Chapter L: The Peace of Thorstein

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Terrible was the tale brought to Hougun about the storm of the Lawburg and the death of Thorstein and his fellows. Though indeed not all of them perished. Hopeless as it seemed, some of that band had cut their way through the Saxon army and escaped into hiding among the rocks and woods on Brackmere bank: and some that had been left for dead had been found by their friends when the storm was over, and taken up and healed of their wounds. But not Thorstein. He lay where he fell, within a step of the spot where he had slain his brother. They gave him his peace, late as it was: for it was not too late to let his children inherit the land he had taken around Thurston water.

Hundi and Raud, Mani and the rest of their kinsmen and neighbours came together and rebuilt the homestead at Blawith, freely giving their labour as the custom was; and over and above their labour, each comer gave a share toward the things that were needed to keep house and farm. So that with what she had and what she got, Raineach lacked neither servants nor stock, furniture within nor gear without.

They brought her from the island, and bade her dwell in peace on the land that was hers and her children’s. Many a time came to her one and another who would gladly have cast in his lot with them for her sake: but she said nay to all. After a while she sent for a priest, and built him a church at Blawith, that she might bring up her household in the right faith and fear of God. And before Yule she was the mother of a third son to Thorstein, whom she called Gartnaidh after her father, for he was red-haired and long limbed.

“Thorstein of the Mere will not want for sons to avenge him,” said folk, when they came to see her.

“Nay,” she said. “He has found his peace. Let us keep it.”

But a twelvemonth had not gone by after the battle, and mid-summer was not yet come, when they heard tidings of the death of Eadmund in his own hall at a feast, by the hands of an outlaw. The North-folk looked at one another, as much as to say it was but his due; vengeance had come upon him already for the strife he had stirred up, and especially for the sackless and innocent men who had fallen with Thorstein Sweinson in the war upon Cumberland.

But the Northmen continued in their homes by firth and fell, spite of York earls and Scottish kings. For yet a hundred years and more they kept their freedom. Their own laws they made at their Althing, now in one spot, now in another: shifted westward, maybe, to Little Langdale after Thored’s ravaging of Westmorland, and southward after Ethelred’s harrying of Cumberland. Even when the Normans had brought all this border country under the feudal yoke, still for many a hundred years the dalesmen, children of the vikings, used to meet at the Steading-stone by Thirlmere wath, and kept alive some smouldering memory of their birthright in the country Penalties of Wythburn. And everywhere they still have their old manners and their old speech, changing little of either, and that but slowly.

The Blawith house endured. Its children lived long in the land. When they increased so that Blawith was too small for them, across the Crake they built a strong place, and called it the New Burg, and the ground that it stood in, Newburthwaite. Neighbours by-named them the Redheads of Nibthwaite; maybe because they took after their kinsmen of the fells. There they dwelt, a great family, for many a generation, and thereabouts they dwell even to this day. For in these dales the dream of Unna came true, that saw love abiding and labour continuing, heedless of glory and fearless of death.

SO ENDS THE STORY OF THORSTEIN.

REMARKS ON THE NORSE SETTLEMENT: TABLE OF THE CHRONOLOGY: INDEX TO THE MAPS: & NOTES TO THE STORY.

THE NORSE SETTLEMENT.

Popular attention was called to this subject about forty years ago by Mr. Robert Ferguson, M.P., F.S.A., in his lecture and book on the Northmen in Cumberland and Westmorland. Following out the suggestion of the great Worsaæ, he laid down the main lines of the ethnological map, just as William Smith laid down the main lines of English geology. In both cases the details had still to be more accurately surveyed; but, in spite of much doubt and criticism, the hypothesis grew into a theory, and the theory into an article of faith. Mr. Freeman accepted it in his History of the Norman Conquest (vol. I. app. FF.), and Chancellor Ferguson has adopted it in his already standard Histories of Cumberland and Westmorland. Various local antiquaries have added to the subject, especially in the Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archæological Society; among which may be named the papers of the Rev. T. Ellwood, M.A., comparing the language and customs of Lakeland and Iceland; and the identification by Mr. H. Swainson Cowper, F.S.A., of the Norse Thingstead in Little Langdale. Mr. Ellwood’s “Landnámabók, as illustrating the dialect, &c.,” is published separately (T. Wilson, Kendal, 1894).

Our antiquaries, however, have found us no Lakeland Saga. The reason is simple. By the time when the Sagas were written down, the Norman Conquest and the feudal organisation of England had cut these Norse colonists away from their kindred, and had begun to assimilate them to the condition of the Saxon villeins; while the repeated inroads of the Scots in the 12th Century made life insecure, and reduced civilisation in the Fells to its lowest terms. Whatever songs and stories of Viking ancestors were then current in the mouths of the people found no scribe such as Ari the learned, or Hall Gizurson. One would have thought that in the abbeys of the district some native monk might have noted them down, as the Icelandic folklore was noted down at Flatey, and Helgafell. But the great abbeys hereabouts were founded by aliens, and their mental life had no room for local patriotism. Jocelyn of Furness, our greatest literary figure in that era, was busy with his Celtic legends of St. Patrick and St. Kentigern; at Calder and Holm Cultram it was work enough to live, and old tales were nothing to the stir of passing events. The saga-period went by; and in another couple of centuries, when the age of Border ballads had set in, there were new themes in plenty to sing about. The old legends were out of mind, except for isolated traditions and surviving names.

