Book VI. from toll and cuftom. I must not omit one remarkable action done by him, as Huntingdon reports it, with great fcene of circumftance, and emphatical expreffion, to show the small power of kings in refpect of God; which, unless to court-parafites, needed no fuch laborious demonstration. He caufed his royal feat to be fet on the shore, while the tide was coming in; and with all the flate that royalty could put into his countenance, faid thus to the fea; "Thou fea belongeft to me, and the land whereon I fit is mine; nor hath any one unpunished refifted my commands: I charge thee come no farther upon my land, neither prefume to wet the feet of thy fovereign lord." But the fea, as before, came rolling on, and without reverence both wet and dashed him. Whereat the king quickly rifing wished all about him to behold and confider the weak and frivolous power of a king, and that none indeed deferved the name of a king, but he whofe eternal laws both Heaven, earth, and fea obey. A truth fo evident of itself, as I faid before, that unless to shame his court-flatterers, who would not elfe be convinced, Canute needed not to have gone wethod home: the beft is, from that time forth he never would wear a crown, efteeming earthly royalty contemptible and vain. HAROLD. HAROLD for his fwiftness furnamed Harefoot *, the fon of Canute by Algiva of Northampton, (though fome fpeak doubtfully as if fhe bore him not, but had him of a fhoemaker's wife, as Swane before of a priest; others of a maidfervant, to conceal her barrennefs) in a great affembly at Oxford was by duke Leofric and the Mercians, with the Londoners, according to his father's teftament, elected king; but without the regal habili ments, which Ælnot, the archbishop, having in his cuftody, refused to deliver up, but to the fons of Emma, for which Harold ever after hated the clergy; and (as the clergy are wont thence to infer) all religion. Godwin Florent. Brompton, Huntingd. Mat. Weft. + Encom, Em. earl earl of Kent, and the Weft-Saxons with him, stood for Hardecnute. Malmsbury faith, that the conteft was between Dane and English; that the Danes, and Londoners grown now in a manner Danish, were all for Hardecnute but he being then in Denmark, Harold prevailed, yet so as that the kingdom fhould be divided between them; the weft and fouth part referved by Emma for Hardecnute, till his return. But Harold, once advanced into the throne, banished Emma his mother-inlaw, feized on his father's treasure at Winchester, and there remained. * Emma, not holding it safe to abide in Normandy while duke William the baftard was yet under age, retired to Baldwin earl of Flanders. In the mean while Elfred and Edward fons of Ethelred, accompanied with a small number of Norman foldiers in a few Thips, coming to vifit their mother Emma not yet departed the land, and perhaps to fee how the people were inclined to restore them their right, Elfred was fent for by the king then at London; but in his way met at Guilford by earl Godwin, who with all feeming friendship entertained him, was in the night furprifed and made prifoner, moft of his company put to various forts of cruel death, decimated twice over; then brought to London, was by the king fent bound to Ely, had his eyes put out by the way, and delivered to the monks there, died foon after in their cuftody. Malmbury gives little credit to this ftory of Elfred, as not chronicled in his time, but rumoured only. Which Emma however hearing fent away her fon Edward, who by good hap accompanied not his brother, with all speed into Normandy. But the author of " Encomium Emma," who feems plainly (though nameless) to have been fome monk, yet lived, and perhaps wrote within the fame year when these things were done; by his relation, differing from all others, much aggravates the cruelty of Harold, that he, not content to have practifed in fecret (for openly he durft not) against the life of Emma, fought many treacherous ways to get her fon within his power; and refolved at length to forge a letter in the name of their mother, * Poft Chrift. 1036. Sim. Dun. Book VI. inviting them into England, the copy of which letter he produces written to this purpose. "EMMA in name only queen, to her fons Edward and Elfred imparts motherly falutation. While we feverally bewail the death of our lord the king, moft dear fons! and while daily you are deprived more and more of the kingdom your inheritance; I admire what counsel ye take, knowing that your intermitted delay is a daily ftrengthening to the reign of your ufurper, who inceffantly goes about from town to city, gaining the chief nobles to his party, either by gifts, prayers, or threats. But they had much rather one of you fhould reign over them, than to be held under the power of him who now overrules them. I entreat therefore, that one of you come to me speedily, and privately, to receive from me wholefome counfel, and to know how the bufinefs which I intend fhall be accomplished. By this meffenger prefent, fend back what you determine. Farewel, as dear both as my own heart." Thefe letters were fent to the princes then in