Earl of Orkney

“ Overlooking the sea, in the extreme north-west of the Mainland, stand the ruins of the Palace of Birsay, erected by Robert Stewart, Earl of Orkney, about 1580, on the site of an old palace of the Norse Jarls. Less elaborate in design, and in a worse state of preservation than the building erected by his son, Earl Robert’s palace is sufficiently commodious and noble of outline to make one marvel at the passionate taste for fine buildings of a race which required two such imposing structures in two successive generations. ”

“ Clair. In 1396 a deed was executed at Roslin by John de Drummond of Cargyll, and Elizabeth, his wife, in favour of Henry, Earl of Orkney, Lord Roslyn, “patri nostro,” by which they renounce in favour of the earl’s male issue, and for them and their heirs, all claims to the earl’s lands “infra regnum Norvagie.” [97]
The Diploma states that after the death of the first Henry St. Clair, his mother, the daughter of Malise, [98] came to Orkney, and, outliving all her sisters and all their sons and daughters, became the only heiress of the earldom. ”

“ Martin's, Ludgate, on 25 Nov. 1695, and Hamilton was on 6 Jan. 1695–6 created Earl of Orkney. During Anne's reign Lady Orkney was a wise counsellor to her husband. Swift termed her the wisest woman he ever knew, and she was frequently consulted by Harley during the crisis of 1709–1710. ”

“ But if Kenneth did not add permanently to his kingdom on the south, we find that the districts beyond the Spey, on the north, had again fallen under the dominion of the Norwegian earl of Orkney. The earl who ruled at this time was Sigurd ‘the Stout.’ He was the son of Hlodver, the previous earl of Orkney, whose father Thorfinn, called the ‘Skull-cleaver,’ was the son of Earl Einar, and by his marriage with Grelauga, daughter of Dungadr or Duncan, the jarl of Caithness, had brought that district to the Norwegian earls of Orkney. ”

“ The most interesting room in the Earl's castle is the banqueting-hall, which had a high roof or ceiling and was lighted on the south by three tall but narrow arched windows. On one side is a huge fireplace with two arches, the lower one flat. Supporting this curious combination are two pillars, on which are carved the initials P.E.O., meaning Patrick, Earl of Orkney, the letters being still legible. In this room Cleveland is supposed to have met Jack Bunce upon his return to Kirkwall. ”

“ The castle of Kirkwall was built by the St Clairs, while Earls of Orkney. It was dismantled by the Earl of Caithness about 1615, having been garrisoned against the government by Robert Stewart, natural son to the Earl of Orkney. ”

“ George, Earl of Caithness, was one of the most unruly spirits of his age. The almost uncontrolled power which he possessed in his own remote country, was generally employed by him in advancing base and selfish purposes, and half his life was passed in a state of outlawry. Sometimes he is found at war with the Sutherland family, sometimes with his neighbours the Mackays of Strathnaver. One year, he is proclaimed a rebel; the next, he is found honoured with a royal commission against some other rebel. (See the account of the case of the Earl of Orkney in 1615.) ”

“ On the death of Malise, or shortly thereafter, Erngisl Suneson claimed his wife’s share of the earldom. In the year 1353 we find him executing a deed on the 10th April as plain Erngisl Suneson, and on the 6th May thereafter his signature appears to a document drawn up at Vagahuus concerning the queen’s dowry, occupying the foremost place among the nobles of Norway, and with the title of Earl of Orkney. ”

“ She took no notice of that, but said abruptly—
"How did you leave the King?"
"As much at ease as a man in his position could be," said the Earl grimly.
Lady Orkney did not look at Portland, but rather absently down the room.
"He must be fairly weary of it all," she replied. "Do you think," she added rather sharply, "he hath recovered from the death of the Queen?"
"No, madam, nor will he ever," said my lord sternly.
"How you dislike me!" cried Lady Orkney softly. ”

“ John Duke of Argyle and the Earl of Stair were at this time young men in the army; and being determined that the inconsiderate officers should not be thus ruined by the artifices of Charteris, they applied to the Earl of Orkney, who was also in the army then quartered at Brussels, representing the destruction that must ensue to young men serving in the army, if Charteris were permitted to continue the line, of conduct which he had adopted unchecked. ”

“ She had been some years married to George Hamilton, a soldier who had distinguished himself by his courage in Ireland and Flanders, and who probably held the courtier like doctrine that a lady is not dishonoured by having been the paramour of a king. William was well pleased with the marriage, bestowed on the wife a portion of the old Crown property in Ireland, and created the husband a peer of Scotland by the title of Earl of Orkney. Assuredly William would not have raised his character by abandoning to poverty a woman whom he had loved, though with a criminal love. ”

