In the meane while that Edmund was busie to leauie a new armie in
Glocester, and other parties of Mercia, Cnute hauing got so great a
victorie (as before is mentioned) receiued into his obeisance, not
onelie the citie of London, but also manie other cities and townes of
great name, and shortlie after hasted forward to pursue his enimie
king Edmund, who was readie with a mightie host to trie the vttermost
chance of battell if they should eftsoones ioine. HÈerevpon, both
[Sidenote: _Polydor_.]
the armies being readie to giue the onset, the one in sight of the
other at a place called Dearehurst, neere to the riuer of Seuerne, by
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._ _Simon Dun._]
the drift of duke Edrike, who then at length began to shew some
token of good meaning, the two kings came to a communication, and in
the end concluded an agreement, as some haue written, without anie
more adoo. Others write, that when both the armies were at point to
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._ saith this was Edrike.]
haue ioined, one of the capteins (but whether he were a Dane or an
Englishman, it is not certeinlie told) stood vp in such a place, as
he might be heard of both the princes, & boldlie vttered his mind in
forme following.
_The oration of a capteine in the audience of the English and Danish
armie_.
"We haue, most woorthie capteins, fought long inough one against
another, there hath beene but too much bloud shed betweene both
the nations, and the valiancie of the souldiers on both sides is
sufficientlie seene by triall, & either of your manhoods likewise, and
yet can you beare neither good nor euill fortune. If one of you win
the battell, he pursueth him that is ouercome; and if he chance to
be vanquished, he resteth not till he haue recouered new strength to
fight eftsoones with him that is victor. What should you meane by this
your inuincible courage? At what marke shooteth your greedie desire to
beare rule, and your excessive thirst to atteine honour? If you
fight for a kingdome, diuide it betweene you two, which sometime
was sufficient for seuen kings: but if you couet to winne fame and
glorious renowme, and for the same are driuen to try the hazard
whether ye shall command or obeie, deuise the waie whereby ye may
without so great slaughter, and without such pitifull bloudshed of
both your guiltlesse peoples, trie whether of you is most woorthie to
be preferred."
[Sidenote: The two kings appoint to try the matter by a combat.]
Thus made he an end, and the two princes allowed well of his last
motion, and so order was taken, that they should fight togither in a
singular combat within a litle Iland inclosed with the riuer of
[Sidenote: Oldney.]
Seuerne called Oldney, with condition, that whether of them chanced to
be victor, should be king, and the other to resigne his title for euer
into his hands. The two princes entering into the place appointed, in
faire armour, began the battell in sight of both their armies ranged
in goodlie order on either side the riuer, with doubtfull minds, and
nothing ioifull, as they that wauered betwixt hope and feare. The two
[Sidenote: _Matt. Westm._]
champions manfullie assailed either other, without sparing. First,
they went to it on horssebacke, and after on foot. Cnute was a man
[Sidenote: Cnute of what stature he was.]
of a meane stature, but yet strong and hardie, so that receiuing a
great blow by the hand of his aduersarie, which caused him somewhat
to stagger; yet recouered himselfe, and boldly stept forward to be
reuenged. But perceiuing he could not find aduantage, and that
[Sidenote: Cnute ouermatched.]
he was rather too weake, and shrewdlie ouermatched, he spake to
[Sidenote: Cnutes woords to Edmund.]
Edmund with a lowd voice on this wise: "What necessitie (saith he)
ought thus to mooue vs, most valiant prince, that for the obteining
of a kingdome, we should thus put our liues in danger? Better were
it that laieng armour and malice aside, we should condescend to some
reasonable agreement. Let vs become sworne brethren, and part the
[Sidenote: _H. Hunt._]
kingdome betwixt vs: and let vs deale so friendlie, that thou
maist vse my things as thine owne, and I thine as though they were
mine." King Edmund with those woords of his aduersarie was so
pacified, that immediatlie he cast awaie his swoord, and comming to
[Sidenote: They make vp the matter betwixt themselves.]
