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

r.jz Hi (lory of the Norwegian
Somerled in an amicable way After this agree-
ment, the ambitious thane taking advantage of his
brother-in-Jaw's unpopular adminiftraiion, and the
inteftine commotions confequent upon it, feized
on many of thofe ifles which made a part of the
Norwegian dynafty of the illes. Two fuccefsful
fca-fights eftab.ilhed the right which thcflrength of
his arms and political intrigues had given him to
that acquifition. An increafe of power To great mull
have made him the objed of public jealoufy more
than ev-er. A wife miniftry faw the necellity of
humbling a perfon already too powerful to be a
good fubjed ; and no doubt fome of the nobles of
Scotland were willing to lacrifice him to their ava-
rice. Somerled faw the danger with which he was
threatned, and took every precaution to defeat the
machinations of his enemies. He formed the bold
defign of rendering himfclf totally independent of
the crown. He had no reafon to dread much
from the magnanimity or addrefs of Malcolm ;
and accordingly having colleded a great body of
men, not only in Argyle and the illes, but likewife
in Ireland, where he had connexions, he made a
defcent on Clydefdale. The King's generals took
the fhortefl and moft effedual, though an ignomi-
nious way of ending the difpute. They bribed a
perfon from whom Somerled could have no fears,
and by his means got him aflaifmated. The rebels
difperfed immediately ; but the loyalifts were too
weak to purfue their fuccefs. They permitted the
Highlanders to retire unmo'efted, and the fons of
Somerled to divide his overgrown eftate among
themfelves.
GOD RED, King of the illes, was obliged to
yield a confidcrable divifion of his hereditary ter-
ritorjeSj