Set in western Scotland in the sixth century, it tells the story of the defeat of an invading Norwegian army by forces loyal to Queen Hynde, advised by Columba, and of the winning of her hand by the legitimate claimant of the throne Eiden.
By James Hogg, Author of The Queen's Wake; Poetic Mirror; Pilgrims of the Sun, &c. &c. was published in London by Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, and in Edinburgh by William Blackwood.
She journeys, with her mischievous follower Wene, to Iona to seek Columba's advice, and he accompanies her back to her capital Beregon (Beregonium).
Columba is dispatched to the Norwegian king Eric and brings back news of his determination to marry Queen Hynde.
Book Third: Prince Haco, Eric's nephew and heir, professes his love to Wene, who is pretending to be Queen Hynde.
Eric proposes to sacrifice her and her virgin entourage at the instigation of his high priest, but they are rescued by a mysterious band of clansmen.
A messenger informs Eric that Queen Hynde has left Beregon for Dunstaffnage and he launches a general assault in which he kills the valiant and honourable Coulan Brande.
Although several of the reviewers acknowledged Hogg's genius, with some appreciation of his descriptive power and humour, there was widespread puzzlement at his generic and stylistic instability, and disapproval of what was seen as indelicacy, and a lack of reverence in the treatment of the Celtic saints.