Cnute, ioined hands with him. Both the armies by their example
did the like, which looked for the same fortune to fall on their
countries, which should happen to their princes by the successe of
that one battell. After this, there was an agrÈement deuised betwixt
them, so that a partition of the realme was made, and that part that
lieth fore against France, was assigned to Edmund, and the other
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
fell to Cnute. There be that write, how the offer was made by king
Edmund for the auoiding of more bloudshed, that the two princes should
trie the matter thus togither in a singular combat. But Cnute refused
the combat, bicause (as he alledged) the match was not equall. For
although he was able to match Edmund in boldnesse of stomach, yet was
he farre too weake to deale with a man of such strength as Edmund was
knowne to be. But sith they did pretend title to the realme by due and
good direct meanes, he thought it most conuenient that the kingdome
should be diuided betwixt them. This motion was allowed of both the
armies, so that king Edmund was of force constreined to be contented
therewith.
∂ Thus our common writers haue recorded of this agrÈement, but if I
should not be thought presumptuous, in taking vpon me to reprooue,
or rather but to mistrust that which hath bÈene receiued for a true
narration in this matter, I would rather giue credit vnto that
[Sidenote: _Encomium EmmÊ_.]
which the author of the booke intituled "Encomium EmmÊ," dooth report
in this behalfe. Which is that through persuasion of Edrike de
Streona, king Edmund immediatelie after the battell fought at Ashdone,
sent ambassadors vnto Cnute to offer vnto him peace, with halfe the
realme of England, that is to say, the north parts, with condition
that king Edmund might quietlie inioy the south parts, and therevpon
haue pledges deliuered interchangeablie on either side.
Cnute hauing heard the effect of this message, staied to make answer
till he heard what his councell would aduise him to doo in this
behalfe: and vpon good deliberation taken in the matter, considering
that he had lost no small number of people in the former battell, and
that being farre out of his countrie, he could not well haue anie new
supplie, where the Englishmen although they had likewise lost verie
manie of their men of warre, yet being in their owne countrie, it
should be an easie matter for them to restore their decaid number, it
was thought expedient by the whole consent of all the Danish capteins,
that the offer of king Edmund should be accepted.
Herevpon Cnute calling the ambassadors before him againe, declared
vnto them, that he was contented to conclude a peace vpon such
conditions as they had offered: but yet with this addition, that their
king whatsoeuer he should be, should paie Cnutes souldiers their
wages, with monie to be leuied of that part of the kingdome which the
English king should possesse. "For (this saith he) I haue vndertaken
to sÈe them paid, and otherwise I will not grant to anie peace." The
league and agrÈement therefore being concluded in this sort,
pledges were deliuered and receiued on both parties, and the armies
[Sidenote: This is alleged touching the partiti[=o] of the kingdome.]
discharged. But God (saith mine author) being mindfull of his old
doctrine, that Euerie kingdome diuided in it selfe cannot long stand,
shortlie after tooke Edmund out of this life: and by such meanes
sÈemed to take pitie of the English kingdome, lest if both the kings
should haue continued in life togither, they should haue liued in
danger. And incontinentlie herevpon was Cnute chosen and receiued for
absolute king of all the whole realme of England. Thus hath he written
that liued in those daies, whose credit thereby is much aduanced.
Howbeit the common report of writers touching the death of Edmund
varieth from this, who doo affirme, that after Cnute and Edmund were
made friends, the serpent of enuie and false conspiracie burnt so in
the hearts of some traitorous persons, that within a while after
[Sidenote: K. Edmund traitorouslie slaine at Oxford. _Fabian._
_Simon Dun._]
king Edmund was slaine at Oxford, as he sat on a priuie to doo the
necessaries of nature. The common report hath gone, that earle Edrike
was the procurer of this villanous act, and that (as some write) his
sonne did it. But the author that wrote "Encomium EmmÊ," writing of
the death of Edmund, hath these words (immediatlie after he had first
declared in what sort the two princes were agrÈed, and had made
[Sidenote: This is alleged againe for the proofe of Edmunds natural
death.]
