A Chronicle of the Kings of Man, taken out of M. Camdens Chorographie.
IN the yeere of our Lord 1066. Edward King of England, of famous me∣mory deceased, whom Harald sonne of Godwin succeeded in his kingdome; against which Harald the king of Norwaie called Harald Harfager fought a battel at Stainford bridge, where the English winning the fielde put all the Noruegians to flight: out of which flight one Godredus sirnamed Crouan (the sonne of Harald the blacke, who had before time fled out of Island) repai∣red vnto Godred sonne of Syrric, who then reigned in Man, and was right friendly and honourably enterteined by him.
In the very same yeere William the Conquerour subdued England, and Godred the sonne of Syrric, king of Man, deceased, after whom succeeded his sonne Fingal.* 1.1
In the yeere 1066. Godredus Crouan gathered a fleete of ships, and sailed vnto Man, and gi∣uing battell vnto the people of the countrey, was vanquished and put to flight. The second time also hauing gathered his armie and ships together, hee came vnto Man, fought with the inhabi∣tants, lost the victorie, and was chaced away. Yea, the third time he assembled a great multitude, and comming by night vnto the port which is called Ramsa, hid 300. of his men in a wood stan∣ding vpon the side of the hill called Scacasel. The Sunne was no sooner vp, but the Mannians arranged themselues and with great furie set vpon Godred. And in the midst of the skirmish, the foresaid 300. men rising out of their ambush, and comming vpon the backes of the Mannians, mo∣lested them so sore, that they were enforced to flie. But when they saw yt they were ouercome and had no place of refuge to retire vnto (for the tide of the sea had filled the chanel of the riuer of Ram∣sa) and seeing the enemie so fiercely pursuing them on the other side, they which remained, with la∣mentable outcries beseeched Godred to spare their liues. Then hee being mooued with compas∣sion, and pitying their extreme calamitie, because hee had bene of late sustained and nourished a∣mong them, sounded a retreat and for••ad his souldiers to make any longer pursuit. The day fol∣lowing Godred put his souldiers to their choice, whether they would diuide Man among them∣selues and inhabite it, or whether they would take the wealth of the countrey, and so returne vnto their owne home. Howbeit, it pleased them better to waste the whole Island and to enrich them∣selues with the commodities thereof, and so to returne from whence they came. Nowe Godred himselfe with a fewe Islanders which had remained with him, tooke possession of the South part of the Island, and vnto the remnant of the Man••ians he granted the North part thereof, vpon con∣dition, that none of them should at any time afterward dare once to chalenge any parcell of the said ground by title of inheritance. Whereupon it commeth to passe, that vnto this day the whole Island is the kings owne Fee-simple, and that all the reuenues thereof pertaine vnto him. Also Godredus subdued Dublin vnto himselfe & a great part of Lainestir. And he so tamed the Scots, that none of them durst build a ship or a boate,* 1.2 with aboue three yron nailes in it. Hee reigned 16. yeeres and died in the Island called Yle. He left behinde him three sonnes, Lagman, Harald, and Olauus. Lagman being the eldest chalenged the kingdome and reigned seuen yeeres. Howbeit Harald his brother rebelled against him a long time, but being at length taken by Lagman, hee was gelt and had his eyes put out. Afterward Lagman repenting him that he had put out the eyes of his brother, did of his owne accord relinquish his kingdome, and taking vpon him the badge of the crosse, he went on pilgrimage to Ierusalem, in which iourney also he died.
In the yeere 1075. all the principall men of the Islands hauing intelligence of the death of Lagman, sent messengers vnto Murecardus O-Brien King of Irland, requesting him that hee would send some wel-disposed person of his owne kinred and blood royall, vntill Olauus sonne of