The firste [laste] volume of the chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande conteyning the description and chronicles of England, from the first inhabiting vnto the conquest : the description and chronicles of Scotland, from the first original of the Scottes nation till the yeare of our Lorde 1571 : the description and chronicles of Yrelande, likewise from the first originall of that nation untill the yeare 1571 / faithfully gathered and set forth by Raphaell Holinshed.

Canute or Cnute.

[illustration]

CAnute, or Cnute, whom the en∣glish Chroni∣cles doe name Knought,* 1.1 af∣ter the deathe of Kyng Ed∣munde, tooke vpon hym the whole rule o∣uer all the realme of Englande in the yeare of our Lord .1017. in the .xvij. yeare of the empe∣ror Henry the seconde,* 1.2 surnamed Claudus in

the .xx. yeare of the reigne of Roberte king of France, and aboute the .vij. yeare of the reigne of Malcolme king of Scotlande.

Canute shortely after the death of king Ed∣munde, assembled a Councell at London, in the whiche he caused all the nobles of the realme to do vnto him homage; in receiuing an othe of loy∣all obeysance. Hee deuided the realme into foure parts, assigning Northumberlande vnto the rule of Irke or Iricius, Mercia vnto Edrike, & East∣angle [ 10] vnto Turkyl, reseruing the west part to his own gouernance. He banished (as before is sayd) Edwyn, the brother of king Edmunde, but such as was suspected to bee culpable of Edmundes death, he caused to be put to execution, wherof it should appeare, that Edrick was not then in any wyse detected or once thought to bee giltie.* 1.3 The foresayd Edwyn afterwards returned, and was then reconciled to the Kings fauour (as some do write) and was shortly after trayterously slaine [ 20] by his owne seruants.* 1.4 He was called the king of Churles.* 1.5 Other write that he came secretely in∣to the realme after he had bin banished, and kee∣ping himselfe closely out of sighte, at length ended his lyfe, and was buried at Tauestocke.

Moreouer Edwyn and Edwarde the sonnes of king Edmund were banished the lande, and sent first vnto Sweno king of Norway to haue bin made awaye:* 1.6 but Sweno vppon remorse of conscience sent them into Hungarie, where they [ 30] founde great fauour at the handes of king Sa∣lomon, in so muche that Edmunde married the daughter of the same Salomon, but had no issue by hir. Edward was aduaunced to marry with Agatha, the daughter of the Emperour Henrye, and by hir had issue two sonnes, Edmunde and Edgar, surnamed Adelyng, & as many daugh∣ters, Margarete and Christine, of the whiche in place conuenient more shall be sayd.

When Kyng Cnute hadde established thyn∣ges, [ 40] as hee thoughte, stoode moste to his suretie, he called to remembrance, that he had no issue but two bastarde sonnes Harrolde and Sweno,* 1.7 begotten of his concubine Alwyne. Wherfore he sent ouer vnto Richarde Duke of Normandie, requiring that he mighte haue Queene Emme, the widow of king Egelred in mariage, & so ob∣teyned hir, not a little to the wonder of manye, which thought a great ouersight both in the wo∣man and in hir brother, that woulde satisfye the [ 50] requeste of Cnute herein, considering hee hadde bin such a mortall enimie to hir former husbaūd. But Duke Richarde did not only consent,* 1.8 that hys sayd sister should be maryed vnto Cnute, but also he hymselfe tooke to wyfe the Lady Hest••••∣tha, syster to the sayd Cnute.