“ Seyton, Fleming, Huntley, to your leadings, and advance! ourselves will see the tourney.”
“Your grace forgets,” replied the experienced leader to whom she first addressed herself, “your grace forgets that not one dastard of this fair army, as it shows upon this ground of vantage, will advance one lance’s length against the foe. Some scores there are, in truth, followers oft tried and ever-faithful of mine own, and some if I mistake not of the earl of Orkney, who will fight well when shaft and steel-point hold together; but ’twere but butchery to lead the rugged vassals upon certain death! ”

“ This would show that the Codex Flateyensis was the most valuable manuscript of the work published under the name of the Orkneyinga Saga, of which its editor, Jonas Jonæus, in his introductory address to the reader, says its author and age are equally unknown: "auctor incertus incerto æque tempore scripsit." The Orkneyinga Saga concludes with the burning of Adam Bishop, of Caithness, by the mob at Thurso while John was Earl of Orkney, and according to Dalrymple's Annals in A.D. 1222 ”

“ Mr. Skene adds the Earl of Orkney and the Boy of Egremont on the authority of Wynton and the Orkneyinga Saga, but I can find no mention of either. The Saga only says that all the Scots wished to have for their king William Odlingr—the Atheling—son of William Fitz Duncan, alluding most probably to the repeated attempts, in the succeeding reign, of Donald MacWilliam, generally known as “Mac William,” and sometimes called “William” in Ben. ”

“ Jatvor, 47, 74, 110. Jellinge in Denmark, cv. Jerusalem (Jórsalaheim) , 59, 68, 71, 128, 130, 134, 147, 154. Jofreyr, Bishop of Orkney, lxxv. John, Bishop of Athole, 113. " " of Caithness, xliii, lxxx, 196, 197, 200. " " of Orkney, lxxviii. " Earl of Orkney, xlix, lv. " of Courcy, xlii. 220John Comnenus, Emperor, 150. " Hallkell’s son, 199. " son of Harald Maddadson, Earl, xliv, 199. " Earl of Sutherland, lxxxiii. " Pétrsson (Fót) , 76-83, 98, 105, 128, 131, 139, 144, 149. " Vœng, 74, 105, 170, 174, 176, 177. Jórfiara; see Orfjara. Jordan, 68, 147, 148. Jorsala-farers, xxxvi, ciii, cv. ”

“ Earl Patrick succeeded to a fair inheritance, however heavily the malison of a plundered people might lie upon his father’s soul. Within the bounds of Orkney and Zetland the King was a name and not a power. As Justiciar and Admiral, Donatary of the Crown Duties, Skatts, Males, and Grassums, Tolls and Customs, Feuar of the Earldom, and Commendator of the Bishopric, the Earl was master of all by land or sea. ”

“ The Gaelic bòrlum, royal castle lands, borlanachd, compul [17] sory labour for a landlord, must also come from the same source.
Boardland in Orkney is, therefore, a translation of Old Norse veizlu-jörð, land granted in fief for military service and for the entertainment of the superior when on circuit. In accordance with the Hirðskrá of king Magnús Hákonsson, the earl, while prohibited from disposing of the earldom lands, was permitted to grant earldom lands at veita or at veizlu, i.e., in return for military service and entertainment. ”

“ We next meet him on the occasion which alone is enough to make him a conspicuous person in history. On 15 May 1567 Mary was married to James Hepburn, earl of Bothwell, who on 12 May had been created duke of Orkney. The banns had been proclaimed, much against his will, by John Craig, minister of Edinburgh. The marriage was celebrated, after the protestant form, by the Bishop of Orkney, in the council chamber at Holyrood House. Calderwood says that ‘the Bishop of Orkney, at the marriage, made a declaratioun of the Erle of Bothwell his repentance for his former offensive life ”

“ At the same time, as this passage shows that Earl Harald had a hird-priest named Laurentius, it is not improbable that the so-called Orkney abbot, who was made abbot of Melrose, may also have been Harald’s family or court priest. Being himself the son of a Scottish earl, and allied by marriage first with the family of the Earl of Fife, and subsequently with the MacHeths, and having, moreover, such close relations with the abbey of Scone, it is not unlikely that he may have had Scottish priests about his family in preference to those of Norwegian extraction. ”

