[Sidenote: The large dominion of K. Cnute. _Hen. Hunt._ _Alb. Crantz_.]
This Cnute was the mightiest prince that euer reigned ouer the
English people: for he had the souereigne rule ouer all Denmark,
England, Norwaie, Scotland, and part of Sweiden. Amongest other of his
roiall acts, he caused such tolles and tallages as were demanded of
way-goers at bridges and strÈets in the high way betwixt England and
Rome to be diminished to the halfes, and againe got also a moderation
to be had in the paiment of the archbishops fees of his realme, which
was leuied of them in the court of Rome when they should receiue their
palles, as may appeare by a letter which he himselfe being at Rome,
directed to the bishops and other of the nobles of England. In the
which it also appeareth, that besides the roiall interteinment, which
he had at Rome of pope Iohn, he had conference there with the emperour
Conrad, with Rafe the king of Burgongne, and manie other great princes
and noble men, which were present there at that time: all which at his
[Sidenote: Grants made to the benefit of Englishmen, at the instance
of king Cnute. _Fabian_. _Polydor_. _Matt. West._]
request, in fauour of those Englishmen that should trauell vnto
Rome, granted (as we haue said) to diminish such duties as were
gathered of passingers.
He receiued there manie great gifts of the emperour, and was highlie
honored of him, and likewise of the pope, and of all other the high
princes at that time present at Rome: so that when he came home (as
some write) he did grow greatlie into pride, insomuch that being
[Sidenote: He caused his chaire to be set there, as _Matth. West._
saith. _Hen. Hunt._]
nÈere to the Thames, or rather (as other write) vpon the sea strand,
nÈere to Southhampton, and perceiuing the water to rise by reason of
the tide, he cast off his gowne, and wrapping it round togither, threw
it on the sands verie neere the increasing water, and sat him downe
vpon it, speaking these or the like words to the sea: "Thou art (saith
he) within the compasse of my dominion, and the ground whereon I
sit is mine, and thou knowest that no wight dare disobeie my
commandements; I therefore doo now command thÈe not to rise vpon my
ground, nor to presume to wet anie part of thy souereigne lord and
gouernour." But the sea kÈeping hir course, rose still higher and
higher, and ouerflowed not onelie the kings fÈet, but also flashed vp
vnto his legs and knees. Wherewith the king started suddenlie vp, and
[Sidenote: The saieng of king Cnute.]
withdrew from it, saieng withall to his nobles that were about him:
"Behold you noble men, you call me king, which can not so much as
staie by my commandement this small portion of water. But know ye for
certeine, that there is no king but the father onelie of our Lord
Iesus Christ, with whome he reigneth, & at whose becke all things are
[Sidenote: Zealouslie inough, if it had bin according to true knowledge.]
gouerned. Let vs therefore honor him, let vs confesse and professe
him to be the ruler of heauen, earth, and sea, and besides him none
other."
From thence he went to Winchester, and there with his owne hands set
his crowne vpon the head of the image of the crucifix, which stood
there in the church of the apostles Peter and Paule, and from
[Sidenote: _Ran. Higd_. _Polydor_. _Matth. West._]
thenceforth he would neuer weare that crowne nor anie other. Some
write that he spake not the former words to the sea vpon anie
presumptuousnesse of mind, but onelie vpon occasion of the vaine
[Sidenote: _Polydor_.]
title, which in his commendation one of his gentlemen gaue him by way
of flatterie (as he rightlie tooke it) for he called him the most
[Sidenote: Flatterie reproued.]
mightiest king of all kings, which ruled most at large both men,
sea, and land. Therefore to reprooue the fond flatterie of such vaine
persons, he deuised and practised the dÈed before mentioned, thereby
both to reprooue such flatterers, and also that men might be
admonished to consider the omnipotencie of almightie God. He had issue
by his wife quÈene Emma, a sonne named by the English chronicles
Hardiknought, but by the Danish writers Canute or Knute: also a
daughter named Gonilda, that was after maried to Henrie the sonne of
[Sidenote: _Polydor_.]
