History of the Anglo-Saxons, from the Earliest Period to the Norman Conquest: Second Edition — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
History of the Anglo-Saxons, from the Earliest Period to the Norman Conquest: Second Edition
John Stuart Mill · en
Coronation of Canute the Dane--His treaty with the Saxon nobles
--He banishes the relations of Ethelred, and the children of
Edmund--Fate of Edmund's children--Canute's marriage with
Emma, the dowager-queen of the Saxons--Death of the traitor,
Edric--Canute visits Denmark--Death of Ulfr, the patron of
Godwin the cowherd--Canute invades Norway--Habits of the
Norwegian pirates--Canute erects a monument to Ælfeg, the
murdered archbishop of Canterbury--Carries off the dead body
of the bishop from London--Night scene on the Thames--Kills
one of his soldiers--His penance--Establishes the tax of
Peter's-pence--Picturesque description of Canute rebuking his
courtiers--His theatrical display, and vanity--His pilgrimage
to Rome--Canute's letter--His death p. 264
CHAPTER XXXIII.
REIGNS OF HAROLD HAREFOOT AND HARDICANUTE.
Sketch of Canute's reputed sons--The succession disputed--
Rise of earl Godwin--Refusal of the archbishop to crown
Harold Harefoot--Harold crowns himself, and bids defiance
to the church--Conduct of Emma of Normandy--Her letter to
her son Alfred--He lands in England, with a train of Norman
followers--His reception by earl Godwin--Massacre of the
Normans at Guildford--Death of Alfred, the son of Ethelred
--Emma banished from England--Her residence at Bruges--
Hardicanute prepares to invade England--Death of Harold
Harefoot--Accession of Hardicanute--Disinters the body of
Harold--Summons earl Godwin to answer for the death of Alfred
--Godwin's defence--Penalty paid by earl Godwin--Character
of Hardicanute--His Huscarls--The inhabitants of Worcester
refuse to pay the tax, called Dane-geld--They abandon the
city--Reckless conduct of Hardicanute--He invites Edward,
the son of Ethelred, to England--Hardicanute, the last of the
sea-kings, dies drunk at a marriage-feast in Lambeth p. 272
CHAPTER XXXIV.
ACCESSION OF EDWARD THE CONFESSOR.