53 6 ANNALS OF BOGEB DE HOTEDEN. A.D. 1180, kingdom might gain its liberty, so shall we use our best endeavours that it may return to its former state of subjection." The king of Scotland, however, being in nowise willing to obey the Apostolic mandates, expelled the said John, bishop of Saint Andrew's, and Matthew, bishop of Aberdeen, his uncle, from his kingdom. Accordingly, Roger, archbishop of York, and Hugh, bishop of Durham, and Alexis, the legate of the Apostolic See, in obedience to the mandate of the Supreme Pontiff, pronounced sentence of excommunication against the person of the king of Scotland, and laid his kingdom under interdict. In the same year, a certain priest, Swerre Birkebain by name, commenced a war with Magnus, king of Norway. Now the foBowing were the grounds of the claims which the before-named Swerre made against the said Magnus, relative to the kingdom of Norway. Siward and Magnus were brothers. Siward was king of Norway ; and Magnus, his brother, crossed over to Ireland and gained the greater part of it by arms ; he was the father of Harold, and was shortly after, slain by the Irish. The said Harold, after the death of his father, passed over into Norway, to his uncle, king Siward, and demanded of him a part of that kingdom, on which he gave him that part of the kingdom which belonged to his father of right. Now king Siward had a son, whom he named Magnus, and a daughter called Christiana, and whom he gave in marriage to earl Herling, who by her became the father of a son, whom he named Magnus. On the death of earl Herling, his son Magnus succeeded him in the earldom ; and shortly after, a serious disagreement arising between him6 0 and Harold, the said Harold took him prisoner in battle, and blinded him and deprived him of his virility, and hanged Beginald of Bergen. Magnus, after losing his sight, became a monk, and Harold, having obtained the whole kingdom of Norway, became the father of four sons, namely, Ingo, who was legitimate, and Siward, Augustin, and Magnus, who were illegitimate and by different mothers. A certain clerk, Siward by name, insidiously slew the before-named king Harold by night, and after his death, taking the before-named Magnus, 6 0 It will appear in the sequel that this is a mistake ; it was probably Macaus, the son of Siward, and uncle of this Magnus, who was slain by Harold.