Page:The Early Kings of Norway.djvu/104

 94 EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY. latter lie now ended in a victorious, and essentially, for himself and chaotic England, beneficent manner. Became widely known by and by, there and elsewhere, as Knut the Great ; and is thought by judges of our day to have really merited that title. A most nimble, sharp-striking, clear-thinking, prudent and effective man, who regulated this dismembered and distracted England in its Church matters, in its State matters, like a real King. Had a Standing Army {House Carles), who were well paid, well drilled and dis- ciplined, capable of instantly quenching insurrection or breakage of the peace; and piously endeavoured (with a signal earnestness, and even devoutness, if we look well) to do justice to all men, and to make all men rest satisfied with justice. In a word, he success- fully strapped-up, by every true method and regulation, this miserable, dislocated, and dissevered mass of bleeding Anarchy into something worthy to be called an England again ; — only that he died too soon, and a second * Conqueror' of us, still weightier of structure, and under improved auspices, became possible, and was needed here ! To appearance, Knut himself was capable of being a Charlemagne of England and