You may click on the footnote symbol to jump to the note, then click again on that footnote symbol and you will jump back to the same place in the text.
From The Annals of Roger de Hoveden, Comprising the History of England and of Other Countries of Europe from A.D. 732 to A.D. 1201, Translated from the Latin with Notes and Illustrations by Henry T. Riley, Esq., Volume I, London: H.G. Bohn, 1853; pp. 101-116.
A few days having intervened after this, king Edmund Ironside being still desirous to come up with Canute, while the most iniquitous and treacherous Edric and some others did not wish that to take place, they gave him advice to make peace with Canute and divide the kingdom between them. At length, though with some reluctance, he yielded to their suggestions, and messengers going from one to the other, and
A. D.
1017.102
hostages being given on either side, the two kings met at a place which is called Deerhurst; Edmund pitched his camp with his men on the western bank of the Severn, while Canute encamped with his on the eastern side.
Upon this, the two kings were conveyed in boats1 to the island called Olanege,2 which is situate in the middle of the river; where3 peace, friendship, and brotherhood having been established by pledge and by oath, the kingdom was divided. Then, after having exchanged arms and clothes, the tribute being agreed upon which should be paid to the fleet, they separated from each other. The Danes, however, returned to their ships with the spoil which they had collected, and the citizens of London made peace with them, paying a price for it, and allowing them to winter there.
After these things, in the fifteenth year of the indiction, about the time of the feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle, king Edmund Ironside died at London,4 but was buried at Glastonbury, with his grandfather, king Edgar the Peaceful. After his death, king Canute ordered all the bishops and chieftains, and all the nobles and principal men of the English nation, to be assembled at London. When these had come before him, as though he did not know it, he cunningly asked those who had acted as witnesses between him and king Edmund when they made the treaty of friendship and partition of the kingdom between them, to what effect he and king Edmund had expressed themselves about the brothers and sons of the latter, as to whether it should be allowed the same to reign over the kingdom of Wessex after their father, in case Edmund should die while he was still living: on which they began to say that, beyond a doubt, they were quite certain that king Edmund neither living nor dying had bespoken any portion of the kingdom for his brothers. But, as to his sons, they said that they knew this, that king Edmund wished Canute to be their guardian and protector, until they should be of fit age to reign.
But they, God testifying thereto, gave false testimony and treacherously lied, thinking both that Canute would prove more kind to them by reason of their falsehoods, and that they should gain great rewards from him; whereas, not long after, some of these false witnesses were slain by the same king. After having put the above question, king Canute received the oaths of fealty from the nobles above-mentioned; on which they swore to him that they willingly chose him for their king, and would readily obey him, and pay tribute to his army; and having received pledges from his bare hand, together with the oaths of the principal men among the Danes, they utterly disregarded the brothers and sons of king Edmund, and declared that they should not be their kings.
Now, one of the above-mentioned Clito’s was Edwin the Excellent, a most revered brother of king Edmund, whom on that occasion, with most wicked counsels, they pronounced deserving of banishment. When, therefore, Canute had listened to the adulation of the persons above-mentioned, and the contempt in which they held Edwin, rejoicing, he entered his chamber, and calling to him the perfidious duke Edric, inquired of him in what way he might be able to beguile Edwin to the risk of his life; on which Edric made answer, that he knew a certain man named Athelward, who could very easily put him to death, with whom he should be able to have some conversation, and to whom he would offer a very considerable reward.
However, on learning the name of the man, the king cunningly sent for him, and said: “Thus and thus has duke Edric informed me, saying that you are able to beguile the Clito Edwin, so that he may be slain; do you only assent to my proposal, and obtain for me his head, and you shall enjoy all the honors and dignities of your forefathers, and shall be dearer to me than my own born brother.” On this, he made answer that he was willing to seek for him in order that he might be slain, if in any way he could effect it: but, in reality, he did not wish to kill him at present, but, by way of excuse, made this promise: he was a person sprung from a most noble English family.