And yet, even at this day, enough of these remain to give us glimpses of the past. We can picture the life of the Norse settlers from almost contemporary accounts of Orkney and Iceland, checked and verified, in details innumerable, by the dialect and customs of the district. Their arts, wood-carving and iron-work chiefly, we see in the old interwoven panel-patterns and spiral smith-wares, that seem to show a permanence, through several centuries, of the ancestral habit of mind. Their public institutions we can infer from a comparison of the remaining Lawburgs here, with those elsewhere of which there are records in the literature of the North. Their attitude towards neighbouring peoples can be surmised from general history, which now and then throws a light into the darkness. Even the very names of the colonists we can read in the map, at the places they seized and settled.

And so to write this story of Thorstein of the Mere—the _eponymus_ of our Thurston-water (Coniston Lake)—is only as it were to string afresh a handful of broken beads from an opened cairn. There was a Thorstein’s saga, no doubt, once upon a time; or at least ballads of the giants on the fell, and the invasion of Eadmund. “Thus sung, or would, or could, or should have sung” the local skald. And there were old folk of the last generation who would sit in the chimney-corner telling tales of the past, fragmentary sagas, that had come down from they knew not where, but fixed in form, and delivered with animation and with all the richness of the rolling dialect. They were belated sagamen. They had forgotten the Norse stories, but they kept the Norse style. To put a Thorstein’s saga into the mouth of an old “Statesman” would strain truth but little, imagination not at all.

The belated Sagaman, however, needs a little editing. As usual with his tribe, he assumes that you take his allusions without explanation and his statements without reference; while with a laudable curiosity some readers ask for more than he gives. To satisfy them, and to justify him, the following pages are added.

CHRONOLOGY.

876. Danes from York under Halfdan take Carlisle (see pp. 21, 55.)

880, or thereabouts, the first Norse settlements on Solway and
Morecambe after Harold’s invasion of the Irish Sea (pp. 33, 34.)

913. Ragnwald attacks the Isle of Man (p. 2.) _Swein comes to
Greenodd_ (p. 3.)

916-918. Ragnwald king in Waterford (pp. 2, 25.)

920. Sigtrygg, driven from Dublin, invades Deira (p. 21.)

923. Ragnwald takes York (p. 25.) Eadward takes Manchester (p.
24.) _Thorstein born_ (p. 3.)

924. Eadward fortifies Bakewell (p. 26.) The commendation of
Scotland and Strathclyde (p. 27.)

925. Eadward dies (p. 30.) Succeeded by Athelstan, who marries
his sister to Sigtrygg (p. 37.)

926. Great aurora about Easter time (p. 38.) Sigtrygg dies
(p. 39.) Athelstan takes York; Sigtrygg’s sons escape (p.
40.) Peace of Dacre, July 12 (p. 56.) Eadulf expelled from
Bamborough (p. 55.)

927. Guthferth and Olaf Cuaran take York, and are expelled by
Athelstan (p. 72.)

929 or 930. Althing established in Iceland (p. 76.)

930. Athelstan grants Amounderness to York (p. 73.)

931. About this time or later Olaf Cuaran marries Constantine’s
daughter (p. 74.)

932. _Althing at Legburthwaite_ (p. 78.)

933. Constantine and Owain revolt; Athelstan ravages Scotland
(p. 79.)

934. _Thorstein finds Thurston-water, and is taken by the
Fell-folk_ (pp. 80-104.)

937. Great revolt of the North (pp. 113, 118.) Battle of Brunanburh
(pp. 134, 138, 147, 155.) Athelstan founds St. Leonard’s at York
(p. 252.) _Thorstein’s escape and return to Greenodd_ (pp.
134-167.)

938. _Thorstein goes to sea_ (pp. 177, 180.) Thorstein Codbiter
drowned in Iceland (p. 184.) About this time Eric Bloodaxe
expelled from Norway by Hakon (p. 186,) and set over York by
Athelstan (p. 192.)

939. _Thorstein visits Iceland and Norway_ (pp. 184-192), _and
winters in London_ (pp. 193-195.)

940. _Thorstein comes home in autumn_ (p. 196.) Athelstan dies
October 25, succeeded by Eadmund (p. 203.)

941. Revolt in the North; Eric expelled from York (p. 214.)
_Thorstein marries Asdis_, June (p. 213.) Olaf takes York
(pp. 214-215.) _Slaying of Orm and Doordoom at Blawith_ (pp.
223-233.) _Thorstein at Cartmel during the winter_ (pp.
239-244.)

942. _Thorstein at York_ (pp. 245-255.) Olaf Guthferson killed
(pp. 247, 255.) _Thorstein marries Raineach and settles on Peel
Island, autumn_ (pp. 255-264.)

943. _Swein Thorsteinson born, August_ (p. 268.)

944. _Thorstein Thorsteinson born, Christmas_ (p. 270.)

945. _Attack on Peel Island, February_ (pp. 274-280.) Eadmund
ravages Galloway and Cumbria, expels Domhnaill, and grants the
land to Malcolm (pp. 284, 295.) _Death of Thorstein, June_ (p.
294).

946. Eadmund killed May 26 (p. 303.)

960. Thored ravages Westmorland (p. 304.)

975. Domhnaill dies at Rome.

1000. Ethelred ravages Cumberland (pp. 37, 304.)

THE MAPS (pp. 32 and 50) are in the last degree tentative, and offered only as graphic suggestions of the state of the country in the tenth and eleventh centuries, rather later than the actual period of the story.

The Roman roads must have been more or less practicable, and though in disrepair, like the ruined roads of China, the only available lines of march for an army or of travel for trade. In drawing them, Chancellor Ferguson (Histories of Cumberland and Westmorland, and sketch map in the Archæological Survey, Archæologia, Vol. LIII.) has been followed, with one or two expressions of uncertainty. Near Thirlmere the old road on the western bank has been traditionally considered as the original track, _via_ the Steading Stone, and the ford with the so-called Celtic bridge; all of which is now destroyed. Some path thence to Threlkeld along the vale of St. John seems reasonable. The road from Satterthwaite to Dalton is doubtful; I have given alternative routes, after consultation with Mr. H. Swainson Cowper, the district secretary of the Society of Antiquaries and co-editor of the Survey. From the Thingstead at Fellfoot some path must have been practicable southward, and a study of the ground has suggested the straight course to Coniston. Thence the mines’ produce went to Ambleside, West says; but the name Greetagate indicates a road from Duddon Sands to Broughton, and towards Coniston, ancient, if not Roman.

