A literal translation of the Saxon chronicle

by Unknown

This year the King and his Witan sent to the Army, and desired peace, promising tribute and supplies of provision, on condition that they should cease from plundering. At this time they had overrun the following districts: 1st, East Anglia; 2dly, Essex; 3dly, Middlesex; 4thly, Oxfordshire; 5thly, Cambridgeshire; 6thly, Hertfordshire; 7thly, Buckinghamshire; 8thly, Bedfordshire; 9thly, half of Huntingdonshire; and 10thly, south of the Thames, all Kent, and Sussex, and Hastings, and Surrey, Berkshire, Hampshire, and great part of Wiltshire. All these calamities befel us through ill-advisedness, because tribute was not offered them sufficiently soon; but when they had done all possible mischief, we then compounded with them for peace and quietness. Yet notwithstanding this treaty and tribute, they went not forth the less frequently in every direction, marching in separate divisions, and carrying off or slaying our miserable countrymen. And this year, between the nativity of St. Mary and Michaelmas, they besieged Canterbury, and gained an entrance through treachery, for Ælmær, whose life had been saved by Archbishop Ælfeah, betrayed the town to them. And they seized the Archbishop Ælfeah; and Ælfword the King’s sheriff, and the Abbot Leofwine, and Bishop Godwin, but they let the Abbot Ælmær depart; and they took captive all the consecrated persons men and women, none could say how great was the number of prisoners, and they remained in the town as long as they would, and when they had ransacked it thoroughly, they returned to their ships carrying the Archbishop with them. He who erewhile was the chiefest of the English nation, and of its religion, was now a prisoner; and now might men behold that wretched city the abode of misery, wherein had been fullness of joy; and from whence Christianity and blessedness had been first sent forth to us, before God, and before the world. And they kept the Archbishop with them until the time that they martyred him.

1012.

This year the Alderman Eadric and all the chief of the Witan of the English nation, clergy and laity, came to London before Easter day, which fell on the 13th of April, and they remained there after Easter, until all the tribute was paid, it was 8000 pounds. Then on the Saturday the Army was greatly exasperated against the Archbishop, because he would not promise them money, but forbade others to give them any thing on his behalf; they were also very drunken, for wine was brought to them from the south; then they took the Archbishop and led him to their hustings on the eve of Sunday the octave of Easter day, and there they pelted him with the bones and skulls of cattle, and at length one of them struck him upon the head with an iron axe, so that he dropped down from the blow. And his sacred blood was spilled upon the earth but his holy soul departed to the kingdom of God. And in the morning the Bishops Eadnoth and Ælfhun and the townsmen took his holy body and carried it to London with all reverence and buried it in St. Paul’s Minster where God yet maketh manifest the power of the blessed martyr. When the tribute had been paid, and the oaths of peace were sworn, the Army again dispersed itself widely, as it had been gathered together from various parts. And 45 of their ships entered into the King’s service, and promised him that they would defend this country, on condition that he should feed and clothe them.

1013.

The year after that in which Archbishop Ælfeg was martyred, the King appointed Bishop Lifing to the see of Canterbury. And the same year before the month of August King Swegn arrived with his fleet at Sandwich, and he coasted very rapidly round East Anglia and entered the mouth of the Humber, and so proceeded up the Trent until he came to Gainsborough. And in a short time Earl Uhtred and all Northumberland and the people of Lindsey submitted to him, and afterwards the inhabitants of the five towns[AR] did likewise, and very soon after this all the forces north of Watling-street submitted also, and hostages were given him from each county. When he found that all the people were subject to him he commanded that they should supply his army with horses and provisions, and he then proceeded southward with a large force, leaving the charge of his ships and hostages to his son Cnut. And when they had passed Watling-street, they did as much evil as any army might; he marched to Oxford, and the town immediately surrendered and gave hostages; thence he went to Winchester, and the inhabitants of that place did the same; thence he turned eastward towards London, and many of his soldiers were drowned in the Thames, not looking out for a bridge. And when he came to the city the inhabitants would not surrender, but they held out against him and fought bravely, for King Æthelred was there, and Thurkil with him. Then King Swegn departed thence to Wallingford, and so over the Thames westward to Bath, and he rested there with his army. 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.

After the death of Swegn, Cnut and his army remained at Gainsborough till Easter, and it was agreed between him and the men of Lindsey that the latter should furnish him with horses, and that afterwards they should all go forth together and plunder. Then King Æthelred with all his troops marched into Lindsey before they were prepared to oppose him, and he plundered and burned, and he slew all the people that he found; but Cnut the son of Swegn sailed away with his fleet, and thus were these miserable people betrayed by him, and he steered southward till he came to Sandwich, and there he set on shore the hostages that had been delivered to his father, and he cut off their hands and noses. And besides all these evils, the King ordered twenty-one thousand pounds to be paid to the army at Greenwich. And on the eve of Michaelmas-day this year was that great inundation of the sea over a wide extent of this land, which came up farther than was ever known before, and overwhelmed many towns and an immense number of persons.

1015.

This year there was a great meeting (of the Witan) at Oxford, and the Alderman Eadric betrayed Sigeferth and Morcær the chief Thanes of the seven towns,[AS] for he enticed them to his lodging, and there they were basely murdered. And the King seized all their possessions, and commanded that the widow of Sigeferth should be taken and carried to Malmesbury. And a short time afterwards Prince Edmund went thither and took her for his wife without the King’s consent. Then before the feast of the nativity of St. Mary the Prince went northward to the five towns, and he forthwith attacked the Heritage of Sigeferth and Morcær, and all the people submitted to him. And at the same time Cnut came to Sandwich, and he immediately sailed round Kent and along the coast of Wessex till he came to the mouth of the Frome, and he plundered in Dorset, Wiltshire and Somersetshire. At that time King Æthelred lay sick at Cosham. And the Alderman Edric assembled an army and Prince Edmund also raised troops in the north, and when they joined forces the Alderman would have betrayed the Prince, but he was not able to do this, therefore they parted, and gave place to the enemy without fighting. And then the Alderman Edric drew off 40 ships from the King’s party and went over to Cnut. And the West Saxons also submitted to Cnut and gave hostages, and furnished his army with horses, and he remained there until Christmas.