and swords, and the engagement carried on with the greatest vigour. In the meantime, king Edmund Ironside fought bravely in the front rank, hand to hand, while giving all requisite orders. He himself fought most valiantly, and struck down many an enemy, at the same moment performing the duties of a valiant soldier and of a good general; but, inasmuch as his brother-in-law Edric Streona, that most perfidious duke, and Almar the beloved, and Algar, the son of Mehu, who ought to have been aiding him, together with the men of the provinces of Southampton and Wiltshire, and an innumerable multitude of people, were on the side of the Danes, his army had to struggle hard for victory.

However, on the first day of the week, Monday to wit, so severe and so bloody a battle was fought, that either army, from exhaustion being no longer able to fight, at sunset ceased of its own accord. Still, on the following day, king Edmund would have crushed all the Danes, if it had not been for the treachery of the perfidious duke Edric Streona. For, when the battle was at its height, and he saw that the English were prevailing, having cut off the head of a man, Osmer by name, who very strongly resembled king Edward in features and hair, raising it aloft, he exclaimed: "Englishmen! it is in vain you fight!" adding, "You men of Dorset, Devon, and Wiltshire, your chieftain is slain, take to flight with all speed.54 Behold the head of Edmund, your king! I hold it in my hand; give way, then, instantly!"

When the English heard this, they were more shocked at the atrocity of the deed than alarmed through belief in him who announced it. Hence it came to pass that the more unsteady ones were nearly taking to flight, but instantly, on it being found that the king was alive, they recovered their courage, and boldly rushing upon the Danes, slaughtered many of them, fighting with all their might until twilight, on the approach of which, as on the preceding day, they separated of their own accord. But when the greater part of the night had passed, Canute commanded his men to decamp in silence, and taking the road towards London, returned to the ships, and shortly after again laid siege to it.

On the next day, when king Edmund Ironside found that the Danes had fled, he returned into Wessex to collect a Præcipites" seems a better reading here than " principes."

34 66

larger army. His brother-in-law, the perfidious duke Edric, seeing his valour, sought him again as his natural lord, and making peace with him, swore that he would continue faithful to him; upon which, with an army collected together for the third time, the king liberated the citizens of London from the siege, and drove the Danes to their ships. Two days after this, he passed over the Thames at a place which is called Brentford, to engage with the Danes for the third time; there he joined battle with them, and having put them to flight, gained the victory. On this occasion many men on the side of the English, while crossing the river without due precautions, were drowned. After this, the king hastened to Wessex, for the purpose of collecting a more numerous army; on which, the Danes again repaired to London, laid siege to it, and stormed it on every side; but, by the aid of God, they were unsuccessful.

55

Upon this, they returned thence with their fleet, and entered the river which is called Arewe, and, landing from their ships, proceeded into Mercia for the purpose of plunder, after their usual manner slaughtering all they met, burning towns, and carrying off the spoil: after which, they returned to their ships, and the land forces were conveyed by sea to the river which is called Meodewege, while the cavalry endeavoured to drive the live-stock, which formed part of their booty, by land.

58

56

In the meantime, king Edmund Ironside for the fourth time collected a valiant army throughout the whole of England, and passing over the Thames at the place where he had done so previously, quickly entered Kent, and fought a battle with the Danes near Ottaford; on which, being unable to resist his attack, they turned their backs and fled with their horses to Scepege. However, he slew all he could overtake, and had not the perfidious duke Edric Streona, with his treachery, withheld him at Eagleford, from pursuing the enemy, he would that day have gained a complete victory. After returning into Wessex, Canute crossed over with his forces into Essex, and proceeded again to Mercia, for the sake of plunder, giving orders to his army to commit still greater excesses than before.

55 The Orwell, in Suffolk. 57 Brentford.

56 The Medway.

50 Aylesford, in Kent.

5 The Isle of Sheppey.

On this, with the greatest alacrity, they obeyed his commands, and having slaughtered all who fell into their hands, and burned a very great number of towns, and laid waste the fields, greatly enriched, they repaired with all haste to their ships. Edmund Ironside, king of the English, pursuing them with an army which he had levied from the whole of England, came up with them, as they were retreating, at a hill which is called Assendun,60 that is to say, "the hill of the ass." There, with all expedition, he drew up his troops in three divisions, and then going round each troop, exhorted and entreated them, bearing in mind their ancient valour and victories, to defend him and his kingdom from the avarice of the Danes, and reminded them that they were about to engage with those whom they had conquered already.

