  was  fought  ;  where  Talorcan,  Fergus'  son, 
brother  of  king  Angus,  was  slain." 

3  Placed  5  years  after  the  "  300th  year  "  after  444. 

■*  The  name  of  the  battle  is  not  in  MS.  B  ;  MS.  C  merely  notes  Talorcan's 
death,  without  mentioning  the  battle.  Ab  Ithel's  ed.,  9.  Cf.  B.T.  in  M.A., 
686,  s.a.  750  (after  the  death  of  Teudubr,  Beli's  son)  :  "  In  the  same  year 
was  the  battle  of  Mygedawc,  where  the  Britons  were  victorious  over  the 
Pictish  Gaels  \Gwyddyl  Ffichti'\  after  a  bloody  battle."  B.T.  in  Red  Book 
of  Hergest,  258  :  "750  years  was  the  age  of  Christ  when  there  was  a  battle 
between  the  Britons  and  the  Picts,  in  the  fight  of  Maes-ydawc.  And  the 
Britons  slew  Talorcan,  the  king  of  the  Picts.  .  .  .  And  Rotri,  the  king  of 
the  Britons,  died"  ("four  years  after  that"  adds  the  i6th  century  MS.  C  ; 
i.e.,  in  754.  Ab  Ithel's  ed.,  7).  Cf.  A.C.,  s.a.  [754]  (the  "310th  year"  after 
444) :  "Rotri,  king  of  the  Britons,  died." 

B.S.  in  M.A.,  653  :  "In  the  year  of  the  Lord  750,  Cynewulf  was  made 
king  of  the  Sa.xons  [755-t784,  a  reign  over  West-Saxons  of  31  winters; 
read  Sigebriht,  754-755  ?  A.S.C.],  and  through  treachery  he  died.  In  that 
year  there  occurred  between  the  Britons  and  the  Picts  a  battle,  which  is 
called  the  battle  of  Metgadawc.  And  there  was  killed  Talorcan,  king  of 
the  Picts.     And  in  this  year  died  Teudubr,  BeU's  son"  (see  year  752). 

Skene  wished  to  identify  Mocelauc  with  "  Mugdoch,  in  Dumbartonshire  " 
(S.C.S.,  i,  295),  and  thought  that  Talorcan  had  lordship  over  the  Picts  of 
Linlithgow.  The  latter  assumption  is  based  upon  others,  which  are 
probably  false  (see  year  736).  It  is  possible  that  Talorcan's  kingdom  was 
Athole  ;  cf  years  713,  note,  and  739.  He  seems  to  have  been  commander 
of  Angus's  army,  and  an  able  general  (year  736). 

That  the  Britons  of  Strathclyde  should  have  been  strong  enough  at  this 
time  to  crush  so  vigorous  a  king  as  Angus  is  a  very  significant  fact. 


240  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

750 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  212,  s.a.  749  =  75° 

Ebbing  of  the  sovereignty  of  Angus.^ 

ca.  752 
Annales  Oambriae,  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  161,  s.a.  [750]- 

Teudubr,  son  of  Beli,  died.^ 

752 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  253  ^ 

The  death  of  Cilline  Droichtech,  anchorite  of  lona.^ 

1  Aithbe  flatho  Oengtissa. 

This  stands  later  in  the  year-section  than  the  battle  of  Catoic. 

After  his  defeat  by  the  Britons,  and  the  loss  of  his  two  brothers,  Angus 
seems  to  have  been  driven  temporarily  from  the  throne  ;  but  he  recovered 
his  power  after  the  death  of  the  king  of  Strathclyde  in  752,  and  the  defeat 
and  death  (as  it  would  seem)  of  the  claimant  in  the  same  year. 

For  Angus's  death  see  year  761. 

2  6  years  after  the  "  300th  year  "  after  444. 

^  Teudubr  was  king  of  Strathclyde.  His  death  is  placed  in  750  also  by 
Bede's  continuator  (E.C.,  56) ;  by  B.T.  in  M.A.,  B.T.  in  R.B.H.,  and  B.S. 
in  M.A.,  which  has  later  events  in  the  same  annal ;  see  above,  year  750, 
note. 

*  Placed  23  years  after  729,  i  year  before  753. 

^  lae.  This  event,  here  recorded  in  Latin,  is  repeated  by  T.  in  Irish, 
in  the  same  year-section,  probably  from  another  source  : — "  The  death  of 
Cilline,  son  of  Congal,  in  lona"  (z  n-  Hi).  Both  versions  appear  (in  Latin) 
also  in  A.U.,  i,  214,  s.a.  751  =  752  (with  marginal  note  "bissextile")- 

F.M.,  i,  350,  s.a.  747  (and  "the  9th  year  of  Donald"):  "St  Cilline 
Droichtech,  abbot  of  lona,  and  anchorite,  died  on  the  3rd  of  July." 

Droichtech  ("bridge-maker"),  apparently  a  nickname,  may  be  a  trans- 
lation of  the  Latin /(7«/'z/"£?;ir  (usually  "bishop,"  but  possibly  also  "abbot" 
in  Irish  writings).  Cf  Stokes,  in  Academy,  1889,  p.  240.  See  also  year 
697,  note. 

Martyrology  of  Gorman,  p.  128,  July  3rd  :  "  Cillein,  of  constant  virginity, 
a  white  champion  "  {Cilleiii  bithog  bangreit),  with  the  note  "  this  our  Cilline 
Droichtech  [was]  abbot  of  lona  of  Columcille." 

Brussels  Martyrology  of  Tallaght,  Kelly,  p.  xxviii,  July  3rd  :  "  Cilline 
abbot  of  lona." 

Martyrology  of  Tallaght  in  the  Book  of  Leinster,  p.  3706  (1905  Oengus, 
210):  "This  Adamnan  was  admirable:  he  had  great  love  of  God  and  of 
his  neighbour.  It  was  he  who  brought  together  the  great  collection  of 
holy  relics  into  one  shrine,  the  shrine  that  Cilline  Droichtech,  Dichloch's 
son,   brought   to    Ireland,    to  make   peace   and   a   covenant   between   the 


KINGS  TEUDUBR  AND  BRUDE  241 

Teudubr,  Beli's  son,  king  of  Dumbarton,'-  .  .  .  [and] 
Cummine,  Bee's  grandson,  the  religious  of  Eigg,  died.^ 

The  battle  of  Asreth  in  the  land  of  Circen,  between  Picts 
on  both  sides  ;  and  in  it  Brude,  Maelchon's  son,  fell.^ 

753 

Tigernacli,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  254* 

Columcille's  law  [was  enforced]  by  Donald  of  Meath.^ 

kindreds  of  Conall  and  of  Eogan.  ..."     Verses  ascribed  to  Adamnan 
follow,  enumerating  the  relics. 

Martyrology  of  Donegal,  June  3rd,  p.  184:  "  Cillen  Droichtech,  abbot 
of  lona  of  Columcille,  [died]  A.D.  75 r.  [He  was]  of  the  descendants  of 
Conall  Crimthann,  son  of  Niall  Nine-hostager  ;  and  he  gave  to  Ireland 
the  shrine,  or  the  many  relics  \^/aisi  iomdhd\  that  Adamnan  had  collected, 
to  make  peace  and  friendship  between  Cenel-Conaill  and  [CenelJ-Eogain  " 
(Tirconnell  and  Tyrone).  "  Here  is  the  beginning  of  the  poem  that 
Adamnan  made,  when  he  put  the  bag  containing  the  relics  on  Cillen's  back  : 

"  '  A  macain  as  sruith 

An  tiagh  nod  gaibhe  fort  muin,  etc' " 

See  year  704,  note. 

Reeves  quotes  Cilline's  pedigree  from  the  Naemsenchus  in  the  Book 
of  Lecan  (Adamnan,  p.  382):  "  Cilline  Droichtech,  son  of  Dicuill,  son  of 
Cilline,  son  of  Amalgaid,  son  of  Feradach,  son  of  Fiacc,  son  of  Cerball, 
son  of  Conall  Cremthann,  son  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages  "  ;  and  adds  : 
"His  ancestor  Fiac  was  brother  of  Diarmait,  king  of  Ireland"  for  21  years 
from  544  ;  cf  ibid.,  p.  68. 

^  I.e.  king  of  Strathclyde.  In  JVIS.  alochlandaid,  corrected  by  Stokes  to 
Alo  cluaide. 

For  Beli  (in  Irish,  Bile)  see  year  722. 

Teudubr  was  no  doubt  the  conqueror  of  Angus  in  750. 

2  Cummine's  death  is  similarly  recorded  by  A.U.,  u.s. 

3  By  the  "land  of  Circen"  we  may  understand  the  Mearns  ;  see  year 
598.  This  battle  does  not  appear  in  A.U.  If  it  is  correctly  entered  here, 
it  would  seem  that  Brude,  IVIaelchon's  son,  was  the  claimant  who  succeeded 
in  driving  Angus  from  the  throne  (750-752). 

*  Placed  24  years  after. 729.  Tigernach  records  eclipses  of  sun  and 
moon  in  this  year  ;  both  occurred  in  753. 

5  Similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  216,  s.a.  752  =  753. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.    119,   s.a.    749  =  753:    "The   Rules   of  St 
Columcille  were  established  in  Meath  by  king  Donald." 
Cf.  years  757,  778. 

Q 


242  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

754 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  255  ^ 

Slebine,  abbot  of  lona,  came  to  Ireland.^ 

756 

Chronicle  of  Melrose,  p.  6,  s.a.  756 

In  the  same  year,  Baldred  the  anchorite  departed  to  the 
Lord,  having  emulated  the  life  of  saints.^ 


757 

Tigernach,  Annals;   Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  257* 

Columcille's  law  [was  enforced]  by  Slebine.^ 

'  Placed  I  year  after  753. 

2  Similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  218,  s.a.  753  =  754- 

s  This  is  derived  from  S.D.  (E.G.,  56). 

There  is  an  interesting  but  fabulous  account  of  '■  the  contemplative  life 
of  the  blessed  Baldred,  bishop  and  confessor"  in  the  Breviary  of  Aberdeen 
(i,  3,  63-64).  Ibid.,  63  (after  the  death  of  Kentigern,  for  which  see  year 
612,  note):  "The  blessed  Baldred,  this  blessed  Kentigern's  suffragan 
while  Kentigern  lived  in  the  world,  flourished  in  Lothian  in  virtues  and 
evident  miracles  ;  a  man  truly  most  devout,  who  left  all  the  pomp  of  the 
world  and  its  futile  cares,  and  followed  after  the  divine  John,  to  the  best 
of  his  power.  He  dwelt  in  places  unfrequented  and  remote,  and  betook 
himself  to  islands  of  the  sea. 

"Among  these  islands  of  the  sea  he  landed  upon  one,  called  Bass,  and 
there  he  led  unquestionably  a  life  of  contemplation  and  austerity.  And 
upon  it  for  a  long  period  of  time  he  contemplated  with  constant  meditation 
upon  the  most  blessed  Kentigern,  his  instructor,  and  the  sanctity  of  his 
life  ;  and  he  commended  them  to  memory."  (This  seems  to  imply  that 
Baldred  had  written  a  life  of  Kentigern.  The  tradition  that  he  had  done 
so  would  account  for  the  false  idea  that  Baldred  had  been  Kentigern's 
pupil.)  According  to  this  Breviary,  Baldred  had  received  from  Kentigern 
the  churches  of  Oldham,  Cunningham,  and  Preston.  Baldred  caused 
a  rock  to  sail  out  of  the  way  of  navigation,  to  the  nearest  shore  ;  "and  it 
abides  there  to  this  day,  in  memory  of  this  miracle,  and  is  still  to-day 
called  the  tomb  or  boat  \tuniba  sen  scapha]  of  the  blessed  Baldred." 
St  Baldred's  Boat  is  the  name  of  a  rock  near  the  shore  of  Haddington, 
between  North  Berwick  and  Tynningham.  When  Baldred  died,  his  body 
was  triplicated,  to  satisfy  the  demands  of  his  three  churches. 

*  Placed  4  years  after  753.  Under  the  same  year-heading  is  the  note 
"  Edabard,  king  of  the  Saxons,  died."  Stokes  would  read,  with  A.U., 
" ^thelbeald,"  i.e.  the  king  of  Mercia  who  was  killed  in  755,  according  to 


MONASTIC  LAWS.     KING  DUMNAGUAL  243 

758 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  258  ^ 

Return  of  Slebine  to  Ireland. 

759 

Annals  of  the  Pour  Masters,  vol.  i,  p.  356,  s.a.  754  =  759^ 

Fedlimid,  or  Failbe,  abbot  of  lona,  died,  after  eighty-seven 
years  of  his  life. 

ca.  760 
Annales  Oambriae,  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol,  ix,  p.  i6r,  s.a.  [760]^ 

A  battle  between  the  Britons  and  the  Saxons,  that  is,  the 
battle  of  Hereford.*     And  Dumnagual,  Teudubr's  son,  died.^ 

A.S.C.  (ABCDEF).     Similarly  in  A.C.,  s.a.  [757] :  "Ethwalth,  king  of  the 
Saxons,  died." 

The  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  120,  s.a.  752  =  756  :  "yEthelbeald,  king  of 
England,  died." 

•'  Similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  220,  s.a.  756  =  757.     Cf.  years  753  and  778. 

^  Placed  5  years  after  753. 

-  Also  "the  i6th  year  of  Donald"  as  sovereign  of  Ireland. 

^  Placed  6  years  after  the  "310th  year"  after  444. 

^  Gueith  Hirford. 

'  The  death  of  Dumnagual,  Teudubr's  son,  is  placed  under  757  in 
B.T.  in  M.A.,  686  ;  under  760  in  B.S.  in  M.A.,  653,  and  in  B.T.  in 
R.B.H.,  258. 

Probably  Dumnagual  had  been  king  of  Strathclyde.  See  year  752. 
But  Strathclyde  had  become  subject,  apparently,  to  Northumbria  in  756 
(S.D.  ;  E.C.,  57). 

Skene  thought  that  for  this  reason  A.C.  intentionally  does  not  call 
Dumnagual  king  of  Strathclyde  (S.C.S.,  i,  296)  ;  but  his  argument  is 
baseless,  because  the  kings  of  Strathclyde  are  not  called  king  in  A.C. 
Cf.  above,  years  722,  752. 

The  next  king  of  Strathclyde  whose  name  is  recorded  died  in  872. 
The  heirs  to  the  kingdom  in  the  interval  may  be  found  in  Genealogy  V 
after  A.C.  (P.  &  S.,  15  ;  Y  Cymmrodor,  ix,  172-173) :  "Run,  son  of  Arthgal, 
son  of  Dumnagual,  son  of  Riderch,  son  of  Eugein,  son  of  Dumnagual,  son 
of  Teudubr,  son  of  Beli,  son  of  Elfin.  .  .  ."  (For  the  remainder  of  this 
pedigree  see  above,  p.  clviii.) 


241  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

ca.  761 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  259 ^ 

Angus,  king  of  Scotland,  died.^ 

'  Placed  6  years  after  753. 

^  This  event  is  repeated  by  Tigernach  (from  another  source)  two  years 
later  ;  ibid.,  260,  thus  :  "Angus,  the  son  of  Fergus,  king  of  the  Picts,  died." 
It  appears  more  correctly  in  A.U.,  i,  226,  s.a.  760  =  761  :  "The  death  of 
Angus,  Fergus'  son,  the  king  of  the  Picts." 

A.U.  record  under  the  next  year  (761=762)  "a  dark  moon,"  which 
seems,  from  the  table  given  in  L'Art  de  Verifier  les  Dates,  to  have  occurred 
in  763. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  120,  s.a.  755  =  759:  "Angus  [Enos],  king  of 
Scotland,  died."  Ibid.,  s.a.  757  =  761  :  "Angus,  Fergus'  son,  king  of 
Pictland,  died." 

The  Chronicle  of  Melrose,  6  (from  English  sources)  :  "  In  this  year 
[760]  died  Angus,  king  of  the  Picts." 

Bede's  continuator  and  S.D.  date  Angus's  death  in  761. 

The  Chronicle  of  the  Picts  (ABC)  gives  Angus  a  reign  of  30  years  ; 
possibly  729-750  and  752-761. 


PART  VIII 

Recovery  of  Dalriata.     Norwegian  Invasions. 
Union  of  the  Kingdoms  of  the  Scots  and  the  Picts 

ca.  763 

Dublin  Annals  of  Innisfallen,  Rerum  Hibernicarum  Scriptores, 
vol.  ii,  part  3,  p.  26,  s.a.  743 

Donald,  Murchaid's  son,  was  king  in  Tara  for  twenty 
years,  and  died  in  pilgrimage  in  lona  of  Columcille.^ 

ca.  763 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  261  ^ 

Brude,  king  of  Fortriu,  died.^ 

1  The  day  of  his  death  is  given  as  the  20th  November,  by  Tigernach 
and  A.U.  ;  the  year  as  762  =  763,  by  A.U.,  i,  226.  P.M.  record  his  death 
after  twenty  years'  reign  (i,  360),  s.a.  758,  and  state  that  he  was  buried  at 
Durrow.     But  none  of  these  mentions  the  place  of  his  death. 

A.U.  say  that  he  began  to  reign  in  742  =  743. 

The  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  121,  s.a.  759  =  763:  "King  Donald  was 
the  first  king  of  Ireland  of  Cland  Colman,  or  Maelsechlaind  ;  and  died 
quietly  in  his  death-bed  the  12th  of  the  Kalends  of  December,  in  the  year 
of  our  Lord  God  759." 

2  Placed  10  years  after  753.  In  the  same  year-section  Tigernach  and 
A.U.  record  a  "dark  sun  in  the  third  hour  of  the  day";  possibly  the 
eclipse  that  occurred  in  764,  June  4th,  11  a.m.,  Paris  time  ;  but  that  would 
have  been  in  the  5th  hour  in  Ireland.  (Cf  Einhardt,  Annales  ;  M.G.H., 
Scriptores,  i,  145,  s.a.  764.)  In  both  T.  and  A.U.  the  previous  year-section 
begins  thus  :  "  Great  snow  and  dark  moon."  There  were  eclipses  of  the 
moon  on  the  4th  January,  30th  June,  and  25th  December,  in  763,  but  there 
was  no  notable  eclipse  of  the  moon  in  762  or  761. 

2  Similarly  in  A.U.,  s.a.  762  =  763. 

This  was  the  Brude,  Fergus'  son,  who  reigned  for  2  years  after  Angus, 
Fergus'  son,  according  to  the  Chronicle  of  the  Picts  (ABC). 

245 


246  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

763 

Chronicle  of  Melrose,  p.  7,  s.a.  764 

In  this  year  died  also  .  .  .  bishop  Frithweald  of  Whithorn, 
and  Peohtwine  succeeded  him.^ 

ca.  766 

Annals  of  XJlster,  vol.  i,  p.  232,  s.a.  765=766^ 

Suibne,^  abbot  of  lona,  came  to  Ireland. 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  232,  s.a.  766  =  767 
The  repose  of  Slebine,  abbot  of  lona.* 

768 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  234,  s.a.  ']6']  =  'j6'i^ 

A  battle  [was  fought]  in  Fortriu,  between  Aed  and  Kenneth. 

'  This  is  borrowed  from  an  English  source  (cf.  S.D.,  s.a.  764). 

The  Chronicle  of  Melrose  (7)  also  inserts,  s.a.  766,  "  Frithweald,  bishop 
of  Chester,  died"  ;  copying  this  from  Henry  of  Huntingdon.     See  E.C.,  58. 

Frithweald's  predecessor  was  Peohthelm  (t735;  E.C.,  53,  55). 
Peohthelm  received  a  letter  from  Boniface,  archbishop  of  Mainz  (Giles, 
Patres  Ecclesiae,  Letters  of  Boniface,  i,  89)  aslsiing  for  his  prayers,  and  for 
references  to  ecclesiastical  writings  bearing  on  the  subject  of  marriage 
between  a  widow  and  her  son's  godfather. 

For  Peohtwine's  death,  see  year  776. 

-  766  is  indicated  by  the  sequence  ;  but  cf  the  notes  above,  under 
years  761  and  763. 

^  Suibne  (t  772)  had  succeeded  (759  x  766)  abbots  Slebine  (t  767)  and 
Fedlimid  (t  759)- 

■*  F.M.,  i,  364,  s.a.  762  (and  "the  4th  year  of  Niall"  Frossach  as  sovereign 
of  Ireland)  :  "  Slebine,  Congal's  son,  of  the  tribe  of  Conall  Gulban,  and 
abbot  of  lona,  died."  To  the  same  effect  in  the  Martyrology  of  Donegal, 
60,  under  March  2nd. 

A.I.,  22,  O'Conor's  year  754  (but  11  years  before  779  "the  beginning 
of  the  cycle"):  "[Death]  of  Slebine,  abbot  of  lona."  {Mors  "death"  in 
O'Conor's  text ;  the  MS.  is  discoloured  and  illegible,  but  I  think  it  has 
gtezes  "  repose.") 

Slebine  abbot  of  lona  is  supposed  by  Mr  Anscombe  to  be  mentioned 
by  Map-Urbagen  (Zeitschrift  fiir  celtische  Philologie,  i,  274-276).  M.G.H., 
Auctores,  xiii,  119  ;  and  Duchesne,  Revue  Celtique,  xv,  177. 

^  768  is  indicated  by  the  sequence  and  by  the  marginal  note  "bissextile." 

F.M.,  i,  366,  s.a.  763  (and  "the  5th  year  of  Niall"  Frossach  as  sovereign 
of  Ireland):  "A  battle  [was  fought]  between  the  Leinstermen  themselves. 


KING  KENNETH  247 

ca.  770 

Dublin  Annals  of  Innisfallen,  Rerum  Hibernicarum  Scriptores, 
vol.  ii,  part  3,  p.  26,  s.a.  763 

Niall  Frossach,  Fergal's  son,  reigned  for  fifteen  years  in 
Tara,  according  to  some  of  the  genealogists  ;  but  his  reign 
extended  only  for  seven  years,  before  he  took  upon  him 
religious  orders  ^  in  lona  of  Columcille,  where  he  was  a  monk 
for  eight  years ;  and  he  died  and  was  buried  there.^ 

772 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  240,  s.a.  771  =772 

The  death  ^  of  Suibne,  abbot  of  lona.* 

775 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  242,  s.a.  774  =  775 

The  death  of  Kenneth,^  the  king  of  the  Picts.^ 
.  .  .  And  Conall  of  Mag-luinge  .  .  .  perished.^ 

namely  Kenneth,   Fland's   son,  and  Aed,  in  Fortriu,  and  Aed  was  killed 
there." 

The  king  of  Dalriata  at  this  time  was  called  Aed  ;  but  he  lived  for  about 
ten  years  after  this  date.  Kenneth,  Feradach's  son,  was  king  of  the  Picts 
(see  year  775). 

'  ord  chrabhadh.  I.e.,  in  770.  He  became  sovereign  of  Ireland, 
according  to  A.U.,  in  762  =  763  ;  i,  228. 

2  His  death  is  mentioned  by  A.U.  ;  see  below,  year  778. 

F.M.,  i,  368,  s.a.  765=770  (and  "the  7th  year  of  Niall"):  "Niall 
Frossach,  Fergal's  son,  for  seven  years  king  over  Ireland,  died  in  lona  of 
Columcille  in  pilgrimage,  eight  years  afterwards." 

3  Mors.  His  death  is  placed  between  a  very  violent  thunderstorm  on 
September  29th,  and  two  three-days'  fasts  kept  by  the  Irish  in  consequence 
of  that  storm.  (This  occurrence  appears  to  have  been  entered  a  second 
time  in  A.U.,  i,  280,  under  the  year  798  =  799.)  The  year  after  Suibne's 
death  is  fixed  as  773,  by  the  lunar  eclipse  recorded  in  these  annals  on  the 
4th  December. 

<*  F.M.,  i,  370,  s.a.  767  =  772  (and  "the  2nd  year  of  Duncan,"  Donald's 
son,  as  king  of  Ireland) :  "  St  Suibne,  abbot  of  lona  of  Columcille,  died." 

A  Suibne  is  commemorated  on  September  27th  in  the  Martyrology  of 
Donegal,  260;  "Suibne,  abbot  of  lona  of  Columcille"  on  June  22nd, 
ibid.  174. 

^  Cinadhon. 

"  Annales  Cambriae,  Y  Cymmrodor,  ix,  162,  s.a.  [776]  (2  years  after  the 
"330th   year"   after   444):    "Kenneth"    {Cenioyd,   altered    from    Cenioid) 


248  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

775 

Chronicle  of  Melrose,  p.  8 

In  the  same  year  [77S],  Kenneth,  king  of  the  Picts,  died; 
and  earl  Eadulf,  taken  by  guile,  was  treacherously  slain.^ 

Chronicle  of  Melrose,  p.  9 

In   the    year    776,   Peohtwine,   the   bishop    of    Whithorn, 
departed  to  the  Lord  ;  and  ^thelbeorht  succeeded  him.^ 

776 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  244,  s.a.  77^  =  77^^ 

The  death*  of  Maelmanach,  abbot  of  Kingarth.^ 

777 

Chronicle  of  Melrose,  p.  9,  s.a.  777 

^thelbeorht,  who  had  succeeded  Peohtwine,  was  consecrated 
at  York." 

ca.  778 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  248,  s.a.  777  =  77?, 

.  .  .  And  Aed  Find,  Eochaid's  son,  king  of  Dalriata,  .  .  . 
died.7 

"king  of  the  Picts,  died."  Similarly  in  B.S.  in  M.A.  653,  s.a.  775,  with  the 
spelling  Cevioyd.  His  death  is  placed  a  year  after  [773]  in  MSS.  CDE  of 
B.T.  ;  Ab  Ithel's  ed.,  6. 

This  is  the  Kenneth  who  reigned,  according  to  the  Chronicle  of  the 
Picts  (AB),  for  12  years  after  Brude,  Fergus'  son  (t  763). 

'  I.e.,  abbot  of  Mag-luinge  in  Tiree.     Of.  above,  year  673. 

F.M.,  i,  374,  s.a.  770  =  775  (and  "the  5th  year  of  Duncan  in  the 
sovereignty"  over  Ireland) :— "and  Conall,  abbot  of  IVIag-luinge,  [died]." 

'  This  is  derived  from  S.D.  ;  see  E.G.,  58,  note. 

^  This  is  derived  from  English  sources  (cf.  S.D.,  ii,  46).     See  year  777. 

^  With  the  marginal  note  "  bissextile." 

*  Mors,  probably  "  violent  death  "  when  applied  by  these  annals  to  the 
death  of  a  churchman. 

^  F.M.,  i,  374,  s.a.  Tji=yye  (and  "the  6th  year  of  Duncan  in  the 
sovereignty"  over  Ireland)  :  "  Maelmaenaig,  abbot  of  Kingarth,  died." 

"  This  is  derived  from  English  sources.     See  E.G.,  59. 

For  jEthelbeorht's  transference  and  successor,  see  year  790. 

'  F-M.,  i,  376,  s.a.  771=776  :  "Aed  Find,  lord  of  Dalriata,  died." 

Annals  of  Glonmacnoise,  p.   123,  s.a.  769  =  776:    "Mine  author  sayeth 


KINGS  AED  AND  ALPIN  249 

778 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  248,  s.a.  JJ"]  =  778 

Columba's  law  [was  enforced]  by  Duncan  ^  and  Bressal.  .  .  . 
Niall  Frossach,^  Fergal's  son,  died  in  lona.  .  .  . 
Ethne,  daughter  of  Kenneth,^  died. 

780 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  250,  s.a.  779  =  780 

The  burning  of  Dumbarton  on  the  Kalends  of  January.  .  .  . 
Alpin,  king  of  the  Saxons,*  died. 

that  king  Niall  Frossach  and  Aed  Find  {Htigh  ffynn\  king  of  Dalriata  or 
Redshanks,  died  this  year."     For  Niall's  death  see  below. 

Fordun  III,  46,  says  that  "Aed  Find  {Ethfyn),  the  son  of  Eugenius  VI, 
succeeded  Muiredach"  (see  year  736),  and  reigned  730-761  :  ".  .  .  In  his 
last  days  he  had  to  fight  with  the  Picts."  Fordun  says  that  Aed  Find  was 
succeeded  in  761  by  Eugenius  VII,  Muiredach's  son  :  "but  in  one  chronicle 
he  is  called  Nectanius.  .  .  .  And  he  reigned  for  2  years." 

King  Aed  Find  seems  to  have  introduced  new  laws  ;  perhaps  Pictish 
laws  had  been  imposed  upon  the  Scots  by  Angus  in  741.  See  below,  year 
862.     (Cf.  Robertson's  E.K.,  i,  19.) 

Aed  Find  ("the  white")  is  allowed  a  reign  of  30  years  by  the  Chronicle 
of  Dalriata,  and  by  the  Duan  ;  [747-777]  in  the  Prose  Chronicle  (see  years 
736,  781,  notes). 

The  Chronicle  of  Dalriata  says  that  Aed  Find  was  the  son  of  Eochaid, 
son  of  Domangart,  son  of  Donald  Brecc.  But  Eochaid,  Domangart's 
son,  died  in  697,  and  it  is  very  unlikely  that  Aed  should  have  survived  his 
father  by  80  years.  His  father,  Eochaid,  might  have  been  the  son  of 
Eochaid,  Domangart's  son. 

The  Prose  Chronicle  (above,  year  736,  note)  calls  Aed  Find  the  son  of 
Ewen,  son  of  Muiredach,  who  is  there  called  son  of  Ewen,  but  who  was 
probably  the  son  of  Ainfcellach  (t7i9)- 

Fordun  says  that  Aed  Find  was  the  son  of  Eugenius  VI,  the  son  of 
Findan  and  brother  of  Ainfcellach  (see  736,  note).  Eogan,  son  of  Findan, 
in  Chronicles  DFIK,  is  called  Ewen,  son  of  Ferchar  Fota,  in  E.  This 
would  connect  Aed  with  the  house  of  Loarn. 

^  The  sovereign  of  Ireland.  For  Columba's  law  cf.  above,  years  753 
and  757. 

2  See  above,  year  770. 

3  Cinadhon.  See  above,  year  775.  F.M.,  s.a.  773  =  778  (and  "the  8th 
year  of  Duncan  over  Ireland") :  "Ethne,  daughter  of  Kenneth  \Cia)iado7r\ 
died." 

*  In  text  Eilpifi,  rex  Saxontcm.  Skene  would  infer  that  Alpin  had 
Saxons  within  his  dominion;  P.  &  S.,  cxxvi,  note;   S.C.S.,  i,   301.      This 


250  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

781 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  254,  s.a.  780  =  781 

.  .  .  Fergus,  Eochaid's  son,  king  of  Dalriata,  .  .  .  died.^ 

seems  to  have  been  the  "  Alpin,  Wroid's  son  "  of  the  Chronicle  of  the  Picts, 
ABC,  where  he  is  said  to  have  reigned  after  Kenneth  (t  775).  His  name 
is  probably  of  Anglo-Saxon  origin  (^Ifwine) ;  perhaps  his  mother  was 
English. 

It  is  clear  from  events  at  years  781  and  782  also  that  the  kingdom  was 
divided  at  this  time.     But  the  reading  of  the  text  is  perhaps  corrupt. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  123,  s.a.  773  =  780:  "Alpin  [Alpimzjjkmg  of 
the  Picts,  died." 

^  F.M.,  i,  382,  s.a.  776  =  781  (and  "the  nth  year  of  Duncan,"  sovereign 
of  Ireland)  :  "  Fergus,  Eochaid's  son,  lord  of  Dalriata,  died." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  124,  s.a.  778  =  781  :  ".  .  .  Fergus  Cathal's  son 
\_ffergus  mcCahair\  king  of  Dalriata  or  Redshanks  .  .  .  died." 

The  Chronicle  of  Dalriata  gives  Fergus  a  reign  of  3  years  (in  the  Prose 
Chronicle  [777-780] ). 

Fergus  is  called  Aed  Find's  son  by  the  Chronicle  of  Dalriata,  the  Prose 
Chronicle,  and  Fordun.  Their  authority  will  not  stand  against  that  of 
A.U.,  which  would  imply  that  he  was  Aed  Find's  brother. 

Fordun,  III,  46,  says  that  Fergus  succeeded  Eugenius  VII  (see  years 
736,  778,  notes)  ;  and  that  his  wife  poisoned  him  through  jealousy,  and 
afterwards  poisoned  and  stabbed  herself. 

Fland  Mainistrech  (above,  p.  cxlvii)  says  that  Eochaid  reigned  after 
Fergus  and  before  Donald,  Constantine's  son. 

Prose  Chronicle  inserted  in  CM.,  9,  14,  16,  223  (P.  &  S.,  177);  s.a. 
777  : — "  Aed,  king  of  the  Scots,  died  ;  and  his  son  Fergus  succeeded  him." 
S.a.  780  : — "  Fergus,  the  king  of  the  Scots,  died  ;  and  his  son  Selbach 
\Seluand'\  succeeded  him."  S.a.  804  : — "  Selbach  \Seluad\  the  king  of  the 
Scots,  died  ;  and  Eochaid  the  Poisonous  \Eokal  venenostes]  succeeded 
him."  S.a.  834  : — "  Eochaid  [^Eokal'],  the  king  of  the  Scots,  died  ;  and  his  son 
Dungal  succeeded  him"  (in  margin,  "Donald").  S.a.  841  : — "  Dungal,  the 
king  of  the  Scots,  died  ;  Alpin,  Eochaid's  \_Eokaf\  son,  succeeded  him." 

The  reigns  of  Selbach,  Eochaid,  and  Dungal,  aie  fictitious.  Cf.  year 
841,  note. 

Selbach  is  called  "  Eogan's  son,"  and  has  24  years'  reign  assigned  to  him 
in  the  Chronicle  of  Dalriata  ;  see  p.  cxxxiii.  Selbach,  in  reality  "  Ferchar's 
son"  (A.U.  ;  t73o),  seems  to  have  reigned  about  701-723. 

Fordun,  III,  47  : — "Fergus'  successor,  Selbach,  son  of  Eugenius,  son  of 
Ferchar,  began  to  reign  in  the  year  of  the  Lord  766,  .  .  .  and  he  reigned 
for  twenty-one  years.  He  had  peace  with  the  Picts  and  the  Angles  in  the 
days  of  his  reign,  although  they  carried  on  domestic  struggles  among 
themselves.  .  .  ."  The  Northumbrians,  he  says,  were  employed  in  rebellions 
against  their  kings,  so  that  a  strong  Scottish  leader  could  have  annexed 
"all  the  districts  which  once  belonged  to  Scotland."     But   Selbach  was 


KINGS  OF  ARGYLE  251 

idle  ;  "  And  the  king  departed  by  a  tranquil  death  at  Inverlochy  ;  and  he 
rests  in  the  Island  [of  lona],  with  his  fathers." 

Fordun,  III,  48:  "And  to  [Selbach]  succeeded  Eochaid  \Acfiaius, 
Achay\  son  of  Aed  Find,  in  the  year  of  the  Lord  787  ;  .  .  .  and  he  reigned 
for  thirty-two  years. 

"[Eochaid's]  brother,  according  to  tradition,  was  that  remarkable 
knight  Gilmerius  Scotus,  who  long  fought  vigorously  in  king  Charles's 
service  against  the  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  so  won  for  himself 
an  eternal  name,  glorious  for  deeds  at  arms  distinguished  by  knightly 
honour. 

"  The  alliance  of  a  treaty  \amicitia  confoederationis\  between  the  kings 
of  the  Scots  and  of  the  French,  and  their  kingdoms,  which  still  in  our  days 
lasts  unimpaired,  praised  be  God,  was  begun  by  the  great  king  Charles  and 
this  Eochaid  ;  and  the  first  occasion  was  this  which  follows.  A  little  before 
Eochaid  reigned,  in  the  time,  in  fact,  of  his  predecessor,  the  English  kings 
were  lifted  up  with  pride  because  they  had  conquered  the  Britons  ;  and  not 
satisfied  with  molesting  only  the  nations  near  them  in  the  same  island,  the 
Scots  and  the  Picts  and  the  Britons,  they  did  their  best  to  afflict  very  often, 
with  plundering  from  their  ships,  also  the  foreign  nations  of  the  French 
along  the  coast,  and  to  disturb  the  whole  Belgian  and  British  Sea.  .  .  ." 
Charlemagne  sent  messengers  to  Eochaid,  he  says,  asking  for  an  alliance, 
which  was  formed  ;  but  the  English  also  came  to  terms  with  Charlemagne. 
Fordun  concludes  by  referring  to  Alcuin's  mission  to  Charlemagne,  and 
saying  :  "  for  recently  some  strife  had  arisen  between  them "  ("  between 
king  Charles  and  king"  Offa"  of  the  Mercians,  in  Alcuin,)  "and  was 
inflamed  by  the  devil's  fanning,  until  navigation  was  prohibited  on  both 
sides,  and  ceased."  The  reference  is  taken  inexactly  from  Higden, 
Polychronicon,  vi,  242-244  ;  by  Higden  from  WiUiam  of  Malniesbury,  i,  68. 
The  words  quoted  are  taken  directly,  though  not  exactly,  from  a  letter 
written  by  Alcuin  in  the  beginning  of  790  to  Colcu  of  Clonmacnoise 
(t  794  ;  S.D.,  ii,  56)  ;  M.G.H.,  Epistolae,  iv,  32. 

The  letter  of  Alcuin  quoted  by  Fordun  (III,  49)  in  which  Scottish 
ambassadors  are  spoken  of  as  bringing  to  Charlemagne  news  of  /Ethelred's 
death  is  that  written  to  Offa  in  796,  after  April  18th  ;  u.s.,  147. 

Fordun's  account  of  this  Franco-Scottish  alliance  is  baseless,  because 
Alcuin's  Scots  were  the  Irish  (cf  below,  812x814).  Fordun's  estimate  of 
the  condition  of  Northumbria  at  this  time  (its  inability  to  resist  invasion 
if  it  had  been  attacked  ;  III,  47)  is  probably  based  upon  Alcuin's  account 
of  the  civil  dissensions  there  ;  e.g.,  M.G.H.,  Epistolae,  iv,  180. 

Irish  also  were  the  "two  priests  from  Scotland,  namely  John  and 
Clement,  most  learned  men,"  who  "at  the  instigation  of  Charles  the 
Great"  founded  the  Paris  university,  according  to  Fordun,  in  this  reign 
(Fordun,  III,  51). 

Dungal  is  called  "Selbach's  son"  in  the  Chronicle  of  Dalriata  (DEIK  ; 
"  Eochaid's  son  "  in  F),  and  given  there  30  years'  reign.  These  chronicles, 
omit  Dungal,  Selbach's  son,  from  his  proper  place  (723-726  and  ca. 
733-736),  and  give  the  fictitious   Dungal  the  same  length  of  reign  as   is 


252  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

assigned  to  the  real  Dungal  by  the  Duan  (see  year  741).  See  the  table 
on  pp.  cxxxiv-cxxxv. 

Between  Eochaid  and  Dungal,  Fordun  places  an  additional  king, 
Conall  iConvallus). 

Fordun,  III,  53: — ".  .  .  After  king  Eochaid  had  ended  his  life,  his 
kinsman  Conall  was  raised  to  the  rule  of  the  kingdom,  in  the  year  of  the 
Lord  819  ;  .  .  .  and  he  reigned  for  five  years.  .  .  . 

"And  in  the  following  year  a  great  question  concerning  the  right  of  the 
kingship  of  the  Picts  began  to  arise,  and  to  be  discussed  in  the  mouths  of 
all,  both  rulers  and  people  ;  the  assertion  being  made  that  the  Scots  ought 
to  have  it.     Yet  it  did  not  come  to  effect. 

"After  completing  five  years  [on  the  throne]  Conall  died,  and 
immediately  Dungal,  Selbach's  son,  began  to  reign,  in  the  year  of  the 
Lord  824  ;  .  .  .  and  he  reigned  for  seven  years. 

"  By  him  was  renewed  the  war  against  the  Picts,  which  had  been  at 
rest  for  almost  fifty  years  :  he  said  that  their  kingdom  was  his,  by  right  of 
an  ancient  agreement.  .  .  ."  Here  Fordun  quotes  the  fabulous  account 
given  by  Bede  in  explanation  of  Pictish  laws  of  succession.  When  the 
Picti  migrated  from  Scythia,  the  Irish  refused  to  allow  them  to  settle  in 
Ireland,  but  directed  them  to  proceed  to  Britain.  Bede,  H.E.,  I,  i  (i,  12) : 
"  And  so  the  Picti  went  to  Britain,  and  began  to  settle  here  and  there  in 
the  northern  parts  of  the  island  ;  because  the  Britons  had  occupied  the 
south.  The  Picti  had  not  wives  ;  and  when  they  asked  the  Scots  for  them, 
the  [Scots]  agreed  to  give  them  upon  this  condition  only,  that,  when  the 
matter  [of  succession]  came  to  be  in  doubt,  they  should  choose  their  king 
rather  from  the  female  than  from  the  male  side  of  the  royal  family  \inagis 
de  femiiiea  regum  prosapia  quam  de  masculind]  ;  and  this  is  known  to  be 
kept  up  among  the  Picts  to  this  day." 

This  story  of  the  arrival  of  a  tribe  of  Picti  in  North  Britain  may  have 
some  basis  in  fact.  But  after  the  time  of  the  Roman  occupation  the  name 
"Picts"  was  applied  not  to  one  tribe,  but  to  all  the  northern  Britons  who 
had  not  been  brought  under  the  dominion  of  the  empire. 

Fordun  proceeds:  "And  perhaps  this  might  have  been  the  cause  of 
this  claim  or  dispute.  Because  it  is  true  that  we  find  from  their  chronicles 
and  histories  that  from  the  beginning,  in  the  days  of  peace,  true  friendship 
was  cherished  between  them,  to  so  great  extent  that  their  kings  and 
princes  almost  constantly  took  their  spouses  and  wives  from  the  other  side, 
from  the  sons  and  daughters  of  the  kings  and  princes  of  the  Scots  ;  and 
conversely  [the  Scots  from  the  Picts].  But  He  knows,  to  whom  nothing 
is  unknown,  this  cause  of  later  strife,  and  by  whose  fault  this  most  cruel 
war  began,  not  ending  until,  as  it  pleased  Him  who  is  the  ruler  of  all 
kingdoms  and  their  destroyer  when  he  will,  the  Scots  totally  overcame  the 
Picts,  and  finally  obtained  their  kingdom  and  the  palm  of  victory. 

"Then  in  his  seventh  year  Dungal  died  (but  it  is  said  elsewhere  that 
he  was  killed  in  battle)  ;  and,  buried  in  the  church  of  Columba,  he  rests  in 
the  islands  beside  his  father." 

For  the  question  of  the  conquest  see  year  843. 


KINGS  OF  THE  PICTS  253 

782 

Annals  of  XJIster,  vol.  i,  pp.  254,  256,  s.a.  781  =7821 

.  .  .  Dubthalorc,  king  of  the  Picts  on  this  side  of  Mounth,^ 
and  Muiredach,  Uargal's  son,  prior  ^  of  lona,  .  .  .  died. 

782-783 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  256,  s.a.  781=782 
Entrance  into  monastic  life*  of  Artgal,  Cathal's  son,  king 

^  782  is  indicated  also  by  the  statement  that  27th  August  was  Tuesday. 

^  citra  Monoth.  This  means  that  he  was  king  of  Fortriu  and  Mearns, 
but  not  of  Athole,  Moray,  or  Ross.  Above  (years  780,  781)  we  find  two 
other  provinces  ruled  by  kings  :  one  called  "  the  Saxons,"  which  (if  correct) 
must  have  included  Lothian  ;  the  other,  "  Dalriata." 

Between  the  reigns  of  Alpin,  Wroid's  son  (t  780),  and  of  Conall,  Tadc's 
son  (5  years  to  789,  1 807),  therefore  apparently  within  the  period  780  to 
784,  the  Chronicle  of  the  Picts  names  three  kings  : — Drust,  Talorcan's  son, 
I  year  (B)  ;  Talorcan,  Drostan's  son,  4  or  5  years  (B)  ;  and  Talorcan, 
Angus'  son,  2J  (A)  or  izj  years  (BC)  (5  years,  DFIK  and  Fordun). 

Talorcan,  Drostan's  son,  might  have  been  king  in  Athole  (like  the 
Talorcan  who  died  in  739).  If  this  were  so,  we  should  have  to  identify  the 
Ulster  Annals'  Dubthalorc  with  Talorcan,  Angus'  son.  (Dubthalorc  is  a 
qualified  form  of  Talorc,  literally  "black  Talorc."  Talorcan  is  a  diminutive 
of  Talorc,  with  which  it  is  freely  interchanged.)  Skene  thought  that 
Talorcan's  reign  was  a  breach  in  the  Pictish  succession,  since  his  father, 
Angus,  had  been  king.  But  we  do  not  know  that  Angus'  wife  was  not  a 
Pictish  princess. 

Constantine,  Fergus'  son,  is  given  a  reign  of  35  years  in  the  Pictish 
Chronicle  (ABC),  after  the  reign  of  Conall,  Tadc's  son',  who  reigned  for 
5  years,  and  was  deposed  by  Constantine  in  789.  Constantine  died  in  820  : 
so  that  if  Conall  and  Constantine  reigned  together,  Constantine's  reign 
would  have  been  about  785-820  ;  otherwise,  about  780-785  and  789-820. 
But  Fland  and  the  Duan  seem  to  imply  that  Donald,  Constantine's  son, 
reigned  in  Argyle  from  about  781  to  about  805.     (See  year  792,  note.) 

Any  solution  of  these  enigmas  must  be  conjectural.  What  seems  certain 
is  that  the  affairs  of  both  Pictland  and  Dalriata  were  in  great  confusion, 
a  decade  before  the  first  recorded  appearance  of  the  Scandinavians  in 
western  Scotland. 

^  equonimusj  in  'F.M..,  prioir. 

F.M.,  i,  382,  s.a.  777  =  782  (and  "the  12th  year  of  Duncan,"  sovereign  of 
Ireland) :  "  Muiredach,  Uargal's  son,  prior  of  lona  of  Columcille,  died." 

"i  Bachall  Artgaile,  literally  "the  staff  [-taking]  of  Artgal."  This  is  the 
Irish  equivalent  of  clericaius  as  used  by  the  Irish  annalists  (cf.  W.  Stokes, 
in  the  Academy,  1 889,  p.  240). 


254  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

of  Connaught ;   and  his   pilgrimage   to    lona  in  the  following 
year.i 

789 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  266,  s.a.  788  =  789 

A  battle  [took  place]  among  the  Picts,  and  there  Conall 
Tadc's  son  v/as  conquered  and  escaped,  and  Constantine  was 
the  conqueror.^ 

790 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  268,  s.a.  789  =  790 

The  death  ^  of  Noah,  abbot  of  Kingarth.* 

790 

Chronicle  of  Melrose,  p.  11,  s.a.  790 

Bealdulf  was  ordained  bishop  at  Whithorn.^ 

'  F.M.,  i,  382,  s.a.  777  =  782  :  "  Artgal,  Cathal's  son,  king  of  Connaught, 
took  the  staff,  and  went  to  lona  in  pilgrimage  the  following  year." 

Cf  A.U.,  i,  270,  s.a.  790  =  791  :  ".  .  .  Artgal,  Cathal's  son,  king  of 
Connaught,  died  in  lona.  .  .  ."  F.M.,  i,  392,  s.a.  786  =  791  :  "Artgal, 
Cathal's  son,  king  of  Connaught,  died  in  lona  of  Columcille,  in  pilgrimage." 

^  A.U.  (i,  270)  have  under  the  next  year,  789  =  790:  "The  battle  of 
Conall  and  Constantine  is  written  here  in  other  books." 

See  year  807. 

In  the  year  790  there  was  warfare  in  Ulster.  A.U.,  s.a.  789  =  790: 
"A  great  slaughter  of  Ulstermen  by  [the  men  of]  Dalaraide."  This  is 
rendered  in  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  127,  s.a.  787  =  790:  "There  was 
a  great  slaughter  of  Ulstermen  by  the  Redshanks  or  Dalriata "  ;  read 
"by  Dalaraide"? 

^  Mors,  perhaps  "  death  by  violence." 

*  F.M.,  i,  392,  s.a.  785  =  790  (and  "the  20th  year  of  Duncan"  as 
sovereign  of  Ireland) :  "  Noah,  abbot  of  Kingarth,  .  .  .  died." 

°  This  is  derived  from  an  English  source.     See  E.C.,  59-60  ;  D.B.,  352. 

Bealdulf's  predecessor,  ^thelbeorht,  had  in  the  previous  year  been 
made  bishop  of  Hexham  ;  where  he  died  in  797  (C.IVI.  ;  A.S.C.).  Cf.  CM., 
12,  s.a.  796  :  "Eanbald,  archbishop  of  York,  died  ;  and  the  other  Eanbald 
succeeded  him,  ordained  by  the  bishops  yEthelbeorht,  Hygebeald,  and 
Bealdulf."  Hygebeald  was  bishop  of  Lindisfarne,  from  780  to  803 
(A.S.C.,  DE). 

After  BealduIPs  episcopate,  the  bishopric  of  Whithorn  lapsed  (E.C., 
53,  note). 


792 


794 


NORWEGIAN  INVADERS  255 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  272,  s.a.  791  =792 
.  Donncorci,  king  of  Dalriata,  died.^ 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  274,  s.a.  793  =  794 
Devastation  of  all  the  islands  of  Britain  by  the  gentiles." 


795 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  274,  s.a.  794=795 

The  burning  of  Rathlin  by  the  gentiles ;  and  Skye  was 
pillaged  and  devastated.^ 

'  F.M.  i,  394,  s.a.  787-792  :  "  Donncoirche,  lord  of  Dalriata,  died." 

According  to  Fland  and  the  Duan,  the  king  of  Argyle  at  this  time 
seems  to  have  been  Donald,  Constantine's  son.  The  reign-lengths  in  the 
Duan  suggest  that  Donald  may  have  reigned  from  about  781  to  about  805  ; 
see  the  table  on  page  cxxxiv.  But  Donald  was  probably  the  son  of 
Constantine,  king  of  the  Picts,  and  had  probably  been  set  over  Dalriata 
by  his  father ;  therefore  there  is  a  presumption  that  he  did  not  reign 
in  Argyle  before  the  beginning  of  Constantine's  reign  over  the  Picts, 
apparently  in  789.  If  this  were  so,  and  the  Duan's  reign-lengths  were 
correct,  Donald  would  have  reigned  in  Argyle  from  789  to  812  ;  and  his 
father,  from  812  to  1 820.  The  other  kings  of  Dalriata  named  in  the  period 
of  Constantine's  reign  would  in  that  case  have  been  native  pretenders. 
Conall  Aidan's  son  seems  to  have  been  a  pretender  in  Kintyre  in  807. 
Donncorci  was  probably  an  earlier  claimant.  His  name  may  have  been 
a  nick-name  ("brown  oats").  It  does  not  occur  in  the  Book  of  Leinster's 
list  of  the  kings  of  Dalaraide. 

^  In  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise  these  "gentiles"  are  called  Danes: 
s.aa.  791,  792,  795,  803,  808,  etc.     They  were  probably  Norwegians. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  127,  s.a.  791=794:  "All  the  islands  of 
Britain  were  wasted  and  much  troubled  by  the  Danes  ;  this  was  their 
first  footing  in  England." 

The  first  arrival  of  the  Danes  is  recorded  thus  in  A.S.C.  ABCDE, 
s.a.  787  :  "  In  this  year  king  Beorhtric  took  Offa's  daughter,  Eadburh, 
[as  his  wife,  F].  And  in  his  days  came  first  three  ships  [from  Hereth'aland, 
DEF].  And  then  the  sheriff  rode  there,  and  wished  to  drive  them  to  the 
king's  town,  because  he  knew  not  what  they  were  ;  and  they  slew  him 
[there,  DE].  These  were  the  first  ships  of  Danish  men  that  sought  the 
land  of  the  English  race."  (F  omits  "And  then  .  .  .  him.")  If  Heretha- 
land  is  Hordaland,  versions  DEF  would  bring  these  Danes  from  Norway. 
The  English  writers  call  both  Danish  and  Norwegian  invaders  "  Danes." 

■''  Loscadh  Rechrainne  o  geinntibh  ocus  Sci  doscradh  ocus  do  lomradh ; 
but  the  version  of  O'Donovan,  F.IVI.,  i,  397,  reads,  ociis  a  scrme  do  c\K\oscradh 


256  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

795 

Annals  of  Innisfallen ;  Rerum  Hibernicarum  Scriptores,  vol.  ii, 

part  2,  p.  24 ;    O'Conor's  year  781  =795  ^ 

Devastation  of  lona  of  Columcille,  and  of  Inishmurray  and 
of  Inishboffin. 

796 

Annals  of  Innisfallen,  u.s.,  p.  24;  O'Conor's  year  782  =  796^ 

The  gentiles  in  Ireland. 

798 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  278,  s.a.  797  =  798 

Patrick's  Island  was  burned  by  the  gentiles ;  and  they  took 
away  tribute  from  the  provinces,^  and  Dochonna's  shrine  was 

ocus  do  lomrad\l{\.  The  English  translator  had  the  latter  reading  ("who 
spoyled  and  impoverished  the  shrines  "  Hennessy,  A.U.,  u.s.,  note).  So 
also  in  F.M.,  i,  396,  s.a.  790  =  795  (and  "the  25th  year  of  Duncan"  as 
sovereign  of  Ireland) :  Losccadh  Rechrainde  6  dhibhearccaibh,  7  a  Sccrine 
do  chosccradh  7  do  lomradh  ...  "by  plunderers;  and  its  shrines  were 
pillaged  and  devastated." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  127,  s.a.  792  =  795  :  "Rathlin  \_Rachry}iii\  was 
burnt  by  the  Danes." 

Probably  by  Rechrainn  Rathlin  is  meant.  A.U.  record,  s.a.  798  =  799: 
"Feradach,  Segine's  son,  abbot  of  Rechrainn,  died."  Similarly  F.M., 
s.a.  794  =  799. 

Cf.  above,  pp.  159-160. 

Annales  Cambriae,  s.a.  [795]  (the  year  after  the  "  350th  year"  after  444) : 
"The  first  arrival  of  the  gentiles  among  the  southerners,  to  Ireland" 
apud  dexterales  ad  Bibemiam).  This  is  explained  by  B.T.  in  M.A.,  586, 
s.a.  795:  "The  Black-pagans  came  for  the  first  time  to  the  island  of 
Britain,  from  the  land  of  Denmark  ;  and  they  did  great  evils  in  England. 
After  this  they  came  to  Glamorgan.  And  there  they  did  much  slaying  and 
burning  ;  but  in  the  end  the  Cymry  overcame  them,  and  drove  them  to  the 
sea,  after  very  many  of  them  had  been  killed.  And  then  they  went  to 
Ireland,  where  they  devastated  Rechreyn,  and  other  places."  Cf.  B.T.  in 
R.B.H.,  258:  "790  years  was  the  age  of  Christ  when  the  pagans  went 
first  to  Ireland"  (MSS.  CDE  add:  "and  Rechrenn  was  devastated." 
Ab  Ithel's  ed.,  8).  B.S.  in  M.A.,  653,  s.a.  795  :  "The  pagans  came  for  the 
first  time  to  Ireland,  and  Rechreyn  was  devastated." 

D.A.I.,  27,  year  795  :  "Scandinavians  pillaged  round  Ireland:  the  ships  of 
the  men  of  Ireland  were  captured  and  plundered  by  them  for  the  first  time." 

^  3  years  before  798,  which  is  indicated  by  f.n.  and  e. 

^  2  years  before  798. 

^  borinie  na  crich  do  breith. 


NORWEGIAN  INVADERS  257 

broken  by  them,  and  other  great  incursions  [were   made]    by 
them,  both  in  Ireland  and  in  Scotland.^ 


798 

Dublin  Annals  of  Innisfallen,  Rerum  Hibernicarum  Scriptores, 
vol.  ii,  part  3,  p.  27  ;  s.a.  798 

The  Hebrides  and  Ulster  were  plundered  by  Scandinavians.^ 

798 

Annales  Oamtariae,  in  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  163,  s.a.  [798]^ 

Caratauc,  the  king  of  Gwynedd,  was  killed  by  the  Saxons.* 

801 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  284,  s.a.  800  =  801 

Bressal,  Segine's  son,  abbot  of  lona,  slept  in  the  thirty-first 
year  of  his  principate.^ 

'  F.M.,  i,  400,  s.a.  793  =  798  (and  "the  ist  year  of  Aed  Oirdnide,  Niall 
Frossach's  son,  in  sovereignty  over  Ireland"):  "Patrick's  Island  was 
burned  by  aliens  [/a  h-allmuirechaibh\  and  Dochonna's  shrine  was  taken 
by  them  ;  and  other  incursions  were  made  by  them  both  in  Ireland  and 
in  Scotland." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  128,  s.a.  795  =  798:  "The  island  of 
St  Patrick  was  burnt  by  the  Danes  ;  they  ta.xed  the  lands  with  great 
taxations  ;  they  took  the  relics  of  St  Dochonna,  and  made  many  invasions 
to  this  kingdom,  and  took  many  rich  and  great  booties,  as  well  from 
Ireland  as  from  Scotland." 
^  do  Lochlannaibh. 

^  4  years  after  the  "350th  year"  after  444. 

4  Similarly  in  B.S.  in  M.A.,  653,  s.a.  798.  B.T.  in  R.B.H.,  258,  places 
Caratauc's  death  in  800  ;  B.T.  in  M.A.,  686,  places  it  in  796,  and  calls  him 
"  son  of  Gwyn,  son  of  Collwyn." 

s  F.M.,  i,  404,  s.a.  796  =  801  (and  "the  3rdyear  of  Aed  in  the  sovereignty" 
over  Ireland) :  "  Bressal,  Segine's  son,  abbot  of  lona,  died,  after  being 
thirty-one  years  in  the  abbacy." 

The  name  "Bressal"  appears  in  the  Martyrology  of  Gorman,  p.  98, 
under  May  i8th  ;  with  the  note  "from  Derthach"  {6  Dherthaigh;  some 
oratory  so  named.  Similarly  in  the  Martyrology  of  Donegal ;  o  Durthach 
in  Martyrology  of  Tallaght,  L.L.,  360 f,  but  o  Dirthach  in  the  Brussels 
version  ;  all  under  May  i8th). 

R 


258  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

802 

Annals  of  the  Pour  Masters,  vol.  i,  404,  s.a.  797  =  802 

Condachtach,   a   distinguished    scribe,  and    abbot  of  lona, 
.  .  .  died. 

802 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  pp.  284,  286,  s.a.  801  =So2 

Macc-oigi  of  Applecross,  abbot  of  Bangor,  .  .  .  ended  [his] 
life  happily  in  peace.^  .  .  . 

lona  of  Columcille  was  burned  by  the  gentiles.^ 

804 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  288,  s.a.  803  =  804* 

Kells  was  given  in  this  year,  without  fighting,  to  Columcille 
the  musical.^ 

806 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  290,  s.a.  805  =  806 

The  community  of  lona  was  slain  by  the  gentiles,  that  is  to 
say  sixty-eight  [monks].'' 

'  Also  "the  5th  year  of  Aed"  in  sovereignty  over  Ireland. 

^  F.M.,  i,  404,  s.a  797  =  802:  "Macc-oigi  of  Applecross,  abbot  of 
Bangor,  died." 

^  F.M.,  i,  406,  s.a.  797  =  802  :  "lona  of  Columcille  was  burned  by  aliens 
[la  hallmurachaibh\  that  is  to  say  by  Northmen." 

*  With  marginal  note  "bissextile." 

^  This  passage  (containing  two  lines  of  verse)  appears  as  a  later 
insertion  by  another  hand  in  MS.  A  ;  it  is  in  the  text  of  MS.  B.  See 
below,  year  807.  It  is  taken  from  Gilla-Colmain's  chronological  verses,  in 
R.S.  89,  ii,  538:  "Forty-one  years  .  .  .  from  the  death  of  Donald,  of 
Druimm-Dian,  to  the  giving  of  Kells,  without  .a  battle,  to  Columcille  the 
musical." 

This  Donald  was  Murchaid's  son,  whose  death  is  placed  by  A.U. 
in  762  =  763. 

Kells  was  a  refuge  for  the  community  of  lona  from  Norwegian  invasion. 

^  F.M.,  i,  410-412,  s.a.  801=806  (and  "the  9th  year  of  Aed  Oirdnide" 
as  sovereign  of  Ireland) :  "  lona  of  Columcille  was  raided  by  Foreigners, 
and  a  great  number  of  laymen  and  of  clergy  were  killed  by  them,  in 
number  sixty-eight." 

Cf  D.A.I. ,  27,  O'Conor's  year  806  :  "Forty-eight  of  the  monks  in  lona 
of  Columcille  were  slain  by  the  Norwegians." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  129,  s.a.  803  =  806:  "There  was  68  of  the 
family  of  lona  {HugK\  of  St  Columcille,  slain  by  the  Danes," 


lONA  MONKS  GO  TO  KELLS  259 

ca.  807 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  292,  s.a.  806  =  807  ^ 

The  slaughter  of  Conall,  Tadc's  son,  by  Conall,  son  of  Aidan, 
in  Kintyre.'^ 

807 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  292,  s.a.  806  =  807 

The  building  of  the  new  monastery^  of  Columcille,  in  Kells.* 

ca.  807 

Dublin  Annals  of  Innisfallen  ;  Rerum  Hibernicarum  Scriptores, 
vol.  ii,  part  3,  p.  28,  s.a.  807 

Cellach,  the  abbot  of  lona  of  Columcille,  came  to  Ireland 
after  the  slaying  of  his  people  by  Scandinavians ;  and  the 
monastery  of  Columcille  was  constructed  by  him  in  Kells  of 
Meath.  And  he  was  abbot  there  for  seven  years,  and  went 
back  to  lona^ ;  and  he  was  buried  there. 

812x814 

Einhard,  Vita  Karoli  Imperatoris,  vol.  i,  pp.  50-52" 

[Charlemagne]  had  also  the  kings  of  the  [Irish]  Scots  so 
inclined  to  his  will  by  his  munificence,  that  they  never  called 
him  any  name  but  lord,  nor  themselves  but  his  subjects  and 

'  A  lunar  eclipse  recorded  in  the  same  year-section  (also  in  C.S.)  might 
belong  either  to  806  or  807. 

-  The  Duan  Albanach  appears  to  say  that  these  Conalls  reigned, 
one  for  two,  the  other  for.  four  years,  in  Dalriata  ;  above,  p.  cxlviii,  note. 
Cf.  year  792. 

A.I.,  25,  O'Conor's  year  794  =  808  (8  years  after  800,  which  is  indicated 
by  f.n.  ande.) :  "The  slaying  of  Congal,  Tadc's  son,  in  Scotland." 

^  civitatis. 

■•  Similarly  in  C.S.,  124-126,  Hennessy's  year  807. 

^  See  below,  year  814.  In  going  back  to  lona  he  ceased  to  be  abbot 
of  the  community,  which  remained  in  Kells. 

F.M.,  i,  412,  s.a.  802  =  807,  read  erroneously  :  "The  church  of  Columcille 
in  Kells  was  destroyed  "  {do  dhiothldithriucchadh). 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  129,  s.a.  804  =  807:  "There  was  a  new 
church  founded  in  Kells  in  honour  of  St  Columcille  ''  {Columb  Kill). 

"  Also  in  B.R.,  v,  95. 


260  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

servants.     There  are  preserved,  written  by  them  to  him,  letters 
by  which  such  feeh'ngs  towards  him  on  their  part  are  expressed.^ 


814 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  302,  s.a.  813  =  814- 

Cellach,  abbot  of  lona,  resigned  the  abbacy^  after  conclud- 
ing the  building  of  the  temple  of  Kells ;  and  Diarmait,  pupil 
of  Daigre,*  was  appointed  in  his  place. 

■  So  also  (from  Einhard)  in  Ekkehard,  Chronicon  Universale,  M.G.H., 
Scriptores,  vi,  163  ;  and  in  Annalista  Saxo,  ibid.,  vi,  568,  s.a.  810.  Also  in 
Hugo  Floriacensis,  ibid.,  i.x,  361.  Similarly  in  the  verse  annals  edited  in 
B.R.,  V,  177. 

Cf.  the  manner  in  which  the  Irish  Annals  record  his  death.  A.U.,  i,  300, 
s.a.  813  =  814:  "Charles,  king  of  the  Franks,  or  rather  emperor  of  all 
Europe,  slept  in  peace."  Similarly  in  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  130, 
s.a.  810  =  813. 

As  evidence  of  communications  between  Charlemagne  and  the  Irish, 
a  letter  of  Alcuin  to  Offa  is  quoted,  in  which  he  refers  to  messengers 
"returning  by  you  from  Scotia"  (M.G.H.,  Epistolae,  iv,  147  ;  the  letter  was 
written  in  796).     Cf.  above,  p.  251. 

An  Irish  victory  over  Scandinavian  invaders  in  812  is  noticed  by  the 
continental  annalists  ;  doubtless  it  had  been  reported  to  Charlemagne. 
See  Einhard's  Annals,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  i,  199;  cf.  Einhardi  Fuldenses 
Annales,  ibid.,  i,  355.  Cf.  Herimannus  Augiensis,  Chronicon,  ibid.,  v,  102. 
Annalista  Saxo,  ibid.,  vi,  570.  Annales  Ottenburani,  ibid ,  v,  3.  Einhard 
records  in  the  same  year  an  eclipse  of  the  sun  on  May  15th  (cf.  Einhardi 
Fuldenses  Annales  ;  also  Annales  Quedlinburgenses,  in  M.G.H.,  Scriptores, 
iii,  41).  A  total  eclipse  was  visible  in  southern  Europe  in  812,  on  May 
I4tli,  at  mid-day  (L'Art  de  Verifier  les  Dates). 

A  victoiy  of  Ulstermen  over  invading  Scandinavians  in  811  is  recorded 
by  A.U.  (i,  298) ;  and  by  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise  (130,  s.a.  808  =  811). 
Irish  successes  and  reverses  in  812,  in  Connaught  and  Munster,  are  noted 
by  A.U.  (i,  300)  ;  F.M.  (i,  418  ;  s.a.  807  =  812)  ;  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise 
(130,  s.a.  809  =  812) ;  and  D.A.I.,  28.  Successes  in  Munster  and  Connaught, 
and  a  reverse  in  Connaught,  in  813,  are  recorded  in  D.A.I.,  28.  A  reverse 
in  Connaught  in  814  is  noticed  by  D.A.I. ,  29;  A.U.  (s.a.  812  =  813)  >  F-M- 
(i,  420,  s.a.  808  =  813);  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise  (130,  s.a.  810  =  813). 
The  success  of  Ulster  seems  to  have  sent  the  Norwegians  to  other  parts  of 
Ireland.  Probably  the  victory  reported  on  the  continent  was  the  victory  of 
the  Ulstermen. 

2  Under  the  previous  year,  A.U.  record  the  death  of  Charlemagne  (t8i4). 
^  reliquit principatiim. 


alumnus  Daigri J  perhaps  "foster-son." 


KINGS  CINAN  AND  AED  261 

Sis 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  304,  s.a.  814  =  815 

.  .  .  Cellach,  Congal's  son,  abbot  of  lona,  slept> 

816 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  304,  s.a.  815  =  816^ 

Cinan,  Rotri's  son,  king  of  the  Britons,  .  .  .  died.^ 

817 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  pp.  306-308,  s.a.  816  =  817 

Maelduin,  son  of  Cendfaelad,  abbot*  of  Raphoe,  of  the 
community  of  Columcille,  was  slaughtered. 

The  community  of  Columcille  went  to  Tara,  to  excommuni- 
cate Aed.'^ 

818 

Annals  of  the  Four  Masters,  vol.  i,  p.  428,  s.a.  816  =  818'^ 

Diarmait,  abbot  of  lona  of  Columcille,  went  to  Scotland. 

819 

Annals  of  Innisfallen ;  Rerum  Hibernicarum  Scriptores, 
vol.  ii,  part  2,  p.  26;  O'Conor's  year  806  =  819' 

The  death  of  Aed,  Niall's  son,  king  of  Tara,  upon  a  campaign 
in  Scotland.® 

'  F.M.,  i,  422,  s.a.  810  =  815  :  "Cellach,  Congal's  son,  abbot  of  lona  of 
Columcille,  .  .  .     died." 

2  With  the  marginal  note  "bissextile." 

^  Annales  Cambriae,  Y  Cymmrodor,  i,\,  164,  s.a.  [816]  (2  years  after  the 
"370th  year"  after  444):  "King  Cinan  died."  Cf.  B.T.  in  R.B.H.,  259 
(3  years  before  820;  s.a.  817  in  Ab  Ithel's  MS.  D)  ;  B.S.  in  M.A.,  654, 
s.a.  817. 

Cinan  or  Conan  was  the  grandfather  of  IVIermin  ;  year  844. 

''  princeps. 

^  Aed,  Niall's  son,  sovereign  of  Ireland,  died  in  819.  See  year  819. 
(For  escuine  in  Hennessy's  text  read  escmine ;  see  Stokes,  in  the  Academy, 
1889,  p.  207  c.)    . 

°  A_lso  "the  24th  year  of  Aed"  as  king  of  Ireland. 

"  Placed  2  years  after  817,  which  is  indicated  by  fn.  and  e.  A.U.  i,  310, 
place  Aed's  death  in  818  =  819  ;  F.M.,  i,  428,  in  817  =  819. 

*  for  sluagud  in  A  Ibain. 

A.U.,  F.M.,  and  C.S.  (130,  s.a.  [819]),  agree  in  placing  Aed  Oirdnide's 


262  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

820 

Annals  of  Innisfallen ;  Scriptores,  vol.  ii,  part  2,  p.  26, 
O'Conor's  year  807  =  820  ^ 

The  death  of  Constantine,  Fergus'  son,  king  of  Scotland.^ 

825 
Annales  Cambriae ;  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  164,  s.a.  [825]^ 

Higuel  died.* 

death  at  Ath-da-ferta  in  Mag-Conaille,  the  place  of  the  death  of  Aed 
Uairidnech,  king  of  Tara,  in  612  (according  to  F.M.,  i,  234,  s.a.  607  =  612). 
D.A.I.,  27,  O'Conor's  year  797,  say  :  "Aed  Oirdnide,  son  of  Niall  Frossach, 
[was]  king  of  Tara  for  twenty-two  years,  and  died  at  Ath-da-ferta  in 
Tirconnell.  But  some  historians  say  that  he  fell  in  the  battle  of  Druimm  " 
{accaith  droma).  This,  taken  with  the  A.I.,  seems  to  mean  that  Druimm 
was  a  place  in  Scotland  ;  perhaps  Druimm-nAlban  is  meant. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  130,  s.a.  816  =  819  :  "  King  Aed  \^Hugh\  son  of 
king  Niall  Frossach,  died  at  the  Ford  of  the  two  virtues  or  two  miracles 
(ath  da  f heart)." 

Skene  connected  this  battle  with  the  events  related  in  the  Life  of 
Catroe. 

A  contemporary  note  in  a  Karlsruhe  chi'onological  manuscript  (no.  83, 
p.  15)  reads:  "817,  Aed  king  of  Ireland  died."  Zeuss-Ebel,  Grammatica 
Celtica,  p.  xxiii.  Possibly  the  writer  knew  the  date  of  Aed's  being  excom- 
municated, and  did  not  allow  sufficient  time  for  the  curse  to  take  effect. 

Since  Aed  had  been  excommunicated  by  Columbite  monks,  he  might 
very  naturally  have  set  out  on  a  pilgrimage  to  lona,  to  have  the  curse 
removed. 

'  Placed  3  years  after  817. 

^  A.U.,  i,  312,  s.a.  819  =  820  (with  marginal  note  "bissextile"): 
"Constantine,  Fergus'  son,  king  of  Fortriu,  died." 

The  Duan  Albanach  says  that  Constantine  reigned  for  9  years  over 
Dalriata  ;  above,  p.  cxlviii,  note.  Robertson  (E.K.,  i,  20)  connects  with  this 
Constantine  the  Duan's  statement  that  "the  last  king  of  [the  Picts]  was 
the  brave  warrior,  Constantine"  (P.  &  S.,  58) ;  see  year  877,  where  I  have 
taken  it  to  refer  to  Constantine,  Kenneth's  son. 

Chronicles  of  the  Picts  DF,  in  P.  &  S.,  150,  173,  and  the  version  in 
Fordun  (IV,  12  ;  i,  155— not  in  MSS.  BE) :  "  He  buih  Dunkeld."  Similarly 
in  Chronicle  K,  P.  &  S.,  202  ;  but  Chronicle  I  (ibid.,  287)  reads  erroneously  : 
"  He  first  built  the  church  of  St.  Andrews."     Cf.  H,  above,  pp.  121-122. 

^  The  year  after  the  "  380th  year"  after  444. 

■•  Cf.  B.T.  in  R.B.H.,  259,  between  years  820  and  830  ;  and  s.a.  825, 
in  Ab  Ithel's  MS.  D,  where  Higuel  or  Howel  is  called  "king  of  Man." 
B.S.  in  M.A.,  654,  s.a.  825  :  "  Higuel,  king  of  Man  \^Manaw\  died." 


KINGS  CONSTANTINE  AND  HIGUEL  263 

825 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  320,  s.a.  824  =  825 

The  martyrdom  of  Blathmac,  Fland's  son,  by  the  gentiles, 
in  lona  of  Columcille.^ 

825 
Walafridus  Strabus,  Life  of  Blathmac,  in  Pinkerton's  Vitae 
Antiquae,  pp.  461-463  ^ 

A  certain  island  appears  in  the  shores  of  the  Picts,  rising 
above  the  wave-driven  sea;  it  is  called  lona,^  and  there  the 
saint  of  the  Lord,  Columba,  rests  in  the  flesh.  To  this  island 
came  [Blathmac],  wishing  to  endure  Christ's  scars,  because 
there  many  a  pagan  horde  of  Danes  is  wont  to  land,  armed 
with  malignant  greed.  And  the  saint  of  the  Lord  purposed 
in  his  mind  to  tempt  these  lions,  and  stripped  his  mind  of 
empty  dread ;  but  armed  with  the  shield  of  faith,  and  the 
helmet  of  salvation,  he  feared  not  the  arms  of  wicked  men. 
He  might  have  sung  with  the  wisdom-speaking  prophet,  "  I 
have  God  as  my  helper,  let  base  fear  depart."  Already  too  by 
wars  of  states  he  had  been  taught  to  despise  the  servants  of  the 
devil,  since  he  had  fitly  overthrown  their  lord,  and  alone 
defeated  him  in  all  his  weapons. 

The  time  arrived,  when  God's  great  clemency  disposed  to 
associate  his  servant  with  the  shining  bands  above  the  stars, 
and  to  bestow  upon  the  good  conqueror  his  certain  crown : 
when   the    man's    holy    mind,    foreknowing    events,  learned   in 

'  Similarly  in  C.S.,  132,  Hennessy's  year  825. 

F.M.,  i,  436,  s.a.  823  =  825  (and  "the  6th  year  of  Conchobar"  as  sovereign 
of  Ireland)  :  "  Blathmac,  Fland's  son,  took  a  martyr's  crown,  for  he  was 
killed  by  the  Foreigners  in  lona  of  Columcille." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  132,  s.a.  822  =  825  ■  "Blathmac,  Fland's  son, 
was  martyred  by  Danes  in  the  island  of  lona." 

Blathmac's  day  was  July  24th  :  Martyrology  of  Donegal,  200.  Blathmac 
and  Diarmait,  the  abbot  of  lona,  were  together  when  Curui  died  (Tallaght 
Discourse,  153);  815x825. 

2  Reprinted  there  from  H.  Canisius,  Antiquae  Lectionis  tomus  VI, 
(Ingolstad,  1604)  pp.  570-574.  Ed.  also  in  P.L.  114,  1045-1046;  better  by 
Diimmler,  M.G.H.,  Poetae  Latini  Aevi  Carolini,  ii,  299-301.  The  poem  is 
written  in  he.xametres. 

I  have  omitted  the  earlier  part  of  this  poem,  describing  Blathmac's  life 
in  Ireland. 

^  cognominis  Eo. 


264  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

advance  by  exalted  sense  that  the  approaching  wolves  were 
hastening  to  divide  the  members  of  the  pious  sheep.  He  said, 
"  You,  my  friends,  search  within  yourselves  with  active  minds 
whether  you  have  courage  to  endure  suffering  with  me  for  the 
name  of  Christ;  you  who  are  able  to  await  it,  I  ask  to  arm 
your  manly  minds;  but  those  whose  frail  hearts  are  afraid, 
let  them  hasten  their  flight,  to  avoid  the  impending  danger, 
and  arm  their  hands  in  a  better  cause ;  close  to  us  stands  the 
experience  of  certain  death.  Let  strong  faith  be  watchful, 
supported  by  hope  in  the  future ;  let  the  prudent  precaution 
of  flight  save  the  weaker." 

Upon  these  ^  words  the  company  was  stirred,  and  in  this 
mood  they  decided  upon  what  they  saw  was  possible ;  some, 
with  courageous  breast,  to  face  the  sacrilegious  hands ;  and 
they  rejoiced  with  tranquil  minds  to  have  submitted  their 
heads  to  the  violent  sword  :  but  others,  not  yet  induced  to  this 
by  their  confidence  of  mind,  took  to  flight  by  a  footpath  through 
regions  known  to  them. 

Golden  dawn  shone  forth,  parting  the  dewy  dusk,  and  the 
brilliant  sun  glittered  with  beautiful  orb,  when  this  holy  teacher, 
celebrating  the  holy  service  of  mass,  stood  before  the  sacred 
altar  as  a  calf  without  blemish,  a  pleasing  offering  to  God,  to 
be  sacrificed  by  the  threatening  sword.  The  others  of  the 
company  were  prostrate,  commending  to  the  Thunderer  with 
tears  and  prayers  their  souls,  about  to  depart  from  the  burden 
of  the  flesh.  See,  the  violent  cursed  host  came  rushing  through 
the  open  buildings,  threatening  cruel  perils  to  the  blessed 
men ;  and  after  slaying  with  mad  savagery  the  rest  of  the 
associates,  they  approached  the  holy  father,  to  compel  him  to 
give  up  the  precious  metals  wherein  lie  the  holy  bones  of 
St  Columba ;  but  [the  monks]  had  lifted  the  shrine  from  its 
pediments,  and  had  placed  it  in  the  earth,  in  a  hollowed 
barrow,  under  a  thick  layer  of  turf;  because  they  knew  then  of 
the  wicked  destruction  [to  come].  This  booty  the  Danes  desired ; 
but  the  saint  remained  with  unarmed  hand,  and  with  unshaken 
purpose  of  mind ;  [he  had  been]  trained  to  stand  against  the 
foe,^  and  to  arouse  the  fight,  and  [was]  unused  to  yield. 

1  For  hie  in  Pinkertoii  and  Canisius,  reading  his,  as  in  Dummler's  ed. 

2  He  was  an  Irish  prince  and  general,  according  to  the  previous  part  of 
Strabo's  poem. 


DEATH  OF  BLATHMAC  265 

There  he  spoke  to  thee,  barbarian,  in  words  such  as  these  : — 
"  I  know  nothing  at  all  of  the  gold  you  seek,  where  it  is  placed 
in  the  ground  or  in  what  hiding-place  it  is  concealed.  And  if 
by  Christ's  permission  it  were  granted  me  to  know  it,  never 
would  our  lips  relate  it  to  thy  ears.  Barbarian,  draw  thy 
sword,  grasp  the  hilt,  and  slay ;  gracious  God,  to  thy  aid  I 
commend  me  humbly." 

Therefore  the  pious  sacrifice  was  torn  limb  from  limb. 
And  what  the  fierce  soldier  could  not  purchase  by  gifts,  he 
began  to  seek  by  wounds  in  the  cold  bowels  [of  the  earth].  It 
is  not  strange,  for  there  always  were,  and  there  always  reappear, 
those  that  are  spurred  on  by  evil  rage  against  all  the  servants 
of  the  Lord  ;  so  that  what  Christ's  decision  has  appointed  for 
all,  this  they  all  do  for  Christ,  although  with  unequal  deeds. 

Thus  [Blathmac]  became  a  martyr  for  Christ's  name ;  and, 
as  rumour  bears  witness,  he  rests  in  the  same  place,  and  there 
many  miracles  are  given  for  his  holy  merits.  There  the  Lord 
is  worshipped  reverently  with  fitting  honour,^  with  the  saints 
by  whose  merits  I  believe  my  faults  are  washed  away,  and  to 
whom  as  a  suppliant  I  have  sent  up  gifts  of  praise.  Christ 
refuses  nothing  to  these — they  have  brought  him  the  greatest 
gains — ;  and  he  reigns  for  ever  with  the  good  Father  and  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  is  exalted  without  end  in  everlasting  splendour. 

Here  end  the  verses  by  Strabus  of  the  life  and  death  of 
Blathmac. 


829 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  326,  s.a.  828  =  829 

Diarmait,  abbot  of  lona,-  went  to  Scotland,  with  the  relics 
of  Columcille.^ 

1  Walafridus  Strabus  or  Strabo  lived  ca.  S09-849,  August  i8th.  He  had 
been  abbot  of  Reichenau  from  838,  and  was  buried  there. 

-  Cf.  above,  year  814.     Diarmait  was  abbot  at  Kells. 

^  CO  minnaib  Coluim  cille. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  132,  s.a.  826  =  829:  "Diarmait  \_Dermott^ 
abbot  of  lona  went  to  Scotland,  and  conveyed  with  him  the  relics  of  St 
Columcille." 

Some  relics  of  Columba  had  been  removed  from  lona  to  Saul  in  Ireland 
before  the  time  of  the  establishment  of  Kells.     See  Reeves,  Adamnan,  313. 


266  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

831 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  328,  s.a.  830  =  831 

Diarmait  came  to  Ireland  with  the  relics  of  Columcille.^ 

834 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  332,  s.a.  833  =  834 

Angus,  Fergus'  son,  king  of  Fortriu,  died."^ 

'Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  132,  s.a.  828  =  831:  "Abbot  Diarmait 
returned  into  Ireland  again,  and  brought  the  said  relics  of  St  Columba." 

2  Angus  is  said  in  the  Chronicle  of  the  Picts  to  have  reigned  for  12  years 
(see  p.  cxxv).  Therefore  Skene  (S.C.S.,  i,  308-309,  note)  held  that  he  died 
in  832,  in  which  year  he  believed  Alpin  to  have  succeeded  and  died  ;  but 
see  below,  years  841,  858. 

Angus  is  said  in  the  Duan  to  have  reigned  for  9  years  over  Dalriata. 
The  Duan  seems  rather  to  imply  that  Constantine  reigned  there  till  his 
death  (see  the  table  on  p.  cxxxv).  Therefore  Angus's  reign  in  Dalriata  would 
appear  (from  this  account)  to  have  been  for  9  years  between  820  and  834. 

Angus  seems  to  have  made  his  son  Eoganan  king  of  Argyle.  The 
Duan  says  that  Eoganan  reigned  there  for  13  years  ;  the  Chronicle  of  the 
Picts  gives  him  a  reign  of  3  years  only  over  the  Picts  (P836-+839). 
In  the  Duan,  22  years  of  kingship  in  Argyle  are  assigned  to  Angus  and 
his  son  ;  and  if  this  period  is  correct,  Angus  must  have  reigned  in  Argyle 
before  his  accession  in  Pictland  in  820.  But  probably  the  period  is  wrong. 
The  Duan's  numbers  are  not  trustworthy. 

According  to  the  legend  of  St  Andrew  (P.  &  S.,  185),  Eoganan,  Nechtan, 
and  Finguine  {Phinguinegherf)^  the  sons  of  king  Angus,  were  in  Forteviot 
while  their  father  was  absent  upon  a  dangerous  expedition  in  Argyle,  at 
the  time  when  Regulus  arrived  in  Scotland.  The  same  legend  names 
queen  Findchaem  {Finchem)  as  the  wife  of  Angus. 

Chronicle  of  the  Picts  (DF),  P.  &  S.,  150,  173  :  "He  built  Kilrimund" 
{Kilre?/wnt,  D  ;  -mo?ith,  F  :  i.e.,  St  Andrews.  Perhaps  for  Cell-Cind- 
?ig-monaidj  cf.  year  747,  note).  Version  K,  ibid.,  202:  "He  built 
Kilrimund,  now  St  Andrews,  at  the  time  when  St  Regulus  with  his 
disciples  came  to  the  church  of  St  Andrew." 

Legends  of  St  Andrew  say  that  his  cult  was  introduced  in  Scotland  after 
a  victory  of  king  Angus,  Fergus'  son.  See  the  legends  in  (i)  the  Colbertine 
MS.  (P.  &  S.,  138-140)  ;  in  (2)  Fordun,  IV,  13  ;  and  in  (3)  the  17th-century 
abstract  of  the  St  Andrews  Register  (P.  &  S.,  183-185).  Angus  is  said  to 
have  invaded  South  Britain  with  an  army,  and  to  have  been  surprised  and 
surrounded,  in  the  plain  of  Merc  (i),  near  the  river  Tyne  (2,  3),  by  a 
confederate  force  (i),  led  by  /Ethelstan,  king  of  the  Saxons  (3).  Fordun 
(cf.  W.  M.,  i,  108)  would  identify  this  king  with  /Ethelstan,  son  of  king 
yEthelwulf  of  the  West  Saxons  (ca.  839-858),  son  of  king  Ecgbeorht : 
apparently  the  ^Ethelstan  who  was  king  of  Kent,  etc.,  and  alive  in  851 
(A.S.C.).  The  Chronicles  of  the  Picts  would  identify  this  king  Angus  with 
the  Angus,  Fergus'  son,  who  died  in  834.     St  Andrew  appeared  to  Angus 


KING  ANGUS.     ARGYLE.     ST  ANDREW  267 

836 

Annals  of  the  Pour  Masters,  vol.  i,  p.  452,  s.a.  835  =836 

Godfrey,  Fergus'  son,  lord  of  Oriel,  went  over  to  Scotland 
to  reinforce  Dalriata,  at  the  bidding  of  Kenneth,  Alpin's  son. 

in  a  vision,  and  gave  him  the  victory  over  great  odds.  King  yEthelstan 
vfas  killed  (2,  3).  Angus  gave  a  tenth  of  his  heritage  to  St  Andrew. 
(A.S.C.  says  that  king  ^Ethehvulf  gave  a  tenth  of  his  land  to  the  church  in 
855.)  Regulus  afterwards  brought  relics  of  St  Andrew  to  St  Andrews,  and 
established  a  monastery  there.  Regulus  had  set  out  from  Patras  A.D.  345, 
and  arrived  in  Scotland  a  year  and  a  half  later  (3). 

The  account  in  the  St  Andrews  abstract  is  said  to  have  been  derived 
from  a  memorial  written  by  Thana,  son  of  Dudabrach,  in  Meigle  {Migdele), 
in  the  time  of  "king  Pherath,  son  of  Bergeth"  (P.  &  S.,  188);  i.e.,  839x842. 
It  gives  many  details  and  names. 

These  legends  probably  have  as  their  basis  the  establishment  of  a 
monastery  near  St  Andrews,  during  the  reign  of  the  earlier  Angus,  Fergus' 
son  (.'.729x747).  A  monastery  already  existed  at  Cendrigmonaid  before 
747  (q.v.).  But  the  legend  attributed  to  Thana  places  the  foundation  in 
the  reign  of  the  later  Angus,  Fergus'  son  (820  x  834).  It  is  possible  that 
relics  were  brought  to  Scotland  then,  and  that  the  monastery  was  enlarged, 
or  a  new  church  built. 

For  the  story  of  Regulus,  see  also  the  Breviary  of  Aberdeen,  i,  3,  82-83, 
96  ;  P.  &  S.,  375-377  ;  Metcalfe's  Lives,  ii,  289-290.  According  to  this  and 
the  account  attributed  to  Thana,  Regulus  landed  at  Muckros.  The 
Colbertine  MS.  says  that  he  landed  at  Cendrigmonaid  ;  and  that  he  met 
king  Angus  "at  the  gate  that  is  called  Matha,  i.e.  mordurus  [  =  " great 
door"]  .  .  .  where  the  king's  hall  now  is."  But  Thana  says  that  Regulus 
met  the  three  sons  of  the  king  in  Forteviot  ;  queen  Findchaem,  in 
"  Moneclatu,  which  is  now  called  Monichi "  ;  and  the  king,  beyond  the 
mountains  {scilicet  Moneth),  "at  the  lake  that  was  called  Doldencha,  but 
is  now  called  Chondrochedalvan."  He  returned  with  the  king  across 
Moneth  to  Monichi,  Forteviot,  and  Kilrimund.  These  stories  are  intended 
to  account  for  the  early  possessions  of  the  monastery. 

There  seems  to  be  no  authentic  account  of  the  removal  of  Andrew's 
relics  from  Constantinople. 

Jerome,  De  Viris  lUustribus,  c.  7,  in  P.L.  23,  621  :  "[Luke]  is  buried  at 
Constantinople,  to  which  town  his  bones  were  translated,  along  with  the 
relics  of  the  apostle  Andrew,  in  the  20th  year  of  Constantius." 

Jerome,  Chronicle,  in  P.L.  27,  690;  under  Olympiad  284,  2  =357-358 
A.D.,  in  the  20th  year  [  =  354-355  A.D.]  of  Constantinus,  Constantius, 
and  Constans  (who  are  said  to  have  reigned  together  24  years, 
5  months,  12  days,  ibid.  679),  in  the  year  of  Abraham  [2374] : 
"  Constantius  entered  Rome,  and  by  marvellous  favour  the  .bones  of 
the  apostle  Andrew  and  Luke  the  Evangelist  were  received  by  the 
Constantinopolitans."  This  is  copied  by  Bede  in  his  Chronicle,  M.G.H., 
Auctores,  xiii,  296-297  :  and  from  Bede  by  Tigernach,  R.C.,  xvii,  33. 


268  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTT[SH  HISTORY 

839 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  342,  s.a.  838  =  839 

An  expedition  of  the  Foreigners  ^  upon  Lougli  Neagh;  and 
they  destroyed  the  districts  and  churches  of  the  north  of 
Ireland  from  there.  .  .  . 

A  battle  [was  fought]  by  the  gentiles  ^  against  the  men  of 
Fortriu,  and  in  it  fell  Eoganan,  Angus'  son,  and  Bran,  Angus' 
son,  and  Aed,  Boanta's  son  ;  and  others  fell,  almost  without 
number.^ 

?839 

Prose  Chronicle  inserted  in  the  Chronicle  of  Melrose, 
pp.  16,  223,  s.a.  841  * 

Dungal,  king  of  the  Scots,  died  ;  and  Alpin,  Eochaid's  son, 
succeeded  him.^ 

1  Fecht  di  Ghallaibh. 

^  Bellum  re  Genntib  for  firu  Fortrenn.  These  gentiles  may  have 
been  Danish  invaders  from  the  east  ;  cf.  the  Chronicle  of  Huntingdon, 
below,  p.  271. 

3  Eoganan  and  Aed  are  named  as  kings  of  Dalriata  by  Fland  and  the 
Duan.  The  Chronicle  of  the  Picts  gives  Ewen  or  Eoganan  a  reign  over 
the  Picts  of  3  years,  probably  837-839. 

See  the  Wars,  below,  ca.  838-845. 

It  seems  almost  certain  that  the  three  persons  named  all  fell  on  the 
same  side,  fighting  against  the  Scandinavians.  Since  a  king  of  the  Picts 
and  a  king  of  Argyle  fought  in  the  same  army,  one  would  suppose  that  the 
one  was  the  subject  of  the  other  ;  i.e.,  that  Eoganan,  who  had  formerly 
been  the  king  of  Argyle,  had  set  Aed,  Boanta's  son,  over  Argyle,  probably 
when  he  himself  became  king  of  the  Picts.     (Cf.  year  792,  note.) 

At  this  time  Kenneth,  Alpin's  son,  was  king  of  Dalriata,  according  to 
the  Huntingdon  Chronicle.  The  chronicles  certainly  imply  that  his 
kingdom  was  Dalriata  ;  but  Skene  suggests  that  it  may  have  been  Fife 
(S.C.S.,  i,  307).  Cf.  F.M.'s  significant  note,  above,  year  836  :  but  their 
authority  here  is  doubtful. 

The  kings  of  Dalriata  had  maintained  sufficient  force  to  repel 
Norwegian  invasions.  The  Picts  were  probably  suffering  from  Danish 
pressure  in  the  east.  Perhaps  it  was  through  the  combination  of  these 
circumstances  that  a  king  of  Argyle  was  able  to  make  himself  king 
of  the  Picts. 

*  Also  in  P.  &  S.,  177. 

''  Similarly  in  version  E  of  the  Chronicle  of  Dalriata  :  "  Alpin,  son  of 
Eochaid  the  Poisonous  \_Eochal  veiteni>si\  [reigned]  for  three  [years]." 
See  p.  cxxxvi. 


KINGS  EOGANAN,  AED,  DUNGAL,  AND  ALPIN      269 

These  chronicles  are  here  supported  by  the  Edinburgh  MS.  of  Fland. 
See  above,  p.  cxlvii. 

After  Fergus  (t/Si),  and  before  Alpin,  three  kings  of  Dalriata  are 
named  in  the  Prose  Chronicle  inserted  in  CM.  : — Selbach,  Eochaid,  and 
Dungal.     None  of  these  seems  to  have  reigned.     See  year  781,  note. 

Perhaps  "  Alpin,  Eochaid's  son "  {filius  Eokal)  also  is  wrongly  placed 
here.  There  was,  however,  a  real  person  of  the  name  at  this  time,  called 
in  the  genealogies  Alpin,  son  of  Eochaid,  son  of  Aed  Find,  son  of 
Eochaid  ;  see  Genealogies  I  and  II  after  the  Senchus,  and  Genealogy 
after  Chronicle  E,  above,  pp.  cliii,  cliv,  clvii  ;  and  E.C.,  i. 

Skene  says  (S.C.S.,  i,  321):  "The  ordinary  pedigree,  which  traces 
[Kenneth's]  descent  through  the  kings  of  Dalriata  of  the  Cinel  Gabhran, 
and  identifies  his  father  Alpin  with  Alpin  son  of  Eachach,  the  last  of  the 
Dalriadic  kings,  is  not  older  than  the  twelfth  century,  and  is  unquestionably 
artificial."  This  may  be  so  ;  but  of  all  traditions  the  mnemonic  records 
of  genealogy  are  often  the  oldest  and  most  trustworthy.  Skene  states  also 
that  Berchan  makes  Kenneth  "a  son  of  the  clan  of  [Conall's]  son," 
therefore  of  the  tribe  of  Comgall ;  while  Genealogy  II  after  the  Senchus 
makes  Kenneth  of  the  tribe  of  "  Conall  Cerr,"  Eochaid  Buide's  son.  But 
the  latter  statement  is  due  to  a  false  reading  ;  see  above,  p.  cliv  :  while  the 
former  should  certainly  read  : — "  A  son  of  the  descendants  of  [Aidan's]  son." 
There  is,  in  fact,  no  real  divergence. 

Fland's  first  "Alpin,  Eochaid's  son,"  to  whom  the  Duan  gives  a  4-years' 
reign,  was  the  earlier  Alpin,  brother  of  the  Eochaid  who  was  father  of 
Aed  Find.  See  the  genealogy  on  p.  clvii,  the  table  on  p.  civ,  and  the 
note  on  p.  cxlv,  and  years  726,  728. 

Probably  the  Edinburgh  MS.  of  Fland  correctly  enters  the  second 
Alpin  among  the  kings  of  Dalriata,  before  Kenneth  ;  in  any  case  Kenneth 
did  have  a  father  called  Alpin,  who  probably  had  some  hereditary  claim 
to  the  kingdom  of  Dalriata.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  remarkable  that 
those  chronicles  that  notice  the  reign  of  Kenneth's  father  omit  the  reign 
of  the  previous  Alpin  ;  although  they  give  the  later  Alpin  a  different 
reign-length  from  that  given  in  the  Duan  to  the  earlier  Alpin.  (See 
P.  &  S.,  cxxvi-cxxxiii.)  The  earliest  Chronicle  of  the  Kings  (A)  says  that 
Kenneth  himself  reigned  during  the  period  assigned  by  the  later  chronicles 
to  his  father  ;  and  this  earlier  account  is  the  more  authoritative.  Under 
these  circumstances  it  is  hard  to  say  to  which  Alpin  belong  the  stories 
related  in  later  chronicles  of  Dalriata  ;  probably  they  are  traditions  of 
Kenneth's  father.     See  year  843,  note. 

Innes  (Critical  Essay,  93)  states  that  Alpin's  mother  was  the  daughter 
of  Angus,  Fergus'  son  :  but  Angus  died  in  834,  Kenneth  in  858  ;  therefore 
Angus  could  scarcely  have  been  Kenneth's  great-grandfather. 

Boece  (Book  X,  fo.  199)  calls  Alpin  "the  nephew  of  Angus  by  his 
sister  Fergusiana "  {Alpinus  Hungi  ex  Fergiisiana  sorore  nepos  Pictorum 
regntmi  ad  se  devenisse  contendens  .  .  .  ) ;  he  is  followed  to  some  extent 
by  Robertson,  in  E.K.,  i,  20.  This  conjecture  would  make  Alpin's  mother 
the  daughter  of  Fergus  and  sister  of  Constantine  and  Angus. 


270  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

?84i 

Chronicle  of  Dalriata,  versions  DFI ;  Skene's  Picts  and  Scots, 
pp.  149,  172,  288 

[Alpin]  was  killed  in  Galloway,  after  he  had  entirely 
destroyed  and  devastated  it.  And  then  the  kingdom  of  the 
Scots  was  transferred  to  the  kingdom  of  the  Picts.i 

?84i-8s8 

Prose  and  Verse  Chronicles  inserted  in  the  Chronicle  of 
Melrose,  pp.  16,  223-224,  s.a.  843  ^ 

Alpin,  king  of  the  Scots,  died ;  and  his  son  Kenneth 
succeeded  him.  And  of  him  it  is  said  : — "  Kenneth,  Alpin's 
son,  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  to  reign  in  Scotland,  waging 
many  battles.  After  expelling  the  Picts,  he  reigned  for 
sixteen  years ;   and  he  died  at  Forteviot."  ^ 

He  was  called  the  first  king,  not  because  he  was  [the  first], 
but  because  he  first  established  the  Scottish  laws,  which  they 
call  the  Laws  of  Mac-Alpin. 

? 841-858 
Chronicle  of  the  Canons  of  Huntingdon ;  Skene's  Picts  and 
Scots,  p.  209 

In  the  year  from  the  Lord's  Incarnation  834,  the  Scots 
fought  with  the  Picts  on  the  festival  of  Easter.  And  many 
of  the  noblest  of  the  Picts  fell.     And  thus  Alpin,  king  of  the 

'  Version  I  reads  :  "to  the  land  of  the  Picts." 

Version  K  (ibid.,  198):  "He  was  killed  in  Galloway,  after  he  had 
destroyed  it,  by  a  single  man  who  watched  for  him  in  a  thick  wood,  above 
the  entrance  to  a  ford  of  a  river,  while  [Alpin]  rode  with  his  men.  He  was 
the  last  of  the  Scots  to  reign  at  that  time,  immediately  before  the  Picts." 

Version  N  says  that  Alpin  died  a  natural  death  (see  above,  p.  cxx.xvi). 

Down  to  about  the  end  of  the  eighth  century,  a  regular  succession  of 
English  bishops  ruled  in  Galloway  (see  E.G.,  years  735,  763,  776,  TJT,  789, 
790  ;  Searle,  ii,  194-197).  It  is  possible  that  the  royal  family  of  Dalriata 
settled  in  Galloway  when  their  land  was  taken  from  them  by  the  Picts, 
and  that  they  took  possession  of  land  in  Galloway  when  the  Northumbrian 
kingdom  had  been  weakened  by  invasions  of  the  Danes  ;  but  this  is  mere 
conjecture.  They  could  hardly  have  taken  refuge  in  Irish  Dalriata,  where 
rival  claimants  to  their  kingdom  had  appeared. 

2  Also  in  P.  &  S.,  177. 

^  The  passage  within  inverted  commas  is  in  verse  in  the  original. 


KING  KENNETH,  ALPIN'S  SON  271 

Scots,  was  the  conqueror;  and  he  was  so  exalted  with  pride 
because  of  it  that  [another]  battle  was  [fought]  by  [them]  on 
the  thirteenth  day  before  the  Kalends  of  August^  in  the  same 
year ;  and  he  was  conquered  by  the  Picts,  and  killed. 

His  son  Kenneth  [succeeded  to  his  father's  kingdom]. 
And  in  the  seventh  year  of  his  reign — when  Danish  pirates 
had  occupied  the  shores,  and  with  the  greatest  slaughter  had 
destroyed  the  Picts  who  defended  their  land — Kenneth  passed 
over  into,  and  turned  his  arms  against,  the  remaining  territories 
of  the  Picts ;  and  after  slaying  many,  drove  [the  rest]  into 
flight.  And  so  he  was  the  first  of  the  Scots  to  obtain  the 
monarchy  of  the  whole  of  Albania,  which  is  now  called  Scotia ; 
and  he  first  reigned  in  it  over  the  Scots. 

In  the  twelfth  year  of  his  reign  he  fought  seven  times  in 
one  day  with  the  Picts,  destroyed  many,  and  confirmed  the 
kingdom  to  himself;  and  he  reigned  for  twenty-eight   years. ^ 

^  I.e.,  20th  July. 

^  The  dates  of  Kenneth's  reign,  as  implied  by  the  Huntingdon  Chronicle, 
would  have  been  834,  840,  845,  861  ;  but  these  are  incorrect.  Since  he 
reigned  for  16  years  after  his  confirmation  in  the  kingdom,  that  event  is 
the  one  that  the  other  chroniclers  have  counted  as  the  beginning  of  his 
reign  over  the  Picts  (?  843).  The  Danish  invasion  said  to  have  occurred 
in  his  7th  year  might  have  been  that  of  839.  But  the  Huntingdon  Chronicle's 
account  has  very  little  authority.  It  implies  that  Kenneth  met  Pictish 
opposition  for  5  years  before  he  mastered  the  whole  kingdom. 

Fordun  follows  the  Huntingdon  Chronicle,  but  places  Kenneth's 
acquisition  of  the  Pictish  throne  in  his  6th  year  as  king  over  the  Scots, 
instead  of  his  7th  ;  and  says  that  the  Picts  held  out  for  4  years  against  him, 
through  the  aid  of  the  Angles. 

Version  E  of  the  Chronicle  of  the  Kings,  P.  &  S.,  133,  concludes  :  "  From 
the  first  year  of  William  the  [length  of  the]  kingdom  of  the  Scots  [was] 
315  years."  William  succeeded  in  1165  :  therefore  this  summation  places 
Kenneth's  accession  in  850. 

Similarly  the  summation  in  De  Situ  Albanie  places  Kenneth's  accession 
in  850  (above,  p.  cxv). 

Rubric  in  the  Chronicle  of  the  Canons  of  Huntingdon,  in  P.  &  S.,  209  : 
"As  we  find  in  our  chronicles,  the  Scots  [have  possessed]  Scotland,  which 
was  at  first  called  Albania,  for  456  years  from  Alpin,  the  first  monarch  of 
the  whole  island  ;  and  from  him  in  direct  line  of  succession  the  hereditary 
right  has  descended  correctly,  as  is  shown  below,  to  Malcolm  III,  [king  of 
Scotland,]  who  received  St  Margaret  in  marriage."  456  years  added  to  the 
year  834  (the  date  of  the  union  given  in  this  chronicle)  would  give  1290, 
the  year  of  queen  Margaret's  death. 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings,  version  F,  in  P.  &  S.,  176  :  "The  sum  of  the 


272  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

years  from  Kenneth  Alpin's  son  to  the  kingdom  of  Alexander  [II],  501 
years."  This  would  place  Kenneth's  accession  in  713.  Similarly  in  G 
(ibid.,  303). 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings,  version  I,  in  P.  &  S.,  290,  concludes  :  "  The 
sum  of  the  years  from  the  time  of  Kenneth  to  the  time  of  the  last  Alexander 
is  567.  .  .  ."     This  would  place  Kenneth's  accession  in  719. 

Version  K  of  the  Chronicle  of  the  Kings  concludes  thus  (208):  "The 
sum  of  the  years  between  Kenneth,  Alpin's  son,  and  this  Alexander  [III], 
are  430  years,  i  month,  and  7  days.  .  .  ."  This  would  place  Kenneth's 
accession  in  856,  if  the  reigns  of  both  are  included. 

A  preface  to  the  Chronicle  of  the  Kings  in  the  late  Scalacronica  MS. 
(which  contains  version  K)  reads  thus  (P.  &  S.,  202-203): — "As  the 
chronicles  testify,  a  son  of  a  king  of  Ireland,  called  Redda,  arrived  in 
Galloway  ;  and  both  by  prowess  and  by  the  affinity  of  the  Irish  blood 
[with  that]  with  which  the  Picts  were  mixed,  occupied  the  land  [of 
Galloway]  and  also  Argyle,  and  others  of  the  islands.  And  their  descen- 
dants, calling  themselves  Scots,  ever  plotted  against  the  Picts  ;  so  that  in 
the  time  of  this  Drust,  Feradach's  son,  the  Scots  made  a  plot  \ietteteni 
couyne],  and  were  secretly  armed  at  a  general  council :  and  within  the 
council-house  they  slew  the  aforesaid  king  and  all  the  great  lords  of  the 
Picts,  who  none  of  them  expected  it  [gi  ne pensoient  si  Men  noune\.  And 
afterwards  they  sent  for  such  others  as  they  chose,  and  killed  them  as 
soon  as  they  came  \  so  that  they  had  done  what  they  wished.  .  .  ." 

The  still  later  preface  in  version  M  contains  the  following  (ibid.,  298- 
299) :  "  So  when  the  English  had  occupied  the  island,  driving  out  the 
Britons,  and  had  established  a  stable  peace  with  the  Picts,  the  Scots  who 
dwelt  with  the  Picts  saw  that  the  Picts  (although  fewer,  because  of  the 
[Scots']  relationship  with  the  Irish)  were  yet  far  superior  in  arms  and 
courage,  they  betook  themselves  to  their  innate  treachery,  in  which  they 
excel  the  other  nations.  They  invited  the  Pictish  magnates  as  if  to  a 
feast  ;  and  taking  advantage  of  their  intoxication,  they  killed  them  all 
together.  And  so  of  the  two  peoples  the  more  warlike  nation  was  totally 
destroyed.  And  the  other,  by  far  inferior  in  every  way,  profited  somehow 
by  their  teachery  ;  and  they  possess  that  whole  land  to  this  day,  from 
sea  to  sea  ;  and  they  have  called  it,  from  their  own  name,  Scotia. 

"  Kenneth,  Alpin's  son,  [who  reigned  over]  them  at  that  time,  treacher- 
ously invaded  Pictland,  and  destroyed  the  Picts  ;  and  six  times  invaded 
England,  and  subdued  to  his  dominion  the  land  which  had  long  been 
subject  to  the  English,  and  which  extends  from  the  sea  of  Scotland  to 
Melrose,  on  the  banks  of  the  river  Tweed.  .  .  . 

"  Their  kings  used  never  to  be  crowned  or  anointed. 

"  Therefore,  since  our  intention  in  the  present  work  is  to  declare  the 
right  of  the  king  of  England  to  the  said  dominion  of  Scotland  ...  let  us 
name  .  .  .  the  kings  .  .  .  according  to  what  we  have  found  in  the 
chronicles  of  the  Scots." 

This  is  a  worthless  account,  partly  derived  from  Giraldus  Cambrensis 
(below).     Version  M  may  originally  have  been  one  of  the  chronicles  of  1291. 


SCOTTISH  RULE  IMPOSED  UPON  THE  PICTS        273 

? 841-858 

Berchan's  Prophecy,  stanzas  1 19-122,  in  Skene's  Picts  and 
Scots,  pp.  83-84 

A  son  of  the  clan  of  [Aidan's]  ^  son  will  take  the  kingdom 
of  Scotland,  by  force  of  his  strength ;  a  man  who  will  feed 
ravens,  who  will  conquer  in  battle :  Ferbasach  ^  will  be  his 
name. 

He  is  the  first  king  that  will  reign  in  the  east,  from  among 
the  Irish  in  Scotland  ;  after  using  the  strength  of  spears  and  of 
swords,  after  violent  deaths,  after  violent  slaughter. 

The  fierce  men  in  the  east  are  deceived  by  him.  They  ^ 
dig  the  earth  (mighty  is  the  art !  *),  a  deadly  pit  (?),  death  by 
wounding,  in  the  middle  of  Scone  of  the  high  shields.^ 

'  See  year  ca.  574. 

^  [in]  Ferbasach. 

Skene  translates  this  word  by  "  the  conqueror,"  perhaps  deriving  it 
irom.  forbaise,  "siege,"  and  reia.A\ng  forbaiseack.  A  v/ord.  forbassuch  occurs 
in  the  Saltair  na  Rann,  ].  7786.  'R.&a^d  forbasack  ;  or  possibly  in  t-erbasach 
("  the  slayer  ")  ? 

Kenneth,  Alpin's  son,  appears  to  be  meant. 

•^  Evidently  the  king  of  Dalriata  and  his  men. 

■•  tre7i  an  cfi[e'\ardj  rhyming  with  buirb  in  the  previous  line.  The  word 
an  should  therefore  be  a  prefix,  bearing  the  accent  ;  and  for  chard  we 
should  perhaps  read  -chuird  ("mighty  is  brilliant  artifice"?).  See  Kuno 
Meyer,  Contributions,  s.v.  cuird. 

Skene  understood  this  digging  in  the  earth  to  be  the  incident  recounted 
by  Giraldus  Cambrensis,  De  Principis  Instructione,  I,  18  ;  viii,  97-98 : 
"  Now  we  shall  tell  briefly  how  the  very  powerful  Pictish  race  disappeared 
after  so  many  victories. 

"After  the  island  had  been  occupied  by  the  Saxons,  as  we  have  said, 
and  peace  had  been  established  with  the  Picts,  the  Scots,  who  were  allied 
to  the  Picts  and  had  been  invited  by  them  to  the  land,  seeing  that  although 
fewer  in  number,  because  of  the  nearness  of  Ireland,  the  Picts  were  yet  far 
superior  in  arms  and  valour,  they  betook  themselves  to  their  customary 
and  as  it  were  innate  treacheries,  in  which  they  excel  the  other  nations. 
They  brought  together  as  to  a  banquet  all  the  nobles  of  the  Picts,  and 
taking  advantage  of  their  perhaps  excessive  potation  and  gluttony  of  both 
drink  and  food,  they  noted  their  opportunity  and  drew  out  the  bolts  which 
held  up  the  boards  ;  and  [the  Picts]  fell  into  the  hollows  of  the  benches  on 
which  they  were  sitting,  [caught]  in  a  strange  trap  up  to  the  knees,  so  that 
they  could  never  get  up  ;  and  [the  Scots]  immediately  slaughtered  them 
all,  tumbled  together  everywhere  and  taken  suddenly  and  unexpectedly, 
and  fearing  nothing  of  the  sort  from  allies  and  confederates,  men  bound  to 
them   by  benefits,  and  companions   in    their  wars.      And  thus  the  more 

S 


274  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Seventeen  years  (in  fortresses  of  deeds  of  valour  i)  [he  will 
be]  in  the  sovereignty  of  Scotland.  After  the  slaughter  of 
Picts,  after  the  harassing  of  Foreigners,  he  dies  upon  the  banks 
of  Earn. 

843 
John  of  Fordun,  Chronica  Gentis  Scotorum,  book  IV,  c.  i ; 

vol.  i,  p.  144 

Of  the  succession  of  the  kings  of  the  Scots,  both  preceding 
and  subsequent  [to  the  tinion~\,  down  to  the  time  of  Malcolm, 
Kenneth's  son. 

Above  appear  the  times  of  the  true  succession  of  the  kings 
of  the  Scots  who  reigned  with  the  Picts  in  the  northern  part 
of  Albion,  after  Fergus,  Erc's  son  ;  now  we  must  proceed  to  the 
monarchs  who  obtained  undivided  rule  over  the  whole  of  that 
part,  after  the  Pictish  nations  had  been  overthrown ;  and  must 
publish  certain  of  their  deeds,  along  with  the  times  of  their 
reigning,  as  the  books  of  the  ancients  exhibit  them.  But  first 
we  must  speak  of  their  law  of  succession. 

For  the  question  is  very  often  asked,  why  the  sons  did  not 
commonly  ^  succeed  their  fathers  in  the  rule  of  the  kingdom, 
as   the   custom    of  modern   times    requires,   rather    than    the 

warlike  and  powerful  nation  of  the  two  peoples  wholly  disappeared  ;  and 
the  other,  by  far  inferior  in  every  way,  as  a  reward  obtained  in  the  time 
of  so  great  treachery,  have  held  to  this  day  the  whole  land  from  sea  to  sea, 
and  called  it  Scotland  after  their  name."  Higden  (ii,  154-156)  connects 
Kenneth's  acquisition  of  Pictland  with  this  story;  156:  "At  that  time,  in 
the  days  of  king  Edgar,  Kenneth  Alpin's  son  the  [Scottish]  ruler  invaded 
Pictland,  and  destroyed  the  Picts  ;  and  he  made  war  upon  England  six 
times  ;  and  he  took  possession  of  the  whole  land  from  the  Scottish  sea  to 
the  river  Tweed." 

But  Gerald's  account  has  no  mention  of  pits  :  the  benches  are  perhaps 
implied  to  have  been  of  box  form. 

°  brSdlainn  bodhb\l{\a,  bas  n-airgne,  \for  lar  Scoine  sgtaith-airde.  For 
brodlainn  ("  goad-blades,"  according  to  Skene)  read  brathlang  ("  the  cover 
of  a  pit-fall"  Meyer)?  Among  the  plunderings  that  formed  subjects  of 
Irish  literary  compositions  is  the  "  treachery  of  Scone  "  {Braflang  Scoine), 
Book  of  Leinster,  facsimile,  igo,  a,  where  braflavg  seems  to  be  the  same 
word  as  brathlang.     (See  Meyer,  s.v.) 

'  dindgnaibh  gal,  a  meaningless  cheville. 
^  communiter. 


SCOTTISH  SUCCESSION  275 

brothers ;  [a  style  of  succession  which]  has  been  indicated  in 
the  successions  of  the  preceding  kings.  But  this  took  place  so 
in  those  days,  because  [the  Scots],  and  the  Picts,^  and  many 
kings  of  kingdoms,  and  even  some  princes  of  the  empire,  had 
the  same  law  of  succession,  that  every  deceased  king's  brother 
or  brother's  son,  although  in  rank  further  removed,  should 
precede  [the  king's  son]  on  the  throne,  if  the  king's  son "  were 
not  more  capable  of  ruling,  in  age  and  ability.  For  not 
proximity  of  blood,  but  the  capacity  of  full  adolescence  raised 
this  one  or  that  to  reign  upon  the  throne  of  the  kingdom. 

This  style  of  government  first  arose  because  the  very 
meagre  population  of  a  primitive  race,  whose  numbers  were 
small,  determined  this  law  described  above ;  because  they 
dreaded  yielding  to  youths  the  control,  not  of  the  kingdom 
only,  but  even  of  their  lives,  while  they  were  exposed  to  wars 
on  all  sides,  in  acquiring,  or  preserving  for  themselves,  a  secure 
place  and  their  freedom.  And  this  ancient  custom  of  royal 
succession  lasted  unbroken  down  to  the  time  of  Malcolm, 
Kenneth's  son,  and  until  (because  of  the  loss  to  the  kingdom 
that  might  perhaps  have  resulted  from  it)  he  by  common 
decree  ordained  as  a  perpetual  law  that  thenceforth  every 
king  should  be  succeeded  in  the  rule  of  the  kingdom  by 
whomsoever  should  at  the  time,  after  his  death,  be  the  nearest 
descendant :  a  son,  that  is  to  say,  or  a  daughter,  a  grandson  or 
a  grand-daughter,  the  nearest  then  surviving.  But  if  these 
[descendants]  should  happen  to  fail,  the  right  of  inheritance 
should  pass  to  one  born  in  the  royal  line,  or  to  the  nearest  heir 
in  a  collateral  line.^ 

'  This  was  not  strictly  true  of  the  Pictish  succession.  Cf.  Fordun, 
III,  53  ;  above,  year  781,  note. 

^  Reading _/?/z«j  forTf/w. 

^  hereditatis  jura  possideat  vel  regia  progenitus  ex  stirpe,  vel  collaterali 
proxiinus  heres. 


PART  IX 

Scandinavian  Settlements 

844 
Annales  Cambriae,  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  165,  s.a.  [844] 

Mermin  died.i 

ca.  844 

Prudentius  of  Troyes,  Annales,  s.a.  844;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores 

vol.  i,  p.  441 

The  Northmen  invaded  the  island  of  Britain,  especially  in 
that  part  which  the  Anglo-Saxons  inhabit ;  and  after  fighting 
for  three  days  they  were  the  victors;  and  spoiling,  plundering, 
and  slaughtering,  here  and  there,  they  took  possession  of  the 
land  according  to  their  will.^ 

ca.  838-845 

Wars  of  the  Irish  with  the  Foreigners ;  Rolls  Series,  no.  48, 
pp.  224,  225,  226,  228^ 

After  that,*  a  great  and  vast  royal  fleet  under  Tuirgeis  came 
to  the   north   of   Ireland.     Tuirgeis   took   the  kingship  of  the 

'  He  is  called  Merfyn  Brych  in  B.S.  inM.A.,  654,  s.a.  844  ;  which  places 
in  the  same  year,  before  his  death,  "the  battle  of  Ketil":  cf.  B.T.  in 
R.B.H.,  259. 

Mermin  was  king  of  North  Wales  ;  and  the  father  of  Rotri,  who 
succeeded  him,  and  became  king  of  all  Wales.     Rotri  died  in  877. 

Scandinavian  settlements  in  the  north  of  England  had  by  this  time  still 
further  sundered  the  Britons  of  Strathclyde  from  their  kinsmen  in  North 
Wales. 

^  This  passage  is  copied  incorrectly  by  the  Chronicon  De  Gestis 
Normannorum,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  i,  533,  s.a.  844. 

^  L.L.  version.     Cf.  the  late  version,  ibid.,  8,  12,  16. 

^  Previous  invasions  of  five  fleets  have  been  recorded  in  the  same  text. 

270 


NORWEGIAN  SETTLERS  277 

Foreigners  in  the  north  of  Ireland.  .  .  .  And  he  had  authority 
over  the  north  of  Ireland.^  .  .  . 

After  that,^  sixty-five  ships  came  to  the  black  pool  of 
Ath-Cliath  [Dublin],  and  they  invaded  Leinster  to  Margi^ 
and  Mag-breg. 

The  [men  of]  Dalriata  fought  with  this  fleet,  because  it 
went  northwards,  keeping  Ireland  on  the  left,  after  destroying 
Leinster  and  Brega.  In  this  battle  Eoganan,  Angus'  son,  the 
king  of  Dalriata,  was  slain.*  .  .  . 

Another  fleet  came  to  Dublin.  .  .  . 

Still  another  fleet,  more  numerous  than  this,  came  to  Dublin. 
They  ravaged  a  great  part  of  all  Ireland.  They  ravaged  also 
lona  of  Columcille. 

?847 

Prudentius  of  Troyes,  Annales,  s.a.  847:    M.G.H.,  Scriptores, 

vol.  i,  p.  443 

The  [Irish]  Scots,  after  being  attacked  by  the  Northmen 
for  very  many  years,  were  rendered  tributary ;  and  [the 
Northmen]  took  possession,  without  resistance,  of  the  islands 
that  lie  all  round,  and  dwelt  there.^ 

'  C.S.,  144-146,  Hennessy's  year  845  :  "A  fortress  [diin]  [was  built] 
by  Tuirgeis  for  the  Foreigners,  upon  Lough  Ree ;  and  they  pillaged 
Connaught  and  Meath,  and  burned  Clonmacnoise,  with  its  chapels 
\dertighibK\,  and  Clonfert  of  Brendan,  and  Terry-glass,  and  Lorrha,  and 
many  monasteries  \catrachd\.  .  .  .  Tuirgeis  was  taken  captive  by 
Maelsechlaind,  Maelruanaid's  son  ;  and  Tuirgeis  was  drowned  in  Lough 
Owel." 

Similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  348-350,  s.a.  844  =  845  ;  and  also  in  D.A.L,  32, 
year  845  :  but  in  the  latter,  Tuirgeis  is  said  to  have  been  drowned  "  in 
Lough  Ennel,  in  Meath  "  ;  a  few  miles  to  the  south  of  Lough  Owel. 

Cf.  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  133,  139,  s.aa.  830,  842;  L.L.,  309; 
Berchan,  stanzas  4-14  (see  above,  Bibliographical  Notes)  ;  and  D.M.F., 
Fomorians,  1-2  (ed.  A.  Bugge  ;  Det  norske  historiske  Kildeskriftfond, 
Christiania,  1905). 

Bugge  (ibid.,  15)  agrees  with  Stokes's  opinion  that  Tuirgeis  is  an  Irish 
form  of  the  Norwegian  Thorgestr,  not  of  Thorgils. 

2  Le.,  after  a  battle  between  Tuirgeis  and  the  Irish  of  Connaught. 

^  CO  margi :  "to  the  sea"  Todd;  "to  Slievemargy"  Hennessy.  I.e., 
Slievemargie,  in  Queen's  County. 

^  See  above,  year  839. 

^  This  passage  is  copied  briefly  by  the  Chronicon  De  Gestis  Norman- 
norum  in  Francia,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  i,  533,  s.a.  846. 


278  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

847 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  pp.  352-354,  s.a.  846  =  847 

A  great  victory  [was  gained]  by  Cerbali,  Dungal's  son,  over 
Hakon  ^ ;  and  there  1 200  men  fell.^ 

848 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  354,  s.a.  847  =  8488 

A  battle  was  gained  by  Maelsechlaind  against  the  gentiles 
in  Forach  * ;  and  in  it  700  men  fell. 

A  battle  was  gained  by  Olchobar,  king  of  Munster,  and  by 
Lorcan,  Cellach's  son,  with  the  Leinstermen,  against  the  gentiles, 
at  Sciath-Nechtain;  and  there  Tomrair  Earl,  the  king  of 
Scandinavia's  heir,^  fell,  and  1200  men  with  him.^ 

A  victory  [was  gained]  by  Tigernach ''  over  the  gentiles  in 
Daire-disirt-Dochonna ;  and  there  1200  men  fell. 

A  victory  by  the  Eoganacht  of  Cashel  over  the  gentiles  at 
Diin-maele-tuile ;  and  there  500  men  fell.^ 

1  for  Agonn  (in  C.S.,/or  Agond). 

2  So  also  in  C.S.,  146-148,  Hennessy's  year  847.  Similarly  in  D.A.I., 
33,  year  847. 

In  the  same  year,  the  Norwegians  plundered  in  Tipperary. 

^  With  marginal  note  :  "bissextile." 

*  Faragh,  county  Meath. 

'"  tanise  righ  Laithlinne,  corruptly  ;  tanaissi  righ  Lochldnn  in  C.S.  See 
D.M.F.,  III,  162-164.     I.e.,  the  king  designate. 

Tomrair's  ring  was  preserved  by  the  Scandinavian  settlers.  It  was 
taken  by  Maelsechlaind  Donald's  son  from  the  Foreigners  of  Dublin  in 
995  (see  T.,  R.C.,  xvii,  350  ;  C.S.,  234  ;  F.M.,  ii,  732).  Tomrair  is  also 
called  Tomrar,  Tomar. 

"  Read,  with  C.S.,  "and  twelve  score  men  with  him." 

^  "  King  of  Lagore,"  C.S.     See  year  849,  note. 

8  The  whole  passage  is  in  C.S.,  which  proceeds:  "A  fortress  [was 
built]  by  Olchobar,  against  the  gentiles  ;  in  order  to  destroy  Dun-corcaige" 
(i.e.  "the  castle  of  Cork"). 

The  passage  stands  thus  in  D.A.I.,  33,  s.a.  848  :  "A  battle  by  Maelsech- 
laind, Maelruanaid's  son,  in  Forach,  where  700  Scandinavians  fell. 

"  A  battle  [was  fought]  by  Olchobar,  king  of  Cashel,  against  the  gentiles, 
at  Sciath-Nechtain,  in  the  Decies  ;  and  there  Tomar,  a  Scandinavian  earl, 
was  killed,  and  200  of  his  people.     And  Olchobar  himself  fell  there. 

"A  battle  [was  fought]  by  the  Eoganacht  of  Cashel  against  the 
Scandinavians,  at  Dun-Maeltuile,  where  500  of  them  fell. 

"A  battle  [was  gained]  by  Tigernach,  king  of  Lagore,  against  the 
Scandinavians,  in  Disert-Dochonna  ;  where  twelve  score  of  them  fell." 


BATTLES  OF  THE  NORWEGIANS  279 

?848 

Prudentius  of  Troyes,  Annales,  in  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vol.  i, 

p.  443,  s.a.  848 

The  [Irish]  Scots  attacked  the  Northmen,  and,  winning  the 
victory,  by  aid  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  cast  them  out  of  their 
territories.  Hence  the  king  of  the  Scots  sent  messengers  with 
gifts  to  Charles,  for  peace  and  friendship,  requesting  that  the 
way  of  going  to  Rome  might  be  granted  to  him.^ 

849 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  356,  s.a.  848  =  849 

A  naval  expedition  of  seven,  score  ships,  of  the  people  of 
the  king  of  the  Foreigners,  came  to  take  control  over  the 
Foreigners  who  were  there  before  them  ^ ;  and  then  they 
disturbed  all  Ireland.^ 

849 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  356,  s.a.  848  =  849 

Indrechtach,  abbot  of  lona,  came  to  Ireland  with  the  relics 
of  Columcille.* 

'  Briefly  copied  in  Chronicon  Normannorum  in  Francia,  u.s.,  s.a.  848. 

After  the  death  of  Tuirgeis  in  845,  the  invaders  plundered  in  Connaught 
in  846.  But  in  847  Maelsechlaind,  Maelruanaid's  son,  became  king  of 
Ireland  :  and  he  and  Cerball  gained  victories  over  the  invaders  and  their 
helpers. 

If  Maelsechlaind  vi'as  the  king  who  wrote  to  Charles  the  Bald,  in 
elation  over  his  victory  of  848,  he  must  have  done  so  before  the  arrival 
of  the  Scandinavian  fleet  in  849. 

2  du  tabairt  greamma  forsita  Gaillu  robadar  ar  a  ciiimi. 

3  Similarly  in  C.S.,  148-150,  Hennessy's  year  849. 

D.A.I.,  33,  year  849,  reads  :  "  Seven  score  ships  of  Scandinavians  came 
to  Ireland.  Plundering  of  Dublin  by  Maelsechlaind,  and  by  Tigernach, 
king  of  Lagore  "  (a  lake  fortress,  near  Dunshaughlin,  in  Meath). 

^  With  Columba's  relics  went  the  authority  of  Columba's  successor. 
Their  removal  to  Ireland  was  so  important  a  step  that  it  could  hardly  have 
been  taken  without  previous  arrangement ;  and  in  the  oldest  Chronicle  of 
the  Kings  (version  A)  we  find  that  "in  the  seventh  year  of  his  reign 
[Kenneth]  transported  the  relics  of  St  Columba  to  a  church  that  he  had 
built";  that  is,  to  Dunkeld.  Probably  a  division  of  the  relics  had  been 
made,  and  both  shares  were  removed  at  the  same  time  ;  one  to  Scotland, 
the  other  to  Ireland.  The  removals  of  729  and  731  were  probably  of 
a  different  nature. 


280  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

ca.  850 

Giraldus  Cambrensis,  Topographia  Hibernica ;  Opera, 
vol.  V,  p.  186 

Of  the  arrival  of  the  Eastmen. 

No  great  time  afterwards/  certain  men  came  to  the  island 
[of  Ireland]  again,  from  regions  of  Norway  and  of  the  northern 
islands,  from  the  remnants  as  it  were  of  the  former  race  ;  and 
because  they  knew  by  faith  based  upon  sight,  or  by  the  report  of 
relatives,  the  best  parts  of  the  land,  [they  came]  not  in  warlike 
fashion  but  in  the  guise  of  peace,  and  on  the  pretext  of  carrying 
on  merchandise.  And  they  immediately  occupied  the  harbours 
of  Ireland  on  the  sea,  and  ultimately  built  diverse  cities  upon 
them  by  consent  of  the  princes  of  the  land.  For  since  by  fault 
of  their  native  indolence  the  Irish  nation,  as  we  have  said,  would 
not  traverse  the  seas,  or  apply  themselves  to  any  extent  to  mer- 
chandise, it  appeared  advisable  by  common  counsel  of  the  whole 
realm  that  some  nation  should  be  admitted  in  some  districts  of 
the  realm,  in  order  that  by  their  efforts  other  countries'  wares, 
which  this  land  lacked,  might  be  brought  hither.  .  .  ^ 

8S1 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  358,  s.a.  850  =  851  ^ 

Black-gentiles  came  to  Dublin,  and  they  made  great 
slaughter  of  the  White-foreigners ;  and  they  plundered  the 
fortress,  both  of  men  and  of  treasure.* 

This  event  is  likely  to  have  been  correctly  dated  in  the  Ulster  Annals. 

A  previous  church  at  Dunkeld  existed  in  820.  But  the  Danes  are  said 
to  have  invaded  Dunkeld  in  Kenneth's  reign  ;  perhaps  the  older  church 
was  then  destroyed.     See  below,  p.  288. 

A  crozier  alleged  by  tradition  to  have  belonged  to  Columba  is  one  of 
the  relics  preserved  in  the  National  Museum  of  Dublin.  See  Coffey's 
Guide  to  Celtic  Antiquities  of  the  Christian  Period  (1910),  59. 

^  I.e.  after  the  overthrow  of  the  first  Norwegian  settlers  under  king 
Tuirgeis  ;  ibid.,  182-186.  The  Norwegians  who  escaped  "were  compelled 
to  sail  to  the  islands  whence  they  had  come,"  ibid.,  185. 

2  The  leaders  of  these  "Eastmen"  or  Scandinavians  were  three  brothers, 
Olaf,  Sigtrygg,  and  Ivar  ;  they  built  and  occupied  the  cities  of  Dublin, 
Waterford,  and  Limerick.  Other  cities  were  built,  and  as  their  numbers 
increased  the  settlers  became  hostile  to  the  original  inhabitants  of  Ireland. 

^  Similarly  in  C.S.,  150,  Hennessy's  year  851. 

*  Cf.  the  longer  and  more  fabulous  account  in  Duald's  Fragment  III, 
114-116. 


DANES  ATTACK  NORWEGIAN  SETTLERS  281 

A  raid  of  Black-gentiles  on  Lind-duachail,  and  great 
slaughter  of  [the  inhabitants].^ 

853 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  360,  s.a.  851  =852^ 

Devastation  of  Armagh  by  the  Foreigners  of  Lind  [-duachail], 
on  the  day  of  Sam-chase* 

The  crews  of  eight  score  ships*  of  the  White-gentiles  went 
to  battle  with  the  Black-gentiles  at  Snam-aignech.  They  fought 
for  three  days  and  three  nights  ;  but  the  rout  was. before  the 
Black-gentiles,  and  their  opponents  abandoned  their  ships  to 
them.     Stein  escaped  by  flight,  and  lercne  fell,  beheaded.'' 

853 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  362,  s.a.  852  =  853 

Olaf,  the  king  of  Scandinavia's  son,"  came  to  Ireland  ;  and 
the  Foreigners  of  Ireland  submitted  to  him,  and  tribute  [was 
given  him]  by  the  Irish.'' 

1  "Of  the  White-gentiles"  C.S.  Cf.  year  852,  note.  The  fortress  of 
Lind-Duachail  was  built  in  841,  in  the  same  year  as  the  fortress  at  Dublin  ; 
A.U.,  i,  344,  s.a.  840  =  841. 

The  whole  passage  is  thus  in  D.A.I.,  34,  year  851:  "Black-gentiles 
came  to  Dublin,  and  the  town  was  plundered  by  them  ;  and  its  nobility 
and  its  treasure  were  taken  by  them,  and  many  of  the  White-gentiles  were 
slain.  Another  host  of  the  Black-gentiles  [came]  across  Lind-duachail, 
and  made  great  slaughter  of  the  White-gentiles." 

2  With  marginal  note  "  bissextile." 

The  passage  stands  similarly  in  C.S.,  152,  Hennessy's  year  852. 

^  See  Hennessy's  note,  C.S.,  u.s.,  152-153.  Sam-chase  appears  to  have 
been  the  loth  July  in  852. 

*  "  Three  score  and  ten"  ships,  in  Duald's  Fragment. 

^  Cf.  the  longer  and  somewhat  fabulous  account  in  Duald's  Fragment  III, 
118-124  (in  the  "5th  year  of  Maelsechlaind,"  i.e.  851  or  852).  D.A.I.,  34, 
year  852  :  "Eight  score  ships  of  White-Scandinavians  came  to  fight  with 
the  Black-gentiles.  They  fought  together  for  three  days  and  three  nights 
and  the  rout  was  upon  the  White-Scandinavians  ;  and  the  Black-gentiles 
enjoyed  from  then  onwards  the  dwellings  and  place  \arais  7  ionnad]  of  the 
White-Scandinavians. 

"The  plundering  of  Armagh  by  Scandinavians"  (cf.  year  851,  note)  "of 
Lind-Duachail,  on  the  day  of  Easter." 

"  7nac  righ  Laithlinde.     Lochlaijine  in  F.M. 

Lochland  meant  the  Scandinavian  lands  generally,  or  Norway  in 
particular.     The  king  of  Norway  was  at  this  time  Halfdan  the  Black,  who, 


282  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

853 

Dublin  Annals  of  Innisfallen ;  Rerum  Hibernicarum  Scriptores, 

vol.  ii,  part  3,  p.  34,  s.a.  853 

Olaf,  son  of  the  king  of  the  Wliite-Scandinavians,  came  to 
Ireland,  and  the  Scandinavians  of  Ireland  submitted  to  him, 
and  tribute  was  given  him  by  the  Gaels.  Sigtrygg  and  Ivar 
his  two  full  brothers  came  with  him  on  that  expedition. 

853 

Duald  Mac-Pirbis,  Fragment  III,  pp.  124-126 

Indrechtach,  abbot  of  lona,  came  to  Ireland  with  relics  of 
Columcille.  Also  in  the  same  year,  the  sixth  year  of  the 
kingdom  of  Maelsechlaind,^  Olaf  Conung,  the  son  of  the  king 
of  the  Scandinavians,^  came  to  Ireland,  bringing  orders  from 
his  father  for  taxes  and  tribute  ;  and  he  left  suddenly.  And 
the  youngest  brother,  Ivar,  came  after  him,  to  levy  the  same 
taxes. ^ 

if  the  pedigree  in  Duald's  Fragment  may  be  trusted,  was  this  Olaf's 
great-grandfather.     See  below,  year  874,  note. 

Lochland  in  the  Irish  Nennius  (pp.  84,  88)  includes  (or  is  a  synonym  for) 
the  "Germany"  (pp.  76,  84,  112)  from  which  the  Saxons  came  to  Britain, 

Cf.  above,  year  848. 

Cf.  the  similar  use  of  the  Welsh  Llychlyn  ;  e.g.  in  the  Welsh  Triads  : 
"The  second  [usurping  tribe  that  came  to  the  island  of  Britain,  and  did  not 
depart,]  was  that  of  the  Gwyddyl  Ffichti "  (Hterally,  the  "  Pict-Gaels "), 
"who  came  to  Scotland  across  the  sea  of  Llychlyn.  .  .  .  The  Picts  are  in 
Scotland,  upon  the  coast  of  the  sea  of  Llychlyn."  And  ;  "Three  invading 
tribes  came  to  the  island  of  Britain,  and  departed  from  it  again  ;  the  first 
was  that  of  the  Llychlynnwyr,  after  Urb  Lluyddawg  had  taken  away  the 
bravest  of  the  nation  of  the  Cymry  "  to  Llychlyn  (M.A.,  401  (7),  cf.  395  (5) : 
Loth's  Mabinogion,  ii,  triads  no.  no,  cf.  9)  ;  and  Maximus  is  sa:M^to  have 
led  an  expedition  to  Llychlyn,  and  never  to  have  returned  (Loth,  tria^  no. 
9  ;  M.A.,  395). 

'  With  the  expedition  of  Olaf  in  853  may  be  compared  A.C.,  s.a.  [853] : 
"  Mon  [i.e.,  Anglesey]  was  devastated  by  the  Black-Gentiles."  Cf  B.T.  in 
R.B.H.,  259.     B.S.  in  M.A.,  655,  s.a.  853,  reads  :  "by  the  black  army." 

^  Maelsechlaind  died,  according  to  A.U.  (i,  372),  on  Tuesday,  30th 
November,  861=862,  in  the  i6th  year  of  his  reign:  but  30th  November 
was  Monday  in  862,  Tuesday  in  863.  By  his  "6th  year"  the  Fragment 
means  probably  852  ;  but  the  year-section  begins  with  an  event  placed  by 
A.U.  in  848  =  849. 

"  mac  righ  Lochlann. 

2  Their  father,  Godfrey,  seems  to  have  been  in  Ireland  next  year. 


OLAF  CONUNG  AND  HIS  BROTHERS  283 

Duald's  Fragment  III,  126  r  "In  this  year"  (the  year  [854]  of 
Indrechtach's  death,  2  years  after  the  6th  year  of  Maelsechlaind  [.'.  854/855]) 
"the  king  of  the  Scandinavians  was  invited  by  Maelsechlaind,  to  drink, 
and  there  was  a  plentiful  feast  prepared  for  him  ;  and  the  king  of  the 
Scandinavians  promised  to  fulfil  everything,  on  his  oath.  But  nevertheless 
he  did  not  fulfil  anything  at  all  after  leaving  the  house  of  Maelsechlaind, 
but  began  at  once  to  plunder  the  land  of  Maelsechlaind.  Yet  this  war  did 
not  go  profitably  with  him. 

"In  this  year  many  abandoned  their  Christian  baptism.  .  .  ." 
This  "king  of  the  Scandinavians"  must  have  been  Olafs  father, 
Godfrey.  See  year  873.  In  the  next  year,  "Rodulf  \RodolbH\  came  with 
his  hosts  to  plunder  Ossory  ;  but  Cerball,  Dunlaing's  son,  collected  an 
army  to  oppose  them,  and  gave  them  battle,  and  the  rout  was  upon  the 
Scandinavians.  .  .  ." 

The  account  of  these  events  given  in  the  Wars,  though  fabulous,  is 
interesting  because  of  the  relation  in  which  it  places  its  facts. 

Wars  of  the  Irish  with  the  Foreigners,  18-24,  cc.  20-24:  "Afterwards 
Danish  Black-gentiles  came  and  invaded  Ireland  \ro  laeset  fo  Erind\,  and 
they  were  driving  the  White-gentiles  out  of  Ireland  ;  and  they  gave  battle, 
and  5,000  of  the  White-gentiles  were  killed  at  Snam-Ergda  "  (Carlingford 
Bay  ;  Hogan).  "Afterwards  another  fleet  came.  It  landed  in  Kerry,  and 
[the  land]  was  plundered  by  them  to  Limerick.  .  .  .  All  these  devastations 
were  made  in  the  reign  of  Fedlimid,  Crimthan's  son "  (king  of  Cashel, 
820  ;  of  Munster,  823-847  ;  Annals  of  Ulster). 

[c.  21]  "Great  toil  did  [the  Black-gentiles]  endure  in  that  period  [823- 
847].  The  Cenel-Conaill  defeated  them  in  battle  at  Assaroe.  The  Dail- 
Caiss  defeated  them  in  another  battle  on  Lough  Derg.  The  Ui-Neill 
defeated  [them]  in  another  battle  at  Ardbrackan.  The  Ui-Colgan,  too, 
killed  earl  Saxulf.  Olchobar,  Kenneth's  son,  king  of  Cashel,  and  Lorcan, 
Cellach's  son,  king  of  Leinster,  gained  the  battle  of  Sciath-Nechtain  over 
them,  and  there  fell  the  king  of  Scandinavia's  heir  \tanaissi  ri  Lochlann\ 
and  with  him  died  200  of  the  nobles  of  Scandinavia  \Lochland\.  The  same 
Olchobar  destroyed  their  [castle]  in  Tulach-na-Rigna,  and  there  many  fell  ; 
and  Mug's  Half"  (the  south  of  Ireland)  "slew  them  all. 

[c.  22]  "  Now  Maelsechlaind,  king  of  Tara,  defeated  them  in  the  battle 
of  Caislen-glinni,  and  there  700  fell.  Tigernach  also  defeated  [them]  in  a 
battle  at  Daire-Disirt-Dochonna,  and  there  500  fell.  The  same  Olchobar, 
too,  and  the  Eoganacht  of  Cashel,  defeated  them  in  battle  at  Dun-Maeltuli, 
and  there  twelve  score  fell.  368  of  them  fell  by  the  [hands  of  the]  White- 
gentiles.  200  of  them  fell  before  the  Ciannachta  at  Inis-Findmic  ;  and  300 
besides  fell  before  the  Ciannachta  at  the  end  of  a  month  afterwards,  at 
Raith-altan.  Maelsechlaind  defeated  them  in  another  battle  at  Raith- 
commair.     The  [men  of]  Kerry  defeated  them  in  another  battle. 

[c.  23]  "Afterwards  Olaf,  [son  of]  the  king  of  Scandinavia,  came  with  a 
huge  fleet,  10  years  after  the  death  of  Maelsechlaind  [t  862],  and  took 
kingship  of  the  Foreigners  of  Ireland  ;  and  Conchobar,  Duncan's  son,  royal 
heir  of  Tara,  was  drowned  by  him.     By  these  the  battle  of  Cluain-Daim  was 


284  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

8S3 

Annals  of  the  Four  Masters,  vol.  i,  p.  487,  s.a.  85  i  =853 

Godfrey,  Fergus'  son,  lord  ^  of  the  Hebrides,  died.^ 

854 

Annals  of  Innisfallen ;  Rerum  Hibernicarum  Scriptores, 
vol.  ii,  part  2,  p.  29,  O'Conor's  year  840  =  854^ 

Indrechtach  Ua-Finnachta,  abbot  of  lona,  went  into 
martyrdom  on  his  way  to  Rome,  [being  killed]  by  Saxons.* 

fought  against  the  Deisi,  and  there  fell  all  the  nobles  of  the  Deisi.  By  them 
\yas  killed  the  son  of  Cendfaelad,  king  of  Muskerry  ;  and  Muchdaigren, 
son  of  Rechtabrat,  was  suffocated  in  a  cave.  By  them  was  killed  Ketil  the 
White,  [with  the  whole]  number  of  his  camp.  By  them  was  killed  Mael- 
guala,  son  of  Dungal,  king  of  Cashel ;  his  back  was  broken  over  a  stone. 
Yet  nevertheless  they  all  fell  before  the  men  of  Munster ;  Ona,  and  Scolph, 
and  Tomar,  T[uirgeis,  etc.]."  {teora  ocus  ced  in  MS.  B.  See  ibid.,  23,  note. 
It  may  be  implied  that  Olaf  too  fell  in  Munster.) 

[c.  24]  "Afterwards  Audgisl  \Ossill\  son  of  the  king  of  Scandinavia, 
came  [with]  another  fleet,  and  the  greater  part  of  Ireland  was  plundered  by 
them.  These  also  fell  before  the  men  of  Ireland.  For  Audgisl  fell  with  500 
before  the  men  of  Ireland  in  Munster,  in  one  day.  In  that  year  fell  Colphin 
and  the  fleet  of  Dun-Medoin,  at  Cend-Curraig.  [The  foreigners]  were  slain 
from  Cend-Curraig  to  Lismore,  and  many  of  them  fell  [killed]  by  Rechta- 
brat, Bran's  son.  Earl  Baethbarr  and  a  number  of  the  routed  army  went 
to  Dublin.  Afterwards  he  was  drowned  at  Dublin,  through  a  miracle  of 
Ciaran  ;  and  Aed  Scandail,  whom  they  were  besieging.  In  that  year  fell 
earl  Tomur,  [killed]  by  [St]  Brendan,  three  days  after  the  plundering  by 
him  of  Clonfert. 

"  In  that  year  Aed  Findliath,  Niall's  son,  defeated  them  in  battle  at 
Loch  Foyle,  and  1200  heads  of  them  fell  there  in  one  place,  and  all  their 
treasure  and  jewels  were  taken." 

Cf  the  Book  of  Leinster's  version,  ibid.,  229-231. 

'  toiseach  Innsi  Gall. 

2  Olaf  the  White  seems,  from  the  course  of  events  after  his  death  (the 
occupation  of  the  Hebrides  by  Ketil  Flatnose  and  his  family),  to  have 
ruled  in  the  Hebrides  (see  below,  pp.  305-309)  ;  his  rule  may  have  followed 
Godfrey's.  Olaf  the  White  and  his  kindred  were  descendants  of  Aun. 
Cf  below,  pp.  292,  306. 

^  Placed  7  years  after  847,  and  i  year  before  855. 

"•  Indrechtach  hua  Finechta  abb  lae  hi  niartra  [fo.  15]  dochoid  oc  dul  do 
Ro\ii!i\  la  \Sa\xanu. 


KING  GODFREY.     THE  GALL-GAIDIL  285 

854 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  364,  s.a.  853  =  854 

Columcille's  successor,  a  very  good  wise  man,  was  martyred 
byi  Saxons  on  the  fourth  day"  before  the  Ides  of  March.^ 

856 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  pp.  364-366,  s.a,  855  =  856 

[There  was]  a  great  war  between  the  gentiles  and 
Maelsechlaind  *  with  the  Gall-Gaidil.^  .  .  . 

A  great  victory  [was  gained]  by  Aed,  Niall's  son,  over  the 
Gall-Gaidil,  in  Glenelly ;  and  he  made  a  very  great  slaughter 
of  them.'' 

'  Apud,  in  the  sense  of  the  Irish  la. 

2  I.e.,  March  12th. 

^  So  also  in  C.S.,  152,  Hennessy's  year  854. 

F.M.,  i,  486,  s.a.  852  =  854  (and  the  "8th  year  of  Maelsechlaind," 
sovereign  of  Ireland) :  "  Indrechtach  Ua-Finachtain,  Columcille's  successor, 
a  distinguished  wise  man,  suffered  martyrdom  by  Saxons  on  the  12th  day 
of  March." 

D.M.F.,  III,  126:  "Indrechtach  Ua-Finnachta,  Columcille's  successor, 
and  Diarmait,  very  wise  men,  were  killed  on  the  way  to  Rome  by  English 
robbers  \do  shladaighibh  Saxanackd]  ;  and  their  innocent  blood  remains  still 
in  the  place  where  they  were  killed,  as  a  sign  of  God's  vengeance  upon 
those  who  killed  them."  "Diarmait,  the  wisest  of  the  Scots,  died,"  is  in  the 
next  year-section.  Diarmait's  death  is  placed  by  A.U.  (i,  360)  and  F.M. 
(i,  486)  in  851  =  852. 

*  Sovereign  of  Ireland. 

*  So  also  in  C.S.  154  ;  Hennessy's  year  856. 

^  Similarly  in  F.M.,  i,  488,  s.a.  854  =  856  (and  the  "  loth  year  of 
Maelsechlaind  "). 

For  the  meaning  of  the  name  Gall-Gaidil  ("foreign  Gaels")  cf  D.M.F., 
III,  128  (in  the  year  after  Indrechtach's  death)  :  "Aed,  king  of  Ailech,  the 
best  king  of  his  time  in  the  use  of  arms,  gave  battle  to  the  fleet  of  the 
Gall-Gaidil :  they  were  Scots  and  foster-children  of  the  Northmen,  and  at 
one  time  they  were  called  Northmen.  They  were  routed  by  Aed,  and  the 
Gall-Gaidil  were  massacred  ;  and  many  heads  were  taken  by  [Aed,  son  of] 
Niall.  And  the  Irish  had  the  right  to  kill  them,  because  they  used  to  do 
as  the  Scandinavians  did."     See  year  858. 

Aed  was  fighting  against  Maelsechlaind  for  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland. 
Glenelly  is  in  Tyrone. 

In  the  previous  year-section,  which  begins  with  an  assembly  at  Armagh 
[851]  and  the  death  of  Indrechtach  Ua-Finnachta  [854],  D.M.F.,  III,  126, 
records:  "And  in  this  year  some  forsook  their  Christian  baptism,  and 
joined  the  Scandinavians  ;   and  they  plundered  Armagh,  and  took  away 


286  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

857 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  366,  s.a.  856  =  857 

A  victory  was  gained  by  Ivar  and  Olaf  over  Ketil  the  White 
with  the  Gall-Gaidil,  in  the  lands  of  Munster.^ 

858 

Duald  Mac-Pirbis,  Fragment  III,  p.  138^ 

Maelsechlaind  went  into  Munster,  and  he  harried  Munster 
for  a  month,  in  Emly ;  and  he  took  the  hostages  of  Munster, 
from  Comar-tri-n-uisce^  to  Inis-Tarbnai*  in  the  west  of 
Ireland.       This    was     the    battle     of    Carn-Lugdach.       And 

its  riches  \inaithius\.  But  some  of  them  did  penance,  and  came  to  make 
amends." 

According  to  this  Fragment,  the  Gall-Gaidil  were  Gaels  who  supported 
the  Norwegian  invaders.  Elsewhere  this  name  means  the  mixed  popula- 
tion of  the  Scottish  islands,  and  of  Galloway. 

It  is  possible  that  the  Gall-Gaidil  here  too  were  invaders  from  the 
west  of  Scotland,  but  this  is  not  certain.  The  western  islands  were  still  (at 
least  until  853)  subject  to  the  Scottish  king.  In  France,  renegade  natives 
supported  the  invading  Northmen  about  this  time,  and  took  their  share  of 
the  spoil ;  it  is  quite  likely  that  the  same  thing  occurred  in  the  British 
islands  also. 

1  So  also  in  C.S.,  154,  Hennessy's  year  857. 

A.I.,  29,  O'Conor's  year  843  =  857  :  "The  fleet  of  Botine  [longes  botine] 
came  to  Ireland."  Ibid.,  O'Conor's  year  844  =  858:  "Campaign  of 
Maelsechlaind  in  Munster." 