Heere ye haue to vnderstande, that this mari∣age was not made without greate consideration and large couenants granted on the part of king Cnute for before he could obtain queene Emme to his wife, it was fully condiscended and agreed that after Cnutes deceasse, the crowne of Eng∣lande should remaine vnto the issue borne of this mariage betwixte hir and Cnute,* 1.9 whiche coue∣nant although it was not perfourmed immedi∣atly after the deceasse of kyng Cnute, yet in the ende it tooke place, so as the right seemed to bee deferred, and not to be taken awaye nor aboli∣shed: for immediatly vpon Haroldes death that had vsurped; Hardicnute succeeded as right heire to the crown, by force of the agreement made at the tyme of the mariage solemnised betwixt his father and mother, and being once established in the Kingdome, hee ordeyned his brother Ed∣warde to succede hym, whereby the Danes were vtterly excluded from all ryghte that they hadde to pretende vnto the Crowne of this land, and the Englishe bloud restored thereto,* 1.10 chiefly by that gracious conclusion of this mariage be∣twixt king Cnute and Queene Emme: for the which no small prayse was thoughte to bee due vnto the sayd Queene, sith by hir politike gouer∣nement, in making hir matche so beneficiall to hir selfe and hir lyne, the Crowne was thus re∣couered out of the handes of the Danes, and re∣stored againe in time to the right heire, as by an auncient treatise whiche some haue intitled En∣comium Emmae,* 1.11 and was written in those dayes it doth and may appere. Whiche booke although there bee but fewe Copies thereof abroade, gy∣ueth vndoubtedly greate light to the historie of that tyme.

But nowe to our purpose. Cnute the same yeare in whiche he was thus maryed,* 1.12 thorought perswasion of his wyfe Queene Emme, sent a∣way the Danishe nauie & armie home into Den∣mark, giuing to them fourscore and two thou∣sande poundes of siluer, whiche was leuied tho∣roughout this lande for their wages.

In the yeare a thousande and eighteene,* 1.13 E∣drycke de Streona Erle of Mercia, was ouer∣throwen in his owne turne: for being called a∣fore the King into his priuie chamber, and there in reasoning the matter about some quarell that was piked to him, hee beganne very presumptu∣ously to vpbrayde the king of suche pleasures as he had before tyme done vnto him: I did (sayde he) for the loue which I bare towardes you, for∣sake my soueraigne Lorde king Edmunde, and at length for your sake slewe him.

At whiche wordes, Cnute beganne to change countenaunce, as one meruaylously abashed, and streightwayes gaue sentence against Edrike in this wise: Thou art worthy (saith he) of death, and dye thou shalte, whiche art giltie of treason both towardes God and me, sith that thou hast

slayne thyne owne soueraigne Lorde, and my deare alyed brother. Thy bloud therfore be vpon thyne owne head, fith thy toung hath vttered thy treason. And immediately hee caused his throate to be cut,* 1.14 and his bodie to be throwen out at the chamber windowe into the riuer of Thames.

This was the ende of Edryke, surname & de Stratten, or Streona, a man of greate infanie for his craftie dissimulation, falshod and treason, used by him to the ouerthrowe of the Englishe [ 10] astate, as partly before is touched.

* 1.15But ther be that concerning that cause of this Edriks death, seeme partly to disagree from that whyche before is recited, declaryng that Enute standing in some doubt to be betrayed thorough the treason of Edricke,* 1.16 soughte occasions howe to rydde him and other (whome hee lykewyse mystrusted) out of the waye. And therfore one daye when Edryke craued some preferremente at Cnutes handes, and alledged that he had de∣serued [ 20] to be wel thought of, sith by his flight from the battaile at Ashendone, the victorie therby in∣clined vnto Cnutes parte. Cnute hearing hym speake these wordes, made this aunswere: And canst thou (quoth he) be true to me, that through fraudulent meanes diddest deceyue thy souerain Lorde and maister? but I will rewarde thee ac∣cording to thy desertes, so as from hencefoorth thou shalte not deceyne any other, and so forth∣with cōmaunded Erick one of his chief captains [ 30] to dispatch him, who incōtinētly cut off his head with his are or halbert. Verly Simon Dunel∣mens sayth, kyng Cnute vnderstanding in what forte both king Egelred, and his sonne king Ed∣munde Ironside had bin betrayed by the sayde Edricke, he stoode in great doubt to be lykewyse deceyued by him, and therfore was glad to haue some pretended quarrell, to dispatche both hy•…•… and other, whome he lykewyse mystrusted, as it well appeared. For at the same tyme there were put to death with Edricke Earle Norman the sonne of earle Leofwyn, and brother to Earle Leofryke: also Adelwarde the sonne of Earle Agelmare and Brightricke the sonne of Alfegus gouernour of Deuonshire (without all guilt or cause as some wryte.) And in place of Norman his brother Leofryke was made earle of Mercia by the king, and had in great fauour.

