Blair Collection > Critical dissertations on the origin, antiquities, language, government, manners, and religion, of the antient Caledonians, their posterity the Picts, and the British and Irish Scots

Principality of the IJles. 267
fon, Magnus, who had lately come over from
Norway, Teeing things in a much more defperate
lituation than lie expeded, and as he could not get
any new fupplies from home before the fpring lea-
lb 1, was willing to terminate the quarrel by a de-
finitive treaty of peace. There were feveral rea-
fons v/hich confirmed him in this difpofition. The
Iilanders were difaffected, and thofe on the conti-
nent of Scotland, on whofe alliftarxe his father had
laid no Imall ftrefs, had entirely abandoned his in-
tereft. Mmi had been already reduced by the
e::emy, and it was very probable that the other
illts were foon to follow the fame fate.
" Magnus was eafily determined by fo many
v/eighty confiderarions to offer a p^ace : but Alex-
ander would not hearken to any propofitions made
by the Norwegian ambafladors, till it lliould be
previouily agreed that the Ebudts fhould be ceded
to him, and annexed to his crown for ever. This
preliminary article having been at lad admitted, a
final pacification was concluded on the following
term.s : That the King of Scots lliould immediately
pay four thouland merks of filver to his brother of
Norway, as an equivalent for the Ebudes, of
which the latter miade a total renunciation, and to-
gether with -that fum, an annual tax of an hundred
merks of filver, was to be paid by Alexander, and
his fucceflors, to Magnus, and his. It was further
ftipulated, that Margaret, the daughter of the
former, fhould marry Hungonan, the fon of the
latter, as foon as their ages fhould permit *."
In this manner were tlie Weilern Illes recovered
by Alexander III. of Scotland, and upon thefe
* Buchan. Rer. Scot. Hilio lib. \'\. cap. 62, 63.
terms