The next day the fleet anchored at Pevensey, on the south coast of
England, under the walls of an old Roman fortress which had stood, a
vacant ruin, since the Saxons stormed it nearly six hundred years
before. (See map facing p. 38.) Tradition says that as William
stepped on shore he stumbled and fell flat with his face downward.
"God preserve us!" cried one of his men; "this is a bad sign." But
the Duke, grasping the pebbles of the beach with both his outstretched
hands, exclaimed, "Thus do I seize the land!"