As I have filled the maps with names I suppose I must explain them. Those in capitals I take to be Celtic; a few such as Dacor, Penningtun, Stank, are Anglian and pre-Norse. In Vídhborran, Glæsartún, Kilvestravegr, Berrhöfudsegg, may be Celtic loan-words which I have elsewhere discussed (“Some Manx Names in Cumbria,” Trans. C. & W. Ant. Soc.) and rendered as Wide-ruin, Brook-town, Cell of the west road, and Road-head’s edge. Alinskálar, formerly Alinschales, now Elliscales, and Alinthveit, formerly Allinthwaite, now Allithwaite, may be connected with “Helen,”—the chapel of St. Helen being near the former, the latter near a Holy-well, and both on the Roman road; thus pointing to the patroness of roads and wells in Yorkshire and Wales (see Elton, “Origins,” p. 322). The rest are simply old Norse equivalents of the oldest known forms. In reading them the old pronunciation must be given as far as possible. Vigfusson and Powell (Icelandic Reader, p. 467,) give _á_ as in _father_ (though _Báss_ becomes “bowse,” and ásmundarljá becomes Osmotherley). Y short is like the French _u_; ý long like the German _ü_. The diphthongs _au_, _ei_, _ey_, have the force of the component vowels. V is our _w_; _j_ our _y_; þ is sharp _th_ (_thing_;) ð is flat _th_ (_the_) or _dh_. The terminal _r_ of the nominative was dropped in pronunciation. So read, many names are identical with modern local forms; and few can be explained at all except as survivals from the Norse.

