1016. CHAPTER XI. Canute the Great. CANUTE, from his warlike ability, surnamed the Brave; from his renown and empire, the Great; from his liberality, the Rich; and, from his devotion, the Pious; obtained, on Edmund's death, the sovereignty of all England at the age of twenty. The Northerns have transmitted to us the portrait of Canute : he was large in stature, and very powerful; he was fair, and distinguished for his beauty; his nose was thin, eminent, and aquiline; his hair was profuse; his eyes bright and fierce. He was chosen king by general assent; his partisans were numerous in the country, and who could resist his power? His measures to secure his crown were sanguinary and tyrannical; but the whole of Canute's character breathes an air of barbaric grandeur. He was formed by nature to tower amidst his contemporaries; but his country and his education intermixed his greatness with a ferocity that compels us to shudder while we admire. In one respect he was fortunate; his mind and manners refined as his age matured. The first part of his reign was cruel and despotic. His latter days shone with a glory more unclouded. His first policy was against the children of Ethelred and Edmund. One of his scallds, Sighvatr, sings, that all the sons of served you, his safety would be doubtful." Perhaps Ulfnadr remembered the high fortunes of his uncle Edric, who was now Duke of Mercia; and hoped that if his son could get a station in the royal palace, he might, like Edric, ascend from poverty to greatness. Godwin was handsome, and fluent in his elocution. His qualities and services interested Ulfr, and a promise to provide for him was freely pledged. They travelled all night, and in the next day they reached the station of Canute, where Ulfr, who was much beloved, was very joyfully received. The grateful Jarl placed Godwin on a lofty seat, and had him treated with the respect which his own child might have claimed. He continued his attachment so far, as afterwards to marry him to Gyda, his sister. To oblige Ulfr, Canute, in time, raised Godwin to the dignity of Jarl. Knytlinga Saga, 105, and 131-133. Dr. Hicke's dedication to his Thesaurus. His baptismal name was Lambert. Frag. Isl. 2 Lang. 426. The Knytlinga Saga, and Olave Tryggvason Saga, state Canute to have been but ten years old at his father's death. If so, he could be only twelve at his acces. sion. This is not probable. One document speaks more truly. Snorre, in his Saga af Magnusi Goda, states Canute to have been forty when he died. This was in 1035; and therefore in 1016, he must have been twenty-one. Snorre's words are, "Eodem autumno vita functus est rex Knutus potens in Anglia idibus Novembris natus tunc annos quadraginta," c. iv. p. 7. C c Knytlinga Saga, p. 148. Ethelred he slew or banished. The Saxon annalist assures us, that he determined at first to exile Edwig, the half-brother of Edmund: but finding the English nobles both submissive and adulating, he proceeded to gratify his ambition by taking the prince's life. The infamous Edric suggested to him a man, Ethelwold, a nobleman of high descent, who would undertake to accomplish his criminal desires. The king incited Ethelwold to the measure. "Acquiesce with my wishes, and you shall enjoy securely all the honour and dignity of your ancestors. Bring me his head, and you shall be dearer to me than a brother." This was the language of a northern vikingr, to whom human life was of no value. Ethelwold affected a compliance; but his seeming readiness was but an artifice to get the child into his power, and to preserve his life. Edwig did not ultimately escape. The next year he was deceived by those whom he most esteemed; and, by Canute's request and command, he was put to death. With the same guilty purpose, he seized Edward and Edmund, the children of the last king; but he was counselled that the country would not endure their destruction. Alarmed from immediate crime, he sent them to the king of Sweden, to be killed. This prince was too noble to be a murderer, and had them conveyed to Salomon, the king of Hungary, to be preserved and educated. One died; the other, Edward, married Agatha, the daughter of Henry, the German emperor; and their issue was Edgar Atheling, who will be remembered in a future reign. Canute, reserving to himself the immediate government of Wessex, committed East Anglia to Turketul, whose valour had greatly contributed to the subjection of England. He gave Mercia to Edric, and Northumbria to his friend Eric, the Norwegian prince. He made a public treaty of amity with the English chiefs and people, and by mutual agreement all enmities were laid aside. In the same year the solemn compact was violated; for he slew three English noblemen without a fault.s He banished Edwig, the king of the peasants, and divided the estates of the nobles among his Danish friends. Flor. Wig. 390, 391. d Attamen singulos. Deinceps filiorum Adelradi Vel interfecit Cnutus Vel proscripsit. Sigvatr Knutzdrapu, quoted in Knytl. Saga, p. 140. 