A.C.,  R.S.  20,  13,  s.a.  [844]  ("the  400th  year"  after  444),  reads  :  "The 
battle  of  Ketil"  {Gueith  Cetill).  This  may  possibly  have  been  fought  by 
Ketil  the  White.     It  is  noted  also  in  B.S.  in  M.A.,  654,  s.a.  844. 

Cf  the  Wars,  22  (above)  and  231. 

There  is  no  evidence  to  shovvf  that  these  Gall-Gaidil  were  Hebrideans, 
or  that  Ketil  the  White  was  Ketil  Flatnose  ;  although  we  have  reason  to 
believe  that  Ketil  Flatnose  fought  in  the  British  islands,  many  years 
before  874. 

C.S.  (below,  year  859,  note)  implies  that  these  Gall-Gaidil  lived  in  the 
north  of  Ireland. 

-  Cf.  A.U.,  i,  366  =  368,  s.a.  857  =  858,  where  the  Gall-Gaidil  are  not 
mentioned. 

3  "  Confluence  of  three  rivers,"  the  boundary  of  Leinster  and  Munster  : 
"  near  Waterford  "  O'Donovan  ;  "  Suir,  Nore  and  Barrow,  opposite  Cheek 
Point,  county  Waterford"  Hogan. 

*  "The  Bull"  W.  of  Dursey  Island,  barony  Beare,  county  Cork; 
O'Donovan,  Hogan. 


KETIL  THE  WHITE.     KING  KENNETH  287 

Maelcroin,  Muiredach's  son,  one  of  the  two  kings  of  Decies, 
was  killed  in  that  battle. 

If  Maelsechlaind  had  not  come  on  this  expedition  to  take 
to  himself  the  kingship  of  Munster,  he  ought  to  have  come  to 
kill  those  whom  he  killed  there  of  the  Gall-Gaidil ;  because 
these  were  men  who  had  forsaken  their  baptism ;  and  they 
were  called  Northmen,  because  they  had  Northmen's  manners, 
and  had  been  fostered  by  them ;  and  though  the  original 
Northmen  did  evil  to  the  churches,  these  did  far  worse ;  i.e., 
this  people  [the  Gall-Gaidil],  wherever  they  were  in  Ireland.^ 

858 

Annals  of  Innisfallen  ;  Rerum  Hibernicarum  Scriptores,  vol.  ii, 
part  2,  p.  29,  O'Conor's  year  844  =  858^ 

Kenneth,  Alpin's  son,  king  of  Scotland,  [died]. 

858 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  366,  s.a.  857  =  858 

Kenneth,  Alpin's  son,  king  of  the  Picts,^  and  [/Ethelwulf],* 
king  of  the  Saxons,  died. 

858 

Duald  Mao-Pirbis,  Fragment  III,  p.  150^ 

Kenneth,  Alpin's  son,  king  of  the  Picts,  died.  And  this 
verse  was  composed :  "  That  Kenneth,  of  many  stables,"  is 
dead,  causes  weeping  in  every  house ;  there  is  not  under 
heaven  one  king  so  good,  as  far  as  to  the  borders  of  Rome."  ^ 

'  an  lucht  sa,  gach  corairfo  Eirinn  a  mbidis. 

2  Placed  3  years  after  855,  16  years  before  874. 

^  Annales  Cambriae,  Y  Cymmrodor,  ix,  165,  s.a.  [856]  (2  years  after  the 
"410th  year"  after  444) :  "  Kenneth"  {Cemoyth,  altered  from  Cemoith;  read 
Cenioytk;  Phillimore),  "king  of  the  Picts,  died."  This  is  not  in  MS.  C  ; 
Ab  Ithel's  ed.,  14.  Cf.  B.S.  in  M.A.,  655,  s.a.  856;  B.T.,  MSS.  CD, 
s.a.  856,  Ab  Ithel's  ed.,  12. 

■>  In  text  "Eadulf."  ^thelwulf,  king  of  Wessex,  died  in  858  (A.S.C., 
ABDE  ;  in  859,  CF).     His  death  is  placed  under  857  by  B.S.  in  M.A.,  655. 

^  Placed  in  the  year-section  corresponding  to  the  Ulster  Annals' 
857  =  858. 

"  go  lion  sgor. 

'  go  bniinne  Romha. 


288  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

843-858 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  A  ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  8 

So  Kenneth,  Alpin's  son,  first  of  the  Scots  ruled  this 
Pictland  prosperously  for  sixteen  years. 

Pictland  was  named  after  the  Picts,  whom,  as  we  have  said 
Kenneth  destroyed.^  For  God  deigned  to  make  them  alien 
from,  and  void  of,  their  heritage,  by  reason  of  their  wickedness  ; 
because  they  not  only  spurned  the  Lord's  mass  and  precept, 
but  also  refused  to  be  held  equal  to  others  in  the  law  of  justice.^ 

Two  years  before  he  came  to  Pictland,  he  had  received  the 
kingdom  of  Dalriata.^ 

In  the  seventh  year  of  his  reign,*  he  transported  the  relics 
of  St  Columba  to  a  church  that  he  had  built.  And  he  invaded 
England  six  times ;  and  he  seized  and  burned  Dunbar  and 
Melrose. 

But  the  Britons  burned  Dunblane,  and  the  Danes  wasted 
Pictland  to  Clunie  and  Dunkeld.® 

He  died  of  a  tumour^  ultimately,  on  the  Ides  of  February, 
the  third  day  of  the  week,  in  the  palace  of  Forteviot.^ 

'  The  statement  referred  to  is  not  in  version  A  :  some  account  of 
Kenneth's  accession  has  been  omitted. 

^  Sed  et  in  jure  equitatis  aliis  equi parari  nolucrunt.  This  is  understood 
to  refer  to  their  ecclesiastical  law. 

^  This  is  perhaps  the  most  authoritative  account  of  the  period  841-843, 
assigned  by  later  chronicles  to  the  reign  of  Alpin,  Kenneth's  father,  in 
Dalriata  ([841-843],  Prose  Chronicle;  3  years,  Chronicle  of  Dalriata, 
DEIKN). 

*  I.e.,  848-849.     See  year  849. 

°  ad  Cluanan  et  Duncalden.  Cf.  year  849,  note.  Cluanan  was  under- 
stood by  Robertson  (E.K.,  i,  40)  to  have  been  "  Cluny  in  Stormont." 

"  tumore  ani. 

'  Fothuirtabaicht.  The  date  given  is  Tuesday,  13th  February.  This 
was  Tuesday  in  854  and  860  ;  but  it  was  Sunday  in  858.  Skene  argued 
therefore  from  this  and  the  Huntingdon  Chronicle  that  Kenneth  died  in 
860,  and  had  succeeded  in  832.  Cf.  year  834,  note.  See  S.C.S.,  i, 
308-309.  But  Chronicle  A's  list  of  reign-lengths  has  at  least  equal 
authority  with  its  dates  ;  and  its  reign-lengths  do  not  seem  to  support 
Skene's  view.  It  is  not  unlikely  that  the  day  of  Kenneth's  death  is 
wrongly  given  by  version  A. 

The  Prose  Chronicle  inserted  in  the  Chronicle  of  Melrose  places 
Kenneth's  death  under  [859]. 

The  Duan  Albanach,  in  P.  &  S.,  62  :  "Thirty  years  of  severe  Kenneth." 


REIGN  OF  KENNETH  289 

843-858 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  D ;  Skene's  Picts 
and  Scots,  p.  151 

Kenneth,  Alpin's  son,  reigned  over  the  Scots  for  sixteen 
years,  after  destroying  the  Picts ;  and  he  died  in  Forteviot,^ 
and  was  buried  in  the  island  of  lona,  where  the  three  sons  of 
Ere  (Fergus,  Loarn,  and  Angus)  were  buried. 

[Kenneth]  led  the  Scots  from  Argyle  into  the  land  of  the 
Picts  with  marvellous  astuteness.^ 

(Here,  as  throughout  the  Duan,  the  epithet  is  selected  to  alHterate  with 
the  king's  name.) 

The  Huntingdon  Chronicle  says  that  Kenneth  succeeded  in  834,  and 
reigned  for  28  years  :  meaning  that  he  reigned  for  sixteen  years  over  the 
kingdom  of  the  Picts,  from  his  twelfth  year  as  king  of  Dalriata  (see  the 
words  of  the  passage,  above,  p.  271).  According  to  this  account  he  would 
have  died  between  860  and  862,  perhaps  in  861.  The  Huntingdon 
Chronicle's  account  is  probably  untrustworthy.  Kenneth  can  hardly  have 
reigned  in  Dalriata  before  839  ;  if  he  did  reign  before  that  year,  it  would 
seem  to  have  been  in  some  other  part  of  Scotland. 

If  the  story  of  the  death  of  Alpin  is  to  be  taken  as  relating  to  the  death 
of  Kenneth's  father,  it  would  seem  to  connect  the  family  with  Galloway. 
(Higden,  Polychronicon,  ii,  148,  says  that  Kenneth  added  the  country 
south  of  the  Forth  to  the  kingdom  of  the  Picts:  "after  destroying  the 
Picts,  he  had  caused  the  territory  that  is  between  the  Tweed  and  the 
Scottish  Sea  to  pertain  to  his  kingdom."     This  is  without  authority.) 

Of  Kenneth's  daughters,  one  married  Run,  king  of  Strathclyde  (see 
year  889)  ;  one  married  Aed  Find-liath,  king  of  Ireland  (t  879),  and  died 
in  913  (q.v.)  ;  one  has  erroneously  been  said  to  have  married  Olaf, 
Godfrey's  son  :   see  below,  p.  309. 

^  Fethertauethn.  Forteviet  in  F.  Fethirthant  vel  Fertebeith^  G. 
Forteidoth,  I. 

2  Similarly  in  versions  FGI  (174,  301,  288) ;  but  F  omits  "  of  Ere,"  and 
reads  in  ira  caliditafe  for  mira  caliditate. 

Version  K  reads  confusedly  (ibid.,  204) :  "  Kenneth,  Alpin's  son, 
reigned  for  16  years,  and  died  at  Forteviot,  and  was  buried  in  the  island 
of  lona,  beside  Ere,  Loarn  and  Fergus,  three  brothers  who  led  the  Scots 
in  Argyle  \en  Arckady]  against  the  Picts." 

Version  E,  ibid.  131  :  "Kenneth,  Alpin's  son,  first  king  of  the  Scots, 
[reigned  for]  16  [years]." 

Version  N,  ibid.,  305  :  "  The  first  king  of  the  Scots  was  Kenneth, 
Alpin's  son,  who,  after  destroying  the  Picts,  reigned  for  16  years,  and  was 
buried  in  the  island  of  lona." 

T 


290  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

859 

Duald  Mac-Firtois,  Fragment  III,  p.  140^ 

A  rout  before  Cerball,  Dunlaing's  son,  and  Ivar,^  [was  made] 
of  the  Gall-Gaidil  in  Araid-tire.^ 

862 

Annals  of  Innisfallen  ;  Rerum  Hibernicarum  Scriptores,  vol.  ii, 
part  2,  p.  30,  O'Conor's  year  847  =  861  * 

The  death  of  Donald,  Alpin's  son,  king  of  Scotland. 

862 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  370,  s.a.  861  =862  ^ 

Donald,  Alpin's  son,  king  of  the  Picts,  died.'^ 

1  In  the  I2th  year  of  Maelsechlaind,  i.e.  858  or  859. 

2  re  n-Iar. 

^  The  barony  of  Ara  or  Duhara,  county  Tipperary,  with  Ara  Cliach  in 
the  west  of  county  Limerick  ;  Hogan. 

A.U.,  i,  368,  s.a.  858  =  859:  "A  great  hosting  by  Olaf  and  Ivar  and 
Cerball,  into  Meath."     Ibid  :   " .  .  .  Cerball,  king  of  Ossory.  .  .  ." 

C.S.,  156,  Hennessy's  year  858  :  "A  rout  of  the  [CenelJ-Fiachach  and 
the  Gall-Gaidil  of  Cond's  half"  [i.e.  the  north  of  Ireland].  "6,400  in 
number,  before  Cerball  and  Ivar,  in  the  territory  of  Ara-tire"  [in  Tipperary]. 
C.S.  therefore  implies  that  the  Gall-Gaidil  were  Irish. 

A.U.  say  that  the  Northmen  killed  Muirecan,  Diarmait's  son,  king  of 
Nass  and  Airthir-Life,  in  863  ;  and  that  in  the  same  year  "  Three  kings  of 
the  foreigners"  (Olaf,  Ivar,  and  Audgisl),  and  Lorcan,  one  of  two  kings  of 
Meath,  invaded  the  land  of  Fland,  Conaing's  son,  and  plundered  four  caves  ; 
the  other  king  of  Meath  was  killed  by  Olaf  "king  of  the  foreigners  "  in  864. 
Olaf,  Ivar,  and  Audgisl,  were  brothers  (D.M.F.,  170  ;   194). 

See  years  866,  870,  871. 

*  Placed  6  years  after  855,  and  13  years  before  874. 

''  In  the  same  year-section  is  recorded  the  death  of  Maelsechlaind,  king 
of  Ireland,  "  on  the  second  before  the  Kalends  of  December,  the  third  day 
of  the  week,  in  the  16th  year  of  his  reign"  ;  so  too  in  C.S.,  156.  The  30th 
November  was  Tuesday  in  863,  not  in  862.  This  king's  sovereignty  had 
begun,  according  to  A.U.,  in  846  =  847  (i,  352).  P.M.  also  place  his  death 
on  the  30th  November,  after  Maelsechlaind  had  been  16  years  on  the 
throne  ;  they  date  Maelsechlaind's  reign  from  845  =  847  to  860  =  863. 

"  Similarly  in  C.S.,  156,  Hennessy's  year  862  ;  and  in  D.M.F.,  III,  152, 
in  the  year-section  after  that  containing  the  death  of  Kenneth,  Alpin's  son. 


DONALD,  ALPIN'S  SON  291 

858-862 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  A  ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  8 

Donald,  Kenneth's  brother,  held  the  same  kingdom  for  four 
years.i  In  his  time  the  Gaels  with  their  king  made  the  rights 
and  laws  of  the  kingdom,  [that  are  called  the  laws]  of  Aed, 
Eochaid's  son,^  in  Forteviot.^  [Donald]  died  in  the  palace  of 
Cend-Belachoir,  on  the  Ides  of  April.* 

862 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  D  ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  151 

Donald,  Alpin's  son,  reigned  for  four  years ;  and  he  died  in 
Raith-inber-amon,^  and  was  buried  in  the  island  of  lona.'' 

858-862 

Prose  and  Verse  Chronicle  inserted  in  the  Chronicle  of 
Melrose,  pp.  18,  224,  s.a.  859^ 

Kenneth,  king  of  the  Scots,  died  ^ ;  and  Donald  succeeded 
him.  And  of  him  it  is  said  : — ■"  King  Donald  succeeded  him 
for  four  years;  in  war  he  was  a  vigorous  soldier.  He  was  the 
brother  of  Kenneth,  the  king  aforesaid  ;  and  he  is  said  to  have 
been  assassinated  at  Scone."  ^ 

^  The  Duan  Albanach,  in  Skene's  P.  &  S,,  62 :  "  Four  [years]  of 
Donald,  of  ruddy  complexion." 

^  Innes  (CriticalEssay,  409)  understood  this  to  have  been  a  promulgation 
in  Pictland  of  the  laws  of  Aed  Find,  Eochaid's  son,  who  reigned  in 
Dalriata  ca.  748-778.     So  also  S.C.S.,  i,  323. 

■'  Fothiurthabaicth. 

^  April  13th. 

■''  Rathinveramon,  D  ;  Raith  Inverament,  F  ;  Raich  inveramon,  G  ;  Rait 
inverainon,  I.  This  name  means  "castle  at  the  mouth  of  the  Amon 
river";  probably  the  Almond,  which  joins  the  Tay  near,  but  on  the  side 
opposite  to.  Scone.  Fordun,  IV,  15,  says  that  he  died  "at  Scone,  the 
royal  seat."     He  derives  this  from  the  Verse  Chronicle. 

^  Similarly  in  versions  F  (ibid.,  174),  G  (301),  I  (288),  and  (omitting  the 
place  of  Donald's  death)  in  N  (305). 

7  Also  in  P.  &  S.,  177-178  (MS.  B). 

8  See  year  858. 

^  The  passage  within  inverted  commas  is  in  verse  in  the  original. 


292  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

858-862 
Berchan's  Prophecy,  stanzas  123-124;  in  Skene's  Picts  and 
Scots,  pp.  84-85 

Evil  will  be  Scotland's  lot  because  of  it^;  long  will  it  be 
till  his  like  will  come.  A  long  while  till  the  king  takes 
[sovereignty],  the  wanton  son  of  the  foreign  wife  (?).^ 

He  will  be  three  years  in  the  kingdom,  and  three  months 
(although  thou  countest  them).^  His  tomb-stone  will  be  above 
Loch  Awe.     He  dies  of  disease  (some  time).* 

864 

Duald  Mac-Pirbis,  Fragment  HI,  pp.  158-162 ^ 

The  destruction  and  devastation  of  Fortriu  by  the 
Scandinavians^;  and  they  took  away  many  hostages  in  pledge 
of  tax.     And  taxes  were  given  them  for  a  long  time  afterwards.' 

Slaughter  was  made  of  the  Foreigners  at  Mundrehid,  by 
Cendetig,  Gaithin's  son,  king  of  Leix,  and  by  the  northern 
[men  of]  Ossory. 

At  this  time  the  Aunites,*  that  is,  the  Danes,  came  with 
innumerable  hosts  to  York,  and  destroyed  the  city,  and  settled 
in  it'';  and  this  was  the  beginning  of  great  suffering  and 
misfortune  to  the  Britons.^" 

Not  long  before  this,  there  was  all  manner  of  war  and  strife 
in  Scandinavia  ^^ ;  and  that  war  in  Scandinavia  arose  out  of  this, 
that  two  young  sons  of  Halfdan,  king  of  Scandinavia,!^  had 

'  I.e.,  because  of  the  death  of  Kenneth,  Alpin's  son. 

2  na  gaillsighthe;  rhyming  with  rtj  for  seitche  f  Probably  a  Norwegian 
or  English  woman  is  meant.  Her  son  seems  to  have  been  Kenneth's 
successor,  Donald,  Alpin's  son. 

^  cm  rimhi,  a  cheville,  to  rhyme  with  ri'ighe]  of  the  previous  line. 

*  donfecht,  a  cheville,  to  rhyme  with  leacht. 

^  Placed  under  the  year  before  865,  which  is  indicated  by  the  record  of 
"  an  eclipse  of  the  sun  on  the  Kalends  of  January." 

"  la  Lochlannaibh. 

'  Cf.  below,  year  870. 

8  Literally  "descendants  of  Aun."  D.M.F.  n6  reads:  Daunites  i. 
Danairj  the  emendation  Haunites  "men  of  Copenhagen"  has  been 
suggested. 

"  go  7i-dechatturfuirre.     This  was  in  867.     See  below. 

'"  ba  tosach  imnidh  7  docrach  moir  do  Brethnaibh   sin. 

''  i  Lochlainn. 

12  ri  Lochlann.     Halfdan  the  Black,  king  of  Norway,  died  in  864  (or  862). 


RONALD  AND  HIS  SONS  293 

expelled  the  eldest  son,  Ronald,  Halfdan's  son,^  for  fear  lest  he 
should  take  the  kingdom  of  Scandinavia  after  their  father. 
And  Ronald  came  with  his  three  sons^  to  the  Orkney  islands. 
Then  Ronald  remained  there,  with  his  youngest  son ;  but  the 
older  sons  came  to  the  islands  of  Britain  with  a  great  host. 
That  host  was  collected  from  every  quarter,  and  those  sons 
were  filled  with  pride  and  wantonness,  [going]  to  attack  the 
French  and  the  Saxons. 

They  thought  that  their  father  would  go  to  Scandinavia  at 
once  after  they  departed. 

Then  their  pride  and  youthful  ferocity^  impelled  them  to 
row  forward  across  the  Cantabrian  Ocean,  that  is,  the  sea  that 
is  between  Ireland  and  Spain  ;  and  they  reached  Spain,  and 
did  many  evils  in  Spain,  both  storming  and  plundering. 

They  came  afterwards  across  the  Gaditanean  Straits,  that  is, 
the  place  where  the  Mediterranean  Sea  goes  into  the  outer 
ocean ;  and  they  reached  Africa.  And  they  gave  battle  to  the 
Moors,  and  great  slaughter  was  made  of  the  Moors.  However, 
on  their  way  to  this  battle  the  one  son  said  to  the  other  : 
"Brother,"  said  he,  "great  is  the  folly  and  the  recklessness 
that  we  show,  in  being  killed  from  land  to  land  throughout  the 
world,  instead  of  winning  our  own  ancestral  [land],  and  doing 
our  father's  will ;  for  he  is  alone  now,  in  grief  and  feebleness, 
in  a  land  that  does  not  belong  to  him  ;  because  one  of  the  sons 
that  we  left  with  him  has  been  killed,  as  has  been  revealed  to 
me "  (it  was  in  a  dream  that  this  had  been  revealed  to  him) ; 
"  and  his  other  son  has  been  killed  in  a  battle ;  and  the  father 
himself  scarcely  escapes  out  of  that  battle."  And  this  was  in 
fact  fulfilled. 

When  he  had  said  this,  he  saw  the  battalion  of  the  Moors 
approaching  them.  And  when  the  son  who  had  said  the  words 
before  us  saw  it,  he  leapt  suddenly  into  the  battalion  and  came 
against  the  king  of  the  Moors,  and  struck  him  a  blow  with  a 
great  sword,  and  cut  off  his  hand.  Both  sides  fought  hard  in 
that  battle,  and  neither  of  them  got  victory  in  that  battle  over 

'  Rag7iall  mac  Albdain. 

2  A  son  of  Ronald  named  below  is  Halfdan,  who  fell  in  Ireland  in  877. 
This  may  have  been  the  Halfdan  who  reigned  over  Danes,  with  his 
brother  Sigfrith  (see  pp.  298,  301,  351). 

^  dgbadata.     For  ocbadbdaia?     See  Dinneen,  s.v.  badhta. 


294  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

the  other.  But  both  sides  returned  to  their  camps,  after  many 
had  been  killed  between  them.  Each  side,  however,  challenged 
the  other  to  come  to  the  battle  on  the  morrow.  But  the  king 
of  the  Moors  left  the  camp,  and  escaped  in  the  night,  after  the 
loss  of  his  hand.  When  the  morning  came,  the  Scandinavians 
took  their  arms,  and  prepared  themselves  with  hardihood  and 
vigour  for  the  battle.  But  when  the  Moors  had  learned  that 
their  king  had  escaped,  they  fled,  after  great  slaughter  had 
been  made  of  them. 

After  that,  the  Scandinavians  went  through  the  country, 
and  ravaged  it ;  and  they  burned  the  whole  land ;  and  they 
brought  a  great  host  of  [the  Moors]  in  captivity  with  them  to 
Ireland.  These  are  the  "blue  men"^;  because  Moors  are  the 
same  as  negroes ;  Mauritania  is  the  same  as  negro-land.^ 

Scarcely  did  every  third  man  of  the  Scandinavians  escape, 
what  with  those  that  were  killed,  and  those  of  them  that  were 
drowned  in  the  Gaditanean  Straits. 

Long  were  these  blue  men  in  Ireland. 

Mauritania  is  opposite  the  Balearic  Islands.^ 

'  fi'^  gorma. 

^  Literally  "the  same  as  blackness."  uair  is  ionann  Mauri  7  nigri: 
Mauritania  is  ionairn  is  nigritiido. 

^  This  story  seems  to  imply  that  Ronald  was  the  son  of  Halfdan  the 
Black  ;  that  Ronald  left  Norway  not  long  before  Halfdan's  death  (t  864  or 
862),  and  lived  in  Orkney  with  two  sons,  while  other  two  of  his  sons  pro- 
ceeded on  warfare  to  France,  Saxony,  Spain,  and  Africa,  and  lived  in 
Ireland  on  their  return.  The  sons  that  remained  in  Orkney  fell  in  battle 
there.  It  is  almost  implied  that  Ronald  recovered  his  inheritance  in 
Norway,  by  aid  of  the  other  two  sons. 

This  Ronald,  Halfdan's  son,  has  been  identified  with  Ragnar  Lodbrokr, 
the  son,  according  to  Icelandic  writers,  of  Sigurd  Ring.  But  in  addition 
to  their  different  names  and  the  statements  of  their  different  parentage, 
other  difficulties  oppose  the  identification.  This  is  probably  a  variant  of 
the  story  of  Ronald,  earl  of  Mrerr,  and  his  sons  (Turf-Einar  and  Hrolf, 
etc.),  told  of  a  different  Ronald. 

Ragnar  Lodbrok's  kingdom  was  magnified  in  tradition.  A  fabulous 
account  of  him  is  given  in  Ragnar's  Saga  ;  cf  also  the  Tale  of  Ragnar's 
Sons  (Hauksbok,  458-463).  See  Saxo  Grammaticus,  book  X  ;  pp.  301  ff. 
Cf.  Lorenzen's  Gammeldanske  Kroniker,  32-35,  88-89  (partly  derived  from 
Adam  of  Bremen)  ;  and  Oddveria  Annall,  in  Storm's  Annaler,  455-457. 

Ragnar  of  the  Saga  was  the  invader  of  France  ;  his  sons  fought  and 
ruled  in  France  and  England. 

Ragnar  {Ragneri)  entered  Paris  on  Easter  Saturday,  28th  March,  845, 


RAGNAR  LODBROK  295 

865 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  374,  s.a.  864=865 

An  eclipse  of  the  sun  on  the  Kalends  of  January,  and  an 
eclipse  of  the  moon  in  the  same  month.^ 

Cellach,  Ailill's  son,  abbot  of  Kildare  and  abbot  of  lona, 
slept  in  the  country  of  the  Picts.^  .  .  . 

The  Britons  were  driven  out  of  their  land^  by  the  Saxons, 
and  were  subjugated  in  Anglesey  of  Cinan.*  .  .  . 

according  to  the  Fragmentum  Chronic!  Fontanellensis,  s.a.  845  ;  M.G.H., 
Scriptores,  ii,  302  (the  year  is  also  indicated  by  the  indiction). 

Ragnar  {Reginkeri)  fell  in  France  in  845,  according  to  the  Annales 
Xantenses  ;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  ii,  228. 

[Ragnar's  son]  Eric  is  called  king  of  the  Northmen  in  845,  by  Prudentius 
of  Troyes  ;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  i,  441. 

For  Ragnar's  sons,  see  years  867-868,  below.  For  Ronald's  family, 
see  pp.  371-376. 

The  word  Lodbr'dkr  (feminine  plural)  or  Lodbrdk  (feminine  singular) 
seems  to  be  a  nickname,  meaning  "wearer  of  shaggy  breeches."  But  a 
12th-century  runic  inscription  in  the  Maeshowe  is  said  to  imply  that 
Lodbrok  was  the  mother  of  Lodbrok's  sons  ;  and  that  she  was  buried  in 
Orkney.  See  G.  Storm,  in  Vikingetidens  Historie,  84-85  (1878).  This  is 
perhaps  an  erroneous  implication  ;  but  the  whole  environment  of  Ragnar 
is  obscure.  The  inscription  dates  from  soon  after  the  winter  (1152-1153) 
when  Scandinavian  crusaders  remained  in  Orkney,  and,  among  other 
violent  acts,  broke  into  the  Maeshowe  ;  some  ten  of  them  carved  their 
names  upon  the  stones. 

(Cf.  i.a.  R.S.  88,  iii,  pp.  xxxvi-xxxviii.) 

'  The  sun  was  eclipsed  in  865  on  January  ist  at  i\  p.m.,  the  moon  on 
January  15th  at  6j  p.m.,  Paris  time  (L'Art  de  Verifier  les  Dates). 

^  So  too  (both  paragraphs)  in  C.S.,  158,  Hennessy's  year  865  (but  there 
"in  the  country  of  the  Picts"  is  omitted).  Similarly  also  in  D.M.F.,  III, 
162  ;  and  in  F.M.,  i,  500,  s.a.  863  =  865  (and  the  "3rd  year  of  Aed"  Findliath, 
sovereign  of  Ireland),  after  the  death  of  Tuathal  (but  F.M.  read  "died" 
for  "slept"). 

^  I.e.,  Gwynedd,  or  North  Wales. 

*  tniMaen  Chojtain.  Cf.  D.M.F.,  III,  154:  "In  this  year,  the  third 
year  of  the  reign  of  Aed  Find-liath  [i.e.  865],  the  Saxons  entered  [the  land 
of]  the  Britons  of  Gwynedd  [z  mBreathnaibh  Gaimud'\  ;  and  the  Saxons 
drove  the  Britons  from  their  country."  The  Welsh  chronicles  place  the 
death  of  a  Cinan  under  the  year  865  (see  B.T.  in  M.A.,  687  ;  B.T.  in  R.B.H., 
259;  R.S.  17,  14;  20,  14).  But  the  Cinan  who  is  connected  with  Mon  or 
Anglesey  was  Rotri's  son,  who  fought  with  his  brother  Higuel  for  the 
island,  and  who  died  in  816  (A.C. ;  817,  B.S.  in  M.A.). 


296  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Tuathal,  Artgus'  son,  chief  bishop  of  Fortriu  and  abbot  of 
Dunkeld,  slept.^ 

866 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  374,  s.a.  865  =  866^ 

Olaf  and  Audgisl  ^  went  into  Fortriu,  with  the  Foreigners 
of  Ireland  and  Scotland;  and  they  raided  all  the  land  of  the 
Picts,  and  took  hostages  from  them.* 

867-868 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  376,  s.a.  866  =  867 

A  battle  [was  fought]  by  the  Black-foreigners  against  the 
Saxons  of  the  North,  in  York  ;  and  in  it  fell  ^lle,  king  of  the 
North-Saxons.^ 

'  Similarly  (but  with  the  reading  "  died "  for  "slept")  in  D.M.F.,  u.s.  ; 
and  (before  Cellach's  death)  in  F.M.,  u.s. 

^  By  sequence. 

^  Amlaiph  7  Auisle.  Auisle  is  the  Irish  form  of  Audgisl,  according  to 
A.  Bugge  ;  this  is  probably  correct.  Stokes  suggested  that  it  might  have 
been  auvisli  "  damage,  injury."  The  form  of  the  name  may  possibly  have 
been  influenced  by  the  Latin  name  Auxilius.  The  Wars  give  the  spelling 
Ossill.     Perhaps  Eowils  was  an  Anglo-Saxon  rendering  of  the  same  name. 

Cf.  A.U.,  i,  372,  s.a.  862  =  863:  ".  .  .  Three  kings  of  the  Foreigners, 
.  .  .  Olaf  and  Ivar  and  Audgisl."  In  867,  "  Audgisl,  the  third  king  of 
the  Gentiles,  was  slaughtered  by  his  brothers  in  treachery  and  parricide" 
(A.U.,  i,  376,  s.a.  866  =  867).  Therefore  A.U.  seem  to  agree  with  Duald's 
Fragment  in  making  Olaf,  Ivar,  and  Audgisl,  brothers.     See  above,  p.  290. 

*  According  to  the  Chronicle  of  the  Kings  (A),  "  Olaf  with  his  gentiles 
wasted  Pictland,  and  dwelt  in  it"  from  January  ist  to  March  17th  in 
Constantine's  3rd  year  (864-865) :  but  probably  the  invasion  of  866  is  meant. 

'"  Cf.  A.C.,  in  Y  Cymmrodor,  ix,  165,  s.a.  [866]  (2  years  after  the  "420th 
year  "  after  444)  :  "  The  city  of  York  was  wasted  ;  that  is,  the  battle  of  the 
Black-gentiles  "  {cat  dub  gint,  A  ;  cat  Du  lin,  B  ;  not  in  C  :  Ab  Ithel's  ed., 
14).  Cf.  B.S.  in  M.A.,  655,  s.a.  866;  B.T.  in  R.B.H.,  259,  between  years 
860  and  870. 

These  "  black  foreigners  "  or  "  black  gentiles  "  were  Danes. 

A.S.C.,  s.a.  867  (ABDE  ;  C,  s.a.  868)  :  "  In  this  year  the  [heathen]  army 
proceeded  from  East  Anglia  over  Humber-mouth  to  the  city  of  York  in 
Northumbria.  And  there  was  much  dissension  within  this  [Northumbrian] 
people  among  themselves  ;  and  they  had  deposed  their  king,  Osbeorht, 
and  received  a  king,  ^lle,  not  of  royal  blood.  And  late  in  the  year  they 
decided  that  they  should  fight  against  the  [Danish]  army  ;  and  indeed  they 
gathered  a  great  army  \^fierd\  and  went  to  the  [Danish]  army  at  York,  and 


^LLE  AND  RAGNAR'S  SONS  297 

broke  into  the  city  ;  and  some  of  them  got  into  it  ;  and  there  was  endless 
slaughter  of  the  Northumbrians,  some  inside  and  some  out.  And  both  the 
kings  were  slain.  And  those  that  were  left  made  peace  with  the  [Danish] 
army." 

According  to  S.D.,  i,  54-55,  ^lle  was  placed  over  Northumbria  by  the 
Danes,  when  Osbeorht  was  deposed  (in  ?863).  York  was  taken  on  ist 
November,  867,  in  the  5th  year  of  king  ^lle  ;  and  kings  ^lle  and  Osbeorht, 
uniting  their  forces,  attacked  the  Danes  at  York  on  21st  March,  868,  and 
fell.  The  Danes  appointed  Ecgbeorht  king  (under  themselves)  over  the 
district  north  of  the  Tyne  ;  they  passed  a  year  in  Mercia,  returned  to  York 
for  a  year,  were  then  led  against  the  East-Angles,  and  put  Edmund  to 
death  (A.D.  870). 

Meanwhile,  the  Northumbrians  had  expelled  Ecgbeorht,  and  made 
Ricsig  their  king  (ibid.,  56.     Ricsig  died  in  876,  according  to  S.D.,  ii,  iii). 

Historia  de  S.  Cuthberto,  R.S.  75,  i,  204  :  "The  army  that  Ubba,  king 
of  the  Frisians,  and  Halfdan,  king  of  the  Danes,  had  brought  into  English 
land,  was  divided  into  three  parts  :  one  rebuilt  the  city  of  York,  and 
cultivated  the  land  around  it,  and  remained  there.  But  the  second,  which 
occupied  the  land  of  the  Mercians,  and  the  third,  which  invaded  the  land 
of  the  East  Saxons,  did  many  evils  for  three  years,  and  killed  all  of  royal 
race,  except  only  Alfred,  king  Edward's  father,  who  hid  for  these  three 
years  in  Glastonbury  marsh,  in  great  privations." 

D.M.F.,  III,  172,  under  "the  6th  year  of  the  reign  of  Aed,  Niall's  son," 
i.e.  868  or  869  :  "  In  this  year  the  Danes  went  to  York,  and  gave  hard 
battle  to  the  Saxons  there.  The  Saxons  were  routed,  and  the  king  of 
the  Saxons,  ^Ue,  was  killed  there,  through  treachery  and  deceit  of  a  young 
lad  of  his  own  people.  And  great  slaughter  was  made  in  this  battle. 
Afterwards  they  entered  the  city  of  York,  and  took  much  of  every  kind  of 
riches,  because  it  was  rich  at  that  time  ;  and  they  slew  all  the  good  men 
they  found  in  it.  From  this  arose  all  manner  of  misfortune  [doc[/t]onacA] 
and  of  tribulation  for  the  island  of  Britain." 

According  to  the  Icelandic  writers,  ^EUe  was  killed  by  Ragnar's  sons, 
and  Ivar  Legless  became  king  in  his  place.  The  Icelandic  accounts  of 
Ragnar  Lodbrokr  or  Lodbrok,  and  his  sons,  are  mixed  with  legend,  and 
untrustworthy.  See  OlafTryggvi's  son's  Saga,  cc.  61-64;  Ragnar  Lodbrok's 
Saga  ;  the  Tale  of  Ragnar's  sons,  in  Hauksbok,  ii,  462-465  ;  and  Ragnars- 
drapa  (composed  in  the  9th  century  by  Bragi  the  Old,  Boddi's  son),  in  J.S., 
i,  B  1-4.     See  also  above,  pp.  294-295,  note. 

Ragnar's  Saga  says  that  the  blood-eagle  was  carved  on  file's  back  ; 
see  the  Tale  of  Ragnar's  sons  (Fornaldar  Sogur,  i,  355),  where  the  Knuts- 
dr^pa  of  Sighvat  Thord's  son  (of  the  first  half  of  the  nth  century)  is  quoted 
(see  J.S.,  i,  B  232  ;  Corpus  Poeticum  Boreale,  ii,  135).     Cf  below,  p.  390. 

^lle  appears  prominently  in  the  unhistorical  Hrolfs  Saga  Gautrekssonar 
(ed.  Detter,  1891),  pp.  50,  53,  etc.  The  sagas  say  that  ^lle  had  put 
Ragnar  to  death  in  a  snake-pit ;  but  this  is  probably  a  literary  fable. 

Olaf's  Saga,  c.  63,  F.S.,  i,  114-115  :  "Ragnar  Lodbrok's  sons  weie  great 
warriors  ;   they   avenged   their   father,  and  slew  king  ^lle    in  England. 


298  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Ivar  the  Legless  became  king  over  that  part  of  England  which  his  kinsmen 
and  relatives  had  had  before.  He  increased  his  kingdom  in  many  ways. 
He  caused  the  holy  king  Edmmid  to  be  slain,  and  took  his  dominion 
[East  Anglia]  under  himself  .  .  .  Sigurd  Worm-in-eye  married  Btejo, 
king  Mile's  daughter  ;  their  son  was  Hordaknut.  .  .  ."   Of  Hauksb6k,'ii,  464. 

Cf  the  story  of  file's  dealings  with  Ragnar's  sons,  in  Ragnar 
Lodbrok's  Saga,  cc.  15-18,  pp.  156-168. 

Olaf's  Saga,  c.  64;  F.S.,  i,  117  :  ''  Of  Ivar  Legless. 

[After  file's  death]  "  Ivar  the  Legless  was  king  in  England  for  a  long 
time.  He  had  no  child,  because  [so  it  is  said]  he  had  not  the  desire  nor 
the  faculty  for  that :  but  he  had  no  lack  of  understanding  or  ferocity.  He 
died  of  old  age  in  England,  and  was  buried  there.  Then  were  all 
Lodbrok's  sons  dead. 

"After  that,  ^Ethelmund,  Edgar's  son,  the  brother's  son  of  Edmund 
the  Holy,  took  the  kingdom  in  England.  And  he  christianized  England 
widely,  and  took  taxes  from  Northumberland,  which  was  heathen.  .  .  ." 
Similarly  in  FI.,  i,  106.     Cf  Hauksbok,  ii,  465. 

Ari  says  that  in  870  Ivar,  Ragnar  Lodbrok's  son,  "caused  the  holy 
Edmund,  king  of  the  English,  to  be  slain"  (see  below,  pp.  337-338)- 

Sogubrot  af  Fornkonungum  (Fornaldar  Sogur,  i,  387  -  388)  says  that 
"Sigurd  Ring  was  king  over  Sweden  and  Denmark,  after  king  Harold 
Hilditaunn  ;  and  then  his  son  Ragnar  grew  up  in  his  father's  court.  .  .  . 
But  when  king  [Sigurd]  Ring  began  to  grow  old  and  infirm,  his  kingdom 
began  to  diminish,  and  especially  he  lost  that  part  that  was  farthest  away. 
The  king  is  named  yEthelbeorht,  that  had  come  of  the  race  of  king  ^lle, 
whom  Halfdan  Ylfing  had  slain  ;  and  [^thelbeorht]  had  taken  under 
himself  the  part  of  England  that  is  called  Northumberland.  That  part 
king  [Sigurd]  Ring  had  had,  and  king  Harold  [Hilditaunn]  before  him. 
King  iEthelbeorht  ruled  over  that  dominion  for  a  long  time  ;  his  sons  were 
called  Ama  and  yElle,  and  they  were  kings  in  Northumberland  after  their 
father."  If  not  mythical,  this  yEthelbeorht,  a  descendant  of  yEUe  Yffe's 
son,  may  have  ruled  over  Deira.  According  to  Anglo-Saxon  sources,  an 
yEthelbeorht  was  the  great-grandfather  of  king  Ida.     See  Searle,  ii,  255. 

Ynglinga  Saga,  c.  41,  asserts  that  Ivar  Wide-fathom,  king  of  Denmark 
and  Sweden  (Harold  Hilditaunn's  grandfather)  had  possessed  Northumbria. 
According  to  Langfedgatal,  this  Ivar  was  Ragnar  Lodbrok's  grandfather's 
great-grandfather. 

Adam  of  Bremen,  Gesta  Hammaburgensis  Ecclesiae  Episcoporum,  I, 
39  ;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vii,  298  :  "What  kings  there  were  of  the  Danes, 
in  [archbishop  Rimbert's]  time  [865-888],  is  not  found  in  his  Life.  In  the 
History  of  the  Franks,  Sigfrith  and  his  brother  Halfdan  are  said  to  have 
reigned  :  and  also  they  sent  gifts  to  emperor  Louis  [840-876],  namely 
a  sword  with  a  golden  hilt,  and  other  things,  asking  for  peace  ;  and  from 
both  sides  intermediaries  were  sent  to  the  river  Eider  ;  and  they  swore 
upon  their  arms,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  nation,  a  steadfast  peace. 

"  There  were  also  other  kings  of  the  Danes  or  of  the  Norwegians,  who 
harassed   France  with  piratical  expeditions  at  that  time.     Chief  among 


IVAR,  RAGNAR'S  SON  299 

these  were  the  tyrants  Eric,  Orwic,  Godfrey,  Rudolf,  and  Inguar.  The 
most  cruel  of  them  all  was  Inguar,  Lodparch's  son,  who  put  Christians 
to  death  everywhere  with  torture.  It  is  written  in  the  Deeds  of  the 
Franks." 

The  Annals  of  Lund  copy  Adam,  but  add  the  names  of  Ivar  and  Ubbi, 
and  name  all  the  "princes"  sons  of  Lodbrok  ;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xxix, 
197  :  "In  those  days"  (the  reign  of  Eric  the  Young,  king  of  Denmark) 
"the  princes  of  the  Danes  were  the  most  fierce  and  cruelisons  of  Lodbrok  ; 
they  harassed  France  with  piratical  expeditions.  Chief  among  these  were 
Eric,  Orwic,  Godfrey,  Ivar,  Rudolf,  Inguar,  and  Ubbi.  The  most  cruel 
were  Ivar  and  Inguar,  Lodbrok's  sons,  who  put  Christians  to  death 
everywhere  with  torture."  So  too  the  Annals  of  Roskild  make  Ivar  and 
Inguar  two  men  (Langebek,  Scriptores,  i,  374).  This  may  have  been  the 
result  of  mixing  different  versions  of  the  story  of  Lodbrok's  sons.  An 
attempt  is  made  in  the  Tale  of  Ragnar's  sons  (below)  to  reconcile  different 
versions. 

According  to  the  unhistorical  Tale  of  Ragnar's  sons  (Fornaldar  Sogur, 
i,  345-346),  Ragnar,  king  of  Sweden  and  Denmark  after  the  death  of  Sigurd 
Ring,  married  Thora  Borgarhiortr  :  "  He  had  two  sons  by  Thora  ;  one  was 
called  Eric,  and  the  other  Agnar.  .  .  .  Afterwards  Ragnar  married  Aslaug, 
whom  some  call  Randalin,  daughter  of  Sigurd  Fafni's-bane  and  Brynhild, 
Budli's  daughter.  They  had  four  sons  :  Ivar  Legless  was  the  eldest,  then 
Biorn  Ironside,  then  Hvitserk,  then  Sigurd  :  he  had  a  mark  in  his  eye, 
as  if  a  worm  lay  about  the  pupil ;  and  therefore  he  was  called  Sigurd 
Worm-in-eye."  (In  reality  it  appears  that  Worm-in-eye  meant  "  of  snake- 
like  eyes.") 

After  the  death  of  ^lle  (ibid.,  354) :  "  Ivar  became  king  over  that  part 
of  England  that  his  relatives  had  had  before.  He  had  two  brothers  born 
out  of  wedlock  ;  the  one  was  called  Ynguar,  the  other  Husto.  These 
tortured  king  Edmund  the  holy  at  Ivar's  command,  and  then  [Ivar]  laid 
under  himself  [Edmund's]  kingdom."     See  below,  p.  300. 

Icelandic  Annals,  version  C,  s.a.  861  :  ^^  From  the  Chronicle  of  [fhe 
archbishops]  of  Bremen.  At  this  time  Sigurd  with  his  brother  Halfdan 
reigned  in  Denmark  ;  they  sent  gifts  to  the  emperor  Louis.  And  there 
were  other  kings  who  harassed  France  greatly  at  this  time,  from  Norway 
and  Denmark :  Sigurd,  Eric,  Hiordung,  Rudolf,  and  Inguar,  Lodbrok's 
son,  who  was  the  most  cruel  of  all."  Version  D,  s.a.  861:  "In  these 
times,  Sigurd  reigned  in  Denmark  with  his  brother  Halfdan";  s.a.  862: 
"  [These]  kings  fought  in  France  :  Sigurd,  Eric,  Hiordung,  Rudolf,  Ivar, 
sons  of  Ragnar  Lodbrok."  Version  E,  s.a.  861  :  "Ivar  the  Legless  came 
to  England." 

Icelandic  Annals  (KBD)  s.a.  884  :  "The  Danes  proceeded  inland  along 
the  Rhine,  and  burned  Cologne  :  the  lords  over  them  were  Sigurd  and 
Godfrey." 

Ragnar's  sons  are  named  in  Gammeldanske  Kroniker  (MS.  Holm. 
B.  Ti),  p.  36:  "Eric,  Orwic,  Godfrey,  Rudolf,  Inguar,  Ubbi."  Ryde- 
aarbogen,  I,  ibid.  p.  8g,  says:  "[Ragnar]  had  nine  sons.  .  .  .   Inguar,  his 


300  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

son,   was   the   most  cruel   among   the  brothers.      Sigurd,  his  son,   came 
after  him." 

The  number  of  Ragnar's  sons  was  increased  in  course  of  tradition. 
Inguar,  Lodparch's  son,  appears  to  have  been  the  same  person  as,  or 
else  in  the  legends  to  have  been  confounded  with,  the  Ivar,  Ragnar 
Lodbrok's  son,  of  the  Icelandic  writers.  "  Originally  a  by-form  of  Ingvarr, 
Ivarr  has  already  in  prehistoric  times  become  an  independent  name " ; 
E.H.  Lind,  Norsk-islandska  Dopnamn,  663. 

The  slayer  of  Edmund  is  called  Inguar  by  Abbo  Floriacensis.  Abbo 
gives  an  account  of  the  invasions  of  England  by  Inguar  and  Ubbi  or 
Hubba,  and  describes  the  manner  in  which  Inguar  put  king  Edmund  to 
death  in  870  :  Passio  S.  Eadmundi,  R.S.  96,  i,  8-16.  Cf.  i.a.  B.S.  in  M.A., 
655,  s.a.  867.  See  Matthew  Paris's  story  of  Inguar  and  Hubba  ;  Chronica 
Majora,  s.a.  870  (E.G.,  61-62). 

The  Irish  writers  say  that  Olaf,  Godfrey's  son,  was  king  in  Ireland  from 
853  (with  his  brother  Ivar,  from  857)  till  872.  From  872,  Ivar,  Godfrey's 
son,  was  king  of  the  Norwegians  and  Danes  in  Ireland  and  Britain,' till 
873,  when  he  died.  But  the  Icelandic  writers  say  that  Ivar,  Ragnar's  son, 
was  king  over  the  same  peoples,  in  York,  for  a  long  time  after  867  ;  Olaf 
Tryggvi's  son's  Saga  says  that  he  survived  the  other  sons  of  Lodbrok,  and 
died  of  age. 

yEthelweard  says  that  in  the  year  of  j^thelred's  accession  [866]  "the 
fleets  of  the  tyrant  Inguar  \tyranni  Igwares]  arrived  from  the  north  in  the 
land  of  the  Angles"  (M.B.H.,  512). 

According  to  ^thelweard,  king  Edmund  was  killed,  and  "  the  barbarians 
obtained  the  favour  of  victory,  for  the  time,  soon  after  the  death  of  the 
king  ;  but  their  own  king,  Ivar  {^luuar\,  also  died  in  the  same  year."  But 
later,  ^thelweard  says  also  that  Inguar  fell  in  the  battle  of  Woden's-field 
(which  he  places  in  [909]  ;  the  A.S.C.,  in  911  ;  the  Annals  of  St  Neot's,  in 
910 — Stevenson's  Asser,  144-145):  "three  of  the  kings  of  the  Danes  fell 
there,  .  .  .  namely  Halfdan,  Eowils  [Eyuuysl]  also,  and  moreover  Inguar 
[7guuar\,  leaving  his  tyranny,  then  hastened  to  the  palace  of  hell ;  and 
along  with  them  their  aldermen,  leaders,  and  nobles"  (M.B.H.,  513,  519). 

A.S.C.  (91  r,  ABCD)  and  H.H.  say  that  kings  Eowils  and  Halfdan  fell 
in  the  battle  of  Woden's-field.  F.W.  (s.a.  gii)  says  that  the  army  of  the 
West-Saxons  and  Mercians  killed  "two  kings  of  [the  Danes],  Eowils  and 
Halfdan,  brothers  of  king  Inguar.  .  .  ."  This  was  a  full  generation  after 
the  time  when  Inguar  and  Halfdan,  Ragnar's  sons,  flourished  ;  F.W.  has 
probably  erred  in  thinking  that  the  Halfdan  who  fell  at  Woden's-field  was 
the  same  who  invaded  England  in  866. 

Through  reading  "Inguar  and  Halfdan"  instead  of  Asser's  "brother  of 
Inguar  and  Halfdan,"  Simeon  of  Durham  erroneously  places  these  kings' 
deaths  in  Devon,  in  877  (M.B.H.,  481,  681,  683  n.).  See  A.S.C.,  s.a.  878 
(ABDE  ;  879,  C)  ;  Asser,  c.  54,  p.  43,  s.a.  878  (c.  52,  p.  40).  Halfdan  does 
seem  to  have  died  in  877,  but  in  Ireland  ;  and  his  father  seems  to  have 
been  Ronald,  not  Ragnar. 

The  Historia  de  S.  Cuthberto  (R.S.  75,  i,  202-203)  g'ves  a  vague  account 


SCANDINAVIAN  LEADERS  301 

870 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  382,  s.a.  869  =  870 

Siege  of  Dumbarton  ^  by  the  Northmen ;  that  is  to  say, 
Olaf  and  Ivar,  two  kings  of  the  Northmen,  besieged  that 
fortress,  and  at  the  end  of  four  months  destroyed  the  fortress 
and  plundered  it.^ 

of  Halfdan's  death  ;  S.D.  (ibid.,  56-58,  68)  gives  a  similar  account,  but  in 
addition  implies  that  Halfdan  died  in  882. 

Of  jEthelweard's  statements  of  Ivar's  or  Inguar's  death,  the  first 
disagrees  with  the  sagas,  which  say  that  Ivar  reigned  long  in  Northumbria  ; 
it  may  have  been  due  to  a  sense  of  poetic  justice,  or  to  confusion  with  Ivar, 
Godfrey's  son  (t  873).  ^thelweard's  second  statement  differs  from  his 
first  ;  it  differs  from  Olaf's  Saga,  which  says  that  Ivar  died  of  old  age  ;  and 
it  is  not  supported  by  the  other  English  chronicles. 

There  was  much  intercourse  at  this  time  between  the  invaders  of  Frajice 
and  of  Britain,  of  Britain  and  of  Ireland.  Danes  and  Norwegians  fought  for 
the  command  of  the  Scandinavian  settlements  in  France  and  in  Ireland. 

Danish  leaders  mentioned  in  A.S.C.  at  this  time  were: — Inguar  and 
Hubba  (insertion  in  F,  870)  ;  kings  Bagsecg  and  Halfdan,  earls  Sidroc 
the  Old,  and  Sidroc  the  Young,  Osbearn,  Fr^na,  and  Harold  (ABDEFG, 
871;  C,  872);  kings  Halfdan,  Guthorm,  Oscytel,  and  Anwynd  (ABDE, 
875  ;  C,  876)  ;  and  "the  brother  of  Inguar  and  of  Halfdan  "  (ABDE,  878  ; 
C,  879).  Halfdan's  brother  fell  in  878.  King  Guthorm  (^thelstan)  died 
in  890  (ABDEF,  891,  C  ;  890  in  Annals  of  St.  Neots).  Halfdan  fell  at  Loch 
Cuan  in  Ireland  in  877,  according  to  the  Irish  annals  (see  below,  p.  351). 
For  Inguar,  see  p.  300. 

The  "  peace  which  king  Alfred,  and  king  Guthorm,  and  the  whole 
council  of  the  English  race,  and  all  the  people  that  are  in  East  Anglia, 
have  all  declared  and  with  oaths  confirmed"  is  to  be  found  in  Thorpe's 
Ancient  Laws  and  Institutes,  i,  66-67  >  505-  This  treaty  of  Wedmore  was 
made  in  878  (A.S.C.,  ABDEF  ;  879,  C). 

Ivar  Ragnar's  son's  half-sister  is  said  to  have  come  to  Britain. 
Landnamabok,  c.  143,  p.  58  :  "  Hunda-steinar  was  the  name  of  an  earl  in 
England.  He  married  Alof,  Ragnar  Lodbrok's  daughter.  .  .  ."  Their 
son  Biorn  was  the  father  of  Audun  SkokuU,  who  was  a  great-great-grand- 
father of  St.  Olaf  (born  in  995).  Audun  Skokull  went  out  to  Iceland,  and 
settled  in  Vi'didalr. 

Of  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  158  (F.S.,  ii,  23-24).  See  an  account  of 
Ragnar's  kindred,  in  Hauksbok,  ii,  505-506.  Cf  also  above,  pp.  294-300  ; 
and  below,  pp.  306-309.  Very  little  trust  can  be  placed  upon  any  of  the 
Icelandic  accounts  of  Ragnar  and  his  kindred.  Cf  the  genealogical  table 
in  Searle's  Onomasticon  (1899),  ">  378-379-     See  below,  p.  307. 

1  obsesio  Ailech  Chiathe. 

2  This  siege  was  probably  the  "  plundering  of  Strathclyde "  which 
stands  among  the  themes  of  Irish  literary  compositions  ;  L.L.,  190. 


302  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

870 

Duald  Mac-Pirbis,  Fragment  III,  p.  192 

In  this  year^  the  kings  of  the  Scandinavians  besieged 
Strathclyde,^  in  Britain.  They  were  for  four  months  besieging 
it ;  and  at  last,  after  reducing^  the  people  who  were  inside  by 
hunger  and  thirst  (after  the  well  that  they  had  in  their  midst 
had  dried  up  miraculously),  they  broke  in  upon  them  after- 
wards. And  firstly,  all  the  riches  that  were  in  it  were  taken ; 
[and  also]  a  great  host  [was  taken]  out  of  it  in  captivity.* 

870 
Annales  Cambriae,  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  166,  s.a.  [870]^ 

The  citadel  of  Dumbarton''  was  broken  by  the  gentiles.'^ 

871 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  pp.  382-384,  s.a.  870  =  871 

Olaf  and  Ivar  came  again  to  Dublin  from  Scotland,  with 
two   hundred   ships ;    and   a   very   great   spoil   of  people — of 

D.A.I.,  35,  s.a.  870  :  "Plundering  of  Leinster  by  Aed,  Niall's  son,  from 
Dublin  to  Gowran,  after  Olaf  and  Ivar  [Godfrey's  sons]  had  gone  with  the 
crews  of  200  ships  to  assist  the  Scandinavians  of  Britain  with  the  princes 
of  Scandinavia"  {u7n  a  ttaoisicc  Lochlannn,  in  O'Conor's  text),  "  Inguar  and 
Hubba." 

The  plundering  of  Leinster  is  placed  by  A.U.  before  the  invasion  of 
Scotland,  but  D.A.I,  are  probably  right  in  placing  it  after  the  departure  of 
Olaf  and  Ivar. 

For  the  invasion  of  Berwickshire  by  "Inguar  and  Hubba,"  and  the 
self-mutilation  of  abbess  iEbbe  and  the  nuns  of  Coldingham  in  870,  see 
E.G.,  61-62.  The  story  is  also  told  by  R.W.  Hubba  (Ubbi)  may  have 
given  his  name  to  Ubbanford,  "Ubbi's  ford,"  i.e.  Norham  (S.D.,  i,  361). 

'  I.e.,  the  year  of  the  battle  of  Dunbolg,  870. 

^  do  ronsad forbaisi for  sraith  Cluaide. 

^  iar fforacJi. 

*  This  is  followed  by  the  note  :  "  '  Duald  Mac-Firbis  wrote  this,  1643'  '■ 
so  said  the  first  transcriber." 

^  Placed  6  years  after  the  "420th  year"  after  444.  This  is  not  in  MS. 
B  or  C  ;  Ab  Ithel's  ed.,  14. 

"  arx  Alt-clutj  in  B.S.,  twr  Alclut. 

'  Cf.  B.S.  in  IVI.A.,  655,  s.a.  670:  "The  fortress  of  Dumbarton  was 
broken."  B.T.  in  R.B.H.,  259:  "870  years  was  the  age  of  Christ,  when 
.  .  .  the  castle  of  Dumbarton  was  destroyed  by  the  pagans."  B.T.  in 
M.A.,  687,  s.a.  870:  "The  black-pagans  broke  down  Caer-Alclud" 
(similarly  also  in  Brut  leuan  Brechfa,  M.A.,  716). 


GODFREY'S  SONS  INVADE  STRATHCLYDE  303 

English,  and  Britons,  and  Picts — was  brought   with  them   to 
Ireland  in  captivity.^ 

871 

Duald  Mac-Pirtais,  Fragment  III,  p.  194^ 

Olaf  went  from  Ireland  to  Scandinavia,  to  fight  with  the 
Scandinavians^  and  to  assist  his  father,  Godfrey;  for  the 
Scandinavians  were  warring  against  [Godfrey] ;  and  [Godfrey] 
his  father  had  sent  to  him.*  But  since  it  would  take  long  to  tell 
the  cause  of  the  war,  and  seeing  that  it  concerns  us  so  little,^ 
although  we  know  about  it,  we  shall  abstain  from  writing  about 
it ;  because  it  is  our  concern  to  write  about  what  relates  to 
Ireland,  and  indeed  not  everything  of  that;  since  the  Irish 
suffer  not  only  the  evils  of  the  Scandinavians,®  but  also  many 
evils  from  themselves/ 

1  D.M.F.,  Ill,  194  (in  the  year  after  the  siege  of  Dumbarton):  "Olaf 
and  Ivar  came  again  from  Scotland  to  Dublin,  with  a  great  spoil  [brad  mdr] 
of  Britons,  Scots,  and  Saxons.     Their  number  was  200  ships." 

C.S.,  162,  Hennessy's  year  871  :  Olaf  and  Ivar  came  again  to  Dublin 
from  Scotland.  They  had  200  ships.  A  great  spoil  of  people  "  {creach  mor 
daine,  for  which  A.U.  have  preda  maxima  hominum)  "of  English  and 
Britons  was  brought  to  Ireland. 

"Ailill,  Dunlaing's  son,  king  of  Leinster,  was  killed  by  the  Northmen." 

D.A.I.,  35-36,  s.a.  871,  have  the  same  account  as  C.S.,  but  conclude  with 
the  words  "  by  Scandinavians  "  {do  Lochlaimaibh). 

Ailill's  death  is  noted  in  A.U.,  and  in  D.M.F.,  Ill,  after  the  storming  of 
Dunseverick  (in  the  same  year).  D.M.F,,  u.s. :  "  Ailill,  Dunlaing's  son,  king 
of  Leinster  and  the  Northmen,  was  killed." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  141,  s.a.  864:  "Olaf  and  Audgisl  \Awley 
and  Hushe\  the  two  princes  of  the  Danes,  with  all  their  forces  went  to 
Pictland,  and  there  spoiled  the  country,  and  brought  from  thence  hostages 
in  token  of  subjection,  A.D.  871." 

-  The  same  year-section  has  Olaf  and  Ivar's  return  from  Scotland, 
corresponding  to  the  Ulster  Annals' 870  =  87  r.  The  next  year  in  Duald's 
Fragment  is  called  the  loth  of  Aed,  i.e.  871  or  872  (see  year  872). 

5  i  Locklainn  .  .  .  ar  Lochlandaibh. 

■*  ar  ttiachtain  6  a  athair  ar  a  chenn.     Cf.  year  853. 

For  Godfrey's  death,  see  year  873. 

^  ara  laighed  tremdhirges  cugainn. 

^  uilc  na  Lochlann  (here  evidently  a  generic  term  for  all  Scandinavians). 

^  Olaf  is  mentioned  for  the  last  time  in  A.U.  in  870  =  871.  (In  that  year, 
"Ailill,  son  of  Dunlaing,  king  of  the  Leinstermen,  was  killed  by  the 
Northmen.")    The  same  Annals  place  the  death  of  "  Ivar,  king  of  the  North- 


304  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

872 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  384,  s.a.  871  =872  1 

Artga[l],  king  of  the  Britons  of  Strathclyde,  was  slain  by 
counsel  of  Constantine,  Kenneth's  son.^ 

872 

Duald  Mac-Firlbis,  Fragment  III,  p.  194 

In  this  year,  the  tenth  year^  of  the  reign  of  Aed  Find-liath, 
Ivar,  son  of  Godfrey,  son  of  Ronald,*  son  of  Godfrey  Conung, 
son  of  Godfrey,  and  the  son  of  the  man  who  had  gone  from 
Ireland — i.e.,  of  Olaf  ^ — ,  plundered  Ireland  from  west  to  east, 
and  from  south  to  north. 

873 

Duald  Mac-Firtais,  Fragment  III,  p.  196 

In  this  year  (the  eleventh  year  of  the  reign  of  Aed"),  Bard, 
foster-father  of  the  king's  son,''  drew  many  ships  westwards 
from  the  sea  to  Lough  Ree,  and  from  [these  ships]  wasted  the 

men  of  all  Ireland  and  Britain,"  in  872  =  873  :  therefore  Olaf  had  ceased  to 
be  king  then  (871  x  873).  According  to  the  Chronicle  of  the  Kings,  he  fell 
in  Scotland  a  short  while  before  875  (in  874,  if  we  accept  the  simplest 
emendation  of  the  text).     See  below,  year  877. 

'  With  the  marginal  note  "  bissextile." 

^  Similarly  in  C.S.,  162,  Hennessy's  year  872  (but  with  the  reading 
"  Ardgal "). 

3  I.e.,  871  or  872. 

■*  This  appears  to  have  been  the  Ronald,  Halfdan's  son,  spoken  of  by 
the  same  Fragment  under  864  (above) ;  therefore  the  words  "  son  of 
Halfdan "  seem  to  have  been  omitted  here.     See  above,  pp.  293,  294. 

^  I.e.,  Olaf  Conung,  Godfrey's  son,  and  this  Ivar's  brother,  according 
to  Duald's  Fragment  III.  Conung  is  a  nickname  or  title  (Icelandic 
konungr  "king").  Olafs  son  was  probably  the  Oistin  or  Eystein  who 
fell  in  875. 

There  is  nothing  to  indicate  that  Eystein  was  Thorstein  the  Red,  or 
that  he  was  a  son  of  Aud  the  Deep-minded.  Thorsteinn  became  Torstan 
in  Irish.     Thorstein  and  Eystein  were  certainly  different  men. 

Halfdan  had  come  to  England  (below,  pp.  350,  351)  and  Ireland  after 
Olaf  Godfrey's  son's  departure  from  Ireland,  and  death.  Halfdan  seems 
to  have  wished  to  take  Olafs  place  in  Ireland. 

"  I.e.,  872  or  873. 

'  Bard[/?arzV]  was  probably  fosterer  of  Eystein,  Olafs  son  ;  see  above. 


KINGS  ARTHGAL,  GODFREY,  AND  IVAR  305 

islands    of    Lough    Ree,   and    the    neighbouring    farms,    and 
Mag-Luirg. 

There  God  freed  Columba's  successor^  from  the  hands  of 
the  Scandinavians ;  and  while  he  escaped  from  their  hands, 
they  thought  that  he  was  a  stone  pillar. 

873 

Duald  Mac-Pirbis,  Fragment  III,  p.  198- 

Death   of  the    king   of  the   Scandinavians,  Godfrey,^  of  a 
sudden  horrible  pestilence*;  for  so  it  pleased  God. 
Harassings  of  the  Welsh  ^  in  this  year. 

873 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  386,  s.a  872  =  873  ^ 

Ivar,  king  of  the  Northmen  of  all  Ireland  and  Britain,  ended 
his  life.'^ 

873 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  386,  s.a.  872  =  873^ 

Flaithbertach,  Muirchertach's  son,  abbot  of  Dunkeld,  died.^ 

ca.  853-  ca.  874 

Landnamabok,  c.  82,  p.  36^'' 

Olaf  the  White  was  the  name  of  a  war-king.^"^     He  was  the 


1  I.e.,  Feradach  (t  J 

2  Placed  in  the  nth  year  of  Aed,  i.e.,  872  or  873. 

3  eg  righ  Lochlann,  i.  Gothfraidh.  This  Godfrey  was  apparently  the  son 
of  Ronald  spoken  of  above.  See  years  872,  864.  Godfrey  may  have 
reigned  over  some  district  in  Norway  ;  but  the  Icelandic  writers  do  not 
mention  him. 

■*  do  tedmeimm  grdna  opond. 
^  imneda  Breta7i. 
^  With  epact  of  873. 

'  C.S.,  164,  Hennessy's  year  873  :  "  Ivar,  king  of  the  Northmen  of  all 
Ireland,  reposed." 

D.A.I.,  36,  s.a.  873:  "The  death  of  Ivar,  king  of  the  Foreigners  of 
Ireland." 

8  With  epact  of  873. 

1  So  also  in  F.M.,  i,  516,  s.a.  871=873  (and  the  "nth  year  of  Aed"). 
w  Cf.  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  122  (F.S.,  i,  246  ;  Fl.,  i,  165). 
"  Eyrbyggia  Saga  says  that  Olaf  the  White  was  "  the  greatest  war-king 
in  the  west  beyond  the  sea"  when  Ketil  Flatnose  came  to  the  Hebrides  : 
but  Olaf  was  probably  not  alive  then. 

U 


306 


EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 


son  of  king  Ingiald,  the  son  of  Helgi,  the  son  of  Olaf,  the 
son  of  Godfrey,  the  son  of  Halfdan  White-leg,  king  of  the 
Uplanders> 

1  I.e.  the  Uplanders  in  Norway. 

Ari,  Islendingabok,  genealogies,  p.  14  :  "These  are  the  names  of  the 
pedigrees  of  the  Ynglingar  and  Breidfirdingar  :  i.  Yngve,  king  of  the 
Turks  ;  ii.  Niord,  king  of  the  Swedes  ;  iii.  Frey  ;  iiii.  Fiolner,  who  died  at 
Frid-Froda  ;  v.  Svegther ;  vi.  Vanlande  ;  vii.  Visbur ;  viii.  Domald ; 
ix.  Domar  ;  x.  Dyggve  ;  xi.  Dag  ;  xii.  Alrek  ;  xiii.  Agne  ;  xiiii.  Yngve  ; 
XV.  lorund  ;  xvi.  Aun  the  Old;  xvii.  Egil  Vendil-kraka  ;  xviii.  Ottar ; 
xix.  Adisl  in  Upsala  ;  xx.  Eystein  ;  xxi.  Ynguar  ;  xxii.  Braut-Onund ; 
xxiii.  Ingiald  the  Wicked  ;  xxiiii.  Olaf  Tree-hewer  ;  xxv.  Halfdan  Whiteleg, 
king  of  the  Uplanders;  xxvi.  Godfrey;  xxvii.  Olaf;  xxviii.  Helgi;  xxix. 
Ingiald,  daughter's  son  to  Sigurd,  Ragnar  Lodbrok's  son  ;  xxx.  Olaf  the 
White  ;  xxxi.  Thorstein  the  Red  ;  xxxii.  Olaf  Feilan,  who  first  of  them 
lived  in  Iceland  ;  xxxiii.  Thord  Yeller  ;  xxxiiii.  Eyiolf,  who  was  baptized 
in  his  old  age,  when  Christianity  came  to  Iceland  ;  xxxv.  Thorkel  ; 
xxxvi.  Gelli,  father  of  Thorkel,  and  Brand,  and  Thorgils,  my  father ;  and 
I  am  called  Ari." 

With  this  pedigree  cf  the  Heimskringla's  Ynglinga  Saga  :  for  Adisl 
(or  Audgisl),  also  Hrolfs  Saga  Kraka,  cc.  11,  ff.  Cf  also  Langfedgatal's 
(12th-century)  pedigree,  in  Langebek's  Scriptores,  i,  4-5  ;  and  the  tract 
Af  Upplendinga  Konungum,  in  Rafn's  Fornaldar  Sogur,  ii,  103-105. 

Nial's  Saga,  c.  i  :  "A  man  was  called  Hauskuld  ;  he  was  the  son  of 
Dales-Koll.  His  mother  was  called  Thorgerd,  and  was  the  daughter  of 
Thorstein  the  Red,  son  of  Olaf  the  White,  son  of  Ingiald,  son  of  Helgi. 
Ingiald's  mother  was  Thora,  daughter  of  Sigurd  Worm-in-eye,  son  of 
Ragnar  Lodbrok.  .  .  ." 

Cf  Niil's  Saga,  c.  114:  "  Snorri  [Godi's]  father  was  called  Thorgrim. 
and  was  the  son  of  Thorstein  Codbiter.  .  .  .  Thorgrim's  mother  was  called 
Thora,  a  daughter  of  Olaf  Feilan,  son  of  Thorstein  the  Red,  son  of  Olaf 
the  White,  son  of  Ingiald,  son  of  Helgi  ;  and  Ingiald's  mother  was  called 
Thora,  daughter  of  Sigurd  Worm-in-eye,  son  of  Ragnar  Lodbrok." 

Cf.  the  tract  Af  Upplendinga  Konungum,  in  Rafn's  Fornaldar  Sogur, 
ii,  104:  "...  Halfdan  [Whiteleg]  possessed  Raumariki,  and  much  of 
Heidmark.  He  died  of  disease,  at  Thotn  ;  and  he  was  carried  to 
Heidmark,  and  buried  there. 

"  Godfrey,  Halfdan's  son,  was  king  in  Heidmark  after  his  father.  His 
son  was  Helgi,  father  of  Ingiald,  father  of  Olaf  the  White,  who  married 
Aud  the  Deep-minded,  daughter  of  Ketil  Flatnbse ;  their  son  was 
Thorstein  Red,  who  was  earl  in  Scotland,  and  fell  there. 

"Eystein,  son  of  Halfdan  Whiteleg,  was  king  in  Raumariki.  He 
married  a  daughter  of  Eric,  Agnar's  son,  who  was  king  in  Vestfold.  .  .  ." 

Olaf  s  marriage  with  Aud  took  place  before  860  ;  therefore  probably 
before  Olaf  the  White  left  Norway.  Olaf  seems  to  have  succeeded  Godfrey 
(+  853)  as  ruler  of  the  Hebrides  ;  and  he  had  almost  certainly  died  before 
Ketil  made  himself  ruler  of  the  Hebrides,  not  long  after  874. 


OLAF  THE  WHITE 


307 


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a  "1 


308  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Olaf  the  White  went  on  a  piratical  expedition  in  the  west, 
and  took  Dublin  in  Ireland,  and  Dublin-shire,  and  was  made 
king  over  it.^ 

1  Landnamabok's  statement  seems  to  show  that  the  writer  identified 
Olaf  the  White  with  the  Olaf,  king  of  the  Norwegians  of  Dublin,  who 
appears  in  the  Irish  annals  at  the  same  time  (853-872),  and  who  is  called 
Olaf  the  Young  by  D.A.I.  Cf.  above,  p.  304,  note.  But  the  pedigree  of 
Olaf  the  White  given  by  Ari  and  other  Icelandic  writers  differs  from  that 
of  Olaf  the  Young  given  by  D.M.F.  (see  p.  307). 

There  is  a  very  strong  probability  that  Godfrey  [tSio]  and  Halfdan 
[+  864]  are  the  same  in  both  pedigrees.  (Cf.  E.  H.  Lind,  in  the  Historisk 
Tidskrift,  1896,  p.  251.)  Godfrey  Conung  is  almost  certainly  the  Godfrey, 
king  of  the  Danes,  who  opposed  Charlemagne,  and  died  in  810.  Godfrey, 
Halfdan's  son,  was  called  "  Godfrey  the  Proud ;  and  some  called  him 
the  Hunter-king,"  according  to  the  Heimskringla's  Ynglinga  Saga,  c.  48. 
He  is  elsewhere  called  "  Godfrey  the  Noble."  This  Godfrey  was  king  of 
Vestfold,  Raumariki,  Vestmarar,  and  one  half  of  Vingulmark  ;  he  probably 
inherited  also  Soleyiar,  and  much  of  Heidmark,  and  Thotn,  and  Hadaland. 
He  annexed  Agdir.    (See  Ynglinga  Saga,  and  Af  Upplendinga  Konungum.) 

Godfrey's  son,  Olaf  Geirstada-Alf,  ruled  over  Vestfold  (Ynglinga  Saga, 
c.  49)  ;  "over  the  wide  land  of  Ofsi,  and  over  Vestmar  ;  also  over  the  shire 
of  Grenland"  (Ynglingatal,  quoted  ibid.;  see  J.S.,  i,  A  14-15,  B  13;  cf 
Corpus  Poeticum  Boreale,  i,  250.  Over  Grenland,  also  Af  Upplendinga 
Konungum). 

Godfrey's  son,  Halfdan  the  Black,  was  one  year  old  when  Godfrey  died 
17  years  afterwards,  Halfdan  the  Black  became  king  of  Agdir,  and 
obtained  a  share  of  Olafs  kingdom  of  Vestfold,  and  half  of  Vingulmark ; 
he  afterwards  annexed  Sogn,  and  the  remainder  of  Vingulmark 
(Heimskringla's  Halfdan  the  Black).  (See  Spruner-Menke,  Hand-Atlas 
fur  die  Geschichte  des  Mittel-alters,  map  no.  64  ;  Storm's  H.,  s.f.) 

Halfdan's  son  was  Harold  Fairhair,  who  succeeded  him,  and  became 
king  of  Norway. 

Olafs  son  was  Ronald  Higher-than-the-Hills,  in  whose  honour 
Thiodolf  wrote  the  Ynglingatal.  But  Thiodolf  calls  Ronald  "the 
Highly-Honoured." 

The  Icelandic  writers'  account  of  Ragnar  and  his  kindred  is  vitiated  by 
a  large  admixture  of  fable.  According  to  these,  Ragnar  was  put  to  death 
in  a  snake-pit,  by  MUe,  in  Northumbria ;  but  this  story  is  probably 
a  literary  invention,  leading  up  to  the  killing  of  ^Ue  by  Ragnar's  sons. 

According  to  chronicles  of  France  and  Germany,  Reginhere  invaded 
Paris  in  845,  and  died  in  that  year.  This  historical  Ragnar  was  probably 
the  hero  of  the  saga.  But  according  to  the  Icelandic  pedigrees,  Olaf  the 
White  was  descended  from  Ragnar  Lodbrok  by  4  generations  ;  Harold 
Fairhair,  by  5  ;  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son,  by  7  ;  St  Olaf,  by  7  (cf.  Hauksbok, 
505-506).  It  is  obvious  that  the  Ragnar  who  probably  flourished  and  died 
in  845,  and  whose  sons  flourished  in  867  and  870,  could  not  have  been  the 


OLAF  THE  YOUNG.     DANISH  KINGS  309 

grandfather's  great-grandfather  of  Thorstein  the  Red,  who  was  old  enough 
for  warfare  before  890  ;  nor  of  Harold  Fairhair,  who  was  born  in  854. 

Sons  of  Ronald  have  perhaps  been  added  to  the  number  of  Ragnar's  sons. 

Duald's  account  of  Ronald  and  his  sons  is  consistent,  except  that  in  the 
pedigree  of  Ivar  (above,  year  872)  the  name  of  Halfdan  has  been  omitted. 

Another  son  of  Ronald  was  Halfdan,  who  fell  in  877  (Wars  of  the  Irish 
with  the  Foreigners). 

Ronald's  son  fell  in  Ireland.  Halfdan  was  endeavouring  to  claim 
authority  over  the  Scandinavian  inhabitants  of  Ireland.  He  may  have 
been  the  same  Halfdan  who  reigned  over  the  Danes  at  this  time,  along 
with  his  brother  Sigfrith  ;  in  that  case,  Sigfrith  also  would  have  been  a 
son  of  Ronald. 

Olaf  the  White's  grandfather,  called  Helgi  in  Landnamabok,  is  called 
Frodi  in  Fostbroedra  Saga  (Origines  Islandicae,  i,  249).  Olaf  the  White's 
great-grandfather,  Olaf  Godfrey's  son,  is  omitted  by  the  tract  Af  Upplend- 
inga  Konungum.     Olaf  the  White  was  a  descendant  of  Aun  (cf  p.  292). 

We  cannot  identify  the  two  Olafs  (Olaf  the  White  and  Olaf  the  Young) 
without  rejecting  Ari's  pedigree  where  his  evidence  is  strongest,  at  the 
bottom  of  the  tree.     There  are  other  difficulties  in  the  way  of  identification. 

According  to  D.M.F.,  III,  150,  Olaf  Godfrey's  son  married  the  daughter 
of  Aed,  Niall's  son  {ingen  Aodha),  afterwards  king  of  Ireland  [862  or  863- 
879]  ;  and  (pp.  170-172)  in  the  6th  year  of  Aed's  reign  (i.e.  867)  Olaf  killed 
his  brother  Audgisl,  because  Audgisl  proposed  to  relieve  him  of  his  wife  : 
but  she  is  there  called  the  daughter  of  Kenneth  {inghen  Cinaoth),  which  is 
probably  the  true  reading  in  the  previous  place  also.  Kenneth,  Conaing's 
son,  king  of  the  Ciannachta  in  eastern  Meath,  was  put  to  death  by  Mael- 
sechlaind  in  Maelsechlaind's  5th  year  (i.e.  851  or  852),  because  he  had 
with  the  Norwegians  destroyed  sacred  buildings  (D.IVI.F.,  Ill,  n6-ii8). 
Cf.  A.U.,   s.aa.  849,  850. 

Olafs  killing  of  Audgisl  is  regarded  as  a  miracle  of  Mochuta,  in  the 
Wars  of  the  Irish  with  the  Foreigners,  p.  32. 

Olaf,  Godfrey's  son,  is  therefore  said  to  have  married  a  daughter  of 
Aed  or  of  Kenneth,  at  a  time  when  Aud,  Ketil  Flatnose's  daughter,  was 
Olaf  the  White's  wife.  The  statement  of  Olaf  Godfrey's  son's  marriage 
(though  late,  inconsistent,  and  fabulous)  inclines  to  prove  that  Olaf 
Godfrey's  son  was  not  Olaf  the  White  ;  unless,  indeed,  a  second  marriage 
might  have  been  a  cause  of  warfare  between  Olaf  the  White  and  Ketil 
Flatnose,  in  Ireland,  in  857 — a  conjecture  which  cannot  be  entertained 
without  more  evidence.     Olaf  and  Godfrey  were  very  common  names. 

Aud  is  said  to  have  been  in  Norway  before  Ketil  Flatnose  set  out  for 
the  Hebrides  ;  Ketil  made  himself  ruler  over  the  Hebrides,  and  Olaf  the 
White's  son  invaded  Scotland  from  there  with  the  earl  of  Orkney  (874  x 
894). 

The  history  of  the  Scandinavians  in  Denmark  and  France  is  very 
obscure  at  this  time.  Godfrey,  king  of  the  Danes — apparently  the  Godfrey 
Conung  in  Duald's  pedigree  of  Ivar — invaded  Saxony  in  804,  and  the 
Abodriti  in  Wendland  in  808  (Annales  S.  Amandi  ;   M.G.H.,  Scriptores, 


310  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

i,  14.  Einliard,  Annales,  ibid.,  i,  191,  195.  Chronicon  Moissiacense,  ibid., 
i,  308.  Cf.  Einhard's  Vita  Karoli,  ibid,  ii,  450).  Godfrey  died  in  810 
(Einhard,  and  Chronicon  Moissiacense  ;  ibid.,  i,  197,  309).  His  brother's 
son  was  called  Ronald  (t  808  ;  cf.  Annales  S.  Amandi,  ibid,  i,  14).  A  Ronald, 
count  of  Herbauges  (in  the  north-west  of  Poitou),  died  in  843.  (See 
Prudentius  of  Troyes  ;  Fragmentum  Chronici  Fontanellensis  ;  Chronicon 
Aquitanicum  ;  and  Ademar,  Historiae,  III,  17  :  in  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  i,  439' 
ii,  302  ;  ii,  253  ;  iv,  121.)  This  Ronald  had  been  beaten,  in  conflict  with 
Northmen,  in  835;  Ademar,  u.s.,  120.  Prudentius  calls  him  "duke  of  Nantes." 
There  is  no  evidence  to  suggest  that  this  Ronald  was  a  relative  of  Godfrey. 

Godfrey  was  succeeded  (according  to  Einhard)  by  his  brother's  son 
Hemming,  who  died  in  812  (a  year  indicated  also  by  the  record  of  an 
eclipse  of  the  sun). 

Sigfrith,  Godfrey's  grandson  {nepos\  and  Anulo,  Heriold's  grandson 
inepos),  fought  for  the  kingship,  and  both  fell  (Einhard,  Annales).  There 
was  a  long  struggle  between  the  sons  of  Godfrey  and  the  grandsons  of 
Heriold,  until  Heriold  the  Dane,  Heriold's  grandson,  died  in  852  (Ruodolf 
of  Fulda). 

The  13th-century  list  of  Danish  kings,  the  Brevior  Historia  Regum 
Daniae,  in  Langebek's  Scriptores,  i,  16,  places  Godfrey  or  Gautrek's  reign 
after  Gorm  the  Old  :  "  Gautrek  the  Generous.  He,  after  subduing  the 
Frisians,  and  the  Nordalbingi,  and  the  peoples  of  the  Slavs,  threatened 
Charlemagne  with  war. 

"  Olaf,  [Gautrek's]  son. 

"  Hemming,  OlaPs  son.  He,  a  grandson  of  Gautrek,  succeeding  to  the 
kingdom  made  peace  with  Charles.  He  accepted  the  river  Eider  as  the 
boundary  of  his  kingdom. 

"  Syward  and  Syward  Ring,  grandsons  of  Gautrek.  These  both  entered 
battle  for  the  sceptre  ;  but  both  fell  on  the  field,  with  eleven  thousand. 

"  Lodbrok  \Lothbroki\  son  of  Syward  Ring. 

"  Harold  Klak,  who  was  also  called  Herioldus.  He  was  expelled  by 
the  sons  of  Gautrek,  who  is  also  called  Godfrey  [Godefrtd].  And  fleeing 
he  came  to  emperor  Louis,  the  son  of  Charlemagne  ;  and  from  him  he 
received  the  Christian  faith.  He  returned  to  Denmark,  accompanied  by 
the  holy  bishop  Anskarius." 

A  Godfrey,  son  of  Heriold  the  Dane,  was  a  leader  of  Northmen  in 
France  from  849  to  855  (Ruodolf  of  Fulda,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  i,  366  ; 
Prudentius  of  Troyes). 

Eric,  sole  king  of  the  Danes  [and  of  the  Northmen  of  France]  (Vita 
S.  Anskarii,  c.  24;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  ii,  709),  divided  his  kingdom  with 
his  two  nephews,  in  850  (Prudentius  of  Troyes).  (Cf.  Einhard's  Annales, 
U.S.,  216,  s.a.  827.)  In  854,  "the  Danes  fought  among  themselves  in 
intestine  warfare,  and  raged  in  a  three  days'  most  obstinate  struggle  ;  so 
that  king  Eric  and  the  other  kings  with  him  were  killed,  and  almost  all 
the  nobility  perished"  (Prudentius  of  Troyes,  Annales,  s.a.  854;  M.G.H., 
Scriptores,  i,  448-449.  Cf.  Vita  S.  Anskarii,  c.  32  ;  ibid,  ii,  715).  Eric  was 
succeeded  by  Eric  the  Young. 


AUD  AND  THORSTEIN  311 

He  married  Aud  the  Deep-minded,^  the  daughter  of  Ketil 
Flatnose.     Their  son  was  called  Thorstein  the  Red. 

Olaf  fell  in  Ireland  in  battle.^  Then  Aud  and  Thorstein 
sailed  to  the  Hebrides.     There  Thorstein  married  Thurid,  the 

It  is  possible  that  Godfrey,  Ronald's  son,  might  have  reigned  over 
Northmen  in  France  between  the  years  854  and  873  ;  but  Duald's  Fragment 
seems  to  be  the  only  evidence  of  this,  and  its  evidence  is  uncertain. 
Duald's  Fragment  says  that  Godfrey  sent  Olaf  to  collect  tribute  from 
Ireland  in  853,  and  afterwards  Ivar,  for  the  same  purpose  ;  and  that 
Godfrey  himself  was  in  Ireland  in  854.  But  in  872  Olaf  left  Ireland,  to 
defend  Godfrey  from  a  rebellion  of  his  subjects;  and  in  873  Godfrey  died 
of  disease. 

Sigfrith  was  king  of  the  Danes  in  873  (Annales  Fuldenses  ;  M.G.H., 
Scriptores,  i,  386)  ;  he  and  another  Godfrey  were  kings  of  the  Northmen 
in  France,  in  880  (Annales  Vedastini  ;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  ii,  198),  and  in 
881  (Regino's  Chronicon,  ibid.,  i,  592),  in  882,  and  until  891,  when  they 
fell  (Annales  Fuldenses,  ibid,  i,  396,  408). 

Sigfrith  had  a  brother,  Halfdan,  who  reigned  with  him,  according  to 
Adam  of  Bremen  (see  years  867-868,  note). 

There  was  also  one  "Rudolf,  a  certain  Northman  of  royal  race,"  in 
873  (Annales  Fuldenses  ;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  i,  386). 

^  Diiipudgaj  usually  (but  incorrectly)  diupaitdga  "  the  deeply -wealthy." 

Eyrbyggia  Saga,  c.  i,  pp.  3-4,  after  describing  Ketil's  expedition  to  the 
Hebrides,  says  :  "  Ketil  Flatnose  gave "  {gipti;  perhaps  "  had  given ") 
"  his  daughter  Aud  in  marriage  to  Olaf  White,  who  was  then  the  greatest 
war-king  in  the  west  beyond  the  sea.  He  was  a  son  of  Ingiald,  Helgi's 
son  ;  and  Ingiald's  mother  was  Thora,  daughter  of  Sigurd  Worm-in-eye, 
Ragnar  Lodbrok's  son. 

"  Thoruim  Hyrna  he  gave  "  (u.s.)  "  to  Helgi  the  Lean,  son  of  Eyvind 
Eastman  and  Raforta,  daughter  of  Kiarval  the  Irish  king." 

Eyrbyggia  Saga  seems  to  put  both  these  marriages  after  Ketil's  arrival 
in  the  Hebrides  ;  but  this  is  certainly  untrue  of  Aud's  marriage :  the 
grand-daughters  of  Aud  and  Olaf  were  of  marriageable  age  some  years 
before  900,  probably  before  895. 

°  Olaf,  Godfrey's  son,  died  after  871,  and  perhaps  in  874  (see  years  871, 
877,  notes). 

Although  Olaf  the  White  seems  to  have  died  about  the  same  time,  the 
statement  that  he  fell  in  Ireland  is  one  of  the  facts  that  oppose  the  identifi- 
cation of  Olaf  Godfrey's  son  with  Olaf  the  White.  See  above,  p.  309.  Olaf 
of  Dublin  fell  in  Scotland  ;  Olaf  of  the  Hebrides  is  said  to  have  fallen  in 
Ireland. 

Asmund,  a  "son  of  Olaf,  king  of  the  Scots,"  and  foster-brother  of 
Hrolf  Gautrek's  son,  king  of  the  Goths,  is  a  prominent  figure  in  Hrolf 
Gautrek's  son's  Saga.  Hrolf  and  Asmund  with  help  from  ^Ue,  king  of 
the  Northumbrians  (.-.  x  867),  invaded  Ireland  (ibid.,  p.  59)  ;  after  many 
adventures,   Hrolf   married    Ingibiorg,    daughter    of    Hrolf,   king   of   the 


312  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

daughter  of  Eyvind  the  Eastman,  and  sister  of  Helgi  the  Lean.^ 
They  had  many  children.^  Olaf  Feilan  was  the  name  of  their 
son,  and  their  daughters  were  Gro  and  Alof,  Osk  and  Thorhild, 
Thorgerd  and  Vigdis. 

Irish.  The  whole  story  is  quite  unhistorical.  It  proceeds  (c.  45,  pp.  75- 
76) :  "  Departure  of  king  HrSlf  from  England;  and  death  of  Olaf,  king  of 
the  Scots. 

"  And  after  that,  king  Hrolf  went  away  from  England,  with  his  army. 
He  and  king  JE\\&  exchanged  gifts,  and  parted  the  best  of  friends. 

"The  king  proceeded  thence  to  Scotland,  and  as  soon  as  king  Olaf 
learned  the  arrival  of  king  Hrolf  and  Asmund,  his  son,  and  all  the  foster- 
brothers  together,  with  a  great  army,  he  made  at  once  the  noblest  feast  for 
them,  and  invited  king  Hrolf  to  him  with  all  his  army.  The  king  himself 
went  to  meet  them,  with  honour  and  the  greatest  friendliness  ;  and  enter- 
tained them  handsomely.  And  with  king  Hrolfs  advice  Ingiald  began  his 
suit,  and  asked  for  the  daughter  of  Olaf,  king  of  the  Scots,  to  be  given  to 
him.  With  Asmund's  pleading  and  king  Hrolfs  support  this  suit  was 
easily  won  ;  and  at  this  banquet  so  prepared  they  both  drank  their  wedding 
feast,  Ingiald  with  Margaret,  king  Olaf's  daughter,  and  Asmund  with 
Ingibiorg,  the  Irish  king's  daughter.  There  was  the  greatest  gladness  and 
good  cheer,  and  they  amused  themselves  gladly  and  merrily,  without  grief 
or  sorrow. 

"And  at  the  end  of  the  feast,  king  Olaf  lodged  king  Hrolfs  army  there 
in  Scotland  ;  and  these  lords  sat  there  for  the  winter  with  king  Olaf,  in 
great  esteem  and  honour,  and  they  agreed  all  together  exceedingly  well. 

"And  the  same  winter  Olaf,  king  of  the  Scots,  died  ;  he  was  then  very 
old,  and  was  thought  to  have  been  a  noble  lord.  Then  Asmund  took  the 
dominion  and  kingship  in  Scotland,  and  became  a  good  lord  and  well- 
liked.  And  at  midsummer  the  kings  prepared  their  ships  and  armies  ; 
Asmund  remained  there  behind.  He  offered  to  Gautrek,  king  Hrolfs  son, 
to  be  with  him,  and  [Gautrek]  accepted  that,  by  advice  of  the  king,  his 
father.  He  was  long  with  king  Asmund  after  that ;  [Asmund]  gave  him 
ships,  and  he  took  to  warfare,  and  was  the  most  famous  man.  .  .  ." 

This  is  probably  pure  fable.  Ingiald  was  a  son  of  Hring,  king  of 
Denmark. 

'  If  Laxdcela  Saga's  account  is  to  be  trusted,  Aud  and  Helgi  the  Lean 
would  seem  to  have  sailed  from  the  Hebrides  to  Ketil  Flatnose  in  Norway 
before  Ketil  set  out  from  Norway  to  the  Hebrides.  But  see  below,  p.  350, 
note. 

2  So  far,  this  passage  is  copied  almost  exactly  in  Eric  the  Red's  Saga  , 
c.  I,  p.  3. 


PART  X 

Harold  Fairhair.    Orkney  and  the  Hebrides 

Middle  of  9th  century 

Landnamabok,  c.  184,  pp.  71-72  ^ 

A  famous  man  in  Gothland  ^  was  called  Biorn,  the  son  of 
Hrolf  of  Am.  He  married  Hh'f,  daughter  of  Hrolf,  son  of 
Ingiald,  son  of  Frodi  the  king.  Starkad  the  Old  was  the  poet 
of  them  both.     Eyvind  was  the  name  of  their  son.^ 

Biorn  disputed  about  land  with  Sigfast,  a  relative  of  Solvar, 
the  king  of  the  Goths.  Sigfast  had  given  his  daughter  to  earl 
Solvar:  [Solvar]  was  so  attached  to  the  earr Sigfast  that  he 
took  possession  by  tyranny  of  all  the  lands  of  Biorn.  Then 
Biorn  put  all  his  possessions  in  Gothland  into  the  hands  of 
Hh'f,  his  wife,  and  of  Eyvind,  his  son ;  but  Biorn  carried  from 
the  east  twelve  horse-loads  of  silver.  Then  he  burned  Sigfast 
in  his  house  with  thirty  men,  on  the  last  night  before  he  sailed 
from  land ;  then  he  sailed  to  Norway. 

He  came  west  to  Agdir  in  Hvinir,*  to  the  baron  Grim,  the 
son  of  Kolbiorn  Snipper,  and  brother  of  Ingiald  the  Faithful, 
a  relative  of  Arinbiorn  of  Firdir;  and  [Grim]  received  him  very 
well.  Biorn  and  his  party  remained  for  the  winter  with  Grim. 
But  one  night  on  the  approach  of  spring  [Biorn  saw]  that  a 
man  stood  over  him  with  a  drawn  sword,  and  was  intending 
to  strike  him.  [Biorn]  seized  him  ;  and  although  he  had  taken 
a  price  from  Grim  to  kill  Biorn,  [Biorn]  did  not  kill  him.  Grim 
had    wished   to   betray  him   for  his   money.     Therefore   Biorn 

1  Cf.  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  124  (and  FI.,  i,  266-267). 

^  In  the  south  of  Sweden. 

^  Eyvind's  son  Helgi  married  Thorunn  Hyrna,  the  daughter  of  Ketil 
Flatnose  (872  x  883  ;  probably  ca.  875) :  therefore  Helgi  was  probably  born 
before  860,  Eyvind  before  840. 

*  In  Norway. 

318 


314  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

sailed  out  to  Ondott  Crow,  who  lived  in  Hvinis-fiordri;  the  son 
of  Erling  Purse.  Ondott  had  married  Signy,  the  daughter  of 
Sighvat  from  Hlidar^  in  easter  Vik.^ 

Biorn  sailed  on  western  piracy  in  the  summers,  and  was 
with  Ondott  for  the  winters. 

Then  Hh'f  died  in  Gothland ;  and  Biorn  married  Helga, 
Ondott's  sister.     Their  son  was  Thrond  the  Voyager. 

After  that,  Ey  vind  came  from  the  east  to  his  father  Biorn  ; 
he  was  the  son  of  Hh'f  He  succeeded  to  his  father's  warships 
and  way  of  life,  when  [Biorn]  wearied  of  warfare.* 

Afterwards  Eyvind  married  in  Ireland  Raforta,  daughter  of 
king  Kiarval.^  She  bore  a  son  in  the  Hebrides,  and  gave  him 
into  fosterage  there. 

Eyvind  was  called  Eastman  because  he  had  come  from  the 
east,  from  Sweden,  to  the  west  beyond  the  sea. 

Two  winters  after  that,  they  came  to  the  islands  again,  to 
visit  the  boy,  and  found  him  a  boy  with  fine  eyes  but  without 
flesh,  because  he  was  starved.  Therefore  they  called  the  boy 
Helgi  the  Lean.     He  was  fostered  in  Ireland  afterwards." 

874  X 

Landnamabok,  c.  342,  p.  121 

Vethorm,  the  son  of  Vemund  the  Old,  was  a  powerful  baron. 
He  fled  from  king  Harold  to  the  east,  to  lamtaland.^  He 
cleared  there  marks  in  the  forest,  to  live  in. 

Holmfast  was  the  name  of  his  son,  and  Grim  of  his  sister's 
son.  These  were  in  western  piracy,  and  in  the  Hebrides  they 
slew  earl  Asbiorn  Skeria-blesi ;  and  they  took  there  in  the 
spoils  his  wife  Alof,  and  his  daughter  Arneid,  whom  Holmfast 
got  by  lot  and  gave  to  his  father,  and  made  a  bondwoman. 

^  In  Agdir,  Norway  ;  Sturlubok  version,  c.  217,  p.  192. 

2  Now  Lier,  on  Vestfold  (Jonsson). 

5  The  Vik  ( Vikin)  was  the  country  round  Kristianiafjord. 

*  Cf.  Gretti's  Saga,  c.  3,  pp.  6-7. 

'"  Cf.  below,  p.  325. 

°  Cf.  an  addition  to  Svarfdoela  Saga,  c.  13  (Islendinga  Sogur,  1829-30, 
ii,  196-197),  where  it  is  said  that  Helgi  was  "fostered  in  the  Hebrides,  and 
afterwards  in  Ireland,  by  his  mother's  father  Kiarval,  king  of  the  Irish." 

Cf.  also  an  addition  to  Vi'ga-GIums  Saga  (Islendinga  Sogur,  u.s.,  323). 

"  In  Sweden  ;  probably  872  x. 


ASBIORN,  EARL  OF  THE  HEBRIDES 


315 


Grim  married  Alof,  Thord  Vagagdi's  daughter,  whom  earl 
[Asbiorn]  had  had  as  wife.^  Grim  sailed  to  Iceland  and  took 
Grimsnes.  .  .  . 

^  But  Droplaugarsona  Saga  (of  less  authority)  implies  that  Asbiorn's 
wife  was  named  Sigrid.  The  same  saga  says  that  a  Tryggvi  was  ruler  of 
the  Hebrides,  and  when  he  fell  was  succeeded  by  Asbiorn  Skeria-blesi  ; 
and  that  Guthorm  took  the  rule  of  the  Hebrides  after  Asbiorn. 

For  the  date  of  Asbiorn  Skeria-blesi  cf.  this  table,  drawn  from  Land- 
nimabok,  cc.  1 1,  240,  323.     (The  children  are  not  placed  in  order  of  age.) 


a  ° 

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W7     V     C 

-  6:5.2 


Landn^mab6k  seems  to  imply  that  Aud  was  married  to  Olaf  about  850. 


316  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

874  X 

Landnamabok,  Hauksbok  version,  c.  240,  p.  89 

Ketil  Thrymr  and  Porridge-Atli,  sons  of  Thori  Cock- 
partridge,  sailed  from  Veradalr  to  Iceland,  and  took  land  in 
Fliotsdalr.  .  .  .  Ketil  sailed  out,  and  was  with  Vethorm,  the  son 
of  Vemund  the  Old.  Then  he  bought  from  Vethorm  Arneid, 
the  daughter  of  earl  Asbiorn  Skeria-blesi.  Holmfast,  Vethorm's 
son,  had  taken  her  in  the  spoils  when  he  and  Grim,  Vethorm's 
sister's  son,  had  slain  earl  Asbiorn  in  the  Hebrides.  Ketil 
Thrymr  paid  for  Arneid  twice  as  much  as  Vethorm  would 
have  asked  for  her  at  first.^  But  before  Ketil  and  she  went 
to  Iceland,  Arneid  found  much  silver  under  the  roots  of  a  tree ; 
and  she  had  hidden  it  from  Ketil  until  he  married  her.^ 

They  sailed  out,  and  lived  in  Arneid's-stead.  Their  son 
was  Thidrandi,  the  father  of  Ketil  of  Niardvik.^ 

Ketil  Flatnose's  son-in-law  Helgi  the  Lean  was  the  grandson  of  king 
Cerball,  who  died  in  888  (A.U.,  s.a.  887  =  888). 

Asbiorn  was  probably  younger  than  Ketil.  The  rule  in  the  Hebrides 
remained  in  Ketil's  family  for  some  time  after  his  death  ;  and  therefore 
Asbiorn's  rule  in  the  Hebrides  (and  also,  according  to  Droplaugarsona 
Saga,  that  of  Guthorm)  would  seem  to  have  preceded  Ketil's  ;  but  this  is 
uncertain. 

King  Harold  may  have  sent  Ketil  to  the  Hebrides  to  avenge  Asbiorn's 
death,  and  take  over  the  rule  of  the  islands.  Eyrbyggia  Saga  says  that 
Ketil  was  unwilling  to  go  ;  this  unwillingness  would  be  accounted  for  if  he 
had  not  wished  to  fight  against  his  own  first-cousin,  Guthorm.  When  he 
did  go,  he  aided  the  Hebrideans  against  Harold. 

1  "  And  after  she  had  been  bought,  Ketil  made  for  Arneid  the  wedding- 
feast"  Sturla's  version,  c.  278,  p.  204. 

^  Sturla's  version,  c.  278,  pp.  204-205,  says  :  "  Then  Ketil  offered  to 
convey  her  to  her  relatives,  but  she  chose  now  to  follow  him." 

2  More  of  their  descendants  are  named  in  Melabok  ;  ibid.,  p.  255. 
Similarly  in   Grims   Saga    Lodinkinna,   Fornaldar   Sogur,   ii,   156-157: 

"  Vedrorm  the  son  of  Vemund  the  Old,  was  a  powerful  baron.  He  asked 
for  Brynhild,  Grim  Lodinkinni's  daughter  ;  she  went  with  him.  Their  son 
was  Vemund  father  of  Vedrorm,  who  fled  before  king  Harold  east  to 
lamtaland,  and  cleared  there  a  mark  to  dwell  in.  His  son  was  Holmfast. 
And  Vedrorm's  sister  was  Brynhild,  [and]  her  son  [was]  Grim,  who  was 
named  after  Grim  Lodinkinni. 

"  These  relatives.  Grim  and  Holmfast,  went  upon  western  piracy,  and 
slew  in  the  Hebrides  earl  Asbiorn  Skeria-blesi  ;  and  they  took  captive  his 
wife  Alof,  and  his  daughter  Arneid.  And  Holmfast  got  [Arneid]  by  lot, 
and  sold  her  to  Vedrorm,  his  relative  ;  and  she  was  a  slave  there  until 


VETHORM  AND  GUTHORM  TAKE  THE  HEBRIDES     317 

874  X 

Droplaugarsona  Saga,  cc.  1-2  ;  Jakobsen's  AustfirSinga  Sogur, 

pp.  141-144I 

Ketil  was  the  name  of  a  man,  who  was  called  Thrymr.  He 
lived  [in  Iceland]  in  Skrido-dalr,  at  Husa-stadir. 

Atli  was  the  name  of  a  man  who  was  Ketil's  brother.  He 
was  called  Atli  Porridge.  They  had  a  dwelling  both  together, 
and  were  very  wealthy  men.  They  went  constantly  to  other 
lands  with  merchandise,  and  became  very  rich.  They  were 
sons  of  Thidrandi. 

One  spring,  Ketil  prepared  his  ship  in  Reydar-fiordr, 
because  it  was  drawn  up  there  ;  and  then  they  sailed  to  sea. 
They  were  long  out,  and  they  made  Konunga-hella^  in  autumn, 
and  drew  up  their  ship  there.  And  then  [Ketil]  bought  a 
horse,  and  rode  east  with  twelve  men  into  lamtaland,  to  the 
man  who  was  called  Vethorm.  He  was  a  great  lord,  and  there 
was  good  friendship  between  Ketil  and  him.  Vethorm  was  son 
of  Ronald,  son  of  Ketil  Raumr.^  Vethorm  had  three  brothers ; 
one  was  called  Grim,  another  Guthorm,  a  third  Orm.  All  these 
brothers  were  great  warriors,  and  were  with  Vethorm  in  the 
winters,  but  in  the  summers  on  warfare. 

Ketil  Thrymr  married  her,  and  took  her  out  to  Iceland.  After  her  are 
named  the  Arneidar-stadir  in  Austfirdir.  Grim  married  Alof,  Thord 
Vagalldi's  daughter,  whom  earl  [Asbiorn]  had  had  as  wife.  Grim  went  to 
Iceland.  .  .  ." 

Evidently  Vemund,  son  of  Vedrorm,  son  of  Vemund  the  Old,  is  the  same 
person  as  Landnamabok  names  Vemund  the  Old  ;  and  his  son  Vedrorm  is 
the  same  as  Landnamabok's  Vethorm,  the  fugitive  from  king  Harold. 

Fliotsdcela  Saga  hin  Meiri  (Samfund  11,  9,  13)  says  that  Ketil  Thrym's 
younger  brother  Thorvald  went  to  Shetland.  "  Over  Shetland  then  ruled 
a  certain  earl  who  was  called  Biorgolf.  He  was  then  an  old  man."  He 
was  the  father  of  Droplaug,  whom  Thorvald  married,  the  mother  of 
Droplaug's  sons,  according  to  this  later  and  fabulous  saga  ;  but  with  regard 
to  her  descent,  Droplaugarsona  Saga  is  more  likely  to  be  correct.  It  says 
that  Thorvald's  wife,  Droplaug,  was  the  only  daughter  of  Thorgrim,  of  Gil 
in  lokulsdalr.     Her  sons  were  Helgi  and  Grim. 

For  Ketil  Thrymr,  cf.  Brandkrossa  Thattr  (Origines,  ii,  533) ;  and  the 
Saga  of  Gunnar  Thidrandi's-bane  (AustfirSinga  Sogur,  183,  195  ff.). 

'  Also  in  Origines  Islandicae,  ii,  536-537. 
^  Kongelf,  Sweden  (Origines). 

■''  This  account  gives  Vethorm  a  different  pedigree,  but  evidently  refers  to 
the  same  Vethorm  as  does  Grims  Saga  Lodinkinna,  above. 


318  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Ketil  was  there  for  the  winter  with  his  men.  There  with 
Vethorm  were  two  foreign  women  ;  one  did  all  the  work  she 
could,  the  other  sat  sewing,  and  was  the  older.  The  younger 
woman  worked  well,  but  it  was  ill  received  from  her :  she  often 
wept.     Ketil  took  notice  of  this. 

One  day  when  Ketil  had  been  there  a  little  while,  it 
happened  that  this  woman  went  to  the  river  with  clothes,  and 
washed  them,  and  then  she  washed  her  head ;  and  her  hair  was 
long  and  fair,  and  became  her  well.  Ketil  knew  who  she  was, 
and  went  there  and  spoke  to  her :  "  What  woman  art  thou  ? " 
he  said.  "  I  am  called  Arneid,"  said  she.  Ketil  said  :  "  What 
is  thy  kin  ? "  She  answered,  "  I  think  that  concerns  thee  not." 
He  pressed  his  inquiry,  and  asked  her  to  tell  him.  She  said 
then,  with  weeping :  "  My  father's  name  was  Asbiorn,  and  he 
was  called  Skeria-blesi.  He  ruled  over  the  Hebrides,  and  was 
earl  over  the  islands  after  the  fall  of  Tryggvi ;  then  Vethorm 
plundered  thither,  with  all  his  brothers,  and  eighteen  ships ; 
they  came  by  night  to  my  father's  farmstead,  and  burned  him 
in  it,  and  all  the  men-folk ;  but  the  women  went  out,  and  then 
they  brought  here  me  and  my  mother,  who  is  called  Sigrid. 
But  they  sold  all  the  other  women  as  slaves.  Guthorm 
[Vethorm's  brother]  is  now  the  leader  ^  of  the  islands." 

So  they  parted.  But  next  day  Ketil  said  to  Vethorm  : 
"  Wilt  thou  sell  me  Arneid  ? "  Vethorm  said,  "  Thou  shalt 
have  her  for  half  a  hundred  of  silver,^  for  the  sake  of  our 
friendship."  Then  Ketil  offered  money  for  her  keep,  "  because 
she  must  not  work."  But  Vethorm  declared  that  he  would 
allow  her  board  like  the  rest  of  his  company. 

That  summer  Vethorm's  brothers  Grim  and  Orm  came 
home ;  they  had  been  plundering  in  Sweden  during  the 
summer.  Each  of  them  had  [captured]  his  merchant-ship,  and 
they  were  laden  with  treasure.  [Grim  and  Orm]  were  with 
Vethorm  for  the  winter.  But  in  spring  the  brothers  prepared 
their  ship  for  Iceland,  and  Ketil  and  they  intended  to  sail 
together. 

And  when  they  lay  off  the  Vik,  Arneid  asked  Ketil  for 
leave   to   go    up   ashore  to  gather   nuts,   along   with    another 

^  for-md&r.     Guthorm  may  have  been  a  son  of  Vemund  ;  but  this  saga 
implies  that  he  was  a  son  of  Ronald,  son  of  Ketil  Raumr. 
'"  I.e.  60  ells'  value  in  silver  :  10  ounces  of  silver. 


ARNEID  AND  KETIL  THRYMR  319 

woman  who  was  there  in  the  ship.  He  gave  her  leave,  but 
bade  her  not  go  far.  So  they  went  ashore,  and  came  under  a 
certain  bank ;  there  a  river  made  great  rain.  Arneid  said  : 
"  Go  to  the  ship,  and  say  to  Ketil  that  he  must  come  to  me 
because  I  am  ill."  [The  woman]  did  so,  and  Ketil  went  alone 
to  Arneid.  She  greeted  him,  and  said,  "  I  have  found  coal 
here."  They  dug  there  in  the  sand,  and  found  a  box  full  of 
silver ;  and  then  they  went  to  the  ship.  Then  Ketil  offered 
to  convey  her  to  her  relatives  with  this  treasure,  but  she  chose 
to  follow  him. 

Then  they  put  out  to  sea,  and  parted  with  [Grim  and  Orm]. 
Ketil  came  with  his  ship  to  Reydar-fiordr,  and  beached  his  ship, 
and  then  went  home  to  his  dwelling  in  Husa-stadr.  .  .  . 

[c.  2]  Now  it  is  to  be  told  how  Ketil  Thrymr  bought  land 
to  the  west  of  the  water  that  is  called  Lagar-fliot :  this 
farmstead  is  called  At  Arneid's-stead.  And  he  lived  there 
afterwards.  .  .  . 

.  .  .  After  this,  Ketil  made  his  wedding  with  Arneid, 
because  she  was  the  most  stately  lady.  They  had  a  son,  who 
was  called  Thidrandi ;  he  was  a  big  man,  and  promising. 

Ketil  lived  a  short  time,  and  Thidrandi  took  the  treasures 
and  priesthood  after  his  father.  .  .  . 


874  X 

Landnamabok,  c.  334,  p.  119 

Olvi  Barnakarl  was  the  name  of  a  famous  man  in  Norway. 
He  was  a  great  viking.  He  would  not  let  children  be  thrown 
upon  the  spear-points,  as  was  then  the  custom  of  vikings. 
Therefore  he  was  called  Barna-karl.^ 

His  sons  were  Steinolf,  father  of  Una,  whom  Thorbiorn 
Laxa-karl  married ;  and  Einar,  father  of  Ofeig  Grettir,  and  of 
Olaf  Broad,  the  father  of  Thormod  Skapti.  Steinmod  was  the 
third  son  of  Olvi ;  [he  was]  the  father  of  Konal,  the  father  of 
Alfdis  the  Barra-woman,  whom  Olaf  Feilan  married.     Konal's 

'  His  nickname  would  perhaps  more  naturally  mean  that  he  had  many 
children. 

Abbo  Floriacensis  (Passio  S.  Edmundi  ;  R.S.  96,  i,  9)  speaks  bitterly  of 
the  barbarity  of  the  Northmen  and  Danes  ;  he  accuses  them  of  eating 
human  flesh. 


320  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

son  was  Steinmod,  the  father  of  Alfdora,  who  was  married  to 
Eilif,  son  of  Ketil  the  One-handed. 

These  relatives,  Ofeig  Grettir  and  Thormod  Skapti,  went  to 
Iceland,  and  were  the  first  winter  with  Thorbiorn  Laxa-karj, 
their  kinsman-in-law. 

874  X 

Landnamabok,  c.  1 30,  p.  5  2 

Onund  Wooden-leg  [was  the  name  of]  a  son  of  Ofeig 
Burlufotr,  son  of  Ivar  Beytill.  Onund  was  against  king 
Harold  in  Hafrsfiordr,  and  left  his  foot  there.  After  that,  he 
went  to  Iceland,  and  took  land  from  Kleifar  to  Ofjera  :— 
Kallbaks-vik,  Kolbeins-vik,  Byrgis-vik ;  and  he  lived  in  Kallbak 
till  he  was  old.  He  was  the  brother  of  Gudbiorg,  mother  of 
Gudbrand  Kula,  father  of  Asta,  mother  of  king  Olaf  the 
Holy.  .  .  . 

871-874 

Gretti's  Saga,  c.  i,  p.  i 

A  man  was  called  Onund.  He  was  the  son  of  Ofeig 
Burlufotr,  the  son  of  Ivar  Beytill.  Onund  was  the  brother  of 
Gudbiorg,  the  mother  of  Gudbrand  Kula,  the  father  of  Asta, 
the  mother  of  king  Olaf  the  Holy.  Onund  was  an  Uplander^ 
by  his  mother's  kindred,  but  his  father's  kindred  was  principally 
about  Rogaland  and  Hordaland.  Onund  was  a  great  viking, 
and  plundered  west  beyond  the  sea.  With  him  in  warfare 
were  Balki,  Blueing's  son,  of  S6tanes,^  and  Orm  the  Rich.^ 
Hallvard  *  was  the  name  of  the  third  of  his  companions.  They 
had  five  ships,  and  all  well  manned. 

They  plundered  in  the  Hebrides ;  and  when  they  came  to 
the  Barra  isles,^  they  found  a  king  there,  who  was  called 
Kiarval :  he  also  had  five  ships.  They  opened  battle  with 
him,  and  there  was  a  hard  fight.  Onund's  men  were  the  most 
vigorous  people.     Many  fell  there  on  both  sides ;  and  it  ended 

'  I.e.  of  "the  district  between  the  Vik  and  the  Swedish  boundary,  as  far 
as  Romsdalsfiord  "  (Boer). 
"  See  below,  p.  328,  note. 

^  Cf.  Landnamabok,  c.  302,  p.  115  :  Sturlubok  version,  c.  351,  p.  220. 
*  See  below,  p.  328,  note. 
"  I  Barreyjar. 


ONUND  AND  KING  KIARVAL  32l 

so,  that  the  king  fled  with  one  ship.  There  Onund  and  his 
men  took  the  ships  and  much  treasure  as  well,  and  they  stayed 
there  for  the  winter.  For  three  summers  they  plundered  in 
Ireland  and  Scotland ;  then  they  went  to  Norway.^ 

874  or  872 

Gretti's  Saga,  c.  2,  pp.  2-5 

At  this  time  there  was  great  dispeace  in  Norway :  Harold 
Thick-hair,  Halfdan  Black's  son,  was  striving  for  sovereignty 
there.  He  was  formerly  king  in  the  Uplands ;  then  he  went 
to  the  north  of  the  land,  and  fought  there  many  battles.  He 
plundered  thus  southwards  through  the  land,  and  subdued  to 
himself  every  place  he  came  to. 

But  when  he  came  to  Hordaland,  there  came  against  him 
a  multitude  and  many  men.  The  leaders  there  were  Kiotvi 
the  Rich,  and  Thori  Long-chin,  and  the  South-Rogalanders 
[Soti  and]  king  Sulki.^  Geirmund  Hellskin  was  then  west 
beyond  the  sea;  and  he  was  not  in  this  battle;  and  yet  he 
was  king  in   Hordaland.' 

This  autumn  Onund  and  his  fellows  came  from  west  beyond 
the  sea ;  and  when  Thori  Long-chin  and  king  Kiotvi  heard  of 
that,  they  sent  men  to  meet  them,  and  bade  them  come  to  the 
army,  and  promised  them  honours.  So  they  made  common 
cause  with  Thori  and  his  men,  because  they  were  very  eager  to 
prove  themselves,  and  declared  that  they  would  be  wherever 
the  battle  was  most  severe. 

Their  encounter  with  king  Harold  took  place  in  Rogaland, 
in  the  fiord  that  is  called  In  Hafrsfiordr.*  They  had  on  each 
side  a  great  force.  This  battle  has  been  the  greatest  fought  in 
Norway.  And  most  sagas  tell  of  it,  because  most  is  said  of 
those  [things]  from  which  history  chiefly  springs. 

1  In  the  same  autumn  in  which  they  returned  to  Norway,  they  fought  in 
the  battle  of  Hafrsfiordr.     See  c.  2,  pp.  2-4. 

^  Heimskringia,  Harold  Fairhair,  c.  18  :  "These  were  the  instigators  : 
Eric,  king  of  Hordaland  ;  Sulki,  king  of  Rogaland,  and  earl  Soti,  his 
brother  ;  Kiotvi  the  Rich,  king  of  Agdir,  and  Thori  Long-chin,  his  son  ; 
two  brothers  of  Thelamark,  Hroald  Hryggr  and  Hadd  the  Hard." 

^  Wrongly  "king  of  Rogaland"  in  Landnd.mab6k. 

*  The  battle  of  Hafrsfiordr  is  described  in  EgiPs  Saga,  c.  9  ;  H., 
Harold  Fairhair,  c.  18 ;  Fr.,  pp.  48-49.  Cf.  Upphaf  Rikis  Haraldar 
Harfagra,  F.S.,  x,  189-193.     F.,  15-19. 

X 


322  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Forces  came  there  also  from  all  the  land  ;  and  many  from 
other  lands,  and  many  vikings. 

Onund  laid  his  ship  aboard  Thori  Long-chin's  ship ;  that 
was  quite  in  the  middle  of  the  battle.  King  Harold  lay  to 
beside  Thori  Long-chin's  ship,  because  Thori  was  the  greatest 
berserkr,  and  dauntless.  There  was  the  hardest  battle  on  both 
sides.  Then  the  king  bade  his  berserks  go  forward  ;  they  were 
called  Wolf-skins,  and  iron  would  not  bite  them :  and  when 
they  rushed  on,  nothing  could  stop  them.  Thori  fought  very 
doggedly,  and  fell  in  his  ship  with  great  valour.  Then  the 
ship  was  cleared  from  stem  to  stern,  and  cut  from  the  lashings ; 
and  it  drifted  off  between  the  ships.  Then  the  king's  men  lay 
to  by  Onund 's  ship.  [Onund]  was  in  the  front  of  the  ship,  and 
fought  manfully.  Then  the  king's  men  said :  "  This  man  in 
the  prow  goes  forward  hard;  let  him  have  some  memorial  of 
us,  to  show  that  he  has  been  in  the  battle."  Onund  had 
stepped  out  upon  the  gunwale  with  one  foot ;  and  just  then 
[a  spear]  was  thrust  at  him.  And  as  he  warded  off  the  thrust, 
he  bent  backwards;  and  one  of  the  king's  forecastle-men  hewed 
at  Onund,  and  struck  his  leg  below  the  knee,  and  cut  off  his 
leg.  Onund  was  at  once  disabled ;  and  the  greater  part  of  his 
force  fell.  Onund  was  taken  on  board  the  ship  of  the  man  that 
was  called  Thrond  ^ ;  he  was  Biorn's  son,  the  brother  of  Eyvind 
Eastman.  He  was  fighting  against  king  Harold,  and  lay  on 
the  other  side  of  Onund's  ship.  Immediately  afterwards  the 
general  flight  began. 

874  or  872 

Heimskringla,  Harold  Fairhair's  Saga,  c.  19^ 

Harold  Fairhair  becomes  the  sole  ruler  in  Norway. 
After  this  battle  [of  Hafrsfiordr]^  king  Harold  met  with  no 
resistance  in  Norway ;  all  his  greatest  enemies  had  fallen  there : 

^  See  below,  p.  329,  note. 

2  Cf.  Frisbok,  49. 

2  Ari's  Islendingabok  implies  that  Harold  was  born  in  854  (see  below, 
p.  338),  lived  80  years,  reigned  70  winters,  and  died  "a  winter  or  two" 
after  930  (below,  p.  322).  The  Landnimabok  (below,  p.  335)  implies  that 
Harold  became  king  in  862,  a  date  that  is  accepted  by  the  earliest  version 
of  the  annals  (K),  and  is  counted  from  for  the  date  of  Hafrsfiordr  (872) 
given  in  OlaPs  Saga  (c.  116). 

Theoderic  puts  Harold's  accession,  doubtfully,  in  858  ;  and  this  date  is 


BATTLE  OF  HAFRSFIORDR  323 

but  some  fled  from  the  land,  and  they  were  very  numerous, 
because  then  the  great  waste-lands  were  peopled.  .  .  . 

In  this  warfare,  when  Harold  came  to  the  land  in  Norway, 
foreign  lands  were  found  and   peopled  [by  Norwegians] :  the 

accepted  and  built  upon  by  the  Annales  Regii  (version  C  of  the  Icelandic 
Annals).  But  this  date  is  inconsistent  with  the  reign-lengths  given  by 
Theoderic  himself. 

The  battle  of  Hafrsfiordr  was  fought  lo  years  after  Harold's  accession  ; 
Agrip,  c.  4  ;  F.,  p.  ig  ;  H.,  Harold  Fairhair,  cc.  4,  23  ;  and  when  it  was 
fought  he  had  passed  the  20th  year  of  his  age  ;  Upphaf  Rikis  Haraldar 
Harfagra,  F.S.,  x,  193  (Fl.,  i,  575)  ;  Mantissa,  c.  5  (Origines,  i,  271-272)  ; 
and  F.,  ig.     Cf.  Hauksbok,  506. 

It  is  to  be  noticed  that  the  Landndmabok  implies  that  Harold  became 
king  at  the  age  of  eight ;  while  the  Islendingabok  and  the  sagas  (cf  Fr., 
38)  say,  at  the  age  of  ten.  In  writing  Islendingabok,  Ari  has  corrected  his 
account  in  Landnamabok.  But  whether  Harold  became  king  in  862  at  the 
age  of  eight  (as  is  implied  in  Landnamabok),  or  in  864  at  the  age  of  ten 
(as  we  deduce  from  Islendingabok),  the  date  of  his  birth  would  have  been 
the  same,  namely  854. 

His  birth-date  would  naturally  have  been  found  by  subtracting  80 
years  from   his   death-date  ;  therefore  we   may  conclude  that  he  died  in 

934- 

Since  the  battle  of  Hafrsfiordr  was  fought  10  years  after  Harold's 
accession  (probably  864  ;  see  above,  pp.  cxii-cxiv),  and  when  Harold  was  20 
years  old  (reckoning  his  birth  in  854),  it  was  probably  fought  in  874. 

The  Icelandic  Annals  draw  different  conclusions  from  the  same  sources. 
They  place  Harold  Fairhair's  birth  in  852-  (KBODE  ;  848,  CA)  ;  his 
accession  in  862  (KE  ;  863,  BOD  ;  858,  CA)  ;  his  sole  sovereignty  (i.e.  the 
battle  of  Hafrsfiordr)  in  868  (CDA)  ;  his  division  of  the  kingdom  among 
his  sons  in  892  (KBOD  ;  898,  CA)  ;  his  abdication  in  favour  of  Eric  in 
930  (KBOD  ;  g28,  CA  ;  929,  E)  ;  and  his  death  in  933  (KBOD  ;  931,  CA  ; 
932,  E). 

Y.  Nielsen  (Slaget  i  Hafrsfjorden  872  (Stavanger,  1906),  pp.  11-16, 
29-33)  argues  that  the  warfare  in  Scandinavia  in  871,  when  Olaf  left  Ireland 
to  assist  his  father  Godfrey,  culminated  in  the  battle  of  Hafrsfiordr  in  872  ; 
and  that  after  the  loss  of  that  battle,  Ivar,  Godfrey's  son,  and  Olaf, 
Godfrey's  son,  returned  to  Ireland,  and  plundered  it  in  873.  See  year  871, 
above. 

He  would  therefore  identify  Godfrey  with  Kiotvi,  ?king  of  Agdir  ;  and 
Olaf  with  Haklang,  ?king  of  Dublin.  These  identifications  are  highly 
conjectural.  If  Olaf  Godfrey's  son  did  go  to  the  battle  of  Hafrsfiordr,  the 
Irish  dates  are  not  sufficiently  trustworthy  to  fix  the  year  of  the  battle  with 
exactitude. 

The  commander  of  Harold's  forces  was  his  uncle  Guthorm,  Sigurd 
Hart's  son  ;  who  was  26  winters  old  at  the  time  of  the  battle.  H.,  Harold 
Fairhair,  cc.  1-2  ;  Egil's  Saga,  c.  26  ;  Upphaf,  F.S.,  x,  177. 


324  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Faroes  and  Iceland  ^ ;  and  there  was  then  too  a  great  going  to 
Shetland.  And  many  powerful  men  of  Norway  fled  as  outlaws 
before  king  Harold,  and  sailed  into  western  piracy;  they  were 
in  the  Orkneys  and  the  Hebrides  in  the  winters,  and  in  the 
summers  they  plundered  in  Norway,  and  did  there  great 
injury  to  the  land.  There  were  many  men  and  powerful  who 
submitted  to  king  Harold,  and  became  his  liege-men,  and 
inhabited  the  land  with  him. 

ca.  874  X 

Gretti's  Saga,  cc.  2-5,  pp.  5-13 

Thrond  and  his  men,  and  the  other  vikings,  took  themselves 
away,  each  as  he  could ;  and  they  sailed  afterwards  to  west 
beyond  the  sea.  Onund  went  with  [Thrond] ;  also  Balki  and 
Hallvard  Siigandi.  Onund  was  healed,  and  all  his  life  after- 
wards he  went  with  a  wooden  leg;  he  was  therefore  called 
Onund  Wooden-leg,  as  long  as  he  lived. 

[c.  3]  Many  famous  men  were  then  west  beyond  the  sea, 
who  had  fled  from  their  lands  in  Norway  before  king  Harold  ; 
because  he  made  all  men  outlaws  that  had  fought  against  him, 
and  took  into  his  own  hand  their  possessions. 

When  Onund  was  healed  of  his  wound  Thrond  and  he  went 
to  join  Geirmund  Hellskin,  because  he  was  then  the  most 
famous  of  the  vikings  in  the  west  beyond  the  sea;  and  they 
asked  whether  he  would  not  attempt  to  recover  the  kingdom 
that  he  possessed   in    Hordaland,   and   they  offered  him  their 

'  Of.  the  passages  in  Landnamabok,  cc,  45,  114,  130,  347  ;  pp.  21,  46, 
52,  123  :  and  the  instances  of  Geirmund  Hellskin,  Thrond  Biorn's  son,  and 
Ssemund  the  Hebridean. 

Egil's  Saga,  c.  4;  pp.  14-15:  ".  .  .  King  Harold  took  possession  of 
all  the  odal-lands  in  every  district,  and  all  the  land,  occupied  and  un- 
occupied. .  .  .  But  many  men  fled  away  from  the  land  to  escape  from 
this  oppression,  and  then  many  great  wildernesses  were  peopled  ;  both 
east  in  lamtalandand  Helsingialand,  and  the  western  lands  :  the  Hebrides, 
Dublin  county  [Dyfliiniar  sh'^i],  Ireland,  Normandy  in  France,  Caithness 
in  Scotland,  the  Orkneys  and  Shetland,  the  Faroes  ;  and  at  that  time 
Iceland  was  found." 

Cf.  Eyrbyggia  Saga,  2,  c.  i  ;  Laxdoela,  4,  c.  2.  Svarfdosla  Saga,  c.  12 
(Islendinga  Sdgur,  1829-1830,  ii,  195) :  "Then  many  noble  men  in  Norway 
had  fled  from  their  odal-lands,  and  some  went  west  beyond  the  sea  to 
Shetland  and  Orkney,  and  settled  there  ;  and  many  went  to  Iceland,  and 
that  [island]  began  now  to  be  very  fully  inhabited." 


SETTLERS  IN  THE  SCOTTISH  ISLANDS  325 

support.  They  thought  that  they  must  look  after  their  own 
possessions,  because  Onund  was  of  high  family,  and  rich.  Then 
Geirmund  said  that  king  Harold's  power  had  grown  so  great 
that  he  thought  there  was  little  hope  of  their  getting  redress 
by  warfare,  where  men  had  been  defeated,  although  the  whole 
people  of  the  land  had  been  collected.  He  said  too  that  he 
was  not  inclined  to  become  the  king's  thrall,  and  to  beg  for 
that  which  he  had  formerly  owned  himself;  he  said  that  he 
would  rather  seek  for  himself  other  fortunes ;  he  had  then 
moreover  left  behind  him  his  youth.  Onund  and  Thrond 
went  back  to  the  Hebrides,  and  met  there  many  of  their 
friends. 

A  man  was  named  Ofeig,  and  was  called  Grettir^;  he  was 
a  son  of  Einar,  son  of  Olvi  Barnakarl ;  he  was  a  brother  of 
Oleif  Broad,  the  father  of  Thormod  Skapti. 

Also  a  son  of  Olvi  Barnakarl  was  Steinolf,  the  father  of  Una, 
whom  Thorbiorn  Laxakarl  married. 

Another  son  of  Olvi  Barnakarl  was  Steinmod,  the  father  ot 
Konal,  the  father  of  Alfdis  the  Barra-woman.  Konal's  son 
was  Steinmod,  the  father  of  Halldora,  who  was  married  to 
Eilif,  son  of  Ketil  the  One-handed. 

Ofeig  Grettir  married  Asny,  daughter  of  Vestar,  son  of 
[Ketil]  Hsengr.  Asmund  Beardless  and  Asbiorn  were  sons  of 
Ofeig  Grettir ;  and  his  daughters  were  Aldis,  ^sa,  and  Asvor. 

Ofeig  had  fled  west  beyond  the  sea  from  the  hostility  of 
king  Harold,  as  also  had  Thormod  Skapti,  his  relative :  they 
had  brought  with  them  all  their  household.  They  plundered 
widely,  to  the  west  of  the  sea. 

Thrond  and  Onund  Wooden-leg  intended  to  go  west  to 
Ireland  to  meet  Eyvind  Eastman,  Thrond's  brother  :  [Eyvind] 
had  the  land-defence  of  Ireland.  .  .  . 

Eyvind  had  then  taken  over  his  father's  warship,  and  had 
now  become  a  great  chief  in  the  west  beyond  the  sea.  He 
married  Raforta,  daughter  of  Kiarval  the  Irish  king ;  their 
sons  were  Helgi  the  Lean  and  Snsebiorn. 

And  when  Thrond  and  Onund  came  to  the  Hebrides,  they 
found  there  Ofeig  Grettir  and  Thormod  Skapti ;  and  great 
friendship  arose  between  them,  because  every  one  thought  that 
he   had  a  man  restored  to  him  from  hell,  when  he  met  one 

^  I.e.  "Grimacer." 


326  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

who  had  remained  behind  in  Norway  while  the  dispeace  was 
greatest.  .  .  .^ 

Then  they  went  on  warfare  in  the  summers,  but  were  in 
the  Barra  isles  in  the  winters. 

[c.  4]  Vikings  were  called  Vigbiod  and  Vestmar ;  they  were 
Hebrideans,  and  lay  out  both  winter  and  summer.  They  had 
eight  2  ships,  and  they  plundered  in  Ireland,  and  did  many  evil 
deeds,  until  Eyvind  Eastman  took  the  land-defence  there. 
Thereafter  they  fled  to  the  Hebrides,  and  plundered  there 
and  everywhere  in  Scotland's  firths. 

Thrond  and  Onund  went  to  oppose  them,  and  learned  that 
they  had  sailed  in  to  the  island  which  is  called  Bute.  Now 
Onund  and  Thrond  came  there  with  five  ships.  And  when 
the  vikings  saw  their  ships,  and  knew  how  many  they  were, 
they  thought  they  had  numbers  enough,  and  they  took  their 
weapons  and  lay  waiting  for  the  ships.  Then  Onund  bade 
lay  his  ships  between  two  clifiTs ;  there  was  a  great  channel 
there  and  deep,  and  ships  could  sail  one  way  only,  and  not 
more  than  five  at  a  time.  Onund  was  a  wise  man ;  and  he 
made  the  five  ships  go  forward  into  the  strait  in  such  a  manner 
that  they  could  immediately  let  themselves  drift,  with  hanging 
oars,  when  they  wished,  because  there  was  much  sea-room 
behind  them.  There  was  also  a  certain  island  on  one  side. 
Under  it  he  made  one  ship  lie ;  and  they  carried  many  stones 
to  the  edge  of  the  cliff,  where  they  could  not  be  seen  from 
the  ships. 

The  vikings  attacked  very  boldly,  and  believed  that  [their 
opponents]  had  got  into  a  strait.  Vigbiod  asked  who  these 
were  that  were  so  hemmed  in.  Thrond  said  that  he  was  the 
brother  of  Eyvind  Eastman  ;  and  then,  "  Here  is  my  comrade, 
Onund  Wooden-leg."  Then  the  vikings  laughed,  and  said, 
"  May  the  trolls  take  the  whole  of  Wooden-leg !  The  trolls 
confound  him  all !  And  seldom  has  it  happened  to  us  that 
those  men  come  to  battle  who  have  not  might  over  themselves." 
Onund  said  that  they  could  not  know,  until  it  was  proved. 

After  that  they  laid  their  ships  together.     There  began  a 

1  Marriages  were  arranged,  to  take  place  after  three  years,  between 
Onund  and  Ofeig's  daughter  ^^sa,  and  between  Thrond  and  Thormod 
Skapti's  daughter. 

^  "Thirteen"  in  Magnusson  and  Thordarson's  text. 


THROND  AND  ONUND  327 

great  battle,  and  both  sides  fought  well.     And  when  the  battle 
was  in  full  swing,  Onund  let  [his  ship]  drift  by  the  cliff;  and 
when  the  vikings  saw  that,  they  thought  that  he  wished  to 
escape ;    and  they  advanced  against  his  ship,  and  under  the 
cliff,  so  as  to  come  up  with  him.     At  the  same  moment  those 
men  came  to  the  precipice  that  had  been  appointed  to  this ; 
they  cast  upon  the  vikings  so  great  stones  as  nothing  could 
resist.     Many  of  the  viking's  crew  fell  there,  and  some  were 
hurt  so  that  they  could  not  bear  weapons.     Then  the  vikings 
wished  to  draw  back,  but  they  could  not,  because  their  ships 
had  then  come  where  the  strait  was  narrowest ;  both  the  ships 
and  the  current  impeded  them.     Then  Onund  and  his  men  fell 
on  with   vigour,  where  Vigbiod  was  the  leader :  and  Thrond 
attacked  Vestmar,  and  gained  but  little  advantage.     Since  the 
people  on  Vigbiod's  ship  were  reduced  in   number,  Onund's 
men   and    [Onund]   himself  determined   to   board    her.     This 
Vigbiod  saw,  and  urged  on  his  men  with  ardour.     Then  he 
turned  against  Onund,  and  most  [of  the  others]  sprang  aside. 
Onund    bade    his    men    observe    how  it   went    with    [him    and 
Vigbiod] ;  for  Onund  was  of  great  strength.     They  pushed  a 
log    under    Onund's    knee,   and    he    stood    quite    firmly.     The 
viking  came  forward  along  the  ship  until  he  reached  Onund, 
and  hewed  at  him  with  his  sword,  and  struck  his  shield  and 
cut  off  what  he  touched  :    then  his  sword  struck  into  the  log 
that   Onund   had  under  his  knee,  and  the  sword  stuck  fast. 
Vigbiod   stooped   as  he  pulled   his   sword   to  him  ;  upon   this, 
Onund   struck   him   on    the    shoulder,    and    took    off  his  arm. 
Then  the  viking  was  out  of  the  battle. 

When  Vestmar  knew  that  his  companion  had  fallen,  he 
leapt  into  the  ship  that  lay  farthest  out,  and  fled  ;  so  did  all 
they  that  could. 

After  that,  [Onund's  men]  searched  the  fallen.  Vigbiod 
had  then  come  near  to  his  death.  Onund  went  to  him,  and 
said  :  "  Look  whether  thy  wounds  are  bleeding.  Didst  thou 
see  me  giving  way?  The  one-legged  warrior  got  from  thee 
no  scratch.  To  many  a  fighter  is  more  boastfulness  given 
than  wisdom  :  the  warrior  is  without  strength  in  danger." 

They  took  much  spoil  there,  and  sailed  back  to  Barra  in 
autumn. 

[c.  5]  Next  summer  they  prepared  to  go  west  to  Ireland. 


328  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Then  Balki  and  Hallvard  determined  to  go  west  beyond 
the  sea ;  and  they  sailed  out  to  Iceland,  because  there  was  said 
to  be  good  choice  of  land  there.^  .  .  . 

Thrond  and  Onund  came  to  meet  Eyvind  Eastman, 
and  he  received  his  brother  well.  But  when  he  knew  that 
Onund  had  come  there,  he  was  angry,  and  wished  to  attack 
him.  Thrond  begged  him  not  to  do  this ;  he  said  that 
it  was  not  fitting  to  make  war  upon  Norwegian  men,  least 
of  all  with  those  that  used  no  violence.  Eyvind  said  that 
[Onund]  had  used  violence  before,  and  made  war  upon  king 
Kiarval ;  he  said  that  now  he  must  suffer  for  it.  The 
brothers  discussed  this  long,  until  Thrond  said  that  one  fate 
should  befal  Onund  and  him.  Then  Eyvind  let  himself  be 
appeased.^ 

They  abode  there  for  a  long  time  in  the  summer,  and  they 
went  on  campaigns  with  Eyvind.  [Eyvind]  thought  Onund 
the  most  valiant  man. 

They  went  to  the  Hebrides  in  the  autumn.  Eyvind  gave 
Thrond  all  the  inheritance  from  their  father,  if  Biorn   died 

'  Cf.  above,  p.  324,  note. 

Landnamabok,  c.  45,  p.  21  :  "Balki  was  the  name  of  a  man,  the  son 
of  Bteing,  the  son  of  Soti  of  Sota-nes.  He  fought  against  king  Harold  in 
Hafrsfiordr.  Therefore  he  went  to  Iceland,  and  took  all  Hrutafiordr,  and 
lived  in  Baer.  .  .  ."  Cf.  LandnEimabok,  c.  135,  p.  52  :  "A  man  was  called 
Balki,  son  of  Blseing,  son  of  Soti  of  Sota-nes.  He  went  to  Iceland  from  the 
tyranny  of  king  Harold,  and  took  all  Rutafiordr.  .   .  ." 

Cf.  Sturlubok  version,  c.  167,  p.  176  (".  .  .  he  was  against  king  Harold 
in  Hafrsfiordr.  .  .  .") 

Landndmabok,  c.  114,  p.  46:  "Hallvard  Sugandi  was  in  the  battle  in 
Hafrsfiordr,  against  king  Harold.  He  went  from  Ssetr  in  Hordaland  to 
Iceland,  and  took  Suganda-fiordr  and  Skala-vik." 

2  It  is  clear  from  this  that  the  Kiarval  who  is  said  to  have  been 
attacked  in  the  Barra  Islands  in  871  was  the  Irish  king  Cerball  ;  but  the 
story  of  Kiarval  is  probably  false. 

Cerball  was  king  of  Ossory  :  his  father,  Dungal,  king  of  Ossory,  fell  in 
842.  Cerball  defeated  the  Norwegians  of  Dublin  with  slaughter  in  846, 
supported  the  Gall-Gaidil  859-860,  but  fought  against  the  Norwegians  in 
860,  861,  and  862.  He  invaded  Leinster  in  853,  864,  870,  and  871  ;  Meath 
in  859  ;  Munster  in  864,  871,  879  ;  Connaught  in  871  and  873  ;  Decies  in 
874  ;  and  he  died  in  888.  (A.U.,  s.aa.  841,  845,  852,  858,  869,  887. 
C.S.,  Hennessy's  years  858,  859,  873,  888.  A.I.,  O'Conor's  years  845  =  859, 
874  =  888.  F.M.,  s.aa.  841,  845,  851,  857,  858,  859,  862,  868,  869,  871,  872. 
876,  885.) 


BIORN  AND  HIS  SONS  329 

before  Thrond.     They  remained   now  in  the   Hebrides   until 
they  married/  and  for  some  winters  afterwards.^ 

After  879 

Landnamalbok,  c.  184,  p.  72 

Biorn  died  in  the  house  of  Ondott,  his  relative ;  but  Grim 
said  that  the  king  [Harold]  must  take  all  [Biorn's]  possessions, 
because  he  was  a  foreigner,  and  his  sons  were  west  beyond  the 
sea.     Ondott  kept  the  money  for  Thrond,  his  sister's  son.^ 

^  I.e.  until  the  end  of  their  three  years'  matrimonial  engagements. 

^  Therefore  until  after  879. 

Thrond's  father,  Biorn,  died  in  Norway.  Gretti's  Saga  c.  6,  p.  14  : 
"  Now  Thrond  heard  of  the  death  of  his  father,  and  prepared  at  once  to 
start  from  the  Hebrides,  and  Onund  Wooden-leg  with  him.  But  Ofeig 
Grettir  and  Thormod  Skapti  sailed  out  [879  x]  to  Iceland  with  their 
household  ;  and  they  landed  in  the  south  of  the  land  at  Eyrar,  and  were 
the  first  winter  with  Thorbiorn  Laxakarl.  Then  they  took  Gnupveria-hreppr. 
Ofeig  took  the  farther  part,  between  Thvera  and  Kalfd ;  he  lived  in 
Ofeig's-steads,  by  Steinsholt.  And  Thormod  took  the  eastern  part,  and  he 
lived  in  Skapta-holt.  .  .  ." 

Thrond  went  to  Iceland  from  Norway  after  Biorn's  death  (see  below). 
"  Ofeig  and  Thormod  Skapti  received  [Thrond]  well.  Thrond  lived  in 
Thrond's-holt ;  it  is  west  of  Thiorsa"  (c.  6,  pp.  15-16). 

Landnamabok,  c.  333,  p.  119:  "Thrond  the  Voyager  \i7iiok  siglai7di\ 
Biorn's  son,  and  brother  of  Eyvind  Eastman,  as  has  been  said  before,  was 
in  Hafrsfiordr  against  king  Harold,  and  afterwards  escaped  to  Iceland,  late 
in  the  settling  time"  [870-930].  "  He  took  land  between  Thiorsa  and  Laxa, 
and  inland  to  Kalfa  and  to  Sand-lcekr.  He  Uved  in  Thrandar-holt.  His 
daughter  was  Helga,  whom  Thormod  Skapti  married." 

Landndmabok,  c.  334,  p.  119:  "The  relatives  Ofeig  Grettir  and 
Thormod  Skapti  went  to  Iceland,  and  were  the  first  winter  with  Thorbiorn 
La.xa-karl,  their  kinsman-in-law.  And  in  spring  he  gave  them  Gnupveria- 
hreppr.  To  Ofeig  he  gave  the  shore-ward  part  between  Thvera  and 
Kalfa ;  and  [Ofeig]  lived  at  Ofeigs-stadir,  near  Steins-holt ;  and  to 
Thormod  he  gave  the  eastern  part,  and  he  lived  in  Skapta-holt.  .  .  .  Ofeig 
fell  before  Thorbiorn  Earl's-champion,  in  Grettis-geil,  near  HebIL  .  .  ." 

Onund  went  to  Iceland  after  avenging  Ondott.  He  received  lands 
from  Eric  Snare,  and  "  Onund  made  a  dwelling  in  Kaldbak,  and  had 
many  men  ;  but  when  his  treasure  began  to  increase,  he  had  another 
dwelling  in  Reykiafiordr"  (Gretti's  Saga,  c.  6,  p.  16). 

^  Landnamabok,  c.  195,  p.  76  :  "Ondott  held  the  money  for  the  hands 
of  Thrond,  his  sister's  son.  And  when  Thrond  heard  of  the  death  of  his 
father,  he  sailed  from  the  Hebrides  by  [rapid]  voyaging,  from  which  he  was 
called  the  Voyager  ;  and  then  he  received  his  father's  possessions,  and 
sailed  to  Iceland.  .  .  ."     Cf  Gretti's  Saga,  14-16,  cc.  6,  7. 


330  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Helgi  [the  Lean]  was  brought  up  in  Ireland.  He  married 
Thorunn  Hyrna,  the  daughter  of  Ketil  Flatnose  of  the  Hebrides, 
and  of  Yngvild,  daughter  of  Ketil  Wether  of  Hringa-n'ki.i 
Afterwards  Helgi  went  to  Iceland,  with  his  wife  and  children  : 
Hr61f,  and  Ingiald,  and  Ingunn,  whom  Hamund  Hellskin  ^ 
married.     [Hamund]  followed  Helgi  out.  .  .  . 

?874 

Historia  Norwegiae ;  Storm's  Monumenta  Historica 
Norvegiae,  pp.  87-90 

Of  the  tributary  islands. 

Certain  islands  lie  before  Gulacia,^  and  are  named  Solundae* 
by  the  inhabitants :  from  them  is  named  the  Solundic  sea, 
which  flows  between  Norway  and  Ireland.  In  it  are  the 
Orchades  islands,  more  than  thirty  in  number,  named  after 
an  earl  Orchanus.  These,  occupied  by  different  inhabitants, 
are  now  divided  into  two  dominions^;  the  southern  islands^ 
are  elevated  to  [being  ruled  by]  kinglets,  while  the  northern^ 
are  adorned  by  the  protection  of  earls :  and  both  [kinglets  and 
earls]  pay  large  tribute  to  the  kings  of  Norway.* 

Of  the  Orchades  islands. 

These   islands   were    at    first  inhabited  by  the  Picts^  and 

It  would  seem  more  reasonable  to  account  for  his  nickname  by  the 
number  or  extent  of  his  voyages. 

According  to  Gretti's  Saga,  Biorn  died  "some  winters"  more  than 
three  winters  after  the  battle  of  Hafrsfiordr  (.-.  879  x  /S;;  x ). 

Grim  killed  Ondott  (Landnamabok,  u.s.) ;  and  Onund  and  Ondott's 
sons  avenged  Ondott  and  sailed  for  Iceland  (Gretti's  Saga,  cc.  6-9). 

^  According  to  Laxdoela  Saga,  Helgi's  marriage  took  place  in  Norway, 
immediately  before  Ketil  Flatnose  set  out  for  the  Hebrides  ;  but  Eyrbyggia 
Saga  implies  that  the  marriage  took  place  in  the  Hebrides,  during  Ketil's 
life-time  (.-.  874x884).     For  Helgi,  cf.  p.  314. 

^  Twin-brother  of  Geirmund  Hellskin,  and  son  of  king  Hior. 

■*  I.e.  Gulathingslog. 

*  I.e.  Sulendoerne. 

''  regna. 

^  I.e.  the  Hebrides. 

''  I.e.  Orkney  and  Shetland. 

^  This  must  have  been  written  before  1266.  It  was  written,  according 
to  Storm,  towards  the  end  of  the  12th  century. 

°  Peti.  These  were  perhaps  the  original  people  of  that  name,  from 
whom  the  other  inhabitants  of  non-Roman  Scotland  took  their  name. 


HELGI.     INHABITANTS  OF  ORKNEY  331 

Papae.  Of  these,  the  one  race,  the  Picts,  little  exceeded 
pigmies  in  stature ;  they  did  marvels,  in  the  morning  and  in 
the  evening,  in  building  [walled]  towns,^  but  at  mid-day  they 
entirely  lost  all  their  strength,  and  lurked,  through  fear,  in 
little  underground  houses. 

But  at  that  time  [the  islands]  were  not  called  Orchades,  but 
Pictland ;  whence  still  the  Pictland  Sea^  is  [so]  named  by  the 
inhabitants,  because  it  divides  the  [Orkney]  islands  from 
Scotland ;  and  there  [is]  the  greatest  of  all  whirlpools,  which 
draws  in  and  swallows  down  in  the  ebb  the  strongest  ships, 
and  vomits  and  casts  up  their  fragments  in  the  flood.  Whence 
the  people  came  there,  we  are  entirely  ignorant. 

And  the  Papae  have  been  named  from  their  white  robes, 
which  they  wore  like  priests ;  whence  priests  are  all  called 
papae  in  the  Teutonic  tongue.  An  island  is  still  called,  after 
them,  Papey.  But,  as  is  observed  from  their  habit  and  the 
writings  of  their  books  ^  abandoned  there,  they  were  Africans, 
adhering  to  Judaism. 

In  the  days  of  Harold  Fairhair,  king  of  Norway,  certain 
pirates,  of  the  family  of  the  most  vigorous  prince  Ronald,  set 
out  with  a  great  fleet,  and  crossed  the  Solundic  sea;  and 
stripped  these  races  of  their  ancient  settlements,  destroyed 
them  wholly,  and  subdued  the  islands  to  themselves.  And 
being  there  provided  with  safe  winter  seats,  they  went  in 
summer-time  working  tyranny  upon  the  English  and  the 
Scots,  sometimes  also  upon  the  Irish,  so  that  they  took 
under  their  rule,  from  England,  Northumbria ;  from  Scotland, 
Caithness ;  from  Ireland,  Dublin,  and  the  other  sea-side  towns.* 

^  In  structuris  [s.l.]  tirbiwn  vespere  etma?ie  mira  operantes.  The  "towns" 
meant  are  probably  brochs  ;  the  "houses,"  earth-houses  or  Picts'  Houses. 
It  is  noteworthy  that  these  types  of  structure  should  be  coupled  at  this  date. 
For  Irish  earth-houses,  cf.  the  Wars,  below,  years  875-877. 

^  Petlandicum  mare:  the  Pentland  Firth.  Cf.  Theoderic,  in  Storm's 
Monumenta,  31  (Perla?iisfiorih). 

^  apices  Ubrorum. 

*  This  account  is  interesting  because  it  shows  an  early  form  of  the 
fabulous  tradition  (which  survives  still  in  Shetland)  that  the  Picts  were  of 
diminutive  stature,  and  because  its  description  of  ^Cae^  papae  is  independent 
of  Ari  (see  year  874).  It  gives  also  what  is  perhaps  a  true  account  of  the 
establishment  of  the  Norwegians'  power  in  Orkney :  Orkney  was  first 
annexed  by  "  certain  pirates  of  the  family  of  Ronald,"  not  by  king  Harold 


332  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

?874 

Heimskringla,  Harold  Fairhair's  Saga,  c.  22  ^ 

King  Harold's  western  expedition. 

King  Harold  learned  that  vikings  who  passed  the  winters 
in  the  west  beyond  the  sea  were  plundering  widely  about  the 
middle-land.^  Then  he  took  out  a  levy  every  summer,  and 
searched  the  islands  and  distant  rocks ;  but  as  soon  as  the 
vikings  were  aware  of  his  army,  they  all  fled,  and  most  of 
them  out  to  sea. 

