WILLIAM OF MALMESBURY,

A.D., 1125.

A.D.1066., TO Magnus in Norway, succeeded one Sweyn, surnamed Hardhand ; not elevated by royal descent, hut by boldness and cunning : to him Olave, the uncle of Magnus, whom they call a saint ; to Olave, Harold Harvagre the brother of Olave, who had formerly when a young man served under the emperor at Constantinople. Being at his command exposed to a lion, for having debauched a woman of quality, he strangled the huge beast by the bare vigor of his arms: He was slain in England by Harold, the son of Godwin. His Sons Olave and Magnus, divided the kingdom of their father ; but Magnus dying prematurely, Olave seized the whole. To him succeeded his son Magnus, who was lately miserably slain in Ireland, on which he had rashly made a descent. They relate that Magnus, the elder son of Harold, was, after the death of his father, compassionately sent home by Harold king of England ; and that in return for this kindness he humanely treated Harold, the son of Harold,* when he came to him after William’s victory ; that he took him with him in an expedition he made to England in the time of William the younger, when he conquered the Orkney and Mevanian islands, and meeting with Hugo, earl of Shrewsbury, put the first to flight, and the second to death. The Sons of the last Magnus, Hasten and Siward, yet reign conjointly, having divided the empire : the latter, a seemly and spirited youth, shortly since went to Jerusalem, passing through England, and performed many famous exploits against the Saracens ; more especially in the seige of Sidon, whose inhabitants raged furiously against the Christians through their connection with the Turks.

A.D. l098.—In his eleventh year, Magnus, king of Norway, with Harold, son of Harold, formerly king of England, subdued the Orkney, Mevanian, and other circumjacent islands, and was obstinately bent against England from Anglesey. But Hugh, earl of Chester, and Hugh, earl of Shrewsbury, opposed him ; and ere he could gain the land, forced him to retire. Here fell Hugh, earl of Shrewsbury, being mortally wounded from a distance by an arrow.

EX WILLELMO MALMESBIRIENSE MONACHO.

LIB. III.

A.D. 1066. SUCCESSIT MagnoinNorica Swanus quidam, Herdhand cognominatus, non de regia progenie, sed mann et caliditate provectus: illi Olavus, patruus Magni (quem sanctum ferurit): Olavo Haroldus ilarvagra, frater Olavi, qui etiam imperatori ‘Constantinopolitano dudum juvenis militaverat ; cujus jussu pro stupro illustris fœminæ leoni objectus, belluam immanem nudo lacertorum nisu suffocavit. Hic in Anglia ab Haroldo fihio Godwini cæsus. Fiii ejus, Olavus et Magnus, regnum paternumpartiti ; sed, Magno præmature mortuo, Olavus totum occupavit. Illi successjt filius Magnus, qui nuper in Hibernia, dum temere illuc appulisset, miserabiliter occisus est. Ferunt Magnum superiorem, filium Haroldi, post mortem patris ab Haroldo rege Angliæ clementer domum dimissum, illius beneficii memoria Haroldum filium Haroldi, post victoriam Wille]mi ad se venien tern, benigne tractasse ; eundemque in expeditione socium habuisse quam in Angliam tempore Willelmi junioris duxit, quando et Orchadas et Mevanias insulas sibi subjecit, et occur-rentes comites, Hugonem Cestrensem et Hugonem Salopesbirien~. sem priorem fugit, secundum interemit. Fuji ultimj Magni, iasten et Siwardus, regno adhuc diviso imperitant ; quorum pcsteri;or, adolescens speciosus et auda, non multum est quxl erosolyman per Angliam navigavit, innumera et præclara facinora contra Saracenos consummans, præsertim in obsessione Sidonis, quæ pro conscientia Turchorum immania in Christianos fremebat.

EX EODEM. LIB. iv.

A.D. l098.—Undecjmo anno rex Noricorum Magnus, cum Haroldo filio Haroldi regis quondam Angliæ, Orcadas insulas et Mevanias, et si quæ aliæ in oceano jacent, armis subegit ; jamque Angliam per Anglesiam obstinatus petebat : sed occurrerunt ci Comites, Hugo Cestrejasis, et Hugo Scrobesbiriensis ; et, antequam continentem ingrederetur, armis eum expulerunt. Cecidit ibi Hugo Scrobesbiriensis, eminus ferreo hastili perfossus.

* King of England, killed at the battle of Hastings.

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