This Leofricke is cōmonly also by writers named Earle of Chester.

After this, likewise Cnute banished Iric and Turkyll, two Danes, the one (as before is reci∣ted) gouernor of Northumberland, and the other of Norfolke and Suffolk, or Eastangle.

Then rested the whole rule of the realme in the kings hands, whervpon he studied to preserue the people in peace, and ordeyned lawes accor∣ding to the whiche, bothe Danes and English∣menne shoulde bee gouerned in equall state and degree.

Diuers greate lordes whome hee founde vn∣faithfull or rather suspected, he put to death,* 1.17 as before ye haue hearde) besyde suche s he bani∣shed out of the Realme. He raysed a tare or tribute of the people,* 1.18 amounting to the summe of fourscore & two thousand pound, beside. xj. M. pound which the Londoners payde towards the maintenance of the Danish Armie

But wheras these things chaunced not all at one time, but in sundry seasons, we will retaurne somwhat backe to declare what other exploites were atchieued in the meane time by Cnute, not

[illustration]

onely in Englande, but also in Denmarke, and elsewhere.

In the thirde yeare of his reigne hee sayled with an armie of Englishemen and Danes into [ 50] Denmarke to subdue the Vandals there,* 1.19 whiche then sore annoyed and warred agaynst his sub∣iectes of Denmarke.

Erle Goodwyn which had the souerain conduct of the Englishmen,* 1.20 the night before the day ap∣poynted for the battayle gote him foorthe of the campe with his people, & sodeynly assaylyng the Vandals in their lodgings, easily distressed them sleaing a great number of them, and cha•…•…ing the residue. In the morning early when Cnute herd that the Englishemen were gone foorth of their lodgings, he supposed that they were eyther fled awaye, or else tourned to take part with the eni∣mies. But as he approached to the enimies camp he vnderstode howe the matter wente, for hee founde nothyng there but bloud, deade bodyes, and the spoyle.

For thys good seruice, Cnute had the english∣men

in more estimation euer after,* 1.21 and highely rewarded theyr leader the same Earle Goodw••••.

When Cnute had ordered all things in Den∣marke, as was thoughte •…•…houefull, he •…•…tansd agayne into Englande. And within a few days after, hee was aduertised that the S•…•… were made warre against his subiectes of Denmarke;* 1.22 vnder the leading of two greate Princes V•…•…fe and E•…•…r•…•….

Cnute therefore to defende his dominions in those parties,* 1.23 passed agayne with an armie into Denmarke encountred with his enimies and receyued a greate ouer throwe, d•…•…sing a greate 〈◊〉〈◊〉 both of his Danes and Englishemen. But gathering togither a nowe force of •…•…ne,* 1.24 he sette agayne vpon his enimies, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉

[illustration]

them, constaryning the two foresayd Princes to agree vpon reasonable conditions of peace.* 1.25

Mathewe Westm. recounteth, that at thys tyme Earle Goodwyn, and the Englishmenne [ 30] wrought the enterprise aboue mentioned, of as∣saultyng the enimies campe in the night season, after Cnute had fyrste loste in the daye before no small number of his people. And that then the foresayde princes or kyngs, as hee nameth them Vlfus and Aulafus which latter he calleth Ei∣glafe, were constrayned to agree vpon a peace.

