Canute, King of all England, Denmark, Norway, and parts of the Swedes, to Ethelnoth, Metropolitan, and Elfric, Archbishop of York, and to all bishops, nobles, and to the whole nation of the English high and low, health. I notify to you that I have lately been to Rome, to pray for the forgiveness of my sins; for the safety of my dominions, and of the people under my government. I had long since vowed such a journey to God, but, hitherto hindered by the affairs of my kingdom, and other causes preventing, I was unable to accomplish it sooner. I now return thanks most humbly to my Almighty God, for suffering me, in my lifetime, to approach the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and all the holy saints within and without the city of Rome, wherever I could discover them, and there present, to worship and adore according to my desire. I have been the more diligent in the performance of this, because I have learned from the wise that St. Peter the Apostle has received from God great power in binding and in loosing: that he carries the key of the kingdom of heaven; and consequently I have judged it a matter of special importance to seek his influence with God. Be it known to you that at the solemnity of Easter, a great assembly of nobles was present with Pope John and the Emperor Conrad, that is to say, all the princes of the nations from Mount Garganus[3] to the neighbouring sea.[4] All these received me with honour and presented me with magnificent gifts. But more especially was I honoured by the Emperor with various gifts and offerings in gold and silver vessels and mantles and costly garments. Moreover, I spoke with the Emperor himself and the sovereign Pope and the nobles who were there, concerning the wants of all my people, English as well as Danes; observing that there ought to be granted to them more equitable regulations, and greater security on their passage to Rome; that they should not be impeded by so many barriers on the road, nor harassed with unjust exactions. The Emperor assented to my request, as did Rodolph the King,[5] who has the chief dominion over those passes; and all the princes confirmed by an edict that my subjects, traders as well as those who went on a religious account, should peaceably go and return from Rome without any molestation from warders of passes or tax-gatherers. Again I complained before the Pope and expressed my high displeasure that my archbishops were oppressed by the immense sum of money which is demanded from them when seeking, according to custom, the apostolical see to receive the pall: and it was determined that it should be so no longer. Moreover, all things which I requested for the advantage of my kingdom from the sovereign Pope and the Emperor and King Rodolph and the other princes through whose territory our road to Rome runs, they have freely granted and confirmed by oath under the attestation of four archbishops and twenty bishops and an innumerable multitude of dukes and nobles who were present.