Great Britain -- History -- Anglo-Saxon period, 449-1066 -- Sources
And the Alderman
Æthelmer came thither, and all the western Thanes with him, and they
submitted themselves to King Swegn, and gave hostages. And having thus
conquered the country, he returned to his ships in the north, and all
the people fully received and acknowledged him as their true King. And
after this the men of London submitted to him and gave hostages, for
they feared lest he should utterly ruin them. Then Swegn exacted an
immense tribute, and provision for his army during that winter; and
Thurcyl demanded the same for the army at Greenwich; and besides this
they plundered as often as they would, to the great injury of this
people both in the south and in the north. The King remained a little
while with the fleet in the Thames, and the Lady went over sea to her
brother Richard, and Ælsige Abbot of Peterborough with her. And the
King sent Bishop Ælfun over sea with the Æthelings Edward and Alfred,
that he might take care of them. And the King went from the fleet to
Wight at Christmas, and he remained there during that festival; and
then he departed over sea to Richard, and he abode with him till Swegn
was dead. Whilst the Lady was beyond sea with her brother, Ælfsige
Abbot of Peterborough who was with her, went to a monastery called
Bonneval, where the body of Saint Florentinus lay. He found the place,
and the Abbot, and the monks in a condition of great misery, for they
had been plundered; and he bought of the Abbot and the monks the whole
of the remains of Saint Florentinus, excepting his head, for five
hundred pounds; and when he returned home he presented them to Christ
and to Saint Peter.
1014.
This year King Swegn ended his days at Candlemas, on the 3d of the
nones of February, and the fleet chose Cnut as King. Then all the Witan
of the English nation, clergy and laity, determined that they would
send to King Æthelred, and they assured him that no one was dearer to
them than their natural Lord, if he would govern them more righteously
than he did before. So the King sent his son Edward hither with his
deputies, and commanded him to greet all his people, and said that he
would be their faithful Lord, and that he would amend all that had
been complained of, and all that had been done or said against himself
should be forgiven, if they would return to him with one consent and
without guile. And confidence was fully established by words, deeds,
and pledges, on either side, and they outlawed for ever any Danish King
of England. In Lent King Æthelred came home to his own people, and he
was gladly received by them all.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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