Page:The Early Kings of Norway.djvu/103

 JARLS ERIC AND SVEIN. 93 yet done levying it, when, at Gainsborough one night, he suddenly died ; smitten dead, once used to be said, by St. Edmund, whilom murdered King of the East Angles ; who could not bear to see his shrine and monastery of St. Edmundsbury plundered by the Tyrant's tax-collectors, as they were on the point of being. In all ways impossible, however, — Edmund's own death did not occur till two years after Svein's. Svein's death, by whatever cause, befell 1014; his fleet, then lying in the Humber ; and only Knut,* his eldest son (hardly yet eighteen, count some), in charge of it ; who, on short counsel, and arrangement about this questionable kingdom of his, lifted anchor ; made for Sandwich, a safer station at the moment ; ' cut off the feet and noses' (one shudders, and hopes Not, there being some discrepancy about it ! ) of his numerous hostages that had been delivered to King Svein ; set them ashore ; — and made for Denmark, his natural storehouse and stronghold, as the hopefuUest first-thing he could do. Knut soon returned from Denmark, with increase of force sufficient for the English problem; which ♦ Knut born a.d. 988 according to Muncli's calculation (II. 126).