KING SVJ-:i\. }>| 



Hroiskelda near his father. ..." (Jonisvikimni Saga, cc. 50, 

 51). 



"Svein was found one night dead in his bed, and the 

 English say that King Edmund the Saint killed him, in the 

 manner in which the holy Mercurius killed Julianus the 

 Apostate " (Knytlinga Saga, c. 6). 



" After the death of Svein the Danish kings retained that part 

 of England which they had won. War then began anew, 

 for when King Svein was dead, King ./Ethelred, with the 

 assistance of Olaf the Saint (of Norway), returned to the 

 country and regained his realm. At that time the Danes 

 established the host of the Thingamen in England ; they were 

 paid warriors, and very valiant. They fought many battles 

 against the English on behalf of the Danes" (Knytlinga Saga, 

 c. 7). 



" Knut was then ten winters old. The power of the Thinga- 

 men was great. There was a fair there (London) twice in every 

 twelvemonth, one about midsummer and the other about mid- 

 winter. The English (Enskir) thought it would be the easiest 

 to slay the Thingamen while Knut was young and Svein de;nl. 

 Each winter about Yule, waggons went into the town with 

 goods which they were wont to bring to the market. So 

 it was this winter, and they were all tented over; this \\,is 

 according to the treacherous advice and will of Ulfkel Smiling 1 

 and the sons of ^Ethelred. The seventh day of Yule Thord 

 (a man of the Thingarnannalid) went out of the town to the 

 house of his mistress. She asked him to stay there that 

 night. ' Why dost thou ask for that which is liable to 

 punishment ? ' 'I ask it,' said she, ' because I think it 

 important.' He answered : ' I will stay here if thou tellest 

 me why thou askest this.' ' Because I know that the death 

 of all the Thingamen is planned.' ' How canst thou know 

 it,' he added, 'when we do not know it?' 'Because men 

 drove waggons to the town, and pretended that they con- 

 tained goods; but in each waggon there were many mm 

 and no goods, and they have done the same thing north, 2 

 in Slesvik. When a third part of the night has passed bells 

 will be rung in the town; then warriors and also the towns- 

 men will make themselves ready about midnight. When a 

 third of the night is left, the bell of Bura church will be rung. 

 You will go unarmed to the church, which will then be 

 surrounded.' 



'"It is likely,' said Thord, 'that thou hast many friends. 



1 He was married to ^Ethelred's 



2 In the north of England. 



daughter (see preceding page). 



VOL. II. "1 I 



