Scandinavian-Britain

156 SCANDINAVIAN BRITAINwhere Eadmund met them once more at Assandun,and lost the last decisive action. The site of Assandanis usually placed at Ashingdon, because Canewdonquasi Canute-don is near it; but the names inDomesday are Ascenduna, which does not tally withAssandun, and Carendun. Ashdon, near SaffronWalden, has been suggested, but the circumstancesof the battle appear to fit Sandon, near Danbury," the Danes' burg," on the road between Maldon andChelmsford, along which Kntit's men were probablyreturning from their raid into "Mercia," which maymean Mersea in Essex.After this great overthrow it was useless for EadmundIronside to resist. Knut proposed a meeting at" Olanege," near " Deorhyrst," on the Severn, wherethe two kings " became fellowsand pledge-brothers."They agreed to divide England, Eadmund takingWessex and paying a Danegeld. But on November30, 1016, he died murdered, his partisans held, atthe instigation of Kmit and the Vikings at last ruledthe country they had sought for two centuries toconquer.In the " Lithsmen's Song," made by the men of thehost, Skjoldunga saga says, though the saga of St.Olaf attributes it to the king and saint himself, wehave a curious and valuable echo of the time. Wesee how the Vikings looked upon their adventure we;get the touch of nature which brings the " fury of theNorthman " before us in a new light, and reveals nohero, no demon, but just the TommyAtkins of abarrack-room ballad, with his two themes of song