In this year king Canute obtained the rule of the whole of England, and divided it into four pars; Wessex, he took for himself, East Anglia he gave to earl Turkill, Mercia to the perfidious duke Edric, and Northumbria to earl Eiric. He also made a treaty with the nobles and all the people, and they established
A. D.
1018.104
by oath a firm friendship between them, and, laying them aside, set at rest all ancient enmities. Then, by the counsel of the perfidious duke Edric, king Canute banished the Clito Edwin, the brother of king Edmund, and Edwin,5 who was styled “the King of the Churls;” but this Edwin was reconciled to the king. The Clito Edwin, however, being deceived by the treachery of those whom he had hitherto deemed to be most friendly disposed to him, at the request and entreaty of king Canute, was, the same year, without guilt on his part, put to death.
Edric also gave him this advice, that he should put to death the younger Clito’s, Edward and Edmund, the sons of king Edmund; but as it seemed to him a great disgrace for them to be put to death in England, after the lapse of a short time he sent them to the king of Sweden to be slain; he however, although there was a treaty between them, would by no means assent to his request, but sent them, for the preservation of their lives, to Salomon, king of the Hungarians, to be brought up; and one of them, namely, Edmund, in process of time, ended his life there. But Edward received in marriage Agatha, the daughter of the emperor, by whom he had Margaret, afterwards queen of the Scots, Christina, a virgin, who became a nun, and the Clito Edgar.
In the month of July, king Canute took to wife queen Emma, the widow of king Egelred, by whom he had a son, named Hardicanute, afterwards king, and a daughter, named Gunhilda, who was afterwards married to Henry, the emperor of the Romans.
In the year 1018, at the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord, while Canute was in London, he ordered the perfidious duke Edric Streona to be slain in his palace, because he feared lest he should be on some occasion betrayed by his treachery, just as his former masters Egelred and Edmund had been frequently betrayed. He also ordered his body to be thrown over the walls of the city, and to be cast out without burial; together with him duke Norman, the son of duke Leofwin, and brother of earl Leofric, Ethelward, the son of duke Engelmar, and Brithric, the son of Elphege, earl of Devonshire, were slain without any guilt on their parts. In this year, by the whole of England, seventy-two pounds, and by London, four hundred and ten pounds,6 were paid to the army of the Danes. Aldun,
A. D.
1027.
MESSAGE
TO
THE
DANES.105
bishop of Durham, departed this life, and a great battle was fought between the English and the Scots at Carre.7 The English and the Danes came to an understanding at Oxford as to the observance of the laws of king Edgar.
In the year 1019, Canute, king of the English and of the Danes, crossed to Denmark and remained there throughout the whole of the winter.
In the year 1020, king Canute returned to England, and at the festival of Easter held a great council at Cirencester. Edmund was appointed to the see of Durham, and Living, archbishop of Canterbury, departing this life, was succeeded by Agelnoth, who was called the Good, the son of Agelmar, a nobleman. In the same year, the church which king Canute and earl Turketel had built on the hill which is called Assendun,8 was dedicated in their presence with great honor and pomp by Wulstan, the archbishop of York, and many other bishops.
In the year 1021, Canute, king of the English and of the Danes, before the feast of Saint Martin, expelled the earl Turkill so often mentioned, together with his wife, Egitha, from England. Algar, the bishop of East Anglia, departed this life, and was succeeded by Alfwin.
In the year 1022, Agelnoth, the archbishop of Canterbury, went to Rome, and being received by pope Benedict with great honor, the pall was given to him.
In the year 1023, the body of Saint Elphege the Martyr was transferred from London to Canterbury. Wulstan, the archbishop of York, departed this life at York, on the day before the calends of July, being the third day of the week, but his body was carried to Ely, and there buried. He was succeeded by Alfric, the prior of Winchester.
In the year 1026, Alfric, the archbishop of York, went to Rome, and received the pall from pope John. Richard, the second duke of Normandy, departed this life; and was succeeded by Richard the Third, who died in the same year, being succeeded by his brother Robert.
In the year 1027, it having been intimated to the king of the English and of the Danes that the people of Norway greatly despised their king, Olaf, for his simplicity, mildness, justice
A. D.
1033.106
and piety, he sent to certain of them a great quantity of gold and silver, begging them, with many entreaties, that, having deposed and expelled him, they would become subject to him, and permit him to reign over them. Receiving, with great avidity, what he sent them, they ordered word to be sent him, that they were ready to receive him whenever he chose to come.
