EDWARD THE CONFESSOR.

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Danegelt, and obliging the nation to pay a great csum of money to the fleet, which brought himfrom Denmark. The discontents ran high in manyplaces: In Worcester the populace rose, and putto death two of the collectors. The king, en-raged at this opposition, swore vengeance againstthe city, and ordered three noblemen, Godwin,duke of We flex , Siward , duke of Northumber-land , and Leofric, duke of Mercia, to executehis menaces with the utmost rigour. They wereobliged to set fire to the city, and deliver it upto be plundered by their soldiers; but they savedthe lives of the inhabitants ; whom they confinedin a small island of the Severn, called Beverey ,till, by their intercession, they were able toappease the king, and obtain the pardon of thesuppliants.

This violent government was of short duration,Hardicanute died in two years after his accession,at the nuptials of a Danish lord, which he hadhonoured with his presence. His usual habits ofintemperance were so well known , that , not-withstanding his robust constitution , his suddendeath gave as little surprize, as it did sorrow,to his subjects.

EDWARD the Confessor.

HE English , on the death of Hardicanute,saw a favourable opportunity for recovering theirliberty, and for soaking off the Daniso yoke,under which they had so long laboured. Sweyn,Vol. I. P

H A P.III.

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