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"The Etheling is here!" While the warrior was turning, a new voice spoke. "Canute's page?" it repeated after some unseen informant. "Is he dead?" It was a young voice, and deep and soft, for all the note of quiet authority ringing through it; something in its tone was agreeably different from the harsh utterance of the first speaker. Randalin's eyes rose dreamily to find the owner.
But Canute soon became sole King of England; for Ironside died suddenly within two months. Some think that he was killed, and killed by Canute's orders. No one knows. Canute reigned eighteen years. He was a merciless King at first.
Godwin, however, proclaimed him king, and attempted to establish his authority, and to make Emma a sort of regent, to govern in his name until he could be brought home. The Danish chieftains, on the other hand, elected and proclaimed one of Canute's older sons, whose name was Harold; and they succeeded in carrying a large part of the country in his favor.
Now Thorkel was setting them above the Danish circlet on Canute's shining locks, while the shouts merged into a roar of acclamation. Like blowing flowers, the women bent before him, and the naked swords of his nobles made a glittering arch above him. "But why does he look so strange?" Randalin said suddenly. And Dearwyn laid a finger on her lip. "Hush! At last he is going to speak."
That Sweyn Ulffson, his kinsman, or Osbern, his brother, will surely land there within the year with a mighty host? And that if there be one man in England of wit enough, and knowledge enough of war, to lead the armies of England, the Frenchman may be driven into the sea Is there any here who understands English?" "None but ourselves." "And Canute's nephew sit on Canute's throne?"
Canute's voice was heard crying, "Now, warriors, behold the hounds ye have so often chastised await your chastisement once more." Edmund, on the other hand, "Victory, my men, or a warrior's grave! We will not live to see England prostrate beneath the tyrant any longer."
The font is later Norman and not very interesting; but the exquisite recessed tomb with the effigy of a girl lying upon it is a noble work of the thirteenth century, said to mark the grave of Canute's daughter. The crypt dates also from that time. Near the south door is another fine canopied tomb, said to be that of Herbert of Bosham.
Here, likewise, was the robe that smothered Agamemnon, Nero's fiddle, the Czar Peter's brandy-bottle, the crown of Semiramis, and Canute's sceptre which he extended over the sea. That my own land may not deem itself neglected, let me add that I was favored with a sight of the skull of King Philip, the famous Indian chief, whose head the Puritans smote off and exhibited upon a pole.
Those who sheltered them incurred a heavy "were gild," and endangered the loss of their estates; and finally, in case of obstinacy, outlawry and banishment followed. King Canute's Laws Ecclesiastical. xxxii Disappearance of Elgiva. The writer has already in the preface stated his reasons for rejecting the usual sad story about the fate of the hapless Elgiva.
I cannot but believe that our forefathers had been, in some way or other, great sinners, or two such conquests as Canute's and William's would not have fallen on them within the short space of sixty years. They did not want for courage, as Stamford Brigg and Hastings showed full well. English swine, their Norman conquerors called them often enough; but never English cowards.
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