accession, but were persuaded to desist by the bestowal of large bribes. They were thus bought off five successive times, and the sum paid to them on the last occasion amounted to 50,000 lb. weight of silver.

This money was raised by a tax called Dane-geld, which appears to have been the origin of our present mode of taxation.

These measures proved insufficient; and, owing to the treachery amongst the Saxon nobles and the king's weak policy, the country from A.D. 990 to A.D. 1000, was perpetually invaded and laid waste by the Danes. Ethelred now determined on a most atrocious step. He secretly ordered that on Nov. 13th, A.D. 1000, all the Anglo-Danes in England should be massacred. This command was partly carried out, and led to a fresh invasion under a Danish king named SWEYN, who for several years ravaged the country in all directions. Ethelred was at length obliged to flee, with his wife Emma, to the Court of her brother, the Duke of Normandy. Sweyn died shortly after, and the Saxons then recalled Ethelred, who had now to contend with Canute, the son of Sweyn. The struggle was carried on between them with varying success, and on Ethelred's death, A.D. 1016, was resumed by his son Edmund.

It is related that, in one of these Danish expeditions, the Archbishop of Canterbury was taken prisoner, but was offered his release, if he would induce Ethelred to procure it by a ransom. He replied, "I have no money of my own, neither will I counsel my sovereign aught that is contrary to the honour of my country. I am not one who will furnish Christian flesh for pagan teeth to tear, and it were doing so to give up to you that which my poor people have been saving for their support." His captors now became frantic with rage, and shouted Gold, bishop, gold!" He remained unmoved by their insults, and was at length put to death by the spear of one whom he had himself baptized.

66

17. EDMUND IRONSIDES Succeeded his father Ethelbert, as did Canute his father Sweyn. The contest between these two rivals for the crown was carried on with great vigour, but Edmund would undoubtedly have

been victorious, had his own adherents been faithful to him. Their treachery, however, forced him to conclude a treaty with Canute, according to which England was divided between them.

Canute was to reign over Northumbria and East Anglia, and Edmund over Wessex and Mercia.

Edmund reigned but one year (1016-1017), and some have supposed that his death was hastened by his powerful rival.

DANISH KINGS.

1. CANUTE now became sole king of England, and his claims were admitted by the national council. To secure the crown to himself, he sent the two sons of Edmund abroad, and married Emma, the widow of Ethelred; thereby getting her two sons, Edward and Alfred into his hands. The early part of his reign was disgraced by the cruel resentment which was shown towards his old enemies; but as he advanced in life his temper softened, and his government became just and merciful. He reformed many abuses, and framed some useful laws.

Canute spent much of his time in England, but he also occasionally visited his other kingdoms, Norway and Denmark. On one of these occasions he invaded Sweden, and reduced its king to vassalage.

He was much assisted in this war by an English noble named Godwin, who speedily attained distinction at court, and rose to the highest importance in the state.

After Canute's accession to the throne he was converted to Christianity, and a few years before his death he made a pilgrimage to Rome. He died, A.D. 1035, leaving England to Hardicanute, his son by Emma; and his other possessions to Harold and Sweyn, his sons by a former marriage.

Several anecdotes are related of him, which evince his wisdom and particularly his love of justice. Having killed an innocent

man, he caused his judges to try him as an ordinary criminal. He was fined 40 talents of silver, but he voluntarily increased the fine to nine times that sum, and added nine talents of gold as a compensation to the relatives of the murdered man.

To rebuke his courtiers' flattery, he brought them with him to the sea-side, and, having caused a chair to be placed near the advancing tide, he seated himself in it and commanded the waters to rise no higher, but respect him the greatest of all sea-kings. He was speedily surrounded by the waves, and then, reproving his nobles for their adulation, he contrasted the weakness of man with the omnipotence of God, who alone could say to the waves, "Thus far shall ye go and no further."

From this time to his death, Canute never wore his crown.

2. HAROLD I., or HAREFOOT, succeeded to the throne of England in spite of his father's will. This was the more easy as Hardicanute was in Denmark at the time of Canute's death. Emma and Godwin did their utmost to support Hardicanute's claims, and a strong party was formed to enforce them, but the Witenagemote averted war by deciding that the kingdom should be divided between the two brothers. The sons of Emma by Ethelred now made an attempt to gain the throne, but they were unsuccessful, and Alfred fell into the hands of the king, by whom he was cruelly murdered. Harold then became sole monarch. died, A.D. 1040.

