Family records of the Bruces and the Cumyns

EARL ROGNVALD B R U C E S S O N. 219
mending Harald rather to turn his arms against England, an advice he after-
wards followed.
On Torphin's return to Caithness he lived a quiet and devout life, giving up
piracy, and attending to the government and improvement of his people.
He built a church at Birsa, in Mainland, and dedicated it to Christ, and,
dying in 1064, was buried there.
By Ingiobiorge, his wife, daughter of Finn Arneson, he left two sons, " Paul
and Erlend" — after his death, joint earls of Orkney and Caithness (for their
descendants, see Appendix).
Ingiobiorge " the Earl Mother " married, secondly, Malcolm Cammore, King
of Scotland after Macbeth's death, in 1058.
Their son " Duncan," for a short time king after his father's death, is termed
a bastard by all the Romish chroniclers of the sainted Queen Margaret (who be-
came Malcolm's second wife in 1070), and her sons — but was not so considered
by those sons themselves. That Torphin and Malcolm were cousins within the
prohibited degrees, and that no dispensation had been obtained from the Pope
for this marriage, was doubtless the cause of the stigma.
Amongst the inscriptions brought to light by Mr Farrer's late excavations at
the Maes House in Orkney, is one — " Ingiobiorge, the fair, the widow."
" Many a proud woman has walked stooping here ; " or, " Many a woman has
walked stooping here, who owned great wealth."
Was the "Maes House" of Lodbrok's sons at one time the shelter of Earl
Torphin's widow ? or was its vaulted roof that one through which Torphin
made his escape with Ingiobiorge in his arms when all the other buildings were
consumed ?
Harald Hardraada, finding that he had no chance of conquering Denmark,
turned his thoughts towards England, now in a disturbed state — Harald God-
winson having, on the death of Edward the Confessor, seized the crown, and Jan. 5,
having in his possession all the treasure of the late king, whilst his brother, Earl lo(} °-
Tosti, was at the head of the army.
The latter invited Harald to assist him in conquering England — having also
gathered forces in Valland, and the Low Countries. King Harald Hardraada
then caused a levy of half the fighting-men in Norway, and put to sea with
about 200 ships. He took his queen Ellisoff, and her two daughters, Maria and
Ingigred, with him, and also his son Olaf, and left his son Magnus to be con-
secrated king should he not return. Harald sailed out into the ocean, landing
first in the Shetland Isles, and afterwards in Orkney, from whence he took a
great armed force, and the earls Paul and Erlend, the sons of the late Earl Tor-
phin ; but he left behind him there the queen and her daughters.