speedily to subjection ; on hearing which, many of the people of England with alacrity voluntarily submitted to him. But Canute, in the meanwhile, about the time of the Bogation days, came up with all his fleet to London ; and on arriving there, the Danes dug a great ditch61 on the southern side of the Thames, and towed their ships along to the western side, after which, surrounding the city with a wide and deep trench, in strict siege they shut out aB from either ingress or egress. They also made frequent attempts to take it by storm ; but, the citizens making a stout resistance against them, they were repulsed from the walls ; in consequence whereof, the siege being put off for a time, and a part of the army left to guard the ships, they hastened with all speed to AVessex, and gave king Edmund Ironside no time for coUecting a large army. However, with the army which in such a short period he had coUected, relying on the aid of God, he boldly met them in Dorsetshire, and attacking them at a place which is called Penn,52 near GiUingham, fought with them, and conquered, and put them to flight. After this, midsummer being past, he again coUected a stiU larger army than before, and resolved to engage boldly with Canute ; this took place in Worcestershire, at a place which is called Eearstam,53 where he drew up his army as the situation and his own strength would aBow him, and placing aB his best men in the front rank, the rest of the army he set in reserve ; and then appealed to them, .calling each by name, and exhorting and entreating them that they would bear in mind that they were fighting for their country, their children, their wives, and their homes ; and, in the most encouraging language havingkindled the spirits of the soldiers, he then ordered the trumpets to sound, and his troops to advance at a gentle pace. The army of the enemy did the same. When they had come to the spot where the battle was able to be commenced, with immense clamour they rushed on with hostile standards, and the combat was waged with lances 51 This is supposed to have been commenced on the eastern side of London Bridge, at either Deptford or Rotherhithe, and running through the present St. George's Fields, to have entered the river at Vauxhall. il It is wrongly called in the text " Peomum." 53 Properly Sherston. According to Hardy, this is supposed to have been a stone w.hijch divided the four counties of Oxford, Gloucester, Worcester, and Warwick. 98 ANNALS OF EOGEB, DE HOVEDEN". A.D. 1016.