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current year,^[1] and the pence owing to Rome for St. Peter, whether from cities or villages: and in the middle of August, the tenth of the produce of the earth: and on the festival of St. Martin, the first fruits of seeds, to the church of the parish where each one resides, which is called in English 'Circscet.'^[2] If these and such like things are not paid before I come to England, all who shall have offended will incur the penalty of a royal mulct,^[3] to be exacted without remission, according to law." Nor was this declaration without effect; for he commanded all the laws which had been enacted by ancient kings, and chiefly by his predecessor Ethelred, to be observed for ever, under the penalty of a royal mulct: in the observance of which,^[4] the custom even at the present day, in the time of good kings, is to swear by the name of king Edward, not that he indeed appointed, but that he observed them.

At that time there were in England very great and learned men, the principal of whom was Ethelnoth, archbishop after Living. He was appointed primate from being dean,^[5] and performed many works truly worthy to be recorded: encouraging even the king himself in his good actions by the authority of his sanctity, and restraining him in his excesses: he first exalted the archiepiscopal cathedral by the presence of the body of St. Elphege, and afterwards personally at Rome, restored it to its pristine dignity.^[6] Returning home, he transmitted to Coventry the arm of St. Augustine^[7] the teacher, which he had purchased at Pavia, for an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold. Moreover, Canute took a journey to the church of Glastonbury, that he might visit the remains of his brother Edmund, as he used to call

till, to be distributed to the poor: it was payable in fifteen days from Easter.

1. Payable at Whitsuntide.
2. A certain quantity of corn. Though it also implies, occasionally, other kinds of offerings.
3. A forfeiture to the king, but varying according to the nature of the offence.
4. This seems to be the meaning: he has probably in view the practice of the early princes of the Norman line, who swore to observe the laws of king Edward.
5. Dean of Canterbury.
6. This appears merely intended to express that he received the pall from the pope. The two transactions are inverted; he went to Rome a.d. 1021, and translated Elphege's body a.d. 1023.
7. Augustine, bishop of Hippo.