tified by barricades,
towers, and parapets, and manned by Danes. Ethelred was naturally very
anxious to get possession of the bridge, and a meeting of chiefs was
summoned to consult how it could be done. Olaf promised to lay his fleet
alongside the bridge if the English would do the same. This was agreed
upon. Having covered in the decks of the vessels with a wooden roof to
protect the crew and fighting men, Olaf succeeded in rowing light up to
the bridge and laying cables round its piers. This done, he caused his
ships to head down stream and the crews to row their hardest. The result
was that the piles were loosened and the bridge, heavily weighted by the
Danes who were fighting upon it, gave way. Many were thrown into the
river, whilst others made good their retreat to Southwark, which was soon
afterwards stormed and taken. This incident in connection with Ethelred's
return formed the subject of more than one Scandinavian poem, of which the
following may serve as a specimen:--

"London Bridge is broken down--
Gold is won and bright renown.
Shields resounding,
War-horns sounding,
Hildur shouting in the din!
Arrows singing,
Mail-coats ringing--
Odin makes our Olaf win!"

(M33)

For a short while after his return Ethelred displayed a spirit of
patriotism and courage beyond any he had hitherto shown. He succeeded in
surprising and defeating the Danes in that district of Lincolnshire known
as Lindsey, and drove Cnut to take refuge in his ships, and eventually to
sail away to Denmark.(50)

(M34)

It was not long before he again appeared; he was then, however, to meet in
the field Ethelred's son, Edmund, whose valour had gained for him the name
of Ironside. This spirited youth, forming a striking contrast to the weak
and pusillanimous character of his father, had collected a force to
withstand the enemy, but the men refused to fight unless Ethelred came
with them, and unless they had "the support of the citizens of
London."(51) A message was therefore sent to him at London to take the
field with such a force as he could gather. Father and son thereupon
joined forces; but the king was in ill-health, and it wanted but a whisper
of treachery to send him back to the security of London's walls. Thither,
too, marched Cnut, but before he arrived Ethelred had died (23rd April,
1016).(52) The late king was buried in St. Paul's.(53)

(M35)

The city of London had by this time attained a position h