The Northman., May 13, 1920, Page 9, Image 9

THE NORTHMAN
A Saga of The Orkney Isles
FOUNDING OF THE CATHEDRAL OF
SAINT MAGNUS, AT KIRK­
WALL, ORKNEY
Adapted From the Orkneyinga Saga
TAURING the great world war, Kirkwall,
in the Orkney Islands, became the
great maritime clearing station of the al­
lied nations, recalling the early period
when the “Peerie Sea” gave shelter and
anchorage to the ships of the Norse rovers,
and was the Vagr of the Vikings, within
which their fleets anchored in safety. One
of the monuments left by the Scandina­
vians in witness of their embrace of Chris-
tionity is in this ancient town of the
Orkney Isles.
The course of the early Northern sea-
rovers led straight across the North Sea
to Orkney and thence along the west coasts
of Scotland and Ireland to England. There
are traces that the islands were inhabited
before the coming of those who turned
their attention to settlement and com­
merce, but the earliest records make no
reference to any previous occupants, and
in the absence of native population the
colony developed along its own special lines
leaving a history distinct from that of
England, or even Normandy, in France,
where the invaders adopted the language,
religion and in a large measure, the cus­
toms of the country.
St. Magnus, according tQ the sagas, was
a man of the noblest bearing, tall of fig­
ure, strong of arm, lively of look, virtuous
in his ways, fortunate in combat, a sage
in wisdom and wit, ready-tongued and
lordly-minded, lavish of substance and
high-spirited, quick in council and ready
in assistance, he was greatly beloved by
his friends. He was blithe and kind of
speech to all wise and good men, but hard,
relentless and unsparing against sea-rob­
bers and those who plundered the land-folk
and freemen. He held stern justice above,
distinctions of rank and was just to friend
and foe alike. Magnus and Haakon held
joint rule, but tale-bearers and mischief-
makers caused trouble between them. The
kinsmen gathered their forces and faced
each other in battle array, but there were
many Earls and men of high rank who
were friends of both and they endeavored
to make peace between the chieftains, in
manliness and good will. This meeting was
in Lent, a short time before Palm Sunday,
and an agreement was arrived at which
was to lead to steadfast peace and thor­
ough atonement to be made in Easter week
on Egil’s Isle, or Egilsy. Each was to
have two ships and each the same number
of men. To this both made oath of agree­
ment and declaration to keep the terms
of peace.
With'the passing of Eastertide, Magnus
and Haakon made ready for the meeting.
Earl Magnus summoned to him just and
kind-hearted men whom he knew to be
well disposed toward his kinsmen as well
as, himself. He .took two long ships and
the number of men agreed upon, and when
all was in readiness set his course toward
Egil’s Isle. As they rowed in calm over
a deep, smooth sea, it is recorded that
a billow rose and fell on the ship where the
Earl sat and steered. The chieftain’s men
marveled much at such a token. The Earl
spoke up arid said: “It is not strange that
you wonder at this. I believe this to be
a foreboding of my life’s end. We should
so make up our minds regarding our un-
dertakng, for I feel that our kinsman
Haakon means not to deal fairly with us
at this meeting.” His men counseled for
caution and urged him not to fare further
trusting Haakon, but he answered: “We
shall fare on still, and may God’s will be
done on our voyage.”
Earl Magnus came first to Egil’s Isle
with his retainers and when they saw,
when Haakon approached, that he had
eight warships, and they felt that he meant
treachery. Magnus proceeded inland and
went to the church to pray, remaining in
the sanctuary all night. His men offered
to defend him, but he answered: “I will
not put your life to risk for me. If peace
is not to be made, then be it as God wills.”
He prayed earnestly and let mass be sung
for him.
Early in the morning Haakon and his
men arose and hurried to the church and
ransacked it, but failed to find Magnus, for
he had gone with two men into seclusion.
On perceiving that he was being sought,
however, he called to Haakon and his
party, bidding them not to search further.
On their approach Magnus upbraided
Haakon, saying: “Thou didst not well,
kinsman when thou repudiated thy vows
and it is much to be hoped that thou doest
this more from other’s wickedness than
thy own. Now will I offer thee three
choices that thou do one of these rather
than break thine oaths, and let me be
slain guiltless.”
“What offers makest thou ?” asked
Haakon’s men.
