1263
Near the middle of Lent King Haco travelled from Drontheim to Orkadal, thence east through the mountains to Bahus, and so eastwards to Elfar to see Earl Birger, according to an appointment that they should meet at Liodhus in Easter week. But when King Haco came to Liodhus the Earl was already gone away, and so the King returned north to Bahus.
King Haco arrived at Bergen on the day of the invention of the Cross {3 May}. He remained there during the spring, and proceeded in his preparations with great diligence. Prince Magnus, having given the necessary directions through Rygiafulke concerning the expedition and the equipment of the fleet, went to join King Haco. After that a great number of Barons, and officers, and vassals, and a vast many soldiers flocked in daily to the Capital.
King Haco held a general council near Bergen at Backa. There the numerous host was assembled together. The King then declared, concerning the expedition, that this whole army was intended against Scotland in the western seas, and to revenge the inroads which the Scotch had made into his dominions. Prince Magnus begged to command this expedition instead of King Haco, who should remain at home. He thanked him in many courteous words; but he observed, that he himself was older, and had longer acquaintance with the western lands, and that, therefore, he himself would go this voyage. He, however, gave Prince Magnus full power to rule the nation in his absence. At this Council he settled many regulations respecting the internal government of the Country; and he granted to the yeomanry, that, while he was away, no Sheriff should decide on any cause, unless such cause was of the greatest necessity.
During this voyage King Haco had that great vessel which he had caused to be constructed at Bergen. It was built entirely of oak, and contained twenty-seven benches for oarsmen. It was ornamented with heads and necks of dragons beautifully overlaid with gold. He had also many other well-appointed ships.
In the spring King Haco sent John-Langlife-son and Henry Scot west to the Orkneys, to procure pilots for Shetland. From thence John sailed to the Hebrides and told King Dugal that he might expect an army from the East. It had been rumoured that the Scots would plunder in the islands that summer. King Dugal, therefore, spread abroad a report that forty ships were coming from Norway. And by this means he prevented the Scotch from making a descent.
Some time before the King himself was ready, he sent eight ships to the westward. The Captains of these were Ronald Urka, Erling Ivarson, Andrew Nicolson, and Halvard Red. They continued some days out in the road, as the wind did not favour them.
When the King had prepared his ship, he removed all his army from the capital to Eidsvags; afterwards he himself returned to the city, where he remained some nights, and then set out for Herlover. Here all the troops, both from the Northern and Southern districts, assembled, as is described in the Ravens-ode, which Sturla sung.
1.
From the recesses of northern Norway, bands, keen for battle, sought the potent Ruler of the storm of Javelins. The boisterous deep, that girds this earth, bore the ships of the Protector of thrones west from the streams of Gotelfa.
King Haco mustered all his force at Herlover. It was a mighty and splendid armament. The King had many large and well-appointed ships, as is thus described.
2.
No terrifier of dragons, guardians of the hoarded treasure, e'er in one place beheld more numerous hosts. The stainer of the sea-fowl's beak, resolved to scour the main, far distant shores connected by swift fleets.
3.
A glare of light blazed from the powerful, far-famed monarch while, carried by the sea-borne ships of Gestils the pirate, he broke to the roaring waves. The swelling sails, of keels that ride the surge, reflected the beams of the unsullied sun around the umpire of wars.
Some nights after King Haco had arrived at Herlover, Ronald and Erling sailed out of the bay with their squadron. Ronald was separated from the rest at sea, and made for the Orkneys with some of the ships. But, Erling, and Andrew, and Halvard steered south before Shetland, and so to the west of Faroeyiar-fiörd {Fair Isle?}; and they saw no land; except Sulna-stapa {Strathy Point?} west of the Orkneys. Afterwards they sailed in to Scotland under Dyrness {Durness}. They went up into the country and destroyed a castle, but the garrison had fled. They burned more than twenty hamlets. Next they steered for the Hebrides, and found there Magnus King of Man.
Three nights before the Selian vigils {7 July} King Haco set sail for the German sea with all his fleet. He had now been King of Norway six and forty winters. He had a favourable breeze; the weather was fair and the armament beautiful to behold, as Sturlas relates.
4.
The Abyss returned the flaming gleam of war, darted from the bright glittering concave shields of the Goddesses of battle. This voyage, by the bands of the Troubler of peace, through the sea that streams around the world, was unwelcome to the foe - they dreaded the exactor of rings.
King Haco had a company, particularly selected for his own ship. There were on the quarter-deck Thorlife abbot of Holm, Sir Askatin, four priests chaplains to the King, Andrew of Thissisey, Aslac Guss the King's master of the Horse, Andrew Hawardson, Guthorm Gillason and Thorstein his brother, Eirek Scot Gautson, with many others. There were on the main deck Aslack Dagson, Steinar Herka, Klomit Langi, Andrew Gums, Eirek Dugalson, the father of King Dugal,
Einar Lang-bard, Arnbiörn Suela, Sigvat Bodvarson, Hoskuld Oddson, John Hoglif, Arni Stinkar. On the fore-deck there were, Sigurd the son of Ivar Rofu, Ivar Helgason of Lofloc, Erlend Scolbein, Dag of Southeim, Briniolf Johnson, Gudleik Sneis, and most of the King's Chamberlains, with Andrew Plytt the King's treasurer. There were in the fore-castle, Eirek Skifa, Thorfin Sigvald, Kari Endridson, Gudbrand Johnson and many of the Cup-bearers. In general, there were four men on every half rowers' seat. With King Haco, Magnus Earl of Orkney left Bergen; and the King gave him a good galley. These Barons were also with the King, Briniolf Johnson, Fin Gautson, Erling Alfson, Erlend Red, Bard of Hestby, Eilif of Naustadale, Andrew Pott, Ogmund Kraekidants, Erling Ivarson, John Drotning. Gaut of Meli, and Nicholas of Giska were behind with Prince Magnus at Bergen, as were several other sea officers who had not been ready. Many approved commanders were however with King Haco, and of whom mention hath been made.
