pledges of the chiefe lords and nobles, and then set forward to subdue them of [Sidenote:  The people of Mercia would not yeeld. Matth.  West. Hen.  Hunt.] Mercia.  The people of that countrie would not yeeld, but determined to defend the quarrell and title of king Egelred, so long as they might haue anie capteine that would stand with them, and helpe [Sidenote:  1016] to order them.  In the yeare 1016, in Christmas, Cnute and earle Edrike passed the Thames at Kirkelade, & entring into Mercia, cruellie began with fire and sword to waste and destroie the countrie, and [Sidenote:  Warwikeshire wasted by the Danes.] namelie Warwikeshire.

[Sidenote:  King Egelred recovered of his sicknesse.  He assembleth an armie in vaine.] In the meane time was king Egelred recouered of his sicknesse, and sent summons foorth to raise all his power, appointing euerie man to resort vnto him, that he might incounter the enimies and giue them battell.  But yet when his people were assembled, he was warned to take heed vnto himselfe, and in anie wise to beware how he gaue battell, for his owne subiects were purposed to betraie him.  Herevpon the armie brake vp, & king Egelred withdrew to London, there to abide his enimies within the walles, with whom in the field he doubted to [Sidenote:  Wil.  Malm. Edmund king Egelreds sonne.] trie the battell.  His sonne Edmund got him to Vtred, an earle of great power, inhabiting beyond Humber, and persuading him to ioine his forces with his, forth they went to waste those countries that were become subiect to Cnute, as Staffordshire, Leicestershire, and Shropshire, not sparing to exercise great crueltie vpon the inhabitants, as a punishment for their reuolting, that others might take example thereby.

[Sidenote:  Cnute, what countries he passed through.] But Cnute perceiuing whereabout they went, politikelie deuised to frustrate their purpose, and with dooing of like hurt in all places where he came, passed through Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Huntingtonshire, and so through the fens came to Stamford, and then entred into Lincolnshire, and from thence into Notinghamshire, & so into Yorkeshire, not sparing to doo what mischiefe might be deuised in all places where he came.  Vtred aduertised hereof, was constreined to depart home to saue his owne countrie from present destruction, and therefore comming backe into Northumberland, & perceiuing himselfe not [Sidenote:  Earle Vtred deliuered pledges to Cnute. Alius Egricus.] able to resist the puissant force of his enimies, was constreined to deliuer pledges, and submit himselfe vnto Cnute.  But yet was he not hereby warranted from danger, for shortlie after he was taken, and put to death, and then were his lands giuen vnto one Iricke or Iricius, whome afterward Cnute did banish out of the realme, because that he did attempt to chalenge like authoritie to him in all points as Cnute himselfe had.  After that Cnute had subdued the Northumbers, he pursued Edmund, till he heard that he had taken London for his refuge, and [Sidenote:  Cnute prepareth to besiege London.] staied there with his father.  Then did Cnute take his ships, and came about to the coasts of Kent, preparing to besiege the citie of London.