“ Nothing remains of the old castle, a fortress of remarkable strength founded by Sir Henry Sinclair (d. 1400) , earl and prince of Orkney and 1st earl of Caithness, its last vestiges having been demolished in 1865 to provide better access to the harbour; and the earthwork to the east of the town thrown up by the Cromwellians has been converted into a battery of the Orkney Artillery Volunteers. Adjoining the cathedral are the ruins of the bishop’s palace, in which King Haco died after his defeat at Largs in 1263. ”

“ The guide informed us that it was founded in 1446 by William St. Clair, who also built the castle, in which he resided in princely splendour. He must have been a person of very great importance, for he had titles enough even to weary a Spaniard, being Prince of Orkney, Duke of Oldenburg, Earl of Caithness and Stratherne, Lord St. Clair, Lord Liddlesdale, Lord Admiral of the Scottish Seas, Lord Chief Justice of Scotland, Lord Warden of the three Marches, Baron of Roslin, Knight of the Cockle, and High Chancellor, Chamberlain, and Lieutenant of Scotland! ”

“ The Tack of Bishop Tulloch lasted for seven years, followed by six of similarly irresponsible Episcopal rule under Bishop Andrew, the presentee of John of Denmark and probably a Scandinavian. The appointment of Henry Lord Sinclair as Tacksman of the Crown-lands in Orkney (1485) and the recognition of Sir David Sinclair as the Danish representative and Fowd of Zetland (1491) , gave xliihope of better times. After the tyranny of strangers, the Orkneyans were prepared to rejoice in the return of kindred rulers, and Sir David was the son and Lord Henry the grandson of their last Earl William. ”

“ P. C. Scotl. viii. 531) . Finally, on 27 Dec. 1608, Orkney was charged to appear before the council (ib. p. 214) , and, having been denounced on 2 March 1609 for not appearing (ib. p. 255) , did at last come to Edinburgh, when on 6 June David, earl of Crawford, became surety in 20,000l. that he should keep ward in Edinburgh and the Canongate until relieved (ib. p. 292) . In 1609 he was committed to ward in the castle of Edinburgh on general evidence, the final sentence being postponed until special evidence was obtained (ib. pp. 312–13) . ”

“ Orange, Prince of. See William III. Orkney, Earl of, character of, 284. Orkney, Lady, 355. Ormonde, Duke of, succeeds Marlborough in Flanders, 46, 143; ordered to avoid fighting, 146, 150 n., 156 and n.; refuses to fight, 147; anger of the Dutch against, 147, 148; why unable to take Dunkirk, 159; deserted by the allies, 162; declares an armistice, 163; refused passage through Dutch towns, 163; takes possession of Ghent and Bruges, 164, 165; character of, 273; Burnet on, 360, 367; Addison on, 372. Ossuna, Duke d', 190. Oxford, Countess of, "cheated by her father," 274. Oxford, Earl of. ”

“ Orange, Prince of, betrothal, 249; marriage, 252. Orkney, Earl of, 118. Orkney, Lady, 37. Orrery, Prince James’s agent in London, 20. Pelham, Henry, 126. Pelham, Lady Catherine, 126. Pembroke, Lord, 236. Pitt, 326. 375Pomfret, Countess of, 69. Pomfret, Lord, 128; and Mrs. Clayton, 236. Pope, 173. Porteous, Captain, 308. Portland, Lady, 38. Potter, Dr., 356. Poyntz, 116. Pulteney, head of opposition, 48; duel with Hervey, 67; and the Prince of Wales, 327. Queensberry, Duchess of, 169. Ranby, 349. ”

“ There has not been such good times in Orkney since I was born, as there is now. We have an enemy to beat in trade and an enemy to beat in fight at our very doors, and our men are neither to hold nor to bind, they are that top-lofty. ”

“ Orkney pursued the French at the head of a large body of cavalry as far as Louvain. He commanded a force at the passage over the Dyle, and was at the siege of Menin in July 1706. On 12 Feb. 1707 Orkney was elected one of the sixteen representative peers for Scotland to sit in the first parliament of Great Britain. ”

“ In both the evil might have been checked, by opposing to the invasions of tyranny the resistance of a powerful aristocracy, of an influential middle class, or of the rival supremacy of the Church. But when the Impignoration let loose the conflict of legal systems upon Orkney, the Scandinavian Crown, by substituting primogeniture for Odal succession, had grown so strong as to absorb the powers and possessions of the Jarls, who had become the mere Lendermen or Tacksmen of the Royal revenues. ”