Thorfin Sigurdson was five years old when Earl Sigurd fell.When the Scottish king heard of the earl's death he gave his relation Thorfin Caithness and Sutherland, with the title of earl, and appointed good men to rule the land for him.Earl Thorfin was ripe in all ways as soon as he was grown up: he was stout and strong, but ugly; and as soon as he was a grown man it was easy to see that he was a severe and cruel but a very clever man.So says Arnor, the earls' skald: --"Under the rim of heaven no other, So young in years as Einar's brother, In battle had a braver hand, Or stouter, to defend the land."ENDNOTES:
(1) Hausakljufer -- the splitter of skulls.-- L.
(2) Brian's battle is supposed to have taken place on the 23rd April 1014, at Clontart, near Dublin; and is known in Irish history as the battle of Clontarf, and was one of the bloodiest of the age.It was fought between a viking called Sigtryg and Brian king of Munster, who gained the victory, but lost his life.-- L.
100.OF THE EARLS EINAR AND BRUSE.
The brothers Einar and Bruse were very unlike in disposition.
Bruse was a soft-minded, peaceable man, -- sociable, eloquent, and of good understanding.Einar was obstinate, taciturn, and dull; but ambitious, greedy of money, and withal a great warrior.
Sumarlide, the eldest of the brothers, was in disposition like Bruse, and lived not long, but died in his bed.After his death Thorfin claimed his share of the Orkney Islands.Einar replied, that Thorfin had the dominions which their father Sigurd had possessed, namely, Caithness and Sutherland, which he insisted were much larger than a third part of Orkney; therefore he would not consent to Thorfin's having any share.Bruse, on the other hand, was willing, he said, to divide with him."I do not-desire," he said, "more than the third part of the land, and which of right belongs to me." Then Einar took possession of two parts of the country, by which he became a powerful man, surrounded by many followers.He was often in summer out on marauding expeditions, and called out great numbers of the people to join him; but it went always unpleasantly with the division of the booty made on his viking cruises.Then the bondes grew weary of all these burdens; but Earl Einar held fast by them with severity, calling in all services laid upon the people, and allowing no opposition from any man; for he was excessively proud and overbearing.And now there came dearth and scarcity in his lands, in consequence of the services and money outlay exacted from the bondes; while in the part of the country belonging to Bruse there were peace and plenty, and therefore he was the best beloved by the bondes.
101.OF THORKEL AMUNDASON.
There was a rich and powerful man who was called Amunde, who dwelt in Hrossey at Sandvik, in Hlaupandanes.His son, called Thorkel, was one of the ablest men in the islands.Amunde was a man of the best understanding, and most respected in Orkney.One spring Earl Einar proclaimed a levy for an expedition, as usual.
The bondes murmured greatly against it, and applied to Amunde with the entreaty that he would intercede with the earl for them.
He replied, that the earl was not a man who would listen to other people, and insisted that it was of no use to make any entreaty to the earl about it."As things now stand, there is a good understanding between me and the earl; but, in my opinion, there would be much danger of our quarrelling, on account of our different dispositions and views on both sides; therefore I will have nothing to do with it." They then applied to Thorkel, who was also very loath to interfere, but promised at last to do so, in consequence of the great entreaty of the people.Amunde thought he had given his promise too hastily.Now when the earl held a Thing, Thorkel spoke on account of the people, and entreated the earl to spare the people from such heavy burdens, recounting their necessitous condition.The earl replies favourably, saying that he would take Thorkel's advice."I had intended to go out from the country with six ships, but now Iwill only take three with me; but thou must not come again, Thorkel, with any such request." The bondes thanked Thorkel for his assistance, and the earl set out on a viking cruise, and came back in autumn.The spring after, the earl made the same levy as usual, and held a Thing with the bondes.Then Thorkel again made a speech, in which he entreated the earl to spare the people.
The earl now was angry, and said the lot of the bondes should be made worse in consequence of his intercession; and worked himself up into such a rage, that he vowed they should not both come next spring to the Thing in a whole skin.Then the Thing was closed.
When Amunde heard what the earl and Thorkel had said at the Thing, he told Thorkel to leave the country, and he went over to Caithness to Earl Thorfin.Thorkel was afterwards a long time there, and brought up the earl in his youth, and was on that account called Thorkel the Fosterer; and he became a very celebrated man.
102.THE AGREEMENT OF THE EARLS.
There were many powerful men who fled from their udal properties in Orkney on account of Earl Einar's violence, and the most fled over to Caithness to Earl Thorfin: but some fled from the Orkney Islands to Norway, and some to other countries.When Earl Thorfin was grown up he sent a message to his brother Einar, and demanded the part of the dominion which he thought belonged to him in Orkney; namely, a third of the islands.Einar was nowise inclined to diminish his possessions.When Thorfin found this he collected a warforce in Caithness, and proceeded to the islands.
