Introduction
In 1016, King Cnut of Denmark led a series of bruising attacks on King Edmund of England, hoping to add the English crown to the crowns of Denmark and Norway. Six times Edmund and Cnut had met in battle, and at the sixth attempt Cnut had captured the crown jewels. But whereas Edmund’s warrior-courage had earned Cnut’s abiding respect, the English nobles were anxious only to save their own skins.
THE seventh time, the two armies met in Gloucestershire, but the great men of the realm, fearing on one side the power of King Edmund, and on the other that of King Cnut, said among themselves, “Why are we such fools as to be so often putting our lives in peril? Let those who wish to reign singly decide the quarrel by single combat.”* The proposal was approved by the kings, for Cnut was not wanting in courage. Lists were erected in Olney,* and the duel of the kings began.
Their spears on both sides were shattered against the highly-wrought armour they wore, and the affair came to be decided by the sword. Both nations heard and saw with groans and shouts the fearful clang and the gleaming flash of their arms.
* The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle says only that “the ‘witan’ [royal council] who were there advised that there should be a reconciliation between the kings; and they gave hostages between them. And the kings came together at Olney by Deerhurst, and there confirmed their friendship both with pledge and with oath.” No mention is made of single combat, though for some years apparently it had been a traditional way to decide disputes among the Anglo-Scandinavians: see The Wooing of Olaf Tryggvason. Even as late as the fifteenth century some were still eager to appeal to it: see A War of Words.
* Not Olney in Buckinghamshire, but Alney Island in Gloucestershire, barely a mile from what is now Gloucester Cathedral, which at that time was a seventh-century Abbey dedicated to St Peter.
Précis
After the setback at Assandun in 1016, King Edmund Ironside continued his dogged resistance to Cnut’s Danish invasion. But when the two armies met near Gloucester, it was decided that, to save bloodshed, the rivals for the crown should settle their dispute by single combat; and thanks to their well-made armour, the fight came quickly to swords at close quarters. (60 / 60 words)
After the setback at Assandun in 1016, King Edmund Ironside continued his dogged resistance to Cnut’s Danish invasion. But when the two armies met near Gloucester, it was decided that, to save bloodshed, the rivals for the crown should settle their dispute by single combat; and thanks to their well-made armour, the fight came quickly to swords at close quarters.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: despite, may, must, ought, since, until, whether, who.
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