FOOTNOTES:[480]Liebermann,Gesetze der Angelsachsen, i., 273-275. For an earlier translation see Stubbs,Select Charters, 75-76.
[480]Liebermann,Gesetze der Angelsachsen, i., 273-275. For an earlier translation see Stubbs,Select Charters, 75-76.
[480]Liebermann,Gesetze der Angelsachsen, i., 273-275. For an earlier translation see Stubbs,Select Charters, 75-76.
II.—CANUTE'S CHARTER OF 1027[481]
Canute, King of all England and Denmark and of the Norwegians and of part of the Slavic peoples,[482]to Ethelnoth the Metropolitan and Alfric of York, and to all bishops and primates, and to the whole nation of the English, both nobles and freemen, wishes health.
I make known to you that I have lately been to Rome, to pray for the redemption of my sins, and for the prosperity of the kingdoms and peoples subject to my rule. This journey I had long ago vowed to God, though, through affairs of state and other impediments, I had hitherto been unable to perform it; but now I humbly return thanks to God Almighty for having in my life granted to me to yearn after the blessed apostles, Peter and Paul, and every sacred place within and without the city of Rome, which I could learn of, and according to my desire, personally to venerate and adore. And this I have executed chiefly because I had learned from wise men that the holy apostle Peter had received from the Lord the great power of binding and loosing, and was key-bearer of the celestial kingdom; and I, therefore,deemed it extremely useful to desire his patronage before God.
Be it now known to you, that there was a great assembly of nobles at the Easter celebration, with the Lord Pope John, and the Emperor Conrad, to wit, all the princes of the nations from Mount Gargano to the nearest sea, who all received me honourably, and honoured me with magnificent presents. But I have been chiefly honoured by the Emperor with divers costly gifts, as well in golden and silver vessels as in mantles and vestments exceedingly precious.
I have therefore spoken with the Emperor and the Lord Pope, and the princes who were there, concerning the wants of all my people, both Angles and Danes, that a more equitable law and greater security might be granted to them in their journeys to Rome, and that they might not be hindered by so many barriers, nor harassed by unjust tolls; and the Emperor and King Rudolf, who has the greater number of those barriers in his dominions, have agreed to my demands; and all the princes have engaged by their edict, that my men, whether merchants or other travellers for objects of devotion, should go and return in security and peace, without any constraint of barriers or tolls.
I then complained to the Lord Pope, and said that it greatly displeased me, that from my archbishops such immense sums of money were exacted, when, according to usage, they visited the apostolic see to receive the pall; and it was agreed that such exactions should not thenceforth be made. And all that I have demanded for the benefit of my people from the Lord Pope, from the Emperor, from King Rudolf, and from the other princes, through whose territories our way lies toRome, they have freely granted, and also confirmed their cessions by oath, with the witness of four archbishops and twenty bishops, and an innumerable multitude of dukes and nobles, who were present.
I therefore render great thanks to God Almighty that I have successfully accomplished all that I desired, as I had proposed in my mind, and satisfied to the utmost the wishes of my people. Now then, be it known to you, that I have vowed, as a suppliant, from henceforth to justify in all things my whole life to God, and to rule the kingdoms and peoples subjected to me justly and piously, to maintain equal justice among all; and if, through the intemperance of my youth, or through negligence, I have done aught hitherto contrary to what is just, I intend with the aid of God to amend all.
I therefore conjure and enjoin my counsellors, to whom I have intrusted the counsels of the kingdom, that from henceforth they in no wise, neither through fear of me nor favour to any powerful person, consent to, or suffer to increase any injustice in my whole kingdom; I enjoin also all sheriffs and reeves of my entire kingdom, as they would enjoy my friendship or their own security, that they use no unjust violence to any man, either rich or poor, but that every one, both noble and freeman, enjoy just law, from which let them in no way swerve, neither for equal favour, nor for any powerful person, nor for the sake of collecting money for me, for I have no need that money should be collected for me by iniquitous exactions.
