IX. Ethelred

the

THIS event produced a new change in the Anglo- CHA P. Saxon politics. The Danish soldiers in England, the Thinga-manna 60, appointed Canute, the son of Svein, for their king 61; but the English chieftains Unready. sent to Ethelred to offer him the crown again, on 1016. condition that he should govern rightly, and be less tyrannical. 62

ETHELRED sent his son Edward to make the required promises of good government. 63 Pledges were exchanged for the faithful performance of the contract; every Danish king was declared a perpetual outlaw, and in Lent the king returned.

CANUTE had now to maintain his father's honours by his sword. Confronted by a powerful force of the English, he sailed from East-Anglia to Sand

60 The body of troops who, during Svein's prosperity, and the reigns of his posterity, became stationary in England, are called Thinga-manna by Snorre, tom. ii. p. 15. The Olaf Tryggvason's Saga, p. 100.; and the Knytlinga Saga (Celto Scand. p. 103.) say, they received appointed stipends. Their commander, Heming, kept the conquered country in subjection to Canute. Two of their orders were, not to disperse rumours, and not to go beyond their city of a night. Trygg. Saga, p. 100. Celto Sc.

61 The Sagas state Canute to have been but ten years of age at Svein's death. But this is a mistake.

66

62 Flor. Wig. 381. They assured him, that no one was dearer to them than their natural lord, if he would govern them more righteously than he did before." Gur. Sax. Chron. 173. About this time occurred the war against Brian, king of Connaught. See the Niala Saga in Celto Scand. 107-116. and 120-129. I mention it, because to this battle belong the poetical vision of the Northern destinies, and the Scaldic Ode, which Gray has so vigorously translated in his Fatal Sisters.

63 Flor. 381. He said, "that he would amend all that had been complained of, if they would return to him with one consent and without guile." Sax. Chron. G. 173.

64 Sax. Chron. 145.

VI.

the

Unready.

65

BOOK wich, and landed the hostages which his father had Ethelred received for the obedience of the English. But in revenge for the opposition of the nation, he brutally maimed them of their hands and noses. They were children of the first nobility. Canute then retired to Denmark, to watch his interests there, and to provide the means for stronger exertions to gain the crown of England. 67

1016.

To make head against Canute, Ethelred dispersed, around the neighbouring countries, high promises of reward to every warrior who would join the English standard 68: a great number came to him. Among these was Olave, the son of Harald Grænski, a Norwegian sea-king, who, in 1007, at twelve years of age, had begun his maritime profession under a military tutor. 69 He afterwards obtained the crown of Norway, and the reputation of a saint. He arrived in England in the year of Svein's death. 70

CANUTE called to his aid Eric the Jarl, one of the rulers of Norway, and one of the sons of Hakon the Bad", and sailed to England. His abilities

65 Flor. 382.

66 Malmsb. 71.

67 Encomium Emmæ, written by a contemporary, 167. Svein's body was carried to Roschild, and buried. The autumn closed with an inundation of the sea, which laid the towns and country for many miles under water, and destroyed the inhabitants. Flor. 382. Malmsb. 71.

68 Snorre Olafi Helga, c. vi. p. 6.

70 Snorre, p. 9. Knytlinga Saga, p. 103.

69 Snorre, p. 3.

71 Knytlinga Saga, p. 10. Eric had gained great fame in two battles: one against Olave, Tryggva's son, the other against the Jomsburgers. Snorre, ii. p. 23. Svein had given Norway to Eric and his brother Hakon. When Eric came to England, he left his brother Hakon to govern all Norway, whom St. Olave expelled. Snorre, p. 211. Hakon was drowned. Ib.

IX.

made his advance the march of victory. The per- CHA P. fidious Edric crowned the treasons of his life by Ethelred flying to Canute with forty ships. Wessex sub- the mitted to the invaders, and gave hostages for its fidelity. 72

THE hostilities of the contending parties were now fast assuming the shape of decision. To Canute's well-arranged army, Edmund, the son of Ethelred, endeavoured to oppose a competent force; but the panic of the king, excited by rumoured treachery, disappointed his hopes. Edmund then roused the Northern chiefs to predatory excursions, but the energy of Canute prevented success. The Danes marched through Buckinghamshire to Bedford, and thence advanced to York. Uhtred, the earl of Northumbria, and the people, abandoned Edmund, and gave hostages to Canute. 73 Leaving his friend Eric Jarl in the government of the country, Canute returned to his ships. At this crisis, the death of Ethelred released England from its greatest enemy.