_Old Norse._ _Mediæval._ _Modern._ _Meaning._

Alpt Alps Swan Angra-tún Angertun Angerton Bay-town Armingja-vadh (_cf._ Ermyngthweit) Armboth Poor-folk’s-wath Arna-sídha Arneside Arnside Arni’s hillside Aska-heim Askhome Askam Ash-home Asmundar-ljá Asmunderlawe Osmotherley Asmund’s lea Aur-gröf Ourgrave Orgrave Clay-pit Baæsinga-brunnr Bassingburne Baisbrown Outlaw’s well Bakka-borg Backbarrow Bank-burg Barr-ey Barray Barrow Barley-isle Bás-fold Bousfield Byre-field Beyka-stadhr Bowkerstead Cooper’s stead Birk-hryggr Birkrigg Birch ridge Blár vidhr Blawyth Blawith Blue wood Blá tjörn Blea tarn Blue tarn Blátt vatn (or vatr) Blea water Blue water Blá vík Blowick Blue Bay Bleikr holmr Blake holm Yellow holm Borgar-dalr Borcheredale Borrowdale Burg-dale Borgar-tún Borch Broughton Burg-town Brautar-kjarr Bottocar Bethecar Road-copse Brautar-vatn Broaderwater Brothers-water Road-water Brekku-myrr Brackmere Thirlmere Motehill-mere Brim-fell (from its form) Brim fell Breaking-wave fell Brott-haugr Brotto Road-howe Búdh Bowth Bouth Booth Bygg-land Bigland Barley-land Dal-tún Daltún Dalton Dale-town Djúpr dalr Depedale Deepdale Deep dale Dökkrá Docwra Dockwray Dark nook Drjúg-mýrr Droomer Dreigh-mire Dunna-dalr(?) Dundersdale Dunnerdale Wild-duck’s dale Dunna-holmr Dunerholme Dunnerholm Wild-duck’s holm Elra-thveit Ellerthwaite Elder-thwaite Eng (Hall-)inge Ings Meadow Epla-thveit Aplethwate Applethwaite Apple-thwaite Esju-dalr (_cf._ Eschedale Easedale Clay-dale _I.o.M._) Fagrt fold Fairfield Fair-field Fins-thveit Finnesthwait Finsthwaite Fin’s thwaite Fjor-greina-gil Farragrain-gill Four-branches-gill Flat-skógr (_cf._ Flascoo, _Holm_) Flaska Flat wood Flokka-borg Flokeberew Flookburgh Host-burg Folks-fold (_cf._ Foxdale _I.o.M._) Foxfield People’s field Forn-sídha Fornside Fornside Ancient seat Froska-vegr (? the road that jumps) Froswick Frog’s path Gafl (_cf._ Gaflfell Gavel Gable _Iceland_) Gardha-gröf (_cf._ Grauff _I.o.M._) Gargreave Garth-trench Gardhar Guards Garths Gardh-skógr Garthscoh Gascow Garth wood Geirlods-vardha Gerleuuorde ?Ireleth Geirlod’s beacon Godha-bjarg Goadsbarrow Priest’s barrow Godha-thveit Goathwaite Priest’s thwaite Gras-mýrr Gresmer Grasmere Grass-mere Grettis-thveit Graythwait Graythwaite Gretti’s thwaite Grísa-dalr Grisedale Grisdale Pigs’ dale Græn hóp Greenup Green inlet Grænn kambr Greencomb Green crest Grænn oddr (or oddi) Greenodd Green point Grænn skógr Greenscow Green wood Gunnars-haugr Gummershow Gunnar’s howe Grýtá, Grjotá Greata Greta Stony river Grýta-gata Greetygate Stony path Hafra-thveit Haverthwaite Haverthwaite Oats-thwaite Hákonar-setr Haukenshead Hawkshead Hakon’s seat Hall-stadhr Hallstead Rock-stead Hamal’s setr Hamelsate Ambleside Hamal’s seat Hát kot Hawcott Hawcoat High cott Hauks-völlr Hawkswell Hawk’s field Heidha-thveit Heathwaite Heath-thwaite Hjalmr High Haume _and_ Helm Crag Helmet Hjörts-hóp Harteshopp Hartsop Hart’s inlet Hlad-steinar Ladstones Pile-stones Hol-bekkr Holebeck Hollow-beck Hóla-kjarr Holker Knoll-copse Hóll-thveit Hoathwaite Knoll-thwaite Hörgs-hlídh (_Same in Arklid Holy-place Iceland_) fellside Hramns-ey (_cf._ Ramsey, _I.o.M._) Ramsey Raven’s isle Hramns-sídha Rammesheved Rampside Raven’s seat Hreins-bjarg Rainsbarrow Reindeer’s crag Hreysa-thveit Raisethwaite Cairn-thwaite Hrossa-thveit (_cf._ Rozefell, Rosethwaite Horse-thwaite _I.o.M._) Hunda-haugr Hundhow Hound’s howe Hválla-thveit Wallthwaite Wallthwaite Hill-thwaite Hválla-tún Walletun Walton Hill-town Hvelps-sídha Quelpsat Whelpside Whelp’s seat Ikorna-thveit Yccornethewayt Ickenthwaite Squirrels’-thwaite Illt bál Ill Bell Evil beacon Jarls-sídha Yerlisyde Yarlside Earl’s seat Jatgars-hlidh Eadgarslithe Adgarley Edgar’s fellside Kalfa-gardhr Calvgarth Calgarth Calves’ garth Kaup-rönd (_cf._ Cowper, _Cumb._) Cowprond Traders’ shore Keldu-rá Keldray Well-nook Ketels-veggr (_cf._ Ketelton, Kelton) Keswick Ketel’s wall Kirkju-bær Cherchebi Kirkby Church-farm Klapparnes-gata Clappersgate Jutting-rock road Kleif Clayf Claife Cliff Klifa-tún Clivertune Cleverton Cliff-town Kolla-tún Colton Colton Town on a peak Kolla-vidhr Colwith Wood on a peak Kollr Caw Peak Konungs-á Consey Cunsey King’s river Konungs-hæd Cunningsheved Conishead King’s headland Konungs-tún Connyngeston Coniston King’s town Kötts-stiga-kambr (Casticand, Catstycam Cat’s-path-crest _Camden_) Langidalr Langedene Langdale Long dale Látra-bjarg (_same in Latterbarrow Lair-crag Iceland_) Laudha-fors (_cf._ Lowther) Lodore Foam-force Laufa-veggr Laufwic Lowick Leaf-wall Laun-skáli Lonscale Lone-shed Lá-vatn Low water Shallow water Leyni-brekka Lenibrick Covert-brink Lin-dalr Lindale Lindal Flax-dale Lög-hryggr Lochrigg Loughrigg Lake-ridge Lög-berg Legbarrow Law-burg Lög-borgar-thveit Legburthwaite Law-burg-thwaite Lundr Lund Grove Lyng-mór Lyngemouthe Lingmoor Ling-moor Mana-hryggr (_cf._ Mansergh) Mansriggs Moon’s-ridge Mela-fell Mellfell Bent-grass fell Mósi-dalr Mosedale Moss-dale Mæri-höll Merry hall Border-hall Mær-tún Meretun Marton Border-town Nauta-dalr Naddale Neats’-dale Ný-borgar-thveit Newburthwait Nibthwaite New-burg-thwaite Ný-bygging Newbigging Newbiggin New settlement Ný-tun Neutun Newton New town Orma-thveit Ormathwaite Ormathwaite Snakes’ thwaite Orms-gil Ormsgill Orm’s gill Orröstu-hæd Orrest head Battle headland Ösp Esps Aspen Öxna-fell Oxynfelde Oxenfell Oxen-fell Polla-vík Poolwyke Pool-bay Rá Wray Nook Raudhr völlr Rathvale Red-field Rauds-ey Roudsey Raud’s isle Raudh skrídha Red Screes Red scree Reyd-á Routha Rotha Trout-river Reynis-hals Wreneshals Wrynose Pass of the rowan Rolfs-land Rolesland Rusland Rolf’s land Rolfs-setr Rosset Rolf’s seat Ruga-dalr Rydale Rydal Rye-dale Runna-hæd Ronhed Roanhead Grove-headland Sæta-haugr Satterhow Chalet-howe Sæta-thveit Saterthwait Satterthwaite Chalet-thwaite Sand-gate Sandgate Path over sands Sand-skáli Sandescale Sandscale Sand-shed Saudha-gata Soutergate Soutergate Sheep-path Saudha-stadhr Southerstead Sheep-stead Saur-bær Sourebi Sowerby Mud-farm Seta-hóll Seatle Seat-hill Skála-gil Scalegill Shed-gill Skálar Scales Scales Sheds, halls Skála-vidhr Skelwith Skelwith Shed-wood Skardha-thveit Skafthwait Scathwaite Gap-thwaite Skrídha-thveit Scrithwaite Scree-thwaite Stafa-hlídh (_cf._ Stavenerge) Staveley Staff-hillside Steina-hlídh Staynerleth Stennerley Stony hillside Stein-tún Steintun Stainton Stone-town Stein-vegr Stanwick Stenock Stone-way Stikill Stickle Peak Sumar-hóll Summerhill Pasture-hill Svartr mór Swartmore Swarthmoor Swart moor Svina-brekka Swenebrec Sunbrick Swine-brink Sydhri-borgar-thveit Subberthwaite South-burg-thwaite Tangi Tongue Tongue Thröng Thrang Narrow pass Thröng-kelda _fons de_ Trinkeld Narrow well Trankeld Thorolfs-kelda Thirilkelde Threlkeld Thorolf’s well Thyrni-thveit Thornthwaite Thorn-thwaite Tjald-borgar-thveit Tilderburghthwait Tilberthwaite Tent-burg-thwaite Trödha-bekkr Truttebeck Troutbeck Pasture-beck Ulfa-á Ulfay Ulpha Wolves’-water Ulfa-dalr Ulldale Yewdale Wolves’-dale Ulfa-knútr Woolknot Wolves’-rock Ulfa-skardh Ullscarf Wolves’-gap Ulfars-tún Ulvrestune Ulverston Ulfar’s town Ulfs-vatn Ullswater Ulf’s lake Urdha-veggr Ursewic Urswick Stone-walls Vala-bjarg Wallabarrow Hawks’-crag Vanga-thveit Wanthwaite Garden-thwaite Vatns-hladha Wattenland Watendlath Barn by the water Vedhra-hjalmr (_clouded before Wetherlam Weather-helmet rain_) Veit-heim Waitham Ditch-howe Vé-skógr (_near “Druid Wescow Temple-wood circle.”_) Vidha-haugr Wythow Wood-howe Vík-hús Wykehouse Bay-house

