[Sidenote: Turkillus discloseth the secrets of the Realme to K.
Swaine.]
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._]
Now had Turkillus in the meanetime aduertised king Swaine in what
state things stood here within the realme: how king Egelred was
negligent, onlie attending to the lusts & pleasures of the flesh: how
the noble men were vnfaithfull, and the commons weake and feeble
through want of good and trustie leaders. Howbeit, some write, that
Turkillus as well as other of the Danes which remained héere in
England, was in league with king Egelred, in somuch that he was with
him in London, to helpe and defend the citie against Swaine when he
came to assalt it (as after shall appéere.) Which if it be true, a
doubt may rise whether Swaine receiued anie aduertisement from
Turkillus to mooue him the rather to inuade the realme: but such
aduertisements might come from him before that he was accorded with
Egelred.
[Sidenote: Swaine prepareth an armie to inuade England.]
Swaine therefore as a valiant prince, desirous both to reuenge his
sisters death, and win honor, prepared an huge armie, and a great
number of ships, with the which he made towards England, and first
[Sidenote: He landeth at Sandwich.]
[Sidenote: 1013.]
[Sidenote: Gainsbourgh.]
comming to Sandwich, taried there a small while, and taking eftsoones
the sea, compassed about the coasts of Eastangles, and arriuing in the
mouth of Humber, sailed vp the water, and entering into the riuer of
Trent, he landed at Gainesbourgh, purposing to inuade the Northumbers.
But as men brought into great feare, for that they had béene subiect
to the Danes in times past, and thinking therefore not to reuolt to
the enimie, but rather to their old acquaintance, if they should
[Sidenote: The Northumbers yéeld to Swaine.]
[Sidenote: The people of Lindsey yéeld themselues to him.]
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._]
themselues to the Danes, streightwaies offered to become subiect vnto
Swaine, togither with their duke named Wighthred. Also the people of
Lindsey and all those of the northside of Watlingstréet yéelded
themselues vnto him, and delivered pledges. Then he appointed his
sonne Cnutus to haue the kéeping of those pledges, and to remaine vpon
the safegard of his ships, whiles he himselfe passed forward into the
[Sidenote: South Mercia.]
countrie. Then marched he forward to subdue them of south Mercia: and
so came to Oxford & to Winchester, making the countries subiect to him
throughout wheresoeuer he came.
With this prosperous successe Swaine being greatlie incouraged,
prepared to go vnto London, where king Egelred as then remained,
[Sidenote: _Sim. Dunel._]
hauing with him Turkillus the Dane, which was reteined in wages with
other of the Danes (as by report of some authors it maie appeare) and
were now readie to defend the citie against their countriemen in
support of king Egelred, togither with the citizens. Swaine, bicause
he would not step so farre out of the way as to go to the next bridge,
lost a great number of his men as he passed through the Thames. At his
[Sidenote: Swaine assaulteth London.]
comming to London, he began to assault the citie verie fiercelie, in
hope either to put his enimie in such feare that he should despaire of
all reliefe and comfort, or at the least trie what he was able to doo.
The Londoners on the other part, although they were brought in some
feare by this sudden attempt of the enimies, yet considering with
themselues, that the hazard of all the whole state of the realme was
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
annexed to theirs, sith their citie was the chiefe and metropolitane
of all the kingdome, they valiantlie stood in defense of themselues,
and of their king that was present there with them, beating backe the
enimies, chasing them from the walles, and otherwise dooing their best
to kéepe them off. At length, although the Danes did most valiantlie
assault the citie, yet the Englishmen to defend their prince from all
iniurie of enimies, did not shrinke, but boldlie sallied foorth at the
gates in heapes togither, and incountered with their aduersaries, and
began to fight with them verie fiercelie.
Swaine whilest he went about to kéepe his men in order, as one most
desirous to reteine the victorie now almost gotten, was compassed so
about with the Londoners on each side, that after he had lost a great
number of his men, he was constreined for his safegard to breake out
through the midst of his enimies weapons, and was glad that he might
so escape: and so with the residue of his armie ceassed not to iournie
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
[Sidenote: Erle of Deuonshire as saith _Matt. West._]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
day and night till he came to Bath, where Ethelmere an earle of great
power in those west parts of the realme submitted himselfe with all
his people vnto him, who shortlie after neuerthelesse (as some write)
was compelled through want of vittels to release the tribute latelie
couenanted to be paied vnto him for a certeine summe of monie, which
[Sidenote: Swaine returneth into Denmarke.]
when hée had receiued, he returned into Denmarke, meaning shortlie to
returne againe with a greater power.
King Egelred supposed that by the paiment of that monie he should haue
béene rid out of all troubles, of warre with the Danes. But the nobles
of the realme thought otherwise, and therefore willed him to prepare
[Sidenote: Swaine returneth into England to make warre.]
an armie with all speéd that might be made. Swaine taried not long (to
proue the doubt of the noble men to be grounded of foreknowledge) but
that with swift spéed he returned againe into England, and immediatlie
vpon his arriuall was an armie of Englishmen assembled and led against
him into the field. Herevpon they ioined in battell, which was sore
foughten for a time, till at length by reason of diuerse Englishmen
[Sidenote: King Egelred discomfited in battell.]
that turned to the enimies side, the discomfiture fell with such
slaughter vpon the English host, that king Egelred well perceiued the
state of his regall gouernement to bée brought into vtter danger.
