[Sidenote: The king sendeth to the Danes. _Simon Dun._]
The king and the peeres of the realme, vnderstanding of the Danes
dealing in such merciles maner (as is aboue mentioned) but not knowing
how to redresse the matter, sent ambassadors vnto the Danes, offering
them great summes of moneie to leaue off such cruell wasting and
spoiling of the land. The Danes were contented to reteine the moneie,
but yet could not absteine from their cruell dooings, neither was
their greedie thirst of bloud and spoile satisfied with the wasting
and destroieng of so manie countries and places as they had passed
[Sidenote: 1011.]
through. Wherevpon, in the yeere of our Lord 1011, about the feast of
S. Matthew in September, they laid siege to the citie of Canturburie,
which of the citizens was valiantlie defended by the space of twentie
daies. In the end of which terme it was taken by the enimies,
[Sidenote: Canturburie wonne by Danes.]
through the treason of a deacon named Almaricus, whome the archbishop
Elphegus had before that time preserued from death. The Danes
exercised passing great crueltie in the winning of that citie (as by
sundrie authors it dooth and maie appÈere.) For they slue of men,
[Sidenote: _Fabian ex Antonino_.]
women, and children, aboue the number of eight thousand. They tooke
[Sidenote: The archbishop Elphegus taken. _Hen. Hunt._]
the archbishop Elphegus with an other bishop named Godwine; also
abbat Lefwin and Alseword the kings bailife there. They spared no
degrÈe, in somuch that they slue and tooke 900 priests, and other men
of religion. And when they had taken their pleasure of the citie, they
[Sidenote: _Antoninus. Vincentius_. _Wil. Lamb. ex Asserio Meneuensi,
& alijs_.]
set it on fire, and so returned to their ships. There be some which
write that they tithed the people after an inuerted order, slaieng all
by nines through the whole multitude, and reserued the tenth: so that
of all the moonks there were but foure saued, and of the laie people
4800, whereby it followeth that there died 43200 persons. Whereby is
gathered that the citie of Canturburie, and the countrie thereabouts
(the people whereof belike fled thither for succor) was at that time
verie well inhabited, so as there haue not wanted (saith maister
Lambert) which affirme that it had then more people than London it
selfe.
[Sidenote: 1112. _Henr. Hunt._]
But now to our purpose. In the yÈere next insuing, vpon the
Saturday in Easter wÈeke, after that the bishop Elphegus had bÈene
kept prisoner with them the space of six or seuen moneths, they
cruellie in a rage led him foorth into the fields, and dashed out his
[Sidenote: The archbishop Elphegus murthered.]
braines with stones, bicause he would not redÈeme his libertie with
thrÈe thousand pounds, which they demanded to haue beene leuied of his
farmers and tenants. This cruell murther was commited at GrÈenewich
foure miles distant from London, the 19 of Aprill, where he lay a
[Sidenote: Miracles.]
certeine time vnburied, but at length through miracles shewed (as
[Sidenote: Elphegus buried in London.]
they say, for miracles are all wrought now by dead men, and not
by the liuing) the Danes permitted that his bodie might be caried to
London, and there was it buried in the church of S. Paule, where it
rested for the space of ten yeeres, till king Cnute or Knought had the
[Sidenote: Translated to Canturburie.]
gouernment of this land, by whose appointment it was remooued to
Canturburie.
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malms._ Turkillus held Norffolk and Suffolke.]
Turkillus the leader of those Danes by whome the archbishop
Elphegus was thus murthered, held Northfolke and Suffolke vnder
his subiection, & so continued in those parties as chiefe lord and
gouernor. But the residue of the Danes at length, compounding with
[Sidenote: 48 thousand pound as saith _Sim. Dun._ and _M. West._
_Henr. Hunt._]
the Englishmen for a tribute to be paid to them of eight thousand
pounds, spred abroad in the countrie, soiorning in cities, townes and
villages, where they might find most conuenient harbour. Moreouer,
fortie of their ships, or rather (as some write) 45 were reteined to
serue the king, promising to defend the realme; with condition, that
the souldiers and mariners should haue prouision of meate and drinke,
with apparell found them at the kings charges. As one autor hath
gathered, Swaine king of Denmarke was in England at the concluding of
this peace, which being confirmed with solemne othes and sufficient
hostages, he departed into Denmarke.
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
The same author bringeth the generall slaughter of Danes vpon S.
Brices day, to haue chanced in the yÈere after the conclusion of
this agreement, that is to say, in the yeere 1012, at what time
[Sidenote: Gunthildis the sister of K. Swaine murthered.]
Gunthildis the sister of king Swaine was slaine, with hir husband
& hir sonne, by the commandement of the false traitor Edrike. But
bicause all other authors agree that the murther of Danes was executed
about ten yeeres before this supposed time: we haue made rehearsall
thereof in that place. Howbeit, for the death of Gunthildis, it maie
be, that she became hostage either in the yÈere 1007, at what time
king Egelred paied thirtie thousand pounds vnto king Swaine to haue
peace (as before you haue heard) or else might she be deliuered in
hostage, in the yÈere 1011, when the last agrÈement was made with the
Danes (as aboue is mentioned.) But when or at what time soeuer she
became hostage, this we find of hir, that she came hither into England
with hir husband Palingus, a mightie earle, and receiued baptisme
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
hÈere. Wherevpon she earnestlie trauelled in treatie of a peace
betwixt hir brother and king Egelred: which being brought to passe
chieflie by hir sute, she was contented to become an hostage for
performance thereof (as before is recited.) And after by the
commandement of earle Edrike she was put to death, pronouncing that
the shedding of hir bloud would cause all England one day sore to rue.
She was a verie beautifull ladie, and tooke hir death without all
feare, not once changing countenance, though she saw hir husband
and hir onelie sonne (a yoong gentleman of much towardnesse) first
murthered before hir face.
* * * * *
_Turkillus the Danish capteine telleth king Swaine the faults of the
king, nobles, & commons of this realme, he inuadeth England, the
Northumbers and others submit themselues to him, Danes receiued into
seruice vnder Egelred, London assalted by Swaine, the citizens behaue
themselues stoutlie, and giue the Danish host a shamefull repulse,
Ethelmere earle of Deuonshire and his people submit themselues to
Swaine, he returneth into Denmarke, commeth back againe into England
with a fresh power, is incountred withhall of the Englishmen, whose
king Egelred is discomfited, his oration to his souldiers touching the
present reliefe of their distressed land, their resolution and full
purpose in this their perplexitie, king Egelred is minded to giue
place to Swaine, he sendeth his wife and children ouer into Normandie,
the Londoners yeeld vp their state to Swaine, Egelred saileth oner
into Normandie, leauing his land to the enimie._