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

250 Hijiory of the Norwegian.
the year 1164. The younger Somei led rebelled
againft Alexander the Second in the year 1248*.
He muft of courle have been eighty-lour years of
age, when he engaged in a war againft his fove-
reign, llippofing he had been born on the very day
in which his father was flain.
Another argument from which it may be con-
cluded, with great probabiHty, that the real So-
merled's party fuftained no confiderable lofs at
Renfrew, is, that the divifion of the ifles which
had fallen to the iTiare of that mighty Thane,
after his firft fea-fight with the King of Man, re-
mained after his death in the polldlion of his fon
Reginald, and of l]is pofterity for three centuries.
If Somerled's army had been totally deftroyed at
Renfrew, it may be very reafonably prefumed
that Godred^ King of Man, who had been violent-
ly difpoflelTed of thefe ifles about eight years be-
fore that event, would have laid hold of fo favoura-
ble a:i opportunity to re-annex tliem to his domi-
nions, before the Tons of Somerled could have re-
covered themfclves from the lofs they fuftained in
the battle which was fatal to their father.
It is true indeed the Chronicle of Melrofs, ano-
tlier old hifborical regifter, agrees exactly with the
account which we have in the Chronicle of Man,
of the total overthrow given to Somerled's army.
From it we learn, that " Sumerled, the petty
Y^m^o^ EragaitkeU had carried on an impious re-
bellion againll his natural lord, Malcolm King of
Scotland, during the fpace of twelve years : that
this rebel, after having colleded a numerous army
in Ireland and orher places, was, through the ven-
Scc Buchan. S: Abeicrom. in Al-jxander 11.
seance