And  when  the  king  wearied  of  this,  it  happened  one 
summer  that  king  Harold  sailed  with  his  army  to  west  beyond 
the  sea.^  He  came  first  to  Shetland,  and  slew  there  all  the 
vikings  who  did  not  flee  thence.  Then  he  sailed  south  to  the 
Orkneys,  and  everywhere  there  cleaned  out  the  vikings.  After 
that,  he  sailed  as  far  as  the  Hebrides,  and  plundered  there ;  he 

after  his  invasion  of  Scotland.  The  annexation  took  place  "  in  the  days  of 
Harold  Fairhair,  king  of  Norway"  ;  strictly,  this  ought  to  mean  after  the 
battle  of  Hafrsfiordr ;  but  that  is  uncertain.  If  the  sagas  and  the  Upphaf 
are  to  be  believed,  and  Orkney  was  given  to  Ronald's  family  in  compensation 
for  the  death  of  Ronald's  son,  Ivar,  that  gift  was  probably  a  confirmation 
of  the  earlier  seizure. 

A  later  account  of  the  islands  is  in  Saga-Fragment  I,  F.S.,  x,  416  : 
"...  The  Hebrides  {Su^reyjar\  lie  near  to  Ireland  ;  ten  of  the  Hebrides 
are  inhabited.  Twenty-five  of  the  Orkneys  are  inhabited  :  in  them  is  a 
bishop's  see,  which  is  called  Kirkwall  [/  Kyrkjuvdgi\ ;  there  lies  the  holy 
earl  Magnus.  Shetland  is  next  to  the  Orkneys  ;  in  it  is  an  archdeacon. 
Near  there  are  the  Faroes  ;  they  are  eighteen  in  all ;  in  them  is  a  bishop's 
see,  which  is  called  Kirkiubjer  [z  Kyrkjubcei]." 

1  The  same  passage  is  in  Olaf's  Saga,  c.  95  (c.  179  in  Fl.,  i,  22  r).  Of 
ibid.,  cc.  98,  214.  A  shorter  account  is  in  the  Orkneyinga  Saga,  c.  4  ; 
i,  4-5.     Of  Fr.,  50. 

2  Instead  of  this  beginning,  Olaf  s  Saga  (c.  95)  says  :  "  In  the  dispeace 
when  king  Harold  went  to  the  kingdom  in  Norway,  many  of  his  outlaws 
fled  west  beyond  the  sea,  and  became  vikings.  They  sat  in  the  winters  in 
the  Orkneys  and  the  Hebrides,  and  in  the  summers  plundered  in  Norway, 
and  did  there  great  injury  to  the  country." 

^  The  Heimskringla  and  Olafs  Saga  imply  that  Harold's  expedition  to 
the  Hebrides  took  place  several  years  after  the  battle  of  Hafrsfiordr.  But, 
if  the  sagas'  story  is  true,  Sigurd  was  made  earl  of  Orkney  on  Harold's 
return  ;  and  Ari  says  that  Sigurd  was  earl  of  Orkney  in  874.  These  accounts 
can  scarcely  agree,  even  if  we  accept  the  earlier  date  of  the  battle  of 
Hafrsfiordr. 

The   larla  Saga  in  Heimskringla's  St.  Olaf's  Saga  (perhaps  the  most 


HAROLD'S  FIRST  EXPEDITION  333 

slew  there  many  vikings,  such  as  had  been  the  leaders  of  a 
company  before.^  He  fought  many  battles  there,  and  always- 
had  the  victory. 

Then  he  plundered  in  Scotland,  and  fought  a  battle  there. 

And  when  he  came  west  to  Man,  they  had  learned  already 
what  warfare  king  Harold  had  been  making  before,  there  in 
the  land^;  so  all  the  people  had  fled  into  Scotland,  and  Man 
was  desolate,  and  all  the  possessions  they  could  they  had 
carried  away.  And  when  king  Harold  and  his  men  went  on 
land,  they  took  no  spoils  there.* 

Thus  says  Hornklofi :  "  The  very  wise  necklace-giver  bore 
many  shields  into  the  town  of  the  sand-necklace  ^ ;  the  grove 
of  the  wolves  of  Nid  ^  succeeded  in  the  attack  on  the  sand,  ere 
all  the  more  stubborn  army  of  the  Scots  fled  by  the  bane-roads  ^ 
before  the  long-sustainers,  from  the  land  of  the  fish-spear."* 

trustworthy  version  of  larla  Saga)  refers  to  Hornklofi's  Glymdrapa  (quoted 
here)  for  a  description  of  Harold's  invasion  of  Scotland  (894  x )  after  the 
death  of  Halfdan  Longleg  ;  this  is  one  of  the  points  of  difference  between 
the  two  versions  of  larla  Saga  used  by  Snorri  in  the  Heimskringla.  This 
reference  to  Hornklofi  tends  to  show  that  Harold's  great  expedition,  in 
which  he  went  as  far  as  Man,  was  made  at  the  later  date  ;  but  it  is  not 
decisive,  because  the  Glymdrapa  might  have  described  two  invasions. 

The  only  thing  in  the  account  of  the  earlier  invasion  that  cannot  belong 
to  the  later  is  the  story  of  the  appointment  of  Sigurd. 

The  sagas  almost  certainly  confuse  two  expeditions  to  the  west.  The 
first  placed  Sigurd  over  Orkney,  in  874  or  earlier  ;  the  second  was  the 
great  expedition  of  Harold  through  the  islands  as  far  as  to  Man,  and  took 
place  after  894,  but  probably  before  900. 

'  iM  erfyrir  It^i  re'Su  SSr. 

2  "  Most  frequently  "  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga. 

3  "they  .  .  .  land"  omitted  in  Olaf's  Saga  (F.S.,  i,  193). 

*  Cf.  the  Orkneyinga  Saga,  c.  4  :  "  He  subdued  to  himself  Shetland, 
and  the  Orkneys,  and  the  Hebrides  :  he  sailed  as  far  west  as  to  Man,  and 
laid  waste  the  inhabited  land  of  Man.  He  fought  there  many  battles,  and 
took  possession  of  lands  so  far  west  that  no  king  of  Norway  has  [ruled] 
farther  since  then." 

^  I.e.,  an  island  town  :  Man,  or  a  town  in  Man  ? 

^  I.e.,  the  protector  of  the  warriors  from  the  river  Nid  in  Norway  (cf. 
Nidardss  "mouth  of  the  Nid,"  now  Trondhjem). 

'  I.e.  "were  slaughtered  in  their  flight."  Instead  of  "ere  .  .  .  bane- 
roads,"  J.S.  translates:  "The  whole  Scottish  force  had  previously  been 
forced  to  flee  from  the  land." 

*  Literally  "  saithe-stabber,"  a  metaphor  for  the  sword.  "  The  land  of 
the  saithe-stabber"  is  probably  the  battle-field. 


334  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

In  this  battle^  fell  Ivar,  the  son  of  Ronald,  earl  of  M^rr; 
but  in  compensation  for  this,  king  Harold  when  he  sailed  from 
the  west  gave  to  earl  Ronald  the  Orkneys  and  Shetland.^  But 
Ronald  gave  both  lands  immediately  to  his  brother,  Sigurd ; 
and  [Sigurd]  remained  behind  in  the  west.  When  the  king 
sailed  east,  he  gave  earldom  to  Sigurd.^ 

For  the  text  and  a  translation  of  this  stanza  see  J.S.,  i,  A  23-24,  B  21. 

The  meaning  of  these  lines  is  too  uncertain  to  be  built  upon  as  historical 
evidence.  See  the  conjectures  in  Gislason  and  Jonsson's  Njala,  ii,  388  ; 
F.  Jonsson's  Kritiske  Studier,  79  ;  Morris  and  Magnusson's  Heimskringla, 
i,  389.     Cf.  Corpus  Poeticum  Boreale,  ii,  30. 

Probably  the  same  verses  of  Glymdripa  are  referred  to  for  a  description 
of  Harold's  later  invasion.  It  seems  almost  certain  that  the  lines  quoted 
here  describe  the  later  invasion. 

1  "in  one  battle"  O.S. 

Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  95  :  "In  this  warfare  was  Ronald,  earl  of 
Mffirr,  and  his  brother,  who  was  called  Sigurd.  There  also  with  king 
Harold  was  Ivar,  earl  Ronald's  son  ;  and  he  fell  there  in  a  battle.  .  .  ." 
But  the  Upphaf  states  that  Ivar  fell  in  the  battle  of  Hafrsfiordr  (F.S.,  x, 
193  ;  Fl.,  i,  S75). 

The  Irish  annals  place  the  death  of  a  king  Ivar  in  873  (above)  ;  probably 
Godfrey's  son. 

Ronald  had  joined  Harold  before  the  battle  of  Solskel,  and  had  been 
made  earl  of  north  and  south  Masrr  and  of  Romsdal,  in  return  for  his 
support:  see  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  95  (c.  179  in  Fl.);  H.,  Harold 
Fairhair,  cc.  10,  12  (cf  c.  24)  ;  O.S.,  c.  4. 

2  Cf  Vatnsdcela  Saga,  c.  9  (Fornsogur,  17). 

^  "[Sigurd]  was  a  forecastle  man  of  king  Harold,"  O.S. 

It  seems  to  me  that  the  last  paragraph  translated  above  from  Heims- 
kringla must  be  rejected  as  inconsistent  with  other  authorities,  and  all 
that  precedes  must  be  taken  to  describe  the  later  invasion.  See  below, 
pp.  392-393- 


PART  XI 

Iceland  and  the  Hebrides 

ca.  870-ca.  873 

Landnamabok,  c.  6,  p.  6  ^ 

[Ingolf  and  Leif]  were  one  winter  ^  in  the  land  [of  Iceland], 
and  afterwards  sailed  to  Norway.  After  that,  Ingolf  took 
charge  of  their  wealth  for  an  expedition  to  Iceland,  while  Leif 
sailed  upon  a  western  expedition.^  He  harried  in  Ireland,  and 
found  there  a  great  house  underground  :  he  went  in,  and  it  was 
quite  dark  there  till  [he  came  to  a  place]  where  there  was  light 
from  a  weapon  which  a  man  was  holding.  Leif  killed  the  man 
and  took  the  sword,  and  much  other  treasure.  Thereafter  he 
was  called  Hior-leif* 

Hiorleif  harried  far  in  Ireland,  and  took  much  spoil  there. 
He  took  there  ten  slaves,  named  Dubthach,  and  Geirrod, 
Skaldbiorn,  Halldor,  and  Drafdrit ;  more  are  not  named. 

After  that,  Hiorleif  went  to  Norway,  and  met  there  his 
foster-brother,  Ingolf.  He  had  before  then  married  Helga, 
Orn's  daughter,  Ingolf's  sister.  .  .  .^ 

1  Cf.  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  116. 

-  I.e.,  ?  870-871.  For  Ingolf,  Orn's  son,  and  Leif  his  foster-brother,  cf. 
Floamanna  Saga  ;  Fornsogur,  120-122. 

3  I.e.  in? 873. 

■*  I.e.  "  Leif  of  the  Sword." 

^  Next  summer  (the  Landnamabok  says)  Leif  with  his  booty,  and 
Ingolf  with  the  wealth  of  both,  set  out  for  Iceland,  after  Harold  Fairhair 
had  been  king  of  Norway  for  12  winters  ;  6073  winters  after  the  creation 
of  Adam,  and  A.D.  874.  (The  Landnamabok  therefore  places  Harold's 
accession  in  862.) 

The  Irish  captives  killed  Leif  the  next  spring  [875],  and  were  killed  by 
Ingolf. 

After  passing  three  winters  in  Iceland,  Ingolf  settled  in  Reykjavik  [877]. 

According  to  the  Historia  Norwegiae,  in  Storm's  Monumenta,  92-93, 
Ingolf  and  Hiorleif  when  they  went  to  Iceland  were  "fleeing  from  their 
land  because  of  the  offence  of  man-slaughters." 

385 


336  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Geirmund  Hell-skin,  son  of  king  Hior,  also  had  sailed  as  pirate  to  the 
British  Isles  before  the  battle  of  Hafrsfiordr.  Landnamabok,  c.  86,  p.  38  : 
"  Geirmund  Hellskin  was  a  war-king.  He  led  a  plundering  expedition  to 
the  west"  {hann  heriadi  i  vestr  vtkinng,  literally  "he  harried  into  west- 
viking"  or  western  piracy),  "but  had  his  kingdom  in  Rogaland"  (read 
"Hordaland"  ;  see  Gretti's  Saga,  cc.  2,  3)  in  Norway.  Geirmund  returned 
after  the  battle  ;  his  lands  had  been  confiscated,  and  he  had  to  go  to 
Iceland.  Cf.  the  Tale  of  Geirmund  Hellskin,  Vigfusson's  Sturlunga  Saga, 
i,  1-5  ;  Origines  Islandicae,  i,  274-277. 

Landnamabok,  c.  107,  p.  45  :  "An  Red-cloak,  son  of  Grim  Shaggy- 
cheek  from  Rafnista,  and  son  of  Helga,  daughter  of  An  Bow-wielder,  fell 
into  disfavour  with  king  Harold,  and  therefore  sailed  from  the  country 
upon  western  piracy.  He  plundered  in  Ireland,  and  married  there  Grelod, 
the  daughter  of  earl  Biartmar.     They  sailed  to  Iceland.  .  .  ." 

Landnamabok,  c.  145,  p.  59  :  ".  .  .  Ingimund  was  a  great  viking,  and 
he  plundered  in  western  piracy.  His  comrade  was  called  Saemund  the 
Hebridean.  They  came  back  from  plundering  in  the  time  when  king 
Harold  was  encamped  in  Hafrsfiordr  for  battle  against  Thori  Longchin. 
Ingimund  wished  to  support  the  king,  but  Ssemund  would  not,  and  he 
broke  off  their  fellowship  there.  After  the  battle  king  Harold  gave  to 
Ingimund  as  wife  Vigdis,  the  daughter  of  earl  Thori  the  Silent.  .  .  ." 
Ingimund  became  a  great  man  in  Iceland. 

Landndmabok,  c.  155,  p.  63:  "Ssemund  the  Hebridean  [was]  the 
comrade  of  Ingimund  the  Old,  as  has  been  written.  He  came  with  his 
ship  to  the  mouth  of  Gonguskard  river  [in  Iceland].  Sasmund  took  all 
Saemund's-side  to  Vatsskard,  above  Sffimund's  stream  ;  and  he  lived  in 
Geirmund's-stead.  His  son  was  Geirmund,  and  he  lived  there  after- 
wards. .  .  ." 

Saemund's  daughter  Thorlaug  married  Eilif  Orn,  who  took  land 
beside  Lax-river-dale;  Landnamabok,  c.  154,  p.  63  (Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's 
Saga,  c.  130). 

For  SKmund,  cf.  Nial's  Saga,  c.  114  (Origines  Islandicae,  i,  243). 

Further  communications  with  the  west  appear  in  Landnamabok,  c.  175, 
p.  68  :  "  Thord  was  the  name  of  a  famous  man.  He  was  the  son  of  Biorn 
Bulter-keg,  son  of  Hroald  the  Sad,  son  of  Asleik,  son  of  Biorn  Ironside, 
son  of  Ragnar  Lodbrok.  Thord  sailed  to  Iceland  and  took  Hofda-strand 
in  Skagafiordr.  .  .  .  Hofda-Thord  married  Fridgerd,  the  daughter  of 
Fridgerd,  daughter  of  Kiarval,  king  of  the  Irish.  [Cf.  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's 
Saga,  c.  226.]     They  had  nineteen  children. 

"  Biorn  was  their  son  :  he  married  Thurid,  daughter  of  Ref  of  Bard, 
and  their  children  were  Arnor  Hag's-nose,  and  Thordis,  mother  of  Orm, 
father  of  Thordis,  mother  of  Botolf,  father  of  Thordis,  mother  of  Helga, 
mother  of  Gudny,  mother  of  Sturla's  sons. 

"The  second  son  of  Thord  was  called  Thorgeir.  He  married  Riupa, 
the  daughter  of  Arnald,  Saemund  [the  Hebridean's]  son.  Their  son  was 
Halldor  of  Hof. 

"  Snorri  was  the  third  son.     He  married  Thorhild  Riupa,  the  daughter 


FIRST  SETTLERS  IN  ICELAND  337 

ca.  870  and  ca.  874 

Ari,  Islendingabok,  c.  i,  pp.  3-4 

Iceland  was  first  settled  from  Norway  in  the  days  of  Harold 
Fairhair,  the  son  of  Halfdan  the  Black.^  According  to  the 
meaning  and  telling  of  Teit,  my  foster-brother,  bishop  Isleifs 
son,  the  wisest  man  I  know,^  and  of  Thorkel,  my  father's 
brother  and  Gelli's  son,  who  was  of  great  age ;  and  of  Thorid, 
daughter  of  Snorri  Godi,^  a  woman  both  learned  and  sincere, 
this  was  at  the  time  when  Ivar,  Ragnar  Lodbrok's  son,  caused 

of  Thord  Yeller.  Their  son  was  Thord  Horse-head,  the  father  of  [Thorfinn] 
Karlsefni,  who  found  Vinland  the  Good  .  .  ," — some  part  of  North  America, 
probably  Nova  Scotia.     See  below,  year  986. 

Landnimabok,  c.  94,  p.  41;  "  Ulf  the  Squinter,  son  of  Hogni  the 
White,  took  all  Reykianes  between  Thorskafiordr  and  Hafrafell.  He  had 
as  wife  Biorg,  the  daughter  of  Eyvind  the  Eastman,  and  sister  of  Helgi 
the  Lean.  Their  son  was  Atli  the  Red,  who  married  Thorbiorg,  sister  of 
Steinolf  the  Short.  Their  son  was  Mi.  of  Reykiaholar,  who  married 
Thorkatla,  the  daughter  of  Hergils  Hnapprass.     Their  son  was  Ari. 

"  [Ari,  Mi's  son,]  was  driven  from  his  course  to  White-men's-land, 
which  some  men  call  Ireland  the  Great.  It  lies  to  the  west  in  the  sea, 
near  Vinland  the  Good.  It  is  called  six  days'  sailing  west  from  Ireland. 
From  there  Ari  could  not  sail  forth,  and  he  was  baptized  there. 

"  This  was  first  told  of  by  Hrafn,  a  Limerick  trader,  who  had  long  been 
in  Limerick  in  Ireland.  Thorkel  Gelli's  son  said  that  Icelanders  who 
have  heard  it  from  Thorfinn,  earl  of  the  Orkneys,  say  that  Ari  had  been 
recognized  in  White-men's-land,  and  he  could  not  sail  away,  but  was 
highly  esteemed. 

"Ari  had  married  Thorgerd,  daughter  of  Alf  of  Dales.  .  .  ."  Dales-Alf 
was  a  grandson  of  Thorstein  Red.  Thorgerd's  mother  was  Halldis, 
daughter  of  Erp,  son  of  earl  Maelduin.     (Sturlubok  version,  c.  107,  p.  159.) 

Iceland  was  said  to  be  six  days'  sailing  from  Britain  (ibid.,  c.  i,  p.  3) ; 
but  there  is  no  land  as  near  to  the  west  of  Ireland  as  Iceland  is  to  the 
north  of  Britain.  White-men's-land  is  placed  somewhere  in  north 
America,  in  Eric  the  Red's  Saga,  c.  12,  p.  45.     It  may  be  fabulous. 

According  to  Giraldus  Cambrensis  (v,  95),  Iceland  was  only  three 
days'  sailing  from  Ireland. 

'  Halfdan  was  king  of  the  Uplanders  in  Norway.  See  the  Land- 
ndmabok,  c.  326,  pp.  114-115  ;  and  Heimskringla,  Halfdan  the  Black's 
Saga. 

2  For  Teit  and  Ari,  see  Snorri's  Prologus  to  the  Heimskringla.  Cf. 
Origines  Islandicae,  i,  241,  247,  427. 

^  That  Snorri  Godi  was  bom  in  963  is  deducible  from  Kristni  Saga, 
c.  I,  p.  3. 

y 


338  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

to  be  slain  the  holy  Edmund,  king  of  the  English  ;  870  winters 
after  the  birth  of  Christ,  as  is  written  in  [Edmund's]  Saga.^ 

Ingolf  was  the  name  of  the  Norwegian  who  is  truthfully 
said  to  have  been  the  first  to  sail  from  [Norway]  to  Iceland,^ 
when  Harold  Fairhair  was  sixteen  winters  old^;  and  the 
second  time,  four  winters  later.*  He  dwelt  in  the  south  [of 
Iceland],  in  Reykjavik.  .  .  . 

'  Edmund's  death  is  placed  in  870  by  A.S.C.  (ABDEFG  ;  871,  C). 
See  Abbo  Floriacensis'  account  of  his  martyrdom:  R.S.  96,  i,  15-16.  Cf. 
the  Annals  of  St  Neots,  s.a.  870  (Stevenson's  Asser,  132-133). 

For  Ivar,  see  above,  year  867,  note. 

^  What  is  meant  seems  to  be  that  Ingolf  was  the  first  Norwegian 
settler. 

Landncimabok,  c.  3,  p.  4  :  "A  man  was  called  Card,  the  son  of  Svavar 
the  Swede.  [Gard]  had  lands  in  Sioland"  (i.e.  Sselland  in  Denmark; 
Jdnsson),  "but  was  born  in  Sweden.  He  sailed  to  the  Hebrides,  to  claim 
his  wife's  inheritance  ;  but  when  he  had  sailed  through  the  Pentland  Firth 
a  storm  carried  him  away,  and  he  went  westward  into  the  ocean.  He 
landed  [in  Iceland]  to  the  east  of  Horn.  There  was  a  haven  there  at  that 
time.     Gard  sailed  round  the  land,  and  found  that  it  was  an  island.  .  .  ." 

Gard  was  one  of  the  first  Scandinavians  to  land  in  Iceland.  The 
Landndmabok  says  that  Floki  was  the  first  to  sail  out  on  purpose  to 
explore  Iceland  (c.  5,  p.  5)  :  "  Floki,  Vilgerd's  son,  was  the  name  of  a  great 
viking.  He  set  out  from  Rogaland  to  search  for  Iceland.  .  .  .  He  sailed 
first  to  Shetland,  and  lay  in  Floki's  Bay  ;  there  his  daughter  Geirhild  was 
lost,  in  Geirhild's  Water.  In  the  ship  with  Floki  was  a  farmer  called 
Thorolf,  and  another  Heriolf,  and  Faxi,  a  Hebridean.  .  .  ." 

Naddodd  of  the  Faroes  is  named  as  perhaps  the  first  Norwegian  to 
discover  Iceland,  in  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  113  (c.  199  in  Fl.,  i,  248). 

Landnamabok,  4,  c.  4  :  "A  man  was  called  Naddodd  ["of  the  Faroes" 
ibid.,  26,  c.  63]  ;  he  was  a  brother  of  Exna-Thori,  kinsman-in-law  of 
Barna-Karl.  He  was  a  great  viking.  .  .  ."  On  his  way  to  the  [Orkney] 
islands,  he  was  carried  from  his  course  to  Iceland ;  he  called  it 
"  Snow-land." 

3  If  Harold  was  sixteen  winters  old  in  870,  he  must  have  been  born  in 
854.     See  above,  p.  323. 

'^  I.e.  in  874 ;  the  second  expedition  is  the  one  dated  in  the 
Landnimabok. 

Theoderic,  c.  3  ;  Storm's  Monumenta,  pp.  8-9  :  "  In  Harold's  9th  year, 
or  as  some  think  his  loth,  certain  merchants  sailed  to  the  islands  that  we 
call  Faroes  ;  and  there  they  were  caught  by  a  storm,  and  driven  very  far 
through  the  ocean,  and  at  last  were  carried  to  a  very  remote  land,  which 
some  consider  to  be  the  island  of  Thule — but  because  we  know  not  the 
truth  of  the  matter,  we  neither  affirm  it  nor  deny  it.  Going  up  from  their 
ship  and  wandering  around,  and  even  climbing  the  mountains,  they  found 
no  human  habitation  at  all.     So  they  returned  to  Norway,  and  reported  the 


FIRST  SETTLERS  IN  ICELAND  339 

land  that  they  had  found  ;  and  by  praising  it  much  they  incited  many  to 
look  for  it.  Among  these  was  especially  a  certain  noble  man,  Ingolf  by 
name,  of  the  province  that  is  called  Hordaland  ;  he  prepared  a  ship,  and 
took  with  him  his  brother-in-law,  Hiorleif  by  name,  with  many  others  ;  and 
looked  for  the  aforesaid  land,  and  found  it,  and  began  to  inhabit  it  with  his 
followers,  in  about  [paene]  the  tenth  year  of  Harold's  reign  [873-874/871-872]. 
And  then  that  land  (which  we  now  call  Iceland)  began  to  be  inhabited  for 
the  first  time,  except  that  a  very  few  men  from  the  island  of  Ireland,  that  is 
lesser  Britain,  are  believed  to  have  been  there  in  ancient  times,  from  certain 
indications  found  ;  namely  their  books,  and  certain  utensils. 

"Two  men,  however,  had  gone  before  Ingolf  in  this  affair  ;  the  first  of 
them  was  called  Garthar,  and  from  him  at  first  the  land  was  called 
Garthar's-holm ;  and  the  other  was  called  Floki.  But  let  this  suffice 
concerning  this  affair." 

Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  116;  F.S.,  i,  239  :  "  It  was  in  the  6th  year 
of  the  reign  of  king  Harold  the  Fairhaired  that  men  went  to  look  for 
Iceland  ;  and  seven  years  later,  that  Hiorleif  and  Ingolf  went  to  inhabit  the 
land.  .  .  .  That  was  in  the  13th  year  of  king  Harold  the  Fairhaired;  he  had 
then  been  for  two  winters  sole  king  in  Norway,  from  the  time  when  the 
battle  of  Hafrsfiordr  was  [fought].  That  was  four  winters  after  the  fall  of 
king  Edmund  the  Holy  in  England.  Then  6073  winters  had  passed  from 
the  beginning  of  this  world,  and  874  years  from  the  Incarnation  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  (Less  correctly  in  Flateyiarbok,  i,  248.)  This  puts  Harold's 
birth  in  852,  his  accession  in  862,  and  the  battle  of  Hafrsfiordr  in  872. 

The  Icelandic  Annals,  following  Ari,  place  Ingolfs  first  voyage  to 
Iceland  in  870  (CDA  ;  867,  E),  and  the  "beginning  of  the  occupation  of 
Iceland"  in  874  (KBDE  ;  875,  C). 

The  Kristni  Saga  reckons  [io]7  winters  from  the  settlement  to  the 
arrival  of  bishop  Frederick  in  Iceland  (in  981),  thus  placing  the  settlement 
in  874  (c.  I,  pp.  1-2)  ;  but  Thorvald  Wide-farer's  Tale  counts  an  interval 
of  106  winters  between  the  same  events  (c.  10,  p.  79) ;  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's 
Saga,  c.  138. 

Landnamabok,  c.  2,  p.  3:  "At  the  time  when  Iceland  was  found  and 
settled  from  Norway,  Adrian  was  pope  in  Rome,  and  John,  the  fifth  of  that 
name  in  the  seat"  (read  "eighth";  A.D.  872-882).  "Louis,  Louis's  son, 
was  emperor  to  the  north  of  the  mountains  [876-878],  and  Leo  [886-912], 
and  Alexander,  his  son"  (read  brother;  912-913)  "over  Constantinople. 
Then  Harold  Fairhair  was  king  of  Norway,  and  Eric,  Eymund's  son,  of 
Sweden,  and  his  son,  Biorn  ;  and  Gorm  the  Old,  in  Denmark.  Alfred  the 
Mighty  [was  king]  in  England  [871-901],  and  his  son,  Edward  [901-924] ; 
Kiarval,  in  Dublin  [t  888]  ;  Sigurd  the  Mighty  [was]  earl  in  the  Orkneys." 
This  passage  is  copied  in  Olaf's  Saga,  c.  m;  F.S.,  i,  233-234  (c.  198, 
i,  247).     Cf.  Saga-Fragment  I,  in  F.S.,  xi,  410. 

Since  Sigurd  was  earl  in  the  Orkneys,  the  settlement  of  Iceland  began 
after  whatever  expedition  had  established  Sigurd  there  (see  year  ?874). 

The  greatest  rush  of  settlers  from  the  Hebrides  probably  took  place  at 
the  time  of  Harold's  western  expedition  (after  892). 


340  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

At  that  time  Iceland  was  wooded  between  the  mountains 
and  the  coast.  At  that  time,  Christian  men  were  here,  whom 
the  Norwegians  call  papar ;  but  they  departed  afterwards, 
because  they  would  not  be  here  with  heathen  men^  ;  and  they 
left  behind  them  Irish  books,  and  bells,  and  croziers.  Therefore 
one  could  perceive  that  they  were  Irish  men. 

X874 

Landnamalbok,  Prologue  ;  Jonsson's  edition,  p.  3  ^ 

But  before  Iceland  was  inhabited  [by  settlers]  from  Norway, 
there  were  3  there  the  men  whom  the  Norwegians  c^W  papar ; 
these  were  Christian  men,  and  it  is  believed  that  they  had 
come  from  the  west  beyond  the  sea,  because  Irish  books,  and 
bells,  and  croziers,  were  found  [left]  behind  them,  and  many 
other  things  besides,  so  that  one  might  know  that  they  were 

Landnamabok,  c.  355,  p.  125:  "Learned  men  say  that  Iceland  was 
fully  settled  in  60  winters,  so  that  since  then  it  has  not  been  more  fully 
peopled."  This  means  that  the  period  of  settlement  was  from  870  to  930, 
when  the  Althing  was  established  (see  below,  p.  386). 

^  Landnamabok,  c.  280,  pp.  99-100  :  "  Ketil  the  Foolish  [was]  the  son 
of  lorunn  Mannvits-brekka"  (perhaps  "  taxer  of  the  understanding"), 
"daughter  of  Ketil  Flatnose.  [Ketil  the  Foolish]  sailed  to  Iceland  from 
the  Hebrides,  and  was  a  good  Christian.  He  took  land  between  Geirland's 
river  and  Fiord's  river,  above  Nykomi"  (in  eastern  Iceland  ;  ibid.,  p.  125). 
"  Ketil  lived  in  Kirkiubaer.  There  papar  had  settled  before,  and  heathen 
men  could  not  live  there. 

"  Ketil's  son  was  Asbiorn,  father  of  Thorstein,  father  of  Surt,  father 
of  Sighvat  Lawman.  .  .  ." 

Cf.  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  125  (and  Fl.,  i,  267). 

Landnamabok,  c.  283,  p.  100 :  "  Hildi  [son  of  Eystein,  son  of  Hrani, 
son  of  Hildi  Parak]  wished  to  remove  his  dwelling  to  Kirkiubaer,  after 
Ketil  the  Foolish  ;  he  thought  that  a  heathen  man  might  be  able  to  dwell 
there.  But  when  he  came  near  the  home-field-fence  he  died  suddenly. 
He  lies  there  in  Hildi's  Barrow." 

Cf  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  126. 

Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  125  (F.S.,  i,  251):  ".  .  .  [Ketil]  was 
a  good  Christian  ;  therefore  the  pagans  called  him  Ketil  the  Foolish.  .  .  ." 
Cf.  Nial's  Saga,  i,  532,  c.  lOl. 

See  below,  p.  343  ff. 

^  This  passage  is  copied  in  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  no;  F.S., 
i,  233.     Cf  Saga-Fragment  I,  in  F.S.,  xi,  410. 

^  "  had  been  "  Olaf's  Saga. 


IRISH  MONKS  IN  ICELAND  341 

Westmen.^  This  was  the  case  in  Papey  in  the  east,  and  in 
Papyli.^  So  too  do  English  books  declare,  that  people  sailed 
between  the  lands  at  that  time.^ 

^  "that  they  were  Christian  men,  and  had  come  there  from  west 
beyond  the  sea  "  Olaf's  Saga.  Theoderic  says  that  they  were  "  very  few  " 
(above). 

2  This  sentence  is  not  in  Olaf  s  Saga. 

There  are  islands  called  Papa  and  Papa  Stour  in  Shetland,  Papa 
Stronsay  and  Papa  Westray  in  Orkney,  Paba  near  Lewis,  Pabbay  between 
Harris  and  North  Uist,  Pabbay  in  the  Barra  Isles,  Pabba  near  Skye  ; 
these  and  other  names  contain  the  same  root,  the  Latin  papa  in  its  Irish 
sense  of  "bishop." 

^  Ohthere,  or  Ottar,  a  voyager  of  Halogaland,  the  most  northern 
province  of  the  Norwegians,  (Langebek,  Scriptores,  ii,  io8,  113)  gave  to 
king  Alfred  an  account  of  the  northern  lands  (.'.  871x901).  In  this 
account,  nothing  is  said  of  Iceland  ;  and  from  this  it  has  been  argued 
that  Iceland  had  not  been  discovered  by  the  Norwegians  at  the  time  when 
Ohthere's  account  was  made.  Alfred  described  the  voyages  of  Ohthere 
in  his  Orosius  (edited  by  H.  Sweet,  E.E.T.S.,  1883,  pp.  17-19  ;  a  facsimile, 
with  transcription  and  translation,  by  J.  Bosworth,  Description  of  Europe 
(London,  1885).  A  previous  translation  by  Bosworth  is  in  Alfred's  Works 
(1852),  ii,  39-50.  Text  and  translation,  by  Rask  :  Ottars  og  Ulfstens  korte 
Rejseberetninger  ;  Copenhagen,  1816). 

Cf.  Dicuil's  account  of  Thule  ;  De  Mensura,  pp.  41-44.  Ibid.,  43-44  : 
"This  [ca.  825]  is  now  the  thirtieth  year  from  the  time  when  I  was 
informed  by  priests  who  had  remained  in  that  island  from  the  Kalends  of 
February  to  the  Kalends  of  August,  that  not  only  at  the  summer  solstice, 
but  in  the  days  on  both  sides  of  it,  the  sun  setting  in  the  evening  hour 
hides  itself  as  it  were  behind  a  little  knoll.  .  .  ." 

Cf.  the  mention  of  Thule  in  the  unhistorical  introduction  to  the  Life  of 
Catroe,  c.  3  ;  Colgan's  Acta,  p.  495. 

Of  Irish  settlements  in  the  Faroes,  Dicuil  says  (ibid.,  p.  44);  "There 
are  in  the  northern  ocean  of  Britain  many  other  islands  which  can  be 
reached  in  two  days  and  nights'  straight  sailing  with  a  steady  wind 
[blowing]  favourably,  from  the  northern  islands  of  Britain.  A  religious 
priest  related  to  me  that  he  had  entered  one  of  them  in  two  summer  days 
and  one  intervening  night,  sailing  in  a  boat  with  two  thwarts. 

"  Some  of  these  islands  are  small ;  nearly  all  alike  are  separated  by 
narrow  channels  ;  and  in  them  for  nearly  a  hundred  years  hermits  have 
dwelt,  sailing  from  our  Scottia"  (Ireland).  "But  just  as  from  the 
beginning  of  the  world  they  were  ever  uninhabited,  so  now  [ca.  825], 
because  of  those  robbers  the  Northmen,  they  are  empty  of  anchorites, 
though  full  of  innumerable  sheep,  and  very  many  kinds  of  sea-birds.  We 
have  never  found  these  islands  mentioned  in  the  [geographical]  authors' 
books."  This  implies  that  the  route  to  the  islands  was  infested  by 
Norwegian  pirates,  and  that  therefore  the  islands  were  inaccessible  to  the 
Irish. 


342  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

874  X  930 

Landnamabok ;  Sturlubok  version,  c.  72,  pp.  147-148 

Vali  the  Strong  was  the  name  of  one  of  king  Harold 
Fairhair's  bodyguard :  he  lifted  a  spear  in  a  sanctuary,  and 
was  outlawed.  He  sailed  to  the  Hebrides,  and  abode  there. 
But  his  three  sons  sailed  to  Iceland.  Hli'f  Horse-gelder  was 
their  mother.  One  was  called  Atli,  another  Ulf-varin,  the  third 
Audun  Stoti.     These  all  sailed  to  Iceland.  .  .  . 

Landnamabok,  c.  71,  p.  30 

Audun  Stoti,  son  of  Vali  the  Strong,  married  Myruna, 
the  daughter  of  Blathmac,^  king  of  the  Irish.  .  .  .  [Audun] 
lived  in  Hraunsfiordr;  from  him  the  Hraunsfiord-men  are 
descended.  .  .  . 

874x930 

Landnamabok,  c.  269,  p.  96 

Thorstein  Leg,  son  of  Biorn  Blue-tooth,  sailed  out  from  the 
Hebrides  to  Iceland,  and  took  all  the  land  from  the  Horn 
southwards  to  lokuls-river  in  Lon.  And  he  lived  in  Bodvars- 
holt  for  three  winters.  He  sold  the  lands  afterwards,  and 
sailed  to  the  Hebrides. 

874  X  900 

Landnamabok,  c.  399,  p.  231 

Learned  men  say  that  some  of  the  settlers  who  occupied 
Iceland  had  been  baptized,  and  most  of  those  who  came  from 
the  west  beyond  the  sea.     Among  these  are  named  Helgi  the 

Claudian  (perhaps  in  poetic  hyperbole)  in  398  A.D.  implied  that  Thule 
was  inhabited  by  Picts.     M.G.H.,  Auctotes,  x,  151: 
madiiertmt  Saxone  fuso 
Orcades  J  incaluit  Pic  forum  sanguine  Thylej 
Scottorum  tumulos  flevit  glacialis  Hiveme. 
Icelandic  place-names  do  not   show  traces  of  Celtic   language,  as  do 
those  of  Shetland  and  Orkney. 

1  Biadmaks :  "of  Blathmac"?  But  possibly  Biadach,  Kiarval's  son, 
is  meant.     See  p.  345. 

"  Myruna,  the  daughter  of  Matad,  king  of  the  Irish  "  in  Sturla's  version, 
C.  83,  p.  151. 


HEBRIDEANS  GO  TO  ICELAND  343 

Lean,  and  Orlyg  the  Old  [Hrapp's  son],  Helgi  Biola,  lorund 
the  Christian  [son  of  Ketil,  Bresi's  son],  Aud  the  Wealthy 
[daughter  of  Ketil  Flatnose],  Ketil  the  Foolish  [grandson  of 
Ketil  Flatnose],  and  many  men  besides,  who  came  from  the 
west  beyond  the  sea.  And  some  of  them  held  Christianity 
well  till  their  death  day,  but  it  seldom  passed  to  their 
descendants;  so  that  some  of  their  sons  built  temples,  and 
sacrificed.  And  the  land  was  quite  heathen  for  nearly  a 
hundred  years.^ 

'  I.e.,  from  900  to  1000  A.D.  Some  settlers  of  the  first  generation 
(870-900)  were  Christian  ;  some  inhabitants  were  Christian  a  few  years 
before  1000. 

Landnamabok  incidentally  implies  that  the  settlers  from  the  Hebrides 
went  to  Iceland  soon  after  870,  and  had  died  before  900.  This  is  not, 
however,  to  be  taken  quite  literally,  because  there  seems  to  have  been  an 
exodus  of  Harold's  enemies  from  the  islands  after  the  death  of  Halfdan 
Longleg,  when  it  was  known  that  Harold  was  preparing  an  expedition 
to  the  west  (i.e.,  ca.  894  -  ca.  895).  Aud's  party,  weakened  by  the 
death  of  Thorstein,  had  probably  gone  before  Halfdan's  death  (.-.  889  xca. 
894). 

Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  125  (Fornmanna  Sogur,  i,  250-251): 
"Helgi  the  Lean  went  to  Iceland  with  his  wife  and  children.  Helgi  was 
called  Christian,  and  yet  was  very  mixed  in  his  beliefs  ;  he  was  baptized 
and  professed  faith  in  Christ,  but  he  vowed  to  Thor  for  sea-journeys  and 
difficult  undertakings  "  Fl.,  i,  267. 

In  Hauk  Friend's  son's  genealogy,  Helgi  stands  22  generations  below 
Odin,  13  generations  above  Hauk.     Hauksbok,  ii,  504-505. 

Helgi  settled  in  the  north  of  Iceland  (Landndmabok,  p.  125).. 
Landnamabok,  c.  15,  pp.  lo-ii  :  "Orlyg  was  the  name  of  a  son  of 
Hrapp,  Biorn  Buna's  son.  He  was  fostered  by  the  holy  bishop  Patrick  in 
the  Hebrides.  He  desired  to  go  to  Iceland,  and  he  asked  bishop  Patrick 
to  arrange  it  for  him.  The  bishop  got  for  him  church-timber,  and  bade 
him  take  it  with  him  ;  and  a  plenarium  "  [probably  a  book  of  gospels]  "  and 
an  iron  bell,  and  a  gold  penny,  and  consecrated  earth  to  lay  under  the 
corner-posts,  and  to  have  it  as  consecration,  and  for  the  sake  of  hallowing 
[the  church]  to  Columcille.  .  .  .  Orlyg  put  to  sea  ;  and  also  in  another 
ship  the  man  who  was  called  Koll,  his  foster-brother  :  they  kept  the  same 
course.  In  the  ship  with  Orlyg  was  the  man  who  was  called  Thorbiorn 
Sporr  ;  another,  Thorbiorn  Talkni,  aud  a  third,  Thorbiorn  Skuma.  These 
were  the  sons  of  Bodvar  Bladder-pate.  .  .  ." 

Cf  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  119  (and  FL,  i,  164). 
Patrick   described   the   place  where    Orlyg  should  build   his  church  ; 
Orlyg  found  the  place  from  the  description.     Possibly  this  was  one  of  the 
places  formerly  occupied  by  Irish  hermits. 

Of  descendants  of  Orlyg  it  is  said  that  "  they  believed  in  Columcille, 


344  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

although  they  were  unbaptized"  (Landnamabok,  c.   15,  p.   11).     (A  church 
was  dedicated  to  Columba  by  Halldor  the  Red  :  c.  21,  p.  14.) 

A  large  proportion  of  the  earliest  settlers  in  Iceland  were  Norwegians 
from  the  British  Isles. 

The  ten  settlers  in  Iceland  named  in  Landnamabok  (cc.  11-16)  next  after 
Ingolf  and  Leif  are  Thord  Skeggi,  Ketil  Flatnose's  nephew;  Hall,  Thori 
Godless'  son  ;  Helgi  Biola,  Ketil  Flatnose's  son  ;  from  the  Hebrides,  Orlyg, 
Ketil  Flatnose's  nephew,  with  Orlyg's  foster-brother  and  son,  and  with  three 
Thorbiorns,  sons  of  Bodvar  Bladder-pate;  Svartkel  " from  England "  ("a 
Caithness  man,"  in  Sturla's  version,  c.  16,  p.  136).  Of  these,  all  but  one 
went  from  Britain.  After  these  Landnamabok  (cc.  18-21)  names  Hvamm- 
Thori  and  Thorolf  Butter  ;  Avang,  an  Irishman  ;  Bresi's  sons,  grandson, 
and  great-grandson,  from  Ireland ;  Kalman,  "an  Irishman"  ("  a  Hebridean," 
and  Kylan  his  brother  ;  c.  30.     Cf  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  129). 

In  Landnamabok,  p.  124,  Helgi  Biola  and  Orlyg  are  named  before  and 
after  Ingolf,  in  the  list  of  settlers  in  the  south  of  Iceland. 

Landnamabok,  c.  16,  p.  12  :  "A  man"  ("of  Caithness  "  Sturla's  version) 
"was  called  Svartkel.  He  went  from  England  to  Iceland,  and  took  land 
in-shore  from  Mydals-river,  and  between  it  and  Eilifs-dals-river  ;  and  he 
lived  first  at  Kidia-fell,  and  afterwards  at  Eyrr.  His  son  was  Thorkel, 
father  of  the  Glum  who  took  Christianity  in  his  old  age.  .  .  .  Arnleif  was 
the  name  of  a  sister  of  Svartkel ;  she  was  married  to  Thorolf  Viligisl, 
father  of  Kleppiarn  the  Old  of  Floka-dalr.  Their  daughter  was  Hallgerd, 
whom  Bergthor,  KoU's  son,  married." 

Landnamabok,  c.  179,  p.  70:  "Bard  the  Hebridean  took  land  [in 
Iceland]  from  Stifla  up  to  the  Miova-dalr  river.  His  son  was  Hall  of 
Mio-doel,  the  father  of  Thurid,  whom  Arnor  Hag's-nose  married." 

Elsewhere  are  named  Radorm  and  lolgeir,  brothers,  "from  west  beyond 
the  sea"  (c.  320,  p.  113)  ;  and  (according  to  the  text  in  Origines  Islandicae, 
i,  221)  Hrodgeir  the  Wise  and  Oddgeir,  brothers  (cc.  25,  329;  pp.  15-16, 
116)  ;  Alfgeir,  from  the  Hebrides  (Sturla's  version,  c.  79,  p.  150)  ;  Kampa- 
Grim,  from  the  Hebrides  (Melabok  version,  p.  254).  From  Orkney, 
Thorbiorn  Earl's-champion,  a  Norwegian  (c.  336,  p.  120)  ;  and  Oddlaug 
and  Thraslaug,  daughters  of  Eyvind  the  Orkneyman  (Landndmabok, 
c.  293,  pp.  102-103). 

An  Irish  settler  in  Iceland  was  Baug  (great-grandfather  oi  the  famous 
Gunnar  of  Hlidar-endi),  son  of  Raud,  son  of  Kiallak  (Cellach),  son  of  Kiarval 
(Cerball)  king  of  the  Irish  (cc.  303,  307,  pp.  106,  107-108  ;  cf.  Sturla's 
version,  c.  348,  pp.  218-220). 

From  Ireland  went  to  Iceland  ("in  a  ship  that  was  called  Kudi ") 
Vilbald  and  Askel  Hnockan  (Asgeir  in  c.  321),  sons  of  Dubthach,  son  of 
Donald,  son  of  Kiarval,  king  of  the  Irish  (cc.  286,  321  ;  pp.  loi,  113). 

Kiarval's  daughter  Gormflaith  married  Grimolf,  nephew  of  Alf  of  Egd 
(Grimolf  left  Norway  during  Harold  Fairhair's  reign) ;  c.  348,  p.  123.  Two 
other  daughters  of  Kiarval  are  named  :  Fridgerd,  who  married  Thori  Hima 
(c.  175,  p.  68)  ;  Raforta,  who  married  Eyvind  Eastman  (c.  184,  p.  72). 

For  Kiarval's  daughter  Fridgerd  see  Eric  the  Red's  Saga,  c.  7  ;  p.  27, 


SETTLERS  FROM  BRITISH  ISLES  345 

note.  Biadach,  a  son  "of  Kiarval  the  Old,  king  of  Ireland,  who  reigned 
there  long,"  is  mentioned  in  the  Dream  of  Thorstein  Side-Hall's  son 
(Mobius,  Analecta  Norrcena  (1859),  p.  186.     Origines,  i,  251). 

From  Ireland  went  "  Hildi,  and  Hallgeir,  and  Liot  their  sister"  (c.  308,. 
p.  log)  ;  "  Steinrod,  son  of  Maelpatraic,  a  noble  man  of  Ireland.  [Steinrod] 
was  a  freedman  of  Thorgrim  Bill.  He  married  Thorgrim's  daughter,  and 
was  the  goodliest  of  all  men.  .  .  ." 

Irish  slaves  taken  to  Iceland  by  Ketil  Gufa,  son  of  Orlyg,  son  of 
Bodvar,  son  of  Vigsterk,  from  western  piracy  "  late  in  the  settling  time  " 
(870-goo),  rebelled  and  perished  (Landnamabok,  c.  97,  pp.  42-43).  Their 
names  may  be  noted  :  "  One  was  called  Thormod,  another  Floki ;  Kori, 
and  Svart,  and  two  Skorris."  Floki  is  mentioned  also  in  Sturla's  version, 
c.  35,  p.  140.  Ketil  Gufa's  nick -name  may  be  the  Irish  goba,  "smith"; 
Vigfusson  thought  that  both  names  had  been  made  Icelandic  from  Irish 
{Caihal  goba). 

The  names  of  the  following  settlers  suggest  that  they  had  Irish  or 
Scottish  origin  :  Bekan  (Beccan),  c.  24  ;  Dufan  (Duban),  c.  107,  p.  45  ; 
Dufthak  (Dubthach),  c.  303,  p.  io6  ;  Galm[an]  (Colman),  c.  188,  p.  74  ; 
perhaps  also  Thorgeir  Meldun  (Maelduin),  c.  45,  p.  21  ;  and  Sturla's 
version,  c.  33,  p.  140. 


PART  XII 

Ketil  Flatnose  establishes  Scandinavian  Rule 
IN  THE  Hebrides 

864x883 

Landnamabok,  c.  13,  p.  10^ 

Why  Ketil  Flatnose  was  exiled. 

Harold  Fairhair  plundered  in  the  west  beyond  the  sea,  as 
is  written  in  his  saga.  He  subdued  to  himself  all  the  Hebrides, 
so  far  westward  that  no  king  of  Norway  has  owned  more 
afterwards,  except  king  Magnus  Bare-leg.^ 

But  when  [Harold]  sailed  from  the  west,  vikings,^  [both] 
Scots  and  Irishmen,  invaded  the  Hebrides,  and  plundered 
widely.  And  when  king  Harold  learned  this,  he  sent  west 
Ketil   Flatnose,  the  son  of  Biorn   Buna,*  to  take  the  islands 

'  Cf.  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  121  (and  Fl.,  i,  263-264). 

2  See  above,  pp.  331-334.  Ketil's  western  expedition  followed  that  which 
made  Sigurd  earl  of  Orkney  ;  but  Harold's  great  campaign  in  the  west  was 
at  least  twenty  years  later. 

^  vikingar.  Originally  perhaps  vtkingr  may  have  meant  "  man  of  the 
Vik  "  in  the  south  of  Norway  ;  then  "  pirate  "  of  any  race.  Here  Norwegian 
settlers  are  attacked  by  Scottish  and  Irish  vikings. 

The  feminine  abstract  word  viking  became  a  technical  term  for  the 
"cruise  of  a  pirate"  :  1  translate  it  "piracy." 

■*  Landnamabok,  c,  11,  p.  9  :  "Biorn  Buna  was  the  name  of  a  powerful 
and  famous  chief  in  Norway.  He  was  the  son  of  Wether-Grim,  a  chief 
of  Sogn.  .  .  . 

"  Biorn  married  Velaug,  the  sister  of  Vemund  the  Old  ;  they  had  three 
sons  :  one  was  Ketil  Flatnose,  another  was  Helgi,  the  third  was  Hrapp. 
They  were  famous  men,  and  of  their  descendants  much  is  said  in  this  book. 
And  from  them  have  come  almost  all  the  great  men  of  Iceland. 

"  Hrapp  married  Thorunn  Groningar-riupa.  Their  son  was  Thord 
Skeggi.  [Thord]  married  Vilborg,  the  daughter  of  king  Oswald  and  of 
Ulfrun  the  Unborn,  daughter  of  Edmund,  king  of  the  English.  .  .  ." 
Cf  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  n8.  Thord  is  the  first  settler  in  Iceland 
named  in  Landnamabok  after  Ingolf  and  Leif ;  Orlyg  is  the  sixth.  Cf 
Kialnesinga  Saga,  cc.  1-2,  where  Orlyg  is  said  to  have  been  of  Irish 
descent,  and  to  have  left  Ireland  when  Conchobar  was  king  there. 


KETIL  SENT  TO  THE  HEBRIDES  347 

again.  Ketil  was  married  to  Yngvild,  the  daughter  of  Ketil 
Wether,  a  chief  in  Hringa-n'ki.  Their  sons  were  Biorn  the 
Eastern,  and  Helgi  Biola.^  Aud  the  Wealthy,  and  Thorunn 
Hyrna,  were  their  daughters.^ 

^  Landnamabok,  c.  14,  p.  10  :  "Helgi  Biola,  the  son  of  Ketil  Flatnose, 
sailed  to  Iceland  from  the  Hebrides.  He  was  with  Ingolf  for  the  first 
winter,  and  took  with  his  advice  all  Kialarnes,  between  Mogils-river  and 
Mydals-river.  He  lived  at  Hof  .  .  ."  (Cf.  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga, 
c.  119.)  Landnamabok  seems  to  imply  that  Ingolf  was  alone  for  his  first 
three  winters  at  least  in  Iceland  ;  but  Helgi  must  have  been  one  of  the 
earliest  settlers  there  (?877  x).  He  is  the  fifth  settlernamed,  after  Ingolf  and 
Leif  "  Helgi  [had]  married  Thorny,  daughter  of  Ingolf  of  [Reykia]vik, 
who  was  the  first  to  inhabit  Iceland,"  says  the  Kialnesinga  Saga,  c.  i 
(Islandinga  Sogur,  ii  (1847),  397). 

An  assembly  met  at  Kialarnes,  before  the  establishment  of  the  Althing 
in  Iceland  (Landnamabok,  c.  10,  p.  9). 

^  Laxdoela  Saga,  c.  i,  pp.  1-2  :  "A  man  was  called  Ketil  Flatnose,  the 
son  of  Biorn  Buna  :  he  was  a  powerful  chief  in  Norway,  and  of  high 
family.  He  lived  in  Romsdal,  in  Romsdoala-fyiki  :  it  is  between  south 
Masrr  and  north  Masrr. 

"  Ketil  Flatnose  married  Yngvild,  daughter  of  Ketil  Wether,  a  famous 
man.  Their  children  were  five  :  one  was  called  Biorn  the  Eastern,  another 
Helgi  Biola. 

"  A  daughter  of  Ketil  was  called  Thorunn  Hyrna,  who  was  married  to 
Helgi  the  Lean,  the  son  of  Eyvind  Eastman  and  Raforta,  the  daughter  of 
Kiarval,  the  Irish  king. 

"Aud  the  Deep-minded"  [v.l.  "the  Wealthy"]  "was  another  daughter 
of  Ketil ;  she  was  married  to  Olaf  the  White,  son  of  Ingiald,  son  of  Frodi 
the  Valiant,  whom  the  Svertlingar  killed. 

"  lorunn  Mannvits-brekka  was  another  daughter  of  Ketil.  She  was 
the  mother  of  Ketil  the  Fisher"  ihins  fiskna;  in  Landndmabok  correctly 
"the  Foolish,"  hinn  fiflski,  cc.  354,  356  ;  hinn  filfski,  c.  280),  "who  took 
land  in  Kirkiubffir.  His  son  was  Asbiorn,  the  father  of  Thorstein,  the 
father  of  Surt,  the  father  of  Sighvat  the  Lawman." 

Cf.  Eyrbyggia  Saga,  c.  i,  p.  i  (Origines  Islandicae,  i,  252-253). 

Biorn,  Helgi  Biola,  Aud,  and  Thorunn,  and  lorunn's  son  Ketil,  all 
went  to  Iceland  from  the  Hebrides. 

Ketil's  son  Thori  also  had  gone  to  Iceland.  Cf.  Vemund's  Saga, 
Islendinga  Sogur  (1829-1830),  ii,  278-279,  291-293. 

Eyrbyggia  Saga,  c.  i,  pp.  1-2  :  "  Sons  of  [Ketil  and  Yngvild]  were  called 
Biorn  and  Helgi,  and  their  daughters  were  Aud  the  Wealthy  and  lorunn 
Mannvits-brekka.  Biorn,  Ketil's  son,  was  fostered  in  the  east,  in  lamtaland, 
by  the  earl  who  was  called  Kiallak"  [Ceallac,  Irish  Cellachf),  "a  wise  and 
famous  man.  The  earl  had  a  son  whose  name  was  Biorn,  and  his 
daughter  was  called  Giaflaug."  lamtaland  is  now  Jamteland,  in  the 
north-west  of  Sweden.     See  year  884. 


348  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Ketil  sailed  west/  and  left  in  his  place  Biorn,  his  son. 
Ketil  subdued  all  the  Hebrides,  and  made  himself  lord  over 
them,  but  paid  no  tax  to  king  Harold,  as  had  been  intended. 
Then  king  Harold  took  to  himself  [Ketil's]  possessions  in 
Norway,  and  expelled  [Ketil's]  son  Biorn. 

Of.  Landndmabok,  c.  iii,  pp.  160-161  :  "A  man  was  called  Kiallak,  the 
son  of  Biorn  the  Strong,  the  brother  of  Giaflaug,  who  was  married  to 
Biorn  the  Eastern.  He  went  to  Iceland,  and  took  land  from  Dogurd-river 
to  Klofningar,  and  he  lived  at  Kiallak's-stead.  His  sons  were  Helgi 
Hrogn,  and  Thorgrim  Tangle,  under  Fell;  Eilif  Prudi;  Asbiorn  Vodvi, 
at  Orrastadir  ;  Biorn  Whale-maw,  at  Tungardr ;  Thorstein  Thynning  ; 
Gizur  Glad,  in  Skora-vik ;  Thorbiorn  Skrofudr,  at  Ketil's-stead.  [His 
daughter  was]  /Esa  of  Sviney,  mother  of  Eyiolf  and  Tinforni. 

"Liotolf  was  the  name  of  a  man.  To  him  Kiallak  gave  a  dwehing  in 
Liotolfs-stead,  inland  from  Kalda-kinn.  .  .  ."  See  the  rest  of  c.  1 1 1 
(II,  16,  in  Origines  Islandicae,  i,  85-86). 

Landnamabok  brings  these  Scottish  affairs  into  the  beginning  of  the 
history  of  Iceland,  because  they  led  many  settlers  to  go  there. 

Since  Helgi  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  in  Iceland,  he  must  have 
gone  there  little  later  than  877.  Laxdcela  Saga  says  that  Helgi  sailed  to 
Iceland  in  the  same  summer  in  which  Ketil  sailed  to  the  Hebrides  :  this 
may  possibly  be  correct,  but  Laxdcela  is  certainly  wrong  in  saying  that 
Ketil's  son  Biorn  sailed  to  Iceland  that  summer.     See  below,  pp.  359-363. 

'  Laxdcela  Saga  says  that  Ketil  was  old  when  he  set  out  for  the 
Hebrides,  and  that  a  report  of  the  possibility  of  settling  in  Iceland  had 
then  reached  Norway  (.'.  870  x).  Landnamabok  places  Ketil's  settlement 
in  the  west  after  Harold's  first  western  expedition  (.■.  874  x ) ;  but  see 
above,  p.  286.  Eyrbyggia  Saga  and  Laxdcela  Saga  imply  that  Ketil  came 
west  in  or  after  the  year  of  Hafrsfiordr  (.•.  874  x  ). 

Eyrbyggia  Saga  implies  that  Aud's  marriage  with  Olaf  took  place  after 
Ketil  came  to  the  west  (.'.  874  x )  ;  but  their  son  Thorstein  fought  in 
Scotland  before  892,  and  perhaps  not  long  after  874  (cf.  Laxdcela  Saga)  ; 
their  grand-daughter  was  married  some  years  before  900,  indeed  probably 
before  Halfdan  Longleg  went  to  Orkney  (in  or  soon  after  894) ;  therefore 
Aud's  marriage  probably  took  place  before  855,  and  certainly  before  860. 

Laxdcela  Saga  says  also  that  Aud  accompanied  Ketil  from  Norway  ; 
this,  with  the  fact  that  Olaf  the  White  is  not  mentioned  (except  in 
a  discredited  statement  in  Eyrbyggia  Saga)  in  connection  with  either 
Ketil's  departure  or  Thorstein's  campaign,  seems  to  imply  that  Olaf  the 
White  was  then  dead  ;  perhaps  even  that  Ketil  was  assisting  Thorstein 
to  step  into  Olaf's  shoes.     See  below,  p.  378. 

Olaf  the  White  flourished  in  850  ;  and  probably  he  died  a  short  time 
before  Ketil's  expedition,  which  took  place  (872  x  883)  not  long  after  874. 
These  dates  do  not  oppose  an  (otherwise  untenable)  identification  of  Olaf 
the  White  with  Olaf,  Godfrey's  son,  who  flourished  in  853  and  died 
(872  X  874)  perhaps  in  874.     See  pp.  308-309. 


KETIL  SUBDUES  THE  HEBRIDES  349 

ca.  874 

Eyrbyggia  Saga,  c.  i,  pp.  2-3 

This  was  in  the  time  when  king  Harold  the  Fairhaired  came 
to  the  kingdom  in  Norway.  Many  noble  men  fled  to  escape 
this  war,  away  from  their  odal-lands  and  out  of  Norway  ;  some 
east  over  the  Ridge,  others  west  beyond  the  sea.  There  were 
some  who  remained  in  winter  in  the  Hebrides  or  the  Orkneys, 
but  in  the  summers  plundered  in  Norway  and  did  much  harm 
in  king  Harold's  dominion.  The  farmers  brought  this  before 
the  king,  and  bade  him  deliver  them  from  this  warfare.  Then 
king  Harold  took  this  counsel,  to  have  an  army  made  ready 
for  west  beyond  the  sea,  and  to  say  that  Ketil  Flatnose  [and 
his  sons]  should  be  in  command  of  the  army.  Ketil  made 
excuses,  but  the  king  said  that  he  must  go.  And  when  Ketil 
saw  that  the  king  would  be  obeyed,  he  prepared  for  the 
expedition,  and  took  with  him  his  wife  and  all  his  children 
that  were  there.^  And  when  Ketil  came  west  beyond  the  sea, 
he  had  some  battles,  and  always  won  the  victory.  He  laid  the 
Hebrides  under  him,  and  became  lord  over  them.  Then  he 
made  alliances  with  the  greatest  lords  who  were  to  the  west 
of  the  sea,  and  bound  himself  to  them  by  marriage-ties ;  and 
he  sent  the  army  east  again. 

And  when  they  came  to  king  Harold  they  said  that  Ketil 
Flatnose  was  lord  in  the  Hebrides,  but  they  said  they  knew  not 
that  [Ketil]  would  bring  under  king  Harold  the  dominion  to 
the  west  of  the  sea.  And  when  the  king  heard  this  he  took 
under  himself  the  possessions  that  Ketil  had  had  in  Norway.^ 

'  Biorn  was  absent. 

^  A  different  and  perhaps  less  authoritative  account  is  given  by  the 
Laxdcela  Saga,  cc.  2-3,  pp.  3-4  :  "  In  the  later  days  of  Ketil  arose  the 
dominion  of  king  Harold  the  Fairhaired,  so  that  no  district-king  and  no 
other  man  of  rank  could  thrive  in  the  land  unless  [Harold]  alone  was 
obeyed  as  their  superior"  (r/Sz'  .  .  .  ■nafnbotum  theira,  literally  "ruled 
their  titles  ").  "  But  when  Ketil  learned  that  king  Harold  had  intended 
for  him  the  same  terms  as  for  the  other  nobles — to  have  their  kinsmen 
unattoned  for,  and  themselves  to  be  made  liegemen — then  he  summoned 
an  assembly  of  his  relatives.  .  .  ."  They  all  decided  to  leave  Norway  : 
"  Biorn  and  Helgi  wished  to  go  to  Iceland,  because  they  thought  they  had 
heard  much  that  was  good  of  it ;  they  said  there  was  good  choice  of  land 
there,  and  one  needed  not  [have]  money  to  buy  [land] :  they  asserted  that 
there  was  much  whaling  [hval-rett]  and  salmon-fishing,  and  [good]  fishing- 


350  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

875 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  388,  s.a.  874  =  875  ^ 

An  encounter  of  the  Picts  with  the  Black-foreigners^;  and 
great  slaughter  was  made  of  the  Picts.^ 

Eystein,  son  of  Olaf,  the  king  of  the  Northmen,  was  killed 
by  Halfdan,  by  stratagem.* 

places  at  all  seasons.  Ketil  answered  :  '  In  my  old  age  I  shall  never  come 
into  those  fishing-places.'  Then  Ketil  spoke  his  mind,  that  he  was  more 
wiUing  [to  go]  west  beyond  the  sea  ;  he  said  there  was  reckoned  to  be  a 
good  livelihood  there.  Wide  lands  were  known  to  him  there,  because  he 
had  plundered  there  widely. 

[c.  3]  "  After  this,  Ketil  held  a  noble  feast  ;  and  he  gave  Thorunn  Hyrna, 
his  daughter,  in  marriage  to  Helgi  the  Lean,  as  has  been  written  above. 

"After  that,  Ketil  prepared  his  expedition  from  the  land  to  west  beyond 
the  sea.    His  daughter  Aud  [Unnr]  went  with  him,  and  many  of  his  relatives. 

"  Ketil's  sons  proceeded  the  same  summer  to  Iceland,  with  Helgi  the 
Lean,  their  brother-in-law.  .  .  ." 

Laxdoela's  statement  that  Ketil  Flatnose  had  visited  the  Hebrides  before 
is  noteworthy  (cf.  year  857).  It  is  to  be  noted  also  that  Ketil  was  an  old 
man  at  the  time  of  his  settlement  there. 

It  is  possible  that  Helgi  had  gone  with  Aud  from  the  west  to  Norway. 
But  there  is  no  certainty  that  Aud  had  been  with  Olaf  in  the  west.  (If  her 
husband  was  Olaf,  Godfrey's  son,  he  married  again  in  Ireland.)  Helgi 
the  Lean  lived  in  the  west  ;  he  might  have  brought  to  Ketil  and  Aud  the 
news  of  Olaf's  death.  (Eyrbyggia  Saga  implies  that  the  marriage  between 
Helgi  and  Ketil's  daughter  Thorunn  took  place  in  the  Hebrides  :  but  it 
implies  the  same  of  Aud's  marriage  with  Olaf,  and  that  is  incorrect.) 

But  Ketil's  family-gathering  may  have  grown  in  the  story-teller's  hands 
(like  Ronald  earl  of  Mserr's  ;  see  pp.  374-376). 

Laxdoela  Saga  may  possibly  be  right  in  saying  that  Helgi  Biola  w^nt 
to  Iceland  in  the  summer  of  Ketil's  final  expedition,  but  is  certainly  wrong 
in  implying  that  Biorn  left  Norway  in  that  year.     See  below,  883-884. 

Laxdoela  Saga  (c.  3,  pp.  4-6)  describes  separately  the  voyages  and 
settlement  of  Biorn,  Helgi  Biola,  and  Helgi  the  Lean. 

Ari,  Islendingabok,  c.  2;  "Helgi  the  Lean,  a  Norwegian,  son  of 
Eyvind  Eastman,  settled  in  the  north,  in  Eyia-fiordr.  From  him  the 
Eyfirdingar  are  descended." 

^  With  epact  of  875. 

^  I.e.,  the  Danes  of  Northumbria. 

^  See  the  Chronicle  of  the  Kings,  below,  year  877. 

Here  Skene  would  place  the  martyrdom  of  Adrian  in  the  Isle  of  May  : 
see  P.  &  S.,  425. 

*  Halfdan  seems  to  have  been  Eystein's  grand-uncle  ;  but  his  followers 
were  Danes.     Eystein's  death  was  avenged  two  years  later. 

For  Eystein,  cf.  year  872,  note. 


DANES  IN  PICTLAND,  WALES,  AND  IRELAND       351 

877 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  390,  s.a.  876  =  877  ^ 

Rotri,  Mermin's  son,-  king  of  the  Britons,  came  to  Ireland, 
ileeing  from  the  Black-foreigners.  .  .  . 

A  little  battle  [was  fought]  at  Loch  Cuan  between  White- 
gentiles  and  Black-gentiles;  and  in  it  fell  Halfdan,  leader  of 
the  Black-gentiles.^ 

875-877 

Wars  of  the  Irish  with  the  Foreigners,  c.  25,  pp.  24-26 

Leinster  and  the  men  of  Munster  were  plundered  by  Bard, 
and  by  [Eystein],  Olaf's  son,  with  the  fleet  of  Dublin,  until 
[Bard  and  Eystein]  reached  Kerry ;  and  they  left  there  no 
cave  under  ground  unexcavated,  and  they  left  nothing,  from 
Limerick  to  Cork,  unpillaged.  And  they  burned  Emly,*  and 
plundered  southern  Decies.  The  same  people  had  plundered 
Meath  and  Connaught  two  years  before,  as  far  as  Corcomroe 
and  Leim-Conculaind.^ 

Slaughter  was  afterwards  made  of  [Halfdan],  Ronald's  son, 
and  of  the  Foreigners,  by  Aed,  Niall's  son,  at  the  feast  that 
was  given  to  Ronald's  son  of  Dublin. 

They  fought  a  battle  between  themselves,  that  is  to  say 
the  White-gentiles  and  the  Black-gentiles,  namely  Bard  and 
Ronald's  son  ;  and  there  Ronald's  son  fell,  and  many  with  him. 
And  Bard  was  wounded  there. 

And  they  made  war  against  the  men  of  Scotland ;  and 
there  Constantine,  Kenneth's  son,  sovereign  of  Scotland,  fell, 
and  many  with  him.  That  was  the  occasion  when  the  earth 
gave  way  ^  under  the  men  of  Scotland.^ 

"  With  epact  of  877. 

^  Ruaidhri  mac  Muirminn.     See  year  878. 

'  Alba?t7z,  dux  71a  n-Dubgentij  dux  in  C.S.,  taoiseach  in  D.A.I. 

Both  sentences  appear  similarly  in  C.S.,  166,  Hennessy's  year  877  ;  the 
second,  in  D.A.I.,  36,  s.a.  877  (both  these  versions  read  "a  battle  at  Loch 
Cuan  "). 

In  the  Wars,  Halfdan  is  called  "  Ronald's  son "  ;  he  was  thus  the 
uncle  of  Olaf  and  Ivar.     See  years  864  and  872. 

*  In  Tipperary. 

^  Loop  Head,  in  extreme  SW.  of  Clare  (Hogan). 

^  Is  andsin  da  midg  in  talum. 

~  Cf.  the  older  version  of  the  Wars,  in  the  Book  of  Leinster,  ibid.,  231- 


352  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

877 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  390,  s.a.  875  =  8761 

Constantine,  Kenneth's  son,  king  of  the  Picts,  .  .  .  died.^ 

862-877 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  A ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  8 

Constantine,  Kenneth's  son,  reigned  for  sixteen  years.  In 
his  first  year,  Maelsechlaind,  king  of  the  Irish,  died ;  and  Aed, 
Niall's  son,  held  the  kingdom.^  And  after  two  years,  Olaf, 
with  his  Gentiles,  wasted  Pictland,  and  dwelt  in  it,  from  the 
Kalends  of  January  to  the  feast  of  St  Patrick.*  Again  in 
[Constantine's]  third  year,  Olaf,  drawing  a  hundred  [ships  P],^ 
was  slain  by  Constantine.^ 

232,  concluding  thus:  "All  these  also  fell  before  the  men  of  Ireland. 
And  slaughter  was  made  of  them  by  Aed  Findliath,  Niall's  son,  at  Dublin, 
at  the  feast  that  was  given  by  Aed  in  Dublin  to  Ronald's  son.  They  fought 
a  battle  between  themselves,  that  is  to  say  the  White-gentiles  and  the 
Black-gentiles  ;  namely  Bard  and  [Halfdan],  Ronald's  son.  And  there 
Ronald's  son  fell,  and  many  with  him.  Bard  was  wounded  there,  and  he 
was  lame  ever  afterwards.  And  after  that,  the  Black-gentiles  were  driven 
out  of  Ireland  ;  and  they  went  to  Scotland,  and  gained  a  battle  against  the 
men  of  Scotland  ;  and  there  fell  Constantine,  Kenneth's  son,  sovereign  of 
Scotland,  and  a  great  company  along  with  him.  That  was  the  occasion 
when  the  earth  gave  way  under  the  men  of  Scotland"  {ra  maid  in  talam). 

^  With  epact  of  876,  and  marginal  note  "  bissextile." 

2  Similarly  in  C.S.,  164,  Hennessy's  year  876. 

2  Maelsechlaind,  king  of  Ireland,  died  in  862,  according  to  A.U.,  i, 
370-372,  s.a.  861=862,  on  Tuesday,  November  30th:  but  November  30th 
was  Tuesday  in  863.  Previously  in  the  same  year-section,  the  accession 
of  Aed,  Niall's  son,  has  been  recorded.  The  date  is  usually  reckoned  as 
862  by  the  Irish  annalists.  If  863  were  the  true  year,  Constantine's 
accession  would  have  been  after  30th  November,  862, 

For  Aed,  Niall's  son,  see  years  856,  889. 

*  I.e.,  January  ist  to  March  17th.  According  to  this  account,  Olaf 
invaded  Pictland  two  years  after  Maelsechlaind's  death,  and  remained 
there  till  March  of  next  year ;  but  his  invasion  is  dated  866  by  the  Irish 
annals  :  therefore  Maelsechlaind's  death  is  placed  by  the  Chronicle  of  the 
Kings  in  863. 

^  tercio  iterum  anno  Ainlaib,  trahens  centum,  a  Constajitino  occisus  est. 
I.e.,  "at  the  head  of  a  hundred  ships "  ?  The  text  is  perhaps  corrupt.  Read 
possibly  censum :  "  drawing  tribute  "  ? 

"  It  is  implied  that  this  was  Olaf,  Godfrey's  son. 

Constantine's  third  year  would  have  been  864  ;  but  there  was  more  than 


KING  CONSTANTINE  353 

A  little  while  afterwards,  a  battle  was  fought  by  him  in  his 
fourteenth  year,  at  Dollar,  between  Danes  and  Scots ;  and  the 
Scots  were  slain,  [and  driven]  to  Achcochlam.^ 

The  Northmen  passed  a  whole  year  in  Pictland.^ 

862-877 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  D ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  i  S  i 

Constantine,  Kenneth's  son,  reigned  for  fifteen  years ;  and 
he  was  slain  by  the  Norwegians  in  the  battle  of  Inverdovat,^ 
and  was  buried  in  the  island  of  lona.* 

"a  little  while"  between  his  third  and  his  14th  year.  Either  something 
has  been  omitted,  or  the  text  is  otherwise  corrupt ;  possibly  we  should 
read  "  13th  "  for  "  3rd,"  i.e.  874. 

Olaf,  Godfrey's  son,  left  Ireland  hurriedly  in  871  to  support  his  father  ; 
it  seems  improbable  that  Olaf  should  have  invaded  Scotland  on  his  way 
from  Ireland  for  this  purpose  ;  therefore  he  must  rather  be  supposed  to 
have  fallen  after  his  return  (probably  873  x  ). 

'  occisz  sunt  Scoti  co  Achcochlam.  Read  ad  Athfotlam  "to  Athole"? 
This  war  is  dearly  the  same  as  that  recorded  by  A.U.  in  875  (above), 
between  Black-foreigners  and  Picts  ;  this  is  therefore  not  an  invasion  by 
the  Northmen  from  Ireland  or  the  Hebrides. 

^  Probably  877-878,  because  this  must  refer  to  the  invasion  that  caused 
Constantine's  death.  The  Wars  (above)  say  that  this  also  was  an  invasion 
of  Black-foreigners  ;  the  Verse  Chronicle  says  that  Constantine  was  killed 
by  Danes.  But  the  Chronicles  of  the  Kings  are  more  to  be  trusted  than 
they.     Fordun  may  be  right  in  assuming  that  this  was  a  combinefl  invasion. 

^  m  bello  de  Merdo  faika,  D  ;  in  bello  Inverdofacia,  F ;  in  Werdo  fata, 
G;  in  Inverdufatha,  I.  According  to  Skene,  this  place  is  "now  Inver- 
dovet,  in  the  parish  of  Forgan,"  in  the  north-east  corner  of  Fife  :  but  this 
is  doubtful.  Fordun  following  the  Verse  Chronicle  translates  the  name 
"  Black  Cave." 

*  Similarly  in  versions  F  (ibid.,  174),  G  (301),  I  (288),  and  (omitting  the 
place  of  Constantine's  death)  in  N  (305):  but  FGI  read  "16  years";  20 
years,  N.     For  other  readings  see  above,  p.  cxxxvii,  note. 

K  reads  (ibid.,  204) :  "  Constantine,  Kenneth's  son,  [reigned  for]  sixteen 
years  ;  and  he  was  killed  by  the  Norwegians  in  battle." 

The  Duan  Albanacb,  in  P.  &  S.,  62  :  "  Thirty  years,  with  his  vigour, 
had  the  warrior  [don  churadK\,  Constantine." 

Duan  Albanach,  ibid.,  58  :  "The  last  king  of  [the  Picts]  was  the  bold 
warrior  \a.n  cur  calmd\,  Constantine."  Cf.  year  820,  note.  From  the  word 
{cur)  used  in  reference  to  him,  I  take  this  to  have  been  meant  for  the  same 
Constantine  who  died  in  877. 

Fordun,  Chronica,  IV,   15  (i,  157-158):   "In  the  year  of  the  Lord  858 


354  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

862-877 

Prose  and  Verse  Chronicle  inserted  in  the  Chronicle  of 
Meh-Qse,  pp.  18,  224,  s.a.  863  ^ 

Donald,  king  of  the  Scots,  died. 

"After  him,  Constantine  became  king,  for  15  years ^;  he 
was  the  son  of  king  Kenneth.  Fighting  in  battle,  he  fell  by 
the  arms  of  the  Danes.  The  place  where  the  battle  was  fought 
is  called  Black  Cave."^ 


862-877 

Berchan's  Prophecy,  stanzas  125-128;  Skene's  Picts 
and  Scots,  pp.  85-86 

Another  young  king*  will  take  [sovereignty];  welcome 
[to  those]  who  pray  for  it !  The  cow-herd  of  the  byre  of  the 
cows  of  the  Picts,-^  the  fair,  tall  one,  the  lavish  giver  of  wine.* 

[Donald]  was  succeeded  by  his  nephew  Constantine,  the  son  of  his  brother, 
Kenneth  the  Great ;  .  .  .  and  he  reigned  as  king  for  sixteen  years.  In  his 
time,  and  in  the  whole  of  the  time  of  his  predecessors,  that  is,  of  his  father 
and  uncle,  a  great  fleet  of  pagans  from  the  east — Danes,  Norwegians,  and 
Frisians — appeared,  and  infested  the  whole  British  and  Belgian  sea  :  .  .  . 
and  constantly  for  many  days  they  molested  with  many  injuries  both 
kingdoms  of  Scotland  and  England,  bursting  in  suddenly  now  here,  now 
there,  as  they  were  carried  by  the  wind. 

"  In  [Constantine's]  second  year  it  began  to  freeze,  through  almost  the 
whole  of  Europe,  on  the  second  day  before  the  Kalends  of  December 
[November  30th],  and  ceased  on  the  Nones  of  April  [April  5th].  ..." 

Fordun  IV,  16  says  that  "a  second  fleet  of  pagans,  greater  and  more 
cruel,  came  from  the  Danube,  and  joined  the  former  one"  ;  and  that  the 
death  of  Constantine  was  brought  about  by  connivance  of  barbarian  Picts. 

1  Also  in  P.  &  S.,  178  (MS.  B). 

^  For  1 5  {quingue  ter),  B  reads  bis  terni  afmis,  confusedly. 

3  Nigra  Speciis.     The  paragraph  in  inverted  commas  is  in  verse. 

A  cave  on  the  shore  near  Balcomie,  outside  the  "Danes'  Dike"  at  the 
East  Neuk  of  Fife,  is  called  Constantine's  Cave.  Cf  C.  Rogers,  Register 
of  Crail  (1877),  3.  But  this  cannot  be  the  place  named  by  the  Chronicles 
of  the  Kings  and  Berchan  ;  that  was  near  a  river  mouth,  and  there  is  no 
river  near  Constantine's  Cave. 

*  This  is  the  second  king  named  in  the  Prophecy  after  Kenneth,  Alpin's 
son  ;  therefore  presumably  Constantine,  Kenneth's  son. 

•'  I.e.,  the  protector  of  the  Picts  against  invasion. 

^  an  finn-fada  an  finn-shoichleach  ;  xe:a.di  fin-skoichleach. 


KINGS  CONSTANTINE  AND  ROTRI  355 

There  will  be  hazard  (?)  through  which  three  battles  will  be 
gained,^  over  the  Gentiles  of  pure  colour ;  a  fourth  battle,  the 
battle  of  Luaire,  against  the  king  of  the  Britons,  of  green 
mantles. 

Welcome  to  Scotland,  of  which  he  will  take  possession  ;  but 
short  the  time  he  will  enjoy  her.  The  king  will  have  five  years 
and  a  half  (a  pure  space  ^)  as  king  of  Scotland. 

.  .  .  ^  [He  will  fall]  on  Thursday,  in  pools  of  blood,  on  the 
shore  of  Inber-Dub-roda.* 


878 

Annales  Oamtariae,  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  167,  s.a.  [877] 

Rotri  and  his  son,  Guriat,  were  killed  by  the  Saxons.^ 

^  Gmiis  tres  mebhsad  tri  catha.  Gni'iis  "hazard,"  O'Reilly,  Skene. 
O'Connell,  in  MS.  b,  suggests  ^i3«azj. 

2  Idtkair ghlain,  a  cheville. 

^  Two  lines  seem  to  have  been  omitted  here.    The  stanza  is  incomplete. 

^  for  trdigh  inbhir  dubh  r6d~ ,  rhyming  with /o/a.  This  may  be  the 
place  that  is  named  by  the  Chronicles  of  the  Kings  (DFGI)  as  the  place  of 
Constantine's  death. 

°  Similarly  in  B.S.  in  M.A.,  655,  s.a.  877  ;  but  the  reading  there  is 
"Rotri  and  Guriat,  his  brother."  So  also  in  B.T.  in  R.B.H.,  260;  and  in 
B.T.  in  M.A.,  688,  s.a.  873,  which  says  that  they  were  killed  by  the  English 
in  the  battle  of  Diu  Sul,  in  Mon  (cf.  A.C.,  s.a.  [876]). 

There  is  a  Welsh  inscription  ascribed  to  the  8th  or  9th  century,  near 
Ramsey  in  the  Isle  of  Man,  Crux  Guriat  "cross  of  Guriat."  See  the 
Zeitschrift  fiir  celtische  Philologie,  i,  49,  52,  53.  There  is  nothing,  however, 
to  connect  this  monument  with  the  Guriat  who  was  killed  in  878  :  the 
name  was  not  an  uncommon  one. 

Asser,  De  Rebus  Gestis  ^Elfredi,  cc.  80-81,  Stevenson's  ed.,  pp.  66-67 
(M.B.H.,  488):  "At  that  time"  [884  A.D.,  36th  of  Alfred;  ibid.  p.  49; 
=  885  in  F.W.,  S.D.,  the  Annals  of  St  Neots,  and  A.S.C.,  ABDEF  (886  C)  ; 
the  next  year-section  in  Asser  is  numbered  886  A.D.]  "and  for  long 
before,  all  the  districts  of  the  southern  part  of  Wales  \_Briianniae\  pertained 
to  king  Alfred;  and  they  still  pertain  to  him.  Hemeid"  [king  of  Dyfed] 
"with  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  district  of  Demetia,  compelled  by  the  force 
of  six  sons  of  Rotri,  submitted  themselves  to  the  royal  empire  ;  Higuel 
\_Bouir\  also,  Ris's  son,  the  king  of  Gleguising,  and  Brochmail  and 
Fernmail,  Mouric's  sons,  kings  of  Guent,  compelled  by  the  force  and 
tyranny  of  earl  ^thered  and  the  Mercians,  voluntarily  [suapte]  besought 
the  same  king  that  they  might  have  from  him  dominion  and  defence  from 
their  enemies.  Helised  also,  Teudubr's  son,  king  of  Brecheniauc, 
compelled  by  the  force  of  the  same  sons  of  Rotri,  voluntarily  \suaf>te]  asked 


356  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

878 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  pp.  392-394,  s.a.  877  =  878 1 

Rotri,  Mermin's  son,^  king  of  the  Britons,  was  killed  by 
Saxons. 

Aed,  Kenneth's  son,^  king  of  the  Picts,  was  slain  by  his 
confederates.  .  .  . 

Columcille's  shrine,  and  also  his  relics,  came  to  Ireland,  in 
flight  from  the  Foreigners.^ 

for  the  dominion  of  the  aforesaid  king.  Anaraut  also,  Rotri's  son,  with  his 
brothers,  at  the  last  abandoning  his  friendship  with  the  Northumbrians — 
from  which  he  had  had  no  good,  but  only  loss — ,  and  eagerly  requesting  the 
king's  friendship,  went  to  his  presence  ;  and  when  he  had  been  honourably 
received  by  the  king,  and  accepted  as  a  son  of  confirmation  at  the  bishop's 
hands,  and  presented  with  very  great  gifts,  submitted  himself  to  the  king's 
dominion  with  all  his  subjects,  upon  the  same  condition,  that  he  should  be 
as  obedient  to  the  king's  will  in  all  things  as  was  ^thered  with  [his] 
Mercians. 

[c.  81]  "And  all  these  did  not  acquire  the  king's  friendship  in  vain. 
For  those  who  desired  increase  of  earthly  power  obtained  it ;  those  [who 
desired]  money,  [obtained]  money ;  those  [who  desired]  friendship  [obtained] 
friendship.  Those  [who  desired]  both,  [obtained]  both.  But  they  all 
received  love,  and  protection,  and  defence,  in  all  respects  as  the  king  was 
able  to  defend  himself  and  all  his  subjects."     Cf  below,  year  890,  note. 

Rotri,  king  of  Wales,  the  son  of  Mermin  (see  year  844),  had  divided  the 
kingdom  among  his  three  sons,  giving  Cardigan  to  Catell  (+909;  A.C.), 
Gwynedd  to  Anaraut  (t9i6;  below),  Powys  to  Mermin  (t903;  A.C.). 
Note  on  triad  no.  128 ;  see  B.T.  in  M.A.,  688,  s.a.  873.  Cf.  Loth's 
Mabinogion,  ii,  note  on  triad  no.  128  ;  and  Skene's  F.A.B.W.,  i,  95. 
Anaraut  appears  to  have  had  superiority  over  his  brothers'  kingdoms. 

A  Welsh  triad  says  (M.A.,  405  ;  Loth's  Mabinogion,  ii,  triad  no.  128) : 
"Three  kings  with  the  diadem  of  the  island  of  Britain:  Catell,  king  of 
Dinevwr  ;  Anaraut,  king  of  Aberffraw  ;  Mermin,  king  of  Mathraval.  They 
are  called  the  three  princes  of  the  diadem."  Cf.  also  M.A.,  411  (126); 
Loth's  Mabinogion,  ii,  triad  no.  153. 

1  The  year  878  is  indicated  by  its  epact,  and  also  by  the  statements 
that  the  moon  was  eclipsed  on  October  15th,  "about  the  third  watch  of  the 
fourth  day  of  the  week,"  and  that  the  sun  was  eclipsed  on  the  29th 
October,  "about  the  seventh  hour  of  the  day  [12-1  p.m.],  the  fourth  day  of 
the  week."  According  to  L'Art  de  Verifier  les  Dates,  the  moon  was 
eclipsed  in  878,  on  October  15th  (a  Wednesday)  at  4J  a.m.  ;  and  the  sun, 
on  October  29th,  at  ij  p.m.,  Paris  time. 

2  In  verses  quoted  ibid.,  these  are  spoken  of  as  "  Rotri  of  Man  (diadem 
of  brightness),  Aed  from  the  territories  of  Kintyre." 

3  The  last  paragraph  is  also  in  C.S.,  166,  Hennessy's  year  878. 


KING  AED  357 

877-878 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  A ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  9 

Aed  held  the  same  [kingdom  of  Scotland]  for  one  year. 
Also  the  shortness  of  his  reign  has  bequeathed  nothing 
memorable  to  history :  but  he  was  slain  in  the  city  of  Nrurim. 

878 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  D  ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  151 

Aed,  Kenneth's  son,  reigned  for  one  year ;  and  he  was 
killed  in  the  battle  of  Strathallan,!  by  Giric,  Dungal's  son ;  and 
was  buried  in  the  island  of  lona.^ 

877-878 

Prose  and  Verse  Chronicles  inserted  in  the  Chronicle  of 
Melrose,  p.  224,  s.a.  878  ^ 

Constantino,  king  of  the  Scots,  was  slain.'*'  Aed,  his  brother, 
[became]  king  of  the  Scots. 

"  His  brother,  Aed  White-foot,^  reigned ;  and  he  perished, 

1  Strathalun,  DI  ;  Strathallen^  F  ;  Strathalin,  G. 

2  Similarly  in  versions  F  (ibid.,  174),  G  (301),  I  (288).     Omitted  by  N. 
K  reads   (ibid.,   204)  :    "  Aed,   Kenneth's  son,   [reigned]  for  one   year. 

He  was  killed  by  Giric  {Tirg\  Dungal's  son." 

The  Duan  Albanach,  in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  62  :  "Two  years  (ignoble  was 
his  colour)  had  [Constantine's]  brother,  Aed  Findscothach"  (i.e.,  "the 
flowery  "). 

Fordun,  Chronica,  IV,  16  (i,  158-159):  "[Constantine]  was  succeeded 
by  his  brother  Aed  the  Wing-footed  \Hethiis  alipes\  also  the  son  of 
Kenneth  the  Great,  in  the  year  of  the  Lord  874  :  and  he  reigned  for  one 
year.  .  .  . 

"  But  according  to  the  kingdom's  laws,  he  should  have  been  preceded  by 
Gregory,  Dungal's  son  ;  therefore  the  princes  of  the  kingdom  were  divided 
between  them,  and  a  battle  was  fought  at  Strathallan  ;  and  there  the  king 
was  wounded  with  a  mortal  wound  in  the  first  encounter,  and  after  two 
months  he  died.  A  few  of  the  leaders  of  both  sides  in  the  battle  were 
killed.     And  [Aed]  was  buried  in  the  island  of  lona,  beside  his  father." 

3  Also  in  P.  &  S.,  178  (MS.  B).  The  CM.  version  seems  to  connect 
the  note  of  Constantine's  death  with  the  year-section  of  878. 

*  See  year  877. 

''  Albipes  Aedhus.     Aed  is  spelled  Hed^  above. 


358  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

wounded  by  the  sword  of  Giric,  Donald's  son.  After  he  had 
completed  his  first  year  on  the  throne,  [Aed]  ended  his  life  by 
a  wound,  in  Strathallan."  ^ 

877-878 

Berchan's  Prophecy,  stanzas  129-13 1  ;  Skene's  Picts  and 
Scots,  p.  86 

Another  king  will  take  [sovereignty] ;  small  is  the  profit 
that  he  does  not  divide.  Alas  for  Scotland  thenceforward. 
His  name  will  be  the  Furious.^ 

He  will  be  but  a  short  time  over  Scotland.  There  will  be 
no  .  .  .^  unplundered.  Alas  for  Scotland,  through  the  youth ; 
alas  for  their  books,  alas  for  their  bequests  (?).* 

He  will  be  nine  years  in  the  kingdom.  I  shall  tell  you  ^ — 
it  will  be  a  tale  of  truth — he  dies  without  bell,  without 
communion,  at  evening,  in  a  fatal  pass." 

880 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  396,  s.a.  879  =  880^ 

Feradach,  Cormac's  son,  abbot  of  lona,  reposed.® 

'  Straialiin.  The  paragraph  in  inverted  commas  is  in  verse  in  the 
original. 

"-  in  ddsachtach.  This  king  is  placed  third  after  Kenneth  Alpin's  son  ; 
therefore  he  should  be  Aed,  Kenneth's  son. 

2  deighrius,  MS.  a  ;  deighrius,  MS.  b.  Skene  reads  deighruis  and 
translates  "highway"  (cf.  O'Reilly,  s.v.  rids).  O'Connell  in  MS.  b  suggests 
dtinius. 

*  Maine  Alba  laisin  n-geille,  \  mairg  a  llitibhra,  maircc  a  n-iom7ia.  The 
end-vi'ords  ought  to  rhyme.  MS.  ^  has  lais  a  n-gellidh,  and  a  niojiina, 
for  which  O'Connell  suggests  ttioinna.  Read  n-gilie,  dtiomna?  But  the 
second  line  has  a  syllable  too  many,  and  the  last  word  a  syllable  too  few. 

^  didihh;  dibh,  in  MS.  b;  read  diiibh.  So  also  in  stanza  140  (year  900, 
below). 

''  fesgul  a  m-bealach  bodhbha.     'R.&a.d  fesgur  ? 

'  With  epact  of  880. 

^  So  also  in  C.S.,  166,  Hennessy's  year  880. 

A.I.,  31,  O'Conor's  year  866  =  880  (6  years  after  874,  18  years  before 
908  ;  874  and  908  are  indicated  by  f.n.  and  e.  For  the  f  n.  of  874,  in  text 
iii,  read  ui,  as  in  the  MS.)  :  "The  repose  of  Feradach,  abbot  of  lona  of 
Columcille." 

The  Martyrology  of  Oengus  (1880  ed.,  p.  Ivii  ;  1905  ed.,  p.  83),  under 
March  23rd,  reads  :  "  The  daughter  of  Feradach,  who  is  highest,  died  with 


BIORN  FLEES  FROM  KING  HAROLD  359 

883-884 

Byrbyggia  Saga,  cc.  2-3,  pp.  4-7 

Biorn,  son  of  Ketil  Flatnose,  remained  in  lamtaland  until 
earl  Kiallak  died.  He  married  Giaflaug,  the  earl's  daughter ; 
and  then  went  from  the  east  over  the  Ridge,  and  came  first 
to  Trondhjem,  and  then  south  along  the  land.  And  he  took 
under  himself  the  possessions  that  his  father  had  had :  he 
drove  out  the  stewards  whom  king  Harold  had  set  over 
them. 

King  Harold  was  in  the  Vik  when  he  heard  this,  and  he 
took  the  inland  road  north  to  Trondhjem.  And  when  he 
reached  Trondhjem  he  gathered  an  assembly  of  eight  folklands, 
and  in  this  assembly  made  Biorn  Ketil's  son  an  outlaw  from 
Norway,  and  made  him  slayable  or  takable  wherever  he  should 
be  found.  After  this,  he  sent  Hauk  Hi-brok  and  others  of  his 
champions  to  kill  him  if  they  could  find  him. 

But  when  they  came  south  of  Stad,  Biorn's  friends  became 
aware  of  their  journey,  and  gave  him  information  of  it.  Then 
Biorn  sprang  into  a  skiff  that  he  had,  with  his  household  and 
movable  property ;  and  he  sailed  down  south  along  the  land, 
because  that  was  in  the  depth  of  winter,  and  he  dared  not  hold 
out  to  sea. 

Biorn  went  on  till  he  came  to  the  island  which  is  called 
Moster,^  and  which  lies  off  South  Hordaland  ^ ;  and  there  he  was 
received  by  the  man  who  was  called  Hrolf,  the  son  of  Ornolf 
Fiskreki.     Biorn  was  there  for  the  winter,  in  hiding. 

The  king's  men  turned  back  when  they  had  put  Biorn's 
property  in  order,  and  had  set  men  over  it. 

[c.  3]  Hrolf  was  a  great  lord,  and  a  man  of  the  greatest 
state.  He  had  charge  of  Thor's  temple  there  in  the  island, 
and  was  a  great  friend  of  Thor ;  and  therefore  he  was  called 
Thorolf.  He  was  a  big  man  and  strong,  fair  to  look  on,  and 
he  had  a  great  beard ;  therefore  he  was  called  Moster's-beard. 
He  was  the  noblest  man  in  the  island  [of  Moster]. 

a  vast  host."  The  Lebar  Brecc  gives  these  glosses  :  "  Her  name  was 
Ciannait";  and,  on  Feradach,  "still  [another]  abbot  of  lona"  (1880  Oengus, 
p.  Ixiv). 

1  Now  Bommelo  (containing  IVIosterhavn),  at  the  mouth  of  Hardanger- 
fiord  (Gering). 

2  Sondhordland,  between  Hardangerfiord  and  Aakrefiord  (Gering). 


360  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

In  spring,  Thorolf  gave  to  Biorn  a  good  long-ship,  manned 
with  good  lads,  and  his  son  Hallstein  to  accompany  him ;  and 
they  proceeded  to  the  west  beyond  the  sea,  to  Biorn's  relatives. 

But  when  king  Harold  learned  that  Thorolf  Moster's-beard 
had  sheltered  Biorn  Ketil's  son,  his  outlaw,  then  he  sent  men 
to  him  and  banished  him  from  the  land,  and  bade  him  go  an 
outlaw  like  Biorn,  his  friend,  unless  he  should  come  to  the  king 
and  put  his  case  entirely  into  [the  king's]  power. 

That  was  ten  winters  after  Ingolf  Orn's  son  had  gone  to 
inhabit  Iceland^;  and  this  expedition  had  become  a  famous 
one  [to  make],  because  the  men  who  came  from  Iceland  said 
that  there  was  good  choice  of  land  there.^ 


ca.  874  -  ca. 

Landnamabok,  c.  72,  pp.  30-31 

Biorn  was  the  name  of  a  son  of  Ketil  Flatnose,  and  of 
Yngvild,  daughter  of  Ketil  Wether,  lord  of  Hringa-riki.  [Biorn] 
sat  after  his  own  father,  when  Ketil  sailed  to  the  Hebrides. 
But  when  Ketil  kept  the  taxes  from  king  Harold  Fairhair,  then 
the  king  drove  [Ketil's]  son  Biorn  from  his  possessions,  and 
took  them  in  his  own  hand.  Then  Biorn  sailed  west  beyond 
the  sea,^  and  would  not  abide  there ;  nor  would  he  accept 
Christianity  like  the  other  children  of  Ketil ;  therefore  he 
was  called  Biorn  the  Eastern.  He  [had]  married  Giaflaug, 
Kiallak's  daughter,  the  sister  of  Biorn  the  Strong. 

ca.  884-886 

Eyrbyggia  Saga,  cc.  5-6,  pp.  13-14 

Now  it  is  to  be  said  of  Biorn,  son  of  Ketil  Flatnose,  that  he 
sailed  to  the  west  beyond  the  sea,  when  he  parted  with  Thorolf 
Moster's-beard,  as  has  been  said  above.  He  proceeded  to  the 
Hebrides. 

'  I.e.  10  years  after  874.  Therefore  Biorn  went  to  the  Hebrides  in 
884,  if  Eyrbyggia  is  right.  j-^' 

^  Thorolf  Moster's-beard  went  from  Norway  to  Iceland  ;  Eyrbyggia, 
c.  4,  pp.  7-13. 

^  In  884,  after  Ketil's  death,  according  to  Eyrbyggia  Saga.  Biorn  may 
have  come  over  soon  after  Ketil's  death,  to  claim  inheritance.  His  fighting 
in  Norway  might  have  had  the  same  motive  (see  Eyrbyggia  Saga). 


KETIL'S  DESCENDANTS  GO  TO  ICELAND  3G1 

And  when  he  came  west  beyond  the  sea,  his  father  Ketil 
was  dead ;  but  he  found  there  his  brother  Helgi  and  his 
sisters,  and  they  offered  him  good  terms  with  them.^ 

Biorn  became  aware  that  they  had  another  religion  ;  and 
he  thought  it  a  paltry  thing  that  they  should  have  forsaken 
the  old  faith,  to  which  their  kindred  had  clung.  And  he  was 
not  at  ease  there,  and  would  take  there  no  fixed  abode.  But  he 
passed  the  winter  with  his  sister  Aud  and  Thorstein,  her  son.^ 

And  when  they  found  that  he  would  not  come  round  to  his 
kinsmen's  way  of  thinking,  they  called  him  Biorn  the  Eastern. 
And  they  were  ill-pleased  that  he  would  not  settle  there. 

[c.  6]  Biorn  was  two  winters  in  the  Hebrides  before  he 
prepared  his  journey  to  Iceland. 

With  him  in  the  expedition  was  Hallstein,  Thorolf's  son.^ 
They  came  to  land  in  Breidafiordr ;  and  Biorn  took  land  out 
from  Staf-river,  between  there  and  Hraunsfiordr.  He  was  the 
greatest  nobleman.  Hallstein,  Thorolf's  son,  thought  it  mean 
to  be  provided  with  land  by  his  father :  and  he  went  west  over 
Breidafiordr,  and  took  land  there,  and  dwelt  in  Hallsteins-nes. 

^  biiSii  than  hcmuin  go'Sa  kosti  me^  s/r.  This  must  imply  that  they 
were  willing  to  shS'e  the  inheritance  with  him. 

^  Therefore  Thorstein  had  succeeded  Ketil  in  the  Hebrides,  and  was 
not  in  Caithness  in  the  winter  884-885.  But  it  does  not  necessarily  follow 
that  Thorstein's  campaign  in  Scotland  was  later  than  885  :  Laxdoela  Saga 
implies  that  Thorstein  invaded  Scotland  soon  after  Ketil  came  to  the 
Hebrides  ;  and  while  probably  Eyrbyggia  has  more  authority  than 
Laxdcela  Saga,  they  are  not  necessarily  opposed  here. 

^  Landnamabok,  c.  95,  p.  42  ;  "  Hallstein,  the  son  of  Thorolf  Moster's- 
beard,  took  Thorska-fiordr  shore,  and  lived  at  Hallstein's-ness.  .  .  .  Hall- 
stein had  plundered  in  Scotland,  and  taken  there  the  slaves  that  he 
brought  out  with  him."  According  to  Sturla's  version  (c.  123,  p.  165)  he 
sent  these  slaves  to  the  salt-works  in  Svefn-ey.  The  Hauksbok  version 
goes  on  (u.s.) :  "  Hallstein  had  married  Osk,  the  daughter  of  Thorstein 
Red.  Their  son  was  Thorstein  [Surtr],  who  invented  the  summer-eke" 
(i.e.  the  intercalary  week,  added  every  seven  years,  to  correct  the  calendar  : 
see  Islendingabok,  c.  4,  pp.  5-6). 

Cf.  GuU-Thori's  Saga,  c.  i,  p.  3  (Samfund  26  ;  Copenhagen,  1898). 

Landnamabok,  c.  73,  p.  32:  "The  son  of  Thorolf  Moster's-beard  was 
Hallstein,  baron-priest  of  Thorskafiordr,  father  of  Thorstein  Surtr  the  Wise. 
Osk,  daughter  of  Thorstein  Red,  was  the  mother  of  Thorstein  Surtr. 

"  Another  son  of  Thorolf  [Moster's-beard]  was  Thorstein  Cod-biter. 
He  married  Thora,  daughter  of  Olaf  Feilan,  and  sister  of  Thord  Yeller. 
Their  son  was  Thorgrim,  the  father  of  Snorri  Godi  ;  and  Bork  the  Stout, 
the  father  of  Sam,  whom  Asgeir  slew," 


362  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

884x918 

Byrbyggia  Saga,  c.  7,  p.  17 

Thorolf  Moster's-beard  married  in  his  old  age,  [in  Iceland], 
and  got  as  his  wife  the  woman  that  was  called  Unn.  Some  say 
that  she  was  the  daughter  of  Thorstein  Red,  but  Ari  Thorgils' 
son,  the  Wise,  does  not  reckon  her  among  his  children. 
Thorolf  and  Unn  had  a  son,  who  was  called  Stein.  Thorolf 
gave  this  lad  to  his  friend  Thor,  and  called  him  Thor-stein: 
and  this  boy  was  very  precocious. 

Hallstein  Thorolfs  son  married  Osk,  Thorstein  Red's 
daughter.  Their  son  was  called  Thorstein  ;  Thorolf  fostered 
him  and  called  him  Thorstein  Surtr^;  and  [Thorolf]  called  his 
own  son  Thorstein  Cod-biter.^ 

ca.  918 -ca.  938 

Eyrbyggia  Saga,  c.  9,  pp.  19-20 

Thorolf  Moster's-beard  died  at  Hof-stadir^;  then  Thorstein 
Cod-biter  took  his  heritage.  He  proceeded  to  marry  Thora, 
the  daughter  of  Olaf  Feilan  *  and  sister  of  Thord  Yeller,  who 
lived  at  that  time  in  Hvamm.  Thorolf  was  buried  in  Haugs-nes, 
seaward  from  Hof-stadir. 

At  this  time  the  pride  of  the  Kialleklingar^  was  so  great 
that  they  thought  themselves  above  the  other  men  in  the 
district ;  there  were  also  so  many  of  Biorn's  kinsmen,  that  no 
kindred  was  so  numerous  in  Breidafiordr.  .  .  . 

^  Probably  =  "  the  Black."  His  birth  would  seem  to  have  been 
886x918. 

2  Nial's  Saga,  c.  114  :  "  Snorri  [Godi's]  father  was  called  Thorgrim,  and 
was  the  son  of  Thorstein  Cod-biter,  the  son  of  Thorolf  Moster's-beard,  the 
son  of  Ornolf  Fiskreki  ;  but  Ari  the  Learned  says  that  he  was  a  son  of 
Thorgils  Reydarsida.  .  .  .  And  Snorri  Godi's  mother  was  called  Thordis, 
Sur's  daughter,  sister  of  Gi'sli." 

Nial's  Saga  says  (erroneously)  that  Osk  married  Thorolf  Moster's- 
beard  (c.  114). 

^  Thorolf  Moster's-beard  died  in  918,  according  to  the  Icelandic 
Annals  (CDA).  The  same  annals  place  in  this  year  also  the  birth  of 
Thorstein  Cod-biter  ;  and  in  938  the  birth  of  [Thorstein's  son]  Thorgrim, 
father  of  Snorri  Godi. 

*  Cf.  Nial's  Saga,  c.  114  (ed.  F.  Jonsson,  pp.  260-261). 

''  Eyrbyggia,  c.  7,  p.  16  :  "  From  the  children  of  Kiallak  [the  Old]  are 
descended  a  great  kindred ;  and  they  are  called  Kialleklingar."  They 
were  descendants  of  earl  Kiallak  of  lamtaland. 


KINGS  EOCHAID  AND  GIRIC  363 

886  X 

Landnamalbok,  c.  72,  p.  31 

Biorn  the  Eastern  sailed  to  Iceland,  and  took  land  between 
Hraunsfiordr  and  Staf's-river.  And  he  lived  at  Biorn's-haven 
in  Borgarholt,  and  he  had  a  hill-pasture  up  in  Sel,  and  he  lived 
in  great  state.  He  died  in  Biorn's-haven,  and  was  buried  at 
BorgarlcEk.i 

A  son  of  this  Biorn  and  Giaflaug  was  Kiallak  the  Old, 
who  lived  in  Biorn's-haven  after  his  father ;  and  Ottar,  father 
of  Biorn,  father  of  Vigfiis  in  Drapu-hlid,  whom  Snorri  Godi 
caused  to  be  slain.  Another  son  of  Ottar  was  Helgi.  He 
harried  in  Scotland,  and  got  there,  in  the  spoil,  Nidbiorg, 
the  daughter  of  king  Biolan  and  of  Kadlin,  the  daughter  of 
Going  -  Hrolf  ^  [Helgi]  married  [Nidbiorg],  and  Osvif  the 
Wise  was  their  son,  and  Einar  Skalaglam,  who  was  drowned 
on  Einar's-skerry  in  Selar-sund  ;  and  his  shield  came  ashore 
at  Skialdey,^  and  his  cloak  at  Felldar-holmr.*  .  ,  . 

Vilgeir  was  a  son  of  Biorn  the  Eastern.®  .  .  . 

878-889 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  A ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  9 

And  Eochaid,  son  of  Run,  the  king  of  the  Britons  [of 
Strathclyde,  and]  grandson  of  Kenneth  by  his  daughter, 
reigned    for   eleven   years ;    although   others   say   that   Giric,^ 

1  "  Because  he  was  the  one  unbaptized  child  of  Ketil  Flatnose,"  adds 
Sturla's  version,  c.  84,  p.  152. 

Cf.  Eyrbyggia  Saga,  c.  7,  p.  15  :  "Biorn  the  Eastern  was  the  first  of 
these  settlers  to  die"  in  Breidafiordr  ;  "and  he  was  buried  beside  the 
Borgarloek.     He  left  behind  two  sons.  .  .  ." 

2  See  below,  p.  373,  note.  This  Biolan,  king  of  some  district  in  Scot- 
land, may  possibly  have  been  a  predecessor  of  Thorstein  the  Red. 

3  I.e.,  "  Shield-island." 

4  I.e.,  "Cloak-island." 

5  For  Biorn's  family,  cf.  Eyrbyggia  Saga,  c.  7,  pp.  15-16  ;  and  Laxdcela 
Saga,  c.  3,  pp.  4-5.     Cf.  Origines  Islandicae,  i,  246. 

<■  Ciricium.  This  Latin  form  of  Giric's  name  is  perhaps  identical  with 
the  name  given  to  St  Cyricus  below  (genitive  case  Cirici).  Cf.  the  name 
Maelgiricc  "devotee  of  St  Cyricus"  in  A.U.,  s.a.  931=932  ;  and  the  name 
of  "  Gyric,  the  mass-priest,"  who  died  in  963,  according  to  A.S.C.,  A. 


364  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

the  son  of  another,  reigned  at  this  time,  because  he  became 
Eochaid's  foster-father  and  guardian.^ 

And  in  [Eochaid's]  second  year,  Aed,  Niall's  son,  died  ^ ; 
and  in  his  ninth  year,  on  the  very  day  of  [St]  Cyricus,  an 
eclipse  of  the  sun  occurred.^  Eochaid  with  his  foster-father 
was  now  expelled  from  the  kingdom. 

878-889 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  D  ;  Skene's 
Ficts  and  Scots,  p.  1 5 1 

Giric,  Dungal's  son,  reigned  for  twelve  years ;  and  he  died 
in  Dundurn,  and  was  buried  in  the  island  of  lona.     He  subdued 

'  eo  quod  aliimp?ius  ordi?iatorque  Eochodio  fiebat.  This  would  more 
naturally  mean  "  Eochaid's  pupil  and  steward"  ;  but  the  context  seems  to 
forbid  this  interpretation.  Alumnus  "  tutor  "  is  here  used  in  the  primary 
sense  of  the  Old-Irish  aite  (modern  Gaelic  aide)  "foster-father"  or  "teacher." 

^  Eochaid's  9th  year  was  885  (below),  therefore  his  2nd  year  should 
have  been  878. 

Aed  Niall's  son's  death  is  placed  on  the  20th  of  November,  878  =  879, 
in  A.U.,  i,  394,  432  ;  in  C.S.,  166,  Hennessy's  year  879  (while  the  accession 
of  riand  is  placed  in  the  previous  year),  on  Friday,  the  20th  November. 
This  was  Friday  in  879.  The  year  is  confirmed  by  A. I.,  which  record 
Aed's  death  under  O'Conor's  year  865  =  879.  A.C.  place  it  in  [878].  See 
also  below,  year  916,  note. 

Eochaid  became  king  in  878  before,  or  in  877  after,  the  20th  November. 

^  The  day  of  St  Cyricus  (St  Cyr),  or  Quiricus,  is  the  i6th  June  (Giry ; 
L'Art.  Cf  A.S.C.,  i,  190-191,  s.a.  916  ;  1905  Oengus,  140).  According  to 
the  previous  calculation,  Eochaid's  ninth  year  would  have  been  886-887. 
But  L'Art  de  Verifier  les  Dates  records  a  total  eclipse  at  10  a.m.  (Paris 
time)  on  i6th  June,  885.  If  this  was  in  Eochaid's  ninth  year,  he  would 
have  become  king  before  i6th  June,  877. 

The  importance  of  this  eclipse  seems  to  indicate  that  St  Cyricus  was 
regarded  as  Giric's  patron  saint.  The  church  of  St  Cyricus  is  said  to 
have  been  founded  in  this  reign,  at  the  place  anciently  called  Ecclesgreig, 
now  St  Cyrus,  in  the  Mearns  (the  older  pronunciation  of  the  present 
name  was  St  Ciriss,  perhaps  for  Ciric's).  Charters  of  king  William 
show  that  a  church  was  in  existence  there  in  his  time  (ecdesiam  sancti 
Cirici  de  Eglesgirg) ;  St  Andrews,  218,  229;  it  is  mentioned  also  in 
a  charter  of  1200  ;  ibid.,  166.  A  church  was  dedicated  there  in  the  year 
1242,  August  7th,  by  David,  bishop  of  St  Andrews  (ibid.,  348  ;  ecclesia 
sancti  Cyrici  martyris  de  Eglisgirg).  The  church  pertained  to  the  priory 
of  St  Andrews. 

Cf  the  "  St  Englacius,  abbot,  patron  at  Cerues  in  the  diocese  of 
Aberdeen,"  commemorated  in  the  Breviary  of  Aberdeen,  ii,  s,  146,  cxlvi, 
under  November  3rd. 


KING  GIEIC  365 

to  himself  all  Ireland,  and  nearly  [all]  England ;  and  he  was 
the  first  to  give  liberty  to  the  Scottish  church,  which  was  in 
servitude  up  to  that  time,  after  the  custom  ^  and  fashion  of 
the  Picts.2 

1  ex  consuetudine,  DG  ;  ex  constitutione,  F  ("constitution");  ex  con- 
stitucione,  I  ;  dez  lays  as  vsages  de  Ptcys,  K  ("in  servitude  to  the  civil 
[authorities],  according  to  the  custom  of  the  Picts  "). 

-  This  paragraph  appears  similarly  in  versions  F  (ibid.,  174),  G  (301), 
I  (288),  and  somewhat  similarly  in  K  (204) ;  but  version  I  reads  Berniciani 
for  Hibeniiam :  "  all  "Bernicia,  and  nearly  [all]  England."  This  is 
undoubtedly  the  correct  reading,  whatever  may  be  its  relation  to  fact. 
By  "  England  "  the  territories  of  the  Angles  are  meant. 

N  reads  (ibid.,  305):  "  Giric,  Dungal's  son,  [reigned]  for  15  years. 
He  subdued  to  himself  Ireland  and  Northumbria,  and  gave  liberty  to  the 
Scottish  church,  and  was  buried  in  the  island  of  lona." 

Of.  Fordun,  IV,  17. 

The  authority  of  the  king  in  ecclesiastical  affairs  has  been  seen  in  the 
year  717;  it  appears  also  later,  in  the  year  906  (see  p.  445).  Here,  perhaps, 
civil  taxation  is  referred  to.  Giric  had  a  recent  English  precedent  for  the 
relaxation  of  taxes  to  religious  houses,  in  the  concession  of  tithes  by 
jCthelwulf  to  the  English  church;  Asser,  ed.  Stevenson,  8-g  (M.H.B.,  470) : 
"  In  the  same  year  [855],  jEthelwulf,  the  venerable  king  afoi-esaid,  freed 
the  tenth  part  of  his  whole  realm  from  all  royal  service  and  tribute  ;  and 
in  perpetual  grant  upon  Christ's  cross  he  bestowed  it  upon  God,  one 
and  threefold,  for  the  redemption  of  his  soul,  and  of  [the  souls  of]  his 
predecessors.  And  in  the  same  year  he  went  with  great  honour  to 
Rome.  .  .  ."  (Compare  A.S.C.,  ABDE  s.a.  855,  CF  s.a.  856:  "and  in  the 
same  year  king  ^thelwulf  gave  by  charter  \_geboaide,  A]  the  tenth  part 
of  his  land  throughout  all  his  kingdom,  for  God's  praise,  and  to  promote 
his  own  salvation.") 

S.C.S.,  i,  332-333,  would  identify  the  alleged  subjugation  of  Bernicia 
with  the  affair  related  in  the  Historia  de  S.  Cuthberto  ;  see  E.C.,  62-64  : 
cf.  Fordun,  IV,  27.  It  is  possible  that  the  Scots  should  have  taken 
advantage  of  the  confused  state  of  Northumbria  at  this  time.  According 
to  S.D.,  ii,  114-115,  the  main  body  of  Danes  had  left  Northumbria,  and 
had  lost  its  leaders,  Halfdan  and  Inguar  :  "The  army  which,  with  king 
Halfdan  as  leader,  had  invaded  Northumbria,  had  remained  without 
a  leader  when  by  God's  judgement  that  tyrant  perished  ;  Halfdan  himself 
having  been  killed,  as  I  have  said,  and  Inguar,  with  [the  crews  of] 
twenty-three  ships,  in  Devon,  by  king  Alfred's  thanes.  Now  it  subdued 
to  itself  the  natives  of  the  land,  assumed  dominion,  and  prepared  to 
remain  there,  and  to  inhabit  the  Northumbrian  provinces  which  it  had 
wasted. 

"  Then  St  Cuthbert  came  to  abbot  Eadred  (who  was  called  Lulisc, 
because  he  lived  in  Carlisle),  and  in  a  vision  ordered  him  to  tell  the 
bishop  and  the  whole  army  of  English  and  Danes  to  give  a  price,  and 


366  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

889 

Berchan's  Prophecy,  stanzas  1 32-141,  in  Skene's  Picts  and 
Scots,  pp.  87-89 

After  that,i  (.^e  king  will  take  [sovereignty]  whose  name 
will  be  the  Tuilti.^  Alas  !  in  the  west  and  in  the  east,  a  Briton 
is  placed  over  the  Gaels  ! 

The  Briton  from  Clyde  will  take  [sovereignty].  The  son 
of  the  woman  from  Dun-Guaire ;  [he  will  be]  for  thirteen  years 
(in  fortresses  of  deeds  of  valour)  in  the  sovereignty  of  Scotland  : 
until  the  Son  of  Fortune^  shall  come,  who  will  reign  (?)  over 

ransom  Guthred,  Harthacnut's  son,  whom  the  Danes  had  sold  as  a  slave 
to  a  certain  widow  at  Whittingham  ;  and,  ransomed,  to  raise  him  up  as 
king-.  And  he  reigned  over  York,  while  Ecgbeorht  reigned  over  the 
Northumbrians.  This  took  place  in  the  thirteenth  year  of  king  Alfred  " 
[.■.  865-866].     For  Ecgbeorht,  see  above,  p.  297. 

If  a  king  Ecgbeorht  reigned  at  this  time  in  Northumbria,  he  is  not 
mentioned  in  the  Historia  de  S.  Cuthberto  ;  but  his  land  was  defended  by 
Guthred.  Simeon's  account  of  the  deaths  of  Inguar  and  Halfdan  in  877  is 
quite  erroneous  (see  p.  300)  ;  but  Halfdan  did  die  in  877  (q.v.). 

The  Historia  de  S.  Cuthberto  with  version  D  of  the  Chronicle  of  the 
Kings  seems  to  prove  that  there  was  a  Scottish  invasion  of  Northumbria 
between  883  and  889. 

Giric  seems  to  have  acquired  legendary  fame.  Cf.  Fordun,  MSS.  BE, 
i,  112,  note  :  "...  as  the  Greeks  extol  their  Alexander,  the  Romans  their 
Octavian,  the  French  their  Charles,  the  Scots  their  Gregory,  the  English 
their  Richard,  so  do  the  Welsh  proclaim  their  Arthur.  .  .  ." 

Giric's  successor,  Donald,  Constantine's  son,  died  in  900  ;  Donald's 
successor,  Constantine,  Aed's  son,  died  in  952.  But  the  primary  source  of 
version  L  of  the  Chronicle  of  the  Kings  omits  these  two  reigns,  and  reads 
instead  (P.  &.  S.,  295):  "To  Giric,  Donald's  son,  succeeded  his  brother, 
Constantine,  who  reigned  for  two  years.  .  .  ."  With  this  reading,  Skene 
compares  Berchan's  Prophecy,  where  a  three  years'  reign  is  inserted 
between  Giric  and  Donald  II.  But  version  L  seems  to  be  confused  here 
(see  above,  p.  cxxxvii,  note)  ;  and  the  years  878  and  900  are  approximately 
fixed  by  Irish  annals.  Between  these  dates  version  A  of  the  Chronicle  of 
the  Kings  places  two  reigns  of  eleven  years  each  ;  but  there  is  not  room 
for  a  three-years'  reign. 

>  I.e.,  after  the  death  of  Aed. 

^  diamba  h-ainim  in  tuilti ;  perhaps  t-uilti.  The  line  seems  to  lack 
one  syllable.     Skene's  translation  ("the  floods")  is  impossible. 

This  king  is  placed  4th  after  Kenneth,  and  should  therefore  be  Eochaid, 
Run's  son. 

2  an  mac  ra[z]t/i.     According  to  Skene,  this  was  king  Giric. 


KINGS  EOCHAID,  GIRIC,  AND  ANOTHER  367 

Scotland  as  sole  lord.^  The  Britons  will  be  low  in  his  time ; 
high  will  be  Scotland  of  melodious  boats.^ 

Pleasant  to  my  heart  and  my  body  is  what  my  spirit  tells 
me :  the  rule  of  the  Son  of  Fortune  in  his  land  in  the  east  will 
cast  misery  from  Scotland. 

Seventeen  years  (in  fortresses  of  valour)  [he  will  be]  in  the 
sovereignty  of  Scotland.  He  will  have  in  bondage  ^  in  his 
house  Saxons,  Foreigners,  and  Britons. 

By  him  will  be  attacked  the  strong  house :  alas !  in  the 
country  of  Earn,*  red  blood  will  be  about  his  head ;  he  will 
fall  by  the  men  of  Fortriu. 

Scotland  will  suffer  because  of  it ;  my  prophecy  shall  come 
to  them,  after  the  Son  of  Fortune  (with  fortresses  of  clans  ^) 
who  will  fall  by  the  men  of  Fortriu. 

Afterwards  the  king  from  the  ceiitre  of  Dundurn  (of  yellow 
hue  ®)  will  take  [the  sovereignty] ;  the  feeble  one  ^  over 
Dundurn  renowned  in  song.  Although  he  is  fortunate,  he 
has  not  many  victories. 

He  will  have  three  years  in  the  kingdom  ;  I  shall  tell  you 
(it  will  be  a  tale  of  truth),  his  grave  will  be  in  Troch,  between 
Leitir  and  Cloen-loch.^ 

'  Shuaithfes  for  Albain  d'  aon-fhlaith.  Read  shiiidhfes?  "He  shall 
sit"  Skene.     Possibly  "who  shall  knead  Scotland  into  one  kingdom"? 

^  Alba  eathar-bhinn,  MS.  a  ("  of  melodious  boats ") ;  Albain  cathair- 
bhinn,  MS.  b  ("of  melodious  cities").  If  we  follow  MS.  ^  we  must  read 
chathair-bhinn ;  but  cf.  stanza  i6o,  year  962,  below.  The  western  Scot 
still  preserves  an  ancient  custom  of  singing  at  the  oars. 

^  daora. 

*  ar  bhrughaibh  Eire7m. 

5  rdthaibh  clann,  a  meaningless  cheville. 

8  drech-bhiiidhe J  but  Drech-bhi  ("of  living  appearance"),  in  MS.  b: 
rhyming  with  ri.  The  line  in  MS.  a  has  a  syllable  too  many,  and  i5's  reading 
is  to  be  preferred. 

^  This  would  be  the  6th  king  after  Kenneth  ;  but  he  is  not  mentioned 
elsewhere,  unless  he  is  the  Constantine,  Giric's  brother,  placed  after  Giric 
in  version  L  of  the  Chronicle  of  the  Kings. 

Perhaps  instead  of  in  bdoth  ("the  feeble  one")  MS.  a  reads  in  bhdoth 
("  the  feeble  woman  ") ;  if  so,  probably  in  error. 

This  king's  reign  is  deducted  in  the  Prophecy  from  the  length  of 
Donald's  reign,  which  follows.  Donald  may  not  have  got  the  whole 
kingdom  at  first ;  but  the  evidence  is  weak. 

8  is  ann  bhias  a  leacht  an  troch  \  idir  leitir,  is  daon-loch.  Perhaps 
"between  hill-slope  and  crooked  lake"? 


368  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

878-889 

Prose  and  Verse  Chronicles  inserted  in  the  Chronicle  of 
Melrose,  pp.  22,  224,  s.a.  879  ^ 

Aed,2  king  of  the  Scots,  was  slain.  And  after  him,  "  Giric, 
wielding  his  own  authority ,8  became  king  for  eighteen  years*; 
in  Dundurn  the  upright  man^  was  taken  by  death.  He  gave 
liberties  to  the  Scottish  church,  which  had  been  laid  under  the 
Pictish  law.  All  England  was  attached  to  his  empire,''  which 
propitious  Fate  gave  him,  crushing  wars."'' 


890 


> 

Brut  y  Tywyssogion,  in  Myvyrian  Archaiology,  p.  688, 

s.a.  890^ 

The  men  of  Strathclyde,  those  that  refused  to  unite  with 
the  English,  had  to  depart  from  their  country,  and  to  go  to 
Gwynedd.  Anaraut  gave  them  permission  to  settle  in  the 
country  that  had  been  taken  from  him  by  the  English  (namely, 
Maelawr  and  the  Vale  of  Clwyd,  and  Rhyfoniawg,  and 
Tegeingl),  if  they  could  drive  away  the  English ;  and  that 
they  did  energetically.  But  the  English  came  against  Anaraut 
a  second  time  because  of  that ;  and  the  battle  of  Cymryd  was 
[fought]  there ;  and  the  Cymry  routed  the  Saxons,  and  drove 
them  from  the  country  completely.  Thus  Gwynedd  was  freed 
from  the  English,  through  the  might  of  the  men  of  the  north. 

891 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  408,  s.a.  890  or  891  =891 

Fland,  Maelduin's  son,  abbot  of  lona,  rested  in  peace.^ 

1  Also  in  P.  &  S.,  178  (MS.  B). 

2  Het.     See  year  878. 

^  sua  jura  gerens.    Cf.  below,  Verse  Chronicle,  s.a.  966,  regiajura  gerens. 

^  deca  tetra  et  octo  in  B,  which  omits  "  became  king,"  erroneously. 

^  probus. 

^  ad  imperium  .  .  ■  peracta;  B  reads  subacta. 

'  Quod  11071  leva  dedit  Sors  sibi  bella  terens. 

The  part  within  inverted  commas  is  in  verse  in  the  original. 

8  Cf.  Skene's  F.A.B.W.,  i,  181-182. 

"  Fland's  death  is  placed  by  F.M.  (i,  540)  under  887  =  891  (and  "the 
nth  year  of  Fland  "  as  sovereign  of  Ireland).  The  pedigree  in  the  Book  of 
Lecan  makes  Fland  12th  in  descent  from  Conall  Gulban.  See  Reeves, 
Adamnan,  392. 


FUGITIVES  FROM  STRATHCLYDE.     SIGFRITH       369 

??89i 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  408,  s.a.  890  or  891  =891 

The  sea  threw  [up]  a  woman  ^  in  Scotland.  [She  was]  a 
hundred  and  ninety-five  feet  in  height ;  her  hair  was  seventeen 
feet  long  ;  the  finger  of  her  hand  was  seven  feet  long,  and  her 
nose  seven  feet.     She  was  all  as  white  as  swan's  down.^ 

893 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  410,  s.a.  892  or  893  =  893 

A  battle  [was  fought]  against  the  Black-foreigners  by  the 
Saxons ;  and  in  it  fell  innumerable  hosts.^ 

Great  confusion  [arose]  among  the  Foreigners  of  Dublin, 
and  they  separated ;  one  part  going  with  Ivar's  son,  and  the 
other  part  with  earl  Sigfrith.* 

'  banscal.     Cf.  Kuno  Meyer,  Contributions  from  Irish  MSS.,  iii,  10. 

^  A.I.,  33-34,  O'Conor's  year  892  =  906  (32  years  after  874,  2  years 
before  908)  :  "A  woman  was  cast  upon  the  shore  of  Scotland  [banscal 
darala  hi  tracht  n-Alban\  in  this  year.  She  was  a  hundred  and  ninety- 
two  feet  in  length  ;  the  length  of  her  hair  was  sixteen  feet  ;  the  fingers 
of  her  hand  were  six  feet  long,  and  her  nose  was  six.  Her  body  was  as 
white  as  swan's  down,  or  sea  foam." 

C.S.,  176,  Hennessy's  year  900:  "A  great  woman  \ben  m6r\  was  cast 
ashore  by  the  sea  in  Scotland  ;  her  length  was  192  feet  ;  there  were  6  feet 
between  her  two  breasts  ;  the  length  of  her  hair  was  15  feet ;  the  length 
of  a  finger  of  her  hand  was  6  feet  ;  the  length  of  her  nose  was  7  feet.  As 
white  as  swan's  down  or  the  foam  of  the  wave  was  every  part  of  her." 

F.M.,  i,  540,  s.a.  887  =  891,  agree  with  A.U.,  but  say  that  the  hair  was 
18  feet  long. 

^  This  was  in  894,  according  to  A.S.C.  (ABCD  ;  but  893  originally 
in  A).  The  Danes  had  returned  to  England  from  France  in  893  (ABCD  ; 
892  EF,  and  originally  in  A). 

*  la  Sichfrit  n-ierll.  This  may  possibly  have  been  earl  Sigurd  of 
Orkney,  for  whom  see  below.  "Sigurd"  (cf  Old  Danish  Sigwarth)  is 
used  in  Icelandic  as  an  equivalent  of  "Sigfrid"  (Old  Danish  Sigfrith, 
rendered  in  Old  Norse  Sigfrodr),  from  which  it  is  etymologically  distinct. 
The  Irish  forms  of  Scandinavian  names  frequently  approach  more  closely 
to  the  Danish  than  to  the  Icelandic  spellings. 


2  A 


PART  XIII 

Thorstein  the  Red  becomes  master  of  Caithness  and 
Sutherland.    Turf-Einar  in  the  Orkneys 

889  X  ca.  892 

Heimskringla,  Harold  Fairhair's  Saga,  c.  22  ^ 

Then "  Thorstein  Red,  the  son  of  Olaf  White  and  Aud  the 
Wealthy,  came  into  an  alliance  with  [Sigurd].  They  plundered 
in  Scotland,  and  acquired  Caithness  and  all  Sutherland,  as  far 
as  Ekkialsbakki.^ 

Earl  Sigurd  slew  Maelbrigte  Tooth,  the  Scottish  earl*;  and 
he  bound  [Maelbrigte's]  head  to  his  saddle-straps,  and  grazed 
the  calf  of  his  leg  upon  the  tooth,  which  projected  from  the 
head;  swelling^  arose  there,  and  he  got  his  death  from  it. 
And  he  is  buried  at  Ekkialsbakki.'' 

'  Similarly  in  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  95  (F.S.,  i,  194-195). 

"  After  Harold  Fairhair's  return  from  his  alleged  earlier  expedition  to 
Scotland  (see  year  874). 

For  Thorstein's  share  in  the  invasion  and  its  date,  see  below,  p.  378  ff. 

^  I.e.  "Ekkiall's  bank";  a  bank  of  a  river,  or  ridge.    So  also  in  Fr.,  50. 

"As  far  as  Ekkiall"  {aU  til  Ekkjals)  in  Olaf's  Saga,  which  reads 
erroneously  "  Elfinnar-bakki "  below  (possibly  attracted  to  elfarinftar  bakki 
"the  river's  bank."  But  MSS.  BCF  have  Ekkjals.,  which  is  doubtless  the 
correct  reading). 

This  place  has  been  identified  with  Oykell  in  Kincardine  parish 
(Laing's  Heimskringla,  i,  369)  ;  see  Professor  Watson's  Place-names  of 
Ross  and  Cromarty,  pp.  17-18.  To  the  south  of  Strathoykell,  hills  make 
a  formidable  barrier.  This  identification  is  historically  probnble  ;  but  the 
saga-tellers  imagined  that  the  place  was  farther  south.  There  is  also 
phonetic  difficulty  in  equating  Oykell  and  Ekkiall.  Why  should  the 
Pictish  cognate  of  Welsh  uchel  "high"  (from  which  "Ochil"  is  derived) 
not  have  become  okel  in  Old  Norse  t  The  surviving  name,  Oykell,  may 
have  been  derived  from  an  intermediate  Norse  form  ;  Ekkiall,  from  an 
earlier  form  of  the  same  word,  accented  on  the  second  syllable. 

^  "...  a  certain  Scottish  earl,  who  was  called  Maelbrigte  Tooth" 
Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga. 

'"  blast}';  here  evidently  "  blood-poisoning." 

"  Sigurd  died  in  892,  or  soon  afterwards. 
370 


THORSTEIN  AND  SIGURD.     EARL  MAELBRIGTE    371 

Then  Guthorm  ruled  the  lands  for  one  winter,  arid  died 
childless.!  After  that  many  vikings  settled  in  the  lands,  [both] 
Danes  and  Norwegians. 

X 874- 893 X 

Orkneyinga  Saga,  c.  5  ;  vol.  i,  p.  5  ^ 

Earl  Sigurd  became  a  great  chief;  and  he  made  fellowship 
with  Thorstein  Red,  the  son  of  Olaf  the  White,  and  of  Aud  the 
Deep-minded^;  and  they  won  all  Caithness  and  much  more  of 
Scotland,  Moray,  and  Ross.  [Sigurd]  had  a  castle  built  there, 
in  the  south  of  Moray. 

Sigurd  and  Maelbrigte  Tooth,  an  earl  of  the  Scots,  made 
the  agreement  between  them  that  they  should  meet  and  settle 
their  dispute  in  an  appointed  place,  each  with  forty  men.  And 
when  the  day  named  arrived,  Sigurd  imagined  that  the  Scots 
were  faithless.  He  caused  eighty  men  to  mount  on  forty 
horses.  And  when  Maelbrigte  saw  it,  he  said  to  his  men  : 
"  Now  are  we  betrayed  by  Sigurd,  because  I  see  two  men's  feet 
on  each  horse's  side,  and  the  men  must  be  by  many  more  than 
their  steeds.  Let  us  now  brace  ourselves,  and  endeavour  each 
to  have  a  man  before  him  ere  we  die."  And  after  that  they 
made  ready. 

And  when  Sigurd  saw  their  design,  he  spoke  to  his  men  : 
"  Now  must  half  of  our  force  dismount,  and  come  upon  them  in 
the  rear  when  the  companies  meet  together ;  while  we  shall 
ride  at  them  as  hard  as  we  can,  and  break  up  their  ranks."* 

And  so  it  happened  ;  and  a  hard  conflict  took  place  there ; 
but  it  was  not  long  till  Maelbrigte  fell,  and  his  company.  And 
Sigurd  had  their  heads  fastened  to  the  saddle-straps,  for  his 
glory.  And  then  they  rode  home  and  boasted  of  their  victory. 
And  when  they  had  come  on  the  way,  then  Sigurd  wished  to 
spur  his  horse  with  his  foot ;  and  his  calf  chanced  to  hit 
against  the  tooth  which  projected  from  Maelbrigte's  head,  and 

■  "A  son  of  earl  Sigurd  was  called  Guthorm  ;  he  ruled  the  lands  after 
his  father  ..."  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga.  Guthorm  sat  one  winter  ; 
i.e.,  892-893,  or  soon  afterwards. 

2  Similarly  in  Fl.,  i,  221-222. 

3  "the  Wealthy"  in  Fl.     See  note  on  p.  311,  above. 

*  By  meeting  the  Scots  on  equal  terms,  Sigurd  wished  to  draw  them 
from  the  position  they  were  preparing  to  hold. 


372  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

it  was  grazed  ;  and  pain  and  swelling  arose  in  that  wound,  and 
brought  him  to  his  death.  And  Sigurd  the  Mighty  is  buried  at 
Ekkialsbakki.i 

Guthorm  was  the  name  of  Sigurd's  son ;  he  ruled  the  lands 
for  one  winter,^  and  died  childless. 

890  X  ca.  894 

Heimskringla,  Harold  Fairhair's  Saga,  c.  27  ^ 

Ronald,  earl  of  Mserr,  learned  the  fall  of  Sigurd,  his  brother  ; 
and  also  that  vikings  sat  in  those  lands  * :  so  he  sent  his  son 
Hallad  west,  and  [Hallad]  took  the  name  of  earl  ^;  and  he  had 
a  great  army  with  him.  And  when  he  came  to  the  Orkneys, 
he  settled  there  in  the  land  ;  but  both  in  autumn  and  in  winter 
and  spring^  vikings  sailed  about  the  islands,  took  plunder  on 
the  headlands,  and  killed  cattle  on  the  shores.'^  Then  earl 
Hallad  became  weary  of  sitting  in  the  isles,  so  he  gave  up  the 
earldom,  and  took  free-man's  rank ;  after  that  he  went  east  to 
Norway. 

?  890  X  894 

Orkneyinga  Saga,  cc.  5-6 ;  vol.  i,  p.  6^ 

And  when  Ronald,  earl  of  Mserr,  learned  the  death  of  the 
father  and  son,  he  sent  his  son  Hallad  west;  and  king  Harold 
gave  him  the  name  of  earl.  And  when  Hallad  came  west  he 
settled  in  Hrossey.  But  vikings  sailed  about  the  isles  and  over 
in  [Caithjness,  and  slew  men,  and  plundered.  And  when  the 
farmers  brought  their  injuries  before  earl  Hallad,  he  thought 
it  too  troublesome  to  right  their  lot ;  and  he  was  weary  of  the 

^  Sigurd  is  supposed  to  have  been  buried  at  Cyder  Hall  or  Sydero 
{Sigurdar  haiigr),  above  the  north  shore  of  Dornoch  Firth,  which  is  the 
estuary  of  the  Oykell.     See  Hjaltalin  and  Goudie,  O.S.,  107,  note. 

^  Ca.  892-893,  or  soon  after. 

^  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  96  (F.S.,  i,  195).     Cf.  Fr.,  53. 

^  "  Both  in  Shetland  and  in  the  Orkneys"  Olafs  Saga,  u.s. 

°  "And  king  Harold  gave  him  the  name  of  earl"  Olafs  Saga. 

^  I.e.  Hallad  sat  for  one  winter,  ca.  893-894  or  soon  after.  But  Olafs 
Saga  reads  {male):  "both  in  the  autumns  and  in  the  spring -times," 
implying  that  Hallad  sat  for  two  winters  or  more. 

''  ndinu  7iesnd?n  ok  hjoggu  sirandkogg. 

^  Similarly  in  Fl.,  i,  222. 


EARL  GUTHORM.  RONALD'S  SONS       373 

honour.  He  abdicated  the  earldom  and  took  free-man's  rank, 
and  sailed  after  that  to  Norway ;  and  his  action  was  thought 
most  ridiculous. 

[c.  6]  Two  Danish  vikings  settled  in  the  land ;  the  one  was 
called  Thori  Tree-beard,  the  other  Kalf  Skurfa.  And  when 
earl  Ronald  learned  this,  he  thought  it  very  bad ;  and  he 
summoned  to  him  his  sons  Thori  and  Hrollaug.  Hrolf  was 
then  on  warfare.^  .  .  . 


891  xca.  894 

Landnamabok,  c.  270,  pp.  96-97 

Ronald,  earl  of  Maerr,  was  a  son  of  Eystein  Glumra,  son  of 
Ivar  earl  of  the  Uplanders,  son  of  Halfdan  the  Old.  Ronald 
married  Ragnhild,  daughter  of  Hrolf  Nefia.  Their  son  was 
Ivar,  who  fell  in  the  Hebrides  while  supporting  king  Harold 
the  Fair-haired."  The  second  son  was  Going-Hrolf,  who  won 
Normandy.^     From    him   are   descended   the  earls  of  Rouen, 

^  Hrolf  was  in  France.  It  is  noteworthy  that  Danes  were  endeavouring 
to  take  the  Orkneys  from  the  Norwegians. 

^  See  above,  p.  334. 

^  Gongu-Rolfr. 

Heimskringla,  Harold  Fairhair's  Saga,  c.  24  :  "  Hrolf  was  a  great 
viking.  He  had  grown  to  be  so  big  a  man  that  no  horse  could  carry  him, 
and  he  walked  wherever  he  went  :  he  was  called  Going-Hrolf."  (Cf.  O.S., 
c.  4  ;  Fl.,  i,  221.)  See  Historia  Norwegiae,  Storm's  Monumenta,  90-92. 
Cf  Snorri's  St  Olaf's  Saga,  23-24. 

After  having  been  outlawed  by  Harold  Fairhair  for  a  "strand-slaying" 
{strandhogg)  in  the  Vik,  "  Going-Hrolf  went  then  west  beyond  the  sea  to 
the  Hebrides  ;  and  then  he  sailed  west  to  France  \yalland\  and  plundered 
there,  and  acquired  a  great  earldom.  .  .  ."  H.,  Harold  Fairhair,  c.  24. 
Cf  ibid.,  St  Olaf,  c.  19. 

Going-Hrolf  left  a  daughter,  Kadlin  (Kathleen),  in  the  west.  She 
married  a  king,  Biolan,  who  ruled  some  district  in  Scotland.     See  above, 

P-  363- 

There  is  an  unhistorical  Saga  of  Going-Hrolf;  cf  Rafn's  Antiquites 
Russes,  230-233. 

According  to  Bugge,  Ronald's  sons  plundered  in  Orkney,  and  got  the 
earldom  there.  Going-Hrolf  went  from  Orkney  to  Scotland  and  Ireland  ; 
his  daughter  Kathleen  married  king  Biolan  ;  their  daughter  Nidbiorg  was 
captured  by  Icelanders  about  930-940,  and  became  the  ancestress  of 
a  powerful  family  in  Iceland  (Historisk  Tidskrift,  191 1,  p.  194).  Then 
Going-Hrolf  went  to  the   Loire,  and  followed   Hasting   to   England   and 


374  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

and  the  kings  of  England.^  The  third  was  earl  Thori  the 
Silent,  who  married  Alof  the  Season-bettering,  daughter  of 
king  Harold  Fairhair.  And  their  daughter  was  Bergiiot,  the 
mother  of  earl  Hakon  the  Mighty. 

Ronald  had  three  bastard  sons :  one  was  called  Hrollaug, 
a  second  Einar,  a  third  Hallad,  who  gave  up  the  earldom  of 
the  Orkneys.^  And  when  earl  Ronald  heard  of  that,  he  called 
his  sons  together,  and  asked  which  of  them  wished  to  go 
to  the  Orkneys.  And  Thori  bade  [Ronald]  arrange  for  his 
journey.  The  earl  said  that  [Thori]  should  take  dominion 
there  [in  Maerr],  after  his  father.  Then  Hrolf  stepped  forward, 
and  offered  to  go.  Ronald  said  that  it  fitted  him  well,  because 
of  his  strength  and  valour ;  but  he  said  that  he  thought  there 
was  too  much  overbearingness  in  his  temper  for  him  yet  to 

northern  France  ;  became  the  leader  of  the  Norwegians,  and  took 
Normandy. 

Annales  Rotomagenses,  in  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xxvi,  496,  s.a.  876  ; 
"In  this  year,  RoUo  with  his  followers  penetrated  Normandy,  on  the 
fifteenth  before  the  Kalends  of  December"  (November  17th).  This  is 
copied  by  the  Annales  Ulicenses,  s.a.  876  (Le  Prevost's  Ordericus,  v,  153)  ; 
and  by  the  Annals  of  St  Neots,  s.a.  876  (Stevenson's  Asser,  134),  where  it 
is  followed  by  the  vision  of  Rollo  (134-135)- 

A.S.C.,  F,  s.a.  876 :  "  In  this  year  Rollo  passed  through  Normandy 
with  his  army  ;  and  he  reigned  for  fifty  years."  The  Icelandic  Annals 
place  Hrolfs  acquisition  of  Normandy  in  898  (KBODE  ;  897,  A;  cf 
887,  Al) :  Freeman  dated  it  in  912.  According  to  William  of  Poitiers 
(H.N.S.,  191-192),  Dudoof  St  Quentin  (Mores  et  Acta,  II,  28;  ed.  Lair,  169), 
and  O.V.,  ii,  360,  Hrolf  married  Gisla,  daughter  of  king  Charles  the 
Simple,  and  received  with  her  the  province  of  Normandy,  which  he  had 
already  conquered.  His  marriage  with  Gisla  took  place  in  914,  according 
to  the  Annales  Uticenses  (Le  Prevost,  O.V.,  v,  154). 

Hrolf  died  in  917,  according  to  the  Annales  Uticenses  (u.s.,  155).  His 
death  is  implied  to  have  taken  place  in  925,  in  Flodoard's  Annales 
(s.a.  925  ;  cf  aa.  926,  927),  and  Richer's  Historia  ;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  iii, 
375)  583  :  but  Richer  falsely  calls  him  the  son  of  Ketil  (ibid.  578). 

The  traditional  Norman  account  of  Hrolf  (Rollo)  differs  markedly  from 
the  Scandinavian  account.  See  Dudo  of  St  Quentin,  De  IVIoribus  et  Actis 
Primorum  Normanniae  Ducum,  ed.  Lair,  141-174. 

'  This  sentence  must  have  been  written  after  the  death  of  William  the 
Conqueror,  and  probably  the  whole  passage,  as  it  stands,  was  not  written 
by  Ari.     See  below. 

^  ".  .  .  Hallad,  another  Einar,  a  third  Hrollaug.  These  were  full- 
grown  men,  when  their  brothers  born  in  wedlock  were  born."  Olaf 
Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  95  (F.S.,  i,  193). 


EARL  TURF-EINAR  375 

lead  the  counsels  of  a  state.  Then  Hrollaug  stood  forth, 
and  asked  if  he  wished  him  to  go.  Ronald  said  that  he 
should  not  be  an  earl :  "  Thou  hast  no  warlike  disposition ; 
thy  ways  lie  to  Iceland,  and  thou  shalt  be  held  in  honour 
there,  and  shalt  have  noble  children  in  that  land.  Thy 
destiny  is  not  here."  ^ 

Then  Einar  stood  forth,  and  spoke :  "  Let  me  go  to  the 
Orkneys,  and  I  will  promise  thee  therefore  the  best  that  can 
be  thought,  that  I  shall  never  come  again  into  thy  sight." 

The  earl  said,  "  It  pleases  me  well  that  thou  go  forth ;  for  I 
have  little  hope  of  thee,  because  thy  mother's  kindred  are  all 
slave-born." 

After  that,  Einar  sailed  west,  and  subdued  the  Orkneys  to 
himself,  as  is  said  in  his  saga.^ 

'  Hrollaug  did  go  to  Iceland.  He  took  land  in  Eyiafiordr  (Ari, 
Islendingabok,  c.  2),  in  the  eastern  quarter  ;  Landnimabok,  c.  270,  p.  97. 
Cf.  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  214  (F.S.,  ii,  190-191).  His  grandson 
visited  the  Orkneys. 

Brandkrossa  Thattr,  c.  I  ;  Jakobsen's  AustfirtSinga  Sogur,  pp.  183-184 
(also  in  Origines,  ii,  533-534):  "A  man  was  called  Hrafnkel ;  he  was  the 
son  of  Hrafn.  He  came  out  lo  Iceland  late  in  the  settling  time " 
[870-930].  (So  in  Landnamabok,  c.  244,  p.  90.)  "...  And  he  went  to 
Hrafnkel's-dale,  and  peopled  all  the  dale  with  his  men — nearly  twenty 
farm-steads.     But  he  himself  lived  at  Steinroedar-stadir. 

"  HrafnkePs  sons  were  called  Asbiorn  and  Thori.  And  when  Hrafnkel 
died,  his  sons  took  inheritance  after  him  in  equal  shares.  Thori  got  the 
dwelling  that  his  father  had  had,  and  Asbiorn  dwelt  in  the  farm-stead  that 
was  called  At  Lok-hillar,  but  is  now  called  At  Hrafnkels-stadir  ;  and  he 
managed  the  farm-stead  well. 

"Then  Asbiorn  married  a  woman  who  was  called  Hallbera  ;  she  was 
the  daughter  of  Hrollaug,  son  of  Ronald,  earl  of  Maerr.  They  had  a  son 
called  Helgi.  .  .  . 

"Asbiorn  did  not  grow  old.  When  he  died,  Helgi  took  inheritance 
after  him,  and  lived  some  winters  at  Lok-hillar.  After  that,  Helgi  broke 
up  his  household,  and  sold  [the  land]  to  Hrafnkel,  Thori's  son,  his  first 
cousin  ;  and  went  abroad,  and  was  many  winters  in  warfare,  both  in  the 
Orkneys  and  in  Norway,  with  his  relatives.  Helgi  was  also  for  some 
winters  in  piracy,  and  was  the  most  valiant  man,  but  no  hero  in  strength 
and  skill  in  arms.  After  that,  Helgi  went  to  Iceland,  and  was  high  both 
in  wealth  and  in  honour.  .  .  ." 

2  This  story  (present  also  in  Sturla's  version)  is  perhaps  not  attributable 
to  Ari  :  it  appears  in  an  earlier  form  in  the  Orkneyinga  Saga,  c.  6 
(and  Fl.,  i,  222-223). 

In  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga  and  the  Heimskringla  (below),  which  have 


376  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

89 1  X  ca.  894 

Heimskringla,  Harold  Fairhair's  Saga,  c.  27  ^ 

But  when  earl  Ronald  learned  this,^  he  was  ill-pleased  with 
Hallad's  expedition,  and  said  that  his  sons  would  be  unlike 
their  ancestors. 

Then  Einar  answered  :  "  I  get  little  esteem  from  thee ;  I 
have  little  love  to  part  with.^  I  will  go  west  to  the  islands,  if 
thou  wilt  give  me  some  support.  I  will  promise  therefore  what 
will  be  very  welcome  to  thee,  that  I  shall  never  come  again  to 
Norway." 

Ronald  said  that  he  was  well  pleased  that  he  should  not 
come  again, "  because  I  have  little  expectation  that  thy  relatives 
will  be  honoured  in  thee,  since  thy  mother's  kindred  are  all 
slave-born." 

Ronald  gave  Einar  one  long-ship,  and  manned  it  for  his 
use.* 

the  nucleus  of  the  story,  Einar  alone  offers  to  go  to  Orkney ;  in  the 
Orkneyinga  Saga,  Thori,  Hrollaug,  and  Einar,  offer  in  turn  to  go,  but 
Hrolf  is  absent  ;  in  Landndmabok,  the  story  has  been  completed  by 
bringing  in  Hrolf  also.  This  is  a  typical  instance  of  the  growth  of 
stories. 

Landndmabok's  version  is  abbreviated  in  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga, 
c.  214  (F.S.,  ii,  189-190). 

'  Cf.  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  96  (F.S.,  i,  195-196).     Fr.,  53-54. 

^  I.e.,  Hallad's  abdication. 

3  In  Olaf's  Saga,  u.s.,  "Einar  ansvv'ered  his  father:  'I  have  little 
affection  from  thee  ;  and  I  have  grown  up  here  with  such  esteem  as  I 
think  very  little  of  losing  :  nowhere  else  can  I  have  fewer  prospects  than 
here.     Now  will  I  go  west  to  the  islands.'  .  .  ." 

*  Olaf  s  Saga,  u.s.  :  "  Earl  Einar  got  one  long-ship,  sufficiently  well 
manned.  .  .  ." 

Orkneyinga  Saga,  c.  6  ;  i,  7  :  "  Ronald  gave  Einar  a  twenty-benched 
ship,  and  king  Harold  gave  him  the  name  of  earl." 

