IX.

the

Unready.

1009.

THE fleet, the product of the new assessment, CHA P. assembled at Sandwich. Brihtric, the brother Ethelred of Edric, and as ambitious and deceitful, accused Wulfnoth, the father of earl Godwin. Wulfnoth fled, and carried twenty ships with him, and commenced pirate. Brihtric pursued with eighty ships, but a tempest wrecked, and Wulfnoth burnt them. These events destroyed the confidence and the courage of the rest of the fleet. It dispersed and retired. 52 The annalists add, that thus perished all the hopes of England.

IN 1010, the triumph of the Danes was completed in the surrender of sixteen counties of England, and the payment of 48,000l. 53 Thus they divided the country with Ethelred, as his father Edgar, the first patron of the civil dissensions, had shared it unjustly with the ill-used Edwin.

THE next invasion of Svein was distinguished by the revolution of the government of the country. The people gradually seceded from Ethelred, and appointed the Dane their king. The earl of Northumbria, and all the people in his district, the five burghers, and all the army on the north of Watling

52 Flor. Wig. 374. Sax. Chron. 137, 138. In mentioning Wulfnoth, the printed Saxon Chronicle adds, that he was the father of earl Godwin, p. 137. The MS. Chron. Tib. B. 1. has not these words, nor the Tib. B. 4., nor the Laud MS: which Gibson quotes. As he only marks the Laud MS, to be without, I presume that his other MSS. had them.

53 Flor. 375-378. Sax. Chron. 139-142. For a particular description of this dismal period, see Osberne's Life of S. Elphegus, who was taken into Canterbury and killed, because 3000l. were not paid for his ransom. They hurled bones and skulls of cattle upon him till one struck him on the head with an iron axe. Gurney, Sax. Chron. 170. Was he one of the counsellors of Ethelred who were obnoxious to the Dọnish partisans?

1013.

VI.

Ethelred

the Unready.

BOOK street, submitted to his sovereignty." He ordered them to supply provisions and horses, and committing their hostages and his ships to his son Canute, he commenced a visit of decisive conquest to the south. Oxford and Winchester accepted his dominion; but London resisted, because Ethelred was in it.

1013.

Ethelred's

flight.

Svein's death.

SVEIN marched to Bath, and the duke Ethelmere, and all the western thanes, yielded themselves to him. The citizens of London at last followed the

example.

TERRIFIED by the universal dissaffection, Ethelred sent his children into Normandy 55, and privately withdrew to the Isle of Wight 56, where he passed his Christmas; after which, on hearing of their good reception by his queen's brother, Richard, he departed also himself, and was kindly received. 57

58

THE new sovereignty of Svein was severe in its pecuniary exactions 5, but it was short. He died, the year after his elevation, at Gainsborough.

54 Sax. Chron. 143.

59

55 Sax. Chron. 143, 144. Flor. Wig. 379, 380. Malmsb. 69. This author remarks, that the Londoners did not abandon the king till he fled himself. He says of them in high panegyric: "Laudandi prorsus viri et quos Mars ipse collata non sperneret hasta si ducem habuissent."

56 Cumque clandestinis itineribus. Malmsb. p. 69.

57 Malmsb. 70. Flor. 380.

58 Hermannus, who wrote in 1070, thus describes his pecuniary exactions: "Sueyn insuper lugubre malum scilicet ubique ponit tributum quod infortunium hodieque luit Anglia, multum felix, dives ac dulcis nimium si non forent tributa." MS. Tib. B. 2. p. 25.

59 The annalists are fond of stating, that he was killed by St. Edmond; Snorre adds a curious comparison. "Just," says he, "as Julian the Apostate was killed by Saint Mercury." Saga Olafi Helga, c. ix. p. 10.

60

IX. Ethelred

the

THIS event produced a new change in the Anglo- CHA P. Saxon politics. The Danish soldiers in England, the Thinga-manna 6, appointed Canute, the son of Svein, for their king; but the English chieftains Unready. sent to Ethelred to offer him the crown again, on condition that he should govern rightly, and be less tyrannical. 62

63

ETHELRED sent his son Edward to make the required promises of good government. Pledges were exchanged for the faithful performance of the contract; every Danish king was declared a perpetual outlaw 64, 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.

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.

1016.

BOOK wich, and landed the hostages which his father had Ethelred received for the obedience of the English. But in

VI.

1016.

the revenge for the opposition of the nation, he brutally Unready. maimed them of their hands and noses." 65 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

68

To make head against Canute, Ethelred dispersed, around the neighbouring countries, high promises of reward to every warrior who would join the English standard : 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 VOL. II.

Υ

Unready.

1013.