the chief witan, clergy and laity, of the English people to London, before Easter; Easter-day was then on the Ides of April; and they were there then so long as until all the tribute was paid, after Easter; that was eight and forty thousand pounds. Then on the Saturday was the army greatly excited against the bishop, because he would not promise them any money: but he forbade that any thing should be given for him. They had also drunk deeply, for wine had been brought there from the south. Then took they the bishop, led him to their hustings on the eve of Sunday, the octaves of Easter, which was on the 13th before the Kalends of May; and there they then shamefully slaughtered him: they cast upon him bones and the horns of oxen, and then one of them struck him with an axe-iron on the head, so that with the blow he sank down; and his holy blood fell on the earth, and his holy soul he sent forth to God's kingdom. And on the morrow the body was carried to London, and the bishops Ednoth* and Elfhun,† and the townsmen, received it with all reverence, and buried it in St. Paul's minster ; and there God now manifesteth the miraculous powers of the holy martyr. When the tribute was paid, and oaths of peace were sworn, then the army separated widely, in like manner as before it had been gathered together. Then became subject to the king five and forty ships of the army, and covenanted with him that they would defend this country, and that he should feed and clothe them. A. 1018. In the year after that in which the archbishop Elphege was martyred, the king appointed bishop Living to be archbishop of Canterbury. And in this same year, before the month of August, came king Sweyn with his fleet to Sandwich, and went then, very soon, about EastAnglia into the mouth of the Humber, and so upward along Trent, until he came to Gainsborough. And then, soon, Utred the earl and all the North-humbrians submitted to him, and all the people in Lindsey, and afterwards the people in the Five Boroughs, and soon after, all the army north of Watling-street; and hostages were delivered to him from every shire. After he had learned that all the people were + Of London. • Of Dorchester. A. 942, 1015. obedient to him, then bade he that his army should be victualled and horsed; and he then afterwards went southward with all the forces. and committed the ships and the hostages to his son Canute. And after he came over Watlingstreet, they wrought the most evil that any army could do. 'Then went he to Oxford, and the townsmen soon submitted, and delivered hostages; and thence to Winchester, and they did the like. Then went he thence eastward to London, and much of his people was drowned in the Thames, because they kept not to any bridge. When he came to the city, then would not the townsmen submit, but held out against him with all their might, because king Ethelred was therein, and Thurkill with him. Then went king Sweyn thence to Wallingford, and so over the Thames westward to Bath, and sat down there with his forces. And Ethelmar the ealdorman came thither, and the western thanes with him, and they all submitted to Sweyn, and delivered hostages for themselves. And when he had thus succeeded, then went he northward to his ships; and then all the people held him for full king. And after that the townsmen of London submitted, and delivered hostages, because they dreaded lest he should utterly undo them. Then Sweyn ordered a full-tribute and provisions for his army during the winter; and Thurkill ordered the like for the army which lay at Greenwich: and for all that, they plundered as oft as they would. Then was this people nothing benefited either from the south or from the north. Then was king Ethelred some while with the fleet which lay in the Thames; and the lady* then departed over sea to her brother Richard,† and Elfsy, abbat of Peterborough, with her. And the king sent bishop Elfhun with the ethelings, Edward and Alfred, over sea, that he might have charge of them. Then departed the king from the fleet at mid-winter into the Isle of Wight, and was there during that tide; and after that tide he went over the sea to Richard, and was there with him until such time as Sweyn was dead. And the while that the lady was with her brother beyond sea, Elfsy, abbat of Peterborough, who was there with her, went to the minster which is called Boneval, where St. Florentine's body lay. There found he a poor place, a poor abbat, and poor monks; for they had been plundered. Then + Duke of Normandy. * Emma. bought he there of the abbat and of the monks St. Florentine's body, all except the head, for five hundred pounds; and then when he came home again, then made he an offering of it to Christ and St. Peter. A. 1014. In this year king Sweyn ended his days, at Candlemas, on the third before the Nones of February. And that same year Alwy was consecrated bishop of London, at York, on St. Juliana's mass-day. And all the fleet then chose Canute for king. Then counselled all the witan who were in England, clergy and laity, that they should send after king Ethelred; and they declared that no lord were dearer to them than their natural lord, if he would rule them better than he had before done. Then sent the king his son Edward hither with his messengers, and ordered them to greet all his people; and said that he would be to them a loving lord, and amend all those things which they all abhorred, and each of those things should be forgiven which had been done or said to him, on condition that they all, with one consent, would be obedient to him, without deceit. And they then established full friendship, by word and by pledge, on either half, and declared every Danish king an outlaw from England for ever. Then, during Lent, king