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Pearsall Surname Project
Number of Pearsalls By Location
Maps by Family
Surname
History and Genealogy
of the Pearsall Family in England
and America:
Volume I
Front Cover
Inside Front Cover
The Motive
Thanks
Illustrations
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Appendix I
Volume II
Volume III
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All the authorities agree that
recorded Norman history begins with Rognvald,
before that there were the Sagas which modern research have proven to be
the most accurate of all historical records.
Rognvald stands forth as
one of the great historical characters of all times, and of course there
are many stories and legends current in the north concerning him. One of
the prettiest being the story brought to light since 1873, of Earl Rognvald and the Dunrossness
man. [Publications of the Scottish Historical Society, vol. 5, page
173-175.] The word in the original Icelandic for the Dunrossness
man is bondi, the common term in the
Scandinavian north for husbandman, land-cultivator, yeoman, i.e., the
ordinary farmer of the north, who at the same time derived a portion of
his sustenance from the sea, as he still does in Iceland, Faroe, and the
Scottish Isles. The term lingered in Orkney and Shetland until
comparatively recently. In the present translation, `country man' is used
as perhaps the simplest equivalent.
It so happened
one day south in the Dunrossness sea, Dynraustness Voe, in Hjaltland, that an old and poor country man (bondi) was waiting long for his boatmen, while all
the other boats that were ready rowed off. Then came a man with a white
cowl to the old country man, and asked him why he did not row off to the
fishing as the other men did. The country man replied that his mates had
not come. "Bondi," said the man of
the cowl, "would you like me to row with you?" "That will
I," says the country man, "but I must have a share for my boat,
for I have many children (bairns) at home, and
I must work for them as much as I can." So they rowed out in front
of Dynraust-head and inside Hundholm.
There was a great stream of tide where they were, and great whirling
eddies; and they were to keep in the eddy, but to fish outside the raust, that is the Raust of
Sumburgh, still so called, a fierce tideway,
but a favorite fishing-ground. The cowl-man sat in the front of the boat
and pulled and the country man was to fish. The country man bade him take
care not to be borne into the raust; and he
said that he was quite alive to the danger. But the cowl-man did not
attend to what he said to him, and did not take care though the country
man should come into some danger. So a little after this they bore into
the raust, and the country man was much
frightened, and said, 'Miserable was I and unlucky when I took thee today
to row, for here I must die, and my folk are at home helpless and in
poverty if I am lost.' And the country man was so frightened that he wept
and feared his end was come. The cowl-man answered, 'Be cheery, man, and
don't cry, for we must find our way out of the raust
as we got into it.' Then the cowl-man rowed out of the raust, and the country man was very glad. Then they
rowed to the land, and pulled up the boat. And the country man bade the
cowl-man to go and part the fish. But the cowl-man bade the country man
part it as he liked, and said he would have no more than his third. There
were many people come to the shore, both men and women, and a number of
poor folk. The cowl-man gave to the poor men all the fish that had fallen
to his share that day, and prepared to go on his way. At that place the
way was up a cliff, and a number of women were sitting there. As he went
up the cliff he slipped his foot, for it was slippery with rain, and fell
down the cliff. A woman saw that first, and
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