Vatnsdoela  Saga,  c.  9  (Fornsogur,  17) :  "  .  .  .  Then  [Ronald]  sent  his 
son,  Turf-Einar,  and  declared  that  he  expected  that  he  would  hold  the 
kingdom.  .  .  ." 

Munch  (Det  Norske  Folks  Historie)  places  the  voyage  of  Turf-Einar 
to  Orkney  about  the  year  875  ;  but  Sigurd  was  earl  in  874,  and  lived  till 
after  S89.  After  Sigurd,  Guthorm  was  earl  for  one  winter,  and  Hallad 
for  one  winter.  Therefore  Turf-Einar  became  earl  after  891,  and  before 
894  (about  which  date  earl  Ronald  died). 


ORKNEY  VIKINGS  KILLED  377 

891  xca.  894 

Orkneyinga  Saga,  c.  7  ;  vol.  i,  p.  7  ^ 

Einar  sailed  west  to  Shetland,^  and  gathered  to  himself  an 
army.  After  that,  he  sailed  south  to  the  Orkneys,  and  went  on 
at  once  to  meet  with  Kalf  [and  Thori].  A  battle  took  place 
there,  and  both  the  vikings  fell.  Then  this  was  sung :  "  He 
gave  Tree-beard  to  the  trolls  ;  Turf-Einar  slew  Skurfa."^ 

After  that,  he  laid  the  lands  under  him,  and  made  himself 
the  chief  lord. 

891  Xca.  894 

Heimskringla,  Harold  Fairhair's  Saga,  c.  27 

Einar  sailed  west  beyond  the  sea  in  autumn  ;  but  when  he 
came  to  the  Orkneys,  there  were  vikings  lying  in  wait  for  him 
in  two  ships,  Thori  Tree-beard,  and  Kalf  Skurfa.  Einar 
immediately  fought  with  them,  and  had  the  victory,  and  they 
both  fell.  Then  this  was  said  :  "  Then  he  gave  Tree-beard  to 
trolls  ;  Turf-Einar  slew  Skurfa." 

He  was  called  Turf-Einar  for  this  reason,  because  he  had 
turf  cut,  and  used  it  for  fuel ;  since  there  was  no  wood  in  the 
Orkneys.* 

Then  Einar  became  earl  over  the  islands,  and  he  was  a 
powerful  man.  He  was  an  ugly  man,  and  one-eyed,  and  yet 
the  sharpest-sighted  of  men.^ 

1  So  also  in  Fl.,  i,  223. 

2  Landnamabok,  c.  202,  p.  80  :  "  .  .  .  Ketil  Brimill  was  a  great  viking  ; 
he  sailed  to  Shetland  with  Turf-Einar  .  .  ."  on  his  way  to  Iceland.  Ketil 
was  the  son  of  Ornolf,  son  of  Biornolf,  son  of  Grim  Shaggy-cheek. 

3  Cf.  J.S.,  i,  A  177,  B  167. 

■*  "  He  was  the  first  of  men  to  find  how  to  cut  turf  from  the  earth  for 
fuel,  in  Torfnes  in  Scotland  ;  because  they  were  ill-ofif  for  wood  in  the 
islands"  O.S.,  c.  7  ;  i,  7  (FL,  i,  223).  Torfnes  is  said  to  have  been  south 
of  Moray  Firth  ;  O.S.,  c.  22,  i,  33.  But  the  Flatey-book  version  reads 
Beef  jar's  (scarcely  Banff-Firth,  as  Vigfusson  conjectured)  instead  oii  BrevSa- 
fior&r  (Moray  Firth). 

^  The  whole  passage  stands  very  similarly  in  O.S.,  c.  7.  The  account 
in  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  96,  is  shorter  ;  it  concludes  thus  :  "[Einar] 
became  a  great  lord,  and  powerful." 

Einar  was  visited  in  Orkney  for  one  winter  by  Bui,  Andrid's  son,  from 
Iceland  ;  Kialnesinga  Saga,  c.  12  (Islendinga  Sogur,  ii,  431). 


378  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

889  X  900 

Landnamab6k,  c.  82,  p.  36  ^ 

Thorstein  [the  Red]  became  a  war-king,  and  went  upon  a 
campaign^  with  earl  [Sigurd]  the  Mighty,  son  of  Eystein 
Glumra.  They  won  Caithness  and  Sutherland,  Ross  and 
Moray,  and  more  than  half  of  Scotland.^  Thorstein  was  king 
over  [these  lands]  until  the  Scots  deceived  him,  and  he  fell 
there  in  battle.* 

874  X  900 

Laxdcela  Saga,  cc.  4-5,  pp.  6-8 

Ketil  Flatnose  came  in  his  ship  to  Scotland,  and  was 
received  well  by  the  men  of  rank,  because  he  was  a  famous 
man  and  of  high  lineage.  And  they  offered  him  there  any 
position^  he  would  have. 

Ketil  settled  there,  and  the  others  of  his  kindred  ;  excepting 
Thorstein,  his  daughter's  son.  [Thorstein]  set  out  immediately  ^ 
upon    warfare,    and    plundered    widely    about    Scotland,    and 

^  Cf.  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  132,  122  (F.S.,  i,  246)  ;  Fl.,  i,  265. 

^  redzt  til  lids.  For  Sigurd's  part  in  the  campaign  (889  x  ca.  892)  see 
above,  pp.  370,  371. 

^  Olaf  s  Saga,  Heimskringla,  and  Laxdoela  Saga,  imply  that  Thorstein's 
campaign  in  Scotland  began  not  long  after  Harold's  western  expedition  of 
874.  But  Eyrbyggia  Saga  implies  that  Thorstein  was  in  the  Hebrides 
when  Biorn  went  from  there  to  Iceland,  in  886  ;  and  Thorstein's  great 
invasion,  with  Sigurd,  appears  to  have  occurred  in  the  reign  of  Donald, 
Constantine's  son,  therefore  not  before  889.  See  the  Chronicle  of  the 
Kings,  version  A  ;  below,  year  900. 

Thorstein  died,  according  to  Eyrbyggia  Saga,  some  winters  after  886 
(probably  889  x  ca.  895).  Then  Aud  went  to  Orkney,  and  did  not  leave  it 
till  after  the  marriage  there  of  Thorstein's  daughter.  It  is  possible  that 
Landnamabok  has  telescoped  the  stages  of  Aud's  departure  from  Scotland, 
but  there  is  no  evidence  to  prove  this.  Turf-Einar  must  have  become  earl 
in  Orkney  before  Aud  went  there  ;  and  she  must  have  left  Orkney  before 
Harold's  expedition  to  the  west  (.'.889x900),  but  not  certainly  before 
Halfdan's.  The  period  between  Halfdan's  death  in  Orkney  and  the 
retributive  campaign  of  Harold,  while  everyone  knew  that  Harold  was 
preparing  an  expedition  to  the  islands,  was  the  period  during  which  we 
should  imagine  there  would  have  been  the  greatest  emigration  from  the 
islands  to  Iceland. 

^  This  passage  is  copied  in  Eric  the  Red's  Saga,  c.  i,  pp.  3-4, 

^  rdiiakost  "way  of  living,"  "  condition." 

^  I.e.  in  or  soon  after  874. 


AUD  AND  THOESTEIN  379 

always  had  the  victory.  Then  he  made  peace  with  the  Scots, 
and  took  possession  of  half  of  Scotland,  and  became  king  over 
it.  He  married  Thurid,  the  daughter  of  Eyvind  and  sister  of 
Helgi  the  Lean.  The  Scots  did  not  hold  the  treaty  long ;  for 
they  betrayed  him  in  time  of  truce.  Thus  says  Ari  Thorgils' 
son,  the  Wise,  regarding  the  death  of  Thorstein. 

Aud^  the  Deep-minded  was  in  Caithness  when  her  son 
Thorstein  fell.  And  when  she  heard  that  Thorstein  was  killed, 
and  that  her  father  was  dead,^  then  she  thought  that  she 
should  get  no  reparation  there.  After  that  she  had  a  ship 
made  in  a  wood  secretly ;  and  when  the  ship  was  completed, 
she  prepared  the  ship  and  took  wealth  of  treasure.  She  took 
away  with  her  all  her  relatives  that  were  alive ;  and  men 
remarked  that  hardly  [another]  instance  could  be  found  of  a 
woman's  having  escaped  from  such  warfare  with  so  much 
treasure  and  so  great  a  company.  It  may  be  observed  from 
this  that  she  was  much  the  superior  of  [all]  other  women. 

Aud  had  also  with  her  many  men  that  were  of  great  worth 
and  of  high  family. 

A  man  was  named  Koll,  who  was  the  most  worthy  of  Aud's 
company :  his  birth  had  most  to  do  with  this,  because  he  was  a 
chief  by  title.^ 

The  man  also  that  was  called  Hord  was  in  the  voyage  with 
Aud.     He  was  a  high-born  man,  and  of  much  worth. 

Aud  sailed  with  the  ship  to  the  Orkneys,  as  soon  as  she  was 
ready.  There  she  abode  a  little  while.  There  she  gave  in 
marriage  Gro,  daughter  of  Thorstein  Red.  [Gro]  was  the 
mother  of  Grelod,  who  was  married  to  earl  Thorfinn,  the  son 
of  earl  Turf-Einar,  the  son  of  Ronald  earl  of  Maerr.  Their  son 
was  Hlodve,  father  of  earl  Sigurd,  father  of  earl  Thorfinn  ; 
and  thence  has  come  the  kindred  of  all  the  earls  of  the 
Orkneymen. 

After  that,  Aud  proceeded  with  her  ship  to  the  Faroes,  and 
stayed  there  too  some  time.  There  she  gave  in  marriage 
another  daughter  of  Thorstein ;   she  was  called   Alof.     From 

'   t/««r  throughout  Laxdoela  Saga. 

^  Thorstein's  death  is  therefore  made  nearly  contemporaneous  with 
Ketil's  ( X  884).  But  it  occurred  some  winters  after  886,  according  to  the 
more  trustworthy  account  in  Eyrbyggia  Saga. 

^  hersir  at  nafni:  a  rank  higher  than  that  of  baron. 


380  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

[Alof]  are  descended  the  principal  kindred  in  that  land,  whom 
they  call  Gotuskeggiar.^ 

[c.  5]  Now  Aud  prepared  to  set  out  from  the  Faroes,  and 
announced  to  her  ship's  company  that  she  intended  [to  go]  to 
Iceland.  She  had  with  her  Olaf  Feilan,  son  of  Thorstein  Red, 
and  those  of  his  sisters  that  were  unmarried.  After  that  she 
put  to  sea,  and  had  a  good  voyage,  and  came  with  her  ship 
from  the  south  to  land  at  Vikrarskeid.  There  they  broke  their 
ship  to  splinters.     All  the  men  and  treasure  were  saved.  .  .  . 

889x900 

Landnamabok,  cc.  82-83,  PP-  36-37  ^ 

Aud  was  in  Caithness  when  she  learned  the  death  of 
Thorstein.  She  had  a  [merchant-]  ship  made  in  a  wood, 
secretly ;  and  when  it  was  ready  she  sailed  out  to  the  Orkneys.^ 
There  she  gave  in  marriage  Gro,  daughter  of  Thorstein  Red.* 
[Gro]  was  the  mother  of  Grelod,  whom  Thorfinn  Skull-cleaver 
married. 

After  that,  Aud  sailed  out  for  Iceland.  She  had  with  her 
in  the  ship  twenty  free  men.^ 

Aud  passed  over  first  to  the  Faroes,  and  gave  in  marriage 
there  Alof,  daughter  of  Thorstein  Red.  From  Alof  are 
descended  the  Gotuskeggiar.^ 

Then  Aud  sailed  for  Iceland,  and  came  to  Vikarsskeid,  and 
was  wrecked  there.  She  went  to  Kialarnes,  to  her  brother 
Helgi  Biola ;  he  asked  her  [to  remain]  there  with  half  of  her 
suite.  But  she  thought  that  was  a  poor  offer,  and  said  that  he 
was  surely  long  [in  growing  out  of  being]  a  niggard.  Then 
she  went  west  to  Breidafiordr,  to  her  brother  Biorn.     He  went 

'  Literally  "road-dwellers";  i.e.,  the  people  of  Nordregote  in  Stromo, 
Faroes  (Kalund). 

2  Cf.  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  122  (F.S.,  i,  246-247);  Fl.,  i,  265. 

^  This  must  have  been  before  Harold's  expedition  to  the  islands,  there- 
fore some  years  before  900. 

^  This  must  have  been  at  least  35  years  after  Thorstein's  birth. 

"  So  far,  this  passage  is  copied  in  Eric  the  Red's  Saga,  c.  i,  p.  4. 

•=  Cf.  Olaf's  Saga,  c.  177  (F.S.,  ii,  89  ;  Fl.,  i,  265).     Cf  also  Fl.,  i,  122. 

Faereyinga  Saga  (Rafn  ;  1832)  pp.  1-2  :  "Aud  the  Deeply-wealthy  went 
to  Iceland,  and  came  to  the  Faroes  ;  and  gave  there  in  marriage  Alof, 
Thorstein  Red's  daughter.  And  thence  are  descended  the  Faroe  people's 
greatest  family,  whom  they  call  Gotuskeggiar,  and  who  lived  in  Austrey." 


AUD  SAILS  FROM  SCOTLAND  381 

to  meet  her  with  his  retainers/  declaring  that  he  knew  his 
sister's  loftiness ;  and  he  invited  her  with  all  her  men.  She 
accepted. 

Afterwards  in  spring  Aud  went  with  her  followers  to 
Breidafiordr.  .  .  .  Then  they  went  inland  by  Eyar-sund.  .  .  . 
Aud  took  all  the  Dales-lands.^ 

'  huskarla. 

"  Ari,  Islendingabok,  c.  2:  "Aud,  daughter  of  Ketil  Flatnose,  a 
Norwegian  chief,  settled  in  the  west  in  Breidafiordr ;  from  her  the 
Breidfirdingar  are  descended." 

Sturla's  version  of  Landndmabok,  cc.  97-110,  pp.  158-160,  describes 
the  settlement  in  Iceland  of  persons  who  went  with  Aud  from  the  British 
Islands.  "Aud  took  all  the  Dales-lands  inside  the  Firths,  from  Dogurdar-d 
to  Skramu-hlaup.  She  lived  in  Hvamm  near  Aurrida-river-mouth ;  the  name 
of  the  place  is  Audartoptir"  ("Aud's  homesteads").  "She  had  her  chapel 
{Bcenahalld)  at  Cross-mounds  ;  there  she  had  crosses  put  up,  because  she 
was  baptized  and  a  good  believer. 

"  Her  kindred  had  afterwards  great  veneration  for  these  mounds  ;  a 
cairn  (haiirg)  was  put  up,  and  they  sacrificed  to  them.  They  believed  that 
they  should  die  into  the  mounds.  And  there  Thord  Yeller  was  conducted 
before  he  took  his  rank,  as  is  said  in  his  saga. 

[c.  98]  "  Aud  gave  land  to  her  ship-men  and  freedmen.  Ketil  was  the 
name  of  a  man  to  whom  she  gave  land  from  Skraumu-hlaup  to  Haurda- 
dale-river.  He  lived  at  Ketil's-stead.  He  was  the  father  of  Vestlidi  and  of 
Einar,  the  father  of  Kleppiarn  and  of  Thorbiorn  whom  [Viga]-Styr  slew, 
and  of  Thordis,  mother  of  Thorgest. 

[c.  99]  "Hord  was  the  name  of  a  shipmate  of  Aud.  To  him  she  gave 
Haurdadalr.     His  son  was  Asbiorn.  ... 

[c.  100]  "  Vifil  was  a  freedman  of  Aud.  He  asked  Aud  why  she  gave 
him  no  dwelling-place,  like  the  others.  She  said  it  was  not  needed  \that 
eigi  skifitd],  [and]  said  that  he  would  seem  to  be  a  gentleman  wherever  he 
should  be.  To  him  she  gave  Vifil's-dale.  There  he  dwelt,  and  was  at 
feud  with  Hord.  A  son  of  Vifil  was  Thorbiorn,  father  of  Gudrid,  whom 
Thorstein,  Eric  the  Red's  son,  married.  .  .  .  Another  son  of  Vifil  was 
Thorgeir,  who  married  Arnora,  the  daughter  of  Lon-Einar  ;  their  daughter 
was  Yngvild,  whom  Thorstein,  son  of  Snorri  Godi,  married."  (Cf  Melabok 
version,  c.  27,  p.  239.) 

[c.  loi]  "  Hundi  was  the  name  of  a  freedman  of  Aud,  [and]  a  Scot.  To 
him  she  gave  Hundi's-dale  ;  there  he  lived  long. 

[c.  102]  "Saudkolf  was  the  name  of  a  freedman  of  Aud.  To  him  she 
gave  Saudkolfs-dale.  He  lived  at  Breidabolstadr,  and  many  men  are 
descended  from  him.  ..." 

Cf.  Laxdoela  Saga,  cc.  5-6,  pp.  8-1 1.  Grants  of  land  are  there  recorded 
to  Hord,  Erp,  Saudkolf,  Hundi,  Vifil. 

Eric  the  Red's  Saga,  c.  i,  p.  4  (Hauksbok,  ii,  426)  says:  "With  her 
came  many  noble  men,  who  had  been  taken  prisoners  in  west-viking,  and 


382  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

[c.  83]  A  man  was  named  Koll,  the  son  of  Wether-Grim, 
the  son  of  Asi,  a  chief.  He  had  control  of  Aud's  affairs,  and 
was  most  highly  esteemed  by  her.  Koll  married  ^  Thorgerd, 
daughter  of  Thorstein  Red.^ 

were  called  enslaved  [d/iau^^r].  One  of  these  was  Vifil.  He  was  a  man 
of  great  family,  and  had  been  taken  prisoner  to  the  west  of  the  sea,  and 
was  called  enslaved  until  Aud  released  him.  .  .  ."  (Here  Eric's  Saga 
abridges  from  Sturla,  but  concludes  thus  :  "  [Thorgeir  and  Thorbiorn] 
were  promising  men,  and  they  grew  up  with  their  father.") 

'  dtti,  perhaps  "  had  married." 

2  Olaf  s  Saga  :  "  Aud  gave  to  Koll  all  Lax-river-dale.  He  became  the 
greatest  nobleman  ;  he  was  called  Dales-Koll." 

Cf  Laxdoela  Saga,  c.  5,  p.  9  :  "  The  same  spring  that  Aud  set  up  house 
at  Hvamm"  (i.e.,  the  spring  after  her  arrival  in  Iceland)  "Koll  married 
Thorgerd,  the  daughter  of  Thorstein  Red.  Aud  paid  the  expenses  of  that 
wedding-feast  ;  she  let  follow  Thorgerd  from  home  all  Lax-river-dale,  and 
[Koll]  set  up  house  there  south  of  Lax-river.  Koll  was  the  most  notable 
man.  Their  son  was  Hauskuld."  Cf.  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  123  ; 
F.S.,  i,  249  (Fl.,  i,  266). 

Aud  had  given  Gro  in  marriage  in  Orkney,  Alof  in  the  Faroes, 
Thorgerd  to  Koll.  Laxdcela  Saga,  c.  6,  p.  11  :  "  Osk  was  the  name  of  the 
fourth  daughter  of  Thorstein  Red  :  she  was  the  mother  of  Thorstein  Surtr 
the  Wise,  who  invented  the  summer-eke. 

"  Thorhild  was  the  fifth  daughter  of  Thorstein  ;  she  was  the  mother  of 
Alf  of  Dales.  Many  men  trace  their  descent  from  him.  His  daughter 
was  Thorgerd,  the  wife  of  Ari  M4's  son  at  Reykia-nes,  the  son  of  Atli, 
the  son  of  Ulf  the  Squinter  and  of  Biorg,  the  daughter  of  Eyvind  and 
sister  of  Helgi  the  Lean.  From  [Thorgerd  and  Ari]  are  descended  the 
men  of  Reykianes. 

"  Vigdis  was  the  name  of  the  sixth  daughter  of  Thorstein.     From  her 
are  descended  the  men  of  Hofdi,  in  Eyiafiordr. 

[c.  7]  "Olaf  Feilan  was  the  youngest  of  Thorstein's  children.  .  .  ." 

Cf.  Sturla's  version  of  Landndmabok,  c.  105,  p.  159:  ".  .  .  [Koll  and 
Thorgerd's]  children  were  Hauskuld,  and  Gro  whom  Veleif  the  Old 
married,  and  Thorkatla  whom  Thorgeir  Godi  married. 

"  Hauskuld  married  Hallfrid,  the  daughter  of  Thorbiorn  of  Vatn. 
Thorleik  was  their  son.  He  married  Thurid,  the  daughter  of  Arnbiorn, 
Slettu-Biorn's  son.     Their  son  was  BoUi. 

"  Hauskuld  bought  Melkorka,  daughter  of  Myrkiartan  [Muirchertach  ?], 
king  of  the  Irish.  Olaf  Peacock  was  their  son,  and  Helgi.  Hauskuld's 
daughters  were  Thurid  and  Thorgerd  and  Hallgerd  Snuinbrok. 

"  Olaf  [Peacock]  married  Thorgerd,  the  daughter  of  Egil  Skallagrim's 
son.  ..." 

Cf  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  cc.  123,  156  (F.S.,  i,  249  ;  ii,  19).  (Fl.,  i, 
266,  308.) 

See  Nial's  Saga,  c.  70. 


DESCENDANTS  OF  THORSTEIN.     MELKORKA         383 

For  the  (unhistorical)  story  of  Melkorka  see  Laxdffila  Saga,  cc.  12-13, 
pp.  33-29  ;  see  also  cc.  16,  20-22.  Myrkiartan's  reign  had  not  ended 
in  the  time  of  Harold  Greycloak  (960-976).  The  names  Melkorka, 
Myrkiartan,  Kiartan  (Olafs  son;  see  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  cc.  156, 
159,  164,  i6g,  174;  Laxdcela  Saga,  c.  28:  etc.),  may  be  Norricized  Irish. 
Melkorka  is  said  in  Laxdffila  Saga  to  have  been  taken  from  Ireland  at 
the  age  of  fifteen,  and  to  have  pretended  to  be  deaf  and  dumb  until 
Hauskuld  surprised  her  talking  to  her  son  ;  and  yet  she  seems  to  have 
been  able  to  talk  Norse  :  but  she  taught  Olaf  to  speak  Irish. 

Melkorka  was  buried  in  a  barrow  in  Lax-river-dale  (Laxdffila  Saga, 
c.  38). 

Egil's  Saga,  c.  78,  p.  255  :  "  Olaf  was  the  name  of  a  man,  the  son  of 
Hauskuld,  Dale-Koll's  son ;  and  the  son  of  Melkorka,  daughter  of 
Myrkiartan,  the  Irish  king.  Olaf  lived  in  Hiardarholt,  in  Lax-river-dale, 
west  in  Breidafiord-dales.  Olaf  was  very  rich  in  treasure  ;  he  was  the 
most  handsome  in  appearance  of  the  men  who  were  then  in  Iceland  ;  he 
was  a  great  leader." 

Olaf  Peacock,  Melkorka's  son,  is  a  prominent  figure  in  the  sagas 
(Laxdffila  Saga,  Nidi's  Saga). 

Olafs  son  Kiartan  visited  Norway  after  earl  Hakon  had  been  succeeded 
by  king  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  (995),  when  king  Olaf  was  christianizing 
Trondhjem  (in  998  ;  Icelandic  Annals,  CDA).  See  Laxdffila  Saga,  c.  40. 
Kiartan  was  baptized,  and  was  at  king  Olafs  Christmas  feast.  See  H., 
Olaf  Tryggvi's  son,  cc.  88-89.     Olafs  Saga,  c.  233  ;  F.S.,  ii,  253-258. 

Sturla's  version  of  Landnamabok,  cc.  106-108,  pp.  159-160:  "  Heriolf, 
son  of  Eyvind  Fire,  married  later  [Thorgerd],  the  daughter  of  Thorstein 
Red.     Hrut  was  their  son.  .  .  . 

[c.  107]  "  Aud  gave  Thorhild,  the  daughter  of  Thorstein  Red,  to  Eystein 
Mein-fret,  son  of  Alf  of  Osta.  Their  son  was  Thord,  father  of  Kolbein, 
father  of  Thord  Skald  ;  and  Alf  of  Dales,  who  married  Halldis,  daughter 
of  Erp.  .  .  . 

[c.  108]  "Aud  gave  Osk,  Thorstein's  daughter,  to  Hallstein  the  baron- 
priest.     Their  son  was  Thorstein  Surtr. 

"Aud  gave  Vigdis,  Thorstein's  daughter,  to  Kampa-Grim.  Their 
daughter  [was]  Arnbiorg.  .  .  ." 

For  Thorgerd  and  her  marriage  to  Heriolf  in  Norway  cf.  Laxdffila 
Saga,  c.  7,  pp.  15-17. 

For  Thorgerd's  sons  Hauskuld  and  Hrut,  and  Hauskuld's  daughter 
Hallgerd,  see  the  beginning  of  Nial's  Saga  ;  Laxdffila  Saga,  cc.  8  fif.  Hall- 
gerd's  foster-father  was  Thiostolf,  a  Hebridean  (Nial's  Saga,  c.  9). 

Hrut  was  "Auzur's  brother's  son";  and  he  flourished  in  the  reign  of 
Harold  Greycloak  [960-976],  according  to  Nial's  Saga,  c.  3. 

Laxdffila  Saga,  c.  8,  p.  16  :  "  Hrut  [Heriolf  and  Thorgerd's  son]  was  of 
all  men  the  fairest  to  look  on,  just  as  had  been  Thorstein  his  mother's 
father,  or  Ketil  Flatnose.     He  was  the  most  capable  man  in  all  respects." 

Laxdffila  Saga,  c.  19,  pp.  44-45  :  "Hrut  was  one  of  the  bodyguard  of 
king  Harold,  Gunnhild's  son  ;  and  he  had  with  him  great  esteem.     That 


384  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Erp  was  the  name  of  a  freedman  of  Aud.  He  was  a  son 
of  Maelduin,  an  earl  in  Scotland,  who  had  been  killed  by  earl 
Sigurd  the  Mighty.  Erp's  mother  was  Myrgiol,  the  daughter 
of  Gliomal,  king  of  the  Irish.  Earl  Sigurd  had  taken  them  in 
the  spoils  of  war,  and  made  them  slaves.  Myrgiol  was  the 
bondwoman  of  the  earl's  wife,  and  served  her  faithfully.  She 
knew  many  things.  She  preserved  her  mistress's  unborn  child 
while  she  was  in  the  bath.  After  that  Aud  bought  her  for  a 
high  price,  and  promised  her  freedom  if  she  served  Thurid,  the 
wife  of  Thorstein  the  Red,  as  she  had  served  her  mistress. 
Then  Myrgiol  and  her  son  Erp  sailed  with  Aud  to  Iceland.^ 

889  X  900 

Eyrbyggia  Saga,  c.  6,  p.  14 

Some  winters  afterwards^  Aud  the  Deep-minded  came  out 
[to    Iceland] ;    and   she   was   the   first   winter  with  Biorn,  her 

was  principally  because  he  was  the  best  in  all  manly  risks.     But  queen 
Gunnhild  liked  him  so  well  that  she  held  none  in  the  bodyguard  to  be 
his  equal  either  in  words  or  in  other  respects.  .  .  ."     Cf.  Nial's  Saga,  c.  3. 
According   to   Laxdoela   Saga,   cc.    8-9,  Thorgerd   died   when    Hakon, 
^thelstan's  foster-son,  was  king  in  Norway  (935  X961). 

'  Cf.  Sturla's  version,  c.  103,  p.  158  :  "To  Erp,  the  son  of  earl  Maelduin 
(as  has  been  said  before),  Aud  gave  his  freedom  and  the  land  of  Saudafell. 
From  him  the  Erplingar  are  descended.  A  son  of  Erp  was  called  Orm. 
Another  [was]  Gunbiorn,  the  father  of  Arnora,  whom  Kolbein  Thord's 
son  married.  A  third  [was]  Asgeir,  the  father  of  Thororna,  whom 
Sumarlidi,  Hrapp's  son,  married.  A  daughter  of  Erp  was  Halldis,  whom 
Alf  in  the  Dales  married.  Donald  was  a  son  of  Erp  ;  [he  was]  the  father 
of  Thorkel,  father  of  Hialti,  father  of  Beinir.  Skati  was  a  son  of  Erp  ; 
[he  was]  the  father  of  Thord,  the  father  of  Gisli,  the  father  of  Thorgerd." 

Laxdoela  Saga,  c.  6,  p.  10:  "Aud  spoke  to  her  men:  'Now  shall  you 
take  the  reward  of  your  labours  ;  also  we  have  now  no  lack  of  means  to 
pay  you  for  your  work  and  your  good-will.  And  it  is  known  to  you  that 
I  have  given  freedom  to  the  man  who  is  called  Erp,  the  son  of  earl 
Maelduin  ;  it  was  far  from  me  that  I  should  wish  so  high-born  a  man  to 
bear  the  name  of  thrall.'  Then  Aud  gave  him  Saudafell's-lands,  between 
Tungu-river  and  Mid-river.  His  children  were  Orm,  and  Asgeir,  Gunn- 
biorn,  and  Halldis,  who  was  married  to  Dales-Alf." 

^  I.e.,  some  winters  after  886,  in  which  year  Biorn  sailed  from  the 
Hebrides  to  Iceland.  But  Aud  sailed  out  and  settled  in  Iceland  some 
little  time  after  Thorstein's  death  (889  x  900). 

It  must  be  considered  whether  the  Catol  who  appears  in  904  (below) 
was  Ketil  Flatnose  ;  and  whether  the  Scandinavian  invasion  of  903-904, 


EARL  MAELDUIN.      OLAF  FEILAN  385 

brother.  Afterwards  she  took  all  the  Dale-lands  in  Breida- 
fiordr,  between  Skraumuhlaup-river  and  Dogurd-river ;  and 
she  dwelt  in  Hvamm.  In  these  times  all  Breidafiordr  was 
settled,  but  we  need  not  here  tell  of  the  settlements  of  the 
men  that  do  not  come  into  this  story.  .  .  . 

889x932 

Gretti's  Saga,  c.  10,  pp.  24-25 

Onund  [Wooden-leg]  was  so  valiant  a  man  that  few  could 
match  him  though  they  were  whole.  He  was  also  renowned 
through  all  the  land,  because  of  his  ancestry. 

Next  arose  the  strife  between  Ofeig  Grettir  and  Thorbiorn 
Earl's-champion ;  and  it  ended  thus,  that  Ofeig  fell  before 
Thorbiorn  in  Grettisgeil,  by  Hisell.^  There  was  a  great 
gathering  to  Ofeig's  sons  for  the  blood-suit.  Onund  Wooden- 
leg  was  sent  for,  and  he  rode  south  in  spring  and  abode  at 
Hvamm  with  Aud  the  Deep-minded.  She  received  him  well, 
because  he  had  been  with  her  in  the  west  beyond  the  sea. 

Olaf  Feilan  was  then  fully-grown :  Aud  was  then  much 
worn  by  age.  She  requested  of  Onund  that  he  would  get  a 
wife  for  Olaf,  his  relative ;  and  wished  him  to  ask  for  Alfdis  the 
Barra-woman.  She  was  the  first-cousin^  of  ^sa,  whom  Onund 
had  married.  Onund  thought  this  promising,  and  Olaf  rode 
south  with  him.  And  when  Onund  met  his  friends  and 
kinsmen-in-law,  they  invited  him  to  [dwell  with]  them. 

Then  the  [blood-]  suits  were  discussed ;  and  they  were  left 
to  the  Kialarnes  assembly,  because  then  still  a  general  assembly 
had    not    been    established.^      Then    the    suits    were    put    to 

which  was  crushed  in  Strathearn,  was  Thorstein's.  These  events  would 
then  have  happened  after  the  later  expedition  from  Norway  ;  and  the 
sagas'  chronology  and  connection  of  the  events  would  be  entirely  erroneous, 
as  possibly  in  the  case  of  Egil's  Saga  and  the  battle  of  Vm-heath  (below, 
Part  XV).  In  this  case,  the  sagas  are  of  a  more  historical  character  ; 
they  describe  events  that  occurred  nearer  home  ;  and  the  evidence  that 
opposes  them  is  weak.  It  is  uncertain  that  Catol  invaded  Pictland  ;  and 
the  invaders  of  Strathearn  probably  came  from  Ireland. 

'  Cf.  above,  p.  329,  note. 

^  Alfdis  and  yEsa  were  second  cousins,  according   to    Gretti's    Saga. 
c.  3,  p.  6. 

^  Ari  says  in  the  beginning  of  the  Islendingabok  (cc.  2-3)  that  "when 
Iceland  had  been  widely  settled,  then  an  eastern  man,  who  was  called 

2   B 


386  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Ulfliot,  first  brought  laws  out  hither  from  Norway  (so  said  Teit  to  us)  ; 
and  they  were  called  Ulfliot's  Laws.  .  .  .  And  they  were  established 
mostly  in  accordance  with  what  the  Gula-thing's  laws  were  then  ;  the 
counsels  of  Thorleif  the  Wise,  Horda-Kari's  son,  were  [followed]  also, 
where  they  should  add  or  reject,  or  establish  a  different  way.  .  .  . 

"The  Althing  was  established,  by  counsel  of  Ulfliot  and  all  the  men 
of  the  land,  in  the  place  where  it  now  is  [ca.  1030]  ;  but  formerly  there 
was  at  Kialarnes  the  Thing  that  Thorstein,  Ingolf  the  Settler's  son,  father 
of  the  law-speaker  Thorkel  Moon,  had  had  there,  and  such  lords  as  came 
there.  .  .  .  Wise  men  have  said  too  that  Iceland  was  fully  settled  in  60 
winters,  so  that  there  was  not  more  [habitable  land]  after  that.  About 
this  time  Hrafn,  son  of  Hfeng  the  Settler,  took  the  law-speakership,  next 
to  Ulfliot,  and  held  it  20  summers.  He  was  from  Rang-ar-hverfi.  That 
was  60  winters  after  the  slaying  of  king  Edward,  a  winter  or  two  before 
Harold  the  Fairhaired  was  dead,  according  to  the  account  of  wise 
men." 

Ari  here  plainly  indicates  that  Hrafn  became  Law-speaker  in  930,  and 
that  Harold  died  about  931  or  932.  Landndmabok  (p.  125)  gives  a  list  of 
the  inhabitants  of  Iceland  in  930. 

Cf  Vigfusson,  Corpus  Poeticum,  ii,  494  ff. 

According  to  the  Icelandic  Annals,  "  Ulfliot  came  with  law  to  Iceland" 
in  927  (CDAP  ;  928  L).  (So  also  in  the  list  of  law-speakers  in  Islendinga 
Sogur  (1843),  i,  337.) 

Hrafn,  son  of  Ketil  Hsengr,  was  appointed  law-speaker  of  Iceland  in 
929  (KBD  ;  930,  CAPL  and  the  list  of  lawmen  u.s.  ;  928  E.  For  year- 
letters  e  .1  in  A,  read  c  J). 

Doubtless  the  Gula-thing  was  later  a  pattern  for  the  Althing  ;  but  if 
Ulfliot  formed  the  Althing  in  927-930,  the  Norwegian  Gula-thing  must 
rather  have  been  originally  modelled  upon  the  Icelandic  Althing,  than  the 
other  way  round.  Thorleif  Spiki  advised  Hakon  the  Good  in  the  setting 
up  of  the  Gula-thing  (935x961);  H.,  Hakon  the  Good,  c.  11;  Olafs 
Saga,  c.  20;  F.S.,  i,  31  ;  cf  Landnamabok,  c.  268,  p.  95,  which  supports 
Islendingabok.  A  kingless  community  needed  an  established  legal 
assembly;  the  need  had  been  partly  served  by  the  Kialarnes  assembly, 
of  which  the  Althing  was  a  generalization.  It  would  not  be  surprising  if 
the  law-assembly  had  been  perfected  first  in  the  society  that  needed  it 
most. 

Either  this  is  what  happened,  and  Ari  a  century  later  did  not  know  it ; 
or  else  Ari  has  confused  the  dates,  and  placed  the  final  establishment  of 
the  Althing  some  ten  years  too  soon. 

The  Althing  was  held  near  the  Oxar-a  (Axe-river).  See  i.a.  the  map 
in  K.  Kalund's  Bidrag  til  en  historisk-topografisk  Beskrivelse  af  Island, 
vol.  i,  pp.  92x93  (Copenhagen,  1877). 

The  Althing  ("general  assembly")  began  on  nth- 17th  June  until  998, 
but  from  999  onwards  on  i8th-24th  June  (Ari's  Islendingabok,  c.  7).  It 
lasted  for  a  fortnight;  cf  Grdgds  (1879),  113;  Maurer,  Entstehung  des 
Islandischen  Staats,  (1852)  p.  148. 


OLAF  AND  ALFDIS  387 

arbitration,  and  great  atonement  was  av/arded  for  the  slaying, 
and  Thorbiorn  Earl's-champion  was  made  outlaw. 

Thrond  invited  to  his  house  Onund  and  Olaf,  and  so  did 
Thormod  Skapti.  They  supported  Olaf's  suit,  and  it  was 
easily  won,  because  men  knew  how  great  a  lady  Aud  was ;  and 
the  matter  was  settled.  When  things  had  been  so  arranged, 
Onund  and  Olaf  rode  home.  Aud  thanked  Onund  for  his 
support  to  Olaf 

That  autumn  Olaf  Feilan  married  Alfdis  the  Barra-woman. 
Then  died  Aud  the  Deep-minded,  as  is  said  in  Laxdoela  Saga. 

889  X 

Sturla's  version  of  Landuainalb6k,  c.  109,  p.  160 

Aud  fostered  Olaf  Feilan,  son  of  Thorstein  the  Red.^  [Olaf] 
married  Alfdis  -  of  Barra,  the  daughter  of  Konal,  son  of  Steinmod, 
son  of  Olvi  Barnakarl.^  The  son  of  Konal  was  Steinmod, 
father  of  Halldora,  whom  Eilif,  son  of  Ketil  One-handed, 
married.  [Olaf  and  Alfdis's]  children  [were]  Thord  Yeller  and 
Thora,  the  mother  of  Thorgrim,  the  father  of  Snorri  Godi ;  she 
was  also  the  mother  of  Bork  the  Stout,  and  Mi,  Hallvard's  son. 
Ingiald  and  Grani  were  Olaf  Feilan's  sons.  Vigdis  was  the 
name  of  a  daughter  of  Olaf  Feilan.  .  .  .*  Helga  was  the  name 
of  a  third  daughter  of  Olaf.  .  .  .  Thurid^  was  the  name  of  a 
fourth  daughter  of  Olaf  Feilan.^  .  .  . 

1  Cf.  Laxdoela  Saga,  c.  7,  p.  11:  "  Olaf  Feilan  was  the  youngest  of 
Thorstein's  children.  He  was  a  big  man,  and  strong,  fair  to  look  at,  and 
a  man  of  the  greatest  [physical]  accomplishments.  Aud  thought  more  of 
him  than  of  all  [other]  men,  and  declared  before  men  that  she  intended  for 
Olaf  all  her  property  in  Hvamm  after  her  day.  Aud  was  becoming  much 
worn  by  old  age "  ;  she  suggested  that  Olaf  should  marry  at  the  end  of 
the  summer.  In  autumn  Olaf  married  Alfdis.  Aud  died  in  the  first  night 
of  the  feast;  the  wedding-feast  was  also  Aud's  funeral  feast  (pp.  11-13). 
"  Olaf  became  a  powerful  man  and  a  great  lord  ;  he  lived  at  Hvamm  till 
he  was  old"  (pp.  13-14)- 

Cf.  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  122  (F.S.,  i,  248).     Cf.  Fl.,  i,  265-266. 

2  The  MS.  has  "  Asdis,"  erroneously  ;  read  Aldis. 
2  See  above,  p.  319. 

■i  Blank  space  in  MS. 

6  Read  "  Thordis  "  (Jonsson). 

<!  Laxdoela  Saga,  c.  7,  p.  14  :  "The  children  of  Olaf  and  Alfdis  were 
Thord  Yeller,  who  married  Hrodny,  daughter  of  Midfiord-Skeggi  ;  .  .  .  a 
daughter  of  Olaf  Feilan  was  Thora,  who  was  married  to  Thorstein  Cod- 


388  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

[c.  I  lo]  Aud  was  a  tall  stately  dame.^  When  she  was  out- 
worn with  age,  she  invited  to  her  her  kinsmen  and  kinsmen-in- 
law,  and  prepared  a  rich  banquet.  And  when  the  banquet  had 
gone  on  for  three  nights,  she  chose  gifts  for  her  friends,  and 
gave  them  good  counsel.  She  said  that  the  banquet  should  go 
on  for  other  three  nights ;  she  said  that  this  should  be  her 
funeral  feast.  The  night  after,  she  died :  and  she  was  buried 
on  the  ebb-shore,^  as  she  had  said  before,  because  she  wished 
not  to  lie  in  unconsecrated  ground,  since  she  was  baptized.^ 

After  that  the  faith  of  her  relatives  deteriorated. 

ca.  894 

Heimskringla,  Harold  Fairhair's  Saga,  c.  30* 

Tlie  burning  of  Ronald,  earl  of  Mcerr. 

When  king  Harold  was  forty  years  of  age,^  many  of  his  sons 

biter,  son  of  Thorolf  Moster's-beard.  .  .  .  Helga  was  the  name  of  another 
daughter  of  Olaf ;  she  was  married  to  Gunnar  Hlif's  son.  .  .  .  Thorunn 
was  another  daughter  of  his  ;  she  was  married  to  Herstein,  son  of  Thorkel, 
Blund-Ketil's  son.  Thordis  was  the  name  of  the  third  daughter  of  Olaf; 
she  was  married  to  Thorarin,  the  lawman,  Ragi's  brother."  (Cf.  Sturla's 
version  of  Landnamabok,  c.  35,  p.  140.) 

For  Thord  Yeller,  see  Islendingabok,  c.  5  ;  Landnamabok,  cc.  73,  355 
(where  he  is  said  to  have  flourished  in  930)  ;  H.,  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son,  c.  37. 
Cf  also  Laxdosla  Saga,  and  Hosnsa-Thori's  Saga. 

For  Ma,  Hallvard's  son,  cf  Eyrbyggia  Saga,  cc.  11,  15  ;  pp.  27,  38-39. 

^  vegs  kona  mikil.  Cf  Laxdcela  Saga,  c.  7,  p.  13  :  "  Men  said  that  Aud 
had  been  both  tall  and  strong." 

^  i  fladar  mdli. 

^  Laxdcela  Saga,  c.  7,  p.  13  :  "And  on  the  last  day  of  the  wedding  Aud 
was  carried  to  the  barrow  which  had  been  prepared  for  her.  She  was  laid 
in  a  ship  in  the  barrow,  and  much  treasure  was  laid  in  the  barrow  with 
her.     After  that  the  barrow  v/as  closed  over  her"  [aptr  kasta'Sr). 

^  Cf  the  somewhat  differing  versions  of  O.S.,  c.  8,  i,  7-9  ;  Fl.,  i,  223  : 
and  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  97  ;  F.S.,  i,  196.     Cf  Fr.,  54-55. 

°  Harold  was  probably  born  in  854  (see  above,  p.  323). 

Icelandic  Annals  KBODE,  which  place  his  birth  in  852  (because  they 
accept  Landnamabok's  date  of  his  accession,  862),  say  that  Harold  divided 
his  kingdom  among  his  sons  in  892,  that  is  to  say,  when  he  was  forty  years 
old  ;  but  CA,  placing  his  birth  in  848,  put  the  division  of  the  kingdom  in 
898,  i.e.,  when  he  had  reigned  for  forty  years.  The  Annals  seem  to  have 
got  the  number  40  from  this  passage  of  Heimskringla. 

Heimskringla  clearly  implies  that  Ronald  died  soon  after  Harold  was 
forty  years  old  (i.e.  894  x  904),  if  not  in  the  same  year  (894). 


DEATHS  OF  AUD,  RONALD,  AND  HALFDAN   389 

had  grown  up  well ;  they  were  all  early  mature.^  It  came 
about  that  they  were  ill-content  because  the  king  gave  them  no 
dominions,  but  set  an  earl  over  every  county ;  and  they  thought 
these  earls  less  well-born  than  themselves.  Then  one  spring 
they  set  out,  Halfdan  Longleg  and  Godfrey  Li6mi,^  with  a 
great  company  of  men,  and  came  unexpectedly  upon  Ronald, 
earl  of  Masrr,  and  took  the  house  above  him,  and  burnt  him  in 
it  with  sixty  men. 

Then  Halfdan  took  three  long-ships,^  and  made  ready  and 
sailed  to  west  beyond  the  sea  ;  but  Godfrey  settled  there  in  the 
lands  which  Ronald,  earl  of  Mserr,  had  had  before. 

But  when  king  Harold  learned  this,  he  went  immediately 
with  a  great  army  against  Godfrey;  and  Godfrey  saw  that  he 
had  no  other  choice  but  to  give  himself  up  into  king  Harold's 
power.  And  the  king  sent  him  east  to  Agdir;  but  the  king 
set  up  earl  Ronald's  son  Thori  there  as  earl  over  Maerr,  and 
gave  to  him  in  marriage  his  daughter  Alof,  who  was  called  the 
Season-bettering.  So  earl  Thori  the  Silent  had  dominion  just 
as  his  father,  earl  Ronald,  had  had. 

ca.  894 

Heimskringla,  Harold  Fairhair's  Saga,  c.  31  * 

The  death  of  Halfdan  Longleg. 

Halfdan  Longleg  came  west  to  the  Orkneys,  and  very 
unexpectedly  :  and  earl  Einar  fled  at  once  from  the  islands, 
over  to  [Caith]ness^ ;  and  he  returned  immediately  the  same 
autumn,  and  so  came  unexpectedly  upon  Halfdan.  They 
fought,  and  there  was  a  disgraceful  battle,  and  Halfdan  fled.^ 

'  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  2  :  "King  Harold  had  many  wives  and 
many  children:  hehadtwenty  sons,  or  more."    Cf.  H.,  Harold  Fairhair,  c.  21. 

Cf.  also  the  Upphaf,  F.S.,  x,  194. 

Orkneyinga  Saga  and  Olaf's  Saga  do  not  mention  a  year,  but  imply 
that  Harold's  sons  had  recently  come  to  full  growth. 

2  Ljomi,  "Gleam"  Morris  and  Magnusson  ;  perhaps  "the  Ardent." 
These  were  Harold's  sons  by  Snaefrid,  according  to  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's 

Saga  and  O.S.  ;  cf.  H.,  Harold  Fairhair,  c.  25. 

3  "Two  long-ships"  MS.  A  of  Olaf's  Saga,  u.s. 

*  Cf.  Fr.,  55  ;  O.S.,  i,  7-10,  c.  8.  F.,  296-298.  A  shorter  version  is  in 
Fl.,  i,  224. 

■'  "  Halfdan  laid  the  islands  under  him,  and  made  himself  king  over 
them"  O.S. 

"  "And  Halfdan  leapt  overboard  in  the  dark,  in  the  evening"  O.S. 


390  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Since  it  was  on  the  verge  of  night-fall,  Einar  and  his  men  lay 
tentless  that  night ;  but  when  the  morning  began  to  lighten, 
they  sought  the  fugitives  among  the  islands,  and  every  one  was 
cut  down  where  he  stood. 

Then  earl  Einar  spoke  :  "  I  do  not  know  "  said  he,  "  what  I 
see  out  in  Rinansey,^  a  man  or  a  bird ;  sometimes  it  rises, 
sometimes  it  lies  down." 

Then  they  went  thither,  and  found  there  Halfdan  Longleg, 
and  they  took  him  captive.  .  .  ?  Then  earl  Einar  went  to 
Halfdan.  He  carved  on  him  an  eagle  on  the  back,  in  such  a 
manner  that  he  cut  with  his  sword  along  his  back-bone  to  the 
inwards,  and  cut  all  the  ribs  right  down  to  his  loins,  and  drew 
out  there  the  lungs ;  that  was  the  death  of  Halfdan.^  .  .  .* 

Then  earl  Einar  settled  in  the  Orkneys,  as  he  had  had 
them  before.  But  when  these  tidings  were  known  in  Norway, 
Halfdan's  brothers  took  it  very  ill,  and  they  said  that  it  mast 
be  avenged,  and  many  others  agreed  to  that.^  .  .  ." 

894  X 

Heimskringla,  Harold  Fairhair's  Saga,  c.  32" 

The  peace  between  king  Harold  and  earl  Einar. 

King  Harold  brought  out  his  army,  and  collected  a  great 

^  North  Ronaldshay. 

2  Eight  lines  of  verse  follow,  in  which  Einar  expresses  his  desire  to 
avenge  his  father  (cf.  O.S.  ;  F.). 

^  Orkneyinga  Saga  :  "And  Einar  caused  an  eagle  to  be  carved  upon 
[Halfdan's]  back  with  a  sword,  cutting  all  the  ribs  from  his  back-bone  and 
drawing  the  lungs  out  there  ;  and  he  gave  him  to  Odin  for  his  victory." 
Similarly  in  Fl.,  i,  222  (reading:  "a  blood-eagle").  This  seems  to  have 
been  a  heathen  ritual  of  torture. 

For  the  blood-eagle,  see  Sogu-brot  af  Norna-Gesti,  c.  6,  Rafn's  Fornaldar 
Sogur,  i,  328-329  ;  Thattr  af  Ragnars  Sonum,  c.  3,  ibid.,  354.  (Fortids 
Sagaer,  i,  304,  327.) 

''  In  8  lines  of  verse  Einar  boasts  at  the  burial  of  Halfdan.  Other 
8  lines  precede  this  in  O.S.     Cf  F. 

s  Orkneyinga  Saga,  c.  8  ;  i,  9  :  "  .  .  .  Then  his  brothers  were  very 
angry  about  it,  and  they  vowed  that  they  would  go  to  the  Orkneys  and 
avenge  him.     But  king  Harold  delayed  it."     (Cf  Fl.,  i,  224.) 

°  Einar  defies  them  in  8  lines  of  verse  (also  in  Fr.  ;  cf  O.S.).  For 
Turf-Einar's  verses,  see  J.S.,  i.  A,  31-32  ;  B,  27-28.  (Cf  Corpus  Poeticum 
Boreale,  i,  371-372.) 

7  Cf  Fr.,  56  ;  O.S.,  i,  10,  c.  8  (Fl.,  i,  224)  ;  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga, 
c.  97  (F.S.,  i,  196-197). 


KING  HAROLD'S  EXPEDITION  391 

host ;  and  then  sailed  west  to  the  Orkneys.^  And  when  earl 
Einar  knew  that  king  Harold  had  come  from  the  east,  he  went 
over  to  [Caith]ness.  .  .  .^ 

Then  men  and  messengers  went  between  the  king  and  the 
earl,  and  it  came  about  that  a  meeting  was  arranged ;  and  they 
met  in  person,  and  the  earl  put  everything  to  the  king's 
judgement.  King  Harold  judged  that  earl  Einar  and  all  the 
Orkneymen  should  pay  a  fine  of  sixty  marks  of  gold. 

The  farmers  thought  the  fine  excessive ;  so  the  earl  offered 
them  that  he  would  pay  the  fine  alone,  and  that  he  should  then 
possess  all  the  odal  lands  ^  in  the  islands.  To  this  they  agreed, 
principally  because  the  poor  [farmers]  had  small  lands,*  but  the 
rich  thought  they  would  redeem  their  odal  lands  as  soon  as 
they  wished. 

The  earl  paid  all  the  fine  to  the  king ;  and  the  king  went 
east  afterwards,  in  autumn.  It  was  the  case  for  a  long  time 
afterwards  in  the  Orkneys  that  the  earls  had  all  the  odal  lands, 
down  to  the  time  when  Sigurd  Hlodve's  son  gave  back  the 
odal  lands.^ 

'  "  Some  time  later,  king  Harold  went  west  beyond  the  sea,  and  came 
to  the  islands"  Fl.  Harold  came  "a  little  after"  the  death  of  Halfdan, 
according  to  Olaf's  Saga,  u.s. 

^  Eight  lines  of  verse  are  here  attributed  to  Einar.  These  stand  earlier 
in  O.S.,  i,  8-9. 

^  oSul  oil :  hereditary  free-holds.  For  Harold's  policy  in  regard  to 
them,  see  H.,  Harold  Fairhair,  c.  6. 

*  See  year  995. 

*  "And  the  farmers  agreed  to  this,  because  the  rich  ones  thought  they 
could  redeem  their  lands,  and  the  poor  ones  had  no  money  to  pay 
with"  Fl. 


PART  XIV 

Harold  Fairhair's  Invasion.    Reign  of  Constantine  II 

ca.  874-894  X  900 

Heimskringla,  St  Olaf's  Saga,  c.  96  ^ 

The  earls'  saga. 

It  is  said  that  in  the  days  of  Harold  the  Fairhaired,  king  of 
Norway,  the  Orkneys  were  peopled  ;  but  before  that  they  were 
a  vikings'  lair. 

Sigurd  was  the  name  of  the  first  earl  of  the  Orkneys  ;  he 
was  the  son  of  Eystein  Glumra,  and  brother  of  Ronald,  earl  of 
Mserr.  And  after  Sigurd,  his  son  Guthorm,  for  one  winter. 
After  him,  Turf-Einar,  the  son  of  earl  Ronald,  took  the  earldom, 
and  was  earl  for  a  long  time,  and  a  powerful  man. 

Halfdan  Longleg,  Harold  Fairhair's  son,  went  against  Turf- 
Einar  and  drove  him  out  of  the  Orkneys.  Then  Einar  came 
afterwards,  and  slew  Halfdan  in  Rinansey. 

After  that,  king  Harold  went  with  an  army  to  the  Orkneys. 
Then  Einar  fled  up  into  Scotland.  King  Harold  caused  the 
Orkneymen  to  swear  to  him  all  their  hereditary  lands.^ 
Afterwards  the  king  and  earl  made  peace  there,  and  the  earl 
became  [Harold's]  liege-man,  and  took  the  lands  in  fief  from 
the  king  ;  but  he  was  to  pay  no  tribute  for  them,  because  they 
were  much  exposed  to  war.  The  earl  paid  the  king  [a  fine  of] 
sixty  marks  of  gold. ^ 

Then  king  Harold  plundered  in  Scotland,  as  is  told  in 
Glymdrapa.* 

^  Similarly  in  St  Olaf's  Saga,  in  F.S.,  iv,  212. 

-  oil  d^zil  sin.  Snorri's  St  Olaf's  Saga  reads  :  "  King  Harold  caused 
the  Orkneymen  to  swear  to  him  all  the  odal  [lands]  in  the  Orkneys,  for  the 
killing  of  Halfdan"  (91  ;  F.S.,  iv,  212). 

2  Cf.  with  this  account  the  speech  of  king  Olaf  in  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's 
Saga,  c.  98  (Fornmanna  Sogur,  i,  201)  ;  Fl.  version,  c.  187. 

*  Hornklofi's  Glymdrdpa  has  already  been  quoted  in  Heimskringla's 
earlier  version  of  larla  Saga  (Harold  Fairhair,  c.  22),  in  connection  with 


392 


HAROLD'S  INVASION.      TURF-EINAR'S  SONS         393 

894  X  900 

Orkneyinga  Saga,  c.  8  ;  vol.  i,  p.  10^ 

King  Harold  sailed  to  Norway  after  that.^  And  earl  Einar 
ruled  over  the  Orkneys  for  a  long  time,  and  died  of  sickness. 
He  had  three  sons :  one  was  called  Arnkel ;  another,  Erlend  ; 
the  third,  Thorfinn  the  Skull-cleaver.^ 

894x932 

Heimskringla,  Harold  Fairhair's  Saga,  c.  34  * 

To  Thorgils  and  Frodi^  king  Harold  gave  warships^;  and 
they  went  upon  western  piracy,  and  plundered   in  Scotland, 

Harold's  alleged  earlier  expedition  to  the  west,  in  874.  Hornklofi's  poem, 
as  it  is  preserved  (cf.  J.S.,  i,  B,  22-26),  describes  only  one  expedition.  This 
is  another  point  of  difference  between  Heimskringla's  two  versions  of  larla 
Saga  :  the  first  understanding  Hornklofi  to  speak  of  the  earlier  expedition) 
the  second  understanding  him  to  speak  of  the  later.  Here,  as  elsewhere, 
preference  is  to  be  given  to  the  second  version.  It  is  practically  certain 
that  Harold  did  not  invade  the  Hebrides  in  874,  although  about  that  time 
the  family  of  Ronald  earl  of  Masrr  made  an  expedition  to  Orkney,  and  Ketil 
Flatnose  and  his  family  made  an  expedition  to  the  Hebrides. 

Neither  expedition  is  mentioned  in  the  Chronicles  of  the  Kings,  unless 
the  storming  of  Dunnottar  (S89  x  900)  was  an  episode  of  the  later  expedition, 
as  it  may  very  well  have  been.  Harold  had  delayed  his  retaliation  against 
Turf-Einar  in  order  to  prepare  an  expedition  capable  of  resisting  any  army 
the  king  of  Scotland  might  bring  against  him. 

Evidence  of  Harold's  power  over  the  Scottish  islands  in  the  beginning 
of  the  tenth  century  appears  in  the  romance  of  Mousa  Broch  ;  see  below. 

'  From  FL,  i,  224.  Similarly  in  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga.  c.  97 
(F.S.,  i,  197). 

^  I.e.,  after  Harold's  sons'  vow  to  avenge  Halfdan. 

^  Landndmabok,  c.  221,  p.  85  :  "  Earl  Turf-Einar  got  a  daughter  in  his 
youth.  She  was  called  Thordis.  Earl  Ronald  brought  her  up,  and  gave 
her  to  Thorgeir  Klaufi.  Their  son  was  Einar.  He  sailed  to  the  Orkneys 
to  find  his  relatives  ;  they  would  not  receive  him  in  kinship.  Then  [Einar] 
sailed  to  Iceland  with  two  brothers,  Vestmann  and  Vemund.  .  .  ."  For 
Turf-Einar's  daughter  Hlif,  see  Origines  Islandicae,  i,  247. 

*  Similarly  in  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  2 ;  F.S.,  i,  7-8 ;  and  in  FL,  i,  42. 

*  Thorgils  and  Frodi  were  Harold's  sons  by  Svanhild,  earl  Eystein's 
daughter  ;  F.S.,  i,  5  (Fl.,  i,  41,  575).  Their  expedition  is  mentioned  in  the 
Upphaf  Rikis  Haraldar  Harfagra  ;  F.S.,  x,  196-197.  It  probably  occurred 
soon  after  894. 

"  "a  warship"  Olaf's  Saga. 


394  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Wales,  and  Ireland.     They  were  the  first  of  the  Norwegians  to 
possess  Dublin  in  Ireland.^ 

1  This  is  incorrect.  The  Norwegians  built  a  castle  in  Dublin  in  841, 
twenty  years  after  their  first  recorded  invasion  of  the  district  (Annals  of 
Ulster). 

Snorri's  St  OlaPs  Saga,  p.  5  :  "  [Harold's  son's]  Frodi  and  Thorgils  were 
established  in  Dublin  in  Ireland"  {sethizj  read  liltust  "had  died  in,"  as  in 
F.S.,  iv,  9). 

Tuirgeis  (t  ca.  845  ;  see  above,  p.  277)  was  perhaps  the  first  Scandinavian 
to  invade,  if  not  to  occupy,  Dublin.  It  is  possible,  but  not  likely,  that  the 
sagas  have  confused  him  with  Thorgils,  Harold's  son. 

An  interesting  story  which  shows  Harold's  power  in  the  west  about  the 
beginning  of  the  loth  century  is  the  following  romance  of  Mousa  Broch. 

Egil's  Saga,  cc.  32-33  ;  pp.  98-102  :  "Biorn  was  the  name  of  a  powerful 
chief  in  Sogn  ;  he  lived  in  Aurland.  His  son  was  Bryniolf,  who  took  the 
whole  inheritance  after  his  father.  Bryniolf's  sons  were  Biorn  and 
Thord.  .  .  .  Biorn  was  a  great  traveller ;  he  was  sometimes  in  piracy, 
sometimes  on  merchant-voyages.  .  .  ."  He  carried  off  to  his  father's  house 
Thora  Lace-hand,  sister  of  baron  \^herszrj  "chieftain  "]  Thori,  Hroald's  son  ; 
but  Thori  and  Bryniolf  forbade  their  marriage.  [F.  Jonsson  dates  this  in 
898,  in  his  table  of  the  saga.]  "And  so  the  winter  passed.  But  when 
spring  began,  [899,  according  to  Jonsson]  one  day  Bryniolf  and  Biorn 
discussed  their  plans.  Bryniolf  asked  what  [Biorn]  intended  to  do  ;  Biorn 
said  it  was  most  likely  that  he  should  go  away  out  of  the  land.  '  It  is  most 
to  my  mind'  said  he,  'that  thou  shouldest  give  me  a  long-ship  and  a 
company,  and  I  should  go  on  piracy.'  'There  is  no  hope'  said  Bryniolf, 
'  that  I  should  give  thee  a  warship  and  a  large  company,  because  I  know 
not  whether  thou  mightest  not  then  go  there  where  I  least  wish  ;  enough 
trouble  already  has  come  of  thee.  I  shall  give  thee  a  merchant  ship  and 
a  cargo  ;  then  go  thou  south  to  Dublin  ;  that  is  now  the  most  famous 
voyage.  I  will  give  thee  a  good  company.'"  But  when  Biorn  got  the  ship, 
Thora  went  with  him  to  sea.  They  kept  clear  of  Norway's  coasts.  "  One 
day  they  sailed  from  the  east  to  Shetland  in  a  sharp  storm,  and  they 
injured  their  ship  in  landing  at  Mousa  \_Mdsey\ ;  they  took  off  their  freight, 
and  so  went  to  the  castle  [iorg]  that  was  there,  and  carried  all  their  goods 
there,  and  they  raised  up  their  ship  and  mended  it  where  it  was  broken. 

"  A  little  before  winter  a  ship  came  north  from  the  Orkneys :  they 
brought  this  news,  that  a  long-ship  had  come  about  autmnn  to  the 
islands,  and  those  were  messengers  of  king  Harold  with  the  message  to 
earl  Sigurd,  that  the  king  wished  to  have  Biorn  Bryniolf's  son  slain 
wherever  he  should  be  met ;  and  similar  instructions  he  sent  to  the 
Hebrides,  and  even  to  Dublin.  Biorn  heard  these  tidings,  and  this  too, 
that  he  was  made  outlaw  in  Norway.  But  as  soon  as  he  had  come  to 
Shetland  he  married  Thora.  They  remained  during  the  winter  in  Mousa 
castle. 

"  But  as  soon  as  it  was  spring,  when  the  sea  began  to  fall,  Biorn  put  out 
his  ship,  and  prepared  as  quickly  as  possible.     And  when  he  was  ready  and 


BIORN  AND  THORA.      KING  DONALD  395 

It  is  said  that  poison  was  given  to  Frodi ;  but  Thorgils  was 
long  king  over  Dublin,  and  was  at  last  betrayed  by  the  Irish, 
and  fell  there. 


900 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  414,  s.a.  899  or  900  =  900 

Donald,  Constantine's  son,  king  of  Scotland,  died.^ 

889-900 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  A  ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  9 

Donald,  Constantine's  son,  held  the  kingdom  for  eleven 
years.     The  Northmen  wasted  Pictland  at  that  time.^ 

had  a  fair  wind  he  sailed  out  to  sea.  They  had  a  great  wind  and  were 
a  short  while  out,  and  came  north  to  Iceland.  .  .  ."  They  came  to 
Skallagrim,  and  remained  with  him  three  winters  [900-903,  according  to 
Jonsson] ;  through  him  Biorn  was  atoned  with  Thori.  Biorn  and  Thora 
returned  to  Aurland. 

Their  daughter,  Asgerd,  born  in  Iceland,  was  left  with  Skallagrim  for 
fosterage.  She  married  Thorolf,  Skallagrim's  son  (c.  42),  who  fell  at 
Vi'n-heath  ;  then  she  was  under  protection  of  Arinbiorn,  her  kinsman. 
She  married  again  Egil,  Skallagrim's  son  (c.  56).  Egil  quarrelled  with 
Eric  Bloodaxe  in  claiming  Asgerd's  inheritance  :  he  killed  her  step-sister's 
husband,  Berg-Onund,  and  his  brother  Hadd,  sons  of  Thorgeir  Thornfoot ; 
and  Frodi,  king  Eric's  relative  and  foster-son  ;  with  15  or  16  of  their 
followers.  Then  he  killed  king  Eric's  son  Ronald,  with  12  followers.  Egil 
set  up  a  rune-staff  with  a  horse's  head,  cursing  Eric  and  Gunnhild,  and  the 
genii  loci  until  they  should  drive  the  king  and  queen  from  Norway 
(cc.  56-57)  [this  was  in  934,  acccording  to  Jonsson]. 

1  A. I. ,33,  O'Conors  year  886  =  900  (6  years  after  894):  "Death  of 
Donald,  king  of  Scotland." 

C.S.,  176,  Hennessy's  year  900  ;  "Repose of  Donald,  Constantine's  son, 
king  of  Scotland." 

The  title  "king  of  Scotland"  (ri  Alban)  was  frequently  applied  by 
Irish  writers  to  kings  of  Dalriata  ;  here  Dalriata  and  Pictland  are  both 
included.  Nevertheless,  a  king  of  Pictland  is  said  to  have  died  in  904. 
Perhaps  some  part  of  Pictland  was  not  included  in  Donald's  kingdom.    - 

Donald's  successor,  Constantine,  Aed's  son,  became  king  after  13th 
September,  900.     See  year  942,  note. 

2  This  was  probably  the  invasion  of  Sigurd  and  Thorstein.  See 
above,  p.  378. 


396  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

In  his  reign  a  battle  occurred  [at]   Innisibsolian  between 
Danes  and  Scots ;  the  Scots  had  the  victory. 
Dunnottar  was  destroyed  by  the  gentiles/ 

889-900 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  D ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  151 

Donald,  Constantine's  son,  reigned  for  eleven  years;  and 
he  died  in  Forres,  and  was  buried  in  the  island  of  lona.^ 

■  Opidum  Father  occisum  est  a  gentibus.  Possibly  read  apud  oppidiim 
.  .  .  occisus  "he  was  killed  at  Dunnottar"  ;  cf.  P.  &  S.,  p.  cxxxix  ;  but  this 
would  not  agree  with  the  other  accounts,  and  perhaps  the  text  may  stand. 
This  may  possibly  have  been  the  battle  fought  in  Scotland  by  Harold 
Fairhair  (895  x ).  See  above,  p.  392.  The  army  that  attacked  Dunnottar 
must  have  been  large  ;  no  ordinary  pirates  would  have  attempted  to 
attack  so  strong  a  position. 

2  Similarly  in  versions  FGI  (174,  301,  288);  but  G  reads  "2  years." 
See  above,  p.  cxxxvii,  note. 

The  late  version  K  (204)  reads  (erroneously)  :  "Donald,  Constantine's 
son,  [reigned  for]  2  years.  Edmund,  ^thelstan's  brother,  granted  to  this 
Donald,  king  of  Scotland,  all  Cumberland,  which  the  Scots  had  claimed, 
as  far  as  the  Rere-cross  of  Stanemore  \_al  Reir  croiz  de  Staynmore\.  But 
since  then  this  gift  has  been  often  conquered  and  released,  in  many 
makings  of  peace." 

N  reads  (ibid.,  305):  "Donald,  Constantine's  son,  [reigned  for]  11 
years,  and  he  was  killed  because  of  his  daughter." 

The  Duan  Albanach,  in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  62  :  "  Donald,  son  of  the  fair 
Constantine,  passed  a  year  four  times  [in  the  kingdom.] " 

Fordun  (IV,  20)  says  that  Donald,  like  Gregory,  refused  to  enter  into 
alliance  with  the  pagan  Danes  against  the  English  :  but  that  an  alliance 
had  been  formed  by  Gregory  with  Guthorm  ("Gurmund"),  after  his 
baptism,  in  the  time  of  king  Alfred ;  and  after  Guthorm's  death,  this 
alliance  was  renewed  by  Donald  with  Guthorm's  successor?,  "his  son 
Ronald  and  his  kinsman  Sigtrygg." 

The  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle  records  the  baptism  of  king  Guthorm  (with 
the  baptismal  name  of  ^thelstan)  and  thirty  of  his  noblest  followers,  at 
Aller,  opposite  Athelney,  in  878  (ABDEF  ;  879,  C.  In  the  next  year  is 
entered  the  eclipse  of  880).  A  king  Ronald  appears  in  hostility  to 
Constantine,  in  ?9i5  ;  in  treaty  (beside  Constantine)  with  Edward,  in  ?92i. 
A  Sigtrygg  appears  in  A.S.C.  as  king,  921-926.     (E.C.,  65-66.) 

Fordun,  speaking  of  the  later  treaty,  probably  means  that  of  ?  921  ;  the 
earlier  treaty  must  have  been  made,  if  at  all,  between  878  and  901,  when 
Alfred  died.  Fordun  adapts  his  records  of  events  to  make  them  agree 
with  his  own  theory  of  the  Scottish  kings'  reigns. 


KING  DONALD  397 

889-900 

Prose  and  Verse  Chronicles  inserted  in  the  Chronicle  of 
Melrose,  p.  225,  s.a.  897  1 

Giric,  king  of  the  Scots,  died.^  Donald,  Constantine's  son, 
[became]  king  of  the  Scots. 

"  After  this,^  king  Donald  reigned  in  Scotland  ;  he  was  the 
son  of  Constantine.  This  king  is  said  to  have  perished  in  the 
village  of  Forres,*  during  the  course  of  the  eleventh  year  of  his 
kingship."  6 


889-900 

Berchan's  Prophecy,  stanzas  141-147,  in  Skene's  Picts  and 
Scots,  pp.  89-91 

Afterwards '5  the  rough  one'  will  take  [the  sovereignty], 
who  will  think  relics  and  psalms  of  little  worth.  Scotland 
will  march  under  him*;  he  will  not  give  up  the  truth  to 
neglect. 

.  Forays  will  be  abundant  in  his  time,  in  the  kingdom  of  the 
rough  one  (although  it  is  he) ;  he  will  disturb  Scotland  for  his 
ends,  he  will  be  a  .  .  .  who  will  strike  blows. ^ 

He  will  oppress  the  white  [-skinned]  Gaels ;  he  will  lay 
waste  their  estuaries.  They  will  weep,  they  will  be  crushed 
and  dead,  under  the  rule  of  the  mighty,  the  rough  one. 

He  will  have  nine  years  as  king,^''  making  the  circuit  of  their 

1  Also  in  P.  &  S.,  178  (MS.  B). 

-  See  year  889. 

3  "After  him"  in  B. 

''  in  villa  .  .  .  Forensi. 

^  The  passage  within  inverted  commas  .is  in  verse  in  the  original, 

^  After  the  "feeble  one"  from  Dundurn  :  see  year  889. 

''  in  garbh.  This  (the  7th  king  mentioned  after  Kenneth)  appears  to  be 
Donald  II,  Constantine's  son. 

*  bidh  aistrech  Attain  lais.  This  line  lacks  a  syllable  :  possibly  we 
should  read  Albamiaig  (Scots)  for  Attain  (Scotland). 

^  inescfaid\Ji\  Attain  ima  chenn  \  bidh  fuisfe  bhenfas  beimheim.  If  bidh 
is  right, /«zj/fe  should  be  a  noun  ;  but  the  text  is  probably  corrupt. 

'"  It  is  noteworthy  that  the  Prophecy  has  deducted  the  reign  of  the 
Feeble  (889-891?)  from  the  reign  of  Donald  II.  But  the  reign-lengths 
mentioned  in  the  Prophecy  are  very  inaccurate. 


398  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

boundaries,!  one  after  another,  in  every  place,  against  Foreigners 
and  against  Gaels. 

The  Gaels  will  turn  against  him  secretly  on  the  path  above 
Dunnottar.2  He  is  on  the  brow  of  the  mighty  wave,^  in  the 
east,  in  his  broad  gory  bed. 

Aiterwards  a  king*  will  take  [sovereignty]  (I  shall  not 
conceal  it)— I  will  not^^  sing  of  him,  though  I  speak  of  him— ; 
half  the  day  he  will  take  [sovereignty]  (a  small  matter) ;  he  will 
come  before  night  ^  to  nothing. 

Not  many  will  be  killed  in  the  east  in  battle :  there  is  not 
violent  slaughter,  there  is  not  man-slaying.  The  place  whence 
he  comes,  thither  they  go.     Alas  !  it  is  a  false  apparition. 

904 

Chronicon  Scotorum,  p.  180,  Hennessy's  year  904' 

Ead,  king  of  Pictland,^  fell  [fighting]  against  the  two 
grandsons  of  Ivar,  and  against  Catol,^  with  five  hundred  men.'" 

^  ag  imthecht  a  cc6igri\cK\. 

"  Saoifid  gaoidhil  fris  a  ri'in  \  air  in  luircc  os  FSther-dhim.  Read  lurg. 
MS.  b  has  Ar  an  Lurg,  which  might  mean  "following  them." 

Fother-dhun  has  been  identified  with  Fordoun  ;  but  Fordoun  is  not 
near  the  sea,  and  Fother-  became  Fetter-  in  the  Mearns.  Fother-dhun  is 
a  poetical  inversion  of  Dim- Fother. 

^  for  bra  tuinne  iinne  dho.  (Cf.  stanza  157;  year  954.)  MS.  b  reads 
for  bhra  tuinne,  with  O'Connell's  conjecture/or  bhru  Tuimni. 

■■  Here  (above  the  line)  MS.  a  has  the  gloss  "i.e.,  Manannan,  son  of  Ler." 
MS.  b  has  in  the  margin  :  "  Here  [is]  Manannan,  son  of  Ler,  of  the  Side  ! " 

Whether  history  is  here  touched  by  myth,  or  whether  a  king's  name 
had  some  resemblance  to  that  of  the  mythical  Manannan,  cannot  be 
known.  Glosses  which  give  the  names  of  the  Irish  kings  in  MS.  a  were 
probably  part  of  the  original  work  ;  but  the  Scottish  kings  are  not  glossed, 
except  Aidan  and  this  king.     Possibly  he  was  Aed,  Constantine's  father. 

^  Reading  ni  for  no  (so  O'Connell  and  Skene). 

"  The  original  reading  of  MS.  «  was  ria  n-uadch~ :  this  has  been  changed 
to  ria  n-aidhche  in  blacker  ink  by  a  different  hand,  resembling  O'Connell's. 

'  The  year-section  corresponds  to  that  in  A.U.  for  904. 

*  Ead ri  Cruithentuaithe :  according  to  S.C.S.,  i,  339,  note,  "probably  a 
king  of  one  of  the  provinces  slain  in  the  previous  attack."  Ead  may  have 
been  the  ruler  of  some  part  of  Pictland ;  perhaps  a  predecessor  of  Constantine, 
or  appointed  by  him  to  guard  a  frontier  province.  But  there  is  a  suspicious 
resemblance  between  his  name  and  the  name  given  by  Irish  annals  (below, 
year  913)  to  ^thelweald,  king  of  Northumbria,  who  died  in  905,  in  a  battle 
with  the  Danes.     Probably  there  is  some  confusion  in  the  text. 

^  fri  Catol:  probably  Ketil,  and  a   Norwegian  invader  of  Britain.     If 


IVOR'S  GRANDSONS  INVADE  PICTLAND  399 

904 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  418,  s.a.  903  or  904  =  904' 

The  profanation  of  Kells  by  Fland,  Maelsechlaind's  son, 
against  Duncan,  [Fland's]  own  son  ;  and  many  others  were 
beheaded,  around  the  oratory.^  .  .  . 

Ivar,  Ivar's  grandson,  was  killed  by  the  men  of  Fortriu,  and 
great  slaughter  [was  made]  about  him.^ 

906* 

907 
Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle,  MSS.  BC ;  vol.  i,  pp.  182,  183,  s.a.  907 

In  this  year  Chester  was  restored. 

909 
Annales  Camtariae ;  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  167,  s.a.  [909]^ 

King  Catell  died.'^ 

this  were  Ketil  Flatnose,  the  sagas'  chronology  would  here  be  at  fault,  since 
they  place  his  death  some  fifteen  years  earlier.     See  above,  pp.  384-385. 
^^  The  text  reads  erroneously  "with  500  hundred  men." 
The  Chronicle  of  the  Kings  (A)  implies  that  the  invasion  of  904  had 
begun  in  the  previous  year  (see  year  943).     It  seems  to  have  been  led  by 
Scandinavians  from  Ireland. 

'  With  marginal  note  "bissextile." 

2  So  also  in  C.S.,  178,  Hennessy's  year  904. 

^  The  Chronicle  of  the  Kings  (below,  year  943)  says  that  "the  North- 
men were  slain  in  Strathearn,"  in  king  Constantine's  fourth  year  (903-904)  ; 
and  that  they  had  plundered  Dunkeld  in  the  previous  year. 

In  902,  the  Gentiles  had  been  expelled  from  Dublin  (A.U.). 

*  For  the  ecclesiastical  congress  at  Scone  in  906,  see  below,  year  943 
(Chronicle  of  the  Kings,  version  A). 

^  Placed  5  years  after  the  "460th  year"  after  444. 

"  MSS.  B  and  C  add,  "  Rotri's  son  "  (Ab  Ithel,  16).     See  year  878. 

B.T.  in  R.B.H.,  260  (9  years  after  900,  i  year  before  910) :  "And  Catell, 
Rotri's  son,  [died]."  Cf.  B.T.  in  M.A.,  689,  s.a.  900  ;  B.S.  in  M.A.  656, 
s.a.  907. 

D.M.F.,  III,  224  (in  the  year  of  the  death  of  Cerball,  son  of  Muirecan 
[1909]):  "Catell,  Rotri's  son,  king  of  Wales,  .  .  .  died."  In  the  same 
year-section  it  is  stated  that  he  was  succeeded  by  his  son  (ibid.,  226)  ;  i.e. 
by  Clitauc  (t9i9).  But  Anaraut  seems  to  have  ruled  in  South  Wales  also, 
from  Catell's  death  until  his  own  (t9i6). 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  144,  s.a.  901:  "Kotn's  son  [mcRwarag/i], 
king  of  Britons,  died." 


400  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

911 

Duald  Mac-Pirlt)is,  Fragment  III,  p.  242-244 1 

Maelbrigte,  Tornan's  son,  successor  of  Patrick  and  Columcille, 
[went]  with  many  priests  of  Ireland  into  Munster,  in  order  to 
ask  the  nobles  of  Munster  to  give  him  treasure  with  which  to 
release  the  captives  of  the  Britons.^  And  he  obtained  it ;  and 
he  took  these  miserable  captives  with  him,  after  their  ships 
had  been  sunk  and  they  had  been  cast  ashore,  and  had  fallen 
into  the  power  of  ^  the  Danes  and  Scandinavians.* 

911 

Annales  Cambriae ;  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  168,  s.a.  [913]^ 

Otter  came." 

911 
Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle,  MSS.  BC ;  vol.  i,  pp.  184,  185,  s.a.  911 

In  this  year  the  [Danish]  army  in  Northumbria  broke  the 
peace,  and  despised  every  right  ^  that  king  Edward  and  his 
council  offered  them,  and  ravaged  the  Mercians'  land.  And 
the  king  had  gathered  some  hundred  ships,  and  was  then  in 
Kent ;  and  the  ships  went  south-east  along  the  sea[-coast] 
towards  him.  Then  the  [Danish]  army  imagined  that  the 
great  part  of  his  supporters  were  in  these  ships,  and  that  they 
could  go  unopposed  wherever  they  would. 

When  the  king  learned  that  they  had  gone  out  plundering, 
he  sent  out  his  yeomanry**  both  of  West  Saxons  and  of 
Mercians ;  and  they  overtook  the  [Danish]  army  from  behind, 

1  Placed  two  year-sections  after  the  "31st  year  of  Fland,"  Maelsech- 
laind's  son  ;  i.e.,  in  911. 

2  i fuaslagadh  braide  Breton ;  i.e.,  of  the  Welsh. 
■^  ar  ionngabhdil. 

*  Danar  7  Lochlann. 

°  Placed  9  years  after  the  "460th  year"  after  444. 

15  MSS.  BC  add  "to  Britain"  ;  Ab  Ithel's  ed.,  16. 

B.T.  in  R.B.H.,  260  :  "910  years  was  the  age  of  Christ  when  Oter  came 
to  the  island  of  Britain."  This  was  doubtless  the  Ottar  who  invaded 
Mercia  in  91 1.  He  is  called  Other  in  B.S.  in  M.A.,  656,  s.a.  909  ;  Uthyr  in 
B.T.  in  M.A.,  689,  s.a.  906,  where  he  is  said  to  have  devastated  Mynyw 
[?  St  Davids]  along  with  Hroald  the  Red. 

■  In  MS.  A  "peace." 

»  fird,  A  ifyrd,  BD). 


SCANDINAVIAN  INVASIONS  401 

when  it  was  returning  homewards ;  and  they  fought  with  it, 
and  routed  the  army,  and  slew  many  thousands  in  it ;  and 
there  king  Eowils  was  slain,i  and  king  Halfdan,  and  earl  Ottar,^ 
and  earl  Scurfa,  and  hold  Othulf,^  and  hold  Benesing,  and  Olaf 
the  Black,  and  hold  Thurfrith,  and  Osfrith  Hlytte,  and  hold 
Godfrey,  and  hold  Agmund,  and  Godfrey.* 

Then  in  the  next  year  [912]  died  ^thered,  lord  of  Mercia.^ 

?9ii-?9i8 

Duald  Mac-Pirbis,  Fragment  III,  pp.  244-246^ 

Great  hosts  of  Black-foreigners  and  White-foreigners  came 
again ''  in  this  year  against  the  English,  after  making  Sigtrygg, 
Ivar's  grandson,  king.  They  proclaimed  battle  against  the 
English ;  and  the  English  did  not  hesitate  to  accept  it,  but 
came  at  once  against  the  pagans.  A  fierce,  active  battle  was 
fought  between  them,  and  great  was  the  vigour  and  fury  and 
determination  on  both  sides.  Much  blood  of  the  sons  of  nobles 
was  poured  out  in  that  battle ;  but  the  English  got  victory  and 
triumph,  after  making  great  slaughter  of  the  pagans  ;  because 
[Sigtrygg]  the  king  of  the  pagans  was  attacked  by  a  disease, 

'  Eowils  (for  Eadgils)  appears  to  be  the  same  name  as  Icelandic 
Aicdgisl  (Irish  Auisle),  Old  Danish  Athisl.  See  Noreen,  Altnordische 
Grammatik  (1903),  i,  147.     The  Irish  form  points  to  an  original  Audgisli. 

Down  to  this  point,  the  passage  is  in  MS.  A  also.  Here  the  version  in 
MS.  A  stops. 

^  Anglo-Saxon  Ohter,  Irish  Oitir,  Simeon's  Oter;  apparently  for  old 
Danish  Ottar,  Icelandic  Ottarr,  Ottarrj  cf  Lind,  Norsk-islandska  Dopnamn, 
824  ;  Noreen,  U.S.,  190. 

This  Ottar  seems  to  have  survived  until  918  (q.v.). 

3  Athulf  in  MS.  D  ;  perhaps  Anglo-Saxon  Eadulf,  in  a  Danish  form. 
To  this  point  the  same  account  is  in  MS.  D  :  of  the  remainder,  MS.  D  gives 
only  "and  hold  Agmund."  For  the  title  hold,  see  Thorpe,  A.S.C,  ii,  76> 
note  ;  also  Bosworth-ToUer,  and  Cleasby-Vigfusson,  s.v. 

*  Thurfrith  and  Godfrey  (here  Thurferth,  Guthferth)  are  Danish  names  ; 
Osfrith  (here  Osferih)  is  probably  Anglo-Saxon. 

^  These  events  are  placed  under  years  910  and  911  in  the  Annals  of 
St  Neots  (Stevenson's  Asser,  144-145). 

<>  Placed  3  years  after  the  "31st  year  of  Eland,"  i.e.  in  912  ;  after  the 
death  of  Etalbh  (see  below,  year  913),  and  the  succession  of  Flaithbertach, 
king  of  Cashel  [in  914  ;  see  C.S.,  Hennessy's  year  913]. 

'  The  previous  attack  referred  to  was  that  made  upon  the  English  in 
Chester,  in  [909].     Ibid.,  230-236. 

2  C 


402  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

and  he  was  carried  from  the  battle  to  a  wood  which  was  near 
them ;  and  he  died  there. 

And  when  Ottar,  the  earl  who  made  most  noise  in  the 
battle,  saw  that  slaughter  was  being  made  of  his  people  by 
the  English,  this  is  what  he  did;  he  fled  into  the  woods, 
and  such  as  were  left  of  his  people  with  him.  Immense 
numbers  of  the  English  came  after  him,  and  they  surrounded 
the  wood.  And  the  queen  [^thelflaed]  set  them  on  to  cut 
down  all  the  wood  with  their  swords  and  their  axes ;  and 
this  they  did.  The  wood  was  destroyed  first,  and  all  the 
pagans  who  were  in  the  wood  were  killed.^  In  this  manner 
the  pagans  were  killed  by  the  queen,  and  her  fame  spread 
on  all  sides. 

[^thelflsed]  ^  by  her  own  wisdom  made  a  treaty  with  the 
men  of  Scotland  and  with  the  Britons,  that  whenever  the  same 
race  [the  Scandinavians]  should  come  against  her  they  would 
rise  to  assist  her :  while  if  [the  Scandinavians]  came  against 
them,  she  should  rise  [to  assist]  them.  While  this  continued, 
the  Scots  and  Britons  fell  upon  the  towns  of  the  Scandinavians,^ 
destroyed  and  pillaged  them. 

Afterwards  the  king  [Ronald]  of  the  Scandinavians 
came,     and     plundered     Strathclyde ;     that     is    to    say,    he 

1  Since  it  is  here  implied  that  Ottar  was  killed,  this  battle  is  probably 
the  same  that  A.S.C.  places  in  911. 

^  Edeldrida.  yEthelflasd  was  king  Edward's  sister,  and  Lady  of  Mercia. 
Probably  this  refers  to  a  time  after  her  husband  /Ethered's  death  in  912. 
She  built  fortresses  at  Bramsbury  (910) ;  Sarrat  and  Bridgenorth  (912) ; 
Tamworth,  Stafford,  Eddesbury,  Warwick,  Chirbury,  Wardbury,  and 
Runcorn  (913);  and  took  in  battle  Brecknock  (916),  and  Derby  (917) 
(A.S.C).  She  gained  Leicester  in  918,  and  died  on  12th  June,  918  (A.S.C, 
BCD  ;  1 918,  E  ;  t  12  June,  922,  A). 

After  her  death,  her  conquests  were  taken  over  by  her  brother,  Edward 
the  Elder,  Alfred's  son,  king  of  the  English  ;  the  kings  of  Wales  (Higuel, 
Clitauc,  and  lutgual)  submitted  to  him  ;  and  he  occupied  Nottingham 
(A.S.C,  A).  In  ?92o,  he  erected  a  castle  at  Thelwall  in  Cheshire,  and  sent 
a  levy  of  Mercians  to  fortify  and  occupy  "Manchester  in  Northumbria" 
(A.S.C,  A,  s.a.  923).  In  ?92i,  he  built  another  castle  at  Nottingham,  on 
the  south  side  of  the  river,  and  built  a  bridge  between  them  over  the  Trent ; 
and  erected  castles  at  Bakewell  in  Peakland  (A.S.C,  A,  s.a.  924)  and  at 
Clwyd  mouth  {Cledenmtha  ;  A.S.C,  CD,  s.a.  921).  Then  the  Northumbrians 
and  Scots  came  to  terms  with  him.     See  year  921. 

'  fo  bailibh  na  Lochlonn. 


KING  RONALD  INVADES  STRATHCLYDE  403 

plundered  the  land,  but  the  enemy  could  do  nothing  against 
Strathclyde.i 

?9i3 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  pp.  424-426,  s.a.  912  or  913=913^ 

.  .  .  Maelmuire,  daughter  of  Kenneth,  Alpin's  son,  [and] 
Eadulf,^  king  of  the  Saxons  of  the  north,  died.*  .  .  . 

A  victory  [was  gained]  by  gentiles  over  the  crew  of  a  ship- 
fleet  from  Ulster,  on  the  coast  of  England  ^ ;  and  there  many 
fell,  including  Cumuscach,  son  of  Maelmochergi,  king  of  Lecale.^ 

'  acht  ni  ro  cuiiiaing  namaid  [m]  do  Sraith  cluaidej  "  but  the  enemy 
was  not  able  to  take"  Strathclyde,  according  to  O'Donovan. 

Here  Duald's  Fragment  III  ends. 

According  to  S.D.,  ii,  93,  "  King  Ronald  and  earl  Ottar  and  Oswulf 
Cracabam  broke  into  and  pillaged  Dunbline "  in  912.  This  place  was 
understood  by  Skene  to  have  been  Dunblane  ;  by  Arnold,  to  have  been 
Dublin.  The  Scandinavians  had  been  driven  out  of  Dublin  in  902  (A.U.  ; 
C.S.,  Hennessy's  year  902)  ;  they  returned  to  it  in  917  ;  and  killed  king 
Niall  Black-knee,  Aed's  son,  there,  on  Wednesday,  15th  September,  919 
(A.U.).  S.D.'s  dates  are  at  this  time  somewhat  in  arrear.  He  probably 
refers  to  the  occupation  in  917. 

-  The  previous  year-section  concludes  thus:  "A  rainy  and  dark  year. 
A  comet  appeared."  There  was  a  comet  in  912  :  Pingre,  i,  353.  Cf  e.g. 
Annales  Quedlinburgenses,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  iii,  912  ;  Herimannus 
Augiensis,  ibid.,  v,  112.  The  words  tenebrosus  annus  in  Irish  annals 
mean  that  there  was  an  eclipse  in  the  course  of  the  year  ;  and  in  912  there 
were  eclipses  of  both  moon  and  sun  (L'Art). 

3  In  text  Etulb  "Eadulf":  Etalbh  in  D.M.F.  .Ethelweald,  king  of 
Northumbria,  died  in  905  (A.S.C.,  ABCD) ;  the  present  annal  may  refer  to 
his  death,  with  mistaken  name  and  date.  Cf.  above,  year  904,  note. 
A.S.C.  places  the  appearance  of  the  comet  of  905  at  the  end  of  the  annal 
that  contains  his  death. 

Eadulf 's  death  stands  similarly  in  D.M.F.,  III,  244,  under  [913]. 

^  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  145,  s.a.  905  :  "  Maelmuire  \^Moilinarie\, 
daughter  of  king  Kenneth,  Alpin's  son,  king  of  Scotland,  died."  S.C.S.,  i, 
313-314,  says  that  Maelmuire  was  the  wife  of  Aed  Findliath,  king  of 
Ireland.  According  to  Duald's  Fragment,  156,  178,  192,  Aed  Findliath's 
wife  was  Fland,  daughter  of  Dungal  ("Dunlaing"),  king  of  Ossory  ;  the 
sister  of  king  Cerball.  She  had  previously  married  Maelsechlaind,  and 
was  king  Fland's  mother.  She  was  also  the  mother  of  Cendetig,  Gaithin's 
son,  king  of  Leix. 

5  for fairinn  no-choblaigh  de  Ultaibh  i  7t-airhcr  Saxan. 

"  mac  righ  leithi  Cathail.  "  Maelmochergi,  Indrechtach's  son,  one  of  two 
kings  of  Ulster,  was  killed  by  his  confederates  "  in  896 ;  A.U.,  i,  412,  s.a.  895 
or  896  =  896.     His  son,  king  of  Lecale,  was  killed  in  897  ;  ibid.,  i,  414. 


404  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

914 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  428,  s.a.  913  or  914  =  914 

A  sea-fight  [took  place]  at  Man^  between  Bard,  Ottar's  son, 
and  Ronald,  grandson  of  Ivar ;  and  there  Bard  was  destroyed, 
with  almost  all  his  army.^ 

A  large  fleet  of  gentiles  at  Waterford.^ 

916 

Annales  Cambriae ;  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.   168,  s.a.  [915]* 

King  Anaraut  died.^ 

877-917 

Wars  of  the  Irish  with  the  Foreigners,  c.  26,  pp.  26-28 

The  men  of  Ireland  had  some  rest  for  forty  years,  without 
ravaging  of  the  Foreigners,  from  the  time  of  Maelsechlaind, 

1  oc  Manainn;  probably  Man,  not  Anglesey  ;  cf.  year  987  (below).  Cf. 
B.T.,  R.S.  17,  20  (s.a.  914  in  MS.  D).  In  900,  however,  "the  pagans  came 
into  the  island  of  Mon"  (B.S.  in  M.A.,  656;  cf.  B.T.  ibid.,  689;  and  see 
A.C.,  s.a.  [902]).     Cf.  year  ?9I9,  note. 

2  This  seems  to  have  been  a  defeat  of  Norwegians  by  Danes. 

^  Loch-da-caech,  i.e.  Waterford  Harbour.  These  seem  to  have  been 
Scandinavians  returning  from  Britain,  perhaps  from  Galloway.  See  p.  405, 
note. 

C.S.,  186,  Hennessy's  year  913  =  914:  "Foreigners  came  into  Ireland, 
in  Port-lairge  "  (Waterford). 

^  Placed  one  year  after  the  "470th  year"  after  444. 

°  B.T.  in  R.B.H.,  261  (i  year  after  910):  'And  Anaraut,  Rotri's  son, 
king  of  the  Britons,  died."  His  death  is  placed  under  913  in  B.T.  in  M.A., 
688  ;  B.S.  in  M.A.,  656. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  145,  s.a.  910  =  915  and  916:  "Anaraut, 
Rotri's  son  [Anoroit  mcRwarag'h\  king  of  Britain,  died." 

According  to  Skene  (F.A.B.W.,  i,  95),  Anaraut  was  Rotri's  eldest  son, 
and  was  succeeded  in  North  Wales  by  his  son,  lutgual  ;  and  he,  by 
Higuel  Da  (see  year  950). 

C.S.,  188,  Hennessy's  year  915  =  916:  "  Fland,  Maelsechlaind's  son, 
king  of  all  Ireland,  died  at  Cend-eich  of  the  monks  \iiiuintire\  of  Cluain 
[.'Cloyne,  Co.  Cork],  on  the  eighth  before  the  Kalends  of  June,  the  seventh 
day  of  the  week,  in  the  thirty-seventh  year  of  his  reign  .  .  ."  :  i.e.,  upon 
Saturday,  25th  May,  916.  A.U.,  s.a.  915=916,  adds:  "about  the  seventh 
hour  of  the  day"  (12-1  p.m.),  and  says  that  Fland  reigned  for  36  years, 
6  months,  and  5  days  ;  reckoning  from  20th  November,  879,  the  day  of 
Aed  Niall's  son's  death  (A.U.  ;  see  above,  p.  364). 


NORSE  IN  MAN,  IRELAND,  AND  SCOTLAND         405 

Maelruanaid's  son,  to  the  year  before  the  death  of  Fland, 
Maelsechlaind's  son,  and  until  Niall  Black-knee  took  the 
kingdom.^  Then  Ireland  was  filled  again  with  the  fleets  of  the 
Foreigners.  Then  came  a  fleet  with  Hakon  and  with  Cossa- 
Nara,  and  they  landed  in  Waterford  Harbour;  and  Munster 
was  plundered  by  them. 

But  the  [men  of]  Kerry  gained  a  battle  against  them,  and 
there  fell  Thomas  Cind-Crete. 

The  Ui-Fathaig  and  the  Ui-Oengusa  defeated  them  in 
another  battle.  And  the  men  of  Connaught  won  another  battle 
against  the  fleet  of  Limerick.  The  [men  of]  Kerry  and  Corco- 
baiscin  defeated  them  in  another  battle  at  Lemain  ;  and  there 
fell  Rolt"  Pudarill,  and  three  hundred  with  him,  and  Muraill. 

918 
Wars  of  the  Irish  -with  the  Poreig^ners,  Book  of  Leinster's 
version ;  Rolls  Series,  no.  48,  p.  235 

[The  Foreigners  of  Waterford]  went  [from  Ireland]  to 
Scotland  after  that,^  and  the  men  of  Scotland  gave  them  battle ; 
and  they  were  slain  there,  namely  Ronald*  and  Ottar.^ 

'  So  far,  also  in  the  Book  of  Leinster's  version,  ibid.,  232-233. 

Maelsechlaind  died  in  862,  Fland  in  gi6. 

The  period  of  partial  cessation  of  wars  between  the  Irish  and  the 
Norwegians  was  in  reality  from  877  (q.v.)  to  914  (q.v.).  Many  Norwegians 
seem  to  have  left  Ireland  in  877  ;  and  since  the  period  begins  with  their 
killing  of  Constantine,  the  king  of  Scotland,  and  their  settling  for  a  year  in 
Pictland,  it  might  be  argued  that  some  of  them  at  least  had  settled  in  some 
part  of  Scotland.  This  may  in  fact  have  been  the  time  of  the  Norwegian 
settlements  in  Galloway.     Others  went  to  Iceland. 

^  I.e.,  Hroald  ? ;  cf.  the  "  H.roald  the  Red "  of  B.T.  in  M. A.  (above, 
year  911,  note).  But  the  names  in  L.L.  (Wars,  233)  are  Ascalt  Putrall, 
and  Smurull.  A.S.  C.  places  the  death  of  an  earl  Hroald,  with  the  death 
of  earl  Ottar's  brother,  in  Herefordshire,  after  an  invasion  of  Wales,  in 
915  (BCD  ;  918,  A). 

^  After  the  Norwegians  of  Waterford's  campaign  in  Munster.  Cf.  A.U., 
s.a.  916-917. 

*  "Son  of  Ivar"  ibid.,  234.  This  may  perhaps  have  been  the  "Ronald, 
Ivar's  grandson,"  who  survived  until  921. 

5  "The  earl"  ibid.,  234. 

The  late  version  of  the  Wars  seems  to  misplace  the  same  invasion  of 
Scotland,  in  a  synchronistic  section  (c.  27)  where  it  is  omitted  by  the  L.L. 
version.  P.  28  ; — "  Four  years  afterwards,  the  Foreigners  left  Ireland,  and 
went  to  Scotland,  along  with  Sigtrygg  Ivar's  son "  (read   "  grandson "  ?). 


406  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

918 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  436,  s.a.  917  or  918  =  9181 

The  Foreigners  of  Waterford  left  Ireland,  namely  Ronald, 
king  of  the  Black-foreigners,  and  the  two  earls,  Ottar  and 
Graggabai  ^ ;  and  they  went  afterwards  to  the  men  of  Scotland. 

And  the  men  of  Scotland  came  to  meet  them,  and  they  met 
upon  the  banks  of  the  Tyne,  in  the  north  of  England.^    The 

This  ought  probably  to  mean  that  the  invasion  occurred  4  years  after  the 
Scandinavians'  defeat  at  Lemain  ;  or  after  their  return  to  Ireland,  and 
settlement  at  Waterford.  But  the  previous  passage  includes  :  "Afterwards 
the  huge  royal  ileet  of  the  children  of  Ivar  came  to  Dublin  [?9I7],  and  the 
greater  part  of  all  Ireland  was  plundered  by  them  ;  and  they  pillaged 
Armagh  :  and  a  battle  was  gained  against  Fland,  Maelsechlaind's  son 
[888]  ;  and  there  Aed,  Conchobar's  son,  fell  [888].  .  .  .  This  is  the  year  in 
which  Maelsechlaind  was  killed  [read  "died,"  with  L.L.  ;  t862],  and 
Lismore  was  plundered  and  burned  by  Ivar's  son  ;  and  Cloyne  [Co.  Cork] 
was  plundered.  .  .  .  Moreover  in  this  year  Duncan,  Dubdabairend's  son, 
king  of  Cashel,  was  killed  [888]  ;  and  Sigtrygg  [read,  with  L.L.,  "Sigfrith, 
Ivar's  son"  ;  +888]  king  of  the  Foreigners.  And  they  made  many  other 
attacks  upon  the  men  of  Leinster  in  this  year"  ["did  great  evils  about 
Ireland"  L.L.]. 

This  would  appear  to  place  an  invasion  of  Scotland  in  892.  There  is 
evident  confusion.  Possibly  the  writer,  misled  by  the  similarity  of  names, 
thought  that  Sigtrygg's  invasion  of  Scotland  must  have  occurred  before 
the  death  of  Sigfrith  Ivar's  son.  But  whatever  the  source  of  the  error  may 
be,  this  is  no  evidence  of  an  earlier  invasion  than  the  one  of  918. 

After  this  digression,  and  the  dating  of  the  invasion  of  Scotland,  the 
Wars  describe  Ronald  and  Ottar's  occupation  of  Waterford. 

The  14th  -  century  text,  c.  29,  (ibid.,  34)  reads  (after  the  death  of 
AudgisI  [867]  and  the  battle  of  Cell-ua-nDaigri  [868],  6  years  after  the 
death  of  Maelsechlaind  [862])  :  "  [The  White-gentiles]  were  driven  out  of 
Munster  after  that,  and  went  to  Scotland ;  and  they  gave  battle  to 
Constantine,  Aed's  son  ;  and  they  were  slain  there  together,  Ronald  and 
Ottar  ;  and  slaughter  [was  made]  of  their  people  with  them."  This  is 
the  invasion  of  918,  misplaced,  possibly  through  confusion  of  the  Eowils 
who  fell  in  911  with  the  Auisle  who  was  killed  in  867. 

^  The  next  year-section  contains  data  that  fix  it  as  919. 

2  Probably  for  Icelandic  Kraka-bein  "Crow-foot";  a  name  given  later 
to  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son.  Cf  Adam  of  Bremen,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vii,  320. 
This  earl  is  called  Oswulf  Cracabam  by  S.D.  (above,  p.  403). 

2  la  Saxami  tuaiscirt  "  with  the  Saxons  of  the  north."  The  English, 
however,  are  not  said  to  have  taken  part  in  the  battle. 

This  was  the  battle  of  Tynemoor,  fought  in  [918],  according  to  the 
Chronicle  of  the  Kings  (see  year  943).  This  may  have  been  fought  near 
the  Haddingtonshire  Tyne.     Cf  the  devastation  of  Tynningham,  in  941. 


IRISH  NORWEGIANS  INVADE  SCOTLAND  407 

gentiles  put  themselves  into  four  companies :  a  company  under 
Godfrey,  grandson  of  Ivar ;  a  company  under  the  two  earls ;  a 
company  under  the  young  lords  ^ ;  and  a  company  that  the  Scots 
did  not  see,  in  ambush,  under  Ronald.  The  Scots  routed  the 
three  companies  that  they  saw,  and  made  great  slaughter  of  the 
gentiles,  including  Ottar  and  Graggabai.  And  Ronald  after- 
wards attacked  the  Scots  in  the  rear,  and  inflicted  slaughter 
upon  them  ;  but  neither  king  nor  mormaer  was  lost  from  among 
them.     Night  stopped  the  battle.^ 

918 

Duald  Mac-Pirbis,  Fragment  III,  pp.  228-230^ 

Almost  in  the  same  days,*  the  men  of  Fortriu  and  the 
Scandinavians  fought  a  battle.  But  the  men  of  Scotland  fought 
this  battle  hardily,  because  Columcille  assisted  them ;  for  they 
prayed  to  him  fervently,  since  he  was  their  apostle,  and  through 
him  they  had  received  the  faith. 

Because  on  another  occasion,^  when  Ivar  Conung  was  a 
young  lad,  and  had  come  to  plunder  Scotland,  with  three  large 
companies,  this  is  what  the  men  of  Scotland  did,  both  clergy 
and  laymen :  they  continued  till  morning  fasting,  and  praying 
to  God  and  to  Columcille,  and  shouting  loudly  to  the  Lord ; 
and  they  gave  many  charities  of  food  and  clothing  to  the 
churches  and  to  the  poor ;  and  they  took  the  Lord's  body  from 

'  lasna  h-ociigerna. 

^  F.M.,  ii,  592,  s.a.  916  =  918  (and  the  "2nd  year  of  Niall"  Glundub  as 
sovereign  of  Ireland) :  "  Ottar  and  the  Foreigners  went  from  Waterford  to 
Scotland,  and  Constantine,  Aed's  son,  gave  them  battle ;  and  Ottar 
was  killed,  and  slaughter  [was  made]  of  the  Foreigners  there  along 
with  him." 

"Ronald,  grandson  of  Ivar,  king  of  the  White-foreigners  and  the 
Black-foreigners  "  in  Ireland,  died  in  921  :  A.U.,  i,  440,  s.a.  920  or  921=921. 

2  Also  in  Reeves's  Adamnan,  332  f. 

■*  I.e.,  in  909.  This  stands  after  the  deaths  of  Cerball  and  Catell  [f  909]  ; 
and  before  the  death  of  ^thered  [f  912].  It  is  immediately  preceded  and 
succeeded  by  an  account  of  how  Scandinavians,  expelled  from  Ireland, 
after  receiving  land  near  Chester  from  yEthelflffid,  attempted  [in  909]  to 
obtain  the  city  of  Chester,  which  was  occupied  by  the  English.  (Ibid., 
228  ;  230-236.)  But  there  is  little  doubt  that  it  refers  to  the  warfare  of 
918. 

^  See  above,  year  904. 


408  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

the  hands  of  their  priests,  and  they  promised  to  do  every  good 
thing  according  to  the  best  instructions  of  their  priests,  and  that 
Columcille's  staff  should  be  their  standard  in  front  of  every 
battle.  [This  staff]  was  therefore  called  Cathbuaid^  from  that 
time  onwards ;  and  it  was  a  fitting  name,  because  they  often 
gained  victory  in  battles  through  it :  even  as  they  did  then  on 
that  occasion,  when  they  placed  their  trust  in  Columcille. 

They  did  the  same  on  this  occasion.  Thereupon  the  battle 
was  fought  hardily  and  actively;  the  Scots  got  victory  and 
triumph,  and  the  Scandinavians,  routed,  were  slain  in  great 
numbers,  and  their  king  was  killed  there,  Ottar,  largna's^  son. 
It  was  long  after  this  before  the  Danes  or  Scandinavians  [again] 
attacked  them  ;  and  [the  Scots]  had  peace  and  quiet. 


919 
Annales  Cambria©  ;   Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  168,  s.a.  [919]^ 
King  Clitauc  was  killed.* 


920 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  440,  s.a.  919  or  920  =  920 

The  church  5  of  Kells  was  destroyed  by  the  gentiles,  with 
a  company  of  martyrs  inside.^ 

'  "  Victory  in  battle." 

^  larngna  in  the  text ;  cf.  the  lercne  who  died  in  852  (above).  Possibly 
for  Idrn-kni,  a  possible  Norse  name,  "Iron-knee"?  Cf.  the  Glun-iaraind 
(Irish,  "Iron-knee")  who  led  Scandinavians  from  Dublin,  and  plundered 
Armagh,  in  895  (A.U.,  i,  412) ;  and  the  Glun-iairn  king  of  the  Scandinavians 
in  Ireland,  Olaf  Cuaran's  son,  who  died  in  989  (A.U.,  i,  496). 

^  Placed  5  years  after  the  "  470th  year  "  after  444. 

*  Clitauc  was  a  son  of  Catell ;  see  year  909. 

B.T.  in  R.B.H.,  261  (3  years  before  920):  "Clitauc,  Catell's  son,  was 
killed  by  his  brother,  Meuruc."  His  death  is  placed  by  B.S.  in  M.A.,  656, 
under  917  ;  by  B.T.  in  M.A.,  680,  under  914,  in  the  same  annal  with  a 
devastation  of  Mon  by  the  men  of  Ireland. 

">  doimliac. 

°  C.S.,  190-192,  Hennessy's  year  919  =  920  (after  the  battle  in  which 
Muirchertach,  Tigernan's  son,  was  killed  by  Fland,  Maelsechlaind's  grand- 
son) :  "  Kells  was  plundered  by  the  foreigners  after  that,  and  the  church 
[doimliag]  destroyed." 


SUBMISSION  TO  EDWARD  THE  ELDER  409 

921 

Chronicle  of  Melrose,  p.  27 

In  the  year  921,  the  king  of  the  Scots  with  his  whole  nation, 
and  Ronald,  king  of  the  Danes  inhabiting  Northumbria,  and 
king  Sigtrygg,  did  homage  to  king  Edward.^ 

926 

Chronicle  of  Melrose,  p.  28 

In  the  year  926,  king  Sigtrygg  died ;  and  ^Ethelstan  added 
his  kingdom  to  his  own  empire,  after  driving  out  Godfrey, 
[Sigtrygg's]  son.  He  conquered  in  battle  and  put  to  flight  the 
king  of  the  Britons  also,  Higuel ;  and  Constantine,  king  of  the 
Scots  ;  and  Owen,^  king  of  Gwent.  And  they  asked  peace  from 
him,  and  made  a  treaty  with  him,  confirmed  by  an  oath.^ 

1  This  is  derived  from  F.W.  See  E.C.,  65.  Cf.  the  Annals  of  Chichester, 
in  A.N.G.,  88,  s.a.  923. 

This  submission  was  the  culmination  of  the  events  of  the  previous  ten 
years.     See  p.  402,  note. 

King  Edward  the  Elder  died  in  925  (A.S.C.,  AF)  or  924  (BCDE).  If 
the  reign-lengths  of  his  successors  are  correctly  given  in  A.S.C.,  the  later 
year  is  more  probably  correct.     See  year  939,  note. 

^   Wuer ;  Uwen  in  A.S.C.  :  i.e.  Welsh  Ouein. 

5  This  is  derived  from  F.W.     See  E.C.,  66-67. 

Cf.  B.S.  in  R.B.H.,  387  :  "[^thelstan]  conquered  the  men  of  Denmark, 
and  the  Gaels,  and  the  Scots.  He  expelled  lutgual,  the  king  of  the  Welsh, 
and  Constantine,  the  king  of  Scotland,  from  their  kingdoms.  .  .  .  926  .  .  . 
And  he  raised  the  son  of  Constantine,  king  of  Scfatland,  from  the  font." 

King  yEthelstan  of  Mercia  (king  Edward  the  Elder's  son  and  successor) 
had  in  the  previous  year  given  his  sister  in  marriage  to  Sigtrygg,  king  of 
Northumbria  (A.S.C,  D,  s.a.  925).  Sigtrygg  is  said  to  have  killed  his 
brother  "Niel"  (i.e.,  Niall,  an  Irish  name)  (A.S.C,  EF,  s.a.  921  ;  S.D.,  s.a. 
914) ;  this  was  probably  in  reality  Niall  Glundub,  Aed's  son,  who  was 
killed  at  Dublin  on  15th  September,  919  (A.U.). 

The  English  accounts  of  these  affairs  imply  that  several  battles  were 
fought  ;  not  necessarily  all  in  one  year  (but  926  x ).  Egil's  Saga  would 
place  here  a  battle  that  may  in  reality  have  been  the  battle  of  Brunanburh. 


PART    XV 

Battle  of  Vin-heath 
?926 

Egil's  Saga,  cc.  50-55  ;  pp.  144-160 1 

At  this  time  king  ^thelstan  took  the  kingdom  in  England, 
after  his  father.-  There  were  several  brothers,  sons  of  Edward. 
But  when  ^thelstan  had  taken  the  kingdom  the  chiefs  who 
had  formerly  lost  dominion  through  his  predecessors  rose  in 
opposition :  they  thought  it  would  be  easiest  to  make  their 
claims  while  a  young  king  ruled  over  the  realm.  These  were 
Welsh,  and  Scots,  and  Irish.  But  king  ^thelstan  collected  an 
army,  and  gave  wages  to  all  the  men,  both  foreigners  and 
natives,  who  were  willing  to  get  spoils  for  themselves. 

The  brothers  Thorolf  and  Egil  [Skallagrim's  sons]  proceeded 
south  3  past  Saxony  and  Flemingland  ;  then  they  learned  that 
the  king  of  England  was  thought  to  need  an  army,  and  that 
there  was  hope  of  much  spoil.  Then  they  decided  to  go  there 
with  their  army.     So  they  went  in  autumn,  till  they  came  to 

1  This  part  of  Egil's  Saga  is  untrustworthy. 

^  Edward  died  in  925/924.     See  years  921,  939,  notes. 

^  After  their  victory  over  queen  Gunnhild's  brother,  Eyvind  Skreyia, 
son  of  Ozur  Toti.  F.  Jonsson's  table  of  dates  of  Egil's  Saga  places  that 
victory,  and  Egil's  coming  to  England,  in  924  ;  i.e.  in  the  year  (more 
probably  925)  of  yEthelstan's  succession. 

The  saga  places  the  battle  of  Vin-heath  soon  after  ^thelstan's  accession 
(in  ?  925  ;  but  it  cannot  have  been  earlier  than  926  :  see  year  926  above) ; 
and  at  least  4  winters  before  Harold  Fairhair's  death  (in  ?  934).  The  first 
and  last  of  these  data  would  place  the  battle  between  925  and  930.  It  may 
belong  to  the  warfare  of  926  (above).  If  it  is  the  battle  of  Brunanburh,  the 
saga's  chronology  is  far  astray.  According  to  Jonsson's  table  of  the  saga's 
chronology,  the  battle  of  Vi'n-heath  was  fought  in  925  :  and  Egil  returned 
to  England  in  936,  and  passed  the  winter  with  king  ^thelstan.  It  is 
possible  that  the  battle  of  Brunanburh  took  place  during  Egil's  second 
visit.  To  assume  that  the  saga-writer  has  transferred  the  battle  from  Egil's 
second  visit  to  his  first,  is  to  upset  the  whole  continuity  of  the  saga's  story 
And  according  to  my  reading  of  the  evidence,  Egil's  second  visit  would 
have  been  in  938-939. 

410 


SKALLAGRIM'S  SONS.     KING  OLAF  411 

king  ^thelstan ;  he  received  them  well,  and  thought  that  their 
support  would  be  a  great  assistance.  It  entered  at  once  into 
the  king  of  England's  plans  to  call  them  to  him,  in  order  that 
they  should  receive  wages  and  join  his  land-force.  They 
arranged  it  between  them  that  they  became  ^Ethelstan's 
vassals. 

England  was,  and  had  long  been,  baptized,  when  these 
things  occurred ;  king  ^Ethelstan  was  a  good  Christian.  He 
was  called  iEthelstan  the  Faithful.  The  king  asked  Thorolf, 
and  his  brother  [Egil]  with  his  followers,  to  let  themselves  be 
prime-signed  ;  because  that  was  then  a  great  custom  both  with 
merchants  and  with  those  men  who  went  for  hire  among 
Christian  men,  since  those  men  that  had  been  prime-signed 
had  full  intercourse  with  Christian  men  and  heathens  also,  and 
kept  that  as  their  religion  which  they  liked  best.  Thorolf  and 
Egil  did  this  at  the  king's  request,  and  both  let  themselves  be 
prime-signed.  They  had  there  three  hundred  and  sixty 
followers  who  took  wages  from  the  king. 

[c.  51]  Olaf  the  Red  was  the  name  of  a  king  in  Scotland.^ 

'  There  might  have  been  a  king  called  Olaf  ruling  at  this  time  over  the 
Norwegians  of  Dumfriesshire  and  Galloway  ;  but  the  saga  implies  that 
Olaf  was  the  king  of  all  Scotland,  which  is  certainly  incorrect.  It  is  also 
said  that  he  was  killed  in  the  battle.  In  Egil's  verses  (which  are  quoted  in 
the  saga)  Olaf  is  called  Aleifr  (pp.  148,  159),  a  king  (148),  and  young  (159). 
The  saga  seems  to  have  blundered  over  the  name  and  fate  of  the  Scottish 
king  ;  and  if  it  has,  its  authority  for  the  events  of  this  period  cannot  be 
very  high. 

Cf.  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  150,  s.a.  931  :  "The  Danes  of  Lough 
Ree  arrived  at  Dublin.  Olaf  [Godfrey's  son]  with  all  the  Danes  of  Dublin 
and  [the]  north  part  of  Ireland  departed  and  went  over-seas.  The  Danes 
that  departed  from  Dublin  arrived  in  England,  and  by  the  help  of  the 
Danes  of  that  kingdom  they  gave  battle  to  the  Saxons  on  the  plains  of 
Othlyn,  where  there  was  a  great  slaughter  of  Northmen  and  Danes,  among 
which  these  ensuing  captains  were  slain,  viz.  Sigfrith  and  Audgisl  \Sithfrey 
iS-'  Oisle\  the  two  sons  of  Sigtrygg  ;  Galey  Olaf  Ffroit"  {Fivzt,  according  to 
O'Donovan,  F.M.,  ii,  633  ;  cf.  Fhdt  in  the  Book  of  Leinster,  facsimile, 
172  a  7,  the  equivalent  of  Icelandic  Hvitr  "white"  ;  Stokes,  Transactions 
of  the  Philological  Society,  1890,  p.  420) ;  "and  Maelmuire,  the  son  of  Cosse 
Warce  ;  Maelissa  ;  Gebeachan,  king  of  the  Islands  ;  Cellach,  prince  of 
Scotland ;  with  30,000,  together  with  800  captives,  including  Olaf, 
Godfrey's  son.  And  [the]  abbot  of  Arick,  Brith's  son  ;  Iloa  Deck  ;  Ivar, 
the  king  of  Denmark's  own  son,  with  4,000  soldiers  in  his  guard,  were  all 
slain." 

This  is  an  account  of  the  battle  of  Brunanburh.     It  is  possible  that  the 


412  EARLY  SOURCP2S  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

He  was  a  Scot  by  his  father's  kindred,  but  a  Dane  by  his 
mother's  kindred,  and  he  had  come  of  the  race  of  Ragnar 
Lodbrok.  He  was  a  powerful  man.  Scotland  was  called  a 
third  part  of  the  realm,  in  comparison  with  England ; 
Northumberland  was  called  a  fifth  part  of  England,  and  that 
is  farthest  north  and  close  to  Scotland  on  the  east :  Danish 
kings  had  had  it  before.     York  is  the  chief  town  there. 

yEthelstan  had  the  dominion  [of  Northumberland],  and  had 
set  over  it  two  earls :  the  one  was  called  Alfgeir,  and  the  other 
Godrek.^  They  sat  there  as  land-defence  both  against  the 
Scots  and  against  the  Danes  or  Norwegians,  who  plundered 
much  in  the  land,  and  thought  they  had  a  great  claim  there  to 
the  land :  because  the  only  men  in  Northumberland  (those  of 
any  importance)  had  Danish  descent  on  the  father's  side  or  on 
the  mother's  side  ;  and  there  were  many  of  both. 

Two  brothers,  Hring  and  Adils,^  ruled  over  Wales,  and 
were  tribute-payers  to  king  .^thelstan ;  and  it  followed  that 
they  and  their  army  must  be  in  the  van  of  the  host  before  the 
king's  standard,  when  they  were  in  battle  on  the  king's  side. 
These  brothers  were  the  greatest  warriors,  and  not  very  young 
men. 

Alfred  the  Mighty  had  reduced  all  the  tributary  kings  from 
their  [royal]  title  and  rank.  They  were  then  called  earls,  who 
had  before  been  kings  or  kings'  sons.  That  continued  during 
his  life,  and  that  of  Edward,  his  son ;  but  ^Ethelstan  came 
young  to  the  kingdom,  and  he  was  held  in  less  awe.  Then 
many  became  untrustworthy  who  had  before  been  loyal. 

[c.  52]  Olaf,  king  of  the  Scots,  drew  together  a  great  army, 
and  sailed  then   south  to  England.      And  when  he  came  to 

saga's  Olaf  king  of  Scotland  was  in  fact  Olaf  king  of  Dublin  ;  and  that  the 
Saga's  Adils,  ruler  of  Wales,  was  Audgisl,  Sigtrygg's  son.  Since  these 
are  said  to  have  fallen  in  the  battle  of  Vi'n-heath,  there  is  some  small 
ground  for  the  presumption  that  Vin-heath  was  Brunanburh.  It  is  also 
possible  that  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise  have  confused  two  battles 
(fought  in  926  and  937j.  If  we  accept  the  saga's  evidence  at  all  for  the 
battle,  we  must  accept  also  its  date  of  the  battle  ;  i.e.,  soon  after  925. 

^  CtiSnkrj  below,  GdSrekr.  This  is  probably  the  Anglo-Saxon  name 
Godric  (the  Danish  Gbtrek  is  Gautrekr  in  Icelandic).  Alfgeirr  probably 
stands  for  Danish  Alvger. 

2  Hringr  .  .  .  A^Sils.  This  latter  name  is  an  Icelandic  form  of  Old 
Danish  Athils  (West-Scandinavian  Audgisl j  Irish  Auisle). 


SCOTS  INVADE  NORTHUMBERLAND  413 

Northumberland  he  harried  everywhere :  but  when  the  earls 
[Alfgeir  and  Godrek]  who  had  ruled  there  before  heard  this, 
they  called  together  an  army,  and  went  against  the  king.  And 
when  they  met,  a  great  battle  took  place  there  ;  and  it  ended 
so,  that  king  Olaf  had  the  victory,  and  earl  Godrek  fell,  but  earl 
Alfgeir  fled  away  with  the  greater  part  of  the  army  which 
had  followed  them  and  had  escaped  from  the  battle.  Since 
Alfgeir  could  make  no  resistance,  Olaf  laid  all  Northumberland 
under  him. 

Alfgeir  went  to  king  ^thelstan  and  told  him  of  his  disaster. 
And  as  soon  as  king  ^thelstan  heard  that  so  great  an  army 
had  come  into  his  land,  he  immediately  sent  out  men  and 
summoned  to  him  an  army,  and  sent  word  to  his  earls  and  other 
nobles.  The  king  went  at  once  along  with  the  army  that  he 
got,  and  advanced  against  the  Scots. 

But  when  it  was  known  that  the  Scottish  king  Olaf  had 
got  the  victory  and  had  subdued  to  himself  a  great  part  of 
England,  and  had  a  much  greater  army  than  ^thelstan,  he 
was  joined  by  many  nobles. 

And  when  Hring  and  Adils  (who  had  drawn  together  a  large 
army)  learned  that,  they  betook  themselves  to  king  Olafs 
army  ;  then  [his  followers]  had  an  immense  force. 

But  when  king  ^thelstan  learned  all  this,  he  summoned 
to  him  his  lords  and  councillors,  and  inquired  what  was  most 
expedient.  Then  he  told  all  the  people  plainly  what  he  had 
found  out  concerning  the  Scottish  king's  doings,  and  his  great 
numbers.  They  all  said  the  one  thing  about  it,  that  earl 
Alfgeir  had  had  the  worst  part  in  it,  and  they  thought  it  fitting 
to  take  from  him  his  rank.  And  this  counsel  was  adopted,  that 
king  ^thelstan  should  go  back  to  the  south  of  England,  and 
should  call  out  his  forces  [from  south]  to  north,  from  the  whole 
land ;  because  they  saw  that  otherwise  a  great  force  would  be 
slow  to  assemble,  as  many  as  were  needed,  if  the  king  did  not 
call  them  to  service  himself. 

But  over  the  army  that  had  come  together  there  the  king 
placed  Egil  and  Thorolf  [Skallagrim's  sons]  as  commanders. 
They  were  to  rule  the  army  that  the  vikings  had  brought  there 
to  the  king ;  but  Alfgeir  himself  had  still  command  of  his  forces, 
and  the  king  appointed  leaders  of  detachments  as  seemed  good 
to  him. 


414  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

When  Egil  returned  from  the  assembly  to  his  companions, 
they  asked  what  tidings  he  could  tell  them  of  the  Scottish  king. 
He  said :  "  Olaf  vehemently  drove  the  warrior  [Alfgeir]  into 
flight ;  and  he  slew  the  other.  That  king  I  hear  is  stubborn 
in  the  assembly  of  battle.  Godrek  has  lost  his  way  for  the 
last  time  upon  the  moor.^  The  destroyer  of  the  English  has 
subdued  to  himself  the  half  of  Alfgeir'sMand."^ 

Then  they  sent  messengers  to  king  Olaf,  and  gave  this  as 
their  errand,  that  king  ^thelstan  wished  to  challenge  him  to 
a  pitched  battle,*  and  to  offer  him  a  battle-place  at  Vi'n-heath 
beside  Vi'n-wood  ^ ;  and  he  wished  that  they  would  not  plunder 
in  his  land ;  but  the  one  of  them  who  got  the  victory  in  the 
battle  should  rule  the  kingdom  in  England.  He  appointed 
their  meeting  after  a  week,  and  that  whoever  came  first  should 
wait  another  week.  It  was  then  the  custom  that,  as  soon  as 
a  king  had  been  challenged  to  the  lists,  he  could  not  plunder 
at  all  without  dishonour  until  the  battle  had  ended.  King  Olaf 
did  restrain  his  army,  and  did  not  plunder,  but  waited  till  the 
appointed  day.     Then  he  moved  his  army  to  Vin-heath. 

One  castle  stood  to  the  north  of  the  heath ;  king  Olaf  took 
up  his  position  there  in  the  castle,  and  brought  there  the  greater 
part  of  his  army,  because  extending  from  there  were  wide  plains, 
and  he  thought  it  was  better  there  for  the  bringing  up  of  the 
supplies  that  the  army  needed  to  have.  And  he  sent  his  men 
up  upon  the  heath,  which  had  been  appointed  as  the  battle- 
field ;  they  were  to  take  there  tent-places,  and  to  encamp  there, 
till  the  army  came.  And  when  these  men  came  into  the  place 
where  the  lists  were  set,  there  had  been  put  up  hazel-poles  to 
mark  out  the  place  where  the  battle  was  to  be. 

1  Literally:  "  has  trod  enough  wrong  ways." 

^  Alfgeirs;  for  which  the  editors  would  read  Alsteins  "  ^thelstan's," 
since  it  has  been  stated  in  the  saga  that  Olaf  had  subdued  "all  North- 
umberland." But  equally  the  saga  says  that  Northumberland  was  a  fifth, 
not  a  half,  of  England.  Probably  the  verse  passage  has  an  earher  and 
truer  account  of  Olaf's  conquests. 

^  See  J.S.,  i,  A  50,  B44. 

*  Literally:  "to  hazel  a  field  for  him,"  i.e.  to  challenge  him  to  fight 
within  lists. 

"  d  Vinhei'Si  vi'S  Vimiskoga.  This  may  have  been  Brunanburh  ;  but  the 
saga's  account  of  the  battle  cannot  stand  against  that  of  the  English 
chronicles. 


SCOTS  CHALLENGED  TO  THE  LISTS  415 

The  place  ought  to  be  selected  so  that  it  shall  be  level,  in 
order  that  a  large  army  can  be  drawn  up.  So  too  it  was,  where 
the  battle-field  was  to  be :  there  was  a  level  heath,  and  on  the 
one  hand  ran  a  river,  while  on  the  other  hand  was  a  great  wood. 
And  where  the  shortest  distance  was  between  the  wood  and  the 
river  (and  that  was  a  good  long  way),  there  ^thelstan's  men 
had  pitched  their  tents :  their  tents  stood  right  across  from  the 
wood  to  the  river.  They  had  so  pitched  their  tents  that  there 
were  no  men  in  one  tent  in  every  three,  and  but  few  in  the 
second.  But  when  king  Olaf's  men  came  to  them,  they  had 
placed  a  great  number  in  front  of  all  their  tents,  and  they  [Olaf's 
men]  were  not  allowed  to  go  in  [to  the  lists]  ;  ^thelstan's  men 
said  that  their  tents  were  all  full  of  men,  so  that  their  army  had 
nothing  like  room  enough  there.  And  the  tents  stood  so  high 
that  it  could  not  be  seen  over  them  from  below,  whether  they 
stood  many  or  few  in  depth.  [Their  opponents]  thought  that  a 
very  large  army  must  be  there.  King  Olaf's  men  [therefore] 
encamped  outside  the  lists  to  the  north,  in  which  direction  all 
the  ground  sloped  downwards  somewhat. 

yEthelstan's  men  said  too  from  one  day  to  another  that  their 
king  would  then  come  or  would  have  come  into  the  castle  which 
was  to  the  south,  below  the  heath.  Forces  collected  to  them 
both  day  and  night. 

But  when  the  term  that  had  been  appointed  had  passed, 
vEthelstan's  men  sent  messengers  to  king  Olaf  with  these 
words,  that  king  ^thelstan  was  ready  for  the  battle,  and  had  a 
very  great  army :  but  he  sent  king  Olaf  these  words,  that  he 
wished  not  that  they  should  make  so  great  man-slaughter  as 
was  likely  to  result ;  bade  him  rather  go  back  to  Scotland,  and 
^thelstan  would  give  him  as  a  friendly  gift  a  silver  penny  ^  for 
every  plough  in  all  his  kingdom  ;  and  wished  that  they  should 
establish  friendship  between  them. 

And  when  the  messengers  came  to  king  Olaf  he  was 
beginning  to  prepare  his  army,  and  was  intending  to  attack. 
But  when  the  messengers  delivered  their  errand,  the  king 
stopped  his  advance  for  that  day :  he  sat  in  council,  and  the 
lords  of  his  army  with  him.  There  men  advised  quite 
differently :  some  were  very  anxious  that  he  should  take  this 
offer,  and  said  that  this  had  been  the  most  glorious  expedition, 

'  skilling  silfrs. 


416  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

that  they  should  return  after  taking  so  great  tribute  from 
^thelstan ;  some  spoke  dissuasively,  and  said  that  ^thelstan 
would  offer  much  more  the  second  time,  if  this  were  not 
accepted.     And  the  latter  counsel  was  adopted. 

Then  the  messengers  bade  king  Olaf  take  time,  that  they 
would  yet  go  to  king  ^thelstan  and  see  whether  he  were 
willing  to  pay  still  more  tribute,  in  order  that  there  might  be 
peace ;  they  asked  for  truce  for  one  day,  to  ride  back,  and 
another  day  to  consider,  and  the  third  day  to  come  back  again : 
and  the  king  granted  them  this. 

The  messengers  went  back,  and  returned  on  the  third  day. 
as  had  been  arranged.  They  told  king  Olaf  that  ^thelstan 
would  give  everything,  just  as  he  had  offered  before ;  and  in 
addition,  as  spoil  divided  among  king  Olaf's  army,  a  penny  ^  to 
ever)'  free-born  man ;  a  mark  to  every  leader  of  a  detachment, 
who  had  twelve  men  or  more  under  him ;  a  mark  of  gold  to 
every  commander,  and  five  marks  of  gold  to  every  earl.  Then 
king  Olaf  caused  this  to  be  laid  before  his  army.  Yet  it  was 
as  before,  that  some  opposed  and  some  supported  it.  But 
finally  the  king  made  his  decision  and  said  that  he  would 
accept  this  offer  if  this  was  added,  that  king  ^thelstan  would 
let  him  have  all  Northumberland,  with  the  taxes  and  dues  that 
come  from  it.  The  messengers  asked  delay  for  three  days 
more;  and  this  besides,  that  king  Olaf  should  send  his  men  to 
hear  king  yEthelstan's  words,  whether  he  would  agree  to  this 
offer  or  not.  They  said  that  they  thought  king  ^Ethelstan 
would  let  few  things  stand  in  the  way  of  accepting  peace. 
King  Olaf  agreed  to  this,  and  sent  his  men  to  king  ^Ethelstan. 

The  messengers  rode  all  together,  and  found  king  .^thelstan 
in  the  castle  that  was  nearest  to  the  heath,  upon  the  south. 
King  Olaf's  messengers  laid  their  errand  and  offer  of  terms 
before  king  .^Ethelstan.  King  ^thelstan's  men  told  also  with 
what  offers  they  had  gone  to  king  Olaf;  and  this  also,  that  this 
had  been  the  counsel  of  the  wise  men,  to  put  off  the  battle  thus, 
as  long  as  the  king  did  not  come. 

But  king  ^thelstan  made  a  quick  decision  of  this  affair, 
and  spoke  thus  to  the  messengers :  "  Bear  these  my  words  to 
king  Olaf,  that  I  will  give  him  permission  to  go  back  to 
Scotland  with  his  army,  provided  that  he  pays  back  all  the 

^  skillinsr. 


ENGLISH  DECEIVE  THE  SCOTS  417 

treasure  that  he  has  wrongfully  seized  in  this  land.  Then  let 
us  establish  peace  here  between  our  lands,  and  let  neither  harry 
in  the  other.  This  too  shall  be  added,  that  king  Olaf  shall 
become  my  man,  and  hold  Scotland  of  me,  and  be  my  under- 
king.     Go  back  now,"  he  said,  "  and  tell  him  how  things  stand." 

The  messengers  took  their  way  back  immediately,  in  the 
evening,  and  came  to  king  Olaf  about  mid-night.  They  waked 
the  king  up  and  told  him  at  once  king  ^Ethelstan's  words.  The 
king  had  his  earls  and  other  leaders  called  to  him  instantly, 
then  bade  the  messengers  approach  and  announce  the  result 
of  their  errand,  and  king  yEthelstan's  words.  And  when  this 
was  made  known  to  the  army,  they  had  all  one  thing  to  say, 
that  it  remained  for  them  to  prepare  for  battle. 

The  messengers  said  this  too,  that  ^thelstan  had  a  large 
army,  but  that  he  had  come  to  the  castle  on  the  same  day  as 
the  messengers  came.  Then  earl  Adils  said  :  "  Now  will  it 
have  appeared,  king,  as  I  said,  that  the  English  would  prove 
to  be  dealing  craftily  with  you.  We  have  sat  here  a  long  time, 
and  waited  till  they  have  drawn  to  them  all  their  forces.  And 
their  king  must  have  been  nowhere  near,  when  we  came  here. 
They  must  now  have  gathered  a  great  army,  since  we  encamped 
here.  Now  it  is  my  plan,  king,  that  we  two  brothers  ride 
forward  immediately  this  night  with  our  army  :  it  may  be  that 
they  are  not  on  the  watch  now,  since  they  have  learned  that 
their  king  is  near  with  a  great  army.  If  then  we  make  an 
attack  on  them,  and  if  they  are  routed,  they  will  lose  some  of 
their  army,  and  will  then  be  less  courageous  in  the  conflict 
with  us." 

The  king  considered  this  plan  well  thought  of.  "  We  must 
prepare  our  army  as  soon  as  there  is  light,  and  join  you." 

This  plan  was  adopted,  and  so  they  closed  the  conference. 

[c.  53]  Earl  Hring  and  his  brother  Adils  prepared  their 
army,  and  went  at  once,  in  the  night,  south  to  the  heath ;  but 
when  it  was  light  the  sentries  of  Thorolf's  men  saw  where  the 
army  was  going ;  then  the  trumpets  were  blown :  and  the  men 
put  on  their  armour,  and  they  began  to  draw  up  their  forces. 
And  they  had  two  divisions :  earl  Alfgeir  led  the  one  division, 
and  a  banner  was  borne  before  him  ;  there  was  in  that  division 
the  army  that  had  followed  him  there,  and  also  the  army  that 
had   been   collected   there   from    the   country   round.     It   was 

2  D 


418  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

by  far  a  greater   division   than  that   which   followed   Thorolf 
[and  Egil]. 

Thorolf  was  armed  thus  :  he  had  a  shield,  broad  and  thick  ; 
a  very  strong  helmet  on  his  head  ;  he  was  girt  with  the  sword 
that  he  called  Long,  a  great  weapon  and  good ;  he  had  a 
halberd  in  his  hand :  its  blade  was  two  ells  long,  and  above  it 
was  forged  on  a  four-edged  spike ;  the  blade  was  broad  above, 
the  socket  both  long  and  thick  ;  the  shaft  was  not  so  long  that 
the  hand  could  not  reach  the  socket  [when  the  butt  was  on  the 
ground],  and  was  wonderfully  thick.  An  iron  wedge  was  in 
the  socket,  and  all  the  shaft  was  iron-bound.  Such  spears  were 
called  mail-pikes.i 

Egil  had  the  same  equipment  as  Thorolf  He  was  girt  with 
the  sword  that  he  called  Adder ;  he  had  taken  that  sword  in 
Couriand ;  that  was  the  best  weapon.  Neither  of  them  had  a 
coat  of  mail. 

They  raised  a  banner,  and  Thorfinn  the  Strong  carried  it. 
All  their  army  had  Norwegian  shields,  and  all  Norwegian 
equipment ;  they  were  all  Norwegian  men  who  were  in  that 
division. 

Thorolf  drew  them  up  near  the  wood,  while  Alfgeir's  division 
went  along  the  river. 

Earl  Adils  and  his  brother  saw  that  they  could  not  take 
Thorolf  and  his  men  by  surprise  ;  so  they  began  to  arrange 
their  army.  They  also  made  two  divisions,  and  had  two 
banners ;  Adils  was  arrayed  against  earl  Alfgeir,  and  Hring 
against  the  vikings.  Then  battle  began  there.  Both  sides 
went  forward  well.  Earl  Adils  pressed  forward  hard,  until 
Alfgeir  gave  ground ;  then  Adils's  men  pressed  on  much  more 
daringly.  It  was  not  long  until  Alfgeir  fled ;  and  this  is  to  be 
said  of  him,  that  he  rode  away  south  over  the  heath,  and  a 
company  of  men  with  him  ;  there  he  rode  till  he  came  near  the 
castle  where  the  king  sat.  Then  the  earl  said :  "  I  have  no 
intention  of  our  going  to  the  castle ;  we  got  much  reproach 
last  time,  when  we  came,  to  the  king  after  we  had  been  defeated 
by  king  Olaf ;  and  he  will  not  think  that  our  case  has  improved 
in  this  expedition.     We  can  now  expect  no  honour  where  he  is." 

Then  he  rode  southwards  through  the  country ;  and  this  is 
to  be  said  of  his  journey,  that  he  rode  day  and  night,  until  they 

'  brynthvarar. 


BATTLE  OF  VIN-HEATH  419 

came  west  to  Earl's-ness^;  the  earl  got  there  a  passage  south 
over  the  sea,  and  escaped  to  France.^  There  he  had  one  half 
of  his  kindred.     He  came  never  again  to  England. 

Adils  pursued  at  first,  but  not  far  before  he  turned  back  to 
the  place  where  the  battle  was.  Then  he  made  an  attack.  But 
when  Thorolf  saw  that,  he  turned  against  the  earl  and  bade  his 
standard  be  carried  there ;  he  bade  his  men  follow  up,  and 
stand  close :  "  Let  us  move  in  the  wood,"  he  said,  "  and  let  it 
protect  us  behind,  so  that  they  cannot  come  upon  us  from  all 
sides  at  once." 

They  did  so,  and  kept  close  along  the  wood ;  a  hard  battle 
was  fought  there.  Egil  advanced  against  Adils,  and  there  was 
a  hard  contest.  The  odds  were  very  great,  yet  more  men  fell 
on  Adils'  side.  Then  Thorolf  became  so  violent  that  he  flung 
his  shield  behind  his  back,  and  took  his  spear  in  his  two  hands, 
and  so  leapt  forward  and  hewed  or  thrust  with  both  hands  : 
men  sprang  away  from  him  on  two  sides,  but  he  slew  many. 
He  so  cleared  the  way  before  him  to  the  earl  Hring's  standard, 
and  nothing  could  withstand  him  :  he  slew  the  man  who  bore 
earl  Hring's  banner,  and  cut  down  the  banner-pole.  Then  he 
thrust  his  spear  against  the  earl's  breast  through  his  mail  and 
body,  so  that  it  passed  out  between  his  shoulders  ;  and  he  raised 
him  up  above  his  head  upon  his  halberd,  and  struck  down  the 
spear-butt  in  the  earth ;  there  died  the  earl  on  the  spear,  and 
all  saw  it,  both  [Hring's]  men  and  his  enemies  also.  Then 
Thorolf  drew  his  sword  and  hewed  to  right  and  left ;  his  men 
too  pressed  on ;  then  many  Britons  and  Scots  fell,  but  some 
turned  to  flight. 

And  when  earl  Adils  saw  the  fall  of  his  brother,  and  the 
great  slaughter  of  his  [brother's]  army,  and  that  some  fled,  he 
thought  he  should  suffer  for  it,  so  he  took  to  flight  and  ran  for 
the  wood  ;  he  fled  into  the  wood  with  his  company ;  then  all 
the  army  that  had  followed  him  began  to  flee.  Great  slaughter 
was  made  there  of  the  fugitives.  And  then  the  rout  spread 
far  and  wide  over  the  heath.  Earl  Adils  had  cut  down  his 
banner,  and  so  none  knew  where  he  went,  more  than  other 
men.  Soon  the  darkness  of  night  began,  and  Thorolf  and  Egil 
turned  back  to  their  camp.  And  immediately  king  ^thelstan 
came  there  with  all  his  army,  and  they  pitched  their  tents  and 
1  d  Jarlsnes.  ^  a  Vallandi. 


420  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

encamped.  A  little  later,  king  Olaf  came  with  his  army  to  the 
place  where  their  men  had  tented ;  king  Olaf  was  told  that 
both  his  earls  Hring  and  Adils  had  fallen,  and  very  many 
others  of  his  men. 

[c.  54]  King  ^thelstan  had  already  the  previous  night  been 
in  the  castle,  as  was  said  before ;  and  there  he  learned  that 
there  had  been  a  battle  on  the  heath.  So  he  prepared 
immediately,  with  all  his  army,  and  proceeded  northwards  to 
the  heath.  Then  he  heard  clearly  all  the  news,  how  the  battle 
had  gone.  Then  the  brothers  Thorolf  and  Egil  came  to  the 
king's  presence ;  he  thanked  them  well  for  their  courage,  and 
the  victory  that  they  had  won.  He  promised  them  his  perfect 
friendship.     They  all  abode  together  there  that  night. 

King  .^thelstan  waked  up  his  army  in  the  early  morning ; 
he  had  a  conversation  with  his  leaders,  and  said  what  the 
arrangement  of  his  force  should  be.  He  drew  up  his  own 
division  first,  and  set  in  front  those  companies  that  were  most 
vigorous.  Then  he  said  that  Egil  should  be  [placed]  over  this 
army.  "But  Thorolf"  said  he,  "shall  be  [placed]  with  his 
army  and  the  other  army  that  I  set  there;  this  shall  be  the 
second  division  in  our  army.  He  shall  be  the  leader  of  it 
because  the  Scots  are  always  in  loose  battle-order  i;  they  leap 
forward  and  back,  and  advance  in  various  places :  they  are 
often  dangerous,  if  men  are  not  on  their  guard,  but  are  out  of 
ranks  on  the  field,  when  one  attacks  them." 

Egil  answered  the  king  :  "  I  will  not,  that  Thorolf  and  I  be 
parted  in  the  battle ;  but  it  seems  to  me  good  that  we  should 
both  be  placed  where  there  is  greatest  need,  and  where  the 
battle  is  hardest."  Thorolf  said  :  "  Let  the  king  decide  where 
he  will  place  us ;  let  us  serve  the  king  as  he  wishes.  If  thou 
wilt,  I  will  take  the  place  assigned  to  thee."  Egil  said :  "  This 
time  he  and  thou  shall  decide ;  but  I  shall  often  regret  this 
parting." 

Then  the  men  went  into  divisions  as  the  king  had  divided 
them,  and  the  banners  were  raised  up.     The  king's  division 

^  lausir  i  fylkingu.  With  this,  Jonsson  compares  the  passage  in  Nial's 
Saga,  c.  86  (see  p.  499).  Similar  tactics  to  those  followed  in  this  battle  by 
Thorolf  were  employed  by  the  N  orthmen  of  Orkney  against  the  Scottish 
earl  Maelbrigte  (in  O.S.,  c.  5  ;  see  above,  p.  371).  These  incidents  do  not 
illustrate  the  style  of  Scottish  fighting  described  here. 


BATTLE  OF  VIN-HEATH  421 

spread  over  the  plain  towards  the  river,  but  Thorolfs  division 
occupied  the  upper  ground  beside  the  wood.  Then  king  Olaf 
began  to  array  his  army  when  he  saw  that  ^thelstan  had 
arrayed  his ;  he  too  made  two  divisions,  and  he  let  his  banner 
go  with  the  division  that  he  led  himself,  opposite  to  king 
^thelstan  and  his  division.  They  had  each  there  so  great  an 
army  that  there  was  no  difference  between  them  in  numbers. 
King  Olafs  second  division  went  near  the  wood,  against  the 
army  that  Thorolf  led :  its  leaders  were  Scottish  earls ;  it  was 
mostly  composed  of  Scots,  and  it  was  very  numerous.  Then 
the  divisions  engaged,  and  at  once  there  was  a  great  battle 
there.  Thorolf  pressed  on  hard,  and  had  his  standard  carried 
forward  along  the  wood,  intending  to  go  so  far  forward  that  he 
should  come  upon  king  [Olafs]  army  in  the  rear  ^ ;  they  held 
their  shields  before  them,  and  the  wood  was  above  them  on 
their  way ;  they  trusted  to  its  shelter.  Thorolf  went  so  far 
forward  that  few  of  his  men  were  before  him ;  and  when  he 
expected  it  least,  earl  Adils  leapt  out  there  from  the  wood,  with 
the  company  that  followed  him  ;  immediately  they  thrust  at 
Thorolf  with  many  halberds  all  at  once,  and  he  fell  there  by 
the  wood.  But  Thorfinn,  who  carried  the  banner,  ran  back 
where  the  army  was  closest ;  and  then  Adils  pressed  on  against 
them,  and  there  was  a  great  battle  there. 

The  Scots  raised  a  shout  of  victory  where  they  had  felled 
the  leader.  But  when  Egil  heard  that,  and  saw  that  Thorolfs 
standard  was  in  retreat,  then  he  thought  he  knew  that  Thorolf 
himself  was  not  following  it.  Then  he  leapt  forward  thither 
between  the  divisions ;  he  soon  was  aware  of  what  had  taken 
place  there,  as  soon  as  he  reached  his  men.  Then  he  urged  on 
the  army  greatly  to  the  attack  ;  he  was  the  foremost  in  the  van. 
He  had  the  sword  Adder  in  his  hand.  Then  he  pressed  on,  and 
hewed  to  right  and  left,  and  felled  many  men.  Thorfinn  bore 
the  banner  close  behind  him,  and  the  other  army  followed  the 
banner ;  there  took  place  the  most  strenuous  battle.  Egil  went 
forward  till  he  met  earl  Adils ;  they  exchanged  few  strokes 
before  earl  Adils  fell ;  and  many  men  [fell]  with  him  :  but  after 
his  fall  the  army  fled  that  had  followed  him.  And  Egil  and 
his  army  pursued  them,  and  slew  as  many  as  they  overtook : 
therefore  it  was  useless  to  ask  for  quarter.  And  then  the 
^  i  opna  skjoldu,  "  in  open  shield." 


422  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Scottish  earls  did  not  stand  long;  so  soon  as  they  saw  that 
others  of  their  fellows  were  fleeing,  they  began  immediately  to 
run  away.  But  Egil  and  his  followers  assembled  where  king 
[Olafs]  division  was,  and  came  upon  them  in  the  rear.  And 
quickly  they  made  great  slaughter  there.  Then  that  division 
crumbled  away,  and  melted  utterly.  Then  many  of  Olaf's  men 
fled,  and  the  vikings  raised  a  shout  of  victory. 

But  when  king  ^thelstan  thought  he  perceived  that  king 
Olafs  division  began  to  break  up,  he  urged  on  his  army,  and 
had  the  banner  carried  forward ;  there  was  then  a  hard  attack 
so  that  Olaf's  army  gave  way,  and  very  great  slaughter  was 
made.  King  Olaf  fell  there,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  army 
that  Olaf  had  had :  because  those  who  took  to  flight  were  all 
slain,  when  they  were  overtaken.  King  ^Ethelstan  got  there  a 
very  great  victory. 

[c.  55]  King  ^thelstan  left  the  battle  ;  but  his  men  followed 
up  the  pursuit.  He  rode  back  to  the  castle,  and  took  his  first 
night's  rest  in  the  castle.  But  Egil  pursued,  and  followed  them 
far,  and  slew  every  man  he  reached.  Then  he  turned  back 
with  his  company,  and  went  to  the  place  where  the  battle  had 
been,  and  found  there  his  brother  Thorolf  slain ;  he  took  up 
his  body,  and  washed  it,  and  laid  it  out  after  the  custom. 
They  dug  a  grave  there,  and  set  Thorolf  in  it  with  all  his 
weapons  and  clothes ;  then  Egil  clasped  a  gold  ring  on  each 
of  his  arms,  before  parting  from  him  ;  then  they  piled  up 
stones,  and  sprinkled  earth  over  him.  Then  Egil  sang  these 
verses  :  "  The  earl's  slayer,  dreading  nothing,  advanced  eagerly 
in  the  great  clashing  of  Odin^;  the  strong-minded  Thorolf  fell. 
The  earth  grows  green  over  my  renowned  brother,  near  the 
Vi'n  ^ ;  it  is  a  deadly  loss,  but  we  shall  veil  our  tears." 

And  still  he  sang :  "  I  heaped  the  field  in  the  west  with  the 
dead,  before  the  banner-poles.  Violent  was  the  steel-storm  in 
which  I  attacked  Adils  with  the  blue  Adder.  The  young  Olaf 
had  steel-thunder  with  the  English ;  Hring  fought  in  the 
assembly  of  weapons ;  the  ravens  starved  not." 

Then  Egil  went  with  his  company  to  king  ^Ethelstan,  and 
came  at  once  before  the  king,  where  he  sat  at  the  drinking. 
There  was  great  noise  of  merriment.     And  when  the  king  saw 

1  I.e.  "battle." 

^   yino  ncer ;  the  river  of  Vin-heath,  probably  =  "  Wine." 


DEFEAT  OF  THE  SCOTS  423 

that  Egil  had  come  in,  he  said  that  the  lower  bench  should  be 
cleared  for  them ;  and  said  that  Egil  should  sit  there  in  the 
high-seat,  facing  the  king.  Egil  sat  down  there,  and  cast  his 
shield  before  his  feet.  He  had  a  helmet  on  his  head,  and  he 
laid  his  sword  upon  his  knees ;  and  he  half  drew  it  now  and 
then,  and  again  drove  it  back  into  the  scabbard.  He  sat 
upright,!  and  was  very  bowed.  Egil  was  broad-faced  and  had 
a  broad  forehead  ;  bushy  brows,  a  nose  not  long  but  extremely 
thick  ;  bearded  lips,  broad  and  long  ;  a  chin  remarkably  broad, 
and  so  too  his  jaws  :  he  was  thick  necked  and  large-shouldered, 
outstandingly  beyond  other  men ;  of  stern  appearance,  and 
fierce,  when  he  was  angry.  He  was  well  made,  and  taller  than 
every  man  ;  [he  had]  wolf-grey  hair,  and  thick,  and  grew  early 
bald.  .  .  .  Egil  was  black-eyed  and  beetle-browed.^  .  .  .^ 

'  I.e.,  without  leaning  back. 