In the year 1028, Canute, king of the English and of the Danes, crossing over to Norway with fifty large ships, expelled king Olaf, and rendered it subject to himself.
In the year 1029, Canute, king of the English, of the Danes, and of the Norwegians, returned to England; and shortly after sent into exile Hacun, a Danish earl, on the pretext that he was sending him on an embassy, as he feared lest he should be deprived of his life by him. He was married to a noble woman, Gunhilda, the daughter of his own sister and of Wertgeorn, king of the Windi.
In the year 1030, the above-named earl Hacun perished at sea; some say that he was slain at this period in the island of Orkney. Saint Olaf, the king and martyr, son of Harold, king of Norway, whom king Canute had expelled, returning to Norway, was unrighteously slain by the Norwegians.
In the year 1031, Canute, king of the English, of the Danes, and of the Norwegians, set out with great state from Denmark for Rome, and presented to Saint Peter, the chief of the Apostles, vast gifts of gold and silver and other precious things, and obtained, at his request, from pope John, that the school of the English at Rome should be exempt from all tax and tribute; also, in going and returning he bestowed bounteous alms on the poor, and put an end to many barriers on the road where toll was exacted from strangers, by payment of a large sum of money; before the tomb of the Apostles he also made a vow to amend his life and manners.*
In the year 1032, the church of Saint Edmund, the king and martyr, was dedicated. Conflagrations, almost unextinguishable, ravaged many places throughout England. Elphege, the bishop of Winchester, departed this life, and was succeeded by Elfwyn, the king’s priest.
In the year 1033, died Leolf, bishop of the Wiccii,9 a man of great piety and modesty, at the episcopal town of
A. D.
1036.
ACCESSION
OF
HAROLD.107
Kemeys.10 He died on the fourth day before the calends of September, being the third day of the week, and, as we have reason to believe, departed to the kingdom of heaven; his body was buried with due honor in the church of Saint Mary, at Worcester. To his see was elected Brithege, abbat of Pershore, son of the sister of Wulstan, the archbishop of York.
In the year 1034, Malcolm,11 the king of the Scots, departed this life, and was succeeded by Machetad.
In the year 1035, Canute, king of the English, just before his death appointed his son, Sweyn, king of the Norwegians; and of the Danes Hardicanute, his son by queen Emma; his son Harold, whom he had by Elfgiva of Southampton, he appointed king of England; and shortly after, in the same year, on the second day before the ides of November, being the fourth day of the week, he departed this life at Shaftesbury, but was buried at Winchester, with all due honors, in the old monastery there. After his burial, queen Elfgiva,12 who was also called Emma, took refuge13 at that place.
But Harold, on obtaining the royal dignity, sent his followers with all haste to Winchester, and took away from her, in a tyrannical manner, the largest and best portion of the treasures which king Canute had left her; and after having spoiled her, dismissed her, to take her seat there as she had previously done. With the consent, also, of the greater part of the elders of England he began to reign, as being the lawful heir; but yet not with such power as did Canute, because [by some] Hardicanute was looked for as being the more lawful heir. For which reason, shortly afterwards, the kingdom of England was divided by lot, and the northern part fell to Harold, the southern to Hardicanute. Robert, duke of the Normans, died, and was succeeded by his son, William the Bastard, at a very youthful age.
In the year 1036, the innocent Clito’s Alfred and Edward, the sons of Egelred, the former king of the English, crossed over to England with a few ships from Normandy, where they had remained for a long time with their uncle Richard, and,
A. D.
1037.108
attended by a great number of Norman soldiers, came to Winchester, to have an interview with their mother, who was staying at that place. This some of the men in power took amiss, and were indignant at it; because, although unjustly so, they were much more devoted to king Harold than to them, and especially, as it is said, the earl Godwin.
He, after having hurried on Alfred towards London for the purpose of an interview with king Harold, in obedience to his commands, detained him and placed him in close custody. Some of his attendants he dispersed, some he placed in chains, and afterwards put out their eyes; some he scalped and tortured, and deprived of their hands and feet, by cutting them off. Many, also, he caused to be sold, and by various and shocking deaths he put to death six hundred men at Guilford. But their souls, we believe, are now rejoicing in Paradise with the Saints, whose bodies, without cause, were so cruelly consigned to death on earth.