The Danish Chronicles alledge, that the oc∣casion of this warre rose hereof:* 1.26 This Olauus [ 40] ayded Cnute (as the same writers reporte) a∣gainst kyng Edmunde and the Englishemenne. But when the peace should be made betweene Cnute and Edmunde, there was no considera∣tion had of Olauus: where as throught hym the Danes chiefly obteyned the victorie.

Herevpon Olavus was fore offended in hys mynde againste Cnute, and nowe vpon occasi∣on sought to be reuenged. But what soeuer the cause was of this warre bewirte these two Princes, the ende was thus: That Olavus [ 50] was expulsed out of his kingdome, and constrai∣ned to flee to Ger. thaslaus, a duke in the parties of Gastlande.

And afterwarde retourning into Norwayt, was slayne by suche of his subiects, as tooke part with Cnute, in manner as in the historie of Norway, it appereth more at large, with the co∣tratretie soud in the writing of them which haue recorded the histories of those North regions.

But heer is to be remembred,* 1.27 that the fame and glorie of the English nation was greately aduaunced in these warres, as well againste the Swed•…•…ers as the Norwegians:* 1.28 so that Cnute began to loue and trust the Englishmen muche better than it was thought he woulde euer haue owne. Shortly after that Cnute was retourned into Englande, that is to wi•…•… (as some haue) in the .xv. yeare of his reigue,* 1.29 he went to Rome to perform his vow which he had made to visite the places where the Apostles Peter and Poule had their burial.* 1.30 He was honorably receyued of Pope John the xx. that them held the sea.* 1.31 When he had vone his deuotion there hee retourned into Eng∣lande. In the yeare following,* 1.32 he made a iour∣ney against the Scottes, whiche as then had ri∣belled. But by the princely power of Cnute, they were subdued and brought agayne to obedience:* 1.33 so that not onely king Malcomie, but also two other kinges Melbeath and Ieohmare, became his subiects. Finally after that this noble prince king Cnute had reigned the tearme of .xx. yea∣res currant, after the death of Ethelred,* 1.34 hee died at Shaftesbury, as the englishe writers affirme, the .xij. daye of Nouember, and was buried at Winchester. But the Danish chronicle record, that he died in Normande,* 1.35 and was burryed at Roan (as in the same Chronic•…•…rs ye maye reade •…•…im•…•… at large) This Cnute was the mighty est

