Ontario Public School History of England : Authorized by the Minister of Education for Ontario for Use in Forms IV and V of the Public Schools . hmen who had any claimto the crown or who were likely to oppose him; but after hewas safely on the throne, he became a king of whom theEnglish were very proud. He was kind and just; he re-warded right and punished wrong; and he was willing tosuffer when he himself had acted unjustly. In the govern-ment of England, he seemed to prefer Englishmen to Danesin offices. On one occasion, when hewent on a visit to Denmark, he leftan Englishman, Godwin, Earl o
Ontario Public School History of England : Authorized by the Minister of Education for Ontario for Use in Forms IV and V of the Public Schools . hmen who had any claimto the crown or who were likely to oppose him; but after hewas safely on the throne, he became a king of whom theEnglish were very proud. He was kind and just; he re-warded right and punished wrong; and he was willing tosuffer when he himself had acted unjustly. In the govern-ment of England, he seemed to prefer Englishmen to Danesin offices. On one occasion, when hewent on a visit to Denmark, he leftan Englishman, Godwin, Earl ofWessex, to rule the country duringhis absence. Actions such as thisendeared him to his subjects inEngland. Canute governed Englandin peace for eighteen years. Of course so upright a king waspraised on every hand, and it is awonder that he did not become selfishand arrogant. There is a story thathis courtiers told him he was lord ofland and sea, and even the waveswould obey him. To teach them alesson, he had his royal chair placedon the beach when the tide was rising. Then he said:Ocean, this is my island, and you, too, are only a part of. King Canute 30 HISTORY OF ENGLAND [1035 my domain. I command you not to wet even the borderof my robe. Nearer and nearer came the waves, whilearound the kings chair stood the courtiers, wonderingwhat would happen, and fearing lest their ruler shouldpunish them for their flattery. At last a wave brokeupon the sacred person of the king. Then he turned tohis courtiers and said gently: Do not forget that thepower of kings is a small matter. He who is King of kingsand Lord of lords, He is the One whom the earth and thesea and the heavens obey. When Canute died in 1035, the people of England weresincerely sorry, especially as his sons, Harold and Hardi-canute, were not worthy of so good a father. They reigned,however, for a few years, first one son and then the other,but the English were more and more displeased withtheir injustice and cruelty, and
Size: 1200px × 2082px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidonpubhisteng, bookyear1912