On hearing this, queen Emma in great haste sent back her son Edward, who had remained with her, into Normandy; whereupon, by the command of Godwin and certain others, the Clito Alfred was led in the most strict bonds to the isle of Ely; but as soon as the ship came to shore, on board of it, they instantly in the most cruel manner put out his eyes, and then, being led to the monastery by the monks, he was delivered into their charge; here, shortly afterwards, he departed this life, and his body was buried with due honor in the south porch on the western side of the church, while his soul enjoys the delights of Paradise.
In the year 1037, Harold king of the Mercians and Northumbrians, was chosen king by the nobles and the people, to reign over all England. But Hardicanute, because he stayed too long in Denmark and delayed coming to England as he had been requested, was entirely set aside, and his mother Elfgiva, who was also called Emma, the former queen of the English, at the beginning of the winter, was expelled from England without mercy, and shortly afterwards, passing over in a ship to Flanders, was received with honor by earl Baldwin. He, in the way that became such a man, as long as her need demanded it, willing took care that all necessaries were provided her. In the same year, a short time before this, Avic, the prior of Evesham, a man of great piety, died.
In the year 1038, Egelnoth, archbishop of Canterbury, departed this life, on the fourth day before the calends of November, on the seventh day after whose death, Egelred, bishop of Sussex,14 died: for he had asked of God, that he might not live long in this world after the death of his most beloved father Egelnoth. Grimketel succeeded Egelred in the bishopric, and Eadsy, the king’s chaplain, succeeded Egelnoth as archbishop. In the same year also, died Brithege, the bishop of Worcester, in the fourteenth day before the calends of January, being the fourth day of the week, and was succeeded by Living.
In the year 1039, there was a very severe storm. Brithmar, bishop of Lichfield, died, and was succeeded by Wulsy. Hardicanute, king of the Danes, crossed over to Flanders, and visited his mother Emma.
[In the year 1040], Harold, the king of the English, died at London, and was buried at Westminster; after his burial, the nobles of almost the whole of England sent ambassadors to Hardicanute at Bruges, where he was staying with his mother, and thinking that they were acting rightly, entreated him to come to England, and receive the sceptre of the kingdom. Having prepared forty ships, and equipped them with Danish soldiers, before midsummer he arrived in England, and was joyfully received by all, and shortly after elevated to the throne of the kingdom. But, during the period of his reign, he did nothing worthy of the royal dignity. For as soon as he began to reign, not forgetting the injuries which his predecessor Harold, (who was supposed to be his brother), had done either to him or to his mother, he sent Elfric, archbishop of York, earl Godwin, Stir, master of the household, Edric, his keeper of the purse, Thrond, his executioner, and other men of high rank to London, and ordered them to dig up the body of Harold, and cast it into a swampy place. After it had been thrown up on shore there, he ordered it to be dragged out, and to be cast into the river Thames. But a short time after, it was taken up by a certain fisherman, and carried off in haste by the Danes, and honorably buried by them in the burying ground which they had at London.
These things being done, king Hardicanute ordered eight marks to be paid by the whole of England to each rower, and twelve to each pilot of his fleet, a tribute so heavy, that
A. D.
1041.110
hardly any person was able to pay it. In consequence of this, to all who, before his arrival, greatly wished for it, he became exceedingly odious. Added to this, he was extremely exasperated against earl Godwin, and Living, the bishop of Worcester, for the death of his brother Alfred, Alfric, the archbishop of York, and certain others being their accusers. He therefore took away the bishopric of Worcester from Living, and gave it to Alfric; but in the following year he took it from Alfric, and restored it, with marks of kindness to Living, with whom he had become reconciled.
But Godwin, to make his peace, presented to the king a galley or ship, of exquisite workmanship, having a gilded beak, provided with the choicest equipments, and fitted out with splendid arms and eight hundred15 picked soldiers. Each one of these had on his arms bracelets of gold, weighing sixteen ounces, a triple coat of mail, a helmet on his head partly gilded, a sword girt to his loins with a gilded hilt, a Danish battle-axe ornamented with gold hanging from the left shoulder, in his left hand a shield, the boss and studs of which were gilded, and in his right a lance, which in the English language is called “Ategar.”
