And Cnut was master of all the land from Kent to Severn shores, Ethelred's own country.
So Edric Streone went over to Cnut, and with him many thanes who despaired of help from Ethelred, and chose rather peace under a king who was strong enough to give it them.

And one night forty of the English ships slipped away from us down the tide and joined the Danes at Sandwich.

The men had been bribed by Streone, as we found.
Almost then did Olaf make up his mind to leave England, but he pitied Ethelred, who turned to him again in this new trouble, and he did not go.
"But my men will not bide patiently much longer," he told me; "here is neither honour nor gold to be won, and I need them for my going to Norway when the time comes." For every day Olaf looked for some sign that should bid him go back and take his own land from Cnut's hand.
Now Ethelred would not stir from London, fearing treachery everywhere.

And again Eadmund's levies melted away for want of their king's presence, and at last we persuaded him to meet Eadmund at Coventry, and I went with him.

There was a good levy that would have followed him, but some breath of suspicion came over him, and suddenly he left them and fled back to London and the citizens, whom he trusted alone of all England.