Wherevpon after the losse of this field, he assembled the rest of his
people that were escaped, and spake vnto them after this manner.
_The oration of king Egelred to the remanent of his souldiers._
"I shuld for euer be put to silence, if there wanted in vs the vertue
of a fatherlie mind, in giuing good aduise & counsel for the well
ordering and due administration of things in the common wealth, or if
there lacked courage or might in our souldiers and men of warre to
defend our countrie. Trulie to die in defense of the countrie where we
are borne, I confesse it a woorthie thing, and I for my part am readie
to take vpon me to enter into the midst of the enimies in defense of
my kingdome. But here I see our countrie and the whole English nation
to be at a point to fall into vtter ruine. We are ouercome of the
Danes, not with weapon or force of armes; but with treason wrought by
our owne people: we did at the first prepare a nauie against the
enimies, the which that false traitour Elfrike betraid into their
hands. Againe, oftentimes haue we giuen battell with euill successe,
and onelie through the fault of our owne people that haue beene false
and disloiall: whereby we haue bin constreined to agree with the
enimies vpon dishonorable conditions, euen as necessitie required,
which to ouercome, resteth onelie in God. Such kind of agreement hath
beene made in deed to our destruction, sith the enimies haue not
sticked to breake it (they being such a wicked kind of people as
neither regard God nor man) contrarie to right and reason, and beside
all our hope & expectation. So that the matter is come now to this
passe, that we haue not cause onlie to feare the losse of our
gouernement, but least the name of the whole English nation be
destroied for euer. Therefore sithens the enimies are at hand, and as
it were ouer our heads, you to whom my commandement hath euer bene had
in good regard, prouide, take counsell, and see to succor the state of
your countrie now readie to decay and to fall into irrecouerable
ruine."
Herevpon they fell in consultation, euerie one alledging and bringing
foorth his opinion as seemed to him best: but it appeared they had the
woolfe by the eare, for they wist not which way to turne them. If they
should giue battell, it was to be doubted least through treason among
themselues, the armie should be betraied into the enimies hands, the
which would not faile to execute all kind of crueltie in the slaughter
of the whole nation. And if they stood not valiantlie to shew
themselues readie to defend their countrie, there was no shift but
yeeld themselues. Which though it were a thing reprochfull and
dishonorable, yet should it be lesse euill, as they tooke the matter,
for thereby might manie be preserued from death, and in time to come,
be able to recouer the libertie of their countrie, when occasion
should be offered. This point was allowed of them all, and so in the
end they rested vpon that resolution.
[Sidenote: King Egelred determineth to give place vnto Swaine.]
[Sidenote: He sendeth his wife and sonnes ouer into Normandie.]
[Sidenote: Richard duke of Normandie.]
King Egelred therefore determined to commit himselfe into the hands of
his brother in law Richard duke of Normandie, whose sister (as ye haue
heard) he had maried. But bicause he would not doo this vnaduisedlie,
first he sent ouer his wife quéene Emma, with his sonnes which he had
begotten of hir, Alfred and Edward, that by their interteinment he
might vnderstand how he should be welcome. Duke Richard receiued his
sister and his nephues verie ioifullie, and promised to aid his
brother king Egelred in defense of his kingdome. But in this meane
while had Swaine conquered the more part of all England, and brought
(by little and little) that which remained vnder his subiection. The
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._]
[Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._]
[Sidenote: Turkill.]
[Sidenote: 1014.]
people through feare submitting themselues on each hand, king Egelred
in this meane time (for the Londoners had submitted themselues to
Swaine) was first withdrawne vnto Gréenwich, and there remained for a
time with the nauie of the Danes, which was vnder the gouernement of
earle Turkill, and from thence sailed into the Ile of Wight, and there
remained a great part of the winter, and finallie after Christmas
[Sidenote: King Egelred passeth into Normandie.]
himselfe sailed into Normandie, and was of his brother in law
ioifullie receiued & greatlie comforted in that his time of
necessitie.
* * * * *
_Swaine king of Denmarke is reputed king of this land, he oppresseth
the English people cruellie, and spoileth religious houses, the
strange and miraculous slaughter of Swaine vaunting of his victories;
the Danish chronicles write parciallie of him and his end, Cnute
succeedeth his father Swaine in regiment, the Englishmen send king
Egelred woord of Swaines death, Edward king Egelreds eldest sonne
commeth ouer into England to know the state of the countrie and people
of certeintie; Egelred with his power returneth into England; what
meanes Cnute made to establish himselfe king of this land, and to be
well thought of among the English people, Egelred burneth vp
Gainesbrough, and killeth the inhabitants therof for their
disloialtie; Cnutes flight to Sandwich, his cruel decree against the
English pledges, he returneth into Denmarke, why Turkillus the Danish
capteine with his power compounded with the Englishmen to tarrie in
this land, his faithlesse seruice to Egelred, his drift to make the
whole realme subiect to the Danish thraldome._