“The iust rewarde for so vile an offence dothe proue,” quoth _Inquisition_, “this _Canutus_ to bee both a wise and a worthy prince.” “Yea,” saide _Memory_, “yf he had liued amongst those pratling poetes which made so muche tattle of _Hector_ and _Hercules_, certaynely he should not haue been inferiour vnto eche of them. This _Canutus_ was king at one time of foure kingdomes: as for _Englande_, and _Scotland_, and _Norway_, he held them by conquest: by birth he was the kyng of _Denmarke_: yea, he so demeaned himselfe, that duryng his lyfe all these foure kingdomes honoured him with the honoure due vnto a natiue king. But not long after his death, that good king, saint _Edmunde the Confessour_, obtayned agayne the rule of _Englande_, but chiefely through the helpe of his nephewe _William_, duke of _Normandy_, to whom, for that after his death he by lineall descent was next, he promised the crowne of _Englande_, if that he dyed without issue.” “Howe chaunced it then,” quoth _Inquisition_, “that the duke made such sharpe warre vppon _Harolde_, for the obteynyng thereof.” “Howe dyd it chaunce?” quoth _Memory_, “that is necessarie too be knowne, for that chaunce dyd not onely destroy the _Danes_, but it brought both _Harolde_ and the _Englishmen_ to confusion: and although nowe our idle houres be spent, tyme and our affayres doo call vs from the further hearing these men’s complayntes, yet let vs, as we may, heare what thys _Harolde_ wyll saye: hys story wyll furnishe our woorke with a fit conclusion. And for the better vnderstanding of this man’s matter doo you imagine that you see this king comming from the conquest of the _Danes_, euen sweating in hys armour, to saye, as followeth.”] THE COMPLAINT OF HAROLDE. Howe king Harolde raygnyng but niene monthes, had continuall warre with the Danes, with the Norway kyng, with his brother Tosto, and with duke William, who partely by hys strength, but chiefly by policie, overcame hym, and by killyng him in the feelde, obteyned the kingdomeof Englande. Thys historie dooth declare that no manhoode nor courage can keepe the crowne from the right heyre’s head[1250]. 1. Woulde he haue warre, and we to warre proclame? O bastarde duke, and dost thou dare to fyght? My noble men, come forth, and purchase fame: Geue me my swoorde, let me defende my right: Steppe foorth with speede my martiall men of myght: With bowes and bylles, let vs their course restrayne: And teach them that their vaunting vowes be vayne. 2.