"[19]
Such is the story, so far as Sutherland and Caithness are concerned,
of Hakon's expedition as told in his Saga, which adds that after
losing one ship in the Pentland Firth, while another was all but sunk
in the Swelchie near Stroma, he sheltered for the night in the Sound
north of Osmundwall, and finally landed again near Ragnvaldsvoe and
went to Kirkwall. Retaining twenty of his ships, he let such of the
rest of them as had not already gone home sail for Norway.
Deserted by his Jarl, the aged king found a home in the Palace of the
faithful bishop, Henry of Orkney, who, alone of all Orkney men, had
followed the fortunes of the fleet. Then King Hakon's health gradually
failed, and after laying up his ships in Scapa Flow, and seeing to the
welfare of his men, he lay down to die of a broken heart, listening as
he sank to Masses indeed, but afterwards with greater joy to the Sagas
of the Norse kings. "Near midnight" on the 15th of December "Sverri's
Saga was read through. But just as midnight was past Almighty God
called King Hakon from this world's life."
His body lay in state, first in the Palace and then in the Cathedral
of St. Magnus, where after a Solemn Mass it was temporarily buried
in the Choir, and it was removed in his flag-ship to Christ Church in
Bergen three months afterwards.
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