Family records of the Bruces and the Cumyns

io OUR EARLY KINGS.
Malcolm I. Cumberland having ceased to be under the dominion of the Scot-
tish kings, Kenneth invaded it andxarried off a captain of high rank called the
son of the Saxon king ; but this could scarcely have been the son of Edgar, who
then reigned over all England, for he, dying some years after, left only an infant
son, Edward, who was murdered soon after by the mother of" Ethelred," his half-
uncle. It is therefore likely that it was the son of the so-called " King of Cum-
bria," as the English chronicles assert that Kenneth afterwards did homage to
Edgar for Cumberland and Westmoreland. He also defeated the Danes, who
landed in great force near Montrose, and penetrated as far as Bertha or Perth ;
but Kenneth drew together a large army, and routed them at Luncarty.
(Tradition says, by aid of the " Hays," a father and two sons, who turned the
tide of the battle, fighting with the oxen yokes with which they had been
ploughing.)
About this time the jarls of Orkney appear upon the stage of Scottish
politics. The brothers " Liot and Skule," under the influence of Eric Bloody-
axe's wicked daughter Ragnhilda, contended for the possessions of their
father, Torphin Haussakliffer, and of their grandfather, Dungal Earl of Caith-
ness ; and Skule sought and obtained the aid of Kenneth (see Jarls of Orkney).
Peace being restored, the king next applied himself to settling the succession
to the crown in favour of his own posterity, of whatever age, instead of the law
of tanistry, which had until then prevailed ; the nearest heir who was of age,
and fit to govern, having till then seized and kept the crown through life.
Kenneth married a daughter of William Long-epee, Duke of Normandy, by
whom he had Malcolm II. and Dunclina, who married Kenneth, Thane of
Lochaber, and was mother of Bancho.
985. Iona was laid waste by the Danes, who killed the abbot and fifteen monks.
Christ- j t was res tored within the next century.
Kenneth was assassinated at Fettercairn by the Lady Fenella, whose son he
caused to be put to death. The tradition is that an infernal machine was used
to accomplish her purpose. A statue, supposed to be raised in honour of the
king's visit, was made to present him with an apple, which, when he took it,
made the machine explode, and killed him. Fenella was executed for the
crime. Near Fasque there is a ruin which bears the name of Fenella's Castle.
" Strathfenella " and " Denfenella " are also called after her. Fenella was the
daughter of Cruchne, Earl of Angus, and some writers say that he was killed
by Fenella's son, which was the cause of his condemnation by the king, and of
the murder of the king by Fenella ; whilst others assert that Kenneth, having
abrogated the law of tanistry, and fixed the succession upon children of what-
mas eve.
994