The chronicles of England from Brute vnto this present yeare of Christ. 1580. Collected by Iohn Stow citizen of London.

EDmond the sonne of Etheldred by his first wife, succéeded* 1.1 in the Kingdome, who (whether it were for the greate strength of his body, or for that he alwayes vsed to go in ar∣mour) was surnamed Ironside.

He had sixe battels against Canutus King of the Danes* 1.2 at Penham hard by Gillingham in Dorcetshire.

He put the Danes to flight after that at Shirestone.

He held euen hand with them in the field, notwithstan∣ding that the Englishmen at the first beganne to flée, by the policie of Edricus Duke of Lincolne, and of Merce, who cryed* 1.3 runne away wretches, Edmond your King is slayne.

After this, King Edmond came to London, to deliuer the Citizens, whome part of the enimies had beséeged as soone as he was gone from thence.

He had made a ditch also round about the Citie, where* 1.4 the Riuer of Thamis doth not runne. The Danes fléeing, the King followed them, and passing ouer Brentford, he vanqui∣shed them with a notable victorie.

The rest of y^e Danes which remayned with Cnute (whiles* 1.5 Edmond rested him, and set his matters in order) did a∣gaine beséege London, both by water and by lande, but the

Citizens stoutely withstoode, and repulsed them, wherefore they shewed their anger vpon the Countrey of the Mercies, spoyling Townes and Uillages with robbery, burnings, and murther, and caryed their pray to the Shippes whiche they had gathered togither in the Riuer of Medway, which runneth by Rochester, from whence they were driuen by the King, who taking the foorde of Brentford before them, put them to flight, and slew a great number of them.

The sixt and last battell was at Essendone in Essex, néere to Rochford, in which battell Edmond had gote the victorie,* 1.6 but Edrike agayne playing the Traytor, greate slaughter of the Englishmen was made, there the honor of Englande was ouerthrowen, and Edmonde wente almost alone on foote to Glocester, where hée gathered a newe force to set vpon his enimies, but Cnute pursued him as he fledde, and hauing prepared their armies, both the Kings them∣selues attempted to fight hand to hand for the right of the* 1.7 kingdome in the Ile of Olania in Seuerne, in the which Com∣bate, they both being wéeryed, fell to a couenant to deuide the same, so that the one halfe of the Kingdome shoulde be* 1.8 vnder Canutus, and the other halfe vnder Edmond, which Edmond not long after dyed at Oxford, whereas it is saide he was slayne by the treason of Edrike of Straton, and was buryed at Glastenbury, leauing Edmonde and Edwarde his children very yong.

This Edrike was not long vnrewarded according to his desertes, for hymselfe making vaunt thereof vnto Ca∣nutus, then being at Baynardes Castell in London, sayde in this wise, Thus haue I done Canutus for the loue of thée,* 1.9 to whome he answered, saying: and thou shalt dye as well thou art woorthy, bycause thou art giltie of Treason against God and me, in that thou hast slayne thine owne Lord and King, which was ioyned to me in league as a Brother, his bloud be vpon thine owne head: and straight wayes, least there should be any tumulte, the Traytor was in the same* 1.10 Chamber tormented to death with firebrands and linkes,

and then his féete being bounde togither, he was drawne through the Stréetes of the Citie, and cast into a ditch, cal∣led Houndes ditch, for that the Citizens there cast their dead* 1.11 Dogges, and such other filth, accompting him woorthy of no better buriall. These Princes raigned togyther two yeares.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1016 Edmond Ironside. W. Malme.
• * 1.2

  Leyland.
• * 1.3

  Edrike a Traytor.
• * 1.4

  Ditch about London.
• * 1.5

  London besee∣ged both by land and by vvater.
• * 1.6

  Cogshal. Sca. Cro.
• * 1.7

  Combate for the Kingdome.
• * 1.8

  England de∣uided.
• * 1.9

  Edrikus a Traytor.
• * 1.10

  Speculum histo. Ri. Cirecest.
• * 1.11

  Hunsditch. Treason re∣vvarded.