He

His surname was given him on account of his speed in running.

3. HARDICANUTE was invited to succeed his halfbrother on the throne, but his oppressive taxation and habitual intemperance soon disgusted his subjects, and his early death was but little lamented by them. It took place suddenly at the marriage festival of one of his nobles, A.D. 1042.

In this reign Godwin was tried for being accessory to the murder of Prince Alfred, but was acquitted. Edward also was invited from Normandy, and treated by Hardicanute with great kindness.

RESTORATION OF THE SAXON LINE.

1. EDWARD THE CONFESSOR succeeded his half-brother on the throne. He was the son of Ethelred II. and Emma, and was acknowledged king both by Saxons and Danes. Godwin, now the greatest noble in England, was chiefly instrumental in securing to him the peaceable possession of the crown.

The great earldoms of England at this period were Wessex, East Anglia, Gloucester, Mercia, and Northumbria. Of these the first was held by Godwin, and the second and third by his sons Harold and Sweyn, so that the whole of England, south of a line extending from the Wash to the mouth of the Severn, was in a measure under their dominion.

Edward, in return for Godwin's services, married his daughter Editha, and continued him in his overgrown possessions. The Danes now discontinued their visits to England, and the tax of DANEGELD was repealed, much to the people's delight. The old laws also were revived, and Edward would have become very popular had he not carried his love for French manners and customs too far. Having been brought up in Normandy, he had become so prejudiced in its favour, that on his accession he made Norman-French the language of the court, and appointed Normans to all the highest posts of church and state. This conduct highly displeased the Saxon nobles, and especially Godwin, who took up arms and demanded that the Norman favourites should be dismissed. Edward was obliged to comply, and Godwin's party was restored to its former power.

Previously to this, Godwin had made a similar attempt, but failing, was banished. During his absence from England, Edward was visited by William Duke of Normandy, who is said to have obtained from him on this occasion a promise that he should be the successor to the English throne.

Godwin promised faithful obedience to the king; and, as a pledge of his sincerity, gave him one of his sons and one of his grandsons as hostages, who for safe keeping were sent to the Norman Court. He soon after died, and Harold succeeded to all his power.

This power he tried to extend by establishing his brother

Tostig in the earldom of Northumbria. But Tostig's cruelty soon led the Northumbrians to revolt; and Harold having · refused to render him any further assistance, he repaired to Normandy, vowing vengeance, and seeking aid from William.

The king having no issue, had invited to England Edward the Outlaw, son of Edmund Ironsides; but that prince died shortly after his arrival, leaving two children, Edgar Atheling and Margaret.

This Margaret married the king of Scotland, and from them descended Henry II. of England.

About this time Harold went to Normandy to procure the release of his brother and nephew. He was shipwrecked whilst crossing the Channel; and, falling into the hands of William, was compelled by him to swear that he would assist him in gaining the English crown, that he would marry his daughter Adela, and send his sister to marry one of William's nobles.

It is said that the oath was administered over a vast quantity of relics, of the presence of which Harold was perfectly unconscious until he had pledged his word.

Edward died A.D. 1066, and was buried in the abbey church which he had founded at Westminster, and of which some remains still exist.

In this reign, Macbeth, who had murdered Duncan, king of Scotland, and then usurped his crown, was defeated and slain by Siward, earl of Northumberland.

2. HAROLD II., seeing that Edgar Atheling, the legitimate heir to the crown, was of very weak intellect,. seized on the throne, and his title was admitted by the Witenagemote. William of Normandy remonstrated with him on the violation of his oath, but without effect. He then prepared to enforce his claims by war.

The reply of Harold has been preserved :-" It is true that I took an oath to William, but I took it under constraint. I promised what did not belong me, a promise which I could not any way perform. My royal authority is not my own: I could not lay it down against the will of the country; nor can I, against the will of the country, take a foreign wife. As to my sister, whom the duke claims, that he may marry her to one of his chiefs, she has died within the year: would he have me send her corpse?"