292 HISTORY, POLITICS, AND STATISTICS. 
the north part of Essex, the armies met. 
Edmund arranged bis countrymen into three 
divisions, and riding round every rank, he 
rouzed them by his impressive exhortations 
to remember their own valour and their 
former victories. He intreated them to pro- 
tect the kingdom from Danish avarice, and 
to punish, by a new defeat, the enemies they 
had already conquered. Canute brought 
his troops gradually into the field. Edmund 
made a general and impetuous attack) His 
vigour and skill again brought victory to his 
arms. The star of Canute was clouded, 
when Edric, his secret ally, deserting Ed- 
mund in the very hour of success, fled from 
the field with ths men of Radnor, and all 
the battalions he commanded. The charge 
of Canute on the exposed and inferior Anglo- 
Saxons was then decisive. The valour of 
Edmund was forgotten. Flight and de- 
struction overspread the plain. A few, jea- 
lous of their glory, and anxious to give a 
rallying point to the rest, fought desperately 
amid surrounding enemies, and wey¢ al! cut 
off but one nian. In this dismal conflict al- 
mostall the valued nobility of Engfand perish- 
ed. Ulsketyl, the noble hike, who had alone 
taught Svein the force of English valour, 
was among the victims of Edric’s treachery. 
‘s: The Tredraged Edmund disdained the 
© 
death of despair, and attempted new efforts 
to rescue his afflicted country. He retired 
to Gloucester ; and such was his activity and 
eloquence, that a fresh army was around 
him before Canute overtook him. 
«« Tt was then that the greatness of Ed- 
mund’s soul appeared. He could not en- 
dure that the blood of his best subjects 
should be so lavished for his personal profit, 
and he challenged Canute to decide their 
quarrel of ambition by a single combat. He 
intimated the glory which the conqueror 
would gain, whose dignity would be the 
purchase of his own peril and merit. 
«« Canute accepted the proposal. The isle 
of Olney was the place of meeting, around 
which the two armies assembled. The 
kings received each other's spears upon their 
shields. ‘Their swords were brandished, and 
the combat became close. Long the wea- 
ns sounded upon their helms and armour. 
heir dexterity was equal ; their spirits emu- 
lous. At last the strength of Canute be- 
gan to fail before the impetuosity of Ed- 
mund. He felt his powers fast ebbing, and 
in an interval of the combat, he exclaimed 
to the Anglo-Saxon, ‘ Bravest of youths, 
why should our ambition covet each other's 
lite! Let us be brothers, and share the king- 
dom for which we contend.’ Edmund, 
with generous prudence, agreed to the new 
idea; the duel ceased, and England was 
divided between them. Canute was to 
reign in the north, and Edmund in the 
south, The rival princes exchanged arms 
and garments; the money for the fleet was 
agreed upon, and the armies separated. 
«© The brave Edmund did not long sur- 
‘ip 
vive the pacification. He perished the same 
year, e circumstances attending his as- 
sassination are variously given. Malmsbury 
mentions that two of his chamberlains were 
seduced by Edric to wound him at a most 
private moment with an iron hook, but he 
states this to be only rumour. The king’s 
violent death, and its author, are less re+ 
servedly avowed by others. The Knytlinga 
Saga and Saxo carry up the crime as high 
as Canute. They expresly state that Edric 
was corrupted by Canute to assassinate Ed- 
mund.” 
We take the more pleasure in pro- 
mulgating this interesting fragment, as 
it forms one of the best fables for a na- 
tional epic poem, which our heroic ages. 
present. The frank, the daring, the 
generous virtues of Edmund Ironside ; 
the nationality and importance of his 
cause, fit him for a favourite hero. The 
triumph of Canute, by treachery and 
assassination, is a melancholy but not an 
useless lesson. In proportion as an age 
is barbarous, and as the moral taste is 
imperfectly evolved, the probability of 
success by foul means is increased. No 
bitterer satire can be written on a people 
than that its men of guilt were its men 
of sway. Public opinion can withdraw 
its countenance from the mightiest ; and 
if resolutely bent on the success of vir- 
tue, principle, duty, justice, humanity 
and generosity, can baffle the force of 
armies, and the more dangerous seduc- 
tions of opulent bribery. The true 
secret of the surprising influence of the 
Danish party in England, must be 
sought in the prevalence of heathenism. 
The Anglo-Saxon kings associated their 
cause with that of a church, which the 
overbearing insolence of a Dunstan had 
deservedly rendered odious. The Da- 
nish intruders. were favoured by the un- 
converted portion of the nobles and of 
the people. The barbarous divinities of 
the Edda fought for the adherents of 
Canute ; and the saints of christianity 
for the loyal followers of Edmund Iron- 
side. 
Mr. Turner may find warmer pane- . 
gyrists of his exertions, but not sincerer 
valuers of his labours than ourselves. 
They have added mich, they may add 
yet more to our knowledge of a period 
of British history, which displayed the 
heroic virtues and vices, and founded 
that taste for maritime enterprise so con- 
spicuous in every subsequent age, and 
so conducive to our present prosperity. 
We recommend:that, in a future edition, 
a distinct chapter, or book, be allotted 
i i i Be 