Conrad, which also was afterwards emperour, and named Henrie the
third. By his concubine Alwine that was daughter to Alselme, whome
[Sidenote: _Alb. Cranz_.]
some name earle of Hampton, he had two bastard sonnes, Harold and
Sweno. He was much giuen in his latter daies to vertue, as he that
[Sidenote: _Polydor_. _Fabian_.]
considered how perfect felicitie rested onelie in godlines and
true deuotion to serue the heauenlie king and gouernour of all things.
He repared in his time manie churches, abbeies and houses of religion,
which by occasion of warres had bÈene sore defaced by him and his
father, but speciallie he did great cost vpon the abbeie of saint
Edmund, in the towne of Burie, as partlie before is mentioned. He also
built two abbeies from the foundation, as saint Benets in Norffolke,
[Sidenote: Which is supposed to be Barclow: for Ashdone it selfe
is halfe a mile from thence.]
seuen miles distant from Norwich, and an other in Norwaie. He
did also build a church at Ashdone in Essex, where he obteined
the victorie of king Edmund, and was present at the hallowing or
consecration therof with a great multitude of the lords and nobles of
the realme, both English and Danes. He also holpe with his owne hands
to remooue the bodie of the holie archbishop Elphegus, when the
[Sidenote: 1020. _Simon Dun._]
same was translated from London to Canturburie. The roiall and most
rich iewels which he & his wife quÈene Emma gaue vnto the church
of Winchester, might make the beholders to woonder at such their
exceeding and bountifull munificence.
Thus did Cnute striue to reforme all such things as he and his
ancestors had doone amisse, and to wipe awaie the spot of euill
dooing, as suerlie to the outward sight of the world he did in
deed; he had the archbishop of Canturburie Achelnotus in singular
[Sidenote: Leofrike earle of Chester.]
reputation, and vsed his counsell in matters of importance. He
also highlie fauoured Leofrike earle of Chester, so that the same
Leofrike bare great rule in ordering of things touching the state of
[Sidenote: King Cnutes lawes.]
the common wealth vnder him as one of his chiefe councellors.
Diuerse lawes and statutes he made for the gouernment of the common
wealth, partlie agrÈeable with the lawes of king Edgar, and other the
kings that were his predecessors, and partlie tempered according to
his owne liking, and as was thought to him most expedient: among the
which there be diuerse that concerne causes as well ecclesiasticall as
temporall. Whereby (as maister Fox hath noted) it maie be gathered,
that the gouernment of spirituall matters did depend then not vpon the
bishop of Rome, but rather apperteined vnto the lawfull authoritie of
the temporall prince, no lesse than matters and causes temporall. But
of these lawes & statutes enacted by king Cnute, ye may read more
as ye find them set foorth in the before remembred booke of maister
William Lambert, which for briefenesse we hÈere omit.
* * * * *
_Variance amongest the peeres of the realme about the roiall
succession, the kingdome is diuided betwixt Harold the bastard
sonne and Hardicnute the lawfullie begotten son of king Cnute late
deceassed, Harold hath the totall regiment, the authoritie of earle
Goodwine gardian to the queenes sonnes, Harold is proclaimed king,
why Elnothus did stoutlie refuse to consecrate him, why Harold was
surnamed Harefoot, he is supposed to be a shoomakers sonne, and how
it came to passe that he was counted king Cnutes bastard; Alfred
challengeth the crowne from Harold, Goodwine (vnder colour of
friendlie interteinment) procureth his retinues vtter vndooing, a
tithing of the Normans by the poll, whether Alfred was interessed in
the crowne, the trecherous letter of Harold written in the name of
queÈne Emma to hir two sons in Normandie, wherevpon Alfred commeth
ouer into England, the vnfaithfull dealing of Goodwine with Alfred and
his people, teaching that in trust is treason, a reseruation of euerie
tenth Norman, the remanent slaine, the lamentable end of Alfred, and
with what torments he was put to death; Harold banisheth queene Emma
out of England he degenerateth from his father, the short time of his
reigne, his death and buriall._