Family records of the Bruces and the Cumyns

206 JARLS OF ORKNEY AND EARLS OF CAITHNESS.
to Olaf, and entered into a treaty with Malcolm II., King of Scotland, whose
daughter Alice, or OlitJi, he married, by whom he had a son called Torphin Earl
of Caithness, by gift of his grandfather, and afterwards of the Orkneys also.
It appears to me, however, more than probable that this Alice was Malcolm's
granddaughter — the daughter and not the sister of Bethoc — for in one saga
it is said that Torphin was supported by " King Duncan, his mother's brother."
Alice must have been dead before Sigurt went to Ireland, as King Sitric offered
him his mother in marriage.
1014. Earl Sigurt went with a fleet and a considerable force to assist "Sitric with
the Silken Beard " in his wars with his step-father, " Brian Biorn," King of
Dublin. Before his departure he took his young son " Torphin," then in his
fifth year (the only child of Alice, who appears to have been dead), to his grand-
father the King of Scotland, and left his island possessions in charge of his three
elder sons, who were to divide that inheritance in case of his death. It would
appear that Catenes was destined to be Torphin's portion, as it probably had
been Whelp's, as Earl Sigurt certainly held it, probably from Dnngal his
maternal grandfather. — See Torphin Hausakliffer.
On Christmas-day, 1014, was fought the fatal battle of Clontarf, famous in
Irish history, in which both Sigurt and Brian were killed. Many signs and
wonders are reported to have foretold the loss of their chief in Orkney. — See
Gray Ocle., No VIII. ; as one instance, " On the Fatal Sisters, Choosers of the
Slain."
" Weaving many a soldier's doom,
Orkney's woe, and Randver's bane,
Low the dauntless earl is laid
Gored with many a gaping wound,
Fate demands a noble head,
Soon a king shall bite the ground."
Somerled, Brush, and Eynor, the three elder sons of " Sigurt Lodvinson,"
succeeded their father in his island possessions which he held from the Kino- of
Norway ; whilst upon the Torphin, then five years of age, his maternal grand-
father, Malcolm King of Scotland, conferred the counties of Catenes and the
Suderlands, with the title of earl, and sent good men with him to assist in rulin°-.
His territory extended to the Oichel river. On the death of Somerled, which
took place soon after, Earl Torphin demanded his third of the islands also.
Eynor objected that Sutherland and Caithness — which had been subject to his
father Sigurt — were much more valuable than a third of the Orkneys ; but
Brusius waived his claim, and said that he did not desire more than the third part,
which already belonged to him. Then Eynor took possession of two-thirds and
became very powerful. He often went in summer on viking expeditions, call-