Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 11.djvu/281

 ON THE LIFE AND DEATH OF EABL GODWINE. 245 there abode all the -winter." To this Henry of Huntingdon, and his copyists, add a romantic tale, which, nevertheless, seems to be accepted by Dr. Lappenberg, of a stratagem of God wine's in a war against the Wends, which procured great favour for his English subjects at the hands of Cnut.^ Wendover, who is followed by Dr. Lingard, give another version of the tale, in which the event is placed in the year 1024 or 1025, and the enemies of Cnut are spoken of as Swedes instead of Wends. This latter version certainly seems to contradict the statement of the Chronicle, which distinctly represents Cnut's combined host of Danes and English as being on that occasion defeated by the Swedes, Ulf and Eglaf. So that, if the tale be authentic at all, it is more probable in the form adopted by Dr. Lappenberg. But the inferences which he makes from it can hardly be sustained. He says, that after the victory Godwine was " raised by Cnut to the rank of earl ;" adding, in a note, apparently as an argument against Wendover's raised to the account, that " Godwine appears as ' Dux ' in a charter of 1021-3." He thence infers, most indisputably, that he could not have been first raised to that rank in 1024 or 1025. But none of the writers whom he quotes state that Godwine was " raised to the rank of earl " after the campaign in question, whether of 1019 or 1025. They all represent him as already commanding the English forces with that dignity ; Wendover introduces him as " Comes," while Huntingdon and Bromton give him the title of " Consul," which, in their affected phraseology is identical.^ And it is not only in charters of 1021 and onwards, that Godwine appears as " Dux ;" he attests in that character a charter of Cnut in 1018,^ the second year of that prince's reign in Wessex, and the year preceding the expedition to Denmark. He signs last of the persons holding that rank, the others being Thurcil, Yrric, Ranig, and iEthelweard. It is clear that the promotion of Godwine must have been one of the first acts of the reign of Cnut.^ - The story is very pleasantly and for saying that " after a great victory quaintly told by Holinsheil, p. 180. gained over the ,V9rim//rtw.«, he obtained •* So also Malmesbury introduces God- the dignity of Earl, or civil governor of wine with the title of "Comes," as fijiuring the ancient kingdom of V essex now in the Swedish expedition of 1025, but reduced into the form of a province." does not mention the particular stratagem Now Cnut, when he divided England into related by Wendover. four parts, kept Wessex under his own ■• Cod. Dipl. iv. 3. government, and Godwine mi^ht, like
 * Thierry can have no possible ground others, hold the title of Earl with a much