8 Sine culpa. Flor. 391. Mailros, 155. The Encomium Emma says, he killed many princes: Multos principum quadam die occidere pro hujusmodi dolo juberet." The dolus here alleged was, that they had deceived Edmund. Their real crime may have been that they were powerful, and that their submission was dubious. Ingulf, 58, and the Annals of Burtan, 247, mention some of Edric's friends as killed.! Ceopla cyng. Sax. Chron. 151, qui rex appellabatur rusticorum. Flor. Wig. 398. Bromton says he was the brother of Edmund, 907, but I doubt that this is an error. The punishment of Edric would have been a homage to virtue from any other person than Canute. The crime he prompted he should not have punished. But it is an observation almost as old as human nature, that traitors are abhorred by their employers. In the first days of Canute's unsettled throne, he confirmed Edric in his Mercian dukedom; but having used the profligate Saxon to establish his dignity, on the next claim of reward, he expressed his latent feelings. Edric imprudently boasted of his services: "I first deserted Edmund, to benefit you; for you I killed him." Canute coloured; for the anger of conscious guilt and irrepressible shame came upon him. "Tis fit, then, you should die, for your treason to God and me. You killed your own lord! him who by treaty and friendship was my brother! your blood be upon your own head, for murdering the Lord's anointed; your own lips bear witness against you." The villain who perpetrated the fact was confounded by the hypocrite who had countenanced it. Eric, the ruler of Norway, was called in, that the royal intention might be secretly executed. He struck down the wretch with his battle-axe, and the body was thrown from the window into the Thames, before any tumult could be raised among his partisans. The two sons of Ethelred, by Emma, were sheltered in Normandy. In 1018 Canute married Emma, called also Elfgiva, the widow of Ethelred. He distinguished his next year by a most oppressive exaction from London he compelled 10,500 pounds, and from the rest of the kingdom 72,000. To soothe the country, he sent home the largest portion of his Danish troops, keeping only forty vessels in England. In this he displayed the confidence of a noble mind. He maintained an exact equality, between the two nations, in ranks, council, and war. In 1019, England was so tranquil, that he went to Denmark, and passed the winter in his native country. Canute maintained his dignity with a severe hand. In 1020, after his return from the Baltic, he held a great council in the Easter festivity at Cirencester. At this he banished the duke Ethelwerd. In 1021, he also exiled the celebrated Turketul. In this year the Anglo-Saxons obscurely intimate, that 1025. Canute went to Denmark, where he was attacked by Ulfr and Eglaf, with a fleet and army from Sweden. In one struggle Canute was unsuccessful; but afterwards the young earl Godwin attacked the enemies of Canute by surprise, with the English i This narration is taken from Malmsb. 73, compared with Encom. Emmæ. The circumstances of his death are told differently, as usual. Florence admits that he was killed in the king's palace; but one says that he was hanged; another, that he was strangled; another, that he was beheaded. Human testimony is characterized by these petty variations. troops, and obtained a complete victory. This event raised Godwin and the English very greatly in the king's estimation.j The Eglaf was St. Olave, who had possessed himself of the kingdom of Norway. Canute, occupied by his English crown, made at first no pretensions to the Norwegian sceptre. The submission of England gave him leisure to turn the eye of ambition to the mountains of Norway.' Claims, those slight veils with which states desirous of war always cover their unjust projects, to conceal their deformity from the giddy populace; claims adapted to interest the passions of vulgar prejudice, existed to befriend Canute. His father had conquered Norway; his relation, Haco, had been driven from it. Many of the people, who had most loudly welcomed St. Olave, had become dissatisfied at his innovations, and invited Canute to interfere.m The detail of the struggle between Canute