The Earl became silent, and considered her case, as she prayed so meekly, and with tears, that her son might be brought to church. He looked upon her, and the tears fell, and he said, “Bury your son where it pleases you.”

Then the Earl’s body was brought to Hrossey, and buried at Christ’s Kirk (in Birsay), which had been built by Earl Thorfinn.

CHAPTER LXII
THE MIRACLE-WORKING OF MAGNUS THE MARTYR.

Soon after this a heavenly light was seen above his burial-place. Then men who were placed in danger began to pray to him, and their prayers were heard. A heavenly odour was frequently perceived above his burial-place, from which people suffering from illness received health. Then sufferers made pilgrimages thither both from the Orkneys and Hjaltland, and kept vigils at his grave, and were cured of all their sufferings.[[303]] But people dared not make this known while Earl Hákon was alive.

It is said of the men who were most guilty in the murder of the holy Earl Magnus that most of them met with a miserable death.

CHAPTER XLIII
THE MIRACLES WROUGHT BY THE BLESSED FRIEND OF GOD, MAGNUS.

William was Bishop of the Orkneys at this time. He was the first bishop there. The bishop’s seat was at Christ’s Kirk in Birgishérad (Birsay). William was bishop for six winters of the seventh decade.[[304]] For a long time he disbelieved in the sanctity of Earl Magnus, until his merits became manifest to such a degree that God made his holiness grow the more conspicuous the more it was tried, as is told in the book of his miracles.

CHAPTER XLIV
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.