In addition to this, he made oath before the king, and almost all the nobles and most dignified thanes of England, that it was neither by his advice or concurrence that his brother had been deprived of his sight, but that his lord, king Harold, had ordered him to do what he did do.
In the year 1041, Hardicanute, king of the English, sent the servants of his household throughout all the provinces of the kingdom, to collect the tribute which he had ordered. A sedition arising in consequence, two of them, Feader and Turstan by name, were slain by the people of the province of Worcester and the citizens, in the upper room of a tower in the monastery of Worcester, whither they had fled for the purpose of concealment; this took place on the fourth day before the nones of May, being the second day of the week. In consequence of this, the king, being aroused to anger, for the purpose of avenging their death, despatched thither, Thuri, earl of Mid-Anglia, Leofric, earl of Mercia, Godwin, earl of Wessex,
A. D.
1042.
SUCCES-
SION
OF
KING
EDWARD.111
Siward, earl of Northumbria, Rome, earl of Maiseveth,16 and the earls of the whole of England, and nearly all of his own household servants, with a great army, Alfric then being bishop of Worcester; these he sent thither, with orders to slay all they could, and, after plundering the city, to set it on fire and lay waste the whole province.
A short time after the feast of All Saints, they began to lay waste the city and the province, and ceased not to do so for four days; however, they took and slew but few of the citizens or provincials, because, their approach being known beforehand, the provincials had taken to flight in various directions; but a multitude of the citizens had fled for refuge to a certain little island, situate in the middle of the river Severn, which is called Beverege, and, having thrown up fortifications there, stoutly defended themselves against their enemies, until peace was restored and they had free liberty to return home. On the fifth day, therefore, after the burning of the city, every man returned home laden with considerable spoil, and the king’s anger was immediately appeased. Not long after this, Edward, the son of Egelred the former king of the English, came to England from Normandy, where he had been in exile many years, and being honorably entertained by his brother, king Hardicanute, took up his residence at his court.
In the year 1042, Hardicanute, king of the English, was present at a banquet, at which Osgod Clapa, a man of high rank, was marrying his daughter Gyta, to Tuvy, a Dane, and a very influential man, at a place which is called Lamtithe;17 while in merry mood, and in perfect health and good spirits, he was enjoying the hilarity of the nuptials by the side of the bride, and standing up, was drinking to certain men, he suddenly fell to the earth with a dreadful shock, and remaining speechless, expired on the sixth day before the ides of July, being the third day of the week, and being carried to Winchester, was buried near king Canute, his father.
Upon this, his brother Edward, by the especial aid of earl Godwin and Living, the bishop of Worcester, was elevated to the dignity of king, at London; his father was Egelred, whose
A. D.
1044.112
father was Edgar, whose father was Edmund, whose father was Edward the Elder, whose father was Alfred.
In the year from the incarnation of our Lord, 1043, on the first day of Easter, being the nones of April, Edward was anointed king at Winchester, by Eadsy, archbishop of Canterbury, and Alfric, archbishop of York, and nearly all the other bishops of England.
In the same year, after the feast of Saint Martin, the king, with Leofric, Godwin, and Siward attending him, suddenly proceeded from the city of Gloucester to Worcester, and following the advice which they had given him, took away from his mother all the valuables she had, consisting of gold, silver, jewels, precious stones, and other things; either because before he had been made king, or since then, she had given him less than he had required, and had been extremely harsh towards him.
Edmund, bishop of Durham, having departed this life, he was succeeded by Egelric, Siward being at that time earl of Northumbria.
In the year 1044, Alword, bishop of London, who, both before he was bishop, and in the time of his episcopate, was abbat of the monastery of Evesham, being unable to perform the duties of the see by reason of his infirmities, wished to reside at Evesham, but the brethren of that place would by no means consent thereto. Consequently, taking away most of the books and ornaments that he had given to that place, and as some say, some things that other persons had given, he retired to the monastery of Ramsege,18 and gave to Saint Benedict all that he brought; there he took up his abode, and dying there in the same year, on the eighth day before the calends of August, being the fourth day of the week, he was buried at that place.
