P. 192. Eric at York has been thought unhistorical; but mention of the fact is given by such independent witnesses as A.-S. Chron. 948; Florence, 949; Symeon of Durham, Hist. Reg. 948; and Hist. Cont. sub. ann. 1072; Roger of Wendover, 950; Heimskringla, Hakon, 3; Egils Saga, 72; Life of St. Cadroe (Chron. P. and S. p. 116).

P. 214. Eadmund and Eric: Hakon, 4. Invasion of Olaf, A.-S. Chron. and Florence 941; and Symeon 940; from whose accounts it is clear that Wendover is wrong in making the leader on this occasion to be Olaf Cuaran. For the road by which the invasion was made see Skene, Celt. Scot. I. p. 361.

P. 216. Athacliath, the Celtic name, which Domhnaill would use, for Dublin.

P. 225. Doordoom, hence the dialect durdom, uproar. The regulations mentioned are given by Magnússon. Note to Eredweller’s Story, p. 275. Whittlegate, “knife-road,” free play to one’s knife; and (p. 243) addle w. “to earn board,” from ödhlaz, to earn. Hold up, to clear; cf. “das Wetter hellt sich auf.”

P. 230. Hundred of silver, i.e., 120 ells of cloth paid in silver; about £4 10s. in our money, but worth much more where coin was scarce (Dasent, Burnt Njál, Appendix).

P. 244. Abbot of York. The dignitary now called “Dean” was styled Abbas (Raine, York, p. 166).

P. 247. Death of Olaf, Symeon and Wendover, 941.

P. 249. Marriage of Olaf, Wendover, 940.

P. 252. St. Peter’s, Raine, York, p. 187.

P. 253. Aelberht’s minster, built 8th century after a fire; restored after the capture by the Danes (Raine, York, p. 148).

P. 260. Peel Island. The traces of building marked on the map have been partly excavated by the present writer, but it would be premature to offer any definite opinion on their age. The place seems to have been fortified.

P. 288. The Host of Weird. A spectre army, as described in the story, was seen on Helvellyn on the eve of the Battle of Marston Moor. On Midsummer Eve, 1735, and again on Midsummer Eve, 1737 and 1745, similar effects were seen on Souter Fell, to the immediate north of the Helvellyn range. In the last case some of the rebel forces were exercising on the Scotch coast, and it was explained by the Lonsdale Magazine that the movements of the troops had been reflected “by some transparent vapour similar to the fata morgana,” (Survey of the Lake District, Miss Harriet Martineau, in Whellan’s Cumberland and Westmorland). In our story, Eadmund’s advance on Threlkeld sufficiently accounts for the mirage.

P. 291. Eadmund, “with the aid of Leoling, king of South Wales, ravaged the whole of Cumberland and put out the eyes of the two sons of Dummail, king of that province. He then granted that kingdom to Malcolm, king of the Scots, to hold of himself, with a view to defend the northern parts of England from hostile invasions by sea and land,” Wendover, 946: the A.-S. chron. and Florence make it 945: Welsh annals give 944 and 946. All suggest that the whole business was a punitive expedition to clear the north-western coast of Viking settlers, and to provide against attack from that quarter in future. That it was unsuccessful is seen from the fact that a similar invasion was made 55 years later. In 924 the Northmen swore to Eadward; in 945 their settlements were the object of Eadmund’s attack; in 1000 they were again attacked by Ethelred. These are the points at which the Norse settlement of the Lake district comes into contact with general English history, and is corroborated by it. The third point is accepted by Mr. Freeman and others; the first two I think worth consideration.

P. 303. Eadmund’s death, St. Augustine’s Day, May 26, 946, at the hands of Leof the robber. In a saga, the hero must be avenged before the story comes to a close.

P. 304. Penalties of Wythburn, the bye-laws of an ancient parish parliament held at the Steading Stone: penalties for turning out too many sheep on the fell, allowing horses and cattle to stray, defiling the beck, &c. “A copy of this document is at present (1883) in the possession of Mr. Graves, ex-Mayor of Manchester,” (Mr. W. Wilson, Trans. C. & W. Assoc. IX. p. 64).

The Redheads. Throughout the Middle Ages the villages of High Furness were inhabited by clans, as in Scotland. Records show that in Henry VIII.’s time at Nibthwaite all were Redheads (West, Antiq. of Furness, Ed. 1822, p. 32).