Observations of all the Kings of England, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
The Danes Monarchs.
CANUTUS.
THe first Danish King raigning in England, and the thirty fourth Monarch of the English men.
He is more truly called Cnute, Cui ex magnitudine rerum gestarum magni nomen accessit. Krantzii hist. Daniae l. 4.
A valiant and prudent Prince.
This Invader of Edmund Ironside's Kingdome (the better to secure his Empire against Prince Alfred and Edward, Edmunds Brothers) married Emma his Queen.
After this marriage, to establish his Monarchy over England, he endeavoured by all means to reconcile the English to him.
1. By advancing some of the English Nobility to places of honour and trust.
2. By granting to the English equall rights and priviledges with his Danes, in consessu, in consilio, in praelio, and advancing them both alike.
3. By favouring and inriching the English Clergy, and Church-men, and manifesting extraordinary piety, devotion, bounty, in repairing, building, endowing Monasteries and Churches throughout the Realm.
4. By easing them of his Danish Forces.
5. By ratifying all their former good old fundamentall Laws, rights, liberties, priviledges, which they used, enjoyed under their Saxon Kings, by enacting other good wholsome Laws, repealing all unjust Laws, and redressing all exactions and grievances.
A company of flatterers which extolled his greatness and power to be unmatchable,Vide Polyd. Virg. hist. Ang. l. 8. p. 135. Scians omnes habitantes or…em, vanam & frivola… regum esse potentiam. Hunting. hist. l. 6. he caused to place him in a chair, where the Sea ebbs and flowes at South-hampton, that by the disobedience of the Tide, that would not stop at his command, but presumed to dash his royall garments, they might learn how low man is at the highest, and not to applaud his fortune, but fear his fall.
He acknowledged God alone to be King of this great Element, because the Sea is his, and he made it.
The flatterers of Alexander the great, made him believe that he was the son of Iupiter; Erat Dominus totius Daciae, totius Angliae, totius Norwagiae, simul & Scotiae. Hunting. hist. l 6. Ea fuit optimi Regis diligentia, ut optimis legibus patriam, cives, milites, intra honestatis praescriptum contineret. Tulit legem de singulis rebus, omni…q…e praevi…it quae ab optimo legum latore sunt providenda. Et quum inter alia homicidio quoque paenam decreviss…t, accidit ut ipsae …, is praevaricator, occiso milite inve…iretur. Qu…mqu factum majesta…is reverentia …u…ripot …isset, militari se animadversiou… substravit. Kran…zii hist▪ Dani… l. 4. Vide plura ibid. Leges Canuti poste…ati tam gratae fuerunt sibiqu…am satutares Angl… semper dux…runt, ut ad eas sirmite… observandas sub nomine Edward… Regis (non quod ill… st…tu…rit, sed quod observaverit) Principes reg…o inaugur…dos solio sepius, obstrinxerint juramento. Seldeni Anal…ct. Anglobrit l. 2 c. 6. Ex Malmes…. l 2. c. 11. Nou refero confessoris has leges ad certum regni cjus anuum aliquem, quod non ab eo institutas c…ns…o…sed ex Antecossorum suoru… legth…s (praesertim Regis Canuti▪ ut animadvertit Malm…sburius) ducta plerunqu… essent & promulga…a. Innuit hoc idem ipsarum titulus in quo decitur, Iucipiunt lege… S. Edward… Regis, quas in Anglia …. Id est observavit Non quas tulit, hoc est instituit. Spelman. de Concil. p 625 l.…ide Lambardum de priscis Anglorum legibus.but being one day sore hurt, and seeing the blood gush out of his wounds, What think you of this? (said he unto them) Is not this blood of a lively red hew, and meerly humane?
He was the greatest Prince of power that ever before him raigned over the English people.
England, Denmarke, Norway, (some adde also part of Sweden) together with Scotland, were wholly subject unto him.
Filiam suam Imperatori Romano cum ineffabilibus divitiis maritavit. Hunting. hist. l. 6.
In a Parliament at Oxford he made good Laws, whereof these were some that concern Religion.
First, For the celebration of divine service, it was ordained, that all Ceremonies tending to the increase of reverence and devotion, should be used as need required.
Secondly, That upon the Sabbath day, all publick Fairs, Markets, Synods, Huntings, and all secular actions, should be forborn, unless some urgent necessity should require it.
Thirdly, That every Christian should thrice in the year receive the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper.
Fourthly, That a married woman convict of adultery, should have her nose and ears cut off.
Krantzius much extols him as the most famous of the Kings of Denmarke.Quo nemo Damcorum Regum (tam e…si piura alii victor tis illustraverint) splendidi…r fuit. Equidem sanctitate ac fortitudine inst…ctiss…mus, non minus religionem quam r…gnum proferre curae h…huit. Cra…zii hist. Daniae. l 4.
He was a just Prince in all, saving his tyranny against the two young Princes, the sons of Edmond.
The lustre of this new erected Monarchy, had no sooner displayed its beams in Canutus, but like an unthrifty Taper it began to glimmer in Harold, and absolutely expired in Hard knute, who dying issueless, the current of royalty ran back again into the channell of the Saxon bloud, which flowed in the veins… of Edward, sirnamed the Con…essor. Philpot's Preface to his Villare Cantianum.
After he had in great glory reigned about nineteen years,Some say twenty. he deceased at Shafiesbury in the County of Dorset, St ….and was buried in the Church of the old Monastery at Winchester, where Queen Emma made her abode ever after.
Harold.
The second Danish King raigning in England, and the thirty fifth Monarch of the Land.
He was called Hare-foot, by reason of his swiftness. Canutus had him by a Concubine, a Shoomakers daughter.
This base son of Cnute, dispossessed his legitimate son Harde-Cnute of the Crown of England, contrary to Cnutes will and contract; banished and spoiled Queen Emma of her treasure and Jewels; oppressed the people with taxes; and was soon cut off by death, without any issue.
He was an oppresser of his people, and vitious.
He raigned four years and four moneths.
He was neither in Warres so hardy,Malme…b. nor in Government so prosperous, as his Father Canutus before him had been.
Harde-Canute.
The third Danish King that raigned in England, and the thirty sixth Monarch of the English men.
For his noble courage he was called Harde-Canutus.
(The first great Prince of the house of Burgundy, was Philip, sirnamed the Hardy.)
His recalling his Mother Emma, and half Brother Edward, and entertaining them respectively, deserves commendation.
His Epicurism left an ill custome to all posterity.Dani (ut patria pace loquar) s…ecandis certatim calicibus assueti Saxo-Gram. Hic tributum inex…rabile & importabile Angliae imposuit, ut classiariis su… pers ingulas naves viginti marcas ex pollicit… pensitaret. Malm. l. 2 c, 12. Four times a day his Table must be covered, to invite men to intemperancy; through which at a marriage, he is thought to have choaked himself at Lambeth, most rejoycing to be rid of him; in memory whereof Hock-tide, a Feast of scorning or triumphing, was a long time continued after.
The English men learned of him their excessive gormandizing, and unmeasurable filling of themselves with meates and drinkes.
At the death of this King, died all rule of the Danes in this Land, after they had miserably afflicted the Kingdome for the space of two hundred and forty yeares, though in Regall government, but only six and twenty, under these three last Kings.
He raigned two yeares, lacking ten dayes.
The Danes ruled in this Land almost thirty yeares, and raged (without all rule) about three hundred and fifty. Lamberts Perambulation of Kent.