^  skolbruiin :  "  with  eyebrows  meeting,"  according  to  Halldorsson  and 
Jonsson.  This  description  of  Egil's  appearance  may  have  some  ethno- 
logical value. 

^  Egil  twisted  his  brows  and  refused  drink.  yEthelstan  gave  him  a  gold 
arm-ring:  Egil  was  pleased,  and  drank.  "After  that  the  king  had  two 
chests  brought  in  ;  two  men  carried  each  ;  both  were  full  of  silver." 
/Ethelstan  gave  these  to  Egil  for  Skallagrim,  in  atonement  for  Thorolfs 
death  :  he  offered  to  Egil  such  honour  and  rank  in  England  as  he  should 
choose.  Then  Egil  became  cheerful.  He  remained  that  winter  with 
^thelstan.  He  composed  a  eulogy  on  vEthelstan  ;  "  yEthelstan  then 
gave  further  to  Egil  as  reward  for  the  poem  two  gold  rings,  and  each 
weighed  a  mark  ;  and  in  addition  a  costly  mantle,  which  the  king  himself 
had  formerly  worn." 

In  spring,  (promising  to  return)  Egil  went  to  Norway,  to  look  after 
Thorolfs  property  and  widow,  Asgerd,  Biorn's  daughter.  He  found  her 
with  her  kinsman  Arinbiorn,  who  had  succeeded  his  father  Thori,  Hroald's 
son.  Egil  remained  with  Arinbiorn  the  next  winter  [926-937,  according  to 
Jonsson],  and  married  Asgerd  before  the  spring.  He  sailed  to  Iceland, 
after  12  winters'  absence,  and  spent  the  ne.xt  winter  there  with  his  father 
Skallagrim  [927-928,  u.s.]  ;  with  them  at  Borg  were  Thorfinn  the  Strong, 
and  many  others.  Thorfinn  married  Steunn,  Skallagrim's  daughter,  and 
settled  in  Iceland.  My  estimate  of  the  dates  would  be  one  year  later  than 
Jonsson's. 

When  Egil  had  been  at  Borg  for  several  winters  [927-932,  u.s.]  he  heard 
that  yeoman  Biorn  had  died,  and  that  Berg-Onund,  Biorn's  son-in-law, 
with  king  Eric's  support  had  taken  Asgerd's  inheritance.  Egil  went  to 
Norway  [933,  u.s.]  and  failed  to  get  justice  from  Eric  ;  the  Thing  at  which 
he  claimed  it  broke  up  in  disorder  [934,  according  to  Jonsson]  ;  Egil 
challenged  Berg-Onund  to  battle,  and  cursed  all  who  should  usurp  Biorn's 
property.     Egil  was  outlawed  by  Eric.     This  was  in  the   year  [?935]  of 


424  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Eric's  campaign  in  the  Vik,  the  summer  after  Harold  Fairhair's  death 
(cc.  57,  S9  ;  PP-  i8i)  183.  Cf.  H.,  Harold  Fairhair,  c.  43  ;  Icelandic  Annals, 
CA,  s.a.  932,  D,  s.a.  934). 

Egil  killed  Berg-Onund  and  Ronald,  Eric's  son,  and  several  others,  and 
returned  to  Iceland  (c.  58),  before  Hakon,  j^^thelstan's  foster-son,  went  to 
Norway  (in  ?936  ;  see  below,  p.  427)  (c.  59). 

Egil  did  not  divide  the  money  ^thelstan  had  given  him,  either  with 
Skallagrim  or  with  any  one  else  (cc.  56,  58  ;  pp.  167-168,  191)  ;  he  hid  it 
before  he  died  (c.  85,  pp.  292-293).  Similarly  Skallagrim  had  hidden  his 
money  on  the  night  before  he  died  [•''935]  (c.  58,  pp.  191-192):  and  Egil 
buried  no  money  with  him  (p.  193).  The  stories  told  of  Egil  in  the  saga 
represent  him  as  being  ambitious  in  acquiring  riches,  and  perhaps  ready 
to  exaggerate  his  achievements. 


PART  XVI 

End  of  Constantine's  Reign.    Reign  of  Malcolm 

927 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  448,  s.a.  926  or  927  =  927 

Maelbrigte,  Toman's  son,  successor  of  Patrick  and  Columcille, 
rested  in  happy  old  age.^ 

^  Similarly  in  C.S.,  196;  Hennessy's  year  926  =  927. 

A.I.,  37,  O'Conor's  year  911=927  (19  years  after  908,  4  years  before  931, 
which  years  are  indicated  by  epacts  and  ferial  numbers):  "The  rest  of 
Maelbrigte,  son  of  Toman  "  (read  "  Tornan  "),  "  abbot  of  Armagh,  and  abbot 
of  lona  of  Columcille." 

F.M.;  ii,  616,  s.a.  925  =  927  (and  "the  8th  year  of  Duncan,"  king  of 
Ireland)  :  "  Maelbrigte,  Tornan's  son,  successor  of  Patrick,  of  Columcille, 
and  of  Adamnan,  head  of  the  rehgion  of  all  Ireland  and  of  the  greater  part 
of  Europe,  died  after  attaining  distinguished  old  age,  on  the  22nd  of 
February.  And  in  commemoration  of  his  death  it  was  said  :  '  In  the 
twelfth  year  (not  trifling)  [after]  Fland  was  buried  on  the  eighth  of  the 
Kalends  of  July  [24th  June,  913  ?  See  A.U.,  i,  424,  s.a.  911  or  912  =  912] 
Maelbrigte,  most  distinguished  of  the  valiant  Irish,  [died]  on  the  eighth  of 
the  Kalends  of  noble  March  [22nd  February].  Since  the  divine  Son  of 
God  was  born  into  the  world,  925  years  [had  passed]  to  the  death  of 
Maelbrigte  .  .  .  \tar  ?zf\.  It  was  not  an  uneventful  year  ;  unripe  was  the 
abbot  of  Armagh,  Maelbrigte,  the  crown  of  Europe,  [and]  Cormac, 
[abbot]  of  Glendalough." 

In  the  list  of  Patrick's  successors,  in  L.L.,  42  (R.S.  89,  ii,  544)  : 
"  Maelbrigte,  Tornan's  son,  33  [years  ;  he  was]  successor  of  Patrick,  and  of 
Columcille,  and  of  Bridget.  .  .  ." 

Martyrology  of  Gorman,  p.  40,  February  22nd  :  "  Maelbrigte  without 
dangers." 

Martyrology  of  Donegal,  p.  54,  February  22nd  :  "  Maelbrigte,  Dornan's 
son,  successor  of  Patrick  and  of  Columcille  :  a  man  full  of  the  grace  of 
God,  and  a  vessel  of  the  wisdom  and  of  the  knowledge  of  his  time." 

List  of  mothers  of  Irish  Saints,  in  L.L.,  372,  d  :  "  Saerlaith,  daughter  of 
Cuilebath,  son  of  Baethgal  :  [Saerlaith  was]  mother  of  Maelbrigte, 
Tornan's  son."  The  Book  of  Lecan  makes  Maelbrigte  13th  in  descent  from 
Conall  Gulban  (Reeves,  Adamnan,  392). 

425 


426  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

934 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  149,  s.a.  928 

yEthelstan,  king  of  Saxons,  preyed  and  spoiled  the  kingdom 
of  Scotland  to  Edinburgh,  and  yet  the  Scottish  men  compelled 
him  to  return  without  any  great  victory. 


934 

Chronicle  of  Melrose,  p.  28 

In  the  year  934,  king  ^thelstan  wasted  Scotland  as  far  as 
Dunnottar  and  Werter-moors,^  with  a  land  army  ;  and  with  a 
naval  army,  as  far  as  Caithness :  because  Constantine  broke  the 
bond  of  the  treaty.^ 

934-937 

Theoderic,   Historia    de    Antiquitate    Regum    Norwagiensium, 

c.  2  ;  Storm's  Monumenta,  p.  7 

To  Harold  [Fairhair]  succeeded  his  son,  Eric  by  name.  .  .  . 

The  aforesaid  Harold  had  sent  one  of  his  sons,  Hakon  by 
name,  to  ^thelstan,  king  of  the  English,  to  be  fostered  and 
taught  the  manners  of  the  nation ;  and  him  the  Norwegians 
recalled,  because  of  the  cruelty  of  his  brother  [Eric],  and  [more] 
especially  of  [Eric's]  wife  Gunnhild  ;  and  they  appointed  him 
king. 

And  Eric  sailed  to  England,  and  was  honourably  received 
by  the  king.     He  died  there. 

Eric  reigned  for  three  years ;  two  of  them  alone,  the  third 
with  his  brother  [Hakon].^ 

^  usque  Dunfoeder  et  Wertermore. 

"  This  is  derived  from  English  sources.  See  E.C.,  68-69  ;  and  cf.  Bain, 
ii,  112  ;  Fordun,  IV,  23. 

An  obscure  poem,  written  to  salute  king  ^thelstan,  (926  x  937  ;  perhaps 
926  X  934)  seems  to  speak  of  king  Constantine  as  ^thelstan's  vassal.  See 
E.H.R.,  xxvi,  483.  These  verses  seem  to  mention  also  Higuel,  king  of 
Wales.     Cf.  year  926. 

^  Cf.  Agrip,  c.  5  ;  F.S.,  x,  380  :  "Eric  Bloodaxe  .  .  .  held  Norway  for 
5  winters  altogether,  including  the  two  winters  when  he  was  greeted  as 
king  in  the  land  while  Harold  lived,  and  three  [winters]  afterwards." 

Ibid.,  380-381:  "Then  wise  men  called  Hakon  back  to  the  land 
secretly,  two  winters  after  the  death  of  Harold  Fairhair  ;  and  he  came 
with  two  ships  from  the  west,  and  sat  for  the  winter  in  such  a  manner  that 


^THELSTAN  INVADES  SCOTLAND.     KING  ERIC       427 

he  had  not  the  name  of  king.  .  .  .  He  was  nearly  20  years  old  when  he 
came  to  the  land.  .  .  ." 

For  the  dates  of  Harold's  reign  see  above,  pp.  322-323.  The  numbers 
given  are  perhaps  approximate,  and  the  dates  must  be  accepted  as 
approximate  only. 

Harold  reigned  for  70  winters  to  his  death  (Ari  ;  Theoderic  ;  Agrip) : 
for  60  winters  as  king  of  all  Norway,  from  the  battle  of  Hafrsfiordr  to  his 
death  (Agrip,  c.  4  ;  F.S.,  x,  380.  Theoderic,  p.  6,  erroneously  implies 
that  "he  held  alone  the  kingdom  of  all  Norway  for  70  years,  and  died"). 
For  the  last  2  years  of  his  reign,  his  son  Eric  was  the  ruling  king. 

The  sagas,  however,  give  Harold  70  years'  reign  (80  years  of  age) 
before  he  abdicated  in  Eric's  favour  (H.,  and  Snorri's  St  Olaf's  Saga. 
Egil's  Saga,  c.  57,  p.  180  :  "  Harold  had  been  70  winters  king  when  he 
gave  up  the  kingdom  into  the  hands  of  his  son  Eric").  The  3  years 
during  which  Eric  reigned  after  Harold's  death,  they  give  to  Eric  after 
Harold's  abdication  ;  they  therefore  say  that  Harold  lived  for  3  years  after 
his  abdication  (Olafs  Saga,  c.  11  ;  H.,  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son,  c.  45  (Fr.,  62-63)  ; 
Egil's  Saga,  u.s.  ;  F.,  23).  Some  writers  go  further,  and  add  these  3  years 
to  Harold's  reign  (Historia  Norwegiae,  Storm's  Monumenta,  104  ;  Olafs 
Saga,  c.  2,  F.S.,  i,  5  ;  F.,  23  ;  Konungatal,  FL,  i,  583).  In  consequence  of 
this  error,  3  years  were  added  to  Harold's  life  (e.g.  in  Snorri's  St  Olafs 
Saga,  c.  6,  p.  7) ;  and  in  order  to  make  up  Eric's  reign  to  5  years,  the 
sagas  say  that  he  reigned  2  winters  after  Harold's  death,  the  second 
winter  with  Hakon.  H.  ;  Olaf's  Saga,  c.  15  ;  Egil's  Saga,  193,  c.  59:  F., 
25,  26,  31  ;  Fl.,  i,  224  (R.S.  88,  i,  10).  Similarly  Historia  Norwegiae, 
p.  105,  and  the  Konungatal  in  Fl.,  i,  583,  say  that  Eric  reigned  one  year. 
The  Icelandic  Annals,  trying  to  follow  the  sagas,  say  that  Hakon  came 
to  Norway  in  935  (BD  ;  934,  E  ;  933,  OCAl),  and  that  Eric  was  driven 
from  Norway  in  the  following  year  (936,  D  ;  934,  CAI). 

The  error  that  runs  through  the  sagas  is  a  natural  one,  and  we  need 
have  no  hesitation  in  rejecting  their  evidence  here  in  favour  of  that  of 
Theoderic  and  the  Agrip. 

From  these  we  deduce  that  Eric  reigned  932-934  while  Harold  lived, 
934-937  after  Harold's  death  :  that  Hakon  went  to  Norway  in  936,  Eric  to 
Orkney  in  937. 

Eric  was  the  son  of  Harold  Fairhair  and  Ragnhild,  the  wife  for  whose 
sake  Harold  was  said  to  have  put  away  nine  wives  ;  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's 
Saga,  c.  2  (F.S.,  i,  6) ;  H.,  Harold  Fairhair,  c.  21. 

Eric's  nickname  Bloodaxe  meant,  according  to  Theoderic,  "brother's 
slayer"  (Storm's  Monumenta,  7).  But  the  Agrip,  F.S.,  x,  380,  says:  "He 
put  to  death  [ref/i]  his  brother  Olaf  Thick-leg,  and  Biorn,  and  more  of  his 
brothers  ;  he  was  called  Blood-axe  because  the  man  was  an  overbearing 
man  and  cruel,  and  most  of  all  when  he  followed  [Gunnhild's]  counsels." 
F.,  30,  says  that  he  earned  the  nickname  by  his  plundering  in  the  British 
islands. 

If  Hakon  was  19  in  936  ("nearly  20"  according  to  the  Agrip,  and  F., 
26),  he  must  have  been  born  in  917,  when  his  father  was  63  years  old. 


428  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

917 

Annals  of  the  Pour  Masters,  vol.  ii,  p.  632,  s.a.  935=937 

Angus,  Muirchertach's  son,  a  scholar,  anchorite,  and  tanist- 
abbot  of  lona,  died.^ 


937 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  456,  s.a.  936  or  937  =  937 

A  great  battle,  lamentable  and  terrible,  was  savagely  fought 
between  Saxons  and  Northmen ;  and  in  it  fell  many  thousands, 
which  have  not  been  counted,  of  the  Northmen.  But  their 
king,   Olaf  [Godfrey's  son],  escaped  with  a  few.     And  on  the 

This  is  less  unlikely  than  the  Heimskringla's  statements  that  Harold  was 
nearly  seventy  when  his  son  Hakon  the  Good  was  born  (u.s.,  c.  40) ;  and 
that  Hakon  was  15  winters  old  when  he  was  acclaimed  as  king  ("Harold 
the  Fairhaired  came  again,  and  grown  young  a  second  time";  see  H., 
Hakon  the  Good,  c.  i). 

Hakon's  birth  is  placed  by  the  Icelandic  Annals  in  921  (KBDE ; 
918,  CA). 

Egil's  Saga,  c.  59,  p.  193  :  "  King  Eric  ruled  over  Norway  for  one 
winter  [933-934,  according  to  Jonsson]  after  the  death  of  his  father,  king 
Harold,  before  Hakon  .  .  .  came  to  Norway  .  .  .  ;  and  the  same  summer" 
(in  reality  936?)  "Egil  Skallagrim's  son  went  to  Iceland.  Hakon  went 
north  to  Trondhjem,  and  was  there  received  as  king  ;  Eric  and  he  were 
both  kings  in  Norway  for  the  winter.  But  afterwards  in  spring"  (i.e.  937?) 
"  each  collected  an  army.  Hakon  had  by  far  the  greater  number  of  men  " 
( M S.  W  adds :  "because  he  established  laws  in  the  land  that  every  man  should 
own  his  heritage  and  odal  lands,  while  before  king  Harold  had  oppressed 
every  man,  both  rich  and  poor";  similarly  MS.  K;  Samfund  17,  213). 
"  So  Eric  saw  that  he  had  no  other  choice  but  to  flee  from  the  land.  Then 
he  went  away  with  his  wife  Gunnhild  and  their  children.  Chief  Arinbiorn 
was  king  Eric's  foster-brother,  and  the  fosterer  of  his  child  [Harold 
Grey-cloak].  He  was  the  dearest  to  the  king  of  all  the  barons  holding 
lands  of  the  king  :  the  king  had  placed  him  as  lord  over  the  whole  country 
of  Firdir.     Arinbiorn  went  from  the  land  with  the  king. 

"  They  went  first  west  beyond  the  sea  to  the  Orkneys.  There  [Eric] 
gave  his  daughter  Ragnhild  in  marriage  to  earl  Arnfinn."  (This  is 
probably  erroneous ;  see  the  Heimskringla,  below,  p.  465.  For  Eric's 
visit  to  England,  see  below,  pp.  455-459.) 

'  Also  the  "  1 8th  year  of  Duncan,"  sovereign  of  Ireland. 

^  ianaisi  abbaidh  lae.  The  abbacy  of  lona  was  held  by  "  Colnmcille's 
successor,"  elected  in  Ireland,  and  resident  there  (cf.  years  927,  938). 
Probably  Angus  was  the  chief  of  the  reduced  community  in  lona. 


BATTLE  OF  BRUNANBURH  429 

other  side,  a  multitude  of  Saxons  fell ;  but  ^thelstan,  the  king 
of  the  Saxons,  obtained  a  great  victory.^ 


937 
Annales  Camtoriae ;  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  i68,  s.a.  [938]  ^ 
The  battle  of  Brune.^ 


937 

Chronicle  of  Melrose,  p.  28 

In  the  year  937,  Olaf,  the  king  of  Ireland,  entered  the 
mouth  of  the  river  Humber,  with  six  hundred  and  fifteen  ships ; 
and  king  ^thelstan  and  his  brother  Edmund  met  him  at 
Brunanburh,  and  fought  a  battle.  They  killed  five  kinglets  and 
seven  earls,  and  returned  with  triumph.* 

'  F.M.,  ii,  632,  s.a.  935  =  937:  "The  Foreigners  of  Dublin  left  their 
fortress,  and  went  to  England."  Under  the  next  year,  A.U.  say:  "Olaf, 
Godfrey's  son,  was  in  Dublin  again";  F.M. :  "Olaf,  Godfrey's  son,  came 
to  Dublin  again.  .  .  ."  Olaf  "abandoned  Dublin,"  according  to  F.M. 
(ii,  638),  in  937  =  939. 

^  Placed  4  years  after  the  "490th  year"  after  444. 

3  B.T.  in  R.B.H.,  261:  "And  there  was  the  war  of  Brun."  This  is 
placed  between  years  930  and  940 ;  under  935  in  MS.  D  of  Ab  Ithel's  ed., 
20.  Similarly  in  B.S.  in  M.A.,  656,  s.a.  935.  B.S.  in  M.A.  656,  under 
.(Ethelstan's  reign,  s.a.  924:  "And  the  men  of  Denmark  came  against 
[vEthelstan],  to  seek  to  conquer  the  island.  He  gave  them  battle  ;  and  in 
that  conflict  were  killed  the  king  of  the  Scots,  and  five  kings  of  Denmark, 
and  twelve  earls,  and  their  hosts." 

^  This  is  derived  from  F.W.  (cf.  E.G.,  69-73).  Cf  Fordun,  IV,  22-23. 
See  also  ^Ifric,  epilogue  to  Book  of  Judges  (Grein,  Bibliothek  der  angel- 
sachsischen  Prosa,  i  (1872),  265). 

The  true  scene  of  the  battle  may  have  been  the  Solway  Firth  and 
Burnswark.  This  district  is,  according  to  Dr  G.  Neilson  (S.H.R.,  vii, 
37-55)i  thfi  locality  of  the  battle  described  in  Egil's  Saga :  see  above, 
year  .'926. 

This  was  an  attempt  made  by  Scandinavians  and  Scots  to  throw  off 
such  subjection  as  had  been  imposed  upon  them  in  921,  926,  and  934  ;  and 
especially  by  Sigtrygg's  sons,  to  recover  Northumbria,  which  had  been 
taken  from  them  in  926. 

F.W.  says  that  Olaf,  "king  of  the  Irish  and  of  many  islands,"  was  the 
son-in-law  of  king  Constantine.  The  Olaf  who  was  king  of  Dublin  at  this 
time  was  Olaf  Godfrey's  son.  Godfrey,  Ivar's  grandson,  king  of  the 
Northmen  [of  Dublin  ?],  died  in  934  (A.U.). 


430  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

938 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  456,  s.a.  937  or  938  =  938 

Dubthach,   the   successor   of  Columcille  and  of  Adamnan, 
reposed  in  peace.^ 


939 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  458,  s.a.  938  or  939  =  939 

yEthelstan,  king  of  England,  summit  of  the  nobility  of  the 
western  world,  died  a  peaceful  death.^ 

1  F.M.,  i,  634,  s.a.  936  =  938  (and  "the  19th  year  of  Duncan"  as 
sovereign  of  Ireland) :  "  Dubthach,  the  successor  of  Columcille  and  of 
Adamnan  in  Ireland  and  Scotland,  .  .  .  died." 

Dubthach  was  abbot  of  lona  (probably  in  Kells)  and  of  Raphoe  ;  cf. 
Reeves,  Adamnan,  p.  393.     Cf.  years  947,  954. 

Dubthach's  name  stands  under  October  7th  in  the  Martyrology  of 
Gorman,  p.  192  ;  see  also  the  Martyrology  of  Donegal,  p.  268,  October  7th. 
He  was  14th  in  descent  from  Conall  Gulban,  according  to  the  Book  of 
Lecan  ;  and  Duban's  son  (Reeves,  Adamnan,  393). 

^  The  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle  says  that  ^Ethelstan  reigned  from  925 
(AF  ;  924,  BCDE),  for  14  winters  and  10  weeks  (ABCD),  to  940  (ABCDEF  ; 
941,  W),  October  27th  (ABCD).  He  died  "about  forty  winters,  but  one 
night,  irom  the  time  when  king  Alfred  died"  (ABCD).  Alfred  died  in  901, 
October  26th  (ABCDEF).  yEthelstan's  successor,  his  brother  Edmund, 
reigned  for  6J  winters  (ABCD)  to  946  (ABCD  ;  948,  EF),  May  26th 
(ABCD).     These  reign-lengths  suggest  that  vEthelstan  died  in  939. 

No  charters  of  ^Ethelstan  dated  in  940  have  been  preserved  ;  but  there 
are  several  of  Edmund  dated  in  that  year  (Kemble,  Codex  Diplomaticus 
ii,  217,  ff.).  This  evidence  favours  the  earlier  date  ;  probably  ^thelstan 
died  in  939. 

Heimskringla's  Hakon  the  Good,  c.  4,  says  that  ^thelstan  reigned  for 
14  years,  8  weeks,  and  3  days.  The  Icelandic  Annals  (CDE)  say  that 
".^thelstan  reigned  for  14  years"  from  921  ;  and  "Edmund,  ^thelstan's 
brother,  for 6  years,  11  months"  from  935  (C  ;  similarly  in  A). 

Under  933,  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise  note  (151):  ".(Ethelstan 
[Aduhfon],  king  of  England,  died.  The  sun  for  one  day  appeared  like 
blood  until  noon  the  next  day.  .  .  ."     This  is  evidently  not  an  eclipse. 

A.C.,  Y  Cymmrodor,  ix,  168,  s.a.  [940]  (7  years,  read  6  years  (with 
Phillimore),  after  the  "  490th  year  "  after  444) :  "  ^thelstan  died  "  ("  king 
of  the  Saxons,"  add  MSS.  BC  ;  ed.  Ab  Ithel,  17).  His  death  is  placed  in 
940  by  B.T.  in  M.A.,  689  ;  in  939,  by  B.S.  in  M.A.,  656,  with  Edmund's 
succession  under  940. 


EDMUND  SUCCEEDS  .ETHELSTAN  431 

940 

Annals  of  the  Four  Masters,  vol.  i,  p.  640,  s.a.  938  =  940  ^ 

Olaf  Cuaran  went  to  York ;  and  Blacaire,  Godfrey's  son, 
went  to  Dublin.-  .  .  . 

A  victory  [was  gained]  by  [Edmund],  the  king  of  England, 
over  Constantine,  Aed's  son  ;  Anlaf  or  Olaf,  Sigtrygg's  son  ; 
and  the  Britons.^ 

940x941* 

Life  of  Catroe,  in  Colgan's  Acta  Sanctorum,  pp.  495-497  ^ 

.  .  .  There  was  a  man  of  royal  blood,  of  remarkable  wealth, 
Fochertach  ^  by  name,  who  had  obtained  a  wife,  called  Bania, 

1  Also  "the  2ist  year  of  Duncan"  as  sovereign  of  Ireland. 

^  Similarly  in  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  152,  s.a.  933. 

The  death  of  a  king  of  Danes  of  Northumbria  (in  944  or  945)  is 
recorded  by  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  154,  s.a.  937  :  "Duncan,  king  of 
Ireland,  died. 

"The  king  of  the  Danes  was  killed  by  the  Saxons  at  York. 

"  Congalach,  Maelmithid's  son,  reigned  20  years." 

King  Duncan's  death  is  placed  by  A.U.  in  943  or  944  =  944,  after  25 
years'  reign  (his  predecessor  Niall  died  15th  November  919).  Congalach 
died  in  956  (A.U.,  s.a.  95S).  In  the  next  year-section  (s.a.  941)  the  Annals 
of  Clonmacnoise  note  the  death  of  Edmund  (7946). 

^  In  944,  Edmund  acquired  Northumbria,  and  drove  out  its  kings — Olaf, 
Sigtrygg's  son,  and  Ronald,  Godfrey's  son.  In  945  he  plundered  Cumbria, 
and  drove  Olaf  over  to  Ireland  :  and  made  an  alliance  with  Malcolm,  who 
was  engaged  to  hold  the  land,  apparently  on  condition  of  keeping  the 
Dublin  kings  out  of  England. 

A.U.,  vol.  i,  p.  464,  s.a.  944  or  945=945  :  "  Blacair  abandoned  Dublin, 
and  Olaf  [was  king  there]  after  him." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  p.  154,  s.a.  937:  "Blacair  [Blacairey]  was 
banished  from  Dublin,  and  OXaS^Awley]  succeeded  him  to  the  government." 

In  948,  "  Blacair,  Godfrey's  son,  king  of  the  Foreigners,  was  killed  by 
Congalach,  Maelmithid's  son  ;  and  sixteen  hundred  [Foreigners]  were 
killed  or  captured"  (A.U.). 

*  This  is  the  date  of  Catroe's  final  departure  from  Scotland.  He  was 
then  about  forty  years  old  (below)  ;  therefore  he  was  born  about  the  year 
900.     He  died  not  long  after  971. 

^  Under  6ih  March.  Nearly  the  whole  of  this  passage  was  republished 
by  Skene,  in  P.  &  S.,  109-116,  (with  some  additional  misprints)  from 
Colgan's  Acta  Sanctorum.  A  corrected  text  is  in  the  Bollandists'  Acta 
Sanctorum  (1865),  March,  i,  474-476  (6th  March). 

"  Faiteach  in  Colgan's  text  and  Skene's.  According  to  Colgan  (Acta, 
502,  note  42),  the  MS.  seems  to  have  read  Fothereach j  A.S.  has  Fochereach 
(U.S.,  475)- 


432  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

his  equal  in  riches  and  nobility.     In  the  flower  of  her  youth, 
she  had  had  sons  by  her  previous  husband  ;  but  afterwards  she 
remained  barren,   in   her   union  with   [Fochertach].      And  so, 
after  many  intercessions  of  the  saints,  directed  by  her  to  the 
most   gentle  ears  of  almighty  God,  she   approached  with  her 
husband   the  merits  of  St   Columba.^     And  she  was  not  dis- 
appointed in  her  wish ;  for  after  they  had  passed  the  night  in 
fasting  and  prayers  at  his  tomb,  they  had  scarcely  fallen  asleep 
when  they  both  alike  saw  themselves  each  holding  a  lighted 
candle ;    and   while   they   watched   these   with  gladness,  they 
marvelled    to    see   them    suddenly  united  in  one  light.     And 
behold,    a    man    in    splendid    raiment    appeared,    and    said : 
"  Woman,   thy  tears  have  wetted  my  stole,  and  thy  prayers 
have   stood  in  God's   sight ;  and  He  who  granted  Samuel  to 
Anna's  prayers,  and  who  gave  conception  to  Rebecca  at  Jacob's 
asking,  has  commanded  that  thou  shalt   conceive,  and  bear  a 
son,   Catroe"   by   name,   a  future  light  of  the  church;  and  in 
accordance  with  the  virtue  of  his  name,  as  a  warrior  he  shall 
rise  up  unconquered  in  the  Lord's  camp,  resisting  like  a  wall,^ 
ready  to  stand  in  battle  for  the  house  of  Israel." 

So  they  awoke  from  sleep,  and  blessed  the  vision,*  rendering 
thanks ;  and  returned  home  in  exultation,  doubting  not  the 
promised  mercy.  That  they  were  to  receive  such  offspring 
was  a  cause  of  general  rejoicing. 

Meanwhile  the  woman  conceived,  and  bore  a  son,  to  whom 
they  gave  (according  to  the  Lord's  command)  the  name  of 
Catroe.  The  news  of  the  boy's  birth  had  run  through  the 
neighbouring  districts ;  and  a  crowd  of  nobles,'  of  both  sexes 
and  diverse  ages,  came  in  haste,  as  is  the  custom  of  the  land, 
eager   to   bring   up   the   boy.      And   the  mother,  fearing  the 

'  Beati  Columbani.     Similarly  below. 

^  Kaddroe.  So  again  below ;  but  afterwards  the  name  is  printed 
Cathroe,  because  of  Colgan's  etymology,  deriving  the  name  from  Irish  cath 
"  war,"  and  roe  "  battle-field."  It  is  Kaddroe  throughout  in  A.S.  This 
form  shows  that  the  d  was  unaspirated,  and  that  the  first  part  of  the  name 
was  Welsh  cat. 

The  form  of  the  name  is  probably  Welsh.  Cf  the  Irish  Cathrue,  in 
A.U.,  i,  262,  s.a.  785  =  786. 

^  bellator  in  castris  Domini  invictus  ascendet,  ex  adverso  opponens  muriim. 

*  congratulantur  visioni  {congratidabantury  in  A.S.). 

5  vulgus  nobile. 


LIFE  OF  CATROE  433 

hostility  of  so  great  and  powerful  nobles,  replied  that  she  could 
not  withhold  him  from  the  one  to  whom  God  should  command 
him  to  be  given.  It  chanced  that  she  had  lain  down  upon  a 
couch,  and  sleep  had  overtaken  her  among  them  all;  and 
scarcely  had  it  relaxed  her  limbs,  when  it  caused  her  to  see  as 
it  were  that  a  hawk  encircled  the  house,  and  after  removing  all 
the  rest,  settled  upon  the  head  of  a  certain  matron.  Thereupon, 
awaking,  she  related  to  the  by-standers  what  she  had  seen. 
Then  by  the  common  advice  of  all,  [the  child]  was  given  to  the 
matron  to  be  reared.  And  he  was  carried  to  the  woman's 
house,  and  weaned. 

And  his  father,  already  in  [the  child's]  tender  youth  fore- 
seeing his  future  industry,  attempted  to  educate  him  in  secular 
matters.  But  the  boy's  cousin,  Bean^  by  name,  who  had 
rejoiced  in  Christ's  service  from  his  earliest  age,  being  very 
vigilant  in  prayers  and  devoted  to  works  of  charity,  was 
[Catroe's]  preserver ;  for  he,  wishing  if  it  could  be  done  to  draw 
all  men  to  Christ,  turned  to  God  for  the  boy's  salvation,  and 
applied  himself  wholly  to  prayers.  And  presently  God's 
clemency  appeared,  and  in  a  vision  he  commanded  the  old  man 

1  Bean,  Catroe's  cousin  {patruelis),  belonged  to  the  community  of  lona 
(see  below)  :  he  was  not  its  abbot,  but  may  have  been  its  ruler  under 
Maelbrigte  of  Armagh. 

The  usual  form  of  the  name  in  Catroe's  Life  is  Beanus,  but  once  below 
Beoanus  occurs. 

Kirkbean  in  Kirkcudbrightshire  may  have  been  named  after  Bean. 

A  St  Beoan  from  Britain  is  commemorated  at  October  25th  in  the 
Martyrology  of  Tallaght  ;  Book  of  Leinster,  364  f  (26th  October  in  the 
Brussels  version  ;  Kelly,  xxxvii-xxxviii).  Cf.  the  Martyrology  of  Oengus 
October  26th,  with  notes  in  Rawlinson  B  505  and  512  saying  that  Beoan 
was  from  Britain  (1905  Oengus,  228).  Cf.  Martyrology  of  Gorman, 
October  26th.  Beoan  is  called  bishop  in  the  Martyrology  of  Donegal, 
October  26th.  This  Beoan  is  placed  also  under  October  27th  in  the 
Martyrology  of  .Tallaght ;  Book  of  Leinster,  364  ;  October  28th,  in  the 
Brussels  version,  Kelly,  xxxviii.  Cf.  the  Breviary  of  Aberdeen,  ii,  3,  132, 
October  25th  ("  St  Beanus,  bishop  and  confessor").  Since  the  Martyrology 
of  Oengus  was  written  ca.  800,  this  day  did  not  originally  belong  to  the 
Bean  who  instructed  Catroe ;  but  more  probably  to  Beoan  or  Beoaid, 
Mobi's  father  (cf.  L.H.,  i,  184),  Pbishop  of  Ardcarne  (f  524  ;  A.U.). 

The  Bean  of  the  Aberdeen  Breviary  is  the  Beyn  whom  Fordun  (IV,  40) 
represents  to  have  been  the  first  bishop  of  Mortlach  ;  a  diocese  extending 
from  the  Dee  to  the  Spey.  He  is  said  to  have  been  appointed  by  king 
Malcolm  II  ;  but  the  matter  is  very  much  in  doubt.     See  H.  &  S.,  ii,  210-21 1. 

2  E 


434  EARLY  SOUECES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

to  claim  the  boy  from  his  father,  for  the  schools.  The  old  man 
[Bean]  came,  and  approached  the  man  [Fochertach]  concerning 
the  matter.  Fochertach  refused,  and  mocked  the  old  man  as  a 
dotard. 

Being  commanded  to  take  up  the  matter  again,  [Bean]  went 
again  to  the  boy's  father,  revealed  the  commands  laid  upon 
him,  and  insisted  that  the  boy  should  be  restored  to  Him  who 
had  given  him.  Then  the  man  replied  that  he  was  ill-pleased 
to  be  molested  with  importunity  by  [Bean,  with  regard  to] 
things  that  he  refused  to  concede ;  that  the  old  man  was 
wandering  in  his  judgement ;  that  he  could  not  lose  a  son  born 
to  him  by  promise  in  his  mother's  old  age — the  staff  of  his 
parents'  age,  one  whom  so  great  a  family  awaited  as  their  lord. 

Thus  the  old  man  returned  without  success ;  and  the  Lord 
visited  the  boy's  mother,  and  she  conceived  again,  and  bore  a 
son,  called  Matadan  ^ ;  and  the  Lord  also  warned  the  old  m.an 
again,  saying,  "  Go,  say  to  the  boy's  father :  '  Look  thou,  I  ask 
the  boy  from  thee  again  at  the  command  of  God,  who  has  given 
thee  the  other  in  his  place.'  And  if  he  refuse,  say  that  the 
wrath  of  God's  chastisement  threatens  him." 

Without  delay,  [Bean]  went  to  the  man,  to  speak  to  him  in 
the  matter.  And  when  he  refused,  [Bean]  said,  "  Yield,  lest 
the  punishment  of  Heaven's  vengeance  overtake  thee  in  thy 
resistance.  But  in  case  thou  attribute  my  speaking  thus  to  my 
own  impulse,  uncommanded ;  as  a  sign  of  the  anger  that 
threatens  thee,  the  best  horse  that  thou  hast  is  dying." 

Marvellous  [was]  the  swiftness  [of  fulfilment] :  the  words 
were  not  yet  out  of  the  old  man's  mouth,  when  the  stable  boy 
announced  its  death.  Terror  fell  upon  the  man  when  he  heard 
this,  and  he  grew  stiff,  and  warmth  forsook  his  bones.  Finally 
he  burst  into  tears ;  and,  although  unwillingly,  he  went  with 
the  child's  mother  to  the  tomb  of  St  Columba,  and  brought 
the  child  to  God  who  required  him ;  and  gave  him  to  the  old 
man  aforesaid  to  foster.  So  the  old  man  christened  the  boy 
whom  he  had  received,  and  instructed  him  as  well  as  he  could 
in  divine  law. 

Already  [Catroe]  had  left  infancy  behind  ;  and,  being  very 
near  to  adolescence,  he  excelled  those  of  his  own  age  in  the 
keenness  of  his  sharp  intelligence.      Meanwhile  certain  men, 
^  nomine  Mattadanum,  a  diminutive  of  mafad  "  dog." 


LIFE  OF  CATROE  435 

moved  by  a  baleful  spirit,  plundered  the  foster-parents  of  the 
child  of  former  time ;  and  they,  having  no  force  to  resist, 
appealed  to  the  young  lad,  and  made  complaint  of  their 
wretched  state.  For  it  is  one  of  the  country's  customs  that, 
when  nobles  foster  a  child,  he  provides  for  them  aid  thence- 
forward in  everything,  no  less  than  for  his  parents.  And  to 
incite  the  youth  to  their  aid,  they  said  :  "  When  we  fostered 
thee,  had  we  [instead]  reared  ^  sheep  or  horses  we  should 
better  have  fared  from  the  enemies'  violence,  being  fed  by 
[sheep's]  milk  and  [drawn]  in  a  vehicle  of  horses;  since  in  thy 
presence  we  are  the  victims  of  pillage  and  devastation." 

It  happened  that  Bean  was  absent  when  the  youth  was 
incited  to  take  up  arms;  and  [Catroe]  called  upon  his  friends," 
and  planned  to  pursue  the  enemy.  And  already  they  had 
reached  the  bank  of  a  flooded  river,  beyond  which  the  enemy 
was ;  and  [Catroe]  was  seeking  out  ships  to  use,  when  one  of 
the  number  of  his  comrades,  by  rank  a  priest,  who  had  been 
appointed  the  youth's  guardian,  announced  the  matter  to  the 
old  man  [Bean],  upon  his  return.  Then  indeed  [Bean]  clapped 
his  hands,  and  broke  into  tears,  saying,  "  A  good  guardian  of 
the  youth  have  I  left  behind  in  thee  ! "  But  when  [the  priest] 
made  excuse  that  he  had  not  been  able  to  prevent  it.  Bean 
said,  "Cease  delaying,  and  compel  him  to  await  me."  And 
when  [the  priest]  said  that  the  youth  would  by  no  means  desist 
from  his  undertaking,  the  old  man  said,  producing  the  copy 
that  he  was  accustomed  to  use,  "  Take  him  this  Gospel,  and 
call  me  to  witness,  that  it  may  be  opened." 

The  priest  went  in  advance,  carrying  the  old  man's 
commands  with  [this]  token ;  and  he  compelled  [Catroe]  to 
stay  upon  the  bank,  though  weeping  and  resisting.  Bean 
followed,  and  inquired  the  cause  of  the  young  man's  anger. 
And  [Catroe]  related  the  affair,  and  refused  to  admit  as  possible 
for  him  that  he  should  suffer  his  fosterers'  grief  to  remain 
unavenged.  But  the  old  man  soothed  his  fierce  passions. 
And  when  he  did  not  yield,  the  old  man  said  to  him,  "Then 
seek  in  this  the  will  of  Him  to  whom  thou  hast  promised  faith  "  ; 
and,  that  he  might  know  it,  [Bean]  opened  the  book,  which  he 
had  got  back  from  [Catroe],  and  took  the  first  verse  that  he 

'  lavassemus.     So  also  in  the  Bollandists'  text.     Read  levassemus. 
^  socios.     Cf.  below. 


436  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

found.  It  was  :  "  If  any  one  take  from  thee  what  is  thine,  seek 
it  not  again."!  And  since  this  did  not  satisfy  [Catroe],  he 
turned  up  again  another  verdict,  and  one  against  ^  the  youth 
appeared  ;  it  was  :  "  All  who  take  the  sword  shall  perish  by  the 
sword." ^  And  when  he  turned  up  a  third,  this  appeared: 
"  Wicked  slave,  I  have  pardoned  thee  all  thy  debt,  because 
thou  didst  ask  me ;  oughtest  thou  not  to  have  pity  upon  thy 
fellow-slave,  even  as  I  have  had  pity  upon  thee?"*  And  since 
[Catroe]  could  not  oppose  these  [passages],  he  returned  with 
the  man  of  God  in  peace,  and  more  closely  applied  himself  to 
reading  and  prayer. 

One  day,  the  old  man  had  laid  his  weary  ^  limbs  upon  a 
couch,  and  Catroe  with  his  friends  was  resting  not  far  off,  when 
there  appeared  to  the  man  of  God,  [Bean,]  a  maiden  excelling 
in  the  brightness  of  her  countenance  the  brightness  of  the  sun  ; 
so  ancient,  that  one  would  not  have  thought  her  of  our  day, 
although  she  seemed  young ;  and  clad  in  a  seven-fold  robe,  in 
which  was  woven  everything  that  can  be  named  or  imagined. 
The  old  man  marvelled  at  her,  and  inquired  who  and  whence 
she  was.      Then   she   said,   "  I   am  Wisdom ;   and  I  dwell  in 
consultations,  and   am  present  in  learned  deliberations.     And 
I  have  come  to  adopt  this  young  man."     She  vanished  from 
the  eyes  of  the  watcher,  and  the  youth  was  seized  by  the  love 
of  learning;  one  would  have  thought  that  he  would  have  died, 
had  he  not  been  passed  on  to  secular  studies.     The  man  of  God 
understood  what  he  had  seen ;  and  after  those  things  had  been 
prepared  which  were  necessary  for  the  journey  and  the  schools, 
he  sent  the  youth  to  Ireland  ;  and  [Catroe]  closed  himself  in 
the   mill   of  training   at   Armagh,'^   not   fearing    after    divine 

1  Cf.  Luke,  VI,  30. 

^  For  iiccurrit  juveni  conirarium  reading  incurrit  .  .  .  contraria 
(as  in  A.S.). 

3  Matthew  XXVI,  52. 

*  For  om?ie  read  iionne  (as  in  A.S.)  ;  and  read  conservi  fuiior  Skene's 
conserveniui.    The  quotation  is  from  Matthew  XVIII. ' 

^  Yorfesia  rea.Am^  fessa  (as  in  A.S.). 

"  Colgan's  text  and  Skene's  are  corrupt.  Read  with  the  Bollandists  : 
adolescentem  Hibemiam  ?nittit,  gut  apicd  Arttnacham  in  pistrino  dis- 
ciplinarum  se  reclusit. 

Maelbrigte,  abbot  of  Armagh  (888  -  f  927),  was  also  abbot  of  the 
community  of  lona  when  he  died.  He  appears  to  have  succeeded  in  this 
office  the  abbot  Fland,  who  died  in  891. 


LIFE  OF  CATROE  437 

doctrines  to  study  mundane  literature,  so  that,  being  more 
perfectly  versed  in  this,^  he  might  by  investigation  better 
extend  what  he  had  formerly  studied :  since  he  had  read  that 
Plato,  the  gentiles'  philosopher,  had  gone  to  Egypt,  led  by  the 
renown  of  Jeremiah  ^ ;  and  conversing  with  that  prophet  had 
learned  that  above  all  things  was  one  God,  whom  he  had  not 
previously  known.  So  [Catroe]  was  instructed,  and  he  explored 
from  end  to  end  the  school  of  Wisdom,  she  herself  conducting 
him  ;  and  he  excelled  by  far  his  fellows  and  contemporaries. 

In  short,  all  that  poet  has  sung  or  orator  spoken,  all  that 
philosopher  has  imagined,  he  learned ;  nothing  escaped  him. 
He  exhausted  everything  that  has  been  discovered  by  any  one 
through  number,  measure,  and  weight,  through  touch  ^  and 
hearing ;  and  lastly,  the  hidden  movements  and  courses  of 
the  stars  he  described  with  compasses*  more  learnedly  than 
Eginus,  than  whom  I  doubt  if  any  is  more  distinguished  in 
the  hierarchy  of  the  sky. 

Having  been  thus  instructed,  he  crossed  the  sea  again,  and 
returned  to  Bean.  And  to  his  fellow-servants  throughout  all 
Scotland  he  faithfully  served  out  the  wheat  of  wisdom  entrusted 
to  him  :  for  the  Scots  have  many  thousand  teachers,^  but  they 
have  not  many  fathers.  [Catroe]  was  those  [teachers']  father^ 
in  training  in  the  arts.  And  so,  because  his  lips  instructed  very 
many,  he  had  no  associate  in  affliction '' ;  because  from  the  time 
of  his  arrival  none  of  the  sages  had  crossed  the  sea ;  but  they 
continued  to  dwell  in  Ireland. 

The  old  man  [Bean]  rejoiced  in  the  youth's  advance,  and  in 
his  having  no  equal  in  all  that  he  took  up. 

Meanwhile  time  was  passing,  and  the  man  of  God  prayed 

1  Ms  lucidius  elimahts  (in  Skene's  text,  wrongly,  climatus). 

2  For  eximiae  reading  Jeremiae,  as  in  A.S.  For  Plato's  visit  to  Egypt, 
cf.  Diodorus  Siculus,  Bibliotheca  Historica,  I,  96,  98  (1828). 

2  T.  A.  Archer,  in  the  Dictionary  of  National  Biography,  under  Cadroe, 
would  read  tractu  for  tactu :  "  the  sciences  of  number,  measure,  weight, 
motion,  hearing,  and  astronomy." 

4  radio  doctius  egino  .  .  .  designavit. 

'■>  paedagogoriim. 

"  hie  illos  genuit. 

'  non  sociabaticr  ei afflicto  (Colgan),  "he  had  no  associate  in  affliction"; 
si  afflicto  in  Skene's  text  ;  non  sociabitiir  ei  afflictio  in  A.S.  ("he  shall  not 
be  visited  with  affliction  "). 


438  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

that  the  Lord  would  direct  the  youth  in  the  way  of  salvation. 
Nor  was  God's  pity  far  away,  wherewith  he  ever  hears  those 
who  call  upon  him  in  truth.  When,  wearied  with  one  night's 
vigils,  after  the  hymns  [Bean]  had  laid  his  limbs  upon  a  couch — 
which  is  often  taken  to,  and  is  pleasant,  in  the  early  morning, — 
slumber  had  come  upon  the  old  man ;  but  he  had  not  wholly 
fallen  asleep,  nor  was  he  altogether  awake,  but  was  rapt  in  a 
kind  of  trance.  He  saw  that  a  gathering  of  great  men  was 
being  held ;  and  as  he  marvelled  at  these,  he  hoped  that  they 
would  do  something  great.  Then  one  of  them,  more  reverend^ 
than  the  rest,  said  :  "  It  is  fitting  that  we  should  increase  the 
eternal  king's  army,  appointed  from  the  ages.  Do  you  enrol 
from  the  youths  who  are  resting  here  certain  others,  who  must 
leap  in  the  presence  of  the  emperor.  And  He  that  came 
leaping  upon  the  mountains,  leaping  over  hills,^has  directed  it,^ 
and  commands  us  to  show  to  this  man  who  beholds  us  what 
the  youths  must  jump  over."  And  so  Bean  was  conducted,  and 
saw  three  caverns  dug  in  the  earth ;  the  first  and  the  second 
of  these  were  *  of  no  small  extent,  while  the  third  was  in  depth 
exceedingly  dreadful,  and  of  enormous  breadth.  Its  farther 
bank  was  full  of  glory  and  joy. 

The  old  man  delayed  not  to  ask  what  these  things  meant, 
and  he  was  answered  that  the  youths  must  leap  over  these 
[caverns],  if  they  would  have  the  emperor's  favour.  And  to 
the  old  man's  fears  of  danger  for  Catroe,  that  splendid  one 
said  :  "  Fear  ^  not,  mortal ;  for  they  shall  leap  across,  although 
unequally :  but  he  shall  excel  the  more  successfully,  for  whom 
thou  art  the  most  in  dread.  And  that  thou  think  not  the  vision 
meaningless,"  learn  what  the  caverns  imply.  The  first  is 
voluntary  loss  of  possessions ;  the  second  is  departure  from 
one's  native  land ;  the  third  is  practice  of  monastic  life.  And  the 
shore  of  that  exultation  is  attainment  of  eternal  life."  There- 
upon the  vision  vanished,  and  the  old  man  started  from  his  bed.^ 

After  this,  not  many  days  had  passed,  when  the  Lord  said 

^  Reading  reverendior  for  revere7itio7: 

2  Song  of  Solomon,  II,  8. 

3  For  rfz'jr^r// reading  direxit,  as  in  A.S. 
^  For  erujii  reading  erant,  as  in  A.S. 

^  Colgan's  text /aa^aj,  Skene's /««caj-. 
''  Reading  cassam  for  caussam. 
'  excutititr  lecto. 


LIFE  OF  CATROE  439 

to  Catroe  himself:  "Depart  from  thy  land  and  from  thy 
kindred,  and  from  thy  father's  house,  and  come  into  the  land 
which  I  shall  show  thee.^  And  I  shall  appoint  thee  a  leader  of 
my  people,  and  shall  exalt  thee  above  the  height  of  the  clouds, 
and  shall  feed^  thee  on  the  heritage  of  thy  father,  Jacob." 

When  the  youth  awoke,  he  was  seized  with  the  desire  for 
pilgrimage ;  and  he  left  everything,  and  entered  the  way  of 
pilgrimage.  Rumour  had  published  the  matter,  and  sorrow 
and  grief  came  upon  all  the  rich  and  poor.  Every  age  and 
every  class  hastened  to  him,  and  the  tearful  outcry  of  all  [was] 
as  if  the  ruin  and  devastation  of  the  whole  of  Scotland  was 
approaching  :  "  Why  dost  thou  desert  us,  father  ;  and  to  whom 
leavest  thou  the  fruits  of  thy  labour?  Wherefore  has  it 
pleased  thee  to  go  abroad,  since  we  are  all  strangers  in  God's 
sight,  and  when  at  thy  teaching  we  lament  that  our  dwelling 
was  prolonged  in^  the  habitation  of  Kedar?  We  beg  thee, 
consider  the  result  thou  canst  achieve  in  teaching  men  so  great, 
with  whom  it  is  necessary  to  share  the  wealth  of  knowledge. 
Hast  thou  no  regard  for  the  Father's  eternal  word  in  the  Vision 
of  John,  and  what  it  bids  thee  ?  It  says,  '  He  who  hears,  let 
him  say.  Come.'  "  * 

Moved  by  these  lamentations,  [Catroe]  dwelt  there  for  a 
while,  and  he  was  divided  against  himself. 

Near  by  flowed  a  stream  of  very  rapid  current ;  and  beside 
it,  as  often  happens,  had  sprung  up  the  great  mass  of  a  certain 
tree.  And  so  he  used  to  go-'  there  at  nights,  God  alone  being 
witness ;  and  to  put  off  his  clothes  and  place  himself  in  the 
horrors  of  the  greatest  cold  in  the  river.  And  not  to  be  carried 
headlong  by  the  force  of  the  flood,  he  held  in  his  hand  a  rope, 
which  he  had  made  fast  to  the  tree.  And  he  stood  there  so 
long  as  was  needed  to  repeat  from  the  i  i8th  Psalm  to  the  issrd.** 

1  Acts,  VII,  3  ;  and  Genesis,  XII,  i. 

2  Colgan's  text  cibabo,  Skene's  citabo.     Cf.  Isaiah,  LVIII,  14. 

3  For  habitatione  .  .  .  prolongaris  reading  z«  habitatione  .  .  .  prolongari. 
Cf.  Psalm  CXIX,  5. 

■•  Apocalypse,  XXII,  17. 

5  accednes,  Colgan  and  Skene  ;  read  accedens,  with  the  Bollandists. 

6  I.e.,  Psalms  CXIX-CXXXIV,  in  the  English  version.  This  is  the 
reading  of  the  Bollandists'  text.  Colgan's  has  "down  to  the  103rd."  The 
123rd  contains  the  pertinent  passage:  "perchance  the  water  would  have 
swallowed  us"  (verse  4  ;  in  English  version.  Psalm  CXXIV,  4), 


440  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Meanwhile  winter  passed,  and  the  waves  subsided,  and  he 
turned  anew  to  the  way  of  his  purposed   pilgrimage.     Then 
again  sorrow  and  grief  filled  the  whole  district ;  and  all  hastened 
to  him  ;  and  the  king  that  ruled  the  land,  Constantine  by  name,i 
hastened  to  hold  back  the  man.     Already  part  of  the  journey 
had  been  performed ;  and  Catroe  had  entered  for  prayer  the 
house  ^  of  the  blessed   Bridget,  when  a  crowd  of  nobles   and 
peasants  filled  the  church,  having  been  summoned  from  different 
quarters.     They  all  asked  the  man  not  to  forsake  his  country. 
And  turning  to  them,  he  answered  this  only  to  the  king  and 
to  all ;  he  said,  "  I  shall  not  forsake  you,  since  wheresoever  I 
am  I  shall  keep  you  in  remembrance."     Then  an  outcry  of  the 
people  arose ;  and  they  placed  before  him  relics  of  the  saints, 
and  adjuring  him  by  them  besought  him  to  yield  to  their  wish. 
But  he^  said :  "  If  you  adduce  the  relics  of  the  saints  for  this 
purpose,  to  restrain  me  from  my  design  and  wish,  then  seek 
with  me  their  aid,  that  they  may  deign  to  show  whether  I  have 
entered  the  way  of  salvation.     For  when  Christ   began  [with 
promises]  to  those  who  forsook  father  and  mother,  brothers  and 
sisters,  and  all  their   possessions,  he  added   nothing   of  your 
advice.*      It  was  counted  to  Abraham  also  for  righteousness 
that,  obeying  God,  he   departed  from  his  land,  and  from  the 
house  of  his  father."^ 

Since  therefore  he  did  not  yield  to  the  king,  who  laboured 
with  the  people  and  made  the  greatest  promises  in  vain,  his 
parents  were  angry ;  and,  moved  with  wrath,  they  said :  "  If 
we  cannot  prevail  with  prayers,  we  shall  restrain  thee  with 
imprisonment  and  iron  chains."     "  This  is  in  your  power,"  he 

'  This   was  the  Constantine  who  died  in  952,  and  reigned  probably 

900-943. 

2  aedem,  i.e.  "church."  The  Bollandists  (A.S.,  March,  i,  476  ;  February, 
i,  108-109)  followed  by  Archer  (D.N.B.,  viii,  188)  would  locate  this  church 
at  Abernethy,  where  there  was  a  church  dedicated  to  St  Bridget.  The 
story  implies  that  the  district  was  a  populous  one.  It  was  some  distance 
from  the  place  of  Catroe's  pious  exercise  in  the  river  ;  but  Archer  con- 
jectures that  that  river  was  the  Earn. 

2  For  illb  reading  ille^  with  the  Bollandists. 

*  cum  relinquentibus  .  .  .  sua  guaegue  praejioneref,  7iihil  .  .  .  submtulit, 
in  Colgan's  text  and  Skene's.  sua  praemia  proponeret,  in  A.S.,  i.e. 
"declared  the  rewards  of  those  who."     Cf.  Matthew,  XIX,  29. 

5  Cf  Genesis,  XV,  6, 


LIFE  OF  CATROE  441 

said  ;  "  but  so  long  as  I  am  in  chains,  I  shall  by  no  means  drink 
nor  eat." 

It  happened  that  with  the  king  had  come  a  certain  abbot, 
called  Maelodair.i  And  he,  being  a  just  man  in  counsel,  said  : 
"  If  we  cannot  prevail  to  turn  this  man  from  his  design  and 
wish,  let  us  each  as  best  he  can  render  him  help  upon  the  way, 
that  we  may  be  sharers  in  the  reward  of  his  labours."  Then 
all  emulously  rendered  assistance  with  gold  and  silver,  with 
raiment  and  horses;  and  they  sped  him  with  God's  blessing ; 
and  conducted  by  the  king  himself  he  came  to  the  Cumbrians' 
land.^ 

King  Donald  ruled  over  that  people^;  and  because  he  was 
a  relative  of  the  man  [Catroe],he  came  to  meet  him  with  all 
joy.  And  after  keeping  him  with  him  for  some  time,  he  con- 
ducted him  to  the  city  of  Leeds,*  which  is  the  boundary  of  the 
Northmen  and  the  Cumbrians.  And  there  he  was  received  by 
a  certain  noble  man,  Gunderic,  by  whom  he  was  led  to  king 
Eric  in  the  town  of  York,^  because  this  king  had  as  wife  a 
relative  of  the  godly  Catroe.'^  Departing  thence  he  reached  the 
city  of  London  ;  and  he  was  received  [there]  by  a  certain  old 
man,  called  Ecgfrith  ;  and  he  remained  there  for  the  night. 

By  carelessness,  that  city  was  set  on  fire,  and  the  larger  part 
of  it  was  already  consumed  ;  triumphant  flame  was  licking  what 
remained.  Then  God  chose  to  declare  what  merit  Catroe  had 
in  him.  He  was  asked  by  the  old  man  to  rescue  the  perishing 
by  prayer.  Trusting  in  the  Lord,  [Catroe]'  ran  between  the 
fire  and  what  was  left  [of  the  city] ;  and,  turning  to  the  Lord, 

'    Mailodarius. 

2  Within  three  years  of  this  incident,  king  Constantine  entered  the 
monastery  of  St  Andrews,  as  its  abbot.     See  year  943. 

3  Donald,  Aed's  son,  became  king  of  Cumbria  before  943  (see  that 
year).     Catroe's  visit  was  probably  made  before  the  devastation  of  945. 

*  usque  Loidain  Civitatem. 

^  ad  regem  Erichium  in  Eiiroacum  Urbem. 

"  For  Eric's  kingship  of  Northumbria,  see  below,  pp.  455-459-  He  may 
have  reigned  there  937x941,  and  952-954.  This  passage  is  evidence  that 
Eric  reigned  there  before  941.  But  if  Eric's  wife  Gunnhild  was  related  to 
Catroe,  she  was  strangely  different  in  character  ;  and  the  sagas'  account  of 
Gunnhild's  origin  would  shut  out  the  possibility  of  any  such  relationship. 
But  their  account  was  perhaps  invented  to  explain  her  character.  She 
was  more  probably  a  Danish  lady.     See  pp.  456,  462. 

'  For  mi  reading  qui.,  with  the  Bollandists. 


442  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

said  :  "  Lord,  everything  that  is  obeys  thee>  Bid  then  the 
terrors  of  the  raging  flames  to  cease."  This  he  said,  briefly; 
and  he  raised  his  hand,  and  commanded  the  conflagration  to 
retire.  Then  one  might  see  the  flame  bent  back  as  by  the  force 
of  the  wind,  and  gradually  subsiding  die  out.  Thus  the  city 
was  delivered,  to  the  joy  of  all.    . 

These  are  thy  works,  God,  who  [art]  glorious  in  thy  virtues, 
to  the  glory  of  thy  name  ;  who  didst  formerly,  at  Moses'  prayer, 
command  to  be  quenched  the  conflagration  that  had  arisen 
against  the  murmuring  people,^  and  didst  at  this  time  deliver 
a  city  from  flames  through  thy  servant,  Catroe. 

The  report  then  spread,^  and  filled  the  whole  district ;  and 
even  reached  the  king,  by  name  Edmund,*  who  was  in  the  city 
of  Winchester.  Summoning  the  man  to  him  forthwith,  he 
besought  him  to  come ;  and  asking  him  to  remain  with  him  for 
some  time,  he  was  delighted  with  his  conversation ;  and  he  had 
him  conducted  by  the  archbishop  of  the  same  town.  Otto  by 
name,''  as  far  as  the  harbour  that  is  called  Lympne.^  So  there 
he  went  on  board  ship ;  and  when  they  were  putting  out  to 
sea,  a  wind  arose,  and  they  were  brought  back  to  the  beach. 
Thinkest  thou,  reader  and  hearer,  that  God  would  not  that  this 
man  should  cross  the  sea?  Did  not  Paul,  sailing  to  the  crown, 
to  Rome,  narrowly  escape  from  shipwreck,  storm,  and  hunger?^ 

All  were  disturbed,  but  Catroe  was  attacked  by  grief;  and 
the  coming  day  had  not  closed,  when  he  betook  his  limbs,  worn 

'  Tibi  .  .  .  om7ie  giiod  est  famulahir.     In  Skene's  text  wrongly  <)r«^r^. 

2  Cf.  Numbers,  XI,  1-3. 

^  In  Colgan's  text  transvolans j  in  Skene's,  wrongly,  transvolens. 

*  Hegmundicm.  This  was  Edmund,  who  fought  in  the  battle  of 
Brunanburh,  and  reigned  from  939  to  946. 

'"  Otthonem  nomine.  No  such  name  appears  in  the  list  of  bishops  of 
Winchester  (Hardy's  Le  Neve,  iii,  5).  This  may  have  been  Odo,  arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury,  who  died,  according  to  the  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle 
(F,  and  insertion  in  A)  in  961.  Odo  was  bishop  in  940  (Kemble,  Codex 
Diplomaticus,  ii,  218). 

"  In  Colgan's  text  hymen j  the  Bollandists  read  Limen,  pointing  to 
Ptolemy's  (cai^fis  Xi/iiji',  1°  W.,  60'  S.,  of  North  Foreland,  Kent  (see  Ptolemy, 
Geographia,  1883  ed.,  i,  87).  No  doubt  the  harbour  meant  is  Lympne,  the 
Romans'  Partus  Letnanis  (Itinerarium  Antonini,  1848  ed.,  225),  and  the 
Limene-mutha  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle  (see  893  ABCD,  892  EF).  It 
is  near  the  mouth  of  the  Rother,  2  miles  from  Hythe. 

'  Here  Skene's  reprint  ends. 


LIFE  OF  CATROE  443 

out  with  grief  and  fasting,  to  his  couch.  A  man  stood  by  him, 
and  spoke  to  him  thus:  "All  those"  he  said,  "that  are  with 
thee  shall  not  be  able  to  cross  the  sea,  lest  they  molest  thee  in 
God's  way  that  thou  hast  entered.  Persuade  therefore  thy 
nephew  and  some  with  him  to  return ;  and  then,  after  crossing 
the  sea,  rejoicing  thou  shalt  be  received  by  the  farther  shore." 

Rising,  he  communicated  the  vision  to  his  companions,  and 
he  gave  conveyance  and  expenses  to  the  youth,  and  bade  him 
return.  And  so  they  loosed  their  ship,  and  were  driven  with 
full  sails  to  the  harbour  of  Boulogne.^ 

^  They  went  thence  by  land  to  Peronne  (in  Somn^e  ;  Parronam\  a 
monastery  founded  by  S.  Fursaeus.  Not  far  from  there  ihey  were  offered 
by  a  noble  lady,  called  Hersendis,  "  a  sacred  place,  St  Michael's  by  name, 
in  the  wood  of  Terrasson"  (in  sylva  Theorascense);  there  Catroe  and  his 
12  followers  remained  long,  appointing  Machallanus  their  "lord  and  father.'' 
Afterwards  Machallanus  became  a  monk  at  Gorze,  under  abbot  Agenald 
(apparently  the  Agenold  called  abbot  in  947  and  953  by  Flodoard  ;  M.G.H., 
Scriptores,  iii,  394,  402  ;  sec  Chronicon  Median!  Monasterii,  ibid.,  iv,  89  b  ; 
cf.  Sigebert,  Vita  Deoderici,  ibid.,  iv,  478.  Gorze  was  a  branch  of  the 
monastery  at  Metz)  ;  and  Catroe  became  a  monk  at  Fleury.  Machallanus 
became  the  prior  of  St  Michael's  of  Terrasson,  and  afterwards  abbot  of 
Wassor  (cf  also  Historia  Walciodorensis  Monasterii,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores, 
xiv,  522),  by  command  of  king  Otho,  afterwards  emperor.  Catroe  was  prior 
of  Wassor  (cf  also  the  Historia,  U.S.).  On  a  day  of  St  Gorgonius  he  visited 
Metz,  and  was  set  over  a  place  near  that  town,  by  bishop  Adalbert.  After 
35  years  in  the  bishopric,  Adalbert  died  [in  964]  ;  he  was  succeeded  by 
Theodoric,  of  imperial  rank.  Theodoric  appointed  Catroe  abbot  of  St 
Felix  and  St  Clement,  near  Metz  (cf  also  Historia,  u.s.). 

Empress  Adelaide  [of  Burgundy],  mother  of  the  emperor  Otho  (.•.  x  983), 
summoned  Catroe  to  her  presence.  He  went  to  her  at  Erstein,  in  Alsace,  on 
the  Rhine.  He  died  upon  the  way  back.  (This  part  of  the  Life  is  in  M.G.H., 
iv,  483-484.)  His  body  was  carried  to  Metz.  Catroe  died  after  passing  the 
70th  year  of  his  life,  and  the  30th  year  of  his  pilgrimage  (.'.  971  x  980),  prob- 
ably not  many  years  after  971.  The  Historia  Walciodorensis  Monasterii 
(u.s.)  says  that  he  died  in  998  ;  but  its  account  of  those  times  is  incorrect. 

Wassor  {Walciodorus)  had  been  given  to  "certain  servants  of  God, 
coming  from  Scotland  for  the  sake  of  pilgrimage,  and  desiring  to  live  under 
the  rule  of  St  Benedict,"  by  "a  certain  noble  man,  Eilbertus,"  and  his  wife, 
Heresindis  :  the  grant  was  confirmed  by  Otho  I  on  19th  November,  946. 
See  Le  Mire,  Notitia  Ecclesiarum  Belgii  (1630),  p.  99  ;  Diplomata  Belgica 
(1628),  278-279.  The  grant  was  confirmed  and  extended,  to  bishop 
Theodoric,  by  Otho  I  and  Adelaide,  on  i6th  January,  968  ;  Notitia,  u.s., 
119.  The  Historia,  u.s.,  xiv,  511-512,  and  the  list  of  abbots  in  abbot 
Wibald's  Epistolae  (ibid.,  xiii,  294),  say  that  Forannan  was  the  first  abbot 
of  Wassor  ;  but  the  Life  of  Catroe  implies  that  Machallanus  was  the  first 
abbot,  with  Catroe  as  his  prior. 


444  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

941 

Chronicon  Scotorum,  p.  202,  Hennessy  s  year  940  =  941 

Olaf,  Godfrey's  son,  king  of  the  White-foreigners  and  Black- 
foreigners,  died. 

941 

Chronicle  of  Melrose,  p.  29,  s.a.  941 

After  burning  and  wasting  the  church  of  St  Baldred  in 
Tynningham,  Olaf  presently  perished.  And  the  .son  of  Sigtrygg, 
Olaf  by  name,  reigned  in  the  place  of  his  father.^ 

941 
Chronicon  Scotorum,  pp.  202-204,  Hennessy's  year  940  =  941  ^ 

A  fleet  [was  led]  by  Muirchertach,  Niall's  son,  and  plundered 
in  the  islands  of  Scotland. 

941 

Annals  of  the  Four  Masters,  vol.  ii,  p.  640,  s.a.  939  =  941  ^ 

A  fleet  [was  led]  by  Muirchertach,  Niall's  son,  and  plundered 
and  brought  many  spoils  from  the  Hebrides,  after  obtaining 
victory  and  triumph.* 

900-943 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  A  ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  9 

Constantine,  Aed's  son,  held  the  kingdom  for  forty  years. 
And  in  his  third  year  the  Northmen  plundered  Dunkeld,  and 
all  Scotland.^ 

In  the  following  year,  the  Northmen  were  slain  in 
Strathearn.'^ 

'  This  is  derived  from  S.D.     Cf.  E.G.,  73. 

^  After  the  death  of  Olaf,  Godfrey's  son. 

^  Also  "  the  22nd  year  of  Duncan  "  as  sovereign  of  Ireland. 

*  In  the  next  year,  F.M.  record  the  death  of  Aed  Albanach  ("  Aed  of 
Scotland"),  a  leader  of  the  Dublin  Danes,  along  with  other  leaders. 

^  The  next  sentence  certainly  refers  to  the  events  recorded  by  Irish 
annals  in  904  ;  therefore  the  invasion  seems  to  have  continued  from  903 
to  904,  and  Constantine's  3rd  year  seems  to  be  903. 

"  See  year  904. 


KINGS  OLAF,  CONSTANTINE,  AND  DONALD        445 

And  in  his  sixth  year  king  Constantine  and  bishop  Cellach 
upon  the  Hill  of  Credulity  near  the  royal  city  of  Scone,  pledged 
themselves  that  the  laws  and  disciplines  of  the  faith,  and  the 
rights  in  churches  and  gospels,  should  be  kept  in  conformity 
with  [the  customs  of]  the  Scots.^  From  that  day  the  hill  has 
deserved  this  name — that  is,  the  Hill  of  Credulity.^ 

And  in  [Constantine's]  eighth  year,  fell  the  most  exalted 
king  and  archbishop  of  the  Irish,  in  Leinster^;  that  is,  Cormac, 
Culennan's  son.* 

And  in  [Constantine's]  time  died  Donald,  king  of  the  Britons  ^ 

'  pariter  cum  Scottis.  This  was  understood  by  Skene  to  mean  on  a 
footing  of  equality  with  the  Scots,  with  reference  to  the  inequality  spoken 
of  in  the  same  chronicle  above  ;  see  p.  288  ;  cf.  365.     (S.C.S.,  i,  340.) 

The  sentence  is  thus  arranged  :  ac  in  vi.  anno  Co7isfantiniis  rex  et 
Cellachus  episcopus  leges,  disciplinasgue  fidci,  atque  jura  ecdesiarum 
ewangelior unique,  pariter  cum  Scottis  in  colle  credulitatis,  prope  regali 
civitati  Scoan,  devoverunt  custodiri. 

^  meruit  nomen  .  .  .  collis  credulitatis.  This  can  only  mean  that  the 
Picts  did  not  do  what  they  promised.  For  the  place,  cf  year  728,  note. 
By  Constantine's  6th  year  (905-906)  probably  the  year  906  is  meant. 

^  apud  Laignechos  (but  cf  Skene's  facsimile,  p.  3,  col.  i,  1.  29).  Possibly 
"by  the  hands  of  Leinstermen"  {la  Laignibh  in  Berchan's  Prophecy, 
stanza  45). 

''  A.U.,  i,  420-422,  s.a.  907  or  908  =  908  :  "A  battle  between  the  men  of 
Munster  and  of  Cond's  Half"  (northern  Ireland)  "  and  the  men  of  Leinster, 
and  there  Cormac,  Culennan's  son,  king  of  Cashel,  was  killed,  with  other 
distinguished  kings.  .  .  .  Fiand,  Maelsechlaind's  son,  king  of  Tara ; 
Cerball,  Muirecan's  son,  king  of  Leinster  ;  Cathal,  Conchobar's  son,  king 
of  Connaught,  were  the  victors.  The  battle  of  Ballaghmoone "  (south  of 
County  Kildare  ;  in  Mag-ailbe  ;  Hogan).  In  the  margin  of  MS.  A  is  this 
added  note,  referring  (as  is  shown  e.g.  by  Berchan's  Prophecy,  stanza  45) 
to  this  battle:  "  In  Mag-ailbe,  on  the  festival  of  Dagan  of  [Inber]-daile  ; 
that  is  to  say,  the  Ides  of  September,  on  Tuesday,  and  the  13th  [of  the 
moon]."  13th  September  was  Tuesday  in  908.  Therefore  13th  September 
908  was  within  Constantine's  8th  year.  (The  battle  of  Ballaghmoone  was 
fought  on  17th  September,  according  to  the  poem  of  Dalian,  Mor's  son, 
quoted  by  P.M.,  ii,  570,  s.a.  903,  and  the  27th  year  of  Fland  :  ibid.,  564. 
The  battle  was  fought  on  a  Tuesday,  according  to  the  same  poem,  quoted 
by  Duald's  Third  Fragment,  p.  216  ;  on  the  7th  of  December,  ibid.,  218 
(z  sept  December  cloisiodar,  which  should  be  a  line  of  7  syllables  ;  read  id 
September?).  There  is  a  marginal  note  "  17th."  Duald's  Fragment  places 
the  battle  in  A.D.  900,  Fland's  30th  year.) 

5  This  Donald  (Dumnagual .')  was  probably  king  of  Strathclyde.  The 
kings  of  North  Wales  were  Anaraut,  Rotri's  son  (t9i6),  and  lutgual, 
Anaraut's  son. 


446  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

(and  Donald,  Aed's  son,  was  chosen  as  king  i) ;  and  Fland,  son 
of  Maelsechlaind^;  and  Niall,  Aed's  son,^  who  reigned  three 
years  after  Fland  ;  etc. 

The  battle  of  Tinemore*  took  place  in  [Constantine's] 
eighteenth  year,  between  Constantine  and  Ronald;  and  the 
Scots  had  the  victory.^ 

And  the  battle  of  Brunanburh  '^  [took  place]  in  his  thirty- 
fourth  year '' ;  and  in  it  fell  Constantine's  son.^ 

And  one  year  afterwards  died  Dubucan,  son  of  Indrechtach, 
mormaer  of  Angus.^ 

^thelstan,  son  of  Edward  king  of  the  Saxons,  and  Eochaid, 
Alpin's  son,  died.^° 

And  in  his  old  age,  being  decrepit,  [Constantine]  took  the 
staff,ii  and  served  the  Lord  ;  and  gave  up  the  kingdom  to 
Mal[coIm],  Donald's  son.^^ 

'  It  seems  to  be  implied  that  this  Donald,  Aed's  son, became  king  of  Strath- 
clyde  ;  and  it  would  appear  that  Donald  was  the  brother  of  Constantine, 
Aed's  son.    This  Donald  is  mentioned  in  the  LifeofCatroe  ;  above,  940x941. 

^  Fland,  Maelsechlaind's  son,  king  of  Tara,  died  on  Saturday,  25th 
May,  916  ;  A.U.,  i,  432,  s.a.  915  or  916  =  916  ("bissextile"). 

^  Niall  Glun-dub,  Aed's  son,  king  of  Ailech,  was  killed  on  Wednesday, 
15th  September,  919,  the  3rd  year  of  his  reign,  according  to  A.U.,  i.  438, 
s.a.  918  or  919  =  919  (919  being  indicated  also  by  the  date  of  Easter). 

*  I.e.,  Tyne-moor  :  the  locality  is  uncertain. 

^  I.e.,  in  918,  q.v. 

^  belluni  Duinbrufide. 

''  Read  "37th"  {xxxuii  instead  oi  xxxiiii)^  i.e.  year  937,  q.v. 

^  Constantine's  son's  death  ("young  in  warfare")  is  mentioned  by 
A.S.C.'s  verse-passage,  s.a.  937  :  see  E.C.,  72. 

^  Dubucan  filius  Indrechtaig,  morinair  Oengusa.  Probably  Dubucan, 
not  Indrechtach,  was  the  mormaer,  although  the  spelling  of  the  text 
implies  the  contrary. 

1"  ^thelstan  died  in  940  ;  see  above. 

^^  I.e.,  entered  monastic  life. 

'^  If  Constantine  reigned  for  40  years,  his  abdication  would  have 
occurred  in  940.  But  he  gave  up  the  kingdom  to  Malcolm  (see  year  954, 
note) ;  and  version  A  implies  that  there  was  no  interval  between  their 
reigns.     Malcolm  seems  not  to  have  reigned  before  943. 

Versions  DFGIKN,  and  the  Verse  Chronicle,  say  that  Constantine 
lived  in  religion  for  5  years,  until  his  death  ;  and  Irish  annals  say  that  he 
died  in  952  :  therefore  he  would  have  entered  monastic  life  in  947.  But 
this  is  at  variance  with  version  A,  which  imphes  that  Malcolm  succeeded 
in  943  (see  year  954) ;  and  with  the  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle,  which  says 
that  Malcolm  was  king  in  945  (E.C.,  74). 


KING  CONSTANTINE  447 

900-952 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  D ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  151 

Constantine,  Aed's  son,  reigned  for  forty  years;  and  he 
resigned  the  kingdom  of  his  own  accord,  and  served  God  for 
five  years  in  the  habit  of  religion,  becoming  abbot  in  [the 
monastery  of]  the  celi-de  of  St  Andrews.  There  too  he  died, 
and  was  buried.^ 

900-952 

Prose  and  Verse  Chronicles  inserted  in  the  Chronicle  of 
Melrose,  pp.  26,  225,  s.a.  908  ^ 

In  the  same  year  [908]  perished  Donald,  king  of  the  Scots. 
And  after  him,  [Constantine,  Aed's  son,  [became]  king  of  the 
Scots  ^]. 

"  Constantine  also,  whose  father  was  Aed  the  White,  had 
lived  as  king  for  thirty  years.  He  was  for  five  years  in  the 
town  of  St  Andrew*;  he  died  there,  enjoying  the  law  of 
religion."* 

900-952 
Berchan's  Prophecy,  stanzas  148-154,  in  Skene's  Picts  and 
Scots,  pp.  91-93 

Welcome,  welcome !  if  he  it  is,  who  has  long  been 
prophesied  :  a  king  of  the  kings  (it  is  no  foolish  saying")  whose 
name  is  the  Midaise.^ 

1  Similarly  in  versions  F  (ibid.,  174),  G  (301),  I  (288)  ;  and  to  the  same 
effect  in  K  (205),  and  N  (305). 

The  Duan  Albanach,  in  P.  &  S.,  62  :  "  Constantine — bold  was  his 
fighting — passed  forty-six  years  [on  the  throne]." 

2  Also  in  P.  &  S.,  178. 

^  "  Constantine  .  .  .  Scots,"  an  addition  in  the  outer  margin. 

*  Andree  sancH fuit  hie  qiiingueniiis  in  urbe. 

^  The  passage  in  inverted  commas  is  in  verse  in  the  original. 

''  tii  rud  m-baisse  ;  rud  obscurely  written.  Read  nl  rddh  ni-bdise  ? 
MS.  b  has  ni  radh  m-braise,  "it  is  no  hasty  saying,"  wrongly. 

''  diaainid  ainiin  an  mhidhaise,  rhyming  with  baisse.  MS.  b  has  ati 
Midhaise,  more  correctly. 

This  is  the  loth  king  mentioned  after  Kenneth,  but  seems  to  be 
Constantine  II,  Aed's  son. 


448  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Scotland  will  be  full  from  his  day.  This  will  be  a  fair, 
long  reign ;  .  .  .^  for  seven  and  two  score  years : 

With  fruit  ^  upon  slender  branches,  with  ale,  with  music, 
with  good  cheer;  with  corn,  with  milk,  with  nimble  cattle; 
with  pride,  with  fortune,  with  .  .  .^. 

Battles  will  not  stand  against  his  face ;  every  counten- 
ance will  be  pale  before  his  might  (?)*;  [weapons']  points 
will  not  pierce  his  skin :  God,  the  son  of  man,  is  faithful 
to  him.^ 

When  the  king  is  most  active  (?),•'  and  after  he  has  cast  his 
enemies  into  nothingness,  afterwards  the  Red-limbed  one^  will 
come,  and  drive  him  out  of  Scotland.^ 

And  afterwards  (it  is  sufficiently  sad)  the  men  of  Scotland 
will  be  under  the  feet  of  a  pack  of  wolves.  [They  will  be]  like 
sheaves  of  flax  being  steeped ;  without  sovereign,  without 
rescue.^ 

Afterwards  God  has  called  him  away,  to  the  abbey-church 
on  the  brow  of  the  wave.^°  In  the  house  of  the  apostle  ^^  he 
will  die ;  the  pilgrim  will  be  faithful. 

'  d  ba  caire  coinise  cafk,  with  which  da  fhichid  in  the  next  line  should 
rhyme.  MS.  b  has  Ba  ba  caire  and  da  fhichead,  with  O'Connell's  conjecture 
Ra  ba  Caire.     The  line  is  corrupt. 

^  vies ;  probably  acorns. 

^  CO  n-erbhas,  rhyming  with  m-brais,  for  which  read  ni-bras ;  m-bras 
and  go  n-earbhas  in  MS.  b.  If  this  is  for  ern-bhds  "slaughter,"  the  long  d 
gives  imperfect  rhyme. 

■*  fria  dhuis  in  both  MSS.  ;  rhyming  with  gni'ds.  Cf.  dids  "warrior"? 
O'Connell  in  MS.  b  suggests  "  i.  dtiiseact"  ;  di'dseacht  "  vigilance  "  (Dinneen). 
Cf  Archiv  fiir  celtische  Lexicographic,  iii,  273,  283  ;  Stokes,  Saltair  na 
Rann  (1883),  50,  136. 

*  mac  anf\]i\ir  dia  do  dhilcs,  rhyming  with  chnes. 

•^  an  trdth  bhtis  deitie  righ  an  ri.  In  MS.  b,  Righe  a7i  Ri.  These 
readings  give  the  line  a  syllable  too  many.  The  last  word  ;-/  rhymes  with 
neiinhfiii,  and  must  be  in  the  nominative  case.     For  rigk  read  ri. 

^  roficfa  an  ball  derg  iar-sin.     MS.  b  reads  ro  fhichfaidh,  wrongly. 

*  cona  7narbha.dh  a  hAlbain.  MS.  b  writes  marbhadh  in  full.  Read 
inarba.     Cf  the  Verse  Chronicle,  above. 

"  gan  iomshndighe J  read  io?nshnadkadk,  to  rhyme  with  bad[k'\ad{h'\. 
^^  go  redes  for  bhra  iui?ine.     MS.    b  ha.s  for  bhru  Tuinne  {"  upon  the 
brink   of  the   wave").     Perhaps   bru   has   been   substituted   for  the    less 
common  bra.     Cf  stanza  145,  year  900  ;  and  stanza  157,  year  954. 
1'  a  ttigh  an  apstail  theid  ar  ceal :  the  line  has  a  syllable  too  many. 
The  monastery  dedicated  to  an  apostle  was  probably  St  Andrews. 


COMMENDATION  OF  CUMBRIAN  LAND  449 

945 
Annales  Camlbriae;  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  169,  s.a.  [946]  ^ 

And  Strathclyde  was  wasted  by  the  Saxons.^ 

945 

Brut  y  Tywyssogion ;  Rhys  and  Evans'  Red  Book  of 
Hergest,  p.  261 

Strathclyde  was  devastated  by  the  English.^ 

945 

Chronicle  of  Melrose,  p.  30 

In  the  year  945,  king  Edmund  wasted  the  land  of  the 
Cumbrians,  subjugated  it  to  himself,  and  commended  it  to 
Malcolm,  king  of  the  Scots.* 

946 
Annales  Oambriae ;  Y  Cymmrodor,  vol.  ix,  p.  165,  s.a.  [947]^ 

Edmund,  king  of  the  Saxons,  was  slaughtered. 

'  2  years  after  the  "  500th  year  "  after  444. 

^  I.e.  by  the  English.     This  annal  is  not  in  MS.  C  (Ab  Ithel,  18). 

The  king  of  Strathclyde  at  this  time  was  perhaps  Donald,  Aed's  son, 
who  became  king  before  943.     See  also  year  975. 

^  This  stands  between  the  years  940  and  945.  It  is  dated  944  in 
MS.  D  of  Ab  Ithel's  ed.,  p.  20.     Similarly  in  B.S.  in  M.A.,  656,  s.a.  944. 

Cf  B.T.  in  M.A.,  690,  s.a.  943  : — "  In  the  same  year  Strathclyde  was 
ravaged  by  the  English,  who  slew  cruelly  those  whom  they  found  in  their 
way,  of  the  Britons  to  whom  it  belonged "  {o'r  Bryttaniaid  a  berthytiai 
yddynt:  I  am  indebted  for  the  translation  to  Mr  H.  J.  Bell,  of  the  MSS. 
department,  British  Museum.  Professor  Sir  John  Morris  Jones  suggests 
a  correction  of  the  text,  \ac\  a  bertkynai ydynt,  "of  the  Britons  [and]  those 
who  belonged  to  them"  :  this  seems  very  likely  to  be  the  correct  reading). 

^  This  is  derived  from  English  sources  (see  E.G.,  74),  but  without 
mention  of  the  terms  of  fealty.  Similarly,  also,  as  a  memorandum,  in  fo. 
53  of  the  same  chronicle,  p.  233.     Cf  Bain,  ii,  112. 

°  Placed  3  years  after  the  "  500th  year  "  after  444. 

P.M.,  ii,  656,  s.a.  944  =  946  (and  the  "2nd  year  of  Congalach,"  Mael- 
mithid's  son,  as  king  of  Ireland) :  "^thelstan,  renowned  king  of  England, 
died."  (For  " ./Ethelstan "  read  "Edmund"  ;  otherwise  the  entry  is  too  late 
by  six  years.) 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  s.a.  941  :  "  Edmund,  king  of  the  Saxons,  was 
killed  by  his  own  family." 

Edmund  died  in  946  (A.S.C.,  946  ABCD,  948  EF) ;  the  date  946  is 
supported  by  charters  in  Kemble's  Codex  Diplomaticus. 

2  F 


450  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

946 

Chronicle  of  Melrose,  p.  30 

In  the  same  year,  [946,  Eadred]  acquired  Northumbria, 
[which  was]  in  rebellion  against  him  ;  and  the  Scots  submitted 
to  him  without  fighting.^ 

947 

Annals  of  the  Four  Masters,  vol.  i,  p.  656,  s.a.  945=947^ 

Cainchomrac,  abbot  of  lona,  .  .  .  died. 


9493 

950 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  466,  s.a.  949  or  95o  =  9So 

Higuel,  king  of  the  Britons,  died.* 

1  This  is  derived  from  English  sources  (see  E.C.,  74-75)- 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings,  version  A,  records  a  Scottish  invasion  of 
England  in  948  or  949.     See  year  954. 

2  And  the  "  3rd  year  of  Congalach  "  as  sovereign  of  Ireland. 

3  In  this  year  (or  at  least  between  948  and  950)  the  Chronicle  of  the 
Kings,  version  A,  says  that  king  Malcolm,  Donald's  son,  "plundered  the 
Enghsh  as  far  as  the  Tees"  ;  see  year  954. 

*  Similarly  in  the  Annales  Cambriae,  Y  Cymmrodor,  ix,  169,  s.a.  [950] 
(6  years  after  the  "500th  year"  after  444) ;  but  MS.  B  adds  "the  Good," 
and  MS.  C  reads  :  "  Higuel,  surnamed  the  Good,  king  of  the  Britons,  died  ; 
and  Owen,  his  son,  succeeded  him.  But  two  sons  of  lutgual  intervened, 
namely  lacob  and  leuaf.  Higuel  had  expelled  them  from  their  kingdom  ; 
and  they  fought  against  Owen  near  Nant-Carno,  and  they  were  the  victors" 
(Ab  Ithel's  ed.,  18).     (Cf.  MS.  A,  s.a.  [951],  "the  battle  of  Carno.") 

The  last  entry  in  MS.  A  is,  s.a.  [954]  (the  "510th  year"  after  444): 
"Rotri,  Higuel's  son,  died."  This  Rotri's  death  is  placed  in  951  by  B.S. 
in  M.A.,  657. 

Higuel  Da's  father  was  Catell,  king  of  South  Wales.  Cf.  year  877, 
note. 

The  first  Genealogy  appended  to  the  Annales  Cambriae  is  (Y  Cymmrodor, 
ix,  169-170):  "Owen,  son  of  Higuel,  son  of  Catell,  son  of  Rotri,  son  of 
Mermin,  son  of  Etthil,  daughter  of  Cinan,  son  of  Rotri,  son  of  lutgual,  son 
of  Catgualart,  son  of  Catguollaun,  son  of  Catman,  son  of  lacob,  son  of  Beli, 
son  of  Run,  son  of  Mailcun.  .  .  ." 

For  Higuel  Da  (or  Hywel  Dda)  cf.  a  Welsh  Triad,  in  M.A.,  407  (59) ; 
Loth's  Mabinogion,  ii,  triad  no.  136.  S.D.  dates  his  death  in  951  ;  B.T.  in 
M.A.,  690,  and  B.S.  in  M.A.,  657,  in  548. 


SUBMISSION  TO  EADRED  451 

951 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  468,  s.a.  950  =  951 

Godfrey,  Sigtrygg's  son,  with  the  Foreigners  of  Dublin, 
plundered  Kells,  Donaghpatrick,  Ardbrackan,  Dulane,  and 
Kilskeer,  and  other  churches  besides.  They  were  all  harried 
from  Kells ;  and  in  them  were  captured  three  thousand  people, 
or  more,  along  with  the  greatest  spoil  of  cows  and  horses,  of 
gold  and  silver.^ 

952 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  470,  s.a.  951  or  952=952  ^ 

.  .  .  Constantino,  Aed's  son,  king  of  Scotland,  .  .  .  died.^ 
A  battle  [was  fought]  against  the  men  of  Scotland  and  the 
Britons  and  the  English,  by  the  Foreigners.* 

954 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  pp.  470-472,  s.a.  953  or  954  =  954° 

.  .  .  Malcolm,  Donald's  son,  king  of  Scotland,  was  slain.*"  .  .  . 
.  .  .  Robartach,   successor    of    Columcille    and    Adamnan, 
rested  in  Christ.'' 

1  Similarly  in  F.M.,  ii,  664,  s.a.  949  =  951  (and  "the  7th  year  of  Conga- 
lach,"  sovereign  of  Ireland)  ;  but  they  add  Castlekieran  to  the  places 
pillaged,  and  say  :  "  They  took  away  more  than  three  thousand  captives, 
besides  gold  and  silver,  clothing  and  various  kinds  of  wealth,  and  goods 
of  every  kind." 

C.S.  (210;  Hennessy's  year  950  =  951):  "Godfrey,  Sigtrygg's  son,  took 
Dublin,  and  plundered  Kells,  and  Donaghpatrick,  and  Ardbrackan,  and 
Dulane,  and  Castlekieran,  and  Kilskeery.  But  God  avenged  it ;  he  died 
in  a  short  time.  And  there  were  taken  3000  men,  and  the  greatest  quantity 
of  gold  and  silver." 

^  With  the  marginal  note  "bissextile." 

^  Similarly  in  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  s.a.  947  =  952. 

*  F.M.,  ii,  666,  s.a.  950  =  952  (and  "the  8th  year  of  Congalach"  as 
sovereign  of  Ireland):  "A  victory  [was  gained]  by  the  Foreigners  over 
the  men  of  Scotland,  the  Britons,  and  the  Saxons  ;  and  in  it  many  fell." 

Skene  thought  this  battle  to  have  been  one  fought  by  Eric  Blood-axe 
and  the  Scandinavians  settled  in  Northumbria,  against  an  invasion  of 
Scots,  Cumbrians,  and  Bernicians.     But  the  evidence  for  this  is  meagre. 

The  events  of  926,  934,  and  937,  made  Cumbria  an  English  province. 
It  must  have  been  an  unruly  one,  or  Edmund  would  not  have  given  it  into 
the  custody  of  the  Scottish  king,  as  he  did  in  945.      Cumbria  was   the 


452  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

943-954 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  A ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  lo 

Malcolm,  Donald's  son,  reigned  for  eleven  years.^ 

Malcolm  went  with  his  army  into  Moray,  and  slew  Cellach. 

In  the  seventh  year  of  his  reign,^  he  plundered  the  English 
as  far  as  the  river  Tees ;  and  he  seized  a  multitude  of  the 
people,  and  many  herds  of  cattle.  And  the  Scots  called  this 
raid  the  "  raid  of  the  Albidosi "  (that  is,  Nainndisi).^ 

But  others  say  that  Constantine  made  this  raid;  asking* 
of  the  king,  Malcolm,  that  the  kingship  should  be  given  to  him 
for  a  week's  time,  in  order  to  visit  the  English.  In  fact,  it  was 
not  Malcolm  who  made  the  raid,  but  Constantine  incited  him, 
as  I  have  said. 

stepping-stone  between  the  Norwegians  of  Ireland,  Wales,  and  Galloway, 
and  the  Danes  of  Northumbria. 

^  The  next  year-section  has  epact  and  ferial  number :  the  epact 
indicates  955,  but  the  ferial  number  is  incorrect. 

"  C.S.,  210,  Hennessy's  year  952  =  953:  "Malcolm,  Donald's  son,  king 
of  Scotland,  was  slain  by  his  [subjects]." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  156,  s.a.  948  =  953:  "Malcolm,  Donald's  son, 
king  of  Scotland,  died." 

'  C.S.,  210,  Hennessy's  year  95 3  =  954:  "Robartach,  Columcille's  successor, 
reposed." 

F.M.,  ii,  668-670,  s.a.  952=954  (and  "the  loth  year  of  Congalach," 
sovereign  of  Ireland),:  "  Robartach,  successor  of  Columcille  and  Adamnan, 
.  .  .  died."  He  was  presumably  abbot  of  Kells  and  of  Raphoe.  Cf.  year 
938.     An  abbot  of  lona  died  in  947  (q.v.). 

'  Most  other  versions  say,  for  9  years  ;  see  above,  p.  cxxxviii.  Since  952 
was  Malcolm's  tenth  year,  his  first  was  943  (942  x  944)  ;  and  954,  the  year  of 
his  death,  was  his  12th.  Therefore  we  must  accept  version  A's  number  (11 
years),  although  it  differs  from  the  numbers  given  by  all  the  other  versions. 

^  His  tenth  was  952,  therefore  his  seventh  would  have  been  949 
(948  X  950). 

^  Predam  albidosoruin  idem  nainndisi.  The  last  two  words  are  probably 
a  gloss.  The  inn-  of  inndisi  can  scarcely  h^find  (as  Skene  would  have  had 
it),  because/ would  not  have  disappeared  after  7ia.  The  meaning  of  these 
words  is  obscure;  possibly  read  na  n-i?tdisi=na  7i-inse^''oi  the  islands"? 
(Cf.  Innisibsolian  in  the  same  chronicle  ;  above,  year  900).  Albidorsorum 
might  mean  "of  the  white-backs." 

■*  In  text  querens;   read  querentem  =  quaercntem. 


KING  MALCOLM  453 

And  Constantine  died  in  [Malcolm's]  tenth  year/  under 
the  crown  of  penitence,  in  good  old  age. 

And  the  men  of  Mearns  slew  Malcolm  in  Fetteresso  ;  that 
is,  in  Claideom.^ 


943-954 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  D  ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  151 

Malcolm,  Donald's  son,  reigned  for  nine  years;  and  he  was 
killed  by  the  Moravians  by  treachery,  and  was  buried  in  the 
island  of  lona.^ 


943-954 

Prose  and  Verse  Chronicles  inserted  in  the  Chronicle  of 
Melrose,  pp.  29,  225,  s.a.  943  * 

Constantine,  king  of  the  Scots,  died. 

"  King  Malcolm  succeeded  him,  for  nine  years ;  he  was  the 
son  of  king  Donald.  The  men  of  Moray  slew  him  in  Ulum  ^  : 
he  fell  by  the  deceit  and  guile  of  an  apostate  nation."^ 

'  Constantine  died  in  952  ;  above. 

^  Et  occidenint  viri  na  Moerne  Malcolaim  in  Fodresach,  i.  in  Claideom. 

^  Similarly  in  versions  F  (ibid.,  174),  G  (301-302),  I  (288) ;  but  instead 
of  "  killed  ...  by  treachery,"  F  reads  :  "  killed  in  Vlurn  by  treachery  by 
the  Moravians  "  ;  so  also  in  I,  but  with  the  reading  "  in  Ulnem." 

Confusedly  in  K:  "Malcolm,  Donald's  son,  reigned  for  21  years.  He 
was  killed  by  treachery  by  the  Norwegians  ;  and  this  occurred  in  the  time 
of  the  first  Edward,  ^thelstan's  father."  Edward  died  in  925.  Eadred 
was  king  in  954. 

Malcolm's  reign  is  omitted  by  N. 

The  Duan  Albanach,  in  P.  &  S.,  62  :  "  Malcolm  [passed]  four  years  [in 
the  kingdom]."  The  Duan  allows  50  years  to  the  reigns  of  Constantine 
and  Malcolm  (900-954) ;  here  too  there  are  a  few  years  unaccounted  for. 

Cf.  Fordun,  IV,  24-25! 

■t  Also  in  P.  &  S.,  178-179(3.). 

^  Vlrum,  B. 

"  The  passage  within  inverted  commas  is  in  verse  in  the  original. 


454  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

943-954 

Berchan's  Prophecy,  stanzas  155-157,  in  Skene's  Picts  and 

Scots,  p.  93 

Then  for  a  long  time  the  Red  Crow  ^  will  take  high  Scotland 
of  fair  plains.^  Travellers  will  be  beloved  by  him,^  in  a  foreign 
land  without  neglect. 

His  kingdom  will  not  be  wearisome^  (I  shall  relate  to  you, 
it  will  be  a  tale  of  truth)  to  the  others,  at  every  time  in  every 
place,  to  foreigners  and  to  Gaels. 

He  will  have  nine  years  in  the  kingdom,  traversing  their 
boundaries.  An  expedition  upon  the  brow  of  Dunnottar*; 
the  Gaels  will  shout  about  his  grave. 

'  an  bodhbh  dercc. 

This  is  the  loth  king  after  Kenneth  in  the  Prophecy  ;  he  appears  to  be 
Malcolm  I. 

^  daigh-lercc  in  MS.  a,  changed  by  O'Connell  to  drech-lercc ;  daigh-learg 
in  MS  b,  changed  to  drech-learg,  with  O'ConnelPs  note,  "read,  drechharg." 

^  beitt  astraigh  gradhddh  leis,  MS.  a  ;  beitt  (in  MS.  b,  beid)  is  probably 
dissyllabic;  final  dh  oi  gr-adhddh  is  blotted.  Read  gi-ddhaigh?  MS.  b 
has  Gradha. 

■*  Nidh  ba  fadhdl  a  righe,  MS.  a.  Nid  ba  fadhal  a  Righe,  MS.  b,  with 
O'Connell's  note  Ni  ba  sadhal a  Righe  ("his  kingdom  will  not  be  pleasant " ?) 
Read  ni  bafadal? 

^  for  bra  duna  foiteir  fecht.  Fetteresso  is  near  Dunnottar.  Berchan 
and  Chronicle  A  may  be  preferred  to  the  other  Chronicles  of  the  Kings, 
which  evidently  mean  that  Malcolm  fell  at  Blervie,  in  Moray. 


PART   XVII 

Eric's  Sons 

937-954 

Heimskringla,  Hakon  the  Good's  Saga,  cc.  3-5  ^ 

When  [Eric  Blood-axe]  saw  that  he  had  no  means  of 
resisting  the  army  of  Hakon,  he  sailed  to  west  beyond  the  sea 
with  all  the  army  that  would  follow  him.  He  went  first  to  the 
Orkneys,  and  took  from  there  a  great  force.  Then  he  sailed 
south  for  England,  and  harried  in  Scotland,  everywhere  he 
came  to  land  ;  he  harried  also  in  the  north  of  England.^ 

^thelstan,  king  of  the  English,  sent  a  message  to  Eric,  and 
bade  him  take  territory  from  him  in  England  ;  and  said  that 
just  as  king  Harold,  his  father,  had  been  a  great  friend  of  king 
.(^ithelstan's,^  so  would  it  be  with  his  son. 

'  With  this  passage  cf.  the  reconstructed  part  of  c.  8  of  Orkneyinga 
Saga;  i,  lo-ii.  Cf.  also  Olaf  Tryggi  i's  son's  Saga,  cc.  15-16  (F.S.,  ii, 
22-25;  Fh,  i,  50-51). 

''^  Before  948  ;  see  below,  p.  459,  note. 

^  The  sagas  have  pleasant  tales  of  the  intercourse  between  yEthelstan 
and  Harold;  see  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  8  (F.S.,  i,  15-17;  Fl.,  i, 
46-47)  ;  H.,  Harold  Fairhair,  cc.  39-40  (and  Fr.,  61-62).     Cf.  F.,  20-23. 

Theoderic,  c.  2,  in  Storm's  Monumenta,  p.  7:  ".  .  .  the  Norwegians 
recalled  [Hakon]  because  of  the  cruelty  of  his  brother  [Eric],  and  especially 
of  that  of  [Eric's]  wife  Gunnhild  ;  and  they  appointed  [Hakon]  their  king. 
But  Eric  too  sailed  to  England,  and  was  honourably  received  by  the  king  ; 
and  he  died  there.  .  .  ." 

The  Historia  Norwegiae  and  the  Agrip  differ  from  all  the  other  accounts 
in  saying  that  Eric  died  in  Spain. 

Historia  Norwegiae,  in  Storm's  Monumenta,  pp.  105-106:  "When 
[Eric]  had  reigned  for  a  year,  and  had  pleased  no  one  because  of  his  wife's 
excessive  insolence,  he  was  deprived  of  the  kingdom  by  his  brother  Hakon, 
the  foster-son  of  v^ithelstan,  king  of  England,  by  the  counsel  of  the  nobles 
of  Norway  ;  and  he  departed  as  a  fugitive  to  England.  There  he  was  well 
received  by  his  brother's  fosterer  \_pcEdagogo\  and  washed  in  the  fountain 
of  baptism,  and  appointed  earl  of  all  Northumbria.  And  he  was  most 
welcome  to  all,  until  his  wicked  wife  arrived  there.  The  Northumbrians 
455 


456  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Then  men  went  between  the  kings ;  and  it  was  agreed  that 
by  special  privilege  king  Eric  should  take  Northumberland,  to 
hold  it  of  king  ^thelstan,  and  to  protect  the  land  there  from 
Danes  and  other  vikings.  Eric  was  also  to  have  himself 
baptized,  and  his  wife,  and  their  children,  and  all  his  army, 
which  had  followed  him  thither. 

Eric  made  this  choice,  and  he  was  then  baptized  and  accepted 
the  true  faith.'- 

Northumberland  is  called  the  fifth  part  of  England.  [Eric] 
had  his  residence  in  York,  where  men  say  that  Lodbrok's  sons 
had  dwelt  before.^  Northumberland  was  mostly  inhabited  by 
Norwegians,  since  Lodbrok's  sons  had  won  the  land.     Danes 

could  not  endure  her  pestilential  madness,  and  immediately  cast  off  their 
intolerable  yoke. 

"And  while  he  was  conducting  a  piratical  expedition  in  Spain,  he  was 
attacked  and  fell ;  but  she  with  her  sons  returned  to  her  brother,  Harold, 
the  king  of  the  Danes."  But  the  sagas  say  that  she  was  the  daughter  of 
Ozur  Toti.  The  statement  that  Eric  died  in  Spain  is  probably  incorrect : 
it  is  opposed  by  the  elegy  which  was  composed  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

The  Agrip  (F.S.,  x,  385)  says  that  Eric  "fled  with  a  ship-force  west  to 
England,  and  was  there  in  outlawry  and  in  warfare  ;  and  he  begged  favour 
of  the  king  of  England,  as  king  ^thelstan  had  promised  him.  And  he 
received  from  the  king  the  earldom  in  Northumberland.  But  he  conducted 
himself  there,  by  counsel  of  his  wife,  Gunnhild,  so  cruelly  and  harshly, 
that  he  appeared  scarcely  to  be  endurable.  Therefore  he  set  out  on  warfare, 
and  on  piracy,  widely  in  the  western  lands  ;  and  Eric  fell  in  Spain,  in 
piracy.  But  Gunnhild  betook  herself  afterwards  to  Denmark,  to  king 
Harold.  .  .  ." 

'  Fagrskinna,  26:  "...  yEthelstan  gave  Northumberland  to  king 
Eric,  as  a  place  of  refuge  and  of  visitation  [a/  fri'Slannde  ok  ivirsocji\. 
Then  Eric  took  baptism,  and  the  true  faith.  .  .  ." 

Eric's  sons  abandoned  Christianity  when  they  returned  to  Norway : 
Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  32  ;  H.,  Harold  Greycloak,  c.  2.  Of.  Odd's 
Olafs  Saga,  ed.  Munch,  p.  2. 

2  Of.  the  Tale  of  Ragnar's  sons,  in  Hauksbok,  ii,  463,  464.  Cf.  Ragnar's 
Saga,  161-168. 

Snorri's  St  Olafs  Saga,  c.  9,  p.  9 :  "[Eric]  went  first  to  the  Orkneys; 
and  he  took  with  him  a  great  army.  Then  he  sailed  south  to  England,  and 
harried  there,  ^thelstan,  king  of  the  English,  sent  a  message  to  Eric,  and 
bade  him  receive  from  him  a  kingdom  in  England  ;  and,  to  effect  peace 
between  the  brothers,  Eric  and  Hakon,  he  would  do  this,  and  give  [Eric] 
Northumberland,  which  is  called  the  fifth  part  of  England.  Then  Eric 
chose  this,  and  he  was  king  in  Northumberland  as  long  as  he  lived.  Eric 
fell  in  western  piracy.  .  .  ." 

According  to  Jonsson's   table   of  Egil's   Saga's  dates,   Eric  fled  from 


ERIC  KING  IN  NORTHUMBRIA  i57 

Norway  in  935  ;   but  the  date   deducible   from   the   Agrip  and  Theoderic 
would  be  937. 

Egil's  Saga,  c.  59,  pp.  193-194:  "Then  [Eric]  sailed  with  his  army 
south  [from  Orkney]  along  Scotland,  and  plundered  there ;  thence  he 
sailed  south  to  England,  and  plundered  there. 

"And  when  king  ^thelstan  heard  that,  he  collected  an  army,  and 
went  against  Eric.  And  when  they  met,  an  agreement  was  proposed 
between  them,  and  it  was  arranged  that  king  ^thelstan  gave  to  Eric 
Northumberland  to  rule,  but  [Eric]  was  to  be  king  ^thelstan's  land- 
defender  against  the  Scots  and  Irish. 

"  King  yEthelstan  had  made  Scotland  tributary  under  him,  after  the  fall 
of  king  Olaf ;  but  yet  that  people  was  always  unfaithful  \otrictf'\  to  him. 

"  King  Eric  always  resided  in  York.  It  is  said  that  Gunnhild  had  a 
charm  made,  and  had,  this  spell  put  upon  Egil  Skallagrim's  son,  that  he 
should  never  have  peace  in  Iceland  until  he  should  see  her"  (because  she 
wished  to  take  revenge  upon  him). 

"But  in  the  summer  [?937;  but  according  to  Jonsson's  chronology  of 
the  saga,  in  935]  in  which  Hakon  and  Eric  had  met  and  contended  over 
Norway,  it  was  forbidden  [to  go]  to  other  lands  from  Norway  ;  and  no 
ships  came  that  summer  to  Iceland,  and  no  news  from  Norway.  Egil 
Skallagrim's  son  remained  at  his  farm  ;  but  the  second  winter  that  he  lived 
at  Borg,  after  the  death  of  Skallagrim,  Egil  became  melancholy,  and  his 
distress  grew  greater  as  the  winter  passed.  And  when  summer  came " 
[?938  ;  according  to  Jonsson's  table,  936]  Egil  announced  that  he  intended 
to  make  ready  his  ship  for  voyaging  in  the  summer.  So  he  took  oarsmen, 
intending  to  sail  to  England  ;  there  were  thirty  men  on  board.  Asgerd 
[Egil's  wife]  remained  behind,  and  took  charge  of  their  farm-stead  :  but 
Egil  purposed  to  go  to  king  yEthelstan,  and  to  claim  fulfilment  of  the 
promises  which  [jEthelstan]  had  made  to  Egil  at  their  parting. 

"  Egil  was  not  quickly  ready,  and  when  he  put  to  sea  the  wind  was 
rather  light  ;  autumn  began  to  approach,  and  the  weather  became  rough. 

"They  sailed  past  the  north  of  the  Orkneys.  Egil  would  not  land  there, 
because  he  thought  that  king  Eric's  dominion  must  extend  everywhere  in 
the  islands.  Then  they  sailed  south  past  Scotland,  and  had  much  storm 
and  unfavourable  winds  ;  they  beat  up  past  Scotland,  and  so  to  the  north  of 
England.  .  .  ." 

They  were  wrecked  in  Eric's  dominions,  saving  all  their  men  and  some 
of  their  cargo.  In  despair  of  evading  Eric,  Egil  appealed  to  Arinbiorn. 
Through  Arinbiorn's  support,  by  falsehood  and  by  composing  a  song  ("the 
Head-ransom")  in  Eric's  praise,  Egil  escaped  from  the  vengeance  of  Eric 
and  Gunnhild  (cc.  59-61).  Arinbiorn  went  with  Egil  to  yEthelstan  in 
London;  Egil's  men  joined  him  there  during  the  winter  [? 938-939; 
936-937  in  Jonsson's  table],  (Egil's  "Head-ransom"  is  in  the  Corpus 
Poeticum,  i,  267-271  ;  J.S.,  i,  A  35-39,  B  30-33.) 

Thorstein,  son  of  Eric  Very-wise,  and  Egil,  asked  ^thelstan  to  induce 
his  foster-son  Hakon  to  give  them  back  their  lands  in  Norway.  yEthelstan 
asked  Egil  to  be  the  commander  of  his  army,  and  Egil  promised  to  return 


458  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

and  Norwegians  plundered  often  there,  since  they  had  lost 
dominion  in  the  land.  Many  names  of  the  land  there  are  given 
in  the  Norse  tongue :  Grimsby,  and  Hawkfleet,  and  many 
others. 

[c.  4]   The  fall  of  king  Eric} 

King  Eric  had  many  supporters  about  him ;  he  kept  there 
many  Norwegians,  who  had  gone  from  the  east  with  him ;  and 
besides,  many  of  his  friends  had  come  since  then  from  Norway. 

But  because  he  had  little  land,^  he  went  on  warfare  every 

(c.  62).  Thorstein  and  Egil  went  to  Norway  during  the  winter,  and 
succeeded  in  vindicating  their  claims  (c.  63).  Next  summer  [?939,  as  before] 
Egil  went  to  Iceland.  "Egil  was  there  at  his  farm  [of  Borg]  for  not  very 
few  winters  "  (c.  66). 

"  Egil  learned  this  news  from  east  beyond  the  sea,  that  Eric  Blood-axe 
had  fallen  in  western  piracy  [in  950,  according  to  Jonsson's  chronology  of 
the  saga] ;  and  that  Gunnhild  and  their  sons  had  'gone  south  to  Denmark, 
and  that  all  the  army  that  had  followed  Eric  there  had  left  England. 
Arinbiorn  had  then  come  to  Norway  ;  he  had  taken  up  the  grants  and 
possessions  that  he  had  owned,  and  had  come  into  great  affection  with 
king  [Hakon].  Now  Egil  thought  the  best  thing  to  be  done  was  to  go  to 
Norway.  These  tidings  also  fallowed,  that  king  ^thelstan  was  dead  ;  his 
brother  Edmund  was  then  ruling  over  England"  (c.  67,  pp.  221-222). 
(Edmund  reigned  939-946.) 

Egil  passed  the  winter  with  Arinbiorn  ;  they  plundered  together  next 
summer  and  autumn,  in  Saxony  and  Friesland.  Then  Arinbiorn  joined  his 
foster-son,  Harold  Greycloak,  Eric's  son,  in  Denmark,  and  remained  with 
him.  (Arinbiorn  became  Harold's  commander-in-chief;  see  c.  78,  p.  260.) 
Egil  returned  to  Norway,  and  passed  the  winter  with  Thorstein,  son  of 
Arinbiorn's  sister,  Thora,  in  the  Vik  (c.  69).  Egil  collected  taxes  for  Hakon 
in  Vermaland  (c.  74).  In  the  summer  he  sailed  north  along  Norway,  and 
across  to  Iceland  ;  he  passed  the  winter  in  Borg  (c.  76),  and  never  afterwards 
left  Iceland  (c.  78,  p.  260).  It  is  implied  that  king  Hakon  (t96i)  reigned 
for  a  long  time  [after  Egil  went  back  to  Iceland].  Therefore  Egil's  Saga 
supports  the  chronology  of  the  Heimskringla. 

The  sagas  cannot  stand  against  the  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle  in  the 
chronology  of  English  events  of  this  period  ;  and  yet  there  is  doubt, 
because  the  Norwegians  had  special  reason  to  be  interested  in  the  history 
of  England  at  this  time  :  king  Eric  had  gone  to  England  and  become 
a  ruler  there,  while  his  successor  in  Norway,  king  Hakon  the  Good,  was 
the  foster-son  of  ^thelstan.     See  below. 

Egil's  Saga,  c.  85,  p.  291  :  "In  the  earlier  days  of  Hakon  the  Mighty" 
(who  reigned  976-995),  "Egil  Skallagrim's  son  was  in  his  eighties.  .  .  ." 
Therefore  Egil  was  born  886  x  896. 

1  Cf  Frisbok,  66-67. 
^  Cf  Fagrskinna,  27. 


EXPEDITION  OF  ERIC  459 

summer/  and  plundered  in  Scotland  and  the  Hebrides,  Ireland 
and  Wales,  and  thus  carried  off  treasure  for  himself. 

King  ^thelstan  died  of  disease ;  he  had  been  king  for 
fourteen  winters,  and  eight  weeks,  and  three  days.^  After  that, 
his  brother  Edmund  was  king  in  England.  He  cared  not  for 
the  Norwegians ;  king  Eric  was  not  in  favour  with  him,  and 
the  word  passed  about  that  king  Edmund  would  put  another 
king  over  Northumberland.  And  when  king  Eric  learned  that, 
he  went  into  western  piracy^;  and  he  took  with  him  from  the 
Orkneys  Arnkel  and  Erlend,  sons  of  Turf-Einar.  Then  he 
went  to  the  Hebrides  ;  and  there  were  many  vikings  and  war- 
kings  there,  and  they  joined  the  army  of  king  Eric.  Then  he 
proceeded  with  the  whole  army  first  to  Ireland,  and  got  from 
there  as  many  men  as  he  could.     Then  he  sailed  to  Wales,  and 

^  Therefore  Eric  became  king  more  than  one  year  before  yEthelstan's 
death  (.'.937x938).  If  this  is  correct,  we  know  from  the  Anglo-Saxon 
Chronicle  that  he  must  have  been  deposed  in  941,  soon  after  yEthelstan's 
death  ;  he  may  have  gone  then,  as  the  sagas  say,  to  the  Hebrides.  If  so,  he 
reoccupied  Northumbria  from  952  to  954  ;  he  was  driven  out,  and  probably 
fell,  in  954. 

An  elegy  was  made  for  king  Eric  by  Gunnhild's  command  :  a  remarkable 
fragment  of  it  is  preserved  (F.,  27-30;  J.S.,  i,  A  174-175,  B  164-166; 
Corpus  Poeticum  Boreale,  i,  260-261).  Eric  is  there  said  to  have  fallen 
with  five  other  kings. 

Eric  had  plundered  in  western  Scotland  before  he  became  king  of 
Norway  ;  F.,  30  (quoting  Glum  Geirason).  According  to  Olaf  Tryggvi's 
son's  Saga,  c.  3  (F.S.,  i,  8),  and  H.,  Harold  Fairhair,  c.  33  :  "When  Eric 
was  twelve  winters  old,  king  Harold  gave  him  five  long-ships  ;  and  he 
sailed  in  warfare,  first  in  the  eastern  way,  and  then  south  about  Denmark 
and  Friesland  and  Saxony.  And  he  passed  four  winters  in  this  expedition. 
After  that,  he  sailed  west  beyond  the  sea,  and  harried  about  Scotland  and 
Wales  \_Bretla7td'\,  Ireland  and  France  [  Vallancf[  ;  and  he  passed  there 
other  four  winters.  After  that,  he  sailed  north  to  Finnmark,  and  as  far  as 
Biarmaland.  .  .  ."  On  this  last  voyage  he  is  said  to  have  found  Gunnhild, 
whom  he  married.     See  below,  p.  461. 

^  See  above,  year  939. 

5  The  sagas  imply  that  Eric  left  Northumbria  soon  after  jEthelstan's 
death  [1939]  (in  ?94i  ;  see  below),  and  that  he  fell  in  Edmund's  reign 
(.■.939x946).  The  facts  seem  to  be  that  he  left  Northumbria  in  the 
beginning  of  Edmund's  reign,  but  returned  and  was  killed  during  Eadred's 
reign.  See  below,  950x955,  note.  Below  (950x955)  we  deduce  from 
Heimskringla  and  Fagrskinna  that  Eric  fell  in  Hakon's  i6th  year  on  the 
throne  ;  i.e.,  in  950,  according  to  the  sagas'  chronology.  This  is  a  more 
nearly  correct  date  than  that  which  the  sagas'  story  implies.  This  incon- 
sistency weakens  the  sagas'  case. 


460  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

plundered  there.  After  that,  he  sailed  south  into  England,  and 
plundered  there  as  in  other  places ;  and  wherever  he  went,  all 
the  people  fled.^ 

And  because  Eric  was  a  great  man  of  valour,  and  had  a 
great  army,  he  trusted  so  much  to  his  army  that  he  went  far 
up  into  the  land,  and  plundered,  and  looked  for  men. 

Olaf^  was  the  name  of  a  king  whom   king  Edmund  had 

'  This  must  have  been  in  952.     See  below. 

2  This  is  not  in  agreement  with  the  more  trustworthy  account  given  by 
the  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle.  It  is  there  said  that  ^thelstan  had  become 
king  of  Northumbria  in  926  (D)  ;  but  in  941,  after  his  death,  "the 
Northumbrians  forsook  their  allegiance,  and  chose  as  their  king  Olaf  of 
Ireland"  (D).  Olaf  died  in  942  (EF).  With  this  account,  cf.  S.D.,  ii,  197  : 
"The  last  king  of  that  province  [of  the  Northumbrians]  was  Eric,  whom 
the  Northumbrians  made  their  king,  violating  the  oath  that  they  had  sworn 
to  king  Eadred.  Offended  by  this,  the  king  ordered  that  the  whole  province 
should  be  completely  laid  waste.  Their  king  was  expelled,  and  slain  by 
Maccus,  the  son  of  Olaf;  and  the  Northumbrians  immediately  appeased 
king  Eadred  with  oaths  and  gifts  ;  the  province  being  committed  to  earl 
Oswulf  .  .  ."  (See  E.G.,  77,  note.)  According  to  the  Anglo-Saxon 
Chronicle,  king  Edmund  received  Olaf  [Sigtrygg's  son]  and  Ronald 
[Godfrey's  son],  at  their  baptism,  in  943  (ABD  ;  942,  C)  ;  but  in  944 
(ABCDE)  he  drove  these  kings  out  of  Northumbria  ;  and  he  conquered 
the  Danes  of  Cumbria  in  the  following  year.  In  945,  according  to  A.U., 
Olaf  became  king  of  Dublin  (i,  464  ;  s.a.  944  or  945=945). 

Version  D  of  A.S.G.  (here  fuller  than  the  other  versions)  says,  under 
948  :  "  In  this  year,  king  Eadred  harried  all  the  Northumbrians'  land, 
because  they  had  taken  Eric  as  their  king  ;  and  then  was  burnt,  in  this 
harrying,  the  great  monastery  at  Ripon,  which  St  Wilfrith  had  built.  And 
while  the  king  was  [returning]  homewards,  the  army  from  within  York 
overtook  him — the  rear  of  the  king's  army  being  at  Ghesterford — and  made 
great  slaughter  there.  Then  the  king  became  so  angry  that  he  determined 
to  march  in  again,  and  destroy  that  land  entirely.  When  the  Northumbrians' 
council  perceived  that,  they  forsook  Eric,  and  they  made  reparation  for  the 
deed  to  king  Eadred."  (Cf  E.G.,  year  946  ;  p.  75  note  ;  p.  77.)  S.D.  dates 
this  reign  of  Eric  949-950. 

Under  949,  versions  E  and  F  of  A.S.G.  say  :  "  In  this  year  Olaf  Guaran 
came  to  Northumberland."  Versions  ABCD  are  blank.  According  to 
A.U.,  Olaf  Guaran  led  the  Danes  of  Dublin  in  947  ;  Godfrey,  Sigtrygg's 
son,  led  them  in  951  (i,  464,  468  ;  s.aa.  946  or  947,  and  950  or  951). 

In  the  year-section  that  contains  the  depredations  of  951  (above),  and 
immediately  after  them,  the  Annals  of  Glonmacnoise  say  (156,  s.a.  946): 
"Olaf  was  king  of  York  for  a  year  after"  ;  i.e.,  951-952. 

Under  952,  versions  E  and  F  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle  say:  "In 
this  year  the  Northumbrians  drove  out  king  Olaf,  and  received  Eric, 
Harold's  son."    (ABC  are  blank,  D  has  other  affairs.) 


DEATH  OF  ERIC  461 

placed  there,  to  protect  the  land.  He  drew  together  an  over- 
whelming army,  and  went  to  engage  with  king  Eric.  A  great 
battle  took  place  there,  and  many  English  men  fell ;  but  where 
one  fell,  three  came  down  from  the  land  in  his  place  ;  and  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  day  the  slaying  went  against  the 
Norwegians,  and  many  men  fell  there.  And  at  the  end  of  that 
day  king  Eric  fell,  and  five  kings  with  him.^ 

These  are  their  names :  Guthorm,  and  his  two  sons,  Ivar 
and  Harek;  there  fell  also  Sigurd  and  Ronald.  There  fell 
also  Arnkel  and  Erlend,  sons  of  Turf-Einar.  A  very  great 
slaughter  of  the  Norwegians  took  place  there ;  but  those  who 
escaped  sailed  to  Northumberland,  and  told  these  tidings  to 
Gunnhild  and  her  sons.^ 

Under  954,  versions  DEF  have:  "In  this  year  the  Northumbrians 
drove  out  Eric,  and  [king  (F)]  Eadred  seized  the  kingdom  of  the 
Northumbrians."  Eadred  was  king  of  the  English  from  946  (A.S.C., 
ABCD  ;  948,  EF)  to  955  (ADEF  ;  956,  BC),  November  23rd  (AF). 

If  the  king  who  defeated  Eric  was  named  Olaf,  he  must  have  been  Olaf 
Cuaran,  Sigtrygg's  son.     See  year  980. 

For  the  suppression  of  the  kingdom  of  Northumbria,  and  appointment 
of  the  first  earl,  Oswulf,  in  952,  see  S.D.  (cf.  below,  year  1073,  note). 

1  Similarly  in  F.,  27:  "Eric  had  so  great  an  army,  that  five  kings 
followed  him  ;  because  Eric  was  a  valiant  man,  and  victorious.  Then  he 
trusted  so  much  to  himself  and  his  force,  that  he  went  far  up  on  land  ;  and 
he  went  everywhere  with  warfare.  Then  came  against  him  king  Olaf; 
he  was  a  tributary  king  of  king  Edmund.  They  fought,  and  Eric  was 
routed  by  the  army  of  the  land  ;  and  he  fell  there,  with  all  his  force.  And 
there  fell  with  him  the  sons  of  Turf-Einar,  Arnkel  and  Erlend.  .  .  ." 

^  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  12  (F.S.,  i,  19-20),  and  H.,  Harold  Fair- 
hair,  c.  44  :  "  Eric  was  a  big  man,  and  handsome,  strong  and  valiant ;  a 
great  warrior,  and  victorious  ;  a  very  impetuous  man  in  disposition,  cruel, 
unfriendly,  and  silent. 

"  Gunnhild,  his  wife,  was  a  very  beautiful  woman  ;  wise,  and  with  much 
knowledge,  pleasant-speaking,  and  very  guileful,  and  the  cruellest  person. 

"The  children  of  Eric  and  Gunnhild  were  these  :  Gamli  was  the  oldest  ; 
Guthorm,  Harold,  Ragnfrod,  Ragnhild,  Erling,  Godfrey,  Sigurd  Slefa. 
All  Eric's  children  were  handsome  and  manly."  Cf  Historia  Norwegiae, 
Storm's  Monumenta,  105  ;  F.,  23-24  ;  Snorri's  St  Olafs  Saga,  9. 

Cf.  Agrip,  c.  5  (F.S.,  X,  380). 

See  year  956,  below. 

A  fairy-tale  is  told  about  Gunnhild  in  Olafs  Saga,  c.  3  ;  Fl.,  i,  43  ;  H., 
Harold  Fairhair,  c.  33.  According  to  the  sagas,  she  was  a  daughter  of 
Ozur  Toti  (Ozur  Lafskeg,  in  Agrip,  u.s.)  of  Halogaland,  and  was  said  to 
have  been  found  by  Eric  in  Finnmark.  Cf  Egil's  Saga,  c.  yj,  p.  no; 
F.,  23. 


462  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

[c.  5]   The  voyage  of  Gunnhild' s  sons} 

When  Gunnhild  [and  her  sons]  were  aware  of  this,  that  king 
Eric  had  fallen,  and  had  previously  harried  the  dominion  of  the 
English  king,  they  thought  it  certain  that  no  peace  would  be 
offered  them  there;  so  they  set  out  at  once  from  Northumberland, 
taking  all  the  ships  that  king  Eric  had  had  ;  they  had  also  all 
the  people  that  would  follow  them,  and  movable  property  which 
had  been  got  together  in  taxes  in  England,  and  some  had  been 
taken  in  warfare. 

They  proceeded  with  their  followers  north  to  the  Orkneys, 
and  they  established  themselves  there  for  a  time.  The  earl 
there  was  Thorfinn  Skull-cleaver,  Turf-Einar's  son. 

Then  Eric's  sons  took  under  themselves  the  Orkneys  and 
Shetland,  and  had  the  taxes  from  them  ;  and  they  abode  there 
in  the  winters;  and  they  sailed  into  western  piracy  in  the 
summers,  and  plundered  in  Scotland  and  Ireland.'  .  .  . 

950x955 

Heimskringla,  Hakon  the  Good's  Saga,  c.  9  ^ 

Of  king  Tryggvi. 

That   same  autumn,*   king  Tryggvi,   Olaf's  son,  came  [to 

Gunnhild  is  said  to  have  been  a  relative  of  Catroe  ;  see  the  Life  of 
Catroe,  above,  p.  441. 

Theoderic  says  that  Gunnhild  was  the  sister  of  Harold,  Gorm's  son  ; 
the  Historia  Norwegiae  says:  "...  Eric  .  .  .  acquired  the  kingdom, 
marrying  a  wife  from  Denmark,  Gunnhilda  by  name,  an  evil-doing" 
{maleficamj  perhaps  "spell-working")  "and  most  wicked  woman,  the 
daughter  of  the  most  foolish  Gorm,  king  of  the  Danes,  and  of  Thyra,  a 
very  prudent  woman"  (Storm's  Monumenta,  105).  In  this,  these  12th 
century  works  may  be  preferred  to  the  sagas'  fairy-tale. 

1  Cf.  Frisbok,  67. 

2  Here  is  a  verse-quotation  of  16  lines,  from  Glum  Geirason  ("in 
Grafeldar-drapa,"  according  to  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga).  These  lines 
say  that  Harold  had  fought  successfully  in  Scotland.  Cf  Corpus  Poeticum 
Boreale,  ii,  39  ;  J.S.,  i,  A  75  ;  B  65-66. 

Eric's  sons  left  Orkney  in  or  before  955  (see  below).  If  they  left 
Northumbria  after  Eric's  death,  they  can  hardly  have  passed  more  than 
one  winter  in  Orkney :  but  it  seems  more  probable  that  they  had  left 
Northumbria  when  Eric  was  driven  the  first  time  from  that  land  (940  x  941). 

2  Similarly  in  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  18  (F.S.,  i,  28  ;  FL,  i,  53). 
Cf  Fr.,  69. 

■*  The  year  of  Hakon's  invasion  of  Jutland,  after  Eric's  death  in  England. 

Fagrskinna,  32  :  "In  the  17th  year  of  his  reign,  [king  Hakon]  gave  the 


ERIC'S  SONS  IN  ORKNEY  463 

Norway]  from  western  piracy ;  he  had  been  plundering  there, 
in  Ireland  and  Scotland. 

In  the  spring,  Hakon  went  north  in  the  land,  and  set  king 
Tryggvi,  his  brother's  son,  over  the  Vik,  to  protect  it  from 
dispeace,  and  to  possess  such  lands  as  he  could  of  those  that 
king  Harold  had  made  tributary  in  Denmark,  the  previous 
summer.  .  .  } 

Agrip  af  Noregs  Konungasogum,  cc.  14-15  ;  Fornmanna 
Sogur,  vol.  X,  pp.  390  391 

But  after  [Tryggvi's]  fall,  Astrid,  whom  Tryggvi  had  married 
in  the  Uplands,  fled  away  to  the  Orkneys,  with  Olaf,  her  son 
and  Tryggvi's,  three  winters  old,  to  escape  the  wiles  of  Gunn- 
hild  and  her  sons,  and  also  of  earl  Hakon ;  these  were  all  still 
struggling  for  Norway,  because  Gunnhild's  sons  were  not  yet 
taken  from  life. 

And  she  came  to  the  Orkneys  with  three  ship's-crews.     But 

name  of  king  to  his  brother's  son,  Tryggvi,  son  of  Olaf,  Harold's  son  ;  and 
gave  him  dominion  in  the  Vik  eastwards."  Hakon's  17th  year  was  951, 
according  to  the  sagas  ;  perhaps  953  in  reality.  But  since  Tryggvi  returned 
after  Eric's  death  (954  x ),  his  appointment  must  have  been  made  in  or 
after  955. 

'  8  lines  of  verse  are  quoted  here.  They  say  that  Tryggvi  "had  come 
thither  before,  guilelessly,  in  ships,  with  a  sea-army,  from  the  Irish." 
(These  lines  are  said  to  have  been  taken  from  Guthorm  Sindri's  Hakonar- 
drapa,  in  Olafs  Saga,  F.S.,  i,  29  ;  cf.  Corpus  Poeticum  Boreale,  ii,  21  ;  J.S.,  i, 
A  62  ;  B  55-56.) 

King  Hakon  had  appointed  Tryggvi  and  Godfrey,  his  brother  Olafs 
sons,  kings  over  districts  in  Norway,  in  the  first  winter  of  his  reign  :  they 
were  then  children  (H.,  Hakon  the  Good,  c.  2.  Cf  Snorri's  St  Olafs  Saga, 
p.  8).  This  was  in  938,  according  to  the  Icelandic  Annals  (BD  ;  933,  AC) : 
but  more  probably  in  937  (see  above,  p.  427). 

Hakon  now  [?955]  placed  Tryggvi  "over  the  Vik  eastwards"  (Egil's 
Saga,  c.  76,  p.  251) ;  and  he  had  to  resist  Eric's  sons,  but  was  defeated  by 
Godfrey,  who  took  his  kingdom  (956  x  ). 

The  death  of  Tryggvi,  and  birth  of  his  son  Olaf,  are  placed  in  969  by 
the  Icelandic  Annals  (KBD  ;  968,  CA).  Cf.  Olafs  Saga,  c.  36  ;  H.,  Harold 
Greycloak,  c.  9. 

According  to  the  sagas,  Tryggvi's  wife  Astrid  fled  with  her  infant  son, 
Olaf,  to  her  father,  Eric  Biodaskald,  in  Ofrostadir ;  and  afterwards  to 
Sweden,  to  Hakon  the  Old  ;  then  to  Russia,  to  her  brother,  Eric.  H., 
Olaf  Tryggvi's  son,  cc.i,  ff.  Odd's  Olafs  Saga,  ed.  Munch,  pp.  4,  ff.  Fl.,  i., 
71,  ff. 


464  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

because  her  journey  could  not  be  concealed,  and  many  deceits 
could  be  practised,  she  sent  the  child  away  with  the  man  that 
some  called  Thorolf  Lusarskegg ;  and  he  brought  the  child 
secretly  to  Norway,  and  conveyed  it  with  a  large  following  to 
Sweden ;  and  from  Sweden  he  wished  to  go  to  Holmgardr, 
because  some  of  his  kindred  were  there ;  but  Esthonians  fell 
upon  the  ship  that  he  was  in,  and  some  of  its  people  were  killed, 
some  taken  war-prisoners.  His  fosterer  was  killed,  but  he  was 
made  prisoner  of  war  upon  the  island  that  is  called  Osyssel, 
and  was  then  sold  as  a  slave. 

[c.  15]  But  God,  who  had  chosen  this  child  for  great  things, 
arranged  his  liberation  in  this  way  :  a  man  came  to  Esthonia, 
a  messenger  from  the  king  of  Holmgardr ;  he  was  sent  to  take 
tax  from  the  land.  And  he  was  a  relative  of  the  child,  and 
ransomed  his  relative,  and  brought  him  to  Holmgardr ;  and  he 
was  there  for  a  while,  in  such  a  way  that  not  many  men  had 
knowledge  of  his  descent.  .  .  } 

956 

Heimskringia,  Hakon  the  Good's  Saga,  c.  10^ 

0/  Gunnhild' s  sons. 

King  Harold,  Gorm's  son,  then  reigned  over  Denmark.  He 
was  greatly  displeased  that  king  Hakon  had  plundered  in  his 
land,^  and  the  word  went  round  that  the  Danish  king  would 

'  He  made  known  who  he  was  by  killing  the  slayer  of  his  foster- 
father,  Thorolf.  Soon  afterwards  he  got  some  followers  and  took  to  war- 
fare.    See  below,  years  993-995. 

The  Historia  Norwegiae  says  that  Olaf  was  not  yet  born  when  Tryggvi 
died;  and  that  "Astrid,  now  with  child,  went  to  the  Orkneys  with  three 
ships,  and  a  fitting  company  ;  and  was  there  most  loyally  afforded  a  retreat. 
And  the  fortunate  mother  brought  forth  a  son,  a  future  king,  whom  she 
named  Olaf  Through  him,  Norway  at  last  received  Christ's  most  whole- 
some commands"  (Storm's  Monumenta,  iii). 

Olaf's  birth  is  dated  in  969  (and  the  32nd  year  of  the  emperor  Otho  the 
Great  [967-968],  and  the  first  year  of  the  reign  of  king  Edward  [975]),  in 
FL,  i,  71. 

2  Similarly  in  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga  (c.  19,  F.S.  i,  29-30  ;  c.  18, 
FI.  i,  53-54)-  Cf  the  reconstructed  part  of  c.  8  of  the  Orkneyinga  Saga, 
i,  II.     C£  Fr.,  69-70. 

3  Hakon  had  invaded  Jutland  in  retaliation  for  Danish  marauding 
in  the  Vik. 

Harold   Blue-tooth,  Gorm's  son,  was  king  of  Denmark,  according  to 


ERIC'S  SONS  IN  DENMARK  465 

wish  to  take  revenge ;  but  yet  that  did  not  take  place  so 
quickly. 

When  Gunnhild  and  her  sons  learned  this,  that  there  was 
discord  between  Denmark  and  Norway,  they  prepared  their 
journey  from  the  west.  They  gave  Ragnhild,  king  Eric's 
daughter,  to  Arnfinn,  son  of  Thorfinn  Skull-cleaver;  and 
Thorfinn  established  himself  as  earl  in  the  Orkneys,  •  when 
Eric's  sons  departed.  Gamli,  Eric's  son,  was  by  somewhat 
the  eldest  of  them,  yet  he  was  not  a  full-grown  man.^ 

And  when  Gunnhild  came  to  Denmark  with  her  sons,  she 
went  to  visit  king  Harold,  and  received  a  good  welcome  there. 
Harold  gave  them  so  great  gifts  in  his  kingdom  that  they  were 
well  able  to  support  themselves  and  their  men.  And  he  took 
into  fostering  Harold,  Eric's  son,  and  set  him  on  his  knee^;  he 
was  brought  up  in  the  court  of  the  Danish  king.  Some  of 
Eric's  sons  went  upon  warfare,  as  soon  as  they  were  old  enough, 
and  procured  wealth  for  themselves.  They  plundered  in  the 
east-way.^  .  .  . 

the  Icelandic  Annals,  from  936  (D  ;  940,  I)  to  1985  (KBODA  ;  976,  E). 
But  Harold  reigned  for  47  winters,  according  to  the  Jomsvikinga  Saga, 
c.  21  ;  and  died  in  [992],  according  to  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  86 
(F.S.,  i,  164),  of  a  wound  received  in  battle  with  his  son,  Sven  Forkbeard, 
who  succeeded  him  (ibid.,  cc.  84,  85).  Cf.  H.,  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son,  c.  34. 
These  sagas  therefore  imply  that  Harold  reigned  in  Denmark  from  945  to 
992.  (Knytlinga  Saga  says  that  Harold  reigned  for  fifty  winters  ;  c.  4,  F.S., 
xi,  183.     Cf.  F.S.,  xi,  419.) 

^  From  this  it  is  clear  that  none  of  Eric's  sons  was  old  enough  for 
warfare  in  the  beginning  of  Edmund's  reign  ;  they  could  not  then  have 
fought  on  their  father's  side,  and  would  probably  not  have  remained  in 
Northumbria  after  Eric  had  left  it  (?  939x941).  They  probably  went  to 
Orkney  after  Eric's  first  departure  from  Northumbria.  They  went  from 
Orkney  to  Denmark  soon  after  Eric's  death  (.'.  954  x ). 

The  sagas  consistently  leave  a  long  interval  between  Eric's  death  and 
his  sons'  invasion  of  Norway.  Their  evidence  cannot  outweigh  that  of  the 
Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle  for  events  that  occurred  in  England.  To  reconcile 
their  conflicting  accounts,  we  must  conjecture  that  the  sagas  have  cut  short 
the  interval  between  Eric's  first  departure  from  Northumbria  and  his 
return  and  death,  and  have  erred  in  saying  that  Eric  died  before  his  sons 
left  England. 

2  I.e.,  adopted  him. 

3  Afterwards  they  plundered  in  Norway  also  (H.,  Hakon,  cc.  10,  19,  20  ff). 
Fagrskinna  omits  mention  of  the  visit  of  Eric's  sons  to  Orkney  ;  pp. 

30-31:  "Then  Gunnhild  went  away  from  England,  with  her  sons,  to 
Denmark.      She   got  a  place  of  refuge  there  from  king  Harold,    Gorm's 

2  G 


466  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

son.  He  took  Eric's  son  Harold  into  fosterage,  and  set  him  on  his  knee  ; 
and  [Harold]  was  ever  within  the  court.  But  Gamli  and  Guthorm  took 
to  warfare,  first  in  the  eastern  way  and  then  in  Norway  ;  and  they  did  all 
the  evil  they  could  in  the  dominion  of  king  Hakon." 

"When  Hakon  had  been  king  in  Norway  for  20  winters,"  according  to 
Heimskringla  (i.e.,  in  957),  Eric's  sons  fought  a  battle  with  king  Hakon  at 
Rastarkilfr ;  and  Gamli,  the  oldest  of  the  brothers,  was  killed  (H.,  Hakon, 
cc.  22-26).  Similarly  also  in  Olafs  Saga,  c.  25  ;  and  in  Fl.,  i,  58.  But 
F.  (32)  says  this  was  "in  the  20th  year"  of  Hakon's  reign  (i.e.,  956-957) ; 
and  Frisbok's  text  of  Heimskringla  reads  (76)  :  "  when  king  Hakon  had 
been  20  winters  in  Norway"  (i.e.,  in  956) ;  and  the  date  956  is  supported 
by  Theoderic. 

Harold  Greycloak  was  now  the  oldest  son  of  Eric. 

"When  Hakon  had  been  king  for  26  winters"  (H.,  U.S.,  c.  28),  i.e.  in  961 
(so  also  in  Olafs  Saga,  c.  26  ;  and  Fl.),  Eric's  sons  were  defeated  in  battle 
at  Stord  ;  but  king  Hakon  was  wounded  to  death,  and  the  kingdom  passed 
to  Harold  Greycloak,  with  his  mother  and  brothers  (H.,  u.s.,  cc.  28-32  ; 
Olafs  Saga,  cc.  26-30 ;  Fl.,  i,  59-62 ;  F.,  35-49).  An  elegy  by  Eyvind 
Finn's  son  upon  king  Hakon  is  preserved ;  Corpus  Poeticum  Boreale, 
i,  262-266  ;  J.S.,  i,  A  64-68  ;  B  57-60. 

Snorri's  St  Olafs  Saga  (c.  10,  p.  9)  says  that  "  Hakon  ruled  over 
Norway  for  27  [years]."  Similarly  in  the  Historia  Norwegiae.  Both 
these  include  in  the  number  Hakon's  first  year  in  Norway,  without  the 
kingly  title. 

Theoderic  says  (c.  4;  Storm's  Monumenta,  pp.  9-10):  "Hakon  .  .  . 
reigned  for  25  years.  .  .  .  He  reigned  in  peace  for  19  years  ;  after  that, 
his  brother's  sons  rose  up  against  him.  .  .  .  This  war  between  them  lasted 
for  5  years.  .  .  ."  According  to  these  figures,  Eric's  sons  began  to  invade 
Norway  in  956,  and  must  have  left  Orkney  before  that  date.  This  is  the 
most  trustworthy  account ;  and  it  agrees  very  well  with  the  Anglo-Saxon 
Chronicle's  date  of  Eric's  death  (954  x  ). 

Agrip,  c.  5,  F.S.,  X,  382  :  "  After  [Hakon]  had  held  Norway  for  15  winters 
in  friendship  and  peace,  the  sons  of  Eric  Blood-axe  invaded  Norway.  .  .  ." 
This  places  the  beginning  of  their  invasion  of  Norway  in  952. 

Similarly  the  Agrip  (c.  6)  says  that  Eric's  sons'  final  battle  with  king 
Hakon  [in  961]  was  fought  "nine  winters'  space  after  the  brothers  had 
come  to  Norway  in  war  "  ;  if  this  were  correct,  they  must  have  left  Orkney 
before  952.  (See  above,  p.  462.)  In  agreement  with  this,  the  Icelandic 
Annals  place  Gamli's  death  in  953  (CDA) ;  but  these  dates  are  too 
early. 

Cf  also  Egil's  Saga,  c.  67,  where  it  is  said  that  Eric  had  fallen,  and  that 
Gunnhild  and  Eric's  sons  were  in  Denmark,  before  king  Edmund's  death 
(t  946). 

All  accounts  agree  that  Gunnhild's  sons  did  not  invade  Norway  until 
after  Eric's  death  ;  and  the  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle  shows  that  Eric  did  not 
die  before  954. 

According  to  the  Icelandic  Annals,  Harold  Greycloak,  Eric's  son,  was 


KING  HAROLD  GREYCLOAK  467 

born  in  928  (CDA)  ;  became  king  with  his  brothers  in  961  (KBODE  ; 
960,  CA) ;  and  fell  in  976  (KBODE ;  975,  CA). 

Harold  Greycloak  reigned  for  15  winters,  according  to  Olafs  Saga, 
c.  53,  F.S.,  i,  89  ;  for  12,  according  to  cc.  59,  470,  of  the  Flatey-book  version 
(Fl.  i,  85,  583),  and  in  Theoderic,  c.  4  (Storm's  Monumenta,  10  ;  for  xii 
read  xu  "  15  "?)  ;  for  14,  in  Historia  Norwegiae  (ibid.,  107). 

Fagrskinna,  Harold  Greycloak,  c.  13,  p.  57  :  "King  Harold  Greycloak 
was  always  out  in  the  summers  with  his  army,  to  various  countries.  .  .  . 
He  went  with  his  army  south  to  Denmark.  .  .  .  Another  time  he  plundered 
west  in  Scotland  and  in  Ireland,  and  had  the  advantage  in  both  places.  A 
third  summer  he  went  with  his  army  east  to  Gothland.  .  .  ." 

A  vassal  of  Harold  Greycloak  was  Asgrim,  who  held  half  of  the 
Faroes  under  him.  Asgrim's  wife  was  Gudrid,  a  daughter  of  Snasulf, 
a  Hebridean  (fl.  ?9So),  who  "had  fled  from  the  Hebrides  because  of 
a  killing,  and  his  quarrelsomeness"  (Faereyinga  Saga,  p.  16). 


PART  XVI II 

Reigns  of  Indulf,  Dub,  and  Culen 

959 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  474.  s.a.  958  or  959  =  959 

.  .  Dubduin,  successor  of  Columcille,  .  .  .  [diedj.i 

962 

Chronicon  Scotorum,  p.  214,  Hennessy's  year  960  =  962 

Indulf,2  j^ing  of  Scotland,  died.^ 

954-962 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  A ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  10 

Indulf  held  the  kingdom  for  eight  years.  In  his  time,  the 
fortress  of  Eden*  was  evacuated,  and  abandoned  to  the  Scots 
until  the  present  day. 

A  fleet  of  vikings^  were  slain  in  Buchan. 

1  Similarly  in  P.M.,  ii,  676,  s.a.  957  =  959  (and  "the  3vd  year  of  Donald," 
Muirchertach's  son,  sovereign  of  Ireland).  But  they  repeat  the  event  under 
the  succeeding  year  (  =  960),  ii,  678,  thus  :  "  Dubduin,  grandson  of  Stephen, 
and  successor  of  Columcille,  .  .  .  died." 

C.S.,  212,  Hennessy's  year  958  =  959  :  "Dubduin,  Columcille's  successor, 
reposed." 

"  He  was  of  the  Cinel  Fergusa,  a  branch  of  the  Cinel  Eoghain  (Book 
of  Lecan,  fo.  64),"  Reeves,  Adamnan,  394. 

^  Illulbh.     Iwulfe  in  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise. 

Indulf  seems  to  have  died  very  early  in  the  year.     See  year  966,  note. 

^  Similarly  in  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  157,  s.a.  956  =  962. 

*  Oppidum  Eden.  Since  this  chronicle  is  written  in  Latin,  it  is  not 
certain  that  the  d  of  Eden  was  aspirated.  If  it  was  aspirated,  the  name 
would  have  been  a  translation  of  Cair-eden.  Qi.  Cormac's  Capitula  in 
Gildas's  De  Excidio  Britanniae  ;  M.G.H.,  Auctores,  xiii,  18,  "  Kair  Eden,  a 
most  ancient  city,  about  two  miles  distant  from  the  monastery  of  Abercurnig, 
which  is  now  called  Abercorn."  The  modern  Abercorn  is  4  miles  east  of 
Blackness  in  Carriden  parish.     Blackness  had  an  important  position  at  the 

4G8 


KING  INDULF.     CARRIDEN  ANNEXED  469 

end  of  the  Roman  wall ;  and  it  seems  to  be  the  place  intended  by  the 
writer  of  the  Capitiila.  Carriden  is  therefore  the  modern  form  of 
Cair-Eden,  although  it  is  scarcely  the  form  we  should  have  expected  that 
name  to  take. 

There  was  a  castle  near  the  Eden,  in  Fife.  It  is  called  Etheneburc  etc. 
in  charters.  This  was  within  Scottish  territory  ;  and  there  is  no  reason  to 
suppose  that  it  had  been  occupied  by  Danes. 

If  the  d  of  {Oppiduni)  Eden  was  unaspirated,  the  name  might  have 
been  a  translation  of  Dun-etin,  a  postulable  name  of  Edinburgh  (see  year 
ca.  640). 

^  Classi  Somarlidioruni ;  read  classts,  a  fleet  ?  The  Icelandic  word 
sicmarlidi  meant  viking,  i.e.  invader,  not  settler  ;  see  Cleasby-Vigfusson, 
s.v.  ;  cf.  S.C.S.,  i,  365.  Skene  understood  that  the  fleet  of  the  sons  of  Eric 
Blood-axe  was  meant  (S.C.S.,  i,  365-366,  note).  The  remnants  of  Eric's 
army  went  with  Gunnhild  from  Northumbria  to  Orkney,  probably  in  954  ; 
they  left  Orkney  before  956.  They  might  have  plundered  in  Scotland 
(954x956),  but  this  is  uncertain. 

An  instance  of  an  invasion  of  Denmark  by  Norwegians  settled  in 
Aberdeenshire  occurs  in  the  fabulous  Hrolfs  Saga  Sturlaugssonar,  c.  8 
(Fomaldar  Sogur,  iii,  259-260) : 

"A  man  was  named  Tryggvi,  and  was  Ulfkel's  son  ;  he  belonged,  to  a 
family  in  Buchan-side,  in  Scotland  \hann  var  cettd&r  af  Btikafisy^ic  af 
Skotlandi  id  S.,  in  MS.  B)].  He  was  the  greatest  champion  and  berserk  ; 
he  remained  at  sea  with  many  ships,  both  winter  and  summer.  He  had 
a  foster-brother,  who  was  called  Vazi"  ("  Vaxi"  in  MS.  B)  ;  "he  was  also 
the  most  giant-like  man,  in  regard  both  to  his  size  and  to  his  strength. 
Thorgny  had  killed  Tryggvi's  father,  when  he  was  on  piracy. 

"Tryggvi  had  now  got  twelve  ships,  and  all  well  equipped  with  men 
and  weapons  ;  he  proceeded  with  this  army  to  Denmark,  and  wished  to 
avenge  his  father  on  earl  Thorgny.  Vazi  was  with  him,  and  many  another 
warrior.  As  soon  as  they  came  to  the  dominion  of  earl  Thorgny,  they 
proceeded  in  warlike  fashion,  and  plundered  the  inhabited  lands,  and  slew 
men,  and  robbed  all  the  treasure  they  came  to.  And  when  the  earl 
learned  these  tidings,  he  sent  out  the  war-arrow,  and  summoned  an  army 
to  him  ;  but  because  he  was  old,  he  set  over  the  army  as  captains  [Going-] 
Hrolf  [Sturlaug's  son],  and  Stefni.  This  was  in  the  second  winter,  when 
Hrolf  was  first  in  Denmark. 

"Then  Hrolf  and  his  followers  went  against  Tryggvi,  and  he  had  ten 
ships.  They  met  beside  an  uninhabited  island  ;  they  had  curt  speech,  and 
began  to  fight  at  once.  Tryggvi  and  Vazi  had  a  great  dragon[-ship]  ;  they 
were  very  vehement ;  it  was  difficult  to  get  up  on  the  dragon,  for  its  height 
above  water.  They  threw  down  stones  from  the  dragon  upon  Hrolf  and  his 
men  ;  many  men  of  the  force  of  Stefni  and  his  followers  fell,  and  many 
were  wounded,  and  then  the  battle  turned  against  their  men.  .  .  ." 

