34 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



Olave was glad to have an excuse for getting rid of the 

 wife whom his brother had chosen for him ; and if her 

 character resembled that of her sister, Reginald's wife, the 

 desire is intelligible. On the other hand, the scruples of 

 Bishop Ranald were probably based on political considera- 

 tions rather than on ecclesiastical law, or on moral rectitude. 

 Being a nephew of Olave, he may conceivably have had 

 visions of a future crown an earthly one for himself, in 

 the event of his uncle dying without issue. Still more 

 probable is it that the hand of the crafty Reginald pulled 

 the strings of a carefully laid plot, of which the divorce, 

 like the marriage, of Lavon was one of the foreseen and 

 pre-arranged incidents. For the treatment by Olave of 

 his wife's sister now gave him a handle to accomplish the 

 destruction of that unwary youth, who, soon after his 

 abandonment of Lavon, married Christina, daughter of 

 Ferchard O'Beolan, otherwise Mac-an-t'sagairt, or, son of 

 the priest (of Applecross), Earl of Ross. 



Burning to avenge her sister's dishonour, Reginald's wife 

 sent a message to her son Godred, who was then in Skye, 

 to proceed to Lewis and kill Olave. It is not difficult to 

 surmise at whose instigation this bloodthirsty mission was 

 resolved upon ; if successful, Reginald would be freed once 

 for all from the bugbear of his existence. The popularity 

 of Olave had been increasing as that of his brother had 

 been diminishing ; but here at length were alike the 

 pretext and the opportunity of removing for ever his rival 

 from his path. Godred, whose name, the " Dragon of the 

 Isles," appears to have been not inappropriate, gathered 

 together his followers, and in obedience to the command 

 of his amiable parent, sailed for Lewis. But he was just 

 too late to effect his murderous purpose, for Olave, who 

 had become aware of his danger, probably through the 

 instrumentality of his friend Balkasson (who must have 

 been the son of King Godred's supporter), embarked in an 

 open boat, crossed the Minch,* and reached the castle of 



* Manche, i.e., channel or strait. The Minch appears to have been the 

 Skottland Fjord of the Sagas. 



