[Sidenote: 1019. King Cnute passeth into Denmarke.]
In the third yeare of his reigne Cnute sailed with an armie of
Englishmen and Danes into Denmarke, to subdue the Vandals there, which
[Sidenote: Earle Goodwin his seruice in Denmarke.]
then sore annoied and warred against his subiects of Denmarke.
Earle Goodwine, which had the souereigne conduct of the Englishmen,
the night before the day appointed for the battell got him forth of
the campe with his people, and suddenlie assailing the Vandals in
their lodgings, easilie distressed them, sleaing a great number of
them, and chasing the residue. In the morning earlie, when as Cnute
heard that the Englishmen were gone foorth of their lodgings, he
supposed that they were either fled awaie, or else turned to take
part with the enimies. But as he approched to the enimies campe, he
vnderstood how the mater went; for he found nothing there but
[Sidenote: Cnute had the Englishmen in estimation for their good
service.]
bloud, dead bodies, and the spoile. For which good seruice, Cnute had
the Englishmen in more estimation euer after, and highlie rewarded
their leader the same earle Goodwine. When Cnute had ordered all
things in Denmarke, as was thought behoofefull, he returned againe
into England: and within a few daies after, he was aduertised that
the Swedeners made warre against his subiects of Denmarke, vnder the
[Sidenote: 1028. Cnute passeth againe into Denmarke.]
leding of two great princes, Vlfe and Vlafe. Wherefore to defend
his dominions in those parts, he passed againe with an armie into
Denmarke, incountred with his enimies, and receiued a sore ouerthrow,
[Sidenote: _Will. Malm._]
loosing a great number both of Danes and Englishmen. But gathering
togither a new force of men, he set againe vpon his enimies, and
ouercame them, constreining the two foresaid princes to agrÈe vpon
[Sidenote: _Matt. Westm._]
reasonable conditions of peace. Matth. West. recounteth, that at this
time earle Goodwine and the Englishmen wrought the enterprise aboue
mentioned, of assaulting the enimies campe in the night season, after
Cnute had first lost in the day before no small number of his people:
and that then the foresaid princes or kings, as he nameth them Vlfus
[Sidenote: _Albertus Crantz_.]
and Aulafus, which latter he calleth Eiglafe, were constrained to
agrÈe vpon a peace. The Danish chronicles alledge, that the occasion
of this warre rose hereof. This Olauus aided Cnute (as the same
writers report) against king Edmund and the Englishmen. But when
the peace should be made betwÈene Cnute and Edmund, there was no
consideration had of Olauus: whereas through him the Danes chieflie
obteined the victorie. Herevpon Olauus was sore offended in his mind
against Cnute, and now vpon occasion sought to be reuenged. But what
soeuer the cause was of this warre betwixt these two princes, the
end was thus: that Olauus was expelled out of his kingdome, and
constreined to flÈe to Gerithaslaus a duke in the parties of Eastland,
and afterward returning into Norwaie, was slaine by such of his
subiects as tooke part with Cnute, in manner as in the historie of
Norwaie, appeareth more at large, with the contrarietie found in the
writings of them which haue recorded the histories of those north
[Sidenote: Magnus Olauus.]
regions.
[Sidenote: _Fabian_. _Polydor_. _Hen. Hunt._]
But here is to be remembred, that the fame and glorie of the
English nation was greatlie aduanced in these warres, as well against
the Swedeners as the Norwegians, so that Cnute began to loue and trust
the Englishmen much better than it was to be thought he would euer
[Sidenote: Other say, that he went forth of Denmarke to Rome.
_Simon Dun._ Anno 1031. 1032. _Wil. Malm._ _Matth. West._ 1033.]
haue doone. Shortlie after that Cnute was returned into England, that
is to say (as some haue) in the 15 yeare of his reigne, he went to
Rome to performe his vow which he had made to visit the places
where the apostles Peter and Paule had their buriall, where he was
honorablie receiued of pope Iohn the 20 that then held the sÈe. When
he had doone his deuotion there, he returned into England. In the
yeare following, he made a iournie against the Scots, which as
[Sidenote: Scots subdued. _Hen. Hunt._ Anno 1035. _Wil. Malm._]
then had rebelled; but by the princelie power of Cnute they were
subdued and brought againe to obedience: so that not onelie king
Malcolme, but also two other kings Melbeath and Ieohmare became his
subiects. Finallie after that this noble prince king Cnute had
[Sidenote: The death of king Cnute. _Hen. Hunt._ _Alb. Crantz_.]
reigned the tearme of 20 yeares currant, after the death of Ethelred,
he died at Shaftsburie, as the English writers affirme, on the 12 of
Nouember, and was buried at Winchester. But the Danish chronicles
record that he died in Normandie, and was buried at Rome (as in the
same chronicles ye may reade more at large.)
* * * * *
_The trespuissance of Cnute, the amplenesse of his dominions, the good
and charitable fruits of his voiage to Rome redounding to the common
benefit of all trauellers from England thither, with what great
personages he had conference, and the honour that was doone him there,
his intollerable pride in commanding the waters of the flouds not to
rise, he humbleth himselfe and confesseth Christ Iesus to be king of
kings, he refuseth to weare the crowne during his life, he reproueth
a gentleman flatterer, his issue legitimate and illegitimate, his
inclination in his latter yeares, what religious places he erected,
repaired, and inriched; what notable men he fauoured and reuerenced,
his lawes; and that in causes as well ecclesiasticall as temporall
he had cheefe and sole gouernement in this land, whereby the popes
vsurped title of vniuersall supremasie is impeached._