74

72 Sax. Chron. 146.

73 The Knytlinga Saga gives a particular description of Canute's exertions, interspersed with many quotations from the scallds, Ottar the Swarthy, Hallvardr, and Thordr, 104-107. Among the nobles who came with Canute were, Ulfr Jarl, the son of Sprakalegs, who had married Canute's sister, Astrida. Heming, and his brother, Thorkell the Lofty, sons of the Earlstreet Haralldr, were also in his army. Ib.

74 We have a contemporary picture of the internal state of England during this reign, in the Sermon of Lupus, one of the Anglo-Saxon bishops.

"We perpetually pay them (the Danes) tribute, and they ravage us daily. They ravage, burn, spoil, and plunder, and carry off our property to their ships. Such is their successful valour, that one of them will in battle put ten of our men to flight. Two or three will drive a troop of captive Christians through the country from sea to sea. Very often they seize the wives

Unready.

1013.

BOOK and daughters of our thanes, and cruelly violate them before VI. the great chieftain's face. The slave of yesterday becomes the Ethelred master of his lord to-day, or he flies to the Vikingr, and seeks his owner's life in the earliest battle.

the Unready.

1013.

"Soldiers, famine, flames, and effusion of blood abound on every side. Theft and murder, pestilence, diseases, calumny, hatred, and rapine dreadfully afflict us.

"Widows are frequently compelled into unjust marriages; many are reduced to penury and are pillaged. The poor men are sorely seduced and cruelly betrayed, and, though innocent, are sold far out of this land to foreign slavery. Cradle children are made slaves out of this nation, through an atrocious violation of the law for little stealings. The right of freedom is taken away: the rights of the servile are narrowed, and the right of charity is diminished.

"Freemen may not govern themselves, nor go where they wish, nor possess their own as they like. Slaves are not suffered to enjoy what they have obtained from their allowed leisure, nor what good men have benevolently given for them. The clergy are robbed of their franchises, and stripped of all their comforts."

After mentioning many vices, he adds, that "Far and wide the evil custom has prevailed of men being ashamed of their virtue; of good actions even incurring contempt; and of the public worship being publicly derided." Sermo Lupi ap. Hickes, Dissert. Epist. p. 99-106. Elfric, another contemporary, thought the state of things so bad, that he believed dooms-day to be approaching, and the world very near its end. MSS. Vit. St. Neot.

CHAP. X.

The Reign of EDMUND Ironside.

AT length the sceptre of the Anglo-Saxons came CHA P.

X.

1016.

into the hand of a prince able to wield it with Edmund dignity to himself, and prosperity to his people. Ironside. Like Athelstan, he was illegitimately born; but his spirit was full of energy; and his constitution was so hardy, that he obtained the surname of Ironside. It was his misfortune that he attained the crown in a stormy season; and, before his character and talents could be duly known or estimated, he had to conflict with a king, perhaps greater than himself. Had Edmund, like his father, acceded to the crown of a tranquil, united, and thriving nation, the abilities of a Canute might have been foiled. But Edmund succeeded to the care of a divided people, half of whose territory was in the occupation of his enemy. He had no interval of respite to recruit his strength, or reform his country. He was dishonourably killed in the full exertion of his abilities.

An important struggle ensued between Edmund and Canute for the possession of London. It was long besieged in vain, sometimes by a part of Canute's forces, sometimes by all. London was at this time defended, on the south, by a wall which extended along the river. The ships of Canute, from Greenwich, proceeded to London. Danes built a strong military work on the south bank of the river, and drew up their ships on the

The

1 Stephanides, in his description of London, written about 1190, so declares: " Similiterque ab austro Lundonia murata et turrita fuit," p. 3. Lond. 1723.