Going-Hrolf  (Sturlaug's  son)  saved  the  battle  for  the  Danes.  For 
Tryggvi's  adventures,  see  ibid.,  pp.  260-262,  319-321.  Tryggvi  killed 
Thorgny  in  another  battle,  but  afterwards  he  too  fell. 


470  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

954-962 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  D ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  151 

Indulf,  Constantine's  son,  reigned  for  nine  years ;  and  he 
was  killed  by  the  Norwegians  in  Inver-cullen,^  and  was  buried 
in  the  island  of  lona.^ 

954-962 

Prose  and  Verse  Chronicles  inserted  in  the  Chronicle  of 
Melrose,  p.  225,  s.a.  952  ^ 

Malcolm,  king  of  the  Scots,  was  slain. 

"After  him,  Indulf  reigned  for  the  same  number  of  years*; 
he  was  the  son  of  Constantine,  Aed's  son.  Fighting  in  battle 
at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Cullen,^  he  perished  immediately  by 
the  swords  of  the  Danes." '^ 

954-962 

Berchan's  Prophecy,  stanzas  1 58-161,  in  Skene's  Picts  and 
Scots,  pp.  93-94 

A  gpod  king  will  again  take  Scotland,  after  a  good  father.' 
Woe  to  his  enemies  through  the  son,^  whose  name  is  the 
Aggressor.^ 

'  Innercolan,  D  ;  liter tolan,  F  ;  Innircolan,  G  ;  Invertolan,  I.  I.e., 
"  the  mouth  of  the  Cullen  "  ? 

^  Similarly  in  versions  F  (ibid.,  174),  G  (302),  I  (289). 

K  reads  (205) :  "  Indulf,  Constantine's  son,  reigned  for  10  years  ;  and  he 
was  killed  by  the  Norwegians."  Similarly  in  N  (306),  but  with  the  reading 
"  9  years." 

The  Duan  Albanach,  in  P.  &  S.,  62  :  « Indulf  [londolbk]  [had]  eight 
[years]  of  sovereignty." 

Cf.  Fordun,  IV,  25. 

3  Also  in  P.  &  S.,  179  (MS.    B). 

*  I.e.  9  years. 

''  Collin.     B  reads  Colli. 

"  The  passage  in  inverted  commas  is  in  verse  in  the  original. 

'  dath  athar,  attracted  to  dathrach  (for  d'  atkarach)  in  the  previous  line. 
Read  dagh  athar.  This  father  appears  to  have  been  Constantine  II 
(see  year  942). 

8  lais  an  jnac,  MS.  a,  changed  by  O'Connell  (wrongly)  to  lais  a  much, 
the  reading  of  MS.  b. 

^  an  t-ionsaighthecJi.  This  is  the  iith  king  mentioned  after  Kenneth; 
he  appears  to  be  Indulf,  Constantine's  son. 


KING  INDULF.     ABBOT  DUNCAN  471 

Alas  for  Britons  and  Saxons,  in  his  time ;  in  the  time  of 
the  Aggressor,  of  splendid  weapons.  Joy  to  Scots,  through 
him  ;  both  the  people  and  the  church. 

Scotland  of  boats  (?),i  long  and  white,  cuts  no  curtailment 
from  him ;  she  will  find  more  for  him,  from  a  foreign  land, 
by  force. 

He  ^  has  nine  years  and  a  half  in  the  sovereignty  of  Scotland 
(a  bright  period);  he  dies  in  the  house ^  of  the  same  holy 
apostle,  where  his  father  will  die. 

963 

Annals  of  the  Pour  Masters,  vol.  ii,  p.  682, 
s.a.  961  =963'' 

Fothad,  Bran's  son,  scribe,  and  bishop  of  the  islands  of 
Scotland,  [died].^ 

964 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  47?,,  s.a.  963  or  964  =  964'' 

Dubscuile,  Kenneth's  son,  Columcille's  successor,  reposed.'' 

965 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  480,  s.a.  964  =  965 

A  battle  [took  place]  among  the  men  of  Scotland  themselves, 
and  there  many  were  slain,  including  Duncan,  the  abbot  of 
Dunkeld.^ 

'■  Ni gerraidh  gearradh  agii  \  Alba  ethrach  \fK\ind-fh6da.  In  MS.  b  the 
rhyming  words  are  aga,  fhionn-Jhada.  For  gerraidh  (MS.  b  gkearraidh) 
read  gherra  or  gherrfa.  For  agu  read  oca.  With  ethrach  (''of  boats") 
cf.  eathar-bhinn  in  stanza  134  ;  year  889.  O'Connell  has  changed  ethrach 
in  MS.  a  to  etracht  ("brilliant"),  and  has  added  in  MS.  b  (which  reads 
eathrach)  the  note  edroct fhion7i-fhoda.  etrocht  may  be  the  correct  reading  ; 
cf.  stanza  165,  year  971. 

2  For  dhoibh  reading  dho. 

8  Apparently  St  Andrews  ;  see  year  943. 

*  And  "the  7th  year  of  Donald,"  sovereign  of  Ireland. 

^  This  was  presumably  the  head  of  the  lona  community.  Cf.  below, 
year  966. 

^  With  the  marginal  note  "  bissextile." 

'  So  also  in  C.S.,  214,  Hennessy's  year  962. 

8  See  the  Chronicle  of  the  Kings,  version  A  ;  below,  pp.  472-473- 


472  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

96s 

Ohronicon  Scotorum,  p.  216;   Hennessy's  year  963  =  965 

Aed,  Maelmithid's  son,  died  in  pilgrimage^;  that  is  to  say, 
in  St  Andrews.'^ 

966 

Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle,  versions  DEF,  s.a.  966 

In  this  year  Thored,  Gunner's  son,  ravaged  Westmoreland. 

966 

Ohronicon  Scotorum,  216,  Hennessy's  year  964  =  966 

Fingin,  bishop  of  the  community  of  lona,  reposed.^ 

966 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  480,  s.a.  966  or  967  =  967  * 

Dub,  Malcolm's  son,  the  king  of  Scotland,  was  killed  by  the 
Scots  themselves. 


Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  A  ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  10 

Dub,5  Malcolm's  son,  reigned  for  five  years. 

Bishop  Fothach  rested. 

[A  battle  was  fought]  between  Dub  and  Culen,"  upon  the 

1  So  far,  also  in  F.M.,  ii,  686,  s.a.  963  =  965  (and  "the  oth  year  of 
Donald"). 

^  hi  Cind  ri\^monaidh. 

In  the  previous  year-section,  p.  214  :  "  Muirchertach,  son  of  Congalach, 
son  of  Maelmithid,  was  killed  by  his  brother,  Donald,  by  mishap" 
iinfeliciter).     This  follows  the  death  of  Dubscuile,  above. 

A.U.,  i,  478-450,  s.a.  963  or  964  =  964  :  "Muirchertach,  the  royal  heir  of 
Tara,  son  of  Congalach,  son  of  Maelmithid,  was  slain  by  Donald, 
Congalach's  son."     So  also  in  F.M.,  ii,  684. 

Congalach,  king  of  Ireland,  fell  in  956.  Maelmithid,  king  of  Brega,  fell 
with  king  Niall,  Aed's  son,  at  Dublin,  in  919.     (A.U.) 

^  F.M.,  ii,  686,  s.a.  964  =  966  (and  "the  loth  year  of  Donald") :  "Fingin, 
anchorite  and  bishop  of  lona,  died." 

*  The  first  event  in  the  year-section.  It  ought  apparently  to  have  been 
entered  under  the  previous  year  ;  see  below. 

^  Niger;  i.e.  Dub,  "the  Black." 

"  Canicuhun;  i.e.-  Culen,  "the  Whelp." 


KINGS  DUB  AND  CULEN  473 

ridge  of  Crupi;  and  in  it  Dub  had  victory.  And  there  fell 
Duncan,  abbot  of  Dunkeld,  and  Dub-don[d],  lord  2  of  Athole. 
Dub  was  driven  from  the  kingdom,  and  Culen  held  it  for  a 
short  time.     Donald,  son  of  Cairell,  died. 

962-966 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  D  ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  151 

Dub,  Malcolm's  son,  reigned  for  four  years  and  six  months ; 
and  he  was  killed  in  Forres,  and  hidden  away  under  the  bridge 
of  Kinloss.  But  the  sun  did  not  appear  so  long  as  he  was 
concealed  there ;  and  he  was  found,  and  buried  in  the  island 
of  lona.* 


962-966 

Prose  and  Verse  Chronicles  inserted  in  the  Chronicle 
of  Melrose,  pp.  32,  225-226,  s.a.  961  * 

Indulf,  king  of  the  Scots,  was  slain.  And  after  him,  "  king 
Dub  reigned  for  four  summers  and  a  half;  a  son  of  Malcolm, 
wielding  royal  authority.     Him  the  treacherous  nation  of  Moray 

^  super  dorsum  Crup.      Cf.    the   name    Duncrub,   in    Dunning   parish 
Perthshire. 

^  Satrapas  ;  i.e.,  governor  of  a  province. 

^  Similarly  in  versions  FGIKN  (174,  302,  289,  205,  306)  ;  but  F  omits 
"and  he  was  found,"  and  I  reads  instead  "and  he  vi^as  killed."  K  reads  : 
"  He  v?as  found,  and  carried  to  the  island  of  lona,  where  all  his  ancestors 
from  Kenneth,  Alpin's  son,  had  been  buried,  excepting  him  who  was  abbot 
of  St  Andrews."  N  omits  the  place  of  concealment,  and  the  place  of 
burial. 

The  Duan  Albanach,  in  P.  &  S.,  63  :  "  Seven  years  of  Dub-fota  the 
vehement." 

It  is  implied  that  the  sun  was  eclipsed  on  the  day  of  Dub's  death,  or  in 
the  morning  after  that  day.  According  to  L'Art  de  Verifier  les  Dates, 
there  was  an  eclipse  in  966,  on  July  20th,  at  4  p.m.,  Paris  time  ;  and  there 
seems  to  have  been  no  other  eclipse  visible  in  Scotland  within  the  possible 
period.  If  he  died  on  20th  July,  966,  after  reigning  4  years  and  6  months, 
he  would  have  succeeded  in  January,  962.  The  length  of  his  reign  is  not 
to  be  accepted  literally,  but  he  must  have  become  king  early  in  962. 

Fordun  (IV,  26)  says  that  he  was  surprised  by  robbers  at  night, 
dragged  from  bed,  and  murdered. 

*  Also  in  P.  &  S.,  179. 


474  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

slew  ;  he  was  slain  by  their  swords  in  the  town  of  Forres.  The 
sun  hid  his  rays  while  [Dub]  lay  hidden  under  a  bridge,  where 
he  was  concealed,  and  where  he  was  found."  ^ 

962-966 

Eerchan's  Prophecy,  stanzas  162-164,  in  Skene's  Picts  and 
Scots,  pp.  94-95 

After  that,^  two  kings  reign  over  Scotland,  both  of  them 
plundering  equally  ^ :  the  White  and  the  Black  together.*  Alas 
for  [the  land]  that  takes  them  in  joint  sovereignty ! 

They  have  nine  years  in  their  reign :  alas  for  the  land 
that  takes  them  as  equals !  Scotland  will  suffer  through  it ; 
alas  for  those  who  wait  for  them  ! 

One  of  these  kings  will  go  upon  a  futile  expedition,  across 
Muna  in  the  plain  of  Fortriu.^  Though  he  goes,  he  will  not 
come  back  again.     Dub  of  the  three  black  verses  will  fall. 

969 

Annals  of  the  Four  Masters,  vol.  ii,  p.  692,  s.a.  967  =  969 

The  plundering  of  Kells  by  Sigtrygg,  Olafs  son,  lord  of 
the  Foreigners ;  and  by  Murchaid,  Find's  son,  king  of  Leinster. 
And  Donald,  Niall's  grandson,  king  of  Ireland,  overtook  and 
defeated  them. 

970 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  482,  s.a.  969  or  970  =  970 

Kells  was  plundered  by  Olaf  Cuaran.'' 

^  The  passage  in  inverted  commas  is  in  verse  in  the  original. 

^  After  the  death  of  Indulf  (apparently) ;  year  962. 

^  inn  dhis  doibh  a  ccomhargain,  MS.  a.     Read  in  dis  [an  Dis,  MS.  b). 

*  fio7m  is  dubh  (read  ocus  for  is  ?  The  line  lacks  one  syllable).  This  is 
the  1 2th  reign  mentioned  after  Kenneth's.  Culen  and  Dub  appear  to  be 
meant.  Their  reigns  extended  over  nine  years,  the  period  mentioned  in 
the  Prophecy. 

^  Or  "  into  the  plain  of  Fortriu  "  (dar  Mima  i  maigh  Fortrenti).  Since 
i  is  not  elided,  Miina  is  probably  for  Monaidh  (cf  the  -munid^  -mujied,  in 
the  charter  spellings  of  Kilrimund,  Balrymonth,  and  Kinninmonth)  ;  an 
inflected  case  of  Moin,  or  else  a  Pictish  cognate  of  Welsh  mynydd.  Cf. 
m6na\idl{\  in  Berchan's  stanza  184  (below,  year  1034  ;  and  note).  The 
"  plain  of  Fortriu  "  should  mean  the  southern  part  of  Strathmore.  Perhaps 
the  magh  mhonaidh  which  appears  to  be  used  in  later  poetry  as  a  synonym 
of  Scotland  was  originally  the  same  district  as  magh  Fortrenn. 

8  F.M.,  vol.  ii,  p.  692,  s.a.  968  =  970:    "Kells  was   plundered   by  Olaf 


KINGS  DUB  AND  CULEN  475 

971 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  484,  s.a.  970  or  971  =971 

Culen,    Indulf'si    [son],   king    of   Scotland,   was    killed   by 
Britons  ^  in  a  field  of  battle.^ 

971 

Chronicon  Scotorum,  p.  218,  Hennessy's  year  969 

Culen,  Indulf's  son,*  king  of  Scotland,  was  killed  by  Britons 
in  a  house  on  fire.^ 

966-971 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  A ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  10 

Culenring  ^  reigned  for  five  years. 

Marcan,   son   of  Breodalach,   was   slain   in   the   church   of 
St  Michael. 

Leot  and  Sluagadach  went  forth  to  Rome. 

Bishop  Maelbrigte  rested. 

Cellach,  son  of  Ferdalach,  reigned. 

Maelbrigte,  son  of  Dubican,  died. 

Culen  and  his  brother,  Eochaid,  were  slain  by  the  Britons. 

Cuaran,  along  with  the  Foreigners  and  men  of  Leinster  ;  and  he  took  great 
tribute  [boraimhe]  with  him,  and  lost  many  of  his  company,  including 
Bresal,  Ailill's  son.  .  .  ." 

C.S.,  218,  Hennessy's  year  868  :  "'Kells  was  plundered  by  Olaf  Cuaran, 
with  the  Foreigners  and  Leinster-men,  and  he  carried  off  with  him  great 
tribute  \boru??ta\  ;  and  he  left  behind  a  company  of  his  people  under  Bressal 
Ailellen's  son,  and  routed  the  Ui-Neill  at  Ard-maelcon  "  (Ardmulchan  on 
the  Boyne). 

1  In  text  Illuilb. 

2  I.e.,  Britons  of  Strathclyde.  This  battle  was  probably  fought  late  in 
the  year,  because  Culen's  5th  year  began  on  the  20th  July,  971,  and  most 
of  the  chronicles  say  that  he  reigned  for  some  time  ("  6  months  ")  afterwards. 
See  above,  p.  cxxxviii,  note. 

^  irroi  catha. 

*  Cuilen  mac  lluilb. 

■^  attigh  tenedh. 

"  This  form  of  Culen's  name  is  probably  corrupt.  Nevertheless  it  is 
possible  that  -rijig  was  a  Scandinavian  epithet  {Jiringr) ;  his  father  seems  to 
have  borne  a  Scandinavian  name  (Indulf :  probably  =  Danish  Hildulf). 


476  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

966-971 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  D ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  151 

Culen,  Indulf s  son,  reigned  for  four  years  and  six  months ; 
and  he  was  killed  by  Aradarch,i  Donald's  son,  for  the  sake  of 
his  daughter,  in  Ybandonia.^ 

966-971 

Prose  and  Verse  Chronicles  inserted  in  the  Chronicle  of 
Melrose,  pp.  33,  226,  s.a.  965  ^ 

Dub,  king  of  the  Scots,  was  slain.  And  after  him,  "the  son 
of  Indulf  also  was  king  for  the  same  number  of  years,  Culen 
by  name ;  he  was  a  foolish  man.  It  is  said  that  Radhard 
slaughtered  him  in  the  Lothians,*  because  of  the  rape  of  his 
daughter,  whom  the  king  had  carried  off  for  himself."^ 

966-97 1 

Berchan's  Prophecy,  stanzas  165-166,  in  Skene's  Picts  and 
Scots,  pp.  95-96 

After  [Dub],  the  White  ^  will  take  Scotland,  after  it  has 
been  in  affliction'^;  .  .  .  bright  Scotland,  white  and  long.^ 

'  ab  Andarch,  in  F  ;  Amdrach,  G  ;  Radharc,  I  ;  Amthar,  K. 

'^  propter  filiavi  suam,'DYG\'i^;  pur  safeile,  K.  FGI  add:  "in  Lothian." 
Perhaps  Abington,  in  Lanarkshire,  on  the  Clyde,  is  meant ;  but  that  place 
is  many  miles  south  of  the  present  boundary  of  Midlothian.  Otherwise  the 
passage  stands  similarly  in  FGIK  (174,  302,  289,  205)  ;  but  K  reads 
"4  years,  7  months,"  and  "for  his  daughter,  who  had  been  killed  in 
Lothian  "  {Lowiies).  N  reads  (306) :  "  Culen  [reigned]  for  4  years,  and  was 
killed  because  of  his  daughter." 

The  Duan  Albanach,  in  P.  &  S.,  63  :  "And  four  [years]  of  Culen." 

3  Also  in  P.  &  S.,  179  (MS.  B.). 

*  apud  Loinas :  B.  reads  Lennas. 

^  The  passage  within  inverted  commas  is  in  verse  in  the  original. 
Fordun  (IV,  27)  follows  this  interpretation  of  the  somewhat  ambiguous 
words  of  the  chronicles. 

"  anfionn.     Apparently  Culen. 

''  fo  ainneis,  MS.  a  ;  fo  aindeis,  MS.  b. 

^  go  techthain  deinais  acu,  \  A\r\bci,  etcrocht fhinn-fhoda.  MS.  b  reads: — 
Go  teactain  deinis  aga  \  Attain  ettroct  fhionnfoda.  O'Connell  has  added 
a  note  :  '■^vel  Tectai?i  defhnis."  The  writer  of  MS.  a  probably  thought 
of  deineas   "  violence "  (O'Reilly) ;    but  considering   the   preposition   that 


KING  CULEN  477 

The  grave  of  the  White  [will  be]  on  the  brink  of  the  wave 
...  1  in  a  foreign  land  .  .  .  ^ ;  he  will  be  slain  by  the  Britons.^ 

follows,  I  take  the  word  to  be  dinnis  "  reproach."  For  alliteration,  one  would 
expect  go  to  be  co  «-,  and  that  the  true  reading  was  Alba,  in  the  nominative. 
For  acu,  rhyme  requires  oca;  but  \i  Albain  is  the  true  reading,  the  rhyming 
syllables  might  have  been  ocai,  -fotai.  With  a  little  wrenching  the  lines 
might  be  made  to  have  various  meanings.  I  suggest  with  diffidence 
the  reconstruction  :  co  tdchta  in  dinnis  ocai  \  Albain  Mrocht  find-fotai ; 
"  Lawfully  [is]  the  reproach  upon  her — bright  Scotland,  white  and  long." 

^  for  bhri'i  tuinne  tinnfes  rind,  MS.  a.  Possibly  "that  will  drive  against 
us"?  The  lines  are  wrongly  divided  in  both  MSS.  Two  syllables  should 
go  to  the  last  word. 

Possibly  the  Clyde,  with  reference  to  its  falls  near  Lanark  ?  But  else- 
where in  Berchan,  "  the  wave  "  is  a  synonym  for  the  North  Sea.  See  years 
900,  943. 

"  a  n-ialth  aineoil  ar  ttaighidh,  MS.  a  ;  arttaighidh,  MS.  b,  with 
O'Connell's  note  ardaighidh.  Possibly  read  arthraighidh  "[the  grave]  is 
seen "  ?  But  the  verse  requires  that  the  last  word  should  not  have  more 
than  two  syllables. 

3  bidh  le  brelhnuigh  a  bhith  aidhidk,  MS.  a.  Read  Bretna.  If  this 
implies  that  he  was  killed  in  Strathclyde,  it  supports  the  assumption 
that  Abington  was  the  place  of  his  death. 


PART  XIX 

Reign  of  Kenneth  II 

973 

Annales  Cambriae,  MS.  C ;  Ab  Ithel's  edition,  p.  19 

The  collection  of  ships  in  the  town  of  Chester,  by  Edgar, 
king  of  the  Saxons.^ 

973 

Chronicle  of  Melrose,  pp.  33-34 

In  the  year  973,  Edgar  the  peaceful  king  of  the  English 
was  at  last  consecrated  king  of  the  whole  island,  with  the 
greatest  honour  and  glory,  in  the  city  of  Bath,^  by  the  blessed 
archbishops  Dunstan  and  Oswald,  and  by  the  other  bishops  of 
the  whole  of  England ;  in  the  thirtieth  year  of  his  age,  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost.^ 

Some  time  afterwards,  after  sailing  round  northern  Britain 
with  a  huge  fleet,  he  landed  at  the  city  of  Chester ;  and  eight 
under-kings  met  him,  as  he  commanded  them,  and  swore  that 
they  would  stand  by  him  as  his  vassals,*  both  on  land  and  on 
sea  :  namely  Kenneth,  king  of  the  Scots ;  Malcolm,  king  of  the 
Cumbrians^;  Maccus,  king  of  very  many  islands;  and  other 
five  :— Dufnal,  Sigfrith,  Higuel,  Jacob,  Ulfkil.s 

With  these  one  day  he  entered  a  boat,  and,  placing  them  at 

1  This  MS.  was  written  in  the  end  of  the  13th  century. 

Cf.  E.C.,  76  ;  and  B.S.  in  R.B.H.,  390. 

^  in  civitate  Accamanni.     Acemannes-ceaster  in  A.S.C. 

^  nth  May,  973. 

^  Quod  sibifideles  .  .  .  assistere  sibi  vellent. 

^  According  to  Fordun,  IV,  28  r  "Also  as  soon  as  he  was  crowned, 
Edgar  [king  of  the  English]  willingly  received  as  regulus  of  Cumbria, 
under  the  accustomed  oath  of  fealty,  Malcolm,  Dub's  son  [Kenneth's 
nephew]  ;  the  next  to  succeed  [to  the  kingdom  of  Scotland],  if  he  had 
lived."     See  years  1000,  1005.     But  Malcolm  was  probably  Donald's  son. 

°  "  Mact,  Harold's  son,"  had  invaded  Anglesey  a  few  years  before.  See 
B.S.  in  M.A.,  656,  s.a.  969  ;  B.T.  in  M.A.,  691,  s.a.  968  (where  his  name  is 

478 


SUBMISSION  TO  EDGAR  479 

the  oars,  he  himself  took  the  rudder's  helm,  and  skilfully  steered 
along  the  course  of  the  river  Dee,  and  sailed  from  the  palace 
to  the  monastery  of  St  John  the  Baptist,  the  whole  crowd  of 
earls  and  nobles  accompanying  him  in  similar  craft.  And  after 
praying  there,  he  returned  to  the  palace  with  the  same  pomp  : 
and  as  he  entered  it  he  is  related  to  have  said  to  the  nobles 
that  then  only  could  any  of  his  successors  boast  that  he  was 
king  of  England,  when  he  obtained  the  display  of  such  honours, 
with  so  many  kings  submitting  to  him.^ 

974 

Annals  of  the  Four  Masters,  vol.  ii,  p.  698,  s.a.  972  =  974" 

The  plundering  of  Inishcathy^  by  Magnus,  Harold's  son, 
along  with  the  Lawmen  of  the  islands*;  and  Ivar,  lord  of  the 

spelt  "Macht").  He  seems  to  have  been  a  brother  of  Godfrey,  Harold's 
son,  who  invaded  Anglesey  in  the  following  year. 

The  king  of  Strathclyde  at  this  time  seems  to  have  been  Donald  or 
Dunguallaun,  Owen's  son.     See  year  975. 

Sigurd  was  not  yet  earl  of  Orkney. 

Higuel  the  Good,  king  of  Wales,  had  died  in  950.  Jacob  may  have 
been  the  son  of  lutgual ;  Ulfkil  [Ulkzf]  is  an  error  for  lutgual,  perhaps 
Jacob's  father.     F.W.  reads  Juchil. 

^  This  passage  is  derived,  but  not  exactly,  from  F.W.  (i,  142-143.  E.G., 
76-77).  There  is  a  nearly  contemporary  reference  to  this  submission,  in 
^Ifric's  Life  of  St  S within  (written  ?996).  ^Ifric's  Lives  of  Saints,  ed. 
Skeatj  i  (1881),  468: — "[King  Edgar's]  kingdom  had  enduring  peace,  so 
that  one  heard  not  if  there  were  any  other  fleet,  but  that  of  the  people  them- 
selves who  held  this  land.  And  all  the  kings  that  were  in  this  island,  of 
Cumbrians  and  of  Scots,^-eight  kings — came  to  Edgar  one  day  ;  and  they 
all  yielded  to  Edgar's  rule"  {gebugoii  to  Eadgares  wisstmge).  See  W.  H. 
Stevenson,  in  E.H.R.,  xiii  (1898),  505-507.  ^Ifric  is  probably  the  source  of 
the  eight-king  version  of  the  story.  Names  that  are  false,  and  circum- 
stances that  are  not  ascertainable,  were  added  by  later  writers.  It  seems, 
however,  that  Kenneth  was  among  the  local  rulers  who  met  and  formally 
accepted  the  superiority  of  Edgar.  Their  submission  was  voluntary,  or 
brought  about  by  peaceable  means.  This  is  implied  by  another  reference 
of  j^^lfric  to  the  same  affair,  at  the  end  of  his  Book  of  Judges  (Grein, 
Bibliothek  der  angelsachsischen  Prosa,  i  (1872),  265  ;  cf.  Stevenson,  u.s., 
506-507) : — "And  for  [Edgar]  God  willed  that  his  adversaries  \wi^erwinnan\, 
kings  and  earls,  came  to  him  without  any  fighting,  desiring  peace  ;  and 
were  subject  \i.mderthe6dde\  to  him,  in  [all]  that  he  would.  And  he  was 
honoured  widely  through  the  land." 

'  And  "the  i8th  year  of  Donald"  as  sovereign  of  Ireland. 

^  Scattery  Island.     It  is  in  the  Shannon,  County  Clare  (O'Donovan). 

*  CO  l-Lagmannaibh  na  n-innsedh  imbi. 


480  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Foreigners    of    Limerick,    was    taken    out    from    there,   with 
violation  of  [the  sanctuary  of  St]  Senan.i 

975 

Brut  y  Tywyssogion,  Rhys  and  Evans'  Red  Book 

of  Hergest,  p.  262  - 

And  then  died  Edgar,  king  of  England  ^ :  and  Dunguallaun, 
king  of  Strathclyde,  went  to  Rome.* 

975 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  pp.  486-488,  s.a.  974  or  975  =  975  ^ 

Donald,  Eogan's  son,  king  of  the  Britons,'^  died  in 
pilgrimage.^  .  .  . 

976 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  339^ 

Cellach,  son  of  Findguine ;  Cellach,  son  of  Bard ;  and 
Duncan,  son  of  Morgand,  [were]  then  three  mormaers  of 
Scotland. 

^  A  similar  violation  by  Brian,  king  of  Cashel,  in  977,  is  described  by 
Tigernach,  R.C.,  xvii,  339  (2  years  after  [975])  :  "[The  sanctuary  of]  Inish- 
cathy  was  violated  by  Brian,  Cendetig's  son,  against  the  Foreigners  of 
Limerick,  namely  Ivar,  and  Olaf,  [Ivar's]  son,  and  Dubcend,  his  other  son." 
This  is  in  the  same  year-section  as  the  death  of  Olaf,  Indulfs  son.  It 
appears  very  similarly  also  in  C.S.,  224,  Hennessy's  year  975  =  977  (reading 
"Ivar  and  his  two  sons,  Olaf  and  Dubcend").  Similarly  also  in  Annals  of 
Clonmacnoise,  158,  s.a.  970  =  977. 

2  Placed  between  960  and  980  A.D.  Placed  in  MS.  C,  s.a.  974; 
Ab  Ithel's  ed.,  26. 

^  Edgar's  death  is  placed  in  975  by  A.S.C.,  ABCDEF  ;  in  972,  in  B.T. 
in  M.A. 

"■  Similarly  in  B.S.  in  M.A.,  658,  s.a.  974.  B.T.  in  M.A.,  691,  s.a.  975  : 
"  Dunguallaun,  the  king  of  Strathclyde,  went  to  Rome,  and  there  he  took 
the  crown"  (i.e.,  was  tonsured).     See  below. 

^  In  this  year-section  of  the  same  annals  (and  the  corresponding  one 
of  T.  and  C.S.)  is  placed  the  death  of  Edgar,  who  died  in  975. 

'^  I.e.,  the  Britons  of  Strathclyde. 

'  Tigernach,  in  R.C.,  xvii,  338  (2nd  year-section  after  the  gap) :  "  Donald, 
Eoan's  son,  king  of  the  Britons,  [reposed]  in  pilgrimage."  Stokes  supplies 
quievit  from  C.S.,  222,  Hennessy's  year  973  :  "  Donald,  Eogan's  son,  king 
of  the  Britons,  reposed  in  monastic  life"  (in  clericatu). 

^  Placed  I  year  after  [975]. 


DUNGUALLAUN.     TURF-EINAE'S  SONS  481 

935-976 

Heimskringla,  St  Olaf's  Saga,  c.  96 

After  Turf-Einar,  the  rulers  of  the  lands  were  his  sons 
Arnkel,  Erlend,  Thorfinn  Skull-cleaver.  In  their  days  Eric 
Blood-axe  came  from  Norway,  and  then  the  earls  were  subject 
to  him.i  Arnkel  and  Erlend  fell  in  warfare,^  but  Thorfinn 
ruled  the  land  and  grew  old.^ 

[Thorfinn's]  sons  were  Arnfinn,  Havard,  Hlodve,  Liot,  Skiili. 
Their  mother  was  Grelod,  daughter  of  Duncan,  earl  of  Caithness  ; 
her  mother  was  Gro,  daughter  of  Thorstein  Red. 

In  earl  Thorfinn's  later  days,*  the  sons  of  [Eric]  Blood-axe 
came  from  Norway,  having  fled  before  earl  Hakon.  Great  was 
their  tyranny  in  the  Orkneys. 

Earl  Thorfinn  died  of  sickness.  After  him,  his  sons  ruled 
the  lands ;  and  many  tales  are  told  of  them.  Hlodve  lived 
the  longest  of  them ;  and  he  ruled  the  lands  alone.  His  son 
was  Sigurd  the  Fat,  who  took  the  earldom  after  him.  [Sigurd] 
was  a  powerful  man,  and  a  great  warrior. 

976 

Heimskringla,  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  16 

The  voyage  of  Gunnhild's  sons  from  the  land. 

Earl  Hakon  [Sigurd's  son]  went  north  along  the  land  with 

'  Year  935. 

2  Probably  in  954  (954X955)- 

3  Cf.  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  97  (F.S.,  i,  197-198). 

^  Year  976.  This  passage  of  Heimskringla's  St  Olaf's  Saga  contradicts 
Heimskringla's  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  below.  This  contradiction  is 
one  of  the  things  that  show  that  cc.  96-103  of  Heimskringla's  St  Olafs 
Saga  are  inserted  from  a  different  source  ;  probably  an  older  source,  and 
possibly  the  original  larlabok.  If,  as  seems  to  be  the  case,  this  insertion 
has  the  greater  authority,  the  present  passage  would  prove  that  Thorfinn 
was  still  alive  when  Eric's  sons  occupied  Orkney  for  the  second  time. 
Thorfinn  would  appear  to  have  been  earl  before  954  and  after  977,  with  two 
periods  of  virtual  suspension,  954-955  ^^^  976-977. 

Ronald  flourished  in  874,  and  died  in  or  soon  after  894.  His  son,  Turf- 
Einar,  was  probably  young  when  he  became  earl  of  Orkney,  some  years 
after  889  ;  and  he  ruled  Orkney  for  a  long  time  after  894.  Thorfinn,  his 
youngest  son,  ruled  after  him.  Thorfinn's  son,  Arnfinn,  married  about  955, 
or  earlier.  Thorfinn  was  earl  along  with  his  elder  brothers,  who  died 
ca.  954  ;  he  ruled  the  whole  earldom  from  ca.  955  to  976,  and  died  (976  x) 
in  old  age.  The  possible  period  of  Thorfinn's  birth  is  accordingly  about 
880-920  ;  he  was  probably  born  ca.  900. 

2  H 


482  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

his  army.i  And  when  Gunnhild  and  her  sons  learned  these 
tidings,  they  gathered  an  army,  but  it  went  ill  with  them  for 
men.  So  they  followed  the  same  plan  as  before,  to  sail  with 
such  people  as  would  follow  them  to  west  beyond  the  sea, 
going  first  to  the  Orkneys  and  dwelling  there  for  a  time. 
Before  this  the  earls  there  were  Thorfinn  Skull-cleaver's  sons, 
Hlodve,  and  Arnfinn,  Liot,  and  Skuli.^ 

Heimskringla,  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  17^ 

King  Ragnfrod,  Gunnhild's  son,  and  Godfrey,  another  son 
of    Gunnhild,     were     all    the     surviving    sons    of    Eric     and 

>  Earl  Hakon  became  king  after  the  deaths  of  Harold  Greycloak 
(ibid.,  c.  14),  and  of  Gold-Harold,  Cnut's  son  (ibid.,  c.  15).  The  Icelandic 
Annals  place  Hakon's  accession  in  976  (BDEA  ;  975,  CI). 

Earl  Hakon  was  king  in  Norway  for  20  winters,  according  to  Olafs 
Saga  (cc.  59,  104,  in  F.S.,  i,  85,  219  ;  Fl.,  i,  85,  239.  Cf.  F.S.,  i,  55  ;  FI.,  i,  64). 
So  also  in  the  Konungatal,  Fl.,  i,  583.  So  also  in  the  Agrip  (F.S.,  x,  382). 
But  in  reality  he  fell  in  the  beginning  of  his  20th  winter.  He  seems  to  have 
reigned  976-995.     See  above,  pp.  xcii-xciv. 

The  Mantissa  (c.  3  ;  Origines  Islandicae,  i,  269-270)  pLits  Harold  Grey- 
cloak's  death  and  earl  Hakon's  accession  So  winters  before  bishop  Isleifs 
consecration  to  the  see  of  Iceland  ;  therefore  in  976.  According  to  the 
Icelandic  Annals,  Isleif  was  consecrated  in  1056  (KCEPA  ;  1057,  O),  and 
went  to  Iceland  in  1057  (CPA).     He  died  in  1080  (KOCEPA). 

2  Cf  Frisbok,  105, 

The  same  passage  stands  in  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  55  (F.S., 
i,  90-91  ;  cf  Fl.,  i,  86).  Thorfinn's  sons  are  there  named  in  the  same  order, 
with  the  same  omission  of  Havard.  The  last-named  saga,  c.  97  (F.S.,  i, 
198)  ;  "  His  sons  were  five  :  Arnfinn,  Havard,  Liot,  Skuli,  and  Hlodve,"  is 
contradicted  by  H.,  St  Olaf  (perhaps  the  best  authority) :  "His  sons  were 
Arnfinn,  Havard,  Hlodve,  Liot,  Skiili." 

Ragnhild  married  Arnfinn  [  x  95 5](H.,  Hakon  the  Good), secondly  Havard, 
thirdly  Liot  ;  the  Scottish  king  supported  Skiili  against  Liot  after  the  deaths 
of  Arnfinn  and  Havard  (according  to  the  story  of  Ragnhild,  in  Orkneyinga 
Saga  and  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga).  The  same  story  says  that  Havard, 
Liot,  and  Hlodve,  held  the  earldom  in  succession.  King  Olafs  speech  in  Olaf 
Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  98,  says  that  Arnfinn  was  earl  before  these  three. 

Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga  and  the  Heimskringla's  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  here 
omit  Havard,  although  they  name  Arnfinn,  vyho  (according  to  the  story  of 
Ragnhild)  died  before  Havard  ;  they  name  the  other  sons  of  Thorfinn  in 
wrong  order  ;  and  they  are  further  in  conflict  with  Heimskringla's  St  Olaf, 
which  says  that  Thorfinn  was  still  earl  at  that  time.  Preference  must  be 
given  here  to  Heimskringla's  St  Olaf. 

5  Very  similarly  also  in  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  55  ;  F.S.,  i,  92 
(Fl.,  i,  86-87). 


ERIC'S  SONS  RETURN  TO  ORKNEY  483 

Gunnhild.  .  .  }  Ragnfrod  prepared  his  journey  in  the  spring, 
after  he  had  been  one  winter  in  the  Orkneys.  Then  he 
proceeded  east  to  Norway,  and  he  had  with  him  a  chosen 
company,  and  great  ships.  .  .  .^ 

977x991 

Orkneyinga  Saga,  cc.  8-1 1  ;  vol.  i,  pp.  11-14^ 

[Thorfinn  Skull-cleaver]  was  a  great  ruler,  and  warlike. 
He  died  of  disease  ;  and  he  was  buried  in  [South]  Ronaldshay, 
and  thought  to  have  been  a  great  man. 

[c.  9]  Thorfinn  had  five  sons :  one  was  called  Havard,  the 
Season-prosperous  ;  another  Hlodve,  the  third  Liot,  the  fourth 
Skuli,  the  fifth  Arnfinn.  Ragnhild  Eric's  daughter  planned  her 
husband  Arnfinn's  death,  in  Murkle  in  Caithness ;  and  she  was 
given  to  his  brother,  Havard,  the  Season-prosperous.  Havard 
took  the  earldom,  and  was  a  good  chief,  and  prosperous  in 
harvests.  .  .  .* 

Liot  [Havard's  brother]  took  the  earldom,  and  became  a 
great  chief  .  .  . 

[c.  10]  Skuli,  Liot's  brother,  went  up  into  Scotland,  and  was 
given  the  name  of  earl  by  the  Scottish  king;  then  he  came 
down  to  Caithness,  and  got  an  army  to  him  there,  and  sailed 
thence  to  the  islands,  and  contended  with  his  brother  Liot  for 
the  realm.     Liot  gathered  an  army,  and  went  to  meet  Skuli ; 

1  8  lines  of  verse  are  here  quoted  from  Glum  Geirason's  Grdfeldar- 
drapa. 

2  He  repulsed  earl  Hakon  by  sea  (c.  17),  but  next  summer  was  beaten 
by  land,  and  fled  from  Norway  (c.  18)  ;  i.e.  in  978. 

3  With  the  whole  passage  cf.  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  97  (F.S.,  i, 
198-199  ;  Fl.,  i,  224-225).     O.S.  has  less  authority  than  H. 

*  Ragnhild  persuaded  Havard's  sister's  son,  Einar  Buttered-bread,  to 
kill  Havard,  promising  him  marriage  and  the  earldom.  Havard  fell  at 
Stennis  (afterwards  called  Hdvar^s-teigar  "Havard's  fields")  in  Hrossey 
(Pomona).  Then  Ragnhild  promised  marriage  and  the  earldom  to  Einar 
Hard-jaw,  son  of  another  sister  of  Havard,  if  he  would  avenge  Havard,  and 
kill  Einar  Buttered-bread.  But  after  he  had  done  so,  Ragnhild  married 
Liot,  the  brother  of  her  two  former  husbands. 

"Einar  Hard-jaw  had  now  slain  his  relative,  but  was  no  nearer  to  the 
earldom  than  before  ;  he  was  very  dissatisfied  with  his  lot,  and  now  wished 
to  gather  men  to  him,  and  acquire  the  islands  by  force.  But  he  was  ill 
off  for  men,  because  the  Orkneymen  wished  to  serve  the  sons  of  Thorfinn 
Skull-cleaver.  And  some  time  afterwards  earl  [Liot]  had  Einar  Hard-jaw 
slain"  (ibid.,  13). 


484  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

and  [Liot]  had  the  greater  number  of  men.     But  when    they 
met,  Skuli  would  do  nothing  but  fight. 

A  hard  battle  was  fought  there ;  and  Liot  had  the  victory, 
and  Skuli  fled  over  to  [Caithjness,  and  up  into  Scotland  ;  and 
thither  Liot  pursued  him,  and  abode  there  for  a  time,  and 
gathered  many  men. 

Then  Skiili  rode  down  from  Scotland  with  a  great  army, 
which  the  Scottish  king  and  earl  Macbeth  ^  had  provided  ;  and 
he  and  Liot  met  in  the  Dales  in  Caithness,  and  a  great  battle 
took  place  there.  And  the  Scots  were  the  most  vehement  in 
the  beginning  of  the  fight.  Liot  bade  his  men  take  shelter, 
and  hold  their  position  as  strongly  as  possible.  And  when  the 
Scots  could  do  nothing,  Li6t  urged  on  his  men,  and  was  himself 
the  most  vigorous.  And  after  things  had  stood  like  this  for  a 
time,  the  ranks  of  the  Scots  were  broken ;  and  after  that  they 
fled ;  but  Skuli  kept  up  the  battle,  although  he  fell  at  the  end. 

Liot  took  Caithness  under  him  ;  and  there  was  great  enmity 
between  the  Scottish  king  and  earl  Liot,  because  the  Scots 
were  ill-pleased  with  their  defeat. 

When  earl  Liot  was  in  Caithness  with  few  men,  earl 
Macbeth  came  down  from  Scotland  with  a  great  army ;  and 
earl  Liot  and  he  met  at  Skidmoor  in  Caithness,  and  earl  Liot 
had  no  force  with  him.  But  earl  Liot  went  forward  so  stoutly 
that  the  Scots  yielded  before  him ;  and  there  was  but  a  short 
battle  before  those  who  chose  life  fled  ;  but  many  were  wounded. 

Liot  turned  back  with  victory,  but  many  of  his  people  were 
wounded.  Earl  Liot  too  had  got  the  wound  that  caused  his 
death ;  and  his  death  was  much  lamented. 

[c.  ii]  Hlodve,  Thorfinn's  son,  took  the  earldom  after  Liot, 
and  was  a  great  ruler.  He  married  Edna,  the  daughter  of 
Kiarval,  the  Irish  king :  their  son  was  Sigurd  the  Fat.  Hlodve 
died  of  disease,  and  his  barrow  is  at  Hofn,  in  Caithness. 

977 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  339" 

Olaf,  Indulf's'  son,  king  of  Scotland,  was  killed  by  Kenneth, 
Malcolm's  son.* 

'  Presumably  mormaer  of  Moray.     Cf.  below,  p.  501,  note. 

^  Placed  2  years  after  [975]. 

^  Illuilb.     In  A.U.,  Ailuilb ;  in  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  Illulfe.    This 


BATTLE  OF  SKIDMOOR.     KING  OLAF  485 

978 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  488,  s.a.  977  or  978  =  978 

Fiachra,  prior  ^  of  lona,  reposed.'^ 


979  X  986  ^ 

is  probably  the  Danish  name  Hildulf;  of  which  Indulf  appears  to  have 
been  a  corruption. 

''  So  also  in  C.S.,  224,  Hennessy's  year  975  =  977.  Similarly  in  Annals 
of  Clonmacnoise,  158,  s.a.  970  =  977. 

Cf.  A.U.,  i,  488,  s.a.  976  or  977  =  977  :  "Olaf,  Indulf's  son,  the  king  of 
Scotland,  was  killed  by  Kenneth,  Donald's  son." 

^  airchinnech  ("herenagh"). 

^  P.M.,  ii,  704,  s.a.  976  =  978  (and  "the  22nd  year  of  Donald"  as 
sovereign  of  Ireland):  "Fiachra  Ua-hArtacain,  abbot  of  lona  of  Colum- 
cille,  [died]." 

^  Floamanna  Saga,  Fornsogur,  133-134  :  "A  man  was  named  Thorstein, 
and  was  called  the  White  ;  he  was  a  baron  \lend-inwSr\  of  earl  Hakon " 
(.".976x995).  "He  had  friends,  and  owned  property  near  to  the  lands  of 
Thorgils  [son  of  Thord  the  Drowsy].  They  had  great  friendship  between 
them,  and  were  both  on  the  earl's  side.  ...  At  that  time,  Eric  the  Red 
also  was  on  the  earl's  side  ;  an  Icelandic  man,  who  afterwards  found  and 
settled  in  Greenland"  (.'.  X986).  "He  was  a  young  man,  and  courteous, 
and  the  greatest  friend  of  Thorgils. 

"  One  day,  Thorgils  went  to  the  earl  with  the  tribute  for  his  lands. 
Earl  Hakon  replied  :  '  I  am  well  pleased  with  thy  action  ;  but  1  am  not 
certain  that  1  know  how  enterprising  a  man  thou  mayst  be.  Also  I  shall 
not  give  up  this  property,  unless  thou  seem  to  me  to  assist  me  somewhat  in 
thy  deeds.  And  thou  must  fetch  from  the  Hebrides  my  taxes,  which  I  have 
missed  for  three  winters'"  (.-.  979X  ).  "Thorgils  asked  him  to  give  him  some 
lord  for  the  expedition,  'and  I  shall  follow  him,  as  well  as  my  prowess  may.' 
'Thou  shalt  be  the  leader'  said  the  earl,  'of  this  expedition,  because  thou 
provest  so  much  the  more  thy  merit  and  thy  manhood.'  Thorgils  said, 
'Let  Thorstein  White  go  with  me.'  'He  shall  decide'  said  the  earl. 
Thorstein  said  that  he  would  go,  if  Thorgils  wished. 

"Then  they  made  ready;  and  they  had  two  ships,  not  fully  manned. 
But  when  they  came  to  the  islands,  they  asked  for  the  tributes,  and 
got  little  from  them.  In  autumn  they  proceeded  to  Caithness,  and  were 
wrecked,  and  lost  the  money.     All  the  men  were  saved. 

"Olaf  was  the  name  of  the  earl  who  ruled  over  that  dominion.  He  got 
word  of  earl  Hakon's  men,  and  bade  them  go  to  him  ;  they  accepted,  and 
were  there  for  the  winter. 

"Svart  Iron-skull  was  the  name  of  a  man,  a  great  viking,  and  the 
greatest  evil-doer  ;  he  lay  out  far  in  the  western  lands.  One  custom  of  his 
was,  if  women  were  fair  and  well-born,  that  he  used  to  take  them  to  himself 


486  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

980 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  490,  s.a.  979  or  980  =  980  ^ 

The  battle  of  Tara  was  gained  by  Maelsechlaind,  Donald's 
son,  over  the  Foreigners  of  Dublin  and  of  the  islands  ^j 
and  there  great  slaughter  was  made  of  the  Foreigners: 
and  the  Foreigners'  power  was  put  out  of  Ireland.  And 
in  [that  battle]  fell  Ronald,  a  son  of  Olaf,  the  king  of  the 
Foreigners ;  and  Conamail,  son  of  a  foreign  governor ;  and 
many  others. 

Donald,  Niall's  grandson,  sovereign  of  Ireland,  died  in 
Armagh,  after  penitence. 

for  a  while  ;  and  men  could  not  resist  him.  Olaf  s  sister  was  called  Gudrun  ; 
she  was  a  fair  woman  to  look  on,  and  well  skilled  in  womanly  crafts.  .  .  ." 
Svart  wished  to  take  Gudrun.  Thorgils  and  Thorstein  and  Olaf  fought 
with  Svart  ;  and  Thorgils  killed  him. 

Ibid.,  135  :  " .  .  .  And  the  laws  were  then  that  men  obtained  the  heritage 
of  those  who  were  killed  [by  them]  in  duel.  .  .  .  Then  [Thorgils]  took  all 
[Svart's]  ships,  and  his  treasure  ;  and  then  married  Gudrun,  earl  Olafs 
sister.     Thorgils  had  now  no  lack  of  men  or  money. 

"In  spring  they  told  the  earl  that  they  wished  to  plunder  in  the 
summer.  Now  they  proceeded  to  the  Hebrides,  and  gave  the  inhabitants 
the  choice  either  to  endure  warfare  and  slaughter,  or  to  pay  tax  to  earl 
Hakon  ;  and  they  chose  to  pay  as  much  as  was  laid  on  them.  Then  every- 
thing was  concluded.  After  that  [Thorgils  and  Thorstein]  went  east  to 
Norway,  and  came  to  earl  Hakon  :  he  received  them  well.  .  .  ,"  They 
passed  the  winter  with  him,  and  the  next  summer  in  plundering,  part  of  the 
time  in  Ireland  Next  winter  also  they  passed  with  earl  Hakon,  and  the 
next.  Thorgils  passed  one  winter  in  Sweden,  and  went  in  the  following 
summer  to  Iceland  (135-137). 

This  story  is  probably  quite  unhistorical. 

Two  pirates  in  the  west  (976x995),  who  first  fought  against  each  other, 
and  afterwards  united  forces,  were  Sigmund,  Bresti's  son,  from  the  Faroes  ; 
and  Harold  Iron-skull.     See  Faereyinga  Saga,  c.  21,  pp.  88-92. 

'  With  the  marginal  note  "  bissextile." 

2  So  also  in  F.M.,  ii,  708,  s.a.  978  =  980.  The  parallel  passages  in  T. 
(R.C.,  xvii,  341-342  ;  5  years  after  975),  and  C.S.  (224-226  ;  Hennessy's 
year  978  =  980),  do  not  mention  the  presence  of  the  islanders.  A.I.,  43, 
O'Conor's  year  962  =  980  (with  f  n.  and  e.  of  980) :  "The  death  of  Donald, 
Niall's  grandson,  king  of  Tara. 

"A  great  battle  between  Maelsechlaind  and  Olafs  son,  and  a  slaughter 
of  the  Foreigners,  including  Ronald,  Ivar's  son,  at  Tara.  .  .  ."  (/.  fe  ilte  7 
fe  in  nund,  in  O'Conor's  text  ;  ready^r  iotfef). 


NORWEGIANS  DEFEATED  AT  TARA  487 

980 

Tigernach,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  342  ^ 

Olaf,  Sigtrygg's  son,  sovereign  of  the  Foreigners  of  Dublin, 
went  to  lona  in  penitence  and  pilgrimage  after  the  battle  [of 
Tara,  and]  died.^ 

^  Placed  5  years  after  [975]. 

^  a  n-aithrighe  7  a  n-ailithri  iarsin  cath  inoriuus  est. 

The  passage  stands  similarly  in  C.S.,  226  (Hennessy's  year  978) ;  but 
there  it  concludes  thus  :  a  n-deoraidhacht,  tar  sane*,  iar  n-aithrighe  "  on 
a  pilgrimage,  [and]  died  after  holiness  and  penance,"  according  to 
Hennessy. 

F.M.,  ii,  708,  s.a.  978  =  980:  "And  thereafter"  (i.e.  after  the  battle  of 
Tara)  "  Olaf  went  across  the  sea,  and  died  in  lona  of  Columcille."  Ibid  , 
710-712,  s.a.  979  =  980  ("the  first  year  of  Maelsechlaind,"  sovereign  of 
Ireland) :  "  Olaf,  Sigtrygg's  son,  chief  lord  of  the  Foreigners  of  Dublin, 
went  to  lona  on  pilgrimage  ;  and  he  died  there,  after  penance  and  good 
life." 

D.A.I.,  49,  s.a.  980:  "Olaf,  Sigtrygg's  son,  died  in  lona  of  Columba, 
after  [receiving]  unction,  after  repentance  "  {iar  n-tingadh,  iar  n-aithridhe). 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  159,  s.a.  974  =  980:  "Olaf,  Sigtrygg's  son,  king 
of  the  Danes  of  Dublin,  went  a  pilgrimage  to  the  island  of  lona  \^Hugh\  in 
Scotland,  and  there  after  penance  died." 

Wars  of  the  Irish  with  the  Foreigners,  p.  46  (after  the  battle  of  Tara)  : 
"And  Olaf,  Sigtrygg's  son,  sovereign  of  the  Foreigners,  went  into  pilgrimage 
to  lona  of  Columcille." 

Whether  Tigernach's  text  ("after  the  battle")  is  correct  or  not,  these 
annals  all  imply  that  Olaf  went  to  lona  soon  after  the  battle  of  Tara,  and 
that  he  did  not  return  to  Ireland.     He  seems  to  have  been  Olaf  Cuaran. 

The  sagas  say  that  Olaf  Cuaran's  daughter  Gyda  married  a  "mighty 
earl"  in  England  [in  Cumbria?] ;  and  after  his  death  ruled  his  lands,  till 
she  married  Olaf,  Tryggvi's  son,  in  or  after  autumn  of  993  (OlaPs  Saga, 
c.  80) ;  and  that  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  was  living  with  Olaf  Cuaran  in  Dublin 
in  995,  when  Thori  Klakka  found  him.  This  last  statement  is  shown  by  the 
Irish  annals  to  be  false,  because  Olaf  was  not  in  Dublin  after  980. 

Olaf  Cuaran's  son,  Gluniairn,  was  "king  of  the  Foreigners"  at  his 
death  in  989  (T.  ;  A.U.,  s.a.  988  =  989;  A..I.,  O'Conor's  971=989).  "  Ivar 
fled  from  Dublin  before  Olaf's  son,  with  three  ships'  companies"  in  993 
(A.I.,  O'Conor^s  975  =  993).  "Sigtrygg,  Olafs  son,  was  driven  out  of 
Dublin"  in  994  (A.U.,  s.a.  993  =  994).  "Ivar  [was]  in  Dublin  after  Olaf's 
son  "  in  995  (Tigernach) ;  but  in  the  same  year,  "  Ronald,  grandson  of  Ivar, 
king  of  the  Foreigners"  (A.I.),  "was  killed  by  Leinstermen  ;  Ivar  escaped 
again,  and  Sigtrygg  took  his  kingdom"  (T.).  Dublin  was  defeated  by  the 
Irish  under  Maelsechlaind,  king  of  Ireland,  and  Brian  Boroime,  in  998  ; 
Sigtrygg  lost  his  son  Artalach,  and  his  brother  Harold  (T,  A.U.).  Next 
year,  Sigtrygg,  "king  of  the  Foreigners,"  captured  the  king  of  Leinster, 
Duncan,  Donald's  son  ;  but  was  driven  out  of  Dublin  by  Brian  (T.,  A.U.). 


488  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

980 

Annals  of  Innisfallen,  Rerum  Hibernicarum  Scriptores, 
vol.  ii,  part  2,  p.  44,  O'Conor's  year  963  =  981  ^ 

The  repose  of  Mugron,  Columcille's  successor.^ 

985x994 

Adam  of  Bremen,  Gesta  Hammaburgensis  Ecclesiae 
Pontiflcum;  in  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vol.  vii,  p.  318 

After  vengeance  upon  the  crimes  that  he  had  committed 
against  the  churches  of  God  and  the  Christians,  [king  Sven, 
conquered,]^  and  forsaken  by  his  followers,  as  one  whom  God 
forsook,  came,  wandering  and  helpless,  to  the  Norwegians,  over 
whom  at  that  time  reigned  Tryggvi,  Hakon's  son.  Because 
[Sven]  was  a  pagan,  [Tryggvi]  felt  no  pity  for  the  exile.  So 
[Sven]  in  his  misfortune,  cast  out  by  all  the  world,  crossed  over 
to  England,  seeking  solace  in  vain  from  enemies.  At  that 
time  ^thelred,  Edgar's  son,  ruled  over  the  British.  He, 
remembering  the  injuries  that  the  Danes  had  inflicted  upon 
the  English  of  old,  rejected  the  exile. 

And    at    last    the    king   of  the   Scots    took    pity    upon   his 

In  the  year  1000,  Sigtrygg,  "king  of  the  Foreigners  of  Dublin,"  fled  from 
battle  to  Ulster  (A.I.);  but  he  made  terms  with  Brian,  and  returned  to 
Dublin,  giving  hostages  (T.,  A.U.,  A.I.). 

1  With  f.n.  and  e.  of  gSr. 

^  C.S.,  226,  Hennessy's  year  978  =  980  (immediately  before  the  death  ot 
Olaf  Cuaran) :  "  Mugron,  abbot  of  lona,  scribe  and  bishop,  reposed." 

A.U.,  i,  490,  s.a.  979  or  980  =  980  (after  Donald's  death):  "Mugron, 
Columcille's  successor  both  in  Ireland  and  in  Scotland,  ended  his  life 
happily." 

F.M.,  ii,  708,  s.a.  978  =  980  :  "  Mugron,  abbot  of  lona,  scribe  and  bishop, 
[chief]  scholar  of  the  three  parts,  .  .  .  died"  (i.e.,  of  Ireland,  Scotland,  and 
Man).  Ibid,,  708-710:  "In  commemoration  of  [Donald,  Muirchertach's 
son,  sovereign  of  Ireland,]  Dub-da-leithe  said  :  '  Since  the  Son  of  God  was 
born,  (it  is  not  falsehood)  978  [years]  to  the  death  of  Mugron  (who  increased 
verse),  the  comely  successor  of  Columba  ;  [and]  to  the  battle  in  strong 
Tara.  .  .  .'"  F.M.  have  changed  the  number  in  the  second  line  of  the 
verse-passage  from  980  to  978,  in  order  to  make  it  suit  their  own  chronology. 
For  Dubdaleithe,  see  year  989. 

'  Not  in  MS.  I.  Sven  Otto,  Harold's  son,  king  of  Denmark,  was  driven 
from  his  kingdom  by  Eric,  king  of  Sweden  ;  Adam,  U.S.,  316-317. 


DANES  IN  SCOTLAND  489 

misfortunes,  and  received  him  kindly ;  and  there  Sven  was  in 
exile  for  fourteen  years,  to  the  death  of  Eric. 

These  dangers  of  the  parricide,  his  grandfather,  king  Sven 
[Ulf's  son]  related  to  our  astonishment.  .  .  } 

986 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  494,  s.a.  985  or  986  =  986^ 

The  Danes  came  to  the  shore  of  Dalriata,^  that  is  to  say, 
three  ships ;  and  seven  score  of  them  were  hanged,  and  others 
were  sold.* 

lona  of  Columcille  was  plundered  on  Christmas  night  ^ ;  and 
they  killed  the  abbot,  and  fifteen  of  the  elders  of  the  church." 

^  Sven  Ulf's  son  was  king  of  Denmark  from  about  1047  to  f  1076. 

Sven  Harold's  son  recovered  the  kingdom  of  Denmark  (Adam,  u.s.,  319), 
and  reigned  till  1014.  He  had  ejected  his  father,  Harold,  from  the  kingdom 
in  985  or  986  ;  Harold  died  of  a  wound  received  in  the  fighting.  Adam, 
U.S.  315. 

He  took  revenge  upon  yEthelred  in  the  invasion  of  1014.  Adam,  u.s., 
324.     But  he  had  other  motives  also. 

According  to  the  Icelandic  Annals,  Sven  reigned  in  Denmark  from  958 
(KBODE)  to  1008  (KOCD  ;  1007  E).  Sven's  exile  is  borrowed  from  Adam 
of  Bremen  by  the  Annals  of  Lund,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xxix,  200-201.  It  is 
adapted  from  the  same  source  in  the  l6th  century  Oddveria  Annall — 
Icelandic  Annals,  version  L — s.a.  999  (Storm's  Monumenta,  465) :  "...  The 
fourth  time,  king  Sven  was  driven  from  the  land  before  the  Swedes, 
because  king  Eric  the  Victorious  harried  in  Denmark,  and  drove  Sven  from 
the  land.  At  last  king  Sven  fled  to  Scotland  ;  and  when  he  came  there,  he 
began  to  repent  his  sins,  and  took  the  true  faith.  He  had  himself  baptized 
in  Scotland  ;  then  he  came  back  to  his  kingdom.  And  when  he  came  to 
Denmark,  he  wished  to  turn  his  subjects  to  the  true  faith.  .  .  ."  The 
same  annals  say  that  Sven  had  been  baptized  with  his  father  Harold  by 
emperor  Otho  ;  that  Harold  died  in  985,  when  Thorleif  was  lawspeaker  in 
Iceland  [985]  ;  and  Sven  succeeding  flung  off  Christianity,  and  destroyed 
the  churches  that  his  father  had  built.  See  also  the  ist  and  2nd  Saga- 
Fragments,  in  F.S.,  xi,  419,  420;  and  Danish  Chronicles  (B77  and  C  67)  in 
Samfund,  18,  38,  39  ;  Saxo  Grammaticus,  X  (1886  ed.,  336-337). 

Even  in  its  original  form,  the  story  sounds  rather  fabulous. 

^  The  previous  year  is  shown  to  be  985  by  f.n.  and  e. 

^  i  n-airer  Dailriaiaij  equivalent  to  "  Argyle." 

"•  ocus  CO  ro  renia  olchena.  F.M.  read:  ocus  ro  mudhaighedh  "and 
were  destroyed,"  (perhaps  "mutilated"?)  "after  they  had  been  defeated." 

°  I.e.,  the  night  or  evening  preceding  Christmas  day.  F.M.  add:  "by 
Danes." 

"  The  whole  passage  stands  similarly  in  F.M.,  ii,  718,  s.a.  985  =  986. 


490  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

986 

Annals  of  Innisfallen ;   Rerum  Hibernicarum  Scriptores, 

vol.  ii,  part  2,  p.  45,  O'Conor's  year  968  =  986^ 

The  plundering  of  [lona  of]  Columcille  by  Foreigners;  and 
the  islands  were  wasted  by  them,  and  the  bishop  of  lona  was 
killed  by  them. 

986 

Chronicon  Scotorum,  p.  230,  Hennessy's  year  984  =  986 

Maelciarain  Ua  -  Maigne,  Columcille's  successor,  entered 
bloody  martyrdom "  at  the  hands  of  the  Danes  of  Dublin.^ 

ca.  986 

Ari,  Islendingabok,  cc.  6-^,  p.  7 

The  land  that  is  called  Greenland  was  found  and  settled 
from  Iceland.  Eric  the  Red,  of  Breidafiordr,  was  the  man 
who  sailed  out  there  from  here,*  and  took  there  the  land  that 
is  since  called  Eiriksfiordr. 

'  With  f.n.  and  e.  of  986. 

^  do  dill  dei-g  iiiartra. 

2  Similarly  in  F.JM.,  ii,  718,  s.a.  985  =  986  (and  "the  7th  year  of 
Maelsechlaind"). 

*  From  Iceland. 

Heriolf,  son  of  Bard,  son  of  Heriolf  the  associate  of  Ingolf  the  Settler 
(cf  Landndmabok,  c.  302,  p.  105),  according  to  Landndmabok,  c.  352,  p.  124, 
"  sailed  to  Greenland,  and  came  into  the  sea-mountains  \haf-gerdingar\. 
In  his  ship  was  a  Hebridean,  who  composed  the  Hafgerdinga-drapa,  of 
which  this  is  the  beginning  : 

AUir  hlydi  ossu  fulli 

amra  fialla  Dvalins  hallar." 

See  also  the  Landnamabok,  cc.  77-79.  In  c.  79,  p.  35,  it  is  said:  "A 
man  was  called  Heriolf,  the  son  of  Bard,  Heriolfs  son.  He  sailed  to 
Greenland  with  Eric.  With  [Heriolf]  in  his  ship  went  a  Hebridean,  a 
Christian,  who  had  composed  the  Hafgerdinga-drapa,  of  which  this  is  the 
refrain  : 

Mfnar  bid  ek  munka  reyni 

meinalausan  farar  beina. 

heidis  haldi  harar  foldar 

hallar  drottinn  of  mer  stalli." 
Similarly  also  in  the  Tale  of  the  Greenlanders  ;    Storm's  Eric  the   Red's 
Saga,   53  (Fl.,  i,  430-431).     See  Corpus  Poeticum  Boreale,  ii,  54;   J.S.,  i, 
A  177  ;  B  167. 

Another  tenth-century    Norse-Hebridean    poet    was    Orm    of    Barra ; 


DISCOVERY  OF  GREENLAND  491 

He  gave  the  country  its  name,  and  called  it  Greenland,  and 
said  that  the  land's  having  got  a  good  name  would  encourage 
people  to  sail  out  there. 

Dwellings  of  men  were  found  there,  both  in  the  east  and  in 
the  west  of  the  land  ;  and  fragments  of  boats,  and  stone  utensils, 
whereby  one  might  perceive  that  such  people  had  lived  there  as 
have  occupied  Vi'nland,  and  the  Greenlanders  call  Scrceli?igar} 

The  time  when  [Eric]  began  to  settle  in  Greenland  was 
fourteen  or  fifteen  winters  before  Christianity  arrived  here  in 
Iceland  ^ ;  so  Thorkel,  Gelli's  son,  was  told  in  Greenland,  by  one 
who  himself  had  accompanied  Eric  the  Red. 

fragments  of  his  work  are  preserved  in  the  Edda.     See  Corpus  Poeticum, 
i';  55-57  ;  Sturlunga  Saga,  i,  20  ;  J.S.,  i,  A  143,  B  135. 

An  early  but  inexact  description  of  Greenland  is  in  Adam  of  Bremen's 
Gesta  Pontificum  ;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vii,  385  (cf.  344,  365). 

'  I.e.  Eskimos  ?  See  Eric  Red's  Saga,  and  the  Tale  of  the  Greenlanders. 
The  natives  of  Vmland  used  stone  weapons  (Eric  Red's  Saga,  c.  11,  p.  41), 
and  were  unfamiliar  with  steel  (ibid.  42)  ;  but  they  seem  to  have  terrified 
the  Icelanders  by  throwing  some  kind  of  explosive  bomb  (ibid.  40).  The 
Icelanders  attributed  to  them  magic  powers. 

^  fyrr  an  crisine  quajiie  her  d  Island.  This  reckoning  can  only  be  to  the 
time  of  the  acceptance  of  Christianity  at  the  Icelandic  assembly,  in  looo. 
Although  Thangbrand  is  mentioned  here,  the  Icelanders  did  not  receive 
Christianity  from  him. 

It  is  so  rendered  in  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  220  (F.S.,  ii,  215  ;  Fl.,  i, 
430)  :  "That  was  15  winters  before  Christianity  was  made  law  in  Iceland" 
(i.e.  in  985). 

Of  this  expedition,  LandnAmabok  says  (c.  78,  p.  35):  "So  says  Ari, 
Thorgils'  son,  that  that  summer  35  ships  sailed  for  Greenland  from  Borgar- 
fiordr  and  Breidafiordr  ;  and  14  arrived  there.  Some  turned  back,  and 
some  were  lost.  That  was  16  winters  before  Christianity  was  made  law 
in  Iceland"  (.'.  984).  This  is  probably  taken  from  Ari's  older  work.  The 
Islendingabok  is  Ari's  revised  work,  and  is  to  be  preferred. 

Landnamabok  (c.  yj,  pp.  34-35)  says  that  Eric  had  gone  to  Greenland 
4  years  earlier,  and  passed  3  winters  there  ;  then  had  returned  to  Iceland, 
and  passed  one  winter  with  Ingolf  before  setting  out  again.  This  account 
is  abbreviated  in  Eyrbyggia  Saga  (c.  24,  p.  82) :  "  In  this  expedition  Eric 
Red  found  Greenland  ;  and  he  was  there  for  three  winters.  And  then  he 
sailed  to  Iceland,  and  was  there  for  one  winter,  before  he  went  to  settle  in 
Greenland  ;  and  that  was  14  winters  before  Christianity  was  made  law  in 
Iceland."  I.e.,  Eric  was  in  Greenland  from  982  to  985,  and  returned  there 
in  986.  This  agrees  with  the  account  in  Eric  the  Red's  Saga,  c.  2,  pp.  8-9 
(Hauksbok,  ii,  427). 

Cf.  the  Abstract,  and  Chronological  Tables,  in  Antiquitates  Americanae 
pp.  xxviii-xl,  463-465. 


492  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

[c.  7]  King  Olaf,  son  of  Tryggvi,  son  of  Olaf,  son  of  Harold 
Fairhair,  brought    Christianity  into   Norway,  and   to    Iceland. 

According  to  the  Tale  of  Eric  Red,  Biarni  Heriolf's  son  sailed  for 
Greenland  in  986,  but  came  first  to  Vinland  (Fl.,  i,  430-432  ;  Storm's  Eiriks 
Saga,  54-55).  But  in  this  the  Flatey-book  differs  from  all  the  more  trust- 
worthy accounts,  which  mention  no  earlier  discoverer  of  America  than  Leif, 
Eric  Red's  son. 

Leif  is  definitely  stated  to  have  been  the  first  discoverer  of  Vinland,  in 
abbot  Nicholas's  geographical  tract  ;  Antiquitates  Americanae,  290-292. 
Nicholas  wrote  about  the  middle  of  the  12th  century. 

Kristni  Saga,  c.  12,  pp.  36-37  (Origines,  i,  397) :  "The  same  summer  in 
which  king  Olaf  went  from  the  land  south  to  Wendland,  he  sent  also  Leif, 
Eric  [Red]'s  son,  to  Greenland,  to  preach  the  faith  there.  Then  Leif  found 
Vinland  the  Good.  And  he  found  also  men  on  a  disabled  ship  on  the  sea  : 
therefore  he  was  called  Leif  the  Lucky."  Cf.  F.S.,  xi,  412.  Of.  abbot 
Nicholas,  u.s.  This  was  in  1000,  the  year  of  Olafs  death.  See  Olaf 
Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  231  (F.S.,  ii,  245-246)  ;  H.,  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son, 
c.  96 :  these  last  both  date  Leifs  mission  in  the  year  [1000]  of  the 
Christianization  of  Iceland. 

Leifs  voyages  are  described  in  Eric  the  Red's  Saga,  cc.  5,  8  ;  pp.  18-21, 
32-33  (Hauksbok,  ii,  431-433)  ;  Tale  of  the  Greenlanders,  in  Storm's  edition 
of  Eric's  Saga,  56-62  (Fl.,  i,  538-541).  Leif  had  been  driven  to  the  Hebrides 
on  his  way  from  Greenland  to  king  Olaf  (Eric  Red's  Saga,  p.  19),  in  [999] ; 
cf  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  221.  But  Fl.  (i,  430)  places  this  voyage 
erroneously  in  [looi]. 

Eric  Red's  Saga,  c.  7,  pp.  32-33  (Hauksbok,  ii,  437):  "  Olaf  Tryggvi's 
son  had  given  to  Leif  two  Scottish  people:"  {tvd  meiin  skoiska;  "two 
swift  runners  "  ?)  "  the  man  was  called  Haki,  and  the  woman  Hekia  ;  they 
were  swifter  than  deer.  These  people  were  in  the  ship  with  Karlsefni. 
And  when  they  had  sailed  along  the  Marvellous-strands,  they  put  the 
Scottish  people  on  land,  and  bade  them  run  south  in  the  land  to  see 
the  nature  of  the  country,  and  come  again  before  three  days  were 
past. 

"They  had  that  clothing  which  they  called  kiafal"  (Hauksbok  ;  biafal, 
MS.  A.M.  557):  "it  was  so  made,  that  it  had  a  hood  above,  and  it  was 
open  at  the  sides,  and  had  no  sleeves.  It  was  buttoned  together  between 
the  legs  with  a  button  and  loop.     But  otherwise  they  were  bare. 

"They  remained  there  [on  land]  a  while,  and  when  they  came  back  one 
carried  a  bunch  of  grapes,  the  other  fresh  grain  from  a  wheat-field  "  (more 
correctly  "self-sown  wheat"  in  A.M.  557,  which  adds  :  "  Karlsefni  said  that 
they  meant  they  had  found  good  choice  of  land").  The  names  of  these 
people  and  of  their  garment  do  not  seem  to  be  Gaelic.  The  garment  has 
no  resemblance  to  the  clothing  of  Lapps.  Probably  they  were  couriers, 
from  one  of  the  Baltic  lands  (perhaps  Wendland  ?). 

The  Icelandic  Annals  place  "the  occupation  of  Greenland"  in  986 
(KBEA  ;  "Eric  the  Red  occupied  Greenland"  C;  "Greenland  was 
occupied"  D). 


AMERICA.     CHRISTIANITY  IN  NORWAY  493 

He  sent  to  this  land  the  priest  called  Thangbrand,  who 
taught  men  Christianity  here,  and  baptized  all  who  accepted 
the  faith. 1 

'  The  first  bishop  of  Iceland  was  Frederick,  a  missionary  from  Saxony 
{Saxland\  brought  to  Iceland  by  Thorvald  Widefarer,  Kodran's  son,  in 
981,  "to  baptize  his  father  and  mother,  and  other  relatives  who  would 
follow  his  counsel''  (Kristni  Saga,  c.  i,  p.  i.  Cf.  Thorvald  Widefarer's 
Tale,  c.  10,  p.  79:  Icelandic  Annals  KBOCDEA,  s.a.  981).  After  four 
years  (981-9S5)  Frederick  returned  to  Saxony;  he  died  there.  (Kristni 
Saga,  cc.  2,  4,  pp.  8,  13;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xxix,  351-352.)  Cf.  Ari, 
Islendingabok,  c.  8,  p.  10.  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  cc.  131-138  (c.  220 
says  that  Frederick  left  Iceland  in  [985]). 

Thangbrand  was  a  Saxon  from  Saxony.  See  Heimskringla,  u.s.  See 
also  Nial's  Saga,  cc.  100-105  (Dasent's  edition,  cc.  96-101);  Kristni  Saga, 
cc.  4-6  (Origines  Islandicae,  i,  386-392).  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  had  made 
Thangbrand  his  court  priest  while  he  was  in  England  [in  993],  after  his 
baptism  in  the  Scilly  Isles  ;  so  says  Olaf's  Saga,  c.  81.  Cf.  Historia 
Norwegiae,  115. 

Thangbrand  was  sent  to  Iceland  in  [996],  one  year  after  Olaf  s  accession, 
according  to  Theoderic,  c.  12,  p.  19  ;  but  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  216 
(F.S.,  ii,  197  ;  Fl.,  i,  421),  and  the  Heimskringla's  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son,  c.  73, 
say  that  Thangbrand  was  sent  to  Iceland  in  [997],  two  winters  after  Olaf's 
accession :  so  too  in  the  Icelandic  Annals  CDEA,  s.a.  997.  Cf  Olaf 
Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  188. 

Laxdoela  Saga  (c.  4[,  p.  130)  says  that  king  Olaf  sent  Thangbrand,  his 
"  court-priest"  {hir'S-prest),  to  Iceland,  in  the  spring  after  the  Christianizing 
of  Trondhjem  (cf.  Icelandic  Annals  CDA,  s.a.  998)  ;  and  implies  that 
Thangbrand  left  Norway  in  that  summer,  and  that  Iceland  adopted 
Christianity  the  next  year.  In  Snorri's  Prologus  to  the  Heimskringla  it  is 
said  that  Hall,  Thorarin's  son,  "remembered  that  priest  Thangbrand 
baptized  him,  three  winters  old  :  that  was  the  winter  before  Christianity 
was  made  law  in  Iceland."  This  shows  that  Thangbrand  was  still  in 
Iceland  in  999. 

Thangbrand  was  outlawed  for  man-slaying.  He  left  Iceland,  after 
having  been  there  for  one  or  two  winters  (Islendingabok  ;  cf  Odd's  Olaf's 
Saga,  c.  37).  He  had  been  three  winters  in  Iceland,  according  to  H., 
Olaf  Tryggvi's  son,  cc.  72,,  81,  84;  so  too  in  the  Kristni  Saga,  c.  9,  pp. 
27-30.     Nidi's  Saga  mentions  only  one  winter. 

Thangbrand's  successor  in  Iceland  was  Thormod,  the  son  of  Thorkel, 
Thorstein's  son  (Landnamabok,  c.  10,  p.  9).  Thormod  went  there  in  the 
summer  [?  1000]  after  Thangbrand  had  left  (Islendingabok,  c.  7). 

Christianity  was  adopted  by  law  in  Iceland  in  the  year  1000,  according 
to  Kristni  Saga,  c.  13,  p.  43  ;  and  the  Icelandic  Annals  KOCDEA,  s.a.  1000. 
See  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  229  (F.S.,  ii,  240-244)  ;  H.,  Olaf  Tryggvi's 
son,  c.  103. 


494  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

987 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  496,  s.a.  986  or  987  =  987 

The  battle  of  Man  [was  fought]  against  Harold's  son/  and 
by  the  Danes ;  and  a  thousand  were  slain  there.  .  .  . 

Great  slaughter  [was  made]  of  the  Danes  who  had  plundered 
lona ;  and  three  hundred  and  sixty  of  them  were  killed.^ 

989 

Tigernach,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  346  ^ 

Godfrey,  Harold's  son,  king  of  the  Hebrides,  fell  by  the 
hands  of  the  [men  of]   Dalriata.* 


Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  pp.  496,  498,  s.a.  988  or  989  =  989 

Duncan  Ua-Robocain,  Columcille's  successor,  died.^  .  .  . 
Dubdaleithe,   Patrick's    successor,   took    the    succession    of 
Columcille,  by  counsel  of  the  men  of  Ireland  and  of  Scotland.^ 

^  I.e.,  Godfrey.  See  year  989.  The  place  of  the  battle  [cath  Manand) 
was  probably  Man.     Cf.  year  914. 

2  F.M.,  ii,  720,  s.a.  986  =  987  (and  "the  8th  year  of  Maelsechlaind") : 
"  Great  slaughter  [was  made]  of  the  Danes  who  had  plundered  lona,  and 
three  hundred  and  sixty  of  them  were  killed,  through  miracles  of  God  and 
Columcille." 

^  This  follows  Maelsechlaind's  successful  siege  of  Dublin,  when  he 
forced  the  town  to  agree  to  pay  tribute  (in  989).  The  last  episode  of  the 
previous  year-section  is  Dunstan's  death  (in  988  ;  A.S.C.). 

*  So  also  in  C.S.,  230,  Hennessy's  year  987  =  989.  Similarly  in  D.A.I., 
51,  s.a.  989. 

Cf  A.U.  :  "  Godfrey,  Harold's  son,  king  of  the  Hebrides,  was  killed  in 
Dalriata";  i,  496,  s.a.  988  or  989  =  989  (incorrectly  marked  in  the  margin 
"bissextile."  The  previous  year  also  is  marked  "bissextile,"  and  has  fn. 
and  e.  of  988). 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  160,  s.a.  982  =  989:  "Godfrey,  son  ot  Harold, 
king  of  the  Hebrides  \_Inis-galI\  was  killed  by  the  king  of  Dalriata  or 
Redshanks." 

For  Godfrey,  cf  year  987. 

^  P.M.,  ii,  722,  s.a.  988  =  989  (and  "the  loth  year  of  Maelsechlaind"  as 
sovereign  of  Ireland)  :  "  Duncan  Ua-Robachain,  successor  of  Columcille 
and  Adamnan,  .  .  .  died.  .  .  ." 

°  So  also  in  F.M.,  u.s.,  724.  They  repeat  the  event  under  989  =  990 
(i,  726). 


KING  GODFREY.     MODDAN'S  SONS  495 


976  X  985 -979  X' 

Nial's  Saga,  cc.  83-86  ;  vol.  i,  pp.  390-408  ^ 

It  is  now  to  be  told  that  Nial's  sons,  Grim  and  Helgi,  sailed 
from  Iceland  that  summer,  in  which  Thrain  and  his  followers 
sailed  out^;  and  they  took  ship  with  [captains]  Olaf  the  Old, 
Ketil's  son,  and  Bard  the  Black.  They  had  so  violent  a  storm 
from  the  north  that  they  were  carried  southwards  into  the  open 
sea  ;  and  so  great  darkness  came  on  that  they  knew  not  where 
they  were  going ;  and  they  had  a  long  voyage.  Then  they 
came  where  there  was  much  shallow  water,  and  it  seemed  clear 
to  them  that  this  must  be  near  land.  Nial's  sons  asked  if  Bard 
knew  at  all  to  what  land  they  might  be  nearest.  "  There  are 
many  lands,"  said  Bard, "considering  the  direction  of  wind  we 
have  had — the  islands,  or  Scotland,  or  Ireland." 

Two  nights  afterwards,  they  saw  land  on  both  sides,  and 
much  surf  inside  the  firth.  They  cast  anchors  outside  the  surf 
Then  the  storm  began  to  abate ;  and  in  the  morning  it  was 
calm.     Then  they  saw  thirteen  ships  sailing  out  at  sea. 

Then  said  Bard,  "  What  shall  our  plans  be  now,  since  these 
men  will  attack  us  ?  "  Thereupon  they  took  counsel,  whether 
they  should  defend  themselves,  or  yield ;  but  before  they  had 
decided,  the  vikings  came  upon  them.  They  asked  each  others' 
names,  what  the  leaders  were  called.  Then  the  leaders  *  of  the 
merchants  named  themselves,  and  asked  in  return  who  was  over 
the  vikings :  the  one  named  himself  Griotgard,^  the  other 
Snsekolf,  sons   of  Moddan   from    Duncansby'^   in    Scotland,  a 

1  Certainly  from  before  991  to  before  994. 

2  Also  in  R.S.  88,  i,  319-324. 

3  To  earl  Hakon  in  Norway  (976-995). 

4  Olaf  and  Bard. 
°  Grjoigar'Sr. 

"  Moddans  Sr  dungalsba  :'\n  some  MSS.  Moldans.  Moldan  might  be  a 
Scandinavian  form  of  Maelduin ;  Moddan,  possibly  of  Matadan.  Cf 
year  i  (06. 

For  the  dealings  between  Going-Hrolf  (Sturlaug's  son),  and  king  Dungal 
and  an  earl  Melan  (?  Maelduin)  of  Scotland,  see  the  fabulous  Gaungu-Hrolfs 
Saga,  Fornaldar  Sogur,  iii,  350-357  :  they  are  said  to  have  occurred  in 
the  time  of  king  Henry,  a  relative  and  the  deposer  of  Edward,  king  of 
Winchester.  "  Henry  had  great  strength  from  Scotland,  because  he  had 
married  the  daughter  of  Melan,  the  earl  of  Moray  \i'ir  M6rd&i\,  and  a  great 
friend  of  the  head-king  [of  Scotland],  who  was  called  Dungal ;  from  him 


496  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

relative  of  Malcolm,  the  Scottish  king;  "and  two  alternatives 
are  given  by  us,"  said  Griotgard  ;  "either  that  you  go  on  land 
while  we  take  your  goods  ;  or  else  that  we  attack  you,  and  slay 
every  man  we  take."  ^ 

Helgi  answered  :  "  The  merchants  wish  to  defend  them- 
selves." Then  spoke  the  merchants  :  "  Speak  thou,  deprived  of 
all  [sense]!  What  defence  can  we  make?  and  goods  are  less 
precious  than  life."  Grim  took  the  plan  of  shouting  to  the 
vikings,  and  did  not  let  them  hear  the  bad  choice  of  the 
merchants.  Bard  and  Olaf  spoke,  "  Think  you  not  that  the 
Icelanders  may  mock  at  your  deaths?  Take  hold  now  of  your 
weapons,  and  let  us  defend  ourselves."  Then  they  all  took 
their  weapons,  and  bound  themselves  never  to  give  up,  so  long 
as  they  could  defend  themselves. 

[c.  84]  Now  the  vikings  shot  at  them,  and  they  began  the 
fight ;  and  the  merchants  defended  themselves  well.  Snaekolf 
leapt  at  Olaf,  and  ran  him  through  with  a  spear.  Grim  struck 
Snaekolf  with  a  spear,  and  so  hard  that  [Snaekolf]  fell  over- 
board. Then  Helgi  turned  beside  Grim,  and  they  drove  down 
all  the  vikings.  And  Niil's  sons  were  ever  where  there  was 
most  need. 

The  vikings  called  out,  and  bade  the  merchants  yield.  But 
they  said  that  they  would  never  yield. 

At  this  time  they  chanced  to  look  seaward ;  and  they  saw 
that  ships  were  sailing  past  the  headland,  from  the  south — not 
fewer  than  ten.  They  rowed  hard,  and  went  out  to  them. 
There  was  shield  touching  shield.  And  on  the  foremost  ship 
stood  a  man'^  beside  the  mast;  he  was  in  a  silk  tunic,  and  had 
a  gilded  helmet,  and  hair  both  long  and  fair.  The  man  had  a 
spear  inlaid  with  gold  in  his  hand.  He  asked  them,  "  Who 
holds  here  so  unequal  a  game?"  Helgi  told  his  name,  and 
said  that  against  him  were  Griotgard  and  Snaekolf     "And  who 

is  named  Duncansby  {Dungalsbcerl,  because  he  has  had  a  place  built  there." 
The  whole  story  is  quite  ur.historical,  but  is  perhaps  evidence  of  a  Norwegian 
settlement  in  north-eastern  Aberdeenshire. 

There  is'no  ground  for  identifying  this  Dungal  with  the  Dun  gal,  Kenneth's 
son,  who  died  in  999  (below).     Henry  is  perhaps  ^thelred,  Edgar's  son. 

1  Cf.  the  episode  (before  864)  in  the  unhistorical  Hrolfs  Saga  Gautreks- 
sonar  ;  ed.  Detter,  1891,  pp.  18-20. 

2  This  is  the  dramatic  entry  into  Nidi's  Saga  of  Kari,  one  of  the  most 
perfect  knights  of  saga  literature. 


MODDAN'S  SONS.     EARL  GILLJ.  497 

are  the  captains?"  said  he.  Helgi  answered,  " Bard  the  Black, 
who  lives.  But  the  other  has  fallen  here  before  the  vikings ; 
his  name  was  Olaf.  My  brother,  who  follows  me,  is  called 
Grim."^  "Are  you  two  Icelandic  men?"  said  he.  "That  is 
certain  "  said  Helgi.  He  asked  whose  sons  they  were.  They 
said.  Then  he  recognized  them,  and  said  :  "  Famous  men  you 
are,  father  and  sons." 

"  Who  art  thou  ? "  said  Helgi.  "  I  am  called  Kari,  and  I  am 
Solmund's  son."  "  Whence  comest  thou  ? "  said  Helgi.  "  From 
the  Hebrides  "  said  Kari.  "  Thou  art  welcome,"  said  Helgi,  "  if 
thou  will  grant  us  something."  "  I  grant  what  you  need,"  said 
Kari,  "  or  what  do  you  ask  ? "  "  Grant  an  attack  on  them  "  said 
Helgi.     Kari  said  that  it  should  be  so. 

They  attacked  [the  vikings],  and  then  the  battle  began  a 
second  time.  And  when  they  had  fought  for  a  time,  Kari 
leapt  up  on  Snsekolfs  ship :  and  [Snfekolf]  turned  against 
Kari,  and  hewed  at  him.  Kari  leapt  backwards  over  a  beam 
which  lay  across  the  ship ;  Snsekolf  hewed  into  the  beam,  so 
that  he  hid  both  edges  of  the  sword.  Kari  hewed  at  him,  and 
the  sword  fell  upon  his  shoulder ;  and  the  blow  was  so  great 
that  he  cut  off  the  arm.  And  immediately  Snaekolf  had  his 
death. 

Griotgard  cast  a  spear  at  Kari ;  Kari  saw  it,  leapt  up  in  the 
air,  and  the  spear  missed  him.  By  this  time  Grim  and  Helgi 
had  come  to  join  Kari.  Helgi  sprang  at  Griotgard,  and  smote 
him  through  with  his  sword ;  and  that  was  his  death.  Then 
they  went  round  all  the  ships,  on  both  sides,  and  men  asked  for 
peace.     They  gave  them  all  peace,  but  took  all  their  goods. 

After  that,  they  laid  all  the  ships  under  the  islands,  and 
rested  there  for  a  while. 

[c.  85]  Sigurd  was  the  name  of  an  earl  who  ruled  over  the 
Orkneys.  He  was  the  son  of  Hlodve,  the  son  of  Thorfinn 
Skull-cleaver.  .  .  .  Kari  was  one  of  Sigurd's  body-guard,^  and 
he  had  been  taking  taxes  from  the  Hebrides,  from  earl  GilH.^ 

'  But  in  c.  25  (i,  loi).  Grim  is  called  Nial's  second  son;  Helgi,  Nial's 
third. 

^  hir'Sma^r  Siguf^ar. 

3  In  the  summer  when  Nidi's  sons  left  Norway  (979x988,  or  X994), 
Kari  took  taxes  to  earl  Hakon  ;  ibid.,  c.  89,  i,  450  :  "Then  Kari  went  to 
Hladir,  to  meet  the  earl ;  and  brought  his  taxes  [skatla  sind]  to  him.' 
Dasent   translates   this  "the   Orkney  scatts";   but   these   taxes  from   the 

2   I 


498  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

[Kari]  asked  Nial's  sons  to  go  with  him  to  Hrossey,  and 
said  that  the  earl  would  receive  them  well.  They  accepted  the 
invitation,  and  went  with  Kari,  and  came  to  Hrossey. 

Kari  accompanied  them  to  visit  the  earl,  and  told  what  men 
they  were.  "How  did  they  come  to  thee?"  said  the  earl.  "I 
found  them  in  Scotland's-firths,"i  said  Kari,  "and  they  were 
fighting  with  the  sons  of  Moddan  of  Duncansby ;  and  they 
defended  themselves  so  well  that  they  threw  themselves 
constantly  from  mast  to  mast,  and  were  ever  there  where  the 
danger  was  greatest.  And  I  wish  now  to  ask  for  them  that 
they  may  serve  as  guards  with  your  forces."  "  Thou  shalt 
decide,"  said  the  earl,  "  because  thou  hast  received  them  so 
much  already." 

They  were  there  with  the  earl  for  the  winter,^  and  were  well 
esteemed.  But  when  the  winter  was  on  its  way,  Helgi  became 
silent.  The  earl  wondered  why  that  should  be,  and  asked  why 
Helgi  was  silent ;  or  what  was  on  his  mind :  "  or  art  thou  not 
content  to  be  here ? "  "I  am  content  to  be  here,"  said  Helgi. 
"  What  thinkest  thou  then  ? "  said  the  earl.  "  Do  you  have  any 
dominion  to  guard  in  Scotland?"  said  Helgi.  "So  one  must 
think,"  said  the  earl ;  "  or  what  has  to  do  with  that  ? "  Helgi 
answered :  "  The  Scots  must  have  taken  your  steward  from 
life,  and  taken  all  the  messengers,  so  that  none  should  be  able 
to  go  over  the  Pentland  Firth."  The  earl  said :  "  Hast  thou 
second-sight?"^  Helgi  answered,  "That  has  been  but  little 
proved."  "  I  shall  increase  thy  honour,"  said  the  earl,  "if  this 
is  so ;  otherwise  thou  shalt  pay  for  it."  "  He  is  not  a  man  of 
that  sort,"  said  Kari,  "  and  he  must  have  spoken  truth,  because 
his  father  has  second-sight." 

Then  the  earl  sent  men  south  to  Stroma,  to  Arnliot  his 
steward.     After  that,  Arnliot  sent  men  south  over  the  Pentland 

Hebrides  are  probably  meant.  "  Earl  Hakon's  taxes  "  are  not  "  earl  Sigurd's 
taxes"  :  the  taxes  that  Kari  brought  from  the  Hebrides  are  not  said  to  have 
been  collected  for  Sigurd,  although  Kari  was  Sigurd's  vassal. 

'  { skotlandsJwfSum :  i.e.,  the  water-ways  between  the  Hebrides  and  the 
Scottish  western  coasts,  which  had  been  inhabited  by  Scots  before  the 
Norwegians  came.  The  Pentland  Firth  was  called  "Pictland's  Firth" 
(below);  the  Moray  Firth,  "Broad  Firth."  See  below,  pp.  504,  541.  Cf. 
H.,  Magnus  Barelegs,  cc.  8,  1 1. 

2  976x984-977x985  (certainly  x  991- x  992). 

^  ert  t/niforspdr  mdSr.     Similarly  Ijelow. 


EARLS  SIGURD,  HUNDI,  AND  MELSNATI  499 

Firth,  and  they  made  enquiries  there,  and  heard  that  earl 
Hundii  and  earl  Melsnati  had  taken  from  life  Havard,  earl 
Sigurd's  brother-in-law,2  in  Freswick.^  Then  Arnliot  sent  word 
to  earl  Sigurd,  that  he  must  come  south  with  a  great  army,  and 
drive  these  earls  out  of  the  dominion.  And  as  soon  as  the  earl 
learned  this,  he  collected  an  army  among  all  the  islands. 

[c.  86]  Then  the  earl  sailed  south  with  the  army ;  and  Kari 
accompanied  him,  and  Nial's  sons  also.  They  came  south  to 
Caithness.* 

The  earl  [Sigurd]  owned  this  dominion  in  Scotland  :  Ross 
and  Moray,  Sutherland  and  the  Dales.  Men  from  these 
dominions  came  to  meet  them,  and  said  that  the  earls  were  a 
short  distance  away  with  a  great  army.  Then  earl  Sigurd 
moved  thither  with  his  army.  And  the  name  of  the  place 
above  which  the  battle  was  is  Dungal's-peak.^  A  great  battle 
began  at  once  between  them.  The  Scots  had  sent  some  oi 
their  army  apart,  and  these  men  came  upon  the  earl's  men  in 
the  rear ;  and  there  was  great  loss  of  life  there,  until  Nial's  sons 
turned  against  them,  and  fought  with  them,  and  put  them  to 
flight.  The  battle  was  still  severe ;  so  Grim  and  Helgi  moved 
past  the  earl's  banner,^  and  struck  out  most  daringly.  Then 
Kari  turned  against  earl  Melsnati.  Melsnati  threw  a  spear  at 
Kari.  Kari  caught  it,  and  threw  back  the  spear,  and  transfixed 
the  earl.  Then  earl  Hundi  fled,  and  they  pursued  there  until 
they  learned  that  Malcolm,  the  Scottish  king,''  was  collecting  an 
army  in  Duncansby.  The  earl  then  took  counsel  with  his  men, 
and  it  seemed  best  to  them  all  to  turn  back,  and  not  to  fight 
with  so  great  a  land-army.     So  they  turned  back.     But  when 

^  This  Hundi  was  perhaps  the  father  of  the  king  Karl  Hundi's  son,  in 
the  Orkneyinga  Saga.  In  that  case,  if  Karl  were  Macbeth,  Hundi  would  be 
the  same  person  as  the  Findlaech  of  the  Orkneyinga  Saga  ;  and  this  battle 
would  be  the  battle  of  Skidmoor,  described  below. 

^  mdgr :  a  male  relative  by  marriage. 

^  Thrasvik. 

■*  I.e.  977  X  986  (certainly  x  992). 

°  dungalsgnipa. 

^  Cf.  the  raven  banner  carried  in  the  battle  of  Skidmoor,  below. 

'■  The  Scottish  king  is  incorrectly  named.  These  events  took  place, 
according  to  Nidla's  account,  during  the  reign  of  earl  Hakon  (976-995),  and 
apparently  before  the  death  of  the  Godfrey,  king  of  Man,  who  died  in  989. 
Probably  instead  of  Malcolm,  we  should  read  Kenneth,  Malcolm's  son 
(971-995)- 


500  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

the  earl  came  to  Stroma,  he  divided  the  spoils  there.  After 
that,  he  sailed  north  to  Hrossey.  Nial's  sons  followed  him, 
and  Kari. 

The  earl  made  there  a  great  banquet,  and  at  this  banquet 
the  earl  gave  Kari  a  good  sword,  and  a  gilded  spear ;  and  to 
Helgi,  a  gold  ring,  and  a  cloak ;  and  to  Grim,  a  shield,  and  a 
sword.  After  that  he  made  Helgi  and  Grim  his  body- 
guardsmen,  and  thanked  them  for  their  good  courage.  They 
were  with  the  earl  that  winter,^  and  in  summer,  until  Kari  went 
on  warfare.  They  went  with  him.  They  plundered  widely 
during  the  summer,  and  had  victory  everywhere. 

They  fought  with  Godfrey,  king  of  Man,  and  conquered 
him ;  and  after  that,  sailed  back  [to  Orkney] ;  and  they  had 
taken  much  treasure. 

They  were  with  the  earl  for  the  winter,^  and  they  sat  there 
in  high  favour.  In  spring,  Nial's  sons  asked  [leave]  to  go  to 
Norway.  The  earl  said  that  they  should  go  as  they  liked ;  and 
he  gave  them  a  good  ship,  and  stout  men.  Kari  told  them 
that  he  must  go  that  summer  to  Norway  with  earl  Hakon's 
taxes,  and  "  We  shall  meet  there,"  said  Kari :  and  on  that,  they 
arranged  to  meet  there.  Then  Nial's  sons  put  to  sea,  and 
sailed  to  Norway,  and  came  north  to  Trondhjem.  They 
abode  there.^ 

Before  995 
?  977  X  986 
Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  97 ;  Fornmanna  Sogur,  vol.  i, 

pp.  199-200 

Earl  Hlodve  died  of  disease,  and  Sigurd,  his  son,  took  the 
earldom  after  him.  Sigurd  became  a  powerful  earl  and  the 
ruler  of  wide  lands.  He  held  Caithness  by  might  against  the 
Scots,  and  had  an  army  out  every  summer :  he  plundered  in 
the  Hebrides,  in  Scotland  and  Ireland.* 

It   happened  one   summer  ^   that  the  earl  who   was   called 

'  I.e.  977  X  986-978  X  987  (certainly  before  992-993). 

^  I.e.  978  X  987-979  X  988  (certainly  before  993-994). 

^  I.e.  979x988  (certainly  x  994). 

*  This  paragraph  stands  similarly  in  the  Orkneyinga  Saga,  c.  11,  i,  14 
(from  Fl.,  i,  226) ;  but  "  great  ruler  "  stands  there  instead  of  "  powerful  earl." 

^  The  battle  between  Sigurd  and  Findlaech  stands  in  the  sagas  before 
the  Christianization  of  Orkney  in  995. 


EARLS  SIGURD  AND  FINDLAECH  501 

Findlaechi  came  down  from  Scotland  with  an  overwhelming 
army.  Findlaech  challenged  Sigurd  to  fight  at  Skidmoor  in 
Caithness,  and  appointed  a  day  for  the  battle. 

Earl  Sigurd  collected  an  army.  The  Orkneymen  were  not 
eager  to  fight  with  superior  numbers ;  because  it  is  said  that 
the  odds  were  not  less  than  seven  Scots  to  one  of  Sigurd's  men. 
So  the  earl  got  no  force  from  the  Orkneys,  until  he  gave  back 
to  the  farmers  all  their  odal  lands  in  the  islands,  to  [induce 
them  to  serve  in]  his  army.  Then  Sigurd  went  to  battle  with 
Findlaech,  and  Sigurd  had  the  victory ;  but  the  farmers  got 
possession  of  their  odal  lands  in  the  Orkneys. 

Platey-book  version  of  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  1 86 ; 

Flateyiarbok,  vol.  i,  pp.  226-227  ^ 

It  happened  one  summer  that  Findlaech,  the  earl  of  the 
Scots,  challenged  Sigurd  to  a  pitched  battle  at  Skidmoor,  on 
an  appointed  day.  But  Sigurd  went  to  his  mother,  for  a 
prediction  [of  the  result];  she  had  much  knowledge.  The 
earl  said  to  her  that  the  odds  would  not  be  less  than  seven 
men  to  one.  She  answered :  "  I  would  have  reared  thee  long 
in  my  wool-basket,  if  I  had  known  that  thou  wouldst  live  for 
ever.  And  Fate  rules  life,  but  not  where  a  man  is  come ;  better 
it  is  to  die  with  honour,  than  to  live  with  shame.  Here,  take 
with  thee  this  banner,  which  I  have  made  for  thee  with  all  my 
knowledge ;  and  I  deem  that  it  will  bring  victory  to  him  before 
whom  it  is  borne,  but  death  to  him  that  bears  it." 

The  banner  was  made  with  great  skill,  and  with  excellent 
handiwork.  It  was  made  in  the  form  of  a  raven ;  and  when 
the  wind  blew  out  the  banner,  it  was  as  if  the  raven  spread  its 
wings.^ 

^  Finnleikr.  This  seems  to  have  been  Findlaech,  mormaer  of  Moray, 
the  father  of  king  Macbeth  ;  and  probably  a  relative,  possibly  the  son,  of 
the  Macbeth  who  has  appeared  in  conflict  with  Skull,  Sigurd's  uncle, 
before  976. 

2  Also  in  R.S.  88,  i,  14-15. 

5  This  raven  banner  was  carried  in  the  battle  of  Clontarf;  Sigurd  fell 
there,  carrying  it. 

A  raven  banner  was  captured  from  the  Danes  led  by  a  son  of  Ragnar  in 
England,  in  878  ;  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle,  BDE  (879,  C)  ;  Asser,  Petrie's 
Monumenta,  481.  See  also  the  Annals  of  St  Neots,  s.a.  878,  in  Stevenson's 
Asser,  p.  138. 


502  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Earl  Sigurd  was  very  angry  at  his  mother's  words.  And 
he  gave  the  Orkneymen  their  hereditary  lands  ^  for  their 
support,  and  went  to  earl  Findlaech  at  Skidrnoor,  and  each 
arrayed  his  host.  And  when  the  battle  began,  earl  Sigurd's 
bannerman  was  shot  to  death.  The  earl  bade  another  man 
bear  the  standard ;  and  after  it  had  been  carried  for  a  while, 
he  fell.  Three  of  the  earl's  banner-bearers  fell,  but  he  had  the 
victory,  and  the  Orkneymen  received  their  odal-lands. 

979x988  —  981  X  990^ 

Nial's  Saga,  cc.  89-90  ;  vol.  i,  pp.  453-456^ 

[Nial's  sons]  agreed  to  this,*  and  went  to  Eric  [earl  Hakon's 
son],  and  were  with  him  there  until  Kari  was  ready  to  sail  west. 
Then  Eric  made  a  feast  for  Kari,  and  gave  him  good  gifts,  and 
to  Nial's  sons  also. 

Then  Kari  and  they  sailed  west  beyond  the  sea,  to  meet 
earl  Sigurd ;  and  he  received  them  very  well.  And  they  were 
with  the  earl  during  the  winter.^ 

And  in  spring^  Kari  asked  Nidi's  sons  to  go  with  him  on 
warfare.  But  Grim  said  they  would  do  that  if  [Kari]  would  go 
with  them  to  Iceland.  Kari  promised  this,  and  they  went  with 
him  on  warfare.  They  plundered  south  about  Anglesey,  and 
all  the  Hebrides.  Then  they  proceeded  to  Kintyre,''  and  went 
ashore  there,  and  fought  with  the  men  of  the  land  ;  and  they 
took  there  much  treasure,  and  went  to  their  ships. 

Thence  they  sailed  south  to  Wales,  and  plundered  there. 
Then  they  proceeded  to  Man.  There  they  met  Godfrey,  king 
of  Man^;  and  they  fought  with  him,  and  had  the  victory,  and 
slew  the  king's  son  Dungal.     There  they  took  much  treasure. 

Thence  they  proceeded  north  to  Coll,  and  they  met  earl 

'  See  above,  p.  391. 

^  Certainly  from  before  994  to  before  996. 

2  Also  R.S.  88,  i,  324. 

*  Earl  Hakon  had  fought  with  them,  and  taken  them  prisoners.  Kari 
made  a  reconciliation  between  them,  but  they  would  take  it  only  from 
Hakon's  son  Eric,  who  at  the  same  time  asked  them  to  be  his  guests. 

^  I.e.  979  X  988-980  X  989  (certainly  before  994-995). 

"  I.e.  980  X  989. 

'  til  satins  ;  sal{l)tiris  in  six  MSS.  (i.e.  the  Irish  sail-tire). 

*  This  Godfrey  seems  to  have  been  the  "king  of  the  Hebrides"  who  fell 
in  989  (above). 


KARl  AND  NIAL'S  SONS  IN  THE  HEBRIDES  503 

Gilli  there ;  and  he  received  them  well,  and  they  dwelt  with 
him  some  time.  The  earl  sailed  with  them  to  the  Orkneys,  to 
meet  earl  Sigurd.  And  in  spring  earl  Sigurd  gave  his  sister 
Nereid  in  marriage  to  earl  Gilli.  Then  [earl  Gilli]  went  to  the 
Hebrides. 

[c.  90]  That  summer,  Kari  and  Nial's  sons  prepared  to  go 
to  Iceland.  And  when  they  were  quite  ready,  they  went  to  see 
earl  [Sigurd].  He  gave  them  good  gifts,  and  they  parted  with 
great  friendship.     Then  they  put  out  to  sea.  .  .  .^ 

1  They  returned  to  Iceland.  Kari  married  Nial's  daughter  Helga.  He 
is  thenceforth  one  of  the  principal  characters  in  Nial's  Saga. 

Nial  was  the  son  of  Thorgeir  Gollni,  son  of  Ufeig  (or  of  Thorolf)  (Nial's 
Saga,  c.  20).  His  name  Njdll  seems  to  have  been  derived  from  Irish  Niall, 
as  Brjdnn  from  Irish  Brian  (ibid.,  c.  154). 

Nial  was  burned  in  his  house  in  loio,  according  to  the  Icelandic 
Annals  (KOCD  ;  1009,  E  ;  looi.  A).  The  leaders  of  the  avengers  were 
Kari  and  Thorgeir  Skorargeirr.  After  many  deaths,  Kari  persuaded 
Thorgeir  to  take  atonement ;  "  [Thorgeir]  asked  Kari  what  was  now 
undone  that  he  intended  to  do.  Kari  answered  :  '  I  intend  to  slay  Gunnar 
Lambi's  son  and  Kol  Thorstein's  son,  if  I  have  opportunity.  We  have 
then  slain  fifteen  men,  with  the  five  that  we  two  have  both  slain  together.' " 
Nial's  Saga,  c.  152;  i,  870.  Ibid.,  872:  "Gizur  [the  White]  gave  Kari  a  good 
sword  at  parting.  Then  [Kari]  rode  down  to  Eyrar,  and  took  his  passage 
there  with  Kolbein  the  Black.  [Kolbein]  was  an  Orkneyman,  and  an  old  friend 
of  Kari's  ;  and  he  was  the  most  impetuous  and  most  valiant  man.  He  took 
Kari  by  both  hands,  and  said  that  one  fate  should  go  over  them  both." 

Sigurd  continued  the  same  manner  of  life  after  his  compulsory  acceptance 
of  Christianity  in  995.  Cf  his  dealings  with  Gunnlaug,  in  Gunnlaug's  Saga 
Ormstungu,  in  Mobius's  Analecta  Norrcena,  148-149:  "Then  Gunnlaug 
[Serpent's-tongue]  sailed  from  England"  (in  j^Lthelred's  reign,  979-1016) 
"  with  merchants,  north  to  Dublin.  Then  ruled  over  Ireland  king  Sigtrygg 
Silk-beard,  son  of  Olaf  Cuaran  and  queen  Gormflaith  :  he  had  ruled  the 
kingdom  then  for  only  a  short  while.  .  .  .  Gunnlaug  .  .  .  remained  there  but 
a  little  while,  and  went  from  there  to  the  Orkneys. 

"At  that  time  earl  Sigurd,  Hlodve's  son,  ruled  over  the  Orkneys  ;  he  was 
well  [disposed]  to  Icelanders.  .  .  ."  At  the  same  time  (p.  150)  Olaf  was 
king  of  Sweden  [?  993-1022].  Sigtrygg  became  king  in  Ireland  in  or  before 
999  ;  therefore  this  occurred  not  long  after  999. 

This  was  during  the  reign  [1000-1013]  of  earl  Eric  in  Norway  (ibid., 
150);  and  not  long  before  Cnut's  accession  in  Denmark  (after  Sven  Fork- 
beard's  death  in  1008)  ( .".  1000x1008).  The  saga  also  implies  (p.  161) 
that  Gunnlaug  returned  [1008x1012]  to  Orkney  some  years  after  the 
accession  of  Cnut,  while  Sigurd  Hlodve's  son  [f  1014]  still  ruled  the  islands. 

Ibid.  161-162:  "Gunnlaug  Serpent's-tongue  took  ship  with  Hallfrod 
Troublesome-poet  north  in  Sldtta,  and  they  were  very  late  in  starting  ;  and 
they  sailed  to  sea  as  soon  as  there  was  a  favourable  wind,  and  came  to  the 


504  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

ca.  989-993 

Heimskringla,  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  cc.  30-32  ^ 

Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  warfare. 

Then^  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  proceeded  to  England,  and 
plundered  widely  in  the  land.  He  sailed  as  far  north  as  to 
Northumberland,  and  plundered  there;  thence  he  sailed  north 
to  Scotland,  and  plundered  widely  there ;  thence  he  sailed  to 
the  Hebrides,  and  had  some  battles  there.  Then  he  proceeded 
south  to  Man,  and  fought  there.  He  plundered  also  widely 
in  Ireland.  Then  he  went  on  to  Wales,  and  plundered  the 
land  widely,  and  also  the  land  which  is  called  Cumberland. 
Thence  he  sailed  west  to  France,  and  plundered  there ;  then 
he  sailed  from  the  west,  and  intended  to  sail  to  England. 
Then  he  came  to  the  islands  that  are  called  Scillies,  in  the  sea 
to  the  west  of  England.^  ...  * 

Orkneys  a  little  before  winter.  Then  earl  Sigurd  Hlodve's  son  ruled  over 
the  islands,  and  Gunnlaug  went  to  him  and  was  there  for  the  winter,  and 
the  earl  esteemed  him  highly.  And  in  spring  the  earl  prepared  for  warfare. 
Gunnlaug  prepared  to  voyage  with  him  ;  and  they  plundered  in  summer 
widely  about  the  Hebrides  and  Scotland's  Firths,  and  they  had  many  battles ; 
and  Gunnlaug  proved  the  most  valiant  man,  and  the  most  manly  lad,  and 
the  hardiest  warrior,  wherever  they  came. 

"  Sigurd  returned  early  in  the  summer,  and  then  Gunnlaug  entered  his 
ship  with  the  merchants,  who  were  sailing  to  Norway  ;  and  earl  Sigurd  and 
he  parted  with  great  friendship."  Earl  Eric  [f  1013]  was  then  still  alive  ; 
therefore  Gunnlaug  left  Orkney  loogx  1013. 

'  Cf.  Fr.,  114-115.  The  same  events  are  in  Olaf's  Saga,  cc.  77-So 
(F.S.,  i,  142-149;  cc.  91-93  in  FL,  i,  119-122).  Olafs  Saga  quotes  in 
addition  20  lines  from  Hallarstein,     Cf.  J.S.,  i,  B,  525-535. 

^  After  the  death  of  his  wife,  Geira  ;  and  after  a  plundering  campaign 
in  Friesland,  Saxony,  and  Flanders  (c.  30).  The  dates  are  deduced  from 
Olaf's  Saga,  but  may  be  a  few  years  too  late. 

Historia  Norwegiae,  in  Storm's  Monumenta,  113:  "Thence  [from 
lomsburg,  Olaf]  proceeded  to  Friesland;  afterwards  he  went  to  England; 
he  plundered  these  [lands]  greatly,  and  did  marvels  in  Scotland,  sparing 
none  in  Ireland." 

Agrip,  c.  16,  F.S.,  X,  392  (and  in  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xxix,  353) :  "  He 
carried  warfare  far  both  in  Wendland  and  in  Flanders  ;  in  England  and  in 
Scotland  ;  in  Ireland,  and  in  many  other  lands.  He  had  constantly  his 
winter-seat  in  Wendland,  in  the  town  that  was  called  lomsburg." 

2  He  was  driven  from  his  course  by  a  storm.     Olafs  Saga,  c.  78. 

*  Here  are  i6  lines  of  verse,  attributed  to  Hallfrod  Troublesome-poet. 
They  were  quoted  in  Olaf's  Saga,  c.  -jj.  See  Corpus  Poeticum  Boreale,  ii, 
95  ;  J.S.,  i,  A  158-159;  B150. 


KING  OLAF'S  EXPEDITION  505 

Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  passed  four  winters  in  this  warfare,  from 
the  time  when  he  left  Wendland  to  the  time  when  he  reached 
the  Scillies.^ 

[c.  31]  .  .  .^  And  it  was  so,  that  Olaf  was  baptized  there, 
and  all  his  company.  He  stayed  there  for  a  long  time,  and 
took  the  true  faith  ^ ;  and  he  brought  with  him  from  there 
priests  and  other  learned  men. 

[c.  32]  ...  In  autumn  Olaf  sailed  from  the  Scillies  to 
England,  and  lay  there  in  a  certain  harbour.  He  went  this 
time  in  peace,  because  England  was  Christian,  and  he  too  was 
Christian.*  .  .  . 

1  Olaf's  Saga,  c.  78  : 

"Then  four  winters  had  passed,  from  the  time  when  he  sailed  from 
Wendland." 

^  Olaf  was  brought  to  Christianity  by  a  seer  who  lived  in  the  Scilhes.  Cf. 
Theoderic,  c.  7,  and  Historia  Norwegiae,  in  Storm's  Monumenta,  14,  114-115. 

^  Olafs  Saga,  c.  79  (F.S.,  i,  148;  Fl.,  i,  122):  "Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  was 
twenty-five  years  old  when  he  was  baptized.  Then  993  years  had  passed, 
from  the  Incarnation  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  This  was  in  the  loth  year 
of  the  reign  of  emperor  Otho  the  Young,  the  21st  year  of  ^thelred  the 
English  king"  (Otho  III,  983-1002  ;  ^thelred,  978-1016). 

The  later  Icelandic  Annals  say  that  "  Olaf,  Tryggvi's  son,  was  baptized 
in  the  Scillies"  in  993  (CPL  ;  992,  A). 

*  The  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle  (BCDE)  says  that  Olaf  [Tryggvi's  son]  and 
Sven  [Fork-beard]  came  to  London  with  94  ships  and  attacked  the  castle, 
in  994  ;  on  the  8th  September  (BCD.  Version  A  says,  in  993,  and  with  93 
ships  ;  and  omits  Sven).  They  were  repulsed  with  loss,  but  plundered 
savagely  in  Essex,  Kent,  Sussex,  and  Hampshire ;  and  wintered  in 
Southampton,  receiving  from  Wessex  16,000  pounds,  and  food.  Bishop 
^Elflieah  brought  Olaf  with  great  honour  to  king  ^thelred  ;  ^Ethelred  gave 
Olaf  gifts,  and  Olaf  promised  not  to  invade  England  again.  (A.S.C.,  BCDE, 
records  the  appearance  of  a  comet  in  995  ;  cf.  Annales  Sangallenses 
Majores,  s.a.  989  =  995,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  i,  80.) 

According  to  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga  (cc.  79,  86),  Olaf  was  in  England 
from  993  to  994.  The  saga  and  the  chronicle  do  not  agree  :  either  Olaf 
must  have  come  to  England  before  he  was  baptized  in  Scilly,  or  else  he 
must  have  fought  in  England  after  he  was  baptized.  "  The  terms  of  peace 
and  the  covenant  which  king  ^thelred  and  all  his  council  have  made  with 
the  army  that  Olaf  [Tryggvi's  son]  and  Justin  and  Gudmund  Stegita's  son 
were  with,"  are  to  be  found  in  Thorpe's  Ancient  Laws  and  Institutes,  i, 
121-124  ;  527-528. 

Thenceforward  Olaf  and  ^thelred  were  good  friends  ;  ^thelred's  son 
Edward  revered  Olaf's  memory.  See  Olafs  Saga,  cc.  285,  286  ;  Odd's 
Olaf's  Saga,  c.  74  (F.S.,  iii,  63-64  ;  x,  371-372) ;  Fl.,  i,  506,  516. 

Odd's   Olafs   Saga,  c.   13  ;    F.S.,  x,  p.   253  (after  Olaf's  meeting  with 


506  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

993-995 

Orkneyinga  Saga,  c.  I2  ;  vol.  i,  p.  15^ 

Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  was  four  winters  [989-993]  in  warfare  in 
the  western  lands  after  he  came  from  Wendland,  before  he  had 
himself  baptized  in  the  Scilly  Isles.  From  there  he  sailed  to 
Ireland,  and  married  there  Gyda,  the  daughter  of  Cuaran,  the 
Irish  king.2 

Then  he  dwelt  for  a  time  in  Dublin,  until  earl  Hakon  sent 
Thori  Klakka  west  to  entice  him  away.  .  .  . 

emperor  Otho  and  king  Harold  of  Denmark.  Cf.  lomsvikinga  Saga,  c.  10  ; 
F.S.,  xi,  32):  "Then  Olaf  and  his  followers  went  with  their  army  and 
harried  on  the  Britons  [Welsh],  and  the  Irish,  and  the  Scots  :  and  they 
harried  on  the  heathen  peoples,  [but  let]  the  Christians  go  in  peace." 
There  was  at  this  time  in  Northumberland  an  earl  Sigurd  (ibid.,  c.  11, 
p.  245),  who  made  a  treaty  with  Olaf  (c.  13,  p.  253). 

1  Reconstructed  chapter. 

-  Heimskringla,  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son,  c.  32  (cf.  Fr.,  115),  says  that  Olaf 
married  there  "a  queen  who  was  named  Gyda,  a  sister"  (read  "daughter") 
"of  Olaf  Cuaran,  who  was  king  in  Ireland  at  Dublin.  She  had  been  given 
in  marriage  to  a  powerful  earl  in  England  ;  he  was  now  dead,  and  she 
held  his  dominion  after  him.  .  .  .  Olaf  then  married  Gyda,  and  dwelt  in 
England,  but  sometimes  in  Ireland."  Cf.  also  c.  52.  The  same  story  is 
in  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  cc.  80,  82  (Fl.,  i,  150-15 1) ;  Odd's  Olaf's  Saga, 
ed.  Munch,  14,  where  Gyda  is  called  "the  sister  of  Olaf  Cuaran,  the  king 
of  the  Scots"  (similarly  in  F.S.,  x,  255). 

This  story  is  romantic  rather  than  historical.  Olaf  Cuaran  had  died  in 
980,  14  years  before  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  went  to  Dublin. 

There  was  a  Danish  colony  at  this  time  in  Wales  or  Cumbria  {Breiland). 
It  was  ruled  by  earl  Stefni ;  he  divided  it  with  Palnatoki,  who  married 
Stefni's  daughter  Alof.  (See  lomsvikinga  Saga,  c.  16;  F.S.,  xi,  50-51.) 
With  Stefni  ruled  Biorn  the  British,  a  contemporary  of  Alof  (cf.  c.  2?, 
xi,  68). 

Stefni  died  in  the  year  of  Harold  Gorm's  son's  death  (?992  ;  but  the 
lomsvikinga  Saga's  story  requires  an  earlier  date) ;  Palnatoki  succeeded  to 
Stefni's  dominions  (lomsv.  S.,  c.  21  ;  F.S.,  xi,  67-68).  Palnatoki  plundered 
in  Scotland  and  Ireland  for  12  summers,  leaving  Biorn  to  rule  his  dominions 
(c.  25,  p.  73).  Palnatoki's  son  Aki  was  a  contemporary  of  Sven  Forkbeard 
(Olafs  Saga,  c.  84).  Palnatoki  divided  his  dominions  with  Vagn,  Aki's  son, 
and  Biorn  the  British ;  (lomsvikinga  Saga,  c.  33  ;  F.S.,  xi,  98 ;)  they 
ruled  Bretland  after  Palnatoki's  death  (c.  37;  F.S.,  xi,  iii).  (FL,  i, 
156  ff.) 

Biorn  (an  old  man),  and  Vagn,  fought  against  earl  Hakon  (992  x  995). 
They  were  captured  in  Hakon's  defeat  [in  994]  of  the  lomsburg  vikings,  but 
released.      (Cf.   H.,   Olaf  Tryggvi's   son,   cc.    35-42.)      Biorn   returned   to 


CHRISTIANITY  IN  ORKNEY  507 

995 

Theoderic,  Historia  de  Antiquitate  Regum  Norwagiensium, 

c.  9;  Storm's  Monumenta,  pp.  16-17 

By  [Olaf's']  persistence,  the  earl  of  the  Orkneys  became 
Christian,  with  all  his  people. 

Olaf,  departing  from  England,  went  by  a  direct  route  to 
the  Orkney  islands ;  and  because  these  are  subject  to  the 
Norwegian  king,  he  called  upon  earl  Sigurd,  who  then  ruled 
the  same  islands,  to  become  Christian.  And  when  he  prevari- 
cated and  objected,  Olaf  pressed  him  the  more.  But  [Sigurd] 
promised  that  he  would  be  subject  to  [Olaf]  as  his  king,  if 
[Olaf]  did  not  force  him  to  [accept]  Christianity.  And  after  a 
long  contest,  it  is  said  that  Olaf  seized  [Sigurd's]  son  from  the 
Bretland  (Olafs  Saga,  c.  90),  and  ruled  there  till  his  death  (lomsvikinga 
Saga,  c.  48  ;  F.S.,  xi,  156). 

He  went  west  to  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  in  Dublin  [994  x  995]  (Olafs  Saga,  c.91). 

According  to  B.T.  in  M.A.,  693,  Danes  were  in  Anglesey  (Mon)  in  993  ; 
Sven,  Harold's  son,  was  there  in  994  ;  and  Danes  were  in  South  Wales  in 
996.  "  Manaw  [St  David's]  was  devastated  by  Sven  Harold's  son  "  in  994, 
according  to  B.S.  in  M.A.,  659.  A.C.,  MS.  B,  says  that  Menevia  [St 
David's]  was  devastated  in  [993] ;  and  that  "  Sven,  Harold's  son,  wasted 
Eumonia"  [i.e.,  Man]  in  [995]. 

Sven  and  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  were  repulsed  from  London  on  8th 
September,  994  (A.S.C.,  CDEF). 

King  Sven  Forkbeard  and  the  lomsburg  vikings  held  a  funeral  feast  for 
Sven's  father,  Harold  Gorm's  son,  about  the  "winter-nights"  of  October, 
994  ;  "  two  winters  after  Harold  Gorm's  son  had  fallen  [in  ?  992],  and  five 
winters  from  the  time  when  king  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  had  sailed  from 
Wendland  [in  .''989].  Olaf  was  at  that  time  in  the  west  beyond  the  sea, 
and  had  married  Gyda  the  English "  (Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  86  ; 
F.S.,  i,  164).  At  this  feast,  Sven  vowed  to  invade  England,  and  kill  or 
drive  out  king  ^thelred,  before  three  winters  should  have  passed  ;  and  the 
lomsburg  vikings  vowed  to  invade  Norway  within  three  years,  and  drive 
out  earl  Hakon.     (So  also  in  H.,  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son,  c.  35.) 

After  Yule,  in  994  (Fl.,  i,  187),  "  in  mid-winter  time"  (Odd's  Olafs  Saga, 
F.S.,  X,  257),  the  lomsburg  vikings  were  defeated  by  earl  Hakon  at 
Hiorungavdgr  in  Norway.  Cf.  Olafs  Saga,  cc.  89  ff.  (F.S.,  i,  168-179; 
lomsvikinga  Saga,  cc.  41  ff.  (F.S.,  xi,  122).  See  FL,  i,  182-202.  This 
battle  is  placed  under  994  in  the  Icelandic  Annals  (KBOCDPEL  ;  993,  A). 

With  the  lomsburg  vikings  were  Biorn  the  British,  and  Vagn,  Aki's 
son,  from  Wales. 

Sven  plundered  Exeter  and  Wilton  in  1003,  Norwich  and  Thetford  in 
1004  ;  but  afterwards  he  lost  many  men.  In  1005  there  was  famine  in 
England,  and  the  Danish  fleet  returned  for  a  while  to  Denmark  (A.S.C., 
CDEF).     See  the  lomsvikinga  Saga,  cc.  50-51  (F.S.,  xi,  158-159). 


508  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

place  where  he  was  being  fostered — a  little  boy  of  three  years, 
Thorfinn  by  name^;  protesting  that  he  would  kill  him  in  his 
father's  sight,  and  moreover  threatening  perpetual  enmity,  if 
[Sigurd]  did  not  consent. 

As  it  is  written :  "  Fill  their  faces  with  shame,  and  they 
shall  seek  thy  name,  O  Lord,"^  the  earl  dreaded  both  things, 
both  Olaf  s  most  just  anger,  and  the  death  of  his  son ;  and 
believing,  or  rather  consenting,  was  baptized,  with  all  the 
people  subject  to  him  :  and  afterwards  he  was  confirmed  in  the 
faith,  and  remained  faithful,  and  all  his  successors.^ 

995 

Heimskringla,  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  47* 

Thori  urged  [Olaf  Tryggvi's  son]  vehemently  to  this  journey,^ 
and  praised  him  much,  and  his  ability.  Then  Olaf  began  to 
long  greatly  for  his  heritage. 

1  This  is  an  error.     Thorfinn  was  this  boy's  step-brother. 

^  Psalm  LXXXIII,  16  (Vulgate,  LXXXII,  17). 

3  Here  the  sagas'  account  is  to  be  preferred  to  Theoderic's.     See  below. 

Odd's  Olafs  Saga,  c.  23  (Munch's  ed.  ;  of.  the  F.S.  version,  x,  276-277), 
says  that  Olaf  set  out  from  Norway  to  Russia  and  England  after  he  had 
been  one  winter  in  Norway  [i.e.  in  996] ;  Olaf  brought  from  England,  in 
autumn,  "  bishop  John,  and  many  priests  ;  Thangbrand  and  Thormod  and 
many  teachers  ;  .  .  .  and  when  they  were  ready,  they  sailed  to  the  Orkneys. 
And  there  the  ruler  was  earl  Sigurd,  Hlodve's  son,  a  great  lord.  .  .  ."  The 
rest  of  the  account  is  probably  derived  from  Theoderic.  When  Sigurd 
refused  to  accept  Christianity,  Olaf  threatened  to  kill  Hvelp,  Sigurd's 
"  young  son,  who  was  being  reared  with  great  care  in  another  island." 
This  voyage  of  996  has  been  invented  by  Odd,  who  thought  it  more 
probable  that  Olaf  should  have  made  himself  king  before  he  began  to 
Christianize  outlying  districts.  There  seems  to  be  no  doubt  that  Olafs 
dealings  with  Sigurd  occurred  on  his  way  to  Norway,  in  995. 

*  Cf.  Fr.,  127-128  ;  and  O.S.,  c.  12  (reconstructed  chapter),  i,  15.  See 
Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  cc.  91,  94,  98  (c.  187  in  Flatey-book  version  ; 
R.S.  88,  i,  311-314). 

^  Earl  Hakon,  "in  the  29th  year  of  his  reign"  (read  "  19th"?),  "learned 
that  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  was  in  England"  (Theoderic,  c.  7,  p.  13) ;  he  sent 
Thori  Klakka  to  lure  Olaf  from  Ireland  to  Norway,  to  claim  the  kingdom 
from  earl  Hakon. 

Olafs  Saga  and  H.  say  that  Thori  found  Olaf  in  Dublin  with  Olaf 
Cuaran,  his  kinsman-in-law  "  ;  see  above,  p.  506,  note. 

With  Olaf  Cuaran  in  Dublin  had  been  Thorgils  Orraskild,  son  of 
Thorvard,  son  of  Thorbiorn  Black  ;  Landnamabok,  Sturla's  version,  c.  31, 
p.  139  ("an  otherwise  unknown  Icelandic  poet"  F.  Jonsson). 


CHRISTIANITY  IN  ORKNEY  509 

Then  Olaf  sailed  from  the  west  with  five  ships,  [coming] 
first  to  the  Hebrides;  Thori^  accompanied  him.  Then  he 
sailed  to  the  Orkneys. 

Earl  Sigurd,  Hlodve's  son,  lay  then  in  [South]  Ronaldshay, 
in  AsmundarvAgr,  with  one  long-ship,  and  he  was  intending 
to  sail  over  to  Caithness.  Then  Olaf  sailed  to  the  islands  with 
his  army  from  the  west  and  put  into  harbour  there,  because 
the  Pentland  Firth  was  not  passable.  And  when  the  king 
knew  that  the  earl  lay  there  already,  he  had  the  earl  called 
to  speak  with  him. 

But  when  the  earl  came  to  speak  with  the  king,  they  had 
spoken  but  little  before  the  king  said  ^  that  the  earl  must  have 
himself  baptized,  and  all  the  people  of  his  land,  or  as  alternative 
he  should  die  on  the  spot,  immediately ;  and  the  king  said  that 
he  would  go  with  fire  and  burning  through  the  islands,  and 
devastate  the  land,  unless  the  people  were  baptized.  And 
since  the  earl  was  thus  pressed  he  chose  to  take  baptism  ;  so  he 
was  baptized,  and  all  the  people  who  were  there  with  the  earl. 

Then  the  earl  swore  to  the  king  an  oath,  and  became  his 
man,  and  gave  him  as  a  hostage  his  son,  who  was  called  Hvelp 
or  Hund^;  and  Olaf  took  him  to  Norway  with  him.  .  .  . 

995 

Platey-book  version  of  Olaf  s  Saga,  c.  187; 

Flateyiarbok,  vol.  i,  p.  229* 

Olaf  had  the  lad  baptized,  with  the  name  of  Hlodve^;  and 
he  took  him  with  him  to  Norway.  Earl  Sigurd  bound  with 
oaths  all  their  compact.  Then  king  Olaf  sailed  out  from  the 
Orkneys,  but  placed  there  behind  him  priests  to  instruct  the 
people,  and  to  teach  them  holy  lore.^ 

King  Olaf  and  earl  Sigurd  parted  with  friendship. 

Hlodve  lived  but  a  short  while.     And  after  [Hlodve]  was 

'  "Thori  and  his  companions"  in  Olaf's  Saga.  These  were  called 
Justin  and  Karlshofud,  sons  of  Eric  of  Ofrostadir  :  ibid.,  cc.  93,  94. 

2  There  is  a  long  speech  here  in  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  u.s. 

3  I.e.  "Whelp  or  Dog";  possibly  for  Gaelic  Culen,  or  Cu  ;  Matadan, 
or  Matad. 

*  Also  in  R.S.  88,  i,  314.  Similarly  in  the  reconstructed  c.  13  in  O.S., 
i,  15. 

'>  Hlodver  was  the  Icelandic  form  of  the  name  Ludovicus  or  Lewis. 
^  So  also  in  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  98  (F.S.,  i,  202). 


510  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

dead,  earl  Sigurd  paid  king  Olaf  no  allegiance ;  he  proceeded 
then  1  to  marry  the  daughter  of  Malcolm,  king  of  the  Scots ; 
and  their  son  was  Thorfinn. 

'  I.e.  before  Olafs  death  in  looo? 

This  marriage  is  noticed  again  in  Fl.'s  Olafs  Saga,  c.  444  (O.S.,  c.  13, 
i,  i6)  ;  it  is  there  said  to  have  taken  place  "a  little  after  king  Olaf,  Tryggvi's 
son,  and  earl  Sigurd,  Hlodve's  son,  had  come  to  an  agreement"  (Fl.,  i,  558). 

This  alliance  ended  the  payment  to  Norwegian  kings  of  the  tribute 
levied  on  odal  lands  in  Orkney.     See  year  894  x.     Cf.  1020-1022. 

Olafs  arrival  in  Norway  caused  Hakon's  death.  Hakon's  sons,  Eric 
and  Svein,  fled  to  Sweden. 

The  Icelandic  Annals  place  the  death  of  earl  Hakon,  the  beginning  of 
Olafs  reign  in  Norway,  and  the  birth  of  St  Olaf,  in  995  (KBCA) :  and  Olafs 
death  in  1000  (KOCDA  ;  999,  B). 

The  dates  of  Olafs  reign  are  fairly  well  established  :  he  reigned  for  5 
years  (cf  Odd's  Olafs  Saga,  c.  22  ;  F.S.,  x,  275  ;  and  Konungatal,  in  Fl., 
ij  583),  from  995  to  1000. 

Olafs  Saga  (c.  256  in  F.S.,  iii,  11  ;  c.  386  in  Fl.,  i,  496)  :  "  It  is  said  that 
this  battle  [of  Svoldr]  was  on  the  second  day  of  the  week,  the  fifth  Ides-day 
of  the  month  of  September,  one  night  after  the  later  Mary's-mass" 
(.".  Monday,  9th  September,  1000)  ;  "then  had  passed,  from  the  Incarnation 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  1000  years  :  that  was  in  the  8th  year  of  the  third 
decade  of  the  reign  of  king  ^thelred  in  England,  and  the  8th"  (7th,  in  Fl.) 
"year  of  the  reign  of  Sven  Forkbeard,  king  of  the  Danes.  In  the  same 
year  died  Otho,  who  third  was  emperor  with  that  name  ;  and  Henry  took 
dominion."  (Henry  II  became  emperor  in  1002.  ^thelred's  28th  year  was 
997-998).  See  Adam  of  Bremen,  who  appears  to  place  the  battle  in  1000  or 
looi  ;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vii,  320. 

"  King  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  fought  on  the  Long  Serpent,  the  next  day 
after  Mary's  Mass"  Mantissa,  c.  2  ;  Origines,  i,  269. 

Similarly,  his  Saga  (c.  285,  F.S.,  iii,  63)  says  that  Olaf  fought  in 
Wendland  (just  before  the  battle  at  Svoldr),  when  yEthelred  had  been  king 
in  England  for  27  years  ;  and  that  ^thelred  reigned  for  1 1  years  afterwards 
(the  numbers  are  23 — read  26? — and  12,  in  Fl.,  i,  506,  537).  The  saga  puts 
yEthelred's  reign  too  early  by  five  years.  A.S.C.  dates  vEthelred's  accession 
in  978  (AC  ;  979,  DEF)  and  his  death  in  1016  (CDEF). 

After  Olafs  death,  Hakon's  son's  Eric  and  Svein  ruled  Norway,  under 
Danish  and  Swedish  suzerainty. 

Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  139  ;  F.S.,  i,  276,  says  that  Stefni,  son  of 
Thorgils,  son  of  Eilif,  son  of  Helgi  Biola,  travelled  far  with  Thorvald 
Wide-farer  :  "At  last  Stefni  returned  to  the  North-lands  ;  and  he  met  Olaf 
Tryggvi's  son  west  beyond  the  sea,  and  became  his  man.  He  went  with 
king  Olaf  from  the  west  to  Norway."  Similarly  in  c.  238  of  the  Flatey-book 
version. 

Thorvald  Wide-farer  was  taken  in  Scotland  and  enslaved,  in  the  year 
when  Hen-Thori  fell,  and  Arngrim  Godi  was  outlawed  :  Hen-Thori's  Saga, 
Origines  Islandlcae,  ii,  38. 


EARL  SIGURD  AND  KING  KENNETH  II  511 

995 

Heimskringla,  St  Olaf's  Saga,  c.  96^ 

In  [Sigurd's]  days,  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  sailed  from  western 
piracy  with  his  army.  And  he  lay  off  the  Orkneys,  and  seized 
earl  Sigurd  in  [South]  Ronaldshay,  where  [Sigurd]  lay  with 
one  ship  before  him.  King  Olaf  offered  the  earl,  to  ransom 
his  life,  that  he  should  take  baptism  and  the  true  faith,  and 
become  his  man,  and  proclaim  Christianity  about  all  the 
Orkneys.  King  Olaf  took  as  hostage  [Sigurd's]  son,  who  was 
called  Hundi  or  Hvelp. 

Thence  Olaf  sailed  to  Norway,  and  became  king  there.^ 
Hundi  was  with  king  Olaf  some  winters,  and  he  died  there.^ 
But  afterwards  earl  Sigurd  did  no  homage  to  king  Olaf;  he 
proceeded  to  marry  the  daughter  of  Malcolm,  the  Scottish  king ; 
and  their  son  was  Thorfinn.  But  earl  Sigurd's  elder  sons  were 
Sumarlidi,  Brusi,  Einar  Wrymouth  ;  and  they  divided  the  lands 
among  them,  into  thirds. 


995 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  349* 

Kenneth,  Malcolm's  son,  king  of  Scotland,  was   killed   by 
his  subjects.^ 

'  This,  perhaps  resting  upon  Ari's  larlabok,  is  probably  the  most 
authoritative  account  of  Olaf's  dealings  with  Sigurd  and  his  son. 

2  In  995. 

^  I.e.,  997  X  1000. 

Shetland  also  seems  to  have  received  Christianity  at  this  time.  According 
to  Nial's  Saga,  c.  100;  i,  526:  "And  king  Olaf  had  christianized  the 
western  lands — Shetland,  and  Orkney,  and  the  Faroes."  This  was  before 
Thangbrand's  mission  to  Iceland  (in  997).  Cf.  Odd's  Olaf's  Saga,  48  ; 
Agrip,  c.  16  (F.S.,  X,  317  ;  393).  The  Historia  Norwegiae  says  (i  15-116), 
after  mentioning  the  flight  of  earl  Hakon's  sons  :  "  Meanwhile  Olaf  was 
reconciling  all  his  compatriots  in  the  maritime  districts  to  the  King  of  kings  ; 
and  such  as  the  bishop  [John]  could  not  reduce  with  the  spiritual  sword, 
[Olaf]  reduced  by  applying  the  material  sword  to  the  empire  of  Christ — 
noble  and  ignoble,  the  suckling  and  the  aged.  And  so  it  happened  that 
within  five  years  he  rendered  to  Christ  all  his  tributaries  : — the  Shetlanders, 
the  Orkneymen,  the  Faroe-men,  and  the  Icelanders  ;  renowned  in  their 
faith,  rejoicing  in  their  hope,  fervent  in  their  charity.  .  .  ."  Cf.  Fareyinga 
Saga,  c.  42,  p.  189. 

For  bishop  John,  the  most  important  of  the  priests  brought  by  Olaf  from 


512  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

971-995 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  A ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  10 

Kenneth,  Malcolm's  son,  reigned years.  He  immedi- 
ately plundered  Britain  in  part.  Kenneth's  foot-soldiers  were 
slain  with  very  great  slaughter,  in  Moin  Vacornar.^ 

The  Scots  plundered  England  ^  to  Stanemore,  and  to  Cluiam, 
and  to  the  lakes  of  Dereham.^ 

And  Kenneth  walled  the  banks  of  the  fords  of  Forthin.* 

After  a  year,  Kenneth  went  and  plundered  England,  and 
carried  off  the  son  of  the  king  of  the  Saxons. 

It  is  he  who  consigned  the  great  city  of  Brechin  to  the  Lord.^ 

971-995 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  versions  DFGI ;  in 
Skene's  Picts  and  Scots,  pp.  152,  174-175,  302,  289** 

Kenneth,  Malcolm's  son,  reigned  for  twenty-four  years  and 
two  months.  And  he  was  killed  by  his  own  men  in  Fettercairn,^ 
England,  see  Adam  of  Bremen,  II,  35  ;   IV,  33  (M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vii, 

3I9>  383)- 

■*  Placed  in  the  same  year  as  the  death  of  Ronald,  Ivar's  grandson 
(t  995) ;  7  year-sections  after  the  death  of  Dunstan  (f  988). 

5  So  also  in  C.S.,  234,  Hennessy's  year  993  =  995  (but  there  the  words 
"king  of  Scotland"  are  omitted). 

A. I.,  47,  O'Conor's  year  977  =  995  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  995) :  "The  death 
of  Kenneth,  Malcolm's  son,  sovereign  of  Scotland." 

A.U.,  i,  502,  s.a.  994  or  995=995  :  "Kenneth,  Malcolm's  son,  king  of 
Scotland,  was  killed  by  treachery." 

'  In  the  facsimile,  ibid,  before  p.  3,  some  mark  of  contraction  stands 
over  the  last  letter  of  this  name. 

Skene  in  his  Celtic  Scotland  (i,  368)  read  the  name  Moin  na  Cornar, 
and  understood  by  it  some  moss  upon  the  shores  of  "  the  water  which  gave 
its  name  to  Abercorn."     This  is  very  doubtful. 

2  Saxoniam,  a  Latin  rendering  of  the  Old  Gaelic  Saxain. 
2  ad  stangna  Dera'm.     The  writing  of  the  MS.,  as  it  is  represented  in 
Skene's  facsimile,  does  not  distinguish  clearly  between  the  letters  u  and  //, 
etc.      Skene  in  his  Celtic  Scotland  read  this  passage  ad  Stanmoir  et  ad 
Clivam  et  ad  Stang  na  Deramy,  and  translated  it  thus  :  "  as  far  as  Stanmore, 
Cleveland  and  the  pools  of  Deira,"  adding,  "that  is,  the  part  of  Northumbria 
which  had  been  placed  as  a  separate  earldom  under  Eadulf"     The  whole 
matter  is  very  obscure,  and  these  identifications  seem  rather  groundless. 
*  I.e.  the  Forth?     But  this  spelling  of  that  name  is  unfamiliar. 
^  Here  version  A  of  the  Chronicle  of  the  Kings  ends. 
"  Similarly  in  K  (205-206).     N  (306)  reads:    "Kenneth  [reigned]  for  24 


KING  KENNETH  AND  FINELLA  513 

through  the  treachery  of  Finella,  the  daughter  of  Cunthar/  earl  ^ 
of  Angus.  This  Finella's  only  son  had  been  killed  by  the 
aforesaid^  Kenneth.* 


971-995 

Prose  and  Verse  Chronicles  inserted  in  the  Chronicle  of 
Melrose,  p.  226,  s.a.  969  ^ 

Culen,  the  king  of  the  Scots,  was  killed.  And  after  him, 
"  Kenneth,  the  son  of  Malcolm,  is  said  to  have  reigned  in 
Scotland  with  renown  for  twenty-four  [years].  He  was  killed 
by  trickery  and  craft,  at  Fettercairn  ;  falling  by  the  deceit  of 
Finella,  Cuncar's  daughter."^ 

years  ;  and  he  was  killed.     And  he  is  buried  in  the  island  of  lona."     For 
unexpanded  versions,  see  above,  p.  cxxxix. 
'  "  in  Fettercairn  "  not  in  K. 


^  Finuele  filie  Jilie  Cicnthar,  D  ;  Findle  Cunniichar,  F  ;  Finuele  Jilie 
Cimthar,  G  (reading  Finiele,  below)  ;  Finuele  filie  Cunchai;  I.  Perhaps 
=  Irish  Findguala,  Conchobar?  But  the  father's  name  looks  like  Welsh 
Cincar. 

2  "thane"  K. 

^  Yq^  predictum  in  G,  rta.A  predichis. 

*  F  adds,  apud  Dunismoev ;  G,  apiidj  I,  apud  Dimsion.  Read,  "at 
Dunsinnan,"  as  in  Fordun  IV,  32  ? 

The  Duan  Albanach,  in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  63:  "Twenty-seven  [years] 
over  every  clan  had  Kenneth,  Malcolm's  son."    (For  axxuii  read  xxiiii.) 

For  the  story  of  Kenneth's  duel  with  king  Edgar  (E  C,  78),  cf.  the 
Legend  of  St  Edith  ;  Horstmann,  Altenglische  Legenden,  19-20. 

Fordun  (IV,  28)  says  that  the  peace  with  England,  inaugurated  between 
king  Malcolm  and  king  Edmund  (see  year  945),  continued  throughout  the 
reign  of  Kenneth,  and  down  to  the  time  of  William  the  Conqueror's  invasion 
of  England. 

5  Also  in  P.  &  S.,  179  (B.). 

'  Nate  Cuncari  Finibhele  fraude  cadens.  This  should  be  a  pentameter  ; 
therefore  the  woman's  name  must  have  three  syllables.  Stevenson  reads 
Fimberhele.     B.  reads  Finglene. 

The  passage  within  inverted  commas  is  in  verse  in  the  original. 

After  discussing  changes  in  the  rule  of  succession  in  the  empire,  Fordun 
says  (Chronica,  IV,  29;  i,  172):  "Hearing  these  rumours  of  changes  in 
succession,  king  Kenneth  wished  that  the  custom  of  succession  of  his 
kingdom's  ancient  kings,  who  still  reigned  in  a  complicated  manner,  should 
be  abolished  ;  and  that  after  every  king  a  child  of  his  own  begetting  should 
be  adorned  with  the  diadem  of  the  kingdom,  in  preference  to  [all]  others. 

"And  [Kenneth  II]  himself  had  a  distinguished  son,  Malcolm  by  name  ; 

2  K 


514  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

and  he  resolved  with  all  his  endeavours  to  have  the  kingdom  ensured  to  him. 
He  established,  therefore,  with  the  consent  of  all  the  princes,"  (for  omni 
reading  omnhnn,  with  MSS.  BEP")  "excepting  a  few  supporters  of  the 
original  succession,  that  thenceforth  every  king  at  his  death  should  be 
succeeded  by  a  son  or  daughter,  grandson  or  grand-daughter  ;  or,  in  the 
collateral  line,  by  a  brother  or  sister,  or  at  least  by  the  nearest  survivor  by 
blood-relationship  of  the  king  deceased  (even  though  an  infant  one  day 
old,  since  it  is  said  :  'The  king's  age  depends  upon  his  subjects'  fidelity') ; 
no  law  to  the  contrary  thenceforward  prevailing." 

Fordun,  Chronica,  IV,  32-33  ;  i,  174-176:  "But  the  princes  who  supported 
the  other  succession  hated  king  Kenneth  and  his  son,  asserting  that  they  had 
been  deprived  of  their  anciently  accustomed  title  to  succeed.  The  principal 
men  amongst  them — Constantine  the  Bald,  son  of  king  Culen  ;  and  Grime, 
son  of  Kenneth,  son  of  king  Dub — constantly  plotted  their  death,  and  at 
last  found  accomplices  to  carry  out  this  crime.  The  daughter  of  Cruchne" 
(read  Cruthne  ?)  "  earl  of  Angus,  consented  to  their  acts  and  plans.  Her 
name  was  Finella  \_Finele\ ;  [Kenneth]  had  long  before  ordered  her  only  son 
to  be  slain  at  Dunsinnan,  I  know  not  whether  by  severity  of  the  law,  or  for 
some  deed,  or  for  any  other  cause.  Therefore  this  crafty  woman,  eagerly 
aspiring  after  the  king's  death,  caused  to  be  made  in  a  remote  cottage  a  kind 
of  trap  never  seen  before.  The  trap  had  attached  to  it  on  all  sides  cross- 
bows [balisfae],  always  kept  wound  up,  each  with  its  cord,  and  fitted  with 
the  sharpest  bolts"  (reading  acutissiinis  for  acutissimus)  ;  "and  in  the 
middle  of  them  stood  a  statue  like  a  boy,  cunningly  attached  to  the  cross- 
bows, so  that  if  any  one  touched  and  moved  it  in  any  way  he  should  loosen 
the  catches  \laque{\  of  the  crossbows  on  all  sides,  and  immediately  be  pierced 
by  the  bolts  discharged. 

"  Also  after  completing  her  work  for  the  accomplishment  of  this  crime, 
the  wicked  woman  mentioned  above  kept  always  a  cheerful  countenance 
before  the  king,  and  at  last  deceived  him,  flattering  him  with  treacherous 
words.  The  king  went  hunting  one  day  with  a  few  followers,  not  far  from 
his  own  dwelling,  with  dogs  raising  the  beasts  here  and  there  among  the 
woods.  And  he  chanced  to  turn  aside  near  the  village  of  Fettercairn, 
where  the  traitress  lived  ;  and  when  she  saw  him  she  bent  her  knees,  and 
begged  him  importunately  to  go  to  her  house.  '  Otherwise,'  she  said, 
'  I  must  necessarily  consider  that  I  am  suspected  by  your  Majesty's  Grace. 
But  God  knows,  and  thou,  king,  shalt  soon  know,  that  although  the  talk  of 
malignant  men  repeats  many  lies  about  me,  I  have  always  been  loyal  to 
thee,  and  always  shall  be,  so  long  as  life  remains  with  me.  For  I  know 
very  well  that  all  that  thou  hast  done  recently  to  my  most  wicked  son  was 
done  not  undeservedly,  but  justly.'  And  she  ran  up  to  him  and  whispered 
in  the  king's  ear"  (reading  susurrat  iar  susiirrd) :  "'If  but  thou  wilt  come 
with  me,  I  will  expose  to  thee,  my  lord,  thy  betrayers,  my  cursed  son's 
accomplices,  and  the  manner  of  their  treason  ;  they  hoped  to  associate  me 
with  them  in  their  deceit,  under  an  oath  ;  but  I  refused  at  once  to  consent 
to  their  wicked  treachery.  They  have  forced  me,  however,  to  swear, 
touching   the    Gospels,   that    I    should   never    betray   their   secrets ;    and 


KING  KENNETH  AND  FINELLA  515 

although  I  promised  them  this  under  oath,  I  should  nevertheless  have  been 
most  false  and  a  traitress  to  thee,  my  lord  king,  to  whom  before  all  others 
is  due  firm  and  loyal  fealty,  if  I  hid  the  danger  of  thy  person.  For  who  is 
unaware  that  no  oath  holds  against  the  safety  of  royal  majesty?' 

[IV,  33]  "Thus  did  the  treacherous  woman  cunningly  beguile  the  king's 
mind,  and  lead  him  with  her,  alas  !  too  trustful  in  her,  to  the  dwelling,  in 
spite  of  the  opposition  of  all.  Why  dilate,  why  dwell  upon  grievous  things  ? 
After  the  king  had  dismounted  from  his  horse,  she  led  him  alone  by  the 
hand  very  swiftly  to  the  house  where  the  trap  was  concealed.  And  as  if 
for  the  purpose  of  revealing  the  secrets  of  the  traitors,  as  she  had  promised, 
she  closed  the  door  behind  them,  and  showed  him  the  statue,  which  was  the 
lever  of  the  whole  trap.  Upon  his  asking  what  this  statue  had  to  do  with 
him,  she  answered,  smiling  :  '  My  lord  king,  if  any  one  should  touch  and 
move  the  top  of  the  head  of  this  statue  that  thou  seest,  a  marvellous  and 
pleasant  show  will  spring  from  it.' 

"Wholly  ignorant  of  the  hidden  treachery,  he  drew  easily  towards  him 
with  his  hand  the  head  of  the  machine,  and  loosened  the  levers  and  catches 
[ajisae]  of  the  crossbows  ;  so  that  he  was  suddenly  pierced  from  all  sides 
by  the  bolts  released,  and  died  without  uttering  another  word. 