I, therefore, wish it to be made known to you, that, returning by the same way that I departed, I am going to Denmark, for the purpose of settling, with thecounsel of all the Danes, firm and lasting peace with those nations, which, had it been in their power, would have deprived us of our life and kingdoms; but were unable, God having deprived them of strength, who in His loving-kindness preserves us in our kingdoms and honour, and renders naught the power of our enemies. Having made peace with the nations round us, and regulated and tranquillised all our kingdom here in the East, so that on no side we may have to fear war or enmities, I propose this summer, as soon as I can have a number of ships ready, to proceed to England; but I have sent this letter beforehand, that all the people of my kingdom may rejoice at my prosperity; for, as you yourselves know, I have never shrunk from labouring, nor will I shrink therefrom, for the necessary benefit of all my people.
I therefore conjure all my bishops and ealdormen, by the fealty which they owe to me and to God, so to order that, before I come to England, the debts of all, which we owe according to the old law, be paid; to wit, plough-alms, and a tithe of animals brought forth during the year, and the pence which ye owe to Saint Peter at Rome, both from the cities and villages; and in the middle of August, a tithe of fruits, and at the feast of Saint Martin, the first-fruits of things sown, to the church of the parish, in which each one dwells, which is in English called church-scot. If, when I come, these and others are not paid, he who is in fault shall be punished by the royal power severely and without any remission. Farewell.
FOOTNOTES:[481]This translation (with slight changes) is that of Benjamin Thorpe: Lappenberg,History of England, ii., 212-215.[482]The original has Swedes; but see above p. 152. The statement that Canute was King of the Norwegians is doubtless an addition by the chronicler; Norway was not conquered before 1028.
[481]This translation (with slight changes) is that of Benjamin Thorpe: Lappenberg,History of England, ii., 212-215.
[481]This translation (with slight changes) is that of Benjamin Thorpe: Lappenberg,History of England, ii., 212-215.
[482]The original has Swedes; but see above p. 152. The statement that Canute was King of the Norwegians is doubtless an addition by the chronicler; Norway was not conquered before 1028.
[482]The original has Swedes; but see above p. 152. The statement that Canute was King of the Norwegians is doubtless an addition by the chronicler; Norway was not conquered before 1028.
Aarböger for nordisk Oldkyndighed og Historie, udg. af det Kongelige Nordiske Oldskriftsselskab. 1866-1885. 2. Række, 1886-. Copenhagen. Continuation ofAnnaler.
Ælfric's Lives of Saints, ed. W.W. Skeat. 2 vols. London, 1881-1900. (Early English Text Society.)
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, ed. Benjamin Thorpe. 2 vols. London, 1861. Rolls Series, No. 23.
Annaler for nordisk Oldkyndighed og Historie, udg. af det Kongelige Nordiske Oldskriftsselskab. 1836-1863. Copenhagen, 1836-1865.
These volumes and theAarbögerare of great value for the study of Scandinavian culture in the Middle Ages; for the career of Canute, however, they are of slight importance.
Annales Cambriæ, ed. J.W. ab Ithel. London, 1560. Rolls Series, No. 20.
Annales Monastici, ed. H.R. Luard. 5 vols. London, 1864-1869. Rolls Series, No. 36.
Baltische Studien, herausgegeben von der Gesellschaft für pommersche Geschichte und Alterthumskunde. 1835-1892. Stettin.
Especially important are Nos. 7, 13, and 25: articles on the early relations of the Danes and the Wends.
Bibliothek der Angelsächsischen Poesie, ed. C.W.M. Grein (revised edition by R.P. Wülker). 3 vols. Cassel, 1883-1898.
BJÖRKMAN, ERIK,Nordische Personennamen in England in alt- und frühmittel-englischer Zeit. Halle, 1910. (Morsbach'sStudien zur englischen Philologie, xxxvii.)
BREMEN, ADAM OF,Gesta Hammenburgensis Ecclesiæ Pontificum, ed. J.M. Lappenberg. Hanover, 1846. (Mon. Ger. Hist., Scriptores, vii.)
BRESSLAU, H.,Jahrbücher des Deutschen Reichs unter Konrad II.Leipsic, 1879-1884.
BUGGE, ALEXANDER, et al.,Norges Historie fremstillet for det norske Folk. To be published in 6 volumes. Vol. i., part ii. (Christiania, 1910) deals with Norwegian history to 1030.
----Studier over de norske Byers Selvstyre og Handel. Christiania, 1899.
----Vesterlandenes Indflydelse paa Nordboernes og särlig Nordmændenes ydre Kultur, Levesæt, og Samfundsforhold i Vikingetiden. Christiania, 1905.