Ethelred came home to his own people; and he was gladly received by them all. Then, after Sweyn was dead, Canute sat with his army at Gainsborough until Easter; and it was agreed between him and the people of Lindsey that they should find him horses, and that afterwards they should all go out together, and plunder. Then came king Ethelred thither, to Lindsey, with his full force, before they were ready and then they plundered, and burned, and slew all the people whom they could reach. And Canute went away out with his fleet, and thus the poor people were deceived through him, and then he went southward until he came to Sandwich; and there he caused the hostages to be put on shore who had been delivered to his father, and cut off their hands, and ears, and noses. And besides all these evils, the king ordered the army which lay at Greenwich to be paid twentyone thousand pounds. And in this year, on the eve of St. Michael's mass, came the great sea-flood wide throughout this land, and ran so far up as it never before had done, and washed away many towns, and a countless number of people. A. 1015. In this year was the great council at Oxford; and there Edric the ealdorman betrayed Sigeferth and Morcar, the chief thanes in the Seven Boroughs. He allured them into his chamber, and there within they were cruelly slain. And the king then took all their possessions, and ordered Sigeferth's relict to be taken, and to be brought to Malmesbury. Then, after a little space, Edmund the etheling went there and took the woman, contrary to the king's will, and had her for his wife. Then, before the Nativity of St. Mary, the etheling went thence, from the west, north to the Five Boroughs, and soon took possession of all Sigeferth's property, and Morcar's; and the people all submitted to him. And then, during the same time, came king Canute to Sandwich; and soon after went about Kent into Wessex, until he came to the mouth of the Frome: and then he ravaged in Dorset, and in Wiltshire, and in Somerset. Then lay the king sick at Corsham. Then gathered Edric the ealdorman forces, and the etheling Edmund in the north. When they came together, then would the ealdorman betray the etheling, but he was not able: and they then parted without a battle on that account, and gave way to their foes. And Edric the ealdorman then enticed forty ships from the king, and then went over to Canute. And the men of Wessex submitted, and delivered hostages, and horsed the army; and then was it there until mid-winter. A. 1016. In this year came Canute with his army, and Edric the ealdorman with him, over Thames into Mercia at Cricklade. And then they went to Warwickshire, during the midwinter's tide, and ravaged, and burned, and slew all that they could come at. Then began the etheling Edmund to gather his forces. When the forces were assembled, then would it not content them except it so were that the king were there with them, and they might have the help of the citizens of London: then gave they up the expedition, and each man went him away home. Then after that tide, the forces were again called out, so that each man, who was able to go, should come forth, under full penalties; and they sent to the king at London, and prayed him that he would come to meet the forces with such help as he could gather. When they all had come together, then it availed them nothing more than it oft before had done. Then was it made known to the king that they would betray him; they who ought to have been of aid to him. Then left he the forces and returned to London. Then rode the etheling Edmund into North-humbria to Utred the earl, and every man thought that they would assemble forces against king Canute. Then marched they into Staffordshire, and into Shropshire, and to Chester; and they plundered on their part, and Canute on his part. He went out through Buckinghamshire into Bedfordshire, and thence to Huntingdonshire, and so into Northamptonshire along the fens to Stamford, and then into Lincolnshire; then thence to Nottinghamshire, and so to North-humbria towards York. When Utred heard this, then left he off his plundering, and hastened northwards, and then submitted, from need, and all the North-humbrians with him; and he delivered hostages: and, notwithstanding, they slew him, through the counsel of Edric the ealdorman, and Thurkytel, son of Nafan, with him. And then, after that, king Canute appointed Eric to be his earl in North-humbria, in like manner as Utred had been; and afterwards went southward, by another way, all to the west and then before Easter, came all the army to their ships. And the etheling Edmund went to London to his father. And then, after Easter, went king Canute with all his ships towards London. Then befell it that king Ethelred died, before the ships arrived. He ended his days on St.. George's mass day, and he held his kingdom with great toil and under great difficulties the while that his life lasted. And then, after his end, all the peers who were in London, and the citizens, chose Edmund to be king: and he strenuously defended his kingdom the while that his time lasted. Then came the ships to Greenwich at Rogation days. And within a little space they went to London, and they dug a great ditch on the south side, and dragged their ships to the west side of the bridge; and then afterwards they ditched the city around, so that no one could go either in or out: and they repeatedly fought against the city; but the citizens strenuously withstood them. Then had the king Edmund, before that, gone out; and then he over-ran Wessex, and all the people submitted to him. And soon after that he fought against the army at Pen, near Gillingham. And a second battle he fought, after mid-summer, at Sherston; and there |