Many of these names deserve further explanation and illustration, and some may be thought doubtful. The confusion between _vegr_, road, and _veggr_, wall; _hlídh_, fellside, and _hlidh_, gate; and that between _setr_, seat, _sætr_, chalet, _sídha_, country-side, and _hæd_, head, must be allowed for.

NOTES TO THE STORY.

_Frontispiece and Title._ The two pages together give the view from Lake-bank at the foot of Coniston Water, to illustrate pp. 67, 68. Over Thorstein’s head is the Old Man; in the middle of the lake is Peel Island (p. 261,) above it, Fairfield, with Helvellyn (pp. 119, 288,) to the left. Under Helvellyn is Yewdale crag, with the White Lady (p. 117). Between Helvellyn and Fairfield is Grizedale Hause (p. 300). Under Fairfield is Nab Scar (p. 51). The lower points are easy to recognise. The frames of the views are imitated from Norse doorways; the design over the title illustrates p. 142.

P. 1. _Bardi Ottarson_: slain 913 according to the Ulster Annals (Johnstone, Antiq. Celto-Normannicæ, p. 66) or 914, Sir J. Ware’s Antiq. Hibernicæ (op. cit. p. 77). Skene (Celtic Scotland, I. p. 347) reads Barid mac n-Octir, and explains “son of Ottir.” I suppose Barid (Johnstone’s Barred) is Irish for Bardi; and that the headquarters of this viking were near the scene of the action, _i.e._, in Man, which had been deserted some 30 years before, in the time of Harald’s invasion (Heimskringla, Harald, c. 22).

_Ketil Flatnose_ is named as one of the settlers in Iceland who had been christened (Landnámabók). By other accounts he died in the South-isles (Eyrb. Saga, c. 5). He is, however, by no means an easy subject for a biographer; compare Skene (Celt. Scot. I. p. 312,) with Eyrb. Saga, c. I.

P. 2. _Unna_, Una, Unn. Aud, Ketel’s daughter, is so called by Dasent (Burnt Njál, II. p. 240). Another Unn was her grand-daughter (Eyrb. c. 7). Another Una is mentioned in Grettis Saga, c. 3, as having a cousin Konal; which connects the name with Ireland and suggests Fin McCoul’s Oonagh and Spenser’s Una.

P. 2. _Ragnwald_, variously spelt and corresponding to Ranald, Ronald and Reginald, was one of the grand-sons of Ivar, who play so great a part in the period that it is perhaps worth giving a pedigree of the chief names, for reference throughout the story. Ragnwald himself is important because discrepancies in various accounts of his death have been used by partisan writers to throw doubt on the Commendation of Scotland to Eadward. His biography is, however, no more confused than any other for which we have to gather materials from widely divergent sources.

RAGNAR LODBROK
845 at Paris.
|
+--------+-----------+---+--------------+
| | | |
IVAR HALFDAN GUTHORM HUBBA and others.
867 York 876 Carlisle. 876 baptised
873 d. as Æthelstan.
|
daughter (Skene, I. p. 353) =? GUTHFERTH, k. of York 883-894
| (Lapp. II. p. 60.)
+--+----------+---------------+---------------------+
| | | |
IVAR RAGNWALD SIGTRYGG GUTHFERTH
903 Dunkeld 913 Man to 919 k. of Dublin 920 k. of Dublin
904 d. 918 Waterford succ. Ragnwald 933 d.
923 York as k. of York |
925 d. |
| |
+--------------+---------+ +-------------+------+
| | | | |
OLAF CUARAN GUTHFERTH HARALD OLAF RAGNWALD
952-980 king 950 k. of | 933 k. of Dublin 944 at York
of Dublin Dublin. | 937 at Brunanburh with O.
d. at Iona. | 942 d. Tyningham. Cuaran.
| |
+---+-----------+ +-+----------+
| | | |
RAGNWALD SIGTRYGG MAGNUS GUTHFERTH
980 d. Tara. SILKBEARD (Maccus) 977 k. of Man
1008 k. k. of Man 986 d.
in Ireland. 977 d.