and St. Olave need not be narrated here. Ülfr at first was among the enemies of Canute. He was afterwards pardoned and reconciled;" and in the king's conflict with the Swedes, was the means of saving Canute's life." At a feast in Roschild, Canute, according to Snorre, quarrelled with Ulfr at gaming. The indignant Jarl prudently retired. Canute taunted him on his cowardice for withdrawing. "Was I a coward when I rescued you from the fangs of the Swedish dogs?" was the answer of the irritated Ulfr. Canute went to his couch, and slept upon his resentment; but his fierce and haughty soul waked in the morning to demand blood. He sent his mandate, and Ulfr was stabbed in a church which he had entered. Canute descended so far beneath the courage of a hero, as to corrupt the subjects of Olave from their fidelity by money. Canute supported his insidious negotiations by a powerful fleet. Fifty ships of English thanes were with him, and every district in Norway which he approached, accepted him as its lord. He exacted for hostages the sons and dearest relations of the chiefs of Norway, and appointed Haco, the son of his friend Eric, to be the governor of his conquests. St. Olave retired before the storm, in 1028, which he was unable to confront, and took shelter in Russia. Haco sailed to England for his wife; but he was doomed to visit Norway no more. The last time his ship was seen on its return, was, late in the day, off Caithness, in Scotland; a furious storm was raging, and the wind was driving him towards the Pentland Firth: i Sax. Chron. 154. Matt. West. 405. Snorre, p. 212. k Snorre, vol. ii. p. 144. "See Snorre, 26-69.; and compare Saxo's account, 195, 196. • Snorre, 271, 272. a Flor. Wig. 393. Theodoric, p. 29. Snorre, 278. r Snorre, 295. P Ibid. 276, 277. • Ibid. 296. In neither the vessel nor any of its mariners appeared again. the next year, St. Olave returned; but perished from the insurrection of his subjects, whom he had offended by his laws to accelerate their civilization. In 1031, Canute penetrated Scotland, and subdued Malcolm, and two other kings." Snorre says he conquered great part of it. Canute had the fame of reigning over six kingdoins. As a soldier he was certainly eminent; but, fortunately for his fame, a few incidents have been preserved concerning him, which rescue his character from the charge of indiscriminate barbarism, and claim for him the reputation of a lofty mind. He seems to have been one of those men, who feel that they are born to merit the approbation of future generations, and whose actions become sublimer, as their name seems likely to be perpetuated. He lived to posterity as well as to his country. It was in this strain, that, having in a moment of intemperance killed a soldier, and by that criminal deed violated a law which he had enforced on others, he assembled his troops, descended from his splendid throne, arraigned himself for his crime, expressed his penitence, but demanded a punishment. He proclaimed impunity for their opinions to those whom he appointed his judges; and, in the sight of all, cast himself humbly on the ground, awaiting their sentence. A burst of tears, at his greatness of soul, bedewed every spectator. They respectfully withdrew to deliberate, as he had required, and at last determined to let him appoint and inflict his own punishment. The king accepted the task. Homicide was at that time punishable by a mulet of forty talents. He fined himself three hundred and sixty and added nine talents of gold as a further compensation. There is something in the incident of the sea, which discovers a mind of power, looking far beyond the common associations of mankind. Canute had conquered many countries. In an age of valour and enterprise, his exploits had equalled the most adventurous. Poets embodied in their melodies the admiration of his people, and directed to his heart those praises, with which all Europe resounded. Encompassed with flattery and subjection, t Snorre, 321. Theodoric says, he was lost in the whirlpool of the Pentland Firth. "Sax. Chron. 154. Hen. Hunt. 364. A northern scalld calls the kings, the two kings of Fife. P. 144. The Knytlinga Saga adds, that he appointed his son Harald to govern his conquests. On the gigantic bones said to be found, 1520, in the place of the conflicts between Canute and Malcolm, they who think it worth while may read Stephanius's notes on Saxo, p. 27. W Saxo, 196; and see Encom. Emmæ, 492. He prevailed on Conrad II. to restore to him the Margraviate of Sleswick; and the Eyder then became the northern boundary of Germany. 1 Putt. Hist. 154. * Saxo, 199. |