y again of his escape with Edmund
from Carisbrooke, of his imprisonment by Edric in the Synodune woods,
of the attack and defence of Clifton. We had all heard it before, but
still we wanted to hear it again, just to contrast present peace and
joy with the danger and trials of those days, and to make them sweeter
by the contrast. Truly our Christmas worship had need to be praise and
thanksgiving, not only for the great mystery the church commemorates,
but also for present mercies so freely bestowed upon us all.

Second Sunday after Easter, 1017.--

We have just received intelligence that Canute has been solemnly
crowned at St. Paul's Church, in London, by Archbishop Lyfing. He
called a council of the whole kingdom previously, to which both my
brother and I were summoned, but I cared not to attend. Elfwyn,
however, went, and wanted Alfgar to go, but he begged hard to be
excused, I imagine for two reasons. First of all, he laments Edmund
too deeply to welcome his former enemy as his successor; and secondly,
he does not care to leave Ethelgiva again.

Well, Elfwyn tells us that when all were present--bishops, ealdormen,
thanes, and the noblest of the people--Canute solemnly proposed that
they should accept him as their king, giving them to understand that,
by a tacit understanding with Edmund, it had been agreed that the
kingdom should not be permanently divided, but that the survivor
should inherit and govern the whole realm.

The wise men replied that, since Edmund's children were too young to
govern, they could not desire a better monarch than Canute; they
committed the little ones to his care, and acknowledged him as king of
all England.

And on the morrow Archbishop Lyfing, who had so shortly before crowned
Edmund, placed the emblem of regal dignity on the head of Canute in
St. Paul's Cathedral.

I hear Edric Streorn is confirmed in the earldom of Mercia. I still
fear that man.

Sunday after Ascension, 1017.--

On this happy Sunday it has pleased God to restore us to our home once
more. The priory is rebuilt in more than its former beauty, and the
hall beside it stands conspicuous in its splendour. They have not
changed the appearance much, for it was the especial wish of every one
concerned that it should remind one of old associations as much as
possible.

The good bishop of Dorchester, the abbot of Abingdon, and many others
of my friends amongst the brethren there, the neighbouring clergy and
thanes, al