The following story of King Canute ( A.D. 1017 - 1035 ), based on the narrative of the Liber Eliensis, is told in Mr Millers interesting tale entitled The Camp of Refuge. ( Soham Roots Collection )

One winter King Canute went to visit the Monks of Ely. Then the nobles of his court said, We cannot pass, the King must not pass on the slippery, unsafe ice, which may break and cause us all to be drowned in the Fen waters. But Canute like the pious and stout King that he was, said, Hold ice or break ice, I will keep the feast of the Purification with the good Monks of Ely !. An there be but one bold fenner that will go before over the ice by Soham Mere and shew the way. I will be the next to follow !.  Now there chanced to be standing amidst the crowd one Brithmer a fenner of the Isle of Ely, that was called from his exceeding fatness Budde, or Pudding, and this heavy man stood forward and said that he would go before the King and shew him a way on the ice across Soham Mere.
Quoth Canute, who, albeit so great a King, was but a small light man, ' If the ice can bear thy weight, it can well bear mine !. So go on, and I follow.' So Brithmer went his way across the bending and cracking ice, and the King followed him at a convenient distance, and one by one the courtiers followed the King, and after a few falls on the ice they all got safe to Ely. And for the good deed which he had done, King Canute made fat Brithmer, who was but a serf before, a free man, and gave unto him some free lands which his posterity held and enjoyed a long time afterwards.