Normandy, by exprefs meffengers, with prefents alfo as from their mother; which they joyfully receiving, return word by the fame meffengers, that one of them will be with her shortly; naming both the time and place. Elfred therefore the younger (for fo it was thought beft) at the appointed time, with a few fhips and fmall numbers about him appearing on the coaft, no fooner came afhore but fell into the fnare of earl Godwin, fent on purpose to betray him; as above was related. Emma greatly forrowing for the lofs of her fon, thus cruelly made away, fled immediately with fome of the nobles her faithfulleft adherents into Flanders, had her dwelling affigned at Bruges by the earl; where having remained about two years*, *, fhe was vifited out of Denmark by Hardecnute her fon; and he not long had remained with her there, when Harold in England, having done nothing the while worth memory, fave the taxing of every port at Poft Chrift. 1039. Sim. Dun. Huntingd. eight marks of. filver to fixteen fhips, died at London, fome fay at Oxford, and was buried at Winchester. *After which, most of the nobility, both Danes and English now agreeing, fend embaffadors to Hardecnute ftill at Bruges with his mother, entreating him to come and receive as his right the fceptre; who before midfummer came with fixty fhips, and many foldiers out of Denmark. HARDECNUTE. HARDECNUTE received with acclamation, and feated in the throne, first called to mind the injuries done to him or his mother Emma in the time of Harold; fent Alfric archbishop of York, Godwin, and others, with Troud his executioner, to London, commanding them to dig up the body of king Harold, and throw it into a ditch; but by a second order, into the Thames. Whence taken up by a fisherman, and conveyed to a churchyard in London belonging to the Danes, it was interred again with honour. This done, he levied a fore tax, that eight marks to every rower, and twelve to every officer in his fleet, fhould be paid throughout England: by which time they who were fo forward to call him over had enough of him; for he, as they thought, had too much of theirs. After this he called to account Godwin earl of Kent, and Leving bifhop of Worcester, about the, death of Elfred his half brother, which Alfric the archbishop laid to their charge; the king deprived Leving of his bishopric, and gave it to his accufer: but the year following, pacified with a round fum, restored it to Leving. Godwin made his peace by a fumptuous prefent, a galley with a gilded ftem bravely rigged, and eighty foldiers in her, every one with bracelets of gold on each arm, weighing fixteen ounces, helmet, corflet, and hilts of his fword gilded; a Danish curtaxe, lifted with gold or filver, hung on his left fhoulder, a fhield with bofs and nails gilded in his left hand, in his right a lance; befides this, he took his oath before the king, Poft Chrift. 1040. Sim. Dun. Malms. † Malms. that that neither of his own counfel or will, but by the command of Harold, he had done what he did, to the putting out Elfred's eyes. The like oath took most of the nobility for themfelves, or in his behalf. The next year Hardecnute fending his houfe-carles, fo they called his officers, to gather the tribute impofed; two of them, rigorous in their office, were flain at Worcester by the people; whereat the king enraged fent Leofric duke of Mercia, and Seward of Northumberland, with great forces and commiffion to flay the citizens, rifle and burn the city, and waste the whole province. Affrighted with fuch news, all the people fled: the countrymen whither they could, the citizens to a small island in Severn, called Beverege, which they fortified and defended ftoutly till peace was granted them, and freely to return home. But their city they found facked and burnt: wherewith the king was appeafed. This was commendable in him, however cruel to others, that towards his half-brethren, though rivals of his crown, he showed himself always tenderly affectioned; as now towards Edward, who without fear came to him out of Normandy, and with unfeigned kindness received, remained fafely and honourably in his court. † But Hardecnute the year following, at a feaft wherein Ofgod a great Danish lord gave his daughter in marriage at Lambeth to Prudon another potent Dane, in the midft of his mirth, found and healthful to fight, while he was drinking fell down fpeechless, and fo dying, was buried at Winchester befide his father. He was it feems a great lover of good cheer; fitting at table four times a day, with great variety of dishes and fuperfluity to all comers. Whereas, faith Huntingdon, in our time princes in their houfes made but one meal a day. He gave his fifter Gunildis, a virgin of rare beauty, in marriage to Henry the Alman emperor; and to fend her forth pompously, all the nobility contributed their jewels and richeft ornaments. But it may feem a wonder, that our hiftorians, if they deferve that name, should in a matter fo remarkable, and fo near their own time, fo much differ. Huntingdon relates, against the • Poft Christ. 1041. Sim. Dun. + Poft Chrift. 1042. Sim. Dun. |