ThisbigvoyageandfurioussiegeofLondonisSveinDouble-beard’sfirstrealattempttofulfilthatvowofhisatFatherBlue-tooth’s\"funeralale，\"andconquerEngland，——whichitisapityhecouldnotyetdo。HadLondonnowfallentohim，itisprettyevidentallEnglandmusthavefollowed，andpoorEngland，withSveinaskingoverit，beendeliveredfromimmeasurablewoes，whichhadtolastsometwo-and-twentyyearsfarther，beforethisresultcouldbearrivedat。
ButfindingLondonimpregnableforthemoment（noshipabletogetathwartthebridge，andmanyDanesperishingintheattempttodoitbyswimming），SveinandOlafturnedtootherenterprises;allEnglandinamannerlyingopentothem，turnwhichwaytheyliked。TheyburntandplunderedoverKent，overHampshire，Sussex;theystormedfarandwide;worldlyingallbeforethemwheretochoose。WretchedEthelred，astheoneinventionhecouldfallupon，offeredthemDanegelt（16，000
poundsofsilverthisyear，butitroseinotheryearsashighas48，000pounds）;thedesperateEthelred，aclearmethodofquenchingfirebypouringoilonit！SveinandOlafaccepted;withdrewtoSouthampton，——Olafatleastdid，——tillthemoneywasgotready。
Strangetothinkof，fierceSveinoftheDouble-beard，andconquestofEnglandbyhim;thishadatlastbecometheonesalutaryresultwhichremainedforthatdistracted，down-trodden，nowutterlychaoticandanarchiccountry。AconqueringSvein，followedbyanablyandearnestlyadministrative，aswellasconquering，Knut（whomDahlmanncomparestoCharlemagne），werethusbythemysteriousdestiniesappointedtheeffectivesaviorsofEngland。
Tryggveson，onthisoccasion，wasagoodwhileatSouthampton;androamedextensivelyabout，easilyvictoriousovereverything，ifresistancewereattempted，butfindinglittleornone;andactingnowinapeaceableorevenfriendlycapacity。IntheSouthamptoncountryhecameincontactwiththethenBishopofWinchester，afterwardsArchbishopofCanterbury，excellentElphegus，stilldimlydecipherabletousasamanofgreatnaturaldiscernment，piety，andinbornveracity;ahero-soul，probablyofrealbrotherhoodwithOlaf’sown。