THE JOURNEY OF EARL HAKON TO THE SOUTH.
AFTER the murder of Earl Magnus, Hákon, Paul’s son, took possession of
all the Orkneys, and exacted an oath of fealty from all men, and took
submission from those who had served Earl Magnus. He became a great
chief, and made heavy exactions from those of Earl Magnus’s friends who
in his opinion had taken part against him.
Some winters after this he prepared to leave the country, and went to
Rome. Then he also went to Jerusalem, according to the custom of the
palmers, and brought away sacred relics, and bathed in the river Jordan.
After that he returned to his dominions, and resumed the government of
the Orkneys. He became a good ruler, and established peace throughout
his dominions; he also made new laws for the Orkneys, which the
landowners liked better than the former ones. Then he became so popular
that the Orkneymen desired no other rulers than Hákon and his issue.