King Haco having got a gentle breeze, was two nights at sea, when he reached that Harbour of Shetland called Breydeyiar-sound {Bressay Sound?}, with a great part of his navy, as Sturlas sings.
5.
The Leader of his people unmoored the ploughers of the Ocean {ships}, and raised aloft the expanded wings {sails} of his sky-blue doves. Our Sovereign, rich in the spoils of the sea-snakes den {gold}, viewed the retiring haven from the stern of his snorting steed {ship} adorned with ruddy gold.
King Haco remained in Breydeyiar-sound {Bressay Sound?} near half a month, and from thence sailed to the OrkneysOrkneys, and continued some time at Elidarwic which is near Kirkwall. There he declared before his men, that he would divide his forces, and send one part south to the Firth of Forth to plunder. But he himself wished to remain in the Orkneys with the largest ships and greater part of the army. The vassals and retainers, however, spoke against this scheme, and made it evident that they would go nowhere unless with the King himself; so this proposed expedition was dropt.
After St Olave's wake {29 July} King Haco, leaving Elidarwic, sailed south before the Mull of Ronaldsha {South Ronaldsway} with all his navy. At this place King Haco was joined by Ronald from the Orkneys, with the ships that had followed him. King Haco next led the whole armament into Ronaldsvo {Scapa Flow}, and lay there for some space. He then sent men over to Cathness to levy contribution. He, on the one hand, proposed peace if the inhabitants would yield, but otherwise heavy punishment. The Cathnesians submitted to the tax, and King Haco appointed collectors to receive it, as is here intimated.
6.
First our wise Sovereign, the Bestower of peace, and Defender of the Northern Thrones, imposed tribute, the ransom of life, on the dwellers of the Ness {the tip of Caithness}. All its tribes were terrified by the steel-clad exactor of rings, and panic-struck at his mighty power.
While King Haco lay in Ronaldsvo {Scapa Flow} a great darkness drew over the sun, so that only a little ring was bright round the sun, and it continued so for some hours {the eclipse of 5 August 1263}.
On the day of St Laurence's wake {9 August 1263} King Haco, having ordered the Orkney-men to follow him as soon as they were ready, sailed over the Pentland Firth, Earl Magnus, however, stayed behind. He was here informed that John Drotning, and Kolbein Aslacson, with the ships expected from the east, but which had been accidentally detained, were arrived in the Islands. King Haco then sailed with all his forces to a haven that is called Asleifarvic, from that to Lewes {Lewis}, so on to Raasa {Raasay}, and, from thence to that place, in Sky-sound, which is called Callach-stane. Here he was joined by Magnus King of Man, and the relations Erling Ivarson, Andrew Nicolson, and Halvard. He next proceeded to the Sound of Mull, and then to Kiararey {Kerrera} where King Dugal and the other Hebridians were assembled with all their troops. King Haco had now above an hundred vessels, for the most part large, and all of them well provided both with men and arms.
While King Haco remained at Kiararey {Kerrera} he divided his forces, and sent fifty ships south to the Mull of Kintire to plunder. The captains appointed over them were King Dugal, Magnus King of Man, Bryniolf Johnson, Ronald Urka, Andrew Pott, Ogmund Kraekidants, Vigleic Priestson. He also ordered five ships for Bute; these were under the command of Erlend Red, Andrew Nicolson, Simon Stutt, Ivar Ungi Eyfari, and Gutthorm the Hebridian, each in his own ship.
King Haco sailed afterwards south to Gudey {Gigha} before Kintire where he anchored. There King John met him; he came in the ship with Bishop Thorgil. King Haco desired him to follow his banner as he should do. But King John excused himself. He said he had sworn an oath to the Scottish King, and held of him more lands than of the Norwegian Monarch; he therefore entreated King Haco to dispose of all those estates which he had conferred upon him. King Haco kept him with him some time, and endeavoured to incline his mind to fidelity. Many laid imputations to his charge. King Haco indeed had before received bad accounts of him from the Hebrides; for John Langlife-son came to the King, while he was sailing west from Shetland, and told him the news that John King of the Hebrides, breaking his faith, had turned to the Scottish Monarch. King Haco, however, would not believe this till he had found it so.
During King Haco's stay at Gudey {Gigha} an Abbot of a monastery of Greyfriars waited on him, begging protection for their dwelling, and Holy Church: and this the King granted them in writing.
Friar Simon had lain sick for some time. He died at Gudey {Gigha}. His corpse was afterwards carried up to Kintire where the Greyfriars interred him in their Church. They spread a fringed pall over his grave, and called him a Saint.
About this time men came from King Dugal, and said that the Lords of Kintire, Margad, and Angus, (also proprietor of Ila {Islay}), were willing to surrender the lands which they held to King Haco; and to order their dependants to join him. The King answered, that he would not lay waste the peninsula, if they submitted on the following day before noon; if not he gave them to understand he would ravage it. The messengers returned. Next morning Margad came and gave up every thing into the King's power; a little after Angus arrived and likewise did the same. The King then said, that, if they would enter into articles with him, he would reconcile them with the King of Scotland. On this they took an oath to King Haco, and delivered hostages. The King laid a fine of a thousand head of cattle on their estates. Angus yielded up Ila also to the King; and the King returned Ila {Islay} to Angus, upon the same terms that the other Barons in the Hebrides enjoyed their lands; this is recorded in the Ravens-ode.
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