He attacks Barid at the Isle of Man 913 or 914: seizes Waterford 916 (Ulster Annals,) and is driven out by the Irish 918. He is, perhaps, the Hroald (Ronald) who comes with Ohtor (Ottar jarl) from Brittany to attack Wales, 918 (A.-S. chron.) or 915 (Florence of Worcester). Beaten off, he goes home to Ireland, and hence with Ottar and Osulf Cracabam or Cracaban, (“Kraki’s bane”?) he attacks Scotland:—Symeon of Durham (_Ed._ Hodgson Hinde, p. 63,) says he ravaged “Dunbline” in 912; the anonymous history of St. Cuthbert (_op. cit._ p. 147,) makes him conquer the Scots at “Corebricge”; the Ulster Annals give him an important victory, in 917 (_Ed._ Johnstone,) or 918 (_Ed._ Skene, “Chronicles of the Picts and Scots”;) the Pictish Chronicle (same vol. p. 9,) makes the battle at “Tinemore,” and Ragnwald beaten; the “wars of the Gaedhil and Gaill” kill him off, along with Ottar; others let him escape. Skene tries to reconcile these accounts (Celtic Scotland, I. pp. 347, 348,) but refuses to make a similar attempt for the rest of the story.

Leaving Scotland he invades Bernicia and then Deira; and takes York, 923 (A.-S. Chron.) or 919 (Symeon, corrected and confirmed by Hodgson Hinde, preface p. lii). The Saxon Chronicle says he was one of the kings who commended themselves to Eadward, 924; but the Ulster Annals make him die in 920 (Johnstone,) or 921 (Skene). Skene suggests (Celt. Scot. I. p. 350,) that Florence ante-dates the Commendation to get Ragnwald in; Canon Raine (York, p. 37,) adopts the Saxon Chronicle date, but identifies this Ragnwald with Olaf Cuaran’s ally 20 years later (R. Guthferthson, see pedigree,) and accounts for his absence by an invasion of France (on the suggestion of Lappenberg, following Frodoard).

In all this, real events seem to be reported by totally independent chroniclers, each with his own partisan bias, and different system of chronology. But one does not invalidate the other. Ragnwald may well have won York, attended the Commendation, left York to his brother Sigtrygg, invaded France and died within a short time; though whether this was 919-921 or 923-925 may be left an open question.

P. 4. _Norse house_, see Dasent’s preface to Burnt Njál. It may be said here that the dress, manners, &c., of the story are based on sagas or archæological evidence, compared with Lake District characteristics, which it would be tedious to point out in every instance: as for example—

P. 5. _Chats_, twigs. Long logs: there is a story told of Coniston Hall, and elsewhere, that when such a log had been three days burning, whoop! out flew an owl.

P. 11. _Toy boats_ of chip. “Harald (afterwards Hardradi) was sailing chips on the water. Olaf asked him what they were; he said they were his war-ships.” (St. Olaf’s saga).

P. 13. _White linen sark._ Anderson (Scotland in Pagan times: Iron Age, p. 30) shows linen smoothers of glass, used in getting up vikings’ shirts.

P. 18. _Howe_; Eyrb. 38, and Magnússon’s Note, p. 277. The path is through the wood over the railway station.

P. 20. _Arnold’s-by_, Arnolby (_temp._ Ed. I.) Arnaby.

P. 21. _Sigurd’s hörg_ Sigarith-erge (_temp._ Ric. I.) Sizergh.

_Donal_: Duvenaldus filius Ede rex eligitur (Pictish Chronicle) _i.e._, Domhnaill or Donal mac Aedh, brother of Constantine; reigned over Strathclyde and Cumbria about 908-925.

_Cartmel_, given by Ecgfrith to St. Cuthbert 677, “with the Britons on it.”

_Halfdan._ A coin of “HALFDAN REX” found at Castlehead, Grange, suggests that his conquest was widespread.

P. 22. _Ketel_, supposed founder of Kelswick on the Solway.

_Dundraw_ (_cf._ Dunderrow, Ireland,) “hill of oaks.”

P. 23. _Sigtrygg_; see pedigree. In the English form Sihtric. “919. Sigtrygg m’ Ivar by the Divine power was forced to leave Dublin” (Ulster Annals); he came to Deira, and succeeded Ragnwald at York.

P. 24. _Manchester_ taken by Eadward 923 (A.-S. Chron.)

P. 25. _Bakewell._ Eadward “went into Peakland to Bakecanwell and commanded a town to be built nigh thereunto, and manned. And then chose him to father and to lord the Scots king and all the Scots’ people, and Rægnald, and Eadulf’s son, and all those who dwell in Northumbria as well English as Danes, _and Northmen_, and others, and eke the Strathclyde Welshmen’s king and all the Strathclyde Welsh” (A.-S. Chron. 924; Florence, 921). As Freeman (Norman Conquest, I. p. 578) points out, it is not said that the Commendation took place at Bakewell; but the text suggests it, enough at least for the purpose of a story. Sigtrygg is not named, but implied among the Danes. The mention of _Northmen_, as distinguished from Danes, indicates that Norse vikings were already settled in what is now the North of England, and such a settlement could hardly have been any other than ours on Solway and Morecambe Bay.

P. 30. _Death of Eadward_, 924 or 925 (A.-S. Chron., &c.)

P. 31. _Pennington_: the Castle hill is described by Mr. H. Swainson Cowper (Ancient Settlements, &c., of Furness, Archæologia, Vol. LIII.) The name shows it to be Anglian, the settlement of the family of Pæninga, Penning, Penny, and therefore pre-Norse. Swarthmoor is so named before Martin Schwartz, though the origin of the name is only a guess.

P. 37. _Eathgita_, Roger of Wendover, 925.

P. 41. _Athelstan._ William of Malmesbury describes him (II. 6). In this “saga” the Norse form is used instead of Æthelstan, as Sigtrygg for Sihtric, &c. Eadward, however, and Eadmund correspond to the Norse Jatvard, Jatmund.