"  Then  the  traitress  went  out  quickly  by  the  back-door,  and  hid  herself 
for  the  time  in  the  shadows  of  the  woods  ;  but  soon  afterwards  she  came 
safely  to  her  supporters.  Also  the  king's  followers  waited  long  for  his 
return  from  the  house,  and  wondered  why  he  delayed  there.  At  last  they 
beat  persistently  upon  the  door,  and,  hearing  nothing,  in  rage  broke  it 
open.  As  soon  as  they  knew  of  his  death,  a  great  outcry  was  raised,  and 
they  ran  hither  and  thither  searching  for  the  wicked  woman,  but  in  vain  ; 
not  finding  her,  and  not  knowing  what  to  do,  they  burned  the  town  {ofipidu?n'\ 
with  fire,  reducing  it  to  ashes.  And  they  carried  away  with  them  the  king's 
blood-stained  body"  (reading  criientaliini  for  criientafem),  "and  shortly 
afterwards  buried  it  in  royal  fashion  with  his  fathers,  in  lona. 

"About  this  Kenneth's  twentieth  year  [990],  and  after  [Kenneth]  had 
established  the  statutes  of  the  succession,  Malcolm,  Dub's  son,  [Kenneth's 
nephew,]  regains  of  Cumbria,  died  ;  and  [Kenneth],  wishing  to  appoint  his 
son  Malcolm  regulus  of  the  same  dominion,  sent  him  to  the  [king]  of  the 
English,  yEthelred,  by  whom  he  was  willingly  received,  under  the  above- 
mentioned  conditions  of  fealty  and  homage.  'Do  thou,  [Lord,  have  mercy 
upon  us.]'"     (See  year  971.) 

Fordun's  story  of  Finella  is  semi-mythical.  Tradition  in  the  Mearns 
says  that  Finella  walked  on'  the  tree-tops  from  Finella  Hill,  near  Fordoun, 
down  to  Finella  Den,  near  St  Cyrus  :  this  suggests  that  she  was  a  wholly 
mythical  personage,  possibly  the  stream-goddess  of  Finella  Burn.  Perhaps 
the  stream's  name  Q.find-ela  "white  swan")  has  influenced  the  form  of  a 
woman's  name  (^Findguala  "white  shoulder"). 

Fordun  calls  Finella  the  mother  of  Macbeth  (IV,  44  ;  i,  188) ;  confusing 
her  with  Findlaech,  Macbeth's  father. 


516  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

995 

Berchan's  Prophecy,  stanzas  167-170,  in  Skene's  Picts 
and  Scots,  p.  96 

Scotland  [will  be]  without  a  king  thenceforward,  until  the 
Fratricide  ^  takes  [the  sovereignty].  Alas,  alas,  for  his  enemies ; 
alas  for  their  friends,  for  a  long  time ! 

He  will  bring  the  rest  into  peril ;  their  world  will  not  be 
visible  {?)} 

Twenty-four  years  (truly),  this  is  the  time  of  the  sovereign ; 
plundering  the  Gaels  in  his  house,  side  by  side  with  his 
enemies. 

He  will  march  a  step  (  .  .  .  ^)  to  the  field  of  the  mountains 
of  the  great  moor.  The  Gaels  will  shout*  about  his  head;  his 
slaying  will  be  the  end  of  it. 

'  an fionnghalach,  "the  slayer  of  a  kinsman."  This  king  (reigning  for 
24  years)  appears  to  be  Kenneth  II. 

^  ni  ba  faigside  a  sdogal,  MS.  a  ;  foigside,  MS.  b.  p'or  aicside  "visible" .? 
The  rhyme  is  with  bdogal,  therefore  the  last  word  should  be  trisyllabic. 
There  is  a  gap  of  two  lines  in  this  stanza  or  the  next. 

^  ni  chomhaigh,  a  cheville  (MS.  b  has  ni  cdmhaigh)  rhyming  with  sliabh 
an  mhdir-mhdnaidh  in  the  next  line.  Read  7?/  comdid  "not  of  equal 
fortune"?  The  "field  ...  of  the  great  moor"  {mor-mJioin)  is  perhaps 
Strathmore. 

«  Or  "laugh." 


PART  XX 

Reigns  of  Constantine  III  and  Kenneth  III 

X996 
Dudo  of  St  Quentin,  De  Moribus  et  Actis  Normannorum ; 

in  Duchesne's  Scriptores,  p.  138  ^ 

The  English  also  are  obediently  subject  to  Richard 
[I,  duke  of  Normandy] ;  the  Scots  and  Irish  are  ruled  by 
his  patronage.^ 

997 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  351  ^ 

A  battle  between  Scots ;  and  there  Constantine,  Culennan's 
son,  king  of  Scotland,  fell,  and  many  others.*  .  .  . 

Malcolm,  Donald's  son,  king  of  the  Britons  of  the  north, 
died.^ 

995-997 
Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  D ;  in  Skene's 

Picts  and  Scots,  p.  152 

Constantine,  Culen's  son,  reigned  for  one  year  and 
six    months.      And    he    was    killed    by    Kenneth,    Malcolm's 

'  From  a  speech  put  into  the  mouth  of  Richard's  enemy,  Theobald, 
count  of  Chartres. 

"  Palrocinio. 

This  passage  is  copied  by  Benoit  de  Sainte-IMaure,  ii,  174-175  :  "All 
the  English  obey  him  ;  they  of  Scotland  cherish  him." 

^  Placed  9  years  after  the  death  of  Dunstan  (f  9S8). 

^  C.S.,  234,  Hennessy's  year  995=997:  "A  battle  between  Scots,  and 
Constantine,  Culen's  son,  was  killed  there,  and  others." 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  163,  s.a.  990  =  997:  "The  Scottish  men  in 
battle  slew  their  own  king,  Constantine  ;  and  many  others." 

^  I.e.,  of  Cumbria. 

So  also  in  C.S.,  u.s.  ;  and  in  A  U.,  i,  504,  s.a.  996  or  997  =  997. 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  u.s.  :    "Malcolm,  Donald's  son,  king  of  the 

North  Wales"  (read  "Welsh"),  "died." 
61T 


518  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

son,  in    Rathinveramon ' ;    and   was   buried   in   the   island    of 
lona.^ 


995-997 

Prose  and  Verse  Chronicles  inserted  in  the  Chronicle  of 

Melrose,  p.  226,  s.a.  994^ 

Kenneth,  king  of  the  Scots,  was  slain ;  after  whom, 
[Constantine  the  Bald,  Culen's  son,  [became]  king  of  the 
Scots*]. 

"  King  Constantine,  Culen's  son,  was  slain  by  the  sword, 
at  the  head  of  the  river  Almond,^  in  Tegalere^;  having  ruled 
as  king  for  one  year  and  a  half  Kenneth,  the  son  of  Malcolm, 
struck  him."'' 

1  Rathveraitwen,  in  F;  Rathinveramon,  DGI.  This  was  "the  fort  at 
the  mouth  of  the  river  Almond,"  according  to  S.C.S.,  i,  381.  See  the  Verse 
Chronicle,  below. 

2  Similarly  in  versions  FGI  (175,  302,  289)  ;  but  K  (206)  omits  the 
places  of  Constantine's  death  and  burial.  N  reads  (306) :  "  Constantine 
[reigned]  for  2  years  ;  and  he  was  killed,  and  buried  in  the  island  of 
lona." 

Constantine's  successor,  Kenneth  Dub's  son,  is  omitted  in  version  D. 
The  Duan  Albanach,  in  P.  &  S.,  63  :  "Seven  years  of  Constantine  the 
squinter." 

3  Also  in  P.  &  S.,  179  (B.). 
*  A  13th-century  addition. 

^  Ad  caput  amnis  Aven,  in  Stevenson's  ed. ;  the  MS.  has  «;«[<?«]  (blotted). 
These  words  form  the  first  half  of  a  pentameter  ;  therefore  the  last  syllable 
of  the  river's  name  is  scanned  as  a  long  syllable.     B.  reads  Amon. 

"  In  Teg  ale  re,  scanned  Tegalere.  B.  reads  :  In  jus  regale,  which  does 
not  scan. 

'  The  passage  within  inverted  commas  is  in  verse  in  the  original. 

Fordun  (IV,  34)  says  that  in  994  "Constantine  the  Bald,  Culen's  son, 
.  .  .  usurped  the  royal  throne,  despising  the  public  constitution "  ;  some  of 
the  nobles  supported  the  just  claims  of  Malcolm.  Malcolm's  uncle, 
Kenneth,  fought  against  Constantine.  "They  met  ...  in  Lothian,  near 
the  banks  of  the  river  Almond";  and  both  the  leaders  were  killed. 
Constantine's  army  fled  to  "  Gryme,  son  of  Kenneth,  son  of  Dub."  Gryme 
made  himself  king  in  996,  and  reigned  for  8j  years.  Malcolm,  who  had 
gone  to  Cumbria,  returned,  and  fought  against  Gryme  ;  and  killed  him 
(IV,  38).  Malcolm  convoked  the  princes  of  the  realm,  and  was  crowned,  in 
1004.     See  year  1005. 


KING  CONSTANTINE  519 

995-997 

Berchan's  Prophecy,  stanzas  171- 174,  in  Skene's  Picts  and 
Scots,  p.  97 

A  king  will  take  [the  sovereignty],  who  will  not  be  king ; 
after  him,  Scotland  will  be  nothing.  It  will  be  the  weak^ 
following   the   strong ;    though   true   is   what    my   lips   relate. 

A  king  with  reproach  above  his  head  (?)  ^ ;  alas  for  Scotland 
during  his  short  time !  Feeble  men  will  be  about  him,  in  the 
region  of  Scone,  of  melodious  shields. 

A  year  and  a  half  (a  bright  space),  that  will  be  his  whole 
reign ;  from  taking  Gaels  ^  he  will  go  to  death ;  he  falls,  his 
people  fall. 

He  will  fight  great  battles  in  Scotland ;  by  the  disgrace  of 
his  head  he  will  destroy  colours.*  He  will  be  in  communion  of 
battle,  from  Stirling  to  Abertay.^ 

998 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  504,  s.a.  997  or  998  =  998'^ 

Dubdaleithe,  successor  of  Patrick  and  of  Columcille,  ended 
his  life  in  the  eighty-third  year  of  his  age,  on  the  fifth  day '' 
before  the  Nones  of  June.^ 

1  anfann.  This  reign  (15  years)  seems  to  be  that  of  Constantine  III, 
Culen's  son. 

^  Ri  conaitis  uachtar  chinn,  MS  a  ;  con  aids,  MS.  b,  with  O'Connell's 
conjecture  " aithis  uaciair,  perhaps"  :  but  possibly  read  uasa  for  uachtar? 
Cf.  line  2  of  stanza  174. 

5  do  ghabhail  gaoidheal,  MS.  a.  In  MS.  b  O'Connell  suggests  "Z>o 
ghabhail  Giall  perhaps?"  (i.e.  "from  taking  hostages").  Read  gMall 
"hostages"? 

*  ri  aithes  chinn  clufidh  dhathu.  But  for  this  similarity  with  stanza  172, 
line  I,  this  stanza  might  refer  to  the  next  king's  reign.  For  the  rhyming 
syllables  catha,  datha,  read  cath,  dath ;  and  translate  : — "  He  will  wage  a 
great  war  in  Scotland  ;  with  shame  (?)  upon  his  head,  he  will  change  colour 
[  =  die?] ;  in  the  rout(?)  of  battle  he  will  be,  from  Stirling  to  Abertay"? 

^  de  sruth-linn  frisi  anabar  toe,  rhyming  with  he  in  the  previous  line  : 
there  is  a  syllable  too  many  ;  therefore  read  fri  h-abar-te  (the  last  syllable 
being  unstressed),  i.e.,  Dunaverty  ?  MS.  b  has  fria  a  nabar  Toe.  The 
writers  of  both  MSS.  thought  the  place  to  be  Aber-Tay.  See  above,  year 
712.  The  boundary  facing  Danish  Northumbria  would  have  run  from 
Stirling  to  Tentsmuir  (Abertay  Sands). 

^  With  f.n.  and  e.  of  998. 

'  i  quint  noin  iuin;  read  (with  Hennessy)  quart  for  quint,  i.e.  "the 
fourth  before  the  Nones,"  or  2nd  June. 


520  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

999 

Heimskringla,  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son,  c.  87  ^ 

King  Godfrey,  son  of  Eric  Bloodaxe  and  Gunnhild,  had 
been  in  warfare  in  the  west  lands  ^  since  he  had  fled  from  the 
land  in  Norway  before  earl  Hakon ;  but  in  this  summer,  of 
which  we  have  spoken  already,^  when  king  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son 
had  ruled  Norway  for  four  winters,  Godfrey  came  to  Norwaj' ; 
and  he  had  many  warships.  He  had  then  sailed  out  from 
England.*  .  .  . 

999 
Annals  of  the  Four  Masters,  vol.  ii,  p.  740,  s.a.  998  =  999 

Dungal,  Kenneth's  son,  was  killed  by  Gillacoimgin, 
Kenneth's  son.^ 

*  F.M.,  ii,  73y,  s.a.  998  =  999  (and  "the  20th  year  of  Maelsechlaind "  as 
sovereign  of  Ireland) :  "  Dubdaleithe,  Cellach's  son,  successor  of  Patrick 
and  of  Columcille,  died  on  the  2nd  of  June,  in  the  eighty-third  year  of  his 
hfe  " 

C.S.,  236,  Hennessy's  year  996  :  "  Dubdaleithe,  successor  of  Patrick  and 
Columcille,  reposed.''     He  had  become  abbot  of  Armagh  in  965. 

'  The  same  passage  is  in  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  222  (F.S.,  ii,  216  ; 
cf  Fl.,  i,  432). 

^  The  British  Islands. 

*  The  summer  [999]  in  which  Leif  sailed  from  Greenland  to  Norway 
[by  the  Hebrides]  ;  Olaf's  Saga,  c.  221,  p.  215. 

Godfrey,  Eric's  son,  left  Orkney  4  winters  after  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  had 
become  king  in  Norway  :  Olafs  Saga,  c.  222  ;  F.S.,  ii,  216  (Fl.,  i,  432). 

^  Fl.  omits  the  last  sentence,  reading  instead  "and  a  great  force." 

Godfrey  sailed  along  Norway's  shore  to  the  Vik  ;  he  landed  there,  but 
was  overcome  by  trickery,  and  killed.  He  was  the  last  of  Eric's  sons 
(F.S.,  ii,  216-217). 

^  A  daughter  of  a  son  of  Gillacoimgin  married  Cathal,  Amalgaid's  son, 
king  of  West  Leinster  (in  reality,  of  East  Leinster?  According  to  F.M., 
ii,  828-830,  s.a.  1034=1035,  he  was  lord  of  Ui-Cellaig-Cualann)  ;  and  was 
killed,  along  with  her  husband,  by  Cellach,  Duncan's  son  (and  by  the  son 
of  Aed,  son  of  Tuathal :  F.M.),  in  1035  (see  A.U.,  i,  570;  A.L.C.,  i,  36: 
both  s.a.  1035). 

Dungal  and  Gillacoimgin  may  possibly  have  been  sons  of  Kenneth  II 
(t995)  and  Kenneth  III  (t  1005) ;  but  this  is  by  no  means  certain.  The 
feud  seems  to  have  been  continued  by  the  family  of  Boite,  another  son 
(possibly)  of  Kenneth  III,  on  the  one  side;  and  by  Malcolm  II,  son  of 
Kenneth  II,  on  the  other  side.     See  year  1033,  note. 

Boite's  grandson  was  killed  by  Malcolm  II  in  1033.     Boite's  daughter, 


KINGS  GODFREY  AND  RONALD.     KENNETH  III     521 
999 1 

lOOO^ 

loos 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  pp.  512,  514;  s.a.  1004  or  1005  =  1005  ^ 

.  .  .  Ronald,  Godfrey's  son,  king  of  the  islands,*  .  .  . 
Maelbrigte,  Rimid's  grandson,  abbot  of  lona,^  .  .  .  [rested] 
in  Christ.  .  .  . 

A  battle  [was  fought]  between  men  of  Scotland  on  either 
side;  and  in  it  the  king  of  Scotland,  Kenneth,  Dub's  son,  fell.^ 

Gruoch,  had  previously  married  Gillacomgain,  the  pretender  of  the  Moray 
house  ;  and  he  had  been  killed  in  1032.  She  afterwards  married  Gilla- 
comgain's  cousin,  Macbeth,  who  had  succeeded  to  the  Moray  claim.  This 
union  of  the  faction  of  Kenneth's  descendants  with  the  supporters  of  the 
Moray  family  was  so  strong  that  Macbeth  succeeded  in  making  himself 
king  of  Scotland.  He  killed  Malcolm  IPs  grandson,  Duncan,  in  1040. 
Macbeth  was  succeeded  by  Lulach,  the  son  of  Gruoch  and  Gillacomgain  ; 
and  Lulach  was  killed  by  Duncan's  son,  Malcolm  III,  in  1058. 

The  feud  was  continued  by  Maelsnechtai  (tio85),  Lulach's  son;  by 
Angus  (f  1 1 30),  a  son  of  Lulach's  daughter  ;  and  by  Wimund,  who  claimed 
to  be  the  son  of  Angus.     See  year  1 154,  note. 

*  According  to  B.S.  in  M.A.,  659,  "  Dublin  was  devastated  by  the 
Scots"  in  999,  This  was  the  sack  of  Dublin  by  Brian  Boroime,  Cendetig's 
son,  king  of  Cashel,  in  999  ;  after  he  had  defeated  the  Foreigners  and 
Leinstermen,  and  killed  Harold,  Olaf's  son,  and  Culen,  son  of  Etigen 
(?  Echtigern)  (A.U.,  C.S.).  Brian  expelled  from  Dublin  king  Olaf,  Sigtrygg's 
son  (T.,  C.S.)-  The  Foreigners  submitted  to  Brian  and  returned  to  Dublin, 
in  the  following  year  (1000). 

2  According  to  Fordun  (IV,  35),  king  ^Ethelred's  invasion  of  Cumbria 
in  1000  resulted  from  a  refusal  by  Malcolm,  Kenneth's  son,  the  king  of 
Cumbria  (see  year  995),  to  compel  his  subjects  to  contribute  to  the  Danish 
tribute.  This  is  probably  a  conjecture  based  upon  existing  sources.  The 
district  invaded  was  a  stronghold  of  the  Danes  ;  perhaps  the  Scots  had 
failed  to  keep  it  in  subjection. 

'  With  f  h.  and  e.  of  1005,  and  an  erroneous  marginal  note  "bissextile." 

*  Similarly  in  D.A.I  ,  57,  O'Conor's  year  1004. 

Cf  C.S.,  242,  Hennessy's  year  1003=1005:  "Ronald,  the  king  of  the 
island[s],  son  of  Godfrey,  son  of  Harold,  died." 

^  F.M.,  ii,  752,  s.a.  1004=1005  (and  "the  3rd  year  of  Brian"):  "Mael- 
brigte, Rimid's  grandson,  the  abbot  of  lona,  died." 

"  C.S.,  U.S.  :  "  Kenneth,  king  of  Scotland,  son  of  Dub,  son  of  Malcolm, 
was  killed  by  Malcolm,  Kenneth's  son." 

D.K.,  4,  note  23,  suggests  that  Malcolm  II  began  to  reign  in  the 
beginning  of  the  year  1005,  which  he  says  began  on  March  25th.  But  in 
the  Irish  annals  the  year  began  on  January  ist. 


522  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

997-ioos 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  B ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  29  ^ 

Kenneth,  Dub's  son,  reigned  for  eight  years.^ 

997-IOOS 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  F ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  175 

Giric,  son  of  Kenneth,  son  of  Dub,  [reigned]  for  eight  years. 
He  was  killed  by  Kenneth's  son  in  Monzievaird  ^ ;  and  was 
buried  in  lona.* 

997-IOOS 
Prose  and  Verse  Chronicles  inserted  in  the  Chronicle  of 
Melrose,  p.  226,  s.a.  99s  ^ 

Constantine,  king  of  the  Scots,  was  slain ;  and  after  him 
[Grim,  or  Kenneth,  son  of  Dub,  [became]  king  of  the  Scots"]. 
"  For  the  space  of  eight  years,  king  Grim  reigned,  the  son  of 
Kenneth,  who  was  the  son  of  Dub.  The  place  where  he  was 
slaughtered  by  Kenneth's  son,  named  Malcolm,  is  held  to  be 
the  Plain  of  Bards."  ^ 

'  Also  in  Todd's  Irish  Nennius,  p.  Ixxvii. 

^  Cf.  above,  p.  cxxxix. 

^  Moeghauard,  F  ;  Moegokanard,  G  ;  Morgoauerd^  I.  These  forms  may 
stand  for  mag-in-baird,  "bard's  plain."  The  Verse  Chronicle  names  this 
place  "  plain  of  bards."  Berchan's  description  fixes  the  locality.  Monzie- 
vaird (formerly  Monivaird)  is  near  the  Earn,  between  Crieff  and  Comrie. 
Cf.  Inchaffray,  324. 

^  Similarly  in  versions  G  I  (302,  289).  K  reads  (206) :  "  Giric,  son  of 
Kenneth,  son  of  Dub,  [reigned]  for  9  years  ;  and  he  was  killed  by  Malcolm, 
Kenneth's  son."     N  omits  this  reign. 

The  Duan  Albanach  (Skene's  P.  &  S.,  63)  says  :  "  And  four  [years]  of 
the  son  of  Dub." 

Giric  (called  also,  erroneously,  Grim)  seems  to  have  ruled  over  some 
district,  under  his  father,  Kenneth.  This,  at  least,  would  explain  the 
variations  among  the  different  accounts  of  the  period  of  Kenneth's  reign. 

5  Also  in  P.  &  S.,  i,  179-180  (MS.  B). 

^  A  13th-century  addition. 

"  Bardoruiii  campus  habehir.     Fordun  (below)  renders  this  Auchnebard. 

The  passage  within  inverted  commas  is  in  verse  in  the  original. 
Malcolm,  Kenneth's  son  (see  year  1000),  was  Giric's  successor. 

Fordun's  account   (IV,  38;    i,    180-181)  seems  to  rest  upon  tradition: 


KING  KENNETH  III  523 

1005 

Berchan's  Prophecy,  stanzas  175-178,  in  Skene's  Picts  and 

Scots,  p.  98 

[Sovereignty]  will  be  taken  by  the  Brown,^  who  will 
distribute  horses,^  and  will  rout  battalions  among  the  English. 
He  will  take  possession  on  a  day  of  battle ;  I  shall  remember 
his  eulogies. 

He  will  be  proud,  in  the  kingdom  in  the  east ;  for  a  short 
time  he  will  be  over  Scotland.  He  will  be  mighty  [in  going] 
out  against  his  enemies ;  the  Brown  from  the  castle  of  violent 
battle.3 

The  Brown  will  have  eight  years  and  a  half  (a  bright  space) 

"...  But  the  people  more  gladly  favoured  the  deeds  that  were  done  by 
[Malcolm,  Kenneth's  son],  than  those  that  were  done  by  the  king  [Gryme, 
son  of  Kenneth,  son  of  Duf].  .  .  .  Supported  by  this  favour  of  the  people, 
and  moved  by  the  instigation  of  certain  nobles,  he  immediately  sent  to  the 
king  by  messengers  a  command  that  he  should  choose  one  of  two  things  : — 
either  to  vacate  the  royal  seat,  and  lay  aside  the  crown,  which  he  had 
hitherto,  like  his  predecessor,  unjustly  held  ;  or  else  to  commit  themselves 
to  the  just  judgement  of  God,  regarding  which  of  them  should,  by  whatever 
right,  be  subject  to  the  other  ;  and  fight,  either  in  a  pitched  battle,  both 
supported  by  companies  of  warriors  ;  or,  if  he  pleased,  in  single  combat. 

"  Gryme  was  much  angered  by  this  ;  and  considering  that  [Malcolm] 
could  not  resist  him,  he  set  out  to  fight  with  him  at  once,  along  with  the 
followers  in  whom  he  trusted.  And  on  the  other  side,  Malcolm  went 
boldly  to  meet  him,  with  the  same  purpose ;  with  few  men,  but  well  chosen. 
And  he  came  to  a  suitable  field  for  fighting,  called  Auchnebard.  There 
they  met,  placing  their  standards  on  both  sides  ;  and  they  fought  a  cruel 
battle,  between  great  armies.  The  king,  fighting  bravely,  was  at  last  fatally 
wounded,  and  carried  by  his  followers  quickly  from  the  battle.  And  he  died 
the  same  night. 

"All  the  rest  on  his  side  saw  this,  and  fled  ;  and  so  by  this  happy  issue 
Malcolm  obtained  a  triumph,  and  the  kingdom.  On  the  following  day, 
after  hearing  the  truth  of  the  king's  death,  he  bade  [Gryme's]  friends  fear 
nothing,  but  carry  his  remains,  and  bury  them  in  the  kings'  tomb  in  the 
island  of  lona." 

1  an  donn.     This  reign  (8i  years)  seems  to  be  that  of  Kenneth  III. 

"  dhdilfes  grata,  rhyming  with  Saxanchoibh.  MS.  b  reads  graigk.  as 
the  rhyme  requires:  literally  "will  divide  a  herd  of  horses."  The  same 
expression  in  stanzas  195,  203,  is  used  with  regard  to  Malcolm  II  and 
Donald  Bdn.  It  may  refer  to  the  establishment  of  feudal  tenure  ;  the 
vassal  received  a  horse  from  his  suzerain. 

■''  in  donn  as  diinchath  criiadhach. 


524  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

in  sovereignty ;  a  short  while,  alas !  until  the  Gaels  turn  again 
against  him. 

The  Gaels  gather,  on  the  day  when  they  will  remain  with 
us,^  about  him  on  his  gory  bed,  between  two  valleys,  not  far 
from  the  banks  of  Earn. 

^  illo  no  mairfid  linjie  \  na  lighe  crd,  MS.  a :  "on  the  day  when  they 
shall  be  the  survivors "  ?  O'Connell  suggests  in  the  margin  of  MS.  b, 
inairbhfid  "  they  shall  die." 


PART    XXI 

.     Reign  of  Malcolm  II;  and  the  Danish  Conquest 

1005  1 

1006 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  516,  s.a.  1005  or  1006=  1006 ^ 

A  battle  [was  fought]  between  the  men  of  Scotland  and  the 
Saxons.  And  the  rout  was  upon  the  Scots ;  and  they  left 
behind  them  a  slaughter  of  their  good  men.^ 

1  According  to  Fordun  (IV,  39),  "in  almost  the  first  days  after  his 
coronation,"  Malcolm  II  defeated  a  great  army  of  Norwegian  invaders; 
and  in  his  seventh  year  (IV,  40:  i.e.  1011-1012;  but  according  to  Fordun, 
loio),  in  gratitude  for  his  success,  established  a  "new  episcopal  see  at 
Mortlach,  not  far  from  the  place  in  which  he  had  defeated  the  Norwegians, 
and  obtained  the  victory."  Cf.  above,  p.  433  ;  Aberdeen,  i,  pp.  xvii,  3 
(a  spurious  charter)  ;  H.  and  S.,  ii,  154  ;  D.K.,  2. 

^  With  f  n.  and  e.  of  1006. 

3  Cf.  S.D.,  in  E.C.,  80. 

Immediately  before  this  passage  in  A.U.  there  is  a  description  of  an 
expedition  made  by  king  Brian  round  Ireland.  The  writer  of  the  Wars 
of  the  Irish  with  the  Foreigners  seems  to  have  misunderstood  the  present 
passage,  and  deduced  from  it  that  Brian  overcame  the  Scots  and  the 
Saxons.  After  describing  Brian's  expedition  of  1006,  he  says  (R.S. 
48,   136): 

"  He  sent  afterwards  a  fleet  of  ships  upon  the  sea  : — the  Foreigners 
of  Dublin,  and  of  Waterford,  and  of  the  Ui-Cendselaig"  (i.e.  of  Ferns  ;  a 
diocese  that  included  Wexford,  and  parts  of  Wicklow,  and  of  Carlingford  ; 
Hogan),  "and  of  the  Ui-Echach  of  Munster  ;  and  most  of  the  men  of 
Ireland,  those  of  them  who  were  able  to  go  to  sea.  And  they  took  king's 
tribute  from  Saxons  and  Britons,  and  from  Lennox,  and  Scotland,  and 
all  Argyle  ;  and  took  from  them  hostages,  and  prisoners,  as  well  as  the 
large  tribute." 

This  passage,  unsupported  by  other  authorities,  has  no  historical  value. 
No  mention  is  made  of  Brian's  exactions  in  Britain  by  any  other  chronicle. 
See  the  accounts  of  Brian's  campaign  given  by  A.U.  (i,  514-516);  C.S. 
(242-244;  Hennessy's  year  1004=1006);  A.I.  (O'Conor's  year  988,  but 
with  {.  and  e.  of  1006) ;  F.M.,  ii,  754-756,  s.a.  1005  =  1006. 

The  writer  of  the  Wars  in  recording  Brian's  death  at  Clontarf  calls 
him  (208) :  "Brian  Boroime,  son  of  Cendetig,  son  of  Lorcan;  sovereign  of 
525  2  L 


526  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

1007 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  518,  s.a.  1006  or  1007=  1007  ^ 

Muiredach,  Crichan's  son,  abandoned  for  God  ^  the  succession 
of  Columcille. 

The  fair  of  Teltown  was  restored  by  Maelsechlaind. 
Ferdomnach  assumed  the  successorship  of  Columcille,  by 
counsel  of  the  Irish  in  that  fair. 

The  great  gospel  of  Columcille  was  wickedly  stolen  in  the 
night,  from  the  western  ^  sacristy  of  the  great  stone  church  of 
Kells.  [It  was]  the  chief  relic  of  the  west  of  the  world,  because 
of  its  decorated  cover.  After  two  months  and  twenty  days,* 
this  gospel  was  found ;  its  gold  having  been  stolen  from  it,^ 
and  a  turf  [laid]  over  it.^ 

Ireland,  and  Scotland,  and  of  Saxons,  and  Britons,  and  of  the  west  of 
Europe  "  ;  and  quotes  in  support  of  this  statement  a  debide  stanza,  which 
says  that  Brian  had  been  king  of  the  Saxons,  and  had  gained  renown  in 
his  dealings  with  the  [Norman]  French.  This  exaggeration  of  his  power 
resulted  from  the  fame  of  his  battles. 

^  With  f.n.  and  e.  of  1007. 

2  arDhia;  i.e.,  "to  become  a  recluse"  (Hennessy)  ;  or,  " to  be  a  celede"? 

^  "western"  not  in  C.S. 

''  C.S.  reads  "  after  a  quarter"  ;  and  omits  the  previous  sentence. 

^  "and  its  silver"  adds  C.S. 

^  The  whole  passage  appears  similarly  in  F.M.,  ii,  758,  s.a.  1006=1007 
(and  "the  fifth  year  of  Brian"  as  sovereign  of  Ireland).  The  theft  and 
recovery  of  Columba's  Gospel  is  told  similarly  in  C.S.,  244;  Hennessy's 
year  1005  =  1007. 

This  gospel  was  one  of  the  often-mentioned  "  relics  of  Columcille."  It 
has  been  supposed  to  be  the  beautifully  decorated  manuscript  now  known 
as  the  "  Book  of  Kells  "  :  but  this  is  mere  conjecture.  For  its  traditional 
history,  see  A.U.,  i,  52-54,  s.a.  552  =  553  (with  f.n.  of  553):  "Thus  I  have 
found  in  Cuanu's  Book:  —  'The  relics  of  Patrick  were  put  into  a  shrine,  at 
the  end  of  60  years  after  Patrick's  death,  by  Columcille.  Three  noble  relics 
were  found  in  the  tomb  ;  namely,  his  cup,  and  the  Angel's  Gospel,  and  the 
Bell  of  the  Bequest.  Thus  did  the  angel  divide  the  relics  for  Columcille  : — 
the  cup,  to  Down[patrick]  ;  and  the  Bell  of  the  Bequest,  to  Armagh  ;  and 
the  Angel's  Gospel,  to  Columcille  himself.  It  is  called  the  Ang-el's  Gospel 
for  this  reason,  because  it  was  from  the  angel's  hand  that  Columcille 
received  it.'"  (For  Patrick's  bell,  see  Coffey's  Guide  to  the  Celtic 
Antiquities  of  the  Christian  Period  in  the  National  Museum,  Dublin, 
pp.  47-48.  Cf  W.  Reeves,  Five  Chromolithographic  Drawings  (Belfast, 
1850).    For  Patrick's  use  of  bells,  cf.  the  Book  of  Armagh,  ed.  Gwynn,  p.  16.) 

There  may  still  have  been  an  abbot  in  lona  at  this  time.  Hallfrod 
Ottar's  son,  Vandrajdaskdld,  according  to  his  Saga,  "...  died,  and  was 


SUCCESSORS  OF  COLUMBA  527 

1008 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  pp.  518-520;  s.a.  1007  or   1008=  1008  ^ 
Ferdomnach,  the  successor  of  Kells,  .  .  .  slept  in  Christ.^ 

1009 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  520;  s.a.  1008  or  1009=  1009 ^ 
.  .  .  Maelmuire,  Uchtan's  grandson,  successor  of  Kells,  died.* 

ion 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  524,  s.a.  loio  or  loi  i  =  1011^ 

.  .  .  Muiredach,  Crichan's  son,  Columcille's  successor,  and 
lector  of  Armagh,  slept  in  Christ.** 

laid  in  a  coffin,  and  his  treasures  with  him  :  mantle,  helmet,  and  ring. 
And  all  together  were  cast  over-board.  The  coffin  came  to  the  Holy 
Island,  in  the  Hebrides  ;  and  the  abbot's  servants  [sveznar]  found  it.  They 
broke  open  the  coffin,  and  stole  the  treasure,  and  sank  the  body  in  a  great 
swamp."  King  Olaf  [Tryggvi's  son]  appeared  to  the  abbot  in  a  dream,  and 
exposed  the  evil  deed.  Vigfusson  and  Mbbius,  Fornsogur  (i860),  114-115. 
Asmundarson's  Hallfridar  Saga  (1901),  46-47.  For  Hallfrod,  see  J.S.,  i, 
A,  155-173  ;  B,  147-163.     His  death  is  there  placed  ca.  1007. 

'  With  f.n.  and  e.  of  1008,  and  the  marginal  note  "  bissextile." 

-  A.I.,  under  O'Conor's  year  990=  1008  (with  ferial  of  ioo8  ;  in  Scriptores, 
ii,  2,  52),  and  C.S.,  Hennessy's  year  1006=1006  (R.S.  46,  246),  read: 
Ferdomnach,  Columcille's  successor,  reposed."  F.M.,  ii,  758,  s.a.  1007  = 
1008  :  "  Ferdomnach,  Columcille's  successor  in  Kells,  .  .  .  died." 

^  With  f.n.  and  e.  of  1009  ;  but  with  erroneous  marginal  note 
"bissextile." 

*  Similarly  in  F.M.,  ii,  760,  s.a.  1008=1009.  Perhaps  instead  of 
"  Uchtan's  grandson  "  we  should  read  "  Ua-Uchtain."     Cf.  years  1034,  1040. 

^  With  fn.  and  e.  of  loii. 

^  F.M.,  ii,  762,  s.a.  1010=1011  (and  the  "gth  year  of  Brian,"  sovereign 
of  Ireland) :  "  Muiredach,  Crichan's  son,  successor  of  Columcille  and 
of  Adamnan "  (i.e.,  abbot  of  lona — cf.  year  1025 — and  of  Raphoe), 
"scholar,  and  bishop,  and  virgin,  lector  of  Armagh,  and  successor-elect 
\adhbhar  comharba\  of  Patrick,"  (i.e.  abbot-elect  of  Armagh.')  "died,  after 
the  seventy-fourth  year  of  his  life,  on  the  fifth  day  before  the  Kalends  of 
January — the  night  of  Saturday,  to  be  precise — ;"  (i.e.,  in  the  evening  of 
Friday,  28th  December,  loii)  "and  he  was  buried,  with  honour  and 
reverence,  in  the  great  stone  church  in  Armagh,  in  front  of  the  altar." 

There  was  an  epidemic  disease  ("  boils  and  colic  ")  at  Armagh,  from 
November  [loii]  to  May  [1012].  See  C.S.,  246-248,  Hennessy's  year 
1010=1012;  A.U.,  i,  524,  s.a.  loii  or  1012  =  1012;  F.M.,  ii,  764,  s.a. 
1011  =  1012. 


528  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

X  1014 

Flateybook's  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  c.  444 ;  Flateyiarbok, 

vol.  i,  p.  5581 

Tale  of  earls  Einar,  Thorfinn,  Somerled. 

A  little  while  after  king  Olaf,  Tryggvi's  son,  and  earl  Sigurd, 
Hlodve's  son,  had  made  peace,  the  earl  proceeded  to  marry 
the  daughter  of  Malcolm,  the  king  of  the  Scots ;  and  their  son 
was  earl  Thorfinn.  Earl  Sigurd  had  three  other  sons :  one  was 
called  Brusi ;  another,  Sumarlidi;  the  third,  Einar  Wry-mouth. 

X  1014 

Eyrbyggia  Saga,  c.  29,  pp.  103-104 

A  man  was  called  Thorodd  ^ ;  he  was  of  a  family  from 
Medal-fells-strond,  a  man  of  repute.  He  was  a  great  leader, 
and  had  ships  voyaging.  Thorodd  had  sailed  on  the  merchant- 
expedition  west  to  Ireland,  to  Dublin. 

At  that  time  Sigurd  Hlodve's  son  earl  of  the  Orkneys  had 
plundered  into  the  Hebrides,  and  as  far  west  as  Man.  He  laid 
a  tax  upon  the  inhabited  lands  of  Man.  And  when  they  had 
made  terms,  the  earl  left  men  behind  to  wait  for  the  tribute; 
and  it  was  paid  mostly  in  refined  silver.  And  the  earl  sailed 
up  north  to  the  Orkneys. 

But  when  those  who  had  waited  for  the  tribute  were  ready 
to  sail,  a  south-westerly  gale  came  upon  them  ;  and  when  they 
had  sailed  a  while,  the  gale  turned  to  the  south-east  and  east, 
and  there  was  a  great  storm,  and  they  were  carried  north  about 
Ireland ;  and  the  ship  was  broken  to  pieces  there,  upon  an 
uninhabited  island. 

And  when  they  had  come  to  this,  Thorodd  the  Icelander 
came  upon  them  as  he  sailed  from  Dublin.  The  earl's  men 
called  upon  the  merchants  to  help  them.  Thorodd  put  out  a 
boat,  and  went  there  himself  And  when  they  met,  the  earl's 
men  bade  Thorodd  help  them  ;  and  offered  him  a  reward  for 
it,  if  he  would  carry  them  home  to  the  Orkneys,  to  earl  Sigurd ; 
but  Thorodd  thought  that  could  not  be  done,  because  he  was 
bound  for  the  voyage  to  Iceland.  But  they  pressed  him 
urgently,  because  they  thought  that  their  treasure  and  freedom 

■■  Also  in  Vigfusson's  O.S.,  i,  16  ;  c.  13. 

'^  Of.  Landnamabok,  Sturlubok  verbion,  c.  138,  p.  169. 


SIGURD  EARL  OF  ORKNEY  529 

depended  on  this,  that  they  should  not  be  taken  up  to  Ireland 
or  the  Hebrides,  where  they  had  previously  been  plundering. 
And  so  it  came  about  that  he  sold  them  the  boat  from  the 
sea-going  ship,  and  received  a  great  part  of  the  tribute.  Then 
[the  earl's  men]  proceeded  in  the  boat  to  the  Orkneys,  and 
Thorodd  sailed  boatless  to  Iceland,  and  came  from  the  south 
to  the  land  ;  then  he  proceeded  westward  and  sailed  in  at 
Breidafiordr,  and  came  safely  to  Dogurdarnes.  And  he  went 
in  autumn  to  Helgafell,  to  dwell  with  Snorri  Godi.  He  was 
thenceforth  called  Thorodd  Tax-barterer.  .  .  .  ^ 


1012-1014 

Thorstein  Side-Hall's  son's  Saga;  Samfund,  no.  29, 
pp.  215-216- 

Thorstein  sailed  out,  and  came  to  the  Orkneys.  At  that 
time  earl  Sigurd,  Hlodve's  son,  ruled  over  the  Orkneys  ;  he 
welcomed  Thorstein  well,  and  invited  him  to  [visit]  him  ;  and 
[Thorstein]  was  with  the  earl  during  the  winter,  well  esteemed. 

And  when  spring^  came,  the  earl  asked  Thorstein  whether 
he  would  go  with  him  on  warfare,  or  would  remain  behind. 
Thorstein  chose  to  go ;  and  he  was  a  forecastleman  on  the 
earl's  ship,  and  was  the  most  valiant  man  on  shipboard,  as  if  he 
had  been  accustomed  to  that  occupation. 

'  Thorodd  married  Thurid,  sister  of  Snorri  Godi. 

According  lo  Vatnsdoela  Saga,  c.  43  (Fornsogur,  69  ;  Reitan's  translation, 
92),  Biorn,  an  eastern  man  (Norwegian),  and  Thorkel  Krafla,  Thorgrim's 
son  (t  ca.  1008),  a  relative  of  Sigurd  Hlodve's  son,  went  to  Orkney,  while 
Sigurd  was  earl  there  (x  1012) ;  and  next  summer  plundered  with  Sigurd 
widely  in  Scotland.  Thorkel  was  12  years  old  when  he  went  to  Orkney 
(c.  42;  Fornsogur,  67;  but  only  11  years,  according  to  Melabok  ; 
ibid.,  194). 

Gunnlaug  Serpent's-tongue  (t  ca.  1008)  is  said  to  have  been  with  Sigurd 
in  the  Orkneys  (X1012).  See  Gunnlaugs  Saga  Ormstungu,  c.  12;  igii 
ed.,  41  ;  Islendinga  Sbgur  (1847),  ii,  264-265. 

Flatey-book  has  a  fabulous  story  of  life  in  the  Orkneys  during  the 
earldom  of  Sigurd,  Hlodve's  son.  The  persons  concerned  are  Ulf  the 
Bad,  of  Sanday,  and  his  daughter  Helga  ;  Harold  of  North  Konaldshay, 
and  his  son  Helgi.     Fi.,  iii,  457-459  ;  R.S.  88,  i,  342-344  (translated  ibid. 

iii,  369-371)- 

^  Also  in  Mobius,  Analecta  Norroena,  169-170  ;  and  R.S.  88,  i,  340-341. 
^  Spring  of  1013. 


530  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Thorstein  was  a  shrewd  man,  and  wise,  and  brave.  And 
the  earl  asked  him  to  be  long  with  him,  since  he  acknowledged 
his  family,  and  he  knew  the  relationship  between  them  :  because 
Thorey,  Ozur's  daughter,  was  Side-Hall's  mother ;  and  Ozur 
was  the  son  of  Hrollaug,  son  of  Ronald  of  Maerr.  Earl  Turf- 
Einar  was  the  son  of  earl  Ronald  of  Maerr,  and  father  of  earl 
Thorfinn  Skull-cleaver,  the  father  of  earl  Hlodve,  the  father  of 
earl  Sigurd. 

And  earl  Sigurd  plundered  widely  in  Scotland  in  the 
summer ;  and  no  man  challenged  Thorstein's  courage  and 
valour ;  two  things  spared  Thorstein  that — his  birth,  and  his 
fortitude.  The  earl  slew  many  low-born  people,^  and  some 
fled  up  into  the  woods ;  and  the  earl  went  widely  about  the 
western  lands,  and  they  burned  them. 

Late  in  autumn,  he  went  home  to  the  Orkneys,  and  rested 
then  for  three  months,  and  gave  good  gifts  to  his  friends. 
Then  the  earl  spoke  to  Thorstein  :  "  Thou  hast  given  me  good 
support,  and  manful.  Receive  from  me  a  gilded  axe ;  it  befits 
thee  to  bear  it."  Thorstein  thanked  the  earl,  because  that  was 
the  greatest  treasure. 

That  autumn  came  Burning-Flosi  and  his  men  to  the 
Orkneys  ;  and  their  affairs  with  earl  Sigurd  went  as  is  said  in 
Nidi's  saga. 

That  winter,  earl  Sigurd  prepared  to  go  to  Ireland.  And 
then  he  fought  with  king  Brian.  And  that  battle  has  been  the 
most  famous  in  the  west  beyond  the  sea,  both  because  of  the 
numbers  who  fought  in  it,  and  because  of  the  importance  of 
the  result. 

And  when  the  earl  was  preparing  to  go  from  home,  he 
asked  Thorstein  whether  he  would  go.  Thorstein  said  that 
nothing  else  was  fitting  than  that  he  should  go,  and  follow  him 
into  the  danger  :  "  Since  we  think  it  good  to  have  comfort  with 
you,  in  peace." 

The  earl  thanked  him  for  his  words.  After  that,  they  went 
to  Ireland,  and  fought  with  king  Brian ;  and  at  once  great 
tidings  occurred  there,  as  is  said  in  his  saga.^ 

^  inargt  o-thjoSa-folk. 

"  I.e.  "the  earl's  saga"?     No  Saga  of  Brian  has  been  preserved. 


THORSTEIN  SIDE-HALUS  SON.     FLOSI  531 

1013 

Nial's  Saga,  c.  153  ;  Gi'slason's  Njala,  vol.  i,  pp.  872-876^ 

Now  we  have  to  take  up  the  tale  where  Fiosi^  is ;  [and  say] 
that  they  rode  east  to  Hornafiordr.  Flosi  was  followed  by  very 
nearly  all  the  men  in  his  district.  They  carried  east  their 
wares,  and  all  the  other  baggage  and  luggage  that  they  had  to 
take  to  sea  with  them.  Then  they  prepared  for  their  journey, 
and  made  ready  their  ship.  Flosi  was  now  there  with  the  ship 
until  they  were  ready.  And  as  soon  as  there  was  a  favourable 
wind  they  put  out  to  sea. 

They  had  a  long  voyage,  and  bad  weather.  Then  they 
went  quite  astray.  Once  they  met  some  great  waves  three  at 
a  time ;  then  Flosi  said  that  they  must  be  somewhere  in 
neighbourhood  of  land,  and  these  were  breakers.  There  was 
much  fog,  and  the  storm  increased  so  much  that  a  great  gale 
blew  on  them,  and  they  saw  nothing  till  it  threw  them  up  on 
land  one  night.  And  the  men  were  saved,  but  the  ship  broke 
all  to  splinters,  and  they  could  save  none  of  their  possessions. 
They  had  to  look  for  shelter.  But  on  the  day  after  they  went 
up  to  a  certain  height :  the  weather  was  then  good. 

Flosi  asked  if  any  man  knew  this  land.  There  were  two 
men  who  had  sailed  before,  and  they  said  that  they  knew  it 
certainly,  "and  we  have  come  to  the  Orkneys,  on  Hrossey." 
"  We  might  have  made  a  better  landing,"  said  Flosi,  "  because 
Helgi,  Nial's  son,  whom  I  slew,  was  a  guardsman  of  earl  Sigurd 
Hlodve's  son." 

Then  they  looked  for  a  hiding-place,  and  plucked  moss  to 
[cover]  themselves,  and  lay  so  for  a  while.  But  it  was  not  long 
before  Flosi  said  :  "  We  must  not  be  here  longer,  for  the  people 
of  the  land  to  find  us."  Then  they  stood  up  and  took  counsel. 
Then  Flosi  spoke  to  his  men :  "  We  must  all  go  into  the  earl's 
power ;  nothing  else  avails  us  :  because  the  earl  has  our  lives 
at  his  disposal,  if  that  is  what  he  wishes  to  look  for." 

So  they  all  went  out  from  there.  Flosi  said  that  they  must 
give  tidings  to  no  man,  nor  tell  of  their  journey,  before  he  told 
it  to  the  earl.     Then  they  went  to  where  they  found  men,  who 

'  Also  in  R.S.  88,  i,  325-326.     Jonsson's  ed.,  399-400  ;  Dasent's  c.  152. 
''■  Flosi  was  the  blameless  leader  of  the  burners  of  Nial.     See  above, 
p.  503,  note. 


532  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

directed  them  to  the  earl.  So  they  went  before  the  earl,  and 
Flosi  and  all  the  others  greeted  him.  The  earl  asked  what 
men  they  were.  Flosi  named  himself,  and  said  from  what 
district  of  Iceland  he  was.  The  earl  had  heard  before  of  the 
burning,  and  so  he  recognized  the  men  at  once.  Then  the  earl 
asked  Flosi :  "  What  sayest  thou  to  me  of  Helgi,  Nidi's  son,  my 
guardsman?"  "  This,"  said  Flosi,  "that  I  hewed  the  head  from 
him."     The  earl  said  :  "  Take  them  all."     And  so  it  was  done. 

Just  then,  Thorstein,  Side-Hall's  son,  arrived.  Flosi  had 
married  Steinvor,  Thorstein's  sister.  Thorstein  was  one  of 
earl  Sigurd's  body-guards.  And  when  Thorstein  saw  Flosi  a 
prisoner,  he  went  to  the  earl  and  offered  for  Flosi  all  the  goods 
that  he  had.  The  earl  was  long  most  angry,  and  most  difficult 
[to  move] ;  but  at  length  by  the  persuasions  of  good  men  it 
was  so  arranged  with  Thorstein  (because  he  was  well  backed 
by  friends,  and  many  went  to  plead  on  his  side)  that  the  earl 
made  an  agreement  with  them,  and  gave  peace  to  Flosi  and 
to  them  all.  The  earl  held  to  that  custom  of  powerful  men,  so 
that  Flosi  took  up  the  same  position  as  Helgi  Nial's  son  had 
had.  So  Flosi  became  one  of  earl  Sigurd's  body-guard  ;  and 
he  soon  obtained  great  friendship  with  the  earl. 

lOIOX  X014 

Nial's  Saga,  cc.  154-155;  Gi'slason's  Njala,  vol.  i,  pp.  876-884^ 

Kari  and  Kolbein  the  Black  put  out  from  Eyrar,  half  a 
month  later  than  Flosi  from  Hornafiordr.  They  had  a  fair 
wind,  and  were  a  short  time  out.  They  touched  at  Fair  Isle^; 
it  is  between  Shetland  and  Orkney.  Kari  was  received  by  the 
man  who  was  called  Dagfinn  the  White.  He  told  Kari  all  about 
the  journeys  of  Flosi  and  his  followers,  exactly  after  the  true 
account  he  had  had  of  them.  He  was  the  greatest  friend  to 
Kari ;  and  Kari  was  with  him  for  the  winter. 

They  had  there  during  the  winter  news  from  the  west,  from 
Hrossey,  of  all  that  was  being  done  there. 

Earl  Sigurd  invited  to  him  at  Yule  earl  Gilli  from  the 
Hebrides,  his  brother-in-law.  [Earl  Gilli]  had  Svanlaug,  'earl 
Sigurd's  sister,  as  his  wife. 

'  Also   in    R.S.  88,    i,    326-329.     Jonsson's    ed.,  401-406.     Dasent's   cc. 
153-154- 

^  Fri^arey. 


GILLI  AND  SIGTRYGG  IN  ORKNEY  533 

Then  came  to  earl  Sigurd  also  the  king  that  was  called 
Sigtrygg.  He  was  from  Ireland.  He  was  the  son  of  Olaf 
Cuaran,  and  his  mother  was  called  Gormflaith.  She  was  the 
fairest  of  all  women,  and  most  successful  in  everything  that  was 
not  under  her  control ;  but  it  was  the  talk  of  men  that  every- 
thing had  gone  badly  with  her  that  was  under  her  control- 
Brian  was  the  name  of  the  king  who  had  married  her ;  but 
they  were  then  parted,  because  he  was  the  most  generous  of  all 
kings.  He  sat  in  Connaught  castle.  His  brother  was  Ulf 
Disquiet,  the  greatest  hero  and  warrior.^  King  Brian's  foster- 
son  was  called  Toirdelbach."  .  .  . 

Gormflaith  was  not  the  mother  of  Brian's  children.  And 
she  had  become  so  bitter  against  king  Brian  after  their  parting, 
that  she  would  gladly  have  had  him  dead.  .  .  .  Gormflaith 
urged  greatly  her  son  Sigtrygg  to  slay  king  Brian.  She  sent 
him  therefore  to  earl  Sigurd,  to  ask  him  for  an  army. 

King  Sigtrygg  came  to  the  Orkneys  before  Yule.  Earl 
Gilli  also  came  there  at  that  time,  as  was  written  before.  The 
men  were  so  placed  that  king  Sigtrygg  sat  in  the  middle  on 
the  high-seat,  and  the  two  earls  on  either  side  of  him.  The 
men  of  king  Sigtrygg  and  of  earl  Gilli  sat  beyond  earl  Gilli,  on 
the  inner  side  ;  and  on  the  outer  side,  beyond  earl  Sigurd,  sat 
Flosi  and  Thorstein,  Side-Hall's  son.  And  all  the  hall  was 
filled.  .  .  .3 

'  This  brother  of  Brian  is  not  an  historical  personage. 

-  Kerthidlfd&r,  in  the  sagas.  This  was  Toirdelbach,  son  of  Murchaid, 
son  of  Brian. 

^  Sigtrygg  and  Gilli  wished  to  hear  the  story  of  Nial's  burning.  Gunnar 
Lambi's  son  was  asked  to  tell  it.  He  twisted  it  to  the  discredit  of  Nial's 
sons.  Kari,  Kolbein,  and  Dagfinn  the  White,  meanwhile  arrived  in  Orkney 
mainland  ;  Kari  overheard  Gunnar's  perversion  of  the  tale  ;  he  entered 
and  struck  off  Gunnar's  head.  The  head  fell  before  the  king  and  earls ; 
blood  poured  on  the  table  and  on  the  earl's  clothing.  Earl  Sigurd  said  : 
"  Take  Kari  and  kill  him  "  ;  but  none  stirred.  Kari  escaped  and  was  not 
pursued.  "They  sailed  south  to  Caithness,  and  went  up  to  Freswick 
[  Thrasvik'\  to  the  nobleman  who  was  called  Skeggi ;  and  they  were  with 
him  very  long"  (c.  155,  p.  883). 

Sigtrygg  and  Sigurd  praised  Kari's  daring,  and  Flosi  told  the  story  of 
the  Burning. 

There  is  a  parallel  incident  to  that  of  Gunnar's  death,  in  Asbiorn 
Sigurd's  son's  killing  of  Seal-Thori ;  H.,  St  Olaf,  c.  ri8  (Unger's  c.  124). 
Both  stories  are  drawn  from  the  story-tellers'  stock;  and  neither  is  historical. 


534  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Then  king  Sigtrygg  waked  to  his  errand  with  earl  Sigurd, 
and  asked  him  to  go  to  join  him  in  battle  against  king  Brian. 
The  earl  hung  back  long,  but  at  last  it  came  about  that  he 
made  a  condition,  that  if  they  killed  Brian  he  should  have 
[Sigtrygg's]  mother,  and  be  king  of  Ireland  afterwards.  They 
all  were  dissuading  earl  Sigurd  from  going,  but  it  availed 
nothing.  They  parted  upon  these  terms,  that  earl  Sigurd 
promised  to  go ;  and  king  Sigtrygg  promised  [Sigurd]  his 
mother  and  the  kingdom.  It  was  arranged  that  earl  Sigurd 
should  have  come  with  all  his  army  to  Dublin  by  Palm-Sunday.^ 

1014 
Nial's  Saga,  c.   157;  Gi'slason's  Njala,  vol.  i,  pp.  891-898^ 

Earl  Sigurd,  Hlodve's  son,  prepared  to  go  from  the 
Orkneys.     Flosi  offered  to  go  with  him ;  [but]  the  earl  did  not 

'  Gormflaith  was  pleased  with  the  bargain,  but  sent  Sigtrygg  to  get 
more  help.  "  She  said  that  two  vikings  were  lying  off  the  west  of  Man, 
and  had  thirty  ships  ;  '  and  [are]  so  valiant  that  nothing  withstands  them. 
One  is  called  Uspak,  the  other  Brodir.  Thou  must  go  to  them  ;  and  let 
nothing  be  lacking  to  get  them  on  thy  side,  whatever  they  may  ask'" 
(c.  155,  p.  885).  Sigtrygg  found  them  off  Man  ;  he  induced  Brodir  to  join 
him  before  Palm-Sunday,  by  promising  to  him  also  Gormflaith's  hand  and 
the  kingdom.  Uspak  would  not  join  him.  "  Uspak  had  ten  ships,  and 
Brodir  twenty.  Uspak  was  a  heathen,  and  the  wisest  of  all  men"  (c.  155, 
p.  887).  Brodir  was  an  apostate  and  a  sorcerer.  Ominous  portents 
showed  Uspak  that  Brodir  was  doomed.  Uspak  went  to  Connaught  and 
told  Brian  everything  ;  and  Brian  collected  his  forces  for  the  week  before 
Palm-Sunday.     Uspak  was  baptized  (c.  156  ;  pp.  887-891). 

"  Also  in  R.S.  88,  i,  332-334.     Jonsson's  ed.,  408-412.     Dasent's  c.  156. 

This  account  from  Nial's  Saga  has  very  little  historical  value.  There 
are  some  similar  incidents  in  the  account  given  by  Thorstein  Side-Hall's 
son's  Saga  ;  Samfund,  29,  216-217  ;  Mobius,  170-171  ;  R.S.  88,  i,  341-342. 

The  earliest  authority  for  the  death  of  king  Brian  is  Marianus  Scottus, 
s.a.  1036=1014  (M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  v,  555).  He  says  that  Brian  was  killed 
on  Good  Friday,  the  23rd  of  April  (therefore  in  1014  ;  Good  Friday  had 
not  been  so  late  since  919). 

The  Irish  authorities  for  the  battle  of  Clontarf  are  A. I.,  s.a.  [1014]  (with 
ferial  and  epact  of  1014 ;  O'Conor's  year  996),  in  O'Conor's  Scriptores, 
ii,  2,  54  ;  C.S.  (R.S.  46,  250-252  ;  Hennessy's  year  1012  ;  with  a  note  of  the 
lateness  of  Low  Sunday,  which  fixes  the  year  as  1014),  derived  from  a  lost 
leaf  of  Tigernach  ;  A.U.,  i,  530-536,  s.a.  1014  (with  epact,  and  ferial  and 
golden  numbers,  of  1014  ;  also  "the  582nd  year"  from  432);  F.M.,  ii, 
772-778,  s.a.  1013  =  1014;  D.A.I,,  s.a.  1014,  in  O'Conor's  Scriptores,  ii,  3, 
60-70  ;  the  Annals  of  Boyle,  ibid.,  ii,  4,  15-16  ;  the  Wars  of  the  Irish  with 


CONFEDERATION  AGAINST  KING  BRIAN  535 

the  Foreigners,  R.S.  48,  150-310,  250-262;  the  A.L.C.,  R.S.  54,  i,  2-14. 
The  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  166-167  (dating  the  battle  erroneously  on 
Good  Friday,  22nd  March,  1007). 

The  earliest  Irish  account  of  the  battle  of  Clontarf  is  probably  that  given 
by  A.I.  :  in  which  no  definite  mention  is  made  of  the  presence  in  the  battle 
of  any  men  from  Scotland.  After  naming  men  killed  among  the  Irish 
adversaries,  this  account  says :  "  And  a  slaughter  [was  made]  of  the 
Foreigners  of  the  west  of  the  world  in  the  same  battle." 

C.S.,  in  its  account  of  the  battle,  says  :  "  Foreigners  of  the  world,  from 
those  of  thein  who  were  in  Scandinavia  and  to  the  west  of  it  [o  Lochlain 
siar\,  collected  against  Brian  and  Maelsechlaind  ;  they  had  with  them  a 
thousand  men-at-arms." 

A.U.  (q.v.),  i,  530-532:  "A  military  expedition  [was  led]  to  Dublin  by 
Brian,  the  king  of  Ireland,  son  of  Cendetig,  son  of  Lorcan  ;  and  by 
Maelsechlaind,  Donald's  son,  king  of  Tara.  All  the  Leinstermen  were 
there  to  meet  them  ;  and  the  Foreigners  of  Dublin  ;  and  along  with  these, 
an  equal  number  of  the  Foreigners  of  Scandinavia  \Lochlaind\,  namely 
1,000  men-at-arms.  A  bloody  battle  was  fought  between  them,  the  like  of 
which  has  not  been  found.  The  Foreigners  and  Leinstermen  were  routed 
at  the  first ;  and  [their  opponents]  destroyed  them  utterly.  There  fell  in  that 
battle,  among  the  hostile  forces  of  the  Foreigners,  Maelmorda,  Murchaid's 
son,  king  of  Leinster  ;  and  Donald,  FergaFs  son,  king  of  the  Fortuatha. 
And  of  the  Foreigners  fell  Dugald,  Olaf  [Cuaran's]  son  ;  Sigurd,  Hlodve's 
son,  earl  of  Orkney  ;  and  Gillaciarain,  Gluniaraind's  son,  heir  to  the  kingdom 
of  the  Foreigners  ;  and  Ottarthe  Black  ;  and  Suartgair  [=  Svartkel?] ;  and 
Duncan,  Erulb's  grandson  ;  and  Grisine  ;  and  Luimne  ;  and  Olaf,  Logmann's 
son ;  and  the  leader  of  the  Scandinavian  fleet,  Brodir,  who  killed  Brian  ; 
and  6,000  men,  killed  or  drowned.  .  .  ."  (Cf  F.M.;  and  A.L.C.) 

Gluniaraind  (fgSg)  was  the  son  of  Olaf  [Cuaran],  king  of  the  Foreigners. 
See  A.U.,  s.aa.   982  =  983,  988  =  989;   cf  979  =  980.     Tigernach,  R.C.  xvii, 

343,  346;  341- 

Olaf,  Logmann's  son,  may  have  been  a  Hebridean,  or  a  Manxman 
(cf.  the  Wars,  and  D.A.I.,  below). 

Sigurd's  death  is  mentioned  also  by  C.S.,  F.M.,  A.L.C,  and  A.B.  He 
is  said  to  have  been  killed  by  Murchaid,  in  D.A.I.  (66),  and  the  Wars  (194). 

Brodir  is  called  "chief  of  the  Danes"  by  C.S.  (252),  D.A.I.  (see  below), 
and  A.B.  The  Wars  (150),  and  A.L.C.  (i,  4),  call  him  "an  earl  of  York"  ; 
the  Wars  (206),  "  Brodir,  Audgisl's  son,  earl  of  York."  That  Brodir  killed 
Brian  is  stated  by  A.U.,  C.S.,  F.M.,  D.A.I.  (67),  and  A.L.C.  Cf  A.B. 
(64),  which  omit  Brodir's  name. 

Brodir  is  erroneously  called  earl  of  Orkney,  in  the  Annals  of  Clonmac- 
noise, 166  :  "At  length,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  God  1007,  the  22nd  of  March 
—being  Good  Friday— [Brian]  assembled  together  all  his  forces,  to  give 
battle  to  the  Danes,  at  Clontarf;  and  on  the  other  side,  Brodir,  earl  of 
the  island  of  the  Orcades,  called  together  and  assembled  all  the  Danes  of 
Denmark,  out  of  all  parts  and  kingdoms  that  owed  them  any  service,  to 
that  place,  as  general  and  captain  of  the  Danes,  where  there  was  a  bloody 


536  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH   HISTORY 

battle  fought  between  them,  at  Clontarf  aforesaid.  Brodir  himself  with 
his  thousand  men  in  shirts  of  mail  were  slain  ;  the  rest  of  his  army  were 
both  slain,  and  drowned  in  the  sea.  .  .  ." 

22nd  March  was  not  Good  Friday  between  916  and  1079. 

Among  those  killed  on  the  Irish  side  (along  with  king  Brian,  his  son 
Murchaid,  Murchaid's  son  Toirdelbach,  and  many  others),  A.U.  (i,  534) 
and  F.M.  (ii,  776)  name:  "Donald,  mormaer  of  Mar  in  Scotland;  the 
son  of  Eimin,  son  of  Cainnech."  Similarly  in  A.B.  (16),  and  A.L.C.  (12) ; 
but  these  both  read  "  Cainnech  Mor."  The  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise  read 
erroneously  "earl  of  Dunbar,"  instead  of  "mormaer  of  Mar."  C.S. 
(252),  and  the  Wars  (170,  210),  call  him  "Donald,  Eimin's  son."  Cf. 
S.P.,  V,  566. 

There  is  a  curious  account  of  the  battle  in  the  Wars  (a  late  and  hardly 
historical  source),  c.  87,  pp.  150-152: — "Brian  made  another  great 
military  expedition  on  the  festival  of  St  Patrick,  in  spring  [17th  March], 
to  attack  Dublin  and  the  Leinstermen. 

"When  the  Foreigners  [of  Dublin]  heard  that  this  levy  was  coming 
towards  them,  they  sent  messengers  and  scouts  on  all  sides  from  them, 
to  collect  squadrons  and  forces  [do  thinol  toreach  ociis  socraidi  cucu],  in 
order  to  offer  battle  to  Brian.  They  invited  to  them  earl  Brodir,  and  Olaf, 
son  of  the  king  of  the  Scandinavians  \Lochland']  ;  that  is,  two  earls  of 
Cair  [-Ebroic],"  i.e.  of  York,  "and  of  all  the  north  of  England  ;  these  two 
were  commanders  of  a  fleet,  and  were  outlaws,  and  pirates,  [daizair]  of 
all  the  west  of  Europe  ;  .  .  .  with  two  thousand  .  .  .  pirates  of  foreign, 
wonderful  Danes  .  .  .  And  of  those  two  thousand,  there  was  not  one 
pirate  or  robber  without  a  polished  coat-of-mail — strong,  toughly-woven, 
shining— of  iron  doubly  re-smelted,  or  of  cold,  unrusting  brass,  about  their 
sides  and  their  bodies,  from  head  to  foot. 

"The  Foreigners  invited  to  them  also  Sigurd,  Hlodve's  son,  earl  of 
the  Orkneys,  and  of  other  islands  also  ;  and  a  levy  of  fierce,  barbarous 
men — senseless,  uncontrollable,  unbiddable  [dochisc,  docJiomaind^ — of  the 
Foreigners  of  the  Orkney  and  Shetland  islands  \insi  Ore  ocus  insi  Cat]  ; 
from  Man,  and  from  Skye,  and  from  Lewis  ;  from  Kin  tyre,  and  from 
Argyle  ;  and  two  barons  from  Cornwall  [a  Corr  Bretn'nb\  and  Corndabliteoc 
from  the  Britons  of  St  Davids. 

"They  invited  to  them  also  Carlus  and  Ebric,  two  sons  of  the  king  of 
the  French  ;  and  Piatt,  a  powerful  knight  of  Scandinavia  [Lochland]  ;  and 
Conmael  Treitel. 

"This  fleet  came  from  every  quarter  to  Dublin.  There  was  now  an 
immensely  great  force  in  Dublin  itself— three  battalions,  equally  large, 
equally  powerful  :  for  there  had  come  to  Dublin  Maelmorda,  the  king  of 
Leinster,  son  of  Murchaid,  son  of  Find  ;  and  with  him  a  force  of  Leinster- 
men, and  of  the  Ui-Cendselaig.     These  constituted  three  large  battalions." 

Cf.  D.A.I.,  60-62,  s.a.  1014.  They  say  (61-62)  that  the  Foreigners  of 
Dublin  "divided  themselves  into  three  :— the  host  of  the  Scandinavians 
[Locklann]  .  .  .  ;  the  second  host,  Maelmorda,  Murchaid's  son,  king  of 
Leinster,  with  the  Leinstermen  ;  and  the  third  host,  with  the  Foreigner[s] 


BATTLE  OF  CLONTARF  537 

wish  it,  since  [Flosi]  had  his  journey  south  to  perform.^  Flosi 
offered  fifteen  of  his  men,  to  go  upon  the  expedition- ;  and  the 
earl  consented  to  this.  And  Flosi  went  with  earl  Gilli  to  the 
Hebrides. 

Thorstein  Hall's  son  went  with  earl  [Sigurd]  ^ ;  also  Hrafn 
the  Red,  and  Erling  from  Stroma.  The  earl  did  not  wish  that 
Harek*  should  go;  but  he  said  that  they  should  tell  him  the 
news  first. 

The  earl  reached  Dublin  with  all  his  army,  on  Palm 
Wednesday.^     There  Brodir  also  had  arrived,  with  all  his  army. 

Brodir  tried  to  find  by  sorcery  how  the  battle  would  go ; 
and  the  reply  was  that,  if  they  fought  before  the  Friday,  king 
Brian  would  fall,  but  have  the  victory  ;  while  if  they  fought 
before  it,  they  would  all  fall,  who  were  against  him.  Then 
Brodir  said  that  they  must  not  fight  before  the  Friday. 

On  the  fifth  day  [of  the  week],  a  man  rode  to  Gormflaith 
and  her  company  on  an  apple-grey  horse ;  and  he  had  a 
palstave  in  his  hand.  He  talked  long  with  Brodir  and 
Gormflaith. 

King  Brian  had  come  to  the  castle,  with  his  whole  army. 
On  Friday,  the  army  went  out  from  the  castle ;  and  both  forces 
were  drawn  up.  Brodir  was  in  one  wing,  and  king  Sigtrygg  in 
the  other.     Earl  Sigurd  was  in  the  middle  of  the  force. 

Now  it  is  to  be  said  of  king  Brian  that  he  wished  not  to 
fight  upon  Friday :  and  a  shield-wall  was  put  up  around  him  ; 
and  the  army  was  drawn  up  there  in  front.     Ulf  Disquiet  was 

of  the  islands,  under  Hlodve,  earl  of  the  Orkney  Islands,  and  Brodir,  chief 
of  the  Danes  \iaoiseach  Danair],  and  the  Foreigners  of  Shetland,  and  of 
Man,  and  of  Skye  \_Sgilicc],  and  of  Lewis,  and  of  Kintyre  ;  and  the  Argyles- 
men,  and  the  Cornwall  Britons,  and  the  Britons  of  St  Davids  and  of 
Coir-na-Iiogog,  with  all  their  kings  ;  and  moreover  Foreigners  from  the  land 
of  snow  [Iceland?]  and  from  middle  Gaethlaige"  (Gothland?).  The  same 
chronicle  (63)  says  that  one  third  of  Brian's  army  was  set  to  oppose  "  the 
Foreigners  of  the  islands." 

^  Flosi  had  undertaken  a  pilgrimage  to  Rome,  to  obtain  absolution  for 
the  burning  of  Nial. 

-  These  men  all  fell  in  the  battle  of  Clontarf  ("fifteen  of  the  burners 
[of  Nial]"  ;  see  below). 

^  I.e.,  to  Ireland. 

*  Harek  has  not  previously  been  mentioned  in  the  saga.  Some 
passage  that  spoke  of  him  has  evidently  been  omitted.     See  below,  note. 

°  2ist  April,  1014. 


538  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

in  the  wing  that  was  opposed  by  Brodir ;  and  in  the  other  wing, 
to  which  Sigtrygg  was  opposed,  were  Uspak  and  the  sons  of 
Brian ;  and  in  the  centre  was  Toirdelbach  ;  and  before  him  the 
standards  were  borne. 

Then  the  ranks  fell  upon  each  other. 

Then  a  very  hard  battle  arose.  Brodir  went  through  their 
force,  and  felled  all  those  that  stood  in  the  front:  but  him 
weapons  bit  not.  Then  Ulf  Disquiet  turned  against  him,  and 
thrust  at  him  three  times,  so  hard,  that  Brodir  fell  before  [the 
thrust]  each  time.  And  he  was  very  nearly  unable  to  get  upon 
his  feet.  But  as  soon  as  he  succeeded  in  standing  up,  he  fled 
away,  into  the  wood. 

Earl  Sigurd  had  a  hard  battle  against  Toirdelbach. 
Toirdelbach  advanced  so  vigorously  that  he  slew  all  those  that 
were  farthest  forward  ;  he  broke  earl  Sigurd's  ranks  as  far  as 
the  standard,  and  slew  the  standard-bearer.  Then  the  earl  got 
another  man  to  carry  the  standard.  Then  again  there  was  a 
hard  battle.  Toirdelbach  struck  this  [standard-bearer]  immedi- 
ately a  death-blow ;  and  one  after  another,  as  many  as 
were  near. 

Earl  Sigurd  bade  Thorstein,  Hall's  son,  carry  the  standard. 
Thorstein  intended  to  take  up  the  standard  ;  then  Amundi  the 
White  said  :  "  Do  not  thou  carry  the  banner,  Thorstein,  because 
all  those  that  bear  it  are  killed." 

"  Hrafn  the  Red  !  "  said  the  earl,  "  Bear  thou  the  banner." 

Hrafn  said  :  "  Bear  thou  thy  fiend  thyself." 

The  earl  said  :  "  That  will  be  most  fitting,  that  beggar  and 
bag  should  go  together." 

Then  he  took  the  standard  from  the  pole,  and  put  it  between 
his  clothes.  A  little  later  Amundi  the  White  was  slain.  Then 
the  earl  too  was  shot  through  with  a  spear.^ 

Uspak  had  gone  about  the  whole  wing ;  he  had  been  badly 
wounded,    and    had    previously   lost    the    two    sons    of  Brian. 

^  Flatey-book's  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga  (Fl.,  i,  558  ;  R.S.  88,  i,  16,  c. 
13)  says:  "And  when  earl  Sigurd  came  to  Ireland,  king  Sigtrygg  and 
he  led  their  army  against  Brian,  the  Irish  king  ;  and  their  meeting  was 
on  Good  Friday.  There  was  none  to  bear  the  raven-standard  ;  and  the 
earl  bore  it  himself,  and  fell  there.  And  king  Sigtrygg  fled.  King 
Brian  fell,  with  victory  and  success." 

The  incident  of  the  banner  stands  thus  in  Thorstein  Side-Hall's  son's 
Saga  :   "  There  fell  three  standard-bearers  of  earl  Sigurd.     And  then  the 


DEFEAT  OF  THE  NORWEGIANS  539 

Sigtrygg  fled  before  him.  Then  the  whole  force  broke 
into  rout. 

Thorstein  Hall's  son  stopped  while  the  others  fled,  and  tied 
his  shoe-lace.  Then  Toirdelbach  asked  why  he  did  not  run. 
"  Because,"  said  Thorstein,  "  I  cannot  reach  home  in  the 
evening,  out  in  Iceland  where  I  have  my  home."  Toirdelbach 
gave  him  quarter. '^ 

Hrafn  the  Red  was  chased  out  upon  a  certain  river.  He 
imagined  he  saw  hell  there  beneath  him,  and  he  thought  that 
devils  wished  to  drag  him  into  it.  Then  Hrafn  said :  "  Thy 
dog,  apostle  Peter !  has  run  twice  to  Rome ;  and  would  run  a 
third  time,  if  thou  permitted  it."  Then  the  devils  let  him  go, 
and  he  got  across  the  river. 

Now  Brodir  saw  that  the  men  of  king  Brian  were  in  pursuit, 
and  that  but  few  men  remained  by  the  shield-wall.     Then  he 

earl  bade  Thorstein  bear  the  standard.  Then  spoke  Thorstein  :  '  Carry 
thy  crow  thyself,  earl ! ' 

"  Then  spoke  a  certain  man  :  '  Thou  dost  right,  Thorstein  ;  because  I 
have  lost  my  three  sons  through  it.' 

"  The  earl  took  the  standard  from  the  pole,  and  placed  it  between  his 
clothes.  And  then  the  battle  went  on  most  boldly.  And  a  little  later 
they  heard  a  voice  in  the  sky  :  'If  earl  Sigurd  wishes  to  have  the  victory, 
let  him  go  with  his  men  to  Dumaz-bakki.'  The  .  .  .  [forces  ?]  followed  the 
earl  closely  ;  and  so  it  happened  then  :  the  earl  fell  there,  in  this  attack, 
and  many  men  with  him  ;  and  at  the  same  time  Brodir  slew  king  Brian." 

Dumazbakki  (possibly  "bank  of  the  river  Dum")  is  unidentifiable. 

With  this  account,  cf  the  Wars  of  the  Irish  with  the  Foreigners 
(R.S.  48,  194).  That  late  and  untrustworthy  source  describes  the  killing 
of  Sigurd  by  Murchaid,  Brian's  son. 

1  This  incident  stands  thus  in  Thorstein  Side-Hall's  son's  Saga  :  "  Then 
at  once "  (after  Brian's  death)  "  there  were  great  tidings  of  the  deaths  of 
men.  Thorstein  and  some  of  those  who  were  with  him  made  a  stand  in 
the  wood.  Then  spoke  a  man  :  '  Why  fleest  thou  not,  Thorstein  ? '  He 
answered  :  '  Because  I  cannot  get  home  in  the  evening,  even  if  I  flee.' 
Quarter  was  given  to  Thorstein.  And  lie  went  back  to  the  Orkneys,  and 
from  there  to  Norway,  and  came  to  the  court  of  king  Magnus,  Olaf's  son, 
and  became  his  guardsman.  .  .  .  Thorstein  was  twenty  years  old  when  he 
was  in  Brian's  battle  .  .  .  ."  But  Magnus,  Olaf's  son,  did  not  begin  to 
reign  till  1035. 

According  to  the  unhistorical  Dream  of  Thorstein  Side-Hall's  son, 
Thorstein  was  killed  by  his  thrall,  Gilli,  who  was  afterwards  tortured  to 
death.  "This  Gilli  was  the  son  of  lathgud,  son  of  Gilli,  son  of  Biadach, 
son  of  Kiarval  the  Old,  the  king  of  Ireland,  who  reigned  there  long" 
(Samfund,  29,  236). 


540  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

sprang  from  the  wood,  and  broke  through  the  whole  shield-wall, 
and  struck  at  the  king.  The  page  Tadc  threw  up  his  hand  ; 
and  [the  blow]  took  off  his  hand  and  the  king's  head.  But  the 
king's  blood  fell  upon  the  arm-stump  of  the  page,  and  the 
stump  was  immediately  healed. 

Then  Brodir  called  aloud :  "  Now  let  man  know  to  tell  man 
that  Brodir  has  slain  Brian." 

Then  they  ran  after  those  that  had  gone  in  the  pursuit,  and 
told  them  of  the  killing  of  king  Brian.  Then  Ulf  Disquiet  and 
Toirdelbach  turned  back  at  once ;  they  formed  a  ring  round 
Brodir  and  his  men,  and  felled  branches  upon  them.  Brodir 
was  then  taken  captive.  Ulf  Disquiet  cut  open  his  belly,  and 
led  him  round  an  oak,  and  drew  out  so  his  bowels;  and  he  did 
not  die  before  they  were  all  drawn  from  him.^  All  Brodir's  men 
also  were  slain. 

Then  they  took  king  Brian's  body,  and  laid  it  out-;  the 
king's  head  had  grown  to  the  trunk. 

Fifteen  of  the  burners  [of  Nial]  fell  in  Brian's  battle.  There 
fell  also  Halldor  Gudmund's  son,  and  Erling  from  Stroma.^ 

'  Thorstein  Side-Hall's  son's  Saga  says  :  "...  Brodir  killed  king 
Brian.  And  Uspak,  his  brother,  took  [Brodir],  and  prised  out  his  bowels, 
and  led  him  about  an  oak  ;  and  he  died  so." 

This  manner  of  punishment  occurs  elsewhere  in  the  sagas  :  it  is  not 
here  historical.  Jonsson  points  to  an  instance  in  the  death  of  Asbiorn 
Prudi,  in  Orms  Thattr  ;  F.S.,  iii,  217-221. 

^  Brian  was  buried  in  Armagh.     See  A.U.,  i,  534. 

^  Nial's  Saga,  c.  157  (Gi'slason's  Njala,  i,  898-899;  ed.  Jonsson,  412-419  ; 
Dasent's  c.  156): — "On  Good  Friday,  this  event  occurred  in  Caithness. 
A  man  who  was  called  Dorrad  was  riding  out.  He  saw  people  [Valkyrias] 
ride,  twelve  together,  to  a  certain  bower  {_dyngja\  and  all  go  out  of  sight 
there.  He  went  to  the  bower.  He  looked  in  at  a  window  that  was  there,  and 
saw  that  there  were  women  inside  ;  and  they  had  put  up  [in  a  loom]  a  web. 
There  were  men's  heads  for  weights,  and  bowels  of  men  for  woof  and  warp. 
There  was  a  sword  for  batten"  {skei'Sj  "reed"?),  "and  an  arrow  for  reed" 
(hrall ;  "shuttle"?).     " They  spoke  these  verses.  .  .  ." 

Here  follows  the  "  Song  of  Dorrad  "  (88  lines  of  tetrasyllable  verse).  It 
may  have  been  composed  in  Caithness.  See  the  text  with  Danish  transla- 
tion in  J.S.,  i,  A,  419-421  ;  B,  389-391  :  with  German  translation  (in  the 
notes),  in  Jonsson's  edition  of  Njala,  413-417  :  text,  in  Gislason's  Njala, 
i,  899-901  :  cf.  Corpus  Poeticum  Boreale,  i,  281-283. 

Designs  of  old  looms  are  given  in  Boyesen's  Norway  (1900),  145,  159. 

Nidi's  Saga  (Gislason,  i,  902-903  ;  Jonsson,  417-418)  relates  other 
portents  seen  at  the  time  of  the  same  battle.  A  vision  similar  to  Dorrad's 
was  seen  by  Brand,  Gneisti's  son,  in  the  Faroes.     Blood  fell  on  a  priest's 


DEATHS  AND  PORTENTS  541 

stole  in  Iceland,  at  Svinafell.  A  priest  at  Thvatt-a  saw  an  abyss  of  the  sea 
beside  the  altar.  "  This  event  took  place  in  the  Orkneys,  that  Harek 
imagined  he  saw  earl  Sigurd,  and  some  men  with  him.  Then  Harek  took 
his  horse,  and  rode  to  meet  the  earl.  Men  saw  that  they  met,  and  rode 
under  a  certain  hill.  But  they  were  never  seen  again  ;  and  no  trace  of 
Harek  was  ever  found."  Earl  Gilli,  in  the  Hebrides,  dreamed  that  Herfinn 
came  to  him  from  Ireland,  and  told  him  the  result  of  the  battle  (8  hexa- 
syllables  quoted  are  translated  into  German  in  Jonsson's  notes  ;  p.  418). 
"  Flosi  and  earl  [Gilli]  talked  much  of  this  dream.  A  week  later,  Hrafn  the 
Red  came  there,  and  told  them  all  the  tidings  of  Brian's  battle— the  fall  of 
king  [Brian],  and  of  earl  Sigurd,  and  Brodir,  and  all  the  vikings.  Flosi 
said:  '  Whattellest  thou  me  of  my  men?'  'They  all  fell  there,'  said  Hrafn  ; 
'but  Thorstein,  thy  kinsman-in-law,  received  quarter  from  Toirdelbach, 
and  is  with  him  now.' 

"  Flosi  told  the  earl  that  he  should  go  away  :  '  We  have  our  journey 
south  to  accomplish.' 

"The  earl  bade  him  go  as  he  would  ;  and  gave  him  a  ship,  and  all  that 
he  needed,  and  much  silver.  Then  they  sailed  to  Wales,  and  remained 
there  for  a  time." 

A  companion  of  Flosi,  Kol,  Thorstein's  son,  was  killed  in  Wales  by 
Kari,  Solmund's  son,  in  vengeance  for  Nial's  death.  (Kari,  and  Dagfinn  the 
White,  and  Kolbein  the  Black,  had  got  a  ship  from  Skeggi  Yeoman,  in 
Thurso  (cf  c.  155 — Dasent's  c.  154)  ;  and  "had  sailed  south  by  Scotland's 
firths.  Then  they  met  men  from  the  Hebrides  ;  they  told  Kari  news  from 
Ireland," — i.e.,  of  Clontarf — "and  also  that  Flosi  and  his  men  had  gone  to 
Wales  "c.  158.) 

"Then  [Kari  and  his  companions]  sailed  north  to  Berwick,  and  laid  up 
their  ship,  and  went  up  to  Hvitsborg  [i.e.  "White's  castle"]  in  Scotland; 
and  they  remained  with  earl  Malcolm  for  that  year  \Jhau  misseri ;  1014- 
1015]"  (c.  158). 

Flosi  went  to  Rome  in  1014  ;  got  absolution  from  the  pope  ;  and  gave 
much  money.  He  was  with  earl'  Eric  in  Norway  the  next  winter  (1014- 
1015)  ;  and  afterwards  returned  to  Iceland  (c.  158). 

C.  159  (Gislason,  i,  907-908  ;  Jonsson,  420-421  :  Dasent's  c.  158)  : 
"  Now  it  is  to  be  said  of  Kari,  that  in  the  following  summer  [1015]  he  went 
to  his  ship,  and  sailed  southward  across  the  sea,  and  began  his  journey 
south  from  Normandy  ;  and  went  south,  and  received  absolution  ;  and 
went  back  by  the  western  way,  and  took  his  ship  in  Normandy,  and  sailed 
north  across  the  sea  to  Dover  in  England. 

"  From  there,  he  sailed  west  round  Wales,  and  so  northward  by 
Scotland's  firths.  And  he  did  not  desist  from  his  journeying  until  he  came 
north  to  Freswick  \Thrasvili\  in  Caithness,  to  Skeggi  Yeoman.  Then  he 
gave  the  merchant-ship  to  Kolbein  and  Dagfinn.  Kolbein  sailed  with  the 
ship  to  Norway,  but  David  remained  behind  in  Fair  Island.  Kari  remained 
for  this  winter  [1015-1016]  in  Caithness.  In  this  winter,  his  wife  died  in 
Iceland.  In  the  following  summer  [1016],  Kari  prepared  to  go  to  Iceland. 
Skeggi  gave  him  a  merchant-ship ;  they  were  eighteen  on  board. 
They  were  rather  late  in  being  ready,  but  yet  they  sailed  out  to  sea  ;  and 

2  M 


542  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

1014 

Heimskringla,  St  Olaf  s  Saga,  c.  96  ^ 

Five  years  or  four  after  the  fall  of  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son,  earl 
Sigurd  went  to  Ireland,  and  left  his  older  sons  to  rule  the  lands. 
Thorfinn  he  sent  to  the  Scottish  king,  [Thorfinn's]  mother's 
father.2  On  this  expedition  earl  Sigurd  fell,  in  Brian's  battle. 
And  when  that  was  known  in  the  Orkneys,  the  brothers 
Sumarlidi,  Brusi,  and  Einar,  were  taken  as  earls ;  and  they 
divided  the  lands  among  them,  into  three  parts. 

Thorfinn  Sigurd's  son  was  five  winters  old  when  earl 
Sigurd  fell.  When  [Sigurd's]  fall  was  made  known  to  the 
Scottish  king,  the  king  gave  to  Thorfinn  (his  kinsman) 
Caithness  and  Sutherland,  and  with  them  the  title  of  earl ; 
and  set  men  to  govern  the  dominion  with  him. 

Thorfinn  was  precocious    in    growing    up    immediately  to 

they  had  a  long  time  at  sea."  They  were  shipwrecked  on  the  coast  of 
Iceland,  near  Flosi's  place  ;  and  were  welcomed  by  Flosi,  with  whom  they 
became  reconciled. 

1  This  is  c.  99  in  Unger's  edition.  The  same  passage  is  in  c.  81  of 
Snorri's  St  Olaf  (Munch  and  Unger,  p.  92;  c.  91  in  F.S.,  iv,  213-214); 
and,  somewhat  expanded,  in  Flateybook's  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  (Fl.,  i,  558  ; 
R.S.  88,  i,  16,  29,  cc.  13-14,  22). 

2  The  Flatey  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga  (u.s.,  c.  13) :  "Five  winters  after 
the  battle  of  Svoldr,  earl  Sigurd  went  to  Ireland,  to  join  the  force  of  king 
Sigtrygg  Silk-beard  ;  and  he  placed  his  oldest  son  over  the  land.  But  his 
son  Thorfinn  he  put  for  fosterage  into  the  hands  of  the  Scottish  king, 
[Thorfinn's]  mother's  father  ..."  (see  above). 

The  Icelandic  Annals  derive  their  dates  from  the  sagas.  They  place  the 
battle  of  Svoldrar-vagr  (E)  and  Olafs  death  (KOCDA)  in  the  year  1000. 
Versions  O  (s.a.  1005),  ODE  (s.a.  1004),  A  (s.a.  1002),  note  the  battle  of 
Clontarf  thus  :— "  Brian's  battle  [in  Ireland  OEA] "  ;  and  CDA  add 
(s.a.  1004)  : — "Earl  Thorfinn,  Sigurd's  son,  ruled  [took  dominion  D]  in  the 
Orkneys  [for  62  years,  C  ;  for  52  years,  A]." 

These  dates  seem  to  have  been  obtained  in  this  way.  Thorfinn  died 
shortly  before  the  death  of  Harold  Hardradi  in  1066 ;  the  traditional 
length  of  Thorfinn's  earldom  was  deducted  from  lo66  in  order  to  find  the 
date  of  the  battle  of  Clontarf.  Version  C  rendered  the  tradition  half  a 
duo-decimal  hundred,  and  two  years  ;  version  A  altered  this  to  half  a 
decimal  hundred,  and  two,  but  made  the  change  at  the  wrong  end. 

It  is  certain  that  the  battle  was  fought  in  1014,  and  that  Thorfinn  died 
X  1066  ;  therefore  he  cannot  have  been  earl  for  more  than  52  winters. 
See  below,  year  ?io65. 


EARL  THORFINN.     BURNING  OF  KELLS  543 

full  manhood.  He  was  big  and  strong,  [and]  an  ugly 
mani;  and  as  soon  as  his  age  increased,  it  was  evident  that 
he  was  an  ambitious  man,  hard,  and  cruel,  and  very  wise.  So 
says  Arnor  Earls'-poet : 

"  Skilful  to  protect  the  land,  valiant  in  mind  also  to  attack, 
no  man  under  the  clouds  has  lent  himself  younger  than  Einar's 
brother  [Thorfinn]."" 


'  2 


IOI6 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  540,  s.a.  1016^ 
.  .  .  Kells  was  burned.'' 

1  Fl.  reads:— "the  biggest  and  strongest  of  men,  and  black-haired." 
The  old  Norse  translation  adds  :  "sharp  in  face  and  in  manner"  (R.S.  88, 
i,  16).  Versions  of  Orkneyinga  Saga,  in  MS.  A.M.  332  (R.S.  88,  i,  28-29  ; 
Vigfusson's  c.  22)  and  Fl.  (ii,  404)  read  :  "  Earl  Thorfinn  became  a  great 
chief ;  he  was  the  biggest  of  men  [in  stature  Fl.],  [and  the  strongest  A.M.]  ; 
ugly  [in  appearance  Fl.]  ;  black-haired  ;  sharp-featured  ;  [and  large-nosed  ; 
A.M.]  and  somewhat  beetle-browed  \skolbrunn\  :  [and  most  soldierly  Fl.]. 
He  was  a  great  man  of  vigour  ;  and  greedy,  both  of  wealth  and  of  honour. 
He  was  lucky  in  victory,  and  skilful  in  battles,  and  good  in  attack." 

Skolbrunn  means  "  swarthy,"  according  to  Cleasby-Vigfusson,  and 
Zoega ;  "his  brows  scowling,"  according  to  Dasent.  See  F.  Jonsson's 
Egil's  Saga,  160,  note. 

^  This  is  a  half-stanza  from  Arnor's  Thorfinns-drcipa.  The  whole  stanza 
is  quoted  in  Fl.,  ii,  404  ;  see  below,  years  1022- 1029,  note. 

Arnor  Thord's  son  was  a  contemporary  of  Thorfinn,  and  knew  him 
personally.  For  his  poems,  see  J.S.,  i.  A,  332-354  ;  B,  305-327  ;  Vigfusson 
and  Powell,  Corpus  Poeticum,  ii,  184-198. 

Cf.  Magnus  and  Olafs  Saga,  c.  2,  in  F.S.,  vi,  439-440  :  "...  as  Arnor 
Earls'-poet  says  : — '  I  roused  [with  verses]  the  good  ships'-companies,  when 
we  sat  every  winter  opposite  the  raven-feeder :  the  pirate-chief  drank 
ever  ale.' 

"  Here  Arnor  boasts  that  he  had  sat  in  the  lower  high-seat,  as  drinking- 
companion  of  earl  Thorfinn,  when  he  was  with  [the  earl]  in  the  Orkneys." 
(The  previous  passage  describes  customs  of  the  time.     Cf.  Frisbok,  256.) 

'  With  f.n.  and  e.  of  1016. 

*  Cf.  C.S.,  256,  Hennessy's  year  1014=1016;  F.M.,  ii,  786,  s.a.  1015=1016. 

Subsequent  burnings  of  Kells  are  recorded  in  A.U.  under  the  years  1040, 
1060,  1095,  1099,  nil,  1166;  in  A.L.C.,  also  under  113S  ;  in  F.M.,  also 
under  1036,  1073,  1143,  1144  (three  burnings),  1150,  1156,  1170,  1203;  in 
Contin.  T.,  under  1171.     Cf.  year  1017. 


544  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

1017 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  540,  s.a.  1017^ 

Gillacrist  Lorcan's  grandson,  the  king  of  Caill-Folamain,^ 
was  killed  in  Kells.^ 

1018 

Chronicle  of  Melrose,  p  44,  s.a.  1018 

A  great  battle  was  fought  at  Carham  between  the  English 
and  the   Scots.* 

1018 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version    E ;    in    Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  131 

[Malcolm,  Kenneth's  son]  fought  a  great  battle  at  Carham.^ 
He  also  distributed  many  offerings,  both  to  the  clergy  and  to 
churches,  on  that  day.'' 

1  With  f.n.  of  1017,  and  e.  28  (read  29). 

2  "In  Moygoish  barony,  Westmeath"  MacCarthy.  Cf.  Hogan's  Ono- 
masticon,  139. 

''  Cf.  F.M.,  ii,  790,  s.a.  1016=1017. 

Later  violations  of  Kells  are  noted  in  A.U.  under  the  years  1076,  11 17, 
1 176.     Cf.  year  1019,  below. 

*  This  is  derived  from  Simeon  of  Durham.     See  E.C.,  82. 

'  npud  Carrim;  which  should  mean  "at  Carron."     See  E.C.,  81-82. 

"  The  ruler  of  Northumbria  at  this  time  seems  to  have  been  Eadulf 
Cudel  (E.C.,  81).  He  is  named  as  the  successor  of  his  brother,  earl  Uhtred, 
Waltheofs  son. 

After  earl  Uhtred's  death,  Cnut  placed  Eric,  Hakon's  son,  who  had  been 
earl  in  Norway,  over  tire  Northumbrians  (E.G.,  8r,  note  ;  below,  year  1055, 
note.  A.S.C.,  CDE,  s.a.  1016  ;  CDEF,  s.a.  1017).  Eric  appears  in  Cnut's 
charters  from  1018  to  1023  (cf.  Kemble's  Codex,  iv,  3,  6,  17,  20,  23,  27,  29  ; 
nos.  728,  729,  735-740.  His  name  is  not  among  the  witnesses  of  no.  741). 
Cf.  Steenstrup's  Normannerne,  iii,  322  ;  Munch,  i,  2,  483.  The  Icelandic 
Annals  KOCA  erroneously  place  his  death  in  1013.  For  Eric's  son,  Hakon, 
see  years  1029,  1055,  note. 

Eadulf  Cudel  appears  to  have  administered  the  earldom  under  Eric. 
See  year  1072,  note. 

The  victory  at  Carham  added  Lothian  to  the  dominions  of  the 
Scottish  king.  Edinburgh  had  already  been  vacated  by  the  Northumbrians 
in  the  reign  of  king  Indulf  (954  x  962). 

Cnut's  taxations  of  this  year  (A.S.C.)  must  have  raised  the  question  of 
England's  right  in  Lothian  ;  probably  the  Scots  conceded  it,  and  were 
allowed  to  retain  Lothian.  But  the  superiority  claimed  over  Scotland  did 
not  extend  to  the  raising  of  tribute  there  :  i.e.,  it  was  not  feudal  over-lordship. 
Cf.  the  notes  below. 


BATTLE  OF  CARHAM.     KING  CNUT  545 

?996 -?  1018 

Rodulfus  Glaber,  Historiae,  II,  3  ;  pp.  29-30,  s.a.  [996]  1 

Moreover,  after  the  portent  of  Ocean  was  seen,^  as  we  began 
to  say,  the  tumult  of  war  broke  out  in  the  whole  region  of  the 
western  world ;  in  the  districts  of  Gaul  as  well  as  in  the  islands 
of  the  Ocean,  beyond  the  sea:  namely,  of  the  English,  and  the 
Welsh,  and  also  of  the  Scots.  Because,  as  very  often  happens, 
through  the  faults  of  the  worst  of  the  people,  their  kings  and 
other  princes  are  immediately  aroused,  for  the  destruction  of 
the  folk  that  are  subject  to  them ;  until  [the  kings]  are  led  on 
to  the  shedding  of  their  own  blood.  This  was  done,  in  the 
aforesaid  islands,  until  one  of  their  kings  by  force  made  himself 
master  of  the  dominion  of  the  rest. 

At  last,  after  the  death ^  of  king  .(Ethelred  ([the  king]  in  the 
realm  of  those  who  are  called  Danes  ;  and  he  had  also  married 
the  sister  of  Richard,  duke  of  Rouen),  his  kingdom  was  invaded 
by  Cnut,  the  king  of  the  West  Angles.*  And  after  frequent 
violent  battles,  and  ravagings  of  the  land,  he  made  an  agree- 
ment with  Richard,  taking  in  marriage  his  sister,  ^thelred's 
wife ;  and  held  the  monarchy  of  both  kingdoms. 

After  this  also  the  same  Cnut  set  out  with  a  very  great  army 
to  subdue  to  himself  the  nation  of  the  Scots ;  whose  king  was 
called  Malcolm,  [and  was]  powerful  in  resources  and  arms,  and 
(what  was  most  efficacious)  very  Christian  in  faith  and  deed. 

'  Attno  .  .  .  quarto  de  .  .  .  millesiino  (p.  27).  Cf.  II,  7,  where  septimo 
.  .  .  de  .  .  .  tnillesimo  stands  for  993.     Cf.  Neues  Archiv,  xiv,  389. 

This  passage  is  also  in  B.R.,  x,  14. 

For  British  affairs  at  this  time,  see  A.S.C.,  s.aa.  1001-1018  ;  F.W.,  i, 
155-182. 

^  A  great  whale,  like  an  island,  had  been  seen  in  November  of  1004,  at 
Berneval,  near  Dieppe  :  Rodulfus,  27-28. 

2  ^Ethelred  died  on  23rd  April,  1016  (A.S.C.,  F.W.  ;  but  W.M.  says,  on 
I2th  March,  in  the  beginning  of  Lent  ;  incorrectly,  since  Lent  began  on 
14th  February  in  1016.  But  Ash  Wednesday  was  6th  March  in  1017  ;  loth 
March  in  1014). 

Icelandic  Annals  KODE  erroneously  place  ^thelred's  death  and  Cnut's 
accession  to  the  kingship  of  England  in  1012  (in  ion,  A).  Cf.  Knytlinga 
Saga,  below. 

*  For  these  affairs,  see  W.M.,  i,  212-227.  Cnut  had  been  elected  by  the 
Danes ;  ^Ethelred,  by  the  English.  Rodulfus's  error  may  have  arisen 
from  the  fact  that,  when  Cnut  divided  the  kingdoms  of  England,  he 
reserved  Wessex  for  himself  (ibid.,  218)  ;  A.S.C.  CDEF,  s.a.  1014. 


546  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

And  when  [Malcolm]  knew  that  Cnut  audaciously  sought  to 
invade  his  kingdom,  he  collected  his  nation's  whole  army,  and 
resisted  him  strongly,  so  that  he  should  not  succeed. 

And  Cnut  shamelessly  prosecuted  these  claims  for  a  long 
time,  and  vigorously  ;  but  at  last,  by  persuasion  of  the  aforesaid 
Richard,  the  duke  of  Rouen,  and  of  [Richard's]  sister,  he 
entirely  laid  aside  all  ferocity,  for  the  love  of  God  ;  became 
gentle,  and  lived  in  peace.  Moreover  also  for  friendship's  sake, 
having  affection  for  the  king  of  the  Scots,  he  received  [Malcolm'.s] 
son  from  the  holy  font  of  baptism.^ 

From  this  it  began  to  happen  that  if  any  hostile  necessity 
pressed  upon  the  duke  of  Rouen,  he  brought  a  numerous  army 
to  his  aid  from  the  islands  beyond  the  sea.  And  thus  for  a 
very  long  time  the  Norman  nation  and  the  peoples  of  the 
aforesaid  islands  [were]  protected  by  the  truest  peace;  so  that 
they  caused  fear  to  many  peoples  of  other  provinces,  rather 
than  were  themselves  in  fear  of  others.  .  .  . 

'  This  son  of  Malcolm,  and  godson  of  Cnut,  is  not  known  in  other 
sources. 

Cnut's  unsuccessful  war  with  Malcolm  appears  to  have  been  that  of 
1018,  in  which  the  Scots  obtained  the  territory  of  Lothian.    See  E.C.,  81-82. 

The  sagas  imply  that  Cnut  had  reduced  the  Scots  to  some  sort  of 
submission  before  the  year  [1025].  See  below.  The  Icelandic  Annals  say 
that  Cnut  claimed  the  kingdom  of  Norway  in  1025  (CA)  ;  fought  with  king 
Olaf  in  Danish  territory  in  1027  (KOCA)  ;  and  obtained  the  Norwegian 
kingdom  in  1028  (KOCA).  Cf.  below,  1028-1030.  Olaf  the  Holy  fled  to 
Gardariki  in  1029  (KOCEA)  ;  returned  to  Norway,  and  was  killed,  in  1030 
(CEA  ;  cf.  KO)  ;  on  Wednesday,  29th  July  (A).  The  sagas  say  that  Cnut 
went  from  England  with  forces  to  Denmark  in  [1027]  (see  H.,  St  Olaf,  cc. 
144-149)  ;  cf  Sighvat  Thord's  son,  Knutsdrapa,  in  J.S.,  i.  A,  250-251  ;  B, 
233-234  :  Vigfusson  and  Powell,  Corpus  Poeticum,  ii,  136. 

A.S.C.'s  account  of  these  affairs  is  enlarged  by  F.W.  ;  and  abridged 
from  F.W.  (with  a  word  supplied  directly  from  A.S.C.)  by  CM.,  s.aa. 
1027-1031.     CM.  says  (45) : — 

"  In  the  year  1027,  king  Cnut  corrupted  the  Norwegians,  who  despised 
their  king  Olaf,  because  of  his  sanctity  ;  and  were  blinded  by  great  plenty 
of  gold  and  of  silver. 

"  In  the  year  1028,  king  Cnut  sailed  to  Norway  with  fifty  large  ships  ; 
expelled  king  Olaf  from  that  [land],  and  subjugated  it  to  himself 

"  In  the  year  1029,  Cnut,  king  of  the  English,  and  of  the  Danes,  and  of 
the  Norwegians,  returned  to  England. 

"  In  the  year  1030,  St  Olaf,  king  and  martyr,  son  of  Harold  [king]  of  the 
Norwegians,  returned  [to  Norway],  and  was  unjustly  killed  by  the 
Norwegians. 


RELATIONS  OF  CNUT  WITH  SCOTLAND  547 

"  In  the  year  1031,  king  Cnut  with  great  honour  set  out  for  Rome  ;  and 
offered  great  gifts,  in  gold  and  in  silver,  to  St  Peter  ;  and  obtained  from 
pope  John  [XIX]  that  the  school  of  the  English  [in  Rome]  should  be  free." 

F.W.  and  CM.  do  not  mention  the  reported  submission  of  Scotland  in 
1031.  The  Chronicle  of  Man,  i,  46,  s.aa.  1011-1014,  copies  from  CM., 
1028-1031. 

When  Cnut  sent  letters  from  England,  in  the  spring  of  [1025],  to  king 
Olaf  at  Tonsberg,  requesting  Olaf  to  accept  his  superiority,  Olaf  is 
represented  to  have  said  in  his  reply  :'"...  It  has  now  come  about  that 
Cnut  rules  over  Denmark  and  over  England ;  and  he  has  now  also 
subjugated  to  himself  a  large  part  of  Scotland  .  .  .'"(H.,  St  Olaf,  c.  131  ; 
Unger's  c.  140).  So  too  Sighvat  the  Poet,  Thord's  son  (who  had  been 
presented  to  Cnut)  is  said  to  have  got  information  to  this  effect  directly 
from  the  messengers  who  carried  Cnut's  letter  to  Olaf:  "Sighvat  made 
himself  acquainted  with  king  Cnut's  messengers,  and  inquired  of  many 
tidings  from  them.  They  told  him  all  he  asked  regarding  their  conversa- 
tions with  king  Olaf,  and  also  of  their  mission's  end.  They  said  that  [Olaf] 
had  taken  their  affair  unfavourably  :  '  .^nd  we  know  not '  said  they,  '  from 
what  he  has  confidence  for  such  action,  to  refuse  to  become  king  Cnut's 
man,  and  to  go  to  him.  And  this  would  have  been  his  best  choice, 
because  king  Cnut  is  so  generous  that  chiefs  never  deserve  so  badly  of  him 
but  that  he  puts  all  that  aside,  as  soon  as  they  go  to  him  and  do  him 
obeisance.  It  is  now  but  a  short  while  ago  that  two  kings  came  south  to 
him  from  Scotland,  from  Fife  ;  and  he  laid  aside  for  them  his  anger,  and 
gave  them  all  the  lands  that  they  had  previously  had,  and  great  friendly 
gifts  besides.' 

"  Then  said  Sighvat  :  '  Very  prominent  kings  have  brought  their 
heads  to  Cnut,  all  the  way  south  from  the  middle  of  Fife — a  purchase  of 
peace.  Olaf  the  Stout  has  never  thus  given  his  head  to  any  man  in  the 
world,  for  this  purpose  :  he  has  often  won  victory'"  (ibid.).  For  Sighvat, 
see  J.S.,  i.  A,  269-270;  B,  249-250,  stanza  15  ;  Corpus  Poeticum,  ii,  133-134. 

A.S.C  DEF,  s.a.  1031,  say:  "In  this  year,  king  Cnut  went  to 
Rome  :  and  [as  soon  as  he  came  home,  D]  in  the  same  year,  he  went  to 
Scotland  ;  and  the  Scots'  king  submitted  to  him,  [and  two  other  kings, 
Maelbasthe  \_MealbcEaihe  F]  and  lehmarc;  EF]  [and  became  his  man. 
But  he  adhered  to  that  for  only  a  little  while"  D].  This  is  the  subjugation 
referred  to  by  king  Edward  I  (below). 

One  of  the  "two  other  kings"  may  have  been  a  king  of  Cumbria.  Fordun 
(IV,  41  ;  i,  183)  says  that  Duncan,  Crinan's  son,  while  king  of  Cumbria, 
refused  for  a  time  homage  to  king  Cnut,  because  he  was  a  usurper.  For 
lehmarc,  cf.  a  tentative  conjecture  under  ?  1052,  note. 

Rodulfus  Glaber  (who  wrote  1044x11050)  implies  that  warfare  did  not 
again  break  out  between  the  kings,  after  they  had  made  peace.  It  seems 
certain  that  the  hostilities  and  submission  which  A.S.C.  DEF  place  in 
103 1  are  the  same  that  Snorri,  on  the  authority  of  Sighvat,  places  before 
1025  ;  and  probable  that  the  agreement  between  the  kings  was  the 
conclusion  of  the  strife  that  existed  in  1018,  and  that  resulted  in  the 
cession  of  Lothian. 


548  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

A.S.C.  DEF  and  F.W.,  i,  185,  say  that  Cnut  went  to  Rome  in  1031  ; 
and  this  is  supported  by  the  Knythnga  Saga,  which  says  that  Cnut  went 
to  Rome  after  the  death  of  St  Olaf  (see  above).  But  it  is  proved  by  Cnut's 
letter  (given  by  F.W.,  i,  185-189,  s.a.  1031),  and  by  the  biographer  of 
emperor  Conrad  II  (B.R.,  xi,  3),  that  Cnut  was  in  Rome  on  26th  March, 
1027,  at  Conrad's  coronation.  Cnut  went  from  Rome  to  Denmarl^; ;  and 
seems  to  have  visited  England  before  his  invasion  of  Norway  in  1028-1029. 
He  returned  to  England  in  1029.  If  he  invaded  Scotland  in  the  year  of  his 
return  from  Rome,  it  must  have  been  in  1027  or  1028.  Since  there  is  no 
evidence  to  show  that  Cnut  went  twice  to  Rome  (all  accounts  appearing  to 
describe  the  same  occasion),  we  must  conclude  that  Chronicles  DEF  are 
here  inaccurate  ;  and  that  the  preference  should  be  given  to  Sighvat. 

lomsv&inga  Saga,  in  Fl.,  i,  205  (c.  52,  in  F.S.,  xi,  162)  says  that  Cnut 
went  to  Rome  with  Henry,  Conrad's  son  ;  and  implies  that  Henry  had 
already  married  Cnut's  daughter,  Gunhild.  But  Gunhild  cannot  then  have 
been  of  marriageable  age.     Cf.  year  105 S,  note. 

Knythnga  Saga,  cc.  17-18,  in  F.S.,  xi,  201-203:  "Then  Sven,  son  of 
king  Cnut  and  of  ^Eifgifu,  came  to  Norway  ;  and  he  was  then  taken  as 
king,  over  all  the  land  [of  Norway],  according  to  the  disposition  of  king 
Cnut,  his  father. 

"  King  Cnut  placed  Harthacnut,  his  son,  over  the  Danish  empire 
\Panaveldi\  :  and  he  was  to  be  king  there. 

"  King  Cnut  had  also  a  great  part  of  Scotland  to  govern  [tz'l  forrdSa]. 
And  he  placed  there  his  son  Harold,  as  king  over  it.  And  yet  king  Cnut 
was  over-king  of  all  these  [kings].  He  was  called  Cnut  the  Powerful,  or 
Cnut  the  Old.  He  had  been  the  most  powerful  [rikasir]  king,  and  the 
most  widely  ruling,  in  Danish  speech. 

"  King  Cnut  set  out  upon  a  journey,  away  from  the  land  ;  and  he  went 
south  to  Rome.  And  upon  this  journey  he  had  so  great  expense  that  the 
number  of  marks  could  not  be  reckoned  by  any  man,  and  hardly  even  the 
number  of  pounds.  He  had  great  quantity  of  ready  money  from  his  own 
dominions  ;  and  he  took  the  emperor's  money  freely,  wherever  he  wished. 

"While  king  Cnut  was  on  the  way  to  Rome,  no  man  who  could 
approach  him  required  to  ask  for  food  ;  because  he  gave  all  sufficient 
money  for  their  needs. 

"  King  Cnut  went  from  Flanders  to  Rome.     So  says  Sighvat  the  Poet : 

"  '  Probably  few  ring-spenders  have  so  measured  on  their  feet  a  track  to 
the  south  [as  did]  the  loftiest  \Ji6fud-fremst\  king.'  [See  J.S.,  i,  A,  251  ; 
B,  234,  stanza  II.] 

"  King  Cnut  established  a  hostel  that  was  to  entertain  [/a;Sa]  for  a 
night  all  men  of  Danish  speech  who  should  come  there.  Far  and  wide 
also  he  made  donations  of  large  sums,  wherever  there  were  monasteries,  or 
other  large  religious  establishments  \st6rir-stcffiir\. 

[c.  i^l  " Death  of  Cnut     [t  1035] 

"  But  when  king  Cnut  came  back  to  England,  to  his  dominions,  he 
fell  ill ;  and  first  of  the  disease  called  jaundice.  He  lay  long  during  the 
summer;  and  he  died  in  the  autumn,  on  the  Ides  of  November  [13th 
November,   1035],  that  was  in  the  castle  called  In  Morstr  ;  it  is  a  great 


DOMINION  OF  KING  CNUT  549 

county-town  \hdfii6-stc&'r\.  And  he  is  buried  there.  He  was  then  37  years 
old  ;  and  had  ruled  over  England  for  24  years  [1011-1035  ;  falsely],  and  over 
Norway  for  7  years  [1028- 1035]. 

"  It  is  the  talk  of  all  men  that  king  Cnut  has  been  the  most  powerful 
and  widely-ruling  of  the  kings  of  the  northern  lands"  (i.e.,   Scandinavia). 

Cnut's  death  is  commemorated  on  12th  November  in  the  obituaries  of 
Durham  ;  S.S.  IS,  147,  152.     That  day  is  also  given  by  A.S.C.,  CD. 

Edward  I's  letter  to  pope  Boniface  VIII,  written  in  1301,  says  (Foedera, 
i,  2,  932) :  "  After  the  said  Edgar,  these  kings  of  England  followed  in 
succession  :— St  Edward,  the  Martyr  ;  ^thelred,  his  brother  ;  Edmund, 
called  Ironside,  the  son  of  ^thelred  ;  and  Cnut.  These  in  their  times 
held  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  peacefully  in  subjection  to  them  ;  with 
this  exception,  that  in  the  fifteenth  year  [1030-103 1]  of  the  reign  of  the 
aforesaid  Cnut,  Scotland  being  in  rebellion,  the  same  Cnut  led  an  expedi- 
tion there,  and  with  little  trouble  subdued  Malcolm,  the  king  of  Scotland  ; 
and  the  same  Malcolm  was  made  subject  to  him.  [Cf.  the  chronicles  of 
1291  in  Palgrave,  125,  129.] 

"To  these,  Harold,  Cnut's  son,  and  Harthacnut  [Harold's]  brother,  one 
after  the  other  succeeded  as  kings  of  England  ;  and  while  they  so  reigned, 
they  held  peacefully  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  in  subjection." 

For  the  submission  of  the  Scots  to  Cnut,  see  E.C.,  82-83  j  &"d  (among 
later  chronicles)  R.W.,  and  M.P.,  Chronica  Majora,  s.a.  1033  ;  B.C., 
38-39;  Richard  of  Cirencester,  ii,  183. 

For  Cnut's  disposition  of  his  dominions  among  his  sons,  see  s.a.  1035, 
A.S.C.  ;  F.W.  ;  CM.  ;  S.D.     Cf,  s.a.  1035,  W.M.,  i,  227. 

In  his  letter,  written  [in  1027]  on  his  way  from  Rome  to  Denmark, 
Cnut  does  not  name  Scotland  among  his  dominions  : — but  calls  himself 
"king  of  the  whole  of  England  ;  and  of  Denmark  ;  and  of  the  Norwegians  ; 
and  of  part  of  the  Swedes."  The  suggested  emendation  of  "  Swedes " 
{Suanorum)  to  "Slavs"  {Sclavorum),  i.e.  of  Mecklenburg,  is  opposed  by 
the  reading  of  the  Estoire  de  S.  Aedward  le  Rei  (written  1236x1272; 
R.S.  3,  36),  which  calls  Cnut  "king  of  the  English,  of  Norway,  of  the 
Danes  ;  lord  of  Scotland  and  of  Sweden."  Cf.  Thorpe's  Lappenberg,  ii, 
212-213,  218;  Larson's  Canute  the  Great  (1912),  152,  344-347.  See 
Steenstrup's  Normannerne,  iii,  306,  327-331  ;  Stefansson,  Denmark  and 
Sweden,  11-12. 

Cnut's  biographer  names  Scotland  as  one  of  the  five  kingdoms  under  his 
dominion  (E.C.,  83,  note).  Saxo  Grammaticus  (X  ;  1886  ed.,  p.  350)  calls 
Cnut  "the  possessor  of  six  very  powerful  kingdoms":  and  says  that  he 
gave  England  to  Harold  ;  Denmark,  to  Harthacnut ;  Norway,  to  Sven, 
^Ifgifu's  son  ;  retaining  the  other  three  provinces  for  himself  But 
Scotland  is  not  named  among  his  dominions  by  Saxo  ;  nor  by  Sven,  Aggi's 
son  (Langebek,  Scriptores,  i,  54-55  ;  iii,  I43j  where  Sven  says  that  Cnut 
reigned  "from  farthest  Thule  to  the  empire  of  the  Greeks"  ;  iii,  159-160)  ; 
nor  in  the  Genealogies  of  Danish  kings  (ibid.,  ii,  156-157). 


550  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

?ioi8 

Annales  Cambriae,  MS.  B,  p.  22,  s.a.  [1015]^ 

Owen,  Dumnagual's  son,  was  slain. ^ 


1018 

Heimskringla,  St  Olaf's  Saga,  c.  86^ 

The  battle  in   Ulfreksfiordr. 

In  the  summer  when  Thorarin  sailed  with  Hroerek  to 
Iceland,*  .  .  .  Eyvind  Aurochs-horn  sailed  on  western  piracy ; 
and  he  came  in  autumn  to  Ireland,  to  Conchobar,  the  king  of 
the  Irish. 

The  Irish  king  and  earl  Einar  from  the  Orkneys  met  in 
autumn  in  Ulfreksfiordr ;  and  there  was  a  great  battle  there. 
King  Conchobar  had  by  far  the  larger  army,  and  he  got  the 
victory.  But  Einar  fled  with  one  ship,  and  came  later  in  the 
autumn  to  the  Orkneys,  in  such  a  fashion  that  he  had  lost 
nearly  all  his  army,  and  all  the  spoils  that  they  had  taken 
before.  And  the  earl  was  greatly  ill-pleased  with  his  journey  ; 
and  he  attributed  his  defeat^  to  the  Norwegians  that  had  been 
in  the  battle,  on  the  side  of  the  Irish  king.*" 

'  Placed  61  years  after  510  =  954  ;  82  years  before  1097. 

"  Cf.    Brut    y    Tywyssogion,     loio  x  1030    (MS.    C's    [1015]);     R.S. 

17,  34- 

This  Owen  was  king  of  Cumbria.  He  is  called  "  Owen  the  Bald,  king 
of  the  men  of  Strathclyde,"  by  Simeon  of  Durham,  who  says  that  Owen  was 
present  on  Malcolm's  side  in  the  battle  of  Carham  (E.G.,  82).  If  Simeon 
is  right,  Owen  did  not  die  before  10 18. 

^  In  Unger's  ed.,  c.  87.  The  same  passage  is  in  Snorri's  St  Olaf's  Saga 
(Munch  and  Unger,  76,  c.  70  ;  F.S.,  iv,  17S)  ;  and  in  Fl.,  ii,  gr. 

■•  For  Hrcerek,  see  H.,  St  Olaf,  cc.  36,  74-75,  81-85  (Unger's  cc.  34, 
73-74,  82-86).  He  was  sent  to  Iceland  after  15th  May,  [1018]  (c.  84; 
Unger's  c.  85),  according  to  the  chronology  of  H.  (cf.  ibid.,  cc.  66,  73,  78  ; 
Unger's  cc.  64,  72,  78).  "King  Hroerek  came  to  Iceland"  in  1018, 
according  to  Icelandic  Annals  A  (Fl.,  iii,  506). 

'•>  Fl.  and  the  text  of  F.S.  add  here  :  "  principally." 

"  "And  those  were  Eyvind  Aurochs-horn  and  his  companions"  adds 
the  F.S.  text. 


KING  OWEN.     KING  SIGTRYGG.     FINDLAECH       551 

IO19 

Tigernach,  Annals,  in  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  357, 
s.a.  [ioi8]i 

The  plundering  of  Kells  by  Sigtrygg,  Olaf's  son,  along  with 
the  Foreigners  of  Dublin ;  and  they  took  away  innumerable 
captives,  and   killed  many  men  there.^ 

1020 

Tigernach,  Annals,  in  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  359, 
s.a.  1020^ 

Findlaech,  Ruadri's  son,  mormaer  of  Moray,  was  slain  by 
the  sons  of  his  brother  Maelbrigte.* 

1014X  1020 

Heimskringla,  St  Olaf's  Saga,  c.  97 '' 

Of  earl  Einar  and  earl  Brusi. 

The  brothers  Einar  and  Brusi  were  unlike  in  disposition. 
Brusi  was  mild,  and  a  very  peaceable  man ;  wise,  and  eloquent, 
and  popular.  Einar  was  obstinate,  cold,  and  unfriendly ; 
ambitious,  and  covetous,  and  a  great  warrior.*'     Sumarlidi  was 

^  With  f.n.  and  e.  of  10x8.  This  year-section  contains  events  placed 
under  1019  by  the  Ulster  annals  ;  and  there  is  no  year-section  for  1019  in 
Tigernach. 

^  Cf.  C.S.,  258,  Hennessy's  year  1017  =  1019;  and  F.M.,  ii,  792,  s.a. 
1018=1019  (reading:  "...  innumerable  spoils  and  captives,  and  killed 
many  men  inside  the  church  "). 

^  With  f.n.  and  e.  of  1020  ;  and  Golden  Number  13  (for  which  read  14). 

■'  Annals  of  Ulster,  i,  546,  s.a.  1020  (with  f  n.  and  e.  of  1020)  : — 
"  Findlaech,  Ruadri's  son,  king  of  Scotland,  was  killed  by  his  own  [people]." 
So  also  in  A.L.C.,  i,  20,  s.a.  1020. 

The  Annals  of  the  Book  of  Leinster  (facsimile,  p.  26  ;  R.S.  89,  ii,  524) 
read:  "Findlaech,  Ruadri's  son,  the  king  of  Scotland"  [died].  This 
stands  among  the  affairs  of  the  second  reign  of  Maelsechlaind,  Donald's 
son  [1014-71022],  between  events  of  1020  and  1021. 

Maelbrigte's  son,  Malcolm  (f  1029),  is  also  called  king  of  Scotland  : 
Malcolm's  brother,  Gillacomgain  (f  1032),  is  called  mormaer  of  Moray. 
Cf.  year  1040. 

^  In  Unger's  ed.,  c.  loo.  The  whole  passage  appears  similarly  in 
Flatey-book's  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  (Fl.,  i,  558  ;  R.S.  88,  i,  16-17,  c.  14). 

"  Fl.,  U.S.  :  "The  brothers  Einar  and  Brusi  were  unlike  in  disposition. 
Einar  was  a  strong  man,  and  ambitious,  unfriendly,  and  a  great  warrior. 
Brusi  was  a  mild  man,  very  composed,  humble,  and  eloquent.  Sumarlidi 
was  liker  to  Brusi  in  disposition.  .  .  ." 


552  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH   HISTORY 

like  Brusi  in  disposition  ;  and  he  was  the  oldest  of  the  brothers, 
and  lived  the  shortest :  he  died  of  disease. 

After  [Sumarlidi's]  death,  Thorfinn  laid  claim  to  his  share 
of  the  Orkneys.  Einar  replied  that  Thorfinn  had  Caithness 
and  Sutherland,  the  dominion  that  earl  Sigurd,  their  father, 
had  had  before ;  and  declared  that  that  was  much  more  than 
a  third  part  of  the  Orkneys ;  and  he  refused  Thorfinn  a  share. 
But  Brusi,!  fgj.  j^jg  p^^j.^  granted  a  division ;  "  And  I  will  not," 
said  he,  "covet  to  have  more  land  than  the  third  that  I  possess 
freely."  ^ 

Then  Einar  took  under  himself  two  parts  of  the  islands. 
He  became  then  a  powerful  man,  and  had  many  men.  He 
was  often  on  warfare  in  the  summers,  and  had  a  great  levy  in 
the  land ;  but  very  unequal  were  his  takings  in  this  piracy. 
Then  the  farmers  began  to  dislike  the  labour ;  but  the  earl 
persisted  rigorously  in  all  his  exactions,  and  would  hear  no 
man  speak  against  them.  Earl  Einar  was  the  most  over- 
bearing man. 

Then  there  was  famine^  in  his  dominion,  from  the  labour 
and  expense  that  the  farmers  had.  But  in  that  part  of  the 
land  that  Brusi  had,  there  was  good  harvest  and  easy  life  for 
the  farmers.     [Therefore  *]  [Brusi]  was  popular. 

IOl6x  I020 

Heimskringla,  St  Olaf 's  Saga,  c.  98  ^ 

Of  Thorkel,  A  niundi's  son. 

A  man  was  called  Amundi,  powerful  and  rich.  He  lived  in 
Hrossey,  in  Sandvik,  on  Hlaupandanes.^  His  son  was  called 
Thorkel ;  and  he  was  the  most  accomplished  of  all  men  in  the 
Orkneys.  Amundi  was  the  wisest  man,  and  by  far  the  most 
esteemed,  in  the  islands. 

One  spring,  when  earl  Einar  raised  a  levy  yet  again,  as  he 
was  wont,  the   farmers  murmured   against  it,  and   brought  it 

1  ".  .  .  was  willing  to  grant  it,  and  .  .  ."  Fl. 

^  " .  .  .  covet  more  dominion  than  the  third  that  I  have  of  right "  Fl. 

^  "  great  famine  "  Fl. 

*  From  Fl. 

^  In  Unger's  ed.,  cc.  101-102.  The  same  passage  is  in  Snorri's  St  Olaf's 
Saga  (Munch  and  Unger,  92-93,  c.  82;  F.S.,  iv,  215-218);  and  in  Flatey- 
book's  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  (Fl.,  i,  559-560  ;  R.S.  88,  i,  17-19,  cc.  15-17). 

''  Perhaps  Sandside  in  Deerness. 


EARLS  OF  ORKNEY  AND  CAITHNESS  553 

before  Amundi,  and  begged  him  to  say  something  on  their 
behalf  to  the  earl.  [Amundi]  answered,  "The  earl  is  unyield- 
ing" ;  and  he  said  that  it  would  not  bestead  to  make  even  one 
request  to  the  earl  about  this.  "  My  friendship  with  the  earl 
also,  is  good  as  things  are ;  but  I  think  it  would  be  exposed  to 
danger,  if  we  should  disagree,  considering  the  dispositions  of 
us  both.     I  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  it "  said  Amundi. 

Then  they  spoke  of  this  with  Thorkel.  He  was  reluctant 
to  do  it ;  and  yet  at  last  he  promised,^  at  the  men's  instigation. 
Amundi  thought  that  he  had  promised  rashly.  But  when  the 
earl  held  an  assembly,  then  Thorkel  spoke  on  behalf  of  the 
farmers,  and  begged  the  earl  to  spare  the  men  in  these 
exactions ;  and  he  declared  the  necessity  of  the  men.  And 
the  earl  answered  well,  and  said  that  he  must  hold  Thorkel's 
words  in  high  honour :  "  I  had  intended  now  to  have  out  from 
land  six  ships  ;  but  now  I  shall  have  no  more  than  three.  But 
thou,  Thorkel,  ask  not  such  a  boon  again." 

The  farmers  thanked  Thorkel  well  for  his  support. 

The  earl  went  on  piracy,  and  came  again  in  the  autumn. 
And  in  the  following  spring,  the  earl  gave  the  same  summons 
as  he  was  wont,  and  held  an  assembly  with  the  farmers.  Then 
Thorkel  spoke  again,  and  asked  the  earl,  to  spare  the  farmers. 
Then  the  earl  answered  wrathfully,  and  said  that  the  farmers' 
lot  should  be  the  harder  for  his  talking.  Then  he  became  so 
angry  and  frantic  that  he  said  that  they  should  not  both  meet 
unhurt  next  spring  in  the  assembly.  And  then  he  dismissed 
the  assembly. 

And  when  Amundi  learned  what  Thorkel  and  the  earl  had 
said  to  each  other,  he  begged  Thorkel  to  go  away.  And  he 
went  over  to  Caithness,  to  earl  Thorfinn.  Thorkel  was  there 
for  a  long  time  afterwards ;  and  he  was  devoted  to  the  earl, 
who  was  young  ;  and  therefore  he  was  called  Thorkel  Fosterer. 
And  he  was  a  famous  man. 

Many  were  the  men  of  [Orkney]  who  fled  from  their  odal 
lands  in  the  Orkneys,  away  from  the  dominion  of  earl  Einar. 
Most  of  these  fled  over  to  Caithness,  to  earl  Thorfinn ;  but 
some  fled  from  the  Orkneys  to  Norway,  and  some  to  diverse 
lands. 

But  when  earl  Thorfinn  grew  up,  he  sent  a  message  to  earl 
1  "  Yet  he  promised  his  assistance  "  Fl. 


554  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Einar,  his  brother,  requiring  of  him  the  dominion  that  he 
considered  he  owned  in  the  Orkneys ;  and  that  was  a  third  of 
the  islands. 

Einar  was  slow  to  diminish  his  land.  And  when  Thorfinn 
learned  that,  he  got  ready  an  army  from  Caithness,  and  went 
out  to  the  islands.  But  when  earl  Einar  was  aware  of  this,  he 
collected  an  army,  and  intended  to  defend  the  lands.  Earl 
Brusi  also  collected  an  army,  and  went  to  meet  them,  and  acted 
as  mediator  between  them.  This  was  agreed  between  them, 
that  Thorfinn  should  have  a  third  of  the  lands  in  the  Orkneys, 
as  he  owned  by  right.  But  Brusi  and  Einar  laid  their  parts 
together,  [arranging  that]  Einar  alone  should  have  the  ad- 
ministration of  them  1 ;  and  if  one  of  them  should  die  before  the 
other,  the  one  of  them  that  lived  longer  should  take  the  lands, 
after  the  other.  But  this  agreement  was  thought  not  to  be 
just,  because  Brusi  had  a  son  (who  was  called  Ronald),  but 
Einar  was  son-less. 

Then  earl  Thorfinn  set  his  men  to  protect  that  dominion 
which  he  had  in  the  Orkneys  ^ ;  while  he  was  most  often  in 
Caithness.  Earl  Einar  was  most  often  in  the  summers  in 
warfare,  about  Ireland  and  Scotland  and  Wales. 

I020 

Icelandic  Annals,  version  K  (Storm's  Islandske  Annaler, 
p.  i6),  s.a.  1020^ 

The  slaying  of  earl  Einar  Wry-mouth.* 

I02I 

Icelandic  Annals,  version  C  (Storm's  Islandske  Annaler,  io6), 

s.a.  I02I  ^ 

Earl  Thorfinn  and  earl  Brusi,  Sigurd's  sons,  gave  the 
Orkneys  into  the  power  of  king  Olaf 

'  Skyldi  Einarr  hafa  einn  forrcs'^i  fyrir  theim.  To  this,  Snorri's  St 
Olaf's  Saga  adds:  "and  the  land-defence"  (the  F.S.  text  reads,  "in  land- 
defence  "). 

2  Here  this  passage  ends  in  Fl. 

2  With  dominical  letters  of  1020.     C  adds  the  paschal  letter  of  1020. 

*  Cf.  versions  OC,  s.a.  1020  (57,  106);  A,  s.a.  1019  (Fl.  iii,  506).  C  adds  : 
"in  the  Orkneys." 

*  With  dominical  and  paschal  letters  of  1021. 

"  Similarly  in  version  A,  s.a.  1021  (Fl.,  iii,  506). 


ORKNEY  EARLS  555 

1018-1021 

Heimskringla,  St  Olaf's  Saga,  cc.  98-102  ^ 

One  summer,  when  earl  Einar  was  plundering-  in  Ireland, 
it  happened  that  he  fought  in  Ulfreksfiordr  with  Conchobar, 
king  of  the  Irish,  as  was  written  before  ;  [and]  that  earl  Einar 
had  a  bad  defeat,  and  much  loss  of  men.  The  next  summer 
following,  Eyvind  Aurochs-horn  went  east  from  Ireland,  intend- 
ing to  go  to  Norway ;  but  since  the  wind  was  sharp,^  and  the 
sounds  unnavigable,*  Eyvind  turned  in  to  Asmundarvagr,^  and 
lay  there  some  time  storm-stayed.  And  when  earl  Einar 
learned  that,  he  led  a  great  army  there,  and  took  Eyvind,  and 
caused  him  to  be  slain";  but  gave  quarter  to  most  of  his  men. 
And  they  went  east  to  Norway  in  the  autumn,  and  came  to 
king  Olaf,  and  told  him  of  the  killing  of  Eyvind.  The  king 
replied  but  little  to  this ;  and  from  that  it  appeared  that  he 
thought  it  great  murder,  and  done  much  in  his  despite'':  and 
in  most  things  was  he  of  few  words,  when  he  thought  them 
contrary  to  his  liking.^ 

^  In  Unger's  ed.,  cc.  103-108.  The  same  passage  is  in  Snorri's  St  Olafs 
Saga  (Munch  and  Unger,  93-99,  cc.  82-88;  a  less  trustworthy  text  is  in  F.S., 
iv,  218-229);  and  in  the  Flatey-book's  St  Olaf's  Saga  (FI.,  ii,  176-182  ;  R.S. 
88,  i,  19-27,  cc.  17-21). 

^  The  FI.  version  begins  thus  : — "  Sectio7t  of  the  Orkneymen.  Einar, 
earl  in  the  Orkneys,  [was]  a  great  warrior :  he  was  thought  no  ordinary 
man.     He  plundered  .  .  .  ." 

This  was  in  1018. 

^  "There  was  a  storm  blowing"  F.S.  ;  "The  wind  was  sharp,  and  [there 
was]  a  great  storm  "  FI. 

*  Literally,  "  the  currents  unnavigable"  ;  perhaps  the  Pentland  Firth  is 
meant.     In  Snorri's  St  Olaf,  "  the  currents  strong." 

^  This,  according  to  H.'s  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son,  c.  47  (Unger's  c.  52),  was 
in  Rognvaldsey,  or  South  Ronaldshay  :  but  it  seems  in  reality  to  have 
been  the  bay  in  the  south-east  of  Hoy,  part  of  the  name  Asmundarvagr 
("Asmund's  Bay")  surviving  in  the  name  of  Walls  (which  is  derived  from 
vdgr,  with  English  plural  termination). 

^  In  1019. 

''  "and  an  offence  against  him"  reads  F.S. 

'  For  the  relations  between  St  Olaf  and  Eyvind  Aurochs-horn,  Cf. 
Heimskringla,  St  Olaf,  c.  62  (Unger's  c.  60) :  "  Orii^in  of  Eyvind  Aurochs- 
horn. 

"  There  was  a  man  named  Eyvind  Aurochs-horn,  who  belonged  to 
East  Agdir  :  he  was  a  great  man,  and  of  noble  kindred.  He  went  every 
summer  on  warfare  ;  sometimes  west  beyond  the  sea,  sometimes  into  the 


556  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Earl  Thorfinn  sent  Thorkel  Fosterer  ^  out  to  the  islands  to 
collect  his  revenues.  Earl  Einar  laid  much  to  Thorkel's  charge 
the  enterprise  by  which  Thorfinn  had  brought  forward  a  claim 
to  the  islands.  Thorkel  went  hastily  from  the  islands,  and 
over  to  Caithness.  He  said  to  earl  Thorfinn  that  he  had  been 
made  sure  of  this,  that  earl  Einar  had  intended  to  kill  him,  if 
his  relatives  and  friends  had  not  brought  him  news  of  it. 

"  Now,"  said  he,  "  I  shall  have  but  this  chance,  to  let  my 
meeting  with  the  earl  be  such  that  things  are  decided  between 
us ;  or  this  other  choice,  to  go  farther  away,  and  to  some  place 
over  which  his  power  is  not."^ 

The  earl  advised  this,  that  Thorkel  should  go  east  to 
Norway,  to  king  Olaf: — "Thou  shalt  be  highly  esteemed," 
said  he,  "wherever  thou  comest,  among  high-born  men.  But 
I  know  both  your  dispositions,  thine  and  the  earl's,  that  you 
will  be  aiming  at  each  other  in  a  little  while." 

Then  Thorkel  made  ready,  and  went  in  autumn  to  Norway, 
and  then  to  king  Olaf.  And  he  was  there  for  the  winter  ^  with 
the  king,  in  great  affection.  [The  king]  had  Thorkel  much 
in  speech  with  him  ;  he  thought  (as  was  the  case)  that  Thorkel 
was  a  wise  man,  [and]  a  great  leader.  It  appeared  to  the  king 
from  [Thorkel's]  talk  that  he  gave  very  different  accounts  of 
the  earls,  and  was  a  great  friend  of  Thorfinn,  but  was  strongly 
opposed  to  earl  Einar.     And  early  in  the  spring,  the  king  sent 

eastern  way,  or  south  to  Friesland.  He  had  a  twenty-benched  cutter,  and 
well  manned.  He  had  been  at  Nesiar,  and  given  aid  to  king  Olaf;  and 
when  they  parted  there,  the  king  had  promised  him  his  friendship  ;  and 
Eyvind  [promised]  his  assistance,  wheresoever  [the  king]  should  wish  to 
have  power. 

"Eyvind  remained  for  the  winter  [1016-1017]  with  king  Olaf  at  the 
Yule-banquetting,  and  received  good  gifts  from  him  there."  (The  same 
passage,  with  little  variation,  is  in  Snorri's  St  Olafs  Saga,  ed.  Munch  and 
Unger,  49  ;  F.S.,  iv,  122  ;  and  Fl.,  ii,  54.) 

The  battle  of  Nesiar  was  fought  on  Palm  Sunday,  25th  March,  1016 
(H.,  St  Olaf,  cc.  45,  48  ;  cf.  Icelandic  Annals  KOE,  s.a.  1016  ;  CA  s.a. 
1015).  Eyvind  was  with  Olaf  in  the  winter  1016-1017,  and  went  on  piracy  in 
the  east  in  the  spring  of  1017  (H.,  c.  65).  He  returned  to  Norway  in  the 
autumn  ;  "then  king  Olaf  had  been  for  three  winters  king  in  Norway" 
(H.,  c.  66). 

1  "his  foster-father"  Fl. 

^  "  and  where  he  may  never  have  power  over  me  "  Fl. 

^  I.e.,  1019-1020. 


EARL  EiNAR  AND  THORKEL  557 

a  ship  west  beyond  the  sea,  to  earl  Thorfinn ;  and  a  message 
that  the  earl  should  come  east  to  the  king.  And  the  earl  did 
not  postpone  this  journey,  because  friendly  words  went  with 
the  message. 

[c.  99]   The  slaying  of  earl  Einar. 

Earl  Thorfinn  went  east  to  Norway,  and  came  to  king 
Olaf ;  and  he  got  there  a  good  welcome,  and  remained  there 
long  during  the  summer.^  And  when  he  prepared  to  go  west, 
king  Olaf  gave  him  a  long-ship,  large  and  good,  with  all  its 
tackle. 

Then  Thorkel  Fosterer  prepared  for  his  journey  with  the 
earl ;  and  the  earl  gave  [Thorkel]  the  ship  that  he  had  brought 
east  with  him  in  the  summer.^ 

The  king  and  the  earl  parted^  with  much  affection. 

Earl  Thorfinn  came  in  the  autumn  to  the  Orkneys.  But 
when  earl  Einar  learned  that,  he  brought  out  many  men,  and 
lay  on  board  ship.  Then  earl  Brusi  went  to  meet  the  two 
brothers,  and  bore  peace  between  them  * ;  and  it  came  about 
that  they  made  an  agreement,  and  bound  it  with  oaths. 
Thorkel  Fosterer  was  to  be  in  peace  and  friendship  with  earl 
Einar;  and  it  was  arranged  that  each  of  them  should  provide 
for  the  other  a  feast,  and  that  the  earl  should  visit  Thorkel  first, 
in  Sandvi'k. 

But  when  the  earl  was  there  at  the  feast,  there  the  most 
abundant  provision  had  been  made ;  [yet]  the  earl  was  not 
cheerful.  There  was  a  large  hall,^  with  doors  at  both  ends. 
On  the  day  when  the  earl  was  to  go  away,"  Thorkel  was  to  go 
with  him  to  a  feast.  Thorkel  sent  out  men  [by  night]  to 
examine  the  road  by  which  in  the  day-time  they  should  go. 
And  when  the  scouts  returned,  they  told  Thorkel  that  they  had 
found  three  ambuscades,  and  armed  men;  "and  we  imagine  " 
said  they,  "that  there  will  be  treachery."''     But  when  Thorkel 

1  I.e.,  summer  of  1020. 
^  "in  the  summer"  not  in  Fl. 
^  "  the  best  of  friends  "  adds  Fl. 

■•  The  text  in  F.S.  reads  instead  :  "and  begged  them  to  make  peace." 
^  "in  which  they  drank"  adds  the  text  in  F.S. 
"  "and  prepare,"  adds  Fl. 

'  The  text  in  F.S.  adds  :  "because  the  men  were  all  with  weapons,  as 
if  they  were  ready  for  battle." 

2  N 


558  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

learned  this,  he  delayed  the  household,^  and  collected  his  men. 
The  earl  asked  him  to  make  ready,  and  said  that  it  was  high 
time  to  ride.  Thorkel  said  that  he  had  much  to  attend  to. 
Sometimes  he  went  out,  and  sometimes  in.  There  were  fires 
upon  the  floor.^  Then  he  went  in  by  one  of  the  doors,  and 
after  him  a  man  who  was  called  Hallvard  (he  was  an  Icelandic 
man,  and  a  native  of  Austfirdir):  he  shut  the  door  behind  him. 
Thorkel  walked  farther  in,^  between  the  fire  and  the  place 
where  the  earl  sat.  The  earl  asked :  "  Art  thou  not  yet 
ready  ? "  Thorkel  answered  :  "  Now  I  am  ready."  Then  he 
heaved  a  blow  at  the  earl,  and  struck  him  on  the  head.  The 
earl  fell  forward  on  the  floor.  Then  the  Icelander  said  :  "  Here 
have  I  seen  the  worst  of  all  resource,*  that  ye  draw  not  the  earl 
from  the  fire."  Then  he  thrust  with  an  axe-point^  and  put  it 
under  the  earl's  neck-bone,  and  jerked  him  up  upon  the  dais.^ 
Thorkel  and  his  companion  went  out  quickly  by  the  other  door, 
[opposite]  to  that  by  which  they  had  come  in.  There  stood 
Thorkel's  men  outside,  fully  armed.  But  the  earl's  men 
attended  to  [the  earl]  ;  and  he  was  then  dead,  yet  they  all  held 
their  hands  from  avenging  him.  This  too  influenced  them, 
that  it  had  taken  place  unexpectedly ;  and  no  man  had  ex- 
pected this  deed  of  Thorkel,  because  they  all  imagined  that  it 
would  be  as  had  been  previously  arranged,  that  there  should 
be  friendship  between  the  earl  and  Thorkel.''  Also  most  men 
within  were  weaponless,  and  many  others  had  till  then  been 
good  friends  of  Thorkel ;  it  happened  too  through  the  fate, 
that  for  Thorkel  a  longer  life  was  destined.  And  after  he 
came  out,^  Thorkel  had  no  less  an  army  than  the  earl's 
men  had. 

Then  Thorkel  went  to  his  ships,  and  the  earl's  men  went 
away.     Thorkel  sailed  out  the  same  day,  and  eastwards  to  sea 

'  Here  the  F.S.  text  inserts:  "and  he  suspected  that  he  was  not 
invited  thence  to  ale,  as  was  pretended." 

^  The  F.S.  text  adds  :  "And  men  sat  there  beside  them,  and  drank." 

3  "along  the  hall"  adds  Fl. 

''  alia  versta  fmtga-rSis.     Cf.  Munch  and  Unger,  276. 

^  keyr'&i  til  spofSiu  (an  Irish  axe,  or  bill). 

"  "  upon  the  bench"  F.S. 

'■  "  because  .  .  .  Thorkel "  not  in  Fh 

*  "After  he  came  out"  not  in  Snorri's  St  Olaf.  The  whole  sentence 
("  And  after  .  .  .  had  ")  is  not  in  Fl. 


THORKEL  KILLS  EARL  EINAR  559 

(although  it  was  then  after  the  winter-nights  ^) ;  and  he  came 
safely  to  Norway,  and  went  at  once,  as  quickly  as  he  could,  to 
king  Olaf;  and  he  got  there  a  good  welcome.  The  king 
approved  this  deed.     Thorkel  was  with  him  for  the  winter.^ 

[c.  lOo]  Tke  agreement  between  king  Olaf  and  earl  Brusi. 

After  the  fall  of  earl  Einar,  earl  Brusi  took  that  part  of  the 
land  that  earl  Einar  had  had  before ;  because  it  was  known 
to  many  men  upon  what  terms  the  brothers  Einar  and  Brusi 
had  made  their  alliance.  But  Thorfinn  thought  it  most  just 
that  each  of  them  should  have  half  of  the  islands ;  yet  that 
winter  Brusi  had  two  parts  ^  of  the  lands.  In  the  following 
spring,*  Thorfinn  claimed  these  lands  from  Brusi,  declaring 
that  he  wished  to  have  an  equal  share  with  Brusi :  but  Brusi 
did  not  consent  to  this.  They  held  an  assembly  and  confer- 
ences to  support  their  causes.  Then  their  friends  went 
[between  them]  to  settle  the  dispute;  but  it  appeared  that 
nothing  would  satisfy  Thorfinn  except  to  have  one  half  of  the 

'  I.e.,  after  the  beginning  of  winter  (which  was  reckoned  by  the 
Icelanders  to  begin  in  the  middle  of  October)  :  therefore  after  14th 
October,   1020. 

^  I.e.,  1020-1021.  Cf  H.,  St  Olaf,  c.  106  (Unger's  c.  112)  :  "When  the 
summer  [1020]  was  gone,  the  king  came  south,  and  turned  in  past 
Trondhjem,  to  Nidaross  ;  and  he  sat  there  over  the  winter.  And  that 
winter  Thorkel  Fosterer  came  east  from  the  Orkneys,  when  he  had  slain 
earl  Einar  Wry-mouth.  That  autumn  there  was  a  bad  season  of  corn  in 
Trondhjem.  .  .  ."  Similarly  in  Snorri's  St  Olaf  (Munch  and  Unger,  102  ; 
F.S.,  iv,  233-234),  and  Fl.,  ii,  184. 

That  winter  king  Olaf  forcibly  re-converted  the  people  in  and  above 
Trondhjem  to  Christianity. 

5  "for  two  winters  Brusi  had  both  parts"  Fl.,  ii,  178  (a  false  reading). 

''  Spring  of  1021.  Cf.  H.,  St  Olaf,  cm  (Unger's  c.  117)  :  "Olaf  had 
then  been  seven  winters  king  in  Norway.  That  summer  came  to  him  the 
earls  of  the  Orkneys,  Thorfinn  and  Brusi  :  king  Olaf  made  himself  master 
of  those  lands,  as  has  been  written  above.  That  summer,  king  Olaf  went 
about  the  two  Morer,  and  into  Romsdal  in  the  autumn."  Similarly  in 
Snorri's  St  Olaf  (Munch  and  Unger,  105  ;  F.S.,  iv,  239) ;  Fl.,  ii,  187. 
He  confirmed  Christianity  in  these  districts.  He  occupied  himself  during 
the  autumn  in  forcibly  Christianizing  the  people  of  Gudbrandsdalene. 

Olaf  the  Holy,  Harold's  son,  was  born  in  995  (Icelandic  Annals 
KBCDEA),  became  king  in  1014,  and  reigned  from  1015  (KOEA  ;  1014,  C) 
to  1 1030  (OCEA) ;  he  fell  in  the  battle  of  Stiklastadir. 

Olaf  had  put  a  stop  to  viking-raids  in  Norway  :  see  H.,  St  Olaf,  c.  181 
(Unger's  c.  192). 


560  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

islands  1;  and  he  said  besides  that  Brusi  needed  not  to  have 
more  than  one  third  part,  considering  the  disposition  that  he 
had.  Brusi  said:  "  I  was  content"  said  he,  "to  have  the  third 
part  of  the  lands,  which  I  took  in  inheritance  after  my  father ; 
also  none  claimed  it  against  me ;  but  now  I  have  taken  another 
third  part  in  inheritance  after  my  brother,  according  to  rightful 
agreements.  And  though  I  seem  unequal  to  contending  with 
thee,  brother,  yet  will  I  attempt  something  other  than  to 
consent  to  lose  my  dominions,^  as  things  now  are."  Thus  they 
ended  this  conference. 

But  when  Brusi  saw  that  he  should  not  have  strength  to 
stand  on  an  equal  footing  with  Thorfinn,  because  Thorfinn  had 
a  much  larger  dominion,  and  support  from  the  king  of  the  Scots, 
his  mother's  father,  then  he  resolved  to  go  east  from  the  land, 
to  king  Olaf ;  and  he  had  with  him  his  son  Ronald.  [Ronald] 
was  then  ten  winters  old. 

And  when  the  earl  met  the  king,  [the  king]  received  him 
well.  But  when  the  earl  brought  forward  his  errand,  and  told 
the  king  all  the  state  of  affairs  between  him  and  his  brother, 
and  begged  the  king  to  grant  him  strength  to  hold  his 
dominions,  [and]  offered  in  return  his  perfect  friendship,  the 
king  spoke,  and  began  first  to  say  that  Harold  Fairhair  had 
made  himself  master  of  all  the  odal-lands  in  the  Orkneys^; 
that  ever  since  then  the  earls  had  had  those  lands  in  fief,  but 
never  independently  :  "  and  this  in  token,"  said  he,  "  that  when 
Eric  Bloodaxe  and  his  sons  were  in  the  Orkneys,*  the  earls 
were  subject  to  them  ;  and  when  Olaf,  Tryggvi's  son,  my  kins- 
man, came  there,^  earl  Sigurd  (thy  father)  became  his  man. 
Now  I  have  taken  all  inheritance  after  king  Olaf.  I  will  give 
thee  this  choice,  that  thou  become  my  man — then  will  I  give 
thee  the  islands  in  fief:  then  shall  we  try,  if  I  lend  thee  my 
support,    whether    it    help    thee    better ;    or    the    Scots'    king's 

'  "but  Brusi  did  not  .  .  .  islands"  omitted  by  the  F.S.  text. 

'^  Here  the  F.S.  text  reads  :"...'  to  consent  to  lose  [my  dominions], 
with  paltriness  of  spirit,  and  cowardice.  I  will  also  not  think  of  contending 
with  thee,  brother,  since  I  am  without  support,  such  support  as  thou  hast 
from  the  king  of  the  Scots,  thy  mother's  father.'  Then  earl  Brusi  took  to 
his  journey,  and  went  east  from  the  land  .  .  ." 

^  See  H.,  Harold  Fairhair,  c.  32  ;  above,  year  894  x . 

*  See  years  934-957,  note  ;  956. 

^  "came  there"  not  in  Fl.     This  was  in  995. 


