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whenas the king sent me to fight with him?

Was I not causer of your good success

in all your actions since your father's death,

as namely in that battle lately fought

between yourself and Edmund Ironside, ...

where I fled from him and did succor you?

Then since the only ladder upon which

your father climbed to get and you to hold

this gotten kingdom was my diligence,

I hope you will not [let] the least motion

of an ill thought creep in to hinder me,

nor do I think you used this speech by me.

CANUTUS: Why, what need all this repetition?

Good faith, I meant no harm in saying so.

Why should I doubt you? Wherefore should I fear? ...

You never yet deceived me.

I cannot speak, but some or other straight

misconsters me.

Why, by my troth, my lord, I meant not you,

but those that cleave to Edmund Ironside

and hang in part against my government.

Calm ye, therefore, and be not discontent.

SOUTHAMPTON: In token then, you mean as you have said:

honor my castle with the name of court

and take a subject's welcome from his heart ...

to signify you love my town and me.

[Uskataulf whispereth in Canutus' ear.]

USKATAULF: Why, that's a trifle, mighty sovereign.

Yield unto him in this petition.

It will confirm the people's hearts to you

and make him live and die to honor you.

CANUTUS: I willingly descend to your request

and will this night be with you at your place.

SOUTHAMPTON: I'll go before, to countenance your grace.

[Exit Southampton. Enter a company of countrymen naking a noise.]

COUNTRYMEN: Where is the king, that he may right our wrong?

CANUTUS: The king is here; who is it calls the king? ...

I am your king. Speak, gentle countrymen,

what lawless hand hath done you injury?

1 COUNTRY: Renowned Canutus, we are all Danes by birth,

the remnant of thy needy followers,

who when thy father lived, lived here secure

and dwelt among the fattest of this land.

We then did yoke the Saxons and compelled

their stubborn necks to ear the fallow fields.

We then did force them honor us as lords

and be our slaves, our drudges and our dogs. ...

But now (I know not what the cause should be

unless the instigation of their prince,

young Ironside, or else their stubborn nature)

they all rebel and with conjoined force

assault us manly, and from every part

of this perturbed island banish us.

We are not able to resist their powers,

but fall like leaves before the northern wind.

Huge heaps of us lie dead in every place,

and we unless you help, shall all be slain. ...

ALL: Help, help, Canutus, help and succor us!

CANUTUS: Good countrymen, Canutus will not see you wronged,

for yet the spirit of my father Sveyn

runs in these veins, which I will shed,

even drop by drop, ere I will see you harmed.

Go in, good friends, and pacify yourselves.

Be confident in me, and if I live,

I plant you in your former quiet states.

Swetho, look to them; they shall be your care.

[Exit Swetho with the poor Danes.]

Now lords, let not this sudden rumor daunt ...

Your manly hearts. Though Edmund be so strong,

we are as strong, and stronger far than he.

Then tell me, shall we now assail him?

Say, Uskataulf, what is to be done?

USKATAULF: You may, my lord, yet be remembered now

against what nation you are bound to war,

a generation like the chosen Jews:

stubborn, unwieldy, fierce and wild to tame,

scorning to be compelled against their wills,

abhorring servitude as having felt ...

the overloading burden of the same.

EDRICUS: Indeed my countrymen are factious

and must be reined with a marking-stall.

Curb them, my lord, and bridle but their wills

and you shall find them mild and tractable.

If that you use them as your father did,

they dare not, nay they will not look awry,

but serve you as your slaves by conquest due.

But if you lay the team upon their necks

and let them have but any scope to run, ...

why then be sure they'll gad as they were galled

and neither know themselves nor yet your grace,

for lenity doth cause them to rebel

'cause they are