ORKNEY ISLANDS. 
746 
of his caftles; but at length abdicated the government, 
and returned to Norway. Einar, his brother, now obtain¬ 
ed the earldom. The adminiftration of this earl was as 
vigorous and wife as that of his predeceffor had been 
weak and impolitic. He introduced ma^iy improvements 
in to the iflands, and not only freed them from piratical in- 
valion, but, throwing off-the Norwegian yoke, on account 
of the murder of his father, rendered himfelf independent 
of that kingdom. Sigurd left three fons, the two eldeft 
of whom were (lain in battle fhortly after their father’s 
death ; fo that the earldom devolved upon Thorfin, the 
youngeft. This earl lived in peace during his whole life ; 
but, after his death, the iflands were diftraCted by the 
contentions of his fons. At length, the death of the 
others gave the undifputed pofleflion of the earldom to 
Landver, who married the celebrated Audna, daughter 
of Riavala, one of the kings of Ireland. By this princefs 
he had one fon, Sigurd, his fuccelfor, who was one of the 
molt illuftrious men of his age. He fell in battle at Clon- 
tarf, near Dublin, and was eventually fucceeded by his 
youngeft fon, Morfin, who maintained the glory of his fa¬ 
ther’s name. He left two fons, Paul and Erlend, who 
lived in the utmoft cordiality, till their friendfhip wasdif- 
turbed by the ambition of Hacon, the fon of Paul. This 
young nobleman went over to Norway, where, as well as 
in Sweden, he acquired great military reputation. Dur¬ 
ing his refidence in the former country, he reprefented 
to king Magnus the advantages which would accrue from 
a weftern expedition. That prince accordingly failed for 
Orkney; and, difpoflefling the two earls, appointed one 
of his own fons Viceroy in their ftead. He then made ex- 
curlions into Scotland, Ireland, and England, accompa¬ 
nied by Hacon, and his two coufins, Erlend and Mag¬ 
nus. This laft was highly diftinguiftied for his learning 
and piety, which fo much excited the envy of Hacon, 
that he cau'fed him to be murdered; and, foon after, ob¬ 
tained the earldom. Hacon had two fons, Paul the Silent 
and Harold the Orator. The latter fucceeded in Caith- 
nefs; and the O: kneys were governed by Paul, till the 
aeceafe of the former, by his own imprudence, gave the 
entire fovereignty to Paul. Another competitor for the 
earldom, however, foon after appeared. This was Ro¬ 
nald, the nephew of the murdered Magnus, who, after 
'a long ftruggle, fucceeded in obtaining pofleflion of the 
iflands, and built the noble cathedral of St. Magnus, his 
uncle, having been previoufly canonized by the pope. But 
Ronald did not long continue foie mailer of the iflands ; 
being induced by motives both of policy and juftice to 
take young Harold, the heir of Paul, as a partner in the 
earldom. Thefe noblemen lived amicably together, but 
found great difficulty in maintaining their pofleflions 
againft other pretenders. At length, however, Harold, 
who furvived Ronald many years, rendered himfelf fo 
powerful, as to be able to levy war againft the king of 
Scotland, and to w-reft Caithnefs once more from that 
monarchy. Harold died in the 73d year of his age, and 
with him ended the independent fovereignty of the Ork¬ 
neys ; for, though feveral earls of the Norwegian race go¬ 
verned after him, they were completely under the con- 
troul of the l’overeigns of Norway. 
The laft refident earl of Orkney was Magnus V. at 
whofe death, in 1379, the male line became extinCt; and 
Henry Sinclair, of the family of Strathearn, a defcendant 
by the female line, fucceeded to the title. Caithnefs and 
Sutherland w'ere now alienated for ever to the crown of 
Scotland ; and the kings of that country foon after 
claimed the fovereignty of the illands alfo. This, how¬ 
ever, they did not obtain till the reign of James III. who 
having married a daughter of Eric king of Denmark, 
Orkney and Shetland were pledged in payment of her 
-dowry, which was never paid ; and, confequently, both 
thefe clufters of iflands have, fince that period, formed a 
part of the Scottiflr monarchy, and followed its deftiny. 