----Vikingerne. 2 vols. Copenhagen, 1904-1906.
A series of brilliant essays on Scandinavian colonisation and culture in the western islands (Britain).
Cambridge History of English Literature. Edited by A.W. Ward and A.R. Waller. (In process of publication.) I. Cambridge, 1907.
CANTERBURY, GERVASE OF,The Historical Works of Gervase of Canterbury, ed. William Stubbs. 2 vols. London, 1879-1880. Rolls Series, No. 73.
CHABANNES, ADÉMAR DE,Historiarum Libri iii, ed. G. Waitz. Hanover, 1841. (Mon. Ger. Hist., Scriptores, iv.)
Chronicon Abbatiæ de Evesham ad Annum1418, ed. W.D. Macray. London, 1863. Rolls Series, No. 29.
Chronicon Abbatiæ Rameseiensis, ed. W.D. Macray. London, 1886. Rolls Series, No. 83.
Chronicon Monasterii de Abingdon, ed. Joseph Stevenson. 2 vols. London, 1858. Rolls Series, No. 2.
CIRENCESTER, RICHARD OF,Speculum Historiale de Gestis Regum Angliæ., ed. J.E.B. Mayor. 2 vols. London, 1863-1869. Rolls Series, No. 30.
Cnutonis Regis Gesta sive Encomium Emmæ, ed. G.H. Pertz. Hanover, 1866. (Mon. Ger. Hist., Scriptores, xix.)
COLLINGWOOD, W.G.,Scandinavian Britain. London, 1908.
Corpus Poeticum Boreale. Edited by Gudbrand Vigfusson and F. York Powell. 2 vols. Oxford, 1883.
DAAE, LUDVIG,Norges Helgener. Christiania, 1879.
DICETO, RALPH OF,Opera Historica, ed. William Stubbs. 2 vols. London, 1876. Rolls Series, No. 68.
Duchesne, André (editor),Historiæ Normannorum Scriptores Antiqui. Paris, 1619.
DURHAM, SIMEON OF,Opera Omnia, ed. Thomas Arnold. 2 vols. London, 1882-1885. Rolls Series, No. 75.
Encomium Emmæ. SeeCnutonis Regis Gesta.
Eulogium Historiarum, ed. F.S. Haydon. 3 vols. London, 1858-1863. Rolls Series, No. 9.
Fagrskinna, ed. Finnur Jónsson. Copenhagen, 1902-1903. Brief saga of the Norwegian kings. Earlier edition by P.A. Munch and C.R. Unger (Christiania, 1847).
Flateyarbók. Edited by Gudbrand Vigfusson and C.R. Unger. Christiania, 1860. The Flat-isle Book is a late and not very reliable collection of sagas, but it cannot be wholly ignored.
FLOM, GEORGE T.,Scandinavian Influence on Southern Lowland Scotch. New York, 1900. (Columbia University Germanic studies, i., No. 1.)
FREEMAN, E.A.,History of the Norman Conquest of England, 6 vols. New York, 1873.
FRIESEN, OTTO VON,Historiska Runskrifter. (Fornvännen, 1909.)
----Om Runskriftens Härkomst. (Sprokvetenskapliga Sällskapets Förhandlinger, 1904-1906.)
GIESEBRECHT, W. VON,Geschichte der Deutschen Kaiserzeit. 3 vols. Brunswick and Leipsic, 1855-1868.
HILDEBRAND, B.E.,Anglosachsiska Mynt i svenska Kongliga Myntkabinettet funna i Sveriges Jord. Stockholm, 1881.
HILDEBRAND, HANS O.H.,Svenska Folket under Hednatiden. Stockholm, 1886.
Historians of the Church of York and its Archbishops, ed. James Raine. 3 vols. London, 1879-1894. Rolls Series, No. 71.
HODGKIN, THOMAS,The History of England from the Earliest Times to the Norman Conquest. London, 1906. (Hunt-Poole,Political History of England, i.)
HUNT, WILLIAM,The English Church, A.D. 597-1066. London, 1899. (Stephens-Hunt,A History of the English Church, i.)
HUNTINGDON, HENRY OF,Historia Anglorum, ed. Thomas Arnold. London, 1879. Rolls Series, No. 74.
