Great Britain -- History -- Anglo-Saxon period, 449-1066 -- Sources
This year the Alderman Eadric and all the chief of the Witan of
the English nation, clergy and laity, came to London before Easter
day, which fell on the 13th of April, and they remained there after
Easter, until all the tribute was paid, it was 8000 pounds. Then on
the Saturday the Army was greatly exasperated against the Archbishop,
because he would not promise them money, but forbade others to give
them any thing on his behalf; they were also very drunken, for wine
was brought to them from the south; then they took the Archbishop and
led him to their hustings on the eve of Sunday the octave of Easter
day, and there they pelted him with the bones and skulls of cattle, and
at length one of them struck him upon the head with an iron axe, so
that he dropped down from the blow. And his sacred blood was spilled
upon the earth but his holy soul departed to the kingdom of God. And in
the morning the Bishops Eadnoth and Ælfhun and the townsmen took his
holy body and carried it to London with all reverence and buried it
in St. Paul’s Minster where God yet maketh manifest the power of the
blessed martyr. When the tribute had been paid, and the oaths of peace
were sworn, the Army again dispersed itself widely, as it had been
gathered together from various parts. And 45 of their ships entered
into the King’s service, and promised him that they would defend this
country, on condition that he should feed and clothe them.
1013.
The year after that in which Archbishop Ælfeg was martyred, the King
appointed Bishop Lifing to the see of Canterbury. And the same year
before the month of August King Swegn arrived with his fleet at
Sandwich, and he coasted very rapidly round East Anglia and entered
the mouth of the Humber, and so proceeded up the Trent until he came to
Gainsborough. And in a short time Earl Uhtred and all Northumberland
and the people of Lindsey submitted to him, and afterwards the
inhabitants of the five towns[AR] did likewise, and very soon after
this all the forces north of Watling-street submitted also, and
hostages were given him from each county. When he found that all the
people were subject to him he commanded that they should supply his
army with horses and provisions, and he then proceeded southward with
a large force, leaving the charge of his ships and hostages to his
son Cnut. And when they had passed Watling-street, they did as much
evil as any army might; he marched to Oxford, and the town immediately
surrendered and gave hostages; thence he went to Winchester, and the
inhabitants of that place did the same; thence he turned eastward
towards London, and many of his soldiers were drowned in the Thames,
not looking out for a bridge. And when he came to the city the
inhabitants would not surrender, but they held out against him and
fought bravely, for King Æthelred was there, and Thurkil with him.
Then King Swegn departed thence to Wallingford, and so over the Thames
westward to Bath, and he rested there with his army.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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