After thefe iflands became fubjeCl to the crown of 
Scotland, they palled through the hands of various indi¬ 
viduals, who held them under different tenures, and 
nearly all of whom harafled and opprefled the miferable 
inhabitants. James I. granted and refumed them fsveral 
times. Charles I. in the midft of his troubles, bellowed 
them on William earl of Moreton : but he was deprived 
of them by Cromwell, who colonized them with fome of 
his foldiers. They were reftored to the Moreton family 
by Charles II. and, Ihortly afterwards, they were refumed, 
and annexed to the crown by aft of parliament. An earl 
of Moreton, however, in 1742, obtained an abfolute and 
irredeemable grant of them, which was confirmed by the 
legiflature. This earl, in his application to parliament, 
had made promifes of improving the iflands, in cafe they 
fhould be granted to him on the terms which he propofed ; 
but, we are informed, that he no fooner obtained poflef- 
lion, than he violated his engagements by retaining the 
old fyltem, and by exadting, in the fame way, and with the 
fame rigour as formerly, the rents and feu-duties, or feu¬ 
dal rights. His tenants, refenting this condudt, rendered 
the tenure of them fo little pleafaut to him, that, in 1766, 
he difpofed of every right in them to the father of the 
prefent Lord Dundas, who is now in pofleflion. 
Previous to the Norwegian invalion, the inhabitants of 
Orkney appear to have been worlhippers of the fun, and 
to have had druids for their priefts. That event, how¬ 
ever, brought along with it the barbarous fuperftition of 
the north, or the worlhip of Odin. This god was fup- 
pofed to delight in bloodfiied and war ; and thofe who fell 
in battle were deemed fo many vidtims on his altars. 
Death in adtion was the fureft paffport to his paradife, the 
pleafures of which conlllled of indulging in immortal 
drunkennefs, accompanied with the triumph of vidtory, 
or of drinking ale to all eternity out of the fluids of an 
enemy. To this horrid worlhip fucceeded the milder doc¬ 
trines of Chriftianity, towards the end of the tenth cen¬ 
tury, when Sigurd was in pofleflion of the earldom. The 
manner in which its ellabliftiment was effedted, affords a 
lingular view' of the manners of the age, and of the zeal 
with which that religion was propagated. Olaus Friguef- 
fon, who then filled the throne of Norway, having been 
converted while in England, and perceiving the fuperior 
excellence of the Chriftian creed and precepts, became 
infpired with the moll earned delire of converting others. 
For this purpofe, accordingly, he vifited Ireland; and, 
on his return, brought his fleet to anchor in one of the 
harbours of South Ronaidfay, and fent an invitation to 
Sigurd and his fon to come on-board his fliip. The earl, 
ful’pedting no treachery, and confident in his acknow¬ 
ledged fame and power, inftantly complied, imagining 
that the king wifhed to hold a conference with him re- 
fpeCting fome military enterprife. He was foon how¬ 
ever undeceived, by Olaus telling him the objeCt of his 
expedition, and declaring, that, uniefs he and his people 
would immediately embrace the Chriftian faith, he would 
defolate his country, and put every heretic to death. 
Sigurd, though confounded at this unexpected threat, 
neverthelefs anfwered with firmnefs, that he could not 
fuffer himfelf to renounce his religion, fanCtioned as it 
was by the wifdom of his anceftors, until fome fufficient 
reafons were offered why he ftrould be guilty of fuch ab¬ 
juration. The Norwegian monarch replied, by feizing the 
fon of the earl, and fwearing he would plunge his fword 
into his bread, if his father continued obftinate : where¬ 
upon Sigurd agreed to his propofals, and publicly pro- 
fefled himfelf a Chriftian. His example was followed 
fhortly after by all the people; and, from that period, 
Chriftianity conftituted the religion of the Orkneys, which, 
with Shetland, ever after formed one bifhopric. Some 
of the prelates who filled this fee were men diftinguifhed, 
not only as divines, but as eminent literary and po¬ 
litical characters. Among the more celebrated of them 
were Robert Reid and Adam Both well. The former held 
fome of the higheft offices in Scotland, and was one of the 
commiflioners lent to witnefs the marriage of Mary 
queen of Scots with the dauphin of France. He left by 