partition of the realme betwixt them:) But God (saith he) being
mindfull of his old doctrine, that Euerie kingdome diuided in it selfe
can not long stand, shortlie after tooke Edmund out of this life: and
by such meanes sÈemed to take pitie vpon the English kingdome, least
if both the kings should haue continued in life togither, they should
both haue liued in great danger, and the realme in trouble. With this
agreeth also Simon Dunel. who saith, that king Edmund died of naturall
[Sidenote: _Fabian_.]
sicknesse, by course of kind at London, about the feast of saint
Andrew next insuing the late mentioned agreement.
[Sidenote: _Ranul. Hig._ _Hen. Hunt._]
And this should sÈeme true: for whereas these authors which
report, that earle Edrike was the procurer of his death, doo also
write, that when he knew the act to be done, he hasted vnto Cnute, and
declared vnto him what he had brought to passe for his aduancement to
the gouernment of the whole realme. Wherevpon Cnute, abhorring such a
detestable fact, said vnto him: "Bicause thou hast for my sake, made
away the worthiest bodie of the world, I shall raise thy head aboue
all the lords of England," and so caused him to be put to death.
[Sidenote: Some thinke that he was duke of Mercia before, and now
had Essex adioined thereto.]
Thus haue some bookes. Howbeit this report agreeth not with other
writers, which declare how Cnute aduanced Edrike in the beginning of
his reigne vnto high honor, and made him gouernor of Mercia, and vsed
his counsell in manie things after the death of king Edmund, as in
banishing Edwin, the brother of king Edmund, with his sonnes also,
Edmund and Edward.
[Sidenote: Diuerse and discordant reports of Edmunds death.
_Ran. Higd._ _Wil. Malm._]
But for that there is such discordance and variable report amongst
writers touching the death of king Edmund, and some fables inuented
thereof (as the manner is) we will let the residue of their reports
passe; sith certeine it is, that to his end he came, after he had
reigned about the space of one yÈere, and so much more as is betwÈene
the moneth of Iune and the latter end of Nouember. His bodie was
buried at Glastenburie, neere his vncle Edgar. With this Edmund,
surnamed Ironside, fell the glorious maiestie of the English kingdome,
the which afterward as it had beene an aged bodie being sore decaied
and weakened by the Danes, that now got possession of the whole, yet
somewhat recouered after the space of 26 yÈers vnder king Edward,
surnamed the Confessor: and shortlie therevpon as it had bÈene falne
into a resiluation, came to extreame ruine by the inuasion and
conquest of the Normans: as after by Gods good helpe and fauorable
assistance it shall appeare. So that it would make a diligent and
marking reader both muse and moorne, to see how variable the state of
this kingdome hath bÈene, & thereby to fall into a consideration of
the frailtie and vncerteintie of this mortall life, which is no more
frÈe from securitie, than a ship on the sea in tempestuous weather.
For as the casualties wherewith our life is inclosed and beset with
round about, are manifold; so also are they miserable, so also are
they sudden, so also are they vnauoidable. And true it is, that the
life of man is in the hands of God, and the state of kingdoms dooth
also belong vnto him, either to continue or discontinue. But to the
processe of the matter.
* * * * *
_Cnute vndertaketh the totall regiment of this land, he assembleth a
councell at London, the nobles doo him homage, be diuideth the realme
into foure parts to be gouerned by his assignes; Edwin and Edward
the sonnes of Edmund are banished, their good fortune by honorable
mariages, King Cnute marieth queene Emma the widow of Egelred, the
wise and politike conditions wherevpon this mariage was concluded, the
English bloud restored to the crowne and the Danes excluded, queene
Emma praised for hir high wisedome in choosing an enimie to hir
husband; Cnute dismisseth the Danish armie into Denmarke; Edrike de
Streona bewraieth his former trecherie, and procureth his owne death
through rashnesse and follie, the discordant report of writers
touching the maner & cause of his death, what noble men were executed
with him, and banished out of England, Cnute a monarch._