About this time we being secure of warre, Fame by report did giue to vnderstand, That the bold Vandale threatned to inferre, Such strong inuasion both by seas and land Vpon the Danes, that all the force of hand, That they for warre could make, would scarce suffice To giue repulse vnto their enemies. 7. Which when _Canute_ did heare, his Danish force He mustred vp, and I inspir’d by fame, Troopt vp my Kentish friends, both foot and horse, With whom deckt in braue armes and skill’d in frame Of varied fight, vnto _Canute_ I came, With whom to Denmarke I design’d did goe, Conductor of the English ’gainst the foe. 8. The seas we launcht, but long we had not wau’d, Vpon the deepe, when all our ships did scatter, Proud Nereus fom’d, the sea lookt blacke and rau’d, The billowes rude rouz’d into hils of water, Cuffe after cuffe the earth’s greene bankes did batter, Which with their force our scattered nauie bore In great distresse about the Norway shore. 9. Tost to and fro, the storme at length ore-blowen, We did arriue vpon the Danish coast, Where, in the field the Vandale dreadlesse growen, Their valours to auouch, did vaunt and boast Of spoiles and captiues in their conquering host, ’Twixt whom and vs the fight had then begun, Had night, to part the fray, not twixt vs run. 10. The night, that giues each deathlesse creature rest, In chaines of darknesse all the earth did bind, And in our tents, each one as seem’d him best, Did passe the time: but in my labouring mind Nor rest, nor sleepe could entertainment find, Care kept me waking, how I best might bring My selfe in credit with _Canute_ the king. 11. The time, I thought, did fit occasion yeeld, The foes with fond neglect of vs at shore Did sleepe secure, dispread about the field, Their guard slight kept, their men were wearied sore With hunting after spoile the day before, Whom to _Canute_ vnknowne could we confound, Our names I thought, would euer be renown’d. 12. These thoughts, but newly borne in my great mind, By secret messengers I did conuent, The English chiefetaines all, whom I did find In heart so well inclin’d, that all were bent With readie hands to strengthen my intent, And in each point their minds to mine did frame For this affaire, all thirsting after fame. 13.