Jómsvíkingasaga ok Knytlinga, ed. C.C. Rafn. Copenhagen, 1828.
Jumièges, William of,Historiæ Nomannorum Libri viii, ed. André Duchesne. Paris, 1619. (Hist. Norm. Scriptores.)
KEMBLE, J.M.,Codex Diplomaticus Ævi Saxonici. 6 vols. London, 1839-1848. (Eng. Hist. Soc.)
Knytlingasaga. SeeJómsvíkingasaga.
KÖBKE, P.,Om Runerne i Norden. Copenhagen, 1890. A brief popular account of the runes; valuable for its translation of important inscriptions.
LANG, ANDREW,A History of Scotland. 4 vols. Edinburgh, 1903-1907.
Langebek, Jacob (editor),Scriptores Rerum Danicarum Medii Ævi. 9 vols. Copenhagen, 1772-1878.
LAPPENBERG, J.M.,History of England under the Anglo-Saxon Kings. Translated by Benjamin Thorpe. 2 vols. London, 1845.
LARSON, LAURENCE M.,The King's Household in England before the Norman Conquest. Madison, 1904. (Bulletin of the University of Wisconsin.)
----The Political Policies of Cnut as King of England. American Historical Review, xv., No. 4 (July, 1910).
LAVISSE, ERNEST,Histoire de France depuis les origines jusqu'à la révolution. 9 vols. Paris, 1903-1911.
LIEBERMANN, F.,Die Gesetze der Angelsachsen. 2 vols. Halle, 1898-1899.
----Ungedrückte anglo-normannische Geschichtsquellen. Strasburg, 1879.
Liber Monasterii de Hyda, ed. Edward Edwards. London, 1866. Rolls Series, No. 45.
Liber Vitæ: Register and Martyrology of New Minster and Hyde Abbey, ed. W. de Gray Birch. London, 1892. (Hampshire Record Society.)
Lives of Edward the Confessor, ed. H.R. Luard. London, 1858. Rolls Series, No. 3.
MALMESBURY, WILLIAM OF,De Gestis Pontificum Anglorum Libri Quinque, ed. N.E.S.A. Hamilton. London, 1870. Rolls Series, No. 52.
----De Gestis Regum Anglorum Libri Quinque, ed. William Stubbs. 2 vols. London, 1887-1889. Rolls Series, No. 90.
MANITIUS, M.,Deutsche Geschichte unter den sächsischen und salischen Kaisern. Stuttgart, 1889. (Bibliothek deutscher Geschichte.)
Memorials of Saint Edmund's Abbey, ed. Thomas Arnold. 3 vols. London, 1890-1896. Rolls Series, No. 96.
MERSEBURG, THIETMAR OF,Chronicon, ed. J.M. Lappenberg. Hanover, 1839. (Mon. Ger. Hist., Scriptores, iii.)
MIGNE, J.P.,Patrologiæ Cursus Completus. Series Latina. 221 vols. Paris, 1844-1864. Vol. cxli. contains the sermons of Adémar and the letters of Fulbert.
MONTELIUS, OSCAR,Kulturgeschichte Schwedens von den ältesten Zeiten bis zum elften Jahrhundert nach Christus. Leipsic, 1906. An excellent account of Northern antiquity based largely on archæological evidence.
MORRIS, WILLIAM A.,The Frankpledge System. New York, 1910. (Harvard Historical Series, xiv.)
MUNCH, P.A.,Det norske Folks Historie. 8 vols. Christiania, 1852-1863.
Napier, A.S., and Stevenson, W.H. (editors),The Crawford Collection of Early Charters and Documents. Oxford, 1895.
Olafs Saga hins Helga. Edited by R. Keyser and C.R. Unger. Christiania, 1849. A saga of Saint Olaf; largely legendary.
OLRIK, AXEL,Nardisk Aandsliv i Vikingetid og tidlig Middelalder. Copenhagen, 1907. An excellent popular discussion of mediæval culture in Scandinavia.
OMAN, C.W.C.,England Before the Norman Conquest. New York, 1910. (Oman,History of England in Seven Volumes, i.)
Origines Islandicæ. Edited by Gudbrand Vigfusson and F. York Powell. 2 vols. Oxford, 1905.
PALGRAVE, FRANCIS,History of Normandy and England. 4 vols. London, 1851-1864.
