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
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
chance of battell if they should eftsoones ioine. Héerevpon, both 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 the
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._]
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 haue ioined,
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._ saith this was Edrike.]
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 betwéene 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.]
[Sidenote: Oldney.]
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
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 of
[Sidenote: Cnute of what stature he was.]
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 he was
[Sidenote: Cnute ouermatched.]
[Sidenote: Cnutes woords to Edmund.]
rather too weake, and shrewdlie ouermatched, he spake to 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
[Sidenote: _H. Hunt._]
agreement. Let vs become sworne brethren, and part the 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 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
[Sidenote: They make vp the matter betwixt themselves.]
happen to their princes by the successe of that one battell. After
this, there was an agréement deuised betwixt them, so that a partition
of the realme was made, and that part that lieth fore against France,
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
was assigned to Edmund, and the other 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 agréement, but if I
should not be thought presumptuous, in taking vpon me to reprooue, or
rather but to mistrust that which hath béene receiued for a true
narration in this matter, I would rather giue credit vnto that which
[Sidenote: _Encomium Emmæ._]
the author of the booke intituled "Encomium Emmæ," 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 sée them paid, and otherwise I will not grant to anie peace." The
league and agréement 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
séemed 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 king
[Sidenote: K. Edmund traitorouslie slaine at Oxford.]
[Sidenote: _Fabian._]
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._]
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 Emmæ," writing of
the death of Edmund, hath these words (immediatlie after he had first
declared in what sort the two princes were agréed, and had made
partition of the realme betwixt them:) But God (saith he) being
[Sidenote: This is alleged againe for the proofe of Edmunds natural
death.]
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 séemed 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._]
[Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._]
And this should séeme 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. Thus
haue some bookes. Howbeit this report agreeth not with other writers,
which declare how Cnute aduanced Edrike in the beginning of his reigne
[Sidenote: Some thinke that he was duke of Mercia before, and now had
Essex adioined thereto.]
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.]
[Sidenote: _Ran. Higd._]
[Sidenote: _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 yéere, and so much more as is betwéene
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 yéers vnder king Edward,
surnamed the Confessor: and shortlie therevpon as it had béene 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 béene, & thereby to fall into a consideration of
the frailtie and vncerteintie of this mortall life, which is no more
frée 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._