XXXIII
King Canute Is Recognized as a Saint by Pope Paschal II
The History of King Sweyn Estridsson and His Sons and of the Martyrdom of King Canute the Holy
Rex uero prudentissimus utilitati publicę prouidens legatis ad pontificem Romanum transmissis gestorum facta innotescit et, ut deuotioni fidelium auctoritate apostolica consulat, deposcit. Qui, episcopis per circuitum consistentibus aggregatis religiosique ordinis uiris uenerandis quam plurimis, omnibus sinodali more assidentibus et, quę dei sunt, tractantibus, silentio indicto, legatis, ut iussa denuncient ac simul legationis suę signa demonstrent, demandat.
Rerum igitur gestarum apicibus in palam prolatis atque perlectis, regiisque mandatis ab internunciis facunde peroratis, immensas omnipotenti grates exsoluunt, qui in diuersis mundi partibus electos suos glorificando manifestat; ac ita demum communi consilio et pari omnium decreto regem quondam gloriosum beatorum in cęlis iam martyrum ascisci decernunt collegio, cum martyrii gloria nominis etiam dignitate adaucta, ut, qui pridem ueluti uocabulo imperfecto et ligamine insoluto Cnut nuncupabatur, iam ob sensus caniciem et gestorum maturitatem ac pro eo quam maxime, quod iam in canone sanctorum connumerandus adiudicabatur, Canutus diceretur.
Sic enim quondam Abr[ah]ę cum deo fedus ineunti cum diuinę familiaritatis participio uocabuli adaugetur edictio, ut, qui hactenus deo cognitus fide probabilis habebatur, ex hoc etiam inter homines rerum gestarum exercitio et generis et nominis amplificatione gloriosior ac magnificentior haberetur. Et pulchre martyr preciosus ac deo dilectus Canutus ad instar Abrahę uocabuli amplificatione insignitur, qui eiusdem Abrahę sinu exceptus ęternę quietis felicitate perfrui signis euidentibus approbatur.
The most prudent king, mindful of the common good, sent envoys to the Roman pontiff to make the deeds that had taken place widely known and to request apostolic authority in support of the devotion of the faithful. The pope, having gathered the bishops of the surrounding regions and many venerable men of the religious orders, all assembled in synod and deliberating on matters of God, imposed silence and instructed the envoys to present their mandate and display the signs of their mission.
When the written accounts of the events were publicly produced and read aloud, and the royal requests eloquently presented by the messengers, all gave immense thanks to Almighty God, who reveals and glorifies his chosen ones in many parts of the world. Then, by common counsel and unanimous decree, they decided that the once-glorious king should be joined to the company of the blessed martyrs already in heaven, with the dignity of his name enhanced by the glory of martyrdom. Thus he who had previously been called Cnut, as by a name not yet brought to fullness, was now to be called Canute, on account of the maturity of his judgment, the fullness of his deeds, and above all because he was now judged worthy to be numbered among the saints.
For just as Abraham, when entering into covenant with God, received an expansion of his name as a sign of divine intimacy — so that he who had already been known to God for the probity of his faith would now also be known among men with greater glory and dignity — so too the precious martyr, beloved of God, Canute, was fittingly honored with the enlargement of his name. Received into the bosom of Abraham, he was clearly shown by evident signs to be enjoying the blessedness of eternal rest.