prince that euer reigned ouer the English people:* 1.36 for he had the soueraigne rule ouer al Denmark, Englande, Norway, Scotland, & part of Swe∣den. Amongst other of his royall actes, he caused suche tolles and tallages as were demaunded of waygoers at bridges & streetes in the high waye betwixte Englande and Rome to be diminished to the halfes, and agayne got also a moderation to be had in the payemente of the Archbishoppes sets of his realme, whiche was leuied of them in [ 10] the Court of Rome when they shoulde receyue 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 whi∣che it also appeareth, that besides the royal enter∣taynment, which he had at Rome of pope Iohn, he had conference there with the Emperor Con∣rade, & with Rafe king of Burgongne, and with many other great princes and noble men, which were present there at that time.* 1.37 Which at his re∣quest [ 20] in fauor of those Englishmē that shuld tra∣uaile to Rome, graunted (as we haue said) to di∣minish such dueties as were gathered of passin∣gers. He receyued there many great giftes of the Emperor, and was highly honored of him, and likewise of the Pope,* 1.38 & of al other the high princes at that tyme present at Rome: so that when hee came home (as some write) hee shoulde growe greatly into pride,* 1.39 insomuche that being neere to the Thames, or rather (as other write) vppon [ 30] the sea slronde, neere to Southhampton, and perceyuyng the water to ryse, by reason of the tyde,* 1.40 hee caste off his gowne, and wrappyng it rounde togither, threwe it on the sandes verye neere the increasing water, and sate him downe vpon it, speaking this or the lyke wordes to the sea. Thou art (sayth he) within the compasse of my dominion, and the grounde whereon I sitte is myne, and thou knowest that no wyght dare disobey my cōmandements, I therfore do now [ 40] commaund thee not to ryse vpon my grounde, nor to presume to wet any part of thy soueraine Lorde and gouernour. But the sea keeping hir course, rose still higher and higher, and ouerflo∣wed not only the kings feete, but also flashed vp vnto his legs & knees. Wherwith the king starte sodenly vp, & withdrew from it, saying withal to his nobles that were about him:* 1.41 Behold you no∣ble men, you cal me king, which can not somuch as stay by my cōmaundement▪ this smal portion [ 50] of water. But knowe ye for certaine, that there is no king but the father only of our Lord Iesus Christe, with whome he reigneth, and at whose becke all things are gouerned, let vs therfore ho∣nour him,* 1.42 let vs confesse and professe him to bee the ruler of heauen, earth, and sea and besides him none other. From thence he went to Winchester and there with his own hands set his crown vpō the head of the image of the Crucifix,* 1.43 which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 there in the church of the Apostles Peter & P•…•…, and frō thēceforth he wold neuer weare y^e •…•…rn nor any other. Some write, that he spake, •…•…the formes words to y^e sea vpon any presumptuous∣nes of mynd, but only vpon occasion of the vain title,* 1.44 which in his comendation one of his gētle∣men gaue him by way of flatterie (as he rightly toke it) for he called him the most mightiest king of all kings,* 1.45 which ruled most at large both then sea and land. Therfore to reproue the vayn flat∣terie of such vain persons, he deuised such maner of mean as before is mencioned: wherby both to reproue such flatterers, & also that men might be admonished to consider the omnipotencie of y^e al∣mightie God. He had issue by his wife Queene Emme a son, named by the English chronicles Hardiknought, but by y^e Danish writers Knute,* 1.46 or Knutte: also a daughter named Gonid•…•…s, y^t was after maryed to Henry the son of the empe∣ror Conrade,* 1.47 which also was afterward Empe∣ror, & named Henry the third. By his concubine Alwynne, that was daughter to Alselme, whom some name erle of Hampton: he had two bastard sons, Harold & Sweno. He was much giuen in his latter dayes to vertue, as hee that considered howe perfect felicitie rested only in godlynes and true deuotion to serue the heauenly king and go∣uernour of all things.* 1.48

He repared in his time many churches, abbeis, and houses of religion, whyche by occasion of warres had bin sore defaced by him and by hys father, but specially he did greate coste vpon the Abbey of saint Edmund, in the town of Bury, as before partely is mēcioned. He buylt also two Abbeys from the foundation, as Sainct Benets in Norffolke, seuen myles distant from Nor∣wyche, and an other in Norwaye.* 1.49 He did also buylde a Churche at Ashdowne in Essex, where he obteyned the victorie of king Edmund, and was presente at the hallowing or consecration thereof with a greate multitude of the Lordes and nobles of the Realme, bothe Englishe and Danes. He also holpe with his owne handes to remoue the body of the holy Archbishop Elphe∣gus, when the same was translated from Lon∣don to Canterbury. The royall and moste riche iewels whiche he and his wyfe Queene Emme gaue vnto the Churche of Winchester, mighte make the beholders to wonder at such their exce∣ding and bountiful munisicence.

Thus did Cnute striue to refourme all suche thyngs whiche hee and his auncesters had done amisse, and to wype awaye the spot of euill do∣ing, as surely to the outward sight of the world he did in deed. He had the Archbishoppe of Can∣terbury Archelnotus in singular reputation, and vsed his Counsell in matters of importaunce.

He also fauoured highly Leofrike Earle of Che∣ster,* 1.50 so that the same Leofryke bare great rule in ordering of things touching the state of the Cō∣mon wealth vnder hym as one of his chief coun∣sellours.