PARIS, MATTHEW,Chronica Majora, ed. H.R. Luard. 7 vols. London, 1872-1883. Rolls Series, No. 57.
Pertz, G.H., et al. (editors),Monumenta Germaniæ Historica, Scriptores. 30 vols. Hanover, 1826-1896.
POITIERS, WILLIAM OF,Gesta Willelmi Ducis Normannorum et Regis Angliæ, ed. André Duchesne. Paris, 1619. (Hist. Norm. Scriptores.)
POLLOCK, F., and MAITLAND, F.W.,The History of the English Law Before the Time of Edward I. 2 vols. Cambridge, 1895.
RAMSAY, J.H.,The Foundations of England. 2 vols. London, 1898.
RAOUL GLABER,Les cinq livres de ses histoires, ed. M. Prou. Paris, 1886. (Collection de Textes, No. I.)
Saga Book of the Viking Club, vi., part i. London. January, 1909.
Saga Olafs Konungs ens Helga. Edited by P.A. Munch and C.R. Unger. Christiania, 1853. The so-called "Historical Saga" of Saint Olaf.
ST. JOHN, JAMES A.,History of the Four Conquests of England. 2 vols. London, 1862. Extremely uncritical.
SAXO GRAMMATICUS,Gesta Danorum, ed. A. Holder. Strasburg, 1886.
SCHÜCK, HENRIK,Studier i nordisk Litteratur- och Religions-historia.2 vols. Stockholm, 1904.
SNORRE. See Sturlason.
Sproglige og historiske Afhandlinger viede Sophus Bugges Minde.Christiania, 1908. Historical and philological essays by various authors. Cited as Afhandlinger, etc.
STEENSTRUP, JOHANNES C.H.R., et al.,Danmarks Riges Historie. 6 vols. Copenhagen, 1896-1906. The great co-operative history of Denmark. Vol. i. is by Steenstrup.
----Normannerne. 4 vols. Copenhagen, 1876-1882. (See Foreword.)
----Venderne og de Danske för Valdemar den Stores Tid. Copenhagen, 1900. A study of Danish expansion on the south Baltic shores.
STEPHENS, GEORGE,The Old-Northern Runic Monuments of Scandinavia and England. 4 vols. London and Copenhagen, 1866-1901. Of great value for the inscriptions that the author has collected and reproduced; the interpretations, however, are not always reliable. Vol. iv. is by S.O.M. Söderberg and J.S.F. Stephens.
STUBBS, WILLIAM,Registrum Sacrum Anglicanum. Oxford, 1897.
STURLASON, SNORRE,Heimskringla: Nóregs Konunga Sogur, ed. Finnur Jónsson. 4 vols. Copenhagen, 1893-1901. Samfundet til Udgivelse af Gammel Nordisk Litteratur. Cited as Snorre. This is the chief source of information as to Canute's ambitions for empire in the North.
SVENO AGGONIS,Historia Legum Castrensium Regis Canuti Magni, ed. Jacob Langebek. Copenhagen, 1774. (Script. Rer. Danic., iii.)
TARANGER, A.,Den angelsaksiske Kirkes Indflydelse paa den norske. Christiania, 1890. (Norske Historiske Forening.)
TURNER, SHARON,History of the Anglo-Saxons. 3 vols. London, 1823.
VITALIS, ORDERICUS,Historia Ecclesiastica, ed. Auguste le Prévost. 5 vols. Paris, 1838-1855. (Société de l'Histoire de France.)
Wharton, Henry (editor),Anglia Sacra. 2 vols. London, 1691.
WIMMER, LUDVIG F.A.,De danske Runemindesmærker. 4 vols. Copenhagen, 1895-1908.
----Die Runenschrift. Übersetzt von Dr. F. Holthausen. Berlin, 1887.
WIPO,Vita Chuonradi Regis. Hanover, 1854. (Mon. Ger. Hist., Scriptores, xi.)
WORCESTER, FLORENCE OF,Chronicon ex Chronicis, ed. Benjamin Thorpe. 2 vols. London, 1848-1849. (Eng. Hist. Soc.)
WORSAAE, J.J.A.,Minder out de Danske og Nordmændene i England, Skotland, og Irland. Copenhagen, 1851. Translation:An Account of the Danes and Norwegians in England, Scotland, and Ireland. London, 1852.