[Sidenote: 1019.]
[Sidenote: 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
then sore annoied and warred against his subiects of Denmarke. Earle
[Sidenote: Earle Goodwin his seruice in Denmarke.]
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 bloud, dead bodies, and
[Sidenote: Cnute had the Englishmen in estimation for their good
service.]
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 leding of two great princes, Vlfe
[Sidenote: 1028.]
[Sidenote: Cnute passeth againe into Denmarke.]
[Sidenote: _Will. Malm._]
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, 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
[Sidenote: _Matt. Westm._]
princes to agrée vpon 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
[Sidenote: _Albertus Crantz._]
princes or kings, as he nameth them Vlfus and Aulafus, which latter he
calleth Eiglafe, were constrained to agrée 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 betwéene 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 flée 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
[Sidenote: Magnus Olauus.]
found in the writings of them which haue recorded the histories of
those north regions.
[Sidenote: _Fabian._]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: _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 haue
[Sidenote: Other say, that he went forth of Denmarke to Rome.]
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._]
[Sidenote: Anno 1031.]
[Sidenote: 1032.]
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
[Sidenote: 1033.]
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 sée. When he had doone
his deuotion there, he returned into England. In the yeare following,
[Sidenote: Scots subdued.]
[Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._]
[Sidenote: Anno 1035.]
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
[Sidenote: The death of king Cnute.]
[Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._]
[Sidenote: _Alb. Crantz._]
he made a iournie against the Scots, which as 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 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._