Event: Agreement, Betrayal/oath-breaking, Burial, Capture, Desertion, military, Disputing/dispute-settling, Exhumation, Hiding/harbouring/sanctuary, Journey, Killing/murder, Oath-swearing/fealty, Peace agreement, Raiding, Refusal, Request, Residence, Tomb-making/openingSwein 3.return to England in 1049

Scholarly Info
Description MS C: Then Earl Swein 3 [son of Godwine 51] came back again to Edward 15 and asked him for land to support himself upon. But Harold 3, his brother, opposed it together with Earl Beorn 3 [brother of Swein Estrithson]. They declared they would give up to him nothing that the king had given them. Swein 3 came hypocritically and said he would be his man, and he asked Earl Beorn 3 for support. But the king refused him in everything. Then Swein 3 went to his ships at Bosham, and Earl Godwine 51 came from Sandwich to Pevensey with 42 ships, and Earl Beorn 3 along with him. And then the king allowed all the Mercians to go home, and they did so. When the king was informed that Osgod Clapa 1 lay at Wulpe with 29 ships the king sent for all the ships he could summon which were within the Northmouth [of the Kentish Stour]. But Osgod Clapa 1 placed his wife in Bruges and turned back again with 6 ships, and the other went to Essex to Eadulfesness [The Naze, Essex], and there they did damage, and then turned back to the ships. Then Earl Godwine 51 and Earl Beorn 3 were lying at Pevensey with their ships. Then Earl Swein 3 came and treacherously asked Earl Beorn 3 to accompany him to the king at Sandwich, saying that he would swear oaths to him and be faithful to him. Then Beorn 3 thought that because of their kinship he would not be betrayed. He took with him 3 companions [geferan] and, exactly as if they were going to Sandwich, they rode to Bosham where Swein 3’s ships were lying. But he was bound at once and carried on board, and then they went to Dartmouth and there he was put to death, and buried deep. Harold 3, however, his kinsman, fetched him and took him to Winchester and buried him there near Cnut 3 his uncle. And the king and all the host declared Swein 3 a scoundrel [nothing]. He had 8 ships before he murdered Beorn 3, but afterwards all but 2 deserted him, and he then went to Bruges and stayed there with Baldwin 4.

MS D: Then Earl Swein 3 [son of Godwine 51] came back also who had gone from this country into Denmark, and there ruined himself with the Danes. He came here hypocritically and said he wished to submit to the king, and Earl Beorn 3 promised to help him. Then after the agreement between the emperor and Baldwin 4 many of the ships went home, but the king stayed at Sandwich with a few ships. And Earl Godwine 51 also went with the 42 ships from Sandwich to Pevensey, and Earl Beorn 3 went with him. Then the king was informed that Osgod Clapa 1 was at Wulpe with 39 ships, and the king sent for all the ships he could summon from among those which had gone home. And Osgod Clapa 1 placed his wife at Bruges, and they went back again with 6 ships, and the others went to Sussex to Eadulfesness [The Naze, Essex], and they did damage there and then returned to the ships, and then a strong wind overtook them so that they were all lost except for 4 that were killed overseas. While Earl Godwine 51 and Earl Beorn 3 were staying at Pevensey, Earl Swein 3 came and treacherously asked Earl Beorn 3, who was his uncle’s son, to accompany him to the king at Sandwich in order to improve his relations with the king. Beorn 3 went then with 3 companions because of their kinship, but he was taken to Bosham where Swein 3’s ships were lying, and there he was bound and carried on board. Then he was taken to Dartmouth and there Swein 3 ordered him to be killed and buried deep. He was found again, however, and taken to Winchester and buried with Cnut 3 his uncle. A little before this the men of Hastings and its neighbourhood captured 2 of his ships with their ships, and they killed all the men and brought the ships to the king at Sandwich. Swein 3 had 8 ships before he betrayed Beorn 3, but afterwards all but 2 deserted him.

MS E: Earl Swein 3 came in with 7 ships to Bosham and made peace with the king, and he was promised that he should be restored to every honour that he had previously held. Then Earl Harold 3, his brother, and Earl Beorn 3 withstood it, contending that Swein 3 was not entitled to any of those things that the king had granted him. He was however given 4 days’ safe conduct to enable him to get back to his ships. Now it happened meanwhile that word had come to the king that hostile ships lay to the west and were ravaging there. Then Earl Godwine 51 turned west with 2 of the king’s ships, one of which was captained by Earl Harold 3 and the other Tosti 2 his brother, and also with 42 ships belonging to the local people. Then Earl Beorn 3 was appointed to the king’s ship that Earl Harold 3 had captained, and they went west to Pevensey and lay there weather-bound. Then within two days Earl Swein 3 came there and spoke with his father and with Earl Beorn 3 and asked him to go with him to the king at Sandwich in order that he might help him regain the king’s friendship. Beorn 3 agreed to do this and they departed as if they were meaning to go to the king. Then as they were riding Swein 3 asked him to go with him to his ships, telling him that his sailors would desert him unless he got there quickly. So they both went to where his ships were lying. When they got there Earl Swein 3 asked him to go aboard with him. Beorn 3 refused firmly and so long that the sailors took him and threw him into the boat and bound him and rowed to a ship and put him on board. Then they hoisted sail and ran west to Axmouth. And they kept Beorn 3 with them until they killed him, and they took the body and buried it in a church. But his friends and his sailors came from London and disinterred him and took him to the Old Minster at Winchester, where they buried him with his uncle. And Swein 3 went east to Baldwin 4’s country and stayed there all winter at Bruges under Baldwin 4’s full protection.
Year 1049
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