In the meantime, Canute slowly led his forces to a level spot; while, on the other hand, king Edmund quickly moved his line in the order in which he had drawn it up, and suddenly giving the signal, fell upon the Danes; on both sides they fought with the greatest valour, and in every quarter multitudes fell. But that most perfidious and most wicked duke, Edric Streona, seeing the line of the Danes wavering, and the English likely to gain the victory, just as he had previously arranged with Canute, took to flight with the people of Maiseveth and the part of the army which he commanded, and by treachery betrayed his lord, king Edmund, and the army of the English. There were slain in that battle duke Alfric, duke Godwin, Ulfketel duke of East Anglia, duke Ethelward, son of Ethelwin, the friend of God, duke of East Anglia, and almost the entire mass of the nobility of England, which in no battle ever sustained a greater wound than it did there. Eadnoth, also, the bishop of Lincoln, and the abbat Wulsy, who had come for the purpose of invoking the Lord on behalf of the soldiers while waging the battle, were slain.

A few days having intervened after this, king Edmund Ironside being still desirous to come up with Canute, while the most iniquitous and treacherous Edric and some others did not wish that to take place, they gave him advice to make peace with Canute and divide the kingdom between them. At length, though with some reluctance, he yielded to their suggestions, and messengers going from one to the other, and 60 Ashendon, in Essex. 61 Radnorshire.

hostages being given on either side, the two kings met at a place which is called Deerhurst; Edmund pitched his camp with his men on the western bank of the Severn, while Canute encamped with his on the eastern side.

Upon this, the two kings were conveyed in boats 63 to the island called Olanege, which is situate in the middle of the river; where peace, friendship, and brotherhood having been established by pledge and by oath, the kingdom was divided. Then, after having exchanged arms and clothes, the tribute being agreed upon which should be paid to the fleet, they separated from each other. The Danes, however, returned to their ships with the spoil which they had collected, and the citizens of London made peace with them, paying a price for it, and allowing them to winter there.

After these things, in the fifteenth year of the indiction, about the time of the feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle, king Edmund Ironside died at London, but was buried at Glastonbury, with his grandfather, king Edgar the Peaceful. After his death, king Canute ordered all the bishops and chieftains, and all the nobles and principal men of the English nation, to be assembled at London. When these had come before him, as though he did not know it, he cunningly asked those who had acted as witnesses between him and king Edmund when they made the treaty of friendship and partition of the kingdom between them, to what effect he and king Edmund had expressed themselves about the brothers and sons of the latter, as to whether it should be allowed the same to reign over the kingdom of Wessex after their father, in case Edmund should die while he was still living: on which they began to say that, beyond a doubt, they were quite certain that king Edmund neither living nor dying had bespoken any portion of the kingdom for his brothers. But, as to his sons, they said that they knew this, that king Edmund wished Canute to be their guardian and protector, until they should be of fit age to reign.

63"Trabariæ," the word used in the text, were boats like canoes, made out of a single piece of wood. 61 Olney.

65 According to Roger of Wendover and other historians, Edmund Ironside and Canute first engaged there in single combat.

56 Roger of Wendover says at Oxford, where he was barbarously murdered by the son of Edric Streona.

But they, God testifying thereto, gave false testimony and treacherously lied, thinking both that Canute would prove more kind to them by reason of their falsehoods, and that they should gain great rewards from him; whereas, not long after, some of these false witnesses were slain by the same king. After having put the above question, king Canute received the oaths of fealty from the nobles above-mentioned; on which they swore to him that they willingly chose him for their king, and would readily obey him, and pay tribute to his army; and having received pledges from his bare hand, together with the oaths of the principal men among the Danes, they utterly disregarded the brothers and sons of king Edmund, and declared that they should not be their kings.

Now, one of the above-mentioned Clito's was Edwin the Excellent, a most revered brother of king Edmund, whom on that occasion, with most wicked counsels, they pronounced deserving of banishment. When, therefore, Canute had listened to the adulation of the persons above-mentioned, and the contempt in which they held Edwin, rejoicing, he entered his chamber, and calling to him the perfidious duke Edric, inquired of him in what way he might be able to beguile Edwin to the risk of his life; on which Edric made answer, that he knew a certain man named Athelward, who could very easily put him to death, with whom he should be able to have some conversation, and to whom he would offer a very considerable reward.

However, on learning the name of the man, the king cunningly sent for him, and said: "Thus and thus has duke Edric informed me, saying that you are able to beguile the Clito Edwin, so that he may be slain; do you only assent to my proposal, and obtain for me his head, and you shall enjoy all the honors and dignities of your forefathers, and shall be dearer to me than my own born brother." On this, he made

answer that he was willing to seek for him in order that he might be slain, if in any way he could effect it: but, in reality, he did not wish to kill him at present, but, by way of excuse, made this promise: he was a person sprung from a most noble English family.

In this year king Canute obtained the rule of the whole of England, and divided it into four parts; Wessex he took for himself, East Anglia he gave to earl Turkill, Mercia to the perfidious duke Edric, and Northumbria to earl Eiric. He also made a treaty with the nobles and all the people, and they established