At a general synod, which at this time was held at London, a religious monk of Evesham, who had also been a monk in the Isle of Man,19 was chosen abbat of Evesham, and was ordained on the fourth day before the ides of August, being the sixth day of the week. In the same year, the noble matron Gunhilda, the daughter of king Wertgeorn and of the sister of king Canute, who was left a widow after the
A. D.
1047.
DEATH
OF
KING
MAGNUS.113
death of earl Hacun and Harold, with her two sons, Hemming and Turkill, was expelled from England. Proceeding to Flanders, she resided for some time at a place which is called Briege,20 and then went to Denmark.
In the year 1045, Brithwold, bishop of Wiltshire,21 departed this life, and was succeeded by Herman, the king’s chaplain, a native of Lorraine. In the same year, Edward, king of the English, assembled a very strong fleet, at the port of Sandwich, against Magnus, king of Norway, who was making preparations to invade England; but a war being waged against himself by Sweyn, king of the Danes, it put an end to the expedition.
In the year 1046, on the tenth day before the calends of April, being the Lord’s day, Living, bishop of the Wiccii,22 and of Devonshire and Cornwall, died; after whose death the bishopric of Crediton and Cornwall was immediately given to Leofric, a Briton,23 the king’s chancellor; and Aldred, who was first a monk of Winchester, and afterwards abbat of Tavistock, received the bishopric of the Wiccii.24 In this year Osgod Clapa was banished from England. Magnus, king of Norway, the son of king Olaf the Saint, having put to flight Sweyn king of the Danes, subdued the country of Denmark.
In the year 1047, the snow fell, in the west of England, in such vast quantities, that it even broke down the woods. Aldwin, bishop of Winchester, departed this life, on which Stigand was raised to the see. Sweyn, king of the Danes, sent ambassadors to Edward, king of the English,25 on which earl Godwin advised the king to send him at least fifty ships, equipped with soldiers; but because this advice did not seem good to earl Leofric and all the people, he was not willing to send him any. After this, Magnus, king of Norway, attended with a large and powerful fleet, fought a battle with Sweyn, and, after many thousands had been slain on both sides, expelled him from Denmark; after which, he reigned over that country as well, and compelled the Danes to pay him a small tribute, and not long after, died.
In the year 1048, Sweyn regained possession of Denmark, and Harold Harfager, who was the son of Siward, king of Norway, and, on the mother’s side, brother of Saint Olaf, and on the father’s side, uncle to king Magnus, returned to Norway, and shortly after sent ambassadors to Edward, king of the English, and offered to him, and received in return, assurances of peace and friendship. On the calends of May, being the Lord’s day, there was a great earthquake at Worcester, in the county of the Wiccii, at Derby, and at many other places; a mortality among men and animals prevailed throughout many of the provinces of England, and fires in the air, commonly called woodland26 fires, destroyed towns and crops of standing corn in the province of Derby, and some other provinces.
In the year 1049, Leo began to reign,27 the hundred and fifth pope; he was the pope who composed the new Gregorian chaunt. The emperor Henry collected an innumerable force against Baldwin, earl of Flanders, especially because he had burned his palace at Nimeguen, and, most beauteous as it was, destroyed it. Pope Leo took part in this expedition, and a great number of noblemen and grandees of many nations. Sweyn, king of the Danes, as the emperor had commanded him, was there also with his fleet, and on this occasion took the oaths of fealty to the emperor, who sent also to Edmund, king of the English, and requested that he would not allow Baldwin to escape, if he should attempt to do so by sea. In consequence of this, the king went with a large fleet to the port of Sandwich, and remained there until the emperor had obtained of Baldwin every thing he required.
In the meantime, earl Sweyn, the son of earl Godwin and Gyta, who had formerly left England, (because he was not allowed to marry Edgiva, abbess of the monastery of Leominster, whom he had debauched), and had gone to Denmark, returned with eight ships, and dissembling, declared that he would, in future, continue faithful to the king. Earl Beorn, who was the son of the Danish earl Ulph, the uncle of Sweyn, the son of Spralling, the son of Urse, promised him that he would obtain his request of the king, and that his earldom should be restored to him.