“First,” replied Magnus, ‘ ‘that I will go
south to Rome, or out as far as Jerusalem,
and visit holy places, and have two ships
with me out of the land with what we may
need to have, and so make atonement for
both our souls. This I will swear, never
to come back to the Orkneys. To this
they at once said “Nay.”
Then again Earl Magnus spoke: “Now,
seeing that my life is in your power, send
thou me up into Scotland to some who are
friends to us both, and let me there be kept
in ward and two men with me for pasttime
Take thou care that I may never be able
to escape from that wardship.” * To this
they said “Nay” at once.
Once more Magnus spoke: “One choice
is still left which I will offer thee, and God
knows I look more to your soul than I do
to my life. Let me be maimed in limb;
pluck out mine eyes if you will, and let me
be placed in a dark dungeon to the end of
my days.”
“This settlement I am ready to take
and ask nothing further,” spake Haakon.
Then the chiefs sprang up and said to
Earl Haakon: “We will now slay one of
you, for from this day forth ye two
shall not jointly rule this land.”
Haakon answered: “Slay ye him, then,
for I much prefer to rule the realm to
going forth to sudden death.” So sayeth
Holbodi, a truthful freeman of the
Southern Isles, who, with one other man,
was with Magnus at the parley.
. Earl Magnus knelt in Prayer and wept
most bitterly. When he had done Haakon
bade his banner-bearer, Ofeig, to slay the
Earl, but Ofeig answered “Nay” with
great wrath. Then Haakon forced Lifolf,
his cook, to kill Earl Magnus. The
9
martyr chief requested his executioner to
stand before him and strike from the
front, as beseemed his station, and not
hew off his head as though he was a thief.
He made the sign of the cross and bowed
himself to the blow. It is told in legends
that the spot where Magnus died was then
mossy and stony, but in a time beautiful
green sward sprang up, which signified
that he was slain for righteousness sake
and inhabited the fairness of Paradise.
There had then passed since the birth of
Christ one thousand and ninety-one win­
ters, and thus was the seed sown from
which should spring the spirit to build the
Wonder and the Glory of all the North,
the Minster of St. Magnus.
After the death of Haakon, the earldom
was divided between Harald, the Smooth
Talker, and. Paul, the Speechless. They
quarreled until death of the former left
Paul sole ruler. He did not reign long in
peace, however, for a new claimant ap­
peared for a share of the earldom in Kali,
son of Koi and Gunhild, sister of the mur­
dered Earl Magnus. Kali had been
Fairhaired, of Norway, was of noble ap­
pearance, skillful in war and a born leader
brought up in court of King Harald, the
-of men. He was also -a skald of much
note and many of his songs have been
handed down. As a token of honor and
to gain favor his name was changed to
Rognvald, which had been popular in the
Orkneys since the days of Rognvald,
Brusi’s son. Be it known that Rognvald
afterward joined in the crusades and
made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and re­
turned with great fame.
Rognvald sent a message to Earl Paul
demanding the share of the Islands held
by Earl Magnus. Earl Paul refused to
give up any part of the inheritance, say­
ing that he would g uard it while God
gave him life. Rognvald gathered a
fleet of ships, taking counsel from his
father Koi, and a wise old man named
Uni. On the deck of his dragon he ad­
dressed his men, saying that he proposed
to win his right or perish in the attempt.
His speech was royally cheered by his
men, and then his father, Koi, gave
counsel:
“I advise thee, Rognvald,” said the ven­
erable Koi, “to make a vow that if St.
Magnus secures to thee thy inheritance
thou wilt build and dedicate to him in
Kirkwall a minster of such size and splen­
dor that it shall be the wonder and the
glory of all the North.”
Rognvald thought the advice good and
registered a solemn vow to build a splen­
did cathedral in honor of St. Magnus and
to remove thither with all reverence the
remains of the sainted Earl. He then
fared forth on his journey and the story
of how he landed through strategy and
how he gained peaceable possession of the
islands through the kidnaping of Earl
Paul by the redoubtable Sweyn Asleifson
has already been told in these chronicles.
On becoming ruler Earl Rognvald set
about fulfilling his vow to raise a great
cathedral in Kirkwall. The work was be­
gun in the year of grace 1137 under the
superintendence of his father, Koi. As
the work progressed it became more and
more clear that the cost was far beyond
the means at his command. In his diffi­
culty the Earl went to his father for
advice and Koi counseled that he should
declare himself heir of all landholders who
died and that their sons must redeem the
lands. A Thing was called and this law
(Continued on page 11.)