P. 52. _Donal_, Donevaldus, d. 908, was the last king of Strathclyde claiming Roman descent (Skene, Celtic Scotland, I. p. 346.)

P. 53. _City of Helvellyn_, Wythburn. The cyclopean wall of this “wide-borran” is now partly submerged. One section of it is taken to be the remains of a circle by the Rev. S. Barber, “Beneath Helvellyn’s Shade.”

P. 55. _Picts of Galloway_, read “Gaels of Scotland,” if the view be taken that all Picts were Ivernian.

P. 55-60. _Dacor_, Dacre, so spelt (Bede, Ecc. Hist. IV. 32,) to disconnect the name from the false etymology D’Acre. The Rev. Canon Mathews and the Rev. W. S. Calverley, F.S.A., (Trans. C. & W. Antiq. Soc., Vol. XI. Art. 18,) are followed as to the origin of the Dacre stone. The place of meeting, Emont, is a well-known _crux_. The initial is from an original sketch, with the plait down the edge of the stone turned into the curve of the D. Prof. George Stephens (Northern Mythology, S. 13,) considers that the Hart symbolizes Christ. The dedication of the church points to Wilfrith as founder.

P. 59. _Peaceful settlement of Northmen_, see the Rev. T. Ellwood (Landnámabók, pp. iii, iv). The law of Athelstan is given in Wilkin’s Leges A.-S., quoted by Baines (Lancashire, I. p. 52).

P. 64. _Signy and Sigmund_, Völsunga Saga, 7.

P. 69. _Anglo-cymric Score_, Rev. T. Ellwood (Trans. Cumb. Assoc. VIII. p. 97.)

P. 72. _Thingstead at Fellfoot_, Thingvöllr on map, p. 50; described by Mr. H. S. Cowper (Trans. C. & W. Antiq. Soc., XI. p. 1).

_Guthferth’s invasion_: A.-S. Chron. and Wendover, 927; Skene, Celtic Scotland, I. p. 251. William of Malmesbury, II. 6, makes him G. Sigtryggson, but Guthferth O’Ivar was then king of Dublin (Ulster Annals).

P. 74. _Olaf Cuaran’s marriage_, Florence, 938. It may have been brought about by the invasion of Scotland mentioned under 931 in a fragment of Irish annals (Chron. P. & S. p. 407).

P. 76. _Iceland Althing_ founded 929 or 930 (Landn.)

P. 79. _Ravaging of Scotland_, A.-S. Chron. and Wendover, 933; Florence, 934.

P. 92. _Heathwaite Settlement_, described by Mr. H. S. Cowper (Ancient Settlements, &c., of Furness). He does not, however, accept the beehive hut, which I think I see in one of the cairns: nor is he responsible for the notion that the place was inhabited in the 10th century. The legend—though legends are not evidence—suggests that it was inhabited down to times of which local memory takes notice, _i.e._, to the colonization of the neighbourhood by the ancestors of present inhabitants. And the fell-folk of Heathwaite could not have been kin to their neighbours in the dales, or they would not have been looked on as giants. The Rev. F. Evans, of Ulverston, found calcined bones in the “Giant’s Grave,” from which Dr. Barber (Furness and Cartmel Notes, p. 35,) thinks that it was a Viking interment. And yet there must have been Gaels, as well as Cymry, in the district, especially in the wilder parts, as shewn by a few Gaelic names; and these Caledonian Gaels seem to have been distinguished by their tallness and their red hair, like Ironhook in Kingsley’s “Hereward.”

P. 112. _The Brough_, Borch, Borg, at Broughton, possibly an early fortress.

P. 113. _Confederation_ of Dublin Danes, Scots and Cumbrians, 937, leading up to Brunanburh.

P. 119. _Armboth Settlement_ has been previously mentioned by Mr. W. Wilson (Trans. Cumb. and West. Assoc., IX. p. 62). These rectangular buildings, similar to others in the district, generally near Roman roads, connected with cairns, and in this case with a British fort; certainly not sheep-folds nor peat-sheds, seem to be post-Roman, and may have been inhabited at this time by “poor-folk,” Armings; whence perhaps the name Armboth.

P. 126. _Domhnaill_, so spelt to distinguish him from previous Donals, is called by Roger of Wendover Dummail, and in local tradition Dunmail. The legend is that he loved a “fairy” in the Thirlmere valley; exchanged his torque for her ring; deserted her for a beautiful captive; and was led to destruction by her vengeance. He was, historically, king from about 937 to 945 or 946, when Eadmund defeated him and put out his sons’ eyes (Wendover, 946). He seems to have regained some portion of his power, perhaps as sub-king to Malcolm or leader of Gall-gaedhil in Demetia (Pembrokeshire.) He may be the Donvald, father of Andarch in 971 (Skene, Celt. Scot. I. p. 367) and the Dufnall of Florence (corruptly Dusual in Wendover) who was one of the Celtic kings at Chester in 973. St. Cadroe visited him before his fall (Vita St. C. in Chron. Picts and Scots, p. 116,) and he died on pilgrimage to Rome 975 (Ulster Annals, and Annals of Tighernac).

P. 127. _Mineralogy_ of Cockrigg gill. Of the Armboth and Helvellyn dyke, Mr. Clifton Ward (Geol. of the Northern Lakes, p. 34) says: “In a dull red felspathic base are numerous crystals of pink felspar and quartz, together with sparsely scattered green mica, and some of the same soft, steatitic-looking mineral as in the St. John’s quartz felsite.” He mentions (p. 103) how this dyke creates “doors” or chasms.

P. 131. _The mysterious fire_, immense and yet unconsuming, is one of the forms of the well-known Dalehead “Boggle”; like other such appearances, a piece of widespread folklore, localized at this point, which is rich in ghosts.