Therefore, after earl Baldwin had made peace with the emperor, the earls Godwin and Beorn, with the king’s permission, came with forty-two ships to Pevensey; but the rest of the
A. D.
1050.
MACHETAD
SENDS
MONEY
TO
ROME.115
fleet he ordered to return home, retaining only a few ships with him. When word was brought to the king that Osgod Clapa lay at Ulps with twenty-nine28 ships, he recalled as many as he could of the ships that he had sent away; on which, Osgod, having fetched away his wife, whom he had sent to Bruges, returned to Denmark with six ships; but the others, going to Essex, returned, carrying off no little booty from the neighbourhood of Eadulph’s Promontory. But in returning, they were overtaken by a violent storm, which sank them all, except two, that were taken in the parts beyond sea, when all were slain who were found on board of them. While these things were going on, earl Sweyn came to Pevensey, and with deceitful intent, requested his cousin, earl Beorn, to go with him to the harbour of Sandwich, and, as he had promised, reconcile the king to him.
Beorn, trusting in his relationship, and taking with him but three companions, set out with him; on which, Sweyn took him to Bosanham,29 where his ships were, and putting him on board, instantly ordered him to be strongly fettered, and kept him there with him until he came to Dartmouth, where having slain him, and thrown him into a deep ditch, and covered him with earth, the six ships left him; two of which were shortly afterwards taken by the men of Hastings, who, having slain those on board of them, carried the ships to Sandwich, and there presented them to the king. Sweyn, however, flying to Flanders, with two ships, remained there until Aldred the bishop of Worcester, brought him back, and reconciled the king to him.
In the same year, at the request of the abbat Herimar, a man of exemplary piety, Saint Leo the pope came to France, having in his retinue the governor and all the dignitaries of the city of Rome, and dedicated the monastery of Saint Remigius, the apostle of the Franks, which had been built at Rheims, with the greatest pomp; and afterwards held a great synod of archbishops, bishops, and abbats, in that city, which lasted six days; to which synod was sent, by Edward, king of the English, Aldwin, a monk of Ramsey, and abbat of the monastery of Saint Augustine.
In the year 1050, Machetad, the king of Scotland, sent money
A. D.
1051.116
to Rome, for the purpose of distribution. Edsy, archbishop of Canterbury, departed this life, and was succeeded by Robert, bishop of London, a Norman by birth. Herman, bishop of Wiltshire,30 and Aldred, bishop of Worcester, set out for Rome.
1 “Trabariæ,” the word used in the text, were boats like canoes, made out of a single piece of wood.
2 Olney.
3 According to Roger of Wendover and other historians, Edmund Ironside and Canute first engaged there in single combat.
4 Roger of Wendover says at Oxford, where he was barbarously murdered by the son of Edric Streona.
5 Properly Edwy.
6 These numbers are manifestly wrong; the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle states the amount paid by the whole of England as 72,000 pounds, and that paid by the city of London, 10,500.
7 Probably Carron.
8 Ashendon, in Essex.
9 Worcester.
10 In Pembrokeshire.
11 The Second.
12 A suspicion is mentioned by some of the chroniclers that this woman palmed off the children of a priest and a cobbler on Canute as his own. She herself was the daughter of earl Elfelm.
13 This was for protection from the violence of Harold.
14 Bishop of Selsey.
15 “Octingesimo” in the text. Eighty, in spite of the eight hundred of Roger of Wendover, is much more probable.
16 Radnorshire.
17 Lambeth, in Surrey. This event took place at Clapham, which was formerly in the parish of Lambeth.
18 Ramsey.
19 “Qui et Manni,” are the words in the text; but they are most probably not the correct reading.
20 Bruges.
21 Bishop of Ramesbury; which see was afterwards removed to Salisbury.
22 Worcester.
23 A native of Wales.
24 The meaning is, that the bishopric of Worcester was divided into two; that of Crediton being formed from it.
25 The text has here, “Norreganorum,” “of the Norwegians,” evidently a mistake.
26 Silvaticus.
27 Leo the Ninth.
28 The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle says thirty-nine.
29 Bosham, in Sussex.
30 Of Ramesbury.
* Read King Canute’s Letter to the English people about this trip here on Elfinspell. — Elf.Ed.