Page:A literal translation of the Saxon Chronicle.djvu/254

This page has been validated.

242

God shew mercy to his soul, and grant him the forgiveness of his sins! We have written concerning him these things, both good and bad, that virtuous men might follow after the good, and wholly avoid the evil, and might go in the way that leadeth to the kingdom of heaven.

We may write of many events which happened during this year. In Denmark, the Danes who were formerly accounted the most loyal of people, turned to the greatest possible perfidy and treachery, for they chose King Cnut, and submitted to him, and swore oaths of allegiance, and afterwards they shamefully murdered him in a church.[1] It also came to pass in Spain, that the heathen men went forth, and made war upon the Christians, and brought great part of the country into subjection to themselves. But the Christian King, whose name was Anphos (Alfonso), sent to all countries and begged assistance. And allies flocked to him from every Christian land, and they went forth, and slew or drove away all the heathens, and they won their land again by the help of God. The same year


  1. A Church at Odensee, dedicated to St. Alban, whose relics had been brought from England by this Canute.