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level with his nod the most towering piles of chuman pride and ambition.

The only memorable action, which Canuteperformed after his return from Rome, was ailexpedition against JYlalcolm, king; of Scotland.During the reign of Ethelred, a tax of a shillinga hide had been imposed on all the lands of Eng-land. It was commonly called Danegelt becausethe revenue had been employed > either in buy-ing peace with the Danes, or in making prepara-tions against the inroads of that hostile nation.That monarch had required , that the fame taxshould be paid by Cumberland, which was heldby the Scots; but Malcolm, a warlike prince,told him, that, as he was always able to repulsethe Danes by his own power, he would neithersubmit to buy peace of his enemies, nor payothers for resisting them. Ethelred, offended atthis reply, which contained a secret reproach onhis own conduct, undertook an expedition againstCumberland; but though he committed ravagesupon the country, he could never bring Mal-colm to a temper more humble or submissive.Canute , after his accession , summoned the Scottishking to acknowledge himself a vassal for Cumber-land to the crown of England; but Malcolmrefused compliance, on pretence that he owedhomage to those princes only, who inheritedthat kingdom by right of blood. Canute wasnot of a temper to bear this insult; and the kingof Scotland soon found, that the sceptre was invery different hands from those of the feeble and

II a p.

iii.

1031.