, who had
held a part of it, appeared to him to have lost it with disgrace. The
reason why Canute and Hakon had remained quiet with respect to their
claims upon Norway was, that when King Olaf Haraldson landed in Norway
the people and commonalty ran together in crowds, and would hear of
nothing but that Olaf should be king over all the country, although some
afterwards, who thought that the people upon account of his power had
no self-government left to them, went out of the country. Many powerful
men, or rich bondes sons, had therefore gone to Canute the Great, and
pretended various errands; and every one who came to Canute and desired
his friendship was loaded with presents. With Canute, too, could be
seen greater splendour and pomp than elsewhere, both with regard to the
multitude of people who were daily in attendance, and also to the other
magnificent things about the houses he owned and dwelt in himself.
Canute the Great drew scat and revenue from the people who were the
richest of all in northern lands; and in the same proportion as he had
greater revenues than other kings, he also made greater presents than
other kings. In his whole kingdom peace was so well established, that
no man dared break it. The people of the country kept the peace towards
each other, and had their old country law: and for this he was greatly
celebrated in all countries. And many of those who came from Norway
represented their hardships to Earl Hakon, and some even to King Canute
himself; and that the Norway people were ready to turn back to the
government of King Canute, or Earl Hakon, and receive deliverance from
them. This conversation suited well the earl's inclination, and he
carried it to the king, and begged of him to try if King Olaf would not
surrender the kingdom, or at least come to an agreement to divide it;
and many supported the earl's views.

140. CANUTE'S MESSAGE TO KING OLAF.

Canute the Great sent men from the West, from England, to Norway, and
equipped them magnificently for the journey. They were bearers of the
English king Canute's letter and seal. They came about spring (A.D.
1025) to the king of Norway, Olaf Haraldson, in Tunsberg. Now when it
was told the king that ambassadors had arrived from Canute the Great
he was ill at ease, and said that Canute had not sent messengers hither
with any messages that could be of advantage to him or his people; and
it was some days before the ambassadors could come before