Diuers laws and statutes he made for the go∣uernment of the cōmon wealth,* 1.51 partly agreeable with the lawes of king Edgar, and other the kin∣ges that were his predecessors, and partely tem∣pered according to his owne liking, and as was [ 10] thought to him most expediēt: among the which there b. diuers that concerne causes as wel eccle∣siasticall as temporall. Wherby as M. For hath noted, it may be gathered, •…•…hat the gouernement of spirituall matters dyd depend then not vpon y^e Bishop of Rome, but rather appertayned vnto the laufull authoritie of the temporall Prince, no lesse than matters and causes temporall. But of these lawes and statutes enacted by king Cnute ye maye reade more as ye finde them sette foorth [ 20] in the before remembred booke of Master Wil∣liam Lambert, whiche for briefnesse we heere o∣mitte.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cnute knought or Cnute
• * 1.2

  1017.
• * 1.3

  VV. Malm.
• * 1.4

  Ran. Higd.
• * 1.5

  King of Churles VVil. Mal.
• * 1.6

  Ran. Higd.
• * 1.7

  Polidore. K. Cnute mari∣eth Queene Emme the vvi∣dovv of Egel∣red, in Iuly, an∣no. 1017.
• * 1.8

  Polidore.
• * 1.9

  The couenant made at the ma¦riage betvvixt Cnute and Emme.
• * 1.10

  The Englishe bloud restored The praise of Quene Emme for hir vvise∣dome.
• * 1.11

  Encomium Emmae.
• * 1.12

  Mat. VVest.
• * 1.13

  VVil. Mal.
• * 1.14

  Edrike put to death.
• * 1.15

  Simon Dun.
• * 1.16

  Encomium E•…•….
• * 1.17

  H. Hunt. Lordes put to death.
• * 1.18

  A 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.19

  1019. King Cnute passeth into Denmarke.
• * 1.20

  Erle Good∣vvin his seruice in Denmarke.
• * 1.21

  Cnute had the •…•…nglishmen in estimation for their good se∣ruice.
• * 1.22

  1028
• * 1.23

  Cnute passeth againe into Denmarke.
• * 1.24

  VV. Mal.
• * 1.25

  Mat. West.
• * 1.26

  Albertus Crantz.
• * 1.27

  Magnus Ola∣vus.
• * 1.28

  Fabian: Polyd. H. Hunt.
• * 1.29

  Other say, that he vvente forth of Denmark to Rome.
• * 1.30

  Sim. Dunel.
• * 1.31

  An. 103•…•….
• * 1.32

  1032 VVil. Malm. Mat. VVest.
• * 1.33

  1033. Scots subdued. H. Hunt. A•…•…no. 1035. VVil. Mal.
• * 1.34

  The death of king Cnute.
• * 1.35

  H. Hunt. Al. Grantz
• * 1.36

  The large do∣minion of king Cnute. H. Hunt. Albertus Crantz.
• * 1.37

  Grauntes made to the benefite of Englishmen at the instance of king Cnute.
• * 1.38

  Fabian.
• * 1.39

  Polidore. Mat. VVest.
• * 1.40

  He caused his cha•••• to bee set there, as Math. VVest. hath. Hen Hunt.
• * 1.41

  The saying of king Cnute.
• * 1.42

  Zealously y∣nough, if it had bi•…•… according to true knovv∣ledge.
• * 1.43

  〈…〉〈…〉. Mat. VVe•…•…
• * 1.44

  Polidor.
• * 1.45

  Flatterie re∣proued.
• * 1.46

  Polidore.
• * 1.47

  Albert•…•… Crantz.
• * 1.48

  Polidore▪ Fabian.
• * 1.49

  VVhich is sup∣posed to bee Barclovve set Ashdo•••• a 〈…〉〈…〉 is halfe a myl•…•… from 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 1020. Sim. Dunel.
• * 1.50

  Leofrike Earle of Chester.
• * 1.51

  King Cnutes lavves.