: 



THE NORSE OCCUPATION. 27 



temporarily interfered with his designs on the Hebrides. 

 Setting up a claim, into the merits of which we need not 

 enter, to the Earldom of Moray, on behalf of his grand- 

 sons, his plans were frustrated, and he himself was obliged 

 to take refuge for a time in Ireland. Peace was at length 

 (in 1153) concluded between him and Malcolm IV. of 

 Scotland, an event which was considered to be of so much 

 importance as to form an epoch in the dating of Scottish 

 charters. And now came Somerled's great opportunity for 

 seizing the whole of the Hebrides. It was arranged that 

 his fellow-conspirator, Thorfinn, should conduct Somerled's 

 son, Dugall, throughout the Isles, proclaim the latter 

 King, and call upon the people to acknowledge his 

 authority and to give hostages for their allegiance. But 

 the majority of the Hebridean chiefs remained faithful to 

 Godred, and among the faithful, was one Paul Balkasson, 

 described as "Sheriff" of Skye, who, as events showed, 

 was Godred's best friend. Well was he named Balk the 

 beam or supporter for he proved a veritable tower of 

 strength in the time of need. This is perhaps the earliest 

 reference in Scottish history to the existence of the office 

 of Sheriff. The first notices on record are contained in 

 the Acts of David I., about the middle of the twelfth 

 century, the period now under review. The Sheriffdom 

 of Inverness appears to have at that time included the 

 whole country north of the Grampians, and it might be 

 inferred that the Sheriffdom of Skye was then, as it is at 

 the present day, subsidiary to that of Inverness. But as 

 this assumption would imply that Skye was, at the middle 

 of the twelfth century, subject to the jurisdiction of the 

 Scottish Crown which we know was not the case we 

 must conclude that the office of Sheriff, as held by Paul 

 Balkasson, was different from that to which the modern 

 name attaches. In all probability, Balkasson was the 

 military, as well as the civil governor of Skye, holding 

 is office as the representative of Godred. 

 On his refusal to swear allegiance to Dugall, Balkasson 

 fled to the Isle of Man, where he acquainted Godred with 