P. 141. _Birches._ Where heather is, birches grew, and the roots are visible. The rolling forms of Kirkfell etc., are remarkable from Ullscarf, as are the monstrous shapes of boulders and hummocks near Bleatarn. But the blue railings of the Manchester Corporation boundary discount the romance, unless you get very tired and hungry, and meet a thunderstorm.

P. 162. _Fox and Geese._ I have taken some liberty with the pieces in the picture. The “fox-game” was played with 12 lambs and a fox (Magnússon’s Note to Grettis Saga, 70). The pieces were, however, carved as animals: see figures in Du Chaillu’s Viking Age, II. p. 354, and elsewhere.

P. 183. _Orkney dynasty_: Orkneyinga Saga. I.

P. 184. _Thora’s connections_: Combining the above with Eyrb. (Magnússon’s Genealogy,) we get the pedigree opposite.

P. 186. _Hakon the good._ For his life and character see Heimskringla, Hakon, 6, 11, 15-18, 32.

P. 191. _Bishop Aelfheah_ or Elphege the Bald, a relative of Dunstan, bishop of Winchester 935-951 (Florence). Roger of Wendover gives legendary details.

P. 192. _Eric at York_ has been thought unhistorical; but mention of the fact is given by such independent witnesses as A.-S. Chron. 948; Florence, 949; Symeon of Durham, Hist. Reg. 948; and Hist. Cont. sub. ann. 1072; Roger of Wendover, 950; Heimskringla, Hakon, 3; Egils Saga, 72; Life of St. Cadroe (Chron. P. and S. p. 116).

P. 214. _Eadmund and Eric_: Hakon, 4. Invasion of Olaf, A.-S. Chron. and Florence 941; and Symeon 940; from whose accounts it is clear that Wendover is wrong in making the leader on this occasion to be Olaf Cuaran. For the road by which the invasion was made see Skene, Celt. Scot. I. p. 361.

P. 216. _Athacliath_, the Celtic name, which Domhnaill would use, for Dublin.

P. 225. _Doordoom_, hence the dialect _durdom_, uproar. The regulations mentioned are given by Magnússon. Note to Eredweller’s Story, p. 275. _Whittlegate_, “knife-road,” free play to one’s knife; and (p. 243) _addle w._ “to earn board,” from ödhlaz, to earn. _Hold up_, to clear; _cf._ “das Wetter hellt sich auf.”

P. 230. _Hundred of silver_, _i.e._, 120 ells of cloth paid in silver; about £4 10s. in our money, but worth much more where coin was scarce (Dasent, Burnt Njál, Appendix).

P. 244. _Abbot of York._ The dignitary now called “Dean” was styled Abbas (Raine, York, p. 166).

P. 247. _Death of Olaf_, Symeon and Wendover, 941.

P. 249. _Marriage of Olaf_, Wendover, 940.

P. 252. _St. Peter’s_, Raine, York, p. 187.

P. 253. _Aelberht’s minster_, built 8th century after a fire; restored after the capture by the Danes (Raine, York, p. 148).

P. 260. _Peel Island._ The traces of building marked on the map have been partly excavated by the present writer, but it would be premature to offer any definite opinion on their age. The place seems to have been fortified.

P. 288. _The Host of Weird._ A spectre army, as described in the story, was seen on Helvellyn on the eve of the Battle of Marston Moor. On Midsummer Eve, 1735, and again on Midsummer Eve, 1737 and 1745, similar effects were seen on Souter Fell, to the immediate north of the Helvellyn range. In the last case some of the rebel forces were exercising on the Scotch coast, and it was explained by the _Lonsdale Magazine_ that the movements of the troops had been reflected “by some transparent vapour similar to the _fata morgana_,” (Survey of the Lake District, Miss Harriet Martineau, in Whellan’s Cumberland and Westmorland). In our story, Eadmund’s advance on Threlkeld sufficiently accounts for the mirage.

P. 291. _Eadmund_, “with the aid of Leoling, king of South Wales, ravaged the whole of Cumberland and put out the eyes of the two sons of Dummail, king of that province. He then granted that kingdom to Malcolm, king of the Scots, to hold of himself, with a view to defend the northern parts of England from hostile invasions by sea and land,” Wendover, 946: the A.-S. chron. and Florence make it 945: Welsh annals give 944 and 946. All suggest that the whole business was a punitive expedition to clear the north-western coast of Viking settlers, and to provide against attack from that quarter in future. That it was unsuccessful is seen from the fact that a similar invasion was made 55 years later. In 924 the _Northmen_ swore to Eadward; in 945 their settlements were the object of Eadmund’s attack; in 1000 they were again attacked by Ethelred. These are the points at which the Norse settlement of the Lake district comes into contact with general English history, and is corroborated by it. The third point is accepted by Mr. Freeman and others; the first two I think worth consideration.

P. 303. _Eadmund’s death_, St. Augustine’s Day, May 26, 946, at the hands of Leof the robber. In a saga, the hero must be avenged before the story comes to a close.

P. 304. _Penalties of Wythburn_, the bye-laws of an ancient parish parliament held at the Steading Stone: penalties for turning out too many sheep on the fell, allowing horses and cattle to stray, defiling the beck, &c. “A copy of this document is at present (1883) in the possession of Mr. Graves, ex-Mayor of Manchester,” (Mr. W. Wilson, Trans. C. & W. Assoc. IX. p. 64).

_The Redheads._ Throughout the Middle Ages the villages of High Furness were inhabited by clans, as in Scotland. Records show that in Henry VIII.’s time at Nibthwaite all were Redheads (West, Antiq. of Furness, Ed. 1822, p. 32).

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