Old Hampshire Mapped
Cox's Hampshire
Transcription (15)Southampton
Danes
Canute
tide
After the Saxons became Masters of this Town by the Cession of the Romans, and the Impotency of the Britains, the Danish Pirates miserably infested and harassed this Kingdom, and at length A.D. 980. got this Place into their Possession, which they may seem to have kept up in a good Condition; because, if their Kings did not make it their Residence, 'tis likely they often resorted thither, as may appear from this Story of Canutus.
When Canutus, King of Denmark, had been so prosperous after many Battles, as to become sole Monarch of England, some of his fawning and flattering Courtiers endeavouring to perswade him, that his Power was more than humane, telling him, That all Things would obey his Royal Will and Pleasure. The King being displeased with such fulsome, if not blasphemous Flattery, while he was at this Place, and resolving to convince his Courtiers of the Falseness of their Words, commanded his Chair of State to be set upon the Shore, just as the Tide was rising, and sitting down before all his Courtiers, spake to that Element after this Manner:
'Thou art under my Command, and the Ground which I sit on is mine, nor has any yet disobeyed my Orders without my severe Punishment; therefore I command thee not to come upon my Ground, nor to wet the Cloaths, or Feet of me thy Lord and Master.' But the disrespectful Waves giving no head to his Command, but keeping on its usual Course of Tide, came up and wet his Royal Feet and Robes, whereupon he suddenly rising up broke forth into these expressions. 'Let all the Inhabitants of the World know, that vain and weak is the Power of Kings, and that none is worthy of that Name or Title, but he, whose Will being an eternal Law, the Heaven and Earth, and Sea obey.' After this he would never suffer the Crown to be put upon his Head, but presently crowned Christ's Statue at Winchester with it.
In the Reign of William the Conqueror, his own Book, commonly called Domesday Book, says, that in this Town of South Anton, the King had eighty Men or Tenants in Demesne, and the whole County is expresly called Hantscyre or Hentscyre.
next
