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Then too came Edric Streone, the great Earl of Mercia, Eadmund's uncle by marriage and his foster father, praying for and gaining full forgiveness for having seemed to side with Swein, as he said. With these was Ulfkytel, our East Anglian earl, and many more, while word came from Utred of Northumbria that he would not hold back.
"I know not what else he could do at last. He will join us again as soon as we land. So also will Utred." "Then we are equal," said the king, while a cloud seemed to pass from his face, for Streone led all Mercia, and were he in truth on our side things would go well.
Then Cnut fell on York, and Utred of Northumbria, whose wife was Danish, submitted to him, and was slain by Streone's advice, as men say, though some say that he was slain by Thorkel the Jarl when he took the ships that tried to escape from the Humber. It may be thus. The shipmen fought well, and were all slain sixty ships' crews.
Utred is in Northumbria to guard the Humber, and Ulfkytel guards the Wash, and Olaf is in the Thames. They will drive away the Danes before they set foot on the beach." "They are still fighting the thingmen in the towns," I said. "Northumbria and Anglia are Danish at heart yet." Aye, and I might have added "Mercia also," but I knew not that yet. Eadmund should have known it, though.
Then when the winter wore away, and April came in calm and bright, the most awesome thing befell England that had been yet. For in the north Eadmund and Utred marched across the country, laying waste all as they went, lest the north should rise for Cnut; and going east as they went west, Cnut ravaged and burnt all the southern midlands.
Then said Ulfkytel: "Utred has gone to mind his own land, and I have come to ask you to help me in East Anglia." And in the end it came to pass that Olaf gave his new fleet into the hands of the London thanes, for Ethelred seemed to care nought for it, and took his own ships only, and we sailed first of all to Maldon.
There was a good levy that would have followed him, but some breath of suspicion came over him, and suddenly he left them and fled back to London and the citizens, whom he trusted alone of all England. And he would not suffer me to bide with Eadmund, but I must go back with him. So the levies melted, and Eadmund went north to Earl Utred of Northumbria for help.
For of the Danish nobles, Utred of Northumbria and the two earls of the old seven boroughs, Sigeferth and Morcar, were at one with our earl and Eadmund for gathering a great levy, and keeping it together by marching through the Danelagh, and calling on the Danish thingmen, in the towns they yet held, to surrender.
"Olaf the king, and Ulfkytel of East Anglia, and Edric Streone, my foster father." Then Olaf looked in the face of Eadmund, as it seemed to me in surprise, and made no answer. "Are we not equal then?" asked the atheling. "I have heard that Edric Streone is on the Danish side," said Olaf. "Cannot Utred of Northumbria be trusted?" "Edric has but sought rest, from need," answered Eadmund.
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