200 HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

c H A l’. connexions with them : And thus Canute, besidesin. securing, by this marriage , the alliance of Nor-mandy, gradually acquired , by the same means,the confidence of his own subjects 10 . The Normanprince did not long survive the marriage of Emma;and he left the inheritance of the dutchy to hiseldest son of the same name; who, dying a yearafter him without children, was succeeded by hisbrother Robert, a man of valour and abilities.

Canute, having fettled his power in Englandbeyond all danger of a revolution, made avoyage to Denmark , in order to resist the attacksof the king of Sweden; and he carried along withhmr a great body of the English , under the com-mand of earl Godwin. This nobleman had herean opportunity of performing a service, by whichhe both reconciled the king’s mind to the Englishnation, and gaining to himself the friendship ofhis sovereign , laid the foundation of that immensefortune which he acquired to his family. He wasstationed next the Swedish camp; and observinga favourable opportunity, which he was obligedsuddenly to seize, he attacked the enemy in thenight, drove them from their trenches, threwthem into disorder, pursued his advantage, andobtained a decisive victory over them. Nextmorning, Canute, seeing the English camp entirelyabandoned , imagined that these disaffected troopshad deserted to the enemy : He was agreeablysurprised to find, that they were at that time

to

"W. Malmes. p, gZ. Higden, p. 275*