[Sidenote: The king sendeth to the Danes.]
[Sidenote: _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.]
[Sidenote: Canturburie wonne by Danes.]
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, 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
[Sidenote: _Fabian ex Antonino._]
dooth and maie appéere.) For they slue of men, women, and children,
[Sidenote: The archbishop Elphegus taken.]
[Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._]
aboue the number of eight thousand. They tooke the archbishop Elphegus
with an other bishop named Godwine; also abbat Lefwin and Alseword the
kings bailife there. They spared no degrée, in somuch that they slue
and tooke 900 priests, and other men of religion. And when they had
[Sidenote: _Antoninus._]
[Sidenote: _Vincentius._]
[Sidenote: _Wil. Lamb. ex Asserio Meneuensi, & alijs._]
taken their pleasure of the citie, they 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.]
[Sidenote: _Henr. Hunt._]
But now to our purpose. In the yéere next insuing, vpon the Saturday
in Easter wéeke, after that the bishop Elphegus had béene kept
prisoner with them the space of six or seuen moneths, they cruellie in
[Sidenote: The archbishop Elphegus murthered.]
a rage led him foorth into the fields, and dashed out his braines with
stones, bicause he would not redéeme his libertie with thrée thousand
pounds, which they demanded to haue beene leuied of his farmers and
tenants. This cruell murther was commited at Gréenewich foure miles
distant from London, the 19 of Aprill, where he lay a certeine time
[Sidenote: Miracles.]
vnburied, but at length through miracles shewed (as they say, for
miracles are all wrought now by dead men, and not by the liuing) the
[Sidenote: Elphegus buried in London.]
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 gouernment of this
[Sidenote: Translated to Canturburie.]
land, by whose appointment it was remooued to Canturburie.
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malms._]
[Sidenote: 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 the Englishmen for a
[Sidenote: 48 thousand pound as saith _Sim. Dun._ and _M. West._]
[Sidenote: _Henr. Hunt._]
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 yéere after the conclusion of this
[Sidenote: Gunthildis the sister of K. Swaine murthered.]
agreement, that is to say, in the yeere 1012, at what time 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 yéere 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 yéere 1011, when the last agréement 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
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
hir husband Palingus, a mightie earle, and receiued baptisme héere.
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 withall 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._