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J.P.Sommerville

King Canute (= Cnut) and the waves

Canute's (Cnut's) name is known nowadayslargely because of the story that he was soproud that he thought his command could

hold back the tide.

This story was first recorded in Henry ofHuntingdon's twelfth-century Chronicle of thehistory of England. In fact, Henry's account

was rather a testimony to Canute's goodsense and Christian humility - not his

vainglory.

From a famous comic history of England:

"Canute began by being a Bad King on the advice

of his Courtiers who informed him (owing to a

misunderstanding of the Rule Britannia) that the

King of England was entitled to sit on the sea

without getting wet. But finding that they were wrong

he gave up this policy and decided to take his own

advice in future - thus originating the memorableproverb, "Paddle your own Canute""

(Seller & Yeatman, 1066 & all that)

("Rule Britann ia! Britannia, rule the waves" is from a song of 1740

by Thomas August ine Arne)

" Cnut rex cum viginti annis regnasset, When King Cnut had reigned for twenty

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vivere destitit apud Scaftesbirh, & sepultusest apud Wincestre in veteri Monasterio. De

cuius regis potentia pauca suntperstringenda. Nec enim tantae magnitudinisrex fuerat in Anglia. Erat enim dominus totius

Daniae, totius Angliae, totius Norwagiae,

simul & Scotiae.

Enimvero extra numerum bellorum, quibusmaxime splenduit, tria gessit eleganter &

magnifice:

Primum est, quod filiam suam ImperatoriRomano cum ineffabilibus divitiis maritavit.

Secundum, quod Romam pergens omnesmalas exactiones in via, quae per Gallias

Romam tendit (quae vocantur tolonea veltransversa) data pecunia sua diminui fecitusque ad medietatem.

Tertium, quid cum maximo vigore imperii,sedile suum in littore maris, cum ascenderet,statui iussit. Dixit autem mari ascendenti, tu

meae ditionis es, & terra in qua sedeo mea

years, he died at Shaftesbury and wasburied in the ancient monastery at

Winchester. About the power of this king alittle should be stated. For no English kingever had such wide-ranging authority. For he

was at once the lord of all Denmark, of all

England, of all Norway, and also ofScotland.

Indeed, apart from a number of wars in which

he shone greatly, he conducted himselfgracefully and magnificently in three matters:

The first is, that he married his daughter tothe Roman Emperor with unutterable

splendor.

The second, that going to Rome he arrangeda reduction by a half in toll dues along the

road that leads though Gaul to Rome.

The third, that with the greatest vigor hecommanded that his chair should be set onthe shore, when the tide began to rise. And

then he spoke to the rising sea saying Youare part of my dominion, and the ground thatI am seated upon is mine, nor has anyone

disobeyed my orders with impunity.

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est: nec fuit qui impune meo resisteretimperio. Imperio igitur tibi, ne in terram

meam ascendas, nec vestes nec membradominatoris tui madefacere praesumas.Mare vero de more conscendens pedes

regis & crura, since reverentia madefecit.

Rex igitur resiliens ait. Sciant omneshabitantes orbem vanam & frivolam regum

esse potentiam, nec regis qempiam nominedignum praeter eum, cuius nutui coelum

terra mare legibus obediunt aeternis, [Rexigitur Cnut nunquam postea coronamauream cervici sua imposuit, sed super

imaginem Domini, quae cruci affixa erat,posuit eam in aeternum, in laudem Dei regismagni:]Cuius misericordia Cnut regis anima

quiete fruatur.

(Henry of Huntingdon, Chronicle)

Therefore, I order you not to rise onto myland, nor to wet the clothes or body of your

Lord. But the sea carried on rising as usualwithout any reverence for his person, andsoaked his feet and legs. Then he moving

away said: All the inhabitants of the world

should know that the power of kings is vainand trivial, and that none is worthy the name

of king but He whose command the heaven,earth and sea obey by eternal laws.

Therefore King Cnut never afterwards placedthe crown on his head, but above a picture ofthe Lord nailed to the cross, turning it forever

into a means to praise God, the great king.By whose mercy may the soul of King Cnutenjoy peace.

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