BRUSI  SUBMITS  TO  KING  OLAF  561 

protection,  thy  brother  Thorfinn.  But  if  thou  wilt  not  take 
this  choice,  then  shall  I  look  after  the  possessions  and  odal- 
lands  that  our  kinsmen  and  ancestors  have  owned  out  there 
in  the  west."  ^ 

The  earl  considered  these  speeches  within  himself,  and 
took  them  before  his  friends,  and  sought  counsel  which  course 
he  should  choose :  whether  he  ought  thereupon  to  make  this 
agreement  with  king  Olaf,  and  become  his  man ;  "  but  the 
other  course  is  unclear  to  me,  what  my  lot  may  be  at  our 
parting,  if  I  say  no  to  it ;  for  the  king  has  made  manifest  the 
claim  he  lays ^  to  the  Orkneys;  and  considering  his  ambition, 
and  the  fact  that  we  have  come  here,  there  will  be  little  for 
him  to  do  to  make  of  our  choice  what  seems  to  him  best." 
And  although  the  earl  thought  there  were  defects  in  both 
courses,  he  took  then  the  choice  of  laying  all  in  the  power  of 
the  king — both  himself  and  his  dominion.  Then  king  Olaf 
took  from  the  earl  power  and  authority  over  all  the  earl's 
inherited  lands  ;  then  the  earl  became  his  man,  and  bound  the 
contract  with  oaths. 

[c.  10 1]  Agreement  between  the  earls  and  king  Olaf. 

Earl  Thorfinn  learned  that  Brusi,  his  brother,  had  gone  east 
to  king  Olaf,  to  seek  protection  from  him.  And  because 
Thorfinn  had  gone  before  to  king  Olaf,  and  had  made  there 
friendship  for  himself,  he  thought  that  he  had  the  ground  well 
prepared  there;  and  he  knew  that  he  should  have  many 
supporters  of  his  cause ;  yet  he  expected  that  there  would  be 
more,  if  he  came  there  himself  Earl  Thorfinn  took  this 
counsel,  and  prepared  as  quickly  as  he  could,  and  went  east 
to  Norway,  and  intended  that  there  should  be  as  little  interval 
as  possible  between  Brusi's  arrival  and  his,  and  that  [Brusi's] 
errand  should  not  have  come  to  an  end  before  Thorfinn  came 
to  the  king.  But  it  happened  differently  from  what  the  earl 
had  intended ;  because  when  earl  Thorfinn  came  to  king  Olaf, 
the  whole  agreement  between  the  king  and  earl  Brusi  was 
finished  and  done.     Also  earl  Thorfinn  did  not  know  that  earl 

'  "the  possessions  that  I  and  my  ancestors  have  had,  there  in  the  west" 
F.S. 

-  "the  claim  that  he  thinks  he  has"  Snorri's  St  Olafs  Saga,  and  Fl. 
The  F.S.  text  reads  :— "the  claim  to  the  lands  that  he  thinks  he  owns  in 
the  Orkneys." 


562  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Brusi  had  given  up  his  dominion,  before  he  had  come  to  king 
Olaf.  And  as  soon  as  they  met,  earl  Thorfinn  and  king  Olaf, 
then  king  Olaf  raised  the  same  claim  to  the  dominion  of  the 
Orkneys  as  he  had  made  to  earl  Brusi ;  and  required  the  same 
thing  of  Thorfinn,  that  he  should  yield  to  the  king  that  part 
of  the  lands  which  he  had  previously  owned.  The  earl  replied 
well  and  quietly  to  the  king's  words,  and  said  that  he  thought 
the  king's  friendship  was  of  great  importance.  "And  if  thou, 
lord,  shouldst  think  that  thou  neededst  my  support  against 
other  chiefs,  thou  hast  fully  won  it  already  :  but  it  is  not  fitting 
for  me  to  give  thee  homage,  because  I  am  already  an  earl  of  the 
king  of  the  Scots,  and  am  his  vassal." 

But  when  the  king  found  an  evasion  in  the  earl's  answers 
to  the  arguments  he  had  previously  raised,  the  king  said  :  "  If 
thou,  earl,  wilt  not  become  my  man,  then  the  other  alternative 
is  that  I  set  over  the  Orkneys  such  man  as  I  will ;  and  I  desire 
then  that  thou  give  me  oaths  not  to  lay  claim  to  the  lands,  but 
to  leave  in  peace  from  thee  whomsoever  I  set  over  the  lands. 
And  if  thou  wilt  have  neither  choice,  then  whoever  rules  the 
lands  must  think  that  dispeace  will  be  to  be  expected  from 
thee  :  then  must  thou  not  think  it  strange,  though  dale  should 
meet  with  hill."i 

The  earl  replied,  and  begged  him  to  give  him  time  to 
consider  this  question.  The  king  did  so ;  [and]  gave  the  earl 
a  while  2  to  discuss  this  choice  with  his  men.  Then  [Thorfinn] 
asked  that  the  king  should  allow  him  to  put  off  [his  answer] 
till  next  summer,  and  let  him  go  first  west  beyond  the  sea, 
because  his  counsellors^  were  at  home,  and  he  was  but  a  child, 
considering  his  age.     The  king  bade  him  choose  then.* 

Thorkel  Fosterer  was  then  with  king  Olaf     He  sent  a  man 

'  I.e.,  "though  the  natural  consequences  ensue."  This  is, according  to 
Vigfusson,  "a  proverbial  expression,  meaning  'that  as  they  had  made  their 
beds,  so  they  must  lie  '  "  (Orkneyinga  Saga,  i,  24,  note).  It  is  implied  that 
obstacles  would  be  placed  in  the  way  of  Thorfinn's  departure.  Storm 
translates  the  phrase  : — "though  valley  follow  after  hill"  ;  the  translator  in 
Oldnordiske  Sagaer,  iv,  206,  "  that  force  is  met  by  force."  Fl.  reads,  "that 
valley  should  come  against  hill."     Cf.  Laxdoela  Saga,  c.  37,  s.f. 

2  "and  permission"  add  Snorri's  St  Olafs  Saga,  and  Fl.  The  F.S.  text 
reads:  "a  good  while  for  consideration,  and  permission  to  discuss  this 
with  his  men." 

^  "his  best  counsellors"  F.S. 

*  "one  of  the  two"  adds  Fl. 


THORFINN  SUBMITS  TO  KING  OLAF  563 

secretly  to  earl  Thorfinn,  and  bade  him  not  to  think  of  parting 
with  king  Olaf  at  the  present  time  (whatever  he  might  have  in 
his  mind)  on  such  terms  that  they  should  not  be  in  accord, 
seeing  that  he  had  then  come  into  the  hands  of  the  king. 
From  such  admonitions  ^  the  earl  thought  he  perceived  that 
there  seemed  to  be  only  one  choice,  to  let  the  king  have  his 
way  then.^  He  thought  it  undesirable  to  have  no  prospect  of 
getting  his  heritage  for  himself,  and  giving  an  oath  that  the 
dominion  should  be  possessed  in  peace  by  those  that  were  not 
born  to  it.  But  because  his  departure  seemed  to  him  unclear, 
he  made  the  choice  to  go  to  the  king's  hands,  and  become  his 
man — as  Brusi  had  done. 

The  king  found  that  Thorfinn  was  much  more  proud- 
minded  than  Brusi,  and  that  he  bore  worse  this  tyranny.^  The 
king  trusted  Thorfinn  less  than  Brusi.  The  king  saw  that 
Thorfinn  would  expect  support  from  the  king  of  the  Scots, 
although  he  should  break  this  covenant*;  the  king  discerned, 
in  his  wisdom,  that  Brusi  went  reluctantly  through  the  whole 
agreement,  and  declared  that  only  to  which  he  intended  to 
adhere ;  but  in  the  case  of  Thorfinn,  when  he  had  decided 
which  course  to  follow,  he  went  gladly  through  all  the  terms, 
and  made  no  evasions  about  what  he  had  decided  in  the  first 
instance.^  But  the  king  suspected  that  the  earl  would  reject 
some  of  the  conditions.^ 

[c.  102]    The  departure  of  earl  Thorfinn. 

When  king  Olaf  had  considered    within    himself  all    this 

1  These  3  words  are  not  in  Fl. 

^  "  to  let  the  king  alone  rule  all "  Fl. 

^  pynding.  The  text  in  F.S.  reads  :  "  The  king  thought  that  [Thorfinn] 
bore  ill  all  authority  ;  and  therefore  he  trusted  earl  Thorfinn  less  than 
Brusi,  to  hold  the  agreement." 

''  "although  he  took  this  covenant"  F.S. 

=  "about  what  the  king  had  decided  in  the  first  instance"  Snorri's  St 
Olaf's  Saga.  The  F.S.  text  reads  :  "about  what  the  king  had  required  of 
him  in  the  first  instance,  and  he  had  decided  upon";  Fh  reads,  "about 
what  the  king  had  required  of  him  on  the  first  evening." 

"  en  that  gruna^i  konung-,  at  jarl  myndi  gera  eptir  swnar  sattir :  perhaps 
"  had  imagined  that  the  earl  would  have  rejected."  Fl.  reads  :  "  suspected 
that  he  would  intend  to  reject"  (niiinde  atla  at  gera  eftir).  The  F.S.  text 
reads  at  hann  mundi  eptir  cetla  at  gera  sumar  scettirnar :  "that  he  would 
neglect  to  fulfil  some  of  the  conditions." 


564  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

agreement,  he  caused  [trumpeters]  to  blow  for  a  numerous 
assembly,  and  had  the  earl  summoned  there.  Then  the  king 
said :  "  Our  covenant  with  the  earls  of  Orkney  will  I  now 
reveal  before  the  people.  They  have  now  consented  to  my 
possession  of  the  Orkneys  and  Shetland  ;  and  both  have  become 
my  men,  and  bound  all  this  with  oaths.  And  I  will  now  give 
it  to  them  in  fief:  to  Brusi,  a  third  part  of  the  lands,  and  to 
Thorfinn  another  third  part,  as  they  had  before.  But  the  third 
part  that  Einar  Wry-mouth  had,  that  I  count  as  having  fallen 
into  my  hands,  because  he  slew  Eyvind  Aurochs-horn,  my 
body-guard's-man  and  companion  and  dear  friend.  I  will  do 
with  that  part  of  the  lands  as  seems  good  to  me.  This  will 
I  also  determine,!  ^ith  you  two,^  my  earls,  that  I  will  that  you 
make  terms  with  Thorkel,  Amundi's  son,  for  the  killing  of 
Einar,  your  brother.  I  will  that  this  decision  should  be  with 
me,  if  you  will  consent  to  it."  And  this  went  like  the  rest, 
the  earls  agreed  to  everything  that  the  king  said.  Then 
Thorkel  went  forward,  and  pledged  himself  to  take  the  king's 
doom  in  this  case.     And  so  this  assembly  was  dismissed. 

King  Olaf  adjudged  compensation  for  earl  Einar  as  for 
three  landed-men ;  but  because  of  his  guilt,  a  third  of  the 
payment  was  deducted. 

Then  earl  Thorfinn  asked  the  king  for  leave  to  depart. 
And  as  soon  as  it  was  obtained,  the  earl  prepared  to  go,  as 
quickly  as  he  could.  And  when  he  was  quite  ready,  it 
happened  one  day  when  the  earl  was  drinking  on  his  ship  that 
Thorkel  Amundi's  son  came  before  him  suddenly,  and  laid  his 
head  upon  the  earl's  knee,  and  bade  him  do  with  it  as  he 
would.  The  earl  asked  why  he  did  so.  "  We  are  already  men 
reconciled,  by  the  king's  doom ;  and  stand  thou  up,  Thorkel." 
He  did  so.  Thorkel  spoke :  "  The  peace  that  the  king  made 
will  I  abide  by,  in  the  case  between  me  and  Brusi ;  but  in  what 
concerns  thee,  thou  alone  shalt  decide.^  Though  the  king  have 
reserved  for  me  ray  possessions  or  right  of  residence  in  the 
Orkneys,  yet  I  know  thy  disposition,  that  my  way  to  the 
islands  is  barred  unless  I  go  under  your*  surety,  earl.     I  will 

'  "stipulate"  in  Snorri's  St  Olaf,  F.S.,  and  Fl. 

2  "  brothers  "  add  Snorri's  St  Olaf,  and  Fl. 

^  "whatever  has  already  been  said  about  it"  adds  F.S. 

«  "full "adds  F.S. 


KING  OLAF  DIVIDES  THE  ISLANDS  565 

promise  you  this,"  said  he,  "  that  I  come  never  to  the  Orkneys, 
whatever  the  king  may  say  about  it." 

The  earl  was  silent,  and  slow  in  speaking.  He  said :  "  If 
thou  wilt  rather,  Thorkel,  that  I  adjudge  in  our  case,  rather 
than  accept  the  king's  judgement,  then  this  must  be  the 
beginning  of  our  agreement,  that  thou  shalt  go  with  me  to  the 
Orkneys,  and  be  with  me,  and  never  part  from  me,  unless  thou 
have  my  leave  and  permission  to  do  so :  thou  shalt  be  bound 
to  defend  my  land,  and  to  do  all  the  deeds  that  I  will  have 
done,i  so  long  as  we  both  are  alive."  Thorkel  answered: 
"  That  shall  be  in  your  power,  earl,  like  everything  else  that 
I  can  undertake."  Then  Thorkel  went  up  to  him,^  and  pledged 
himself^  to  the  earl  to  do  all  that  he  had  decided  upon.  The 
earl  said  that  he  would  have  to  speak  later  about  compensation- 
money;  and  then  took  an  oath  from  Thorkel.  Then  Thorkel 
betook  himself  at  once  to  the  journey  with  the  earl.  The  earl 
went  away  immediately,  as  soon  as  he  was  ready*;  and  king 
Olaf  and  he  never  saw  each  other  again. 

Earl  Brusi  remained  there  behind,  and  made  ready  more 
at  leisure.  And  before  he  went  away,  king  Olaf  had  a 
conference  with  him,  and  spoke  thus :  "  It  seems  to  me,  earl, 
that  I  shall  have  in  thee  a  man  of  trust,  there  in  the  west 
beyond  the  sea :  my  intention  is  that  thou  shalt  have  two 
parts  of  the  lands  to  rule  over,  as  thou  hast  had  before.  I  wish 
thee  not  to  seem  a  smaller  man,  or  less  powerful,  now  that 
thou  hast  become  my  vassal,  than  thou  wert  before.  But  I 
will  make  firm  thy  faith  in  this  wise,  that  I  wish  Ronald,  thy 
son,  to  remain  here  behind  with  me.  I  think  that  since  thou 
now  hast  my  support,  and  two  parts  of  the  lands,^  thou  canst 
well  defend  thy  rights  against  Thorfinn,  thy  brother." 

Brusi  accepted  with  thanks  his  having  two  parts  of  the 
lands.^ 

'  "that  I  will  lay  upon  thee"  F.S. 

-  "went  a  second  time  to  the  earl  "  F.S. 

^  From  here  to  the  end,  this  passage  appears  also  in  MS.  Arn.  Mag.  332 
(R.S.  88,  i,  27-28). 

^  "as  soon  as  he  got  a  fair  wind"  F.S. 

°  "  'that  thou  shalt  have  two  parts  of  the  lands  to  rule  over,  and  there- 
with my  support,  so  that  thou  mayest  .  .  .'".  F.S.  (omitting  "as  thou  hast 
...  of  the  lands,"  through  homoioteleuton). 

^  "instead  of  one  third"  adds  Snorri's  St  Olaf's  Saga. 


566  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

Brusi  remained  a  little  while  after  that,  before  he  went 
away ;  and  he  came  in  the  autumn  west  to  the  Orkneys. 
Ronald,  Brusi's  son,  remained  behind  in  the  east  with  king 
Olaf.  He  was  the  most  handsome  of  all  men,  with  long  hair 
and  golden,  like  silk ;  he  grew  early  big  and  strong :  he  was 
the  most  accomplished  of  men,  both  because  of  his  wisdom, 
and  his  courtesy.^  He  remained  long  after  that  with  king 
Olaf.2 

This  said  Ottar  the  Black,  in  the  elegy  that  he  composed 
upon  king  Olaf: 

"  The  Shetlanders  are  reckoned  to  thee  as  thy  subjects : 
thou  boldest  with  fitting  firmness  to  the  empire  of  the  good 
sovereign-kings  [of  Norway].  There  had  existed  in  the  east 
no  ^  danger-greedy  youth  that  had  forced  under  his  sway  the 
islands  in  the  west,  until  we  got  thee."  * 

^  "eloquence"  Snorri's  St  Olaf s  Saga  ;  "  valour  "  F.S.  ;  " all  accomplish- 
ments" Fl. 

^  Cf.  F.S.,  V,  190. 

Ronald  Brusi's  son  followed  Olaf  from  Norway  to  Gardariki  in  1029, 
and  returned  with  him  to  Norway  in  1030.  Ronald  was  present  at  the 
battle  of  Stiklastadir,  in  which  Olaf  fell.  Cf  Agrip,  c.  25  (F.S.,  x,  399) ; 
F.,  178,  181,  183,  and  the  shorter  St  Olaf's  Saga,  64,  58,  95  ;  and  H.,  St 
Olaf,  cc.  180-181  (Unger's  cc.  190-191),  with  the  added  chapter  in  MS.  J2 
(Jonsson's  ed.,  iii,  493  ;  Unger's  c.  245). 

After  Olafs  death,  Ronald  went  to  Gardariki  with  Olaf's  15-year-oId 
brother,  Harold  Hardrddi  ;  and  passed  some  winters  with  him  there 
(H.,  MS.  J2,  U.S.  ;  Hardradi,  cc.  1-2  ;  Unger's  cc.  1-3.  Cf  F.,  217  ; 
O.S.,  c.  23,  R.S.  88,  i,  36-37  (MS.  A.M.  332) ;  Fl.,  ii,  408-409).  See  below, 
1036  X  1046. 

^  "had  not  existed  ...  a"  in  Snorri's  St  Olafs  Saga  and  Fl. 

''"before  thou  didst  come"  MS.  A.M.  332,  and  Fl.  These  read  naSt 
and  na&ut  instead  oi n'o&iim  j  erroneously. 

F.'s  version  of  H.'s  St  Olaf  (Jonsson's  ed.,  i,  159): — "King  Olaf  laid 
under  himself  first  the  kings  of  Norway  ;  and  he  took  taxes  in  the  Orkneys, 
and  Shetland,  and  the  Faroes.  So  said  Ottar  .  .  ."  (here  follow  the 
verses  translated  above).  Similarly  (but  with  the  Faroes  omitted)  in  the 
shorter  St  Olafs  Saga,  35,  c.  48. 

St  Olaf,  king  of  Norway,  in  1016  had  found  that  Christianity  was  not 
well  kept  in  Orkney  and  Shetland  (H.,  St  Olaf,  c.  58  ;  Unger's  c.  56). 
For  his  method  of  suppressing  Odin-worship  and  enforcing  Christianity, 
see  H.,  St  Olaf,  c.  73.     Cf  the  shorter  St  Olaf's  Saga,  23,  c.  32. 


EARLS  BRUSI  AND  THORFINN  567 

I02I  - 1029 

Heimskringla,  St  Olaf's  Saga,  c.  103  1 

Of  Brusi  and  earl  Thorfinn. 

When  those  brothers,  Thorfinn  and  Brusi,  came  west  to 
the  Orkneys,  Brusi  took  two  parts  of  the  lands  to  rule,  and 
Thorfinn,  a  third  part.  [Thorfinn]  remained  ever  in  Caithness 
and  in  Scotland,  but  placed  his  men  over  the  islands.  Then 
Brusi  alone  had  the  land-defence  over  the  islands.  And  at  that 
time  they  were  exposed^  to  warfare,  because  Northmen  and 
Danes  plundered  greatly  in  western  piracy ;  and  they  came 
often  by  the  Orkneys,  when  they  went  westward  or  eastward  ; 
and  they  made  head-land  raids.  Brusi  spoke  to  Thorfinn,  his 
brother,  because  he  made  no  war-provision  for  the  Orkneys  or 
Shetland,  although  he  took  taxes  and  dues  from  all  his  share. 
Then  Thorfinn  offered  him  the  choice  that  Brusi  should  have  a 
third  part  of  the  lands,  and  Thorfinn  two  parts,  and  [Thorfinn] 
alone  make  war-provision  for  them  both.  And  although  this 
division  was  not  made  at  once,  yet  it  is  said  in  the  earls'  sagas 
that  this  division  did  take  place — that  Thorfinn  had  two  parts, 
and  Brusi  one  third — when  Cnut  the  Powerful  had  laid  Norway 
under  himself,  and  king  Olaf  had  gone  from  the  land.^ 

'  Unger's  c.  109.  The  same  passage  is  in  Snorri's  St  Olafs  Saga,  100, 
c.  89  ;  F.S.,  iv.  229-230,  c.  98.  It  is  also  in  P"l.,  ii,  182  ;  and  MS.  A.M.  332 
(R.S.  88,  i,  28). 

^  "much  exposed"  R.S.,  Fl. 

^  "and  yet  not  before  king  Cnut  had  laid  the  Norwegian  sovereignty 
under  himself,  and  king  Olaf  had  perished"  F.S.  I.e.,  not  before  1030. 
See  year  1018,  note. 

"This  was  when  Cnut  had  dominion  in  Norway,  and  Olaf  had  fled 
from  the  land"  R.S.  ;  i.e.,  1028  x  1029.  After  this,  MS.  A.M.  332  diverges 
from  the  Heimskringla  version. 

The  Orkneyinga  Saga  (i,  28-29  ;  Vigfusson's  c.  22),  in  MS.  A.M.  332  ; 
and  Fl.  (ii,  404),  read  :  "  [King  Olaf,  Harold's  son,  received  no  homage  from 
earl  Thorfinn,  from  the  time  when  they  parted  after  the  agreement  made 
between  earl  Brusi  and  the  others  [1021-1029].  Fl.]  .  .  .  [Thorfinn]  was 
five  winters  old,  when  Malcolm,  the  Scots'  king,  his  mother's  father,  gave 
him  the  name  of  earl,  and  Caithness  as  his  dominion  [as  was  written  above, 
A.M.] ;  and  [he]  was  fourteen  winters  old,  when  he  took  out  levies  from 
his  land  [and  plundered  in  the  territory  of  other  chiefs.     Fl.]. 

"Thus  says  Arnor  Earls'-poet :— 'The  ruler,  foot-reddener  of  crows, 
made  red  in  battle  the  sword's  edges,  before  he  was  fifteen  winters  old. 
Able  to  defend  the  land,  and  (battle-greedy)  to  attack  ;  no  man  under  the 


568  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

1025 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  554,  s.a.  1025  ^ 

Flandabra,  the  successor  of  lona,  .  .  .  slept  in  Christ.^ 

clouds  has  lent  himself  younger  than  Einar's  brother.'"  Cf.  year  1014, 
note  at  end. 

This  would  place  Thorfinn's  first  muster  of  troops  in  1023, 

But  Cnut  made  himself  master  of  Norway  in  [1028]  ;  and  Olaf  left 
Norway  in  [1029]  (13  winters  after  the  battle  of  Nesiar  ;  F.,  178) ;  and  fell 
in  the  battle  of  Stiklastadir,  on  29th  July,  [1030]  (see  H.,  St  Olaf,  cc.  171, 
181,  235  ;  Unger's  cc.  181,  191,  248). 

Snorri,  following  Sighvat,  retracts  an  eclipse  of  31st  August,  1030,  to 
the  day  of  the  battle  of  Stiklastadir  (H.,  St  Olaf,  cc.  226,  227,  235).  From 
tradition,  or  some  Life  of  St  Olaf,  Snorri  erroneously  states  that  Harold 
Hardrcidi's  fatal  expedition  of  1066  took  place  35  years  after  St  Olaf's  death 
(H.,  Hardrddi,  c.  80). 

The  A.S.C.  place  Cnut's  expedition  to  Norway  in  1028  :  "  In  this  year 
king  Cnut  went  [from  England,  DEF]  to  Norway  with  50  ships"  CDEF  ; 
"  and  drove  out  king  Olaf  from  that  land,  and  reduced  to  himself  all  that 
land"  DEF  :  and  his  return  in  1029  :  "  In  this  year  king  Cnut  came  [home 
DE]  again  to  England"  DEF.  A.S.C,  version  C,  says,  s.a.  1030: — "In 
this  year  king  Olaf  was  slain  in  Norway  by  his  own  people  ;  and  he  was 
afterwards  holy  .  .  .  ";  versions  DE:— "In  this  year  king  Olaf  came 
again  into  Norway  ;  and  that  people  gathered  against  him,  and  fought  with 
him  ;  and  he  was  there  slain." 

Theoderic,  c.  19  (Storm's  Monumenta,  p.  42):  "The  blessed  Olaf 
perished  on  the  fourth  day  before  the  Kalends  of  August,  which  was  then 
the  fourth  day  of  the  week,  in  the  year  from  the  Lord's  Incarnation  1029, 
as  exactly  as  we  have  been  able  to  discover"  ■  i.e.,  Wednesday,  29th  July. 
But  the  29th  of  July  was  a  Tuesday  in  1029  ;  a  Wednesday  in  1030. 

St  Olaf  was  translated,  as  a  saint,  in  1031  (Icelandic  Annals,  KOCA). 

Brusi  died  before  1036  (see  below,  p.  584).  The  time  when  Thorfinn 
obtained  two  thirds  of  the  islands  was  therefore  between  1029  and  1036. 

Cf  Flateybook's  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  (Fl.,  ii,  404  ;  R.S.  88,  i,  29)  :  "The 
Scottish  king  died  when  the  brothers  Brusi  and  Thorfinn  had  been  re- 
conciled." This  would  place  the  agreement  between  them  in  or  before 
1034. 

1  With  fn.  and  e.  of  1025. 

2  F.M.,  ii,  808,  s.a.  1025  :  "Flandabra,  successor  of  lona  of  Columcille, 
.  .  .  died." 

Flandabra's  death  stands  first  in  the  year-section  in  A.U.  and  F.M.  ; 
the  death  of  Maeleoin  Ua-Torain,  successor  of  Derry,  stands  3rd  in  A.U. ; 
2nd,  in  F.M. ;  and  2nd,  in  A.L.C..,'  i,  26,  s.a.  1025.  Reeves  believed 
Maeleoin  to  have  been  the  chief  abbot  of  the  Columban  order  (Adamnan, 
398).     But  surely  Flandabra  held  that  honour. 


KING  CNUT  SUBDUES  NORWAY  569 

1026 

Tigernach,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  366 ; 
s.a.  [1026]  1 

Maelruanaid  Ua-Maeldoraid,  king  of  the  Cenel-Conaill, 
went  on  a  pilgrimage  across  the  sea.^ 

1027 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  558,  s.a.  1027^ 

Dunkeld  in  Scotland  was  completely  burned.* 

102S- 1030 

Theoderic :  Historia  de  Antiquitate  Regum  Norwagiensium, 

in  Storm's  Monumenta,  p.  31 

Meanwhile  5  king  Cnut  allured  to  himself  all  the  chiefs  of 
Norway,  by  giving  them  much,  and  promising  them  more,  if 
they  would  remain  loyal  to  his  nephew,  Hakon,  whom  he  had 
brought  with  him  [to  Norway].'^     And  after   taking  hostages 

'  2  years  after  1024. 

2  Similarly  in  C.S.  264,  Hennessy's  year  1024=1026;  and  the  F.M.,  ii, 
810,  s.a.  1026  (but  F.M.  read  "lord"  instead  of  "king").  A.U.,  i,  556, 
s.a.  1026  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  1026),  and  A.L.C.,  i,  28,  s.a.  1026  (with  incorrect 
f.n.  and  e.),  read  :  "  Maelruanaid  Ua-Maeldoraid  went  upon  a  pilgrimage." 

A. I.,  Scriptores,  ii,  2,  58.  O'Conor's  year  1009=1026  (with  ferial 
and  epact  of  1026) :  "  Maelruanaid  Ua-Maeldoraid,  king  of  the  north  [of 
Ireland,  went]  upon  a  pilgrimage,  to  Clonfert  of  Brendan  ;  and  he  went 
from  there  to  lona  of  Columcille  ;  and  from  there,  to  Rome  of  Latium." 

Tigernach,  367,  s.a.  [1027]  ;  C.S.,  266,  Hennessy's  year  1025  =  1027  ;  and 
F.M.,  i,  812,  s.a.  1027,  read:  "Maelruanaid  Ua-Maeldoraid  [lord  of  Cenel- 
Conaill  F.M.]  died  upon  his  pilgrimage." 

For  Maelruanaid,  see  A.U.  and  F.M.,  s.aa.  1010-1013  =  1011-1014,  and 
1024;  C.S.,  Hennessy's  years  1009,  loii,  ioi2(=ioii,  1013,  1014) ;  T.,  364, 
s.a.  1024  ;  A.I.,  O'Conor's  year  993  =  1011. 

^  With  f  n.  and  e.  of  1027. 

*  Similarly  in  A.L.C.,  i,  28,  s.a.  1027  ;  which  add  "  in  this  year." 

*  While  Olaf  took  refuge  (1029-1030)  with  larizleif,  king  of  Gardariki 
(in  Novgorod,  1016-1054).  For  these  events,  cf.  above,  years  ?996  -  ?ioi 8, 
note. 

^  Hakon  was  the  son  of  Eric,  Hakon's  son  (who  had  ruled  in  Norway 
under  the  king  of  Sweden),  and  of  Gytha,  Cnut's  sister  (H.,  Olaf  Tryggvi's 
son,  c.  90 — Unger's  c.  97).  According  to  the  Icelandic  Annals,  Hakon  had 
ruled  in  Norway  from  1012  (CA)  to  1015  (KO  ;  1014,  CA)  ;  and  (under 
Cnut)  from  1028 -t  1029  (KOCA).     Hakon  had  abjured  the  kingdom  in  the 


570  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

from  those  whom  he  thought  least  to  be  trusted,  he  returned 
to  England. 

Then  after  a  year,  Hakon  went  to  England,  to  fetch  his  wife. 
But  while  he  was  returning,  he  was  caught  by  a  storm,  and 
compelled  to  enter  the  Charybdis  in  that  part  of  the  sea  that  is 
called  the  Pentland  Firth,  beside  the  Orkney  islands :  and  there 
he  was  swallowed  up  in  the  depths  of  the  whirlpool,  with  all 
his  company.^ 

beginning  of  St  Olafs  reign  (Theoderic,  Storm's  Monumenta,  27  ;  F. 
146-147  ;  H.,  St  Olaf,  c.  30). 

Snorri  doubts  the  truth  of  this  story  of  Hakon's  death.  He  takes  it 
from  a  different  source.  H.,  St  Olaf,  c.  184  (Unger's  c.  195):  "Earl 
Hakon  went  from  [Norway]  that  summer  ;  and  west  to  England.  And 
when  he  came  there,  king  Cnut  received  him  well.  The  earl  had  a 
betrothed  girl  there  in  England  ;  and  he  had  gone  on  purpose  to  fetch 
her ;  and  intended  to  hold  his  wedding  in  Norway.  And  he  was  pro- 
curing in  England  the  supplies  that  he  thought  would  be  the  most  difficult 
to  obtain  in  Norway. 

"The  earl  prepared  in  autumn  for  the  homeward  journey;  and  was 
ready  rather  late.     He  sailed  into  the  sea,  when  he  was  ready. 

"But  of  his  voyage,  this  is  to  be  said,  that  the  ship  was  lost ;  and  none 
escaped.  And  some  men  say  that  the  ship  was  seen  off  the  north  of 
Caithness,  one  evening,  in  a  great  storm  ;  and  the  wind  was  blowing  out 
to  the  Pentland  Firth.  Those  that  will  follow  this,  say  that  the  ship  would 
have  been  driven  into  the  whirlpool"  {I  svelgi7tn;  i.e.  the  Swelkie,  off  the 
northern  end  of  Stroma).  "  But  this  we  know  with  certainty,  that  earl 
Hakon  was  lost  at  sea  ;  and  nothing  came  ashore  that  had  been  upon  the 
ship.  In  the  same  autumn,  the  merchants  told  the  tidings  (so  carried  about 
the  land)  that  men  thought  that  the  earl  was  lost  ;  but  all  knew  this,  that 
he  came  not  that  autumn  to  Norway  ;  and  the  land  was  then  rulerless." 

An  improbable  story  appears  in  the  Agrip,  c.  20  (F. S.,  x,  396)  :  "Then 
had  this  father  and  son,  Eric  and  Hakon,  ruled  the  land  for  14  winters, 
with  the  title  of  earl ;  and  Svein,  Hakon's  son.  But  St  Olaf  gave  to  him 
(Hakon)  the  Hebrides,  as  some  say  ;  and  supported  him  so,  that  he  was 
in  possession  of  them  :  and  he  was  king  there,  so  long  as  he  lived"  (i.e., 
1015-1029). 

'  Knytlinga  Saga,  c.  17  ;  F.S.,  xi,  201  :  "Earl  Hakon,  Eric's  son,  was 
lost  in  England's  sea  one  winter  before  king  Olaf  the  Holy  fell"  (i.e., 
in  1029). 

A.S.C.,  C,  after  noticing  St  Olafs  death,  s.a.  1030,  says:  "and  before 
that,  in  this  year,  Hakon  the  doughty  earl  perished  at  sea." 

Cf  F.W.,  i,  184-185,  s.aa.  1029,  1030:  "...  And  after  the  festival  of 
St  Martin  [nth  November,  1029],  [king  Cnut]  sent  into  exile,  as  if  for  the 
purpose  of  an  embassy,  the  Danish  earl  Hakon,  who  had  in  marriage  the 
noble  matron  Gunhild,  the  daughter  of  [Cnut's]  sister,  and  of  Wyrtgeorn, 


MAELBRIGTE'S  SONS.     BOITE'S  GRANDSON  571 

1029 

Tigernach,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  369, 
s.a.  [1029]! 

Malcolm,  king  of  Scotland,  the  son  of  Maelbrigte,  son  of 
Ruadri,  died.^ 

1032 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  564,  s.a.  1032^ 

Gillacomgain,  Maelbrigte's  son,  the  mormaer  of  Moray,  was 
burned,  along  with  fifty  of  his  men.* 

1033 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  566,  s.a.  1033^ 

The  son  of  the  son  of  Boite,^  son  of  Kenneth,  was  killed  by 
Malcolm,  Kenneth's  son.'*' 

king  of  the  Winidi  :  because  he  feared  either  to  be  deprived  of  his  life,  or 
expelled  from  his  kingdom,  by  him. 

[s.a.  1030]  "  The  aforesaid  earl  Hakon  perished  in  the  sea.  But  some 
say  that  he  was  killed  in  the  island  of  Orkney.  .  .  ."  Wyrtgeorn  is  the 
Anglo-Saxon  form  of  Vortigern,  a  Welsh  name  ;  and  Winidi  might  possibly 
mean  "the  people  of  Gwynedd."  It  is  perhaps  more  likely  that  he  was 
king  of  the  Wends  ;  and  that  Florence  has  blundered  over  the  spelling  of 
his  name. 

For  Hakon  c£  year  1055,  note  ;  for  his  father  Eric,  see  also  year  1018, 
note. 

^  With  e.  of  1029  ;  and  f.n.  3  (for  which  read  4). 

''■  To  the  same  effect  in  A.U.,  i,  560,  s.a.  1029  (with  correct  f  n.  and  e.)  ; 
F.M.,  i,  818,  s.a.  1029;  A.L.C.,  i,  30,  s.a.  1029:  but  these  all  omit  the 
words  "king  of  Scotland."  Malcolm  is  apparently  mentioned  in  the 
Additions  to  the  Book  of  Deer,  no.  2.     See  below,  before  1131. 

For  Ruadri,  cf  year  1020.     For  Malcolm's  brother,  see  below. 

^  With  fn.  and  e.  of  1032  ;  and  the  marginal  note  "bissextile." 

*  So  also  in  A.L.C.,  i,  32,  s.a.  1032. 

Gillacomgain  was  the  husband  of  Gruoch,  who  afterwards  married 
Macbeth.  Cf  years  1057  ;  1058,  note.  See  below.  Gillacomgain  appears 
to  have  been  the  brother  of  Malcolm,  Maelbrigte's  son,  who  claimed  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland  (f  1029).  Their  cousin  (and  rival  ;  see  year  1020), 
Macbeth,  appears  to  have  inherited  their  claim  to  the  throne.  See  year 
1040. 

6  With  £n.  and  e.  of  1033. 

^  Mac  mic  Boete.  Boete  may  be  an  Irish  form  of  the  name  Boethius  (cf 
Bui{f)te  of  Monasterboice  ;  and  Baite). 

'  I.e.,  by  king  Malcolm  II  of  Scotland.     Boite  was  the  father  of  Gruoch 


572  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

1034 

Marianus  Scottus,  Chronicle,  in  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vol.  v, 
p.  556;  s.a.  1056=1034! 

Malcolm,  the  king  of  Scotland,  died,  on  the  seventh  day 
before  the  Kalends  of  December.^  Duncan,  his  daughter's 
son,  succeeded  him,  for  five  years  and  nine  months.^ 


1034 

Tigernach,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  374, 
s.a.  [1034]* 

Malcolm,  Kenneth's  son,  the  king  of  Scotland,  the  honour 
of  all  the  west  of  Europe,  died.^ 

{filia  Bodhe;  St  Andrews,  114)  ;  and  through  her,  the  grandfather  of 
Lulach,  Gillacomgain's  son  [nepos  filii  Boidej  Chronicle  of  the  Kings, 
version  E,  131  ;  see  above,  pp.  520-521).     See  years  1040,  1058. 

Dunbar  thinks  that  Boite's  father  was  Kenneth  III  (t  1005  ;  Malcolm  IPs 
cousin).  In  that  case,  Boite's  grandson  was  probably  a  child  in  1033.  It 
is  possible  that  Boite  may  have  been  a  son  of  Kenneth  II,  and  brother  of 
Malcolm  II. 

This  feud  seems  to  have  begun  in  999.  See  that  year,  above.  It  led 
to  the  usurpation  of  the  kingdom  by  Macbeth.     See  year  1040. 

The  marriages  of  Gruoch  united  two  parties  hostile  to  Malcolm  II  : — 
her  own  party,  the  descendants  of  Kenneth  ;  and  her  husbands'  party,  the 
Moray  family  that  claimed  the  kingdom  of  Scotland.  For  the  history  of 
these  affairs,  see  the  genealogical  tables  given  under  year  1040,  note. 

1  Also  the  loth  year  of  the  emperor  Conrad  II.  This  passage  does  not 
appear  in  the  Cottonian  MS. 

^  I.e.,  on  25th  November. 

^  The  ninth  month  was  not  completed.     See  year  1040. 

The  Chronicle  of  Melrose,  46,  s.a.  1034,  reads  :  "  Malcolm,  the  king  of 
the  Scots,  died ;  and  Duncan,  his  grandson,  succeeded  him,"  This  is 
copied  (inexactly)  by  the  Chronicle  of  Man,  i,  46,  s.a.  1017  =  1034. 

*  Placed  3  years  after  103 1. 

^  Similarly  (omitting  "all")  C.S.,  270,  Hennessy's  year  1032  =  1034;  and, 
omitting  "the  honour  .  .  .  Europe"  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  1034): — A.I.,  63, 
O'Conor's  year  1017  =  1034  ;  A.U.,  i,  568,  s.a.  1034  ;  A.L.C.,  i,  34-36,  s.a. 
1034. 


DEATH  OF  KING  MALCOLM  II  573 

1005-1034 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  D ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  152 

Malcolm,  Kenneth's  son,  a  most  victorious  king,  reigned  for 
thirty  years.    And  he  died  in  Glammis,i  and  was  buried  in  Ipna.^ 

100S-1034 

Berchan's  Prophecy,  stanzas  179-184;  Skene's  Picts 
and  Scots,  pp.  99-100 

Afterwards,  a  warrior,  fortunate  (poets  tell  it),  wrathful- 
hearted,  who  will  make  war,  will  take  high  Scotland^;  and  his 
name  is  the  Aggressor.* 

Men  of  the  world  will  be  of  pure  colour^  because  of  him 
(the  prophecy  of  an  angel,  whom   I  serve).*^      A  heavy-battler 

'  So  in  DF  ;  but  G  reads  Glaities j  I,  Slines. 

^  Similarly  in  versions  FGI  (17S,  302,  289)  ;  but  GI  add  "  island." 

K  reads  (206)  :  "  This  Malcolm  reigned  nobly  for  30  years,  and  was 
victorious."  N  (306)  :  "  Malcolm,  a  glorious  king,  [reigned]  for  30  years, 
and  was  buried  in  the  island  of  lona."  For  the  unexpanded  versions,  see 
above,  p.  cxxxix.  Version  E  notes  the  length  of  his  reign,  and  adds  an 
account  of  the  battle  of  Carham.     See  year  1018. 

The  Duan  Albanach  reads  (Skene's  P.  &  S.,  63)  :  "Thirty  years — make 
the  verse  abound  with  assonance — Malcolm  was  king  of  Moin  "  {Monaidh). 
For  the  meaning  of  the  cheville,  breacaid  rainn,  cf.  Thurneysen,  Irische 
Texte,  iii,  131.  The  four  half-lines  all  assonate.  For  the  locality  of  Moin, 
cf.  the  note  upon  Berchan,  below. 

Malcolm  IPs  30th  year  was  not  completed.     See  year  1005. 

3  For  geabhadh  reading  geabhaj  and  for  drd  reading  dird,  as  the  verse 
requires.     The  epithet  is  alliterative. 

^  a\n\  Forranach.     This  refers  to  Malcolm  II. 

"  For  dathlana  reading  datk-gklain,  as  the  verse  requires.  This 
metaphor  seems  here  to  mean  "will  flourish."  Cf.  stanza  194,  under 
year  1093. 

"  Aingil  ga  ttii  tharingire,  rhyming  with  de.  The  same  line  recurs  in 
stanza  183  :  aingil  ga  ttu  tharranguire,  rhyming  with  roimhe.  MS.  b  reads 
in  both  cases  :  aingil  ga  ttii  taimgire.  Cf.  stanza  104,  don  mhac  ga  td 
tarangaire  "  of  the  son  who  has  the  promise." 

Gattu  should  be  the  ist-personal  form,  catfi  "whose  I  am"  (cf  Meyer's 
MacCongUnne,  19,  27,  138).  In  that  case  the  initial  consonant  of  taimgire 
should  probably  be  unaspirated  ;  and  the  construction  almost  requires  an 
additional  syllable,  which  the  line  will  not  allow  {don  aingel).  A  possible 
emendation  would  be  :  aingil  ga  did  a  ihairngire  "  [they  are]  angels  who 
have  the  promise  of  it."  But  since  the  reading  of  the  verb  is  confirmed  by 
repetition,  I  have  attempted  to  translate  it  as  it  stands. 

2  O 


574  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

of  a  strong  people,  the  good  king  will  redden  red  weapon- 
points. 

Son  of  a  woman  of  Leinster^;  Leap-through-battle;  the 
florid  one;  the  Aggressor.  Enemy  of  Welsh 2;  destroyer  of 
Foreigners^;  voyager  of  Islay  and  of  Arran.* 

A  son  of  the  cow  that  grazes  upon  the  country-side  of 
Liffey,  red  will  be  the  tracks  of  his  swift  foraying.  A  leopard 
that  will  eat  broad  Scotland  S;  with  whom  will  go  the  very 
pure  Gaels.'^ 

Ten  battles  will  be  gained  by  him  (the  prophecy  of  an  angel, 
whom  I  serve).  Thirty-five  years  are  his  time  in  the  sovereignty 
of  Scotland. 

Until  the  day  when  he  goes  to  battle,  to  meet  with  the 
parricides,''  to  the  swift  morning  leap  of  Moin  ^ :  alas  for 
Scotland,  in  opposition  to  them  ! 

'  This  implies  that  Kenneth  II  had  married  an  Irish  lady,  probably  of 
a  royal  family  of  Leinster.  Cf.  the  following  stanza  ;  and  stanza  202,  in 
which  Berchan  says  that  Scots  (sons  of  Margaret?)  took  refuge  in  Ireland 
during  the  reign  of  Donald  Ban  (who  had  probably  done  the  same,  during 
the  reign  of  Macbeth). 

^  According  to  Fordun,  Malcolm  II  made  himself  king  of  Cumbria. 

^  Either  the  Norwegians,  or  the  English. 

*  This  seems  to  imply  that  he  exacted  tribute  from  the  inner  Hebrides. 

^  on  chti  is  as  Attain  uillj  read  onchi'i  issas  (apparently  unelided).  For 
the  metaphor,  cf  Tigernach's  continualor,  s.a.  [1172] ;  R.C.,  xviii,  285. 

"  ChaSidhil  glan  uill.  The  metre  requires  glan-uill  to  be  a  compound 
word.  It  is  an  inversion,  for  rhyme's  sake,  oi  oll-glain  "very  pure."  Cf  an 
Old-Irish  poem  on  St  Patrick,  in  Archivfiir  celtische  Lexicographie,  iii,  303. 

^  Possibly  the  family  of  Maelbrigte,  whose  sons  had  killed  his  brother 
Findlaech  (Macbeth's  father)  in  1020.  They  might  have  risen  against 
Malcolm  in  revenge  for  the  burning  of  Maelbrigte's  son  Gillacomgain  in 
1032  ;  although  we  are  not  told  that  Malcolm  was  responsible  for  his  death. 

Fordun  gives  a  vague  account  of  Malcolm's  death  (IV,  41-43),  in  which 
he  says  that  Malcolm  was  wounded  in  suppressing  a  rebellion  of  relatives 
of  his  predecessors,  Constantino  and  Gryme. 

'  Or  "of  the  moor,"  or  "swamp."  For  mo7ia  in  the  MS.  we  must  read 
monaid  (a  genitive  case  of  Moin),  because  the  word  rhymes  with  erchom- 
hair  (s.l.)  in  the  following  line. 

Malcolm  is  called  "king  of  Moin"  {ri Motiaidh)  in  the  Duan.  Monaid 
might  possibly  be  a  Pictish  nominative  {i?ionid,  monithj  see  years  728,  729)  ; 
which  might  stand  for  the  Mounth,  the  range  of  the  Grampians.  But  it  is 
hard  to  see  why  a  king  should  have  taken  his  title  from  a  range  of 
mountains,  which  cannot  have  been  inhabited  to  any  extent.  A  more 
probable  explanation  is  suggested  by  Professor  Watson,  that  the  title  was 


KING  MALCOLM  II  575 

The  Gaels  will  fall  in  the  battle  ^ ;  they  will  melt  away 
before  the  Aggressor  (?).'-  Alas  for  whom  he  reaches ;  alas 
for  him  who  goes.  I  shall  expound  it  to  you  (it  is  not  a 
lying  tale).^ 

Ireland  will  be  in  evil  state  because  of  it  (the  prophecy 
shall  reach  to  her) ;  along  with  every  one  in  turn,'^  in  every 
place. 

derived  from  the  castle  o{  Dunmonaidh^  or  Edinburgh  ;  since  Lothian  had 
been  added  to  the  Scottish  dominions  during  this  king's  reign.  This  name 
for  Edinburgh,  however,  seems  to  lack  historical  confirmation. 

Dun-monaid  in  early  literature  seems  to  stand  for  Dunadd  in  Monadh 
Mhor,  and,  poetically,  for  the  kingdom  of  Datriata,  of  which  that  fortress 
was  the  capital.  In  later  literature  magh  mhonaidh  and  cldr  monaidh  appear 
to  mean  the  kingdom  of  Scotland.  The  "king  of  Moin"  was  primarily  king 
of  Scone,  so  that  if  Moin  was  a  district  we  should  expect  it  to  mean  the 
kingdom  of  Scone. 

The  Prophecy  implies  that  Malcolm  died  in  Moin.  The  Chronicles  of 
the  Kings  say  that  he  died  at  Glammis.  If  these  traditions  are  the  same, 
they  would  place  Glamis  in  the  district  of  Moin  ;  but  no  confidence  can  be 
placed  in  them. 

'  Reading  chath  for  gcath. 

^  dreifid  re  sin  foirscanach.  Read  dricfid  .  .  .  forranach?  C£  go 
n-driogfaid  a  mbrigh  in  stanza  20  ;  p.  450  of  MS.  The  verb  driog  {T^xohzhXy 
of  Scandinavian  origin)  means  in  modern  Gaelic,  "trickle,  distil." 

^  This  and  the  previous  stanza  seem  to  mean  that  Malcolm  died  of 
wounds  received  in  the  battle  ;  perhaps  also  that  his  opponent  was  killed 
there.  Cf  the  account  of  Fordun,  IV,  41  ;  who  says  that  Malcolm  was 
victorious,  but  wounded  ;  and  that  he  survived  the  battle  for  three  days. 

•*  ar  uair.     Skene  (following  MS.  b)  erroneously  omits  ar. 


PART   XXII 

Reigns  of   Duncan,   Macbeth,  and   Lulach.     History 
OF  Northumbria 

1005-1034 

Prose  and  Verse  Chronicles  inserted  in  the  Chronicle  of 
Melrose,  p.  227;  s.aa.  1003,  1034  ^ 

[s.a.  1003]  Grim,  the  king  of  the  Scots,  was  slain  ;  and  after 
him,  "[the  same  Malcolm  reigned  for  thirty  summers.  He 
was  in  battles  a  warlike  and  valiant  knight^].  A  free  [death] ^ 
carried  off  the  king,  in  the  village  of  Glammis :  he  perished 
under  foot,  after  laying  low  the  enemy.*  The  daughter  of  the 
above-named  king  [Malcolm]  was  the  wife  of  abbot  Crin[an]^ : 
Bethoc,  worthy  of  her  name."® 

[s.a.  1034]  This  Malcolm  had  no  son ;  but  a  daughter,  who 
was  the  wife  of  Crin[an],  the  abbot  of  Dunkeld.''  And  "by 
her  he  begot  a  son,  Duncan  by  name ;  who  for  six  years  was 
king  of  Scotland.  Macbeth,  son  of  Findlaech,  struck  him  a 
mortal  wound.     The  king  died  at  Elgin." 

'■  With  the  verse  parts  (within  inverted  commas)  cf.  the  Bodleian  text, 
in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  180. 

^  Not  in  CM.  ;  supplied  from  Bodleian  text. 

■'  "A  shameful  death"  {mors  improba),  B.  ;  so  read  in  CM. 

^  Yot:  prostratis  .  .  .  perit,  B.  reads  erroneously  ^ar(?//>  .  .  .  ruit. 

^  Abbatis  Crini :  the  metre  forbids  the  addition  of  a  syllable. 

"  The  reading  of  B.  is  corrupt. 

The  writer  probably  understands  the  name  to  mean  "birch-tree" 
(modern  Gaelic  beathag;  Irish  beathoc.  Dinneen,  Lane.  The  middle-Irish 
bethe  "birch"  was  also  used  as  a  woman's  name  :  cf.  L.L.,  p.  216). 

'  abbatis  Diincaneli  Crini.  Cf.  the  forms  given  by  the  Chronicles  of  the 
Kings  ;  below,  year  1040.  The  same  person  is  once  called  "  Cronan,  abbot 
of  Dunkeld,"  by  A.U.     See  below,  year  1045,  note. 

Fordun  calls  Bethoc  "  Beatrice,"  and  says  that  she  was  the  only 
legitimate  child  of  Malcolm  II.  She  was  married,  according  to  Fordun, 
"to  a  man  of  great  vigour  and  power,  Crinan,  abthanus  of  Dull,  and 
seneschal  of  the  islands."  Fordun  explains  that  abthanus  is  not  equivalent 
to  abbas,  but  means  "chief  of  the  thanes";  his  function  being  that  of  a 
steward  or  chamberlain  (IV,  39  ;  i,  181.     Cf.  i,  187). 

There  is  a  district  called  Appin  in  the  parish  of  Dull  {abthania  de  DuT) : 

576 


KINGS  MALCOLM  II  AND  DUNCAN  577 

its  revenues  were  20  shillings,  and  were  reserved  for  Dunkeld,  when  the 
bishop  and  chapter  of  Dunkeld  conceded  Dull  to  the  prior  and  canons  of 
St  Andrews  (see  St  Andrews,  pp.  295-297). 

The  name  Appin  is  derived  from  the  middle-Gaelic  abbdaine  or  apthaine, 
which  meant  "abbacy,"  and  had  the  transferred  meanings  "supremacy," 
and  (probably)  "abbey-lands."  This  word  was  rendered  in  Latin  abthania; 
but  the  title  abthanus  seems  to  be  Fordun's  own  invention.  His  explana- 
tion shows  that  he  means  by  it  "Steward  of  the  Appin  or  abtkania"  ;  and 
that  he  understood  abthania  in  some  sense  akin  to  "  supremacy." 

There  were  no  Stewards  of  Appin  in  Fordun's  time.  But  the  High 
Stewards  of  Scotland  were  "of  Breton  origin,  descended  from  a  family 
which  held  the  office  of  Senescal  or  Steward  of  Dol,  under  the  counts  of 
Dol  and  Dinan,  ...  in  the  nth  century"  (Scots  Peerage,  i,  9). 

Fordun  seems  to  have  mixed  up  the  abthania  of  Dull  with  the  Stewardry 
of  Dol ;  and  has  erroneously  assumed  that  Crinan  was  an  ancestor  of 
Walter,  Alan's  son  (+  1 177),  who  became  the  first  High  Steward  of  Scotland 
in  the  reign  of  David.  Underneath  these  confusions  there  may  have  been 
a  substratum  of  fact,  which  cannot  now  be  ascertained.  Crinan  is  called 
"Crinan  the  thane"  in  the  tract  De  Obsessione  Dunelmi  (R.S.  75,  i,  216). 
Crinan  may  have  been  the  son  of  Duncan,  the  abbot  of  Dunkeld,  who  died 
in  965. 

According  to  Fordun  (IV,  40  ;  i,  182),  Malcolm  II  had  made  Duncan 
king  of  Cumbria.  This  is  supported  by  F.W.,  who  calls  Malcolm  III 
"son  of  the  king  of  the  Cumbrians"  (E.C.,  85).  Owen  was  king  of 
Strathclyde  in  1018  (E.C.,  82).     See  year  1018,  above. 

For  Duncan's  sons,  Malcolm  Cendmor  and  Donald  Ban,  see  Fordun, 
IV,  44-45  (i,  187-189).  Fordun  says  that  Duncan  had,  immediately  upon 
his  accession  to  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  given  Cumbria  to  Malcolm. 
(In  reality,  Cumbria  seems  to  have  been  ruled  by  Maldred.)  Malcolm 
(he  says)  fled  to  Cumbria,  when  Macbeth  became  king  of  Scotland  ;  and 
afterwards  to  Siward,  the  earl  of  Northumbria,  his  mother's  relative  :  while 
his  brother,  Donald,  went  to  the  islands. 

For  Duncan's  brother,  Maldred,  see  E.C.,  81,  96  ;  D.K.,  5-6. 

On  the  authority  of  the  Orkneyinga  Saga,  Dunbar  gives  Duncan  a 
sister,  the  mother  of  Moddan,  earl  of  Caithness.  But  the  Saga's  story 
may  here  be  entirely  fabulous.     See  below,  year  1106,  note. 

The  Orkneyinga  Saga,  cc.  22-23  (l^S.  A.M.  332,  R.S.  88,  i,  29-36  ;  Fl., 
St  Olaf,  cc.  339-341,  ii,  404-408  ;  Hjaltalin  and  Goudie  (1873),  c.  5,  pp. 
17-20),  gives  a  fabulous  story,  not  contained  in  earlier  saga-collections, 
telling  that  the  Scottish  king  [Malcolm  II],  Thorfinn's  grandfather,  died, 
after  the  agreement  made  between  Thorfinn  and  Brusi  [1028  x  ]  ;  and  that 
"then  Karl  Hundi's  son  took  dominion  over  Scotland."  Karl  claimed 
Caithness  (which  Malcolm  had  given  to  Thorfinn),  and  wished  to  place 
over  Caithness  the  chief  who  was  called  Moddan  [Matadin  ?]  ;  he  was 
Karl's  sister's  son,  and  had  many  relatives  and  friends  in  Ireland.  Thorfinn 
fought  for  his  right ;  Karl  was  defeated  at  sea,  off  Deerness  ;  Moddan  was 
killed,  in  Thurso  ;  Karl  was  routed  at  Torfnes,  south  of  Moray  Firth  (to 
the  south  of  Oykell,  according  to  Arnor).     Thorfinn  advanced  with  great 


578  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

1034 

Tigernach,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  374, 

s.a.  [1034] 
Suibne,  Kenneth's  son,  king  of  the  Galwegians,  died.^ 

1034 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  568,  s.a.  1034 

Macc-nia  Ua-Uchtain,  lector  of  Kells,  was  drowned  while  he 
came  [to  Ireland]  from  Scotland  ;  and  Columcille's  fiabellum, 
and  three  of  the  relics  of  Patrick,  [were  lost  with  him] ;  along 
with  thirty  men.- 

10353 

violence  into  Fife,  while  the  Scots  fled  and  did  not  dare  to  fight.  Thorfinn 
returned  to  Caithness  for  the  winter  ;  and  plundered  in  the  western  lands 
every  summer  afterwards. 

The  Thorfinns-drapa  of  Arnor  Earls'-poet,  Thord's  son,  is  the  authority 
quoted  for  this  account.  Arnor  calls  Karl  Hundi's  son  "Karl,"  "king" 
(jo/urr),  and  "lord  of  Scotland"  ;  and  speaks  of  the  battles  of  Deerness 
and  Torfnes,  and  of  three  other  defeats  of  the  Scots  ;  and  of  ravagings  of 
Thorfinn  in  Scotland. 

For  Arnor's  verses,  see  J.S.,  i,  A,  344-348  ;  B,  317-321  ;  Corpus 
Poeticum,  ii,  195-196.  If  these  verses  are  genuinely  Arnor's,  they  are 
valuable,  since  Arnor  was  Thorfinn's  contemporary.  Karl  may  have  been 
a  ruler  of  Sutherland,  or  of  Moray.  His  father's  name  (according  to  the 
saga),  Hundi,  means  "  dog"  ;  it  might  be  a  translation  of  the  Gaelic  Culen 
or  Matad.  It  does  not  seem  to  be  possible  to  identify  Karl  with  king 
Duncan,  the  successor  of  Malcolm  II. 

If  the  story  is  not  entirely  fabulous,  it  is  possible  that  Karl  Hundi's  son 
("churl,  son  of  dog")  was  an  opprobrious  name  applied  by  allies  of  the 
family  of  Malcolm  II  to  the  usurper,  Macbeth.  This  last  supposition  is 
made  less  improbable  by  the  fact  that,  during  Macbeth's  reign,  Thorfinn 
endeavoured  to  conciliate  the  Norwegian  kings  (Magnus,  1046  x  1047, 
unsuccessfully  ;  Hardradi,  successfully,  1047  x  ?  1064,  and  perhaps  1047  x 
?  1050.  See  below,  1036-1046,  note).  But  since  an  unsuccessful  ruler  of 
Moray  could  hardly  have  made  himself  king  of  Scotland,  it  is  more  likely 
that  Karl  may  have  been  an  intruder  placed  over  Moray.  No  solution  of 
this  riddle  seems  to  be  justified. 

1  Similarly  in  A.U.,  i,  568,  s.a.  1034  ;  and  in  A.L.C.,  i,  36,  s.a.  1034. 

2  Similarly  in  A.L.C.,  i,  36,  s.a.  1034  ;  and  so  read  in  F.M.,  ii,  828,  s.a. 
1034. 

Cf  years  1009,  1040. 

3  In  the  year  1035,  king  Cnut  died.  See  years  1055,  1018,  notes.  For 
the  oaths  taken  at  his  death-feast,  see  Fagrskinna,  83-86. 


KINGS  SUIBNE,  DUNCAN,  AND  MACBETH  579 

1040 

Marianus  Scottus,  Chronicle;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vol.  v, 
p.  557;  s.a.  1062  =  10401 

Duncan,  the  king  of  Scotland,  was  killed  in  autumn,  (on 
the  nineteenth  day  before  the  Kalends  of  September,^)  by  his 
earl,  Macbeth,^  Findlaech's  son  ;  who  succeeded  to  the  kingdom, 
[and  reigned]  for  seventeen  years.* 

1040 

Marianus  Scottus,  marginal  addition  in  the  Palatino-Vatican 
MS. ;  in  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vol.  v,  p.  558  ;  s.a.  1079=  1057'"^ 

Duncan  reigned  for  five  years:  that  is,  from  the  mass  of 
St  Andrew  6  to  the  same,  and  beyond,  to  the  Nativity  of 
St  Mary.^ 

Then  Findlaech's  son  reigned  for  seventeen  years,  to  the 
same  mass  of  St  Mary.^ 

1  Also  the  1st  year  of  emperor  Henry  III. 

^  I.e.,  on  14th  August.  This  date  is  added  in  the  margin  of  the 
Vatican  MS. 

^  a  duce  suo  Macbethad:  perhaps  "his  general."  This  is  the  correct 
spelling  of  Macbeth's  name  (literally  "son  of  life";  "one  of  the  elect"). 
The  chroniclers  constantly  confuse  it  with  Macheth.     Cf  year  11 57,  note. 

The  word  Bethu  ("life")  occurs  as  a  man's  name  in  the  Book  of 
Leinster,  321,  column  5. 

■*  This  passage  is  not  in  the  Cottonian  MS.  (Waitz). 

The  Chronicle  of  Melrose,  47,  s.a.  1039,  says  simply:  "Duncan,  the 
king  of  the  Scots,  died  ;  and  Macbeth  usurped  to  hmiself  his  kingdom." 

^  These  notes  were  written  before  1079.     See  year  1057,  note. 

"  30th  November,  1034. 

"  This  should  mean  8th  September,  1040  ;  but  probably,  as  below,  the 
day  of  the  Assumption  is  meant :  i.e.,  15th  August,  1040. 

8  This  should  mean  8th  September,  1057  ;  but  in  the  same  notes  (see 
below,  year  1057)  Marianus  says  that  Macbeth  was  killed  in  August : 
therefore  probably  the  day  of  the  Assumption,  15th  August,  1057,  is 
meant. 

The  Chronicle  of  Huntingdon  calls  Macbeth  a  nephew  {nepos)  of 
Malcolm  II.  Its  evidence  is  hardly  sufficient  to  establish  this  relationship. 
See  year  1054,  note.     Cf.  R.  O'Flaherty,  Ogygia  (1685),  489.     D.K ,  6-7. 

If  Boite  had  been  the  son  of  Kenneth  II,  not  of  Kenneth  III,  Macbeth's 
wife  would  have  been  the  niece  of  Malcolm  II.     See  year  1033,  note. 

Macbeth's  immediate  claims,  by  descent  and  by  marriage,  to  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland,  will  best  be  shown  by  genealogical  tables, 


580 


EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 


(i)  The  descendants  of  Kenneth. 

Malcolm  I  and  Indulf  were  great-grandsons  of  Kenneth,  Alpin's  son. 


Malcolm  I 
k.  Sc.  943  -  1 954 


Dub 
k.  Sc.  962  -  t  966 


Indulf 
k.  Sc.  954- 1962 


Culen 
k.  Sc.  966-1971 


Kenneth  II 
k.  Sc.  971  -  t  995 


Kenneth  III              |  1  1                 Constantine  III 
k.Sc.  997- +  1005          I  I  I                k.  Sc.  995-t997 
?  Dungal  ?  daughter  Malcolm  II 
t  999  ==Findlaech  k.  Sc. 
I      t  1020  1005 -t  1034 


^.      I  .       .  I, 

'  Gillacoimgin       ?  Boite 

fl.  999 


Macbeth 
k.  Sc.  1040- 1 1057 


'I 


Bethoc  =  Crinan 


Gruoch  ^=  (i)  Gillacomgain 


=  (2)  Macbeth 


t  1032 


Duncan 
k.  Sc.  1034  - 1  1040 


son 
t  1033 


Lulach 
k.  Sc.  1057- 1  1058 


(2)  The  family  of  Moray. 
Ruadri 


I 

Findlaech 

k.  Sc.  t  1020 


I 
Maelbrigte 


Gruoch  ^  Macbeth 
k.  Sc. 
1040 -t  1057 


Malcolm 
k.  Sc.  +  1029 


Gillacomgain  =  Gruoch 
morm.  Moray 
t  1032 

Lulach 
k.  Sc.  1057  - 1 1058 

I 


Maelsnechtai 
k.  Moray,  f  1085 


daughter 


Angus 
k.  Moray,  1 1130 


?  ?  Wimund. 


KINGS  DUNCAN  AND  MACBETH  581 

1040 

Tigernach,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  379 ; 
s.a.  [1040]  1 

Duncan,  Crinan's  ^  son,  sovereign  of  Scotland,^  was  slain  by 
his  subjects,  at  an  immature  age.* 

1040 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  D ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  152 

Duncan,  son  of  Cr[in]an'^  the  abbot  of  Dunkeld,  and  of 
Bethoc,  daughter  of  Malcolm,  Kenneth's  son,  reigned  for  six 
years.  And  he  was  killed  by  Macbeth,  Findlaech's  son,"  in 
Bothngouane '' ;  and  was  buried  in  the  island  of  lona.* 

'  This  year-section  is  placed  between  years  dated  1039  and  104 1.  This 
passage  is  copied  by  C.S.,  272;  Hennessy's  year  1038=1040.  A  similar 
passage  appears  in  A.U.,  i,  576,  s.a.  1040  ;  and  is  copied  by  A.L.C.,  i,  40, 
s.a.  1040. 

2  "Critan's"  C.S. 

3  airdri  Aldan.     "  King  of  Scotland  "  (rz  Alban)  in  A.U.  and  A.L.C. 

*  "at  an  immature  age"  not  in  A.U.,  A.L.C. 

These  words  are  contradicted  by  Berchan  (below).  They  cannot  have 
been  strictly  true  ;  because  Duncan  had  three  sons.  His  pedigree  (see 
above)  suggests  that  he  should  have  been  of  middle  age.  He  was 
apparently  of  the  same  generation  as  Gruoch,  Macbeth's  wife. 

*  mac  Cra?i,  D  ;  mac  Trim,  F  ;  mac  Trini,  G  ;  filius  Crini,  I  ;  77tac 
Kryn,  K. 

^  a  Maketh  mac  Fyngel,  D.     See  above,  p.  cxl,  note. 

'  Bothngouane,  D  ;  Bothgauenan,  F  ;  Botkergouenan,  G  ;  Bothgouanan, 
I.  I.e.  both-inna-7tgobannf  Stated  to  be  Pitgaveny,  near  Elgin  (cf.  D.K.) : 
but  this  is  uncertain.     Balnagowan  has  a  somewhat  similar  name. 

On  2ist  April,  1235,  king  Alexander  II  endowed  a  mass-chaplaincy  in 
Elgin  cathedral,  for  the  soul  of  king  Duncan  ;  giving  3  marks  yearly  from 
the  firma  of  the  royal  borough  of  Elgin  (Moray,  no.  36).  This  probably 
implies  that  Duncan  I  had  been  killed  within  the  diocese  of  Moray. 

'  This  passage  appears  similarly  in  versions  FGI  (175,  302,  289).  But 
FI  omit  "reigned"  ;  F  omits  "the  island  of." 

K  (206)  omits  the  places  of  death  and  of  burial,  and  reads  "son"  instead 
of  "daughter."  N  (306)  reads:  "Duncan  [reigned]  for  5  years;  and  he 
was  killed  ;  and  was  buried  in  the  island  of  lona." 

Duncan's  reign  is  omitted  by  E. 

The  Duan  Albanach  reads  (Skene's  P.  &  S.,  63) ;  "  Six  years  of  Duncan, 
pure  [and]  wise." 


582  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

1 034- 1 040 

Berchan's  Prophecy,  stanzas  187-190;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  loi 

After  [the  Aggressor],  without  delay,  a  king  whose  name  is 
the  Man  of  many  diseases  ^  will  take  [Scotland].  The  king  will 
not  be  young,  but  will  be  old,^  who  will  crush  ^  the  hostages  of 
the  Gaels. 

During  the  time  of  the  Man  of  many  diseases,  of  many 
melodies,  Scotland  will  not  venture  [to  raise]  the  standard  of 
red  gold,*  which  arouses  battle.  He  will  be  an  old  man,  lasting 
well.* 

Joy  to  Scotland,  which  he  will  take;  but  short  is  the  time 
in  which  she  will  enjoy  him :  five  years  and  a  half  (a  bright 
space)  over  Scotland   in  sovereignty." 

Afterwards  a  king  diseased,  whose  name  is  the  Man  of 
many  diseases,  will  take  [Scotland].'^  He  will  die  of  that 
disease :    this  will  be  his  high  history. 

1040 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i,  p.  576,  s.a.  1040^ 

.  .  .  Maelmuire  Ua-Uchtain,  Columcille's  successor,  .  .  . 
slept  in  Christ.^ 

^  an  t-ilghalrach :  perhaps  erroneously  attracted  to  the  epithet  of  the 
succeeding  king.  Possibly  read  ilghalach  "of  many  exploits"?  Of. 
galach,  in  Irische  Texte,  iii,  346  ;  Saltair  na  Rann  (1883),  11.  8121,  8340. 

2  A  similar  redundant  statement  occurs  in  stanza  200  (see  year  1094). 

This  statement  seems  to  be  a  contradiction  of  Tigernach,  who  says  that 
Duncan  died  at  an  immature  age.     But  Berchan's  authority  is  not  good. 

^  shuithfes  for;  read  suaithfes  for  "  v/'iW  knead,"  as  in  stanza  134.  MS. 
b  (followed  by  Skene)  reads  erroneously  fuithfeas. 

*  ni  leimthar  .  .  .  ineirge  deigh  dir :  for  deigh  read  deirg  {dearg  in 
MS.  b).  "The  standard  of  red  gold"  is  possibly  a  circumlocution  for  fire  ? 
For  Berchan's  use  of  the  verb,  cf  stanza  77  :  ni  Uimhthar  lets  i?i  ferann. 

'•"  bidli  he  an  seanoir  somharthain,  rhyming  with  cath.  Read  therefore 
bidh  seanoir  (or  bidh  he  seann)  so-niharthanach  f 

•^  This  seems  to  be  the  reign  of  Duncan,  who  was  king  for  5^  years  and 
82  days. 

^  an  t-illghalrach.  This  cannot  be  Macbeth,  who  did  not  die  of  disease  ; 
but  may  possibly  be  Lulach.  In  that  case  the  stanza  has  been  displaced  ;  it 
should  stand  after  stanza  193.     For  Lulach's  reign  see  below,  1057- 1058. 

^  With  f.n.  and  e.  of  1040  ;  and  the  marginal  note  "bissextile." 

^  Cf.  F.M.,  ii,  836,  s.a.  1040:  "Maelmuire  Ua-Uchtain,  the  successor  of 


EARLS  EADULF  AND  SIWARD.     CRINAN  583 

1038-1041 

Simeon  of  Durham,  Historia  Regum,  vol.  ii,  p.  198 

After  the  death  of  his  brother,  [Ealdred,]i  Eadulf  [Uhtred's 
son]  was  made  earl  of  the  Northumbrians.  He,  being  exalted 
with  pride,  ravaged  the  Britons  [of  Cumbria]  with  sufficient 
ferocity.^  But  in  the  third  year  afterwards,  when  he  had  come 
in  peace  to  Harthacnut,^  to  be  reconciled,  he  was  killed  by 
Siward,  who  had  after  him  the  earldom  of  the  whole  province 
of  the  Northumbrians ;  that  is,  from  the  Humber  as  far  as 
the  Tweed.* 

104s 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  385  ; 
s.a.  [1045]'^ 

A  battle  [was  fought]  between  Scot's,  upon  a  united  expedi- 
tion^; and  Crinan,  abbot  of  Dunkeld,  was  killed  in  it;  and 
many  along  with  him,  namely  nine  score  fighting  men.'^ 

Columcille  and  of  Adamnan,  died  "  (i  e.,  abbot  of  Kells  and  of  Raphoe.     Cf. 
charter  no.  4  in  the  Book  of  Kells). 

A  previous  head  abbot  of  the  same  name  died  in  1009.  The  present 
Maelmuire  was  certainly  a  relative  of  the  former  one  ;  and  possibly  a  son. 
Cf.  year  1034,  for  another  member  of  the  family.     See  Reeves,  Adamnan, 

397,  398. 

The  next  recorded  successor  of  Columba  is  Murchaid  Ua-Maelsech- 
laind,  for  whom  see  year  1055. 

^  See  year  1072,  note. 

2  Similarly  Siward  (1041x1055),  Gospatric  (in  1070;  E.C.,  92),  and 
Waltheof  (1072  x  1075),  attempted  to  subdue  Cumberland  and  Westmoreland. 
See  years  1055,  1072,  notes. 

3  Therefore  1040  x  1042.  A.S.C.  CD  place  Eadulf's  death  in  1041  ;  and 
F.W.  (i,  195)  names  Siward  "earl  of  the  Northumbrians"  in  1041.  But  the 
tract  De  Northymbrorum  Comitibus  says  that  Eadulf  was  killed  by  Siward 
"in  the  reign  of  Edward"  the  Confessor  (1042  x  1066).    See  year  1072,  note. 

■•  For  Siward,  see  year  1055. 

5  The  year-section  stands  between  years  dated  1044  and  1046  ;  and  is 
distinguished  by  f.n.,  e.,  and  golden  number,  of  io45- 

"  ar  aenrian  "on  one  road"  Stokes,  who  adds  the  note  :  "Perhaps  an 
idiom  for  .  .  .  'among  themselves'"  (as  in  A.U.). 

The  same  expression  occurs  in  the  continuation  of  Tigernach,  272, 
referring  to  an  expedition  led  by  several  kings  for  one  object.  The 
phrase  appears  to  be  a  corruption  of  an  older  phrase  for  oen-roen.  Roen 
"road"  was  used  in  the  transferred  sense  of  "military  expedition"  (cf. 


584  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

I 036- I 046 

Snorri's  St  Olaf  s  Saga,  c.  270  ^ 

King  Magnus  the  Good,  son  of  the  holy  king  Olaf,  reigned 
over  Norway,  as  was  said  before.  Then  was  with  him  earl 
Ronald,  Brusi's  son.  At  that  time,  earl  Thorfinn,  Sigurd's 
son,  Ronald's  father's  brother,  ruled  over  the  Orkneys. 

Then  king  Magnus  sent  Ronald  west  to  the  Orkneys,^ 
and  requested  that  Thorfinn  would  let  [Ronald]  receive^  his 
patrimony.  Thorfinn  let  Ronald  have  with  him  a  third-part* 
of  the  islands ;  because  [Ronald's]  father,  Brusi,  had  so  had, 
upon  his  dying  day. 

English  "field") ;  see  Oengus,  May  27,  June  19.  Of.  the  Egerton  Tochmarc 
Ferbe,  Irische  Texte,  iii,  2,  552,  where  i  n-aenraen  .  .  .  no  a  turcomrac  is 
translated  by  Windisch  "auf  einem  gemeinsamen  Wege  oder  in  Versamm- 
lung"  (ibid.,  556).  For  aenraen  would  probably  mean  "upon  a  united 
expedition,"  or  "in  a  mass-levy"  :  the  implication  here  being  that  an  army 
was  composed  of  different  elements,  which  divided  into  hostile  parties. 

'  nae  xxlaechj  "laymen"  Stokes  (literally). 

Cf.  A.U.,  i,  584,  s.a.  1045  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  1045)  :  "A  battle  [was 
fought]  between  Scots,  among  themselves  ;  and  in  it  fell  Cronan,  the  abbot 
of  Dunkeld."  Similarly  also  in  A.L.C.,  i,  46,  s.a.  1045.  Cronan  was  a 
more  familiar  name  to  Irishmen  than  Crinan. 

This  Crinan  seems  to  have  been  the  father  of  king  Duncan.  See  year 
1034.  Duncan's  grandson,  ^thelred,  also  was  an  abbot  of  Dunkeld.  See 
year  1093,  note. 

This  warfare  was  doubtless  a  rebellion  raised  against  Macbeth.  It  may 
have  been  the  same  attempt  against  him,  in  which  the  Northumbrians 
took  part ;  and  which  the  Annals  of  Durham  place  in  1046.     See  E.C.,  84. 

1  Munch  and  Unger,  p.  244  ;  F.S.,  v,  141. 

2  F.  (201)  places  this  event  between  [1036]  (fSven)  and  [1042] 
(t  Harthacnut) ;  and  says  that  Magnus  the  Good  "sent  Ronald,  Brusi's 
son,  west  to  dominion  in  the  Orkneys  ;  and  gave  him  the  name  of  earl. 
And  in  his  days  occurred  the  disagreement  between  Ronald  and  Thorfinn, 
[Ronald's]  father's  brother,  as  is  told  in  the  Earls'  Saga." 

Magnus  had  ruled  over  Norway  during  the  winter  in  which  Sven  died 
(1035-1036)  ;  while  Sven  was  in  Denmark  with  Harthacnut.  The  Icelandic 
Annals  (KOCA)  place  the  death  of  Sven  ^Ifgifu's  son  in  1036. 

^  "requested  that  Ronald  should  receive"  F.S. 

*  The  Orkneyinga  Saga  (c.  26)  says  that  Ronald  got  two-thirds  of  the 
islands,  on  condition  of  aiding  earl  Thorfinn,  who  "had  at  that  time  great 
contentions  \deilur\  with  the  Hebrideans  and  the  Irish."     Cf  below. 

The  islands  thus  divided  into  three  parts  were  the  Orkneys  and  Shet- 
lands  only  (O.S.,  c.  30). 


EARL  THORFINN  AND  INGIBIORG  585 

Thorfinn  had  then  married  Ingibiorg^  Earls'-mother,  the 
daughter  of  Finn,  Ami's  son. 

Earl  Ronald  thought  that  he  owned  two  parts  of  the  lands, 
as  Olaf  the  Holy  had  given  to  Brusi,  his  father ;  and  as  Brusi 
had  had  in  [Olaf's]  days.  These  were  the  beginnings  of  the 
contention  between  the  kinsmen:  and  there  is.  a  long  story 
about  that.^ 

1  See  years  ?  1065,  1070,  notes. 

2  In  Snorri's  time,  therefore,  there  existed  a  saga  describing  these 
events. 

The  vivid  story  told  by  the  Orkneyinga  Saga  of  the  dealings  between 
Thorfinn  and  Ronald  is  scarcely  historical  (R.S.  88,  i,  35-56  ;  cc.  23-36,  Fl., 
St  Olaf,  cc.  342-355  ;  ii,  408-420)  ;  except  that  in  contains  verses  quoted 
from  Arnor  Earls'-poet.  These  verses  are  the  historical  nucleus  ;  but  the 
reading  is  often  corrupt,  and  the  meaning  obscure.  For  these,  see  NordaFs 
edition  of  the  saga,  when  it  appears. 

The  Orkneyinga  Saga  implies  that  Ronald  came  to  Orkney,  and 
obtained  two-thirds  of  the  islands,  in  [1038],  8  winters  before  the  winter  of 
his  death. 

According  to  O.S.  (cc.  26-27)  Thorfinn  and  Ronald  collected  their 
forces  in  spring,  [1039] ;  and  "in  the  summer,  plundered  in  the  Hebrides, 
and  in  Ireland,  and  widely  in  Scotland's  firths.  Thorfinn  laid  the  land 
under  himself,  wherever  they  went."  In  the  summer,  they  had  a  great 
battle  in  Waterford  [Skye] ;  and  were  victorious. 

For  eight  winters  (1038-1046]  they  shared  the  Orkneys  ;  and  every 
summer  they  went  on  plundering  expeditions,  together  or  separately 
(c.  27). 

One  summer  (c.  28),  [1040  X  1042]  Thorfinn  plundered  in  the  Hebrides 
and  the  west  of  Scotland.  He  came  to  Galloway,  and  sent  a  force  into 
England  to  get  cattle.  This  force  was  destroyed  by  the  English.  At  that 
time,  Harthacnut  reigned  in  England  and  Denmark  (c.  29).  Next  spring 
[1041 X 1042],  Thorfinn  collected  levies  in  Orkney,  Caithness,  Scotland. 
Ireland,  and  the  Hebrides  ;  and  invaded  England,  gaining  victory  in 
two  battles,  and  in  other  fighting.  He  returned  to  the  Orkneys  for  the 
winter. 

Kalf  Ami's  son  fled  from  Norway  (c.  30),  to  Thorfinn,  who  had  married 
Ingibiorg,  a  daughter  of  Finn,  Kalf's  brother.  [For  Finn  and  Kalf  see 
year  ?  1050,  below.]  Thorfinn  wished  to  take  again  from  Ronald  Einar's 
third  of  the  islands.  Thorfinn  collected  forces  from  the  Hebrides  and  from 
Scotland.  His  whole  dominions  at  this  time  were  a  third  of  the  islands  ; 
Caithness,  and  a  great  part  of  Scotland  ;  and  all  the  Hebrides  (R.S.  88,  i, 
45  ;  Fl.,  ii,  413).  Ronald  fled  to  Norway  ;  and  king  Magnus  gave  him 
forces,  and  sent  by  him  a  promise  of  pardon  to  Kalf  if  Kalf  would  aid 
Ronald  against  Thorfinn. 

The  forces  of  Ronald  and  of  Thorfinn  met  in  the  Pentland  Firth  [in 
1046?]  (c.  31).     Kalf  did  not  fight.     Thorfinn,  finding  himself  in  difficulty, 


586  EAELY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

They  fought  a  great  battle  in  the  Pentland  Firth.  Kalf, 
Ami's  son,  was  then  with  earl  Thorfinn.  Thus  said  Biorn 
GuUbrar-skald  ^ : 

"We  have  learned,  Kalf!  how  thou  didst  follow  Finn's 
kinsman-in-law  in  battle ;  and  how  thou  didst  quickly  put 
to  sea  swift  ships,  against  the  earl. 

"  Impetuous  one,  bloodthirsty,  remembering  the  feud !  Thou 
didst  overcome  the  courage  of  Brusi's  son  ;  and  thou  wert  of 
use  to  Thorfinn."^ 

begged  Kalf  to  help  him.  Kalf  joined  the  fight,  and  Ronald  was  defeated. 
Ronald  fled  to  Norway. 

Thorfinn  took  possession  of  all  the  islands  (c.  32).  He  sent  Kalf  to  rule 
the  Hebrides.  In  the  beginning  of  winter  [1046],  Ronald  returned  with 
a  picked  force,  in  one  ship.  He  surprised  Thorfinn  in  Pomona  (c.  33)  ; 
and  burned  down  the  house  in  which  he  was.  But  Thorfinn  and  his  wife 
escaped,  without  being  seen.  Thorfinn  rowed  over  to  Caithness,  and  was 
believed  to  be  dead.  Before  Christmas  [1046],  Thorfinn  surprised  Ronald 
in  Papa  Stronsay  (c.  34)  ;  and  burned  down  the  house  in  which  he  was. 
But  Ronald  escaped.  Search  was  made  along  the  sea-shore.  Ronald  was 
found,  and  killed,  by  Thorkel  Fosterer.  His  death  was  concealed  ;  and 
Thorfinn  surprised  his  followers  in  Kirkwall.  Thirty  men,  mostly  of  king 
Magnus's  body-guard,  were  put  to  death  ;  one  was  sent  back  to  Magnus. 

Ronald  was  buried  in  Papa  Westray  (c.  35).  Thorfinn  took  all  the 
islands.     Magnus  was  at  war  with  Sven,  Ulf's  son,  king  of  Denmark. 

Harold  Hardradi,  Sigurd's  son,  reigned  with  Magnus  in  Norway 
[1046-1047]  (c.  36).  Thorfinn  went  to  Magnus,  and  by  a  ruse  gained  peace  ; 
but  terms  of  atonement  were  postponed.  The  body-guardsman  who  had 
been  spared  by  Thorfinn  claimed  atonement  for  his  brother.  Thorfinn 
escaped  to  sea.     Magnus  died,  leaving  the  realm  to  Harold  [1047]. 

After  the  death  of  Magnus,  Thorfinn  made  friendship  with  Hardradi 
(c.  37  ;  FJ.,  c.  356,  ii,  420-421).  He  seems  to  have  acknowledged 
Hardradi's  overlordship  (1047x1057;  perhaps  x  ?  1050,  q.v.)  during  the 
reign  of  Macbeth,  who  had  ejected  from  the  Scottish  kingdom  the  family 
of  Malcolm  II,  Thorfinn's  ally.     Cf.  Adam,  below,  years  1047  x  1066. 

^  Cf.  the  quotation  in  Snorri's  St  Olaf,  185,  c.  173  (F.S.,  v,  17  ;  H.,  St 
Olaf,  c.  177;  Unger's  c.  187;  Fl.,  ii,  311),  introduced  thus:  "This  says 
Biorn  [or  Biarni]  Gullbrarskald,  in  the  poem  that  he  made  upon  Kalf 
Ami's  son  .  .  ."  The  poem  is  called  Kalfs-flokkr,  in  Snorri's  St  Olaf,  236, 
c.  254  (F.S  ,  V,  123  ;  H.,  Magnus  the  Good,  c.  14,  Unger's  c.  15  ;  F\.,  ii, 
374).     For  the  poem,  see  J.S.,  i.  A,  393-396  ;  B,  363-365- 

^  There  are  a  few  different  readings  in  F.S.  See  J.S.,  i,  A,  396  ;  B, 
365,  stanza  8  :  where  (I  find)  the  latter  part  is  translated  somewhat 
differently. 

The  metre  decides  in  favour  of  the  reading  of  the  last  line  as  it  stands 
in  Munch  and  Unger's  text.     Cf.  PT,  ii,  421-422,  439-440  (O.S.,  c.  38). 


THORFINN  DEFEATS  RONALD  BRUSI'S  SON         587 

Arnor  Earls'-poet  claimed  to  have  been  present  in  this  battle.  See 
R.S.  88,  i,  47  ;  Fl.,  ii,  415  ;  J.S.,  i,  A,  355  ;  B,  326,  stanza  J. 

Ronald  Brusi's  son  and  Finn  Ami's  son  had  been  with  St  Olaf  at 
Stiklastadir ;  Kalf  Ami's  son  had  been  among  those  who  killed  St  Olaf 
there.     See  F.,  178-182,  217. 

For  Kalf  Ami's  son,  see  below,  year  ?  1050. 

Morkinskinna,  Magnus  the  Good's  Saga,  p.  44  :  "Now  when  they  had 
ruled  the  land  for  two  winters  [1045- 1047]  both  together— king  Magnus  and 
king  Harold — they  prepared  their  host  in  the  summer,  [to  go]  south  to 
Denmark  ;  and  they  called  out  the  levies  from  Norway.  That  was  one 
winter  after  the  fall  of  earl  Ronald,  Brusi's  son,  in  the  west,  in  the  Orkneys. 
The  kings  went  with  their  host  south  to  Denmark." 

This  was  the  expedition  of  [1047]  (see  below),  upon  which  king  Magnus 
died  (see  H.,  Hardradi,  c.  28).  Therefore  Ronald  died  in  1046.  So  also 
F.  (246).     Cf  the  shorter  St  Olaf's  Saga,  67,  c.  89. 

Morkinskinna  implies  that  the  kingdom  of  Norway  was  divided  in 
[1045].  Similarly  also  the  Flatey-book's  Magnus  and  Harold  (Fl.,  iii,  326). 
F.  implies  that  Magnus  reigned  alone  from  [1036]  to  [1046]  (201,  216)  ; 
although  it  sajs  also  (243-244),  erroneously,  that  the  kingdom  was  divided 
122  years  after  the  death  of  Harold  Fairhair  [tg33]. 

The  facts  seem  to  be  that  the  kingdom  was  divided  in  1046,  and  that 
Magnus  died  in  the  beginning  of  the  second  winter  (1047)  after  the  division. 
Cf.  Icelandic  Annals  KOCPA,  s.aa.  1046,  1047  (E,  s.aa.  1047,  1048). 

Theoderic,  c.  28  (Storm's  Monumenta,  56),  says :  "  After  [Magnus], 
Harold,  brother  of  the  blessed  Olaf,  reigned  for  20  years  ;  19  of  them  alone, 
one  with  his  nephew  Magnus."  Similarly,  the  Agrip  says  that  Magnus 
died  one  winter  after  Harold's  arrival  ;  and  Harold,  19  winters  after  Magnus 
(cc.  34,  36;  F.S.,  X,  405,  407-408).  Since  Harold  died  in  1066,  Magnus 
died  in  1047. 

The  Heimskringia  agrees  with  these,  and  allows  one  winter  between 
the  division  of  the  kingdom  and  the  death  of  Magnus  (Hardradi,  cc.  25-27). 
Cf  F.S.,  vi,  185.  So  also  O.S.,  c.  36  (Vigfusson's  MS.  b\  i,  53.  Hemings 
Thattr  says  that  Harold  was  32  winters  old  at  his  accession  [i.e.,  in  1047]  ; 
but  also  that  he  reigned  for  20  winters  [i.e.,  1046-1066]  (Fl.,  iii,  400;  R.S. 
88,  i,  347)- 

The  dates  of  the  A.S.C.  are  here  confused.  Chronicle  D  says,  s.a.  1047 
(a  year-section  parallel  to  C's  1046,  E's  1044,  F's  1045):  "And  Magnus 
won  Denmark."  Chronicle  D,  s.a.  1048  (parallel  to  C's  1047,  E's  1045, 
F's  1046)  :  "  And  Sven  also  sent  hither,  [and]  asked  for  aid  against  Magnus, 
the  king  of  the  Norwegians  ;  that  fifty  ships  should  be  sent  to  his  support. 
But  the  whole  people  thought  it  unadvisable,  and  it  was  then  prevented, 
because  Magnus  had  a  great  force  of  ships.  And  [Magnus]  then  drove  out 
Sven,  and  won  the  land,  with  great  slaughter  ;  and  the  Danes  paid  him  a 
great  amount  of  money,  and  accepted  him  as  king. 

"And  in  the  same  year,  Magnus  died." 

These  two  entries  (for  1047  and  1048)  may  refer  to  the  events  of  one 
year  (1047). 

Cf.  A.S.C.  D,  s.a.   1049  (parallel  to  C's  1048,  E's  first  1046,  F's  1047)  ; 


588  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

1050 

Marianus  Scottus,  Chronicle;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vol.  v, 
p.  558;  s.a.  1072=1050! 

The  king  of  Scotland,  Macbeth,  scattered  money  like  seed^ 
to  the  poor,  at  Rome. 

1047 X 1060 
? 1047 -?  1050 

Heimskringla,  Harold  Hardradi's  Saga,  c.  45  ^ 

Finn,  Ami's  son,  dwelt  at  Yriar  in  Austritt*  He  was  then 
a  landed-man  of  king  Harold.  Finn  had  married  Bergliot, 
daughter  of  Halfdan,  son  of  Sigurd  Sow ;  Halfdan  was  the 
brother  of  king  Olaf  the  Holy,  and  of  king  Harold.  Thora, 
king  Harold's  wife,  was  brother's  daughter  of  Finn,  Ami's  son.^ 
Finn  was  the  dearest  [friend]  to  the  king,  and  [so  were]  all 
the  brothers. 

Finn,  Ami's  son,  had  been  for  some  summers  in  western 
piracy.®  They  had  then  been  all  together  in  v/arfare — Finn, 
and  Guthorm,  son  of  Gunnhild,''  and  Hakon,  Ivar's  son.^ 

"  In  this  year,  Sven  came  again  to  Denmark ;  and  Harold,  Magnus's 
father's  brother,  went  to  Norway,  since  Magnus  was  dead.  And  the 
Norwegians  received  him  ;  and  he  sent  to  this  land,  concerning  peace. 

"And  Sven  sent  also,  from  Denmark,  and  asked  king  Edward  for  aid 
with  ships  :  it  should  be  at  the  least  fifty  ships.  And  all  the  people 
opposed  it." 

'  Also  the  nth  year  of  emperor  Henry  III. 

^  seminando  distribuit :  possibly  with  a  suggestion  of  advantage  to  be 
reaped  ?  F.W.,  copying  this  passage,  alters  seminando  to  spargendo  (E.G., 
84).     CM.,  49,  s.a.  1050,  copies  the  passage  from  Florence. 

^  Unger's  c.  46;  Fr.,  c.  51,  p.  219.  The  same  passage  is  in  Harold 
Hardrddi's  Saga,  c.  64  (F.S.,  vi,  283). 

*  In  North  Mserr.  For  Finn's  family  cf  H.,  St  Olaf,  c.  1 10  (Unger's 
c.  116). 

'"  Cf  Agrip,  c.  35  (F.S.,  x,  406).  It  is  there  said  that  Finn  "lived  in  the 
east,  in  Rann'ki"  (Alfheimar). 

''  Fr.  reads  falsely,  "in  eastern  piracy." 

'  "Daughter  of  king  Sigurd  Sow"  adds  Harold  Hardradi's  Saga 
(F.S.,  vi,  283). 

^  Finn  made  peace  for  Harold  with  the  people  of  Trondhjem,  and  with 
Hakon  Ivar's  son  ;  and  claimed  in  return  pardon  for  Kalf,  his  brother 
(H.,  cc.  45  fif ;  F.S.,  vi,  283-286).     See  below. 

Hakon  was  great-grandson  of  earl  Hakon  (H.,  Hardr4di,  c.  39).     After 


FINN  AND  KALF,  ARNI'S  SONS  589 

1047  X 1060 
?  1050 

Heimskringia,  Harold  Hardradi's  Saga,  c.  51  ^ 

Peace  between  king  Harold  and  Kalf. 

Kalf,  Ami's  son,  had  been  in  western  piracy  ever  since  he 
went  from  Norway ;  and  often  ^  in  the  winters  he  had  been  in 
the  Orkneys  with  earl  Thorfinn,  his  kinsman-in-law. 

Finn,  Ami's  son,  [Kalf's]  brother,  sent  word  to  Kalf,  and 
had  him  told  of  the  special  agreement  that  king  Harold  and  he 
had  made,  that  Kalf  should  have  permission  to  reside  in 
Norway ;  and  his  possessions,  and  such  grants  as  he  had 
had  of  king  Magnus.  And  when  this  message  reached  Kalf, 
then  he  prepared  at  once  for  his  going :  he  went  east  to 
Norway.  .  .  .^ 

earl  Orm's  death,  Hakon  became  earl  of  the  Uplands,  and  married 
Ragnhild,  Magnus  the  Good's  daughter  (H.,  c.  50).  He  was  dispossessed 
(in  1064)  by  king  Harold,  because  he  had  assisted  king  Sven  to  escape 
from  the  battle  of  Niza,  in  1062  (ibid.,  cc.  64,  72,  74). 

1  Unger's  c.  53,  Fr.,  p.  223.  So  also  in  Magnus  the  Good's  Saga,  F.S., 
vi,  293. 

2  "  most  often  "  F.S. 

^  Kalf,  Ami's  son,  had  been  with  those  who  killed  king  Olaf  in  1030 
(H.,  St  Olaf,  c.  228 — Unger's  c.  240;  Theoderic,  Storm's  Monumenta, 
p.  39  ;  Agrip,  c.  29).  For  his  relationship  to  St  Olaf  and  Harold  Hardrddi, 
see  H.,  Hardr^di,  c.  45  ;  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son,  c.  60  ;  and  below,  year  1070, 
note.  After  having  been  on  friendly  terms  with  Olafs  son,  Magnus  the 
Good,  he  fell  into  disfavour,  owing  to  the  part  he  had  played  in  the  battle 
of  Stiklastadir  ;  and  he  had  to  flee  from  Norway.  His  exile  is  placed 
1036X  1042  in  F.,  197  (x  1040,  216)  ;  1036X  1040  in  H.,  Magnus,  cc.  13-15. 
"  Then  he  sailed  west  beyond  the  sea,  and  dwelt  there  long ;  [he] 
plundered  about  Scotland,  and  about  Ireland,  and  the  Hebrides"  (H., 
Magnus  the  Good,  c.  14  (Unger's  c.  15) ;  Fr.,  p.  176.  Snorri's  St  Olaf,  Munch 
and  Unger,  238;  F.S.,  v,  127.    Cf  Magnus  the  Good's  Saga,  in  F.S.,  vi,  37). 

For  Kalf s  visits  to  Thorfinn,  cf  above,  1036  x  1046.  He  seems  to  have 
been  placed  over  the  Hebrides  in  1046. 

The  next  summer  after  Kalf's  return  to  Norway  (according  to  H., 
Hardridi,  c.  52),  king  Harold  invaded  Denmark  ;  Kalf  was  in  his  company, 
and  fell  there.  Finn  blamed  king  Harold  for  having  contrived  his  death. 
This  invasion  is  dated  by  F.  Jonsson  in  105 1  ;  because  in  the  next  summer 
is  placed  the  plundering  expedition  of  king  Margad  and  Guthorm  into 
Wales.     See  below,  year  ?  1052. 

Finn  left  Norway,  and  went  over  to  king  Sven  in  Denmark.  He  was 
taken   prisoner   there   by   Harold   in   the   battle   of    Nizd  (in    1062),   and 

2  P 


590  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

1047 X 1061 
?  1052 

Heimskringla,  Harold  Hardradi's  Saga,  c.  54  ^ 

Of  GuthorDi,  Gunnhild' s  son. 

A  son  of  Ketil  Calf  and  Gunnhild,  in  Hringu-nes,  was  called 
Guthorm  ;  sister's  son  of  king  Olaf  and  king  Harold.  Guthorm 
was  an  accomplished  man,  and  early  of  mature  appearance. 
Guthorm  was  often  with  king  Harold,  and  was  there  in  great 
affection  and  in  the  counsels  of  the  king ;  because  Guthorm 
was  a  wise  man.     He  was  the  most  popular  man. 

Guthorm  was  often  on  warfare,  and  plundered  much  in  the 
western  lands.     He  had  a  great  company. 

He  had  asylum  and  a  winter-seat  in  Dublin,  in  Ireland,  and 
was  in  great  affection  with  king  Margad.^ 

pardoned.     He  returned  to  king  Sven  (H.,  Hardradi,  cc.  63,  66  ;  Unger's 
cc.  65,  68.     Agrip,  c.  35  ;  F.S.,  x,  407). 

Finn's  daughter,  Ingibiorg,  married  Thorfinn,  earl  of  Orkney :  and 
afterwards  king  Malcolm  III.     See  below,  years  ?  1065,  1070,  notes. 

'  Unger's  c.  56. 

2  "Maddad"  FL,  ii,  379,  falsely. 

Part  of  this  passage  stands  in  Snorri's  St  Olaf  (Munch  and  Unger, 
p.  241):  "A  son  of  Ketil  Calf  and  Gunnhild  of  Hringunes  was  called 
Guthorm — sister's  son  of  king  Olaf  the  Holy.  Guthorm  went  into  western 
piracy  in  Ireland,  and  was  there  in  great  affection  with  king  Margad.  .  .  ." 
Similarly  in  F.S.,  v,  135  ;  and  to  the  same  effect  in  Fl.,  ii,  379.  Cf.  Acta  S. 
Olavi,  in  Storm's  Monumenta,  133-134:  ".  .  .  [Guthorm]  was  allied  with 
Margodius,  the  king  of  Dublin,  and  had  joined  with  him  in  a  friendly 
union.  .  .  ." 

These  authorities,  continuing,  describe  how  the  Irish  king  and  Guthorm 
went  on  a  plundering  expedition  in  Wales,  and  quarrelled  in  Anglesey 
Sound  over  the  spoils.  They  fought,  and  Margad  was  defeated  and  killed, 
through  the  miraculous  intervention  of  St  Olaf,  upon  the  eve  (28th  July)  of 
St  Olafs  day. 

Chapters  54-57  of  the  Heimskringla's  Hardradi  (Unger's  cc.  56-59), 
though  attributable  to  Snorri,  are  not  in  the  Frisbok.  They  describe 
miracles  of  St  Olaf.  In  c.  58  is  described  an  invasion  of  Jutland  by  Harold, 
in  the  summer  [1061]  before  the  battle  of  Niz^. 

According  to  G.  Storm  (Kongesagaer,  493),  the  Margad  who  was  over- 
thrown by  Guthorm  was  Echmarcach,  "king  of  Dublin  1035- 1038,  and  1046- 
1052."  F.  Jonsson,  connecting  the  Heimskringla's  story  of  Margad's  death 
with  the  conclusion  of  Echmarcach's  reign,  dates  Margad's  defeat  in  1052. 

There  are  difficulties  in  the  way  of  identifying  the  two  names.  In  later 
Middle-Irish,  nouns  ending  in  aspirated  d  sometimes  changed  that 
consonant  into  ch  (since  nouns  with    these  endings  formed  vocative  and 


GUTHORM  AND  ECHMARCACH  591 

genitive  cases  with  terminal  consonants  that  sounded  alike) ;  but  Irish  ch 
did  not  normally  become  S  in  Icelandic.  Echmarcach  ("horse-rider"?) 
may  have  been  an  Irish  name  :  Margad  was  not  a  Scandinavian  name. 
Conceivably,  marka^  "market"  may  have  been  a  Scandinavian  nickname, 
and  the  source  of  both  forms. 

The  name  occurs  below,  year  ?  1182. 

The  loss  of  an  Irish  fleet  that  is  recorded  in  [1051]  by  the  Annales 
Cambriae  is  placed  off  South  Wales,  not  in  Menai  Strait ;  and  perhaps 
resulted  from  storm,  not  from  defeat.  Echmarcach's  defeat  in  1061, 
according  to  Irish  Annals,  took  place  apparently  in  Man,  not  in  Anglesey. 

If  Margad  was  Echmarcach,  the  Heimskringla  implies  that  he  was  still 
king  of  Dublin  when  he  was  defeated  by  Guthorm  :  i.e.,  1046  x  1052  ;  or,  if 
he  was  restored  after  the  death  of  his  rival,  Ivar,'  1054  x  1061.  In  either 
case,  Echmarcach  was  not  killed  in  the  battle  ;  but  died  at  Rome,  in  1065. 

One  of  the  kings  who  submitted  to  Cnut  (above,  547-548 ;  1018  x  ?  1025) 
is  called  lehmarc.  This  name  does  not  appear  to  be  English,  Scandinavian, 
or  Welsh  ;  but  bears  some  resemblance  to  Echmarcach.  lehmarc  is 
associated,  probably  in  alliance  against  Cnut,  with  Malcolm,  king  of 
Scotland,  and  a  king  Malbathe  (A.S.C.  E)  or  Mmlbceathe  (F)  ;  which  can 
hardly  have  been  the  same  name  as  Macbeth  {Macbeothen  A.S.C.  D,  1054), 
but  should  stand  for  Pictish  *Mael-bede  "  devotee  of  Bade."  Mslbaethe 
was  presumably  a  leader  of  men  from  the  east  of  Scotland  ;  lehmarc,  of 
men  from  the  south-west.  It  is  not  impossible  that  lehmarc  may  have 
been  the  son  of  the  king  of  Waterford  and  Dublin. 

A  Melbefhe,  a  Cumbrian,  was  the  physician  of  Waltheof,  Gospatric's 
son  (Wetherhal,  386). 

In  the  end  of  the  loth  century,  a  Scandinavian  kingdom  had  been 
established  in  Wales.  See  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son's  Saga,  F.S.,  i,  155-156, 
183-184  ;  and  Jomsvikinga  Saga,  Joleik's  ed.,  28  66,  108  ;  F.S.,  xi,  49-99,  156. 
Cf.  Annales  Cambriae,  MS.  B,  s.aa.  [972,  983,  988-990,  996,  1002]. 

When  Griffin  or  Grufud  became  king  of  North  Wales  in  1039  (cf.  A.U., 
s.a.  1039),  he  tried  to  make  himself  king  of  South  Wales  also  ;  and  the 
king  of  that  district,  Higuel  or  Howel,  Edwin's  son,  joined  the  Scandinavians 
against  him.  Cf.  the  Annales  Cambriae,  MS.  B,  s.aa.  [1039,  1041,  1042, 
1044,  1046]. 

In  [1048],  the  same  chronicle  says  (R.S.  20,  25  ;  94  years  after  510  =  954, 
and  49  years  before  1097):  "The  whole  of  the  southern  land  [of  Wales]  was 
deserted  [deserta  esty  In  [1051],  ibid.  (3  years  after  [1048]) :  "The  fleet 
of  Ireland  perished  in  the  southern  part"  [of  Wales].  "Perished"  may 
mean  "was  shipwrecked,"  rather  than  "was  destroyed."  The  Brut  y 
Tywyssogion  reads  (Red  Book  of  Hergest,  ii,  267  ;  R.S.  17,  42) :  "  1050 
years  was  the  age  of  Christ,  when  a  fleet  from  Ireland  perished  [ballawd'] 
on  the  way  to  South  Wales." 

The  dates  of  the  Annales  Cambriae  may  here  be  i  or  2  years  too  early. 
Events  recorded  under  [1046],  [1056],  [1061],  [1065],  took  place  in  1047, 
1058,  1064,  1066. 

For  the  involved  history  of  Dublin  at  this  time,  see  the  Irish  Annals. 

Echmarcach's  father,  Ronald,  Ivar's  grandson,  king  of  Waterford,  was 


592  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

IOS4 

Tigernaoh,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  395  ;  s.a.  [1054]^ 

A  battle  [was  fought]  between  Scots  and  English ;  and  in 
it  many  soldiers  ^  fell. 

killed  in  Dublin  by  Sigtrygg,  Olafs  son,  in  1035  (A.U.  ;  F.M.  ;  A.L.C.). 
Sigtrygg  went  across  the  sea  [to  Wales]  in  1036  ;  and  Echmarcach  became 
king  of  Dublin  (T.  ;  D.A.I.).  In  1037,  Waterford  was  burned  by  Diarmait, 
Maelnambo's  son  (A.I. ;  T.  ;  F.M.).  Ivar  [Harold's  son]  succeeded 
Echmarcach  in  Dublin,  in  1038  (T.  ;  D.A.I.). 

In  1042,  Sigtrygg,  Olafs  son,  the  king  of  Dublin,  died  (A.I.  ;  T.  ;  P.M.). 
In  1046,  Echmarcach  was  made  king  there,  after  the  expulsion  of  [Ivar] 
(F.M.  ;  of  Harold,  according  to  T.  and  D.A.I.,  probaljly  erroneously). 
Diarmait  and  the  Foreigners  of  Dublin  were  defeated  by  Donald,  Brian's 
son,  in  1048  (T.  ;  C.S.  ;  D.A.I.). 

In  1052,  Diarmait  harried  the  province  of  Dublin :  Echmarcach 
crossed  the  sea  [to  Wales],  and  Diarmait  succeeded  him  as  king  of  Dublin 
(T.  ;  C.S.  ;  F.M.  ;  D.A.I). 

Diarmait  seems  to  have  reigned,  with  interruptions,  until  his  death  in  " 
1072  (see  that  year,  below). 

In  1054,  Ivar,  Harold's  son,  king  of  the  Foreigners,  died  (A.U.,  A.L.C). 

Tigernach  (R.C.,  xvii,  402),  s.a.  1061,  says  :  "  Murchaid,  son  of  Diarmait, 
son  of  Maelnambo,  went  into  Man  [a  Manaind\  and  took  tribute  out  of  it ; 
and  defeated  Ronald's  son  "  [Echmarcach].  Similarly  in  D.A.I. ,  O'Conor's 
year  1061  ;  F.M.,  s.a.  1060.  (Probably  Man  is  meant  ;  as  also  in  the  Ulster 
annals  above,  year  987.) 

Echmarcach  seems  to  have  gone  upon  a  pilgrimage  to  Rome  in  1064  ; 
and  to  have  died  there  in  1065  (in  1064,  according  to  A.I.,  A.U.,  A.L.C). 

Marianus  Scottus,  in  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  v,  559,  s.a.  1087  =  1065,  says: 
"  Duncan,  Brian's  son,  king  of  Ireland  ;  and  Echmarcach,  king  of  the 
Rinns  [? ;  innarenn\  men  not  ignoble  among  their  own  [people]  came  to 
Rome,  and  died."  The  Rinns  were  in  Roscommon  county  :  in  the  barony 
of  Boyle  (MacCarthy) ;  in  the  parish  of  Ardcarne  (Hogan). 

(For  Duncan's  deposition,  pilgrimage,  and  death  at  Rome,  see  T.,  s.a. 
[1064];  C.S.,  Hennessy's  1061  =  1063;  A.U.,  F.M.,  A.L.C,  s.a.  1064.  His 
pilgrimage  is  noted  by  A.I.,  O'Conor's  year  1047  =  1064  ;  and  by  the  Annals 
of  Boyle,  s.a.  [1065].) 

It  seems  fairly  legitimate  to  conjecture  that  the  battle  of  Menai  Strait 
described  in  the  saga  was  in  reality  a  defeat  of  Echmarcach  in  South 
Wales  ;  and  that  this  defeat  took  place  after  he  had  crossed  the  sea,  in 
1052  ;  on  July  28th.  But  it  is  also  possible  that  the  saga's  story  is  a 
confused  account  of  Echmarcach's  defeat  in  1061.  It  may  refer  to  some 
unrecorded  defeat  105 1  x  1061  ;  or  it  may  be  entirely  fabulous. 

1  The  year-section  is  placed  between  years  1053  and  1055  ;  but  for  f  n.  6, 
read  7  ;  and  for  e.  17,  read  18. 
^  Pipran  do  miledhaib. 


SIWARD  DEFEATS  MACBETH  593 

1054 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  i.,  p.  594;  s.a.  1054  ^ 

A  battle  [was  fought]  between  men  of  Scotland  and  English  ; 
and  in  it  fell  three  thousand  of  the  men  of  Scotland,  and  one 
thousand  five  hundred  of  the  English,  including  Dolfin, 
Finntur's  son.^ 

IOS4 

Chronicle  of  Melrose,  pp.  50-51 

In  the  year  1054,  Siward,  the  earl  of  the  Northumbrians, 
by  king  Edward's  command  entered  Scotland  with  a  great 
army ;  fought  a  battle  with  the  king  of  the  Scots,  Macbeth,  and 
put  him  to  flight ;  and  appointed  Malcolm  king,  as  the  king 
had  commanded.^ 

1  With  f.n.  and  e.  of  1054. 

^  Similarly  in  A.L.C.,  i,  52,  s.a.  1054. 

For  this  battle,  see  E.G.,  85-86.  Dolfin  seems  to  have  been  a 
supporter  of  Malcolm  against  Macbeth.  He  may  have  been  a  relative  of 
Malcolm.  A  great-grandson  of  Crinan  bore  the  name  :  Dolfin,  Gospatric's 
son.     See  E.G.,  96  ;  and  below,  year  1072,  note. 

Stokes  suggests  that  the  name  Finntur  may  have  been  an  inversion  of 
Thorfinn  (Transactions  of  the  Philological  Society  (1890),  427). 

^  This  passage  is  derived,  probably  through  S.D.,  from  F.W.  ;  cf.  E.G., 
85,  note.  It  is  inexactly  copied  from  G.M.  by  the  Ghronicle  of  Man,  ii,  48, 
s.a.  1035  ;  and  by  the  Ghronicle  of  Huntingdon  (P.  &  S.  210),  which  reads  : 
"  In  the  year  of  the  Lord  i[o54],  Siward,  the  earl  of  Northumbria,  entered 
Scotland,  and  drove  from  the  kingdom,  after  he  had  reigned  for  fifteen 
years,  king  Macbeth,  the  nephew  {nepotemi  of  the  said  Malcolm  [II].  And 
he  restored  his  kingdom  to  Malcolm,  Duncan's  son." 

For  the  relationship  between  Macbeth  and  Malcolm  1 1,  see  year  1040, 
note  ;  for  Siward,  year  1055. 

The  Ghronicle  of  Garlisle,  s.a.  1054  (Palgrave,  70):  "Siward,  the  earl 
of  York,  by  king  Edward's  command  entered  Scotland  ;  put  to  flight  the 
king,  Macbeth  ;  and  appointed  there  as  king,  Malcolm,  the  king  of  the 
Gumbrians."     Gf.  year  1072,  note. 

The  event  is  noted  also  by  other  chronicles  of  1291  (Palgrave,  85,  87,  90, 
96-97,  108).  . 

Edward  I's  letter  to  Boniface  (Foedera,  1,2,  932):  "Also  St  Edward, 
the  king  of  England,  gave  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  to  be  held  of  him,  to 
Malcolm,  the  son  of  the  king  of  the  Gumbrians."     (Gf  F.W.,  W.M.) 

Langtoft  (i,  388-390)  says  that  Macbeth  was  made  prisoner  ;  and  that 
"Malcolm  of  Gumberland"  became  king  of  Scotland,  "by  gift  of  king 
Edward,"  to  whom  he  is  alleged  to  have  done  homage.     B.S.  in  R.B.H., 


594  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

IOS5 

Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle,  D,  s.a.  1055 

In  this  year  earl  Siward  died  at  York.  And  he  lies  at 
Galmaho,  in  the  monastery  that  he  himself  had  caused  to  be 
built,  and  to  be  consecrated  in  the  name  of  God  and  of 
Olaf.  1 

And  Tostig  took  the  earldom  that  [Siward]  had  had.^ 

395,  between  1048  and  1066,  says  : — "Then  prince  Siward  subdued  Scotland, 
beyond  the  Humber,  for  the  king  of  England,  after  slaying  Macbeth,  the 
king  of  [North]  Britain.  .  .  ." 

This  battle  has  been  supposed  to  have  been  the  same  as  the  traditional 
battle  of  Dunsinnan.  See  P.S.A.S.,  ii,  93-99;  C.C,  i,  406-414.  For 
Macbeth's  final  overthrow  and  death,  see  year  1057. 

Life  of  Waltheof,  in  C.A.N. ,  ii,  109-110:  "In  process  of  time,  after 
Siward's  many  powers  and  virtues  had  been  proved,  it  happened  that  the 
king  of  the  Scots,  Donald  by  name,  was  cast  out  of  his  kingdom.  He 
insistently  asked  earl  Siward  to  afiford  him  aid  and  counsel  against  his  evil- 
wishers.  Yielding  to  his  petition,  the  earl  collected  an  army  in  support  of 
the  king  ;  and  proceeded  as  far  as  Dundee,  where  it  was  announced  to  him 
that  his  vassals  of  Northumbria  had  risen  against  him  and  his  supporters,  to 
so  great  purpose  that  they  had  killed  his  son,  Osbert  Bulax.  Compelled  to 
return,  the  earl  was  so  strongly  moved  that  he  struck  a  most  powerful  blow 
upon  a  mass  of  rock  with  an  axe  that  he  was  carrying  in  his  hand  ;  the 
traces  are  evident  still. 

"And  he  restored  to  the  king  the  lands  that  he  had  invaded  by  force 
and  occupied  in  opposition  to  tlie  king's  enemies  ;  and  returned  home,  and 
destroyed  and  slaughtered,  with  swords  and  other  kinds  of  tortures,  his 
enemies  and  evil-wishers." 

Probably  Malcolm  was  placed  in  possession  of  some  part  of  southern 
Scotland  in  1054. 

1  To  the  same  effect  in  C,  s.a.  [1055] ;  but  C  reads  :  "in  the  monastery 
at  Galmanho  that  he  himself  had  previously  built,  to  the  praise  of  God  and 
all  his  saints."  Cf.  R.S.  3,  408.  Siward's  death  is  noted  also  by  EF,  s.a. 
1055  ;  and  by  the  Annals  of  Durham,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  xix,  508.  See 
H.H.,  195-196;  Life  of  Waltheof,  C.A.N.,  ii,  iio-iii.  Cf.  CM.,  51  ;  from 
F.W.,  i,  212;  from  A.S.C. 

A  church  of  St  Olaf  exists  in  the  parish  of  St  Olave  Mary-Gate,  in  the 
north-west  of  York  city.  Siward's  How  is  a  small  hill  to  the  south-east  of 
York. 

Gytha,  Godwine's  wife,  and  perhaps  Siward's  grand-aunt,  gave  a  grant 
of  land  from  her  dowry  to  "the  church  of  St  Olaf,  king  and  martyr," 
1055  X  1065.     Kemble,  no.  926. 

2  The  earldom  of  Northumbria  was  given  to  Tostig  (cf  A.S.C.  EF  : 
W.M.,  i,   245),   because,  according  to  H.H  ,    196,   Siward's  son  Wahheof 


NORTHUMBRIA  AND  HUNTINGDON  595 

was  still  a  child.      Cf.  Kemble,  no.  927.     For  Waltheof,   see  years   1071, 
1072,  note. 

Tostig  was  expelled  from  the  earldom  in  1065. 

Siward  ruled  over  all  Northumbria,  from  the  Humber  to  the  Tweed 
(S.D.,  i,  gi,  s.a.  1042  ;  ii,  198).  Cf.  year  1076,  note.  For  the  lands  given 
by  him  to  his  wife  /Elfflied,  daughter  of  Ealdred,  son  of  earl  Uhtred,  see 
S.D.,  i,  219-220. 

Some  part  of  southern  Scotland  was  subdued  by  Siward  and  placed 
under  Malcolm  III  in  1054. 

Siward  may  have  held  Cumbria  for  king  Duncan's  son,  Malcolm,  during 
the  reign  of  Macbeth.  Gospatric  held  it  afterwards  (see  years  1070,  1072, 
notes).  Waltheof  seems  to  have  claimed  it  in  inheritance  from  Siward  ;  and 
king  David  appears  to  have  claimed  it  in  the  right  of  his  wife,  Waltheof's 
daughter,  Matilda.     See  year  ?  1 1 14. 

Siward  was  earl  of  Northumbria  in  the  reign  of  Harthacnut.  In  the 
reign  of  Edward,  he  became  also  earl  of  Huntingdon  and  Northampton. 
Cf.  N.C.,  ii,  559-560. 

Doomsday  Book  implies  that  the  earldom  of  Huntingdon  was  held 
successively  by  Siward,  Tostig  [Godwine's  son],  and  Waltheof  [Siward's 
son]  (Huntingdonshire,  s.f.  ;  i,  208).     Cf  below,  year  1071  ;  and  ?  1114,  note. 

Huntingdon  was  included  in  the  province  of  Harold,  Godwine's  son,  in 
1051,  while  Siward  was  earl  of  the  Northumbrians,  according  to  F.W.,  i,  205. 

A  letter  of  Edward  the  Confessor  is  addressed  to  bishop  Ulf,  earl 
Siward,  sheriff  ^Ifric,  and  all  [Edward's]  ministers  of  Huntingdonshire 
(R.S.  83,  165  ;  Kemble,  no.  903).  This  implies  that  Siward  was  earl  of 
Huntingdon,  1050  x  1052.  (Huntingdonshire  and  part  of  Northamptonshire 
were  included  in  the  diocese  of  Dorchester  (W.M.,  i,  loi  ;  R.S.  36,  ii,  215), 
of  which  Ulf  was  bishop  1050-1052.  Wulfwig  was  bishop  of  Dorchester 
1053-11067.     See  A.S.C.) 

Another  letter  of  king  Edward  is  addressed  to  bishop  Wulfwig,  earl 
Tostig,  sheriff  Normann,  and  all  [Edward's]  vassals  and  ministers,  [both] 
clergy  and  laymen,  of  the  county  of  [Northampton  (R.S.  83,  167  ;  Kemble, 
no.  904).  This  implies  that  Tostig  was  earl  of  Northampton,  1053  x  1065  ; 
but  since  Tostig  did  not  become  earl  until  after  the  death  of  Siward,  the 
charter  may  be  dated  1055  x  1065. 

Tostig  has  the  title  nobilis  in  1049  (Kemble,  no.  787)  ;  7ninister,  from 
1050  to  1054  (Kemble,  nos.  792,  793,  796,  800).  In  1054,  he  witnesses  along 
with  earl  Siward;  in  1055,  Siward  ceases  to  witness,  and  Tostig  receives 
the  title  "earl"  (Kemble,  nos.  800,  801).  Tostig  is  still  "earl"  in  1065 
(Kemble,  no.  817).     He  was  expelled  in  1065  (cf  i.a.  R.S.  3,  421-423). 

It  may  be  inferred  that  Tostig  obtained  no  earldom  before  Siward's 
death  ;  that  he  received  the  earldom  of  Northampton  in  succession  to 
Siward  ;  and  therefore  that  Northampton  had  been  included  in  Siward's 
earldom  of  Huntingdon.  These  two  shires  seem  to  have  formed  one 
earldom.     See  year  ?  1 1 14,  note. 

A  predecessor  of  Siward  in  the  earldom  of  Huntingdon  (while  Siward 
was  earl  of  Northumbria)  was  Thuri  (R.S.  83,  151,  164-165  ;  charters  dated 
by  the  editor  1040x1042  and  1042x1050.     See  also  Kemble's  charter  no. 


596  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

797,  in  which  earl  Siward  and  earl  Thuri  are  consenters.  It  is  dated  by  the 
editor  (iv,  130)  1052  x  1053  ;  but,  if  it  be  genuine,  it  must  have  been  written 
1045x1051.  Cf.  Kemble's  spurious  charter  no.  761;  iv,  64,  65).  Thuri 
is  called  earl  of  the  Midlanders  {mediierraneorum,  i.e.  Middle  Angles  of 
Mercia),  during  the  reign  of  Harthacnut,  by  F.W.,  i,  195.  Thuri  must, 
from  his  name,  have  been  a  Dane. 

A  landholder,  Thuri,  is  mentioned  in  Doomsday  Book,  as  a  tenant  of 
king  Edward  in  Northampton,  Oxford,  and  Warwickshires  (i,  224,  159, 
241  verso  ;  ss.  18,  33,  17,  respectively.     Ellis,  ii,  246). 

Alexander  Maufe  (R.S.  79,  i,  160-165)  says  that  the  earldom  had  been 
held,  under  Cnut,  by  Thurkil ;  perhaps  the  same  who  was  placed  over  the 
eastern  division  of  England,  from  1017  to  1021  (W.M.,  i,  218  ;  A.S.C.) ;  and 
over  Denmark,  as  guardian  of  Harthacnut,  in  1023  (A.S.C).  Earl  Ulf, 
Thorgils  Sprakalegg's  son,  was  guardian  in  Denmark  1026 -t  1027  (H.,  St 
Olaf,  cc.  134,  148,  153;  Icelandic  Annals  KOCE,  s.a.  1027).  Possibly  the 
name  Thuri  might  have  been  an  abbreviated  form  of  Thurkil.  A  Thurkil 
is  mentioned,  without  the  title  of  earl,  in  Doomsday  Book,  as  a  tenant  of 
Edward  the  Confessor  in  Huntingdon,  Northampton,  and  several  other 
shires.     See  Ellis,  Introduction  to  Doomsday  Book,  ii,  244-245. 

The  Life  of  Waltheof  (in  C.A.N.,  ii,  107-109)  says  that  Siward  killed 
Tosti,  a  Dane,  who  had  married  a  daughter  of  Godwine,  and  held  the 
earldom  of  Huntingdon  ;  and  that  king  Edward  [the  Confessor]  bestowed 
the  honour  of  Huntingdon  upon  Siward.  All  Tosti's  vassals  were  killed  by 
Siward's  followers  ;  and  in  memory  of  the  event  a  church  of  the  Danes  was 
built  beside  the  place  where  they  had  been  buried.  "Afterwards,  when  the 
circles  of  some  years  had  revolved,  it  happened  that  the  Northumbrians 
\Norrenses\  made  war  against  the  king ;  who  hesitated,  vacillating, 
[doubting]  what  would  be  best  for  him  to  do.  But  at  last,  with  harmonious 
mind  and  purpose,  he  conferred  upon  earl  Siward  Northumberland, 
Cumberland,  and  Westmoreland  ;  investing  the  same  earl  in  them. 
[Siward]  pacified  that  land  throughout,  and  avenged  in  many  ways  the 
insults  and  injuries  that  had  been  inflicted  on  the  king.  .  .  ." 

Little  reliance  can  be  placed  upon  this  account.  Tosti,  Godwine's 
son-in-law,  seems  to  have  emerged  from  a  confused  tradition  of  Tostig, 
Godwine's  son.     Cf.  N.C.,  i,  461,  587  ;  ii,  558-559. 

King  Duncan  I  had,  according  to  Fordun  (IV,  44),  married  a  kins- 
woman of  Siward.  See  year  1040,  note.  Siward  supported  the  sons  of 
Duncan,  during  the  usurpation  of  Macbeth.  In  this  warfare  he  lost  his 
son,  Osbarn  or  Osbeorn  (E.C.,  and  above,  year  1054,  note) ;  and  his  sister's 
son,  Siward. 

Ordericus  Vitalis  (iii,  404  ;  E.C.,  167)  speaks  of  an  Edward,  Siward's 
son,  [a  witness  in  Dunfermline,  no.  i]  commander  of  knighthood  and 
leader  of  a  Scottish  army  in  1130,  as  a  cousin  \consobrinus\  of  king  David. 
He  seems  to  say  that  Edward,  but  must  be  understood  to  mean  that  Siward, 
had  been  placed  in  charge  of  Mercia,  1042  x  1066.  The  interval  of  time  is 
so  great  that  we  may  conjecture  that  a  generation  has  been  missed  ;  and 
that  Edward  was  a  grandson  of  Siward  of  Mercia.  That  Siward  may  have 
been  Siward  Barn  (the  son  of  jEthelgar,  grand-nephew  of  Edward  Confessor; 


SIWARD  AND  TOSTIG  597 

O.V.,  ii,  1 66)  ;  or  more  probably  may  have  been  the  Siward,  earl  Siward's 
nephew,  who  was  associated  with  his  uncle  in  the  expedition  of  1054 
against  Macbeth,  and  fell  there  (E.G.,  86). 

King  David  was  related  to  earl  Siward  through  his  wife  (Siward's 
grand-daughter),  and  through  his  grand-mother,  Duncan's  wife.  Since 
Edward  is  called  David's  consobrinus,  the  suggestion  is  that  Duncan's  wife 
and  Edward's  ancestress  were  sisters  ;  and,  if  Edward  was  a  grandson  of 
earl  Siward's  nephew,  that  Duncan's  wife  was  a  sister  of  Siward. 

Earl  Siward  was  a  Dane  (Epitaph  of  Waltheof,  in  O.V.,  ii,  289).  He 
was  surnamed  with  a  Danish  word,  Digara  (Life  of  Edward,  R.S.  3,  401  ; 
Digera,  W.M.,  ii,  312  ;  Diera,  Life  of  Waltheof,  C.A.N.,  ii,  112)  ;  i.e.,  hin 
digera  "  the  stout." 

The  Life  of  Waltheof  says  that  Siward's  father  was  Biorn,  Ulf's  son 
(C.A.N.,  ii,  III,  104-105;  1 1049,  F.W.,  i,  202;  A.S.C.,  1046  E,  1049  C, 
1050  D.  The  biographer  spells  Ulf's  name  Ulsius,  which  ought  to  stand 
for  Wulfsige).  This  Biorn  was  a  brother  of  Sven,  the  king  of  Denmark  who 
sent  forces  to  England  to  oppose  William  I.     See  year  1070,  note. 

Ulf's  father  was  Thorgils  Sprakaleggr  (Heimskringla,  St  Olaf,  c.  134; 
Magnus  the  Good,  c.  22).  The  Life  of  Waltheof  says  that  Sprakalegg's 
father  was  a  white  bear  (G.A.N.,  ii,  104,  109,  iii  ;  cf.  Saxo  Grammaticus, 
346  ;  see  F.W.,  i,  202).  He  was  more  probably  Styrbiorn,  a  son  of  Olaf, 
the  brother  of  Eric  the  Victorious  (H.,  Harold  Fairhair,  c.  29  ;  Thorpe's 
Lappenberg,  ii,  184).  Styrbiorn  married  a  sister  of  Sven  Forkbeard.  He 
died  10  years  before  f  Eric  the  Victorious  (H.,  Earl  Hakon,  c.  6). 

Gytha,  Ulf's  sister,  married  earl  Godwine  (Adam  of  Bremen,  M.G.H., 
Scriptores,  vii,  325  ;  scholion,  ibid.,  340  ;  H.,  St  Olaf,  c.  152.  But  F.W.,  ii, 
2,  erroneously  calls  her  a  sister  of  Sven,  Ulfs  son.  The  Life  of  Edward, 
R.S.  3,  392  ;  W.M.,  i,  245  ;  and  the  Life  of  Harold,  in  C.A.N.,  ii,  152,  call 
her  Cnut's  sister,  instead  of  sister-in-law.  Cf.  N.C.,  i,  467.  W.M.  says 
erroneously  that  Gytha  was  not  the  mother  of  Godwine's  sons).  Their 
daughter,  Gytha  or  Edith  (f  1074),  married  king  Edward  the  Confessor. 

Godwine's  father  was  Wulfnoth,  the  son  of  yEthelmKr,  brother  of  Eadric 
Streona,  ^Ethelric's  son,  the  earl  of  Mercia,  who  married  Edith,  ^thelred's 
daughter  (F.W.,  i,  160,  161) ;  and  who  afterwards  killed  king  Edmund 
Ironside  (in  1016).  For  stories  of  Ulf  and  Godwine  see  KnytUnga  Saga, 
c.  II ;  F.S.,  xi,  191-194.  Another  brother  of  Eadric  Streona  was  ^Ifric,  the 
father  of  Eadric  the  Wild,  for  whom  see  E.C.,  95,  note.     F.W.,  ii,  i. 

Swegen,  Godwine's  son,  killed  Biorn,  Ulf's  son,  in  1049  (A.S.C.  C  ; 
1050,  D  ;  1046,  E  ;  1048,  F). 

Tostig,  Godwine's  son,  married  Judith,  probably  a  sister  of  Baldwin  V 
(called  Insulanus),  count  of  Flanders  (f  1067  ;  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  v,  66). 
Judith  is  said  to  have  been  a  niece  of  Edward  the  Confessor  (R.S.  3,  404) : 
she  was  his  mother's  great-grandniece.  Baldwin  V's  daughter  (by  Adela, 
daughter  of  Robert,  king  of  the  Franks),  Matilda,  married  king  William  I 
of  England  (son  of  Robert,  son  of  Richard  H,  son  of  Richard  I,  dukes  of 
Normandy).  Grand-daughters  of  Baldwin  V  married  St  Cnut,  king  of  the 
Danes  ;  and  Philip,  king  of  the  Franks. 

Harold  Godwine's  son  married  Edith,  the  daughter  of  ^Ifgar,  Leofric's 


598 


EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 


son,  of  Mercia  ;  the  sister  of  Edwin  and  Morkere.  She  had  previously 
been  married  to  Grufud  Lewelin's  son  (f  1064  ;  see  year  1061,  note). 
Harold's  daughter  Gytha  married  "  Valdemar,  king  in  Holmgardr :  their 
son  was  king  Harold,"  according  to  Knytlinga  Saga,  u.s.,  194.  Gytha's 
husband  was  Valdemar  I,  the  son  of  Cnut  Lavard  (called  also  Cnut  the 
Duke,  and  the  Holy  ;  f  1130) ;  Valdemar  reigned  in  Denmark  1155  - 1 1182. 
"  He  conquered  Slavia,  [Mecklenburg,]  subdued  it,  and  compelled  it  to 
accept  Christianity"  (Brevior  Historia  Regum  Daniae,  in  Langebek,  i,  18; 
cf  i,  386-387).     Cnut  Lavard  had  previously  been  prince  of  the  Wends. 

The  relationships  of  this  time  are  rather  important,  and  a  few  of  them 
may  be  given  in  a  table  : 


Sven  Forkbeard  ( 1 1014) 
Guiihild  I  =  Sigrid 


Thorgils  Sprakaleggr 


i 
Cnut  Ct  1035) 


I 
Estrith 


Ulf 
(  +  1027) 


Gytha  - 


:  Godwine 
(+1053) 


Sven 

C  •1-1076) 

I 


Harold 
(tlo8o) 


St  Cnut 
(tlo86) 


Olaf 

Ctiogs) 


I 
Eric 

(t  1103) 

I 

Cnut  Lavard 

(+  1130) 


Biorn 
(tl049) 


Siward 
C+I05S) 

I 
Waltheof 
Ctio76) 


Harold 
(tio66) 


Tostig 
(t  1066) 


See  also  year  1072,  note. 

Cnut's  mother  was  Gunhild,  a  daughter  probably  of  Miesko,  king  of 
Slavonia  or  Wendland ;  and  sister  of  Boleslav  Chrobri,  king  of  Poland.  Cf. 
year  1070,  note.  Cnut's  stepmother,  Sigrid,  had  previously  been  the  wife 
of  Eric  the  Victorious,  king  of  Sweden  ;  and  was  by  him  the  mother  of 
Olaf,  king  of  Sweden.  This  Olaf's  daughter,  Estrith  or  Astrid,  in  1019, 
married  St  Olaf,  king  of  Norway  (f  1030) ;  her  sister  Ingigerd  married 
larizleif,  king  of  Holmgardr,  in  the  same  year.  St  Olaf's  son,  Magnus  the 
Good,  was  born  in  1024. 

Earl  Eric  Hakon's  son  of  Norway  married  Gytha,  a  half-sister  of  Cnut. 
He  was  placed  by  Cnut  over  Northumbria,  1016-1023  (see  years  1018,  1072, 
notes).  Eric's  son  Hakon  married  Cnut's  niece,  Gunhild  (see  year  1029, 
note).  Gunhild  married  afterwards  Harold,  Thorkel's  son  (f  1042).  Eric's 
nephew,  Ivar  the  White,  killed  earl  Ulf  in  1027  (see  year  ?  1065,  note). 

Cnut's  half-sister,  Estrith,  married  also  a  duke  of  Normandy,  apparently 
Robert  I  (Richard  I's  grandson  ;  the  father  of  king  William  I),  after  the 
death  of  Ulf  (Rodulfus  Glaber,  IV,  6  ;  p.  108.  Cf  Lappenberg,  in  M.G.H., 
Scriptores,  vii,  325  ;  Thorpe's  Lappenberg,  ii,  217  ;  N.C.,  i,  521-523).  She 
was  rejected  by  him  1027  x  1035. 

Cnut  married  Emma  or  ^Ifgifu,  in  1017,  before  August  ist  (A.S.C. 
CDE;  in  1017,  F).  Emma  (cf  i.a.  W.M.,  i,  218)  had  previously  married 
king  yEthelred  II,  and  been  the  mother  of  Edward  the  Confessor.     Emma 


RELATIVES  OF  CNUT.     ST  ANDREWS  599 

I05S 

Tigernach,  Annals ;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  396  ;  s.a.  1055  ^ 

A  battle  [was  fought]  between  Dubdaleithe,  Patrick's 
successor,^  and  Murchaid  Ua-Maelsechlaind,  the  successor  of 
Finnian  and  Columcille,^  in  contention  over  Martry  * ;  and  the 
victory  was  with  Patrick's  successor  and  the  staff  of  Jesus.'' 
And  many  fell  there.^ 


loss 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  397,  s.a.  loss 

Maelduin,  Gilla-Odrain's  son,  the  bishop  of  Scotland,^  and 
the  glory  of  the  Gaels  from  [their]  priests,  reposed  in  Christ.* 

was  the  daughter  of  Richard  I,  duke  of  Normandy.  (Cf.  William  of 
Poitiers ;  H.N.S.,  178,  206.  Hoveden,  ii,  239.)  Emma  was  a  great- 
grandmother  of  Margaret,  the  wife  of  king  Malcolm  III.  Cf.  Turgot, 
below,  year  1093  ;  and  year  ?  1114,  note. 

Cnut  and  Emma's  daughter  Gunhild  married  the  emperor  Henry  III 
(11056).     Cf.  year  1018,  note.     See  Life  of  Edward,  R.S.  3,  395. 

1  With  f.n.  and  e.  of  1055. 

^  Abbot  of  Armagh,  1049  -  f  1064.  He  was  deposed  in  1060  (A.I.) ;  and 
died  "  in  good  penance." 

^  I.e.,  abbot  of  Clonard  and  Kells.  Reeves  (Adamnan,  399)  makes 
Robartach  Columba's  successor  from  1040  to  1057  (see  those  years). 

*  a  cosnum  Martraigi.  In  A.U.,  caih  Martartaighi.  Martry  is  in 
Meath. 

^  This  crozier  {bachall-Issu  or  bachall-Patraic)  appears  to  have  been  a 
relic  of  Patrick.  See  A.U.,  s.a.  788  =  789;  cf.  1012=1013,  1015,  1073,  iioi, 
1113,  IIS7,  1166,  1167,  1538. 

s  Similarly  in  D.A.I.,  75,  O'Conor's  year  1055. 

Cf.  A.U.,  i,  596,  s.a.  1055  (with  f.n.  and  e.  of  1055):  "The  battle  of 
Martry  [was  gained]  by  Dubdaleithe,  Patrick's  successor,  against  the  son  of 
Loingsech  Ua-Maelsechlaind,  the  successor  of  Finnian  and  of  Columcille. 
And  in  it  many  fell."     Similarly  in  A.L.C.,  s.a.  1055. 

'■  Maelduin  was  bishop  of  St  Andrews.  See  St  Andrews,  116;  L.C., 
no.  6. 

For  the  early  bishops  of  this  see,  consult  Bower,  VI,  24  ;  i,  339-340. 
Cf.  S.C.S.,  ii,  323-355  ;  H.  &  S.,  ii,  1,  148,  173-174.  E.C.,  131,  note.  See 
below,  years  1093,  1109. 

'  Cf.  C.S.,  282,  Hennessy's  year  1053  =  1055;  F.M.,  ii,  868,  s.a.  1055. 
These  call  Maelduin  "son  of  Gilla-Andriais "  ;  C.S.  omits  "from  their 
priests,"  and  "in  Christ"  ;  and  F.M.  reads  "died." 


600  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

IOS7 

Annals  of  Ulster,  vol.  ii,  p.  2,  s.a.  1057  ^ 

.  .  .  Robartach,  Ferdomnach's  son,  the  successor  of 
Columcille,  slept  in  the  Lord.^ 

1057 

Tigernach,  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  398,  s.a.  1058 ^ 

Macbeth,  Findlaech's  son,  sovereign  of  Scotland,  was  slain 
by  Malcolm,  Duncan's  son.* 

1040-1057 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  D  ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  152 

Macbeth,  Findlaech's  son,  reigned  for  seventeen  years.  And 
he  was  killed  in  Lumphanan,  by  Malcolm,  Duncan's  son  ;  and 
was  buried  in  the  island  of  lona.^ 

1040-1057 

Prose  and  Verse  Chronicles  inserted  in  the  Chronicle  of 
Melrose,  pp.  47,  227,  s.a.  1039 

Duncan,  the  king  of  the  Scots,  died  ;  and  Macbeth  usurped 
to  himself  his  kingdom. 

1  With  f.n.  and  e.  of  1057. 

^  Similarly  in  A.L.C.,  i,  54,  s.a.  1057.  F.M'.,  ii,  872,  s.a  1057,  noticing 
Robartach's  death,  call  him  the  "successor  of  Columcille  and  Adamnan"  : 
i.e.,  abbot  of  Kells  and  Raphoe. 

Cf.  year  1055.  A  Ferdomnach,  successor  of  Columba  (at  Kells,  according 
to  P.M.),  died  in  1008.  Reeves  suggests  that  he  may  have  been  Robartach's 
father. 

^  With  f.n.  and  e.  of  1058.  Earlier  in  the  same  year-section  is  placed 
the  death  of  "  Lulach,  king  of  Scotland":  apparently  Tigernach  thought 
that  Macbeth  was  Lulach's  suzerain.  Perhaps  Lulach  ruled  Moray,  under 
Macbeth. 

■*  Similarly  in  C.S.,  284,  Hennessy's  year  1056=1058.  A.U.  also  place 
Macbeth's  death  after  that  of  Lulach.  They  add  to  Tigernach's  account 
the  words  :  "in  battle"  (ii,  4,  s.a.  1058,  at  the  end  of  the  year-section  ;  with 
f.n.  and  e.  of  1058).  So  also  A.L.C.,  i,  54-56.  (MS.  A.  of  A.U.  read 
erroneously  "  Maelsechlaind  "  instead  of  "  Malcolm.") 

*>  Similarly  in  versions  FGI  (175,  303,  289).  K  (206)  omits  the  places  of 
death  and  burial.  N  (306)  reads  :  "  Findlaech's  son  [reigned]  for  17  years. 
And  he  was  killed  ;  and  was  buried  in  the  island  of  lona." 

For  the  traditional  cairn  and  stone  of  Macbeth  (in  the  parish  of 
Lumphanan),  see  the  Statistical  Account,  xii,  1083,  1092. 


MACBETH  AND  MALCOLM  III  601 

'  Macbeth  became  king  of  Scotland,  for  seventeen  years ; 
and  in  his  reign  there  were  productive  seasons.^  But 
Duncan's  son,  named  Malcolm,  cut  him  off  by  a  cruel  death, 
in  Lufnaut."2 


? 1040-1057 

Eerchan's  Prophecy,  stanzas  191 -193  ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  102 

Afterwards^  the  Red  king  will  take  the  kingdom  of 
high,  field-faced'*  Scotland.  After  slaughter  of  Gaels,  after 
slaughter  of  Foreigners,  the  generous  king  of  Fortriu  will  take 
[Scotland], 

The  ruddy,  pale-yellow-haired,  tall  one,**  I  shall  be  joyful 
in  him.'^  Scotland  will  be  brimful,  in  the  west  and  in  the  east, 
during  the  reign  of  the  furious  Red  one.'' 

For  twenty  years,  and  ten  years,^  the  sovereign  reigning 
over  Scotland  ^ ;  in  the  middle  of  Scone  he  will  bleed  to  death,!" 
on  the  evening  of  a  night,  after  a  wound. ^^ 

'  fertile  te7npiis  erat. 

^  The  metre  requires  this  name  to  be  a  dissyllable.  The  passage 
within  inverted  commas  is  in  verse  in  the  original :  cf.  the  Bodleian  text, 
in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  180.     That  text  omits  tamen,  and  reads  Liimphanan. 

^  After  the  reign  of  Lulach,  or  of  a  fictitious  successor  of  Duncan.  See 
year  1040. 

*  dreach-leircc,  rhyming  with  dercc:  read  drech-lerc  {drech-learg  in  MS.  b). 

°  In  ruadh  bidh  fionn-bhuidhe  foda.  The  line  has  a  syllable  too  many  : 
we  must  omit  bidh  ("  will  be  "). 

"  occu,  rhyming  \i'vCb.foda;  therefore  read  occa. 

'  an  deircc  dhasachtaigh. 

^  Fiche  bliadhan  is  deich  tnbliadhna.  If  the  abbreviations  are  thus 
extended,  the  line  has  a  syllable  too  many.  Possibly  read  bliadhna  for 
bliadhan.     The  true  reading  may  have  been  secht  mbliadna  ocus. 

^  for  Albain  in  ardri  riaghla.  The  line  has  a  syllable  too  many  : 
omit  in. 

!'*  for  lar  Scoine  sceithfdh  full.  Literally  "  on  the  floor  of  Scone  he 
shall  vomit  blood." 

!'  iar  n-iomargain,  rhyming  with  full.     Read  imarguin. 

If  this  king  is  Macbeth,  the  place  and  manner  of  his  death  do  not  agree 
with  other  accounts.  It  is  here  implied  that  he  was  wounded,  but  brought 
back  to  Scone  before  he  died. 

Macbeth  reigned  for  17  years,  not  30  ;  and  there  seems  to  be  little  in 
these  stanzas  to  prove  that  Macbeth  is  spoken  of.     The  order  of  the  reigns 


602  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

1057-1058 

Marianus  Soottus,  marginal  additions  in  the  Palatine- Vatican 
MS. ;  in  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  vol.  v,  p.  558  ;  s.a.  1079=  1057 

Findlaech's  son  was  killed  in  August.^ 

Lulach  succeeded,  and  was  killed  in  March ;  and  Malcolm 
succeeded  him.  .  .  .^  Lulach  reigned  from  the  Nativity  of 
St  Mary^  to  the  mass  of  St  Patrick,  in  the  month  of 
March.* 

Since  then,  Malcolm  has  reigned  for  twenty  years,  to  the 
mass  of  St  Patrick.^ 

1057-1058 

Duan  Altoanach,  in  Skene's  Picts  and  Scots,  pp.  63-64 

After  Macbeth  of  renown,  seven  months  in  the  reign  of 
Lulach. 

Malcolm  is  now  king,  the  son  of  Duncan,  the  high-coloured, 

is  of  little  account  in  the  existing  text  of  the  Prophecy.  But  this  reign  does 
not  fit  any  other  king.  Malcolm  II  and  David  both  died  in  their  30th 
years  ;  but  they  were  not  killed,  and  they  did  not  die  at  Scone.  If  this  is 
IMacbeth,  it  is  strange  that  the  composer  of  the  Prophecy  should  speak  so 
favourably  of  him,  considering  that  the  composer  expresses  admiration  for 
Macbeth's  conqueror,  king  Malcolm  III. 

^  Apparently  on  15th  August,  1057  ;  see  Marianus's  notes,  translated 
under  year  1040.     Fordun  (V,  7)  says,  on  5th  December  1056  ;  erroneously. 

^  The  notes  omitted  here  are  given  above,  year  1040. 

^  Properly  8th  September,  1057  ;  but,  since  Macbeth  is  said  above  to 
have  died  in  August,  the  day  of  the  Assumption,  15th  August,  1057, 
appears  to  be  meant. 

*  I.e.,  to  17th  March,  1058.  Fordun  dates  Lulach's  death  on  Thursday, 
3rd  April,  1057  (incorrectly) ;  V,  8 ;  i,  206.  The  contemporary  Duan 
Albanach  supports  Marianus. 

*  I.e.,  to  17th  March,  1078.  This  note  must  have  been  written  soon 
after  that  day;  certainly  before  17th  March,  1079.  Marianus  died  before 
the  death  of  Malcolm  (t  1093). 

Cf.  Marianus,  M.G.H.,  Scriptores,  v,  558,  s.a.  1079=1057  (and  the  ist 
year  of  emperor  Henry  IV) :  "  Malcolm,  Duncan's  son,  reigns  over 
Scotland." 

Chronicle  of  Melrose,  51,  s.a.  1056  (beginning  with  the  succession  of 
the  emperor) :  "  Malcolm,  Duncan's  son,  received  the  kingdom  of  Scotland, 
by  hereditary  right."  Similarly  in  the  Chronicle  of  Melrose's  inserted  folio 
13,  which  adds  :  "and  he  reigned  for  37  years"  (written  1263 x  1264). 


LULACH,  STEP-SON  OF  MACBETH  603 

of  lively  countenance.^     His  time  none  knows,  save  the  Wise 
one  who  is  wise.^ 


1057-1058 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  E ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  131 

Lulach,   nephew   of  the   son   of  Boite,^  [reigned]  for  four 
months  and  a  half* 


1057-1058 

Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Scotland,  version  D ;  Skene's 
Picts  and  Scots,  p.  152 

Lulach  the  simpleton  ^  reigned  for  four  months.  And  he 
was  killed  in  Essie,^  in  Strathbogie ;  and  was  buried  in  the 
island  of  lona.^ 

1  dhata,  dhrechbhi.  These  are  alliterative  epithets  (for  dh  read  d). 
Data  may  also  mean  "stately"  (Marstrander,  s.v.  dattae).  Similar  epithets 
are  applied  by  Berchan  to  Malcolm  II. 

^  Here  the  poem  ends.  But  this  verse  has  been  added  to  it :  "  Fifty- 
two  kings,  thou  hearest,"  (probably  we  should  omit  for  before  caogad,  and 
supply  in  before  cluine :  "dost  thou  hear?")  "to  the  son  of  Duncan  of 
royal  countenance,"  {drechruire,  an  alliterative  epithet)  "  of  the  descendants 
of  Ere,  the  loftily  pure,  in  the  east,  have  taken  Scotland,  learned  one." 

^  nepos  filii  Boide.  Lulach's  mother  was  Gruoch,  daughter  of  Boite. 
See  years  1032,  1033,  1040.  Lulach's  father  was  Gillacomgain,  Maelbrigte's 
son.     Cf.  above,  pp.  clvi,  580. 

*  An  early  insertion  (perhaps  by  the  text-hand)  in  the  Chronicle  of 
Melrose,  51,  s.a.  1055,  reads  :  "Lulach  reigned  for  four  months  and  a  half." 

^  Lulach  fatuus. 

^  Esseg,  DFG  ;  Esseth,  I. 

'  Here  the  list  of  kings  ends  in  version  D. 

This  passage  appears  similarly  in  versions  FGI  (175,  302,  289);  but  I 
omits  "in  the  island  of  lona." 

K  reads  (206):  "Lulach  the  Fool  reigned  for  one  month  ;  and  he  was 
killed  in  Strathbogie";  and  adds  here:  "All  these  kings  were  buried  in 
the  island  of  lona." 

N  reads  (306) :  "  Lulach  [reigned]  for  4  years.  And  he  was  killed  ; 
and  was  buried  in  the  island  of  lona." 

For  the  account  perhaps  given  of  Lulach  by  Berchan,  see  year  1040. 

For  the  traditional  burial-place  of  Luath  (?  Lulach),  Macbeth's  son,  in 
the  parish  of  Tough,  see  the  Statistical  Account,  xii,  613. 


604  EARLY  SOURCES  OF  SCOTTISH  HISTORY 

1057-1058 

Verse  Chronicle  inserted  in  the  Chronicle  of  Melrose,  p.  227 ; 

s.a.   1055  1 

The  unfortunate  Lulach  was  king  for  three  months  :  he  fell 
by  the  arms  of  the  same  Malcolm.  The  man  met  his  fate  at 
Essie,  in  Strathbogie;  thus,  alas!  through  lack  of  caution, 
the  hapless  king  perished. 

The  island  of  lona^  holds  these  men^  buried,  in  peace,  in 
the  tomb  of  the  kings,  until  the  day  of  Judgement. 

1058 

Tigernach  Annals;  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xvii,  p.  398;  s.a.  1058* 

Lulach,  the  king  of  Scotland,  was  slain,  [by  Maljcolm, 
Duncan's  son,  by  treachery  ^.^ 

•  Cf.  the  Bodleian  text,  in  Skene's  P.  &  S.,  180. 
^  loua,  in  CM.  ;  lona  in  Skene's  edition  of  B. 

^  I.e.,  Lulach  and  his  predecessors,  from  Kenneth  Alpin's  son  onwards. 

*  Cf.  Tigernach  above,  year  1057.  This  is  the  first  entry  in  the  year- 
section. 

^  Per  dolum, 

^  Similarly  in  C.S.,  282,  Hennessy's  year  1056=1058.  A.U.,  ii,  4,  s.a. 
1058  : — "  Lulach,  Gillacomgain's  son,  sovereign  of  Scotland,  was  killed  by 
Malcolm,  Duncan's  son,  in  battle."     So  also  in  A.L.C.,  i,  54. 

A.U.,  with  Chronicle  E  (above),  show  that  Lulach  was  the  son  of 
Gruoch  by  her  first  husband  (t  1032).  Fland's  continuator  calls  him  the 
son  of  Macbeth  (see  above,  p.  cl)  ;  but  that  is  probably  an  erroneous 
deduction  from  the  fact  that  he  succeeded  Macbeth. 


END   OF   VOL.   L 


PRINTED  BY  OLIVER  AND  BOYD,  KDIHBDEGH,  SCOTLAND