TORFÆUS’ HISTORY.

A.D, 1700.

A.D 1264.KING Magnus* having paid the last funeral rites to his. father, and being anxious about the state of public affairs, deemed nothing to be of greater importance, than peaceably to end the controversy with the king of Scotland,⁺ of which he was earnestly desirous ; for being skilled in the arts of peace, he preferred that those benefits which were obtained from them should be preserved and increased, and not disturbed, rather than that they should be left to the doubtful issue of war, attended with great expense, as well as much anxiety. On this account he sent an embassy from the Council of Senators, to the king of Scotland, the year after his father’s decease, not as Buchanan relates, when he had arrived, (for he had not left Norway) nor because he could not hope for assistance from home before the spring, (which is equally untrue) but as I understand it, following the example of Clauclius Lyschander ; for being unacquainted with military affairs, he was unwilling to contend for possession of islands so remote, and from which there was little gain, with the danger of heavy expense and an increase of burden to his own subjects, especially as Mann, if Buchanan faithfully narrates, had accepted conditions from the Scots, (for he writes, that Alexander king of Scotland having sent ships round, recovered the Isle of Mann, situated almost midway between Scotland and Ireland, upon these terms, that the prince of the island should send ten long ships to the king, as often as necessity required ; and who on the other hand, would defend him from external foes) moreover the good feeling of the Isles had been alienated from him [Magnus] in the disturbed state of public affairs, as they could not hope for the same assistance from him as from his father ; and this author relates, what is not inconsistent with the truth, that the other islands seemed likely to follow the example of the Manx. For the death of king Haco had animated the spirit of the Scotch, who accommodating things to the occasion, whilst the great part of their fleet absent in Norway had not returned, and who likewise perceived that the friendly feeling of the islands was abating as no assistance had arrived ; these circumstances caused the islanders to hasten on a peace with the Scots, and with better conditions to themselves whilst there remained any fear of the Norwegians than they could hope for when left to their own resources. Peace was not however immediately cemented between the kings, but was protracted to the third year by disputes, many embassies taking place in the meantime. The annals of the Flateyen Codex note that this year barefooted brethren came from Scotland to king Magnus, without doubt messengers from the king of Scotland.

EX TORFÆO.

ANNO EX Magnus, curato patris funere, de statir MCCLXIV. publico sollicitus, nihil antiquius habuit, quam ut • controversiarn cum Rege Scotiæ pace, cujus unice studiosus erat, finiret, pacis enim artihus excultus us parta tutius conservari, nemineq’ ; turbante augeri, quam ancipiti Martis fortuna, in discrimen, nunquam sine magnis impensis, majori quoque sollicitudine mitti maluit, legationern itaq’ ; ex senatorum consilio ; adRegem Scotiæ, anno quo pater excesserat proximo misit, non quod, et Buchananus scribit, cum advenisset, (non enim Norvegia . excessit) res magis quam ratus erat desperatas, conspicatus esset, nec (quod pariter fictum) quod auxilia domo ante vernum tempus non sperasset, (cum domi semper maneret) sed quod facilius, Claudio lyschanclro memorante, in suâ G~ro~zlandiá~ me~ricci~, credo, quod rei miitaris minus gnarus fuerit, nec de instabii possessione insularum, tam remotarum, unde parum lucri, tantarum impensarum periculo, cum ingenti civium suorum onere certare volueirit, Manni~ præsertim, si Buchanaiio fides, a Scotis in deditionem accepta (scribit enim Alexandrum Scotiæ Regem navibus circummissis Manniam insulam inter Scotiam et Hiberniam, medio fere cursu sitam recuperasse, ea lege, ut insulæ regulus, quoties opus

esset, decem naves longas ad Regem mitteret, Rex vero eas ab hoste externo defenderet) forte etiam insulanorum studiis a se alienatis, cum ab eo par præsidium rebus turbidis, atque a patre sperare nequirent, Mannensium enim animorum inclinationem, alias insulas secuturas visas, idem auctor tradit, id quod a vero non abhorret. Morte enim Regis Haconis sustulisse animum Scotis, fuisq ; rebus istam occasionem accommodasse, dum classis maxima pars in Norvegiam remissa nondum redierat, facile quis perspicit, imminutosque insulanis animos deinde alienatos, auxiliis non accurentibus ; inde pacem cum Scoto festinatam conditionibus tolerabilibus, dam metus aliquis Scotis a Norvegis esset, quas deserti non impetrassent. Non tamen statim pax inter Reges coaluit, in annum tertium legationibus pluribus intervenientibusdisceptata. Notant annales COcliCi$ Flct~e~ienei.~, ad hunc annum, fratres nudipedes e Scotia ad Regem Magnum venisse, procul dubio a Rege Scotiæ legatos.

* Surnamed Lagabätter.
+Alexander lIT.

Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor
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