The Norwegian account of Haco's expedition against Scotland, A.D. MCCLXIII

Scottish envoys offer silver for the Hebrides, but King Haco regards the islands as his inheritance. This dispute opens a Norwegian historical account of the expedition against Scotland, translated by James Johnstone with explanatory notes. Rulers of the islands must weigh competing demands for allegiance, and King John refuses to break his oath to Haco. The introduction also describes the manuscripts behind the translation, giving readers a view of how the text was assembled.

The campaign's dangers become immediate when a storm drives ships from their anchors and casts vessels onto the shore. Norwegian soldiers then face Scottish forces between a hill and the beach, while boats carry reinforcements from the fleet. Accounts of these movements alternate with verses celebrating Haco and his warriors. Readers interested in medieval warfare can examine the Norwegian view of royal claims alongside the difficulties of protecting ships and troops on a hostile coast.