Chapter XV

THE NORMAN INVASION AND THE CAMPAIGN OF HASTINGS.
August–October, 1066.

§ 1. _The Building of the Fleet._

Success of all William’s negotiations 377–378

Summer, Formation of the Norman fleet; contributions of
1066 ships; gifts of Remigius of Fécamp and of the
Duchess Matilda 378–380

Number and character of the ships 381

June 15 Ecclesiastical affairs; Council at Bonneville;
Lanfranc Abbot of Saint Stephen’s 381–382

June 18 Consecration of the Holy Trinity at Caen;
dedication of Cecily 383

§ 2. _The Embarcation and Voyage of William. August–September, 1066._

August 12 The fleet at the mouth of the Dive 384–386

Delay at the Dive; good order maintained in the
army 386–387

Numbers of the army 387

Spies sent by Harold; their treatment by William 388–389

[September William changes his position; probable influence
8] of the disbanding of Harold’s army 389–390

September William sails to Saint Valery; description and
12 history of the place 391–392

September Losses of the fleet; further delay at Saint
12–27 Valery; religious ceremonies and procession 392–395

Wednesday, The south-wind blows; the embarcation 395–397
27

William sets sail; details of the voyage 398–400

Thursday, William lands at Pevensey; history and description
28 of the place 400–402

491 Taking of Anderida by Ælle and Cissa 402–404

Defenceless state of the coast; no resistance
to William’s landing 404–405

Details of the landing; William’s ready wit 405–407

Friday, William marches to Hastings; history and importance
September of the town; he encamps on the hill 407–409
29

Question of losses and skirmishes; fate of the
soothsayer 410–411

William systematically ravages the country 411–412

Robert the son of Wymarc counsels William to
retreat; his answer 413–416

§ 3. _The Southern March of Harold. October 1–13, 1066._

October 1? The news brought to Harold at York; messengers
from Pevensey and from Hastings 416–419

Harold’s position; his Council at York; he begins
his march to London 420–421

Merlswegen in command of the North; Eadwine and
Morkere keep back from the war 421–422

General zeal of the nation; charge of parsimony
against Harold 422–423

The army joined by the men of Wessex, East-Anglia,
and Eastern Mercia; loyalty of the Earldom of
Waltheof; special position of the men of Kent
and London 423–424

Names of Englishmen preserved; Esegar, Ælfric,
Breme, Godric, Thurkill, Eadric the Deacon; the
Abbots Leofric and Ælfwig 425–427

October Harold reaches London; he waits for fresh troops 427
5–11

His visit to Waltham; his vow; miracle of the
Holy Rood 428–430

Messages between William and Harold; mission of
Hugh Margot to Harold; Harold’s counter-message
and challenge 430–433

Harold eager for battle; advice of Gyrth; Harold
refuses to ravage the land 433–437

Thursday, Harold marches from London; number of his army;
October 12 his plan and tactics; he fights on ground of
his own choice 437–440

Friday, Harold encamps on Senlac; description of the site;
13 its advantages; he fortifies the hill 441–445

Stories of desertions, spies, &c.; William’s last
message and challenge; Harold refuses the single
combat 445–450

§ 4. _The Battle. October 14, 1066._

The night before the battle; ceremonial devotion
of the Normans; alleged revelry of the English 450–453

Saturday, Battle of Senlac; William’s speech to his army 453–454
14

The Normans march to Telham and arm; story of the
reversed hauberk 455–457

Vital brings news of the English army; William
vows to build a monastery on Senlac 457–458

Threefold division of William’s army; on the left
the Bretons, on the right the French; the
Normans in the centre 458–461

Armour and weapons of the Normans 462

The standard and the group around it; William and
his brothers; the standard borne by Toustain
the White 462–465

The Norman chivalry; William Patry, Roger the
Bigod, William Malet 465–467

Three classes of troops in each division; order
of the attack 467–468

The two armies in sight; Harold’s speech; story
of the English spy; Harold dismounts at the
Standard 468–469

Tales of Harold and Gyrth 469–471

Defences and close array of the English; their
armour and weapons 471–474

The English ensigns; post of the King and his
kinsfolk by the Standard 475–476

Points of attack of the three divisions of the
enemy 477

9 A.M. Beginning of the battle; exploits of Taillefer 477–478

First attack; Norman and English war-cries; the
Normans beaten back 479–481

Flight of the Bretons on the left; the light-armed
English pursue; panic of the Normans; William and
Odo recall the fugitives 481–484

Second attack; personal exploits of William; deaths
of Gyrth and Leofwine 484–487

Partial success of the French on the right, but
the general attack repulsed 487–488

William orders the stratagem of the feigned
flight; the English on the right pursue; the
Bretons turn 488–490

Slaughter of the French at the detached hill and
in the western ravine 490

3 P.M. The Normans ride up the hill; single combats;
personal exploits of William, Harold, and others 491–495

The English resistance slackens, but the battle
undecided while Harold lives 495–496

6 P.M. The archers shoot in the air; Harold wounded in
the eye and disabled 497–498

Fight round the Standard; the Dragon borne off and
the Standard beaten down 498

Harold killed by Eustace and others; insults to
his body 499–500

Resistance and slaughter of the King’s following 500–501

Escape of the wounded Esegar and Leofric 501

Flight of the light-armed; pursuit of the Normans
and slaughter of the pursuers in Malfosse; end
of the battle 502–503

Effect of the death of Harold 504

Military estimate of the battle 503–507

§ 5. _The Burial of Harold. October–December, 1066._

William returns to the hill; his midnight feast 507–509

Sunday, Burial of the dead; burial of the English allowed;
October 15 discovery of Ælfwig and his monks; Harold’s body
not forthcoming 509–510

Osgod, Æthelric, and Gytha ask for the body;
William commands that it shall be buried on
the sea-shore 511–513

The body found by Eadgyth Swanneshals, and buried
on the hill at Hastings by William Malet 513–514

Legend of Harold’s escape, penitence, and death
at Chester; mythical character of the story 515–518

1066–1540 Harold’s alleged burial at Waltham; his
translation; destruction of his tomb 518–520

1307 The body of Edward the First at Waltham;
comparison between Harold and Edward 521–522